Harmony Is Hard - But Worth It

My text this morning is from Romans 15:1-7.
1 We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.3 For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me."4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.5 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus,6 that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.7 Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.

We're Moving!

Kristi and I have had an extremely busy summer, which is why there have been no posts here. The highlight of the summer was Kristi's surgery to reverse her colostomy, marking the end of her cancer treatments! We are now at the "watch-and-pray" stage. Every few months she will have blood tests to check the various levels that may indicate there is a recurrence. And every year she will have scans and scopes to make sure she is clean. We have a lot to be thankful for.

The other big news of the summer/fall is that we have decided to move to Valrico, FL, to work with the congregation where my friend and mentor Marty Pickup served. Valrico is about 30 minutes east of Tampa, in the Brandon area. The most difficult thing about this decision was the choice to leave a group of people we deeply love, our family at Woodland Hills. But we think this is what the Lord wants us to do, and we will be headed down in Mid-January.

This move will take Kristi and me back to the area where we first met while students at Florida College,   and reunite me with my friends in the Sunshine District of the Barbershop Harmony Society, including my friends in the Heralds of Harmony. We will also be in an area where many of my former students from my time as a professor at Florida College now live, and it will be great to reconnect with them.