Christmas Break 2008

We headed off to Quincy, Illinois on December 24. The trip is long (about 400 miles) but we stop along the way and watch a few movies on a small DVD player the kids have. Dot and I usually tag team on the responsibilities of driving.

We take State Route 24 most of the way, but do hit a few miles of Interstate 57 in Illinois and State Route 136. It’s a lazy drive with small towns and country diners.

Dot’s entire family made it to Quincy this year. Lots of people everywhere. Dot, Meg, Will, and myself stayed in a vacant house owned by Dwight and Donna’s church family. It was close to everyone and with over 20 people visiting, provided much needed room and space. The accomodations @ 715 Hill and Brook worked beautifully. Levi stayed at Park Place with everyone else.

Our time there went quickly though. We did Christmas, ate some great grub, and did our tradition of Gem City Pizza and MaidRites.

I was able to find some discounted books on topics of interest to me and have already started working through them.

I spoke at the Salvation Army Church while I was there, precious people with a great future.

Glad to see everything get thawed out – from -28 to the 50’s. My…my… I’m ready for Spring.

my weekend december 20-21

We (Dot, Levi, and myself) wrapped up Christmas things on Saturday. Will went to a wrestling meet with his teammates, but didn’t wrestle this week. Megan had a boys basketball game to go to on Saturday evening. West Noble lost to Central Noble.

The temperature is -25 degrees with the wind chill. Thirty-seconds of direct wind to your face and your face is completely numb. It literally looked like an Alaskan terrain today driving down Sparta Lake Road, with the winter blast picking up what snow wasn’t frozen, and driving it across the cornfields. I’ve learned to dress in layers of three, to cover my head and exposed skin, and things usually go ok; but it is a little warm when I finally get to where I’m going, but I feel funny trying to peel my layers off in front of people.

I plan on visiting Donnette’s family over the holidays. The kids always look forward to seeing all of her family in the same place at one time.

Many have given us cookies and goodies. Evelyn Kreager made “buckeyes – peanut butter balls”, a pumpkin roll, and some praline trail-mix crunch. She assured me that Rachel Matson Coy received an equal amount of each (so she should be OK with this for now).

Dwayne and Marsha Patrick made some fantastic cookies for us and Tony Kreager brought some cookies Dixie made, which I just had for supper ;o).

There’s a couple of books I’ve been reading, one on natural law, the other on what makes Christianity the great belief system it is, especially in light of a new atheism that is gaining some momentum with todays modern student.

I will be transitioning to several new projects at the beginning of 2009, projects that stand to revolutionize our town and church.

I never cease to be amazed at the incarnation. Love… true love…

Snow, Ice, and Sleet – Let’s Do Christmas!

We are all iced-in today. The Pine Tree limbs are bowed, heavy to the ground.

In light of our travel plans, we just went ahead with Christmas today! It has worked out beautifully, all of us home, school cancelled and plenty of food, for at least a few days anyway.

Evelyn Kreager, my personal Chef, just called. She has some world-famous peanut butter balls and some other things ready for me. Will pick them up today sometime.

Will got a kayak, Levi, a shuffle, and Megan some boots (on backorder ( ) The dogs got bones, which they are very jealous of I might add. If you even walk close to Reggie, his eyes get beady and ears lay back in a stricking posture.

I continue to interact with several people from a variety of belief systems. Boy, this world sure does need the hope of Christmas – a fallen creation reclaimed.

Oh, Dot and I got a few things to wear.

my weekend december 12-14

Friday, I put up a few more Christmas things, hung the wreath, and trimmed the doorway with greenery. I did a good bit of reading and filing and some household things. Donnette made this peanut butter popcorn that Kenda Miller made for us one time. Wow… it is simply irresistable.

We packed up our lunches for the all day wrestling tournement at Plymouth High School Friday evening. I had Will to the gym by 6:20 AM Saturday for a quick weight check. Will wrestled in the 103 pound group and came in second. He went 2-1 on the day with 2 pins and a close championship match that he lost 6-4. Me and Levi went to the meet together and enjoyed our talk. It was an all day deal and we got to talk to the wrestling coaches some and to Will between his matches. It’s amazing how good a ham sandwich or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich tastes at these all day things.

We watched Mr. Beans Holiday, a movie about how the guy always does everything wrong, yet somehow it always turns out OK. Sounds like life and all of our stories. We make all these wrong decisions in life and somehow God makes sure the story turns out OK. It speaks of this great hope – that a Someone is watching out for all our stories and begins at our mistakes and starts writing something new from there.

I continue to place ideas together for a series I’m calling “30 Days to Live.” I am also working on a series I’m calling “Echoes of a Voice.”

I never cease to be amazed at the genius of C.S. Lewis and his deep insight into spiritual things and his ability to weave that into story, particularly the Narnia stories. Our kids are really into them and I get to talk about the spiritual truths over dinner. Lewis sneaks truth in the back door, without you even knowing what he’s doing. Amazing.

Christmas, though filled with joy and hope, always seems to be a time when people feel life’s hurts the most. Somewhere in the sights and smells of a life gone sour in some manger place, a baby is found.

I continue to cast vision for the leaders of our community to offer solutions to these uncertain times. May these days prove to be a time when we together realize that there is nothing we can’t accomplish when we all work together.

I continue to touch base with friends and some family through Facebook. My hope is to see them all get on FB so that life can be shared with all in the simplicity of single place.

my weekend december 06-07

I did a wedding this weekend. It was a Christmas theme and the church was beautiful for this.

Will wrestled again and went 3-1 on the day with a 6-4 loss in overtime.

Levi spent the night with a friend and stayed up all night; he ended up sleeping on Saturday quite a bit.

Megan is busy with boys varsity basketball – helping to coach it and things.

Dot has not been feeling well but is starting to come around.

I have a funeral to do tomorrow and I get to wrap up a sermon series on James next weekend. The series is called “Anonymous” and it is about what happens when we live in an “anonymous place.” But, I am anxious to wrapp it up, as I have been studying this in-depth now for several weeks.

I continue to read like crazy. I am thinking of a new sermon series, but am still fleshing it out. It may be called “Echoes of a Voice”.

my weekend november 28-29

Thanksgiving Day was great with Dot’s great cooking, raking leaves, and being with family.

Ruger, our bull dog, sneaked and ate our homemade pumpkin pie and apple pie. His belly bulged too much and gave him away.

Will went to West Lafayette to wrestle with the varsity this week. He went 2-2 on the weekend. Levi and I went down, rented a room, and watched all the wrestling. Taylor Grim was there as well and ended up spending the night with Levi (we all had a block of rooms together).