Don't be a Grinch! Keeping a Right Attitude & Spirit

"The Grinch Who Stole Christmas" was one of my FAVORITE Christmas shows growing up! I have so many fond memories of my sister and I, in our Winnie the Pooh pajama's (with footies) sitting in front of our family TV excitedly watching 'The Grinch.' Each Christmas special meant we were one night closer to "The Big One," - Christmas Eve!

As I've grown up and become a Christian, I know the real meaning of Christmas is about Christ and His gift of salvation. As a Christian, it is SO IMPORTANT that I maintain the RIGHT ATTITUDE and SPIRIT not only this Christmas season but EVERY SINGLE DAY. Believers and nonbelievers alike are watching me, noticing if I'm truly living the faith I so profusely proclaim. Family members, friends, church members, students, and strangers can either see CHRIST IN ME or MISSING IN ME by MY WORDS and ACTIONS. I'll be the first to admit that I don't always get it right all of the time!

As we go forth this Christmas Season and kick off the New Year, let's commit to LOVE ONE ANOTHER. This is one of the biggest complaints among nonbelievers about Christians...that we don't act any differently than they do, that we are hypocrites! We can't win over nonbelievers to Christ if we aren't living for Him and loving others the way He commanded us to. So let's get to loving one another!

What does it mean to love one another?

1. Loving one another means to be ENCOURAGING and EDIFYING. To do only that which BUILDS UP - NOT that which TEARS DOWN. It calls us to RESPECT others, especially other believers and those God has called to serve Him. My son Mathew's 2nd grade teacher made all of her students look up the word edify and memorize it's meaning. If she heard her students say something mean to each other, they had to write 'edify' and it's defition from memory a certain number of times and then use it in a sentence appropriate for the situation. In 1 Thessalonians, Paul gives similar advice to the early church.

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. " 1 Thessalonians 5:11-12

2. Loving others means to PUT THEIR INERESTS ABOVE YOUR OWN. To be ready to help a brother or sister in need even if it cost you!

"Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. " Phillippians 2:3-4

Christ showed us the ultimate example of this when He gave up His own life, dying on the cross, to pay the price for OUR SINS!

3. Loving others means to NOT to CRITICIZE, Not to be MEAN-SPIRITED toward ONE ANOTHER. We are NOT to even THINK ILL or SPEAK ILL of one another! Did you know that? It's right there in the BIBLE!

"Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you. God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to judge your neighbor?" (James 4:11)

Did you know that when when we criticize and judge a fellow Christian brother or sister we are putting ourselves on GOD's Throne of Judgement! Basically, we kick God to the curb and we take over! Last time I checked, WE AIN'T GOD! We ain't in charge, either! God alone is in charge of the judging department. Trust me, he didn't recruit us for that job - we don't have the MINIMUM credentials for the job! So before we say something critical about the splinter in the eye of others, we need to get that big ole log out of our own eye! We may be forgiven, but we still ain't perfect! The last time I checked, God was still on the throne and Jesus Christ was the only one who could walk on water!

4. Loving others means to HAVE THE RIGHT ATTITUDE towards others - the ATTITUDE of CHRIST JESUS!

"You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had." Phillippians 2:5

Attitude is everything. Having the attitude of Christ permeates our entire being. We can have the attitude of Christ because of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. People notice if we have a loving attitude or not. It affects EVERYTHING we say and do. People will know if we are acting in genuine love or not. Christ will shine through if our heart attitude is right!

At the end of "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas," it was a tiny little who girl, Cindy Lou Who, who broke through the hard, cold heart of the Grinch. And, as the tale goes, the Grinch's heart grew three sizes that day. Because the Grinch realized that Christmas wasn't about the gifts and the material things. It was about love. The only thing that would have made this story perfect would for it to have told the real meaning of Christmas, the Birth of the Son of God, Jesus Christ!

Use this Christmas Season as an opportunity to share the love of Jesus Christ with others. Make this love REAL by your WORDS and by your ACTIONS. Keep a RIGHT ATTITUDE and SPIRIT of LOVE in all circumstances. Don't let the Grinch steal the REAL SPIRIT of Christmas from your heart! LOVE GOD and share His love by LOVING PEOPLE!

Grace and Peace!

In His Love, Cathy

Too Pooped to Blog

Oh no she didn't! Oh yes I did, I used the word, 'pooped'! And that's exactly what it is this week!

Sorry to let you down, friends. I haven't been able to blog so much this week. God's had me working on some other things in preparation for special holiday lessons for the children and getting special children's events planning kicked off.

AND...I've been working on special Thanksgiving related projects for my high school math classes. It wasn't easy coming up with math related Thanksgiving projects, but praise God, He helped me find something and the students had a blast! We did turkey statistics and I got some pretty creative graphs as a result.

AND...Miss Brittany had her very first high school JV Basketball Game this week. Praise God for such a sweet, talented child who only unleashes that aggression on the court and not off the court, especially not on any of us! All of the girls on the team are great players and did so well that night. They are such an outstanding team. Sadly, though, they lost by 10 points. But, they played the highest ranking team in the state. So, for their first high school game, they played very well!

Thank you to all of the wonderful ladies who came out Wednesday night to plan the children's Christmas party and planning the decorations for the children's wing! I'm so excited to see what you have come up with! The children are going to have a BLAST! Thank you so much for your hard work and for your dedication to making this special for the children!

Well, gotta go for now. My mom is coming today. I'm taking the day off to clean house, run errands and such. Be sure to check in on Sunday when I'll be blogging more regularly again! Have a blessed day! Blog to you later! Grace and Peace!

In His Love, Cathy

Taking A Risk

Who knew that as Ron preached on this Sunday that many of us would have to face this in some way or another just minutes, hours, or days after he preached about it. Some took a risk by venturing into a new business. Others took a new risk by exploring new career possibilities. Some of my fellow teachers and I are taking a risk just by being a Christian these days.

We received an email at work on Monday from one of our School Board Directors admonishing us that the school board email and internet were for shool board communication only (which I understand, they are the employer and it should only be used for work related communications.) But the next paragraph was what surprised me. The next paragraph addressed its misuse for religious or inspirational purposes...no other reasons for misuse were named. That alone made me feel singled out as a Christian. Why? Because work email and internet access are used for so many other personal reasons that far outnumber anyone whose used it for religious and inspirational reasons. People mostly use email/internet for emails to family, friends, checking online bank accounts, viewing online family photos, research personal stocks and investments, chain mail, advertising boats, cars, furniture we want to sell, giving away pets, ...well, you get the picture. Some businesses don't mind their employees using their email and internet for these types of reasons, some do. It depends.

Maybe I'm just being too sensitive about the situation. I know out school system is looking out for the best interest of the students and the employees. And, as Christians, we shouldn't be misusing our employer's resources for any reason - religious or not. We need to be a step above the world in being good stewards of our employer's resources. So, on that note, I'm challenging myself, and you, to be a step above the world today. That's the risk I'm taking. And if we are unjustly accused, singled out, or persecuted, it's not us they are persecuting - Christ said it is Him!

So take that risk. Live above the world today! Walk in Christ today! Grace and Peace, friend!
In His Love, Cathy

PCC Children's Weekly Events 11-17 to 11-23

THIS WEEK:

WEDNESDAY NIGHT
6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Candy Corn & Jesus Bible Study
7:30 to 8:00 p.m. Christmas Worship & Outreach Team Practice (Children must attend to perform at Berryhill Manor and in Church)

6:30 to 7:30 p.m. CHILDREN'S CHRISTMAS PARTY & DECORATING Meeting - VOLUNTEERS NEEDED to PLAN, ORGANIZE, HELP, & Conduct our children's Christmas Party Scheduled for Wednesday, Dec 17 from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

BERRYHILL CHRISTMAS OUTREACH - SATURDAY DEC 7, 2 to 4 p.m. Meet at Berryhill Manor at 1:45 p.m. Be sure to sign up at the table in front of room 1 if your child plans to attend.

CHILDREN'S CHRISTMAS PERFORMANCE, SUNDAY, DEC 14 (Both Services) Children must attend Wednesday night practices to perform in church.

CHILDREN'S VOLUNTEER CHRISTMAS COVERED DISH DINNER, Sunday, Dec 14 right after 2nd service in room 3- Bring your favorite Christmas dish to share! Looking forward to fun and fellowship with you!

CHILDREN'S CHRISTMAS PARTY, WEDNESDAY, DEC 17, 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.

DECK THE HALLS WITH...Volunteers needed to decorate the children's hallways and children's classrooms for Christmas. Meeting THIS WEDNESDAY at 6:30 along with the party planning in room 1.

NO WEDNESDAY NIGHT CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES on WEDNESDAY, NOV 26 (Thanksgiving week.)


In His Love, Cathy

It's Saturday???

It's Saturday,
Boy's Basketball tryouts from 8 to 9 a.m.
Scott's coaching so he has to be there.
Michael badly jammed his pinky so he's not going,
Brittany and Mathew are still in bed, though it's 8:13 a.m.

It's Saturday,
I multitask as I quickly sip my morning cup of coffee,
checking emails, following up on a friend's situation,
checking up on my in-laws, washing dishes, blogging,
starting housework, a load of clothes...
There's no time to lazily enjoy the morning.

It's Saturday,
Michael has a soccer game at 10:30 a.m.,
his last game of the season.
His team party right afterwards at Oops Alley.
Thank goodness a badly jammed pinky finger won't
affect his soccer performance...or will it?
I'm sure he'll find some excuse that his hurt finger will
hinder him in the game.

It's Saturday,
Brittany has JV girls basketball practice at 3 p.m.,
one of Michael's best friends has a birthday party today,
I need to go up to the church to work,
our house needs a major clean up,
our yard needs to be mowed,
and Mathew is home from college.

It's Saturday,
I was supposed to go to a county wide math teacher
conference from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. today.
I just don't think I can fit it in my schedule. Nope.
Sorry. I'm all booked up! Maybe next time - NOT!
I've got to run errands and pick up meds from the
drugstore before it closes at 1 p.m.
I hope I don't forget!

It's Saturday,
what happened to those nice lazy kind of Saturdays?
You know, the one where you can take a long, lazy
sip of coffee in the morning?
The kind where you can just sit back, relax, and
enjoy your family?
Play Scrabble, Sorry, and Monopoly with the kids?
Well, I don't know where that Saturday went,
but I'm ready to find it again!
But then, when I find it, would I want it?
Would my children still be young and at home?
Or would Scott and I just be Home Alone?

Peace out, friends! I hope your day is wonderful and blessed!
In His Love, Cathy

Prayer Request

Today Mr. Lay and several teachers were subpoenaed to give a desposition in the ACLU lawsuit filed against the Santa Rosa County Schools and Pace High School. Please be in prayer over this lawsuit. We are good friends with many of the people named in this case. These are good, goldy people. They have acted in good faith and acted in accordance with the law. They have not taught religion in their classrooms, but simply were guest speakers at Christian clubs that met before school. Attendance at these clubs were totally voluntary.

Two additional teachers were subpoenaed today who were not named in the original suit. They were surprised and blindsided. We've been told there may be other teachers subpoenaed as well but that is hearsay at the moment (and possibly fearful talk). This is quickly becoming a witchhunt. Again, pray for them as this case seems to continue to persist. Thank you in advance for your prayers.

"Declare me innocent, O LORD, for I have acted with integrity; I have trusted in the LORD without wavering. Put me on trial Lord, and cross-examine me. Test my motives and my heart. For I am always aware of your unfailing love, and I have lived according to your truth." Psalm 26:1-3

In His Love, Cathy

It's A Wrap: Wed Night Kids Bible Study

The kids had an awesome Bible study tonight! We are wrapping up our 13 week study of 'Beginning the Christian Adventure.' YES, A 13 WEEK CHILDREN'S BIBLE STUDY!!! Isn't that AWESOME! I'm so proud of these kids!

Our final lessons are taking us on a Passport to the Christian Adventure, a journey through what we have learned about living the Christian life. Tonight, we made our first two stops on our Passport to Adventure. We had a lot of fun making our our own Passports to use on our Christian Adventure.

Our adventure started with the children looking up passages in the New Testament to discover places Jesus went and why he went to those places. The first stop reminded us of the importance of knowing God -of accepting Christ as our personal Savior and Lord. If your child hasn't accepted Christ as Savior, this may be a good time to follow up with them. I'll be happy to meet with them as well if you would like.

On the way to our second stop, we followed footprints which had our memory verse, John 10:10 "I have come that they may have life and have it to the full." Please help your child memorize this verse for next week. At our second stop, we were reminded that Christ must be on the throne of our hearts if we are to live the Christian Adventure.

We wrapped up our lesson tonight with our New Testament Rap Song. The kids are really starting to get the hang of it and learn the books of the New Testament. Check it out!



Our Passport to the Christian Adventure isn't over yet. We've still got four more stops to go!

Also, be sure to sign up your child for the Berryhill Manor Christmas Party on Dec 6 from 2 to 4 p.m. Sign up on table outside of room 1.

NO WEDNESDAY NIGHT CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES ON NOVEMBER 26 (Thanksgiving week). WE WILL RESUME ON DEC 3.

Thank you for sharing your child with us!
In His Love, Cathy

Why I Love Being a Children's Pastor

This past Sunday I asked the children to write down things they were good at. At the top of one little girl's list...

speling.

Praise God for the joy of children!

In His Love, Cathy

Honoring Our Veteran's and Servicemen

Today, I wish to honor those who have served our country and those who are currently serving our country. As I type this, I am watching a newstory honoring a WWI, yes, that's not a typo, a WWI veteran. Frank Buckles, a 107 year old WWI veteran, was honored today as the world celebrates the 90th Anniversary of the end of WWI. There are only 8 surviving WWI veterans around the world. These men deserve to be honored today.

To all of you who have served our country and are currently serving, thank you. Words cannot express the deep gratitude and appreciation I have for you. Because of your courage, sacrifice, and bravery, we live in the greatest country in the world. We, the American people, owe you so much. Thank you.

I would like to now honor the veteran's in our family with some of their own war stories.

Joseph Edwin Rudd, Senior (AMM2C US NAVY WORLD WAR II), was my grandfather. He served in WWII as a pilot. He was stationed at Saufley Field at one point during the war. I have pictures of him flying over Pensacola Bay taken from another aircraft. He kept his pilot's license until the day he passed away. However, he wasn't originally supposed to be a pilot or go to flight school. He was in a group of 6 good buddies. According to my grandmother, these guys did everything together. They went through boot camp together, training together, and they put in to get stationed together. All six of them got orders to serve on the USS Indianapolis, including my grandfather. However, as the story goes, at the last minute, my grandfather got orders to go to flight school - here in Pensacola, I believe. He was the only one of the six friends whose orders were changed. All five of his friends died when the Indianapolis was sunk by a Japanese submarine toward the end of the war. After that happened, my grandmother says Granddaddy was never the same. He suffered from survivor's guilt. He felt he should have been there with his friends. He lost the five best friends he ever had on the day the Indianapolis went down. Granddaddy is buried at Barrancus National Cemetary, a honor that he so very much deserves.

Glenn Douglas Denny (Commander US Navy Vietnam) Scott was so young when his dad was sent to Vietnam. He really didn't understand why his daddy was not home. When people would ask him where his daddy was, he'd form a gun with his little chubby hand and say "Pow, pow, pow!" Mr. Denny was in charge of an APL5 ship in Danang, Vietnam. He tells stories of how they'd see hundreds of dead bodies of Viet Kong lined up in rows along the roads. He told a story of how the Viet Kong would attempt to lure American Servicemen off the main roads by stealing their watches, hoping they'd follow them down the seedy alleys of Danang to ambush and kill them. Mr. Denny had his watch stolen once. He didn't follow the guy. Mr.Denny got to go to Hawaii once for R&R during his stint in Vietnam. Scott remembers going to Hawaii with his mother to meet his dad. He remembers his dad being so tired that all he did was sleep while Scott played on the beautiful Waikiki beach. Mr. Denny has many war stories to tell and a thick photo album of pictures he took while in Vietnam - some showing just how horrific war can be.

So again, thank you to our veteran's and our servicemen and women who put their lives on the line for us. You and your families sacrifice so much. I would also like to honor other veteran's in our family - some are still with us, others have gone home before us. But our gratitude endures forever!
Bryan D. Denny, Captian USAF (Scott's brother)
Michael Faulk, Commander, US Navy; (Cathy's Uncle)
Bobby L Mathews, US Navy(deceased - Cathy's Uncle)
Otus Mathews, US Army, WWI (deceased -Cathy's Great Grandfather).

Honor our veteran's and active service men and women today!
In His Love, Cathy

Waiting On God's Timing

"...Saul stayed at Gilgal, and his men were trembling with fear.

Saul waited there seven days for Samuel, as Samuel had instructed him earlier,

but Samuel still didn't come. Saul realized that his troops were rapidly slipping away.

So he demanded, "Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings!" And Saul sacrificed the burnt offering himself."

Just as Saul was finishing with the burnt offering, Samuel arrived. Saul went out to meet and welcome him, but Samuel said, "What is this this you have done?"

Saul replied, "I saw my men scattering from me, and you didn't arrive when you said you would, and the Philistines are at Micmash ready for battle. So I said, "The Philistines are ready to march against us at Gigal, and I haven't even asked for the LORD's help!" So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering myself before you came."

1 Samuel 13:8-12

In this passage, we see the King of Israel, Saul, with his army facing the biggest challenge they've ever faced against the Philistine army. Saul, though king, was given specific instructions by Samuel. It was imperative that Saul followed these instructions to the letter. These instructions were ultimately from God. But Saul was impatient. His men were fearful. They were going AWOL by the hundreds. Because of this, Saul's impatience lead him to disobey Samuel's instructions. Saul felt he had to do something quick to stop the massive dessertion of his army. So when Samuel didn't arrive when he said he would, Saul took matters into his own hands. He performed the sacrifices himself.

Saul's disobedience was a result of his impatience with God's perfect timing. It showed his true heart condition - a heart that was self-centered not God-centered. Saul was looking for what he thought was the quick fix. There was no trust in God, no honoring God, and no seeking God in Saul's actions. He thought he simply needed to perform the ritual. The ritual in and of itself would bring the Israelite army victory.

Like Saul, I'm so guilty of trying to take control of difficult circumstances and resolving them in my own way. I'm also guilty of not trusting God, waiting on His perfect timing. I find that when I become impatient and take matters into my own hands, my situation ends up worse off than before. I tend to look for a quick fix and sometimes don't always trust in God to resolve a situation. Saul's quick fix cost him big time. He ended up with an army of only 600 men against the enormous Philistine army! In addition, Saul lost the kingdom that day. (Read 1 Samuel 13:14-14)

You see, when we become impatient, we are tempted to disobey God. We are especially vulnerable to disobedience in difficult circumstances. When we know what God wants of us, we need to stick to His plan irregardless of the situation, consequences or how long it takes. What we may think of as a delay may be in His perfect timing. God may even delay His plans to develop in us patience, endurance, strength of character, and obedience. So, when we are faced with difficult circumstances, wait on God and his perfect timing. Trust Him and remain obedient. Don't go for that quick fix! He loves you and "...God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them." (Romans 8:28) Don't give up, friends!

In His Love, Cathy

PCC KIDS Sunday Wrap Up

Today in ROCK SOLID (kids church for KG through 4th Grade)
Today, the children learned the importance of humility. Today's main point was "Heros are Humble!" We studied the lesson of Jesus washing the disciple's feet (John 13:1-20) and the story of how John the Baptist Reconized Jesus as the Messiah (John 6: 22-36). We learned how no one likes to be around people who brag all of the time or look out only for themselves. These types of behavior's indicate pride, not humilty. Today's memory verse reinforced our main point, Philippians 2:3 says, "Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourself."

Allow me to share with you what Miss Jodi, our second service Children's Leader, shared with me today. During her lesson, she stepped backwards. When she did, she accidentally tripped over a little girl that she didn't realize was behind her. As she tells it, both she and the little girl tumbled to the ground. The first thing Jodi did was ask the child if she was okay. The first thing the little girl did was ask Miss Jodi if SHE was okay. You see, this little girl had already heard the lesson in first service, (plus she has a big ole heart for others anyway). Miss Jodi was able to use this very example with the children as to how we are to think of others as more important than ourselves.

THIS WEEK spend time in God's Word with your child. Read them these Bible passages that we studied today(look above). Talk with your child about how they apply to us in our lives. Remind them that being humble is a BIG DEAL - God wants us to be humble not prideful. Everything we have and everything we are good at is because of God, not ourselves. Remind them that one way of being humble is to not think too highly of ourselves. Another way of showing humility is to put others first. And yet another way is to focus on God (prayer, worship, reading Scripture, etc...) Sound familiar? Yep, you guessed it. Pastor Gene touched on this in his sermon today as well!

Help your child understand what pride is and how to handle it when it comes up in them or in others. Help them learn the memory verse, Philippians 2:3, and discuss with them how memorizing God's Word can help them deal with everyday situations.

The children in ROCK SOLID also used their special artistic talents today to decorate boxes that will be used to deliver Thanksgiving meal supplies to 25 families in need. Thanks to Miss Peggy, Miss Diane, and the ladies who took upon themselves to look to the needs of these families! You ladies are a wonderful living example for our lesson today!

TODAY in PK MINISTRY (3years through 5 years not in KG)
Our prek classes are just awesome! God is doing some AMAZING THINGS in this group of children. Last year at this time we were running only 4 to 8 children in the PK class. This year we're running 15 to 23 Preschoolers each Sunday during first service alone! Praise God!

We are blessed to have a FIRST CLASS team of PrK teachers and assistants. I am so thankful for each one of them. They are high caliber people who are gifted in the area of preschoolers - a gift that not everyone has. A BIG THANK YOU to our great teaching team: Miss Christy, Miss Marilyn, Mr. Charles, Miss Lorraine, Miss Richelle, and Miss Brittany. You have truly raised the bar of our PK program! A BIG THANK YOU also to our PK assistants, parents, and grandparents who help out each and every Sunday. Thank you all for plugging into such an important ministry!

In His Love, Cathy

God is Our Refuge

"God is our refuge and strength,

always ready to help in times of troubles.

So we will not fear when earthquakes come

and the mountains crumble into the sea.

Let the oceans roar and foam.

Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!"

Psalms 46:1-3

God is in complete control. He always has been, He always will be. You may feel that your life is out of control, that you are totally helpless in your circumstances. Rest assured, though, God has it all together. He knows what He's doing. He knows our circumstances. He is our refuge, our shelter, our protection in times of chaos, trouble, and hardship. He gives us the strength to make it through. We can count on Him and rely on Him in both good and bad times. And no matter what happens, His Kingdom will stand forever! Remember, the world will come to an end one day...according to His perfect plan. And even then, in the midst of total destruction, when the mountains crumble into the sea, God is our refuge! Be confident in Him. Don't fear. It's all under His control. And if you are fearful, pray asking Him to help you overcome that fear and trust Him.

So, like the writer of this Psalm, let us have a quiet confidence in the Lord of Heaven! He is our eternal refuge! He is our strength!

Grace and Peace!

In His Love, Cathy

A Biblical Perspective on Anger

Don't sin by letting anger control you.

Think about it overnight and remain silent.

Psalm 4:4

Oh, how I need to be reminded of this on a daily basis! Not that I'm an angry person nor do I have anger management issues. But it reminds me that even those few times that I do become angry I'm at risk of sinning...against God, against others, and against myself!

Anger that is out of control can lead us to react impulsively, hurt others, and even hurt ourselves. We may never lay a finger on someone else as a result of our anger, but our words can sear so deep into the core of others. Anger causes us to say hateful, mean, and downright ugly things - things we don't mean when we are not angry. And what's more, when speaking out of anger, our words are designed to hurt others. The problem is, we often regret our angry words and actions later, after we've calmed down. But what we say in a fit of anger can never, ever be taken back. It's like squeezing a tube of toothpaste. Once the toothpaste is out, it can't go back in. However, a little toothpaste never hurt anyone. Angry words do hurt, and they hurt deeply. The hurt can even be carried around by the victim for a very long time, even years.

Don't let anger control you. Ask for God's help the next time you become angry. Count to 10 before you speak...better yet, take a long, brisk walk, and don't speak until you have calmed down. Give yourself time to cool down even if it takes all night! Last but not least..."Don't be hatin'!"

If you find yourself angry and lashing out often, you might need to ask for help in controlling your anger. Please seek professional help. You don't have to live under anger's shadow!

I'm praying for you! Grace and Peace!

In His Love, Cathy

WOW! Wednesday Nights with Kids are AWESOME!

WOW! God is doing some amazing things through our Wednesday night kids Bible Study. We studied Ephesians 6:10-18 last night...spiritual warfare and putting on the full armor of God. The children were so into the lesson.

Kids were asking so many questions. Their questions were well thought out and very wise for their ages. What's even more exciting is that other kids in the group began answering some of their peers' questions! The Holy Spirit was definitely 'in the houuussee!'

Yes, God is doing some amazing things in Children's ministry! He's growing a whole new harvest to "go forth and make disciples of all nations..." AMEN!

So, parents, you have a HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT. Read Ephesians 6:10-18 to your children, reminding them of what they learned. Then have them MEMORIZE Ephesians 6:10,11. This is their memory verse for the week. Children who are able to recite it back to me next Wednesday will earn a prize!

We also started preparing for our Berryhill Manor Outreach headed up by Jodi and Barbara. The outreach is on December 6 from 2 to 4 p.m. Children need to meet at Berryhill Manor no later than 1:45 p.m. Our children will help with a special Christmas Party for the residents, perform several traditional Christmas pieces, and also help pass out gifts to residents. This is a wonderful experience for our children to share the love of Christ with those in need. Make plans to join us!

Until Next Time, Grace and Peace!
In His Love, Cathy

Daily E-Couragement

I wanted to share with you today's "Encouraging Words Daily Encouragement for Women" from TodaysChristianWoman.com. It really reminded me the importance of speaking AND living my faith.

"David went out to meet them and said, "If you have come in peace to help me, we are friends. But if you have come to betray me to my enemies when I am innocent, then may the God of our ancestors see it and punish you."Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, the leader of the Thirty, and he said, "We are yours, David! We are on your side, son of Jesse. Peace and prosperity be with you, and success to all who help you, for your God is the one who helps you."So David let them join him, and he made them officers over his troops." 1 Chronicles 12:17–18

"Encouragement for Today
David couldn't know the true motives of the men when they approached him, so he trusted God and publicly acknowledged his faith in God right away. Amasai spoke for the other men and also acknowledged their faith in David's God. So we, too, shouldn't be afraid to acknowledge the significance of our faith in what we do. And if we want to work closely with others on an important project, we may need to know their character and that they share a living faith in God."

I have a very close friend at work whom I just love to death. Though we are close friends, we do not have the same beliefs. Despite our differences, I am not afraid to share my faith with her. And she listens. She is also able to freely share her beliefs with me as well. Though different, we are both very comfortable in sharing with each other. Our discussions are often fruitful and a blessing to me. I do believe that through our friendship, through our talks, I am witnessing for Christ. Do I pressure her? No. Am I friends with her just because I want to witness to her? No. She is a true friend, a real friend, a friend I love and care for very deeply. I know my friend, I know her character, and would love for our friendship to also share a living faith in Christ! I'm praying that through our friendship, she would discover the peace and joy that can only be found in Christ!

So, in short, share Christ in real and meaningful ways with others. Don't be afraid to share where you stand with God in the relationships you have with others in your life, whether they are believers or not...neighbors, friends, family, and coworkers. Allow God to work through you in these relationships to bring others to Christ. Pray for God to open opportunities for you to share your faith with everyone you know and in everything you do.

"in all your ways acknowledge him, ..." Proverbs 3:6

In His Love, Cathy

The Littlest Butterfly

This story is dedicated to my little sister in Christ, Lexi. Thank you Lexi for the butterfly and the sweet note you wrote me. I will cherish it forever...your gift really encouraged me and is so very special. You will always have a special place in my heart! So to encourage you and all of our friends at church, I wrote a little story about you. I hope it's ok with you:-)

Once upon a time, not too very long ago, there was a very small catepillar. This little catepillar, like many of her friends, was a very sweet little catepillar. But she was very small and still just a little catepillar. Her parents were beautiful butterflies who could fly anywhere they wanted to fly. They could fly way up high into the blue sky or simply flutter way down low in the grasses and the trees. They could flutter around the most beautiful of flowers. Maybe that's why her parents always smelled as beautiful as they looked. But alas, she was just a little catepillar who could only crawl about. She couldn't ever go very far and so she lived in the tiny world of a little catepillar. It was so very hard for her to even climb up a stem to just smell a flower!


Catepillar's butterfly parents loved their little catepillar so very much. In fact, they loved her so much that they taught her about the love of Jesus Christ. They taught her how He gave His life to pay for her sins. How He died on the cross, but rose from the dead on the third day. They knew that their little catepillar needed Christ, for without him, she'd always remain nothing more than a little catepillar. Catepillar's parents also took her to church every Sunday where she joined other little catepillar's in worshipping and learning about God. She went to Bible Study on Wednesday nights where she learned how she could become a new creation in Christ.

Catepillar took in everything she learned. But even more so, she saw the beauty of her parent's faith even in the most difficult of circumstances. They reassured her that she never had to worry or be scared, that God loved her so much and would always love her. And no matter what, He would be with her always. All she had to do was trust Jesus. So one day, Catepillar decided to ask Christ to be her Lord and Savior. Catepillar told her parents what she wanted to do. They were overjoyed with Catepillar's decision. So she prayed. She admitted to God that she was a sinner and asked Him to forgive her. She believed that Jesus was the Son of God, who died on the cross for her sins and rose on the third day. Then she confessed Jesus as her Lord and Savior. At that very moment, the most spectacular thing happened! Catepillar transformed into a beautiful little butterfly! She was no longer a catepillar that had to crawl about the ground, limited to the small world of a catepillar. She now had the freedom to fly like her parents! She could fly up to the sky or down to the trees! She could go from flower to flower, just as she pleased...and some even made her sneeze! She had a freedom that she never had before! She was a new creation!

Though this tale is make believe, the Truth of the story is very real. For it is through the Blood of Jesus Christ our sins can be forgiven. It is only through Jesus Christ that salvation is possible. And for those who chose Christ, they, like the catepillar who turns into a butterfly, become a brand new creation in Christ! The old nature has passed away, and a new nature has taken it's place! How complete and beautiful is the work of our God!

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17

In His Love,
Cathy

PCC Children - Week of Nov 3 through 9

WEDNESDAY NIGHT
6:30 - 7:30 p.m. Children's Bible Study
7:30 to 8:00 p.m. Practice Christmas Music for Berryhill Manor Outreach/Church performance

SEARCHING FOR VOLUNTEERS TO PLUG INTO THESE NEW OPENINGS
- SIGN IN TABLE/HALL SECURITY
- WEDNESDAY NIGHT TEACHERS/HELPERS
- SUNDAY MORNING PK TEACHERS & HELPERS
- ELEMENTARY TEACHERS/HELPERS (both services)

Contact me to plug into one of these IMPORTANT ministry services!

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