too much to mention

i've really missed blogging... for  a while though, posting has taken more energy than I have.  This year has already been a long one.  Not bad by any means, just full and kind of exhausting.  We've entered the fourth year of realHope.  It's been an amazing ride, but wow we're tired!  Especially Jeremy.  In some ways he's kind of been like Atlas - holding the world on his shoulders.  The church is growing by leaps and bounds, thriving and beautiful.  A dream come true - how often can you say that?!  We've made wonderful friends and grown this church family that we can't imagine life without. 

However, for our family, our behind-the-scenes - it sometimes feels like year one for us.  We sacrifice, simplify, refocus, repeat and are simply often weary.  Financially, it's a long road.  That's ok.  We've made our choices, we've chosen different priorities and we would do it again and again. We've just learned that on this journey, it requires periodic adjustments, and mandatory respites in order to manage the long haul.  It also helps to actively practice not coveting our neighbors.  We can't manage contentment if we're looking at the Jones.

I think back over the past several years at all of the different things we have done/tried to make ends meet and to accommodate church planting.  Year one Jeremy worked some crazy hours at the Sheraton downtown - including Christmas eve and day.  Year two, Jeremy drove 1.5 hours to Tarboro to manage a call center, while I took care of Luke (3.5) and Julianne as a baby and began cleaning his boss' house weekly.  That soon developed into working countless hours as a personal assistant, driving 35 minutes both ways, errands, painting and home improvement odds and ends and puppy sitting.  Year three, Jeremy was laid off, but finally able to come onto paid staff at realHope!  I worked for Starbuck's for 10 months doing closes, four to five nights a week including holidays.  I ended the year and entered year four, watching an SB friend's infant girl for ~6months.  Now in year four, Jeremy is paid full-time and I just went back to Starbuck's.  This time I am doing opens - starting at 5am until noon.  What a ride! 

I can honestly say that church planting has made us do things we would never have done otherwise.  Given us unique experiences and grown us in unexpected ways.  Our faith has grown, and so has our contentment.  We've learned to not sweat the bank account, to focus on what's most important, to be grateful every day for what we have, and to look around us at all of the ways that God provides.  I can honestly say that despite the weariness at times, doubt or even frustrations, I wouldn't choose any other life.  I love what God is doing in our life and in the lives around us.

In terms of respite- Starbuck's is that for me.  Kind of funny, since it's plenty of hard work.  Strange, but I love the place.  I love the way that it is a kind of sweet (although dysfunctional) family.  I love the relationships and the free coffee's good too.  I get to get out and just be me for a while.  I'm up and almost done with work before Jules even misses me.  Grandma J helps take Luke to school and is there if Jeremy needs help with Jules.  Julianne so easy though (most days), so right now it's working.  And, the best news is that Jeremy is planning a sabbatical for the month of July.  We'll still be here, but Jeremy will take the month off from preaching, and take some time to rejuvenate.  We'll take some family time, and some serious time to catch up on the house (which has been on the back burner for too long.) 

So, yeah, things are good.