lifeasmission

This year I had the good fortune to be able to host an annual New Year’s Eve Party for a bunch of my Malone friends and plenty of others.  The party was doubly significant in that it also marked the completion of a bunch of restoration that I’ve been doing on my home.  For the last four months I have been trying to put the pieces of my house back together due to some unfortunate tenants. 

Between the beginning of September and the end of December, and with the help of plenty of family and friends, we filled 2 dumpsters full of trash and broken items, patched 3 huge holes in my walls, ripped up and replaced 3 rooms of carpet with new carpet and a hard wood floor, replaced 2 screen doors, fixed the dishwasher, stove, and garbage disposal, replaced a broken window, fixed the garage door, cleaned the carpets (twice!), patched a hole in the dining room floor, stopped leaks, hung drywall, slapped on 6 gallons of paint, moved in a bunch of new furniture, and scrubbed and cleaned till our fingers were numb.  It wasn’t easy or cheap, but it’s done and it feels good!

As 2008 jumps to a start, unlike the last 3 Januaries, I really have no idea what this year holds.  In 2005 and 2006 I was in school full-time at Fuller, in 2007 I was working for Fuller full-time.  Plenty of surprises in those years to be sure, but at least I knew where I was.  2008, not so much. 

As near as I can tell, the beginning of 2008 is marked by beseeching God for 3 major things - a church community who shares a common Kingdom/Missional vision, a challenging and life-giving career in which I have the opportunity to really make a difference in the lives of others, and a lady who’d be excited to share in those sorts of things.  I suppose any one of those three things could be the catalyst for change and direction, but at this point I really have no clue which one.  So, here’s to 2008 and God continuing to do God’s thing!!