FEED MY SHEEP DRIVE FOR THANKSGIVING AND CHRISTMAS

We have begun our drive to have food for the hungry at Thanksgiving and Christmas.  We have added a new freezer to our pantry which allows us to store up food at greater savings and to feed more people.  We currently need foods to supply foods for those people who without us will  not have the needed food items for these times.  If you can donate food we are in need of any meats such as hens, turkeys, hams, chickens, roast any such item to make this a special meal.  We only offer these items at Thanksgiving and Christmas.  The rest of the year we generally offer canned meats but  will accept fresh since we can now freeze them.  We are also in need of dressing mixes, yams, cranberry sauce, any vegetables.  Items always needed are powdered milk, peanut butter, soups, rice, pasta, pasta sauces, If you prefer we will do the shopping for you.  You can send a check or Money order to Southern Hills Church of Christ 9080 Southwood Drive, Shreveport, Louisiana, 71118.  Please mark your payment as DONATION TO PANTRY.  Your check will serve as your receipt or we can mail you a receipt.  Please consider helping us feed those in need this year.

Yesterday at the Juvenile Court House, I was sworn in as a CASA Volunteer.  This was done after going thru a training program and a background check.  To learn more about CASA  you can go to www.casaforchildren.org.  CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates.  This program is in need of volunteers and if you have the time and the inclination to be a voice for children you should check into it.

Nobody longs for a safe and loving family more than a child in foster care. As a CASA volunteer, you are empowered by the courts to help make this dream a reality. You will be the one consistent adult in these children’s lives, vigilantly fighting for and protecting their fundamental right to be treated with the dignity and respect every child deserves. You will not only bring positive change to the lives of these vulnerable children, but also their children and generations to come. And in doing so, you will enrich your life as well.

CASA volunteers listen first. Then they act. Volunteers get to know the child by talking with everyone in that child's life; parents and relatives, foster parents, teachers, medical professionals, attorneys, social workers and others. They use the information they gather to inform judges and others of what the child needs and what will be the best permanent home for them.

You do not have to be a lawyer or social worker to be a volunteer. CASA welcomes people from all walks of life. We are simply looking for people who care about children and have common sense. As a volunteer, you will be thoroughly trained and well supported by professional staff to help you through each case. You must pass a background check, participate in a 30-hour pre-service training course and agree to stay with a case until it is closed (a year and a half on average.

Along with others from my church we have hosted the supplies for Channel 3 A+ Program.  This is a program of distributing school supplies for children who need them.  The supplies are donated by businesses around town and then school counselors turn in the request to us for the children that need them.  During the month of August we have packed over 1000 bags of supplies which included, paper, pencils, pens, backpacks, erasers, spiral notebooks, binders, pencil bags, note cards, manila paper and construction paper, etc.  These were then picked up by each school for the children who were in need of them.  Many of us spent entire days from about 8:30 am to 4:30 pm packing these supplies.  It was a rewarding experience to hear from the teachers and counselors how badly these were needed and how they appreciated our efforts.

Along with the good things that have been happening there was a sad occasion when our brother in Christ, Carl Wells, passed away.  He passed away on Sunday and burial was Monday.  He had recently had surgery on his heart and apparently a couple of strokes while in the surgery and was just not able to recover.  God chose to take him home and he will be sorely missed at Southern Hills.  We continue to pray for his wife Ann, that she will be strengthened and know we love and care for her.  We were also saddened for our friend Bev Ford who often attends services with her friend Barbara Jobe in the loss of her husband who passed away quite suddenly.  Our prayers continue for Bev also.

School has been cancelled for today and Friday because of tropical storm/hurricane Issac.  I know the children are excited because this means a 5 day holiday from school with Monday being a holiday.  I do feel for the parents who just got them off to school and thought they could breathe a sigh of relief to suddenly have them home this soon after the start.  Parents remember this..."This too shall pass away."

We will begin our drive to collect food for the pantry again now that September is upon us.  Thanksgiving and Christmas will follow soon and people will be in special need of food for these holidays.  We have been sharing food from our pantry all year with a couple of boxes being given out every week, but the big drive begins now so anyone who can please bring items for the pantry or if you are unable to get out and shop if you donate money we will buy the items for you and put them in the pantry in your name.

Thanks for all the support I get from all of you.  Thanks for reading this blog and please keep me in your prayers, for health and ability to be of service to others.  I always need your prayers.

Proverbs 25:11

Proverbs 25:11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver

When our regular Ladies Bible Class teacher approached me and said she was going to be unavailable this week and asked me if I would fill in for her, at first I said "Oh, no.  I am not able to do that.  I have never led a devotional before and just don't think I am capable."  She assured me that she thought I would do fine and should give it a try.  Well all my friends know I like to talk, and talk, and talk, so I told her I would do my best.  The following is the main body of the text I chose.  I admit I did a lot of Bible and internet reading to chose this and lots of praying over it.  Last night when a loud clap of thunder woke me up in the middle of the night I thought it was a good time to add another prayer to God that I would be able to lead this devotional.  I did get thru it.  At first I told the ladies if they would be patient with me I had 24 pages to read to them and although no one got up and ran I think they were relieved when I said I was only kidding and that it was not long at all.  The following is the message I presented:

A compliment or word of encouragement at just the right moment can lift our spirits and brighten our day, causing us to smile and to reach out to others. One person can truly make a difference in the world as smiles are spread along our journey.

Consider the story of the Ethiopian eunuch: an angel of the Lord said to Philip, go to the  road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.  So he did, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, who was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah. The Spirit told Philip, "Go to that chariot and stay near it."  Philip  heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. "Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked. "How can I," he said, "unless someone explains it to me?" So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.    Because Phillip entered his life the eunuch was saved on that very day.  
 
We can be that same source of inspiration by telling others about Christ and salvation. Many precious souls are dying around us, lost in sin without hope, unless we study the Bible with them and give them a reason for hope.  I am again reminded of the old hymn "Lead me to some soul today, Oh teach me Lord just what to say, Friends of mine are lost in sin and cannot find their way.  I think we should sing that song every day and treat it as a prayer that God will lead us to someone in need.

One small compliment may be just the very thing someone needs to hear that very moment. How many sisters might be encouraged by the fact that we love them? Just as a wife needs to hear that she is loved by her husband, others need to be reminded, too. It has been said that we are Christ’s hands to help others, Christ’s feet to go visit and Christ’s heart to share with others. Jesus tells us that we are the “light of the world” (Matthew 5:14). Lights for the world are desperately needed to illuminate the pathway to our Lord.   At this point we discussed "random acts of kindness" and how a special book of devotionals "Jesus Calling" keeps turning up in many of our lives.  I have heard devotionals from the book and now want a copy of the book for myself.  We also mentioned that in the movie "Fried Green Tomatoes"  when the young girls took the older woman's parking spot before she could pull in, that her reaction was not the right action even tho she said "she had more insurance" and could destroy their car by hitting it over and over again in her anger. 

How can we share those beautiful apples of gold with others? 

* Smiling and thanking the cashier even if she is as slow as molasses
* Allowing an obviously stressed driver to pass us (even when passing only saves them about .0001 seconds on their commute)
* Waving at the people we pass in our neighborhood
* Allowing an elderly person or someone with fewer items to skip us in the grocery line
* Telling others they are in our prayers and meaning it (keep a notebook and write the person and situation to ensure you remember)
* Sending a “just thinking of you” card to someone who is having a bad day
* Sneaking a gift card for a local restaurant into the desk of a single parent or a coworker who’s on a very tight budget
* Asking God’s blessing on others and forgiving those who hurt us

As we journey through life, we can surely find plenty of opportunities to brighten others’ day if we look for them. We just might find that our own day is brightened as well as we seek to lift others and give God the glory.

Have a beautiful day filled with golden apples in settings of silver!

Sunday Reflections

We had a beautiful day at church yesterday, after service I looked around and marveled at how we are growing....it is amazing how the building is looking fuller every Sunday. God has taken some home and sent others to us (I miss Joe Harbert each Sunday).  

There has been a song in my heart all day, I think God is talking to me. The song goes "Lead me to some soul today, teach me lord just what to say, friends of mine are lost in sin and cannot find their way". I am reminded of words from ACU president, Dr. Phil Schubert: "Keep your Christ-centered focus ... Love God, serve others, and take as many people with you to heaven as you possibly can." 

While we are still helping several families each month from our pantry it is currently slower than in the fall and winter, so I am investigating other ways of seeing that the children of our community have food.  Please pray that we can continue to find ways to serve that will do good for our neighbors.

Just recently part of my family lost their use of a church building which had been a part of our family history as far back as I can remember.  It was a little one room country church building and meant so much to all of us.  I can still see my grandfather standing in front of the congregation there, I remember all of us kids gathering in one corner for bible class, many singings, and dinner on the ground.  It was a wonderful place to be growing up and around special people and family.  We don't always understand how things happen or why the devil enters thoughts and desires into people but one person decided he owned the property and no longer wanted the church to meet there.  I know my Mother thought this person to be a Christian and would be so sad to see all this happen.  He did go to court and did win that the property was his and the following Sunday some people decided to go there to worship anyway.  However, when they arrived they found the doors padlocked.  End of an era.  My question is:  What harm could Sunday mornings meeting for church harm his property.  It is so sad.  To those who have lost their meeting place remember although those precious memories will stay with you, it isn't the only place you can worship.  Your living room, your patio, any place will do because the Lord has said "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I also".  

On a personal note, thanks to all of you who have been praying for my health.  My diabetes went out of control and I was experiencing highs around 461.  I was able to finally get in to see an endocrinologist who started me on insulin and I am thrilled to report that my sugar is consistently running around 130.  It still needs to get down between 90 and 120, but 130 is such an improvement that I can only thank you for your prayers and praise God for answering them.

Have a blessed Week!!!

Thank You Supporters! Let's work together!

I have been a little slow to post and I apologize for that.  I have had some problems with my health (my diabetes problem has reared its ugly head) and I have had some problems in getting in to see a endocrinologist which my regular doctor is wanting me to do, so I have been a little tired and not feeling as well as usual.  I am working on it and with help from God and prayers from all my friends I am sure I will be better soon.  
We are moving forward with our pantry efforts and helping those who contact us with a need for food.  We have helped several new people over the last month and hope that our efforts are doing what Christ commanded when he said "Feed My Sheep" .  We have had some disappointments but feel in those instances we have planted a seed which someday will grow and bring those folks to Christ.  The people of the Southern Hills Congregation are so wonderfully supportive and I so very much appreciate their good hearts and desire to help.  
I received a box of salt recently which inducted me into the Salt of The Earth Fan Club.  I can't even begin to tell you how much this meant to me.  When called to the front of the auditorium I was shocked beyond belief.  I could not help but think how I wished Mom (Dorothy Smith) and Dad (Charlie Smith, Jr., who was a former elder at Southern Hills) could have been there.  I spent time away from God and I know it worried them.  I hope somehow they know I have returned and am trying to serve anyway possible that will help others and please God.   I am attaching pictures of my Box of Salt.  I hope you enjoy looking.  Please pray for me to continue my work.

This weekend beginning with Thursday, March 29th is out annual Carson Shadrix  Medical Fund Garage Sale, we begin set up on Thursday but have lots of sales that day as people are anxious to see what we have.  It will run thru Friday at approximately 1:00 pm.  This is the largest garage sale in this area and people look forward to our holding it.  I will be posting more about the sale over the next few days so if you can come, please do.  It is held on the grounds of the Southern Hills Church of Christ at 9080 Southwood Drive, Shreveport, LA., 71118.  If you are interested in knowing more about Carson go to Facebook and search for Carson's Dream.

Rejoicing

This is a quick post to let you know that Trey Simmons (one of Rosie's children was baptized into Christ Sunday Night, February 19, 2012.  Trey is a very sweet young man with a smile and a hug when you see him.  He had been discussing baptism with Rosie and myself, and after attending a special class on Sunday morning with Barry Buckner, decided now was the time.  We had a little problem with our baptistry and had to wait until that night for his baptism.  I am convinced there is much rejoicing in heaven for this young mans decision and there was great rejoicing in our congregation.  Please pray that Trey will always be led by Christ and lead a christian life.  While you are praying, pray for all of us and the work we are trying to do.

Quieter Times and Remembrances

We are experiencing Quieter Times with the ending of the Christmas and New Years seasons.  There is a year round need and we do still have requests for food they just are not as fast and furious as they were at the end of the year.  Now is the time for us to rebuild and restock to prepare for the next big run we have.  This new year has brought sadness to many of us as several of our Christian friends have gone home.  One of the biggest losses to me was that of our faithful friend, mentor, and christian brother, Joe Harbert.  Joe was always available when something needed doing (I can still see him back in the pantry building shelves with Waymon Wren when we first started the pantry).  Joe was such an encouragement to me in building the pantry work and in writing this blog.  He faithfully read and commented to me on it recommending to me to keep on working.  Every time I walk into the church building or sit down to write on this blog I think of Joe and praise God for his guidance.  His loss was unexpected to all of us but we are thankful he went quickly without suffering and know there must have been great rejoicing in heaven for his life.
Good things have been happening with the addition of one of our pantry beneficiaries placing her membership with us.  She was baptized into Christ for the remission of her sins when she was 17 years old, and we are thrilled for her to renew herself to Christ.  If you remember back in an earlier post I mentioned that a lady we had helped had passed away with cancer and the grandmother wanted the children but for health reasons was unable to care for them.  Therefore, this special lady who had been a friend of the mother and the children took them in and applied to the state for protective custody of the children.  Her name is Rosie.  Well Rosie is the lady who placed her membership with us.  Last week she was granted the custody of the children by the Juvenile Court.  We have been helping Rosie to get on her feet with the children and are pleased that she is part of us along with the children now.  She needs many things yet and most desperately she needs a vehicle so she can get to work and church easier and have room for the kids.  Pray that the necessities come thru for her and please continue to pray for all of us.  I need your prayers.

God's Plan

A Can of Hominy

Understanding of this article will surely vary from person to person; but my reason for including it is because to me it shows several things that no matter our circumstances are important.  (1) It shows the power children hold when talking to a parent who is not always there; has problems of their own; and who loves them.  (2)  It shows that any addiction causes us to make mistakes and thru guilt feelings to over react; (3) as time passes, we learn there is both sadness and humor in some of the trying times in our lives.  (4) Everything we experience in our lives, good or bad is a learning experience and leads us to what we are today.

So, here is the story...One day (many years ago) while I was at work my ex-husband called my home knowing it was time for the kids to be home from school and to talk to them.  My daughter answered the phone and he asked her what she was doing and she said she was looking for something to eat and all we had was "A Can of Hominy".  Now let me assure you there were times when we did not have a great selection of food items however, I am positive we were never down to one can of hominy.  I am sure there were foods to eat in our cabinets but just not anything that appealed to her like chips and candy, etc.
Some background you need to know in order to understand what is coming is that this man was an alcoholic who still worked hard and probably felt guilt at not being there to see what his children had to eat.  The day passed and I came home from work my daughter said nothing about the phone call with her dad.  Not long after getting home the phone rang and it was my ex calling from the airport and asking if I would come pick him up.  I admit I was shocked but he did lots of shocking things back then so I said I would come but asked why he was there.  He sounded as if he had been drinking and said he would explain when we came and picked him up.  
I loaded the kids and myself into my Volkswagen Bug and off we went to the airport.  We picked him up and headed back towards home.  He said that he could  not stand the idea of his children having nothing to eat so he was there to go grocery shopping.  We had three stores near our home and despite the fact that I told him I was sure we had more than "A Can of Hominy" he was determined to stop at the first store.  In this store we made good choices and bought fruits, vegetables, meats, all healthy good foods.  When we returned to the car and loaded the foods it was a little crowded with people and foods (you do remember I am in a small Volkswagen) and he was continuing to drink.  We passed a second store and he insisted we stop to shop again.  There was no discouraging him so into the store we all went.  There again, we loaded several carts with foods.  I am not certain but I believe at this time he had spent about $700 and was continuing to drink.  Now we get back in the Volkswagen and groceries are everywhere kids packed in under the groceries that little car could barely move, and we passed a third grocery.  He began to insist that we stop and I said we had no more room and we had to take these things we had already purchased home.  I figured by this time that once we got to the house he would likely go to sleep and shopping would be over.  I was wrong.  We got home unloaded what we had purchased and he insisted on going back to the store we passed up.  There was no changing his mind so everyone got back into the car and we went back to the last store.  At this point, he really was unaware of what was going on around him and I said to the kids "Each of you take a cart and fill it with whatever you want; I don't care what you get just fill this cart as quickly as you can and lets get out of here."  Well you should have seen those kids eyes.  They were as big as you can imagine at the excitement of filling a cart with whatever they wanted and that is what they did.  They got all the junk stuff I always refused to buy and were thrilled.  Once my ex saw the filled carts he was satisfied although he did not know what was in them.  We went home, he passed out on the couch and the next morning he went back to the airport and to his home.  
My daughter did not want me to tell this story because she loves her dad and did not want people to see this side of him.  She asked me that if I was going to tell this that I would also tell that she believes he is no longer drinking (or at least not to excess) and she also believes he is attending a church.  I have to admit I do not know if what she believes is accurate or  not but I hope it is true.  I am not telling this story to hurt anyone.  My reason for telling is it was a part of our lives and from some of these experiences I learned you have to move on and away from some people.  I also learned that an addiction whether it be alcohol, drugs, or anything else, it can take you away from your family and cause you lots of guilt, pain and despair.  It can cause loss of family and your finances and bring pain to lots of people.  I do believe that once these things happen to you only God and Prayer can bring you thru it.
Let me add...I DID NOT HAVE TO BUY GROCERIES FOR MONTHS, and to a mother raising children alone it was indeed a blessing I can't help but believe that God brought that phone call from a guilty feeling dad to his child for just that purpose.  Don't you agree?
Perhaps it was a lesson to me from God about helping others and caring for our friends and neighbors.  Because I have experienced these things I believe is why I am so passionate about helping others and feeding the hungry.  I know that God had a plan for me all these years to care about others and to be a friend and comforter to anyone who needed help.  Pray for  me and my endeavor of trying to  help others.

Just a Little Talk

I feel so much for people in need, most likely, because I have walked miles in their shoes.  I have been divorced now for many years--not what I had expected in my life because I had married a man I believed to be a christian--but he didn't love me and found other women and Jack Daniels that he cared more for.  I tried for a long time to change him but finally realized you cannot change a person who does not want to be changed.  I made a lot of mistakes during that time of my life but praise God, Jesus never gave up on me.  The Holy Spirit nagged me continually until he got my attention and led me back to my church family where I had grown up.   In leading me thru life and to him I believe God put me in places where I could learn many of life's lessons and prepared me to be of help to others facing many of the problems I had experienced.  I believe that whatever situation we are in there is something we can learn from it and take it forward for good in our lives.  It was difficult raising two children on the very small amount of income and child support that I received.  (I received $125.00 per child).  It was a very small amount but I know there are women who do not get that much or even any at all.  I did always get the support but never knew if it would come the first of the month, the middle, or end of the month.  I could not count on when I would have it.  My children and I did struggle and sometimes I still struggle today.  We may not have always had what we wanted to eat but, we never went hungry.  Parents were there to help and then after my Dad passed away Mother did what she could to help us.  And as for receiving any government assistance, I was always, just above the amount you could earn or have and receive help.  This post should give you some insight into why I am so interested in helping those who are down.  I have learned that you absolutely cannot feel sorry for yourself while you are helping others.  Unfortunately I cannot do all that I sometimes want to do but I can give these people thru the help of my congregation, an amount of food, and a prayer for their well being and send them on hopefully with a lighter step.  If any of these people want to learn more about what God can do in their lives and how to be saved for a much better life in heaven I can turn them over to Godly people who will teach them what they need to know to be saved.


To end this post I just want to say that my next post will be called A CAN OF HOMINY.  It is both a sad and funny real life story.  I don't share it easily because it is something that happened to my children and myself and brings tears and to be perfectly honest a little laughter to  me whenever I recall it.  So please come back soon and read the next part of this testimony and pray every day for me that I am able to help someone else.   God Bless and Keep You until we meet again.