like a fire

Many of you know that we have had a rough time selling our house. We aren’t quite ready  for the trailer park, but if we were, this would be a very cool option. This shot comes from Sustain, a company that is making very cool, very green trailers in Canada. Not only does this look really cool, it has solar panels and a wind generator to charge it’s batteries which means that it doesn’t really require electricity. Heavy load items, like refrigerator and clothes dryer and for me stereo, are run on propane. It is 100% green, using nothing that would diminish the environment. Best of all, his thing costs about $110,00 for a base model and I tricked one out for about $170,00. That is awesome in today’s market.

Anyway, back to reality. Many people have been really generous to us and helped us through this time with pray and even sending a little extra money our way. I don’t know where we are going to end this time in the wilderness, but I look forward to what God has for us.

OK, that title is somewhat sensational and completely made up. Steve Jobs did NOT call my house. Actually, he came by for tacos (not true either). The truth is, Jobs doesn’t know me very well, but his company called me yesterday while I was out playing soccer with Jane. They would like to set up an interview for the Mac Creative position. I have been looking at this position for a while now. Basically it would be teaching people how to use the creative software that comes with an Apple computer and even some that doesn’t. It sounds like a job that would be very fulfilling for me, maybe even for the long run. There are a couple of hang ups, though.

1. The store is in Memphis - This wouldn’t be my ideal location and we have just moved so moving again doesn’t sound very appealing right now. I was really hoping to get on at the store in Birmingham, but it is still in the works (the place they are rumored to be moving isn’t available).

2. The Salary - I have now idea what this position would make. I know that I wouldn’t move again unless it is fairly good or there was another opportunity accompanying it. I have heard that they send you to Cupertino for six weeks to train for the position. That seems like a heavy investment for a low salary, so I am hoping that this salary will pay the bills.

There are a couple of cool things though:

1. Cathy is licensed in Tennessee - That would make a transition there more possible if we need a dual salary.

2. The store is offering seminars in ministry - At the end of the month of March they are offering several seminars on using Pro Presenter, using Garageband in Worship and Podcasting Sermons.

3. Aside Bonus - The name of the store is Battlecreek. I a really glad I put in my resume that I beat Halo on Legendary. (Correction: the name of the store is Saddle Creek. Maybe I was just pojecting. Oh well, I guess no place is perfect.)

So lately my direction with God has left me scratching my head. I really just have no idea what He is doing with me, and I have almost no idea what I should be doing. Here is my list of what doesn’t work taken from the experience I have had in trying deal with my situation:

1. Panic - I read somewhere recently that Man is the only creature that runs faster when he is lost. I believe that wholeheartedly. Running around like a crazy person, being busy and getting nothing done is not very helpful. It might be a natural response to lack of direction, but it just doesn’t help, and really, it only makes things worse.

2. Get Angry - I have always heard and often said that anger is a secondary response to hurt. Getting angry just alienates you from the people who can help you when your lost. Getting angry at God just doesn’t make any sense, although I believe that some of the best men in the Bible did this.

3. Despair - I preacher recently said from the pulpit, “why would you indulge your weakness?” For me, despair is a giving up on what I know is true. I know that all of this that I am going through is going to be God’s glory. Maybe it already is and I just don’t know it yet. Either way, in the words of David Crowder “We Win”.

Those are some of the things I have done to deal with being asked to resign my job, moving away from my friends, having my house sold and then having the buyers back out at the last minute, trying to find jobs in ministry, trying to find any job, etc.

I am trying a new list that goes something like this:

1. Trust - God has it worked out. A guy I am starting to like a lot told me about his situation which was very similar not long ago, “God got me into this, He can get me out.”

2. Fight - Doesn’t sound different from getting angry, but it is. I have a tape that palys in my head that tells me all kinds of lies that I should believe about myself. It sounds like this, “You’re a loser, nobody will ever hire you, you’re not a good provider for your family, you’re not even a man.” Those are just lies, and I have to fight for the truth.

3. Appreciate - Let’s face it, without all the stress and worry about finding a new calling, most people would love to be at home with their kids. It really is a great time despite my railing about it.

So there is my list for those who are about to rock.

So today, after setting up many websites and helping many people and churches with branding, I have started organizing how that happens. I finished my first client under the Like A Fire Media brand. The client is an awesome photographer here in the Birmingham area named Jason Wallis. He really has a gift when it comes to telling a story one snapshot at a time. Anyway, he has a great site set up by the guys from Matchstic, but he wanted something more for blogging than blogger could offer. So I set him up with a new blog with lots of SEO and a much friendlier UI. I recommend killing several hours looking at his site. There are galleries and slideshows and even some great music.

I have had a lot of help starting what I do. Many of the churches I have worked for have helped me develop the skills I am using (don’t worry they had plenty of benefit from those skills), but most of all I can credit a guy named Erik Hersman aka “the White African.” He single handedly challenged and taught me so much about what was possible with the web. Thanks buddy.