In the last week I have seen a number of relationship offenses.  Among two people who had been on friendly terms one of them caused offense to the other.  When that happens we tend to focus on the person who did or said the wrong thing.  That person shouldn’t have said it.  And that’s true, but once it’s been said it’s not helpful.  We can’t go back and change what’s been done.

It would be wise of all of us to carefully weigh our words before we send them out into the world.  But knowing that we will sometimes do it wrong, what’s the next step?  At this point all of the individual cases that I’m thinking about go in different directions. 

Among two of the people I know there was a division that lasted years.  Neither party admitted the problem.  When they saw each other they both pretended nothing was wrong even though they both knew there was.  And this week the problem just stopped.  The pain was long enough ago that it didn’t matter anymore.  That’s one way to go, but several years of good relationship were lost.

In another case I saw the hurt led to prayer.  Relying on God for healing and wisdom in how to respond became a great tool.  Emotional events don’t tend to go away as easily as just telling ourselves we’re going to get over it.  But when we lift our frustration up to God he responds with the fruit of the Spirit.

In a third case I saw the ultimate response was apology and reconciliation.  Apologizing is such a simple step, but it requires humility.  So often in relational hurt both sides feel like they are justified in their  position and shouldn’t have to apologize.  But that attitude puts more value on the issue that the relationship.  Winning an argument at the cost of a relationship is not a win. 

If you’re experiencing pain because of family, friend or acquaintance this week, take time to consider how you might move forward in love. Even if the pain is years or decades old it’s not to late to pray, extend an apology and be a peacemaker.

We’ve been studying temptation in Youth Group the last few weeks.

This week we’re going to look at the temptation that comes from our emotions. 

Anger

Jealousy

Selfishness

Pride

Loneliness

Sadness

Come to Youth Group with an answer to this question:

What emotion do you think leads to the most problems in your life?

We’ll see what the Bible says about our emotions and use our tools to beat the temptation.

16 kids last week

FINAL RUNTS

NEXT WEEK

MAGICIAN: Daniel Lusk

Refreshments will be served.

Vol. 11-17                              Mothers Day Sharing  and  Caring                       May 13, 2012

Compiled  from  input  by  friends  and  our  church  family  at  Ladoga  Christian  Church 

Special salute to my departed Mom, Hilda Halsey,  for all things she's done and wonderful memories left behind.

                        Before I was a Mom

Before I was a Mom:

            I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby.

            I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous.

            I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom:

            I had never been puked on.    Pooped on.      Chewed on.     Peed on.          I slept all night.

            I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts.          

Before I was a Mom:

            I never held down a screaming child so doctors could do tests. Or give shots.

            I never looked into teary eyes and cried.

            I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.

            I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom:

            I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put her down.

            I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt.

            I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much.

            I never knew that I could love someone so much.

            I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom:

            I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.

            I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.

            I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child.

            I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a Mom:

            I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.

            I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache,

                        the wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom.

            I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much, before I was a Mom.

Glory of the Lord: Habakkuk 2: 14 For as the waters fill the sea,  the earth will be filled with an awareness  of the glory of the Lord.   As a rule we know that the seas are filled with water, seems kind of a given/ known idea. Some day the Glory of the Lord will be just as well known as the water that fills the sea.

Prayers and Thoughts:  Especially remember our soldiers that are mothers making sacrifices for our country.

Remember all the mothers on this special day and all days of the year.

                          MOMS

            4 YEARS OF AGE My Mommy can do anything!

            8 YEARS OF AGE My Mom knows a lot! A whole lot!

            12 YEARS OF AGE My Mother doesn't really know quite everything.

            14 YEARS OF AGE Naturally, Mother doesn't know that, either.  

            16 YEARS OF AGE Mother? She's hopelessly old-fashioned.

            18 YEARS OF AGE That old woman? She's way out of date!

            25 YEARS OF AGE Well, she might know a little bit about it.

            30 YEARS OF AGE Before we decide, let's get Mom's opinion.

            40 YEARS OF AGE Wonder what Mom would have thought about it?

            60 YEARS OF AGE Wish I could talk it over with Mom.....-- Author Unknown

  A Baby asks God 

   A baby asked God, 'They tell me you are sending me to earth tomorrow, but how am I going to live there being so small and helpless?' God said, 'Your angel will be waiting for you and will take care of you.'The child further inquired, 'But tell me, here in heaven I don't have to do anything but sing and smile to be happy.' God said, 'Your angel will sing for you and will also smile for you. And you will feel your angel's love and be very happy.'

   Again the child asked, 'And how am I going to be able to understand when people talk to me if I don't know the language?' God said, 'Your angel will tell you the most beautiful and sweet words you will ever hear, and with much patience and care, your angel will teach you how to speak.' 'And what am I going to do when I want to talk to you?' God said, 'Your angel will place your hands together and will teach you how to pray.'

   'Who will protect me?' God said, 'Your angel will defend you even if it means risking its life.' 'But I will always be sad because I will not see you anymore.' God said, 'Your angel will always talk to you about Me and will teach you the way to come back to Me, even though I will always be next to you' At that moment there was much peace in Heaven, but voices from Earth could be heard and the child hurriedly asked, 'God, if I am to leave now, please tell me my angel's name.' God said, 'You will simply call her, 'Mom.'

"Little Known Quotes" from mothers

PAUL REVERE'S MOTHER:  "I don't care where you think you have to go, young man.

   Midnight is past your curfew!"

MONA LISA'S MOTHER:  "After all that money your father and I spent on braces, Mona,    that's the biggest smile you can give us?"

HUMPTY DUMPTY'S MOTHER:  "Humpty, If I've told you once, I've told you a hundred times    not to sit on that wall. But would you listen to me? Noooo!"

COLUMBUS'S MOTHER:  "I don't care what you discovered.

  You still could've written!"

MICHELANGELO'S MOTHER:  "Mike, can't you paint on walls like other children?

   Do you have any idea how hard it is to get that stuff off the ceiling?"

NAPOLEON'S MOTHER:  "All right, Napoleon. If you aren't hiding your report card

   inside your jacket, then take your hand out of there and prove it!"

CUSTER'S MOTHER:  "Now, George, remember what I told you ? don't go biting off

   more than you can chew!"

ABRAHAM LINCOLN'S MOTHER:  "Again with the stovepipe hat, Abe? Can't you just

   wear a baseball cap like the other kids?"

BARNEY'S MOTHER:  "I realize strained plums are your favorite, Barney,

   but you're starting to look a little purple."

BATMAN'S MOTHER:   "It's a nice car, Bruce, but do you realize how much the

   insurance is going to be?"

GOLDILOCKS' MOTHER:  "I've got a bill here for a busted chair from the Bear family.    You know anything about this, Goldie?"

LITTLE MISS MUFFET'S MOTHER:  "All I've got to say is if you don't get off your tuffet and start cleaning your room, there'll be a lot more spiders around here!"

ALBERT EINSTEIN'S MOTHER:  "But, Albert, it's your senior picture. Can't you do

   something about your hair? Styling gel, mousse, something...?"

GEORGE WASHINGTON'S MOTHER:  "The next time I catch you throwing money across

   the Potomac, you can kiss your allowance good?bye!"

JONAH'S MOTHER:  "That's a nice story, but now tell me where you've

   really been for the last three days."

SUPERMAN'S MOTHER:  "Clark, your father and I have discussed it, and decided

you can have your own phone line. Now will you quit spending so much time in

all those phone booths?"

THOMAS EDISON'S MOTHER:  "Of course I'm proud that you invented the electric light bulb, Thomas.     Now turn off that light and get to bed!"

--Author unknown.

A special thanks to my wife, Susie, for raising our 3 sons in spite of my help or lack there of... Clay Halsey     This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

They work so hard, but all in vain! Habakkuk 2:13