I told my wife about my fear of materialism and she has been good in reminding me of the good God has given to me. I am grateful that both of us felt a need to simplify. Some of it was financially driven, some of it was a common desire to raise our child in a place where they wouldn’t give in to the same things I had.

We got the house. We are renting, but rent is almost half of what rent is here. We moved away from the suburbs and INTO the city. You know, the area that city leaders want to improve before it gets ‘too bad’.

Anyway, we have great neighbors and I look forward to getting to know them better.

Our house is an old house. It’s in good shape, but not shiny. It’s a place where I am not ashamed to bring people and share what I have. It is a place that as I serve in the church, I won’t feel guilty about paying more in rent that some of my friends make in two weeks. Besides, we have a child coming and it is good for him or her to be raised in a place similar to where my wife and I were raised.

It is something that has made me really happy. I look forward to building our new home.