Ok, this one’s for all you married folk out there. Husbands, your wives may enjoy this more than you. Oh, and make the kids leave the room.
Archive for August, 2007
14
Aug
I’m Fasting
Ok, I mentioned the other day that I was going to take a month off of blogging. The reason? Well, the main reason is to keep things in perspective. You can either live life or write about it. I choose to live it, but it’s easy for some of us to get lost in cyberspace (or television or movies for too many of you). We live vicariously through our televisions and websites. Life was never meant to be like that. Get out, listen to the birds sing, the wind blow, or the kids laugh.
The other reason is this time of year is wicked-busy. The kids go back to school, I go back to school, our Church Planting school starts, and the list keeps going. I just need to keep focused for the next month and I don’t need one more thing to distract me.
So, I will return to the website in 4 weeks (Monday, September 10th). When I return, the website will have an all-new look and I will dive back into the "Godly Views". Keep coming back for this month because you never now, Rennee may post something still. Or new pictures may get posted (by Ren, not me). I’m staying away from the ‘ole fam site.
See ‘ya in a month!
8
Aug
One of those days
Today was a very tough day. We had the funeral/burial for Michael Fresch, the young man from our church who died in the car accident Saturday morning. There were lots of things that just hit me during the funeral, mostly about my girls. This is one of those things that makes you want to be an over-protective parent. But then I realized that when all my girls were just months old I dedicated them to Jesus. That means they are His kids, not mine. I’m just to be a good steward of what He gave me, no matter what the length of time might be.
The other thing that struck me was the instant realization of mortality on the face of the teens who came to the funeral. I remember all-t00-well the feeling of being bullet-proof when I was 16. Our community has been struck with many teen deaths so far this year. Accidents and suicides have left these kids with a dose of reality that they shouldn’t have learned for a while. God gave us the feeling of immortality as teens. I really believe that. It’s what makes some teenagers so great, and others not so great. It broke my heart to see so many kids having to deal with emotions that many of them have never had to deal with before.
No parent should ever have to bury their child. I hope and pray that this is something Ren and I will never have to deal with. I don’t even pretend to know what Debbie and Craig are going through. Nor do I want to know. Not because I don’t care, but because you will never know until you go through it. I will give it to Debbie though (Mike’s mom). She kept saying all day, "I’m ready to start this celebration!" And that’s what it was, a celebration of a short life lived to the fullest.
My friend and Co-worker took a team of special ed teachers to Hanoi for the past two weeks. On the way they had a 5 hour layover in Tokyo. While there they ran into Josh Duhamel. TOKYO OF ALL PLACES!!! Too bad Fergie wasn’t with him, huh Chris?
5
Aug
In Memory Of
Today is one of those days you wish just wouldn’t have happened. For the past several months a young man by the name of Michael Fresch has been working at the church with us. He always had a smiling face and was always ready to talk about anything. He and I would pass in the hall and he’d make some remark about me being barefoot and I’d make a remark about his curly hair. We had fun. He was the kind of 16-year-old I like (and there’s not many of those). This morning Michael was killed along with 2 friends in a terrible auto accident. I can’t and won’t go into any details here, but you can read the news report HERE.
My heart breaks for Michael’s family and friends. My prayers are for them. This is a devastating loss for everyone.
Michael, you will be sorely missed and the halls of NorthWood will not be the same without your smiling face.
I will be posting another Godly view (animism) sometime next week. I’m also going to take this opportunity to let you know that I am going to be "blog-fasting" for one month starting the week of August 14th through September 14th. "What is that" you ask? There are certain things in everyone’s lives that you must take a break from every now and then just to keep it in perspective and in its place. Television is that to most people (but when was the last time you took a month or longer "fast" from your TV?) Blogging is that thing for me. I have to take a step back and just not do it for a month. Instead, I will be using the time that I would normally blog and I’ll spend it with God, kids, and wife. Some of you are saying, "That’s not hard!" Try it with your television… that’s what blogging is to me. I’m actually thinking of "fasting" our television at the same time… that way I know my kids will spend time with me during that time instead of with Hannah Montana! Did you know that you can call your cable/satellite company will let you take a month "break" (kinda keeps you accountable)? Tell them you’re gonna take a vacation… which isn’t a lie because a month of no television really is a vacation, trust me. How many of you will take a break with me, with your television, that is?
2
Aug
Video Thursday!
Welcome to the first “official” video Thursday! Every Thursday I’m going to try to find the craziest, funniest, or most heart-felt videos to post here. Sometimes there will be one, sometimes there will be a few. Enjoy.
The past few weeks have been crazy around NorthWood. First, we had a delegation of Vietnamese government officials come for a visit (read about it HERE) then, Bob went and signed a letter to President Bush that was published in the New York Times that apparently torqued John Hagee. You know me, I do love me a controversy. But it makes for some exciting times at Church!