That bus looked too new anyhow.

We ran both of our new buses last Sunday for the first time, and they both ran just fine. Although they're closing on the 20-year-old mark, they both have relatively new engines and key components, and we look to get several years of good use out of them.

Of course, one of the bus-riders apparently decided a new bus looked too new -- she brought along a permanent marker with her and drew on the outside and inside of the bus. Of course, she then lied about it (and it's not like a ridiculous number of people, including an adult, hadn't seen her do it) and, once realizing she was caught, couldn't acknowledge that what she did was wrong. No wonder preachers have high blood pressure sometimes. Oh, well -- if the worst bus problem we have to deal with this week is cleaning some markings off a bus, we're SO blessed compared to the months before.

Sunday morning, a young woman visited with her children and mother-in-law. It turned out that a pair of our men had given her a brochure the preceding week. My wife and I visited her on Thursday night, and she decided to trust Christ to save her. Ironically, her husband is a car salesman I'd spoken to several times while we were shopping for a used van for the church, and he'd said repeatedly that he and his family were coming to church, but hadn't made it yet. The wife says they'll all be here this Sunday. A young man in jail also made a profession of faith with me this week. Both seemed very sincere in their professions.

Speaking of this Sunday, we celebrate homecoming at Bible Baptist Church tomorrow. Dr. Ray Stagno, the pastor I worked for in Staten Island, is preaching for us from Sunday through Wednesday. As it happens, my youngest brother is also in town for a couple days -- he came by to interview for basically my old job at the Pender Post. I'm rather hoping things will work out for him to move down here; he could be a big help in the church, and the church seems like an ideal place for what he is looking to accomplish in his life right now. And although he doesn't have newspaper experience (neither did I when I started with them), he's a diligent researcher, intelligent analyst, and hard worker. There's no telling if this will work out, but I think it could work out well for all concerned.