Shelby County Today

Love and peace from our brother Jesus. Sunday was Palm and Passion Sunday.  I usually like to celebrate Palm Sunday because it is festive, whereas Passion Sunday is full of betrayal, torture, and death. Either way, this week is the most important week of the Christian faith. Our Sunday school lesson was appropriately named “Called to Remember.”  The main scripture was Matthew 26: 1-13.  We are told that the priests are plotting against Jesus. In this heated atmosphere, an unnamed woman anoints Jesus’ head with expensive perfume, igniting outrage among the disciples, who regret the money it would have fetched to help the poor. 

The scripture for Passion Sunday was Luke 22: 14-23: 56.  It was a very long scripture because Luke describes in detail all the events of this week: the Last Supper, the agony in the garden, betrayal, arrest, the flight of the apostles, denial by Peter, torment by the Sanhedrin, trials before Pilate and Herod, and then back to Pilate where Jesus is humiliated and tortured. We see Simon of Cyrene carrying Jesus’ cross, the crucifixion, his prayer for forgiveness, salvation of the thief, the death, and then Jesus’ hasty burial. We must wait until Easter Sunday to finally experience the joy.

We celebrated Holy Communion this morning, among the palm fronds we carried up front while listening to “Lord of the Dance.” Roy and Judy Welch of Sunshine Florist are so nice to provide the palms every year. To further decorate the church, I got Easter lilies from them.

My daughter and I were in Ohio last Sunday for my aunt’s 90th birthday and a family reunion. We had a good time traveling together and seeing so many cousins. Larry McNeil filled in for me; Sue told me what he spoke on—a retrospective of Leon Hale, the long-time Houston columnist, including some stories about our old friend, Richard Wharton.             

Fannie read a nice letter from Mrs. Ruby at Community Christian Services. The strange thing was that Ruby mailed the card before Christmas 2018, and Fannie received it this week! We collected cans of chili last month, and I delivered them to Community Christian Services last Wednesday. This week Joy heard from Carolyn, who is enjoying her time with her sister.  We need to send Carolyn long-distance Happy Birthday wishes. Fannie, Evie, and Margaret also have birthdays in April. Fannie reported that her grandson, Jake, successfully completed Ranger training in the army. That is really some accomplishment! 

Last Thursday Mrs. Hilda and folks went to Focused Care for the monthly ministry. Since coming home, though, I was busy catching up with doctors’ appointments. This Tuesday at 2:00 we will head to Holiday Nursing Center. In Joaquin Saturday’s Spring Fling got washed out: They may try it again this coming Saturday.

Whoever you are, in whatever faith you were born, whatever creed you profess; if you come to this house to find God you are welcome here.” Paxton United Methodist Church is an inviting church that takes to heart the idea of “Open Doors, Open Hearts, Open Minds.” Sunday School starts at 9:30 and Worship begins at 10:00. Our email address is paxtonumc@yahoo.com. If you would like the weekly email newsletter about Paxton Methodist you can send me your email address to the Paxton email address and I will add you to the list. God’s Speed.

April 12, 2019 - There will be an Easter Sunrise Service at Joaquin First United Methodist Church beginning at 7:00 a.m. April 21. Breakfast will be served afterward in Fellowship Hall. All are welcome.

April 10, 2019 - I love this time of year. The smell of fresh cut hay, everything turns that beautiful shade of green, its like life is starting over again every spring. As a child growing up I looked forward to these signs that the seasons were changing and that summer would soon be here. The cold dreariness of winter is replaced by the bright, warm, days of spring

Just as seasons change in nature, so they also do in our lives. It seems that sometimes they change too rapidly, but if we pay close attention there are usually signs that a season in our lives is about to change. I once heard a man say that life is just a cycle of changes. That we are all either getting ready to go through a situation, are in the middle of a situation, or we are just coming out of a situation. Life changes rapidly and sometimes unexpectedly, but rest assured it will change. That can give you great relief in two different ways : 1) If you are in a bad season right now you can rest assured that it is going to get better. 2) Seasons are something we go through, not stay in! Seasons bring relief from harsh conditions just as some seasons bring those harsh conditions. I have learned in the past 58 years of living, that no matter how hot the summer or cold the winter I might find myself in, that God is about to send relief. In James 1:12 He says "Blessed is the man who perseveres during trials, for when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life God has for those He loves." God always sends relief. We just have to trust Him.

In the book of Ecclesiastes Solomon writes: "To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven." He simply goes on to list the things that happen in the cadence of life. For every birth there will be a death, for every tear there will be a laugh.

As we see the world around us changing in such dramatic fashion, it is easy to get discouraged. It seems that all that was right is now wrong and all that was wrong is now right. We are going through a season of great change. We are in a season of harsh times for those who truly make a stand for their faith. God wants you to know today that He has great plans for you. Remember that seasons change and God always brings relief. He never leaves us in a harsh season. Remember the rain and storms of spring bring the flowers of the summer. The season that you are in right now is about to change for the better. If you are in a stormy season, hold on because the sun is about to shine. God loves you and you can trust Him to see you through this time.

I'm Just sayin'
Mike Belgard

April 8, 2019 - Everyone is invited to come worship on "The Porch" at Smyrna Baptist Church in Huxley, Monday, April 8th.

Refreshments 6:30pm and worship begins at 7pm. Guest speaker will be Bro. Wayne Bickley, pastor at Soda Baptist Church in Livingston, Texas. Bro. Bickley was a former pastor at Smyrna and a powerful man of God.

Awesome music leaders are Paul, Brittany, Bryan and Abigail.

Everyone is invited to come and receive a blessing. Bring someone, Jesus loves you.