I always appreciate your insightful reflections on missional living in the suburbs. I find myself going in and out of holy discontent, but that’s a good way to describe me today.

What do things look like for you a year and a half later? What has been helpful in sparking transformation for you?

Dorie, that’s the thing about the debt for us too. We’re pretty deep in and we’re pretty much enslaved to a payment plan. We won’t really be free until we get everything paid off. Its kind of sucky situation because we’re paying for our past sins (unfortunately not all of our debt is from our adoption). So, like you say we’re stuck working more hours. The situation sucks but we’ve got to eventually find a way out of the oppression… Too bad we can’t wave a magic wand and start all over.

adam, i think one of the biggest things is finding some friends to join you in the fight. we need some coconspirators!

matt, isn’t it sad that we find it so compelling to work before playing with our kids. That, somehow, playing with our kids is not “productive?!” I can’t tell you how big of a deal it is to our 4 year old that I stay home and play with him on Thursday’s. Not only is it a ton of fun to me, but it is the highlight of his week. That’s pretty dang cool.

mom, thanks for being a great example!

tim, i love that thought, “I am, as it were, an unfinished work of art. One day, I hope to be worthy of being displayed.” that’s an awesome thought. reminds me of ephesians 2:6-7 “And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.”

like i said, thanks everyone for your partnership in this!

I think it really is a sickness. Even though I cannot say that I am gun-hoe for losing my slavery to the world, I know it will lose its luster and I will be left depressed in search of something else.

I need to get on my knees and repent for being a slave to the world. I need to not be content in what it offers me. I guess I need to make a lot more changes in my life. I am, as it were, an unfinished work of art. One day, I hope to be worthy of being displayed. Till then, I will continue to be shaped and molded. I can’t wait to see what I will truly look like one day. So, I think I am going to pick up the book of Psalms like you have done and build my day around the Bible; not my job. Thanks man for showing me that I have so much more to do. God bless.

These past two years since losing your uncle Gordon, I have made time for solitude and focusing on intimacy with God because i couldnt’ survive without it. Now as I come out of that time, and feel more energetic and able to do more, i am finding myself in a battle of sorts to figure out a “rule of life” that will still allow me to nourish my soul and from there expand out into touching others. I read last night – a longing for solitude is often a longing for God. I like that. carol – aka your mother!

I played with my 5 month old daughter from 6-9 last night while my wife went out to take care of things. I had such a blast playing with my daughter (our first child) that I almost wept. I had to confess to my wife that I had been neglecting our family in the evenings and all because I really don’t know how to stop working sometimes.

Know that posts like this encourage me and others to strive after a life free from the things so easily enslaving those we are trying to reach for Christ.