I’ve missed you guys on the blog!  So much going on.

I met with Dr. Mel Colon this morning.  We worked on developing a strategy for offering low cost healthcare for those with no insurance.  He’s established a great clinic to help with our immigrant population.  I’ll go out next week with some of his staff to set up some events in the businesses around the area.

This afternoon I traveled to Roswell to meet with Kevin Sanderson, one of my favorite partners.  He’s a great guy and just recently got married.  We  went to Park Ridge apartments to set up some regular outreach with his church.  One of their leasing agents was actually louder than me!  She really seemed interested in our work and looked eager to help.

Then to St. Joseph’s hospital to visit with my good friend Bob Speer.  He was hospitalized on Monday.  I just heard about it this morning.  He’s having liver problems.  He seems to be doing better and looks pretty good.  I was glad about that.

Helped Ailen and Famedha with their homework.  We don’t have many kids coming for homework help.  So mainly I just hang out and visit with them.  One of my favorite kids, Chris, got suspended from school for 12 days for blackmail.  He saw another kid steal a PSP game system and told him he’d tell the teacher unless he gave him money.  I thought 12 days was harsh for that.

Been working on admin stuff at my house.  I still need to do a report for FBC Conyers and my financial report for my treasurer.

Tomorrow I go out of town for a few days with Kathy.  I really need the time to recharge and spend time with my wife.

Peace.

Just finished up the newsletters.  I really needed to get them out because of the invitations.  That’s been taking a lot of time.

Was in Lawrenceville on Monday with my partners from Sweetwater Church.  We enjoyed planning for future ministry and visiting residents at Greens at Hillcrest.

I had a great albeit super busy weekend.

I actually had two mission conference the same weekend.  On Saturday I represented Whirlwind Missions at Roswell United Methodist Church–one of my favorites.  They were super organized and had a lot of ministries represented.  I was in a room with three of my best partners:  Adam and Mary Hoyt, friends of mine working in Clarkston, Joshua Siewiecke from World Relief and Cindy Hunnicut with Square Peg ministries working at our mission in Roswell. Fun to be with friends!

I also had a conference at Peachtree Corners Baptist Church.  This church was hugely instrumental in our work getting started here in Atlanta twelve years ago.  I owe them a great debt of gratitude.  Ashley and I along with my partners Matt Johns and Bennett Eckandem were there sharing our vision of reaching Atlanta.

Saturday evening I went back to Roswell to share with the New Dimensions Sunday School Class at one of them member’s homes.  We had a great time explaining what we do and the class committed to helping us with three events this year.  Terrific.

Sunday I preached at the 65 and older SS class at PCBC.  I really like working with Seniors.  They are real prayer warriors. They also committed to working with us several times this year.  Excellent!

Last night we had the mission fair and a spaghetti  supper.  I always enjoy talking with new friends and folks I’ve seen over the last decade.

I also had a meeting with Rebecca Hampton, another of the Mission Service Corps missionaries from NAMB that I supervise.  We went through some initial documents that NAMB likes us to fill out just to make sure that the new missionary on the field is going in the right direction.

It’s Monday morning now.  I didn’t get home to nearly 11pm last night.  Just finished going through my email.

I need to make copies for the newsletter and then I have a meeting for lunch with my partners from Sweetwater BC.  They’ve moved their congregation to the Lawrenceville area.  I’m looking forward to showing them the mission opportunities we have going in that area.

I’ll try and get all those 220+ letters in the mail today.

Full speed ahead, baby!

Peace.

Thursday! Ashley day! And Jesse came today too! What a blessing. Jesse came to practice driving around Atlanta. He did a great job in a difficult (putting it mildly) driving area.

We went to Lowe’s first to pick up three more boxes of tiles for Bill Hickey. He’s working on the outside lobby and the bathroom of our church secretary now.

We had a pre-site visit with Kevin Wilson from W. Georgia today. He’ll bring the kids from Ephesus Baptist Church to work with us in April for his kid’s spring break. We ate at Vikyhat Indian food, visited the shopping areas around the International Village and went by several of the missions where the team will be serving.”

We also went by N. Peachtree BC to see the facilities where they might stay and also to see Pastor Tony Romans. Jesse will probably help them revamp their web site.

I just finished going through my email and catching up on phone calls. In a few minutes we’ll go over to Azalea to check on the kids.

When I picked up the tiles (which are about 30 pounds a box) I dropped one of them on the tips of the fingers on my right hand. Talk about pain. Hard to type now, but getting better.

Peace.

Google Ron Paul.

I had a great day today with a good friend of mine Bob Burton. He’s with the North American Mission Board and in the Multi Housing department. I took Bob over to eat at Cafe Istanbul–one of my food faves.

We explored Clarkston then over to Norcross to check with a manager at Huntington Ridge. I needed to talk with Millie about a renovation I want to do in the apartment. She had just gone out to eat. I’ll catch her next time.

Bob and I went around the International Village along the Buford Highway corridor. I always have a good time doing that.

Got some stationary to write “Thank You” notes. I’ve been making origami butterflies for our supporters. I’m writing a note and putting a butterfly in with it.

Checked on Bill Hickey and the renovation project at FBC Doraville. He’s done a great job on the kitchen over there. It looks like a totally new place. He’s repainted all the cabinets and replaced the old tile. Looks terrific. We’re going to redo the bathroom for the church office next. Then back downstairs to do the outside hall area.

I think it’s a good investment to keep our buildings in the best possible shape.
Peace.

I’ve been working diligently on our banquet that we’ll have on February 16th.  Today I bought stamps for the envelopes.  Went over to Azalea later today.  The kids always get a kick out of helping me with the labels.  I buy them doughnuts as a reward.

Had a great meeting with Gary Hall this morning.  He and his wife Suzanne recently moved to Duluth from Miami. He was working with the Haitian community there.  I hope that they’ll plug in with us here.  We ate lunch at Torreros and then went to visit the Hamptons at Lenox, one of the locations where they could live and work.

Went through all my phone calls.  Good discussions.  I bet I talked over three hours.  I tried to listen more than I talked.  That’s hard for me.

I’m working on an origami project.  I’ve been fascinated by that art, but never took the time to learn the skill.  It’s been fun to learn something new.  I bought some special Japanese paper so I can make butterflies and send them as a special “Thank You.”

37 degrees outside.  Brrrr.

Peace.

It’s been a weather weekend! Snow! Although I doesn’t seem much like flakes, more like clumps of snow. Still cool–literally!

We’ve been working on getting the Love Banquet for Whirlwind together. Ashley’s been working super hard on getting the invitations together. The kids at the mission will help me put the rest of the mail out ready.

K and I had a nice walk last night enjoying the snow in the neighborhood. We did about 1.5 miles.

Jesse, Ashley and I went over to the Post Office in Lawrenceville to apply for their updated passports. In a month or so all four of us should be ready for international travel. Now, where will we go?

Did you know that even if we go to Mexico and Canada we have to have a passport to get back into the country? That’s changed as of January 1st.

I’m always trying to learn new skills. This weekend I’ve focused on Origami–the ancient Japanese art of folding paper. It’s been fun. Sort of like working a 3D puzzle.

It’s 20 degrees outside right now. Kathy’s out in it. I’m sitting here typing with the heater between me and the laptop. I thaw out my hands every minute or so.

I was pleased to see that Ron Paul got 2nd in Nevada. Google Ron Paul.

Thursday!  That means it’s an ASHLEY day!

It’s always fun to hang out with Ashley.  Today we worked on plans for our volunteer banquet on February 16th.  If you want to come–you’re invited!  Give me a call at 770-490-1668 or email me at whirlwindtim@gmail.com.

We laid out the invitation to the party for our guests.  We went by Michaels, Staples and Hobby Lobby looking for paper and little things to make them look pretty.  It’ll be a Banquet of Love!  We got a bunch of balloons and matching plates and covers for the tables.  Lots of details to cover.  It’s easier this year since we have more experience with it.  Seriously, if you want to come let me know.

This afternoon I spent most of the time going through the financial report and working on our donor address list.  Every February I send out a note to all the recipients of  our newsletter.  If I haven’t heard from them the whole year, then they get a note making sure they still want to get the newsletter.  If they don’t mail a card back in, they drop off the list.

Pretty cold tonight, but not nearly the frozen mess everyone was expecting.  We got about 3/4″ of rain.  Didn’t affect our road surfaces at all really.

Peace.

Google Ron Paul

Had a meeting with the Chamblee-Doraville Apartment Managers this morning. It was also the retirement party for Bob Speer a long term friend of mine since the beginning of my ministry in Atlanta. I choked back tears as I said “Farewell” to one of my best partners. What a loss for our area. I pray for Bob and ask the Lord to give him a happy and successful retirement.

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We had a cleaning company make a presentation to our group.

I had a good talk with Barb Newman from Dunwoody Baptist Church this morning. We’re trying to figure out what the priorities are for service in our community. I’m always for evangelism and discipleship #1.

My partner Bill Hickey is working on remodeling the kitchen at FBC Doraville. We talked about the equipment we’ll need to redo the floor.

Working on an updated financial report.

Went through all my email.

I’ll be going to Azalea to help the kids in a few minutes. We had a good group yesterday. I’m proud of my young men who serve at the mission where they once were helped!

Getting cold outside. Supposed to have rain and sleet tonight. Bummer.

It snowed on me on the way home. Left the office at 44 degrees. By the time I got home it was 34! Big clumps of snow. Cool.

Peace.

Google Ron Paul.

I had a great meeting today with Dr. John Harvey from Columbia International University based in S. Carolina.  CIU has recently opened up a adjunct campus here in Atlanta where they’ve started offering some short, intensive classes.  I really feel the Lord is leading Whirlwind to work with their students to reach the International population here in Atlanta.  I came out of the meeting with some other contacts to try at CIU–mainly internship possibilities which I think would work out great!

Finished up my financial reports for my Treasurer this morning and dropped that off at his house.

Just knocked out the rest of my email.  I have three teams currently looking at working with us in the next month or so.  That’s always exciting!   I had a long phone call this morning with a team from Virginia looking to help us.

I’m going over to Azalea in a few minutes to check on the kids at the mission.  I had a good group yesterday.

Peace.

Google Ron Paul.

This morning I spent in Clarkston.  I had a meeting with Terry Earl.  She is leading the charge with our literacy program that meets in the family’s homes.  She’s doing a great job with that.  We went over some plans for the future of her mission and filled out some forms for the North American Mission Board.

I’m the coach of eight of our Mission Service Corps personnel for NAMB.  I’m trying to make sure that the people on our team have everything they need to do their ministry.

I’m at FBC Doraville now.  I’m waiting for a guy that needs to talk to me.  He only speaks Spanish, so we’ll see how it goes.

Just finished up my email.  I’ll be going over to Azalea to check on the kids in a few minutes.

Peace.

Google Ron Paul.