Diaper Debate

We're now taking comments, suggestions and recommendations (and alternative ideas) on the age-old debate: cloth vs. disposable diapers. (Okay, so maybe the debate isn't that old.)

Click here for a controversial study done on this topic.

Dogs as Food?

I heard a talk today by a man who owns three dogs. He has named them Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. I wonder if the dogs understand the meaning of this...

Some Things Just Don't Work

Check out this video from a Wycliffe subsidiary organization, The Seed Company. I think it's a pretty cool illustration (in a format and media that makes a lot of sense) of why we do what we do.

In the News

Some of you may have read the recent story about an "untouched" community of people that was photographed in Brazil, supposedly for the first time.

On Tuesday, we received a call requesting an interview with my boss, Bob Creson, regarding Wycliffe's work around the world and how it relates to groups like this one. I thought the video turned out really well, focusing on the impact that Bible translation has and why we feel that language communities should have the opportunity to hear the good news of the Gospel in the language that speaks to their heart. If you haven't already seen it on CBN or TBN, click here to view it on the web.

Life is Awesome

I don't use the word awesome very much. I once heard the Hope College worship leader, Dwight Beal, say that the word in its original meaning and usage is to be reserved for the things that truly show the awe-inspiring nature of God (or something like that). Ever since that time, I use it sparingly.

But, as you can see from this photo, I am using the word to describe this incredible thing called life--new life. Christie and I are expecting December 14. She is 11 weeks along and is actually feeling pretty good. We appreciate your prayers at this time!

Allegiant Air

Christie and I were looking at flights today to head up to a friend's wedding in Cleveland in August. After checking the standard airlines, Travelocity, etc., I opted to check out Allegiant Air.

For those of you that have never heard of it, it's a sketchy airline that flies out of Sanford, a city about 30 minutes north of where we live in Orlando. I've heard bad stories of people that have flown it before...but they are definitely cheap. I went in to look at the price, and it's about $200 less total (for both of us) than the seats I have on hold with American Airlines (my airline of choice).

But, then the incidentals started to add up...
--The ability to reserve our seats in advance: $50
--The ability to check one bag: $20
--The ability to go to the bathroom: $5 per trip

Okay, so maybe I made that last one up...but it won't be long, will it?

(At least with American, because of my elite status from flying so much with them, I have first dibs at premium seats and don't have to pay the fee for the first checked bag.)

Maybe we'll just drive. :-)

Sermon Anecodotes?

I'm preaching the sermon this coming Sunday on the Eighth Commandment: "You must not steal." (Christie shared a dynamite message last week on the Seventh Commandment ("You must not commit adultery."). It will soon be available online for all to hear. Click here to check out this and previous messages.)

Does anyone have any good anecdotes on stealing and/or restitution after a theft? I've got a good Scripture base and now am seeking to fill it out with a few more real-life examples. It could be anything from shoplifting to horse thieves to the old "finders keepers, losers weepers" phrase.

Feel free to drop me an e-mail or post in the comments section on the blog.

Pastors' Wives

I thought this video was pretty funny...especially if any of you reading this happen to be a pastor or a pastor's spouse.

'Possum...

I know that most people don't post about random animals on their blog as often as I do, but it must be the nature of where we live--rats and owls tend to live on the outside of the home, 'possums and 'coons tend to stay on the outside (or the roof, where we frequently hear them).

This little guy was saying hi to me from our garbage can as I went to take some trash out this afternoon. I think he might have been stuck, since he didn't really know how to get out until I dumped the can over on its side and he scurried out. I'm glad he was so photogenic (and unafraid of the camera); some people might think we make these stories up about rodents and whatnot.

Lack of Hurricanes

Check out this article from the Orlando Sentinel. I've lived here over two years and I have yet to experience a hurricane.

This is not a bad thing, mind you, but I do have a bit of curiosity of this destructive thing of nature. Everyone has stories ("Oh, do you remember Charlie...or Andrew...or Rita...that's the one where..."). Thankfully, I have not gone through the ordeal of boarding up homes, evacuating, picking up the pieces, etc. But this article was a good reminder that even so, I need to be making preparations.

Back on My Feet

I ran today, for the first time in a couple months. I sprained my ankle pretty badly back in March, and needed to stay off it for a while. (Thankfully, x-rays came back showing no fractures.)

Our exercising took the form of a spontaneous soccer game in our yard. With eight kids next door, another two on the other side, and three across the street (who spend more time in our yard than they do in theirs), there's always the potential for a game to break out.

We call our property the "compound." Three houses, 16 people, lots of community. Zoom in on the map below to the green arrow, and you'll find the compound. (And no, the lake next door is NOT okay to swim in!)


View Larger Map

A Texas Lunch

I had some free time in Dallas today, so I went out for what I would consider a classic Dallas meal:

**BBQ Smoked Turkey Sandwich
**Mac & Cheese
**Green Beans
**Sweet Tea

One of the things I love doing when on the road is eating some authentic local food. While I acknowledge that Colter's is a chain, I think it's awfully good and indicative of local culture.

Christie is in DC this weekend, and I regret that I forgot to tell her she needed to eat at Ben's Chili Bowl while in the city. I've only been there once or twice, but would love to get back on our next trip there.

Florida is for "Old Folks"

The Florida state senate just voted for "Old Folks at Home" to be the official state song of Florida.

What does that say about us? As certain sectors of Florida are trying to look younger and appeal to a younger audience, the state senate...well, they go and do this...

(I'm not really upset about this, just thought it was kind of humorous.)

Mofu-Gudar NT

Loves...

Christie surprised me with date night last night...

First with the pizza I love (Giordano's Chicago style)...

Then with the game I love (baseball, Tigers vs. Braves spring training)...

And all with the woman I love...

Cameroon Dedication

(Sorry all, I'm reposting this with a new video link--it's better quality and now has the appropriate copyright info. I deleted the earlier version.)

In 2004, I visited West Africa to spend time with some friends who had joined Wycliffe Bible Translators and moved to the country of Cameroon. During my trip, I met a translator couple who were working with a language community, and were coming close to the time when they would be able to celebrate the completion of the New Testament. It was because of this trip that I decide to join and am now serving with Wycliffe in Orlando.

This video is of the dedication event, held last month, for this New Testament. What a tremendous experience, for a community to receive God's Word in their language for the first time! Though I would have loved to have been there, this is the next best thing.

Wal-Mart

First I post pictures of me petting a cat, now I'm posting pictures of Wal-Mart? Actually, I'm stranded in NW Arkansas right now (have you seen the weather in this part of the country tonight?) and didn't have anything to do.

So, since Bentonville (home of Wal-Mart) is right here, I thought I should drop in on the Wal-Mart visitor center, which is in the building of the Waltons' very first store in Bentonville. Wow...who would have thought a museum devoted to a store?

And of course, there was a gift shop. Wal-Mart hats, Sam Walton pencils, postcards of his truck, etc. I couldn't leave without a little souvenir for Christie, either. She loves Wal-Mart, almost as much as I don't like it.

Small Town College Basketball

Check out this article from the Detroit Free Press. It details one of the things that I enjoyed most during my four years at Hope College.

Top Cities to Live

I heard something on the radio this morning (although I unfortunately was not able to verify it online) about the recently-released Top 10 Cities in America in which to live. Three of the top four were: San Francisco, Chicago and Orlando.

Sound familiar? It happens to be every major city I've lived in for the last seven years. (One year in Chicago, three in San Francisco, now two in Orlando)

Hired Gun

Parmesan here is our hired gun. We've had a rodent problem in our house the last few days, so we brought our neighbor's cat, Parmesan, in to help with the problem. We'll see how it works.

(For those of you shocked to see me being nice to a cat, I thought that I should at least be cordial with him if we expected him to perform. It's the first time I've pet a dog or cat in a couple of years!)