Some Dear Friends

These folks are the backbone of our ministry in Russia. They are the 365 day a year presence in the lives of the young people with whom we work. Salute them! I sure do!

Road Warriors

There is no real reason for this post. I'm in Russia again and, while that is exciting, it is really not a good enough reason yet to update the blog. The two guys I travel with though are just fun enough to travel with that this alone might (MIGHT) be reason to do what I'm doing right now. Simply put, Atlanta to Novosibirsk is an exhausting trip. No way around it. Two straight nights of sleeping on planes, long layovers that are at best mildly uncomfortable, and the constant temptation to just lie down wherever you are and enter REM sleep immediately. Fortunately, for me and the viewers of this entry, my two buddies did just that on the most recent trip. Without further words, here they are in all their traveling glory:

(our brave leader)


(he directs all operations)

Redneck Limo

Hee hee hee. I've got some neighbors not too far from where I live that might really dig this.

Something is outta whack here...

I'm a bit miffed over this fact...

• Muslims fly commercial airliners into buildings in New York City. No Muslim outrage.
• Muslim officials block the exit where school girls are trying to escape a burning building because their faces were exposed. No Muslim outrage.
• Muslims cut off the heads of three teenaged girls on their way to school in Indonesia. A Christian school. No Muslim outrage.
• Muslims murder teachers trying to teach Muslim children in Iraq. No Muslim outrage.
• Muslims murder over 80 tourists with car bombs outside cafes and hotels in Egypt. No Muslim outrage.
• A Muslim attacks a missionary children's school in India. Kills six. No Muslim outrage.
• Muslims slaughter hundreds of children and teachers in Beslan, Russia. Muslims shoot children in the back. No Muslim outrage.
• Let's go way back. Muslims kidnap and kill athletes at the Munich Summer Olympics. No Muslim outrage.
• Muslims fire rocket-propelled grenades into schools full of children in Israel. No Muslim outrage.
• Muslims murder more than 50 commuters in attacks on London subways and busses. Over 700 are injured. No Muslim outrage.
• Muslims massacre dozens of innocents at a Passover Seder. No Muslim outrage.
• Muslims murder innocent vacationers in Bali. No Muslim outrage.
• Muslim newspapers publish anti-Semitic cartoons. No Muslim outrage
• Muslims are involved, on one side or the other, in almost every one of the 125+ shooting wars around the world. No Muslim outrage.
• Muslims beat the charred bodies of Western civilians with their shoes, then hang them from a bridge. No Muslim outrage.
• Newspapers in Denmark and Norway publish cartoons depicting Mohammed. Muslims are outraged.

Outrage over a cartoon but silence in regards to the rest of this. I RARELY get political (especially on this blog) but I am mystified by the mainstream Muslim's community and their silence so many year's of terror. It is time for that respectable arm of Islamic faith to get a handle on those that represent the fringe element. The world is getting very tired of this nonsense. Maybe real change must be initiated from within.

More Fun From Closing

Another thought or two from yesterday's closing. I wish you could have seen Traci's and my facial expression when we learned exactly how much we will pay for this house with interest over the next 30 years. I honestly never knew. Wow!

In the picture above, there we are with Pete McReynolds - friend and realtor extrodinaire. He held our hand the whole way and got nearly as much joy out of selling it as we did buying it.

I could go on and on but I'll try (TRY) to shut up now. It's just that my heart is literally overflowing with thankfulness.

Only In America

I commented to a friend this past weekend that only in America can people who have no money buy a home. While we do have great credit, no debt, and steady income, we really don't have any money on hand. Even so, this home is now ours. Well, again, only in America do people say that they bought a home when really it will be theirs after 360 payments. Either way, I like the system and am so thankful to God that he has worked through it to bless us with something we thought would NEVER happen. Anyway, this is our home. 5 rooms, 3 baths, a huge 2 car garage, woods behind our home where 3 boys can grow up exploring, learning, playing, and getting very, very dirty in the process. We also live between 2 cul de sacs. I'd never seen that before but our boys do actually have a choice as to which cul de sac they will ride bikes in. What a nice little feature that is. Thank you God!

Unlike a lot of other moves, we really did not move into this one when we bought it. We've been renting it since September so there were no issues of move in date, unpacking, hoping we liked the neighborhood, etc. We've lived here four 4 months already. Closing consisted of leaving our rental home, going to the law office 5 minutes away, signing the papers, and returning to our newly purchased home.

Also unique to this situation is the guy we bought it from. He's a dear friend, ministry partner, and near hero to my kids. Pete McReynolds is only 22 in the flesh but years beyond that in his maturity as a Christian and a business man. Pete bought this house when he was 18 as the house was being built. It has been a rental property since he bought it but he was looking to sell it about the time it hit us we might be able to buy it. It needs precious little work (like paint only) and it'll do us just fine.

So, that's our news. Rejoice with us.