First Week

   Well the first official week (and a half technically) has past. I've been commuting everyday, so that is less than perfect, but the actual work is going very well. My first Sunday only had a couple of small glitches. The glitches were little things that I think with time and practice we can iron out. I truly enjoy the work environment here, and the church as a whole has been very welcoming. You should see the amazing pile of food they gave us in our pounding (old practice of giving new people a "pound of this, a pound of that"). I think we may be eating on it for the next three years.
   I am challenged by the new aspects of being a music minister vs. being in the music ministry. I am challenged but not overwhelmed. I think these are things that will help me grow as a person, as a minister, as a musician, and as a Christian. I look forward to seeing what God has in store for my family and my new church family in the years and even months to come.
   On a final note, we finally got to close on our house today! So no more driving back every night. A little painting, new carpet, and then we are ready to move in! Super excited and ready to have some extra space again. Well goodnight for now. I pray God watches each of you who take the time to read my little piece of cyber brain waves.

St Patrick's Day

   I hope you remembered to wear your green today. I had a nice busy afternoon preparing food for our family's party tonight. I made an Irish Boiled Dinner, Salmon Kedgeree, and White Irish Soda Bread. I don't know how authentic any of these items are (they were on the St Patrick's Day ideas on cooks.com), but it was fun to think we were eating Irish food. My Sister-in-law was kind enough to make a Shepard's Pie and my mother hosted the party and prepared a ginger, orange cake for dessert. We also had green punch. Lots of food and fun. Now I'm sitting on the bed wishing I had eaten less.

   Tomorrow will be the last day to work for my Dad full time. It has been fun and I am going to miss it. My Father and get along very well. Much better than many people I think. I've often had people comment about how nice it is that we can work together and not drive each other crazy. On the contrary, I truly enjoy spending the time with him. I hope each of you have pleasant memories of your parents. My parents have been a huge blessing in my life and I often don't take the time to tell them. Do you? We should. If it's not your parents, who do you have in your life that have been blessings? Take the time to tell them.

   Here's to family and friends.

May the road rise up to meet
May the wind be always at your back
May the sun shine warm upon your face
and the rain fall soft on your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the hollow of His hands

Zombie Frogs, Jacking Houses, and Messed-up Titles

    For those who didn't know, today was supposed to be the day that we closed on our house in Liberal, KS. Unfortunately, this did not happen. Last Tuesday when the title work came back we found out that the seller has liens on the property. Because of these liens, they are not allowed to sell the house until they come up with the money to pay for the liens. Thus, we are not closing on time.
   FSBC was kind enough to postpone my first Sunday by another week, so I don't have to start working tomorrow. However, I am starting next week regardless. I am ready to start this job. I am excited for the work God has in store for myself and this church.

   So...here's what I've been doing today since I didn't go to Liberal to sign papers...We are bracing the floor joists under a house that had water flood underneath it. The concrete blocks that were holding the floor joists up sunk several inches into the mud when the water got under the house. So we are using 6-ton jacks to lift the house and put new braces underneath the joists. Lots of fun. This house has a decent bit of crawlspace. I can barely turn over. On my side, my shoulders touch on both sides. Not a good place to get panicky. We'll probably be under here working for the next couple of days.

   By now you're probably wondering about the "zombie frogs" part of my title...Kathy told me my last post was a bit dry so I thought I'd make this one a bit more interesting. So we've covered the messed-up title and the jacking of houses...here's the zombie frog.

Dead and decomposed creatures are not my cup of tea, so when Dad laid this dried up husk of a frog on my shoulder (while under the house mind) it was creepy. Though not technically of the "living dead" variety, I think this is as close to a zombie frog as I want to experience.

   With that, I will close this post. Good Night...

St. Patrick's Day

   Are you ready for the 17th? Not that it is a holiday that means much. Lots of green, leprechauns, clovers, and beer. When you are growing up, you try to pinch people who don't wear green on this day (some of us still do). But what is this holiday about? I haven't researched the beginnings of St Patrick's Day, so this is not going to be educational in that way, but I have done some studying about who St. Patrick was. Here is some of what I've learned...
  
   Patrick was real (and no he wasn't a leprechaun, nor did he catch a leprechaun in order to steal his gold). He was an English born young man who was kidnapped (some say simply sold) into slavery by Irish marauders. He spent many years as a slave in Ireland until he escaped and found his way back to Britain. Once home he became a Christian and entered into a monastery. While there he felt God calling him back to Ireland, this time as a missionary. He went and started a movement away from the nature worshiping druid religion that was prevalent and leading people to Christ. (It is also commonly rumored that he drove all snakes from Ireland, though nothing I've read can substantiate that.) It is believed that he used the 3-leaf clover to explain to the trinity to people. He led many people to Christ and started several churches despite stout opposition.

   I don't know about you, but I think it is much more interesting to celebrate the life of a man who went back to his former captors/masters to tell them about Jesus, than to wear green underwear and drink green beer. I know the 17th is still a few days away, but I thought I'd share this now so that you could be aware when the day got here. The picture above is of a fictional book based upon the known facts of Patrick's life. I enjoyed it greatly. However, it is not where I got my information.

   I will be wearing green on the 17th in case you're wondering.