We aren’t really close to moving yet, but that hasn’t stopped us from looking around our house with an eye towards figuring out what will make the trip to France with us, and what will stay behind. It’s not an easy thing to do….especially with Christmas around the corner. We just sent out another missionary… Continue reading Stuff

This was a warm fall. I’ve lived in the Carolina’s since August of 2002, and this was the first year that I didn’t need to wear a sweater on my birthday. * It was warm, comfortable, but then, all of the sudden, it was not. Oliver was born on a day that did not see a… Continue reading Colder days ahead

A month or two ago, I was talking with a friend who, like me, was also expecting the birth of his first son. (In his case, his first child.) He asked me if I thought that there would be any difference in raising a son and raising a daughter. I said no, I didn’t think… Continue reading Differences

As most of you already know, the newest member of our family made his appearance on Monday, and although we are a little sleep deprived, we couldn’t be happier. It’s amazing to see the difference between a newborn and a two-year old, and also fun to see how Avonlea relates to the new interloper her baby… Continue reading Life in two hour increments

On long road trips, my mind tends to wander. We’re usually driving to or from Florida, a stretch of highway we’ve driven literally * hundreds of times, and so, with no need to watch for unfamiliar exits, I’m often left looking around for something new to spark conversation. As we drive to and from the… Continue reading A Million Dollar Question

While I was in seminary, every semester would end the same way. I would turn in my papers, take my exams, and then rush to the nearest computer to see if my grades had been posted yet. I would repeat this constant checking, every day, sometimes several times a day, for weeks, * waiting in… Continue reading Nervous Anticipation

By this time next week, I should be done with my ordination exams. By this time tomorrow, I should be done with my theology exam. Which means that yesterday, (my normal day to post updates) and today (my makeup day when I forget on Wednesday), and really, pretty much every moment since I took my… Continue reading Recommended reading…

This last Sunday, I was eating lunch with some friends, and they asked me how my studying was going. I said it was going fine, that I’d managed to get all the information in my head and was going to spend this week polishing it up before I took the exam this Friday. Then one of… Continue reading The 12 Apostles

These next few weeks are pretty crucial for me. I’ve taken three of the six ordination exams I need to take in order to go before the committee, but two of the three that still remain are beastly, meaning I’ve been out till midnight the last few nights studying with a buddy who’s getting ready… Continue reading Busy

“I know, I know, they made you feel cool. And I’ve met you man, and you are not cool.” Have you ever wondered what makes a person cool? What intrinsic quality it is that allows some people to just exude self-confidence and care-free nonchalance? I mean, there are some common elements: wealth, looks, athletic ability, but… Continue reading Exotic