Hearts of Service

 

One of Ansley Roan’s favorite things about Texas Roadhouse, in Rockwall, Texas, is the company’s commitment to serve their community. This past week, at their conference in Nashville, Tennessee, Texas Roadhouse included a Humanitarian Day. The participants assembled hygiene bags and snack bags for people in the community.

Recently, the American Cancer Society contacted Tommy Tutone to see if they could purchase the rights to use the phone number made famous in his 1981 rock song “867-5309/Jenny.” Tutone refused to sell them the rights. Being a cancer survivor himself, he gifted the rights to the American Cancer Society for no charge. The advertisement for the Cancer Support Community (CSC) states:

THE NUMBER EVERYONE

KNOWS BY HEART

IS NOW THE NUMBER

FOR CANCER SUPPORT

CSC-867-5309

Due to the new hotline number, calls have increased by over 200%!

 

Recently, Chelsea Coyle was a spectator at the marathon race in Philadelphia. Standing close to the Finish Line, she noticed a man who was struggling to remain upright and eventually fell. Two men stopped, grabbed his arms, and picked him up. Even though it slowed down their times, the runners were willing to help out so the man could complete the race.

 

On Wednesday, Robbie and Kathy Jo Huckaby, from White Oak, Texas, found out that their neighbor was in the hospital with pneumonia. She had been out of town on vacation and her grass had not been mowed during those two weeks. Their great-grandson, 5-year-old Dallas, was visiting and suggested that they mow her yard for her. With their church’s theme this year being, “MADE FOR MORE,” the three got to work mowing and cleaning up her yard.

 

May we, too, exemplify the hearts and actions of servants.

 

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.

1 Peter 4:10

 

Little Things Can Make a Big Difference

 

During lunch on Easter Sunday, a delivery truck driver dropped off a package at the Bonow house. The family quickly put together a plate of food and their oldest son, Elijah, ran it out to the man to let him know he was thought of and appreciated.

Mr. Wade had finished a long day at work and headed home. As he pulled up into the driveway, he noticed the young boy, that lived across the street, was playing with his red firetruck. Mr. Wade walked across the street, greeted Roman, and sat down on the sidewalk to play and visit for a few minutes. Roman’s mom watched from the front yard and commented, “My boy doesn’t need a lot. Then there are moments like this when someone chooses to stop, to sit, to stay. And somehow, Mr. Wade always does.”

 

In a conversation, Lou Holtz once told Kristin West, “When I would recruit, I’d go into the player’s house and see how he treated his mother.”  

 

Arun Pandit tells the story about Jim, a retired football player. He had come to a point where it was time to move out of his house and into an assisted living place. He chose to stay in the same city, even though none of his children lived close by. After moving in, Jim’s ritual became to walk across the street to Starbucks, at 3:00 every afternoon, and purchase a coffee and blueberry muffin. The baristas loved him. They would write notes, jokes, and encouraging messages on his cups and bags. One day Jim missed coming in so one of the young men made his order and walked it across the street to where he lived. With tears in her eyes, the receptionist let him know Jim had passed away the night before. The Starbucks team was saddened with the news. The next day, Jim’s daughter came in and thanked the baristas for being family to him and invited them to his funeral. The afternoon manager made arrangements so they could all go. When the Starbucks employees arrived at the service, they were surprised to see three tables displaying the cups, notes, and bags they had written messages on for Jim. They truly were like family to him.

 

May we, too, show up and make an impact on those around us.

 

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

1 Thessalonians 5:11

Artemis II

 

"We need

Jesus,

whether on Earth

or circling the

moon.”

Victor Glover

 

Observations about Artemis II:

April 1-10, 2026 – 1st crewed mission to the moon’s vicinity in over 50 years

Commander: Reid Wiseman, 2nd spaceflight

Pilot: Victor Glover, 2nd spaceflight

Mission Specialist 1: Christina Koch, 2nd spaceflight

Mission Specialist 2: Jeremy Hansen, 1st spaceflight

 

Trip around the moon broke record for farthest human spaceflight in history: 252,756 miles

 

Flying behind moon astronauts lost radio contact for 40 minutes

 

First humans to see entire far side of moon which faces away from Earth

 

Named a lunar crater “Carroll,” after Commander Wiseman’s late wife

 

Trained for years to perform mission with excellence

 

Hundreds, if not thousands of people back on earth, had to perform their specific job accurately to ensure a successful mission.

 

Families make great sacrifices for their loved one to train and go into space.

 

Jim Lovell spent 715 hours in space, during 4 missions. Months before his death, on August7, 2025, at age 97, Lovell recorded a message for the four astronauts on Artemis II to hear right before they broke his record of distance traveled. NASA held on to it, without others knowing. On April 6, day 6 of the mission, a few hours before reaching the furthest humans have flown, Jim Lovell’s voice was played, “Hello, Artemis II. This is Apollo astronaut Jim Lovell. Welcome to my old neighborhood.” After talking about Apollo 8, orbiting the moon with Frank Borman and Bill Anders, watching the sunrise, and the lunar horizon, he called each astronaut by name and said, “I’m proud to pass that torch on to you. Don’t forget to take it all in…the beauty, the perspective…the meaning of what you’re doing. Good luck and Godspeed from all of us here on the good Earth.”

 

Glover emphasized, “The mission was an opportunity to appreciate the shared, fragile nature of life.” He urged people to “love God” and “love your neighbor.”

 

Orion splashed down safely in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of San Diego.

 

Lucas Ye, a second grader, designed the Artemis II mascot, Rise, that rode in the capsule. Reid Wiseman brought Rise with him when he excited Orion, to make sure he stayed safe.

 

Nikola Sagan stated, “Their mission reminds us that even at the edge of deep space, human connection remains our greatest strength.”

 

I will treasure seeing the anticipation and excitement of 3 generations of our family watching and celebrating the successful reentry and landing of Orion and the four astronauts.

 

What an amazing 10 days of so many people coming together to marvel at space exploration and wish the best for the astronauts and their mission.

 

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Genesis 1:1