Rebooting

What technological change have you witnessed in your lifetime? I remember telephones when they were big and clumsy and the only answering machines were mom or dad. Or that computer my friend Andrew got in 7th grade – a Commodore 64. Now that was cool!

The past 2 days at PLCC, we’ve been without email or internet. We can’t even access our email from off-site locations. It has caused a medley of groans and the need to rethink how we work. It’s incredible how I rely so much on technology – specifically the computer. I had to take my truck to get repaired, didn’t have a phone book and couldn’t find the directions online – what to do? I’ve got multiple messages to send to Sunday school teachers about Sunday’s events – communication is impossible! What am I supposed to do, call people on the phone? That’s so 3 years ago. Without email I’m forced to rethink how I operate.

Have you ever been forced to reboot: your computer crashes; your cell phone gets dropped in the toilet? What about a serious event like a serious car accident? How about cancer? Though we depend on technology, health, safety, none are guarantees. Working at a church you are exposed to people who need rebooting all the time. People suffer from disease, broken relationships, addictions, and loneliness. It is at these moments when people are forced to reboot. Life has crashed though this wasn’t the plan. It is a reminder that as much as I try, I am not in control.

There are benefits to crashing computers and suffering – perspective. Life becomes simple: some things I thought I needed, I really don’t. The extraneous is weeded out. As a person of faith I believe the only real hope is Jesus. Though I’m ignorant in saving my computer from viruses or my cell phone from dangerous bodies of water, as a pastor I am fortunate enough to walk with people who are rebooting their lives. I don’t have all the answers and I never make false promises. Like tech support I get to talk with people about their losses and frustrations. It helps me empathize and reminds me of what’s really important in life. What rebooting stories do you have?

Beauty within the Busyness

Beauty within the Busyness

What is your definition of busy? I think we all see it differently. Remember college? You held a job at the local pizza joint, took 19 credits, were dating someone special, and still had time for the intra-mural water polo team. That was busy…until you got a job where you couldn’t wear flip flops anymore, then got married, then bought a house, and then had a family.

Earlier this year, I was a stay at home dad who could barely dress out of his pajamas by noon. How could this be? Make coffee, clean up coffee, get junior out of bed, change the world’s most offensive diaper, give hugs (had to wait until after diaper change to ensure not transferring the leaky diaper to my own outfit), make breakfast, throw in a load of laundry, clean up breakfast, drive the 1st grader to school, pick up kids’ rooms, mop beautiful dark hardwood floor (that exposed every granule of dirt), get kids dressed, throw laundry into dryer, start second load, supervise kids playing in the backyard, remove kids’ clothing soiled with mud, redress children, pay bills online while kids watch Word Girl (very funny cartoon), get lunch ready, fold first load, put second load into dryer (which will be forgotten and sour by this time tomorrow), then clean up the remnants of lunch: peanut butter, jelly, banana, and milk all over the table and chairs, then rinse kids’ hair adorned with peanut butter, jelly, banana, and milk.

Fast forward a few months. I have a fulltime job (like that wasn’t a job) and when I come home at the end of a day of meetings, prayer, coffee, data entry, and conversations I get great big hugs. Then we eat, give the kids a bath, and when the last bedtime story is read, Jana appears to have been swallowed by the couch. I inquire, “Why are you so tired, dear?” Just as the words are coming out of my mouth, I get a deserved “are you an idiot” stare and in a nanosecond I remember my summer. A quick “just kidding honey” does the trick. Boy, can I think on my feet!

It is difficult to admit at times, but I’m sure thankful for the near bedlam that is raising three small children. Though each day can resemble the previous day, I try to remember the blessings within the monotony: I have kids (because some can’t), my kids are healthy (because some aren’t), I have a job (because many don’t), my kids took baths (because some kids don’t have a home), Jana does endless laundry (because we can afford clothes). In our infrequent dates (because we are busy and visiting Grandma doesn’t charge for babysitting) we can’t but help reminisce over the blessings we have. Despite the peanut butter in the hair, snot on our newly washed shirts, and incessant screaming in the car…God is good and our kids are priceless. There is beauty within the busyness.

Only 87 Today

OK, so we're no longer assimilating to Austin. We're assimilating to Seattle. It's 87 degrees today - a scorcher for our new neighbors, but a piece a cake for us. Where are the jackets?

Plan B

Plan B. What the heck are these vagabonds doing now? Read the post, then decide for yourself.

Well, OUR plans certainly didn't work out as we had them designed. The idea was to slowly acclimate to a community. Jana would work full time for a little while, then she'd go back to part time once I found a teaching job. While teaching we'd find a good church where I'd eventually become a staff member.

Here's what went well. We found some good churches and began attaching to one in particular...that met in a school - of course. That's what we do. I found a great mentor, Pastor Jody Mayes, who came alongside me in my search for employment and significance. We found great friends in a short time: Matt and Maya next door; Meagan and Chase who've also adopted a great "Elias"; plus others I won't have time to mention who quickly embraced us. Our house is big and beautiful. My beloved running trail, mountain biking parks, and the gym we joined provided great opportunities to relieve stress. Places like Caffe Medici, Mozart's, Chavelo's, and Sonic became family favorites.

But one month after arriving, it was announced that a hiring freeze in local school districts were being instituted - even for substitute teachers! The economy in TX wasn't immune to the rest of the country's woes. It just came a year later. Teachers who had lost their retirement on Wall Street decided to work an extra year or two.

So I handed out tons of resumes - sometimes to jobs that I'd never have considered...and nothing came. Meanwhile Jana's job proved to be extremely difficult - for more details you can ask her to blog. You know when your spouse is filled with anxiety before a 12 hour shift that it's time to do something. So I did. I began applying for jobs out of state simultaneously with Austin jobs. We realized we loved Austin, but something had to change.

So I applied to jobs in a few places - big PNW cities, a few big CA cities, and Denver. I had a couple of interviews here and there, but along came an interview in a beautiful Seattle suburb - read "National Park" called Sammamish. After 2 phone interviews, one being in a non-air conditioned 100+ degree car - we were invited for an "in person" 3rd interview...which led to an all family 4th interview weekend.

If you remember the movie, The Firm, we became suspicious of this church's motives. We were given airline tickets, two beautiful hotels - the second with a 3 room suite, great meals, babysitters to watch the kids, and super friendly people. Hold on a minute - I couldn't get the time of day for other jobs that I was qualified for. Now, I find myself with a great job prospect in a beautiful location with generous people. Something's wrong, right?

It seems that four months wandering in the desert (Austin is pretty darn hot in the summer) enabled us to refresh, refocus, and submit to God's will. He placed neat people in our path - whom we could be friends with for life - and reminded us that no matter how hard we try (multiple applications, testing fees, drivers' licenses, etc.), it's always best to enjoy the crazy path we're on and to seek him first.

So in a few weeks, I'll be the Children's Pastor (get to hang out with my own kids!) with an emphasis on families and parenting at Pine Lake Covenant Church. It's 20 minutes from downtown Seattle. There are many Ethiopians in Seattle - one I met at the airport yesterday - and with Microsoft just around the corner, there's quite an international community. They're doing some great things at Pine Lake and with a huge population of kids in the area (the highest density in the state) there is tremendous opportunity. Thanks for your thoughts, prayers, well-wishes, and patience as we slowly found our spot...and come on up for a visit!!

As Sure as the Sun Rises

Well, it's a rite of passage - is it not? As sure as the sun rises (which I rarely see) and as sure as amusement park food is overpriced and inedible, Kiera cut her own hair.

Just a few days ago I heard the rumblings of a heated conversation about to begin between said child and her mother. I raced upstairs to witness the carnage - long strands of blonde hair strewn out across the bathroom floor. It took 3/10 second to realize what had occurred. I arrived just prior to the confrontation:

Mom: "What happened to your hair?"

Kiera: "Umm, Meris...umm, Elias pulled out my hair."

Background - Elias loves to pull his sisters' hair. It is common to find a significant tuft of blonde hair in his clutches - but this much hair, cut so cleanly?

At this point I turned around covering my mouth, trying to muffle my laughter. It was astonishing - not the lie, but her dangerously clever and quick response. She may have a future in politics. Of course her sister completed this act a few years ago and to this day will not fess up. Meris' hair-cutting was a group conspiracy. All three girls pointed to the other claiming, "SHE did it." Even when I asked her this week about it she replied, "I don't remember who cut it." Hmmmm. Two politicians.

You Know It's Humid When...

Yeah, we've lived in heat before - but I've never sweatted (is that a word?) so much in my life! Summers for us in CA routinely hit the 100s. But...all together now...it was a DRY heat. Okay, so what's the difference?

If you're sitting downstairs and there's a book you want to read upstairs...and you KNOW you'll break a sweat fetching it...then you know it's humid.

If you go to the gym to run indoors even in the early morning...it's humid.

If the AC in the gym is cranked up and in 20 minutes you still sweat enough to spatter the person running next to you and you have to wring out your shirt...it's humid.

If you're not obsessive compulsive yet you find yourself showering 3x a day because you stink...it's humid.

If you avoid hugging your three beautiful children after they jumped on the trampoline for only five minutes because they're sweating like pigs...it's humid.

Finally, we took the kids to JCPenney on Monday to get Elias' one year old photos - give or take 2 months. Like most JCPenney stores, this one too was indoors and had AC. For 20 minutes three grown adults (Jana, myself, and the photographer) surrounded, played defense, cheered, peek-a-booed, encouraged, chased, puppeteered, and danced with the hope of one or two smiles and camera eye contact, resulting in the perfect photo. The masterful and patient photographer caught some great images. Afterward, I had to sit down, stretch, drink Gatorade, take in oxygen, and take an I.V. just to recover - that's when you know it's humid...and you have an energetic son.

105 Degree Survival Skills

So it's been the hottest Austin summer in years apparently. We wouldn't know the difference because this is summer #1. We're used to 100+ at this time of year, but not with humidity...and not with 3 active kids. How do you get through a warm Texas summer? This isn't textbook; we're just kind of making it up as we go.

1. Swim:
We religiously attended the neighborhood pool our first few months. Taking a dip for 30 minutes is just what the Dr. ordered. Now that that pool's water temperature is 90 plus, we head to the pool at the gym (hereafter called the “Jum” acc. to the 3 year old).

2. Cold Beverages:
8am – Huge glass of water
9am – Coffee (OK, not cold but so tasty!)
11am – More water at the gym (Don't forget to wring out that sopping t-shirt from your 10 minute workout or it'll mold in your gym bag by tomorrow.)
2pm-4pm Cherry Limeade at Sonic – (for half price - they actually call it happy hour and my 6 year old now knows the term!)
9pm – Diet Coke to wash down the popcorn. Or substitute with any flavor of Bluebell Ice cream

3. Love the Great Indoors:
We head to the backyard at 8:30 for trampoline, sidewalk-chalk, and bike riding. Wear the kids out so they PLEAD for naps. Dad sees the dog lying on the cold kitchen tile and contemplates taking off his shirt to cool off the same way.

4. Appreciate the little things:
Even with summer cabin fever, the 3 munchkins provide much perspective and humor.

The one year old learning to walk, who looks like Frankenstein with a bobble head. Between shrieks saying, “Dah, dah.”

Holding hands with your six year old while walking to Starbucks for an apple cider.

Quotes from the three year old - “Girls don't like bbq; girls like candy.” Every bug you see is a “Red Ant!” Every time we drive up to the Jum we hear, “Mom, there's two jums.” Then we hear, “We've been to this Jum before!” Once in a while you'll hear, “Check this out!” and “What's goin' on guys?” And the best - After returning from errands, she'll greet me with a hug and yells, “Dad! You're my dad!”