A Week Of Preparation!

Wow!!!!!!!

I can't believe that we're getting ready for our Grand opening this coming Sunday.

Before I get to the week let me recap:

Thanksgiving was good for me and my family. We went to my Auntie's house in Palmdale, Ca which is about 70 miles away from our house. We always have a good time hanging out with each other and Thanksgiving day was no different. We ate, played dominoes, and ate some more. It sure was good! We did not have service as normal because of rain. To power our little house, we have to run extension cords across our parking lot until electrical underground work is completed. That would be dangerous to have service and it rained and then we all be would shocked by electricity. So, I canceled service.

Friday, Myles and I went to the church to start setting up our media room. Representatives from CZMUZIC came by to see our church setup and we started talking about the process and just about had church in the process. They were really impressed with our setup and I'm looking forward to the Christmas Benefit Concert on December 21st. This is my way of giving back to the community as an expression of what God has done for fGMBC. Afterwards, my friend Pastor Payne came by and we started talking and Myles was having a fit because he was ready to go home. But it was good fellowship of which I need so much more of.

Saturday, the family and I along with my grandson little Jimmy hung out all day. All I heard from lil Jimmy is "MaMA (Tracy), PaPa did it!" I do everything when it comes to him but he can't seem to leave me alone. But I love the little white boy.

Sunday was a real good day of worship, WOW! My auntie Rochelle Dean came to church at 8:30 am in the morning. She's an answer to prayer that I will keep on praying for until she confesses Jesus as Lord and Savior. I preached Psalms 66 "Make His Praise Glorious". What a message! Listening to it again gave me chills.

Sunday afternoon, Tracy and I went to Bishop Kenneth Wells' B-Day party. I met Kenny (that's what I call him) some 20 years ago when I started playing the drums and singing for Riverside Mass Choir of which he was the founder. The reunion choir ministered but I could not make any of the rehearsals and I wanted to. The highlight of the service was hearing the legendary Daryl Coley. This man, even in his sickness, is bad with the vocals. He sung "Even Me Lord" with no musician, and no microphone and killed everything in there. Please keep him in your prayers. He's doing better but still has a long way to go.

After the service, Tracy and I went to eat. That was some time well needed for us as a couple. It was good hanging out with her all afternoon. I kinda love her, LOL!

But, then Monday came! I rented a truck to pickup our church chairs and Pastor Payne went with me. This took all day! Bertollini loaded the truck and pastor Payne and myself unloaded the truck. We finally got help about an hour into unloading but it was still hardwork. I could not get all 500 chairs on the first trip so I had to go back for a second trip. I arrived at the warehouse at 7 am (Tuesday morning or today if you're reading this blog) and the truck was loaded within an hour. One problem, the truck was half full and they did not strap chairs in. So when I went to pickup office furnishings and opened the back of the truck all the chairs fell down. I had to position all chairs in an upright position before I could load office furnishings. Frustrating!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When we got to the church, Tracy was there painting our mission statement on the wall and before long tears came down her eyes with joy. People just don't know what this means to life our church to have such a huge project like this come to pass. Words cannot even express the feelings I and many of our members feel as well. God Is So Amazing!

Long story short, all furnishings has been delivered, sound system is being installed, underground work for electrical upgrade is in the process, and yet, we still have much to do. But praise God it' almost over.

I'm struggling with what to preach this coming Sunday. Galatians 6:9 "Don't Quit Yet" and 1 Thessalonians 5:20 (He who calls you is faithful and He will do it.) "Faithful is Our God". I'm praying for direction.

Yesterday, I played in a championship basketball game with a league I play in on Mondays. We lost because the game was called due to an argument with the ref. I must admit, I was one of those in the argument. I'm a physical player but can't stand when someone 6' 10" complains about a foul when he fouled out long ago with fouls committed pasted the alotted 5. I actually played in 2 games last night and lost both. It was a bad night in the win category. I had fun none the less but my competitive spirit gets the best of me sometimes. I felt the pain in my ankles and knees this morning.

We're preparing for our grand opening this coming Sunday, so if you don't hear from me that's why. But know that I am praying for you and please keep praying for me.