n     I dreamed I had an interview with God. “Come in” God said. “So, you would like to interview me?” “If you have the time, ” I said. God smiled and said: “My time is eternity and is enough to do everything; What questions do you have in mind to ask me?”

     “What surprises you most about mankind?” God answered, “That they get bored of being children, are in a rush to grow up, and then long to be children again. “That they lose their health to make money and then lose their money to restore their health. “That by thinking anxiously about the future, they forget the present, such that they live neither for the present nor the future.”

     God’s hands took mine and we were silent for awhile and then I asked…”As a parent, what are some of life’s lessons you want your children to learn?” God repled with a smile: “To learn that there are persons that love them dearly, but simply do not know how to express or show their feelings. To learn that money can buy everything but happiness. To learn that two people can look at the same thing and see it totally different. “

     “To learn that a true friend is someone who knows everything about them… and likes them anyway. To learn that it is not always enough that they be forgiven by others, but that they have to forgive themselves.”

     I sat there for awhile enjoying the moment. I thanked Him for his time and for all that He has done for me and my family, and he repled, “Anytime, I’m here 24 hours a day. All you have to do is ask for me, and I’ll answer.” I gave Him a “high five” hand shake and told Him that I would be back with many more questions throughout my life, to which He gestured back to me with a thumbs up response.

     What questions do you have for God? Go ahead and ask him, but be prepared to not always receiving a timely response from Him. He has a lot of time to answer you, which he may do through other people you may or may not know, through book and magazine articles, through songs or hyms that you hear, through social media, radio, or TV programs, and last, but not least, right there in your own home or church when you pray to Him! God is the answer, now what is your question?

     The modern American version of Mother’s Day began in the early 20th century, thanks to Ana Jarvis. Ann Jarvis, inspired by her own mother, Ann Jarvis, organized the first Mother’s Day service in 1908 at Andrews Methodist Episcopla Church in Grafton, West Virginia. Anna’s goal was to honor mothers and motherhood.

     Anna Jarvis’s efforts led to the establishment of Mother’s Day as an official U.S. holiday in 1914. President Woodow Wilson signed a proclamation designating the second Sunday in Masy as Mother’s Day.

     Ironically, Anna Jarvis later denounced the commercialization of Mother’s Day and spent the latter part of her life trying to remove it from the calendar. Despite this, the tradition persisted, and today, Mother’s Day involves presenting moms with flowers, cards, and other tokens of appreciation. I can visualize Jesus giving his mother Mary, a beautiful arrangment of heavenly flowers, expressing his love and appreciation to her for bringing him into this world as our Savior.

 “A mother is she who can take the place of all others, but whose place no one else can take.” – Cardinal Mermillod

“God could not be everywhere, and therefore He made mothers.” – Rudyard Kipling

“A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials are heavy and suddenly fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends desert us; when trouble thickens around us, she will still cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness,and cause peace to return to our hearts.” – Washington Irving

“Of all the rights of women, the greatest is to be a mother.” – poet and scholar Lin Yutang

“A man loves his sweetheart the most, his wife the best, but his mother the longest.”

“There’s no way to be a perfect mother, and a million ways to be a good one.” – Jill Churchill

“Mothers are like glue. Even when you can’t see them, they’re still holding the family together.” – Susan Gale

“It’s not easy being a mother. If it were, fathers would do it.” – The Golden Girls

“When your mother askes, “Do you want a piece of advice? ‘ it is a mere formality. It doesn’t matter if you answer yes or no. You’re going to get it anyway.” – Erma Bombeck

“I want my children to have all the things I couldn’t afford. Then, I want to move in with them.” – Phyllis Diller

“A mother is a person who, seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie” – Tenneva Jordan

“A mother is the person you can always call to see how long chicken lasts in the fridge.” – Unknown young adult son or daughter living alone in their apartment

     Although you don’t see them standing by you on a daily basis, various religious teachings and beliefs assures us that each person has a guardian angel assigned to them. These celestial beings have specific missions: to protect and guide individuals throughout their lives. It is sometimes that little voice that you hear in your head or a gut feeling that tells you what you should do.

     Billy Graham, a prominent Christian evangelist, emphasized that for  believers, nothing happens outside God’s control. The Bible states that God commands his angels to guard us in all our ways (Psalm 91:11). Although largely unseen, angels watch over us and work for our good. Rather just one angel, God surrounds us with a host of angels to protect and guide us. They all can fit into your car or house, no matter how big or small they may be!

     Some people believe that each person has their own dedicated guardian angel who focuses mainly on helping them throughout their life. Others think that people receive help from various guardian angels as needed, with God matching their abilities to the specific assistance required at any given time. However, I don’t think they wash dishes or do your laundry!

    Guardian angels can appear as human beings to offer help or guidance. Sometimes, they may resemble ordinary people, blending into our surroundings without us even realizing their divine presence. These encounters often leave individuals feeling comforted and protected, even if they are unaware that a guardian angel was near. Have you ever experienced some unknown person coming up to you asking you if you needed some help or assistance? Now, was that a guardian angel or a helpful good samaritan?

     Remember that while guardian angels are real, our focus should remain on worshipping God alone, and salvation is found through Christ.

     Seeking new elders and deacons and hiring a new pastor for our church community are crucial tasks for us to achieve. However, the order of priority may depend on our specific circumstances.

     Elders and deacons play essential roles in our church’s leadership and ministry. They provide spiritual guidance, oversee church affairs, and serve the congregation. Since we are experiencing a shortage in both elders  and deacons, its essential to identify new leaders. This ensures continuity and stability. However, we are also experiencing a shortage of active church members from which the elders and deacons are selected from.

     A strong team of elders and deacons can share responsibilities, support the congregation, and address pastoral needs. The process of selecting new elders and deacons involves the congregation, fostering a sense of ownership and participation. And the rest of the congregation can also encourage others they know who are looking for a church to belong to, that they should seek out our church for their spiritual needs.

     Hiring a new pastor is quite important as well. A pastor provides spiritual nourishment, conducts worship services, and leads the congregation in prayer and study. A pastor supports members during life events (births, deaths, marriages) and provides counseling. A new pastor can bring fresh vision, energy, and ideas to the church community.

     So, which process is more urgent than the other? Seeking new elders/deacons or a new pastor? In some cases where a church lacks pastoral leadership, hiring a new pastor may take precedence. Searching for a pastor also involves the congregation in identifying potential elders and deacons. These processes can happen concurrently. The real challenge is establisihng a balanced approach during this selection process.

     In order to help us select a new pastor, we also need your input in what you desire from a new pastor. We will soon be putting together a questionnaire to hand out to you requesting your input of your expectations for a new pastor. And if any active church member desires to be an elder and/or a deacon, please contact our church office. Thank you for your continued support and let us pray together for spiritual guidance during this time of need of leadership for our Woodburn Presbyterian Church here in Leland, North Carolina!