last day!!!

ok, in 1.5 hours I start my final day at my 16 year job. I still don't really know how to feel about it yet. While going full time with Discovery Church is an answer to prayer, my job with M & C Assemblies was also a gift from God. It allowed me to serve 4 states away for 2 years.
it will be hard to "let my baby" go but I think there are good people in place now to fill the void. I am sure Jason will like having some full time help and I do look forward to stepping up. There is a lot to do in Feb with the new series and a lot of it will not even seem like work. I get to build sets, Learn me some photoshop and really start focusing on my roll here in NC.

I think I will miss "the grill season" even though I hated it for so many years. M & C can run all year with 20 workers but on holiday (cook out) weeks we could use 150 workers and keep them all buisy. I feel I work good under pressure and my best moments are ones where I was pushed into a corner and had to fight my way out. God truly blessed me with this job and it has been a large part of my life. So you folks down in Florida do me a favor, when you buy something form Home Depot, buy it assembled! It will make my ex boss some money and just might save you a headache.

As for my NC people, you can buy your stuff unassembled and have Sheila and I over for dinner and we'll build it for you.

P. S. I am blogging from my phone so I will proof read this in the morning.

Crosslink is growing

Look at this group!














These teens just keep on coming, we can't even run them off (believe me we tried with a few).
They are really a cool group. They each have their own story and are sure to share it with you. Most of them are youth helpers during Sunday morning service.
We had about 21 again and another 8-10 helpers

ok, this is just wierd

I really never thought I would see this, and kinda never wanted to:














This is actually my Grandfather on my dads side. I was born in 67 so I never knew him. Thank the good Lord I got his fist name!!!!!!! Everyone called him Doguid (pronounced: "do get"), "Claude" is bad enough!

His wife and him passed away in a car wreck, so I'm told.
Still wierd to see your name on a tomb stone.

Ok that last post is for our NC parents

This one is for our Florida parents!
See if these take you back!


Click here to see more
Respond if you know (or belong to) them!
Yeah, I know...YOU ARE GETTING OLD!

Parent Check

Lets see how many of our children's church parents check my blog!

If your kids were in church yesterday, reply to this blog with the reason I gave them all a piece of cheese.

I will not explain this until I see at least 3 parents respond, so the rest of you will just have to wait. Unless you know a parent, then call them and have them reply.

get ready,
get set,
GO!

cool trick

Have you ever wondered what the best method of cleaning a computer screen? I know I have.
Who would have though it would be THIS simple:
Clean screen from internet

Mac attack

kitten vs. frontrow from mattcoats on Vimeo.

please tell me that cat is declawed! If not it would have been deClaude!

Cause you asked

Attendance 01/20/08 was 160 and offering was $2110.88
WOW praise God! we had 11 1st time guest!!!

Attendance 01/13/08 was 206 and offering was $2229.00
Attendance 01/06/08 was 162 and offering was $4096.69
Attendance 12/30/07 was 156 and offering was $5610.70
Attendance 12/23/07 was 145 and offering was $3553.00
Attendance 12/16/07 was 132 and offering was $3213.00
Attendance 12/09/07 was 166 and offering was $3522.00
Attendance 12/02/07 was 153 and offering was $3879.00
Attendance 11/25/07 was 124 and offering was $1215.00
Attendance 11/18/07 was 189 and offering was $3906.00
Attendance 11/11/07 was 169 and offering was $2613.00
Attendance 11/04/07 was 145 and offering was $3459.70
Attendance 10/28/07 was 166 and offering was $2234.00
Attendance 10/21/07 was 126 and offering was $1295.00
Attendance 10/14/07 was 95 and offering was $1015.00
Attendance 10/07/07 was 156 and offering was $4523.07
Attendance 9/30/07 was 140 and offering was $2951.06
Attendance 9/23/07 was 159 and offering was $1612.00
Attendance 9/17/07 was 177 and offering was $4547.73
Attendance 9/09/07 was 163 and offering was $1822.30
Attendance 9/02/07 was 138 and offering was $3394.45
Attendance 8/26/07 was 199 and offering was $4596.00
Attendance 8/19/07 was 127 and offering was $2747.46
Attendance 8/12/07 was 132 and offering was $3945.00
Attendance 8/05/07 was 107 and offering was $2971.71
Attendance 7/29/07 was 132 and offering was $1998.00
Attendance 7/22/07 was 137 and offering was $2557.82

Dusty hit a home run

We were talking to the youth about marriage because that’s what our church service was about and we always tie into that. I asked Dusty Martin to do the lesson/discussion and he agreed. He brought a unique challenge to them by bringing a bunch of temporary tattoos. He challenged them to wear them for one week and to protect them. The tattoo was to represent their spouse. Some of the teens were up to the challenge, some were afraid a tattoo (even a temporary one) would disappoint their parents.
I loved this analogy and my words here probably will not do it justice.

Temporary Tattoos can come off easy if not cared for/ spouse can leave you
Temporary Tattoos can be hidden/ spouse can be neglected or ignored
Temporary Tattoos can be scratched or damaged / spouse can be insulted or trampled
Marriage was never intended to be temporary!

How about a permanent tattoo?
Permanent Tattoos are a life long commitment/ marriage is for life
Permanent Tattoos need care and protection/ spouses need to be cared for and protected
Permanent Tattoos done right are shown with pride/ a spouse should be like an ornament that enhances you
On a side note: I have seen some poorly planned and downright awful tattoos. Some were just poorly chosen, some were poorly placed and others were poorly designed. But fret not, the base tattoo (marriage) is permanent but it can be enhanced and filled in to become something beautiful. It WILL take professional help and it will hurt a little but the results are worth are something you can be proud of.
Look at this restoration job:


You see the original is all wrong, distorted and, well, kind of ugly. But with professional help a better one can be had, a beautiful one. The original one has not been removed! Its just been enhanced into something better, something pleasing and desirable. It may not (and probably should not) even look like the original
The only way to remove a tattoo (marriage) WILL be more painful than fixing it and it will leave scaring. This is a fact.

BTW, while I do not have a problem with tattoos, I am not indorsing them. I am endorsing a life long, beautiful marriage that you will be proud to show off to the whole world.

I love this message, thanks Dusty!

"I made FIRE"

This is where Sheila and I like to hang out during the colder days. We went the 1st year here without using it because we thought it needed gas logs and we just didn't want to spend the money on a kit. Then we found out that we could use it for wood. And now we use it allot. This morning I had to go to breakfast and then staff meeting so at 6:30 am I lit a fire and moved Sheila to the couch in front of it to finish her morning sleep. She said she stayed there till 8:30! How can something so macho, like starting a fire, be romantic at the same time?
So for all you Fl. people checking this blog: if you see N.C. weather getting cold and its about 8:00 pm - 9:30 pm...don't call us, we are in front of the fire.

Sometimes it just hurts

ok, you Mac fans out there...back off!
I have been using Mac computers for awhile now and I have a confession to make.
When you want the date and don't feel like opening a calender you can click on the clock to see a pop-up of the date (Windoz users can hover over their clock to get the date).



Well (silly me), down in the doc there are little icons of the programs I can open and on the calender icon...it shows the date, TODAYS date!


So I know this now and still find myself going to the clock for a click and a peek. Darn you Bill Gates!
I wander if I can get some sort of Windows patch to put on my arm to wing me off Microsoft?
Hey if smokers can get Nicorette gum, Maybe I can get some Microrett gum!

I love my Mac!

Here are a few songs we will be doing this week in service:

Here are the songs we are doing this week

ok, I could not find all of them so I posted the video:

A video worth posting

It moves me every time!

OK, He did it!

For the first time during a regular service we broke 200! 206 to be exact. It was packed and looked really good. The message was well received and the service was energized. I know that the number of attendance isn’t what’s important but if people are inviting friends and bringing others to church, more people are getting the message. And thats what’s exciting! Just think about it, 206 people heard about God and how he can up them due to al your work, prayers and support.

So this weekend was a major milestone. 206 for service, 33 for youth and several men came out to play basketball. Thats a lot of opportunities to touch someone's life with the Gospel of Christ.

The youth

WOW, we had 23 students at Crosslink last night. Crosslink is our youth small group and these kids are begging their friends to come! Almost everyone there was invited by another teen. God is good and I am exited to see what will happen over the next few months. We have a good group of leaders that love helping and being there for them.

The structure of Crosslink is more or less a small group. Our lessons are based on open discussion rather than preaching to them. We discus what Discovery Church talked about Sunday morning during church. It is amazing how much they pay attention and how much they retain.

I will try to get some pictures up after next weeks meeting, I didn’t take any this week.

A special thank you to the 10 workers that showed up to help last night!!!

Cause you asked

Attendance 01/06/08 was 162 and offering was $4096.69
We had 7 1st timers, 6 second timers, 1 third and 4 4th timers.

Attendance 12/30/07 was 156 and offering was $5610.70
Attendance 12/23/07 was 145 and offering was $3553.00
Attendance 12/16/07 was 132 and offering was $3213.00
Attendance 12/09/07 was 166 and offering was $3522.00
Attendance 12/02/07 was 153 and offering was $3879.00
Attendance 11/25/07 was 124 and offering was $1215.00
Attendance 11/18/07 was 189 and offering was $3906.00
Attendance 11/11/07 was 169 and offering was $2613.00
Attendance 11/04/07 was 145 and offering was $3459.70
Attendance 10/28/07 was 166 and offering was $2234.00
Attendance 10/21/07 was 126 and offering was $1295.00
Attendance 10/14/07 was 95 and offering was $1015.00
Attendance 10/07/07 was 156 and offering was $4523.07
Attendance 9/30/07 was 140 and offering was $2951.06
Attendance 9/23/07 was 159 and offering was $1612.00
Attendance 9/17/07 was 177 and offering was $4547.73
Attendance 9/09/07 was 163 and offering was $1822.30
Attendance 9/02/07 was 138 and offering was $3394.45
Attendance 8/26/07 was 199 and offering was $4596.00
Attendance 8/19/07 was 127 and offering was $2747.46
Attendance 8/12/07 was 132 and offering was $3945.00
Attendance 8/05/07 was 107 and offering was $2971.71
Attendance 7/29/07 was 132 and offering was $1998.00
Attendance 7/22/07 was 137 and offering was $2557.82

Counting the days.

I am almost done with my job in Florida! I start Discovery Church FULL TIME in February. I don’t know how to feel. I am excited to do more for Discovery but I have been there since M & C began. I was their first employee and it will be hard letting it go. It will mean less trips to see all my Tampa/Brandon friends but when we do come down, it will be to relax not work. So be praying for Sheila and myself over the next few weeks as we transition into my new full time job.

I will keep the M & C cell phone for awhile and I will help them out in whatever ways they want...I just will not be getting paid by them. Yeah I know what you are thinking...THATS CRAZY! No it really isn't. This company has put a lot of time and money into Discovery Church and our last church (KIngs Ave) so not only do I owe it to them, they deserve it.

CHURCH IS NOT ENOUGH!!!!

Church ain’t enough! It just isn’t…sorry to inform you all. I am not harking on your church service, activities or their vision, all that stuff is fine, it just isn’t enough. The sooner we all get a grip on this – the better! I was reminded this week that we are spiritual beings temporarily in a physical world. And just like our physical body needs daily nourishment (3 times for must of us) our spirit need’s more than just Sunday mornings. We need to nourish our spirit daily. Some of us take better care of our pets than we do our soul. Hey if I missed as many dog feedings as I have missed daily devotions or readings, my dogs would run away.
So I am sorry to inform that only 1-2 hours Sunday morning isn’t enough. We are spiritually anorexic and that ain’t healthy. Hey I desire to be a spiritual fatty, indulging in God every chance I get.
Start reading, praying, listening and studying a little more in 08 than you did in 07 and see how chubby we can get by 09. Because Sunday isn’t enough!
Let me see you try and live off of one meal a week or how about driving on one gallon of gas for a week? One shower? Yeah that would stink, wouldn’t it?

Cause (I haven't done it in awhile and) you asked

Attendance 12/30/07 was 156 and offering was $5610.75
HEY we had 13 1st timers!!!

Attendance 12/23/07 was 145 and offering was $3553.00
Attendance 12/16/07 was 132 and offering was $3213.00
Attendance 12/09/07 was 166 and offering was $3522.00
Attendance 12/02/07 was 153 and offering was $3879.00
Attendance 11/25/07 was 124 and offering was $1215.00
Attendance 11/18/07 was 189 and offering was $3906.00
Attendance 11/11/07 was xxx and offering was $2613.00
Attendance 11/04/07 was 145 and offering was $3459.70
Attendance 10/28/07 was 166 and offering was $2234.00
Attendance 10/21/07 was 126 and offering was $1295.00
Attendance 10/14/07 was 95 and offering was $1015.00
Attendance 10/07/07 was 156 and offering was $4523.07
Attendance 9/30/07 was 140 and offering was $2951.06
Attendance 9/23/07 was 159 and offering was $1612.00
Attendance 9/17/07 was 177 and offering was $4547.73
Attendance 9/09/07 was 163 and offering was $1822.30
Attendance 9/02/07 was 138 and offering was $3394.45
Attendance 8/26/07 was 199 and offering was $4596.00
Attendance 8/19/07 was 127 and offering was $2747.46
Attendance 8/12/07 was 132 and offering was $3945.00
Attendance 8/05/07 was 107 and offering was $2971.71
Attendance 7/29/07 was 132 and offering was $1998.00
Attendance 7/22/07 was 137 and offering was $2557.82