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Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Back Among the Living: This Week's Update

Friends:

Okay, folks, no need to call the mortuary. I am back among the living (okay, not completely, but enough to type). Whew. I sure hope and pray that nobody else out there has to tackle this stomach bug. Bad stuff, I must say. Can you say -6 pounds in 3 days? I mean, come on. I know I can stand to drop a few, but I'm not sure this is the path of choice. My apologies, folks, if I wasn't entirely lucid on Sunday morning. Just ask Brian Nicholson. I couldn't even remember who won the Texas/OU game! Hello! I'm back, Brian!

We did, however, have a great class on Sunday, despite my somewhat feeble existence. Thanks to the Ericksons for bringing our donuts! Next week, it looks as though Steve and Jennifer May are signed up. Steve and Jennifer have been busy with lots of confirmation activities as of late. We look forward to seeing you guys next week, Steve and Jennifer!

PRAYERS AND PRAISES

Let's get to it. First off, Vince E. would like for us to pray for Bill and Lisa. They are going through some particular difficult financial times. Please pray that things will get better for Bill and Lisa soon.

Jennifer Fadal would like for us to pray for Mr. Bullock. His diabetes has been causing him lots of trouble lately. He recently had to have part of his leg amputated. Please pray for recovery and strength for Mr. Bullock.

Ben would like for us to pray for his grandmother Patricia Sanchez. She just had quadruple by-pass surgery. Please pray for strength, recovery, and patience for Patricia (aka Grandma to Ben!).

Rod and Shannon have asked that we pray for Rod's son Sam. He has been having some difficulties at school lately. They also have been concerned about him being a bit withdrawn at home. Please pray that things will get better for Sam soon. Pray for Rod and Shannon as well as they find ways to help Sam.

Christina G. would like for us to pray for her friend Dwayne who has been under lots of stress lately.

Mary E. has asked that we pray for a little girl named Chloe, who is 17 months old. She lives in Wyoming. She has had lots of problems with her thumb. Please pray for recovery for Chloe.

Mary also would like for us to pray for her friend Amy, whose husband is in Iraq. He recently lost one of his fellow soldiers in battle. Pray for comfort for Amy and for safety for her husband.

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I believe that takes care of matters for this week. Next week, we will continue with our study of Perseverance with a look at the role of patience in persevering. If you'd like, take a look at Psalm 129. That chapter will be the basis of our lesson.

Have a great week, everyone. Dana and I look forward to seeing you on Sunday!

Wes and Dana

Sunday, February 15, 2009

News, Prayers, and Will the Sickness Never End?

Friends:

Good evening! Hope you've enjoyed this terrific Sunday. Some of us should have been fishing today!

Thanks to the Sullivans for bringing our donuts today! Daylight Donuts, even! We appreciate it, Sullivans. Next week, Vince and Mary Erickson are signed up to take care of us.

TAYLOR-SCHMID WEDDING

Don't forget the Taylor-Schmid wedding on Feb. 28th. Shelley Buhner has been kind enough to look into where we might buy a gift for Chris and Salley. Please bring your contribution next Sunday and we'll decide what we plan to buy. Thank you, Shelley!

FISH DISH SIGN-UP

Thanks for the Nicholsons and the Smiths for signing up for teaching kids in the Fish Dish class! God bless you guys. We are in great shape about getting the months covered. The only month we now have left is June. Any takers out there?! (See the blog for the list of who has signed up.)

PRAYERS AND PRAISES

Let's get right to our many prayers and praises.

There are so many people who are dealing with sicknesses right now. Please pray for health across the board! In particular, Shannon Poszgai is dealing with the flu after just having her baby about two weeks ago. Please pray for health for Shannon and for good days for the baby.

Elizabeth Nemec is also still dealing with sicknesses. She's in the final stages of her pregnancy. Please pray for strength, health, and good days for Elizabeth. Pray for the strength of the baby as well. We're praying for you, Elizabeth!

Let's also keep up our prayers for Shannon Smith and the little one she is carrying. Pray for strong and healthy days for both of them.

Greg Hudson would like for us to pray for one of his friends named Mike. Mike's daughter was recently injured quite badly in a car accident. Pray for good medical care and a complete recovery for Mike's daughter.

Ben Sullivan has asked that we pray for his co-worker, Shawn. Shawn's home was broken into last week, and many of his guns were stolen. Pray for Shawn and his family. Ben would also like for us to pray for his drilling company, Rowan. They are potentially facing many layoffs in the weeks ahead. Pray that things will get better for them soon.

We need to keep up our prayers for Ben and Nicki Sanchez. They are still dealing with fallout from Severus' injury. Please pray for patience, strength, and courage for Ben and Nicki. Ask God to help bring closure to this situation soon.

Also on the Ben front, Ben is looking at a new job possibility. Pray that God will help Ben and Nicki find the right role for Ben.

Steve May would like for us to pray for his former co-workers who are still looking for new employment. Ask that God will be with them during this stressful, difficult time.

Steve begins his new job on Tuesday. Ask that God will be with him as he starts this new chapter in his life.

Jeff Hookham has been forced by Bernie to take a skiing trip to Breckenridge. Given his benevolent nature, Jeff has kindly agreed. Please pray for safe travel and an enjoyable trip for Jeff. Pray, also, for Bernie's parents as they travel to Texas from Iowa to spend some time with Bernie, Alexis, and Paris. (Interesting timing, eh?!)

Christina G. would like for us to keep up our prayers for her boyfriend Tim. He has been sick with the flu and will be returning to Milwaukee this week. Pray that he will feel better soon. Tim also has gone 37 days without smoking, so let's pray that he keeps up the good days on that front as well.

Last but not least, Teresa Sullivan's brother got married this past week. Ask that God will be with this new couple as they begin their lives together.

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I think that covers our update for this week. Dana and I sure enjoyed seeing everyone this morning. What a terrific group of friends all of us have!

Have a great week, and we'll look forward to seeing you again next Sunday.

God bless,

Wes and Dana

Monday, February 9, 2009

Two Items: Braden Fadal and the Taylor-Schmid Wedding

Friends:

I am writing with a couple different items. First of all, we need to be praying for Braden Fadal. Jeff and Jennifer learned today that Braden has been diagnosed with something called "new pneumonia". I don't know anything about this, but I know we certainly need to be praying for Braden. When you get a chance, Jennifer, please give us some details about how Braden is doing. Thanks, everyone, for praying for strength, recovery, and better days soon for Braden.

On a very different note, I need to let everyone know that our class has been invited to the wedding of Salley Taylor and Chris Schmid. It will take place on February 28th at 7:00 p.m. at the Carleen Bright Arboretum (9001 Bosque Boulevard). Next week, we plan to take a collection to buy Chris and Salley a gift (no sense trying to keep this a secret, Chris and Salley!). Thanks for your prayers for Chris and Salley as they embark on this new era in their lives.

Wes

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Prayers, This Week's Bidness, and Our Next Book

Friends:

Good evening! I hope you've enjoyed the weekend--and managed not to blow away! First off, let's thank Matt & Beth Ramsdell for bringing our donuts this morning. We appreciate it, Ramsdells! Next week, Ben & Teresa Sullivan are in charge.

Next, I want to thank everyone who has signed up to teach the Fish Dish class for a week. We've almost covered the entire year already! Way to go, us! You can see on the blog (top right) that we have every month covered except June, November, and December. Please let me know if you are interested in one of these three months. Thanks again for your service, everyone!

PRAYERS AND PRAISES

We have lots of prayers, so let's get to it.

The Nicholsons, once again, are dealing with sicknesses. Amy has come down with strep throat. Please pray for her quick and complete recovery. We're praying for you, Amy! We also need to pray for Reese. She has been dealing with the stomach flu.

Great news for Steve May! He will begin a new job with another pharma company on Feb 17th. Praise God for your patience, Steve and Jennifer! Now that Steve has had his Job-like experience, he can move on to even stronger days of faith and a new job (not to be confused with a new Job). : )

We need to continue to our prayers for Ben and Nicki Sanchez. They continue to deal with fallout from Severus's injury a few weeks ago. Pray that things will get better with them soon and that the situation will be resolved.

How about another praise on the job front for Shelley B.! Shelley learned last week that she has been retained and all is well with her work. Praise God for this great news! Let's continue our prayers for the Buhners as they get life back to normal after several weeks of stress.

How about a 1 year birthday for Raelynn VanZee! Can you believe it?! That's right, Raelynn turns 1 this week. Please say a prayer that Raelynn and family will have a great day.

Also on the birthday front, Maliah recently turned two (I think it happened last week!). Praise God for how well Maliah has done! Let's continue our prayers that the next year will be as great as the last for Maliah and the Erickson family.

Vince E. would like for us to pray for a couple of his friends. One of them, Jermaine, was recently let go from his sportscasting job in Wichita Falls. Pray that days will get better for Jermaine and that he will have the patience he needs to find a new place of employment.

Vince has another friend, Greg, who was injured recently in a late-night attack. Pray that Greg will recover quickly and have better days soon.

Teresa Sullivan brought a praise this morning that her Mom has found a new job. Praise God for the great news! We also need to keep up our prayers for Teresa's Dad. He is doing fine at work, but has been working a great deal. Pray that he will not overdo himself.

Last but certainly not least, Christina G. would like for us to pray for her boyfriend, Tim. He will be leaving for Milwaukee again soon. He also needs our prayers while he continues his battle to stop smoking. Also on the Gilliam front, Christina would like for us to pray for her and Tim while they prepare for an exciting spring break camping trip in a few weeks.

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I believe that covers our prayers for this week, at least the ones that we had time for! Our kids just about knocked our door down before we could finish class Today

Oh, one more thing. I've decided that we will push on with another Bible study for our next class book. Lots of people seem to like this approach. This study is on "Perseverance," which strikes me as an appropriate topic given the many difficulties that people are facing these days. For those of you who want to buy the book (it's only $8.00!), you can click here to order it from Amazon.com. I think this will be a great follow-up to our last study.

I think that's all for now. Dana and I hope everyone has a great week. We look forward to seeing you again next Sunday morning!

God bless,

Wes and Dana

Sunday, February 1, 2009

News, Dishes of Fish, and Other Prayers

Friends:

Hi, everyone! I hope you're enjoying the beautiful weather. Happy Superbowl weekend! Let's start off by thanking the Hookhams for bringing our donuts today. Thanks, Jeff and Bernie! Next week, Matt and Beth Ramsdell are signed up. Beth, we hope your knee is doing okay!

FISH DISH SIGN-UP 2009
Our class has chosen to "adopt" the "Fish Dish" Sunday School class. For those of you who don't know, Fish Dish is a class that the elementary kids visit once per month. We need one person (or couple) to volunteer to teach in the Fish Dish class for a commitment of one month per year. Since each class of students rotates every week, this commitment will mean teaching the same lesson four times in a row. Our class is in charge of covering the teaching each week. We promise not to extend your teaching beyond your one month commitment!

Thanks to everyone who has already signed up. Here is where we stand (see below). Please let me know if you are willing to commit to one of the open months. Should you ever need to check which month you have chosen, you can find this list on our blog (at the top right).

FISH DISH SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHING SIGN-UP

March 2009
Buhners

April 2009
Nulls (Well, Dana, actually)

May 2009
OPEN

June 2009
OPEN

July 2009
Hookhams

August 2009
OPEN

September 2009
OPEN

October 2009
OPEN

November 2009
OPEN

December 2009
OPEN

PRAYERS AND PRAISES
Okay, let's move on to our prayers and praises. First, let's say a big praise for Shelley Buhner. Everything is just fine with her job. She is quite pleased. On the other hand, please pray for everyone who received different news.

Happy birthday, Paris Hookham! Let's say a big praise for Paris. She turns seven today. Ask that God will help Miss Paris make the next seven as good as the last!

Rumor has it that Beth Ramsdell's birthday is tomorrow. Let's ask God to help Beth have a great day.

The Smith family has been struggling with lots of sicknesses. Please pray that they will get to feeling better soon, especially Shannon. She will cross the half-way mark in her pregnancy this week!

Teresa Sullivan would like for us to continue our prayers for her Dad. The good news (and praise) is that he returns to work tonight. He is at least feeling well enough to get back to work. Please pray that his transition will go well and that he will be able to handle the new responsibilities that come with returning to work.

We need to pray for Tina Leonberger as she recovers from surgery. She had her surgery this past week. Pray that she will recovery quickly and completely.

Finally, I'm headed to Chicago on Thursday for a conference. I would like to ask for safe travel and a successful talk on Saturday. Please also pray for Dana and the little Nulls while I'm gone. I'll be back Saturday night, so I'll see you Sunday morning.

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Speaking of next Sunday, we will wrap-up our study of priorities with a lesson from John 8:26-38. Read these passages if you get a chance.

Enjoy the afternoon, everyone! Dana and I look forward to seeing you next Sunday.

God bless,

Wes and Dana

Sunday, January 25, 2009

No Fear, Baby. And Other Prayers.

I think that should be our theme this week, folks. No fear. So many of us are facing long and challenging weeks. I, for one, have about 100 meetings and 50 presentations between now and next Sunday morning. Others of you are worried about jobs and conferences and sick kids and babies-on-the-way. All I'm sayin' is let us not be afraid! With God's help, we will make it through this week even stronger than we are today. I just know it!

Thanks to the Fadals! They brought our donuts today. We appreciate you coming through for us, Jeff and Jennifer. Jeff and Bernie Hookham, also known as the Old Faithfuls (no reference to age there!), will be taking care of us next week. We can always count on the Hookhams!

PRAYERS AND PRAISES

Let's move forward with our prayers and praises.

Jason Bunting has decided to make a job switch to become the new principal of Midway ISD's Success Lab. Congratulations on this great opportunity, Jason! Please pray for Jason as he makes this transition between now and Fall 2009. The decision was a difficult one for Jason to make, but he will be able to serve a completely different population of students next year.

Stefanie Bunting also would like for us to pray for the church as we go through the search process to find a new Children's Minister. We will be using a process very similar to what we used when we captured Joe Cox and brought his family to the promised land from some two-word state on the east coast. Please pray that God will be with the search committee and Mark DeVries as our church works through this very important process. Pray that God will bring exactly the right person to us for this critically important role.

Shelley Buhner brought good news about Maddie Sue (sp. ?), Tatum Buhner's good friend. It turns out that the problem with Maddie Sue's heart isn't near as severe as they once thought. It looks as though the problem may be solved with medication. Please pray that God will continue to be with Maddie Sue and her parents during this stressful time.

Also on the Buhner front, Shelley will learn about her job on Friday. Pray that God will be with the Buhners this week as they anticipate Friday. Ask that God will help Shawn and Shelley not to be anxious and to know that God is with them no matter how things turn out. We're praying for you, Shelley B.!

Christina G. would like for us to continue to pray for her boyfriend, Tim. It turns out that he will need to stay in Wisconsin for another month. Pray that God will be with Tim and Christina while they are apart.

Brian VanZee needs our prayers as he embarks on a busy week. He is coordinating a very important conference on biology and water-related issues, which will take place Monday through Saturday in Fort Worth. For you bass fishermen out there, Brian's bringing together the best minds in the world to tackle the "golden algae" problem, which has a direct impact on the quality of bass fishing in the great state of Texas! Please pray that Brian's week will go well and that the conversations at the conference will bear promising fruit. Let's also pray for Jill while Brian is away. Jill, please let us know what we can do for you. Just call if you need something!

Teresa Sullivan would like for us to pray for her school district (Bruceville-Eddy, if I remember correctly). They will be going through some administrative changes soon. Please pray that they will find good leadership and that the upcoming weeks will go better for Teresa.

We also need to pray for safety for Ben as he leaves for oil rig work again this week. Pray for his safe travel, work, and return to the Sullivan family. For those of us who might get the inclination to complain about our inside jobs this week, just try following Ben around for a few days!

Let's keep up the prayers for our expectant mommies: Shannon Smith and Elizabeth Nemec. Pray for strength for the mommies and continued growth and strength for the babies.

Tina Leonberger goes in for her back surgery on January 27th. Please pray that everything will go smoothly and that she will begin to feel better soon.

I would like for everyone to pray that my Mom, the one and only Jeannine Null, will have a great birthday on Wednesday of this week. She turns 39. : ) I think she and my Dad have been celebrating for about a month! That's great. They deserve some celebration time.

Last but certainly not least, let's keep up our prayers for Steve May. He's waiting to hear on several job possibilities. Pray that God will give he and Jennifer the strength, patience, and courage they need during this time. We're here to do anything and everything that we can for you, Steve and Jennifer. No fear, baby!

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I believe that does it. We look forward to seeing all of you next Sunday, and I certainly mean that this week. Lots of us will tackle big challenges this week, so let's be sure and assemble ourselves again next Sunday to celebrate what we've conquered. Dana and I will look forward to seeing you then!

God bless,

Wes and Dana

Sunday, January 18, 2009

This Week's News: Lots Happenin'!

Friends:

Howdy, everyone! Great weather, eh?! This weekend I conquered the leaves, at last. Bring on spring!

Let's thank Nicki Sanchez for the delicious muffins and zucchini break that she brought this morning. Delicious stuff! And she even found time to make this tasty stuff while keeping up with Severus. Very impressive! Thanks, Nicki. Next weekend, Jeff and Jennifer Fadal are in charge of our snacks. Thanks for signing up, Fadals!


PRAYERS AND PRAISES

We have lots of news and prayers, so let's get to it:

The Nicholson family is dealing with lots of sicknesses. I believe just about everyone in the family has been sick lately. Please pray for healthier days for the Nicholsons, and for some sleep and relaxation for Amy! Hang in there, Ms. Nicholson!

We also need to pray for Teresa Sullivan. She was home sick this morning. Ben also would like for us to pray for Hunter. He is going in for an "EEG" tomorrow to find out why he has been having some seizures. Please pray that everything will be okay for Hunter and that the tests will help uncover what can help him. Lastly on the Sullivan front, Ben would like for us to pray for everyone in the oil field industry. These are very difficult times. Please pray that things will improve soon.

Christina G. has asked that we pray for her boyfriend, Tim. He is traveling to Milwaukee this week. Pray that his trip will go well and that he will make his way home safely.

Christina also would like for us to pray for everyone who has been affected by the helicopter crash at Texas A&M. Students begin classes again on Tuesday, so please pray that everything will start out well for them.

Mary E. brought a praise today that little Eva, the baby we have been praying for, is now at home and improving. Please keep praying for each day to get stronger for Eva. Praise God for the great news!

Several people would like for us to say a praise for the great "Miracle on the Hudson" story that we all witnessed this week. Praise God for quick thinking and good decision-making by everyone involved!

Jennifer Fadal would like for us to pray for a family she knows in California that recently experienced a tragic plane crash. This is a very sad, difficult situation for the families that have lost loved ones. Pray for comfort and strength for everyone who is mourning.

Jennifer May has asked that we pray for all of the youngsters who are going through Confirmation. Please pray that this important time in the confirmands' lives will go well. Pray, also, for all of the mentors who have decided to work very closely with these kids during the next few months. Let's say a special prayer for Vince E. who is serving as a mentor for Benjamin May. Pray that God will be with them during the upcoming confirmation weeks.

Great news for the Fadals! They did, at long last, close on their home last week. Woohoo! Ask that God will continue to be with Jennifer and Jeff as they enjoy their new home.

Also on the home news front, let's continue our prayers for Khalil and Leslie Coltrain as they work to sell their home. Pray that the right buyer will come along soon. Hang in there, Khalil and Leslie! It will happen! We're praying for you guys.

Tina Leonberger will have her back surgery on January 27th. Please pray that the surgery will go smoothly and that Tina will recover quickly and completely. We're praying for you, Tina!

We need to continue our prayers for our expectant Mommies. Shannon Smith was home sick this morning, and she isn't able to take antibiotics. Pray that Shannon will get to feeling better very soon. Pray for the little one she is carrying, also.

Let's also keep up our prayers for Elizabeth Nemec and the little one she is carrying. Elizabeth is doing okay, but she has been struggling with a number of health challenges during this pregnancy. Pray that life will get a bit more comfortable for Elizabeth soon.

Shelley B. would like for us to pray for her friends, the Evans family. They recently discovered that their 11-year old daughter, Maddy Sue, is having some heart problems. They will be traveling to Cook's hospital this week to find out more. Pray that they will find out good news and that everything will be okay. Maddy Sue, by the way, is Tatum Buhner's best friend.

Last but not least, I would like for everyone to pray for a safe and successful inauguration on Tuesday. Regardless of what any of our individual political leanings may be, Tuesday will be a historic day for our country. From what I understand, the theme of Obama's inaugural address will be moral responsibility, a subject that we have discussed, of course, many times. Let's hope and pray that we will come together as a country and get things headed in the right direction.

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I think that takes care of our prayers, praises, and news for this week. Next Sunday, we will continue our look at priorities by focusing on Acts 5:33-6:7. If you have a chance, take a look at these passages between now and next Sunday morning.

Have a great week, folks. It looks as though the weather will be beautiful all week . . . .

Wes and Dana