Stayed up late Tuesday evening working on my newsletter. Got it produced and sent to our partners at the Atlanta Metro Baptist Association.

It’s the story of Bayo, my friend who died last Friday. Sad. We’ll be going to the funeral Thursday afternoon.

Called my mortgage people. I’m setting up an accelerated schedule of payments. Took about an hour to deal with all the details.

Spent some time repairing my shoulder bag. I’ve had that bag at least eight years. I’m always fixing it. I reckon that’s the African in me.

Met up with Ashley for lunch.


We tried a new place called Little Cuba. Good.

While we were there, I saw a friend of mine recognized: Gideon Levy.

He is the owner and big boss of about 11 properties where we have work. As I often say, “The most important thing that happens is rarely what I plan.” Certainly true in this case!

Then went by the Buford Highway Farmers Market to make sure we were ok for bringing a choir there this weekend.

Went by the Dollar Tree to pick up supplies for the teams this weekend.

Here’s what’s in the block party bag. Still missing two balls. We had bought all their big balls last weekend.

We will have about 120 people in town on Saturday. Ash and I went by eleven different properties to verify with the managers the team was coming. Good times!

Then to Azalea to help the kids with their homework.


One of our volunteers brought several other kids to help. They all enjoyed playing with my kids.

Looking forward to spending time with K this evening.

I have to be at Providence Christian Academy at 7:50 am tomorrow. That’s pretty early! We always enjoy speaking to those kids. Ash and I hope to mobilize them. We’ll see what happens.

I got some really good news today! But it’s a secret. . . .

I love their art!

Worked on bills and sending letters/dvds to teams.


Went for a 5.04 mile run this morning. Beautiful weather and gorgeous trees!

Soon we’ll be getting lots of pine tree pollen.

Yesterday, I collected more plastic eggs from the Dollar Tree to give as an award to our teams that work with. Today, I painted about 50 of them GOLD. That should last us for a while! Clean off the stickers. Line them up. Shoot ’em!

Went to Walmart to pick up some supplies for the mission. Also got three new Pink Magnolia trees to plant. My favorite tree.

Took a brief nap before going to the mission to work with the kids. Glad to have Miles there too!

Enjoyed Han il Kwan Korean food with Ashley, Miles and Jesse.

Home now to spend time with Kathy and work on admin duties. Watched Super Nanny and Castle with K.

Hmmmmm.

Sweet love note from one of the kids at the church I was at this weekend.

Last night I got home around 10:30pm. I actually slept over 8 hours straight. Wow!

Got up and uploaded pictures from the weekend with Cross Pointe and Roopville Road Baptist Church.

Once the blog was caught up, I started editing video. Got that finished and processed.

I found the charger that one of the team members needed from the Mississippi group. I packaged it up, and took it to the Post Office to mail.

Uploaded to YouTube. Now working on burning a dvd of the project to send to the church.

Spent a couple of hours going from one Dollar Tree store to another.

I think I visited five in all. One of the things we do with the teams is show them my enormous Elephant Bird egg. I tell they how they need to have great EGGspectations and EGGcellent effort!

At the end of our week together, Ashley and I present the Golden Egg of EGGcellence. I’ve got a bunch of these plastic eggs now.

I paint them gold and Ashley writes a note on them. It becomes a trophy for their team and helps them to remember to pray for us and hopefully come back.

I’m always coming up with some crazy idea to make the Whirlwind Missions experience even better!

Went to Huntington Terraces this afternoon to share with the kids at the mission what had happened to Bayo.

The Spanish Pastor who we’ve been working with was there to talk to the families. I was able to share with the volunteers how much we loved Bayo. I was glad Raul was there too.

Went by my office to drop of the supplies I’d used for the weekend.

Then went to the mission to work with the kids.

Enjoyed supper with Jesse.

Kathy and I watched the Theory of Everything this evening.

Admin duties now.

Beautiful spring trees!

I love raptors.

Saturday, Ashley and I had a fun time briefing our team from Crosspointe Church!


We had a great time of dedication with these awesome families!

In our prayer time, I talk about the importance of our prayers being EXACT. I have everyone cross their two index fingers in the form of an X. We saw these con trails when we went outside. It was like a verification from the Lord!

Then to the Buford Highway Farmers Market for our Cultural Safari and outreach.

Over to Azalea to work with the kids. Here’s what Ashley and I picked up for the party.

Then straight to Carrolton to meet with the folks at Roopville Road Baptist Church.

We had a fun missions fair on Saturday evening.

I stayed with the Jackson family. They have a beautiful house out in the country.

Sunday morning I spoke to a variety of people from their church during the SS class time.

Terrific worship service.

I was interviewed too and was my usual calm, sedate self.

Ashley and Kathy joined me in the evening to speak to the Youth group. Good time.

Got home Sunday night around 10:30pm. Pretty much went straight to bed. I actually slept all the way through the night. Can’t remember the last time I’d done that! I’ve been really worn out.

I got really sad news on Friday that my good friend Bayo Otiti had died. I’m still grieving. His memorial service will be held Thursday.

This afternoon I plan on meeting with the kids at the Terraces to let them know what happened. Very sad.

A little over 1/2″ of rain yesterday.

Sad news this morning. I got various texts and voice mail that my dear brother Bayo Otiti had died this morning.

I still don’t have the exact cause, but I think it was probably a complication due to the surgery he had related to his eye. I know he’s in a better place. I felt happy that his last years working with us were the “happiest in my life.” It’s great to see someone enjoy ministry as much as he did. And when his wife came to join him in ministry his life really seemed to be complete.

Met up with Ashley and Jesse for lunch.

I bought Ashley a piece of cake to take home.

Always good. We went to the Dollar Tree to pick up supplies for the Outreach Event with Crosspoint church tomorrow.

I love my children!

Then went to Roopville Road Baptist Church this evening for the initial night of the conference.


It’s about a hour and a half away from my house. Pretty long drive. Good night and lots of good contacts.

Good to meet Dan Dockery, he’s the Associational Missionary.

Haven’t felt well today. Been coughing. Voice is really rough. Today marks 45 days straight of work with two days off. Those two days I was sick and had a bad back.

Going to rest early this evening.

We have to meet the team at 9:30am tomorrow morning. Briefing and outreach, then drive back to Roopville for the conference Saturday. I’ll spend the night at a family’s house tomorrow, that’s always kind of marginal sleeping. Then multiple services on Sunday including Sunday evening. Hardly a restful time.

Always something interesting to see.

Close parking may be my only perk.

Last night I officially started working on my new book, “The RIGHT Way to Pray.” I wrote the introduction and the first chapter. The thrust of the book is using the right hemisphere of our brain to visualize Jesus rather than just the left hemisphere which just talks and uses logic. I think it will be a fun and very powerful book.

This morning Ashley and I briefed our college team from Midway Macedonia Baptist Church in Carrolton. They were a lively group!

We had our dedication time, “It’s up to ME” and also signed the landing pad.


They also received the Golden Egg of EGGcellence!

We took them to Plaza Fiesta, Asian Square and the Buford Highway Farmers Market. Good times!



Then over to Azalea to help the kids with their homework.

Here’s my drawing of a dinosaur for the kids.

I enjoyed supper with Jesse this evening.

We made our plans and bought our tickets to the UK for the conference we’re going to in May called Change/Phenomena. I will be the host of the conference. I’m looking forward to seeing friend and being with Jesse on that trip.

Kathy went to bed early this evening. She has to start work at 8am tomorrow at the day care center where she works.

I have the morning off, then I’ll travel to Roopville, GA for the start of a missions conference. I’ll have to come home Friday night because I have a team in town Saturday morning. Then I’ll go back to Roopville for the conference and spend the night there. I’ll come back on Sunday night.

Promises to be a fun and packed out weekend.

Today marks 45 days straight without a break except for two days when I was sick and hurt my back. Wow. It’s been a wild spring break!

Ashley and I had fun taking our friend Erin from Grace Fellowship around the International Village.

We hope to get Grace helping us again! We visited Plaza Fiesta, Asian Square and the Buford Highway Farmers Market.

Went to the mall to pick up a new hat. My old one was pretty beat up. THANKS, Ashley!

Then over to the mission to help the kids with their homework.

Admin duties now at home.

My new QT is coming along! They poured concrete around the pumps today.

It’s still cool in the mornings. I wore my new shoes today. First time I’ve ever bought shoes from Amazon.

This morning I finished uploading and burning a DVD for the Fellowship Bible Church team. Takes time!


Then went through all our contact cards from the last month or so and typed up all the addresses and email addresses we had.



I then typed up labels for the snail mail addresses to put on our newsletter list and for our reFUND MISSIONS donor program.

Dropped off the financial report to our treasurer.

Ashley helped me put the labels on and write the notes.

Went to the Post Office to get the stamps.

Also bought some new bins to organize our pens and cards to hand out to the teams that come. I’m always trying to tweak our system to make it better and more efficient.

Then got them in the mail.

Worked with the kids at the mission.

Enjoyed supper with Jesse. Then went to Walmart to pick up some supplies for the missions.

I also bought some new short pants. Spring is here! Yeah, baby!

Watched Castle with K.

Admin duties now.

Absolutely BEAUTIFUL here in Atlanta!






Multiple zipper clouds.

Ashley and I briefed our team on Buddhism and Catholicism this morning.

We also had our dedication ceremony where we pass the baton, “It’s up to ME!”

And sign the “Landing Pad!”

Went on a Cultural Safari to Plaza Fiesta to see how Central America lives.

We also had a team from Freedom Church in Alabama come for a pre-site visit. GREAT to have new partners on board!

Then to Asian Square.

Finished off the afternoon with India and Pakistan at Global Mall. Fun!

The best part is always working with the kids at the missions.

Great to see Jesse!

Got into the 70s today! First flip flop day of the season. Yeah, baby. The pale feet look.

K and I watched some of Le Weekend and Dancing with the stars.

Admin duties now.

I probably don’t need this.

Ashley and I had fun briefing our team from Fellowship Bible Church this morning at Peachtree Presbyterian Church in Buckhead.

We talked about Islam and Hinduism.

Then took them on a Cultural Safari to al Madina.

The weather was absolutely fabulous, so we went directly to the missions after our safari.

They are doing a wonderful job with the kids!

Ashley and I went back to the church to organize our presentation for tomorrow.

Also stopped by Walmart to pick up some printer ink and supplies.

Came home and ran 5.08 miles. Got dark, but the weather so nice, I didn’t care.

Admin duties now.