The Latest

It's been a while since i just posted you some news...

This Friday, CHris, Sheena and I will take a group of us over to a buddy's youth ministry to do some "sahngin'". Chris has written some really good rap pieces that we will do. It's so easy to accompany a rap. Using the guitar as a rhythm instrument. Just a few chords... One of the pieces is like a reggae thing. It's fun to do...

Judy and Lew and the boys are doing very well. after the trip to Ireland, we overcame jetlag and settled into our jobs.

Lew got a kind of promotion from CIEE. I'm now working as an "LC Team Leader". That means I help people to place students and get them hooked up with info, resources, advice, and crisis help during the year... I won't have to supervise as many kids, myself, now. I hope that this will cut the number of hours and the amount of energy I spend in "volunteer" work. (they pay me a little, and I get the two yearly trips. It chips away at the bills, and I get a sabbatical of sorts during the trips...

JP and Prari are getting ready to wed on April 8th. They're really ready... It's so great to see a godly young couple entering into marriage with the understanding that no matter what, because of GOD, we're not splitting. Paralysis, Coma, Craziness, won't split us up! Judy and I have teamed up with Erwin (pastor of North Pres. church) to do "counseling" with them,and It's been wonderful!

Zach is finishing up his degree in political science (read his blog to see what that will do to ya) with a minor in Human Rights (or is it a major?). He continues to sharpen me (Lew) with his insights into our need to put action to our faith, daily, locally, and globally... I have enjoyed his blog...

This past Sunday, we had a time of sharing in the Word (Bible/and the person of Jesus) during which we were all challenged to refresh our committment to really beleive what Christ taught. Hard stuff like absolute sexual purity, and the existence of hell, and the Judgment, and God's call to us to come out of sin and into the light... in addition to our call to be mercy to our neighbor...

Yesterday was really warm. I put on shorts, a tee, and sandals for theday... we spent time outdoors in the afternoon (after we were all done with work) with our neighbor kids... Seth and I went to udf for gatorade and to the playground to swing. Lots of thunderstorms.

Saturday night, judy and I were awakened by the thunder of heavy storms... and our LEAK was back... It looks like the gutters clog up and the water backs up into the roof, flows down inside the wall, and comes into the house under the window of the first floor closet...

I'll be putting on my carpenter hat soon...

but before that, I'll be getting a hernia fixed. Yep. In addition to 3 breaks inmy ribcage last summer, a broken foot about two years ago, and my "unique-functioning" hip, I'm adding a hernia to my skateboarding injury list. I blew out last october on a fall. I pretty much figured, back then, but now i'm sure...

I'm not even scheduled yet, but the docs are working on it. It's really something how long it takes to get operated on... iif i were really sick, i'd have a dickens of a time getting treatment. not to mention coordinating the doctor's referrals with my health coverage... wow! that was hard... had to use phone, internet, phone, internet, phone... how do old people do this? without computer savvy, i'd have been sunk...

and the house across the street is back on the docket. Having fallen through due to bank foreclosure, we were in "prayer mode" about it for about a month. Now, they've come back to us, cleared to sell it. We're ready to go. Looks like the whole place'll be full by May... Our community will inhabit 3 dwellings by then.

There's a real build in intensity here. There's also a sense of "not-yet-ness" or "pent-up-ness" to us. We have tons of gifts and talents represented in our group--tons, but there's so little understanding/willingness/boldness/guidance on how to all get going...
the young lady who can sing and play the guitar is busy making a baby, the other young lady who is an excellent singer and knows songs that could really set us free has only just discovered our musical poverty. The incredibly gifted young man with talents for writing rhyme has begun to impart more hip hop and rap stuff to us--we're looking forward to crafting a worship style that expresses our love to Jesus in our language...
others wonder how they fit in/whether they have a "place"--they simultaneously keep others from sliding into the abyss--they are kingdom messengers, operating in humility and love... they are the greatest among us...

But you know what? If you want to know what it's like here, the only thing to do is to come spend a few days or a week with us. Don't miss a sunday night, or a Wednesday Dinner...

We're rough around the edges...bedraggled...washed ashore on grace...

We love Christ because he first loved us... and in Him,we'll end up loving you, too, somehow...