I got a couple of really nice encouraging emails after I started up this blog again. Im not sure If Im going to be able to write in it everyday like I did in the Middle East. I am a pretty fast typist so that helps, but I had a whole lot of time on my hands. That time is going to go away pretty quickly. Jenny is due to deliver our baby Girl the first week in August. I feel so incredibly blessed to have this opportunity again. Many of you know that my relationship with my children has been essentially ripped from me. I feel like this new wonderful gift of life is my second chance to relive all those memories. Really my life so closely resembles the book of Job. Only I was not entirely blameless and upright. I probably should give all of you an update on my relationships and really try not to be bitter because I don’t think I am. There are periods if I dwell on my losses, I start to feel my anger getting up, but I try to stay focused on the positives and the things I can control. My oldest daughter is an exchange student in France. She will no longer speak to me nor return my emails. She has so much animosity towards me. It really is heartbreaking especially when I watch old family movies. We were all so close once. My middle son doesn’t hate me as much, but is still very angry. My youngest tries to stay out the conflict and tries not to put himself in the middle. He is a sweet boy. It hurt when father’s day passed and I didn’t get a Happy Father’s Day greeting from any of them. That’s the fourth straight year that has happened. No calls on my birthday either. I don’t want to go into details on the rest because it just brings up the negativity. I am not angry at my children, they are victims in this mess too. I still love them and I tell them so every single chance I can get. I do not talk negatively about their mother. Everyone tells me that the kids will come around someday and that they will see the truth. That is what I’m holding out hope for. I just hope its years as opposed to decades. God is in complete control of this situation. I have extreme peace even in the midst of the storm. I think God compensates for pain and suffering too, as other parts of my life are really going well.
I connected with an old friend from Taiwan. This story is pretty cool. While I was married to my ex-wife we as a family became missionaries in Taiwan. We were teaching English as a second language through a ministry called Overseas Radio and Television. It was nice because I was able to use my television production skills in a very positive way. We had a great impact over there as a family. It was a very hard decision to leave as God was blessing us so much. We weren’t making hardly any money, but in no other time in my life did I feel richer. I digress. Even though we had plenty of ministry opportunities I am convinced that God sent our entire family over to minister to one man. His name was Kidd. The Chinese choose for themselves their own American names. He chose Kidd, because he liked Jason Kidd. Kidd and I struck up a strong relationship as I taught him how to play American Football and he taught me about Taiwan and Buddhism (his former ancestral religion). In my many year overseas I have found people are more interested in what you have to say if you have an interest in them and their beliefs. Kidd accepted Christ as his savior and soon he got his entire family to accept Christ. I think sending an entire family over to save just one man is the best example of the parable of the lost sheep that I can think of. I could write so much about that relationship. We haven’t spoken in about five years but still he will be a lifelong friend from that short bond through Christ that we shared. So Kidd’s brother Abner contacted me. Abner chose the name Abner because he bought a English name book and Abner was at the front alphabetically so he didn’t want to read the rest of the book. Abner and I chatted and he excitedly told me that he got baptized. Chinese Christians believe that you aren’t 100% saved until you get water baptized. So he was very excited to tell me that. Abner moved to the US from Taiwan and got his doctorate degree from Penn State University in engineering. He is now headed to Springfield, Missouri to teach at Missouri State University (SMS to our old Evangel pals). He has a wife and two young children. It was nice to connect with him on that level. Hopefully our paths will cross again in the future.
I say this a lot, but I am incredibly blessed. I have a lot of stories like Kidd and Abner in my life. People brought in for just a season that I minister too and they strengthen their relationship with Christ. As their walk is strengthened, mine is too almost by default. Its such an honor for me and I absolutely love doing it. I think my mission in life is to inspire people to reach their full potential. That is what I try to do through my professional and personal life. I am anxious to make an even broader impact. But for now my mission field is to take care of Jennifer and our soon be arriving newborn. Im honored that God has saw fit to use me in many ways. But again, its not my ability, its only my availability. That is all God asks of us. He’ll supply all the other ingredients.
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