From the Editor

Greetings and best wishes for the new year!

All sorts of new beginnings for Grace Presbyterian. Our new building is mostly finished and in the process of becoming occupied. We’ve begun holding Sunday School classes there. As we expand to fill this new space we’ll need to modify some of our basic rules and procedures on the use of the original, and arrive at new ones on the use of all the space. Let us know if you have thoughts or particular concerns.

Also, as you’ve probably heard by now, the congregation overwhelmingly approved the call to Reverend Larry Turner to become our new permanent pastor. If all the approvals go through as expected, he and his family should be here in early February.

Last month I wrote a little regarding education and the free flow of information. Since then, I’ve read Al Gore’s new book, The Assault On Reason (Penguin Press, May, 2007), and he expands on this theme very eloquently. I encourage everyone to read this book.

As always, we invite your comments and feedback on anything that’s on your mind.

Carl

newsletter@grace-pres.org

Our Worship Schedule

Contemporary Service Sunday School hour Traditional Service

8:45 - 9:45 10:00 - 11:00 11:15 - 12:15

Grace Presbyterian Sunday School

Nursery	Kathe Walker	Judy Thigpen
Room 103
2 Year – Pre-K	Wendi Glenn	Frances Kitterman
Room 102A	Debbie Metoyer
Bible Quest
Kindergarten – 5^th Grade	Susan Lawson	Michelle Miles
Room 102B	Cathy Bendall
Bible Quest
6^th Grade – Up	Carl Jones	Greg Krishen
Portable
Bible Quest
Adults
In-Betweeners Class	Discussion -- This is a new adult class for young adults, college aged through 30’s. Clyde Getman will help coordinate class materials
Session Room
Call Sara Lawson, S.S. Superintendent, 867-3431, or Suzanne Getman Asst. Superintendent, 382-7777 for questions or if you are interested in joining this new adult class
Bible Discovery	John Dotson	Bill Bendall
Room 101A	Study – I Corinthians
Friendship Class	John Price
Room 101B	Discussion – Book of Acts & Titus

From the Pastor

Dear People of Grace,

As we prepare to welcome Rev. Larry Turner into the Presbytery of the Mid-South as the new installed pastor of this congregation, I thought that perhaps it might be helpful to ponder just what a pastor is. Through the words of the prophet Jeremiah God has promised: “I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding” (Jer. 3:15). So, first of all, we understand pastors as called by God and set apart for a specific function within the Christ’s Church.

Calvin believed that God does not need ministers to do the work of the Spirit, but we need them. God shows high regard for us by calling some among us to represent the divine will to the rest of us. We learn humility by being taught by another fallible human being and thus are nourished in a bond of love. Calvin also wrote in his Institutes of the Christian Religion (Book 4:8:9): "Here is the supreme power with which pastors of the Church, by whatever name they are called, should be invested— namely, to dare all boldly for the word of God, compelling all the virtue, glory, wisdom, and rank of the world to yield and obey its majesty; to command all from the highest to the lowest, trusting to its power to build up the house of Christ and overthrow the house of Satan; to feed the sheep and chase away the wolves; to instruct and exhort the docile, to accuse, rebuke, and subdue the rebellious and petulant, to bind and loose; in fine, if need be, to fire and fulminate, but all in the word of God".

To better understand the role of pastor in our own day and age, Keith Schooley has published an article which can be found at http://www.quodlibet.net/schooley-pastor.shtml. Here’s an excerpt from that article:

“A pastor’s responsibilities include serving others, exemplifying his message through his [or her] daily actions, loving his people, and a concern especially with those who are weak and in need. However, a much more common view of the pastor in the church, often arrived at by default rather than analysis, is to regard the pastor as the chief worker of the church. Tasks of administration, visitation, counseling, assuaging difficulties, and many other, individually minor, demands on his time have the combined effect of squeezing out what scripture regards as the pastor's primary responsibility—that of teaching the people of God the truths of God’s word and principles of godly living. Many pastors are pressured by people in their congregations to be "more visible" or "more accessible." Those who demand these things have little understanding that time spent in private study or in the solitary prayer closet may be of much greater value to the Body of Christ than endeavoring to be seen doing what the people want the pastor to do.

If the call on a person’s life to pastoral ministry is truly of God, then it is to do the work of God, which is described and exemplified in scripture.  It is not necessarily to do the work expected by congregants. Churches need to allow their pastors to involve lay leadership in circumstances that do not require a pastor, and members of congregations need to accept a visit or some other ministry by a brother or sister in Christ as just as valid as the same thing being done by a pastor. People naturally feel honored when the pastor takes time out of his schedule to meet personally with them, and they enjoy seeing him involved in community affairs. But when a pastor spends the majority of his time "taking time out" to do these things, he risks neglecting the gift he has been given; just as bad, he often finds himself trying to operate outside of the gifts God has given him, because God has given him gifts appropriate to the ministry He has called him to, not necessarily the one people expect from him. The success of the modern megachurch may be due partly to the fact that a senior pastor, often a gifted preacher and expositor, is freed by his staff to actually do the work he has been called to do. How much more effective might the Church be if all those who are called to teach the word of God were able to do the same thing?”

You might want to read the rest of that article as you prepare for the coming of Rev. Turner. And I encourage you to continue to pray fervently for Rev. Turner and his wife, Beth, and their family as they make the transition to Bartlett and to Grace Presbyterian.

What a wonderful new year this will be for God’s people! A new pastor, a new building, new opportunities for ministry! “So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

May God bless you as you boldly into God’s good future,

Judith

Letters to the Editor

Dear SLOG:

How about putting in some contact information in case people need to ask questions about the articles that appear in the newsletter? Email and phone number would be great.

Polly Schrimper

Dear Polly:

Great idea. Most of the time contributing writers include some contact information, particularly if they’re needing help from people, but I’ll try to make a point to get that in more consistently.

Dear SLOG:

You keep telling people to send email, but what about those of us who don’t have email (whatever that is)? Can we get something in the newsletter another way?

Unconnected

Dear Unconnected:

Well, the correct answer is for you to get into the 21^st century with the rest of us and do email . . . But for those hard-headed hold-outs, if you insist, you can mail it to the church, care of Newsletter, address for which is printed on the back page of every bulletin, or put it on the desk in the church office in an envelope marked “Newsletter”. Email is much preferred, however, because your newsletter editor is exceedingly lazy and that way he doesn’t have to actually type articles . . .

Dear SLOG:

Any way you uprights might stop yanking my house out and waking me up at Sunday School? I already have to put up with that five days a week, and it takes me a long time to get my nest put back right. Not to mention, some of you seem to think I look like a tube of toothpaste . . . C’mon, can you gimme a break on Sunday?

Mr. Fuzzles

Dear Mr. Fuzzles:

I feel your pain. I wish I didn’t have to get up on Sunday either. However, since you’re a hamster you can be excused and I hope printing your letter will help everyone to be more considerate of one of God’s (arguably) lesser creatures.

From the Friendship Sunday School Class

The Friendship Class (John Price) is taking a break from our study of the Book of Acts. We’re going to listen to a series of CDs entitled Tough Grace in Difficult Places, by Charles Swindoll. It is a study on the Book of Titus.

We’ll begin our study on January 13, and we’d love to have visitors. We meet in the new building, first classroom on the right. Judy Price will be guiding these sessions.

Judy Price

386-8976

jjpricetn@aol.com

From the Session

 At the December Stated Meeting of the Session, we heard the sad news that Cathy and Ted Harris will be leaving Grace Presbyterian to attend another church in which their children are already active.  The Session, on behalf of the Church, thanked and commended Cathy for leading the Praise Band during most of the year, as well as for sharing her beautiful voice with us, and Ted for his guitar instrumentation.  They will be sorely missed, but it will be good for their family to be in church together.

Dossett Foster, Clerk of Session

From the Congregational Life Committee

Day Trippers will sponsor White Elephant Bingo Monday, January 28.  We will have a potluck lunch at 11:30 am and Bingo from 1:00 to 3:00.

You are encouraged to bring a new item to be used as a prize that has a value of at least a dollar - one that you have absolutely no use for, but  just can't bring yourself to part with.    Bringing a prize is not a requirement; additional  prizes will be provided.  Come join us for a time of fellowship, food and fun.

Sneak preview of February 2008 fellowship events:

The Congregational Life Committee will sponsor game night Friday, February 29.  Additional details will be published in the weekly bulletins.

Day Trippers has tentatively scheduled a trip to Reelfoot Lake on Tuesday, February 26 to see the majestic Bald Eagles.   When we arrive at Reelfoot, we will enjoy a 2 hour Ranger guided bus tour.  Of course we will be eating lunch at one of the restaurants adjacent to the lake.  Additional details will be published in the weekly bulletins.

Byron Graves

386-6779

bgraves6@bellsouth.net

Understanding the Design and Symbolism
of the U.S. One Dollar Bill

Although symbols are open to many interpretations, we believe the following information offers some historical insight (and some undocumented perceptions) about the design and meaning of some of the images on the one dollar bill. The explanations and interpretations that appear below were verified by the Truth or Fiction website, and predominantly (except where noted otherwise) reflect the official interpretations of the United States Treasury Department and the United States Department of State, the official keeper of the United States Seal.

Take out a dollar bill and study it.

The one dollar bill you're looking at first came off the presses in 1957 in its present design. According to the U.S. Treasury Department, that is when the motto, "In God We Trust" started being used on paper money. It was in use on coins long before that.

This so-called paper money is in fact a cotton and linen blend, with red and blue minute silk fibers running through it. It is actually material. We've all washed it without it falling apart. A special blend of ink is used, the contents we will never know. It is overprinted with symbols and then it is starched to make it water resistant and pressed to give it that nice crisp look.

If you look on the front of the bill, you will see the United States Treasury Seal. Although some claims have been made that the scales represent the need for a balanced budget, the Treasury Department has little to do with whether the budget is balanced, since that is actually handled by congress. The U.S. Treasury Department indicates that the balancing scales actually represent justice. In the center, some people believe there is a carpenter's T-square, a tool used for an even cut. But that image is actually a chevron with 13 stars representing the 13 original colonies. Underneath is a key that is intended to represent a symbol of authority.

If you turn the bill over, you will see two circles. The two circles reflect the two sides of the Great Seal of the United States. Before the adjournment of the Continental Congress on July 4th, 1776, a committee was appointed to develop a seal for the United States. The committee was Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson, three of the five men who had drafted the Declaration of Independence. They were merely the first committee, however. It took six years, the work of two additional committees and a total of 14 men before a final version of the Great Seal was approved. The final proposal, as accepted by Congress, was submitted on June 13, 1782, by Charles Thompson, Secretary of Congress. He brought together some of the recommendations of the three committees, their consultants, and artists.

If you look at the left hand circle, you will see a Pyramid. This pyramid was not a part of the proposals for the Great Seal until the third committee, and it was not suggested by Jefferson, Franklin, and Adams. Notice the face is lighted and the western side is dark. Although there is no "official" explanation for the shading, some interpret it as a reflection that our country was just beginning and had not begun to explore the West or decided what we could do for Western Civilization.

The Pyramid is UN-capped, which may signify that our country was not yet finished. The unfinished state of the pyramid was intentional, and Charles Thompson, in his remarks to congress about the symbolism on the Great Seal, said the pyramid represented "Strength and Duration." Inside the capstone you have the all-seeing eye, an ancient symbol for divinity. Although Franklin's committee did not suggest a pyramid, it did originate the suggestion of the eye. However, the term "the all-seeing eye" was never officially used when describing it. The Franklin committee wanted the seal to include a reflection of divine providence and discussed a variety of themes including the Children of Israel in the Wilderness.

"IN GOD WE TRUST" is on this currency. The Latin above the pyramid, ANNUIT COEPTIS, means "God has favored our undertaking." It was Franklin's belief that one man couldn't do it alone, but a group of men with the help of God could do anything. The Latin below the pyramid, NOVUS ORDO SECLORUM, is interpreted to mean "a new order for the world." At the base of the pyramid is the Roman Numeral for 1776.

If you look at the right-hand circle, and check it carefully, you may notice that with only slight modifications it is the Seal of the President of the United States. It also appears on every National Cemetery in the United States, the Parade of Flags Walkway at the Bushnell, Florida National Cemetery, and is the centerpiece of most heroes' monuments. On the Great Seal, the eagle faces the talon holding the olive branch. The eagle on The Presidential Seal faced in the opposite direction-toward the talon holding the arrows until 1945, when Harry Truman had it redesigned to face the olive branch as well.

No one knows for certain what the symbols mean. But although there is no explanation of the imagery of the eagle in the official records, most historical references to the bald eagle indicate that it represents something of uniquely American origin. One of the original design proposals for the Great Seal featured a small crested white eagle, which is not uniquely American, but this was later changed to the uniquely American Bald Eagle. An unsupported interpretation of the inclusion of the Bald Eagle is that it could also represent victory and independence, because the eagle is not afraid of a storm, is strong and smart enough to soar above it, and wears no material crown.

Also, notice the shield is unsupported. Charles Thompson said it denoted that the United States of America ought to rely on their own virtue. The shield consists of red and white stripes with a blue bar above that represents Congress. The colors are taken from the American flag and officially the red represents hardiness and valor, the white represents purity and innocence, and the blue, vigilance, perseverance, and justice. In the Eagle's beak you will read, "E PLURIBUS UNUM", meaning "one nation from many people."

Above the Eagle you have thirteen stars representing the thirteen original colonies. Again, we were coming together as one. Notice that the Eagle holds an olive branch and arrows in his talons. The official meaning is that the olive branch and the arrows "denote the power of peace and war." As noted previously, the design shows the eagle facing the olive branch. This was the opposite of the the Presidential Seal, which showed the eagle facing the arrows, until President Harry Truman had it redesigned to face the olive branch in 1945."

Some feel that the number 13 is an unlucky number. You will usually never see a room numbered 13, or hotels or motels with a 13th floor. But the significance of the number 13 in U.S. history is very strong. The number 13 as used on many U.S. symbols (the stripes on the flag, steps on the Pyramid, 13 stars above the eagle, 13 plumes of feathers on each of the Eagle's wings, 13 bars on the shield, 13 leaves on the olive branch, 13 fruits, and 13 arrows) all represent the beginning of our country, as established by the thirteen colonies. But it should also remind us of the importance of the "13th Amendment". And you can, and should, be reminded of the history of this country each time you look at a one dollar bill.

http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/triviadollar.htm

contributed by Bill McGoldrick

From the Presbyterian Women

You may have seen some very busy bees this past year at Grace Presbyterian Church. They were not bees, they were our PW!!!!!!!!!

Yes, the year was busy and very productive. We contributed to several receptions or family meals for the families of our church members who passed away. We morn the loss of four of our PW members Rosa Bettis, Bonnie McLain, Betty Stedham and Martha Wingard.

On June 3^rd. during our church service we presented Sandy Kehrli with the Life Membership. Sunday September 16^th the PW officers were installed by Rev. Judith Reese. They are:

Moderator Jan Evans 386-4672 H_easy@msn.com	Historian Dot Hathaway 388-2117 Dotken8@juno.com	Circle # 3 Leader Miree Pomering 386-3709
Vice Moderator Wendi Glenn 873-1963	Hostess Jane McGoldrick 388-4456 bjmcgold@aol.com	Circle # 4 Leader Sara Lawson 867-3431 slawson@lawsoneng.com
Secretary Jean Starnes 377-7171 nstarnes@bellsouth.net	Circle # 1 Leader Virginia Martin 386-4504	Circle # 5 Leader Sandy Kehrli 372-5496 Kehrli.sandy@seabrk.com
Treasurer Susan Lawson 385-9905	Circle # 2 Leader Linda Foster 382-0684 granf@bellsouth.net

Sales of our cook book, A Taste of Grace, have been wonderful. We presented a check for $754.75 from the profits of the cook book to the building fund. We expect to be giving more contributions as the cook book sales are 100 per cent profit.

We presented a pulpit robe to Cristaldawn Perry for her to wear as she conducted the service on November 11^th. Cristaldawn will graduate from the divinity school in May of 2008. Cristaldawn has been a member of our church since she was 5 years old.

Our Christmas in July toy drive was successful. We wrapped the gifts along with food baskets for 8 families in need this year. Without the contributions from the members of Grace Presbyterian Church we would not have been able to carry out this annual project.

Other contributions the PW made this year were funds for the mission trip to Honduras, Thanksgiving food baskets, plus a very successful Nursery Shower to replenish the nursery toys and supplies. Members also sent Christmas cards for the children in the Orphanos Program, get well cards to members of our church plus provided suppers for the youth group. We presented a gift certificate and Children’s Bible Story Book to the two new babies born to members of Grace.

All of us enjoyed being together for the gatherings in June, September and December. We also had a delightful cookie exchange in December plus revealed our Secret Pals at the December gathering who we had prayed for and given gifts to all year.

Next year we will help the youth sponsor fund raisers for their camp retreat at Montreat, sponsor a Breakfast With Santa before the cookie exchange plus in May we will have a Craft/Hobby silent auction. A quilt will be auctioned from the quilt top provided by Inez Armour and quilted by Polly Schrimper plus hand made crafts from our church members

On display in the church hallway is a quilt made by the Circle # 4 members with each piece representing the story of Genesis. Suzanne Getman quilted the beautiful finished project.

See, I told you we were busy. And as you can see will plan to be even busier next year. If you are not a member of a circle please join us. For a circle to be complete, there must be a coming together. Circles shaped around heartfelt needs will achieve the purpose of Presbyterian Women.

January Circle Meetings:

Circle # 1 Tuesday January 8, 2008 10:00 AM at the church

Circle # 2 Tuesday January 8, 2008 10:00 AM at the home of Harriette Wynne

Circle # 3 Tuesday January 15, 2008 10:00 AM at the church. Out to lunch after the Bible Study Lesson.

Circle # 4 Monday January 14, 2008 7:00 PM at the church

Circle # 5 Tuesday January 8, 2008 7:00 PM at the home of Paula Bishop

PW Board Meeting:

Monday January 28, 2008 at 7:00 PM at the home of Jan Evans

Jan Evans

386-4672

H_easy@msn.com
From the Honduras Mission

As most of you know, Grace Presbyterian Church sponsored several children in San Isidro, Honduras to cover the cost of attending school. In addition, several members of the congregation individually sponsored a child.

The Church has received letters from three children who are sponsored by the Church. These letters were written in Spanish and Larry Toussaint was kind enough to interpret these letters into English for publication in the newsletter.

Their school year begins in February 2008 and we have, thus far, received no information concerning sponsorship for the upcoming school year.

Thank you for your support of the Honduras Mission Program and especially for your support of these children.

Wayne Gillespie 327-3360 Volfan72@bellsouth.net

Bill Bendall 382-5243 bbendall@earthlink.net

Cathy Bendall 382-5243 cathylb@earthlink.net

From San Isidro of Honduras Marlon Israel Lemos Romero

I greet you and hope this finds you in good health that God blesses those in the way of the Lord.

I am grateful for the help that you are giving me as it has served very much in my education. I want to tell you that I am in fourth grade elementary.

My mother is grateful with the help you are giving. Also I want to tell you that I always pray for you that you will always be well and that you lack nothing.

Affectionally,

Marlon Israel Lemos Romero

From Wilber Joel Lemus Romero

From San Isidro-Santa Cruse, Honduras, C.A.

I greet you and hope this finds you in good health and that God has blessed those in the way of the Lord. I want you to know that I am in the fourth grade in school and up to the present I am well. I want to express my gratitude for the help you have given me. I also want to tell you that my mother is very grateful to you and God.

Also, I want to tell you that I always pray for you and that you will always be well.

Attentatively,

Wilber Joel Lemus Romero

From Nolvin Antonio

With much affection and love

Hello,

May God keep you with many blessings. I am grateful to God and to you personally because it is for me a matter of pride to let you know that your help has been of great benefit. Many hugs from me. I hope to know you so that I can give you an enormous embrace. I love you very much and am receiving good grades. Also receive a greeting and many embraces from me and my parents and my brother. I am very grateful for what I have received from you. Thank you for your help for my studies. May God bless you.

(His picture will be on the MORE bulletin board)

Jonah, Chapter 3

A second time Jonah heard the call from the Lord.

This time Gods' command was not ignored.

Jonah did obey

And went on his way

To that great city of Nineveh to proclaim God's Word.

"In forty more days Nineveh will be overturned," Jonah did say.

The people believed God, fasted, wore sackcloth,

and changed their way.

When the news reached the king,

His robes he did fling.

He also believed God, wore sackcloth

and sat in the dust on that sad day.

A decree from the king then went out around the land.

"Let all people and animals obey my command:

Wear sackcloth and fast;

Turn from evil at last.

Maybe then God will have compassion

and our city will still stand."

Because they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind, Saving Nineveh from destruction and also mankind.

There was joy in the city

Because God took pity

And did not bring on them the disaster he had assigned.

Suzanne Getman

From the Scouting Programs

Scouting for Food - Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts and Sea Scouts participated with other Scouts in the Chickasaw Council in Scouting for Food day on November 17, collecting food for persons in need in the Memphis area.

The Scouting programs of Grace Presbyterian Church canvas our immediate neighborhood on one selected day each year, collect canned and dry goods for delivery to the Food Bank to be distributed throughout their network. The visibility given Scouting for Food by the media this year helped make the community aware of one need of families in the area and one way Scouts are helping to meet that need. This year more than 32,000 pounds of food was collected for distribution.

One of the values encouraged by our Scouting programs is "service to others."

Sea Scouts - Members of Ship 487 marched in the Bartlett Christmas Parade on December 1. Sea Scouts dressed as a crew of pirates aboard their 22-foot Catalina sailboat as it was towed (sails down, of course) along Stage Road in position #9, led by two Sea Scouts with a banner reading "Sea Scout Ship 487, Grace Presbyterian Church."

A Sea Scout unit is coed, ages 14-20, in the Venturing Division of Boy Scouts of America. The unit is known as a ship with an emphasis on boating and water-related activities. Adult leaders have experience in Scouting, water safety, river, lake and salt-water navigation.

Several positive comments were received about our "float" in the parade. Congratulations to our young people!

ACROSS

1 exalted Solomon in the sight of all Israel and ___ on him royal (1 Chron 29:25)

6 as a follower of the Way, which they call a ___ (Acts 24:14)

8 we eagerly ___ a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ (Phil 3:20)

10 Joseph brought his father Jacob in and ___ him before Pharaoh (Gen 47:7)

12 the LORD with all your heart and ___ not on your own understanding (Prov 3:5)

13 He prepared a ___ for them, baking bread without yeast (Gen 19:3-4)

14 Your kingdom is divided and given to the ___ and Persians (Dan 5:28)

17 A word ___ spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver (Prov 25:11) KJV

18 But after I have risen, I will go ___ of you into Galilee (Matt 26:32)

20 the nations came against him, those from regions ___ about (Ezek 19:8)

21 as with the ___ of usury, so with the giver of usury to him (Isa 24:2) KJV

22 My command is this: Love each other as I have ___ you (John 15:12-13)

23 Be merciful to me, O God, for men ___ pursue me (Ps 56:1)

26 power and authority to drive out all demons and to ___ diseases (Luke 9:1)

28 It had large ___ teeth; it crushed and devoured its victims (Dan 7:7)

30 Your lips drop ___ as the honeycomb, my bride (Song 4:11)

33 the words of him who has the sharp, double-___ sword (Rev 2:12) (partial word)

34 Our sheep will increase by thousands, by ___ of thousands in our fields (Ps 144:13)

35 You have ___ correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live." (Luke 10:28)

DOWN

1 They exchanged their Glory for an image of a ___ , which eats grass (Ps 106:20)

2 the curtain of the temple was ___ in two from top to bottom (Matt 27:51)

3 saying indignantly to one another, "Why this ___ of perfume? (Mark 14:4)

4 Abraham set apart seven ___ lambs from the flock (Gen 21:28)

5 Then maidens will ___ and be glad, young men and old as well (Jer 31:13)

6 there shall come forth a rod out of the ___ of Jesse (Isa 11:1) KJV

7 "Return home and ___ how much God has done for you." (Luke 8:39)

9 "Yes, ___ is as you say," Jesus replied (Matt 27:11)

10 Come out of her, my people, that ye be not ___ of her sins (Rev 18:4) KJV

11 Why should I fear when evil days come, when wicked ___ surround me (Ps 49:5)

14 cargoes of cinnamon and spice, of incense, ___ and frankincense (Rev 18:13)

15 "You of little faith," he said, "why did you ___ ?" (Matt 14:31)

16 Wherefore look ye so ___ to day? (Gen 40:7) KJV

17 I myself will judge between the ___ sheep and the lean sheep (Ezek 34:20)

19 The disciples went and ___ as Jesus had instructed them (Matt 21:6)

24 "I am the Alpha and the ___ ," says the Lord God (Rev 1:8)

25 They come from faraway ___, from the ends of the heavens (Isa 13:5)

26 Dividing up his clothes, they ___ lots to see what each would get (Mark 15:24)

27 female sheep (Gen 32:14)

28 was in the ___ that is called Patmos, for the word of God (Rev 1:9) KJV

29 Share with God's people who are in ___ . Practice hospitality (Rom 12:13)

31 better to he__ a wise man's rebuke than to listen to the song (Eccl 7:5) (partial word)

32 Sir, your mina has earned ___ more (Luke 19:16)

Two 90-year-old women, Rose and Barb, had been friends all of their lives.  When it was clear that Rose was dying, Barb visited her every day. One day Barb said, "Rose, we both loved playing women's softball all our lives, and we played all through High School. Please do me one favor:  when you get to Heaven, somehow you must let me know if there's women's softball there."

Rose looked up at Barb from her deathbed, "Barb, you've been my best friend for many years. If it's at all possible, I'll do this favor for you."  Shortly after that, Rose passed on.

At midnight a couple of nights later, Barb was awakened from a s