Hello!

We made it back from the land of fire and brimstone!

As you may have known we were in Southern California very near to where the recent fires have been. My aunt was evacuated, she lives in Yorba Linda, if you saw the news lately you probably saw that city regularly. Michael Stephen our oldest works at Brea mall, the fire cam within 1 mile of the mall and his home as well. But other than bad air quality they are all doing fine and we are praying for all the people who lost their homes in this horrific disaster. It seems now that 2 of the fires were set by arsonist, what a sad tale.

Maggie and I had a wonderful trip and were able to relax and visit with old friends and family. Saturday we were in Oceanside California and helped a small group from my friends church paint a home for mentally challenged adults. I know it doesn't sound much like a vacation but it was truly rewarding. Sunday morning we worshipped in a Korean/American church in Anaheim, Michael Cranston, our middle child, sang with the choir from Hope International University and the choir and orchestra from the church. It was an amazing time of worship and praise and one of my old professors happened to be preaching that day, Bonus!

We are home and well rested and ready for the holiday season and the new year. I hope each of you are prepared to go to work! God has great things planned for His church in Fortson/Columbus and as faithful followers we need to step up and prepare the way for the lost.

May God bless each of us and our endeavors as we unite for the sake of the Kingdom.

Cranston

Already Friday and need to catch you up on what we are doing! The weather here is spectacular and we have been able to visit with most of our friends out here, of course we have spent a great deal of time with our boys. I think all we have done was eat though.

Last night we went to an indoor go-cart racing facility. This are not average go-carts, you have to where helmets and neck braces and racing suits with gloves. We raced with 8 other people but had to qualify before we actually raced, I qualified 4th! (not bad for the oldest one out there) I finished the race 5th just after my son but we beat 3 of the four "street racers" who talked a good talk but couldn't perform as promised. I think they all felt bad that the old man beat them so bad!

We are heading down to the San Diego area today, probably get to the beach either today or tomorrow, and spend some time with another old friend.

We are really getting a lot of rest and able to enjoy ourselves without much pressure to "have" to be anywhere, it is nice and relaxing.

Blog you tomorrow, if I don't forget!

Cranston

Its Tuesday, the second day of our vacation and we are currently sitting at the Salt Lake City airport waiting to go to LA. We spent the evening last night with 3 of my friends and their wives as we shared a meal, told tall tales and shared our lives. It is always fascinating to me to spend time with people from different parts of the country and to hear their perspective on faith, politics, parenting and all other things that come up in conversation.

Portland was cold and rainy and we are hoping for more moderate weather in LA, I am sitting here in shorts in anticipation. We hope to spend the day with our oldest son Michael Stephen and have dinner with both our boys and some other friends from the area. Michael Cranston (our #2 son) is the marketing manager at a restaurant called Ruby's and we get to eat for free!
If you travel through airports much you are aware at how interesting people are. I enjoy hearing their conversations,, some people are working, some are traveling for fun and then there are those who are traveling because of family crisis. But it is comforting that for the most part people are friendly and polite while we share this short time of our lives together.

Blog you tomorrow!

Cranston

Ok, so we really are not too good at keeping up with posting on our blog, but we really do mean well!

So I thought while I am on vacation and have a little extra time I would kind of log our journey, trust me it is "really" exciting!!

We left Columbus shortly after church Sunday and our daughter Eliza drove us to the airport. We cleared security around 3 pm in hopes of getting on a flight around 5 pm. Well, 5 pm came and went so we were bumped to a 7 pm flight. I don't know if any of you have ever flown to Portland but that is one of the longest flights you can take from Atlanta to a US location. "6 Hours", and of course I was in a middle seat between a man at least my size (rather large in the belly) and a woman with a 6 month old baby, I will let your imaginations fill in the rest.

We are in Portland all day Monday and leave for LA Tuesday morning to see our boys and many of our friends. I hope the weather is warmer in LA it is in the mid 50's and rainy here. Portland is an interesting city but I am not really crazy about the weather, it is a little too dark and wet for me. However, we are staying with friends who bring sunshine in to our lives (very poetic, huh?)

Well, keep us in your prayers as we travel and I will try to update you with hopefully more exciting details, remember we are going to LA so things could get weird fast!

Blessings,
Cranston and Maggie

What is God doing in the lives of kids these days?

Have you ever seen a kid, when it is time for them to do something they take seriously, step up and SHINE. I tell you, it makes a parent's heart skip a beat, but never more so than when they are SHINING for CHRIST.

For weeks these kids have worked to memorize the stories and verses of II Kings 5-8:15. Though I have quizzed them for an hour each week I did nothing to make them go home and study, I can take absolutely no credit at all for their knowledge of this text. You know, it's one thing to see them cut up in practice and fumble along through the text, but today it was like being in a dark room when someone turned the lights on. Eliza would buzz in and get those Toss-up questions securing her team the bonus questions. Courtney would rattle off verses so fast it would make a quizmaster's head spin. Addam, who joined the team only a week ago, caught his teammates by surprise (and himself too by the look on his face) when he picked up a couple of those Toss-up questions and carried them through questions from chapter 8. Their 4th teammate, Trevor, who is too young to compete, did his part by manning the buzzer board. The competition, while fun, was nothing compared to seeing these kids with a passion for God's Word.

Sitting at home tonight, grateful to have survived Atlanta traffic once again, I am filled with the awsome wonder of God. Among the 19 youth that participated in today's Georgia Bible Bowl League are the furture leaders God is setting apart for His Church and this Nation. In our midst we have our future Ministers, Teachers, Worship Leaders, Missionaries, possiblly even Senators or a President. What an awsome responsibility God has entrusted to us! As I tuck them in and kiss them goodnight, I thank God immensely for the honor.

Georgia Bible Bowl League Results of the 11/08/08 Round Robin:

Round Robin Competition:
1st Place - Mountain City
2nd Place - Northside Christian Church
3rd Place - First Christian Church of Roswell

Written Test Winners:
1st Place - Benjamin from Mountain City
2nd Place - Eliza from Northside Christian
3rd Place - Charlee from Mountain City

Great Job, Everyone!!