getting settled
we are getting settled. i think all of us have different ideas of what it means, or what it takes to get to that point. for instance- i have needed internet access among other things to officially feel like i can function. after having it installed today, i can admit i feel a lot better. anna and logan went to a local orchard today to pet the animals and pick up some produce- something that made both of them feel like we are somewhere we can call home. yet, their still remains a sense of unsettled-ness. we know we are moving again in a few weeks or months. we will be meeting with our lender this friday and then start looking at houses next week. this is exciting, but very dreadful considering how much we LOVE to move.
i have been watching from afar the moving of friends from seminary. i hope and pray for the best during their transitions. how crazy it is that we were all together so recently and now the calls are beginning to take shape. good news on lelandfront- released to region three- at least that is a start.
we had a picnic tuesday night to kick off the new mission start. i was told there would probably be 25 people there max- we pulled up and there were 80 folks. the assistant to the bishop came up to talk about the mission, and then we were able to introduce ourselves and talk about our hopes and dreams for the mission. the welcome was awesome and got me very excited again about this call. of the 80 people there at least 20 are very interested in being members of the new church. and then today i was talking with my cable guy about my job, and he said sh*t, i was just thinking i need to get back into church. he happens to live in the service area and wants to be part of the start-up group. god's ways never cease to amaze me. so...we go forward trusting that god will provide and lead.
even amidst the excitement of meeting new folks and the feelings of being settled- there is a sense of grief and loss. tonight, logan was very homesick as he talked about wanting to go to our other home, and wanting to play with sigourney and caitlyn. this tears my heart apart- but know that he will rebound as we meet new friends.
last night in my little introduction i talked about bonhoeffer's concept of calling. in life together and discipleship he stresses the importance of remembering that when we go out and approach people to invite them to be obedient to christ's calling- the call is not from us- but from god only. i am a mere human and god is god. to me, this takes some of the initial edge and fear away from approaching new people. in the past few days i have had a very comfortable feeling that my call to this particular ministry setting is indeed of god. what a relief it is to have this feeling. trusting in god's guidance i will shortly be catapulted me into this ministry.
i have been watching from afar the moving of friends from seminary. i hope and pray for the best during their transitions. how crazy it is that we were all together so recently and now the calls are beginning to take shape. good news on lelandfront- released to region three- at least that is a start.
we had a picnic tuesday night to kick off the new mission start. i was told there would probably be 25 people there max- we pulled up and there were 80 folks. the assistant to the bishop came up to talk about the mission, and then we were able to introduce ourselves and talk about our hopes and dreams for the mission. the welcome was awesome and got me very excited again about this call. of the 80 people there at least 20 are very interested in being members of the new church. and then today i was talking with my cable guy about my job, and he said sh*t, i was just thinking i need to get back into church. he happens to live in the service area and wants to be part of the start-up group. god's ways never cease to amaze me. so...we go forward trusting that god will provide and lead.
even amidst the excitement of meeting new folks and the feelings of being settled- there is a sense of grief and loss. tonight, logan was very homesick as he talked about wanting to go to our other home, and wanting to play with sigourney and caitlyn. this tears my heart apart- but know that he will rebound as we meet new friends.
last night in my little introduction i talked about bonhoeffer's concept of calling. in life together and discipleship he stresses the importance of remembering that when we go out and approach people to invite them to be obedient to christ's calling- the call is not from us- but from god only. i am a mere human and god is god. to me, this takes some of the initial edge and fear away from approaching new people. in the past few days i have had a very comfortable feeling that my call to this particular ministry setting is indeed of god. what a relief it is to have this feeling. trusting in god's guidance i will shortly be catapulted me into this ministry.
j-man - i'm really glad you are getting settled. it was great to hear your voice 4 times yesterday, even if one time i was confused about what time of day it actually was and that we didn't get to talk long. it was great to hear from you.
logan - oh how i miss seeing him. he's such a doll and so much like you. he's tough and resilient but cares for things and people so deeply. it may take some time for him to get over being caitlyn and sigourney but he's never going to lose his friends entirely. he'll see them again and they will continue to be close because all the parents are close - just like we will continue to be friends and keep in touch even though we're not seeing each other everyday.
speaking of...what are you doing the weekend of Oct 15th? i'm thinking of coming to see k&e and if you can come down and if maybe chris n can come up we could all meet up in milwaukee...what do you think?
Posted by
~moe~ |
8:43 AM
life with the internet is much better than life without it i think. from someone who has moved a great number of times (17 or 18 times in 32 years) it does kinda of suck having to refind all the things you have that make your life comfortable and make you feel settled. through all the un-packing, house buying, re-packing, un-packing, church planting, and birth-giving just remember that you are in it together with your family.
i miss all of you so give everyone a big hug for me.
Posted by
Leland |
9:25 AM
Justin,
It is exciting to follow your adventures and I sense your confidence in the call. I pray you will have the strength to be the great family man you are and the great pastor you are.
God's Peace.
Posted by
Chad K |
5:28 PM