As far as house hunting goes…

Maya and I and the boys are in the process of searching for a new place of permanent residence; we want to buy a new house.  We LOVE the house we are in now, but it is getting a little bit small, and we figure now is as good a time as ever to buy a home.  The market is TERRIBLE because of all the foreclosures, so it’s a good time to buy.  The problem is, though, that it is not a good time to sell, which means we will try to keep our current house and rent it out.

We’ve looked at probably a dozen houses, and maybe 3 of them are legit considerations.  However, one of those is overpriced, one is currently not on the market (has been foreclosed on and we’re waiting for the bank to list it again), and the other is a short sale.  So, I really don’t know if any of those is going to work out.  I’m hoping, honestly, that one of those three does; they are great houses, all of them have pools and are in somewhat quiet neighborhoods.

Anyhow, I say all this because the entire process of getting a house, renting a house, working out the loan stuff, etc., is the worst.  I really wish it could work somewhat like this;

Agent: “So, you like this house?”

Me: “Ya, it’s nice.  I think we should buy it.”

Agent: “Cool.  Can you pay (enter $ amount) per month.”

Me: “Ya.  That’s easy.  It’s really not that much more than we’re paying now.”

Agent: “Okay.  I’d like you to meet the owner.  If you shake his hand, that means you agree to take this house and pay (enter $ amount) per month to him.”

Me: “Cool” (I shake owner’s hand; owner secretly slips the key into my hand in the handshake)

I know, naive, right.  But banks and title companies and realtors (although some realtors are nice) are stupid and unnecessary.

The night before…

So, in the morning the plan is to run 13.1 miles in the San Francisco half-marathon.  Now I’ve done a half before, and I’ve done adventure races that were much more difficult, but this is the first time I will be running by myself.  Ok, there are probably over 5,000 people running, too, but this is the first time I’m doing a race without any of my friends.  I trained by myself (which sucked), and didn’t train nearly enough.  But tomorrow I’m going through with it.  I’m counting on the race-day high to get me through the first 5 miles of uphill-in-the-dark running, the thrill of running over (and back over) the Golden Gate Bridge to get me from mile 5-10, a slight downhill trot to get me through 11-12, and the thought of the race being over to get me all the way to 13.1.  The ultimate goal is to do all that in under 2 hours…which is probably quite ambitious.  But really, if I finish, without puking, pooping myself (ever see that picture of that marathon guy?) or dying, I consider it a good day.  Then I’ll drive myself back to my hotel room where my wife and boys will probably still be sleeping.

BTW.  San Francisco is fun for a day.  But the whole place seems so lonely, even while so many people smash into you on the sidewalks.  We walked around today, and it was fun.  The boys had a blast, and we rode the cable cars.  I really enjoy the diversity in culture, style, language, etc.  That part really excites me.  But I feel like people are dying to have something real happen to their souls, all the time chasing the allure of the city.  I don’t know…I do think Jesus would like it here.  He’d probably laugh is face of at the all silver guys who really can’t dance and guilt people into giving them money.

Ok enough.  Bed time.  Maybe more tomorrow, if I can type after having crawled to the finish line on my hands and knees.

MOVE

I got back early this afternoon from a trip to San Luis Obispo with a group of 20 high school students and 3 other adults.  Although I missed my two boys considerably, I have to say this was one of the better experiences I have had at a “church camp.”  Some highlights/observations:

*High school students really are the best.

*I am more and more impressed with my friends and my wife.  Matt, Cindy, and Maya genuinely love Jesus Christ, and how they live that out is infectious to the people around them.

*Camp Directors should not appoint themselves as speakers.

*Staying in CSU dorms is only fun for a week.

*Jesus Christ works because of and often in SPITE of what is said about him by Christians.

*Intentional community is messy and trying, but so beautiful.

*I LOVE being a youth pastor.  High school students are so much fun, are very smart, and are brutally honest about matters of faith/religion.  I wish more adults could be like that…

I am very tired and am looking forward to vacation, but am so grateful for the time I got to spend making closer relationships and glorifying God in the process.  Good stuff.

Because my brother doesn’t have a myspace…

I’ve been blogging for quite some time on myspace, usually about what I’ve read in the bible that day or how I view a certain aspect of the Christian faith, but because my brother, Brian, is dead-set against getting an account there, and he can’t view it without logging on to his wife’s.  Anyhoo…

So, this blog here will pretty much be whatever is clever at the moment.  And I hope most of you, my friends, know enough about me to not ever read anything new here.