Stormy Weather

“Rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Romans 5:5-6

Oh, the joys of living on a boat. You ever hear the saying “when it rains it pours”? Well, in south Texas, on the Gulf of Mexico that little quote could not be more true. Don’t get me wrong, I like the rain… When all I have to do is sit back and enjoy the sound and smell. That is a very nice and relaxing way to spend an evening. What I don’t like is to have to spend my entire evening, or in this case, the early morning hours cleaning up the mess it made. My boat might be in the water, but I certainly don’t want the water in my boat.

I could go about complaining, but what does complaining ever actually accomplish? Instead, during this little ordeal, I think it really is time to rejoice. I now know that there is a leak in the cabin of my boat, therefore I can find a solution to this problem and reduce the work the next storm brings with it. Also, my bilge pump is dead (this is the pump that automatically pumps excess water out of the boat) which as a result, caused me to have to use the hand pump, another problem that I am now aware of and will be able to fix.

I am writing this because I find it to fit quite nicely into all of those “when a storm rolls into your life” stories, but in a very literal sense.

A storm rolled in. Water found its way in through the unprotected, dare I say neglected areas. I had to work through the middle of the night at containing something that I should have paid more attention to in the first place. The great thing about all of this though is the fact that it helped me identify an area that needed attention. I could apply this very thing to almost any defect I have in my life. It’s those areas I don’t keep guarded where I ultimately struggle.

When you realize you messed up, or failed at something, don’t beat yourself up over it. Be thankful that at the very least you know what needs to be fixed. As the saying goes “knowing is half the battle”.

Next time a storm rolls into your life… Check for leaks, and then fix them!

Home on the water...

For those of you interested in where exactly we are, we are docked at a marina in Ingleside Bay which is kind of a part of Corpus Christi Bay which also seems to be a part of Redfish Bay..? Something like that anyway. It is very quiet and well protected. There is a little island that everybody rows out too to lay out or to fish. One of our neighbors pulled out about a 40-50 lb fish (I don't know what kind it was) from right off of his little boat next to the island. Sitting out at the docks this morning and you could see tons of fish jumping in schools. I'm hoping it's as easy to catch them as everyone around us has made it look!

The last few days were spent just driving around checking out our surrounding areas trying to get an idea of what kind of stores and shops are close by. The towns here individually, are very small. However, all the towns are connected and it's kind of hard to tell when you go from one to the next. Corpus Christi is about 15 minute drive from here and it has everything we could possibly need if we can't find it locally.

Yesterday I saw a couple of kids out playing catch in the street. The only reason that stood out to me is because I have not seen kids outside physically playing without the addition of some sort of electronic devise or controller for a long, long time. People around here are extremely friendly and courteous. A very nice change! It's a different story once they get behind the while of a car, or in most cases a HUGE truck. I have seen defensive driving courses before, but yesterday we drove past an "Offensive/Aggressive Driving School". I'm not kidding either. They drive like maniacs here.

Last night was the first night spent in our new home on the water! I can't say that sleep was all that great, all the new noises kept me up for most of the night.

...Here are a few pictures of our neighborhood: the fishing pier, the beach picnic area, our new backyard and our boat after we launched it. We have to wait to raise the mast until it is not quite so windy.

A Little Bit Closer...

Nothing profound or impressive to say today, not that any of my previous posts have contained such things... However, I am quite excited about the progress that we have made! I have been slacking in the update department, so I thought I would post some before and after pictures of what we have done to the interior. What you will not be able to see, and what I regretfully did not take any before, during or after pictures of is all the dried and cracked hoses, bad plumbing and the mess of wiring I had to go through and replace before any of the cosmetic changes. The REAL difference is below all the cushions. I should have made an instructional/how to video out of everything that we accomplished. I don't think that far ahead though. Anyway, take a look!

Forerunner

-noun

1.

predecessor; ancestor; forebear; precursor.

2.

an omen, sign, or indication of something to follow; portent:The warm evenings were a forerunner of summer.

3.

a person who goes or is sent in advance to announce the coming of someone or something that follows; herald; harbinger.

4.

the Forerunner, John the Baptist.

Forerunner is the name that it had when we bought it. I think it suits it quite well.

Patience is a virtue.

“Life is all about timing... the unreachable becomes reachable, the unavailable become available, the unattainable... attainable. Have the patience, wait it out It's all about timing.”

~ Stacey Charter

I remember a few years back... It was about a week before Christmas and I came across a package under the tree with my name on it. Now, I had been asking for a particular video game system for quite a while and this package was just the right size to get my mind going. It was heavy enough to be what I was hoping for. I wasn't about to shake it so, since my parents are not going to be home for a while, should I peek? I mean after all, if it was a pair of pants, or shoes and not a Playstation I would have been pretty disappointed. At least if I looked, I could pretend to be excited about clothes right? Well, I didn't peek. I just waited a little bit longer and sure enough, it was the Playstation I had been hoping for.

The last week of October 2010 was no different for me than that Christmas many years ago... It all started with an e-mail. You see, my wife and I came across this wonderful little boat on craigslist which just seemed to jump out at us. So I sent the owners an e-mail. They told us they would call us when they got back into town and set up a time for us to go see the boat. What?!? Out of town! That is when the exercise of patience began. I could hardly wait. Should I call these people and bug them? No... I'm an adult... Just be patient. It took every ounce of strength in me to wait for them to call. A few days later, while I was going through some paperwork, my pocket started to vibrate. It was my wife. She was screaming. They called! They called! Within a matter of hours we were arranging a time to go and see the boat. We were beyond excited.

The following Saturday, we went down to meet the sellers and check out the boat. All the excitement leading up to what was, for us, a HUGE occasion had me feeling quite strange. This is to good to be true. It has to be. I didn't want to rush through the buying process and find myself in a wreck. However, this boat was loved and well taken care of. The owners just didn't have time to use and maintain it anymore. It was all just happening so quickly and going very smooth up to this moment, the moment when I started questioning my own decision making. But that is when my wonderful wife stepped in and reassured me that this was no mistake or lapse of judgement. She wanted this boat as much, if not more than I did. A few signatures and handshakes later, we are now the proud owners of a sailboat!

"All good things come to those who wait."

Dollars and sense

"A penny saved is a penny earned."

~Benjamin Franklin

There is a lot of satisfaction when you take a look at your savings and realize how much it really grows when you have been diligently contributing to it. It is also very encouraging and really helps you see the progress you are making. I can definitely relate the saving money process to the saying "a watched pot never boils", which is why I do my best to only check once in a great while. On the other hand there is almost as much to be said for cutting back on your daily, weekly, and monthly expenses and an almost equal amount of satisfaction gained when you see that your bills are only half of what they once were! That is where we are right now. Cutting back and saving as much as possible. Things are really starting to get exciting for us!

Fast food is, or maybe I should say was a big dent in our weekly expenditures... Spending roughly 20 dollars on a meal for two several times each week just doesn't cut it. It was mainly spent out of laziness on my part due to the hours that I keep at work. After a few 12 hour shifts the last thing I ever want to do is struggle and risk blowing something up in the kitchen. So when I am really tired, hungry and I don't feel like cooking, fast food seems a lot more appealing. So now when I come home hungry and tired I pull out whatever I plan on spending for fast food and I drop it into the money bucket. Top Ramen is awfully fast food. What it lacks in taste and wholesome goodness it certainly makes up for when I consider what a small sacrifice it really is in the long run. I just look at a picture of a beautiful little sailboat on a nice sandy beach and all of the sudden chicken bullion and noodles turns into... Self control!

With the grocery bill cut nearly into 1/3 of what it was, what else can go? Internet. I have a laptop and my neighbor has an excellent connection. Problem solved there is an extra 50-60 bucks a month into the boat fund. That was easy, now what else? Gasoline. Work, church, and the occasional trip to the store are the only places we really need to go, so... We stay home. A lot. As far as what we do buy when we go to the store besides the necessities, we try and live by the rule that if it's not going on the boat, its not that important! That in itself creates an entirely new dilemma. We have a bunch of stuff that is not going to go with us on a boat.

Getting rid of our "stuff" is the stage we are at right now. eBay, garage sales or donations...It has to go. I look at how much of what we have has been boxed up and unseen for years and wonder why it is so hard to get rid of it. Good ol' American greed I guess. A closet full of clothes, only half of which actually gets worn: Donate. Books, movies, dishes and tools: Garage sale. Fancy metal things from Italy, xbox, sports cards and other random collectibles: Internet auctions. I have to give props to those people that earn their living from eBay and various other online auctions. That is my least favorite part so far I think.

While looking forward to getting rid of all our old clutter, we have started looking at the final stage of our expense cutting. Downsizing our home. We live in a house that is far to big for just 2 people. We also rent, which makes saving money that much more important. We can't put our house up for sale when the time is right. We can save as much as possible though by moving into something smaller. That is the hardest part for my wife. She has put a lot into making this our home and has done a great job of it, so it is a very sad and bittersweet feeling to think about leaving this place. On the bright side, knowing that the decisions we are making now have a long term result of an ocean view is very motivating.

On a mission!

"Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature."

~ Jesus (Mark 15:16)

I don't necessarily feel called to be a missionary but, considering my self to be a Christian I would need to keep up on the example I set for others by practicing what I preach right? After all, isn't every Christian supposed to be a missionary in some way or another? Even if it is just where they live? Maybe I will go into all the world, or maybe I'll just stick to the tropics or stay coastal... Whatever the choice may be I will have to put myself into the "mission field" wherever I am at by trying to be a living example of what I believe. If I didn't do that, but still called myself a Christian, wouldn't I be working backwards? So, that being said, where do I start my mission/journey/adventure? I start right here. Right now. Kingman Arizona is just as much a part of the mission field as Africa, Columbia, the Bahamas or anywhere else for that matter. It might not have the tropical climate or breathtaking ocean views I would like, though it does have some very under appreciated and equally beautiful views if you take a minute to look around. This town I live in does offer something quite amazing... Something I, along with many other self proclaimed "Christians" have been taking for granted for quite some time: ample opportunity to minister.

Something I ask myself and those I have the opportunity to speak with is: what does it mean to be a Christian? For me being a Christian means striving to be more like Christ. Since the term Christian means Christ-like, what does it take for a person to be Christlike? I could write out a whole bunch of scriptures to try and make my point seem all fancy and super educated but I found one scripture that I think narrows it down:

"And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him." 1st John 4:16

You don't even need to be a Christian to test what kind of impact a little bit of love has on someone. Look around at the state of the world today. This is definitely a very neglected and loveless generation. Love, I believe is where true healing comes into place. Have you ever walked up to a homeless person, sat down with them and had a cup of coffee or a sandwich and a nice talk with them? There is no limit to what kind of emotional healing can take effect in that person by simply taking 5-10 minutes out of your day and showing them that they are not unnoticed. That that person is important enough for you to spend time with, even if it is just a small amount of time. Who knows how that will impact them, or what they may do from that day on. I am certainly not going to be the the kind of person who limits ones potential by passing them off as some lazy person on the street that needs to get a job.

"I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ." ~Mahatma Gandhi

Gandhi said many many great things, but this one thing stands out to me the most. I am a Christian and I mess up a lot. I keep moving forward though, and I keep making improvements on my past mistakes. It is when you stop trying to make those adjustments in your personal life that it starts to effect those around you in a negative way. There is never going to be a Christian on this planet that stops making mistakes. It saddens me that so many people write off an entire religious group as hypocrites because a handful of them stopped trying to correct the mistakes they made and became so self absorbed that they forgot about what is most important. The people around them and showing those people love.

The friends that truly care about you are the ones that call you on your faults. It's those people that want to see you improve and become a better person. The "Political Correctness" of this world has built a society that is so self absorbed and afraid to hurt peoples feelings that it has quit growing in a positive direction. So... Me and my wife like the idea of traveling, and missionary work. The mission, for anyone and everyone including us, starts here and now. The rest will come in due time. In my last little blog I made a dream of ours known. This one states our mission. Your encouragement and support for both is very much appreciated!

CHALLENGE!!!

You know that 6 dollar cup of coffee you love from your that super popular place on the corner? That could very well give someone less fortunate the sustenance and hope they need to get through another day... Plus, look at the ingredients. That stuff is poison, and all it does is stick to your hips!

Ooh la la! Check these out! you will love them!

http://www.thesimpleway.org/

http://www.wheresbrandt.com/main.htm

http://cantignorethepoor.bigcartel.com/

http://jonahproject.org/

http://www.crazylovebook.com/