A New Grace Period

Today marks the beginning of a new season for many people in our closely knit community of Christ's followers at Roger Park Community Church. The Greenberg family of 5, whom we've come to know and love over the past 6 years, has been called on to Florida to live near family. While the parameters appear secure, they leave behind their Chicago home of 15 years for no job and no certain landing place. They leave behind a legacy of evangelistic teaching and example of gospel sharing without fear. I don't think Tripp and I will realize to what extent they've impacted our lives until we're walking more closely in their shoes. 

As of today, Tripp was unanimously voted in as Interim Lead Pastor at Rogers Park Community Church. This is the role that Pastor Keith Greenberg is trusting the Lord to pass on to his friend and Elder, Tripp. The term 'Interim' in this instance simply means 'Lead Pastor with a Grace Period'. Tripp will fulfill all the duties of Lead Pastor as a Tent Maker, keeping his current position at his medical waste company. Interim means that the commitment though complete is not final. We'll assess God's leading as a family and church in early 2014. 

Let's take a moment to look at Tripp in 2007, the height of his good looks. 

Thanks to that sweetie pie in my arms, Tripp and I worked as helpers in a VBS program at a church in our hometown in Taiwan. Her parents were Christians and invited us to come help. While helping, we were asked if we wanted to go receive prayer from a man that was well known for prophesy. Tripp was unsure of the experience but we felt it would be culturally rude to say no. The man prayed for Tripp and it was translated to English by one of the other helpers. The prophesy included a few life turns, one that has become heartbreakingly true, and another that we're seeing today. 

Fluffy headed Tripp was informed that he would be called to ministry. This confirmed a dream he'd had sometime before:

"When I was in college, Jesus Christ appeared to me in a dream, and showed me what he would have me do... Namely to be in the church, and point the people to Him. This is hard to explain, but it was the most vivid dream of my life, and has given me great confidence in my purposes.  This experience has had a profound influence on me."

I wish I could get Tripp to sit down and detail out his feelings about this current grace period we've now entered into as a family. However, he fell asleep on the couch watching football tonight. He falls asleep on the couch most night while I work on my laptop on the other couch. 

Today I feel that we're given a very unique opportunity to taste missionary toil for Christ. This toiling is not partnered with insecurity about whether or not we're following God or doing the right thing with our lives. This toiling, according to 1 Timothy 4:10 and Colossians 1:29, is married to teaching the Gospel, the living hope, to everyone that everyone may be presented mature in Christ. We toil to get the word out that Jesus is the Savior to all. 

This is good news for our family because regardless of whether or not the Lord calls Tripp to Lead RPCC beyond winter 2014, we will learn to toil here and now. 

Welcoming Fall Donut-Style

It's not officially fall, but it may as well be. Came home from a walk today and David was asking if we could get in the car and get donuts. Welp, I gave in after about 30 seconds and picked up 4 of these beauties.

They bring back a memory of being so late to work one day back in '09 - that I stopped to pick up a dozen pumpkin donuts for the office. I had hoped the donuts would deter my my HR boss from obnoxiously looking at his watch as I walked into the office kitchen. I don't have a memory of his reaction. Which means there wasn't one - mission accomplished!

Navigating Education for us

Next year will mark the commencement of our educational journey. I'm feeling like this journey will be incredibly winding and confusing and possibly require multiple starts and stops. In anticipation of conversations to come with friends, family and fellow navigators, I'm going to record the process here.

I'm pretty sure in a few years, I will look back on these entries and want to delete them for sounding naively smart. Honestly, I'm more sure that I will look back on these entries and wish the mother that writes them today, with all the optimism and hope, were me now.

I am trying to trust in the Lord to lead us, and trust in His ancient wisdom to be our principal educator. It is very difficult to do this. It's difficult because I see my own childhood scenario and all it's security and protection and loudly recall my own failures and shortcomings. My scenario of education in a wealthy suburban city in a high school of about 3 thousand students walking the halls of a 17 million dollar school - will look much different from my sons. Yet even in that wonderful setting, I experienced pain that I can hardly bear to imagine plaguing my boys. Probably because they're babies, and no one should ever reject a baby :)

Today, my feeling is to follow the steps of the families with grown children whom I admire still living in the Rogers Park area. I would like to shadow them and their choice to home school through at least middle-school. A lot of them use Rod & Staff curriculum, though I'm seeing that bloggers recommend a blend of resources. This somewhat discourages me because I want a simple inclusive series. The one close family that I'd like to shadow has kept their studies simple due to budget, there are 8 kids to provide for. You can read their incredible story of adopting their two youngest from Ethiopia and also learn more about their approach to life & family in the Chicago Tribune.

I'm looking into Classical Conversations which is a home school community that meets at Moody once a week down town. The program includes a trained tutor who teaches them each subject of study on the day of 'class'. Essentially, I'm drawn this method of learning in an accountable community setting that includes someone else teaching my kids! There are fees involved which deter some families, but it may be a good middle ground to start us. I've heard, of course on a blog testimonial, of a family that started with CC and then left to continue in a smaller community with different curriculum. This just encourages me to know that CC could be experienced on a trial basis for us.

I am also looking into public schools in our area and will be vigilant to see what other parents are doing as they navigate education for their families. I'm largely motivated to try homeschooling by the time and experiences I will gain with my guys. I really adored my mom and probably would have loved a home school education as a child. My brother was the only one of us who asked to be taken out of public school because he did not click with many of his teachers or methods and preferred to take long afternoon naps - reportedly during math. Except he was actually really good at math!

This is how I am navigating education for us today. Tomorrow could be a different story. I recognize that what we do for our family will be somewhat or significantly different from even our best and closest friends. Believe me when I say, these differences really pull on my heart because I love shared experiences. I'll probably be always a bit (or hugely) insecure with the way I navigate our educational path, similar to the imperfect way I navigate training & discipline. Reconciling what's in my heart, our family scenario, and my desire to live in community with those around us will be a constant tension. I'm pretty sure there will be many 'I told you so' moments around this journey and I see an enormous need for grace. Hoping in return to be a conduit of grace to those who need to hear the same words, 'do what is best for your family.'

It's gonna be a long road.

Meal planning

So I'm going to give a serious go at meal-planning this week. Grocery shopping has been a challenge for most of my life. Student, single, living at home, living with roommates, married, living with a man and now kids... no season of life got easy enough for me to feel like meal planning just 'fit in' with ever thing else.

To top it off, I'm incredibly foolish when it comes to budgeting for food - I generally prefer to eat what I want, whenever I want. Unfortunately, not only is this philosophy not working for me, it's not working for my wardrobe. If I continue this way, I'll loose more money on food and clothing that a woman with a working brain and a degree should! 

So now instead of waiting for meal planning to 'fit', I'm just going to give it a try this week. Using this free printable below, I'm hunkering down and heading to the store in the morning. 

Any tips from you meal-planner buds of mine?!