Yesterday was January 15, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. It is just after midnight Tuesday as I begin this. January is half over with February just around the corner. February is the month that the mission group from the denomination I was affiliated with goes to Kima, Kenya each year. I was privileged to go in 2004 and again in 2006. I was supposed to go in 2005 but had my stroke on the 7th of January that year.
I am very thankful to be alive, a year and a week later, but sad that I will not be able to go to Kenya this year. Changing jobs and a smaller paycheck has prevented me going. There will be other opportunities. The cost of the trip with the missions group continues to go up each year, reflecting inflation in most things. Part of the high cost of the trip with them is the two days and nights spent in the Fig Tree Camp in the Masi Mara game preserve. That is an incredible experience, but one that having done twice I would be willing to leave out to save the money.
So I continue to hope for a trip on my own one day, with a Kenyan friend from church if possible. The Principal of the seminary (Kima International School of Theology) has extended an invitation to me pending clearance from the denominational administration which I have been told should present few or no problems. I believe I can get help with plane fare via my brother Phillip who works for a major airline and guidance from my friend Martin on ground transportation in Kenya. Martin is from Nairobi. Those with the safari exclusion should save significantly on the cost of the trip.
So I continue to hope for return trips to see people that I have met and learned to love.
I understand from a member of the Argentina trip that our return in the Spring is not likely to happen. I need to touch base with some of the contacts I made to see if they still are expecting me to help with the Internet Café in the new convention center they are building.
Right now, I am content working on the projects I have started around the house and the duties I have accepted at church. Georgiann and I are almost done hanging new ceiling fans with light kits in the family room. We are replacing 4 2 tube 4 foot florescence light fixtures. The florescence lights are just too harsh for home use I think. I am relocating them to the utility room. Saturday Todd and I constructed a wall in the middle of the utility room that covers the only exposed floor jack in the basement. On the east side of the wall I hung 2 4X8 sheets of pegboard to hold tools, etc. the west side will have a deep well sink on it when I get around to that.
My next project, which is already in process, is my office. I plan to start working in there this coming Sunday after church.
Speaking of church, it is time for my committee to put together another Christian Education slate of classes and teachers. Along with my co-director, Susan Black, I am trying to re-invent Christian Education at our church. We also have to get caught up on background checks for teachers and prospective teachers. So, lots to do on that front as well.
When accused of burning his candle at both ends, a friend of mine in Pittsburgh over 20 years ago replied, “Ah, but the light.”
A search for an original owner of that phrase yielded a poem released by Edna St. Vincent Millay in a collection of poems in 1920 reprinted here without permission:
My candle burns at both ends;
It will not last the night;
But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends--
It gives a lovely light!
Knowing my friend, he was most likely very well acquainted with this poem and modified it to suit his need at the time.
So, I sometimes believe that I am burning my candle at both ends; but knowing I no matter how hard I work or how involved I am, I still have the same number of hours, minutes and seconds in each day as anyone else. And having decided long ago to wear out rather than rust out, I stay as active as my 57 year old body will allow me to.
I love to be active, I love to learn, and I love to facilitate other people’s life activities. So I stay active.
Speaking of learning, I have once again been drawn back to Max Lucado’s books. If you are not familiar with Lucado, and you are interested in living from a Christian perspective, he is a man with a gift of words. His word illustrations and explanations of scriptures continue to amaze me. I am reading what I think is his latest book, “Facing Your Giants.” It is about King David of the Bible. If you are familiar with David’s life, you know that David was a Godly man, described in scripture as “..a man after God’s own heart.” But David had 10 sons by 8 different wives, not counting daughters, and no biblical record of the number of sons and daughters by his concubines. David must have thought the 10 commandments didn’t apply to him.
But in spite of some huge weaknesses, God still used David to accomplish great things. Lucado lays all that out in a very compelling manner.
Blessings to you if you stayed with this musing. I am going to bed.
1.16.2007
1.10.2007
Tolerant Christians
Had the day off today. That means time to do important things. So I slept in. I always work from the most important things to the least important things.
Had lunch with Paige and Matt, my blogging & email friends. And spiritual soul mates as well. Paige and I had man’s (man in the generic form) staple (pizza for those of you who don’t know me well enough) while Matt just chewed on our conversation. He’s the silent, quiet one in the group, but most likely the deepest thinker. At least that is what he wants us to believe.
I came home and finished stripping the carpet and pad out and pulling up all of the carpet tack strips in the third bedroom. I am converting it to an office so I can better immerse myself in study. I want plenty of desk space to have a number of books/Bibles/references out at once. I have drawn up plans for the office and am anxious to get started. I also drew up plans to build 2 or 3 of those large tabletop book stands like you see in libraries; only mine will have lazy susans under them. I have several large reference books that I would love to have opened and within reach all the time.
I am planning recessed lighting over the wrap around desk and have been thinking about suspending some small shelves just out of the way above me. High enough to avoid getting bumped but low enough so I could stand up and pull a book from.
A comment to me recently set my mind in motion and I have carried on a running dialog with an imaginary companion about this comment. I actually have a long history of mental conversations with imaginary people. When my sister, Yvonne, and I were very young we didn’t play well together. For one thing we were different sex and this was the mid 1950s. The other things I don’t know but we didn’t do well playing together. I guess there was just enough age difference that I would regard her as a nuisance.
I had, instead, an imaginary friend to whom I was a great hero. I was always explaining to him, Arky, why things were, how things worked or the when and where of things. I don’t know what Yvonne talked to Duty about but I am sure I thought her having an imaginary friend meant she was either a little touched in the head as we used to say or downright certifiably crazy. And I am sure that if Arky had ever meet Duty he wouldn’t have given her the time of day.
I lost track of Arky somewhere between living on North Main Street and going to Emerson Elementary and living on West Third and going to Riley Elementary school. Riley is no longer a school, although the last time I was by there it was still standing. Sort of tugged at my heart remembering some happy times there.
Anyway, “Arky, where are you.” I don’t know. But this imaginary friend I was discussing this thought with was not Arky. For one thing, Arky wouldn’t have offered comment back. He was like that. Quiet in spirit. Much like my friend Matt.
I was caused to remember, via this comment made; of the many times I have heard people say that as Christians we need to be more tolerant of other religions.
Well, I do have some strong feelings about that comment and I hope to myth bust it with scripture.
The Christian faith, which I will abbreviate here CF, is not a religion like other groups that want to be known as a religion. Quoting directly from the on line resource Dicionary.com, and using that great plagiarizing tool, copy/paste; religion is defined thus:
1.
a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, esp. when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.
2.
a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects: the Christian religion; the Buddhist religion.
3.
the body of persons adhering to a particular set of beliefs and practices: a world council of religions.
The Christian faith is the only “religion” that I know about that is based on, centered on, and contained completely within, one living person.
All of the other religions are either completely based within or mostly on the sayings, writings and actions of someone who is no longer with us.
My life as a Christian is not a religion to me, but rather a faith. A faith in the man and God, Jesus. I have a deep seated faith in Jesus as a man like me, but who at the same time was God. I’d be happy to explain that to you, but I don’t know how. I believe it in “faith.” At some point I want to address the so called panic that many Christians bought into concerning the release of the DaVinci Code. Shame on you. Your faith seems pretty shaky to have a good mystery scare you. Hope you never get into a Hardy Boys book. You’ll be hiding under your beds. If you like good mysteries, I highly recommend the DaVinci Code. Well written. The movie was good, as well. But they never touched on my faith. That is ludicrous. Dan Brown pulled a fast one over on the Christian community and in doing so made a LOT of money. So did Mel Gibson with the Passion. Although I will say Gibson actually did a very commendable service to the Christian community with this portrayal of the suffering of Christ. Dan Brown has laughed all the way to the bank. You can still see tons of sites on the Internet for and against the DaVinci book and movie. Sad people are so shallow in their knowledge of truth.
In John 14:6 Jesus is quoted, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me.” (KJV)
Here is the deal, if you claim to be a Christian, then by denotation you must believe everything that Christ said. You can’t pick and choose. Christ has excluded every other way to get to an eternal heaven. So being tolerant of other ways is to deny Christ. There is no middle ground.
That does not give Christians any latitude to treat other religious followers with anything less than complete love, care and compassion. We are to treat everyone that way. Jesus tell us in Matthew 5:44 “...love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;” (KJV)
How can someone who lost a dear loved one in a terrorist attack love those terrorists? It’s beyond me, but it is NOT beyond God. Only through God can we have that kind of love. That was Christ’s entire point when he lived a life of submission to His father as an example of how we are to live.
Be loving to people of other religions, but don’t let them make you believe they will share eternity with Christians. It is not Biblical. The Bible has one true God who has one true Son, through which the one true God is reached. All others are thieves and robbers.
Had lunch with Paige and Matt, my blogging & email friends. And spiritual soul mates as well. Paige and I had man’s (man in the generic form) staple (pizza for those of you who don’t know me well enough) while Matt just chewed on our conversation. He’s the silent, quiet one in the group, but most likely the deepest thinker. At least that is what he wants us to believe.
I came home and finished stripping the carpet and pad out and pulling up all of the carpet tack strips in the third bedroom. I am converting it to an office so I can better immerse myself in study. I want plenty of desk space to have a number of books/Bibles/references out at once. I have drawn up plans for the office and am anxious to get started. I also drew up plans to build 2 or 3 of those large tabletop book stands like you see in libraries; only mine will have lazy susans under them. I have several large reference books that I would love to have opened and within reach all the time.
I am planning recessed lighting over the wrap around desk and have been thinking about suspending some small shelves just out of the way above me. High enough to avoid getting bumped but low enough so I could stand up and pull a book from.
A comment to me recently set my mind in motion and I have carried on a running dialog with an imaginary companion about this comment. I actually have a long history of mental conversations with imaginary people. When my sister, Yvonne, and I were very young we didn’t play well together. For one thing we were different sex and this was the mid 1950s. The other things I don’t know but we didn’t do well playing together. I guess there was just enough age difference that I would regard her as a nuisance.
I had, instead, an imaginary friend to whom I was a great hero. I was always explaining to him, Arky, why things were, how things worked or the when and where of things. I don’t know what Yvonne talked to Duty about but I am sure I thought her having an imaginary friend meant she was either a little touched in the head as we used to say or downright certifiably crazy. And I am sure that if Arky had ever meet Duty he wouldn’t have given her the time of day.
I lost track of Arky somewhere between living on North Main Street and going to Emerson Elementary and living on West Third and going to Riley Elementary school. Riley is no longer a school, although the last time I was by there it was still standing. Sort of tugged at my heart remembering some happy times there.
Anyway, “Arky, where are you.” I don’t know. But this imaginary friend I was discussing this thought with was not Arky. For one thing, Arky wouldn’t have offered comment back. He was like that. Quiet in spirit. Much like my friend Matt.
I was caused to remember, via this comment made; of the many times I have heard people say that as Christians we need to be more tolerant of other religions.
Well, I do have some strong feelings about that comment and I hope to myth bust it with scripture.
The Christian faith, which I will abbreviate here CF, is not a religion like other groups that want to be known as a religion. Quoting directly from the on line resource Dicionary.com, and using that great plagiarizing tool, copy/paste; religion is defined thus:
1.
a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, esp. when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.
2.
a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects: the Christian religion; the Buddhist religion.
3.
the body of persons adhering to a particular set of beliefs and practices: a world council of religions.
The Christian faith is the only “religion” that I know about that is based on, centered on, and contained completely within, one living person.
All of the other religions are either completely based within or mostly on the sayings, writings and actions of someone who is no longer with us.
My life as a Christian is not a religion to me, but rather a faith. A faith in the man and God, Jesus. I have a deep seated faith in Jesus as a man like me, but who at the same time was God. I’d be happy to explain that to you, but I don’t know how. I believe it in “faith.” At some point I want to address the so called panic that many Christians bought into concerning the release of the DaVinci Code. Shame on you. Your faith seems pretty shaky to have a good mystery scare you. Hope you never get into a Hardy Boys book. You’ll be hiding under your beds. If you like good mysteries, I highly recommend the DaVinci Code. Well written. The movie was good, as well. But they never touched on my faith. That is ludicrous. Dan Brown pulled a fast one over on the Christian community and in doing so made a LOT of money. So did Mel Gibson with the Passion. Although I will say Gibson actually did a very commendable service to the Christian community with this portrayal of the suffering of Christ. Dan Brown has laughed all the way to the bank. You can still see tons of sites on the Internet for and against the DaVinci book and movie. Sad people are so shallow in their knowledge of truth.
In John 14:6 Jesus is quoted, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me.” (KJV)
Here is the deal, if you claim to be a Christian, then by denotation you must believe everything that Christ said. You can’t pick and choose. Christ has excluded every other way to get to an eternal heaven. So being tolerant of other ways is to deny Christ. There is no middle ground.
That does not give Christians any latitude to treat other religious followers with anything less than complete love, care and compassion. We are to treat everyone that way. Jesus tell us in Matthew 5:44 “...love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;” (KJV)
How can someone who lost a dear loved one in a terrorist attack love those terrorists? It’s beyond me, but it is NOT beyond God. Only through God can we have that kind of love. That was Christ’s entire point when he lived a life of submission to His father as an example of how we are to live.
Be loving to people of other religions, but don’t let them make you believe they will share eternity with Christians. It is not Biblical. The Bible has one true God who has one true Son, through which the one true God is reached. All others are thieves and robbers.
1.09.2007
My Late Life Goal
Musing is easy for a person of my personality. My wife tells me I live too much in the past. Possibly. She’s right about most things she comments on. Musing is one thing, writing about them with a serious reduction in available finger power is quite another.
Not only are my two shortened fingers still too tender to use for typing, I am going to have to train my left hand to turn on its axis much more than it has had to do before. If you watch your hands while you type (if you are a touch typist), you will find that the fingers naturally reach the majority of keys needed in normal typing and don’t require that your hands to rotate perceptively on an axis running from the center of the wrist out through the long finger. I had always called that finger the middle finger, as in giving someone the finger (middle being implied). That was before the evening of my "incident." In the ER they called it my “long finger.” Well, it might have BEEN my long finger, but it is still my MIDDLE finger. Guess the medical people may have to rethink their terminology in my case.
I guess I now have on my left hand an index finger; a length challenged long finger, a ring finger and a pinky finger. Ignoring the thumb, which even in my somewhat incapacitated state, does not come into play while typing.
Or, conversely, I have an index finger, a same length as the index finger but fatter finger, a new long finger, no ring finger (too fat for the wedding band anyway) and still the trusty pinky.
Typing speed is down about 90%. I’d be better off installing dragon speak.
All that to say you will read this musing in far less time than it took to type.
Some of my closest friends know that I enrolled in a distance learning program to get my master’s degree in Bible with a concentration in Christian Education.
I have over the last 5 to 6 years become increasingly alarmed at the lack of knowledge many people who call themselves Christians have of their faith. Most of them have total faith and no fact. They blindly believe whatever they are told and don’t even realize when they are told opposing processes and or doctrines. Many can’t substantiate their theological position and rely instead on the classic but foundationless phrases “Our church believes…” or “Our church teaches…”
I attended a moderately sized church for the better part of 18 years whose affiliation was with a sect that long prided itself in biblical knowledge, even to the point of being able to cross reference situational pertinent scripture from memory. Most of the people that had been raised under that umbrella in this particular congregation were sorely lacking in substantiational material with which to respond to a challenge of their position, from memory or otherwise. Some even took scripture so completely out of context to so obfuscate a thought that they either confused the other party involved, or convinced the other party they were a heretic.
My late life goal is to find a way to stem the proliferation of empty Christians. How do you take a generation that has been so indoctrinated in technology and teach them to really read for themselves. As great as technology is, most of the really worthwhile references for life shaping principles, those that make us individuals that impact lives around us for the better, is still mostly available in written, ink on paper, format, bound and unbound.
We hear a constant murmur from the masses that they don’t understand what they read. Without understanding, disinterest sets in, and reading ceases. Without reading, we are left with mass media and trusted people as sources for molding lives. In my opinion, those are good to great as supplemental resources, but never valid as replacement resources. Learning is never quite so vivid in any form or environment as it is in self discovery. It is that “Aha” moment when the timeless light bulb comes on that we put truth to deep memory and it then spawns more truth and enlightenment.
Teaching the way to produce those moments is my greatest goal. To inspire in new or old people of faith, the methodology of self discovery through time tested sources, would be my greatest goal.
So my quest in getting a degree and my journey to teach myself to facilitate others learning is my highest calling.
Why this would be of interest to you, you are now asking yourself. Well, actually, it was more an exercise in me being able to articulate why I am pursuing this path. You just get to sit in as the electrons flit from cell to cell in my mind.
You can wake up now. Had this been an actual test it would have come with instructions in at least two languages.
Not only are my two shortened fingers still too tender to use for typing, I am going to have to train my left hand to turn on its axis much more than it has had to do before. If you watch your hands while you type (if you are a touch typist), you will find that the fingers naturally reach the majority of keys needed in normal typing and don’t require that your hands to rotate perceptively on an axis running from the center of the wrist out through the long finger. I had always called that finger the middle finger, as in giving someone the finger (middle being implied). That was before the evening of my "incident." In the ER they called it my “long finger.” Well, it might have BEEN my long finger, but it is still my MIDDLE finger. Guess the medical people may have to rethink their terminology in my case.
I guess I now have on my left hand an index finger; a length challenged long finger, a ring finger and a pinky finger. Ignoring the thumb, which even in my somewhat incapacitated state, does not come into play while typing.
Or, conversely, I have an index finger, a same length as the index finger but fatter finger, a new long finger, no ring finger (too fat for the wedding band anyway) and still the trusty pinky.
Typing speed is down about 90%. I’d be better off installing dragon speak.
All that to say you will read this musing in far less time than it took to type.
Some of my closest friends know that I enrolled in a distance learning program to get my master’s degree in Bible with a concentration in Christian Education.
I have over the last 5 to 6 years become increasingly alarmed at the lack of knowledge many people who call themselves Christians have of their faith. Most of them have total faith and no fact. They blindly believe whatever they are told and don’t even realize when they are told opposing processes and or doctrines. Many can’t substantiate their theological position and rely instead on the classic but foundationless phrases “Our church believes…” or “Our church teaches…”
I attended a moderately sized church for the better part of 18 years whose affiliation was with a sect that long prided itself in biblical knowledge, even to the point of being able to cross reference situational pertinent scripture from memory. Most of the people that had been raised under that umbrella in this particular congregation were sorely lacking in substantiational material with which to respond to a challenge of their position, from memory or otherwise. Some even took scripture so completely out of context to so obfuscate a thought that they either confused the other party involved, or convinced the other party they were a heretic.
My late life goal is to find a way to stem the proliferation of empty Christians. How do you take a generation that has been so indoctrinated in technology and teach them to really read for themselves. As great as technology is, most of the really worthwhile references for life shaping principles, those that make us individuals that impact lives around us for the better, is still mostly available in written, ink on paper, format, bound and unbound.
We hear a constant murmur from the masses that they don’t understand what they read. Without understanding, disinterest sets in, and reading ceases. Without reading, we are left with mass media and trusted people as sources for molding lives. In my opinion, those are good to great as supplemental resources, but never valid as replacement resources. Learning is never quite so vivid in any form or environment as it is in self discovery. It is that “Aha” moment when the timeless light bulb comes on that we put truth to deep memory and it then spawns more truth and enlightenment.
Teaching the way to produce those moments is my greatest goal. To inspire in new or old people of faith, the methodology of self discovery through time tested sources, would be my greatest goal.
So my quest in getting a degree and my journey to teach myself to facilitate others learning is my highest calling.
Why this would be of interest to you, you are now asking yourself. Well, actually, it was more an exercise in me being able to articulate why I am pursuing this path. You just get to sit in as the electrons flit from cell to cell in my mind.
You can wake up now. Had this been an actual test it would have come with instructions in at least two languages.
1.03.2007
First thoughts
Sitting at my computer this 3rd day of January 2007 my mind is mostly wrapped with thoughts of the year just ending. 2006 had some very difficult moments.
It actually started out on a high point, my return to Kenya in February to tweak the computer lab at Kima International School of Theology (KIST). It was a great blessing to see the ministerial students using the computers that were made possible by the Augusta County Schools through the the agreements of the technology department, the Director of Maintenance, Ron Houser and the Director of Business and Finance, Mark Lotts; the diligent cleanup work of my wife Georgianna and myself; and the transportation and installation efforts of my great friend, Rick Portlock.
In April, in fact on 04/05/06, my mother passed from time to eternity. She had been very ill for a while and had actually begged my brother and sisters to pray that she would just go on. I think part of it was missing dad, her companion for 55 years, the dependence she had become to others, the pain and weariness of body, and the desire to see the Lord she had lived for for just short of 60 years.
In June I believed I was being crushed to death by a tractor trailer. By the grace of God I only suffered only fractures of the pelvis and evidently strained and possibly torn muscles. I may live with the effects of that brush with death the rest of my life. At some point in this blog I may post two other brushes with death that I had in my life.
In August I was falsely accused of misconduct on the job and subsequently left the county school system. It was a tough blow, especially the underhanded way it was handled and especially because of the person that made the accusation. But he, not I will stand in judgement for his actions. My motives and actions were innocent and pure. I wish him no harm and hold no malice at all. I just pray that he will some day find peace. He obviously is a very troubled person. The others involved had their own agendas and it is not interesting enough to me to ever want to know them.
Another very high point in the year was a 15 day trip to Pilar, Argentina. Pilar is just about an hour northwest of downtown Buenos Aires. I will have to post more about that trip some other time, but I did keep a blog of the entire trip and it can be viewed at http://naznsa.blogspot.com/. It has a fair selection of pictures by team members and a running dialog of each day's activities.
Returning from Arentina I landed a job at Lowe's in Waynesboro. I have now been there 7 weeks. It is easily the most difficult work I've done on a daily basis, but also the most fun I've had on a job in my life. I am so happy to be out of technology and especially away from self proclaimed professionals.
A third very high pint was Todd and Diana's wedding. Most of you know that our middle child, Chad, and Lesa got married September 24, 2005 in Bemus Point, NY. Todd and Diana were married in the Maryland Inn in beautiful Annapolis, MD October 14th. (Yes, Lesa, Bemus Point is beautiful, too. You know I know that). Todd and Diana are living in Weyers Cave, VA just a couple of minutes from us. We love our daughter-in-laws like our own children. They are both beautiful, resourceful and intelligent. Of course they married the boys for their money.
At the same time as the wedding we learned that Chad and Lesa will be expecting the first grandchild in early June. She will be the prettiest girl in the family we know.
I was able to go to Charlotte, NC with Jeff Arbogast with a Nazarene Work & Witness team to help at the Charlotte Operation Christmas Child for 5 days after Thanksgiving. That was more fun than a Christian ought to have, but we had it any way. Thanks to the entire group that went. It was a blessing, a learning and a wonderful experience because of each of you.
On December 7th I made the most costly mental error of my life to this time. I was working on my table saw at home alone and lost the ends of my left fore finger and middle finger. I was and remain very thankful that it was, in the words of a wonderful pastor and friend of mine, only fingers and not a hand. It has been a tough 4 weeks to this point but they constantly improve and I hope to be using my left hand fully in a few weeks. Now to relearn how to type!!
I ended 2006 with a renewed sense of God's presence in my life and his continued love and care for me, my family and my friends.
As 2007 ramps up I hope to explore a host of thoughts and to speak honestly and openly about my theological positioning. To my family and friends, remember as you read my sense of humor covers a whole range of levels. Take my musings as they are, and try to not read too much into them.
I would be remiss in closing this without mentioning Jill. Jill continues to work diligently in the ER at Augusta Medical Center and care for her Bijon, Ollie, and two huge cats, Micky and Sam. Our dog, Daniel loves to see Ollie.
Two people that I especially want to thank for pushing me into this format, my dear and closest friends, Deborah and Matt. The two of them will remain in my heart, my thoughts and prayers. If you want to know more about them, I'll check with them and perhaps post their blog addresses as well. Matt and his wife Nell had their first child in 2006, a beautiful boy named John. Deborah and her husband Randy went to China and adopted a beautiful girl they named Kaili. No, I'm not prejudice.
It actually started out on a high point, my return to Kenya in February to tweak the computer lab at Kima International School of Theology (KIST). It was a great blessing to see the ministerial students using the computers that were made possible by the Augusta County Schools through the the agreements of the technology department, the Director of Maintenance, Ron Houser and the Director of Business and Finance, Mark Lotts; the diligent cleanup work of my wife Georgianna and myself; and the transportation and installation efforts of my great friend, Rick Portlock.
In April, in fact on 04/05/06, my mother passed from time to eternity. She had been very ill for a while and had actually begged my brother and sisters to pray that she would just go on. I think part of it was missing dad, her companion for 55 years, the dependence she had become to others, the pain and weariness of body, and the desire to see the Lord she had lived for for just short of 60 years.
In June I believed I was being crushed to death by a tractor trailer. By the grace of God I only suffered only fractures of the pelvis and evidently strained and possibly torn muscles. I may live with the effects of that brush with death the rest of my life. At some point in this blog I may post two other brushes with death that I had in my life.
In August I was falsely accused of misconduct on the job and subsequently left the county school system. It was a tough blow, especially the underhanded way it was handled and especially because of the person that made the accusation. But he, not I will stand in judgement for his actions. My motives and actions were innocent and pure. I wish him no harm and hold no malice at all. I just pray that he will some day find peace. He obviously is a very troubled person. The others involved had their own agendas and it is not interesting enough to me to ever want to know them.
Another very high point in the year was a 15 day trip to Pilar, Argentina. Pilar is just about an hour northwest of downtown Buenos Aires. I will have to post more about that trip some other time, but I did keep a blog of the entire trip and it can be viewed at http://naznsa.blogspot.com/. It has a fair selection of pictures by team members and a running dialog of each day's activities.
Returning from Arentina I landed a job at Lowe's in Waynesboro. I have now been there 7 weeks. It is easily the most difficult work I've done on a daily basis, but also the most fun I've had on a job in my life. I am so happy to be out of technology and especially away from self proclaimed professionals.
A third very high pint was Todd and Diana's wedding. Most of you know that our middle child, Chad, and Lesa got married September 24, 2005 in Bemus Point, NY. Todd and Diana were married in the Maryland Inn in beautiful Annapolis, MD October 14th. (Yes, Lesa, Bemus Point is beautiful, too. You know I know that). Todd and Diana are living in Weyers Cave, VA just a couple of minutes from us. We love our daughter-in-laws like our own children. They are both beautiful, resourceful and intelligent. Of course they married the boys for their money.
At the same time as the wedding we learned that Chad and Lesa will be expecting the first grandchild in early June. She will be the prettiest girl in the family we know.
I was able to go to Charlotte, NC with Jeff Arbogast with a Nazarene Work & Witness team to help at the Charlotte Operation Christmas Child for 5 days after Thanksgiving. That was more fun than a Christian ought to have, but we had it any way. Thanks to the entire group that went. It was a blessing, a learning and a wonderful experience because of each of you.
On December 7th I made the most costly mental error of my life to this time. I was working on my table saw at home alone and lost the ends of my left fore finger and middle finger. I was and remain very thankful that it was, in the words of a wonderful pastor and friend of mine, only fingers and not a hand. It has been a tough 4 weeks to this point but they constantly improve and I hope to be using my left hand fully in a few weeks. Now to relearn how to type!!
I ended 2006 with a renewed sense of God's presence in my life and his continued love and care for me, my family and my friends.
As 2007 ramps up I hope to explore a host of thoughts and to speak honestly and openly about my theological positioning. To my family and friends, remember as you read my sense of humor covers a whole range of levels. Take my musings as they are, and try to not read too much into them.
I would be remiss in closing this without mentioning Jill. Jill continues to work diligently in the ER at Augusta Medical Center and care for her Bijon, Ollie, and two huge cats, Micky and Sam. Our dog, Daniel loves to see Ollie.
Two people that I especially want to thank for pushing me into this format, my dear and closest friends, Deborah and Matt. The two of them will remain in my heart, my thoughts and prayers. If you want to know more about them, I'll check with them and perhaps post their blog addresses as well. Matt and his wife Nell had their first child in 2006, a beautiful boy named John. Deborah and her husband Randy went to China and adopted a beautiful girl they named Kaili. No, I'm not prejudice.
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