What to do when your whole family is Sick!

This last week has been miserable! It all started with finding out that I was getting some sort of germ infestation that manifested itself as the flu with snotty cold addition. The worst thing is when you can feel it coming and there is nothing really to do. I am a firm believer in Airborne, despite their current legal struggles, so I dosed up right away. I think it helped with the severity of the sickness but did not prevent it. Anyway I am too cheap to buy the actual Airborne stuff so I settled for the Target brand “Immunity Supplement”.

Getting sick is a lot more complicated when you have little munchkins involved. Especially my boogery boys. One sneeze gives those germs a chance to spread exponentially. So it started with me and then moved on to Ethan. He in turn graciously passed on the infestation to his little brother Ryun. Ryun then slobbered on his mommy and in doing so bridged the germ gap. So Melodie got the sickness and was down and out, which caused me to miss school (which is easy to make up) and our house to become a disgusting mess.

The baby then got involved because lets face it, chewing on used Kleenexes out of the trash can’t be conducive to your health. (Hey don’t judge me! You try watching him 24 hours a day and studying Greek paradigms… and playing a little xbox!!) Anywho… Everyone was sick, the house flowed with boogers and whining, and it turns out Melodie really does a lot of work around here.

I washed a lot of dishes and wiped a lot of noses (and some butts) and I learned a thing or three about what to do if your family is sick.

#1 Move into a hotel.

I have a funny story about the time we were moving to San Luis Obispo and our house wasn’t ready so we lived in a hotel for a week. It involves diarrhea, a clogged toilet, a formerly white shower curtain, and the forensic technique of identifying poo splatter. We’ll save that for another blog.

#2 Hire a maid

I only wish that we could afford such a luxury.

#3 Borrow an exterminator tent and Lysol bomb the house

Costly yet effective.

#4 Quarantine the sick ones (or send them to a hotel)

Hard to do in a two bedroom apartment but there are refrigerator boxes that can accomplish this.

#5 Suck it up and serve those people you love. (They can’t all be funny!)

When my wife is sick I get to show her how much I really care. And also marvel at her unique ability to multi-task and yet not let any snotty Kleenexs become part of the baby’s supplemental diet!

Please comment and let me know what you think!

Some shut doors and open windows

God has answered a few questions lately in my life without giving me any clear direction yet. I recently sent a proposal to Pastor Ray at Ambassador for the position of a 15-20 hour a week Teaching/Utility Pastor. We already have an Outreach Pastor and an Inreach Pastor but I believe they are swamped and need help. So my proposal was basically to be the guy that would help them get some much needed ministries off of the ground and grow our church. Recently the money situation at Ambassador got better because we rented out both sides of the building we were locked into. One at full price (which was a huge relief) and one at a partially discounted rate (to help out a smaller church and relieve some of our own financial burden). The future of the church offices are still uncertain but God is working it out.

As you may have read before in previous blogs O' mine, My position as Youth Pastor is currently being fazed out because of the move. Not a huge ordeal because of my calling (please read more about it in previous blogs, I speak now somewhat nonchalantly but it was a struggle to understand this) but still left me uncertain of my future at Ambassador. Would something else open up? should I hang on to the hope of an influx of money or just go and find something else?

Pastor Ray admitted help was needed in the areas I brought up but currently lacks the budget to do anything about it. Therefore, I am soon to be finished at Ambassador Church as paid 10 hour a week (about $600 a month) staff. He would like me to stay on as a lay pastor but that does not pay the bills. So if I can find something else to supplement my income I would consider it.

Meanwhile my buddy Paul wants to plant a church and wants me to be a part of it. That would be awesome but I am unsure if this is the timing (with school and all). I am struggling to figure out the direction God is moving us. Strangely there is a huge peace about it. God has always provided. It gets a little frustrating at times but I really do feel God has things in control. I just want to be faithful.

I am looking for a job where I can work around school. I am enjoying school. It feels good to get into the nitty gritty of theology and work out what God is doing in and has done in the world. If I could find a trainer/presenter job that would be cool! Putting my speaking gifts to work to supplement my income. I am not really sure how to break into that field though. We shall see!!

Hey Everyone,

My little sister recently had a miscarriage. She wrote this poem and it is an honor to post it on my blog. Please pray for her.

Angel Baby

Jesus is he with you?
I wonder every day
I sit and wonder why he's gone
And why he could not stay

Every part of me is empty
I fell I can't go on
But then I look to heaven
I hear this beautiful song

Mommy I am with him
He holds me in his arms
When every I am with him
he keeps me safe and warm

He says you shouldn't worry
I am safe and loved right here
With all the other baby angels
that passed within the years

We have a special place up here
He thought that you should know
Where the Blessed Mother takes
your place for now until you show

When I hear this precious little voice
From the heavens above
I know that all the angels
are showering him with love

For everyone that wants to hear
their babies voice so innocent and sweet
Just close your eyes and begin to pray
and embrace them in your sleep.

by Janelle Carroll

Wednesday was Interesting

It has been a long week! Today we went to Seabridge park and chillaxed with some people. Yesterday I dropped $425 on books for this semester at Talbot! Thursday was average but Wednesday was interesting.

I started off the day meeting with the guys from Simply Youth Ministry. Andy, Nadim, Riley and I went to lunch at their "secret" location. We had a fun time talking about the Simply Mission Trip that I MCed for them in conjunction with Group Workcamps Foundation. We also talked a lot about life (props for Andy who had his newest kid born on Friday) and pretty much goofed around. They are fun guys and we seemed to click. Andy invited me to stay and hang out at a youth pastors gathering and meet some people but I had already committed to joining my buddy Ethan Hedberg (Outreach Pastor @ Ambassador) in taking some much needed clothes and mattresses to a group of Bhutanese refugees situated in Covina, Ca.

I felt kinda like a goofball explaining to Andy and the crew that I believe God is calling me away from full-time Youth Ministry and more towards... well.. I'm not really sure. I would love to do some teaching/presenting/training and earn a little cash for school. Considering that, last week on the SYM Podcast, Matt and a few of other guys spent quite a bit of energy ripping on presenter/trainers who thought they had all the answers and wanted to make some money, I felt a little silly telling the Simply guys my plans. The Podcast was all in good fun and pretty entertaining to listen to but I am wondering if it wasn't in the back of the guys heads as we ate lunch and I talked about my hopes. I was kinda bummed to find out that Simply didn't have and curriculum trainers or presenters like Group (Simply's parent company). I represent Group as a Resources Adviser and get to drive around and present their VBS and other curriculum at different churches and bookstores. It's a fun gig but they come few and far between. Anywho... it would be fun to represent Simply but for now it is not possible.

Lunch was fun and the guys are great. I hope to hang out with them again sometime.

After lunch I drove over to Ikea with Ethan H. and looked at floor mattresses. As a church (really only a few people and Ethan) we are supporting two families that are refugees from Bhutan. They are housed in Covina, Ca which is about a 25min drive from Brea, Ca (the current location of Ambassador Church). So far they had been sleeping on the floor. Ethan, out of his own pocket, wanted to buy them some mattresses to make their meager existence a bit more comfortable. We found some at Ikea but they were extremely expensive. We were both praying that something would work out. Ethan would have only been able to afford two single mattresses for a family of five. On the way out we stopped by the clearance section where we found two mattresses (a queen and a full) for about the same price as the two singles. We recognized God at work and Ethan bought them.

We delivered the mattresses and spent some time with the families. It was a really cool experience. The families, who did not know each other before they moved into the apartment complex, share a fridge and just about anything else needed. They live in the ghetto where pot smoke drenched gang-bangers are the predominant fixture. Ethan and I were definitely out of place as everyone stopped to stare at the clean cut white guys carrying a load of stuff into the building. The language barrier was pretty immense but the Holy Spirit started sorting things out as we gained a bit of supernatural understanding along with one of the teens becoming comfortable enough with us to try out his English.

I talked to an 18 year old that was technically a Bhutanese refugee but had lived all of his life in a refugee camp in Nepal. His freedom was literally 2 weeks old. His attitude was great and all he wanted was a chance to check his e-mail and let his friends know he was ok. The other kids just wanted vegetables. The mom wanted a broom. We were given the only seats in the house as the mother served us Chia Tea from Nepal and the father attempted in some form of English/Nepalese to educate us on the plight of the Bhutanese in international political relations.

We are going back soon. God is doing something with here. I get to follow through with it while Ethan is off on maternity leave. Oh yeah, welcome to the world Elias Hedberg!!!!

Legit Questions about Disapointing Pastors

I came across this article tonight about a pastor in Australia that faked a terminal illness. Follow this link if you want to check it out. http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24216087-5006787,00.html

Why is a life of integrity so hard to live? Do pastors epically struggle with this? I wonder if this guy wanted attention or some free PR for his song? It is a bummer that non-believers can point out things like this to solidify the claim of hypocrisy against Christians. What do you think? Is your faith shaken by something like this? Is your perception of Christianity changed or confirmed?

The Way

Why do the words of the Psalms touch us so deeply? Especially those of David, the man who intimately knew the heart of God. I was reading one such Psalm in my personal devo tonight. It struck me.

Psalm 25:4-11

"Make Your ways known to me, LORD; teach me Your paths. Guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; I wait for You all day long. Remember, LORD, Your compassion and your faithful love, for they have existed from everlasting. Do not remember the sins of my youth or my acts of rebellion; in keeping with your faithful love, remember me because of Your goodness, LORD.

The Lord is good and upright; therefore He shows sinners the way. He leads the humble in what is right and teaches them His way. All of the LORD's ways show faithful love and truth to those who keep His covenant and decrees. Because of Your name, LORD forgive my sin, for it is great."
I believe this is the heart cry of God's created people. They want to know their creator and understand His ways. Think about what that would mean. Understanding God leads to greater understanding of one's self. Knowing the Creator sheds light on His creation. He is described in relational terms using words like: goodness, compassionate, loving, upright, and faithful. These words do not describe a God who is distant and preoccupied. They do not describe a God who is callous and uncaring. Rather they reveal the LORD who is personal, relational, and involved. David calls God to remember, not because God has forgotten but to make himself manifest. David wants God to reveal how He is sovereignly working and how He desires humanity to take part in His plan.

It also reminds me of another set of verses, an answer to David and humanities longing. Where Jesus, after revealing the New Commandment to love one another, answers a question... a question that seems simple but touches again the depths of humanities longing to be united with it's creator and His eternal purpose.

John 14:5-6

"Lord," Thomas said, "we don't know where You're going. How can we know the way?"

Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."

Jesus was not only answering Thomas, He was also addressing David and the rest of us. We begged God to show Himself and He did. We pleaded for His love to be made known and it was. We longed for a purpose to life and it came. In the form of Jesus Christ, through His sacrificial death on the cross, by His post-resurrection commission to go and make disciples. As a bonus we are even empowered, equipped and guided by His Spirit. We can thank David for putting words to the question. We can thank God for His faithfulness in answering it by the truth of His Son.