It appears like 'fall' comes on Florida much like it comes into play in Wa. Warm one day and the next it only gets up to 65? Last night the weatherman was making a big deal about the fact that temperatures last night were only going to be in the low 40s and high 30's inland. This was a record low for the area I guess. Later on this week it is suppose to back into the 80's though so the temps are not really consistently cooler. Silly me, thought I had closed all the windows only to find that the one left open was in my room by my bed. Needless to say, I was awake at 4am freezing searching for where I put all my blankets!
This morning the kids woke up chilled a bit and asked me to put another blanket on their beds. Michaela was complaining yesterday that the high of 75 was COLD but yet still insisted on wearing shorts and a T-shirt? Today she is bundled up in sweats and not complaining one bit! Meanwhile I had all the windows and doors open and enjoying the nice cooler weather (with a sweatshirt & capri pants on) I think we have become acclimated a bit to the warmer temperatures. John is still wearing shorts and t-shirts claiming it is beautiful out even when the temp dips below 60. He thinks we are all just sissies! The rainy season is over so it is not wet on a daily basis anymore and it looks like hurricane season is also done too.
John has been working in the downtown jail for about 2 weeks now. They have him in with the violent high profile offenders right now, which is rather exhausting. Nothing he can't handle can't exactly let your guard down for a minute. The kinds of crimes that are committed here are much more frequent and haneous than back home just because people are sinful (no big surprise on that one) and the population is larger. He was told that this part of the jail was really 'hopping' and every day he would experience one kind of physical altercation or another but he doesn't seem to have that experience. The inmates seem to feel at ease with him so this makes his job much easier.
We are getting more traffic and the streets are now more congested with snowbirds that live here in the winter. This is good for the stuggling economy here so we don't mind the extra congestion if it means more jobs become available to those that are struggling. Our Costco is no longer a ghost town that it once was.
John got to go to a men's conference not too long ago. God encouraged him in many ways to stay on task and stay open to whatever the Lord has for us to do here. We are praying about permenancy; if God is calling us to stay in the area where we currently reside or somewhere else in Lee county or closer to Naples to be closer to his daughter? We would like to know where before we begin looking at buying, especially since there are A LOT of good deals out there. For those of you who know me, sometimes I can be swayed in the pursuit of a good deal that may seem too good to pass up. It is a good thing sometimes but it can easily become a 'flesh thing' as well. I just don't want to do this in my flesh and get stuck with the fact that I lost sight of God's plan of where HE wants us to be....... So if you could please pray for us to get confirmation on the WHERE question that would be wonderful! It appears that housing prices are not going up anytime soon and people are still giving up their homes to the bank........ It is really sad! Some of the great deals on forclosed homes come with thier own set of problems from the fact that the previous owners that were not too happy about having to give their houses back to the bank. There are yard sales going on constantly of people selling the entire contents of their homes, fixtures, appliances and all to get back at the bank for taking their home. This is why discernement on these great deals is so important! We have been told that eventhough we have till July till our lease is up we should begin looking now since sometimes the bank can take up to a year to decide to sell the home that is in forclosure. Chances are, this is a home we would be able to afford so I am sure God has just the right place out there for us!
Anyways, that is what is going on here in Florida! Hope you are all doing well!
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Monday, October 27, 2008
Wisdom and Knowledge
I didn't write this but since not much right now that is going on is blog-worthy I figured I would share this nugget of knowledge written by someone much smarter than me!
The Money Meltdown: A Need for Wisdom, Not Just Knowledge
Steve Diggs
As you may know, I'm the fellow who teaches the No Debt No Sweat! Christian Money Management Seminar. Over the years I've shared this message at more than 320 congregations, colleges, and conferences nationwide. So, maybe you will understand when I tell you that these are very frustrating days for me. I'm getting questions from Christians all over America about the current economic crisis -- but, I've been benched! Due to a bleeding vocal cord, the doctor has me on total voice rest. So, to re-phrase an old truism, let's see if the pen can be mightier than the tongue.
The questions tend to fall into three broad categories:
1. What has happened?
2. Who's at fault?
3. What does this mean for my family's future?
While there's plenty of blame to go around, it probably started with politicians who tried to buy votes by establishing the Community Reinvestment Act. The CRA (goaded on by neighborhood activist groups) pushed banks into lending mortgage money to people who shouldn't have borrowed money. Then those banks dumped the bad paper on Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. While hiding the true nature of these loans (aided and abetted by rating agencies who pretended that all was well), Mac and Mae re-packaged the junk mortgages into respectable-looking bonds. Then they sold those bonds to every imaginable investment firm--some of whom were showing them at 100%+ of value on their books--and also leveraging those amounts by as much as 30/1 (i.e. Lehman Brothers). Then, insurance companies like AIG insured these bonds--without having enough money to cover their guarantees. When home prices began to sink--the handwriting was on the wall.
But at the heart of it all was the belief that God was wrong -- that, in fact, the borrower is not the slave of the lender. (Proverbs 22) As we embraced this kind of thinking, we began to believe that by digging an ever deepening hole we could eventually build a mountain of wealth.
We are a culture that is saturated with "stuffaholism." (I think Jesus referred to this as "loving the things of this world.") And, we have fallen for the lie from the pit that says: Stuff, sex, money = Happiness. If that were true, it would stand to reason that the happiest families would all be in Hollywood!
Sadly, many Christians (who are called to be the "salt of the earth") have lost our savor. Many of us are in the same mess. Even Christians normally critical of those who abuse drugs and alcohol think nothing of anesthetizing the pain they feel when the credit card bill arrives -- by going back to the mall.
There are three lessons that might turn this very difficult experience into a fruitful learning and growing opportunity for God's kids:
1. James, put a high premium on wisdom. (see James 1:5) Today, there seems to be confusion between wisdom and knowledge. They both have their place, but they are not synonymous. Knowledge is what tells one that tomatoes are a fruit. Wisdom is what tells us not to put a tomato into a fruit salad. Today's world has plenty of knowledge, but a dearth of wisdom. The smart people of today's financial world have had their turn at things, and we are in trouble. Maybe it's time to re-think the fundamental tenets of our beliefs. Wisdom speaks to this. Wisdom says whenever one gets something for nothing, there will eventually be a disproportionate price to be paid.
2. King David's number one son was fond of saying, "There is nothing new under the sun." It seems to me that there is nothing "new" about this present predicament. But you say, "Oh, this is different than anything before -- including the Great Depression." While I would agree that the names and players are different, the root cause is the same. It pivots on the three things that John warned the early Christians to be on guard against, "Do not love the world, nor the things of the world...For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world." (1 John 2:15,16)
3. We would serve ourselves well to remember that the best financial teaching is in the Bible itself. I call it "Money 101." It comes from a man who knew how to live with prosperity and without. Paul told his protégé, Timothy, the secret to dealing with money in 1 Timothy 6:17-19:
"Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share." Note the three things Paul tells rich Christians to do. (By the way, if you have a bath tub in your home--you're a rich Christian.)
First, he tells us not to be prideful and arrogant. Wealth doesn't make one person better than another.
Second, the Apostle tells Christians not to trust in their 401(k) plans. Yes, plan for your future but always be ready for things to change. As we've all seen, dollars in the bank do not guarantee anything.
Third, the wealthy are encouraged to enjoy their wealth -- but be ready to share at the drop of a hat. Too simple for our complex world? I don't think so. It gets back to appreciating the difference between knowing a lot about wealth, and actually having the wisdom to use our wealth properly.
I would submit that what we are experiencing may not necessarily be a bad thing. Most humans (Christians, too) only look up when they have been sucker-punched, and are lying on the floor looking up. That's when we tend to see the eternal through the temporal.
Will we as a nation get through this? I suspect we will. Over the last one hundred years, stocks have gained value in every ten year period--including during the Great Depression. Will there be pain in the meantime. I suspect there will be. The question laid squarely at our feet is How will we respond to this tempest in the teapot of eternity? What if this caused Christians to again become salt? What if we led by example? What if we bought fewer "extras?" What if we paid off our credit cards and bought cars we could afford -- and saved more than we spent? What if we always had money to give to others -- and were truly ready unto every good deed?
Steve Diggs presents the No Debt No Sweat! Christian Money Management Seminar at churches and other venues nationwide. Visit Steve on the Web at http://www.crosswalkmail.com/czhdghbpf_wpedqgqcfc.html or call 615-834-3063.
The author of several books, today Steve serves as a minister for the Antioch Church of Christ in Nashville. For 25 years he was President of the Franklin Group, Inc. Steve and Bonnie have four children whom they have home schooled. The family lives in Brentwood, Tennessee.
A complete financial compendium, 19 chapters• What you can do today to get out of debt and kill the Debt Monster• A,B,C's of handling your money God's way• How to save, invest, and retire wisely• How mutual funds work• How to stop fighting over money• What to teach your kids about money• Learn how home & car buying, college financing and insurance work.• How to develop a budget that works -- forever!• Features simple charts, graphs, and easy-to-use forms.
Click here to learn more or to order.
The Money Meltdown: A Need for Wisdom, Not Just Knowledge
Steve Diggs
As you may know, I'm the fellow who teaches the No Debt No Sweat! Christian Money Management Seminar. Over the years I've shared this message at more than 320 congregations, colleges, and conferences nationwide. So, maybe you will understand when I tell you that these are very frustrating days for me. I'm getting questions from Christians all over America about the current economic crisis -- but, I've been benched! Due to a bleeding vocal cord, the doctor has me on total voice rest. So, to re-phrase an old truism, let's see if the pen can be mightier than the tongue.
The questions tend to fall into three broad categories:
1. What has happened?
2. Who's at fault?
3. What does this mean for my family's future?
While there's plenty of blame to go around, it probably started with politicians who tried to buy votes by establishing the Community Reinvestment Act. The CRA (goaded on by neighborhood activist groups) pushed banks into lending mortgage money to people who shouldn't have borrowed money. Then those banks dumped the bad paper on Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. While hiding the true nature of these loans (aided and abetted by rating agencies who pretended that all was well), Mac and Mae re-packaged the junk mortgages into respectable-looking bonds. Then they sold those bonds to every imaginable investment firm--some of whom were showing them at 100%+ of value on their books--and also leveraging those amounts by as much as 30/1 (i.e. Lehman Brothers). Then, insurance companies like AIG insured these bonds--without having enough money to cover their guarantees. When home prices began to sink--the handwriting was on the wall.
But at the heart of it all was the belief that God was wrong -- that, in fact, the borrower is not the slave of the lender. (Proverbs 22) As we embraced this kind of thinking, we began to believe that by digging an ever deepening hole we could eventually build a mountain of wealth.
We are a culture that is saturated with "stuffaholism." (I think Jesus referred to this as "loving the things of this world.") And, we have fallen for the lie from the pit that says: Stuff, sex, money = Happiness. If that were true, it would stand to reason that the happiest families would all be in Hollywood!
Sadly, many Christians (who are called to be the "salt of the earth") have lost our savor. Many of us are in the same mess. Even Christians normally critical of those who abuse drugs and alcohol think nothing of anesthetizing the pain they feel when the credit card bill arrives -- by going back to the mall.
There are three lessons that might turn this very difficult experience into a fruitful learning and growing opportunity for God's kids:
1. James, put a high premium on wisdom. (see James 1:5) Today, there seems to be confusion between wisdom and knowledge. They both have their place, but they are not synonymous. Knowledge is what tells one that tomatoes are a fruit. Wisdom is what tells us not to put a tomato into a fruit salad. Today's world has plenty of knowledge, but a dearth of wisdom. The smart people of today's financial world have had their turn at things, and we are in trouble. Maybe it's time to re-think the fundamental tenets of our beliefs. Wisdom speaks to this. Wisdom says whenever one gets something for nothing, there will eventually be a disproportionate price to be paid.
2. King David's number one son was fond of saying, "There is nothing new under the sun." It seems to me that there is nothing "new" about this present predicament. But you say, "Oh, this is different than anything before -- including the Great Depression." While I would agree that the names and players are different, the root cause is the same. It pivots on the three things that John warned the early Christians to be on guard against, "Do not love the world, nor the things of the world...For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world." (1 John 2:15,16)
3. We would serve ourselves well to remember that the best financial teaching is in the Bible itself. I call it "Money 101." It comes from a man who knew how to live with prosperity and without. Paul told his protégé, Timothy, the secret to dealing with money in 1 Timothy 6:17-19:
"Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share." Note the three things Paul tells rich Christians to do. (By the way, if you have a bath tub in your home--you're a rich Christian.)
First, he tells us not to be prideful and arrogant. Wealth doesn't make one person better than another.
Second, the Apostle tells Christians not to trust in their 401(k) plans. Yes, plan for your future but always be ready for things to change. As we've all seen, dollars in the bank do not guarantee anything.
Third, the wealthy are encouraged to enjoy their wealth -- but be ready to share at the drop of a hat. Too simple for our complex world? I don't think so. It gets back to appreciating the difference between knowing a lot about wealth, and actually having the wisdom to use our wealth properly.
I would submit that what we are experiencing may not necessarily be a bad thing. Most humans (Christians, too) only look up when they have been sucker-punched, and are lying on the floor looking up. That's when we tend to see the eternal through the temporal.
Will we as a nation get through this? I suspect we will. Over the last one hundred years, stocks have gained value in every ten year period--including during the Great Depression. Will there be pain in the meantime. I suspect there will be. The question laid squarely at our feet is How will we respond to this tempest in the teapot of eternity? What if this caused Christians to again become salt? What if we led by example? What if we bought fewer "extras?" What if we paid off our credit cards and bought cars we could afford -- and saved more than we spent? What if we always had money to give to others -- and were truly ready unto every good deed?
Steve Diggs presents the No Debt No Sweat! Christian Money Management Seminar at churches and other venues nationwide. Visit Steve on the Web at http://www.crosswalkmail.com/czhdghbpf_wpedqgqcfc.html or call 615-834-3063.
The author of several books, today Steve serves as a minister for the Antioch Church of Christ in Nashville. For 25 years he was President of the Franklin Group, Inc. Steve and Bonnie have four children whom they have home schooled. The family lives in Brentwood, Tennessee.
A complete financial compendium, 19 chapters• What you can do today to get out of debt and kill the Debt Monster• A,B,C's of handling your money God's way• How to save, invest, and retire wisely• How mutual funds work• How to stop fighting over money• What to teach your kids about money• Learn how home & car buying, college financing and insurance work.• How to develop a budget that works -- forever!• Features simple charts, graphs, and easy-to-use forms.
Click here to learn more or to order.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Some pics as promised
Here is a picture Michalea drew for her friends back home! As you can tell she was a bit homesick and missing her friends!
This was our science lesson today. On the back lania above the screen there were 4 chrysallis formations waiting to be butterflies. We have tons of them fluttering around our house so I knew that if we looked hard enough we would figure out where they were resting. By later than afternoon only 2 were left! There were around 5 others around the house so the kids and I are going to watch them to see if/when they disappear. We got some oranges to slice up for them as well so they can eat & stick around for a bit! I am so wishing I had my butterfly garden in place for them!
Here is a butterfly that was kind enough to let me get close enough to him to get a picture!
There were quite a few fuzzy catepillars roaming around the house too so we will watch them to see when they form their chrysallis as well!
I know I know, whats with all the pictures of bugs. Well I have never seen bugs like this. This one is a dragonfly. They are also roaming everwhere and buzzing about but rarely do they sit still long enough for me to take a picture.
OK I have seen a bug like this before but it was at a zoo! This one was on my neighbors house and it was so cool I had to share!
Here is a cute little frog that came in from out of the rain to rest on the front of my house!
As promised, I said I would share a picture of the bald man himself. After my last post John's boss wrote back to us stating that he must have shaved his head to prevent him from pulling it all out! After being given the nickname Uncle Hester from the Adams family from the guys at work, I think he may have decided to keep the flat top when it grows back out!
Here are some pictures of the kiddos at a sprinkler park we found in Fort Myers. Kind of a neat idea as they have a main pool that the water drains into and where it is chlorinated and re-distributed...... This is a gorgeous park that rents paddleboats, canoes and all sorts of fun things to do as a family! They also have a historical train depot that the kids can climb in and tour for free!
Friday, September 26, 2008
Some changes
I was hoping to get out to you some neat pictures that I have on the camera but I can't find my little usb cord OR flash drive to download them on the computer so once I find that I will post them! Michalea drew a picture of her friends and has been missing home a lot lately. Abby has mentioned missing home too but Michaela got a little weepy about this today so if you think about please be praying for her. She asked me today if she could save up her allowance to buy a plane ticket to go back to WA to live with Aunt Peggy and be with her cousins/friends. We had a nice chat afterward, but it was really hard for her to see WHY God would not want to let her move back to WA.
First off and something that many will get a kick out of and I was hoping to post a pic of...... John was trimming his hair the other day to see if he could get the sides trimmed closer in between trips to the barber and well, he decided that it wasn't working the way he wanted it to SO HE WENT BALD! After he shaved his head he spent about a couple hours in the sun and got a little burned...... He is not sold that he really likes it enough to keep it but at work today he got quite a few compliments!
Something that still really amazes me about this move is my continuing education in 'east coast' thinking/mentality. Everyone suspects you of being someone they don't want to know, before you even get the opportunity to open your mouth........ Almost leary and slightly "conspiracy theory" thinking in nature. WEIRD!!!! I applied and paid into a subscription to be apart of a homeschool group here in town (all groups here have a subscription fee to be apart of) and showed up to their weekly playdate this week. I'm sure I felt much like the animals at the pet store behind the glass in their cages with everyone staring, inspecting them. Basically, I had to introduce myself and butt into people's conversations in order to meet anyone. After getting the cold shoulder quite a few times I would basically just sit by someone and TRY to begin a conversation. Most didn't really notice I was there and even some I went up and chatted with turned their backs and visited with people they did know. Some were limitedly friendly but not very helpful to a newcomer. It is quite a very sad thing for a "christian" gathering, but I suppose culture is realtive! I did find one mom there who had a hubby who worked for Lee county on the road, which was nice to find something in common with someone, however, she is pretty well established with her own friends in the group, so I do not forsee much hope in that relationship. The kids had much of the same reaction as I did, so by half way through the day, when someone did try to be-friend Michaela because her mom made her come and say Hi, Michaela was weary of rejection and pretty much stayed by my side. There is one other local homeschool group that I can pay to be apart of as well so I think I will widen my variety of homeschool groups so that the kids can find some more friends. When I told the pastor's wife of my experience she suggested we have our own so when I get confident enough in my knowledge of the community, homeschool laws, events and we get another homeschooling family in our church, I just might consider doing something rather informal through yahoo much like the ones back home! I know that if I stick it out and keep putting myself out there that God will eventually place someone in my path to be-friend. I met a homeschool lady at a yard sale today that was more helpful/friendly than anyone I met the other day at the playdate, so this tells me that there are people out there that remember what it was like to be a newcomer!
On a more encouraging note, the sale on the house was finalized and we got more money than anticipated! God totally provided enough for us to pay off a credit card debt so we are no longer in bondage to that, and enough to spare to buy John a TV & a gun (because we left the other huge TV back in TC; the gun I will explain). We even have a little left over to buy me a desk too since the one we brought got distroyed in the move so this was a huge blessing! God just seems to be providing and multiplying blessings for us so we continue to pray and be good stewards of His provision!
As for the gun........ He has a dept issued gun and has one that he bought a couple years ago for personal use but he never really fired it. If you have a private weapon for personal use and want to use it to wear concelaed you have to certify with it. When he took it to the range to get certified with it, the range master had not only never heard of the brand but when John fired it he realized that it is not safe because it jams and isn't very reliable. SO, he wasn't able to qualify with it. They prefer that John carry a conceiled weapon on his time off and he can carry the dept issue Glock but it is pretty heavy and hard to conceal. So John is on the lookout for a mini-glock or something similar.
John spent the last week at the outdoor facility, which was very hot. He ended up finding an inmate that had been beat pretty badly by some other inmates and who ended up having to go to the hospital to get his jaw fixed and treated for a concusion. Today he spent time at the core facility. The guys were very personable on that squad and more welcoming than his last assignment so this made the day go much better; they even pulled a practical joke on him to see if he had a sense of humor. Luckily today, despite having to get up very early, he had one! They gave him a glass of water that had a hole in it. It wasn't until they were all laughing that John realized he was all wet......... Despite how silly this is, it was a neat way of feeling accepted since he is used to the "love through ridicule' approach from his work and church friends!!! Kind of a neat thing that reminded him of home, was when his seargent informed John that he would be cooking the squad breakfast on Sunday....... Since he is the new guy nothing was expected of him to bring (and not biscuits and gravy were expected for his wife to make), but this was neat for John to see his leadership taking an interest in the comradery and morale of his squad!
Anyways, this is what is up in our neck of the woods. Still praying for a youth leader, worship leader and where God wants us to be doing at church. Hope all is well with you and yours back home! We hope and pray that if God is leading any of you, our way, that you see all the provisions God has made in our journey and trust that God will do the same for you as well!
First off and something that many will get a kick out of and I was hoping to post a pic of...... John was trimming his hair the other day to see if he could get the sides trimmed closer in between trips to the barber and well, he decided that it wasn't working the way he wanted it to SO HE WENT BALD! After he shaved his head he spent about a couple hours in the sun and got a little burned...... He is not sold that he really likes it enough to keep it but at work today he got quite a few compliments!
Something that still really amazes me about this move is my continuing education in 'east coast' thinking/mentality. Everyone suspects you of being someone they don't want to know, before you even get the opportunity to open your mouth........ Almost leary and slightly "conspiracy theory" thinking in nature. WEIRD!!!! I applied and paid into a subscription to be apart of a homeschool group here in town (all groups here have a subscription fee to be apart of) and showed up to their weekly playdate this week. I'm sure I felt much like the animals at the pet store behind the glass in their cages with everyone staring, inspecting them. Basically, I had to introduce myself and butt into people's conversations in order to meet anyone. After getting the cold shoulder quite a few times I would basically just sit by someone and TRY to begin a conversation. Most didn't really notice I was there and even some I went up and chatted with turned their backs and visited with people they did know. Some were limitedly friendly but not very helpful to a newcomer. It is quite a very sad thing for a "christian" gathering, but I suppose culture is realtive! I did find one mom there who had a hubby who worked for Lee county on the road, which was nice to find something in common with someone, however, she is pretty well established with her own friends in the group, so I do not forsee much hope in that relationship. The kids had much of the same reaction as I did, so by half way through the day, when someone did try to be-friend Michaela because her mom made her come and say Hi, Michaela was weary of rejection and pretty much stayed by my side. There is one other local homeschool group that I can pay to be apart of as well so I think I will widen my variety of homeschool groups so that the kids can find some more friends. When I told the pastor's wife of my experience she suggested we have our own so when I get confident enough in my knowledge of the community, homeschool laws, events and we get another homeschooling family in our church, I just might consider doing something rather informal through yahoo much like the ones back home! I know that if I stick it out and keep putting myself out there that God will eventually place someone in my path to be-friend. I met a homeschool lady at a yard sale today that was more helpful/friendly than anyone I met the other day at the playdate, so this tells me that there are people out there that remember what it was like to be a newcomer!
On a more encouraging note, the sale on the house was finalized and we got more money than anticipated! God totally provided enough for us to pay off a credit card debt so we are no longer in bondage to that, and enough to spare to buy John a TV & a gun (because we left the other huge TV back in TC; the gun I will explain). We even have a little left over to buy me a desk too since the one we brought got distroyed in the move so this was a huge blessing! God just seems to be providing and multiplying blessings for us so we continue to pray and be good stewards of His provision!
As for the gun........ He has a dept issued gun and has one that he bought a couple years ago for personal use but he never really fired it. If you have a private weapon for personal use and want to use it to wear concelaed you have to certify with it. When he took it to the range to get certified with it, the range master had not only never heard of the brand but when John fired it he realized that it is not safe because it jams and isn't very reliable. SO, he wasn't able to qualify with it. They prefer that John carry a conceiled weapon on his time off and he can carry the dept issue Glock but it is pretty heavy and hard to conceal. So John is on the lookout for a mini-glock or something similar.
John spent the last week at the outdoor facility, which was very hot. He ended up finding an inmate that had been beat pretty badly by some other inmates and who ended up having to go to the hospital to get his jaw fixed and treated for a concusion. Today he spent time at the core facility. The guys were very personable on that squad and more welcoming than his last assignment so this made the day go much better; they even pulled a practical joke on him to see if he had a sense of humor. Luckily today, despite having to get up very early, he had one! They gave him a glass of water that had a hole in it. It wasn't until they were all laughing that John realized he was all wet......... Despite how silly this is, it was a neat way of feeling accepted since he is used to the "love through ridicule' approach from his work and church friends!!! Kind of a neat thing that reminded him of home, was when his seargent informed John that he would be cooking the squad breakfast on Sunday....... Since he is the new guy nothing was expected of him to bring (and not biscuits and gravy were expected for his wife to make), but this was neat for John to see his leadership taking an interest in the comradery and morale of his squad!
Anyways, this is what is up in our neck of the woods. Still praying for a youth leader, worship leader and where God wants us to be doing at church. Hope all is well with you and yours back home! We hope and pray that if God is leading any of you, our way, that you see all the provisions God has made in our journey and trust that God will do the same for you as well!
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
My week of "I"
Sorry I have been silent lately. Last week I had a minor melt-down..... Lets just say it was a week of misguided focus. Misguided in the fact that I was allowing satan to play with my mind, get my focus off the Lord and instead focus more on ME......... If John's job here wasn't so great I may have tried to talk him into coming home, however, I knew in my heart of hearts that it was God's desire for us to be right where we are and He desires that we grow and flourish here. A week of remembering what we had left behind and will we ever have this kind of awesome church family again? I basicall had an "i" problem and I am sure we all have done this a time or two. God wanted me to share it though so you all could learn from my mistakes. Here is where my focus was a bit off kilter and where I began wallowing a bit.
I am lonely
I miss my house (and really don't want to sell it)
I miss my family/friends
I miss being around anyone who has something in common with me
I miss the kids & I having playdates to enjoy the company of a familiar face
I will never be able to handle homeschooling in Florida and organizing 3 kids school records
I do not even have the option to put them in ANY sort of school since I do not have 2 years worth of school records!
I hate being under a microscope
I'm not as plugged into the church as I would like to be
I miss FALL
Being that we tend to be our own worst critic I had failed even before I tried to accomplish anything last week all because of where my attitude was. In a desperate attempt to take care of one of my "woe is me" issues I met with a lady who has successfully homeschooled 6 of her kids here in Florida to see what she did to keep records. She showed me the expectations set before me in what a portfolio/record book looked like so this put that fear to rest. Chatting with a like-minded individual was a welcome time of fellowship as well!
The truth is that most of what I was dwelling on was true and in my own strength I WAS going to fail, however, due to God's gentle, patient and loving guidance he picked up my chin to look at His eyes and renewed my focus. Reminding me once again that I can do nothing without Christ who strengthens me!
On a lighter note, John started his FTO training on Sunday. His FTO officer was probably about 15 years younger than him but rather a humble guy. He was not gung ho or full of himself at all but very detail oriented in his training so this was nice! He was even a bit slightly intimidated at John's experience and told him "well I guess I will learn a lot from you this week eh?" John's first assignment was in the barricks. This is an outdoor quanza hut like facility that is planned for destruction once the new facility is completed. There is no AC in this facility and basically John's job is to stand outside it and keep the peace in the glaring hot sun. FUN! All he could think of was that something like this would never happen in WA state since it would be a PR nightmare! He was curious what happens to the officer at this post during a hurricane and, to his surprise, it was much the same. Since inmates are opportunists the job description is still the same. Stand outside and bear the elements. John at first thought the guy was joking so he began to chuckle at his response but he made sure John knew he wasn't joking.... He said "Yeah during the hurricane it is a rough ride and you definately get wet!" The good side to this is that he will not get stuck there but is just there for training since this position will no longer be available after the first of the year when they get occupancy in the new facility!
A very cool praise happened yesterday! We got the paperwork for the house signed so it is no longer ours! I cancelled all of the utilities today so no more bills that away either! YIPEE! God is so good to us and merciful. The paperwork showed better numbers than we were expecting so this means we will get to pay off some debt! God Bless all!
I am lonely
I miss my house (and really don't want to sell it)
I miss my family/friends
I miss being around anyone who has something in common with me
I miss the kids & I having playdates to enjoy the company of a familiar face
I will never be able to handle homeschooling in Florida and organizing 3 kids school records
I do not even have the option to put them in ANY sort of school since I do not have 2 years worth of school records!
I hate being under a microscope
I'm not as plugged into the church as I would like to be
I miss FALL
Being that we tend to be our own worst critic I had failed even before I tried to accomplish anything last week all because of where my attitude was. In a desperate attempt to take care of one of my "woe is me" issues I met with a lady who has successfully homeschooled 6 of her kids here in Florida to see what she did to keep records. She showed me the expectations set before me in what a portfolio/record book looked like so this put that fear to rest. Chatting with a like-minded individual was a welcome time of fellowship as well!
The truth is that most of what I was dwelling on was true and in my own strength I WAS going to fail, however, due to God's gentle, patient and loving guidance he picked up my chin to look at His eyes and renewed my focus. Reminding me once again that I can do nothing without Christ who strengthens me!
On a lighter note, John started his FTO training on Sunday. His FTO officer was probably about 15 years younger than him but rather a humble guy. He was not gung ho or full of himself at all but very detail oriented in his training so this was nice! He was even a bit slightly intimidated at John's experience and told him "well I guess I will learn a lot from you this week eh?" John's first assignment was in the barricks. This is an outdoor quanza hut like facility that is planned for destruction once the new facility is completed. There is no AC in this facility and basically John's job is to stand outside it and keep the peace in the glaring hot sun. FUN! All he could think of was that something like this would never happen in WA state since it would be a PR nightmare! He was curious what happens to the officer at this post during a hurricane and, to his surprise, it was much the same. Since inmates are opportunists the job description is still the same. Stand outside and bear the elements. John at first thought the guy was joking so he began to chuckle at his response but he made sure John knew he wasn't joking.... He said "Yeah during the hurricane it is a rough ride and you definately get wet!" The good side to this is that he will not get stuck there but is just there for training since this position will no longer be available after the first of the year when they get occupancy in the new facility!
A very cool praise happened yesterday! We got the paperwork for the house signed so it is no longer ours! I cancelled all of the utilities today so no more bills that away either! YIPEE! God is so good to us and merciful. The paperwork showed better numbers than we were expecting so this means we will get to pay off some debt! God Bless all!
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Its not easy being green!
I thought you all might get a kick out of seeing John's new uniform! Here he is all proud of his new duds with the exception of the small band above his name labeling him a trainee.
Look at the stud in his pose and cheesey grin!
He actually begins 'real work' on FTO status (on the job training) here on Sunday, so goodbye are the 8-4 hours of classwork and here we go with the 12 hour shifts again! John has been excited to get on the job because the last week of classes were very boring and basically geared toward the recruits who have never worked in law enforcement before. Today's class was pretty interesting though. They went over the internet access, programs offered and specialty positions.
The only residual effect we got from Ike was just some short bursts of rain storms lasting a total of maybe 10 minutes each and some mild wind. In Tri-cities it would have been considered a normal day with the exception of the rain. It is just kinda funny that it comes and goes so quickly! I have a feeling tonight we will be dumped on with rain as it passes by us. It has been raining for over an hour now, which is fairly uncommon for it to rain this much at one time.
Here is a picture to proove I am actually a Floridian! I guess the extra expense for this plate per year goes to ministries that support moms who are either giving up their babies for adoption or who chose to have their babies and offer support to them much like the TCPC. A worthy cause!
It seems like the loan process on the house is proceeding like planned. We got paperwork from the title and escrow company to sign, so now we just wait for the final financing details to come through on their loan and I guess we sign..... Until we sign there is still no word on a closing date yet.
Friday, September 5, 2008
New addition
I just wanted to show you the newest addition to the family....... As many of you know, we had to sell the little car before we left so this meant replacing it once we got here....... John wrestled with this one for a while because he didn't want a 'red car' but I guess after much prayer God wanted him to have a New York Giants RED car. Here she is! I guess he is going to make it more manly by getting a Corrections bureau liscense plate. I guess the extra funds collected for these plates go to widows of corrections officers who were killed in the line. Since we can't get a NY Giants plate in FLorida and they do not require front plates here in FL, he is going to try to get a NY Giants decorative plate for the front. 
Here are some pics of the unwelcomed additions to our family. This was a huge bug on my screen. He wasn't scared of me at all which is rather weird.
WE took a drive out to a place called Pine Island to see what was out there..... It sounded like a resort type of place since it was an island but all there was out there were a lot of Palm tree farms. We did get to smell some Ocean air at this pier which was kinda neat. The water was really nasty/brown due to the flooding that was occuring in some areas.
We have been very blessed so far to be safe from all the hurricane paths. Today they did tell John to be on alert for next week though and get his bags ready. I guess hurricane Ike is on his way into the coast and they know it is going to hit Florida but not sure which coast line. It is still pretty far off and they are not expecting him to make landfall till Wednesday next week, however, if it comes anywhere near us they will be calling John into work. He will stay at the jail till after the storm passes. This way they do not have to worry about people making it in to work AND if the power goes out and people start doing stupid things, he will be sent out on the street to do crowd or traffic control. They get paid all the time they are there which means lots of OT but I am not too sure how I feel about being left to myself during a hurricane? Hmmmm!
I wish I could have gotten pictures of him getting sworn in but none of the families were invited to attend. I guess it used to be a big deal where you bring in the family and such but due to the fact that they have been hiring so many people, it is no longer an individual thing........ he was sworn in with about 25 other officers at 7:30 in the morning. He came home that day with all new equipment, boots, class A uniform, ect. He was kinda stoked about it all!
This is all for now. I will keep you updated on the hurricane stuff as it gets closer!
HUGS ALL!
She is a 99 Ford Escort with less than 100,000 miles so hopefully she will last him quite a while. No motorcycles or Jeeps on the horizon just yet but if John has his way, maybe God will love him enough to allow him to purchase one in the more distant future.
Here are some pics of the unwelcomed additions to our family. This was a huge bug on my screen. He wasn't scared of me at all which is rather weird.
We are actually quite fond of these little guys. They are very quick but sometimes they let me hold them...... The smaller ones that don't know any better are sometimes more friendly!
Here is an amazing sunset taken from my front yard.
WE took a drive out to a place called Pine Island to see what was out there..... It sounded like a resort type of place since it was an island but all there was out there were a lot of Palm tree farms. We did get to smell some Ocean air at this pier which was kinda neat. The water was really nasty/brown due to the flooding that was occuring in some areas.
We have been very blessed so far to be safe from all the hurricane paths. Today they did tell John to be on alert for next week though and get his bags ready. I guess hurricane Ike is on his way into the coast and they know it is going to hit Florida but not sure which coast line. It is still pretty far off and they are not expecting him to make landfall till Wednesday next week, however, if it comes anywhere near us they will be calling John into work. He will stay at the jail till after the storm passes. This way they do not have to worry about people making it in to work AND if the power goes out and people start doing stupid things, he will be sent out on the street to do crowd or traffic control. They get paid all the time they are there which means lots of OT but I am not too sure how I feel about being left to myself during a hurricane? Hmmmm!
I wish I could have gotten pictures of him getting sworn in but none of the families were invited to attend. I guess it used to be a big deal where you bring in the family and such but due to the fact that they have been hiring so many people, it is no longer an individual thing........ he was sworn in with about 25 other officers at 7:30 in the morning. He came home that day with all new equipment, boots, class A uniform, ect. He was kinda stoked about it all!
This is all for now. I will keep you updated on the hurricane stuff as it gets closer!
HUGS ALL!
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