Pastor's Blog

As I mentioned in yesterday’s entry, Bill Unrue will have a heart cath today in preparation for another surgical procedure this Thursday, 1/3.  Pray for Bill!  He and Bea are such faithful members of the Friendship family.  They attend faithfully, they give regularly (I know this because Bill has often asked me if anyone needed financial help on a student trip, mission trip, et cetera), they go (both have been to Guatemala on mission trips with GRACE Ministries), et cetera.  Come to think of it – they mirror a number of the members of the Friendship family.  God is good!

Miss Myra Herod had a surgical procedure this past Thursday.  She will see the doctor again on Wednesday.

My mama is in the hospital in Decatur.  She had not been feeling well for a few days (unannounced to any of the family) and got worse during Sunday School yesterday.  Not exactly sure what the problem is at this point but I talked to her via the phone last night and she was much improved.

I attended the morning service at the Fraser Valley Baptist Church yesterday morning.  It is a small SBC church and is struggling right now as they do not have a pastor.  A NAMB official preached the message.  I love visiting other churches to see what they are doing/not doing.  I always learn something and yesterday was no exception.

Watched the Cowboys lose last night and I did not shed even one tear!  IMO, if they would cut Romo and fire Ryan they would be a much better team.  However, Jerry Jones has not asked for my opinion!

We begin our journey home today with the drive back to Denver and a flight out tomorrow morning.  Lord willing, we should be in Grand Bay tomorrow night.  Thanks for allowing us this time away – it has been great!

The church office is open today, 12/31, and will be closed tomorrow, 1/1.  We will resume a regular schedule on Wednesday with the 10:00AM service followed by the evening activities.

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

Bill Unrue will have a heart cath in the morning.  If everything goes well, he will have a surgical procedure on Thursday.  Pray for him.

We are on a light schedule today with the only service being at 10:30AM with Bro. Jerry Hovel preaching.  I pray that all of the members of the Friendship family who are in town will attend that service.

I pray that your Sunday will be great with Jesus.

Bro. Jerry made the hospital rounds yesterday.  Carolyn Blaylock’s pacemaker was switched from temporary to permanent.  It is my understanding she did well through that procedure.

John Curl’s mother remains hospitalized but the doctor is working on getting her back to the rehab facility.

Betty Carol Neal remains hospitalized as well.

Carla Kyser should receive her medication today to begin the new treatment.  Pray that there will be not significant side effects.

We will have one service only this Sunday, 12/30.  Bro. Jerry will be preaching.  That service begins at 10:30AM.

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

Greetings from snowy Winter Park, Colorado.  We drove from Denver to WP today and have been enjoying watching it snow basically ever since we arrived.  What a pretty sight to an old boy from Alabama.

Bro. Kerry visited the folks in the hospitals yesterday and there is basically nothing new to report.  He was not allowed to see Carolyn Blaylock because they were working on someone else in the unit.  Bro. Jerry will visit the hospitals today.

Remember, we only have the 10:30AM service this Sunday, 12/30.  Bro. Jerry Hovel will be preaching during that service.  I hope that the members of the Friendship family will be mature Christians and be faithful in their attendance.

Skiing begins tomorrow and Soy is begging me to spend the first couple of hours with him on the bunny slope!  He must think he is Dr. Tico Vargas or Pastor Bob Harvey.  Why did I bring Soy?  (Because he has a cell phone that allows me to get online!)

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

Good morning from a “cold” Denver, Colorado!  I trust that you and your family had a great Christmas Day.  I pray that no one in the Friendship family was negatively affected by the storms that came through yesterday afternoon/last night.

Here are the folks on our prayer list who are presently in the hospital – Carolyn Blaylock, Betty Carol Neal, John Curl’s mother and Kevin Woods.  I do have any up to date information on any of them but do ask that you pray for them.  Also, continue to pray for Carla Kyser as she should get her new medication on Friday.  Millie & Melinda Spiller continue to need our prayers as well.

The church office is open the usual hours (8:00AM – 5:00PM) today.  However, there are no services/classes/activities today or tonight.

Remember, this Sunday, 12/30, we will only have one service and that service will begin at 10:30AM.

Last year at Christmas, our family decided to take a ski trip this year.  So we made most of the arrangements this past Summer and flew out yesterday.  Scott Fontenot’s good friend, David Denault, from the Atlanta area was a huge help in getting us set up in Colorado and Davy Bosarge took care of our rental car situation.  I am grateful for these men and their help.

We dodged the storms yesterday and found God’s favor as Trysha from Delta graciously got us on an earlier flight.  (By the way, her fourteen year old niece was severely injured in an automobile accident on Christmas Eve and she asked us to pray for her)  We arrived safe and sound late yesterday afternoon and were joined late last night by my brother, Eddie, and his wife along with Adam, Jamie, Grayson and Jace.

We will drive to Winter Park today.  I have no idea how much access I will have to the internet over the next few days but I do plan on blogging, if possible.

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

Our Christmas Eve service was blessed!  The afternoon was beautiful weather wise which made it somewhat easier for folks to attend.  Miss Sarah Thornton, Jennifer Kelley, and Briana Sims all did great in sharing the message in song.  Bro. Kerry, Miss Jeanette, and Miss Tena did equally well in leading the congregational musical worship.  The deacons did well in serving the Lord’s Supper.  Bro. Allen, Jerry, Sharon and the girls did well in preparing the elements for the Lord’s Supper.  The attendance was very good.  Thank you for being a part of that service.  Glory to God for His blessings!

Carolyn Blaylock did well through her surgery yesterday.  They replaced two valves in her heart and have given her a temporary pacemaker which may mean a permanent one will be needed.  Thanks to those folks from the Friendship family who sat with Kent and family during that procedure.

Visited with the family of Kevin Woods yesterday morning and then saw Jack & Kerri in last night’s service.  The process is going slower than the family would like but Jack is helping them through the process as he is in the medical field.  Pray for Kevin and his family.

Visited with Betty Carol Neal yesterday afternoon.  She was in good spirits and seemed to be doing good physically.

Miss Millie Spiller was not feeling well yesterday.  The nurse arrived as I was leaving.  Melinda said she was feeling well and is happy to be home for Christmas.  Pray for Millie and Melinda.

Miss Exie Woods seemed to be good but Merwyn Gunter was not feeling well as he was having some difficulty breathing.  Miss Marie Howard is always on the go so it is hard to track her down in the home.

I pray that your Christmas Day will be blessed!

Wow, we were blessed with a really good day in our services yesterday!  The Spirit was excellent and it was refreshing to see many folks at the altar in response to the invitation yesterday morning.  The attendance was really strong in both of our morning services and I commend you for your faithfulness!  Praise the Lord!

The adult choir did a wonderful job of sharing the message in song last night.  I appreciate their ministry.  In my opinion, it was one of the better Christmas musical our choir has shared in many years.  Thanks to Bro. Kerry and each member of the choir.  By the way, the attendance in that service was very good too.  Again, praise the Lord!

Tonight, from 5:00 – 6:00PM we will have our Christmas Eve service.  We will start promptly at 5:00PM and will end by 6:00PM.  It is my prayer that many members of the Friendship family and guests will join us for this service.  The chance of rain has decreased some according to the forecast but the service goes on regardless of the rain.

The church office will be closed tomorrow but will be open Wednesday and Thursday from 8:00AM until 5:00PM.  Remember, there are no services/classes/activities this Wednesday, 12/26.

Carolyn Blaylock will have surgery at 7:30AM today.  They will replace two valves in her heart.

As far as I know, Betty Carol Neal remains hospitalized.  If so, I will see her either today or first thing tomorrow.

Kerri Lastorka’s brother, Kevin, remains hospitalized.  The family was hopeful that the vent could be removed yesterday.  I do not know if that took place or not.  I plan on seeing the family at some point today.

Carla Kyser should get her new treatment meds on 12/28.  Pray these meds will work with no/minimal side effects.

Carolyn Holmes was in the 10:30AM service yesterday and I ask that you keep praying for her and the family.  Thank you to Miss Vinnie Brewer, Rita Boutwell, Dianne Trotti, and Oscar Petersen for serving the meal to the Holmes family on Saturday afternoon.  Thank you to each person who provided that meal – you did great!

In my opinion, Easter Sunday is the greatest day of the year but Christmas is the greatest season of the year.  If we are not careful, the forces of hell will deprive you of enjoying the real reason for the season.  Do not allow that to happen in your life.  Do not focus on things, do not squabble, do not worry – just rejoice in the fact that Jesus was born into this world!  Immanuel!

I pray that you will have a great Christmas Eve with Jesus!

The arrangements for Neal Holmes are as follows:  visitation with the family today from noon until the 2:00PM service time.  Everything will take place at Serenity Funeral Home in Theodore, Alabama.  Neal will be buried in the Wall of Honor at Serenity.  Pray for the family as they go through today.

I did not talk to Miss Vinnie yesterday afternoon about the food so I do not know the details i.e. what time to bring the food, et cetera.  I “think” we will feed the family in the CAB.  Again, you can contact Miss Vinnie at 865 3999 for the details.

Carolyn Blaylock will have heart surgery early Monday morning.  This will involve replacing two valves.  The doctor said she needed surgery “soon” and would not allow her to leave the hospital.

Robin Harris remained hospitalized as of yesterday morning with more tests coming.  They still did not have any answers for her as of yesterday.

Kevin Woods was having a good day yesterday.  They were going to attempt (I think) to remove the vent.  The family said he was in good spirits.

Keep praying for Betty Carol Neal as she remains hospitalized too.

I finished visiting with the Holmes family and the hospitals around 3:00PM yesterday.  I came home and joined Dana & Gina in picking up pecans.  Once we had gotten all of the pecans up I mowed until almost dark thirty which caused my family to wonder about me.  Is there a law that says you cannot mow on December 21?  What they do not know is that I am skipping the family breakfast this morning to mow some more and will also eat some weeds.  Soy said that he does not mow during December but I have noticed that he also does not mow during June, July and August – know what I am saying?

We are on a regular schedule tomorrow with the adult choir musical tomorrow night at 6:00PM.  Hope to see many members of the Friendship family present for the services and Sunday School.

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

Miss Vinnie Brewer has graciously agreed to coordinate the food for the Neal Holmes family.  If you can help prepare a dish, please contact Miss Vinnie today at 865 3999.  (If the line is busy, please call again)  We are anticipating a fairly large number in this family so much help will be needed.  Please call others from the Friendship family who may not read the blog and share this need with them.  Time is of the essence so please call as soon as you can.

Let me thank you in advance for your help in ministering to this family.

I begin with a repeat of last night’s post regarding Neal Holmes’ passing.  We are going to need members of the Friendship family to step up and help with the food in order to feed this family following the service.  That service will most likely be tomorrow but could be Sunday.  Definite details will be published here as soon as I know them.  Pray for Carolyn and her family as they walk through this valley.

Visited with Kevin Woods’s father yesterday morning.  Kevin did well through the surgery and the doctors do not foresee the need for any additional surgeries.  Kerri called yesterday afternoon to tell us that they were not able to wean Kevin from the vent.  Hopefully, that will take place today.

Visited with Lindsey Vice early yesterday morning and she was discharged soon thereafter.  She is doing well.

Visited with Robin Harris as well.  She is the daughter of Nikki Burrell.  They were going to do some tests to try and determine her problem.  She seemed nervous about the whole situation.  Pray for her.

Carolyn Blaylock was admitted to the hospital yesterday.  They are going to be doing some tests today.  Her daughter, Trish, who is known to be slightly late for everything, will most likely show up at the hospital tomorrow!  LOL!

I did not get to visit with Betty Carol Neal yesterday but do ask that you continue to pray for her.

Nanette Fontenot contacted me yesterday and was furious because I did not mention Korie in yesterday’s post and I have not visited Korie since she came home from surgery.  Wow!

Lisa and I went with Charles & Ann yesterday afternoon to place some new flowers on Michael’s grave in Richton, MS.  Charles wanted to take their car and asked me to drive.  When we returned home he charged me a “rental fee” along with $4.79 per gallon for gas as I did not bring the car back on full.

Friendship family – we are on a regular schedule this Sunday, 12/23.  The adult choir will present their Christmas musical in our Sunday evening worship beginning at 6:00PM.  Also, we will have a Christmas Eve service from 5:00 – 6:00PM.

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