Dear TC Students, Vol 9:

One minute later.
A few days ago I saw an amazing sunset. At least a quarter of the sky was filled with bands of gray, blue, orange, and pink. The ribbons of color were as luminescent as I had ever seen. I was awed by the beauty. I had to go inside for a few minutes. When I stepped back outside, the sunset was nearly over. Another night a few days ago I was driving home from work. The roads were icy. A car spun out in front of me. I wasn't able to stop and slammed into it. I was uninjured, and so was the driver of the other car (who drove off before the police arrived). My brand new old car, that I had purchased merely a month ago, was damaged far more than its value. I note that had I left work one minute sooner, or one minute later, I might have avoided the accident. Beauty may appear in a brief window, but so does trouble. What does that mean? Are we living in a world were coincidence and chance are the only certainty? Does a random second here or a random second there separate a life of sorrow from a life of joy? As Christians, we know, and say often enough to convince ourselves, that God is control. We know the whole "all things" schpeel. We must also know and reckon that God and chance cannot share the sceptre. Only one can reign. If it is truly God who reigns, then chance is but a chimera. All things occur at God's allowance. There is no random second here or random second there. All things occur within God's plan. Our free will fits in perfectly here, but that is for another time. How do we live in a world of God-ordained events? Simple, we live. We live each moment seeking to gain what that moment has for us. To ponder the past or fawn for the future is to miss out on what God has prepared for us right now. We can so easily miss a stunning sunset, a flowery field, and charming child moment. We can so easily miss God.
Congratulations Twin City Christian School Lady Eagle's Volleyball team on winning the state championship yet again. I am very proud of you. I am most proud to hear that you kids won the Character award. I find that fantastic. Great work girls. Congratulations Whit on winning the MVP. It is great to see you get rewarded for all your hard work. I look forward to hearing of your success at regionals. As of this post, I do not know how well the Boy's soccer team did. I will post as soon as the score posts.
Keep your heads up.
That is all.

Dear TC Students, Vol. 8:

I have some startling news.
I have the unique priviledge of waking up three times a week at 4:50 in the AM to drive to work. I also get to drive home each night at 10:00 in the PM. This allows me to see the sunrise and the sunset. I can't say this is an enjoyable experience, but it is what I do. I have noticed recently that the time between the sunrise and the sunset has shortened.. This is a bit disconcerting. I am no Science teacher, nor am I a former non-Science Science teacher, but I think I have an explanation. My hypothesis is that, due to the increased amount of fatty fast food (Is there any other kind?) consumed by gluttonous Americans (Is there any other kind?), our mean weight has increased. It is a well known statistic that 52% of Americans are 20% overweight, and that 22% are 40% overweight, and that roughly 5% of Americans are classified as a county. Concurrently, the food shortage in China (Editor's note: there may or may not be a food shortage in China) has caused the mean weight of Chinians to decrease. Thus, we have an imbalance, and like Copernicus' top, the earth has began to wobble. This, coupled with increased cell phone use and the lack of higher taxes, is causing the daylight to shorten. Beware. Be vigilant. Most important, write letters while jogging and eat more chicken. I don't mean to be a Malthusian POD, but I do think the world will end before the next millennium.
Some of you may be thinking of a topic for your science project. Well, if your first choice (Does the average person see better with their eyes open or shut?) is taken, you are more than welcome to test my hypothesis. You could very well be the Ptolmey of the modern world.
That is all.

Google wonders

You can never really guess what you are going to find when you google, or ask.com, your surname. I found the following:

Doan's Crossing - Texas Ghost Town


Can you believe their is a hundred year old ghost town named after me? Put that in your book.
That is all.

Which smiles more?

Speaking of the songs I recently mentioned and purchased, I don't know which song's lyrics makes me smile more.
Is it "Wherever We Go" by Newsboys?

Wherever we go, bluebirds sing
And the flowers bloom
And the grass gets green
It's a curious thing
But it's just our thing

Wherever we go, the bees behave
In the treetops, squirrels smile and wave
It's a curious thing
And it's humbling

Where we go, little glow-worms glow
Little roadrunners run ahead
Gonna tell their friends
Little mice, little men
Get 'em all excited
All invited

Chorus:
Hands up
Holler back here
Let's throw this party in gear
We brought the welcome mat
Wherever we go, that's where the party's at
Hands up
Holler back now
We don't claim any know-how
We're giving God all that
Wherever we go, that's where the party's at

Wherever we go, the dumb get wise
And the crime rates drop
And the markets rise
It's a curious thing
But it's just our thing

Bullies make nice, crooks repent
And the ozone layer shows improvement
It's a curious thing
And it's humbling

Wherever we're led
All the Living Dead
Wanna leave their Zombie Mob
It's a touching scene when they all come clean
God help us, we just love our job

Chorus

Or is it "So Long Self" by MercyMe?

Well if I come across a little bit distant
It's just because I am
Things just seem to feel a little bit different
You understand

Believe it or not but life is not apparently
About me anyways
But I have met the One who really is worthy
So let me say

Chorus:
So long self
Well it's been fun, but I have found somebody else
So long self
There's just no room for two
So you are gonna have to move
So long self
Don't take this wrong but you are wrong for me farewell
Oh well, Goodbye, don't cry
So Long Self

Stop right there because I know what your thinking
But no we can't be friends
And even though I know your heart is breaking
This has to end

And come to think of it the blame for all of this
Simply falls on me
For wanting something more in life than all of this
Oh, can't you see

Chorus:

(4x�s)
Farewell, Goodbye
Oh so long self

I cannot decide.
That is all.

Dear TC Students, Vol. 7:

The last leaf had not fallen when the first snowflake did. I wonder what they said to one another?
"Hey snowflake."
"Hey leaf."
"What's up?"
"Not me any more. You hang around here often?"
"Yes."
At any rate, we were surprised to see snow falling yesterday. In the morning, we saw only flurries. Yet in the afternoon on into the evening, we saw full-blown snowflakes--they were as big as Frosted Flakes. It was lovely. There are few instances in nature more peaceful than a snowfall. I am no Willard Scott, but I would say we received at least 500 mm of snow. Crazy.
Some of you are familiar with "The Far Side" cartoon, as I have spoken of them in school. If you have never heard of them, then it is good to have you back from the Paleolithic Era. Last Christmas I received the complete collection--a two volume set that weighs nearly twenty pounds, and cost over 100 pounds. It is really nice. I had thought I had seen every single one, but I discovered the falsity of this claim as I discovered some I had not seen. One cartoon really struck me. A guy who has a palm tree growing out of his head is sitting in bed with coconuts around him. He says to his wife next to him, "Honey! There are coconuts in the bed again!" I laughed, but I also thought. Are there times in our life when we see things occurring around us, maybe strange or unexpected things, and fail to see that we are the cause of them? We like to take credit for the good things, but pass the blame on the not so good things. That may be the funniest of all.
Make sure you guys and gals finish out the soccer and volleyball seasons well. Only a few more games and then the tournament. We have two state championship trophies to retain. Good luck.
Keep your heads up.
That is all.

More delight

Delight

Leaves

Autumn is here. A few remaining colorful leaves cling gingerly onto the branches. Soon, they will glide to earth to join their companions. They will have served their purpose. They have absorbed the sun's rays so that their branch might be strong. They have spent their time on earth declaring God's splendor. What a life a leaf has! Such a simple purpose, yet how wonderful is their majesty. They exist to serve and to declare. When their time is done, they fall willingly, gracefully, back into the earth so that next year's leaves may have nourishment to grow. A leaf can gain only for itself when it gains for that from which it proceeds. The power of a tree is in its trunk, the beauty in its leaves. My kids and myself went to park. They love throwing whatever they can find in the water. Today, they threw leaves.
That is all.

Postscript

Twin City Students:
I forgot to mention in my previous post that many of you have changed quite a bit since I last saw you. I noticed this as I was perusing the WAT photos. I understand how that is. I have recently dyed my hair black to match the tatoo I now have on my arm. You might not recognize me now. Some of you guys need to get haircuts. If I didn't know any better, I might think the photos were from FACA.
That is really all.

Dear TC Students, Vol. 6:

Happy Columbus Day.
I hope you had a great holiday. I had a decent one. We celebrated by tracking down some IAP's and kicking them out of their house. It was fun.
The pictures of the Walk-A-Thon were great. I consider myself very fortunate to have seen several pictures of several seniors at the WAT. That is comparable to possessing a clear photo of Yeti. I have no doubt that all of you completed your 10 miles, and did so in record time. I also have no doubt the Pastor Chris burned most of your hamburgers (At least I had the decency to undercook them).
You are nearing the end of the first quarter/marking period. That means those of you who have not done any homework might want to consider the possibility of the preparing to do one or two assignments. Time is short.
From the photos of WAT it would seem that the weather has turned cooler. That means you can start storing the extra meat for lunches in the classrooms. You guys don't know how convenient and cost-effective that is. Be thankful it doesn't get so warm that the meat goes bad. That would really be bad.
By the way, did you know that the Broncos played the Patriots a few weeks back, and that the Broncos won? And did you know that the game took place in the fabled Gillette Stadium? If you didn't already know, now you know. And did you know that the Red Sox are not in the playoffs? Just keeping you informed.
That is all.

The beautiful

Songs I just purchased

Thanks to some unprecedented magnanimity on the part of our bookkeeper, I was able to purchase several songs from iTunes, songs I had been wanting to purchase for at least 3 years now. They are some really good songs, some newer and some not so newer. Here is a list of the songs in no particular order. (Note: the links work only if you have iTunes. So get iTunes.)

"My Saviour My God"--by Aaron Shust (a great p&w song)
"King of Glory"--by Third Day (not real new, but new to me)
"I Believe"--by Third Day (I love the guitar riff at the beginning and Mac Powell's vocals)
"So Long Self"--by MercyMe (this is the most entertaining song I have heard in a while)
"Wherever We Go"--by Newsboys (another fun one)

If you haven't heard these songs, you ought to right this very second. I don't care if you are on your way to the moon or in surgery, go listen to these songs right this second.
That is all.

Dear Twin City Students, Vol. 5:

In just a few short days (2 to be exact) you will be participating in the Annual Twin City Christian School Walk-a-thon. I trust that everyone has been working very hard, asking their parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts, neighbors, pastors, teachers, and friends to sponsor them. At least, I hope you have. Seniors, show a little love to the school that has showed you much love and raise some money. Juniors, show the rest of the high school how it is done, and raise at least $100 a piece. Sophomores, don't be enticed by the upper grades to slack off and be lazy. Raise some dough! Freshman, you are in high school now, but raise funds as though you were in junior high still. I can imagine you guys think there is no point because you never see the results of your fundraising. I say, "Phoey!" Maybe you never see the results because you never raise enough money. Can you imagine what Mr. Arnold would do if the school raised $50k in one WAT? If you want to see your principal dance an Irish jig, then raise a boatload of money. Unless you are doing over and above what you should be doing to help the school, the keep your rattling mouth closed and be content. If you want to see various aspects of the Twin City campus improved, then raise money like it is in style.
Stay focused and keep your heads up.
That is all.

Five minutes after eight.

Five minutes after eight in the evening is probably the most peaceful time of our day. The reason being we put the kids to bed at eight, only after which we can finally fully relax. As the couch envelopes our now partially comatose bodies, we collect what few thoughts we are able to compose and look around at what is remaining of our living room, which now resembles an artillery range. Literally dozens on toys speckle what was once a spacious living area. We dare not walk barefoot through this minefield, as it would be easier to tear the kids from our souls than their little toys from the soles of our feet. Most nights we clean up (a term I use in the most John-Kerry-liberal sense), knowing explicitly that as our kids open their eyelids, their battalion of toys will spring from the storage places (I have never been able to actually calculate the number of storage places we have) to eagerly await their owner's arrival. Sometimes we don't notice the toys, as they cleverly cloak themselves beneath the wardrobe of clothes that snow-blankets our floor. I don't believe any of our kids' shoes have spent the night in the same place twice. It would take the Queen of England's servants to keep our house perpetually clean, and even then, I doubt they could keep up with the busy bees. Our kids make their decision on what toy to play with based on what toy we just put away. When they get out a toy, somehow the molecules of the toy interact with the molecules of the air to reproduce like lonely rabbits. Thus, our floors continually have more toys on them than air. You might think that the toy-zone layer will act as a buffer against dust, dirt, and food particles. You would be right, except that you are wrong. Our kids don't so much as eat food as they do throw it on the floor and hide it in every nook and cranny. Our floors could support the entire rat population of greater Trenton, NJ. Sometimes I find food in a corner somewhere that we have never bought. This is not to say that we are bad house-cleaners; our kids are exceptional house-uncleaners.
So as we become one with the davenport at five minutes after eight, we reflect on the state of our house, and we thank God for the blessings we have. We are blessed to able to provide toys to entertain our kids, clothes to warm and dry them , and food to strengthen and nourish them. Mostly though, we are blessed to have kids, and every Cherrio, Goldfish, Thomas the Tank Engine, Pull-up, sock, and pair of shorts reminds us of this. When we are able to actually clean-up, our house looks unnervingly vacant. I am happy to find a toy car in our bed, a deck of "Go Fish" cards in our refidgerator, and a half-eaten fruit bar in our couch. When I have to spend the night at work, I miss these things, and the things these things represent. As I become older, and the memories of today blow away with the wind, I hope the memories I never loose are those of the shoes by the window.

Lost

We are not sure where Addie was going here, but we are pretty sure she did not know where she was going.

Hiking

This past Saturday, the kids, and Mom, and Grandpa, and Aunt April, and some other girl whose name I cannot spell, went hiking at a park.
Sonya did less hiking and more sleeping.
The kids quickly became tired, but had fun.

It was a beautiful day in the neighborhood.

Photography experiments

55mm--1/60--f/5.6-ISO 200
38mm-1/320-f/5.6-ISO 400
18mm-1/100-f/5.0-ISO 400

I included the information on each picture, in case you wanted to know.
That is all.