A smile for mom

For several days our grand daughter Alyse
was staying with us in Raleigh.
Here is a short pictorial of the last day of the visit:



Early in the morning Alyse begins wondering
about what is going to happen today.

Soon we packed the car and started our trip to Charlotte.

The day before returning to Charlotte we took her to one

of our favorite restaurants: Cracker Barrel.

Alyse enjoyed her vegetables.

Alyse also enjoyed the short time sitting
on the porch. She sat so tall in a favorite rocking chair. One day she will be
seating in a bigger chair for her beloved tarheels!



We loved to she her enjoying herself so much.
The trip to Charlotte went very quickly as we listened
to the DVD's that Alyse was watching.
We know know the songs of the Wiggles and the Backyardans.

When we arrived in Charlotte we went directly
to Qudoba Mexican Grill to meet Stephanie and Josh for lunch.
Alyse smiled with great joy when she saw her mom approach.

Another trip to visit Papa and Grammy has come to an end.

When will the next trip to Raleigh take place?

Alyse may come see Papa on Father's Day.

We hope so.

Twelve Angry Men

Tonight was a special evening as Sharron and I joined with our friends Doug and Joy Huber for dinner and then a show at the Belk Theater in Charlotte. We had great seats provided by Joyce Ford (with Danielle's name on the envelope).

We really enjoyed the production of Twelve Angry Men featuring Richard Thomas. The ninety minutes went so quickly as we were drawn into the drama of the jury room. The description of the Broadway show reads as follows:

Twelve Jurors. Twelve walks of life.

And only two ways to rule: guilty or not guilty.

What seems like an open-and-shut murder case becomes a twisted puzzle of prejudice and intrigue. Twelve Jurors in a murder trial are corralled in a room for the duration of their deliberation. As prejudices are tested and evidence weighed, the entire jury is forced to look past the show of the courtroom to unearth the shocking truth. Faced with playing the hangmen, these dozen men must first face themselves. Starring Richard Thomas and directed by Scott Ellis, the National Tour of TWELVE ANGRY MEN is produced by Roundabout Theatre Company, one of the country’s leading not-for-profit theatres.

For more information check out the web site: http://www.12angrymentour.com/

I remember showing the 1957 film version of this story (which won the Oscar in 1958 as Best Picture) in a KMAT class I taught in Kansas. It was GREAT to see it brought alive by the excellent cast of players this evening.

It was a wonderful evening for Sharron and I!

Alyse for a short visit

My series of messages at North Raleigh Church of the Nazarene continues this coming Sunday. Last week I shared about things that mess up a good marriage. I concluded with a definition of marriage. Several people asked that I post this definition on my blog - so here it is:

"Marriage is the source of great and unspeakable happiness. Yet because of sin it is not unmixed happiness. But marriage is not first and foremost about making us happy. It is for making us holy. And through the covenant of marriage two Christians pledge to live together so as to make each other holy before God, as a testimony to Christ."
The source is from: http://www.boundlessline.org/marriage_family/index.html

Over the past few days our grand daughter Alyse has been visiting us. Since I usually have to "steal" pictures from my daughter Stephanie's blog - here are some of my pictures:

One of the fun things Alyse gets to do at our home is to climb the stairs to the second floor where her bedroom is. She focuses on her task. Gammy is right beside her - watching her every move and ready to catch her if needed. Success is reaching the top of the stairs to grin at Papa and have her picture taken.

The past 24

It was GREAT to have a serendipitous trip down to Charlotte to visit with Stephanie, Josh and Alyse. Unfortunately Danielle's plans were full and we did not see her. As we spent some time with Alyse on Friday she seemed to really enjoy facing forward in her new car seat in our vehicle. She is near sleepy time with her eyes focused on the DVD screen watching the Wiggles!



Today we hurried back to Raleigh to run some important errands and then join with friends to celebrate with Dora Grollimund. She recently completed her course work as a non-traditional student and successfully graduated from St. Francis University with a BA degree.

Congratulations to Dora! She is an inspiration to many.

We also praise God that her husband Jay was not more seriously injured in his recent fall during a rock climbing excursion.

I'm looking forward to tomorrow morning as we pause in remembrance in a Memorial Day tribute during our prayer time. I will continue in our series on Extreme Home Makeovers for families with part two of last weeks message as I share a message entitled: Things that mess up a good marriage.

The past 24 hours have been full and very rewarding.

A new style of posting

In response to the recent blog posted by my daughter Stephanie:

Here is a post that is

1. Brief and to the point
2. Factual and educational
3. Humorious - or least I think it is = Please let me know with your comment which I will be looking for.

Taken Hostage

Last night my daughter, Stephanie, and I were discussing our blogs. She gave me some tips and I gave her some also. Today, she would like to share some things she learned with you.

Hello everyone!
If you have ever read my blog, you will know that mine is a little different from my fathers. So, I have come up with a list of 10 things that I have learned on how to write a "Rick Hudgens Blog".

1. Check the news to see if there are any recent articles that I would like to copy and paste.
2. Check the "On This Day In History" page to see if there is anything that I would like to post.
3. Check my daughter's blog to see if there are any pictures that I would like to steal.
4. If it is right before or right after a Sunday, write about what the sermon was about in great detail.
5. Use the word "milestone" at least once
6. Add a humorous clip or cartoon *By the word humorous, I mean humorous to me!
7. Instead of writing 2 or 3 short blogs, put them all together into one really great long blog.
8. Talk about Alyse Nicole (because she is the cutest 1 year old ever!)
9. Take forever into putting things in just the right place, reading, editing, re-reading, and then getting frustrated because it is taking so long and I can't get it "just right!"
10. After publishing, smile, and then check often to see if I have any comments.

I have to say that I really do enjoy reading my dad's blog. It makes me laugh. I also learn something ever time I read it. My husband, Josh, always says that dad's blog is "factual". Well, his blog is titled "Trustworthy Sayings"!

**** Please know that this post is meant to be humorous. I love my dad and respect him very much These, my friends, are trustworthy sayings! ****

Thank you for sharing, Stephanie. Just wait for me to hijack your blog!

A TRAGIC ACCIDENT FOR THE CHAPMAN FAMILY

NASHVILLE, TN...5/21/08... At approximately 5pm on the afternoon of Wednesday May 21st, Maria Sue Chapman, 5 years old and the youngest daughter to Steven and Mary Beth Chapman was struck in the driveway of the Chapman home in Franklin, TN. Maria was rushed to Vanderbilt Childrens Hospital in Nashville, transported by LifeFlight, but died of her injuries there. Maria is one of the close knit family’s six children and one of their three adopted daughters.

Please note:The picture is © 2007 Tucker Photography.(Left to right Will Franklin, Maria, Steven, Shaoey, Mary Beth, Stevey Joy, Caleb and Emily)

The picture and text above where taken from the home page of Steven Curtis Chapman's website - http://www.stevencurtischapman.com/

The Associated Press reports: The 5-year-old daughter of Grammy-winning Christian music star Steven Curtis Chapman was struck and killed Wednesday by a sport utility vehicle driven by her brother, authorities said.

The girl, Maria Sue, was hit in the driveway of the family's home Wednesday afternoon by a Toyota Land Cruiser driven by her teenage brother, said Laura McPherson, a spokeswoman for the Tennessee Highway Patrol.

The brother, whose name and exact age weren't available, apparently did not see the girl, McPherson said. No charges are expected.

"It looks like a tragic accident," she said. You can read the entire article at

http://entertainment.msn.com/news/article.aspx?news=315536


Steven Curtis Chapman and his wife Mary Beth Chapman are recognized advocates for adoption. Together, they founded Shaohannah's Hope, a charity organization which offers grants to qualifying families to help defray the cost of adopting, at home and abroad. Both were awarded the Angels of Adoption award by a Congressional Committee for adoption in Washington, D.C. in September of 2001.

From the home page of Shaohannah's Hope:

Recognizing that adoption is a perfect picture of what God has done for each of us in making us His children through Christ, Shaohannah's Hope has been established to care for orphans by engaging the church and helping Christian families reduce the financial barriers to adoption. Psalm 68:5-6 tells us that as the Father to the fatherless, God delights in setting the lonely in families. It has been our experience that the scriptural mandate of caring for orphans, such as the one found in James 1:27, is really a wonderful invitation to experience God in a profound way by being a part of His sovereign plan for His precious children.

Working from these foundational truths, Shaohannah's Hope exists to enable children living without the love and hope of an earthly family to be adopted into "covenant homes." These families can provide not only the love and support needed for this life, but also provide a child with the knowledge of God's plan for his or her eternal life with a forever family called The Body of Christ

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Chapman family. Our heart breaks with them as we pray for God's comfort.

ON THIS DAY

ON THIS DAY - MAY 21st - IN HISTORY

• 1536 - The Reformation was officially adopted in Geneva, Switzerland.


• 1542 - Hernando de Soto died along the Mississippi River while searching for gold.


• 1819 - Bicycles were first seen in the U.S. in New York City. They were originally known as "swift walkers."


• 1832 - In the U.S., the Democratic Party held its first national convention.


• 1881 - The American branch of the Red Cross was founded by Clara Barton.


• 1927 - Charles A. Lindberg completed the first solo nonstop airplane flight across the Atlantic Ocean. The trip began May 20.


• 1934 - Oskaloosa, IA, became the first city in the U.S. to fingerprint all of its citizens.


• 1941 - The first U.S. ship, the SS Robin Moor, was sunk by a U-boat.


• 1945 - Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart were married.


• 1947 - Joe DiMaggio and five of his New York Yankee teammates were fined $100 because they had not fulfilled contract requirements to do promotional duties for the team.


• 1980 - The movie "The Empire Strikes Back" was released.

• 1983 - The Rev. Mark Barnes introduced for the first time in public: Mr. Phil and Mrs. Joannie Richards

• 1998 - Microsoft and Sega announced that they are collaborating on a home video game system.

And today in 2008 - Rev. Mark and Lucy Barnes joined Rick and Sharron in wishing

Phil and Joannie Richards a HAPPY 25th Wedding Anniversary.

May 20 - A Day in North Carolina History

A DAY IN NORTH CAROLINA HISTORY

The flag of North Carolina consists of a blue union, containing in the center thereof a white star with the letter N in gilt on the left and the letter C in gilt on the right of said star, the circle containing the same to be one-third the width of the union. The fly of the flag shall consist of two equally proportioned bars; the upper bar to be red, the lower bar to be white; that the length of the bars horizontally shall be equal to the perpendicular length of the union, and the total length of the flag shall be one-third more than its width. That above the star in the center of the union there shall be a gilt scroll in semi-circular form, containing in black letters this inscription "May 20th, 1775," and that below the star there shall be a similar scroll containing in black letters the inscription: "April 12th, 1776."

The history lesson:

May 20, 1775, North Carolina became the first colony to declare its independence.

North Carolina, on April 12, 1776, authorized her delegates to the Continental Congress to vote for independence. This was the first official action by a colony calling for independence. The 83 delegates present in Halifax at the Fourth Provincial Congress unanimously adopted the Halifax Resolves.

The Halifax Resolves were important not only because they were the first official action calling for independence, but also because they were not unilateral recommendations. They were instead recommendations directed to all the colonies and their delegates assembled at the Continental Congress in Philadelphia. Virginia followed with her own recommendations soon after the adoption of the Halifax Resolution, and eventually on July 4, the final draft of the Declaration of Independence was signed.

William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, and John Penn were the delegates from North Carolina who signed the Declaration of Independence.

In early December, 1776, delegates to the Fifth Provincial Congress adopted the first constitution for North Carolina. On December 21, 1776, Richard Caswell became the first governor of North Carolina under the new constitution. In 1788, North Carolina rejected the United States Constitution because of the lack of necessary amendments to ensure freedom of the people; however, on November 21, 1789, the state adopted the constitution, becoming the twelfth state to enter the federal union.

On this coming Sunday we will acknowledge the Memorial Day weekend with a time of prayer to remember those who have given their lives for our freedom.

On a personal note: I want to wish my "little" brother

Vic a Happy Birthday today.

Extreme Home Makeover

This past Sunday I began a four part series of messages entitled, “Extreme Home Makeover for Families.” The goal of the series is to help us understand: (1) How our marriages can be as God intended (2) How our parenting skills can be improved. This series will also include a message designed for single adults in our church family. The opening message was entitled:

The Job Description of a Good Marriage

Here is what I placed on the cover of our worship folder:

I am aware of a 165-question survey that pastors and counselors use for premarital and marriage counseling. It scores about ten different areas of married life. The people who compile this survey and score it decided to do a little digesting of 10,000 surveys; 5,000 men answers and 5,000 women; and they asked basic questions to identify the top issues that men and women most often highlight as concerns in their relationships.

• Here are the top concerns that women reported in their relationships:
  My spouse can be too stubborn.
  Some differences never seem to get resolved.
  I wish my husband were more willing to share his feelings with me.
  I wish my partner were less critical and negative.
  My partner often does not understand how I feel.
  
• Now, here is what the men said were the top issues for them:
  My spouse can be too stubborn.
  Sometimes differences never seem to get resolved.
  There is difficulty dealing with my partner's moodiness.
  There are serious disputes over unimportant issues.
  I wish my partner was less critical and negative.

To listen to this message simple click HERE It will take a few moments to download - just be patient.

For those who missed a clip with my message, here is a little something for you:




Today was a milestone for me as my Facebook page reached the goal of having 100 friends. WOW - It is great to connect with new friends and more friends from the past. I stated on my Facebook page today that ... Rick is not ashamed of the Gospel for it is the power of salvation for all who believe. This is a trustworthy statement.

Mother's Day 2008

Yesterday we celebrated the 100th anniversary of Mother's Day in the United States. At North Raleigh we honored all Moms. I enjoyed a pastor's moment with the children as I encouraged then to tell their moms they love them, and then show it by their actions. The sermon I preached was directed to everyone who has been affected by Motherhood. I address the message to everyone who HAS a mother, HAD a mother, IS a mother, is MARRIED to a mother or knows a mother.


At Hudgens' Haven here in Raleigh our granddaughter Alyse came for a visit over the weekend. Sharron and I had a wonderful time with her. It is amazing to watch her grow physically as she now walks around as a toddler. Her personality continues to develop as she demonstrates her preferences and makes known her likes and dislikes. We loved it when she comes to visit. It brings great joy into our lives.

She had her first visit to the nursery at North Raleigh this past Sunday. Sharron had planned to take her to our nursery but it did become necessary when I stood to make the announcements and she began to call "Papa". We love Alyse.
Our daughters: Danielle and Stephanie and our son-in-law Josh came to be with us for Sunday afternoon. We went out for an early dinner; to avoid the busiest day on the year at restaurants. When we placed our order it was time for Sharron to open her Mother's Day cards. She opened one from Stephanie and Josh, and then one from Alyse. She saved the card I gave her for last - so she then opened the card from Danielle. With that, we all broke out in laughter. It has been some time since we saw the "twin" action from our girls.

You guessed it! They gave Sharron the exact same card! It just a reminder of how Danielle and Stephanie are so uniquely different, yet in so many ways alike. We love them both so much.

I stated yesterday that worry is a part of being a mother. We always worry about the ones we love. Genuine concern, empathy and regard is always important to have for others. It is important that we not allow our worry to consume us and become the focal point of life. Here are words of encouragement to consider:

Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful that happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life." (Philippians 4:6-7 Message)

These, my friends, are truly trustworhty sayings.

PS Here is a video I thought about showing as a tribute to all moms - but I had others. But this is to say thanks to all moms. ENJOY:

Ready to get wet for Jesus?

On Sunday May 4th we celebrated the baptism of 5 people at North Raleigh! There were four children and one adult that was baptized by Pastor Brittany Cottle. I preached a message about the importance of baptism.

Each candidate attended a baptism class on the previous Wednesday night. They were taught what the Bible says about baptism and asked the simple question: Are you ready to get wet for Jesus?

Before each candidate was baptized we paused to hear their written testimonies. I thought you would enjoy these:

Esther: I have been a Christian for more than 9 years and I accepted Christ as my Savior in this church. I was baptized as a baby and for me, today's baptism is a chance to embrace my original baptism, to publicly acknowledge my love for the Lord and to show everyone that all of my trust and all of my faith are in the Lord. The Lord is faithful and greatly to be praised!

David: It all started saying prayers one night with my mom. After that, I decided to let Jesus into my heart. My mom agreed with me so I prayed a holy prayer. I said I was a sinner and I asked Jesus to come into my heart and forgive me of my sins. After that, I felt really fabulous and totally refreshed.

PS. I was 7 when I let Jesus into my heart. It was March 8, 2007, so now I know I have been a Christian for more than a year.

Rachel: I feel awesome. Jesus can help us every day. He can help me not be scared. I pray to Jesus and He speaks to me. Thank you for the Holy Bible. Thank you for being in my heart.

Glady: God- I trust God - He makes me haqqy (happy)!

Ethan: I want to get baptized today because I love Jesus. I want everyone to know that I love Jesus. Every night when I go to bed I ask Jesus to be in my heart and be in my family's hearts too. I ask Him to wash all the dirt out of my heart so that people can see the treasure there. I think everybody should ask Jesus in their hearts. I like to tell my friends about Jesus but sometimes they don't listen. I wish everyone would love Jesus. I want to thank Gramma Gail for teaching me about Jesus in my Sunday School class. She lets us ask questions about Jesus if we don;t understand and she helps me understand more. I also want to thank Pastor Brittany for teaching me about baptism. I just want everyone to know that I love Jesus!

For each candidate, after brushing the tears from her eyes, Pastor Brittany would ask the question: "Have you accepted Jesus Christ into your life for the forgiveness of sin?" Each answered "Yes" Then they were baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. With that - the congregation at NRN broke out in cheers and applause as we celebrated these public testimonies of God saving power and grace at work!

Sunday was an awesome day at NRN!