My New Car!

Thanks to all of you who prayed for me and with me as I searced for a car. The search is now over!! Two weeks ago, I was able to find a 2008 Pontiac G5 at just my price and with low mileage. I call it my "God" car because only He could have provided this for me as He did. I do wish I had power locks and cruise control, but I will be just fine without them, seeing that I got it at my price. It gets incredible gas mileage and I feel it's just the car for me. It was a lease car and still has a bit of a new smell to it. God is good! Here's a collage of pictures of my new ride. Just click on the collage to enlarge it. These were taken outside our office, so you can see where I work and the gorgeous view we have!

"I Believe"

"I Believe" is CTV's (Canadian network) official song for the 2010 Olympics. I love this song! This video is great and showcases Vancouver and the torch relay across Canada. The singer, Nikki Yanofsky, is the one who sang "O Canada" at the opening ceremonies. In my opinion, she sings this much better than she did the Canadian anthem!

Church on the Mountain at Whistler, British Columbia

Church on the Mountain. Whistler Church.

This is our Canadian National Baptist Convention (CNBC) church in Whistler. Pray for this church as they minister to the people of Whistler and especially the visitors and athletes during the Olympic games. My friend, Marla Wright, from seminary, served at this church for a couple of years after we graduated. Kelly Mabey, a friend I made while in Vancouver in 98 is now part of this church.

Let the Games Begin

What a great way to end an extremely busy and tiring week...watching the Opening Ceremony of the Vancouver Olympics! Wow...the emotions, the feelings, the excitement! So, if you watched the Opening Ceremony and don't live in Canada, do you feel you know a bit more about this wonderful country?! I even learned a few things myself from the presentation and commentators on our CTV (Canadian) network! Since I don't get any US channels, I don't know what they were showing or saying. My mom called and said that she has already learned things she didn't know. For those of you that don't know much about the country to the north of the US, I hope that you will learn much about this place that has become home to me...

As you watch the Olympics this year, pray for Canada and this nation that so needs Jesus! Our convention has the goal to plant 1000 churches by 2020; we have 275 across the country right now. Pray for us as we seek to meet this God-given and God-sized task!

Less than a Day and Counting

originally written Thursday evening, February 11



I absolutely cannot believe that the Vancouver 2010 Olympics will have started this time tomorrow! I remember hearing about them being held and saying that if I am still in Canada, I am going! Well, I won't be making it, but I sure have been able to experience the Olympic spirit in Calgary. It's been a once in a lifetime experience for me and I am so grateful that the Lord is allowing me to be a part of this historic time. Until you experience it, it's hard to explain. Just take my word for it.

This Olympics holds a special place in my heart because I lived in the Vancouver area for the summer of 98, while serving at Royal Heights Baptist Church in Delta, near Vancouver. It was that summer that I wondered if I would be back in Canada one day. I made friends there that are some of my best ones to this day and I consider Vancouver like my second home. I will be watching this Olympics with excitement and gratitude!

I got to see the torch as it came through Calgary and Cochrane. What an incredible experience! Some friends and I went downtown to Olympic Plaza as the flame made an overnight stop in Calgary. I live in the city that hosted the 88 Winter Olympics, so Calgary knows what this is all about. I believe the Olympic Plaza was where medal ceremonies were held in 88. It's used as an outdoor ice rink and for various city festivities.


WE GOT TO SEE THE CAULDRON, JUST AFTER IT WAS LIT BY THE FLAME!



GREAT TIMES WITH FRIENDS AS WE CELEBRATE AT OLYMPIC PLAZA TOGETHER!

Two days after the Olympic Plaza event, the torch came through Cochrane, the town where I work and lived while I was in seminary. A good number of us from work took an early extended lunch to experience this historic event. It was neat to meet up with Cochrane friends in this town of less than 20,000. We lined the streets and watched as the torch bearer passed by us. Wow! Double wow when we realized the torch was being passed to the next torch bearer just up the road from where we were standing! On our way back to the vehicle, we went to Main Street (we had been at another street), and watched the torch again...and as it was passed to yet another torch bearer! Wow, wow, wow! This was a neat moment because I could see the emotion on the bearer's face.


MY DEAR FRIEND/CO-WORKER, CAROL, AND ME SHOW OFF OUR OLYMPIC MITTENS...JUST LIKE THE TORCH BEARERS AND ATHLETES WEAR!

I'm sitting here now watching the news and the pre-Olympic coverage. Too think things will have gotten kicked off by this time tomorrow. I cannot wait!

Some folks have asked which country I will be cheering for...well, Canada and the US! But how will I decide when the teams meet in hockey!? I may just have to be neutral, though it's really hard not to cheer for Canada when you're living here and it's the host country!

"O Canada...

"O say can you see...

Pirates Did Win STATE!

How I managed not to blog about my hometown Pirates winning State Football Championship in their division, I do not know. Once a Pirate, always a Pirate, so I was super excited that they won...and in overtime! I hope to see a DVD copy of that game one day. The last time we won was in 1989, when Steve McNair was our quarterback. I remember that game like it was yesterday...
The 2009 win was bittersweet for our little town of not even 1000 residents, seeing that we last won in 89 and Steve died this past summer. His brother is one of the coaches for the team.
His son's team managed not to win in their division. Was a blow-out of a game, but watch for Steve McNair Jr as he plays for the University of Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles come the fall!
I think that Brett Favre's nephew's team won!

There's nothing like high school football in the South and if you haven't experienced it, you just have no idea what you're missing!

Steve McNair's son, Brett Favre's nephew, and the Mt.Olive Pirates

What do all of these have in common? All are playing in the Mississippi High School Football State Championship games this week!

My hometown Pirates will play in Class 1A on Thursday night. The last time Mt. Olive won State was in 1989, when former NFL quarterback Steve McNair was our quarterback. I rememeber that game like it was yesterday! If you don't know about Steve, let me introduce you to the one who put a town of 1000 on the map when he took the Tennessee Titans to the 2000 Super Bowl. He later played for the Baltimore Ravens. Steve retired a few years ago and his life was taken suddenly in a shooting on July 4 of this year. We remember Steve and the "hometown boy" he remained, never forgetting his roots. Steve's oldest brother, Fred, is one of the Mt. Olive coaches.

Steve's oldest son, Steve Jr, now plays ball at Oak Grove High School, near Hattiesburg, less than an hour from Mt. Olive. Oak Grove plays in the Class 6A championship on Saturday. Seems that Steve Jr is quite the ball player like his dad!

NFL quarterback Brett Favre is from South Mississippi and his nephew is playing for St. Stanislaus on the Gulf Coast, in the Class 5A championship game. Just in case you don't know, Brett was the Green Bay Packers' QB for many years and is now with the Minnesota Vikings.

Mississippi is very proud of our star atheletes!

Will be awesome if Mt. Olive, Oak Grove, and St. Stanislaus win State!

GO PIRATES GO!