Another one of those "Where Am I?" Posts

Can you believe it's almost mid-December already?  My friend Stik made a comment a couple weeks ago that this is the time of year when everything accelerates.

I've been answering questions, especially at Church, all year long about when I'm going back to Ukraine. All year long the answer has been in "x" months.  Now...it's in less than a month!  And really, I'm leaving my "home" with Stik and my new (as of this past summer) Church sometime next week so now when some of the kids ask when I'm leaving, the answer is "next week".  As much as I'm looking forward to going back to Ukraine, it doesn't get any easier to say goodbye!

Lord willing I will fly from Atlanta a few days after the Passion Conference (Jan 2-5).

I'm still raising support but I've reached a level that I can live on.  Additional monthly support that might come in before the end of the year will allow me to increase both my Personal Salary and my Ministry Budget.  One-time gifts will go toward a fund to eventually purchase a used car/minivan.

Speaking of cars.  My Jeeps are for sale.  I've listed the Wrangler on Craigslist in Jackson (and will probably add it to some other sites this week).  http://jackson.craigslist.org/cto/2743035647.html

This is a big prayer request- that at least one of them sells before I leave.  I've been blessed to have a place to live (without moving in with parents) and I've been blessed to have work but it's been a level of income that didn't really cover all the bills so selling the Jeeps will allow me to terminate Insurance payments and pay off other debts before going overseas.

Where I'm At!

A little less than 2 months ago I wrote a blog about where I am in terms of Support Raising and I ended with a cool story about how a STUDENT...a HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT joined my team with a gift of $1000.00!

I wrote that I was only receiving about 15% of my monthly support but that I had nearly 40% "pledged".

Where am I now?  I'm receiving about 50% of monthly support and I have about 80% pledged.  God is Good!

That means I need three things to happen before the end of the year (preferably before the end of November!).

• I need to raise 20% of my monthly support (which is only $600).  
• I need for all my "pledges" to get started by December (if you're giving through a Bank Transfer, you have to start the transfer 30 days before the date of the intended transaction...that is, if you're giving a monthly transaction that begins November 15th, then you must submit the form before the 15th of THIS month in order for it to take effect otherwise it will be December before it takes effect!)
• I need one-time gifts.  My Start-up Account is separate from my Monthly Support Account and I still need nearly $5000 in that account.

Now here's another cool story.  I was in a wedding a few weeks ago.  I didn't really know anyone in that part of the State except the couple and some of their immediate family.  But in the course of meeting some new people that weekend I've already received a $250 gift and I have a pledge for more than $1000 more. 

God is good; better than I deserve...meeting my needs beyond what I can even ask for!

Celebration of Discipline

I enjoy reading.  I read several kinds of books.  I like history, I like fiction, I like "Christian Help" kind of books.

But sometimes it's just hard to get through a book.  That was often the case when I was in Seminary.  I spent the better part of three years being told by someone else what to read.  The first thing I bought after graduation was a big, fat fantasy novel with dragons and elves and magic!

Celebration of Disciple is an assigned read.  It's part of my preparation for going overseas with International Teams.  It's the kind of book that I should be able to devour in a day and spit out the book review in under an hour!

That hasn't been the case.  I've had a terrible time getting "into it".  I've been chipping away at it for a couple months and I'm still not finished with it.

But something blogworthy (in my opinion) happened today.  I read the chapter on "Confession".  And as I was beginning the chapter on "Confession", I have to "confess" that I didn't think I'd like it too much.

I was wrong.  I wish I would have read it three years ago.  (In fact, I'm not sure how I escaped reading this book at some point in the past anyway.   It may have been one of those books I sleepwalked through when I was in Seminary!)

Here are some excerpts from the chapter on Confession through which the Lord really spoke to me this afternoon:

"The followers of Jesus Christ have been given the authority to receive the confession of sin and to forgive it in his name (Jn 20:33).... Why do we shy away from such a life-giving ministry?  If we, not out of merit but sheer grace, have been given the authority to set others free, how dare we withhold this great gift!"


Counsel in the Giving of a Confession


"A generalized confession may save us from humiliation and shame, but it will not ignite inner healing."


"Then there is the practical matter of to whom we should go to confess.  It is quite correct theologically to say that every Christian believer can receive the confession of another, but not every Christian believer will have sufficient empathy and understanding.  Though it is unfortunate, it is a fact of life that some people seem unable to keep a confidence."


Counsel in the Receiving of a Confession


"We begin by learning to live under the Cross.  Bonhoeffer writes, "Anybody who lives beneath the Cross and who has discerned in the Cross of Jesus the utter wickedness of all men and of his own heart will find there is no sin that can ever be alien to him.  Anybody who has once been horrified by the dreadfulness of his own sin that nailed Jesus to the Cross will no longer be horrified by even the rankest sins of a brother."  This is the one thing that will save us from ever being offended in the confession of another.  It forever delivers us from conveying any attitude of superiority.  We know the deceptiveness of the human heart, and we know the grace and mercy of God's acceptance.  Once we see the awfulness of sin we know that, regardless of what others have done, we ourselves are the chief of sinners.  Therefore, there is nothing that anyone can say that will disturb us.  Nothing.  By living under the cross we can hear the worst possible things from the best possible people without so much as batting an eyelash."


That chapter alone was worth the price of admission!

It reminds me why I think something like "Celebrate Recovery" ought to replace every Adult Sunday School Class in every Baptist Church.  And it reminds me why I like Derek Webb's "House Show" CD (where he preaches a LOT about being real and transparent).  You can't live in the "light" unless you can put your crap on the table.  It's a better way to live, folks...if you can find a safe place (and safe people) in which to practice this particular discipline.

I watched a great TV Show last night...read all about it!

Last night I watched a PBS program called, "The American Experience: The Great Famine" ... The film is based on Stanford researcher Bertrand Patenaude'sThe Big Show in Bololand: The American Relief Expedition to Soviet Russia in the Famine of 1921.


It was a fascinating program depicting a bit of American history that I had never heard before.


The story begins in Russia following its devastating losses in World War 1 and also following the chaos and bloodshed of the Bolshevik Revolution and Civil War.  In the wake of an already difficult time Russia's rich farming regions East of Moscow suffered a severe drought. Famine ensued.  The new communist government apparently refused to seek international aid (which was really unknown of for the time anyway) but they did allow certain influential individuals to appeal for help and the writer Maxim Gorky made a strong case to the West for help, essentially saying that millions would die without help.


Gorky's plea caught the eye/ear/heart of someday-to-be President Herbert Hoover, then the Director of the newly formed American Relief Administration.  He began by using his budget and privately raised funds to feed upwards of 100,000 starving Russian children PER DAY!  Running the operation on the ground in Russia was US Colonel William Haskell...a WW1 Veteran who had overseen relief efforts in Belgium after the War.   On the ground, he could see that the famine was worse than imagined and they would need to provide food for adults as well as children.  Herbert Hoover fought a battle with Congress to gain an aid package worth $20 Million (1920) Dollars...that would be more than $200 Million in 2011 Dollars...twice what was initially offered by the US to Haiti after the earthquake.


(As a sidenote: I noticed in the film that the bags of corn were clearly marked, "Corn from America".  Last summer in Haiti some of our volunteers had problems that the supplies we were giving out were marked "US AID"...like we were taking advantage of the situation.  Maybe that's so...you can't escape politics but the practice of letting people know where the help is coming from goes back at least to the beginnings of US Government relief efforts following WW1- it's not a new thing!)


At the peak of the operation, the United States (along with several others efforts...but mostly it was a US- ARA effort)...fed more than 11 million people PER DAY in 19,000 kitchens!  PER DAY!  I said... PER DAY!


The PBS Program never said much about the motivations of the 300+ Americans that responded to the crises by living and working in Russia for 2+ years in incredibly severe conditions...that led to the death of several!  The program mentioned that "Hoovers' Boys" were adventurous.  That's for sure.  I suspect something more...maybe there's more about it in the book...but early 1920's might have seen the peak of the American Social Gospel movement- the application of theology to social justice issues.  A lot of modern, conservative, evangelical theologians today have some disdain for the Social Gospel Movement...and to be sure, at it's extreme- all "Social" and no "Gospel", it's empty...it's sharing a cup of cold water without sharing whose name your sharing it in!!  But in my way of thinking there is no Gospel without addressing Justice issues.  It's both addressing Justice and Making Disciples.  I digress.  What I wanted to say here is that I suspect many of the Americans that responded so heroically probably did so out of their Christian convictions.


A lot of people today have a problem with the money the US spends on humanitarian efforts around the globe.  I don't have a problem with it.  It's a minuscule amount compared to what is wasted by our government.  Herbert Hoover was credited with saving more lives than any single person that's ever lived!  That's worth more than anything I can think of that our government is spending money on!


You can read more about this episode of American History here:  http://news.stanford.edu/news/2011/april/famine-040411.html

The PBS Episode "The American Experience: The Great Famine" is available on Netflix...I encourage you watch it and be proud of what we did there.

I guess I'm dreamin' of a White (family) Christmas

Today is September 19th.  Almost a year ago, in December 2010 I was accepted to serve in Ukraine with International Teams.  In my wild imagination I envisioned completing about 20 weeks of training and raising support in time to be in Ukraine by mid-summer.

After the initial phase of training in Elgin, IL in January and February, I revised my schedule in anticipation of going to Ukraine in August.

After attending the Support Raising Bootcamp in April I revised my schedule again with an eye toward landing in Ukraine in early October.

Ain't gonna happen!

I already have more supporters than I originally planned for.  That's a good thing.  The average gifts however are smaller than I thought they would be.  It's also been more difficult for me to get appointments and do follow-ups while working (support raising is a full-time gig and I don't have the time or money to do it that way).

SO.  I'm revising my schedule yet again.  I'm shooting for the first week of January- after January 7 which is Christmas in Ukraine.  This schedule will allow me to fully engage with my family and friends for the holidays so I'm excited about that.

I have a few friends who have been "early adopters" and have supported me since I made the assignment announcement back in December.  THANK YOU.  Money that is accumulating in my account will pay for my "start-up" expenses once I get there.  If you're planning to support and haven't begun yet, then please consider doing so.  Again, money that is accumulating will help with expenses and give me some "cushion".

Thanksgiving.  Christmas.  New Year.  Then I'll volunteer at the Passion Conference in Atlanta January 2-5 and fly from there a couple days later.  Lord willing.

Support Raising- Where am I? (and then a cool conclusion)

I don't want this blog to be about where I am in my Support Raising.  There's a cool story at the end.  Part of me wants to say, "I'm right where God wants me to be" because He's in control, right?  Part of me wants to say I am where I am because of the effort (and at times, lack thereof) that I've put in.  

Actually, I think it's both.  God is in control but there's work for me to do as well.

So I'll say a little something about "where I am" and then I'll get on to the real story.

According to I-Teams I'm only about 15% supported.  That's the monthly support I'm already receiving (as of last month).

According to commitments I've received from friends I'm a little over 40% supported (their bank drafts just haven't started coming through yet).  

I've had some really good visits in the last 5 weeks and I have about 10 "follow-ups" to make.  I know better than count my eggs before they hatch but I feel like most of those visits will yield monthly support worth maybe as much as 15-25% meaning I should have 60+% of my support as soon as I can follow-up on those visits.

But here's the cool story.

I received a $1000.00 one-time gift the other day.  

Now, that's only 1/60th of my total need (monthly support plus Start-up plus all my training/traveling expenses).  

And it's only 1/36th of my monthly support.  

It's 1/10th of my Start-up cost.

Hang on, I'm not to the cool part yet.

I've received some bigger gifts.  I've received some other $1000.00 gifts.

I've never received that big of a gift from a 16 year old though.  In fact, this kid is my youngest supporter at any level.  And I'm so incredibly humbled that a 16 year old would bless me that much.  

There are days when I doubt I'll ever get there; and then there are days like that.

I should be listening to Dental Stops and Fricatives

Time:  11:15 pm
When:  Sunday Night.  August 7.
What: In the middle of a two week long Introduction to Phonetics course.  About 3/4 through Lesson 10.

Motivation: Gone

Would rather watch a movie on Netflix.  Would rather eat.  Would rather sleep till noon tomorrow.

Went to church this morning at historic Moody Church in downtown Chicago.  Now that was cool.  The building is nearly 100 years old and it's beautiful.  What was even more beautiful was that it was packed with young families and while it wasn't as quite a diverse congregation as I expected, it was still much more ethnically diverse than most churches.

After cruising around the northside of Chicago after church and having lunch on the way home I crashed for a really long nap this evening (4 pm- 8 pm) and now I'm trying to get back into academic mode for tomorrow by finishing up homework.

This stuff is CRAZY!  It's hard to explain.  I guess it would be stranger to me if I hadn't already studied Russian, but suffice to say there are a lot more sounds that can be made than the ones we use in English.  And that's what we're doing these 2 weeks.  We're learning how to hear and make those sounds; some of which will show up in the various languages we will study on the mission field.

Therein lies part of the motivation problem.  I've studied enough Russian to know which of these sounds are present and which are not and therefore have little motivation to learn the ones which do not.  Make sense?

What I really want to do is see my Support Account increase by about 50% and then go to Ukraine in October as planned!

Let me tell you about something that fires me up

I was on the road again today.  I semi-scheduled a few visits (I'm raising support to go to Ukraine, right?) but they were all "lite" visits- more social and soft-sell and about nurturing relationships than about getting money.

I spent a few minutes with a Pastor-friend that I admire a lot.  Bro Hal was my Pastor in Amory for about 10 months back in the late 80's.  I've probably seen him one time since then and that was before 1997!  He's a great guy and we enjoyed our brief visit.  After all these years I really didn't want to hard-sell my support goals but I know he and his wife will prayerfully consider supporting me anyway.

After that I stopped by another nearby church where I know practically the whole staff.  Tommy, Mark, Nick and Rusty.  They are great guys, great friends (ok, I just met Rusty today but I've known Nick all his life and Tommy and Mark for several years!)  Again, no hard sell with them- just a social visit.  I appreciate their hearts and just wanted to connect with them for a few minutes.

I had lunch with another buddy that I worked with on a volunteer basis doing Campus Ministry back in my Gulfport days.  It was good to catch up with Kevin and good to hear his continued passion for youth ministry.

I had ice cream with a former youth- Heather-who just had all her wisdom teeth removed!  She was sporting some serious chipmunk cheeks!

I visited my old church and got to hear another of my former "youths" leading tonight's Bible study.  Will did a great job.

The highlight though was visiting with my friend Jamie.

Jamie was in maybe the 8th or 9th grade when I left Gulfport at the end of 2006.  She was fired-up about her relationship with Christ back then.  She still is today; even moreso.  Her passion is mature and focused.  Her heart is for the Nations.  She just got back to the States after living in Indonesia for the summer.  With very limited internet access and staying a whole 2 months- she was able to not only get out of America, but she was able to get America out of her.  We could all stand that kind of de-tox!

We talked.  And we kept talking.  And we walked to our cars and kept talking.  And it occurred to me as we were trying to say goodbye that I could talk to her and listen to her passion for the Nations all night long.  I LOVE spending that kind of time with someone.  I think I love it even more when it's a student.  It doesn't hurt that in a small way I can claim she's one of "mine" (Thank you Jesus for letting her be in my life and me in hers!).  That fires me up!

Waffle House and Walmart

Waffle House and Walmart!  Yep, that makes for a fine dining experience and good family entertainment!

I guess we're in the "dog days" of Summer.  I think both of my readers know that I'm living with and working with my best friend from college (when I'm not traipsing around the country looking for mission supporters!).  My buddy Stik- he's an engineer and surveyor.  Mostly, we Survey.  And that can be a HOT job during a Mississippi Summer.  So basically, we do as little as possible during this annual global warming tribute to Al Gore.

Actually, I've been able to increase the frequency of my Support Raising meetings now that we're not committed to a survey job everyday.  That's been a good thing for me.

There are days when I'm very anxious about securing 100% of my support but then there are days when God is just too good!  In my mind, I can't help but imagine how much Support person X or Y will give me as a meeting approaches.  Time and again I've been surprised.  I'm surprised that some of my greatest givers are former students just now beginning their careers.  How humbling is that?  I'm surprised about once a month here lately when someone that I had "written off" weeks ago contacts me to begin their giving.  Every time someone says "yes", it's affirmation to me that God has called me to Ukraine for such a time as this and where He called, He'll provide.  I wonder if my Supporters understand how their giving affirms me?

I'm starting to feel a little behind the 8-Ball for an early October departure but that's the goal.

I've got a lot of catching-up to do here on the Blog- I've spent a week at StudentLife Camp with the Zion Hill Youth, I've spoken in a couple churches, and I'm headed back to Chicago next week to continue training with I-Teams.  Be on the lookout for more news soon!

Ponderings and a Prayer Request

It's midnight.  I'm mellow tonight.  It's a combination of today's happenings and the music I'm listening to right now.

Today was Arrival Day for Super Summer Staff.  I was in the Jackson area so I basically just crashed the party and hung-out during Registration, Dinner and the opening worship event for staff.  I've been a part of Super Summer since 1992 or 93.  I missed the year Kim had her Double Lung Transplant (98) and again in 07 (World Race), 09 (Ukraine), and 10 (Haiti).  And this year I'll be at StudentLife in Daytona Beach.

Super Summer is the best camp I was ever a part of.  Why?  The Leadership is pretty much all Mississippi Youth Ministers.  Guys and girls that are in the trenches everyday working with teenagers.  They serve the kids at Super Summer like they are their own kids...which of course, they are.  The second element is the students themselves.  They are just always top-notch.  The last element is the small group leaders.  Many of them (most of them) grew up going to Super Summer.  Most of them are in college and most of them are simply outstanding young people.  I guess I could mention that the worship leaders and speakers are consistently amazing.

So tonight I got to hang out with youth ministers I've known and worked with since the late 80's!  I saw kids that were once in my youth group who are small group leaders.  I saw Executive Staffers that I knew when they were students at Super Summer.  They are all world class.

After my visit with them I stopped by the hospital to see some friends who are keeping vigil over a loved one in ICU.  I performed the wedding for Amy and Stevie back in 08 and now Stevie's 30 year old brother is fighting for his life with a broken neck and no feeling in his arms and legs after a diving accident on July 4.  To say I'm in a sober mood right now would be an understatement.  If you've never had a loved one in an ICU, in critical condition with tubes and wires and monitors and only able to step into the room for a few minutes every several hours....well, I rather hope you don't have to do that.  Ever.  I hurt for them.

I'd love for you to join me in prayer for all of them.  For Brian, that God would perform a miracle.  He's to be thanked for Brian receiving the great care he's receiving...but he needs more than that.  I pray for him to regain full function and live the rest of his life as a living testimony of God's greatness and goodness and power.  I pray for the family that's waiting.  For peace and comfort that's out of this world, for employers and friends and co-workers and teachers who are patient and graceful towards the family who, despite the fact that life goes on and there are obligations to be met, really have more consuming thoughts right now than work, class, cutting the grass and all that stuff.  I pray for friends to rally around the family and just be there.  No words are necessary really.

Long Overdue

Once again, it's been weeks since I last blogged.  There's been a lot going on, just not a lot to write about.

I'm sitting at a Cups Coffeeshop in Jackson waiting to meet with an old friend and potential ministry supporter in another hour or so.  I've had some successful visits the last few weeks; just not enough of them.

Let me clarify, almost everyone that I've met with has joined my Support Team.  The thing is; I need to be meeting with 6-10 people a week and I only met with that many people all of last month!

But the meetings I had in June sure were a lot of fun.  I reconnected with an old employer and a college roomy I hadn't seen in 18 years.  I met with students I met working at Super Summer back in the 90's!  I met with a couple of my favorite couples, including a couple that I married back in 2000 (I think).  Today I'm meeting with two old ministry friends; one of which I haven't seen in 20 years!  That's crazy.

So where am I?  I basically have 2 different Support Raising Accounts as I prepare to return to Ukraine.  One account is my Start-Up Account which includes my training cost (5 weeks in Chicago), my support-raising cost (all my travel and expenses this summer) and my actual start-up cost for Ukraine (airfare, furnishing an apartment, supplies and equipment for ministry).  I'm at about 50% of the nearly $20K needed.

The other account is more important- it's my Monthly Support Account.  I'm working towards $3000.00 a month.  I'm at about 30% right now.  One thing I'm learning about the current economy is that people just aren't able to give at the "higher" levels.  All that means is that I need to ask more people to support me.  That's not a bad thing.  It's a lot easier to get by if a $50/month supporter has to miss a month than it is if a $200/mo supporter has to miss a month.

I haven't written much about my Support Needs.  And I don't intend to write much more.  Hopefully, the next think I'll write about the financial situation will be a big Praise The Lord when I'm at 100%.  I believe He called me and I believe He'll provide for me.

How about a re-post from 2005!!

Tonight one of the networks played Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith.  I both love and hate that movie.  I love it because it has rockin' fight scenes and the story of Anakin's turn to the dark side is finally completed.  I hate it because it's just sad.  Depressing.  So great was the fall... (and so cheesy was Natalie Portman's line, "Anakin, you're breaking my heart.")  But I digress.  After watching the movie I remembered writing about it more than 6 years ago.  Here it is:

Thursday, May 19, 2005

The midnight showing of Episode 3 was worth the wait.  There were at least two Sith's, a handful of Jedi, a princess or two (including one sitting kinda behind me in an Amazing t-shirt ), a Stormtrooper, a really cool LightSaber along with some cheesy ones...in attendance. Interpreting a movie is kinda like interpreting the Bible.  There are 6 billion of us and 6 billion opinions...but the opinion that matters most is the one that wrote it.  I've never heard that Lucas set out to do anything more profound than create a sci-fi swashbuckling space opera.  To say much more is to read into it what may or may not be there at all. Having said that- there are some incredible spiritual applications and perhaps none so striking as in this movie.  In some ways, I thought Anakin gave in too easily...I didn't think the movie adequately developed his inner turmoil that led to such fateful decisions.   But gosh...once he started making those bad choices...well...things got seriously out of hand!  I always thought of Darth Vader as a "great" bad guy...ya know?  one of the best movie villians of all time.   But after last night I see nothing great about his character at all.  He was worse than horrible.  Before last night he was a bad guy in a cool costume.  Now he's a horrendous human on par or worse than Hitler. He is hate personified- SIN itself personified.  If it were real...and not a movie...I can't imagine seeing any good in him.  But as much as I hate to admit it...as dark as Anakin was...as evil and vile as he was- that's a really good picture of us outside of a relationship with Christ.  I don't want to imagine myself like that.  I can easily compare myself to someone else in an effort to not appear as "dark".  But the truth is- Vader is a pretty good personification of SIN.  Of course...Episode 3 isn't the end.  It's just the middle.  Luke didn't see any good in Vader when he killed Obi Wan in Ep. 4 or when they fought in Ep5.  But something happened to Luke that changed him and changed the way he saw Vader.  Classic line from Ep6, Luke: "But Father, I came to save you", Vader: "You already have". Star Wars- the story of lost man redeemed by the Son.

Lousy Blogger

I'm doing a lousy job of blogging these days.  It's been, what?  About a month since my last post?

I guess my latest news is that I just sent out my "End of May" email newsletter via MailChimp yesterday.  So far, the open rate is below average.  Actually, in all 4 monthly mailings I've done so far there's a large percentage of people that never open the email so I suspect their Spam filters are catching it.  I should probably check with those people individually to see if they're aware of the newsletter.

Perspectives in the World Christian Movement-  Have any of you ever heard of or taken this course?  I'm starting it this week online.  I'm excited about it; I just hope I have the time for it.  I'm already behind on some work I'm supposed to be doing for training with International Teams!

Support Raising- I think every time I pick up the phone to make an "appointment" I get nervous and I hear satan's whisper that I shouldn't even bother- that the person I'm calling will be too busy or have too much going on to support me.  Most of the time I push through and make the appointment and so far over 90% of the people I've personally spoken with have joined my Support Team.  Why is it so hard to trust God when all He ever does is be completely faithful?

Memorial Day- I spent the long weekend in Vicksburg with my entire immediate family.  All my siblings were there, my parents, all the nieces and nephews and great-nieces/nephews.  There's something special about seeing that kind of continuity... seeing my nieces in my great nieces...that sort of thing, ya  know?  I'm grateful for them.  And at the same time...with it being Memorial Day Weekend I thought a little about my Dad and my Uncles who served in the Military (and my brother too).  I love to see those old pictures of my Uncles in World War 2.  They were all so young and dashing...and immensely brave to enlist knowing what the cost could be.

Going Undercover!

Once upon a time I was a "Law Enforcement" Officer.  Sorta.  I was a Wildife/Fisheries Tech 3 (aka, Associate Wildlife Biologist).  Back in the day (right out of college) even the "Technical Staff" as we were called completed the MS Law Enforcement Officers Training Academy ie, The Police Academy.  So in January of 1989 I attended several weeks of Basic Training in Pearl, MS.  For what it's worth, I graduated at the top of the class.

During my years with the "State" the overwhelming majority of my work involved Fisheries Research and Mgmt. There were a few exceptions though.  Once I was recruited to "spy" on a fellow Officer for a couple days.  He was a Lake Manager and was allegedly allowing the State Prisoners he was using to have conjugal visits with their girlfriends at the Lake.  Another time some people were selling "gamefish" at a restaurant which was/is illegal.  I'm the one that made the "delivery" of fish to the bad guys.

This past week I resurrected my "undercover" persona; which really means I just turned into a paranoid, Liam Neeson from the movie, Taken, wannabe.

But first a little more background:  I've had a lot of exposure to Human Trafficking over the last few years.  When I did The World Race we walked the streets of Cambodia and Thailand.  Since then several World Racers have gone on to work with anti-trafficking ministries such as International Justice Mission and Shared Hope International and others.  I've heard statistics that suggest that as many as 70% of the girl orphans in Ukraine are trafficked after they  age-out.  A huge number of girls and women in Moldova have been trafficked in the last 10 years.  And then I read stories like this.  (Ukrainian girls arrive in America for summer work and are immediately trafficked).

So it's no wonder that my hackles got up when I learned that two young friends from Ukraine were coming to America on a Student Work/Travel Visa.  They are both 20 year olds that I met while I lived in Ukraine in 2009.  One of them was my translator at camp.  So what did I do?  I timed a "Support Raising" Road Trip to coincide with their arrival at Dulles Airport in Washington, DC this past week.

To begin with, I researched the company (a Pool Mgmt company that provides Lifeguards for apartments and hotels).  Turns out they have been sued before for Fair Labor Standards violations.  I talked to the National Trafficking Hotline people to see if they had any complaints.  This past Monday night I was there when the girls arrived.  My plan was to see who picked them up.  I wanted to get pictures of the "guy" and I wanted get pictures of whatever vehicle they left in.  I even wanted to get fingerprints by handing the guy my water bottle or something.

So, I waited.  I spotted the "guy" first- he was waiting with a sign with my friends name on it.  I managed to get near enough to him to overhear his phone conversations and I could tell he was a native Russian speaker.  When the girls arrived, I took pictures and got video.  He seemed a little surprised and shy when I insisted on taking his picture.  So I gave him a paraphrase of that line from "Taken" (I don't know who you are. I don't know what you want. If you are looking for ransom, I can tell you I don't have money. But what I do have are a very particular set of skills; skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you. If you let my daughter go now, that'll be the end of it. I will not look for you, I will not pursue you. But if you don't, I will look for you, I will find you, and I will kill you.)  


Seriously, I told him I was taking his picture so that if anything happened to the girls this summer I would know who to look for!

I walked to the car with them and got a picture of the Vehicle Tag.  The next day I staked-out their "Office" and took more vehicle pictures.  I managed to get two more Tag pictures.

I also gave one of the girls a Prepaid Phone with several key telephone numbers.  I was able to stay in touch with them for the couple days I was in DC.  It looks like the company is fairly legit.  A little sketchy...for example, the apartment the girls are in isn't furnished at all; only has mattresses on the floor- not even any bedding.  I took the girls shopping and got them sleeping bags and pillows and some other essentials.  I hope some friends in the DC Area will keep tabs on them through the summer.

So there ya go.  Just like in my old "Wildlife Dept" days, I was reminded that I really don't have the personality type to be an effective undercover guy.  My heart was racing when I was taking pictures and videos and stuff.  That's ok though.  I think I accomplished my mission.  Nothing I did necessarily guarantees the girls' safety this summer, but if they had disappeared the other night I know I would have regretted being there for the rest of my life.  And if your daughter was 5000 miles away from home for the summer, wouldn't you want someone looking out for her?

Day of the Tornado

I rarely get worked up about the weather.  I figure it's something we don't have any control over.  And apparently I'm not quite in the "Weather Channel" demographic yet.  Watching it for hours on end ranks right behind back-to-back episodes of Wheel of Fortune.

Yesterday I left my friends house in West-Central MS thinking that the whole thing had been overblown.  The storm that was projected had completely failed to materialize.  I drove a little further East to my Dad's house to spend the night and there was nothing there either.

On the radio, a DJ proclaimed that they were watching a tornado, live, ripping through Tuscaloosa.  You know what?  I had just watched several videos in the past week of a tornado zipping around the Interstate in Clinton, MS without doing much of anything.  So I dismissed what I was hearing.

And then today, I woke up at 5 am to drive from Mize, MS to Nashville with plans of seeing a friend in Decatur along the way.  Early this morning I started hearing the radio reports from Tuscaloosa.  Before I got there it was evident that a catastrophic event had happened.

I passed by Tuscaloosa.  I drove half-way around Birmingham and headed north.  My friend in Decatur called to warn me that I probably wouldn't find electricity (and therefore gasoline) in all of N Alabama.  She was almost right.  I had to get 20 miles of the Interstate on fumes before I found a station with a half hour line at every pump.  I continued to drive the backroads, east of Cullman all the way to Decatur.  In Huntsville I ran into traffic and found another backroad- this time forcing me to ford mini-lakes where country roads used to be.  I emerged from the sticks somewhere around Athens, AL.

Along the way I passed through numerous small towns and communities- unnamed on the radio or Weather Channel broadcast.  Small places where other tornadoes touched down long enough to change lives forever.  And probably end a few too.

I've been conflicted all day long.  Part of me wanted to turn around, go home and gather my Chain Saw, Crow Bar and Bottled Water and just go to work.  Obviously the other part of me won; I'm still on my road trip.  I have appointments with people and this is a trip I only want to make one time.  The damage will still be there when I get through and then I can spend some time in an affected area.

I really can't describe what I saw.  It was similar to that first view south of the railroad tracks in Gulfport after Hurricane Katrina.  Only not as wet.  In Katrina, the stuff people had just disappeared.  Gone forever.  Today, it almost looked like it was still there- just spread over several counties.  Just as gone though I suppose.  I heard it described as looking like images from WW2 Hiroshima or Nagasaki but without the nuclear fallout.  I'm not sure that's not a bad description.

Here's a couple pics that you won't see on tv probably, just places along the way.

on.

Friend Raising

Actually, there's a book by that name...Friend Raising.  It's on my list.  Maybe I'll get around to it this summer.

I'm in the midst of raising support to go to Ukraine.  You know that already.

What you don't know though is that I'm learning so much doing this.  More than I've been able to process really and more than I know how to adequately write about.

I've been learning a lot about the Biblical basis for support raising.  I've been Southern Baptist most of my life and we have the "Cooperative Program".  I've always thought and still do think that it's a brilliant way to fund missions.  But it's not the only way, that's for sure.  One way to look at it is like this: My support raising is giving people an opportunity to "give".  Duh!  But since it's more blessed to give than receive and God wants us to give what we purpose in our hearts with cheerful hearts...then just giving people an outlet, an avenue to give is as much a ministry to them as their giving is to me.

I've been learning a lot about exercising my strengths as a minister in the context of raising support.  A few of my strengths- the way God has wired me- is that I'm a Relator, I build meaningful relationships with people and then maintain those relationships.  I'm a Developer- I often (especially in teenagers) see potential in people and I like to call-out that potential and encourage people.  And I'm into being Connected- I see myself as part of a bigger picture.  I have been really fulfilled in the last few weeks of raising support- not just because it's affecting the bottom line in my support account- but because doing so is allowing me to exercise my strengths.

Ask anyone if they want to do what they love for a living.  Most people probably don't enjoy that privilege.

There's more I guess.  Like I said, I'm still processing.  And even though I'm still pretty much in the starting gate I can, nevertheless, glimpse the finish line.  I can see being fully supported and I can see the beauty and simplicity of being a part of the body of Christ and sharing the fruit with those whose gifts are making it possible.

Oh Mexico

I think I may have traveled the farthest of anyone I know for a Spring Break trip this week...and it was maybe the shortest trip to boot.

I went to San Luis Rio Colorado south of the border from Yuma, AZ with  Zion Hill Baptist Church.  I was the "Camp Pastor" for the trip.  I had a blast getting to know some of the students from ZH.

We left last Saturday morning at 7 am and arrived in Yuma about 10 am the following morning.  We met our host missionary and then drove across the border arriving at our host church before noon and just in time for morning worship.

We spent the rest of the day overcoming the "van lag" and acclimating to our new environment which included another worship service that evening and a late dinner.

On each of the next three days we spent the mornings in team devotionals and free time followed by afternoons of preparing give-away bags of Rice and Beans.  Later in the afternoon we canvassed neiqhborhoods, prayer-walking and passing out invitations door-to-door to invite everyone to a free movie that evening.

The movie was a very effective film version of Heaven's Gates and Hell's Flames.  The neighborhoods were very poor, one of them a simple squatter village on the outskirts of a town whose infrastructure was struggling to keep up with growth.

Our host Pastor and his church members were very effective at gathering information for follow-up purposes.  It was a joy to work with them.

Following our third (and biggest night) we packed our trailer and crossed the border knowing that it would take 4 hours or more if we waited until the morning.  We finally crossed the border just after midnight that night and decided to begin our drive back to Mississippi arriving back in Wesson at 8 am Friday morning.

Now that's a crazy trip!

And the best part of it was that there were more than 250 decisions made and seeds sown among hundreds and hundreds of people.

March 12- 5 Years Later

I've been thinking about this week, well, all week.  The other day, I thought about how 5 years ago, on Wednesday, March 8 Kim's parents took her to Ochsner Hospital for what I thought would be just another regular check-up.  Her health had been pretty poor in the weeks leading up to that appointment so we knew they would admit her- give her some fluids and antibiotics- just like always, right?

There were two big differences I guess.

About 3 weeks prior to that appointment we had seen the doctor and for the first time he mentioned that we should consider getting on "the list" again- the list to receive another set of lungs.  (Kim had received a Double Lung Transplant the summer of 1998).  Kim flat refused to go on the list again.  Her main reason was that she felt like she had had her chance and someone else deserved to have theirs as well.  Secondly, at that point she really wasn't healthy enough to undergo the procedure.

I remember being really shocked that day.  I mean, we both knew the day would come.  But when we were told to consider getting another transplant; it hit me.  Still...I was thinking we'd get another year together.

Later that day I asked her if she was afraid to die.  She said no.  Unequivocally.  I asked her if she was afraid of anything and her answer was stunning.  She told me she was afraid she'd die before school was out that Spring and worried what would happen to Anna in that case.  (Anna was a high school Senior that have moved in with us after Hurricane Katrina).  I was stunned at realizing that Kim was worried she wouldn't be around another 3 months.  I wasn't prepared for that.  (For the record, I was not all that surprised that she was concerned for someone other than herself- that fact, plus the fact that I didn't care less what anyone at church or in town thought of me having a high school senior girl living with me prompted me to invite Anna to stay in Gulfport until I left at the end of the year).

The other big difference that day- March 8, 5 years ago.  It was a Wednesday.  Normally our appointments were on Monday or Thursday and I'd take her.  Wednesday was "Church Night".  I let her parents take her to the doctor that day.  So I was in my office preparing for 605 that night when her Dad called me late that afternoon to tell me not only had they "admitted" Kim- which wasn't unexpected...but that the doctor had said it would be her "last" admission.

Looking back on it now, I realize I went into some form of shock right then and there.  A normal person would have dropped everything and took off to New Orleans.  Me.  I calmly wrapped things up.  I made arrangements for that night.  In fact, I waited till 6 pm to let everyone know I was going to New Orleans (but I didn't tell anyone how grave the situation was...I'm not sure I really "got it" myself").

So I arrived at Ochsner around 8 pm with one of Kim's favorite foods- Chicken Strips from Canes and I got to spend about 30 minutes with her while she was still cognizant.  We had short conversations.  We kissed and said we loved one another and then she got increasingly agitated at the I.V.'s which was absolutely not like her.  Being a Nurse made her a model Patient!  They sedated her to keep her from pulling out the I.V.'s and from there on it was a waiting game until about 1:30 am the morning of March 12.

I was also thinking this week about where I've been and what I've done since then.  Here's the journal:

• March 2006- this is what I wrote on my "then" blog- Xanga:   http://cwhitedog.xanga.com/456640078/item/
• March 2007- I spent a long, lonely day on a bus from San Salvador to somewhere in Nicaragua:  http://clintonwhite.theworldrace.org/?filename=welcome-race-fans&bookmark=true#comments
• August 2007 I wrote about missing Kim during her birthday:  http://clintonwhite.theworldrace.org/?filename=feeling-old-and-missing-someone
• March 2008 I finally took off my Wedding Band:  http://ministryhappens.blogspot.com/2008/03/empty-handed.html
• March 2009 I was in Ukraine:  http://ministryhappens.blogspot.com/2009/03/day-that-was.html

Last year I guess I didn't have internet.  I think I wrote something on a computer journal but I don't know where my back-up is.

Today marks 5 years.  As you read this I'll be in a van on my way to Mexico for the week.

Life goes on.  I wish it could go back.

Monday Musings

I really should write more regularly.  As in...at least a specific day each week.  Might as well be Monday huh?

In less than a week I'll be in Mexico, south of the border from Yuma, Arizona.  I'm going with my friend's church- Zion Hill Baptist Church, in Wesson, MS.  This is the first time I've gone on a mission trip with them.

Why is that a big deal at all?  Well- I'm going with my friend Stik.  He went with me to Ukraine.  And to Belize- twice!  And to Chicago.  And to Pikeville, KY.  And...I can't even remember if there are others.  Stik's an Engineer.  He has ADD but he's blessed with lots of Common Sense and Genius.  He's just the kind of guy you always want with you on mission trips.

And so now I get to go with him somewhere instead of vice-versa.

I'm not crazy about driving all the way out there.  Back in about 1990 or so, Stik, his cousin (and my college roommate) Richard and I rented a Cadillac and drove to Yuma to be in a friends wedding.  It was a classic Road-Trip.  With two Vans and a trailer in tow, this will be a little different.

I've been asked to lead the nightly "Devotions".  Unless the Lord gives me something else I intend to flesh-out the 5 Objectives of a Mission Project that Adventures in Missions uses:

Listen in Prayer
Share Your Faith
Build a Meaningful Relationship
Meet Felt Needs
Debrief and Respond.

And I probably won't have a "Monday Musing" next Monday.  I don't think I'm taking the computer on this trip.

New Website is up and running

www.clintoninukraine.org is up and running and my February Email Newsletter just went out announcing the launch.

Right now I still have this blogsite and I will continue to blog here.  What I might do down the line though is to redirect this web address to the webpage (which has a link to this blogpage).  I just don't want people having to remember or bookmark two or more different web addresses.

The purpose for the webpage though is to consolidate all the information about my work in Ukraine (and other places).

So, to that effect- the homepage contains general information about who I'm serving with and what I'll be doing in Ukraine.

There's a "tab" for this blog as well as a tab for "News".  In most cases the "News" will be the same as my blog.

There's a tabs that link to forms to sign-up for my Newsletter and to be a Prayer Partner.  And there's a tab where you can send my your prayer request.  Being Prayer Partners is a two-way street you know- I need you to pray for me, but I also want to be current on what's happening in your life and I want to join you in your prayers too.

There's a tab to get information about how to support me financially.  'Nuff said.

There's a Photo Page.  I don't intend to load a whole lot of pictures but I'll try to keep it current and representative of what I'm up to.  There's also a Video Page.  Right now I have an old video loaded just to see how it works.  Once I'm in Ukraine I might do a monthly Video Blog or something.

Finally there's a tab for some of my favorite Links- I'm still working on that.  And a Calendar because I know you want to know what I'm doing everyday.  Right.

So there ya go.  It's official.  I've announced the launch of my webpage on my Blog which means 2 family members, 3 friends and 1 stranger now know about it.

Way Behind

It's been a while since I blogged.  (Hmm, how many times have I started a blog like that?)

I really should write about my three weeks in Illinois with International Teams.  To be honest, I'm at a loss how to summarize it.

I could write a whole blog about the trip up there.  I love driving across country when I have time to goof-off on back roads.  I drove up Hwy 61 and 1 from Vicksburg to Memphis and then had "Man vs Food" amazing fried chicken in Memphis with my nephew.  Later that day I continued up the backroads to southern Illinois and spent the night with a great kid from my first youth group in Aberdeen...he's married now, he's a Pastor and has wonderful kids.

I could write about that first week at ITeams.  How I had Deep Dish Chicago Pizza with my friends Carrie and Ali.  How I enjoyed getting to know 28 or so missionaries- especially the short-termers that were only with us for a week.  Most of them were college-age and they are awesome and getting ready to go all over the world.

The 2nd week was mostly about studying our strengths and gifts and personality.  That alone deserves it's own blog.  At the end of the week I drove down to Southwestern Illinois for an all day "Jesus Focused Youth Ministry" Seminar.  That's the material I'll be teaching in Ukraine.

The 3rd week included a lot of cross-cultural stuff like visiting an Islamic Mosque, and Inner City Church and a Hindu Temple.  Crazy week.  At the end of the week I began the road-trip home which is another blog too.  I spent the night with my friend Dennis on Friday night, with Thuy and Ryan in St Louis on Saturday night and with Darrell and Kimberly and kids on Sunday night.  On the way home that Monday I drove down scenic Hwy 7 in Arkansas- a great drive!

So now I'm back in MS and working with Stik.  I hope to begin meeting with people in regard to support raising as early as next weekend (heading to Tupelo for another JFYM Seminar).

So there ya go.

Vision and Mission Statements

I've done "Vision" and "Mission" Statements for a long time, all the way back to my Aberdeen Youth Minister days.


This week I've heard the simplest definitions for the two that I've ever heard.


Vision- What You See. (From Andy Stanley, "Vision is a clear mental picture of what could be, fueled by the conviction that it should be.")


Mission- What You Do.


In short, vision is what you see (in the future) and mission is how you achieve your vision, or what you do to get there.


As we were discussing all of this, Scott Olson, the CEO of International Teams gave us what he thinks would be the Vision and Mission Statement hanging on the wall of the office of GOD- the CEO of the Universe!!


Vision: (what you want to see, remember?)- Revelation 7:9  ⁹ After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.


Mission Statement: (What we do/How we get there)- Matthew 28:18-20 ¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”


In case you're wondering, the Global Vision for I-Teams is "Lives and communities transformed by the power of God."  That's what we want to see.


Our Mission?  How we're going to do it?  "We Bring People Together To Help The Oppressed".  In case "the oppressed" sounds a little vague, we have a focus on the Economically Oppressed (the poor), the Physically Oppressed (the slave), and the Spiritual Oppressed (the blind, as in "blinded to the truth").

Northward Bound

Just in case you hadn't heard (slim chance since there's only 4 people that read this blog)- I'm driving later today to Elgin, Illinois where I'll participate in 3 weeks of training/orientation with International Teams.  I'm hoping to visit with friends and eat Pizza in Chicago for the next 3 weeks and seeing some other friends along the way both there and back.

Week 1- 

• Missions related Biblical teaching
• Mission Statement & Core Values of IT
• Organizational Structure of IT
• Worldwide Ministries of IT
• Cross-cultural communication styles
• Team Dynamics
• The Church in Mission
• Concept and constituent parts of TEmP (a planning tool used in IT)

Weeks 2-3-

• Missions related Biblical Teaching
• The Gospel in a pluralistic world
• Concept and Development of a LifeMap
• Financial procedures within IT
• Issues of prejudice and reconciliation
• Issues related to struggles within personal relationships
• Issues related to singleness and marriage
• Issues related to supernatural spiritual realities
• Financial planning
• Conditions for working in teams
• Characteristics of leaders/servants

These 2 segments are known as A2 and A3.  I've already completed 12 online lessons required for A1.  A4 will be another 2 week residential segment later this summer related to language acquisition.  A5 is an independent study module that will include 13 weeks of meeting with a mentor and studying Larry Crabb's book, Inside Out.  

One Old Breakfast Table...now on Craigslist. Let's try this:

Do you remember that game, "Bigger and Better", where you trade something you have for something bigger and better? Can you believe a guy out West, through a series of trades, parlayed his Red Paperclip for a HOUSE to live in? (http://oneredpaperclip.blogspot.com/)?

I'm inspired by that guy. I'm currently raising funds to work as a Christian Missionary in Ukraine. I need to raise more than $48,000 to fund two years of ministry. Here's what I want to do: I'd like to trade my antique English Breakfast Table for something bigger or better. It's appraised at $2500.00. Whatever I trade for, I'll keep trading "up" until I can fund two years' ministry.

Here's the description of the table:

This is an Cuban Mahogany English Victorian Breakfast table made in England circa 1870s to 1880s. If the table is restored and finished with a French polish it will sell for more money. Most dealers who sell English Antiques may be interested in this type of table. The knob on the bottom of the base is a assembly technique used to hold to finial in place, the space at the top of the base and under the top is not a storage space it is just the construction technique used on all the same type of tables.

It's in pretty good, used condition. Has many scuffs and scratches but still very charming and useable. The table top is cracked along one edge (could be glued back and refinished and would not be noticeable).

* Current Fair Market Value: $2500

** Replacement Cost: $4500


It was given to me and my late wife as a wedding gift in 1997. The previous owner was the US Ambassador to Barbados during the Reagan years and I think (but can't prove) that the table once resided there.

You might want to just buy it. I guess I could do that. But technically, if you sent the money directly to the ministry and not to me then the IRS stipulates that I can only give a "donor" a gift of 15% of the value of the donor's gift- meaning if I were to give you a $2500 gift in exchange for a "donation" to the ministry, then your gift would have to be $16666. Make sense?

I can sell it directly and use the funds for ministry but ideally I want to trade "up". That's the plan.

Email me and I'll send you more information about the ministry with links to my blogsite and ministry web address (clinton@clintonwhite.net)

One Red Paperclip

Have you seen this?  http://oneredpaperclip.blogspot.com/

It's a remarkable story about a guy that decided to take the "Bigger and Better" Game- where you trade something you have with someone else for something bigger and better.  In a little over a year he parlayed his one red paperclip into a HOUSE to live in.  Along the way he met a lot of people and along the way of fulfilling his own dream, he helped others fulfill their dreams too.

I don't know if this is one of those things that can be done again.  I mean, maybe one guy, one time is the shelf-life for a project like this.

But I'm wondering if I could do something like this to fund about 2 years on the mission field in Ukraine?  I'm thinking of starting with something pretty big...like an antique breakfast table with some sentimental history behind it?

What do you think?

Being thankful isn't all that easy

Being thankful isn't all that easy.  It should be.

Actually...there's no way I can go through a day without thinking of multiple reasons to be thankful.

But as I go through my days supposedly with an "eye out" for something I'm especially thankful for (see my last blog) I find that I have days like today.  Days when the enemy's voice seems especially louder or clearer.

Of course I'm thankful for the air I breathe.  A warm house to sleep in and a big fluffy blanket and comfortable bed.  I'm pretty thankful right this second for high speed internet.  Heck  I'm thankful for Direct TV.  I'm thankful for "My Utmost For His Highest" and for more Bible's in my home than I could possibly need.

But then there's that dang stinkin' voice.  The one that tells me that the economy sucks and I really don't have a "home church" anymore and I don't really have much of a support base and I might not be able to raise funds to go back overseas.

See where my mind's been today?

Cognitively I know God my Provider can meet my needs.  He's done it over and over again in my life.  I've seen Him do it just in the last week in lives of some friends.  He can meet my needs too.  Lord, forgive me for my unbelief and

thank you.

Thankful

It's not always easy being thankful.

Today I listened to two great podcasts from one of my favorite preachers/communicators.  Ben Stuart leads "Breakaway"- a small college Bible study at Texas A & M that reaches SEVERAL thousand students every Tuesday night.  You know how they do everything big in Texas, right?

Anyway, he did two sermons in November about living in Community from 1 Thessalonians.  His last message focused on being "thankful".

He shared some remarkable statistics just about the health benefits of being a thankful person.  One study of 100 students at the University of Miami ...1/3 were told to make a list of 5 things each week they were thankful for, 1/3 made a list of 5 annoying things (complaining), and 1/3 just listed "happenings".  At the end of 10 weeks the students who counted their blessings had better grades and a better outlook on life.

The US Air Force Survival Training Program trains people to remember 2 numbers.  98.6- Core Temperature is very important.  And 3.  They say you will die if you don't get air within 3 minutes.  You can last 3 days with out water and 3 weeks without food.  You'll only last 3 months with love and attention.  But the most important 3 was 3 seconds.   You can't go 3 seconds without a positive outlook.  You're as good as dead without it.  Not an "unrealistic" outlook...but a positive- thankful- grateful- outlook.

So...a lot of friends do a 365 Album on Facebook or on their blog.  A picture a day.  Sometimes with commentary, sometimes not.

I'm doing one called Rejoice 365.  I'm going to try and post a picture and some brief commentary everyday about something I'm thankful for that day.  I need to.  I need to count my blessings because despite whatever "hell" I sometimes feel like I've been through God is still on His throne and He's never ceased to be good to me even though, outside of His grace and mercy, I don't deserve it.

I might post some of them to my blog...maybe a weekly re-cap.  We'll see.

By the way... check out Ben Stuart...you can download sermons from the website or on Itunes (http://breakawayministries.org/home).

Happy New Year!

I can't believe it's been over a month since I blogged.  Just like I couldn't believe it last night when I clicked on my blogsite and discovered that my webhost subscription had expired and my blogsite wasn't even up!  Fornutaely it's renewed for another year now...which seems especially appropriate seeing as how it's a "new" year!

So what's up?  New Year's Resolutions?  I haven't even thought about it.

A friend today said something about "how you bring in the new year is how you'll spend the new year".  If that's the case, I expect to sit in a recliner on my butt a lot.  I was with good friends and we had lots of good food...and we had fun playing Wii but mostly we sat around like old folks and watched the Weather Channel.  Wait.  I'm a lot closer to old folks now than I am to young folks!

I got to visit with a friend from Ukraine today.  Natasha just moved to the States to attend college in Texas.  We talked about my latest endeavor- which is (drum roll):

I am now a Missionary-in-Training with International Teams.  I will spend about 5 weeks in Chicago later this month and next in training/orientation.  I expressed to my friend that I'm really concerned about raising support.  The economy isn't what it used to be and frankly, my support base is dwindled. It's been 4 years now since I was on a church staff and had any kind of "home church" stability.  I've lived out-of-the-country more in the last 4 years than I have in-country.  But here's the thing: It's in God's hand right?  The doors seem to be opening for me to return to Ukraine (more or less indefinitely)- I have my mission appointment, I have some early expressions of financial support.  Why would God give me the opportunity without taking care of the support part?

One thing is certain: If I return to Ukraine it will be a God-thing.  Nothing I can take credit for and I think that's the way to go this New Year...or any year.