I am sorry for the long absence from the keyboard. Joan and I took a few days off to get some much needed rest and I didn’t have Internet where we were staying.

So, I just wanted to stop by for a moment this morning to say “Merry Christmas” to all the faithful visitors of The Sermon Notebook. This ministry exists for you, and it is only by the grace of God that it even exists at all. I praise Him for how He has blessed and expanded our ministries. Please pray for us as the New Year dawns. I hope to add more content and I hope to improve The Voice Of Calvary Internet radio. We are still looking for preachers to help fill up some of the airtime. If you are interested in having your message heard twenty-four hours a day, around the world, please let me know. Within the last thirty days, we have had listeners from Romania, The Peoples Republic of China, The Republic of Korea, the Philippines, Nigeria, Bulgaria, Australia, and from many opther countries around the world. Of course, we have also had listeners from all fifty states here in America. It is a growing ministry, and you can be a part of it!

Have a great day with your families. Enjoy one another and love one another, for those are among the greatest of human gifts. Above all, remember the reason for the season and give Jesus the worship He deserves today, and every day. God bless!

Alan Carr

Well, it’s done! My son Jesse and his wife Amy are married and they are on their honeymoon. (I hope it lasts for many years!) Pray for them as they begin their life together.

The wedding went well and I pray that the Lord was glorified through the service. We tried to make Him the centerpiece of the service.

While the wedding went well, the run-up to the wedding, and the aftermath of the wedding, is a different story! It takes a lot for a couple to get married these days! I was amazed at the amount of work that was required to be sure that everything was just right. It’s a far cry from how things were when my wife and I were married.

In those days I was a poor mill worker and she was a poor shop girl. Although Joan would have loved to have had a church wedding, we couldn’t afford one and neither could either of our parents. So, we went to the Justice of the Peace. Our families went with us, as did our witnesses. Imagine the scene.

There we stand, me in a new suit. My wife in a homemade wedding dress, standing before a man who is a total stranger in the courthouse in Marion, NC. The Justice of the Peace is in front of us. In the right back corner of the room, a Highway Patrolman is booking a man caught driving drunk. The man is in handcuffs. They stop what they are doing while our wedding takes place. After the wedding, the Patrolman and the guy in cuffs both come over to offer their congratulations. It was quite a scene. We still laugh about it today. But, you know, it worked! Twenty-seven years later, Mrs. Joan is still the love of my life, and we are still just as married as if we had spent thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours on a fancy wedding.

Is there a moral to this story? Perhaps! Maybe it teaches us that real, lasting marriages are not forged on the anvil of glitter, flowers and elaborate ceremonies. Real marriages are the work of God putting two people together for a lifetime. If I had it to do over again, I would give my wife the wedding she wanted the first time. If it were left solely up to me, however, I wouldn’t change a thing.

Of course, all this begs another question. Who decided that Pastors have to be the ones to stand and join couples together in marriage? Is this something left over from the dark ages when the Roman church dominated every aspect of people’s lives? I sure can’t find it in the Bible. Oh well, I guess it just comes with the territory for now.

Have a blessed day at the Father’s house. Go to worship Him and for no other reason. Look for Him in every part of the service and you will have a great Sunday, even if no one else does!

Alan Carr

Just because I haven’t posted in a while does not mean that I am lazy. I have been dealing with a severe back problem since last Thursday. In fact, I haven’t left the house since last Thursday. I didn’t get to preach or even go to church on Sunday. Thankfully, I am starting to see some improvement. I can walk semi-straight now. I am trying my best to get back on my feet since my son is getting married on Saturday. I need to be able to stand for at least 45 minutes so I can perform the wedding. Help me pray about this matter.

Well, there is one advantage. The run-up to the wedding has been a busy time. This week is especially busy. But, due to my broken back I am unable to help at the moment. I hope I will be back in business in a few days.

Alan Carr

The past week has been very busy. leaving, me little time to blog. I made it back from Florida last Friday evening. We had a church dinner on Saturday evening. We had two great services on the Lord’s Day. I taught my classes, visited the hospitals, and attended a service to honor the life and ministry of Dr. James Lockee on Monday. Yesterday, I taught my classes and helped my son move to his new house. Yes, my wife and I now have an “empty nest”. I will miss Jesse and the day to day interaction with him, but he is ready to begin his own life and I am proud of the man he has become. Pray for him and his intended, they will be married a week from Saturday. So, the run up to their wedding is a very hectic time.

Anyway, I just wanted to touch base with you all. I will try to do better in the future. The past three months have been the busiest of my life. But, I am beginning to see a little light at the end of the tunnel. God bless you all. Please pray for this preacher!

Alan Carr

We gathered at Calvary on Wednesday evening for our pre-Thanksgiving service. What a time we had! One of our young women had a moral failure a while back and is expecting a child out of wedlock. She confessed her sin to the church and asked for forgiveness. The church folks came around her and affirmed their love for her and their willingness to forgive. Then the saints began to testify about the things they are thankful for. Suffice it to say that the service was a tremendous blessing. God sure does meet with us at Calvary and I praise His holy name!

Yesterday, the family gathered at our house to celebrate Thanksgiving. We had a great meal, as usual. The best part was the opportunity to spend some time with family.  After such a busy fall schedule, just a few hours with no demands is a blessing. After the family left, Joan and I went to our son’s house and painted for several hours. We did the same thing tonight. The house is about ready to move into and that is a good thing because they are getting married three weeks from tomorrow! Yikes!

So, anyway, it’s bedtime right now and I’m heading that way!

Alan Carr

Here on the even of Thanksgiving Day, I want to share a short list of the things for which I am thankful.

• Grace and all it has brought into my life – Salvation, forgiveness, a new life, eternal life, a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ, the indwelling Spirit, the Word of God, and much more than I can list.
• My family – I thank God for my wife. She is a true helpmeet to me and I love her. I thank God for my children. I am proud of them and the lives they live. My son-in-law and soon to be daughter-in-law. Joan and I have long prayed for the spouses that our children would marry. He has answered us in a very favorable manner. I am proud to call Chad and Amy family. My Mom and Dad are a blessing to me and I am thankful for their lives. I am thankful for my brother Don. I don’t see him as often as I would like, but I love him.
• The church I attend – Calvary Baptist Church is filled with some of the most genuine, sincere believers I have ever met. They are the real deal and I praise God for putting us together.
• The ways God uses my life – God has blessed my life far beyond my wildest hopes and dreams. Everyday is a fulfillment of Ephesians 3:20. I stand amazed at what He does and what He allows me to do.

That is just my short list. What are you thankful for today?

Think about, post it and praise Him for it!

Alan Carr