Pastor's Blog

Teresa Ladnier was taken to the hospital yesterday morning for emergency surgery on her back.  They took her into surgery around 3:15PM and the doctor met with the family around 6:30PM or so.  The surgery went well and Teresa “may” go home today.  Pray for her recovery.

Jennifer Brinkman has cousin, William Aikin, who is five years old.  He took a fall on Thursday night and sustained severe injuries.  He was in surgery for hours.  It is possible that he will no longer be able to hear due to his ear drums being damaged as a result of the fall.  Pray for him.

Word came from the doctor yesterday that Emmy’s count is back up.  The doctor is trying something with her diet and will consult with Brad & Daphne in a few days.  We appreciate your continued prayer support for Emmy.

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

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

Betty Clair & Blair Hatcher went home from the hospital yesterday.  Obviously, they are doing well.  Praise the Lord!

We are on a regular schedule this morning and tonight.  I encourage the members of the Friendship family to be faithful.  Bro. Jerry will preach the 10:00AM & 7:00PM services.

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

Betty Clair & Blair Hatcher are doing well.  They should go home either tomorrow or Thursday.

I learned after yesterday’s post that Louise Morris was in the 10:30AM service on Sunday.  I am not surprised!  Pray that her physical therapy will keep doing her good.

It is my understanding that one of our students had surgery yesterday and another one will have surgery tomorrow.  I will not name them as I do not know if that is okay with their family.  God knows so pray for them.

Julie McGath’s friend, Diane Hall, passed away yesterday morning.  We have had her on our prayer list for many months as she battled cancer.  Pray for her family.

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

Ross & Betty Clair Hatcher welcomed Blair Elise Hatcher into this world yesterday evening during the 6:00PM hour.  She came in weighing 6 pounds 14 ounces and was 20.5 inches long.  Congratulations to Ross & Betty Clair!

Ross & Betty Clair Hatcher welcomed their first child into the world yesterday.  That is basically all I know at this point but will update later with the weight, length, et cetera.

Gunnar Howell came home and is doing well.  He cannot be out and about for thirty days as the doctor does not want him to get any infection.  Keep praying for him.

Carla Kyser began a new chemo treatment last week.  Pray for her as she deals with the side effects.

I am told that the services went well yesterday and that we had a good attendance in each of those services.  I appreciate Edwin, Chris, & Jim preaching in my absence.

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

Obviously, I am in Guatemala with a team of 42 other folks.  You can read about it on the GRACE blog.  My plan is to do a regular update on this blog too as I receive news from home.

Sherry Howell e-mailed me last night to say that Gunnar had come through the surgery and the doctor was satisfied at that point.  Another test will be performed today.  Gunnar will be in the hospital for two days.  Pray for him along with Chris & Sherry.

Carla Kyser received word from the doctor yesterday that she has new spots in her body so she will begin treatment with a new chemotherapy today.  This treatment will have some side effects.  Pray for Carla, her parents, and the rest of the family.  Pray for this chemo to have the desired effect and for the doctors to have wisdom treating her.

As far as I know, Miss Louise Morris went home yesterday.  Pray for her rehabilitation.

We are on a regular schedule for Sunday.  Men are in place to preach in my absence.  One of them is someone who has never preached in our church before.  I encourage the members of the Friendship family to be faithful!  Remember, He is the Reason!

Stopped by GB yesterday morning to get a drink.  Arnold Ross told me that it was illegal to kill a bat.  Please do not tell Soy!  As soon as he kills one, I am calling the authorities!  LOL!  Arnold also told me that a bat eats one third of its body weight in mosquitoes each day.  (Heidi was right!)  Folks, what other blog gives you this type of information?

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

Gunnar Howell is scheduled to undergo surgery this afternoon at 4:00PM.  Pray that all will go well and this procedure will have the desired effect.  Pray for Chris & Sherry and the family as they wait during this time.

It is my understanding that Aaron Chinners either had another scan done yesterday or will have one done today.  Pray that those results are good!

Larry Whitehurst got a good report from the doctor.  He will meet with a doctor next Tuesday about a radiation treatment.  Not sure if that will actually take place next Tuesday  or if that will simply be a consultation.  The doctor did see a piece of the tumor still in Larry’s head but it is detached.  The radiation is a “make sure” it is dead thing.

Carla Kyser meets with the doctor today to find out the results of her latest scans.  Pray that she will get a favorable report.

Louise Morris is set to go home today where she will continue her therapy.  Pray that will go well.

A young man, Justus Harvey, was scheduled to travel with our team to Guatemala today.  He was involved in an automobile accident last night and flown to a hospital in Dothan, Alabama.  Pray for him and his family.

Bro. Jerry updated the GRACE blog yesterday afternoon.  That team heads home today so pray for their safety in travel.

Dana Watson from the Alabama Baptist Children’s Home shared with our 8:00PM Bible study last night and did a very nice job.  Good stuff!

Edwin Williams is Soy’s new best friend!  “Bat” man & Robin?

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

Sherry e-mailed me yesterday afternoon to say that Gunnar will have a MRI today and surgery tomorrow.  Obviously, the doctor wants to take care of this problem as soon as possible.  Pray for Gunnar!

Larry Whitehurst will have a MRI this morning too.  Again, pray that everything is good!

We are on a regular schedule today/tonight with the 10:00AM service and the evening Bible studies/worship.  The 8:00PM Bible study will have special food (crawfish/shrimp) and a special speaker.  I encourage our young adults to join us for this time of food (spiritual & physical) and fellowship.  We meet at our house.

Soy is trying to rid us of our bats and Heidi comments yesterday that bats eat mosquitoes.  I was not sold that you can catch a bat with a sock and rock until Soy told me he read it on the internet!  That settles the matter for me!

Need exercise?  Let Soy ride the mower (zero turn) while you run the weed eater.  He gets within eight feet of whatever whether you need him to or not!  I would be better off just weed eating the entire yard!  Killing me!

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

Chris & Sherry Howell will take Gunnar to the doctor today and will learn the process that will be taken to treat him.  Pray that all goes well.

Mr. Olson Smyly had a surgical procedure last week.  It is my understanding that he is going back to a convalescent facility.  Pray for Donna, Margie, and the family.

Larry Whitehurst goes for a MRI tomorrow.  This is a follow up from his earlier surgery.  Pray that the report will be good!

Betty Clair Hatcher is in the final days of her pregnancy.  Pray that all will go well.  They will induce labor next Monday, 7/25, if she has not given birth before then.

Louise Morris is doing well and is scheduled to go home Thursday.  She so wants to go home.  Her rehab will continue there.

I know that you are interested in knowing how many bats Soy has taken into captivity?  Zero!  Zilch!  Nada!  None!  One less than one!  He sits in the backyard with a sock and rocks singing “Only A Boy Named David!”

Soy keeps me entertained – who needs television!  He worked three days installing an invisible fence in which to keep the two dogs.  I had my doubts as Lucky is a horse!  However, Soy bought a “super duper” collar (info commercial) for Lucky and told me that I would be amazed!  It worked!  For the first five seconds!  Next news we know Lucky is on the other side of the invisible fence looking at Soy like whatever!  I should sell tickets!  (By the way, Mocha ran free too!)

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

The Lord blessed and we had a good day in our services yesterday.  We praise God for Chase’s decision to follow the Lord in believer’s baptism.  I said that he and I talked the day Ava was born but it was actually the day after she was born and we were in the hospital room.  Imagine that – I made a mistake.  Anyway, welcome to the family Chase!

Our attendance was down from the past few weeks but I kinda sorta had the notion that was going to happen with the mission team gone and several folks had graciously contacted me to let me know they would not be in town.  It was still very good for a July Sunday and we give God the glory.

Speaking of the mission team, did not hear anything yesterday which most likely means they had no internet service.  No news is good news is my philosophy.  Bro. Jerry is blogging on the GRACE blog from this site.  Pray for the team as they have four more days to go on this trip.

We “may” have at least one Sunday School teacher for the 3 year olds and the 6th grade girls.  Still need a teacher for the 11th grade co-ed class.

John Curl tells me that a scissor lift should be on site soon which will allow us to finish the work in the CAB.  Thanks John for taking care of this for us.

I praise God for the rain we received Saturday & Sunday – hallelujah!  I cannot tell you the last time we received any measurable rain on our property.  My garden & sod are happy campers today!

We have bats flying around the house at night.  Soy tells me that he can catch them with a sock and rocks?  I have offered to pay him for each bat he catches.  I think he is a few rocks short himself!

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