Here goes . . . this morning I am sitting here in a quiet house. It's the first time in the past few days that I've experienced quiet, and the ability to relax into it. I'm grateful for that. But I'm more grateful for the reasons that I'm enjoying the quiet so much - namely that I've spent the past few days with good friends, some old, some new. I've had a great pleasure of experiencing the Kingdom of God.

I was so very very pleased to have my San Diego friend, Jason Evans staying with us. I, like so many others, love to sit and listen to him talk. But I love the way he and his beautiful family live. I can't think of more than a couple other people I've ever known that live with as much integrity (integrity=integration of belief/faith/life). Thank you to Brooke, Paige, and Matt for sharing Jason with us for the weekend.

It was also a great pleasure to have Bill Bean, the book guy at Generous Orthodoxy staying in our home. I've known people who have known Bill, but this was my first time to share air space. He's a true delight to be with. He loves his family, his place in life, books, and Thai food. He and Jason were both more than kind to our hyperactive dog, Maui, too.

Beyond those two names, I'm deciding not to drop any more here, but I had some really good talks with people that are way over my head. I am grateful to have had the opportunity. Events like this one give me hope for the Church, and a deep love for it. I spend so much of my time shaking my head and rolling my eyes at what I see and hear from supposed followers of Jesus that when I'm in an environment like that, I just want to bathe in it.

I was also really stoked to meet some of the folks from George Fox Seminary, where I will be attending starting next summer. I was enthusiastically greeted by them and I'm already getting itchy to start work.