NTM

Hey, folks, how y’all doin’?

I’m doin’ all right. 

I think we have done 2 prayer letters since my last post and are due for another here very shortly.  First I want to thank you all for praying for us, and those of you who support us financially an extra thanks.  I’ll start with NTM related information.

NTM

General

I have joined the NTM lock-up team.  We make sure the facilities are all locked up and, during your scheduled time, act as the point man in the event of an emergency (power outage, etc…)  at the HQ.  It’s an opportunity to be involved.

Programming

Gravity

Since my last post I we have named the Personnel Records System project "Gravity".  We thinks its a cool name and that is fits since the project is designed to help "hold everything together".  We have had our system requirements meeting with key folks from around the world and have the background we need to work from. I have started to work on moving data from the existing system into the pre-beta version of the new SQL Server database.  This has allowed me to find some flaws in our design and plans as well as find "dirty" data, like birth dates that would have someone be 2000 years old!

NTMAA

NTM is updating its partnership development training and as part of that has a Donor\Contact Management software package it is recommending for NTMers to use.  As part of this I was asked to create a program that allows the missionaries to download their statement data from the NTMAA system to import into the Donor management software.

You may recall that I had written some programs that allowed HQ’s to more easily transfer receipts between systems.  Well that has been redone to allow us to do the same thing between HQ’s and the fields.  This is a big time-saver for the accounting department(s) as this can be hundreds of transactions that had been entered in the source system and then were being re-entered in the destination system. 

Church

In January I was voted in as a Trustee at Palmetto Avenue Baptist Church.  It was quite a surprise when I was asked to consider serving in this capacity and then even more surprising when I was elected!

I am still leading a Men’s group on Wednesday nights and we are currently studying relationships between men in the Bible.  We have studied David and Jonathan, Elijah and Elisha, and Paul and Barnabas.  This is going well and our best studies have been when we veer "off course" and discuss an issue one of the guys is dealing with or has encountered.

We are currently in the midst of our missions conference and, boy do they do it up!  We have an Olympic theme and for the last month we have been being prepped by short videos of the torch being carried to the church by 70’s era runners.  Funny and effective.  At our kickoff last night I was asked to particpate by carrying in the flag from one of our particpating missionaries countries and present those missionaries with the official conference T-shirt.  Here are a couple of pictures of me in costume. 

    

Personal

I have been able to take advantage of living in the city by becoming involved with OPASS (Orlando Professional Association of SQL Server) by attending user group meetings and events.  I also attended a seminar on Successful Technical Speaking.  This was presented by the President of OPASS (owner of a SQL Server training and consulting business) as a way to encourage SQL Server professionals to speak at seminars and events.  He also encouraged us to start a "professional" blog so I have created a blog at www.wiseman-wiseguy.blogspot.com.  If you have any interest in SQL Server, programming, or sports you can check it out as I will be trying to write there on a regular basis.

I have also submitted an article on SQL Server Integration Services to SQLServerCentral.com.  It has not been published yet, and may not be, but I thought I’d give it a try.

Another NTMer was given 2 tickets to an Orlando Magic game and was unable to use them.  He offered them to me and, of course, I said, "Sure, I’d love to go".  I took Evan and we had a great time.  The seats were awesome.  We were in the lower bowl in the SECOND ROW!  The only seats in front of us were floor seats.  You know, where they have waitstaff to get your concessions.   Evan got on the Jumbotron, too!  I think he’ll remember that for quite awhile.

My parents are visiting us this week.  We just got back from going out to dinner with Al and Leora Host at Golden Corral down by Disney.  We had a great time visiting with them and they enjoyed seeing my folks as well.

Also this week Marshall and Marion Santy stopped by for an evening.  They graciously took us out to dinner as well.  It was great to see them.

So far we have had Todd, Ellen, and Phoebe Ross, Dick and Lynn Cushman, and Marshall and Marion Santy stop by to see us from our home church.  Marilyn Jenkins from Grace Brethren Church in Island Pond, VT, also came by to see us.  And of course, now my folks have come down.  When will get to see you here in Florida?  We’d love to see y’all!

Have a great day and God Bless. 

Oh and don’t forget, its too late to tell me not to make a fool of myself!

While we are privileged to be part of the NTM team that is sharing God’s Talk with remote tribes around the world, we also want to share the Good News with people around us here in Sanford.

Please pray that our lives would radiate Christ, and that we would be faithful to engage in conversation and share tracts with folks around us at the park, in the mall, in waiting rooms or in lines, or wherever God nudges us to talk to someone.

So many are hopeless and need to know that God loves them and has provided a way of escape!