Thursday 27 November 2008

Thanksgiving

Hello again!

Today is Thanksgiving and all of Pastor David and Carol's family are here - there are 14 people altogether and 1 sheep (that's me!) There is lots and lots of food and we are having so much fun. Ruth and I didn't really know what Thanksgiving is all about, so our new friend Isaac told us (he is Carol and David's grandson. He said that, many years ago when the first people came to live in America, they found it really hard and lots of them died. Some Indians helped them out by bringing them food and teaching them how to survive here. So the people decided to have a day called Thanksgiving to thank God for His help, for their food and for their friends who helped them out so much. It's still going on today after many years and I have to say I've really enjoyed it! It's a lovely sunny day and everyone is outside playing with frisbees. They are working off the huge dinner they just had so there is room for some dessert!

On Tuesday Ruth and I went to visit Pastor Kent and Sandi Reynolds. They have been at the Link lots of times and they asked lots of questions about how everyone is getting on. They loved to hear about all the things that have been going on back home in Dunfermline! It was really good to see them again. Sandi was busy getting ready for Thanksgiving too so Ruth went with her to help her do some shopping!

Tuesday 25 November 2008

We've been to St James Church!

Hi everyone!

We had a very busy weekend with our friends Bill and Vivien Arnold and it was loads of fun! On Friday night we went to see a basketball game. Ruth thought it would just be some guys playing basketball but there was a lot more than that going on! There was a band,girls dancing, cheerleaders and two huge bulldogs - well, Ruth said it was just men dressed up in costumes but they still looked a bit scary to me. They were a bit silly at times though. The basketball game was exciting and the Georgia Bulldogs team won which made everyone really happy. One of the players was 7 feet tall! They were all big and I felt even more tiny than usual.

On Saturday we had a pancake breakfast at the church. There were lots of people there because they were having a workday so we met some new friends. I met a lovely girl from Russia - she has been adopted by a family in St James. I had my picture taken with her and I'll tell you more about her when I get home. We were back at St James on Sunday and went to 3 different meetings. We met some more people who have been to our church - Bobby, Chris, LaMurl, Bill and Glen were all there and they were excited to see Ruth in their church! We met lots of new people too and they were all so kind.

We came back to Carol and David's yesterday afternoon. Carol works with the older people in St James Church, helping them in lots of different ways, and she took us to meet three of them on the way home. They were lovely and very interesting to listen to as they told lots of stories about their lives and their families. I think it's not surprising at all that Carol loves to spend so much time with them. They love her very much too.

Friday 21 November 2008

Stone Mountain was fun!

Hello!

We had a wonderful time at Stone Mountain! We arrived on Wednesday evening and went for a little walk around. It was dark so all the Christmas lights were on - there were lots of quaint little shops and unusual buildings and Christmas music playing in the background. It felt like we were in a film about Santa or something! Then we went out for dinner - yum! We had lots of things to choose from. Sheep don't normally go on diets, but I think I'll need to after this holiday! Our waitress was very kind and friendly. Her name was Nina and she is from Croatia. I've never been there but I would like to go if everyone is as nice as Nina is! We told her about all the places I have been to then I had my picture taken with her. The next morning we went to see the 4D film at Stone Mountain Park. The film was Polar Express and we had to wear funny glasses to watch it. It was a bit scary for me in one bit because it was like we were on a very fast roller coaster. We kept getting splashed with icy water and it somehow seemed a bit windy at times in there, but it was good fun. We did some shopping before we came back.

In the afternoon Ruth and I went to visit Mary Redman - she has been to our church twice before, the last time was just last year, so it was fun to see her again. She has 3 dogs, the two big ones were ok as they weren't interested in me. But the little one kept trying to sniff me out of Ruth's bag! It was a bit scary - after all the amazing places I've been to and survived, I thought I might end up being a snack for an American dog! But then Ruth zipped me into a pocket so I was saved. It was such a warm day we were able to sit outside for a while. It was a lovely time and Ruth and Mary had a great time chatting.

We're off to spend the weekend with Bill and Vivien Arnold - they have been to the Link too but a long time ago now. Ruth told me we will have a wonderful time there because they are so kind!

Wednesday 19 November 2008

Madison

Hello!

Yesterday I went with Ruth, Carol and her daughter, Mary, to the town of Madison which is about an hour from here. Madison has some beautiful and really interesting old houses. I think they are called Colonial buildings. Carol and Mary told us that, during the American Civil War, the soldiers were going throughout the South burning all the towns and cities. But the women who lived in Madison begged them not to destroy their town and agreed that the soldiers could stay there when they were passing through this area, and that they would look after their injured soldiers. So Madison wasn't burned to the ground and it's about the only place that has all it's old Colonial style houses! It's a beautiful town and we found some interesting shops there too. We went to a coffee shop - I'm not sure if it was for breakfast or lunch because it was in the middle of the morning - and I got to try some grits. As you know, I'm a mission sheep so I'll try to eat anything I'm given. Grits are not so good as grass though.

Today Ruth and Carol are taking me to a place called Stone Mountain. We are staying all night and it sounds like it's going to be great fun! I'll let you know what I see there later.

We haven't seen Pastor Iain and Norma again but we know they are really really busy all the time. They leave tomorrow for home so please pray that they can have a good safe journey home and that God helps them to have a good rest.

Monday 17 November 2008

Yesterday was fun!

Hello again!

I just want to tell you about the busy day we had yesterday. Our friend David is Pastor of two small churches here, and we went to one of them with him and Carol yesterday morning. It is called Corinth United Methodist Church. There weren't many people there, maybe about 3o, but they made us feel very special and were so glad we were there. Pastor David introduced me and Ruth and told all the people about my adventures in all the different countries I've been to. We sang some great hymns and Carol played the piano. At the end, all the people there gathered at the front and we had our picture taken with them. Some of them had been to Scotland and told us about the places they had visited.

Guess where we went for lunch after that... KFC! I was surprised they have it here, but Ruth said KFC started out in America then came to Scotland. (Not Kids For Christ, of course.)

Then we went to a service in a retirement home called Iris Place. It was beautiful, a lovely home, and we met some really lovely people who live there too. A few of them came to the service, and Pastor David let me and Ruth get up and introduce ourselves and tell the people about all the things we both do. They loved me, I could just tell! Some of them had been to Scotland too, and one lady said she had ancestors who came from Scotland. That was lots of years ago though, even more years than the grown ups in KFC have been alive!

I'll be back soon...

Friday 14 November 2008

I'm in America!

Hello everyone!

I'm very happy because I'm now on my retreat! We're staying with our friends, Dave and Carol Staton, in their lovely home. It has trees all around it and sometimes deer come into the backyard! I haven't seen them yet but we'll get a picture if they do that while we're here. There are lots of different birds here too, ones we didn't know the names of, and they come to eat seed and things on the porch.

We had a long journey so we've all been tired since we got here. Ruth and I have had lots of time to rest which is great, but Pastor Iain and Norma are very busy going to lots of places and meeting up with lots of people. They have gone to a place called North Carolina this weekend to speak to some people who are having a weekend retreat there. Remember to pray for them because they need lots of God's strength to do all the things they have to do!

Thats all for now but I'll write more later.

Monday 10 November 2008

I'm going on holiday!

Hello everyone!

I'm very excited because tommorrow I'm off on my travels again. It's a bit different this time though because I'm not going on a really really busy trip. Ruth is going out to Athens, Georgia (that's in the USA) with Pastor Iain and Norma - they're going to be speaking at a retreat for some friends of mine - and Ruth is going with them to see what's all happening out there, meet up with some friends and have some time to chill. Well, since I've been on sooooo many trips over the past 3 years, Ruth said it was time I had a proper holiday and asked me to come along with her! I'm very pleased because I feel quite tired and would like a nice rest before my next mission trip. I'll write more when we're there and let you know when we do interesting things. But I better finish packing my little suitcase and have an early night - we leave at 3.30 am tommorrow! Yawn...