Hyderlife

Best Album's of 2008

2009-01-08T09:41:00.000-08:00

My brother's blog post inspired me to finally get back on this blog and post my own best albums of 2008. I fear that few people actually glimpse at this blog anymore, but I'll provide my own anyway.

I have to go with Bon Iver with my album of the year. I'm not the guy who usually has the patience to listen to an entire album all the way through. I am the guy with playlist after playlist, refining and creating some of my own stations. However, Bov Iver's For Emma, Forever Ago, is incredible all the way through. It places me in a state of meditation and reflection. It ceases to grow old, in fact, it becomes better with each listen, the sign of a true piece of work. It is the epidomy of "Trident" - the gum that doesn't overwhelm you with taste at the outset, rather than "Bubble Gum" - it's the best thing you ever tasted but only lasts for a couple chews. (I must cite "Bubble Gum" as a term developed by the older bro.)

At a close second is Frightened Rabbit's The Midnight Organ Flight. The Scottish band rings home a classic. Wow, another album that I have listened to way too many times and yet ceases to grow old. Their album was a dissapointment in terms of sales from what I heard, however, their following is starting to really take off. I tried to get tickets for a show in Chicago and it was sold out months beforehand. And this show was their third show in Chicago this year.

Rounding out the rest, I have no particular order.

Society, Hope You're Not Lonely, Without Me

2008-05-16T13:52:00.001-07:00

From my perspective, the recent stimulus package provided by the government has reinforced the materialism and consumerism of our country by the way that it was presented. Rather than encouraging people to save and be smart with the money, emphasizing that it was coming out of next years return, it was initiated so that people would go out and spend it immediately. Isn't this type of behavior what got us in this current recession?

Anyway, while our culture (and me included) struggle with materialism and consumerism, it is great when you have messages that go against the grain. I would recommend the movie Into the Wild to anyone, but especially those who need a slap of perspective. Eddie Vedder sings a song called Society on the soundtrack that says it well.

Oh it's a mystery to me. We have a greed, with which we have agreed...and you think you have to want more than you need...until you have it all, you won't be free.

Society, you're a crazy breed.I hope you're not lonely, without me.
When you want more than you have, you think you need...and when you think more then you want, your thoughts begin to bleed.
I think I need to find a bigger place...cause when you have more than you think, you need more space.

Society, you're a crazy breed. I hope you're not lonely, without me. Society, crazy indeed...I hope you're not lonely, without me.

There's those thinkin' more or less, less is more,but if less is more, how you keepin' score?
It means for every point you make, your level drops.
Kinda like you're startin' from the top...and you can't do that.
Society, you're a crazy breed.
I hope you're not lonely, without me.Society, crazy indeed...I hope you're not lonely, without me
Society, have mercy on me.
I hope you're not angry, if I disagree.Society, crazy indeed.I hope you're not lonely...without me.

The Birthday Week

2007-10-07T10:22:00.000-07:00

So I was a little spoiled this year for my birthday, as it was more like a birthday week. I had the priviledge of having all my friends meet Melissa and I in Wrigleyville at The Irish Oak for a fun get together. The Cubs clinched their division that night so the streets were filled with crazed fans (who are most likely depressed now after being swept by Arizona), but for the moment, well, they were typical Cubs fans.

But the weekend before I had the blessing of being with my brothers in Seattle as David and I visited Michael. It was a good time and Michael threw a birthday bash with his Mars Hill students. It was so much fun to be with the bros, and also so neat to experience a little taste of Michael's world on the west coast. It was also funny to see people's faces when I was introduced to them - I had somewhat forgotten what it was like to be a twin. So many, "Wait, no way, oh, that's crazy, I feel like I'm talking to Michael but it's not him." We also had fun at a number of different Seattle coffee shops - Zocas is the place to be, and we also found some nice scenic views of the city.

Philip Mangano - Ending Homelessness

2007-08-25T10:44:00.000-07:00

I had the priviledge of hearing Philip Mangano, appointed by President Bush to attack the issue of homelessness years ago, at a conference on homeless and runaway youth.

Mangano was voted by Time Magazine as one of the 100 most influential people. He has served our country well, advocating for the least of these with care and skill. Here are a few notes from his talk...

The goal is not to MANAGE homelessness but to END it -
Homelessness is a moral, social, spiritual, and ECONOMIC wrong - you don't manage wrongs.

What our country did in the past was to manage those who were homeless but they just ended cycling through the doors of shelters. This social work frame did not work.

You END the wrong of homelessness by adding a BUSINESS frame.

The business frame - Cost Benefit Analysis
The cost of doing nothing for the homeless is huge - study in San Diego - studied the amount that it ends up costing the city by not doing anything for the homeless - they found out that each homeless person ended up costing the city $200,000 over the course of 18 months. If you combine that with, let's say 200 homeless people in the city, that's 40 million dollars. It would have been cheaper to put the homeless people up in penthouse suites than to leave them on the streets.

So how in the world do they cost so much by being on the street? Incarceration, behavioral healthcare, substance abuse treatment, and hospitalizations add up to a staggering amount of money. And after all of these costs, they are back on the streets in the same position as before.

Again, the cost of doing nothing is huge.

Definition of insanity by Einstein - doing the same thing over and over and expecting change.

Overall, I was blown away by how Mangano has approached this issue. He has not only used his heart but his brilliant mind to tackle the issue of homeless. Like an expert problem solver, he has picked apart the issue and wants to end homelessness. If anyone can end homelessness, this guy can.

I really liked how he pleads for the case of homeless people not only by appealing to the moral wrong, but the economic wrong as well. He kept saying, even if you have no compassion, altruism, or spark of love in your heart, you will be a fool if the economic impact of homelessness does not inspire you to end homelessness.

Betachaser

2007-08-18T15:17:00.000-07:00

Take a look at a new blog my friend Tony and I are putting together. Two guys who are novices in the personal finance and investment field, but we are trying to become somewhat informed independent investors...Check it out here. Even with the little money we have invested in the market, it has made for an interesting ride seeing how we got into the market at about the top and have watched it tumble downhill. It has been the most volatile time in the stock market in 5 years.

Also, check out this place for quality photos - It is a place where people upload their own photos for others to use. A lot of great pics - some you have to pay for (in the Stock Xpert sections) but most of them the only restriction is that you don't sell them for profit - some you have to ask for permission from the photograher to use. The two pics I used for this post are from the site.

Melissa's 24th Birthday

2007-07-22T19:32:00.000-07:00

Melissa's birthday was on Sunday, but it was more like a birthday week. The week started with our favorite restaurant Sweet Tomatoes, and we ended up going there two more times the rest of the week, not to mention Kamehachi sushi bar restaurant, Georgie V's, and the Red Star Tavern. Whew, that is a lot of eating out.

Mid week my mom, my aunt Anita, and my cousin Ellen stayed for 3 days - my cousin Ellen put all hard core shoppers to shame with nearly 12 hour days of shopping. I was impressed by the determination and stamina. It was great to see them.

Then the in-laws came for the weekend. We had the pleasure of going to the Chicago Botanic Gardens. Quite an incredible array of plants and landscaping.

FACING THE GIANTS

2007-07-14T09:31:00.000-07:00

I have to admit that I would not have watched this movie if someone wouldn't have dropped it off at our house to borrow and if my wife didn't turn it on. I wasn't expecting much from a movie that a church put together - not that I didn't expect a good spiritual message but I wasn't ready for a half rate movie on a Friday night.

But wow, Melissa and I were both very touched by this movie and were very impressed by how well it was done. Melissa needed more than a few tissues throughout the entire movie and I'de be lying if I said I didn't shed a few tears.

It reveals both the journey of despair and of faith that believes through it. It really challenged the way I respond to tough times in my life.

There is also bonus features showing how the movie all got put together which is really neat as well. Hope you can see it.

Vacation: Cruisin and Fishin

2007-07-10T19:39:00.000-07:00

Melissa and I were dying for a vacation and we loved our week of crusing in the eastern carribean and a week in the mountains of North Carolina. The first week on the cruise was busy and fun, while the second week was relaxing and refreshing. Hope the pics do the explaining...

Boeing

2007-06-01T12:10:00.000-07:00

I have been impressed by what I hear about Boeing. It has been a great company for a long time, but they have recently made some serious headway.

PROS: They are coming out with the Dreamliner 787 commercial jetliner, a plane light years ahead of current commercial jetliners. It is going to be built of lighter material making the plane more fuel efficient and quieter, will have huge windows, and will be made far quicker than average plains.
They have also been hammering their competition, or lack thereof, as Airbus has been struggling beyond control.
As Jon Markman states in a recent article on MSN Money, "I'll go further and call Boeing the greatest U.S. manufacturer of all time, considering that it has beaten back all domestic and foreign rivals to become the rarest of entities: a monopoly that has evaded the government's usual trust-busting impulse and pushed the envelope on both innovation and profitability."
Boeing is not relying solely on this Dreamliner, as they are doing business with the government for defense, which, while could be slowing, will not stop any time soon.

CONS: High price tag - around 100/share. This stock has already gone up so much that it might be inflated - not that it can't go further in the coming months, but at the current time, the hype may be getting the stock ahead of itself.

THE FUN?: I am not a big risk taker, but over the next couple months, I might have to be in order to own this stock. Boeing has certain deadlines to meet with the Dreamliner, and if complications arise, the stock could stumble. But in the long run, this stock has the potential to fly high with the way that this Dreamliner could dominate. There are already $80 billion worth of current orders for this plane.

Starbucks - good time to buy?

2007-05-25T09:52:00.000-07:00

With some extra time on my hands, I have decided to take up investing.

6 months ago I did not know the slightest thing about it, but now I hope that I can say that I am beginning to become an informed indepedent investor.

One stock to check out - Starbucks - down 20% over the past year

Cons

- struggling with some challenges and competition - both McDonald's rise with their "premium coffee" and Dunkin Donuts coffee are among the top. Suprisingly enough, McDonald's coffee beat out Starbucks and Dunkin for best tasting coffee by consumer reports.

- dairy costs have risen recently

Pros

- huge growth - a company that is opening up stores on every corner of the US and soon around the world. Some look at this as a downfall in maintaining quality. But Starbucks has already grown tremendously - they have already proven their quality. I have had the unruly experience of some of McDonald's premium coffee - I had a traumatic flashback to the watered down stale coffee of my non-profit agency I work for. Who brews your premium coffee at McDonald's? - most likely, it was some 17 yo first day on the job who had never brewed coffee in his or her life and just figured out how not to. Will this happen at Starbucks? - hardly - the employees their often are college grads - my friend works with Master's level coworkers.

- Starbucks takes care of their staff with benefits and quality training.

- Dropping P/E ratio - it used to be excessively high, now it is reasonable for the first time in a long time.

Hope you were enlightened by my analysis - if not, well, it was my first one! (chart from TD Ameritrade)

Long Lost Triplet - Rob Bell?

2007-05-24T12:35:00.000-07:00

Who is this guy to my left?

No, it is not me, although it is uncanny how similar this picture of Rob Bell looks like Michael and I.

My older brother found it on Wikipedia - I wish I could say that I was published in an online encyclopedia, but nope, I am not.

Click here to see the article about one of the leading pastors of our day, Rob Bell.

Impressive Spartan B-Ball

2007-05-09T11:20:00.000-07:00

David just showed me an impressive article. The Spartan basketball program was said to be the best program in the country over the past 10 years by Andy Katz, ESPN's sports analyst.

They have been great, and should return to even more greatness with their future recruits. I finally have satellite TV so I can't wait for the next couple seasons - maybe this will be an excuse for me to buy a 42" plasma! - but what did I just say about buying into the excess in America - dang it.

Check out the article if you get a chance.

Convicting

2007-05-04T11:56:00.000-07:00

Here is a good quote I found from Sojourners online magazine.

"You will never prevent people living in bonded labor or from getting caught up in sex trafficking while they are so desperate that they have no other choice but to sell themselves. As long as we in the West crave ever more excess, we conspire in their desperation, exploiting it and make ourselves sick in the process."
- Clare Short, Member of British Parliament and former Secretary of State for International Development.

I write this blog after I just purchased a used 2003 Honda Accord EXL. I was a little convicted after I purchased it - thinking about how much I buy into the excess every day of my life. Melissa and I have lived humbly compared to many we know, but living humbly takes on new meaning when you have even the smallest exposure to the rest of the world.

Pain and Sorrow

2007-04-18T17:30:00.000-07:00

So how in the world do the families of those afflicted by the VT massacre go on? How should each of us respond when we face the pain and sorrow in our own lives

A few books, articles, and blogs have helped remind me of how to react, where to go, and that there can be some hope and purpose for those hurting. Brian McLaren's blog, Henri Nouwen's Wounded Healer, and a friend of mine's blog, along with a book Principles of Trauma are some places to check out if you need to or if you get a chance.

Along with these resources, scripture is obviously a central place for words of purpose and explanation in the face of pain and sorrow. Some of the most commonly quoted pieces in regard to this topic is in James, where we are told that trials are there for our own growth, allowing us to become more and more like Christ and near to Him through the trial. While this is so true, it is important when helping another grieve that simply telling them this can actually discourage them. From Principles of Trauma, "Some traumatic events are so overwhelming that they make growth extremely difficult; they may involve so much loss that is seems impossible (if not disrespectful) to suggest any eventual positive outcomes to the person." So telling someone that there current circumstance is really a good thing is far from helping. Furthermore, telling the person to "look on the bright side, can easily be seen as dismissive and unempathic."

What people so desperately need is to have someone beside them. The person may want to know, "Do I have someone who seeks to be with me through my misery, or am I alone?" God did not leave us alone, but He entered into our world - Jesus did not tell us that through wounds there is healing, but demonstrated it to us - just as scripture says, "By His wounds we are healed."

Marriage Conference

2007-04-12T08:20:00.000-07:00

I have to put in a plug for a Weekend to Remember. Melissa and I attended this marriage conference a couple weekends ago and it was a great investment into our marriage. A couple different speakers provided us with a plethora of information about God's intention for marriage. It was also fun to have a hilarious speaker Greg Speck communicate numerous caricatures of marital conflict. If you are looking for a good weekend away to devote to the marriage, this is a good investment.

Fully Alive

2007-02-10T14:44:00.000-08:00

The 6 month old pup had a great time back in Michigan with a beautiful back yard and a foot of snow. Carmella was exactly where she belonged.

It was hard to come back to the busy suburbs of Chicago where the houses are nearly on top of each other and Carmella is therefore couped up inside our house.

Carmella has been quite a bit to handle and has pretty much driven me crazy at times back in Chicago, but this past weekend has granted me more compassion.

It also reminded me of some of Eldredge's writing about a man's heart. He writes about how our culture (Christian culture especially), has killed a man's heart by taming it to the point at which it is no longer beating, but dead.

So I hope that I can have compassion and grace on my growing pup - good practice before any kids come in the picture I guess. But to anyone out there...are you where you belong? Are you in a place where you are confined and living a safe life or are you living the life you were created for? Like Carmella, we are too often caged up inside when we were made for so much more. But the comfort is so tempting...

A nice pic of the fam

24

2007-01-15T10:10:00.000-08:00

Since I didn't watch much TV in college, I have had to catch up on good shows...and 24 has been awesome!

Don't we all want a Jack Bauer in our world (although Melissa does sometimes mistake me for him...I wish!). He has a sixth sense and always comes through. While it is neat to see this ultimate McGuiver go at it, I think that people are often drawn to it because of the tension of incredible losses...family members, friends, you never know who will die, and the directors take no mercy. Similar to our lives, the losses are unpredictable and sudden. Yet the way that Bauer and others continue to fight the enemy even amidst such heartache is for me what makes the show. The hero overcomes and continues to fight.

In reality, I always need to remember that there is a spiritual battle out there. If we all only knew that there was an enemy and something to fight for, more people would recover from their heartache and channel it fighting the good battle of faith, but most of us forget that there is a battle, not necessarily a physical battle. For me, the battle is for my heart...not to settle for comfort and security but for something more, something greater. Enough integration of 24 and faith for now...until next time.

The glasses

2006-11-30T15:05:00.000-08:00

I guess some people never get passed the 80's.

Thanksgiving

2006-11-29T19:03:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving started out with a long trip in the car on the way to Maryland. It was also my mom's 60th so we suprised her by showing up at David's doorstep. We had a great time with her and with the rest of the family. I put together a video with pictures and it was fun to see some older pics like the one above.

It was also great to see all my nieces and nephews, but it is tough living so far away and we all agreed that we wish we lived closer.

Overall, the trip was long, including horrible traffic and a dog with bad gas, but it was a great time honoring my mom on her 60th and having solid quality time with the fam.

YOUTH SUNDAY - Props to my wife

2006-11-13T18:41:00.000-08:00

I have to give quite an honorary blog post to my wife who preached a sermon on Youth Sunday at the Village Presbyterian Church this past Sunday. It was an interesting experience for me...I was held in reverence of God that my other half not only spoke in front of such a large congregation, but that she blew me and the congregation away. Her words were both bold and gracious, authentic and filled with truth. I guess I may have some bias, but she may be the next Beth Moore. Just neat to see someone close to you use their God given gift and affect a congregation so strongly. Unfortunately, I could not include the entire talk, only a tidbit below. If it is not up yet, I will try to get it up soon.

Shawn McDonald

2006-11-11T08:11:00.000-08:00

Melissa and I went with her Youth Group to see Shawn McDonald in downtown Naperville. He was great as usual. He is so good with song writing, expressing His walk with God, but doing it with great music. I think we all felt that there was quite a strong presence of Christ.

Anyway, even though it is long, I must share the story of how we ended up getting to the concert.

We started out our treck to Naperville by loading into the Church van. It was pouring outside, and it was hard to see outside. We knew we were in for some traffic, but as soon as we got on the highway, it was a dead stop. 1:35 minutes later, we find ourselves at a parking garage in Naperville, following the directions we were given. Yet, where in the world is this college that the concert is? We found a map and realized we were a couple blocks away. Drive there? The students insisted otherwise, so we walked. We walked three blocks, and the rain picked up, and we started to get quite saturated. Then, as we are at a street corner, a car goes through the intersection and sprays four of our high schoolers. Completely saturated, we continue walking and find the college. Still no sign of the Union, we ask around, getting unclear and contradictory directions. Finally, someone sends us in a different direction. As we walk down the street another couple blocks in the pouring rain, we come up on, what else, the parking garage that we started at! Melissa then gets a call from someone we know at the concert and finds out, it is sold out! Since we came so far already, we decided that we would try to find it still and hope that they would let us in. In desperation, we ask one more person and he directs us a half a block from the garage we started at to a small building....so we got there, about an hour and a half late. But they let us in and we got to see most of Shawn McD.

THE SEASON BEGINS

2006-11-08T07:53:00.000-08:00

The Spartans open up the season tonight against Brown. With so many previous seasons of All American starting line ups ending in Final Four appearances, it is hard not to have high expectations.

This year, though, they do not have near the talent, losing three starters to the NBA. It will be interesting to see if they even make the tournament.

Either way, my friends and I will be watching every minute. GO STATE!

PERSPECTIVE

2006-10-28T18:34:00.000-07:00

I better never complain again. Read this article from the New York Times online if you get a chance here. Always a reminder of what we have, and how so many across the world are being exploited. Another heartbreaking story from Africa.

Fellowship at the Landmark Inn

2006-10-27T10:10:00.000-07:00

4 out of 5 of the guys from my college freshman Bible Study six years ago are now in the Chicago area, and have reunited for weekly fellowship at the Landmark Inn in Northbrook. It is a really cool place for us to hang out and it has been awesome to reignite some deep discussion on God, jobs, our wives, etc. It has really allowed each of us to feel connected in deep relationship again. We are trying to make the most of our time together - knowing that it is rare for us to all be in the same area.

National Counselor Exam

2006-10-16T12:18:00.000-07:00

If you get a chance, say a quick prayer for me tomorrow (Tuesday), as I will be taking the National Counselor Exam. I have been trying to memorize the Encyclopedia of Counseling book and it has been a lot to remember.

Won't know about my results for something like 6 weeks, which is kinda weird since it is multiple choice. Wish me luck...

Puppy Life

2006-10-12T09:35:00.000-07:00

So before we got a crate we were keeping her in a box...that did not last very long - she is a smart one and was able to bite and then sqeeze her way through the hole. The crate we got for her has worked much better.

It was also interesting giving her a bath the first time. I think she was traumatized as you can see from the pic in the upper right. She has fleas, ear mites, and kennel cough, so we took her to the vet and have been treating her with meds.

She has been a handful - biting anything in site, but a great addition to the fam. And as you can see below she had her first experience with snow.

Our New Puppy

2006-10-01T19:30:00.000-07:00

On Saturday we brought home Addy, a Rat Terrier/ Heeler Mix...we did not know what those breeds were either but she is very cute. She is 8 weeks old and is a dog rescued from a farm in southern Illinois. Her first 8 weeks of life could have been a little rocky, so we are trying to give her extra care.

The name the shelter gave her was Addy, but we are currently calling her Carmella - the youth group voted that as their favorite name. Any suggestions for names? I kind of like Foxy, since she almost looks like a fox with those ears.

Please pray that she stays in good health, and that she can enjoy her move to our home.

Finding a Puppy

2006-09-27T11:47:00.000-07:00

So the quest has been on for a new puppy. Here are a few that we have discovered so far. Fozzy (upper right) is definitely cute but is supposedly pretty wild. The Dachshund and Beagle combination might not be the best one. Willow (upper left) is our favorite. He's got the low set in him and the long ears. We got to see Camille(loer right) in person but her health does not appear to be the best.

It is hard to go the the shelters as it is heartbreaking to see so many dogs in crates and all crying to be taken to a loving home.

Wish us the best on our search as we bring a new puppy home soon! Any suggestions on a good dog?

Church Retreat

2006-09-18T20:29:00.000-07:00

Went on the Church retreat this past weekend. Melissa and I took the high schoolers to Saugatuck, MI late Friday night, arriving at about 3am. The next morning came early but it was a fun day out at the beach. Always good to get away, and this group of kids are absolutely hilarious. I was constantly laughing.

The theme for the youth was based on the verse, "Be still and know that I am God" -Psalm 46:10. In Hebrew "be still" is in essence to "be weak, let go, let your hands fall." A great thing to remember - we are not in control - quit doing it on your own - you were not meant to - trust in your heavenly father. A great message for me to hear, and to teach the youth.

Melissa and I got home at 6pm, at 6:30pm we intended to take a nap, but ended up sleeping until the next morning!

REMEMBERING

2006-09-11T11:38:00.000-07:00

Melissa and I watched United 93 and it was difficult to watch, but felt that we should. It is easier to just forget the incredible tragedy, is it not? Unfortunately, I believe our natural selves cause us to block it out rather than enter into it. Being in the helping profession, I must enter into these types of tragedys, but my resistance is often the same. Henri Nouwen wrote in Wounded Healer, (I have paraphrased this) "how can we expect to help those who are hurting if we have not entered into it ourselves."

9/11 was a unique tragedy in many ways, but one particular way was the response given to those who had lost a loved one. Many (I can't speak for all) recieved numbers of letters in efforts to console and numbers of people connecting them to the right help. This is a tremendous aide in the progress of healing.

But what about those among us who have lost much and have not recieved such consoling? The abused child who wishes he could tell someone of his torture but if he or she fears that their lives will be in greater danger. Or what about your neighbor who you know is hurting, but is completely isolated from anyone?

We probably all know someone who could use our aide, but it seems that we too often blind ourselves to their pain. 9/11 will hopefully teach us how to help console those around us. With movies such as United 93, we have a tougher time avoiding the suffering that is so present in our world.

If we could only all enter into the pain together, I believe that our world would reflect more of the kingdom of God and reflect less of our alienation from it. - Just some thoughts...hope we can all remember 9/11 well today.

Another quote -- Jesus is with us today -- from Henri Nouwen
"The master is coming-not tomorrow, but today, not next year, but this year, not after all our misery is passed, but in the middle of it, not in another place but right here where we are standing"

DA CUBS

2006-09-06T12:58:00.000-07:00

It was quite a night...

Started out at a pub where Kyle spent hours trying to sell an extra ticket, his sales pitch was solid but I think that the Cubs are just that bad this season.

We even tried giving the ticket to a bum who we talked to for awhile to come see the game with us but he declined as well.

We ended up having a guy come up to us who had about 20 tickets in his hand say, "This is MY office." Apparently we were intruding his ticket selling office space.

The game ended in a loss as the Cubs blew it near the end. Although they lost, the stadium is beautiful and we were blessed with some good seats behind home plate.

And of course Kyle had to violate Ricky in front of the crowd....

some pics of the stadium

Hi From The Beach

2006-08-28T20:27:00.000-07:00

Hello from Northbrook. Since I hadn't shown any pics from where Melissa and I moved, I thought I would post a few, and also ask for prayers as we begin the year here.

We like the area a lot, as it is surrounded by nice neighborhoods and only 10 minutes from the beach! The north side of Chicago is an incredibly rich area, much richer than Melissa and I. We have enjoyed everything so far...but we could just use a few more friends our age. It is nice on the north side for a number of reasons, as I said you have the beach and there are a lot of nice small cities. And there is plenty of room for people to come and visit at our house, so don't hesitate.

So anyway, please pray for our time here as we embark on a new journey with a new church, a new city, and hopefully new friends. Last year was a tough year with our health and the crumbling of a church, but we were still so blessed through our experiences...may we continue to experience His blessings this year.

ESTROGEN OVERLOAD

2006-08-27T19:32:00.000-07:00

Males... where were you this weekend. I started off the weekend hanging out at a middle school youth group activity, serving as a chaperone. My young male kids were outnumbered 17 to 3, and after the 3 boys left, I played the game "big booty" for the rest of the night - a fun game, and while I was not the best, I think I hung in there. The girls may have thought otherwise...

Saturday rolls around and we get a call from Melissa's old soccer team from college. The girls are playing in a tournament in the area and they do not have a place to stay for the night...25 girls soon entered our house and set up shop for the largest of slumber parties I have ever seen.

Sunday comes and Melissa and I and our 25 roomates head off to what else, the US Women's soccer game against China.

In the end, it was a great weekend, both with the middle schoolers and the 25 new residents at our house Saturday night. I was blessed by all of them, and while I might need to recharge with some males, both of the groups were great.

LOST

2006-08-23T16:45:00.000-07:00

Yes, it is true...Melissa and I have finally watched the hit TV show Lost, and have just finished watching season one on DVD. Initially, I thought this was just another catastrophic plane crash with monsters in the woods type movie. But wow, the skill at which they introduce you to the characters and the depth of the psychology is really cool.

I would definitely recommend it, as it is not only entertaining but makes you think about what psychological baggage you have yourself. If we only all had a lost island that we could work through our stuff. And if you don't end up liking the show, you have to at least like Hurley, cause he is the man.

We will be starting the second season at some point. If you have the choice, watching it on DVD is the way to go.

For the random people I don't know who like to post comments like the one I received about this post, first, please keep non-edifying comments to yourself. Second, despite the fact that most of TV and movies are superficial and are only to entertain, with some it is possible to seek great truths about life from them.

Our First Anniversary

2006-08-14T17:47:00.000-07:00

Melissa and I celebrated our 1st anniversary by heading up the coast of Wisconsin. We camped for two nights and were on the road finding beautiful places to stop and see. The clouds were beautiful. Later on, we went to a Winery and were given sips of eight different wines, the aged Cherry, not bad my friends. Finally, we headed further up the coast to some cliffs, and then went for a run alongside a paved trail overlooking Lake Michigan. On Sunday, we watched the wedding video, then went out to Wildfire for some steak and ribs...busy weekend.

Von Stiel Winery - Algoma, Wisconsin

The Cliffs at Cave Point

quite a road trip...thank you Lord for your creation.

You Cannot Lose His Love

2006-08-09T08:41:00.000-07:00

You may lose your appetite
Your guiding sense of wrong and right
You may lose your will to fight
But you cannot lose my love

You will lose your confidence
In times of trial, your common sense
You may lose your innocence
But you cannot lose my love

Many things can be misplaced
Your very memories be erased
No matter what the time or space
You cannot lose my love

I have been looking forward to writing more about this post, as the heart of Sara Groves song, You Cannot Lose My Love, has been at the heart of my journey of defining who I am. In my mind, I know the verses in Scripture that say how much God loves me, but trying to know it in my heart, now that has always been a struggle. Carl Rogers said that knowledge and experience are completely different things, almost unrelated. If only I could know how much he cares - I know that I would make better choices and trust more in His goodness.

I am also still on my journey toward working my client's through their own development with identity. For so many of my client's, the roads of theif lives is met with so many questions, frustrations, and trials, and traumas. Their experiences are telling them that they are not loved, not cared for, but often that they are hated. Of course, while I have also experienced some of these experiences, mine do not compare.

So the obvious answer for their treatment would be to put to introduce them to a Godly father who loves them completely...who takes their beat up and wounded hearts and holds them in His loving hands. Oh, if I could only point them in that direction!

But what for those who do not believe in a God. Life's hurts and traumas often give us a scewed view of not only ourselves, but of God. And then you add in a family that has never ackowledged God. Therefore, a number of obstacles seem to surface for the non-Christian.

Therefore, in counseling children and adolescents, I am constantly trying to figure out a way to let them know that they are incredibly special beyond what they could fathom, but do so with a language that they can understand. I am still on this path of being able to effectively help form youth's identity.

On the road through Christian Psychology integration... hopefully more thoughts on this later.

Swinging in to Say Hi

2006-07-27T10:24:00.000-07:00