Well the Countdown is in FULL swing... Only 8 days left before Clint starts back into the crazy schedule of balancing school and ministry... so, we are headed to Michigan tonight (Sunday PM) to spend the next three days with Jamie's parents & sisters! The main agenda is some R & R!!! Perhaps some Golf, Water Skiing/Wake Boarding etc...
This week Jamie took another CLEP test and gained another 6 credits toward her degree, which means that she only needs to take one more "elective" class this semester to finish! So, she is taking a class in Sign Language and is LOVING it... this is something that she has always wanted to learn! Anyway, classes began for her this past week and she was shocked to discover that her instructor is deaf - so, she has no choice other learn how to communicate using Sign Language! A good challenge!
Other than that, our biggest news from this past week came from Australia... (no, not the Olympics this time...) Clint's brother Jeff Ussher called us REALLY early on Thursday morning to let us know that he'd just gotten ENGAGED!!! So, we are so excited for Jeff & Sharee - CONGRATULATIONS!!! We really wish we could be there to celebrate with you...
Added to this we were surprised by a phone call on Friday from Janessa Horne which was really great to just connect and hear some updated news from some of our family and friends back in Australia!!! So - here's a special "shout out" to everyone over there... WE MISS YOU ALL!!! It's at times like these (engagements, b'days, etc.) that it is really hard to be away from those we love...
Be Blessed this week!
Clint & Jamie
Sunday, August 29, 2004
Monday, August 23, 2004
Home, Church, Work, School...
Well - life keeps going for us. The last two weeks have been filled with activity... here's the overview:
:: AT HOME - we finished painting our living room and bedroom several weeks ago, but haven't really been home much to enjoy it... Anytime we have been home, the OLYMPICS can be found showing either on the TV or the computer (online) trying to keep up with the latest Aussie action over in Athens. It really is an experience to be in another country for the Olympics... you get their bias throughout the media, so the only time we see the Aussies is when they beat the USA! You can be assured that Clint screams, hollers and shouts EVERY time that they do! The only sad thing for Clint is that he has been over here (in the US) for the last 2 olympics - 2000 in Sydney, and now this year... oh well!
:: AT CHURCH - things are going really well... we are preparing to welcome back our Senior Pastor (Kerry Bowman) from his 5 month sabbatical in about 3 weeks time - very excited! It'll be so great to have Kerry back with us! We are experiencing a really deep sense of anticipation and excitement this year as the school year gets underway - one that we haven't sensed in a long time... Please join with us in praying that God would really build His Kingdom through Eagle Church and that would be found faithful to the task He has called us to do here on the N/W side of Indianapolis!
:: AT WORK - Jamie continues to enjoy her job at Maggiano's - she loves being a server & the opportunity to be constantly working with people! She is building some really great relationships - and we believe that God has placed her there for a reason, so please join with us in praying that God would use her to challenge and impact lives for eternity...
:: AT SCHOOL - well, we are counting down the days before Clint starts back for his final year at IWU... Classes start on Tues, Sept. 7 - please be praying specifically for Clint over these next 3 months as he navigates a full school load (in Marion, IN) while leading a ministry team into this next season of growth and development (in Indianapolis, IN) and living in Indianapolis as opposed to Marion for the next year... Needless to say, these next 3 months are going to be TOUGH!
Jamie will also be taking a couple of classes this semester because testing out of one of her classes (CLEP test) did not go as planned... Jamie petitioned to IWU asking them to allow her to finish out the credits necessary for her graduation at a local university here in Indianapolis... This was a long-shot and we weren't expecting much, but they DID APPROVE IT! So, the last part of this week Jamie was downtown getting enrolled and registering for classes etc. This is a HUGE deal for us as it means that only Clint will have to drive to Marion for school... not both of us!
Well, I think that about sums it up... Thanks for keeping in touch, and please know that your prayers are invaluable to us! We'd love to hear back from you too... let us know how we can be praying for you and your family... You can contact us at the details listed above (at the top of this BLOG).
We love you all!
Clint & Jamie
:: AT HOME - we finished painting our living room and bedroom several weeks ago, but haven't really been home much to enjoy it... Anytime we have been home, the OLYMPICS can be found showing either on the TV or the computer (online) trying to keep up with the latest Aussie action over in Athens. It really is an experience to be in another country for the Olympics... you get their bias throughout the media, so the only time we see the Aussies is when they beat the USA! You can be assured that Clint screams, hollers and shouts EVERY time that they do! The only sad thing for Clint is that he has been over here (in the US) for the last 2 olympics - 2000 in Sydney, and now this year... oh well!
:: AT CHURCH - things are going really well... we are preparing to welcome back our Senior Pastor (Kerry Bowman) from his 5 month sabbatical in about 3 weeks time - very excited! It'll be so great to have Kerry back with us! We are experiencing a really deep sense of anticipation and excitement this year as the school year gets underway - one that we haven't sensed in a long time... Please join with us in praying that God would really build His Kingdom through Eagle Church and that would be found faithful to the task He has called us to do here on the N/W side of Indianapolis!
:: AT WORK - Jamie continues to enjoy her job at Maggiano's - she loves being a server & the opportunity to be constantly working with people! She is building some really great relationships - and we believe that God has placed her there for a reason, so please join with us in praying that God would use her to challenge and impact lives for eternity...
:: AT SCHOOL - well, we are counting down the days before Clint starts back for his final year at IWU... Classes start on Tues, Sept. 7 - please be praying specifically for Clint over these next 3 months as he navigates a full school load (in Marion, IN) while leading a ministry team into this next season of growth and development (in Indianapolis, IN) and living in Indianapolis as opposed to Marion for the next year... Needless to say, these next 3 months are going to be TOUGH!
Jamie will also be taking a couple of classes this semester because testing out of one of her classes (CLEP test) did not go as planned... Jamie petitioned to IWU asking them to allow her to finish out the credits necessary for her graduation at a local university here in Indianapolis... This was a long-shot and we weren't expecting much, but they DID APPROVE IT! So, the last part of this week Jamie was downtown getting enrolled and registering for classes etc. This is a HUGE deal for us as it means that only Clint will have to drive to Marion for school... not both of us!
Well, I think that about sums it up... Thanks for keeping in touch, and please know that your prayers are invaluable to us! We'd love to hear back from you too... let us know how we can be praying for you and your family... You can contact us at the details listed above (at the top of this BLOG).
We love you all!
Clint & Jamie
Wednesday, August 11, 2004
Good Times!
This week has been really busy, but a lot of fun at the same time... Last week we both just continued working through what seemed to be a relatively uneventful week - Jamie began her first regular shifts at Maggiano's after training, and Clint was preparing for our Student Ministry Adult Leaders Retreat (Fri PM - Sat.)...
We had an AMAZING weekend! The retreat went really well... God is really bringing unity, vision and motivation to our team - it is so FUN to serve alongside these people! Good Times! Other than that, Jamie's sister Julie came and spent the weekend with us... Good Times! We just hung out on Saturday night, went to Church Sunday and then after lunch and a short nap drove down to Louisville, Kentucky where we spent the night exploring the downtown area and stayed in a hotel! Good Times! Monday Morning we got up and drove about another hour to Holiday World which is a small amusement park in Southern Indiana - but it has a really cool waterpark which is where we spent the majority of our time... Good Times!
Unfortunately Jamie had to leave early to work on Monday night... Julie and I stayed and rode back with the Bak family (Worship & Arts pastor at Eagle...) who had also come down to meet us on Monday. Julie left on Tuesday afternoon to head back to MI, but just after she left Chris DeMarse showed up to hang out with us for a night... We went down to The Vogue Theatre in Broadripple, for a concert - Gavin DeGraw! Good Times!
So, all in all this has been a really great week with getting lots done at work as well as some necessary "fun" times - so refreshing! You can be praying for us this next week as we are facing the reality of school starting in only a matter of weeks for Clint, and that means that all the High Schools are starting up again after their summer break - so Student Ministry KICKS OFF once again! Good Times! We will also be attending the Willow Creek Leadership Summit as a staff team again this year... Good Times! So, you can be praying that it would be a really great time of inspiration, vision, and sensing God's leading for us as a Church body... Furthermore, Clint has the opportunity to meet with the Elder Board tonight to give a report on Student Ministry as well as update them on the coming year, how we are doing personally and our commitment to stay here at the Church for another 3 years - (till summer, 2007)! Good Times!
Well, that about sums up this week... Hope you all get some "Good Times" of refreshing, building, renewing activities amidst your busy schedules also...
Be Blessed,
Clint & Jamie
We had an AMAZING weekend! The retreat went really well... God is really bringing unity, vision and motivation to our team - it is so FUN to serve alongside these people! Good Times! Other than that, Jamie's sister Julie came and spent the weekend with us... Good Times! We just hung out on Saturday night, went to Church Sunday and then after lunch and a short nap drove down to Louisville, Kentucky where we spent the night exploring the downtown area and stayed in a hotel! Good Times! Monday Morning we got up and drove about another hour to Holiday World which is a small amusement park in Southern Indiana - but it has a really cool waterpark which is where we spent the majority of our time... Good Times!
Unfortunately Jamie had to leave early to work on Monday night... Julie and I stayed and rode back with the Bak family (Worship & Arts pastor at Eagle...) who had also come down to meet us on Monday. Julie left on Tuesday afternoon to head back to MI, but just after she left Chris DeMarse showed up to hang out with us for a night... We went down to The Vogue Theatre in Broadripple, for a concert - Gavin DeGraw! Good Times!
So, all in all this has been a really great week with getting lots done at work as well as some necessary "fun" times - so refreshing! You can be praying for us this next week as we are facing the reality of school starting in only a matter of weeks for Clint, and that means that all the High Schools are starting up again after their summer break - so Student Ministry KICKS OFF once again! Good Times! We will also be attending the Willow Creek Leadership Summit as a staff team again this year... Good Times! So, you can be praying that it would be a really great time of inspiration, vision, and sensing God's leading for us as a Church body... Furthermore, Clint has the opportunity to meet with the Elder Board tonight to give a report on Student Ministry as well as update them on the coming year, how we are doing personally and our commitment to stay here at the Church for another 3 years - (till summer, 2007)! Good Times!
Well, that about sums up this week... Hope you all get some "Good Times" of refreshing, building, renewing activities amidst your busy schedules also...
Be Blessed,
Clint & Jamie
Monday, August 02, 2004
A New Job...
Good Morning from Indianapolis! Well, the past couple of weeks have been absolutely insane for us... Jamie started training in a new job and Clint was gone all last week at IGNITE Youth Camp.
So, since our last post Jamie has quit her job at Applebees and is now finishing out her Training to become a server at Maggiano's - a really cool (and fairly expensive) Italian restaurant which is only about 10 minutes from where we live. We are both so excited about this job, as there is far greater potential for her to make more money than at Applebees and also we really feel like this is where God wants her to work. After only 4 days of training, meeting some of the other staff etc. Jamie came away with a deep burden for her co-workers who don't know God - even to the point of tears! She works alongside some really solid believers, but the majority of her co-workers are completely oblivious to God... and are caught up in anything you can imagine (homosexuality, drugs, alcohol abuse, etc.) Please join with us in praying that Jamie might be able to build some good friendships and relationships with people at work - that they don't just write her off as a "Christian", but rather that they would give her the chance to become their friend!
Clint had an incredible week at Camp last week (even though I am still recovering...) where we got to done TONS of really fun activities - everything from a waterslide, blob, karoake, rec. games, ultimate Frisbee etc. etc. etc. However the biggest highlight from camp was without a doubt witnessing 4 students make first time commitments to Christ, 24 students sensing a call into ministry, and countless more who re-committed their lives to Christ! Praise God! This camp was a HUGE success and we all had a BLAST!
We got home from camp on Friday evening (July 30) and Clint had another opportunity to preach on Sunday morning (Aug. 1) so he hasn't had much of a chance to recover until yesterday afternoon and today... He shared on Sunday morning a series of thoughts, ideas, questions, and concerns that he has been sensing God stirring in his own heart and life about our MISSION as followers of Christ... It seemed to go really well and we received a lot of really positive feedback - but the coolest part of it all was the way that God is stirring the same thing in both of our hearts! Clint came home from camp and began sharing some of his thoughts etc. which mirrored perfectly what God had been doing in Jamie's heart of the past week... SOOOO COOL! Anyway, this is getting kind of long, so if you are interested in hearing more about what we sense God teaching us recently - check back later this week for some updated thoughts etc. on that front.
Well, we love you all and miss you like CRAZY (esp. our Australian family and friends...) - can't wait to catch up with you again soon...
Be Blessed,
Clint & Jamie
So, since our last post Jamie has quit her job at Applebees and is now finishing out her Training to become a server at Maggiano's - a really cool (and fairly expensive) Italian restaurant which is only about 10 minutes from where we live. We are both so excited about this job, as there is far greater potential for her to make more money than at Applebees and also we really feel like this is where God wants her to work. After only 4 days of training, meeting some of the other staff etc. Jamie came away with a deep burden for her co-workers who don't know God - even to the point of tears! She works alongside some really solid believers, but the majority of her co-workers are completely oblivious to God... and are caught up in anything you can imagine (homosexuality, drugs, alcohol abuse, etc.) Please join with us in praying that Jamie might be able to build some good friendships and relationships with people at work - that they don't just write her off as a "Christian", but rather that they would give her the chance to become their friend!
Clint had an incredible week at Camp last week (even though I am still recovering...) where we got to done TONS of really fun activities - everything from a waterslide, blob, karoake, rec. games, ultimate Frisbee etc. etc. etc. However the biggest highlight from camp was without a doubt witnessing 4 students make first time commitments to Christ, 24 students sensing a call into ministry, and countless more who re-committed their lives to Christ! Praise God! This camp was a HUGE success and we all had a BLAST!
We got home from camp on Friday evening (July 30) and Clint had another opportunity to preach on Sunday morning (Aug. 1) so he hasn't had much of a chance to recover until yesterday afternoon and today... He shared on Sunday morning a series of thoughts, ideas, questions, and concerns that he has been sensing God stirring in his own heart and life about our MISSION as followers of Christ... It seemed to go really well and we received a lot of really positive feedback - but the coolest part of it all was the way that God is stirring the same thing in both of our hearts! Clint came home from camp and began sharing some of his thoughts etc. which mirrored perfectly what God had been doing in Jamie's heart of the past week... SOOOO COOL! Anyway, this is getting kind of long, so if you are interested in hearing more about what we sense God teaching us recently - check back later this week for some updated thoughts etc. on that front.
Well, we love you all and miss you like CRAZY (esp. our Australian family and friends...) - can't wait to catch up with you again soon...
Be Blessed,
Clint & Jamie