Feeling blessed (even though its been one of those days)

My last 24 hours, starting with the most recent events:

• Driving home from wok in the rain this afternoon. It took me twice as long as normal - nearly an hour. Arrgh!
• I had to walk through a cold rain to get my lunch - brrrrr.
• I got in to work at 9:00 (two hours late). As I'm walking in from my car I notice that my pants had ripped, along the seam from my right front pocket down about three inches. I just had to deal with it (subtly letting my arm hang down and cover the hole and keep it from gaping open to show my undies). It probably happened when . . .
• I was finally ready to leave for work at 7:00; walking out to my car I get in and back out of the driveway. Something was wrong - I could feel it by the way the car pulled. Sure enough, the right front tire looks like a pancake. I get the tire aired up, check to see if it'll hold long enough to get to the shop, and head out. Discount Tire gets me a whole new set of tires (the one had a slow leak for a while, but finally went out on me, and the others we nearly bald). So it makes me two hours late for work; but that's okay because . .
• Lil'er E woke up at 5:20 this morning. Mrs. E tried first to get him back down, then I took a turn. By the time he was in bed again, I was running late to get ready for work. Luckily, I had only had to stay up with him until 11:30 to get him in bed. But the day had already been a long one because . . .
• I found out the company I used to work for, and left at the first of December, just had it's second round of layoffs in my division in the last month. Several people I know are now looking for jobs. I feel bad for them, and from what I hear it's like walking though a morgue over there - no joy, everyone wondering when the next bomb is going to hit. But it does make me feel blessed. I wasn't looking for my current job - they came looking for me. If they hadn't, I would still be in my old job, either with a pink slip or wondering when one was coming my way.

An overall crappy day, but I'm feeling blessed. God's been taking care of me and the Euphrony's. Thanks - I know we don't deserve it, but we do appreciate it, God.

A tale of two birthdays

We're celebrating two birthdays this week at the Euphrony Homey. First is the lovely Little Euphrony, who is now five years old. I blinked and here we were, watching her dance recital, seeing her compete on swim team, flying through preschool graduation, and celebrating our not-so-little girl.

Ballerina Girl

Swim Team Girl

Graduation Girl

Birthday Girl (Oh, yeah, those are fresh blueberries and strawberries on her cheese pizza. This from the girl who at McDonald's mixes the ranch dressing for her chicken nuggets with the caramel for her apple slices.)

Birthday #2 is for the newest and oldest child in our family. Brenda, a girl who lives in Uganda, just joined our family two weeks ago and turned six this week. She is the child we sponsor through Compassion. Sadly, she is actually a replacement (of sorts). We were sponsoring a girl in Brazil, but the project through which she was helped was non-cooperative with Compassion and they were forced to cease operations with them. So please pray for Syng, that she continues to find help now that we are no long in touch and helping her; and pray for Brenda as we get to know her better.

Happy Birthday, Girls!

Tags: Birthday, Compassion, Ballet, Swim Team, Preschool Graduation, Party, Uganda

Wastin' away again in Toddlerville

Yes, it's true. As of Saturday week ago we have two walking children in the house. Naturally, Liler'E is into everything


Here is Lil'E, as her alter ego. This is where we really get all our money.


Look dad! This is a blast!


You really should try it for yourself, dad.


This is great!

A holiday to remember

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

Family
I've been relaxing at my parents house since Tuesday night. My brother and sister-in-law, along with their seven year old boy and 20-month old girl, have been here to enjoy the time with our kids and my parents. That makes my entire immediate family here for three full days, the longest we've all been together in a while. Definitely the first time since Liler'E was born nine months ago. My niece has had a bit of a sinus infection, and Liler'E is pretty much over his ear infection. Sleep has been plentiful. Thanksgiving lunch was great - my uncle and aunt, their daughter and her husband and daughter came in and we had a great meal. We contributed a chocolate pecan pie (needed more chocolate) and ate much turkey and all the fixin's. We're headed home tomorrow and plan on stopping to visit Mrs. E's grandparents in Temple on the way. Overall, a great time with family.

Snow
Yes, you heard me right: snow! Starting around noon on Thanksgiving, the snow began to fall. It kept up all day and into the night, leaving about three inches on the ground. It was a beautiful, fine powder. Living in Houston, Lil'E has only seen snow once before, and never really seen it snowing or had the change to play in it. She had a blast! Snow balls, snow angels, leaving tracks, catching snowflakes on her tongue - the whole nine yards. The real challenge was to keep her from freezing her rear end off out there because she never wanted to come in. It's all melted by now (Friday afternoon), but it was fun while it lasted. My memories of Thanksgiving growing up in Abilene involved more short pants than heavy coats, but it was a beautiful sight.

Nephew
I said before that my entire immediate family was here at my parents house. That is not precisely true. I got to meet my nephew, my brother's son, for the first time at breakfast the day before Thanksgiving. He is 20. The son of my brother's high school girlfriend, he was given for adoption at birth. (The same adoption agency is who my brother and sister-in-law turned to for the adoption of their daughter.) As he turned eighteen, my brother had the chance to contact him for the first time, and he wanted to know his birth parents. They have gotten together a few times before, but this was my first chance to meet him. He is a music major at Hardin Simmons University here in Abilene, and plays the violin. My grandmother, his natural great-grandmother, played the violin in the Abilene Philharmonic, and even had a half-hour weekly radio show for a time (back in the 1940's). The resemblance to my brother is clear. The time with him was brief, but good. I look forward to getting to know him more in the future.

I hope your holiday has been as good as mine. Get your football watched and your shopping done. It's back to work next week, and looking to the end of the year. Who knows, maybe it'll snow in Houston for Christmas?

Tags: Thanksgiving, Family, Snow, Abilene, Nephew, Holiday, Fun, Adoption

What are you doing?

Coming October 24^th! Read more here.

(Side note: this is my 200^th post. I think it's a great thing to talk about for #200, don't you?)

Livin' la vida Isaac

Let's just begin by saying this: I'm no Ricky Martin. If you know me at all, you'll know that I am not a person who leads a crazy life - I may be a slight bit on the crazy side of things, but I am about as safe and predictable as they come. So, having established that I'm not livin' la vida loca, I will say that I have become rather enamored of the life of Isaac recently. In fact, if their is any one person whose lifestyle I am trying to emulate (besides Jesus, of course) it would be Isaac. I'm trying to live la vida Isaac (insert catch latin rhythm here).

Okay, what am I talking about? You know Isaac, right. Not the one on The Love Boat, serving up the drinks to the guest star of the week. The one that was offered up as a sacrifice by his father, Abraham, and was spared by God. Yeah, that one. What part of his life, you might ask, are you emulating? Probably the two things you know offhand are his near sacrifice and his lying about Rebekah being his sister to the king, Abimelech (just like dear old dad). Okay, you probably also remember that as an old man with failing eyesight he bestowed the blessing on Jacob, his younger son, instead of Esau when Jacob and Rebekah conspired to trick him. What part of that am I emulating?

Well, there's more to his story than just these Sunday School highlights. Take, for example, his time among Abimelech and the Philistines (read along in Genesis 26). Jehovah had set out from the start to bless Isaac. Despite the lie about Rebekah (which was told to the king, of all people), no harm came to him when the truth came out. You see, Jehovah wanted Isaac protected - even when Isaac was not fully trusting Him. And so the king who could have easily had him killed for such actions instead was more worried about how he or his people might have sinned in ignorance of the truth. And the blessings continued, we see, as Isaac was blessed with a crop one hundred times larger than what he had sown (Genesis 26:12). Sure, you say, who wouldn't want to live this life? Cue the Joel Osteen quotes and lets all have the health and wealth gospel, eh?

But, you know what, the prosperity gospel only works here if you conveniently ignore what happens next. You see, Abimelech clearly recognizes the hand of Jehovah on Isaac's life, and he's afraid because of it. The Philistine's were jealous, stopping up Isaac's wells to try and hurt him, and Abimelech "asks" him to move along. What did God's blessing bring Isaac? For a time, it made him homeless as a nation turned against him. But what does Isaac do? That's the real question. Read closely and you'll find that Isaac - wait for it - moves.

Okay, you say, who can fight a king? Of course Isaac moves. But read on. Jehovah continues to bless him in his new home just down the road. And the Philistine's continue to quarrel with him. In each conflict Isaac pulls out his sword, rallies his servants, and drives off the people treating him unfairly.

Well, maybe not.

Just like with the king, when he finds contention with the locals Isaac simple moves along. He doesn't grumble about being treated unfairly. Never once does he lose his patience or trust in Jehovah. And Isaac is maybe one of the most peace-loving people recorded in the bible - not once do we see him with sword in hand preparing to smite his enemy. In fact, because Isaac was so continuously blessed, Abimelech eventually comes back to him, more or less with hat in hand, and begs Isaac to make a treaty with him. Catch that? A king, a nation, is making a peace treaty with one man, who happens to have never threatened them with violence.

When I say I trying to live like Isaac, I'm not saying that I want material blessings or international recognition. I'm saying that I want to learn to live in such a way that everyone, and I mean everyone, knows without a doubt that I have been touched by God, filled with His Spirit. Full of peace (Matthew 5:9). Content with whatever happens (Philippians 2:14). Not suing for redress of unfair treatment (Luke 6:27-30). Filled with Godly wisdom. (Hey, Isaac was wise enough to know both of his children well. Well enough that, when blessing Esau, he knew just what blessing Esau needed. And yes, Isaac blessed both Jacob and Esau.) A simple man, living life in such an obvious way that people knew Jehovah and responded to Him - just because they knew Isaac.

You know what: since I have been consciously trying to live like this, I've actually noticed some results, in my life and in the people around me. During the 40 Day Fast, I made a point of trying to be private in my fast. To do this, I had to notify one person, who would have been buying me a birthday cake at work, that I would be forgoing that cake. I did this for simplicity and privacy in the fast, so I would not be acting the holier-than-thou fool standing over my own cake and not eating. She was so moved by what I was doing, and who I was doing this for, that she got a bunch of people at work to chip in and make a donation to Blood:Water Mission. Just me, trying to work out my own salvation, and in the process moving others to compassion and to do something beyond themselves. To make it clear and not imply any type of arrogance here: Nothing. I. Did. Caused. This. I was just working on me and my God. It was God who did that, and touched these people; and He did it through my being obedient to Him.

I've made it a point to have a photo that Blood:Water sent our family nearby most of the time. Something I can look at and remember who and what I've been praying for with them. I kept one photo in my bible; it needs replacing now. Some good friends at church had a learning moment with their two boys, recently, teaching them that the water they had wasted was not to be taken for granted. The boys had turned on a sprinkler and left it on all day, so to teach them a lesson they got to move a bucket of water one cup at a time - working hard for water, like people who do not have it so easily at hand do. I saw her blog post and talked to her the next day after church. I showed them the picture in my bible, thinking it would help drive home the lesson to the boys. It did: the boys (5 and 7) decided to start giving monthly to Blood:Water Mission. Wow. Simply by reminding myself of God's mission to touch peoples lives, others have been moved to touch lives, too. Again, nothing I did, there: Jeff and Erin taught the lesson, not me, and did a good job of it. At best, I helped provide and outlet for the lesson to be applied. Not much, but a lot.

That's what I'm trying to do, living like Isaac. Not much, but a lot. Simple things. Focus on my need to be with God, my need for His grace and righteousness. Let God show through me, be known through me. Let God work, let me be His tool. Get myself out of the limelight, let God's hand on my life be seen. That, I'm convinced, is when things really happen. We say it all the time, that we can do nothing but God can accomplish all things. Well, now I'm just trying to live it. Livin' la vida Isaac.

Tags: Simplicity, Humility, Godly Living, Isaac, Patience, Peace, Grumbling, Contentment, Wisdom

40-Day Fast: Baa! Baa!

We are reaching the end of the 40-Fay Fast, initiated by Kat in response to being moved to action by a picture. We are on day 39 - Tressa is highlighting the Dalit today, and also the practice of intentional mutilation of beggars that is common in India.

Tomorrow is the final day, and Kat has pulled one more thing out of her bag. She is suggesting we each spend one dollar and buy a family a goat, through World Vision.

The early-morning bleating of a dairy goat is a happy sound for children in countries like Haiti and Kenya. They know it’s ready to be milked! A goat nourishes a family with fresh milk, cheese, and yogurt, and can offer a much-needed income boost by providing offspring and extra dairy products for sale at the market. It even provides fertilizer that can dramatically increase crop yields. A perennial favorite, both to give and receive!

A dollar, just 100 pennies that you probably either throw away or hoard in a drawer, will make a difference. Go to Kat's page by midnight on Tuesday, July 31^st to add to this project.

Tags: Goat, World Vision, Charity

As if you haven't seen enought family pics

Lil'E with some flowers


Lil'E with her Build-a-Bear cat "Innie"


Lil'er E showing his disco moves


Our laughing boy

Tags: Photos, Pictures, Playtime, Build-a-Bear

What we got to do last night

Some Monday nights are crazy. Some are lazy. Some times we just want to crash as we get back into the normal week after a weekend together as a family. Last night, Monday night, was a little different for us. We had a chance to live out what has been talked about so much in the posts of the 40 Day Fast.

Last night, we went shopping - not for ourselves, but for two sisters who needed school supplies. And not by ourselves, but with these two sweet girls. And not just us: around 200 kids were blessed in this event, besides the two we shopped with. It was "Back to School" night. Our church, partnered with the Impact church in inner-city Houston, managed to bus these kids (in around six buses) up here to the 'burbs. Impact does a great job of ministering in the inner-city areas (they do a lot more than preach, though, and were profiled in The Wall Street Journal for their efforts after Hurricane Katrina), picking up these kids to bring them to church every week, and every day this week for VBS. Most of them are on government lunch grants at school, and their families come short of being able to afford needed school supplies and uniforms. That's where we were able to step in.

We met at the church building at 6:15, waited in line a few minutes to find the girls we would sponsor, and then left for a sumptuous dinner at CiCi's Pizza (hey, kids everywhere love a place that serves macaroni and cheese pizza). It was then on to Wal-Mart, who had kindly provided pre-packaged school supplies and a 10% discount on all purchases (but please, next time, open more registers for checkout!). After buying shoes, khaki's, polo's (to meet school uniform standards), and a backpack there was just enough time and money left to get them some gum to take home with them (we were asked to limit purchases to $65 per child). The girls loved talking and playing with Lil'E, and she hated saying by to them when we dropped them back at the buses at 9:30 - Liler'E was of the opinion that it had all gone on too long and was want to get home, as most 5-month olds are.

It was a great night, overall, even if it resulted in not getting the kids to bed until around 10:30. We loved meeting the girls, and seeing all the kids there; as a bonus, Mrs. E got to do some shopping, even if it wasn't for herself. And the kids all had a great night, as well. Our girls even asked if we would take them again next year!

Tags: Impact, School Supplies, Needy Children, Wal-Mart, Shopping, Back to school

James 1:27

The religion which is holy and free from evil in the eyes of our God and Father is this: to take care of children who have no fathers and of widows who are in trouble, and to keep oneself untouched by the world.

James 1:27, Bible in Basic English

⁸Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. ⁹The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." ¹⁰Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Romans 13:8-10, NIV

To Jehovah, it seems, there are but two types of action: love and sin. The religion He implores us to practice is one that showers love on everyone, but most especially those who are destitute, poor, broken down and discarded. This is something that should be approached through personal interaction, where presented to opportunity, and through support (financial, verbal, prayerful) when personal interaction is not possible.

Through that lens, our family decides on how we give. In the last couple of weeks I've sent out almost all of the planned monetary contributions for the year (from our first fruits, since this is the time of year I generally see a raise/bonus). I wanted to share with you, for your prayer and thought (but not in bosting), a few of the groups we have elected to support (besides individual missionaries we try to help).

Eastern European Missions	I've talked about Eastern European Missions (EEM) before. Interestingly, I later found a site that linked to that post, who found it disturbing that they were working with the Ukraine government (by invitation) to set up a Christian curriculum to be taught in public schools. Never mind that the Ukraine, as well as Russia, are desperately lost without a moral compass and begging to learn. These are the people you've read about, but may not have ever met, who for many years smuggled Bibles into eastern Europe and Russia; but now the door is wide open and many good things are happening.
Blood:Water Mission	I keep their banner in the top of my left sidebar for a reason. "One dollar. One man. One year" One dollar provides enough clean drinking water for one African for a year. So simple to change the course of a person's whole year.
Sunny Glen Children's Home	Helping children without a good home life is very important to us. We've visited here and continue to help in whatever ways we can. Visiting children's homes has been something Mrs. E and I have been involved in since college. Again, it is so easy to touch lives. Their website even lists the names of children who have upcoming birthdays, so you can send a card. Nice to know, sometimes, that someone you've never met cares enough to pray for you and send you birthday wishes.
March of Dimes	So, they're not a strictly Christian organization. We still give to them. I guess someone could start a group called "March of Shekels" that tries to raise money to research . . . But what would be the point of that, just to have a Christian label? If what they are doing is not in line with the will of God to love our neighbors, then I'm completely lost as to what Christianity is. Until you have seen a preemie baby, or a child afflicted with a birth defect, and seen the mixed agony and joy on their parents faces as they wait to see what their child's life will be, you may not understand the impact this organization has.
Northwest Assistance Ministries	I'm sure you've someplace like Northwest Assistance Ministries (NAM) in your area. Do you need food – they have it. Clothes – they have that, too. School supplies for the kids – they are here to help. They work individually with people and are partnered with many local congregations and associations. If there is a place like this in your area, help them out with cash or time. They take cars, too!

Tags: Eastern European Missions, Blood:Water Mission, Sunny Glen Children's Home, March of Dimes, Northwest Assistance Ministries, Charity, Giving, Love, Orphans

Blessed

Today, our new son turns one month old. Besides being truly blessed with my beautiful wife, this little boy, and his big sister, we have been blessed in many ways this month. Little Euphrony has had no problems so far with having a new baby in the house. She loves him so much; we have more problems trying to get her to give him some space and not smother him than anything else. She wants to hold her little bro, leans over to give him hugs and kisses on the forehead constantly, and wants to help with everything - including changing his diapers. (Hearing her help to sooth Lil'er E during a diaper change by singing "Grace Flows Down" (Christy Nockels) to him absolutely melts my heart.) We worried that she might act out and become jealous of the attention he gets that we once solely lavished on her; this has yet to happen. She may act like a three-year old girl, but that is normal; she loves her brother and seems to understand the needs he has and how mom and dad must respond to him.

Our family has been blessed with food. I mean, a lot of food. We have not had to cook since Lil'er Euphrony was born; not once. We have had people bringing us food every other day for a month now, and we still have people bringing food for the next week or so. It is absolutely amazing how much this has helped us out, freeing up time that might be spent in the kitchen or having to run get something and allowing us to relax and spend more time together as a family. To everyone who has brought food: thank you, from our whole family, for your love and care for us right now. My only complaint about the food is that it is too good. These people brought their "A" game, and we've eaten more good, rich food than we usually do. I won't confess what the scales say, but they are a showing a little higher number than before Lil'er E was born. How's that for a complaint?

I had mentioned that I was pretty sick shortly after Lil'er E was born. I was basically out of the game for four days, conveniently the first four days we were home alone with no family to help us. A few days after I was getting better, my father forwarded this note from a preacher in northern Ghana (my dad has spent a great deal of time there doing mission work):

My Good Elder, this is to brother Jason: may he get better each day, may the Lord put upon him the balm of gilead. More than expected, his recovery shall be amazing. He will get well soon.

This is to Elijah: As it pleases the Lord to protect him up to the day he was born, so shall it please Him to keep him in the shelter of his love now and forever more.

My Good elder, it is really not easy at the time a child is been born your are faced with such challenges. All will be well.

Reading this note, from someone I've never met or talked to, really touched me. That someone half a world away, who knows little to nothing about me or my family, cares this much about us is amazing and a testament to the heart of Christ that is found in His body.

One more thing that I find myself, personally, having been blessed with is God's working on my heart. I posted recently about my struggles in my walk with Jehovah. While I find that I still struggle in the areas I detailed then (and likely will for a while, as I work to grow) God showed me this past weekend that He has continued to work on my heart to mold me into His image. He has just been doing it in ways that I had yet to recognize until now. I've always boasted about Mrs. Euphrony and her soft heart and care for the lives of other people. This is, honestly, something which was never strong in my heart; to me, compassion seemed to be more conceptual than something to be acted out. Mrs. E has always encouraged and taught me in this, with her loving heart, and brought me to righteous actions that I may never have become part of before. But now, after a brief encounter this weekend, I find that Jehovah has worked on my heart - through Mrs. E and others - to soften it to the needs and plight of others. He is making me kinder, more compassionate and generous, and I had not realized it until now. My life may be a struggle to walk in His word and in faith, but while I struggle in one area I find that He is blessing me with faithful growth in another. That encouragement in yet another blessing from God this past month.

It's been an interesting month, full of fun and joy and struggles and work. But we have been truly blessed.

Tags: Thankfulness, Joy, Peace, Friends, New Baby, Big Sister, Gifts, Compassion, Jehovah, Kind Heart