i'm thinking warm thoughts about my community today. last night the house church discussion got really good at the end. thanks to doug speaking up, we admitted that more focus in our thoughts would be good and healthy, as we tend to ask lots of big questions and not dig into them too much. so, for next week, we're all going to be chewing on a question that came up last night regarding the actions of God pre-jesus and post-jesus. in my own mind, there almost seems to be two sides of God - the "old testament God" and the "new testament God." i know that God doesn't change, so how do we go from the entire nations being swallowed up by the earth to the grace of the cross? after the "official chuch gathering," a few of us ran to joseph-beth in search of the book "the mystery of marriage," which is the very best book written about marriage, according to doug, shaina, sarah, and aaron. since joseph-beth closed shortly after we all got there, we ended up going to the pub next door to continue the conversations that had started. what rich conversations! i now know how God gave steve a very direct sign that He is real (he had steve and amy mac run over a bible in the middle of the street - crazy cool story!), and i know what becky and shaina think about all kinds of girl things. i have a great church! i find myself trying to absorb every minute with them, as we all move in different directions. tonight i am going to spend time with my other church at the landing place. how did i get so incredibly blessed?? i simply don't understand why, wherever i end up, i've been surrounded by amazing people who love me, and who are easy to love. i get to see my dad and mom on monday. hooplah! they get to meet daniel. double hooplah! have i mentioned that i love my parents? we're a pretty independent family - i don't talk to them every day, and we only see each other a few times a year. but they are a part of that blessedness i mentioned above. i always knew i was loved by my parents, and i never had to live in fear in my own household. i'm learning how rare that is. my parents taught me to love God, and they taught me to love reading and thoughts and ideas. they may always think i'm a bit of a flighty idealist, but i do know that they will always welcome me into their house. back to work again!