Whatever Takes Us Away

When it rains it pours, and when it pours here, sometimes that liquid comes from two orafices from six diffferent people. What an interesting two days we've had here in Bethel.

I got a call from Tina Wednesday evening while at work, she said Noah had gotten sick in our room, and when she went to clean that mess, she, in turn, got sick. I got off the phone with her and suddenly I felt an uneasiness in my stomach. I had an hour lef† at work, and to make things worse, I was supposed to help someone move the following day - being sick would make that near impossible to do. After getting home, helping clean up messes here and there, I started to feel even worse. Noah continued to get sick, mostly dry heaving every few minutes, and Tina was making more frequent trips to the bathroom as well.

While I tried to get Noah's bed cleared off, I heard the sound of rushing water, quite near my head. I looked up to the top bed, and there's Jake spewing towards the wall, which ran down the wall and onto Noah's bed a little more. I started to feel even worse. I got both of the boys beds' cleared from blankets, sheets, pillows and varied stuffed creatures, got temporary floor beds set up for them and got a bucket for themm to share.

My turn! At least I got the boys taken care of before I started getting sick. However, no sooner did I finish my first round then Madison started. We've had sickness in the house before, even had a couple, maybe even three at once, but this was unheard of. Five out of six, all jockeying for position in the bathroom. I attempted to get some of the soiled laundry to the laundry room, placing larger items on the back porch. I didn't have much time between meetings, but made the most of my precious time. Luckily, Madison's mess wasn't nearly as bad as the boys.

Boys setteled? Check. Madison setteled? Check. Mom's doing her thing? Yep. Dad? He's there. We got in bed, hoping that it would pass, or we'd at least be able to rest a while. Not to be so! But wait, there's more! We still had one more little person to join the club. Annika was the last, but made no less a mess than anyone else. I was curled up on the bed, nearly sleeping, and Tina tended to the smallest of the bunch.

Finally, peace, solace, quite, sleep. Time on deck: 3:35 am. I got home from work at 11:21 pm. I know I got out of bed at least four times before 7:05 am. Things had setteled down dramatically, the house smelled horrible (a puke factory if you will), but I was feeling a bit better. So I drank water, slowly drank water.

The rest of the day was better for most of us. Jake, Madison, Annika and myself were feeling better and well enough to eat dinner (Mac & Cheese & Chicken Noodle soup). By 9:30 Tina was feeling better, we had some ice cream and popsicles and watched TV for a bit. We got ready for bed, and eventually the day ended. The rain had ended. And we've lived to see another day.

Grief is never easy, friendships are the same.

I received a phone call while at work, a great friend for over 10 years now, and I hear quite a bustle of noise in the background. And I ask. He tells me he's at the airport, on his way back to St. Louis after finding out about his grandfather passing away. I sense frustration, anxiety, loss, grief and pain in his voice. We talk. We laugh. I listen to him vent - we could all use that once in a while can't we?

He's a military man, currently the Army. I met him while in the Marine Corps, we served together, worked together, lived together and became like brothers. He returned from a one year stay in Iraq just recently and I'm sure he is still adjusting to life in CONUS (Continental U.S.) with his wife in California, and now this.

Sometimes, even at times like this, even I have a hard time finding words of encouragement, words of joy, words that might relieve him of this pain for even a brief moment in time. As we talked before he boarded his plane, I could find no noun, pronoun, adjective, verb, adverb, or any other part of the English language to help me in this endeavor to help him. Nothing came to mind. I asked about his wife, would she be going with him; I asked how old his grandfather was; but I could find nothing of substance.

I remember being in Okinawa, Japan in 1995, we were room mates at that time. He received a message from the states that his great-grandmother had passed away. We stayed up late the night before he left, had several drinks, played darts and talked. I'm sure we listened to The Doors (as was customary for us to do). He left, I stayed in Japan. There are a lot of things I learned about him and his family through that experience. And, while I haven't met anyone but his sister, I somehow feel I know parts of his family, as if they were part of my own.

To hear of this loss was sad news to me today. As I continued my work for the evening, I prayed. I prayed for peace with him, his family; I prayed that he'd have a safe journey; and I pray that somehow, someway, God may find that soft spot in him, that hole that each of us has inside, that can be filled by only one thing and by one being.

Rus, I'm sorry to hear of your loss, Brother. Remember Hiji Falls!

Anything that can go wrong . . .

What happens when you cross 2 parents, 4 kids, a dog, a house and spring? You get a broken dish washer! Yes, and what we thought might be something easy to take care of would cost almost as much to fix as it would to replace altogether. When it rains here, there is no such thing as drought! For those of you praying for the dishwasher, thanks, but apparently God has other plans in the works for us.

However, doing dishes last night in the laundry room was interesting. Tina and I got to spend a few more minutes together, just like in the days before we had the dish washer. It was actually nice to be able to just talk and help pass the time (and my dish-pan hands were so bad that even the tops of my hands were wrinkled!). That said, we'll be working on a plan to use as few dishes as necessary for a while (paper plates anyone?). As I said before, I am sure God has something wonderful planned for us and I am thankful for that!

So, the next time something goes wrong for you, or someone you know, think of us, share our story if you'd like, and know that God loves you and has some kind of plan for you - even when times look like He's as far away as possible!

. . . will go wrong.

Be of good cheer!

Sometimes God works in mysterious ways, ways that we as humans cannot understand fully; which is probably for the best for most of us. Today was no less extraordinary in that regard.

I usually have a few minutes set aside each day to read and reflect on the written Word of God, and many times I will share a brief moment of clarity, or revelation, with Tina. This morning, before heading out to the Krohn Conservatory with my parents, I had my few minutes, read and shared with Tina a short but powerful passage. Phillipians 2:1-4 "If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."

We walked around the Conservatory, gazing at the wonders and different kinds of plants, flowers and fish. I remember looking at the Orchid display and thinking to myself how awesome God is in His works of art and design. We marveled at colors, shapes, sizes and amounts of plant life in that overgrown greenhouse (it makes mine look like child's play).

Afterwards, we attended a leadership summit at church. We ate together, shared dishes of this and that, and I frequented the dessert table more than twice. Pastor Paul shared shortly after the food in-take portion of the evening. We then took a "Fruit of the Spirit" test, showing us our strengths and areas of improvement based on Galatians 5 (the Fruits of the Spirit). A member of our small group lead that portion (thanks Chris!). Then we got into the last portion of the evening. Another wonderful Chris lead us in a form of small groups. One of the passages of scripture we went over at our tables was Phillipians 2:3-4. Tina looked at me and commented about how we went over that earlier. Funny how God works like that. I usually ask for direction in what I will read from God, hoping that he'll lead me to something new, something I have read but not understood before. I have read that passage several times, but had never really reflected on it.

It is good to know that there are others around us that understand that we need to be united in our direction, united in our faith, united in the love we share - United in Jesus. We, like the Orchids, are wonderful marvels of God's creative handy-work; continuously growing and changing works of art. And, His written Word, just like a fine work of art, can have a different impact each time we take a closer look at it, different for each person and each season of our lives. I ask, but do not always receive the interepretation immediately, today showed me how wonderful God is, proving to me yet again that He is in control, and He does have a planned purpose for even me! I know that I need to continue sharing insight with those around me, striving towards unity in Christ.

Greetings and Salutations! I've been busy, tired and thinking of something decent to write. Here it goes.

I am a PK. Don't know what that is, not to worry, I will fill you in on the details of what a PK is and who a PK is and how many PK's grow up and live. So, good, bad or indifferent, I am a PK.

Just because one goes to church every Sunday morning; and just because someone is a part of this committee or that committee; just because one plays the organ, sings, or plays the piano - it does not mean that that person or those persons are actually Christians. I don't know the statistics on this one, but rough guess is that many weekly attendees at many churches have a head knowledge of what a Christian is, not all of them have made the connection to their hearts and fully understand what it was that Christ did when he gave himself to die on a cross. It just so happens that for many years I was one of those people. I went through the motions, I knew the words to the hymns, I knew the words to the prayers, I knew when the collection plate was going to be passed (and usually had at least change in my pockets to give), but I did not understand in my heart what it was really about.

I thank God for what He has done for me, even me! I know there were times I should not have lived to see another day. But, by His grace and His mercy and His love I am still here to share with those who would dare to and care to read, listen and even respond to this at times. And, in His timing, He opened my eyes so that I could see, hear, understand, and know who HE really was, is, and will be. All this took place, by His design and when He wanted it to take place - none of this had I planned on, trust me. His will and design (ask me about my four children sometime), not mine.

The same can be said about my Dad. I know, having lived through it, that he had many a trial during his life; the least of which was watching my brother and I grow up and leave the house, or living through Vietnam, or moving to a new house, or taking a new job, or - well, you get the point. There are numerous things that could be said that could have taken over, and I'm sure at some point each of those things did take precedence over everything else. And, week after week, we would all go to church. Mom, Dad, two Sons - well dressed and off to church each Sunday morning. I know for myself, and can only guess for my Dad on this one, but looking at the surface of it all, I think he was in it like I was - head knowledge only. But then something changed.

I remember most of the story. I was still in the Marine Corps in Southern California (henceforth SoCal) when I called home on a weekend. Dad said he had been to a Promise Keepers meeting in D.C., "are you sitting down?" he asked me. I was in a phone booth, do you think I could sit? He continued to tell me how God talked to him while in a line to use the Port-O-Potty and how God planned to use him in the years to come. It was weird to me, but at the same time (and I don't know why) I was not surprised or shocked by this revelation of news.

A few years later I traveled to Milwaukee with my Dad a several other men to attend a Promise Keepers event. I didn't know what to expect, but found myself being broken and put back together at the same time, I was starting to understand in my heart, and starting to understand my Dad even more. Now, here we are several years (and a few kids more) and I do "get it" and understand my Dad even more now! And, recently he was asked to take on his own church, to be the Pastor or Preacher. I am a Promise Keeper (PK). And I am a Pastor's Kid (PK). Take me as you will, this is how God made it to be, I am a PK.

It's great being a dad. Sometimes it's even better.

Today marks the beginning of the spring soccer season, and it is no exception. We've got three out of four in soccer, two of which are on the same team. The other is older and on his own team and they are a little more disciplined at their playing. The younger two just run around like a swarm of bees, hoping to have a shot at kicking the ball once or twice down the field. Jake however, has started his season playing a little more aggressively than he has in the past, scoring two goals in his first game, others on the team scored as well and though spring ball isn't a score keeping season, I'll just say that we scored at least six and I don't recall the other side scoring at all. Not that they didn't try, they really did, and even our best player had the ball stripped from his feet a couple of times.

That said, it's great being a dad, having the opportunity to be there for my children when they take the field, having the opportunity to tell them they did a good job (even if they didn't do that good), and having the opportunity to be there when they score a goal or two (even if I was taking another one of the kids to the potty when the goal was made). It's great to be a dad! I enjoy being a dad and I enjoy being a part of my kids' lives.

I have a feeling God feels the same way about us all. He enjoys it when we make it a priority to have Him in our lives. He enjoys it when we make others less fortunate a priority in our lives. He enjoys being our Father in Heaven. It doesn't matter if we're out there making goals every day, as long as we are putting Him in our daily lives, thinking about and having conversation with and enjoying being in His presence. We can't expect to just sit on the sidelines and watch the games, we need to be a part of it, get in there and hustle, make a goal from time to time and help or assist others in making goals. God enjoys us when we enjoy Him more!

We have seven more weekends in the spring soccer season, and I look forward to being at each game (as long as the two teams aren't playing at the same time) and watching my children kick the ball, chase the ball, or even take a shot to the head (on purpose or not). I just like having my kids do a team sport, getting involved with other kids, and learning the concept of what a team is; information they will be able to use for the rest of their lives. Likewise, I have the feeling that God enjoys it when we, as Christians, get together, not just on Sunday mornings, but also for small group meetings, Wednesday evenings or any other time we get together in His name; we learn lessons we can use and apply for the rest of our lives. And to think, all of this because of soccer.

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Sorry, I'm not wearing green - therefore I forego the Luck O' the Irish. Then again, I don't live by luck, I live by faith and on grace!

Paul tells us in Ephesians 2, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works so that no one can boast." Some people live life vicariously through others, some live vicariously by hanging on to luck, claiming that without their "lucky charms" ("Their always after me lucky charms!") they could not have done whatever it was they had accomplished. Me, I know I don't have any luck at all - not good or bad. I have something much greater than luck. 2 Timothy 1:7 "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self discipline." Who needs luck!?!

We recently received an offer in the mail from a car dealership which claimed it had our $5,000 lucky number. Scratch the boxes and if your numbers match (three of them) you are eligible to win a prize. Of course, our numbers matched, as I'm sure several hundred people in this area had matching numbers also. Which would you take, one of three "lucky" prizes, or the power of the Holy Spirit that God gives freely? While I'm not saying that one should turn down a "lucky" prize, I am saying that we all have a choice to make; choose to be "in" this world, or choose to only be a "part" of this world. I know my time here is only but a fraction of what is to come, choose wisely.

I did a search through BibleGateway.com for luck. Take a guess at how many times it is mentioned in the Bible, any thoughts? It is mentioned exactly zero times. Do you think there's a reason for that? Again, not to belittle anything about the Irish, I have quite a few friends who are, in fact, painfully Irish. Likewise, I don't want to take away from St. Patrick and his accomplishments to help advance Christianity in Ireland. He is one of the most memorable of the patron Saints. For those of you who do not know much about this man and his life: http://www.americancatholic.org/Messenger/Mar1997/feature1.asp - follow this link or copy & paste to read more actual historical events about this great Christian, from myth to reality.

Since luck isn't mentioned in the Bible, I'll choose again to stick with my faith and live by the measure of grace that God has given me. If you happen to be one of those that has the rabbit's foot, horse shoes, lucky penny or whatever, I'm sorry if you've been offended - try putting those down and try picking up a Bible, you might be amazed at how your "luck" will change for the better. Happy St. Patrick's Day to you all!

When we moved into our house nearly two years ago we were told there used to be tons of poppies on the corner of Main St & Bone St. The day we moved in, the real estate company had someone here moving and trimming around the yard. After the closing, we showed up to start moving our things in and the yard was cleanly mowed. All of the yard. Nothing was spared, if it was green it was cut. This included the supposed poppies on the corner.

That summer a woman showed up to show us "poppy killers" where they were and how to identify them before the grew their flower stems. I think Tina took the brunt of the talking to, and she graciously directed this woman to me, working around the yard at the time. I was given a short lecture on not mowing the poppies and she was gone. And last year a few of them bloomed! However, someone was walking by and would rip the precious poppies off the stem a few inches above ground - no seeds for me:(

This year I hope to have a few more blooms, actually keep them until the seed pods are in good order, and plant the seeds for future yard plantings. Yesterday I decided to talk a short walk-about and noticed several of them down on the corner. I grabbed a planter, my hand shovel and went to work. I dug around them pretty deep and pulled up, roots and all, seven poppy plants. (Disclaimer: I know I shouldn't dig up plants and move them in the spring time, but this is a "special needs" case.) Today, those poppies will find their way to a greenhouse where I hope they will start to thrive in their new box home.

If all goes well, by next year I will have more poppies and I can plant them in a place where passers-by can view, but not steal or kill the precious plants that used to live on the corner of Main & Bone Streets. I'll update you on transplant health later.

Have you ever wondered what people were thinking in the late 70's & early 80's when they made instructional videos? I have often wondered where they found their "actors & actresses" for these wonderfully horrible pieces of knowledge. Why do I briing this up? Well, I had my vasectomy consultation today and was told I had to watch an informational video about the procedure. So, as I sat there watching the small TV I couldn't help but wonder when the video was produced. Best guess was late 1970's early 1980's. For those of you old enough to remember, there was a time when shorts were short and had white trim around the bottom edges (even for the men). Said video had the beautifully wretched clothing of that by-gone era, and the "acting" was just as intriguing (painfully so).

The only thing left now is the date, sometime in the next couple of weeks - nothing definite just yet, working with the calendar, kids (oh, I have four of them) and Tina. I don't have any anxieties to speak of, I think I just want to get past this part of my life, and at this point we don't need to add anymore children to the house. The yet to be determined date will be posted as soon as I know about it.

So, the next time someone asks you to watch an instructional video, make sure it is a recent one (at least within the last five years). Or, at least enjoy remebering what it was like when it was produced, garner from the clues in the video when it was made (short shorts, big hair, oversized glasses, cars, clothing, terms used, terms not used, etc.), and try not to laugh to hard. Have fun with it!

They traveled great distances. With high anticipation, they waited. Through rain and cold weather (below 55 anyway) they pressed on, wondering if it would be worth this struggle. Upon arrival, they were greeted by her siblings, in hopes that the weary travelers would bring them gifts as well. But it would not be, the siblings would only get to watch from the sidelines. The travelers brought gift afer gift, item after item for Annika to open at the Hello Kitty birthday party. She was one.

The others would survive the day, the siblings that is. There was more than enough cake (Hello Kitty), ice cream, and candy around for everyone. There were party favors for the others too, no one ws left out. The baby wasn't quite sure about opening the presents, so she required some assistance - the siblings jumped right in, tearing right through the wrapping paper, tossing open presents at Annika - who became overwhelmed rather quickly. It didn't take much time for everyone, including the birthday girl, to become less and less interested. One by one, they began to drop away from the presents, wanting cake, wanting ice cream. And so it was, cake and ice cream for everyone, kids first and foremost.

However, there were other adventures to be had in Springfield. Jake wanted badly to be outside most of the day, and he succeeded. That is, until he fell - most likely onto a rock or stick. Whatever it was, it left a nice dent in his knee with minor bleeding. Slightly bruised, we bandaged the wound and carried on. Jake was not the only one with a minor scrape, one of my cousins' daughters fell too, scraping her knee on the sidewalk - tough, she pulled through, barely bleeding.

The rest of my day was spent watching horribly played college basketball. I am amazed at the level of talent some of these guys have and how yet, even somedays, they can look as if they'd never played the game together. If you look at those scores you will know what I'm talking about.

I'm no worse for the wear, just glad to have made it through another day, traveling through pounding rains, high winds and stuck behind cars that would not go any faster than 10 - 15 mph under the speed limit. We carrry on, slightly bruised and stuffed with Hello Kitty birthday cake.