Steve, now that you're an old man, I guess you are just going to have to start behaving a bit more RESPONSIBLY, eh?

We love you, my friend!

Quote of the Week (continuing thoughts from yesterday)

"The church is the only place where you can study all your life and never graduate."

(See rest of article here if interested: http://www.thereporter.com/faith/ci_6158381 Not a perfect article, but some things good to chew on, others to perhaps spit back out.)

One of Mark's observations last summer when we were going through everything we were going through, was that it felt very much like we "had graduated" from what we were leaving. This was not meant to offend anyone (although it did), but simply the truth of what he was feeling. Church in a traditional setting can become so comfortable, that you don't want to leave. We all know at least one "perpetual college student". You know, the person who never graduates, just keeps going to college, has several degrees, but never really accomplishes very much outside of those walls.

The church is (and has been for us) a wonderful place to grow up in the Lord. We could never discount the role that it has played in our spiritual growth. AND, I gotta make it very clear, that there are those who have continued to love and be in communication with us through the past year. Brothers and sisters who care about what is happening in our lives, whether spiritual or otherwise. We have grown through this together, our relationship has changed in the where and when, but we continue to love, communicate, and learn from each other. It has not always been easy and/or immediate, but it has been awesome.

I think where the problem lies, is that just like a college/university/seminary etc., there are those who stay, to continue to teach and nourish students, but there are many more who just sit, continuing to be taught and nourished until, literally, they die. They become that "perpetual student." AND, when someone attempts to "graduate", thereby taking everything they've learned, to try to apply it to real life, they are met with great resistance by those "sitting" unless they are moving on to another "institution" of the church, ie. missions (as defined by the church), another church, seminary, etc.

I say all this, because it has very much been our experience. Because we did not move on to another recognized part of the church, we are continuing to deal with the fallout of that. We love all of those who are still in the "education" business. We applaud and support their efforts, but we have received very little of that back. What we are doing is still looked upon with great suspicion, and even resentment, by many. Can we not all embrace each other, cheer each other on, and realize that there is no one right way? In conversation with those who have chosen a similar path as ours, I find very little rancor against the church. What I do hear, and I feel myself, is confusion and hurt, that after being told all of those years to take it out, there were real stipulations and conditions on how that was supposed to look.

So it kind of comes down to unconditional love and a willingness to listen to another point of view. From both sides. Our door is ALWAYS open. Let's keep talking...

In case you were wondering...

Term: SPRING 2007
Course Name: CHEM 160
Course Title: CHEM, LEC/LAB
Grade: B
GPA: 3.0

Whew, am I ever glad this is over! :)

20 Years Today

20 years ago today, Mark and I promised to love and cherish each other.

The time has flown by, it hardly seems possible.

We've known each other for 38 years.

God knew what he was doing when he engineered the friendship between our families.

I'm so thankful that we were obedient to his urgings.

I'll love you forever, my friend, my love, my husband...

Jessi's a Freshman!

...and Zack's a Senior. How did this happen? We are so proud of both of them, and I am so glad they will have one year together in high school. Zack is already terrorizing Jessi with stories of Freshman Friday. I truly think they will enjoy their time together. Watch out Vanden!

Rily (Remember, I Love You) May 24 - June 8

I'll miss you, sweet baby...

Rock, Paper, Scissors

This past Thursday I was privy to watching the playground judicial system at work. I was pulling yard duty at recess and noticed a fairly heated game of "Switch" (ask your kids) going on. The game was getting intense, when sure enough, two boys stuck their foot in the same corner. There immediately rose a contention as to who was first. The call went out for the "judge" (the next person in line) to step forward. He did so very importantly, peered closely at the two feet and declared, "There is a tie!" At this point, I thought all #@*+ was going to break loose, (mind you these were 2nd and 3rd graders) but without missing a beat, the two tied boys stepped back, and calmly went into the rock, paper, scissors routine. One through a rock and the other scissors, and that was that.

It was all done with so little fuss. I couldn't help but think, "Man, wouldn't life be so much simpler if we could all just play Rock, Paper, Scissors and be done with it!"

What do you think?