But, but, but...

We've all been there right? We whole heartedly believe God wants us to do something spectacular, jump in with both feet, do something requiring stupid faith, right? Right! So we commit, and we tell people we have committed to _____, and we say to ourselves,

whew, glad I'm obeying that call, glad I've got some time to figure that out, i've got some time to figure out how to ask others for $$ to pull off this God sized project

And then.... it's "some time" later and we/you/I have that, oh crap! moment, it's just around the corner! We then go through the but syndrome.

• but God, I'm so busy right now
• but our septic tank just went out
• but work is really chaotic and time off might not help my career
• but that's a really long time to leave the wife and kids at home
• but that's a stinking long way from home
• but those travel arrangements are ludicrously difficult
• but I feel REALLY cheesy/grimy/slimy asking people for $$ to do something God asked ME to do
• but....

I'm now at that point where I asked God to open doors for me to use my education, training, experience in missional ways, and you know what, he brought them to me. But... they are in Honduras, Zambia, India, Liberia, etc... and those are a long way from home and cost a lot of $$$ to get there and back.

Dutch and I are going with Lifesong for Orphans  to their orphan care ministry in Zambia at the end of September. So here it is much closer than I had in my mind, and we don't have extra piles of $$$ laying around to get us to Africa and back (we do have 5 kids after all). Those of you who know us, know we've been to Guatemala and Honduras this past year or so, but didn't have to raise any money. Going to Central America isn't much different than California these days, airfare and other things included. But going to Africa is on another planet for airfare and logistics!

However, we are being faithful, committed to going, committed to using the skills and knowledge God has provided me to help their teachers and 200+ orphans and highly vulnerable children. Will you consider helping us go and serve these children by donating $25, $50, $100?

Will you help us begin to change their story? (link to fundraising page or you can talk do me directly)

Brush to Berries from Lifesong for Orphans

Tower of Babel

I don't think there is hardly a single day that E doesn't miss an opportunity to construct a fort and/or tower in our house. He's been doing this for several years now.

I joked to Melissa the other day that had he been born over 2000 years ago, I swear he would have been the architect and foreman for the Tower of Babel project. It's no surprise he LOVES this story every time we read it in the Jesus Storybook Bible.

So come to our house at any time and you are sure to find something looking like these:

 
I never hate to discourage his creativity, but I can't begin to tell you how many times I've picked up every single one of these pillows to just be able to sit down when I come home from work!

So in about 20 years, if you see a story about the tallest building being built, you should check and see if E is part of the project.

E is certainly having fun but as Christians we all seem to have our pride points and towers of babels. Mine seems to revolve around "justice", but in all of the wrong and misplaced locations. My tower comes out in what i've begun to call the "justice police" mode which in turn props me up as being more righteous than others, or smarter, or more... fill in the blank. We all seem to create works drivin pathways outside of faith and love to reach a higher level of recognition and "closeness" with our creator. The more I self reflect, the more I see that I too attempt to be a master tower builder nearly everyday!

What are your towers of babels?

After posting yesterday, I was greeted this morning with this after hearing, "Dad, come look how high this is!"