The church hunt is over!

We found a church!  The pastor has been on vacation but we like what we see so far! The past churches we have tried were very traditional...hymns,pews, corporate reading from the KJV, the whole bit.  We were attracted by their involvement in missions so we had contemplated how much compromise in style might be required for us to be part of a church that has the same passion for the lost and hurting that we do.  But we also thought what if we took our neighbors or Justin's coworkers?  We felt that we we'd keep looking b/c that style is not so relevant to the unchurched of our generation.  Also the other churches we attended would never know that we were there, nor that we didn't come back and I thought about those who are searching for God (who might actually come within the 4 walls) and not just a church.  We really wanted a more relationally based church.  We had driven by a church called New Beginnings Family Church and wrote down the website.  This was kinda the last option that we had.  On their site (www.go2nbfc.org) they listed the 3 monthly outreaches they do and they also had a Saturday night service, which works better for Alana than Sunday morning.  We went and everyone was so welcoming and friendly.  The worship is intimate and the nursery and workers were fantastic.  After the service a guy invited Justin to the men's group.  He also sent Justin a text message later that week.  Justin went and really liked it.  They also have a Bible study for married couples.  We are very encouraged as it has been a lot longer road than we had planned to settle into a church!

Hate

Last night I sent out one of those forwarded email surveys.  I have gotten several responses which have all been entertaining but what I find most interesting is that only one person answered the question about hate.  (Shout out to Anna!)  It's good to hate!  May be that's whats wrong with our nation and even the church, we're all so afraid to hate.  There are certain things in this world that have absolutely no positive value.  Shouldn't we hate terrorism, injustice, abortion, divorce, abuse of any kind against a person or substance????  I think hate could possibly be the only emotion powerful enough to drive us to make a difference, to become an agent of change, a activist. May be if more people hated these things we would see less of them!  In that light I am changing my answer from hating my dogs (which I didn't really mean anyhow, they are just on my last nerve these days) to hating apathy!  But if you didn't answer that question, don't get me wrong, I am not calling you apathetic.  I'm just say'n I wish we hated evil a little more as a society!

Foreign land, the final post

Moving here has made me aware of a few things that I took for granted in AZ.  As much as I disliked the heat of Phoenix and love the weather here, there is something to be said for central climate control.  There have been several days, or even weeks that it got pretty hot here.  Our house has little if any insulation and just a little wall air conditioner.  It's not big enough to cool more than the living room so the bedrooms become saunas!  But I am so grateful that it was only a few weeks that got pretty uncomfortable and the weather is beautiful now and it's always been nice in the mornings and nights.  The hardest part was that Alana would wake up cuz she was hot and then wake up in the mornings b/c she is cold! I also miss my Maricopa County libraries!  We have 2 that I can use but they are not connected so if they don't have a book, you don't get it!  One of them is soooo rinky dink I have almost quit going b/c there have been 3 times that they have just been closed in the middle of the day!  Lastly, the residents of Phoenix metro are so spoiled with all the master planned communities!  Here there seems to have been no thought to the roads and shopping complexes.  It seems like every shopping center I try to enter there is no where to turn in.  So you go up to the next intersection to make a U-turn and, of course, U-turns are illegal at that intersection.  So you have to turn left go down another street to find somewhere else to turn around, it's just plain crazy!  So next time you are loathing the blistering heat of the valley, remember the little things that have intrinsic value!

Perfect example

This story sums up my last post perfectly! Justin just told me last night that he had to register for something at work.  In the questionnaire it asked his nationality and Caucasian/white was not even an option!  He had to mark "other"!

Foreign Land Part 2

I would say the biggest culture shock thus far is being a minority in a BIG way.  The area that we live in is about 85% Asian! (Then Hispanic, African American and about 4 % Caucasian!)  There is a street close to our house that for several miles all the signs are bilingual.  I'm not real sure what the specific nations of origin are represented but I think mostly Chinese and Korean.  I don't know how to tell but somehow they do.  The other day Alana and I were at the park and I saw a lady approach a complete stranger in her native tongue. I thought to myself how did she know that the other lady would understand her, she could have been from a different country??? But obviously there are differences in appearance that I cannot see!  I know from my overseas travel that waiting in lines is an American thing but it's funny to experience it here at home in America!  One day I was standing in line at Khols behind 3 other people, one being an older man holding a big heavy box.  A register opened and the cashier called the next in line and the Asian girl behind me helped herself to the opening!  The others were obviously distraught and I mentioned that we had better get used to the difference in culture eh? : )  Then last week I was at the MVD and the same thing happened.  I was second in line behind a young Asian girl and the Asian guy behind me jumped ahead of us both.  She turned and looked at me with this "what the heck?" look and I giggled to myself b/c even she noticed!  I must assume that she was born and schooled here therefore accustomed to lines whereas most that do the "cutting" are immigrants.  But please don't misunderstand, I love the diversity of our area!  Especially since Justin and I have always had a heart for Asia.  I would love to get involved in outreach to this people group!