Wisconsin is encouraging

Whoever thought we might move to Chippewa Falls Wisconsin. It is now becoming a possibility. I've been interviewing with a church there called Jacob's Well for a small groups pastor position. They have about 1100 people at the church and 500 of the 800 adults are in small groups. I've interviewed with them 3 times and I am the only one they are looking at at this point. They've eliminated everyone else.

I had my first talk with the Senior Pastor today, kind of a get-to-know-you type of thing. All the official interviews are done. This talk today was to see if we were theologically compatible (we are) and to see if we can work together (I think we can). The next step is to have another talk with the execlutive pastor and his wife about moving out there, etc. After that, we candidate (go out for a visit) and see what happens.

EXciting times could be happening.

Walla Walla update

Walla Walla is still a couple of weeks away from making a decision on their small groups pastor position in terms of who to bring up there to candidate. I was originally supposed to hear 2 weeks ago byt they had a couple of meetings in which they were unable to make a decision.

And the glacier moves ever so slowly.

Vermin extinguished

Since I caught that last mouse 3 days ago, there have been no signs at all of other members of the rodentia family. We might have gotten them all. Maybe they all moved in together and I just was able to pick them off one by one.

There did seem to be 2 different species. One was a bit on the brown side and had a bit of a stumpy body. The other one was gray and had a longer body.

Just to be safe, we're going to keep the traps out for another couple of days.

Living the 3rd way

The world usually presents us with 2 ways to live.

Many people live by law. They may not charcterize it as such, but there it is. THese are people who try to live a good live. Those who live by the Golden Rule. They work hard and try to provide for their families by sheet sweat. But it is a type of law or some sort of commandment or way of living life (see Tony Robbins or Dr. Phil) for examples) that they follow.

Others live according to the flesh. Whatever feels good, do it. Go and party, live life to it's fullest, go and try to experience everything.

Christianity gives a 3rd way. Live by the Spirit. Let your life be marked by love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. By living according to this we live not by law or flesh by by the Spirit

I think I'm turning into Ernest Hemingway

I've killed 6 mice in our house in the last 3 weeks, 4 of them just in the last week. Do we have an infestation? have I gotten them all?

It was obvious that we had more than one mouse because no single mouse could poop this amount. I thought it was two or three, but we keep catching them. They're either gtetting bolder or dumber. There was one on Sunday afternoon who just decided to plant himself on the kitchen floor and much on a little piece of spinach, even with all of us around there. I dropped a piece of tupperware over him, slid some newspaper under it and carried him out. Christa made me promise to throw out the tupperware as well. I had another one run through the kitchen on Sunday night and I spent a decent amount of time trying to chase him down. I saw no sign on Monday and I thought I had scared him away...maybe for good. But there he was this morning, his furry little body glued to the trap. So out he went.

The poops are getting less and less, so I am hoping that we did the last one in this morning or that any other mice start to realize that all their mouse buddies are no longer around and clear out while they still can

The beginning of a new week- with food aplenty

I hardly know where to begin with all of the food issues this week.

First, Christa is making dinner all week as an anniversary present. Tonight we are having meatloaf with potatoes. Tomorrow night is lasagna. Friday are BBq bacon cheeseburgers.

so what about Wed, Thurs and Sat??

We're going out to dinner for our anniversary on Wed. Originally we wanted to get a babysitter in Walnut Creek and go to Vic Stewart's for steak. The babysitter fell through so we got a babysitter closer to home and we'll go to Outback for steaks and red wine.

Saturday we are going to Cirque de Soleil for Christa's birthday and to dinner at the Cheesecake Factory before.

Thursday night I'm finally cashing in my Christmas present of a cooking class. I'm taking the French Steakhouse class at HomeChef from 6-9 pm. I'll be making hangar steak, scalloped potatoes and a chocolate souffle.

What week! I'll probably gain 5 pounds.

Who knew this would be good on fish?

Tonight we grilled mahi mahi and made mashed potatoes with goat cheese. I saw this recipe for the fish sauce and couldn't believe it. 4 things this disparate should not go together...but they did.

This sauce has 4 ingredients:

2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 cup cilantro
1 kiwi.

Put them all in the food processor and serve on top of the grilled fish