OK...Hold on a minute

So yesterday's post was quite exciting. Letting everyone know about the great news about finding an "affordable" house in Middletown. Well, we found out our monthly mortgage payments will be about twice as much as what we were paying in Warsaw. Let's just say the stress level rose a notch or two or five.

There are some options. First, we can stay here in Newark, although I don't think anyone wants that. Secondly, either I could get a second job or Susan could start working. It has been our goal that she wouldn't go to work until the boys were both in school.

I'm not writing all this looking for sympathy or financial support. Just want you all to pray for us. We feel strongly that we need to be in Middletown to be effective in ministering to the church and the community. And nothing else worth living in is close to this price. We know that something will work out.

On another note, it's a gorgeous morning in Delaware. It's 10:30 in the morning...I'm sitting out in front of the house typing on the laptop...watching Riley play in the yard and driveway...enjoying 70 degree weather already. Hope its this nice where you are...wherever you are.

Isaac has his second t-ball game tonight at 6pm. We also have small group meeting here at our house at 7pm. Should be another busy day.

Pray. Pray. Pray.

Soon-to-be Homeowners Again

Hey everyone! As you can probably guess by the title of the post, our offer to buy the house last week was accepted. It's very exciting, yet very nerve-wracking in the same breath. We are excited about being close to the hub of activity for the church, the target location. However, we have never owned anything worth this much money in our lives. We loved our house in Warsaw, but it was not worth this much in the market there.

Everyone at church yesterday was very excited for us. I think that this will help some of the feelings of disconnectedness that we have been experiencing. Even the people who live up in this area were happy for us. There is also a strong possibility of an opening for us in a private school in Middletown. This would be great. There are so many things that are looking positive at this point in time.

Guest speaker yesterday at church. Kevin O'Brien from Johnson Bible College. Susan and I had a good time visiting with him both Sat. night and yesterday at lunch. I think i made him feel old. Told him he was in school at JBC with my parents. I think it's ok though.

Busy week ahead. Inspections and the such at the house. Pray that everything goes well.

Later.

My Brain Is Fried!!!!

That is probably the best way to describe my mental state after the past two days. Let me see if I can even begin to catch you up.

I spent all of yester day and today at the National New Church Conference in Joppa, Maryland. WOW!! It wasn't a big convention, but it was powerful none the less. The two main speakers were phenomenal and my brain is still hurting from all of the difficult thoughts they put in there. Yesterday Brian McLaren, one of the leading figures in post-modern Christianity, was the featured speaker. Let me just say that I understand post-modernism, if that is what it will eventually be called, a whole lot better now. He gave so much information and good insight into the post-modern mindset.

Today's featured speaker was Reggie McNeal. He followed up on McLaren's information with whole ton of practical information for new churches. Absolutely amazing though!! Some frustrations though. I am not really working with a "new" church. We are working with a bunch of "modern" Christians. It will be extremely difficult helping them see the need for a post-modern approach to ministry. Oh well!! It should be fun in the same breath.

There you see part one as to why my brain is in such a tattered state tonight. Part two is that Susan and I made an official offer on a house in Middletown last night. It is a 3 bedroom, 1 1/2 bath, with a full/partially finished basement on a double lot. A very nice house like this would probably go for about $90-100K in Warsaw on the high end. We offered about $161K and feel like we are possibly getting a steal. It's in a good neighborhood, close to church members, and, more importantly, in the target community for the church. I still can't believe that we offered that much for this house. Susan determined last night that we will be eating rice for quite some time after buying the house.

One good thing though. We could turn right around and sell the house in a month for close to $200K and get a buyer real quick. That is the way the real estate market is in Middletown now. Please keep all this in your prayers. I know that it will be a big source of stress for us over the next couple of months and years most likely.

Excited about sharing all the tapes I got from the conference. Pray for open minds from the leaders of the church here. Pray that they might see the need to change attitudes and mindsets about the church in general.

We love you all and pray for you too.

Later.

Busy Times

Honestly, it's not that I don't want to post something. Usually I just leave the previous one up until people begin to complain. Actually, life has been quite busy lately.

Friday night Susan and I went to the Undone Tour Concert. Monk & Neagle, The Afters, Jeremy Camp and Mercy Me. Great show here in Newark. Very good show. If it comes to an arena near you, I would definitely recommend you go.

We're still adjusting to life in Delaware. Our car had to have a new valve head gasket......$$$. Gas prices are soaring......$$$. Real estate is unbelievable......$$$.

We think we have a lead on a house in Middletown. Hopefully, this one won't slip through our hands.

Praying for our friends in Warsaw. Gary and Renee Boschain, our dear friends, will be going to Warsaw to interview with the church there. Gary called right away and asked if it was ok. I assured him our friendship would not change. LOL. We are praying that this is what is best for both parties.

Isaac still asks often about moving back to Warsaw. He is enjoying spring time though and being outside more helps. He is seeing more kids out and about. He is even spending a great deal of time talking to two older gentlemen who live in the houses near us. Very funny. They're out working and he's just talking away. Basketball season is over for him. Now T-Ball starts. He is already doing well in fielding grounders and throwing. Should be a fun summer.

It looks like Dad and Mom will be coming for a visit in May. Followed shortly by a visit from the Osborns and the Justices...we hope.

Keep praying for us and the church too.

Later.

Bye Bye Bachelor Days!!

Just wanted to give everyone a big ole..."YIPPEE!!!" Susan and the boys returned from Indiana about 2:30am on Sat. morning. It was definitely too quiet around here with them gone. At some point last night, though, I realized I could use a little space in between what it's like with the boys here and not here. Too quiet vs. too rowdy and noisy. I guess I would never trade it in though.

Isaac went back to school today and enjoyed getting back. His teacher will now be sending homework home for every student every day to get them used to what it will be like in 1st grade. Isaac is already used to homework though. We've been doing homework with him for some time now trying to help him out.

Both Susan and Riley are under the weather after their trip. Of course, this is a very bad time of year for tree allergies. Amazingly enough, Isaac is doing pretty good.

We had a pizza fellowship Sunday after church. It was fun to be with the church body again in fellowship. With being so mobile, we are finding it difficult to have times of fun and fellowship. Hopefully, that will change some with the nicer weather. I

Isaac has his first baseball practice tonight at 6pm. Should be fun. If it's anything like basketball....oh boy! The team that Isaac was playing basketball against on Saturday afternoon would not allow our team to steal the ball or have a fast break. How frustrating!! I think we've gone to lax on making sure that kids' self-esteem is kept at an all-time high. When they play ball in school or competitively, those kids are going to be real disappointed when people steal the ball from them all the time.

Oh well...off the soapbox. Should be an interesting week here in the northeast as I work among people who are completely surrounded by Catholicism. I look forward to sharing with some on Wednesday morning at one of our small groups.

Keep us in your prayers. Things are going well. Pray for wisdom for myself and our leaders. Pray that God would give them vision. Vision to look ahead and anticipate growth. Vision to help facilitate growth.

Later.