Archive for March, 2007

Women-to-Women Meeting

Wednesday, March 28th, 2007

post by Shelly

Kristi is putting together the April Women-to-Women meeting we will be having at CCLM. She asked if I could do worship. I find it difficult to lead worship on my own because of the fact that I do not play an instrument. I did lead one other time for Women-to-Women, but found it a little daunting.

Anyway, I was talking to Kristi about it and stating that I wanted to have someone sing with me, but I wasn’t sure who I should ask. The biggest problem for me is that most of the women I know that attend the Women-to-Women meetings and have helped with worship (at least those still at CCLM) are lower voices – like me. I felt that I needed to find someone with a strong voice that could sing soprano while I sing the harmony that I have gotten used to. I thought of Dana Force who is new to our church but has been in worship at other churches. So in my brainstorming with Kristi, I mentioned Dana but wasn’t sure if I should ask. Kristi said she’d pray that Dana would come up to me and talk to me which would give me the opening to ask about Women-to-Women.

Well, the next evening at church Dana and I started talking. I asked about the Women-to-Women and she said she’d pray about it. But she also mentioned that she plays keyboards a little bit – enough to get us singing on the right key and offering a simple instrumental backing. I was excited, so I prayed and waited for her to get back to me. The next week Dana said that she would help. So now comes the hard part of choosing songs, getting together and practicing – when we both have such limited schedules.

But I’m excited about the fact that God answered Kristi’s prayer and brought Dana into my path so I could talk to her – and so quickly, too. Now, keep both Dana and I in prayer that we can lead worship and it will be a time where the women can worship with us and God can enjoy it.

Management changes

Wednesday, March 28th, 2007

posted by Shelly

Well, today was a little shocking for me. I was informed that my manager has taken another position within Unitek. I had been relying on this manager to be able to pull the strings to get me a position within 3M Unitek in Italy because he relocated from England to the U.S. – so I thought that he would understand the process and be able to complete the transfer. Since he is no longer my manager, he will not have the same influence that he did; although, when I talked to him after the announcement, he indicated that it was all in the hands of his manager – who is located in St. Paul.

I also talked to the new IT Manager since she had been made aware of my desire to move to Italy. I have worked for her in the past, so I felt comfortable talking to her. She stated she will talk to the manager in St. Paul and see what is happening.

Something that I learned today – put your trust in God and not people. I had thought that God was going to use my old manager to pull the strings – so all my hope had been placed in this man and not God. I didn’t even realize how much trust I was placing in man – until the announcement was made and I became really depressed thinking that all is lost. But, while holding back tears, I started thinking and praying and realizing that I need to trust God.

It is going to be a difficult proposition to have my company transfer me to Italy because I don’t speak the language (yet) and the center of business in Europe is in Germany and not Italy. So to get approval to be located in Italy will be a miracle – even though there is a large 3M facility in Milan. I may actually need to apply to a position within 3M Italy rather than transfer my existing job (which is what I want to do) – but, since I don’t speak the language, it will be difficult to get an approval on any position. Continue to pray for my job transfer.

Pray for money…..

Friday, March 23rd, 2007

Posted by Dave
As a freelance artist, It happens every once in a while that I get stretched pretty bad, especially when working on larger projects. I will spend a month doing the work, wait another month or two to get paid, and in the meantime, go nuts, er…… I mean trust God faithfully, that the nightmare will be over quickly. Well, now is one of those times. Given that taxes are coming up, as well as a trip to Italy, this is a……. uh… “less than ideal” time to poor. [As if there is ever a good time to be poor!]
At any rate, pray for money.
I mean for me.            
I know I am ; )

Another piece of the puzzle

Friday, March 23rd, 2007

Posted by Dave 

Mom called yesterday and said that my Grandfathers death certificate arrived. It took roughly 2 and a half months for it to get here. I haven’t seen it yet, so who knows what surprises await me. 

The mystery of my grandfathers actual birthdate is deepening. The Birth cert from Italy said 4 November, but everything here says 13 November. My mom found a couple of old papers, including his original passport when he came over from Italy, that said his birthday was 4 November. She remembers him being unsure as to whether it was the 4th or the 13th. He apparently chose the 13th to remember it, because once here, that is what he gave as his birthday. 

My next move is to go back to the consulate with a complete list of discrepancies and get the consulate officers opinion as to what needs to be amended. If they want it changed, then I’ll go through the trouble, but if they are OK with it, then all the better. 

Decided something else…..

Tuesday, March 20th, 2007

Posted by Dave 

I’m not going to try and get the birth cert amended, I’m just going to get the typo corrected. The discrepancy is very minor and not worth the effort. I sent it off today and it will probably take a month or so to get it back with the apostille. 

Still haven’t decided what to do about the death cert. I may try and get it fixed because I will have the certified copy of the original just in case they don’t get it to me in time. 

 

Ho deciso di non provare di emendare il certificato di nascita. Vorrei averlo cambiato solo il refuso. E mica grande l’errore e credo che non valga la pena. L’ho rimandato oggi ed immagino che volerà forse un mese a tornare con l’apostille. 

Non ho ancora deciso cosa da fare nel caso del certificato della morte. Può darsi che proverò di emendarlo perché avrò l’originale di usare se l’emendazione non tornerà fra ora e l’appuntamento. 

I guess it was too easy……

Tuesday, March 13th, 2007

Posted by Dave 

Got the docs yesterday and found that Michigan forgot to put the apostille on mom’s amended birth cert. I called them and they said no problem, just send it back and they would take care of it. 

Then I noticed that the info on the amended cert had been copied wrong and my grandfather’s age was listed as 23 rather than the 33 on the original. Again no problem, just note what is wrong and they’ll fix it. 

Then I realized that the 33 on the original was wrong! He was only 32 at the time. Probably, the European date format is the culprit. They note the dates in the date/month/year format. So when nonno gave his birth date, he probably wrote it as 4/11/1898 which would have been understood as April 11 here, rather than November 4. The clerk writing the Birth cert thought his birthday was past and listed his age as 33. 

To get that changed, I’ll have to send another 2 pieces of evidence. I have his birth cert for the first, but when I checked the death cert there is ANOTHER date November 13, listed as his birth date. So now I will need to get that changed by the state of California. I need to request a special form from the state, pay money and provide them with a couple of docs for evidence and then 8-9 months later, I’ll get a new cert. 

I have roughly one year before my appointment with the consulate, so I’d better get moving on this stuff. Michigan takes about 6-8 weeks to change things. California takes 8 months. Sheesh. 

The other option is to just note all the discrepancies for the consulate and maybe they will let them go. I don’t know if I want to try that or not. I think that if I have the time, I’ll go ahead and just pay the moolah and hope the amended docs show up on time. If they don’t, then it’s on to plan B: note the discrepancies and pray for the best. 

Kristi’s passport came in

Tuesday, March 13th, 2007

posted by Dave 

Got word that Kristi’s passport arrived last friday. Today’s LA Times ran an article about how there is a big crush on passports right now. It normally takes around 6 weeks, but is now taking about 10. Apparently there is usually a big rush for passports early in the year for people trying to finalize summer travel plans. That coupled with new passport requirements for a lot of North American destinations where passports weren’t previously required has upped the demand significantly.

Thank God she got this done early and she has her passport in hand.

One more/un altro…..

Wednesday, March 7th, 2007

Posted by Dave
Just got word that my mom’s birth cert with apostille arrived at her place in San Diego. She will be sending them up here to me tomorrow, so I should be getting them by Friday/Saturday. I am still waiting for my original birth cert and my grandfathers death cert. But with these 4 documents in hand I am fairly close to having all the documents I need. In fact, though I am waiting for another copy of my grandfathers death cert, my mom actually has one at her place already. So if need be, I could use that one. And I may not need the original birth cert since the adoption cert and decrees already have all the info I need. Then just need to pick up copies of my sons birth certs and I have all of them.

Ho appena ricevuto notizie che il certificato di nascita di mamma col apostille è arrivato a casa sua oggi. Lei meli manderà domani, poi li devo avere in mano venerdì/sabato. Sempre aspetto il mio certificato originale di nascita, il quale non è ancora arrivato ancora dallo stato, e il certificato di morte del nonno. Ma con questi quattro documenti arrivati, sono quasi quasi arrivato al posto di averne tutti. Infatti, anche se aspetto una altra copia del atto di morte, mamma ne ha uno e se ho bisogno, posso usare quello. Inoltre, sarebbe possibile che posso andare avanti senza il mio certificato originale dato che l’informazione necessaria è già inclusa nel certificato del adozione. Allora forse non ne avrei bisogno. Poi ottenere copie dei certificati dei miei figli e…… tutto a posto.

Daryl and Kayo Record

Monday, March 5th, 2007

Well, last night we had Daryl and his wife Kayo at the church for a potluck/fellowship/communion.  I was totally blessed to the point of tears while I was listening.

First thing I saw from Daryl was his organization and preparation in his powerpoint, not the powerpoint itself, but what each point was and how to deal with it and how much work went into it.  I guess what I am trying to say is, he is well prepared in the administrative aspect.  However, we are as well. And I don’t mean that pridefully, but Dave and Shelly are very prepared with the gift of administration and I would like to believe that God has blessed me with it as well.

But, what really brought me to tears is when he went to John 15:13 where Jesus says “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.”  Daryl’s heart for the people of Cambodia is really John 15:13.  He really loves them to the point of laying down all of his comforts here in the United States as well as, if need be, to lay down his life in death.  

I believe that Dave, Shelly, Kristi and myself have that heart for those in Milano, Italy.  Would you please pray that God would give us such a burden for His people in Milano that we would have the heart as Peter and John in Acts 4 where Peter said to the council, for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

Pastor Ronnie