Thoughts on the Governor's Debate

Not to be obnoxious, but...

If the vote for governor was today, and I based my vote soley on who mentioned God and talked about his or her faith...

I would vote for Jennifer Granholm. Too bad for Mr. De Vos, he even claims to be a Reformed Christian.

Public Service Announcement

Remember the Wendler Paint-a-thon will be this Friday from 12 until around 6-7-8pm.

We will provide paint, a brush, and some pizza. Hope to see you there!

You provide the (wo)man power.

Highschool Art Class

This is a picture that I came across from an old highschool friend's MySpace account. Wow! What memories soar back into my head. (Some of which must be repented of.) I am the fat guy in the middle with the Venus of Willendorf apron on. I remember this picture quite well. It was right after a haircut when my hair went from beyond shoulder length to right under the ears. Notice the side burns.

These were the creme de la creme of the Corry art scene at the time. At least two of the girls in the photo went on to become artists by trade. One in fine arts and the other in commercial art.
Of the guys in the front row- the one that is laying across the others, that is Jason Hepler- he was one of my best friends in highschool, but we have lost touch over the years. I know that he is secondary school teacher. The guy leaning into me is Jason Miller. He sells cars in Erie, PA now and has recently settled down according to reports. His parents were one of the first 'real' Christians that I ever met. I am the next guy, and you all what I am doing- still in school- working on that Master's of Divinity- oh so far from where I thought that I would be.

I was under the impression that I would continue to mess around with hallucinogenics, listen to classic rock all of my life, go on for a PhD in art history, all while living alone in a studio apartment while popping antidepressants. Wow. The life that the Lord Jesus Christ can make out of someone. In the words of Jerry Garcia- what a long strange trip its been.

The last guy in the row is Steve Vancise. Steve was (is?) a brilliant thinker. He went off to college and then found his way back to Corry, PA to own and run the local Dairy Queen. (If he reads this I hope that he sends me coupons- or one of those funny visors that he makes the girls there wear.)

Does anyone have any other old highschool pictures that they can send me? Or does anyone know what has happened to the rest of these people?

EschKIDology

I am unsure where Anna has picked up her eschatology, but yesterday she kept asking if someone was trying to take her away.

We assured her that no-one was going to take her away from us.

She seemed pretty serious about this- and it was kind of weird, because we have no idea where she was getting the idea that someone was trying to take her from us.

She then said, Jesus is coming to take me away?

We assured her that if Jesus comes to take her away that Papa, Mama, and Owen were going to go with her.

A New Life on Union Avenue

There comes a time in all families lives where they feel the need to add another member to the family. Some people are able to supress this feeling with new house plants or a little cuddly puppy.

But there are those in families that desire to feel a little life growing within them. They desire to experience the development of new life and of reflecting a sense of the Creator.

Life is worth passing on to a new generation. Life is worth extending to little feet that will scurry up and down Union Avenue. Life is good when one is going to pass life on to another.





Congratulations to Steve and Janna Birn. May the Lord bless your family, keep baby from harm, and give you much grace as you carry on in the building of a Christian home.
(Did you think that Lyd and I were going to have another baby?)

Ode to Miss Emily

"Mama, papa.. I want to be like Miss Emily and wear baby on my back."


It is good to have a healthy attachment to a plastic and cloth baby. Plus, we all know of the benefits of skin to plastic skin contact.

Maggie's Sense of Humor

Sunday we had our dear friend Maggie over...all day. We really enjoy her company and her fellowship and it stands that she has an open invitation at all times.

We were discussing various topics, some that were good Sunday topics such as Scripture and Bible studies. At times our conversation would slip into things like our schedules and school.
Maggie said that she has been riding her bike to school so she does not have to pay the $170 (or some such figure). This has been really working out for her because she has to ride up 'Michigan hill' and that will help build strong muscles in the legs.

In typical Maggie fashion, she shared the humor of this all in that her bike does not have any brakes! She bikes up and down that hill and through downtown Grand Rapids without brakes. She said that her dad told her that they cost only about $3 at Meijer or Walmart or some other such retailer. We laughed with Mags at how carefree she is at times. Lydia said she had better go get them so that she does not kill herself! Maggie laughed and said that she would go get them this week.

Well, she has not purchased them yet.

They may be a good gift to get her when you go visit her this week on the 4th floor of Spectrum Hospital...which happens to be on 'Michigan hill'.

(She hit a car...couldn't stop!)

Are You Ready For Some Football

Anna and Owen have had some great times playing football. Owen is the one that seems to get the most battle wounds. They are having a great time though!

Anna and Owen

Congratulations!

Congratulations are in order for our friends Aaron and Lisa Bishop. We ask for prayer as they embark on one of the greatest journeys of life! You can email Aaron and Lisa to congratulate them: aaron.bishop@thproperties.com .

Seminarian Basics: Hebrew 101

Pastor Lanning knows the trials of seminary life. I have begun Hebrew this semester, and Lydia and I have been searching the net to find a singable Hebrew Alphabet. There is nothing online that I have found to be too helpful.

Pastor Lanning recalled a little song that he learned from O. Palmer Robertson at Westminster Seminary. The method that he learned was with the aid of Robertson's 'Happy Hebrew'. Sounds great, huh? Ahh...the joys of seminary life!

It's Hot

I am not an electrician, and I do not pretend to be one; but my wife tells me that she smells smoke, I listen. Last night, after a very long day, at 1am, we were ready to crawl into bed and call it a night.
Lydia came up stairs from taking Sedgwick for his late night trip to the outside and tells me that she smells smoke in the bedroom.

Recall a late October night in my college days when I arrived home from Lydia's apartment to find a smokey mess in the kitchen. My house-mates and I preceded to the basement to find some flames shooting up a bathroom wall that could be seen from the ceiling boards. We called 911 and were homeless for a few months as the contractors repaired the damage.

Back to yesterday:

I told her that I did not smell it but a sense of fear and paranoia fills me at the thought of another house fire. I began to sniff around and to my surprise a lightswitch had an added feature. It seems that when you turned this switch on now, a really noncomforting crackling sound would precede from the wall as well as that horrid electrical fire smell that sends terror down my spine.

I took off the plate and looked for flames, which there were none. I then noticed that Owen had decided to join me in the hallway. (For the record here is Owen's complete lexicon- night-night, Anna, and dog.) Owen decided that he would add 'hot' to the lexicon as he pointed up to the lightswitch. Good Owen! Hot.

The long and 'short' is that I replaced the switch and all works fine again. I do need some training on the two-switch to one light though. It seems that you cannot control the switch from either place, only one at a time. I am sure that Gerald, my new electrician will give me some free advice!

Hot!

Message from Lydia

The previous post was deleted, as it became offensive and destructive. I would like to publicly apologize to NL if I in any way offended him or his family personally. I do, however, stand by my views and thoughts on the matter. I should probably learn silence, like the wise.

Book Nerds!

I just purchased most of my books for this semester. (95%). My total cost was $659.70. This price is high, but it is not as outrageous as undergraduate book prices. Each book that I purchased today will be added to my pastoral library which will prove to be one of my greatest resources after ordination.

When I was doing my undergraduate studies I had a math class that I dropped within the first 2 weeks of class. When I took the $90 book back to the bookstore they informed me that they would not be using this text next year and they refused to buy it back. I left it on the counter with the attendant and left. There is no time in my life ever that I would need this book. The price that one pays for undergraduate books is out of control!

Lydia had a Human Anatomy book that she used in one of her undergraduate courses. She sold it on eBay for about $70 to recover some of the cost. We did not insure this item and it got lost. Not only did we lose the book, we had to pay that girl her $70 back. Double whammy.

I still at am ease about the cost of my books today. Building a good theological library is quite important to me. It is a catalyst for the reading of sound theological literature. $670...Wow.

Faithfulness in the Little Things

Sometimes the people of this world let us down. We live in a world that is tainted by sin and often we find that people that we thought that we could count on harm us in various ways.

As Christians we need to deal with this in an upright manner. Often this can mean that we have to suffer. Suffering is never enjoyable, but we must recall the fact that the Scriptures assure us that suffering is but for a season and that all things work for the good for those who are the called, that love Christ Jesus. This is the hope that we have as Christians. We understand that suffering is purposeful and not without reason. We must be faithful in these times, even if it is in little things. Jesus told us that if we are faithful in that which is least is also faithful in that which is much.

May He find us faithful in much.

Dreams are Made at Camp Concordia

Yearly we head north to Camp Concordia, which is a Lutheran campground at the far northern part of Kent County. We really enjoy the time there and share great memories of swimming trunks that need better elastic and capsizing boats that are unable to be re-boarded. Camp Concordia is a great place to gather for Psalm sings and responsive readings. Aaah.

Maggie is a well-loved pal of Anna and Owen, and Anna used this time to snuggle up with her after a swim in Twin Lake (is that what it is called?).
Owen also got to join in at the lake. His contribution was allowing his impetigo to roam free in the waters so that last minute campers may take it home as a souvenir of their summer camp experience.
Pastors Lanning and Zyelstra were both there, which always makes for a great combination of laughter and great discussion. (I will be filling Pastor Zyelstra's pulpit in the end of September.) We sang Psalms around the campfire and had a great discussion on tyrannical rule- whether parents, husbands, or civil governments. I seem to be the more liberal one in the conversation.
Here are the ladies being covered in smoke. It took two days to remove that smell from off of my clothing and person. I guess that it is part of the experience.
And of course James. Oh, dear James. He was glad to get a signal on his phone so that he could talk to all of his MySpace hunnies. We do love him despite this. For more on Camp Concordia from another camper's perspective check out this post. But if you want to laugh about the rhetoric of Mr. Birn, click this one!

Jersey Junction

East Grand Rapids is known for its fabulous shops and great curiosity stores. There are many places to go and many things to experience. 'East', as the locally preferred jargon, is a place of beautiful homes, great city-scape, Reed's Lake, and high taxes- but most importantly, East GR is home to Jersey Junction.
Jersey Juction has been open in East since the 1960s. The original owner was Cris VanAllsburg who is was the mother of the writer of Jumangi as well as Polar Express. There is a great large scale train that runs across the top of the store. It is very fun to watch and makes you want the wait for the ice-cream so that you can watch it longer!

Boys Are Gross

We had to take Owen to the doctor (well, actually we saw a physician's assistant). He began to have some sores on his chin and some different sores in his mouth. Dr. Lydia looked at them and thought that the sores on his chin was impetigo, but I told that was not true because we are clean people and our children are not sucking snot off of the floor of some daycare.
When we got the doctor's office, we found out that the sores were impetigo, and he also has thrush in his mouth.
The thrush may be from the fact that when he had croup he was on an antibiotic, but we are unsure.

For those who have 'good stomachs' I have linked the google image for both problems. Have fun!

Impetigo
Thrush

November Isn't THAT Far Away...Is It?

Calvin College Book Store now offers John Calvin bobble heads. I cannot think of anything more inspiring for my study desk than this. I am sure that I will go from an A- student to an A+ student overnight as well as be able to prepare sermons and lectures that would make your head spin...or bobble.

I am getting excited just thinking about it.

Stroller Derby

If anyone over five feet tall has pushed an umbrella stroller- you know what a disaster it can be. The back aches and the wheels get kicked every other step. Quite annoying.

We are both 5'10" which does not qualify us for the Nephilum, but it is tall enough to know that this is quite obnoxious! We feel sorry for our loved ones at Wendler Cottage who are respectively, 6'9" and 7'10". I am sure that they feel the pain way more than we do!

So our search began for the perfect fold-up, store in the car, and use at the mall style umbrella stroller. Immediately our earthly desires turned towards the best that the UK has to offer. The MacLaren. We cannot even afford one on ebay!

We then heard about the Peg Perego, but we do not know Italian so we could not learn about them from the material that the company sends out. They are supposed to be the best in Italian strollers, but to me they look like the cheap styro-wheeled junk that you get at WalMart complete with cup-holder for you 64 oz. Mountain Dew. I have a hard time believing that the Italians, who designed the Lamborghini, could have made something that costs so much and looks so cheap. My theory, and I should have had the NotLiberal family check this out while in Italy, is that they are conspirators who are attempting to steal the dumb American's money by selling over-priced items that they refuse to use. Just a theory.

At any rate, we made our decision and we found something that we can use that does not make us look as though we are hunched-over freaks pushing our child through the mall. It is called the Chicco and it is a perfect balance between aesthetics, practicality, and value. They are also Italian made, but would be more in line with the Fiat than the Maserati!