Ashley and I had a great time briefing our BIG total teams from Arkansas, Texas, Tennessee and Georgia this morning. We get might rowdy!


We took them on a tour of the Buford Highway Farmers Market before leading them to the missions.

GREAT time with some wonderful folks.

Came home to work on admin duties. We’re still working on getting our space back from Chamblee Heights to use for an after school program. Pray for that as well as the teams in town.

Ashley and I had a great time briefing our team from Fountain City this morning!

We talked to them about Buddhism and then took them to Asian Square.




Delicious Malaysian food at Penang.


Then to the missions in Sandy Springs!

Deposited checks for the ministry on the way home.

Came home to work on admin duties.

Also added lights and moss to my terrarium for the Venus Fly Traps that are on the way to my house.


Had fun watching the Mentalist with Kathy this evening.

Big group added tomorrow. Yeah, baby!

Rained about 1/4″ last night.

Rested this morning.

Worked on a new podcast! Always one of my favorite things.

All of life is made up of choices. There are almost infinite amounts of choices but the critical thing is to “Choose!” Just click, on the title and groove!

After recording I went for a 5.04 mile run. Started off terrific. Kept getting hotter. Welcome to the Summer! Still beautiful!


Cool mushrooms.

I like this picture of Guy Fawkes.

Came home pretty much exhausted. Showered and cooled off. Then went for lunch with Kathy and Jesse. Always good!

Got the DVDs in the mail to the teams.

Rested when I got home.

Then worked on cleaning the fish tank.

And the house.



Met up with the Mobilizing Students leadership this evening. Had a fun supper with them, then took my two leaders to the six locations that their teams will cover.



Dropped them back off at FBC Doraville, then back to Stone Mountain to rest at home. Didn’t get back till about 9:30pm.

Admin duties now.

This morning I continued to work on editing the videos for the two teams from last week. To complete the process for the team, I edit video, upload to YouTube, burn a DVD, post an email to the team with all the links to the video and photo galleries and send the dvd with a thank you to the teams. Takes time!

Went to Stone Mountain to help Kathy get into her car. Then to the Village of Stone Mountain to look at interesting things while my bbq sandwiches got made at Crazy Rons. Always something beautiful to see and the bbq is worth the wait!

This machine is from the 1890’s. It’s designed to crank and give people shocks–for their own good. I’m fascinated by this stuff, but it’s a bit out of my price range.

I thought these mushrooms growing from the tree stump were cool.

I saw a snake in the road. Parked my car to get it out of the road. Too late! Car ran over it. Not exactly sure what I’d planned to do when I found out it was a juvenile copperhead. Probably run away.

Picked up Kathy and Jesse and drove to Lawrenceville to see Michelle Barrington get married to Ben Leget.

It was a beautiful ceremony. I thought Carl Barrington did a great job–especially his song!



It was fun to see friends and fellowship.

Turns out that Ben’s uncle Tim served in Uganda as a journeyman with Kathy while she was in Kenya. Fun connection!

I thought my girls looked pretty today!

Came home to rest and work on editing video.

Looking forward to time with Kathy this evening.

Friday morning I enjoyed resting. I was really tired after working at the missions all day and then speaking in Jonesboro. Didn’t get home till after 10pm. Trying to rest my voice which is already sounding pretty rough.

Made phone calls to partners at Ashford Apartments and Columns at Bentley Manor. I’m trying to get Ashford to let us have teams there. Ashley did a great job laying the ground work!

I’m trying to ramp up work at Bentley Manor again.

I’m hoping to get ESL classes there. Called the manager and then sent them an email with a ESL flyer in English, Spanish and Portuguese. Most of the residents are Brazilian.

Went for a 5.14 mile run. Getting warm around here! Enjoyed the beautiful flowers.

This tree would make a great sermon illustration.

I thought this sap was interesting.

Enjoyed a fun lunch with Jesse.

He’s one of the best people I know! Never too much Jesse!

The cheesecake I got there may have been one of the best I’ve ever had!

After lunch, we stopped by Goodwill for me to check on tshirts and then to a thrift store to look at antiques. I liked this little Arab man.

As you know, I love flowers and plants.

I’ve been working on getting into Venus flytraps again. Yesterday, I mixed up the special soil and got the cups ready to plant them in.



Silica sand.

Final mixture.




The Styrofoam cups are to help insulate the roots.

Kathy has been at her Aunt Orene’s house for the last two nights taking care of her after her surgery. Sure was glad to have her back home! We watched Saving Mr. Banks together then some episodes of the Middle.

Thursday I went over 50,000 downloads of my podcast Verbal Surgery! I’ve gotten a lot of very positive feedback. I really think that it’s some of my best work, and well worth listening to.

I’ve recorded over 275 episodes. At 30 minutes each that’s over 135 hours or five DAYS of listening to me non stop. Ay, Caramba!

Ashley and I enjoyed briefing our teams from Shades Crest and Huntingdon BC.

I’ve added a new piece of our presentation where we “hold the rope” and pull people out of an imaginary pool.

We had our commitment time where the teams sign the landing pad.

Then took them to Plaza Fiesta. Always fun!


Our final day with the team is always a special one.

The kids love them at the missions.

Left Chamblee and headed to the Cafe on Main Street in Jonesboro, GA. Had a great time with the college students there. I got mighty wound up, for sure.

Ashley and I enjoyed briefing the teams on Islam and Hinduism today.


We always enjoy a good bubbleation.

After our prayer time, we visited Al Madina, the Middle Eastern grocery store.

Always something interesting to see.

My friend Ali was the manager of the store. He just had open heart surgery. I sent him a prayer text over the phone when I heard about it.

The new owner is named Aiyed. Seems like a nice fellow. He was interested in our teams coming to visit.

Also went to see the Hindu temple at Global Mall.

They were in the middle of a service when we came in. It was very interesting and very eyebrow raising to the teams who saw it.

Ate a delicious lunch with the folks from Shady Crest BC. Indian food is one of my favorites. Most of the team seemed to really like it.

The teams went on to work with the kids at the mission, while Ashley and I did a recon of the missions where we’ll have teams next week. It’s always good to give the manager a heads up. We drop off a little card that Ashley designed that has when and what will happen.

Then to the missions to check on the teams. They seem to be doing really great!




Got home a little earlier tonight. I’ve been really getting home late and just exhausted.

Kathy is spending the night with her Aunt Orene this evening. I miss her already.

Ashley and I had fun briefing the teams about Buddhism. Big bus with a big group.

Then we took them to Asian Square to see where the Buddhists buy their idols, to the Vietnamese pharmacy and the the Hong Kong Bakery.



After lunch, we headed over to the missions.

We spent time taking pictures and greeting the team members.

Had a burst water main at Huntington Creek.

I rode out to Sandy Springs to confirm four of the locations for next week. Seems like a great area. The managers were super positive about us coming. Excellent.

Stopped by Lowes and Walmart to do the shopping for the week.

I’m going to start growing Venus Fly Traps again. I’m getting supplies together for that project.

Enjoyed watching part of 300 with Kathy.

Admin duties now. Tired.

Kathy and I had a great time at Clarkston International Bible Church on Sunday.

Pastor Phil is preaching a series of sermons from Acts. Promises to be good.

Enjoyed Sunday lunch with Kathy and Jesse at Al Madina.

Came home to record a podcast and catch up on some creative writing/recording deadlines. That includes one of my favorite things: Verbal Surgery! I always have fun recording those sessions.

Had an early night in preparation for the first big teams of the Summer! We have about 80 people working with us. Ashley and I enjoyed the briefings.

Then took them to the Buford Highway Farmers Market.

Then to the missions!

We’re covering fourteen locations this week. Always good!

Went to Walmart to do some shopping. Our microwave wasn’t working any more. Got another one today. Got a few groceries for my family and Ashley’s.

Admin duties now. Want to go to bed early. Tired.