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It's NAKED and TOPLESS!

Yep, that is a naked, topless building. Stripped of a portion of the roof in preparation for the roof trusses to raise the roof height. Friday and Saturday a pile of volunteers and materials will converge on our building site to complete this part of the task. It has taken so long to get to this point it is almost hard to believe we are here.

But that is already happening as you read this. We are at some point in the completion process and yet not finished as this is but one major step in the completion process of a tool for ministry of Crossroads Church.

Sunday, November 29^th is the first of four Sundays before Christmas. In a liturgical church the first Sunday of Advent. Advent is the season of preparation for Christmas. You might be panicked as one Sunday a week is not enough to get up the decorations, buy the presents, bake the goodies, go to the parties, address the cards, clean the house, enjoy the season (what?) and whatever else there is to do. With all of that in the future of 4 weeks, it is good Thanksgiving comes before Christmas.

Before the rocket that is Christmas blasts off each of us needs a season or moments to give thanks for the blessings of life, family and faith. In the past weeks David Sharp and I have commented repeatedly of God’s generosity and goodness to us and for us as individuals. In my case undeservedly and personally so. I am amazed as to why he would do that for me and my family. We don’t deserve it. We have not done anything for it. That is all true and yet He does it anyway. That’s who he is.

Chris Tomlin has a new song playing on Christian radio titled Good, Good Father. The chorus says this:

      You're a good, good Father

It's who You are, it's who You are, it's who You are

And I'm loved by You

It's who I am, it's who I am, it's who I am ~Chris Tomlin

The answer to my question of why God would do that is found in that second line, It’s who He is. His actions are based on who HE is not what I’ve done or not done or my worth or gratitude. No he does what he does because that’s who he is! The third line states the fact we are loved by Him and finally that makes us who we are! In light of all of the uncertainty and wars and rumors of wars we are loved by Him who made us. If there were no other blessings that that, THAT is more than enough of which to be grateful. Then He comes as a man! That’s who He is!    

Bro G
Crazy titles suck us all in!

It's NAKED!

Yep, that is a naked building. Stripped of the siding, it is exposed for some additional support to be added for the roof and then sheathing and siding. It has taken so long to get to this point it is almost hard to believe we are here.

That could be said of November and Thanksgiving week. It was just Halloween the other day and now Thanksgiving. We are off to the races to Christmas and the New Year. It come so fast. Well not really. Time moves not at a new tempo but rather we fill our days with activities and friends and family. It’s best that Thanksgiving comes first.

This week allows us to consider our blessings. Just last night I read some figures form James Merritt in his book 52 Weeks with Jesus. He wrote that the mean income of the average American household is $50,000 per year. That being true then the average household in America would be ranked in the top 0.98 percent of wealthy people in the world. Did you see that? The average family in the USA is in the top 1% of wealth in the world. I know, you say I don’t make that much. Well, if you earned minimum wage ($7.25) per hour your annual earnings would be $15,080 per year. That would put you in the top 12.2% of earners in the world. 87.8% of the world’s population makes less than you do at the current minimum wage. We are blessed! Most of us have done NOTHING to be blessed. We were born here and in that had no choice. In fact, many of us just complain about what we don’t have or that the cable went blank for 15 seconds or our cell coverage is spotty or worst of all the internet is down. As you begin to “count your blessings name them one by one” we need to start with the basics, clean water, a roof over our head, food daily. Most of the world does not have that. We take it as a right. Don’t we? Not as a blessing and yet it is a blessing.  

       

Just got the call today that the roof trusses will be delivered Monday, Nov. 23^rd to our site. We will install and hopefully sheathe them Friday and Saturday following Thanksgiving. That’s where we need help. If you can help just show up and we will put you to work and feed you in the middle of the day. Questions, contact me at the church office or by phone 912-441-0004. God uses all kinds of people to accomplish his purposes in his time. You can be part of his purpose and time.

Thank you from our family for all of the thoughts and prayers for us as Dad was ill and died. Prayer is the most you can do and then many have done more with cards and food and other kindness. We know we are loved. Thank You for that!   

Bro G

We have got NEWS!

Last January we made a decision at Crossroads to put a gable roof on the building we are constructing in the hayfield on Honey Ridge Road. Through a process it became clear that a gable roof was cost effective and a great advantage to our original concept and design. So, we forged ahead to get those ideas on paper. Time passed and plans we produced yet they were not correct so time passed and a second set were produced. Now when I say time I mean weeks. What seems like it should be quick has been anything but that on this project. On a side note I have made several predictions as to completion dates. Needless to say they have all been wrong. So no more predictions as I obviously have no idea when we will be in the building. I do have my hopes and it seems now we are in the home stretch. Our plans completed and correct were submitted to the county for review mid-June. The GREAT news is they have been reviewed and approved as of now!

That is frustrating. Honestly, I have been checking and rechecking on the progress of the plans every two weeks or so. I could not understand the delay and when folks asked me about it I was irritated. Irritated by them asking (sorry) but irritated as it was not going how I thought it should. What I failed to understand until we got the approved plans was now is the better time for the project to move forward.

I say that because since April my thoughts and attention have been focused on my Father’s health and the health of my Mother. That’s why they moved here for support as they got older. Since April there has not been a week where time and energy was required on that front. But also within that time frame was the wedding of Elizabeth and Weston in Rome, GA. Our first wedding as a Dad and Mom and long distance. What has overwhelmed me is the providence of God to hold back those plans so that we could reach and place of balance in the health of both my parents and complete the wedding before the plans were made known to be approved. God thought about me and my situation and held back what I was frustrated to receive because could not bear the responsibility and weight of all three. “Who am I that God would do this for me?”

God has got bigger universal things to consider. I mean planets, galaxies, wars, famine, etc. all far more important than me and my situation to contend with and yet he thought about me. That is life altering, biblical and…well…kind. My schedule is not of eternal significance as far as I can see. There it is. That’s my/our problem. What we can see or do. Not going according to my plan, my way, like I thought. Who am I really? God? No, not God His child. He is a good, good father Chris Tomlin says even if I am less that a good child. Peter writes, "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7 casting all your care on Him, because He cares about you." 1 Peter 5:6-8 HCSB

Just this week roof trusses were ordered and are to be delivered Nov. 23rd to our site. Our plan is to make use of the Friday and Saturday following Thanksgiving to Raise the Roof (literally) That’s where we need help. We need scaffold to prepare the structure for the trusses and a boom truck to lift the trusses into place. Do you know or have connections with folks or businesses who could help us out for this task? If you do let me know at the church office or by phone 912-441-0004. God uses all kinds of people to accomplish his purposes in his time. You can be part of his purpose and time.

Bro G