Video -Silver Wings Paratroopers at Suwanee Ga

family photo Sunday

Cindy (Mam-ma) and Charlie T are ready to hear the US Army band Memorial Day Concert at the Suwanee Town Center Friday night.

Video - Duke welcomed at White House

The President honors the 2010 NCAA Men’s Basketball champion Duke Blue Devils in a ceremony in the Rose Garden.
I finally agree with something the President says :)

Click to view presentation

family photo Sunday

Cindy and I enjoy our new garden bench. We are still searching for a yellow rose bush to plant in John's memory, but both local nurseries were sold out of yellow for now.


Our Baggett Concrete Memorial Bench

Slideshow - Adoration Ladies Ens at Calvary in Smyrna

A few weeks ago, we enjoyed hearing the Adoration Ladies Ensemble at Calvary Baptist in Smyrna, GA. Rachel is a member and since the group was singing so close to us, Rachel, Brandon, and Charlie T stayed at our house for the weekend. Cindy and her mom went to the mother-daughter banquet on Saturday as the group was singing for the banquet, as well as Sunday morning church services.

Memory Lane - when God uses a man, part three

When we visited with mom and dad recently, I traveled around Cowpens and took pictures of the churches where my parents made an impact over the years. I forgot to take a picture of Central Baptist, the first church I attended as a baby. I even remember being picked up by their church bus a few times as a little kid to go to church. I also have fun memories of playing in the church parking lot while mom and dad talked. In later years, I attended Vacation Bible School at Central many summers. After Central Baptist, my dad became pastor at Gospel Baptist. It was during this time period I came to understand the gospel and that I needed to be saved. Even as a four or five year old kid, I remember hearing Dad preach on the rapture. (If you missed the previous posts, see links to part one and two below)

I also failed to take a picture of my Aunt Earline's church, the Clifton Church of God, and I recall my dad taking me out of at least one service there to spank me. I was a wee little boy, too:)

Seriously, It is encouraging to see what God can do when we are faithful to His work. "Faithful" is the key because I remember how the church attendance at Calvary would grow and decline and grow again over the years. But my parents kept "sticking to the stuff."

In the early 1970's, under my dad's leadership, Calvary Baptist was able to buy land and build their first church building debt free. I missed out on a lot of details as I was in college while the church was being built. The classrooms in the back were finished later.






A few years ago, the church remodeled this building and it was named the "Franklin Fellowship Hall". It has been used for many dinners throughout the years, including the "Homecoming Dinner" on the second Sunday in October each year.

After 20 years, my Dad retired and the church called their current pastor, Preacher Henry Coley, and he has been there to the present day - over 25 years. In February of 2002, they moved into a beautiful new sanctuary that was completed next door, also debt free, and the two buildings are now connected with an enclosed breezeway. Praise the Lord, Calvary Baptist has only had two pastors in 45 years!

The church recently paved the parking lot and added the covered drop off to the front of the new building.

Click to read Memory Lane, part 2

Click to read Memory Lane, part 1

signs along the journey

I just had to take a picture of this sign. We had dinner with our friends, the Terrells, in Jax last weekend. Being a retired firefighter, he had this cute sign at the corner of their home.

family photo Sunday

We picked strawberries yesterday at Washington Farms in Loganville. Boy are they good and sweet. Hoping my wife makes a strawberry pie with some of these :) It took less than an hour for us to pick a gallon container each, so we may have to go back. (The strawberry season lasts through June here.)

Video - 76 Trombones - Barbershop Chorus

Ambassadors of Harmony-2009 International Barbershop Chorus Champions

All I can say is, "this is AWESOME"!
Click the four arrows (bottom right) to view full screen.

family photo Sunday

Happy Mother's DAY!

Memory Lane - when God uses a man, part two

We moved from the duplex across from Gospel Baptist to this house we called the "Coyle house." I remember walking to school from here, but I don't remember the train tracks being so close to the house. I also remember riding my bike to the deacon's home to pick up my dad's paycheck once in a while. After Dad left Gospel Baptist, we helped Bud Pace for a few months; he had started a non-demoninational church in town.

In 1965, God led my dad to start Calvary Baptist Church. Today, we call this a "church plant," but I am not sure if that was a term people used back in the mid-1960's. The church met in this small store-front building for several years.

Shortly after starting Calvary Baptist, our family moved into the two story house next door. (I believe the rent was about $35 per month.) We would use several rooms in our house for Sunday School classes. My fondest memories during these years were the Saturday ball games at the old Cowpens Elementary School playground. Dad would round up all of the church kids to play softball games. We also enjoyed the church picnic every summer at Cleveland Park. Those were the days! In 1972, my parents bought the house they live in today on Edgefield Rd. Calvary Baptist then began using the front living room (corner room with two bay windows) for the sanctuary and all classes met in this house. I think our largest attendance during these years was 75 for Sunday school.

Slideshow- May Family Birthdays

family photo Sunday

Natalie Marie, our oldest grandchild, turns 6 today ! How time flies! and she lost her first tooth just for this picture :)