Wednesday Nights in February

Feb. 1st = All Classes 7-8pm

Feb. 8th = Date Night! Drop your kiddos off from 6:30 – 8pm for a special program “Live It Out”

Feb. 15th = Man Church, no kids class

Feb. 22nd = All Classes 7-8pm

Feb. 29th = No Class

Up Coming Events

February 18th = Dynamic Duo (Dads and Daughters outreach project and dinner)

• Meet at church at 4:00
• Dinner at la Madeleine (MacArthur and hwy 114)
• sign up with Molly by Sunday, Feb. 12th
  

March 30th-31st = Dads and Dudes Camp Out

July 27th – 30th = Camp Kids Jam (2nd-5th graders)

http://www.whatisorange.org/campkidjam/

Contact Info

molly.greenlee@southmac.net

Follow on Twitter @SouthMacKids

You may wonder why we are doing this instead of a sweetheart banquet.  There are several reasons, but the main one is we don’t have the facilities to host the event, and with the precarious weather in February catering is difficult. It is our hope that this will be very meaningful to both you and your adoptee. 

Come by the welcome center on Sunday, January 29th to sign up.

 The idea is to contact your person 3-4 times (or more) during the month of February. Please make at least one contact in person. 

Suggestions of things to do:

• Weekly contact of some kind.  Card, letter or phone call. Some even have email.
• You and a friend might like to combine and visit your people together.  Several of you could get together and have a brunch or lunch together.  Your home group might do something together. 
• Go and visit them- after your visit you will know more about their physical capabilities, if they can leave their home, what they can eat- what they like to do. Some might enjoy going to a museum, movie, or other outing.
• Take lunch to them. 
• Look for some task they need help with and do that.
• Take them a small gift- think practical not something else to dust.  (Stamps, note cards, yarn if they crochet or knit)

Really, it is up to you, use your imaginations. There are no rules!

If you do something that turns out to be really good, let us know about it.  We’d love to keep a record of successful ideas.

Our prayer is that this will be a huge blessing to all of our participants.

Date Night Ideas for Her:

When was the last time you wrote a love letter to your husband?  King Solomon’s wife, Shulamith, knew how to express her affection.  Through this adventure, you will use her words as a guide to craft a letter that he will cherish forever.

Write the Letter:

In Song of Solomon 2:3, Sulamith tells her husband the words that warm every man’s heart.  I respect you.

Write a letter to your husband using this theme.  What makes him an apple three in a forest of everglades?  What do you respect about him?  What makes him a good husband and father?  What sets him apart in his workplace?  Why do his friends like him?

Give this letter to him on Date Night, along with words that let him know he is your man!

Your Prayer for him:  While you’re shaping words to tell your husband, pray for his use of words in every situation.  (James 3:1-10,  Proverbs 15:3-4, Proverbs 25:11)

Date Night Ideas for Him:

What song or songs meant a lot to you and your wife during your dating days?  When was the last time a song took on special significance?  Spend some time together finding a new song for your relationship.

Set the Stage:

Go through your CD collection – don’t forget cassettes, LPs, 45s and eight tracks, too – and find the songs that mean the most to the two of you.  Record them on a CD or MP3 player or your iPod.  Put the CD in your car stereo.  Make sure the CD will start when you start the car.  You can write a short “memories” note, remembering why the music was special, and how you still feel for her.

Over dinner, talk about two things: First, discuss your favorite memories from your dating days.  Second, discuss her favorite types of music, artists and songs.  Talk about the lyrics.  Describe the way the melody makes you feel.  Yes, it sounds goofy, but your wife needs a little romance.  After dinner, take your wife music shopping.  Let her pick a new CD, and play it on the way home.

When you get home, have the CD player set out, and put the old (or new) CD in the player, and dance when her in the bedroom.  Slow dance or snuggle as you listen.  If there is a song that is especially romantic, play it over and over again while you dance or snuggle.  She’ll have a new appreciation for you, and appreciate the time you spent for her.

Your prayer for her:  Pray that your wife would grow into a more dynamic worshipper of the living God (Ps 150, Colossians 3:16)

Due to the overwhelming response from last night’s seminar, Keith and Betsy will return February 1^st to deal with “Unlocking the Marriage Mystery Part 2”.  Please make plans to attend SMAC @ 7:00 02/01/12

Q:  How do you get back on track when major trust has been broken?

A:  (See Answer to next question)

Q:  We’ve tried and tried all this and if it were not for commitment, we’d be separated long ago.  How can we be more than just unhappily committed?

A:    As we said last night, Betsy and I are not certified Marriage Counselors and we can only share personal experiences and Godly perspective on Marriage.  However, there are issues in marriage like trust, infidelity, etc. that may require you to seek marriage counseling.  We recommend Christian Marriage counseling and encourage you to take the necessary steps to improving your marriage before settling for a mediocre marriage, or unhappy one.  Life is too short…  seek Christian counsel from a professional.  Pray and know that God can restore your marriage.  He is the Creator of all Good things.

Q:  You marry into a family.  How do you deal with his/her family?

A:  Like we said last night, Keith is the “heavy” with his family and Betsy is the ”heavy” with hers.  However, it’s important to accept the fact that you will not change family dynamics.  You may rub off on them and improve them by your attitude and actions, but we have found that the patriarch and matriarch really set the tone for how the family accepts you into their family.  It’s important for you to focus on the positive aspects or similarities of the family dynamics instead of dwelling on the negatives or differences.  Every family in the world is WEIRD!!!! This creates challenges for us to live in the Spirit and exercise the fruit of the spirit.

Q:  In the resurrection, they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like the angels.  Luke 20:34-38.  Please explain.

A:  This scripture says we are “LIKE” the angels but are not angels.  I think we will recognize each other in Heaven and know who our spouse or spouses are.  However, I don’t claim to know everything about the afterlife, and Heaven.  But what I do know is that it will be PERFECT.  For you and everyone in it.  So all we need to know or focus on is that.  God has it all figured out and it is a mystery for us to anticipate and look forward to.  But it will be Glorious.

Final thoughts:

To the MEN:  Women need spiritual intimacy.  You don’t have to understand it, but you need to accept it and take care of it.

To the Women:  Men need physical intimacy.  You don’t have to understand it, but you need to accept it and take care of it.

Click here to visit the web page of Man Church SMAC in order to find out more about this important ministry for men.

South Mac is a place where everyone is loved and everyone has hope. We believe in being positive, affirming, and loving people and hope you will be able to sit back, relax, and experience the blessing God has given to all of us. We hope you will worship with us soon and know we are praying specifically for you to have a blessed week.

We want to invite you to our SMAC Starting Point.  They are held the first Sunday of each month at noon. Our Leadership Team would be honored by your presence in our desire to get to know you better. You can find more information about Starting Point in our Worship Weekly on Sunday mornings, or by clicking here to send us an e-mail. Lunch is provided.  Please register by clicking here and sending us an e-mail in order to register for the next Starting Point.

Starting in 2012…

1st Wednesday, “Relationships” night.  The world struggles with marriage and parenting and relationships of all kinds, and the church is no different.  Keith Luttrell will bring relevant messages that will help us grow deeper in our relationships with God and each other.

2nd Wednesday is Date Night.  Our Children’s ministry will provide classes for the children, nursery through High School.  Drop your children off at 6:30 p.m., and go have a date.  Every marriage needs some time away from kids, just to reconnect.  To view expectations and register for date night, please click here to open a PDF registration document.

3rd Wednesday is MAN CHURCH.  This is for men only, and will be like nothing you’ve ever seen.  We’ll serve free burgers at 6:00, and Man Church will start at 7:00.  Trust me, you won’t want to miss this!

4th Wednesday is a Hodge Podge of various things.  Some night will be Ladies Night (like the 4th Wednesday in January), and some will be leadership nights, or church life nights, or service nights – they will all be a bit different, so stay in touch.

We will NOT have any Wednesday night activities in June, July, August or December, 2012.

Make plans to join us on Wednesday nights, starting Wednesday, January 4th.