Ready for the Weekend

Even though it's been a short work week for me this week, I'm really ready for the weekend. We're starting on a painting project inside our house. By the time we're done (hopefully before '09) we'll have the whole interior painted. I hate painting but I love the change and the feeling of newness.

Something New to the Blog

1. I want this blog to be more than just my wondering thoughts (like some of the blogs I read.) So I am going to try to add something new to it and see if it generates some discussion.
   
   I going to begin posting on Friday or Saturday a "Sneak Peak" at Sunday's service. I might post a comment about the sermon, a pic or vid that we will be using in the service, or something along that line. Then on Sunday/Monday I'll post a question or comment about Sunday's experience to continue the conversation. I hope people will join in the discussion.

Good to Be Home

We had a great trip to NC. It's always great to visit family and friends. Sunday we went to church with my parents. It's always a neat feeling being back in the church that I grew up in. Brings back a lot of memories of people who helped me grow in my spiritual journey and had such an enormous impact on my life.

I'm glad to be home and looking forward to the end of summer and the beginning of a new season. I'm really excited about the things we have coming up at FCBC in the next few months.

North Carolina - Hiking

Today, we took the kids on a hike in Dupont State Park. I grew up hiking a lot as a child with my family so it was great to be able to continue the tradition.

As Andrew and I were saying prayers tonight he told me it was his favorite part of the day. That's pretty good considering he go a new Bionicle, ice cream and go to buy some souvenirs today.

The kids did great on the hike. No complaining or anything. It was about 2 1/2 miles round trip and straight up at points. The view of the three waterfalls was worth the work.

North Carolina - Biltmore House

Yesterday my parents took us to the Biltmore House. Marsha and I have been a couple of times. The kids really loved it. It's close to where I grew up and is the largest house in the country. It's an amazing place.

My great-grandfather worked on the estate in the dairy. My grandmother, as a child, attended Christmas parties and birthday parties at the house.

An American Home: Fostering Lopez Lomong

An Amazing Story

If you've followed any of the Olympic news the last couple of days you have heard the name Lopez Lomong. His story is amazing. You can read about it here.

"When we were in Africa, we didn't know what was there for us as kids--we just ran. God was planning all of this stuff for me, and I didn't know. Now I'm using running to get the word out about how horrible things were back in Sudan during the war. Sometimes these things are not on CNN, so if I put out the word, I hope people can get the information. Right now, similar terrible things are going on in Darfur; people are running out of Darfur, and I put myself in their shoes." - Lopez Lomong