Well I hope everyone is well. I am still in Nashville and somewhat short on time so this may not be very long.
Today I will be making a move. When I first got here I made special arrangments with the manager of Candlewood Suites Hotel in Brentwood, TN. and I highly recommend this hotel for those of you that visit the Nashville area. This is very close to Brentwood Hills Church of Christ which is by far, the largest church I've ever seen or been in. Back to Candlewood, I explained who I was, why I was in town and that I had a small budget. He gave me an amazingly inexpensive rate and waived the fee they would normally charge for pets (I travel with my dog). The rate he gave me was based on the Hotels commitment to assist the people of the Gulf Coast in their devestating time of need. Over 2000 people stayed at this hotel free right after Hurricane Katrina. Well after taking a closer look at my budget I have decided I need to make other arrangements to accomodate my discipating financial means of staying here in Nashville. The hotel has saving me a substantial amount of money compared to what I would normally have spent in this area. Not to mention kennel expenses for my dog. So with that said I will be making a move into a room that someone has graciously allowed me to occupy for the next 3 weeks.
After 3 weeks I was planning on going home back to Virginia. I intend on going there, collecting a long time unpaid debt and going to see my family for the holidays. Unforeseen circumstances are more than likely going to change my plans. As of now I have spent a large portion of my time in Nashville sick. I dont have the same thing as I had a couple weeks ago but have been getting a massive amount of migraine headaches. This is something that has been an ongoing problem since I lost my hearing in the Army. They seem to intensify and get worse with age. But my point is I dont feel like I have done nearly as much as I could here. I am commited to filling the schedule at Central Church of Christ and hoping that they have so many volunteers wanting to come they have to recommend they come down but go to other areas on the Gulf Coast. With that said I think I might stay in the area longer than I initially planned. As with anything I feel this is what God wants me to do and I have the ability to do so.
I have prayed about this and have been juggeling with the idea for a week or so now. Last night I spoke to someone who convinced me this is what I should do. Something that I feel so strongly about has altered my plans for over a year now and I dont want to turn my back on the people down there. The need is great and I made a promise that I intend to adhere to.
After the new year I think I will be traveling back to the Gulf Coast for a short time. I have so many opportunities that I can basically pick and choose. Some job offers have come in from my former career in law enforcement but I think I will continue my path doing Gods work and helping those in need. I plan on creating a full time stormchasing team that will travel to natural disasters and help people recover from their hardships. I've always wanted to do something like that but never thought I would be doing it. So after this mission trip I will be seeking fiancial support or long term sponsorship for the CDRC (Christian Disaster Recovery Coalition).
My focus will be on setting up a team of christians that travels the continential United States and assists churches in disaster areas. I want to get a mobile home that can accomodate a small team (5-7) and gather some volunteers that also seek to do Gods will and have the ability to travel.
Anyway that kind of sums up my short term and long term goals as well as current happenings. Not a lot of success with recruiting but this time of year I dont see a bunch of churches picking a date to come down until that time comes closer and they have a better idea of how many can come. So John keep your chin held high and continue fighting the good fight. Hello to the Elders at Central CofC.
Where I'm going does not have internet. So I might be offline for a short time. I keep keep everyone appraised as best I can and when I can. Thanks for all the support and love.
Your friend, Jeff
Monday, October 16, 2006
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Hello everyone! I know some of you have been disappointed not to see me update this blog lately and for that I am sorry. I have been very sick and attribute it to change in climate. It seems as if every time I relocate I get sick. This has been an ongoing issue ever since my first trip to Germany back in 1994. The problem is that it seems to get worse as I get older. I wont get into the details but those that know me well know that I hate hospitals more than anything. So going to a hospital is always a last resort and I would suffer until I'm actually dying and have no other choice. I almost went 4 days ago. I got dressed at 2:30 am, grabbed a change of clothes and began looking up directions on the internet. Just as I got all ready I thought about my dog. Where would I take him at 3:00 in the morning? What if they want to keep me in there? I couldnt just leave him here at the hotel. So I made up my mind, got undressed and took an ice cold bath. My fever was pretty intense and I was so weak I could hardly go from the bath to the bed without agonizing commitment to get there. So thats been an ongoing problem since I've arrived in Nashville. I got sick 3 days after I arrived and am just now getting better. I figured something temporary but I was wrong. I got sick quite often in Mississippi and those of my friends in Pascagoula, MS know that I when I get sick it's not just sick. When I do it I do it the right way and get full blown SICK! : D
So anyway, the mission was going great till this happened. I've spoke with some church leadership in the area and am confident the outcome will be very good. I've lost a week so have alot of work to do to make up for lost time. Presently I am tweaking my presentation and creating a better video that will have some info in it instead of just pictures. I speak to representatives but how they relay the message is something that might not give the full seriousness of our needs in Pascagoula. So I am adding a couple powerpoint slides that will describe what happened, what is happening and what needs to happen there on the Gulf Coast.
This is a good way to be productive while I'm getting rid of this sickness thing. I ask for your prayers.
John I read your blog about that guy that came into the church. Man o man was I disappointed. Let me explain.... I was sitting at my desk when I heard a knock on the side door of the church (door connects to our offices). I opened the door to find the same guy he described in his blog. unshaven, dress shirt with hospital type scrubs and boots. You could tell he had not showered in some time. So I talked to him but had a difficult time because I'm partially deaf and he was very soft spoken. I must have said "I'm sorry I didnt hear you" like 100 times during our breif discussion. What I could make out was he owed someone money, a drug dealer. He said they were going to kill him if he didnt pay. I told him he needed to talk to John Dobbs. This was not my area of expertise and I have seen hundreds of drug addicts beg for money and leave. As an ex-cop I can tell you that these guys dont care about anything other than their next "fix" and will do anything and everything they have to do to get it. So I never would give them any money but this was different so I got John on the phone. They must have talked for 45 mins it seemed like cause I desperatly needed to make a call and kept looking to see if he was still on the phone. Well the guy was talking outside by my truck (cordless) and I decided to go inside and work on something until he got off the phone. When I came out he was gone. The phone was sitting inside my truck on the seat and he was nowhere in site.
Later I learned he left and went knocking on doors in the neighborhood. He said he represented the Church of Christ and that he was collecting donations! MAN! I was upset to say the least. This guy is out there using our good name and trying to cure his drug addiction by soliciting the good will of the people of Pascagoula. Needless to say I wanted to call the police and describe him and hope they could track him down. Well in the mix of things I just shruged it off as just yet another disappointment in the soap opera of Hurricane Katrina.
To hear him come in front of the congregation and repent would have been interesting to me. I have a hard time with forgivness sometimes but have learned alot from my friends down there. As christians it is our responsibility to forgive. But when this happens over and over and over again you tend to seperate yourself from that element and begin to profile them in a way you shouldnt. So if they look like a drug addict and smell like a drug addict are they a drug addict? Are they true about coming to the Lord or are they just saying what they have to so they can get their last resort remedy? I know, I know! It's hard sometimes! These guys will do ANYTHING at desperate times. That includes getting washed of their sins and leading others to think they have changed even though it's not in their hearts. We call them "pretenders" in law enforcement. They have the ability to adapt and seed into any enviroment. They are the deadliest criminals of all.
But I ask myself what makes them different than us? Was there any doubts in your heart when you got baptized? Was there ever a time that you knowingly did something your not supposed to do? Well join the crowd! All of us have strayed at times. We all should be looking at these "pretenders" and welcoming them and hoping that somewhere in their time with us we can plant a seed. Something that will live in them forever. Something that hopefully one day will turn into true faith and perhaps they make a difference in someones life! How do we do this? By being christians and welcoming them as we would Jesus himself! Forgiveness came to us at the cost of Jesus dying. What would you do if someone killed your son? We must remember to forgive and forget the way God has done for us!
So I'm glad to hear you guys gave him refuge for awhile John. I hope that planted a seed that will change the outcome of where that man is heading and who he effects before he goes there!
Good job!
Have a good day everyone!
So anyway, the mission was going great till this happened. I've spoke with some church leadership in the area and am confident the outcome will be very good. I've lost a week so have alot of work to do to make up for lost time. Presently I am tweaking my presentation and creating a better video that will have some info in it instead of just pictures. I speak to representatives but how they relay the message is something that might not give the full seriousness of our needs in Pascagoula. So I am adding a couple powerpoint slides that will describe what happened, what is happening and what needs to happen there on the Gulf Coast.
This is a good way to be productive while I'm getting rid of this sickness thing. I ask for your prayers.
John I read your blog about that guy that came into the church. Man o man was I disappointed. Let me explain.... I was sitting at my desk when I heard a knock on the side door of the church (door connects to our offices). I opened the door to find the same guy he described in his blog. unshaven, dress shirt with hospital type scrubs and boots. You could tell he had not showered in some time. So I talked to him but had a difficult time because I'm partially deaf and he was very soft spoken. I must have said "I'm sorry I didnt hear you" like 100 times during our breif discussion. What I could make out was he owed someone money, a drug dealer. He said they were going to kill him if he didnt pay. I told him he needed to talk to John Dobbs. This was not my area of expertise and I have seen hundreds of drug addicts beg for money and leave. As an ex-cop I can tell you that these guys dont care about anything other than their next "fix" and will do anything and everything they have to do to get it. So I never would give them any money but this was different so I got John on the phone. They must have talked for 45 mins it seemed like cause I desperatly needed to make a call and kept looking to see if he was still on the phone. Well the guy was talking outside by my truck (cordless) and I decided to go inside and work on something until he got off the phone. When I came out he was gone. The phone was sitting inside my truck on the seat and he was nowhere in site.
Later I learned he left and went knocking on doors in the neighborhood. He said he represented the Church of Christ and that he was collecting donations! MAN! I was upset to say the least. This guy is out there using our good name and trying to cure his drug addiction by soliciting the good will of the people of Pascagoula. Needless to say I wanted to call the police and describe him and hope they could track him down. Well in the mix of things I just shruged it off as just yet another disappointment in the soap opera of Hurricane Katrina.
To hear him come in front of the congregation and repent would have been interesting to me. I have a hard time with forgivness sometimes but have learned alot from my friends down there. As christians it is our responsibility to forgive. But when this happens over and over and over again you tend to seperate yourself from that element and begin to profile them in a way you shouldnt. So if they look like a drug addict and smell like a drug addict are they a drug addict? Are they true about coming to the Lord or are they just saying what they have to so they can get their last resort remedy? I know, I know! It's hard sometimes! These guys will do ANYTHING at desperate times. That includes getting washed of their sins and leading others to think they have changed even though it's not in their hearts. We call them "pretenders" in law enforcement. They have the ability to adapt and seed into any enviroment. They are the deadliest criminals of all.
But I ask myself what makes them different than us? Was there any doubts in your heart when you got baptized? Was there ever a time that you knowingly did something your not supposed to do? Well join the crowd! All of us have strayed at times. We all should be looking at these "pretenders" and welcoming them and hoping that somewhere in their time with us we can plant a seed. Something that will live in them forever. Something that hopefully one day will turn into true faith and perhaps they make a difference in someones life! How do we do this? By being christians and welcoming them as we would Jesus himself! Forgiveness came to us at the cost of Jesus dying. What would you do if someone killed your son? We must remember to forgive and forget the way God has done for us!
So I'm glad to hear you guys gave him refuge for awhile John. I hope that planted a seed that will change the outcome of where that man is heading and who he effects before he goes there!
Good job!
Have a good day everyone!
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