It's Friday again, another busy weekend awaiting!

So we survived yet another week. I have picked up some interesting books this week and done some interesting learning each day. I've seen P.J. get and ear infection that knocked her down for all of about an hour. I've seen Every form of weather hot, cold, wet and dry. Yesterday I was able to sneak away from the office long enough to attend a field trip with P.J. She went to Pedro Menendez for their production of "Alice in Wonderland." It was a great play, we got to see Elizabeth Strohminger in her first on stage performance as a giggling flower. And we got to see another of many of Terry(my nephew's) performances as the doorman. P.J. and the kids loved it and it was performed in such a manner that the kids were entertained(and admittedly I was too).
After that it was back to work for me. I went to lunch with the St. Augustine Youth Ministers' Alliance. A circle that I have run with for many years, it's always encouraging to get together as ministries converge and put our heads together. Right now more than ever the group is seeking to unite the youth ministries. We hope to do several events together next year to help solidify this town. If the adults can't do it, maybe the young people can show them how.
So that's pretty much it for the day. I got home, we watched a little bit of Sponge Bob, the kids worked on decorations for my door. My door was deemed as the Grinch door by the staff because everyone else has decorated their door but me. That bothered the girls so they are going to attempt to decorate the door themselves, which is what I wanted all along.
So have a great weekend, enjoy the season and the feelings that come with Christmas time. We have 2 work Christmas parties to attend and a parade in Hastings so busy, busy busy.

Hump day gone

So yesterday was a great Hump day for me. I started on a new book, I got several presentations for BGH nailed down, I was able to get a breather in the afternoon and I saw our youth ministry blossom. I didn't go and pick up a few kids whom I had some behavior issues with a few weeks ago. I ran the van, got a load and brought them to church. THe few in question, all showed up and they even brought friends with them. My lunch crew that I eat with at Murray is now mostly attending the youth group. I may be speaking too soon, but I believe we are on our way to building our ministry around the leadership of a group of 8th grade girls and 9th grade boys. They have everything we need to get to the next level, integrity, a great walk with CHrist, and they are definitely vocal about their youth group and their beliefs.
I am in the middle of a fast and I am tested more and more each day of it. I have had more lunch and dinner invitations just this week than ever. I even had my little cousin invite me out to lunch yesterday. I couldn't resist so I went along and had a water while he chowed down on a steak and mashed potatoes. And he took me to of all places my favorite restaraunt, Applebees!
So we had redone the youth worship room, we moved a few old pews out of the sanctuary hallway and into the youth house. Thereby providing more seating and more space in the room. We had almost every seat full last night, so things are looking up. I long for the day (selfishly I know) that we fill up the seats in our sanctuary. What a wonderful day that will be, and I must confess I don't feel like it is all that far off. I am starting to break down a lot of barriers and reach a whole new group of people now. I'm excited about the future, I've already started on my January 4th message in which I will challenging the congregation to join me in my vision for the new year. 2009 is going to be big in the life of Freedom Baptist CHurch!
Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Katie's new car

So I was able once again to enjoy my Tuesday lunch at Murray. I can't make it next week and they will be out of school the next 2 Tuesdays so it was a last hoorah for the year so to speak. Those kids I eat with Tuesday are so fun and uplifting that I look forward to it.
I got through that and work and sped off to the church to do some painting. Got another coat on some rough looking places on our little pump house up front. Then we met Katie at the house. Alexa, P.J. and myself joined her as she went to Jacksonville to get her Saturn Ion. We haggled, we got the deal she wanted, and we went in with P.J. and Alexa the child version of Rocko and Vito. THey were quaking in their boots when we walked through the doors. haha!
Oh, and the double ear infection has not slowed the little Bulldozer one bit, not one! She was wide open at the dealership, the house and in the car. Oh to have that energy and ability to conquer sickness and pain.
That's all from the Gatlin homefront, have a great day!

Uno!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So yesterday my little blonde comes home with a double ear infection. That is never good news as I have been through that every year for 32 years now. I remember getting them as a kid and the pain and throbbing going on in your ear, the way air hurts it whether it is cold air or hot air it hurts just as bad. There is no real fix for it, you can't sleep it off, sit still or stay under the covers and break it like a fever or a cold. You have to get anti-biotics and some form of pain managing medicine. P.J. came home with Childrens Motrin and the anti-biotics. What a pain it is to hold that kid down, she doesn't have a shut down mode that allows her to recover from being sick. Tara got her in to the doctor at 3pm because P.J. came to her classroom at 1pm saying her ear hurt really, really bad and she didn't like it.
Well, at 4 she comes steam rolling through the back door, gets some crackers sits down and watches a little bit of Sponge Bob. When the crackers are gone she is ready to go. She says, I'm going to ride bikes in teh street, want to watch. I immediately have to remind her (apparently Childrens Motrin is good stuff) that she is sick and can't go outside. So we wrestle for a while, then she runs around the house and wrestles the dog until he is tired and she starts begging me again to let her go outside.
Alexa decides to distract her with Uno. What a great idea! We ended up playing Uno for about 2 hours, I was undefeated(I have a system, I don't cheat) but P.J. surprisingly has the game all figured out. We had to throw down draw 4 cards several times to keep her from beating us(I did this once, Alexa did it repeatedly) But it was fun, hearing that little voice yell out UUUUUUNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! and start a little victory dance only to be told she hadn't won yet because we would either change the color or make her draw cards. But it was definitely fun.
We capped the night off with Charlie Brown Christmas on ABC and put them to bed, the next thing I remember is Tara walking through the door at 11:30 from work. So those two wore me out I guess!
Have a great day and thanks for reading!

Weekend washout again?!?!

So I stepped out of the office on Friday ready to become productive at teh church. I was going to go to the church and do some more painting, finishing up the trim work that needed to be painted, and getting some other things taken care of. I rushed home, worked out and got ready to go. I looked outside and it looked a little cloudy so I checked the weather channel and there was definitely rain coming. Yuck! It never really rained, but I didn't want to get the trim work all painted only to have the rain wash it off. Friday afternoon, wasted!
Saturday morning I got up early and went to the church, the radar once again showed rain on its way so I worked inside the youth house. I got some seating arrangements taken care of and swept the whole place out. THen I went to a 6 year old birthday party where I was able to hang out and spend a lot of time with some old friends and close acquantances. Then, off to Jacksonville to help my dad work on a car for a lady that I work for, back to town just in time to catch most of the Gator game with our family and friends.
Sunday was a great day, it started off a bit slow as most of the things that I ask others to do for me, were not done and I ended up doing them myself. Not a big deal, but on Sunday mornings I like to minister to people's needs, spend time with people and spend some time alone preparing my thoughts for the sermon. None of that happened this Sunday, but its okay. I even lost my voice throughout the sermon as well.
So that's pretty much it, not too much excitement this weekend other than the Gator game. The two pro teams that I wanted to see lose, lost and the one I wanted to win lost too. So 3 for 4 over the weekend isn't all that bad.
Have a great day and thanks for reading.