Clay Pot Journal

New Blog Sites

2007-05-08T21:11:00.000-06:00

Please look for me at these sites
Clay Pot Journal: Ministry Blog for Albany Church of Christ
The Journey Home: Parker Family Web Log

See you there!

I'm Moving!

2007-03-19T13:19:00.000-06:00

No, we've not grown dissastisfied with life in Albany. Really, I'm not moving, but Clay Pot Journal is. I'm integrating it with our (still under construction) church web site and view it as part of my ministry to this church and community. I hope that what I share will be of some interest to those who don't live here as well.

I'm going to leave my old posts here on Blogger for the time being. Once I get Word Press figured out, I may create a personal site and move them there. For now, I'm making A New Beginning at journal.albanychurch.net .

The Eagle Has Landed

2007-02-20T07:56:00.000-06:00

She's home!

Dark Side of the Moon

2007-02-19T06:22:00.003-06:00

It’s Sunday night after 9:30 p.m., the boys are settled, and my beloved is on the dark side of the moon.

Not literally, but you may be old enough to remember the Apollo lunar missions where the space capsule went to the dark side of the moon and was temporarily out of radio contact – there was always the tension as they awaited re-establishment of contact.

Although Maureen has been 10,000 miles away from home for the last two weeks, we have been able to have frequent contact. Every day—including today—we have talked twice. (Thanks http://www.tel3advantage.com/ for 2.2 cents/minute phone calls.) But now she has left Singapore on Singapore Airlines and is headed toward Tokyo. (Jeremy kept wondering why we couldn’t call her on her cell phone.) After a brief stop there, her plane will continue on with a ten hour flight to Los Angeles. There she’ll have to go through immigration and customs and catch an American Airlines flight to DFW and then the puddle jumper to Abilene, arriving – we hope and pray – at 9:35 Monday night.

In other news…

We’ve done OK here the past two weeks. We’ve had our moments – good and bad – but I’ve grown even closer to my sons by being alone with them for so long. I’ve also grown closer to my wife, as I’ve been reminded how much she does and how much I take for granted. I’ve grown closer to our church here in Albany; they have more than amply supplied us with meals and have shown their genuine concern for me, Maureen, and the boys. And not just the church – everyone in town seems to know that she is gone and near strangers will ask when she is coming back.

At this point, it looks like I’ll be going to the airport alone tomorrow (Monday) night. We realized that Jeremy has to take his TAKS (Texas achievement) test on Tuesday and will need a good night’s sleep. A friend from church offered to come and stay with them while I went to get Maureen. Jeremy was pretty upset when he found out he wouldn’t be able to go to the airport, but I think he has accepted it now. Sometimes it’s tough to know the right thing to do as a parent.

We had a good day today with our family here in Albany. There were quite a few rarely seen faces at church this morning and several stayed around to visit, which I took as a good sign.

When I stood up to preach and I saw them there, I felt my voice trembling as I was overwhelmed with the responsibility to speak a word from God to them—a word that reflected both the call to discipleship and the call to embrace God’s grace.

Tonight we had a men-included baby shower for a new family at church, and we took advantage of the occasion to have a time of baby-blessing for this family and one other recent arrival. It was not a highly ritualized occasion, but it was a chance to speak words of blessing and encouragement over these babies and their families, and to pray God’s blessing on them. I hope this tradition can evolve and mature into a regular feature of our church life. If your church has a particularly meaningful ways to bless children who come into the world, I’d love to hear about it.

(This isn't getting published until Monday morning because Blogger was having issues last night--and they've taken out the thing where you can modify the date/time stamp to make it look like I posted last night. Anyway, Maureen is still on the dark side of the moon, but I was able to check her flight (Singapore Airlines 12 ) and they have left Tokyo, but still have almost 7 hours to go to L.A. Feel free to pray her safely across the ocean with me.)

Goodbye to Ah Kong

2007-02-03T21:31:00.000-06:00

Lawrence Lee with his family--May 2006

My father-in-law, Maureen's dad, Lawrence Lee, left this life last night -- from my perspective -- Saturday morning Singpore time. Those left behind -- Maureen's mom, her sister, her brother, and his three grandchildren -- will miss him. He was 85 and had was in a coma following a stroke a couple of days before.

During all the time that I knew him, "Dad" always seemed a kind, old man. Maureen was nervous about our first meeting. She wasn't sure how he would receive me. But he welcomed me--a stranger and a foreigner--into his family.

The joy of his life was his grandchildren. He wasn't able to do a lot with them, but he longed for their visits and mourned their absence. And they loved him. When I asked Jeremy what he remembered about his grandfather he said -- "not a whole lot, but I loved him."

I'll always be grateful to Ah Kong (grandfather). He is the father of the love of my life. And he took his kids to church. It was through the church that Maureen's beautiful character and molded in the image of Jesus Christ. I don't know if that could have happened without Ah Kong seeing that his children got to church.

Good bye, Ah Kong. We'll miss you.

------------------------

Maureen left tonight (Saturday) to join her family in Singapore. She plans to fly back into Abilene on Feb. 19.

Winter Makes It

2007-01-20T21:57:00.000-06:00

Like much of the country, winter made it to Albany this past week. We called off Sunday services -- the first time in anyone's memory that has happened -- due to icy road conditions. The kids were out of school Monday and had late starts on Tuesday and Wednesday.

But Wednesday was the big day for the Parker household -- That's the day Jeremy and Jonathan got to play in the snow for the first time in their lives!

The only winter that Jeremy has spent in the States was when he was three years old, the winter of 2001-02 -- the year we adopted Jonathan. That year we missed the snow a couple of times because of our travels and the most we saw was a few flurries.

Wednesday morning the boys were so excited to get out in the snow. In keeping with the "You can take the boy out of Africa, but you can't take the Africa out of the boy motif," Jonathan just can't seem to accept that you just have to wear shoes in winter in America.

And to think that my boys' first snowballs were aimed at dad ...

Come see us in Albany and visit Shackleford county's historic restored court house just one block from our house. ______________________________________________________________
On a much less playful note, I extend my sympathy to all the friends and family of Adam Langford and Moses Kimeze who were serving God in Uganda when they were killed in a truck crash this week. One insightful commenter on Mike Cope's blog noted that, when praying for missionaries in the developing world, we need to remember that the greatest physical danger is not terrorists or disease (though these are real dangers), but traffic. Sadly, that has been my experience. First Nancy, then Cyndi, and now Adam and Moses.

Not long before his death, Adam had written in his blog quoting Mahatma Gandhi as saying, "Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it." Adam added in his own comments, "...I am beginning to believe we need more people who are willing to enter into the suffering of others whether they can help or not. I want to choose suffering for the sake of others."

Adam and Moses, your service was not insignificant, and your suffering is over.

West Africa meets West Texas

2007-01-11T21:36:00.001-06:00

Four things have happened this week that have made me think a lot about West Africa – well, really, there are more than four, but I’m going to talk about four here. On Saturday we had a gathering of former missionaries to West Africa at the Hollands’ home. Jeff, Brenda, Josiah, Ellianna, and Rebecca, our teammates from Togo, live in Abilene, about 30 minutes from Albany. Jeff is getting a degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. In addition to the Hollands and our family, the Wilsons (our teammates in Benin), the Baileys (who worked among the Aja in Benin), and the McVeys (20 yr. veterans to

Ghana

), were present. We talked some about Africa, but mostly we just enjoyed being together. There is a feeling of understanding and being understood when you’re with those you’ve served with.

Hanging out with old friends -- Andy Wilson & Dan McVey (but who was I boxing?)

The second incident was a couple of nights ago when Maureen made fufu for us to eat. Fufu is made from boiled and pounded yams and/or plantain – it sort of resembles sticky mashed potatoes. Of course, the secret is in the sauce. Our favorite is groundnut (peanut) soup, which Maureen made with the help of peanut butter. The boys jumped for joy when they heard we were having fufu. Jonathan announced that this was the first time he had eaten fufu in Texas—a truly momentous occasion!

You can taken the boy out of Africa ...

Today I attended a meeting of some of the CofC ministers in the area. We enjoyed a good time of fellowship. I discovered that one of them believes that God is leading him and his family—along with several others—to West Africa of all places. (I can’t say who because he is a preacher and his church does know yet.) We compared notes and shared memories and dreams. It was definitely a God-thing that we met.

Finally, today I was looking on the Blogger home page and happened to scroll down far enough to find this blog of a Peace Corps worker in Togo. He has some great video that gives you a feel for Togo, especially this one. (I still haven’t figured out how to link to/embed YouTube. Any help out there?)

Christmas in Dixie

2007-01-03T08:48:00.000-06:00

I'm a little late getting Christmas pictures posted, and I realize that these may only be of interest to a small group, but these are some folks that are important to me.

Before that, the big news today is that Maureen has posted! Let's hold her to that New Year's resolution.

Me and my boys on Christmas morning

The greatest parents in the world!

Games are always going on around the Parker house. Usually, with my parents, its Rummy, UpWords, or Boggle. Here Maureen is playing Cranium with my sister Carla and her daughter Abby.

Music is always important. This year we discovered the musical talents of my newest brother-in-law, Tony Myrick. He has written some great songs that we think are professional quality. Left to right are Derrick Munson (a foster brother), Tony, my dad (Alton), Jeremy, and my sister Carla.

Jonathanloves to play the guitar with Pawpaw (he's the elf) and this year he got his own!

Here are Maureen and Jonathan with of my nieces (Emma Grace and Abby), my nephew Drew, and his girlfriend Amanda.

More young 'uns. My sister Ramona's sons, Wesley and Ethan, with Carla's daughter Ella.

Jonathan did a great job of playing with Emma Grace on this trip. She loves to follow him around and when he's not in sight she's always asking, "Where's Jon Jon?"

Somehow I missed out on getting pictures of my older sister Ramona and her husband Ken. I have one of my youngest sister Bridgette but she is very pregnant and probably would not appreciate my posting it!

To Clasp the Hands

2006-12-30T13:13:00.000-06:00

To clasp the hands in prayer is the beginning of an uprising against the disorder of the world.

--Karl Barth

(An Aymara woman praying in Bolivia--public domain photo)

Christmas Letter

2006-12-21T21:23:00.000-06:00

For those who may have gotten overlooked in the bulk email-out, we also wish you and yours a wonderful Christmas season.

This year has been yet another in which God has demonstrated his abiding faithfulness to our family. Though there have been many moments of stress and uncertainty, we can look back at year’s end to see how God’s hand has worked in our lives over this past year.

We started out the year in Togo, already preparing for our fast-approaching departure. Anthony was able to complete work on translating the Train & Multiply leadership training series which continues to be used among the Watchi leaders, and is also being translated into the Kabiye (Togo) and Dagara (Burkina Faso) languages. Our final months in Togo were filled with goodbyes as we visited each of the church clusters, as well as packing, selling, shipping, praying, and planning for Maureen’s immigration to the U.S. Shortly before leaving Africa we were able to participate in one last West Africa Missionary Retreat in Ghana. The following week, Anthony flew to the States to interview for a ministry position. While we thought that might be the direction that God was leading our family, it turned out that He had other plans.

We left Togo on Jeremy’s birthday, May 4, following a memorable day in Lomé with our teammates relaxing at a newly-found hotel. At the hotel that day, we were able to meet a Togolese artist whose work we had long admired, and purchased one of his paintings as a last souvenir. Our wonderful teammates sent us off that evening with prayers and tears.

From Lomé, we flew to Paris, where we spent three days sightseeing and preparing ourselves for life out of Africa. We then flew to Singapore where we spent the rest of the month of May visiting family and friends there. Jeremy and Jonathan always love going to the Singapore Science Center. This year we visited the Night Safari for the first time, and we were also able to see some rare, undeveloped wetlands in the middle of this bustling city. As usual, we were spoiled by the hospitality of our Singaporean friends.

On May 31 we arrived in Chicago where Maureen’s immigration procedures went smoothly. The next day we met our family in Alabama, where the real process of missionary re-entry started. There seemed a million details to deal with – buying a car, purchasing insurance, getting cell phones, planning travel, and communicating with churches about prospective employment. These first several weeks in the States were hard, since we did not have our own place and had no idea how long we would be in transition. Our transition was made easier by the hospitality of family, as well as the Steve & Amy Castleman and Bill & Twila Jones families in Birmingham.

Maureen and I made a trip to Dallas to help with a Discovery Lab for Mission Alive, as we considered working with that incredible church-planting ministry. When we arrived in Dallas, Gailyn Van Rheenen greeted us with the sad and shocking news that our dear friend and colleague, Cyndi Chowning, had been killed in an accident in Benin. Anthony was able to return to Texas the following week for Cyndi’s funeral in Denison. Our hearts continue to go out to Richard and all of Cyndi’s family.

In the midst of the tragedy of Cyndi’s death, I (Anthony) was blessed to be able to see many missionary colleagues at her funeral. Two of these, Andy & Rhonda Wilson, our former co-workers in Benin, told me that the church in the small West Texas town of Albany where they had just moved was looking for a preacher. Though I did not pursue the opportunity immediately, it came up a second time at the encouragement of Dan McVey, so I thought that I should give it some attention. In the end, it turned out that this was just what God had planned for us all along.

In the meantime, we were blessed to be able to spend the last part of the summer and the autumn months in Birmingham. The Homewood church warmly received us and aided our reentry in so many ways, including helping out with rent and a very generous house warming, which was also supported by Christians from Disciples' Fellowship. In Birmingham, Jeremy was able to attend Vestavia Hills Elementary East School, where he loved his teacher Mrs. Palmer. Jonathan stayed at home with Mom while Dad occupied an office at church where he prepared lessons, searched for a ministry, made travel plans, and worked on a survey of returned missionaries for a course project. We were able to do quite a bit of traveling in search for a ministry position. When we traveled to Albany to meet the church here, Anthony attended the ACU Lectures and renewed many relationships.

Through many prayers, God opened up the door to the ministry in Albany, and opened our hearts to the church, the town, and the people here. We were able to purchase a 1920s-era home just one block off Main Street and the courthouse square. Albany, though a small town, is rich in its civic pride. It boasts that it is “The Coolest Small Town in Texas,” and has the world-class art museum, publishing company, renowned steak house, exemplary schools, vast ranches, historic architecture, live theaters, and friendly people to prove it.

We spent our first two weeks here in the home of Ken and Marilyn Thompson. Ken is an elder in the church and he and Marilyn are truly “given to hospitality.” We are still in the middle of setting up house with bare walls and lots of unopened boxes. Jeremy is finishing up his third week at Nancy Smith Elementary School. Jonathan has spent many days at the Wilsons’ as Rhonda has graciously watched him while we painted several rooms in the house and moved in. Now we are preparing for a quick trip to Alabama to spend Christmas with Anthony’s family.

If you’ve made it this far, you are truly a faithful friend and we are grateful for your presence in our lives. May the coming of Christmas time herald an even fuller coming of the blessings of God into your life.

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

We managed to finally get a Christmas tree up this year!

Jeremy and Jonathan received new bikes for Christmas with money given by their “Ah Mah” (Grandmother) in

Singapore

. Seen in front of our home in Albany.

The boys got to see Santa at a Christmas event at the Old Jail Art Center.

The Missional Child

2006-12-21T18:58:00.001-06:00

A couple of nights ago Maureen and I were scolding ourselves for not spending enough time with Jeremy and Jonathan in the midst of all of the transitions that we’ve been going through lately. Somehow, some kind of message, however, is getting through.

Last night we had met with a small group from church to sing at the Bluebonnet Nursing Home. A few people gather there to sing for thirty minutes or so on the first and third Wednesdays of each month. I think it’s great for us and for our children to be a part of this.

When we arrived at the nursing home last night, we were informed that another group would be coming in soon to sing Christmas carols. This was no problem, and as the large group of young people arrived, we simply joined forces. As they were leaving, the group’s leader introduced himself to me. It seems that, in addition to working with the young people at the First Baptist Church, Kyle Bartell also teaches music at Jeremy’s school. His comment made me proud. He said, “I’ve met your son. He told me that ya’ll came to Albany because God sent you here. I think that’s great!”

In Africa we were always concerned that our children know why we were there, and that they know and feel that they were just as much a part of the mission effort as we were. Here in Albany, we are still being led by God and are still very much a part of his mission. I’m thankful that Jeremy continues to see our family’s presence here in that light.

New Beginnings, Precious Memories

2006-12-15T08:49:00.000-06:00

Well, we’ve been painting this week and hope to move in tomorrow. Our new contact information is:

Anthony & Maureen Parker
224 S Jacobs St.
P.O. Box 1353
Albany , TX 76430

Please use the post office box for all mail.

Phone numbers:Home: (1) 325-762-2650
Church Office: (1) 325-762-2078
My Cell: (1) 325-320-3547
Maureen’s Cell: (1) 325-320-4478

Our boys often mention our missionary teammates from Togo, but rarely have they talked about life in Africa. This morning was an exception. Jeremy hasn't been feeling great lately and he's somehow convinced that it is because he has drunk too much local water. He said this morning that he's more used to the water in Africa and in Birmingham. That must have got him to thinking about Africa.

He said, "You know when people used to invite us to their houses in Africa -- I'm not talking about [the other missionaries], but the Africans. Well, one thing is that the food was usually pretty good -- I liked that! And people were friendly, too."

He then started talking about the kids in the neighborhood that he would play with -- Honoré, who is so funny; especially when they play chase, Tsevie and Atchou, who are nice, Rejuan, who is always kind and says ''I'm sorrry'' if anyone is hurt, even when it isn't his fault.

It was neat to see a wave of nostalgia for Africa sweep over my 8 year old and to hear him talk about life in Africa with such fond memories. I think he is doing fine here, though it has to be hard on him to still be ''homeless" after so long. Maybe that will end soon.

First Week in Albany

2006-12-09T08:18:00.000-06:00

It’s hard to believe that we arrived in Albany, Texas a week ago today. My last post was from Monroe, Louisiana where we were enjoying the hospitality of the Baer family. A cold front had blown through and so we left on a frosty Friday morning heading for Texas. We had a smooth trip and arrived in Tyler, Texas a little early, so we stopped at Wendy’s for lunch before driving over to the East Texas Storage Center, which had generously donated space for storing our shipment from Africa. There we were met by the some men from the West Erwin church who did a great job of packing our belongings into the 26 foot Penske truck that we had driven from Birmingham. We were a little short on space, however, so we had to rent a small U-Haul trailor to pull behind the truck for the rest of the journey to Albany. In Tyler, Dale and Carolyn Blackstone welcomed us strangers into their home and treated us to dinner at The Shed, where I ate the best catfish ever, in the charming town of Edom (find it).

Andy Wilson, our teammate from Benin and current assistant principle in the Albany schools, hitched a ride to a little town about 40 miles from Tyler, and I picked him up a little after midnight. He helped us our greatly by driving the truck (with trailer in tow) to Albany so I could relieve Maureen who had driven our car from Birmingham. Stopping just for lunch at Chili’s in Weatherford, we made it to Albany around 2:30 p.m. last Saturday. Within a few minutes we had a full work crew from the church who unloaded out stuff into a storage building owned by Steve Hudmon, our youth minister.

It has been a great first week. We have been staying with Ken and Marilyn Thompson. Ken is an elder in the church here. We closed on our house yesterday and plan to start painting today. (Thanks to Bea Ruff of Clear Fork Realty and Matthew Breston of Iron Harbor Mortgage for all your help!) We are going to have the hardwood floors buffed and put a coat of polyurethane on them before moving in, hopefully next Saturday.. This is much less expensive than refinishing and should have the floors looking nice. There will be quite a few projects to undertake as we go along, but it seems easier to do these before we move in. (Thanks for the advice, Mom!)

Since we haven’t really started unpacking yet, we have had a little time to explore the town and meet people. Jeremy started school here on Monday and he really loves it. His teacher is Mrs. Fields, who happens to be the wife of the local school superintendent. The kids in the school have been very welcoming and inclusive. We’ve enjoyed walking down Main Street. We’ve explored “The Daily Grind,” the local coffee shop, the pharmacy, complete with soda fountain, and the Heritage Gallery, operated by local artist Cheryl Smith, visited with church members (and north Alabama natives) Jess and Helen Philips in their shop and toured The Old Jail Art Center, a truly remarkable facility for a small, west Texas town. I attended a meeting of the local ministerial alliance and was able to meet ministers of several different local churches and become aware of several opportunities for ministry. Two local families lost their homes in fires just last weekend and the community is responding to help.

Most of all, the people here have just been so welcoming. Everyone seems genuinely excited to have us as a part of the community – even the DPS officer who let me off with a warning last night. (I learned that the speed limit on two-lane country highways drops from 70 to 65 mph after dark—and they are serious about it!)

On the Road

2006-12-01T06:48:00.000-06:00

In the middle of moving, I haven't had a lot of time to read blogs, much lest post, but I thought I'd update anyone who is still checking on our progress.

Yesterday morning at 7:00 a.m., several guys from Homewood showed up and made short work of loading the 26 foot Penske truck that I had picked up the previous afternoon. (Maybe I'll tell the story later of how I got stuck within ten minutes of renting the truck and had to be towed out.) It took us a while to finish cleaning out the apartment, but we were on the road by 10:30. I was driving the truck and Maureen and the boys were in the car.

We arrived last night in Monroe, LA at the home of Kevin and Nancy Baer. The Baers are member of the University church where I had interviewed. I didn't get that job, but we made some new friends, and that is a precious thing.

The plan today is to drive to Tyler, TX to load up our stuff that we had shipped from Africa. Once again, we are being blessed by help from some family members we have not yet met -- some brothers from the West Erwin church will be there to help.

Tonight, the Albany Lions football team is playing in a playoff game in Denton. Go Lions! Late tonight after the game, Andy Wilson (our teammate in Benin and current assistant principle in the Albany schools), will join us in Tyler to help with the drive to Albany tomorrow. Others from the the church will help us unload--probably the men as the women will be preparing for the annual "widow's banquet."

It's great to be a part of God's family -- our move is being facilitated by members of 4 different congregations -- Homewood, University, West Erwin, and Albany.

We have been watching the weather all week and have been praying that the Lord of the weather would clear the way for our move. Now, I know that God has bigger agendas than our move and that many people's plans have been disrupted by the weather--I don't presume that we are more favored by God than they are--BUT, when we pray for something and receive what we asked for, the only response I know to give is to thank and praise the One from whom we asked the blessing. The predictions are for cold, but clear, weather the rest of the way.

Please keep our travels in your prayers over the next couple of days, and pray that we may be a blessing to the people of Albany as we begin a new chapter of our lives and ministry there.

Blogs Galore

2006-11-20T09:23:00.001-06:00

While I seem to be having more and more trouble finding the time and energy to post, I have more and more friends who are getting in on the blogging action. A number of these are Togo missionaries who are excited about getting a decent internet connection—although, according to Murphy’s latest post, it’s only working when the electricity goes out!

In an effort to organize my side bar, I’ve divided my blog roll into four categories. Maureen’s blog—which hopefully will be resurrected once we get moved and she has a computer and an internet connection at home—is in a category of its own, just as she is. Next you’ll find “Cyberfriends.” These are people I know mainly through the internet, but whose cyber-fellowship I value. Then you’ll see a group who are “On the Front Lines.” These are people who are actively serving in front line mission situations, both at home and abroad. You’ll see quite a few new listings there. Finally, I’ve made a group of friends with whom I go way back, several of whom are are former missionaries.

Beatitudes for Our Time

2006-11-20T09:23:00.000-06:00

These beatitudes come from Darryl Tippens’ excellent book, Pilgrim Heart:

Happy are those who serve the world by abandoning it for a little while.
Happy are those who rest, for they will get their work done.
Happy are the playful, for they will be serious achievers.
Happy are the imperfectionists, for they will achieve much.
Happy are those who drive in the slow lane, for they will arrive in peace (or in one piece).
Blessed are those who build walls for they will be fully connected.
Happy are those who say "No," for they will be affirmed.
Blessed are those who know the tie that binds, for they will know the freedom of belonging.

Living in the Details

2006-11-07T16:04:00.000-06:00

This weekend we made the long trek to Albany, Texas – our soon-to-be new home – to reconnect with the church there and, specifically, to look for a place to live. We were told that there was little to no suitable rental housing in the town. Although Maureen has owned an flat in Singapore for several years, this was my first venture into buying property. We knew that there would not be a lot to choose from in our price range, but we felt confident that God would provide something. There was one house on our realtor’s web site that we really liked and would have been a good buy, but it was just beyond our means. Just a few days before our trip, we heard of a “for sale by owner” house that sounded good.

Thursday we picked Jeremy up from school at noon and started heading west on I-20. We had bought a portable video player for the trip and checked out several videos and audio books from the Vestavia Hills Public Library, so the boys did pretty well on the trip, until about 7:30 p.m., when they started to lose it. At about 8:30 we pulled into the Econo Lodge in Marshall, Texas (not recommended) got a restless night’s sleep, and headed out at 7:00 a.m. Friday for our remaining 6 hours to Albany.

That afternoon, we started looking at homes. It turned out that this home (click and scroll down), previously for-sale-by-owner, had recently been listed with another realtor, and the price had come down. When we first saw the house, we were a bit disoriented, and didn’t feel that it flowed very well. We looked at another, smaller home that we could make do with, even though it only had two bedrooms. We went back and saw both homes on Saturday, and—having gotten some rest, both places looked better. We began to see more possibilities. In the end, we made an offer on the larger home and, after a little negotiation, feel that we are able to buy it for a good price. Somehow we’ve misplaced our camera and the photos we took, but you can see a few shots online by clicking here (and, again, scrolling down—it’s the house, not the ranch).

We spent Sunday night in Arlington, TX with our friends Suzanne and Dale Christiansen (Suzanne was one of Jeremy’s first grade teachers in Togo), and drove back to Alabama in the rain yesterday and last night. God was gracious and we arrived home safely about 9:00 p.m.

Today I’ve been finalizing negotiations, lining up inspections, getting some ideas on insurance, and trying to figure out what to do for family medical insurance. One part of me just wants to get through all of the details and focus on living. Another part of me knows that this is living – that life is in the details, in honoring God and being faithful in the mundane, not just in the grandiose. God has repeatedly shown himself faithful in working out so many details of this transition. I’m finally learning to trust him in those that remain, and that, just as the details never stop, neither does his faithfulness.

A Most Beautiful Day

2006-11-01T09:28:00.000-06:00

This morning, as I stepped out of my car to walk across the parking lot to the church office, I was suddenly overwhelmed with the feeling that this must be the most beautiful day that ever has been. The air was crisp and cool, the sun was shining brilliantly, highlighting the colors of autumn that seem to be at their peak. I had forgotten how beautiful fall can be, and I’ve been awed by the dazzling display of God’s creation even as it prepares to sleep through the winter. Could a day be any more glorious?

I don’t think, however, that it was just the weather that had me in such an elated mood. This morning as I awoke, I fumbled on my bedside table (not really a table, but a storage trunk that supports a lamp and several books) for my glasses, and discovered a handmade card placed there the night before by my bride. As I had crashed early, she had stayed up to make me a card to let me know that she still does not regret marrying me ten years ago today. I put on the coffee and returned to bed; soon, our Jeremy and Jonathan were up and piled in with us. Lying there with my family, I thought back to our wedding day ten short years ago and realized that, on that day, I could never imagine how richly God would bless me between that day and this one.

That day, itself, was a most beautiful day. One of our best memories was going to the “Parks and Gardens” near Accra, Ghana to collect bougainvillea and palm branches to decorate our outdoor wedding chapel on the McVey’s front lawn. We were joined that day with many friends to celebrate – friends from Benin, Togo, and Ghana. The youth group from the Amasaman church sang as the guests arrived, and our missionary friends sang during the ceremony itself.

Like all good African events, the wedding got off to a late start. Papa Christian Nsoah, who was to give Maureen in marriage, was late. His wife, Sister Lizzie, who was preparing the food for our guests, had fallen seriously ill. But finally he did arrive—with the food that their daughters and neighbors had helped prepare --and then came the bride—and never has a groom felt so proud. Could a day be any more glorious?

It was a wedding day that both of us had longed for and anticipated for many years. But on that day, we really had no idea what our lives together would be like, how richly we would be blessed in the years ahead. And I’m confident that today, ten years later, we still await blessings--levels of knowing and being known--that are yet to unfold.

It reminds me of yet another beautiful day, a wedding day, for which we eagerly await. Could a day be any more glorious? I think that maybe it could. Because even when that day arrives, we will not yet know all that is to be experienced as our intimate relationship with Jesus grows even deeper. I think that heaven, like my marriage to Maureen, will just keep getting better.

Happy Anniversary, Daa. I love you.

Which way the church?

2006-11-01T09:05:00.000-06:00

“While the gates of hell will not prevail against the kingdom of heaven, it is altogether possible that segments of the church of God will vanish from the earth in the next generation. Jesus once posed the most penetrating of questions, “When the Son of Man comes again, will he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8). He did not answer his own question. I gather that he continues to place this query before us today. Two answers seem plausible: Either we choose spiritual malaise and inevitable extinction, or we choose the renewal that comes through radical discipleship.” -- Darryl Tippens in Pilgrim Heart

Full Report -- Missionary Career Transitions

2006-10-31T09:24:00.000-06:00

For those of you who would like more details on the research I did on career transitions for returning missionaries, Missions Resource Network has posted the results on their web site. You can download the results as a PDF file. Click on the links below:

A Season of Transition for Returned Missionaries – an 8 page article plus 1-page summary of results
Career Transitions of Former Church of Christ Missionaries – full academic paper

You can also read lots of other great articles on missions by going to the MRN Home Page and clicking on the Library tab.

Career Transiton Fact Sheet

2006-10-24T10:07:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago, I told you about a survey concerning career transitions for returned missionaries. Well, the results are in. I've written a long paper and an article which I could email you, but here is a quick look at the results.

MISSIONARY CAREER TRANSITION

Based on Anthony Parker’s September 2006 survey of returned Church of Christ missionaries

· Over half reported that career transition was a significant source of stress upon reentry.

· The majority received ongoing support for 1-3 months after return; 10% received no ongoing support; 20% received continuing support for 1 year or more (often working for their overseeing church or being supported by them in stateside ministry). Extended financial support is linked to lower transition difficulty.

· 70% reported that their churches were financially supportive; 60% said their sending congregations were emotionally & spiritually supportive.

· Emotional and spiritual support went hand-in-hand with healthy career adjustment.

· Least career adjustment difficulty – university teaching; most difficulty – self-employment or non church-related employment.

· Most former missionaries report being fulfilled in their post-field careers, but even more report having been fulfilled, and to a greater degree, on the mission field.

· Women reported a higher degree of difficulty in adjusting to career change than did men.

· Elements of a low-difficulty transition:

o Highly supportive sending churches.

o Post-mission field career stems from continuity with previous relationships.

o Continued connectedness to mission work

· Elements of a high-difficulty transition

o Perceived insensitivity on the part of sending churches

o Perceived expectations to quickly enter the American work force

o Lack of suitable credentials for stateside employment

o A failure to receive counsel

o Financial and business difficulties

o Difficult transition to dual-career family life

· Elements of moderate-difficulty transitions

o Flexibility in less-than-ideal circumstances

o A willingness to learn about themselves through their experience

o Functioning effectively while never completely adjusted

· Career transition advice from former missionaries to those planning for reentry

o Plan in advance for career change

o Solicit help from others

§ Colleagues and returned missionaries

§ Mentors

§ Leaders and members of supporting church(es)

§ Business contacts

§ Counselors – missionary reentry, financial, career

o Arrange for a transitional period by pursuing continued financial support upon return from the mission field; ideally, one month for every year on the field.

o Seek a ministry/missions-related career

· Recommendations for sending churches

o Make reentry provisions more generous for those with longer terms of service

o Allow a six-month no-pressure transition period

o Provide a livable income based on American economic realities

o Consider returning missionaries for local church staff openings

o Educate missions leadership and church regarding reentry challenges

· Recommendations for missionaries anticipating reentry

o Nurture professional relationships that can continue off the field

o Keep professional credentials current

o Pursue continuing education

o Get sound advice and counseling

o Educate sending churches

o Stay involved in God’s mission

Crowd vs. Community

2006-10-24T07:36:00.000-06:00

One of the things that I’m looking forward to in moving to Albany, is the opportunity to, once again, experience authentic Christian community. It seems that in a small town, there would be fewer barriers. One amazing thing we observed on our visit last month was that, after the Sunday morning assembly dismissed around 11:00 a.m., everyone went home – and came back at noon with their contributions to the church pot luck for the day. Almost everyone lives within a few minutes drive of the church building, so those amazing casseroles can be kept warm at home. I can’t imagine anything like that happening in Birmingham, or even some rural communities where I have lived.

Texas, like Alabama, is also football country. Pardon my reverse culture shock, but I continue to be amazed by the millions of people who pack sports stadiums. I know that it’s great fun and going to local sports events can be a good opportunity for involvement in the lives of people. But there is a great difference between being swept along with a crowd and taking part in authentic community.

I picked up a book called The Silent Life by Thomas Merton at a used book sale recently. Although he is writing about life in a monastery, I think his words are also appropriate for understanding what the church should be. (Pardon the gender exclusive language, but the book was written in the 1950s.)

There is all the difference in the world between a community and a crowd. A community is an organism whose common life is pitched on a somewhat higher tone than the life of the individual member. A crowd is a mere aggregation in which the collective life is as low as the standards of the lowest units in the aggregation. In entering a community, the individual sets himself the task of living above his own ordinary level, and thus perfecting his own being, living more fully, by his efforts to live for the benefit of others besides himself. Descending into the crowd, the individual loses his personality and his character and perhaps even his moral dignity as a human being. Contempt for the “crowd” is by no means contempt for mankind. The crowd is below man. The crowd devours the human that is in us to make us the members of a many-headed beast.

Now I don’t think this has a lot to say about whether or not we go to football games – but it may say something about why and with what attitude we go to them. More importantly, it says something about why and with what attitude we are part of the church. A church should be focused on building community, not a crowd. Of course, the church is an open, inviting community, which thrives on the diversity of its members and on drawing others into its fellowship, but not at the expense of losing its essential identity as a community created by God’s Spirit to bear witness to his love, grace, and glory.

T is for ....

2006-10-20T10:40:00.000-06:00

T is for THANKS for all of you who have been so faithful in praying for and encouraging us during this reentry process. It ain’t over yet, so please keep up your prayers. This week, however, we reached a significant milestone in our process of settling into life in America.

For a few weeks now, we’ve had a pretty good idea that God was leading us to a “T” state – we had one ministry opportunity in Texas and another possibility in Tennessee—both of which were good and where we feel that God could use us.

This week we made the decision that for us, T is for …

TEXAS!

We have accepted an invitation to minister with the Church of Christ in Albany—the best little small town in Texas. Click here to read more about this town of 2,000, located about 35 miles from the greater metropolitan area of Abilene. In addition to its proximity to ACU, the town has plenty of bragging rights (which I understand are pretty important in Texas) of its own—including two live theaters, an internationally renowned art museum, an annual “Fandangle” that draws crowds from all over and involves the whole town, exemplary-rated schools, the best steak house in West Texas, and just some great people (you don’t move to West Texas for the scenery). The church there has made us already feel so welcome. We are excited about serving Jesus alongside out brothers and sisters there. We will also be able to stay in touch with our West Africa roots—Andy & Rhonda Wilson and their boys are in town, and the Hollands, McVeys, and Baileys are all nearby (“near” being relative to the size of Texas).

We are looking at moving soon after Thanksgiving, with maybe a trip out there in a couple of weeks to look at housing. There are tons of details to be worked out, but God has been so faithful through so many details of this whole transition, that he has built my faith to the point that I’m not feeling the stress—at least not too much—yet.

Cross Country

2006-09-28T07:53:00.000-06:00

Having become somewhat habituated to living in a tiny West African countries where you can drive across the country in less than a couple of hours, our recent travels have left me a overwhelmed at how vast a country America is, and how amazing it is that we can so easily navigate across it. We've looked at different ministry opportunities in Louisiana, Texas, and Oregon. We've come away from each place with the feeling that we could happily live and minister in any one of them. As God unfolds his will for us, I'm thankful for the rich variety of experiences that we have had. We see God at work in so many places (could it be everywhere?), and we are blessed to be his co-workers--right now in Birmingham but, so it would seem, soon to be somewhere else.

Here are a few photos from our journeys.

Jeremy & Jonathan over the Mississippi River at Vicksburg.

We were thrilled to spend some time with our Togo teammates, the Hollands, in Abilene. Here Jeremy and J onathan hang out with their old friends Rebecca and Elliana. My first words upon entering the Hollands' home were, "You have your stuff!" We can't wait to get ours out of storage, but are grateful to the folks in Tyler, TX who are storing the things we shipped from Africa.

I'm afraid we may have overwhelmed the Albany, TX church with our "cheering section" who came to see us. The Baileys (left), former missionaries to Benin, now live in Brownwood. Andy & Rhonda Wilson (right), teammates from Benin, live in Albany, where Andy is assistant school principal. In addition, the Hollands (Togo/Abilene) and the McVeys (Ghana/Clyde), showed up at worship Sunday morning. It was a great West Africa reunion.

After beautiful West Texas, our next trip took us to the Pacific Northwest. We had a chance to see God's handiwork, both in nature and among his people. Above is the Columbiana River just as it reaches the Portland area, and below is an aerial view of Mt. Hood. I do need to dispel any nasty rumors that you may have heard concerning the weather in Portland. We had beautiful weather in the 80s with clear skies for both flights. The view alone was worth the price of the air tickets!

Old Missionaries Survey & Abilene

2006-09-15T09:07:00.000-06:00

Old missionaries never die, they just ……. (you fill in the blank).

What do missionaries do when they leave “the field,” and how does it go for them? How can returning missionaries make a successful transition to some kind of career in the U.S.?

These are some of the questions that I’ve had recently and a D.Min. course requirement has inspired me to do a survey of returned Church of Christ missionaries and how their career transitions went when they returned to their “home” country.

Working for email addresses made available by Missions Resource Network, I sent out about 125 invitations to participate in the survey. If you have served overseas for at least one year and are now living in the States, and if you did not receive a personal invitation to participate, you can still do so.

Click here to participate in the Returned Missionary Career Transitions survey.

Speaking of old missionaries, I hope to see a few in Abilene next week. I just printed out our boarding passes for our flight tonight. We will be in the area this weekend and I’ll be staying until Thursday for the ACU lectures. If you’re in town, drop me a comment or give me a call at 256-226-0445.