Houston....we have a problem...

I am a Texas boy now living in Connecticut, with my wife soon to follow. I am a closed book to most people, as is my wife at times (we are so ridiculously alike in good AND bad traits...so much for the opposites attract argument), hence my desire to start this blog and share our adventures, hardships, encounters, and praises with those who care to know....God knows I won't just pick up the phone and call someone to "share". I am the ULTIMATE call screener. My family and friends can attest to this fact. My phone will ring in the other room, and my loving servant-hearted wife will jump up to go retrieve it, and I will quickly tackle her and insist we let it go to voicemail....which I will check at some point in the next 48 hours. I do this at work as well...the use of Yahoo Messenger in my industry has only aided and abetted my nasty habit. The glory of Yahoo IM's is that you get to see who it is that is contacting you, and maybe even know what they want before you ever have to respond....and then you can take your sweet time responding under the guise of being "away" or "busy". It's awesome. And terrible. This is not something I am proud of.....it is a very selfish / self-centered way of treating those who love or know me...and is a trait I need to remedy (especially given the distance I have just put between myself and my loved ones with our recent relocation). In the meantime, this blog will be my bridge towards learning to open up and share.
If it isn't already clear, vulnerability is not my strong suit. I am a man...who developed the wheel and built the eiffel tower out of braun and metal...that's the kind of man I am. I'm not vulnerable...I work out. With that being stated....a list of my fears with this relocation to the NE:

1) Will we find a church that we love, believes what we believe, and provides a biblical community of love, prayer, and support?

2) Will we find new friends that compare with our best buds back home? This is an impossible task in my mind...my friends are some of THE greatest people...hilarious, god-fearing, intelligent, loving.....this is not a matter of opinion. Intrinsically my friends are great people..I'm just fortunate enough that they like me too.

3) Will Kelley and I be able to fight our tendencies to be satisfied hanging out with only one another - not branching out to make new friends and build new relationships??

4) Will I be the man God desires me to be in a new environment, far from the "bible-belt", where Christianity is much more likely something to be mocked than respected?

The Young Life Staff guy I met up here made this analogy today. Christians in the NE are like trees on the edge of a cliff. There aren't many of them that survive, but the ones that do are strong and resilient. I pray we will be the latter.

AE