Luke Wicker's Coon Dog

Some pictures should win a Putlizer Prize and this is one of them: Luke's coon dog chasing a coon up a tree--literally! Who would have ever thunk it?

"Summer": Drop Dead Gorgeous!

Somewhere in the neighborhood of 33 years ago, Annis and I became foster parents--Georgia (12), Carla (14), and Toni 15). Two of these girls have been gracious enough to maintain contact with us through the years--Carla and Toni--and we have really appreciated their doing so. In fact, Carla called on Christmas Day and blessed us with her "Merry Christmas" greeting and her usual and sincere appreciation for our influence in her life.

Somewhere along the way (about 18 years ago), Carla gave birth to a baby girl, who she named "Summer." She has relentlessly provided for her, as a single Mom, doing whatever she had to do, even survive breast cancer, and in doing so, she sent a very strong message to Summer, actually several of them, messages about life and responsibility and love that will travel with her for her lifetime!

Summer has done exceptionally well in High School and is now preparing for her college career (This is very hard for me to believe, probably because it makes me admit just how old I really am!). I learned, during Carla's Christmas call, that Summer is applying to several schools, one of which is Georgia Southern University! Annis and I are hoping that this will be the one she chooses, as it will mean that Carla and Summer will be living much closer than Ohio!

Anyway , as you can tell from her picture (the Homecoming Queen!), I doubt that Summer will have any trouble getting all the dates she wants, regardless of the school she chooses! And you can also rest assured that Carla is one proud Mama!

Merry Christmas!

I trust that each of you will have a very Blessed and Merry Christmas. I am truly honored to be your pastor, not to mention, blessed and very much so!

Much love,
Mac

Santa Clause is Coming to Town!

You'd better watch out, you'd better not pout, you better not cry, I'm telling you why--Santa Clause is coming to town. He knows when you've sleeping, he knows when you're awake; he knows when you've been bad or good, so be good for goodness sake!

Hmmm, that looks very much like the picture of Jesus I had in my mind back in my "religious" days and, I might add, it looks very similar to the one most folk present today!

Wow! I am so glad He erased that picture and replaced it with truth (might sound a bit conceited, but I am still very glad!).

Is this Ralph Preaching?

A Prayer Matter

Kaycee Russell, the daughter-in-law of my life-long friends, Lamar & Carey Russell, is in the hospital in Jacksonville, FL and very ill. She has spent 28 days in the hospital with various infections, along with other ailments. Please pray for Kaycee and for her extended family. She and her husband, Richard, live on St. Simons Island.

The Golden Rule

The following is a letter I received today from Norman Carter, president of the Golden Rule: "Dear Mac, The "Golden Girls" greatly appreciate Grace Christian Fellowship's willingness to make a difference in the lives of those, who are struggling to overcome substance abuse. Words are inadequate to explain how much your generosity is meaning as we take advantage of this program and make an effort to redeem ourselves. Thanks to you, the Golden Rule is able to provide room, board, clothing, transportation, education opportunities, individual and group counseling, and emergency medical and dental care to all 44 of us that are in residence, and this generous gift of $300 will greatly assist in continuing to provide those much needed and critical services. We came here financially and spiritually destitute, and your generosity is allowing us an opportunity for a new building. Your compassion is making a difference, and we are truly grateful. May God richly bless you for your caring and concern for those less fortunate. Thank you again for your love and support during this year and please visit us at your convenience; we want you to see the positive impact that you are having on our lives. We hope you enjoy a wonderful holiday season! On behalf of all the girls, Norman"

Because of the generosity of various folk here at GCF, we have been able to support the Golden Rule, which in my opinion, is one of the best treatment centers around. Hopefully, we can continue to support this ministry during 2008!

Please visit their website at this address: http://www.taylor.k12.ga.us/~grule/golden_rule.htm

Blessings,
Your Pastor

A Visit with Our Doctor

For reasons far beyond my ability to comprehend, Travis and I had consecutive appointments yesterday with our doctor--his at 1:45 and mine at 2:00. We arrived at the same time and sat together, as we completed the required paperwork (which they have had on file for years!). About the time I completed mine, I told Travis that I was going to the bathroom, which I did. When I returned, he informed me that he had to go, which he did, but not without telling me not to take his appointment time (I have no idea why he would have thought that I would have done that!). About the time he was comfortably seated in the bathroom, the nurse opened the door to the waiting area and said, "Travis Almand!" I immediately responded with, "Here I am!" and off I went, following her into the halls of the inner and sacred chambers of the doctor's examining rooms, where I was immediately weighed in at 190. The nurse's response was interesting: "Gosh, you have lost lots of weight, since your last visit; are you trying to lose weight?" My response was straightforward--"No, just living right, I suppose." From the weighing-in platform, I was transferred to room #22, and soon thereafter another nurse entered the room. For some reason she looked a bit confused and asked, "Have you been trying to lose weight?" Of course, my response was straightforward (just as you might expect of me): "Actually, no and I have been really worried as to why I have been." She looked even a bit more confused--perplexed is probably the best word.

By this time, the first nurse has opened the waiting room door and said, "Mac Goddard!", at which time Travis realized that I had outwitted him (but I really had no idea that he would be in the bathroom so long!). Anyway, he follows the same nurse into those inner and sacred halls to the same weighing-in station, where he hears this: "Gosh, you have gained lots of weight since your last visit and the Doc. is in a bad mood!" And off she led him into room #23, all the while thinking he was "Mac Goddard!"

What I haven't told you until now is this: I was visiting the Doc to have my prostate checked (something to do with pacemaker maintenance) and Travis was visiting her to have his blood pressure checked (something to do with obesity). Since his room was next door to mine, I had no trouble hearing everything that was being said, especially the part when the nurse told him to lower his pants and lean over the table. I have no idea what happened after that, as my blood pressure was fine, and I hurriedly left the building.

I was about five minutes out of the office, when my cell phone rang; I noticed that it was Travis'
number! I suppose his red cap didn't hinder the prostate exam, though you can tell from the picture that he does look a bit bedraggled!

A New Pulpit!

Tuesday afternoon, December 11, 2007

One of the members of GCF is a 78 year old man, who has worked as a general contractor here in Macon for many years. He built some seventeen of the churches in Macon, not to mention, numerous school buildings, houses, even the new DOT building. One would be well within the parameters of accurate to say that he has been and continues to be a successful business man.

As you might guess, he is also a believer, one who sincerely believes that God really is God, that Jesus is His son, and that He is his provider, sustainer, healer, and redeemer. He not only loves this part of the Body of Christ, he also loves his pastor and he makes it obvious—very obvious.

He comes from that generation of folk who believed that work is a thing of honor; unfortunately, his numbers are few today. I have seen this man do physical labor that few, if any, of today’s young men would even attempt. To follow him for a week or so would lead most to assume that he is a work-a-holic, but that would be an incorrect assumption; he works because he sincerely believes that his working honors the God, whom he loves.

As is true with most, who reach his age, he is having some physical problems—some minor and some not-so-minor—that affect his energy level and, therefore, his ability to work at the pace he is accustomed to working. Because I know him quite well, I can see that his not to be able to do the things he is accustomed to doing, e.g. pouring cement for a parking lot, frustrates him quite a bit. Giving up is NOT in his vocabulary, neither is retirement; he will press on until his last breath, which I trust will be much later on and farther down the road.

Anyway, in his “free time” he has decided to build a new pulpit for me; I say “new” but the truth is in the twelve years that I have been preaching at GCF, I have never had a pulpit, not a real pulpit. I have, instead, used a lectern that Noah brought over on the Mayflower. For those of you who know me, you know that I really don’t need a lectern, much less a pulpit, in order to preach; however, I am really looking forward to preaching from this pulpit—more than mere words can express.

The hands that will have constructed it are rough and rugged from the years of abuse—missing fingernails, missing finger tips, scars from saw cuts—but the heart that has motivated its construction is made of pure gold and filled with love for me. Ralph believes in the preaching of the gospel and he believes it ought to be preached with fervor and passion, as well as with dignity and honor.

I spent most of the morning with him, watching his skilled hands and pure heart doing what they were created to do, and being reminded of another Carpenter, whose hands were probably much like Ralph’s and whose heart was as pure gold.

Who knows how long God will allow me to continue preaching but for as long as He does, I will treasure the treasure that this gentle giant is constructing for me.

What an incredible gift!

Blessings,

Mac

A Prayer Request from Beth Stewart

Hey all.... One thing I've learned this year, in my old age, is about the power of prayer. I've been fortunate to see it work in my life and what a mystery it is. One that I'm very grateful for, knowing that He does hear me....

Below is an email update from one of my very best life long friends, Sue Hickman, in Kalamazoo Michigan and I just adore her mom Rose. Her mom had always kept in touch with me no matter where I had moved to throughout the years... :)

Sue has had a very trying month, her dog Shadow under went surgery to remove a cancerous tumor, her daughter got in a head on collision with a truck but fortunately her car took the brunt of the blow and she survived but was pretty badly bruised up and had a broken leg,...........

The very next day, her mom took a very bad fall on the ice and has been in ICU at Borgess Hospital ever since.. and these are just a couple of the major things that Sue has been dealing with in one short month.

Things aren't looking well for her mom Rose right now, but I have all the faith in Him, that he'll hear our prayers for her mom especially, and to also help Sue maintain her spirit and strength in being there for all she dearly loves

Please join me in praying for them all and thank you for the bottom of my heart for doing so. Prayer is Powerful

Thank you :)

Beth Stewart

About Sunday's Message

This is an easy text: "If anyone sees his brother committing (sinning) a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death; I do not say that he should make request for this. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading to death" (1 John 5:16-17). A piece of cake! Right?

Hmmm, well maybe not, at least not from my vantage point. In the first place, what is this "sin that leads to death"? I thought all sin lead to death! Even more, what is this sin that does NOT lead to death; again, I thought all sin lead to death!

As you can see, I have three options: (1) Bypass this text, like most exegetes do; (2) make a few inane guesses; or (3) admit the fact that I am clueless but also wait, watch, and listen. Rest assured that I will pursue the latter and hope against hope (really!) that He will bring into existence that which does not exist, namely some understanding of this text.

See you Sunday!!
Your Pastor

Two Important Reminders!

Leftovers will not meet during the month of December. Hopefully, each of you will prayerfully consider the idea of "simple church" in anticipation of our gathering together after the first of the year to, hopefully, determine the best approach for making others aware of the incredible treasure we enjoy at GCF.

Annie and her new family will be with us on December 30 (if the survive the Seattle flood!)and we will have a pot luck (covered dish) dinner for all to enjoy. I think you can plan on hearing from them, as well.


Blessings to each of you!
Your Pastor

Tomorrow's Message: Surrendered Prayer

Hopefully, you will be present in the morning as we gather to worship Him and to study His Word, His living, abiding Word! The text is interesting: This is the confidence we have in Him . . ."

Blessings,
Your Pastor