Small Group

Pam and I will be facilitating a new "Small Group" from our church, Community Church of Chesapeake. We met last night for the very first time. We are a set of 4 families that all live within a mile or so of each other, so we share geographical closeness as a commonality. We all have children. Some are home-schooled, and some public.

We also hosted two missionary couples last night, because this weekend is missionary weekend at church. One couple participates in "church planting" in the inner city of Norfolk. The other couple is preparing to move to La Paz, Mexico to work at a youth outreach camp. Both couples were able to tell us about what they are doing and what their visions are for what they are doing.

The theme for this weekend at church is "How will they know...?" Our church is VERY mission focused; 30%+ of our church budget goes to mission work, both locally and abroad. Pam and I are very mission minded so, we feel this church is where we belong.

We'll try to keep updating about what's going on there.

Jesus Vs Religion -

Happy New Year!

Yesterday was Pam's Birthday! Yup, on Friday the 13th. She handled it well.

So what will 2012 bring?

• Leah is graduating from High School, she plans to attend a local community college.
  
• Joey has braces coming (to expand his upper palette), (his 3rd set of braces).
• July, will be our 3rd year in this house (the longest Pam and I have lived - anywhere).
• June will be my 3rd year at my job with the IRS. (Longest I've held a single job since retiring from the USAF) I still love my job, which is fantastic. And, Yes, one can be a Bible believing Christian and be a tax collector at the same time. Trust me, I prayed about this.
  
• We're praying on whether we want to home-school the younger ones in the next school year or not. We know plenty of the pros/cons. It's a matter of whether it's something we really WANT to do.
• We've been keeping our eyes open for a rental home that would be better suitable - our "Wants" are to stay in the same high school district, larger kitchen, larger dining room, and a bathtub in the master bath. Of course, we're hoping the keep the cost of it down. That last part is what's keeping us in this house.

I'm watching these kid-lets grow and mature (mostly). It is absolutely amazing to watch God at work in their lives. I love to watch or hear them play and/or work together while Pam and I are in another part of the house. I still love to hear their stories from school. I'm sad when one of their friends move away or when they lose a friend who has become less of a friend. I laugh at the silliness that kids get to be. I try to ease their tension on upcoming events - like the ACT for Leah or weekly tests for Zoe. Spring soccer season is coming soon. Busy, busy, busy.

I want this year to be a memorable one. I want it to be one the kids can hang memories on and say I remember 2012 because... Not all years can be like that, sometimes that's good, sometimes not. When I try to think back, there are plenty of years that just blended in with the rest. That's why life seems so short as we get older, because the years just blend in with the day-to-day grind. The sun comes up, the sun goes down, and the man works to feed his family.

I guess it really boils down to me trying to do things that will help them have memories to hang on to, huh? Well, I better get started then.

Blessings

Juan