Check Here for Family News!
On a regular basis, we will be updating family news and events here. I'd LOVE to be able to update on a weekly basis, however, with two little ones, it might be less frequent. :)
Announcements
October 2, 2007
Been a little while, huh? Without allowing guilt to creep upon us, we'd like to share with you that Neil did NOT get the job with our option 2 below. For reasons unknown to us, the potential employer decided not to return phone calls or emails nor was Neil even seen on his stop-in visits to the workplace. Very disappointing and frustrating. Having a carrot dangling in front of you for over a month without communication after a formal job offer with handshake, job description, financial package and a promise is a difficult endeavor to bear. Nonetheless, God is proving Himself faithful, yet again. His track record is perfect.
He is using Neil's job at EDS to train/discipline him to develop a stronger work ethic and even more self-control. Even though Neil is learning a lot in the computer world, he's also learning troubleshooting skills, time management (it's been over 12 years since Neil's had to worry about "clocking in and out" on a time sheet, let alone 30 minute lunch breaks! In ministry, you're just getting to the beginning of the problem with someone in that amount of time!), self-control and the opportunity to share his faith in Christ. His shift begins at 05:00am and ends at 13:30pm; he leaves at 04:15am and comes home around 14:15pm. That's a switch in schedule!
God is also using this time to develop in Robyn a sense of peace and joy not found in her circumstances. She has been encouraging Neil through emails daily, since the NMCI project is a secured environment and Neil's on the phones all day. This way, not only are her writing skills developing, but her faith is also being stretched in ways that are maturing her for the "good works God has prepared beforehand" (Eph 2:10) for her. She has been working hard at making our house a home and is even once a week tutoring Math and English in our home.
Bottom line, we've been through a difficult process in getting our hopes up high and then only to have them dashed. God has also brought in allies and reinforcements though, our friends from our "group that meets on Tuesday nights" have been over a lot to help us emotionally and to give us perspective that only years and experience can bring. To that, we are deeply grateful.
Yet another hope is that perhaps God will bring me to the position of Senior Pastor at First Baptist Church in Middleton. We have been aware of their need since May, and it is quite uncanny that they are a Conservative Baptist Church, which is where I have my licensing from (when I served at Mapleview Baptist Church in Lakeside, CA from 1998-2000). We don't believe in coincidences, so perhaps this is God's leading us back to full-time vocational ministry in a local church? We'll know when the day comes when either Neil is sitting in his new office at the church building, or we discover that Neil is not the church's choice. "In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps" (Proverbs 16:9 NIV).
August 15, 2007
Today is a day to be remembered for us... a memorial marker for our family. It is the day God answered our prayers for stable employment. It wasn't easy to go through June, July and August making $1,500 a month. Through God's grace and Neil's tenacity, God has granted two legitimate job offers for him!
1. The first is through Electronic Data Systems (
www.eds.com) as Help Desk Coordinator for the Navy Marine Corps Intranet (NMCI). It requires a Security Clearance, which Neil has been approved. It's basically a tech support job for the 450,000 computers that EDS leases to the government personnel in the Navy and Marine Corps. Neil could be troubleshooting a Marine Private, helping him to retrieve his forgotten password and the next phone call, assist a Navy four-star Admiral in helping his network that has a virus.
2. The second has come today, which is by far the better offer. Through making several office visits and phone calls, God has granted Neil an offer to be the Operations Manager at Right Now Heating and Air Conditioning (
www.rightnowinc.us), which the office is located right here in Middleton! The job will be oversight of 7 office staff and 30 or so installers and technicians as well as overall operations of the company, with the intention to groom him into the General Manager. There will be much to learn, and it will be the opportunity of a lifetime at this stage in Neil's working career. As far as pay and experience goes, this job will be far superior to the previous offer, and lightyears beyond what he's been experiencing the past few months.
July 19, 2007
Neil has been working two jobs at the moment: Automated Office Systems as an Account Executive, and the Center for Workplace Excellence as the Director of Customer Experience.
Robyn has been working HARD training Luke and Alyssa, and has been transforming our home into a haven.
Luke has been growing in his vocabulary (and lightsaber fighting skills with daddy). He's learning self-control and sits very well through our Family Devotions every night!
Alyssa is now rolling over!!! She's also babbling like crazy. I think I hear a "Da-da" in there somewhere! She's cuter than any Hallmark Card Angel!