Derelict Theology

So, I’d heard that some women get strange cravings during their pregnancies: pickles and ice cream, certain types of sandwiches……etc….

Not here. Oh no. In our house, Erin only wants one thing: Chicken McNuggets.

So tonight, in a blinding rainstorm, I drive to pick up some of those tasty little fried nuggets of chicken (or maybe joy). If I die on one of these runs, it is to you, my 3 to 5 faithful blog readers, that I leave my Transformer collection.

Godspeed.

Surfing the internet can find the most ridiculous things, and here’s an example…

So I’m chilling at the ‘rents. It’s something everyone should do during the holidays, if they have the option. Not only do you get free food, but usually you get Christmas presents too! Erin and I arrived yesterday afternoon to my parents house and a metric ton of food prepared or waiting to be prepared. Already, we’ve eaten some amount of:

-lasagna
-garlic bread
-salad
-fried chocolate pie
-assorted chips
-bacon dip
-and lots of soda

Of course, that’s not healthy at all, but who cares? Christmas calories all count as 0 anyway. After dinner last night, we got our gifts, which were surprises, because they had already spent major bucks on us already (i.e. a Nintendo Wii and two games for me, and a huge Creative Memories scrapbook megakit for Erin. Both are veddy, veddy niiiiiiiiiiiccce.) So, last night, I got Yoshi’s Island DS for, what else, my DS. I also got a Lifesaver’s Sweet Storybook, which is an Estes Family tradition dating back to the Estes Vikings….who, instead of giving each other books filled with candy, gave each other books coated in the blood of their enemies. I guess you can see the similarities.

Erin got a nice baby book since we found out this past Monday that Isaac Soren Estes was indeed a boy! She also got some very delicious Ferrero Rocher chocolate bon bons that I plan to steal posthaste. Mostly, we’ve just sat around, watched movies (Barnyard and Talladega Nights), and ate, which has been wonderful. I have a small case of sore wrist from playing too much Wii (the Opera Browser came available for download today, so now I don’t even have to get on the computer to check my mail!), but that will see to itself. The best part really has been spending time with family, relaxing, and enjoying just being alive. Slowing down for Christmas and Thanksgiving really is one of my favorite times of the year.

If I don’t get to post until then, have a Merry Christmas!

…is to feel normal again. Monday night Erin and I decided to go a late showing of Eragon with some youth, and by the end of the movie I was feeling totally gross. My stomach hurt, I was weak, and I was very tired. I didn’t know what was wrong, so we stopped by Walmart by the theatre and got me some Rolaids, and I slept all the way home. That night, the contents of my stomach planned an emergency evacuation about 1:30 a.m., and again at 3:00 a.m. At first, we thought it was the hot dog I’d gotten at the theatre, but when I woke up Tuesday morning feeling just as bad, I knew it was more. It was the dreaded stomach virus that has been going around all the schools lately.

Guess I got it this weekend on Winter Retreat. Anyway…I’ve spent more time in bed than awake the last few days, spent more time in the bathroom than I care to count, and I’ve eaten the grand total of two poptars, an order of popcorn chicken from sonic, a piece of sausage cassarole, and a cocktail weiner. One. And I still feel like crap….we’re supposed to leave for my parent’s house tomorrow for christmas, but I don’t know that we’ll be leaving if I don’t feel better. Ugh. I hate being sick near the holidays.

Back from winter retreat. Weekend was fantastic. Dr.’s appointment today…

Houston, it’s a boy!

I feel like I’ve started a new road in my life, one where I’m looking out for myself a little more than I used to. It all started at the YS convention about three weeks ago, when I stopped to read a book I’d had on my shelf for a few weeks “What Matters Most: When Saying No is Better Than Saying Yes” by Doug Fields. The book is all about how saying “no” to things that come up in ministry is better than saying yes. I decided that with the baby on the way, and with stress at an all time high, maybe it was time to re-evaluate my role in our ministry and life in general.

The first way I put that into practice was to renew my commitment to a date night with Erin. So last week we started that again by going out to eat and going to see “Facing the Giants”. Tonight, we stayed in and rented “Over the Hedge” and ate some leftovers, and that was ok too. But, the inevitable phone call came.

Youth 1: Can we come over and play the Wii?

Me: Nope (cringe)….try again tomorrow.

Youth 1: Ok.

We were almost ready to star the movie, and the phone rang again.

Youth 2: Hey man, whatcha doin’?

Me: About to start date night with my beautiful wife….

Youth 2: Oh, that’s cool, I just wanted to see what you were doing.

Me: Ok, see ya later.

Saying “no” stinks sometimes, but we spent a nice relaxing evening at home and I really do feel relaxed. So, in a way, it’s better.

Another way I’ve decided to say no is to weigh and measure what I do as far as ministry stuff. I’ve asked my church for a sabbatical. Not a very long one, but the opportunity to take a month off in July of next year. That would give me a chance to rest a little after being at camp for two weeks in a row, and also enjoy some time with Erin and our baby before she goes back to work.

So, when is no better than yes? When it leaves more time, less stress, and it brings more time with the people I love.

Lately I’ve just felt empty when it comes to posting on here. Which is why I haven’t updated in awhile. Life lately has consisted of playing video games (Zelda on the Wii, yay!), working, and sleeping. I’m unusually tired lately, which bothers me, as does a nagging ache in my right knee which hurts so bad in the mornings that it can actually make my knee weak. I don’t even know what caused it.