Dowdy Dunham Class

Saturday Night at the Movies Starting Soon!

2011-05-05T17:55:00.030-05:00

Movie nights are back, starting Saturday, June 4. This year we are joining with the Fulcher Class to host movie nights, and we are inviting all to join in the fun. Our first movie will be the new Narnia movie that you meant to see at Christmas and didn't get around to it. It is The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Should be fun to see and more fun to talk about. Should provide some interesting conversation around the incredible C.S. Lewis.

We will be providing snacks, friendly smiles, and sparkling conversation for the evening. Invite a friend. Bring family. Leave the dog at home.

Falling for Fall Creek Falls

2011-04-11T11:06:00.000-05:00

April 8-10, 2011. Great weekend. Great weather. Great company. Great facilitators. Great fun. Thanks to Mary Alice, Sandra, Ron, Sharon, Larry and Calvin for all your efforts to make this such a successful weekend.

Room In The Inn Warms All

2011-02-23T14:50:00.001-06:00

What a wonderful season we have had for Room In The Inn. Our class served for three Saturday nights and assisted one other class on another night. We have cooked food, made lunches, set up beds, gone without sleep, watched movies, given out clothes and Bibles and met some interesting new friends.

Some observations -

More of the men have never been homeless before, have recently lost their jobs and are traveling across the country trying to find work.

This was the coldest winter we have had in many years and a warm bed seems like very little to ask.

We had some repeat guests and all who were here were profoundly thankful for the help they received.

Room in the Inn celebrated their 25th anniversary this year with a new building, but the same Godly intent to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. Room In The Inn partners with more than 170 local church congregations in the Nashville area to provide shelter for more than 1200 homeless individuals from November to March.

Here's a comment from Charlie Stroebel, founder of Room In The Inn, on what the homeless need.

“They need everything I need—everything you need. Of course, there’s Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs starting with the fundamental things like food, clothing, shelter and basic personal things. And then they need education, social support, recreation, employment and those things on the next level. But then Maslow talks about the highest level of need is the need to find meaning in life and purpose in living—to resolve the riddles and mysteries of our world and our life. I don’t have to understand them anymore than I need to understand myself. If I understand what drives me and what are the obstacles and roadblocks in my own life, then it’s easy to understand the homeless. We’re not that different.”

Thank you to all of you for what you have done to show God's love.

December Full of Blessings

2010-11-29T15:49:00.000-06:00

November was a busy month. Thanks to all for the great response to providing Christmas for kids at Christian Women's Job Corps. The kids and their moms will be appreciative of the love and kindness that comes from our class. And we have already participated in funding a bicycle for the NBA Toy Store. And that was just November.

And December is full of even more opportunities to enjoy each other and share our blessings. Saturday, December 4, 5:00 p.m. (we eat at 6 p.m.) is our Christmas Party. No cooking required! No gift buying required! Just show up for a time of fun. It's barbecue on the menu. And the gift, if you choose to participate, is just something you love and want to share with the group. It could be a joke, a special poem, something you have experienced, or a favorite Bible verse. No wrapping required and one size fits all.

Room in the Inn season begins for our class on Saturday, December 18. If you want to participate and haven't signed up, check with Sandra Landis at sandra.landis@vanderbilt.edu. We will also have a movie night to coincide with Room in the Inn. The crowd has voted and Polar Express is the movie!

2010-07-06T14:05:00.003-05:00

The Whittles and Kearleys enjoyed touring beautiful Ft. Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas (Florida Keys) . Jim and Mary Alice celebrated their 39th wedding anniversary anchored near the fort.

There were a couple of days left over to explore historical Key West. A good time was had by everyone aboard the AnyTime.

Music City Marathon

2010-04-25T15:08:00.002-05:00

Jimmy and I enjoyed joining hundreds of others Saturday to cheer on our 2 favorite runners in the Music City Marathon. Larry and Mike were running strong! I'm trying to add pictures so we'll see if it works this time. Larry was running so fast I only got him from the back.

Ashlinn Grace Robbins Has Arrived.

2010-02-26T09:51:00.000-06:00

7 lbs. 8 oz. , Pretty and pink

Congratulations to Windy and Dennis! We are so excited Ashlinn is here and in the arms of incredible parents.

Being Real in an Artificial World

2010-01-10T13:31:00.000-06:00

Authenticity is how non-Christians judge Christians. What does it mean to be a real friend? What is real loyalty? How can you show real trust? How do we make forgiveness real? How do I as a Christian model these attributes?

Join us for our new 13-week study entitled Authentic Relationships: Being Real in an Artificial World and see what the Bible says about relationship.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T18:35:00.000-06:00

It's been a busy holidays. Too busy to update our blog. But most of you know what we have been doing. Movie nights, Room in the Inn, collecting money for rice, beans and bikes for Toy Store, and attending all the fabulous services here at Woodmont.

For the new year? We will be introducing a new study soon. Our next movie night will be the movie "An Unfinished Life". After that, Seabiscuit.

Check back for the new schedule.

Love to you all. After all, It's A Wonderful Life.

Food for thought

2009-12-17T14:59:00.002-06:00

I love this quote from Arne Garborg(no I don't know him).
It is said that for money you can have everything,but you cannot. You can buy food, but not appetite; medicine, but not health; knowledge, but not wisdom; glitter, but not beauty; fun, but not joy; acquaintances, but not friends; servants, but not faithfulness; leisure, but not peace. You can have the husk of everything for money, but not the kernel.
This has been stuck on my fridge for years and I read it regularly. Hope you find meaning in it as well.

Fall Back into Fall

2009-09-07T17:44:00.004-05:00

We have two new studies for the fall and we are very excited about them.

The first is "The End of an Era, The Rise and Fall of Solomon" by John MacArthur.
How would the gift of true wisdom change your life today … change your relationship with God, with your friends and your loved ones? In the MacArthur Old Testament Study Guide: End of an Era, you can learn how. Proverbs, the Song of Solomon, and Ecclesiastes are brought to life in this twelve-week guide. You’ll connect to the text with deeper understanding as the themes of wisdom from God as well as being wise in the world are explored.

The second is "Finding Redemption in the Movies".
Ecclesiastes 3:11 suggests that we come ready-made to understand the greatest story, the epic story of an enemy’s betrayal, the fight between the destroyer and the redeemer, something lost and the journey to recovery, a hero coming to rescue, and ultimate restoration. The Larger Story is the story of the gospel, with Scripture providing the back-story (the truth) behind every meaningful story. Great movies speak to that ready-made part of us because story is the language of the heart.

We plan to use the Solomon study weekly, with a once-a-month Movie Night and follow-up study on Sunday. We will be posting a schedule, but plan for our first movie night on Saturday, September 26.

Granddaddy Sharp - A Very Special Man

2009-08-29T15:48:00.000-05:00

From Sandra about her Granddaddy Sharp:
"It is so hard to believe I have to say goodbye to my Grandfather of 45 years, he was such a special man to me. A little information I wanted to share with my special friends in the Sunday School Class, my Grand-Father was the founding Pastor of Richland Free Will Baptist Church in Nashville, and the LaVergne Free Will Baptist Church in LaVergne, TN. He also pastored West Nashville Free Will Baptist Church and Radnor Free Will Baptist Church. Married for 66 years to Sarah Sharp aka Nana to everyone, since I was the first grand-child that is the name I gave her she has been Nana ever since. He also baptized (2) of my kids Jason and Sarah, saying goodbye is never easy; however I know there will be a day when we will meet again. One of my recent memories was when we were getting ready to leave after visiting I would lean over to kiss him goodbye and tell him I love him, then I would tell him to behave himself and his reply would always be “MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS”. He will be missed by all who knew him well. Heaven just gained a very special man, Tears of joy for I know he is with out Lord Jesus Christ, tears of sorrow for I know the remainder of my years here I will dearly miss him."

2009-06-04T16:54:00.000-05:00

Jimmy and I have enjoyed reading a wonderful book about Dr. Paul Farmer entitled Mountains beyond Mountains. We're back from the sea and looking forward to seeing everyone Sunday. WE miss our class when we're away!

Update on Mom

2009-05-02T23:48:00.002-05:00

Hey friends --
Sorry I will not be with you the next couple of weeks. Mom is recovering nicely with her knee. Tomorrow (Sun.) we will remove the dressing and Thursday we will go for the first post-op visit. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers this past week. She came through well. Please continue to remember her as she continues her recovery on her own.
I did take Mike and Ben to Springer Mountain, GA today to begin their 100 mile trek on the Appalachian Trail. Say a prayer for particular moments when Mike can talk with Ben about faith in Jesus Christ and say a prayer for safety and good health. I've also asked God that it not rain on the AT this week. :-) I go pick them up next Sunday. Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers. I'd also like to ask you to remember Alex as he finishes his last two weeks of school. He has AP tests this week and finals the next. Thanks for your continued prayer support for me and mine. It means so much. It means you are being Christ to me.

Love you all -- Jana

Homelessness in Nashville 2008

2009-04-19T21:46:00.002-05:00

Get the facts! View the video by clicking on the title. It will take you to YouTube where you can view it.

Jesus was homeless.

2009-04-19T21:42:00.003-05:00

Hope you enjoyed our discussion this morning on what Woodmont is doing in response to benevolence and learning the facts of homelessness in Nashville.

Thanks to our guests - Dr. Jon Roebuck and Heather Rippetoe, training coordinator for National Healthcare for the Homeless Council. We appreciate Heather's perspective as a Christian seeking God's direction in this area. I have noticed that I now see the issues of homelessness in scripture everywhere. Jon's sermon this morning about the Prodigal Son made me think that we are all homeless until we come into a life-changing relationship with our Father who has many rooms in his home prepared for us.

Join us next Sunday for more discussion on the Christian perspective of homelessness. Remember we are seeking God's direction for our individual actions and/or class actions.

The books that she shared with us are Souls in the Hands of a Tender God and Irresistable Revolution. If you are interested in a book study, please let us know next week.

Can't wait to see you and continue the conversation next Sunday. Remember it's Friends Day. That means Pancakes at 8:45 a.m. and Class at 9:15 a.m.

I love you all!!!

Learning to Blog

2009-03-08T10:19:00.000-05:00

We talked about blogging today!

Happy New Year!

2008-12-30T22:26:00.001-06:00

It’s a new year, a new Bible Study and it’s in the New Testament! With all this newness going on, Larry and I thought we would add a new wrinkle. (In our study, not our faces.)

We will be studying the book of James. And you are free to use any commentary or book that you choose. Or even that fancy Bible with all the footnotes. Different perspectives and views will make this study richer and more interesting. A single book study will seem like a snail’s course after our speed read through the Old Testament.

Below you will find a study guide so you can follow along in the series. If you would like a book, I am suggesting Warren Wiersbe’s Be Mature.

If you would like to order the book from Amazon, they have new ones for $3 and used ones for .01 + 3.99 shipping.
Here’s the link:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0896937542/ref=s9subs_c1_14_at1-rfc_g1_si2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-1&pf_rd_r=08JK3677CN75QVZJP258&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=463383351&pf_rd_i=507846

Or you can pick up a copy at Lifeway. Don’t worry about having a book for this Sunday. It will be the overview and introduction. To get ready for the study, I suggest that we read the whole book of James (all 5 pages of it) before class.

Key Theme: Spiritual Maturity

January 4           Overview                Who was James?
   To whom did James write?
   Why did James write?
January 11         James 1:2-12          Turning trials into triumphs
January 18         James 1:13-18        How to handle temptation
January 25         James 1:19-27        Quit kidding yourself
February 1         James 2:1-13          Rich man, poor man
February 8         James 2:14-26        False faith
February 15       James 3:1-12          The world’s smallest
   but largest troublemaker
February 22       James 3:13-18        Where to get wisdom
March 1              James 4:1-12          How to end wars
March 8              James 4:13-17        Plan ahead
March 15            James 5:1-6            Money talks
March 22            James 5:7-12          The power of patience
March 29            James 5:13-20        Let us pray

Check out the new music player to the right and see what you think!

Christmas, Christmas, Christmas

2008-12-26T11:50:00.000-06:00

What a busy month! Our Christmas party, Rice and Beans collection, Room in the Inn, Bert and Ruth's party, choir concerts and Christmas Eve candlelight service!

It was a time of friendship of new and old friends, remembrance of the greatest gift of Jesus Christ, service, love and amazing food. A special thanks to so many -- for the gift of the Tobias home for our Christmas party, for Marcus for organizing our rice and beans collection, for all those who worked so hard to make Room in the Inn successful, for all those who helped decorate for Bert and Ruth's luncheon, and for our beautiful choir members who joyfully gave voice to our holidays.

For those of you who are pining for the East Texas Enchilada dish that Pam Newton brought to the event, here is the recipe. According to Pam, she uses flour tortillas.

Brown and drain 1lb ground beef with chili spices and onions to taste

In Microwave dish: 1/2 cubed Velveeta, 1 can evaporated milk, 1 can

Rotel (your choice)

Microwave until melted, add cup of cheddar or your favorite cheese

Use ten piece package of soft tortillas, in each tortilla put 1tblsp ground

beef and 1tblsp grated cheese & place in shallow baking dish

Cover with melted cheese mixture, bake 25 min covered with oiled alum foil

(350 degrees)

Uncover & bake another 19-15 min until brown & bubbly

Okay, so now Amy Kerrigan, where is that recipe for cheese dip????

600 Pounds of Love

2008-12-07T23:59:00.000-06:00

Marcus reported that 600 pounds of rice and beans were furnished to the Nashville Baptist Toy Store, thanks to your generosity and to the work of our RAs and GAs. Praise to God for you and your donations.

Let's pray for the families accessing the Toy Store this year. Pray for strong families, courage in these tough times, comfort, an abiding knowledge of Christ in their lives and renewed relationships.

Rice and Beans

2008-11-26T09:38:00.001-06:00

Just a reminder that our class furnishes rice and beans as a gift to those who shop at the Nashville Baptist Association's annual Toy Store. The association made a special request to us to continue because of the many recognized needs this year. The families who come to the Toy Store are able to provide toys for the children, get exposed to the gospel and have a meal.

Our children in the missions organizations help sort and box the rice and beans and it is a joy to see. If you would like to volunteer at the Toy Store, Woodmont's Day is Thursday, December 11 from 8:30 to 3:00. There is a collection box for toys in the piano foyer if you would like to donate toys as well.

Marcus Voehler is the "can man" so please give rice and beans donations to him.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

News You Can Use

2008-11-09T20:10:00.000-06:00

Our newest friends in the past few months - We love you guys!
Ron Landis - Yeah, it's official. They are married to us and each other!!!
Pamela and David Popkin - Also newlyweds. Welcome home, Pam.
Rebekah Daniel - What a sweet addition!
Rosanne and Carl Ferreri-Feske - Like old friends after just a few weeks.

Just a note to tell everyone of all the activities going on in the Dowdy Dunham Group. Mark your calendars for the Thanksgiving Missions Banquet, the Christmas Class Party, and Room in the Inn. Note the dates listed here on our site.

Also, we are helping with money for rice and beans for The Toy Store. Marcus is collecting donations.

Hearts and Lives Intertwined at Woodmont

2008-10-25T11:48:00.006-05:00

Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Ron Landis!

Friday October 24 was a special night for Ron and Sandra as they exchanged vows in the Fireside Room in true Woodmont style.

Dr. Jon Roebuck and Rev. Richard Dickerson officiated at the lovely candlelight event. Jon gave a moving depiction of the Biblical meaning of marriage and Richard united the two in holy vows. Katie Milligan strewed the path with red rose petals. Carol Dickerson, Russ Dickerson and Jennifer Milligan set the perfect note for the event with moving solos.

Sandra, beaming and beautiful, was attended by the ever lovely Lil Cook. And Ron, standing tall and proud, was attended by Calvin Dunham, who in true Calvin style gave away Sandra, in the name of family and friends.

Richard reminded Ron of a long past conversation when Ron had hoped that God would provide a partner to share his life. And Richard had said that he would be there for that moment to join then in matrimony.

Only in God's plans and Only at Woodmont could such a special event happen.

The Loss of My "Little Fellow"

2008-09-30T19:42:00.004-05:00

On July 21, I wrote my first blog to memorialize the death of my grandmother. She had lived a very full life of 98 years. Despite her long life, my family and I grieved our loss.

Today, I write to memorialize another tragic loss. Most of you were not aware that Windy and I had undergone in vitro fertilization this past summer and were sucessful in getting pregnant. From the beginning it was a rollercoaster ride of despair, anquish, excitement that seemed to never end. Yesterday, the rollercoaster ride ended in the death of our 11 week old future child. Windy and I went for our fourth ultrasound yesterday full of hopes and expectations regarding our lives as parents-to-be. Our hopes were dashed when the ultrasound indicated that our child's heartbeat had stopped and that he (I had referred to our future child as our "little fellow") had most likely died two days or so following our last ultrasound. To add insult to injury and further challenge our emotions, the doctor informed us that Windy needed to have a surgery today to remove the unborn child. To undergo a natural misscarriage at this stage of development could be very painful and dangerous to Windy and may not occur for several weeks. Today, this whole experience was finalized as Windy underwent a D&C procedure. Our "little fellow" is no more. We grieve!

Our only tangible sign of her pregnancy are our photos of the little fellow at day 3 (8 cells) and at weeks 7 and 8. These photos previously gave us great joy. Now they serve as a reminder of what might have been. We look at these photos and we grieve!

Despite both of us being under 40, both Windy and I have undergone our share of grief. Windy's grandmother died prematurely (early 60's) when Windy was in high school. Her dad suffers from pulmonary sarcoidosis, sleep apnea, seizures, and has had a couple of heart attacks. Windy has a host of other ailments that have caused us to grieve--multiple sclerosis, endometriosis, thyroid eye disease. The endometriosis has caused fertility issues for Windy that are compounded by my own fertility issues.

Windy and I have longed endlessly to be blessed with a child of our own. To attempt to become pregnant has posed risks of its own as Windy must halt all treatment for MS in order to try to become pregnant. Imagine risking severe disability for just the possibility of having a child. That is what Windy did. IVF offered Windy and I the opportunity to become parents and overcome all of our other issues. The IVF process consisted of approximatley 2 months of preparation which consisted of daily and sometimes twice daily injections of medications, invasive ultrasound procedures as often as 3 times per week, numerous blood tests and to cap it all off a discovery that Windy is a carrier for cystic fibrosis. The preparation was followed by the transfer of 3 heaven -sent embryos into Windy on July 29. About two weeks later, we were informed that we were pregnant. The subsequent weeks were filled with the rollercoaster of emotions that I mentioned previously combined with 2 months of daily intermuscular injections following the discovery we were pregnant. We were faced with fears of an ectopic pregnancy which ultimately were unfounded. The first ultrasound didn't detect a heartbeat which was caused despair. The second ulrasound was completely normal and the little fellow's heart was beating. The third ultrasound confirmed continued normal growth and development of the little fellow that provided us with immense joy and set our expectations to new heights. We even began thinking about baby clothes, furniture, etc. Without our knowledge, this little life was apparently cut short just days after our elation.

Now we grieve. Windy wonders aloud why God is punishing her. I am dumbfounded by our loss because against my nature, I've been optimistic about this process all summer. Windy and I, with what I believe to be God's providence, had overcome over 12 obstacles with which we were faced in getting pregnant. I was certain that God was in this process and that he was blessing us with His special child for us. Now, I'm left wondering not only "why me?" but also "why anyone?". How can a child that is so loved and desired be lost so early? What does God have planned for us? How can this tragedy fit into God's plan? We ask these endless questions to which we have received no ready answers. Maybe they can't be answered. Still, we grieve!

Now, where do we go from here? Windy and I are convinced that we would be great parents. Any child of ours, would of necessity, have to be a little confused as Windy and I disagree about many things. We are very different people with very different personalities, but we were united as never before in our desire for this child. We grieve at the loss of this child. We grieve at what lays in store for us. How might we in the future be blessed with a child? How might MS affect this future. Now, not only do we grieve, but we have fear about our future.

Please pray as we grieve that God would illumine His path for us and help us to understand how this tragedy fits into his plan. Pray that we would not be overtaken by anger at God. Pray that God would somehow bless us with His special child.

New Study for the Old Testament

2008-09-08T18:51:00.003-05:00

Well, we finally found it! The study that answers the class need for a greater understanding of the Old Testament - Step by Step through the Old Testament. And, of course, it has a Nashville connection. The study is co-authored by a dear friend Tom Hudson. Maybe we can entice him to make a special appearance in class one Sunday.

We will begin studying a 13-week course on the Old Testament that should be enlightening for all. It provides a framework for understanding and interpreting the Old Testament, and teaches biblical background material. What is particularly interesting is the combination of geography, history, and Biblical stories that give perspective on all our future studies. We hope to have workbooks for everyone on Sunday.

Jimmy and Mary Alice camping in Canada

2008-08-29T18:41:00.002-05:00

We've had the greatest time camping for the past few weeks. We spent about 7 days in Prince E dward Island biking and exploring the gorgeous coastline. Sunday we were biking along the Confederation trail and stopped to chat with a couple from Halifax, Nova Scotia. Before we said goodbye, the man mentioned an old Baptist church nearby that lots of people liked to visit. " You might enjoy just seeing it", he said, and we thought we might stop by and take a look.
When we stopped at the church, we noticed there were folks going inside-not to tour, but to worship. The pastor waved at us and said ," service starts at 11, come on in" , so we did.
The small sanctuary was packed with maybe 150 people from all over the world as well as many locals(most dressed very casually like us) The couple we had met on the trail waved us over to sit with them. The singing was truly amazing. EVERYONE was singing!
WE learned that this tiny church only held services 2 months out of the year as a summer ministry and we just happened to be at the right place at the right time to learn about it.
It was truly one of the most powerful worship experiences we've shared in a long time. We had just prayed for our Sunday School class over breakfast earlier and then God saw fit to lead us to a group of believers on that beautiful morning to meet HIM.
WE miss you all and look forward to seeing you soon. Love you, Mary Alice and Jimmy

The Craigs and More

2008-08-24T15:37:00.000-05:00

The Craigs were with us on August 10. What a great time to share with them and learn what is happening in Zambia. We just couldn't talk enough or hug enough. Or even eat enough. What a great potluck lunch we had after church. Thanks to all who helped and brought a healthy appetite.
Let's be in prayer for the Craigs and Zambia. Marcus reminded us this morning that the Zambian president died this week.

We are coming to a close on our study of The Shack. This morning we talked about the spiritual poverty of our times. So many are seeking a spiritual relationship and don't know that it is found in the presence of God. We studied John 3 and talked about Nicodemus, a man full of theology but little spirituality.

It was great to have Pam and David visiting our class this week. Give them a big hello next week. Virginia was back from her travels safe and sound.

Prayer requests for the week: Valerie's friend, Steve's father, Jana's sister, School starting, the graduates at Christian Women's Job Corps, the election and world situation and our kids in Sierra Leone.

Jamie will be gone Labor Day weekend and Larry will be teaching.

What you missed this morning

2008-08-03T16:21:00.003-05:00

If you weren't at Sunday School this morning you missed quite a lively discussion on The Shack. Have you ever experienced a Great Sadness? Many in the Bible have and reported it to us. Read Psalms 42 and Psalms 88.

Next Sunday some of our class will be involved in collecting tuition for our school kids in Lunsar, Sierra Leone. As you know,
Jim Kearley, Keith Tobias, Calvin Dunham and Tim Siktberg have all traveled to Sierra Leone, and last year, we were blessed with the opportunity to support more than 150 students around the area where our group has participated in the rebuilding of the Lunsar Conference Center. To keep up with what is going on -- visit www.sierraleonechildrensfund.blogspot.com.

And don't forget -- Potluck Lunch after church - celebrating the visit of the Craigs back from Zambia. The Fulcher class will be joining us for lunch that day.

Our Image of God

2008-07-31T19:37:00.002-05:00

Watch this interview with William Paul Young, author of The Shack. It is great background for our discussion Sunday morning as we enter "The Shack".

The Last Lecture

2008-07-26T22:17:00.002-05:00

I know that many of you may have seen this lecture. Randy Pausch died yesterday. It's an interesting view of living and dying.

Death of Beulah Grace Robbins

2008-07-21T15:39:00.003-05:00

Recently, and over the years, I've requested prayer for my 98 year-old grandmother (my dad's mother). She had suffered a stroke a couple of weeks ago. Today at 3:18 p.m. (on my birthday), God finally called her home. I don't know that I can ever understand God's timing. In addition to calling my grandmother home on my birthday, He used the occasion of the week of my birth thirty-eight years ago to call my grandmother's mother (my great-grandmother) home to Him. My grandfather (her husband) and his brother both died at Christmas in 1986.

At my age (38), birthdays are not always that meaningful. Except for 16th (drivers license), 18th (right to vote and register with selective service), 25th (decrease in car insurance rates), most birthdays pass and a year later I have no idea what happened on that date. However, I will never forget my 38th birthday.

Today is a day of great grief for my grandmother's family. She had five sons (four of whom are still living) and one daughter, twenty-one grandchildren, approximately 40 great grand children, and 5 or so great, great grandchildren (that I'm aware of). At the time of her passing, 4 of her surviving children were able to make it to her bedside and tell her "Goodbye".

I was not there today. Windy and I were fortunate to be able to see her the week before her stroke. For all practical purposes, the person we knew went away on the day of the stroke. I was able to tell her that I loved her and that I was looking forward to her 100th birthday. She was a big Willard Scott fan and I had told her that we would call Willard Scott for her 100th. Unfortantely, we never came to that point.

While none of you knew my grandmother, and I've never blogged before, I thought I would tell you a little about her and how special she was:

Faith---It was through her faith that her children each came to know Jesus. My grandfather never attended church and would not speak openly of faith. At some points, he would even discourage my grandmother from going to chruch. However, my grandmother would walk several miles to church with her children every Sunday. She instilled in her children the importance of faith. Because of her faith, my father came to know Jesus and then he (and my mother) showed me the way to Jesus as well. My grandmother leaves a rich history of faith.

Hard Work--My grandparents were sharecroppers. In fact, the first four of my grandmother's children were born on the farm that they tended. As I've been told, my grandmother and grandfather (and their children) worked very hard in the cotton fields. In addition to my grandmother's work in the fields and raising six children, she made her own lye soap and made the children's clothes (often from sackcloth, as I've been told). Once they moved off of the farm, my grandmother went to work as a seamstress in a garment factory where she worked for several years. In her later working years, she became a cook at my school's cafeteria. No cafeteria has had better food than when my grandmother was cooking there. There have probably been several premature deaths from cholesteral from that food, but it certainly tasted good. I would have the opportunity to see my grandmother at work every day. In all that she did, she exhibited a strong work ethic that was passed along to my dad and I hope to me.

Grief--My grandmother was so unfortunate as to endure more than her share of grief in her life. She was one of six children. Her history with grief began at an early age. By the time she was twenty, one of her brothers had been murdered and one other had died from a brain injury after falling off a horse. Later she witnessed the deaths over time of each of her other siblings and one son (who died at age 73). Her husband died at Christmas in 1986. She saw all of her childhood friends and adult friends pass one by one. Despite all of this grief, she marched on with a zeal for life.

I've told you guys before, that doctors have counted my grandmother out three times before her eventual passing. With the exception of this last time, she has bounced back. Medicare must have hated her. They paid for hospice on two occasions over the course of 20 years and neither time did she succomb to her illness. With her second to last terminal illness, she lost the ability to walk and care for herself (she was 95 or 96). For the first time in her life, she no longer lived at home. Her transition to a nursing home was not easy. For a while, she entered a depression and wondered aloud why God had not taken her. However, even with the nursing home, she gradually transitioned back to her zeal for life. She was assigned a roommate that was very compatible with her and that looked after her. I think she really wanted to make it to 100, if for no other reason than to hear Willard Scott call her a "pretty little lady".

Love--My grandmother loved me very much. Both of my parents worked while my brother and I were growing up. When I would get sick, I would stay with my grandmother. Like my mom, she would wait on me hand and foot. We would watch "The Price is Right' together. She so loved Bob Barker! She always cooked my favorite foods. She would let me help her when she was cooking. Basically, she did the grandmotherly things.

Racism--On a more humorour note, my grandmother was raised in different era. She never fully adapted to the civil rights movement. She treated all people with kindness as far as I could tell, but she wouldn't know politically correct language if it hit her in the face. While she treated people with kindness, she could definitely throw around the "N" word without hesitation.

We knew she intended no malice once she settled into the nursing home. Her favorite nurse was an African American lady named Pearl. This lady was especially kind to my grandmother and my grandmother was very fond of Pearl. However, she routinely referred to Pearl by the "N" word and often used the word in front of Pearl. My grandmother apparently so no offense in the use of the word. However, it embarassed my dad to no end that he would refer to Pearl in such a way. Pearl would later discuss it with my dad and she made it clear that she took no offense to my grandmother. At 98, Pearl thought wise to offer my grandmother a lot of latitude.

Thanks for indulging my first blog. After hearing the news of my grandmother's passing, I could not focus on my work. This has helped me to remember and appreciate all that my grandmother meant to me.

Please remember my dad in your prayers. He knew this day would come and he knows that she is no longer suffering, but I could tell when I spoke to him that he was hurting at his loss.

Just Imagine

2008-07-20T14:13:00.002-05:00

Just imagine what God intended for us when He created us in his image. Thanks Larry for leading us with such vision this morning!

If you were not in Sunday School and would like to pick up a copy of The Shack, check out the box in our classroom.

Everyone in the class is now entered as an author for the blog. You should have received an email with instructions. Happy writing! Seriously, this is a great way to keep the group in touch so please feel free to post so that we know what's going on with you.

Dancing for Joy

2008-07-19T15:10:00.002-05:00

If you perused Faith & Values in The Tennessean this morning, you probably saw the Ray Waddle opinion piece entitled "YouTube video reminds us we're all in this big world together". It's a great reminder of the fact that we are all on this planet, all seeking joy. Take one guy, a goofy dance, 70 countries and see what happens. It will make you smile.

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008807190339

The link to the YouTube video is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlfKdbWwruY&feature=user

21st Century Tools for a 1st Century Focus

2008-07-19T13:51:00.001-05:00

Hey Class! Thought is was time for us to move into the 21st Century with our very own blog. This tool might help us keep up with each other and keep up with what's going on in our class when we are away from Woodmont. We are such a mobile group. I would love your feedback on the blog as we go along. Let us know what would be helpful to you.

If you were not in class last Sunday, you missed our discussion of "God is a verb", 1 Peter 4:10-11, and the feeding of the 5,000 (Matthew 14:15-21). Our potluck lunch after church was amazing. Thanks to Sandra for getting us organized and to everyone for all the delicious food. Don't know if we could have fed 5,000 but maybe 50?? For those who want to live vicariously, we had fried chicken, fabulous salads, delicious veggies and of course, desserts to die for.

This Sunday Larry will be leading us in the final thoughts on our Get Uncomfortable lesson series. We would love to have your input on this series and future studies.

Hope you got my email earlier today. Marcia and Allen Craig will be in town in August. I think they will be joining us for Sunday School on August 10.

What are you reading this summer? I just finished reading "The Shack", by William P. Young. Just over a year after it was originally published as a paperback, "The Shack" had its debut at No. 1 on the New York Times paperback fiction best seller list on June 8 and has stayed there ever since. The book was self-published by Mr. Young and a pair of former pastors. He originally wrote the book as a Christmas gift for his six children. According to the author, the shack is a metaphor for "house you build out of your own pain." The book is about a grieving father who meets God in the form of a jolly African-American woman. I was so struck by the loving expression of God in this book that I can't stop thinking about it. Many of our group had heard of the book and expressed interest in it so we have decided to have our own "Summer Book Club" for the next few weeks. So tomorrow, you will get your own copy of "The Shack" to read. If you would like to pay for your copy, the cost is $9.50.

So here's what happens for the next few weeks --

July 20 Larry leads us in last thoughts on Get Uncomfortable

July 27 Dr. Jon Roebuck leads the "median adult classes" in a discussion of Vision 2010

in the Fellowship Hall.

August 3 "Summer Book Club" starts with a discussion of "The Shack"

August 10 "Summer Book Club" continues. Craigs join us with news of Zambia.

August 17 "Summer Book Club"

So visit our site regularly to see what's happening in the hood!