Happy Christmas

So apparently I haven't put anything up in a few days...

I attribute this to:
One crazy Youth Event that took about 150 hours of planning/prep between me and Janelle.
One great Open House/Christmas Party two weeks later.
General laziness on my part.

Sorry for those of you that depend on the blogosphere for regular updates.

Life is good in Southern Arizona. Kids have two weeks off. We're spending Christmas here, just the six of us. We're headed to California for a multi-purpose trip the week after Christmas.

Also, a huge praise! We have been given a car!
-Only two "hitches"... 1)It's in CA (hence the "multi-purpose trip) 2)It needs a new motor. I've got lots of help to change it out, just need the cash for a rebuilt.
God provides for us every day!

Love to you all!
Jon for the McIvers

Hurt

I hurt for a few kids in particular.

M... His dad is deployed. Mom doesn't know how to be a mom. Sis spends as little time at the house as possible. He sleeps in class, when he makes it at all. No motivation. Hates school. He loves his dogs, his computer, and his skateboard. Gets along with dad, not so much with mom.

How do I love on a kid who seems completely inaccessible? How do I speak love into the life of a kid who thinks of me as that weird bald guy who hangs out at school?

Pray for M- for protection in his life, for motivation, for emotional and physical safety.

L... He's fighting against God. He knows in his head, but isn't ready to surrender his heart. I can't convince him that life following Jesus is the only life that's worth living. I can only show him, I guess.

Pray for L- for wise choices, an open relationship with parents and his surrender to Christ.

Update

Sorry folks-
God responded in a big way, and I didn't let you all know!

Water pump is fixed- The warranty covered it, and we were able to get the windshield wiper motor fixed under warranty, too!

Thanks so much for all your prayer and concern!

Jon

Immediate Prayer Need

Water pump went out on the Suburban.

We have a warranty, but there is a deductible, and I'm not even sure what they will pay for.

Waiting to hear back from the Service Department.

Pray that the warranty company would pay as much as possible- finances are tight here just like everywhere else!

Thanks for standing in the gap for us.

Quote o' the Month

This one's been rattling in my brain for the past few weeks:

"The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians, who acknowledge Jesus with their lips and walk out the door and deny him with their life style. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable"
Brennan Manning

These are my people...

I've found where I belong.

I've had the privilege of spending the week with guys (and gals) who do what I do. They understand the struggles, challenges, and joys of ministering to military teens. They also understand what it means to be called.

It has been a blessing and an honor to get to know these guys. I've seen their names on email lists and maps, and heard stories about their ministries. Now I know them, and look forward to seeing them again next year.

Now I'm ready to be home!

On the road again....

I will have to respectfully disagree with Willie Nelson... I totally CAN wait to get on the road again.

It really feels like the minute we get settled into a routine, life gets crazy again.

Here I sit in Denver International Airport on a two-hour layover... on my way to Colorado Springs.

I didn't want to leave this morning. I already miss my wife and the kiddos.

All that said, I'm excited. I finally get to meet some of my fellow Community Directors for MCYM. I will get to spend time with Rog, Stan, Rob, Bill... my peeps.

Editorial note- Janelle and I are both doing a project with our students called "The H2O Project" We are drinking nothing but water or the next two weeks, and donating what we would have spent on beverages to Blood:Water Mission.
What does that mean? No coffee (aka lifeblood) or soda for the next two weeks. I'm sure it's all in my mind, but I've got a headache and I'm jonesin' for a cup o Joe!

Hold on to your hats...

That's right, two posts in a week!

First order of business... Janelle, thank you. Thank you for the gentle reminder to slow down.

You see, I had a little wake up call on Monday... I think I was just dehydrated and tired, but I felt real sick. (relax, Mom... just nauseous, nothing serious) Janelle shoved water down my throat and made me rest. Then she insisted (wisely) that I take another full day off. You see, even my days off tend to get wrapped up in some form of kid time or ministry. And if we look at the past few months, life has been... well... full.

I love it- ministry pumps me up. I just needed to remind myself that I'm in this for the long haul. (marathon, not sprint)

So taking time to relax sometimes gets lost in the shuffle.

Therefore, today is OFF. No (well, almost no) ministry emails, texts, etc. The email/text reminder about Crazy Shirt Night at CONNECT can wait. Nothing will explode in the next 24 hours.

Second order of business. For my Springs peeps- I'll be in Monday afternoon, and my schedule will have me decisively engaged from 8am-8pm. However, if anyone wants to cruise downtown, I'd love to meet up with you in the later evening! I'll also have some time Friday afternoon. Give me a call or email me!

McIver Prayer Requests

Hey there to the faithful dozen who keep checking just in case I actually post... here ya' go!

Praises:
-Praise God for a sizable grant that will enable more students to participate in our four most cost intensive events!!! (Thanks, CH S)
-Safe travel for Janelle's mom as she joins the family for a few weeks.
-Great ministry & safety at two events this month- High Schoolers camping trip and Middle Schoolers Paintball day

Please Pray for:
-Jon as he travels to Colorado Springs for MCYM training.
-Janelle and her mom as they hold down the fort at home.
-Planning and preparation for an outreach event on December 5th.
-Health, especially for Laren & Liam (a little wheezy)


Thanks to all of you that stand in the gap for us. We love you.

Jon for the McIvers

NYWC

I am at the National Youth Worker's Convention in Sacramento. I love this event- these are my people, you know?

However, riding up the elevator last night I had a bit of a revelation. You see, I was carrying all my "free stuff." If you know anything about Youth Workers, you know that our hearts skip a beat at the mention of a free CD, t-shirt, water bottle... whatever. I was doing a quick inventory and calculated how much all my schwag* was worth. The total? Well over $100. Yes, you heard right, my 45 minutes walking through the exhibit hall netted me over $100 worth of the good stuff. Three t-shirts, a backpack, a pair of Etnies flip flops, two CD's...

Then I started thinking about how much these vendors are going to spend on trying to woo all of my fellow YWs to take their groups missions trip, buy their "cutting edge" curriculum, buy/sell their t-shirts...

At the risk of being excommunicated by my fellow YWs, I'm going to share where my mind went next:
1-How many kids are going to die tonight for lack of proper nutrition or safe drinking water? (Some statistics say 30,000 in a 24 hour period. You read that right: THIRTY THOUSAND PEOPLE WILL DIE IN THE NEXT 24 HOURS BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT!!!)
1b-How much of a difference could we make if we gave up our free stuff and focused our resources on meeting physical needs of the hurting/dying.
2-Does any of this stuff really equip me to be better able to point kids to Jesus?

Back to reality.

I still love this event.

I will still go to seminars telling me how to run crazy games.

I will still go through the exhibit hall for another round of freebies.

But maybe...

Maybe next time I will pick up a Compassion Child to sponsor.

Maybe I will encounter someone today who needs a smile or kind word.

Maybe today I'll remember that I am a child of the King, and live for what really matters: Loving HIM and pointing others to HIM.

"Weekly" Prayer Requests

Ok, folks...
I guess the least I can do is post our prayer needs here on a "regular" basis. I'll do my best!

Praises
-Jon started doing Security as a volunteer at Buena High School... it has really opened some doors with students that wouldn't normally be in his circle of influence.
-We had a great time last weekend at Canoa Ranch. (Army "Strong Bonds" Marriage Retreat) Jon was supposed to teach, but ended up observing the training. The kids enjoyed the pool!
-Praise God for an awesome group of Chaplains and support staff that we work with. It's a great team!

Requests
-Students are hurting- physically, emotionally, spiritually. Some of their intials are S, M, A.
-We have one more weekend retreat this weekend. It is great fun, but very tiring for us and the kids. Pray for rest!
-Jon is traveling to Sacramento for the National Youth Worker's Convention on October 7th. Pray for safe travel, and for Janelle as she will be home with the kids.
-Health- Kids- teeth; Jon- trying to start running; Janelle- mentally & physically drained.
-Still praying for a second car!

Thanks again for standing with us! We rely on your prayers.

Prayer Request

Hey folks-
If you're checking this blog, chances are good you pray for us on a regular basis. I'm going to try to be better at regular prayer request updates.

Praises
-Two weeks ago, I (Jon) challenged students at youth group to stop living on the fence, to choose who they were going to live for. Three students stayed after to talk, and two more contacted me the following week to talk. One of the students committed his life to Christ!
-The kids are adjusting to school, making friends, and generally healthy/happy.

Prayer Needs
-The Suburban isn't running very well since the "Squirrel Incident."
-We're working our way through the kids, getting dental work done.
-JS, the young man who decided to follow Christ... for his spiritual foundation and growth as he goes through the "Spiritual Survival Kit" with Jon.
-For Janelle, as she develops relationships both with students and adults.
-Jon is planning on running a half-marathon in December, but training isn't going well. Please pray for his ankles and heels.

Thank you all for standing in the gap on our behalf!

In Memory-9/11

Seven years ago today, many of our lives were forever changed... drastically changed by the actions of a handful of men acting under the delusion that they were earning special privilege in heaven. So much for a "religion of peace."

Today, we remember the sacrifices made by men and women who gave of themselves; most of whom would more than likely look at the ground, scuff their boot, and say "I was just doing my job." We call them Heroes.

I'd like to mention two families whose lives have been forever touched by these Heroes.

The Family of Ronald P. Bucca Sr.
You can read the whole story through the link above. I personally got to know Ron Jr. while serving with 2nd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group. It was an honor to serve with Ronnie. He and his family know the real meaning of sacrifice.

The Family of Timmy R. Brown Jr.
I served with Tim during OIF I. Like me, Tim was troubled by 9/11, and joined the Army to do his part. Tim was killed by an IED in August, 2003. His family's lives have been forever changed because he chose to answer the call.


The McIver Family has been forever changed by the events of September 11th, 2001. However, we look back and see God's hand through it all. I am a better husband, father, son, and Follower of the Most High because of my time in the Army. I feel like I can truly claim Romans 8:28:
"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose."

To all those whom I have served alongside... Thank You.
To the families of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice... God bless you and keep you.
To our President, George W. Bush... Thank You for having the courage to face evil head on.
To those serving overseas today...

May The Lord bless you and keep you.
May the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you.
May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.

Family Fondue Night

Our kids are pretty simple when it comes to food. Foodies they're not! They would be happy most of the time with a diet of hot dogs & chips, apples, a grilled cheese or PBJ, with the occasional slice of pizza thrown in. You know, kid food. ( I know my mom cringed as she read that, right?)

Yesterday we decided to do something a little different... we did Fondue for dinner! Not just cheese fondue to dip bread/veggies in, either. I mean the actual "Coq Au Vin" style where we actually cook meat and veggies at the table.

They were pretty enthralled by it all. Liam had his own special dipping sauce (no cheese for that kid, allergies you know) for bread and veggies. They enjoyed the cheese, but the real test came with the main course. The only rule was that everyone had to try one of everything. Other than Luc almost gagging on a piece of shrimp, everything was a hit.

Lach declared it the best meal our family has ever experienced. Janelle and I declared it a family record as we spent one and a half hours happily around the dinner table. We think this may become a monthly tradition for our family. Perhaps we've nudged our kids down the road to "foodie-dom" or perhaps not... regardless, we had a great time!

If you're planning on stopping by for a visit in Sierra Vista, give us a weeks warning and the night you're here just may end up "Family Fondue Night."

Facing The Giants

If you've never seen Facing The Giants then it belongs on your TO WATCH list.

My parents gave me the movie last year, and I watched it three times that first month.

We watched it tonight with the kids, and then I watched it again because I didn't get to finish it with them. It is a great movie, with an incredible message.

I wanted to share the scripture that Coach Grant Taylor reads at the turning point in the movie. I think it can apply to you no matter what situation or giants you are facing today.

1 I love you, O LORD, my strength.

2 The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.
He is my shield and the horn ^[a] of my salvation, my stronghold.

3 I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise,
and I am saved from my enemies.

Psalm 18:1-3

My rock, my fortress and my deliverer.

By the way- if you can watch the movie without crying, I pronounce you a robot.

A Really Lousy Blogger...

I know, I know... I'm really bad at this.

I know many(four) of you check in here on a regular basis, and I've been letting you down.

If you didn't already know, Janelle is a GREAT! blogger. If you haven't been, she's linked on the right of this page, or you can just click HERE.

As for the rest of us-
-Kids started school last week. (reference SPCMM for pictures.)
-I love my job/ministry! I can't wait to get to work every day.
-I love where we live!


As for prayer requests-
-Pray for me as I am in the middle of planning for the next year, putting together a calendar.
-Pray for the kids as they get into the routine at school, make friends, etc.
-Pray for Janelle as she gets involved in PWOC (Protestant Women of the Chapel), that she would enjoy her time and get to know the ladies.
-We're still praying for a second car. God is faithful!

I really, really, really promise... I'll try to post more often.

Jon for the McIvers

Ok, so I'm a lousy blogger...

But you can cut me some slack, right? I mean, in the past three weeks, I've flown halfway across the country, loaded a truck, driven back almost halfway, moved into a new house, started a new job, and taken up macrame. Ok, all but that last one are true, but it sounded good at the time.

Yes, the McIver's have arrived in Sierra Vista. If you would like our current address, just hit me up on email, jonmcivergmailcom, and I will hook you up! We're keeping our current cell numbers for a while- seems like everyone around here has a different area code cell number.

Thanks for all your prayers and support. Please keep praying as the kids start school in a week and a half, and as we get ministry rolling.

I'll try to be better about posting. I promise.

Jon for the McIver clan

On our way!

Hey folks!

If you haven't heard already, the McIver's are on our way! We have officially been given the green light to move ourselves to Ft. Huachuca!

Jon and Dad will fly to Nashville on Wednesday, load a truck, and hopefully arrive in Sierra Vista, AZ on Sunday. Janelle and Mom will drive the kids and dog on Sunday, hopefully arriving about the time Jon, Dad, and crew have the truck unloaded.

If you think about us, pray for:
-Safe travel for Jon & Dad
-Safe trip for Janelle, Mom, kids, & dog
-Plans to work out e.g. connections, load/unload, etc.
-Peace, rest, health for us all!

Thanks so much for everyone's support, prayers, and love!

Jon for the McIver Clan

Yay! Boo.

It seems like Good News always get followed by bad news.

Good News... we are a lot closer to our fundraising goal! We only need $440 monthly! We are making plans for a June 30th trip to Arizona!

bad news... Lucas has a spacer in his mouth where he had a tooth pulled last year. Or should I say HAD a spacer. It "fell" out today. If we were in TN, it would be easy- the dentist who put it in would just glue it in again. Since we're a few thousand miles away, it's not that easy- aparently most dentists won't touch another dentists appliance. So Luc gets a new spacer. Ugghh.

Good News... we have dental insurance!

God know what's going on.

Back "Home"

We're baaaaack!

We flew standby, and were able to get home in the afternoon. Pete L. picked us up from the airport, and after a short stop at Pick Up Stix, we made it back to the casa. After a short stop in Lancaster, we drove out to Victorville to get the kids.

It was a fun reunion in the morning. We really missed those pipsqueaks!

We will spend the next two weeks really focusing on fundraising. I have a few appointments this week, and hope to make more.

God really is our provider!

Prayer Request

If you are one of the faithful who actually checks this blog, then I feel confident that you will join me in praying for my dear wife.

She has a cold or something like it. She is a trooper, but I know she's worried about flying on Friday- her ears tend to bother her anyway and the added pressure won't help.

Thanks!

Too good not to pass on...

I believe the video speaks for itself:

Summer Institute

Hi from Indiana!

Accomodations: College Dorm (and yes, I did push the beds together)
Food: College Cafeteria Food
Sleep: Not enough
Brain: Full
Ideas: Lots
Relationships: Priceless

If you think of it, please pray for our youngest two. Luc announces repeatedly that "Mommy and Daddy always leave me" and Liam walks around with his head in his hands. It hurts our heart that they aren't taking the separation well. We are so thankful for Janelle's sisters standing in the gap for us while we are gone.

Ministry/Fundraising Update

1- I got the final stamp of approval from the chaplain at Ft. Huachuca. He wants us there by July 1st.

2- We are ONLY $900 short of our monthly goal! God has taken such good care of us this far, we're not even worried about it. (maybe apprehensive, but not worried) God has made a way before us in this whole process, and we are so excited to see what he will do in the next month.

3-We may already have a house to move into when we move- probably the nicest house we will have ever lived in.

GOD IS GOOD!

Indiana Jon

No, not the fourth movie in the series... Janelle and I are actually in Indiana. We are here for Youth For Christ's Summer Institute. We're excited to be here- it is the longest stretch that we have been away from the kids together. We are also looking forward to Janelle's introduction to the people I've been talking about for the past four months.

We have email/internet, and cell phone reception is decent so feel free to stay in touch! Text messages may help keep us awake in class. ;)

The Highs and Lows of Fundraising

I have to confess- I've experienced both elation and extreme disappointment regarding our fundraising in the past 24 hours.

They* say that when you are raising personal support, expect to be surprised by who supports you. I've found that to be true. People I thought I could definitely count on have said no. Some folks I've never met have pledged to support us on a monthly basis. Those "no's" sure sting and stick in your mind though.

On a positive note- God has provided for some pretty immediate, tangible needs. In amazing ways.

Why can't the amazing stuff stick out in my mind?

My humanity focuses on the rejection. I want my spirit to focus on God's faithfulness.

On another note- I'm flying to Ft. Huachuca, AZ on Friday to meet with the Chaplains there. It's basically the final step in placing us there to do ministry. I'm excited and just a little nervous.

For those that are wondering, we are about $1000/month from our fundraising goal. MCYM would like us at Huachuca by July 1st, but if my support isn't there we will have to push the timeline back.

If you've been praying, now you know how to pray specifically.

If you're already supporting us financially, thank you!

If you've been thinking about supporting us financially, now would be a great time to start! Give me a call and I'll get you started!

More later,

Jon for the McIver clan

A little housekeeping...

Ok, so I've not been the most consistent of bloggers lately. I've been on the road, but I won't use that as an excuse.

In the interest of economy, I will now update two items in one post:

Chuck Norris Fact o' The Week
-Chuck Norris can sneeze with his eyes open!

Liam Quote o' The Week
-Ak-to-wok-te-duct! (Pronounced pretty much as it sounds, his word for Aqueduct)

On the Road

I know my posting has been woefully inadequate (read: nonexistent) in the past few weeks.  I apologize sincerely to the dozen of you that faithfully check in on us.

Here's a summarized update of what's been going on:

-I spent a week in Colorado Springs getting some great training from MCYM

-We took a trip north to see friends/family/supporter

-It looks like we are heading to Ft. Huachuca, AZ

-The above move will only happen if we get our fundraising finished quickly

Through it all, God continues to show Himself faithful.  More to follow soon.  (I promise)

Jon for All

In Lieu of a Chuck Norris Fact...

First, I want to apologize for my lack of updates. I know that the dozen or so of you that check up on us regularly are sorely disappointed. If you check here daily, I suggest you instead bookmark the link to the right "Some People Call Me Mom." It is Janelle's blog, and is much more interesting than mine lately.

Second, I want to give a quick fundraising update... we are currently at 15% of our monthly fundraising goal! We have been blessed and humbled as we have watched the response cards come in. We've also talked to some of you, and are so grateful for your support. Thank you!

We can't move to "the field" (our assignment location) without being at 100% funded. We can't go without your support! Again, thank you for believing in us, and for taking the time to check in on us.

God is AWESOME!

He Knows

It's Janelle. I'm guest blogging again for Jon:

I had a less than stellar day this week.

My morning was terrible. By lunch time, if asked, I would have quite possibly announced it The.Worst.Day.Ever.

Then something happened.

My husband came home early. He held me. He told me how much he loved me.

Things just didn’t seem that bad anymore.

Then to top it all off, God showed up.

I’m not meaning He showed up, knocked on the door and had a seat in the living room. It was a little more subtle than that. He arrived by mail.

We received a card from a very sweet woman who happens to be a retired missionary. When she came off the field she came back to the small town that she had grown up in, and the very church she had attended all those years. When she came back the church gave her use of the parsonage. The same parsonage that we lived in all those years ago when we were there working with the youth.

I’m not going to quote the whole card, although she does make mention of her enjoyment of all the painting techniques I used in the house, just the part that made Jon and I bawl like babies.

Also, several years ago, a young man in uniform knocked on the door & was very disappointed not to see one of you open it. He said he gave you a bad time in the youth group, but had accepted Christ as his Savior since & had wanted to tell you “sorry” & share his joy in knowing the Jesus you told him about. Can’t recall his name (sorry) or even which branch of the service he was in. I think it was Navy.

(Pastor) mentioned in a recent prayer meeting that you are now working with Youth for Christ - is that right? May God use you daily there!

God knew that we needed to be reminded what this is all about.

My Only Hope is You

I love Bible Gateway. I did a search for "my hope is in the Lord" and this is the first 9 results. God is so good to us. I spend a lot of time "hoping" for things to work out a certain way... I tend to put my trust in everything but where it belongs. May I learn to lay all of my hopes at the feet of Jesus.

1. Psalm 33:18
   But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,
   
   
2. Psalm 33:20
   We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.
   
   
3. Psalm 39:7
   "But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.
   
   
4. Psalm 69:6
   May those who hope in you not be disgraced because of me, O Lord, the LORD Almighty; may those who seek you not be put to shame because of me, O God of Israel.
   
   
5. Psalm 130:7
   O Israel, put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love and with him is full redemption.
   
   
6. Psalm 131:3
   O Israel, put your hope in the LORD both now and forevermore.
   
   
7. Psalm 146:5
   Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God,
   
   
8. Jeremiah 14:22
   Do any of the worthless idols of the nations bring rain? Do the skies themselves send down showers? No, it is you, O LORD our God. Therefore our hope is in you, for you are the one who does all this.
   
9. Lamentations 3:25
   The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him;
   
   

Liam's Quote o' the Week

"I ate my booger... on accident."

Spiritual Heritage

In a conversation with my Dad, I recently learned something about my spiritual heritage... He told me that my Great Gramma and Great Grampa McIver were heavily involved in the building of Glendale Presbyterian Church. In Dad's words, "it was said that the McIver's had paid for the spires on the church building."

We were in the neighborhood this afternoon, so we took a slight detour. We found Glendale Presbyterian Church @ 125 Louise St.... where it's been since 1925.

We snapped a couple of pictures outside, including this one indicating the churches founding in 1922.















I noticed a "custodial and cleanliness technician"* emptying trash... I've never been one to shy away from a conversation with a stranger, so I approached him and asked if what was standing today was the original building. Harmon shook his head and said "No, that building was destroyed in the Sylmar Quake." (1971)

He then let me into the building to look at this picture of the original building... Notice the spires!














Harmon did say that the only remaining structure from that original building is the basement. He said the walls of the basement are three foot thick concrete. I guess there's something to be said for building on a solid foundation!




*Janitor

Chuck Norris Fact o' the Week

Chuck Norris has no "ctrl" button on his computer.
Chuck Norris is always in control.

Laying Carpet

I am currently laying 12x30 rolls of carpet into DCS's new Gymnastics Center.

It is heavy.

It makes me sneeze.

My shoulders are sore from lifting.

Other than that, it's a good day!

Prayer Request

I'm feeling anxious...
-I need to spend more time on fundraising.
-I want to figure out where we're going (we won't know our assignment until fundraising is a lot closer to 100%).
-I want to get on the field! I spent a day at DCHS subbing for my old math teacher. Being around High School students makes me want to be settled in on an installation doing ministry.
-I want to be moved before next school year so the kids can be settled in before school starts.


I know my God owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Psalm 50:10), and he knows who is going to support us financially already. I just need to trust him and be faithful to stay on task.

Fundraising Milestones!

We have something exciting to report!

Our first monthly gifts hit our account this past month!!! We're on our way. Fundraising is a pretty daunting task, so the affirmation of some positive movement in our account is encouraging.

Thank you so much to Dothan, AL and Broomfield, CO... you guys are a huge blessing in our life.

Chuck Norris Fact o' the Week

Chuck Norris destroyed the periodic table of elements, because he only recognizes the element of surprise.

Liam's Quote o' the Week

After all three siblings had been scolded for touching some nastiness on a railing at the Newport Beach Pier:

"I didn't do it."

My legs hurt

Okay, in the interest of total disclosure, I would like to publish a partial list of people who beat me in yesterday's 5K Run For a Reason:

-Man pushing double stroller (actually came in 4th)
-Woman pushing double stroller
-4 Junior High aged girls
-Numerous teenage boys
-My 13 yr. old nephew
-My 41 yr. old sister (I have permission to mention her age)


People I beat:
-Middle aged housewife (only because she stopped to use the porta-potty at mile 2)
-Old guy
-Little kids
-Walkers

Conclusions:
-It's time to dust off the running shoes
-I am getting old
-I need a nap

I'm just in it for the T-Shirt

If you didn't know, I (Jon) actually ran Cross Country all through High School- not the fastest on the team, but not the slowest. Actually, my best time for a three mile course was 18 minutes flat. That's six minute miles. Today I couldn't do that without the assistance of a Segway Scooter.

Nonetheless, I'm on my way to a 5K (that's three miles, people) race/run. It's called Run For A Reason and it's being sponsored by Grace Community Church. The proceeds go to benefit Blood:Water Mission. It's a great cause, check it out.

If I survive, I'll let you know how it went. If not... my will is in the lock box, wife!

Chuck Norris Fact o' the Week

Apple pays Chuck Norris 99 cents every time he listens to a song.

This too Shall Pass...

Post from my favorite guest blogger follows:

My Husband is Leaving Me.
Abandonment Issues.
I Will Survive.

All are alternative titles that I tried out for this post. After I decided to stop throwing crazy amounts of guilt at my husband I came up with the current title. This too shall pass.

Sometimes that is the hardest concept to own. The idea that - yeah this isn't going to be fun, but it will be okay and in the end we will be together again. That might sound melodramatic from a woman who's husband has deployed twice to Iraq and has dealt with the raising of 3 and 4 kids all by her lonesome. I'm living with 3 other adults for pity sake! I know I am so blessed and I know it will be alright.

I just like my husband. I like to be with him. I'm pretty sure he likes to be with me. The kids seem to like him too. Who knew?

He is also leaving for a good reason. He is heading back to Tennessee to help his Dad and Mom out (hi guys!). Jon's parents are working on the Clarksville house, getting it up to snuff to put on the market. Kind of cool that Jon's summer of construction work is going to be of use (again!). We are glad to share him but we will miss him and are in no way jealous. Really.

So for those of you in Tennessee and Kentucky:

Jon will be flying in this Wednesday and returning to us on Monday. If you want to get together with him leave a comment, send him an email or give him a call on his cell.

Desert Christian graduate falls in Iraq

BRAVE MAN FALLS - Pvt. George Delgado, 21, of Palmdale, who was killed in an Easter Sunday bombing in Iraq, is shown on a patrol in December.

U.S. Army

Pvt. George Delgado, 21, three more die in IED attack

This story appeared in the Antelope Valley Press
Friday, March 28, 2008.

By Valley Press staff and wire services

---

A Desert Christian High School graduate known for his sense of humor and zest for life was among four U.S. soldiers whose deaths in an Easter Sunday bombing pushed the American military death toll in Iraq to 4,000 men and women killed in action.

Pvt. George Delgado, 21, of Palmdale and three others died after a roadside bomb, known as an improvised explosive device, or IED, hit their vehicle about 10 p.m. Sunday as they patrolled in southern Baghdad, officials said.

At Desert Christian High, from which Delgado graduated in 2004 after spending his senior year there, Vice Principal Devin Thomas remembered him as a "friendly, outgoing young man who had zest for life - just a great personality and a great person."

Between graduation and going into the Army, Delgado returned several times to Desert Christian High to observe teachers at work in their classrooms because he was interested in becoming a teacher himself, Thomas said.

"He seemed to be so excited to go into the education field," the vice principal added.

High school friend Alysse Pernula said Delgado had an adventurous spirit and, overall, enjoyed Army life.

Delgado's family, who moved to Palmdale from San Diego in 2003, runs the Inka Kitchen restaurant in Palmdale.

"Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Pvt. George Delgado, who gave his life to defend freedom and protect the people of the United States," Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said in a statement issued by his office. "George served our country with honor, integrity and steadfast loyalty to his fellow soldiers. California has lost a true patriot. Maria and I send our sincerest condolences to his family during this difficult time."

Assemblywoman Sharon Runner, R-Lancaster, and state Sen. George Runner, R-Lancaster, issued the following statement on the death of Delgado, a resident of Palmdale.

"Our prayers go out to the family of Pvt. Delgado during this difficult time," Sharon Runner said. "The Antelope Valley lost a great American - a true patriot and protector of our freedom."

"Pvt. Delgado's courage to defend our country and commitment to further the cause of freedom is truly remarkable," George Runner said. "His service to our country will always be honored and never forgotten."

Killed with Delgado were Staff Sgt. Christopher M. Hake, 26; Pfc. Andrew J. Habsieger, 22; and Spc. Jose A. Rubio Hernandez, 24. The four were assigned to the 4th Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat team, 3rd Infantry Division, based out of Fort Stewart, Ga.

A fifth soldier was injured in the attack, military officials said.

Three more American soldiers were killed Wednesday, bringing the total to 4,003, officials said.

I'm not sure why, but I've been dealing with memories and even what you might call flashbacks in the last month or so. This story hit me hard for some reason.

Pray for the Delgado family.

One of my favorite pics!

This is one of my favorite Army pics... in full "battle rattle" but not in uniform. That's what happens when you roll with the cool guys.

Chuck Norris Fact o' the Week

If you have $5 and Chuck Norris has $5, Chuck Norris has more money than you!

My Hero

My Dad is my hero-

We left mom & dad in Kentucky, and hope they will forgive us for it someday. ;)

I miss working on the house with my pops.

Scary Night

Liam kept us up literally all night... he woke up at midnight last night and couldn't breathe. I was pretty close to taking him to the emergency room, but he finally started responding to breathing treatments.

It was no fun.

He is very perky right now.

I'm going to work a tired man.

That is all.

Smoking

Got your attention, didn't we?!?

First, this has nothing to do with tobacco.

Second, Jon has found a new way to make deliciousness whilst cooking out of doors.

We spent the weekend with Janelle's sister and family in Victorville.  We went to church last night, so Jon had all morning to create our Easter Dinner.  Smoked Tri Tip is the new favorite recipe.  We should have taken a picture, because the meat had that "pink smoke ring" that happens when you smoke meat at a low temp for a long period of time.

It was good.

We'll do it again... maybe at your house!

Liam's Quote o' the Week

In reference to his cousin:

"That Ellie-baby... she's a sweet one!"

Chuck Norris Fun Fact o' the Week

If you can see Chuck Norris, he can see you.

If you can't see Chuck Norris, you may be only seconds away from DEATH!

A few changes...

I'm making a few changes to The McIver Family Adventure.  

1- I am removing the requirement that you have a blogger account to make comments.  I can just delete your comment if I don't like it, but at least you don't have to sign in to make one.  

(This may or may not be a hint that I like comments)

2- I will be adding a few features, for example:

"Chuck Norris Fun Fact o' the Week"

"Liam's quote o' the Week"

"Fundraising Accomplishment o' the Week"

Happy Reading!

What makes Jon drool?

How about these three beauties?

The guys from MGS Custom Bikes were in Pick Up Stix, where we had dinner tonight. These three bikes were parked outside. The orange one is my favie.

So why weren't we in "church" this weekend?

Another post by my favorite guest blogger:

Jon and I were given a chance to get away for the weekend. For the cost of gas. How awesome is that? It was a couples retreat down in the O.C. We had a picnic on the beach, stayed at a very nice hotel and had some fabulous food.
We also got to sleep in a real bed in our very own room! I will repeat myself - how awesome is that?
We also got a chance to have a good time hanging out with my sister and her husband and the cutest baby niece you would ever set eyes on. I’m allowed to say that because the next youngest niece is 5 - very much not a baby!
Jeff and Eugenie Lilley from Hume Lake Christian Camps spoke to about 40 couples about becoming subversive romantics. Making our marriage a light in a dark world.
We also had music led by Timothy James Meaney. I wish I could come up with a better descriptive word but… awesome, amazing, wonderful, worshipful, just great. He and his wife are the genuine thing. They were fun to be around and I think Jon and I were blessed just getting to hang out around them.
It was definitely what we needed. We were encouraged and refreshed. We were reminded of how much we love each other and how great our marriage really is.
(I guess all those accusations of acting like teenagers weren’t that far off.)
Posted by Janelle on March 17th, 2008



For the record: we had church all weekend. It was awesome!
-Jon

Coming Clean

Ok, I get the hint: don't be so vague when it comes to "needs" or "prayer requests."

God has provided pretty incredibly for us since we've started this journey.

One of the needs was a bill that needed to be paid, and God provided the money to pay for it.

The other need was transportation. I really felt that it was important to have a more economical car for me to drive to work/appointments in. Last week I got a call to tell me that a car had been donated to Grace Chapel, and that they are willing to let me drive it for as long as we are here.

Also of note- we had a pretty substantial gift sent to our support account! It begins!

God Answers Prayer

I know it's easy to be trite about God answering prayer, but He has provided for us beyond belief.

I got a call yesterday... that second need I had mentioned is taken care of. God is so good!!!!

So what's the point?

Club Beyond(Youth for Christ Military Youth Ministry) exists to celebrate life with military teens, introduce them to the life giver, and help them become like Him.

One met, one to go.

God takes care of us. One of the needs was met over the weekend. The other one may take a little more time, but God is in control!

Trying to be like William Carey

We have two pretty significant needs, and no human way to meet them.

Walking by faith and not by sight isn't easy.

I know My God owns the cattle on a thousand hills, and He's never let us down.

Psalm 40
For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.
1 I waited patiently for the LORD;
he turned to me and heard my cry.
2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.
3 He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear
and put their trust in the LORD.
4 Blessed is the man
who makes the LORD his trust,
who does not look to the proud,
to those who turn aside to false gods. [a]
5 Many, O LORD my God,
are the wonders you have done.
The things you planned for us
no one can recount to you;
were I to speak and tell of them,
they would be too many to declare.
6 Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
but my ears you have pierced [b] , [c] ;
burnt offerings and sin offerings
you did not require.
7 Then I said, "Here I am, I have come—
it is written about me in the scroll. [d]
8 I desire to do your will, O my God;
your law is within my heart."
9 I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly;
I do not seal my lips,
as you know, O LORD.
10 I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;
I speak of your faithfulness and salvation.
I do not conceal your love and your truth
from the great assembly.
11 Do not withhold your mercy from me, O LORD;
may your love and your truth always protect me.
12 For troubles without number surround me;
my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see.
They are more than the hairs of my head,
and my heart fails within me.
13 Be pleased, O LORD, to save me;
O LORD, come quickly to help me.
14 May all who seek to take my life
be put to shame and confusion;
may all who desire my ruin
be turned back in disgrace.
15 May those who say to me, "Aha! Aha!"
be appalled at their own shame.
16 But may all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who love your salvation always say,
"The LORD be exalted!"
17 Yet I am poor and needy;
may the Lord think of me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
O my God, do not delay.

A day at DCHS

I was a substitute at DCHS today. I had already committed to sub for Mrs. Stewart before I started with the Maintenance crew, so I followed through. It was fun to be back on that campus.

Let me start by saying this: some things never change. Kids are still kids. DCHS is still "producing" some of the great future Christian leaders of their generation. It was fun to be around a great group of kids.

If you are a DCHS alum and reading this, check it out- no more dress code! They went to uniform polos, and can wear jeans and flip flops. I guess that is still technically a dress code, but it's not like the old days. I actually took off my tie halfway through the day.

Back to jeans & a t-shirt tomorrow- we paint the new gym!

Progress

First support letters actually went in the mail today. If you don't have one by the end of the week and you are reading this blog, it is because I don't have your address. Email it to me.

I also approached someone about being my accountability partner here in Lancaster. I am hoping and praying that he agrees.

On a personal note... we took Liam to the Dr. today as he has been wheezing, congested, and running a temp. He has a double ear infection. We got meds plus a new nebulizer to do breathing treatments. Insurance is awesome! It was a great feeling, even with the slightly higher copays.

Two rants...

First-
I feel like the last month has been so focused on packing/moving/driving/getting settled. I haven't really had any time or energy to devote to raising support. I have made some good connections with people I haven't seen in a while. I also finally addressed our support letters (only ten days later than I would have liked) which will go in the mail tomorrow. This weekend I will be sitting down and making a more concrete plan about how to make contacts and set up appointments. If you are in the Southern California area, plan on getting a phone call from me sometime in the next few weeks.


Second-
We need a set of wheels for me to drive. I need something to get me to work and around town, preferably with decent gas mileage. If we were able to find a loaner car to use for the next few months, that would be ideal. Here's the problem: I've got the motorcycle bug again. I'm trying to figure out if I should feel guilty for praying for $700 for this. If you know me, you know how I like to rationalize and manipulate data in my head. Gas mileage and cheap insurance are the main pros I come up with. (Not to mention riding around So Cal in the spring on a cool old bike.) It's all hypothetical at this point anyway.

On a different note- I played in the dirt at work all week. We removed sod, moved sprinklers, fixed a water main. I got to use the trencher all day today. Good times.

First Day on the Job

I dug a hole.
I put a pipe in it.
I filled the hole up.
I got a sunburn.

It was a good day!

Guest Blogger

Ok folks, we have a guest blogger today: my wife. She posted this on her personal (read:not gonna share the link here) blog. I have her permission to repost this here though...

I'm kind of letting Jon's blog cover the deeper aspects of our lives right now, but I really wanted to share with you all how amazing it's been since we made the final decision to move out to California for a few months.

First I need to preface this by sharing with you that for the last year+ every time we tried to make something happen it has fizzled. It was easy for me to feel like God had let me down and had forgotten us. Especially when in the past whenever we tried to make things move everything would just fall into place. Life wasn't perfect, but somehow if there was a need it would be covered.

I'm sure if you paid much attention the first sentence in that last paragraph you might have noticed that I said "every time we tried". That is where the problem was. We were trying to make things happen. We were trying to plan out how we wanted to live life. We were running in the opposite direction of where God wanted us.

Once we let go and told God we would follow him where ever he wanted us - things just fell into place. In the week we've been here we have: reconnected with some great friends, Jon got a job, Jon got office space to work out of... the list goes on and on... and on top of all of that we just found out that our insurance through work will kick in by next Saturday.

Health Insurance.

Let's just say that again. Health. Insurance.

I cannot begin to express what a blessing that is. We have been without insurance since about this summer. We have also had a few medical crisis since then. When you have 2/4 of your kids with medical issues - the weight of not having coverage is extreme.

We are blessed.

Posted by Janelle

DCS Auction

Janelle and I went to the DCS Auction last night. In DCS terms, it is the biggest fundraiser of the year. This was the 19th annual auction. It was a great time to see people and share a little bit about what we're doing. Janelle calls it schmoozing. I call it networking. Whatever it is, we had a good time.

It has been fun to see the look on peoples faces- the look that says: "I know that's Jon McIver, but he's in Iraq or Tennessee.... he shouldn't be here!" A few people recognized me, but struggled to place the name. I guess I look a lot different than I did a few years ago.

I also had fun messing with the DCHS football players. They were walking around selling brownies, cookies, soda, etc. Instead of just buying from them, I asked them DCHS history/trivia questions before I would buy from them. I think I entertained the whole table as they watched the boys scramble to find the answer from some of the "old guard" staff of DCS.

It's good to know that some things never change. Dale, Dean, Glenn, Ramah Lee, Heather, Dave, Devon, Patti, Beth, Cecil... praise God for your long term ministry at DCS!

Jehovah Jireh!

Jehovah Jireh means "God Provides."

In the past 24 hours, God has:
-blessed me with a new job with benefits. (I'm gonna be a blue shirt!)
-given me access to an office, computer, printer, place to think/pray/work. (Thanks GC Lancaster!)
-provided two tickets to the DCS Auction. (Thanks Chris!)
-provided free printing for my support letters. (Thanks Sis!)

God is GOOD!

Current Support Letter

Here's the text from our current support letter, going in the mail this week!

Change isn’t just what you find in the cushions of your couch…

A Change of Direction

The McIver’s are about to embark on a new adventure! As you may know, my brother-in-law Rog works with an organization called Youth For Christ Military Youth Ministry. The organization works with military chaplains to provide a youth program for Junior High and High School students on military installations. Rog encouraged me to pursue a position as a Community Director with YFC/MYM. In January I spent 10 days in Colorado with YFC/MYM. I am very excited to share with you that Youth For Christ has extended an invitation to us to serve as Missionaries to Military Kids! (We said yes!) I feel uniquely equipped for this ministry, with five years of professional youth ministry experience and five years of military service.

A Change of Address

Since our roots are on the West Coast, we have decided to make a temporary move to California! We have packed up our house here in Clarksville and put everything in storage. We will leave on the 13^th of February, and make our way back to sunny (and windy!) Lancaster. We will be staying with Janelle’s sister Jessica and her family. I will be substitute teaching at my alma mater, Desert Christian School. We will enjoy being a part of our “home” church, Grace Chapel, for a couple of months. It will be great to be around the West-coast crew for a while!

A Change of Scenery

Our ministry over the next few months will be to share our heart and vision for these “third-culture” kids. We want to invite you to become a part of this ministry as well. In addition to our time in Lancaster, we will be making a number of trips throughout California, Oregon, and Washington. I will be contacting you personally sometime in the next three months. I would love to sit down with you and share my vision. I would also like to share some of our financial goals for this ministry.

How you can pray for us:

· For the kids and all the adjustments they will have to make.

· For Janelle as she teaches the kids at home.

· For safety as we travel about the country.

· For the Laird’s & McIver’s as we pack 12 bodies into one house.

Grace and Blessings,

Jon (For the McIver clan)

2+4+1=one crazy trip!

Two reasonably intelligent, sometimes mature adults.
Four exuberant, excited, always curious kids.
One old dog.

Add this all together in a 1998 GMC Suburban for a 2000 mile road trip, and what do you get?

-28 hours straight from Clarksville to Albuquerque
-Three trips to the pool
-A drive through Petrified National Forest and the Painted Desert
-A trip to The Grand Canyon (it's not just a hole in the ground)
-Lots of chewies and beef jerky
-397 stops because Liam had to "go badly"

And most importantly:
-ONE SAFE TRIP TO CALIFORNIA!

We are here, life is good. Clarksville Cell numbers still work.
Jon 931-542-8358

The McIver Family Adventure!!!

If you've been following the saga of the McIver family, you know the basic details of our life. If not, here's a quick recap:
-In January Jon went to Colorado to interview with Youth For Christ/Military Youth Ministry.
-YFC/MYM offered Jon a position as a Community Director with Military Community Youth Ministry.
-Jon and Janelle decided that he best place to raise support was on the West Coast.
-During the first two weeks of February we packed everything (almost) we own into a 12X12 storage unit.
-On February 13th, we left Clarksville, TN for Southern California.
-While in California, Jon will be subbing at Desert Christian.
-The kids are "doing school at home" with Janelle and Aunt Jessica.

So that's the basic rundown... trip details and support progress to follow in other posts!