New Year’s Resolutions
This is the time of year when New Year’s resolutions are made with much vigor and zest. We resolve to quit bad habits and start good ones. We resolve to drop a few extra pounds and get more exercise. We resolve to read our Bibles everyday, spend more time with the family and increase our involvement in the Lord’s work. If all holds true to form, the reality will be that most resolutions made this past week will be broken by about March. Such seems to be the nature of our first-of-the-year plans. But why is that so? Why do we often start a new year with great plans, only to see them fall by the wayside in a matter of weeks? Why can most of us not see our resolutions through to the end? Allow me to offer some suggestions.
We Make Too Many
When I visit Arthur Ray’s Diner and he fills my lunch plate with more than I could ever eat at one sitting, by the time I eat enough to
fill me up, it still looks like I barely touched my meal. While I may have eaten a lot of food, it looks to me and to others like I didn’t eat
at all. The same holds true with regard to goals and resolutions. If we set too many at the beginning of the year, it is very easy for us to be
so overwhelmed by the time March rolls around, that our resolutions look more like Mt. Everest. Even though we may have made progress
in some areas, it looks to us like we haven’t. The plate still appears to be full.
The apostle Paul set forth an important principle in Philippians 3:13 when he expressed the focus characteristic of his life by saying, "This one thing I do..." Jesus revealed a similar sentiment to Martha when he told her that "one thing is needful" (Luke 10:42). An important point to be gained from those two contexts is that it is easy to fill our lives with so much clutter, and be pulled in so many directions, that it seldom appears like we accomplish anything. Therefore, it might be wise to choose one major goal for the year and focus on accomplishing it.
We Set Goals Too High
Sometimes in the exuberance of setting goals for a new year we might be guilty of raising the bar too high. That is not to say that we shouldn’t
challenge ourselves. But there is a difference in setting a changing, but reachable, goal and being unrealistic. If we set goals that exceed our
ability to reach, then the let down of not reaching those goals can bring us unnecessary heartache.
The Bible teaches us that each person has different levels of ability. Some of us are five talent people, and others of us are one talent people
(Matt. 25:15. The number of our talents is not important; what we do with what we have been given is. To put it simply, if you are
"Sister Two-Talent" or "Brother One-Talent," don’t set goals as if you are Brother or Sister Five Talent. Set your sights on goals
that are within your abilities to reach.
We Lack Genuine Commitment
I wonder if the reason why many of us don’t keep our resolutions is because we simply lack genuine commitment. We set some goals
at the first of the year because everyone else does, and we sincerely recognize the need to improve our lives in a number of areas.
But the commitment needed to reach our goals is never there to begin with. If that’s the case, it’s no wonder we give up our goals by March.
Commitment is not something you can just "turn on" at the same time we turn our calendars over to January. It is something that we must
already have, else our resolutions will merely be so much empty talk (see Luke 9:23; 1 Cor. 15:58; Heb. 3:12-13).
Let us pray for wisdom that we might set appropriate goals, and for strength to reach them.
Eddie Parrish
Current Concerns
Alvie Adams is in Houston for a follow up.
Bessie Peevy had a doctor appointment on January 4th in order to determine when she will have surgery on her tumor.
Nell O Beth Willoughby will be having gallbladder surgery in the very near future.
Bill Arbuckle is not feeling very well at this time.
Jennifer Arbuckle, wife of Michael Arbuckle, is at Odessa Regional Hospital with a stomach virus and is pregnant.
Prayer List
Mark Brewer; Darwin Carroll; Ireba Chaffin; Amanda Davis; Toni DeCristofaro; Ruth Davis; RuLonna Edwards; Harvey Garvin; Marion Lee;
Kayli Martell; Justine McCollum; Wilma Mitchell; Ruth Norman; Grace Rose Register; Jim Reyna; Janelle Shirley; Delora Wood.
Shut-ins
Mildred Bell; Ruby Brown; Mary Dunn; Sharon Fisher; Fay Gann; Cecil and Mildred Hext; Lela Jo McElroy; Virgie Price; Charles and Pearl
Tucker
Events
Gospel Meeting
January 14th-16th
Speaker- Mike Hisaw
Mike Hisaw was born in Parsons, Kansas and grew up in Dexter, Missouri. He attended Freed-Hardeman University and graduated from the
Memphis School of Preaching. He is married to Charity, and they have three children; Jacob (7 yrs), Mary-Kate (5 yrs) and John Parker (8 months).
He is currently working with the Carriage Oaks congregation in Bossier City La.
Please join is in welcoming Mike and his family.
Watch In Search of the Lord’s Way with Mack Lyon every Sunday morning at 7:30 am on CBS, channel 7. On Sunday, January 7, the lesson
will be titled "What Will A Man Give For His Soul?"
Farewell Party for Lynn and Sherilyn Money on January 7, 2007 in the multi-purpose building at Sherwood Church of Christ immediately
following the evening service. More information is provided on the bulletin board in the east foyer.
There will be a ladies’ night on Tuesday, January 9th at 7:00 p.m. in the annex. Please bring salads. We will be revealing our secret sisters.
If your secret sister is not able to attend, you may reveal yourself to her anytime after Tuesday.
The Somebody Loves You Banquet and the Progressive Dinner will be combined along with a talent show this year on February 9th at the
Slater Park Community Building. It will begin at 6:30 p.m. If you have any questions regarding this upcoming event please contact
Lana Howard or Sonia Wood. We will post new information for this event as it comes available.
The Tipton Home truck will be in our area January 8th-10th. They will be glad to pick up any supplies we have collected for The Tipton Home.
They have requested these items: corn meal, oatmeal, gallon zip lock bags, quart zip lock bags, cereal, salmon, Vienna sausage, plum jelly,
Lime away, handy wipes, scrubbing bubbles, & toilet bowl cleaner.
Thanks so much for the basket.
In Christian Love,
Nita Coats
Office News
Our food coordinators for the month of December are Betty Gerig and Maxine Newton.
Please note the new office hours: Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
We are having a sale on lectureship books as well as other books. There are some great deals and you won’t want to miss out on your
opportunity to purchase one of these wonderful study aids at such a great price! Look out for them in the foyers. Also take advantage
of last years already recorded tapes, a bargain at .75 cents each.
| January 7, 2007 | Morning | Evening |
|---|---|---|
| Announcements | Charles Wood | Charles Wood |
| Song Leader | David Easlon | Cameron May |
| Sermon | Steve Horton | Steve Horton |
| Opening Prayer | Charles Wood | Charles Wood |
| Scripture | John Bethune | Bill Brown |
| Second Prayer | Bill Butler | John Carroll |
| Closing Prayer | Don Easlon | Tony Marrs |
| Lord’s Supper | ||
| West | Lon Howard Richard Siler Alex Martinez Kirk McFarland |
Macus Crain Cameron May |
| East | Jimmy Nunley C M Riggs Mike Roemisch Bill Tolbert |
Larry May |
Other Responsibilities: Elder: Charles Wood ~ Deacon: Johnny Warren
Pulpit - John Wood ~ Table - Jeff Wesson ~ Song Leaders - Ronnie Lane
Sunday AM ~ One Year to Live ~ James 4:13-15
Sunday PM ~ The Precious Cornerstone ~ 1 Peter2: 48
Our Records
Bible Class...114
Morning Worship...175
Evening Worship...115
Wednesday...127
Contribution $5,032.50