February 11, 2007
Lessons
I’ve learned From My Dog
By
Alice Railton
My dog, Heidi, a
miniature pinscher, is a joy to me. Anyone who loves a dog knows the benefits
of canine companionship. She cheers me up when I'm sad by giving me affection.
More than once she has licked away my tears and placed her head on my face in
times of grief or sorrow. Petting her has a calming affect on me and helps me
relax. And she sure can communicate! When she wants a walk, she picks up her
collar and throws it at my feet. Prancing around the kitchen table means she
needs to go out. Turning the water dish up side down means its empty and she’s
thirsty. If I'm busy reading, she likes to push her nose on my book so it will
close, telling me it’s time to switch my attention to her. When my
mother-in-law lived with us, she instinctively knew to bark when the phone rang
since Mother couldn't hear it. She's not the most obedient dog, having an
independent mind, but she usually wipes her feet on command upon coming back
into the house. She loves raw broccoli and has a whole array of tricks she will
do for that special treat. Being a small dog, she is often under foot and has
frequently had a paw stepped on, but she is always ready to give me a kiss of
forgiveness.
Although
she has many virtues, she certainly has her shortcomings too. Anyone who has
visited our home knows that all food has to be completely out of Heidi’s reach.
She has been known to search everyone’s purse, suitcase and diaper bag and
retrieve anything edible. Miniature pinschers also have the uncanny ability to
jump high enough to snatch food off the kitchen counter. We have lost a pork
roast, a loaf of zucchini bread, sticks of butter, a package of cream cheese
and countless other morsels over the years. Last winter we put a blanket over
her cage for warmth and kept it in its usual place in the kitchen. It took us
quite a while to figure out that she was using it as a step stool to get up on
the counter and help herself to anything edible we left there. For eight years
now she has gone to the same kennel for three weeks during the year while we
attend Christian Worker’s Seminar, Mid-West Family Camp and a week of vacation.
She’s known as “that good little Christian dog” by the staff. However, all food
temptation is out of sight while she is there, making it easy to look angelic.
So what have I learned from Heidi?
For starters I’ve learned about unconditional love. She loves me no matter what
and wants to be the center of my life just as God and my Savior do. She knows
when I need comfort and how to give me joy but I have to take the time to be
open to receiving it, just as I do with the Lord. That means making the time
and setting priorities. We have to nurture our relationships to benefit from
them. She’s also taught me a thing or two about temptation, obedience, and
forgiveness. Are we only "good" when temptation is out of reach? Do
we only obey the Word of God when it is convenient? Are we forgiving and ready
to love people? I’ve read that one of the main characteristics of a dog is
unselfish loyalty and benevolent concern for others. We can all improve in that
area when dealing with people and showing our Christian witness.
I’ve always thought God blesses us by providing His creatures as
wonderful companions but we can also learn a lot from them that can parallel
our relationship with God and His Son. If you have a dog, let him/her teach you
some spiritual lessons. God is able to teach us in many ways.
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AND IN THIS CORNER, WEIGHING IN
MATTHEW DAVID FREDERICK!!
MATTHEW
was born Jan. 30th 2007 to David & Megan weighing 9 lbs and was
21” long. Everyone is doing well. You
can see that big sister, Hannah, is very proud of her new brother - our
congratulations to the parents and grandparents, Jim and Penny. Matthew makes two! J
ETHEL SHERMAN WILL BE 101 in
12 days (23rd). While she’s
unable to read cards & notes because of vision loss, she has a friend in
her apartment complex who reads her mail for her. You can send a card to: [Contact Pastor Cain for address]
AL AND ARLENE SZEKELY phoned Feb. 2nd saying they are doing well and to extend
their greetings to the congregation.
They said they are staying warm but it has been unusually cool in
Florida. Al, get the RV engine warmed
up; we are ready to have our snowbirds return home!
“Dear Friends at the
Bedford Church, Thank you very much for your
recent gift of $100. I accept this as
an expression of your appreciation for your church website and its promotion of
our precious Abrahamic Faith. - Warm
Christian Love, Frank Toth, Glad Tidings Church, Fonthill Ontario Canada.”
JUNE ROUTSON: My mother is making
progress. Tuesday she walked a few steps with a walker and Wednesday she walked
a hall in the hospital … Today the doctor said he was pleased with her progress
"so we'll keep you a while longer". She is eating better, feeding
herself and doing better. Thank you all for the prayers and cards and emails.
Beth and Chuck came down last week-end and Jennifer has been home on week-ends.
-- Love Etta Marie (Routson) Wetzel, 2-8-07
P.S. June is Mary Ellen Jones’ sister / Pastor Cain
$$ A BILLION DOLLARS? IT’S HARD TO IMAGINE $$
The next time you hear a
politician use the words “billion” casually, think about whether you want that
politician spending your tax dollars.
A billion is a difficult
number to comprehend, but one advertising agency did a good job of putting that
figure into perspective.
A billion seconds ago, it
was 1959.
A billion minutes ago,
Jesus was alive.
A billion hours ago, our
ancestors were living in the Stone Age.
A billion dollars ago was
only 8 hours and 20 minutes at the rate Washington spends it!
During the
years of the martyrs Christians fled into the underground caverns outside Rome
in almost 600 miles of mole like tunnels.
Ten generations of Christians were
buried in the catacombs during approximately 300 years of suppression. No one knows the exact number, but
archaeologist estimate between 1,750,000 and 4,000,000 Christians were interred
in the dark tunnels.
Inscriptions
of Scripture can still be seen on the catacomb walls. One of the most frequent inscriptions is the sign of the
fish. But the inscription which best
describes their faith says: “The Word of God is not bound.”
Regarding future life, there were two sets of expressions
found in the catacombs which indicated the most cherished beliefs of the early
Christians regarding the state of their loved ones in death. The first, “In peace” or “In sleep,” was
repeated in almost every epitaph. The
second set of expressions which usually occurred after the mention of “peace”
referred to the life which follows sleep.
The terms used were “Live in God,” or “Thou livest in God.”
-Seen in Flagg Center IL bulletin, Nov. 12, ‘06
PRAY FOR: June Routson (stroke), Dave Cheatwood
(clots), Rebekah Martin (broken wrist), Bob Knebl (heart, by R Cain), Amy
Gunselman (cancer, 30, 2 children / by R Phillis), Cathy Panyard (untimely
death of husband / by K Cain), Evelyn Pennington, Katie Cramer (chemo), Pastor
Ray Hall (chemo), Ralph & Iona Childs, Ruby Korode, Penny Frederick,
Lucinda (by Szekely), Gene & Gloria Faehnrich, Edith Speer, Grady
Hudspeth*, Jacob Hinton*, Kathy & Destiny Reed*, (*by Skip), W.C. &
Craig Blankenship, College students:
Jackie Schuld, Dan Cain, Rachel Cunningham, Shut-ins: David Onderdonk Sr., Helen Matthews, Military: Rodger Schuld, Those serving in other countries:
Lupe Badillo-Mexico, Tracy Zhykhovich-Russia, Beder Ucañay-Peru, Pastors in
Malawi & Mozambique, Lesly Bertrand
and the Pastors in Haiti. Colleges /
Churches: RRCC, ABC, Golden Rule, Grace Brethren and for the peace of
Jerusalem, Ps. 122:6; Isa. 62:6,7
23 Ethel Sherman’s 101st
Birthday
25 Any Griffith movie / Rachel Weaver
leading discussion
Future Dates: Mar 18, Ch Outing / Mar 23, 24 NE Conf,
Lawrenceville / Apr 8, Easter / Jun 3, Grad Social & Bridal Shower for Dan
& Rachel / Jun 10-15 State Camp / July 15-20 National Camp / July 22, D.
Onderdonk’s Sr. 100th B-day / Aug 26, Annual SS Picnic
SUNDAY SCHOOL: 9:45A.M.
WORSHIP 10:45A.M.
Musicians: (Frank Roper & Mark
Cain)
Prelude: Dorothy Robertson, “Whiter
Than Snow”
Welcome / Announcements
Worship Hymns / Mark Cain
447 ‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus
420 Take Time to Be Holy
Prayer / Offering
Message: God Does Not Lie
Key Texts: Job 31:2-6; Titus 1:2; Jer 33:14; 2 Sam
7:11-13; Lk 2:29-32;
Lk 21:25-36; 1 Cor 15:24-28; Rev 20:6; Matt 26:26-29
Communion: Pastor Cain
205 God’s Promises Are Sure
