Nov 19 2008
Jumping Around
Had a major blow out today at home with the home school thing. It was a situation that required discipline, patience, healing, etc. It was not a pretty sight. I think the hardest thing about home schooling is that one second we have to play the role of teacher: objective, disciplined, hard driving, inspiring, the next we, the same people have to switch to principal: tough, unyielding and finally parent, supportive, encouraging, gentle yet firm… To do all three in the same situation is tough even for the two of us combined… I guess this is a common theme in our lives right now… Even in our ministry and in most of our lives we sense the same dynamic. One day I focus on ministering on a campus, counseling students, teaching the Bible, sharing about Jesus, the next I have to figure out which campuses to send people to and how to start new ministries with limited staff, get the people who want to help trained, develop a curriculum… The next I have a role in technology development or as a video editor or website designer or computer repair guy. On the last day I have to think like a minister/PR guy as I share about the needs of the ministry and the opportunity to get involved financially and prayerfully and I minster to a pastor or prayer partner or finanicial supporter. So many hats… Its hard to get momentum and any kind of focus in any roll or even in our relationships with friends, students, and church people, and yet… God still works in spite of our limitations and he continues to move mightily… what a God we serve… He never fails to amaze me.
Tonight a most remarkable thing happened in our house… Let me preface what I write with the following. I am generally not politically expressive… I generally don’t make a big deal about elections, who I will vote for, etc. I do have strong views on politics, economics, policy, etc… In college, I immensely enjoyed following and studying the subject. The systems, cause and effect relationships, etc. (Lots of etc’s here) really fascinated me. I loved reading Machiavelli, Mill, Jefferson, etc. But there came a point in my life the God’s kingdom became more riveting than the world’s governments and while God works through governments and such and those who are involved in it, I have become disillusioned with government’s ability to cause much change in the world. It is the heart of people that is the problem… not systems… God is in control and only He can change the heart of man such that any real change can occur. Government can only check the effects of our fallen hearts… (if you want to debate man’s inherent condition or my view of politics… we can in the comments…) You have to pick your battles and I chose to change hearts not the result of hearts… Still, I vote on important occasions like today’s and follow politics, policy, etc., especially with and eye towards how it relates to God’s Kingdom, trying to figure out how He is moving in the world through it.
Anyway… enough of my philosophy… the remarkable thing happened when we were watching the election coverage… For some reason, my boys were really captured by this particular election. I don’t know why. T-8 had some real issues with Sen. Obama as only a eight year old could… He had heard some things that he did not agree with (I swear I had nothing to do with it) and so he felt it his duty to cheer on Sen. McCain. It was amazing watching him. It was almost like watching a baskeball game. Whenever McCain won a state he would cheer vigorously throughout the house. Whenevern Obama wont a state, he would remind me that there was still hope… He was so into it. When it was declared Sen. Obama was the next president… it was just too much for him. He burst into tears… the kind reserved for when he is most dissappointed… It was truly remarkable… He was unconsolable for the next 20 minutes… I’d never seen anything like it… I’m sure some of us felt the same way… others of us felt the opposite in the heights of emotions… but to see it played out raw in a 8 year old was incredible. It did us good to console him with a reminder of our trust in the system, the values we all agree in as Americans and in the God who is over all… Still… I hope he remembers this night… I hope he never forgets that his passions DO matter and what he cares about is important and yet God is over all.
Last weekend was a full and exciting weekend as Lisa’s mom and aunt came and visited us. They were on their way to a weekend vacation together in Branson, Missouri. It was a wonderful time seeing them as we had many deep and insightful discussions about education, family, etc. It was really nice having family here to talk with 
share with, be together. In addition, Roy had the privledge of baptizing T-8 at our church. That was really a wonderful and intimate honor to help my son as he publically declared his status as also my brother in Christ.
The week of October 4-12 was truly a weekend for family around here. Roy’s parents arrived on the 3rd and came to visit us until the 12th. The had not been out here in over two years and so it was a real treat to have them around. The kids had a blast. Playing with grandpa & grandma. They were eating things they normally don’t and doing things that we were amazed to see.
The week started on Saturday with Family Weekend at TCU. This is the weekend at TCU where parents are encouraged to visit in a sort of “open house.” There are dinners, etc. capped off with the football game with the San Diego State Aztecs. Because most of the international students are not able to have their parents come, we annually host a tailgate party and trip to the football game for our international friends. What an auspicious thing that my parents were here too. We all went and enjoyed food and fun. My parents were even able to connect with several new Japanese students who might visit them some time in California. In addition, Dad, T-8 and I went to the Horned Frog football game where we watched them annihilate the 
Aztecs. It was fun watching T-8 & Dad at the game enjoying football, for T-8 the first time… we sat next to the players tunnel and next to the “Frog Horn.” Every time there was a Frog score, this loud horn blew right next to us. T-8 also got to high five the players on their way out and we got to together enjoy the fireworks demonstration after the game. I think it was a joy for both me and my dad to watch the wonder in Tim’s (and the students’) eyes.
One of the blessings of my parents coming over is that my garage and house are always better than before they came. This was no exception. My dad and I compiled a list of things that needed to be done and we accomplished a lot. Here are just some of the things we did: the gate next to our house was rebuit, the patio ceiling was fixed, the toilet seats were replaced, the soap dish in the tile of our bath was put back up, our back yard was cleared of extra vegetation, the hedges of our front yard were shaped into bonsai, our hot pot was decalcified AND my garage was cleaned. Mostly done by my 72 year old father though I did help a little.l It was just incredible… What a blessing my parents are in so many ways.
Powered by FireStats