by Aarron Pina | Jan 20, 2011 | Uncategorized
And, what’s next?
Every year, the most taxing time for me is around the end of the year, when we get into “walk, but trust mode”. It’s a time when we do a lot of letter writing, emailing, phone calling, and general fundraising activity that normally had one or both of us collapsed in a sweaty heap, exhausted, yet grateful for God’s provision. A little “regroup” time is always in order.
Thus, we try to start off each new year with a couple of “vacation days” [this term is used loosely in light of the recent snowstorm that had all four kids trapped in the house for 8 days with no school…], some sort of food fast, some form of media fast and/or “regroup” time. As an organization, it’s important to have checkpoints where we can… well, be checked on how closely we’re abiding in Christ, how well we’re staying on mission, and revisit the mission. What is it that God’s called us to? Are we on track with Him or have we gotten ahead or off the path?
For the past couple of weeks, we’ve been mulling that over, praying about it, and will be updating our website with a fresh look, clearer description, new resources, and links to our Facebook page, this
blog, Twitter, and a variety of other enhancements. It’s an exciting time for us at Seasons of Life.
With “That Day” growing in popularity [we’ve currently got about 4 performances either on the calendar or in the planning stages], we’re looking forward to greater exposure for the cause of Christ, the mission of discipleship, and expansion of our workload. We’re grateful for these new opportunities and invite you to pray for us and consider supporting us in your regular or periodic giving.
Aarron will continue discipling men this year, helping out at ONE TH1NG as a table leader and possibly even guest facilitator, and continue to manage and execute the project we know as “That Day“. Cristine has taken on a couple of new women in her discipleship, is currently leading a women’s small group for North Point Community Church, and continues to grow in her ministry to teenage girls through Free Chapel’s “The Blend“.
As a couple, we continue to keep our eyes open for couples that God sends our way for “couples discipleship”. Frankly, it’s an odd feeling when God does that to us – having only been married for just over three years, we often look at the Lord with a Moses look (you want me? I-i-i-i d-d-on’t speak so, w-w-well.). Yet, He constantly gives us opportunities to grow in our own marriage that just happen to coincide with places that the couple in question struggles with. So, we trust His judgment and just do our best to “be available” to Him as He calls.
Demand for the food ministry has continued to grow, so we invite you to support us in supplying food, clothing, and even financial support for several local families in need. Some of them just got their lights turned back on and are still behind. We’d like to help them keep their kids warm this winter, so please, take a trip over to our giving page and consider supporting our local families in need with a one time gift or make a note on your online transaction to that effect. As always, pray for them, too.
The questions we’re trying to get people to constantly meditate on this year are: “am I growing more dependent on God or more self-sufficient?” and “am I growing more sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit?” Of course, you know when you get something like that from God, He’ll immediately put you to the very same test. It’s what I call God’s “drink your own Kool-Aid guardrail for people who’d like to think they’re fully surrendered.”
As the Lord clears our evening schedule, we plan to dive in to leading a new DivorceCare group, whether at Free Chapel or North Point, we’re just excited to have dual availability as He may call us. It’s very hard to know that there are so many people out there in the midst of separation or divorce who don’t have access to real, live people to listen and point them back to scripture and the comfort, compassion, healing, and direction that only God can provide.
Please pray for them, wherever they are, that our hearts’ desire [that God would fully reconcile 5 divorcing couples this year], would be part of His will. Also, pray that we trust in Him and not our own personal agenda, that He would do the healing, restorative work through us in His power alone.
We always encourage you to follow along with our newsletter and Facebook and pray that you will support this mission as we do all that we cannot through the power of Him who can do exceedingly abundantly more than all we can ever ask or imagine through Christ Jesus.
in Christ,
Aarron Pina
Executive Director
by Aarron Pina | Jan 17, 2011 | Uncategorized
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| Jamie and Dad and the “Stubby Coach” race car |
LINK CORRECTION: the February newsletter link to part 2 of this series was incorrect. To see part 2, click
here.
This being the inaugural post of our Seasons of Life blog, I thought I’d keep it light. But, then, I thought about how many of you have been so kind to ask how we’re doing since the loss of my Dad just before Christmas. Thus, our first post is about a new season in our life, one without the presence of someone who wasn’t really physically present in our lives, but gave us a great present when he left: joy and peace. Enjoy. -AP
“I’m so sorry for your loss… So sorry for your loss… I’m sorry for your loss…” It went on and on. Family members I had forgotten existed or didn’t even recognize me passed through the line shaking hands, hugging us 8 brothers and sisters, even shedding tears or telling riotous stories that got us all laughing. “I’m sorry for your loss…sorry for your loss… sorry for your loss.”
But, what had I lost?
The call came in late on Tuesday night, December 14
th. “Dad’s taken a turn for the worse.”
Translation: the end is near – very,
very near. Bob Pina had suffered multiple heart attacks in his 40s and 50s, at least 7 strokes during his 50s, 60s, and 70s. Cumulatively, this meant at least two things: 1) if my dad could weather all that, I might be bulletproof. And, 2) vascular dementia for him. Vascular dementia is similar to Alzheimer’s in that the victim suffers a loss in cognitive function (reading/writing/word retrieval) and either periodic or gradual memory loss. Over the past 10 years
Dad’s been in and out of nursing homes and most recently moved from a hospital in Florida to a nursing home back home in Massachusetts where he spent the rest of his days.
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| Replacement hat for Dad’s Korean War Vet hat. |
Dad and I had a “lost and found” kind of relationship. I began losing him (to his job, an affair, and other extracurricular activities) around 6 or 7. He and mom divorced when I was about 10. I spun my wheels in my early teens trying to “find” a father/son relationship with him, gaining only inches overall. As an adult in college we’d find each other for a few hours here and there on the phone, but I was busy with school and he had already begun suffering health troubles. Sometimes, an open heart surgery would give us some forced conversation, but I never “found” what I was looking for. Again, I lost him, to “life as usual” and the busyness that was my 20s.
As his health began to decline, I discovered he was failing mentally and finding what I sought might be biologically impossible: he was no longer the same “Dad” and I was no longer a kid seeking to play some catch in the back yard. I was losing what little I thought was left of him and had better make the best of the time left.
In 2001, I came to salvation in Christ by faith alone. The list of debts Dad owed me had grown long: a “normal childhood”, a father/son picnic, scouting, self esteem, an apology I’d never get for him not “being there” at performances, games, and other events, an “I’m so proud of you, son”. But, now, saved by grace, I thought if Christ forgave me when I was yet His enemy, how could I not forgive the man who brought me into this world?
I carved out time and opportunity to have a handful of “I forgive you” conversations. Not only did it bring us together despite the hundreds of miles between us, I found great freedom and comfort knowing there was no longer a debt/debtor relationship between us. I had wiped that account clean. Deep breath. Exhale. “Found,” again, but slipping away mentally and showing physical signs of age. Lost, this time in stages.
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| Jamie, Jeremy, Aarron, Robbie, Lori, Shanua, & Karen |
Fast forward to the funeral I didn’t think I’d attend. My younger brother confirmed the news on December 15th, 2010 – after “winding down” for nearly a decade: “Dad died at 3:15 AM.” Our twins had been sick for several days, we were running on little sleep, funds were tight with Christmas ahead and I was busy manning our year end fundraising drive. A trip to Massachusetts just didn’t look feasible nor necessary. Having made peace with Dad and the loss that had been building over the years, I thought I’d buried my Dad a shovelful at a time with each fading neuron.
Somewhere in the midst of the long line of mourners and well-wishers, I caught a glimpse of my Uncle John, across the room. Just as I was about to give a sarcastic look to the next person shaking my hand and say “Lemme guess, ‘you’re sorry for my loss’? What do you know about my loss?!” I was hit with an epiphany – “I have no idea what it’s like to be in my 70s and lose a brother I’ve had for 70 years or more.”
Just when the cliché was becoming cliché, it dawned on me how specific this generalization really could be. I stepped out of the receiving line and went over to Uncle John, hugged him hard and said with more sincerity than I thought I had in me:
“I’m…
SO…
SORRY… for your loss… I’ve never lost a brother, just a dad. But, I’m so sorry for your loss.”
Suddenly, I saw everyone in the room with a new face: a brother, a dad, a grandfather, a dune-buggy racing buddy, a drinking buddy, a racing buddy, a cousin, an uncle – everyone lost someone in that room, it just happened he was my Dad. Lost… but peace and joy (at a funeral?!) I thought I’d already found was found anew, afresh, and in greater abundance.
Last year (2010), the truth of 2 Cor. 1.3-7 became a banner my wife and I carried around with grateful hearts as we followed our Lord and the calling He’d placed on our lives. The verse essentially talks about how God gives comfort to those who are afflicted not just so that they may receive comfort in and of itself. Rather, He comforts them so that they may have an inkling of understanding on how to comfort those experiencing the same affliction. My hope is that God consoled my Uncle John, Uncle Rufus, Uncle Kenny, Uncle Freddie, my Mom, Louise (Weezy) – Dad’s first wife, and the many others in that room through the overflow of comfort He poured out on me.
May you have an opportunity to minister to others not out of an empty cup of hypothesis, rather the overflow of a cup teeming with comfort akin to the suffering of those around you who need it. May your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. May you comfort those in any trouble with the comfort you yourself have received from Christ.
In it with you,
AP
