Pastor's Blog

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” (Psalm 119:11)

Jennifer Brinkman’s father will be having open heart surgery this morning.  As far as I know, they will be doing three by passes.  Pray that all goes well.

Justin Ellerman will be having eye surgery this morning.  Pray that this surgery will correct the problem he is having with his eye.

Deacon Raymond Wilkinson is on call today and will covering these two surgeries.

Miss Kittie Camp will have a pacemaker implanted tomorrow morning.  Deacon Sonny Bates will be the deacon on call and will be with Miss Kittie during that procedure.  Pray that all goes well.

Yancey Hall will have knee replacement surgery on Wednesday.  Deacon Carl Ray Moulds will be the deacon on call and will be at the hospital with Yancey & family.  Pray for a successful surgery and quick recovery.

Sierra Edwards daughter, Melissa, is in a Birmingham area hospital.  She needs our prayers.  As of this writing, Sierra has not gone up there but is apt to do so at any time.  Pray for Melissa, Sierra and the rest of the family.

Bro. Jerry Hovel remains in the hospital.  Tena said he is getting better and the doctors say it is just going to take time.  Keep praying.

Wow, we had some wet weather yesterday morning just before time for our first service.  It did affect our attendance but we still had a good day.  We even had a nice attendance in our evening service.

The parent/child dedication went well.  Each of the speakers did a very nice job.  Pray for these young families.

Lisa and I be heading to Guatemala today, Lord willing.  Our deacons have everything under control ministry wise.  Our plan is to arrive back in Grand Bay this Saturday.  Lots to do in Guatemala but nothing more important than seeing Deidra and the girls.

I plan on blogging daily while away but that could change.  Just FYI.

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

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” (Psalm 119:11)

Bro. Jerry Hovel was not discharged from the hospital yesterday.  It now appears that he will not be discharged until tomorrow or possibly Tuesday.  He says that he is better.  Just keep praying.

Jennifer Brinkman’s father had a heart cath on Friday.  They kept him in the hospital and have him scheduled for open heart surgery tomorrow.  However, the last I heard from Jennifer that surgery could take place today.  Pray for this situation.

It appears that today is going to be a wet one as far as the weather is concerned.  I am in hopes that the members of the Friendship family will be faithful to attend regardless of the weather.

Lisa and I enjoyed a good visit with my family especially my mama.  Eddie & Sue were great hosts.  It is the first time that all four of her children have been with mama on Mother’s Day weekend since at least 1978.

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

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” (Psalm 119:11)

Good Saturday morning from the bustling metropolis of Rocky Ford, Alabama.  Lisa and I arrived in Decatur around 7:15PM or so last night to enjoy supper with Eddie & Sue at Big Bob Gibson’s Bar-b-que – oh my!  North Alabama has some amazing bar-b-que restaurants and there is none better than Big Bob’s!  The white sauce is the bomb!

Bro. Jerry was not discharged from the hospital yesterday.  Just keep praying, please.

There is someone else who has been admitted to the hospital and is facing surgery but I do not know if I have the right to disclose the name so I will just ask that you pray.  I am pretty particular about privacy matters when it comes to the blog.

Six sets of parents were asked to submit photos of their children for our parent/child dedication service tomorrow.  Five sets responded in a timely manner.  One set did not.  I will not call them out but I will say the father goes by two different names like Bob Smith and Bill Jones.  Just saying!

Were they robbed?  JT and the Leopards were down 7 – 4 in the top of the sixth inning yesterday.  JT has just doubled so runners were on second and third with the tying run at the plate with only one out.  There was a lightning strike in the area and then the rain came for about thirty minutes.  Weather delay.  Then the umpire came out and announced the game was over.  It is within the rules but something seems so wrong about the way this went down.  Anyway, JT had a great high school career and now takes his talents to the college level.  Congratulations JT!

As you know, Lisa and I will be in Guatemala next week and Bro. Jerry is sick.  So, our deacons will be on call.  Here is that schedule along with phone numbers.

DEACONS ON CALL:

Monday, 5/13 – Raymond Wilkinson (680 1532)

Tuesday, 5/14 – Sonny Bates (421 7723)

Wednesday, 5/15 – Carl Moulds (510 4045)

Thursday, 5/16 – Larry Whitehurst (605 3002)

Friday, 5/17 – Bobby Broome (463 1786)

Saturday, 5/18 – John Ladnier (272 6667)

Brad Hutto and TJ Vice can also be available in the evenings, if needed.  Jeff Holifield will be out of town all week with work.

Going to enjoy fellowship and a meal with my parents, siblings and their spouses today before heading home.  Looking forward to honoring mama in this way.

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

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” (Psalm 119:11)

Bro. Jerry Hovel remains hospitalized but hopefully not for long.  Humanly speaking, a big part of the reason for his turnaround is a huge bag of “nutrients” being given to him intravenously.  One of Bro. Jerry’s friends who is a nurse calls it his “meat and potatoes.”  Not sure what it is because I am not medical but I know the Lord has used it to bring an almost instant type of healing to his body.  Now, he still has a ways to go to get back to normal but he is on the right road.  Praise the Lord.  Keep praying.

This Sunday, 5/12, is going to be a special day in the life of the Friendship family.  First, it will be special because it is Mother’s Day.  We will recognize the mothers present in both of our morning services with special recognition going to the oldest mother in attendance.

Second, our 10:30AM will be special as we will have our annual “parent/child dedication” service.  We have seven children and their parents being dedicated and making commitments.  We are going to do something that we have never done before and this has included the help of my wife and our twins.  What is it?  Come and see.  I can tell you that is “neat” as far as I am concerned.

We need to hear from our Class of 2019 high school graduates who plan to take part in the service at 10:30AM on May 19.  Call the church office or contact Dale Bosarge personally.  The sooner, the better.

I have spent the past few days making my garden a “Santa Claus garden” as it has been hoe, hoe, hoe!  Actually broke my hoe on Tuesday morning but Gina made a trip to Grand Bay Auto Supply and Shawn Felps hooked me up with a new one.  So, I was able to get all rows hoed and the entire garden plowed before the rains came yesterday.  The insects have found my garden so spraying everything will be next.  Pastor Jordan, I have never had a better stand of corn.  God is good!

Charles has done a ton of mowing on the hill the past two days.  He was trying to get ahead of the rain and he did so very nicely.  I will probably get billed for it even though it is his yard/property that he mowed.  Oh well, helped me time wise.

“Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose and sometimes you get rained out!”  The latter of those three happened to JT & the Leopards yesterday.  They are supposed to play that “rubber” game this afternoon but it is not looking promising per the weather forecast.

Lord willing, Lisa and I will leave at some point today and drive to Hartselle.  My siblings and I, along with our spouses, will have lunch tomorrow (Saturday) with our parents for Mother’s Day.  Mama is eighty years old and we need to honor her while we can.  Tomorrow is not promised to any of us.  Lisa and I plan to drive back to Grand Bay tomorrow afternoon.  Lord willing I will be in all three of our worship services this Sunday.  The same remains true for the following Sunday and the four following that.

I was told yesterday that the reason I have been asking folks to not visit Bro. Jerry is because he is on his death bed.  (The person who told me this is very sweet and was kind enough to ask me up front which I appreciate)  Bro. Jerry has been very sick and has often been sick to his stomach i.e. nauseated.  You really do not want folks “watching you or staring at you” during such times – do you?  Bro. Jerry was so sick that he did not feel like “entertaining” folks.  Rumors, you have to love them, right?  It has been well said that “a lie can run round the world before the truth has got its boots on.”  I remember Bro. Robbie Howard saying that many times over.  I have basically never known “they say” to get it right.  Have you?  That is what I thought.

Well, Bobby & the boys destroyed the Dodgers last night – what is up with that!  Yes, I am fan of the Dodgers but I am a fan of Bobby Henley first so congrats to Bobby and the Nationals.

I pray that you will have a great Friday with Jesus.  I am waiting on daybreak so I can mow.  Lisa says that if I do not get the yard mowed then we will not be driving to see my mama!  How tough is that?

Visited with Bro. Jerry this afternoon and folks “the demise of Bro. Jerry Hovel has been greatly exaggerated!”  Bro. Jerry looked better than I have seen him look in weeks.  He said he feels better.  It is within the realm of possibility that he will be discharged tomorrow but Saturday may be more realistic.

We prayed as a church family yesterday.  God has answered those prayers!  Praise Him!  Keep praying!  Keep believing!

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” (Psalm 119:11)

Bro. Jerry remains in the hospital.  He was very weak when I visited with him yesterday morning.  I am of the opinion that he does not need visitors at this time.  He does need prayer.  Pray without ceasing.

Miss Martez is a happy camper as she was discharged from the hospital yesterday just after noon.  Pray for her continued healing.

We were blessed with a good day in our services yesterday – morning and evening.  We give God the glory.

I need our nine deacons to check their e-mail.  I need for Brad, Raymond, Sonny & TJ to contact John Milton personally either via e-mail or phone.

Pastor Clint Landry has resigned from First Baptist Arab and has accepted the call to be the pastor of First Baptist Foley beginning May 26.  Congratulations to Pastor Clint, Suzy and family.  Pray for them.

JT and the Leopards lost the first game yesterday afternoon and then won the nightcap which means they will play a winner take all game today.  I am not sure of the game time.  If they can win today then they will play in the championship game next week.

Bobby and the boys are struggling.  Leslie Hacker’s Braves have hit a rough patch for the time being.  The ebb and flow of a baseball season.

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

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” (Psalm 119:11)

Jack Davie was discharged from the hospital yesterday.  Keep praying for Mr. Jack, Brenda, Timber and the rest of the family.

When I visited with Miss Martez yesterday she had been cleared to go home after receiving two units of blood.  Not so fast my friend!  After giving her the blood they decided to keep her in the hospital.  So, keep praying for Miss Martez, Bro. Norman and the family.

As I left the hospital yesterday I was thinking that we would be hospital free beginning today – wrong.  Bro. Jerry Hovel was admitted to the hospital yesterday.  He continues to be a very sick man and needs our prayers.  It seems that the doctors cannot pinpoint the root of his physical problems.  So, please pray.

Miss Kittie Camp will have a pace maker implanted next Tuesday, 5/14.

Yancey Hall will have knee replacement surgery next Wednesday, 5/15.

Deidra posted a nice blog entry yesterday.  Good read.  shininglightabroad.com

Regular schedule this morning and tonight.

Yesterday, I was reading an article on al.com written by Ben Thomas (my favorite al.com writer) about the Mobile Christian baseball team.  He mentioned that they would play Wednesday night and, if needed, Thursday.  What?  What happened to Friday night and Saturday?  The games have been moved up due to the threat of rain.  So, I kind of have an obligation on Wednesdays that prevents me from traveling to tonight’s games.  Personally, I think MC will win both games tonight.

If JT & team make it to the state championship next week then I will not be able to attend.  First, they will play on Wednesday.  However, the bigger obstacle for me is that I will be in Guatemala next week and it is a long drive from Chimaltenango to Montgomery – just saying!  I am in hopes they can win it all.

For those who receive e-mail notifications of a blog entry – are you having any problems i.e. not receiving notification?  I had one person tell me they have not been receiving one.  Let me know via e-mail, please.  Thank you.

I have watched parts of The Voice for the past two nights – I must be getting weak!  Anyway, two Alabama boys have moved on to the final eight so good for them.  I am entering Randall & Brad in the next round.

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

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” (Psalm 119:11)

Happy eighth birthday to our second oldest grandchild, Emmy.  I hope she has a wonderful day.  We will celebrate with a small gathering late this afternoon.

Jack Davie did well through his surgical procedure yesterday.  Not really sure how long he will remain in the hospital but do ask that you keep praying for him.

Miss Martez Richerson had another test done yesterday.  The results are not supposed to be available until two weeks from now.  Not sure when they will discharge her from the hospital.  Keep praying for Miss Martez.

Tony Creal’s mother-in-law, Elizabeth Tillman, passed from this life yesterday afternoon.  Arrangements pending.  Pray for the family as they walk through this valley.

Keep praying for Bro. Jerry Hovel as he recovers at home.

Yes, BJ Parson did spend the night in our home Sunday night.  Told me he would leave at 6:00AM.  I was in the bedroom at 5:30AM working on the blog entry when I heard a vehicle speeding down our driveway.  It was BJ.  He left without paying!  Imagine that!

Bobby & the boys are struggling a bit.  Hopefully they will be able to turn it around soon.  The Dodgers were able to beat Les Hacker’s Braves last night.

I had written a couple of days ago that JT & the MC Leopards would be hosting the semifinal games this weekend – wrong!  The AHSAA changed that and now MC will travel to Buhl, Alabama for those games.  (You win front pew seats in our next service if you know where Buhl is without looking it up!)  Best of luck to JT and the Leopards.

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

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” (Psalm 119:11)

Jack Davie is scheduled to have surgery this morning.  This is related to a problem with kidney stones.  Pray that all goes well.

Miss Martez remains in the hospital.  I will visit with her this morning to get an update.

Dale Creal passed from this life last Wednesday.  The service for Dale will take place this afternoon beginning at 2:00PM from the chapel of Serenity Funeral Home.  Pray for the Creal family.

The Lord blessed us with a good day in our services yesterday.  What a joy to honor our senior adults.  Doug Seaver did a great job of ministering in song.  Randall & Rita did a very nice job of ministering to our seniors while they enjoyed their meal.  Katelyn Johnson and others did very well in setting things up for the meal, serving and cleaning up.  I am very grateful to each person who helped in any way.  Thank God for our senior adults.

Our Sunday was capped by the baptism of Edward by his father, Joseph.  That is good stuff!

Bro. Jerry continues to recover at home.  Keep praying.

BJ Parson showed up for our service last night.  It was great spending time with him in fellowship.

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

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” (Psalm 119:11)

Bro. Jerry Hovel continues to be at home as he recovers.  Please continue to pray but respect his request for privacy at this time i.e. no visitors.

Miss Martez Richerson and Mr. Jack Davie both remain hospitalized.  Keep praying.

Looking forward to our senior adult day tomorrow.  Doug Seaver will be our special guest in our 10:30AM and 6:00PM services.  I will be using the same scripture passage in both morning services but preaching two different messages from it.  I am asking all of our senior adults to attend the 10:30AM service and, of course, then attend the 6:00PM service when Doug will be ministering in song.

Katelyn Johnson will be coordinating the meal tomorrow.  She can use help.  Anyone wishing to help must attend the 8:00AM service and Sunday School.  Contact Katelyn in you need information.

There is a tea for the ladies today from 2:00 – 4:00PM in the fellowship hall.  Pray for it to be a blessed time.

JT Lastorka pitched a gem yesterday and propelled his team into the semifinals.  He had seven strike outs.  So they will now host a semifinal best of three beginning Friday afternoon.  Way to go JT!

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