In Case You've Ever Doubted: Romans 8:28 IS TRUE

Here is that verse, presented in the King James Version:
"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."
It pops up whenever someone goes through the slightest hard time, or whenever anyone is dealing with a difficulty. It's like the standby verse for Christians, our Pepto for the upset stomachs of life. We use it so much whenever someone deals with a difficulty it almost loses some of its meaning.
Allow me to present this real-life scenario to show you that the verse is absolutely true.
We have been dealing with constant sickness in this house. My children have had it, as well as my wife. My mother-in-law and father-in-law have been sick for most of the previous week. I came down with it hard and heavy on Monday of this week. For my father-in-law, it seemed he had turned the corner.
Actually, he had not.
I got a message at work (yep- I went to work that day, and I shouldn't have) that he has the stomach virus. Another one came saying he was violently ill and would probably have to go to the ER. Next message said he was taken by ambulance. He was admitted for observation and to give him fluids because of dehydration. Here they determined he actually had Norovirus. Also, they believed that he had suffered a mild heart attack in the midst of this and needed to go to a better hospital.
He was taken to that hospital Tuesday morning. A heart catheterization was performed Thursday which determined that one of his arteries was blocked 100 percent. Another was blocked 95 percent. He would need double bypass surgery the next day. Wait- another message- another artery is blocked 99 percent, he will need triple bypass surgery.
He has had no symptoms of heart trouble. There were no indicators that this was even a factor.
I'm proud to say today that the QUADRUPLE bypass surgery was successful. His recovery will be long, but considering the alternative, we'll take it. We'll also take your prayers as we face this as a family.
But think about it.
None if this would have been discovered without him contracting the norovirus. My family would have had a father, grandfather, or husband taken from them suddenly without otherwise knowing there was a problem.
All things do work together for good to them that love God.
Even some of the worst things.

Church Signs, part 2: A Season for Everything

I wanted to show you two more church signs that I have seen in recent months. Two signs that remind us of the joy of the Christmas season. That glorious time of the year, when the weather is cooler, etc.
Scene 1:

Feel free to come to this church if you are interested in adoption or adding to a family in rapid, rapid manner.
Scene 2:

This church is rapidly becoming the proverbial gift that keeps giving.
I know you're looking at this and saying "You know, there's nothing really wrong with this. It's cheesy, yes, but no typos, no grammar issues. Why is it here?"
IT WAS TAKEN TODAY- MARCH 1, 2012.
Maybe this church is taking to heart the sentiment of celebrating Christmas all year long. Or maybe this is the church where the people that leave their Christmas lights up all year long. Whatever the case, Merry Christmas, people. I forgot to take the picture for scene 3. Maybe we'll make that into another topic for another time.