Musings from a Stay-At-Home Dad

Still Waiting...

2011-12-27T13:38:00.007-06:00

As some of you may know, the main theme of Advent is waiting. We're told to "wait for the Lord"--to wait for His coming. This waiting is part of what marks us as Christians. Waiting is part of who we are, part of our DNA. As someone who has inherited this almost 2,000 year old penchant for waiting, it should be easy, right?

Waiting, I must confess, is getting old. For over 3 years now we have been waiting and hoping that Monica would get pregnant. It hasn't happened so we continue to wait. Now our journey includes adoption plans. I'm thankful for the opportunity and resources to be able to pursue adoption, but even this process hasn't removed the waiting aspect. Now we find ourselves waiting for enough finances for the next step. When we reach that goal, we'll enter into another phase of waiting--waiting to be matched with a birth mother. And then we'll wait some more.

Enduring these years of hoping and waiting has been difficult for Monica. She so badly wants to hold a baby, her baby; to experience what so many women around her have been experiencing these last few years. For me, waiting reminds me that I'm not in control. I can't will a baby into our family. I can't make Monica's dreams come true. These things are not in my control and that bothers me. And so I wait, but as I said above, waiting is getting old. So what do we do in the interim?

During the Advent and Christmas seasons, we have been singing a song at church called "Emmanuel." Here are some of the words to that song (also found here):

What fear we felt in the silent age

Four-hundred years can He be found

But broken by a baby's cry

Rejoice in the hallowed manger ground

Every time we've sung this song I got tears in my eyes. Although it hasn't been 400 years since we heard from God (Monica says sometimes it's felt that long!) these last few years have seemed to drag on and on and on (reminds me of a scene in The Jerk, but I digress...). When singing these words it gives me hope--hope that this fear, this waiting, this silence can be broken. And like the people of Israel there was nothing they could do to bring this about. This baby was not a work of their own hands, or something, or someone, they produced; rather, this baby came as a gift from heaven. This baby was a miracle.

I find consolation in this story for it speaks of a God who can do impossible and improbable things. I know we are not guaranteed that our circumstances will work out just as we had planned. I'm not banking on the events of life to go a certain way; rather, I'm putting my hope in this God who can break into the silence of our lives and radically transform everything. For that reason I'll continue to 'rejoice in the hallowed manger ground.'

The Sounds of Life These Days

2011-12-26T19:55:00.004-06:00

Addie has been reeling off some pretty funny things to say these days, so I thought I'd "put them down on paper" before I forget them. Here they are:

Lately if Monica or I have made mention of Disney, or Florida, or the princesses, or anything Disney related, Addie says, "You know I don't want you to talk about that place because it'll just make me want to go back!" Mom and Dad are still learning boundaries!
"Dad, sometimes I can see stuff you and Mom can't, like invisible stuff. Like this morning I saw purple stuff coming down from the sky."
Today we had an exciting morning as we saw an opossum in our backyard. For a bit it went out of our view and I thought it went into a window-well, which can be seen in our basement. We went downstairs to get a look and again Addie's superhero powers came into play, "Dad, lift me up because I can see invisible stuff."
{A week or so ago I was at her school helping her and other kids build gingerbread houses and a little girl next to me was saying something. I ask her what she said and then Addie chimed in with this...} "Don't worry about 'K', she talks crazy-talk sometimes!"
Tonight while reading a book about adoption, I asked Addie, without any other prompting and without previously introducing the characters, what was taking place on the page. Her response, "That's the social worker, and she is showing the mommy a picture of the baby they're going to adopt."

I've been teasing with Addie lately saying that I don't want her to get any bigger or older than she is right now, which she finds pretty funny. While I know I can't stop the onward march of time, I wish I could because I love the stage she is at right now. I know that all too soon the innocence of the statements above will be replaced by the words of a school-age girl, and then those of a teenager, and so on. I know parents with older kids will tell me that each age and stage has its own merits, but I'm not ready for those other stages yet. I like my 5-year-old just the way she is.

Back to Blogging

2011-10-10T14:49:00.003-05:00

It's been a long, long time since I wrote a blog post. Yesterday, while looking for a recipe on here, I read a post in which I told the story of Addie seeing a lady in a fur coat and turning to me asked, "Da-da, is she a puppy?" That was it. At that point I knew it was time to return to writing so I could share with the world, or the 6 family members who read this, the random stuff that happens in my life and brain.

So let this be the first of many, or a few dozen, or just a couple, blog posts in the near future...

What John the Baptist Doesn't Say

2010-08-26T14:05:00.004-05:00

Last night in the Bible study that I lead at church on Wednesdays, we were looking at Luke's account of John the Baptist in chapter 3. John is addressing a Jewish audience, an audience that sought him in the wilderness. These folks, apparently inquisitive enough to come looking for him, wanted to be baptized. John, not one to mince words, tells them that their family history alone does not put them in right relationship with God; on the contrary, only those who are acting in ways consistent with repentance (change of mind and actions) are in right relationship with God.

So obviously this crowd want to know what to do, and here is where we get John's answer. John tells those who have two tunics to share with someone who has none. The one with food should do the same.

Does that strike you as odd? Why doesn't John address the ones who don't have two tunics, or don't have food. Surely they must share some responsibility in their situation, right? What about some personal responsibility? They need to get their act together before getting any handouts--am I right???. After all, this is the way the world works. Soon enough they're going to become dependent upon the giver, right?

The truth is we don't know what John may have thought about those folks who were the recipients--he doesn't tell us. All we have is these few sentences in which he addresses those who want to be baptized. John says if you're going to be baptized and follow the Messiah this is what you're focus is to be. Stop looking to the right and to the left. Put your picket signs down. Stop pointing fingers. Be single-minded and do the sorts of acts consistent with your changed lifestyle.

Want a better idea of what this lifestyle looks like that John is talking about? Keep reading in Luke and follow Jesus all the way to the cross.

Jesus, Addie, and School

2010-08-16T18:48:00.004-05:00

On Wednesday nights at church I have been leading a Bible study and we are currently reading Luke's gospel. For this week we are focusing on the portion in chapter two where Jesus' family travels to Jerusalem for a festival. As they head back home they realize Jesus is not traveling in their company, so Mary and Joseph head back toward Jerusalem to find their boy.

As I have been reading this over the last several days I've had a difficult time understanding their reaction. I figured that Mary, who had been pondering stuff in her heart, had a better inkling of what Jesus was to be about. However, Jesus' parents were angry with him for staying behind and not joining them as a boy his age should have. He wasn't old enough to be sitting around with teachers and playing adult games like this. He was a boy after all and they were his parents. It wasn't time for this yet, right?

Tonight we went to a Back to School night for Addie's pre-school, which is located in a local grade school. The minute we walked in things felt funny. It was chaotic. Lines here, forms there, sign-ups for PTO, Fundraising, etc. Then there was the big gym and a bunch of classrooms with kids and parents going every which way. Next to me is my little three-year-old, pint-sized daughter wearing her Princess Tiana backpack. On her tiptoes she's barely able to get a drink from the fountain and in two days she would be starting pre-school.

I get where Mary and Joseph are coming from. I want to protect Addie from the chaos of the world. She doesn't need to learn "adult" stuff yet, that'll come all too soon. I want her home with her mom and me where we can control her little world. I get Mary and Joseph's reaction now--I don't think they were angry with Jesus, I just think they weren't ready for him to be about his Father's business. After all it's the unknown that's out of our control.

Our First Marriage Retreat

2010-05-24T20:35:00.005-05:00

This past weekend Monica and I went on our first marriage retreat with some people who all had some connection to the campus ministry, Ichthus, at Kansas State University. The retreat was held at the Prairiewood Retreat center in Manhattan, Kansas. Although the retreat facility was only a few miles outside of town it felt like we were in some remote place with no connection to reality--and that felt great. The last time we felt like that was a few years ago when we joined some friends on a houseboat in Tennessee. The moral of the story is that no television and no cell phone use is good for a marriage. It was wonderful taking a few days to concentrate only on us and our relationship. Here are some of the highlights from this past weekend:

Plenty of free time! Scheduled throughout the weekend was free time so that we could really get rest if we wanted or to use some other way. We took the opportunity to cruise the K-State campus which I had never seen before. I have to admit, it's a beautiful campus. Here's a picture of Hale Library.

Retreat Center...Prairiewood was a beautiful place with huge bedrooms, beautiful scenery, and most importantly a nice hot tub and pool. If we stick around this area for a few years I would love to lead another group back to this place.

Solid teaching...Doug Burford was our scheduled speaker and he did a great job leading us into discussion and providing us with some new tools to help us as we move back into our regular routine
Time with Monica...we had such a good time being together. Although we missed Addie and often spoke using Addie-isms we loved that it felt like we were dating again. After a few long years of work and school this was the perfect way to wrap up that time and look forward to what is next. I'm thankful to be married to someone who loves me and is committed to our marriage.
Laughter...we laughed a lot this weekend and that felt great. It's amazing how much laughter can do for a relationship.

What about you? Do you have any marriage retreat stories to share? Anything that's worked well for you and yours?

Praying with Eyes Wide Open--A Lesson Learned from a 3-Year-Old

2010-04-19T20:40:00.002-05:00

Tonight at dinner Addie prayed for our meal. We held hands and she began, "Dear God, thank you for this day and for the sun, and for the cup, and the mac and cheese, and the fork, and for Jackson's family, and for the ketchup, and the milk, and for our friends and for our food. Amen." A few items into her list I realized she was looking around and thanking God for whatever she saw. She was praying with her eyes wide open.

For a few years I've been puzzled by the fact that most Christians close their eyes during prayer, especially during the Lord's Prayer. It's funny that we would pray a prayer beginning with "Our Father..." with our eyes closed. Shouldn't a corporate prayer be prayed in full view of one another such that we are opened to the outside, to the needs and gifts of others. The churches where I've attended have fallen prey to the understanding, or misunderstanding, that "it's all about me and Jesus." What might happen if we opened our eyes and our lives in prayerful action so that we see beyond ourselves? What if, like my daughter, with eyes wide open, we began naming those things in our world for which we are thankful and those things which we need God to set aright?

A Life Update

2010-01-09T14:42:00.003-06:00

Since it's been a while since I've written anything I thought I'd take some moments to share what we've been up to.

We drove to Michigan for Christmas (over 1900 miles total). I hope that's the last time we make that drive. Worrying about the threat of winter weather stresses me out. On a positive note, though, driving allowed us to receive wonderful hospitality from friends and family. Most notably, on our first night of driving we stayed with Troy's parents, Larry and Kathy, in Springfield, Illinois. They graciously welcomed us into their homes with little warning. The "convenience" of flying would not have allowed us to receive their welcome.
I think "convenience" is the great enemy of community/fellowship/church/friendship/etc. Think about what you buy or build in the name of convenience and the result is less time with others.
I started my Clinical Pastoral Education last Monday at Research Medical Center. Along with 5 other CPE students and our supervisors we will be working to provide care to the patients and staff at that hospital over the coming months. It should be quite a challenge but I anticipate that it'll be well worth it. The other students are fairly diverse: (1) white Episcopalian lady in her 60's (2) Female Reform Jewish rabbi in her 60's (3) black Seventh Day Adventist lady in her 50's (4) white Protestant (non-denominational) guy in his 50's (5) white science professor dude from the Church of Christ doing this on his sabbatical (6) white Nazarene 31 year old.
Age 3 is much more difficult than age 2. The swings between pure joy and pure anger are much more pronounced and often. Yet I still love being "daddy." Yesterday when we were leaving a restaurant Addie saw a lady wearing a long, fur coat. She said, "Mama, is she a puppy?" I thought she was going to ask if it was Cruella Deville.
I've been working on my resumes for post-graduation. Meeting and interviewing with prospective bosses/churches/etc. makes me anxious.
As a New Year's resolution I am reading through the Bible in a year using a reading plan from YouVersion. I love that it's synced between my phone and my computer.
I bought a new app for my phone this week called "Words with Friends." It's basically Scrabble but the bonus spots are in different locations. In my first game I just game from a long way down to beat Dave. I'm hoping to go 3-0 with wins over Grant and Karla soon.
I started reading Malcolm Gladwell's book, What the Dog Saw. I enjoy his view of things as it prompts me to look at things differently.

What about you? Have you been up to anything interesting?

Christmas 2009

2009-12-30T21:50:00.003-06:00

Last Tuesday we left for Michigan to celebrate Christmas with my family. Today we returned home after logging more than 1800 miles. Here are some of the memories from this trip:

Upon entering Indiana on I-74 we were greeted at the Welcome Center with a sign reading "The water is not safe for drinking or washing your hands." Nothing is as welcoming as deadly, bacteria filled water.
101 Dalmations was played on Addie's DVD player 4 times. We listened to the audio recording and accompanying musical tracks to Audrey Wood's The Napping House at least 5 times. Bob & Larry sang to us 3 times.
Hospitality is a wonderful gift. We received a warm welcome from the parents of a good friend with little advanced warning. We were grateful for the opportunity to stay at their house and enjoy their company. Thanks Kathy & Larry!
Nothing beats spending time with friends and family. No matter how much time has passed it's wonderful to pick up on a relationship where you left off.
We learned how to play a new game called *Blockus.* It's a fun game that we will be purchasing soon.
Monica enjoyed watching Addie and her cousins play, taking pictures of them all, and thinking toward the future when they will look back on these times and see how little they were.
Leaving a snow-less Michigan (for the most part) and arriving in a snowpacked Kansas is a little strange. After a 3 day, 900 mile trip home we were so excited to pull in the driveway only to get stuck. It took me a half hour to get the car unstuck.
Someday it would be nice to live closer to my family.
I can't wait for Monica to start using her ice cream maker and bread machine. They may be my favorite Christmas presents I didn't get.
I'm getting older. Today I noticed more grey hair in my beard. I played basketball in my high school gym while home and felt winded after the first game of lightning. Okay, maybe I felt winded after the first shot but whatever.
There's no place like home.

Kids Say the Darndest Things

2009-11-21T11:21:00.003-06:00

Over the past few days Addie has said some pretty funny things and in the process made me a little uncomfortable.

Scenario 1: While eating lunch at Fazoli's a worker came out to get something to drink near us. At seeing his large dreadlocks and hat pulled down low Addie said in her usual voice, "That man is scary."

Scenario 2: While playing at the park on a unusually warm November day Addie saw a lady with very short hair walk by with her dog. Upon seeing her Addie asked, "Is that a girl or a boy?" I asked her, "You mean the dog?" She answered, "No, the boy."

TV Shows: My Top 9

2009-08-17T10:19:00.003-05:00

I have obviously been lacking creative juices over the last two months, as my lack of posting indicates. Doing a lot of data entry each day will do that to a person. I hope to blog some more once school begins and I use other parts of my brain. Until then I offer you my favorite TV shows of all time. Feel free to bash my list or to offer your own in the comments.

The Sopranos
The Office
The West Wing
The Wire
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Cheers (I prefer the Sam and Rebecca years over Sam & Diane)
Seinfeld
Mad Men (I haven't seen all of the episodes, but what I have seen I like a lot)
Arrested Development

*Honorable Mention: M*A*S*H--although I hated it growing up I like watching the re-runs now

Race in America: A Guest Post

2009-07-30T15:05:00.002-05:00

Below is an article by Jim Wallis, of Sojourners Magazine. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this article, not so much on the event itself. Please share in the comments.

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The Professor and the Police Officer: Trapped in the 'Script'

I have been away for the last couple of weeks, first for a family wedding and reunion on a lake in northern Michigan, and then at the Chautauqua conference center in rural New York state. Neither place had great media access (always part of a good vacation) but I kept up the best I could. All of a sudden, I saw the familiar face of Henry Louis (“Skip”) Gates on all the cable news shows -- someone I know from my own teaching at Harvard, where Gates is a distinguished professor. Then I heard the story unfold and repeat about a million times, as sensational cable news stories always do, especially when they are about race.

When I returned to D.C. this weekend, the story was everywhere. Even the president had weighed in, then clarified his statements, then tried to play his role as national racial reconciler (with a beer at the White House with the principle protagonists scheduled for today).

I have a good friend who is a D.C. cab driver. He is always a good analyst of Washington politics, so we plunged into the discussion. “I have been in his shoes,” said the 60-year-old African-American D.C. native. He confirmed that many other African Americans had been swapping their own stories of being stopped on the street, pulled over in their cars, confronted in stores, or just followed around -- or worse -- by police. I remember listening to the African-American mother of a friend of mine growing up in Detroit, who told her children to hide from the police if they ever were lost, while my mother told us kids to look for a policeman if we were far away from home. That is the context of this story for every black American, especially of Gates’ generation. Gates being arrested on his front porch after a report of breaking into his own home seems both incredulous and, at the same time, not surprising to most black people in America.

And that is the script of this racial drama being played out about the professor and the police officer. What most strikes me about the story is how neither participant was able to get out of the script of the sad story of the relationship between black people and white police in America.

Of course, as the facts of the story have unfolded, it gets complicated. Most people agree that the woman who called the police when she saw two men who looked like they were breaking into a house -- as Gates and his cab driver were trying to get into his house through a broken front door after an overseas trip -- was being a reasonable citizen (though many, including me, still wonder if the call would have been made if the two men had been white in Gates’ white neighborhood). And most agree that Officer Crowley is not the typical racist white cop, but rather one with an exemplary record, and is even a police trainer on matters of racial sensitivity and profiling. Most agree that the combination of outrage, ego, and jet lag likely provoked the wrath of Skip Gates on a white cop answering a suspected burglary call and treating him like a suspect at his own home. From what we can piece together from the conflicting accounts of the angry words that ensued between them, it is clear to me that both got caught up in the script, and neither was able to extricate himself from it.

Gates’ reported behavior felt offensive and abusive to the police officer, but an immediate acceptance of Gates’ identity and residence, followed by a quick and effusive apology by Crowley, might have calmed the storm. And in any event, disrespectful behavior to a police officer is not against the law, and an arrest for disorderly conduct of a small 58-year-old man with a cane, on his own porch, when there was no threat to public safety, does appear to justify the accuracy, if not the political wisdom, of President Obama’s suggestion that handcuffing Gates was acting “stupidly.”
Police officers should get a great deal of sympathy, understanding, and support for often very tough split-second decisions where the lives of citizens, or their own lives, are at stake, but this was clearly not one of those situations. And Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson insightfully treated the charge of Gates’ alleged “You have no idea who you’re messing with” elitism when he observed that “meeting a famous Harvard professor who happens to be arrogant is like meeting a famous basketball player who happens to be tall.”

The real issue here is two men who didn’t believe the other showed him proper deference. Thus, again we have fundamental issues of power at stake -- this time between an upper-class black Harvard professor and a working-class white Boston cop. And guess what? The script took over. The Reconciler-in-Chief will likely get them both to behave better at the White House and get, if not apologies, at least a chilling out for the good of the nation. But if this incident is to become a teachable moment, there are at least two lessons to be learned.

The first is that racial profiling, whether or not it was involved in this particular case, is still real and indeed brutal in key sectors of our society -- in particular, the criminal justice system. Clear and pervasive racial discrimination still exists in law enforcement, judicial practices, and penal policies at the bottom of American life even if things are much more complicated and nuanced at the top in places like Cambridge. One of the best articles about this controversy, which draws attention to the real and structural racial injustice still present in American society, is Glen Loury’s op-ed in Sunday’s New York Times:
“Certainly, the contretemps shed no relevant light on the plight of the millions of black men on society’s margins who bear the brunt of police scrutiny and government-sanctioned coercion,” writes Loury. “Nevertheless, this is a principal source of the tension in interactions between the police and black men like me.”

But the second lesson is about the script itself and how to get out of it. The best way to defuse, diminish, and ultimately dismantle its power is to show even excessive respect in potential situations of conflict. Let’s call it “affirmative respect” as a parallel to affirmative action. Nothing defuses a potential conflict like proactively showing such respect in just these kinds of situations, and Crowley should be teaching that in his racial diversity classes. Of course, respect should go both ways, but it must be said that the burden of respect will and should be on white people. Sorry folks, but that is just the burden of our racial history. And you don’t have to be guilty of that history in order to be responsible for it. Most white people in America have benefited from racial discrimination even if they are not personally guilty of it, and are therefore obliged to now show that extra measure of respect. A new generation of black and white people with less baggage and less of a chip on their shoulders will certainly help us all. But doing our part to diminish the power of the script is all of our responsibility. Two men in Cambridge didn’t do a good job of that last week, which could teach us all to do a little better.

Japanese Hygiene and My Friend, Paul

2009-07-27T14:20:00.003-05:00

My good friend Paul is in Japan for business right now and he has been sending out emails to keep everyone informed of his travels and experiences. I wish I could adequately describe Paul's sense of humor for you but let's just say that more often than not his wife winces when he makes a joke. Nevertheless, what Paul has provided in this little update is worth sharing with a larger audience and so, with his permission, I share with you.

______

Look, I feel like we’ve been doing this long enough that I owe you a well-rounded report on my experiences here, so I made full use of the toilet this morning. The Japanese are a very hygienic people, often bathing multiple times each day. And apparently this commitment to cleanliness extends to their nether regions.

These toilets and I had been eyeing each other warily for a couple days now, so I decided to try them out this morning – before showering, when I could afford to make a potential mess. Both commodes in the two hotels I’ve visited so far have a set of controls along the side. There’s a button for Stop, a button for Spray (with a depiction of water spraying a bum), a button for Bidet (more water spraying but this time a human silhouette sitting on a toilet replaces the curvy cheeks) and a Water Pressure knob (+/-).

I already knew these toilets were an interactive experience because the first time I sat down water started running into the bowl. I hopped up to make sure nothing bad was happening, but it was functioning properly and I’m now used to it. The other functions, however, were as yet untested.

Feeling chicken, I shut the lid and stood there over the toilet while pressing the Spray button to see what would happen. But either I couldn’t tell from the noise or it doesn’t work without human weight on it. So I sat down and pressed Spray. A little water ran, a mechanism sound was made, then a few seconds of silence preceded a sudden jet of water from below and behind that poked me with remarkable and uncomfortable precision. If you were standing outside the bathroom door, you would have heard immediate thrashing and shouting as I stabbed at the Stop button.

But after calming down, I began to get curious. Did this intimate finger of water (calling it a Spray is some kind of creepy joke) continue for a preprogrammed amount of time? Is it something you get used to and eventually prefer as an alternative to toilet paper? So I gritted my teeth and hit Spray again. The water, the sound, the silence, and then the jet started and I began counting seconds (OK, they were fast seconds). I was rocking back and forth in tears by the time I got to 20 and pressed Stop. That little bugger knows just exactly where to hit you for maximum discomfort… and the water gets progressively warmer, which only adds to the weirdness. I decided 1) it would run as long as I let it, and 2) I’d stick with toilet paper.

That left the Bidet function. I’d committed to trying this thing but I sat there a good five minutes psyching myself up. Eventually I figured that I may as well get it over with, so I squeezed my legs together to make as tight a seal as possible, expecting some type of upward explosion beneath me, and pressed Bidet.

The water, the sound, the silence (which at this point left me with the same feeling you have before the ride drops at Six Flags)… but no explosion. Instead, a second jet from below on the front side hit me with the increasingly-warmer water. But this one missed just slightly the target area, which was far less intrusive. I sat there in relief for a few seconds (even turned the water pressure up and down), turned it off, stood up and realized I’d have to use toilet paper after all just to dry off my backside.

10 Years Later

2009-07-22T05:30:00.000-05:00

For those of you who weren't a part of my life 10 years ago and wondered why I have a scar on the back of my head and neck, this is the reason.

10 years ago today I underwent brain surgery to operate on my Arnold Chiari malformation. It's hard to believe that it's been 10 years, a third of my lifetime, since that surgery. Yet rare is the day that goes by when I don't think about it since I have a constant reminder on my body. The truth is I wasn't crazy about having that scar following the surgery, I didn't want to look different. Over these ten years I have grown more comfortable with that scar as it tells the story of a God who was a faithful to a scared 20 year old kid. Following the surgery as I was "coming to" my Pastor, Daryl Blank, was at my bedside. I asked him to read Psalm 62, it begins: "For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall never be shaken." 10 years later my scar serves as a constant reminder that God is faithful. That is good news!

Power Games

2009-07-21T08:45:00.002-05:00

Let's face it, we all take part in power games. If you're not sure what I'm talking about here are some recent examples:

Scenario 1: I went golfing with a gentleman recently and on the way to the course we got talking about his recent vacation to Colorado. I mentioned that I visited Monica while she was there several years ago. I told him that we made our way up to the beautiful Estes Park and would like to go back there someday. He replied by informing me that Estes Park is more of a "blue collar vacation spot" in Colorado and not really on the same level as that of Breckenridge where you can buy an "oil" for $80,000.
Scenario 2: I took an airport shuttle from the parking lot to the terminal the other day and on the brief drive got to talking with the other folks in the shuttle. This one, young-ish lady said that she was headed to Chicago to see her husband who is there on business. She followed it up by mentioning that she used to live near Wrigley Field, but "on the water, in a high rise." Thanks for the clarification.
Scenario 3: On one of my flights this weekend I sat across the aisle from a gentleman who was wearing a very large, gold ring. I couldn't read all of it but it I could read "National Collegiate" something or other and "Inducted" something or other. Point being--he was inducted into the NCAA Hall of Fame for something. Certainly that's an admirable thing, I guess, but the thing that got to me was that this guy rested his hand, the one with the giant ring on it, on his tray table the entire flight. There was nothing else on the tray table, no drink, no book, no Spirit magazine, no Sky Mall, just his massive ringed hand.

In each scenario the highlighted person felt a need to position himself or herself above the others. Why do we do that? What made the guy in Scenario 1 feel that he needed to label Estes Park as "blue collar?" Couldn't the girl in Scenario 2 just have said that she used to live in Chicago, or near Wrigley? Why did she have to point out that she in fact lived in a high rise on the water? All of these experiences annoyed me a bit, but none more than Scenario 4.

Scenario 4: It was getting close to the time for Addie to take a nap and we were in her room. I asked her to do something and she responded by throwing her blanket at me. I asked her to come off her bed and apologize to me and her response was to lay motionless. (Background: we've been working with her to obey quickly, so obviously the limp response was a bit of an irritant). Because she did not obey the first time asked I led her out into the hallway to stand in the corner (her timeout spot). She responded by throwing herself on the floor and yelling. I picked her up and stood her in the corner, which only made her more angry. At this point I was getting angry since it was past the time for her nap and she was also growing more upset with me. I told her that since she was choosing to not obey that she would not be able to read books before her nap. This apparently hit a nerve with her because she yelled at me like I have never heard before. My ire got the best of me and I yelled louder than she did, as if by besting her shout I would win. Instantly I knew what I had just done. I had positioned myself above her in the same way as the folks in the previous three scenarios did. And for what? What do we gain in doing that? Is there something we're trying to win? Are we afraid of losing? If so, what are we afraid of losing?

Thoughts from My Visit to the Dentist

2009-06-11T11:36:00.003-05:00

I'm not sure anyone really cares about my visit to the dentist but in case you do here are some trivialities to brighten your day.

I wasn't ready for them to call me back today. I was just getting into the Stephen Colbert edited version of Newsweek. He makes me laugh, out loud.
I'm not sure what part of the visit is the worst, maybe you can help me decide: (a) the prodding with sharp, silvery tools and subsequent bleeding and sensitivity (b) the awful polishing experience (c) having your mouth stretched open for an uncomfortably long period of time or (d) having the vacuum straw hit your tongue
Since I now use an electronic toothbrush I wish they gave out replacement heads for that instead of the $.99 toothbrush, floss that lasts a week, and mini toothpaste tube.
I miss my old hygienist in Davison, Maureen. She was the best.
X-Rays have gotten a lot cooler over the years. Today I stood with my chin resting on a support while I bit down on some other thing all the while an x-ray machine did a 360 around my head taking pictures which were visible on the computer screen by the time I sat back down in my chair.

Miscellaneous Musings

2009-06-10T20:58:00.003-05:00

Best (immediate) thing about giving blood--snack table afterwards
Power of branding--Addie, who is 2 and can't read, and I were looking at a piece of paper that had a company logo on it. With no hesitation Addie rolled off, "Kick-a-way" (translation=Chick-fil-A)
I just bought an app for my iPhone that converts a voice recording to text in an email. After a few test emails there have been no mistakes in translation. Not bad for $.99.
It's amusing to me that when I feel like life or a particular day is out of control my tendency is to clean the house. After cleaning I feel much better and in a better state of mind to take on the necessary tasks. Is that strange?
With graduation a year away I'm already beginning to feel a sense of not being prepared enough for whatever is next.
What should I do if I'm addicted to the show "Intervention?"

Awesome Collaboration: The Roots and Paul Simon

2009-06-04T10:13:00.002-05:00

One of my favorite bands is The Roots. I have several cd's of theirs and I have seen them live once. They are now the house band on the Jimmy Fallon show and a few nights ago they backed up Paul Simon and played alongside Antibalas. I fell asleep just before they did this song so I was happy to find the video online. Enjoy the music, it doesn't get much better than this!

Recipe Thursday--Marinade on This!

2009-06-04T05:30:00.001-05:00

About once a week I call my mom or sister or look on allrecipes.com for quick and easy marinades. Rather than calling them for the same thing all the time I thought it would be good for me to get these on paper, so to speak. Since I don't have a place for my recipes this is the venue of choice. So here are some very good marinades that don't take much prep time and use ingredients that you probably already have on hand. Just combine the ingredients and pour over the meat in a zip lock bag and refrigerate.

Good Chicken Marinade
1/4 C. vegetable oil
1/4 C. soy sauce
1/8 C. white vinegar
Garlic Powder--sprinkle

Great Pork Marinade (I used for a 1.25 lb Pork Tenderloin)
3 T. Honey
1/4 C. white vinegar
1/2 C. Worcestershire
2 T. Dry Sherry (optional)
2 T. vegetable oil
2 T. soy sauce
1/4 t. ground ginger

Another Pork Tenderloin Marinade
1/2 C. soy sauce
1/4 C. teriyaki sauce
2 T. liquid smoke flavoring
1/4 t. onion powder
1/4 t. garlic powder

A Grief Observed

2009-06-02T09:23:00.003-05:00

I know it's probably sacrilegious to steal CS Lewis' title for the title of this post but I'm feeling dramatic this morning. You see, I'm grieving this morning. My grief was born about 4 weeks ago as I entered my local Sport Clips. On that day life as I know it changed. I entered said establishment thinking that the girl who usually cuts my hair, April, would be working since her hours usually fell during that time. I asked if April was working and was told, "No, she moved back home." What? I was stunned. She didn't even tell me. What was I supposed to do now? Didn't she know about my months-long search to find a person that could cut hair without leaving strays? I can't go back to the uncertainty that I had before finding her, didn't she even care about that? How selfish could she be?

I sit here this morning knowing that I need to get a haircut, after all it's been 4 weeks since my last. But I am paralyzed by fear of the unknown. What if they don't have a 1.5 blade? What if they don't see that the two sides of my hair grow differently? What if they round my neckline off instead of squaring it off? And, God forbid, what if they don't provide a shampoo post-haircut? Will I go on itching all day and night?

And all of this just because someone decided to move home. But the question remains, Can I find a haircut home?

A Great Article

2009-05-31T13:38:00.002-05:00

I have just begun working my way into William Cavanaugh's Torture and Eucharist but I have a feeling that it's going to be outstanding. A few days ago I discovered the following article by Cavanaugh that examines the use of torture by the U.S. and the implications for the Church. Please take the time to read this. The article is 7 pages long with a few pages of endnotes.

The Other Journal at Mars Hill Graduate School :: Telling the Truth about Ourselves: Torture and Eucharist in the U.S. Popular Imagination by William T. Cavanaugh

Shared via AddThis

Gildner European Vacation--An Overview

2009-05-28T13:12:00.005-05:00

I thought that before I start a series of posts on my recent European vacation it would be helpful to have an overview of the cities we visited. With the help of My Maps on Google I created a map showing the paths we took. At each city I give a small description (click on the blue balloon) of the place and other details. To see more map detail click on the plus sign on the left of the map. The tour begins in Frankfurt, Germany.

View Gildner European Vacation in a larger map

Initial Thoughts Upon Returning Home

2009-05-26T13:22:00.003-05:00

You may or may not know but for the last 15 days I, along with my Dad and brother Dan, have been backpacking around Europe. The trip was awesome and I'm so thankful that I was able to go. Having been back in the culture of Kansas for less than 24 hours here are some initial thoughts I've had (with no apparent rhyme or reason):

Gas here is so cheap in comparison. I think we saw it for about 1.50 euros a liter. So that's just shy of $6/gallon.
Americans drive huge cars. I think I can count the number of SUV's and minivans we saw on one hand. Tiny cars are the way to go in Europe. I think my Dad now wants a Smart Car.
I don't know if I can go back to eating frozen pizzas from Aldi. Seriously, the pizzas there were so good. In Frankfurt, Germany I got an awesome margherita (cheese and tomato sauce) pizza for 3.80 euros. That's about $5. Not bad.
European countries that we visited promote recycling way better than we do here. Bins were everywhere, both in the home and in public.
Energy conservation seems to be more ingrained in Europe. A lot of the places we stayed had lights that worked on motion-detection.
I like typing on a keyboard where I know the location of all the characters. That's helpful.
It seems weird driving a car and not taking a train, subway, or tram to get where I need to go.
There are no waterfalls or mountains outside of my window.
It's nice not having to pay to use the toilet.
I like only having to think in terms of 1 currency
The Coke I'm drinking tastes different than Coke overseas
Helping someone who seems lost or unsure about what she is doing is a good thing.
It's so good to be home with Monica and Addie.

A Good Chair

2009-05-08T16:24:00.007-05:00

I don't know what inspired this idea (you may actually question its "inspiredness") but I was thinking the other day about wanting a recliner chair. That thought prompted this post wherein I will mention my favorite all time chairs, in no particular order.

The Giant Bean Bag Pillow Chair--a bean bag similar to the one pictured has been in our family for some time now. My earliest recollection of it stems from some foggy memories from my Uncle Bernard and Aunt Judy's house. Since then the bean bag has made its rounds with me and my siblings. Currently its home is in my parent's basement where it is used as a landing pad for all the grandkids.

The Rocker Glider--this chair has been awesome for the 2+ years we've had it. My parents bought it for us before Addie was born. We have spent many hours in this seat rocking and singing Addie to sleep. It's awesome because it and the ottoman glide and the seat reclines and locks in position in case you decide to doze off after baby has done so. This chair currently is in my office and is used mainly for reading or as a bed for Addie's babies.

The La-Z-Boy--this is what I want for a graduation gift. It doesn't have to be the brand La-Z-Boy but in the same family. It needs to be plush, swivelable, reclinable, rockable and prone to put a person to sleep. My dad has had one for years and it's the much sought after spot when all the fam is in town. As far as chairs go I don't think it gets any better than this.

The Oversized Chair--along with our couch this is one of the first pieces of furniture Monica and I bought. We ordered it from the wonderful furniture store, Leisers, in Herscher, Illinois. This seat was a great first piece because it allows for two newlyweds to sit on it at the same time. I really don't see any drawbacks to this chair, I highly recommend it for everyone.

Recipe Thursday

2009-04-30T06:00:00.000-05:00

For those of you who only like Kraft's version of Mac 'n Cheese you need to try this. This recipe comes courtesy of my mother-in-law. Here is Homemade Mac 'n Cheese like you've never had it before.

Ingredients
1.5 C cooked macaroni
3 T margarine
2 C milk
1/4 C chopped onion (optional--I leave out)
3 T flour
1/2 t. salt
2 C shredded American cheese (we usually take 12 cheese slices, stack them up, and cut into cubes)

Instructions
While macaroni is cooking make white sauce with margarine, flour and milk. Add onion and cheese to sauce and cook until cheese melts. Add macaroni to the sauce and place in 9 x 9 pan or glassware. Bake at 350 until bubbly and brown (about 45 minutes).

Some Serious Violin Skills

2009-04-22T09:20:00.001-05:00

This video is worth watching. The girl is a cousin of my brother-in-law, Brian. It may be tempting to hit play and then minimize it while you do something else, but half the fun is watching this. Enjoy!

Detroit Lions--A Reason to Hope

2009-04-20T13:36:00.004-05:00

Coming off an 0-16 record the Detroit Lions have reason to hope. As you know the NFL Draft is this Saturday and the Lions will probably take Matthew Stafford as their new savior and QB. But that isn't the reason for newfound hope. No, the Lions will turn things around for another reason and here it is:

As you know a new logo preceded the Arizona Cardinals resurgence and now the Detroit Lions, the masters of marketing that they are, have tapped into that idea and have unveiled this undoubtedly more fierce lion. The only thing left to do is to play the games.

Addie, Technology, and Other Miscellanies

2009-04-18T19:56:00.003-05:00

So Addie has been saying some pretty funny things lately and I wanted to get them "on paper" before I forgot them. In case you don't know Addie is 2 1/2 years old. Here are some things that have brought me joy lately:

My neighbor, who cuts lawn professionaly, was mowing his lawn today. Seeing this Addie said, "Wanna watch Jason mow the lawn." Then moving to the window and looking out said matter of factly, "He has a nice lawnmower." I replied, "Yes, yes he does."
We went to the "big person" library the other day and after doing what I needed to do Addie went toward the computers and said, "I wanna check email."
When I came home from Panera today I was listening to music on my phone to which Addie said, "I wanna listen to your ipod."
Driving down the road a few days ago we passed a school where some boys where having baseball practice. Addie looked at them and said, "Them boys playing baseball." If only my dad could have been with us in the car to hear that.
Tonight Addie and I were playing catch with the tennis ball in the living room. Addie kept throwing it a bit short and it would hit the coffee table and bounce back at her. One time she picked up, laughed a bit, and said, "I'm having a hard time."

Sign Along the Road

2009-04-14T09:58:00.002-05:00

As I was exiting I-35 the other day there was a sign near the stoplight which read:

Reporting for Doody
Pet Waste Cleanup

Doody...that's funny.

Recipe Thursday

2009-04-09T06:00:00.001-05:00

This week's recipe comes from the Kraft Food & Family magazine. We discovered this magazine a few months back and it has provided us with several great new recipes. We had this meal on Friday night with a few other friends and it was outstanding. Without further ado here is the Slow Cooker BBQ Pork Sandwich.

Ingredients
1 ea. Boneless pork shoulder (2 lb.)
3 ea. onions, sliced, separated into rings (I might reduce this amount next time, but the onions did add to the taste so I don't want to remove all of them)
1/2 C. BBQ Sauce (we used Sweet Baby Ray's--my favorite)
8 kaiser rolls (or buns)
8 Kraft cheese singles

Directions:
Place meat in slow cooker; top with onions and BBQ sauce. Cover with lid. Cook on low for 8-10 hours (or on high for 4-5 hours).
Remove meat from slow cooker; cut off and discard excess fat. Shred meat using 2 forks or chop meat into small pieces. Return meat to slow cooker; stir until evenly coated with sauce.
Fill rolls with meat mixture and Singles just before serving.

Makes 8 sandwiches.

Cell Phone on a Budget

2009-04-05T20:51:00.003-05:00

I decided to write this post in case anyone is looking for ways in your budget to cut back. Also, in case you've considered alternative cell phone plans I'll give you the results of our search.

For the past few years Monica has had a cell phone and we've been paying about $30 a month for the service. Since moving to Kansas City her usage dropped dramatically and we found that most of the calls could have been avoided. Since she already has a work cell phone that she can use during the day in case of emergency we canceled her personal plan and chose a less expensive route. After doing some research we decided to go with Boost Mobile (part of the Sprint/Nextel family). We bought the phone at Best Buy for about $40. The phone is pretty basic, no real major bells and whistles. The phone came with a $5 credit on it and each call with Boost costs about $.05 per minute. That is the cheapest per call rate we found. Other brands we explored were Virgin Mobile, Verizon, T-Mobile, GoPhone (AT&T), and some other no-name brands. Part of the deal with these pre-pay plans is that you have to re-up with more minutes on a regular basis, with Boost the requirement is to add more minutes every 90 days.

That's all I got for you, if you have any questions or comments feel free to holler.

I Love This Picture

2009-03-18T14:11:00.003-05:00

"I Smell Fries"

2009-03-12T10:04:00.002-05:00

Yesterday before picking up Addie from her babysitter's house I hurried to Chick-fil-A to grab a chicken sandwich, fries, and Coke. I was running a bit behind so I ate in the car as I drove to get Addie. Unfortunately all the stoplights were green on the way so I didn't finish my food until just prior to pulling in the driveway (after briefly pulling over in front of some stranger's house to scarf down the remaining bites). I knew I had to finish my food or else Addie would hound me for some and I was really hungry. So I hid my garbage on the floor in front of the passenger's seat hoping that Addie wouldn't catch a glimpse.

As I was putting Addie in her car seat, which is placed behind the passenger seat, she muttered something. I asked her what she said to which she replied, "I want fries." I said, "You want fries?" She answered that in the affirmative. So I buckled her in and went around to my door and sat down hoping she was done with the grand inquisition. I looked back and she scrunched her face up and started sniffing and saying, "I smell fries. I smell kick-en (translation--chicken)."

It was then that I knew I was busted and would never get away with anything from this point on.

Jesus is the Man

2009-02-20T15:03:00.004-06:00

If you weren't aware I am volunteering with a local hospice this semester. Today I shadowed another chaplain to a patient's home. The patient, a beautiful woman of 58 years, is dying of Lou Gehrig's disease. This disease has taken her voice (kind of) but her soft and sensitive spirit is alive and well. We'll call this lady Mary to honor her privacy. Mary communicates via keyboard and speaker, which she carries on her lap in her motorized scooter. Throughout the visit Mary was a joy to be around. She likes to tell jokes and hear jokes; it brightens her day. She told us that what makes her emotional is talking about God. There were several points when I was fighting back tears as I heard this woman talk about her faith in God and how the Spirit had become real to her, to the point of removing all fear about what lies next. My favorite part of the visit came when the chaplain had read Mary a story from Mark 2 in which four men carry a paralytic to Jesus to be healed. Jesus, doing what he does, forgives this person of his sins and subsequently heals the man. At the conclusion of the story Mary began typing away on her keyboard and after about 30 seconds a little computerized voice proclaimed, "Jesus is the man." Mary then bowed her head a little, put a tissue to her lips, and began to cry. I think she knows this Jesus.

A Wonderful Legacy

2009-02-19T16:07:00.002-06:00

Today is a special day for me. Really it's a special day for my whole family. Today is the 43rd wedding anniversary for my parents. On February 19, 1966 they pledged to love one another through all sorts of stuff and they have kept their word. As I approach my 5th anniversary with Monica I am grateful to my parents for the wonderful legacy they have given us kids. Just today I was telling my mom about how lately Monica and I have been giving Addie a snack of popcorn or something else before bed. The three of us will sit on the couch, usually with Pat and Vanna, and eat and laugh. I told my mom that that time is about more than the snack because during that time we just enjoy each other. I told her that I think Addie just likes having mom and dad around to which mom replied, "Kids find comfort in having mom and dad close by."

I couldn't agree more. Thanks mom and dad.

Recipe Thursday: Black Pepper Steak Sandwiches

2009-02-12T06:01:00.003-06:00

First, special thanks to Jon for inviting me to participate in Recipe Thursday. Jon and I have shared many a meal together but I don't think I've ever cooked for him. So this invitation is a bit ironic.

It should be noted that I don't have a whole lot of culinary skills indoors. I'm fortunate to have a wife who loves to cook and is an all-star in the kitchen.

That said, I like to think of myself as master of the grill. In previous years I was a little bit grill obsessed: grilled in the rain, snow, and of course on perfect summer and fall evenings. I also love sandwiches. Here is a recipe that combines both.

This recipe appeals to meat-heads (Grill!, Fire!, Steak!) as well as to those who may enjoy a tea room (croissants!).

Black Pepper Steak Sandwiches

Ingredients

1 pound beef tenderloin
Vegetable Oil
Kosher Salt
2 tablespoons coarse black pepper
4 croissants, halved and toasted
8 slices cheddar cheese
Mayo

Directions

Toast the croissant halves. You can do this on the grill, you could maybe do it in your toaster if the slots are large enough. I prefer to toast them on the grill.
Fire up the grill to high. Rub your meat with oil and season it with salt and pepper. Grill and cook on both sides (only flip ONCE) until medium-rare (about 4 minutes per side). Remove from the grill and don't cut the thing for about 5 minutes. Fancy chefs talk about the juices returning to the center of the meat during this time.
Lay the toasted croissant halves on a flat surface and top each half with a slice of cheddar cheese. Divide the steak among 4 halves and combine the tops to make 4 sandwiches.
Wrap each sandwich in foil, place on the grill, and grill for one minute each side. Remove from the grill and foil lift one slice of the bread from each sandwich and spread with a few tablespoons of mayonnaise. Serve

If you want to get fancy:

Upgrade the mayonnaise to horseradish mayonnaise: 1/2 Cup mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard, 2 tablespoons horseradish (drained), salt. Whisk it all together in a bowl.

Standing invitation to anyone who reads this blog to enjoy one of these sandwiches at my place.

Daddy-Daughter Dinner

2009-02-09T12:03:00.003-06:00

On Saturday night Addie and I attended the 2nd annual Daddy-Daughter Dinner at our local Chick-fil-A. This was our first Daddy-Daughter event of any kind. It will not be our last. I was pretty excited about the night all week long. We arrived at 4:45 pm, 15 minutes prior to our scheduled dinner time, so that we could have plenty of time for the valet parking provided by employees from a local car wash. In preparation for the night I vacuumed out the car, Armor-alled it and had Monica run it through the wash that morning. So on this very mild February evening I pulled up to the tent at Chick-fil-A with my beautiful date in tow. We were dressed casually, as you can see in the picture, but we still strolled up the red carpet to get our picture taken by a local photographer (who posted the pictures online and is providing a free 5x7 picture). Addie became a little more excited when they gave her a pretty rose. She didn't let that flower out of her sight all evening.

When we entered we were greeted warmly and took our seats at a table complete with flowers and a candle. Also on the table were pieces of paper for the father and daughter to use to spark conversation. Needless to say we didn't avail ourselves of these materials. Addie was pretty preoccupied by her fries and the crying baby nearby. Typically at Chick-fil-A they play contemporary Christian music but on this night they were playing daddy-daughter type songs like Cinderella by Steven Curtis Chapman, Butterfly Kisses, a sweet little song by John Mayer, and others. Let me tell you the mix of the candles, flowers, and music made me a little emotional. Looking around at the other dads/daughters I realized this time I have with Addie is pretty precious. Most of these dads may just need conversation starters with their daughter because they don't get to spend a lot of time together, but being a part time stay-at-home dad I have a unique opportunity with Addie that most dads don't have. I became cognizant of this in that moment and I felt blessed beyond belief. I love that little girl.

Other highlights of the dinner included a free cow stuffed animal for Addie (Chick-fil-A's "mascot" I guess you could say), free food coupons for future visits, and a free car wash coupon for Green Lantern. We capped of our dinner with a chocolate shake for me and a bowl of ice cream for Addie.

All in all it was a wonderful hour and a half together with my daughter. She looked so cute and I couldn't have been prouder. I just hope she will enjoy these type of events as she gets older, I know I will.

Recipe Thursday: Guest Post - bzurch

2009-02-05T08:05:00.000-06:00

Today's recipe comes from the skilled hands of my college friend, Brad Zurcher. In addition to working at Barnes & Noble Brad has also interned for Rachel Ray and Bobby Flay under whom Brad developed his culinary genius. So without further ado here is Brad's contribution to Recipe Thursday.

first of all, many thanks to jon for giving me the opportunity to do a guest post. i have a blog (shameless plug, i know) but i probably wouldn't have posted this on mine, so it's nice to be offered a forum where it would fit better.

as a part time stay at home dad, even my coarse palate gets tired of hot dogs, chicken nuggets, mac & cheese, and peanut butter (especially when people will pass through ANY peanuts) & anything sandwiches. as easy as these options are, sometimes i need to eat something that will tickle the tongue enough that i would be willing to pay for it. tuesday was one of those days so i scoured the pantry, fridge, and freezer looking for something that i could enjoy and addy (my addy, not jon's) would eat. i found a salmon fillet and thought, “bingo!”

i hit my favorite recipe website, recipezaar.com, and found what i wanted. this recipe worked out well because it is easy to prep and addison was able to help out. she had fun stirring up the bread crumbs and herbs, buttering the fillet, and of course, spreading the crumbs all over the fish. because she helped make it she was much more willing to eat it. we made a rice pilaf from a box, threw the fish on top and, wa-la! a most excellent lunch that felt like it should be served to me. it tasted great, took almost no effort, and best of all, addison liked it too!

ingredients:

· salmon fillet

· bread crumbs

· rosemary

· thyme

· parsley

· salt

· pepper

· garlic

· butter

here’s what i did. follow the link for the “official” recipe. i added a pinch of rosemary, thyme, parsley, salt, pepper, and granulated garlic to about 1/3 cup of bread crumbs. if i remember correctly i went a little heavy on the three herbs and garlic because i can’t get enough of them. i asked the little one to help put the ingredients in to the bowl and mix. next, we put the six oz. fillet scale side down in a baking dish, brushed on some butter (for me, not too much butter, I’m not paula dean) and then were ready to start the fun. again, with the help of the little one, we made sure every millimeter of that fish was covered in the breading concoction that we created. we put it in the 350 degree oven and 25 effortless minutes later we plated it on top of the rice and started salivating. i loved it. addy loved it. happy day.

A Short, but Cute Video

2009-01-29T08:10:00.001-06:00

Miscellaneous Musings

2009-01-28T13:32:00.002-06:00

Addie went "pee-pee" for the first time on her big girl potty this morning. Pretty momentous. She got a star to put on her chart and a sucker at 6:45 am. If only I had incentives like that built into my day!
Proof that I'm 30 and married and not 18 and single: I went to the grocery store last night around 8 to get Redi-Whip for our hot chocolate dressed in flannel pajama pants, white socks, LL Bean slip-on fuzzy slippers, and my winter coat. And I didn't even care.
Financial planning gives me a minority complex like no other. I met with someone today from Fidelity to discuss college savings options and my 401K and hated every minute of it. If I haven't confessed this before I tend to view myself in terms of what I produce. Based on the looks I was getting from the financial professional when I told her our financial situation my self-esteem was in the toilet.
I may be purchasing my plane ticket today to go to Europe in May! Diversify that Ms. Financial Professional.
I love laying in Addie's bed while she falls asleep. Her breathing is so calming. It makes the world slow down a bit.

A 55 Dollar Movie Experience

2009-01-25T15:31:00.004-06:00

On Friday night Monica and I went on a date to the movies. This movie date was unlike any other we've been on before. We chose to go to a movie since we had free movie passes that would likely go unused over the next few months when classes resume. So on Friday afternoon I went to the local AMC Theaters to procure our tickets. We wanted to see Slumdog Millionaire but the show was sold out; therefore, I decided we'd see Gran Turino at 6:00pm in the Cinema Suites venue.

On Friday nights it costs $20/person to see a movie in the Cinema Suites. Growing up if I went to see a movie it was a matinee and it was, if I remember correctly, $3.50/person. So to pay $20 to see a flick is certainly a good chunk of cash and a bit of a stretch. The deal with the Cinema Suites option is that you receive a coupon back for $10 which can be used toward the purchase of your meal or drinks. Yes, you read it correctly, meal or drinks. First, you have to be 21 or older to get in the Cinema Suites venue since alcohol is served. Second, when buying your ticket you select the seats you'll sit in for the movie. You take the movie in while reclining in extremely comfortable, reclining leather seats that come fully equipped with tray tables on a swivel. Next to you is a little side table with salt, pepper, ketchup, napkins, menu and a push button to call your server. The menu selection is similar to what you'd see in Chili's or Applebees with pricing about the same as well. With your first round of beverages the server also brings a mini tub of popcorn for each person to enjoy while you choose your meal and watch previews. After that the rest of the night goes like you think it would. Your meal arrives in about 10 minutes just in time for the movie to begin. During the movie the server would roam by our area once in a while or you have the call button option as well. With 45 minutes remaining in the movie the server drops the check off at your seat just like would happen at a restaurant. Movie then comes to a close and you exit the building with about $55.00 less in your pocket (depending on your appetite and drink selection).

Here's a recap of our $55 movie night:
$40.00--2 movie tickets
-$20.00--2 free movie passes
$35.63--dinner
-$20.00--2 $10.00 dinner vouchers
$0.00--babysitting (free babysitting is a major bonus!)
---------------
$35.63--our total for the night

I know $55 sounds like a lot to spend at a movie theater but considering that we saw a movie and had dinner this is about the same as you'd pay on a typical date. And since Addie was in the care of some good friends who love on her and I was with my wonderful wife, the $55 was well worth it. So if you're near an AMC Theater that provides this service I highly recommend it.

My New Whip

2009-01-19T15:28:00.007-06:00

For those of you who don't watch Cribs on MTV a "whip" is what gets someone around town--a car for most people. Today I purchased a new whip from Bike America. I have wanted a bike for some time and decided when making my 2009 personal goals that I wanted to ride a bike at least 3 times per week. Coupled with this goal was the desire to be able to take Addie out on bike rides through the beautiful trail systems we have here in Johnson County, Kansas. I think she will thoroughly enjoy it and our time away will give mommy some much needed time by herself. Plus as the weather warms I can take Addie to her babysitter's house and pick her up when it's time. So with all of that said here is a picture of my new Trek 7.2FX bike and Addie's sweet baby seat.

You can click on the links above to see more details about these items, but the coolest feature of all is that Addie's seat comes with a dual spring suspension system to give her a comfy ride plus adjustable footrests.

I know this post is getting a little long but one of the best parts about the purchase was the help from the guys at Bike America. Kevin, in particular, was extremely helpful and never once made me feel bad that I was just entering the biking world. I had not been that fortunate in a previous experience at Tern of the Wheel in Bradley, IL where the owner(s) made me feel like a tool because my Trek 730 was a bit dated. The guys, Kevin and Scott, were great to work with and offered to ride with me on the weekends when they take their kiddos out on the trails. One more huge benefit of buying from Bike America is that if you buy from them they will perform free tune-ups on your bike whenever you want. At $70 a pop that's a great selling point.

7 Things You May Not (Want to) Know About Me

2008-12-30T12:23:00.004-06:00

My friend, Dave, has tagged me apparently. So in good blogger fashion I will accommodate his tag and post my responses to the above prompt. Without further ado here are 7 things you may not (want to) know about me.

If I ever appear on the Late Show with David Letterman it would be for my stupid human trick in which I blow spit bubbles off the end of my tongue. This hidden talent was unearthed sometime during middle school. I like to do it from high elevations so I can watch the bubbles dance all the way to the ground. In case you want to check this out for yourself the best spit is available just after brushing your teeth. Good luck to you.
I went to speech classes when I was in grade school. I had a difficult time with my r's and l's. My most vivid memory of my speech problem is when we were vacationing in Washington DC and I tried checking out a board game from the KOA campground office and the lady behind the desk spelled my last name G-I-L-D-N-E-W.
I have a habit of doing activities in multiples of 4, 8, 16, or 32. It's usually small things like cracking my knuckles or biting my cheek, but I'm not satisfied until I've reached one of the multiples listed above.
My initial career aspirations were to be an attorney. I was set to attend Albion College in the footsteps of my older brother, Mike. In high school I delivered the closing argument in a mock trial our poly-sci class did with another high school.
As part of a high school poly-sci project I took on the persona of Bill Clinton in a mock debate in front of the whole school.
I am registered as a conscientious objector. The Church of the Nazarene allows a person to register under this status just like any of the traditional peace churches. While I know this status is pretty hard to live up to given the fact that we all participate in violent acts every day, it serves as a reminder that the trajectory of my life is to be lived peacefully with others and with creation.
I eat pizza almost every day. Usually it's in the form of some sort of Red Baron's pizza or pizza rolls or some other pizza-related item. I can't get enough pizza. Recently I learned how to make stromboli, which is just another way of combining those same delicious ingredients. My favorite pizza joint is Chicago Dough in Bourbonnais, IL. I can't tell you how many times I've eaten there.

My New Toy

2008-12-29T07:57:00.003-06:00

My employer is transitioning away from their previous cell phone provider. As a result I was directed to find a new provider and my service would be paid for but I would need to purchase the phone. After a long, arduous process I have purchased this phone. After playing with it in the store there were no other phones that even compared. I was hesitant to drop the $199 on the new phone so I was thrilled to see that AT&T offered it refurbished. Refurbished it usually goes for $149 but they have a special going until Wednesday that knocks $50 off, bringing the total to $99.00. If you ask me I think that's a pretty good deal. So for the next two days I will be checking the status of my order/shipment several times each hour. I feel like Ralphie waiting for his decoder to come in the mail. It can't get here fast enough. Plus I want it to get here before we leave for Michigan on Wednesday.

Lame Post/Question of the Day

2008-12-19T12:05:00.003-06:00

So I have returned to Sport Clips for my hair cuts. I have found someone who routinely does a great job and it's a whole lot closer than Sole Patch. But this is my dilemma...Sport Clips offers free neck trimming which I'd love to take advantage of; however, am I obligated to tip the person who performs this free service? I would be in the chair for about 30 seconds, does that amount of time merit a tip? Or am I freed from tipping as a result of my continued patronage? What say you?

Recipe Thursday

2008-12-18T07:43:00.003-06:00

This week's recipe has become a new favorite very quickly. The history of this meal stems back to some good times hanging out at my favorite teacher's house from high school, Mrs. Domerese (although she was never really my teacher). Mrs. D invited me, and perhaps Dan, over to her house to enjoy this good meal and to laugh at some good movies or to listen to her husband, Ken, tell us some funny stories. Those are good memories. There was something about their home and their company that was intoxicating. So after this little stroll down memory lane I now bring you today's recipe...Stromboli. This can probably realistically serve 3-4 people, although I ate the entire thing a few nights ago. It's the ideal meal for me, Monica, and Addie.

Ingredients
Frozen Bread Dough (I bought a 3-pack of Rhodes frozen bread dough)
Pizza Sauce (I used Prego original)
Your choice of toppings
Mozzarella Cheese
Pizza Seasoning or Oregano (optional)

Directions

Set out dough to rise per instructions on bag. For the Rhodes bread dough I've found that 8 hours is perfect.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Roll out bread dough in the shape of a circle (or rectangle). Add sauce, toppings, and cheese to the center of the circle. Be sure to keep the sauce at least 1" away from the edge of the dough. Fold over the dough and pinch it closed (it may help to get your fingers wet when you do this as it helps to close the dough). You want to form a tight seal so that the sauce and cheese don't come out the sides when baking.
Tear a few small strips on the top of stromboli to allow it to breathe.
Place on baking sheet and cook for 30 minutes or so. I also brushed on a little olive oil.

The Quintessential Fatherly Duty

2008-12-14T21:31:00.005-06:00

So tonight was the children's Christmas music program at church. As part of this annual event Central invites the little kiddos to sing. So with camera in hand I joined the other dads in what has become an American pastime.

A Semester by the Books

2008-12-09T20:30:00.004-06:00

My semester is now complete. It was a very busy semester but I think it went very well overall. Here now is a list of all the books I read this semester. Feel free to comment on them if you've read them or want to read them. All but two were required reading. I read the other two to help me out with my preaching class (Boone and Lowry).

Interpreting the Gospel: An Introduction to Preaching; by Ronald Allen
What's the Matter with Preaching Today; by Mike Graves, ed.
Sacred Rhetoric: Preaching as a Theological and Pastoral Practice of the Church; by Michael Pasquarello, III
Preaching the Story that Shapes Us; by Dan Boone
The Homiletical Plot; by Eugene Lowry
Images of Pastoral Care: Classical Readings; by Robert Dykstra
Generation to Generation: Family Process in Church and Synagogue; by Edwin Friedman
Solution-Focused Pastoral Counseling; by Charles Kollar
Listening and Caring Skills in Ministry; by John Savage
When Your People Are Grieving; by Harold Ivan Smith
Biblical Perspectives on Evangelism; by Walter Brueggemann
Liberating News; by Orlando Costas
The Lord's Harvest and the Rural Church; by Kent Hunter
Transforming Evangelism; by Henry Knight and F. Douglas Powe
Godbearing: Evangelism Reconceived; by Elaine Robinson
Beginning Well; by Gordon Smith
African-American Church Growth; by Carlyle Stewart
Journey to Jesus; by Robert Webber
Listening to the Beliefs of Emerging Churches; by Robert Webber et al.

Recipe Thursday

2008-12-04T07:00:00.000-06:00

This week's recipe has become a new favorite of mine. Monica and I had this for the first time a few years ago at the home of Chuck and Dana Carrigan, but I believe the recipe is a Chuck original. It's a great winter-time staple. Without further ado here is Chuck's White Chicken Chili.

Chuck's White Chicken Chili

Ingredients
1 Serrano pepper, minced
1 Anaheim pepper, minced (or jalapeno pepper)
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 can pinto or garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 can white corn
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 C. milk
1 C. water
1 can chicken broth
1 T. cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 T. dried onion
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 lbs. chicken, cut in bite sized pieces
fresh cilantro

Directions:
Saute peppers and garlic in olive oil. Add chicken and cook until done. Mix remaining ingredients in separate large pot and heat through. Add chicken mixture and simmer 1-2 hours.

Serve with sour cream, monterey jack cheese and tortilla chips. Or I also like it with cheese quesadillas.

Over the Rhine--Concert Pics

2008-12-03T21:23:00.007-06:00

So in my last post I mentioned that I attended an Over the Rhine show at Schubas with Dave and Nick and that those two guys took pictures with their fancy little cameras the whole time. Add to this that Dave is a giant and was probably blocking the view of lots of people. Nevertheless the concert was awesome and below are some of the pictures from that night.

Over the Rhine--Live Shows

2008-12-01T14:03:00.004-06:00

With the Christmas season in full gear my mind and body are drawn toward my favorite band, Over the Rhine. For several years I traveled in snowy, Chicago weather to see OtR play their Christmas show at some Chicago bar. This will be my second Christmas away from Chicago and OtR's Christmas show and that makes me long for days gone by. Therefore this post will attempt to recall all of the live shows I have attended to see Linford, Karin, and whatever other bandmates are traveling with them at that time. I will also list those with whom I saw the show and a memory associated with that event (if one readily comes to mind). If you were with me and have a memory about the event, please share!

Champaign, IL; Student Union; Troy, Nick, Vic, other dudes from Springfield

Got to talk with Linford after the show

Champaign, IL; Some bar; Brett, Tara

The snow was coming down like crazy!

Chicago, IL; Schubas; Troy, Shari, Kara

Nothing stands out

Chicago, IL; Schubas; Monica

First OtR concert with Monica

Chicago, IL; Schubas; Dave, Nick

Dave and Nick stood up front and took pictures the whole time

Chicago, IL; Schubas; Troy, Ben and other guys but I can't remember who they were

Fun night with the guys

Chicago, IL; Pizzafest; Monica

Good music but “pizzafest” was a bust

Chicago, IL; Old Towne School of Folk Music; Monica, Dave, Brandi, Nick, Nick's girlfriend

Crazy snowy night

Chicago, IL; Wine Festival; Monica

Monica was very pregnant but we had an awesome day

Chicago, IL; Park West; Dave, Nick, Vic

Music was loud and great. Worried about my car which was parked on a side street illegally

Chicago, IL; FitzGeralds; Me

Went to this show by myself the night after a show in Champaign with Brett and Tara; they played some great covers that night

Ann Arbor, MI; The Ark; Dan, Erin

Great having Dan and Erin with me. They played Poughkeepsie

Wheaton, IL; old chapel; Troy, Shari, Jill

Good music but company could have been better

Wheaton, IL; some building; Dave, Dave’s sister, Alison

The venue wasn’t that great, obviously since I can’t remember the name of it

Addie's Thanksbibbing

2008-11-27T07:19:00.004-06:00

First Attempt

Second Attempt

Me, Panera, and Seinfeld

2008-11-20T13:37:00.002-06:00

There's a great Seinfeld episode in which Jerry breaks even in everything he does. Something bad will happen to him, but then his fortune is reversed when something good happens to him. Everything evens out for him in that episode while other characters continue in their misery. There have been times when I have felt like Jerry did in that episode. On two occasions, in particular, something has happened of the "not-so-great" variety, but then I've gone to Panera and experienced the "evening out," so to speak. Today I am studying at Panera because I can't get any good work done at home. Because I feel bad for using their Free Wi-Fi I always order a chocolate chip cookie and small drink (which I refill about 6 times). Today when I ordered the guy behind the counter handed my the cookie and cup and said, "It's on the house." The thing is that this isn't the first time this guy (college age kid, actually) has given me free stuff. I don't think he gives me this stuff for free because he thinks I'm attractive or anything. I don't know what to chalk up this generosity to. Maybe it's just my turn to "break even."

Oh, The Joy!

2008-11-19T10:49:00.002-06:00

Being a stay-at-home dad has had its share of trials. But I would say the majority of the experience has been wonderful. Two snippets of conversation with Addie from the last 2 days highlight my experience:

First Conversation:
Jon: "Hey Addie, do you know who we're going to meet for dinner at Chick-fil-A tonight?"
Addie: "Deh." (Her expression when she doesn't know what she's supposed to say)
Jon: Mama.
Addie: "Cool dude."

Second Conversation:
Setup--Addie's babysitter has been sick the last two days so she's been home with me. This conversation occurs in the car this morning on our way to the babysitter's house.

Jon: "Addie, I've really enjoyed our time together the past few days. I've had a lot of fun."
Addie: (from the backseat) "Me too."

Tuesday Night at Chick-fil-A

2008-11-18T18:43:00.004-06:00

Let me say that I love Tuesday nights at Chick-fil-A. I love it for several reasons, which include the following:

the food is good
it gives us a break from cooking/planning a meal
Addie loves it
the kid straws are the best of any restaurant
you can return the toy in the kids' meal for a cup of ice cream
kids eat free with the purchase of an adult meal

I used to love it because Addie could play in the play area post-dinner. Now I want to avoid that part of it for these reasons:

Parents--the play area is not your babysitter for the evening. You still need to watch your kids. 3 boys running around like wild banshees with other, smaller kids playing is not acceptable behavior in a public venue. Save it for your private jungle gym.
Height & Age Requirement--this is there for a reason. 12 years old is too old to be climbing around the equipment. 12 year old, I don't blame you, I blame your parents.

That being said, Chick-fil-A is still awesome and I don't plan to stop frequenting it. You just won't find me in the play area.

What Are You Listening To?

2008-11-13T10:50:00.003-06:00

Autumn weather always puts me in a certain mood musically. I tend to listen to the same sort of music during these months. Listed here are the 5 bands or individuals that are getting some pretty heavy rotation for me these days. Please share what you're spinning.

Over the Rhine
Radiohead
Amos Lee
Sigur Ros
Damien Rice

Recipe Thursday

2008-11-13T09:15:00.003-06:00

Monica and I tried this recipe for the first time last week. I was skeptical at first but I really enjoyed it. If you're in the mood for a Mexican-like dish I recommend this without reservation.

King Ranch Chicken

Ingredients:
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
3/4 C. chicken broth
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
1/2 10 oz. can Ro-Tel Tomatoes
6 chicken breasts--cut into strips
1 chopped onion (we opted out on this)
8 8" corn tortillas, cut into 6 pieces (lay tortillas on top of each other and cut into 6 pieces)
1/2 lb. chedder cheese

Directions:
Heat oven to 350. Mix together first 4 ingredients, set aside. Grease 9 x 13 pan. Spread chicken over pan, cover with tortilla pieces, overlapping in shingle-like fashion. Spread onion (if you choose) evenly over tortillas. Pour reserve soup mixture over all. Top with cheese. Bake 1 hour.

Recipe Thursday

2008-11-06T10:14:00.003-06:00

I have been slacking lately with regard to posting Recipe Thursday. So due to Richard's prodding here it is in all its glory.

June's Boobs

Ingredients:
4-6 chicken breasts
2 cans cream of chicken soup
Swiss cheese (4-6 slices)
1/2 C. water
Stuffing mix
(The recipe calls for Thyme but I don't know if we usually do that, and if we do, when it goes in to the mix; use that at your own discretion)

Instructions:
Place chicken in 9 x 13 pan. Mix soup and water, then pour over chicken. Sprinkle stuffing mix over soup mixture. Cover with foil, then bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking chicken for 15 minutes.

Good Sides:
Rice
Rhodes Rolls

The Time Has Come

2008-11-05T09:29:00.002-06:00

With a title like "The Time Has Come" you would expect that this post would be about Obama's presidential victory. I wouldn't fault you for that expectation, it's certainly within the realm of possibility. No, today I am not writing about how the time has come where a black man has overcome racial and social boundaries to become President of the United States. That is certainly something to celebrate. The tone of this post is not celebratory, for what has happened in my life over the last 2 months marks a sad occasion.

For years I have been able to eat as much as I want whenever I want. Frequently I hear comments like, "I can't believe you can eat that much and stay so thin," or "How is it humanly possible to consume that much pizza and not look like a balloon?" I have even been warned that at some point in the future my metabolism would slow down and that would force my eating habits to change. Well, that time is now upon us. I stepped on the scale this week to discover that I have gained about 10 pounds. For whatever reason when I turned 30 a few months ago my body decided to turn against me. As a good friend told me I have now joined the ranks of those who talk about portion control. How long, O Lord?

Politics of Fear

2008-10-30T13:31:00.002-05:00

This video from the Daily Show is hilarious (my favorite parts are around 1:30 and 2:53). Not only is it hilarious I think it says so much about our culture. We operate based on fear. Unfortunately the climate in our churches is no different. We're scared of whatever is "out there" trying to get us. We have been sent by God into the world to join in God's liberating work yet we retreat to our safe little places. Will this ever change? How?

It's Addictive

2008-10-29T11:41:00.003-05:00

When my parents were here last week my mother played a video on the computer for Addie. Addie wasn't a fan (the chicken part creeped her out) but the song has been in my head ever since. I think it's only fair that I share this wonderful gift with you, also. Enjoy.

(Thanks, Richard!)

A Sensitive Spirit (Or, You Get What You Pray For)

2008-10-21T10:23:00.004-05:00

A little background is needed for this story. Before Addie was born Monica and I prayed that she would have a sensitive spirit about her--aware of the needs of others. In these last 2 years we have seen evidence that this trait is definitely growing inside her. The most recent episode occurred this morning, about 6:30 am. After a week long visit Papa and Grandma (Pop-uum) left our place early this morning headed for Indiana to see my sister. We were all feeling a bit sad about their departure. After saying goodbye to her grandparents Addie was in her bed and the lights were off. I went in there, knelt down next to the bed, and laid my head next to her's. Since it was dark in her room she reached her little pudgy, toddler hand out and tapped my head a few times. Then she put her arm around my head, leaned in, and planted a kiss squarely on my forehead. For those of you who know me well you would not be surprised by my response, for it was at this time that the tears began to roll.

I Guess She Wasn't Done with Her Bath...

2008-10-18T19:20:00.003-05:00

Last night Monica and I went out on a date to Dave & Busters. We left Addie at home with Papa and Grandma (otherwise known as "Pop-uum"--don't ask me why). After a great night of fun and food we returned home to get the scoop about the night's events. My mom, a.k.a Pop-uum, gave Addie a bath. When the bath was done my mom got Addie in her jammies and ready for bed. What happened at this point remains a mystery. Somehow Pop-uum and Papa got sidetracked doing other things at which point Addie made her way back into the bathroom. Since Pop-uum hadn't drained the water from the tub Addie decided she would resume her bath--regardless of the fact that she was wearing a diaper and jammies. There she sat in the tub playing paying no heed to rules of convention. All in all it sounds like everyone had a fun night.

Papa and Grandma's Visit

2008-10-16T14:10:00.002-05:00

My parents arrived in Olathe on Tuesday night in time to celebrate Monica's 30 birthday. It's been great having them here, as Addie will attest. Here is a list of highlights from the past few days:

lunch at d'Bronx
watching Addie show off for Papa and Grandma
seeing the joy in Papa and Grandma as they watch Addie
watching "airpwanes" take off and land
playing Dominoes with mom and dad

I'm excited to see what the next few days have in store. I can guarantee that good food will be part of it!

Recipe Thursday (after a brief hiatus)

2008-10-09T07:00:00.000-05:00

This week's recipe isn't very complex but it's a staple for anyone who loves pizza or needs a quick meal. I believe my brother-in-law, Brian, holds the record for most times eating this recipe. It's been rumored that this is all he eats when my sister leaves town and he has to make his own meals. So without further ado here is French Bread Pizza.

French Bread Pizza

Ingredients
Fresh loaf of French bread from local grocer
Pizza sauce
Mozzarella cheese (or some other cheese you like to use for pizza)
Your choice of toppings (I really like pepperoni and bacon together)

Directions
Preheat oven to 400. Slice the french bread loaf in half and then down the middle (length-wise). Add sauce, toppings and cheese. Bake at 400 for 10 minutes, or so.

Card Etiquette

2008-10-01T10:58:00.003-05:00

This morning I got to thinking about cards--birthday cards, Christmas cards, anniversary cards, etc. My brother-in-law, Eric, has said, "You don't need to bother getting me cards, I'm just going to throw them away anyway." I don't think his statement is unappreciative or uncaring, it's just that the money could be better spent on something else; or the "thought" behind the card could easily have been expressed in a phone call or something. So this got me thinking about other points of card etiquette, for instance:

What is the proper amount of time before you throw away a card?
Does that expanse of time indicate how thankful you were for the card?
Does a birthday card, or any other such card, necessitate a "thank you" card or phone call?
Is it rude to look at the back of the card to see how much the person spent on the card?
Is it rude to look back into the envelope to see if "anything" might have fallen out of the card?
Should the cards be displayed in a prominent place in the house for others to see?
Is it impolite to re-card?

What do you think? Are there any other points of etiquette that I'm missing?

I Can See the Light

2008-09-23T13:41:00.003-05:00

By my title you might think I'm referring to the current economic situation, the current presidency, or perhaps the ongoing battles in the Middle East. While I certainly hope that a new administration might offer a new paradigm for handling these complex issues, the thing that has me hopeful today is the thought of no more diapers. About 12:45 pm today Addie christened her potty. That's right, today I am excited about poop. I know this is just the beginning, but it's the beginning nonetheless. Although, from what I hear, when we go diaperless we'll have to know where every public restroom is within 25 miles.

Movie Star

2008-09-18T07:34:00.007-05:00

I thought I'd share some videos with you of Addie being her silly self. The one shows her making good use of daddy's tape measure (at least it's getting put to use) and the other shows off her new tumbling skills. Enjoy.

Recipe Thursday: The Stolen Edition

2008-09-18T07:34:00.003-05:00

Due to the fact that this week has been very busy I have failed to come up with a recipe of my own. However you shall not go recipe-less. Below is a link to the blog of my friend, Troy Hochstetler, who has recently posted a recipe of his own. The recipe is for Grilled Pizza. I have yet to try it but anticipate doing so this weekend while Monica is away.

Rather than retyping it all please follow the link below (I told you, I'm busy!):

Recipe for Grilled Pizza

Enjoy.

Name That Tune

2008-09-12T10:58:00.002-05:00

Can you match the artist and song title to the following lyrics? (without copying and pasting the lyrics into Google)

"You take your car to work, I'll take my board."

Recipe Thursday

2008-09-11T07:45:00.003-05:00

I'm not really sure what to do with this week's recipe. I say that because there's no name for it really. This recipe comes courtesy of Aaron Rubio, a friend of mine from Flint. I had this for the first time while camping at the Eastern Michigan District campgrounds in Howell, MI. I had forgotten about this recipe until a few weeks ago when I tried it out again and loved it. I don't think this can properly be called authentic Mexican so we'll just call it the White Man's Burrito.

Ingredients
Package of Polish Sausage
6 Eggs
Tortillas

Directions
Slice the sausage into small cubes. Cook the sausage on stove until meat is adequately browned. In another pan scramble the eggs. When the eggs are done and the sausage is browned add the eggs to the pan with the sausage. Mix together. In the meantime, heat up the tortillas. This can be done on a griddle or any other such means. When all is done and heated make yourself a burrito. (If that sounds too plain Monica likes to add salsa on top of hers)

Kids Will Be Kids

2008-09-05T10:05:00.003-05:00

On Tuesday when I picked Addie up from her babysitter's house she and another little girl, we'll call her Molly, were sitting on the stairs. The stairs are the place of punishment at daycare so I knew something was up. The babysitter proceeded to tell me that as she was making lunch for the kids Addie and Molly had a little skirmish of sorts. In the fracas Addie was bitten 4 times, for which I felt badly for her. The kicker is that when the babysitter looked down the stairs to see what the crying was about Addie was sitting on Molly. I should add that Molly is older than Addie although they're about the same size. Nevertheless, Addie had mounted this poor girl like Ralphie did to Scut Farkus in The Christmas Story and wouldn't let her up. Now I know I shouldn't encourage such behavior but I have to admit picturing my sweet, little Addie on top of this poor little girl is pretty funny.

Recipe Thursday

2008-09-04T08:45:00.002-05:00

This week's recipe comes from my mom's kitchen and has always been a family favorite.

Ice Box Cookies

Ingredients
1 C. margarine, softened
1 C. white sugar
1 C. brown sugar
2 eggs
1 t. soda
1 t. salt
3 1/2 C. flour
2 t. vanilla
1 C. nuts

Directions
Blend margarine and sugars well. Add eggs and blend. Add soda, salt, flour and vanilla and mix well. Finally, add chopped nuts. Roll out two sheets of wax paper. Divide batter in two, place on wax paper, and shape in a long log. Refrigerate for a few hours and then bake at 350 degrees until cookies are a light brown. Let set on cookie sheet for a few minutes after baking to cool.

The 20's: A Look Back

2008-09-03T10:23:00.004-05:00

Having celebrated my 30th birthday yesterday I figured it would be good to take stock of what events occurred in my life this last decade. The 20's are a strange time given that you enter just beyond your youthful teenage years and leave knowing that a third of your life (hopefully) has passed. Also, when I was 20 I had multiple options for styling my hair, now the choice has been made for me thanks to my genetic makeup. Despite this march of time the last 10 years have been good to me. In honor of turning 30 I present to you the Top 30 events of my last 10 years. This will be done Dave Letterman style with the numbers having little or no importance, so if you were with me for #22, #29, or #30 no need to have hurt feelings. Turning 30 has taught me that numbers are arbitrary anyway.

Graduated from Olivet Nazarene University with a B.A.
Had brain surgery
Traveled to Israel
Met my beautiful wife, Monica
Graduated from Olivet Nazarene University with a M.A.
Moved to Kansas City
Moved to Keller, TX for a summer
Moved to Illinois
Bought a house
Welcomed my beautiful daughter, Addison Grace, into the world
Lived in the basement of my boss; got booted out and room was replaced by 5 tv's
Lived in the basement of Tara and Brett's house--developed appreciation for communal living
Moved to Kansas City, again
Had hernia surgery
Had hernia surgery, again
Developed great relationships in our Sunday School class
Worked with great people at Salkeld Sports
Welcomed several nephews and nieces into the world
Walked with Monica in the gorgeous Rocky Mountains
Became a stay-at-home dad
Went to Hawaii with Monica
Moved away from friends several times
Made new friends
Drove along the beautiful north-eastern shore line with Monica
Enjoyed great meals with family and friends
Discovered the wonderful music of Over the Rhine--thanks, Troy
Got deeper in debt thanks to school loans
Witnessed a world in flux
Received the unconditional love of parents
Realized that God was active in all of this

The Quest for a Good Haircut

2008-08-29T09:18:00.003-05:00

If you read this blog on a regular basis you've come to know that I am very particular when it comes to getting my hair cut. Having grown tired of bad haircuts for $5.99 I decided it was time to go someplace new. So after class yesterday I meandered to Prairie Village and found what I've been searching for all these months. My quest concluded at Sole Patch Barbers.

Upon entering Sole Patch Barbers I was greeted by a few girls who were busy with their duties. The one girl was giving her client an eyebrow wax (ouch!) and the other girl was giving her client a handshake manicure. I declined both of those options and went with the simple haircut for $20. My stylist, Kalin, was a very nice girl with a bubbly personality who excelled in sarcasm. I knew my experience would be a good one when Kalin instantly knew what blade to cut my hair with and recognized the fact that the hair on the sides of my head lays down differently. The main part of the haircut was followed by a neck shave using warm shaving cream and a straight blade. Post shave I made my way to the sink to receive a shampoo and scalp massage. The experience concluded with the application of some carefully selected hair product. With that done I was on my way with a smile on my face and no complaint on my tongue.

I should mention that the happiest person in this whole event is Monica for she no longer has to hear me complain about a bad haircut.

Recipe Thursday

2008-08-28T08:55:00.002-05:00

This week's recipe comes from my sister's kitchen. We had this for the first time in Boston and had it most recently last night. This is a very easy recipe to make and is very filling. Without further ado here is Poppy Seed Chicken.

Poppy Seed Chicken

Ingredients
3 lbs. Chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)
1 carton sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 1/2 C. Ritz cracker crumbs (put 1 1/2 sleeves of crackers into a large zip lock bag and pound the crackers into crumbs)
3/4 C. butter, melted
2 T. poppyseeds

Directions
Line 13 X 9 pan with chicken
Mix Soup & Sour Cream. Set 1/2 C. aside and pour remainder over chicken.
Combine crumbs, butter and poppyseeds, then sprinkle over chicken mixture.
Pour remaining 1/2 C. soup mix on top.
Bake at 350 for 35-40 min.
Serve with white rice.

Deuces Wild

2008-08-25T08:13:00.003-05:00

Last night we went to a park with some friends and their children. It was a beautiful night and we were having a great time playing. That's when things got interesting. Monica was near the slide that Addie had been playing on when she exclaimed, "Oh my gosh!" I looked at the playset only to discover what Spalding Smails had discovered in Caddyshack--doodie. That's right, right there at the top of the slide was a pile of poop. Then my eyes caught the poor little girl on the slide who had obviously done this deed. She didn't know what to do so we found her mom. The conversation went a little like this:
Monica: "Mam, your daughter has had a little accident."
Mom: "Oh no."

That's it. The mom went off to find something to clean up the mess. We resumed our business careful to stay clear of the marked area. Toward the end of the night we were playing in a different area and then I heard Monica say again, "Oh my gosh." You guessed it, just behind a rock wall, a little boy had undressed and had began doing his business right there on the woodchips. It was at this point I thought, "Please don't let this boy belong to the same family." I searched and found the mom from the previous experience. The conversation went like this:
Me: "Mam, do you have a little boy with you?"
Mom: "Yeesss."
Me: "Well there's a little boy over there who has had an accident."
Mom: "What color shirt does he have on?"
Me: "White and blue."
Mom: "I think we need to leave."

At that point we all decided it was a good time to leave. After all there were no other clean places to play!

Recipe Thursday: Cake!

2008-08-21T07:00:00.002-05:00

This week's recipe comes to you from Mat and Dawn Shea, whom I am forever indebted to for this delicious recipe. This moist cake has become one of my favorite cakes and would make a very good birthday cake, especially for your favorite blogger who will turn 30 soon (hint, hint). Without further ado I introduce to you Shea Cake.

Shea Cake

Ingredients:
1 pkg. yellow cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 C. oil
1 can butterscotch or chocolate pudding (15 oz); I think we buy the "Thank You" brand
Choc. Chips
Walnuts (I skip these!)

Directions:
Blend above ingredients (except choc. chips) together until smooth. Pour into 9 X 13 baking pan and top with choc. chips (and walnuts if you so desire). Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

Random Thoughts

2008-08-20T15:14:00.006-05:00

I know it's been a little while since I posted anything but that's because I've begun a 2 week module class which sucks up all my time. Nevertheless I thought I would share some random thoughts with you...

We took our car to an auto body recently. Normally this would scare me since I believe most places like this take advantage of the average car owner who doesn't know squat about the guts of a vehicle; however, we take our cars to Don's Auto Body in old Olathe. I love this place. They didn't charge me for the work they did and the last time I took my car there I was charged half the amount that every other place was going to charge. I will always trust them with my vehicles, but hopefully I don't have to see them too much!
I learned yesterday that a "cougar" is a middle-aged woman looking to pick up a younger man. I don't have any other thoughts on that, but just thought you should know to. I learned this when eating lunch at the Brooksider. And no, I wasn't approached by a cougar.
I love the age Addie is at right now. Her language is beginning to explode and I get a kick out of everything she does. I'm blessed to have the opportunity to stay at home with her. I'll forever be grateful for these days.

Recipe Thursday

2008-08-14T08:36:00.004-05:00

This week's recipe has become a family favorite. This is a great recipe when you're feeding a lot of people and has also been a hit when prepared for others. Disclaimer: this is not an original recipe, rather I stole it from allrecipes.com.

Baked Ziti

Ingredients
1 (16 ounce) package ziti pasta
24 ounces ricotta cheese
1 pound shredded mozzarella cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 (32 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and rinse.
In a medium bowl, mix ziti, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, egg and 1 1/2 cups spaghetti sauce.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish and spoon in ziti mixture. Top with remaining spaghetti sauce, followed by Parmesan cheese.
Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes; let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

As with any pasta dish I recommend New York's Texas Toast: Cheese.

The Olympics: The Good and the Bad

2008-08-12T10:48:00.003-05:00

Like most folks over the past week I have been enjoying the Olympics. But there are also things I don't like about these competitions. That being said I thought I'd develop a short list of things I like and don't like about the Olympics. I invite you to share your list(s):

What I Enjoy:

Seeing the athletes excel at what they're good at
Pure joy in celebration (the way the Chinese celebrated after taking the gold in men's gymnastics)
Volleyball--both indoor and outdoor, men's and women's. I love this sport.
The "out of nowhere" story. I love seeing the underdog surprise the experts.
Watch live events until the wee hours of the morning. For a night owl like me there is nothing better.

What I Don't Enjoy:

The athletes ridiculous physical condition. If you want to feel bad about yourself look at a picture of Michael Phelps or anyone who performs on the rings. Sick.
Losers. I know this is competitive yet I hate to see people lose. I hate that losing is part of the "powers and principalities" of this world.
Commentators: if you're such an expert you get out there and contort your body in crazy positions with seemingly little effort. Shut your mouth!
Pommel horse...does anyone care about this?
The Medal count.

Recipe Thursday

2008-08-07T07:00:00.006-05:00

This week's recipe comes from my sister's collection. Monica and I had this for the first time when we visited Shane's family in Boston a few years back. Since then it has gone to the top of my list. So without further ado I introduce to you Asiago Chicken Pasta.

Asiago Chicken Pasta

Ingredients
1 box farfelle noodles (bow-tie)
Asiago Cheese (@ 1 1/2 C.)
1 med. onion, finely chopped (I recommend leaving this out, but then again I hate onions)
1/2 lb. bacon
1 lb. chicken, cut and cubed
1 red pepper (it can easily be removed from the dish)

Instructions
Prepare noodles (add salt to water during boiling). Meanwhile, fry bacon and crumble. Reserve some of the grease. Add chicken and onion to bacon grease, cook through. Add peppers during the last two minutes to soften. Grate cheese. Reserve 1 C. pasta water when draining pasta. Return pasta to pan and add chicken, onion, peppers. Stir together and add remaining cheese and water (@ 1 C.) until it's the right, creamy consistency. Mix in crumbled bacon and serve in a bowl.

Good Add-On: I recommend the following bread/oil combination...
Fresh Italian bread from local bakery/grocery store
Dipping Oil:
Olive Oil
Fresh Garlic (use garlic press if you have one)
Fresh Romano Cheese (finely grated); you can sub Parmesan cheese
Crushed Red Pepper

The American Flag and The Church

2008-08-05T12:58:00.001-05:00

I found this story today. I'd love to hear your thoughts on it...

The Road

2008-08-03T13:09:00.002-05:00

This past week I finished reading Cormac McCarthy's, The Road. I had read some good things about it on a friend's blog but I didn't know anything about the storyline or about the author, other than he wrote No Country for Old Men. I never read that book but I loved the movie so I thought I'd give this book a shot. Now I am not one who can sit down and read a book in a day or two, but I found it hard to put this book down. For me the start was a bit slow since McCarthy's writing style and vernacular took some getting used to but once I got into the story I was hooked. The story is about a man and his son and the journey they are on. We are never told what happened but it becomes obvious some cataclysmic event has transpired and the last days of this earth are upon them. The dad and boy are constantly searching for something whether that be food, shelter, etc. They are constantly faced with images of death and dying. If one thing grabs your attention in this book it is the inescapability of death (similar to No Country for Old Men, "You can't stop what's coming." In the midst of this ghastly narrative a beautiful story emerges concerning the father and son. This is what kept me going in this book. I got excited every time I turned the page and saw that dialogue was coming between the two because it was always honest, loving, heart wrenching, and gripping all at the same time. Despite the bleakness of the situation it was a story of life that emerged. In the end it is not death that has the last word; rather, the story ends with the fire going forward.

Have you read the book? If so, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Recipe Thursday

2008-07-31T11:02:00.003-05:00

I'm going to attempt to share a good recipe every Thursday with the goal of bringing your tastes in line with my own. This way when we dine together no one will notice or care that I'm not eating a salad. With that being said, I bring you the first installment in this series. This recipe comes to you from a cookbook put together from ladies at our old church. It's called Poppin Fresh Barbecue (no, it wasn't named by Randy Jackson).

Poppin Fresh Barbecue
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 C. barbecue sauce (recommendation: Sweet Baby Ray's)
1/4 C. chopped onion (recommendation: skip the onion--they should be outlawed)
1-2 T. brown sugar
10 oz. can Hungry Jack flaky biscuits
1/2 C. shredded cheddar cheese

Heat oven to 400. Brown ground beef and onion (if you choose to ruin this recipe!); drain. Stir in barbecue sauce and brown sugar; heat until bubbly. Remove from heat. Separate dough into 10 biscuits. Place each biscuit in muffin tin, press dough down and cover bottom. Spoon meat mixture into cups; sprinkle evenly with cheese. Bake 10-15 minutes.

Try it and let me know your thoughts.

So Long, Friend

2008-07-31T10:21:00.002-05:00

For the past few years I have been working in the sporting goods world. Part of my job was to interact with the sales reps from various vendors. I had frequent contact with one of those reps, Tom Walenga. Tom worked tirelessly for us as his customer and did anything to ensure that we were taken care of. Countless times Tom came to the store with a little something for someone who worked there--a gift that was inspired by some conversation he'd had with that person. When Addie was born he had a baby spoon engraved with her name on it. Tom was a great guy. This morning Tom passed away after a long battle with cancer. My prayers are with Tom's family as they grieve his loss--he will surely be missed.

My Week in Review...

2008-07-27T15:16:00.003-05:00

This past week Addie and I went to Flint, MI for a surprise retirement party for my mom. The trip was really wonderful and the party went swimmingly. Here are some of the highlights from this past week:

The weather. Every day was sunny with a few passing clouds and a high near 80. And, oh yeah, no humidity. It was the perfect respite from the oppressive Kansas summer.
The fam. All of my siblings were in town. There is a lot of beauty in the midst of such utter chaos. I loved being with every one of them and my parents. As a father now it's great to see my family love on my daughter.
The Flint culture highlighted by this article in the Flint Journal. Apparently the new police chief is "cracking down" on baggy pants. This issue alone will turn Flint's image around. Good job, Chief!
Addie. She was such a joy to be with. Her personality just makes me laugh. I'm honored to be her dad.
Halo Burger. This is a Flint burger joint that makes a shake-like treat called a Boston Cooler. It combines vanilla ice cream and Vernors. There is nothing better on a warm summer day. I'm sorry Monica couldn't enjoy it with me.
The Retirement Party. My parents have given themselves to their children. They have worked tirelessly for years to provide for us. They are givers to the core. Retirement for both of them isn't about to change who they are, it's simply a transition to a new phase of life. God has good things in store for them. Mom and Dad, dream dreams!

It's in the Bag, Baby

2008-07-20T14:44:00.006-05:00

This past Wednesday night Monica and I went to bed fairly early. I remember catching The Daily Show with Jon Stewart but faded off sometime after that. Around 11:30 pm Monica asked me if I was still watching the tv, which meant she wanted it turned off. I told her I wasn't watching it anymore but then I did something unusual. I got up, stood next to my side of the bed, and mumbled something about "my bag." I continued, "My bag, my bag...where is my bag." Needless to say I wasn't fully aware of my actions at this point. Monica then asked me what I was saying to which I replied in a frustrated voice, "I can't find my bag." She may have laughed at me at this moment, I can't remember to tell you the truth. What came out of her mouth next, though, was pure genius. Flustered because I hadn't got into a deep sleep yet I told her I was going downstairs to lay on the couch at which point she muttered from her sleepy, but obviously not too sleepy state, "Don't forget your bag."

Genius.

John the Baptist

2008-07-14T10:37:00.004-05:00

Recently Monica and I have been studying the Gospel of Mark. Mark's gospel is interesting because it contains no birth narratives, nothing about Jesus' upbringing, and only briefly mentions Jesus' predecessor, John the Baptist. This brief treatment of John the Baptist got us talking. Have you ever paid attention to the trajectory of John's life? I've read about John before but until the past couple of days have not really thought about his story. By all human standards his is a story that ends badly. There is no grand departure for John. He doesn't retire to Florida after he passes the baton to Jesus. There is no fan-fare, no ticket-tape parade. Yet I believe his story must be told, because his story is all about us.

Luke begins his gospel with a story about John's parents, Zechariah and Elizabeth. Zechariah was a priest and Elizabeth was a descendant of Aaron. They were from good stock--things are good for them. Things get even better for them as Elizabeth, who was barren, is told by an angel that she would have a son and he would bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. This son would carry the spirit and power of Elijah and he would make ready a people prepared for the Lord. This is a great beginning, right? The story gets even better when this son is born and they give him the name, John. It's obvious to all following this story that God's hand is upon this one. But following this we're told that John gew and became strong in spirit and that he lived in the desert until he appeared publicly to Israel (1:80).

Following some stories about Jesus' birth, his circumcision, and his boyhood appearance at the temple, the scene then shifts back to John. John the Baptist is now preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins and he's attracting quite a following. Despite his social awkwardness (he lives in the desert for crying out loud--perhaps the equivalent of being home-schooled) crowds are following him and want to know if he might be the Christ, the one who would bring about God's kingdom on this earth. They must have been disappointed when John told them that he was not the Christ, that one more powerful would come after him whose sandals he was not worthy to untie. All is well and good at this point. John has fulfilled prophesy and pointed folks toward Jesus. He's done what he was supposed to do. Now he can live the good life in a sweet retirement village in the hill country of Galilee. But then something happened...

John upset the order of the day. While preaching good news and exhorting the people John got himself into trouble by rebuking Herod, the tetrarch. Until this point John was just that weird dude from "out there" talking about some other dude that would come after him. He couldn't hurt a flee. But when John spoke out about the actions of the tetrarch he got himself a one-way ticket to prison courtesy of Herod. While in prison John's disciples report to him the things that Jesus was doing. John, perhaps longing to know if his life had been worth anything, sends his disciples to Jesus asking if Jesus was truly the one. Jesus confirms that he is the one who was to come. Jesus, paying homage to John, says that there is no one greater than John. For Luke, this is the end of the line for John. Matthew's gospel paints a more dismal ending than this as John is beheaded and served on a platter at a dinner party. John the Baptist, who had a great start to his career, faded into the distance as Jesus came upon the scene.

If you ask me I think John got a raw deal. God served him a bad hand. His life started out great, things were going good, he had crowds following him, he told people about Jesus, and then he departed from the scene and we're left with the life of Jesus. While I think this stinks for John I believe that this is what our lives are to be like. As Christians our task is to point to Jesus--to the kingdom of God that is breaking in on this world. This life is not about fame, fortune or reputation. Christian discipleship should look like the life of John the Baptist. If others are to know what Jesus is about they should look no further than us; just as to look at John the Baptist was to look at Jesus--a life given over to the reign and rule of God. May our prayer be that we, too, recede into the background so that only the story of Jesus remains.

A Block Party

2008-07-11T14:16:00.002-05:00

So I have been thinking a lot lately about throwing a party for everyone on our street. It drives me crazy that I don't know more of our neighbors and that I'm left to speculation, which usually isn't very helpful. We live on a street of duplexes, which typically signifies that the people who live here are fairly mobile. Most of our neighbors, I'm guessing, won't be here for the long haul. Despite this I think we need to meet. So that's where you come in...I am soliciting ideas on how to throw a party in which everyone on the street feels welcomed to join. Do we make formal invitations? Do we grill out hotdogs and encourage others to bring sides? What do you think? Is this even a worthwhile endeavor? Start the brainstorming!

The Best Haircut I Ever Knew

2008-07-07T19:50:00.003-05:00

"What kind of title is that?" "Why on earth are you personifying a haircut?" I realize these questions may be going through your mind right now, so let me take a few minutes of your precious time to explain myself. Following my previous post in which I bemoaned the fact that I can't get a good, budget-friendly haircut around here I thought it was necessary to tell you the tale of The Best Haircut Ever.

On multiple occasions when driving on 151st Street I noticed a new establishment at the Mur-Len intersection. It was in one of those new, trendy, corner-shops that are everywhere around here. The sign above the storefront read "Gentlemen Haircuts." I was intrigued for sure and I wanted to know more. The opportunity soon arose when I received a small postcard in the mail from said establishment offering a free haircut--a $29.00 value! This was perfect since I could now try this place out without spending my money. Immediately I ran to my computer and found their website. The homepage stated exactly what I was looking for, "Not Just a Haircut. An Experience." An Experience! Up until this time I had been settling for just a haircut, but now something more was out there. Now I knew how Navin R. Johnson felt when he saw his name in the phonebook for the first time. The best part about the website is that it offered online appointment booking. What? This would put an end to the waiting in line, hoping to get the good person, willing that the poor sap next to me would get the girl in the back, left corner. The power was in my hands now. With that I chose the time and the highly trained stylist that would provide my haircut in my individual styling room and a hot facial towel and scalp massage. The date was set.

When "Experience Day" arrived I decided to make the most of it so rather than donning the typical mesh shorts and t-shirt around the house I got decked out in khakis and a nice polo with a black belt and black dress shoes. I chose this outfit because my black dress shoes really needed some major TLC, which will come into play in a bit. So I arrived for my appointment and entered the sleek, "cigar club" type environment and checked in at the desk. As I figured they were expecting me and greeted me with a complimentary bottle of Coke, which I enjoyed in the soft, supple black leather chairs. My highly trained stylist soon came out to greet me and led me back into my individual styling room. We gabbed a bit and she procured the essential data prior to starting the haircut. The haircut part of the experience was way above average as my highly trained stylist hit every one of my essential criteria. Following this my stylist asked if I would like my shoes shined, to which I replied with a hearty yes. After unlacing my shoes she slipped my feet onto a foot rest and then had me recline in my leather chair so that she could continue with the hot towel treatment and scalp massage. At this point I thought to myself, "How can I convince Monica that I need to come here all the time? This place is perfect." After a few minutes my highly trained stylist removed the hot towel and completed the experience with some hair product and a shot of cologne. After a few pleasantries we said our good-byes and I proceeded to the front counter before heading off into the world as a new man.

It was more than a haircut. It was an experience.

10 Day Forecast

2008-07-07T09:34:00.003-05:00

I am ready for fall. I know to most that sounds ridiculous, but honestly I hate hot weather. I checked our 10 day forecast the other day and the lowest temperature over the next 10 days was supposed to be 70 degrees. 70! That was the predicted low temperature for several days with the daily high ranging between 85 and 95. Monica loves this weather, I despise it. If I even look outside my back gets sweaty, which will then require a night-time shower. That's probably too much information but that's the reality of the situation, my friends. So Mr/s. Meteorologist, if you're listening, bring on the cool nights of autumn, the falling leaves, the crisp mornings because this weather is for the birds.

Searching for a Good Haircut

2008-07-06T20:30:00.004-05:00

Upon moving back to Olathe I was thrilled to see several Sport Clips stations. Sport Clips is great because they offer a tv in every station featuring some sporting event; plus you have the option to purchase a hot towel treatment and scalp massage. In theory it's a win-win situation (or win-win-win if you're Michael Scott). In practice it's been a lose-lose situation. I have yet to receive, what I consider, a quality haircut. My wife thinks I'm the pickiest person alive when it comes to this issue. All I want is for the person cutting my hair to do a good job and to cover these areas: (1) Make sure the left and right side blend the same since the hair on the two sides of my head lays differently; (2) Square off the neck line, (3) Trim the bangs (why is this so often forgotten?); (4) Trim around the ears and sideburns; and finally (5) LEAVE NO STRAY LONG HAIRS. I believe this is a rather modest list and those who have their license to cut hair should meet these basic guidelines. Here's the rub...so far I have yet to find a person who has put it all together to cover this list. In fact, when I went to Sport Clips the other day they asked me if I would be requesting anyone, I leaned in toward the girl and whispered, "Anyone but the girl in the back, left corner." The girl in the back, left corner had botched the job last time. The problem is that the girl who cut my hair this time didn't measure up either. There's no way I'm going back into that place where I might have to lean in again and tell them that I don't want either of those two girls. The other Sport Clips location near us has also proved to be unworthy on two other occasions. So what's a guy supposed to do? Can't a brother just find someone that will love my hair and take good care of it? Is that really too much to ask?

Chaos, Control, and Kansas City

2008-07-02T19:31:00.002-05:00

Lately I have been reading a book by Tim Keel called Intuitive Leadership: Embracing a Paradigm of Narrative, Metaphor, & Chaos.. He is the pastor of Jacob's Well, a church here in Kansas City. Toward the end of the book Keel describes a series of postures that leaders may take as they navigate this time between modernity and postmodernity. The one that sticks out to me is the posture of Surrender: From Control to Chaos. This hits me in every role I find myself, not just leadership roles. In this section Keel talks about wisdom he received from his spiritual director regarding control and chaos. He writes:

"He told me that chaos is often a prerequisite to new creation in Scripture. When we try prematurely to regain control of something chaotic there is a good chance we could undercut the very thing God is doing amoing us, if only we had the eyes to see the emerging order that, while alien to our sensibilities, is nevertheless present."

Since moving to Kansas City in October life has been chaotic. Monica and I have undergone radical role reversals and continually find ourselves worn out for one reason or another. I've noticed that when life seems chaotic and out of control our reaction has been to "secure the ship" or to regain control over some area of life that seems to be getting the best of us at that time (usually that regards finances). At those junctures it's difficult to see beyond the present situation--we don't have the eyes most often to see the emerging order that Keel talks about.

Today Addie had to stay home from daycare because she had a high fever. This was not on my checklist of things to get done today. I have a ton of work to do as well as schoolwork, yet in the midst of it all I tried to listen for what God may be saying. I felt grace in the midst of the chaos. It was as if I realized that this thing called life is not for me to control, but that the God who has called me to this place stands out before me calling me into God's future--a place not devoid of God's presence.

Which Time Zone is the Best?

2008-07-02T11:55:00.003-05:00

So I just hung up the phone with my friend, Troy, who currently lives within the Eastern time zone. He was visiting his parents in Illinois, which is part of CST. I welcomed him back into the best time zone and he retorted that I was crazy for thinking that CST was better than EST. He asked for reasons why I thought that the Central Time Zone was the best, so here is what I told him. You are welcome to share your reasons, or perhaps reasons for disagreeing with me:
1. Letterman is on at 10:30 pm, instead of 11:30
2. College football begins before noon, or 1 in some cases
3. Athletic events don't end after midnight (in most cases)

I realize the list is both partial and meager and also revolves around television viewing; nevertheless, my position is still that Central Standard Time is superior to Eastern Standard Time.

The one thing we did agree on is that both time zones are far superior to Pacific time. Reasons being: (1) you arrive to work with 2-3 hours of email to catch up on, (2) you work 2-3 hours after the rest of the country has gone home, (3) you wake up on a Saturday morning to find that you've missed the first half of a good college football game, (4) you're watching replays of tv shows that the rest of the country has already watched, and (5) you have to subtract 3 hours every time you try to figure out when a tv show is on.

Monkey See, Monkey Doo-Doo

2008-06-17T21:16:00.004-05:00

So today when I picked Addie up from daycare I noticed that she was wearing a different outfit than what she was wearing when I dropped her off just four hours earlier. I was not expecting what Skye, her babysitter, would tell me next. Apparently my daughter, in Al Bundy style, stuck her hand down her pants and pulled out some of the poop she had recently deposited in her diaper. Not only that but Addie then proceeded to play with it and drop some on Skye's carpet. It was at this point that another little guy yelled to Skye, "Ugh, Skye! There's poop on the ground!" That was when Skye discovered my little monkey playing with her feces. How disgusting! The best part about it was the fact that I didn't have to clean it up.

Addie Story

2008-06-12T10:34:00.004-05:00

So it's been a long time since I shared any kind of Addie story, so here you go. On Tuesday she woke up from her nap and, as usual, began playing with some of the toys in her room. This is a great transition for her (meaning she is less cranky for the rest of the afternoon) and I think she just enjoys playing and reading by herself. After about five minutes she began crying, which is very unusual. Hurriedly I ran into her room to find her sprawled out on her stomach just inside the door. She had been playing with her ball popper toy and one of the balls had gone under her dresser. In her attempt to retrieve the ball she got her head stuck under the dresser and couldn't back out. The poor thing was pretty scared. So like any dad would do I lifted up the dresser and pulled her out. I know she was a bit scared but it was pretty funny nevertheless.

Friday Love Fest: The Hijacked Edition

2008-06-06T11:21:00.002-05:00

Since my friend over at To Will One Thing is on vacation I thought I would mention those things that I love on this beautiful Friday.

This week I have been loving the Coldplay station on Pandora. My brother, Dan, suggested it and for that I'm thankful. This station's genomes are perfect.

I love the fact that we'll be visiting family and friends in two weeks in Illinois, Michigan, and Indiana.

I love working from home on a day like this...windows open, breeze blowing through the house, listening to good music, about to eat leftover pizza.

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Informative Haircut

2008-06-05T10:41:00.002-05:00

So I got my hair cut last night at Great Clips. Typically I go to Sport Clips but I had a coupon for $5.99 and I got a bad haircut last time I went to Sport Clips. So the girl that cut my hair was named Rebecca. She was a very talkative person, by that I mean she never quit talking. In the course of the conversation (by that I mean her talking) I discovered these things about Rebecca:
-She thinks boys stink
-She's a lesbian
-She has a partner
-She was assaulted by a guy when she was younger; said guy thought she was a man
-Her mom is terminally ill with some blood disorder
-She thinks I'll have a boy for my next child based on some determinative factors I will not name in this venue
-She thinks the part of the haircut that makes it or breaks it is getting the sides right (I tend to agree)
-She got high from her mom's percocet medication
-She concluded her monologue saying, "My name's Becky...I'm a little weird but I am good at what I do."

Needless to say I was pretty quiet most of the time. There was a lot to take in there. I kept reminding myself, "She's a child of God." I wonder if she knows that...

Poughkeepsie

2008-06-02T12:42:00.006-05:00

I have been a fan of Over the Rhine for about 8 years now and love all their music. I have seen them live about a dozen times and listen to their music constantly. Right now I'm typing this and listening to the Over the Rhine station on Pandora. With that background I should tell you that one of my favorite songs has always been "Poughkeepsie" from the Good Dog, Bad Dog album. You can see the lyrics on the website. Anyway, I have listened to this song over and over and have even become that dork at the concerts who yells out, "POUGHKEEPSIE!" in the hopes they might play that nice little tune in order to satisfy me. My friends can vouch for my nerdiness in that regard.

Listening to the song the other day though changed the way I understood the song. I've always appreciate the aesthetics of the song but have never really listened to the words (what kind of a fan am I?). The song tells the story of a person who has come to the end of herself and goes up to Poughkeepsie and takes stock of her life. She determines that things would be better if she were to throw herself over the Hudson River and put an end to her sorrow and self-pity. Others have written her off and now she reaches the end of herself, too. This person has gone up to a place only to reach the bottom. At this low point, when she has reached the end of herself, the skies open and a new world emerges. Everything for her becomes new. The sorrow still exists but it's not the same. She takes flight on the backs of angels now. This sequence reminds me of Jesus' baptism in which the skies broke open and a dove descended upon him. With that baptism God declared that Jesus was God's son and with Jesus God was pleased. In Jesus' baptism he identified with all those who know the sorrow in the story above. Recently I read a book by Lesslie Newbigin that talked about this event. He says, "Jesus first appearance in the story was as one of a crowd of unnamed men and women who had been convicted of sin and had heard and accepted the call to repentance. As one of them Jesus was baptized. He took his place as part of sinful humanity. And in that action he received the anointing of the Spirit."

I love the picture painted here of the Spirit changing reality for this person. Things are different now and that's good news!

What do you think?