Confession: We're Addicted to 24

What to do? We have now officially finished watching all six seasons of “24” and season seven does not begin until January of 2008. And no matter how much we tried to prepare ourselves for a major cliffhanger at the end of season six (all previous seasons gave us fair warning), we are still caught in the overwhelming wonder of Jack Bauer’s fate.

Some have suggested that we make a leap to shows such as “House” or “Lost” or “Prison Break.” But I am worried that I will be significantly disappointed after a long stint (it took us a little over a year to work through all six seasons) of our favorite television program. I have heard that “Grey’s Anatomy” is also intelligent and engaging.

Maybe our newfound Jack Bauer absence is God’s way of saying we need to be more creative in our down time after the kids are in bed. Just maybe…

GOP Candidates for 2008

Is anyone else struggling with the current GOP candidates running for the presidency in 2008? It seems that the leading possibilities have at least one area either politically or morally that I strongly disagree with. And many within the pundit world seem content to sacrifice strong spiritual convictions (e.g. on the issue of abortion or gay rights) to accomplish a more conservative agenda politically. They seem to be drawing a distinction between what is “spiritual” from what is “political,” as if one does not or should not necessarily inform the other. The irony is that all candidates, on both sides of the isle, see the importance of claiming to be individuals of “faith” – what that faith entails is a moot point, as long as one can claim to have a faith (see the recent article in the Rocky Mountain News entitled “Romney’s Strange View of Faith” by Paul Campos).

The one candidate that seems to be one that I can get behind and support, that shares both similar spiritual and political views, is Mike Huckabee (the governor of Arkansas). But he lacks the popularity or public notoriety of other candidates like Giuliani, Romney, or Thompson. I would encourage all my blog readers to research more on Mike Huckabee to see where he stands in their eyes.

Vacation Anyone?!

So we did the unthinkable…went on vacation right after moving. The house was (and still is) stacked with boxes in just about every room. But we wanted to take advantage of spending time with my folks in Pagosa Springs and seize the opportunity to get away before we hit the holiday season. My parents were gracious to offer the use of a timeshare condo there. We stayed in Pagosa for about four nights (took David out of school) and then made the trek to Albuquerque to see the final weekend of their annual Balloon Fiesta. And I can honestly say we underestimated how incredible the balloon festival would be.

At the Balloon Fiesta, they allow you onto the field where all the balloons are inflated and launched. So on Saturday, prior to their “mass ascension” which entailed close to 700 balloons, we woke early in the morning with the boys and made our way to the field (taking a Park & Ride shuttle is definitely the way to go). We were able to get up close to several balloons being pulled out and inflated. We were so engrossed in watching one particular balloon get setup that we failed to realize that balloons all around us were doing the same. Before we knew it, we were completely surrounded by hot air balloons that were progressively launching and being blown to the north. It was truly breath taking. The boys loved watching all the odd shaped balloons in the sky: a large cow, a Wells Fargo Wagon, Humpty Dumpty, Spiderman, Darth Vader, a lighthouse, and a host of others.

We would strongly recommend this as a fun family vacation for all those with young children, if you can manage to wake between 4:30 – 5:00 a.m.

Our New Home

In Abilene

It is official…we have moved to Abilene from Sweetwater. This past weekend a faithful few gathered to move us for the third time in thirteen months. I think both Adina and I are planning to stay put for a good, long season. Moving is simply exhausting, and we are neck deep in boxes. But we are truly thrilled to be in our new home (which we own) – it is all that we had hoped and more!

This past Wednesday evening was our final congregational gathering with the Sweetwater extension of Beltway Park Baptist Church in Abilene. The senior pastor of our church, David McQueen, conveyed in a gentle but firm way that having a campus there was not feasible at this point. There is a significant need to start from the beginning with building a solid foundation and stronger core group of believers there. If the Sweetwater group is willing to walk through those steps and grow to be healthier, then reopening a Sweetwater campus is definitely still in the picture. The response of the congregation was mixed. Some found it difficult to accept that their church was “closing” in the sense of not having Sunday morning services. Others understood the situation, but find it challenging to commute weekly to Abilene for services and activities. Others are fully on board with Beltway Park and are more than willing to make the drive each week until something can be rebuilt in Sweetwater.

My role at the church has changed significantly. I am no longer associated with the Sweetwater group. Instead I am becoming a man of many hats. One hat is in the area of finance and administration. One of the main pastors has been in this role for over ten years, and he is an exceptional businessman. But he is all too eager to pass the responsibilities over to me so that he can focus on those things that are more in alignment with his personal passions (e.g. men’s ministry). Another hat is in the area of marriage, family, and parenting. This is the one that excites me. I will be working with a ministry called C3 (Couples Coaching Couples) that pairs older, seasoned couples with other couples that are either looking to get married or that are already married but facing some significant issues or challenges. I will also have my hand in coordinating a once-a-month evening in which a series of parenting classes are offered to church and surround community. And of course, I will be eventually starting some form of Young Marrieds class – if only I could have some of our core families in Colorado come and join the group! Anyone interested in moving?

So…that is the latest update. It is a whole chunk of change and adjustment, which brings its own measure of weight and challenge. But it is good change, and I am hopeful of our next season.

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