Yesterday, our kids were on their way to Kids Camp when their bus decided to pick a fight with an 18 wheeler.  When we received the call about the wreck, naturally, our hearts sank because these things generally don’t end all that great.  But, BY THE GRACE OF GOD, not one single kid or adult was injured in the crash. 

Our kids left a couple of hours later than planned because the rental company didn’t have the two vans we also took ready.  Someone in the office said, "If they’d have left on time this wouldn’t have happened."  I said, "You’re right, but you don’t know what else might have happened." 

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Today, I was preaching on 1 Corinthians 13, trying to describe Paul’s teaching that spiritual gifts were temporary and only needed for this planet.  In verse 8 he said, "prophecies will cease & tongues will be stilled & wisdom will pass away."  I said, "Some of you will be glad to know that there will be no preaching in heaven."  I was probably in my usual mode of talking so fast that it sounded like I as speaking in some unknown tongue.  So, after the service, I had three people come up & ask, "Why won’t there be any preachers in heaven?”  Now, I’ve heard a few that’ll probably be looking for the thermostat when they leave this planet, but, just to clear up any confusion, THERE WILL BE PREACHERS IN HEAVEN…and I betting none of us go over 10 minutes.   

As a pastor of a growing church with people at all different points of their spiritual journey, I’m asked tons of questions every day.  So, I’m going to begin a new category of posts called "FAQ" in hopes that these posts will help answer some of your Frequently Asked Questions.  If not, humor me anyway. 

Invariably, pastors of growing churches are confronted with this question; "Are you more interested in outsiders than insiders?"  This question is usually asked by "Church Culture" people, people who’ve been in the church for many years.  The person who asks this question may as well go streaking through the auditorium because the question reveals more about the person than they want revealed.

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I’m trying to figure out how to convince Amy I NEED a new 50 inch, flat panel, LCD TV…but I don’t think she’ll go for it.  I’d also like to convince her I NEED a new Harley…but she’d then try to convince me how she NEEDED a new house.  Isn’t it crazy how we confuse our needs with our wants?  We NEED very little, but we WANT a lot…there’s a huge difference.

But, this isn’t the only difference between our needs & our wants.  I really need to eat healthier food…but I won’t until I really WANT to eat healthier food.  I really need to spend more time with my kids…but I won’t until I really WANT to spend more time with my kids.  I really need to invest in my neighbors more…but I won’t until I really WANT to invest in my neighbors more.  You get the point; the difference between needs & wants makes all the difference. 

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I’m definitely not a new dad, but I am a new Da Da and I love every minute of it.  I’ve got the boy thing down but this girl thing is crazy.  Just as I told Amy pre Jadyn, she doesn’t have me wrapped around her little finger…she’s got me wrapped around every finger on both hands. 

This is my Da Da Day present.  Amy took this picture of Jadyn wrapped in a red thread.  There’s a Chinese proverb that says an invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet. 

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Five years ago, Amy did a little Gap Band deal and dropped a bomb on me.  She said, "Honey, I think we need to adopt a little girl from China."  I looked at her like she had said Brittany Spears was her role model for motherhood.  Was she on some medication that made her delirious?  This woman had obviously lost her mind!

Amy and I got married young and she got pregnant with Seth about six months in.  After Seth was born Amy continued to work full-time to put me through college…I love my Sugar Momma.  After college, she continued to work full-time to put me through seminary.  Needless to say, we didn’t exactly have a membership in a country club the first 15 years of our marriage. 

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One of the most exciting days of my life was Mother’s Day…I know that sounds a little strange since I’m not a mother.  But, this was an incredible day for us because it was "GOTCHA DAY," or the day we went to the orphanage in Fuling, China to get our beautiful daughter, Jadyn.  You can imagine what an awesome day that was and how excited we were.  But, that night, when Amy took the memory card out of our camera to download the pictures to my computer, our constant smiles turned South when the computer said it was a corrupt card.  We tried everything, even downloading a $29.95 image recovery software, but nothing.  We had lost every picture taken on one of one of the most exciting days of our lives…so we thought. 

Amy took the corrupt card to one of our church members who just happens to be one of Smyrna’s finest, Detective James Scott, to see if he could recover the images.   In no time flat James called Amy and said he had had recovered every picture.  Man, I feel safer knowing we have a detective that can uncover images that my Apple couldn’t even find.  I don’t know whether to kiss him or buy his dinner…but, since neither one of us is from Broke Back Mountain, I guess a Big Mac will have to do.

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Well, I’m finally back on track.  For about a week and a half I felt like a Krispy Kreme donut…glazed over.  This wasn’t my first rodeo, by any stretch of the imagination.  I’ve traveled all over the world, but this trip kicked my behind.  I think it was the 13 hour time difference combined with the fact that I only slept about 3 hours the night before we left Nashville and the night we before we left China and the emotional expenditure of the experience that wiped me out.  I was having such a hard time getting my days and nights straightened out that Advil PM and Benadril had absolutely no affect on me.   But, two weeks later, I’m back on track and now, hopefully, I can get my blog back on track and  back online. 

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Praise God from whom all blessings flow.  We are home. 

After a rather uneventful flight (or flights I guess I should say) we arrived safely in Nashville about 4:15p.m. on Saturday evening.  We were met with friends and family at the airport and while we had that glazed over look in our eyes and they had tears.  Okay, we had tears too.  Jadyn did exceptionally well on the LONG trip home.  The only time she got fussy was the flight from Detroit to Nashvile.  Of course, she was the only baby on that flight.  Nice.  It just felt so good to have everyone there that we love and who has loved and prayed for Jadyn for the past two years.  She is a special little girl.  We are beside ourselves and we’re just head over heels in love.  What an angel.

Here are a few pictures from the airport taken by Manda.  She did a great job catching the excitement of the moment, but the last one is my very favorite.  It captures perfectly the feeling in my heart and the overflowing love that I have for this child.  Thanks Manda. 

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Our bus leaves for the airport for the long flight home in about 20 minutes.  The plane is full and there are many, as in about 50 or more, newly adopted babies on our flight.  This should be interesting.   we should arrive in Nashville around 4:15 or so Saturday afternoon.  I’m trying to upload a slide show that Amy made last night but, for some reason, I can’t get Youtube to upload it.  I’ll keep trying until the last minute and if it doesn’t work we’ll post it when we get home.  we’ll see everyone in about 24 hours or so.  Hallelujah!!!