Yeah, read THIS. I'm BEYOND blessed to have played a little, little part in this story....
I love my friends....
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Friday, October 30, 2009
Whirlwind....
Wow, a few things have happened since that last post....
* All four of my beloved family members were very, very sick. Because the four non-baby members of our family were all vaccinated against the seasonal flu, we are fairly confident that H1N1 hit our house hard. But.... we survived.... and we are grateful.
* Because sweet baby girl is an itty-bitty and got a "high" fever for a baby, she and momma spent 3 days/2 nights at Buffalo Children's Hospital (Thursday- Saturday). Bless her sweet heart... she survived countless pokes trying to get an IV/blood drawn and even a spinal tap, but she is doing GREAT now, and I am praising God for that (and praising God for the fact that the doctors and nurses took such great care of her). She was officially diagnosed with "Influenza, Type A".... and we were told that 99% of the cases that were sent on for further testing were coming back as H1N1; hence, we're just assuming that is what nailed our house.
* We were supposed to move to Indiana last Saturday. We didn't.... we were in the hospital instead.
* We moved to Indiana on Monday.
* It was crazy.
* Sweet baby girl REALLY doesn't like her carseat.
* Scott went on an overnight staff retreat on Wednesday.
* I registered Aaron for school today, and he will start on Monday.
* Scott's official start date is Sunday.
* I finally found my dishes and glasses yesterday.
* I still can't find Aaron's lunch box.....
* All four of my beloved family members were very, very sick. Because the four non-baby members of our family were all vaccinated against the seasonal flu, we are fairly confident that H1N1 hit our house hard. But.... we survived.... and we are grateful.
* Because sweet baby girl is an itty-bitty and got a "high" fever for a baby, she and momma spent 3 days/2 nights at Buffalo Children's Hospital (Thursday- Saturday). Bless her sweet heart... she survived countless pokes trying to get an IV/blood drawn and even a spinal tap, but she is doing GREAT now, and I am praising God for that (and praising God for the fact that the doctors and nurses took such great care of her). She was officially diagnosed with "Influenza, Type A".... and we were told that 99% of the cases that were sent on for further testing were coming back as H1N1; hence, we're just assuming that is what nailed our house.
* We were supposed to move to Indiana last Saturday. We didn't.... we were in the hospital instead.
* We moved to Indiana on Monday.
* It was crazy.
* Sweet baby girl REALLY doesn't like her carseat.
* Scott went on an overnight staff retreat on Wednesday.
* I registered Aaron for school today, and he will start on Monday.
* Scott's official start date is Sunday.
* I finally found my dishes and glasses yesterday.
* I still can't find Aaron's lunch box.....
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Missing in Action....
Forgive me, dear blog. I've been a little busy lately.
Maybe it's the fact that we're moving in four days to a state 7 hours away.
Maybe it's the fact that I have a 6 week old baby (who already holds up her sweet little head!)
Maybe it's the fact that we have 1944 square feet to pack. Maybe it's the fact that we have 1944 square feet to sell.
Maybe it's the fact that I had a sweet, little 7th birthday to celebrate in the midst of it.
Maybe it's the fact that my sweet 7 year old is now home from school with a fever, headache, cough, dizziness, and runny nose.
Maybe it's the fact that I have to say goodbye to some new and dear friends.
But for whatever reason, you, dear blog, have been neglected. I will be back soon. But for today, please don't feel badly, dear blog. Poor Isaac hasn't even had a bath in five days....
Maybe it's the fact that we're moving in four days to a state 7 hours away.
Maybe it's the fact that I have a 6 week old baby (who already holds up her sweet little head!)
Evidence :)
Maybe it's the fact that we have 1944 square feet to pack. Maybe it's the fact that we have 1944 square feet to sell.
Maybe it's the fact that I had a sweet, little 7th birthday to celebrate in the midst of it.
Maybe it's the fact that my sweet 7 year old is now home from school with a fever, headache, cough, dizziness, and runny nose.Maybe it's the fact that I have to say goodbye to some new and dear friends.
But for whatever reason, you, dear blog, have been neglected. I will be back soon. But for today, please don't feel badly, dear blog. Poor Isaac hasn't even had a bath in five days....
UPDATED TO ADD: You'll all be happy to know that all of my children either bathed or showered at 5:00 PM this evening!!! :)
Thursday, October 15, 2009
I love....
.... Vetriselvi in India. I've loved her since I "met" her in 2000. I love a little guy named Melkamu in Ethiopia who doesn't have a mom or a dad. I've loved him for the past two years. My kids love them, too. I love Compassion International. It has transformed our family to be in relationship with these precious children. God breathed words into me awhile back when I was feeling like my hands were tied and feeling like I couldn't make a difference whatsoever. These were the words:
"Deanna, you may not be able to help them all, but you CAN help ONE.... do it...."
This is not the first time that I've talked about Compassion on my blog.... and I'm certain it won't be the last. I just have to look at one letter from Vetriselvi and Melkamu to know that....
Would you consider joining me if you haven't already? It's worth it.... I promise. This video reminds me of that....
"Deanna, you may not be able to help them all, but you CAN help ONE.... do it...."
This is not the first time that I've talked about Compassion on my blog.... and I'm certain it won't be the last. I just have to look at one letter from Vetriselvi and Melkamu to know that....
Would you consider joining me if you haven't already? It's worth it.... I promise. This video reminds me of that....
Catalyst 2009 Compassion Moment from Catalyst on Vimeo.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Our beautiful, baby girl....
Ellie wore her first dress on Sunday. It was my first time to put tights on an itty-bitty.... I felt like I was dressing a DOLL! Ellie just had her one month appointment today. She weighed in at 9 pounds, 2 ounces and was 21 3/4 inches long (50%ile in both... but she certainly is ABOVE average in my book! She is perfectly WONDERFUL!) And why am I posting this little stat for your enjoyment? Because, dear friends.... her baby book is already packed, and my laptop is not (and yes, I don't want to forget....)
Please, please pray for us. We have managed to stay sane up until this point and are seeking God and hoping to maintain sanity for the next 11 days as well.... my sweetie is in California until tomorrow, and then, we'll REALLY hit the ground running....
In other news.... showed one couple the house today.... got a call shortly thereafter from another family. And that is just after we've put a sign in the yard! We're now on Craig's List and will be in the paper soon! We don't know if we'll be able to go the "For Sale By Owner" route, but we figured it is worth a shot and are hopeful!!! :)
Thursday, October 08, 2009
Our sweetie....
.... is one month old! Ellie is an absolute gem, and of course, we are crazy about her! We're enjoying every smile.... every bit of snuggle time.... and flat out, everything about her! Precious darlin'....
We received a card that I thought was so sweet....
"Things You'll Soon Discover With Your New Baby Girl....
That raising your own princess beats any fairy tale.
That a lot of great big people can be wrapped around one tiny finger.
That a toothless smile can light up the world like instant sunshine.
That watching her sleep is (sometimes) more satisfying than finding sleep yourself."
Your mommy loves you, sweet baby girl....
We received a card that I thought was so sweet....
"Things You'll Soon Discover With Your New Baby Girl....
That raising your own princess beats any fairy tale.
That a lot of great big people can be wrapped around one tiny finger.
That a toothless smile can light up the world like instant sunshine.
That watching her sleep is (sometimes) more satisfying than finding sleep yourself."
Your mommy loves you, sweet baby girl....
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
I love this guy....
For any of you who aren't already my "facebook friend" and didn't already see this note over there, I thought I would post this from Scott. Whew.... I love this guy; he is amazing! Such a fun and crazy journey!
_____
I may be overestimating you actual interest in why we are moving...but here are some thoughts about what's been happening lately. (Please note: reading this entire entry may test your ability to stay awake or make you question how much time you really do spend on Facebook)
To say that there is a lot going on right now is quite the understatement. Not sure that I have ever taken on this much at one time in my life. (Job change, new baby, geographic move...) At the same time I am incredibly confident that God is in charge. I'm confident that "He" is the one "calling". I am confident that His abilities far outweigh any circumstance I could ever find myself in. So, my "yes" is on the table and off we go.
In case you have not heard already...at the end of the month, Deanna and I will be leaving Western New York. I have accepted the invitation to be a part of the staff at Sonrise church in Fort Wayne, IN. I will be the Teaching Associate Pastor there starting November 1st. My heart hurts thinking about leaving my friends, neighbors and co-workers here...but I am confident that we serve a God who is "Big Enough". I leave The Chapel with great memories and a deep sense of gratitude for all that I have had exposure too. I have incredible confidence in the team of staff and volunteers that I have trained, worked beside and had the privilege of leading. "Creating moments for families that create momentum for life" has never been about me! King's World and Family Ministry will continue to do that because of the team that owns it and our God that inspires all of us. There is a "deep bench" at The Chapel and I look forward to watching from a distance how God uses the incredibly gifted team I've worked with for the last two years.
Now, to look ahead. My brain has been buzzing lately about the future God is calling me to. I can't wait to work with Stan (founding Pastor) and the entire team at Sonrise. I think our shared past (Stan and I were both former youth pastors at Selma UMC) and our common interest, to give "every man, woman and child the opportunity to see and hear the Gospel"*, is going to make for a really fun ride! Doing that in Indiana with my existing network of longtime friends and family gets me juiced as well. If I am honest, teaching and leading are things I love. I don't take either responsibility lightly. I am humbled to be chosen to do both of those in this next step in the future of Sonrise. While I may have my moments of insecurity and doubting my own abilities (ideas rooted in lies from the enemy), I take great confidence in the fact that (like you) "I am God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do the works tat HE has prepared in advance for me to do." (Ephesians 2:10)
So, since HE has already set this up in advance for me, I say...Game on! "Game on" to leveraging creativity to make God known. "Game on" to church planting. I say, “bring on” multi-site campuses, video venues, Internet campuses and probably a few other un-tested ways to reach people for Christ. Bring on "reducing the lostness" in Southwest Allen County, Fort Wayne, Central Indiana and wherever God has "set up" in advance for us to go. Bring on future leaders, stories of redemption, healed marriages, reconciled relationships, remodeled thinking, and the presence of the all knowing and forever loving God! God, have your way...and help me to get "out of the way". (PS. 68:28 Summon your power, O God; show us your strength, O God, as you have done before.)
To the people of Sonrise...we can't wait to meet you all. We are making this move to Fort Wayne and preparing to dig in. We are approaching this move with confidence that this is where God is leading and planting us. Deanna and I may have roots in Muncie and Warsaw...but we're ready to fully commit to our new community. We can't wait to grow with you, “do life” with you, and partner with you to share the Gospel with a region that desperately needs to hear, and see it! This is going to be fun!
Many people have had questions about this move...let me take on several of them here.
Q: When are you guys moving?
A: My first Sunday at Sonrise is November 1st. We'll be leaving WNY sometime the weekend of October 23-25.
Q: What about your house?
A: Our house will be "on the market" within days. We'll probably be "apartment living" in Ft. Wayne until our house sells unless a different temporary housing option pops up in the next few days. If you are one of our WNY friends, we would appreciate you passing the word about an awesome 2 year old home in Wheatfield being offered at a great deal with really cool neighbors an a brand new deck that we've not even enjoyed yet...I'm not bitter!
Q: How did all of this happen?
A: Too much to type. Cliff's notes version: (IMPORTANT NOTE: I wasn't shopping around for a new job.) I spoke on a Sunday morning at Sonrise in July before speaking at Camp Adventure for a week. (Camp Adventure is the Middle School camp where I accepted Christ at age twelve and where Deanna and I met…see a pattern?) This was not an interview...just a chance to speak at a cool church. After spending a week at CA with the Sonrise staff, it became pretty obvious that God was "up to something". We prayed... a lot. We prayed more. They prayed more. We talked. Deanna and I consulted wise counsel in our life to make sure we weren't "thinking wrong." We prayed again. I made a quick trip to Ft. Wayne to meet some more of their team. More prayer. God spoke (not audibly...but that would have been cool). He spoke through peace. He spoke by not shutting the door. His presence in our stillness revealed His bigness. My journal entries and documented prayers since July would hold up to the test...He was asking us to trust Him and make the move.
Q: Is there more to this story?
A: Nope. There is no weird "back story" to any of this. I love The Chapel. If I landed in WNY tomorrow, this is where I would bring my family to church and where I would want to be on staff. The Chapel has taught me a ton, and I take those lessons with me...and hope to continue to learn from The Chapel even though I won't be "on site."
I want to make a difference with my life. I've told God that, and he seems to have taken me seriously. I think he is putting me in yet another position to make a difference. I am grateful! I am humbled. I know my mission is to know Him and make Him known. Can't wait to see how all this plays out! Thanks for reading all of this (if you made it this far).
I close with this...in the midst of trying to listen to God for wisdom and direction, I came across this quote that challenged me greatly and gave me confidence to seek out God's directions and be obedient to it...even if it meant moving again. I hope it challenges you as well.
“The things that made the early church leaders usable were not their leadership personalities, profiles or styles...it was that God has access to everything they were. They made their lives available, and the rest was history. “
Fellow History Maker,
Scott
__________
*** See, I told ya he is amazing..... :)
_____
I may be overestimating you actual interest in why we are moving...but here are some thoughts about what's been happening lately. (Please note: reading this entire entry may test your ability to stay awake or make you question how much time you really do spend on Facebook)
To say that there is a lot going on right now is quite the understatement. Not sure that I have ever taken on this much at one time in my life. (Job change, new baby, geographic move...) At the same time I am incredibly confident that God is in charge. I'm confident that "He" is the one "calling". I am confident that His abilities far outweigh any circumstance I could ever find myself in. So, my "yes" is on the table and off we go.
In case you have not heard already...at the end of the month, Deanna and I will be leaving Western New York. I have accepted the invitation to be a part of the staff at Sonrise church in Fort Wayne, IN. I will be the Teaching Associate Pastor there starting November 1st. My heart hurts thinking about leaving my friends, neighbors and co-workers here...but I am confident that we serve a God who is "Big Enough". I leave The Chapel with great memories and a deep sense of gratitude for all that I have had exposure too. I have incredible confidence in the team of staff and volunteers that I have trained, worked beside and had the privilege of leading. "Creating moments for families that create momentum for life" has never been about me! King's World and Family Ministry will continue to do that because of the team that owns it and our God that inspires all of us. There is a "deep bench" at The Chapel and I look forward to watching from a distance how God uses the incredibly gifted team I've worked with for the last two years.
Now, to look ahead. My brain has been buzzing lately about the future God is calling me to. I can't wait to work with Stan (founding Pastor) and the entire team at Sonrise. I think our shared past (Stan and I were both former youth pastors at Selma UMC) and our common interest, to give "every man, woman and child the opportunity to see and hear the Gospel"*, is going to make for a really fun ride! Doing that in Indiana with my existing network of longtime friends and family gets me juiced as well. If I am honest, teaching and leading are things I love. I don't take either responsibility lightly. I am humbled to be chosen to do both of those in this next step in the future of Sonrise. While I may have my moments of insecurity and doubting my own abilities (ideas rooted in lies from the enemy), I take great confidence in the fact that (like you) "I am God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do the works tat HE has prepared in advance for me to do." (Ephesians 2:10)
So, since HE has already set this up in advance for me, I say...Game on! "Game on" to leveraging creativity to make God known. "Game on" to church planting. I say, “bring on” multi-site campuses, video venues, Internet campuses and probably a few other un-tested ways to reach people for Christ. Bring on "reducing the lostness" in Southwest Allen County, Fort Wayne, Central Indiana and wherever God has "set up" in advance for us to go. Bring on future leaders, stories of redemption, healed marriages, reconciled relationships, remodeled thinking, and the presence of the all knowing and forever loving God! God, have your way...and help me to get "out of the way". (PS. 68:28 Summon your power, O God; show us your strength, O God, as you have done before.)
To the people of Sonrise...we can't wait to meet you all. We are making this move to Fort Wayne and preparing to dig in. We are approaching this move with confidence that this is where God is leading and planting us. Deanna and I may have roots in Muncie and Warsaw...but we're ready to fully commit to our new community. We can't wait to grow with you, “do life” with you, and partner with you to share the Gospel with a region that desperately needs to hear, and see it! This is going to be fun!
Many people have had questions about this move...let me take on several of them here.
Q: When are you guys moving?
A: My first Sunday at Sonrise is November 1st. We'll be leaving WNY sometime the weekend of October 23-25.
Q: What about your house?
A: Our house will be "on the market" within days. We'll probably be "apartment living" in Ft. Wayne until our house sells unless a different temporary housing option pops up in the next few days. If you are one of our WNY friends, we would appreciate you passing the word about an awesome 2 year old home in Wheatfield being offered at a great deal with really cool neighbors an a brand new deck that we've not even enjoyed yet...I'm not bitter!
Q: How did all of this happen?
A: Too much to type. Cliff's notes version: (IMPORTANT NOTE: I wasn't shopping around for a new job.) I spoke on a Sunday morning at Sonrise in July before speaking at Camp Adventure for a week. (Camp Adventure is the Middle School camp where I accepted Christ at age twelve and where Deanna and I met…see a pattern?) This was not an interview...just a chance to speak at a cool church. After spending a week at CA with the Sonrise staff, it became pretty obvious that God was "up to something". We prayed... a lot. We prayed more. They prayed more. We talked. Deanna and I consulted wise counsel in our life to make sure we weren't "thinking wrong." We prayed again. I made a quick trip to Ft. Wayne to meet some more of their team. More prayer. God spoke (not audibly...but that would have been cool). He spoke through peace. He spoke by not shutting the door. His presence in our stillness revealed His bigness. My journal entries and documented prayers since July would hold up to the test...He was asking us to trust Him and make the move.
Q: Is there more to this story?
A: Nope. There is no weird "back story" to any of this. I love The Chapel. If I landed in WNY tomorrow, this is where I would bring my family to church and where I would want to be on staff. The Chapel has taught me a ton, and I take those lessons with me...and hope to continue to learn from The Chapel even though I won't be "on site."
I want to make a difference with my life. I've told God that, and he seems to have taken me seriously. I think he is putting me in yet another position to make a difference. I am grateful! I am humbled. I know my mission is to know Him and make Him known. Can't wait to see how all this plays out! Thanks for reading all of this (if you made it this far).
I close with this...in the midst of trying to listen to God for wisdom and direction, I came across this quote that challenged me greatly and gave me confidence to seek out God's directions and be obedient to it...even if it meant moving again. I hope it challenges you as well.
“The things that made the early church leaders usable were not their leadership personalities, profiles or styles...it was that God has access to everything they were. They made their lives available, and the rest was history. “
Fellow History Maker,
Scott
__________
*** See, I told ya he is amazing..... :)
Sunday, October 04, 2009
We are MOVING....
.... to FORT WAYNE, INDIANA in THREE WEEKS!!!
Yep, you read that correctly! MORE big news from our house! While things at The Chapel have continued to be great and we love it here, an amazing opportunity came our way towards the end of the summer. When we visited Indiana in July, Scott had a fantastic opportunity to preach at a great church and work with their team for a week at Camp Adventure. On the heels of that ministry opportunity, much discussion began with their Lead Pastor, and then, Scott was later offered a position as the new Associate/Teaching Pastor at Sonrise Church on the south side of Fort Wayne (right on SR 14/Illinois Rd.) and after much prayer and discussion, decided to accept! It is very bittersweet for us as we love our new friends in WNY, but we are very excited, too, to be closer to friends and family in Indiana! Please pray for us in this process.... that our house here sells quickly, that we find a great place to rent, that Aaron gets settled into a great new school, that we find a terrific pediatrician for our new little sweetie, and that we have a lot of fun diving into new friendships! It's going to be a fun and crazy journey....
Anybody have any advice for moving with a 6-week old?!?!? :)
Yep, you read that correctly! MORE big news from our house! While things at The Chapel have continued to be great and we love it here, an amazing opportunity came our way towards the end of the summer. When we visited Indiana in July, Scott had a fantastic opportunity to preach at a great church and work with their team for a week at Camp Adventure. On the heels of that ministry opportunity, much discussion began with their Lead Pastor, and then, Scott was later offered a position as the new Associate/Teaching Pastor at Sonrise Church on the south side of Fort Wayne (right on SR 14/Illinois Rd.) and after much prayer and discussion, decided to accept! It is very bittersweet for us as we love our new friends in WNY, but we are very excited, too, to be closer to friends and family in Indiana! Please pray for us in this process.... that our house here sells quickly, that we find a great place to rent, that Aaron gets settled into a great new school, that we find a terrific pediatrician for our new little sweetie, and that we have a lot of fun diving into new friendships! It's going to be a fun and crazy journey....
Anybody have any advice for moving with a 6-week old?!?!? :)
Saturday, October 03, 2009
We've got proof....
.... that she already smiles at 3 weeks! Ellie is such a doll, and Scott captured this on his cell phone earlier today....
Precious! I'm bummed that we didn't capture this shot on our Canon, but nevertheless, still thankful that it's captured!!! I'm crazy about this little girl.... :)
Precious! I'm bummed that we didn't capture this shot on our Canon, but nevertheless, still thankful that it's captured!!! I'm crazy about this little girl.... :)
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