The Maple Hill Messenger A Weekly Publication of the Maple Hill church of Christ / Lebanon, Tennessee June 1, 2014 JOURNEYS Seize the Day ORDER OF WORSHIP I enjoy watching the competition of college He Has Made Me Glad.......................................................103 sports. There is something about the enthusiasm and excitement of the fans cheering Without Him.......................................................................544 for their favorite team. Recently, I was reading Opening Prayer.............Matthew 23.1-12..............Jeff Perry WITH JOE about one of the most exciting collegiate I Want to Be a Worker.........................................Screen only basketball games ever played. It was the 1983 To Christ Be True..............................................................736 NCAA championship game between North Carolina State and the University Let Me Live Close to Thee................................................831 of Houston. Houston was favored to win. There was a last-second shot by North Carolina State that was missed but followed up by a dunk that gave The Right Kind of Righteousness.......................Tim Parish them the victory. The crowd was ecstatic! One of the most memorable There's a Great Day Coming..............................Screen only scenes from the victory was Jim Valvano, the coach, running up and down I Am Mine No More............................................................683 the court trying to find someone to hug. It was an unbelievable victory! Communion.................I Peter 1:13-21..............Michael Gray Sometime later on April 28, 1993, Coach “V”, as he was called, passed Shepherd's Prayer…........................................Carlin Brooks away from cancer. The excitement of that March Madness game had long since faded. Life had taken a turn for the coach that had not been expected. His Name Is Wonderful………..........................................163 Once it was determined that Jim Valvano had cancer, he was invited to Closing Prayer...........................................Jason McCanless address the Duke University squad. In his speech, he made this statement, “Life changes when you least expect it to. The future is uncertain. So seize this day, seize this moment, and make the most of it.” Page 764 - Teach Me Lord to Wait I wonder how many of us fail to “seize this day?” I wonder how many of us I do not know what area of your Christian walk you work on the most. For get so caught up with making a living that we forget to live? I wonder how me, it is prayer. I pray often; I pray short prayers and longer prayers. I pray many times we look at the glass being ‘half-empty”? In Hebrews 3:13, God asking for God to help. I pray thanking God for blessing me above and gives us an urgent directive. He tells us to “Exhort one another daily, while it beyond what I deserve. Then I step away and evaluate my prayer life and is called ‘Today,’ lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of feel that I still have not been as prayerful as I should. Sometimes I grow sin.” I know most, if not all, who read this column are very familiar with this impatient, wanting an answer that in my mind is the right answer. The song, passage. As I reread the passage, I was once again reminded that “today,” “Teach Me Lord to Wait” is filled with admonitions to trust and be patient in this very day, could be the last one in our time on earth. “Today” may be our my prayer life. There are a few things that jump out at me as I read through last opportunity to accept God’s gift of salvation. “Today” may be the last this beloved hymn. I need not rely on what others do, but to wait for an opportunity we have to share His love with a friend or loved one. Some may answer from God. Maybe God knows that I need to work on my patience. fall into Satan’s trap of presuming that there will always be a tomorrow. Perhaps God is aware that if I wait on Him for an answer, I will begin to Time seems to be marching on and on with no end in sight. God tried to have a more earnest searching of the scripture seeing what He wants me to warn us about this way of thinking when He inspired James to write, “You do do. A second matter that stands out to me is the need to keep my faith not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a renewed by keeping my eyes on Him. As I go through life I need to remain vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away” (James 4:14). focused on the one and only God. I need to daily ask myself, “Have I done Whom do you and I listen to? Do we heed the false teachings of Satan or what pleased God today? Was I kind to a stranger? Did I encourage the gentle reminders from God? someone who was struggling? Did I go the extra mile to make a I wrote all of this to simply say that you and I need to seize the opportunities difference?” When I stay focused on God, I reflect on what His son did that God gives us today. That’s sound advice! It is advice that is not simply while living here on this earth. It is then that I am reminded of the way limited to some college basketball players. It is the guidance needed to help Jesus came to serve instead of being served. When I find myself waiting on us reach our goal of heaven. Someone once said that you need to plan as the Lord, it causes me to do two things. One is to spend more time in His though you’ll be living for a century; live as though you’ll be leaving today. word getting to know Him better. The second matter is that I need to pray / talk to God. He is there, and I know He listens to my prayers. The refrain of the song is taken from Isaiah, who said, “They that wait upon the Lord shall Thought for the Week: re-new their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles. They shall “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will run and not be weary they shall walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31). give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 Please Pray For JAMES BALDWIN , father of Brian Baldwin, has LONG-TERM ILLNESS LIST THANK YOU surgery scheduled to remove his prostate on June Zac Anderson, Debra Binion, Joani Bush, Cathy Thank you for all the ways you have helped us 2 in Kingsport, TN. Carey, Marlette Carey, Adam Cove, Thomas recently. We cannot thank you enough for all the EVELYN BLADES , friend of Pam Thorne, remains Cripps, Jim Crittenden, Donette Doak, Ray ways you have been here for us. Thank you for in CCU at St. Thomas with complications from Fakes, Peggy Fox, Louise Garner, Barbara the food, the cards and the prayers. We are very open heart surgery. Gilbert, Donna Hollie, Judi Hudgins, Donald blessed to have Maple Hill as our church family. Langston, Jack Lowe, Mary McAuley, Annette ALICE BURKETT , grandmother of Kayla Jarrett Mitchell, Bobby Parish, Charlie Pedigo, Les Charles and Linda Cothern and cousin of Kai Grissim, is improving in ICU at Snelling, Tonyia Watson, Sarah West, UMC. Lisa Whited, Robert Wood, Edith Woody, Valerie BAPTISMS COREY CALLIS , brother of Bethany Vanatta, is Wright. We rejoice with Wil and Walt Hall as they both undergoing chemotherapy for Lymphoma. put Christ in baptism last Sunday afternoon. Their TOM CARRELL , is in ICU at St. Thomas suffering ASSISTED LIVING, NURSING HOME, REHAB address is 520 Five Oaks Boulevard, Lebanon with lung problems. Betty Bilbrey, mother of Pat Galyean, is at 37087. Southern Manor, room 143; Peggy Carrell is at JIM CRIM , friend of Mike Reeder, has cancer in Hearthside in room F2; Ann Doak , mother of TUESDAY MORNING LADIES’ BIBLE CLASS his brain. Ronnie Doak, is at Hearthside, room F3; Mary The Ladies' Class will not meet in June, July or MARCIA GOODALL, mother of Stacie and Hubbard , stepmother of Terry Hubbard, is at August. The next class will be September 2. Stephen Goodall. Stacie gave her mother a Quality Care, room 603A; Evelyn Miller, mother kidney on Tuesday. Both are recovering at of Anita Keith, is at Martin Boyd Christian Home Vanderbilt. in Chattanooga, room 218; Flora Reeder is at AGAPE COUNSELING OFFICE Southern Manor, room, 144; Kathryn Rogers is The Agape counseling office hours are Tuesdays WILLIAMS HORNADAY , uncle of Lori Purnell, at Lebanon Health and Rehab, room 101A; from 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM. To schedule an remains in ICU at Centennial with complications Clara Stewart , is at The Meadows, room B8; appointment with Matt, call 547-4244. from an aortic aneurism. Marie Tinsley is at Bellwood Assisted Living, WILLIE JACKSON , sister of Trice and Julian room 221B. Carthage Highway, Lebanon, 37087; LADIES FOOD MINISTRY: We still need a Samson is in room 205 at Lebanon Healthcare. Hallie Tuggle, mother of Linda Erwin, is a monthly volunteer to oversee the food list for the MIKE MCCOY , a friend of Carlin Brooks, is Elmcroft, room 105. months of October and November. If you are able struggling with cancer. to serve in this area, please contact Kayla HOME BOUND Zumbro, 478-1294. GARLAND MEADOWS, neighbor of Randy Vissia Hudson and Betty Lasater Louwien is at Quality Care. His wife, VIRGINIA MEADOWS , is also asking for our prayers. She is HARTMAIL INFO: If you are a member at Maple ADDRESSES having a difficult time without him at home.