It's All Grace

a journey with the Thomason family

Late Summer Cold and Christmas Music

Well that didn’t take long. Last night I wrote that the family had all gotten sick, except for me. But today I was sneezing and sniffling the latter half of the day and I can feel my throat getting a little sore. When I told someone at the Josiah Venture office today that I was worried I may be getting sick, he said, “Well, it’s perfect weather for it.” He’s right. The weather hasn’t been much of a help as it’s been warm and cold, and often rainy. Today it was mostly foggy (photo above) and we saw the sun shine for just a bit around 3pm. It rained on and off throughout the day, but I guess it’s the kind of weather I would expect when we’re not feeling good.

Now don’t judge us, but we had McDonald’s for dinner. The Golden Arches are about twenty minutes from our place and I pass them every day when I go to Josiah Venture. Bethany texted me late in the day and said, “I have no energy…can we have McDonald’s?” She felt worse today than she did yesterday and so of course I said, “Sure.” I brought all the food back and we actually ate outside because I think we all just needed some fresh air and it wasn’t raining so we enjoyed that. Hey, sometimes a little American fast food can make you feel better!

For a week or so I’ve had on my calendar to pre-order a Christmas album that I’m really excited about it. It’s from Sovereign Grace Music (SGM) and it’s called “Prepare Him Room: Celebrating the Birth of Jesus in Song.” It reales on September 29 and it’s only $5 if you pre-order it today or tomorrow (9/15 – 9/16). SGM puts out wonderful music for the church and I’m sure this Christmas album won’t disappoint. Music has always been something Bethany and I have enjoyed together and our kids love music too. So skip the Starbucks today and get some Christmas music that will exalt the Savior and bless your own soul. You can listen to a preview song below and click here to pre-order the album.

<a href="http://sovereigngracemusic.bandcamp.com/album/prepare-him-room-celebrating-the-birth-of-jesus-in-song">Prepare Him Room: Celebrating the Birth of Jesus in Song by Sovereign Grace Music</a>

September 15, 2014
Sunday is For Sickness

It finally happened. The first round of colds have hit the Thomason family and so far it has claimed three victims. Bethany, Titus, and Avery have had coughs, sneezes, and some sore throats the past two days with today being the worst. I was going to go to church by myself this morning but Bethany wasn’t awake and I didn’t have the heart to wake her to watch the kids while they’re all not feeling great. So I stayed home, started some dishes, and hung out with Titus and Avery. Unfortunately, I missed a special morning at our church here in Czech where they meet at a different location. Friends here texted us a hand drawn map so we would know where to go, but of course I wasn’t able to use it. I’m still a little confused as to why they change locations sometimes, but I guess I’ll find out next time.

This evening I ended up seeing a movie with my friend, Zach, who had invited me earlier in the day. I had debated all afternoon whether I should go with the family under the weather, but Bethany said she would be okay for a few hours so I joined Zach and a few Czech guys at the theater. Mainly I was there for the fellowship and the popcorn. Movie popcorn just sounded really good and I basically skipped dinner to be there so I guess that was a meal. But while in the theater my friend in the States was texting me about some of the goings on at our home church in California. Apparently they are going through some changes and my friend was kind enough to point me to this morning’s sermon which I was able to listen to the end of tonight at home (isn’t technology amazing?). It sounds like the changes will be good for the church but we’ll be sure to keep praying for them during the next few months.

Below is a photo I got at the mall where the movie theater is. The ceiling changes colors like this and goes up for what feels like a mile.

We got a big week ahead as we prepare for the JV Fall Conference the following week. There’s still a lot to do and the entire Josiah Venture office is busy with preparations for the 300+ attendees. Please pray for all the work that will go into that and for our little family to feel better!

September 14, 2014
My Last Day on the Job (One Year Ago Today)

One year ago today, I worked my very last day after spending six and a half years with John Paul Mitchell Systems (aka “Paul Mitchell,” the hair care company). I worked as a production graphics person, mostly responsible for product packaging (e.g. the shampoo bottles). Paul Mitchell was a company that took very good care of my family and I worked with some pretty great people. I was twenty three years old when they brought me on and left when I was twenty nine. Those are important years for any young man and for us those years included our first child, the purchase of our first home (condo), our second child, and the sale of our first home. It also included two trips to the Czech Republic which would eventually lead to God calling us here to serve Him full time in ministry.

Here’s a photo of me with the kids on September 12, 2013 (I didn’t have one of us from the 13th).

I look back on those years with fondness of what God did in our lives. The day I was hired we only had $9 in our bank account with nothing on credit and all the bills paid. We were young, married, and we had lots of student loans but at least the bills were paid! I honestly didn’t know what were going to do if I didn’t get the job, but the Lord was gracious to provide for us. I remember thinking I would only spend a year there and see what God would have. Then I spent five and a half more, but on September 13th, 2013, we packed up my office and away we went.

Fast forward to today. Here I am sitting in the Czech Republic writing about what God has done in my life and honestly a few tears have entered my eyes. I just checked through my emails and on September 10th, 2012 (yes, over two years ago) we had our a meeting with the elders at Placerita Baptist Church (our home church) where they formally decided to be our sending church! Almost a year later to the date I left my job at Paul Mitchell (2013). A little more than a week later after I left Paul Mitchell, I was in the car driving two and a half hours north of our town to start a little internship at Grace Church of the Valley, helping with music. God’s timing was perfect and He provided a lot through them and eventually they would decide to support our family to come to Czech. During that time we spent countless hours in our van driving around the country, meeting with churches, spending time with family, raising support, and even driving to Colorado to do missionary training. It was an incredible time for our family and one I will never forget. Finally, on June 23, 2014 we got on an airplane headed for Czech. It’s amazing when you can look back and watch God’s hand move.

I get emotional about the past. It’s hard not to. The hand of God on my life has been utterly amazing and I can say without hesitation that’s it’s only by His amazing grace that He has brought me and my family here. Tonight I am so thankful for all the people God used to train me, disciple me, work with him, support our family, and continue supporting us while we seek to bring the gospel to a dark part of the world. Praise God for a year full of joy, full of laughter, full of fun, full of trusting Him, and full of His amazing grace. It’s all grace.

P.S. I couldn’t help but post this without a few photos so just for good measure here’s a few pics of the kids today.

September 13, 2014
We’re A Little John Deere Green

We’re still new to Czech. We’re still new to this town. Some might call us so new that we’re “green.” You know the phrase, “He’s a little green.” It means you’re a novice or a newbie. Tonight we felt a little “green” walking around our little town. Now, we were the only family walking around the “farm festival” with a John Deere wagon. I guess we’re a little John Deere green.

At the suggestion of our friend Rachael, we went for a little walk from our place over to where the path along the river on the Poland-Czech border. She texted us a few photos of a little festival that’s going on right now, complete with tractors, live animals (cows, rabbits, chickens, sheep, etc.), dancing, food, and a man playing some bagpipes that looked like they were made out of a goat.

Our plan was simple: take the kids on a long walk which would eventually tire them out and secure a good night’s sleep, and bring along their wagon to pick up a pumpkin from a local farmer. Both were a success, but what we didn’t realize was how much we would stick out. I guess not everyone has a green John Deere wagon in Czech. As we walked along the path looking at all the fun things, all I could understand as people passed and stared at us was “something something something something John Deere something something something.” At one point a little Czech boy was staring at the wagon until he finally kicked the tire. I guess he’s in the market for one?

It probably didn’t help that we took this photo below, but I really don’t think you get this kind of opportunity often.

While purchasing the pumpkin we picked out, we were having trouble communicating with the store owner and a nice Czech lady standing there said in English, “Do you need help?” “Yes, thank you,” we told her. She helped us buy our pumpkin and leaned over to Bethany and said, “That’s quite a carriage you’ve got there.” She was talking about the wagon.

After we finished buying and loading our pumpkin I turned around to where a lady was selling what looked like some amazing Czech pastries. I was eyeing what looked like jelly filled doughnuts with powdered sugar on top. When my cravings finally gave in to my flesh, I said kindly to the lady in the best Czech I could muster, “Sorry, I don’t speak Czech,” but motioned that I wanted two of those white covered goodies. She told me, “I speak a little English,” but promptly continued speaking a lot in Czech and continued packing my little bag with a lot more that 2 doughnuts.

As she would pick up each pastry and put it in she was telling me stuff in Czech. Finally, when the bag was full (as well as my brain), she handed it to me and I said, “How much?” She just smiled at me and said something nice and patted my arm as if to say, “For you… no cost.” I said to her, “No! I will pay” and she just kept smiling. She insisted on giving me the whole bag at no charge! I told her she was so nice and we said goodbye, and she sent me on my way with my bag o’ goodies. And goodies they were! The doughnuts were filled with apricot and the fruit pastries were otherworldly. When I showed the kids the bag they started jumping up and down and we got this photo of Avery holding the bag and Titus dancing a happy dance.

Here’s Avery stuffing her face. Each pastry was different than the next and we ate all but two before we left.

We had a great time and the kids thought it was really fun. The rain started coming down as were eating so we started making our way back home. It was actually a pretty good walk and thankfully the rain didn’t really start coming down hard until we got closer to home (we actually had forgotten our umbrella). Our pumpkin made it home safely and even though the wagon brought on some stares I think it was worth it. Here’s a few more photos of our little outing.

September 12, 2014
Getting Excited About Fall Conference

Even though my team is hard at work on a lot of different projects right now, I’m getting excited about our upcoming fall conference. I think it’ll be the largest Fall conference JV has put on and many youth ministry leaders throughout Central and Eastern Europe will be here. Today I was asked to teach a little session extra session one evening on using social media in your local ministry. This is something I’m actually pretty passionate about and I’m excited for the opportunity to share what I know and how I think God can do amazing things through all the new media we use today. Pray for me that this would be a time to help these national pastors and leaders, and hopefully spark a fire in them for greater impact in their ministries.

I’ve been in the office every day this week and my team has it’s hands full. We’re making a training Web site, writing blogs for JosiahVenture.com, creating conference videos, and I’m trying to work through stories for another book we’re creating. All of these are happening simultaneously so our office feels a little crazy right now. Yet despite the busyness, I was happy to have Bethany and the kids out at the office for most of the day today. It rained a lot, but Bethany deck out our kid with boots and rain jackets so they enjoyed the weather together. We all had lunch together and they basically stayed around the office until I was finished this afternoon. Above is a photo of us walking back to the office from lunch and below are a few of our kids.

Bethany went to one of the grocery stores near the office because we don’t have one in our town (the JV office is 30 minutes from where we live). Apparently they found some Cars themed noodles and Titus got really excited so Bethany grabbed a box. Titus actually brought me the box (photo below) to my desk tonight and said “Dad, take a photo of it.” From the look of the box, I think it’s an Italian import. I checked Google Translate and the box says, “Pasta with tomato and spinach.” It’s no Kraft macaroni and cheese, but I guess we’ll give it a whirl.

September 11, 2014