We have been in Florida for a week now....What a place. I love the ocean, and enjoy the beach... The ocean is amazingly consistent to me. Every few seconds the waves break and come toward the beach... never seems to fail. The tide goes in and the tide goes out... Each morning the water has been relatively calm, and during the day, as the winds pick up, so does the "chop"(as the locals call it). But it is still nothing like the coastal waters of Oregon. There is more power in the Pacific waters... The Carribean is more inviting. The waters invite me to come in, and I have done some swimming... We even have been out to the Sandbar... which was something the kids warned me about... after last years shark attacks. I am the fearless one! ( ha ha)
Tomorrow morning Pam and I are going Parasailing. Should be interesting. I am not the daredevil type. But maybe having a stroke has brought out a little of the "live life to the max" in me. I will never probably go crazy with it... however, I am trying to do a few different things. I am looking forward to it...alot.
This has been a great time of rejuvenation. The reality is that while I have had alot of time off these past 10 weeks or so, when we left town, I was able to relax in a different way. And that has continued... I feel very relaxed now... and for the first time, able to get away from the church, the stroke, the fact that I am not working right now, and just concentrate on God, me, and Pam. I have continued my walking and working out, and have added some wonderful sermons by Greg Nettle, and Mike Cope to my IPOD. Today I walked 8 miles ( two 4 mile walks). They were hot, but really good. Exercise has been a lifesaver in many ways. I have done my best thinking while putting one foot in front of the other. I have examined some of the things have led me to this point in my life, and I have made committments that I think will improve the quality of my life for the next 30 years. Spiritually it has been good. To hear messages from communicators who have taken thier craft so seriously... well it has been very revealing. And motivating for my future, if God allows.
The church this week confirmed the hiring of Mike Raburn as Business Manager. I am thrilled. Mike will be a Godsend for our church and for me personally. For the past 6 months he has served the church ( and me) in any way we needed... taking his time off and extra thinking time to be used by God at FCC. I will never be able to express what his support and efforts have met to me. It started at the beginning of the year when he said, "I am off on Tuesdays, I am coming in to help you... have something for me to do." There was no option in his voice.... Even though he had recently became an Elder, he still did that. He did not know that April 3rd would change my life forever... but he was prepared by God to step in and keep things moving. And he did.
I recently wrote the staff and Elders to give them an update, and I said to them, "You are my hero's" They are. Each of them, have picked up the slack...and taken on alot more than they ever thought they would. I could not be prouder of a group of men and women , than I am of each of them.
Clouds have overtaken the shoreline... and the sun is going down. Its a pretty awesome combination... The Heaven declare the Glory of God... and so do the sunsets....
More later...
Charlie
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