Pastor's Blog

John Meredith is having his kidney stones crushed today.  He is working out in LA and Arlene is here so pray for John as he goes through this procedure. 

Desi Hovel saw the doctor yesterday and goes back today.  It is “possible” they could take the baby today based on the tests related to her fluid.  If not, she will go to the doctor every day beginning on Monday and it will be day by day.  Pray for Desi, the baby, Josh, & Gabriel.

Miss Lucine Bryant’s heart is back out of rhythm.  The doctor is going to try medication for the time being.  She is not feeling well at all. 

It is pushing 5:00AM and Lisa is “demanding” that I get out the door and buy groceries!  After that, it will be grass cutting all day.  I spent a couple of hours in Charles’ orchard yesterday afternoon weedeating around his pecan trees and doing some of Brad & Daphne’s yard.  The Lord has allowed me to have some productive afternoons this week as far as yard work is concerned.  The pollen is doing a number on me but otherwise the weather has been awesome!  I think I’ll go have a glass of tea!

Wow, the Mobile City Council surprised me with their vote on the tax yesterday.  How do you abstain on such a vote?  It seems to me that some of the cost cutting measures taken already since the vote should have been in place before the vote. 

Gotta go!  I pray that you will have a great Friday with Jesus!

I read where Larry King is getting divorced for the eighth time – wow!

Martha Patrick was discharged from the hospital yesterday afternoon.  Susan Quinn met with the doctors yesterday and does not have to have chemotherapy.  She will need six weeks of radiation (5 days each week) and the only decision is whether to do it at Duke or in Greenville.  Glenn Cooper’s dad, Glenn, Sr., will see a doctor next Monday as they have found a mass through a test.  Lois Kirschenman finds out today about her upcoming surgery.  Desi Hovel is doing okay as she awaits the c-section on 4/30.  Jayne English remains hospitalized with no change.

Liz said her mother, Miss Joyce Bosarge, is experiencing a small amount of relief.  Marisa said Carla is still battling the sores in her mouth.  Marisa, I have prayed for the other situation you mentioned.  Gage continues to take his radiation/chemo – thanks for the updates, Pattie.  Debbie Kendrick’s mother continues to recover from her heart surgery.  Oscar is recovering too.  Speaking of heart surgeries, it was great to see Bobby Jack Felps in our service this past Sunday.  Dee Dee’s dad is some better but is still battling the cancer. 

Miss Lucine Bryant is not doing well and will see the doctor again today.  This is related to her heart.  Bobby Broome & Ann Clark have a sister, Edith Maxie, in a Memphis hospital.  Arlene Meredith has an uncle with stage four liver cancer who needs to get to Houston but is too sick to do so.  John Meredith will have his kidney stones crushed tomorrow – he remains in Los Angeles. 

Roy & Pelham McGehee (brothers) are both battling cancer and we have been asked to pray for them. 

The Mobile City Council votes this morning on the proposed one cent increase to the sales tax.  This is going to affect all of us as we shop in Mobile.  Will it ever stop? 

Today is tax day.  Bro. Robbie & I had our tax returns done yesterday as we don’t like to wait until the last minute.  By the way, the USPS offices are not staying open extra hours today. 

Did you see where the folks in a Tennessee town elected a deceased person as their mayor?  Wow! 

Joe David, make your NBA picks so I can know who not to pick!  I would love to pick the Lakers but they have played so poorly since the break.  The Dodgers are struggling too!  Bobby’s Nationals are struggling a bit – can you say, no pitching? 

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

Debbie Kendrick’s mother is doing great – read the comment left by Debbie on yesterday’s entry.  Martha Patrick remains hospitalized as does Jayne English. 

Susan B. Quinn is scheduled to begin her radiation at Duke today.  Pray that all will go well.

Big news – Evangelist Ken Freeman will be our special guest on Sunday, April 25 & Monday, April 26.  Please join me in praying that these will be special days of renewal & revivial. 

Also, Bro. Chris is in the process of lining up Mark Harris for an evening of musical worship.  Mark is formerly of 4 Him.  Details forthcoming!

I learned a long time ago that “assuming” something can lead you wrong.  For example, I assumed that the damage to the front porch area of the office building was going to be great but it wasn’t – praise the Lord! 

Yesterday, I wrote that “Soy ran over three baby rabbits” and most folks “assumed” that he killed them.  I never mentioned any harm to those critters.  Nope, they were in their nest in the ground and are doing just fine.  Remember, I have to be standing directly behind the pulpit! 

I gave Dana her first opportunity to mow with the zero turn mower yesterday afternoon.  She is light years ahead of Soy! 

We are on a regular schedule today/tonight.  Spring break will probably be a killer in regard to our attendance but we are having all Bible studies & classes. 

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

Debbie Kendrick’s mother had five by passes done yesterday morning but she did well through the surgery.  As far as I know, Martha Patrick remains hospitalized.  Jayne English remains hospitalized and in the same condition too.  Dee Dee’s dad came home from the hospital yesterday (see her comment).  Pattie is doing a good job of keeping us updated on Gage via her comments to these entries. 

The damage to the front porch area of the office building was not as bad as we had anticipated – praise the Lord!  I am thinking Tony, Les, Eric, & Nick should finish it today.  They probably could have gotten through yesterday but Nick didn’t have any help! 

Deacon Jason, please get your prophets right before making comment!  You are killing me!

The Mobile City Council takes up an important matter today as they consider a sales tax increase.  Obviously, we don’t live in Mobile but we do make purchases there so their decision will have an effect on us.  Do you really think they will “reduce” this tax in three years?  My opinion – no! 

By the way, the economic stimulus package that was going to cost $787 billion dollars is now projected to cost $862 billion – they only missed it by $75 billion dollars!  Wow!

I am assuming our senior adults made it safely to Louisiana yesterday.  Bro. Chris took our students to New Orleans and the bus is back so I guess they are too!  We thank God for providing traveling mercies.

Soy “helped” me work at Charles & Ann’s yesterday afternoon.  (Charles has been complaining again!)  I don’t mind helping Ann.  So, we are going to weed eat and mow (ride) to get their yard up to par.  Soy “volunteered” to ride and allowed me to weed eat.  (Kyle Bryant is my witness!)  I finished the yard and moved into the pecan orchard finishing at dark thirty.  Soy?  Gone!  By the way, Soy ran over three baby rabbits with the riding mower!  Also, can someone tell Soy that on a zero turn mower you can get within six feet of objects – no wait, just let the weed eater guy get it!  (Don’t tell Charles that I used his weed eater and gasoline!) 

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

Ouch!  The first weekend of the public school system’s Spring Break caused our attendance to take a hit!  The attendance in the early service was good and I was feeling “good” about it but then came the second service and I no longer felt so good!  O well, it is what it is!  Thanks to those who were present and I pray those not in attendance are enjoying some time away.

However, God was present in our services and that is always a great thing!  Erik Blackwell made a profession of faith in our early service and then he & Hayden Collier followed the Lord in believers’ baptism as a part of our evening service.  Praise the Lord!

I am not sure if Heidi & Matthew came home from the hospital yesterday or if they will come today.  As far as I know, Martha Patrick & Jayne English remain hospitalized.  Oscar Petersen came home on Saturday.  Debbie Kendrick’s mother will have quadruple by pass heart surgery this morning.  Pray for these folks and the others on our list.

The neighbors (actually just one – Sherry) have been complaining about the grass on our acreage behind Charles & Ann.  So, Saturday saw Lisa, Soy, & me spend six hours getting it mowed.  (Okay, Soy came for the last five minutes but at least he came!)  Next news you know, Sherry will be wanting us to cut it again before June!

The church family approved last night for Tony Hacker to lead the repair work on the porch area in front of the office.  That will be followed by a vinyl siding job and then all of the exterior areas on the buildings will be covered by vinyl siding.  Pray that they won’t find “major” damage once they get into this project.

John Curl & Kenny Lingle have done a nice job of painting Phase II.  Tena Hovel will begin painting the doors & chair rail today.  Tony, Les, & Carl B. hung the doors & ran the chair rail this past Saturday morning.  Bro. Benny McGath did the clean up.  Thanks to everyone for their help.

Bro. Kerry and a group of our senior adults are headed to Louisiana today.  Pray for them to have a safe trip.

I hear that the first 5K went well.  Rumor on the street is that Stan Hatcher let up so his second son, Ryan, could beat his time.

I’m struggling as I make the move to this Mac.  It will get better!

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

We welcome Matthew Butler to this world as he made his entry yesterday afternoon.  Proud parents are Rhett & Heidi and the proud big sister is Lauren.  Matthew weighed 7 lbs 11 ounces and was somewhere 12 & 40 inches long (I forgot what Rhett told me but Tina will correct me once she reads this entry)  Heidi & Matthew are doing fine!  (BTW, I also forgot to ask about the middle name) 

Martha Patrick had a surgical procedure done yesterday morning and did fine.  Oscar Petersen was moved from CCU and seemed to be doing well.  Didn’t hear from Desi.  Timmy Nguyen was discharged from the hospital yesterday afternoon.  Jayne English remains in the hospital with no change.  Miss Jackie Goff got a good report from the doctor yesterday.  Pray for all of these folks. 

Life is about choices and I faced a choice last night – go to the girl’s soccer game or walk over to the CAB and watch the paint dry.  The CAB is looking good! 

Our student ministry is sponsoring a 5K race tomorrow morning.  I am 99.99% certain that I will not be a participant.  I was supposed to represent the staff while Kenny Lingle represents the deacons.  I surrender! 

My “Native American” friends, April & Jaclyn, are going on our June GRACE trip – that is awesome!  No trip is totally complete without a MOWA as a participant. 

The Dodgers finally won a game yesterday while the Lakers (minus Kobe) were beaten by the Nuggets.  Sweet & sour! 

However, the Wisconsin Badgers & Boston College Eagles won to set up tomorrow’s championship game in the Frozen Four.  I am pulling for Wisconsin as they have a starter from Birmingham, Alabama. 

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

We had a good Wednesday in our services.  It seems our morning service increases a bit numerically each week.  That service has become a favorite of mine.  Of course, I enjoy ending the day with the young adults during their 8:00PM Bible study.  They enjoy the food! 

Oscar was taken off the ventilator yesterday afternoon.  Bill Glass was discharged from the hospital.  Susan Quinn goes to Duke next Wednesday and will most likely begin her radiation then.  Jayne English’s situation remains unchanged.  Hien’s brother, Timmy, remains hospitalized.  Martha Patrick will have a surgical procedure done today.  Desi Hovel goes back to the doctor for more testing today.  Gage continues his radiation.  Miss Joyce Bosarge is still having a lot of pain even though she is receiving radiation treatments.  Carla Kyser is still having sores in her mouth due to the chemotherapy.  Martha Nell Floore is in the hospital.  George Douglas, Jr. remains hospitalized in his battle against cancer.  Marilyn Thomas remains in ICU.  Lois Kirschenman is waiting for her cardiologist to approve for her to have surgery.  The funeral service for Glen Kern will take place today at 2:00PM from the First Evangelical Methodist Church in Irvington.  Miss Lucine Bryant has had a setback but is battling through it – her heart is doing great. 

Miss Jackie Goff will have a MRI done today and may have to have surgery. 

Rhett & Heidi Butler will become parents for the second time today as Heidi will have a c-section at 12:30PM.  Pray for all of these needs.

Scott & Bo (Megan) brought Lora & Leah to the service last night.  Bo says the girls are sleeping great during the day!  Beautiful babies! 

Deidra has taken Soy, Dana, & Gina to Six Flags for a couple of days.  Soy wanted me to pray with him before they left as he wants to ride the Scream Machine but is scared!  He wanted me to go ride it with him – please! 

At least two of the girls who attend our church play soccer for Bryant.  Their last home game is tonight and one of them is a senior.  I’m sending Chris to the game! 

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

Our out of town readers (both of them) won’t get much from today’s entry but it will hopefully help our local folks.

The funeral service for Mr. Wallace Lee, Karen Walker’s dad, will take place today at 1:00PM from the chapel of the Mobile Memorial Gardens Funeral Home. 

A cousin of Miss Kittie Camp, Glen Kern, passed away and the visitation with his family will take place from 5:00 – 8:00PM tonight at the First Evangelical Methodist Church in Irvington with a funeral service tomorrow at 2:00PM from the church. 

Oscar Petersen is in CCU in a local hospital.  He is on a ventilator after having quadruple by pass surgery on his heart.  The next 36 hours or so are important in the recovery process. 

Martha Patrick’s heart stopped three time within five minutes this past Saturday night.  Thankfully, she had a defibrillator that effectively shocked her heart back to beating.  She is in the hospital and may be there several more days. 

Hien’s youngest brother, Timmy, is (was?) in the hospital having been taken there on Sunday afternoon.  His initial problem was strep throat but it has moved on to something else.

Dee Dee’s dad, George Douglas, Jr., was kept in the hospital.  He is battling cancer.  You can read the update given by Dee Dee on last night’s entry. 

Bill Glass had a stent placed in his carotid artery yesterday.  He was doing well when I left the hospital last night.

Desi Hovel was discharged from the hospital yesterday afternoon.  They anticipate taking the baby on April 30. 

Gail Bishop, Sue Blodgett’s sister, was discharged yesterday afternoon too.  Sue visited with Marilyn Thomas who remains in ICU. 

Pattie Suthoff gave an update on Gage Hudson via a comment on yesterday’s first entry. 

Jayne English remains in a room but there has been no change otherwise.

I need to remind the deacons to meet with me tonight at 6:00PM.

Phase II of the CAB renovation is moving again and, after today, we should be ready for the paint crew.  We will not use those rooms this Sunday, 4/11, but will complete this phase at some point next week. 

Morris had graciously given me a ticket to attend the Team Focus event last night featuring Coach Saban.  I had to cancel due to hospital obligations so I hope Kyle enjoyed using “my” ticket!  (Kim French wanted that ticket so badly!)  I appreciate Morris thinking about me.

We are on a regular schedule as far as our services/activities are concerned today/tonight.  The only change is that the 8:00PM Bible study group will meet in our house. 

I pray that you will have a great Wednesday.

It is a little after 9:00PM – Oscar Petersen had quadruple by pass and the doctor said “he did well but is still not out of the woods for the next two days.”  He is on a ventilator and will hopefully come off of it in the morning. 

George Douglas, Jr. was taken to the hospital this afternoon and Dee Dee says it doesn’t look good.

Martha Patrick is in the hospital. 

Bill Glass had surgery today and is doing okay.

3:44PM – Oscar Petersen had a heart cath done today and it revealed “multiple” blockages.  A surgical team is prepping now to do by pass surgery.  Pray for Bro. Oscar! 

I am headed out the door to be with Miss Vinnie & his family.  I will update later tonight.