Happy Saturday! I did several of my Saturday things on Friday night this week because I needed to get caught up on my grading and posting. I also picked up our taxes today. That means I can get started getting three FAFSA (financial aid) applications ready for the year 2009-2010 school year. There will be three of us in college next year. We are going to need all of the assistance we can get!!

Proud Mom and Dad moment!!! Geni has been invited to become a member of the Tau Sigma National Honor Society. We are so excited and so very proud of her and her achievements at UNT. She is a bit nervous that she will not be able to keep up the GPA required to maintain her membership. We are encouraging her to work as hard as she can and continue to do her best. She has not decided to accept membership as yet and still has a window of time to make her decision. We are proud of her in whatever decision she makes.

Psalm 27:5 says, “For in the day of trouble he will conceal me in His tabernacle; In the secret place of His tent He will hide me…”

I love the feeling of safety. Each day when I have my prayer time I pray for the safety of Bruce, Geni, Travis, my parents and others. I place my hope in Christ that we will all come back together again at the end of the day (or with Geni, at the end of the week.) I sometimes worry that something will happen to Bruce, Geni or Travis and I will lose them as we lost Casey. I was talking to Bruce about this today and he, in his wisdom said, “Gaylene, stop worrying. Scripture says we are not supposed to worry. God holds Geni and Travis just as He holds Casey.” And of course Bruce was right.

When the children were babies and we would visit someone at their home, sometimes we would place them on a bed asleep. They would invariably wake up shortly in unfamiliar surroundings crying for the safety, familiarity and comfort of our arms. We finally figured out if we took a shirt out of the dirty clothes hamper and one of our jackets with us we could lay the shirt on the host’s bed and lay our jacket over the baby and they would sleep quietly and very peacefully surrounded by our scent surrounding them.

God came to earth and into our lives in the form of Jesus 2000 years ago. We are living in a time when Jesus no longer physically walks among us. God provided us with a familiar shirt and jacket to protect us, calm us and provide the security of His presence in our lives 24/7. He sent the Holy Spirit. God sent His love and eternal presence to remain with us always so we would always feel at home. We can always feel safe in the assurance of the love of God through Jesus because of the ever-present Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is within each of us who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Friends, let us go to the One who will keep us in safety and hide us in the day of trouble. Let us go to Jesus and pray His blanket of assurance and grace to cover us in the familiar surroundings of His love. See you in worship.

Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.

PS Happening Team meeting tomorrow. Applications are due in by February 28. Hurry! Hurry! It is going to be an awesome weekend. gc