This gas thing is crazy. Still can’t find mid-grade for my car. I talked to my mechanic and he said I could use regular temporarily with no really bad consequences.

Picked up some things at Walmart, including more bird food. Ashley and Miles went over there to help me.

Been working on my financial report for my treasurer.

Making calls to verify the outreach this weekend and next weekend.

I think we have everything organized.  Hardest part is that I call the offices to set things up and then the word doesn’t get around to the other staff.  Then when my teams show up the staff hasn’t heard about it.  What a hassle.  Pure lack of communication on their parts.  Oh well.

Talked with my partner at FBC Atlanta about the list of materials we need to get from Kroger. I took that over to my partners there this afternoon.

Teaching Jesse how to string a guitar. 

He had a D string pop on the Stratocaster last night.

I talked to an oral surgeon today. Ashley needs to get her wisdom teeth taken out. We’re a part of a group that we pay into a few bucks every month, then we get discounts on the dental/pharmacy bills. If you do regular cleanings it’s definitely worth the money.

I’m headed out the door to run my 4 miles. Worked out hard on weights yesterday. Helps me to burn off stress. Got plenty of it.

It was a beautiful fiery ball sunset yesterday.

I love the way it lights up the huge cumulus clouds.

I had a great time with Neil Reddy and his partner Richard today.

We’re talking about starting more outreach in the Clarkston/Decatur area with their help.  I’m going through the process of appointment with the North American Mission Board with Neil and his wife and their friend Richard.  I believe I work with 18 NAMB missionaries that I’ve mentored.  What a great team they are!

Went by about 20 gas stations today, NONE had mid-grade gas and only 2 had regular unleaded. Not good. I have less than 1/4 tank in the Chrysler.  The Lumina is pretty much full, except for 42 miles that I put on it going to Chamblee last night.  Should be able to do the events next weekend on one tank, so I’ll need to save that car!

This is crazy.

Isn’t this the USA?

I went to the Bridge this morning.

Pastor Bob is preaching on why we should go to church. Maybe if they pray more they can find gas! Check out these lines!

Gas lines are out of sight!  They don’t even have mid-grade which is what my car uses.  This is causing me more than a little anxiety.  I have to go to Chamblee this evening to do a training with a team from the Vineyard.  I’m trying to figure out how I’m supposed to keep up the schedule I have and not be able to drive.  I average at least 45 miles every day.  We have the two biggest weekends for outreach coming up on the 4th and the 11th.

I have everything organized, but I still have to get to the places to take the grills the the churches.

Pray that this situation will be resolved quickly!

I went to Chamblee this evening to brief a team from the Atlanta Vineyard church which will host a block party at Azalea Place on the 4th.

I’ll be in Lawrenceville helping 12 Stone Church with 5 block parties that day.

We had a fun time with the kids at the mission. I’m sure the team is going to do a great job next weekend!

We had a party for Miles

and his parents Jim and Cheryl and his sister Roxy and her baby Izzy.

Such a sweet family! We enjoyed pizza and icecream cake.

Kathy’s brother Paul and his son Luke also came to the party.

I still need to finish up the newsletters.

For the last couple of days I’ve been working on the newsletter. 

Yesterday, I put the finishing touches on the newsletter and printed it up.

Today I worked on writing the personal note on them.

I’ve been watching the Dirty Harry marathon.  I love Clint Eastwood.  He makes my day.

Sunday Miles turns 20. Ashley took him out to a special restaurant: the artistree.

Watched the birds in my garden.  Saw 12 different speices in an hour! I can’t believe there are still a couple of the female hummingbirds around my feeders.  Most have already taken off for the border of Mexico!  What an amazing trip for a little bird.

I took Kathy to Red Lobster for lunch. It was good to spend some extra time with her! I love the view from the patio.

Big news is that there’s hardly any gas in our area! Don’t know what we’ll have to do next week.
Check out these lines.

Had my kids with me today!

We went over to Miller Music to pick up a couple of guitars for the new music class we’re starting at Villa Nueva.

Keith Harrell is a great musician and I think this idea will be a big hit with the residents! Jesse is rocking too!

We’re getting the newsletter together, so we bought stamps and brought all the labels for the kids at Azalea to help stick ’em.  They always enjoy helping out.

Had a talk with Daisy today.

She’s another of my second generation kids having kids.  Her brother was accused of shooting a gun out of his car.  Cops were looking him.  He wanted to talk to the police.  So I called my buddy Ernesto who is a Detective with the Chamblee Police Department.  He came over and talked with the mother and daughter and found out what had happened.  The Dekalb County cops are supposed to come by later this evening to talk with the brother.  Pray everything works out.

I need to finish up the newsletter so I can print it tomorrow.

Beautiful sunset tonight!

I was in the Norcross area today.

I met with Debra the manager at Hampton Woods today.

I told her about FBC Atlanta and the block party we wanted to do at her complex. She’s a prayer up woman and was all for the idea!  I also have my partner Carlos Salaverria who is bringing five families from his church to mingle with the residents.  This is EXACTLY the strategy I’m trying to accelerate.  We can let the white folks come over and bring all the stuff and have games for the kids and we can have the Spanish families interacting with the residents inviting them to their church!

Also had some time with my partner Keith Harrell.

He’s doing a great job at Villa Nueva, in a very tough location.  We’ve had difficulty getting volunteers to help us over there.  We were trying to start an After School program, but kids didn’t seem to need the help.  So now we’re trying a music option.  I’m going to buy a couple of guitars tomorrow and Keith can start teaching residents how to play!  We’ll also probably set up a soccer tournament for the residents.

Pray for our missions.  Our leaders are getting tired.  It’s hard to stay the course year after year.

Kathy rode about 15 miles on her bike today!  She rode from our house to Kensington Statn in Avondale and got back to Stone Mountain.  I went to pick her up because it was dark and dangerous.

We ate at Waffle House on our way home.

It reminded me of how shocked people from out of state are about Waffle Houses.  They can’t believe how MANY there are.  The whole time my Dad was here from Texas he’d say, “There’s a Waffle House”  A minute later. . . . . “There’s another Waffle House.”  We do have a plethora of them.

After we ate at Waffle House, I saw this cool Yamaha motorcycle. I liked the way the motor was lit up.

I’m working on newsletters.  I’ll get the kids to help me do the labels tomorrow.

Peace.

I focused on Impact Atlanta today!  This major event will be hosted at 26 different apartment complexes by around 400 volunteers! Amen!

Lots of logistics involved with an effort of this magnitude.  I called 25 different managers today to give them the good news that we have a tream coming to help! 

We’ll serve hot dogs, have balloon animals and face painting.  Most importantly we have someone in each team to do evangelism!  We’ve had over 50 people come to the Lord as a direct impact of this outreach each year.

I have one more complex to go talk to.  Some of them I need to do in person.  Most I can just call and let them know.

I spent most of my day with Bill Hickey. 

We had a car donated last week that we gave him.  Today I helped him get his insurance for the first couple of months and his phone turned back on.  He’s been such a HUGE help to our mission effort in so many ways, I’m glad I’m able to help him.

We also went by Hamptons at Lenox.  I needed to give them some money of a water bill at one of the missions and to take a look at the bridge near their complex. 

Apparently, they’ve had a real increase in crime in the area and they think the homeless folks may be responsible. It didn’t look too bad.  I was glad to have Bill with me.  I don’t dig going under those bridges without back up.  Some dem folks be looney toones.

Love you guys!

I had a fun time today!

I had a meeting with Pastor Neal Ready.  He’s the pastor of one of our local ethnic churches.  My prayer is that he’ll help us reach the Clarkston community for Christ!

Also spent time with Toni Branyon and Tim and Grace Hatch.  The Hatch family have just come back from serving in Cambodia.  I talked with them and Toni about local missions and took them to a couple of the local grocery stores. 

The stores are an exact copy of what they’re like back home.

Pray that these folks will want to join us in our mission here in Atlanta.

Ran four miles this evening.

We went to the Bridge service at FBC Mountain Park this morning.

Pastor Bob was preaching on why it’s important to go to church.  We need the fellowship!
God sure is blessing this guy!

I took Ashley to buy a new camera.  Her other camera stopped working.  We give them heavy use!

I picked up Kathy in Stone Mountain and brought her back home.  She’s loving her new bike!

There was a fire emergency while we were in town. Those fire trucks are LOUD!

We enjoyed riding around the historic district and getting some pizza.

Today was “Nakuru weather.”  70s.  Cool.  Really makes me miss Africa on days like today!

Did a lot more yard work.

Ran 4 miles.

Beautiful sunset. 

Went out with Jesse to eat pizza.