Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
I got a text message about 10 PM last night from Mike Clark, saying that former Northwest High basketball coach Willard Ross had been shot and killed earlier in the day. I went to the Leaf-Chronicle's webpage, read the horrific news, and tried all night to process it. I called a few people whom I thought would be interested, but, due to the late hour, didn't talk long to anyone.
Coach Ross was my favorite teacher in high school, and I am just sick about this. I was unable to get any sleep last night, and have not really done anything at work today. I am just sick. I want to puke.
For those who have seen the movie "Forrest Gump", think back to the scene where Forrest gets on the bus for the first time, and all the kids say things like, "seat's taken", "can't sit here", and the like. Then Jenny says that he can ride with her if he'd like. Coach Ross let me ride with him, no questions asked.
I remember that my bus would get to school about 6:50 each morning, and since the first class didn't start until 7:30, I would go to Coach Ross' office and hang out. We would read the paper and talk about the news and our beloved Celtics. We would look over the box scores of the previous days' baseball games, and talk about who was hot and who was not. Good times, indeed. His office was a safe place for me, a place I could go and never be ridiculed or made fun of. He took me for who I was, and for that I will always be grateful.
I understand he had just retired last year, and it sickens me that he was cheated out of the opportunity to spend his golden years with his grand kids. It sickens me that he and his wife were cheated out of the opportunity to spend those years with each other. It's just not fair.
In philosophy, the word "evil" is usually defined as "innocent suffering". Those who deny the existence of God often point to the presence of evil in the world as proof of the lack of a God. This is something that I have difficulty explaining away. The standard "everything happens for a reason" is woefully inadequate.
I never knew Coach Ross to say a cross word about anyone. I remember that he always called everyone by their last name, except for seniors, who he addressed by their first names. I guess he figured if you'd made it that far, you deserved a little respect. i remember that he gave me some tips on becoming a better umpire, and that I was grateful. I don't know that he ever umpired himself, but he had coached the girls' softball team, and probably knew what he liked and didn't like in an umpire. I remember that he asked me once to umpire the softball team's inter squad game. I remember that he paid me, and that he gave me a ride home afterward. I have never known any other coach to go out his way to help an umpire like that.
I remember that during the winter, when the P.E. class would stay inside, each person was assigned to a group, and each group would rotate among basketball, ping pong, badminton, other activities. I remember that since I excelled at ping pong, and was horrible at basketball, he would look the other way when I would stay at the ping pong station instead of moving to basketball. I remember appreciating that a great deal.
The man was quality, and he will be sorely missed.
Peace...
Coach Ross was my favorite teacher in high school, and I am just sick about this. I was unable to get any sleep last night, and have not really done anything at work today. I am just sick. I want to puke.
For those who have seen the movie "Forrest Gump", think back to the scene where Forrest gets on the bus for the first time, and all the kids say things like, "seat's taken", "can't sit here", and the like. Then Jenny says that he can ride with her if he'd like. Coach Ross let me ride with him, no questions asked.
I remember that my bus would get to school about 6:50 each morning, and since the first class didn't start until 7:30, I would go to Coach Ross' office and hang out. We would read the paper and talk about the news and our beloved Celtics. We would look over the box scores of the previous days' baseball games, and talk about who was hot and who was not. Good times, indeed. His office was a safe place for me, a place I could go and never be ridiculed or made fun of. He took me for who I was, and for that I will always be grateful.
I understand he had just retired last year, and it sickens me that he was cheated out of the opportunity to spend his golden years with his grand kids. It sickens me that he and his wife were cheated out of the opportunity to spend those years with each other. It's just not fair.
In philosophy, the word "evil" is usually defined as "innocent suffering". Those who deny the existence of God often point to the presence of evil in the world as proof of the lack of a God. This is something that I have difficulty explaining away. The standard "everything happens for a reason" is woefully inadequate.
I never knew Coach Ross to say a cross word about anyone. I remember that he always called everyone by their last name, except for seniors, who he addressed by their first names. I guess he figured if you'd made it that far, you deserved a little respect. i remember that he gave me some tips on becoming a better umpire, and that I was grateful. I don't know that he ever umpired himself, but he had coached the girls' softball team, and probably knew what he liked and didn't like in an umpire. I remember that he asked me once to umpire the softball team's inter squad game. I remember that he paid me, and that he gave me a ride home afterward. I have never known any other coach to go out his way to help an umpire like that.
I remember that during the winter, when the P.E. class would stay inside, each person was assigned to a group, and each group would rotate among basketball, ping pong, badminton, other activities. I remember that since I excelled at ping pong, and was horrible at basketball, he would look the other way when I would stay at the ping pong station instead of moving to basketball. I remember appreciating that a great deal.
The man was quality, and he will be sorely missed.
Peace...
On the Mindless Menace of Violence
The following is the text of a speech, entitled "On the Mindless Menace of Violence", given by Robert F. Kennedy at the City Club of Cleveland, April 5, 1968.
This is a time of shame and sorrow. It is not a day for politics. I have saved this one opportunity, my only event of today, to speak briefly to you about the mindless menace of violence in America which again stains our land and every one of our lives.
It is not the concern of any one race. The victims of the violence are black and white, rich and poor, young and old, famous and unknown. They are, most important of all, human beings whom other human beings loved and needed. No one - no matter where he lives or what he does - can be certain who will suffer from some senseless act of bloodshed. And yet it goes on and on and on in this country of ours.
Why? What has violence ever accomplished? What has it ever created? No martyr's cause has ever been stilled by an assassin's bullet.
No wrongs have ever been righted by riots and civil disorders. A sniper is only a coward, not a hero; and an uncontrolled, uncontrollable mob is only the voice of madness, not the voice of reason.
Whenever any American's life is taken by another American unnecessarily - whether it is done in the name of the law or in the defiance of the law, by one man or a gang, in cold blood or in passion, in an attack of violence or in response to violence - whenever we tear at the fabric of the life which another man has painfully and clumsily woven for himself and his children, the whole nation is degraded.
"Among free men," said Abraham Lincoln, "there can be no successful appeal from the ballot to the bullet; and those who take such appeal are sure to lose their cause and pay the costs."
Yet we seemingly tolerate a rising level of violence that ignores our common humanity and our claims to civilization alike. We calmly accept newspaper reports of civilian slaughter in far-off lands. We glorify killing on movie and television screens and call it entertainment. We make it easy for men of all shades of sanity to acquire whatever weapons and ammunition they desire.
Too often we honor swagger and bluster and wielders of force; too often we excuse those who are willing to build their own lives on the shattered dreams of others. Some Americans who preach non-violence abroad fail to practice it here at home. Some who accuse others of inciting riots have by their own conduct invited them.
Some look for scapegoats, others look for conspiracies, but this much is clear: violence breeds violence, repression brings retaliation, and only a cleansing of our whole society can remove this sickness from our soul.
For there is another kind of violence, slower but just as deadly destructive as the shot or the bomb in the night. This is the violence of institutions; indifference and inaction and slow decay. This is the violence that afflicts the poor, that poisons relations between men because their skin has different colors. This is the slow destruction of a child by hunger, and schools without books and homes without heat in the winter.
This is the breaking of a man's spirit by denying him the chance to stand as a father and as a man among other men. And this too afflicts us all.
I have not come here to propose a set of specific remedies nor is there a single set. For a broad and adequate outline we know what must be done. When you teach a man to hate and fear his brother, when you teach that he is a lesser man because of his color or his beliefs or the policies he pursues, when you teach that those who differ from you threaten your freedom or your job or your family, then you also learn to confront others not as fellow citizens but as enemies, to be met not with cooperation but with conquest; to be subjugated and mastered.
We learn, at the last, to look at our brothers as aliens, men with whom we share a city, but not a community; men bound to us in common dwelling, but not in common effort. We learn to share only a common fear, only a common desire to retreat from each other, only a common impulse to meet disagreement with force. For all this, there are no final answers.
Yet we know what we must do. It is to achieve true justice among our fellow citizens. The question is not what programs we should seek to enact. The question is whether we can find in our own midst and in our own hearts that leadership of humane purpose that will recognize the terrible truths of our existence.
We must admit the vanity of our false distinctions among men and learn to find our own advancement in the search for the advancement of others. We must admit in ourselves that our own children's future cannot be built on the misfortunes of others. We must recognize that this short life can neither be ennobled or enriched by hatred or revenge.
Our lives on this planet are too short and the work to be done too great to let this spirit flourish any longer in our land. Of course we cannot vanquish it with a program, nor with a resolution.
But we can perhaps remember, if only for a time, that those who live with us are our brothers, that they share with us the same short moment of life; that they seek, as do we, nothing but the chance to live out their lives in purpose and in happiness, winning what satisfaction and fulfillment they can.
Surely, this bond of common faith, this bond of common goal, can begin to teach us something. Surely, we can learn, at least, to look at those around us as fellow men, and surely we can begin to work a little harder to bind up the wounds among us and to become in our own hearts brothers and countrymen once again.
This is a time of shame and sorrow. It is not a day for politics. I have saved this one opportunity, my only event of today, to speak briefly to you about the mindless menace of violence in America which again stains our land and every one of our lives.
It is not the concern of any one race. The victims of the violence are black and white, rich and poor, young and old, famous and unknown. They are, most important of all, human beings whom other human beings loved and needed. No one - no matter where he lives or what he does - can be certain who will suffer from some senseless act of bloodshed. And yet it goes on and on and on in this country of ours.
Why? What has violence ever accomplished? What has it ever created? No martyr's cause has ever been stilled by an assassin's bullet.
No wrongs have ever been righted by riots and civil disorders. A sniper is only a coward, not a hero; and an uncontrolled, uncontrollable mob is only the voice of madness, not the voice of reason.
Whenever any American's life is taken by another American unnecessarily - whether it is done in the name of the law or in the defiance of the law, by one man or a gang, in cold blood or in passion, in an attack of violence or in response to violence - whenever we tear at the fabric of the life which another man has painfully and clumsily woven for himself and his children, the whole nation is degraded.
"Among free men," said Abraham Lincoln, "there can be no successful appeal from the ballot to the bullet; and those who take such appeal are sure to lose their cause and pay the costs."
Yet we seemingly tolerate a rising level of violence that ignores our common humanity and our claims to civilization alike. We calmly accept newspaper reports of civilian slaughter in far-off lands. We glorify killing on movie and television screens and call it entertainment. We make it easy for men of all shades of sanity to acquire whatever weapons and ammunition they desire.
Too often we honor swagger and bluster and wielders of force; too often we excuse those who are willing to build their own lives on the shattered dreams of others. Some Americans who preach non-violence abroad fail to practice it here at home. Some who accuse others of inciting riots have by their own conduct invited them.
Some look for scapegoats, others look for conspiracies, but this much is clear: violence breeds violence, repression brings retaliation, and only a cleansing of our whole society can remove this sickness from our soul.
For there is another kind of violence, slower but just as deadly destructive as the shot or the bomb in the night. This is the violence of institutions; indifference and inaction and slow decay. This is the violence that afflicts the poor, that poisons relations between men because their skin has different colors. This is the slow destruction of a child by hunger, and schools without books and homes without heat in the winter.
This is the breaking of a man's spirit by denying him the chance to stand as a father and as a man among other men. And this too afflicts us all.
I have not come here to propose a set of specific remedies nor is there a single set. For a broad and adequate outline we know what must be done. When you teach a man to hate and fear his brother, when you teach that he is a lesser man because of his color or his beliefs or the policies he pursues, when you teach that those who differ from you threaten your freedom or your job or your family, then you also learn to confront others not as fellow citizens but as enemies, to be met not with cooperation but with conquest; to be subjugated and mastered.
We learn, at the last, to look at our brothers as aliens, men with whom we share a city, but not a community; men bound to us in common dwelling, but not in common effort. We learn to share only a common fear, only a common desire to retreat from each other, only a common impulse to meet disagreement with force. For all this, there are no final answers.
Yet we know what we must do. It is to achieve true justice among our fellow citizens. The question is not what programs we should seek to enact. The question is whether we can find in our own midst and in our own hearts that leadership of humane purpose that will recognize the terrible truths of our existence.
We must admit the vanity of our false distinctions among men and learn to find our own advancement in the search for the advancement of others. We must admit in ourselves that our own children's future cannot be built on the misfortunes of others. We must recognize that this short life can neither be ennobled or enriched by hatred or revenge.
Our lives on this planet are too short and the work to be done too great to let this spirit flourish any longer in our land. Of course we cannot vanquish it with a program, nor with a resolution.
But we can perhaps remember, if only for a time, that those who live with us are our brothers, that they share with us the same short moment of life; that they seek, as do we, nothing but the chance to live out their lives in purpose and in happiness, winning what satisfaction and fulfillment they can.
Surely, this bond of common faith, this bond of common goal, can begin to teach us something. Surely, we can learn, at least, to look at those around us as fellow men, and surely we can begin to work a little harder to bind up the wounds among us and to become in our own hearts brothers and countrymen once again.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Alex is 1 month old today. He has already grown and changed so much, it is incredible. He looks more like Michelle now than when he was first born. He still has his red hair like me, though :)
I had some family passing through town on Saturday. My grandparents, and my ubcle Don and aunt Lana Jo were on their way to Hot Springs, Arkansas, and stopped for a while to visit. Alex enjoyed being held by his great-granny.
The morning of my first Father's Day as a father was spent at the E.R. We were worried that Alex was not eating enough, since he had been taking about 70-80 cc's at the hospital and had dropped down to only about 25 cc's at home. Turns out it was "user error" on the part of the parents. Every time he would make a sound, we would jump on him with a bottle. As a result, we were not giving him enough time to get hungry, so he would not eat much. After some instruction from the doctors and nurses, we now have him on a 4-hour eating schedule. We also have become better at burping him, which allows him to eat more. So, he is doing really well now. Growing like a weed.
Alex and I enjoyed watching the U.S. Open this weekend. I heard him say, "Tiger good, Mickelson bad." He is maturing so quickly, it's almost unbelievable ;).
Michelle's mom (henceforth, "Grammy") has been here since Sunday afternoon, and has been a godsend. She has helped out so much, it is crazy. Unfortunately, she has to leave tomorrow. Something about her son getting married in a couple of weeks. Hopefully, we will be able to make it to the wedding. I am not sure if Alex is up for traveling.
We had a appointment at the pediatrician yesterday, and after that we took Alex by the church where I work. The ladies in the office have been wanting to see him, and they were overjoyed while he visited. The volunteer who worked today was a little jealous...LOL.
My parents are coming to visit Thursday. It will be nice to see them again. My dad tried to act like they were coming to visit us, but I told him I realize that Alex is the star of the show now...LOL.
My brother Tim called me Sunday night to wish me a happy Father's day. We had a great conversation, and he gave me some good advice. My friend Mike Clark, who has four kids, has experienced several Father's Days, and is a great father to his kids. Both those guys inspire me.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
I had some family passing through town on Saturday. My grandparents, and my ubcle Don and aunt Lana Jo were on their way to Hot Springs, Arkansas, and stopped for a while to visit. Alex enjoyed being held by his great-granny.
The morning of my first Father's Day as a father was spent at the E.R. We were worried that Alex was not eating enough, since he had been taking about 70-80 cc's at the hospital and had dropped down to only about 25 cc's at home. Turns out it was "user error" on the part of the parents. Every time he would make a sound, we would jump on him with a bottle. As a result, we were not giving him enough time to get hungry, so he would not eat much. After some instruction from the doctors and nurses, we now have him on a 4-hour eating schedule. We also have become better at burping him, which allows him to eat more. So, he is doing really well now. Growing like a weed.
Alex and I enjoyed watching the U.S. Open this weekend. I heard him say, "Tiger good, Mickelson bad." He is maturing so quickly, it's almost unbelievable ;).
Michelle's mom (henceforth, "Grammy") has been here since Sunday afternoon, and has been a godsend. She has helped out so much, it is crazy. Unfortunately, she has to leave tomorrow. Something about her son getting married in a couple of weeks. Hopefully, we will be able to make it to the wedding. I am not sure if Alex is up for traveling.
We had a appointment at the pediatrician yesterday, and after that we took Alex by the church where I work. The ladies in the office have been wanting to see him, and they were overjoyed while he visited. The volunteer who worked today was a little jealous...LOL.
My parents are coming to visit Thursday. It will be nice to see them again. My dad tried to act like they were coming to visit us, but I told him I realize that Alex is the star of the show now...LOL.
My brother Tim called me Sunday night to wish me a happy Father's day. We had a great conversation, and he gave me some good advice. My friend Mike Clark, who has four kids, has experienced several Father's Days, and is a great father to his kids. Both those guys inspire me.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Friday, June 15, 2007
Alex's first night at home was miserable for everyone, especially himself. Not long after he got home, we fed him, and it went downhill from there. He got some really bad gas, and struggled all night to get rid of it. And I mean all night. At 4:00 AM, we were ready to take him to the ER, but we held off, Thankfully, he started to fell a little better, so at 4:30, having given up on sleep, I went down the street to get the papers. When I got back, we gave him another dose of his medicine, and shortly after that, he was able to eat a little. After eating, he slept a little, and Michelle and I tried to get some sleep as well.
Michelle made coffee, and I made breakfast. We inhaled our food while he slept, then I took a shower. Michelle is doing the same now, and Alex is sleeping. Wow. These past 12 hours have flown by at 150 MPH. I hope things slow down soon.
I pre-mixed several bottles of formula, so he is ready to go when he wakes up.
I have some family who will be passing through Memphis tomorrow on their way to Hot Springs Arkansas, and they are planning on stopping by. Michelle parents are coming into town Sunday afternoon, and my parents are coming one day next week. It will be fun to see everyone. I know they are all excited to see Alex.
By the way, Alex told me yesterday, "Tiger Woods good, Phil Mickelson bad." I told him we would have fun watching the US Open all weekend. I remember that Norm Brumblay's first son was born on Super Bowl Sunday, and the first thing they did together was watch the game. That's sweet.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Michelle made coffee, and I made breakfast. We inhaled our food while he slept, then I took a shower. Michelle is doing the same now, and Alex is sleeping. Wow. These past 12 hours have flown by at 150 MPH. I hope things slow down soon.
I pre-mixed several bottles of formula, so he is ready to go when he wakes up.
I have some family who will be passing through Memphis tomorrow on their way to Hot Springs Arkansas, and they are planning on stopping by. Michelle parents are coming into town Sunday afternoon, and my parents are coming one day next week. It will be fun to see everyone. I know they are all excited to see Alex.
By the way, Alex told me yesterday, "Tiger Woods good, Phil Mickelson bad." I told him we would have fun watching the US Open all weekend. I remember that Norm Brumblay's first son was born on Super Bowl Sunday, and the first thing they did together was watch the game. That's sweet.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Alex is Home!
We are super-excited to finally have Alex at home. We went to the hospital at 8:00, and we were out the door in about 45 minutes or so. Everything went really smooth, so that was good.
We gave him a bath, a new diaper, some dinner from mama, and now he is ready for bed. So are we. LOL.
Peace...
We gave him a bath, a new diaper, some dinner from mama, and now he is ready for bed. So are we. LOL.
Peace...
And Then There Were Three...
Oh my goodness. Oh wow. Whew. Hmm...
Tonight, finally, I truly become a father. Alex finishes his antibiotic at 7:30 tonight, and then he is coming home. Yay! Don't even ask me if I am in freak-out mode. No longer is the hospital responsible for his care, but we are. Michelle and I are both, at the same time, euphoric and mortified. LOL.
We talked last night, and came to the conclusion that if OUR parents can do it, we can do it, too. LOL.
Every hour last night, I would mention to Michelle that in one less hour, Alex would be at home. We tried to relax by watching a movie, and it helped some, but we were still freaking out.
We'd like to say thanks to everyone for their support. Thanks so much.
Peace,
Chris
Thursday, June 07, 2007
This morning, I saw where Lebron James' girlfriend is due to give birth one day next week, a day that James' team has a game scheduled. He said emphatically that if the baby does come on a game day, he would not attend the birth, and instead would play in the game. I have also recently heard Jeff Gordon say that if he needs to miss a race to attend the birth of his upcoming child, he would do so. Tiger Woods' wife is due to give birth during the British Open next month, and he has said he would skip it in order to be there for the birth.
There was a time when athletes rarely took time off from their sports to attend the birth of their children. The prevailing attitude was that the game was more important than the family. Then, a hockey player's wife died while giving birth, with the hockey player on the road. Attitudes began to shift, and now it is common for athletes to miss games in order to witness the birth of their children. In this light, I am incredulous that James, or anyone else, would miss the birth of a child in order to play. That seems screwed up.
There was a time when athletes rarely took time off from their sports to attend the birth of their children. The prevailing attitude was that the game was more important than the family. Then, a hockey player's wife died while giving birth, with the hockey player on the road. Attitudes began to shift, and now it is common for athletes to miss games in order to witness the birth of their children. In this light, I am incredulous that James, or anyone else, would miss the birth of a child in order to play. That seems screwed up.
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Michelle snapped some new pictures this morning, so we hope you enjoy them.
It has been interesting to monitor Alex's neighbors in the NICU. When he was first admitted, his neighbor was a baby named Terrance. Terrance was also born on the 19th, and he was also premature. Alex stayed in that bed for a few days, then he moved across the room. His neighbor became Whitman, who was born 11 weeks early, and had already been there about 4 weeks. While we were neighbors with Whitman, we became friendly with his parents. When things settle down, I think we will try to go out to dinner with them. Whitman went home on Memorial day, so Alex waved goodbye...LOL. Then, Terrance was moved into the spot Whitman had vacated, and he stayed there several days. Today, Terrance was moved somewhere else, and a girl moved in. I do not know what her name is.
Michelle and I adopted an attitude on the first day that we would encourage all the parents of children in the NICU. It seems that we are all in the same boat, so Michelle and I root for the other kids to get to go home.
I attended an iMovie workshop today at the Apple store. iMovie is the application that allows a user to edit and manipulate home videos, and turn them into entertaining movies. I am working on the footage I shot of Alex's birth. I think it will turn out great.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
I promised a couple of people yesterday that I would update the blog, so I apologize for the delay.
So much has happened since I last posted, it's crazy. When I last posted, we had become very encouraged by Alex's feedings. He seemed to be taking the bottle very well, so we thought it would be a matter days before he could coem home. Alas, he backtracked quite a bit. He stopped taking the bottle at all, so the nurses had to reinsert his feeding tube and he got his nourishment like that for several days. He also developed a fever, so he back on an I.V. antibiotic. Needless to say, at that point, we had become very DIScouraged...LOL.
However, in the last couple of days, he has really started to take the bottle. In fact, he is taking full bottles several times a day now. And, he has gained quite a bit of weight in just the last two days. He is at 5 lbs., 2.5 oz. So, this is once again very encouraging! I visited him alone a few nights ago, and asked the nurse to give me her opinion on how long it would be until he could come home. She told me to expect around the original due date, June 28. Which sort of makes sense, since that was the due date. So, we are anxiously awaiting his arrival.
This past Saturday, Memphis played Austin Peay in baseball at Vanderbilt, as part of the first round of the national tournament. At the last minute that morning, I talked Michelle into making the road trip. We got started late, but we hit the road. When we got to Dickson, we were greeted by the mother of all thunderstorms. I remember Michelle commenting that she had no desire to sit in the rain watching a baseball game. I sort of laughed it off, saying that I thought the storm would pass south of Nashville. I hoped I sounded more confident than I really was.
We got to the game in the bottom of the third, only to find that all the tickets were sold out. With Vanderbilt being the #1 team in the nation for the bulk of the season, the local people were quite excited and had purchased most of the tickets. So, we found a scalper, who may have been the scariest looking dude either of us had ever met, and we negotiated a decent price for two ducats. About 5 minutes after we sat down, the aforementioned mother of all storms descended upon Hawkins field, the game was halted, and the crowd was quickly shuttled into the basketball gym. While there, we watched two Vandy basketball players shooting for about an hour. At that point, which was about 4:00, a Vandy official announed that the game would resume at 7:30 that night. Knowing that we could not be in Nashville all night, we proceeded to turn around and head home. We drove 3+ hours to Nashville, watched 5 minutes of baseball, an hour of basketball, ate at O'Charley's, then went home. That was absolutely insane. Oh well.
I downloaded the video podcast of the Steve Jobs-Bill Gates discussion that occured last week at the D5 conference. I listened to most of it today while driving around running errands. It was great to hear them tell some funny stories about the old days, and hearing them talk about the days ahead.
I am preaching Sunday at CrossRoads, so I have been working this week on a sermon. It is coming along pretty well. I hope it is coherent. The youth group is having a lock-in at the church on Friday night. That should be lots of fun.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
So much has happened since I last posted, it's crazy. When I last posted, we had become very encouraged by Alex's feedings. He seemed to be taking the bottle very well, so we thought it would be a matter days before he could coem home. Alas, he backtracked quite a bit. He stopped taking the bottle at all, so the nurses had to reinsert his feeding tube and he got his nourishment like that for several days. He also developed a fever, so he back on an I.V. antibiotic. Needless to say, at that point, we had become very DIScouraged...LOL.
However, in the last couple of days, he has really started to take the bottle. In fact, he is taking full bottles several times a day now. And, he has gained quite a bit of weight in just the last two days. He is at 5 lbs., 2.5 oz. So, this is once again very encouraging! I visited him alone a few nights ago, and asked the nurse to give me her opinion on how long it would be until he could come home. She told me to expect around the original due date, June 28. Which sort of makes sense, since that was the due date. So, we are anxiously awaiting his arrival.
This past Saturday, Memphis played Austin Peay in baseball at Vanderbilt, as part of the first round of the national tournament. At the last minute that morning, I talked Michelle into making the road trip. We got started late, but we hit the road. When we got to Dickson, we were greeted by the mother of all thunderstorms. I remember Michelle commenting that she had no desire to sit in the rain watching a baseball game. I sort of laughed it off, saying that I thought the storm would pass south of Nashville. I hoped I sounded more confident than I really was.
We got to the game in the bottom of the third, only to find that all the tickets were sold out. With Vanderbilt being the #1 team in the nation for the bulk of the season, the local people were quite excited and had purchased most of the tickets. So, we found a scalper, who may have been the scariest looking dude either of us had ever met, and we negotiated a decent price for two ducats. About 5 minutes after we sat down, the aforementioned mother of all storms descended upon Hawkins field, the game was halted, and the crowd was quickly shuttled into the basketball gym. While there, we watched two Vandy basketball players shooting for about an hour. At that point, which was about 4:00, a Vandy official announed that the game would resume at 7:30 that night. Knowing that we could not be in Nashville all night, we proceeded to turn around and head home. We drove 3+ hours to Nashville, watched 5 minutes of baseball, an hour of basketball, ate at O'Charley's, then went home. That was absolutely insane. Oh well.
I downloaded the video podcast of the Steve Jobs-Bill Gates discussion that occured last week at the D5 conference. I listened to most of it today while driving around running errands. It was great to hear them tell some funny stories about the old days, and hearing them talk about the days ahead.
I am preaching Sunday at CrossRoads, so I have been working this week on a sermon. It is coming along pretty well. I hope it is coherent. The youth group is having a lock-in at the church on Friday night. That should be lots of fun.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Monday, May 28, 2007
We have been greatly encouraged by Alex's feedings of late. Yesterday, he took 15 ml from a bottle, which was the first time he took that much without any trouble. Today, he took a full bottle (40 ml) three seperate times! That is on top of what Michelle is giving him. When he shows that he can take a full bottle consistently for about 48 hrs., he can come home. So, we are anticipating him coming home soon; maybe by the end of the week!
I am in the process of taking some of the video of the birth, and making it into a movie. Once I do that, I will put it on YouTube for all to see.
I am going back to work tomorrow. Although it will be nice to get back into the swing of things, it will be strange not seeing Alex during the day.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
I am in the process of taking some of the video of the birth, and making it into a movie. Once I do that, I will put it on YouTube for all to see.
I am going back to work tomorrow. Although it will be nice to get back into the swing of things, it will be strange not seeing Alex during the day.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Friday, May 25, 2007
We visited Alex twice today. This morning, heart rate slowed down momentarily, then resumed back to normal. We had been told that Alex does this several times a day, but this was the first time it had happened while we were there. So, naturally, we freaked. We know it's nothing to worry about. It usually happens while he is feeding, due to some reflux.
Tonight, he took Michelle's breast for the first time. We saw this as a major step forward for him. Not only did he take it, but he took it like an old veteran. He also took the pacifier for the first time. So, obviously, we were majorly excited! I also got to do "kangaroo care" for over an hour. This is where he lies on my bare chest, skin on skin. The purpose of this is that it puts him in a deep sleep, which helps with brain development and growth. That will help him put on weight.
I had another guitar lesson today, which was a lot of fun. I had not touched any of my guitars in the past week, so it was great to play again. I started learning Tom Petty's "Free Falling", and "Learning to Fly".
I plan on going back to work for a few hours tomorrow. It will be nice to get back into the swing of things.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
We went to visit Alex this morning, and it was great to hold him. In fact, I fell asleep while holding him. So, Michelle snapped a picture for proof. I anticipate taking many quick naps in the coming days.
He has yet to take a bottle, so he continues to be fed through a tube. When he learns to take a bottle, he should be able to come home. That will be great.
We have some friends from church who are planning to visit tonight, so that will be fun.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Monday, May 21, 2007
Alex Michael Winn (b. 19 May, 2007)
At 10:03 P.M. Saturday night, Alex Michael Winn made his debut in this world. When Michelle was admitted to the hospital Thursday afternoon, the doctors did not know exactly how long they could keep him inside her, but they knew it would not be long. So, we felt good that he stayed as long as he did. Michelle's blodd pressure spiked once more Saturday night, so it was time for him to come out. Her BP immediately dropped to a more normal level.
We were gald to learn that all his bodily functions are working properly, although he ad some fluid in his lungs. For this, he was taken to the NICU, where he still is. The fluid is gone, but he has not yet learned to suck and swallow in rythm, so he is being fed through an IV. He will stay in the NICU until he learns this, which may be as little as a week, or as many as a few weeks. Apparently, when a baby is in the womb, it learns this sort of at the very end, and since he came 6 weeks early, he has not learned yet. But, he will. Otherwise, he is fine. Mama is doing fine, too. Dad is in freak-out mode.
It was great that so many people were able to come into town over the weekend. After everyone left last night, Michelle needed a nap, and I needed some fresh air, so while she slept, I went to a bar for a beer. I showed everyone Alex' pictures, and everyone said he was cute.
We visited Alex in the NICU this morning, and we each got to hold him. That was great. Afterward, Michelle decided to take a nap, and I came home to have some lunch and to take care of some stuff. When I got here, the house was obviously empty, and I got kind of sad. The insanity of everyone visiting was tiring but fun, and I realized I missed it. In a few minutes, I am going to run some errands, then head back to the hospital.
We really appreciate the calls, visits, and well-wishes. Thanks so much.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Friday, May 18, 2007
Michelle was admitted to the hospital yesterday afternooon with extremely high blodd pressure. They cannot give her any medication for the blood pressure, so if it does not go down on its own, the baby will need to come out within the next couple of days. This is the scenario that the doctor anticipates.
Since we are at 33 weeks, 5 days (which is a little early), they have given the baby two steroid injections to promote the growth of his lungs. Each shot is equal to about 1 week of growth, so the idea is to get his lungs to the 36-week mark.
The phone number to the hospital room 901-516-6713. Feel free to call if you would like.
The doctor has said that she anticipates the baby coming within the next couple of days, so please keep us in your prayers.
Peace...
Since we are at 33 weeks, 5 days (which is a little early), they have given the baby two steroid injections to promote the growth of his lungs. Each shot is equal to about 1 week of growth, so the idea is to get his lungs to the 36-week mark.
The phone number to the hospital room 901-516-6713. Feel free to call if you would like.
The doctor has said that she anticipates the baby coming within the next couple of days, so please keep us in your prayers.
Peace...
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
It's been a long time since I've rock and rolled...
Sorry to have been gone so long.
So much has been going on, I will try not to leave anything out. Actually, for the first time, I made an outline of what I am going to write in this post...LOL. Michelle thinks I am a freak. She's not the first person to share that view.
Obviously, I was glad for exams to finally get over. Whew. I had so much work to do the last couple of weeks, I thought I was gonna go insane. Anyway, it is now over.
One of the highlights of the semester was the field trip my Ecumenism class took over to Christian Brothers University on the night of our exam. Our actual "exam" was a series of three papers we wrote, so the field trip was more for fun and dialogue than anything else. The professor is a member of the Brothers of the Christian Schools religious order (abbreviated FSB), which is affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church. The mission of the FSB is service through education to the poor. Here in Memphis, they run the Christian Brothers University and Christian Brothers High School. There are about 20 other universities around the country under their care. The Brothers live in community at CBU, and have taken the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. So, on our field trip we spent an evening with the Brothers in their community. First, we worshiped with them in their chapel, which was really neat. That was the first English-speaking RCC mass I had ever been to, and it was great. I really enjoyed listening to the liturgy, and following the movements of the priest. After worship, we repaired to their lounge, where we relaxed and hung out for a while. Since they're Catholic, I will leave it your imagination what "hanging out in a lounge" might mean...LOL. After that, we had dinner, then we had a round-table discussion for a couple of hours. All in all, it was a super night.
My New Testament final was kind of strange, in that it was much easier than I thought it would be. Still, it was friggin' hard. My theology final was kind of strange in that I was the first person finished. That never happens. In fact, when the professor said that we were welcome to stay the entire three hours, and the one person who does each semester usually makes an "A", I remarked, "Is that a necessary condition, or just a sufficient condition? If it's sufficient, I can chill all night." He just kind of chuckled.
The day after my last exam, I woke up at my normal time, about 4:30 AM. I fixed a bowl of cereal, and watched some Sportscenter. Then I realized the absurdity of my being awake, and then went back to bed until 10:30 that morning. That felt good. We cleaned up the place a little that afternoon, since Michelle's parents and brother were coming in to town the next day.
It was nice having them in town for a while. Her dad and I installed the car seat bases in each car, we hung some pictures in the nursery, fixed the hall closet door, and replaced the door to the second bathroom (it had to come off when we got the new washer and dryer). We may have re-shingled the roof also...LOL. We went to Whole Hog Cafe for lunch to have some BBQ, and it was great as always. After lunch, we went shopping at Target. Or, I should say that the women went shopping at Target, and the men went to the golf shop next door to hit some putts on the putting green. Once we got done with that, we went to Target to find the ladies. They were almost done, so we got out of there pretty quick.
My new job at the church is going really well. Actually, it's going better than I ever could have imagined. It's a great place to be.
I enjoy reading books that challenge my views, and this week I have been reading a book called, "God is Not Good: How Religion Poisons Everything", by Christopher Hitchens. It is certainly challenging, but I am working through the author's arguments, most of which are ad hominem fallacies. Not so hard to do that.
On my sister Jessica's recommendation, I recently got the newest CD from The Strokes. I listened to it a couple of times today, and I was kind of disappointed. Mostly because they sound exactly like The Killers. The Killers is one of my favorite newer bands, but I don't need a clone. Grr. I also recently got a couple of Green Day's older CD's, "Warning" and "Dookie". Good stuff. I also bought the John Mayer Trio's "Try!", and Johnny Lang's "Turn Around". "Try!" is as good as advertised; I am glad I finally got it. I have not listened to the Lang CD yet. The impetus that motivated me to buy all this music was the fact that BMG, for reasons unbeknownst to me, is giving me all kinds of free CD's. I hadn't bought anything from them in a couple of years, but I checked my account last week and found that I was due a bunch of free music. So, I am cashing in. Cool.
Back in the spring, I noticed that when I was umpiring, I was having some trouble picking up the ball off the bat. I didn't have any problems behind the plate, just seeing the ball off the bat while working the bases. Lately, I also noticed that I have been bumping into things. So, I made an appointment with an eye doctor for earlier today. While my vision is still 20/20, I have an astigmatism, which is blurring my vision. Astigmatism is where some of the light entering the eye does not reach all the way to the back, while some of the light does. In my case, the light entering vertically is not getting all the way to where it needs to be. So, the light waves are not focused as well as they should be. The end result was a prescription for glasses and contacts. I tried a bunch to insert the contacts, but still have not gotten it figured out. After I left the doctor's office, I went shopping for some glasses.
I am kind of bummed about the whole deal, but in reality I am fortunate to have gone this long with no problems.
We have an appointment with the OB-GYN on Friday. We will get a new ultrasound, which is exciting. What is not exciting is that the baby is still breech and gives no indication that he might want to turn around. If he is still breech toward the end, we will most likely schedule a C-section. So, we will see what happens. Regardless, the due date is June 28, which is fast approaching. I am not quite into full-on freak-out mode, but I am close...LOL.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Sorry to have been gone so long.
So much has been going on, I will try not to leave anything out. Actually, for the first time, I made an outline of what I am going to write in this post...LOL. Michelle thinks I am a freak. She's not the first person to share that view.
Obviously, I was glad for exams to finally get over. Whew. I had so much work to do the last couple of weeks, I thought I was gonna go insane. Anyway, it is now over.
One of the highlights of the semester was the field trip my Ecumenism class took over to Christian Brothers University on the night of our exam. Our actual "exam" was a series of three papers we wrote, so the field trip was more for fun and dialogue than anything else. The professor is a member of the Brothers of the Christian Schools religious order (abbreviated FSB), which is affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church. The mission of the FSB is service through education to the poor. Here in Memphis, they run the Christian Brothers University and Christian Brothers High School. There are about 20 other universities around the country under their care. The Brothers live in community at CBU, and have taken the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. So, on our field trip we spent an evening with the Brothers in their community. First, we worshiped with them in their chapel, which was really neat. That was the first English-speaking RCC mass I had ever been to, and it was great. I really enjoyed listening to the liturgy, and following the movements of the priest. After worship, we repaired to their lounge, where we relaxed and hung out for a while. Since they're Catholic, I will leave it your imagination what "hanging out in a lounge" might mean...LOL. After that, we had dinner, then we had a round-table discussion for a couple of hours. All in all, it was a super night.
My New Testament final was kind of strange, in that it was much easier than I thought it would be. Still, it was friggin' hard. My theology final was kind of strange in that I was the first person finished. That never happens. In fact, when the professor said that we were welcome to stay the entire three hours, and the one person who does each semester usually makes an "A", I remarked, "Is that a necessary condition, or just a sufficient condition? If it's sufficient, I can chill all night." He just kind of chuckled.
The day after my last exam, I woke up at my normal time, about 4:30 AM. I fixed a bowl of cereal, and watched some Sportscenter. Then I realized the absurdity of my being awake, and then went back to bed until 10:30 that morning. That felt good. We cleaned up the place a little that afternoon, since Michelle's parents and brother were coming in to town the next day.
It was nice having them in town for a while. Her dad and I installed the car seat bases in each car, we hung some pictures in the nursery, fixed the hall closet door, and replaced the door to the second bathroom (it had to come off when we got the new washer and dryer). We may have re-shingled the roof also...LOL. We went to Whole Hog Cafe for lunch to have some BBQ, and it was great as always. After lunch, we went shopping at Target. Or, I should say that the women went shopping at Target, and the men went to the golf shop next door to hit some putts on the putting green. Once we got done with that, we went to Target to find the ladies. They were almost done, so we got out of there pretty quick.
My new job at the church is going really well. Actually, it's going better than I ever could have imagined. It's a great place to be.
I enjoy reading books that challenge my views, and this week I have been reading a book called, "God is Not Good: How Religion Poisons Everything", by Christopher Hitchens. It is certainly challenging, but I am working through the author's arguments, most of which are ad hominem fallacies. Not so hard to do that.
On my sister Jessica's recommendation, I recently got the newest CD from The Strokes. I listened to it a couple of times today, and I was kind of disappointed. Mostly because they sound exactly like The Killers. The Killers is one of my favorite newer bands, but I don't need a clone. Grr. I also recently got a couple of Green Day's older CD's, "Warning" and "Dookie". Good stuff. I also bought the John Mayer Trio's "Try!", and Johnny Lang's "Turn Around". "Try!" is as good as advertised; I am glad I finally got it. I have not listened to the Lang CD yet. The impetus that motivated me to buy all this music was the fact that BMG, for reasons unbeknownst to me, is giving me all kinds of free CD's. I hadn't bought anything from them in a couple of years, but I checked my account last week and found that I was due a bunch of free music. So, I am cashing in. Cool.
Back in the spring, I noticed that when I was umpiring, I was having some trouble picking up the ball off the bat. I didn't have any problems behind the plate, just seeing the ball off the bat while working the bases. Lately, I also noticed that I have been bumping into things. So, I made an appointment with an eye doctor for earlier today. While my vision is still 20/20, I have an astigmatism, which is blurring my vision. Astigmatism is where some of the light entering the eye does not reach all the way to the back, while some of the light does. In my case, the light entering vertically is not getting all the way to where it needs to be. So, the light waves are not focused as well as they should be. The end result was a prescription for glasses and contacts. I tried a bunch to insert the contacts, but still have not gotten it figured out. After I left the doctor's office, I went shopping for some glasses.
I am kind of bummed about the whole deal, but in reality I am fortunate to have gone this long with no problems.
We have an appointment with the OB-GYN on Friday. We will get a new ultrasound, which is exciting. What is not exciting is that the baby is still breech and gives no indication that he might want to turn around. If he is still breech toward the end, we will most likely schedule a C-section. So, we will see what happens. Regardless, the due date is June 28, which is fast approaching. I am not quite into full-on freak-out mode, but I am close...LOL.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Mark Your Calendars
I forgot to mention in my earlier post that when we were at the doctor's office, she said that for the next month, she will continue to monitor Michelle's false contractions, and that if they are less than 6 per hour, we should not worry. After a month, then all bets are off, and we should anticipate the baby coming anytime after that. Being that I am preaching on May 20th at Lebanon Church in Potts Camp, and May 27th at CrossRoads, we fully anticipate the baby coming around that time. LOL. If that is indeed how it works out, it will be wild.
Earlier today, I stopped by a music shop that I had never been to before, Fiddler's Green. It possibly had the best vibe of any music shop I have ever been in. Inside was the largest collection of authentic hippies I have seen since I was a kid and my parents' friends would come around...LOL. Seriously, it was impossible to tell who worked there, and who was just hanging out. The 100-lb. dog that was asleep in the middle of the showroom floor gave the place some extra mojo. I might have to start hanging out there myself...LOL. To Michelle's delight, I DID NOT buy any strings. I am known to buy a lot of strings...LOL.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Earlier today, I stopped by a music shop that I had never been to before, Fiddler's Green. It possibly had the best vibe of any music shop I have ever been in. Inside was the largest collection of authentic hippies I have seen since I was a kid and my parents' friends would come around...LOL. Seriously, it was impossible to tell who worked there, and who was just hanging out. The 100-lb. dog that was asleep in the middle of the showroom floor gave the place some extra mojo. I might have to start hanging out there myself...LOL. To Michelle's delight, I DID NOT buy any strings. I am known to buy a lot of strings...LOL.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
We went to the doctor yesterday for a regularly scheduled visit, and got a clean bill of health for mom and baby. We go back in two weeks, at which time we will get a new ultrasound picture. June 28 is fast approaching. We have a baby swing that I am going to assemble tomorrow. That should be fun; I like putting stuff together. However, I am a bit leery of these stories I hear about fathers staying up all night on Christmas Eve, assembling toys...LOL. Ah, who am I kidding? That's half the fun.
Last night in my Ecumenism class, I gave a presentation on the Church's history of missions to Native Americans. This project actually grew out of a project I did several years ago while at Austin Peay. This time, the presentation grew to an hour and half (instead the 15 minutes that it started from). Although, the dialogue was so great that I think we could have gone for at least another hour or so. It went really well, and after I was done the class gave me a standing ovation...LOL. That was something. One man, who is about to graduate in a couple of weeks, said that my presentation was the highlight of his entire time in seminary. That was incredible. I was glad to get it over with, because I had been working on it for the entire semester. It was a great relief.
Several days ago, I saw some kids outside playing with water squirt guns. I SO wanted to join them, but had too many other things to do. As Uncle Bob says, "One could do worse than be a swinger of birches."
This being the 20th anniversary of the movie "Dirty Dancing", I saw where there is going to be a line of baby clothes, primarily onesies, that say, "Nobody puts Baby in a corner." We have got to get one of those...LOL.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Last night in my Ecumenism class, I gave a presentation on the Church's history of missions to Native Americans. This project actually grew out of a project I did several years ago while at Austin Peay. This time, the presentation grew to an hour and half (instead the 15 minutes that it started from). Although, the dialogue was so great that I think we could have gone for at least another hour or so. It went really well, and after I was done the class gave me a standing ovation...LOL. That was something. One man, who is about to graduate in a couple of weeks, said that my presentation was the highlight of his entire time in seminary. That was incredible. I was glad to get it over with, because I had been working on it for the entire semester. It was a great relief.
Several days ago, I saw some kids outside playing with water squirt guns. I SO wanted to join them, but had too many other things to do. As Uncle Bob says, "One could do worse than be a swinger of birches."
This being the 20th anniversary of the movie "Dirty Dancing", I saw where there is going to be a line of baby clothes, primarily onesies, that say, "Nobody puts Baby in a corner." We have got to get one of those...LOL.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Days of Yore
It sure has been an interesting weekend of baseball. Friday, I worked a game between Jackson Christian School and Evangelical Christian School (from Memphis). The game was played at a neutral site (Memphis University School). Anyway, my partner was late arriving, and whenever that happens, it usually goes downhill from there. However, the game went pretty smoothly until the bottom of the sixth inning when I missed a call at first base. Joy. I asked my partner what he saw, and thankfully he overturned my call. At least we eventually got it right...lol.
Yesterday, I worked at First Assembly Christian School. We finished the last three innings of a varsity game that had been delayed due to weather, then played two JV games. My partner called me Thursday to let me know he'd like to work the plate for the shortened game, and the first JV game. I said something to the effect of, "Go ahead, Cowboy."...lol. I remember when I was young and insane, and would always do that. I always wanted to work the plate. Mostly because I felt I was the best umpire in the world, and I figured if I was behind the plate, then everything would be under control and nothing could go wrong. These days, I try to AVOID working the plate as much as I can...lol.
Working 2.5 games yesterday reminded me of the days when Mike Clark and I would often work a doubleheader in the morning at one school, then another doubleheader at a different school later that night. We used to do that all the time. Those were crazy days, indeed. Lots of fun. We may have even made a few bucks, too.
A couple of weeks ago, as I was getting ready to start a game, the outsole of my right plate shoe fell off. Just fell off. My plate shoes were 11 years old, so I guess it was about time. Anyway, I worked that game essentially with one shoe. I had been telling Michelle for three years that I needed new shoes, but it always seemed that something else would come up. So, when I got home that night, I showed her my shoe that had disintegrated, and ordered a new pair. I wore them yesterday for the first time, and I love them. They are so comfortable! I may be getting back behind the plate more often now...hehe. I also got a new pair of pants.
It was really great to be back on the field. These games were my first high school games of the year. I told the assigner back in the spring that I was not going to work high school ball at all, because I needed to be around the house a lot to take care of Michelle. I have worked several games in the middle school Christian league, and those games are nice because I get no flack from the coaches or parents, and the games only last about an hour and 15 minutes or so. However, the level of play is only slightly higher than what we used to call Little League. So, it was nice to call some competitive games again. The only reason I ended up working the games this weekend was that because of heavy rain, a bunch of games needed to be made up, and the assignor was desperate. So, he dragged the bottom of the barrel to get me. We are supposed to get more rain the next several days, so I may end up working a few more. We'll see.
The other day I caught myself thinking about how my umpiring career arc is going in the same direction as Mike's. We both had a period where we literally drove all over the country to work as many games as possible. Didn't matter when or where; have game, will travel. Then, when Mike got married and started having kids, he started traveling less and less. Finally, he got to the point where he doesn't work much at all; he'd rather watch his oldest boy play t-ball. I am no longer travelling anywhere outside of town to work games, and have really lowered the total number of games I am working. I can see myself in a few years not working much at all, and going to my son's games instead. Michelle sees me coaching his team, but I don't know about that. I'll still work the occasional game, but I no longer have the desire to work every day, or to drive all over the country to do it.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Yesterday, I worked at First Assembly Christian School. We finished the last three innings of a varsity game that had been delayed due to weather, then played two JV games. My partner called me Thursday to let me know he'd like to work the plate for the shortened game, and the first JV game. I said something to the effect of, "Go ahead, Cowboy."...lol. I remember when I was young and insane, and would always do that. I always wanted to work the plate. Mostly because I felt I was the best umpire in the world, and I figured if I was behind the plate, then everything would be under control and nothing could go wrong. These days, I try to AVOID working the plate as much as I can...lol.
Working 2.5 games yesterday reminded me of the days when Mike Clark and I would often work a doubleheader in the morning at one school, then another doubleheader at a different school later that night. We used to do that all the time. Those were crazy days, indeed. Lots of fun. We may have even made a few bucks, too.
A couple of weeks ago, as I was getting ready to start a game, the outsole of my right plate shoe fell off. Just fell off. My plate shoes were 11 years old, so I guess it was about time. Anyway, I worked that game essentially with one shoe. I had been telling Michelle for three years that I needed new shoes, but it always seemed that something else would come up. So, when I got home that night, I showed her my shoe that had disintegrated, and ordered a new pair. I wore them yesterday for the first time, and I love them. They are so comfortable! I may be getting back behind the plate more often now...hehe. I also got a new pair of pants.
It was really great to be back on the field. These games were my first high school games of the year. I told the assigner back in the spring that I was not going to work high school ball at all, because I needed to be around the house a lot to take care of Michelle. I have worked several games in the middle school Christian league, and those games are nice because I get no flack from the coaches or parents, and the games only last about an hour and 15 minutes or so. However, the level of play is only slightly higher than what we used to call Little League. So, it was nice to call some competitive games again. The only reason I ended up working the games this weekend was that because of heavy rain, a bunch of games needed to be made up, and the assignor was desperate. So, he dragged the bottom of the barrel to get me. We are supposed to get more rain the next several days, so I may end up working a few more. We'll see.
The other day I caught myself thinking about how my umpiring career arc is going in the same direction as Mike's. We both had a period where we literally drove all over the country to work as many games as possible. Didn't matter when or where; have game, will travel. Then, when Mike got married and started having kids, he started traveling less and less. Finally, he got to the point where he doesn't work much at all; he'd rather watch his oldest boy play t-ball. I am no longer travelling anywhere outside of town to work games, and have really lowered the total number of games I am working. I can see myself in a few years not working much at all, and going to my son's games instead. Michelle sees me coaching his team, but I don't know about that. I'll still work the occasional game, but I no longer have the desire to work every day, or to drive all over the country to do it.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Thursday, April 19, 2007
I emailed a paper to one of my professors today, and may have been a little over-dramatic about it. In my message, I told him he could "print this out, and kill a tree if you desire, but the blood of the creation will not be on my hands!"...LOL. Before class tonight, we got a chuckle out of it.
Tomorrow is going to be a light day. Just a little work at the office, then Michelle and I are going to work on the nursery. In the afternoon, I have a high school baseball game. Speaking of baseball, Saturday is going to be crazy. Starting at 10 AM, I am working the last 3 innings of a game that was suspended due to weather last week. Then, there is a full varsity game, and the day will conclude with a JV game. That's a lot of baseball in one day. Should be fun.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Tomorrow is going to be a light day. Just a little work at the office, then Michelle and I are going to work on the nursery. In the afternoon, I have a high school baseball game. Speaking of baseball, Saturday is going to be crazy. Starting at 10 AM, I am working the last 3 innings of a game that was suspended due to weather last week. Then, there is a full varsity game, and the day will conclude with a JV game. That's a lot of baseball in one day. Should be fun.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
My sister turned me on to a software program called Last.fm, which tracks the music played on a computer and/or iPod. The chart below is not exactly accurate, as I did not have the iPod feature turned on, but it is a moderately decent representation of the music I am listening to these days. However, the majority of the music I listen to is via the iPod, so the chart will get more accurate when that info is uploaded.
I am going to take the Blazer to a glass shop this morning, because someone broke out one of the rear windows. They didn't take anything, so I think they broke it just to be mean. Some other people in the area have reported the same problem. Joy.
I will spend the rest of the day working on a paper for my theology class. The paper is due tomorrow, and I have not yet begun to write. It does not have to be too long, so it shouldn't be a problem. However, I have found that waiting until the last minute to do something in grad school is even less wise than it was as an undergrad. Not a good habit to be in.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
I am going to take the Blazer to a glass shop this morning, because someone broke out one of the rear windows. They didn't take anything, so I think they broke it just to be mean. Some other people in the area have reported the same problem. Joy.
I will spend the rest of the day working on a paper for my theology class. The paper is due tomorrow, and I have not yet begun to write. It does not have to be too long, so it shouldn't be a problem. However, I have found that waiting until the last minute to do something in grad school is even less wise than it was as an undergrad. Not a good habit to be in.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Monday, April 16, 2007
Michelle seems to think I have an unhealthy addiction to the music of Avril Lavigne. Hmm...
We got some really good news from the doctor last Friday. For several months, all signs had been pointing toward a premature birth, but on Friday the doctor said she thinks it will go full-term. Given that she said this with a smile on her face, and with confidence, our spirits were really lifted. So, that was really encouraging.
We worshiped at CrossRoads for the first time yesterday. It was really great; everyone there has welcomed us with open arms. All th women were excited to talk to Michelle about the baby, and I met a guy who is a long-time football official in the local association. He showed me his state championship ring, and I told him I was working toward one of those. His son is an umpire in the major leagues, so we talked baseball for a few minutes, too. That was cool.
The youth group had its first meeting last night, and I think it went really well. The kids all seem to be really excited, so that is encouraging. I am in the process of putting together some big plans for the summer.
In the months leading up to the wedding, I started having some really crazy dreams. Which was doubly weird because I normally can go years without having a dream that I remember. So, to have several dreams over the course of just a few months or so was freaky. Anyway, I have started to have some strange dreams again. While I do not think any dream can compare in craziness to my Darth Vader/Rolling Stones dream, the one I had recently is still strange.
I dreamt that the youth group and I were playing golf at Augusta National Golf Club, and Tiger Woods was playing with us. We had a couple of visitors in our group, kids that were not regular attenders, but happened to be with us on this day. When Tiger discovered that one of his irons was missing, and the two visitors were gone, he informed me that the two visitors were suspected by the police of bludgeoning an old woman to death with a golf club somewhere in another state. I was livid that Tiger had not informed me of this before, so I started cursing him like a dog. After a while, everything settled down, and we continued our round of golf. Neither the visitors, nor Tiger's iron, ever reappeared. I told you it was strange!!
I spent the morning working at the church, and got a ton of stuff done. That always feels great. I have some work to do before ecuminism class tonight, so I need to get on that. It's hard to believe that there are only two more weeks of classes! After that, there is a reading period for one week, then final exams. My first semester is almost over! It has flown by so quickly, it is astounding.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
We got some really good news from the doctor last Friday. For several months, all signs had been pointing toward a premature birth, but on Friday the doctor said she thinks it will go full-term. Given that she said this with a smile on her face, and with confidence, our spirits were really lifted. So, that was really encouraging.
We worshiped at CrossRoads for the first time yesterday. It was really great; everyone there has welcomed us with open arms. All th women were excited to talk to Michelle about the baby, and I met a guy who is a long-time football official in the local association. He showed me his state championship ring, and I told him I was working toward one of those. His son is an umpire in the major leagues, so we talked baseball for a few minutes, too. That was cool.
The youth group had its first meeting last night, and I think it went really well. The kids all seem to be really excited, so that is encouraging. I am in the process of putting together some big plans for the summer.
In the months leading up to the wedding, I started having some really crazy dreams. Which was doubly weird because I normally can go years without having a dream that I remember. So, to have several dreams over the course of just a few months or so was freaky. Anyway, I have started to have some strange dreams again. While I do not think any dream can compare in craziness to my Darth Vader/Rolling Stones dream, the one I had recently is still strange.
I dreamt that the youth group and I were playing golf at Augusta National Golf Club, and Tiger Woods was playing with us. We had a couple of visitors in our group, kids that were not regular attenders, but happened to be with us on this day. When Tiger discovered that one of his irons was missing, and the two visitors were gone, he informed me that the two visitors were suspected by the police of bludgeoning an old woman to death with a golf club somewhere in another state. I was livid that Tiger had not informed me of this before, so I started cursing him like a dog. After a while, everything settled down, and we continued our round of golf. Neither the visitors, nor Tiger's iron, ever reappeared. I told you it was strange!!
I spent the morning working at the church, and got a ton of stuff done. That always feels great. I have some work to do before ecuminism class tonight, so I need to get on that. It's hard to believe that there are only two more weeks of classes! After that, there is a reading period for one week, then final exams. My first semester is almost over! It has flown by so quickly, it is astounding.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Michelle and I attended a parenting class all day today (about 8 hours' worth!). It was really enjoyable. Probably the funniest part was the exercise where the men and women broke off into separate rooms, and listed their top ten concerns of pregnancy. The men's list included things like 'How am I going to pay for this', 'Loss of social life', 'dealing with in-laws', etc. The women's list included 'weight gain', 'heart burn', 'fatigue', 'mood swings', etc. Very interesting. We also learned how to change a diaper, and how to give the baby a bath. All in all, it was well worth the time and money to do it.
Tonight, I am going to assemble the crib, and the toy organizer. Hopefully, the nursery will start to take shape after that. Still a lot of work to go, though.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Tonight, I am going to assemble the crib, and the toy organizer. Hopefully, the nursery will start to take shape after that. Still a lot of work to go, though.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Friday, April 13, 2007
I was at work on Wednesday, and a strange thing happened. One of the teachers from the Wesley School (a school for special-needs kids that uses the church's facilities) popped into my office, and said, "Excuse me, but don't you have a divinity degree?" I replied that I was currently in seminary, working on a M.Div. She then asked me if it was OK if she asked me a question (ostensibly a theological one). So, I said, "sure", sort of curious as to what she would think I would be qualified to help her with. Then, she asked, "Could you explain gnosticism to me?" Thankfully, it was mid-morning, and I was well-caffeinated by then. This was not anything near what I would have expected. Still, I perked up, because it just so happens that I had written an essay on the topic a couple of weeks ago. Per my norm, I prefaced my answer with a story, then told her what I knew. Then, I picked out the 4 books on the subject that I own, and offered to allow her to "check them out" (I treat my books as sort of a 'lender's library'). She stammerd a, "No thanks", as if to say she had gotten more than what she had bargained for. I just had to laugh. Still, I found my class notes on the subject, and Xeroxed them. She said that would suffice. LOL.
Yesterday, after lunch, I stopped by the guitar shop to pick up a new stand and some strings. I observed that they had an Eric Clapton signature model on the wall, so it got my attention. Clapton has 3 Martin signature models, and this one is the model that he played on the "Unplugged" album. That model had been out of production since about the mid-50s, and Martin did not know he was going to play it that night. So, he played it, the album became HUGE, and Martin offred to re-issue the guitar as an EC signature model. Cool. This led to he and Martin collaborating on two other signature modles, so EC is the only artist with 3 Martin signature models. Cool stuff. Anyway, when I saw that the guitar's price tag said, "Ask for assistance", I could not resist myself and said, "Can someone float me about 2/3 the price of this? That would be of great assistance!"
I was supposed to have a baseball game this afternoon, but it got rained out. Which was kinda good, since I have not felt well all day. So, Michelle and I have just been hanging out at home this afternoon. If I felt better, it would be nice. Oh well.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Yesterday, after lunch, I stopped by the guitar shop to pick up a new stand and some strings. I observed that they had an Eric Clapton signature model on the wall, so it got my attention. Clapton has 3 Martin signature models, and this one is the model that he played on the "Unplugged" album. That model had been out of production since about the mid-50s, and Martin did not know he was going to play it that night. So, he played it, the album became HUGE, and Martin offred to re-issue the guitar as an EC signature model. Cool. This led to he and Martin collaborating on two other signature modles, so EC is the only artist with 3 Martin signature models. Cool stuff. Anyway, when I saw that the guitar's price tag said, "Ask for assistance", I could not resist myself and said, "Can someone float me about 2/3 the price of this? That would be of great assistance!"
I was supposed to have a baseball game this afternoon, but it got rained out. Which was kinda good, since I have not felt well all day. So, Michelle and I have just been hanging out at home this afternoon. If I felt better, it would be nice. Oh well.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
I got an email yesterday from my grandmother, and the entire text read, "YOUR BLOG NEEDS UPDATING!!!!!!!!!!" Obviously, Granny still has quite a bit of spunk in her...LOL. Anyway, here I am.
Our wireless router at home died last week (it was a sudden and painless passing), so I have been having connectivity disfunction. My brother Steve sent me my old router that he broke and then allegedly fixed, although I have not been able to get that up and running yet. Joy.
Spring break last week was wonderful and refreshing. Monday was the first full day of baseball season, so I went to work early, and got home in time to see the last half of the early games, then watched the majority of a couple more throughout the night. The next day, I was talking with my dad, and he said something about the NCAA men's basketball championship game, which had also been the night before. I think I may have said something like, "Oh, really. Didn't realize that was on." LOL. I do feel a little out of my element living in a basketball town, when baseball and football are where it's at for me.
I also got a lot of important work done last week; primarily my exegesis paper that is due next week. I have a couple of shorter papers due this week that I am still working on (or thinking of working on), so I should be able to get those knocked out soon. My exegesis of the parable of the Lost (aka "prodigal", although "prodigal" and "lost" do not mean the same thing) Son is probably my best paper all semester. I am not quite happy with the opening paragraph, so I am going to revisit it before I turn it in. Otherwise, I think it's solid.
The first paragraph of the preeminent account of the first month of World War I, The Guns of August, took its author, Barbara Tuchman, EIGHT HOURS to write. Ever since I discovered that, I have taken extra pains to make my opening paragraphs better.
I remember that last year, having spent spring break in Israel, I came back exhausted. It took me probably a full week to recover, and I got a little behind on some stuff. I had a paper in my ethics class that the professor graciously gave me an extension on, but I still did not do well on it. I think I made a C or a C+ or something. Oh well. This year, I came back to class "tanned and rested", as they say in the political world.
My fellow Israel travelers are getting together soon for a reunion, but it is on a night when I have class, so I will not be able to attend. ***sadness***
I preached my last sermon at Lebanon Church on Sunday. I was quite melancholy afterward. I was sad to go, but I am very excited at the opportunity at CrossRoads church. My first full meeting with the youth is this Sunday night. I am stoked!
Since Sunday's worship was earlier than normal, and there was no Sunday School, at 10:00 AM we suddenly realized that we had the entire day in front of us. We briefly entertained the idea of rolling to Clarksville for my family's gathering, but we reminded ourselves that when the doctor said for Michelle to "take it easy", he meant it. So, she took a nap while I watched the Masters. I guess it just wouldn't be fair if Tiger won all of them. Congrats to Zach Johnson.
Nathan Wheeler, who was formerly the Youth Minister at Clarksville Church and is currently the Youth Minister at Faith Presbyterian in Germantown, led his group in a 30 hour famine last weekend. We stopped by to see them right at the very end; I think they had about 7 minutes remaining in their fast. It was great to see them, and great to hear that they had raised over $1800 for World Vision. AWESOME!
While we were eating lunch Sunday, the baby noticably dropped lower in Michelle's belly. We sort of freaked out just a little, until we did some research and found that this is normal, with one caveat. Apparently, when the baby drops like this, it tends to be born about 4-6 weeks after doing so. And, since we are at this time 11 weeks short of the due date, this means the baby would arrive several weeks early. We are trying to get as close to 40 weeks as possible, so we are a little anxious now. But, the baby will come when he wants to, and there's not much we can do about it, so we try not to worry.
I hope everyone is doing well.
Our wireless router at home died last week (it was a sudden and painless passing), so I have been having connectivity disfunction. My brother Steve sent me my old router that he broke and then allegedly fixed, although I have not been able to get that up and running yet. Joy.
Spring break last week was wonderful and refreshing. Monday was the first full day of baseball season, so I went to work early, and got home in time to see the last half of the early games, then watched the majority of a couple more throughout the night. The next day, I was talking with my dad, and he said something about the NCAA men's basketball championship game, which had also been the night before. I think I may have said something like, "Oh, really. Didn't realize that was on." LOL. I do feel a little out of my element living in a basketball town, when baseball and football are where it's at for me.
I also got a lot of important work done last week; primarily my exegesis paper that is due next week. I have a couple of shorter papers due this week that I am still working on (or thinking of working on), so I should be able to get those knocked out soon. My exegesis of the parable of the Lost (aka "prodigal", although "prodigal" and "lost" do not mean the same thing) Son is probably my best paper all semester. I am not quite happy with the opening paragraph, so I am going to revisit it before I turn it in. Otherwise, I think it's solid.
The first paragraph of the preeminent account of the first month of World War I, The Guns of August, took its author, Barbara Tuchman, EIGHT HOURS to write. Ever since I discovered that, I have taken extra pains to make my opening paragraphs better.
I remember that last year, having spent spring break in Israel, I came back exhausted. It took me probably a full week to recover, and I got a little behind on some stuff. I had a paper in my ethics class that the professor graciously gave me an extension on, but I still did not do well on it. I think I made a C or a C+ or something. Oh well. This year, I came back to class "tanned and rested", as they say in the political world.
My fellow Israel travelers are getting together soon for a reunion, but it is on a night when I have class, so I will not be able to attend. ***sadness***
I preached my last sermon at Lebanon Church on Sunday. I was quite melancholy afterward. I was sad to go, but I am very excited at the opportunity at CrossRoads church. My first full meeting with the youth is this Sunday night. I am stoked!
Since Sunday's worship was earlier than normal, and there was no Sunday School, at 10:00 AM we suddenly realized that we had the entire day in front of us. We briefly entertained the idea of rolling to Clarksville for my family's gathering, but we reminded ourselves that when the doctor said for Michelle to "take it easy", he meant it. So, she took a nap while I watched the Masters. I guess it just wouldn't be fair if Tiger won all of them. Congrats to Zach Johnson.
Nathan Wheeler, who was formerly the Youth Minister at Clarksville Church and is currently the Youth Minister at Faith Presbyterian in Germantown, led his group in a 30 hour famine last weekend. We stopped by to see them right at the very end; I think they had about 7 minutes remaining in their fast. It was great to see them, and great to hear that they had raised over $1800 for World Vision. AWESOME!
While we were eating lunch Sunday, the baby noticably dropped lower in Michelle's belly. We sort of freaked out just a little, until we did some research and found that this is normal, with one caveat. Apparently, when the baby drops like this, it tends to be born about 4-6 weeks after doing so. And, since we are at this time 11 weeks short of the due date, this means the baby would arrive several weeks early. We are trying to get as close to 40 weeks as possible, so we are a little anxious now. But, the baby will come when he wants to, and there's not much we can do about it, so we try not to worry.
I hope everyone is doing well.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
"Does anyone know where the love of God goes when the waves turn the minutes into hours?"--From Gordon Lightfoot's "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald"
Michelle and I were riding in the Explorer today when Lightfoot's song "Sundown" came on the radio. I started thinking about his anthem "Fitzgerald", which tells a narrative of the shipwreck. I especially started thinking about the above line, which questions God's existence. One topic many non-believers often raise is the problem of evil, with evil being defined as "innocent suffering". These people often ask why, if God exists, would God allow innocent people to suffer. I have read mnay philosophers and theologians give various explanations for this, and so far, I have not come across one that I can believe. So, I am working on one myself. When I finish it, I will let you know.
Peace,
Chris
Michelle and I were riding in the Explorer today when Lightfoot's song "Sundown" came on the radio. I started thinking about his anthem "Fitzgerald", which tells a narrative of the shipwreck. I especially started thinking about the above line, which questions God's existence. One topic many non-believers often raise is the problem of evil, with evil being defined as "innocent suffering". These people often ask why, if God exists, would God allow innocent people to suffer. I have read mnay philosophers and theologians give various explanations for this, and so far, I have not come across one that I can believe. So, I am working on one myself. When I finish it, I will let you know.
Peace,
Chris
Monday, March 26, 2007
This past weekend can only be summed up with a "WOW!".
We rolled to Clarksville on Friday, and it was exciting to be going back home. We hung out at my grandparents' house for a while, until my grandmother and Michelle started talking about going to Hobby Lobby. I knew I had to get out of there, so I went over to my parents' house. When I got there, my dad was setting up his latest toy. His new sub-woofer produces enough bass to make the neighbors think Ft. Campbell is shooting artillery. My mom seriously thinks the foundation of the house is going to crack...LOL.
Anyway, I Steve played my guitar for a while, and I enjoyed watching him. He is becoming a maestro. Mike Clark had begged me to umpire a single game on Friday night, and a double-header on Saturday. So, after hanging out for a while, I headed over to Heritage Park and worked an uneventful game. After the game, I picked up Michelle and we went to Johnny's to satisfy our jones.
Saturday morning, I worked my two games while Michelle literally was "showered" with baby gifts. We have so much stuff now, it is insane. The Clarksville church and Mt. Denson, under the direction of my mother and grandmother, threw her an incredible shower. Oh my. I was hoping to come by towards the end to say hello to everyone, but my games ran long so I missed almost everyone.
While we were cleaning up, Mike called me to ask if there was any way I could run over to Richview and umpire another game. There had been a mix-up due to a team scheduling a game without calling him to get umpires. Mike was already about to go out of his mind, having to schedule over 70 games that weekend. There just aren't enough umpires to cover that many games, but somehow he got it done. Another example of why we have one the best associations anywhere.
Speaking of umpires, we heard over the weekend that Jordan Ferrell got a job in the minor leagues. We are so proud of him. I remember talking to Mike about Jordan several years ago, and we both said he would go as far as he wanted to. We enjoyed working with him, helping him get get started. We certainly wish him all the best.
I also heard that Jessica Hester's Auburn University JROTC team recently won a prestigious competition. She is on a full ride scholarship, with a Marine Corps option. She will be a great Marine, and will serve the country well.
We rolled back to Memphis Saturday night, and were exhausted by the time we got here. Michelle woke up at 3:30 AM Sunday morning with her hips and knees hurting. She was still in pain later in the morning, so I went to church alone. I informed the congregation that I would be leaving after Easter Sunday. Everyone wished us well. It will be tough leaving them.
I went by Crossroads today, and moved some of my office things. My new office is amazing! I should be able to get a lot of work done in there. It's a great enviornment. The church secretary, Martha, informed me that some of the youth have already come by and given their stamp of approval. Apparently, they really like the couch...LOL. I have still got some more stuff to move in, but it won't take long.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
We rolled to Clarksville on Friday, and it was exciting to be going back home. We hung out at my grandparents' house for a while, until my grandmother and Michelle started talking about going to Hobby Lobby. I knew I had to get out of there, so I went over to my parents' house. When I got there, my dad was setting up his latest toy. His new sub-woofer produces enough bass to make the neighbors think Ft. Campbell is shooting artillery. My mom seriously thinks the foundation of the house is going to crack...LOL.
Anyway, I Steve played my guitar for a while, and I enjoyed watching him. He is becoming a maestro. Mike Clark had begged me to umpire a single game on Friday night, and a double-header on Saturday. So, after hanging out for a while, I headed over to Heritage Park and worked an uneventful game. After the game, I picked up Michelle and we went to Johnny's to satisfy our jones.
Saturday morning, I worked my two games while Michelle literally was "showered" with baby gifts. We have so much stuff now, it is insane. The Clarksville church and Mt. Denson, under the direction of my mother and grandmother, threw her an incredible shower. Oh my. I was hoping to come by towards the end to say hello to everyone, but my games ran long so I missed almost everyone.
While we were cleaning up, Mike called me to ask if there was any way I could run over to Richview and umpire another game. There had been a mix-up due to a team scheduling a game without calling him to get umpires. Mike was already about to go out of his mind, having to schedule over 70 games that weekend. There just aren't enough umpires to cover that many games, but somehow he got it done. Another example of why we have one the best associations anywhere.
Speaking of umpires, we heard over the weekend that Jordan Ferrell got a job in the minor leagues. We are so proud of him. I remember talking to Mike about Jordan several years ago, and we both said he would go as far as he wanted to. We enjoyed working with him, helping him get get started. We certainly wish him all the best.
I also heard that Jessica Hester's Auburn University JROTC team recently won a prestigious competition. She is on a full ride scholarship, with a Marine Corps option. She will be a great Marine, and will serve the country well.
We rolled back to Memphis Saturday night, and were exhausted by the time we got here. Michelle woke up at 3:30 AM Sunday morning with her hips and knees hurting. She was still in pain later in the morning, so I went to church alone. I informed the congregation that I would be leaving after Easter Sunday. Everyone wished us well. It will be tough leaving them.
I went by Crossroads today, and moved some of my office things. My new office is amazing! I should be able to get a lot of work done in there. It's a great enviornment. The church secretary, Martha, informed me that some of the youth have already come by and given their stamp of approval. Apparently, they really like the couch...LOL. I have still got some more stuff to move in, but it won't take long.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Thursday, March 22, 2007
I changed the "Music" section of the blog to reflect the songs and artists that I have recently listened to, instead of links to artists' web sites. This will give anyone who happens to care a better glimpse into the music that is in current rotation in my world.
Michelle and I are eagerly awaiting the journey to Clarksville tomorrow. We are looking forward to a fun weekend. Normally, I write my sermon for the week on Friday, but since we are travelling tommorrow, I will do that today.
There is a luncheon for Cumberland Presbyterians at seminary today. Once again, whoever said there was no such thing as a free lunch must not have known me...LOL. The other day, I was walking somewhere on campus and a woman I do not know stopped me and said, "Hey, aren't you the new student that is a Cumberland Presbyterian?" I continue to be singled out as if I were the chosen one...LOL. It kind of disturbs me; I do not want any special attention, I just want to do my work and move along. I guess since the seminary is sponsored by the CP church, and there are not actually too many CP's around, they want to make a big deal of the few that are there. Whatever.
I also have some reading to do for tonight's class, so I am going to get on that.
We ate breakfast a while ago, so it is now getting to the baby. He is really moving around, and we can see Michelle's belly shifting as he moves. This is so cool! He really likes to eat, and gets active afterward. Today marks the beginning of week 27. This is the last week of the second trimester. Time is really moving along fast. June 28 will be here before we know. And probably before we are ready.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Michelle and I are eagerly awaiting the journey to Clarksville tomorrow. We are looking forward to a fun weekend. Normally, I write my sermon for the week on Friday, but since we are travelling tommorrow, I will do that today.
There is a luncheon for Cumberland Presbyterians at seminary today. Once again, whoever said there was no such thing as a free lunch must not have known me...LOL. The other day, I was walking somewhere on campus and a woman I do not know stopped me and said, "Hey, aren't you the new student that is a Cumberland Presbyterian?" I continue to be singled out as if I were the chosen one...LOL. It kind of disturbs me; I do not want any special attention, I just want to do my work and move along. I guess since the seminary is sponsored by the CP church, and there are not actually too many CP's around, they want to make a big deal of the few that are there. Whatever.
I also have some reading to do for tonight's class, so I am going to get on that.
We ate breakfast a while ago, so it is now getting to the baby. He is really moving around, and we can see Michelle's belly shifting as he moves. This is so cool! He really likes to eat, and gets active afterward. Today marks the beginning of week 27. This is the last week of the second trimester. Time is really moving along fast. June 28 will be here before we know. And probably before we are ready.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
I have a meeting later this morning with the professor of my Interchurch Relations class. The class is a class on ecumenism, which is the movement that promotes unity among the world's Christian churches. We will be meeting in order to discuss my semester project (each student is required to do a project of some kind). My project will be a furthering of a project I first did a couple of years ago. My project will be based on a Powerpoint presentation, showing pictures that tell the story of the Church's treatment of Native Americans. The slides are set to the music of The Eagles' "The Last Resort". After the slideshow, I will talk for about 45 minutes or so, then take questions. I have been working really hard on this, and I think it will go well. The presentation is not until April 23; Today's meeting is just so I can show the professor my progress.
I also have a short response paper I need to write for my research class today. I am going to do that after my meeting.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
I also have a short response paper I need to write for my research class today. I am going to do that after my meeting.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Monday, March 19, 2007
Michelle was having some serious pains Saturday morning, so called the doctor and were told to go to the E.R. So, after spending a few hours there, we were sent home with an apparent U.T.I. I know she was miserable, and in a lot of pain. A funny thing happened on the way home, and it gave us a chuckle.
We dropped her prescriptions off at Walgreens, and then went to Sonic so she could take care of her corn dog jones (this week's craving). After we ordered, and while we were waiting for the food, I kind of almost dozed off. When the waitress came with the food, I was about 30 seconds from being fully asleep. So, I did not have a tip ready, and didn't think about it until a few minutes later. That was about the same time that I realized I had not ordered anything to drink, so I made a second order for a drink. A different person brought my drink to me, and I gave him a tip, and money for the first waitress. I asked him if he would give that part to her. He said sure. A couple of minutes later, the original waitress came outside, and kind of peered around the corner of our car. She was completely freaked out. I lowered the window, and although she did not come real close, she was within hearing range. She said something to the effect of "Uh, what's up? Why did you give me money via that other guy?" So, I told her I had been half-asleep and wanted to make sure I tipped her. She had a quizzical look on her face, and was just freaked out. I think maybe since she was about 15, she thought a greasy old man was trying to hit on her. Idunno. It was hilarious.
Today, we interviewed a childcare provider for the baby, and we came to an agreement with her. So, that is exciting. She keeps just a few kids, in her home in Germantown. We are really comfortable with her. She lives about 10 minutes from CrossRoads, so that will be convenient. After we spoke with her, we went by the church so Michelle could see the inside. I showed her around, and she met the church staff. I think she is really going to like it there. We are both excited.
It looks like I am going to have a meeting with the parents of the youth this Sunday, and probably start working full-speed the week after Easter. I have been busy getting some ideas together, and trying to formulate a plan. I remember when I started at Mount Denson, I had absolutely no experience, no materials, and no plan. It all seemed to work out, though. LOL. This time, I would like to have a plan, though.
We joined Blockbuster video's online program back a few weeks ago, and are really enjoying it. We have watched several really good movies that we ordinarily would not have had time to see in the theatre. Last night, we watched "Fast Food Nation". While some of it hyberbole, for sure, it makes me sick to think of what goes on in the meat industry. Special interest groups purchase the lawmakers in this country (on behalf of ALL industries), so it should not be too surprising to know that the rules are set up in order for corporations to make the quickest buck possible, regardless of the consequences. When it comes to the meat we eat, I will always remember how my biology teacher in high school told us that after taking a bacteriology class in college, she ate no meat for several years. I have enjoyed cutting back on my own meat consumption; I just feel better.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
We dropped her prescriptions off at Walgreens, and then went to Sonic so she could take care of her corn dog jones (this week's craving). After we ordered, and while we were waiting for the food, I kind of almost dozed off. When the waitress came with the food, I was about 30 seconds from being fully asleep. So, I did not have a tip ready, and didn't think about it until a few minutes later. That was about the same time that I realized I had not ordered anything to drink, so I made a second order for a drink. A different person brought my drink to me, and I gave him a tip, and money for the first waitress. I asked him if he would give that part to her. He said sure. A couple of minutes later, the original waitress came outside, and kind of peered around the corner of our car. She was completely freaked out. I lowered the window, and although she did not come real close, she was within hearing range. She said something to the effect of "Uh, what's up? Why did you give me money via that other guy?" So, I told her I had been half-asleep and wanted to make sure I tipped her. She had a quizzical look on her face, and was just freaked out. I think maybe since she was about 15, she thought a greasy old man was trying to hit on her. Idunno. It was hilarious.
Today, we interviewed a childcare provider for the baby, and we came to an agreement with her. So, that is exciting. She keeps just a few kids, in her home in Germantown. We are really comfortable with her. She lives about 10 minutes from CrossRoads, so that will be convenient. After we spoke with her, we went by the church so Michelle could see the inside. I showed her around, and she met the church staff. I think she is really going to like it there. We are both excited.
It looks like I am going to have a meeting with the parents of the youth this Sunday, and probably start working full-speed the week after Easter. I have been busy getting some ideas together, and trying to formulate a plan. I remember when I started at Mount Denson, I had absolutely no experience, no materials, and no plan. It all seemed to work out, though. LOL. This time, I would like to have a plan, though.
We joined Blockbuster video's online program back a few weeks ago, and are really enjoying it. We have watched several really good movies that we ordinarily would not have had time to see in the theatre. Last night, we watched "Fast Food Nation". While some of it hyberbole, for sure, it makes me sick to think of what goes on in the meat industry. Special interest groups purchase the lawmakers in this country (on behalf of ALL industries), so it should not be too surprising to know that the rules are set up in order for corporations to make the quickest buck possible, regardless of the consequences. When it comes to the meat we eat, I will always remember how my biology teacher in high school told us that after taking a bacteriology class in college, she ate no meat for several years. I have enjoyed cutting back on my own meat consumption; I just feel better.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Friday, March 16, 2007
Michelle and I just found out that there was a shooting at a restaurant that I had once eaten in. When I went there, sometime last summer, neither of us had ever been there, and we didn't know what it was about. I quickly found out. I walked in, and soon observed someone asleep on the pool table. As I was eating, the phone rang, and someone brought it to him and woke him up to take the call. He never sat up, just mumbled into the phone for a few minutes and then went back to sleep. Typical Memphis.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
The last couple of days have been insane. I essentially locked myself in a hole in order to study for my Theology mid-term last night. Unfortunately, I am not sure it did much good. Anyway, I am glad it's Friday. Today, I am going to do some reading for my exegesis paper, then enjoy the Friday. I'm planning on watching some of the second round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational this afternoon. I also need to write my sermon for Sunday. I already kind of have it in my head, so I just need to get it down on paper.
Tuesday night, I got a call from Crossroads Church, and I was offered the position of Director of Youth Ministries. I immediately accepted. This is an incredibly exciting time for me, and Michelle, too. I am working out an exit strategy with the Potts Camp church, but it looks like I will start at Crossroads the week after Easter. I am going by there this morning to fill out paperwork and stuff, and to meet the office staff. Oh, boy. I am so excited. I think this will be a great opportunity.
Michelle and I are looking foward to being in Clarksville next weekend for the baby shower. I was originally going to umpire some baseball games, but I decided just to chill with my friends and family instead. It will be nice to be back home.
Last night, we went to Babies R Us, and ordered a crib. It was kind of exciting to do that. I look forward to putting it together. I hear a lot of dads complaining about how they do not like to put stuff together on Christmas Eve, (The "Some assembly required" label being a bane of society) but I look forward to that. Those opportunites seem to be some of the fun parts of being a dad.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Tuesday night, I got a call from Crossroads Church, and I was offered the position of Director of Youth Ministries. I immediately accepted. This is an incredibly exciting time for me, and Michelle, too. I am working out an exit strategy with the Potts Camp church, but it looks like I will start at Crossroads the week after Easter. I am going by there this morning to fill out paperwork and stuff, and to meet the office staff. Oh, boy. I am so excited. I think this will be a great opportunity.
Michelle and I are looking foward to being in Clarksville next weekend for the baby shower. I was originally going to umpire some baseball games, but I decided just to chill with my friends and family instead. It will be nice to be back home.
Last night, we went to Babies R Us, and ordered a crib. It was kind of exciting to do that. I look forward to putting it together. I hear a lot of dads complaining about how they do not like to put stuff together on Christmas Eve, (The "Some assembly required" label being a bane of society) but I look forward to that. Those opportunites seem to be some of the fun parts of being a dad.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Monday, March 12, 2007
Today has been essentially worthless. I got up at about 4:30 this morning, and read for a while. Then I watched the movie "Crash", which was really good. After that, Michelle and I went to the grocery store to re-stock. We looked like we were preparing for Y2K when we walked out...LOL. Since then, we have just kind of lain around all day. I have class at 5:30, so I imagine I will get a burst of energy in a while.
Speaking of imagining, I read today where there is a tribute album to be released soon, featuring various artists covering the songs of John Lennon. The proceeds from the album will benefit Amnesty International's campaign to end the Darfur genocide. Willie Nelson is doing "Imagine", so there is the connection. Michelle and I drive each other crazy making wild jumps in our conversations without announcing the connections...LOL.
Anyway, speaking of music, tonight the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's class of 2007 will be inducted. We were able to visit the Hall in 2004, and it was great. However, until Kiss, Rush, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Yes, Deep Purple, Alice Cooper, Styx, Iron Maiden, and Judas Priest are ALL elected, the Hall is a bit of a fraud and carries with it a tremendous defiecientcy. There are probably some other artists that have also been snubbed, but those are the ones I can name off the top of my head. Are The Police in? Sting as a solo artist? They should be.
Michelle and I were greatly saddened over the weekend to learn of the death of Brad Delp, the lead singer for the band Boston. Boston is one of our favorite bands, and Delp's passing came as a shock to us. Boston was supposed to release a new album soon, with a summer tour this year. That would have been a great show.
My second interview with Crossroads Church yesterday went quite well. It was a grueling interview, as I had questions being fired at me from about 12 different people. It was tough, but I thought all the questions were relevant and fair. So, I left encouraged. I should hear something back from them by tomorrow.
Michelle and I were watching a show about newborn babies on TV earlier today, and the grandfather of one said that he had made an investment in his own son, and being able to hold the grandson was the dividend. That was tremendous. I know my parents made a tremendous investment in me, so I am glad that will also see a return on that investment. I know that there are many returns on such an investment, but having a grandchild must be one of the better ones.
We were wondering earlier today how the grandparents will act when they get the word that we are heading to the hospital for the delivery. We both felt that all of the grandparents would probably jump right into their cars and hit the road. If that's how it works out, that would certainly be great. We want to share our excitement with everyone, that's for sure. But, if people cannot make it into town for a while, that's cool too. We'll see how things work out.
When we were on our way to church yesterday, I noticed out of the corner of my eye that Michelle was rubbing her belly. I smiled and asked her if it seems surreal to have a living creature moving around inside her. She started laughing and said it certainly does. I know it seems surreal to me just to think about her having a baby inside her.
Speaking of imagining, I read today where there is a tribute album to be released soon, featuring various artists covering the songs of John Lennon. The proceeds from the album will benefit Amnesty International's campaign to end the Darfur genocide. Willie Nelson is doing "Imagine", so there is the connection. Michelle and I drive each other crazy making wild jumps in our conversations without announcing the connections...LOL.
Anyway, speaking of music, tonight the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's class of 2007 will be inducted. We were able to visit the Hall in 2004, and it was great. However, until Kiss, Rush, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Yes, Deep Purple, Alice Cooper, Styx, Iron Maiden, and Judas Priest are ALL elected, the Hall is a bit of a fraud and carries with it a tremendous defiecientcy. There are probably some other artists that have also been snubbed, but those are the ones I can name off the top of my head. Are The Police in? Sting as a solo artist? They should be.
Michelle and I were greatly saddened over the weekend to learn of the death of Brad Delp, the lead singer for the band Boston. Boston is one of our favorite bands, and Delp's passing came as a shock to us. Boston was supposed to release a new album soon, with a summer tour this year. That would have been a great show.
My second interview with Crossroads Church yesterday went quite well. It was a grueling interview, as I had questions being fired at me from about 12 different people. It was tough, but I thought all the questions were relevant and fair. So, I left encouraged. I should hear something back from them by tomorrow.
Michelle and I were watching a show about newborn babies on TV earlier today, and the grandfather of one said that he had made an investment in his own son, and being able to hold the grandson was the dividend. That was tremendous. I know my parents made a tremendous investment in me, so I am glad that will also see a return on that investment. I know that there are many returns on such an investment, but having a grandchild must be one of the better ones.
We were wondering earlier today how the grandparents will act when they get the word that we are heading to the hospital for the delivery. We both felt that all of the grandparents would probably jump right into their cars and hit the road. If that's how it works out, that would certainly be great. We want to share our excitement with everyone, that's for sure. But, if people cannot make it into town for a while, that's cool too. We'll see how things work out.
When we were on our way to church yesterday, I noticed out of the corner of my eye that Michelle was rubbing her belly. I smiled and asked her if it seems surreal to have a living creature moving around inside her. She started laughing and said it certainly does. I know it seems surreal to me just to think about her having a baby inside her.
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Lazing around on a Saturday morning...
Michelle and I are going to Babies R US later for the gear and gadgets special. It should be a lot of fun.
The ink cartridge in our printer went dry, and it's been a big inconvienience. I didn't realize how much I used the printer until now. We gotta get a new cartridge.
We have a mound of laundry that could block the view of Manute Bol. Gotta get on that today.
Last night, we enjoyed a wonderful night out. We went to dinner at a nicer-than-normal place, and it was cool that we had a buy-one-get-one-free coupon. Whoever said there is no such thing as a free lunch didn't know me. Anyway, it was great. It was nice to dress up a bit. Afterward, we went to Build-A-Bear, and made a bear for the baby. We dressed him in a baseball uniform, and he looks great. He even has a fielder's glove, ball, and a bat. LOL.
Michelle noticed that one of the brake lights in the Explorer is out, so I am going to replace both of them today.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Michelle and I are going to Babies R US later for the gear and gadgets special. It should be a lot of fun.
The ink cartridge in our printer went dry, and it's been a big inconvienience. I didn't realize how much I used the printer until now. We gotta get a new cartridge.
We have a mound of laundry that could block the view of Manute Bol. Gotta get on that today.
Last night, we enjoyed a wonderful night out. We went to dinner at a nicer-than-normal place, and it was cool that we had a buy-one-get-one-free coupon. Whoever said there is no such thing as a free lunch didn't know me. Anyway, it was great. It was nice to dress up a bit. Afterward, we went to Build-A-Bear, and made a bear for the baby. We dressed him in a baseball uniform, and he looks great. He even has a fielder's glove, ball, and a bat. LOL.
Michelle noticed that one of the brake lights in the Explorer is out, so I am going to replace both of them today.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Friday, March 09, 2007
You have probably noticed that I have made some changes to the blog. It's a work in progress.
I am the library today, working on my Theology mid-term. The great thing about being at the library on Fridays is that, since there are no classes all day, the library is a ghost-town. Library etiquette has completely gone away (at least in my own experience), so trying to get any work done during the week can be an exercise in futility. But, on Fridays, it is joyfully silent.
Michelle is baby-sitting the younger boy that she used to nanny for. I am going to meet them around lunch time; it will be neat to see him.
I read an article in USA Today yesterday about a new book titled Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know--and Doesn't by Stephen Prothero. Prothero is the chair of the religion department at Boston University. In his book, Prothero points out that the vast majority of Americans hold a stunningly low level of knowledge about the world's religions. He reminds us that being ignorant of these matters prevents us from truly understanding many of the world's events, and argues that a religiously knowledgeable society is a better one.
Included in the book is a 15-question quiz, which he says his students fail every year. Michelle and I took it, and we did "OK". Which is to say that we passed.
If you like, take it and see how you do. Check your answers here. Add up your total points, then multiply by two for your final score (as a percentage of 100).
1 point each: Name the Four Christian Gospels.
1 point: Name a sacred text of Hinduism
1 point: What is the name of the holy book of Islam?
1 point: Where according to the Bible was Jesus born?
1 point: President George W. Bush spoke in his first inaugural address of the Jericho road. What Bible story was he invoking?
1 point each: What are the first five books of the Hebrew Bible or the Christian Old Testament?
1 point: What is the Golden Rule?
2 points: "God helps those who help themselves." Is this in the Bible? If so, where?
2 points: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God." Does this appear in the Bible?
10 points: Name the Ten Commandments.
4 points: Name the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism.
7 points: What are the Seven Sacraments of Catholicism?
1 point each: The First Amendment says two things about religion, each in its own "clause." What are its two religion clauses?
2 points: What is Ramadan? In what religion is it celebrated?
7 points: Match the Bible characters with the stories in which they appear. Some characters may be matched with more than one story or vice versa.
CHARACTERS:
Adam and Eve
Noah
Paul
Moses
Jesus
Abraham
Serpent
STORIES:
Exodus
Binding of Isaac
Olive Branch
Garden of Eden
Parting of the Red Sea
Road to Damascus
Garden of Gethsemane
I am the library today, working on my Theology mid-term. The great thing about being at the library on Fridays is that, since there are no classes all day, the library is a ghost-town. Library etiquette has completely gone away (at least in my own experience), so trying to get any work done during the week can be an exercise in futility. But, on Fridays, it is joyfully silent.
Michelle is baby-sitting the younger boy that she used to nanny for. I am going to meet them around lunch time; it will be neat to see him.
I read an article in USA Today yesterday about a new book titled Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know--and Doesn't by Stephen Prothero. Prothero is the chair of the religion department at Boston University. In his book, Prothero points out that the vast majority of Americans hold a stunningly low level of knowledge about the world's religions. He reminds us that being ignorant of these matters prevents us from truly understanding many of the world's events, and argues that a religiously knowledgeable society is a better one.
Included in the book is a 15-question quiz, which he says his students fail every year. Michelle and I took it, and we did "OK". Which is to say that we passed.
If you like, take it and see how you do. Check your answers here. Add up your total points, then multiply by two for your final score (as a percentage of 100).
1 point each: Name the Four Christian Gospels.
1 point: Name a sacred text of Hinduism
1 point: What is the name of the holy book of Islam?
1 point: Where according to the Bible was Jesus born?
1 point: President George W. Bush spoke in his first inaugural address of the Jericho road. What Bible story was he invoking?
1 point each: What are the first five books of the Hebrew Bible or the Christian Old Testament?
1 point: What is the Golden Rule?
2 points: "God helps those who help themselves." Is this in the Bible? If so, where?
2 points: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God." Does this appear in the Bible?
10 points: Name the Ten Commandments.
4 points: Name the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism.
7 points: What are the Seven Sacraments of Catholicism?
1 point each: The First Amendment says two things about religion, each in its own "clause." What are its two religion clauses?
2 points: What is Ramadan? In what religion is it celebrated?
7 points: Match the Bible characters with the stories in which they appear. Some characters may be matched with more than one story or vice versa.
CHARACTERS:
Adam and Eve
Noah
Paul
Moses
Jesus
Abraham
Serpent
STORIES:
Exodus
Binding of Isaac
Olive Branch
Garden of Eden
Parting of the Red Sea
Road to Damascus
Garden of Gethsemane
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Last week, I got a welcome package from the Alumni Association. It consisted of an ink pen, a lapel pin, a window sticker, and my membership card. It still feels weird to see the "University of Memphis Alumni" sticker on the car. Makes me proud. One day, I might have a "Memphis Theological Seminary Alumni" sticker on the car. Or, one that says "clergy". That will be REAL weird.
I keep threatening to "out" Michelle's whereabouts to the Austin Peay Alumni Association, but I don't think she would ever forgive me. She cannot stand that place.
This morning, Greg Walker was featured on the ESPN radio show, "Mike and Mike in the Morning". Greg's epic radio broadcast of the last few seconds of Austin Peay's loss Saturday to Eastern Illinois has drawn national attention. Absolutely epic.
Peace...
I keep threatening to "out" Michelle's whereabouts to the Austin Peay Alumni Association, but I don't think she would ever forgive me. She cannot stand that place.
This morning, Greg Walker was featured on the ESPN radio show, "Mike and Mike in the Morning". Greg's epic radio broadcast of the last few seconds of Austin Peay's loss Saturday to Eastern Illinois has drawn national attention. Absolutely epic.
Peace...
Last night at about 9:30, I got a call from the head of the Staff Parish Relations Committee from Crossroads Church, saying that the full committee wants to meet with me this Sunday afternoon. It sounds like I made a really good impression on the sub-committee that I met with this past Sunday. So, I spent a night in restless quasi-sleep, wondering what is going to happen. If the church calls me to the position, I still do not know if I will accept it. It's all so strange and surreal. I inquired about this position long before I had even heard about Lebanon Church, and at that time I was VERY excited about it. I did not hear anything from Crossroads for several weeks, and by that time I had preached at Potts Camp for a couple of weeks and fallen in love with it. I really feel a strong calling there, so I just do not know what I am going to do.
I say that, but maybe that's not really true. Michelle pointed out last night that if it is weighing this heavily on my heart, then it must be what I truly in my heart want to do. Idunno. I'm going to stay in prayer over it all week, and hopefully I will figure out the direction I am supposed to move in. Trying to discern God's will is a difficult task, indeed.
Mike Clark keeps talking about how Lily will still not sleep through the night, and how that is driving him crazy. I am hoping that our little one does better, but I doubt it...LOL.
I am studying for my New Testament mid-term tonight, and just got kicked out of the library. It closes every day at 11:00 for chapel services. So, I am going to go to chapel, and then come back and get some work done.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
I say that, but maybe that's not really true. Michelle pointed out last night that if it is weighing this heavily on my heart, then it must be what I truly in my heart want to do. Idunno. I'm going to stay in prayer over it all week, and hopefully I will figure out the direction I am supposed to move in. Trying to discern God's will is a difficult task, indeed.
Mike Clark keeps talking about how Lily will still not sleep through the night, and how that is driving him crazy. I am hoping that our little one does better, but I doubt it...LOL.
I am studying for my New Testament mid-term tonight, and just got kicked out of the library. It closes every day at 11:00 for chapel services. So, I am going to go to chapel, and then come back and get some work done.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Monday, March 05, 2007
Michelle and I met with a pediatrician this morning, and we both were impressed. So, we decided to go with this one. We are also in the process of choosing a nursery, so we should have a decision made on that in the next week or two.
My interview at Crossroads church yesterday went very well. I was told that a decision was going to be made in the next couple of days, and that I should expect a phone call Tuesday night to let me know of their decision. If they call me, I will have a big decision to make. Still do not know what I would do.
There is an interesting summer class being offered at MTS. It is a two-week intensive course entitled, "Gonna Change My Way of Thinking": Bob Dylan on the Bible, Sin & Virtue. "Intensive" means that it meets every day, for about 4 hours each session.
The course description is:
"The course proposes to look at how Dylan used Biblical references in his lyrics as an artist, his vision of sin, and his understanding of virtue. Special consideration will be given to his "Christian albums" for their soteriological content. A multimedia approach will be taken, utilizing musical recordings, documentaries, and taped interviews. Class participants will also be encouraged to prepare musical performances of Dylan's works."
Michelle is encouraging me to take it, although it will be during the last two weeks before the baby is due. I cannot imagine being able to concentrate during that time. Registration is at the end of this month, so I still have some time to think about it.
I need to finish a powerpoint presentation that I will be giving in my Interchurch Relations class tonight. I only have about 4-5 more slides to go, so it is almost done. I also have a mid-term in New Testament class tomorrow night. I am almost ready for that.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
My interview at Crossroads church yesterday went very well. I was told that a decision was going to be made in the next couple of days, and that I should expect a phone call Tuesday night to let me know of their decision. If they call me, I will have a big decision to make. Still do not know what I would do.
There is an interesting summer class being offered at MTS. It is a two-week intensive course entitled, "Gonna Change My Way of Thinking": Bob Dylan on the Bible, Sin & Virtue. "Intensive" means that it meets every day, for about 4 hours each session.
The course description is:
"The course proposes to look at how Dylan used Biblical references in his lyrics as an artist, his vision of sin, and his understanding of virtue. Special consideration will be given to his "Christian albums" for their soteriological content. A multimedia approach will be taken, utilizing musical recordings, documentaries, and taped interviews. Class participants will also be encouraged to prepare musical performances of Dylan's works."
Michelle is encouraging me to take it, although it will be during the last two weeks before the baby is due. I cannot imagine being able to concentrate during that time. Registration is at the end of this month, so I still have some time to think about it.
I need to finish a powerpoint presentation that I will be giving in my Interchurch Relations class tonight. I only have about 4-5 more slides to go, so it is almost done. I also have a mid-term in New Testament class tomorrow night. I am almost ready for that.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Friday, March 02, 2007
So much is going on these days, it's crazy. But I embrace the insanity. Most of the time. LOL.
I had a job interview with Cingular Wireless earlier this week, and it went really well. I was told to expect a second interview, so I am awaiting that call. I also have an interview this Sunday afternoon at Crossroads United Methodist Church in Collierville, which is looking for a Youth Minister. I applied for that position before I had even heard of the church at Potts Camp. I have really come to think of myself as being called to the church at Potts Camp, so if I am offered the position at Crossroads, I don't know what I am going to do. There are also a couple of other things that I am looking into that would allow me to continue preaching at Potts Camp.
My first mid-term exam (New Testament class) is next Tuesday, so I am getting ready for that. It counts for 40% of the grade, so I need to do well.
Due to me taking on more work, I decided to drop my Church History class. This will allow me to maintain my sanity.
On Wednesday, I went to the dentist for a cleaning, and ended up having two teeth pulled. So, my mouth has been sore the last couple of days, but it feels better this morning. I am going to try to resume eating normal food today.
We toured a day-care center yesterday, and today we are looking at another one. We also have an appointment with the OB. Tonight, we are baby-sitting. So, it will be a full day today.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
I had a job interview with Cingular Wireless earlier this week, and it went really well. I was told to expect a second interview, so I am awaiting that call. I also have an interview this Sunday afternoon at Crossroads United Methodist Church in Collierville, which is looking for a Youth Minister. I applied for that position before I had even heard of the church at Potts Camp. I have really come to think of myself as being called to the church at Potts Camp, so if I am offered the position at Crossroads, I don't know what I am going to do. There are also a couple of other things that I am looking into that would allow me to continue preaching at Potts Camp.
My first mid-term exam (New Testament class) is next Tuesday, so I am getting ready for that. It counts for 40% of the grade, so I need to do well.
Due to me taking on more work, I decided to drop my Church History class. This will allow me to maintain my sanity.
On Wednesday, I went to the dentist for a cleaning, and ended up having two teeth pulled. So, my mouth has been sore the last couple of days, but it feels better this morning. I am going to try to resume eating normal food today.
We toured a day-care center yesterday, and today we are looking at another one. We also have an appointment with the OB. Tonight, we are baby-sitting. So, it will be a full day today.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Friday, February 23, 2007
This has been the craziest week ever. I have been sick all week with a sinus infection, and as a result, have not slept more than a couple of hours each night. Kind of hard to get to REM stage when I can't breathe. Throw in major stress about employment, and life just gets miserable.
I woke up this morning feeling kind of blue (with a nod to Miles Davis). I chilled on the couch for most of the morning, not moving much. Michelle mentioned that the bathroom needed cleaning, so I took that as an opportunity to get moving. Actually, I sort of went manic in there. I cleaned the shower with a bottle of Tilex and a toothbrush. It looked great when I was done. After that, we ran some errands and that took up the rest of the afternoon.
I got out of my blues, but still see no relief in sight from this sinus infection. I only have 2 days of meds remaining, so I hope I feel better by Monday.
We are just hanging at the house tonight. We are going to watch Little Miss Sunshine. It seems like it should be really good. Today is National Banana Bread Day, so we made a batch. It should be out of the oven soon.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
I woke up this morning feeling kind of blue (with a nod to Miles Davis). I chilled on the couch for most of the morning, not moving much. Michelle mentioned that the bathroom needed cleaning, so I took that as an opportunity to get moving. Actually, I sort of went manic in there. I cleaned the shower with a bottle of Tilex and a toothbrush. It looked great when I was done. After that, we ran some errands and that took up the rest of the afternoon.
I got out of my blues, but still see no relief in sight from this sinus infection. I only have 2 days of meds remaining, so I hope I feel better by Monday.
We are just hanging at the house tonight. We are going to watch Little Miss Sunshine. It seems like it should be really good. Today is National Banana Bread Day, so we made a batch. It should be out of the oven soon.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Michelle's dad called this morning to say that he was passing through town, so we met him for breakfast at Cracker Barrell. That was really nice.
Yesterday, we spent the majority of the day in various doctor's offices. Michelle was having some concerns about her situation, so she went to see the OB-GYN. Whilst she was doing that, I was seeing my doctor about my sinus infection. After we got done, we met for lunch, then went to have a specialist look at Michelle. I skipped Church History class to go with her, and emailed my paper to the professor. The doctor came up with a diagnosis, and prescribed some meds for her. Even better, he gave her free samples of her meds. Whoever said there is no such thing as a free lunch did not know me. It was cool that he and Michelle had both attended MTSU. He also knew about Clarksville, since he is from Nashville. That was neat.
After that, we dropped off my prescription at Walgreens, and came home. After I took a nap, I put some chicken in the oven for dinner, and right about that time Michelle kept asking me if I was going to go pick up my prescription. I said probably not until after dinner. She then said, "but if you go now, you can get me a taco from Taco Bell before dinner." So, that is what I did. Nothing like a taco appetizer before a chicken dinner...LOL.
I read a little last night, and started working on ideas for a sermon. Actually, I started working on ideas for a whole series of sermons for the Lenten season. I also had a great conversation with my primary contact at Lebanon Church. He advised me that the congregation is really enjoying my sermons and is glad I am there. I told him I have enjoyed being there as well. It looks like we have a good match. We talked about doing an earlier (not exactly sunrise) service on Easter Sunday. Later I thought it might be nice to have a service on Maundy Thursday, so I think I will bring that up this Sunday and see if anyone is interested.
I am feeling a little better this morning. My face is slowly getting decongested, but my throat is still raw. So, it is difficult to talk. I imagine those around me are enjoying the quietness...LOL.
I am going to do my reading for class tonight, and maybe start working on my Church History paper for next week.
Some of my fellow travelers to Israel are planning a 1-year reunion soon. That will be nice. it is hard to believe it has been almost an entire year. The year sure has gone quickly. Actually, the whole time since Michelle and I met has been a big blur. So many things have happened, it's hard to keep up. Time does indeed fly sometimes.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Yesterday, we spent the majority of the day in various doctor's offices. Michelle was having some concerns about her situation, so she went to see the OB-GYN. Whilst she was doing that, I was seeing my doctor about my sinus infection. After we got done, we met for lunch, then went to have a specialist look at Michelle. I skipped Church History class to go with her, and emailed my paper to the professor. The doctor came up with a diagnosis, and prescribed some meds for her. Even better, he gave her free samples of her meds. Whoever said there is no such thing as a free lunch did not know me. It was cool that he and Michelle had both attended MTSU. He also knew about Clarksville, since he is from Nashville. That was neat.
After that, we dropped off my prescription at Walgreens, and came home. After I took a nap, I put some chicken in the oven for dinner, and right about that time Michelle kept asking me if I was going to go pick up my prescription. I said probably not until after dinner. She then said, "but if you go now, you can get me a taco from Taco Bell before dinner." So, that is what I did. Nothing like a taco appetizer before a chicken dinner...LOL.
I read a little last night, and started working on ideas for a sermon. Actually, I started working on ideas for a whole series of sermons for the Lenten season. I also had a great conversation with my primary contact at Lebanon Church. He advised me that the congregation is really enjoying my sermons and is glad I am there. I told him I have enjoyed being there as well. It looks like we have a good match. We talked about doing an earlier (not exactly sunrise) service on Easter Sunday. Later I thought it might be nice to have a service on Maundy Thursday, so I think I will bring that up this Sunday and see if anyone is interested.
I am feeling a little better this morning. My face is slowly getting decongested, but my throat is still raw. So, it is difficult to talk. I imagine those around me are enjoying the quietness...LOL.
I am going to do my reading for class tonight, and maybe start working on my Church History paper for next week.
Some of my fellow travelers to Israel are planning a 1-year reunion soon. That will be nice. it is hard to believe it has been almost an entire year. The year sure has gone quickly. Actually, the whole time since Michelle and I met has been a big blur. So many things have happened, it's hard to keep up. Time does indeed fly sometimes.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Earlier tonight, I twice tried to go to sleep, but could not. Something about not being able to breathe. So, I decided to try to write my paper for Church History class, which is due this afernoon. I finished it a few minutes ago, although I will probably proof-read it later this morning, because I am quite-bleary-eyed now. I am quite confident that I will be able to sleep at this point. Good night.
Peace...
Peace...
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Sunday morning, I woke up with a scratchy throat and a bit of a headache. By yesterday morning, I was completely wrecked with sinus pain, stuffy nose, severe headache, sore throat, and a general sense of being mad for being sick. I got my hair cut on Saturday at Sportclips, and there were about 15-20 kids there with their dads, and I think I may have picked up something there. Anyway, I feel a little better this morning, but not much. I am grateful that lat night's class was cancelled, so I was able to just chill at home.
I am at school now, although I did not go to my first class. The fourth week of a semester may be the earliest I have ever skipped a class, since I rarely ever miss anyway. I have New Testament at 5:30, so I am going to read and do research until then. I have to write an exegetical paper for that class, which was the most difficult type of paper for me to write as an undergrad. The one I did in Ethics class last spring, I only got a C on it. I am going to need to do better this time.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
I am at school now, although I did not go to my first class. The fourth week of a semester may be the earliest I have ever skipped a class, since I rarely ever miss anyway. I have New Testament at 5:30, so I am going to read and do research until then. I have to write an exegetical paper for that class, which was the most difficult type of paper for me to write as an undergrad. The one I did in Ethics class last spring, I only got a C on it. I am going to need to do better this time.
I hope everyone is doing well. Peace...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
