haha... Yep. Here I am again because my teachers are being too easy right now and have given me very little homework thus far. Last semester, by this time, I was running around like a sick horse attempting to accomplish all the homework! hehe...
Rance says that the next time he is in Grand Island, where I take the greater majority of my classes, he will have a chat with my teachers. lol This morning, I think K would join him because she was not pleased I stole her fun in the kitchen. haha... She procrastinated downstairs after the breakfast meal and lost her chance to clean the kitchen! haha... *gleeful look* Seems she will be right behind Rance in his pleas.
Well, that is all for now. Just thought I would provide a quick update.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Essential color modifications and marathon ending
A little different look for my blog before I begin school tomorrow. I am taking 12 credit hours again with the following classes. The first three are held as a live lecture at the Grand Island campus. Yes, I will actually have a live instructor in the room!! Amazing! The last one is strictly an online class that requires a lot of virtual discussion board chatting before an 'A' can be obtained in the course.
Advanced Spreadsheets (Microsoft Excel)
Advanced Databases (Microsoft Access)
Customer support
Information Security Management
So, this means that the marathon blog posts are over again for awhile. Depending on how busy I am kept with school work, I will try to write a blog post occasionally updating you all about me and my life. I am really excited that I am finally taking strictly computer courses and don't have anymore MP's to waste my time. :) (Meaningless prerequisites) Well, they weren't all meaningless. Algebra was quite useful and Accounting has taught me some very essential skills.
I had planned to design my own blogger template during Christmas break, but for some reason I didn't find the time. So sad! Well, that is all from me for awhile. So long everyone!!
Oh, I thought I would add a video for your enjoyment. It is my little sister Kayla and some fun we had over Christmas break.
Advanced Spreadsheets (Microsoft Excel)
Advanced Databases (Microsoft Access)
Customer support
Information Security Management
So, this means that the marathon blog posts are over again for awhile. Depending on how busy I am kept with school work, I will try to write a blog post occasionally updating you all about me and my life. I am really excited that I am finally taking strictly computer courses and don't have anymore MP's to waste my time. :) (Meaningless prerequisites) Well, they weren't all meaningless. Algebra was quite useful and Accounting has taught me some very essential skills.
I had planned to design my own blogger template during Christmas break, but for some reason I didn't find the time. So sad! Well, that is all from me for awhile. So long everyone!!
Oh, I thought I would add a video for your enjoyment. It is my little sister Kayla and some fun we had over Christmas break.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Of Election and Predestination
Lately I have been challenged to critically think about what I believe and why I believe it. Especially in regards to election and predestination. Shamefully, I have not followed the command written for us in 1 Peter 3:15. I have not been ready to give a solid reason for the hope that I have in Christ. :( Therefore, I am going to examine these too doctrinal issues and first, explain what I believe, and second, back up every point with a solid scriptural foundation.
Before I begin, I would like to say that election and predestination are part of God's mysteries. We haven't been given all the answers for all the questions that burn within us. My stopping point will be where a solid scriptural basis transforms into simply human skepticism. You, as the reader, can keep me accountable to this promise.
Some people may attribute the doctrine of election and predestination to Calvin, but I believe scriptural truths should not be attached to any man. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8) His Word stands the test of time and has never lost its applicability. (2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:19-21) In reality, election and predestination can be traced back at least to Augustine. Calvin was a sinner just like us. (Romans 3:10-23)
My sources have been the Holy Bible in the ESV, NIV, and NKJB varieties, the Westminster Confession of Faith, the Westminster Shorter and Larger Catechisms, several sermons, and a booklet by Richard D. Phillips entitled "What are Election and Predestination?" I used a specially formatted version of the Westminster shorter and larger catechisms (prepared by Zion Presbyterian church in Lincoln) that parallels the relevant shorter catechism questions with the larger. My final source was a book entitled "Calvinism, Hyper-Calvinism and Arminianism" by Kenneth Talbot and Gary Crampton.
So, if you are ready to dive in! Let's go!! :)
My speech and debate years have taught me that everything depends on how we define our words. So, here are the definitions of the critical terms being used throughout this post.
****************************Definitions******************************
Sin :(
"Any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, any law of God, given as a rule to the reasonable creature." WLC # 24, (1 John 3:4, James 4:7)
Grace :)
One fairly well known acronym will provide the basis for this definition.
God's
Riches
At
Christ's
Expense. (Ephesians 2:4-5,8)
Or here is a more complete definition.
"Appropriately, the free unmerited (Titus 3:4-5,) love (Ephesians 1:4) and favor of God (Philippians 3:9), the spring and source of all the benefits men receive from [H]im." (John 17:21,24) Noah Webster's 1828 American Dictionary
Predestination :)
"Predestination is the gracious act of God (Ephesians 1:11) by which he determines to save a people for himself." (Romans 8:30) Perspectives on Predestination: a sermon by reverend Barry Hofstetter.
Election :)
Ephesians 1:4 provides the best definition for Election but is not the only one and certainly not the only example. "What are Election and Predestination?" by Richard C. Phillips
4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love (Ephesians 1:4, English Standard Version)
4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love (Ephesians 1:4, New International Version)
4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, (Ephesians 1:4, New King James Version)
Justification :)
"Justification is an act of God's free grace unto sinners, (Romans 3:22) in which he pardoned all their sins, accepted and accounted their persons righteous in his sight; (2 Cor 5:18-20) not for anything wrought in them, (Titus 3:5) or done by them, but only for the perfect obedience and full satisfaction of Christ, by God imputed to them, and received by faith alone." (Romans 5:17-19) WLC # 70
Faith :)
Faith is mentioned numerous times throughout the bible. A simple definition can be found in Hebrews 11:1.
1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1, English Standard Version
1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.(Hebrews 11:1, New International Version)
1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1, New King James Version)
But when we read that Abraham had faith, or when Luther was emphasizing justification by faith alone, he was talking about a specific justifying faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. So, when I define "faith" I am defining a justifying faith.
"Justifying faith is a saving grace (Hebrews 10:39), wrought in the heart of a sinner by the Spirit (Ephesians 1:17-19; 1 Cor 12:3) and Word of God, (Romans 10:14-17) whereby he, being convinced of his sin and misery, and of the disability in himself and all other creatures to recover him out of his lost condition, (Acts 2:36-37; John 16:8-9) not only assented to the truth of the promise of the gospel, but received and rested upon Christ and his righteousness, (Acts 4:12; Ephesians 1:13) therein held forth, for pardon of sin, (Acts 10:43) and for the accepting and accounting of his person righteous in the sight of God for salvation." (Philippians 3:9; Acts 15:11) (WLC # 72)
The next few paragraphs will be paraphrasing all the above sources into a sound doctrinal explanation. Parenthetical scripture proofs are provided to back up these truths of the Christian faith.
Let's start at the very beginning, even before Genesis 1:1. :)
Even before God created man and women, he foreknew (Romans 8:29) that man would eat the forbidden fruit (Revelation 13:8) and [Election] formed a plan of redemption (1 Peter 1:19-20) [predestination] through his only son (John 3:18) to save those, from sin and misery, (1 John 4:9-10) whom he called. (John 6:37-39; Ephesians 1:4) This all happened even before Adam was created out of the dust of the earth and God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. (Genesis 2:7)
After creation, Sin entered the world through Adam and Eve, (Genesis 3) and death through sin. (Romans 5:12) All descendants of Adam have inherited this sinful nature (Romans 3:10-12) and cannot, apart from divine revelation, do anything admirable and are slaves to this sin nature. (Mark 7:21-23; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 6:20) Thankfully, this is not the end of the story though. It is just the beginning.
God did not leave his world in this chaotic state. (Romans 8:19-25) It was time for God to work out his, predetermined, plan of salvation for the world. God did not leave all men to perish in their sin and misery but rather, out of his love, power, and grace, gave the free gift of salvation (2 Corinthians 5:18-19) to all men (Colossians 1:19-20; 1 Timothy 4:10) with only one precondition - faith. [general call] (Romans 3:22-25, John 6:44-47)
God, exclusively, and non arbitrarily chose his elect people out of all the world. (Matthew 25:31-46; Revelation 20:11-15) His choice was, most assuredly, not based our own merit, works, (Galatians 2:15-16) or our choice (John 15:16, Psalm 65:4, 33:12; Deuteronomy 7:7) but was strictly out of His power, love and grace.
He gave his elect people, the church, a special invitation (John 3:16; John 10:15, 27-30) [effectual call] that included the Holy Spirit to work in us that saving faith, enable us to holy obedience, and appoint us unto salvation. (2 Thessalonians 2:13, Titus 3:5-6; Ephesians 1:13) God determines our will and sovereignly makes us willing and able to answer His call and accept and embrace the free grace offered us.
It is Christ who has procured our salvation once (1 Peter 3:18; Hebrews 7:26-27) for only those whom he purchased with his blood on the cross. (1 Peter 3:18; John 10:15) Christ's death and resurrection reversed certain effects of the fall for all men, not just his elect people. (Hebrews 2:9; Matthew 5:44-45; 11:28) Christ did not come simply to make salvation possible for all men, (Matthew 1:21) but He came to save! (1 Timothy 1:15) Christ blood covered men from all nationalities, tongues and languages, but it did not cover all men. (Revelation 5:9; Galatians 3:28)
Those that have not heard the gospel (Romans 10:14), have not known or believe in Christ cannot be saved. (1 Thessalonians 1:8-9) Similarly, those that have heard the gospel [general call] can never be deeply rooted without the Holy Spirit. (Acts 13:48) Christ is the only way to salvation. (Acts 4:12) All other paths lead to eternal damnation. (Mark 16:16)
Predestination and election, I think, can best be understood by examining the appropriations of the Trinity. The Bible teaches that one member of the Trinity cannot be involved with any work that is contradictory of the other two. God is not a God of confusion. (1 Corinthians 14:33) Universal atonement is therefore impossible. Please consider the following biblical explanation.
The Holy Spirit only seals and regenerates a certain number, (Titus 3:5-6; Ephesians 1:13-14) and the Son only redeems that exact same number (Ephesians 1:7) therefore they are only the ones for whom Christ died - God's elect people. Basically, If the Trinity is to be harmonious with each individual person of the God head, Christ cannot redeem a portion and the Holy Spirit cannot work out salvation in another group of people. Therefore, either the Bible contradicts itself or Christ's blood only covered the sins of his elect people.
This is most of what we have been told through the holy scriptures on these two doctrinal issues. Any questions that you may have are more than welcome! :)
Let's start at the very beginning, even before Genesis 1:1. :)
Even before God created man and women, he foreknew (Romans 8:29) that man would eat the forbidden fruit (Revelation 13:8) and [Election] formed a plan of redemption (1 Peter 1:19-20) [predestination] through his only son (John 3:18) to save those, from sin and misery, (1 John 4:9-10) whom he called. (John 6:37-39; Ephesians 1:4) This all happened even before Adam was created out of the dust of the earth and God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. (Genesis 2:7)
After creation, Sin entered the world through Adam and Eve, (Genesis 3) and death through sin. (Romans 5:12) All descendants of Adam have inherited this sinful nature (Romans 3:10-12) and cannot, apart from divine revelation, do anything admirable and are slaves to this sin nature. (Mark 7:21-23; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 6:20) Thankfully, this is not the end of the story though. It is just the beginning.
God did not leave his world in this chaotic state. (Romans 8:19-25) It was time for God to work out his, predetermined, plan of salvation for the world. God did not leave all men to perish in their sin and misery but rather, out of his love, power, and grace, gave the free gift of salvation (2 Corinthians 5:18-19) to all men (Colossians 1:19-20; 1 Timothy 4:10) with only one precondition - faith. [general call] (Romans 3:22-25, John 6:44-47)
God, exclusively, and non arbitrarily chose his elect people out of all the world. (Matthew 25:31-46; Revelation 20:11-15) His choice was, most assuredly, not based our own merit, works, (Galatians 2:15-16) or our choice (John 15:16, Psalm 65:4, 33:12; Deuteronomy 7:7) but was strictly out of His power, love and grace.
He gave his elect people, the church, a special invitation (John 3:16; John 10:15, 27-30) [effectual call] that included the Holy Spirit to work in us that saving faith, enable us to holy obedience, and appoint us unto salvation. (2 Thessalonians 2:13, Titus 3:5-6; Ephesians 1:13) God determines our will and sovereignly makes us willing and able to answer His call and accept and embrace the free grace offered us.
It is Christ who has procured our salvation once (1 Peter 3:18; Hebrews 7:26-27) for only those whom he purchased with his blood on the cross. (1 Peter 3:18; John 10:15) Christ's death and resurrection reversed certain effects of the fall for all men, not just his elect people. (Hebrews 2:9; Matthew 5:44-45; 11:28) Christ did not come simply to make salvation possible for all men, (Matthew 1:21) but He came to save! (1 Timothy 1:15) Christ blood covered men from all nationalities, tongues and languages, but it did not cover all men. (Revelation 5:9; Galatians 3:28)
Those that have not heard the gospel (Romans 10:14), have not known or believe in Christ cannot be saved. (1 Thessalonians 1:8-9) Similarly, those that have heard the gospel [general call] can never be deeply rooted without the Holy Spirit. (Acts 13:48) Christ is the only way to salvation. (Acts 4:12) All other paths lead to eternal damnation. (Mark 16:16)
Predestination and election, I think, can best be understood by examining the appropriations of the Trinity. The Bible teaches that one member of the Trinity cannot be involved with any work that is contradictory of the other two. God is not a God of confusion. (1 Corinthians 14:33) Universal atonement is therefore impossible. Please consider the following biblical explanation.
The Holy Spirit only seals and regenerates a certain number, (Titus 3:5-6; Ephesians 1:13-14) and the Son only redeems that exact same number (Ephesians 1:7) therefore they are only the ones for whom Christ died - God's elect people. Basically, If the Trinity is to be harmonious with each individual person of the God head, Christ cannot redeem a portion and the Holy Spirit cannot work out salvation in another group of people. Therefore, either the Bible contradicts itself or Christ's blood only covered the sins of his elect people.
This is most of what we have been told through the holy scriptures on these two doctrinal issues. Any questions that you may have are more than welcome! :)
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Fantastic Hamburger Helper
haha... So, you know that I have been mostly alone the past week or so. Well, the T's left us, Vanessa and me plenty of leftovers to keep us eating food for a long time. Well, today we finally were running out so I decided to make some food for lunch. hehe... Don't worry, you don't need to run and hide this time. :)
I had been given a package from the homeschool group in Lincoln that contained some hamburger helper and macaroni and cheese. I had also been given for my birthday some taco seasoning mix, diced jalapenos, and beans. Sounds like a meal right? Well... not quite. :)
I first cooked up the macaroni and cheese and made it my appetizer. You surely can't go wrong with microwave macaroni and cheese cooked on the stove. hehe... It was very tasty.
Then I examined the hamburger helper box and found that it required 1 lb. hamburger. Imagine that! I hurried downstairs and found a package of at least 2 lbs. beef or venison. I am not sure which. Since it was frozen, and was way more than required it was time to make some recipe modifications. hehe...
I had a difficult time getting the paper wrapper off the meat but finally succeeded except for a little corner stuck in a crevice. I worked for several minutes with a spoon, a fork and a knife but could not, for the life of me, get it dislodged. Finally, I gave up and decided that a few milligrams of paper wouldn't hurt me. :)
While the meat was browning, I consulted the directions and decided to double the recipe. The puny little packages of seasoning and pasta was not going to be enough for 2 + pounds meat! I found some spaghetti downstairs and mixed several hand fulls with the pasta. I then measured approximately double the water and milk required.
The meat was about done and it was time to make it all happen! I dumped the water and the milk mixture into the pan along with the pasta and the puny package of seasoning mix. The ratio of meat to seasoning wasn't right, so I dumped the taco seasoning mix in with it. Stirring it awhile, I found the ratio of meat to pasta was still not even and put in more spaghetti. Now, I was getting somewhere! :)
While I waiting for the mixture to boil, I decided to fetch the jalapeno's and beans and dump them in the pan too. I mean, why not? After I had done that, the drastically modified hamburger helper smelled delicious!! After tasting it, my stomach agreed with my sense of smell.
There are still leftovers, so if you want some, come on over! hehe...
So, that wasn't too hard! hehe... Really, that was all the exciting things that happened this week. Everything else was normal. Sorry, for the disappointment. :)
I had been given a package from the homeschool group in Lincoln that contained some hamburger helper and macaroni and cheese. I had also been given for my birthday some taco seasoning mix, diced jalapenos, and beans. Sounds like a meal right? Well... not quite. :)
I first cooked up the macaroni and cheese and made it my appetizer. You surely can't go wrong with microwave macaroni and cheese cooked on the stove. hehe... It was very tasty.
Then I examined the hamburger helper box and found that it required 1 lb. hamburger. Imagine that! I hurried downstairs and found a package of at least 2 lbs. beef or venison. I am not sure which. Since it was frozen, and was way more than required it was time to make some recipe modifications. hehe...
I had a difficult time getting the paper wrapper off the meat but finally succeeded except for a little corner stuck in a crevice. I worked for several minutes with a spoon, a fork and a knife but could not, for the life of me, get it dislodged. Finally, I gave up and decided that a few milligrams of paper wouldn't hurt me. :)
While the meat was browning, I consulted the directions and decided to double the recipe. The puny little packages of seasoning and pasta was not going to be enough for 2 + pounds meat! I found some spaghetti downstairs and mixed several hand fulls with the pasta. I then measured approximately double the water and milk required.
The meat was about done and it was time to make it all happen! I dumped the water and the milk mixture into the pan along with the pasta and the puny package of seasoning mix. The ratio of meat to seasoning wasn't right, so I dumped the taco seasoning mix in with it. Stirring it awhile, I found the ratio of meat to pasta was still not even and put in more spaghetti. Now, I was getting somewhere! :)
While I waiting for the mixture to boil, I decided to fetch the jalapeno's and beans and dump them in the pan too. I mean, why not? After I had done that, the drastically modified hamburger helper smelled delicious!! After tasting it, my stomach agreed with my sense of smell.
There are still leftovers, so if you want some, come on over! hehe...
So, that wasn't too hard! hehe... Really, that was all the exciting things that happened this week. Everything else was normal. Sorry, for the disappointment. :)
Sunday, December 27, 2009
A Whirlwind of Activity
This is the story of Dana's and Joe's wedding and the surrounding events. It will be devoid of any pictures for the time being while they are being developed but will hopefully include many photos in the coming weeks. The next five blog posts, including this one, were originally one post. But, I decided to break them up for easier reading. :) I have peppered them with some humor amongst the narrative. Have fun!
I will begin with my journey back to Lincoln from Kearney.
Last week Wednesday I attempted leaving at 8:30 in the morning. My tires had other plans. I have been taught to check all my vehicles fluids and tires before leaving on long trips. So, after checking the oil, brake fluid, antifreeze, power steering fluid, I got my pressure gauge out. All of my tires were about 6 pounds too low gauging in at 26 pounds. I decided to get some more "go juice" (grandpa's nickname) and fill them up at the nearest free air location. Driving by the gas station, the air hose was missing. A quick call to Michael and he mentioned the other free air site in town.
I pulled up to the gas station, and proceeded to fill my tires. Every time I connected the hose, I heard a loud rushing noise instead of the gentle hum of air entering the tire tube. Not good! By the time I had attempted filling two tires, I had lost four more pounds and now were 10 pounds too low. I sighed, drove back to the T's and grabbed a handful of quarters. Driving to the "corner station", I plugged the outdoor air compressor and again tried filling my tires. This time I struggled with one tire and finally got enough air to enter the tire. I finished just in time to have the air compressor turn off once again. With three more tires to go, three more quarters were reluctantly thrust into the machine. This was my last shot. The last quarter in my pocket was not enough for another round. I managed to fill two tires before the compressor again quit. The last tire was just going to have to wait until I got home.
Finally, at about 10:24, I was on I-80 destined for Lincoln. On the way I contacted Mom and Kayla and found out from them the day's events. I had two errands that I needed before the wedding - pick up my tux, and find a black belt. (Please see thanksgiving post for the reason.) My mom also had two errands to add to my list and requested we all go shopping together. This was agreed upon by all, and I drove straight home. Our Lansing, MI cousins and grandparents were expected that evening and we had a lot to prepare before they arrived. So, after a nice lunch of lasagna, salad, and meat and cheese sandwiches, we headed back to Lincoln to go shopping. YAY!! My mother is not a shopper. Growing up, everything is usually rush rush and we rarely stop and smell the roses. The rest of our family is largely the opposite.
I really enjoy shopping as long as I am with someone that also enjoys it and doesn't zip around too fast. It also helps to have $$$ to spend. hehe... :) Our first stop was Men's Warehouse to fit and pick up my tux. hehe... That was really neat. Joe and Dana chose excellent colors. The coat and pants were black with the pants having a single silver stripe down the legs. The vest was also silver with a white shirt underneath. The tie was black and silver and matched everything perfectly. So I must confess that "I liked the way I looked" and the creepy, old guy "guaranteed it". haha... (Some of you may not get that joke)
After Men's Warehouse, we stopped at the O St, thrift stores to find a belt for me. The first one didn't have any that were even close to being the right length. The second one, however, had a nice leather black belt that was slightly too long and needed a hole punched in it to be usable. YAY! I finally had found a belt. I was pretty excited. It was even the right price! The next stop was Gateway mall to search for some shoes for my mom. *GASP!* I would have you know that the last time I was in the mall was at least a year ago. It's a very good thing dad wasn't along. He had already suffered through several shoe shopping trips and sighed every time mom returned and bought yet another pair of shoes. haha... Poor dad. :(
Mom seemed to find some comfortable yet still appropriate shoes for the wedding while Kayla and I offered suggestions and competed to find the least comfortable shoes in the store and also the ugliest. Mom, for some very odd reason, didn't seem to like our suggestions. hehe... :)Those 6 inch high, velvet red, sandals somehow didn't fit the ticket. Wow, I am continually amazed by what women will wear and the pain they tolerate to appear fashionable and be accepted! And this is just referring to shoes, not other articles of clothing. I won't go there though.
After purchasing the perfect pair of shoes at JC Pennys, we headed to the men's department in several stores to find out how much their black belts would have cost. JC Pennys had some sales, but still didn't have any belts they were giving away. By this time, mom was getting fairly tired of shopping and was anxious to get home but consented to check two more stores - Dillards and Younkers. For those of you that know the mall layout, you would know that both of these stores are adjacent to each other.
To be the most time efficient, mom went to Younkers and Kayla and I went to Dillards. lol Kayla and I spent a long time trying to find the men's department. We looked on the mall level and all we found was ladies clothes, we went up the escalator and were greeted with more ladies stuff. hehe... I was beginning to wonder whether Dillard's had apportioned any room for guy's clothes. Finally, we went into the basement and found that one level was all men's while two floors above was mostly all women's. haha... Dillard's knows where the money is to be found. :D
After looking in both stores and unsuccessfully finding a belt comparable in price and value, we headed for our second to last stop - Koals. Mom had to return her other pair of uncomfortable shoes she bought and I had to get some wedding wrapping and a pretty bow for Joe and Dana's wedding present. By this time, Dad should be home from work and was probably expecting us to be slaving over the house preparing it for our relatives' arrival later that day. :P Little did he know that I had kidnapped them for a shopping excursion around Lincoln. hehe... The last stop was Super Saver. That was fairly quick and uneventful.
Upon arriving back home it was a mad dash getting the house all ready. The tables needed to be set, some food needed to be prepared, slumbering arrangements, and some miscellaneous cleaning. Dad also had made a list especially for me. I feel soo special!! :) On that list was, unplug bathroom sink drain, fix truck, and update antivirus software on the two computers. The truck was first.
Mom and Dad had unsuccessfully attempted putting a new belt on the truck the night before. I can't blame them though, it was bitterly cold outside then. The belt had to go around at least 4 pulleys and was a fairly complicated puzzle. I give all the credit to God here. Somehow, with His help, I managed to get it on correctly in just a few minutes. It was fun!! With one task crossed off, I headed to the drain. That is always a fun job. lol jk
Unplugging the drain involves disassembling the pipes underneath the sink and somehow flushing out all the disgusting gunk. I won't go into any more details, but let's just say it is not my favorite job in the world. Ever since I was a child, I hated getting dirty. I loved playing in the dirt but held a firm disdain for the mud. I would avoid it at all cost. I was, and still am, a rather strange, human, male, specimen. I remember Dana loved the mud and would taunt me with mud throwing if I wouldn't do her bidding. hehe... Ahh... The childhood memories. We were very naughty to each other and bitter enemies most of the time until we were both teenagers.
But back to my story. Dana and Joe also were expected that night for supper. At about 7:30 everyone was finally seated and we ate supper together. It was a great meal. The next two days were a whirlwind of activity and very difficult to remember all the details. Dana had finished school the week before and wedding preparations were in full swing! People were dashing everywhere.
Thursday, the day before the wedding, Grandma, Grandpa, my cousin Joel, and I all went shopping together. It is always fun shopping with Grandma. The goal was to find a new overhead microwave for my parents for Christmas. We went to Lowes, Home Depot, and Menards and found the best deal at Menards. At noon, I had a dentist appointment and was dropped off there while everyone else went to Gateway mall.
After being picked up, we ate lunch at Valentinos. I had a good report about my teeth. No cavities again but a warning to brush around my wisdom teeth better. I have only had two cavities in my life and that was when I was fairly young. It is such a blessing to be able to say every time that "No, I do not take any medications." YAY! Praise God!
I ate too much again at Valentinos. Something that takes a lot of self-control to avoid at such an establishment. We then had one more stop before returning home. That was Super Saver again. Grandma wasn't satisfied with the groceries in the house and insisted we buy much more. Before driving to Super Saver I had an interesting IM conversation with Rance on my blackberry that I would like to paste here. My Gtalk status at the time was something along the lines of "is going shopping with Grandpa and Grandma".
Hehe... So there you have it. :D
With only one more stop I made the claim that we would be going home within half an hour. Grandpa just laughed at me. He knows better and has much more experience shopping with grandma. As it turns out, we were finished in about 40 minutes. So, not too bad. We rushed home to install the new microwave before Mom and Dad returned. We had a lot of helping hands and just manged to accomplish that goal. My uncle Bryan and Grandpa were the brain behind the project. They did an exceptional job.
Next up... Dana and Joe's wedding rehearsal! :)
I will begin with my journey back to Lincoln from Kearney.
Last week Wednesday I attempted leaving at 8:30 in the morning. My tires had other plans. I have been taught to check all my vehicles fluids and tires before leaving on long trips. So, after checking the oil, brake fluid, antifreeze, power steering fluid, I got my pressure gauge out. All of my tires were about 6 pounds too low gauging in at 26 pounds. I decided to get some more "go juice" (grandpa's nickname) and fill them up at the nearest free air location. Driving by the gas station, the air hose was missing. A quick call to Michael and he mentioned the other free air site in town.
I pulled up to the gas station, and proceeded to fill my tires. Every time I connected the hose, I heard a loud rushing noise instead of the gentle hum of air entering the tire tube. Not good! By the time I had attempted filling two tires, I had lost four more pounds and now were 10 pounds too low. I sighed, drove back to the T's and grabbed a handful of quarters. Driving to the "corner station", I plugged the outdoor air compressor and again tried filling my tires. This time I struggled with one tire and finally got enough air to enter the tire. I finished just in time to have the air compressor turn off once again. With three more tires to go, three more quarters were reluctantly thrust into the machine. This was my last shot. The last quarter in my pocket was not enough for another round. I managed to fill two tires before the compressor again quit. The last tire was just going to have to wait until I got home.
Finally, at about 10:24, I was on I-80 destined for Lincoln. On the way I contacted Mom and Kayla and found out from them the day's events. I had two errands that I needed before the wedding - pick up my tux, and find a black belt. (Please see thanksgiving post for the reason.) My mom also had two errands to add to my list and requested we all go shopping together. This was agreed upon by all, and I drove straight home. Our Lansing, MI cousins and grandparents were expected that evening and we had a lot to prepare before they arrived. So, after a nice lunch of lasagna, salad, and meat and cheese sandwiches, we headed back to Lincoln to go shopping. YAY!! My mother is not a shopper. Growing up, everything is usually rush rush and we rarely stop and smell the roses. The rest of our family is largely the opposite.
I really enjoy shopping as long as I am with someone that also enjoys it and doesn't zip around too fast. It also helps to have $$$ to spend. hehe... :) Our first stop was Men's Warehouse to fit and pick up my tux. hehe... That was really neat. Joe and Dana chose excellent colors. The coat and pants were black with the pants having a single silver stripe down the legs. The vest was also silver with a white shirt underneath. The tie was black and silver and matched everything perfectly. So I must confess that "I liked the way I looked" and the creepy, old guy "guaranteed it". haha... (Some of you may not get that joke)
After Men's Warehouse, we stopped at the O St, thrift stores to find a belt for me. The first one didn't have any that were even close to being the right length. The second one, however, had a nice leather black belt that was slightly too long and needed a hole punched in it to be usable. YAY! I finally had found a belt. I was pretty excited. It was even the right price! The next stop was Gateway mall to search for some shoes for my mom. *GASP!* I would have you know that the last time I was in the mall was at least a year ago. It's a very good thing dad wasn't along. He had already suffered through several shoe shopping trips and sighed every time mom returned and bought yet another pair of shoes. haha... Poor dad. :(
Mom seemed to find some comfortable yet still appropriate shoes for the wedding while Kayla and I offered suggestions and competed to find the least comfortable shoes in the store and also the ugliest. Mom, for some very odd reason, didn't seem to like our suggestions. hehe... :)Those 6 inch high, velvet red, sandals somehow didn't fit the ticket. Wow, I am continually amazed by what women will wear and the pain they tolerate to appear fashionable and be accepted! And this is just referring to shoes, not other articles of clothing. I won't go there though.
After purchasing the perfect pair of shoes at JC Pennys, we headed to the men's department in several stores to find out how much their black belts would have cost. JC Pennys had some sales, but still didn't have any belts they were giving away. By this time, mom was getting fairly tired of shopping and was anxious to get home but consented to check two more stores - Dillards and Younkers. For those of you that know the mall layout, you would know that both of these stores are adjacent to each other.
To be the most time efficient, mom went to Younkers and Kayla and I went to Dillards. lol Kayla and I spent a long time trying to find the men's department. We looked on the mall level and all we found was ladies clothes, we went up the escalator and were greeted with more ladies stuff. hehe... I was beginning to wonder whether Dillard's had apportioned any room for guy's clothes. Finally, we went into the basement and found that one level was all men's while two floors above was mostly all women's. haha... Dillard's knows where the money is to be found. :D
After looking in both stores and unsuccessfully finding a belt comparable in price and value, we headed for our second to last stop - Koals. Mom had to return her other pair of uncomfortable shoes she bought and I had to get some wedding wrapping and a pretty bow for Joe and Dana's wedding present. By this time, Dad should be home from work and was probably expecting us to be slaving over the house preparing it for our relatives' arrival later that day. :P Little did he know that I had kidnapped them for a shopping excursion around Lincoln. hehe... The last stop was Super Saver. That was fairly quick and uneventful.
Upon arriving back home it was a mad dash getting the house all ready. The tables needed to be set, some food needed to be prepared, slumbering arrangements, and some miscellaneous cleaning. Dad also had made a list especially for me. I feel soo special!! :) On that list was, unplug bathroom sink drain, fix truck, and update antivirus software on the two computers. The truck was first.
Mom and Dad had unsuccessfully attempted putting a new belt on the truck the night before. I can't blame them though, it was bitterly cold outside then. The belt had to go around at least 4 pulleys and was a fairly complicated puzzle. I give all the credit to God here. Somehow, with His help, I managed to get it on correctly in just a few minutes. It was fun!! With one task crossed off, I headed to the drain. That is always a fun job. lol jk
Unplugging the drain involves disassembling the pipes underneath the sink and somehow flushing out all the disgusting gunk. I won't go into any more details, but let's just say it is not my favorite job in the world. Ever since I was a child, I hated getting dirty. I loved playing in the dirt but held a firm disdain for the mud. I would avoid it at all cost. I was, and still am, a rather strange, human, male, specimen. I remember Dana loved the mud and would taunt me with mud throwing if I wouldn't do her bidding. hehe... Ahh... The childhood memories. We were very naughty to each other and bitter enemies most of the time until we were both teenagers.
But back to my story. Dana and Joe also were expected that night for supper. At about 7:30 everyone was finally seated and we ate supper together. It was a great meal. The next two days were a whirlwind of activity and very difficult to remember all the details. Dana had finished school the week before and wedding preparations were in full swing! People were dashing everywhere.
Thursday, the day before the wedding, Grandma, Grandpa, my cousin Joel, and I all went shopping together. It is always fun shopping with Grandma. The goal was to find a new overhead microwave for my parents for Christmas. We went to Lowes, Home Depot, and Menards and found the best deal at Menards. At noon, I had a dentist appointment and was dropped off there while everyone else went to Gateway mall.
After being picked up, we ate lunch at Valentinos. I had a good report about my teeth. No cavities again but a warning to brush around my wisdom teeth better. I have only had two cavities in my life and that was when I was fairly young. It is such a blessing to be able to say every time that "No, I do not take any medications." YAY! Praise God!
I ate too much again at Valentinos. Something that takes a lot of self-control to avoid at such an establishment. We then had one more stop before returning home. That was Super Saver again. Grandma wasn't satisfied with the groceries in the house and insisted we buy much more. Before driving to Super Saver I had an interesting IM conversation with Rance on my blackberry that I would like to paste here. My Gtalk status at the time was something along the lines of "is going shopping with Grandpa and Grandma".
Rance: tell grandma I said "Hi"
| 12 minutes |
1:48 PM me: Okay. I will tell her a really strange old guy is saying hi.
:D
1:49 PM Rance: One day (if you live) you'll be strange and old. In fact, you're already half way there.
1:52 PM me: Haha... I told her that. She thought it was funny.
Grandpa though has an additional question.
1:53 PM He wonders whether I am halfway old or halfway strange. :)
1:59 PM Rance: how about halfway as in 1 for 2 strange but not yet old
Hehe... So there you have it. :D
With only one more stop I made the claim that we would be going home within half an hour. Grandpa just laughed at me. He knows better and has much more experience shopping with grandma. As it turns out, we were finished in about 40 minutes. So, not too bad. We rushed home to install the new microwave before Mom and Dad returned. We had a lot of helping hands and just manged to accomplish that goal. My uncle Bryan and Grandpa were the brain behind the project. They did an exceptional job.
Next up... Dana and Joe's wedding rehearsal! :)
Dana is getting married!!
To begin, I will provide some background information about Dana, Joe, and their wedding. Dana and Joe dated for about a year and then were engaged this past spring. They planned their wedding in mid December after the school semester. In July, Dana found a dress and promptly ordered it from New York. As the school semester began, Dana was working three jobs and also going to school. Joe is a marine and is also going to school in Lincoln. On top of all that, Dana obviously had a wedding to plan. Thankfully, she had lots of assistance from family, friends, and extended relatives. When December rolled around, Dana had already gone to four wedding showers, sent out more than 200 invitations, chose the wedding colors, ordered bridesmaid dresses, and other very important wedding details. I don't know how she did it. All I can say is that you are an incredible sister, and I love you Dana!! :)
We were getting a little worried when thanksgiving came and Dana's dress still hadn't arrived. The first week of December passed with no sign of it. Dana had sent the dress designers several emails pleading for them to send it soon, or ELSE!! The "else" happened to be one of Joe's uncles that is fairly muscular and lives near New York City. hehe... The dress designers would be pleading for mercy if he had to come for a visit. I don't know what Dana wrote to them in those emails, but it really sent them scurrying to abide by her demands. On the 9th of December, the dress finally arrived with the wedding planned on the 18th. After trying the dress on, a few alternations were required before it could be useful. After a snip here and a strap there and there, the dress was ready for action! And boy was it ever stunning!! :)
Thursday night we had a wedding rehearsal and dinner planned at Zion PCA Church. It was supposed to start at 6 p.m. We arrived a little before six, but the traffic that night was horrendous. The rehearsal didn't start until closer to 6:30 because we were missing the maid of honor and a couple best men. They had all gotten stuck in traffic. :(
Finally the rehearsal began, and went mostly uneventful. I kept on forgetting where I stand, and Dad made a, what is now, famous mistake that sent us all giggling. I will describe this incident in a minute. I also had a very hard time relaxing and not acting tense while walking down the aisle. hehe... But my uncle saw me and helped me calm down and walk much more naturally.
Now to describe Dad's famous wedding blooper. After all the wedding party was up on stage, Dad came in with Dana and stood before Pastor Kerns. Pastor Kerns asked dad the usual question, "Who gives this women to be married to this man?" My dad confidently responded "My mother and I". haha... That was sooo funny!! Poor dad, I think he was a little embarrassed. The rest of the rehearsal went without a hitch.
Dad was determined to get Dana's wedding on video for posterity and memory sake. However we didn't have a functioning video camera. Dad sent out an email to the Zion email list asking to borrow someone else's camera, but didn't get any responses. He looked on craigslist and the ads to see if someone was giving away a nice one. Sadly, no one was. So that night, Dad and I went video camera shopping. Michael had recommended either a Canon or a Sony.
After finding the one we wanted at Target, we were disappointed that they were out of stock. But, that didn't stop us. hehe... I got on my blackberry and we began calling other Lincoln stores. We found that Best Buy had one left in stock but it was a boring grey color. Then Dad called the South Wal-Mart and was excited that they had one left in the blue color. So, about 10:30 that night, we hurriedly drove to Wal-Mart to claim our prize. It had 60 X optical zoom and a 60 gigabyte internal hard drive plus the extra capacity of memory sticks. YAY!!
That night we charged the battery and got it all ready for use the following day. The included battery only lasted 80 minutes. An additional battery would be purchased the next day at Best Buy. The next day was the wedding day - the 18th of December. A lot of preparations still needed attention. I was assigned helping Joe move into Dana's house, and be at the church at 1 p.m. for pictures.
I awakened fairly early that day to a bustle of activity. I left at around 9:15 to go to Joe's house. Joe's brothers and his best man were there to assist me. It was quite an interesting time. I had brought our truck and Joe had mostly everything strewn about his room. Packing someone else was rather entertaining. I did Joe a big favor and tossed random stuff into boxes. I figured that he had the rest of his life to unpack and we joked that we would put his shirts with his dishes. hehe... :)
If you haven't been to Dana's apartment, you wouldn't know that she is on the top floor and has a fairly narrow staircase leading up to her apartment. The biggest challenge for us was Joe's king sized bed. Joe claimed that there was no way we would be able to get it up the stairs, but Dana had faith that we would find someway to squeeze it up there. hehe... She was right, but not without busting a light bulb on the ceiling, and almost breaking a picture frame on the wall. We also used the mattress as an umbrella against the melting snow from the roof. But shhh.... don't tell them that!
After successfully getting Joe's boxes moved into Dana's apartment, I took a shower and we made a quick stop at Best Buy for another camera battery. Best Buy was very crowded. Finding parking was practically impossible. So I happily parked several stores to the north with our big extended cab truck and rushed in the store. It was about 1:10 and pictures were scheduled at 1:30. Lunch was put on the back burner and we rushed over to the church to get dressed into our tuxedos.
Next up... wedding pictures and ceremony!
We were getting a little worried when thanksgiving came and Dana's dress still hadn't arrived. The first week of December passed with no sign of it. Dana had sent the dress designers several emails pleading for them to send it soon, or ELSE!! The "else" happened to be one of Joe's uncles that is fairly muscular and lives near New York City. hehe... The dress designers would be pleading for mercy if he had to come for a visit. I don't know what Dana wrote to them in those emails, but it really sent them scurrying to abide by her demands. On the 9th of December, the dress finally arrived with the wedding planned on the 18th. After trying the dress on, a few alternations were required before it could be useful. After a snip here and a strap there and there, the dress was ready for action! And boy was it ever stunning!! :)
Thursday night we had a wedding rehearsal and dinner planned at Zion PCA Church. It was supposed to start at 6 p.m. We arrived a little before six, but the traffic that night was horrendous. The rehearsal didn't start until closer to 6:30 because we were missing the maid of honor and a couple best men. They had all gotten stuck in traffic. :(
Finally the rehearsal began, and went mostly uneventful. I kept on forgetting where I stand, and Dad made a, what is now, famous mistake that sent us all giggling. I will describe this incident in a minute. I also had a very hard time relaxing and not acting tense while walking down the aisle. hehe... But my uncle saw me and helped me calm down and walk much more naturally.
Now to describe Dad's famous wedding blooper. After all the wedding party was up on stage, Dad came in with Dana and stood before Pastor Kerns. Pastor Kerns asked dad the usual question, "Who gives this women to be married to this man?" My dad confidently responded "My mother and I". haha... That was sooo funny!! Poor dad, I think he was a little embarrassed. The rest of the rehearsal went without a hitch.
Dad was determined to get Dana's wedding on video for posterity and memory sake. However we didn't have a functioning video camera. Dad sent out an email to the Zion email list asking to borrow someone else's camera, but didn't get any responses. He looked on craigslist and the ads to see if someone was giving away a nice one. Sadly, no one was. So that night, Dad and I went video camera shopping. Michael had recommended either a Canon or a Sony.
After finding the one we wanted at Target, we were disappointed that they were out of stock. But, that didn't stop us. hehe... I got on my blackberry and we began calling other Lincoln stores. We found that Best Buy had one left in stock but it was a boring grey color. Then Dad called the South Wal-Mart and was excited that they had one left in the blue color. So, about 10:30 that night, we hurriedly drove to Wal-Mart to claim our prize. It had 60 X optical zoom and a 60 gigabyte internal hard drive plus the extra capacity of memory sticks. YAY!!
That night we charged the battery and got it all ready for use the following day. The included battery only lasted 80 minutes. An additional battery would be purchased the next day at Best Buy. The next day was the wedding day - the 18th of December. A lot of preparations still needed attention. I was assigned helping Joe move into Dana's house, and be at the church at 1 p.m. for pictures.
I awakened fairly early that day to a bustle of activity. I left at around 9:15 to go to Joe's house. Joe's brothers and his best man were there to assist me. It was quite an interesting time. I had brought our truck and Joe had mostly everything strewn about his room. Packing someone else was rather entertaining. I did Joe a big favor and tossed random stuff into boxes. I figured that he had the rest of his life to unpack and we joked that we would put his shirts with his dishes. hehe... :)
If you haven't been to Dana's apartment, you wouldn't know that she is on the top floor and has a fairly narrow staircase leading up to her apartment. The biggest challenge for us was Joe's king sized bed. Joe claimed that there was no way we would be able to get it up the stairs, but Dana had faith that we would find someway to squeeze it up there. hehe... She was right, but not without busting a light bulb on the ceiling, and almost breaking a picture frame on the wall. We also used the mattress as an umbrella against the melting snow from the roof. But shhh.... don't tell them that!
After successfully getting Joe's boxes moved into Dana's apartment, I took a shower and we made a quick stop at Best Buy for another camera battery. Best Buy was very crowded. Finding parking was practically impossible. So I happily parked several stores to the north with our big extended cab truck and rushed in the store. It was about 1:10 and pictures were scheduled at 1:30. Lunch was put on the back burner and we rushed over to the church to get dressed into our tuxedos.
Next up... wedding pictures and ceremony!
Smile Pretty for Tonight we die! :)
I believe the pictures were done the proper way. Joe was not allowed to see his bride in her gorgeous dress until the proper time. Pictures of the groomsmen and the bridesmaids were taken and numerous pictures were taken of Dana alone. Some family photos were taken on both sides, and even a few with just Dana and me. :) In all, I think my uncle said he took approximately 1200 photos!! Some of those I hope will ornament this awfully long blog post.
After pictures were finally done. Dana requested that some pictures were taken of her in the snow. YAY! She looked even more gorgeous with the snowy white background. Then we all prepared for the big event. The little flowers (crisauges??) were permanently attached to us guys and we all lined up for the march down the aisle. After the grandparents and parents were all seated, we calmly walked slowly up to the front.
I learned so much about weddings throughout this experience. I didn't know that the mother of the bride was the one that stood up first as the father leads the bride down the aisle. I also didn't know that the best man is traditionally responsible for cleaning the car the bride and groom will take later. Nor did I know that the best man and maid of honor are witnesses and required to sign the marriage license after the ceremony.
Dad said his lines correctly this time and the rest of the wedding went mostly without any excitement. The only thing out of the ordinary was that the best man accidentally gave the officiator the wrong ring. But, the mistake was too inconspicuous for anyone to notice.
After the wedding, Dana and Joe formed the receiving line and were very patient as 200+ people came and said their congratulations. Next, it was time for the birdseed toss! Guests were given a handful and I positioned myself next to the car to get one of the last tosses. hehe... That was fun tossing birdseed at my own sister! One of those once in a lifetime experiences.
I had been told that Dana didn't need me anymore at the church and began driving my grandparents to the reception. About halfway there, we receive a call that we are desperately needed at the church. So we turned around, had a few more pictures taken and rearranged the worship hall for Sunday services. So far, mostly everything had gone according to plan and was very well organized. Well... that all was about to change. :)
Next up... Vehicle excitement and reception!
After pictures were finally done. Dana requested that some pictures were taken of her in the snow. YAY! She looked even more gorgeous with the snowy white background. Then we all prepared for the big event. The little flowers (crisauges??) were permanently attached to us guys and we all lined up for the march down the aisle. After the grandparents and parents were all seated, we calmly walked slowly up to the front.
I learned so much about weddings throughout this experience. I didn't know that the mother of the bride was the one that stood up first as the father leads the bride down the aisle. I also didn't know that the best man is traditionally responsible for cleaning the car the bride and groom will take later. Nor did I know that the best man and maid of honor are witnesses and required to sign the marriage license after the ceremony.
Dad said his lines correctly this time and the rest of the wedding went mostly without any excitement. The only thing out of the ordinary was that the best man accidentally gave the officiator the wrong ring. But, the mistake was too inconspicuous for anyone to notice.
After the wedding, Dana and Joe formed the receiving line and were very patient as 200+ people came and said their congratulations. Next, it was time for the birdseed toss! Guests were given a handful and I positioned myself next to the car to get one of the last tosses. hehe... That was fun tossing birdseed at my own sister! One of those once in a lifetime experiences.
I had been told that Dana didn't need me anymore at the church and began driving my grandparents to the reception. About halfway there, we receive a call that we are desperately needed at the church. So we turned around, had a few more pictures taken and rearranged the worship hall for Sunday services. So far, mostly everything had gone according to plan and was very well organized. Well... that all was about to change. :)
Next up... Vehicle excitement and reception!
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