bobgsmith

"COOL" PIX that is

Guess what I got for my birthday!Linda gave me a Nikon S60.  What's cool about it......first it takes great pictures (that's important in a camera.)  Next, it has this amazing touch screen -no buttons to push, just touch the screen.  When you want to see your pictures - you just move your finger to the left or right (you don't even have to know your left from your right.)  It fits into my pocket.  Lastly, it's red - now that cooler than the one in pink.

What's not cool - reading the Manuel, figuring out how to get the pictures out of the camera and into  my computer, seeing a great picture and having it disappear while I'm looking for the right symbol to hit.  Trying to adjust the composure of the picture in the computer using a new photo program.

IDEA TO SELF:   try and get the whole camera industry to standardize the size of batteries!

Come on down to visit and I'll take your picture. Cool! Or I use crayons and paper and draw a picture of you.

"Friends are friends forever"

One of the great things about living in Miami is that many people like to visit.  This week we enjoyed having one of my college roommates and his wife, Gary & Cindy Stanton, visit with us.  Gary and Cindy have served the Lord in a variety ways and places.  We have been blessed by them and their friendship for almost forty years.  

They currently live in Centerville, OH and attend a great church there.  Cindy teaches school and Gary is a part owner in the Christian Blue Pages.  It offers advertising for Christian companies.

They were very complimentary about the Pursuit.

It was good to  have old friends here so that we could introducece them to our new friends.

bob

The Big Dipper

I've had a lot of nick nnames over my life, some I didn't mind and others I hated.  Perhaps my favorite was given to me by Paul Smoot many years ago.  As I was walking down the aisle on Sunday morning to prepare for a baptism, I heard a voice from a pew saying, "There goes the Big Dipper!" 

I was thrilled to be able to baptize Manny Cabeza last Sunday.  Manny is a GREAT guy and I lead the Community Group that meets at his home.  He is an attorney and has a keen mind.  We meet every week to discuss the gospel of Matthew.

He is a big guy, I'm guessing 6"4" and he was a handful but we got the job done.  What a joy it is to teach someone so receptive.  Manny also plays the guitar in our worship band. 

The Big Dipper

TEVYE with a southern drawl!

 On Tuesday evening Linda and I drove to Boy ton Beach to meet with a Messianic Jewish congregation.  The Rabbi there has agreed to mentor us in the Jewish customs and holy days.  As you can see from the picture he sure looks like what a rabbi should look like.  But when he opened his mouth and this southern drawl came out -well I just had to laugh. 

It was a wonderful evening, we celebrated  Yizkor, a day of remembrance for those who have died. We are going to try and do some type of Hanukkah celebration in our condo and invite our new Jewish friends.  As Paul said, "I become all things to all men in order to win some."

Shalom!

SuperFAN!

  One of the highlights of being in Indy was getting to attend a Colts game in the new Lucas Oil Stadium.  It was fun to be able to sit outside with the sun over your head.

I attended the Missionary Lunch at TPCC and joined Linda at halftime.  But she didn't have trouble making new friends!

 

Back Home Again!

Linda and I were able to go back to Indiana for a quick trip.  One of the most enjoyable parts of the trip was seeing the leaves begin to change color.   It was breath taking! Enjoy!

 

WORK DAY!

It's exciting to be in our own space and have a permanent place to meet and worship!  We signed the paper on a Thursday, worshiped there on Sunday, Monday developed a leak in the air-conditioner and walked into a soppy mess as a couple ceiling tiles fell to the floor.  The joys of ownership!  Everyone pitched in and we should have the problem fixed this week. 

Today, we had a "work day."  The great part about it was that we worked side-by-side with the folks from the Hispanic CMA (Christian Missionary Alliance) that also use the building.  We were putting their secretary's office and supplies in an office and our supplies in some of the cabinets.  We  put some stuff that we don't use everyday, chairs and Hurricane shutters in the trailer.

Lots of work but what better way to get to know these brothers & sisters.

BOB

HE Made IT!

Here is our dear friends, Charlie Grandy, Julie, and Oma standing on South Beach Friday around noon.  Charlie has just completed a 2,100 mile bike ride from Quebec to South Beach in twenty days. 

Charlie is from Traders Point Christian Church in Indy and he did this to raise funds and help the children attending the Traders Point Christian Academy.  They joined him in the ride by exercising 20 minutes for 20 days.  Then on his last day they did a bikathon to raise money for the school.

To know Charlie is to love him.  His is committed to Christ and a wonderful role model as a husband, father, and Christian in the work place.  The two ladies are senior citizens who served as his support team and drove a van behind him.  Charlie was joined on the trip at times by Matt East, Charlie's wife, kids, and brother and sister.

They spent the night with us and then rushed off  Saturday morning to drive home - hoping to make it to church on Sunday. 

Charlie is truly and inspiration!

God Bless you "Skinny Legs",

Bible Study at the Village!

Shortly after moving to Century Village, Linda and I began to attend a Bible Study held on Friday nights in the clubhouse.  This week we learned that you are not allowed to have any religious meetings in the clubhouse.  BUT you can study history and any historical books that you want.  Thus a Bible study.

Last Friday afternoon, Pearl, the leader of the BS called and asked if I would teach.  I was surprised to be asked and quickly agreed.  Here is a picture of my getting ready to teach and Bill leading us in song.

Bill and his friend, Ann, attended our first service in our new building.  Last Sunday, we had six of us from Century Village attend the Pursuit service.   

We hope that many of the attendees at the Bible study will help us start the campus at the Village.  Hopefully, this week I will approach the Reformed Jewish Synagogue about meeting there for our worship.  Please keep this meeting in your prayers.  Not sure what God is doing BUT know that He's up to something.

bob

New Church!

If you read the other Pursuit Team members' blogs then you have seen this picture.  I loaded it on just to make sure that you have seen it. It's our first worship service in the new building.

It's only been eight months since we launched our first campus!  Now we have about 100 folks who come on a regular basis with an average of 75 each week.  Most of these folks weren't going anywhere before attending the Pursuit.

And now we have our own space!  Another really God-thing is that we share the building with a Latino Christian Missionary Alliance Church.  We have met with them to discuss the use of the building and they are a wonderful group of brothers and sisters.  The have Sunday afternoon services and we share the musical instruments and sound equipment.  They also share the rent!  Yeah, God!

bob