I will be returning to Hampton, Virginia later today to close out my affairs, i.e., submit final grades, etc. I will return to Nashville, Tennessee permanently next week.
My new email address: chsydnor@bellsouth.net
Please DELETE my Erols and Hampton University email addresses.
1. JUDICIAL COUNCIL, THE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, 2004-2008:
CLERGY:
Rev. Franklin E. Breckenridge, Esq. (Secretary)*
Rev. Dr. Granville W. Reed, III, (Assistant Secretary)*
Rev. Dr. Leeomia W. Kelly (Chaplain)**
Judge Vonciel Jones Hill (Member)**
LAY:
Atty. Patricia M. Mayberry (President)*
Atty. Priscilla J. Green (Vice President)*
Dr. J. B. Flowers, Jr. (Treasurer)**
Atty. Rosemarie Rhodes-Miller (Member)*
Atty. Benjamin Edwards (Member)*
* Terms expires 2008 ** Term expires 2012
2. AN INVITATION TO ALL:
AME MINISTERIAL ALLIANCE HOLIDAY CELEBRATION
WILL TAKE PLACE THIS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2004 AT 7:00 P.M.
AT THE HOME OF:
LESLIE AND RENEE WHITE
3766 CRESTWAY PLACE
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 90043
Telephone: 323-291-9462
THIS WILL BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND SOME RELAXING AND FUN TIME WITH OUR PREACHER COLLEAGUES.
DON'T MISS THE FOOD AND FUN PLEASE RSVP WITH PASTOR WHITE ASAP:
See you there!!
Sometimes negative things in our lives defeat us because we handle them in a negative manner. Often we fail to make the bad things work for our good and to our advantage.
Remember the story of Joseph in the book of Genesis. He was the young man with the coat of many colors. His brothers were jealous of him and especially the relationship he had with his father. Joseph was thrown into a pit, sold into slavery, falsely accused, and put in jail; however, he didn't hold a grudge against the people who wronged him. Joseph found the positive benefits in his negative experiences, and went on to be a powerful leader in Egypt. He took what started out as a negative and turned it into a positive and it resulted into something good. He was handed "lemons" but added some "sugar" and made "lemonade."
We can do the same thing in our lives. It's the way we handle our difficulties that determines whether we will be defeated, or victorious! We can take the sour "lemons of life," add sugar (TRUST IN GOD) and water (THE LIVING WATER OF THE MASTER) and make "lemonade." The sour becomes sweet! The negative becomes positive!
Some people throw away stale bread, but to stale bread, add some milk, eggs, sugar, a pinch of salt, vanilla extract, and cinnamon and, voila, you have bread pudding! You can add the same ingredients to leftover rice and make rice pudding. You don't always have to "throw away" the negative events to bring peace into your lives.
Negative things and negative people may try to bring "the negatives" into our lives and may "mean it for evil," but our TRUST in God and the comfort of the LIVING WATER can instead make "the negatives" in our lives, positives! Promise yourself that you are going to have a positive week, live it, and mean it!
(Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III)
