Life Here and There

We’re almost to the 30-week mark of Angie’s pregnancy. I get to feel Samuel kicking, turning cartwheels, and giving me high-five’s when I put my hand on her stomach. Last night we painted the nursery. The bedding is in. We’re slowly stockpiling diapers and getting ready for the big day.

While painting last night, my mind began to wander and I started asking myself questions that can only be answered as time unfolds.

• What’s Samuel going to look like?
• Will he sleep through the night?
• Will he like his room?
• Will he play baseball?
• Can I convince Angie to let him play football?
• Will he be an introvert like the rest of us?
• Will he have bright blond hair like I did?
• Will he be born with hair at all?
• Will he be crafty and creative?
• Will he hate sweet potatoes like I do?
• Will he like me? Will he want to hang with his Daddy?
• Will he be godly?
• Will he find a godly wife?
• Will I be a good Dad to him?

I don’t have answers, just questions, but it’s fun asking them right now. I’m getting a little nervous, a lot excited, and quite giddy. I can’t wait to meet you Samuel David! We’re gonna have an awesome time!

What do you do when your church on a hill is snowed in? You gather a congregation and have church at home. Our congregation was quite diverse today including elephants, cats, a dog, a kid (there was no separate children’s church offered) and even a duck.

Ella played “O Come Let Us Adore Him” and “We Fall Down” on the piano and I “preached” from Philippians 3:14. Angie led a prayer and Beau was supposed to take up the offering, but refused at the last minute (he needs to re-dedicate His life…).

Can’t wait to be back with the Bethel family, but it sure was sweet to worship with my own little household church today!

I wanted to pass along the letter that we’re mailing out to everyone in our church family, just in case someone misses it…

Dear Family and Friends,

We want to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

It’s so hard to believe that 2009 has slipped away so quickly. We continue to feel so blessed under God’s care and are so happy that He has placed us into such a wonderful church family!

The year has brought about some major developments in our family’s life. Angie moved from being a Therapist to teaching Bible in a Christian school, which also meant a change in school for Ella as well. The biggest development, of course, is that we’re now expecting little Samuel David to be born in April of next year.

Within the church, we’ve seen the launch of our food pantry and growth in different areas of the church’s life. We stand amazed at the willingness of people to get involved in seeing lives touched and changed. It’s also been a great privilege to meet new people and welcome them into Bethel this year.

We count it such a joy to serve alongside each of you and can’t wait to see the great things God will do in, around, and through us in the upcoming year

May God bless each and every one of you!

photo credit: alicepopkorn

John R. Rice often described biblical theology as “profundity wrapped in simplicity.” This is one of those truths that is both deeply profound, and wonderfully simple. If you want friends… (wait for it) be friendly!

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Yesterday, we found out that our baby is going to be a boy. You can see that pointed out in the ultrasound if you choose to watch it. You’ll also see that he’s moving like crazy and I could swear I saw his lips mutter, “Hi Dad!” but I’m not an expert or anything…

The first minute or two is really the best part, but the whole thing is spectacular in that it shows God’s handiwork in a womb. There’s life in my wife’s belly – a totally unique and individual little man is growing up, and he’s already 11 ounces!

When Angie and I went to her Doctor appointment Wednesday, we were able to record the heartbeat with my iphone. I’ve uploaded the mp3 file here in hopes that you can hear it – turn your speakers up. Everything sounded great!

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My Dad is in a hospital 500 miles from where I am. I’d like to be in his room in a chair next to him talking politics or theology – two of our favorite subjects. Better yet, I’d like him to be comfortably at home or back at work. I’m sure he’ll be fine, but I really don’t like the feeling of distance right now.

He currently has a staff infection in his blood stream that began in his right arm, which is so swollen he can’t even make a fist. His blood pressure also won’t come down even with medication. They’re saying he’ll probably be home in a few days, but they said that a few days ago.

You’d like my Dad. He’s one of the hardest workers I know. When he was a kid, he and his sister (my aunt Ann) had polio. He broke his left arm and they put it in a cast. When the cast came off, his arm was permanently atrophied. So all his life, he’s tied his shoes, made carburetors, mowed lawns, cut trees, built houses, and now works as an independent contractor… with basically one arm.

My Dad’s the kind of guy who could have qualified for disability long ago, but has refused. He has the ingenuity, work ethic, and desire to work… like the dickens (which is something he’d say). I got to work with him for a couple of years and wouldn’t trade that time for anything. He was the best man at my wedding and would do anything in the world for me, and for you too.

Maybe you could pray for him?

Update: Talked to my Dad on the phone a few minutes ago (8pm, Monday) and he’s feeling a little better. The really good news is they’ve pretty much ruled out MRSA, which is the staph that’s so hard to cure. They still can’t get his blood pressure down, but it’s not as dangerously high as when he went in. He seems to think it’s a matter of a couple of days of antibiotics. Thanks for everybody who has prayed for him!

This is adapted from a sermon based on Judges 13

I really don’t have to belabor the point of how morally confusing these times are, do I? We hear the news. We read the stats. And we know how tough it is to be growing up in this present culture. That’s how things were for Israel when Samson was born.

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I was just reading an interview with a blogger named Rose who mentioned wearing “many hats.” In her case, “wife, mother, respite worker, proud shih-tzu owner, blogger, published poet, freelance writer, as well as the owner and administrator of todayswriting.com and bloggertalk.net.” This got me to thinking about my own life and yours too. In fact, it got me thinking about how the wearing of “many hats” is a trend.

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I admire my wife’s ability to write about matters of the heart, and deeper matters about our lives. I’ve been limited in my writing about our struggle with infertility (which has ended now), but she’s put it quite well over at her blog, The Sweet Life. Read on…

What the Lord Has Done