Whirlwind and Freefall

These two words capture the past two weeks at the Garman home. A little over two weeks ago we had no renters and no leads. Very quickly we felt blessed with what should be a great situation. Last week we took the Youth Ministry to summer camp, Global Youth Camp that it. If there is a better way for a group of students to spend a week of their summer together, I have not found it. The staff at Global Youth Ministry has been critical in the development of the Youth Ministry at Stafford Baptist Church, and camp was another great experience. I wish every adult in our church would take a turn accompanying the students.. We returned on Friday Night. That has been the whirlwind portion, but yesterday was the freefall. Yesterday I stepped down from my position as Associate Pastor at Stafford Baptist Church in preparation for the big move to Iceland. It was like a freefall for several reasons. 

1. My work there has been the only job of my adult life. I know nothing else.

2. Iceland is on our doorstep and there is no turning back.

3. I have enjoyed it so much that I hate the idea of moving from the comfortable to the unknown.

To close, I wish every Pastor could say the sort of goodbye (if I can even really call it that, at least it is officially) that I did yesterday. A weeping, joyful, thankful goodbye. I now know what it means to love a church through the joyful growth, challenges, and changes of seven years. It was an exciting day to preach and I am thankful to Pastor Bill that he opened up the opportunity. Pastor Bill, the man who often sees things in people before they do., for this I am grateful.

Darcy Doodle's Dental Disaster

Well we knew it would happen some time. One of our children would experience some sort of bodily injury and if we were lucky only lose a tooth. Tonight was the night and the playground was the scene of the crime. As Darcy made an attempt to climb something a little too difficult for her, she had a facial collision with a metal bar and knocked one of her two top front teeth. She took it like a champ. Cried for a little bit, but not really a whole lot.

...Her mother and sister on the other hand are a different story. Haley was concerned when Darcy fell, but watched eagerly as I assessed the damage. When I finally pronounced that Darcy had lost a tooth, Haley began weeping hysterically for her little sister. At one point I was taking care of Darcy who was not crying anymore and Haley and Annie were both crying uncontrollably. Darcy and I looked at each other thinking, "What in the world happened to those two?" Classic.