Two Great Organizations to Support

While at the Catalyst Conference two weeks ago, I was certainly moved by two organizations that are making a difference in our world - Hope International and Compassion International.  Let me tell you a little about each.

Hope International is “a Christian faith-based, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization focused on alleviating physical and spiritual poverty through microenterprise development.”  In other words, they collect donations and then LOAN that money out to entrepreneurs in impoverished situations.  The small loans enable these men and women to grow their businesses and support their families.  The loans, of course, are paid back.  The money is then recycled into another loan to help another family.  Wow.  Great idea.  At Catalyst, Hope International gave away over $120,ooo to the Catalyst attendees (approximately 13,000 of us).  Each person received $10 and then was challenged to turn their $10 into $100 and send it back to Hope to become a loan for a needy family.  That $120,000 has the potential to become 1.2 million if all of us successfully multiply our gift.  To learn more about the microlending program, visit their site at www.neverendinghope.org.

Compassion International is an organization most of us have already heard of.  Compassion offers the opportunity to sponsor children in poverty at the cost of $38 per month.  Each sponsorships helps provide opportunitiy for education, health living, and connection with a church family that will help the child understand the love and grace of God through His Son Jesus.  At Catalyst, I had the opportunity to witness the live testimony of a young Kenyan man named Jimmy who was sponsored through Compassion and who’s life was changed.  There at Catalyst, as Jimmy shared his story, he also got to meet his sponsor there on stage in an incredible emotional exchange of tears and gratitude.  To see this powereful moment, click here.

Just two weeks ago, we collected a special offering at church.  Over $450 was donated to send $100 to Hope International and to sponsor a child through Compassion.  Our childs name is Frank January Manyanda.  He is pictured above.  He i s 7 years old and lives in Tanzania.  When we receive our sponsorship packet, I will let you know how you can contribute and support Frank through our church.

Thank you all for giving!

My Bumper Crop

So, gardening has always had this strange appeal to me.  So this spring/summer, I finally got around to planting some things.  I planted some tomatoes, cucumbers and a watermelon.  So far, so good.  The cucumbers reached “maturity” today, so I harvested.  I think I had nine total, but I left one on the vine hoping that it continues to grow.  The tomatoes still have at least 3 weeks left, and probably five more for the watermelon.  My little man (Jackson) and I have enjoyed going out to check our garden each day and view the progress.

Anyway…you see the two pics of my cucumbers.  The one pic is representative of my lack of photography skills.  The other snap is inspired by my favorite food blogger, Abbie K!  You can check out her great photograhpy and recipes here!

Dinner and a Show!

A few years ago, when “youth pastor” was one of the many hats I got to wear,  our youth minstry put on a dinner theatre called “Dinner at Luigi’s.”  I got pegged for the part of “Luigi.”  I was a cranky Italian cook who ran a restaurant.  It was the easiest of all the characters.  I pretty much had one line.  Throughout the show,  I would occasionally step out of the kitchen (from offstage) and yell “Whatsa matter for you, eh!” at the other characters.  It was a bit of comic relief.

Anyway…my former youth ministry is back in the theatre business again.  They are performing another show to help the teens raise money for their mission trip to Alaska.  Their mission in Alaska will be both repairing homes of the poor or elderly, and coordinating backyard Bible clubs for a number of communities.  If you’d like to help these kids get to Alaska, buy some tickets to their newest show, “Jerusalem P.D.”   It is a take off on the old TV show “Dragnet”, complete with “Joe Thursday.”  Tickets are $15 each.  Dinner includes steak, potato, bread, salad, dessert, etc.  Chances are the acting won’t be ready for the Durham Performing Arts Center, but should be a fair night of entertainment with some good food. 

There will be two showings – Friday, May 22nd, and Saturday, May 23rd, both at 6:30pm.  Let me know if you’d like to go.  Tickets are required as seating will be limited.  Make checks payable to “Ephesus Baptist Church” and put “Youth Mission Trip” in the memo line.

Eat BBQ, Do Good.

Okay, so I borrowed today’s blog title from Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee.  Their tag line is “Drink Coffee, Do Good.”  I hope you’ll do that, but I hope you’ll also eat some BBQ and do some good for some friends of mine.  The Ephesus Baptist Church Youth Department is raising money for their mission trip to Alaska.  If you love Eastern North Carolina BBQ like I do, you don’t want to miss this opportunity.  Be sure to drop by Ephesus Baptist on Friday, May 1, from 11am to 7pm to pick up some BBQ.  As a eastern NC BBQ connoisseur(click here for must see video), I have a hard time finding BBQ around here that I deem adequate.  So, I will not miss getting some of the real McCoy from the EBC youth on May 1.  You can call in orders, pick it up, have it delivered, deliver it to your friends and/or coworkers – whatever.  The food is great and you’ll be helping a great cause.

And while I’m on the subject of area BBQ, here’s my top places to go for good (notice my emphatic emphasis of good with bold, italics and underlining!) eastern NC style BBQ:

• Barbeque Lodge.  On Capital Blvd. in Raleigh, the Barbeque Lodge is my first choice for the Raleigh area (right now) for BBQ.  And don’t just get the BBQ – order family style.  It’s the way to go.  And, as a bonus, they have corn sticks (which I know means nothing to many of you!)
• Ron’s Barn in Coats.  It’s a whale of a drive out to Ron’s Barn, but some great country cooking and BBQ.
• Backyard Bistro.  The Bistro is a brand new restaurant that just opened on Trinity Road in Raleigh, next to the RBC Center.  A friend of mine is the owner and supplier of BBQ there (he also is cooking the BBQ for the EBC fundraiser!).
• Old Time BBQ.   Old Time is on Hillsborough St. in Raleigh.  Not my absolute favorite, but it’ll do.
• Smokey’s BBQ Shack.  Honorable mention – Smokey’s on Highway 54 in Morrisville.  Smokey’s is not, I repeat, is not, eastern NC style BBQ, but it is one of the rare BBQ that isn’t eastern NC style that I like.  Great food.  Check it out.

That’s eat.  If you’re hungry, give me a call!

Wali na kuku and Food Shuttle

Courtney made Wali na Kuku for dinner tonight.  What is Wali na Kuku?  It is the other recipe I brought home with me from Tanzania.  “Wali” is rice and “kuku” is chicken.  For the most part, it is a rice, chicken, onion, and puree’d tomato soup.  Oh, and lots of salt!   It’s amazing.  Pics below.

Also, over the weekend, some of us Bridgers volunteered at the Inter-faith Food Shuttle that is located near the Farmer’s Market.  We didn’t know exactly what we would be doing, but we ended up dismantling and washing many of the racks they store food on.  It was glamourous work, but needed.  It was great to serve.  The best part is just being able to connect with those who volunteered and “do life together.”

Chris looks like he's dancing!

*Fondue Date Night

Courtney and I scored tickets to the Carolina Hurricanes game tonight!  We are going with the Morrisville Chamber of Commerce, compliments of Progress Energy.  We have “luxury suite” tickets!  We have VIP parking, and the luxury box will probably have all the food we can eat!  Lucky for us!  Go Canes!

(Fondue Date Night is an inside joke between Court and I and a reference to an “Everybody Loves Raymond” episode.)

$23,800+

That’s right – $23,800+ was raised for the Walker family in their battle against cancer through the McDonald’s fundraiser!  It was so great to go by the McDonald’s and see cars everywhere, police managing traffic, standing room only inside the building, etc.  Thanks for everyone who was able to participate in this cause!  Keep praying for Kristi.

Kristi Winters Walker Update

Thanks to everyone who continues to pray for Kristi and her family. She has been in the hospital a lot lately and needs us to pray all the more. Tomorrow is an opportunity for us to help Kristi and her family financially. Between 11am and 11pm tomorrow (Feb. 5), the Lake Pine McDonalds is going to contribute half of it’s sales to the Walker family. Also, there will be someone at the McDonalds to receive donations. This MCDonalds is located on Highway 64 in Apex. I hope you can stop by and eat and make a contribution.

Toot N Tell

Okay, so let’s get past the fifth grade jokes about “toot n tell” and let me tell you what you’re missin’!  The Toot N Tell is a restaurant in Garner, NC that has the best breakfast you will ever find, if you’re a southerner.  Before I say anymore about the breakfast, let me explain the name.

I’m told that the name came from the fact that when the restaurant began, it had a drive through window (they still do I believe) and people would drive up, “toot” their horn, and “tell” their order. Voila – “Toot n Tell.”

Anyway…I love the Toot n Tell and regret the fact that it is way out of my way to go there.  You pretty much have to know how to get there in order to find it.  It’s off the beaten path, and you can’t get there from here.  And the breakfast is out of this world.  It’s not that other’s couldn’t cook the same things, it’s just that it is somehow better at the Toot n Tell.

Anyway…my breakfast of choice is the two egg special.  Two eggs, over easy, grits with red-eye gravy, toast and fatback.  When I first started going to the Toot n Tell, I believe the special cost 2.80.  It eventually went to $3.20.  I don’t know what it is today (didn’t pay attention when I went yesterday) but I do know my total bill, including coffee, ws $5.35!!!

Okay, so let me explain “red-eye gravy” and “fatback” since I know many of you non-southerners have no idea what I am talking about.  Red-eye gravy is made by cooking country ham and leaving the grease residue in the pan.  Then, the cook pours coffee into the pan which mixes with ham residue and there you have it – red-eye gravy!  And it is sooo good.  Fatback.  Also known as “salt pork” and “streak of lean.”  To me, it’s like bacon on steroids.  It is basically pig fat with a small “streak of lean” meat running through it that is heavily cured in salt and fried like bacon.  It is a heart attack waiting to happen but I would eat it every day if I could.  Most people know fatback more from being used to season green beans.  The Toot N Tell is the only place I know that you can order fatback, which is good, since it is so unhealthy to eat it.

Anyway…I’ll post a couple more pictures below.  Let me know if you want to make a breakfast run to the Toot N Tell!

 

College Fantasy Football Champ

Well, out of being a part of two college fantasy football leagues (among friends), I managed to win one and place third in the other!  Today was my victory lunch for winning the one league.  The guys surprised me with a trophy and Ed got a trophy from Carl for a side wager (pictured below).  Also pictured below is Guy with his last place gift.  Thanks for the victory lunch guys!