We closed on the house here in Houston this morning so we're officially Texas residents once again! Yehaw! Unfortunately, the link below to pictures of the house doesn't work anymore now that we've closed and the house isn't in the MLS system. We'll try to get some new pictures posted once our furniture arrives and we get things into place.
More to come soon...for now, praise the Lord for his abundant goodness to us in selling our Biloxi home and purchasing a home here! We are blessed!
Monday, September 17, 2007
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Ecstatic
We closed on the sale of the Biloxi house Friday afternoon and drove back to Houston Friday night.
We're in the option period on a house here in H-town (in the middle of inspections and negotiating things to be fixed). To see pictures, click here:
Hopefully, we'll be settled here within the month. We'll keep you posted.
B
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
The rumors are true...
We have a contract on our house.
We are very thankful.
And cautiously excited.
We'll be ecstatic once closing is final.
Give thanks.
B
We are very thankful.
And cautiously excited.
We'll be ecstatic once closing is final.
Give thanks.
B
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Biloxi Blues
Tuesday last week while on my way to work I received an almost tearful phone call from Holly.
Our home in Biloxi has been on the market since November and the realtor had just called to tell us that our A/C was blowing hot air, that water was leaking through the ceiling and onto the floors where it had been soaking for who knows how long.
I flew there Wednesday night to assess the damage and get contractors to begin repairs. All in all the damage turned out to be pretty manageable. The floors were an easy fix and a trusted contractor friend has begun repairing the damage to the ceiling. The A/C guy came and he and I got up in the attic where I showed him what I could see that was wrong and what I expected to be fixed. He apologized profusely. Apparently the crew that was working for him at the time of our install has since been fired for a series of shoddy installs. He is working to make it right.
My friend Matt Forester was able to take off and fly over there with me. We landed in New Orleans late and did an 2AM tour of the coastline destruction on Hwy 90 from Bay St. Louis to Biloxi. In the process, I got pulled over for speeding (60 in a 45) in Long Beach. I had consumed one Scotch on the plane so I had to be interrogated by a bored cop and do the drink test (breathalizer) on the side of the road. I passed. He asked me about my job and what I was doing in town and asked Matt a bunch of random questions too. Thankfully he ended up asking us to slow down and let us go.
We ate mighty fine fried Oyster Po-Boys and had all the sweet tea we could drink at The Ole Biloxi Schooner with friend David Skinner for Thursday lunch. Thursday night we ate Pizza and played the Nintendo Wii with adopted Dad Doug Leavengood and friend Jordan Sikkema. Friday and Saturday were mostly spent managing the A/C contractors and doing other small fixes around the house. I did stay up late Friday night (until 5AM-ish) drinking beer and discussing theology w/ neighbor Kevin Moore and friends Scott/Angela Moore and had to be up again at 8AM w/ the arrival of contractors... I was a little tired.
Finally today, I loaded up and drove to BSL to attend Lagniappe Church on my way to the airport in NoLA. While there i got to see even more old friends- Andy & Cammie Chapman, Curt & Kelly Moore, Ron & Linda Junkin among others.
All in all it was a good, productive weekend. I've attached some pictures of the minor damage as well of some pictures of the maturing landscape.
B
Water Damage.
Water Damage.
Batch's foot through the ceiling damage (a mis-step in the attic).
Maturing Landscapes.
And another view.
The youth from Christ The King Houston (where we are members now) visited Lagniappe this summer for a week of service and this is the very cool sign they left as a rememberance.
Our home in Biloxi has been on the market since November and the realtor had just called to tell us that our A/C was blowing hot air, that water was leaking through the ceiling and onto the floors where it had been soaking for who knows how long.
I flew there Wednesday night to assess the damage and get contractors to begin repairs. All in all the damage turned out to be pretty manageable. The floors were an easy fix and a trusted contractor friend has begun repairing the damage to the ceiling. The A/C guy came and he and I got up in the attic where I showed him what I could see that was wrong and what I expected to be fixed. He apologized profusely. Apparently the crew that was working for him at the time of our install has since been fired for a series of shoddy installs. He is working to make it right.
My friend Matt Forester was able to take off and fly over there with me. We landed in New Orleans late and did an 2AM tour of the coastline destruction on Hwy 90 from Bay St. Louis to Biloxi. In the process, I got pulled over for speeding (60 in a 45) in Long Beach. I had consumed one Scotch on the plane so I had to be interrogated by a bored cop and do the drink test (breathalizer) on the side of the road. I passed. He asked me about my job and what I was doing in town and asked Matt a bunch of random questions too. Thankfully he ended up asking us to slow down and let us go.
We ate mighty fine fried Oyster Po-Boys and had all the sweet tea we could drink at The Ole Biloxi Schooner with friend David Skinner for Thursday lunch. Thursday night we ate Pizza and played the Nintendo Wii with adopted Dad Doug Leavengood and friend Jordan Sikkema. Friday and Saturday were mostly spent managing the A/C contractors and doing other small fixes around the house. I did stay up late Friday night (until 5AM-ish) drinking beer and discussing theology w/ neighbor Kevin Moore and friends Scott/Angela Moore and had to be up again at 8AM w/ the arrival of contractors... I was a little tired.
Finally today, I loaded up and drove to BSL to attend Lagniappe Church on my way to the airport in NoLA. While there i got to see even more old friends- Andy & Cammie Chapman, Curt & Kelly Moore, Ron & Linda Junkin among others.
All in all it was a good, productive weekend. I've attached some pictures of the minor damage as well of some pictures of the maturing landscape.
B
Water Damage.
Water Damage.
Batch's foot through the ceiling damage (a mis-step in the attic).
Maturing Landscapes.
And another view.
The youth from Christ The King Houston (where we are members now) visited Lagniappe this summer for a week of service and this is the very cool sign they left as a rememberance.Thursday, July 05, 2007
Beautiful words...
... from a college acquaintance and certainly words I need to be reminded of daily (and especially so lately).
Is God faithful? Sometimes, Jesus hid himself; he hid himself when the crowds expected, and even demanded, the wrong things, the self-protective things, from him. He is faithful only to his expectations, his demands, his un-self-protecting promises--his own words.Read the whole entry here.
With those words, does he promise redemption? Heartache? Speak into our lives sun and fields and fears and longings and loves? Trucks and sunshine turning on the wheels? I'm not sure. But I am sure that when I shrink into myself, try to protect myself, he doesn't say, "I said, 'Don't mess up'" but "You messed up, and I have promised to love you still; there is a future for us."
So help me, God, help my wife love me still. Help my child love me still. May I say to him not "Don't mess up" but "When you do . . . ." This is labor. The sun is setting. The fields are ripening. We need not protect ourselves. We have a future.
Friday, June 22, 2007
Low Qual/High Qual
Low quality picture of a high quality fish.
I caught the biggest fish of my life today and all I had to take a pic of it with was my cheap phone. So the quality of the photo is weak, but the fish was awesome.
It weighed in between 17-18 pounds and about 28 inches. I was fishing with cut bait about 20-25 miles off shore in about 90 feet of water south of Freeport, TX.
We (my buddy Matt Forrester and I) also caught some red snapper, mahi-mahi and trigger fish. Good times. We're eating fresh fish tonight.
Big thanks to Matt for the invite.
B
I caught the biggest fish of my life today and all I had to take a pic of it with was my cheap phone. So the quality of the photo is weak, but the fish was awesome.
It weighed in between 17-18 pounds and about 28 inches. I was fishing with cut bait about 20-25 miles off shore in about 90 feet of water south of Freeport, TX.
We (my buddy Matt Forrester and I) also caught some red snapper, mahi-mahi and trigger fish. Good times. We're eating fresh fish tonight.
Big thanks to Matt for the invite.
B
Monday, June 18, 2007
Good Soldier by Mark Driscoll
Compelling take by Mark Driscoll on men's issues facing the church today, especially as related to challenges in planting churches.
Friday, June 15, 2007
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Monday, June 11, 2007
Holly B- Triathlon Master
Holly totally rocked it in the triathlon this weekend. Here are the official results:
In her age group, she came in 81/418 and her swim (1/2 mile) was within a minute of some of the top 10 finishers. She was amazing.
Here she is coming in toward the end of her biking leg (12 miles).
And here she is finishing after her run (3.2 miles).
And here's me after the race being the ever-supportive husband/beer-security-guy.
| Overall Rank | Class Rank | Swim | Swim Rank | Trans1 | Bike | Bike Rank | MPH | Trans2 | Run | Run Rank | Pace | Final |
| 437 of 2601 | 13 of 389 | 00:20:44 | 528 | 00:03:47 | 00:44:15 | 674 | 17.6 | 00:02:16 | 00:29:56 | 472 | 00:09:39 | 01:41:00 |
In her age group, she came in 81/418 and her swim (1/2 mile) was within a minute of some of the top 10 finishers. She was amazing.
Here she is coming in toward the end of her biking leg (12 miles).
And here she is finishing after her run (3.2 miles).
And here's me after the race being the ever-supportive husband/beer-security-guy.
Housing Not Moving Praying
A few days ago we asked your prayers about a potential buyer for our house.
We didn't get an offer.
So, we still own a beautiful house in Biloxi should you know anyone interested.
Please keep praying that it would sell soon.
Thanks,
B
We didn't get an offer.
So, we still own a beautiful house in Biloxi should you know anyone interested.
Please keep praying that it would sell soon.
Thanks,
B
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Housing Moving Praying
I know of at least a few folks who still read this page from time to time. If you're out there today and you're into praying, we'd ask you to pray that our home sells.
We understand that even now it is being considered by a family. We are told they like it, but they just haven't made a decision yet. We would like very much for them to offer to buy it. So, if you're so inclined, please pray that they would decide to offer on our house, that they would offer generously and that we could close the Biloxi chapter of our life soon.
It is a fantastic house that was carefully and lovingly renovated from the frame outward. Everything is new from the plumbing to the plaster. It is in what was once a magnificent neighborhood and will be once again after the wounds inflicted by Katrina heal in a few years. The street is lined with beautiful, old oak trees along the Biloxi Bay and the people who reside in that little stretch of land adjacent to the water are some of the most friendly neighbors we have ever had. We will miss them dearly.
If you'd like to see the virtual tour, you may click here.
Anyhow, enough of the sales pitch. Please pray if you will.
Batch
We understand that even now it is being considered by a family. We are told they like it, but they just haven't made a decision yet. We would like very much for them to offer to buy it. So, if you're so inclined, please pray that they would decide to offer on our house, that they would offer generously and that we could close the Biloxi chapter of our life soon.
It is a fantastic house that was carefully and lovingly renovated from the frame outward. Everything is new from the plumbing to the plaster. It is in what was once a magnificent neighborhood and will be once again after the wounds inflicted by Katrina heal in a few years. The street is lined with beautiful, old oak trees along the Biloxi Bay and the people who reside in that little stretch of land adjacent to the water are some of the most friendly neighbors we have ever had. We will miss them dearly.
If you'd like to see the virtual tour, you may click here.
Anyhow, enough of the sales pitch. Please pray if you will.
Batch
More on suffering
A friend sent me a Vern Poythress article a while back; you can go to it by clicking the title of this post or by clicking here. I found parts of it instructive, particularly the bit below.
One side note: Proythress is one smart dude; however, he is wrong about where Hurricane Katrina landed and what casued the damage to New Orleans. I doubt I'll ever have another opportunity to correct him, but I digress.
I found this comment of his particularly poignant.
That's good stuff. Our culture (the broader culture as well as church culture) makes every effort to avoid suffering at all costs. Our prayers are laced with pleas for safety, not from the snares of the evil one but safety from suffering or even safety from discomfort. I know I'm guilty.
As Christians, we're called to look at suffering differently, as a blessing. The judgement of God for his people is often loving discipline. His blessings are not always pleasant. He judges, he disciplines, he blesses.
1 Peter 4: 12-13
12Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.
Romans 8: 16-17
16The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
One side note: Proythress is one smart dude; however, he is wrong about where Hurricane Katrina landed and what casued the damage to New Orleans. I doubt I'll ever have another opportunity to correct him, but I digress.
I found this comment of his particularly poignant.
In particular, every disaster is a forerunner of the Last Judgment. It should be used as an occasion to reflect on the transitory character of this life (1 Cor. 7:31), on the fact that God gives us blessings that we do not deserve (Matt. 5:45), and that if we are rebels against him we ourselves deserve the worst of what the victims experienced.
That's good stuff. Our culture (the broader culture as well as church culture) makes every effort to avoid suffering at all costs. Our prayers are laced with pleas for safety, not from the snares of the evil one but safety from suffering or even safety from discomfort. I know I'm guilty.
As Christians, we're called to look at suffering differently, as a blessing. The judgement of God for his people is often loving discipline. His blessings are not always pleasant. He judges, he disciplines, he blesses.
1 Peter 4: 12-13
12Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.
Romans 8: 16-17
16The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Ron Paul for President
I was first introduced to Ron Paul (not personally, but to his politics) by a good friend. He pointed me to Paul's congressional site a few years ago.
I've been vaguely familiar lately with his pursuit of the 2008 presidential nomination. Another good friend has been preaching the merits of Paul for President as well in an email discussion group.
I've just spent the last hour or so watching clips of Paul in debates and on both the Daily Show with Jon Stewart and on Real Time with Bill Maher. If you watch them you'll see a television rarity- a republican candidate being received warmly, even greeted with a measure of glee on each of these two shows with decidedly non-republican hosts and audiences.
Color me impressed.
He is intelligent, articulate and truly principled. He actually answers questions- he doesn't do the typical sidestep on the tough ones. And he offers his opinions warmly and graciously, without the typical self-righteous sneer of many of today's politicians.
As I soaked up his responses, I actually felt excitement about the political process, an emotion I've probably not felt since I was a sheepish child "campaigning" for my preferred candidate back in high school.
Here is an excerpt on Paul from his wikipedia entry.
I've been vaguely familiar lately with his pursuit of the 2008 presidential nomination. Another good friend has been preaching the merits of Paul for President as well in an email discussion group.
I've just spent the last hour or so watching clips of Paul in debates and on both the Daily Show with Jon Stewart and on Real Time with Bill Maher. If you watch them you'll see a television rarity- a republican candidate being received warmly, even greeted with a measure of glee on each of these two shows with decidedly non-republican hosts and audiences.
Color me impressed.
He is intelligent, articulate and truly principled. He actually answers questions- he doesn't do the typical sidestep on the tough ones. And he offers his opinions warmly and graciously, without the typical self-righteous sneer of many of today's politicians.
As I soaked up his responses, I actually felt excitement about the political process, an emotion I've probably not felt since I was a sheepish child "campaigning" for my preferred candidate back in high school.
Here is an excerpt on Paul from his wikipedia entry.
Paul advocates a limited role for the federal government, low taxes, free markets, a non-interventionist foreign policy, and a return to monetary policies based on commodity-backed currency. He has earned the nickname "Dr. No" because he is a medical doctor who votes against the bills he believes to be unconstitutional.[1] In the words of former Treasury Secretary William Simon, Paul is the "one exception to the Gang of 535" on Capitol Hill.[2] He has never voted to raise taxes or congressional pay, and refuses to participate in the congressional pension system.[3] He has consistently voted against the USA PATRIOT Act, the Military Commissions Act of 2006, and the Iraq War.And here is an excerpt from his campaign website.
He has never voted to raise taxes.I highly recommend investigating Mr. Paul and his campaign. If you want to see more clips of him engaging hosts, opponents, etc... you can go to his site on YouTube.
He has never voted for an unbalanced budget.
He has never voted for a federal restriction on gun ownership.
He has never voted to raise congressional pay.
He has never taken a government-paid junket.
He has never voted to increase the power of the executive branch.
He voted against the Patriot Act.
He voted against regulating the Internet.
He voted against the Iraq war.
He does not participate in the lucrative congressional pension program.
He returns a portion of his annual congressional office budget to the U.S. treasury every year.
MUST READ: Breaking Free of Suburbia's Stranglehold
Families Simplify Lifestyles in Quest for Meaning That Constant Hustle Obscured
By Annie Gowen
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, June 3, 2007; Page A01
Jennifer McNelley's life felt like one big errand -- an endless series of Target runs and school drop-offs and commuting to two jobs from her Loudoun County home.
McNelley, a single mother of a 6-year-old, was feeling "overwhelmed and hopeless" when a flier appeared in her mailbox announcing a sermon series at her church called "Death by Suburb." The congregation would spend five weeks talking about the suburban lifestyle -- the consumerism and the overcaffeinated schedules, and how it all can choke the life out of you if you're not careful.
Click here for the rest of the article.
By Annie Gowen
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, June 3, 2007; Page A01
Jennifer McNelley's life felt like one big errand -- an endless series of Target runs and school drop-offs and commuting to two jobs from her Loudoun County home.
McNelley, a single mother of a 6-year-old, was feeling "overwhelmed and hopeless" when a flier appeared in her mailbox announcing a sermon series at her church called "Death by Suburb." The congregation would spend five weeks talking about the suburban lifestyle -- the consumerism and the overcaffeinated schedules, and how it all can choke the life out of you if you're not careful.
Click here for the rest of the article.
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