If you wear an “Orphan” shirt you get clean clothes. A story about God's attention to details.

If you wear an “Orphan” shirt you get clean clothes.

A story about God's attention to details.

Have you ever had "one of those days"? Well last Thursday was "one of those days" for me.

It was definitely not a normal day. It reminded me of a couple of my favorite children's books; If you give a mouse a cookie. or If you give a moose a muffin. The premise of these books is: once you do one thing then something else will happen causing another event and so on. A "snowball effect" if you will. Well that is how last Thursday went.

The following was written last Thursday night, August 21st, 2014 and summarizes that days events.

It all began the previous Friday (August 15th) when we were packing up our Orange Park home and traveling to High Springs to "close" on our new home. (We never got to "close" on our home until Wednesday, August 20- but that's a story for another day). We ended up leaving a bag of dirty clothes at our Orange Park house. A friend in OP took them to their home and she washed them for us.

Now jump forward to Wednesday, August 20. We closed on our High Springs home. Wednesday night we stayed in our new home.

Now on Thursday, August 21 at 7am Pastor Derek, Big Bob, Little Bob and Darren came to help us unload a trailer full of our gear into our garage. I cleaned up and hit the road to Jacksonville. I had been planning for months to attend a Jacksonville Baptist Association workshop on Preaching with the guest speaker H.B. Charles Jr. I was very excited to attend and to learn from an excellent preacher and communicator. On my way to Jacksonville I received a phone call from our friend and OP realtor Jenny Mosley. She informed me that a LARGE limb had fallen in the backyard of our OP home. When I say LARGE I mean over 20 feet long and a diameter of eighteen inches at the widest part. Based on the preliminary inspection, no damage to the home could be seen. The only damage she could see at this point was to our playground jungle gym, our metal picnic table and chairs and our zip-line were all now trash, flattened, totaled by the limb. 

I debated if I should skip the preaching seminar and go straight to my OP home and begin working. After speaking to Tricia we decided that the tree limb was a distraction by the enemy and it was best for me to go to the seminar. (I am soooo glad that I did!) I was truly blessed and inspired during the workshop. I was challenged and encouraged. Following the workshop I went to my OP house. I pulled up just as the tree guys arrived. After their initial assessment they began to remove the LARGE limb. As they began to remove the limb we discovered not one but four punctures into the roof with one penetrating all the way into the ceiling of our play room.

So by now you are probably wondering when I will get to the "clean clothes" part. "Hold your britches" I'm getting there! (Shelvin, that little joke was for you- miss you buddy). Anyway, as the tree guys began working I left the house to return a trailer that was loaned to me by a friend. On my way I passed "Papa" Jim Garner. I swung around and met up with him. He is a friend, mentor, prayer partner, advisor and all around great guy! Anyway I meet up with him and he gives me a box of clothes that "Granny" Alice Garner had washed for us. (See where I'm going with this?) Ok, so Papa Jim joins me in my adventures for the rest of the day. We ended up not being able to return the trailer at that time so we head back to the OP home again. As I walk out back to see how the work is progressing I overhear one of the workers say to Jenny, "My Uncle is a roofer and if you want we can do the job today for $. As I walk up this tree guy and Jenny turn and face me and we discuss the repair options and agree on a price. The tree/roofer guy tells me that my job is to go and get the supplies (this will save him time and me money). So, he provides me with samples of the roof material that I need to match and gives me a list of supplies needed. Papa Jim and I head to Lowe's with the trailer still on my car (luckily I was not able to return it earlier). Lowe's does not have what we need and neither does Home Depot. We were referred to a roofing supply place in Jax. So I call them up and discover that I have one hour before they close. Papa Jim and I look at each other and we both say, "It's gonna be close." It was a little after four by this point and they close at five. The store we need to travel to is Jax, over on Phillips Hwy, it is about five miles from where I was this very morning for the Preaching workshop. We take off. We get to the roofers supply place by 4:30ish- no I did not speed- get the supplies and get back to our OP house by 5:15ish. Not sure how we did all of that but we did. If you know anything about Jax traffic this was a miracle in itself this time of day. Thank you God! We hit almost every green light between Orange Park (Blanding & Kingsley) all the way to Jax on Philips and back over the bridge and to the house. It was truly a cool God thing. Every light we came to Papa Jim would say "You got another green, how are you doing that." We would just smile at each other and say, "Thank you God."

We drop off the roofing supplies at the OP home then we go and deliver the trailer to my friend. We spend a few minutes talking with him, have a cool God conversation then onto grab a bite in the drive through and get back to the house. We begin talking to the roofers and find out that the reason this guy had mentioned to Jenny about doing the roof was because he had read my shirt (One of my favorite shirts-all about caring for orphans in Christ name) and saw that I was a believer. He knew it looked liked rain and he did not want me to be stuck with water damage. Both he and his Uncle had worked very hard, physically demanding jobs all day and by now it was 7:50pm. We continued to have a great dialogue about Jesus and I got to share my "story" with them. They finish the roof and ask me what to do with the extra (left over supplies) I tell them to take them and use them to help someone else. They say that they know just the right person. They tell me about a person in their neighborhood with a trap on their roof. It's about 9:30pm and they leave. I head to Papa Jim's to take a shower and crash for the night with clean clothes.

You see God knew way back on that Friday that I would need clean clothes on this Thursday. He allowed us to forget them and for me to be able to have them when I needed them. God knew that I did not need a hole in my roof but He knew that someone else needed their roof fixed. It would have been very easy for me to get mad at God and others that day. I could have become very depressed and frustrated over the money and time and change of "my" plans from the events of that day. Here is the reality- God is always at work around us. Most of the time we miss it. We get so wrapped up in "our" plans that we may miss what He is doing. No way around it- this day was "YUK" in many ways BUT I choose to look for the good in the fog of the junk going on around me that day! God allowed me to share my story to several people that day. Who knows how many people were watching me and maybe saw a little of Jesus in me. God was at work in the details and I am blessed! Remember, take time to look for God all around you! Listen for opportunities to share your story!

So- here is a fun If you give a Mouse a Cookie style wrap up!

If you close on the house then you sleep at the new house.

If you sleep at the house then you have to unload the trailer into the garage.

When you unload the trailer you will need to travel to Jacksonville.

When you travel to Jax you get the call about the tree limb.

When you get a call about a tree limb you go to the preaching workshop.

When you go to the preaching workshop you go to the house and get there just in time to meet the roofing guys.

When you meet the Roofing guys one of them sees my orphan shirt.

When one of them see my Orphan shirt he thinks I am a believer.

As he is thinking I am a believer I try to return the trailer.

As I try to return the borrowed trailer I see Papa Jim and turn around.

As I turn around to see Papa Jim I get a call that i can't return the trailer at that time.

Because i can't return the trailer I go back to my house and overhear an offer to fix my roof.

As I over hear an offer to fix my roof I realize I still have the trailer.

Because I still have the trailer I go get roofing supplies (travel to Jax and back in record time)

After getting the roofing supplies I go to the house and drop off supplies.

After I drop off the supplies I deliver the trailer and have a God conversation.

After the God conversation I go back to the OP home and talk to the roofers.

While talking to the roofers I get to share my "story".

As I share my story we get to talk about Jesus and blessing others.

As we talk about blessing others I get my roof fixed before it rains for a great price!

Because I wore a shirt taking about Jesus I get to bless someone else with a roof.

Because I kept my focus in the middle of the storm I see Jesus.

Because sees the BIG picture I Have clean clothes to wear after a long, weird, not planned day!

Thank you God for one crazy day and for clean clothes to wear!

Always remember- God has the plan. We just have to choose to follow!

Now, let's see what tomorrow holds!

Blessings!

Skipper

Children's books referenced: If You Give a Mouse a Cookie  and If You Give a Moose a Muffin by Laura Numeroff

"How are you doing?"

"How are you doing?"

"How are you doing?" Those are the words that I have heard a lot lately! Although not the most exciting response and sometimes not the most sincere I tend to respond "Doing Good." Now the words as individual words do not hold a lot of context. But, I do believe that the meaning, when combined with my current life situation, hold an entirely different premise.

On Sunday, July 27th my family and I began a new adventure. We accepted a "call" to serve in a sister church located in another town. This is not an unusual thing for full time Pastors in the Southern Baptist Convention. In fact most Pastors and staff tend to stay at a church less than five years. The last I heard, the average was eighteen months to three years. But, for my family, this was a Big deal. You see we have been in Orange Park for over fourteen years. I have served on staff at First Orange Park that entire time. Here is a brief summary of our time in Orange Park.

Tricia and I came to OP in May of Two-Thousand with no home and no children. We lived with the Senior Pastor at that time and his wife (Brother Alan Harrod & Mrs. Joyce) for several months. We purchased our first home. We had two children. We purchased a larger home. We now have five children.

So, for Tricia and I to accept another position at another church in another town is a big deal for us. As I shared with the church family at First OP last Sunday, "We have not made this decision lightly." In fact it was with many hours of prayer and through seeking advice from several trusted mentors and advisors that we concluded that this was the "Next" that God was calling us to.

Now back to the "How are you doing?" Many good, honest, friendly, loving people have asked me that question over the past days. Most of them mean with sincerity what they are asking. But there are a few who just wish to be well, lets say, just inquisivtive. I even had one person say "Has your heart left yet?" I had to ask what they meant. They went on to say that in their experience your heart leaves where you currently are followed by your mind and then body.  Friends, my heart and mind have not left OP yet! (some may say I "Lost" my mind many years ago but I have not lost focus on my current situation)

The reality is that Tricia and I have invested fourteen years of our life in OP. We have poured sweat, tears and even blood into this community. We are not leaving because we have to. We are leaving because we feel called to! This is not done lightly or in any way, shape or form easily. I have fourteen years of "stuff" I have to pack up and move in seven days all the while getting my home ready to sale which includes finishing three unfinished home improvement projects. We have five children that still need our time and attention, bills to pay and a huge ministry event to plan (Heart2Heart Preteen Girls Conference in September). We believe that God is in this! We believe that God is ahead of this, behind this and all over this. We are looking forward to serving alongside Pastor Derek and the family of First Baptist High Springs!

But, for right here, right now, here is the reality- If I were to unload and answer the question "How are you doing?"with detail I would have to say, "I am tired, stressed, excited, overloaded and like a kid the night before Christmas all rolled up into one."

So, if You ask me "How are you doing?" depending on what is going on at that moment I will probably say "Doing Good" and most of the time I mean it!

Thank you First OP family for the love and support over the past fourteen plus years!

We love you and will miss you!

PS: If you ask me "How can we help?" I have a list I can give you! :)

Twelve years ago today...

Twelve years ago today…

On New Year’s Day in 2002 my life was in turmoil. I was physically exhausted. I was emotionally drained. I was spiritually confused. I was mentally alone. You see a few hours after midnight my first son Joshua was born. Now I know what you are thinking, “Oh, Skipper you are exaggerating. I’ve had kids and I know it can be rough but I am sure it was not as bad as you let on.” Well I respect your opinion but the reality is that most of you, the vast majority of you, do not know MY story. To most of you I am the guy who plays with the kids upstairs at church. I am the guy who smiles and says hello on Sunday mornings but you have no idea who I am or anything at all about my life’s story. So, if you choose to read on then I would like to share this part of MY story with you.

Twelve years ago today…

On New Year’s Day in 2002 my life was in turmoil. I was physically exhausted. I was emotionally drained. I was spiritually confused. I was mentally alone. You see a few hours after midnight my first son Joshua was born. The 31^st had been a long day. Tricia and I had been helping a friend pack up to move. Tricia was tired. She was nine months pregnant with our first child and over due. We went home and she went to lie down. I sat in the living room to veg and watch TV. All of a sudden I hear my name from the bedroom. It is Tricia and she says her water had broken. I, being a silly male, asked, “Are you kidding?” She was not. We quickly get in the car and race to the hospital.

Fast-forward many hours. It is now late into the evening on the 31^st. Tricia is uncomfortable and doing her best to follow all the instructions given to her by the doctors and nurses. We have a few close friends in the waiting room. These friends hold a special place in our hearts to this very day. They had come up to the hospital, expecting as we did, to have the baby at any moment. As the evening moseyed along the doctors and nurses began to make wagers. You see it was between us and another couple- one of the two babies would be the first born of 2002. It was a fun time and an exciting time. We all watched the New Years Eve show on TV. Nurses would occasionally pop in and watch TV and check on Tricia. She became more dilated but also more intense in her pain. We knew Josh was a big baby but we did not expect there to be any complications. Midnight came and went. All celebrated. I gave my beautiful wife a new year kiss to welcome in the New Year. The lady down the hall had her baby. It was a girl-she would be the first baby born in Clay County for 2002. All seemed to be good except that Tricia’s feet began to swell a lot, real puffy like, more than they had during the entire pregnancy.

It was still dark outside, early in wee hours of the morning that the doctors began to check on us more often. They would check on Tricia, her vitals and all that medical stuff they do to women trying to have a baby. We were tired. Tricia was not feeling well, more swelling- feet, fingers and face. Tricia had tried “pushing” and all the other stuff they would tell her to do. The water had broken so many hours earlier. There appeared to be some complications. When Tricia would have a contraction all the nurses and docs would look at the screen. I knew there was something wrong. The doctor told us that they believed it was in the best interest of Tricia and the baby to perform a cesarean section. I went out to the lobby to inform our dear, precious friends who had stayed all night that we were preparing for an emergency C-section. Tricia was scared but she was also kind of out of it, she was not her normal self.

When I returned from the lobby they had taken Tricia and were getting her ready. The nurses began giving me instructions. I remember this as if I were watching myself in a movie. I sat alone in the wee hours of the morning in a black office chair on wheels, the kind that spins and goes up and down. I was dressed in blue scrub stuff from head to toe. Alone, in a hallway on that black chair, I swiveled, bounced, I even spun completely around just trying to stay focused. My wife and baby were in another room. My support group was in another room. I was all-alone.

Fast-forward another hour or so. Joshua had been born weighing in at 9 pounds and 10 ounces. If you have ever seen my wife you will know why they had to cut Josh out. There is no way that big guy was coming out of her small frame. Tricia was exhausted. She could barley stay awake. They took Josh to go and check him out. They began to focus on Tricia. Over the next few hours she would swell up from head to toe. I tease her now and say she looked liked a very, very over weight oriental woman because she was puffy from head to toe and her beautiful blue eyes could barely be seen. Her eyes were squinted almost shut and she could not completely close her hands due to the swelling. They tried to get her to feed Joshua but she could not. Something was wrong. This was beyond post baby stuff. Tricia had developed HELLP syndrome.

HELLP syndrome is a life-treatning pregnancy complication. HELLP stands for: H (hemolysis, which is the breaking down of red blood cells),
EL (elevated liver enzymes) and 
LP (low platelet count). The morbidity and mortality rates associated with the syndrome have been reported to be as high as 25% (1 in 4 of who get a severe case die). There are three stages of HELLP (mild, moderate and sever). Tricia was severe!

The nurses cared for Joshua. I tried to care for Tricia. Church members came by to see us. All I could do at the time was say “she is resting.” You see this was in the days before social media. There were no smart phones. No FaceBook or Twitter. The dear friends in the waiting room had gone home. We all thought, “the baby was born, Tricia is tired and all will be ok.” I was running on fumes of fumes. The nurse brought me Gatorade and Gingerale. Tricia would go in and out of sleep. The baby would come in and out of the room. Fast-forward again, finally, they decided to give Tricia a blood transfusion. Three bags of blood later, many hours, a nap here and there, and Tricia came around. By the next day Tricia was responding. She was returning to herself. She wanted to hold the baby.

The past hours were a blur to her. Tricia, Joshua and I all could now begin a normal time of bonding. It would be a total of three days before they would allow Tricia to come home from the hospital.

Today as I reflect back on those rough hours (36+) I realize one main thing- God has each of us here for a purpose and we must share our stories so others may grow closer to the True giver of Life. That day, that first day of 2002, I was faced with a precious new life and the horrifying possibility of a death all at the same time. I have never really shared about this before. Most don’t know this story or how severe the situation was. We each have a story. God has given us a life story. It is only when we share our stories, when we have the opportunities to share our stories that others may truly know who we are. And maybe, just maybe God will use our story to help someone else grow closer to HIM.

As you finish out this first day of 2014 I will be celebrating the life of my first son and the life of my wife and wonderful four other children. My prayer for you is that you will see the precious gift of life God has given you each and every day. I pray that you will seek the stories of others. That you will look for opportunities to share your own stories. It is only when we read and study God’s story that we learn how great this life truly is!

May 2014 be a year where your story grows but also a year where you share your story more than ever before. Start the year out well- ask someone about their story.

Blessings!

Skipper- proud father of a 12 year old, four other children and the precious gift my beautiful wife Tricia!

Happy New Year!