Moving ahead with Mammoth

Things are moving forward with Mammoth Christian Fellowship. Last night I talked to Rick Johnson, the head of their search committee. I have my interview with them on Dec 12. But Rick is also going to be in the area on Dec 4 and he wants to get together. We're going to have him over for dinner. It's not really ann interview but rather a chance just to get to know one another a little bit.

They're also pretty much done with the reference calls. Everyone I talked to who had spoken with Mammoth was impressed with their organization and thinks it might be a good church for us.

Stay tuned

Broken nose...maybe

I almost broke vmy bnose last night. I still might have because it's pretty tender up at the bridge.

Caleb and I were playing. He grabbed my shirt and pulled me towards him and I did a face plant right into his bunk bed at full speed. Heard a crunch sound. It hurt like a mother. Thenh blood startted to pour out. I've never had this much blood come out of me at any one time. I probably lost 1/2 cup of blood over 5 minutes or so before it frianlly calmed down and stopped. I put ice on it for an hour or so and I was dizzy and a bit disoriented for another hour after that or so.

Caleb felt really bad.. He kept asking if I was going to be all right. he thought it was his fault. He kept looking like he was going to cry. But he was back to normal this morning.

Late note...this just in...Caleb had an eye doctor appointment today and needs glasses.

2 churches down...maybe

2 of the churches on my list may be done. Union Predsbyterian sent me an email asking me if I were already ordaqined because that was a basic requirement for them. No, I am not at this present time. Why didn't they ask me earlier?

River Hills in Janesville Wisconsin may be putting their search on hold. They have a GM plant in the area that recently closed wreaking economic havoc in the area.

Mammoth is still going strong. We'll see what plays out there

It's weekend time

Now is time for the weekend. Christa is off taking Casey Cox home and she's going to do a little shopping after for the cruise.

I've got a new bottle of Bombay Sapphire to break into and I'm going to make a late dinner for us after the kids go to bed.

I'm making veal with rosemary, sliced tomatoes with balsamic dressing and Feta and cheese bread. The cheese I am using is an English cheddar with carmelized onions.

Heaven

Praying for wisdom...and getting it

In regards to the neverending pastoral search I've recently begun praying for wisdom in the midst of it...not just that God would land us in a place. How to do about the search? How to know if a particular church is good for us...that sort of wisdom.

But the wisdom that God is giving me comes from an unexpected source. The wisdom is tracking with the book of Joshua which I am studying and leading my men in.

In Joshua 3, the nation is at the rivers' edge, ready to cross into Canaan. But the Jordan at flood stage and the only way that Israel can cross over is if God does a miracle, a wonder. So with me. I am standing at the river's edge ready to cross over. I've sent our resumes, interviewed, etc. But I can't get a pastoral position until God does a work.

In Joshua 4, after Israel has crossed over, 12 men, one from each tribe each get a large stone and set up a memorial to what had happened. I too have my own memorial of how God called me into ministry...it's there and I can look back and be confident in where I am.

Then in Joshua 6 israel goes in and takes Jericho...but in an unusual way. They march around the city once for 6 days, then 7 times on the 7th day, give a shout and the walls fall. It is according to God's timing, not mine and according to God's method as well.

God's tracking with me through Israel's history

Morning prayer time

On the steering wheel of my car is a list of things I pray for every morning as I go to work.

The list is as follows...

Christa
Caleb
Regan
My job as Westamerica
Pastoral job search
That God would be honored by what I do today
That I would face the challenges and events of the day with a Godly perspective.
That I would see God at work in my life or in the lives of others
That I would be sensitive to God's leading me throughout the day.

Salinas/Monterey trip

I've got a little catching up to do...

Last week I did an overnight business trip down to Salinas and Monterey. I usually hate these but this was a necessary evil. A nunch of car dealers down there that I had not seen nor talked to. It turned out to be a bountiful trip. I've already got dealer agreements back from 3 stores down there and may have as manmy as another half dozen or so.

I sepnt the night in Monterey at a little hotel that had an indoor swimming pool/jacuzzi (which I took advantage of) and a breakfast bar.

I was going to go to Little Louie's Linguine House for dinner but I walked in there and waited about 5 minutes and no one ever showed up to seat me. So out I went and ended up at Bubba Gump's...which was really pretty good. I had shrimp scampi over linguine. There was a lemon taste to the butter sauce which was amazing. The next time I make scampi I'll need to throw some lemon juice in for effect.

By THursday early afternoon I was working my way back home because I had to be at a parent-teacher conference for Caleb. End of the first quarter and he's doing pretty well in school

Some people need to keep their mouth shut

This morning on KCBS they were interviewing Debra Bowen, who is the California Secretary of State. o you would think she knows what she is talking abou when it comes to elections.

Voter turnout is supposed to be the highest since 1976. THey asked Ms Bowen why this is. First she said that it was right about the time when the votring age was lowered to 18. Fair enough. Not a bad answer. Then she went on to say that there was a war on and they had the draft.

EXCUSE ME???? In 1976??? The draft had been over for a couple of years, combat troops had been coming out of Vietnam since 1973 and we completely fled the country in the middle of 1975. But this genius of a Secretary of State is on record as saying that we had the draft and were still at war at the end of 1976.

Mammoth Christian Fellowship

This church in the Eastern Sierras is one of the 5 places I've been looking at. Mammoth Lakes is one of the mot beautiful places on earth with tons of backpacking, hiking and other adventures available.

When they began looking for a pastor they received over 80 resumes. THey have narrowed it all the way down to 3...and I'm one of them. Exciting times to even think about living in Mammoth.

THis church has been around about a year and a half and has abot 80 people attending regularly. This pastoral position is the first permanent one they have had. So there is thev opportunity to shape and grow the church almost from scratch.

Right now tey are calling references and then we are oing to have loooong phone interview. Then we'll see what happens.

My costume for Halloween

We had a big party at the chruch last night which we called 'Trunk or Treat". People decorate the back of their cars and open the trunks. Kids trick-or-treat from car to car. It works out really well and was a lot of fun.

Christa designed an alien for the back of our Pathfinder but it ended up looking more like a turtle...so we called it the Alien Turtle.

When Christa was working at the church putting all this together, she found an Elvis costume in the church attic. So guess how I was dressed for Halloween.

I thought briefly about wearing the costume and going around quoting lines from the famous comedy routine "Who's on First?". Then I could say I was Elvis Costello.