I don't like using this blog to whine or complain, and I won't start now. While it is not really whining, what I am about to write may come off that way if read with a particular presupposition. I feel like I am at one of those transition moments in life that are really difficult. I mean like when you graduate high school and move on to some other schooling or work, or when you graduate college and kind of expect to rocket into life only to find getting a career and family started is a lot more difficult than you thought. My wife and I have been married for a little over two years. She makes pretty good money and I have a great job as a youth pastor. We just bought our first home and have decent to awesome cars. I should feel content and lovin life. And, in many ways I really do. I can see that I am incredibly blessed, but I want to keep moving through this transition time. I feel stuck now. We can't have kids, yet, because it wouldn't be finacially responsible. Some people say we should take some great vacations because we don't have kids. Yet, if it is irresponsible to have kids, right now, then what makes taking extravagant trips responsible. I want to be comfortable. Man, I was going to right more there, but I think I may have discovered something porfound in that simple statement. "I want to be comfortable." I don't want to sacrifice the "necessities" of this world to live a life of servitude to Christ. Well, I guess I have news for myself today. That's not how it works. My struggle lately is obvious by what I write here. I am feeling the conflict of the way of the world versus the way of Christ. I don't know if I have felt that conflict, yet, in my life. I have not had to choose between the creature comforts and a life sold out for Christ, but right now maybe that is what I am feeling. Now, don't get me wrong. Compared to most of the world I am not sacrificing anything. Yet, in my context up until recently, I am sacrificing to be in school and to have a job in ministry. Pray that Mesha and I can see more clearly the blessings that we have been given. Pray that we can make wise decisions that bring glory to God's name and put us in a position to serve God and others more. Pray that God's way wins out in us over the world's way, daily. Blessings.