It is a daily slow dull ache. Details, things that catch you by suprise, smells, strollers...Today on the way home from the office I drove by a medical building that just four weeks ago I was sitting in front of with all three kids while Shelly had an appointment. Things were so normal then. But today, that seems like a different life ago. We are calling then Josh and Shelly version 1.0 and now Josh and Shelly version 2.0.
Seeing that building sent me into a 6 hour funk. I don't know why, but the normality of what we had was so poingnant today...
Last Friday night, while we were still at the water-park/hotel, Jason, Holly, Shelly and I discussed our going back to work schedule. At this point, church planting is a blessing and a curse. It is a blessing because the schedule can be so flexible, but it is also very tough because ther is no boss handing me a paycheck every Sunday. To make this things work, we have to GO AFTER IT. So this is what we discussed last Friday.
We decided that we would hit it hard last Monday. So this week we have been moving into our office and scheduling more Sundays for support. We cleared out one of the larger upper rooms, repainted, hung new lights, bought some cheapo office furniture, and began to move our books and stuff in. We worked up plenty-o-sweat.
Speaking of meeting space, I wanted to pass along an amazing blessing that God has dropped in our collective Greenhouse lap. For months we have been finagling, scheming, schmoozing, and generally working our ambition all we could... to no avail...
But a few months ago we bumped into Pastor Tom Archer from Common Grounds in Eastown (Fulton Heights)... As we developed this relationship Tom began to see our vison for Eastown, and we began to see his shephards heart. To get to the point, their fantastically big, old, charming, stain glass windowed, brick church is going to be available for us to meet in on sunday nights and is open for office space for a ridiculously good deal (details withheld out of good manners.) But let me tell you, they have really stepped up to the plate for us.
Here is a picture...
Looks like we are going to be starting earlier in the fall than we previoiusly thought. That is a good thing!!!
God is in control and we aren't. That is one of the only things I know, but it is a good thing. Just imagine all the chaos if I were God.
Blessing on you all...
