HOME, SWEET HOME!

"There's no place like home. There's no place like home." Truer words were never spoken. It is great to be back home. It is great to be able to sleep in my bed on my pillows, eat my food in my kitchen, and prop my feet up on my couch to watch my TV in my living room. It is great to get my clothes out of my closet or my dresser instead of a suitcase. Don't get me wrong, the traveling was fun. We had a great time as a family. But it is great to be home.

Speaking of home, it was great to be back in my home church this past Sunday. I am still on sabbatical until Sept. 3rd, but my wife and I needed our church family so we decided to go home on Sunday and be with family. I love my church. Our brothers and sisters in the Lord welcomed us back with love. Lisa and I were put into the Refiner's fire this past week and we really needed our church. It was great just to be able to sit in the services and be ministered to. We sat in Sunday School with Bro. Ron and enjoyed his lesson on Choosing the Path of Full Devotion from our Discipleship Challenge workbook.

I am so thankful for our faithful associate, Bro. Chadd. He is a great friend and a real blessing to me and to Texas Avenue. He has done the majority of the preaching while I have been gone and God has used this time to mature him as a preacher. His message on love this past week is well worth your time. You can find it on our website. Also, our Deacons have been teaching on Sunday evenings. This past Sunday we were able to hear Bro. Jason teach from James 4 on not allowing the world to infiltrate our lives and our church. It was a great reminder of God's unwillingness to share us with the world. God wants all of our affection, devotion, and attention and He is more than worthy of it all.

I am not sure how people who are not active in church cope with tragedy and tribulation in their lives. Too many times we associate church with long sermons and giving away our money (yet we have no problem sitting through a four hour football game for $75 per ticket; but that's for another time). However, it is that long sermon that God uses to comfort our hearts and give us hope in tough times. And I would give every dime I had just to be part of a church family when troubles come our way. On top of the encouraging words, the warm hugs, and the shoulder to cry on, their is no dollar amount that can be placed on God's people taking your name and your circumstances to the Throne of Grace. There is not enough money in the world to replace the comfort and confidence that comes when God answers the prayers of His saints on on my behalf. You can have your pills, your psychiatrists, your psychologists, your secular counselors, your sleep-aids, your barroom buddies, and your whatever else helps you cope with life. I'll take my church home any day. And I won't just cope, I will overcome and live an abundant life as a result!

Speaking of home (again), won't it be great when Jesus Christ calls us Home! I was reminded again this past week of just how rotten this old world is. And, as the songwriter put it, I am glad "this world is not my home, I'm just a passin' through; my treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue." As the Bible puts it, we are nothing more than strangers and pilgrims here. For the believers, our citizenship (way of life or standard of living) is in heaven. One of these days we will hear the Lord shout from heaven, then the voice of the archangel, followed by the trumpet of God. Then, according to the Bible, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, the dead in Christ will be called out of the graves, then those alive in Christ will be caught up together with them into the clouds to meet the Lord, yes, to meet the Lord Jesus Christ, in the air! And so shall we ever be with the Lord Jesus Christ. We will be in that place the Lord Jesus said He was preparing for His followers.

What a day that will be
when my Jesus I shall see;
when I look upon His face,
the One who saved me by His grace;
when He takes me by the hand
and leads me through the Promised Land,
what a day, glorious day, that will be.

No more packing. No more pilgrimage. No more strangers in a strange land. No more SUFFERING. No more PAIN. No more HEARTACHE. No more CRYING. No more rotten SIN. Just God the Father and Jesus Christ in all of His glory. And his joint-heirs, His brothers and sisters. To enjoy Forever. And Ever. And Ever.

There's no place like Home!

HOME, SWEET HOME!

I MISS MY CHURCH!

GTT - Gone To Texas! This was a slogan posted on the abandoned homes of those who left everything to migrate to Texas in the early and mid 19th century. This is my new slogan. The Doucet World Tour finds itself back in the promised land today, praise the Lord!!!! We arrived in Lindale late last night and will be here through the weekend for Lisa's family reunion.

Can I tell you that I miss my church. I know it is the Lord's church. I know I do not own Texas Avenue. But TABC is mine in the sense that it is my family. I miss my brothers and sisters in the Lord. I miss your smiles. I miss your warm greetings. I miss your Amens. I miss your gracious comments. I miss hearing your prayers. I miss hearing our choir. God has used my time away to remind me how much I love every single member of TABC.

We had a great few days on Table Rock Lake in the Branson, MO area. In my opinion, Table Rock is one of the most beautiful places God has created. We were able to use a pontoon boat last Tuesday to spend a day on the lake. The kids really enjoyed being pulled around the lake on the tube. Tuesday night we took the kids to the oldest show in Branson, the Baldknobbers. Or, as Jackson calls them, the Bald Numbers. It was a very funny show and I picked up a few new lines like, "I had as much trouble as a woodpecker with chapped lips."

I really, really miss my church!

Wednesday night we went to the 40th annual Brumley Gospel sing in Lebanon, MO. We went with Ryan and Lilly Moses. Lilly was able to get us free tickets through a connection at KWFC in Springfield. We were able to hear the Primitive Quartet, Karen Peck and New River, The Gospel Enforcers, the Isaacs, and Greater Vision. Greater Vision debuted their new tenor. He debuted singing one of my favorite songs of all time, Little is Much. He almost did it as well as I do. Almost. It was a great concert and we had a great time with Ryan and Lilly.

Speaking of Ryan and Lilly, we went to church with them last Sunday morning at West Division Street Baptist Church. Their Pastor, Bro. Bell, preached a challenging message on being salt and light in the world from Matthew 5. Sunday evening we went to a church called Broadway Baptist Church in Springfield. Their Pastor, Eddie Bumpers, preached a great sermon on managing money from 1 Timothy 6. His sermons are available online and I would encourage you to listen anytime you can.

Have I mentioned that I miss my church?

Thursday, we had lunch with Ronn, Amanda, and Jace Herod. They are doing well. Ronn is looking for a new job so please pray for him. They are also waiting on the Lord for direction for their lives and the next step He would have them take on their journey to be Missionaries. Please be sure to speak to the Lord about them in your prayer time.

This weekend we will be in church at First Baptist Church of Lindale. We attend this church whenever we are here on a Sunday. I really enjoy the Pastor's preaching and I am looking forward to hearing him. Continue to pray for us. We love you and miss you.

Bro. Eric

p.s. - Have I told you I miss my church?

I'VE BEEN EVERYWHERE, MAN!

I've been to Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri.  If you say that real fast and put some music to it you can make a lot of money (or so I've heard).

I am currently (11:50 a.m. 8/2/08) sitting in a hotel in St. Charles, MO (suburb of St. Louis).  We are packing (again) and headed to the Branson area to stay for a couple of weeks.  We are having a great time.  We spent some time in Nashville at the Ryman Auditorium.  It is a very famous place (I found out) because of its place in country music and blue-grass music.  It use to be a church. They now sell beer in the foyer.  It was a sad reminder of the spiritual battle we are in.

We also spent a day at the Creation Museum in Kentucky, just outside of Cincinnati.  It was a great learning experience and I highly recommend it as part of any family's vacation.

Last night we went to see the Gateway Arch in St. Louis.  I was very impressed with the arch and the museum underneath the arch.  I was too chicken to ride the tram to the top of the arch (630 feet).  I got queazy just looking up at the arch.  After seeing the museum, we went on a horse-drawn carriage ride along the banks of the Mississippi River.  We really enjoyed the ride. 

Last Sunday we were able to go hear one of my favorite preachers, Greg Locke, at his church just outside of Nashville.  We really enjoyed the service. The church is just 20 months old, but God has blessed greatly.

Tomorrow, we will be at West Division Baptist Church in Springfield with Ryan and Lilly.  I am looking forward to seeing them and meeting their Pastor. Please continue to pray for us as we travel.

I am praying for TABC.  I really miss all of you and I am getting homesick for my church home already.  I love you guys and will write again soon.

Bro. Eric