In light of my post from a few days ago I would encourage you to take a look at this BLOG entry at the San Diego Reader... there is beauty in sound.
Even at 4:32 in the morning...
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
Monday, September 01, 2008
Update from friends
Here is a bit of an update from our friends "weathering" the New Orleans:
We’re good – all in bed.
Mayor’s update included that the city will not open until Thursday. So we add another day here...
We heard from the one neighbor who remained – all good, only small branches from nearby trees; no water; no roof damage; houses secure.
Police out in strength....
God is good
Mike
We’re good – all in bed.
Mayor’s update included that the city will not open until Thursday. So we add another day here...
We heard from the one neighbor who remained – all good, only small branches from nearby trees; no water; no roof damage; houses secure.
Police out in strength....
God is good
Mike
amidst the storm...
As many of you know there is a serious Hurricane heading toward New Orleans right now. A sister ministry of ours called communitas is located in NO and has had to leave as a result of the storm... many of them are close friends of mine. Would you pray with us for them as they live as a community (with children) in wait of what the storm will do to their homes and neighborhoods? Pray also that God will use this team for His glory amidst the storm.
Thank you!
Dear friends and family,
THANK YOU FOR THE DOZENS of calls, texts and emails. We do so appreciate it. Not an hour has gone by that at least 2 contacts have reached us. Thank you to all of those who want to help and make a difference. There may well be a time for that – we pray not, but we’ll remember. :-) No news has been good news... Here is the latest....
We’re settled at Perdido Key in very Western tip of Florida. We’re safe, and the place we’re staying made it not just cheaper than hotels (we have these get-a-way small holiday houses where we have 18 souls in three small but very comfortable places. We emptied every last item from freezers and refrigerators so have plenty to eat!
We left last night at midnight as planned, but the traffic was still full on. With 3.5 million people moving off the coast, it is expected, but it began Friday afternoon and continued through today, 24 hours a day heading in five directions on multiple interstate freeways! Our normal four hour trip took 9.5 hours. We drove through the night! The place we’re staying let us in early into all three – kept cleaning there late last night to get them ready for us as they knew we were coming. How cool is that!? We were zombies, except for the kids of course! Many of us took naps and will sleep all night. We spent two days not just getting ourselves ready to go (furniture moved up off the floor, rugs rolled, all food removed from cooling, cars filled, checked, etc, but also helping others, like Rona, Ali, our neighbors, etc.
We’re waiting! We can’t do much. We’ve had some time to pray together, we’ll have our weekly coordination meeting tomorrow, which we’ll use for larger picture strategy work, and I have a ton of work to do with me and my laptop here. When we can, we go home!
I (Mike) am supposed to be in New York City Tuesday-Sunday, but expect I’ll be late if I can get out. I can’t go until I know the status of home. It is just wisdom as dad, husband and community (team) leader.
The storm: Moving NW at a screaming pace – fastest I’ve ever seen (18 miles/hour). This means less rain – GREAT! It also weakened instead of getting stronger which was expected. It can actually shift west and be drained by being near the coast. The danger for New Orleans is storm surge as the protection on the west bank of the river is still very much under improvements and not completed. Our danger where we live is if the drain system cannot keep up... Prayers appreciated! :-)
Our greatest opportunities come in the next weeks with the leminal time after such a stressful experience. This has brought up the Katrina PTSD for many and we will have huge opportunity to make progress is why we’re here.
We ALL feel never more resolved than today that we are sent here, and have a contribution from heaven on high. EVEN if we lose our homes – we are all supposed to be here doing this. People with nothing to lose are dangerous! :-)
So, pray for our continued safety, our homes (though they are not our security), our mission, the city’s safety and protection, protection for the cities along the coast (vital to oil/gas production and marine aqua farming and fishing, as well as rice and sugar cane agriculture. We are thankful for the proactive reaction at the city, state and national levels to this threat. This is how it should always be!
No news is good news – we’ll keep you posted!
Mike & the community!
Thank you!
Dear friends and family,
THANK YOU FOR THE DOZENS of calls, texts and emails. We do so appreciate it. Not an hour has gone by that at least 2 contacts have reached us. Thank you to all of those who want to help and make a difference. There may well be a time for that – we pray not, but we’ll remember. :-) No news has been good news... Here is the latest....
We’re settled at Perdido Key in very Western tip of Florida. We’re safe, and the place we’re staying made it not just cheaper than hotels (we have these get-a-way small holiday houses where we have 18 souls in three small but very comfortable places. We emptied every last item from freezers and refrigerators so have plenty to eat!
We left last night at midnight as planned, but the traffic was still full on. With 3.5 million people moving off the coast, it is expected, but it began Friday afternoon and continued through today, 24 hours a day heading in five directions on multiple interstate freeways! Our normal four hour trip took 9.5 hours. We drove through the night! The place we’re staying let us in early into all three – kept cleaning there late last night to get them ready for us as they knew we were coming. How cool is that!? We were zombies, except for the kids of course! Many of us took naps and will sleep all night. We spent two days not just getting ourselves ready to go (furniture moved up off the floor, rugs rolled, all food removed from cooling, cars filled, checked, etc, but also helping others, like Rona, Ali, our neighbors, etc.
We’re waiting! We can’t do much. We’ve had some time to pray together, we’ll have our weekly coordination meeting tomorrow, which we’ll use for larger picture strategy work, and I have a ton of work to do with me and my laptop here. When we can, we go home!
I (Mike) am supposed to be in New York City Tuesday-Sunday, but expect I’ll be late if I can get out. I can’t go until I know the status of home. It is just wisdom as dad, husband and community (team) leader.
The storm: Moving NW at a screaming pace – fastest I’ve ever seen (18 miles/hour). This means less rain – GREAT! It also weakened instead of getting stronger which was expected. It can actually shift west and be drained by being near the coast. The danger for New Orleans is storm surge as the protection on the west bank of the river is still very much under improvements and not completed. Our danger where we live is if the drain system cannot keep up... Prayers appreciated! :-)
Our greatest opportunities come in the next weeks with the leminal time after such a stressful experience. This has brought up the Katrina PTSD for many and we will have huge opportunity to make progress is why we’re here.
We ALL feel never more resolved than today that we are sent here, and have a contribution from heaven on high. EVEN if we lose our homes – we are all supposed to be here doing this. People with nothing to lose are dangerous! :-)
So, pray for our continued safety, our homes (though they are not our security), our mission, the city’s safety and protection, protection for the cities along the coast (vital to oil/gas production and marine aqua farming and fishing, as well as rice and sugar cane agriculture. We are thankful for the proactive reaction at the city, state and national levels to this threat. This is how it should always be!
No news is good news – we’ll keep you posted!
Mike & the community!
Friday, August 29, 2008
all things new... (2)
I had forgotten how hard it is to start over in a new place.
There are so many things that you have to relearn...
How to set up utilities (much easier than in the UK mind you).
Where to shop for what and where to get the deals (very important in the midst of rocketing inflation).
How to keep your house cool (much harder than in the UK).
Where to get your shots for school (much more expensive than in the UK).
How to deal with the 100 people who want to help you in the MAC store (don't get me started).
New sights, new smells, new tastes (mmm... Mexican food) and new experiences.
New, new, new, new new. The list goes on.
BUT, I would say one of the hardest things has been the new sounds.
We have lived in the city for the past 5 years and have gotten used to all the sounds of "urbanity" - but it is nothing like Golden Hill! We live on a pretty major intersection that has pretty steady traffic with a hospital, fire department and police station just around each corner... so there is a pretty steady sound of cars, sirens and horns. But, all of this is trumped by the sound of the jets that fly over our house all day long (San Diego's airport is right beside the downtown... thus we are in the landing path). There is sound here almost continually and it has been tough to get used to.
It's weird the things that stand out to you... I suppose it will sound like the ocean eventually... right?!
There are so many things that you have to relearn...
How to set up utilities (much easier than in the UK mind you).
Where to shop for what and where to get the deals (very important in the midst of rocketing inflation).
How to keep your house cool (much harder than in the UK).
Where to get your shots for school (much more expensive than in the UK).
How to deal with the 100 people who want to help you in the MAC store (don't get me started).
New sights, new smells, new tastes (mmm... Mexican food) and new experiences.
New, new, new, new new. The list goes on.
BUT, I would say one of the hardest things has been the new sounds.
We have lived in the city for the past 5 years and have gotten used to all the sounds of "urbanity" - but it is nothing like Golden Hill! We live on a pretty major intersection that has pretty steady traffic with a hospital, fire department and police station just around each corner... so there is a pretty steady sound of cars, sirens and horns. But, all of this is trumped by the sound of the jets that fly over our house all day long (San Diego's airport is right beside the downtown... thus we are in the landing path). There is sound here almost continually and it has been tough to get used to.
It's weird the things that stand out to you... I suppose it will sound like the ocean eventually... right?!
Thursday, August 28, 2008
all things new...
Revelation 21:4-6He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."And he who was seated on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new."... And he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.
So... we have finally landed! After what has been a marathon furlough (almost 10 weeks) we have finally begun the process of settling in. The top pic is of our temporary rental home until we find something more permanent (keep praying for our house search). The second pic is of our street... only a short hop to the center of San Diego! (we've already met most of our next-door-neighbors)
You know those times when you are really in need of some hope... when things feel so far beyond your control... so far out of control... Britany the kids and I are in that place right now. Tired. Overwhelmed by change. Missing our friends in Glasgow like crazy. Missing our church. Missing our neighborhood. Missing "normal". We need some reminding of Who it is that IS in control. It can seem almost cliche in these times to draw on some picture of heaven that feels so far removed and so far beyond where we are...
YET
Right now we are mourning. Right now we are crying. Right now we are feeling pain. And the best way I can describe my heart is as thirsty... I need living water that doesn't cost anything (California is VERY expensive). It's ironic because right now everything IS new and all we can think about is what was... we need to be made new on the inside... re"new"ed I guess.
SO
For any of you who have kept up with us this summer and are still reading this BLOG we could sure use your prayers.
Lord, move in my heart (move in our hearts) make us new inside so that we can be the lights you have called us to. Quench our thirst Lord with Your living water. Revive our focus and our purpose... help us to fix our eyes on You in the midst of our circumstances.
Amen.
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