Thursday, September 17, 2009

Expecting

As some of you may know, my wife and I are expecting our third daughter in about 2 months. In fact, this weekend we have a hospital tour scheduled. The reality is setting in more and more with each passing day.

But when I say that I'm expecting, I mean more than just a baby. I'm expecting a lot more. I'm expecting to feel the immense stress of dad-ing three daughters (the weight of that seems oppressive and intimidating even as I type it). I'm expecting to be scrutinized by three pairs of eyes for the rest of my life: my relationship with Jesus, how I treat their mom, how I treat them, how I handle my temper or my money or my time. I'm expecting to set an example of how each of them should expect to be treated by guys. I'm expecting to laugh. I'm expecting to cry. And I'm expecting to be surrounded by crying (four women in one household...even a cat that at least used to be a female). I'm expecting a lot.

Funny thing is that I'm not even remotely smart enough to expect more than 2% of all that is ahead.

And I wouldn't have it any other way.

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Almost There!

Tonight we'll meet together with the River Campus launch team and organize, sort, prep, organize, sort, and prep some more. Before the evening winds down we will have completely loaded the trailer that houses all the supplies and resources for the new campus in the East End/Columbia Tusculum/Linwood neighborhoods. So it should be both energizing and fun! Come on down to the Crossing at the Salem Road Campus if you want to lend some muscle tonight.

The launch of the new campus is still a few weeks off - September 27th. Between now and then we plan to have one Sunday in which we go down to set everything up (Sept. 6), one Sunday that both campuses are together again to pray over the launch team (Sept. 13), one Sunday that will serve as a practice (Sept. 20), and then it's time to launch! Those dates have always loomed way off in the distance. We get more excited and humbled as each day draws us closer.

Parkside (BOTH campuses) has a big, God-sized challenge ahead of ourselves. Months and years of praying, seeking God's will, and preparation have led us to this point...let's see what God brings in the next few weeks, months and years.