Evee Marie...

Well, since we are absolutely terrible at keeping up with this blog it doesn't even show that we've actually had our little one...5 weeks ago! Yikes. I'm very sorry and would really like to keep up the blog so that friends and family around the globe can keep up a bit more.

Things are going well. Delivery had a bit of drama, but we are all doing really well with the adjustments (minus the lack of sleep and complete transition :)).

Evee Marie is our little one and she was born April 24th at 12:02 am. 7 lbs. 15 1/2 ounces and just about 21 inches.

We love her very much. I'll post some pictures...

Thanks for checking out our blog for anyone who still happens to check it from time to time thinking that perhaps we've finally posted something new.

Right after Evee was born

Clint, Evee, and I after we got cleaned up from delivery

Evee's first day at home

WE'RE PREGNANT!!!

Yup it's true... we're expecting to welcome a young Ussher into the world sometime next April (2007). We just had our first doctor appointment and ultrasound today. Everything went perfectly - we are 9 weeks along and got to see the little heartbeat going at like 160 bpm. Just so you know what you're looking at, the head is the upper left and you might be able to make out the arms right below that. Hope you can make it out!



We're really excited! Maybe now we'll post a little more consistently... (we'll see!)

Clint & Jamie.

Well - we're only 1 week away from our family vacation. We are getting really excited. Jamie and I leave next Thursday (5/25) for Los Angeles, CA where we will spend 3 days with Josh & Kari in Pasadena before the rest of the Jackson clan arrive on Saturday. We will all leave on Sunday to drive up to Yosemite National Park for 5 days of camping, hiking, hanging out and enjoying the scenery... GOOD TIMES 'eh?

Other than that, we are still incredibly busy and overwhelmed with all that is happening and yet to come this summer. I am only 4 weeks away from leaving for Bosnia with our team of students from Eagle - and be assured there is much left to do for that.

As far as thoughts... recently I have just been thinking a lot about gratitude. I think that being grateful and thankful is really far more spiritual than I have ever realized before. Obviously it is the natural precursor to praise, but I have not really reflected on how much living with a continual attitude of gratitude can influence life. Choices, mood, perspective on life, and so much more are easily affected when we are simply grateful. All of a sudden it seems that stress, worries and anxiety decreases somewhat - not to mention that it helps to remind me again and again just how dependant I am upon God.

As I try to grow and increase my attitude of gratitude, I realize and recognize over and over that if it weren't for God, my life would be totally different. Not only that, but I am reminded that there is really no way that I could have orchestrated and planned my life as I know it - so, it helps to right-size my concerns, worries, anxieties to keep them in perspective. Always grateful that God has been involved and "at work" in my life previously and remaining grateful that He is far from done "working" on me yet...

Clint.

So, I've been harrassed long enough and I guess it's now time to explain the extended absence from the BLOG (and update everyone on how it's going "living at home & away")!

Let's start with the update:
We have both been rather busy recently (mnostly with work) - which bothers us! Those of you who know us well, know how committed we are to living simply and at a healthy "pace" of life. Well, unfortunately we have fallen into a groove recently that has removed much of the margin that we worked so hard to create during the 2nd half of '05. We are currently working hard to re-establish healthy boundaries and margin...

Jamie is doing well and still enjoying her job as a "Family Support Specialist". Recently she has started taking classes on Tuesday nights that are going to prepare her to be a qualified Doula. For those of you (like me) who have no idea what that is - basically, a Doula is a "Birthing Coach" who supports, helps and coaches women through the childbirth process. For more detailed info and specifics check out: DOULA

I have been far more busy with the Church and ministry since the Christmas & New Years season. I am currently fully engaged preparing for a crazy summer of Student Ministry opportunities. Some of the highlights include: taking a trip with the graduating seniors during the first week of June; leading a team of 12 on a short-term mission trip to Bosnia-Herzegovina in June; planning, preparing and leading our summer camp - iGNITE in July; and preparing to mentor and strategically invest into a couple of interns coming to Eagle for the summer (1-2 in Student Ministry). I'm really excited about all of this stuff - but right now am kinda feeling the pressure and "weight" of all the admin & details that need to happen NOW in order for these experiences to be a WIN this summer.

Aside from all that, we bought a house in late January (pics to come soon!). That's about it in a nutshell... any questions? (j/k)

Now for the "explanation"...
There really isn't one! Well, that's not entirely true. I have been spending a lot of time thinking and reflecting upon how "healthy" this whole BLOG-world really is. Let me explain - I have found so many of the students that I lead involved heavily with online blogs, journals and especially myspace. I'm not necessarily saying that all this stuff is wrong or bad, I've just been questioning it because I find that people reveal so much stuff online (there seems to be little to no "boundaries" or "limits" to what people are willing to share).

Why is this a problem? Well, I think that (1) we don't consider just how "public" the whole online blogging, journaling, myspace is. (2) I have a problem with people being so extreme in the vulnerability with an online community of people whom they have little to no trust built (and often times barely know the other person). I have talked with enough students and young people to know that this goes on... they tell me how openly they chat with a certain friend online, but then when they see them in person (at school or wherever) they don't even talk to them. What's with that??? I don't fully understand it - but I think that there is something potentially harmful in developing such relationships... is it really helping us to become a better person???

Obviously there are safety risks also when it comes to revealing personal information online, but I don't want to dwell on that. I have been more bothered with trying to understand the value of these "synthetic" online relationships that develop so quickly. Maybe I'm just too old-school, but I think that there is something important and significant about the way that relationships develop in person. We don't just open up ALL areas of our lives to someone the very first time we have a conversation with them - we need to develop a sense of trust and acceptance first (knowing that we have found a "safe" person)... and I believe this can only happen over time. Spending time with someone - hanging out, chatting, whatever is where we begin to gain that sense of trust (or lack of trust) and as this begins to be established, then we arrive at a place where we are either more or less willing and comfortable to devulge more personal and confidential parts of who we are. Because of this, I wonder if we are actually hurting, even violating some basic principles of relationship when we immediately jump to complete transparency with someone online who we never intend to have a personal relationship with...

Then again, I could be wrong... Just some thoughts - for what they're worth!

Come back soon - and you WILL find a new post... I PROMISE! (and you can expect to find all of my deepest, most vulnerable confessions)
Clint.

HAIRCUT!!!

Here's some before and after shots of my latest haircut... Jamie's sister Joni did an amazing job...
I decided that it was time for me to "lose-some-weight" before summer hit... PEACE!



 

VICTOR!!!

Last night I had one of the most memorable experiences of my life...

As a musician and bass player, I don't know how I will ever be the same again...

I went to The Music Mill here in Indy to attend a concert... VICTOR WOOTEN is his name! For those who don't know, he was really launched and positioned as a bass player while playing with Bela Fleck & the Flecktones... This was an all-round amazing experience... The venue was sweet, the sound was possibly the BEST live-mix I've heard (a big deal when your Dad is an Audio Engineer), and the musicians were PHENOMENAL!!!

The show started out with Victor and his "Soul Circus" tour band (including Derico Watson on drums etc.) and then later concluded with the 5 Wooten Brothers all playing together - for the first time in almost 20 years. Regi, Roy, Rudy, Joseph and Victor Wooten... GOOD STUFF!!!

Finishing Well...

I have struggled for some time now with the idea that because I work and serve as a "pastor" and in ministry, I am responsible for having something to say... Some nugget of wisdom, advice, insight, encouragement, inspiration, motivation etc. Needless to say, this has not always "gone well"... Several (recent) situations come to mind that cause me to realize that I really had very little to offer someone in light of all that they were facing...

Sure, I found comfort in the fact that I'm young and don't have it all together yet, and that people maybe didn't even "expect" for me to have any concrete response for them etc. etc. etc. the list could continue... What I find interesting about all this is that it really didn't cause a change in the way that I felt - I still felt the pressure that I was supposed to be that source of wisdom, advice, etc. for people... Well, as I prayed about it more and more I sensed God telling me that I was missing the point! Right now, instead of seeking great insight for other people, I need to be developing integrity and character that can sustain a lifetime of ministering and serving people... I know that like me, you've probably heard this over and over again - but for whatever reason, it really hit home for me last week!

In light of my life, when the day comes that I breathe my last breath here on earth I want to have finished well... not talking about the ministry - rather the FAITH! Often when we in ministry talk about finishing well, we simply mean that we might avoid falling into "moral failure" of sorts (cheating, dishonesty, sexual immorality, stealing etc.)... Sadly, I see many people who have managed to avoid all these things and more and yet I would suggest failed to finish well. I am talking about how people wind up still as faithful servants and ministers to God yet underlying their ministry is a stream of bitterness, resentment, frustration and pain from years of passivity or whatever. I pray that my life might be marked by a Godly perspective that results in joy, passion, excitement and enthusiasm to love God more, love people more and love life more... no matter what phase/stage of life I am in! I think that a KEY to that is developing healthy boundaries and inner-life character that will guard and protect these things I treasure most...