Hello from Indiana

Sorry it has taken so long to write anything. We finally got internet access a couple days ago. It is amazing how much we depend on the internet now. Well, we feel like we are getting settled but it has been kind of crazy. We have been juggling moving in and unpacking with trying to see all of the family to show off Carson a little bit. Carson is doing really good. He is sleeping from about 11 PM to 6 AM before getting up to eat. He adjusted really well to the time change. He is definitely getting bigger. It is kind of amazing how he is growing. He is starting to smile now. I think it is when he is happy and not just when he is releasing his gas.

It has been incredibly hot and humid here. Everytime you go outside, you feel like you need to go take a shower. I guess California has had quite a heat wave also. We met our neighbors (Nathan and Kara) the other day. They are about our age and have a chocolate lab named Sadie. She looks just like Chocolate (at least to us.) Our realtor called the other day and told us some kids had tried to break into our house back there in Oceanside. Apparently they didn't get in so that is good. We haven't heard any news about anyone actually wanting to buy the house though. We are trying to just trust God to take care of it.

We haven't visited any churches or anything yet although both sets of parents have made recommedations. Shari's mom had called a church from their denomination. We're not sure exactly what she told them but they brought us dinner the other night. It was nice but now we are fighting the feeling of obligation to go visit. My parents told us of a Baptist (of course) church here that they know of from some people in their church. They kept saying that they weren't trying to pressure us when they were telling us about it but then they kept saying "I think you'll really like it." Oh well. God will lead us to the right group at some point. We just have to be patient.

Well, we'll try to write more often so it won't be such a long post from now on. We'll send some pictures soon. Thanks for the calls and emails. We miss you guys a lot. Hopefully, we'll hear from some of you soon.

Be like me?

In one of our meeting times at Kevyn and Cheryl's about a week and a half ago, Shari's dad and mom were with us. We were a little nervous because of her dad being a pastor and we are reading the "So you don't want to go to church anymore" book. In the middle of the discussion, Kevyn asked Shari's dad what he was thinking. He told us about how, when he was younger, he had put certain people up on a pedestal. He explained how he learned people would all fail and we needed to focus on Jesus and how this helped him learn the value of grace. I was curious how he prevents others from viewing him in way he had viewed others. His answer was that in Philippians, Paul says (I'm paraphrasing a bit), "Be like me as I am like Jesus." I have always heard this passage taught in order to "inspire" (a better word is actually guilt) us to behave ourselves. It was taught to me that if we want others to be like us, we should be essentially blameless. To me, this interpretation supports building a perception of godliness, not a true desire to follow Jesus. However, Shari's dad explained that Paul was saying that people should follow his example in repentance as well. This meant that Paul lived a life that was transparent. He allowed people to see him fail and repent. It was an inspiring way to read that verse. It was totally opposite of the way I had learned the verse. I was encouraged that Paul was really telling people to live as a family and to love each other through success, failure and everything in between. Even now it seems a bit weird to say to someone "Be like me". But if we are following Christ, He gives us the freedom to say that because we are really saying "Follow Christ."