For the past 2 years I have to admit I felt a little like Dorthy wondering around Oz trying to find her way home. No, not because a tornado picked me up and plopped me in some imaginary land with munchkins and flying monkeys. I felt like I have been in Oz because I never felt like my previous church (which was my place of employment) was ever home. On October 21st, I stepped in through the doors at Stonecreek Church in Alpharetta, GA and I have to say, it feels really good to be "home again."

Now I don't mean to be belittling to Mount Pisgah by any means. Mount Pisgah was and is a great church. If you're 30-40, have three kids, and like a church that tries its best to blend traditional and semi-contemporary it is great. But it just wasn't my style. And that's ok. But being back "home" has just reminded me how important it is to have a "home."

I like being at Stonecreek because it feels like being at Northpoint, only smaller (which I like). Worship is young and contemporary and rockin'. The sermons are extremely biblical and applicable. I haven't gotten involved yet (even though I have been tempted) because I feel right now it is important for me to just "go to church." But most importantly, it's a place that I would feel comfortable bringing my non-Christian friends.

But my point with all this isn't really about how much I like Stonecreek. Rather, my point is how important it is to be in a church where you experience the presence of God. Especially in the South, church becomes a check-listed item that just needs to get done in the week. But it shouldn't be like that. Every time (ok not every time) I enter a sanctuary I think about the reverence the Jews would have when entering the temple. About how it was a place that was so holy, there was a room where only the high priest could enter and only once a year, and they would tie a rope around the priest in case his sin that year caused him to die in the presence of the Holy God.

Sure, God is everywhere, and the sanctuary is no more "holy" a place than anywhere else. But the presence of God is important. And no matter it if is at Mount Pisgah, Stone Creek, Northpoint, Northcoast (Jefferson & Chris if you are out there, still my favorite church even though I turned down your job offer), or anywhere else; experiencing the presence of God, even if for only an hour a week, is so completely vital to a full life. Unfortunately, you aren't going to find it from the man behind the curtain. This abundant life can only find it at your home church.

I don't usually use the blog like this - mainly because I don't think people really care about what is going on in my life - but there will be no attempts at deep theological points. There will be no culturally relevant conversation. I am simply blogging to tell you that as Thursday, November 8, 2007 Wells Fargo owns my life for the next 30-years because I successfully closed on my first house.

Take a look at the move-in pictures.

Closing was a snap. I told them I was in a hurry and it took only 10 minutes (I wasn't in that big of a hurry, I thought it was going to take 45 minutes). After closing I actually had to run to the office to do an interview with Ilyce Glink as Allen decided that one hour of this weekend's show was going to be on me buying my first home (p.s. great listen for anybody in there 20s considering doing the same - entertaining, fun, helpful, and Allen makes fun of me a lot so all you who enjoy that will get a kick out of it).

But at 4:21 pm I opened the door for the first time to my own home.

The move went real easy since I hired movers (never again will I move my 900 lb armoire). Everything was pretty much in the house by Thursday night. Movers came Friday to complete the big stuff. And by the time Molly got in from Bham around 7 pm, everything was setup ready to go. Made my first trip to Home Depot on Saturday. All and all it was a pretty good weekend.

I already had a bunch of people over Sunday to unfortunately watch the Colts lose (stupid Vinatieri) and we have many events planned now that my dad graciously bought me a grill.

Be sure to check out the photos and if you missed it, read my post on the buying process of a home.

I recently added the song I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That) by Meatloaf to my iPod. I know it is a bit of a classic, and it takes me back to Middle School, but in a more recent context it got me thinking about sex. Welcome to part two of my blog's discussion on Good Sex

"Will you engage in oral sex once you are married?" This is a question I have posed to countless single, 20-something, Christians and Non-Christians that I have a trusted relationship with from Indiana to Los Angeles to Jerusalem to Atlanta. The responses have been quite surprising. Heard everything from "absolutely not," to "yeah, who wouldn't," and everything in between. But I think it gets to the heart of the real question, which is: what is sexually appropriate within a marriage?

Now for this discussion I am not talking about pre-marital activity (we can debate that some other time) nor am I talking about homosexual behavior. This is about what is appropriate within a heterosexual marriage.

For example, I had a professor in college that said his fiancée came to him before they were getting married and wanted him to list all of his sexual fantasies. After getting married, she did all these fantasies, because she wanted him to think of her when he thought of these fantasies and nobody else. I had another couple I know well that is dating come to an agreement that when they get married, one of the first things they will do is go to the local sex store and each pick "something" out. I know another married couple who isn't using birth control, and on days of the month where she is most likely ovulating, they do, as he put it, "other stuff."

On the other hand, I know of marriages that have fallen apart because one partner was uncomfortable with what was asked sexually (which for privacy I won't get into those details).

The church does an awful job of talking about this topic. It makes comments like "sex is good," but the term is so ambiguous that it still leaves so much confusion for the married and single alike. Even on our show, we have had people call in with questions about oral sex and anal sex during open mic, and even though we don't mind talking about swinging or pornography, etc...we don't ever seem to take those calls.

Well that all ends here. We are going to do something interesting on the blog that I have never done before. I am not going to give you what I think until I hear from everyone else out there. I usually get about 200-300 visitors, yet never get that many responses. So I know you are out there. I want to hear from everybody. Feel free to lie about your name and e-mail address. "Who" you are is not important. But what you have to say about this topic is. And be honest! Married, single, engaged. Christian, Non-Christian, Atheist. It doesn't matter. Pass this along to your friends. I want to hear from anybody and everybody. What is your perception of a healthy sexual relationship and how do you draw the line on what you feel comfortable with and what you don't?

To get you thinking, consider the following items (but I want you to be more philosophical in response then just responding to a laundry list)

• Oral sex
• Anal sex
• Sexual fantasy or role playing
• Using pornography
• Swinging or "Threesomes"
• Using sex toys
• Adventurous and/or Sex in Public Settings

Seriously. How do you establish what is and is not ok within the boundaries of a healthy sexual marriage? I will explain what I think in a comment later on this week but for those of you who want a really boring, long read, you are welcome to check out my senior thesis on the topic.