Just Kiddin' Around

We love our friends and their kids! It's an amazing community of peeps and kids trying to figure out this community thing, this friendship thing, this journey thing, and this God thing. One of the by products is that our kids get to laugh, play, read, sing, fight (yes...our angels fight!), and grow up together. It's pretty stinkin' cool. So in tribute to our friends and their kids, here are a few pictures taken over the last few weeks to show how much Sarah and Parker love hangin' out with "the kids". Thanks, y'all, for sharing the road!

Sarah and Drew (the mini-me of Randy!)

Parker and Sarah reading Cifford the Big Red Dog to Evan so that he would be able to stop thinking about how much the Illini blew it in the Big Ten and NCAA Tournaments.

Parker, Sarah and Donna (and Ann's hand!).

My Funny Faced Girl

Can you pick out Sarah's new favorite funny face for the camera? I'll give you three guesses!

The Ultimate Autograph Ball!

Check this...

My amazing Uncle Jim has been on this amazing quest for Special Olympics (SO). He's a big time volunteer for them (among other organizations). To help them raise money, he has tracked down with his own network, money, ingenuity, and hard work every living Heisman trophy winner. They have all signed this ball and he is going to give it to SO for them to auction off at a major fund raiser. It is an amazing accomplishment. One that I am so proud of my uncle for undertaking. He truly is one of the most generous men I have every had the priviledge of knowing. You rock, Uncle Jim!

Here is the mother load of all autographed balls:

Where in the World is...

...Seth Freaking Rings!? I'm here...settling into the Costco thing...trying to figure out new rythms (sp?)...and trying to remember my badge every morning so I can clock in and get paid! Welcome to the real world, right? Sarah asks me every morning, "What's that place you work, Daddy?" And I say, "Costco." She replies, "Oh, yeah! I've been there once! Let's eat breakfast. OK, Daddy?" She is so great.

You know I was thinking today as I was making some business contacts (some serious cold calls) that here I am, the guy who can talk to anyone, who's never met a stranger or someone he didn't like and I'm terrified to introduce myself and sell people my company and it's experience. Wierd. I am literally dealing with some goofy/scary stuff inside me each and everyday I'm on the street working and selling.

I'm not sure why that is. Maybe I'm a wuss. Maybe a lack of passion for what I'm selling. Maybe it's simply not who I am. Whatever it is, I'm praying for God's power and grace to push me through the day to give my very best. Because as I said before, I am so thankful for the this job, this opportunity to learn, this chance to rub shoulders with new people, and this place to trust God fully.

But the more that I am away from vocational ministry, the more I miss it (even though I still wonder if I have what it takes to "get the job done"). I miss the heart of ministry, sharing your life and the life of Jesus with others regardless of whether they are spiritual or not. I miss the heart to heart connections that take place each and everyday with broken people. I miss not having to remember to take your badge to work. I miss the fun that goes with being around students and the adults that love them. I miss believing that the work I do really matters.

The corporate world isn't very fun either...it's challenging work with some really amazing people who are smart, talented and dedicated beyond belief (they really do amaze me and I'm learning from them all the time), but I wouldn't say that it has been fun for me. Who knows...it may get more fun as time goes on because I'll be more familiar and passionate about the company, it's products/services, and the overall experience.

But it's also been nice for this season to truly leave work at work. When I clock out...I'm out, baby! That's really a wild feeling. No more event's coming around the corner...no more mid-week programs that keep coming and coming and coming and coming...no more wondering when the next normal weekend I'll have with Kelly and the kids will be (though retail life has it's fair share of weekends). That's been pretty stinkin' cool. But at the end of the proverbial day...I miss the mission and hope of the church and drawing people into the flow.

That's my story today...Thanks for listening.

TAFK!
(a dollar to the first person who can guess what that stands for...ooooo - big spender!)