P.S.--Class Lunch!

Friends:

I forgot one very important thing! Thanks again to everyone who came to the lunch today. We had a great time! It was wonderful to see everyone.

Wes

Holy Week Update and other news......

Dear Friends:

Good evening, all! Well, for you Bears fans, let's look at it this way. It was the best men's season in Baylor history. There is certainly nothing to be ashamed of about that. Secondly, now we get to yell for the Lady Bears tomorrow night! What an exciting time to be a Baylor basketball fan. I remember just a few years ago when I thought Coach Drew was going to be forced to put me in for lack of scholarships!

As for class business, let's start by thanking Kirsten E. for bringing our goodies today. We appreciate you, Kirsten! Next week, Jennifer and Steven Owens will be taking care of us. I hope you can still do it, Jennifer! I realize it's Easter next Sunday and things might be different for lots of folks (including you guys). If you can't do it, just let me know!

PRAYERS AND PRAISES

As for prayers, tomorrow is a big day for the Nicholsons! Reese goes in for her final treatment tomorrow morning. Praise God for that! The rough news is that she will have to be admitted to the hospital since her last few treatments have been hard on her. But, the hospital stay is only precautionary. Let's praise God for the strong character that Reese has shown during this journey, and let's also pray that everything will go well for this final treatment! The conclusion of this chapter is close, Brian and Amy!

We need to pray for little Everett, Kirsten and Shane's son. They had to take him to the ER recently because, once again, he is dealing with allergy induced asthma. Please pray for him to feel better soon. Pray also for Kirsten and Shane as they try and find ways to help Everett feel better. Hang in there, guys!

Next, I'd like for all of us to say a prayer for a safe trip home for everyone who is returning from Houston tonight after the big game.

Next, from what I understand, Steve Ramsdell is nearing the end of his treatments in Houston. Let's pray that everything will wrap up well for Steve and that he will be able to put this battle behind him very soon.

Last but certainly not least, let's pray for the Joe Cox family as they make a move back to North Carolina. Joe will be taking on an exciting new opportunity there. Praise God for the great work that Joe and Marianne have done while they have been here! Let's pray that everything will go well for the Cox family during this time of transition.

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I think that's all for now, folks. Let's work hard this week to prepare our hearts and minds for the significance of the Holy Week that is upon us.

Have a great week, folks.

Wes

March Madness Update and Other Stuff

Friends:

Good afternoon, all! What an exciting weekend of basketball, not just for Baylor Bear fans but for everyone who likes college basketball! (Well, not exactly for everyone. You Kansas fans are toast! HA!) Seeing as how I picked Kentucky to win it all, my bracket's still alive. How about yours?!

Thanks to the Hudsons! They brought our goodies this morning. We appreciate it, Greg and Courtney! Next week, Kirsten and Shane are in charge. Thank you for taking care of us, guys!

PRAYERS AND PRAISES

Believe it or not, we don't have too many prayers this week. That's great news, of course!

The Ramseys have asked that we pray for their friend Trent and his family. Trent's son (also named Trent) died last weekend in a tragic rock climbing accident. Please pray for everyone who is grieving this difficult loss.

As usual, we need to keep praying for Reese Nicholson! The final treatment gets closer every week, Amy! We're praying for you guys.

Christina G. has asked that we pray for her cousin's son named Jack. He was recently diagnosed with a learning disability similar to autism. Please pray for Christina's cousin and her husband as they learn about this condition and find ways to help Jack.

Let's also keep praying for little Levi R. As infants do, he has been battling normal baby sicknesses. Pray for good nights and weeks for Levi and the Ramsdells. As they say Beth, the nights are long but the years are short!

I would like for us to pray for everyone who will be driving to Houston for the Baylor game this Friday. There are at least two Dads among us who have chosen to take it on the chin and NOT attend the Friday game so that we can take our little girls to the Daddy-Daughter Dance. This has got to be a true sacrifice for the little girls we love so much. But you can believe that I will be looking at tickets and a drive to Houston if the Bears are playing Duke on Sunday!

Last but not least, let's pray for our class as we search for someone to lead the class for a while. After talking with Steve R. and Wayne, Dana and I have decided to think about calling this change a one-year sabbatical, which means we might kick things off again around Easter of next year. We will just have to wait and see what's going on at that time. I appreciate all of the kind words that we have heard. We have decided that our last Sunday will be April 4th, which is Easter. Wayne and I continue to look for someone who may be interested in picking up the class on Sunday, April 11th. If you know of someone who is interested, please let me know.

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Have a great week, everyone! We look forward to seeing you next Sunday morning.

Wes

NCAA News, Sunday Prayers, and Updates....

Friends:

Good evening, all! Go Bears! Okay, I'm glad I got that out of the way. Here's the road to the Final Four: Beat Sam Houston State, Beat Notre Dame, Beat Villanova, Beat Duke. We can do that!

Okay, now for other business. Let's say a big welcome to JD and Crystal Clark! They visited our class this morning. We were delighted to have you guys, JD and Crystal! We hope to see you back to visit us again next Sunday.

Our prayer list happens to be short this week. First off, let's say a praise for safe travel for those of us who were out of town. Us Nulls had a great trip to Disney World. I know the Hookhams were skiing in New Mexico. The Ramseys spent some time in Houston. And I know lots of other people were out of town. Praise God for great trips and safe travel!

Next, we got an update on Miss Reese this morning from afternoon. Even though she had to spend some time in the hospital this week, she is home and doing fine. The chemo made her very sick this last time. The good news is that Reese only has one treatment left. That's a hallelujah if I've ever heard one! That treatment will most likely take place on either March 29th or 30th. Let's pray that this last treatment will go as smoothly as possible. One day at a time, Brian and Amy!

Last but certainly not least, we need to pray for the Workman family. They are expecting their second child in August, and they are facing some job changes with the Methodist Children's Home. Please pray that things will go well for Liz and Matt as they look at new job possibilities. Pray that God will give them the wisdom and discernment they need during this time of transition.

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Believe it or not, that's our prayer list for this week. I think that's good news that it's short!

DADDY-DAUGHTER DANCE

For you Dads out there who have daughters, don't forget to get your tickets for the Daddy-Daughter Dance. This one's a Hoe-Down! It will take place on March 26th. The last day to buy tickets is next Sunday. Miss Raegan and I will be there. And you can believe I'll be busting out the boots for this one! Ever seen the macarena in boots?! I dare you fellas to show up and join me.

Have a great week, everyone. We look forward to seeing you next Sunday morning!

Wes

Time for a Change

Dear Friends:

I am writing to let you know of a decision that Dana and I have recently made regarding our class. After much prayer and reflection, we have decided that the time has come for a change in leadership. We began the class on April 14, 2002, so next month will be eight years. It’s been a good run. This decision has nothing to do with our church or with the make up of the class. We absolutely love our church and want to do everything we can to help us continue to grow and flourish. The main reason for this decision is that time has become quite short for me. I have agreed to serve as Interim Director of Baylor’s Honors Program next year (beginning in June), which will be a major responsibility. I also was recently elected president of a national organization. That job will require a great deal of time as well. In hindsight, the best I can discern is that God put us in place eight years ago to lead the class during what we might call the “baby producing” span of life. As I think most of you know, members of our class have given birth to 39 babies since April 2002. That has been a great deal of fun. We are quite proud of having been present for all of that new life coming into being.

Dana and I want to thank all of you for your terrific support during this past eight years. We especially want to thank Steve R., Wayne, and the entire administrative team. We are blessed to have such incredible leadership at our church. We would like to remain members of the class, but only after taking a break for a while. We also may look into other opportunities to serve during the 10:50 hour, with one example being teaching one of the children’s classes. I talked with Wayne today, and the plan is for us to begin by seeing if there is someone within the class who would like to take over the teaching. If not, Wayne has agreed to work with me to see if there is someone else within the church generally who would like to do it. We plan to lead the class for another several weeks, perhaps into April and May, but we haven’t set a specific date for when to call it the last Sunday. April 11th or 18th would make for an even eight years, so that may make the most sense. If you are interested in teaching the class, please let me know.

This change will be a difficult one for us, but the time has come. While at Disney World next week (March 11th), Dana and I will celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary. We have been teaching this class for eight of those years. We did not come to this decision lightly. In many respects, we feel like we’re watching one of our kids go off to kindergarten for the first time. Most of you know what that feels like. But, as we learn from Ecclesiastes, for everything there is a season.

We love all of you guys and want to thank you for walking with us during this incredible eight year journey.

Wes and Dana