A Brief Update

It has been a while since my last post. Too long. I have been busy. Just a brief update before starting some new posts. This fall, my mom came out for two weeks to visit (my dad had a medical procedure done and couldn't come). One of those weeks she and I went to Washington, DC. I'll have more pics and post later. Let's see... I also had a really great Fall Harvest Costume Party (again, more post and pics to come). I had a phenomenal time at Christmas... well, Christmas eve. We (our church) met for what ended up being over 7 hours. We met, had our meal, had a devotional of singing and scripture reading, and then began the 5 hour long process of sharing our blessings. It was great! I'm in Phoenix right now, spending the week of New Year's in Phoenix. Tomorrow, January 6, 2007, will be my parents' 35th wedding anniversary. My parents eloped in Alaska (where my dad was stationed in the Army), and so my mom never got a real wedding ceremony. It is my sister's and my great honor to through my mom (and Dad, though he had to be brought in on it) a surprise 35th Anniversary Wedding Vow Renewal Ceremony. It will be at a resort, with 50 or so family and friends, complete with tuxes, officiate, decorations, a sit-down reception, cake, etc. She'll love it!

Back in March, our house church had a sort of "crisis" that led to a few months of exploring our direction. Long story short, we realized what our strengths were, and decided to build on them (primarily, relationships and flexibility). So, things are going strong. We have several new "family" members, and more on the way (Jen will be moving to Ohio shortly after getting back from visiting friends in China).

Overall, things have been really great. As I look forward to 2007, I already have several things planned. I plan on going to Orlando in March for the ACOFP (American College of Osteopathic Physicians) Annual Convention with some fellow physicians and good friends. I've never been to Orlando, so I'm looking forward to it. Then in April, Jared Coleman and I will be attending an Emergent "Philosophical" Discussion at Eastern University entitled "What would Jesus deconstruct? A discussion on justice." I'm totally looking forward to that. In October, I hope to spend a week with my immediate and extended family in a chalet in the White Mountains of Arizona. At work, one of the three family physicians is being sent on his second 4 month tour in Iraq as a National Guard physician, so that will make my work life VERY busy from February to June.

I am hoping to post more about past trips, and try to keep up with them, as well as some thoughts about life, religion, church, and politics (yeah, they really can't... or shouldn't... be separated!).