Today was our staff meeting and about 50% of the time Earl will either buy or bring in lunch for the staff. Today he feed us one of Kim’s meatloaf’s (which are excellent by the way) in a dish pan. Other than the fact that I now blow bubbles when I talk it was a great meeting and meal.

As promised yesterday, here are a couple of other things that happened this weekend.

• Friday was Christmas for Lisa and I and it was wonderful.
• I was able to pick-up some new books I’ve been wanting to read, some clothes and I still have a little left over to get something else either for myself or someone else.
• We also used the day to shop for some new furniture for the new house.
• AHHHHH…too many choices.
• To put a little damper on the day’s festivities, we learned that there will be some minor things that will need to be fixed on our current house before the buyers can get their VA loan.
• It’s funny that the home inspector didn’t come up with anything, but the VA loan inspector did.
• Our Christmas dinner consisted of stopping by Outback Steakhouse for carry-out and then coming home to eat and watch a movie.
• I love our Christmas tradition…I highly recommend it.
• Saturday morning was the last of the small group trainings.  I’m excited that so many people have stepped forward to lead groups and that with Dan’s help, they have now been properly trained.
• I big part of the training was on DVD from a friend of mine by the name of Brett Eastman.  I had called Brett last week to see if he’d be willing to do a quick, “hi, how ya doin’, you can do it” kind of thing for each of our trainings but I got his answering machine.  It was funny then on Saturday after the last of the trainings had wrapped up that I get an unexpected call from Brett saying, “hey sorry I’m just now getting back to you” what did you need.   Oh well, maybe next time.
• Saturday afternoon consisted of a Corn Hole tournament to benefit Dirk Detweiler’s up-coming missions trip to Haiti.
• I had never played it before but it was a lot of fun.
• My playing partner was a good friend of mine from my small group named Bill Mellott. 
• There were 20+ teams who were broken down into 4 divisions.  You played each of the teams in your division twice and then the top 2 teams from each division went on to a single elimination tournament.
• Bill and I were robbed!
• The first part was quite legit.  Cindy Betz on her final throw hit the only shot she could to beat us.  The only analogy I can think of to describe it is that it was like us being up by 2 points in the final seconds of a basketball game and someone hitting a desperation full court shot at the buzzer to win by 1. 
• Nice shot Cindy…even if it was lucky!  ;)
• Our other heart-breaker came against 2 kids.  The younger one was allowed to stand a little closer to the target to make it easier for him but we still won the first game 21-1.
• The second game we switched sides but he still was using the same line to throw from which meant he was now only feet away from the target.  I initially thought, “oh well no big deal we should still be able to pull this off.”  And besides I didn’t want to be a bad guy and go tell a kid I didn’t know that he needed to back up.  But then as the game progressed he got closer and closer until he was within about 3 feet of the target.  We should have said something but we didn’t and thus we lost 22-19.
• If my calculations are correct those two losses kept us from advancing to the next round.
• Didn’t really matter anyway…Kris Shifler and Jerry Snyder were machines taking down anyone and everyone on their way to the championship.  Congrats guys.
• The big winner though was the Kingdom.  Dirk raised enough money not only for himself but also to help someone else go as well.  Can’t wait to hear the stories of how God uses them to serve in Haiti.
• Saturday night was a birthday party for my one grandmother.  As I said in the message yesterday, all 3 of my grandparent’s have been having health issues and it wouldn’t surprise me at all if for this particular grandparent we didn’t just celebrate her last birthday here on this earth.
• Last night’s CAYA meeting was a lot of fun.  21 people altogether came for the first meeting of the year.  This one was basically a social time of games, food and hanging out.
• I can’t wait for their next meeting on the 24th when they get into their actual study their doing called “Get Uncomfortable.”  Doesn’t sound good, but it really is.
• Brian Miller did a great job of leading last night and I think God has big plans for him!
• Afterwards, a lot of us stayed to play the Wii.  For some reason everyone wanted to challenge me to a boxing match. 
• I guess it’s everyone’s dream to be able to knock out the pastor at some point. 
• I held my own, winning some and losing some, but by the end I was tired.
• All in all a great weekend…so this week, “Gilbert Thurston had the Best Week Ever.”  (Inside joke from yesterday’s message)