Long TIme, No Blog... Here's Why

So, big changes since the last time I blogged. Here's whats been happening in my world.

• June 30, 2009 was my last day as pastor of Longview Missionary Baptist Church. I love that church. They are wonderful people of God who showed great kindness to me and my family. I spent nine amazing years of ministry there, for which I give thanks. Though we are separated by geography, I still have them in my heart (Philippians 1:7).

• On July 3, 2009, I kissed my family good-bye and drove to Tremont, Illinois. For the next 9 days I lived in Carroll and Phylis Imig's travel trailer. I woke up to the roosters every morning. I hated being away from my family, but enjoyed getting to go know the great folks at Tremont Baptist Church.
  

• On July 5, 2009, I preached my first sermon as Pastor of Tremont Baptist Church. We had a "passing of the baton" from their interim pastor, Dr. Adrian Lampkin, to me. The service was a "God and Country Day" service in the park. We had a great crowd of more than 140.

• On July 12, I preached my first sermon in the church building. After preaching, I left to make the 12 hour drive back to Longview.
  

• We packed up our house. A great group of guys from Tremont made the trip down to help us load a Penske truck and a 26 foot enclosed trailer (side note: I can't believe we have that much stuff!). On July 14, Sarah and I said good-bye to Longview by eating lunch at El Sombrero (really missing that place) and stopped in at Lifeway for one last perusal. Sarah and I made it to Cape Girardeau, Missouri for the night.
  

• We closed on our house on July 15 and started unpacking. And then there was more unpacking. And still more unpacking.
  

• Since July 15, we have painted everything but the kitchen and the hall that goes to the front bathroom, put in new carpet in the bedrooms and living room, and put in new vinyl flooring in the kitchen. We also put up a chain link fence so the kids could play in the backyard and not escape.
  

• We've met several of our neighbors and really like all of them. We love our new little village. Sarah and the kids love to ride bikes to the market to get a free sample of cheese before going to the library. We've made some new friends. They don't replace our old friends, but they are nice additions to our lives.
  

• In the church, we've had three people join by statement/letter, one by baptism, and I'm working with another one for baptism. The church is remodeling office space for me and the staff (it was much needed and the work they are doing is beautiful). Attendance is trending upward (in July, we averaged 127; in August, we are averaged 136 for worship). I'm starting a new Young Adult Sunday school class this Sunday.
  

• As of this week, every thing in our home is pretty much settled. All the furniture is in place. We still have a few boxes in the garage, and a few more at a friend's house. And I still need to hang a cabinet in the master bathroom. But other than that, we are getting settled in our home.
  

• The kids are adjusting very nicely. Abigail still talks about her Longview friends. We all wish there was some good Tex-Mex here. And I am sure this winter, I will miss the Texas winters.

• But God has been very kind to us. Our lives are slowly being weaved into the tapestry of fellowship here in Tremont. We are excited to be a part of the community and looking forward to what God has in store for us.