As I write this article it

is cold outside, and when it is cold in Georgia, it is cold. Cold, however

is a relative term depending on where you are living.

We spent three glorious years

in Alaska from 1990 to 1993. We got there when it was truly a beautiful,

beautiful June summer day with 24 hours of sunshiny daylight. You could

literally fish for 24 hours in full sunshine until you dropped. Was that

a sportsman's dream or what?

One of the reasons those days

were so special was that our children were young and could experience

a completely different cultural adventure and environment. Nikki, our

daughter, was seven, and Robbie, our son, was five. Nikki was starting

her third grade in the fall, and Robbie the first grade.

When we got the news that we

were headed for Alaska, I immediately went to the phone and called my

wife, Dee. I said to her, "Are you sitting down?" I then said,

"Well, we are headed north."

Since she was born here in

Atlanta and reared in Philadelphia, she said, "Cool. Where?"

I said, "Very cool, but

a little further north. Alaska."

There was a gasp and a pause.

Now since I have been married

now for 28 glorious years, I have learned that a gasp and a pause can

mean a lot of things. It never ceases to amaze me at what can follow after

those two emotions. She, being the wonderful soldier that she is, has

also learned the same lessons that I had about doing what God tells you

to do and when He tells you to do it.

We looked at all our assignments

that way, and even today it is the same in the building of His House Community

Church. I often feel like Noah, who was told to build the ark. I don't

remember God telling him what was to follow but to just build.

And while I am on the subject,

we will be celebrating our 7th Jubilee Year at His House Sunday, March

21. We will have special music, speakers, and BBQ. If would like to come

and visit that Sunday, come on. We have secured the building loan (I wonder

if Noah had to go through the county planning, zoning and building departments

for his permits).