Update Tuesday

Wow, is time flying. Only how many days until Christmas? Only how many days until January when we switch to half time at the church and start to focus more on Hamilton???!!!!???
Apparently that math got away from me a bit. Here is some math that I am getting a pretty good handle on:

6 people+2 dogs X 5 years / 1 house = big mess

One of the things we will be focusing on in the new year will be all the arrangements for our relocation to Hamilton. That, of course, means selling our current house and there is a lot of work to do in order to get it ready for the market. One of the big to do items, however, was just recently crossed of the list. In the war that had been waged between our family and the carpet on the main floor, our family came out squarely on top. There was no doubt at all that the carpet had been soundly defeated and it bore the many scars and wounds of defeat. The good thing is that a few months ago some laminate flooring came on sale at an incredible price and so we bought it and had been storing it until we had time to install it. That time came last weekend when a number of guys arrived from the church to help us install it. My kids and I spent time during the week lifting all the carpet and padding, my father took it to the dump with my son Daniel on Friday, and then the crew arrived Saturday with saws and skills etc. ready to get down to work. It went so smoothly, and we had enough help, that we got the entire floor done, including trim, in one day. This was aided in no small part by the contribution of another friend who brought over chili for dinner so that our family did not have to break to prepare a meal.
To me, the day was another great reminder of the importance and the blessing of community. It is one of the key lessons that I have learned over the last few years, and that I have seen in action over and over again. It is also one of the lessons that we will take to Hamilton with us. There is a verse in John in which Jesus states:

"A new command I give you: 'Love one another'. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another."
- John 13:34-35

It is a verse that I have spent a lot of time with, that has profoundly influenced how I think about what we are to be doing in Hamilton and one that I am sure you will read more about here at the blog in the coming months. Today, however, I will just mention the obvious, Jesus commands us to be in relationship. If we consider the context in which we find this verse, Jesus with his disciples at the last supper, I think we can see that he means with other believers . Although we in North American Evangelical circles focus a lot upon a personal relationship with Jesus (and rightly so) this is not to the exclusion of community. Jesus put his first followers into community, modelled it for us, commanded them to continue in relationship and we see amazing examples in the early church. I can add to the biblical witness by sharing that I have been profoundly effected by such communities of love, the least of which is not my current church in Milton. Like many of the commands we read in scripture we see that it really is for our best and is an amazing blessing for those who follow it. It is not always easy, we don't always get things right and , in fact, sometimes we down right mess it up, but it is still worth striving for and risking for.
A big thanks to Bob, Gerald, Will, Gerry, Daniel and Bev for being community for us this past week and beyond.
thanks you also to each of you who have been reading, supporting and praying for us. We are truly blessed by your love and community as well. Please don't hesitate to follow the label "Hamilton Updates" on the left of this blog to see past posts and prayer requests if you have not already read them.

Next up, painting...and then painting...and then a bit more painting!!