Sherry Smith Birthday

H A P P Y  B I R T H D A Y  SHERRY !!!! 

H A P P Y B I R T H D A Y Jim Smith !!!!!!!!!

H A P P Y B I R T H D A Y Jim Smith !!!!!!!!!

H A P P Y B I R T H D A Y !!! DAN

Prayer please

This is from Jason Duncan who works at the church but is also an RA at Hidden Creek. 

calling for prayer! I am in a camp w 60 Chinese exchange students. Those who have not already crossed the line of faith are right on the edge of it. I've never seen the Holy Spirit move like this in so many people at once! But we, His ministers, desperately need your intercession for His empowerment, and these students desperately need Him ...period. Let the saints pray! John 4:35 Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, then comes the harvest'? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.  

Glory to His Name.... please pray.

H A P P Y B I R T H D A Y !!! Susan

H A P P Y   B I R T H D A Y !!! Susan

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DONNA !!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DONNA !!!!!

 

Dorothy

Praise God, Dorothy went through the surgery well.  The doctor said that he removed a number of bone spurs successfully and that she should be in better shape as far as the pain is concerned in about 5-6 weeks.  She does have a lot of arthritis and her bones are brittle, so that will still cause her to have to be very careful.  She slept well pretty well last night so there is much to be thankful for.

Let's continue to keep them in prayer. 

Dorothy's surgery

Good morning!!!!  Just wanted to remind you that Dorothy will have surgery tomorrow, April.  Please pray for her and for the surgeons and, of course, for Dan. 

Also thankful for this blog that makes it easy for us to communicate.  Thanks, Ernie!!!!

He is Risen!!!!

“On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came to the tomb, bringing the spices they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb. They went in but did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men stood by them in dazzling clothes. So the women were terrified and bowed down to the ground.

“Why are you looking for the living among the dead?” asked the men.

“He is not here, but He has been resurrected! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, ‘The Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men, be crucified, and rise on the third day’?” And they remembered His words.”

 

 

The tomb is empty..... death and the grave could not hold Him.

 

HE IS RISEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

He is the Resurrection and the Life!!!!!!!!!!

Info on Dorothy's surgery

Here is an email from Dan.....

Well, it has been a wild month.   As you know mother’s first surgery date, 03/05/13, was cancelled when she came down with a UTI infection.  The next surgery date, 03/22/13, was cancelled when mother came down with pneumonia on Thursday, 03/07/13, and landed in the hospital for a long weekend, 03/07/13 – 03/12/13.   Thankfully and praise the Lord. It was caught in the early stages.  She was back to church on the 17^th.   As of today, the new surgery date is 04/05/13.  Please, pray she will stay healthy.  I told her she would be in big trouble if she doesn’t. J

Also Susan had her test on her lung this past Wednesday and will keep us posted on the results.  Please keep her in prayer.

Can't leave without saying that I was thinking this AM about Phil 2:5-8....  that although He existed in the form of God He did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped but emptied Himself... taking the form of a bond servant and being made in the likeness of men.. being found in appearance as a man... He  (the Son of God... our Savior and King) humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death even death on a cross.  And He calls us to Have this attitude in ourselves.  
Which brings to mind... "deny yourself and take up your cross daily" and "humbles yourselves under the mighty hand of God" and on and on.     He gave His all... coming in humility... dying in humility... Our King!    As a friend of Erin's said...  "If He rode in low on a donkey, we should go ahead and get down off of our high horse.."   and I will add and worship Him with our lives in humility.

This is the week!!!!

Something I read this morning.... 

This is the week that we contemplate and celebrate that Jesus rose to His task and split history in two. This is the week he rode on a donkey, cried in the garden, suffered on the cross, rose into glory. This is the week that sinful, broken humans were granted a pardon, justified and set free. It is too miraculous for words. Songs and sermons fail us; we huddle at the cross, overwhelmed by the punishment that brought us peace.

Let's the earth rejoice, for the Lamb is our King and grace beat beat back the darkness!!!! 

Dorothy

I am so sorry that I didn't get this to you earlier.... but Dan's mom is having surgery on her back this AM.  She has to be there at 7AM, I believe.  And her surgery will require her to stay the night.   She has experienced pain in her back caused by some stenosis, I think, and they are going to try to relieve that pain.  Please pray for her and her quick recovery, and for Dan as he ministers to her. 

Updates

Sorry that I haven't updated the situation here at the City Smith house.  Jim's brother died on Jan 25th, and Jim and I went to the funeral the following week...... long story to tell there, but not for now.  God was definitely good to us in the trip and the time that we were there... although it was a very sad time also. 
We returned and I went to Erin's to help her and immediately came down with a stomach bug or food poisoning which kept me up all night in a not very pleasant way.  I left early the next day to keep away from her and the children... that turned out to be very interesting, too.  The streets were icy but the overpasses were even more icy... cars in ditches, or over turned or stuck or.... well, you get the idea....  I made it home by His grace.   Several days later, I lost my voice and am still a little croaky, although I have felt good and Jim has probably liked my lack of voice. It has probably been allergies.  So that is why I have not been in touch with you all.... love you.... Blessings...
Linda 

Happy Valentine's Day

Ash Wednesday

How deep the Fathers love for us,

how vast beyond all measure,

that He should give his only Son,

to make a wretch His treasure.

 

We love... because He first loved us.  (I guess that explains why we love you all so much.)

                         

 

Jim's brother

In my mind I wrote you all with an update on Jim's brother.... in reality, I did NOT!!!  Sorry!!  As you know he developed (or they found) a number of other problems with Bob's health... pneumonia, elevated blood sugar, atrial fibrillation, and finally kidney failure.  They had tried to reduce his sedation to wake him up, and he did not wake up... so the doctors told Carol that there was nothing else they could do since they were carrying on all his vital body systems with machines.  She and their son decided to take him off the ventilator, and when they did, he went peacefully to be with the Lord.  (If I have told you all of this, just humor me).  This was merciful since he had emphysema and dying in his sleep is the grace of God.  Even before the pneumonia took him to the hospital he was hardly able to walk across the kitchen, etc.  We praise the Lord for His grace and mercy.
So the funeral has finally been set for Wednesday with visitation on Tuesday night.  We will be leaving Tuesday AM (by car) and will probably be back on Thursday night or Friday.  Please pray for us as we travel and that we can minister to his family.

Happy Birthday Jim Brown !!!

Happy Birthday Jim Brown !!!

Happy Birthday, Jim Brown... and other news

Happy Birthday to Jim Brown!!!!!  I can't do the poster thing that Ernie does but want to say a very special day to you, Jim.  God bless you in every way this year.  You are a blessing to us all!!! 

Then just a little info on Jim's brother.  He is still on a ventilator, but they are slowly waking him up, and he is breathing about 15% on his own at this time.  His lungs are full of emphysema, his pneumonia is some better, but it will be awhile before it is gone, his blood sugar is running 400 (so he is on insulin... he has probably had undetected diabetes for a while), and the good news is that his urine output has improved.  Please continue to pray for him and for Carol who sounded like she was getting sick with a cold or the flu.

Jim's brother

Jim's brother, Bob Smith, was admitted to the hospital for shortness of breath and just not feeling good.  It turns out that he was in Atrial Fibrillation (a heart rhythm problem) and has pneumonia.  He also has emphysema so this made this all worse.  They put him on a ventilator and sedated him to give his lungs a rest and to deal with his heart rate, etc.  His heart rate is much improved and he is receiving IV meds for the pneumonia.  Something has now happened to cause his kidneys to not function as well (a little confusion here when talking to his wife, Carol), but suffice it to say that Bob is very ill.  Also this is the weekend for their granddaughter's wedding.... the good news is that all of the immediate family is in town for the wedding.... the bad news.... Bob is very ill....  but the best news... God knows and His ways are perfect.  Oh, and the father of the bride just came down with the flu.  Please pray.... meet you at the throne of Almighty God for grace to help in time of need.

Happy Birthday, Ernie!!!!  Oh, how I wish I could make you a poster like you do for everyone else.... but I can't!!!  Maybe someone will do it for you later.  In the meantime we wish you a great day in Him in the middle of ice, snow, and any other difficulties in your life.  We pray that God will show Himself mighty as you walk through the day.  That His Presence will over shadow you and overwhelm you with Joy.  That you will see Him in all that happens today and praise Him in it all.

We love you much!!!!