Category: Stuff (Page 31 of 65)

Happy New Year!

It’s a new year. New beginnings. All that jazz…

BreakThru was great, as expected. It was a great time to get to know some people I’d not been around much and get to know other people better. I felt a little behind on the learning curve since there was even a 5th grader there with us who’d been going for over 7 years! But next year should be a bit smoother, but of course I’ll have some sort of responsibility with the running of the camp by then. Most of the guys tell me to take ahold of Security. Apparantely it was ruled w/ an Iron Fist this year.

We’re housesitting right now for some friends, keeping their dog. They live out by The Resevoir. It is a bit of a drive to get to work/church/etc. But it’s nice to have a place where you can leave stuff out and pick it up when you want to (or when your wife finally asks you to), where you can turn the TV up as loud as you want, and you can eat breakfast in your underwear if you so choose. Man, we’ve GOT to get a place of our own soon!

We went and looked at two rental places yesterday. One was scary. The shower had dirty globs of what looked like slime/hair/mildew on the side of the tub, and there was a lizard in a closet. We then looked at another place that was just about 400 yards away. Nice, clean, neat, newly painted. But they don’t know if they’ll do a 6 month lease on it or not. We’re supposed to look at a house for rent tomorrow. Four BR actually! We’ll see how it goes.

We’re hoping to get a 6 month lease and sell our old house in the meantime. Jan/Feb really isn’t a high time in the housing market from what I’ve been told. So hopefully it will sell before summer. But the semi-month of The Wife and the girls being back at the old house has been tough on all of us. The Wife called once so my daughter could tell me she woke up one morning crying, “I want my Daddy!”

But God’s taking care of us. I’ve no doubt. And He’s trying to teach us all something in all this too. Now I just gotta find it!

Much love to everyone. Until next time…

Well, it’s the new year now. How does it feel? That’s something my dad always used to ask me on my birthdays, “Well, do you feel any older?” Today hasn’t really felt any different from last year yet. Or at least last month. I’ve not had to write a check yet, so I’ll need to practice my “05” for my checks.

We got back from BreakThru last night. Good camp. It was really fun and all. But it had been built up so huge for so long…but the church has a long time tradition of going there. Bad thing was The Wife got pretty sick while we were there. Nothing serious (we think) but enough to leave her in the room/bed for a while with a 6 week old while I take the 3 year old out to the regular camp stuff. Thankfully there were dozens of kids who loved on The Kid a lot.

That was a point of concern in our leaving our old church. The Kid had been born there and everyone from that church had almost helped to raise her. They loved her a lot and she them. Would the new church take her in is as readily? Would the new youth group play with her and love on her as much? I figured so, but you never know.

But no worries. She’s made so many new friends (teen friends) who think she’s pretty cool. It’s been fun to watch. This whole past month has been good. Tiring at times though. But like I said once earlier, you enter the whole situation wondering, “Will they think I’m cool or that I’m a dork?” I think it’s probably a mixture of both by now. But I’ve seemed to have been well received.

Now that it’s the new year and new semester and all that jazz….maybe before long we’ll begin to see a few changes in the youth ministry. Not sure exactly what at this point, but I really want to work more with the college students who are helping out with the youth ministry. They are such an asset right now. I want to see them be used more if possible. They seem so willing to serve.

We’re still living out of suitcases. Thankfully we can “live” normally this week. We’re house/dog sitting for some friends. It’s not IN my new city, but close enough. Already, having been here for barely 24 hours, it feels so good to have a space of our own. Not being cooped/cramped up in a room of a larger house. I know it’s only for a week. But it’s going to go good for us. Great news is that we’re going to have some financial help from our church to rent a place locally. That will be SUCH a blessing. The housing market seems to run in cycles and the Jan-Feb is the lowest point of the year supposedly. So it still may be a while on the sale of the house. So if you think of it, keep all that in prayer.

Bowl games are demanding to be watched. And new books for Christmas are needing to be read. Plus family stuff.

I won’t be such a stranger from now on….

I’m few and far between on these updates now. Life is crazy. But good. But sometimes you think you’re following God’s will, and you step out, and then I think he lets you sorta hang there alone out in the open for a while.

Life is both good and difficult at the same time. So pray for our family that we cherish the time that we have to spend together. Pray that our Christmas is really a meaningful time, not just rushing around so we can let people see us. Christmas is partly about family, yes. But not at an all out expense of not being able to be still. We’ll see. We really don’t seem to have a “home base” right now.

Working at the new church is good. Hectic in some ways, but there are good people and good students and all here. Really looking forward to living in a house with my own family. Got camp next week. Supposed to be crazy cool. Really looking forward to that as well.

Merry Christmas, everyone. I love you all!

Friday’s Feast #28

Appetizer
What is something that never fails to grab your attention?
Tornado Sirenes

Soup
Who was the last person who gave you money, and what was it for?
A guy from my message board sent me $10 to help pay for upkeep costs.

Salad
If you were a Smurf, what would your name be?
Whitey Smurf

Main Course
Do you believe in astrology? Why or why not?
No. God’s against it.

Dessert
Have you seen any snow this year yet? What’s the weather like today in your area?
I saw some on Monday Night Football earlier this week. Today it’s cold with a 100% chance of cold tomorrow.

I know it’s been a while since I’ve posted anything of any merit. Not saying that this will be of merit either, but it’s worth a shot.

Last Tuesday I drove down here to start my job. Wednesday and Thursday were whilrwinds of activity. Everyone showing me the ropes and whatnot. I was able to go back home for a brief weekend and then back down here. My step-mom’s mom actually rode w/ me. So I didn’t get to turn on the radio or talk any on the phone because she told me stories for 3 hours. Man that was a long trip. She has some family near here or something like that.

But Sunday was my first Sunday here. I spoke briefly at both services that morning. I actually expected to be nervous, but wasn’t at all. None. I was probably more nervous when I was back at my old church and speaking to the crowd than I was here. I felt wiped out in the afternoon, but rejuvinated w/ a mini-nap. Then the first youth group meeting of my new ministry. There were about 3 times as many folks there last night as I usually had at my old church. But again, no nervousness.

So I made it almost a week here now. Today was my first staff meeting. First prayer breakfast tomorrow. Still getting my feet wet. And it will be a while until I’m settled in.

Please pray for my house to sell.

I’m not sure if it was the right decision or not. I’ll tell you in a few weeks.

From Friday’s Feast

Appetizer
Tell about a toy you remember from your childhood.
My Big Wheel. It was cool. You could go out in the driveway and get going like supersonic speed, then pull the little handbrake and skid all over the place and spin around. You could get going really fast on the concrete and then go into the gravel and throw rocks everywhere too. Made me feel like I was on the Dukes of Hazard.

Soup
If you could make one thing in the world absolutely free for everyone, what would it be?
Food? Health care?

Salad
Approximately how many times per day do you think about your significant other?
Well, since she’ll read this, I’ll say about 3 times a minute.

Main Course
Name something you believe in 100%.
Jesus Christ.

Dessert
List 3 things you did this year that you would consider a “good deed.”
Gave some money to help a friend in need anonymously, didn’t vote for John Kerry, bought The Wife a treadmill.

Appetizer
How much money do you plan to spend this upcoming holiday season?
Not too much. I will want to buy some thing for my wife/daughter. My youngest daughter doesn’t need much and doesn’t get into much…and the grandparents usually get the kids too much anyway.

Soup
What was the last television show you watched, and was it good?
Watched Survivor last night. It’s always good. Oh, yeah, watched C.S.I. after it..it was good too.

Salad
If you had to paint the walls of your living room tomorrow, what color would you choose?
A more cool grey color with maroon trim maybe? But I do like navy and deep green.

Main Course
Name something clever or practical you have thought of that should be invented, but hasn’t yet.
What, amd let someone steal my idea?

Dessert
List 3 things you would like to receive as gifts this holiday season.
A new house in a primo neighborhood, a plasma television (big screen), and either an iPod or a phat video camera.

It’s November 23rd. The highs are in the upper 60’s, possibly low 70’s. How crazy is that?

I don’t mind it though.