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By Ruth Gadberry
Fall fell. And fell with a splash. As of 8:30 a.m. Tuesday morning Summer is gone.
Most of us don’t mind saying goodbye to the hot weather and are looking forward to cooler weather like, we had last week.
This week started off quite nicely with a promise of rain and continued cool weather. Until the weekend and then it’s supposed to get warmer but not as hot as it was last month.
How cool? Well, lots of air conditioners, and even ceiling fans, were turned off for a night or so and folks were reaching for covers before the alarm clock called them to begin a new day. And a few sweaters or jackets were seen at Church services Sunday mornings.
Can you believe it? Next week it will be October already. Didn’t we just slide into September a few days ago?
Patsy, there were two more members present in your class Sunday morning. They had eight people present and Helen had to go find another chair.
They would have needed another chair but Beth sat on her mother’s walker so they made it just fine. Beth was back after spending a week in Texas and Gin was back after all that house arrest stuff Kenny and she have been practicing.
By the way, those who attended Bible study Wednesday night got a head start on the Sunday School lesson for last Sunday.
Preacher Joey’s Bible study and the lesson covered some of the same material. Yes, Joey; the ladies who attended Bible study noticed it. They remembered the Bible study lesson.
Services were good at First Baptist Church Sunday morning. The services started with a baptism and there is no better way to start a worship service.
Chris, your song was very much enjoyed by other people as well as your bride of fifty years. Good job!
Yes, Chris and Alberta celebrated fifty years of marriage. Congratulations!
Kids activities, including a meal at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday evening, are well on their way to getting back to pre-COVID-l9 schedule.
Kids, kids everywhere! Wonderful! And you haven’t even started running the busses as yet have you Youth people?
And it’s almost time for what everybody has been waiting for; the Kolby King Crusade. This will be October 4-7; Sunday morning through Wednesday evening. We understand that you just have to be there, experience the whole thing, to actually believe what’s going on. You will come, won’t you?
Good News! Good News! As of the first Sunday in October – that will be October 4th, won’t it?
Preacher Joey will be a full time Pastor at Stringtown First Baptist Church!
It’s quite possible that you didn’t even know he wasn’t a full time Pastor. He is always available when you need him and never misses a service unless he is away on vacation or something.
You just didn’t think of him as being part time. If you even thought of that at all. He had another job all these years, but no more. He will be a full time pastor. That probably means he will be available day time, night time; whenever you need him.
Welcome, Preacher Joey, as Stringtown’s full time pastor!!!
Yes, the angels did come for Joe Hayes last week and took him home to Heaven.
If you didn’t know that Joe had moved on home to Heaven and asked his wife, Kathryn, “how is Joe today?”
She could quickly answer, “Joe is better today than he has ever been. He is healed completely, his health is perfect, and he is enjoying the glories of Heaven!”
Preacher Joey talked with Joe recently and Joe told him that he didn’t want a funeral. He just wanted people to remember him as he was.
Well, maybe more as he used to be before his health failed so drastically. Kathryn honored his request. Do be in prayer for Kathryn and all their family. She has some lonely days and nights ahead of her. She has the peace of knowing where Joe is spending eternity.
Shirley Hunt, so we hear, will be having another knee replacement. Her other knee replacement failed after several attempts and she eventually had to have her leg amputated.
Do pray for her as she goes through knee surgery again. And pray for her husband, Gary, too. He is also facing some surgeries.
Would you put Kenneth Barfield on your prayer list?
Sometimes it seems that Kenneth is an accident waiting to happen; then he is the accident that just did happen.
This time he stepped off a fence and it happened; that leader or muscle or whatever it is that holds your foot on right broke. He felt it break and now his foot won’t work.
He’ll find out this week if therapy will help or if surgery is necessary and all signs point to surgery.
A farmer/rancher/heavy equipment mechanic really needs both feet working. Monday, he was supposed to be putting a transmission in a tractor or some sort of thing. He was giving instructions, and Jan, Jay, and Jace were trying to get it in.
John and Sabra Smith were in their places at church Sunday morning with their brand new, just one week old baby daughter, Lydia Gene.
John and Sabra, what a priceless gift you are giving your little daughter! Parents who love their children enough to make sure they are brought up in church are a blessing to their children, their church, and also to the whole community.
At last report, Cooie and Taylor were still waiting.
Johnny and Virginia Winters are adding to their collection.
This would be their collection of great-grand-children, that is. Their newest addition is an adorable little fellow, Calvin Blake Moyer.
His Dad and Mom are Randal and Michelle with big sister, Abby. His grandpa is John Winters; you probably know him.
Little Calvin Blake arrived on the last day of August, weighing in at just under 7 pounds. Just the right size for cuddling.
Mom and Dad, you win the prize for planning. Who could possibly be a better baby sitter than an eleven year old big sister?
Of course, when he gets a little bigger he will be a pest and get into her things. She will get aggravated with him, but woe to anyone who mistreats her little brother. She will fight a tiger for him if need be.
Big sisters are pretty special to a little fellow. He will think his sister can do ANYTHING.
Johnny and Virginia haven’t met this little guy yet. Not that they haven’t wanted to. They are doing their best to stay away for awhile, until little Calvin Blake gets accustomed to living in the world.
No, they don’t have the coronavirus and they aren’t sick. They just don’t want a stray germ to sneak in the door when they visit him. They’ll have plenty of spoiling time when he gets just a bit bigger and older.
Congratulations, Mom, Dad, big sister and everybody! Isn’t God blessing your family in a big way?
Ken and Gin attended a Samaritan’s Purse meeting concerning Operation Christmas Child. You know, where people pack shoe boxes with all sorts of goodies and they are sent all over the world to children who would otherwise have no gifts at all.
Things have changed a lot in the past few years since Stringtown folks started packing shoe boxes. They used to pack the boxes and then put in hard, wrapped candy to fill up every tiny space, but no more.
You can’t send candy anymore. Not even toothpaste, which once was recommended. Of course you can’t send anything liquid, breakable, edible, war related (toy guns, etc.) But there are lots and lots of things that you can send and each gift will mean so much to a child.
Ruth and Beth have been collecting things all year and their Sunday School class plans another box packing party. The church is getting a late start this year.
They weren’t sure they could send things because of the COVID-l9 thing, but Samaritan’s Purse has been cleared to send boxes so let’s get going.
Beth and Ray spent last week in Texas. Ray met his brother, Phil, at Beeville and they visited their sister, Lydia.
They wanted to see another sister, Alicia, but she was in rehab, recovering from a broken hip and they couldn’t see her. Maybe on their next trip.
Beth stayed in Duncanville and spent a lot of time with her friend from her school teaching days. They shopped and did ‘girl things’ while Ray was away.
Beth is enjoying her guineas and is learning something new about them every day. She let one of them out Sunday afternoon and that was an experience.
They finally learned to drink from their guinea fountain instead of a pan of water. She is anxious to let them out to roam around to catch bugs, grasshoppers and other insects.
It won’t be long but she wants to be sure they’ll stay around and not leave the area. Maybe there is a chance that Beth might learn to be a country girl yet.
Have you noticed that the walnuts and acorns are falling?
It’s acorns out at JC and Ruth’s, from the big oak trees in the yard. Two of the trees branches hang out over the porch roof.
If the breeze blows just a little bit it sounds like the squirrels must be bowling or something. Acorns hitting the tin roof on the porch really makes a noise.
Some of the ladies at First Baptist Church have Secret Sisters. Gifts are brought for holidays, special days, etc., and left on the pew in the church foyer.
The lady receiving a gift tries to figure out who is bringing the gifts. In December they’ll let their Secret Sister know who has been so generous all year and start again with another Secret Sister for next year.
JC must have a Secret sister too. Last Sunday he found a box of brownies in the car when he was ready to leave the church.
Delicious! Chocolate, with chocolate icing and nuts. Mmmm, good! But who brought them? He hasn’t a clue. Come on. ‘Fess up. Who is spoiling him?
Success is a journey, not a destination.