Mention Worthy Monday (Link Edition)

The Unsung Heroes of Small Town Churches - October is Minister appreciation month & Chris Clevenger does a great job reminding us to remember the unsung heroes of the Lord's church.

Why I Don't Have a Full-time Job (& why that's okay) - To say that Hannah Giselbach is a talented writer is a gross understatement. She has a way of speaking the truth in a loving, practical and humorous way. I cannot say enough good things about this particular article. I echo her sentiments and pray that more young ladies will follow this path.

Is the Day of the Gospel Meeting Over? - I am finding that too often Christians complain that church activities are not attended because there is a lack of interest. I agree. There is a lack of interest, but it is on OUR part. How can we expect those outside the church to show interest in the truth when our priorities are elsewhere? Maybe it's time we take a good, long look in the mirror.

Finding Margin in My Life - Sometimes we have to say no. It's okay and it's not something we should feel guilty about. It all goes back to proirities.

Shelter in the Storm - It can become difficult to be in this world and not a part of it, yet that is exactly how it is for those who are Christians. I tend to agree more and more with this author, when he says he takes accusations of "sheltering his children" as a complement. A little sheltering won't hurt them. They will have to deal with "storm" soon enough.

Is Public School an Option? - Let me state my disclaimer here and say that I am in no way saying that the type of education you choose for your child is wrong, be it public, private or in the home. I do however, think the choice of education is one we should take very seriously and this article brings to light some of the things currently going on in the public school systems. This situation is also something that we, as Christians, need to diligently be prayerful about.

Traditional Thursday (Recipe Edition)

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Sausage Balls

            These are one of the first things I ever learned to cook. I love them because they are so easy to make and they can be served for so many different occasions. These are great to take to a breakfast or brunch. My family loves to find these in the fridge when they’re in need of a snack and they are an absolute must for Saturday football games.

Ingredients:

1lb. hot or mild sausage (your preference)

3 ½ cups biscuit mix (I often use Bisquick)

1 8oz. jar of cheese sauce

Combine all ingredients with hands.

Shape loosely into small balls

and bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.

Work-To-Do Wednesday-19 Things We Should Be Doing For One Another

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1.     Love one another (John 13:34-35). We are not only to love one another but to love as God loves us. This means we must sometimes be willing to overlook quirks, shortcomings and weakness. Love suffers long and is kind. Love is not self-indulgent (1 Cor. 13).

2.     Honor one another (Rom. 12:10). Hold each other up with dignity and respect. If all you can do is criticize a brother or sister, there is something wrong with your Christianity.

3.     Give preference to one another (Rom. 12:10). If you would rather be around worldly company than your spiritual family, there is something wrong with your Christianity. The world will draw your interest away, making you more comfortable with them than around your brothers and sisters-don’t let this happen. Remember that our sufficiency is not found in the world but in our Lord (2 Cor. 3:5).

4.     Bear one another’s burdens (Gal. 6:2). There are some things in life we must bear alone, but there are also things we can bear together. We are here to help and serve each other, yet the society we live in often causes this to be a lost concept. Our society’s selfish focus often causes us to seldom give consideration to the problems of others.

5.     Care for one another (1 Cor. 12:25). This is simply not an option. Life can become a very hard burden to bear. Be there for each other.

6.     Have the same mind with one another (Rom. 12:16; 15:5). The mind of Christ.

7.     Edify one another (Rom. 14:19). Build one another up. This does not mean that you strengthen them in whatever state they are in, but rather encourage them to be Christ-like.

8.     Be kind and forgive one another (Eph. 4:32). Kindness can be an outgrowth of forgiveness. Be tender hearted. A tender heart has a forgiving spirit, while a callous heart holds a grudge. We must forgive as Christ forgave us.

9.     Forbear one another (Col. 3:13). Forbearing goes hand-in-hand with forgiving. It’s the easiest thing in the world to lash out and let your emotions run wild; anyone in the world can do that. It takes a special heart to forgive.

10.  Admonish one another (Rom. 15:14). Be qualified and willing to admonish. We must be full of goodness and have the ability to admonish one another with love and knowledge. Push people on to better things!

11.   Warmly greet one another (Rom. 16:16). Kissing is not the accepted greeting of today’s society, but there is nothing wrong with a firm handshake or a warm hug!

12.  Serve one another (Gal. 5:13). We need to be people who put ourselves on the back burner. We are to constantly be meeting the (physical and spiritual) needs of others because we are here to serve (Jam. 1:27; Gal. 6:1; John 13).

13.  Sing with one another in worship (Col. 3:16). Singing is not a formality and is not to be taken lightly. In singing, we teach, admonish and praise.

14.  Comfort and exhort one another (1 Thess. 4:18; Heb. 3:12). Paul wrote to those during the first century who were losing loved ones because of persecution. Paul wrote to encourage them to persevere and to remind them of the good things ahead of us. We, likewise, can remind and encourage each other by talking about what the future holds for us. We are going to a place of no separation or sadness! A place where we can spend eternity with one another and with our Lord! We need to exhort one another daily with these words-not once a week or once a month. We are only given today; encourage while you still have the opportunity.

15.  Pray for one another (Jam. 5 :16). Pray without ceasing.

16.  Attend all services of the church considering our influence on one another (Heb. 10:23-25). Don’t forsake the assembly.

17.  Don’t envy one another (Gal. 5:26). Don’t desire vain glory. Don’t provoke one another. Do things with the right motive and attitude.

18.  Don’t judge one another without the facts (Rom. 14:13). You can judge with righteous judgment, but make sure you have all the facts rather than hearsay when you do so.

19.  Do not lie to one another (Col. 3:9). Always be truthful. White lies are still lies. Partial truths are still lies. Honesty is the best policy.

Our responsibilities go beyond ourselves. We are pushing each other toward salvation. Toward a faithful life. Toward Christ.

-adapted from a lesson preached by Brother Bill Cantrell

Mention-Worthy Monday

Mom guilt. I'm getting over it. This is one that I need to read repeatedly. Perfectionism is a great thing to strive for but at some point we do need to cut ourselves a break when we've done the best we can.

This Is To You, the Military Wife A reminder that is always needed. Military families sacrifice so much for us, remember them in your prayers today and everyday.

Preparing A Healthy Home for Cold & Flu Season An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Coach Suspends Entire Football Team for Bad Behavior - Applause. Applause. and more applause. There are people out there still trying to teach kids what is really important. Coach Matt Labrum is one of them. We need more coaches (and parents) like this.

Small Congregations Are Good for Your Kids! Don't be discouraged because the congregation is small, it holds unique opportunities for your children.