I’ve developed a pattern of posting on July 13 and though today is a busy day, I thought I’d squeeze in a brief note so as to not bring things to an end prematurely. I fully expect that this will be the fifth and final time I memorialize our exodus from Israel and wandering in the wilderness known as Texas. At this time next year we should be somewhere else.
We ‘ve come a long ways in five years, if you measure by kids ‘ heights alone. I added a degree (ThM), we added a son (Jonathan), and the kids added all kinds of other things (soccer, piano, AWANA, trumpet, etc.).
There’s nothing in Texas that we want to leave. Life is not perfect, but it is good and our dislikes are far outweighed by our blessings.
There’s only one thing in California that I want to go to. There are many things I could most happily live without. But that one thing trumps all the rest. Israel is more closed to us than ever, to judge from the welcome I received on my April visit.
As for the dissertation, I’ve spent the last two months researching and my Word document has more than 300 pages of notes. It is coming along, though I can’t say that I’ve found anything yet to really animate me about the whole endeavor. I am much more animated about teaching the Bible at church. I am getting close to wrapping up the series on Daniel and am looking forward to what’s next. I may be able to do something with it here when the time comes.
What do you mean about Israel being closed, if you can say? Is this a government thing?
California needs all the Christians it can get! I pray that your family’s blessed presence will lead to some lasting changes for the better, at least in your community, if not the whole state.
Dr. Combs – it means the Israeli government won’t give us a long-term visa. It’s part of a general trend of removing Christians from the country.
Yea! So excited for you guys to come to California next year… :)