Good day dear friends.
Please don't forget for those in the SM area, that today at 12 noon we're hosting a luncheon entitled, Grief and The Holidays. We'll have a short devotional service, then share a meal. It's our way of helping those who have lost loved ones during the past few years better cope and know they are loved. Please keep this event in your prayers.
Last week was a marathon meeting week as usually happens in most churches facing the end of the year and a coming charge conference. By Wednesday at my second night meeting I had forgotten when a particular discussion had taken place about some items and when I looked at my calendar it had just been on Monday. By Thursday, I was trying to arrange for someone to lead the wedding rehearsal in Mission, TX for my niece's wedding, while trying to finalize the funeral that was keeping me here on Friday. A dear friend accepted to rehearse the couple and the families, and the arrangements for the funeral went smoothly. On top of all this Thursday was the day Caty was to return home on her first solo flight on American Airlines from Dallas. After two doctor appointments for Nellie and Sarai, they and Carli and myself went to breakfast at a local place. A dear Emmaus brother came in and we spoke briefly about the day and upcoming Walks and he met our daughters. As we got up to leave, the waitress came and said, "Sir, there's a mistake on your bill I have to correct it." Normal thinking says, she didn't charge enough and now I'm going to have to deal with that. Then she returns and says, "I'm sorry about that sir, but your bill's already paid for!" She smiled and we smiled for I knew what had happened. First, unexpected blessing. Thank you, Lord.
As the hour approached for Caty's flight, we started praying for her, as we had pretty much been doing all day, but our cell phone rang and it was Caty crying. She had been dropped off at the wrong airport. She should have been at Love Field, but they left her at DFW. This discovery came after she tried checking in at the kiosk there at DFW. I told her to find an agent to try to help her check in, then this call comes in. The call ends due to the great service we have with our carrier and then next thing we hear is that the agent there when he saw Caty crying said, "Don't worry baby, we'll get you home!" and placed her on the next flight out of DFW coming to Austin. Caty didn't notice his name but gave us a description so that we could write a thank you letter to the airlines for their doing this for her. Caty arrived safely home about an hour after she should have, but we were thankful.
God is good. And this season of preparation should teach us that. God is so good and so loving that He sent Jesus for us. All that we have in the Gospels and the New Testament center on the awesomeness of God's love through Jesus Christ. What can we do about it? Be good ourselves! It's so easy during this time of year to get angry at traffic, crowds, long lines, cashiers, etc. And that's what the world expects. But what the world didn't expect was for God to act in the way of Christ. And the world doesn't expect us to act like good people. But let's show them. Let's be more Christ-like in the way we interact with one another.
Let that be the best Christmas present we give today.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
Please don't forget for those in the SM area, that today at 12 noon we're hosting a luncheon entitled, Grief and The Holidays. We'll have a short devotional service, then share a meal. It's our way of helping those who have lost loved ones during the past few years better cope and know they are loved. Please keep this event in your prayers.
Last week was a marathon meeting week as usually happens in most churches facing the end of the year and a coming charge conference. By Wednesday at my second night meeting I had forgotten when a particular discussion had taken place about some items and when I looked at my calendar it had just been on Monday. By Thursday, I was trying to arrange for someone to lead the wedding rehearsal in Mission, TX for my niece's wedding, while trying to finalize the funeral that was keeping me here on Friday. A dear friend accepted to rehearse the couple and the families, and the arrangements for the funeral went smoothly. On top of all this Thursday was the day Caty was to return home on her first solo flight on American Airlines from Dallas. After two doctor appointments for Nellie and Sarai, they and Carli and myself went to breakfast at a local place. A dear Emmaus brother came in and we spoke briefly about the day and upcoming Walks and he met our daughters. As we got up to leave, the waitress came and said, "Sir, there's a mistake on your bill I have to correct it." Normal thinking says, she didn't charge enough and now I'm going to have to deal with that. Then she returns and says, "I'm sorry about that sir, but your bill's already paid for!" She smiled and we smiled for I knew what had happened. First, unexpected blessing. Thank you, Lord.
As the hour approached for Caty's flight, we started praying for her, as we had pretty much been doing all day, but our cell phone rang and it was Caty crying. She had been dropped off at the wrong airport. She should have been at Love Field, but they left her at DFW. This discovery came after she tried checking in at the kiosk there at DFW. I told her to find an agent to try to help her check in, then this call comes in. The call ends due to the great service we have with our carrier and then next thing we hear is that the agent there when he saw Caty crying said, "Don't worry baby, we'll get you home!" and placed her on the next flight out of DFW coming to Austin. Caty didn't notice his name but gave us a description so that we could write a thank you letter to the airlines for their doing this for her. Caty arrived safely home about an hour after she should have, but we were thankful.
God is good. And this season of preparation should teach us that. God is so good and so loving that He sent Jesus for us. All that we have in the Gospels and the New Testament center on the awesomeness of God's love through Jesus Christ. What can we do about it? Be good ourselves! It's so easy during this time of year to get angry at traffic, crowds, long lines, cashiers, etc. And that's what the world expects. But what the world didn't expect was for God to act in the way of Christ. And the world doesn't expect us to act like good people. But let's show them. Let's be more Christ-like in the way we interact with one another.
Let that be the best Christmas present we give today.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
