Birth-giving

This weekend included both Thanksgiving and my thirtieth birthday. So I am labeling it Birth-Giving weekend...wait a minute...nevermind.


Back in June, I posted about some of the tension in my fairly compartmentalised life. Yesterday was a wonderful day of some of those compartments crashing together in wierd, uncomfortable, messy, and somehow wonderful ways. There are so many things running through my mind this morning. There is so much to Blog about. Yet I'm wondering about the continued usefulness of TTSM and my new blogging hobby. Perhaps it is one way to keep me connected to "the real world" or perhaps it's just a palce for some inflated atta boys. Regardless, it has been a safe place to share my hopes, dreams, and frustrations and I will continue posting just for this outlet and the fact that I am writing. Please notice the phrase "not yet thirty" has been removed from my "about the author". I have also changed my location to "South West" in order to more honestly reflect the changes taking place in our life. I've also changed, abbreviated, and made more clear some of the other blogs I visit in order to reflect the changes that have taken place in the lives of those fellow travellers I'v been easedroppin on. BTW: If you are a regular lurker with your own space on the web please comment here and I will come lurk in your neck of the woods for a while. Anyways, for the 10 of you burning my feed, and the rest who occasionally vist, and the few who randomly comment, Thanks for sharing life. This has been one CRAZY year.

I am so thankful for my church.

I am thankful for the investment of those who have gone before me.

I am so thankful for my family;

especially the four others in my house, and most especially my beautiful wife

but also the three healthy kids, and also the dog.

I am thankful for my folks... all four sets of them.

I am thankful for my siblings, especially my bro

but also the steps, in-laws, half-in-laws, step-in-laws, etc.

I am so thankful for my grands, my kid's great grands, and all the aunties, uncles, cousins, and others who have made the efforts to stay connected.

I am thankful for our friends.

I am thankful for the ones that would sit through nearly two hours of traditional, somewhat irrelevant, slightly bizzare, but possibly redemptive, church just to hear a mediocre message from one they love.

I am thankful for the ones that would walk from Little Ceasar's Pizza to greet you in the parking lot and share a "preaching on the one after" youth pastor experience.

I am thankful for friends who can tell you when you suck.

I am thankful for those who don't even if you did.

Right now, in life... I'm scared. I'm excited, but I'm scared. I'm thankful for the hopefulness that comes with what lies ahead.

Right now, in life... I feel tired. I'm thankful for the things that fill me back up.

I'm thankful for the fresh, new, and mysterious things God is up too; around the world, but especially in the U.S. and spefically Western Phoenix.

I am so thankful that those I love seem to be experiencing some levels of success, joy, and peace on the other side of their own transistions.

I am thankful for this messed-up but interesting process.

I am so thankful for the rich wealth and diversity we have found in having many wonderful relationships. Here's a breakdown of who we had lunch with.

My current pastor, as well as my former pastor, a cheer leading instructor, a diesel mechanic, a scuba diver, several students, Latin American missionaries, several teachers, a clerk, manager, and book keeper all involved in different levels of retail supply ( eveything from a/c to lawn care to lighting fixtures), many others involved in education, a dog trainer, some really cool kids, and my wife. Many of these are musicians, some are athletes, some were geeks, and most don't read enough books. Some of them don't know how to read, some of them hate it, and other's would rather read in Spanish. I'm assuming most of the table votes republican, but with all those teachers, I'm sure someone will be voting for a lady president. Nobody ordered a beer (maybe I shouldn't have invited all those pastors), none of the smokers took a cigarette break, and I think the one medicinal marijuana user left his pot at home. Pretty bizarre group of people. I want to get out of the "us / them" mentality and just be able to share life with people. At some level I want to be able to share Jesus with people. I am hopeful for healthy change, but scared because it must begin in me.