Surgery Update

Hey everyone,

I talked to Carol Strother today and she said that Billy's surgery went well and that he is recovering. He should be home as soon as he is able to tolerate the pain without an I.V. or shots.

Please continue praying. Also pray for Dick and Doris as Dick recovers from his surgery.

Later!

Jason

Prayer Requests

Hey all,

Nathan sent me a message earlier. Please remember these.

"Can you add my boss's wife to the prayer blog? Her breast cancer has come back, but now it has spread to her liver. Also my coworker's wife is 4 months pregnant and they just found out thebaby has a heart defect. Just found all this out today."

Thanks,

Jason

Billy Update

Hey everyone,

Just a quick note. Dr. Billy is having three surgeries done at the same time at 1:00 Tuesday afternoon. Please be praying that the surgery is successful.

After the surgery, there will be about four months of recovery, then he'll be able to start using a walker.

Keep praying!

Jason

Bible Reading

Hey everyone,

I updated the reading list. I removed the application for marking your reading. It didn't seem like anyone was using it.

Please let me know if you are still enjoying or benefitting from having the reading list published this way.

Thanks!

Jason

Big Prayer Request 2

Ben and Jan sent out a chat email to everyone on the chat list, but I wanted to get this out to everyone who isn't on the list. Please pray for this difficult situation.

"Tasha Smith, a young woman we, the church, have helped in the past called today and asked for prayer for her youngest son, Devin. He is four years old and has just been diagnosed with cancer. He is to have surgery sometime in the next 7 days at Scottish Rites/Egliston. She is a single mother and is scared to death. She asked for our prayers. "

Thanks!

Audio Bible

Hey everyone,

Lorie just informed me about a program she uses which allows you to subscribe to audio Bible readings in podcast form. Supposedly you can use podcatching programs such as iTunes to subscribe. Lorie says she uses her iPod to listen to them.

Here is the link: www.dailyaudiobible.com.

Also, don't forget about the reading schedule posted on the blog.

Enjoy!

Jason

Big Prayer Request

Hey all,

Just talked to Betsy a little bit ago and she mentioned that Evon Hendricks' grandson, a very young man, was accidentally shot in the eye and has lost his eye.

Unfortunately, I don't have much more detail than this right now. Stay tuned for more, but please be praying!

Jason

Men's Retreat

Hey everyone,

We had a great time at the men's retreat this weekend. The weather was perfect, the place was beautiful, and the fellowship was great! We are planning to do another one next year--hopefully more will be able to come and enjoy the event!

Check out these pics:

No Softball Tonight

Hey everyone,

Justa quick note about the softball game tonight. As of 4:30 the Forsyth Softball and Baseball website says the fields are closed for the day. With the way the weather looks (click here to see the weather report on the CCC blog) it looks like we're rained out.

You can check here for updates: http://www.leaguelineup.com/welcome.asp?url=forsythcountyyouthathletics.

BTW, if you know someone who doesn't receive the blog emails and plays softball, you might let them know!

Thanks!

Jason

Bake Sale & Yard Sale "Stuff"

Dennis forgot to announce the BAKE SALE next Sunday (April 20) after (or before) church. Also, if you have YARD SALE items in the back room, they need to be removed until the NEW DATE for the yard sale - May 31.

Patti

ALSO: the reading list is updated for this week!

J

HELP!

Greetings,

We are putting together an ad for CCC that will go out to new people coming into the community through an organization called New Beginnings Welcoming Service.

I need some pictures of either worship service, church members, etc. If you have anything, please email it to jason@castlechristian.com.

Thanks!

Json

Billy Update

Hi folks,

I got an update from Dr. Billy today. It's a lot of info, so 'll just put the highlights here:

"I am unable to walk because the large bone (tibia) in my lower leg has not fused together and my left foot is frozen in an upright tippy-toe position (if I was a ballerina, that would be fine). Which means no ability to walk. Two more surgeries will be required; but the good news is we will be able to do both invasive surgeries and a third procedure all at the same time with one surgeon.

1. Remove the screw attaching the titanium rod at the top of my left tibia (they promise it won't just flop around inside my leg);
2. Go through the side of my calf to add donor bone (bone graft) and some high tech synthetic growth stimulator to the center of my tibia which remains broken and unattached; and
3. Surgically lengthen the tendon at the back of my heal so that my foot can go flat on the floor again.

A cast, a week in bed, back in the wheelchair, and three weeks after the surgery, I can start to use a walker and eventually crutches as the tendon repair and bone graft will begin to heal. The goods news? With a summer of rehab, I will walk again (with a limp the rest of my life, but walk upright like humans were intended nonetheless)!

For the next year or so, my lower left leg will continue to swell voraciously as the day progresses due to severe lymphedema caused by the accident-no pain in the morning, but pretty painful when it swells in the afternoon. The hope is that it will subside in time. But I will still have to wear nylon hose (thigh high left leg only)--it is a medical compression hose--not one you buy in the women's department at Wal-Mart. While it is a nylon hose, I want it to be known that it is medical equipment! No, "Our preaching professor wears nylon hose!" signs when I am preaching in chapel, please! My simple goal remains to walk onto campus for the onset of our fall semester!

Carol have elected [to have the surgery] Tuesday, April 29 in Henry County.... Your prayers and understanding are so greatly appreciated as Carol (who has through Herculean effort literally gotten me to and through my classes this semester in spite of my five surgeries and my inability to fully clothe myself) anticipate a two-for-one surgery accompanied with the hope and expectation (supposedly with minimal whining from me) that I can learn to walk again over the summer!

Thank you for your continued prayers! This too shall pass and I will walk again! Blessings, Billy"

Let's remember to keep Billy in our prayers!

Yard Sale CANCELLED!

Hey church!

Just got an email from Jan Abernathy that the yard-sale folks called and said they were cancelling the yard sale tomorrow for inclement weather concerns. As far as I know, there isn't any word on rescheduling, but they said they may not try it again until the Fall.

Thanks!

Jason

Garage / Yard Sale Update

Hello everyone,

We have some good news. Even though the garage sale got rained out last week, we have been able to secure space at the fairgrounds. Here are the details as I have them:

Saturday April 12, 2008 at the Cumming Fair Grounds, parking lot #3. 6:00 AM set up. Sale starts at 8:00 AM. We should be ready for customers by 6:45AM. It's over at 2:00 PM. We have a 36 X 36 space resurved, so lets try to fill it up. Tell everyone you know to help make this a great time in the Lord.

We'll need help at different times, that way no one will feel the need to be there the whole time. Please email me at jason@castlechristian.com to let us know if you can be here in the early morning or late morning.

Thanks!

Reading List Updated

Like the title says, the list is updated!

Yard Sale HELP!

Hey everyone,

We're going to need a little extra help in the morning with the church yard sale. We'll need help at 6:00 getting everything set up. If you can help, please meet us for set-up!

Thanks!

Sunday's Vote

Sorry to take so long to get back with everyone. We'll announce this formally in church this Sunday, but I know many people are wondering how it went.

After the votes were tallied Sunday afternoon (there were a few people who couldn' be there Sunday morning who we added into the vote in the afternoon).

Anyhow, the list of nominees were passed by an overwhelming majority! Like all things at CCC, we've demonstrated our unity once more.

I've already contacted our new Shepherds and Servant-leaders and we're already working on times to begin meeting and praying about the direction of this leadership. This year will be an interesting one. CCC hasn't had a leadership structure like this before, so there will be much "inventing" to do this year. But I believe that this is a great step in our church.

Thanks everyone!

Jason