Raul & Me

Raul & Me
Originally uploaded by Frodo242.

From the very beginning I hit it off with Raul. Everything we did, I tried to include him and he was game. This house was built with our love, but also with his own love and effort.

Raul's family with my family

Raul's family with my family
Originally uploaded by Frodo242.

Family ties. Our families spent a lot of time together in two days. In fact my kids played with Raul's kids non-stop. Their favorite things to do were to paint, color and chase chickens around the neighborhood. It is an experience I'm sure they won't soon forget.

Coming Home

Coming Home
Originally uploaded by Frodo242.

It may not be extreme home make-over, but this family was grateful for their new home.

The End of a Perfect Day!

The End of a Perfect Day!
Originally uploaded by Frodo242.

It was one long, hard, fun, satisfying and successful day in Mexico. We were well on our way in our two-day project.

2 Day House

Two months ago when we were in Ensenada building a home, Brett (a Yugo missionary/carpenter) commented that some groups were coming down and finishing a house in 2 days. "I can't believe it." The same house that it has taken us 3 1/2 to 4 days is being completed in only 2 days. Well, it didn't take long to get me excited or any of the other people I told about the possibility of building a house in 2 days. So an idea was birthed.

In the six weeks that followed it was difficult getting commitments from people about whether they could make it Memorial Day weekend or not. As it turns out, most that I had invited were unavailable. But we pressed on. And late in the game money started pouring in for the cost of the house ($3200) so we started to believe that God really wanted us to do this. And as it turns out, He did.

Our team was comprised of 15 individuals, including my two girls. In addition to the people we brought, we also had Melody, Brett, and Jeremy from Yugo. We hit the ground running and quickly had the house framed, painted and wrapped by 11:00 a.m. When we took our break for lunch at 12:30 the roof was framed and the electrical was finished. By the end of the day, the drywall was hung and mudded and the roof was nearly completed. We were on our way.

Day two involved a lot of trim work, putting in the front door, completing the roof, sanding, mudding and painting the interior walls. We had all taken bets to see when we'd be officially finished. I had guessed 4:15 p.m. Our official time was 3:57 p.m. and of course Jenna had picked 3:58.

Raul was a hard worker. He helped at every step of the game. The families represented parts of three families that would be living in the new home: 1 dad, two moms, and 7 kids all in a 2 room 320 square foot home.

At one point I was working with Carol, my mother-in-law in one of the bedrooms. Raul was looking into the room from the outside. Carol walked over and opened the window. Raul got a huge smile on his face. You could see the joy that having a window that opened brought to this young man. Carol became overwhelmed with emotion and began to weep. It is simple moments like this that signify why I keep coming back to Mexico.

Thank you to all who made this trip happen.

Ted Part 2

Ted has now been in his new home for over one week. He has transitioned remarkably. I still haven't been to see him, but listening to Carol and others in the family, he seems to be right at home in his new environment. Alice (Ted's wife of 60 years isn't doing as well with the transion. She is complaining often of pain(physical). This past weekend, Dana (daughter number 2) came to stay with her. Dana appeared to have a difficult time dealing with Alice's physical and emotional pain. Alice has a tendency to cast blame on those she loves most for whatever ails her now. I have observed this via Carol for several years now. By the time we came home on Sunday, Dana was in need of a vacation...from her mom. It's a sad situation and there aren't many good options to choose. Hopefully with time both Ted and Alice will be at peace with their new life.

One fun thing about the place Ted is living. There is a gentleman there that Carol and Tom refer to as the Grumpy Old Man. He actually even looks like Walter Matthau. He dances to the beat of his own drum...and occassionally finds himself participating with the rest of the group. At such times, he will immediately stop, make a comment about how lame it is and then find somethig else to do. He is fighting the conformity and yet he is being reeled in little by little. One other note. Carol told me she got there during dinner the other night. There are 6 patients living in the same house...and each of them is wearing a matching bib in order to enjoy their dinner. Close your eyes...picture it and smile!

Tall Misto, 175, whipped cream, no foam

Ken is the first customer that I am getting to know. He comes in every morning, knows the crew, and orders his misto. Ken and I connected during a break last week. He was reading a book about the body, soul and spirit. We have now had three conversations...all over breaks in the very same chairs. God seems to bring him while I'm about to take my break. Ken is a man of faith and isn't afraid to talk about it...though not in an obtrusive way at all. He is a generally nice man who lives with subtle passion for Jesus.

I learned today that Ken is moving to Arizona soon. I will miss our morning talks over coffee. The good news is that Ken said he would be back often. I think he must have family close by...

Good News for Missionaries

Two calls...two blessings, we all get to benefit. We're building a house in Ensenada this weekend in case you hadn't heard. The cost of the house is $3200 US. We had already had generous donations of $2000 & $120 before today. This morning I received two calls that added up to an additional $850 with a possibility of more.

What this means for our missionaries is that the cost for them this weekend will be drastically reduced. We thought the cost was going to be in the $200 per person range. After today's gifts, the cost goes down to $85 per person. Wow!

Thanks to all for your generous support and prayers for our team.

Community242 we'll meet next Thursday and give everyone an update.

Blessings abound.

And lest I forget a third blessing. I received another call that provided our much needed second vehicle for the trip. Thank you, Penners.

Better at the Bar

Because I am new to the Starbucks world...at least as a worker, they like to keep me busy on the register. They probably think that is the place I can do the least amount of damage. This morning we were getting killed. Torrey and I handled 41 customers in one half hour alone. That's insane. But that was with her on bar and me taking orders.

When things slowed down around 10 a.m., Katie introduced me to the bar. I had an earlier orientation, but really didn't learn very much. Today was different. I was doing it on my own. Katie gave me instructions when necessary, but I did all the work and even got to where I knew the right steps to take. In an hour on bar (not during the rush) I only had to redo two drinks. Not too bad for a rookie.

If you're in the neighborhood, stop by. I work at the Valencia/McBean Starbucks in the Kohls Shopping Center in Valencia. I open the next two mornings if you're an early riser:)

Looking for a Ride to Mexico

Thursday afternoon we are taking a group to Mexico to build a home for a family. We just lost one of our 2 suburbans...the tranny went out. If you have an eight passenger vehicle or know where I can borrow one, please let me know. I realize this is last minute. Thanks.

Bob

Because of time constraints please email the info.

Opening Night

A week and a half ago, Mark and I were talking over dinner about the new Star Wars film, Revenge of the Sith. We both said we wanted to see it opening weekend and that it was the culmination of a story began in our boyhoods. So we thought, hey let's go after church on Thursday night. We asked around and no one else was able to make, but we bought tickets and were set to see Star Wars on opening night at the 10:15 showing.

It was only a few days later that I learned that I would be working the opening shift the next day....at 4:30 a.m. No worries I could pull it off, at least that's what I was telling people, namely my wife. Anyway the anticipation built all week long. And sure enough after church we took care of the kids and headed to the theater. The place was packed and the adrenaline was high.

Mark an I got there early to stand in line. We swapped stories of our experiences with the other Star Wars films especially the originals. It was great. There were even a few people who had brought their light sabers to the show. It's hard for little boys to grow up even when they're in their thirties.

We loved the film, though I was having difficulty staying awake, since I started work that day at 6:15. I will need to see it again at least one more time. We had a fantastic time with our friends enjoying a common experience and memory and I even made it to work on time!

Mission Mexico2

We are going to take another trip south of the border to enhance the life of a family in the surrounding countryside of Ensenada. A group of 16 of us will converge on a village and family and build a new 320 sq. foot home in two days. We have never done one in less than 3, but are confident that if we work long and hard and together, we can get the job done. Also we are encouraged to hear that other teams have done it before us.

We would love to have your prayers...you can even post them here! Also if you want to contribute toward the cost of the house, you can contact me about that. We have already raised $2120 of the $3200 for the house! Our team this time will be made up of 2 grand parents, 3 dads, 1 mom, 4 college students, some high school kids, and my two little angels. It should be fun and impactful for all of us!

Starbucks Update

Three weeks into my new life as a barista, so I thought it was time for an update. First of all I would like to say I have so much respect for those fellow partners of mine who can listen, discern, write, and make those unusual concoctions that get ordered every single day at our store. One customer actually just asked me for a cup and wrote up his own drink. We are a persnickity people, aren't we?

That being said, I love my new job. I am feeling fairly competent on the register, but have a long way to go in making drinks on the bar. I have made a few, without complaints, but lack the confidence and speed required of a true barista. My co-workers, mostly female, are fun and encouraging and a blast to work with. I was hoping that I would be the one bringing encouragement to the work environment, but it's already there in stereo.

It seems as if my shifts are mainly going to be in the morning. Tomorrow will be my third opening (4:30 a.m.) shift in four days. I don't mind too much, but I have taken advantage of a few afternoon naps along the way:)

Got to go make a triple, sugar-free, non-fat vanilla latte!

Beach Days

I'm back in the heat again. It is in the nineties today here in Southern California. Our family was able to beat the heat this weekend by camping at the beach. We had a fantastic time...except for projectile mac and cheese, when I was holding my daughter. This led to a nearly sleepless night where we were up almost every hour dealing with one or both of our kids and their illness.

This was actually the only spot on an otherwise perfect weekend. The weather was beautiful. The waves were majestic. And the food was delicious....except for the mac and cheese:)

I spoke briefly to a lady from Holland. She told me how wonderful it was to live in a beach community with this type of perfection. Her family back home were still experiencing bitter cold conditions. We talked about Holland and the places I've been in her country. We love going there on an almost annual basis. But of course we are there during their two summer weeks, as the Dutch have told me:)

Good news the kids have recovered. Hopefully no one else will get sick.

An American Epiphany

Last week I took my family for an enjoyable time at the ballpark. We went to see the Dodgers face off against the Florida Marlins. Though the Dodgers were dreadful...a common occurance for them recently, we did have a good time. My girls have been programmed to enjoy baseball on television, but especially at the ballpark.

Our church is taking a trip to Dodger Stadium for a game June 5. So I decided to get the tickets at the game and save us the service fee. While I was in line for the tickets, inside the park, I had an epiphany.

People by the dozens are passing by me every minute searching for seats or snacks or souvenirs. Everyone on their own little mission. That is until the National Anthem began. And in what I would describe as somewhat miraculous fashion, everything stopped. The lady at the ticket counter stopped taking tickets. The people scurrying through the halls stopped in their tracks and faced out towards the flag. Those who were wearing caps removed them. It seemed as if the whole world stopped for those few moments. And they did.

While America is far from perfect in our politics, morality or social causes, I have to say that I am proud to be an American. With all of our problems and ills, we are still drawn together to stand and affirm our common beliefs. I am certain there are things that happen regularly both domestically and internationally that become embarrassing for us Americans, but we land on the side of freedom and good more often than not.

As a follower of Jesus I would love to see us (Christians) stand together in the same way. It's not that we can't have disagreements over areas of doctrine and practice. But let's stand on the things that are worth standing on...truth, justice and God's good ways!

Ted's in a New Home

Monday after much prayer, debate, conversation and research it became clear to everyone that Mimi's grandfather, Ted, belonged in a care facility. The discussion has gone on for several months and we all knew this day was coming. It finally arrived. Ted suffers from Alheimer's Disease. He is also in remission for Prostate Cancer. His health and mind have been deteriorating for the past several years. He is still generally a good natured, kind and gentle man, which is the Ted I have known for eleven years now.

Ted's wife, Alice, is now alone. She has care herself for 10-12 hours a day, and it is probably only a matter of time before she will need the same kind of care that Ted is receiving. So there are lots of questions regarding when is the best time to make this next change? What do we do with the house? All of these questions will be answered in the coming months. Pray that God's peace is with Mimi's family, especially Tom and Carol, as they are making most of the decisions and providing the majority of care.

Mother's Day at the Magic Kingdom

I can imagine that Disneyland would not be the best location that one would choose to celebrate Mother's Day. I would probably agree with that...However, we had a blast with our friends from Colorado (Rob, Chandra, Josh, and Amanda) and from San Diego (Mandel, Lisa, Brock and Chloe). We have annual vacations with the same friends every year. This is the ninth year we've gotten together. Our relationships remind me of the old Alan Alda film "Same Time Next Year."

When we first started getting together we were all newlyweds with no kids. Little by little, that has all changed and now each couple has two kids, and all of them are around the same ages. We have grown through our lives together. We have had parents die, babies born, jobs turned over, moves out of state, and more that have enriched the relationships that we share. I count myself blessed to have friends like the ones that we shared Mother's Day with...and Scott and Renee who were unable to join us at Disneyland. Our "vacations" each year are a must regardless what else invades our calendars. Thanks for the memories and the future ones we have yet to make.

And yes, Mimi, had a great time on Mother's Day as well.

Organic Gathering

Last week prior to our trip to Nashville I spent the day with a fantastic group of people from all over the globe committed to organic church planting. Neil Cole brought us all together to hear what was happening on the global scene from Wolfgang Simpson in Germany and Alan Hirsch in Australia. I was only able to be there for one day, but walked away with some great insights from Wolfgang that rang true to me. One thing that stood out was the idea that bricks in scripture always refer in some way to rebellion to God. Whether you look at the bricks the Israelites were forced to make for the Egyptians or the Tower of Babel. God on-the-other-hand always uses organic materials like rock, gold, etc. And of course Jesus calls us living stones. This was especially poignant as I was driving around Nashville where I saw brick after brick church buildings. I wondered in my soul as to what God thinks about our places of worship.

I also had some great connects with different people. One of the best connects was with Robert from Ohio. He is a fellow Missionary church guy who is planting house churches among the urban poor in Columbus. He has a vision for renewal and restoration with the poor of our cities. He sees the "house church" as the best hope for young African Americans who want to become pastors/leaders in the church. He finds most educational/seminary pathways too prohibitive for most men in the cities. This is an aspect of organic church I hadn't even considered before.

Unfortunately I missed Alan on Tuesday. His book with Michael Frost, The Shaping of Things To Come, is the best book on Missional Church I have read. Saying that I probably need to read it again. It's that good!

Thanks Neil, Brad, and Paul for hosting this event!

Update

Since I haven't written in awhile, I thought it was time to say something about our life and times. So here goes...

1. I started work at Starbucks this week. I am training as a barrista with the hope of moving into a lead position in the next couple of months. I have already met a slew of cool people in various faith traditions. Most of my co-workers are at least 10 years younger than me and I love that! Today was my first day actually taking orders and working the register. It was crazy but it went pretty well. Everyone I've worked with so far has been great. One of the interesting people I've met is Maggie who is from Egypt. Her family is Muslim and tomorrow she will be baptized into Christ. Her faith commitment will in effect end her relationship with her father. Talk about commitment. I look forward to more faith talk over lattes!

2. Mimi and I went to Nashville last week for her cousin Jeremy's wedding. We had a great time and even celebrated our own anniversary (number 9). We ate at the Melting Pot a very cool and romantic fondu place in downtown. The best part of dinner was the yin and yang chocolate fondu. It rocked. The wedding was cool. It was at an episcopal church so there was a lot of formality to the ceremony. The liturgy included lots of music, communion with the whole congregation coming forward, and a God-focused message. While it may not be what I would choose, it was beautiful and meaningful and I know that Jer and Laurie have grown through this church. While in Nashville we also toured the home and grounds of President Andrew Jackson. While I think their story of the president was slanted (read favorable), it was great to be there and hear the retelling of his life and presidency. Mimi and I are both history buffs as our Tom & Carol who joined us with Tricia and Karissa. My mom and Roger graciously watched/spoiled our kids while we were gone.

3. We are updating our kitchen. Mimi and I have wanted a new refridgerator for some time now. Our biggest frustration with our fridge is that the ice and water hasn't worked for about 2 years. The door wouldn't close all the way and we have broken drawers. Recently our oven door has stopped closing all the way also, which means that heat is seaping out the sides of the oven while we're cooking. Obviously this is neither safe nor efficient. Our dishwasher works and our microwave works. We made a decision to replace the fridge, stove/oven, and dishwasher for now and we are going with the stainless look. Before changes we have had a white fridge, almond and black range, black diswasher and microwave. Our friends gave us their dishwasher which needed a new pump. We had someone replace the pump and install it. The next day our new fridge arrived. We are so pleased. And God has been gracious providing us with the needed resources to make these purchases. Our next move will be to choose a range...then we are planning to strip the outdated wall paper and paint. Thank you TLC!

4. Mimi's grandfather, Ted, continues to decline in health. He has Alheimer's among other ailments. The family decided this week to place him in a board and care facility (home) in Camarillo. It is going to be a huge transition for him as well as her grandmother, Alice. If you are inclined to pray, they/we could really use prayer for this. He will most likely move in Monday or Tuesday.

5. Our community(242), continues to meet and grow together. We aren't currently growing...in fact sometimes it seems like we're shrinking. Our times together, however, are rich. Even with only a handful of people we are seeking God and his path in our lives/culture. We had a great discussion last night surrounding Jesus' teaching on vengence and enemies in Matthew chapter 5. Cynthia had a great story about how God has recently worked in her life in this situation with her neighbors. It was cool to see application even before the teaching.