On to the muddle project: ...went to a second meeting with ACME and Paul to try and hammer out what our plans are for the future. It was a really good meeting.

We have been struggling with how to stay with ACME and not live out of our car. Now we opened up that struggle to the ACME leadership team, to see what their take was on all of this was. Beyond the numbers, we wanted to see if there was a need for us to stay, a way which I could help (since I would be new to the team) and how to work out the logistics and timing. With Tobo on the way, we were very emphatic that we need to have a plan in place and a few benchmarks which will be go/no go lines both for us and for ACME. We can't be dead wood, but we also can't hang out on a wing and a prayer. Well, not on a wing at least.

After a loooong talk (we got out just before six), we had a plan in place, with benchmarks, dollar amounts and action items. It still needs to be finalized and approved by the whole leadership team. The plan as it stands is we would become full time members in the next year or two. Full membership is defined as having enough prayer and financial support to meet an agreed upon monetary amount that ACME needs to support us. Our current support is minimal, so we will need to do a lot of work. (called deputation)

In faith that the plan will be approved by the rest of the leadership team, Paul and I will be going through a number of psych, medical, and financial batteries, as well as theological questions in the next few weeks. We will be attending the candidate course which is the last 2 weeks of October. In November, we will hear back from the leadership team about whether the plan is still viable on their end. Which means we would move forward and go before the board, hopefully to become appointees.

Paul and I are willing to try it. This is our last shot to try to keep Paul in a position where he is called vocationally to be. If it doesn't work (see: go/no go lines) than Paul will be leaving ACME and finding an IT job that will cover our expenses. That probably will not be in Denver, since one of the struggles we are having right now is the cost of living out here. We're planning on staying for the birth, but after that we will be on the move as soon as Tobo is portable again. (what is that, 18?)

Obviously this is a lot to consider. As always, we would appreciate any prayers you can send up about this, for us, the leadership team, the board, and Tobo. Little does he/she know how crazy his/her parents will be.

And she's only mostly kidding about living out of the car. But where'd be put the spawn? Good thing we have the pickup as well...

Anyroad, we welcome comments, via the handy-dandy "EMAIL" link above. As we go down this road, we might switch everything over to a shiny public-facing cooperative blog, but we'll just see. But e-mail me!

Pray for us now, and in the many hours of our death to self to come...

Pax!