Last week, I decided to shave my goatee for the heck of it. Apparently, this added about ten pounds to the look of my face because I had several people at work ask me if I gained weight over the break. Last time they saw me, I had facial hair.
I know for a fact that I gained exactly one pound from the beginning of December to the first week of January. So, I’m growing it back.
We went to Granny and Papaw Burkman’s on the 28th for a 55th anniversary party. (Burkman’s are Jane’s parents) It was a good time, yet bittersweet for me. Emma Rose, Jane’s great-niece, was there. She is a cute, 9 month old, blonde. Elizabeth and I were sitting on the floor holding her and loving on her. A pain hit me that hasn’t in a while. I horribly missed my Emma. So did Elizabeth. As Elizabeth sat there playing and smiling with precious Emma Rose, I held back tears. It made me hurt for Elizabeth as she has verbalized over the years, she misses her sister….. the one she never met. The one she got to feel kick her in utero. The one she knew was a girl because God told her so.
I asked her tonight, “Did playing with Emma Rose make you miss Emma Mae?” Her response….. “Yes, why? Are you and Daddy going to adopt a girl?” I can only pray God will someday bless Elizabeth with a daughter of her own.
OK, one more from my favorite Christmas album…
A Baby Just Like You
Another one of my favorite Christmas songs sung by John Denver based on a poem by Robert Bridges.
A frosty Christmas Eve when the stars were shining
Fared I forth alone where westward falls the hill,
And from many a village in the water’d valley
Distant music reach’d me peals of bells aringing:
The constellated sounds ran sprinkling on earth’s floor
As the dark vault above with stars was spangled o’er.
Then sped my thoughts to keep that first Christmas of all
When the shepherds watching by their folds ere the dawn
Heard music in the fields and marvelling could not tell
Whether it were angels or the bright stars singing.
Now blessed be the towers that crown England so fair
That stand up strong in prayer unto God for our souls
Blessed be their founders (said I) an’ our country folk
Who are ringing for Christ in the belfries tonight
With arms lifted to clutch the rattling ropes that race
Into the dark above and the mad romping din.
But to me heard afar it was starry music
Angels’ song, comforting as the comfort of Christ
When he spake tenderley to his sorrowful flock:
The old words came to me by the riches of time
Mellow’d and transfigured as I stood on the hill
Heark’ning in the aspect of th’ eternal silence.
There is a large military training center near Columbus called Camp Atterbury. One of the chaplains on the base goes to our church and for the past 4 years he has organized a night of caroling on the base. This year, people in the church baked over 6000 cookies to hand out while caroling. (Karen baked several dozen.)
It was a moving experience. Most of the soldiers there are preparing to go to Iraq. In fact, some have shipped out since we were there on Wednesday night. I have never seen a more appreciative group than the 10 or so groups of soldiers we sang to. Many were crying and were sure to tell us thank you and that it meant a lot to them.
We carried several large boxes of cookies around to different barracks, the soldiers would come out, we would sing and the kids would hand out cookies to them. Elijah, our youngest (almost 3,) was a huge hit with the soldiers.
He would grab as many bags of cookies he could carry and go running up to the line of soldiers yelling, “here soldier!” They were eating it up. Several of them were sure to come find him to thank him after we were done singing. There was one place that had this small ditch with a little bit of ice an water. Elijah went up to it, stopped for a second like he was going to jump… then he did. Several of the soldiers, in unison, said, “Airborne!” “He’ll be in the 101st.”
It was a great experience, much more than I expected. And I was surprised at the sincere and heartfelt appreciation we got from the troops. Please pray for these soldiers as they make their way to Iraq.
From one of my all-time favorite Christmas Albums:
I discovered a new (to me) podcast a couple of weeks ago that I’ve found pretty interesting, called White Horse Inn. They are heavy on reformed theology so beware if you are allergic to such things.
The past two episodes have been excellent:
Called By God - I wish I could have heard this and, read Decision Making and the Will of God by Gary Friesen, 5 years ago. I don’t know if I would have or would not have still gone into ministry with Campus Crusade but I know I would have done it with a much different (and I think more correct) attitude and mindset.
What Is Worship - This one has me thinking about how worship is done in every church I’ve been in over the past 15 years. Its not “contemporary vs. traditional,” its that there is a piece missing much of the time. We are self-focused even when we think we are being God-focused. How many times do we sing about what we will do, “I will worship,” “I will praise you,” “you love me,” etc, without putting the focus back on God and what his attributes are and why we worship him. We take verses out of context, build songs around them without giving the full picture. They give some examples early in the podcast, give it a listen.
About White Horse Inn:
Launched in 1990, The White Horse Inn (named after the pub in Cambridge, England, where the Reformation came to the English-speaking world), is a nationally syndicated radio broadcast featuring regular round-table discussions on faith, culture and apologetics. Hosted by Michael Horton, Ken Jones, Kim Riddlebarger, and Rod Rosenbladt, the White Horse Inn aims each week to equip Christians to “know what they believe and why they believe it.”
Though the hosts have different denominational and ethnic backgrounds, the White Horse Inn unites itself on the principle slogans of the Protestant Reformation, such as the sufficiency of Scripture, salvation by grace alone through faith alone by Christ alone, and the importance of a God-centered, rather than human-centered outlook. By renewed attention to these classic and central themes on a weekly basis, it is the aim of the White Horse Inn to bring health and vigor to a church that appears to have in some ways lost its sense of missions.
I went back for a 6 month follow-up from the spring. There was no change in the mammogram, which is good. However, because they can’t be 100% sure, I am to go back (as long as they are unchanged each time) every 6 months for 2 years. Two friends have given me the name of a doctor in Greenwood, in case something did change. I think I will call to see if there is anything different they would do. The Dr. here doesn’t think it warrants a biopsy but want to follow it to be on the safe side. From a lot of women I have spoken to, it seems pretty common to do this. Part of it doesn’t make sense….. instead of removing it or doing a biopsy, let’s wait and see if it is cancer, later. On the flip side, I see that the characteristics of the lump are not cancererous. Ugh, get older stinks, sometimes!
Yesterday at church, Karen and I were helping in “kids church.” Towards the end, the kids were split up into small groups for discussion. After it was over, a little girl named Shelby from Karen’s group came over to me and asked, “Are you Mr. Riley?”
“Yeah,” I said. She just looked up at me and smiled with her big blue eyes and gave me a hug then went on her way.
Karen asked me if I met Shelby. I said I did and that she came up and gave me a hug. Karen said that Shelby was telling her that her parents have been (in a whisper) fighting and that they have to go to see a judge and might get divorced. Karen told her that my parents got divorced when I was little.
Shelby knows the pain that she is feeling and in the midst of it, felt compassion for someone else that had gone through the same thing. I don’t get very emotional about much but that simple act of love and compassion really touched me. I pray that Shelby’s mom
and dad can work things out.
Here is the text of George Washington’s first Thanksgiving proclamation and Lincoln’s proclamation that came in the middle of the Civil War.
WHEREAS it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favour; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me “to recommend to the people of the United States a DAY OF PUBLICK THANSGIVING and PRAYER, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:”
NOW THEREFORE, I do recommend and assign THURSDAY, the TWENTY-SIXTH DAY of NOVEMBER next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed;– for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish Constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted;– for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge;– and, in general, for all the great and various favours which He has been pleased to confer upon us.
And also, that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions;– to enable us all, whether in publick or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us); and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.
GIVEN under my hand, at the city of New-York, the third day of October, in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine.
(signed) G. Washington
The year that is drawing toward its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added which are of so extraordinary a nature that they can not fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever-watchful providence of Almighty God.
In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign states to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere, except in the theater of military conflict, while that theater has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union.
Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defense have not arrested the plow, the shuttle, or the ship; the ax has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well as the iron and coal as of our precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege, and the battlefield, and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.
No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.
It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners, or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the imposition of the Almighty hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it, as soon as may be consistent with the divine purpose, to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity, and union.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.
Done at the city of Washington, this 3d day of October, A.D. 1863, and of the Independence of the United States the eighty-eighth.
We have a family tradition that was started about 30 years ago when my dad was a single parent.
There was a greasy burger joint downtown when I was a kid called Lucas Brothers. One Thanksgiving Eve my dad decided to take my brother and I there for dinner. When we were leaving, we said we should do it every Thanksgiving Eve. We did for a few years and then kind of forgot about it.
About 10 years ago we decided to start it back up but Lucas Brothers had moved and they were no longer open on Thanksgiving Eve night so we decided to do the next best thing and headed to White Castle. We don’t make it every year but do our best to maintain the tradition.
I remember my dad coming home from the store one night when I was about eight with a new cassette tape, popping it in the Hi-Fi and telling me and my brother that we had to hear what he had just bought. It was “Best Of… The Lovin’ Spoonful.” I was hooked right away. It was one of the many tapes we listened to while in the car. Its part of the soundtrack of my childhood.
I later became a die-hard Beatle fan but I think the foundation of that appreciation was built on that collection of Lovin’ Spoonful songs.
John Sebastion was the brains behind the band. Primary song writer and singer. I’ve gone back and listen to their music lately and have come to the conclusion that he is a much under appreciated song writer. I saw an interview with him saying that he didn’t want to try and be a second rate Bob Dylan so he went the other direction, stayed away from politics and social movements. He wanted to write “feel-good” music. And I think he did. I’ve found several videos and songs on Youtube, I’ll share a few over the next few days.
Here is his Woodstock performance:
He shakes his head as he walks off stage. I think its because he only sings half the chorus the first time through.
Indianapolis has an annual film festival called The Heartland Film Festival. This year’s winner for Best Dramatic Feature was Bella.
A little over a year ago, Karen and I sat in on a pre-screening of the movie at a FamilyLife staff meeting. I blogged about it back then.
If you get a chance, go see it. It is an excellent movie, very well done independent film.
You can find out more about it and get theater info here:
http://www.bellathemovie.com
Bob Lepine of FamilyLife has started a new podcast titled Ear Reverent(iTunes need for link to work.)
His description of the podcast:
“Some people like to blog, but I often sit behind a microphone and interview people. This podcast is my audio blog so-to-speak about faith, culture, church, the arts… stuff that I like to think about.”
The first episode caught my attention. He talks with Jim Henderson who hired an atheist to visit churches with him in order to write a book, Jim and Casper Go to Church: Frank Conversation about Faith, Churches, and Well-Meaning Christians
Give it a listen…
Cool! The Jim Henson Company is working on a sequel to the 1982 fantasy puppet movie, The Dark Crystal called The Power of the Crystal. Apparently, this has been news for some time but I’m just now hearing about it.
I remember going to see the first movie with my brother when I was a kid. I don’t think it did very well in the intial release but I loved it. I have since bought it on DVD. It has quite a few “new age-ie” elements that I could do without but the story is action/adventure pitting good against evil.
The sequel is scheduled for a Spring 08 release.
It sounds very interesting:
In the late 1970s, with his creative instincts and Hollywood power swelling to their greatest levels up to that point, “Muppets” creator Jim Henson found himself obsessed with the dark, deranged work of English illustrator Brian Froud.
He befriended the children’s-book author and recruited longtime collaborator Frank Oz, and together the three spent the next half-decade developing an ambitious, human-free movie that would mix the world of Froud with equal parts “Lord of the Rings” and Kermit the Frog.
The result was 1982’s “The Dark Crystal,” a fantasy flick that debuted as a commercial and critical failure and has since lived on as a fondly remembered near-classic along the lines of ’80s movies such as “Tron” and “The Last Starfighter.” Frustrated by the limitations of technology, Henson, who died in 1990, took to discussing two different “Dark” visions in interviews: the film his imagination had longed for and the version hindered by fishing line and awkward action sequences.
Now, like a woodland creature called to action by Gelfling heroine Kira, “The Dark Crystal” is preparing to rise up again. And this time it has technology on its side, along with one of the hottest action directors in all of geekdom.
“I did television shows like ‘Dexter’s Laboratory,’ ‘The Powerpuff Girls,’ ‘Samurai Jack’ and ‘Clone Wars,’ and then I decided to go into features,” said highly stylized Russian director Genndy Tartakovsky, offering a preview of his upcoming film debut, “The Power of the Dark Crystal.” “I love the first movie. I saw it [when I was young], and it’s resonated with me throughout my life. Through all the jobs I’ve had, we always referred to it. We would go, ‘You remember that scene in “Dark Crystal”? That was great the way that shape was put in,’ or something like that. [I’m determined] not just to relive it, but also to honor it.”
Such a tribute would be impossible without remembering the man who was a quarter-century ahead of his time. And as the film enters production, it should be quite easy for Tartakovsky to remember Henson daily, since Henson’s daughter Lisa is producing.
“Puppetry has come a long way since ‘The Dark Crystal,’ ” said the amicable co-CEO of the Jim Henson Company. “When ‘The Dark Crystal’ was made, it was the first time that all those techniques were really refined to the degree that they could be put in a feature film. Since then, puppetry has come so far that the puppets we’re going to use are going to be much more emotive than the originals. In addition to that, we can augment them with digital effects, but very subtly.”
The “Power” script continues the tale of elfin heroes Jen and Kira, last seen returning the shard to the evil crystal and seemingly abolishing the vulture-like Skeksis from their land. Set many years after the first flick, “Power” casts Jen and Kira as king and queen, now overseeing a kingdom whose peace is disturbed by a visit from the underground-dwelling U-mun people. After the Gelflings refuse their request for a shard of crystal that could preserve the U-mun race, a desperate visitor takes it anyway, threatening their world with another thousand years of chaos.
‘Dark Crystal’ Sequel Gives Jim Henson’s Puppet Epic A Second Chance MTV.com
By the way, I’ve downloaded a bunch of images from Exoteric Roach that I use with PaperChange on my laptop.
For those that are interested, I’ve created a new version of PaperChange. (Click here if you want to know what PaperChange is.) I’ve added a few new features such as displaying the filename being displayed, randomizing the sequence the wallpapers are displayed and allowing faster transitions. The delay can be set as fast as 15 seconds now.
I also found a few bugs that have been fixed. If you find any bugs or any suggestions, let me know.
WOOOHOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! After being on the market for a year and paying two mortgages for 4 months I am praising God BIG TIME that we will be out from under that house. Mike and I will leave here on Thursday morning and close on Friday. We didn’t have to go but we still have a few things in the garage. It will be a weird thing to say goodbye to that house, though. Elijah was only a month old when we moved there. I loved the floorplan and the view out the upstairs familyroom. I am thankful God allowed us the opportunity to be there, be a part of FamilyLife and Grace Church, and so thankful for the friends who I met and helped me grow. Aside from our friendships,in a way, it feels like we are cutting the cord. I am thankful for the lessons learned and the financial difficulties as a result of this season of our life. All of it has helped me refocus on where God wants me and what He wants me to do….. to be in His will and to love Him with all my heart, soul, and strength.
Back in the late 70s, Cummins Engine Company put out a promotional song called “Hummin’ Cummins.” They were cashing in on the trucker/cb-radio/country music craze of the times.
I remember when it came out, every employee got a copy of it. I think my dad still has his.
In a meeting at work the other day, someone mentioned the song so I went on a google search.
Here it is in all its cheesy Cummins marketing glory:
Mike said I sound like a lush after reading Blue Moon. All I meant was that I would have a beer and sleep very well. I drink so seldom that one drink can make me sleepy. Is that better Sir?
If you have not seen the “LEAVE BRITNEY ALONE” video on YouTube, this won’t make any sense. If you have, its pretty funny.
My dad brought a digital video camera to Luke’s game today and got some much better video than before.
The first is a touchdown Luke scored off of a reverse. His coach practiced this play with the kids in practice all last week and milked it in the game. They ran it about 4 or 5 times with different kids running the ball. Here is Luke’s shot at it:
Here is another touchdown run. He’s got a talent for seeing the field as he runs, cutting and improvising.
I’ve referred to New England’s head coach Bill Belichick as the “Evil Genius” since he beat the Colts in the 2003 playoffs and followed it up in the 2004 AFC Championship game, which ended up being a complete dismantling of of the previously nearly perfect Colts offense.
Now he has been caught cheating. Video taping the opposing team’s coaching staff to pick up on play calling signals. And it sounds like he’s been doing it for years.
The strange thing is, this makes me sad more than anything. Now, instead of knowing that Belichick and the
Patriots legitimately beat my favorite team, they might have cheated to do it. He’s no longer the evil genius in my eyes, he’s the evil cheater. I don’t want to take away from the players themselves though. Brady is a Hall of Famer and you can’t take that away from him but Bill and his staff should face some stiff penalties. And, the league should crack down on others if they are doing the same. It sounds like it may be a common practice. The league should not turn a blind eye to it. Either have the rule against it and enforce it or get rid of the rule but don’t create an environment where “its OK as long as you don’t get caught.”
Bill had a press conference yesterday but didn’t say much. He seemed perturbed that the press wanted to know more about the details of how he cheated instead of wanting to talk about next Sunday’s game. Sorry Bill, you’re going to be getting those questions for a while, get used to it.
Apparently there was another unreported incident when the Pats played the Packers at Green Bay in 2006. After the game, Packers corner back Al Harris praised the Pats coaching staff:
“It’s almost like they knew what we were doing, you know? You have to tip your hat to them. They ran plays designed for us. They ran plays that made us check out of some things. I don’t know who calls their plays, but Belichick is pretty good. Honestly, he’s pretty good.”
Pretty good at cheating.
Typically, I can’t stand beer. It tastes like the smell of urine. However, during the last 3 pregnancies I craved it! I couldn’t get enough of it. That is when I discovered O’douls (non alcoholic) beer. That was great. I could satisfy my craving and not worry about the alcohol.
We go out with Jon and Jessica Ballard a few weeks ago. She orders a Blue Moon. What in the world is Blue Moon? Is that an orange with it? One sip and I new I would hate it………….Uh, hey, this stuff is good. Colts first football game and Mike tells me to bring him home a beer. Get Blue Moon since you like it is what he says. I go to a couple different stores looking for Blue Moon and finally find it at Kroger. All they had was a case of it. So now, we have a case of Blue Moon sitting in the basement refridgerator and …….I am sleeping very sound tonight.
Man!
Looks like they picked up right where they left off. The offense is a 3rd quarter unit, same as last year.
The defense lost some key players in the off season but I’ve been saying that I don’t think that will have much impact this season. Injuries on defense last season gave backups some experience. But the biggest problems they have faced were learning to play Dungy’s Cover 2 scheme. I think they finally figured it out in the playoffs last season and it looks like they picked up right where they left off.
Its only one game and I’m not saying there won’t be missteps but I think we will see more of the 2006 playoffs D than the 2006 regular season D.
Great way to start the season and Reggie scored some serious points on my 2 fantasy teams.
I saw this referenced on another blog I read. Richard Dawkins, one of the most vocal of the “new atheists” interviewed Alister McGrath, professor of historical theology at Oxford University. Alister is one of the most vocal critics of the new brand of atheism and of Dawkins.
First, I find this conversation interesting because it remains cordial and civil even though the two are on polar opposites of the debate. Second, Dawkins isn’t as big of an (excuse my French) ass as he has been in other debates I’ve seen or heard him in.
Richard Dawkins and Alister McGrath
About half way through, Dawkins gets hung up on the point that if God designed the universe and all life on the Earth, who designed God. His line of reasoning is that if life is so complex that it required a designer then God would be infinitely more complex than the life he created. Its is essentially the argument of infinite regress. In other words, if God created life, who created God, and who created that God that created God and so on…
The main assumption that Dawkins is making is that God exists inside the universe instead of a transcendent being existing outside the bounds of the universe. McGrath touches on that but I don’t think he drove the point home enough and let Dawkins drag him away from it.
But anyway, it is a very interesting conversation.
One other thing about my visit to the BMV…
I’ve worn glasses or contacts since 9th grade. My vision has never been terrible, I can see without my glasses. I just needed them to see the chalkboard in class, watch TV from a distance, read street signs at night, etc.
Back in December, one of my contacts ripped and one of the nose pads on my glasses broke so I just stopped wearing either. My intent was to go to the eye doctor but I never got around to it. After a month or two, I noticed that I didn’t have to squint to read things on the TV and I could read street signs while driving at night.
When I went to take the vision test, I realized I didn’t have my glasses with me and thought for sure I was going to fail it. I told the lady I would try it anyway. I passed.
I had not passed the vision test since I first got my license. I couldn’t believe it. It was verifiable proof that my vision has improved over the past 9 months by not wearing my glasses or contacts.
Weird.
I’m only in one league this year but have a killer team, in my opinion. I got the first pick in a 14 team league.
Here’s the team:
Vince Young - QB Ten
LaDainian Tomlinson - RB SD
Chad Johnson - WR Cin
Reggie Wayne - WR Ind
Ben Watson - TE NE
Ahman Green - RB Hou
Jason Elam - K Den
Philadelphia Defense
Bench:
Jay Cutler - QB Den
Anthony Gonzalez - WR Ind
Fred Taylor - RB Jac
John Kasay - K Car
Indianapolis Defense
I went to the BMV at lunch today to finally get my Indiana drivers license. Apparently, when you have an out-of state license, you have to take a written test. Everything was fine until I got to question number 10.
Question 10 made me ashamed to be a Hoosier. The grammar was atrocious and the wording was terrible. I didn’t answer the question and made a note to bring it to the grader’s attention.
The question went like this:
“If a person is under 21 when their license expires and he or she applies for a new license, you must do the following:”
I don’t remember the options but the obvious answer was not listed. The correct answer to the question is “Nothing.” I am required to do nothing if someone under 21 has an expired license and applies for a new one. I may offer advice to someone in that situation but that is optional at best, certainly not required. Why is it any of my business or concern?
I took the test up to the lady to grade it and told her I did not answer question 10 because it did not have the correct answer. She said, “oh yes, the correct answer is there.” I said, “no its not.” I had to explain to her that I was not required to do anything if a person’s license expires and they are under 21. She didn’t quite get. The lady next to her did, I think. She said, “it means you are the person getting the license.” I said, “but that’s not what it says.” She informed me that I didn’t have to answer it and get it marked wrong and then handed me a phone number to call and complain.
I gave in and went ahead and answered it. I had to guess since I failed to brush up on Indiana laws and regulations regarding people under 21 getting licenses since I’m 35 years old.
I passed the test but missed question 10. Had that caused me to fail, I would probably still be there on the phone with some uneducated bureaucrat in downtown Indy.
We left the chair upside down all night with his dish of food. This morning there were little food crumbs scattered around the dish. Still, no sight of the critter. This afternoon I concluded that he was either stuck in the chair or had gone on to greener pastures. I flip the chair over and sit the dish on it. About 20 minutes later, out of the corner of my eye, I see something moving on the floor. IT’S NEMO!!! HE’S ALIVE! HE’S ALIVE!
I bet you were expecting to read about a little orange fish, weren’t you? That would not be the case. Nemo is Isaiah’s hamster.(also happens to be his teddy bear’s name, too) Nemo is MIA. We woke up yesterday to an empty cage. Since I have no desire to care for the little critter I told Isaiah to look for him. He cried a few minutes and then went to play.
This evening I am sitting on the couch with my laptop because I can’t sleep. What is that noise? I realize I hear a little chomping sound. I move the laundry off the chair but see nothing. I go get Mike up to let him know I may have found Nemo. We turn the chair upside down in an effort to find him. Mike then asks, “how do you know it’s Nemo?” “I don’t, I am assuming it is.”
I keep hearing the noise but have not seen the little guy. We put his food dish on the chair and his cage next to it. With the chair upside down and my eyes becoming droopy, it is 11:21 pm and the Nemo vigil begins……………………………………………………
We signed Luke up for PAL Flag Football this year. And, he’s a natural.
I hate to be one of “those dad’s” but this kid has natural athletic ability, something I never had.
He is, by far, the fastest kid on the team and probably the league.
It is a non competitive league designed to teach the kids the basics of football and the coach does a great job doing that as well as spreading the playing time around and making sure each kid gets the opportunity to run or catch the ball. Although, at this level, there isn’t too much passing.
He plays half the team on offense for one half of the game and then they switch to defense and vice versa.
Luke has played two games and carried the ball about 7 times and scored 4 TDs. On the defensive side, he stops almost every play.
Here are a couple of plays my dad caught on his digital camera. They are a little shaky, so don’t get sick:
This is another article for the women’s ministry newsletter I had written in the spring.
Hello! My name is Karen Riley and I have been attending TLCC since January. My husband, Mike, and I have 5 children: Elizabeth 9, Luke 7, Emma (who is with Jesus), Isaiah 4, and Elijah 2. Although we are native “Columbusites,” we have recently moved back to Columbus from a short stay in Little Rock, Arkansas. I am excited to call Terrace Lake our new church home! My move back to Columbus is just one of many milestones I have journeyed through on my walk with the LORD.
Everyone goes through milestones during their life. There is your own birth, turning one, first day of school, graduation, marriage, baby, retirement…..Of course, those are just some of the big ones. What about Spiritual Milestones? You know, those events in your life that you totally see how God is working and sense the presence of the Holy Spirit. There is usually also one of those “Aha” moments when you fully realize what God has done in your life. As I journey with the LORD I like to keep a journal as well as keeping visual reminders of each of those milestones. I am going to share 6 of my spiritual milestones with you.
1.) I was a senior in college when my mom died unexpectedly at the age of 46 of a heart attack. I had only been a Christian for 3 years and talked it but didn’t walk it. At the hospital, I was with my mom when she died. About 45 minutes later I went back into the room. The LORD made it so obvious to me that it was not my mom laying there. She had had a soul, it was no longer there and I better be confident I knew where mine would go. That’s what jumpstarted my Christian walk. I have a beautiful picture of my mom and dad from my brother’s wedding that I keep in my living room. I also have a small locket with their pictures.
2.) After the birth of my first child, Elizabeth, I understood John 3:16 in a whole new light. I thanked God for this new understanding and of His Son’s sacrifice. I keep newborn photo’s of each child in our living room.
3.) From 1998-2001 I was enslaved to sin. I was in bondage to fear, worry, anxiety, and panic attacks. I went through a couple Bible studies and much prayer. My day of deliverance came at a ladies day out in Seymour. Kathy Troccoli was the guest speaker and singer. During one of her songs she gave an alter call and included those who were in bondage to come forward and be set free!! It was like God turned on the light and simply said “trust me.” I have a framed photo of me with Kathy Troccoli receiving her autograph on a cd I bought that day.
4.) On March 1, 2002 I gave birth to Emma Mae born 16 weeks prematurely (24 wks gestation). Although Emma was only with us briefly (35 ½ hours), God has used her life in HUGE ways. My prayer was for the LORD to use her life for Elizabeth’s salvation, He did! I also prayed the LORD would use her story for His glory, He STILL does! He showed me how to have peace, contentment, and joy in the midst of what we would ordinarily view as horrible and tragic. We have plaster footprints of Emma‘s feet. We also have her birth/homegoing announcement on her foot/hand prints framed with a 5×7 photo of her hand in mine.
5.)One of the hardest milestones in my journey was the strained relationship I had with my dad. When I moved to AR we did not say goodbye to each. In April of 2005 my dad and I were reconciled. In June he entered eternity after battling cancer. I had the privilege of writing a Tribute to honor him. I presented it to him the day after we were reconciled. The framed Tribute, which includes photos of my dad and I, hangs in my bedroom.
6.) In the fall of 2001 we accepted God’s call to serve Him in full time ministry with Campus Crusade for Christ serving at FamilyLife. We began raising support in 2003 and moved to Little Rock, Arkansas in 2005. The LORD taught me many lessons while we lived and served in another state. The LORD brought us back to Indiana late in 2006. That has been my most recent milestone and one of the most emotional. We have many wonderful memories and I have a bulletin board filled with prayer cards of our missionary friends we had the privilege of serving side by side with. We also have many FamilyLife books and resources.
I hope, that as I have shared these milestones with you, the LORD has reminded you of your Spiritual Milestones, as well. “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:2-4NIV.
This is a small article I wrote for our women’s ministry newsletter at church for the fall.
I enjoy this time of year. Two of my four kiddos just started back to school (and one more starting pre-k in a couple of weeks). That is only part of the excitement. For me, this time of the year means organization and a fresh start!
I tend to purge things that have been accumulating all year. Have you ever sat down at your desk and “sorted” through what is piled there? It is so freeing to throw things out. Due to my lacking summer organizing I found outdated coupons and receipts for that matter. There were also worksheets leftover from summer school. Ah, into the trash bag they went!
Another thing I enjoy is walking through the back to school isles. Not for reasons you may think. When I was little I LOVED school. I loved the new clothes shopping , new shoes, but most of all, the new school supplies. There is something about a fresh clean spiral notebook and a brand new pen that just gives me a tingle of pure joy!! That reminds me of a line from You’ve Got Mail starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. He says he would send her a “bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils” if he could. He is talking about the fall season and how it makes him feel. I find myself repeating that line during this time of year. Hey, for a weirdo like me, that is real romance! When stocking up for school supplies I actually buy myself a new pen and notebook. I can’t resist. What do I do with my new stuff? Hey, I am glad you asked.
I use the “fall” season and my new supplies to begin something new. In the past I have journaled or written letters. This year, my notebook is house to items and notes from my geneology. My pen? I will be using for a new Bible study.
Another reason I look forward to this time of year….it is like a clean slate for my spiritual life. Most people use January 1 as a time for resolutions for a new year. I use August to map out what I want to accomplish in my spiritual life. I was excited to see the excerpt in the bulletin for this fall’s Bible study. Since my move back to Indiana from Arkansas in December, I have been in a “spiritual slump. ” I have heard others call it a rut. Whatever it is called …I am ready to climb out! I am ready to apply what I learn in my walk and serve others! I am thankful God gives us new seasons to learn about him. I am thankful for fresh starts because right now….I have a lot of learning to do. Hey, that is an excuse to get another notebook!
Who knew?! I spent the majority of last week, in about 98 degree weather and equal humidity in the garage, stripping a dresser. It was given to us last spring and was a dingy white color. My front living room needed some extra storage and I did not want to just throw the white dresser in there. I stripped it and then stained it black. That was one of the ugliest things I have ever seen. Then, aha, I decided to prime( Mike’s suggestion) and paint. It is called “tea kettle black.” It is a flat paint so the dust has been collecting too easily. However, it looks nice in there.
It wasn’t without trial and error, though. I had never done this before. After the staining disaster Mike suggested I prime. Okay, no big deal. I go to Lowe’s and get my primer and paint….. Did you know you are supposed to have primer stirred? I didn’t. I opened the can, began painting, basically a layer of oil, onto the dresser. I was curious as to why a white primer was green looking and not white in the can or on the wood. I stuck a stir stick in and discovered why………………………… Mike took the can back to Lowe’s for them to thoroughly shake. Much better…..Once dry….apply black paint. Much easier said than done. Ever tried to paint black over white primer…Want a hint? Use black tinted primer!!! After about 2 1/2 coats of black paint the dresser was done.
This is so much fun we have 2 end tables and a coffee table to do this week! Oh, I also painted a quilt rack black.
One of my best friends, Jon Ballard, finally got married on July 29th to Jessica Turner. I’ve been friends with Jon since 2nd grade and he’s more like a brother than just a friend. Our other friend, Jamie, was in the wedding. We all three ran around together from grade school through high school and beyond. We weren’t sure if Jon would ever actually get married. I guess he just wanted to take his time.
It really was a great weekend. We had rehearsal on Friday, bachelor party on Saturday and the wedding was Sunday afternoon at Valle Vista country club in Greenwood, IN.
Jon is a law clerk at the Indiana court of appeals, that’s where he met Jessica. She is in the IT department and is in law school.
The bachelor party was awesome. I had been looking forward to it since Jon told me the plans a month before. Jon, Jamie, Jon’s brother and I all met at Jon’s house for dinner and then we busted out the Axis and Allies board game. We used to spend hours playing that game when were were in Jr High and High School. Jon was Germany and I was Japan. We destroyed Jamie (U.K.) and Dan (Russia and U.S.)
We also had a Smithwick’s, Jon’s favorite beer.
The wedding was performed by the judge that Jon works for and another judge that Jessica works for (I think that’s who she was, not too sure)
And the reception was a blast. Seeing people I had not seen in a while, and having fun acting stupid on the dance floor.
After the rehearsal dinner.
(Left To Right: Jamie, Amber, Jon, Jessica, Karen, Mike)
Jon and Jessica at the reception.
Mike and Karen at the reception.
Mike and Elizabeth cutting a rug.
Lee Strobel has put up an entire library of videos of interviews with scholars and theologians on a wide array of topics. Its a valuable resource, I think.
http://www.leestrobel.com/
Select the “Video Channels” menu item.
Here are a couple of videos of Antony Flew.
Back in April, my brother was sent to prison. If you remember, I posted about it here.
He got out July 5th at 12:01 am. My dad and I drove down right after fireworks on the 4th to get him. Its a 2 hour drive and they were an hour behind us so we didn’t get back home until around 3:30 am on the 5th. He was in for a short time but has a bunch of stories. Some funny, some not so funny.
He was in a level 2 facility which is almost like a dorm setting but with guards, razor wire and murderers as bunkmates.
He said there is a large number of members of the Aryan Nation there. Most are very large and very scary dudes. He said they leave him alone since he’s a white guy who shaves his head and has an Irish last name.
Anyway, he said their favorite pastime is playing Dungeons & Dragons. These huge, musclebound white supremacists sitting around a table playing D&D. Only they are not allowed to have dice so they use spinners instead. They sell the books in the commissary and guys have people on the outside zerox books and send them by mail a little at a time.
He was watching them play one day and a dude almost got in a fight with the dungeon master because his dwarf almost died.
There’s another group (non-Aryan Nation people) in his dorm that play. The dungeon master there is a gay guy who’s in for murdering his boyfriend after catching him with another man. He was sitting out on the porch one day and heard them playing. They came across a creature and attacked it. After they killed it, the dungeon master said, “Aw, you killed a baby dragon” in a very gay sounding voice. He said that was a running joke between him and one of his friends.
He was telling us how everything in prison has a value. A scoop of instant coffee, ramen noodles, ketchup packets, cigarettes, they are all traded and have a price. Two scoops of instant coffee = 41 cents, one “rollie” cigarette = $2.00 (3 rollies can be made from one standard cigarette.) His theory is if prisoners are willing to pay $6 for a regular cigarette, tobacco companies could charge whatever they wanted for a pack.
So anyway, he was telling us how they get the tobacco into the prison since its illegal to have it there. They have crews that work on the grounds outside the prison. Those guys have friends and family hide tobacco (and other drugs I assume) in the area where they work. Then, guys in the work crew smuggle them in… in their rectal cavities. The tobacco was compacted and put in cans about the size of a small tomato paste can.
He said one guy was the main “mule” for getting it in because of his carrying capacity.
They called him “Two Can Sam.”
He also shared some pretty gruesome stories about the violence and brutality he witnessed there. Its not some place I would ever want to be and I hope he never has to go back.
I wanted to say more about what happened to me on Monday but that post was getting too long…
I like being in control. Whenever I drink alcohol, I do so slowly because I don’t like the buzz. Call me crazy but it makes me feel like I’m starting to loose control and I can’t stand that feeling. I don’t think I would like being drunk or getting high from any kind of drug. Even when I’ve taken pain medication, I can’t stand it.
What scared me so much on Monday was I had no control over what was happening to me. My heart was doing crazy things and I couldn’t do a thing about it. All I could do was pray.
I’m sure there is a lesson here for me to learn, I’m just not sure I want to learn it.
Its been a while since we’ve written on a regular basis. I think we’ll be getting back to that soon.
As some of you know from Karen’s mass email. Monday evening was crazy.
We dropped our kids off at VBS at my parent’s church. I started to feel “spacey,” as I walked to the kitchen area to get a drink of water, I began to feel light headed and a little dizzy. I asked for a drink of water and felt like I really needed to sit down or I was going to pass out. I sat down and drank some water and put a cold washcloth on my neck.
Over the course of the next 45 minutes or so, my heart rate would jump up to over 100 and my blood pressure would sky rocket then come back down after a few minutes. Then it would start all over again. One of the guys working at the VBS was a medic in the National Guard and had just gotten back from a 14 month stint in Iraq and Afghanistan. He kept an eye on me, then we decided I should go to the hospital. Karen was going to take me to the hospital in our van but as we were getting ready to leave, it started again. I got scared and the medic guy suggested we call an ambulance. (In hindsight, I really wish Karen had driven me herself. I am not looking forward to the bill.)
On the ride to the hospital, I had a couple more instances of high heart rate and blood pressure but by the time I got to the hospital, it was pretty much over. They took some blood and gave me an EKG. All looked normal. I was in and out of the hospital in less than an hour and we were back to the church in time to pick up the kids. I haven’t had any further problems since.
The ER doctor concluded that it might have been stress induced although I did not feel any stress at the time. But, our overall situation is stressful. Two mortgages, a foundation problem with the house we are trying to sell in Little Rock, etc.
I went to the doctor yesterday. He took some more blood for tests and ran another EKG. The EKG was normal, although he said there were a few things on it that may be indicators of something. Still haven’t heard anything back on the blood work.
The doctor said I should be on the lookout for any reoccurrences and if there are, he will get me in for some sort of hear test. It was a real long technical sounding name, can’t remember what it was but he said it maps out the “electrical circuitry” of the heart.
He said that I could have sinus tachycardia which isn’t serious or Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome which is a little more serious and could require surgery.
Anyway, all is good right now so I’m thankful for that. Now I’m just stressing over the bill for Monday’s events. 
Ten years ago, while pregnant with Elizabeth, Mike and I traveled to California. My dad and Cindy were there as was my brother, sister-in-law and my nephew. The purpose of our trip was to surprise my Grandma for her 80th birthday. Boy, was she ever surprised…. We all agreed that if Grandma lived to 90 we would repeat the trip.
A lot has changed in 10 years: Grandma now lives in Nevada, my dad died, Duane has another child, I have given birth 5 times, moved 4 times…………………………….and now, thanks to a house in Little Rock that won’t sell, have no “extra” funds to make that trip.
July 4th is Independence Day…..It is also my grandma’s 90th birthday. Grandma, if you are reading this:
I MISS YOU! HAPPY 90th BIRTHDAY! I LOVE YOU!!!!
Thankfully, we close on our Columbus, Indiana house today. Miraculously, we don’t take money, we are actually getting some back….woohoo! I can’t tell you what a relief it will be to sign those papers today. I am looking forward to it. When we established a closing date last week, I began pulling off wallpaper. This weekend I hope to remove the hedges so we can actually see the front of our home. We get to rip out two rooms of carpet that is covering hardwood floors. I can’t wait! There is lots to do, but I love it. I love turning a home into “mine.” I told our realtor friend I am ready to constructive deconstruct!
Something happened last fall that I have not been able to stop. When Mike came back to Indiana and I was still in AR with the kids I noticed I had TONS of gray hair. Maybe it was the stress of being a single parent for 2 1/2 months but I needed to do something. That something is L’Oreal Preference Creme 8G. The stuff is great and
