THE
HEIGHTENER
"Humble yourselves
in the sight of the Lord, and he shall exalt you." -James
4:10
| Volume XXX |
May 25, 2010 |
Number 21 |
|
VIEWPOINT
Don’t let the last five or six years
fool you. Amanda Elliott
was once a lively, mischievous, prank-playing youngster.
After her illness set in, the movement
of her body was limited.
But the movement in her heart wasn’t.
She never stopped smiling!
Since God looks at our hearts, He can see
what we’re able to bring out of other people’s hearts.
Amanda just had a way of touching people’s hearts with her
joy.
She loved to sing, and she loved to hold
the hymn book. She
didn’t know every song by memory, but those she knew she sang with
all her spirit. Even in
the days of her hospitalization, her eyes lighted when we sang her
all time favorite, Jesus Loves
Me.
The Scripture says, “I
went down to the potter's house, and I saw him working at the wheel.
But the pot he was shaping
from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into
another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him” (Jeremiah 18:3, 4).
The passage doesn’t say the potter
marred the vessel; it just says it was flawed.
It doesn’t speak of the marring in a way that blames the
potter, it simply says it happened.
The beautiful lesson, however, is that the potter still used
that clay and simply formed it into a different shape, and it was
done “as it seemed good to the potter.”
Isn’t that true for Amanda?
As the disease progressively claimed more
and more of her
physical being, her soul was being refined and reshaped in a way
that brought honor to the Lord in whom she had trusted.
As the apostle says, “Our
. . . momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that
far outweighs them all” (2 Corinthians 4:17).
We are
going to miss Amanda deeply. Even
though her family acknowledged that this day would come, there is
still a huge hole in their hearts.
I give thanks, however, that Amanda in her life and now in
her death has brought glory to the Savior.
I give thanks that she has been unchained from the
disabilities that kept her bound so long.
I give thanks that she is now free for the life that is
really life.
I like
the way Sally Ray put it: “She’s
singing with the angels now!”
RA
|
NO
DRESS REHEARSAL
 I
was in a production of My Fair Lady in high school. My role
was small; I think I was credited as the third cockney on the
left. But didn't someone say somewhere that there are no small
roles?
Regardless,
our school was entered in a state-wide drama competition. First
prize included the chance to perform in a professional playhouse.
The judges were scheduled to come to the Saturday night performance,
but for some reason they showed up on Thursday, the night of our
dress rehearsal.
Shortly
before the performance, our director explained the mix-up to the
cast and crew: "This is not just a run-through. Tonight counts.
Give your best performance."
This
changed the atmosphere backstage. Getting everything right -- every
line, every cue, every entrance and exit -- was now more important
than ever. The judges were in the audience. This was no dress
rehearsal. It was the real thing.
You
know what? The life you're living today is the real thing. Sometimes
we live as if this is all a run-through, as if we'll have another
shot at it someday.
This
is it. Life is now. There is no dress rehearsal. Today counts.
Run
in such a way as to win the prize. (1 Corinthians 9:24)
—
Steve May
|
SYMPATHY
The sympathy of the congregation is
extended to James Elliott and his entire family. James' daughter,
Amanda Elliott, passed away last Friday, May 21. The funeral
is planned for Saturday, May 29 at 11 a.m.at the Cedar Grove church.
Burial will be at the Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens in College
Park.
FROM
THE MAILBAG
Dear
Cedar Grove Family,
Thank
you for the flowers, cards, phone calls, but most of all your
prayers. I have been blessed to be part of the Cedar Grove
family. You have always been there for me. Please keep me in your
prayers.
With
love,
Pat
Tatum
Dear
Cedar Grove Church,
On
Mother's Day I visited your church again with my son, Mark, and his
family. This note is to thank you for the gift you gave to each mother
present, including visitors. I am enjoying the Moments of Grace
devotions.
Cedar
Grove has always offered Christian fellowship and hospitality. The new
playground was a huge hit with my grandchildren, Ethan and Nina, a nice family
addition.
Thank
you for your kindness and generosity.
Peace,
Rosemary
Noble
CONGRATULATIONS
Congratulations
to HaNa Lee and Hannah Oulette who will graduate from Arlington Christian School
on Friday, May 28. HaNa is a Foreign Student who has lived with Lisa
Boucher this year and Hannah has been attending with Levi Henderson this past
year.
We
will be having cake after our service on Wednesday evening to honor these young
ladies.
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ATLANTA INNER CITY
MINISTRY
AIM has expressed appreciation for the recent
donations. The need is ongoing, so please begin to restock food items.
SPECIAL
THANKS
A
big "thank you" to Jana and David Hamby
for preparing and serving the wonderful meal for the "Seasoned
Saints" dinner last Saturday. Jana outdid herself on the meal
and the desserts. We all enjoyed the food and the fellowship!
In
addition, thank you to Lanita Henderson for making the banana
pudding!
HELP
NEEDED
There
are many empty spaces that need to be filled on our Communion Preparation list
and Nursery Attendant list.
Please take time to sing up for the earliest dates first.
DISASTER
RELIEF
Churches
of Christ Disaster Relief Effort needs our help. Contributions have
been down for two years because of the recession. Donations this
year ore only about half the normal amount so far.
Just
during the first four months of 2010 a total of $1,184,000 in aid has been
sent to flood and tornado victims in West Virginia, Rhode Island,
Mississippi and Alabama. The inventory is less than adequate at this
time and it could be depleted with just one hurricane.
The
main idea of this effort is to respond at a moment's notice,
providing assistance when there is an emergency. We need to give as
much as we are able to give to support this effort. You may give
your contribution to our church office or you may donate directly at the
Disaster Relief website (www.disasterreliefeffort.org/).
VACATION BIBLE
SCHOOL
June
19, 2010
One
Day "Super Saturday" VBS
|
OUR SICK
Drew
Coggin's mother suffered a broken leg in a fall.
Drake
McDowell and Tom Raines were out sick Sunday.
Lisa
Boucher's father-in-law,
Charlie Boucher, is on the national registry for both a liver
and a kidney transplant.
Continue to remember Susan Carson,
Dick Northcutt, J. W. Raines, Richard Smith, Geneva White and Vivian Hunt.
MAY
BIRTHDAYS
|
May 3 |
Houston Hamby
|
|
May 5 |
Adam Banuelos
|
|
May
6
|
Justin Cannon |
|
May 7
|
Harley Shelley |
| May
13 |
Taylor Scott |
| May
14 |
Joe Maddox |
|
May
20
|
Kathy Ripley |
|
May 26
|
Sharon Shelton-Minichowski |
|
May 27
|
Everett Hayes |
|
May
28
|
Danielle Fincher |
|
|
Peggy Hamby |
JUNE
BIRTHDAYS
|
June 2 |
Mason Minichowski
|
|
June 5 |
Willie Mae Warren
|
|
June 11
|
Connie Elam |
|
June 23
|
Bailey
Scott
|
| June
25 |
Bill Moore |
|
THOSE TO SERVE - May 30, 2010 |
|
Welcome |
Ross Anderson |
|
Song Leader |
Greg Cannon |
|
Opening Prayer |
Jim Warren |
|
Lord's Table |
*Kenneth Fincher |
|
|
*Alan Henderson |
|
|
Mitch Robison |
|
|
Josh
May |
|
Scripture Reading |
Jim Minichowski |
|
|
Luke 20:1 ,2 |
|
Closing Prayer |
James Elliott |
|
Welcome -PM |
Ross Anderson |
|
Song Leader |
Greg
Cannon
|
|
Opening Prayer |
Phil
Hamby |
|
Scripture Reading |
Josh May |
|
|
Luke 20:34-36 |
|
Closing Prayer |
Steve
Putman |
|
Communion Preparation |
Volunteer
Needed |
|
Nursery Attendant |
Amanda
Carson
|
|
|
|
RECORD
5/23/2010
|
Bible School |
69 |
|
Worship AM |
91 |
|
Worship PM |
51 |
|
Wednesday Bible Study |
45
|
|
Contribution |
$
2,838.75 |
|