Family Matters

$3 Worth of God

I couldn't sleep this morning and was surfing the web.  I came across this quote in a posting by Pastor Joe Perkins on the First Baptist Church's (Mound City) website:

I would like to buy three dollars worth of God, please. I would like to buy just a little of the Lord. Not enough to explode my soul and disturb my sleep. Not enough to take control of my life. I want just enough to equal a cup of warm milk. Just enough to ease some of the pain from my guilt. I would like to buy three dollars worth of God, please. I would like to find a love that is pocket-sized. I don’t want enough of God to make me love a black man or pick beets with a migrant. Not enough to change my heart. I can only stand just enough to take to church when I have time. Just enough to equal a snooze in the sunshine. I want ecstasy, not transformation. I want the warmth of the womb, but not a new birth. I would like to purchase a pound of the eternal in a paper sack. If it doesn’t work, I would like to get my money back. I would like to buy three dollars worth of God, please. I would like to hide some for a rainy day. Not enough for people to see a change in me. Not enough to impose any responsibility. Just enough to make folks think I am ok. Could I just get three dollars worth of God, please? -Wilbur Rees

OUCH... the truth hurts, doesn't it?  I have to confess I can find myself in some of this:

• Just enough to ease some of the pain from my guilt.
• Not enough to take control of my life.
• Not enough to explode my soul and disturb my sleep.

The First Baptist Church website can be found HERE.

Keep Max Brockus in your prayers

I received a note from Stacy this evening telling me that her dad, Max, was hospitalized.  They don't know exactly what it is, but she said it was a stroke or something like it.

I just wanted you to keep Max, as well as Kelly and Stacy and their families in your prayers as Max recuperates and the girls travel to see their dad.

Keep Uncle Paul in your prayers - he's having surgery this afternoon

Hey gang, wanted to send a quick note.

Keep Uncle Paul in your prayers, he is having his gall bladder removed this afternoon (I think).  LOL... he's having some kind of surgery on his gall bladder for sure.

Pray that he has a speedy recovery.  He wears a lot of hats - Undersheriff, chief cook at the McKee household, wrestling partner for 3 little boys, wrestling partner for one wife (LOL), golfing partner of one big boy, well you get the picture.  He leads a very active life and a short recuperation time would be a blessing.  And the canoe trip is two weeks from today.

This photo of Uncle Paul was taken at the First Christian Church camp-out at the Linn County Park last weekend.

Quentin's baptism

On May 17, Quentin made what I consider to be the most important decision of his life.  He accepted Jesus as his Savior and was baptized.  Quentin is not only my nephew, now he is my brother in Christ.  It was great that not only was I able to be there to celebrate this decision of Quentin's that has eternal consequences, but the entire Cooney family was here to watch as well.

Here are some photos taken from that morning.

  
Here Quentin is on the dias with Pastor Joe Perkins.  Before being baptized, Pastor Joe introduced Quentin to the congregation and told them about Quentin's decision to accept Christ as his savior.

 
Pastor Joe talking about the significance of baptism.

 
Getting ready to go under...

 
Introducing the new Quentin as the old self has been washed away!

 
Quentin bookended by his Grandpa Ed and Grandpa Lonnie.

 
The kids at the service to witness Quentin's baptism.
Back row: Cody, Quentin, Jace holding Breck, and Jae.
Front row: Brena, Molli Blou, Mollie Marie, and Jess.

 
Our two beautiful Molli(e)s - Molli Blou and Mollie Marie.

 
Brena and Mollie

  
Quentin and Pastor Joe

 
Quentin with Kate, Bret and a very pouty Mollie.

After church, most of us drove to Fort Scott to have a celebratory lunch at Ziggie's with Quentin.

 
Mollie is lovin' her some Jace.

 
Jae, Jace holding Mollie, Jess and Quentin

 
Jae holding Molli and Jace holding Mollie, Jess and Quentin (with Julie and Kate watching from the background)

 
Mollie and Jae having fun looking at their silly reflections in a car in the parking lot.

This was an incredible day for Quentin and I am so grateful that we were all able to share in this special day with him.