I swim two or three times a week.  Great cardio exercise without putting any stress on a bad knee.  There are only two things I don't enjoy about my swims.  First, you always smell like chlorine.  Second, I can never get my goggles to stop fogging up.  No matter what I try they continue to get foggy which results in me having to stop and wash them out.  The good thing about washing them out is that I can see clearly once again.

As I make final arrangements for my Africa mission trip, I'm begging God to help me see things much CLEARER!

I leave this Saturday to head to Africa for 12 days.  I'm praying for a bunch of stuff.  Here are just a few:
* safety in travel and while there
* God to protect my family
* the trip won't be too stressful on Deb since I do most everything around the house
* God to use me greatly to train pastors and lay people to reach their communities for Jesus
* for the other team members
* health-after $500 of shots I should be fine
* for God to literally rip my heart out and help me grow in my faith
* to see things spiritually that I've never seen or experienced before
* that 5 Point can plant several churches in Africa and that God would lead me to His exact location
* to come home a changed man ready to attack this community for the cause of Christ

BUT, my biggest prayer is that God would speak to me about faith.  Been reading a lot about faith lately.  I want to have the faith to move mountains.  The faith to do even greater things than the disciples of Christ.  I truly desire to have my eyes opened and the glasses I look through cleaned.  I don't want a foggy set of glasses anymore.  I want all my attention on eternal things and not earthly things.  I am praying for God to use me but that this trip will be about LIFE CHANGE in me!

Please pray with me that God does something super natural in me and that I can bring it home to share with all of you.

A few random thoughts:
* Spoke to a man at the YMCA this morning.  When he found out I was the pastor of 5 Point he wanted to know why we do some of the things we do.  After a great conversation he let me know just how happy he was that he had met me.  He understood our vision much clearer.  Clarity really can change perspective.
* Lwason Clary will speak for me the next two Sundays.  Please don't lay out of worship.  It amazes me that people think because the pastor isn't here its a free pass.  Jesus Christ will still be here and HE desires your presence.  Lawson will do a great job, he always does.  Just hope he doesn't use big words and makes me look stupid.
* About tired of rain even if we do still need it.
* I'm a little worried about 26 hours on a plane.  Big guys with bad knees don't do well on planes. 
* Getting ready to begin our staff meeting.  I would imagine they are glad to get rid of me for a few days.