Pastor's Blog

Our GROW meal will take place tonight beginning at 6:30PM.  We will meet in the fellowship hall.  Have not signed up yet?  Call Bro. Jerry today (445-5414) to get the details.

The baby shower for Jordan, Jennifer, & baby Andrew Zirlott will take place this Saturday, 1/14, as originally planned.  Andrew will not be present as he remains hospitalized but Jennifer will be there.

Miss Kathleen Henderson is now into her third week of being hospitalized.  She really wants to go home.  Pray for her.  If possible, visit her in the hospital.

Miss Vinnie’s son-in-law, Hugh, is doing much better.  Hugh & Shirley thank you for your prayer support.

Keep praying for Carla Kyser, Earl Gunter, Chuck Rockwell, Gloria Morrison, Lisa Thompson, and all of the others who are battling cancer.

It is sad to see the 2011 college football season come to an end but it sure is sweet (IMO) to see it end with Alabama being crowned as the 2011 national champions in the coaches’ poll and the AP poll.  Gotta give a shout out to Bev Aldrich who is a huge AU fan but she assured me of her support for the Tide in last night’s game.  Also gotta say that Rusty Suthoff is a classy LSU fan.  (He is a bandwagon fan but classy nonetheless)  I received calls/e-mails before, during, and after the game from a number of folks telling me they were pulling for the Tide.  Thanks!  In the end, it is just a game!  Roll Tide!

I pray that your Tuesday will be a great one with Jesus!

Praise the Lord!  We had a really good day in our services yesterday and we give God the glory!  I am so blessed to pastor a people who are faithful!  God is good!

Ted Ezell surprised me by being present for our 8:00AM service yesterday.  Obviously, he was discharged from the hospital late Saturday afternoon.

Jennifer W Zirlott was discharged from the hospital yesterday.  Baby Andrew remains hospitalized.

Miss Kathleen Henderson remains in the hospital.  She has been in the hospital since 12/26.  Pray for these folks!

This is for our Sunday School class:  Someone said, “Put a mouse in front of a cat and you’ll find out if you have a real cat”. We could change that slightly and say, “put a needy person in the front of a Christian and we will find out if you have a real Christian.” (taken from Dr. Jack Bailey’s blog today, 1/9)

As you know, I am not a huge NFL fan but I do enjoy seeing Tim Tebow have success.  I watched some of the game live yesterday afternoon and then recorded the rest of it so I would have the choice to watch it after church.  Since I knew the Broncos won, I watched the last quarter and overtime (all 11 seconds of OT).  That was good!

I watched some of the Saints game on Saturday night too.  Obviously, it is highly possible that the Saints could make it to the Super Bowl but they will have a couple of tough games in front of them.  I tried to tell Jeremy Kreuze it would be the Saints by 17.  Maybe next time he will believe me!

It is here – the game of the century II or something like that!  Looking forward to a good game.  Hope Bama wins!  If you need anything between 7:00PM and midnight then call one of the other staff members – LOL!  I will be camped out in our living room watching the game on television.  Roll Tide!

I pray that you will have a great Monday with Jesus.

Visited with Ted Ezell in the hospital yesterday.  He was supposed to have been kept “overnight” for observation and the doctor would send him home yesterday.  One problem – as of about 3:30PM he had not seen or heard from a doctor.  A physical therapist came in his room as I was leaving so I do not know the outcome of his situation.

Spoke to Deanna via the phone about Jennifer and Andrew.  Jenn may come home today but Andrew will remain hospitalized for some time.

Miss Vinnie Brewer’s son-in-law, Hugh, had another episode with his heart this past Friday.  He is hospitalized but could go home today if the treatment they are trying works.  If not, he will need another procedure.

Pray for these folks as well as all the others we have mentioned in recent days.

Hope to see you in the services today!

The best laid plans of mice and men or something like that!  I did not get by the hospitals yesterday.

Merwyn Gunter was moved to a local convalescent facility for physical rehab.  As far as I know, Jennifer and Andrew are doing well too.  Ted Ezell was admitted to a local hospital yesterday.  I hope to check on him today.

Way to go Hogs!  Glad to see the SEC win another bowl game.

Go Saints!  (Sorry Jeremy K in Michigan)

We are on a regular schedule for tomorrow.  Hope to see many members of the Friendship family in attendance.

I pray your Saturday with Jesus will be great!

Miss Kathleen Henderson remains hospitalized and has been diagnosed as having pneumonia too.  She is disappointed as she wants to go home.  Pray for her!

I will stop by and check on Jennifer Z today and Merwyn Gunter also.  Mac McGriff’s mother continues to receive hospice care.  Carla is dealing with the effects of having received another treatment this past Wednesday.  Herbert’s sister is recovering from her most recent fall.  Pray for these folks.

Our Upward basketball games resume tomorrow morning beginning at 8:00AM.  Pray for this ministry!

Remember, we are on a regular schedule for this Sunday which means we will have our bus ministry and Discipleship Training.  All systems are a go!  I encourage the members of the Friendship family to be faithful.  (Do not be like Katie Tillman who went to the hunting camp last weekend – LOL!)

I pray that you will have a great Friday with Jesus.

Jordan Andrew Zirlott, II was due to enter this world on February 28, 2012.  However, he made is grand appearance this afternoon via c-section as his mother was having some health issues.  He checked in at 3 pounds 4 ounces.  Son and mother are doing okay.  Congratulations to Jordan & Jennifer and their families.

Sorry for the lateness of this post.  You can blame it on Joe David Bailey.  Attempted to visit with Merwyn Gunter in the hospital this morning but he was sleeping very soundly.  As a general rule, I do not awaken folks in the hospital as I never know how long they have been asleep, if they had little sleep the night before, et cetera.  I have a counseling appointment in a few minutes and then I will be heading to visit Miss Kathleen Henderson in another hospital.

We had a blessed day yesterday in our services.  We had a really good attendance in our morning service – I was impressed!  We had good attendance in the two evening Bible studies I lead also.  We give God the glory!

Neal Seaborn sent this request via e-mail – “Can you ask the Church to pray for my dad? He has been in the hospital for over 3 weeks. Had surgery to repair a hernia in his esophagus. Since the surgery he has not been able to swallow and has had trouble breathing. We nearly lost him a couple of times.  He has been in and out of ICU. He has pneumonia now and they feel they have gotten it under control.  We need a miracle for him to be able to swallow again and get off of the feeding tube. They are trying to build up his strength. WE have put him in the Lord’s hands.”

Neal & Jana are IMB missionaries in the Philippines and a great friends of the Friendship family.

Speaking of missionaries, Alisha Vice has decided to spend three months in Uganda seeking the Lord’s will for her life.  Thank you to those who prayed for her this past Sunday night during our service.  Keep praying!

I really feel that I need to go to South Carolina to console Pastor Terry Rainey and Pastor Eddie Burdette after the Clemson game last night.  Wow, I felt bad for Coach Dabo and the entire Clemson team/coaches.

I pray that you will have a great Thursday with Jesus.

Visited with Merwyn Gunter yesterday.  He is probably going to be in the hospital for a few more days.  He does not feel that poorly but has problems that will prevent him from going home.  He is 89 years old but he told me that when you get to be 100 then things just go wrong!

Miss Kathleen Henderson has been in the hospital since last Monday, 12/26.  I appreciate Miss Vinnie Brewer informing me of this.  Visited with Miss Kathleen yesterday and she will also be in the hospital for several more days.

Herbert Benefield’s sister, Elaine Graham, fell recently and broke her shoulder.  She took another fall yesterday and landed directly on her face suffering several injuries that only time can heal.  I am not sure if she remains hospitalized or not.

Phil Sims cousin who was involved in the automobile accident passed away yesterday.  There was actually a story on al.com about the accident and her passing.  A player from the AU team was her boyfriend and was also involved in the accident.  He survived.

Mac McGriff’s mother continues to need our prayer support.  Carla Kyser receives another chemo treatment today.  Pray for all of these needs.

We are on a regular schedule today – morning and evening.  I ask Larry Whitehurst, Tyrone Crawley, Tony Hacker and Tim Knighten to meet with me tonight at 6:00PM.

The game last night was not pretty unless you are a Michigan fan.  We have a number of GRACE Ministries supporters who are “blue” so I congratulate them on the victory.

I pray that you will have a great Wednesday with Jesus.

I do not have an update on Merwyn Gunter but will be going to visit with him this morning.  Phil Sims has a cousin who was involved in an automobile accident as she was returning to college.  It is my understanding that her condition is critical.  Pray for these folks!

Lisa and I did go with Charles & Ann to Richton yesterday to place flowers on Michael’s grave.  It was a good day and a time of remembrance/reflection.  (Yes, Charles “let” me pay for breakfast as he seemingly could not find his wallet!)

I spent the afternoon/evening watching the bowl games.  The SEC did well even though UGA lost a tough one.  I have to congratulate my Michigan friends who are MSU fans but I feel badly for Ethan McGath.  I was impressed with quarterbacks Kirk Cousins and Andrew Luck.  IMO, Luck has game!  Cousins is just a great guy!

Hopefully, I will get to watch Michigan play tonight and Clemson tomorrow night.  Of course, the game that matters the most to me takes place next Monday night!  (I hope Rusty is crying after that one ends!)

The church office is open today and we are on a regular schedule tomorrow.

I pray that you will have a great Tuesday with Jesus!

Merwyn Gunter was placed in the hospital yesterday.  I am not sure of his exact problem but do ask that you pray for him.

We had a good first Sunday of 2012.  The Spirit was good as was the attendance.  I am very grateful to those who came for the evening service too.  Thank you for being faithful!

The church office is closed today.  We will open tomorrow at 8:00AM.

Our girls go back to school today.  (Actually, Gina cannot go due to a problem with one of her eyes)  Lisa and I will travel with Charles & Ann to Richton, MS.  (I do not know which is better – spending the day with Charles or spending a day with Soy!)  We are going to Michael’s grave as it has been awhile since Lisa and I have been there.

After we get home, I plan on watching football and then watching some more football.  By the way, I had trouble sleeping last night after the Cowboys got beat – whatever!  Go Saints!

I pray that you will have a great Monday with Jesus.