Pastor's Blog

This entry is being written on Tuesday night from the MCA house in El Salvador.  I really do not know where I am but I do know that the internet service has been spotty at best so I figured that I had better blog while I can.  I have not gotten any update from home so I cannot give any updates.  (Bro. Jerry usually updates me later in the night)

The pastors from El Salvador are bursting with anticipation regarding the initial pastors’ conference.  They have had eight committee meetings thus far and have things rolling including a really nice poster for advertising purposes.  We met in a restaurant called Asia Market (or something like that) and then went to the church where the conference will take place.  They showed us everything from the parking lot to the bathrooms.  They are prepared!

Folks, Guatemala has me spoiled!  El Salvador is hot, hot, hot!  Did I mention that it is hot here?  I have made friends with the caretaker lady and her husband.  They have already felt sorry for me and brought me a fan.  Did I mention that it is hot here?  I actually watched the Gold Cup soccer game with the husband to gain favor.

Pastor Walter Aju made the trip with us.  Get this – he is 40 years old and this is the first time in his life that he has been out of Guatemala.  Wow!  He is a happy camper.

Tico & Walter went to meet Tico’s brothers and their families for supper.  I figured it was family time so I stayed behind which is a kind way of saying that I did not get invited!  LOL!  I am just enjoying sitting here sweating!  By the way, the caretaker fed me something earlier.  I think it was manna!

More on Soy – he basically ruined my life when I saw him one week ago tonight sitting like a buddha statue in his carport with nothing but his speedos on.  He was building a rabbit cage.  We have one female rabbit and one male rabbit.  He supposedly built it so they would have separate quarters.  Whatever!  Yesterday, they were in the same cage!  Great job, Soy!  I had to do a McGyver and got some duct tape and corrected his mistake!

I could have done without seeing him in his teddy bear pajamas last night too!  He wanted me to look at the pictures he has taken so far but I told him I was too tired.  He agreed to a quick “three bears” story and he was fast asleep.  He cried when I left this morning.

We have another meeting in the morning with even more pastors and then we head back to the mission house.  Pray for us!  By the way, I will buy pineapples on the way back as they were 3 for Q10.  They average like Q10 for one in the market.

I pray that you will have a great Wednesday with Jesus.

This brief entry is coming from the chapel at the seminary in Chimaltenango.  We did not have internet service on the mountain last night/this morning.  I arrived safely after getting to the Mobile airport to learn that my original flight had been delayed and would cause me to miss my connection in Atlanta.  Jumped online and was able to get a seat on an earlier flight which allowed me time to make the connection.  God is good!

Dr. Tico Vargas and I are about to leave for El Salvador.  It is a five hour drive.  We will meet with the pastors this afternoon and then again in the morning before returning to Guatemala.

I met with the Faith Baptist team briefly this morning.  The situation from the accident has been totally resolved – praise the Lord!  I hope to fellowship with this team tomorrow night.

Soy was happy to see me!  More later!

I pray that you will have a great Flag Day with Jesus.

God is good!  He blessed and we had a wonderful day yesterday.  We welcome Tanner Adkinson and Tyleena Owens into the Friendship family.  Tanner came by letter and Tyleena came desiring baptism.  God gives the increase and we give Him the glory.

Our VBS 2011 is now history.  The family night service was good.  I appreciate all of those folks who helped in any way this year.  FYI, VBS 2012 is scheduled for Monday, 6/4, through Friday, 6/8, with the family night taking place on Sunday evening, 6/10.

Scott McLean’s son, Austin, had an emergency appendectomy yesterday morning.  He did fine through the surgery and is now recovering.  Louise Morris will meet with the doctors today to schedule gall bladder surgery.  Lewis Jackson is still recovering from his procedure of last Friday.

If you were in either of our morning services yesterday then you know about the happenings in Guatemala with the team from Tennessee.  Pray that all of that can be resolved today and God will use this trial to be a blessing.

I am scheduled to fly out this afternoon for El Salvador/Guatemala.  I will fly into Guatemala and then drive to El Salvador tomorrow morning in order to meet with the committee members regarding the GRACE Ministries pastors’ conference in October.  We will meet tomorrow afternoon and Wednesday morning and I will then go back to Guatemala in order to get ready for our first GRACE team of the summer as they arrive Thursday.

Six of us went fishing this past Friday night/Saturday morning.  We did not catch anything but hardtails and shark during the night as we were fishing for tuna.  We did limit out on snapper in about twenty five minutes Saturday morning on our way back to the island.  Why no success on Friday night?  Two words – Johnny Ladnier!  He is young and has potential but he just is not there yet!  Hopefully, he can go with me again and I can bring him along slowly.

Waiting on daybreak so I can hit the garden.  Our peas and corn are going to come in while I am out of the country – poor, poor planning on my part!  Lisa will be in charge and will do fine!

I plan on blogging via this space through Thursday.  I will do an additional entry on the GRACE blog space beginning Friday.  Pray for us!

I pray that you will have a great Monday with Jesus.

Word came that Bro. Lewis Jackson was placed in the hospital for an overnight stay.  He apparently choked on something and they kept him for more testing.  Pray for him.

Elijah Butler, nine year old grandson of Linda Green, was admitted to the hospital during the night on Wednesday.  He has an infection it seems and will be there for at least a couple of days.

I assume Bradley Phillips did well through his surgery.  Mr. Smyly remains hospitalized too.

Today is the fifth and final day of VBS ’11.  Pray that all goes well.

Soy and the Faith Baptist team from Memphis arrived safely in Guatemala.  Soy has already called wanting to know if I want to Skype.  By the way, Courtney Cavin has graciously agreed to provide counseling to me as long as I do not describe what I saw when yogurt (Soy) was sitting in his carport this past Tuesday night.  I need it!

I did come back and add to yesterday’s post before 10:00AM.  If you missed it then you can go back and read it.

I pray that you will have a great Friday with Jesus.  My garden is calling!

I can already tell you that this is going to be a two part entry.  I am leaving to go drive the bus for VBS.  I do not want Myrtle hollering at me!  I need Jason Husband here!  Honestly, you do not want to miss the second part of today’s entry.  I hope to have it up by 10:00AM.

Bradley Phillips is having surgery this morning.  Teddy Ray’s mother and Rachel’s grandmother were both released from the hospital yesterday.  Mr. Smyly remains in the hospital.  Carla Kyser has another treatment today.  My uncle, Henry Turrentine, is hospitalized in Birmingham and the doctors do not seem optimistic.  Pray for these folks.

Wes Bates will be preaching a series of revival services in Auburn, New York beginning tomorrow night through Sunday.  Pray for Wes and the church.

Soy left today to spend a month in Guatemala working alongside the teams using the L.G. Camp, Jr. mission house.  Deidra was going to take him to the airport this morning but he insisted that I take him instead.  (Unlike Kristin Fontenot Woods, Deidra is willing to take her husband to the airport and pick him up when he returns!)  So, I figure that I will simply pull up to the curb and let Soy get his luggage and go.  Not so fast my friend!  He wanted me to come inside with him just in case there was a problem.  Okay, one favor.  He got checked in after I had set his bags on the scale (his back was hurting!).  Now, I can leave.  Not so fast my friend!  Soy wanted me to go upstairs with him to the TSA checkpoint.  Okay, one more favor.  Now, I can leave.  Not so fast my friend!  He starts crying, tells me how much he is going to miss me, and wants me to go with him to the gate.  I explain that I cannot since I do not have a boarding pass.  He asks me to call Ted Ezell’s son, Thomas, who is the director of the airport and get a special clearance.  I tell him it is too early to call  Thomas.  Finally, I tell him that if he will go to the gate like a “big” boy (which he is by the way) then when he gets back home we will rent the jumpy thing from Ray Baber again.  He was now a happy camper.  He gave me a huge bear hug and ask me to wait until he got through the TSA checkpoint before leaving.  He waved all the way now to his gate.  (Reminded me of someone else!)  Talk about embarrassing!  I finally left about an hour after getting to the airport.

Lisa then had mandated that I go to Walmart to buy groceries and my garden was waiting when I got home before getting to the church to drive the bus for VBS.

By the way, I am glad that Soy is gone as he gave me one of the most horrifying experiences of my life this past Tuesday night.  My family was fast asleep and I see bright lights coming from the neighbors house to the southwest of us (that would be Soy & Deidra).  I look out the window to see Soy sitting in his carport with nothing but a pair of gym shorts on – yuk!  He was sitting Indian style doing some type of yogurt or something.  I did not sleep that night as that vision kept playing over in my mind.  Anyone know a good counselor?

I pray that you will have a great Thursday with Jesus.  Pray for our VBS!

I saw Teddy Ray & Austin Jackson in Lowe’s yesterday afternoon as I was getting a new vacuum cleaner for the church.  Teddy Ray’s mother is hospitalized and Rachel’s grandmother is also in the hospital.  The doctor was meeting with Rachel’s family at that hour to discuss the situation.  Pray for these ladies.

Word came to me via Bro. Jerry that Mike Moreland’s brother passed away.  As I understand it, his funeral service took place yesterday in Pittsburgh, PA.  Pray for Mike and the family.

Mr. Olson Smyly remains hospitalized as he recovers from his broken leg.

Bro. Robbie Howard concludes a series of services in Green County, MS tonight.  Pastor Ronnie Maxie is the pastor of the church where Bro. Robbie has been preaching since Sunday morning.  Pray for tonight’s service.

Our third day of VBS begins in about four hours (yes, this entry is early today – came to Panera Bread in Grand Bay to do my Pastor Bob Harvey impersonation!)  Pray that everything goes well again today.

Hopefully, we will get phone service along with internet service tomorrow.  We now live so far in the woods that we cannot get cable service so we are changing providers.  If you use my mchsi e-mail address to contact me, you need to switch to tcturrentine@gmail.com or pastor@friendshipfamily.net.

Again, we are not having a morning service today.  Regular schedule tonight.  The 8:00PM crew will meet in our house.  The menu is poppy seed chicken along with the trimmings.

Soy leaves for Guatemala and will spend a month there helping the teams.  By the way, an ultrasound this past Monday revealed that the baby is definitely a girl.  So, we eagerly await the arrival of Soyetta in November!  They are leaning toward Janell for a middle name but are not for certain.  Personally, I think Ann would be a better choice but that is just one man’s opinion.

I pray that you will have a great Wednesday with Jesus.

This entry is way late as it is already after 10:00AM.  I do apologize to the “early morning” readers.  Actually, Soy found out that I was using his internet service and added a password so I can longer do that.  How rude it that?

Mr. Olson Smyly took a fall which resulted in a broken leg.  He had surgery yesterday and remains in a local hospital.  Pray for his recovery.  Norman & Martez Richerson’s son-in-law, Jerry Lundy, is also in the hospital.  Carla Kyser continues to receive treatments as does Belvin McDonald.  Larry Whitehurst has gone back to work (I use that term very loosely) and will have another MRI in about a month.

Our first day of VBS went without a hitch I am told.  I think our number was down from previous years but I cannot verify that.  I was blessed to be able to drive a bus today.  The bummer for me is that my friend, Jason Husband, is not here this year.  Jason & I defy Myrtle!  She may tell everyone else what to do in VBS but not us!  (Jason has only called me about twelve times already!)

We will NOT have our 10:00AM service tomorrow due to VBS.  Please pass the word to those who attend that service.

Since I do not have internet at home, I am not keeping up with the news, do not have access to my e-mail, et cetera.  We do not have television either.  So, I cannot comment on what is taking place in the world.

Hope you have a great Tuesday with Jesus.

This entry is coming from just outside our garage as I have jumped on Soy’s internet service.  I would use Charles’ but he wants to charge me.  (Soy does not know any better!)  I can honestly say that this is the hottest spot I have ever blogged from!

The Lord blessed and we had a good day in our services yesterday.  What a joy to see Kelsey West make a profession of faith and to have three others unite with the Friendship family.  Yes, God gives the increase and we give Him the glory!

VBS begins this morning.  I so appreciate Bro. Jerry & Miss Myrtle as they lead this week.  Honestly, I am not involved in VBS other than being a bus driver for four days.  This is largely in part because Bro. Jerry & Miss Myrtle do such a great job!  Pray for our VBS.

I pray that you will have a great Monday with Jesus.

This entry is coming from the City Flats Hotel in Holland, Michigan.  I was wrong about Gunnar Howell coming home from the hospital yesterday.  The hopes are now that he will be discharged at some point today.  Sherry has been discharged but is waiting to bring Gunnar home.

Tony Hacker is having problems with his back and is scheduled for a MRI today.  It will be next Friday before he sees the doctor but this test should allow the doctor to know how to treat him.

Lisa, Deidra, & I had an uneventful trip to Michigan yesterday as the flights were on time and the rental car was ready upon our arrival.  We were waiting on our luggage in the Grand Rapids airport and I struck up a conversation with a guy wearing an Alabama shirt.  He was from Florence, AL but lived in Decatur for years while working at the paper mill in Courtland which is where our son-in-law’s, Brad, dad works.  He knew Brad’s dad well.  It is a small, small world!

Has my garden survived Soy for the first 24 hours?  Probably not!  He sent Deidra a text yesterday to say that he had picked all of the peas.  Problem is that the peas were basically blooms when I left!  Wow!

Looking forward to Nick & Kaily’s wedding tonight.  They are such a great young couple and I am more than honored that they would ask me to officiate their wedding ceremony.  I pray it will be everything they want it to be and more.

My prayer is that many members of the Friendship family will be in Sunday School, Discipleship Training, and the services this Sunday.  Lord willing, we will return home tomorrow afternoon.  I pray that you will have a great weekend with Jesus!

This entry is being typed as I sit in the Mobile airport waiting to board a plane to Grand Rapids.  I was asked a year or so ago to officiate the wedding ceremony of Kaily Genzink & Nick Whistlebritches which will take place tomorrow night.  Lord willing, I will be back in Grand Bay on Saturday afternoon.  Again, this is part of the reason for my taking vacation days this week.

As far as I know, there are no significant changes in the prayer list.  Carla Kyser will receive another treatment today.  Our granddaughter, Emmy, had a test misread by the medical folks last Friday.  Her count had gone up, not down, and that is not good.  We were thankful when we thought the count has gone down and we are still “giving thanks” as the Word instructs us to do.  Thank you for joining us in prayer.  Sherry & Gunnar will most likely go home from the hospital today.

Our Wednesday evening service was very well attended and the evening “potluck with the pastor” was a blessing.  Thanks to all who came and brought food.  Thanks to Lisa & Deidra for cooking the roast.  Thanks to Bro. Jerry for bringing the message – it is always good to hear a message on heaven.

Did we catch any red snapper yesterday?  The limit!  I appreciate Tony being willing to allow Dana & me to join him, Nick, & Tori.  We were out at 6:00AM and back on dry land by 11:00AM.

My garden is in Soy’s hands for the next two days and that concerns me!  You ask, what could Soy possibly do to harm your garden?  Two words – Soy Taylor!

They are calling for us to board.  I pray that you will have a great Thursday with Jesus.