Nerds and Time Management

Face Book opens all sorts of new ways to waste time on-line. Thanks Mr. Facebook for stealing life from me!

"Television is one of the greatest life-wasters of the modern age. And, of course, the Internet is running to catch up, and may have caught up. You can be more selective on the Internet, but you can also select worse things with only the Judge of the universe watching. TV still reigns as the great life-waster. The main problem is not how much smut is available, though that is a problem. Just the ads are enough to sow fertile seeds of greed and lust, no matter what program you're watching. The greater problem is banality. A mind fed daily on TV diminishes. Your mind was made to know and love God. Its facility for this great calling is ruined by excessive TV. The content is so trivial and so shallow that the capacity of the mind to think worthy thoughts withers, and the capacity of the heart to feel deep emotions shrivels." (emphasis mine)

(John Piper, Don't Waste Your Life, p.120)

Maggie's Mac and Cheesey Fiestaware Luncheon

Today Maggie "Scott" Porter came over to make lunch for us. She made home-made macaroni and cheese. It was really good. She stayed for family worship which is always a nice thing. I love when company is in our home to worship with us.

She stayed for coffee and dessert that Lydia made. It was a fudge brownie oatmeal bar that was so rich that I had three teeth fall out while eating it. It was washed down with two hot cups of Starbucks' French Roast coffee (Owen ground the beans for me).

We talked about blogging for a while. She made fun of me for having a category entitled, Fiestaware, which reminded me that I found a great Fiesta Persimmon vase while I was in Pennsylvania. I was in a dusty unorganized bookshop looking for Glasgow's History of the RPCNA from 1888. Of course the book was not there, but the vase was a nice way to soothe the pain of another failed attempt at locating the book. The vase is a nice addition to my Fiesta vase collection. I think I am over a dozen now. (Notice vase is a subcategory of the Fiesta collection.) I need to blog more about the Fiesta collection.

I had to go to work, so I sent her home with 12 lectures on prayer by Dr. Michael Haykin to listen to on the ride home to Southfield. Ask her if she listened to them. A test is sure to follow!

Officially in New Blogger. What does Beta is dead mean? Any tips on how to work this new thing?

NATHAN'S HELPMEET blog has been deleted. If you link it, please delete it, as for some reason it has been taken over by an odd search engine. Plus, why link it if it has been deleted.

Danke.

Sneakum Peakum

If I were Mrs. Steve Birn I would write, "There I posted" and receive 100,000 comments. But I am not. Here is a sneak peak of exciting things to come at Life On Union Avenue:

-A visit from Chicago's Oma, Opa, and Tante Heidi
-A golf outing with my dad
-Days and days of swimming fun
-Lydia catching a bass
-The Erie Zoo
-French Creek Tavern (culture shock to come!)
-Many visitors to the Smith Street Ranch including Uncle Shawn!

MySpace, YourSpace, OurSpace, OuterSpace

Does anyone have a MySpace account?

If yes, why?

If no, why not?

Here is mine. Here is Lydia's.

I guess we have them because we are rebellious, computer-nerd, teeni-boppers who are trying to meet middle-aged weirdos online. Is there any other use?

Seriously though, do you have one?

Microsoft Works Suite 2006

A collage of cuties!

Owen, looking a little "bright." He is my little sunshine.

Anna's pretty new shirt. Yeah for Rainbow Brite!

Don't be critical. I do not claim to be a "fertographer" (that's for you Nate and others in Corry, PA...wink,wink). I just wanted to try out my new program and see what I could do. I bet Nathan will be able to come up with some pretty cool stuff! This is unlike me, but I'd have to say, these kids are pretty cute. Let's quote Opa Jim, "Two wrongs can make a right." :)

We Are Back

I know that it has been like eating broccoli for Life On Union Avenue to be closed, but we are back! We will keep you updated with stories from our lives, tidbits of information, and especially pictures for the Omas and Opas to see.
The semester ended officially this date at 12:57 Post Meridian when I hit send on the Yahoo! account to zip my final three projects over to the seminary.

It is sort of anti-climactic, since Wednesday was the day that I had to preach for the seminary. I hope to spend time in the garden this summer, as well as reading, and some travel. I look forward to the 2+ months off.

Welcome Back!

May 12th is the close of the semester. I will begin posting again that evening. The children are well as are we. Thanks for your prayers and concerns as the semester crashes to a close! I hope to enjoy the Springtime and a nice barbecue on that day.

Life On Union Avenue Pod~Cast?

So we have been thinking that Anna should do a pod~cast for her grandparents. She could talk about all of the really great things that she knows such as her colors and the catechism. Maybe e~Chuckler will fill us in on how these things work.

Last night I recorded a sermon in mp3 that I have to preach next week. Anna is talking to me in it about how she wants the mic. Owen is crying in the background while Lydia attempts to restore order to the home. I do not think that one will go on Sermon Audio!

As for the pod~cast, can you help us out e~Chuckler?

A Week Behind

I know that I usually blog at least 4 times a week for all to see what a fun filled life we have here on Union Avenue. Sometimes the time flies due to schedules and not being home too much. Sometimes all of the time in class and writing of papers leaves a full headache for a day or so due to the flashing of an LCD monitor in my face. Sorry folks.

I decided that I would ride my bike this week. I rode through Victorian Grand Rapids and accidentally hit a set of stairs and ripped it off of the building! Oops!

We had a snack over the Grand River and watched "icebergs", as Mrs. P called them, float on by.
Anna danced to the sounds of a player piano while we clapped and laughed.
Sadly, oh so sadly, Anna could no longer afford to pay the rent on the land on which her corrugated bungalow rested. We had to turn it over to the Grand Rapids recycling commission.

An exciting, and oh so sad week.

I promise that I will post soon.

But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. I Timothy 6.11

10,000 Maniacs

I am not sure which one of you was the blessed one:

Someone out there was our 10,000th visit. It is amazing that a quaint Presbyterian family can be of interest to anyone on this side of the seventeenth century.

A family blog

We hope that everyone enjoys the pictures of what life on Union Avenue is like. (It is a lot more eventful than the lives of Samson and Sedgwick!)