Lew at JohnnyLy's church... wed youth night.

Some Fries (click here)

Bono

"The fact that the Scriptures are brim full of hustlers, murderers, cowards, adulterers, and mercenaries used to shock me. Now it is a source of great comfort."
--Bono

FYI: Roof and Boiler

the roof estimate is over 30 thousand... no kidding. it's huge, it's steep and the gutters are like 20 thousand--ancient german box gutters...

before you ask all the questions of "do you need..." and "have you considered", the answer is YES. The options are constantly being exhausted, and this is what it means to turn a giant old funeral home into our home and base of loving a neighborhood in this confused city... into a living, daily representation of the Church--not a pointed building, but a people who point skyward in their hope and daily generosity to each other and their neighbors...

story after story will explain why we didn't choose the money jobs, but found ourselves here, playing with children, loving addicts, and the missing (lost) sheep of Cincinnati...

the boiler (13 thousand dollars) has finally died, too... It's over. Total replacement of the decades old boiler is now necessary...

It's almost October. No heat. Roof leaking. And our trust is in Jesus, here. Please don't take this post and worry. But we've heard back from a lot of people who read this and pray. Please pray with us for the resolution of our earthly trials to show the Glory of God--and his wisdom--before all the heavenly beings who are looking...

What's a typical breakfast like?

some folks get up and feed their kids breakfast... you can hear Seth calling to me while his toast is cooking... and while I'm getting the kids' fed before school, I feed the "other Kid"... enjoy a little daily life. here at the Chase House...

Bionicles half off at Kay-Bee

Got cheap Bionicles at Kay-Bee in the Mall today. Sat in food court blogging while Seth Climbed all over the little "Rides". I know he's not supposed to climb up on top of them, and other parents were like, "what the hey?" But everyone was smiling because Seth's cute, and they could see the scary guy with the Fidel hat and long beard and the apple laptop covered with Skateboarding stickers, and they all put up with us just fine... Maybe it's our small regiment of Bionicles arrayed on the Table... They're the good guys, but they look very mean.

Revolutionary Table/Roof update...

It's back. the Revolutionary Table.

In the wonderful "fray" of the "reformation" of the Guys' house--they are radically declaring their house (5 guys to one Bathroom) (which they rent) a brave experiment in the Pursuit of Christ... They are doing Radical Bible Study every day, now... and Radical breakfast... and Radical planning and scheming... and Radical schedule-changing and job-changing...

They're dedicating to the Life, Together. Exciting Stuff. Keep the Guys' House in prayer. The neighbors are gonna get more love...

...and the Table! AAAh! The Table is Back. Up late, crowded around the Table in the Chase House, are the Revolutionaries who are scheming ways to follow Jesus. Scheming to be followers! Love it!

It's going to be a cold winter, I guess. They all have a certain coldness to them. Last year hovered at 56-58F. The house is just too big to heat. This year, so far, the Boiler isn't even functional. After a quick repair this week, its still leaking through cracks in some "element" or soemthing... Word is it'll quit sometime...

The roof isn't leaking the same, since I stuck some gooey stuff over the holes--but I missed a few, so I'll be back up there... 40 feet of Roof, two valleys, all STEEP, draining on one 2.5 inch hole... it just plain overflows... all the professional rooofers have literally just shook their heads...

the ESTIMATE from a reliable roofer is 35,000 dollars to FIX it. Standard issue for a GIANT, Antique house...

Look forward to pics from the top of the ladder. I've been up there a million times, but have yet to bring the cam. up there...