A Picture

This is a picture taken shortly before I left for my trip to Slovakia. (I think it was the night before)

An Explanation and a Request

I know some of you are waiting for pictures and a write up of my mission trip. I will work toward this end in the near future. Right now, we are focused on our oldest son, Javan who has been hospitalized with pnemonia. Please pray for his quick healing and rest for our family. Thanks. I'll write more soon.

Twas the night before "30"...

I sit here on the eve of my 30th birthday, not quite sure what it is that is making this birthday loom larger than any in recent memory. It's caused me to look back over the past decade and wonder what happened in (or to) my 20's. Below is a not so brief list of some of the big events that defined my life in the last ten years. These are in no particular order:

I got married.

I had kids. (see previous point)

I became a youth pastor.

I got liscensed to the ministry.

I performed at Youthlink 2000.

I graduated college.

I had a distended colon.

I saw U2.

I lost 81 lbs.

I gained 20 lbs.

I went to Europe. (1998)

Bethany was put on bed rest with a tough pregnancy. (for more on this see www.xanga.com/butterneverbleeds historic posts)

I experienced some of the best of Christian behavior and service.

I experienced some of the worst church experiences.

I got paid to do what I love.

I moved 6 times. (since being married)

I read all of the Bible and kept track of my progress. (finally)

I attended the funerals of my final two living grandparents.

I spoke at my uncle's funeral and read scripture at my aunt's.

I performed my first weddings.

My parents got divorced.

I decided I'm neither cool nor punk rock after all.

I realized kind of who I am.

After realizing this, I decide I don't like myself very much and begin to change and let God change things about me.

I realize that I still need help with all of this.

I got my first acoustic guitar.

I directed 4 youth camps.

The last ten years have been very busy. They've often times been uneasy and difficult because things seemed so uncertain. The more I think about it, the more I can see the one constant through all of those years. God was fathering me. He was letting me spread my wings and He was also clipping them where they needed it. In all of my life I have never been more amazed by God than right at this moment in life. I have agreed with my friend John that once you become a father, you understand God's love for us much better. It's like I can feel what it's like to watch that child take a first step and then start to run. I can also feel what it's like when that child looks up at you and raises their arms for a hug. Sometimes I think we forget that we just need times of saying "here I am Daddy", and letting God love us. It is my hope for you that you would experience God's love today and everyday. I'm so grateful for the last ten years and look forward to what God teaches me in the next ten.

"Ace"

I only knew one man as a grandfather growing up. My papaw, C.C. Cannon, or "Ace" to his friends and flying buddies sure liked to keep things interesting. I can remember how much fun it would be when he would drive me home from staying at his and Mamaw's house in Greenfield. When Papaw would take me home, we'd sometimes get to go "the fun way". It was a collection of back roads that had more drops and rises than the best roller coaster. He was used to flying airplanes, and he drove just like he was flying. It was a lot of fun. Looking back, there are so many lessons that I can say I learned from this man.
He was a staple around our home church. His handlebar mustache was always present and for many years he served as a deacon. Many in the church respected him as an older man in the faith. I remember spending time at their house and seeing him studying the Bible, intent on teaching a good lesson. Papaw was strict and expected good behavior, but he had a generous heart and an incredible sense of humor. One of my favorite pictures is a computer printout (pretty high tech in the 80s) of Papaw and me from when we went to the county fair together and I got to ride the ferris wheel. They had this little booth where you could get your picture made right there on the spot! (yeah for technology) There are so many other stories to tell about my papaw. But the most important story he would want to tell you would be about his Savior, Jesus Christ. There was never a doubt in my mind how Papaw felt about God and his pride in the fact that I went into the ministry was always apparent and voiced. He taught me to love people and to pray for God to make me love the ones I didn't. He was quite a man.
On Thursday Feb. 21, 2008, my papaw C.C. Cannon went home to live forever with his Lord and Savior. I can't begin to tell you how much I miss him, but the indellible imprint he left on my life will remain until the day I too make my transition to my eternal home. So often, we don't realize the impact that those around us actually have on us. I encourage you to look around you for people who are making a positive impact on your life and are directing you to Jesus. Thank God for them and feel a freedom in telling them what they have meant to you.
We also have the opportunity to be the impact on the lives of those around us. It is my hope for you that you would look around you to those lives that you can impact for Christ and that your heart would burn with a passion to see those lives changed by the One who can really change them: Our Lord Jesus Christ.

May God bless you.

Blogospondence

I started writing this yesterday:

It's been a long couple of days for those of us around the Callison house. I've been sick for about a week and last week the whole family was sick. Javan has been coughing so bad, even after the doctor's appt. that they sent us to the hospital for some chest xrays and bloodwork. Anyone who has ever been with a 4 year old getting bloodwork done knows this is not a great experience. I feel so bad for the little guy. He was up all night again two nights ago coughing and we gave him nebulizer treatments every 2-4 hours or so. I took the 2 am shift and Bethany covered the rest.

Continued today:

It turns out that Javan has a little bit of pnemonia. The new breathing treatments seem to be helping him. We are going to be doing this for a week with treatments every few hours. My medicine makes me feel like throwing up unless I eat something with it. I'm hoping to finish my income taxes tonight. I still need to pick up a couple of w2s.
I had a lot to write about yesterday but not a lot today I guess. Maybe I'll add more later...

Did you ever...

...just feel like the biggest jerk ever to walk the face of the earth?

New Hotness

So, we had a bit of a huge ice storm last weekend/the first part of this week. Schools were out and tree limbs came crashing down all over town. It looked like that movie, "The Day After Tomorrow". I could go into more detail than this but let me just say that a limb hit our car...actually, a few limbs hit our car. Here's one:

It also hit the house which messed up a bit of siding and some of the soffet/shingles. Here's the other one that hit the car:

Needless to say, we're going to meet the deductible on our insurance. Other than that, things have been swimming right along toward Christmas.