Guess what I bought?

These shoes you see above. I got them on Sept 20th of this year. Folks I am not sure why, but shoes just don't last around here. If you look closely, you can see I even glued them twice and put silicone around the seems. 

So now I bought a better shoe, New Balance, $59.00 I really hope and pray they will last ad least three months. I will spray them with water repel it. We will see what happens. 

Okay there as been some trouble getting into my blog. I wrote them yesterday and ask them to fix what ever I could have done to break it. Hopefully by the end of today, Nov 28 it will be fixed. 

You and see how much faith I have that it will be up again today. The reason I say this is look here is todays' post. 

Yes I am back home in Nassau

I spent the night at Bill's place. We got up early and he got me to the airport by 6:20am. You can see how busy the place was. It seemed to take about 30 minutes to get threw this area. Everyone was very nice. As I got on the plane. I have chance to sit next to a student. Him and his team mates just got done with a swimming meet. He told me that they did pretty good. After landing I saw Andy, he is the main coach. We talked a little and parted ways. I got to the Customs area. This young lady really checked all my receipts. She added them up twice. Found out I had to pay $130.00. That was not in my budget. I used my credit card. 

Boy I am just happy to be back home. Tim and Kevin came to pick me up. Boy Scooby sure was happy yo see me too.

I am back and ready to go. While gone there was only a couple of problems. The Solar Bus needed the radiator pulled out and replaced. We had another one up on the shelf. I got that one repaired before leaving. Now the Jungle Bus has a leak. Guess I still have a job here?  

These are my family.

I know I have shown you my family before. But when I come over to Fort Lauderdale, Fl. These are the ones that make my time here most enjoyable. 

The first picture is my room mates. Steve on the left. He has been living with Dennis and Donna for over the last 8 years, maybe more. Dennis and Donna they open their home up so I have a place to stay. It really has been a real blessing. Just think I come back over here, stay at hotel. That would cost much money. So these guys have given me a key and when ever I get into town they welcome me with open arms.

The next shot, is the Bill Romeo home. Bill has been my driver for many years. When I come into town, he picks me up and then takes me to Charlie's home and there I get a Ford truck. Which it all happen this time too. 

Folks I have been so blessed to call these people, my family. 

Thank you to all of you. 

Hey these guys below

The first picture is of Jon Bunch. he is the one that has been running the Parking Ministry since I have left. That right for 8 years,plus. I have known him for about 18 years. As I am writing this he is in a meeting about the parking ministry. There has been some changes and looks like more are coming. I just love seeing this guy and driving around and hearing about what has been going on around Fort Lauderdale, plus. 

The the younger people in the next shot, pretty much the same, I have known them since I over saw the parking, 14 years. This is Tom, Donna and Dennis. Donna and Dennis are the ones that have open their home to me to stay at. I talked about them about month or so ago. They came over on a cruise to see Nassau. They even take me out to dinner. I am very blessed and really do enjoy my time at their home. I am doing my laundry at their home as I sit here doing this blog. I am richly blessed. 

It was so wonderful to go to Calvary last night

You can see how much people here worship Him. When you are a round people like that, it just brings joy to my heart and I believe His too. 

Now this tram you are looking at, back at ALC, we REALLY CAN USE THIS. Okay now as you are all my brothers and sisters, PLEASE keep this in prayer. Now just think how neat this would be to drive around Nassau. Plus just the kids jumping in and going for a small ride. WOW. 

Now look and see what we have now, Please we really need this tram. Our poor train now is running on prayers. 

Okay while driving around I saw this rack.

That right you can rent a bike for as long as you would like. I looked at and said, NO. I am on vacation. Maybe next time. So after that I went to McDonald's. I have had three or four of these since I have been in Florida. They are sooooooo GOOD. This is a Egg Nog shake. I love egg nog, back in Nassau, last year or the one before. I went to buy some and could not find any. You know around Christmas. So I was way out west one day and stopped by a larger store, Fresh Market. They had egg nog and for a HALF Gallon, $9.99. I really thought about how much I really enjoy egg nog, but walked away and said too much.

That right I have been to the beach

You can see it was a little rough out there. So I just took walk around. 

Then after noon, I went to another beach. There I saw some kids cleaning up the streets. It really was neat to see these young people doing something like that. I really don't know who they were or what their plans were, it just was heart warming to see them. 

Now you can see the beach up in Deerfield, had a bunch of people up there. I just walked around a little and left again. 

I just had to go buy a pair of tennies. I bought good ones this time, New Balance. ($59.00) They really felt good on my feet. If you don't know this, I have gotten heal spurs in my right foot. So a good pair of shoes are to help with that. Since I have been here I have only worn flip flops. I just have gotten use too a little pain. 

Take a look at her right foot, that right flip flops.

I am getting use to this new phone. Really am enjoying how the pictures are coming out. Okay the top shot, I was following this young lady. She stopped before me at a light and I looked and saw, she is wearing flip flops. She is on a scooter. 

The next shot is a round about in Margate. It really is neat to see how nice they have made this.

Okay I went shopping one last time. I bought a welding helmet, two metal cutting blades. The reason was I looked in back of the truck and found a box. The box had in it the brake pads I bought last week. I would have taken them back, but they got wet and the box was shot. So I got a e mail from a friend up north asking me if I could buy something else? So I went and got a couple of other things. Okay the shipping company is close for the week-end. So please don't ask for any thing else. 

Now today is Saturday and going to have breakfast with a friend at Cracker Barrel right after I finish this.

This is the Men's group of Calvary Chapel Ft Laud.

I have been invited to their meeting many times. (by e mail) But as I live in The Bahamas, I am not able to attend. So this time here, I wrote back and make sure there would be room for me to make this one. Which you can see I did. It was so nice to just meet some new guys. I did see some of my old friends too. But this time was about FORGIVING. Well our speaker was Pastor Joel. You can see he has a different look about him. he was in a car wreck when he was only two years old. He had a chance to share about his life and how we all have scares, some on the out side. but most of us on the INSIDE. He shared about how God just uses him each day. It is so funny but sad how God is using him now. If you know kids, when they see someone like Joel. Their first questions What Happen to you? So now Pastor Joel over sees the Children Ministry. He told us, how kids react around him. Then he told us about how this ministry he is in now. Has help him deal with his own scares inside. How he use to dislike when kids would ask him questions. You know what he is trying to say. He just wants to have a normal life. Which he does. he is married and has two wonderful children. It really was a eye opener on how we all have scares and how do we deal with them. 

I got my FIRST Christmas gift.

That right it is a FRUIT CAKE. I love things like this, fruit and cake mixed together. The next picture is the young lady (Rose and Fanny) that gave this great gift to me. Maybe two or three years ago. She gave me a little larger one. I tried to carry it on the plane. Too much weight. So at that time, I tried to give it away. No one wanted it. It went into the trash. So she gave me a smaller one. I think I will eat it before I even leave here. That way I will get a chance to enjoy it.

The next shots you see, are of Pompano Beach. The sad part is it has been raining on and off for the last couple of days. So I just want to show you I have been to the beach.

Yes I got some new toys

That's right, I went out and bought all these neat toys. First of all I got this new smart phone. It has windows 8. Only problem is I don't know how to use it. I am learning each day something new. Like how to send pictures from that to my computer so I can share them with you. So hopefully now I have that one right.

If you look you can see a new wire welder, air compressor, printer, new pump and a box full of small tools. Today i will be going and buying two new tanks too. Look below. 

The tanks we have back at the centre are the large ones and I need space for the new compressor so the larger tanks will go back to the place that has been letting us use them. Plus I bought a crank for the trailer too. No picture of that. 

Okay today is run two places and then movie and lunch with a friend of mine, Rose. Not sure what movie we will see? 

Here is some of my family

The first shot is all of us sitting around and eating some good food.

 From left to right, Bonita,Deb,Jon,Greg and Mark.

It really was a good time to get everyone together. The sad part is not all came out. We have other cousins. But some live far off to the north. So the ones that came we just sat around and talked and looked at some old pictures of our family, many years ago. The sad part was the pictures I took really didn't come out that great. 

This is my Uncle Bernnie

I took a ride yesterday to north Florida. I was thinking of saving money on tolls, so I drove up on I-95. Thinking I get up this way just go across some where and will find this place. So I stopped at a McDonald's along I-95. So while looking on line I found out I was way off to where I needed to be. I tried calling my cousin Mary, no answer. So I kept driving west. I knew I would find this place. Then I tired again to call, she answered and told me I was about 40 miles out still. So I told her I would call when I got closer. It all worked out. We meet at Cracker Barrel on route 50. Clemount,Fl. We sat around and had a nice meal and just talked. Then we piled into her car. drove around the corner to Uncle Bennie;s place. He looked at me and said, Carl? You look just like Carl! It was a very nice thing to say. I miss my dad and for a family member to remember him was a honour. We sat there and just had a good old time. Mary and I were the ones talking, but he sat there and listened. I would ask him some questions and he knew the answers. It really was a good time to just see them and get some what caught up. Mary has been through a lot in her life. So just talking with her, I believe she felt my concern. Plus we even talk about Jesus a little. She believes she is a Christian and that alone was much comfort to me. I really hope and pray she will keep in touch and maybe one day we as a family will be able to come together and just talk. 

As of today, she will not be able to make it to Bon's place. But ad least I did have some time with her and Uncle Bennie. That was all I was looking for. 

I can tell you this, I am using Dennis's GPS to get up here. I could not even find out how to program it. So I guess driving up here was a nice easy trip, any way.

Today we as the rest of the family will be getting together at Bon's home. I will share those pictures tomorrow. I am really excited about this time coming. It has been many years since I have seem a couple of these guys. Deb and Jon have taken a couple of trip over to the islands in the last couple of years. Bonita, I saw her last year. So we will be together as a family again and it should be a kick. 

Friday evening dinner time, just so nice

Well I had a wonderful time last night. I went over to Carol and Lori's home for a beautiful dinner. We sat around for a while just talking about how working with other Christians and even churches how we are all sinners. It is funny but you think working at something like that it would be different? But as I have said before we all fall short on pretty much everything. But as long as we are trying to make it happen, He shows up and then we all can get along.  

As I was sitting there, we really had a good time of just getting caught up little. I have known these two for over 20 years. We use to work together with VDC. These are week-ends for growing in the Lord, plus. 

Now the next picture is something I bought yesterday. That right I broke down and spent $84.00 on a (want a be) I POD. The story about this is very long, but I will give you the short one. Say about three years ago, I always wanted a I Pod. It just never worked out. So yesterday I was looking at Tiger Direct. I saw this and asked if it works Wi-Fi. She told me yes and I saw the price and said that is for me. I looked on line for the IPod at Walmart. It was selling for $199.00 32G 4G I thought wow there is my gift for Christmas. I went to Walmart, don't have any. Okay now I have a new toy. Plus I now have my American Express (new) card. I am in heaven.

 I am leaving from McDonald's here and driving north today. I will be visiting my family. I really am looking forward to this time. It has been a while we have seen each other. 

Just a couple shots.

If you look real close on the first picture, you can see the Goodyear Blip. I know it is very small. But it was going back home in it's bunker. It has been very cloudy lately, so they don't usually bring it out during those times. 

The next shot you can see. This is so true. We were talking about the fruit last night. 

Please Lord let me not be a NUT.

Still enjoying my time. Today some more shopping.

Last night I had a time to see some family here.

It was so nice of Charlie to invite me over to their home last night. Every Thursday night for the last 6 weeks, they have open their home to do God's work. During this time we had some good food and even had a chance to get some what caught up on all that has been happening.

 It really is neat if you look, you see a older couple with a baby in their hands. That is Charlie and Julie. They have open their home to help the country with new babies. What this is, they are Foster Family. So when the country has need of someone to take a baby for a time. Charlie and Julie go pick the child up and bring them back to their home and take care of them. If you know any thing about babies, they are very much in need. So Julie pretty much each day feeds and changes and just be that mom she needs to be. They are up in their age but see, God still uses us older folks. I really give them a lot of credit for just taking that step of faith knows they are doing God's work.

Okay back to the study, they have been reading through Luke 8:4+ Here is where Jesus talks about the farmer. How he throws the seed out on different grounds. Then in Luke 6:43 +. Here is about the fruit that the tree will produce. 

At this study I meet a guy named Gorge. He is younger, but he main job at the City of Fort Lauderdale is working on small engines and events for the city. It really was neat to talk with him about what we do at the ALC. Plus he gave me a couple of ideas on how to fix one of our blowers by there.