May Foreclosures for Elkhart County

From the best that I can figure, there were 99 properties that went to sheriff's auction for the month of May in Elkhart County.

Here is the break down per city:
Elkhart 61
Goshen 24
Nappanee 6
Bristol 3
New Paris 2
Wakarusa 1
Middlebury 1

There were 7 properties that had less than $50,000 owed on them and all 7 were in Elkhart.

There were 3 properties that had over $200,000 owed on them, 2 were in Goshen and the other was a house on Simonton Lake in Elkhart.

May Foreclosures for St. Joseph County

There were 152 total foreclosed properties in St. Joseph County for the month of May.

City Break Down:
South Bend 102
Mishawaka 30
Granger 7
Osceola 7
New Carlise 2
Walkerton 2
Wakarusa 1
North Liberty1

There were 16 properties that were owed less than $50,000 with 13 of them coming from South Bend and the other 3 coming from Mishawaka.

There were 3 properties that were owed more than $200,000 with 2 from South Bend and the other from Granger.

Rob Bell Nooma video "Rain"

Home Affordability Hits 18 Year High

The Midwest is considered the most affordable place to buy a home! Here is an article that I just ran across:

Housing affordability is reaching record levels with nearly 73 percent of all homes sold in the first three months of 2009 considered affordable.

That’s the highest percentage ever reported by the 18-year-old, quarterly Housing Opportunity Index, compiled by the National Association of Home Builders and Wells Fargo Bank.

To be considered affordable, a family making the national median household income of $64,000 must be able to devote no more than 28 percent of their income toward housing costs.

The most affordable major metropolitan areas and their median home prices are:
Indianapolis: $98,000
Youngstown, Ohio: $67,000
Akron, Ohio: $78,000
Grand Rapids, Mich.: $97,000
Syracuse, N.Y.: $85,000
Warren, Mich.: $119,000
Cleveland: $86,000
Buffalo, N.Y.: $90,000
Toledo, Ohio: $78,000
Dayton, Ohio: $85,000

The 10 least affordable metropolitan areas are:
New York City: $418,000
San Francisco: $525,000
Los Angeles: $288,000
Nassau-Suffolk, N.Y.: $375,000
Honolulu: $360,000
Santa Ana: Calif., $360,000
Newark, N.J.: $315,000
Miami: $185,000
McAllen, Tex.: $106,000
El Paso, Tex.: $127,000

Source: CNNMoney, Les Christie (05/19/2009)

Notre Dame

I have to confess something. I have never been a fan of the University of Notre Dame. As a life long resident of Michiana, I have had Notre Dame crammed down my throat. But most of my experience that had led me on that path was from earlier years when all I cared about was sports. When ND won, it was on the front page and the headline story on the news, regardless of what else was going on in the world. When ND lost, it was usually a non story on the back page somewhere. I found, and still do, that most of the people that cheer for the sports teams of ND are arrogant and act like they are better than everyone else. That is just my perception, which means that it is reality to me.

Since I have become a Christ follower a few years ago, I have tried to become very active in the community. The more active that I get, the more I see Notre Dame. They are helping with at risk kids, in the very depressed areas of South Bend, with both volunteers and with money. They are helping with the homeless. I consistently see them reaching out into this community. There are no headlines about this, no fanfare and no recognition that is neither asked for or demanded by ND. They do these things without knowing whether the people benefiting are Christian, Catholic, Muslim, Atheist or anything else you want to throw in there. They do it because, as Christians, it is what they are called to do. As Christians, it is what we are all called to do. To reach out to those in need, whether they share our beliefs or not. To reach out to those you disagree with and try to reconcile those disagreements.

It is very easy to HATE in this world that we live in, especially when you are dealing with opposing views on topics like abortion. It is very easy to demonize someone you disagree with, it makes it more comfortable. Comfortable because that is how we see the world. Comfortable knowing that we are right and they are wrong, end of story.

It is NOT easy to sit down and have a civil discussion about a disagreement, that takes courage because it is uncomfortable. Uncomfortable, because you know that those that oppose you have just as strong of a conviction about their view as you do yours. Uncomfortable because their view of the world is different from yours or what you think it should be.

Usually what I have found, is that when there are opposing views, there is also some common views and beliefs. Common views and beliefs that can be a building block to bring the two sides closer together. They will never come to total agreement because their beliefs are too deep, but they can come closer together. When it comes to abortion, the two sides will never agree, but maybe more restrictions will be put in place. When it comes to abortion, there will never be acceptance of the other view, but maybe there can at least be an understanding of why the other side has the view they do. And if that happens, in a civil way, then maybe some real change will begin to happen.

The saying goes, "the definition for insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result." Well, for years, the pro life group and pro choice group have been standing on their street corners screaming at one another and getting nowhere. Real change does not happen by forcing it upon someone. Real change happens by finding common ground, like Christianity, and building upon it.

What I saw from Notre Dame and from our President yesterday was an attempt to do things differently. There was an agreement to disagree along with the willingness to talk about the common ground. I felt it was courageous for Notre Dame to invite the President to commencement when they knew there would be a back lash. I felt it was courageous of our President to accept the invitation when he knew his view was not going to be the popular view. The common ground, in this case, is that we have a Christian/Catholic University and a Christian President reaching out to one another to reconcile their differences through the word of God. Maybe, just maybe, this will be the start of some real change. I know that it is certainly changing the way that I look at Notre Dame and it reconfirms why I voted for our President.

President Obama, Notre Dame and Protesting

This Sunday, President Obama has been asked to give the commencement speech at Notre Dame. Because of the Presidents stance on Abortion and Stem Cell Research, there has been a lot of protesting over the University's choice of him as commencement speaker and getting an honorary degree. There are people getting arrested for protesting on the campus. People pushing strollers around with dolls covered in fake blood and sporting Obama bumper stickers. Planes flying over the campus that are pulling banners with pictures of an aborted fetus. People making threatening phone calls and sending threatening emails to Notre Dame employees. And I am sure that there is more being done that I am not aware of.

The protester's are doing this in the name of Christianity and of Catholics, and they are passionate about their cause. But what kind of an example is this setting for the non believer, that if you become a Christian you are filled with hate for those that oppose your view? That you are intolerant of others? That is NOT the Christianity that I subscribe to, not even close. And, if they think that non-believers are not paying attention to this, then they are wrong. A friend, who is turned off by church and religion, is even more determined to stay away after seeing the display these protesters have put on. Hypocrite's, I believe, is the word he used.

The mantra of these protester's seem to be "If we can save just one, then it's worth it!" How short sighted is that? Why not aim big? What if instead of spending $1,500 to $3,000 per day on that airplane, they were to spend that money on counseling at risk teens? Or a support program for pregnant unwed mothers?

What if, instead of pushing strollers around campus trying to get arrested, they were to huddle in peaceful prayer all day? Praying for the President to change his position on the issue. Praying for the leaders of Notre Dame to be able to have the influence over our President to change his mind on the social issues that matter to the Catholic population. I bet they would not get arrested for that. I bet others would join in. Now what kind of example would that set for Christians and Catholics and non believers?

The other topic seems to be that our President is getting an honorary degree when he has policy that counters that of the Catholic church. My question there is, were they protesting when George Bush and Ronald Reagan received their honorary degrees? They were both in favor of the death penalty, and last I checked, that also counters the belief of the Catholic church. Condoleezza Rice also received an honorary degree from Notre Dame and she is pro choice.

In Romans 13:1-7, 1 Timothy 2:1-2, Titus 3:1-2 and in 1 Peter 2:13-17 the bible speaks about respecting those placed in leadership. I feel Notre Dame is doing just that by having the President Of The United States speak at their Commencement and by giving him an honorary degree. The bible does not state that we have to agree with our leaders, but it does say that we need to respect them.

My Favorite Scene From Seabiscuit

I was watching one of my favorite movies last week, Seabiscuit. A little ways into the movie there was a scene that I just cannot get out of my mind, so I thought I would share it with you, along with my thoughts. I have included the scene at the bottom of this post.

It is the scene where Charles (Jeff Bridges) meets Tom (Chris Cooper) for the first time. Charles, purposely, wanders out into the night while nobody is watching to meet Tom who is a horse trainer.

After introducing himself, Charles asks Tom about a horse that he has. He asks if he will race again. When Tom kindly tells him no, this is where the conversation gets interesting to me. Charles asks "why fix him?" and Tom responds "because I can" then a little later Tom says "You know, you don't throw a whole life away just because he's banged up a little."

I love that last line!

The thing is, we are all banged up. Sometimes we are open about it and sometimes we internalize it. Sometimes it is very visible, while other times it is not. Sometimes it is by our own choosing, sometimes it is by the situations that we are put in, but we are all banged up.

I think sometimes, as Christians, we lose sight of that. We get so caught up in the grace that God has given us, that we forget about what it was like when we did not have it. Which brings up some questions.

Do you know someone that feels banged up a little, or worse, they feel banged up to the point that they feel they no longer matter? Do you remember what it was like when you felt that way? What are you going to do about it, sit on the sidelines and be a fan of Christ, or get in the game and be a follower of Christ? I just pray that I am being a follower.