Balance?

So tomorrow I'm leaving with Julie to go to Oregon for 5 or 6 days. We're really excited to go. We've both been on the go a lot lately and a change of scenery will be nice.

I caught a moment to breathe after Christmas, and then things went crazy. I've been putting in extra hours at work and it's been wearing me down. I've been out of town every weekend to spend time with Julie in Dayton. That has been good, but it has kept me busy. Life has just been very full.

It has been an odd time also. About a month ago my house church dissolved. We just hit the point where we had too few members and too few leadership. Though I love the people in my house church, it's actually been a relief. I've been in leadership in house church for 6 years and, in all honesty, I just burned out. For the last several months it has felt like anything to do with church or house church has been a job. I don't want it to be a job, I want that to be something I love and take joy in. Church is about growing in our relationship with Jesus and loving others. But sometimes you just have to take a break to refocus and recharge. So for the last few weeks I haven't been attending house church (haven't made it to Common Ground either, I've been in Dayton so I've been at Apex). I'm starting to miss it and it's a good feeling. I'll get plugged in again once I get back from Oregon.

I'm excited for spring. I'm excited to kayak again, I so can't wait. The last two Sundays I've been at the pool and it has felt wonderful. It's just a nice way to blow off some steam and have fun. I've met some cool new people over in Dayton. I know the Class II paddlers in the HCC are excited for a big season. One month until the Big Pine!

God just continues to bless me with Julie. What an incredible woman. I have to say that I got more than I bargained for when I met her :)

I feel like this is just all incoherent rambling, and I guess that says something about my mental state. Right now there's a need to restore the balance in my life.

Pray for us as we're in Oregon. Other than a day out at the coast, we don't have a plan. Just wherever God leads us. My brother and his wife are going to join us for a few days. We just want to enjoy the city and get to know it some. That as we live out who God made us to be, that people would see God's image in us.

Pray for us also as Julie and I are talking about taking the step of living in the same city. So we're seeking what that is going to look like. Indianapolis? Dayton? Somewhere else? Fun stuff like Julie selling her house, at least one of us finding a new job, a change in community. It's exciting to think about, but also a bit scary.

OK, I'm done rambling.