Fun with Friends...Brice, Sandee, Riley (in our boat) and Karina

This was a fun afternoon in Golden Gate Park paddling around Stow Lake on a grey Sunday Afternoon this last weekend. Brice, Sandee, Riley and Karina were on their way back from a two week road trip to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons. They laid over for a whole week and worked and worked and worked. Between brother Jeff Yosh and the Hunts, our garage is cleaned out, and our home is in good shape. Sandee took the time to go through everything. Brother Jeff, rented a 12 yard dumpter and filled it to the brim. The rest of the stuff, we put out for free and it went. The recliner, couch, refridgerator and dryer and a bunch of other trash only cost 59.50. Brice and I were sweating it with 'only' 200 bucks in our pockets.

Brice walked with Devon and I on our regular walks. This has been a great source of encouragement and it helps get the day start off on the right foot. There is still much to consider and it is challenging to sit and be still and receive. Our souls need to receive His comfort. I sense that part of us is resistant to being comforted because we're upset and hurting. Please pray that we can be open to the Lord's ministry and comfort that can only come from Him.

Dev and I are going to take a mini-vacation to Mt.Lassen Volcanic Monument. This is somewhere that we've never been and we plan to hike around and fish a little but not much. It's more of a discovery and hang out vacation. We will be staying in Chester, Ca. The key amenity is a tv. It will help to also have a refer and a microwave.

Then when we return, Devon and i are going to attend the Craig's List non-profit boot camp @ Cal. I went last year and it was valuable and I want Devon to be exposed to the not for profit world. Craig's List does it so well. We use them at work for job postings almost exclusively.

Devon has started tutoring for Math with the aim of helping him to pass the Math portion of the California High School exit exam. One of our friends from church, Deanne suggested that one of her boys help Devon and her son Brendan is tutoring Devon for an hour each night. Devon doesn't complain and seems to enjoy it. One of his favorite sayings is pie plus pie equals more pie. You can be praying about his schooling for the fall. I need to make an appointment with the counselor to discuss his classes. He will be in high school full-time after being in home school half time last year and high school half time. I want him to enjoy high school. I want him to be able to go out for a sport, get a job and get his license. Currently, in my mind his schedule as it stands now precludes him from doing this. Please pray for wisdom here.

The Lord has been providing for us. The following are just a few ways.

1. A friend that I haven't spoken to in a long time shared about the loss that he encountered and how it affected he and his wife. He shared how he dealt with it and he and his wife did the grief work.
2. The teen grief support group in Palo Alto is on Tuesday nights which is Bible Study Fellowship next door in Palo Alto. I'm hoping that Devon can attend both.
3. Our friend Lisa invited us over for a barbeque tonight and a movie.
4. A friend came over and shared about how he has been dealing with the loss of health with his spouse and the impact that it has had on he and his family.
5. The meals that have been coming our way from the the community for the last 5-6 weeks. It happens that it is often enough that we don't have to cook much and not too frequent that we have to throw stuff away.
6. Hanging out with the fellas and having a movie night @ the Tuhoys
7. Brice joining us on our walk.
8. Kenji joining us for our walk and taking Devon to Popeye's.
9. The ongoing prayers and memories that come both through E-Mail and through the blog.

I was sharing with Devon the other day, that one of my biggest concerns is trying to the job of two people and realizing that I can't give to Devon what Gail gave to him. I don't want his life to be cheated, I want it to be better. I told him that both he and I will have to step it up. We discussed that we need to write down what is important and agree what is important and make time for it. Last Sunday, Devon wrote down 32 things that are important while I attended the early service. I want to share what he wrote:

1. Do homework and turn it on time.
2. Feed the cats
3. Clean their litter box
4. Fill up their water
5. Make my bed
6. Take my medication
7. Do and go to my Bible Study Fellowship lessons.
8. Get good grades
9. To maintain a good relationship with God and follow Him and His calling
10. To organize my homework
11. To make sure I either have my lunch packed or have enough money for lunch
12. To be able to have all my school supplies before school starts
13. To work hard and hopefully pass the Math exit exam
14. To honor my Mom's memory by doing what she would love to see us doing
15. Be leading more of my friends to Christ
16. To be able to keep open house.
17. To become more active in my small group
18. To become cool-tempered
19. To grow deeper in my faith
20. To honor God adn his commandments
21. TO grow closer to God
22. To stay in shape
23. To be an active member in the church
24. To be able to go from ground zero to ground 10
25. To be able to impact people's lives
26. To spend more time with the things that are important
27. To be able to open my heart to new ideas
28. To be able to stay strong for my loved ones
29. To be able to honor my Dad.

I will share how we are doing.

Love,

Jon and Devon