The week was a blessing to many folks — not only the folks in Athens, but the youth and adults who came to serve were also blessed in so many ways. I really admire the way the Group Work Camps Foundation puts the weeks together — the participants are not only blessed by opportunities to serve, but also with worship opportunities that were fantastic! Here is a link to an article that appreared in the Athens newspaper.

The week was truly a blessing to me. I grew in my faith — rediscovered my love for ministry — and was constantly reminded of how important it is to love and serve God and others. I also made friends that I hope to keep up with for a long time to come.

I praise God for the opportunity to serve and be served by so many folks!

To put it mildly, I love July 4! I love the fireworks and the celebration of America. I want to play Soussa marches and I love watching the Boston Pops concert with The 1812 Overture — the church bells of Boston adding to the concert along with army canons.

I can’t deny it — I love America!

But – why do I love America?

I love America for what it is — the freedoms that are ours as Americans — but I also love America because of what it can be. In a democracy, there is always the potential for creating a country where God’s will for liberty, justice, love, and freedom is a reality.

I believe that this was the dream of our founders — and it is still a dream worth dreaming of and fighting for. As long as we believe in this dream — and commit ourselves to praying for it and working for it — we will continue to strive for the greatness that is — and can continue to be — ours as Americans.

I am volunteering with Group Work Camps for the week so I’ll be going tomorrow — the others will come Sunday.

Pray that we will all have safe travels, and that God will bless us and use us to be a blessing to others.

One of Dad’s favorite Bible verses was Micah 6:8:

He has showed you, O man, what is good.

And what does the LORD require of you?

To act justly and to love mercy

and to walk humbly with your God.

Dad not only loved this verse, but he lived by it. In his lifetime Dad was a bomber pilot in World War II, a state representative from York County, SC,a member of the South Carolina Highway Commission, a municipal court judge for the city of Rock Hill, SC, an active member of First Presbyterian Church in Rock Hill, SC, an active member of many civic clubs and organizations, a lawyer who was later honored by having his name entered in a book listing the most prominent attorneys in the state of South Carolina, and a great friend to many. He was a loving, caring father to my sisters and me, a loving and caring husband to Mom, a loving son to his mother and devoted brother to his brothers.

More than all these things, he was a great Christian. He was motivated by his faith to be the loving, caring person that he was. He understood that faith in God and love for others were the important things in life. He seemed to always work to do what he felt was right and good.

I learned a lot of things from Dad. As I look back on it, I see that the most important thing I learned was how to love. How to love God and let my faith in God shape my life, how to love others and let my love for others motivate me to act in loving ways towards all. these are some of the things he taught me.

Dad, I only hope I can pay tributes to you every day and be more like you. I look a lot like you — and the older I get, the balder I get, and the grayer I get the more I resemble you. That’s a good thing! I can only hope I can resemble you in actions as well as looks!

Yes Dad certainly understood what it meant to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.

With no laptop computer I probably won’t be posting much here while I’m gone — but you can follow me here and here.

What a glorious way to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord! Thanks to Mac Atkinson – Quin Hooks , Brian Howard, and Chris Reeder for coming together to make this blessing possible for so many! It is my prayer that we will be able to always put aside denominational divisions — pray for each other — celebrate what God is doing — and work together to bring others to Christ as well as show God’s love to our community.

The Lord risen!
He has risen indeed!

O well — I still enjoy “following” folks on FaceBook and Twitter — use Twitter to communicate with some of my Pastor friends — keep up with frineds and family on FaceBook, and learn a lot from minsters and leaders who use Twitter.

Sunday, February 8 — The grand daughter of a home bound member of the Church is very sick. I find out she is critical and go see her — and her grand father. I then rush to Church for a meeting and Choir Practice, but find out at Choir Practice that she died. I go back to grand father’s house after Choir Practice.

Monday, February 9 — Between visiting with the family, some friends help me put up a dog lot in our yard — then Sally and I go out to supper with some friends.

The drain line on our washing machine starts to back u[ every time we wash clothes.

Tuesday, February 10 — I attend burial and visit with grand father.

Wednesday, February 11 — Begin to feel sick — sore throat and cold.

Attend meeting of Ministers Association and teach class at Church for Wednesday Night programs.

Crash at home — but get a call that an inactive member of the Church has died. I call the family and make plans to meet with them the next day.

Thursday, February 12 — Still sick — visit with family, plan service, go to Men’s Club meeting.

Friday, February 13 — Decide I need a Z – Pack. Call doctor and get Z-Pack.

Find our the grandmother of a member died — call member and speak with him.

Write sermon and “lay low” — continue to be in touch with family of inactive member who died.

Saturday, February 14 — Second day of Z-Pack.

A friend and I try to unclog washing machine drain line — but no luck.

Continue to be in touch with family of inactive member who died.

Black Berry phone starts acting up.

Go to Church supper for Valentine’s Day — then to Funeral Home visitation of member’s grand mother.

Sunday, February 15 — Day 3 of Z Pack — beginning to feel better — but missing Black Berry! Didn’t realize how addicted I was to the thing!

Typical Sunday schedule — Sunday School — worship — then funeral for inactive member and Choir Practice.

Get call that one of home bound members died. Call family — plan to visit next day.

Monday, February 16 — Day 4 of Z Pack. Feeling better. Still going through Black Berry withdrawals.

Visit family of member who died yesterday.

Take Black Berry to AT&T store — they suggest I send in for a replacement. Call for replacement.

Extra long Session meeting Monday night.

Tuesday, February 17 — Day 5 of Z Pack — much better. About ready to scream without Black Berry.

Do a puppet show at Elmcroft — a nursing home in town — then go to a meeting at Presbytery office.

Have a Pre-Marriage Counseling Session with a couple.

Come home and phone (land line) not working. Begin to wonder what will go wrong next — but seem to enjoy the peace and quiet!

Wednesday February 18 — Off of Z Pack — still no phone — Black Berry or land line.

Visited with family of member who died — made several calls to plan service.

Our dog (a 3 pound, 10 year old Maltese) begins bleeding from bak end for second time in 2 months — rush to vet.

Replacement Black Berry arrives — decide to take to AT&T store next day to get it set up.

Taught lesson for Wednesday Night program — then went to Funeral Home visitation.

Thursday, February 19 — Funeral service for member.

Vet calls — dog may have bladder stones. Will keep her another day and do x – rays.

Take Black Berry to AT&T store and get set up. Feel much better with Black Berry back.

Visit member whose mother is in hospital — get there just in time for them transferring her to ICU. Talk to member for about an hour — then came home.

Finish setting up Black Berry — synchronize with computer — then switch land line phones to different outlets. They work wonderfully. Don’t know why — but am thankful.

Friday, February 20 — Enjoy having Black Berry and land line phones back!

Wrote sermon for Sunday and type minutes of several meetings I was behind on typing.

Pick up dog from vet — scheduled for surgery on bladder stones in a few weeks.

Yea — it’s been a rough 2 weeks!

This is the house and the Church in the light snow we had in Florence today. Not much to get excited about — but fun while it lasted!

While I have never met David, I have read his blog and have been encouraged by it ever since I began reading blogs and blogging several years ago. I have found that I agree with many of his ideas, although we are of different branches of the Presbyterian family that sometimes don’t see eye to eye (he’s PCA, I’m PC(USA)). When I don’t agree with him, he’s always made me think about why I disagree — which has made me become clearer about what I do believe and why.

David and I have become friends of sorts through blogging and sharing ideas. Our friendship has even gone over to the world of sports as he is a die hard University of Florida fan and I am a die hard University of South Carolina fan and we have traded friendly jabs as our 2 teams have played through the years.

David posted on his blog today that he has colon caner. In ways I don’t know what to say — I always though I’d have the Jollyblogger to share ideas with. All I can say is that I am praying for you, David — and invite everyone else to do the same. May the knowledge that many are praying for you give you peace — and may God give you healing.