In the last week of May I had the great fortune to get to BFA and meet the folks I would be working with and spend time pouring through financial statements and reports.  Here is the view of where I will be working.  This is the main building of BFA : )  

Here are some fun things I learned:
Konto saldo  = Account Balance
Konto blatt = Account Sheet
Beleg = Voucher
Darlehen = Loan
Bilanzgewinn = Retained Earnings
Zeitraum = Period
Forderungen = Receivables

A few weeks ago it occurred to me that I would be leaving Albany and I had no pictures (not uncommon for me) of some of the coolest sites there.  On a lunch outing during a training break I whipped out my phone and voila pictures!!!!  

When my older brother and I were much shorter (him) and much younger (me) we called this "The Great Big Bowl of Cereal".  It is more commonly known to the rest of the world as The Egg.  My mother would arbitrate our claims of what exactly was inside as my brother was certain it was Cheerios and I was equally certain it must be Cinnamon Life.  I recall a field trip here as a child where I heard (this is a LONG time ago and I can not confirm the accuracy with the all knowing internet) that this is the last of three still standing in the world.  From that time on I have always been a bit wary walking near or underneath it.

The NYS Museum, home to many cool displays and exhibits.  What is not seen in this picture are the tunnels that run underneath the concourse to the Museum; if you were there 35 years ago and had your quiet Sunday ruined by two kids who would run through those tunnels yelling because the echo was so awesome; well I can only apologize, shrug my shoulders and say "kids!".  

The Capitol, nice to finally see it without the crane hovering in the background.

Commissioning

On Sunday July 5 I was Commissioned by my Church.  During this time I was able to speak for a few minutes.  Following is the text of what I said.  In typical Younkin fashion the camera never left my bag; so this is all there is : ) : )

I would like to take time this morning to tell of the journey that has led me to where I stand today.  A journey, which in less than a month has me and four bags heading to Germany to a place called Black Forest Academy. (BFA).  It was less than two years ago that I was at the top of my profession, I was successful, I was well known in the industry I worked and from the worlds standards, I had made it.  There is an expression that comes to mind when I think of these things, "the trappings of the world".  I had never before really heard the word trapping in that sentence.  Looking back on that time this word takes on a whole new meaning.  That is not to say being successful and working towards achieving great things in a profession is bad; it is to say that doing that and keeping God first is difficult and there is strong temptation to give up that number one spot to something perishable. 

The chapter of my life after I left my job in the Corporate world is one I call "God made lemonade".  I call it this because to me all that I could find in the ashes of that time were these lemons, and while they were pretty to look at, they were sour inside and I couldn't figure out what I was supposed to do with them.  Unbeknownst to me was God wanted these useless lemons, and with them He would make some pretty spectacular lemonade.  I have previously shared that last summer God caused some really neat things to happen in the form of friends being in town who currently serve at Black Forest Academy and the Director of the School passing through town at that same time.  The Director shared with me that the school had just gone through a year of planning for the next five years and that they were going to want a Controller position added.  It just so happens that that is what my background and all my training was in!  Only God can orchestrate timing and events like that.  When I was asked to join the folks at BFA I didn't immediately say yes, for one the prospect of doing this job again was scary to me, for another it would mean raising support and that is something I have not heard one person say they enjoy doing.  The thing about being scared is that it keeps God in a box and it keeps us in the boat; both of which boil down to bad geography.  Here is where I give a spoiler alert, I did say yes.  Saying yes didn't make the scared go away, but it did move it down a few rungs on the ladder of life.  

At the end of May I was given the opportunity to go to BFA and meet the folks I would be working along side, I was able to spend time analyzing and translating financial statements.  I was able to watch how things in the financial environment work.  During that week a picture took shape in my head of me actually working there.  Once that picture took shape it was very hard to leave, as there is much work to be done, and I just wanted to stay and get to it. I will admit the time from saying yes and today has not always been easy, and I have not always been certain that this day would even come.  But come it has, I am at 93.89% of my funding, and I am believing that the other 6.11% and more will come in before I board the plane out of Albany on August 4th.  There were times that Saying yes has allowed me to witness some pretty miraculous, amazing things, which have made the yes worth it.  There were times that saying yes brought with it some disappointments, BUT for every disappointment there was a bigger encouragement that came either right before, or right after it; and usually it was both.  That is how God's economy works.  He is always lifting us up.  

So if you are out in the pews this morning and you are struggling with a bag of lemonades, with fears that are keeping you stuck and God restrained, can I encourage you to say yes and hand over the lemons?  When I read John 4:10 where Jesus is at the well with the Samaritan woman and He says to her "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water." I can't help but think that the water may taste a bit like lemonade.  Thank you.

   

I am currently reading a wonderful book called "The Glorious Cause.  The American Revolution, 1763-1789".  Just yesterday I finished the chapter describing the British attempt to cut off New England from the rest of the Colonies by traveling from Canada down the Hudson.  What to do after reading a chapter like that?!?!  Take a bike ride through Saratoga Battlefield of course!  The day was hot, near 90 with humidity levels to match.  Rides like this are termed by me as "ignorance is bliss"; I get the thought to go in my head and go I do, not once checking the weather or even that I haven't left my wallet at home on my desk.  About a mile into the ride the thunder off to the east gave great sounds of what the battlefield must have sounded like.  In fact when I first heard it my thought was "awesome, there are some folks recreating a battle; how exciting!"  I never did get wet, and the thunder and lightning were only close as I made it back to my car.  All in all a very enjoyable ride in my own (current) backyard.

This monument was erected in honor of Benedict Arnold who was shot in the leg during the battle that would eventually lead to the British surrender and stopping them from reaching Albany.  (This was erected after Benedict Arnold committed treason by going to fight for the British; there is something in the DNA of this country when it comes to Treason, there is no mention of this memorial being in his honor anywhere on the monument).

There's a storm coming!

What a shot : )