When I was in Michigan for Open Grand Rapids I had the chance of catching up with some families in Romeo. I left that time really, really encouraged.
For some, it was the first time I’d seen them in almost 6 years. But you know what? For everyone, it felt like a couple weeks when we were last together.
Kristen and I have doozy of a story to tell. It will make you laugh. It will make you cry. It will make you call your congressmen. It will make you sell your stock in banks. Most importantly, it will show you the difference between media hype about the housing market and Main Street realities. If you liked The Perfect Storm, you’ll love our story.
It will start something like this, “In America, we expect stories to have a happy ending. But this is no fairy tale, this is a real estate story from Michigan 2008. Watch as our American Dream turns into a nightmare.”
The last couple chapters of the real story are yet to be written. When it’s all officially done and the dust has settled, I will write all about it.
Until then, my friends, just know that we’re doing fine. To be continued…
Ever just have a hodgepodge of slush in your mind? Here’s some random thoughts this morning.
– While I still think of myself as a down-the-middle, maybe even conservative evangelical Christian… I’m finding myself tired of the grey haired leaders.
– As much as I’d like to say I agree with the complimentarian position of women in ministry, I thinks it’s just a politically correct version of it’s older self. I think you can put me in the egalitarian position of women in ministry, if those are my choices. I think its straight up revisionism, chauvinism, and crazy hermeneutics to say women can’t be elders and pastors in churches. (Conservative brethren allow women to practically serve in these roles, they just call them “directors of ministry” and pay them 50% less. That’s sexism.)
– Speaking of crazy hermeneutics… I think the rapture was made up by someone who liked science fiction. People argue about a pre-tribulational and post-tribulational rapture of God’s people in revelation. I keep reading the New Testement verses about that, and I have to say I think it was made up. I’m still firmly in the pre-millenial camp, but that whole rapture deal?
– This year’s American Idol is ridiculous. Paula and that new lady are cheerleaders. Seriously, what is Paula on? Randy isn’t say “dog” nearly enough. And the longer this thing goes, the more I like Simon. At least he tells the truth.
– I’m officially addicted to the Travel Channel and the Discovery Channel. I could watch them both 24 hours a day.
– I’m trying to be more green by taking the trolley to work in April. The mile walk back and forth to the trolley stop won’t hurt me either.
– I can’t wait for it to warm up a bit more so I can swim at the Kroc Center.
– The last month has been amazing on the stock market. Seriously, one of my stocks gain 25% just this week.
– Call me a hypocrite. But I made $1 per share on Ford in the last 2 months. Easy money! I think GM is going out of business in the next 6 weeks. But Ford and Chrysler are going to make it.
– I wanted to pull an April Fool’s joke on YS, I really did. But after I saw all the online jokes I was glad I didn’t.
– Speaking of work… I’ve been wanting to run around screaming about how excited I am about new stuff we’re doing. But people there already think I’m nuts so I didn’t.
– I like my iPhone, a lot.
– The other day I had dinner with Gary Shell from our church in Romeo. He asked me if I had any regrets about this move. I feel bad about it but I laughed. No regrets. I’m not the kind of leader who second guesses himself much. But I do miss our friends, big time. We are trying to scrape together a plan to go to Detroit in July.
– Baseball season is upon us, I’m calling it. Cubs win the World Series. 6 games.
– The kids Spring Break begins today. I doubt we’ll make it through April without a trip to Disneyland.
– When Jesus told his disciples, “Take up your cross and follow me” before the crucifixtion… what did they think? Is that kind of like U2’s new song, “Get on your boots?”
– Stoney still hates the water. He’s the only labrador retreiver in the world who won’t swim.
It’s been a few months, but Romeo is on our mind a lot. Today we had some friends send pictures of their big snow storm. I thought it would be fun to contrast the two. Can you figure out which is which? Romeo or San Diego? (Both of these were taken today)
Picture #1
Picture #2
Wanna guess?
This is powerful. Obviously, Kristen and I are feeling quite fortunate that this isn’t our story. But for hundreds of thousands of Americans this is a video that reflects their life, their belongings, and their dreams. As Jake asks, is there a ministry opportunity here?
HT to Jake
I’ve had several people ask me about the church in Romeo, so here’s a quick update. I know a bunch of people who go there read my blog… so please feel free to fill in the blanks by leaving a comment.
Did the church close? Nope, they just changed their name.
Do they still have services? Yes, Sunday’s most likely. But I don’t know what time.
Are they in the same location? Yep. I understand they took down the Romeochurch.com sign and now it just says “Stoneridge.” That’s where it is. It’s not a community center (that I know of) nor the offices for a new subdivision development. It’s still at 32 & Campground in Romeo. Same church, new name.
Do they have a website? I can’t find one if they do. I see the old website is gone which is probably why people are asking me if they went out of business. So apparently adammclane.com is their new website. Welcome!
Are they the same people? I think the point was that they wanted new people. So they figured if they changed the name the other people wouldn’t see the sign and new people would think they were going to the park and accidentally go to church there. Poof! OK, actually… it’s the same leadership team and I would guess that most of the same people go there.
Do I like the new name? Yeah, it’s way better than “First Baptist Church.” Here’s a secret… that was the first “baptist” church I ever attended.
What’s the name mean? Once upon a time [circa 1992], in that very location, a mountain range crested along Campground Road. As you reached 32 miles north of the center of that range a massive ridge line of large stones fell off to the west as far as the eye could see. Hence the most historically accurate name for 32 Mile & Campground is “Stoneridge.”
I also feel it is sociologically accurate for a community with an alleged marijuana problem to have the word “stoner” in it. (Yes, they have munchies between services.)
Any other thoughts on Stoneridge? I’m secretly jealous that I worked there for 5 years with a church name handicap and then I leave and they instantly solve the biggest problem in reaching the community.
My biggest thought on Stoneridge is that I can’t remember the name half the time. So for Kristen and I it has become an ongoing joke. OK, so it’s just me telling the joke and once I saw Kristen snicker about it.
– Stonemeadow
– Stonevalley
– Stonepoint
– Stonecreek
– Stonemountain
– Stonecrater
– Stoneorchard
– Stonedbaptist
– Stonefalls
– Stoneriver
– Stonelake
– Stoneapple
– Stonetech
– Stone- did you hear they had a mechanical bull last night?
– Stonetemplepilots Memorial
Do you think the church is screwed up and secretly that’s why you left? OK, just between you and me. If it means that people come to Jesus, I hope they do whatever it takes. (Swing dancing, roller coasters, bar & grill, gas station, bookstore, start a parachute club, whatever!) Here’s a revolutionary concept… the church is there to reach the community and equip the redeemed to reach the community. With 3-4% of North Macomb residents currently attending a church I’m just glad they are trying to do something, anything, to bring light to a very dark place.
If I have said anything inaccurate, please feel free to leave a comment.
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A common theme in my mind lately has been how we look at the choices we make. As one would imagine, Kristen and I are making tons of decisions right now. And we’ve come to this conclusion: Most decisions are morally neutral and the outcome depends on you.
Quick disclaimer: Look, I know that there are moral decisions. Things which God has said are black and white. For example: “Should we cheat on our taxes? ” No, God’s pretty clear on that one. This is more about decisions such as, “Should we rent house A or house B?” I think those decisions are typically amoral.
When it comes to amoral decisions I’ve noticed that the outcome is largely dependent on my response, action, and attitude. In other words, when I make a decision, whether it turns out good or bad typically has to do with what I do with that decision. 
Here’s a reality my friends in Michigan have to deal with. There is a thick black cloud of pessimism that permeates our community. Until that pessimism is overcome with optimism, the self-fulfilling prophesy of economic doom and gloom will continue. It’s oppressive. It’s depressing. And it is making things worse.
Perhaps it is because I am moving, but almost every conversation I have goes like this, “Romeo is a great place to live… but I don’t know, things aren’t looking good.” Understand this… that is a value statement of risk vs. opportunity.
And it’s not all over. As I’ve traveled this summer I think you should know that this deep pessimism is a Michigan thing. Board a plane departing or arriving at Metro or Flint and it’s all pessimism in the cabin. But walk through Atlanta, Denver, or San Diego’s airports and you’ll see people making lemonade with their lemons. Head back home and it is all about rotten lemons. Making lemonade is apparently too risk for Michigan’s lemon owners.
Today in Romeo there are about 100 homes on the market. All of them, including mine, are listed below market value. If you’re living with the black cloud… you look at the housing market and say “Wow, it could go even lower. Owning a home is such a huge risk right now.” If you look at the housing market from an optimist perspective you respond by saying, “Man, what a great time to buy. I wonder how I can get some capital to buy up some rental properties.”
Here’s the simple reality. Michigan may be in a tough economic situation. But if you see where we are today as pre-boom instead of post-bust you’ll recognize that tomorrow’s millionaires (billionaires?) see today as an opportunity and are leveraging against you over inflating the risk. The rich of 2015 see this as pre-boom. The poor of 2015 see this as post-bust. Get it? It’s all about your response.
I’ve talked to tons of very young adult people 19-22 years old this summer. And the cloud has infected them with pessimism. They have no dreams. And they are not looking at today’s problems as their opportunity for a very bright future.
#1 You could innovate the next economy for a community. It won’t be cars, but will it be technology? Probably. Yet starting a business is “too risky” or going to study what is going on in tech boom towns like Boise, Houston, or even Ann Arbor is simply too much risk. Trust me… the best technological developments come from people looking to make an opportunity out of nothing. (Speaking from experience!) R&D departments can’t build a winner. But a college kid can invent Facebook for a couple hundred bucks. And a laid off carpenter can invent an ipod repair business. Sit in a room with a legal pad for a day and no distractions and I guarantee you can innovate something.
#2 You could be the next real estate tycoon for almost no risk. If you are 22 years old with a college degree and an entry level job. You could buy 2 homes for less than $1500/month. Live in one and rent the other. In 3 months buy another rental and keep capitalizing on people’s pessimism until you have 5-6 rental homes. As Romeo becomes a renters market you could gain both equity in these undervalued rentals and make tons of income from rent. Heck, if you are 19 with a part time job you could buy a house for $600/month and rent it for $800/month. Save those profits and do it again in 6 months. Hold/rent those 5-6 properties for 10 years and you just made a million dollars.
#3 You could invest in the next Microsoft or Apple. My conversations with those bought out from their autoworker jobs are depressing. They are saying “How long can I last on this money?” Wrong question. The right question is, “How can I find the right start-up to invest in?” Michigan has a highly educated and undermotivated work force. As soon as that motivation part turns around this economy will come back like gangbusters. Are you investing in high return start-ups or are you still thinking large cap companies are going to return? Bill Gates’ earliest investors tossed in only $10,000. I think they did OK.
Every decision I make is an evaluation of risk vs. opportunity. What about you?
The last two days I’ve been in charge of the sale department for our garage sale. So while Kristen may have done the majority of the work, she simply has no ability/desire to look at someone and say “I want $20 for that chair.” I think I was meant for a haggle-based society so it’s fun for me.
A couple observations about garage sales.
#1 You want to attract the early morning garage sale customers. They are great! Not only do they come ready to buy, they are polite and fun to talk to.
#2 If someone says “I am going to tell my daughter about that, I’ll be back” it probably means they are not coming back.
#3 Don’t hold anything until someone has paid. We made that mistake with a bed frame… several others wanted it and that person never came to get it.
#4 It’s perfectly acceptable to pull into my driveway, look at things and then drive away. Apparently, it is just as acceptable to pull up and ask for directions to other garage sales.
#5 Traffic drops off sharply after noon. And the people who come after 1:30 PM can be downright mean. Not everyone, but some people cussed at us when we wouldn’t give them $20 items for $2.
#6 Expect to chat with neighbors. That’s the best part of a garage sale! We spoke to tons of people over the last two days and it was really encouraging. I had a great conversation with Les Young about why he’s running for Bruce Township Supervisor. He’s got some great ideas that earned my vote on Tuesday. (Also planning to support Jeanie Lerchen, in case you were interested.)
#7 Smile and be patient. Just like traveling overseas… a smile and a patient attitude will get you all you need.
With the move just a few weeks away I thought it would be good to give a quick update on our move.
The Romeo House. We had a flurry of showings last week and only one this week. No offers, not much we can do, just keep waiting for God to reveal His plan. We are at the point where we really need to find a caretaker to live here until it sells. I’ll be the first to admit that I’d take a tenant as well.
The San Diego House. That’s a big part of why the whole family is going out next week. I am pretty cheap, so the expense has Kristen and I upside down. But we wanted to involve the kids in picking a place to live so they knew where they were landing. While we’ve not made a final decision we would definitely prefer to be in El Cajon, La Mesa, or some of the other town near th YS office. Lots more on that next week.
Our moving date. I booked the truck to arrive on August 4th and leave August 7th. That’s really soon! We will likely be leaving shortly after that. School starts August 25th at the latest so we have plenty to do before Megan and Paul go to school.
Sale! Yes, we will be having another, larger and longer, garage sale. Depending on the place we rent next week we may be unloading a little stuff or a lot. We’ve made decisions on a lot of inside furniture. But all the outside stuff completely depends on the place we’re moving. The more stuff we sell the more cash we have for decorating the new place and the less we need to pay to ship stuff 2300 miles.
The car. After 10 years we are selling the Camry. It’s been an awesome car for us. 136,000 miles and no maintenance issues. Seriously, a car wash and a fresh set of tires and its ready to sell. We’re going to sell it way below Blue Book too. Right now we are talking to various dealers about getting a new car out there.
The kids. They are super excited about going to San Diego to pick out a house. And I think they are ready 
to move. Of course, they are sad that we are leaving friends behind and that they won’t be going to Amanda Moore anymore. I know I’m really sad that Paul won’t have Ms. Berringer since Megan had such a great experience there with kindergarten. At the same time they can’t wait to explore all the new things San Diego has to offer for them.
The job. Loving it. My co-workers are a blast! They don’t take themselves too seriously. The stuff that I’m doing, work wise, is perfect for me. It’s awesome to interact with so many youth workers around the country about our shared passion… reaching and teaching kids with the message of Jesus Christ. I’m very excited that the project I’ve been working on since I started are about ready to “go public.” There is a lot of stuff coming for this fall that just has me jazzed. Can’t wait.
The hobby. A side benefit of having a job which captures so much of my passion is that I’ve now got new found free time. Before I had a job at the church and a hobby with YMX. Before YMX it was golf, coaching golf, watching golf, and doing anything golf. So I’ve been thinking a lot about what my hobby will be. I still don’t know. I’m thinking it may be golf… which would be right on schedule. I typically play a ton for 3-4 years then take 3-4 years off. I’ve not played much in the last 2-3 years… so I’d love to be in a league again. Maybe even go back to coaching if I can.
A quick addendum. A few friends were quick to point out on this post that while we won’t be seeing our Michigan friends as much, we’ll still be friends! The internet has made the world so much smaller. In fact, I’ve been reconnecting with high school friends via Facebook. Between Facebook, blogging, IM, twitter, etc. While our proximity will be different, friendship will remain in tact.