Calendar Check

Jennie and I could hardly get to sleep last night, talking about how fast the past year has flown by. It's been over a year now since we started life here in Delaware. So much has changed, so much has stayed the same. God has blessed our lives in so many ways.

I have learned a lot about myself.

We have learned a lot about ourselves.

We have learned a lot about God, family, friendships, and time.

I am 31 years old, Jennie is 27. All of the sudden, we feel like life has hit this pace where the months go as fast as weeks used to. Where weeks go as fast as days used to. Many of you know what I am talking about.

But there is still power in the moment. Power in a few minutes - enough, at least, to update my journal with a little sentimentality and reflection.

I have learned that I love to preach. It is probably my top spiritual gift, and a passion and privilege to be able to do this thing twice a week. I like having the freedom to experiment, to question, to probe, and to develop. I like knowing that, even if I think a sermon goes bad, other people will love it and God uses it.

Rest assured, I don't intentionally plan bad sermons. Just some are better than others, and that's life.

Yesterday, I felt sick to my stomach and preached a sermon that challenged some people. We're starting this study through Jonah, and I preached through the events in chapter one - backwards. It was fun to at least experiment by preaching a passage backwards and rewinding every few minutes to ask the question - "How did we get here?"

I have learned that I am terrible at keeping in touch with friends. I rely too much on this silly blog, instant messenger, or e-mail, and I'm starting to get sick of it. I'd rather pick up the phone and call someone than hope he checks his e-mail.

I have also learned that, the longer you go without keeping in touch, the less you feel like you have the "right" to call them now. I know that's not true, so I'll probably start calling some of you for the first time in a long time. Then again, I'm admittedly bad at keeping in touch, so I'd better not make that claim.

iChat is good sometimes, though.

I guess I am done with this post. I miss you all, though.

Jennie is 33 weeks pregnant, sometimes really tired and congested even.
Allie is saying new words like "clock" and "truck" and "butterfly" - although they don't always sound correct. We'll work on enunciation.
Luke kicks a lot, and is pretty big already. Someone told me today that the largest baby ever born at Grady Hospital here in Delaware was like 11 pounds or something. Not a record we want to break, Luke.