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Contributing Writers: David Mathis | Tim Perkins
Past Contributing Writers: Mike Mills, Spring Hill Church | Doug Fincher | Pastor Randy and Sue Smith | Mike Belgard
Faith
February 5, 2026 - The year was 1965 and the world was in turmoil. Hal David wrote the lyrics to a song and Burt Bacharach composed the music. The song was first recorded and made popular by Jackie DeShannon and the title was, “What the World Needs Now Is Love”. The first stanza reads like this:
“What the world needs now is love, sweet love
It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of
What the world needs now is love, sweet love,
No not just for some, but for everyone.”
You know, that’s even more true today than it was during those turbulent days of the 1960’s. To be sure, it was the Apostle Paul who wrote so long ago, “Love never fails”. (I Corinthians 13:8)
True love is of God, for God is love, and love is an eternal boon to life. In these tumultuous and trying times, God’s people more than ever must be an example of love. All around us we see hatred exemplified and often even praised. We see more and more of the worst that mankind is capable of.
When we have love in our hearts, all of life will be richer and sweeter. Not just for us, but also for those around us. Our lives must be dominated by true love inspired of God. Magnify love. Express love for all men. Be an example of a loving soul in a world of hate. Try the way of love in all your contacts of life. It will make a difference!
It’s something to think about... tbp
Come and join us for Worship at Center Church of Christ!
www.centerchurchofchrist.com
February 2, 2026 - Good Morning! It’s Monday, February 2.
Welcome to February. Welcome to Groundhog Day. At 6:30 this morning, a little furry rodent emerged from his little wooden house and (drum roll please) he saw his shadow! That means six more weeks of winter. But don’t despair - we’re talking about woodchuck here, not a weatherman, and so we might still have an early spring. Hope springs eternal!
The tradition of Groundhog Day started back in 1887 in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania - a small town of about 5,000 people. But on this day, the population swells to over 50,000. Those numbers went way up after the Hollywood movie, “Groundhog Day”, starring Bill Murray, who plays a guy who’s destined to live the same day, over and over and over again. Only Murray could make a movie that repetitious come out that funny.
Every time I watch this film - and it’s one of my favorites - I’m reminded of a quote attributed to Albert Einstein. You know the one - “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result”. We’re surrounded by people living that kind of life, aren’t we? Making the same poor choices again and again, and getting the same bad outcomes. Maybe there’ve been times in your life when you’ve practiced this kind of “insanity”. I know there’ve been some moments like that in mine. But God gives us the opportunity to break this negative cycle. He gives us the opportunity to take a new path, a new journey, that leads to a life of purpose and peace.
Ephesians 4:22-24. You were taught, with regard to your former life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Phil, the movie weatherman played by Bill Murray, woke up each morning to an old day, with the same problems and the same bad choices. But the Word tells us that God’s mercies are new every morning. We don’t have to continue a cycle of insanity - we can make a good choice, a new choice. We can choose Him.
Meet you back here tomorrow,
David
cindertex50@yahoo.com
January 29, 2026 - One of the things I miss from my childhood is the fireplace we had in our home and I really missed having one this week. I can remember many cold, dreary winter mornings, laying in bed, pulling the covers up tight and hearing the sound of my father chopping kindling to get a fire going. It was still dark outside, there were coals in the fireplace from the fire during the night, but dad wanted to make sure there was a big fire going before mom and I would get up in the mornings. Those roaring fires he built would fill the room with cheer and brightness as their radiant warmth pushed away the frigid winter dreariness.
The love that Jesus taught and demonstrated has that same transforming quality. When Paul wrote the First Corinthian letter, he would tell us in that great chapter on love in verse 13, “but the greatest of these is love”. Love is our greatest weapon against the cold selfishness and deep despair of the world around us. Just like the old family fireplace was central to the warmth of our home in the winter, so love is central to our Christian faith. Without love, there is no Christian. With love, the Christian has need of little else.
They tell the story that when John became too old to preach, and too weak to walk to worship services, his friends would carry him on a stretcher. They would place his stretcher on the floor and he would say over and over to those who passed by, “little children, love one another.” Some finally grew weary of his ceaseless repetition and asked why he always said the same thing. “Because” he replied, “it is the Lord’s command, and if only this is done, it is enough.”
It’s something to think about... tbp
Center Church of Christ
www.centerchurchofchrist.com
January 29, 2026 - A Call To Help Ministries and The Burning Bush will together be serving chicken and dumplings, cornbread, and a bottle of water on Friday, January 30, 2026 from 11am to 1pm to the linemen and to the communities that are still without electricity, also you may come just to charge your devices and stay warm at 1229 Southview Circle, Center, Texas.
Where cold days meet warm vibes and new beginnings.
Contacts are Connie (936) 427-2255 and Danielle (915) 926-6174.
January 28, 2026 - Good Morning! It’s Wednesday, January 28.
The power went out at my house in Tenaha last Saturday morning, at the beginning of the ice storm. And it’s still out! Four days and counting. With temps down into the mid-teens, and no heat, we’ve taken to dressing like Eskimos. But the ice will melt, the electricity will come back on, and it will fade into a memory. All that will remain is the hole in my roof from an ice-covered falling tree limb. Oh well. Onward and upward!
There was one positive thing about the black-out. I had a chance to catch up on my reading. And I took the opportunity to go back to some favorite books, and read them again. That’s a great thing to do, re-reading a book. It’s like re-watching a favorite movie. And the second time around you always see, learn, experience something new.
Re-reading the Bible is a great thing to do, as well. I remember the first time I read through Paul’s Letter to the Romans. I struggled to absorb it, digest it, understand it. A challenging read! But, ten years later, I paid it a second visit, and suddenly the writing had a flow that wasn’t there for me the first time. I was able to “hear” Paul’s words, really hear them. The same, I’m sure, would be true on the second visit to Genesis, or Isaiah, or Luke, or Acts, or even Revelation.
So, pick one of your favorite Bible books and read it again. No need to wait till the next power failure.
Meet you back here tomorrow,
David
cindertex50@yahoo.com
January 27, 2026 - Because First Baptist Church - Center is currently being used as a shelter for those without electricity, there will be no church activities Wednesday, January 28th.
January 27, 2026 - New Hope Congregational Methodist Church fed 200 linemen today, Tuesday, January 27, 2026, at 1pm in the Tractor Supply parking lot in Center.
Any church, group, individual, or organization wishing to support continued efforts to feed our linemen, please DM me (Sherry Riley) or donate via Venmo: @Annette-Doyle-1 or via PayPal: @ADoyle827.
Special thanks to Shawn Whiteside Smoke Wagon BBQ!
January 24, 2026 - All Masses at St. Therese and St. Mary’s Catholic Churches are cancelled this weekend because weather conditions are very dangerous. The Bishop has granted a dispensation.
Fr. Luis
January 22, 2026 - Shelbyville First Methodist Church will not have church this Sunday, Jan. 25 due to the weather.
January 22, 2026 - It was at a wedding feast, in Cana of Galilee, where Jesus performed his first miracle. They had run out of wine, a real social miscue in that day and time. So, Mary told Jesus the problem and then told the servants to do whatever Jesus told them to do. Well, you remember the story. Jesus changed 6 water pots filled with water into wine, better wine than they had before.
Yet, the greatest example of the transforming power of Jesus Christ is not that He was able to change water into wine. The greatest example of the transforming power of Jesus is how He can change lives. He took a blustering fisherman named Simon, a creature of impulse and made him into a rock of Christ-like character. He found a “thunderbolt” named John, a man capable of such hot hate that he wanted to call down fire from heaven on a Samaritan village and changed him into the Apostle of love. He took a greedy tax collector named Matthew and used him to write one of the gospels. There was a demon possessed woman named Mary who became the first person to spread the word of the resurrection. Then, who can forget the intellectual giant named Paul, the greatest menace that existed to the early church, and he was transformed to be the world’s greatest preacher.
The same Jesus who changed those lives will change every life that surrenders to him. Would you surrender your will to His will?
It’s something to think about... tbp
Center Church of Christ
www.centerchurchofchrist.com
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