our journey of life: 05/2007

Thursday, May 31, 2007

moving to GA

This has been a whirlwind of a week for us! After taking my mom and dad back to SC this past weekend, we have begun planning our move to the Big A - Atlanta! My company is transferring me to the corporate office in Norcross, GA. After 30 years living here in Jax, we have to pick up and move. The move is being made a lot easier by my company relocation package (they will pack and move us.) Also, Brandon is going to continue living here and pay us rent, so we do not have to sell our house in Jax. If for some reason we decide to sell our house (we have up to a year to change our minds) my company will buy the house from us and then proceed with the sale. The biggest challenge we face will be finding a place to live in the Atlanta area and finding a new job for Cindy. I will be allowed two months free temporary housing during which time we will be searching for a home to buy or rent. My company will also provide money for groceries during this time and also money for relocation expenses such as new car tags, turning on utilities, etc. The Lord has opened this door for us to move and it seems the moving package gets better every day!

Sunday, May 27, 2007

Slideshow from Natalie's 3rd birthday party

Saturday, May 26, 2007

NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY CONCERT | Salute to the Services | PBS

This excerpt is from last year's concert. The yearly Memorial Day concert will be on your local PBS channel Sunday night.

Friday, May 25, 2007

a day at the beach

Mom and Dad enjoyed the ocean view from the pier

I took a day off of work on Wednesday to take mom and dad to the beach. We walked the Jacksonville Beach pier for $1.00. Dad said that he never imagined a few months ago, when he was down in his back, that he would ever be able to walk like this again. We tried to drive onto the Mayport Naval base but I could not obtain a pass without a military ID or a military sponsor. I guess since 9-11 security is a lot tighter now! I told the guard my dad was in World War II but that did not faze him at all! :)

We were surprised at how close we could get to the seagulls on the pier

Thursday, May 24, 2007

graduation, it's that time of year!

Congratulations to Philip Logan, our nephew, who graduated Monday night from Douglas Anderson School of the Arts here in Jacksonville. He will be working at Wachovia for the summer before heading off to college at Stetson University in the fall. He has received grants and scholarships totaling about $30,000 a year and plans to major in classical guitar. We were all glad Grandma and Grandpa Franklin were able to be here for this big event!

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

update from the Ukraine Mission Team

Our niece, April Logan, is traveling with the Bob Jones University Ukraine Mission Team during May and June (April is dead center in the photo above, 3rd from the left on the second row, and center of photo below)

My sister sent the update below from the mission team .

Click on this link to see photos from Ukraine posted at the university website.

UPDATES FROM UKRAINE

It's been amazingly busy this week!

We painted the fence at the church, had a ladies meeting (which was great), visited an English class, had about 6 church services throughout the course of the week, had market meetings, went to the bazaar, distributed more tracts in lots of villages, and ate some pretty interesting food!

We are sending updates and pictures to the BJ website...go to our mission team and there should be a little link for pictures.
It's been really hot and we're pretty tired out, but God's been doing a great work in and through us.

Several have made professions of faith and many Christians have thanked us for the encouragement, but I think even more, God's been changing our hearts.

It's been amazing to see the sacrifice of people that have nothing so that we can eat and minister to them. Yet, even though they have nothing (materialistically speaking) I would venture to say that many of them have more of a passion for Christ than we do. That's certainly been a rebuke.

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Memorial Day, 2007

A tribute video honors those who served and died for our country.

Sunday, May 20, 2007

a message in song

Some songs stand out to me more than others. I spend a lot of time evaluating Christian music as to the message of the song. It should be biblical and in proper context. The song below was originally recorded as a "southern gospel" song and is titled "Crimson River." I am not sure who wrote the song, but I found the lyrics posted on line. The Steve Pettit Evanglistic Team CD "Weep No More" actually introduced this song to me. They rearranged the tune and gave it an Irish flair, so obviously it does not sound like a "southern gospel" song on their CD. This is the version I really enjoy listening too. (If you do not have the CD available, you can purchase it from their website above.) In the lyrics below, the blood that Jesus shed for our salvation is the "Crimson River."

CRIMSON RIVER

There’s a river flowing deep and wide,
Coming from the Savior’s side;
From His hands, His feet and brow,
Underneath this river I'll abide.

Crimson River, cover me,
And this blood bought one will be;
Purer than the breath of spring,
Cleaner than a sparkling stream.

Through the ages it has never dried,
Though the spring it came from died;
For the spring, reborn now, intercedes for me,
And the Crimson River sets me free.

Crimson River, cover me,
And this blood bought one will be;
Purer than the breath of spring,
Cleaner than a sparkling stream.

Then eternity will be,
A new starting place for me;
To praise the Lamb and all because,
The Crimson River covers all.

To praise the Lamb and all because,
All because,
Because the Crimson River covers all.
The Crimson River covers all!

Friday, May 18, 2007

remembering Anne Frank

The blogger Segatech has a post called "The Beauty That Still Remains" with links to many Anne Frank websites. We need to be reminded from time to time of the horrors of the Nazis under Hitler in the years leading up to World War II and then during the war. Millions of Jews as well as the mentally retarded and elderly were murdered because they were not Germans. Sadly, this could happen again.

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

educational videos at teachertube

This take-off on youtube is for teachers who want to create and post their educational and informative videos. The site is called TeacherTube.com

Click the link below to view info about China, India and the US . . .
http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=799aaa845e1c2e8a762b&page=1&viewtype=&category=mv

Monday, May 14, 2007

Yo Yo Ma plays Ennio Morricone

This is a video post of Yo Yo Ma recording "Nella Fantasia" and other pieces for his CD. "Nella Fantasia" is one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard. I strongly recommend the CD "Yo Yo Ma plays the music of Ennio Morricone"