Just wanted to wish everyone a belated Happy Independence Day!  Hope everyone had a wonderful time with your families and friends.  Travel safely!  It’s been a busy weekend for us leading up to today’s service.  We spent all day on the 4th driving from family member to family member in Donalsonville.  There was great food everywhere we went.  We went by and picked up Milton as Rebecca had to work and watched them shoot off some fireworks . . . and so did the field across the street.  We won’t go there.

Yesterday, we had our church picnic and we had a great time.  We didn’t have as many as we did at the Easter Picnic, but then again some 15 to 16 folks have told they’re gone this weekend.  Not quite sure what attendance will be like today.  We shall see. 

We played several games and Travis Bennett did a wonderful job as always grilling the meats for us.  We played a water balloon game which me and Beau won only to then get attacked by everyone with water balloons.  Talk about sore losers!  Then we played a banana foot race game.  Those were some memorable moments I will not soon forget.  I have got a picture of TJ etched in my head now forever!  Of course we ended the evening with BINGO! 

Last night was Milton’s first  Advent Youth Service.  He wanted me to be around to gage things at the start and I thought everything was going great.  I’m really excited about what he and Rebecca will bring to our church. 

So today is service.  I’m looking forward to a great service!

Today was awesome.  We almost had a record number in attendance and the service went really well.  God was definitely in the place from the beginning to the end.  The worship went really well and there was definitely some excitement.  God really moved during the message and I believe God really worked in our lives. 

We welcomed Milton and Rebecca officially today as our youth pastors.  We had dinner for them after service.  I’m really pumped about them being with us.  They are awesome people and I love both of them very much.  They spent the night with us on Saturday as they are still living in Donalsonville right now while Milton waits on his last surgery.  We’re praying things happen quickly so they can get up here as soon as possible.  No doubt, God has some awesome things in store!

Yesterday was mine and Billie’s 3rd wedding anniversary.  We’ve been married for 2 wonderful years.  No typo there.  The first one was a learning experience.  I’d always been told the first year is the hardest, and it most certainly is.  But it’s worth it.  As bad as it was and while I wish somethings didn’t happen, it definitely made us stronger and it’s been a great learning experience for us both. 

Our marriage isn’t perfect and no one’s is, but it’s wonderful.  I love my wife more today than I ever have and I’ve never been so close to someone in all my life.  We spent yesterday at Stone Mountain and had an awesome time.  The rides were great.  The hike down Stone Mountain was, well it was.  The shows were great.  The eating was amazing. The laser show was awesome.  The gas wasted driving to Atlanta and Buford in the middle of the day was interesting.  We just have fun together.  We were talking about how we basically like the same things and just enjoy being together.  We’re already thinking each other’s thoughts and finishing  each other’s sentences more than ever and it’s only been 3 years.  It just tells me that it will just keep getting better and better.

I’m a very luck man to have my wife.  She’s a gift from God and the only one for me.  I love you Billie!!!!

So we went to the Braves game yesterday with Carey and Brooke.  We had an awesome time.  We left and hit the Cheesecake Factory in Atlanta, which I’d never ate at.  (The one in Atlanta that is.  I’m a Cheesecake Factory buff!)  Great food and it was the only meal I ate all day.  I felt so miserable after eating my Orange Chicken platter, and some of Billie’s food, plus my huge peace of Peanut Butter and Fudge Ripple Cheesecake . . . oh but it was a great miserable feeling. 

We hit Turner Field afterwards and walked around the stadium to see everything and then we found our seats.  I’d never sat in the 300 section before, but these tickets were for what used to be known as the Lexus Level.  Now it’s called the Gold Moon Hotel and Casino section.  Lexus is easier to say.  We walked in to where all the suites were and air conditioned food and lounges.  It was amazing.  We got to see under a pavilion on the 3rd base side which were really good seats.  We also visited the $1 Sky Park and took pictures.  Yeah, the Braves lost 4-1 and Chipper didn’t play which is my man, but it was a still a great time!

Hey Carey, when you get some more freebies, let me know!

Awesome day all the way around.  I thought the music went really well.  We pulled out a new song on the congregation for praise and worship and it went over really well.  God gave me a message today if He’s ever gave me one and He moved mightily in the house.  I still couldn’t help but feel that there was more He wanted to do.  We had another great crowd and so far attendance has held steady through the summer.  We did some VBS training as we’re preparing for our church’s first ever VBS.  I’m believing it’s going to awesome. 

Tomorrow we’re off to watch the Braves.  A guy in the church got some tickets for me and Billie!  I’m pumped.

Well for some reason, lots of folks that usually don’t work on Saturday were working today . . .  yeah sure the boss called you in . . . lol.  Anyway, the work day went on as planned.  We started about 8:30 this morning and didn’t get completely done until after 6 at night.  Along with me and Billie were Travis Bennett, Carey Roberts, Valda Browning, Charles Lamb, and later on Kevin Bennett.  We got a ton done.  The closets at the front of the sanctuary have completely been redone.  More work to come on those, but they look so much better and the finishing touches will open up some more storage space for us and classroom space as well.  We got the locks changed on the new finance office and fixed a few doors and door knobs.  The shrubs were cut along with two trees that were close to the road.  Now you can see our church sign further away!  We converted an old small bathroom into a storage closet for cups, plates, cleaning supplies, filters, and more.  We removed the toilet and vanity.  Fun work for sure.  We also burned a huge pile of limbs and trash that has been collecting since before we arrived at the church last December.  The kitchen got rearranged and it looks a lot better. 

It was a very productive day.  Thank you so much to everyone that came and volunteered.  You guys make all the difference in the world.  It’s people like you that are the reason our church is growing like it is!  I love you guys and appreciate your dedication more than you know.

Some other highlights of the day:  Billie found a mama and daddy salamander couple hiding with about 30 eggs up under a piece of wood.  She saw the head first and thought it was a snake.  At the time, me, Travis, and Carey were miles away at the county dump unloading everything we had accumulated.  So when we got back, Travis got his shotgun and the big moment came where we were going to flip the board and the snake was going to die.  Of course, we flipped the board and it was salamanders protecting their eggs.  Sorry baby, you’ll never live that one down.  Oh, and you probably won’t live down the driving doughnuts in the front yard of the church while Travis and Valda were working either . . .

We still have some more things to do, so here’s the warning . . . in a few weeks, we’re doing this again . . . talk to your bosses . . . and this time, don’t ask them to schedule you!

I found a free and easy way to post our sermons and other productions to our church website. For all of you techie junkies I’m sure there is an easier way.  I’m not there yet, but I’m learning.  In the meantime, we have a new page on the site called “Sermons & Audio Archives” which has a link to a place where all of our sermons and productions will be posted for the time being. 

In other news, we’re gearing up for a big work day tomorrow at the church.  Without intentionally doing it, our church has transformed a lot as far as outward appearance in the past 7 months.  I’ve really not pushed it, but the excitement has did the pushing itself.  Hope everybody comes ready to work.  Time to get in and clean out!  

By the way, bring your tools . . . . did I mention I’m not a carpenter junkie either?

Father’s Day was a good day at the church.  Our attendance was very good.  I didn’t know  if I should expect a Mother’s Day turn out which was a low day, but even without a few visitors, we had most everyone come.  I think I’m going to schedule a “What Would Happen If Everyone Came To Church On the Exact Same Day” Sunday.  Maybe I should find an acronym.

We got to go and see my dad for Father’s Day which is always great.  I remember living in Florida some 8 hours away.  That kind of stuff didn’t happen.  We also got to go by and see my Papa.  I love him to death.  Great weekend all the way around.  I have a lot to do this week so it looks like a busy one up ahead!

We had a great time at the Museum of Aviation today.  We did get rained on right in the middle of the field of airplanes but we were mostly dry by the time we left the museum.  We had some awesome pics taken and I’ll be posting them on the website.  If you’re looking for an inexpensive trip for a day with kids or even for leisure, you can’t go wrong with the museum.

After that, we came home and Billie and I have been playing the old Mario Brothers games from the old original Nintendo and Super Mario World from Super Nintendo.  Those were the days games were good.  Only thing worth buying today is Madden (which comes out in August by the way . . . right around my birthday . . . hint). 

So I’m back from the sabbatical.  I’ve really considered a lot of things and found a lot of things out.  I’ve talked with some important people in my life and I got to hear some things I’ve needed to hear lately.  The past few days has been a complete drag for me.  I can’t explain why, but it has been.  So many thoughts.  So many decisions.  So much to think about.  Everything was spinning, but I feel as if things are starting to shape up. 

Sunday was an awesome day.  We had close to 60 in service and God did an awesome thing in some folks’ lives.  Our services are on CD’s now and many have been wanting copies.  It’s an honor.  Sunday night we had the Georgians’ Quartet in for a concert and I preached afterwards.  Great attendance again and a great night of singing and ministry.  I got a call on Monday from the manager of the group asking for a copy of my message because he had several song ideas out of my sermon.  He even mentioned doing a crusade or two together.  Sounds great to me!  I love preaching.  I love learning.  I love growing.

We had our Planners Board/Finance Committee meeting Tuesday and we went over a lot, but we got everything accomplished.  Great plans from all members and some great decisions were made as we continue to build a foundation for our church.

I’m looking forward to all that God will continue to do.