Community is a gift ...

Years ago, we decided to be intentional about creating community and developing relationship with the people around us ... As with most good intentions, we had no idea what this would look like, we really just wanted to be good neighbors. We also had no idea what a HUGE blessing it is to truly engage in one's community.
Some highlights of the "community" we've experienced on Seymour Street: We know all the people immediately surrounding our home, we've celebrated ups and downs, had laughs and shared some good discussions - even poetry!! Tears, laughter, karaoke, wine, board games, even at times conflict - we've experienced so much with our neighbors here!
We've taken neighborhood kids on road trips, to church, to youth group, out for ice cream, on bike rides, gone to their sports activities. We've babysat and helped with homework. Some kids have become like our own, and we couldn't love them more if there was a biological connection. Some neighbors have become friends we know we'll treasure forever, friends who will call for advice at 7am, knowing full well we're still asleep (because they can see that no lights are on yet!), but knowing that it's okay to call anyway.
Most of our neighbors know that we have an open door policy, because they've heard us say over and over that our home is their home, so they walk right in - if we have company, they visit for awhile, if we're eating, they join us, and if we're having a tense family moment, they might get an earful just for having bad timing.
When we asked God to teach us about community, to break down our walls - the ones that made us want to protect ourselves rather than extend ourselves - we didn't envision or anticipate the depth of what has evolved over that past few years ... in a house we didn't really want to buy!!
Tonight we sold our little house on Seymour Street. We're hoping to meet the new folks who will live in this house, we've already invited them for coffee, - within minutes after the deal was signed.
We want them to know what a gift they're being given - they're receiving so much more than a house!
We look forward to building community in our new home....

Some vulnerability about the day and the journey...

So, we're in full swing now .. the house is for sale (check us out at mls.ca, listing #2713011) - the sign is even up! I've had three INTENSE days of training at Bethany - incase I ever wondered all that I don't know, I now have an inkling!! As I type, Brendan is madly putting finishing touches on the basement, the realtor was horrified that showings start in under 24 hours and the bottom half of our house is relatively untouched since last week!! We also have NO CLUE where we'll be living in less than four weeks, and the options are decreasing... nor do we know where the kids will go to school, and a host of other details...

I think I've experienced the full range of human emotions today - sadness, grief, a sense of being cared for and very blessed, anger, being overwhelmed, feeling inadequate and underqualified, hopeful anticipation, intense thankfulness, moderate panic, exhaustion... I could go on, but you're getting it and I'm running the risk of being a whiner.... oh, I forgot another thing I experienced today: a desperate craving for Chocolate!
Two things stand out as I reflect on the day before turning in; first, this thing we're doing (you know, moving away from everything we've always known, all the supports and comforts we have, taking a giant step into the great unknown... ) is an exercise in faith. What good is faith (defined as being sure of what we hope for and certain of things we cannot see) if we say we have it but we never actually take it out for some exercise? To date, I've had way more opportunities to take pretty safe chances than to take big leaps of pure faith. So, I think our family is taking our faith out of the wrapper and going for a long walk. Actually, a pretty brisk run. Not that everybody should do the same as us .. we need a place to stay when we come home!!

The other stand out reflection from today is that it takes a lot of discipline to think on those things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable—things that are excellent or praiseworthy - I didn't have that discipline for most of today, but I'd sure like to be that person. On that note, here is something praiseworthy: Lorrie and Paul are angels in disguise. Lorrie and Brendan put this whole house in order in less than a week ... Lorrie has so many gifts that I don't, if she weren't around to pick up the pieces, I'd be very broken and helpless!! Here is something noble: Paul, Troy Mac, our neighbor Zofia, Karen, and a few others contributed to our house project too. Many thanks! And I have something lovely to look forward to: I am very excited to work with an awesome team at Bethany, its going to be a treat to work with such generous and amazing people.
...feeling better already!

Owens thoughts about moving....

-theres alot of friends here in Winnipeg that i dont want to leave behind but i am *EXCITED* to meet new ppl in Hepburn or in Saskatoon

-a deal i made with my parents for that when we move im going to get an electric guitar and amp.. cant wait to get them.

- and im also excited to be in grade seven.

-and excited for one of the Saskatoon skate shops called NINETIMES

Have you ever...??

Have you ever had so much to do you don't even know where to start? That is where I'm (Kelly) at with this house and moving business. I've walked around my house at least a dozen times with a note pad trying to make lists, motivate myself to just do it ( I have a done some sorting and stuff ...), but mostly I feel like I'm going in circles, not being as efficient as I could be.
Brendan is slaving away (painting over the *pink* kitchen!) and I just asked him his answer to the new question in our profile .. he is stunned that he's hard at work and I'm playing around .. okay, so I'll get to work, I can cross a couple things of the list in the next 30 minutes or so...

A day on the roller coaster ...

So today was a big day, I (Kelly) am still winding down my job at Variety and there feels like a million loose ends to tie up. I know that my replacement, Charlotte, will do a great job and that's a blessing.
I am going to Hepburn next week to do some training there before the person I'm taking over for moves on, its actually good timing as Bren will be focused on house prep, Syd is at camp, and Owen is helping out with VBS at church all week - they won't even notice I'm gone!
We're really hoping that our house can be sold privately, with all the crazy bidding wars on homes in Winnipeg right now we're thinking that we might be able to find the family who wants to avoid all that and just buy a house.... we'll see! We've put the feelers out, hopefully something positive will come about, if not we'll hopefully list it in late July or early Aug. at the latest.
Brendan and I put the finishing touches on our 'family values' tonight - we started to draft this last fall. They're below...
Another big day tomorrow - can't wait to have lunch with Ang Doerksen! Have you ever looked up "INSPIRING" in the dictionary? There's a photo of Ang right beside the definition. And Ben, if you're reading this, Brendan is very pleased that you're home for the summer - he missed you all the time, but especially on Wednesday nights!

hEEELPP!!!

Hi there, if you have read the above post you'd know that we are quickly approaching a move. As some of you know I(brendan) like to dismantle things and take my sweet time putting them back together. I have now officially run out of that time. So if any of you skilled workers out there are feeling bored and would like some good company, feel free to give me a call and we can set something up. We hope to have the house on the market by the endof July, so now is the time if you are interested.

The Big Decision

Well, we've been wanting to create a blog for several months, and we're finally getting around to it. This is a new experience, so forgive us for faking our way through this as we figure out all the details of this new adventure in staying connected to friends and family.

We have a reason to want to get this blog going - our family is embarking on a new adventure this summer. I've (Kelly) accepted a position in finance at Bethany College in Hepburn, Saskatchewan, so we'll be moving before the school year starts this fall. It's about 30 minutes north of Saskatoon, and right now we're thinking we'll live in Hepburn, although that remains to be seen.
I'm posting this literally hours after accepting the job, so there is a lot more unknown than known at this point, but one thing we're sure about is that this is a good direction for our family - but we also recognize all that we're leaving behind: a wonderful, close knit extended family, great schools for our kids, an amazing church family, great jobs, friends that we treasure, a great house in a community that we love... the list goes on and on.

Here is some of what we know we're gaining: an experience that will strengthen our family - together and as individuals, an opportunity for Brendan to (finally!) pursue that post secondary education he's always wanted to, a chance to work in a Christian setting where community, leadership, and service are the emphasis... this list goes on and on too!

We're planning to record some of the adventure here, so come back and visit often. We'll all be posting, so you never know what you'll get! Once I figure out how to load photos, we'll put some up ... in the meantime, does anyone know someone who is looking for a cozy little house in Winnipeg's beautiful inner city?!?!? Quick possession available!