Live In Contrast

Updates

2011-10-27T09:52:00.000-05:00

I bet Dan wishes I updated my blog more often.

Happy Birthday Dan!

2011-05-14T00:00:00.001-05:00

(Kings Island - Beastie - c2000)

[Editor's note: I'm afraid to admit that I think I see a "fanny pack" in this photo. I hope I'm wrong.]

What does it take to get Jesus' attention?

2011-05-03T12:47:00.000-05:00

Matthew 20:29-34

Two blind men who sat by the side of the road heard that Jesus was passing by. I've never been blind, but in the great crowd that was following Jesus, I imagine it would have been difficult for a blind man to pinpoint exactly where He was. They couldn't just walk up to Him, because they couldn't see Him. With the noise of the crowd, they could hardly hear His voice, and couldn't be sure that He would hear theirs. I picture them yelling "Lord! Have mercy on us, Son of David!" at the top of their lungs, just hoping to get His attention. The crowds tried to silence them because of the commotion they must have been making, but they continued with renewed enthusiasm. To their surprise, (or to their faith), Jesus approached them and healed them.

I don't think it was their loud noise that drew Jesus attention, but rather their faith. Their faith became evident by their persistence, merely reflected in their volume. They put it all on the line, even enduring public ridicule, in order to get Jesus' attention, and then made their request known plainly to Him. I believe He responded to their faith (as Jesus often did) and had mercy on them. Their response proved that they were genuine - they got up and followed Him down the road.

Live In Contrast Photography

2011-04-16T10:28:00.000-05:00

For those of you who haven't heard, I have created a new website to feature my photography. Live In Contrast Photography now serves as a professional outlet for my best creative work. Right now, I am working my way through my favorite images from my trip to Asia last Spring. I am nearly finished with the India portion of the trip, and will be moving on to Hong Kong and China soon. After that, I will continue posting photos from my professional collection and new assignments on at least a weekly basis.

I would love for you to keep up with it by bookmarking my site so you can quickly navigate there and browse through my galleries. Better still, you can add my RSS feed located here or on the website to be notified each time I add new photographs. I have also included "share" buttons on each new post to allow you to share your favorites with friends via Facebook, Twitter, and email.

This blog will continue for more personal updates, and serve as a resource for me to keep in touch with you. As always, I love hearing from you!

Your Best Plan Now

2011-03-15T15:46:00.001-05:00

Genesis 22:14: "So Abraham called the name of that place, 'The LORD will provide.'"

I don't like to go at things unprepared. I take my time. I do some research. I get the right equipment, and I learn how to use it. I read through the instruction manual all the way before I start the project. I'm that kind of person. The worst thing you could do to me is say the word "Go" before handing me the map.

That is why passages like Genesis 22 (excerpt above) and Exodus 16 scare me. They tell how the Lord sent some great people out into the unknown, only promising to provide for them along the way.

In Exodus, the nation of Israel had just figured out that although God brought them out of Egypt, Moses and Aaron didn't have a plan. They'd been out in the desert for weeks and had nothing left to eat. If I were there, I have no doubt that I would join in the grumbling against God and Moses. The parting of the sea was yesterday's news, and they were hungry now.

In the midst of their faithlessness and forgetfulness, the Lord provided.

He made a substance appear out of the heavens to cover the ground each morning. It was something so unknown (initially) that they simply asked, "What is it?" Even though they grumbled against him, the Lord gave them food to meet their need and he provided it morning by morning. Sunday through Thursday the manna appeared, enough for the day (around 2 quarts per person), and if they took too much, anything left spoiled overnight. On Friday, God provided twice as much and made it last for two days. Those who presumed that they could gather manna on the Sabbath in spite of what God said woke up to bare ground and an empty stomach. More than just meeting their daily needs, he mandated times of rest along their journey.

This journey continued for 40 years. Every single day, God was faithful in doing what he said. Every single day, the people had to trust him. At the same time each week, they rested.

I often look at the participants in Biblical history with my "better-than-thou" attitude, but I honestly find myself sympathetic here. I wonder if they ever reached a point of willingly and joyfully trusting God for his daily provision, or if a small doubt always lingered as to whether or not the bread would appear. Trusting God daily for a new portion of his grace does not come any more naturally than the manna that appeared. Personally, I have to fight to give up my assumed control and rely on his sufficiency. Rest only comes when I recognize that he has given me enough- that he is enough. I see it over and over again, but I still need reminding.

My best plan is to trust in God's provision as grace for today.

Luke 11:3: "Give us each day our daily bread."

Coming soon...

2011-03-04T08:45:00.002-06:00

"Neither snow..."

2011-02-04T09:39:00.000-06:00

I learned this week that the U.S. Postal Service has no official motto. The line we associate with their faithful service, "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds," was penned by the Greek historian Herodotus. The "motto" became associated with the Post Office when the architects for a New York City Post Office included the inscription on the building's facade.

For the record, we haven't received mail in two days.

Satisfying

2011-01-29T22:52:00.000-06:00

There's something so satisfying about a productive day. I checked off numerous tasks from my "to-do" list today, including (but not limited to):

- Washing and drying three loads of laundry
- Cutting Sam's hair at home for the first time
- Clearing the basement of unnecessary trash and boxes
- Moving several boxes into newly available basement storage
- Sorting and cataloging our entire DVD collection
- Preparing and filing our federal and state tax returns
- Blogging!

I'm not sure why "blogging" is the only item on that list that I feel the need to punctuate. I'm also not entirely sure what spurred me on toward completing these tasks today, except for a lesson that has been reiterated to me numerous times over the last month: be faithful with what you have.

Whether it looks like it or not, almost all of the tasks on my to-do list stem from trying to make the most of what we already have. Sometimes life feels so disorganized and chaotic, and when that happens, I find it easier to purchase a solution than deal with it. I'm not the only one: no less than three of my favorite TV shows deal with what people do when they have too much stuff. Of course, the "solution" is only a band-aid, and without treating the causes it only masks the problem for a short time. This is both disheartening and expensive.

By taking the time today to work through many simple tasks like sorting and cleaning at home, we are peacefully combating the chaos and taking a stand against our own disorderly conduct. We are working toward faithfulness with what we have been given, which bears contentment, and frees up resources for God's work.

Thorns

2011-01-18T12:44:00.007-06:00

"The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity."

This verse is troubling me today, because I read what it actually said and not what I assumed it said.

Normally, I get to the word "thorns" and my brain interprets that as "trials", where the ones who have heard the word of God face trials and either pass or fail. I figure, as long as I overcome the trials, I will prove my mettle like the fourth kind of seed.

The NASB equates the thorns with "worries and riches and pleasures of this life" (emphasis mine). I've never really considered that my smartphone, my Netflix membership, or even my red Swingline stapler might be thorns placed in my life, but in this context they all fit that description.

This verse forces me to take inventory and realize that so many of "my" things are simply that: mine- and I have no intention of using them for God's Kingdom. Instead of producing fruit, I sit on the spoils as a happy hoarder. I worry about what I have and whether or not I will lose it, when God's word teaches me to give it away.

There's no way to soften the blow: I need a new attitude, or my thorns will choke the life right out of me.

Macro

2010-12-29T12:38:00.003-06:00

It's the week between Christmas and New Year's Day, and while I have many Christmas photos to post, I have also enjoyed extra time to work on another part of my hobby- macro photography.

The following pictures were taken of our table centerpiece using a reversed 50mm lens on extension tubes.

[Editors note: These photos are uncropped.]

Rainbows

2010-11-03T16:48:00.002-05:00

There are 10 kinds of people in the world...

2010-10-12T09:10:00.002-05:00

... a note on binary.

Our normal decimal system is a base 10 system, meaning that each digit represents 10 to a different order of magnitude. We learned in school that there is a ones place, a tens place, a hundreds place, a thousands, place, etc. Each of these places can also be represented by the number 10 raised to an exponent. The ones place is 10⁰, the tens place is 10¹, the hundreds place is 10², the thousands place is 10³, and so on. (This is also true for the tenths, hundredths, and thousandths, places, except 10 is raised to the -1, -2, and -3 powers respectively.

The digits in each place are then multiplied by that base, and added together.

Let’s use 1234 as an example. Here are several different ways of writing it out:

1234 = 1234
(1 x 10³) + (2 x 10²) + (3 x 10¹) + (4 x 10⁰) = 1234
(1 x 1000) + (2 x 100) + (3 x 10) + (4 x 1) = 1234
1000 + 200 + 30 + 4 = 1234

Each digit can only be 0 to 9, since 10 or more would carry over to the next place.

Now take those principles and apply them to binary. Binary is a base 2 system, so each place can be represented by the number 2 to an exponent: 2⁰ = 1, 2¹ = 2, 2² = 4, 2³ =8, etc. Instead of ones, tens, hundreds, and thousands places, we have ones, twos, fours, and eights places.

When writing a number in binary, each digit will only be 0 or 1, since 2 or more would carry over to the next place.

In binary, the decimal 2 is written as 10. The 1 digit is in the 2¹ (twos) place, and the 0 digit is in the 2⁰ (ones) place. Multiplying out like we did before, we see:

10 = 2 (decimal)
(1 x 2¹) + (0 x 2⁰) = 2 (decimal)
(1 x 2) + (0 x 1) = 2 (decimal).

The decimal 13 would be written as 1101:
1101 = 13 (decimal)
(1 x 2³) + (1 x 2²) + (0 x 2¹) + (1 x 2⁰) = 13 (decimal)
(1 x 8) + (1 x 4) + (0 x 2) + (1 x 1) = 13 (decimal)

This can be done using any base. Another common base is 16, referred to as “hexadecimal”. However, in order to use single digits, the decimals 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15 are replaced with A, B, C, D, E, and F respectively. Remember the digits for any base may only go from 0 to one less than the base, so hexadecimal digits go from 0 to 15, or more appropriately, 0 to F.

For practice, solve the following problems and check your answers in the back of the book...

(Just kidding.)

Vision

2010-08-12T21:42:00.002-05:00

Every few months (or weeks, or days) it seems I find myself looking at a new lens, thinking that if I only have one more, I will be taking better photographs. Before I left on my trip, I found a few new pieces that honestly did make my life a lot easier while traveling, however most of the time this idea is just an illusion. I have been doing well for years with what I already have, and I often return to the same pieces of equipment over and over again.

I was reminded today on a photography blog that good photography is all about capturing the vision of the photographer. The best equipment in the world is useless in the hands of someone who lacks an artistic perspective, and the simplest, most inexpensive cameras can be used by a master to great effect. The right camera and the right lens do not make excellent photographs, they only make it easier for the photographer to do his work.

This is true in our relationship to God. In his hands, the most inadequate of us is wholly useful for accomplishing his purpose. At the same time, without his masterful touch, those of us who think we are the best and most capable cannot accomplish anything of value. Our value is not in what we are, but what he makes of us. It is his vision and how he uses us that makes all the difference.

Summertime

2010-07-15T22:50:00.002-05:00

Happy Birthday Dad (Grandpa)

2010-05-20T09:57:00.002-05:00

Why hasn't Adam blogged in six months?

2010-05-06T06:25:00.004-05:00

December 1

2009-12-01T22:12:00.002-06:00

I hate to say it, but I am SO glad that November is over. This was one of the longest, most hectic months I can remember. It started off well with me becoming an uncle (congrats, Nate and Sarah!) but quickly turned to mourning with the passing of my grandfather a week later. His funeral came just halfway into the month. Days later, my manager and four coworkers were let go, a heavy blow to my already battered sense of stability. The next week brought our son's first birthday and my grandmother's 80th, and finished off with Thanksgiving, all without fanfare. December 1 arrives with great anticipation of peace and hope that we can restore our priorities and regain a sense of normalcy before Christmas and the new year.

EDITOR'S NOTE: After I completed writing exactly what you see above, I opened up our church's daily scripture reading for December 1. The first five verses for today are Romans 5:1-5: "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."

Grandpa Griffin

2009-11-09T22:24:00.003-06:00

My last post included two pictures each with four generations of my family. I’m glad my brother took the one with my Grandpa Griffin, because Grandpa went to be with the Lord while he slept on Saturday night.

To be perfectly honest, I’m not sure I really believed this day would ever come. Grandpa was always a hard worker, and didn’t know how to quit. He retired before my older brother was born, but retirement didn’t suit him and he un-retired a year later to begin a new career spanning two more decades. Even when we visited as kids, he was up and out the door by dawn. I remember that in his free time, he loved to work with his hands. His masterpieces included (but were not limited to) the house where he and my grandmother lived, a hand-turned wooden lamp that he made for my parents, and a gliding rocking chair we used to play on in his living room.

In 1994, we almost lost him when he suffered a devastating stroke. The doctors did not know if he would live, let alone recover any normal function, but he surprised us. He worked hard at his rehabilitation and while he never quite made it back to 100%, he lived a much better life after his stroke than I would have thought possible. It was a joy afterwards to sit in his living room and throw a ball back and forth with him, knowing that this simple game was a small triumph for his once-strong hands.

Ten years later when my grandmother died, I was again worried that he would not be with us long. He loved her deeply and depended on her care following his stroke. Once again, he surprised us. I think he needed to prove to all of us that he could make it, and he did for five more years. During those five years he saw two of his grandchildren get married and was alive for the births of two great grandchildren. He met my son, who is named after him, on two occasions. I have memories of Easter and his 89th birthday that I will cherish, along with photos to share with Sam as he gets older.

I appreciate that his eyes were always full of life and the wheels were constantly turning. I remember the Rubik’s Cubes, wooden puzzles, and brain teasers he kept on the table next to his recliner and our shared excitement when we would solve one of them after hours of trial and error. His wit was also never lacking. Last week when my mom told him that his second great-grandchild was born with lots of red hair, he told her slyly, “I don’t care much for red hair.” When my mom, also a redhead, pointed out that she too had been born with red hair, he replied with a wink in his voice, “I didn’t care much for it then either.”

I read through Grandpa’s obituary several times this afternoon, still surprised at how much he lived in 89 years, yet profoundly saddened that such a full life could be summarized in less than 300 words. To those words I add all of these, as I remember a man with a sharp mind, skilled hands, unyielding determination, and a deep love and appreciation for his family.

We miss you Grandpa.

Genealogy

2009-10-14T20:47:00.007-05:00

Dad's mom's side:
[Photo credit: David]

Dad's dad's side:

The icing on the cake

2009-09-28T20:57:00.005-05:00

I watch a lot of Food TV.

In one show, professional cake decorators compete by creating unique, often elaborate designs based on a particular theme. Most of the time they construct their towers out of edible components like cake and crisp rice and marshmallow treats, then cover them with frosting, fondant, or even chocolate and candies to incorporate the theme in their decoration. Sometimes, they are also allowed to use non-edible components, such as Styrofoam blocks or wooden rods, as long as they are still decorated and covered with edible material.

While I enjoy watching these programs, I hardly think of this as useful knowledge, and I certainly didn't expect it to come up last night in Bible study group. We are going through a series by Chuck Colson about the basics of the Christian faith, what they mean, and why that matter now as much as (or more than) ever.

Part of this week's session was a discussion on God's grace and the relationship of "works" to our faith. Two key scriptures are often quoted in reference to works: Ephesians 2:8-10, and James 2:14-18. While these passages are not at odds with one another, they can lead to some confusion. In our study, we were asked to consider the implications of having a life of faith that was void of good works, and whether or not it was possible to do good works without having a life of faith.

In many ways, the relationship between faith and works can be demonstrated in terms of cake decorating. Think first about a cake that is expertly baked, stacked high, and cut to form, but has no frosting on it. The structure is all there, but it is completely unattractive. It is crusty, porous, and after a short time it will begin to dry out. The cake may be delicious, but without any decoration there is nothing about it that draws us to it or makes us want to eat it. Think next of a piece of Styrofoam decorated with beautiful frosting to look like a cake. As good as it looks to everyone on the outside, it is inedible and tasteless. Once you get past the frosting, there is simply nothing there worth consuming. In order to have something truly worthwhile, you need both elements: a delicious cake covered in beautiful frosting.

Our faith in God is like the real cake, the kind you can sink your teeth into. Our works are like the frosting. Without works, our faith in God is not attractive to anyone else. Like a cake without frosting, there is little to draw people to it no matter how good it may be. At the same time, no amount of good works will turn us into a Christian, any more than decorating a Styrofoam block will turn it into a cake. It may fool a lot of people, but it is ultimately useless without faith at the core. It is only when good works are added on top of our genuine faith that people understand what they are seeing is real and come to find something that truly satisfies.

Oh My!

2009-09-25T20:51:00.004-05:00

My Beautiful Flower

2009-09-01T16:02:00.004-05:00

Therapy (or, "Tell me how you really feel")

2009-08-28T22:09:00.006-05:00

Time goes by

2009-08-20T10:47:00.003-05:00

It's been another month since my last blog posting. I hope I haven't lost too many of my readers since the previous update.

For once, it is not a lack of activity that has led to my lack of activity. On the contrary, we have been so busy that I simply have not had enough time to sit down and write a coherent post. In the last month, we have:
- celebrated Allie's birthday
- celebrated our third wedding anniversary
- been to two different zoos
- babysat overnight for a sick friend's baby
- been in a parade
- attended a Cubs game in a suite box
- taken Sam swimming for the first time
- learned to use a new photo editing program
- attended Allie's high school reunion
- thrown a baby shower for my sister
...and so on.

As you can see, we've had a ton going on, with plenty more to do in the next few weeks. As always, I'll post more when time allows.

Summertime

2009-07-18T09:18:00.004-05:00

World's Cutest Baby

2009-06-16T20:15:00.003-05:00

The Green Bean Mistake

2009-06-07T19:06:00.002-05:00

Would you like coffee with that?

2009-05-25T20:45:00.004-05:00

Our son is an ambitious fellow. He's already begun biting off more than he can chew.

Go Cubs Go!

2009-05-23T16:37:00.004-05:00

My brother and I took Sam to his first Cub's game on May 14. They beat the Padres 11-3. Sam is officially on his way to becoming a life-long Cub's fan. Maybe (just maybe) they'll win the Series in his lifetime.

Many thanks to my brother for taking such excellent photos at the game!

Genesis 1:20-28

2009-05-03T19:38:00.006-05:00

And God said, "Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky." So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed them and said, "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth." And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth day.

And God said, "Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind." And it was so. God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.

Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."

So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.

God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."

The Great Easter Road Trip

2009-04-13T22:00:00.008-05:00

For Easter, we took a trip to Michigan to visit Sam's great-grandparents.

Blast from the past?

2009-04-01T20:59:00.006-05:00

We went to the Volo Auto Museum this past weekend. Most of the "museum" is actually a classic car dealership where you can purchase restored and very highly polished vehicles. There was one room, however, which was worth the price of admission.

Waking Up

2009-03-21T15:39:00.005-05:00

I (can't) do it myself!

2009-03-15T02:15:00.001-05:00

I suppose I don't find it coincidental that my last post was about learning obedience and trusting in God's authority, and now He's challenging Allison and I do to exactly that. We are looking at a couple of big decisions (nobody be scared... it's all good!) but so far we are only at the point where God is giving us a general direction and telling us to get going. We don't know the ending point, and we certainly don't know how we're going to get there. Those are the details of understanding that are important and inconsequential at the same time. They are important because they need to happen, but they do not rely on our understanding. We have to trust that He is already taking care of them.

I appreciated our friend's comment on the last post as well. She said that after asking "Why?" children begin to proclaim "I do it myself!" Those words have already rung true for us. What we're looking at is much bigger than what we can do for ourselves, but I already find myself scheming and conspiring at all hours of the day (and night) about how I plan to make it happen. If this is truly from God, we need to follow as he leads, and continue in obedience to his directions. That's not to say we won't be involved in the process too, and we still need all of the wisdom we can get so we make sound decisions. However, if we strike out to accomplish this on our own, we will ultimately strike out altogether. We can't do it ourselves, and if we did, I'd be worried about where we ended up without God going before us.

Happy Birthday, Nana!

2009-03-14T07:00:00.000-05:00

Why?

2009-03-02T17:27:00.002-06:00

This evening as I tried unconvincingly to persuade the three-year-old to put on his coat, he repeatedly asked me his new favorite question:

"Why?"

I answered him a few times, but when the line of questioning began to circle back on itself, I ended it by saying, "I'm not going to answer that. You just need to put on your coat."

As I pondered the situation and thought about how I will answer our own child, it occurred to me that it's all about need-to-know. Understanding was not required. Obedience was.

Sometimes that is all that God requires of us. He has His plans and reasons, but like the three-year-old our understanding is limited and unrequired. Ours is to obey and trust that His purpose is good.

My Valentine

2009-02-14T08:00:00.001-06:00

Delight!

2009-02-07T16:00:00.003-06:00

Mommy and baby had some fun this morning after sleeping in. Even Sam likes the weekends better.

Still alive

2009-02-05T22:10:00.003-06:00

I bet both of you thought that I forgot I had a blog. Admit it.

I had lunch with a good friend on Tuesday. He and his wife have a baby girl who was born last summer. When their daughter was about two months old, I asked him what surprised him the most about being a father. His answer was how much attention babies need, going well beyond typical feeding and changing diapers. They know if you're distracted by the TV or phone, and want your undivided attention.

When we had lunch this week, he returned the question to me, now that Sam is nearly 11 weeks old.

My answer is that I was completely unprepared for the drain on my mental capacity. The combination of processing so much new information and consistently sleeping less (and in less healthy fragments) is a potent and dangerous combination. Within a week of Sam's birth I was carrying around a pen and pad of paper 24 hours a day because if I didn't write things down, my brain would not retain even the simplest pieces of information. That worked well for a while, but my thoughts still became disorganized, and bits and pieces were left behind on pages I'd already filled out and crossed off. I have now upgraded my pad of paper to a smartphone so I can literally store all pertinent thoughts, ideas, shopping lists, data, tasks, schedules, phone numbers, addresses, maps, and emergency numbers in a single location, keeping everything organized by type and priority. I can even check my email and facebook. At times I wonder how I ever kept all of that straight, with or without the baby.

Of the many things I took for granted before Sam was born, I miss my mind the most.

One shot

2009-01-15T22:53:00.002-06:00

In a weird way, this photo is one of many reasons I love my wife so much. She let me buy the camera more than a year before we had Sam, so I've had plenty of time to practice with it. Sam held this pose just long enough for me to grab my camera, adjust the lens, and take ONE shot before he moved. Because she'd given me time to learn and prepare, it turned out perfectly. Thanks Honey!

Giraffe Sweater

2009-01-15T22:45:00.002-06:00

Warning!

2009-01-09T19:59:00.003-06:00

Today I learned an important lesson on our department's paper shredder.

Siting!

2008-12-26T17:32:00.003-06:00

What does Santa Claus do on the day after Christmas? He goes to Young's Dairy for lunch.

I think I see his suit in the back seat!

The things I hold most dear

2008-12-15T21:11:00.003-06:00

Santa Baby

2008-12-10T21:11:00.003-06:00

Lilies and Roses

2008-12-03T21:52:00.002-06:00

One thing I promised to Allie is that after Sam was born, I would buy her a beautiful arrangement of flowers.

Today I followed through on that promise.

Week 1

2008-11-29T16:44:00.005-06:00

Sam has been here a whole week now! We're having lots of fun with him and enjoying his pleasant, patient temperament. As long as we keep him well-fed, he stays happy and sleeps well, so we're doing our best. Both he and mommy are doing well, and we're all getting as much sleep as we can. He's also enjoying the visits of family and friends, and if everything goes well in the morning, he'll be coming to church.

In my "spare" time, I've been having fun taking photos. You can see them at my photos website.

Samuel Griffin

2008-11-22T15:45:00.002-06:00

10lbs 5oz, 21-1/4in

In other strange news

2008-11-19T18:23:00.002-06:00

Since we've been married, Allie and I have never had a "home phone." We've each relied exclusively on our cell phones. With a baby on the way, we talked over several options and decided to add a third line to our family plan so that we could leave one phone at home as a "home phone." We didn't think it would cost us more than $9.99 a month plus fees, which made it cheaper than signing up for traditional phone service.

I went through the process of adding the line this afternoon and much to my surprise... it now costs us LESS with three phones than it did with two! That's right! The cell phone company gave us the phone for free, activated it for free, and added it to our plan (which we had to renew for 2 years... no problem), and it now costs us $2 less every month than we've been paying.

I wish we would have known about this sooner!!

...And counting

2008-11-19T12:39:00.003-06:00

The one birth scenario that Allison and I did not prepare for is now upon us. We did not expect to get to Sam's due date without him being born. We prepared for very early, sort of early, and only a little early. We have had suitcases in the trunk and a car seat installed since the second week of October. We've had our hopes up for the last month since the ultrasound showed that Sam looked to be much bigger than expected. At the last doctor's appointment, we thought the 8 1/2 to 9 pound estimate meant he couldn't wait much longer. I've had my phone on every minute of every day in case contractions began, and I've lived in a perpetual state of "ready-to-drop-everything-and-drive-Allie-to-the-hospital" in order to be prepared for any scenario.

I was not ready for Sam to stay put this long.

He's so uncooperative.

No news is good news?

2008-11-10T12:45:00.002-06:00

My worst fears did not come to pass over the weekend. The Northwestern home football game against Ohio State came and went without our needing to drive to the hospital, and we didn't have to rush to the hospital during the wintry mix of rain and snow that passed through on Friday and Saturday. In fact, the weekend was fairly uneventful, with Allie and I mostly staying at home and watching DVDs.

"Officially" Sam is closing in on 39 weeks, although November 7 was the due date determined at the very first appointment we had with the doctor. It was revised a short time later to November 19, where it remains. The official date does not change because predicting the due date is more of an educated guess than an exact science. Only about one in twenty babies arrives on the due date. Anything two weeks earlier or later than that is considered "normal," so all we know right now is that we're in the prime baby-having window. The doctor has also assured us that they will not wait longer than a week past his due date to induce labor, if it comes to that, so we will have this baby by Thanksgiving.

I still love Al's Deli

2008-11-04T15:30:00.002-06:00

There's a small, French cafe a short distance from Northwestern's campus, just west of the Noyes "L" stop. Al's Deli makes THE BEST sandwiches in the state, if not in the country. Allie and I stopped there for a lunch date this afternoon. Waiting fifteen minutes in line and another fifteen minutes for the owner and his brother make our sandwiches was a small price to pay for the uniquely superb culinary experience that is Al's Deli. They are only open for a few hours each day at lunch, but if you are ever in Evanston, you must stop in.

Savings Adventure

2008-10-28T08:03:00.004-05:00

Last Friday, Allie and I did some shopping to finish picking up things for Sam's room. We still needed a changing table, a dresser, and several bedding items. We went to Nods and Ends, the outlet store for the The Land of Nod. It's the same store where I purchased Sam's bassinet. In addition to their scratched, dented, and returned items, they carry a selection of new or unsold items from their stores. We had a 25% off coupon from being on the email list, and needed to keep our total purchases under $300. Here's a selection of the items we found:

Dresser
Original price: ~~$479~~
Marked down to: ~~$89~~
After discount: $66.75
Savings: $412.25 (86%)

Changing Table Topper
Original price: ~~$119~~
Marked down to: ~~$52~~
After discount: $39.75
Savings: $79.25 (67%)

Changing Table Organizer
Original price:~~$39~~
Marked down to: ~~$21.45~~
After discount: $16.09
Savings: $22.91 (59%)

Crib Bumper
Original price: ~~$89~~
Marked down to: ~~$49~~
After discount: $36.71
Savings: $52.29 (59%)

Baby Food Organizer
Original price: ~~$24~~
Marked down to: ~~$13.20~~
After discount: $9.90
Savings: $14.10 (59%)

Total original cost: $750
Total spent: $169.20
Total savings: $580.80 (77%)

Weekend Recap

2008-10-20T12:35:00.002-05:00

I've finally added MANY photos to my online albums, as well as posting some of my favorites on this blog. I've arranged related photos into separate posts as follows in order to help you navigate. Enjoy!

Friday, October 10
Red Wing, Minnesota
Shades of Autumn
The Angry Squirrel

Saturday, October 11
The Wedding
My Love
Church Windows

Saturday, October 18
Baby Shower
Bears

Red Wing, Minnesota

2008-10-20T12:30:00.002-05:00

Shades of Autumn

2008-10-20T12:25:00.008-05:00

The Angry Squirrel

2008-10-20T12:20:00.002-05:00

The Wedding

2008-10-20T12:15:00.003-05:00

My Love

2008-10-20T12:10:00.002-05:00

Church Windows

2008-10-20T12:05:00.003-05:00

Baby Shower

2008-10-20T12:00:00.002-05:00

Bears

2008-10-20T11:55:00.004-05:00

Ramblings of an expectant father

2008-10-15T11:08:00.005-05:00

I forgot to mention that we were blessed to have another ultrasound this morning. From what I understand, it's typical for women to get only one, maybe two, ultrasounds during pregnancy. The normal one usually falls around 20 weeks so that the doctor can check the baby's health and, if desired, look to see the baby's gender. Allison also had one when we found out she was pregnant to help determine how far along she was during the early stages.

This past week, her doctor said the baby seemed to be bigger than she expected, and wanted yet another ultrasound to find out just how much bigger Sam was getting. Based on the rough measurements, Sam was about a pound bigger than average, at 6lbs 7oz. The doctor told us this is still within the normal range, and the measurements at this stage are really only accurate to +/- 1 pound anyway.

If I had to guess, I would expect him to be born about two to three weeks early. Of course, I don't get to decide that, and he could still wait it out to full term. If that happens, we'll probably be looking at a 9 lb baby! My "worst case scenario," however, is that the morning of November 8, Allison will tell me we need to get to the hospital and we'll have to navigate through a sea of students and tailgaters at Ryan Field (Northwestern's stadium) right before the home game against Ohio State. Our hospital is on the same block and shares its main access roads with NU's sports complex, which will become a zoo on game day. It's the only home game within a month of the due date, so hopefully this won't come into play.

The doctor also checked everything else and said the baby looks good and healthy. We had a much better view of a few things this time, and are quite certain that we have a boy. ;)

I think the reality of the baby coming is really setting in for both Allie and me now. We already have hospital bags packed in the trunk and the car seat is installed in the back seat. (We had to be ready for anything during our trip to Minnesota last weekend.) With the reassurance that Sam is definitely a boy, we can begin cutting the price tags off of clothing and getting things laundered before he arrives. We still haven't done much to prepare the baby's room, and I think that's our next project as soon as we have time and we're both awake.

I've also found myself staying closer and closer to my phone, and I get a little jumpy when I hear Allie's ring-tone at an unusual time of day. I had the option of going out last night with some friends, but decided to turn down the offer as I realized that we have only a month left to spend together "alone." We just cooked dinner and watched TV, but it was great to be home without the pressure of trying to get anything accomplished.

I am both eager and excited, but not yet impatient, for Sam's birth. I am also conscious of how much is changing. I think that in the back of my mind I still cling to the idea that everything will return to normal after he gets here, but I know that "normal" is going to be very different from what it was a year ago and even from what it is today. Today's news that he is big, strong, and healthy is encouraging, and helps me know that the new "normal" will be great once we get used to it. For now, we're playing the waiting game.

Busy busy busy

2008-10-13T12:14:00.003-05:00

At work and at play, we're staying very busy right now, thus the lack of posts for a lengthier stretch of time than normal. We spent last weekend at Allie's friend Sarah's wedding in Red Wing, Minnesota. They make fine shoes there. It's a beautiful place, particularly in the fall. Hopefully I'll have some time in the next fortnight to get the pictures off of my camera and onto the web.

Work will be a blur for both of this week, as I have a dozen projects all in critical stages, and Allison has the kids for additional hours, since they don't have school on Monday. The forthcoming baby is making it more and more difficult to do normal tasks. He's getting big faster than expected, and Allie has another ultrasound scheduled for Wednesday to see if he might be big enough to arrive a bit early.

We also have another childbirth class tonight, I'm playing in a CD release concert on Friday, and we're visiting her parents for another baby shower this weekend.

I'm beginning to wonder whether the transition to sleepless nights will feel like much of a change at all!

My tradition

2008-09-24T12:32:00.001-05:00

Today I started listening to Christmas music.

The Races, Part II

2008-09-20T11:38:00.003-05:00

Another work outing, another set of photos. We sat closer to the action this time, and the photos turned out much better.

Adam, the Hunter

2008-09-18T08:23:00.008-05:00

I shot an eight-point buck on the way to work this morning.

Our exciting week

2008-09-16T09:46:00.001-05:00

This past week we survived area flooding, had a reorganization at work, were blessed with many baby shower gifts, and went to Miller Park in Milwaukee to witness the Chicago Cubs' Carlos Zambrano pitch a no-hitter against the Houston Astros. It was the Cubs' first no-hitter since Milt Pappas missed a perfect game by one strike in 1972.

I wonder what makes it crunch

2008-09-16T09:30:00.006-05:00

[Editor's note: This is a real, undoctored box of cereal]

minutia

2008-09-05T16:14:00.003-05:00

Yesterday and today I have corresponded with a friend to whom I haven't talked in several years. We weren't on bad terms, just geographically very far apart.

In my email, I confessed to him that Facebook and other similar websites (blogs?) are "the crack-cocaine of a self-important generation, and I'm an addict."

The same day, I had lunch with a friend who works nearby, who I had not seen in several months.

In both cases, we were able to catch up over the course of a few paragraphs or a few minutes of conversation, leading me to believe that my earlier statement was correct: personal websites allow everyday people like me to turn the smallest things into a big deal and broadcast the self-important details of our lives to the world. The reality is that over the last several years, I probably have 3-4 good paragraphs of important information, including my marriage, the approaching birth of our son, working for a good company, and being involved in a great church.

I can't decide if it's a blessing or a curse that God allows us to enjoy the trivial things so much. At the very least, reflecting on all of this gives me pause to collect my thoughts and resolve to spend my time focusing on the important things.

Hey, Mickey, you're so fine...

2008-09-03T20:08:00.005-05:00

This is an actual, four-foot-tall wood carving that sits in my in-laws' neighbor's front yard.

I love small towns.

Inspired by true events

2008-08-29T08:58:00.004-05:00

This morning on the way to work, we saw a high school student riding to class.
...Dressed as a viking.
...On a unicycle.

He waved at us as he passed by. I think he was a very friendly unicycle-riding viking.

I wrote this haiku in honor of the occasion:

Unusual site-
A unicycling viking
Waves to passersby.

Day at the Races

2008-08-24T17:47:00.007-05:00

On Friday, our operations group had an outing to Arlington Park race track. I decided to bring along my camera and see what it could do.

...pants on fire

2008-08-15T09:17:00.003-05:00

These are real websites, and were still available as of this morning. You'll need to click on the images to get the full effect.

I enjoy a good contest. I also enjoy knowing what I could win.

I wasn't alive then, but I'm pretty sure that digital cameras were not being sold in 1966.

The Lagoon

2008-08-13T22:11:00.003-05:00

"Baby Shower" -or- "Fun and Games"

2008-08-06T22:46:00.007-05:00

Blogger Convergence

2008-08-06T22:29:00.006-05:00

Oh Happy Day!

2008-08-05T07:55:00.004-05:00

THIS is a blatant copycat post

2008-07-30T22:32:00.005-05:00

When my brother, Capt. Wordy, posted his last blog entry, I was overcome by a sense of deja vu. Knowing that I'd seen the scene before, I went to my old photograph collection (the ones that were printed from APS film) and found similar photographs from a trip to Portland in 2003.

I imagine that this one was taken from nearly the same outlook, but facing in the opposite direction. I also had a nighttime photograph of the skyline, but it was entirely blurred, and not worth posting here. Kudos to Capt. Wordy for getting a much better picture than I did.

Happy Birthday, Allie!

2008-07-24T17:54:00.002-05:00

I love my wife!

The audacity

2008-07-22T15:49:00.006-05:00

On my drive to work this morning, I followed a Mercedes SUV with a simple bumper sticker that read, "Got Hope?"

Initially, I believed that this person was advertising their faith, reminiscent of the old "Got Milk?" marketing campaign. I usually try not to respond to bumper stickers, but my heart warmed at the thought of seeing another believer subtly voicing their faith in a meaningful way.

Then I read the fine print.

The bumper sticker was not intended to inspire thoughts of God, but of a presidential candidate. I felt deeply wounded and shaken, then... sorrowful. Political leaders are usually fallible. Hope, here, is misplaced. The best (or worst) president only holds power for eight years, usually with their hands tied by opposing parties, lobbies, and campaigns for reelection. Public opinion can turn in an instant when our expectations go unfulfilled, and hope is left unsatisfied.

Is there any wonder why Jesus resisted being made king by force? He was bringing about the one thing that was truly worth hoping for, and couldn't be swept off course for man's own purposes and definitions.

Real hope is only found in him, the true hope of all nations.

What's in a name?

2008-07-21T11:53:00.010-05:00

I think the whole concept of baby names is ludicrous.

Don't get me wrong, baby names can be fun to think about. A Google search of "baby names" yields about 16 million results, including name generators, dictionaries of names in every language, and forums for parents to solicit naming advice. I'm perfectly fine with all of that, and appreciate some of those resources.

The problem is that babies don't remain babies, and baby names don't remain baby names.

I realize that I'm playing semantics here (pun intended), but baby names eventually become toddler names, which in turn become child names, and those grow up to become teenager names, adult names, and with enough passage of time, senior citizen names. Sooner, rather than later, we hope that our children's names will also be recorded in the Book of Life.

That's a lot of pressure for finding just the right name.

The Biblical tradition of naming is an interesting study, as children were often given names according to the circumstances of their birth. This was good news for Asher, but not so much for Jabez, as these names served as constant reminders throughout life of how they were received into the world.

Then there are cases where the Lord renamed people to identify new purposes for their lives. (See Jacob/Israel and Simon/Peter.)

There is also the less-documented, self-imposed name change of Saul/Paul, who seems to have changed his name for the sake of better evangelizing the Gentiles.

Even Jesus was given his name to describe his life's work.

All of this, however, is visible in hindsight. These names and name changes were divinely inspired knowing that the name-bearer would prove it to God's glory. How am I supposed to name our child without knowing the type of person he will become? How can I know which virtues he will embody when we haven't been formally introduced?

Shel Silverstein told the tale of "A Boy Named Sue," about a young man whose father gave him a name guaranteed to build strength and character. While the story is farcical, I believe that's similar to what all fathers want for their children: a name of depth, strength, character, and rich tradition. It should be something they grow into and from which they take all of the best qualities. The name does not guarantee those traits, but it can certainly help them along that path.

As for our son, Allison and I like the name Samuel Griffin. It is a name of great Biblical and familial significance. We dearly hope that he will take on all of the finest characteristics of his namesakes.

Christmas in July

2008-07-11T12:59:00.003-05:00

Isaiah 9: 2, 6-7
The people walking in darkness
     have seen a great light;
     on those living in the land of the shadow of death
     a light has dawned.
For to us a child is born,
     to us a son is given,
     and the government will be on his shoulders.
     And he will be called
     Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
     Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and peace
     there will be no end.
     He will reign on David's throne
     and over his kingdom,
     establishing and upholding it
     with justice and righteousness
     from that time on and forever.
     The zeal of the LORD Almighty
     will accomplish this.

This passage illustrates one of the main reasons why I chose the title of my blog, Live in Contrast. The "land of the shadow of death" can also be rendered the "land of darkness." Contrast is the difference between darkness and light, between sin and redemption.

Imagine walking in darkness with no end, and suddenly seeing light approaching over the horizon! I take this very personally, because I remember working the late shift (4:30pm until 3:00am) for six months after college, seeing at most an hour of sunlight every day that was quickly absorbed by the night. Every day of my existence literally began as light was fading and ended with the coldness of a Chicago winter in the dead of night. It was depressing and despairing. It was after nearly five months of this that I began to understand the words of the Christmas song, Oh! Holy Night:

The thrill of hope!
A weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks
A new and glorious morn!

The contrast between darkness and light, despair and hope, cannot be displayed any better than when the darkness of night is pierced by the rising of the sun at dawn. Seeing and feeling the daylight breaking was the most wonderful thing in the world to me after months of living in darkness. Out of darkness, light was entering the world! Out of sin, new hope appeared!

How great is our God, who conceived of all of this and sent light into a darkened world!

It's a boy!

2008-07-09T21:41:00.009-05:00

...and we have the images to prove it!

The doctor told us that she's "95% sure" that we're having a boy based on the images, so we could still get a surprise. Apparently our child was a little too modest (or camera shy) and didn't entirely cooperate. I suppose we'll have to get used to that. Both Allie and I see fairly convincing evidence that it's a boy, and you can judge for yourself in the first picture above.

More importantly, the baby looks good and healthy now just past the halfway point. The doctor went through a checklist and showed us that everything seems to be developing normally. She also said that based on our son's size, his due date may be as early as November 13, a week ahead of the original estimate of November 19. At the same time, she told us that first children tend to arrive late, so we may have a very big boy when he is born!

Independence Day - Part I

2008-07-07T21:15:00.003-05:00

Allie and I had a great Independence Day weekend in Michigan visiting with my extended family. After much consideration (and several blog drafts), I've decided that there's just too much to say in this space. I have many good memories, and a few good photos. Since it would take too long to share all of my memories, I'll just share the photos.

This first section will concentrate on our fireworks celebration.

Independence Day - Part II

2008-07-07T21:10:00.009-05:00

The rest of our weekend was spent enjoying the company of family, including my cousin's Basset Hounds, Sadie and Zoe. Don't blame the photographer if the dogs happen to be photogenic.

Grandpa's Tractor

2008-07-06T22:59:00.003-05:00

I'll try to post an update on our Independence Day trip to Michigan soon. In the meantime, you can view some of the pictures on my photos page.

Groundbreaking

2008-07-03T08:02:00.006-05:00

About two weeks ago, our pastor exhorted everyone in the congregation to read the Bible.

This is not terribly groundbreaking, but like most people in our church, I knew I should be reading the Bible but didn't do it nearly often enough. One way or another, I had become jaded. Growing up in church, I had become familiar with the stories. Going back to at least high school, and through college, I had read through the Bible several times independently or with groups. After a while it began to seem repetitive, and even with the best intentions I could not keep up with any serious commitment to maintain a daily devotion. I have a good memory, and in my own wisdom I reasoned that if the Bible never changed, then surely I'd heard it all before.

Taking our pastor to be a man of greater wisdom than myself, I began going through the reading plan he outlined. (It's probably the best reading plan I've ever used. See the "Life Journal" link to the right for more details.) This morning, while reading through a passage of 2 Chronicles, God opened my eyes to a wonderful kernel of truth:

God's word is unchanging, but we are not.

We have to keep reading the Bible and studying it because we change throughout life. The last time I read most of these passages I was probably in high school or college. Now I am married and looking forward to the birth of our first child. My frame of reference is completely different. The things that I gleaned from the Bible as a teenage boy are not the same as what I see as a father-to-be, and I'm certain that as my children grow and I reach retirement, the things that are important to me will be radically different yet again. Even if my core beliefs are the same, I am not. The world keeps changing and I keep changing, so every time I open the Bible, its going to impact me in a different way- not because it is different, but because I am different than last time. It must be an anchor, reminding me that Jesus is our firm foundation, unchanging and unshakable, and able to reshape and refine me through all of life's changes.

Speaking of work...

2008-06-28T14:11:00.004-05:00

I just reviewed my blog for the month of June, and all of the posts for the last 2-3 weeks have had something to do with my job. I think maybe, just maybe, it's been a source of stress for me during that time, and I appreciate you, my readers, for bearing with me.

This is a picture I took of me not working at work on Friday. I mean, I was at work, but this was after I was off the clock, so I was no longer working. Not that it didn't take some work to construct this photograph, but... oh, never mind. You get the picture.

More of the same, only different

2008-06-27T12:22:00.003-05:00

The composition consisting of wrench heads from my previous post used to adorn my work computer as the desktop artwork. A few weeks ago, my new manager noticed this and asked if this meant that I still pledged allegiance to my previous work group, where I worked on tools. Since then, I have been looking for a way to rework this same theme using the medium of my current projects.

Today I had the opportunity to shoot some photos for our next catalog. My new screen backdrop is a byproduct of that endeavor.

Continuation of a theme

2008-06-25T15:24:00.002-05:00

Sounding Board

2008-06-24T21:08:00.006-05:00

I don't know why, but I'm feeling a bit more abstract tonight. Perhaps its the fact that I'm trying to lower my dependence on caffeine, or perhaps it's my midweek "I need to do something creative" mindset. Either way, I like the pretty colors.

Oh, the places you'll go

2008-06-17T15:44:00.006-05:00

When I woke up last Wednesday in Okemos, Michigan, I saw this in our hotel parking lot.

You can find out more at the C-Span Bus Website. Apparently its quite a big deal. If you don't believe me, just check out these ringing endorsements from the Teacher Quotes page:

"What is so great about these resources is that they show government doing things that we as government teachers usually just have to explain to kids and 'hope' they understand. But, as you know, government is so intangible, confusing and arcane. With these clips, government is brought to life."
Dan Fouts, Gov't. Teacher - Des Plaines, IL

"C-SPAN is as good as a field trip for students."
Myriam Oliver

"As Head of School, I often use information gained from C-SPAN for my readings or comments at our weekly Morning Meeting. I also refer teachers to available materials in my role also as Head."
Pamela Bloom

Dear Diary

2008-06-14T15:24:00.004-05:00

This post won't be much for words. That's mainly because after this last week, my brain has turned to mush, and I'm just trying to recuperate. Here are a few excerpts from my diary over the last week:

Saturday: Birthday. Mowed lawn. Met new neighbors. Slept a lot. Good day.

Sunday: Spent the afternoon with my cousins. Good conversations. Fun afternoon.

Monday: Drove to Michigan for training. Ordered a burger "medium well" at dinner. Remembered how dry and flavorless anything over "medium" is. Won't do that again.

Tuesday: Training all day. Learned enough to be dangerous with a $250,000 test system.

Wednesday: More training. Hopefully learned enough to keep me FROM being dangerous with the $250,000 test system. Drove back to Chicago. Got home around 11:00pm.

Thursday: More training, but unrelated to the other training. Brain totally exhausted.

Friday: Showed up at work, but completely useless due to mush-brain and lack of sleep.

Saturday: Slept in. Watched Cubs beat Toronto. Bought a lawn trimmer. Mowed lawn again. Already feeling much better.

My favorite email ever

2008-06-07T13:49:00.003-05:00

I received this email today from my parents. It made me smile!

-----
Adam,
Four score and seven years ago, minus three score, your mother, and father, and a doctor and some nurses, brought forth on this continent a new Adam, conceived in...well we won't talk about that, and dedicated to THE LORD!

Happy Birthday! Best Wishes. Much Joy, Success, Happiness, and Love.
God is Good!
Love, Dad and Mom
-----

Thanks, Dad and Mom!!!!

Everybody's Workin' for the Weekend

2008-06-02T12:47:00.008-05:00

Ah... Lover Boy and those irrepressible images of Chris Farley dancing his heart out.

But, alas, that is unrelated to my post other than to provide an apt title.

Allie and I had a very busy weekend all around. Allie worked a little later than usual on Friday night, so we went out for a nice dinner followed by a little shopping for the baby. We arrived home at about 9:30pm only to find that the power was out in our entire neighborhood due to several severe storms earlier in the day. With no electricity to provide us with entertainment, we went to bed early hoping to wake up to the flashing red LEDs of an unset clock.

That never happened, at least not during the night. We each woke up several times to the sounds of work crews out and about trying to fix the problem, but the electricity remained off.

On Saturday morning, I went into a recording studio with our church's worship director to work on tracks for his upcoming CD. Allie stayed at home, powerless, until about 2:15 in the afternoon. I finished up around 9pm after a full day in the studio and headed home. I know that doesn't sound like much, but neither the power outage nor the studio work should have lasted more than a few hours, and they felt like they consumed the whole day.

If Friday and Saturday were busy, then Sunday was a complete blur. After church we hurried out to a bridal shop to get Allie fitted for a bridesmaids dress for a wedding in October. We rushed home, changed, and headed to Winnetka for Libby's (the 5-year-old Allie takes care of) ballet recital. As soon as that let out, we drove further south to babysit three young boys for one of Allie's work friends. All of this went better than anticipated, but we were worn out by the end of it.

I'll include one picture from the ballet of which I am particularly proud. Great job, Libby!

Who?

2008-05-26T19:37:00.002-05:00

For the second year in a row, Allie and I had tickets to the Cubs game for Memorial Day. The Cubs won 3-1 over the Los Angeles Dodgers, led by 7 good innings from pitcher Ryan Dempster and home runs by first baseman Derrek Lee and third baseman Aramis Ramirez.

The real highlight of the game, however, came during the top of the eighth inning with the opposing team up to bat. The starting second baseman, Jeff Kent, lead off with a single. The Dodgers manager then substituted in pinch-runner Chin-lung Hu.

Judging by the lack of uproarious laughter at Wrigley, I think only the PA announcer and I got the joke.

Birthday Hijinks

2008-05-20T22:10:00.007-05:00

Four birthdays in a week and only one blog in which to celebrate them...

What to do...

Unfortunately, I don't have too many recent photos of any of these guys (at least not many that I haven't already posted) so I'm digging deep into the vault.

May 14: my best friend Dan

May 20: my old roommate Matt

May 20: my Dad

May 21: my brother, David

[Editor's Note: Apparently May 21 is one of my coworkers' birthdays as well. I don't have any pictures of him. Then again, he doesn't read my blog.]

Fast Track

2008-05-13T17:03:00.003-05:00

I'm beginning to secretly (and not very seriously) suspect that I'm on the fast track to a management position. Over the last month or so, I've spent an average of at least two days a week at corporate headquarters, and at least half of all of my working hours in meetings. This week, I'm finally crossing that magical threshold and spending parts of three days at HQ, all in meetings. With any luck, by the end of the year I'll be delegating my work to underlings and making decisions solely by some mystical combination of experience and whim.

...Before we even asked

2008-05-04T17:42:00.004-05:00

A little more than a month ago, our church elders told the congregation about a budget shortfall of more than $40,000. They had carefully looked over all of the numbers and determined that although we didn't have the projected income to meet the church's needs, they could not find any unnecessary programs to cut. We needed to come up with the money.

In response, they called the congregation to participate in a day of prayer and fasting the first weekend of April. However, they were very clear in their instructions: the purpose of our prayer and fasting was not to determine for ourselves how we were going to fix the problem, but rather to bring our need before God and see how He intended to provide for it.

This morning, the elders again came before the church, this time to share with everyone how God clearly responded to our need. Back in 2002, a church member had died and left $50,000 to our church. Due to some legal issues, the money has remained tied up since then and never been given. The church leaders were only recently made aware that this money even existed. After some work, all of the roadblocks were cleared and on April 4, the week after our elders spoke to the congregation, and the day before the fast, the check was finally written. Without knowing our church's situation, instructions were given not to cash the check until April 9, the week following the fast. Even after our church tithed on the check to pay into our missions fund, there was more than enough to cover the $43,000 needed to complete the budget.

"So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, 'On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.'" Genesis 22:14