Birthday!

My 1st post of the year comes on my birthday. I am 37 today. In 3 years I will be 40. I have had so many great times in the past making fun of those turning 40. It will be my turn soon. 37 did not mean anything to me until college. Many of my college professor were in their late 3o's. Now I am there!. Today, was different. I woke up and said to myself, you are nearing 40. I guess that could be depressing. I got up to make sure I got my car tags. In Georgia, they expired on your birthday. I got to school early, so I could leave to go take care of my car tag. Anyway, not too many people knew that it was. Those on my facebook did. I got many emails before 9am. They were great! I heard from people I have not heard from in a while. We celebrated during my last class in which one of the students brought cupcakes. I am blessed today to be working at my almater and have such thoughtful students. I really do love them, and I can tell they love me. At 37, my thinking today is changing. We prayed in every class, I just prayed differently. It sounded like an old person prayer. One student reminded me of what I said about long prayers. He asked if I did not pray this morning before school. Question I ask of those long sunday morning prayer people. Yes, I am older. Today, I am in a play called Big River. I will be playing Jim the runaway slave. I taught our 5 and 6 year olds tonight. They were hyper. It did not help that I brought bubbles. We were celebrating my birthday. You got to have bubbles. What a birthday party. Bubbles! I typed tonight being thankful and grateful.

Ruth Shaw died. A very special lady passed away last Saturday. I called her my grandma shaw. She is another special person who have gone on around the beginning of the year Last year, I lost my stepdad Robert Cook, and my spiritual dad Carl Mitchell. Now I have Ruth Shaw to remember each year. These are special people. It causes you to think about where you are going in life. Time goes by so fast. Ruth Shaw was a wonderful cook, and a wonderful lady.

If you have not told your family how much you love them. You need to stop reading and do so. The older I get, Family has become more and more important to me. Go and live for the savior!

2nd Sunday Off

Today, the two churches I visited was Campus Church and East Point church(one that I grew up in).

Today, I got to sleep in again, but longer. I did not go to Sunday School class, but went to second service. I can now understand why people skip bible class, and sleep in on Sundays. This is the second sunday for me to sleep later. Don't worry, I will not slide too much, but I am enjoying this time off.

Campus 2nd service: I loved the singing and to see the diversity in the room. The only problem is that I did not see it upfront on stage. I said to myself, what a great diverse church that the leadership have not embraced it's diversity. I will tell you what I mean by that: I have worked for many churches and have consulted some to say to the leadership let your actions speak louder than your words. Though this church is very diverse but no other ethnic group in their praise team, announcements, preaching, Lord supper comments,and etc. Actions- nonverbals count more with minorities. So many people have given lip service, show it in your actions. I even began thinking about the school in which I work and asked the same question there. It has been here for 40 years and though the student population is diverse, the faculty is not. We even have a director of diversity(black) but we trully lack diversity in key leadership positions. This is sad since we are in 2007.

East Point: Smaller than campus, but I trully enjoyed talking to lifelong friends. Louis Robinson-big time mentor in my life, Jimmy Robinson-courted his daughter who is not serving in Kuwait(Yes, she is married for those wanting to know more), Rita- woman of faith also the church secretary, and so many more. Eric Welchel is the preacher there now. I enjoyed thinking about the many years in that building. They will canvass the area next saturday. I think I am going to try and join them just for more fun in my simple boring life.

I have enjoyed today. I also got a chance to go to my mothers for Sunday dinner. I continue to be amazed at how happy my mom is when all of her children and grandchildren share a meal she cooked. She is a wonderful soulfood cook. We have collard greens, pototoe salad(my mom has the best) fried chicken(You don't have to be black to enjoy), and to top it off my favorite dessert sweet potatoe pie. It was good!

This is my do or die week about a house. I am hopefully going to view one more condo that I am hoping will be the one and make an offer and close by the end of the month. If this does not happen, I will be in an apartment again for another year- which would not be bad, but I need the interest payments. I might buy some land to build on in the future who knows.

I do have two more weeks of daycamp. We are going to see Evan Almighty tomorrow. It should be an easy day. I do hope your week goes well. Be Good!

Randy Harris @ Campus Church tonight!

He was awesome as always. I am amazed everytime I hear him. I put him up there with the great preacher/speakers of my limited 36 years of life. My favorite all time speakers are( in no particular order): Randy Harris, Mike Cope, Patrick Meade, Don Mclauglin, Jeff Walling, Fred McClure, Terry Rush, Marvin Phillips, Dr. Ken Neller( The very best short preacher sermons I have ever heard)Late Bro.Reginald Dulin, Keith luttrell and Harold Washington. There are so many. Who would be in your top ten?