It finally Friday!

Tonight the Pedro menendez Falcons take off on a new endeavor. Completely unchartered waters for them, they are in the playoffs. In 3 years I have seen coach Cromwell and staff take this program from a 22 game losing streak to 7-3 last season and 8-2 this season and into the playoffs. They've studied film, they've run plays, they've scouted every move and now tonight in Jacksonville it is time to put all the hard work into play. They are heavy underdogs and loving every minute of it.
I had a busy evening as we prepared to feed the homeless a Thanksgiving Dinner, and I had to get out to practice. The dinner was well attended once again and a full fellowship hall at First United Methodist Church was the scene. I love the opportunity to just sit down and listen to their stories, talk with them and get to know the homeless of our community.
Don't have a whole lot to type, football tonight, racing all day tomorrow it doesn't get any better than this right now!
have a great day and thanks for reading!

Wild Wednesday

Okay so we're past hump day and headed for a great weekend! Yesterday was a blast I must admit to you. I had to get going extra early because I was meeting with the guidance department at Bartram Trails about a few situations that they had with students on their campus. I met with them and got an opportunity to share with several classes my presentation on healthy relationships for the Betty Griffin House. THe final class I did was one of the best classes I have done in a long time. It took me 90 minutes to get through a 50 minute presentation because there was so much interacting and so much student participation. At the end the kids were actually asking me to come back again and share with them. Always a good sign when the kids actually want you back.
THen I left and went and hung out at football for a while in the brutal cold and then off to church. We made the usual pitstops and filled up the van and headed for church. We had a rather large crowd last night and more than we have had in quite some time. Unfortunately we had some of the rougher kids that were a distraction so we will slow down on the van runs for a while. I think we will take next week off and then re-evaluate our plan for the following week.
Today will be a fairly lax day with not a lot to do, Friday much the same. But, the days will drag because I ahve a great weekend planned. You know how that goes!
Have a great day and thanks for reading!

Cold

I am a Florida cracker through and through and this is cold weather. I know it will get down into the 30's and eventually we'll even see some 20's but 40's is plenty cold enough for me. I went out to football practice last night and no surprise I have plenty of Gatorade left over. THe kids stopped by, got a little bit of Gatorade and ran off. No hanging out, no fighting for a second or third cup. Just a sip and run.
Last night Alexa, P.J. and I went and did some visiting with some close friends. A very close friendship that I was afraid I was neglecting to the point of it possibly eroding. I take friendships very seriously and I can't stand for one to die off just because of neglect. It was certainly not anything that either us or them had done, just time had pulled us in 2 totally separate directions and it was time for me to pull my way back in. We visited for a while and my two associate pastors played with their daughter and we had a great visit.
I am right now in a pit, a slump a writer's cramp whatever you want to call it. I search and search for a subject and a sermon for Thanksgiving, then the Lord's Supper the Sunday after and then 4 Christmas sermons. I am not good at that for sure, that is precisely why I preach through a book at the time. It takes a lot of prayer and listening to God to get me through all of it, but especially choosing passages and sermons for special occasions. But it is well worth it when I get done because I know 100% without a doubt that God pointed me in that direction.
I ahve the next several sermons done, the power point and bulletin for Sunday is done and I am ready I must admit for Night of Fire. Night of Fire is the biggest race that my dad and I compete in here in the state of Florida each year. Thousands of fans pack every inch of the pits, hundreds of cars show up to race and it is always an all nighter for sure. I won this event 2 years ago and hope to add another "Wally" to the family this year for either me or my dad. So don't have any medical emergencies on Saturday i will be hard to track down.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Weekend washout

So the football team was off last week and it was a good thing. I woke up several times Thursday night and got up Friday morning just flat out sick. Unable to move, unable to eat, unable to find enough energy to even take a shower until later in the afternoon. So Friday was a washout for sure. Dad and I had plans to go test at the race track on Saturday morning so I did take the time later in the evening to get the car ready to go in the morning. Then we woke up to 40% chance of rain and it was already raining in Gainesville so we got stuck at home. I did a little bit of painting at the church, and a whole lot of yard work at the house. We have little palms planted all over the yard now and mulch spread and all of the old flower beds cleaned out and replanted. The back yard is shaping up much the same and many of you reading this are probably wanting to drive by and see it for yourself. Yes, Jeff Gatlin is fixing up his yard and getting rid of the old bushes and putting new trees and plants in. It only took me 11 years to get this yard fixed up where we want it. Not too bad!
Sunday numbers were down and I won't lie it's starting to take a toll on me at times. I do remember something that Mark Devers wrote in his book the Deliberate Church and that is the church's success is measured by its faithfulness as a family to the Gospel. We are certainly presenting the Gospel, and using the Bible as the center of our focus.
I did watch a movie with P.J. Saturday night, Dr. Seuss's the Grinch that stole Christmas, and it started me thinking and getting in the mood for Christmas this year. I usually don't catch it until mid December(if I catch it at all according to Tara) but it just struck me early this year.
Oh and by the way, 5 days till Night of Fire. The biggest race we run each year!
Thanks for reading and have a great day!