My blog break was really good. But I think I am ready to return to the land of blogging. So much has happened, I couldn't possibly tell you everything. However, here's a few nuggets of what I've been up to for the past few months:

• We had a terrific Christmas and New Year's. Lots of time with family and friends.
• We booked a cottage for our vacation this summer. Yeah, we're totally excited already. Every couple days I look at pictures of the cottage and daydream about wearing my flip flops down to the dock and sipping a lemonade before diving into the lake and having a swim with my kids. Mmmmm summer.
  
• I have been experiencing some health problems for a few months. After test after test after test, I have been diagnosed with diabetes, B12 deficiency, a stomach ulcer, and... they are still doing some tests on my heart. I am now on a diet and exercise plan and I take some medication and get regular injections. Good times. It could be worse, I guess.
  
• I am over halfway finished writing my book. It should be about as interesting to read my story as reading a bathroom stall wall at a gas station.
• We are now in the process of looking for a new full-time staff member at The Freeway: a "community pastor". Let me know if you're interested and I'll drop you a line with more details.
  
• We hired a church planting intern, Jason Dockeray, as of the beginning of January. I have been coaching him for about a year, and now he will work and learn and train full-time at The Freeway for a whole year. If he survives, he will be sent out [in January 2009] to plant a church community in another neighbourhood in downtown Hamilton. Very exciting. I have been thoroughly enjoying coaching Jason, and I look forward to seeing what this brilliant young leader does in the future.
  
• The cohort [the leadership team at The Freeway] is really starting to gel as a team. We have had several great get-together's and meetings in 2008 and I am excited about how things are shaping up for us as a community.
• We have been actively trying to raise financial support for our ever-expanding community work in one of Canada's poorest neighbourhood's [particularly our work with children]. Click here and support us [or send us a cheque] if you are able to.

Well, it's good to be back.

Labels: blogging, personal