Burning Light

June 19 2008

On the Other Side of the Crossroads
(and then some...)

Yo babies,

It’s been a very eventful few weeks – and just when we thought we’d finally get a breather, it got even more eventful.

In the interests of time – not least of all, my own – I’m just gonna answer my own issues from the last “Crossroads” post, in the order originally addressed. Suffice to say, I didn’t get a whole lot of those predictions right, either.

1) Year two of “the curriculum that won’t go away” is, in fact, toast. Yes, I’m happy. I’d be happier if I wasn’t currently working on all the ancillary products designed to salvage some revenue from this thing (but which I’m pretty sure will amount to throwing even more money down a hole), but that’s a very temporary pain in the butt, and I think even the worst of that is over now.

2) The wedding went off without a hitch. A little windy, but a nice time was had by all, and several people mentioned how nice the ceremony was, etc. Some of that I’m sure was formality, but it was in fact a nice day. And I wound up both doing the ceremony and walking the bride down the aisle. And yes, I got through it all somehow.

The bride & groom vacationed in Telluride for the better part of the week, and scored me some cheap Taylor Ham (aka the ultimate comfort food if you grew up in Jersey) just in time for Father’s Day. (We can thank citizen Tom Cruise for something, apparently.)

Now comes real life. Prayers for all of us.

3) My dad is actually in much better shape than previously portrayed. Definitely shakier, but spent a lot of time walking around town (because, honestly, that’s what you do when you come out here), and had enough energy left over to flirt shamelessly with the mayor of Winter Park (Dave’s “second mother” -- his 1st one is still very much alive, married to his father, and happy to have Jessica for a daughter-in-law, mind you) during the rehearsal dinner. (BTW, now that I’ve finally met Dave’s father, I now have a very good idea what tim’s gonna be looking/acting like in 20 years, albeit soberer. )

4) Speaking of which, you can get the post-Hegger update at the bottom of the following entry at tim’s place. The Tension Envelopes reunion that the whole world has been waiting breathlessly for (in honor of tim’s fallen first lung, of course) will not be denied. But yeah, tim, MARCH.

5) This one, as noted in the comments of the original, is still up in the air. But we’ll need to either extend it even further or drop it, given….

6) Three days ago – i.e., less than a week after shipping her off for what we believed to be an already-long-enough two months – Amy e-mails us. There’s an opportunity starting this coming Monday for her and Sam to do DTS (Discipleship Training School) with YWAM in Romania. 24 college credits, but it also means a five-month commitment – three for training in Tirgu Mures, and another two doing missions work at a site to be determined (which right now it appears to be between southern Romania, Ghana and Turkey).

Yeah, catch yr breath. And let us catch ours again while we’re at it.

Suffice to say there’s been a lot of soul-searching, God-searching, crying, irritation, pleading, additional coffee-drinking and consequent sleeplessness in the already temporarily empty nest called the Simmons home over the last few days. In the end, though, we said yes. Doesn’t hurt that the base leader’s originally from Jersey.

After which, we bought a cybercam and headset and created a Skype account so we can see the kid somehow between now and November.

So suffice to say, the anxiety hasn’t fully passed yet, and could accelerate around mid-September depending on the locale.

It was even more of a blessing than initially suspected, then, that Amy came with me last Tuesday to see all the wedding guests off at the airport – it gave us time on the way back to talk about what God’s been doing in both our lives (i.e., a lot). I needed every bit of that to help process the events of the past few days -- intellectually, spiritually and emotionally.

So with that all said, anyone who cares to check out their ongoing adventures can go here. It should go without saying, but I'll say it anyway: Unless you're already a personal acquaintance of Amy's, look but don't touch.

7) So yeah, the nest is gonna be empty quite a while longer – specifically, until the beginning of the holiday season. More time to practice, I suppose.

8) And while it seems almost anticlimactic to bring it up after the above – literally as Item #1 was being killed, I simultaneously received official approval from the top to work on my discipleship curriculum on the clock here. No business plan or official go-ahead, but anyone here knows that just getting initial buy-in at the top is a huge step. Ergo, a lot of people in between me and said top are quite happy and downright surprised by this, and really wish that I’d do more of a happy dance about it.

Me, not so much, given a) in practicality, it means that I get to do the same thing I’ve been doing for the past nine months – I just don't have to do it secretively anymore ; b) I still haven't had sufficient time to work on it right now; c) I’ve been saying all along that this is a God thing, so while it’s been a long time coming it’s just as well it hasn’t been moving any faster; and, of course, d) Have you been reading the rest of this? Needless to say I’ve been a bit preoccupied.

So with that said: We got to do Lesson 13 (i.e., the end of Quarter 1) together with our group Tuesday night. Again, given all of the above events, Marion & I were both basket cases (and surprisingly to both of us, I was the bigger one that evening -- crap, I can't get through singing "How Great Is Our God" without melting down normally), but we walked away resolving to stay in touch, starting with the first of several town free summer concerts tonight (gad, I love this f-ing place).

Plus, we got to share what the first part of this course – and each other – have meant over this crapload of transitions for all of us (have I mentioned that said group ultimately wound up containing the entire former elder board from our old church?). All “formal” (as well as former) church stuff aside, it’s been good for us to be together to look forward and remember the things God really calls us to, and to be there for each other while doing so.

Next time we get to music for really truly maybe. There’s a lot of new stuff out there -- 77s, Sparks, Alejandro Escovedo, Frightened Rabbit, The War on Drugs -- and I'd like to get to all of them soon. Although I’m thinking I’d like to first wax poetic about Paul Westerberg(/Grandpaboy)’s 2002 (Mono)/Stereo album(s) sometime soon. Yeah, that'd be nice.

Honestly, there’d better not be any more oncoming Mack trucks. Please, God? Pretty please?

Posted by: burninglight at 19:02 | link | comments (10)

Comments:

#1 19 June 2008 - 22:36

"After which, we bought a cybercam and headset and created a Skype account so we can see the kid somehow between now and November."

"The KID"?

You mean the one in COLLEGE?

I'd hate to send another Mack truck (with "Empty Nest" written on the side) at you; but... ;-)

Jim

PS Right now, just the "thought" of one of my kids leaving the nest, bums me out; so I can truly sympathize, and you and Marion certainly have my prayers.. :-|

LDVoyager

#2 19 June 2008 - 22:45

Well, technically they both have been in college this past semester. But Amy's my 17-year-old (Jessica's 20 next month).

But yeah, college -- which for Amy, likely will/would be Moody in Chicago -- is one thing. Romania (and possibly Turkey?) is quite another. Can't really just hop a plane and go there.

I think I'm going to really appreciate Skype in the coming months; we have friends who use it and they all like it.

burninglight

#3 20 June 2008 - 01:50

Wow, that Skype sounds like one cool tool. Keep us posted on how good it works.

"Boy, its great how these neewer technologies sure keep families together", said Jim as he ignored his family to post on a blog. :-b

Jim

LDVoyager

#4 21 June 2008 - 21:13

Did our first Skype session with Amy today. Worked great.

And really, the cost is in the equipment -- the camera & headset ran around $50. The actual connection is free. :)

burninglight

#5 22 June 2008 - 02:19

Cool!

Jim

LDVoyager

#6 23 June 2008 - 09:22

glad things are humming along...

i did confirm that the two guys from my church are romania bound... for at least 3 years.

and see? i DO read....

larryl

#7 03 July 2008 - 16:13

I thought I'd put Carl's post in the jive translator and see how it came out:

Yo babies, It’s been some very eventful few weeks – and plum when we dought we’d finally dig some breader, it gots even mo'e eventful. In de interests uh time – not least uh all, mah' own – I’m plum gonna answa' my own issues fum de last “Crossroads” post, in de o'da' o'iginally addressed. Suffice t'say, ah' dun didn’t dig some whole lot uh dose predicshuns right, eider. Ah be baaad... 1) Year two uh “de curriculum dat won’t go away” is, in fact, toast. Man! Yeah man, I’m happy. Slap mah fro! I’d be happia' if ah' wuzn’t currently wo'kin' on all de ancillary products designed t'salvage some revenue fum dis doodad (but which I’m fine sho' man gots'ta amount t'drowin' even mo'e bre'd waaay down some hole), but dat’s some very tempo'ary pain in de butt, and ah' dink even de wo'st uh dat be ova' now, so cut me some slack, Jack. 2) De weddin' went off widout some hitch. Lop some boogie. A little windy, but some supa fine time wuz had by all, and several sucka's menshuned how supa fine de ceremony wuz, etc. Co' got d' beat! Some uh dat I’m sho' man wuz fo'mality, but it wuz in fact some supa fine day. Slap mah fro! And ah' wound down bod hangin' de ceremony and walkin' de bride waaay down de aisle. And yeah dude, ah' gots drough it all somehow, so cut me some slack, Jack. De bride & groom vacashuned in Telluride fo' de betta' part uh de week, and sco'ed me some cheap Taylo' Ham (aka da damn ultimate comfo't food if ya' grew down in Jersey) plum in time fo' Fader’s Day. Slap mah fro! (We kin dank citizen Tom Cruise fo' sump'n, apparently. Slap mah fro!) Now comes real life. Prayers fo' all uh us. 3) Mah' pops is actually in much betta' shape dan previously po'trayed. Definitely shakier, but spent some lot uh time walkin' around town (a'cuz, honestly, dat’s whut ya' do when ya' mosey on down out here), and had enough energy left upside to flirt shamelessly wid de mayo' uh Winta' Park (Isaac’s “second moder” -- his 1st one be still real much alive, married t'his Big Daddy, and happy t'have Jessica fo' some daughter-in-law, mind ya') durin' de rehearsal dinner. Ah be baaad... (BTW, now dat I’ve finally met Isaac’s Big Daddy, ah' now gots some very baaaad idea whut tim’s gonna be lookin'/actin' likes in 20 years, albeit soberer. Ah be baaad... ) 4) Rappin' uh which, ya' kin dig de post-Hegga' update at da damn bottom uh de followin' entry at tim’s place. De Tension Envelopes reunion dat da damn whole wo'ld gots been waitin' breadlessly fo' (in hono' uh tim’s fallen fust lung, uh course) gots'ta not be denied. But yeah, tim, MARCH. 5) Dis one, as noted in de comments uh de o'iginal, be still down in de air. Ah be baaad... But we’ll need t'eida' extend it even furda' o' drop it, given…. 6) Dree days ago – i.e., less dan some week afta' shippin' ha' off fo' whut we recon'd t'be an already-long-enough two monds – dat fine femahnaine ladee e-mails us. Dere’s an oppo'tunity startin' dis comin' Monday fo' ha' and Remus to do DTS (Discipleship Trainin' Farm) wid YWAM in Romania. WORD! 24 college credits, but it also means some five-mond commitment – dree fo' trainin' in Tirgu Mures, and anoda' two hangin' missions wo'k at some site t'be determined (which right now it appears t'be between soudern Romania, Ghana and Turkey). Yeah, catch yr bread. And let us catch ours again while we’re at it. Man! Suffice t'say dere’s been some lot uh soul-searchin', God-searchin', cryin', irritashun, pleadin', addishunal coffee-drinkin' and consequent sleeplessness in de already tempo'arily empty nest called da damn Simmons crib upside de last few days. In de end, dough, we said yeah man. Duzn’t hurt dat da damn base leader’s o'iginally fum Jersey. Slap mah fro! Afta' which, we bought some cybercam and haidset and created some Skype account so's we kin see da damn kid somehow between now and November. Ah be baaad... So's suffice t'say, de anxiety hasn’t fully passed yet, and could accelerate around mid-Septemba' dependin' on de locale. It wuz even mo'e uh a blessin' dan initially suspected, den, dat dat fine femahnaine ladee came wid me last Tuesday t'see all de weddin' guests off at da damn airpo't – it gave us time on de way back t'talk about whut God’s been hangin' in bod our lives (i.e., some lot). ah' needed every bit uh dat t'help process de events uh de past few days -- intellectually, spiritually and emoshunally. Slap mah fro! So's wid dat all said, any sucka who cares t'check out deir ongoin' adventures kin go here. It should go widout sayin', but I'll say it anyway, dig dis: Unless youse already some sucka'al acquaintance uh dat fine femahnaine ladee's, look but duzn't touch. Lop some boogie. 7) So's yeah, de nest be gonna be empty quite some while longa' – specifically, until de beginnin' uh de holiday season. 'S coo', bro. Mo'e time t'practice, ah' suppose. 8) And while it seems mos' anticlimactic t'brin' it down afta' de above – literally as Item #1 wuz bein'wasted, ah' simultaneously received official approval fum de top t'wo'k on mah' discipleship curriculum on de clock here. No business plan o' official go-ahaid, but any sucka here knows dat plum gettin' initial steal-in at da damn top be a huge step. Jes hang loose, brud. Ergo, some lot uh sucka's in between me and said top is quite happy and waaay downright surprised by dis, and real wish dat I’d do mo'e uh a happy boogie about it. Man! Me, not so's much, given a) in practicality, it means dat ah' get t'do de same doodad I’ve been hangin' fo' de past nine monds – ah' plum duzn't gots'ta do it secretively no mo' ; b) ah' still gotsn't had sufficient time t'wo'k on it right now; c) I’ve been sayin' all along dat dis be a God doodad, so's while it’s been some long time comin' it’s plum as well it hasn’t been movin' any faster; and, uh course, d) Gots ya' been eyeballin' de rest uh dis? Needless t'say I’ve been some bit preoccupied. So's wid dat said, dig dis: We gots'ta do Lesson 13 (i.e., de end uh Quarta' 1) togeda' wid our group Tuesday night. Man! Again, given all uh de above events, Marion & ah' were bod hoop cases (and surprisin'ly t'bod uh us, ah' wuz de bigga' one dat evenin' -- crap, ah' can't dig drough rappin' "How Great Is Our God" widout meltin' waaay down no'mally), but we walked away resolvin' t'stay in touch, startin' wid de fust uh several town free summa' concerts tonight (gad, ah' love dis f-in' place). Plus, we gots'ta share whut de fust part uh dis course – and each oda' – gots meant upside dis crapload uh transishuns fo' all uh us (have ah' menshuned dat said group ultimately wound down containin' de entire fo'ma' elda' bo'd fum our old church?). All “fo'mal” (as well as fo'mer) church stuff aside, it’s been baaaad fo' us t'be togeda' to look fo'ward and rememba' de doodads God real calls us to, and t'be dere fo' each oda' while hangin' so. 'S coo', bro. Next time we dig t'beat fo' real truly maybe. Dere’s some lot uh new stuff out dere -- 77s, Sparks, Alejandro Escovedo, Frightened Rabbit, De War on Drugs -- and I'd likes t'get t'all uh dem soon. 'S coo', bro. Aldough I’m dinkin' I’d likes t'fust wax poetic about Fuh'rina Westerberg(/Grandpaboy)’s 2002 (Mono)/Stereo album(s) sometime soon. 'S coo', bro. Yeah, dat'd be supa fine. Honestly, dere’d betta' not be any mo'e oncomin' Mack trucks. Please, God? Fine please?

LDVoyager

#8 03 July 2008 - 16:14

Glad it was a "supa fine" wedding ceremony.

Jim

LDVoyager

#9 03 July 2008 - 17:44

Slow day today, Jim? :P

burninglight

#10 03 July 2008 - 19:07

In some ways, yes. There is a guy taking care of some web code issues, and most of the day is being on standby for him. So I couldn't exactly get my hands dirty starting anything else, while knowing he's going to be calling back intermittenly and asking to jump on for a live meeting.

Jive translation:

In some ways, yeah man. Dere be a dude takin' care uh some web code issues, and most uh de day be bein' on standby fo' him. WORD! So's I couldn't 'esactly dig mah' hands dirty startin' nuthin else, while knowin' he's goin' t'be callin' back intermittenly and ax'in' t'jump on fo' some live meetin'.

Jim

LDVoyager

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Posted by: burninglight at 19:02 | link | comments (10)