Progress on getting a home...

Becca and I looked at a condo on Friday afternoon. The condo is a 2 story, 2 bedroom, 1.5 bathroom with finished basement. The more I think about condos, the more I think it is a good option for us. Purchasing a condo is a good next step after rental living. You still have some of the responsibilities of owning a home, however you do not have all of them at once. The association still cares for the lawn, snow removal and the exterior of the home. We are responsible for the interior. This is a good balance and next step for us.

We made an offer on this condo on Friday and our offer was ACCEPTED!! We are excited. The next step is the pre-inspection. Due to the type of mortgage we will be receiving, there are higher standards on the inspection. Therefore, our realtor will have his inspector go through the condo and make sure everything is okay. The inspector is very thorough. (When he inspected the other home we were interested in, we received a report that was about 2 inches thick.) If our realtor's inspector does not find any problems then we will schedule the final inspection. I would think appraisals and other closing activities would proceed after the final inspection is complete.

So this is where we are right now. Thank you for asking us how things are going and for praying for us. Please keep praying.

Home saga update

Yesterday Becca did some more searching and found 6 more homes. We went through one of the six today. This home is a condo. We found from the seller's realtor that an offer on this home was imminent so we put in an offer of our own. We will find out by tomorrow night at 5pm if our offer was accepted. We both really like this home and hope our offer is accepted. Please pray about this. We'll let you know tomorrow night what happens.

The home saga continues...

Last night Becca and I drove around Grand Rapids again looking at home we found online that we liked, at least on paper. We came home a little discouraged because we really did not like any of them enough to walk through. We weren't sure what to do. I thought, well let's make an appointment at an apartment complex and move in that direction.

Well today at work Becca did more searching on the internet and we found 6 more homes to walk through. I am thankful because though there are advantages to being in an apartment, I think it's time for us to get a house. We'll see...

Here's a link to my #1 draft pick at this point.

Happy Easter

Happy Easter everyone! I was at my in-laws today for lunch and I realised my family is in 3 states today. My mom is in Cleveland, Becca & I are here in Grand Rapids while my dad and sister are at my grandmother's in West Virginia. Yeah for free nights and weekends. I called my dad and sister earlier. I'll call mom later on when we are home.

I'm enjoying the opportunity to relax and enjoy Resurrection Sunday. We had an incredible service today at church. I am so excited to see the way the Lord brought the service together. I was concerned as I did not know what we were doing on Thursday but God brought things together.

I must include the picture below of my buddy Christopher. I took this picture when he was with me and his dad Jesse looking at a house.

Enjoy the rest of your Easter Sunday!

Good Friday

I was just reading Scott Pfitzinger's blog. Scott used to work at Cornerstone University where I went to university and worked for a period of time. Scott has since moved to Butler University in Indiana but has a very interesting blog.

Here is a link to his Good Friday entry. I agree with Scott's thoughts and I hope to remember more than just during Passion Week.

This is what Easter is all about

House update

DO INDEED BE A GOD!!!! Okay maybe that was a bit dramatic but I am super glad I can post from work again. For a while, the site where I go on Blogger was blocked. Can't imagine why :-D

Anything I need to give you all an update about the house. Thank you all for your many comments, prayers and support. After the inspection on Tuesday we did decide to remove our offer from the house (which actually just reminded me that I need to send the release of purchase agreement to my realtor...oh my what a morning it has been so far). At this point we are not sure if we want to rent for another year or keep looking. Either way we are taking the weekend off and will continue on Monday.

Thank you again for all your comments, prayers and encouragement. We appreciate it!

Pictures Of A Home...

I have finally posted pictures of a home we have been looking at. Inspections are happening today and we plan to close (baring delays) on April 15th. Check out the link to the right or click here. Please let us know what you think.

Homes

We looked at 5 homes today with our realtor. Actually, we only looked at 4 because we were not able to get into the home. I think the Lord shut the door to us on this home :)

I am learning that I need to have the mindset that we need to do somethings to the home we buy in order to get the price we need. This is difficult for me because I'd prefer to just move in, but I'm learning that us doing some improvements is not a bad thing. If a home needs some work, this gives us an opportunity to make it our own. The projects we would need to do are not that complicated. We are not talking about demolition and re-building from the studs. All of the walls would need to be painted. The hard wood floors need to be sanded and re-finished (the whole home is hard wood floors). The more I think about this home the more it is growing on me.

I would be curious to get your thoughts on projects like these.

Have a great weekend!

Mortgages

We had a very refreshing meeting today with a home mortgage broker. She is a co-worker of a friend of mine. Over the weekend I realized I wanted to try and find another mortgage broker. The broker we have been using is a good guy and knows mortgages, however I have become less and less comfortable with him. I think buying a home is a significant purchase and therefore the parties on your team need to be on your team and they need to be people you are comfortable working with. The lady we spoke with today immediately put us at ease and communicated (in a calm manner) that she really knew mortgages. She communicated complicated mortgage language in a manner that we understood and felt comfortable with. We will be meeting with another mortgage broker tomorrow after which I hope we will be able to choose a broker and get pre-approved.

I am looking to us buying a home and for the process of buying a home to be over.

House hunting

Wow! Two posts in one week. I am posting more efficiently for a change.

House hunting is draining, I don't care what anyone says. On Thursday we looked at 5 homes in Grand Rapids. We fell in love with one home and put an offer for it on Friday morning. A couple of hours later we withdrew this offer because we were not 100% comfortable with the home. There is an expression "God protects fools and Irishmen." I am not saying we are fools, but I am saying God was protecting us. We found out in the end the home was re-done by a non-profit organisation to be sold to low income families. We could not have purchased this home anyway.

So...last night we drove by 24 different homes in Grand Rapids. We narrowed down this list to 8 homes we want to see. My theory is, if we want to move into a home on 28 May when our current lease is up then we need to get going. Hopefully I will have some pictures to share with everyone next week when we have looked at these 8 homes. We'll see.

New book...finally

I finally finished Light Force by Brother Andrew. I started reading that book in October. I guess I am becoming a slow reader. Last night I started a book called His Needs, Her Needs. I think this is the kind of book all married people should read. It teaches you about the needs of your spouse which is something good for me to read, especially during the early days of married life.

Outside of reading material life is busy with Thailand trip preparations and looking for a house. We are looking at 5 houses tomorrow night with our realtor. I hope to post pictures so you all can give us your thoughts.

Have a good night!

Change: I guess I don't like it after all

Hello friends. If the events of today are any indicator I am not a fan of change. I had lunch with a friend of mine. He mentioned an employment interview he will be having tomorrow. If he gets this job and accepts it, he will have to change churches and we will no longer attend the same church. I am interested to note how wrapped up I am in this situation even as the possibility of him receiving the job is still a possibility. I thought I liked change, on my terms. Now I am thinking I just don't like change. We'll have to see. Please pray that God's will would be done in this situation.

Last night Becca and I met with a guy from our church to discuss mortgages. We found out how much we pre-qualified for and now are starting the search for a home in which we are interested. We also know a realtor from our church who will be helping us find a home in the area we are looking for, for the price we want, with the features we want/need. Becca and I completed a survey earlier tonight which helps us determine what we want in a house and what we need in a house. There is an important distinction between want and need and learning about this distinction is an interesting experience. We hope to move into the house when our lease is up on 28 May so we have a lot of work ahead of us.

As I think about the upcoming months I get tired. I am looking forward to the things ahead of us, but there is a lot ahead of us. In addition to looking for a house and moving in, we are working on the mission trip to Thailand, youth ministry at church, with our jobs. I know we are all busy but I just wanted to update you all on this.

We are headed to Cleveland this weekend to visit my parents and my aunt Leslie. Becca has not met her yet so I am looking forward to seeing her again and introducing Becca to her.

That's all for now I think. Have a good night!

Happy weekend!

Happy weekend friends! I don't know where this week went but it is over and the weekend is here. Tomorrow we are having a special worship service at church where we will be showing some different methods you can use during worship. I am excited to see how this will go. I was at church earlier preparing a piano solo I will be playing.

I stopped at Jesse & Rhonda's house and it looks better each time I come over. Jesse is pretty much done sanding the dry wall and will start priming the walls next week. We found out today that Habitat For Humanity sells building materials and other things for homes so he is going to check out their doors, carpet and other things. I am excited about this because I am sure Habitat sells these things at a good price.

We are in the midst of the Thailand trip preparations. We have a meeting with the team tomorrow to take the team picture, finalise support letters and schedule the next meeting. A local government rep is willing to come church to accept our passport applications. I thought this was really cool as this is something we need to get done soon. I believe God is going to teach all of us a lot as we prepare for this trip, while we are there and when we come home. I am amazed at what I have learned so far. I will admit working with youth is not my forte but God is giving me more and more confidence which I am glad about.

Once again, my hair is not all brown. We went to Paula's on Thursday night and she put light brown highlights in my hair. At first I thought they looked really orange but I am getting used to them. I will try to put a picture on here soon so you can see them.

I think that is about all for now. Have a great weekend!

Sad times

I think it is really sad how wrapped up I am in the fact that I am loosing my laptop at work. I knew this day was going to come as I do not need anymore as I am not traveling anymore for work. This morning one of the Help Desk staff told me I would be getting a new computer (which is exciting) but it would be a desktop and not a laptop. Oh well, I guess life goes on and there is more to life than laptops :)

It is scary that this is the biggest news for me right now so I'm going to Zeeland now to play Help Desk for the doctor.

Laterz...

Sanding dry wall

I had another interesting experience today helping Jesse and Rhonda at their house in Moline.

Earlier this week, a contractor friend of Jesse's sent his dry wall subcontractor with one of his crews put up the dry wall for the whole house. This contractor paid one of his crews to install and mud the dry wall. This contractor does not know Jesse very well at all. I am so excited that the dry wall is done. Before you can paint, the mud on the dry wall must be sanded down so that is what Becca and I helped Jesse with today. This is not the cleanest experience however it is not that hard. I am glad to be able to help out though I do not have a lot of technical knowledge about working on houses.

We're now at my in-laws in Zeeland. I really needed to shower at doing the work out Jesse's. I just need to be clean. You may feel free to call me a preppy person, I just don't care.

We are continuing to work on the Thailand trip in June. Everyone is working on their letters. We are having a meeting this coming Wednesday night and I hope we can get the letters in the mail soon.

Well that's all for now...

What's going on in Chris' world

How's everyone doing? It has been an interesting week. This week was budget week. Anita, Grace and Albert were in the office to prepare the budget and submit it to Finance. I am very pleased to say the budget has been submitted and I still have a job! :) (We were not planning to cut jobs at all. We did have to cut some special projects and find creative ways to do some things.) It was good to see Anita again since she moved to Brazil back in August. She and I communicate a lot through email for work but seeing each other in person is better.

I have a theory about change: People who do not like change need change a lot so they can become used to it. Becca and I moved the furniture around in our bedroom. To me it was not a big deal but I think it is good to change things up every once in a while. Also, because we moved the furniture we were able to clean some areas that are not normally cleaned. I thought this was good because if we never moved the furniture before we move out we would have a lot of cleaning to do in May.

On Monday of this week I put the deposit down on the airfare for the mission trip to Thailand this June. At this point the teens are working on their support letters and applying for passports. I think this experience is going to be a stretching experience for the teens, especially those who have not been on a missions trip before and/or have never left the US. I have to remind myself a lot that this is a big experience for a lot of the teens though it may seem like just another missions trip for Becca and I.

That's all I can think of for now. Make sure to visit Amelia, Ked, Becca, and Debby's blog.

New blog

I have created a blog for the missions trip Becca and I are leading this summer. Check out the new link in the links on the right or click here.

What a week

It has been an interesting work. God is doing something though I am not completely sure what it is. The lack of knowing can be annoying at times but I have to remember that God is in control and that is better than me being in control all the time.

Nothing too exciting to report from Grand Rapids. Hope everyone has a good weekend!

Ilana Marie Rhodes

Ked and Amelia's baby girl is here! She was born on Friday. Check out Amelia's blog for pictures of Ilana.

Debby's back...again

Debby's blog is back up again. We both hope it will stay up this time. I love the picture and the fun new design. Check it out!

Banished from home...

Debby's blog is having difficulty right now as Debby is changing servers where her web site is hosted. I will let you all know when her site is live again.

I also want to take this opportunity to show you Will's website. This kid is not even a week old and he has a website. I am an adopted uncle who spoils my nephew's rotten. It is not much right now, but I will :) add to it as time goes along.

I write this blog entry from Panera Bread. Tonight my wife is having a Junior High girls sleep over so I have been banished from my apartment. I will be spending the night with my in-laws but I could not pass up an opportunity to spend some time at my 2nd home. My wife will not be at all surprised that I was here.

I was very excited to receive a phone call from a friend named Rob who was wanting information on flights to and from the Philippines. I think being a travel agent could be a very fun job. I have been playing travel agent a lot lately as I have been trying to find airfare for our missions trip to Thailand this coming June. I have used a travel agent in Oregon in the past and again their fares are turning up better than some local people. I am really looking forward to this trip as we will have opportunity to see a new country and new people but also to learn more about the real life of a missionary. Missions has been close to my heart for quite a while and I am anxious to see how the Lord uses this trip in my life and in the lives of those coming along.

Well, tmsaisti...

Debby's back

Some of you may have noticed that Paradise Of the Blog has been down for a while. Well, the site is back up now with a new design. Check it out and welcome Debby back to the blog world!

The baby's here!

Jesse and Rhonda had their baby last night. William Jesse was born at 11:22pm weighing in at 8 lbs, 6.2 ounces at 19" long. Becca and I went to the hospital this afternoon to visit Rhonda and meet William. He is the cutest baby. Of course we took pictures. See picture below and links in this post.



Chris and Will Becca and Will

Update from Noel about Sri Lanka

Here is an update I received from my co-worker Noel about the situation in Sri Lanka. Please continue to pray for our brothers and sisters there.

Noel's Update

News from Sri Lanka

This is an email I received from a co-worker in Sri Lanka. Please continue to pray for our brothers and sisters in Sri Lanka and other countries affected by the tsunami.

Dear All,

The reality of the magnitude of destruction caused by the killer waves that hit Sri Lanka and other nations in the Indian Ocean are now being brought to light and it is far worse than one could ever imagine.

I watched with horror as TV images showed a group of Sri Lankan soldiers (who had no other choice and so this is not about them but the sad task they had to perform) with gloves and masks across their faces, pull out bloated, naked bodies out of some muddy areas. Some others had to be wrenched out of places where they were stuck with long pieces of wood. The bodies were unceremoniously dragged and lined up on higher ground. Since it is now a few days since they died, the bodies are decomposing. Hence, they were then taken and buried in a mass grave. Hopefully they were properly fingerprinted and photographed in order that they could be identified.

Unfortunately, there are still some areas and some people are still out of reach and are not receiving anything. This was reported to me by a colleague who I sent with the Methodist Church to the Eastern province with a truck full of relief supplies. Unfortunately, the distribution is also hampered in some areas because the landmines in this formerly war ravaged area have now been dislodged making the entire place a different sort of death trap.

On a worse scale are isolated stories of looting of broken houses by local thugs. A couple of my daughter's colleagues were horrified when some local government officials diverted the truck of relief supplies to an area unaffected by the tsunami. (More such incidents were reported in the local media later). They were powerless. Then in some areas people not affected are joining those affected and collecting relief supplies (understand able to some degree as they too are poor).

Yet in the midst of the calamity and human evil, it was also heart-warming to see the efforts of so many Sri Lankans. People from all walks of life were sending essentials to those affected. People were lining up along the roadside with their parcels of food and handing them over to the many trucks that were on their way to the affected areas. One seven year old girl brought her entire little piggy-bank of USD 21 and gave it all for relief. "Please give this to some other child to get something she likes"she said as she handed it over. And an old lady, a pensioner in her eighties gave USD 2 saying, "Please buy something for someone to eat" Young and old alike are helping. The response is overwhelming.

Moreover, all of the help that is being given is not necessarily financial. Many are going and cleaning up Children's Homes, Homes for Elders, the homes of friends and even those of strangers. Others are riding with trucks to deliver food, packing food and so on. It is taking every form of help imaginable to meet the needs of those who have been affected.

But the psychological damage is not even being addressed. Many are traumatized and still walk around in a daze. we do not have people who are trained in helping these people. Often the friends they turn too are in equal need of emotional help. One young woman was miraculously saved when she was thrown out of the train (some of you may have seen the over turned carriages on TV) but right now is unable to speak from the shock. Some of my friends were trying to help her - I pray they will be successful.

Then there are the inevitable questions and many have called and asked for help in trying to understand this tragedy in particular and tragedy as a whole. Many Christians too are bewildered and some are even questioning their beliefs. Some like Job may trust in the goodness of a sovereign God who permits calamities while others may begin to doubt.

We are offering to our readers and some churches, the booklet, "Why Would a Good God Allow Suffering." We have it in Sinhalese (for some reason we decided to print this title in November ahead of schedule). We will do an urgent print in English and if possible translate and print it in Tamil as well. We are trying to do the same with another book, "When Tragedy Strikes". We hope that our Christian brothers and sisters may be enlightened by the reading of these books and be better informed so that they could to help explain some of the more difficult issues to those who are confused.

Last night, our neighborhood in Mount Lavinia was like a ghost town. The last night of a year is filled with the usual parties, dances, fireworks and celebrations. Yet, everyone was muted and not even wishing each other a Happy New Year...it will take some time for the shock of a disaster of this magnitude to wear off. A death toll of more than 40,000 as of now with some entire families being wiped out is definitely not easy to handle especially when everyone seems to know someone who has perished. And so ALL are affected in some way or another.

In HIS firm and loving GRIP
Noel

Happy Barnabas Week

I love the last week of the year. I usually take the week off work and do what I really enjoy doing: going out to lunch with friends and encouraging people. This year I called the week Barnabas Week.

On Tuesday I was at Jesse and Rhonda's house during the afternoon. Jesse is fixing up the house before he and his family can move in. I had an education in insulation installation. I was amazed at all the work we were able to accomplish.

On Wednesday I went to lunch with Joe and his brother Eric. Joe and Eric are starting a tree serving company here in town. I was very interested to hear about starting a company. I must admit the entrepreneurial spirit was making an appearance. I love what I am doing at RBC Ministries, however it think it could be equally fun to not go to the office everyday and have a more freer work routine.

Yesterday, Duane and I had lunch. We had not seen each other for a while. It was great to catch up a bit and learn about what is going on in his life. He and his wife Hiba have become good friends since Becca and I were married in June.

I must admit the biggest thing this week has been waiting for Jesse and Rhonda's baby to be born. To say that we are impatiently waiting would be an understatement. At any moment my cell phone could ring and it's baby time. We are so happy for Jesse and Rhonda and hope the baby comes soon.

I hope your Christmas celebration was a blessed and happy one. Best wishes for God's richest blessings in 2005!

What an interesting day!

I went to church this morning at the church where I grew up. I was asked to sing special music. Singing at this church is not like singing at the church where Becca and I attend in Grand Rapids. Needless to say I was a little nervous. I think I did okay though I am always a little hard on myself.

After church my mom, dad and sister went out to lunch at Ruby Tuesday. As we made our way to our seats I noticed the former Assistant Pastor at my parent's church was there. He candidated to be the new Senior Pastor but was not voted in. He has formed another church in the area. When this first happened I was very apprensive about what was happening. However, I now look at this situation in a different way. I think the church where he was Assistant Pastor was stuck as he and others were doing so much. Now that he and some others are gone, this has forced people to step up and be involved. I think the church will be better off as a result of the circumstance though it was very hard at the start.

This afternoon my sister, Becca and I went out to do some shopping. We wanted to go to Ten Thousand Villages however it was closed. So we went to Caribou Coffee and got some needed liquid refreshment. Caribou is not in Grand Rapids so I always make it a point to go there when I am visiting my parents in Cleveland.

I'm not sure if you have read the news today or not but large tsunamis and earthquakes have hit some countries in Southeast Asia today. I received an email from a co-worker in Sri Lanka. He and his family live in a home on the beach. Needless to say, it has been a long and hard day for them. At last word their house is okay and I hope it stays that way. Please pray for the Berman family as they come to your mind.

Merry Christmas everyone. I hope you are enjoying time with your family and friends. My family followed tradition and made sos for breakfast this morning. Becca and Melissa stuck to French toast though.

Many fun gifts for everyone. Becca, Mel and I all got 128MB memory sticks. I lost mine so I am glad to have one again. They are very helpful for transferring files. 128MB memory stick is the equivalent of 88 floppy disks. Two other fun gifts were a Michigan State Spartan sweatshirt and Livestrong yellow bracelet. I finally have one!

Enjoy your day and take lots of pictures as we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.

Greetings from Bay Village, Ohio

Becca and I are here celebrating Christmas with my parents and sister Melissa. We decided to come down from Grand Rapids on Wednesday night and I am very glad we did. There was a ton of snow during the night Wednesday night which we would have had to deal with on Thursday morning. Not exactly my idea of fun if you ask me.

Tonight is the Christmas Eve service at my parent's church. It is always fun to be able to go and see people I haven't seen in a while. This has been a very hard year for my parent's church as there was a church split in June. Many people left along with the former associate pastor who was not voted in as the new Senior Pastor. Very difficult times to say the least.

One of my co-workers in Singapore posted a new website for him and his family. He is a photographer and graphic designer for RBC Ministries. He does amazing work. Check it out here. I also added a link to Alex's site in the links section on the right side of the page.

I am not sure if I posted this on here or not but BECCA HAS A JOB!!!! She starts on Tuesday with Catholic Family Services in Downtown Grand Rapids. She will be working 30 hours per week doing general office work. We are both very happy about this job. She is contracted to work with them till April. Praise the Lord for this provision and wonderful Christmas gift!

Well I think that is about all for now. I'll post some pictures of my dad and I shoveling snow when we get back to Grand Rapids. Very entertaining for sure.

Merry Christmas to all! / ¡Feliz Navidad a todos!

Thank Wal-Mart for helping Salvation Army overcome the Target loss

Hi everyone - The following is the text of an email I received today from the American Family Association. Becca and I were at Walmart last night and were excited to see the Salvation Army kettles there. I had no idea what Walmart was doing to help the Salvation Army and needy families this Christmas season. Please read the email and act as you feel lead.

Folks dropping money in Salvation Army kettles at Wal-Mart stores can make their money go twice as far. The world's largest retailer announced last Thursday it would match up to $1 million in donations.

The company said the clock started Thursday on the match and runs through Christmas Eve.

Wal-Mart is helping raise money for needy families, while the Target Corporation continues to serve as this year's "Ebenezer Scrooge." Earlier this year, Target told the Salvation Army to "take a hike" with its red kettles, refusing to allow them to raise much needed funds to help children this Christmas.

"We hope our customers join us in donating what they can to benefit an organization that does so much in our communities to serve families in need," Wal-Mart spokeswoman Betsy Reithemeyer said in a news release. "The Salvation Army red kettles and the bell ringers are truly a holiday tradition worth keeping."

The Salvation Army said the kettle donations are spent locally and said the Wal-Mart match will extend local donations.

I hope you will consider making your Christmas purchases with companies, like Wal-Mart, who support one of the nation’s most beloved charities, the Salvation Army.

In the meantime, please take a moment to thank Wal-Mart for supporting the good work of the Salvation Army.

Send your email to Wal-Mart now!

Our Christmas Tree is finally up

Our first Christmas tree is finally up. You can see it below. I will work on the other pictures and post them next week or during the weekend.

Happy Monday morning

Happy Monday everyone. I am not sure if I will be able to out do Amelia's most recent blog entry but I'll bring you up to date on what has been happening with Becca and I.

We are definitely in the thick of the holiday season. Right now the biggest stress is the Christmas program at church this coming Sunday night. I think the program will go well but there is a lot to do in the meantime. I am looking forward to having more freetime during the week after it is over.

Last night I went to my in-laws church to hear a group called ALIVE. I have gone on a missions trip to Guatemala with some of the people from this group. Last night they were reporting on a trip some of ALIVE's members took to Mexico. It was nice to see the group again. I was able to sing one of the songs with them which was unexpected but very fun. The song is called ¿A quien ire? which translated means To Whom Will I Go? The songs reminds us that God wants us to come to Him when we experience problems and tribulations.

That's all from me for now. Nothing too exciting going on around here I guess.

Becca is working

Becca has a job. RBC has been inundated with mail and our fulfillment team has requested bail out during the holiday season to get the orders in the mail that are coming in. So for the next couple of weeks Becca will be working here. She is continuing to send out resumes as this job is only temporary but I am excited that she has a job even on a temporary basis.

Last night we started interviewing the teens who have applied to go to Thailand next June. It was neat to get to know the kids a little bit better and to hear about their thoughts about this trip. I thought on the way home that it might be interesting to interview the teens in groups as this would tell us how the kids get along before they are officially on the team and in Thailand. I wish I would have come up with that idea sooner.

The weekend is here

The weekend is here again. I always like the weekend as it gives me a time to relax and to spend more time with Becca. She had a very good meeting with a temp agency on Thursday. Her test scores were very high. We are hoping to hear from them soon.

Tonight is our first Christmas party of the season. A small group we have recently re-joined is getting together. One of the members of the group will be leaving in early January to attend university in Chicago so this will probably be the last time we see her for a while.

Becca has created a blog for the youth at our church. She is the Youth Director and will be using this blog to post information about upcoming activities and also put forms online for downloading. Here is a link to the page. Check it out and send Becca your comments.

That's about all from here for now. Enjoy your weekend!

I'm back...

Praise God my blog is now working again. It is amazing how much I take for granted that I am able to post to the blog and you all are able to read this. You may think I am being sarcastic but I am really not.

The company where my website is hosted has recently changed web servers so we planned to move my website to the new server. I entered the new information in Blogger but I could not save the changes because of errors I was getting. Finally, I gave up on it and asked that my blog remain on the old webserver. I may not have some of the new functionalities, but at least I can post and you all can be updated on what is happening in our lives here in Grand Rapids.

Thanksgiving was a wonderful holiday break for us. Becca and I celebrated in Zeeland with her family. Becca's parents church does an outreach into the community and invites those who do not have a place to go for Thanksgiving, to come to the church for Thanksgiving Dinner. There was not a big turn out this year so there was a lot of food. They plan to advertise a bit earlier next year in hopes that more people will come out. The highlight of the experience for me (besides spending time with my in-laws) was eating deep fried turkey. This was a new thing for me and I must say deep fried turkey is very nice. After dinner I went to my in-laws house and was asleep within a minute and a half. The Lions game on TV actually helped me sleep I think :)

Becca and I did a lot of relaxing at home this weekend. We did a bit of shopping on Friday, though starting at 11:30am not 4 in the morning.

This morning was a little bit different dynamic for me as I headed to work and Becca stayed home. Becca's last day at work was Wednesday. She is still sending out applications and did go to the temp agency today to see what jobs are available. We should have a meeting with a local ministry this week to learn about an opening there. Thanks for your prayers as we wait to see what God has for us.

tmsaisti

Stop Dating the Church

In my weekly e-newsletter from Barnes and Noble there was an advertisement for a new book coming out from Josh Harris called Stop Dating the Church. As I was reading Ameliou's post today about her experience in a small group at her church, this book came to my mind. I have not read this book yet but I am very interested to take a look at it.

Here's the review from BN's website:
Putting in their hour or two on the weekend, many Christians take the rest of the week off, neglecting the church and her needs. It's not a serious relationship. Some shop around, looking for a church that suits their lifestyle. It's dating, with no assurances, no obligations. Bestselling author Joshua Harris calls Christians to stop playing the field and commit, just as Christ is committed to us, His bride. In his new book, Harris explores the ramifications of Ephesians 5:25-32, which proclaims the intensity and the breadth of Jesus Christ's love for His church. God has designed us to build our lives around a local church; we cannot be indifferent or uninvolved. Rather, we must be in love with and committed to God's plan and purpose through the church. Are you dating the church, or are you committed?

This also reminds me of some articles I have been reading on Christianitytoday.com about the Church. Chad Hall and Doug Johnson have been going back and forth on whether or not the place where we go on Sunday mornings is the church or a 501(c)3 not-for-profit religious organisation. I am not sure what my feelings are on this yet. I want to read their articles some more and then share with you. If you get a change to read this articles, I would be interested to know your thoughts as well.

I think God wants me to be a...

Over the last few days I have been scared to complete this sentence. Scared because of one "minor" aspect to a job opportunity my wife has. Becca has been in contact with a local ministry called Mission Possible. This ministry sets up and runs missions trips. This job sounds perfect for Becca (and me too), but there is one minor stipulation. Becca would need to raise her own support to do this job.

I am realising afresh that God needs to put us through the fire in order to increase our faith. Not by coincidence by devotions one day last week was in James 1 talking about trials. Trials are a necessary part of the Christian life, though definitely not the most comfortable or desired.

I am honestly not sure if this is the job for Becca or not. The leaders of this ministry want to meet with Becca and I next week. Please pray for wisdom for us and for God's provision.

New Starbucks!!!!

Well Ameliou and Supa K are making me look real bad so I better get to posting again.

I must say I am very excited because the newest Starbucks has come to Grand Rapids. There is a Starbucks located in the Meijer right by my work so no excuses for not having a Venti Caramel Apple Cider in hand at all times. I cannot believe that Thanksgiving is a week from today. Where did the summer and fall go? It feels like my wedding was yesterday and that was back in June.

Very busy times for Becca and I this week. We had a meeting last night for our missions trip to Thailand this summer and a Youth Advisory Board meeting. The Board has not met for a while so I really wasn't sure how the meeting was going to go, but I knew that we needed to meet badly. Though the meeting definitely had its ups and downs, I felt support from the Board for what Becca is trying to do as Youth Director. It is obvious that Becca did not grow up Baptist and everyone else in the room did, but I think this will afford us the opportunity to learn about each others traditions and work together as a group.

Happy Veterans Day!

I approach this Veterans Day differently than I have ones in the past as we are currently in the war in Iraq. I realise that as I write that each Veterans Day I have been alive there have been troops deployed all around the world being put in harms way while away from their families. For some reason though this Veterans Day reminds me in a stronger way of the blessings I receive because of those who have fought in wars, many of whom would not have chosen to fight in. Thank you veterans for your sacrifice!

Thank you friends for praying for Becca and I. Becca decided to put in her two week notice at her job. Praise the Lord for the peace she feels having made this decision. Please continue to pray that we would follow God's leading for her employment. Pray also that Becca would feel better soon.

Fun weekend and prayer request

What am amazing weekend! Becca and I along with two other leaders took the youth to the Word of Life Superbowl in Kalamazoo. This was an all-night activity. We went to a K-wings hockey game, had an evangelistic speaker, went bowling and then had free reign of the rec center at Western Michigan University. I really enjoyed this experience as it gave me the opportunity to hang out with the teens in a more casual setting.

The majority of the day Saturday was spent sleeping. We woke up around 3:30 and got ready to have Jared, Susan and Misty over. We played games and watched Trading Spaces. Did anyone catch the Trading Spaces last night where they showed rooms that people absolutely hated? I don't think I would ever let Hildi touch a room in my house even if she paid me.

I don't do this often on here but I have a prayer request. My wife really needs a new job. The job where Becca is currently working is making her physically ill. We are really not sure what we should do next and therefore we are in need of wisdom. Please pray that God would guide us where He would have us to go and that we would be very sensitive to His voice.

Thank you for your prayers and friendship!

Happy birthday Debby Li!

Today is Debby Li's 19th birthday. Check out her blog and wish her a happy birthday.

Also, don't forget who has a birthday this coming Tuesday!

It's finally over

President Bush has been re-elected! I am glad the election process is finally over. I don't think I was the only one tired of political commercials and messages on my answering machine from people like Carl Levin and the Democratic Party.

6 days until my birthday. Guess who else has the same birthday as me...

What an amazing week!

This week was our annual Executive Leadership Team (ELT) meeting here in Grand Rapids. There are 3 ELT meetings per year but the fall meeting is always here. Becca and I hosted the regional director for Africa-Asia who lives in Sri Lanka. It was so exciting for me to hear about what the Lord is doing around the world through RBC Ministries. I always enjoy the times when my co-workers from around the world are here in Grand Rapids. They have so many fun stories to tell and it is always fun to learn about the history of various countries. It is not fun when they leave but I have so much work to do so there is no time to think about their absense right now.

New blog

My wife has joined the blog world. There is a link to her blog in the list on the right. She is on top.

Check out her blog!

New additions to links

My friend John Pottenger and his wife Amy have blogs (along with an awesome website) so I have added them to the links list on the right side of my blog. However, as I look at my blog I realise that I must make some design changes as you have to scroll very far to see some things (like the links section). I may be hitting some of you up for your web page design expertise. :)

Greetings from Boston!

Becca and I are in Boston this weekend for a wedding. Kathy, the maid of honor in our wedding is getting married this weekend so we are suffering for the Lord here in Boston.

Getting around town has been a little interesting. I had Becca drive because she knows the town a bit better than I do. We decided to rent a car and stay at a hotel outside of town rather than stay in a hotel in Downtown Boston. A lot cheaper let me tell you :)

Hopefully I'll be able to put some pictures on here when we get back of our adventures this weekend.

Have a great weekend everyone!

New blog format

My friend Debby Li has updated the layout and format of her blog. You can access it by clicking the title of this blog entry or by clicking the link to Paradise Of the Blog on the right.

Will I Call Out?

The following is today's devotion in Soul Journey, a devotional for youth and young adults produced by Discovery House Publishers a sister ministry to RBC Ministries where I work.

I thought the writer did a very good job describing the Christian and sin. What do you think?
-----
How deep will I sink into the murkiness that is Sin? How dark
will it get? So dark it blinds me. It wraps itself around me, seeps
into me, into every pore--stifling, dragging me down. Yet I
welcome it. Why?

Because it's easier, easier than admitting, easier than asking for
help, easier than being dependent, easier than going against the
grain--being different.

How cold will it get as I sink into the miry abyss? The deeper I go,
the colder it gets.

The chill hits my bones and enters further into me still.

Until it touches the innermost part of me, where nothing should
venture but You.

Wraps its tentacles around me--constricts.

And the darkness comes again, blacker still.

How long will I wait before I let out my breath and reach up my
hands to the heavens?

Squeeze my eyes tight so tears fall?

Grit my teeth as my knees hit the ground and I repent?

And mean it.

Your arms break the surface. The sunlight dances on the ripples.

The Light opens my eyes and I am pulled toward You.

I leave the darkness behind, pulled from the fog into the clear
air--crisp and fresh.

And You embrace me to ward off the chill.

Later, as You watch me You aren't far away--You never are.

I venture to the edge as I've done so often before. I look into the
depths where I've been so often before, and my feet slip on the mud.

I cry out to You and You catch me.

And I weep because I got so close . . . and I know I'll do it again.

And again, You will be there.

But next time, next time, will I call out?

Or will I let myself fall?

Updates

Well I am being a blog slacker again so here's the update.

Becca and I are getting more and more used to our role in the youth ministry at our church. It is very exciting for me to watch Becca involved in something she really enjoys and is good at. We have a weekly Youth Advisory Board meeting where we are working through the organisation of the youth ministry. There are many details to work through at this time though as time goes along these board meetings will be less frequent, probably happening on a monthly basis.

I continue to be in shock on how many hurricanes are hitting Florida. I know God is in control but part of me asks "Haven't they had enough yet?" I think about Ked and Amelia often as they are in the path of these storms and I hope they are okay.

Becca and I are headed to Boston on 8 October for the weekend. The maid of honor in our wedding is getting married so we are headed over to celebrate with

That is all I can think of for now. I hope all is well with you. Drop me an email if you get a chance.

Chris

New developments

Well it has been an interesting week so far to say the very least. Becca has been trying for another job and we found out yesterday that she was not chosen. This was very hard but I think she has a good perspective on this. Please keep her in your prayers as she comes to your mind. We want to follow God's will wherever that would take her employment.

Becca was officially chosen on Tuesday night as the Director of Youth Ministries at our church. Becca has a big vision and excitement for the youth ministry at church. We have our first Youth Advisory Board meeting tonight to start talking about this coming year. I am looking forward to Becca finding a ministry where she can use her talents for the Lord. It is exciting for me as her husband to see opportunities where she can be involved.

And last, but certainly not least, the Elders also approved our plan to take the youth of our church on a missions trip to Thailand this coming summer. This is not your run of the mill missions trip but more of a vision trip educating and exposing the teens to what the life of a missionary is really like. Can you imagine the potential of 10 or so teens going on a trip like this, coming back and seeing what happens? I am excited to say the least.

That's all for now folks.

Lessons from life

I am really struggling to be more regular in my blogging. Thank you for your patience with me.

God is teaching Becca and I a lot right now. God is continuing to teach us about patience and relying on Him and not ourselves. Each day I am reminded that I can do nothing on my own. I must trust God for each moment.

I finished Wisdom Hunter on Tuesday night (click the link on the left side of my blog for more information on the book). This is an amazing book. It is the story of Pastor Jason Fairchild's life as he deals with the death of his wife and grand-daughter (who he never met) and his spiritual journey resulting from their deaths. This book is based on a true story and it is amazing for me to see how God can take what humanly looks like a tragedy and use it for His glory. I would never have imagined this story ending the way it did.

This book also talks about legalism in the church. Pastor Fairchild learned a lot of his beliefs originally by being brainwashed. As a result of tragic events in his life, He relearned a lot about God. I have friends who are on similar journeys right now as they find out for themselves who God is. I think these times, though difficult, can be very rewarding. I think God can draw us closer to Himself as we learn about Him and this makes the pain worthwhile.

New beginnings

WOW! Two blog entries within one week. I think I am getting back to normal now.

I have a wonderful lunch meeting today at Panera with Jesse and Rob. I think if I had a lunch meeting at Panera every day of the week I would be happy. (Though I'm not sure how happy my checking account would be.)

Well, Luis and Anita are in Brazil. They will be missed around here. I was thinking on the way into work this morning that exciting days are ahead. God has raised up Luis and Anita and now sent them off to Brazil to continue the ministry He has given them to do. Now, from those who are still here in Grand Rapids, God will continue to raise up people for new areas of responsibility. It will be exciting to see how the Lord moves and what things happen in the future.

I have been struck lately seeing how many of friends are on very exciting spiritual journeys. God is teaching some of my friends new things. These lessons can be painful at times but are good as they draw us closer to God and teach us more about Him. I cannot be jealous a bit as some of the journeys as people are learning for themselves why they believe certain things about God. In my experience my beliefs have often be shaped by simply taking facts at face value rather than finding out for myself why certain things are true.

What do you think?

Busy, busy days

Well it seems I am not the only slacker in the blogging world, however I am finally going to remedy the situation.

This last weekend Becca and I went to Cleveland to visit my parents. My sister went back to school on Sunday so we helped move her into her dorm. At first I missed college life. After moving her into her dorm, I am glad that I live in an apartment with my wife. Dorm rooms are just too small :)

Tomorrow my boss and his family are moving to Brazil. He will still be my boss, but his job is moving to Brazil where RBC Ministries will establish a regional office for the Americas region. On the one hand I see this as a very exciting opportunity, not only for RBC, but also for Luis and his family. On the other hand, I think it would still be scary to move your life to another place. I guess I am becoming a home body though I love the world and want to see more of it.

Tonight, Becca and I are going to a home buyer seminar put on by a bank across the street from our apartment. We are seriously looking at purchasing a home after our present lease is up next June. I am looking forward to this seminar as it should teach us a lot about the home buying process.

That is about all for now. I am still not done with Wisdom Hunter but I hope to blog about it when I am done.

tmsiasti

Fun weekend

I am sorry I had not posted in so long. This weekend Becca and I went to Cran Hill near Big Rapids where Becca's parents church (Faith Reformed, Zeeland) was camping. I had not been camping in a long time, so consequently it brought back many memories of childhood camping trips as well as experiences at a Christian camp as a counselor.

Have you watched the Olympics yet? I love the Olympics and am glad to see the USA is doing well in a number of sports so far.

Prayer

As I have been talking with friends and co-workers this week, I am reminded that many people I know are going through very hard times. This blog entry is not a trite answer to all the people struggling with things. This entry is however a reminder for us to pray for our friends during these days. God uses these trials for good purposes, however often times they do not feel fun at the time.

Thanks for praying. Have a good night!

Lazy hazy crazy days of summer

I love being able to sleep until 10am on Saturday mornings. The major advantage to having a one bedroom apartment is that it does not take long to clean it (Amens from Supa K & Ameliou in the background) :)

Today was a lazy day. I sleep in until 10am and then not 3 hours later I was asleep again in the Lazy Boy at my in-laws. When my mother-in-law says you need to sleep I do not argue. We grilled out and enjoyed the evening with them in Zeeland.

I was excited to see The West Wing on TV tonight however I am concerned they are moving it from Thursday nights to Saturday nights. Needless to say I am very not well with that function. Hopefully when the new season starts in the fall we will all be back to normal.

Enjoy your Saturday night!

Power Outage

Hello friends!

This is what is becoming my weekly blog entry. This week has been crazy and I am sorry for not writing that much. I however must share what I read during devotions yesterday.

The meditation was talking about a morning when the writer woke up and realised the power had gone out during the night. He realised that soon people in his neighborhood would wake up to a morning without electricity and therefore would not be able to do certain things liks watch the news on television, make toast, brew coffee, and talk on the telephone.

Then I thought of how often I rush into the day without spiritual power. I spend more time reading the newspaper than the Bible. Talk radio replaces listening to the Spirit. I react to difficult people and circumstances in a spirit of fear rather than the spirit of“power and of love and of a sound mind”that God has given us (2 Timothy 1:7). I must appear as spiritually unkempt as a person who dressed and groomed in the dark.

Our power outage was short-lived, but the lesson remains of my need to begin each day by seeking the Lord. His strength is not for my success or well-being, but so that I will glorify Christ by living in His power.

I was very convicted by this devotional because it is so easy to rush into my day without coming to God and asking Him to be my source for the day. When I neglect coming into God's presence in the morning, I am not spiritually prepared for the day. Physically preparation is necessary, but spiritual preparation is just as necessary if not more so.

Another thing that challenged me yesterday came from 2 Timothy 1:7 "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and self-discipline" (NIV). In talking with my friends lately, I am aware of the work of the enemy in their lives trying to cause them to stumble. Some of my friends have told me they feel very defeated at times. This verse encourages me though we may feel defeated, we are not. Satan is a defeated foe and we need to acknowledge him in that way.

The passage in 2 Timothy continues in this way (emphasis added), "So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life--not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day."

So many more things come to my mind as I read this passage, but for your benefit I will stop for now. I am so thankful for what God is teaching me through His word and I trust He is teaching you as well.

Have a great weekend!

Yeah the end of the week is here!

WOW what a busy week. We have had people over Wednesday night and last night. We're having a group of friends over tonight and then hopefully some other friends on Saturday night. We both love to entertain, however we have decided that 4 nights in a row is a lot and we won't do this again anytime soon.

Last night we had Kedron and Amelia over along with our friends the Johnston's who were married on 22 May of this year. We had a great time looking at pictures from the Johnston's globe trotting honeymoon. Becca and I loved our honeymoon to the Dominican Republic, however the Johnston's honeymoon was nice too. I must add the Ked does have some very exciting news coming in a couple weeks so do stay tuned to his blog for more information :)

As you think of Becca and I please keep us in your prayers for some decisions that we need to make. These decisions are not earthshattering, but are still very important to us. We want to be in the center of God's will.

Well, tmsaisti. Have a great weekend everyone!

Chris out

God wants relationship with me

<sup>This passage from my devotions today so perfectly goes along with so many things I have been learning at church. The bottom line is that God does not desire religion from me, He desires relationship. It is not all about doing the right things, saying the right words all the time. God wants relationship and He wants to live His life through me. I find this passage to be a freeing one as I read and remind myself the expectations that I place on myself are not from God. I hope this passage encourages you today.

Ephesians 2:11-22</sup>

11Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called "uncircumcised" by those who call themselves "the circumcision" (that done in the body by the hands of men)-- ¹²remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. ¹³But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.

¹⁴For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, ¹⁵by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, ¹⁶and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. ¹⁷He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. ¹⁸For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

¹⁹Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, ²⁰built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. ²¹In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. ²²And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

A welcome...

Today I welcome someone to the list of What I'm Surfing. Paradise Of the Blog is the blog of Debby Li. Debby is the daughter of the International Director for RBC Ministries. Debby is here in Grand Rapids for a 6-month internship with Discovery House Publishers. She has quite an extensive website and hope at some point to learn some things about web design from her while she is here.

Check out her blog and say hi!

Chris out

One month

It hardly seems possible that Becca and I have been married a month, but at the same time it feels like it should be much, much more than a month. I am so grateful for what the Lord has taught me so far in our marriage and can't wait to see what He has in store for us as we serve Him together. There are so many neat things on the horizon and it makes me excited to see what God is going to do next.

Thank you for all your prayers and encouragement!

How to see our wedding photos

I would like to invite you to visit images from my wedding, which just became available online. Please go to www.pictage.com to view this event. You will need the following information to access the event.

First log in with your name, email address and password of your choice. Then search for The Dreyer / Robertson Wedding. To view the images, you may be asked for an event key. Enter when prompted and then have fun looking at the pictures. If you see any that you like, you can order them directly online by clicking on the shopping cart icon. They will be sent directly to you.

Come look at the pictures soon!

Thursday quiet time thoughts

I was reading tomorrow's devotion from Our Daily Bread and was challenged in a new way about depending on God. Allow me to quote the text of the devotional:

I recall walking along a Texas creek many years ago with my brother-in-law Ed and his 3-year-old son David. David had been collecting smooth, round stones from the stream while we walked. He called them“ piggies,” because their rounded shape reminded him of little pigs.

David had stuffed a number of “piggies” in his pockets, and after running out of pockets he began carrying them in his arms. After a while he began to stagger under the load and lag behind. It was obvious he would never make it back to the house without help, so Ed said,“Here, David, let me carry your piggies.”

Reluctance clouded David’s face for a moment, and then it lit up.“I know,”he said.“ You carry me and I’ll carry my piggies!”

As I read this, the idea that David proposed seemed absurd. However, it forced me to realise that some of my ideas I propose to God can be just as crazy. God invites me to cast all of my cares upon Him, not to have Him carry me while I carry my cares. How many times am I guilty of this on a daily basis?

I think this relates to control. I feel better when I am in control of my life, however it is exactly when I feel I am in the most control that I am not. More importantly, God does not call us to be in control of our lives. He calls us to surrender our lives for use in His service.

I hope these thoughts will challenge you as they have challenged me today.

tmsaisti

Fun weekend

This past weekend went by so fast, however it was jam packed with cool activities. On Friday night we had some friends over. We had not seen some of these friends since the wedding so it was great to see them, catch up a bit, play games and show wedding pictures. I am so glad for the friends that we have and the encouragement they have been to us as we have started our new life together.

On Saturday I ventured into the construction side of life and yes I do have pictures to prove it. Unfortunately they are not on my camera so I will try my best to post them soon. Becca's mom is building a deck around their pool and I helped. I may not be the most construction inclined, however I can follow directions and I endeavoured to follow directions as much as I could so I would be a help and not a hindrance.

Saturday night some members of our church had a bonfire. It was at the bonfire that I learned that my beautiful wife is a pyro. She was just a little too good helping Rob get the bonfire lit. (I am in such trouble now.)

Sunday night my church had the first of 3 southern Gospel concerts. We hosted Legacy Five. I have wanted to have them for 3 years now so you can imagine how excited I was to have them here. We had the biggest crowd we have ever had for a concert and the Lord blessed us with a remarkable love offering. The Lord does bless us when we go out on faith trusting in Him to provide.

Finally, yesterday Becca and I along with my parents and some friends went to Traverse City for the Cherry Festival. I have not been to the Festival in a couple of years so it was very nice to go back. My favorite part was all the free samples :) I did take many pictures and hope to post some once I have them on my computer.

The weekend was definitely a relaxing one. We were definitely not ready for the new work week today but Monday is almost over so I think we survived.

Hope your weekend was just as fun.

tmsaisti

God is good

I must share a story with you from yesterday. My parents are coming up to GR this weekend for the 4th of July. The apartment complex where Becca and I live also has guest suites so we figured my parents could crash there. I called yesterday and they are booked for the weekend. AHHH! I should have realised they would fill up soon because it is the holiday. So I started getting worried because I figured the situation would be the same at other area hotels.

I went and was talking to one of my co-workers to get some information and she asked why I needed it. Without even bating an eye she offered her mom's condo to my parent's for the weekend. Instantly a worry taken off my shoulders. I am so grateful for people whom the Lord has blessed and therefore are very willing to share with others.

God is good and tmsaisti...

Tuesday thoughts

I must apologise to my blog friends for the sporasity of my entries of late. I know I have a very good excuse, but I feel bad that I am not contributing as much as Ameliou and Mitchell but that's okay.

I just read Mitchell's entry from yesterday and you must read it. Mitchell, we should try to meet at Schuler's so that you remove this thinking that you cannot find people at the bookstore. Becca and I love going to bookstores.

Nothing big to report from our world. I did call Supa K yesterday and it was good to talk with him for a bit. We are getting into a routine but have to get our apartment decorated. The blank walls have been getting to Becca since she moved in, however they are now starting to bother me. We graciously accept all artwork donations :=)

It looks like my parents will be coming up this weekend and will accompany us to Traverse City on Monday for the Cherry Festival. I have not been to the Festival in a couple of years. I hope to see some friends of mine that live in Petoskey who I have not seen since I was in Guatemala with them on a missions trip last November. So much has happened since then.

I think that's all for now. Have a great day!

Chris out

WOW time flies

Becca and I have been married two weeks now. On the one hand it feels like the wedding was forever ago, however on the other hand it feels like we have not yet been married very long at all. This same principle applies to the honeymoon.

I think it is very important to have friends with 31' foot boats, particularly when you do not have your own. Last night Becca and I went to Grand Haven and went for a cruise with some people from our small group. It was fun to hang out with them for a bit and to show them some of the wedding pictures.

Today we're hanging out at Becca's parents house. I have a question for all my friends in blog land. Becca and I wore our wedding rings during the honeymoon including when we were in the pool. When we came back we noticed a spot in the channel of my ring that looked like rust. Now my ring is 10K white gold so I don't think it is rust, but where did this spot come from. Please feel free to share your thoughts on jewelry care. I am glad the jewelry store is going to take away this spot (especially since we did buy the extended warranty).

Well this is my "make up" blog entry. I have not been blogging as well as normal this week. Hopefully I'll do better next week.

Chris out

To wet your appetite for more wedding pictures...

We're back

A very quick entry to say Becca & I are back and had a wonderful honeymoon in the Dominican Republic. I will be posting pictures as soon as I can so you can enjoy the experience as we did.

Thank you all for your prayers as Becca & I started our journey through life together.

Enough Of Everything

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:8 NIV)

Another thought from my devotions today. I was blessed by this particularly as I approach my wedding this weekend.

The writer of the devotional shares: "Randy, our first child, went off to kindergarten with a 10-cent coin in his pocket to buy a carton of milk to go with his lunch. When he came home that afternoon, his mother asked if he had purchased the milk. "No," he replied, bursting into tears. "The milk was 5 cents and I only had a dime."

Our God "owns the cattle on a thousand hills, the wealth in every mine" as the old song says. I don't know about you, but at times I find myself reluctant to trust God because I don't think there will be enough for my needs. More specifically, during these days of wedding preparation, it has been difficult to give God the trust and faith He deserves. Ironically, I have felt better worrying about something than trusting God fully. I think the reason I have wanted to worry is because I feel that I am more in control. The irony here is that when I feel like I am the most in control, I am probably the least.

Allow me to quote the devotional meditation again: "The apostle Paul was not saying that we have enough grace to do anything we want to do. God does not offer us a blank check. No, Paul was giving us the assurance that we have enough grace to do whatever God has called us to do..."

What a challenging and freeing thought for me today. God will provide. This causes me to want to praise Him more, but also challenges me to trust Him more everyday.

These are my thoughts for today. I appreciate all of you so much. Thanks for praying for Becca and I are we approach Saturday!

Chris out

Wedding week thoughts

Well it is wedding week and there is much to do, however I am excited for Saturday. There are not any big things left, just many little things left to do. I am looking forward to seeing many of my family and friends. I am also looking forward to seeing many friends from different seasons of my life there. However, if I had to be honest with myself, I must say I am really looking forward going to the Caribbean and lying on the beach with my wife.

Our photographer just returned from Greece and has posted many of their pictures on the web. Check them out here!

Not sure how many more blog entries there will be before we leave but stay tuned for many pictures of the wedding and the honeymoon when we return. Thank you all for your prayers and encouragement as Becca and I get married on Saturday!

Chris out

Thought from devotions

(This is what I planned to blog about until I read Ameliou's blog. Two for the price of one today.) I was reading from I Peter 4 today and was really struck by the verses I read. I am pasting the text I read below. I thought to myself that oftentimes people ask God what His will is for their lives and what they should do. Oftentimes we are expecting a very specific answer for the given situation, but I am finding that God's answers are not always that specific. Instead of preparing us for a single event, He will give us a principle that we can apply to a lifetime of events. Such is the case with the passage of Scripture I read today. I am not claiming these verses as "the" thing we should follow in our lives. However, as I read them they do provide specific guidelines for my life that by God's grace I desire to follow.

I Peter 4:7-11 (NIV) The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. (emphasis added)

Grace and Truth

I was reading Ameliou's blog today and noticed the following thoughts regarding grace and truth. She was listening to a CD she receives monthly from Thrive and this month's CD has an interview with Randy Alcorn. (I read one of his books called Safely Home and it was amazing.

Please read Randy's thoughts below.

"He said that grace and truth must go together. Grace without truth he said is just tolerance and that's quite different than grace. He said to just say "whatever" and let people live as they please does them no good and he says the church often fails on this point. He pointed to an experience he had in a small group. After a couple months of meeting, he discovered that one of the couples was not married but had a child and were living together. He and his wife sat down privately to discuss the matter with them in grace and truth and to help them see that what they were doing was not right and bore consequences. This couple, although both believers, had never been told that their lifestyle was wrong and they were surprised that no one had ever helped them with it before. It turns out that finances were an issue, so the small group took up a collection for them and Mr Alcorn conducted the wedding and helped this couple correct their situation so they were no longer living in sin. He also said that truth without grace is not good either. He said especially in raising children you must have both. You can't pound the truth into their heads, you must teach it while also teaching and living grace. He discusses this more in his book "The Grace & Truth Paradox."

Grace and Truth. What a concept.

Chris out

Thoughts from the new apartment

This is my first blog entry from the new apartment. The reality of Becca's and my upcoming wedding is hitting me on new levels, especially as more and more things are moved into our apartment. I continue to be amazed at how God is bringing us through this process. My faith is constantly being renewed and strengthened. Part of me is very glad for this, the other part wishes my faith were stronger the whole time.

I found out the best way to make a move go quickly: invite people over the night of move day. We invited a few friends over on Saturday night and had a great time. Jesse and I put together the grill just in time to use it to cook dinner. We are so blessed to have the friends we have and we both love to entertain. Saturday night is just the tip of the iceberg of the times we will have in our new apartment. I can't wait to see what God will do in this space as long as He has us here.

Chris out

Memorial Day story

I was reading Ameliou's blog today and there is a very good story on there from her grandmother about World War II. This story is a good reminder for me that this weekend, and Monday in particular, should be much more than a day off work and the start to summer (though I am really looking forward to the day off). Memorial Day should be a reminder to us of those who have sacrified so much so that "we can freely gather on weekends like these."

I will be moving this weekend and I hope to post some moving pictures next week.

Whatever you do this weekend get out and enjoy the weather and remember those who have gone before us.

tmsaisti out

Happy move week!

Well better than late than never, here is the next installment in my blog.

This week is move week as I am moving into the new apartment on Saturday. I am really looking forward to moving. I have been able to get rid of a lot of things I no longer need which has been good. It has been interesting through this process to look at notes and books from earlier seasons of my life. Many memories.

I was saddened today to hear of the passing of one of my co-workers wife. He was in New Zealand at the time for some meetings. He was called home early as she was not doing well, but he was not able to get home before she passed this morning at 5am. I could not imagine being in his shoes right now, though I know full well that the God that he and I both serve will comfort and lead him through these days. Please remember Howard in your prayers along with his sons.

Well, that's all for now. Off to a gathering tonight with some friends at one of my friend's new house. It should be fun. Hope to post some pictures from it tomorrow.

Chris out

Lessons from a mask

I was just reading Roger Bennett's blog from yesterday (he posts early in the morning, so most people read his entries the day after he posts them) and I was challenged regarding prejudice. In order for Roger to go out in public, he has to wear a surgical mask because of his weak immune system. He frequently gets stares from people when he enters a room because they are not accustomed to seeing people with a mask in public. He is able to deal with stares and momentary discomfort, however this has caused Roger (and me) to think about people with similar problems that are not able to "take off the mask." There are people with birth defects and injuries that cannot remove their abnormality as Roger is able to.

I cannot say that I feel the same way about this issue as Roger does because I do not share his experience. I, however am challenged in light of his experience to be more sensitive to those around who are perceived as "different."

"Lord help me be more aware of hurting people who endure a lifetime of being different. People who endure the stares everyday and do it with dignity. Help me to respond to them with the same dignity."

tmsaisti

Rainy day un-blahs

Today is a rainy day in Grand Rapids. As I was preparing to come to work I noticed lightning outside my apartment window. I am not accustomed to seeing lighting at 7:30 in the morning so this was definitely an experience for me. Many people get gloomy when it is raining outside, however for some reason I am not feeling that way. I realise that we need the rain. I remember in past years the farmers crops have not been what they could have been because of the lack of rain. Therefore, I am grateful for the rain, though it may present temporary difficulties. (It does make me very excited I am going to the Dominican Republic for my honeymoon in 24 days!)

Becca and I are preparing for wedding #2 of 2004. Bryan and Julie are getting married this Saturday. Becca and I went to the Philippines with Bryan in 2001 and have kept up with him since then. I lived with Bryan for a few months when I first started at RBC in 2001.

One final fun note, my team here at RBC threw Becca and I a wedding shower on Tuesday. I uploaded some of the pictures to my website and one is posted below in this blog entry.



Enjoy the rest of your Thursday!

tmsaisti

Another missions Sunday

I love when missionaries come to church and speak, however I especially love it when I don't know they are coming. I was in Cleveland this weekend at my parent's church and one of the church's missionaries, Carson Fremont gave the morning and evening messages. Carson and his wife Joyce are missionaries with ABWE. Carson was ordained for the ministry in 1950 and left with ABWE originally in 1952. He has been a missionary a long time.

Missionaries like Carson & Joyce are a dying breed and unfortunately they are not being replaced. I do not have exact numbers in front of me, however I do know that the number of missionaries retiring today does not equal the number of new missionaries going to the field (whether domestic or foreign). However, I am encouraged by the number of missionaries from foreign countries coming to the US and other countries around the world. The evangelisation of the world is a world-wide effort.

I was speaking with a retired missionary at church yesterday and she and I were both very excited about Carson's presentation and the challenge for us to finish the work God has given us to do. We all have a part in God's work. We should start where we are. This is a hard concept for me at times because it is far easier for me to think about what God is doing in Sri Lanka, rather than what he is doing in downtown Grand Rapids (or Brandon, Florida). It is not wrong for us to think about what God is doing around the world, however we can't loose sight of what He is doing here at the same time.

Summary:
1) I must complete the work God has given me to do.
2) I can't forget about the work here in the US while I think about the work around the world.

tmsaisti

different is good

What do you think of the new format?

As a result of Blooger's association with Google, many new blog templates are available to be used. I heard Ameliou might be changing too, but since I wanted to beat her, I jumped on the opportunity today to change. (For more detailed information on my view toward change, please check out this site.)

Well the week is almost over and this one has crawled along at times. I'm headed to Cleveland this weekend. My younger sister is turning 21 on Sunday. WOW I am feeling old! I will be sure to take pictures this weekend and put them on the blog next week.

God has been continuing to bless me with opportunities to be silent before Him this week as I reflect on the video from last Friday night's small group (see blog entry below). Being silent before God is very difficult for me. It is sometimes difficult to quiet my mind with many things going on. However, God continues to bless me as I am silent before Him and listen for His voice.

tmsasti

thoughts from yesterday's sermon and small group

God accepts us just as we are, however He does not want to leave us that way.

That is the "sound bite" from the sermon yesterday. Becca and I went to Faith Reformed Church in Zeeland. This is the church where we will be married in 32 days. I have really grown to love this church and its people.

I have known that God accepts us as we are, however I have never heard it said quite this way about His desires to transform our lives. It can be so easy for me to try and thwart the Lord's work by shutting Him out. I believe He allows me to do this at times. I feel like I am in control, however in reality I'm not. This is a difficult lesson to learn, but nonetheless an important lesson.

One other thought from small group on Friday night. Our small group is relatively new, but a real blessing to me when we get together. We are studying a video series put together by Nooma, a video production company part of Mars Hill Bible Church.

The video we watched on Friday night was called Noise. The message from the video related to the noise in our lives and how it can prevent us from hearing God's voice. I know in my life of late I have wanted to hear God's voice on a lot of issues but at times it seems like I'm not hearing from him (or not hearing when I want to hear from him). I think in some cases God is trying to teach me patience, however I believe it is possible that in other cases I am not being silent before Him and allowing Him to speak into myself. This relates to the control issue I wrote about earlier.

Am I staying busy, thus avoiding God's voice so I can stay in control of my life? Why do I feel I am in more control of my life during these times when in reality I am never in control of my life?

What do you think?

tmsaisti

Wonderful, beautiful day in Grand Rapids

I love summer-like weather. For me, it just doesn't get any better than sitting on my porch in a t-shirt & shorts, drinking a Mountain Dew while surfing the Internet (wirelessly of course). And of course, as I am typing this blog entry I am doing just that. I hope there are many more days like today this year.

Today marks the 23 day mark until I move into our new apartment. I went through the storage area with this mindset: If something has not been used in the two years I have lived here, it really needs to be thrown away. Consequently, I have quite a few boxes full of trash. (Becca will be so glad to read this I am sure.)

Tonight is the series finale of Friends. For all of you who are saying, I'm not watching that dumb show, please give it up and watch the show. I am not an avid Friends fan and I am most definitely watching it. I hope to find a Friends blog to post my thoughts in as well.

You will notice a new link on the right side of your screen. Roger Bennett is the piano player and tenor in Legacy Five. He has recently gone through a bone marrow transplant at the M.D. Anderson hospital in Houston, TX. He has a blog where he recounts his journey and what God is teaching Him through the process. I have been very blessed and encouraged by these entries so I thought I'd pass along the link to you.

TMSAISTI

Woo hoo...it's all done

I have just completed all the reservations for the honeymoon and I must say I am glad to be done. I also must say this is going to be one nice honeymoon. Now if anyone of you thinks that I am going to post, on the internet no less exactly where will be staying you must be crazy. However, I will tell you that we are going to the Dominican Republic. The lack of blog posting of late has been because of my work on this project. One project done, a few more to go.

We are off to Ma and Dino's tonight. I always like going to visit them. I will be showing them pictures from all of my trips last year and this year so far.

TMSAISTI

Wonderful missionary Sunday

My church invited a missionary couple, Joe & Ursula Morell to come and speak yesterday. They are missionary appointees with Biblical Ministries Worldwide to Sweden. They are a wonderful couple and I am so glad to have met them. I think the thing that impresses me the most about them is they are real people. Sometimes missionaries (and other Christian workers) desire to put their best face forward in order to impress the people they are with. This is not the case with the Morell's. Not that they are bad people, but you knew they were being themselves.

They are pretty far along in the pre-field ministry process and hope to be on the field in August. I am very excited to have met them and look forward to hearing about their ministry in the weeks and years to come.

However, this is what we planned for yesterday. In addition to what we planned, God planned...

Another missionary couple with United Indian Mission stopped by our church yesterday. I do not remember their last name but their first names are Wolfgang and Kelly. They are also missionary appointees headed to Mexico. They plan to do Missionary Aviation work when they arrive on the field.

The missions committee members and myself are still basking in the glow of a wonderful missions Sunday. I am so glad to have people around me at church that love missions and missionaries as much as I do. I am also glad to be marrying someone who shared my love for missions and the world.

TMSAISTI