Finally . . . But not "Finality"!

August 11 is here and we are less than one day away from "vacation". We know that this may not sound like a "big deal" to some, but to us who have been going, what seems non-stop for quite some time, are ready for a bit of a breather, a refresher, a rest! Yet, before we depart, there is still work to do, but more importantly, there are people to thank!

The past couple weeks have been extremely wonderful. We had three tremendous teams from: Milford Delaware, Charleston South Carolina, Picher Oklahoma, and Ball State University. It was a great week of fun in the sun. Well, even though it was a nice 110 (with the heat index on some days), the "fun" I think came from a deeper source. To see these teams hard at work in such conditions, was a most definite outright demonstration of Christ's love in action. Thank you teams.

By the way, we have never seen a "storage unit" look this good. It's like walk'n into a hardware store!

This past week has been filled with a great deal of changes as well. First we have three teams on-site. This may not sound any different than most weeks, but these three teams consist of ONE team member respectively! So, we created a new team. The three great volunteers from across the country and our Alabama South team! Thanks to Elaine, Steve, and Martha, it's been more than a blessing to have you with us this week!

We also had to say goodbye to one of our grandest team members-- Ryan Knapp (a.k.a. Pastor Ryan). It truly was a blessing to have him intern under me (Tim) this summer, and I know that we all enjoyed his companionship, workmanship, and friendship immensely. God bless you as He leads you on this wild ride of life and may you find a new way to be alive- fully alive in His grace.


Lastly, we must inform our great audience (whomever that may be of the, we think, 2 people who read our blog?) that we the "NDR Staff" are no longer "NDR Staff" but "NDR Volunteers" and have moved from working for NDR to working for the Alabama South Nazarene District. We are still doing the same job, but under a new umbrella. We ask for your prayers during this transition, and during our little break as well! And, we look forward to seeing some of you this fall! We still NEED HELP!

Until next time . . . Just a few words to chew on. . .

"The difference that we make will be determined in the end simply by how faithful we are to the Gospel. The rest has to be left to God." - Jim Wallis leader of Sojourners

"Living out of the center means that I don't figure out, I don't analyze. I simply lose myself in the experience of just being alive, of being in a community of believer, simply knowing that it's good to be there, even if I don't know where "there" is, or why it's good. An inner stillness assures me that it is enough right now to be centered, to be in Christ Jesus, and that gratefulness is both the heart of living and the heart of prayer." - Brennan Manning

We had to say farewell . . .

Farewell to our dear brothers!

The summer is quickly coming to a close and as is evident in most "short-term" missions, there are those who come and most obviously, for a "short" time! However, no matter the length of physical stay at a place, some folks make an unforgetable impact-- for better or worse, right?! Well, since the beginning of the summer there has been over 30 teams who have come and gone and throughout, there were some who had the opportunity to come and serve for a bit more than a week. And then the time came to say goodbye to some of these great people.

This past week, a couple of our "short-long termer's" had to pack their bags and head out. Yet, they did leave us with unforgetable memories, never-ending stories, and of course sweat drops of labor all over the Bayou area. It is here that I (Tim Whetstone their former team leader) would like to take say a Big Thank You to Marcus Winn, Keith Farrow, and Jeff Jordan. Thanks fellas for coming down this past summer. You were all terrific, and I know that God has big things in store for the each of you both in your never-ending de-briefing of this past experience, but in the goals and dreams that you are seeking to reach. Grace and peace be with you on your journies, and thanks for allowing your paths to cross ours here in the Deep South!

So, in this beautiful life of mystery we shall sign off with a few words and phrases to chew on:

Go ahead and chunk that thing! (Yes, "chunk" not "chuck"!)
Go ahead and swoop your card through the machine. (Yes, "swoop" not "swipe"!)
Did you just tump over your coffee? (Translation: knock over)
We will be out of pocket for about two weeks in August! (Translation: Out of town)

Until next time, thanks again to ALL our volunteers, and we catch ya on the Bayou flip side!