Pastor Doug's April 2017 Newsletter

The Wonder Of The Empty Tomb

The ancient world boasted of 7 wonders; The pyramids of Egypt, the hanging gardens of Babylon.  the temple of the goddess Diana at Ephesus, the lighthouse at Alexandria, Egypt, the Colossus in the harbor at Rhodes, the statue of the pagan gos Zeus at Olympia, and the tomb of the Persian King Halicarnassus. 

Of all of those ancient wonders, only the pyramids are still standing. All of the others have crumbled, along with the ancient world powers whose accomplishments they memorialized. But another wonder form the ancient world is still very much alive in the world today! This wonder is far more significant that all 7 of these ancient landmarks put together. This is the wonder of the empty tomb of Jesus Christ.

When the body of Jesus was placed int he tomb, the forces of evil were certain that they had won the victory at last.But Jesus was raised from the dead on the 3rd day. His Resurrection proves that He is far more powerful than sin and death, and all of the other  negative forces that Satan uses against us. Wonder of wonders, Jesus Lives! His dynamic power is available to all who place their faith and trust in Him. 

"To be able to find joy in another's joy; that is the secret of happiness."

George Bernamos

Heart Delights

God is with me and I am with God. God's blessings of life light, and love flow through me. I have a special place in God's world.

Amen

Opportunity knocks but once, but temptation leans on the doorbell.

For the gift of life and health, Oh God, and the strength to do my work, I praise you.  Amen

Learn to forgive. You will never be happy with bitterness in your soul.  

Pastor Doug's March 2017 Newsletter

"Thoughts while watching children

I watch them at play

Such serious labor 

Ceaseless Activity

A change from thing to thing

Contemplation, a plan

Action, error

Conference, change

A new plan;

Faults corrected

Ideas corrected

Activity renewed; success

Such glee, too much perhaps

A fall, a hurt

Amusing pseudo tears

That too soon disappear

Joy overcomes hurt

No time for despair

Their falsity exposed

No one will wait

The race keeps on

Inevitably they will change

Individualism will temper

Zest, empathy, camaraderie

Paths now closely sewn

Will be torn by the living

They will wander

Follow temptation, needs, desires, enticement

A plan, action, error

They will fall again

Cry their pseudo tears inwanrdly

Get up and run again

Quicker this time

They have learned not to lag

\Now they are the support

Their infancy knew

They watch theirs at play

And understand, without knowing

And someday they will see

Theirs watching theirs

Will Solo

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The kids were fighting again, and mother shouted from the kitchen, where she was working, "Stop that fighting. Haven't I told you to go by the Golden Rule?" "Yes", came a voice from the recreation room, "But he did it to me first." 

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Happiness:

"Whoever does not regard what he has as most ample wealth is unhappy, though he be the master of the world."  Epicurus

"Happiness is a by-product of an effort to make someone else happy."  Greta Palmer

"There is an hour wherein a man might be happy all his life, could he find it." George Herbert

"The happy people are those who are producing something; the bored people are those who are consuming much and producing nothing." Dean W. B. Inge