Last Day in Peoria

Well, I've been "home" in Peoria with my family again since Saturday and it's been wonderful! I was very lonely without them and couldn't wait to get back home. We've spent the last few days hanging out with our really good friends-- laughing, crying and singing. We are so blessed to have such a wonderful group of friends who we know love us unconditionally and would do anything for us. Thank you God for putting these wonderful people in our lives!

The time here has also been a bit weird! My new agency has a client here in Peoria (which was also a client of my former agency) and so a group from my new agency has been up here for the past three days conducting meetings with various groups. While they were here, they were amazed at how many people I knew-- and I guess how many people knew me. Part of the benefit in living in a smaller community I guess. But it was also a weird feeling for me having lived in total anonymity in Austin for the past eight weeks and now suddenly seeing people I know at every turn-- it was just an odd sensation.

Today we will load up a small U-Haul trailer with the "bare necessities" and begin the journey to Austin. It's all a little stressful-- and even bittersweet. It was easy to say "good-bye" to Peoria when I knew my family was still here. But now we truly are leaving Peoria. I don't think I miss the actual place too much... but I will miss our friends and church family. I know our family will have tears as we pull out of the driveway and wave good-bye to our old house-- full of wonderful memories of family events and meals with friends. Thank you God for bringing us to this place and for challenging us and helping us to grow. Thank you for putting wonderful people in our lives and blessing us with such a wonderful home filled with love.

And so a new chapter starts for us. Much of it is still a big mystery. When will our house sell and how long will we have to live in an apartment? Will the Christian school we've chosen for our children have room for them (they are currently on a waiting list!)? Where will our new home be and what will it be like? Will the family like the church that I've been going to there? Will work feel different now that my family is living with me (I hope so!)?

One thing we do know, God is with us and has gone before us. He will provide and we truly do not need to worry about anything. What a blessing! Now, to fully trust in that blessing, right.

I covet all your prayers as we make this big transition. We ask for God's hand of protection and provision.

Thank you all for your love and support-- and for your prayers!

Thank you God for eleven wonderful years in Peoria. Thank you for shaping our family's lives here for your purpose. Continue to love us and guide us. Amen.

My Heart is crushed...

I am so overwhelmed with emotion... I just feel like my heart is crushed, or as David said, my bones ache.

My dearest friend Dwight is hurting and I'm not able to be there for him. As I write this I'm in a hotel in Santa Monica. It's a gorgeous place... I'm a block from the beach-- but I want to be in Bloomington. I want to be up late with my friend. I want to listen. I want to pray with him. I want to hug him. But I can't do that. I'm very, very far away... and my heart aches.

I am learning the value of church. The value of love. The value of family. I am learning to appreciate God's wisdom that it is not good for man to be alone. I am home sick for my family. And I am homesick for my church family. They need me. I need them.

Tommorrow I fly back to Austin. And then Friday I fly HOME to Peoria to be with my wife and kids. I miss them so deeply. I am not whole without them. And then Sunday, I will be reunited with my Northside family, I need them. They need me.

Please be in prayer for all of this. I know that God is using ALL of these circumstances to bring me and others closer to Him.

Father, thank you for the gift of family-- physical and spiritual. Bless Dwight and Jeana with your love. Bless the Northside family with your peace. Amen.

Feeling Small in the Big Apple

Well, here I am in NYC-- the Big Apple. Of course I am familiar with just how big the Big Apple actually is, but every time I've been here before I've been with others. Today I'm here alone, and it feels especially big. And I feel especially small. You could truly just "get lost" here. That's sort of a weird thought and feeling.

You all know I'm really lonely right now being separated from my family... but being here with no one to share it with seems to make the loneliness exponential.

And to top it all off, I got some really upsetting news today about some people I really love and care about back home. I won't go into it here... but there are some families who are really hurting right now and desperately need all of our prayers. Please be praying for my friends-- God knows who they are and what their needs are.

"Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up."

Consider me humbled, Father. I know I'm lost anywhere without you! Bless my friends, Father, with forgiveness and a peace and comfort only you can give. Amen.

Coming up for air

OK-- I'm learning the hard way how the other half lives. By other half, I mean the people who work for someone else. I hate to admit I was spoiled, but I think I have to do so. I was spoiled!!

It's not that I don't love my new job, because I do. I love it alot. But, now that I'm not the "head honcho" I'm finding out that I'm not "in control" of my day. Now, I'm sure this will pass-- and I'm certain it's not all related to my "position" in the company either. Lots of my "time management crisis" is due to a large workload, the fact that it's a brand new job and that I'm a perfectionist pleaser. (Yeah, I admit it). But still, there is this undeniable fact that I no longer can do as I please whenever I please. Oh well... this will be good for me.

So here I am, blogging again. Sorry for my conspicuous absence! All is well... I still love Austin. It is such a great city. I really like my church, I've even made several friends now-- and when I missed a week to go to New Braunfels to see my wife's family-- they all noticed I wasn't there. That kind of felt good.

However, I really miss my family. We finally have some light at the end of the tunnel. I'll be flying up in two weeks (from today) and helping do the last minute packing and clean-ups/touch-ups on the house. Then, after a couple of days on business, we will load up the Escalade and head south to Austin. I've rented us a two bedroom apartment... I've told the kids it will be like going on a vacation. Yeah, a vacation with only one bathroom!!! But we'll all be together.

I'm flying to New York tomorrow for business and I'm excited about that. I'll be there for two and a half days. Hopefully, I'll get to see a show (if I can get a 1/2 price ticket) and visit MoMa and Guggenheim. Oh yeah, there's a few business meetings in there, too.

Then I'll be back in Austin for a day before jetting off to LA for two days. Back in Austin a day, and then off to Illinois for the week! YEAH!!!

I'm looking forward to seeing all my old friends and to going to church at Northside. You have no idea how much I miss my church family and worshipping with them!

Well... It's 7:50pm on a Friday night and I'd really like to make it home before it's dark (sadly, that's become my goal :-( )

Trust all is well with all of you, blog family.

I'll try to get caught up on all your lives, too.

Blessings to you all!

Father, thank you for your amazing love. Thank you for being my shelter in tough and trying times. I know you are here. I need you to carry me through! Amen.