First, there are new pics up on the Reinard blog space. So you probably want to bop on over there to see the cuteness.
You've probably already heard, but I"m going to tell you anyway. Derek Webb is giving away his latest album free online. Just go to freederekweb.com and you can get it. He's making it free because it's not very mainstream Christianese. He's pretty honest with his thoughts.
I just downloaded it this afternoon even though I've known about it for awhile. I'm a little slow. That being said, I haven't listened to it all yet.
So when you get done downloading the album...it says something like, "You just saved yourself 10 dollars. You should donate that money to one of these places. Then there are links to three charitable organizations. Actually they're more than just charitable. They all deal with Africa. So I started thinking once again about Africa. As you might imagine I have some pretty strong feelings and longings in my heart for the continent.
My mind instantly went to World Vision. We are big fans of World Vision. I went with them to Brazil two summers ago and we sponsor two kids. So I instantly bopped over to their site right away to check it out for the millionth time. The first thing I read was "HIV/AIDS orphans more than 6,000 children every day. ". That made me feel pretty good about myself (that's called cynicism kids).
I then started thinking about the 30 Hour Famine which my youth group has done for the last 4 or 5 years. So I headed over there. They have a new website up with their promo video for 2007. Of course I had to watch it. I easily get choked up at stuff like this these days. Mari and I don't have TV so visual things are much more emotional than they used to be.
I then thought about my lovely son who was coming home soon from daycare. I give him a little longer hug than normal.
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Letter
I just wrote the following for this months newsletter for NWPC. I had Marjorie read it and she insisted I post it here. I'm not one to argue with my wife for no great cause.......so here it is.
Having your dad as your pastor can be embarrassing at times. Not so much when I was younger, but when I reached my youth years, I couldn’t understand why my father continued to use my brother and I as sermon illustrations. I get it now.
The father/son relationship is an amazing thing. God has opened my eyes to so many truths about Himself......through my son.
The idea that God would send His one and only Son to die for me, is much more powerful now to me than it ever has been.....and it was pretty powerful before Corban arrived.
There are just a lot of innocent blindness moments that children have, that adults or parents help them with. Let me give you an example:
This afternoon I took Corban for a wagon ride. The wagon is a new thing to him and he really likes it. So away we go and we went a good ways....and then he decides he doesn’t just want to ride, he wants to pull the wagon too. That was fine, we didn’t have anywhere to be, so why not. Being a little boy with a will of his own, he had no desire for daddy to help him pull the wagon, he needed to do it on his own....fine.
So away we go, him pulling the wagon and me walking beside him. We hadn’t gone more than 10 feet and he started pulling the wagon up someone’s driveway, so I steered him back to the sidewalk. Another 10 ft. and he was going down the hill toward the road....another course correction by dad. A couple more steps and he had dropped the handle to the wagon altogether so he could bend down and get a pebble to throw.
As I was going back for the wagon, I just smiled. It’s not that God is a meany always telling us how to do everything. Quite the contrary. But he does give us a conscience, and for those of us who choose to be followers of Him, we begin to be able to know when we’ve gone off track.
I didn’t have to leave the sidewalk to get Corban. I just had to tell him which way to go. God assures us the He is unchanging. We can listen to His voice when we have strayed from the path a bit.
I must now apologize to my son for using him as an example to make a simple point. I will not promise to never use him again. In fact, because I see God moments through our relationship, I guarantee to embarrass him well into his adult years. That is what you have to look forward to son. Sorry.
Having your dad as your pastor can be embarrassing at times. Not so much when I was younger, but when I reached my youth years, I couldn’t understand why my father continued to use my brother and I as sermon illustrations. I get it now.
The father/son relationship is an amazing thing. God has opened my eyes to so many truths about Himself......through my son.
The idea that God would send His one and only Son to die for me, is much more powerful now to me than it ever has been.....and it was pretty powerful before Corban arrived.
There are just a lot of innocent blindness moments that children have, that adults or parents help them with. Let me give you an example:
This afternoon I took Corban for a wagon ride. The wagon is a new thing to him and he really likes it. So away we go and we went a good ways....and then he decides he doesn’t just want to ride, he wants to pull the wagon too. That was fine, we didn’t have anywhere to be, so why not. Being a little boy with a will of his own, he had no desire for daddy to help him pull the wagon, he needed to do it on his own....fine.
So away we go, him pulling the wagon and me walking beside him. We hadn’t gone more than 10 feet and he started pulling the wagon up someone’s driveway, so I steered him back to the sidewalk. Another 10 ft. and he was going down the hill toward the road....another course correction by dad. A couple more steps and he had dropped the handle to the wagon altogether so he could bend down and get a pebble to throw.
As I was going back for the wagon, I just smiled. It’s not that God is a meany always telling us how to do everything. Quite the contrary. But he does give us a conscience, and for those of us who choose to be followers of Him, we begin to be able to know when we’ve gone off track.
I didn’t have to leave the sidewalk to get Corban. I just had to tell him which way to go. God assures us the He is unchanging. We can listen to His voice when we have strayed from the path a bit.
I must now apologize to my son for using him as an example to make a simple point. I will not promise to never use him again. In fact, because I see God moments through our relationship, I guarantee to embarrass him well into his adult years. That is what you have to look forward to son. Sorry.
Sunday, September 24, 2006
Wide array of things
Strap yourselves in, this is going to be long.
I need to be honest with my friends here. I've been afraid of posting. Basically I'm insecure. It's true. I surf the net and read all these cool blogs where everyone has smart thoughts, or witty comments or criticisms of life and church and whatever. Most of my days are about making sure a little boy doesn't break stuff. It's hard to have awe inspired thoughts when you're wiping snot and poop up. So I've felt slightly inadequat at times. ALSO....I listen to some sports talk radio while driving in the car WGR55o out of Buffalo. The other day I was listening to the mid-morning national guy Colin Cowherd. He was ranting on and on about "the system" and people and teams going against the system. His poist was that "the system" is what works, it's where the money is at, and you can go against it if you want, but you won't succeed. Part of his rant though was about bloggers. Basically he said that no one really cares about what you're blogging about. Everyone wants to believe that they're important and people read their blog, but in reality there about 3 people reading your blog....and most of the time they don't even care. I know that he's only a sports guy and what do I care what he thinks anyway.....but it got me thinking. Why do I type here? What's the point? So to be honest, I've been a little insecure and I think I'm mostly over it and here we go again......
I spent today away from my family. Not intentionally.....it was just one of those days in ministry that I knew I would be gone from 8am-8pm. I was teaching Sunday School for Senior High. We re-read the Noah account and got into details of the account that sometimes the cute Sunday School version leaves out (like Noah getting drunk and naked after coming off the ark). Then we had morning worship, then I spent 2 hours writing a speech that I had to give this afternoon for a retreat that's at the end of the month. Then I drove the meeting to give the speech.....and had to be there for 4 hours, then I drove back to town. I drove immediately to a youth rally in the park, where I broke 3 guitar strings during only 5 songs! UGH. So by the time I got home tonight my little boy really wanted some daddy time.
This talk that I had to give....it's for a retreat like I said. They make you write out every word you're going to say, then give the talk word for word so they can then critique you. I talk all the tiem to youth. I never write out every word. I write out main points, or scripture or whatever....and then I hit those points and fill in the blanks. This is so foreign to me. I just stood behind this podium and put my hands in my pockets. It wasn't me and they knew that. So they gave me free reign to do a sort of outline so that I can move and be more natural.
What did Noah do with termites on the ark?
I need a haircut. I'm so shaggy. I haven't had a haircut since before Corban got here. I used to have long hair, now it's annoying.
Mari and I went on our first real date last night since Corban's arrival in July. We've been out before by ourselves, but only because one set of our parents was here to watch Corban. Last night we got some girls from my youth group to watch him and we went out. It was great. We didn't do anything much, dinner, coffeeshop to read, and a trip to the "mall", but it was good to be away. He had fun too. AND I got a much needed winter coat at the mall!
Today after church the Pleasant Church officially voted on me. Pastor Mike e-mailed me to tell me the decision. To quote him directly, "Just to let you know it was nearly a unanimous vote today to hire you (50-1)." I really don't want to know who voted against hiring me. I find it a little unnerving actually. I pretty positive that this is going to be a good place to work. I know most of the kids already. I get along well with the pastor. The church voted unanimously to hire someone on to work with you......but one person voted against that person being me. Funny.
I was reading a blog that linked me to another blog that linked me to this post by I guy I don't know. I just kind of liked the way he approached the article. He layed out what he was saying in pretty clear wording.
Chrissy Koerber tagged me awhile back to blog about books. I know that I need to get to that sometime.....I'm just not real motivated right now.....and I don't like to follow silly rules or chain letters anyway.....so I'll do it in my own style and time!
And finally, the beginning of the NHL season is quickly coming upon us. October 4th marks the second year of games since the strike. I'm pretty excited about hockey this year. I am resolving publically to find time and money to go to at least one NHL game this year......probably Buffalo or Pittsburgh.......but I WILL GO!!!!!
I need to be honest with my friends here. I've been afraid of posting. Basically I'm insecure. It's true. I surf the net and read all these cool blogs where everyone has smart thoughts, or witty comments or criticisms of life and church and whatever. Most of my days are about making sure a little boy doesn't break stuff. It's hard to have awe inspired thoughts when you're wiping snot and poop up. So I've felt slightly inadequat at times. ALSO....I listen to some sports talk radio while driving in the car WGR55o out of Buffalo. The other day I was listening to the mid-morning national guy Colin Cowherd. He was ranting on and on about "the system" and people and teams going against the system. His poist was that "the system" is what works, it's where the money is at, and you can go against it if you want, but you won't succeed. Part of his rant though was about bloggers. Basically he said that no one really cares about what you're blogging about. Everyone wants to believe that they're important and people read their blog, but in reality there about 3 people reading your blog....and most of the time they don't even care. I know that he's only a sports guy and what do I care what he thinks anyway.....but it got me thinking. Why do I type here? What's the point? So to be honest, I've been a little insecure and I think I'm mostly over it and here we go again......
I spent today away from my family. Not intentionally.....it was just one of those days in ministry that I knew I would be gone from 8am-8pm. I was teaching Sunday School for Senior High. We re-read the Noah account and got into details of the account that sometimes the cute Sunday School version leaves out (like Noah getting drunk and naked after coming off the ark). Then we had morning worship, then I spent 2 hours writing a speech that I had to give this afternoon for a retreat that's at the end of the month. Then I drove the meeting to give the speech.....and had to be there for 4 hours, then I drove back to town. I drove immediately to a youth rally in the park, where I broke 3 guitar strings during only 5 songs! UGH. So by the time I got home tonight my little boy really wanted some daddy time.
This talk that I had to give....it's for a retreat like I said. They make you write out every word you're going to say, then give the talk word for word so they can then critique you. I talk all the tiem to youth. I never write out every word. I write out main points, or scripture or whatever....and then I hit those points and fill in the blanks. This is so foreign to me. I just stood behind this podium and put my hands in my pockets. It wasn't me and they knew that. So they gave me free reign to do a sort of outline so that I can move and be more natural.
What did Noah do with termites on the ark?
I need a haircut. I'm so shaggy. I haven't had a haircut since before Corban got here. I used to have long hair, now it's annoying.
Mari and I went on our first real date last night since Corban's arrival in July. We've been out before by ourselves, but only because one set of our parents was here to watch Corban. Last night we got some girls from my youth group to watch him and we went out. It was great. We didn't do anything much, dinner, coffeeshop to read, and a trip to the "mall", but it was good to be away. He had fun too. AND I got a much needed winter coat at the mall!
Today after church the Pleasant Church officially voted on me. Pastor Mike e-mailed me to tell me the decision. To quote him directly, "Just to let you know it was nearly a unanimous vote today to hire you (50-1)." I really don't want to know who voted against hiring me. I find it a little unnerving actually. I pretty positive that this is going to be a good place to work. I know most of the kids already. I get along well with the pastor. The church voted unanimously to hire someone on to work with you......but one person voted against that person being me. Funny.
I was reading a blog that linked me to another blog that linked me to this post by I guy I don't know. I just kind of liked the way he approached the article. He layed out what he was saying in pretty clear wording.
Chrissy Koerber tagged me awhile back to blog about books. I know that I need to get to that sometime.....I'm just not real motivated right now.....and I don't like to follow silly rules or chain letters anyway.....so I'll do it in my own style and time!
And finally, the beginning of the NHL season is quickly coming upon us. October 4th marks the second year of games since the strike. I'm pretty excited about hockey this year. I am resolving publically to find time and money to go to at least one NHL game this year......probably Buffalo or Pittsburgh.......but I WILL GO!!!!!
Sunday, September 17, 2006
An array of stuff
I've been pretty busy this past week, so I haven't had a ton of time to be web logging (that's the long version of blogging for those not in the know). Here is a bunch of links, and a brief catch-up on what's going down.
1. As noted previously I spoke at a retreat for WCCS this week. GREAT TIME. Very challenging, but very good. I learned some new ways to study for a bigger session like this. Great time. Thursday afternoon Mari and Corban came down to be with me. How fun. It's fun to hear 30+ teenage girls see Corban and go "AWWWWWWWWWWWW".
2. Through my friend Bill's church blog I found this funny site. CrummyChurchSigns. I didn't think it would be that great....but his humor really makes it. Take some time and poke around, if you've spent any time around churches, you'll laugh.
3. Along those same lines I found an interesting site called CHURCH MARKETING SUCKS. I guess this one resonated with me because for a number of years I have been appalled at how church and para-church organizations use the same horrible tactics to "sell"themselves. I can't tell you how many church tele-marketers I've talked to who are just downright annoying in their pursuit of "the sale".
4. Apparently if you are a regular church attender, you're going to get fat. The Chicago Sun Times reports about a study linking church functions to obesity. They say that since drinking and smoking and often dancing are vices of most churches, then we turn to food as an outlet. SO WHAT! Mr. Ben and Mr. Jerry can help you through many a difficult time.
5. I'm not sure how I found this, last week....but I'm definitely going to get some. Chances are that I'm getting some for Wheeze for Christmas (don't tell her....and if you're reading this....you'll forget anyway!) Oh, I remember how I found it! This guy is a geocacher and he did something so I saw his bio.
6. What blog post would be complete without a YouTube link or two? A student in my drumline told me that his brother (who graduated from our drumline two years ago) posted our band's performance two years ago. It's not great quality....andthe drumline didn't do that great of a job on the drum feature but it's not horrible. Since I was there and poking around, I searched for drumline stuff........I found this video that is freaking AMAZING!!!!
7. This morning we attended morning worship at the church that I will begin working for at the beginning of next month. Small church, significantly older in age than N. Warren, but I think that they think younger. That probably doesn't make sense. They vote on me next week.
8. With 9-11 passing, everyone was asked where were you when you heard the Trade Center was hit. Well my memory includes a nasty car that I loved. I think I bought this car from my senior pastor for like 100 bucks or something. It was rusty when I got it and it only went downhill from there. As the car got worse...in every aspect imaginable, I bought some bull horns during a mission trip for the front. I was at the post office sitting in this car when I heard it. That day will forever be linked to my junky car.
1. As noted previously I spoke at a retreat for WCCS this week. GREAT TIME. Very challenging, but very good. I learned some new ways to study for a bigger session like this. Great time. Thursday afternoon Mari and Corban came down to be with me. How fun. It's fun to hear 30+ teenage girls see Corban and go "AWWWWWWWWWWWW".
2. Through my friend Bill's church blog I found this funny site. CrummyChurchSigns. I didn't think it would be that great....but his humor really makes it. Take some time and poke around, if you've spent any time around churches, you'll laugh.
3. Along those same lines I found an interesting site called CHURCH MARKETING SUCKS. I guess this one resonated with me because for a number of years I have been appalled at how church and para-church organizations use the same horrible tactics to "sell"themselves. I can't tell you how many church tele-marketers I've talked to who are just downright annoying in their pursuit of "the sale".
4. Apparently if you are a regular church attender, you're going to get fat. The Chicago Sun Times reports about a study linking church functions to obesity. They say that since drinking and smoking and often dancing are vices of most churches, then we turn to food as an outlet. SO WHAT! Mr. Ben and Mr. Jerry can help you through many a difficult time.
5. I'm not sure how I found this, last week....but I'm definitely going to get some. Chances are that I'm getting some for Wheeze for Christmas (don't tell her....and if you're reading this....you'll forget anyway!) Oh, I remember how I found it! This guy is a geocacher and he did something so I saw his bio.
6. What blog post would be complete without a YouTube link or two? A student in my drumline told me that his brother (who graduated from our drumline two years ago) posted our band's performance two years ago. It's not great quality....andthe drumline didn't do that great of a job on the drum feature but it's not horrible. Since I was there and poking around, I searched for drumline stuff........I found this video that is freaking AMAZING!!!!
7. This morning we attended morning worship at the church that I will begin working for at the beginning of next month. Small church, significantly older in age than N. Warren, but I think that they think younger. That probably doesn't make sense. They vote on me next week.
8. With 9-11 passing, everyone was asked where were you when you heard the Trade Center was hit. Well my memory includes a nasty car that I loved. I think I bought this car from my senior pastor for like 100 bucks or something. It was rusty when I got it and it only went downhill from there. As the car got worse...in every aspect imaginable, I bought some bull horns during a mission trip for the front. I was at the post office sitting in this car when I heard it. That day will forever be linked to my junky car.
Saturday, September 16, 2006
Sweet Sweet Love
I would be remiss if I let today pass without posting.
Six years ago today I made the first decision of my life that I knew could absolutely not go wrong. The most beautiful girl in the world walked down the aisle and said "I do". I'm still mistified at the fact that she agreed to marry me, but it's too late for her now!
I know 6 years isn't 66 years like my grandparents in Arizona or even 56 like my grandparents in Uniontown PA, but in this day and age where couples don't last the week....
I can't imagine trying to go it without Marjorie. Who else would let the youth group dress them up? I love you!
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
DOTS
There's a cool little map thing on my right toolbar that I found somehow. It's called ClusterMap. Basically every time someone visits your website you get a little dot. I put it on here, just for fun. I'm a little weirded out now though.
I'm not exactly sure who in South America is checking my blog....or the Carribean for that matter.
HEY! Who are you? How'd you find this?
I'm not exactly sure who in South America is checking my blog....or the Carribean for that matter.
HEY! Who are you? How'd you find this?
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
It was a pretty good day
So it's Tuesday, which makes me two days late posting this.
Corban sleeps through the night without waking up! Yeah!
We get up as a family and have some breakfast. We get all cleaned up. I left around 9 to go to the church to do a sound check for the song I was singing during church. I got home just before Oma and Opa (Dutch for Grandma and Grandpa which is Marjorie's parents) come over from the hotel. They helped Marjorie get ready for lunch.
10:30 we pack all the food and our little squirmy boy into the cars and head to church. Upon getting to church we realize we can't find our camera. So I frantically start checking all the bags....nothing. So I jump back in the car and run home. I run through our house looking for the camera.....NOTHING. UGH! So back to church I go, another sweep of the bags, nothing.....oh well.
I chose to sing a song while they were taking up the offering. The song was "We've Been Waiting for You" by Carolyn Arends. I changed the words slightly to fit the situation a little and I re-arranged it for guitar instead of playing the piano. It was hard to make it through without crying.
When that was over it was time to Baptize the little miester. During a baptism in the Presbyterian church you have to have someone who has been ordained in the church either currently or formerly read the questions to the congregation. We asked a couple that has been super-supportive and encouraging from day one of our adoption process to serve in that capacity. My father was co-officiating. My father got to hold Corban in his arms and do the actual baptism of his grandson. VERY VERY COOL.
After church, all of our family and close friends were invited to a light lunch. We had so much food it was sick. Corban was pretty cranky by now. I think he was stressed from being the center of so much attention. So as he's eating, he just falls asleep. He napped for quite awhile. Then my parents, Mari's parents, my aunt and uncle, Marjorie's sister, brotherinlaw and their 5 kids all come over to the house for some coffee, tea, snacks and mayheim. It was great.
After the crowds start to fade away, off I go to get ready for youth group. NowI've been doing youth ministry full-time in N. Warren for 6 years. Before that I "interned" under Kent and Jason for 4-5 years. I don't know if it was something in the water, or the wind was blowing the right way or what.......but I had one of the best honest discussions at youth group! It was crazy. EVERYONE participated. They were into it. They were honest. They weren't giving me canned "Christianese" answers. We could've talked on and on and on. I had to actually cut the night short! It was awesome.
So as soon as youth group is over I jump in the car and drive 25 minutes north to Jamestown NY. One of my problems is that I can't say no. I had agreed to sub as a goalie in the local ice hockey league. See here's the catch. I haven't been able to actually play in the league up here. The league games are Sunday nights. I have youth group Sunday nights. So the only games I could ever play are the real early games or the late games. They won't schedule one team that way, and no team wants a goalie that can only play 1/5 of all the games.....so I can only sub. Well this year they're really short on goalies. Like REALLY short. It looks as if I'm going to be able to play almost every week....and not be on a team.
So the team I was playing for isn't very good. On top of that, they didn't have many guys show up. Before the game started I knew I was going to face a lot of shots.....and I did! We lost 3-1. To me that was a great game. I played really well. I stopped a TON of shots. As poorly as my defence was it was a wonder they only got 3!
It was a pretty good day. Oh we found the camera. It was in the trunk of the car. So we don't have pictures right now of the baptism.....but my uncle took some.....but it was with a regular camera so we have to wait to have those developed and then I"ll put them up here.
Corban sleeps through the night without waking up! Yeah!
We get up as a family and have some breakfast. We get all cleaned up. I left around 9 to go to the church to do a sound check for the song I was singing during church. I got home just before Oma and Opa (Dutch for Grandma and Grandpa which is Marjorie's parents) come over from the hotel. They helped Marjorie get ready for lunch.
10:30 we pack all the food and our little squirmy boy into the cars and head to church. Upon getting to church we realize we can't find our camera. So I frantically start checking all the bags....nothing. So I jump back in the car and run home. I run through our house looking for the camera.....NOTHING. UGH! So back to church I go, another sweep of the bags, nothing.....oh well.
I chose to sing a song while they were taking up the offering. The song was "We've Been Waiting for You" by Carolyn Arends. I changed the words slightly to fit the situation a little and I re-arranged it for guitar instead of playing the piano. It was hard to make it through without crying.
When that was over it was time to Baptize the little miester. During a baptism in the Presbyterian church you have to have someone who has been ordained in the church either currently or formerly read the questions to the congregation. We asked a couple that has been super-supportive and encouraging from day one of our adoption process to serve in that capacity. My father was co-officiating. My father got to hold Corban in his arms and do the actual baptism of his grandson. VERY VERY COOL.
After church, all of our family and close friends were invited to a light lunch. We had so much food it was sick. Corban was pretty cranky by now. I think he was stressed from being the center of so much attention. So as he's eating, he just falls asleep. He napped for quite awhile. Then my parents, Mari's parents, my aunt and uncle, Marjorie's sister, brotherinlaw and their 5 kids all come over to the house for some coffee, tea, snacks and mayheim. It was great.
After the crowds start to fade away, off I go to get ready for youth group. NowI've been doing youth ministry full-time in N. Warren for 6 years. Before that I "interned" under Kent and Jason for 4-5 years. I don't know if it was something in the water, or the wind was blowing the right way or what.......but I had one of the best honest discussions at youth group! It was crazy. EVERYONE participated. They were into it. They were honest. They weren't giving me canned "Christianese" answers. We could've talked on and on and on. I had to actually cut the night short! It was awesome.
So as soon as youth group is over I jump in the car and drive 25 minutes north to Jamestown NY. One of my problems is that I can't say no. I had agreed to sub as a goalie in the local ice hockey league. See here's the catch. I haven't been able to actually play in the league up here. The league games are Sunday nights. I have youth group Sunday nights. So the only games I could ever play are the real early games or the late games. They won't schedule one team that way, and no team wants a goalie that can only play 1/5 of all the games.....so I can only sub. Well this year they're really short on goalies. Like REALLY short. It looks as if I'm going to be able to play almost every week....and not be on a team.
So the team I was playing for isn't very good. On top of that, they didn't have many guys show up. Before the game started I knew I was going to face a lot of shots.....and I did! We lost 3-1. To me that was a great game. I played really well. I stopped a TON of shots. As poorly as my defence was it was a wonder they only got 3!
It was a pretty good day. Oh we found the camera. It was in the trunk of the car. So we don't have pictures right now of the baptism.....but my uncle took some.....but it was with a regular camera so we have to wait to have those developed and then I"ll put them up here.
Monday, September 11, 2006
Cute
There are some clear cool advantages to being home 3 days a week with my son.
Just a couple minutes ago...Corban was sitting in his highchair. I got a cup of coffee and out Tim Horton's donuts. Well since we got him in July he's always liked to drink from his sippy cup the same time that I drink a swig of coffee. Well this morning he took it to the next level. His chair was kind of sideways to the table so it was facing me rather than sideways. After the first drink of coffee and sippy cup he watched me put my cup down on the table. He reached across and set his sippy down there too instead of on his tray. He wanted to be just like dad! So here are eating donuts drinking our brews and enjoying a new morning.
He's watching me. That's a scary huge responsibility.
Just a couple minutes ago...Corban was sitting in his highchair. I got a cup of coffee and out Tim Horton's donuts. Well since we got him in July he's always liked to drink from his sippy cup the same time that I drink a swig of coffee. Well this morning he took it to the next level. His chair was kind of sideways to the table so it was facing me rather than sideways. After the first drink of coffee and sippy cup he watched me put my cup down on the table. He reached across and set his sippy down there too instead of on his tray. He wanted to be just like dad! So here are eating donuts drinking our brews and enjoying a new morning.
He's watching me. That's a scary huge responsibility.
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Tired and Stressed....and other stuff
This may come off as a rant...but I'm tired and stressed.
Corban has been getting up several times a night because he's congested and can't breath right.....and since Marjorie is back to work full-time, I'm getting up with him more often than not. That's just to say that I haven't been sleeping well.
Every year the Warren County Christian School secondary grades have a fall retreat. They have a local youth pastor come speak for three days at the Castle in Franklin. Well guess who hasn't done it yet? Yep me. Here's the weird thing....in 11 years of youth ministry not once have I been the speaker at a weekend retreat or summer camp. I've always done the music and someone else has been the speaker. This isn't to say that I've never spoken to youth....I do it all the time....but I have to have 5 messages....that are suppose to be somewhat connected to one another......AND COHERENT. Are you kidding me?
To top this off....this Sunday Corban is being baptized. (by the way...if you are reading this and able to get to Warren PA this Sunday at 11pm, you are invited to the baptism. We'd love to have you!!! Light lunch following church to all who travel!) While that'll be awesome, it also means that both of our extended families are converging on our little town....some of whom are staying in our back yard....while that is also awesome....it doesn't allow me to finish 5 messages due next Wed. morning.
I had all day today to work...and I have little to show for it. Not that I didn't try, it's just that there aren't enough hours in the day to get done what I need to get done it would seem.
The big news around here is a moron named Ralph Phillips who has escaped from prison near Buffalo and shot 3 cops now. He's on America's Most Wanted and all that. He was just named to Federal Marshalls top 15 list. People are advised to stay out of th woods because he is big into the outdoors etc. Which is fine, except it's slowing down my geocaching.
This is a short but good article.
I'm going to bed.
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Penguins sign Malkin
FINALLY!!!! After a month or so of drama the Penguins finally were able to sign Evgeni Malkin today. There is much anticipation for the skills this kid brings to Pittsburgh. Now granted, Pittsburgh is still going to be in the toilet this year....but in like 2 years...they should be at least decent!!!!
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