Blair’s Blog:

The Rest of June

Mon, 5 Jul 2010 18:29:58 -0500

My apologies for not staying up to date on this...We are still adjusting to life after full time ministry, as well as getting into a rhythm of things/life with my new job. Needless to say blogging has fell off the to do list, until now.

I got back home from my first route with RCS June 19, a whole week early due to some complications between our company and our client. And since coming back I’ve been working in the shop -building and assembling new fixtures for a route leaving in the next week or so, which I hope to go on. (I wrote more about my new job in our monthly newsletter, if you didn’t read it yet, or don’t get it, click here to view it, and send us an e-mail requesting to be on our newsletter list and we’ll add you right away!)

It was good to be home for father’s day and we spent the day quite simply...on our back deck, enjoying the weather, including a bonfire!

The following weekend we went to Canton, OH to witness Derek Gute (my intern from last summer) and his fiance Erin Crocker’s wedding.

It was a blast, minus the 8 hour drive to, and back again Sunday. The kids did well, and didn’t complain too much. An added plus was meeting a sweetheart of a little old lady named Vonda, who housed and fed us while in OH for the weekend! Such a sweet saint of the Lord! She has a very cool house with plenty of neat activities to play with including a zipline!

This past weekend was a long weekend due to the 4th of July holiday! I didn’t have to work Friday and Monday, which is bitter-sweet...bitter for lack of cash, sweet, because Lora’s mom and dad were in town Thursday - Saturday! We love when they visit, they always spoil us! And unfortunately as it was, it was good they were here when Leia got hurt. (She fell off the swing Friday and needed 6 stitches) Because we could just focus on Leia, and Lora’s mom and dad were able to help with the other tow kiddos while we went to the ER.

Of course the 4th was good! We went to Fox River and Poplarcreek, then off to the White’s for a cookout and fireworks! Good times x3!

Today was a lazy sort of day, as we planned a family day - we slept in, then went hiking (ran from mosquitos!) at a near by State Park, and had poutine and chicken for dinner!

*On a closing note, Please PRAY for Josh’s dad who is in the hospital in Campbellton, New Brunswick, Canada, with what they think might be a stroke, he also has Multiple Sclerosis which complicates things further. We are awaiting a call from Josh’s mom to know if I’ll need to head there or not...

Josh’s New Job...

Mon, 7 Jun 2010 18:36:23 -0500

Some might be thinking what’s with the random picture of an AT&T store? It doesn’t include any of our family, but the purpose behind the picture is to give you a little insight into my new job.

I am working for RCS Retail Interiors, and at RCS they design, fabricate and install retail fixtures for all kinds of companies all over the US. I’ll be installing fixtures for RCS primarily at AT&T stores. Today, was my first day on the job, and I learned how to package and move some of the fixtures for relocation. I will learn two other techniques, both an installation and modification before I will likely hit the road for my first route. They said I’d learn my route location on Friday.

Based on the training we’ve received so far, I will have a route that will include 30-50 stops over 2 weeks before I’m home again. The route could be anywhere, one of the routes that were shown to us as an example was a 45 stop route in New Orleans. Another was a 35 stop route in Florida.

I don’t really care where they send me, after all it’s summer, and this job is primarily indoors. Ask me again in December and I might have suggestions for Arizona or California.

The company really takes care of us and has great benefits and perks.

I am hoping to be able to connect with a Church or two while out and about, so if you’d pray my routes and Churches with interest in E. Europe would intersect that’d be great.

Over the past week, I spent most of my week at Fox River helping Rod adjust to being on staff and sharing what I could about the Middle School Ministry so he would have a grasp of things and be able to pick up where I left off. He should do fine, he’s a capable guy.

On the busy weekend, I had my last two soccer games with my SC Waukesha girls and went to orientation at RCS on Saturday.
 Sunday, we were privileged to be able to share about our mission to Poland at my friends (Jason Butler) Church = Transformation City. It was cool to see how they worship and spread the Hope of Jesus Christ to their corner of Milwaukee. Jason did such a good job setting us up to share all that God has done in calling us to Poland and to be able to cast vision for others to join us in this work.

We’d covet your prayers for the remainder of the week as I continue training at RCS, and that our house might get some people interested - as it is still for sale (newly re-listed). Pray also, for the ongoing fund raising...we are anxious to get fully funded! We want to be in Poland so bad. It’s going to be a little strange not being there this summer?!?!

A Fun & Busy Week & Weekend!

Tue, 1 Jun 2010 08:41:19 -0500

This past week and weekend was a blast! It was quite full, but a ton of fun!

It began last Monday when I talked with Chad E. (a fellow church friend) about a potential job locally at RCS Interiors. He helped me get this lead and told me a little about the job...I’d start as a Fabricator of retail displays and fixtures, with the hope to become a Service Technician - traveling throughout the US installing these items in customers shops (Can you say networking opportunities?).

Tuesday brought the busyness of getting ready for our end of the year celebration (BUMP6) within our Middle School Ministry. We always end the year with a big party, including an inflatable obstacle course, rock climbing wall, BBQ, a band and a challenging talk. This is the first night with the new 6th graders and last night with our 8th graders as we send them off to the High School Ministry.

It was a ton of fun, but a little weird all at the same time...I didn’t speak and it was my last “official” night as the Middle School Pastor. It was weird and even is settling in as more weird as I write this.

Wednesday was game day for BUMP6 and it was a BIG success!

Thursday was a little surreal as all of my commitments were over and my office was already packed up...I’m thankful I had a few appointments previously scheduled, otherwise I wasn’t sure what I would do. One of the appointments included hanging out with Steve D., Ryan C., and Dale Z...Steve moved to Tennessee last summer and we went to visit him over spring break, so it was good to spend the afternoon with him and some of the guys!

Friday was even more strange as I finalized appointments for Rod (the NEW Middle School Pastor) to meet with each of the other staff members to help him assimilate onto our team and get oriented into his new role. We also re-listed our house in hopes to draw more attention to it and get it sold. I had two appointments with friends and had wonderful conversations with both. One who is trying to help me get into his Church for Support Development and the second was with a friend and former colleague who is interviewing for ministry placement in the La Crosse area.

Friday also happened to be our baby’s birthday. It’s hard to imagine that Lexi’s 5! We had a few friends over and had a bit of a Birthday Party! It was fun and yummy!

Saturday was Lora and my 11th Anniversary! I can’t believe how fast time has gone! I am truly blessed to have such a wonderful wife, mother, best-friend and ministry partner as Lora! We went out to our favorite place the Bonefish Grill! And we rode in style (thanks to Bruce and Cher for loaning us their sweet Mustang!).

Sunday concluded my ministry at Fox River as I passed the baton of leadership to Rod in all the services, it’s my prayer he’ll be wildly successful for years to come! We also relaxed and enjoyed the weather, the kids did some more slip and sliding.

Monday was Memorial Day and we spent it with the White’s (Joe and Karen) and Jonathan T. It was fun to relax and spend time together. I was pretty tired so we left early enough to get the kids home to bed on time. It wasn’t to much later - after game 2 of the Stanley Cup finals, go Chicago! - that I too was off to bed.

The Past Two Weeks...

Mon, 24 May 2010 20:21:03 -0500

I didn’t realize how fitting the name of our home soccer tournament (May Madness) two weekends ago would be in our lives as we wrap up this chapter and embark on a new one.

May has been filled with a tricky balancing act of finishing well, and looking, planning and anticipating what’s next, coupled with the ever increasing tide of emotions both of sadness and joy. I feel so strange, and at times wrestle internally with feelings of treason (like I am betraying those I’ve sojourned with for the past 6+ years) as well as contrasting feelings of “when will this ever end/when will we get to Poland.”

I am thankful that in the midst of all of this confusion and messiness, God is ever present and invested, His Spirit is prompting and speaking clearly, guiding us along the way! His promises are our rock and foundation, we feel secure and a growing sense of confirmation of what we are doing (Even in the unknowns of a house not selling, a job lead still just a lead and not secured, and fund raising being slow and steady - gaining little more each week).

The direction we’re on is determining our destination, not our desire (thanks, P. Guy). Because if it were only desire, we’d have short-cut all of this pain, all this tough stuff, all of this character building time and planted ourselves in Poland long ago, missing the process and refinement God is doing. God is more concerned with who we are and our character than anything else, and I don’t want to miss out on what He has for us, “He is the potter we are the clay.” (Jer. 18)

So over the past two weeks, we’ve been busy with Middle School Ministry transition season stuff, both for the incoming 5th graders and incoming New Middle School Pastor. I’ve been busy coaching, as well as “coaching” two different couples who are in pre-marital counseling with weddings in August and October. As well as making as many connections with people to consider being a part of our Support Team as possible, including a few other local churches.

This past weekend Lora’s mum and dad came down from Canada to spend their long weekend with us. They have been making extra effort to get here as often as possible, because they know soon enough we’ll be 5,000+ miles away and a quick weekend drive won’t make it.

They came this past weekend because it is a Canadian Holiday weekend, known as “May Two-Four”, not for good reasons...I’m sure you can figure out the “Two-Four” analogy...But it’s a long weekend due to the fact that it’s Queen Victora’s birthday, so we remember her??? No, but any excuse not to work and to have a long weekend is good enough for us and the rest of Canada to relax and enjoy some warm weather for a change. So they came for the weekend.

Sure it wasn’t a holiday weekend for us, but I cleared my calendar as best as I could and celebrated with them each others company!
They also came with intentions of celebrating Lexi’s birthday (May 28)...and celebrate we did!

They took Lexi and the rest of the family to Build-A-Bear-Workshop. How cool, and Lexi got to pick out an animal to stuff. She picked a monkey... she used to have a small monkey named “Moe,” who got taken away as an ‘incentive’ (substitute the word bribe here) to stop sucking her thumb...it hasn’t worked as well as we’d hoped and now we might have taken a step backwards, we’ll see. Leia also got to pick one, she picked a Bunny. (Beckham declined a stuffed animal - we’re working on getting him something else...)

Of course mum and dad always spoil us, buying great food and this weekend was no exception. We ate bbq’d chicken Friday, spaghetti for Lexi’s birthday on Saturday, because that’s what she wanted (grandma’s favorite too), and lamb chops last night (my favorite). I’m still full from all the great eating! We capitalized on the great weather too, having our first bonfire of the season! And even watched the Chicago Blackhawks sweep San Jose Sharks, a real treat to watch hockey with dad, since that almost never happens.

All in all a great, really great weekend. Looking forward to the next time they come again...

(NEW PICS POSTED ON PHOTO SECTION OF SITE!)

Looking Ahead...

Mon, 10 May 2010 13:21:38 -0500

It’s hard to realize that I’ve only got 3 weeks (21 days) left at Fox River Christian Church as the Middle School Pastor!

The thoughts about these last weeks are quite sobering and difficult to process all at the same time. I am extremely thankful that the Church Leadership has hired a wonderful replacement (Rodney Buck) already, a man who has served along side of the Middle School Ministry for the past 3 years, with formal training and experience! That makes leaving just a little bit more comforting (imagine my hand making a gesture similar to a “pinch”).

Up until recently I had been struggling a lot with feelings of anxiety, stress and worry. I am not completely free from those feelings, but am much more at peace about our house still being on the market with no offers or showings in sight, with no solid job leads to transition into as well as fund raising being the toughest thing I’ve ever done.

But, in a recent time of study and communion with the Lord, He revealed many passages that held me up, comforted and even encouraged me.

A few are:

1 Peter 5:7, “casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

Isaiah 41:10, “fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

1 Peter 4:12-19, “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And,
"If it is hard for the righteous to be saved,
what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?"
So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.

Please continue to pray for us, for our house to sell, to get a job, and for the funds to come in as we continue to seek out financial partners. You can donate here, if you’d like.

Also pray for the balance of May as it will be very full and busy.

God Bless!

P.S. This past weekend the soccer team I coach, the SC Waukesha U11 Girls Gold Team won the home (May Madness) tournament! The girls did a great job, they worked so hard and were very deserving. We play again this weekend in the Lake Geneva Tournament!