Livin' on Sponge(bob)cake...

Tonight at 8 p.m. eastern Mr. James Buffett will step on to the stage at the Phillips arena in Atlanta, Georgia and yours truly will be in attendance to welcome him there. Every once in a while you have to get 'somewhere other than here'- a short trip to 'Margaritaville' is precisely the kind of detour where you move from 'livin and dyin in 3/4 time' to being 'the people that our parents warned us about'. Moving to the Bay seems to be the 'change in latitude' that always results in a 'change of attitude' for us Lagniappers. As Mark Twain said, 'be good and you will be lonely.' We're leaving at 5 o'clock, should be there by 5 o'clock, show starts at 5 o'clock. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it....for more info. stay tuned to the Lagniappe telegraph! To the rest of you- 'the weather is here I wish you were beautiful' and 'if the phone doesn't ring- IT'S ME!!!!' NOTE: The above picture was taken in Bay Saint Louis in June of 2006. It is Jimmy Buffett signing T-Jean's guitar in French- 'Play this guitar with all your heart- Jacque Buffett' p.s. He also offered to teach Jean to curse in French!

Saturday night...

It is the evening prior to my second week preaching in Hattiesburg, Ms. First Presbyterian Church is in the midst of a pastoral search and I was able to begin preaching in Nehemiah last week. Tomorrow I continue in Chapter 2- it is an exciting opportunity to be able to be with a church in the midst of such a great time of growth and dependence. Please keep them in your prayers as they seek the man for God to lead that congregation. It is a blessing to have Curt Moore on staff who will be preaching at Lagniappe and allow me to serve sister churches in our Presbytery. Curt has been in Atlanta at the PCA Mercy ministries conference all weekend. It has been a hard weekend at home, lots of work to do and God seems content to continue His work in me personally. To live is Christ; to die is gain.

Happy Birthday!!!!

Ann Elizabeth turned 11 recently and we celebrated in the backyard yesterday with a slip and slide, lightning, thunder and 10 screaming girls covered in mud and headed inside the house, hmmm. I added some grey hair today for sure. I think she had a great time with her friends in spite of rain! I preached in Hattiesburg this morning and will for the next two weeks, please be in prayer for that church...many of the staff head to Atlanta this week for a mercy ministry conference, keep them in your prayers as they make new contacts for LPC and reconnect with old friends. Blessings and grace to you all! P.S. Check out the new www.prayforthebay.com site- to sign up and pray for Bay Saint Louis and Waveland.

Bad blogger...

I've been a bad blogger of late...kinda busy (not anymore than most, but probably just trying to do too much). It is Holy Saturday and I am reminiscing on a year in the Bay- April 2006 until now... much heartache, much pain and a faithful Father. I was talking to T-Jean the other night about something that he was praying about and as I offered him the comfort of prayer he responded in exasperation, "I HAVE BEEN praying!" I understand T-Jean. I understand. This is a month full of special birthdays- T-Jean turns 14 (I am an old man) and Ann Elizabeth turns 11. We'll do some fun stuff I'm sure---- Keep Lagniappe and me in your prayers- my busyness (spelling?) comes and goes, conferences 'on' and then 'off'- I feel like I've preached everywhere lately- I will be in Hattiesburg for the 3 consecutive weeks following Easter. They are without a pastor and I intended to preach about Nehemiah, but I think I'm just going to preach about grace. What else is there really? Ahhh, that favorite quote of mine from John Sartelle, "Christians do not fall out of grace they fall INTO it!" Preach brother, preach to my soul! I am praying for all of you that love Lagniappe so much- thank you for everything.