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Sunday Edition

2007

May

Time Never Listens To Me…

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My dad was getting ready to leave for several weeks and the thought of him being gone so long was devastating to my 7 year old son, Cason. He could not fathom being separated from his "best buddy" for what seemed like an eternity. Cason looked up at my dad as he was walking out the door and said, "Papa, I was talkin' to "time" this morning and asked it to please hurry up so you would be home soon!!" Then he hung his head down and said, "but time never listens to me." Time definitely marches on whether we want it to hurry up or slow down.

I hate the fact that my birthday cake requires 2 packs of candles. And I'm not thrilled about holding the menu at a restaurant 3 feet from my eyes in order to read it (so glad most of them have pictures). And yes, I even watch the History channel - for fun!!! I have so become my parents. Two nights ago I was watching a documentary about the Titanic (on the History channel of course). My son got involved in the program with me and asked if I was on that ship. He's still grounded. I'll go put some more bread and water by his door in about an hour.

Why does "time" seem like the enemy. Is it because we have so much left to do and most of us would like to have accomplished more by now?

I am learning though, to view "time" from a different perspective. I have survived many storms in my life (physical, mental, spiritual). I realize now that "time" was my friend because as it continued to plunge forward, I followed it through to the other side of those storms. Without "time" there is no future, no growth, no past to cherish and learn from. I love this quote -- "We must use time as a tool not a crutch" (John F. Kennedy) Have you ever heard people blame their present circumstances on where they came from or who mistreated them? I have. I've even been guilty of doing it myself. Bet you have too. We lose valuable, irreplaceable time by dwelling on a past that can't be changed. However, as long as there is breath in your body, you do have the ability to change where you are headed.

We've all heard this phrase - nothing lasts forever. Why does this sound like a negative statement? It's not. This means that my troubles will soon be over and that my sickness is going to end and the pain will stop. This means that my past mistakes and failures can be corrected and forgiven. This means that even though my children are growing up and I miss them being little that I can enjoy the next stage of their lives. This means that as my hair turns gray and arthritis sets in that I can find peace and joy through the wisdom and experience I've acquired through this journey of "time." But even then, I'm not done. Because then I'm expected to share what I've learned to the young so they can make the most of their "time" on this earth.

We have all been handed a certain amount of this precious commodity we call "time." Allow it to work for you, not against you. I am learning to love "time" because it is all about "fresh starts," "new mercies," and "healing." Time is not partial or prejudice. It cannot be bought, persuaded, or stolen. It is a gift, not a curse. What I determine to do with my time today, determines my tomorrow. We all have that advantage because "time" offers it to everyone.

Enjoy today,
Karen

THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO VOTED FOR DARYL AS SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR. THE AWARD WAS QUITE AN HONOR!!!

Karen Williams
Daryl Williams Trio
http://www.darylwilliamstrio.net

Second Chances

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I wrote a song a few years back titled "More Than A Second Chance". Though that songs reflects the thought that God gives us more than a second chance when we fail, I was reminded a couple of weeks ago that God also gives us second chances in the natural world, where we sometimes miss an important opportunity to minister to someone in need. Let me explain. We were blessed to be a part of Southern Gospel Fan Fair in Chattanooga, TN a couple of weeks ago but the highlight of the week came on Friday morning. Let me back up to Thursday so that you understand why Friday was so great. Thursday night was awards night and Brian Free ran away with most every award he was nominated for. He deserved them to say the least! LOL. We were honored to sing on main stage Thursday night and we invited our dear friend Ernie Dawson to sing "My Home" with us. It was the highlight of our week or so we thought.

After the concert that night my wife and I were walking to our hotel which was about 4 blocks away and while walking a homeless lady in her mid 30's approached us asking for money. We didn't have any on us and so we told her good night and we walked on. After walking away my heart began to burn within me. I didn't say one word about Jesus to her. Money wouldn't have changed her life but Jesus would have. I began to think "I wish I could have another chance to talk to her". I just knew that I had missed a valuable opportunity to witness to someone.

Friday morning came and we were holding a special showcase at the convention center highlighting many of our up and coming friends in Southern Gospel music. The Oxendines, Living Waters Trio, Sunday Edition, Eternal Vision, Higher Ground, Reign Song, The Diggles Family and The Joyful Heirs all sang that morning. While Higher Ground was singing I looked over and leaning up against the wall was a young girl in her 30's. I thought to myself "I know her". Keith Oxendine of the Oxendines noticed that she was crying and that she seemed to be under conviction. I went over to her and introduced myself and she said "I know you...you met me on the streets last night". I was just in shock. God had brought this lady into our showcase...somehow, someway, God led her here. It was a second chance to tell her about Jesus.

Keith and I invited her outside and we began to talk to her about the Lord. She explained how that she had dropped out of school in the 10th grade and that she had been living on the streets for the past 3yrs. Her arms was scared up from attempted suicide and she explained how that she wrestled with hearing voices in her head. Some would say that she was just crazy but Keith and I both knew that she needed to be delivered from Satan. We ask a dear friend of ours Margie Tanner to come and pray with her. After much prayer this homeless lady that I thought I would never see again gave her heart to God. Glory to God! SGM Fan Fair put her up in a hotel where she could clean up and hooked her up with a pastor in Chattanooga that would help her get on her feet spiritually and physically. The whole purpose for us being at Fan Fair was for this lady. Remember that God is always working around us. We just have to go work where he is working.

I want to encourage you to always be aware of your surroundings and as Donna Beavais has said her April letter, lets not get so busy that we miss the opportunity for God to use us to reach a hurting world. Remember that if you do miss it hopefully God will give you a second chance. In the words of one of my favorite songs by Jessica of Hopes Call "I want to be used to make a change, In Jesus Name."

Thanks brother,

Curtis Hagy
Brothers Forever
423-292-5989
http://www.brothersforever.net

Mother’s Day Gift

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I don't have a song-story this month, but I have a song of praise to sing! I want to thank God for using my imperfections in parenting. I just spent three hours in deep discussion with my thirteen-year-old son about spiritual things. It is our families habit to read and have devotions every evening before bed. Tonight, Kabe and I talked long after his dad and sister had fallen asleep.

He was remembering the day he gave his heart and life to Jesus. He shared with me things I didn't know about how God had worked in his life to bring him to salvation. I was amazed at how a six-year-old kid could recognize the voice of God and answer His call. I'm so thankful the answer was "Yes, Lord." Well, back to my imperfections. You see, for the past seven years I've been sharing the story of how God used one of my worst days of parenting to bring about one of the best blessings I've ever received. It was one of those days when my nerves were frayed and just I blew it all day long. I lost my temper and yelled at my son. I don't remember what it was it was that upset me. I do remember that I was wrong, and God convicted me. I had to apologize to my Lord and to my six-year-old.

When I went into his bedroom that night to say our prayers, I said I was sorry for my bad behavior that day. I told him I loved him, and I wanted to be a good mother. I told him that I was trying so hard to teach him right from wrong, but this time I was wrong and that God let me know it. His answer was, " Mom, I want to get saved."

I couldn't have been more shocked, or more humbled. Here, I'd been fussing at him all day. I felt like a tyrant. And then after one simple apology, God turns it all around and blesses me with what I'd been praying for since before Kabe was even born! Somehow, my asking forgiveness of my son, helped him to see his need for forgiveness from our Heavenly Father. I marvel at how God can even use our imperfections for His glory! We saw a change in Kabe's behavior. God changed that six-year-old kid! We also saw a desire in him to serve the Lord. Thank God for the work of His Holy Spirit!
Tonight, my son shared with me many of the puzzle pieces that I hadn't known about. How a minister he'd heard preach a couple of weeks earlier had stirred his heart, and he knew then he was lost and needed Jesus. And how several other events in his young life led him to the realization that he wanted to know God personally.

I'm so blessed to be an imperfect mother with an imperfect son who knows the Perfect Risen Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This is the eternal Mother's Day gift!

Jennifer McCallister
The Bradleys
http://www.thebradleys.net

Singin’ In The Sun

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We just returned from four days in Myrtle Beach, SC. Wow! What a time we had! This is 2nd G’s second year to sing at Singing In The Sun, which is promoted by Ray Flynn of Abraham Productions. Remember the days of youth camp? We’ve decided that Singing In The Sun reminds us of those days. You make new friends and each year you go back, see your friends and make more new ones! Each day there was filled with so much fun and the evenings were times of refreshing and uplifting as each group poured out their souls ministering to the people. As we have said in our bio we grew up listening to the great’s of southern gospel music and now to be able to share such exciting times with them is so awesome. God is so good!! This was the first year for Jimmy Hoskins, our new member to attend. Many times he said it was overwhelming to be part of such excitement. Jimmy is doing great and we can’t wait until we get back into the studio. Time went by so quickly and before we knew it, it was Saturday night and time to go home. But, we left Myrtle Beach, SC with our hearts full and our minds renewed. The ministry given by each singer and speaker was wonderful. We are so excited about what we see God doing in our lives and those around us. It’s like the old song says, “If it keeps getting better and better oh Lord, I don’t know what I’m gonna do!” Until next time, keep singing!

2nd Generation
http://www.2ndgenerationministries.com

Recognizing Your Friends ~ Identifying Your Foes

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Matthew 10:16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves; be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

As I walk through this life I find that "TRUE" friends are rare and hard to find. Everybody says they want to be your friend, but that doesn't necessarily mean they want to be a forever friend; it could mean they just want to be your friend for the moment? I dunno? Call me ole' fashion; I thought a friend was a friend?

I must say that I have to be the most gullible person in the entire universe. I am guilty of trusting everyone and believe you me, that's gotten me into a heep of trouble before! It amazes me to no end that folks can take such advantage of an honest heart. But then, I focus on Calvary and I'm reminded of what "friends" did to Jesus.

We read in the Bible upon Jesus' return: And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends. Zechariah 13:6

I met someone awhile back that I thought to be my friend. I would do anything for this person. I truly believed them to be a "true" friend. As time went on though, I began to notice things that really concerned me and I began to pray about our friendship. God began to show me secrets in this persons life. Things I knew I didn't want to be associated with. We need to remember, assimilation brings on association.

Anyway, I shared with my friend how I had been praying and how I felt in my spirit and without hesitation my fears became reality. This kind and gentle person I thought I knew, turned on me. Literally, I was in shock at the transformation I had witnessed. I was under attack for being a "true" friend.

May I share with you a valuable lesson I have learned along this journey? I have learned to pray for the people I'm considering to be my friends. If I am faithful and true, God will allow me the wisdom and discernment to know if I have chosen a true friend.

The Bible teaches us: A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24

Friend: A person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard. A person who gives assistance; supporter. A person who is on good terms with another; a person who is not hostile.

Foe: A person who feels enmity, hatred, or malice toward another; enemy: a bitter foe. A thing that is harmful to or destructive of something.

Allow me close with this thought: A true friend will lead you down the path of righteousness, while a foe will lead you down the road to destruction. May we chose wisely!

John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Jesus is truly, "My Best Friend"

Many Blessin's,

Sharron Kay King
Songs of Sharron Ministries
http://www.sharronkaykng.com

For product or booking please call :
765-966-3057 or 765-993-6986

Rev 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the lamb, and by the word of their testimony;

In The Days Of Noah…

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Another month has gone by and the only thing that means is His return is closer.

I truly believe that we are in the latter days, and the signs are impecably visible. We have had a great month seeing alot of our friends and creating new relationships. In our travel time we have been able to listen to a numerous amount of song selections for our upcoming recording, and let me say there are an overwhelming amount of gifted, yet annointed writers in this genre of music.

I am also pleased to say that our Official website has launched and what a great response we have had from frequent visitors. I am truly grateful to Scott Warren at JSW Designs for being such an asset to our ministry and highly reccommend his company. You can find all our latest news, pics, and products as well as sign up for our monthly newsletter. In the near future we are starting an "At Home" article with the members in the group. I think fans would like to see our home life as well as those that are dear to us, our families.

The last couple of weeks I have been drawn to the words of a song I remember from childhood. It says, "As it was in the days of Noah, so the coming of the Lord shall be. When violence filled the Earth, when sin and crime ran free". It makes me realize that the opening statement I made is more true than we realize. All news lately has been disturbing, such as Virginia Tech. In the days of Noah crime was rampant and when God told him to build an Ark many thought he was crazy, but he was just obeying God and we all know what happened next. Many people redicule Christians for spreading the Gospel but how do they know what God has guided us to do.

His return is soon and I believe we need to be more like Noah. Trust in the Lord and pay attention to what is around us not wavering from what God has called us to do, seek the lost and uplift the hurting. Until next month continue to be "Driven!"

In Christ,

Jason Funderburk
Driven Quartet
http://www.drivenqt.com

Music to God’s Ears…

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Hey Everyone! We have had quite an amazing spring so far and we are really excited about the coming months! God is working in incredible ways! We are humbled...We are grateful!

Some awesome things are happening! Many radio stations around the country including the American Family Radio network are playing "You Are Loved" (acoustic version) and lives are being touched! It is at #6 on AFR's nationwide chart...As a result, Jim Stanley of American Family requested an interview with us during GMA week. What a wonderful experience! Let me explain:

Have you ever had one of those times when you had butterflies? You knew you needed to say just the right thing. You were determined to get it right and then...God moves in and you move over and what you have to say pales in comparison to the God plan of the conversation! That was how the interview went! Jim's questions were awesome and they opened the door for God to speak to all of us! He asked things like, Who is Jesus to you right now? WOW...Jesus is so much to me...How do I answer that?...Then God moved in and showed us who HE is as it relates to how He wants us to be as a ministry. Jesus is a foot washer, the example of all examples of how to take a ministry and make it about serving others. He is the ultimate example of humility. He shows us more each day that this is clearly not about us, but it is SOOOO much about pointing others to who HE IS!

Jesus is God in the flesh...bending over at the feet of others...probably not very fragrant others...and in spite of the dirt that their feet would soon return to...He washed and He washed...He looked beyond the effort and more toward the joy of loving and serving and showing us how He needed us to do it too! He was probably tired, but no matter...He did it anyway. He was probably aware that some would not appreciate it as much as others, but no matter...He was called to serve and HE did, with no argument. This is LOVE, This is GOD...and we want to be more like HIM everyday.

One other question we were asked during another interview was this: What do you want God to say to you when you get home to heaven? I thought alot about it...That is a tough one, because I know I will never be close to worthy to even stand in front of GOD and yet in His mercy He will allow me to...but through it all my prayer is that God will say of our music and our ministry..."You sang, you served, you loved, you washed some feet...I heard your heart...and it was music to my ears." Music to God's ears...I wonder what that sounds like? I know one thing...it is God himself that makes it incredibly beautiful!

[One side note...It would also be pretty cool if I heard him say..."Here is 5 pounds of chocolate...Enjoy! You won't gain an ounce"...YAY]!

YOU ARE SO LOVED! Thanks for blessing us with your friendship and your prayers...Let us know who Jesus is to you! We would LOVE to hear from you!

Donna
http://www.hopescall.com

I Find Pennies!

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This month’s article is dedicated to our dear friend, Barbara Faircloth – we love you.

I find pennies. I find pennies so often; it has actually become humorous to my family. I always say, “I find pennies because I’m looking for them.” Tim did some work on Rebecca’s van recently, so I drove it to the school to pick her up. When we got to a red light on the way home, I decided to switch places with her to let her see how well her van was driving. I jumped out and ran around like a Chinese fire drill, and when I got in the passengers side, Rebecca asked, “Did you drop something?” Rebecca had seen me stoop down while making my race around the van. I held out my hand and there sat a penny. “You’ve got to be kidding!” she answered.

It’s great to get blessed. God sends blessings our way so often. Many times we don’t see the blessings because we are not looking for them. According to Webster’s dictionary, a blessing is anything that brings happiness. There are blessings all around, but like those pennies, we don’t always see them. There was a time in my life when I considered having to sit at home on a Friday night with nothing to do a bad thing. These days, I turn cartwheels when I have a free Friday! Deuteronomy 28 tells us that we are blessed in the city and blessed in the field. We are blessed when we come in and when we go out. We are blessed in the baskets and blessed in the store. I never used to look for blessings. There was a lady who worked at the hospital where Tim gets his treatments that had the same answer every time you asked how she was doing. This nurse would always say in a wonderful Southern drawl, “I’m blessed and highly favuhed in Jesus!” We began to imitate her at home and quickly came to the realization of how important it is to know that we are a blessed people. I can always see the blessings now. It’s because I’m looking for them.

till next time…
Sally

Be listening for our new radio single release – “THE WORD IS OUT” – from our new album of the same title! Co-written with Daryl Williams. Released through the Rick Hendrix Company.

For bookings or product, simply call 615-459-5119 or email us at for more information.

To find out more about The Quicks, visit us on the web at http://www.thequicksonline.com.

To contact The Quicks, Phone: 615-459-5119 / 615-403-0047
Write: The Quicks / P.O. Box 581 / Smyrna, TN 37167
E-mail:


Aaron and Amanda Crabb

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Hello everyone! Hope this finds each of you blessed! We are new at writing this article and are thankful for the opportunity.

August 1, 2007, Aaron and Amanda Crabb Ministries will be going full time. God has given Aaron and I a heart to see the lost saved, and those that are bound set free. No matter what it is that has them bound.... As a child I faced issues that could've caused me to point my finger and blame God.. And there were times I would question, why me? God if you say you never leave us or forsake us,...How could you allow this to happen to me.. It wasn't until 2 years into my marriage that God set me free. He showed me that I faced those things so I would see His glory in my life.. Thank God I can see that now... There are people out there hurting and asking God WHY?? We don't have all the answers, but we know the one who does.. He will trade your sorrow for dancing, joy for your pain... HOW? In HIS presence... I love psalms 16:11.. It says in His presence is fullness of joy, and at his right hand are pleasures forever more.. I can have joy in my life because I choose to live in his presence, I can have peace in my life because of his presence.. And if he will do it for me... HE WILL DO IT FOR YOU!! Romans 5:3-4 says... Tribulations worketh patience; patience experience; and experience hope: I can now tell you there is hope no matter what your facing... Jesus Christ paid it all!!!

Aaron and I are working on getting songs together for a album. Please join us in prayer as we step out in faith.

Visit us at aaronandamandacrabb.com
And if you are a myspace member visit http://www.myspace.com/aaronandamandacrabb

God Bless you !!!

Aaron and Amanda Crabb

King’s Heralds - May 07

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We hello again. We certainly hope that this month finds you well and warm. We don't know about you, but everywhere we have traveled for the most part has been just a little on the cool side. We can't wait for all those outdoor concerts and mosquitoes!!Yea!

Last month we just hinted at an adventure that we had on our last trip out. Well if any of you have been around quartets for very long, you have no doubt have heard their famous stories about their buses, vans,trucks and other various means that groups use to transport themselves. Well our adventure begins in Columbus Ga. when without any warning we noticed that we were surrounded in what looked like hot steam which completely engulfed our vehicle. Upon further investigation we discovered that the steam was coming out of the rear exhaust pipe. Well we did some asking and found a garage there in Columbus. After looking under the hood, the mechanic informed us that they could fix the problem but it would take about a week. Well to make a long story short, we wound up having to rent a van and finish out tour of which there were 16 dates left. The beautiful thing was that we never missed a date ,even thought we had to drive like the wind getting out of Columbus,Ga. to make our date that night. 16 days and several states later, we picked up our vehicle and off we went...she's running as good as new!

We want to thank all of our prayer partners and members of our faith family for enabling this ministry to move forward. As we are getting ready to start another 10 day tour of Texas and Oklahoma please continue to pray not only for us and our voices but for the concerts as well. We sing to folks every night who look good on the outside but once you get to talking to them, are carrying some heavy burdens. Pray that not only the music will touch their lives , but also pray that they will be touched by The Master.

If you can't come see us when we are in your area ,at least call your local southern gospel station and request "I'm Prepared." We love you and look forward to seeing you down the road.

King's Heralds
http://www.theheralds.org

May Reflections ‘07

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One day not long ago while browsing a flea market disguised as an antique store, my eyes fell upon a stack of used books. I normally wouldn’t stop to glance at paperbacks. They’re just not at all what I’m interested in. (I like the old Victorian books, more for their covers than anything, I guess …beautifully bound and edged in gold.) But on that particular day, the title of this dog-eared paperback caught my attention. I didn’t buy it, so I have no idea what its contents consist of, but the title was certainly intriguing… “Never Stick Your Tongue Out at Mama…and Other Life Transforming Revelations.”

I had to laugh… not just because it was a cleverly-crafted title…but because it instantly transported me back in time. I was about seven years old. Aunt Mildred had come for a visit. She was round and jolly and she made my mother laugh. We really didn’t get out-of-town visitors all that often, so I knew this was special. Mom and her younger sister sat at the old kitchen table with its white paint chipped in a hundred places and rubbed bare along the edges. They joked and reminisced while they alternated peeling potatoes and sipping coffee. Us kids, of course, clamored around. “Go outside and play” was usually the phrase I wanted most to hear, but not now. There was attention to be gotten and showing off to do. After all, how can a kid ride a tricycle or make a mud pie with no one there to watch?

It was unseasonably warm for a late spring day and the sun was beating down. It was just plain hot. As I recall, my little plaid dress was covered with dirt and my knees were black. My outfit was not-so-tastefully accessorized by “grandma beads” and a bracelet of mosquito bites. The Illinois humidity had done its evil work on my curly hair. It hung in a thousand separate rings, and as my grandpa used to tease, my head was “plum hairy”.

I cupped my hands around my face and peered into the kitchen through the screen door. There they sat…paying no attention to us at all, or so it seemed. Their bare feet shuffled on the checkerboard tile as they worked and talked and laughed.

The screen door banged and snapped. We were in. We were out. We needed Kool-Aid. We needed to use the bathroom. We needed to get a different toy. We needed to tattle. There was a steady stream of ready reasons. Most of all, we wanted their undivided attention. But instead, they granted us only an abbreviated stay, and then we were once again banished to the backyard. Time and again we tried and time and again our efforts were thwarted.

After a while, I decided I would try a frontal assault. I opened the screen door and started in, but a rude horsefly darted in ahead of me and zigzagged his way into the kitchen. “For Pete’s sake”, mom began, “Will you quit fannin’ the door? You’re lettin’ the house full of flies.” (“Who’s Pete?”, I wondered.) “I need a drink”, I explained. “You just got one!” she countered. “And I need to go to the bathroom.” (Ah, the magic word.) “Okay. Go. And then you march yourself right back outside.”

I skipped merrily through the house, having successfully breached security. I started toward the bathroom, feigning compliance, but then detoured to the bedroom where the toys were. The cool linoleum felt wonderful to my hot bare feet. I goofed around, fiddled with dolls, eavesdropped, and finally heard the phrase that I never quite understood, “Janice Lorraine…do you think I was born yesterday?” I wasn’t sure what it meant, but it sounded serious, so I figured I’d better hustle.

I headed back into the kitchen and stood off to the side, trying to just blend in with the woodwork. I was awaiting my chance to jump in and appeal the “outdoor ruling”. Mom spotted me out of the corner of her eye and said, “Okay, go back outside and play.” “Aw, do I hafta?”, I whined. “Yes, you hafta,” she was quick to respond. Aunt Mildred grinned and lifted one eyebrow just like I had seen my grandmother do. I knew what that meant. She was somewhat sympathetic to my cause. “Well, then can you and Aunt Mildred come out? I want you to watch me ride.” Mom explained that they were busy cooking dinner and that they would watch me later. With that, she turned and without missing a beat they picked up their conversation where they left off.

I stood there for a moment with my tiny brain cells spinning. What could I do to convince her? So I stuck out my bottom lip and began to whine and stomped my foot. I had seen it work for other kids. Mom kept right on talking. She didn’t even look my direction. So I cranked up the volume. This time she turned to me and said, “Do you want me to give you something to whine about? Go on back outside.” Then she again turned away and directed her attention to Aunt Mildred and the growing pile of potatoes.

I don’t really remember my thought processes after that, but while her head was turned and before I knew it I was standing there with my eyes shut tightly and my tongue stuck out at my mother. The next thing I remember is hearing Aunt Mildred say, “Ooooh”, in an Andy Griffith kind of drawl. When I opened my eyes, there was mom’s face right in mine -- nose to nose.

The back of my neck grew hot and I swallowed hard. I knew I was done for and I knew I deserved it. This was a “green switch” kind of offense. I could already feel the calves of my legs stinging and she hadn’t even gotten out of her chair. But for some reason, to my surprise and great relief, she merely looked over her cat-eye glasses and said, “I think that’s enough. Don’t you? Now, do what I told you.”

I backed away, astonished, and headed for the back door. I had just done the unthinkable and she didn’t punish me. “Maybe she’s just waiting for Aunt Mildred to leave, and then I’m gonna get it”, I thought. But I never did. She let it go…. and that night she tucked me into bed with a Bible story and a kiss.

Sound familiar? In that one afternoon my mom gave me an object lesson in mercy. I saw it firsthand. I had asserted myself against her. I had used deceit. I had disobeyed and disrespected her. I had even openly mocked her. I was deserving of punishment….I knew it, and she knew it….but on that day she chose to forgive me and treat me as though it had never happened. It was kind of a “go and sin no more” experience. I never forgot it, and I never tried it again.

I could tell story after story about my Godly mother and the lessons I learned just watching her. I’m sure you have your own stories, and I hope you take a little time this Mother’s Day to share them. I, for one, would love to hear them.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Janice

Gold City - May 07

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I hope you all are doing well. We are better than we deserve, staying busy as usual. We have been getting started on a recording I believe you will enjoy. I will have a little more on that in weeks to come. We are also getting the ball rolling on our next New Haven Records release. That one will be a while as we plan to take our time searching for songs that speak to us. It is important to us to find songs that God uses to minister to our hearts. We feel that it makes us much more effective in the ministry portion of what we do. Every song may not be a smash hit, but it will be exactly what somebody needs in a specific moment in their life, just as it was in ours. That being said, if you are a song writer and have something that you feel we may be interested in, send it to our office. Our address is at the bottom of this email and make sure to send it "Attention Kyle."

And the winner is...

A couple of nights ago we attended the SoGospel News Awards where we were honored with twelve nominations in various categories. By the end of the night, we had been awarded Traditional Song of the Year for "Truth Is Marching On," Traditional Album of the Year for Revival and the Pacesetter Award given for raising the standard for our industry in the past year. Wow, what an honor! In moments like these, I am always at a loss for words. It also doesn't help to have two of my best friends and probably the world's biggest nut cases standing behind me (Steve and Jonathan). They keep me in stitches and make me a nervous wreck at the same time. You would have had to be there. Anyway, now that I have had some time to myself to reflect on the evening, I have a few things to say and I will try to keep it brief.
If you have spent any time speaking with me, you know that my biggest inspiration is my dad, Tim Riley. He always very humbly enjoyed the most celebrated of days, careful to give God ALL the glory. In the most turbulent of times, he is the rock everybody leans on. He is leaning on THE ROCK, his ever faithful Lord. What an awesome example. There would be no Gold City today without Tim Riley in the equation. Period.

Then there are a ton of people who play a part in any success we enjoy. Ken Harding and New Haven Records, Michael Sykes, Michael English, Jim Brady, Tony Woods, Barry Weeks, Dave Lehman, Beckie Simmons and BSA, I could write a book about people who have had an impact on our group in just the last couple of years. I don't have the space or time right now to give you the complete rundown but I have expressed my gratitude to all of you and you know who you are. One group of people that we probably don't say "Thank You" to often enough would be you. Thank all of you for supporting what we do. You buy our music, attend our concerts and pray for us regularly. You are not our fans, you are our friends and we love you all. If you are not familiar with SoGospelnews.com, you should check it out. It is the leading internet magazine for Southern Gospel Music and they do a great job.

http://www.sogospelnews.com

More to come...

I have much more to share with you and I will do that in the next couple of weeks; great news from Josh Simpson, a practical joke that ruined my day and much more in my next e-letter. Stay tuned!

Upcoming dates...

HARTVILLE, OH...May 03, 2007...7 PM...HARTVILLE KITCHEN...330-877-9353

SHIPSHEWANA, IN...May 04, 2007...7 PM...BLUEGATE RESTAURANT AND THEATRE...888-447-4725

LANCASTER, PA...May 05, 2007...7 PM...LANCASTER MENNONITE HIGH SCHOOL...717-626-7505

FRANKLIN, NC...May 06, 2007...6 PM...PRENTISS CHURCH OF GOD...828-369-3885

MEMPHIS, TN...May 10, 2007...7 PM...BROADMOOR BAPTIST CHURCH...901-385-6440

ATHENS, AL...May 11, 2007...7 PM...LINDSAY LANE BAPTIST CHURCH...256-232-0020

CHARLESTON, SC...May 12, 2007...7 PM...LIGHTSEY AUDITORIUM - CHARLESTON SOUTHERN UNIVERISTY...256-492-0942

Gold City
http://www.goldcityqt.com

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