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.

Last night I spotted a raccoon outside my window.

I finally figured out what happened to my missing suet box. While I was watching him eat, he nearly pulled the whole cage for the suet off the nail! He was intentionally trying to get it loose. So that’s where the other one went. Mystery solved.

Nearly 1/4″ of rain yesterday.

This morning I mowed the yard.

And blew the front driveway.

Also mowed the back yard. That’s 1.02 miles of mowing.


Then went for a 5.03 mile run.

Always something beautiful and interesting to see.

Jesse moved back to our house for about two weeks. We have the Atlanta Chinese Christian Church working at Azalea until June 11th. Never too much Jesse!

We ate lunch together along with K. Then to see Maleficent. I liked the story twist.

I’m really looking forward to Lucy.

I thought this sign was cool.

I liked the chocolate and caramel splashes.

Used the hot glue to repair a chair, the right handle on Kathy’s bike and the material inside Jesse’s Altima.

Back home now to work on admin duties.

Finished editing, posting, and burning the DVD for the video I shot for the team last Saturday. Always great to get a job completed!

Kathy and I had a wonderful “TK” time together!

Glorious!

Before we left, I had to check out and service the bikes.

We went to Rome and enjoyed great food, interesting antiques and even an air show!




I picked up this pink Cadillac! Awesome!


I love my new rocking chair! Over 75 years old. And still smiling.

I think this is beautiful.


The historic downtown area was fun too.





We always like checking out the cemeteries.



Never could figure out what this says.

Hmmmm.

Cruised over to the little town of Cave Spring to see their cave and the second largest swimming pool in GA!

We also hiked up Cave Spring Hill and enjoyed looking at the antique stores in the area.

Always something fun and interesting to see! The spring water tasted great!



We liked the geese family.

And Mallards.

Beautiful country!






I liked the sound of this.

Came home early Friday morning. My awesome daughter had already confirmed all the sites for the next couple of weeks. What a go getter! That allowed K and I to enjoy and extra day away.

Back in Stone Mountain now. I’m planning on cutting the lawn later this afternoon.

Admin duties now.

Kathy adding sunshine to the trip!

After my marathon session with the team on Saturday, I decided to rest on Sunday.

Had a fun time recording a podcast!

Are you encountering a challenge that you just can’t figure out? Then you need to listen to “Push/Pull!” Sometimes you’re going in the out door! Just click on the title and groove!

Spent most of the day cleaning the house.

Vacuumed the floors.

Then mopped.

Everyone gave me such a hard time about me getting a skateboard. After I mopped, the floor was so slippery that I fell and took a tremendous whack on the knee. Housework can be deadly.

Scrubbed the dark pits of my tshirts with Oxyclean. Seemed to get the stains out pretty well.

Ate lunch with Jesse! Always fun! Also filled up Kathy’s truck. Ouch.

Had a restful afternoon. I was still tired and had a nap.

Enjoyed supper with Kathy and Jesse in the evening. I liked the neon.

I saw this raccoon who seems to be living in the eves of my neighbor’s house. He likes the suet I let fall on the ground. Cool!

I liked this sticker I saw at the restaurant.

K and I enjoyed watching Philomena. Great movie.

Worked on admin duties.

K and I are going out of town for a couple of days before the Summer teams start. Then it’ll be no rest for sure.

Monday morning I wrote and produced my newsletter and got that over to our friend Joel Harrison at the Atlanta Metro Baptist Association who prints them for us. Got all the labels done.

Still need to edit the video for the Asbury Team and pack the car. Kathy is enjoying a bike ride now. She feels better after she exercises! Don’t we all?!

Had a fun Friday which included a 5.04 mile run! Plenty of beauty to see!

Also cleaned my fish tank.

And got the emission on the Altima done. Passed!

And paid bills.

Did the grocery shopping.

And cut my hair. Decided to let the birds use it to line their nests.

Saturday I got up early to join Ashley in working with our team from Asbury United Methodist Church in Madison, Alabama.

It was fun briefing them, our first Summer Team!

Took them to the Buford Highway Farmers Market, where we also ate lunch.



Then to Cumberland Court, Buford Heights, Marquis at Lenox and Highland Knoll.




They also did a concert a Highland Knoll. They really sang well, especially for a middle school team!

Ate a late supper with Jesse. Always good!

Then home to work on admin duties and rest. Long day, baby!

Jesse and I had quite an adventure the last week and a half!

We flew from Atlanta to Birmingham, England. The trip was very challenging with United Airlines coming in late to Atlanta, which caused me to miss my connecting flight to Newark about five minutes, despite a valiant attempt and over a one mile run to the connecting terminal. Managed to get customer service on the phone which set me up for another flight, which again I had to run about a half a mile to catch. BARELY made that one.

Then got to Newark to catch up with Jesse and had to run about two miles to catch the flight to Birmingham. One of the most intense physical challenges I’ve had in years, but I MADE IT!

The plan was super crowded and the aisle was incredibly tight which meant every time the cart went by it would clobber my elbow. Not zesty. That kept me up all night long. Got to Birmingham and for the second year in a row they lost my bag! Ay caramba. They finally got it there the following day.

Had a wonderful time with the Jacquin family.


Anthony has been a great friend for over three years now. We’ve met up in NYC, San Diego, Vegas, Amsterdam and again in London. Fun to see my buddies again.

It was beautiful in Derby!

Anthony took us to the Peak District on the 14th which was amazingly beautiful. It reminded me of the Rift Valley in Kenya.

Interesting hand made stone walls and building.

We went into the little town of Edale to eat at the Ugly Nag’s Head.

I loved the stone paths.

And this phone booth.

Met up with my friend Amit Badiani who took us around Leicester for some delicious Indian curries.

The 15th we went into downtown Derby. A wonderfully historic city. Always fun to see new places!

The 16th we traveled into London. Had a nice train ride into the city. Got into our hostel (which was just ok) and enjoyed visiting with our friends at The Gun. It’s a historic pub which Lord Nelson used to hang out in. It’s right on the river across from the O2.

The 17th Jesse and I enjoyed the Change/Phenomena conference. It was great to seem many of my friends there and was a very interesting group of speakers including the Artist in Residence of the British Library.

Went back to The Gun that evening. Sad to say goodbye to my many amigos in the UK.

The 18th Jesse and I toured the British Museum.

A FANTASTIC place where we saw the Rosetta Stone, an Easter Island head, the Elgin Marbles from the Parthenon in Athens, some of the earliest writing from Mesopotamia, busts of Julius Caesar (same birthday as me!), and the earliest known coins.

Also dropped into the Museum Tavern which is over 300 years old. Beauty!

The 19th I checked out the Victoria Albert Museum. It was ok.


Also saw the Science Museum with Jesse. Liked that a lot. We saw the earliest computers including the Apple 1, the Babbage Difference Engines, an exhibit on 3D printing, the first Cray supercomputer, parts of the original DNA model by Watson and Crick, the first light bulb by Edison, and the first phone by Bell, WOW!

Next we went to the Natural History museum where we checked out the marvelous display of dinosaurs. Some were animatronic!

The 20th we went for a traditional English breakfast. Delicious!

The to the Tower of London.


Enjoyed the stories of the guards, Ann Boleyn, the ravens and the armory. It was awesome to see the Crown Jewels, but couldn’t take pictures of them. Boo.

I liked this statue of George Washington in Trafalgar Square.

Across the Thames over the Tower of London Bridge to check out Southwark Cathedral where Shakespeare and Dickens went to church. It was set up originally as a monastery in 609! Incredible.

Also visited the George Inn and the Anchor Tavern both of which Dickens and Shakespeare frequented. I’m quite sure that Ben Franklin must have also been there!

Went to check out the Globe Theater, a wonderful reproduction of the original, built in exactly the same way, with no iron nails!


We walked over London Bridge.

Met up with another friend of mine James Tripp who is terrific and super smart guy.

We hung out on the River Thames in the Hornimans and Hays. Another really old pub. Very interesting.

ON the 21st, Jesse and I got all our gear together and traveled the hour and a half from the East End of London all the way to Heathrow.


We caught our flight in plenty of time. Flew over to Toronto in good time. I watched Rush and the Monuments Men on the was. Canada Air is a SUPER good airline. Very comfortable and great customer service.

Caught our flight from Toronto to Atlanta and had another good flight into the ATL! Yeah, baby!

It always amazes me that in only 13 hours you can be all the way to the UK back to the USA. Astonishing.

Got an early night’s sleep. Slept just fine with hardly any jet lag.

Enjoyed a late breakfast with Kathy and Jesse.

My Bank of America debit card was hacked by someone. The bank called me while I was in Derby. I went through all the transactions and told them which were NOT mine. I called the bank this afternoon and looked like everything was OK. I had my new card in the mail which I’ve already activate. Thank you, LORD for making sure all that was ok!

Ashley came over to our house later today to love on her sweet ol’ Daddy. Nothing better!

Admin duties now. I was thinking about going to Azalea, but there’s nothing going on at all. Looking forward to a team coming into town on Saturday. AWESOME to be back at work!!