Olivia... update

Several months ago I posted a prayer request. This weekend Olivia is supposed to go home from the hospital with her mom and dad. I am so glad! Thanks for your thoughts and prayers.

Ready for a New Season...

I am ready for somethings to change. Wearing the constant hats of Dad, Husband, and Pastor while trying to work two jobs and care for my kids is insane! I've never been afraid of hard work. In a weird way I've often sought after it, being drawn to the challenges. But despite my best efforts it just seems like the wheels are spinning with out producing forward motion.

More and more, autumn is becoming my favorite season. In a desert where our seasons are nice, nice, nice, and extremely hot!... autumn is the first relief from extremely hot. I am looking forward to this autumn as a season of change once again. Leah will be finishing school. I don't think either of us knew what a huge impact this would have on the rest of our lives. We are both older and adding one more thing has had a much bigger effect than it used to. Regardless, Leah has learned a lot, including recession resistant marketable skills. Come the fall she should have more flexibility with her schedule, a means of income, and greater capacity to run our house the way she'd like to.

We are going to be be placed as a CARES team with apartment life christian ministries. We are already approved and just waiting for the where question to be answered. We will serve like chaplains / activity directors for an apartment complex, and receive severely discounted rent in exchange. Moving into an apartment seems backwards, but I am convinced the American dream of owning a home and a dog is overrated. I am also really looking forward to this opportunity to reach the un churched and demonstrate the love of Jesus in an apartment community. The reduction in rent may allow me to cut back on my other work hours and/or allow us to get ahead a little bit on the debt and bills front. The time I spend as a CARES team will overlap some with what I do for the church, and those two roles should really compliment each other. I also recieved a call from the area director this week to talk about a certain apartment possibility...in the same neighborhood we live in right now. If this works out, it would mean very little adjustment for our kids as far as friends and school and also for our daily commutes.

Olivia is going to start kindergarden. Both her and Isaac will be in school. We just need to come up with a plan for Abi and I will have a real plan to get sleep. I have found watching three kids and sleeping is impossible. Inevitably one will not happen. All this to say... I am hopeful for what's a head.

Right now we are all okay. I am thankful for the various ways God has provided for us, and I don't want to miss all the oppurtunities that exist here and now. I'm just wondering how long this will last.

Olivia

Somewhere in a hospital in Georgia there is a little girl who was born just yesterday, prematurely, only 25 weeks into pregnancy. Today she is fighting for life. I love her mom, despite some past hurts. I've never met her dad. Would you pray with me? May God bring good from all things.

Closing Time

So in my heart of heart I felt like speaking at youth camp was a book-end for a difficult season of ministry. We came home from camp only to be waiting still for some of the financial provision that we are planning on... but evidently still waiting for.

On Saturday my phone charger broke and and so did my car alternator. I understand these are minor inconveniences but seriously? Not really the evidence of the new season I was hoping for.

I was hopeful that Sunday at church would be a kind of homecoming with lots of excitement and record attendance. It was just another hot Phoenix Sunday with a lot of people missing and it's own unique struggles. Again, this is something I'm used to but it's not really indicative of a new season of harvest and fruitfulness.

I spent the entirety of Monday morning with Isaac at the dentist. He had a couple of fillings, a tooth extraction, and several crowns... Oh and lots of drugs to try to minimize the kicking and screaming. They had more work to do on the top but I stopped them when the bill hit $2,000. Welcome new season of monthly installments! It fills like another car payment... if only I could drive my son's baby teeth to work. CASH for CLUNKERS?

Today is meet the teachers night and it's also Leah's first day back at school. Today I got to take gum out of Olivia's hair and tomorrow both the girls get shots. Why does being a good parent involve so many opportunities to make your children scream?

Leah and I remain excited about what's ahead. I hope this real and a bit self pitying post doesn't cause folks to be concerned. I'm just realizing that there is still quite a bit of finishing to do in this new season.

Neighborhood Market

"Do you think this was the last store they built and they were really tired so they just made it smaller?" Asks Olivia, "Do you think so Dad?"

What my oldest daughter said after realizing the newly opened Fresh N Easy only has eight aisles.