My Favorite Birds

Thieves, Snow and Birds

Three thieves broke into our storage shed at the church last night. One of the men of our church discovered the break-in this morning. We got some video on our surveillance cameras. I lost several hours today meeting with the police and making a copy of the video for them. If you see an older Jeep Cherokee, black over gray (or silver) in the area of the church take down the tag number and get it to me. One was a teen with short dark hair. One was in his twenties with a beard. The other was possibly in his forties.


We have snow and sleet. Cheryl and I both had difficulty getting home tonight. There were a lot of cars in the ditch along the way.  But the birds are feasting at the feeder.

Video of Charlie

You have to see this video of my grandson, Charlie. Read Alethea's commentary first.

A Link to a tribute to Elysée Joseph

Dr. James Beaty, professor emeritus at the Pentecostal Theological Seminary, has penned a biographical tribute to the phenominal life and ministry of Elysée Joseph, overseer of the Church of God in Haiti who was killed in last week’s tragic earthquake. I had the privilege of having Brother Joseph as a student and I was honored to speak at a graduation event in Haiti a few years ago. Please take the time to read the tribute and continue to pray for Pastor Joseph's family and all who are suffering in Haiti. Follow this link to the tribute.

Vandals & Work Day at New Covenant

Please pray for the vandal(s) who have broken the windows and front door of our church. He/she/they need the Lord and to learn accountability. Some men of the church worked hard to board up the windows last Saturday.  The vandals busted out the boards Sunday night and did more damage Tuesday.  Today we installed a security camera system and some of the young men of the church tackeled several other projects as well. Thanks Matthew Sawyer, Richard Rutherford, Brian Dalton, Israel Waldrop, Matt Rodante and Kendal Kennedy.

New Bird Feeder

Cheryl felt we needed a bigger bird feeder.  (See a previous post for pictures of the old one.)  I had bought the previous one on ebay.  We received a cash gift for Christmas which combined with a small pay check for teaching a directed study gave her almost enough money to buy this one.  Her motto: "almost is just enough if you really want it."  What can I say?  She's a Democrat.  Let her know on FB if it was worth it. [OK, I made up the motto just for a cheap political jab and I really like the bird feeder.]

New Covenant & Teresa Kimbrell

It was great to have Teresa Kimbrell at New Covenant yesterday.  She is a member of our church who serves as a Church of God missionary to Zambia, Africa.  She is pictured here with Vernice Blackaby and Jennifer Dickhut with Kaley.

I took a few pictures at the reception after our evening service.  Audra, Heather, Trista, and Rebecca (L to R, Front) are three of my favorite people.  Lamar Stillwell and Pat Wells have been friends for 25 years.

Leland Merritt

Cheryl's cousin, once removed, Leland Merritt (her cousin Carey's son) is spending the night with us on his way back to college in Campbellsville, Kentucky.  He lives in Jacksonville, Florida.  He is a pleasant guest, one of those young people who gives you hope for the future of the world.  He plans to enter seminary next year and become a pastor.

Birds we See

One of the things we enjoy is watching birds at the feeders in our back yard.  We can see this feeder from our kitchen table.

Guests

We were blessed to have three families over for lunch after church today.  Bishop Mark Williams, Assistant General Overseer for the Church of God, ministered at New Covenant this morning; he's a phenominal preacher.  His wife Sandra Kay and sons, Austin and Ryan were with him.  Dr. Sang Ehil Han, his wife Min and their daughters, Priscilla, Becky, and Phoebe came as well.  We were also happy to have Justin, Donna, and Jude Knowles, missionaries to Cambodia and members of New Covenant come for lunch and speak at church this evening.  (They had to leave before the group shot.) Great lasagna & great conversation.

It is cold

I just want my family, especially those suffering in the frigid south (no comments from Karisa and Johnmark up in sunny Illinois are needed), to know it is really cold in Cleveland, Tennessee. We are iced in. I just came in from breaking the ice so my chickens can have some water. I have had to do this every day for a week. One morning it was over five inches thick. In a few minutes I will go out and break the ice on the pond so the cows and horses can drink. That will be a first. Until now they have been able to break the ice and drink, but after so many days of below freezing weather they are not able to do it. Stay warm everybody.

New Years Day

More Christmas photos

Virginia

We spent Monday evening at the Blue Mountain Mist B&B near Pigeon Forge; it is one of our favorite places to get away for a night or two. On Tuesday we drove to Haymarket Virginia to be with Alethea, Justin, Camdyn, and Charlie. Last evening Karisa and Johnmark arrived from Philadelphia where they had spent Christmas with Johnmark's family. Last evening we exchanged presents. Camdyn demonstrated gymnastics. Charlie enjoyed his trucks, and tools, etc.

South Carolina for Christmas

Yesterday we drove to Greenville to visit Cheryl's family. Highway 64 is still blocked by a huge rock slide so we took a southern route across the mountains/foothills of Georgia. It was a beautiful drive through lands we have never seen. Anticipating a Christmas Day drive, I had planned ahead and filled the tank with gas, but we didn't think to pack sandwiches. It is a long hungry drive to Greenville.

We spent time with Cheryl's mother last evening and this morning. Last night we spent some time with Cheryl's sister Ruth, her husband Greg, and their son Seth. We spent the night with Glenda and Comet (pictured last) at the old home place. Glenda's daughter April came over this morning with her husband Rocky and their son Zachery.

After visiting with Thelma again we drove home on a different lovely rural/mountain route. It is great to be home.

Christmas 09

We had a wonderful Christmas Eve candle-light service last evening. The Waldrop family led in song. Dr. Gause read a couple of original poems. Dr. Han brought the homily. We closed with communion.

We have talked with the girls and children. Charlie and Camdyn got everything they wanted and more; they were happy. Cheryl and I are leaving in a few minutes to visit her mother and sisters.

Florida to see Family

We returned from Florida this evening. On the way down on Sunday we stopped in Atlanta and visited with Shirley, Ryan and Andrea. We stayed with Darlene and Thurman. Jonathan came by for a visit Monday morning. We went to Georgia Monday afternoon in a failed attempt to visit my aunts. We did visit several sites of family history. Cheryl took a picture of me in front of my Grandparent's (O'Quinn)house. When I was young my mother's Uncle Felton told me the Oak tree I am standing under was planted as a boundary marker by the Spanish. There is a line of these trees for miles. We visited the Corinth Primitive Baptist Church (last pictured) where my Great Grand-parents (Nettles) were members and are buried. We also put flowers on my parents graves at the Bachlotte Cemetery and I took Cheryl to see my Great Grand-parent's (Harris) graves at the Bethlehem Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery (first pictured) where Cheryl took a picture of me behind the pulpit.

Monday evening my brother Jimmy, his wife Iris, and Jonathan's wife Jennifer came over for dinner (Darlene is a great cook) and to exchnge presents. On Tuesday we went to Jimmy and Iris's for lunch (Iris is also a great cook). Afterwards we all(Cheryl, Jimmy, Iris, Darlene, Thurman and me) went to Saint Augustine, enjoyed a buggy ride and had dinner. We went back to Jimmy and Iris's house and played Phase Ten until one in the morning. On the way home we stopped in Atlanta and saw Shirley and Mike for another exchange of gifts.