Thursday, January 31, 2008
peace and snow
Since I went to bed last night to the construction AND woke up to it this morning, I'm quite excited to be spending the night in a hotel room in Hannibal, MO. The snow has been falling every since we arrived and we're hoping that we'll be able to get out and back to Baltimore. But for now, I'm going to sleep.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
oh the lemon cake was delicious too
For those of you who have just been so curious as to how the construction noises have been going I am not pleased to announce that two nights ago they woke me up at 12:30am, last night I believe they started at 11pm, and here it is 10:40pm and I heard the first duh-duh-duh-duh-duh of the night. Yipee!
Today was a good day ending with an Associational Quarterly Business Meeting at FBC Lansdowne. It's great to go to these things and hang out with the pastors and just laugh with them. Plus they had refreshments afterwards and I'm quite the sucker for chips and dip. (Why does it have to taste so good?!?)
Keep in mind, if you ever want to come visit Baltimore you are welcome!
Today was a good day ending with an Associational Quarterly Business Meeting at FBC Lansdowne. It's great to go to these things and hang out with the pastors and just laugh with them. Plus they had refreshments afterwards and I'm quite the sucker for chips and dip. (Why does it have to taste so good?!?)
Keep in mind, if you ever want to come visit Baltimore you are welcome!
Monday, January 28, 2008
hard days night
These days have been long with a lot of work to be done but I guess I kindof knew that going in. On Friday the SFC coordinator from NAMB was in town and basically told us it's going to be a painful road for the next couple of months as we are behind in where we should be, but once we are able to get back on track, things will be more smooth sailing. Yesterday (Sunday) we had a Concert of Prayer at a church in the city to pray not only for Embrace Baltimore but for Baltimore, the churches, etc. It was scheduled from 3-4:30pm and I really did not want to go. I knew it would be good once I got there but I was having a hard time adjusting to it being scheduled during "Christian nap time." But I did go and it was wonderful. Tomorrow night we have some kind of a leadership meeting and on Thursday I leave for St. Louis to go do a follow up recruitment meeting at Hannibal LaGrange college.
On a personal note I have watched Hot Rod which was hysterical (Mom, you won't like it), am almost done ripping all of our CD's to my computer, and have grown frustrated trying to make food for 1. I have also been turning my heat down during the night and while I am away at work. It makes for a cold house to come home too but I'm definitely at the point where I have adjusted. I still am not a fan of cold weather, but I am doing just fine. I totally see where Northern's come from when they come down to Florida and say it's not cold because even I, after one day in the 20's and the next upper 30's or low 40's say "this isn't bad."
My sister successfully closed on her house last Friday and is now officially living in Ohio with Mom. The baby is due in mid-March and I am quite anxious to find out if it is a boy or a girl. Either way it's nickname will be Roy due to a long standing family tradition of loving the movie Overboard.
Well, I've got a few reports to write before I get to go to sleep so TTFN...ta ta for now.
On a personal note I have watched Hot Rod which was hysterical (Mom, you won't like it), am almost done ripping all of our CD's to my computer, and have grown frustrated trying to make food for 1. I have also been turning my heat down during the night and while I am away at work. It makes for a cold house to come home too but I'm definitely at the point where I have adjusted. I still am not a fan of cold weather, but I am doing just fine. I totally see where Northern's come from when they come down to Florida and say it's not cold because even I, after one day in the 20's and the next upper 30's or low 40's say "this isn't bad."
My sister successfully closed on her house last Friday and is now officially living in Ohio with Mom. The baby is due in mid-March and I am quite anxious to find out if it is a boy or a girl. Either way it's nickname will be Roy due to a long standing family tradition of loving the movie Overboard.
Well, I've got a few reports to write before I get to go to sleep so TTFN...ta ta for now.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
page 396 of The Baptist Hymnal
I have been playing the piano for the early traditional service this month at one of the churches here and a few weeks ago the music minister sang a song called "When the Church of Jesus". I had never heard it before but the lyrics were quite powerful.
When the Church of Jesus by Fred Pratt Green
When the church of Jesus shuts its outer door,
Lest the roar of traffic drown the voice of prayer:
May our prayers, Lord, make us ten times more aware
That the world we banish is our Christian care.
If our hears are lifted where devotion soars
High above this hungry suff'ring world of ours:
Lest our hymns should drug us to forget its needs,
Forge our Christian worship into Christian deeds.
Lest the gifts we offer, money, talents, time,
Serve to salve our conscience to our secret shame:
Lord, reprove, inspire us by the way You give;
Teach us, dying Saviour, how true Christians live.
When the Church of Jesus by Fred Pratt Green
When the church of Jesus shuts its outer door,
Lest the roar of traffic drown the voice of prayer:
May our prayers, Lord, make us ten times more aware
That the world we banish is our Christian care.
If our hears are lifted where devotion soars
High above this hungry suff'ring world of ours:
Lest our hymns should drug us to forget its needs,
Forge our Christian worship into Christian deeds.
Lest the gifts we offer, money, talents, time,
Serve to salve our conscience to our secret shame:
Lord, reprove, inspire us by the way You give;
Teach us, dying Saviour, how true Christians live.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
some Baltimore stats
*There are 2.78 million people residing in Baltimore City.
*64.3% of Baltimore City’s residents are African-Americans.
*There are 268 city neighborhoods in Baltimore City.
*17.9% of Baltimoreans do not speak English at home.
*Only 24.4 % of the population have a Bachelor’s Degree or higher.
*As of August 22, 2007 there have been 200 murders. If the pace continues, the city will tally 315 homicides this year.
*Per 100,000 residents, Baltimore’s murder tally is at 33 murders this year.
For comparison: Newark N.J.’s murder rate per 100,000 residents is 24
Washington D.C.’s is 23
Philadelphia’s is 19
Boston’s is 8
New York’s is 4
*There is 1 SBC church for every 43,437 people. Nationally, there is 1 SBC church for every 6400 people
*Total church membership in the BBA (Baltimore Baptist Association) is 16,099
*Total worship attendance in BBA churches is 5,450
*Total Sunday School/Small Group attendance in BBA churches is 2,919
*Total Baptisms in BBA churches is 444
*64.3% of Baltimore City’s residents are African-Americans.
*There are 268 city neighborhoods in Baltimore City.
*17.9% of Baltimoreans do not speak English at home.
*Only 24.4 % of the population have a Bachelor’s Degree or higher.
*As of August 22, 2007 there have been 200 murders. If the pace continues, the city will tally 315 homicides this year.
*Per 100,000 residents, Baltimore’s murder tally is at 33 murders this year.
For comparison: Newark N.J.’s murder rate per 100,000 residents is 24
Washington D.C.’s is 23
Philadelphia’s is 19
Boston’s is 8
New York’s is 4
*There is 1 SBC church for every 43,437 people. Nationally, there is 1 SBC church for every 6400 people
*Total church membership in the BBA (Baltimore Baptist Association) is 16,099
*Total worship attendance in BBA churches is 5,450
*Total Sunday School/Small Group attendance in BBA churches is 2,919
*Total Baptisms in BBA churches is 444
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
14 hour day
The CTV trip went wonderful. I'm now home, exhausted, and about to go to bed. I knew it was bed time because I heard the construction noises. :-)
Monday, January 14, 2008
up here they say warsh
I guess if I'm going to have this blog it's a good idea to actually post once and a while. I don't know about you but 2008 had me hitting the ground running! By the time I get home at night getting in front of the computer again is not my idea of fun. But as I wait for my clothes to get done in the washing machine it seemed like a good time to write. Today started our first Catch the Vision (CTV) trip of 2008. We are hosting a group of 14 men (pastors and Directors of Missions) from the Kentucky Baptist Association. Tonight was a dinner with them, the Embrace staff, and several members of the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware (BCM/D). It went really well and I was super glad because this was the first dinner I have had to plan as part of the Mobilization job. Tomorrow we start bright and early at 8:30am and will go all day meeting with church planters and hearing their stories. One thing I'm looking forward to tomorrow besides the meetings- having lunch at Five Guys Famous Burgers and Fries. If you have not yet gone to a Five Guys, you must find one and go. Delicious!
As I write this the construction noises have started. There is some kind of dismantling of an old railroad bridge (or something) and for some reason they do it at night. Who's the crazy person that approved that? Keep in mind it's winter so it's not like the heat of the day causes trouble. Okay, enough about that because I could go one for awhile and it's all not positive thoughts.
Nothing really to report, just been working a lot. I did play one song on Guitar Hero yesterday- that was pretty fun. Watched the first episode of the Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles. Mostly for Summer Glau as I'm not really a Terminator fan. It was pretty good. First episodes are always hard because they have to lay down so much history and backstory.
Well, I think the washing machine is done so I'm going to move the clothes to the dryer and try to get some sleep. Thank you to all who write and call. I'm so sorry I've been slack in my responding. It really can get lonely up here once I've gotten back to the house (see story that follows) so the thoughtfulness is much appreciated. I realized I was lacking companionship when I caught myself talking out loud my thoughts. For example, I typically brush my teeth first and then wash my face. Well, the other day I accidentally washed my face first and found myself talking- out loud- saying "I didn't mean to do that, etc." Not a big deal but I sure felt a little crazy. Must be the late nights with construction noises preventing sleep. :-)
On that note, it's off to bed I go.
As I write this the construction noises have started. There is some kind of dismantling of an old railroad bridge (or something) and for some reason they do it at night. Who's the crazy person that approved that? Keep in mind it's winter so it's not like the heat of the day causes trouble. Okay, enough about that because I could go one for awhile and it's all not positive thoughts.
Nothing really to report, just been working a lot. I did play one song on Guitar Hero yesterday- that was pretty fun. Watched the first episode of the Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles. Mostly for Summer Glau as I'm not really a Terminator fan. It was pretty good. First episodes are always hard because they have to lay down so much history and backstory.
Well, I think the washing machine is done so I'm going to move the clothes to the dryer and try to get some sleep. Thank you to all who write and call. I'm so sorry I've been slack in my responding. It really can get lonely up here once I've gotten back to the house (see story that follows) so the thoughtfulness is much appreciated. I realized I was lacking companionship when I caught myself talking out loud my thoughts. For example, I typically brush my teeth first and then wash my face. Well, the other day I accidentally washed my face first and found myself talking- out loud- saying "I didn't mean to do that, etc." Not a big deal but I sure felt a little crazy. Must be the late nights with construction noises preventing sleep. :-)
On that note, it's off to bed I go.
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