It was the day after Christmas all through the land, snow was falling and ruined Rob’s plans. 

He had a wonderful sermon with both laughter and joy, it was going to be fun for every girl and boy. 

But the weather was really bad, the icy roads made Rob nervous, so he called Pastor Robby, and they canceled the service.

So enjoy this day at home with your family on a very cold Sunday, and don’t forget that we all need to tithe on Monday!

HA HA HA

Sometimes our plans don’t work out the way that we believe they are supposed to.  Maybe that is fitting for the day after Christmas.  Since the messiah had finally come to save everyone.  Yet he didn’t come in the way that everyone thought he should, as a prince or a warrior.  He came as a poor child of humble parents and surroundings. 

So even though things don’t always go the way that I want them to; I have hope that God is working it out in His own way, with His perfect love.  

May you find yourself blessedly stuck at home with your family this day!

-merry Christmas-

Rob Collins

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Rob Collins

Pastor of Students

Locust Grove Baptist Church

Another wonderful day here in Texas :)  The day has brought with it 2 inches of snow while my dear alabama friends are snowless.  strange.  even stranger is that yesterday the weather was sunny and warm, temperature in the mid 70s...i wore shorts and a tshirt most the day and ran my AC in the car!!!  Texas Weather...went from 70s to 20s in 24 hours! LOL

yesterday i spent much of the day taking pictures of family and using my new flip video camera!  my neice Savanna was the subject of most of our pictures.  she would do something funny or silly, we'd take a picture of it, then my sister would look at the picture and laugh, then my mom, then my dad.  big smiles! 

Latter that night Casey and I met with two dear friends of mine, Chuck and Janie Powell.  Casey and i left for downtown Fort Worth early, so that we could see all the xmas lights.  we made a pit stop at starbucks on main st.  while i was sitting there i notice an Asian family in front of me.  a young husband and wife with an adorable child.  Their daughter was being silly and they were taking pictures, of course.  the husband would hand his wife the camera so that she could see the picture, she would then laugh.  :-) 

I know that Christ preached equality, that's why i preach it.  I know that we are ALL made in God's image.  I know that Jesus taught us to love one another.  but as i watched this family, those truths became even more evident and OBVIOUS.  We are really all alike.  We love and hate, smile and cry, we give birth and pass away.  We...thats the important word here.  everyone is always trying to divide humanity, highlight our differences and bury our similarities...  but WE are loved by God.  WE are created in God's image.  Remember the story about a man robbed, beaten, and left to die on the side of the road?  Who was his neighbor?  the last person anyone would have guessed.  the samaritan was able to look past the differences...he saw that poor dying man just as he should have...with value. 

Maybe that's why Jesus taught us to love one another, maybe God - our Creator - understands us more than WE could ever comprehend!

This Christmas season i hope that all of us can start to see strangers as we should, our neighbors...especially the one we have the least in common with.

"For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ."  Galatians 3:27

Stories from Texas! 

Well I'm in Texas right now, enjoying the Christmas holiday with my family.  Yesterday afternoon Casey and I were both reading, DORKS-I know, and i needed a pen.  For making notes of course. lol.  Casey handed me a pen from her purse saying, "that's my favorite pen!"  I read for a while from Rob Bell's Velvet Elvis and began my underlining and note writing.  Low and Behold, the pen was worthy of favorite status!  Smooth gel ink and with little smearing.  I jokingly said..."wow this is a great pen!  Can i have it?"

her response, "sure you can." 

"but its your favorite pen." i commented.

 "i know, but its just a pen." she said

I can't honestly say that i would give away my favorite pen at a moments notice.  not the biggest sacrifice, i know.  still, it struck me.  that's the attitude of Christ, giving just as freely has God has given unto us. 

 It should be our constant goal to be more like Christ, to be less like the world. 

"...This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time." 2 Timothy 1:9