Our Weekend In Atlanta

This weekend the above-pictured group from our church were volunteering in Lawrenceville, GA, at the Operation Christmas Child processing center.  This picture was taken the last night after we had worked five hours.  We were tired.  But we managed to smile for the picture.   

On the second night, these four ladies folded over 1100 Operation Christmas Child shirts.  And the crazy thing is they enjoyed it!  By the way, the girl who looks so *happy* in the back was boasting an Ole Miss lead, but...ahem....it wouldn't last. 

And here's our menfolk working hard.  Well, they had been working hard anyway. 





 I learned a few things on this trip.  First, when you decide to drive downtown Atlanta on a route you've never taken before, be sure and look for the signs pointing you in the right direction instead of looking at the skyline, Olympic flame, etc.  You can get going in the wrong direction fast.   

Second, The Varsity is a great place to eat.  If you are ever in Atlanta, try it out.  The experience is one you'll not forget. 

Third, and perhaps most importantly, I learned (again) that I love Operation Christmas Child.  Along those same lines, I learned (again) that I love serving Christ alongside my brothers and sisters in Christ. 

Thanks for another great trip!

My One Football Post

I've gone all season without posting anything about football, but I couldn't let the season past without at least one football post.


Our Dawgs have had a good season on the field, and we're headed to a bowl game. Off the field, it's been an emotional one with the loss of Nick Bell to cancer. Our local cartoonist, Marshall Ramsey, drew the above cartoon for The Clarion-Ledger.  Cowbells in heaven, hmmm, I like that idea. 

This weekend we will be playing our in-state rival, Ole Miss.  We will be in Atlanta volunteering at the processing center during the game, but you can bet we will be keeping up with the score via Brad's handy-dandy Iphone. 

Have a great Thanksgiving!

Promise Kept

Saturday was the Fly-In, and I kept my promise!  I went up in a two-seater, just me and the pilot, and it was a little scary to me.  Nice view, but a little scary. 


We were in the air for around 30 minutes and for 29 1/2  of those minutes I think every muscle in my body was clenched.  Apparently, it was a bumpier-than-normal ride, or at least that is what Mr. John (the pilot) said.  It was a windy day and we were getting blown around pretty good.  I had all the trust in the world in my pilot, and I told him I would not panic unless he did. 


We flew over some water and that made me kinda nervous, especially when he said, "The bad thing about flying right here is there is absolutely nowhere to land."  Oh gee, thanks for that reminder. 


All in all I'm glad I did it.  But I don't plan to leave the ground again anytime soon.  I definitely don't like it as much as my hubby and kids do.  They start planning their next trip up as soon as their feet hit the ground.  Not me!  I feel much safer with my feet on the ground.


I did remember to take the camera up with me.  Here are some pictures from the air!:

After we landed, and I was waiting for Mr. John to open the canopy on my side so I could exit the plane, I looked straight in front of me and saw this little sign.  I'm just glad I didn't read it before we took off. 

Thank you Mr. John for a great flight, and for getting me back on land safely! 

Me and My Big Mouth

This past summer, we had a great time at a local Fly-In.  I posted pictures of the kids and Brad in the airplanes ready for their flights.  You can see them here if you missed them the first time around. 

Apparently, I made a promise to a gentleman from our church who was also in attendance that next time there was a fly-in, I would go up if he would go up with me.  I'm not sure the state of mind I was in when I spoke this promise.  I'm guessing the heat had gotten to me, maybe?

Of course, my memory had let me forget that promise...but the gentleman reminded me of it last Sunday night.  I stammered around and mumbled something about checking my calendar, but he laughed and said I couldn't get out of it.  A promise is a promise. 

So tomorrow morning we are headed to the pasture runway, and I will fly. 

Am I nervous?  Extremely.  I firmly believe God made my feet to stay on the ground.  It's not that I haven't flown before, but my two previous flights were on jet airplanes, you know the Southwest, Delta, etc. kind, not the two-seater with a weedeater engine.  Those little planes make me very, very nervous. 

But, I'm gonna keep my word.  I'm gonna fly. 

It was nice knowing ya. 

A Long-Awaited Day

I try to post on Mondays and Fridays since those are the days I work just one job, not two, and I have a little extra time in my day, but Friday came and went with no post, and I apologize for that. 

It wasn't that I didn't have time, I simply was blank.  Writer's block I suppose.  At that time, I felt I had absolutely nothing pertinent, funny, or meaningful to share with you about my week.  I tried to post a couple of things but then realized no one would want to read what I was writing.  I didn't even want to read what I was writing. 

But thankfully today is different.  I know exactly what I want to share with you!

Being involved in a local church is vital to a Christian's life, and you will never convince me otherwise.  We have been at our church for 8 years now, and we feel God is just getting started. 

Yesterday was an especially wonderful day. 

Three years ago, our church realized its dire need for a larger fellowship hall.  Our fellowship hall was small, the kitchen even smaller, and because we always expect a growth in numbers, not a decline, we wanted to prepare for the future.    So with much prayer and the establishment of a building committee (we are Baptists), we were on our way. 

To say the road was easy would be lying.  And I am sure I don't know the half of it.  Our pastor and building committee had many obstacles to overcome, many roadblocks in the way, and at times it almost seemed this project was doomed.  But due to God's provisions and their determination, three years later, we finally crossed the finish line. 

We dedicated the new building yesterday.  But before that service, our pastor reminded us that before a building is dedicated, our lives should be dedicated first and foremost.  What good is a shiny new building if the people using it are spiritually dead?  So before we ever entered the new building, our congregation was challenged.  And I, for one, definitely needed to hear that. 

Once entering the building, we sang, prayed, and heard people speak about where this church has come in its 25 short years.   And then of course, we ate! 

It's exciting to think about all the things we can use the new building for.  Coming up next, our packing party for Operation Christmas Child!

Here are a few pictures from the construction: