regrouping_and_moving_onhere is what i know must be important in our lives right now:
1) continuing to work on our marriage: protecting and cultivating our covenant is what i wrote in my journal. amy and i have had two "normal" months of marriage, if that. we had a roommate for a year, have hosted friends and family in the meantime, and are currently living with generous friends until moving in to our next place. having some space for the two of us, though it feels selfish, is a huge priority.
2) getting established in our careers: this also feels selfish, but this is a big year for us vocationally. i am getting started with sojourn and amy is intensely preparing this next year to enter the work force. getting our ministry established and amy through her final year of school well are priorities.
3) fund raising. establishing a strong base of support so that i can focus on ministry full-time is a priority.
losing this house has been a lot of things. it seems (too) neat and tidy to call it God saving us from a project too big (although that may be part of it). while we many not know what to "call" this chapter in our story, it does feel a lot like an exercise in priorities...in deciding what we will say yes and no to. unfortunately, a house remodel/rehab does not fit in to the top three, and in fact would probably have undermined those priorities. (ps. there are other priorities that go in and around and above the three listed, like growing in love for God and others). saying yes and no to things is so hard for me, i like maybes and perhapses better. but a big part of my character transformation is learning how to do this commitment thing, this yes and no thing, better.
