This morning Kathy and I went to the Post Office so I could mail our newsletters to our supporters!

Always great to finish a job!

We went on to Clarkston to help our team from Eagles Landing Baptist Church at Southern Place.

We had a great group of refugees at the Outreach Event. It was a fun time!

I was also glad to spend some time with Bennett Ekandem and his family! I finally got to meet the three boys that he and his wife Idong hope to adopt. They are some really cute kids!

This afternoon I watched Ghana beat the USA in the World Cup 2-1. I was sad about that, but I’m glad that there’s still an African team in the running!

This evening we went to Jason’s Deli to celebrate Kathy’s sister Ruth’s birthday. We had a fun evening hanging out with our family.

I’ve been editing video since I got home. Always admin jobs to do. I still need to edit the video I shot for Clinch River BC and for Valley Ranch BC. Just knocked out the video from this afternoon.

I thought this cloud was cool!

This morning I focused on producing this month’s newsletters. Ashley and I wrote our articles and laid out the pictures.

Today is my “day off.” Didn’t really work out that way. But I did have fun for an hour studying the brain–one of my hobbies.

I’m interested in neurology and how that fits with our spirituality. Especially in the field of prayer. “How can we communicate more effectively with Jesus?” It’s something I think about every day.

Seems to me the brain is the heart of the matter.

After producing the newsletter, I went to Azalea to check on my kids and have them help me label the letters. Also picked up stamps for the letters.

I usually buy a couple of dozen doughnuts as their reward. But, honestly, every kid gets doughnuts whether they help or not. They mainly help because they just love me.

Ironically, I see my mission kids less in the two months of the summer than any other time. I’m busy checking on all the other missions with the teams in town.

Did I mention it was hot?

I came home, put the finishing touches on the newsletters and went to Staples to make the photo copies.

Now I work on admin duties and then to newsletters.

Yesterday I also edited the video for my team from FBC Salado, TX. That DVD and the links to the video on YouTube and the pictures in the Photo Gallery are all on line now. When those duties are done, I consider the team officially “complete.”

I still have to work on the teams from Clinch River BC, TN and Valley Ranch BC, Dallas, TX. Once the newsletters are complete, that’s my next priority.

I have my team from Eagles Landing Baptist Church coming to Willow Branch, Clarkston tomorrow. I’m looking forward to helping with that and hanging out with Bennett.

Looks like storm clouds are moving in!

I liked this bumper sticker.

Wednesday I got ready to do my blog and other admin duties and my internet connection was dead. Bahd luck.

So here’s some catch up info!

I had a great meeting with Mel Rhoden, Ian North, Ashley, Kathy and Bennett at Madina.

We talked about expanding work into the more African American areas around Clarkston where there is little or no work being done.

We went over the maps for the areas and how the teams were going to get to them next week when we have FBC Hattiesburg, MS in town. It’s all about logistics!

Checked on my team from FBC Salado and took their leader over to FBC Doraville so we could check out the service project for Thursday (which is today as I’m writing this.)

Wednesday evening, Kathy and I made the trek down to Eagles Landing Baptist Church which is a great church and faithful supporter of our work.

They had a cool display about our work!

Bruce Mewborne is one of my favorite ministers!

This Saturday they’re sending a team to help us in Clarkston. I’ll be over there with my partner Bennett to make sure everything goes well.

I also taught some of the folks how to make balloon animals.

The night went well and the crowd was enthusiastic! Hope to have a good turn out this Saturday. K and I got home to Stone Mountain about 10pm.

Beautiful sunset!

Thursday morning I went over to FBC Doraville to check on the team’s service project. They did a great job! Place looks awesome!

I went over to Perimeter Mall for lunch and saw HUGE lines outside the Apple store for people waiting for their iPhone4! I ordered mine last week. I’ll be getting it in July. They’ll mail it straight to my house. It’s thinner than my old iPhone. It also has video and video conferencing. The camera on the phone is MUCH better and the device is a LOT faster than my old iPhone, which I still love, just not as much.


After lunch, I went to Norcross to check on my teams, but never could catch up with them.

I was totally exhausted after yesterday’s (and the day before that, and the day before that) marathon, so I came on home and started working on editing all the video I shot so I can send DVDs to the teams.

K and I also finished calling all the managers so everything is totally set up for next week’s missions! AMEN!

Tomorrow I’ll also start working on the newsletter. . .

I liked this bumper sticker. Sounded like me.

And while I was at the mall, they had this display titled, “What Inspires You?” I thought some of the replies were amazing. Hair?

Maybe they were talking about the musical.

And did you ever like these 3d Magic Eye pictures? I liked this one.

Had a great day watching the teams go at it full blast!

This morning my team from FBC Salado did their regular incredible job going through brush like professional axe men!

Amazing difference in the area already.

For lunch, K and I enjoyed visiting with some of our favorite people, Ian and Ruthie North and a new friend Mel Rhoden who is a partner with Global Frontier Missions.

We had fun talking about ministry and how we can work together.

This afternoon I spent most of my time chasing around town talking to the teams and shooting video and pictures of them in action.

Another hot day.

But fortunately, “it’s surprisingly cool in the shade.”

Back to admin work. Just finished cutting checks for utility bills. Have a big insurance bill coming due. Finances can put pressure on me. Don’t the on everyone?

This morning I did a briefing with my team from FBC Salado, TX! They’re a great team!

This is their third time to work with us. PTL for these guy who are extraordinary workers!

They have 40 people working on a massive service project behind/between four apartment complexes in Chamblee/Doraville.

it’s a type of no man’s land that is terrifically overgrown and just flat nasty with trash.

They cleaned up the whole area and will start doing major brush cutting tomorrow.

Pray for Mikey, one of the youngster who sliced his leg on a glass bottle. He’s doing great, but had to have 12 stitches in his leg today. Also for Casey who picked up a dirty old jacket uncovering a nest of yellow jackets. He was stung at least ten times on his arms, hands and neck. He’s doing fine now too.

We haven’t gotten any more word about Lauren, the 11 year old that fell out of the top bunk and had to have brain surgery yesterday. I heard she’s in stable condition but nothing else. Pray for her!

The teams served in the Chamblee and Doraville area and are doing a terrific job!

My team from Clinch River, who I was also supposed to brief at 9am this morning didn’t make it into town until about 5:30 pm. They had a tire blow out on their trailer which caused it to rip off a bumper on the van. They also had a fan belt break. Wow! Spiritual warfare for sure.

I took them over to their four locations off of Roswell Road this evening. They’ve never done any kind of outreach like this before, but they did a terrific job!

I was very proud of them. Their Pastor Keith TIllman was ecstatic about their attitude. “After all they’ve been through, it’s amazing I never heard one complaint!” That’s a Jesus thing for sure!

K and I finally got home around 9pm this evening.

We enjoyed talking to Jesse on his way home. He’s doing great and enjoying New Hampshire. It was in the 70s today. My car said 99 degrees at one point today.

My catch phrase with the teams is, “It’s surprisingly cool in the shade!” That’s what they’re supposed to say if someone mentions it’s hot. You know, it really is surprisingly cool in the shade. . . ark, ark, ark.

Had a great day today with my Texas team! I always think they’re the best teams!

Guess cuz I’m a natural born Texan!

Although, honestly I love living in Georgia more!

Ashley, Ian and I each led a Greyhound sized bus to the missions in three different areas. These buses are HUGE! 8 foot longer than a standard bus. Yow!

Ashley covered the Clarkston, Decatur and Scotsdale section, Ian covered Chamblee and Doraville, and I also covered Norcross and sections of Dekalb and Gwinnett Counties.

We had a good time making sure that the bus drivers knew exactly where to go and the team leaders who came with us are ready to lead their teams into action!

The team from Valley Ranch BC will be covering 26 different apartment complexes. Awesome!

Then this evening I met the whole group at Georgia Tech where they’re staying. I did a briefing with the whole group then a more detailed how to section with the 130 folks that will be helping me at the missions.

Ian and Ruthie North also came to share a little about their ministry Refugee Beads. They do a great job with that.

Got home about 11:30pm. Furiously trying to knock out my admin duties before crashing out. I have to be back in Doraville at 9am to do a briefing with my other Texas team from Salado and then take them to their service project for the week.

My team from Tennessee had van problems and had to spend the night in Chattanooga. Hopefully they’ll get it fixed and be in town for me to give a briefing and show them their sites before lunch tomorrow!

The team from VRBC had one of the girls in their team fall out of the bunk bed at the GA Tech dorm, and cracked her head. She ended up having brain surgery this morning. Pray that the Lord will do an amazing healing on Lauren. AMEN!

I had a great talk with my Dad today! Give it up for Al Cummins! Best Dad EVER!

Jesse sent me a sweet message this morning.

Of course, nothing better than kisses from the most beautiful daughter in the universe!

This morning I did a briefing with my team from Oak Hill Baptist Church.

What a terrific group! Had a lot of fun!

We served at three locations around Lawrenceville. Cherokee Courts.

Olde Salem.

And Alexander Mill.

Terrific!

This evening K and I picked up Ashley. She came back from Texas tonight at 8:30pm. GREAT to have her home!

Beautiful sunset on the way home. Perfect end to a great day!

This morning I put the finishing touches on the maps for the team bus drivers. It’s all about logistics, baby!

Spent some time on the phone with Ashley. Sent her the maps I drew so she could update our online maps. She sure is good with that stuff! Hard to describe exactly what you want over the phone. “Now move the Sturbridge Square mission closer to Jimmy Carter and make sure that Holcomb Bridge has a wider angle between where the intersect. And it can’t be too close to JC because we don’t want people to think they can get to SS from JC,” kind of stuff! Good thing she’s a genius!

Went to Walmart with K and J.

I needed to pick up a few small things for him before he leaves Friday. In particular a new pair of sun shades and an air mattress that doesn’t deflate over night. I think we have them squared away now!

We enjoyed a Chinese food supper with Jesse and his friend J this evening.

Sure will miss him.

But we all need to follow our dreams!

Enjoyed watching Burn Notice with K this evening. Go, Michael, GO!

This morning I got up early and shot out the door to run. It was pleasant as long as you go early enough. My last run on Monday was just rough.

Even my shoes look tired.

Squared away all my car repairs. It’s nearing my birthday so all the emissions have to be working properly. Ashley’s Expedition had the big bill since the ball joints wore out. She has about 155,000 miles on her car.

That’s average for our family! Cost us nearly $1,800 for that repair.

The other three had little things needed work on. Another $550 for that. Ay caramba! At least everything is running now!

I’m spending time going through the maps for the teams next week and the following week.

Three buses with 13 teams next week. From Valley Ranch BC in TX.

Two buses with 11 teams the following. From FBC Hattiesburg, MS

That’s just the buses! I have other teams in town too! But the buses are the hard ones to figure out.

I also turned in my financial report to my treasurer this morning.

Finish up my admin duties now.

Jesse and I met up with Ian for lunch then went on an extensive dry run of the missions in preparation for the teams coming next week.

We pretended we were a Greyhound sized bus and made all the twists and turns to see if the logistics I set up are ok.

No matter how much thought you put into something like that, the only way to REALLY see if it’ll work is to physically go in a car and drive the route. Sometimes multiple times, just to make sure.

There are some difficult parameters to deal with, primarily that big buses don’t make right turns well–they need lots of space.

I think we should be good to go now.

Ian feels comfortable with being able to drive with the team leaders and the bus driver so they can get to their locations safely.

J and I also went over the third bus with another five teams that I’ll be working with. So we covered 18 locations today.

I had some great conversation with the managers. It’s always good to physically go and shake hands with people and look them in the eye. I try to use the phone most of the time just because logistically it’s hard to go there.

It was another super hot day. My car thermometer said over 100 again. We pray for clouds!

Also went over to meet with a manager about a huge service project my team from Salado, Texas is going to work on. Holy Moley what a job that’s going to be!

These guys are real go getters so I’m expecting the best from them.

This evening I’ve been working on my financial report. Just about got that all done.

Also been setting up my iPhone and iPad to make sure it syncs correctly with “the cloud” of computers where all my contacts and calendars are stored.

I have precious few days left with Jesse to be able to come and work on this stuff for me.

I’m pretty good with computers. I think of myself as a technogeek. But compared with my son, I feel like a retard. Thank God for the beta version of myself!

J will be heading to New Hampshire on Friday morning. Sad. But I’m happy for him!

I thought this was funny.