Papa took us to the State Market Cafe at the State Fairgrounds in Montgomery. It was country cooking, and nearly everyone in there was kind to the children on their way out, stopping to speak to them.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Dalraida Baptist Church
The sermon today was on Joshua 6, and it was great. This is the church where Mr. and Mrs. Long, Amanda's grandparents, and Keven and Carmen attend regularly. The worship was awesome, too.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Go Biscuits!
The Montgomery Biscuits lost in the 11th inning 9-6, but the fireworks were great! We had an awesome outing. Pictured L to R are Amanda's parents (holding Ava-Grace), Amanda's grandparents, Amanda, her sister Carmen and husband Keven.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Inauguration Star
This star on the Alabama State Capitol at Montgomery marks the spot on which Jefferson Davis took the oath of office as the first president of the Provisional Government of the Confederate States of America.
Can you see my reflection in the star taking the picture?
We also toured the First White House of the Confederacy across the street from the Capitol.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Traveling
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Charles Wesley's diary code cracked
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Saturday, August 23, 2008
My 3 yo set me straight AGAIN

"Luke, are you a little monkey?"
"Yep." Then he thought a minute. "I'm just being silly, Daddy."
"Do you like bananas?"
"Yessir."
"And you like to climb on things?"
"Yep."
"Then you must be a little monkey."
"No, I'm not a monkey. I'm one of the boy children who are eating popsicles."
"Oh, OK." I chuckled and kissed him on the forehead. "I'm just being funny with you, Luke."
Luke was quiet a minute. "Daddy, it's not being funny when it's ugly." Then he cut his eyes around at me and gave me a 'Gotcha!' grin.
Umph! Right through the heart. How many times have I told him exactly that. Whoops! Well, I didn't have enough sense to leave him alone.
"Luke, are you going to eat the rest of your popsicle? I think that you might be eating my popsicle. Are you going to eat that last piece of my popsicle?"
Luke didn't say a word except to smile, turn his popsicle up in the air, suck the last of the ice out of it, and say, "Umm Ummmmm."
We both had a long and good laugh.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Multi-tasking or marijuana?

(Pictured: A sufferer of MTS -- Multi-tasking syndrome.)
- A British study showed people constantly interrupted by e-mails and instant messages did worse in a controlled test than those intoxicated by marijuana. The author said: "The IQ loss…is temporary. Remove the multi-tasking requirement, and test scores jump back to normal." Now think about a teenager (or yourself for that matter) driving, checking messages, adjusting the satellite radio, reading the GPS, and eating breakfast in rush hour traffic. Might as well be high on mari . . . well, we won't go there.
- Rene Marois at Vanderbilt, exploring the consequences of multi-tasking on the efficiency of the brain, suggests that the more we jump from task to task, the more energy our brains waste. Maybe that's why I'm so tired .
- UCLA's Russell Poldrack's research found that distraction causes a physiological learning deficiency. Multi-tasking causes the part of our brains used for storing and recalling information to slow down. Does that explain since we got toddlers why I haven't been able to remember bojackdiddly (a vocabulary word I learned from Bruce Ashford's sermon this week)?
The upshot? Multi-tasking is a permanent temptation in today's workplace, but leaders doing too much at once will drain their brains and drag down productivity.
Just a minute. I can't think about productivity and focus and quiet and all that. Too much multi-tasking. The kids are whining, someone just skyped me, the microwave is going off, the cell phone is ringing, I'm trying to finish this post so I can get to my appointment on time, and the UPS man is at the door.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
A Laurens County rare book

Last night I was on books.google.com looking for Bible Commentaries and South Carolina histories to add to my online library when I ran across a little known book by John Leland, principal of the Laurensville Female Academy in Laurens, SC.
Entitled A Voice from South Carolina, it tells the shocking story of what happened in Laurens County, SC, during Reconstruction, and it is some of the most fascinating and little known history of the area.
I referenced this little book in my college honors paper. It is a witty, insightful, clearly-written, humorous, and sometimes disgusting look at the personal vendettas that fueled Reconstruction politics in South Carolina.
If you have an interest in upstate South Carolina, let me recommend you read it online or better, download it.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
VBS Pictures
Monday, August 18, 2008
The girls


Mayor says even 'ugly women' have a chance
Mayor John Molony found himself under attack Monday over comments he made to a local newspaper that read: "May I suggest if there are five blokes to every girl, we should find out where there are beauty-disadvantaged women and ask them to proceed to Mount Isa. Often those who are beauty-disadvantaged are unhappy with their lot,' he said. Some need to proceed to Mount Isa where happiness awaits.
The quotes, published Saturday in the Townsville Bulletin, sparked outrage among the town's female population, led to furious online debates and drew criticism from the local chamber of commerce, which is headed by a woman. Women may find a gem there, though. Greg Norman and tennis player Pat Rafter were born in the town.
"We've got a saying up here that the odds are good, but the goods are odd," 27-year-old Anna Warrick told The Brisbane Times.
Deitrich Bonhoeffer wrote the above about the Nazis in the winter of 1942-43 to fellow-conspirators. It made me think about deacons meetings.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Where's Rachel?
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Friday, August 15, 2008
The Top 5
1- The Importance of Family (Psalm 127-128)
Views: 493 -- 5% of all accesses
This post is accessed worldwide, but mostly outside the West. Hmm. Wonder what that tells us.
2- Exodus 17:1-7 -- Water from the Rock
Views: 314 -- 3% of all accesses
3- Exodus 15:22-27 -- Marah and Elim
Views: 232 -- 2% of all accesses
4- Keep the Fire Burning -- Leviticus 6:8-13
Views: 228 -- 2% of all accesses
5- Elvis Presley Age Progression
Views: 215 -- 2& of all accesses
I don't even want to think about what that might tell us.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Olympic China arrests pastor
Two days before the opening ceremonies in Beijing, Chinese Public Security Bureau police picked up Pastor Zhang "Bike" Mingxuan, president of the Chinese House Church Alliance, who has pedaled his bike more than 10,000 miles, visiting 24 Chinese provinces to introduce nonbelievers to Jesus Christ.
Pastor Bike was the inspiration for the recent partnership between The Voice of the Martyrs and China Aid Association to create the Olympic Prayer Band. Learn More about the Olympic Prayer Band here
Pastor Asks for Prayer Band
Earlier this year, Pastor Bike pleaded with VOM ask Christians to pray for persecuted Christians in China during the Olympics. The pastor voluntarily preaches the gospel openly in China despite being persecuted. He has asked for his identity to be revealed to bring continued attention to the persecution of Christians in Communist China.
On Aug. 6, Pastor Bike was arrested while trying to deliver medicine to his ailing wife. His wife and another pastor were also arrested. VOM also learned this week that Chinese officials are opening a full investigation of the Olympic Prayer Bands that were distributed to house church members within China. Despite this increased pressure from Chinese authorities, Chinese Christians continue to ask for prayer and to make their plight known.
Source: Voice of the Martyrs
Lakeland Outpoured
Those with long-time red flags can say, "I told ya so."
The Todd Bentley revival meetings have taken a discouraging turn and might take some reputations down with it.
The best commentary with some common sense questions was written by my friend Lee Grady.
And Peter Wagner is back-pedaling like a cat at a dam-break.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Wondering about being a missionary?
Explore Pathways To Missions
Are you wondering if becoming a missionary is for you? Then check out this tool that will help you find out if you are. Explore is a set of learning experiences designed for people who are exploring the possibility of missionary service. This tool will:
-Clarify God's will for one’s life
- Teach what it takes to become His servant on the field
- Strengthen gifts and skills for ministry
- Help one discover the requirements of a missionary lifestyle
- Encourage you to work through the material with a mentor
One on Luke
Monday, August 11, 2008
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Death of the church bulletin

June 22 was a sad day at Park Community Church, we lost a dearly beloved friend… our weekly program.
What is often the bane of all communications people, church secretaries, and grammar police… the weekly program… passed away."
Michael Buckingham agrees.
"The choice might not fit every church to throw out the bulletin, but the exercise they went through to come up with the decision would be good for any church. Often we do things for one simple reason--that's what we've always done. By taking a closer look at the people that make up Park Community Church and the pros and cons of the bulletin, the team at Park realized there was a better way. They didn't just get rid of the bulletin, it was replaced with something that worked better for the church. "
Thursday, August 07, 2008
A 24-hour sermon
If you worry about your Sunday sermons running a bit long, don’t despair. Last week an English vicar set a new world record for the longest outdoor message when he spoke from the pulpit for 24 hours. The Rev. Eric Delve of St. Luke’s Church in Kent County, England, held the marathon preaching session to kick off the Detling Summer Conference, an annual Christian camp that this year coincided with a town river festival. “It’s quite exciting doing this in the open air and in a busy town,” Delve said. “It leaves you free to be heckled, which to be honest, I quite enjoy, as you get to think on your feet and at speed.” Interestingly enough, Delve was inspired to take on the preaching feat after a friend set the world record for the longest indoor sermon. [kentnews.co.uk, 7/25/08; ryeandbattleobserver.co.uk, 7/29/08]
Liberia at Wake Crossroads
I recognized her. I called Amanda over, and her mouth dropped open. She recognized her, too. She is a Liberian girl at Mama Feeta's orphanage, Rainbow Town.
It was a brochure for Touch the World Ministries in Morganton, NC, led by Pastor Homer Murdock, and the picture was indeed of the Liberian orphans he came to see in 2004.
The organization I was working for, Samaritan's Purse, had decided against doing very much at the time for this group of orphans, but my supervisor, John Freyler, contacted another ministry which might invest in them. I met with part of TTW's board in May of 2004, and pleaded with them to come, telling them stories of these incredible women and children who had survived torture, near murder numerous times, and starvation, deprivation, and homelessness.
In June 2004, Homer came to Liberia to look into helping Mama Feeta's orphanage, and we took them to Barclayville to meet Mama Feeta, Jackson, and the children, then on to Gbarnga to see the 50 acres of orphan land that might be useful as a home and farm for them.
The rest is history. Rainbow Town is the site of Touch the World's two-year commitment to Mama Feeta's orphans. TTW built two dormitories based off an initial design I drew up in 2004. (I'm not an architect, but I slept in a Holiday Inn Express last night.)
In partnership with TTW, Samaritan's Purse invested thousands of US dollars there as well as Chestnut Ridge Baptist Church in Laurens, SC, our family's home church. Others have also joined the vision to provide for these 100 children, such as a family in Oklahoma whose daughter, Lauren Selmon, interned with us in Liberia in 2004.
There we were, standing in north Raleigh in Wake Crossroads Baptist Church in 2008, looking at the effects of the small connecting work the Lord did through us in 2004 and 5.
Amanda said, "Do you see? That's God's encouragement for us."
While scores milled around us in the church foyer, we stood there about to shout in gratitude for how the Lord honors our small, pitiful offerings of life and heart.
Below are pictures from that June 2004 trip in which Homer met Mama Feeta and her kids, and we saw the orphan land that would become Rainbow Town.


Behind them stands one of the older orphans named Genesis.





