The Routine wears thin...

As much as we may enjoy routine around our house, we're only 4 days into it and all of us are dragging ourselves out of bed in the morning saying, "Again? When is the weekend coming?!"

January always seems to be this way. It takes a while to get back in the habits and we have to force ourselves to get up in the morning and do it all again, and again, and again, and again... ;-)

My Wife is Incredible

Kiley has been working her fingers to the bone over the last few weeks making costumes.

Brendon's 4th Grade class has the opportunity in two weeks to participate in an overnight history immersion experience at Sutter's Fort. They will, for 24 hours, live, work and play in the fort in the same manner that the early settler's did. They will learn to cook in the same way. They will learn the basic skills of the day such as rope-making, blacksmithing, building with no power tools ;-), and more.

While at the fort they will also be dressed in period clothing. Each child is given a character (an actual figure who lived at or near the fort) to research and "become" for those 24 hours. 

So Kiley is sewing...she is making period costumes by the arm load. She's an amazing woman with more talents than I can keep track of. It's fun to watch her in action. 

What am I doing with this whole field trip? I get to spend 24 hours with a bunch of 4th graders in a fort. I get to sleep on the floor with them. I get to dress up in a period costume as well. 

I'm not sure who go the easy job...

Little Enigmas

If you have kids, you've probably experienced this. Our boys are so different and we revel in those differences. It's always interesting to hear how other people perceive them.

Most people see Ian as the "outgoing one" because of his lively sense of humor and sparkle. The truth is, he's an introvert to the core. He could go days at home in his little bubble and not be bothered. He can play alone for hours on end. If we spend too much time with people, he gets cranky and we'll find him off alone in his room when we get home, quietly recharging as he plays.

Brendon is viewed as our introvert, and he's anything but an introvert. This young man is a social animal. He would have friends over every day for hours on end. He'll engage in conversations with about anyone if they're talking about something that interests him. It kills him to play by himself. His conversations after school are full of what he did with his friends that day.

They are our enigmas. They both come across as the opposite of what they are. It adds some serious spice to our family.

We wouldn't have it any other way.

Back to the Routine, and yet...

Today marks for the Skor family the first official day, after a fashion, of getting back to the routine of life after the Holidays. I know, last week was the first week of school, etc. but there were a few anomalies that made it more of a warm up than the actual routine for us.

Brendon and I are alike in that we have a love/hate relationship with routine. We both do better in routine, but we get bored with it easily and have to change it up. When we change it up, it throws our little world into chaos for a while until we find the routine again. We get more done with routine. We, ironically, find more joy and fulfillment in routine because we know what to expect and therefore, we choose to have better attitudes.

I look forward to the routine of 2009 mainly because God is hard at work in the deep recesses of the Skor family. He is breaking our hearts for people around us and stretching the boundaries of our comfortable faith again.

He has placed several families in our lives who, quite honestly, are going to mess with the routine. People who, evidently, see something in our little family that intrigues them. 

Kiley is greeted with hugs by moms at the school whose lives are so perpendicular to ours that there is no parallel perspective at all. We are finding ourselves in homes eating unfamiliar foods (which, if you know me, is a real stretch for this boy) having conversations about life, parenting, and more that stretch our thinking processes to the max. More than once, we'll have to have another conversation on the way home in the van with the boys saying something like, "I know that other families use those words, but our family is going to choose not to use those words because God wants us to live differently. But we love our friends don't we?"

The irony is that the very thing that we felt we have been "called" here to do (to help pastor a church) is often the greatest barrier to doing what God seems to have in store for us... reaching people He loves.

We look forward to the routine of 2009 and all the messiness it brings. :-)

Holy Spirit Lessons

I try to spend the some time at the beginning of each year reflecting on what the Holy Spirit taught me (or, in most cases, tried to teach me) over the previous year. 2008 was a year when He seemed to teach me many lessons...or, perhaps, I just needed to learn a lot. 

Here are some of the lessons that have made the deepest marks on me. I don't claim to have learned them, only that He is teaching them to me. I pray I learn them and He may transform me.

• Criticism and Condescension ~ One of the things that has marked the lives of those whom I have followed who know Christ well is that they seldom fall into the trap of placing people into categories, talking about their weaknesses, thinking less of people, arrogance, pride, and so on. He has challenged me to be an encourager first and foremost. He has challenged me to speak Truth TOO people, but when I am talking ABOUT them, to speak positive Truth or keep silent. I've still got a lot to learn here.
• The need for ALL of the Spiritual Gifts ~ In the history of the church, we have often made the mistake of overemphasizing or de-emphasizing certain gifts of the Spirit. In recent years, much teaching has gone into certain Spiritual Gifts, and much of it needed, but the unfortunate result has been an unbiblical hierarchy of gifts and an attitude that, "the church can survive without certain gifts, but not without THE gift." Scripture is clear that all the gifts are needed. The higher gifts are the gifts that receive least notice. If any gift is to be sought or held up, it is the gift of prophecy, which is often the least popular...especially viewed by those with administration and leadership gifts.
• A daily time of Reading and Reflection on God's Word is not ideal, it is VITAL for the growing believer ~ My first question of people these days who are struggling is, "are you spending time, not just reading, but listening to God's Word? Every day?" My heart, my thoughts, my effectiveness, my peace, my parenting and so much more is affected far more than I am aware by my time in His Word.
• A growing Love for People who want to know God, but aren't sure who He is ~ He is breaking my heart more and more for people who need Jesus. I am almost overwhelmed by the weight of watching people try to live life without Him. And, conversely, I am sickened by those who know the Truth who insist on pursuing anything BUT Him. I also long to be part of a movement that helps those who seek to find Him. A church that simply brings people in from other churches, or only "saves" those with previous church experience is not the answer...there must be more for what God's doing in my heart.
• He is a God of Promise ~ He promised me and my family several things 8 years ago. Some of those I have seen already and others I continue to watch and wait for His faithfulness. He has reminded me again that He always delivers on His promise to His children.
• My First People to Pastor are my Family ~ I was strongly prompted to make several commitments after our Sabbatical. The primary focus of each of these was our health and Kingdom focus. Scripture is clear on this, as a leader in the Church, my first responsibility is to keep my family healthy (which includes my own soul).

I could write several more lessons, but these are the primary ones that are still affecting my thinking on a daily basis. I so love my Savior and His graciousness to continue to transform and teach me.