Family Covenant

In September our family attended the Family Encounter Weekend at our church which featured speaker Ted Cunningham leading sessions on marriage and parenting while the children's ministry team and youth ministry had their own separate sessions focused on spiritual growth in the family.  In one of our sessions, Ted shared on the importance of having a family constitution.  This struck a nerve with me as it convicted me on something I've been wanting to create/follow through on ever since I was first introduced to the concept of developing a family mission statement and family covenant.

Webster's defines covenant as a "formal, solemn and binding agreement...a written agreement or promise between two or more parties...".  Throughout the Bible, we are reminded of God's covenants with Noah and mankind (the rainbow in Genesis 9); with Abram (righteousness through faith in Genesis 15); and with Moses (The Ten Commandments in Exodus 20).  Covenants and family are clearly important to God, so shouldn't a family covenant with a purposefully stated mission statement be regarded as an essential part of every family?

The first step in developing a covenant is to identify your core values -- what do we as a family really believe in and value as guiding truths in our family's behavior.  In refining our covenant, I narrowed our  values down to those which could be connected with key verses in scripture that have spoken to my heart.  Next step is to craft the mission and vision statement -- what is our family's purpose, and what do we want our family to become.  The mission statement is a description of our family's fundamental purpose and should answer the question: "why do we exist?"  The vision statement describes our family's preferred future and how we will accomplish the mission of our family.  A good vision statement capture's your family's passion; it casts a vision of the innermost hopes and dreams you have for your family.  And lastly, to tie it all together, I came up with a family theme verse from scripture which I felt best summarized our mission, vision and values.

Admittedly, creating our family covenant was something I continually put off doing.  Once I set aside the time to focus on doing it, I truly felt energized by the Spirit to not only complete it but also create a document that we would proudly share in a prominent place in our home (near the dinner table) to serve as a daily reminder of our commitment to God and to our family.

The Legend of Pappy Van Winkle Grows

I first heard about Pappy Van Winkle bourbon on a Bill Simmons podcast back in 2008 or '09.  He was talking sports with Wright Thompson (ESPN.com columnist), and on the subject of bourbon.  Wright mentioned that if he ever walks into a liquor store and there's Pappy on the shelf, he buys it all out.  It's that good and yet hard to find.  Over the past 5 years or so I've developed a greater appreciation for bourbon, so naturally I was interested in taking up this quest to find a bottle for myself.  I remember going to Stellar Cellar, our neighborhood liquor store, and being surprised to see 2 bottles of the Family Reserve 15 year, which along with the 20 year & 23 year, are considered to be the top-of-the line bourbon made by The Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery.

I remember seeing the price was $64 and I hesitated to buy it as the store also had some of the 10 year Pappy on the shelf which was priced more in line with some of the other higher-end bourbons.  But I remember Wright speaking specifically about the 15 year so I grabbed it off the shelf as it felt like I had found a prized possession.  After tasting it, I understood why it was in such demand.  I remember going back to Stellar Cellar a few weeks later in hopes of securing that second bottle but it was long gone, so I decided to take home a bottle of the 10 year to compare, but it just didn't stack up at all with the 15 year.  And that was the last time I would ever see any Pappy on the shelf of a liquor store.  The cult following that Pappy Van Winkle had attracted was now in full force, and this article published on Grantland in 2011 verified this truth Pappy Van Winkle: The best bourbon you will never find in time for Father's Day

Fast forward to 2012; I discovered Stellar Cellar maintained a waiting list for their once-a-year shipment of the limited supply of Pappy.  No one knows exactly when it arrives or how much is allocated, but I got on their list, and was fortunate to receive a call from the manager in late November informing me he had a bottle of the 20 year if I was still interested in purchasing it for $144.99.  Merry Christmas to me from Cindy it would be.

This year it seems Bourbon Mania! has really taken Pappy to a new level as evidenced by this Mar '13 article in the WSJ.  In anticipation of the annual shipment this November, I discovered that there's a now an app which tracks the Pappy shipments by state:  Pappy Tracker app
And then there's this - news broke last month that $25K Worth of Pappy Stolen from Distillery and the follow up story that HuffPost ran on police finding a "person of interest" in the theft.

Having heard 2013 shipments to TN have already occurred, I stopped in Stellar Cellar this week only to discover that their limited supply has already been divvied out to those at the top of the waiting list - I'm outta luck this year.  Fortunately, I have yet to open the bottle pictured above from last year so I'll anticipate the next special occasion in the coming year to crack it open.  In the meantime, I'll continue to enjoy my growing collection of fine bourbons.  Some of my favorites include: Eagle Rare, Booker's, Prichard's, Blanton's, Bulleit, Knob Creek, and Maker's Mark.  Recently a twitter follower suggested Hudson Baby (the only bourbon made in NY), which has been a tough find, but now has been added to my collection after a visit to Buster's.  For a change a pace, I also enjoy Fireball Whiskey, Firefly Sweet Tea Bourbon, and Whisper Creek Tennessee Sipping Cream if I'm in the mood for a desert drink.  Which other bourbons need to be added to my collection?

Astrodome Memories

This morning I was disappointed to hear the effort to #SaveTheDome had failed in the election held yesterday in Houston.  On twitter, the hashtag #AstrodomeMemories already had a good collection of twets, so I started feeling nostalgic and tweeted out my top 3 memories.  On the drive into work, I couldn't stop thinking of other memories I had from attending events in this iconic Houston landmark.  I'll never forget these top 3 memories of mine from Astrodome history, as well as some other memorable events that I attended in the 20 years I lived in Houston.



1)  Oilers Pep Rally 1/6/80 - After the Oilers loss to the Steelers in the AFC Championship (for 2nd year in a row), one of the radio stations planned an impromptu pep rally to welcome the team back home in the Dome.  I was almost 12 years old and I can't believe my mom decided to take me and Barclay to this event.  I remember being out really late on a school night (I believe it was after 10p before the team actually arrived).  We found seats in the upper level and I remember thinking I had never seen the Dome so packed - truly a Standing Room Only event as I remember seeing people standing all throughout the concourses, and apparently there were thousands of late-comers outside of the Dome who were not allowed in.  We waited and waited, and then finally the team buses came streaming in.  Several of the players addressed the crowd to cheers, and then the unforgettable pledge from Bum Phillips, "Last year we knocked on the door, this year we beat on it, next year we're going to kick the SOB in!"  The following year was a disappointment and shockingly Bum was fired.  Just a few weeks ago Bum Phillips passed away, and I still got chills watching this YouTube video: Oilers pep rally with Bum's speech

2) Stratford wins State 12/23/78 - Led by RB Craig James, Stratford High School wrapped up an undefeated season by beating Plano for the State 4A Championship (there was no 5A at the time).  I remember several of their playoff games that year were held at the Dome and these were so much fun going to because it felt like we had the place all to ourselves since it was mainly fans from just the 2 schools in a 50,000+ seat stadium.  What was memorable about this game is that our family was driving up to Dallas on the day of the game to spend Christmas with the grandparents.  But we saw car after car driving south on I-45 with Plano flags that finally about half-way there, probably around Huntsville, my dad had seen enough and he turned the car around and we headed to the game!  And it was a great decision as we were able to attend this great game.

3) Astros-Phillies NLCS Game 5 10/12/80 - This was the first year the Astros ever made the playoffs, and my dad had secured some company tickets in the grey SkyBox section at the top of the Dome for this game that would decide who went to the World Series.  Things were looking great -- 'Stros up 5-2 in the 8th inning with Nolan Ryan on the mound and 5 outs to go, then it all turned bad.  Phillies put up 5 in the inning to take 7-5 lead; however, Astros countered with 2 in the bottom frame to tie it, but ultimately lost in 10 innings.

The Astrodome holds many other great memories for me.  I figured I probably went to at least 130 Astros games over the years I lived in Houston, most occurring during the 10 year span of 1976-1986 when I was between 8 and 18 years old.  I saw Ken Forsch pitch a no-hitter in '79, Nolan Ryan's 4000th strikeout in '85, the MLB All-Star game in '86, and my last game was during their final season in the Dome on 4/17/99.

The Oilers would be next on the list for number of games attended.  I remember going to games and seeing Earl Campbell run over poor defenders.  I remember going to games during the Luv Ya Blue era with columbia blue pom poms and Krazy George beating his drum as the fans sung "Houston Oilers #1".  I remember buying season tickets (first time I ever had season tickets) for the 1993 season on the mezzanine level; in December of that year, I moved to Memphis and I remember watching the final home game of the regular season on 1/2/94 all alone in my apartment in Memphis thinking why did I leave Houston as the Oilers were headed to the playoffs.  The following year the Oilers imploded, fired Jack Pardee on the way to a 2-14 season, and the last Oiler game I ever attended was the final game of the season with my parents on Christmas Eve as Jeff Fisher picked up his first win as head coach in beating the NY Jets.  A year later news broke about the Oilers possible move to Nashville, which was made official before the '96 season.  The following year, '97, they made their move to TN and played their home games at The Liberty Bowl in Memphis and I was there for all of the games of course.

I remember going to a number of University of Houston football games, and cheering on the Longhorns when they were the opponent, and also going to the Blue Bonnet Bowl in '87 watching Texas beat Pitt; ironically this was the last Blue Bonnet Bowl game held.  I remember going to see the Houston Gamblers, led by Jim Kelly and the run-and-shoot high flying offense of the USFL in '84 and '85.  I remember going to the 1989 NBA All-Star game in the Dome.   

And it wasn't just all sports at the Dome.  I remember as a child always wanting to go to the annual Thrill Show and Destruction Derby.  It was always around my birthday in January and unfortunately my dad always had a major trade show to attend at this time so my mom would reluctantly take me on occasion. (She said it was always too loud and smoky in there for her!)  When I was finally old enough to drive myself, I remember going with my friends and realizing it wasn't all that entertaining and understood why my mom didn't enjoy going.  Also, the year that we went was tragic as the daredevil that dropped from the top of the Dome into a bucket of water was unsuccessful in his attempt and later died at the hospital.  I don't remember the Dome ever hosting another one of these events.  There were concerts too...the Texas Jamm in '84 headlined by Rush, Ozzy, 38 Special.  And I remember going to see The Jacksons on the Victory Tour in '84 with my mom.  There was Metallica-Guns 'n Roses double-bill in '92, and the Genesis concert in '92.

One more Astrodome memory was captured on film, who can forget watching the scenes filmed inside the Dome in the "Bad News Bears in Breaking Training".  One of my favorite movies from my youth and a few years ago I had to purchase the DVD.

Last weekend there was an "Astrodome Yard Sale" which attracted close to 10,000 people, all seeking out memorabilia including sections of astroturf and a limited number of pairs of seats from the rainbow section.  I understand that there may be an additional online auction held in the near future to sell the remaining items.  I hope this comes together because I would love to have a souvenir from this historic place in Houston's history.

Farewell Astrodome!

Here's a video of the famous scoreboard:
Astrodome scoreboard goes dark in 1988 to make room for seats

Disney highlights

We had a great family vacation at Disney World over fall break...6 days/nights was just about right in order to hit all of the attractions, but of course we could have used an extra day of relaxation at the Saratoga Springs resort!  The weather was perfect, but the secret is out on fall break being the best time to go there as the crowds were more than we expected.  I was so glad my parents wanted to join us for most of the trip and that they were able to share in the excitement of Disney with their granddaughters! 

I asked the girls to share their top 3 favorite memories from their first experience at Disney.  Taylor liked the rock 'n roller coaster (starring Aerosmith) and the American Idol experience at Hollywood Studios, and she enjoyed both the Princesses and Lilo & Stitch character meals and getting many pictures/autographs from her other favorite Disney characters (21 total) throughout the parks we visited.  Nicole also really liked meeting the characters as well as Mickey's PhilharMagic 3-D show and a number of the various rides at Magic Kingdom (Dumbo, Aladdin's magic carpets, mad tea party, astro orbiter to name a few).  Cindy enjoyed seeing the excitement on the girls' faces when meeting the characters, and she loved the Fantasmic show at Hollywood Studios.  And as for me, Animal Kingdom was my favorite park as I enjoyed the 2 shows there - the Festival of the Lion King and Finding Nemo musical; and loved the Expedition Everest roller coaster and the Kilmanjaro Safari rides there.  Also, Space Mountain is still the most thrilling ride at Disney World, and Tower of Terror and Splash Mountain were my other favorite rides.  Disney World is quite the adventure and one that everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime.  The way in which it continues to grow, I'm sure we'll be making a return visit someday!

Bound for the most magical place on earth

Our much anticipated trip to Disney World begins today and it couldn't have come at a better time with the sad week we had in losing Sunshine last week.  Taylor and Nicole are most looking forward to their first visit to the Magic Kingdom.  At ages 10 and 8, we believe they are at a great age to remember the experience.  I went to Disney World for the first time in 1976 when I was 8 years old, and my first visit to Disney Land was in 1979 (age 11).  My second trip to Disney World was in March 1995 when I met my parents there for a long weekend trip.  Not sure the occasion other than my parents were likely scouting the place for a future trip with their granddaughter Emily.  I remember spending most of our time at Epcot; a day at MGM Studios (Animal Kingdom wasn't open yet), and 1/2 a day at the Magic Kingdom.

My last trip to Disney World was 15 years ago in 1998 when Cindy and I joined my parents along with Vicki, Paul and Emily.  Emily was 5, and Cindy and I were still newlyweds.  Vicki posted this picture on my facebook page the other day wishing us a very merry trip.  I remember all these trips well and I'm looking forward to making some new memories with my girls and my parents who are meeting us there today.

Goodbye Sunshine

The moment I have long dreaded has come today.  Sunshine, our dog of 15 years, is being put to rest today.  The past several months have been difficult seeing her struggle with the onset of dementia and her loss of interest in being the highly sociable pet that we fondly remember.  Last Monday I believe God opened my eyes to this realization and He began preparing me to let her go.  After Cindy and I came to an agreement that “it was time”, it became more and more evident that our decision and the timing was right.  We shared this with the girls last night and we all shed tears, and hugged on her knowing that this was for the best for her.  We prayed and asked God to be on the lookout for her tomorrow.

In the summer 1998, during our first year of our marriage, we became proud “parents” of Sunshine.  Cindy didn’t have a dog growing up but fortunately for me it wasn’t a hard sell when I told her that I wanted us to get a dog.  When I was growing up we had 3 dogs (not all at the same time), and my favorite was our cocker spaniel named Sunshine.  So without hesitation I began searching the paper for cocker puppies and this led us to a breeder in Brighton, TN.  We chose the cutest puppy with reddish-blonde fur and named her Sunshine.  For the first 5 years of our marriage (until Taylor and Nicole came along), Sunshine received all of our attention; after the girls arrived, she accepted her place in the family as no longer the center of our attention.  We struggled with the news that Taylor had pet allergies but we managed this condition the best we could without seriously considering getting rid of Sunshine.   As she got older, Sunshine battled numerous ear infections, which ultimately led to the removal of her left ear canal in ’08.  Of course she had to wear the “cone of shame” during her recovery, but ultimately this surgery, and a change in her food diet, resulted in minimal future skin and ear infections for her.

They say a dog is man’s best friend.  I believe this to be true because of their genuine loyalty and how they teach us about unconditional love.  When I think of Sunshine, I’m going to remember all the years of enjoyment we shared with her.  We’ll miss you girl…   

What I learned from preparing a children's Sunday school lesson

One of the things I like about teaching children's Sunday school is that it forces me to dig deeper into God's Word.  Rather than just reading the text and lesson materials, I've found myself spending more time studying and preparing for how best to communicate God's truth to the 3rd graders I teach at CUMC Kids.  This week, God revealed some things I didn't know about Jerusalem, priests, communion, and tithing through the appearance of Melchizedek in Genesis 14.

Genesis 14 - "Abram Rescues Lot" is the subject of this week's lesson.  We're learning how Abram's faith in God is growing stronger though the challenging situations he faces.  After separating from Lot (Gen. 13), Abram discovers his nephew has been captured by several kings surrounding Sodom.  We read about Abram's courage to gather his 318 men (by mentioning this number the Bible implies he is outnumbered) to go in pursuit of Lot, and his faith in God that he will triumph. (Gen 14:11-16)

Then, in v.18 we are introduced to Melchizedek.  He appears just once in the Bible, although he is also  referenced in Psalm 110 and Hebrews chapters 5 and 7.  Who is this mysterious person who shows up after Abram is victorious in Sodom?  The name Melchizedek means "King of Righteousness".  Some speculate that he may have been the pre-incarnate Christ.  The references in Hebrews and the Psalm refer to Jesus as "a priest in the order of Melchizedek".  In this passage (Gen 14:18-20) we do discover that he was a Christ-like figure and it reveals four "firsts" in the Bible:

1. First mention of Jerusalem - he was king of Salem (future site of Jerusalem)
2. Frist mention of a priest - he was a priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram
3. First mention of communion - he brought bread and wine in this blessing of Abram
4. First mention of tithing - after receiving the blessing, Abram gave him a tenth of everything

Melchizedek is portrayed as a priest and a king.  The writer of Hebrews in ch. 7 portrays Jesus in the same way, as priest and king, in making the point that Jesus superseded the temporary Levitical priesthood established in the OT because the Messiah was a priest of a higher order..."You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek" (Psalm 110:4).  Thanks be to God.

Faith

Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." (NIV)  Two words here describe faith: sure and certain.

I also like the description of faith in the (CEB) translation: "Faith is the reality of what we hope for, the proof of what we don't see.  The elders in the past were approved because they showed faith." - Hebrews 11:1-2

Hebrews 11 is often referred to as the "Faith Hall of Fame".  The elders referred to in v. 2 are heroes of the old testament who are recognized for their faith beginning with Abel, Enoch, and Noah and running through the Patriarchs and Moses while also referencing some of the judges, prophets and King David.

This week I've been thinking a lot about faith as this verse was our memory verse and subject of this week's Sunday school lesson in my 3rd grade Expedition class.  In preparation I remembered a recent devotion I read with my girls from Max Lucado's "Grace for the Moment: 365 Devotions for Kids" in which real but invisible things are used as an illustration of trusting in things our eyes can't see like:  wind, electricity, peace, love, kindness.

Another thing on faith struck me this week when I took another spiritual gifts assessment.  I love all kinds of assessments.  Ever since I took the Myers-Briggs personality test many years ago (I'm ISTJ), I find it interesting to discover or even just reconfirm things I may or may not know about myself.  This particular spiritual gifts assessment confirmed the gifts of knowledge, and teaching (emphasis on shepherding), as well as giving (emphasis on stewardship) and serving.  But also, highlighted in my top 3 gifts was faith.  Having the gift of faith is seeing God's plan and following it with passion.  I really like that!  And, I never really considered I had this gift of faith.

I believe God illuminated this truth to me as I was preparing to teach this lesson on faith to my 3rd graders.  I also felt a renewed passion for using my gift of teaching as I was drawn to spend more time in prayer, preparation and reflection on this week's lesson.  I also felt compelled to spend more time in journaling...and perhaps step up my blogging; we shall see...

P.S.  I guess it's not a coincidence that we named our first daughter Taylor Faith.
 

Florida beach trip slideshow

2013 will definitely be a memorable year for our family.  In June, we went on our first family mission trip to Mexico.  In October for fall break, we are taking the girls to Orlando for their first trip to Disney World.  And sandwiched in between over the long 4th of July weekend, we were able to make our way down to FL for what has become our 7th annual family beach trip to Perdido Key.  This is the 3rd year in a row we've arranged our vacation around this holiday, and it's always the highlight of our summer as the girls have a week-long break from their summer camp at St. Agnes.

We have enjoyed making memories as a family during these beach trips every year since 2007, and I hope we can continue this tradition for years to come.  On July 1st (the day before we left), the daily devotion I receive from Family Life was titled "Mental Imprints" and it spoke right to the heart of  treasuring these special times.  The following is an excerpt from this devotion:

Memories are what make each family unique. They give your marriage and family a mental imprint of shared laughter and reflections. 

Memories are best made with loved ones. Sure, memories can be made with coworkers and church friends, but don't let others get all your best times. Your marriage and family is a ready-made unit for the rich production and harvest of memories. Plant your fields wide and deep with them.

Memories take time. Our best memories have usually been born out of extended time together. Don't expect them to be created in three-minute sound bites.

Memories are made of varied adventures. Be creative. Do something different. If you can, travel together--especially on short-term mission trips.

Memories are both planned and unplanned. Memories are made through family traditions, such as summer vacations or an annual family Christmas tree cutting. 

Memories should be celebrated. A memory isn't a memory if you don't revisit it and talk about it, look at pictures of it, laugh or cry about it. "Do you remember the time . . ." can be a joyful introduction to a family conversation. 

Indeed, the memories we share as a family are what make us unique, and this year as I reflect on our family trips, I will continue to make an extra effort to share with the girls how blessed we are as a family and how thankful we are of God's blessings and the grace and love He shows us daily.

And, part of making memories is the annual slideshow I look forward to creating every year: 

Florida 2013

Mexico Mission Trip slideshow

As I was putting this photo slideshow together last night it brought back such good memories from last week that I really wished I was back in Mexico gearing up for our last day working on the house as we were preparing for last Wed night.  Today, I was thinking about the new families that will be blessed with a new house today as mission teams serving at Yugo will complete the houses they've been working on this week -- and it's awesome to consider that this will happen every Thursday this summer!

Here's a link to our photos:  Family Mission Trip to Mexico on You Tube

It is long - 12 minutes with 168 photos; since there is music on it, it may not be available to view on a mobile device (due to licensing I believe - but don't really understand?)  Enjoy!

Adios Mexico!

Before we head back to San Diego today our team is visiting La Bufadora, which according to google  is a marine geyser or blowhole located on the Punta Banda Peninsula in Baja California.  Also, known as a popular tourist spot for shopping so I'm sure the girls will be loading up on some souvenirs.

Yesterday was awesome.  We finished up the house around 3:30 and had some time to decorate it with some furnishings we had brought.  The house dedication is really the highlight of the trip as we all gather around outside the front, and each team member gets to share some thoughts with the family before the pastor blesses the house and then we hand over the keys to the family.  As you can imagine, it's an emotional time, and I'll never forget the smiles, tears, and comments from the Martinez family.  After seeing her bed, Romina shared with us that the only mattress the family had was found in a trash dump.  Lirio, their daughter, shared with us that she always felt too ashamed to invite her friends over to where she lived.  Jonathan could not speak, every time he tried only tears of joy came out.  Jose Louis (dad) was very grateful for the home; he felt so unworthy.  It was a great feeling knowing that he just recently turned his life around and he has begun a new life in Christ.  We were able to offer the family hope beyond their daily struggles and lift some of their burden.

And last night, we had a great time of worship back at Yugo and many shared their thoughts on the week.  We were reminded of our theme for the week:  Energized by faith; Engaged in love; Enduring in hope; and, we were encouraged to take this with us as we live out our lives on mission in walking with Christ.

Mexico Day 4

Today we will complete the home and present the keys to our family!  Yesterday we shingled the roof, mudded the drywall, stained the interior trim and door and began building bunk beds.  We ended our day a bit earlier yesterday in order to get back for early dinner -- taco night from Pablanos, before heading to church service at our families' church at 6:30.  The service began with music from the praise band.  When the band launched into the familiar "Everlasting God" and "Hosanna", I felt more at home in their church.  Pastor Joel welcomed us (there was a translator), and then Ty Garvey and Sarah Tillman from our group brought their guitars on stage and sang an acoustic song.  Everyone at the church was so grateful for our presence ther.  The pastor invited the families that we were building for to come forward and share a few words.  Our family was the only one missing, and I suspected something was wrong because they said they would be there; as it turns out Jose Louis had car trouble and he came rushing into the service just after it was over.  He was clearly shaken and in tears as we greeted his family and learned about their trouble getting to the church.  He felt ashamed by not making it there on time, so we all hugged on him and comforted him.  Jose Louis is new to his faith.  Pastor Joel shared with us that he recently came out of rehab and he has been clean for 6 months.  He is a faithful man and very excited about his new life in Christ.  I'm really looking forward to seeing him and his family today on our last day here and sharing the love of Christ with him.

Mexico Day 3

We're gearing up for another great day here in Ensenada.  Yesterday we arrived at our site with birthday presents and a cake for Santana, their youngest son who turned 8.  Our family consists of Jose Louis Martinez (dad) Romina Serena (mom) Lirio (daughter 13) Alan (son 12) Jonathan (son 9) and Santana.  Jose and Romina make donuts and deliver them door to door, but they are working on the house with us this week.  Romina also has been making lunch for us each day (muy bueno!), even though we've asked her not to go through trouble since we are packing our own lunches.

The house is coming along!  Yesterday we finished framing the roof and began adding shingles.  Taylor hopped on the roof and spent most the afternoon helping up there.  Nicole did some painting, then went off with the VBS crew in the afternoon.  Cindy and I hung drywall inside for much of the day and we headed back for the Yugo site around 5:30.

After dinner and chapel, the highlight of the evening has been the taco runs to Pablano which is a few blocks from the Yugo complex.  We load up the vans, often with 30-40 folks and enjoy delicious tacos!

Gotta run to breakfast, looking forward to being Energized, Engaged, and Enduring today as we complete the mission God has called us to. (1st Thessalonians 1:3 - our theme for the week)

Mexico Day 2

Finally was able to connect my iPad to wifi!  Quick thoughts on Day 1.  I was amazed how much we were able to accomplish as a team in the first day as the house is nearly framed.  Upon arrival at our site I was assigned to be the cutter; of course I have never used an electric saw, so immediately I was pulled out of my comfort zone.  I had to remind myself over and over that God doesn't call the equipped, He equips the called.

Have to run to morning chapel then breakfast then off to work site for Day 2

Mexico, here we come!

We are gearing up for our big trip this weekend!  The girls have been practicing some common Spanish phrases (Buenos dias, Por favor, Gracias!)  Our team leader sent the 10-day forecast and the weather is going to be perfect (I understand it's like this nearly all of the time!)

10-Day Forecast for Ensenada, Mexico

High / Low (°F) Precip. % Tonight Jun 04 Partly Cloudy 54° 0 % Wed Jun 05 AM Clouds / PM Sun 72°/56° 0 % Thu Jun 06 Partly Cloudy 75°/57° 0 % Fri Jun 07 Partly Cloudy 73°/56° 0 % Sat Jun 08 Partly Cloudy 74°/57° 0 % Sun Jun 09 Partly Cloudy 74°/57° 0 % Mon Jun 10 Partly Cloudy 73°/59° 0 % Tue Jun 11 Partly Cloudy 74°/58° 0 % Wed Jun 12 Sunny 74°/58° 0 % Thu Jun 13 Sunny 74°/58° 0 % Next update will come Sunday night from Mexico after we get settled and meet the families!

Mexico Mission Trip

We're one month away from our trip and Yugo has posted videos of the families we'll be building homes for.  Three of the four families are featured in this link (down on the right side, click under building dates: June 9-15, see Christ United Memphis)

http://eocyugohomes.blogspot.mx/

These are great 2 minute videos of each of the families we'll be helping.  Our family is on a team of 14 from our total group of 46 (+ interns/contractors from Yugo), and we are building for the Martinez Serna Family.  We look forward to meeting them very soon!

(updated 6-5-2013)

Mexico Mission Trip

In 2 months from today we'll be flying to San Diego, CA for our family mission trip with Christ United Methodist Church to serve with Yugo ministries in Ensenada Mexico.  We had a team meeting today after church to meet our fellow servants and receive instructions in preparation of our trip. There are 47 folks of all ages booked on this trip, and we will be building a total of 4 houses as well as running a Vacation Bible School for the children where we will be working.

Our family will have a free day on Saturday, 6/8, so we are planning to take the girls to Sea World and see the sights in San Diego.  We'll meet up with the team on Saturday night and stay at the college dorm near David Jeremiah's church Shadow Mountain Community Church in El Cajon, CA and attend worship there on Sun morning.  I've listened to David Jeremiah's radio program and watched Turning Point on TV; also, I saw David Jeremiah speak at the FedExForum in 2009 so I'm looking forward to visiting his church.  On Sunday afternoon we board our 5 buses and make the 1 and 1/2 hour trip into Mexico, which I understand is a beautiful drive along the coastline.

The Bible verse I shared in my previous post from Joshua 24:15 "...as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.", is a verse that God spoke clearly to me prior to and during my first mission trip, and is one that I have been praying for with my family in preparation for this trip.  Today, Jay and Ginna Tillman (our team leaders) shared with us this guiding passage for our Mexico Mission trip, which was derived from a combination of Bible verses in Psalms and one from Isaiah which were shared by other team members:
                              "I created you, I called you, I am going to help you"

The last part of the passage comes from Isaiah 41:13 "For I am the Lord your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you."

When we arrive in Mexico, we'll have a chance to meet the families we will be building homes for at the site of where we will be staying.  We'll split up into 4 teams and begin building the homes on Monday, each team will be assigned a foreman from Yugo and interns will be there to assist as well.  In the afternoons, the children on our trip will have the option to go help with the VBS; this will be good because I'm sure Taylor and Nicole will enjoy this opportunity.  The houses will be completed by Thursday, and there will be a key presentation ceremony to the family which is the highlight of the trip I've heard.  As I look forward to this trip, I pray that God will continue the work He is doing in cultivating a heart for serving within my family, and that through this experience we will all grow closer to Him.

Mexico Family Mission Trip

2013 is off to a fast start - I celebrated my 45th birthday this week, and for me, birthdays are more enjoyable now only because my girls get more excitement out of them than me.  As I look to the year ahead, I'm most excited about the family mission trip we will be going on with our church to Ensenada Mexico in June.

A number of years ago, several friends from our Sunday School class went on the first of what has been an annual mission trip to Mexico to serve with Yugo ministries in building homes for families and running a vacation Bible school for the children.  After seeing several videos and shared testimonies from fellow church members who have gone over the years, I told Cindy that once our girls reached an age where they could contribute and learn to appreciate this experience that we would be going on this trip - well, the time has come, and we're beginning to pray and talk more about it now that it's a mere 5 months away!  Our plan is to fly to San Diego on the night of June 7th (fortunately we have enough Flex Perks points for 4 free airline tickets!)  We'll have a full day to explore SD before departing on Sunday for the short drive to Mexico.  We'll spend the week in Ensenada at Yugo's outreach center and return to San Diego on Friday (in time to catch a Padres game, I hope), and then return to Memphis on Saturday June 15th.  Our team leaders for this trip, Jay and Ginna Tillman, have been on this mission trip multiple times with their 3 daughters, and I'm really looking forward to serving with them.  By the way, Jay is a fellow Longhorn and he was the first Texas Ex I met when I moved to Memphis 19 years ago. (small world, huh?)  I understand our first planning meeting will be soon, and I'm looking forward to seeing who else will be joining us on the trip.  I hope to update my blog as I learn more about our upcoming experience, but here's a taste of what we can expect:

 You Tube video - CUMC Mexico Mission trip 2012

In anticipation of our trip, I'm praying for Taylor and Nicole to begin looking forward to this trip and remove any fears they may have in traveling to a foreign country and being around children from another culture and way of life.  I pray that this experience will bond our family tighter and create an experience they will remember for their lifetime.  I'm praying that they will encounter God personally on this trip and He will begin to shape and mold their Christian worldview.  I have no doubt that God will reveal Himself to our family -- and this is why I am so looking forward to this trip!

Recently I have been reflecting on how God revealed Himself to me in amazing and remarkable ways on my first mission trip 4 years ago.  Since I haven't blogged about this experience, I'll revisit my journal and save these thoughts for a future post.