IFEST--revisited

Hello again. One day at the Houston International Festival was not enough for me. So this past Saturday evening(April 26th), I made the journey to the continent of Africa without leaving Houston, TX. I got the chance to see some living history exhibits on site from the Buffalo Soldiers to life in the era of the Jim Crow Laws(do a Google search to learn more about both). I also got to see some arts and crafts from each nation of the continent. The highlight of the evening was when the Neville brothers performed on the World stage. The sang a lot of classic songs that were around before I was born, but were still good. the best song they performed was "Amazing Grace" at the end, followed by "One Love, One World". If those songs did not bring glory to God, I don't know which ones did. To learn more about the International festival, visit www.ifest.org.

Culture Texas Style

Hello again all you happy people in cyberspace. I had the opportunity to attend the Houston International Festival last weekend for the first time ever. I enjoyed it so much, that I might go back next weekend for an encore. This year's theme was a salute to the continent of Africa. If you want to know more about the I-Fest, visit www.ifest.org. This without a doubt is a must see for those of you that want a little culture in your life without breaking the bank.

MS 150 2008

Hello again. Another rite of Spring has come and gone for me and that is the BP MS 150 Bike tour from Houston to Austin, TX. Our team, Traveling Light Christian cycling Team(www.tlsports.org) once again represented Jesus Christ as nearly thirty riders made the 180 mile trek to Austin. For more info. about Traveling Light, see link above.

LTC

Hello there. I apologize for not blogging in a while. I was once again privileged to coach a drama team from my church to participate in Leadership Training for Christ(LTC) and once again our teams did great. Team 1 received silver and team 2 received gold. To God be the Glory!

Soul Link

Hello again. I'm sorry I haven't blogged in a while. I just have a lot on my plate. I went to a youth conference called Soul Link last weekend, at it was unbelievable. The speakers, the praise and worship and the concerts were just "off the hook!"

Connections

I did not know that being a member of church can give you more connections than a cell phone or high speed internet access. I am involved in a small group(a.k.a. a connection group) at my home church, Bammel Church of Christ in Houston, TX and I am really enjoying what it means to be in a community of Christian believers. The group that I am in is really close and is really a blessing to me and we are a blessing to others around us. It would take me all day to tell you about the number of blessings that I have receieved and blessings that I have given to others, but to make a long story short, Connection groups are a way to connect to God and to others. I'll admit, when the elders of my church introduced the idea of connection groups back in 2000, I thought the leadership had lost their minds. I thought this is no way to get people involved. But, after having an open mind and heart, I decided to try out this idea. Eight years later, I am a huge advocate for connection/small groups. My church is big and it's hard to get to know between 1,000 and 1,500 people every week without getting "lost in the shuffle." At Bammel, I'm more than just a number or a pew person, I am a member, and to quote phrase from a TV commerical, "Membership has its privilages. " If you attend a church, whether large or small, and your not involved in a small/connection group, I encourage you to be in one. If your c hurch does not have a small group ministry, ask your ministerial staff to prayerfully consider starting one. You'll have connections that go far beyond 21st century technology. Connections mean everything in our Christian walk and for me and the others in my group, I love to feel connected. That's all I have for now. peace Out!

A GIANT Win

Hello again everyone. I just witnessed what some would call the upset of the millenium when the New York Giants beat the New Engalnd Patriots 17-14. It just goes to show that anything can happen in a given game no matter what the sport. Peace.