NFinaLe - Thoughts from Week 17

Over the course of the last three years, I have become an enthusiastic fan of the National Football League. As the regular season concludes today, I have some thoughts. Why I am choosing to share them with you, I don't know. Nonetheless, here they are:

On the Cleveland Browns - Who would have ever thought it possible? Not that they would win 10 games, but that I would be marginally interested in their team! Dare I even use the word, fan? Didn't see that one comin'!

On the Cincinnati Bengals - Palmer deserves better.

On the Denver Broncos - Unbreak my heart! (I hope the Cutler Chronicles are about to begin!)

On the Miami Dolphins - Thanks a lot! Now I don't have anything to tease Coach Davis about at the lunch table! If you're gonna do something, in the name of all that is decent, follow through till the end!

On the Green Bay Packers - Never thought I would say this, but--I hope Farve makes it to the big show. The guy is hard not to like.

On the rest of the NFC - Who cares?

On the New England Patriots - Congratulations!--for the time being, but remember--it don't mean a thing if you don't get the ring! (I came up with that all by myself! How exactly do you coin a phrase? Is that a government run thing?)

On Tom Brady - I heard you say last week on "60 Minutes" that there has got to be more out there than just winning three Super Bowls. There is, and I truly hope that you find it one day. I can tell you what it is if you want me to.

On naming this team or that team the "best ever" or the "best of the decade" or the "best" of anything - Rubbish! Drivel! How can anyone authoritatively name any team the best of anything! "Best-ness" is a relative value dependent on the ideals of the person using the term. It can't be quantified. Championships aren't about who is the best. Organized sports aren't about who is the best. Sports is about who wins when it matters! This year's Super Bowl Champion won't be the best team--it will be the team who won when it counted. Period. End of story and end of post!

A Day in the Life

Up to this point in my videographic career (which, by the way, has been short and largely unnoticed by the mainstream media), I have focused primarily on documenting the special events of our lives as a family. Birthdays, holidays, vacations, and the like have been the primary objects of my focus and my camera. Several months ago, I decided that, in the next installment of the "Doan Family Video" Series, I would take a different approach. Perhaps we will one day look back on those early years of our family life and long to remember what the normal, non-holi days were like--then again, perhaps we won't. In any case, I have endeavored in the proceeding video to capture the spirit of the average, run-of-the-mill, everyday...day in the Andrew Doan family. I hope you enjoy watching it as much as I enjoyed making it.

Snowbound...Sort Of

I have only been a teacher for 2.5 days this week. In case you were wondering, on a normal week I am a teacher for 5 days. This, however, has not been a normal week. Monday night I contracted a case of the dreaded bahoobie disease. (If you don't know what that is, then you don't want to know.) I called in sick Tuesday morning, but I was feeling well enough to go in that afternoon. On Tuesday night I witnessed one of the most exciting finishes to a high school basketball games that I have ever seen. (I hope to post more about that later.) On Wednesday, school was cancelled because we all were snowbound...by about 3 inches of snow--interesting. On Thursday, my basketball team improved to a record of 4 wins and 0 losses. (I am thankful, but don't be misled--we haven't really been tested as a team yet. Hopefully, that will come on Monday.) I also learned that many fast food restaurants will give bus drivers and coaches a free meal! On Friday (today), school was cancelled for a second time because of the snow. Even though I am 27 years old, there is still something special for me about snow days. It can put just about any old Crabby Appleton in a good mood! Eldan has contracted a slight case of the bahoobies, but other than that we are all just enjoying Ohio's version of a winter storm! Two weeks from today, and we will be on our way to New Hampshire for Christmas Vacation! Until then, stay sane...

Basketball Season, 2.0

Basketball season is upon us once again. I am taking the helm of the Junior High Boys team at our school for a second year. We got off to a pretty good start last night. For those few of you who are interested in the results, I have added an update section on the sidebar to the right. This section will give you the most up-to-date information about my team available anywhere on the internet. And the best part is...it's absolutely FREE! Enjoy following the progress of this young but energetic group of aspiring ball players. I hope to have good things to report.

Not So Candid Camera

Here, for your enjoyment, is a smattering of photos from September and October...

First Haircut

Playing XBOX

Mr. Melodramatic

Ready to sell papers in NYC

A Captive to Culture

It has been just over a week now since the conclusion. 8 days later and I am still thinking about it. Although I have always enjoyed studying it, the fires of my interest in learning all I can about it have been fanned to a new intensity. I have even gone to the library to check out a few books about it. I am referring, of course, to the recent airing on PBS of Ken Burns' latest documentarial tome entitled The War. "Which war?" you might ask. Well, to those who lived through World War II, there is no other. I thought the entire 15 hour series was superb. I thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end. Maybe "enjoyed" is a poor word choice. It is hard to enjoy something that so accurately and realistically portrays the horrific nature of that massive conflict, but I can't think of any other way to put it. I learned alot from watching the film, and I must confess that it affected me in a way not many other films (fiction or non-fiction) have. I want to take this opportunity to enumerate several of the concepts that the film introduced into my thinking.

1. War is awful. I know that others have expressed the same idea in slightly different terms, but that will have to suffice for me. After seeing thousands of pictures and hours of video from WWII, I realize that there is really nothing glorious or triumphant about war itself. It is a dirty, violent, savage, and gruesome business. Dying on a battlefield is a horrible way to end one's life. Now, don't misunderstand me. I have not adopted a "peace at all costs" mentality, nor have I wavered any in my support for this country or its armed forces. Although war maybe awful, it is also necessary in our sin-cursed world. The actual process of war itself may not be noble or triumphant, but in most cases the causes for which freedom-loving men go to war are. Dying on a battlefield may not be the blaze of glory that Hollywood film-makers have envisioned, but it is still a sacrifice that is worthy of remembrance and respect. It was good for me to have some of the veneer of war removed. I think I have a greater appreciation for those who have and are suffering through it.

2. WWII was one of a kind. Of course, in a sense, that is true of every war, but I really believe WWII to be different. I was amazed at the way in which the war captivated our nation as a whole. The testimonies of those who lived through it were exceptional. It is genuinely true that the war touched every house on every street in every town in America. Burns did an excellent job of portraying this idea. I understand and appreciate in a much greater way the efforts of Americans as an entire nation to win the conflict. I am convinced that this war touched the everyday lives of Americans in a way that will probably never be repeated.

3. Culture is a Captor. One of the most pointed ideas that I carried with me from the film is something that Ken Burns may not have intentionally implied in his film-making. I was struck with the views and beliefs that were commonly accepted in those days. For instance, Burns made a point of emphasizing the fact that, although many black soldiers were working and fighting and dying on the battlefront, segregation, discrimination and prejudice were still firmly entrenched here at home. Black people were still forced to the back of the bus. These statements caused me to consider my ways. What if I had lived in the pre-Civil Rights days in America? Would I have been guilty of the same racial injustices as so many other whites? What if I had lived in Germany? Would I have viewed the Jews with just as much hatred and disdain as the Nazis? We all like to think that we have been enlightened and that, had we lived in those days, we surely would have been different. I hope so, but sometimes I am not so sure. If we are honest with ourselves, much of what we believe and practice is the result of cultural influences. (This aptly applies to our theological and doctrinal beliefs as well.) In short, the film renewed a desire in my mind to base my core beliefs on absolute truth (the Bible) and not simply on the dictates of my surroundings. I don't want to be a captive to culture.

In conclusion, the film was excellent, and I highly recommend it to anyone who will be able to handle the realism of its portrayal. I am thankful that someone has captured the stories of that generation before it is too late. The greatest honor we can pay the "Greatest Generation" is to remember their sacrifices and carry on the ideals for which they gave their lives.

Freeze Frame

Several months ago Danielle and I were talking with a friend of ours from Lima (Ohio, not Peru). He made an interesting statement to us as the three of us were talking about Eldan. He said, "You know, I've always thought that if it were somehow possible to freeze my kids at a certain age so that they wouldn't grow anymore, I would freeze them right at the age Eldan is now--12 to 18 months." At the time I nodded in agreement, but in recent weeks I have come to understand his meaning more and more. I've noticed certain things that Eldan does or things that we do together that I wish I could freeze and capture for all time. What everyone has been telling me since April 12, 2006 (and even before) is true. Time does go by way too fast. I feel saddened to think that some of those "precious moments" are slipping away so rapidly. Now you all know that I am the camcorder guy and that I put even the most mundane moments of our little lives on tape (and on this blog), but even I can't capture everything. Furthermore, there are certain things that no camera lens can ever capture. Those are the moments to which I am referring. And so, I offer this brief list in hopes that I can come back one day, read this post, and be reminded of some of those everyday moments in our lives as a young family looking forward...

1. The feeling of Eldan's cheek against mine when I sit him on my lap to put on his shoes.
2. The sight of various letters of the alphabet flying across the kitchen floor as Eldan takes them off the magnetic door and throws them.
3. The sight of Eldan running across the room to give Danielle or me a hug for the first time.
4. The feeling of Eldan resting his head on my chest.
5. The way all three of us touch our heads together when we sing before bedtime.
6. The daily ritual Eldan and I share of going to get the mail.
7. Running through the list of every person in our family and hearing Eldan repeat the name after us.
8. The way Eldan folds his hands together when we thank God for our food.
9. Two words--Eldan's laugh.

I will stop there for now. I may come back one day, add a few more to the list, and re-publish this post. In the meantime, I will have to rely on the ol' noggin to capture and cherish those moments as much as possible.

As I type this, I am sitting in South Bend, Indiana. I am here for an educator's conference until tomorrow afternoon. I can't wait to get home, give Danielle a hug and kiss, and check the mail with my son.

Murphy's Law Incarnate

I have decided something recently. I am the living embodiment of Murphy's Law. You know, "If anything can go wrong, it will." It's true. If I am carrying something in one of my hands, and I need my keys--they will no doubt be in the pocket that is opposite my free hand. If our neighborhood is going to receive a torrential downpour in the wee morning hours, I will no doubt have left my car windows WIDE open! If it is 12:30 on a Sunday morning and I am trying to finish a DVD to be played at church the next day, my computer will no doubt begin working so slow that it takes several minutes just to minimize a window. Yup, that's me--Mr. Murphy! Mr. Always Gets in the Line that Moves the Slowest at Wal-Mart. I have realized over the course of the last few months, however, what I believe to be an important lesson. One that I will share with you now. It's easy to pray and ask God to get you out of the frustrating, difficult, or just down-right irritating situation. ("God, please help my sink to start draining again!") I wonder, however, if maybe God is more interested in how we react to the situation than He is in getting us out of it. In other words, maybe Murphy's Law is God's way of teaching me patience, self-control, and perseverance. We might as well, accept it--things are going to go wrong. The extension cord is going to get in a tangled mess while you try to wrap it up in a neat coil. So rather than get all tangled up myself, maybe I should concentrate on submitting to the Spirit and learn to laugh at myself.

Remember...
Emmanuel,
"God is with Us,"
All is Well!

Vacation 2007, Concluded

It is Labor Day 2007. As I look at the words that I myself wrote in the previous post about vacationing and lazy days and such, I wonder, "Where did those lazy days get to, anyway?" It is a bit surreal to think that tomorrow marks the beginning of another school year. It is even more surreal to think that this is the beginning of my 5th year as a teacher. That's not too bad a record for a guy who hated teaching for the first two months! Anyway, as the door closes on another summer, let me offer some concluding comments about our dog days.

Obviously, this past summer was a bit unusual for us in several ways. Nonetheless, it was a great three months. Our time in Colorado was well-spent, and we were sorry to leave. I have occupied myself for the last few weeks with making preparations for the new school year. I like to evaluate how I operate and make any changes that will improve my teaching. (Whether or not these changes actually do that is another matter entirely.) Last week I loaded onto a Laidlaw bus with my students for another week of spiritual focus and offbeat zaniness at School Retreat. While I was away, Danielle and Eldan flew to NH to be with her fam for a few days. I was shocked at how much Eldan changed over the course of even just 8 days! I welcomed both of my loved ones back with open arms and we are all glad to be together again.

As of today...
I am looking forward to another year of teaching...
Danielle is looking forward to a tutoring opportunity...
And Eldan is looking forward to spending some quality time with his toys. (He's been away from them for most of the summer!)

I have included in this post the latest installment in the Doan Family Videos Series. I apologize that the quality is quite grainy at times. If you really want crystal-clear quality, you'll need to order the complete Season 2 DVD when it is available next spring. You can enjoy the video on the player below. As always, please allow enough time for the video to download before you lose your temper.

That is all for now. I hope to be more consistent in updating this site, but...I hoped to be more consistent in updating this site last year too, and my lack of success at this is painfully apparent. In the meantime, the days are gradually growing shorter, the temperature should begin to cool, and a new school year awaits...

Vacation 2007, Part II

It's a Sunday night, and we've have been in Colorado for 9 days. The cool part is that our time in Colorado is not even half over! After all of the unexpected delays in getting here, we decided to extend our trip longer than originally planned. Our first week has been eventful (in a good way) and enjoyable as is evidenced by the pictures below. I was surprised at how hot the weather has been out here. The temperature has been pushing 100 almost everyday so far! I had forgotten how warm Colorado summers can be. Yesterday, we drove into the mountains for a picnic. The cool air was a welcome reprieve. Of course, we had to go to nearly 10,000 feet in elevation to feel it! Other than an occasional shopping or swimming trip at my brother's house (for the swimming that is), our basic itinerary primarily involves sleeping in, reading, watching "Matlock," and playing Scrabble with my parents. (Did you know that the word "qat" is in the dictionary?)

I am excited to report that Eldansdad Family Films has secured its first two clients! I just finished a Scrapbook video for my brother Kip's church, and I am just about finished with a Scrapbook project for another church in Ohio. I almost got my first wedding job, but there was a date conflict. I am hopeful that this business (if you can call it that) will eventually blossom into a regular source of income and work for the summers. Anyway, you have to start somewhere so...I am!


If you are reading this...I hope your summer is and has been an enjoyable one.
If you are not reading this...I hope your summer has been rotten!


In the meantime, the Doans will continue to vacation these lazy summer days away...

Vacation 2007, Resumed

If everything had gone the way we had originally planned, we would right now be on our way back from Colorado and our vacation would be over. Yet, things have not gone as we had planned and the second part of our vacation remains to be taken. Danielle's appointment went fairly well yesterday, and the doctor said that we were free to fly to Colorado. (I wish he would have said that we could fly to Colorado for free!) His only stipulation was that she not do any water skiing. (I guess we will have to cancel that part of our trip! :-) We have purchased new reservations with my favorite of all the big airlines--United (especially their customer service), and we will be flying stop to Colorado early Friday morning...Lord-willing. The positive result of this medically-induced delay is that we will spend more time in Colorado than we had originally planned. My parents are eagerly awaiting our arrival, and we...well, we are just glad to be moving forward once again. All is well, and I will post some pictures of us in the wonderful state of Colorado very soon!

Milestones

This past spring found us experiencing several "firsts" in Eldan's life. As always, I was there with the camcorder to capture these moments on tape. The result is the latest offering from "The Doan Family Videos" series. (I am trying out a new way of posting my videos, so please let me know how easily or not easily you are able to view it.)

PS - I take complete responsibility for the opening sequence. Danielle and Eldan were only somewhat willing participants.

Vacation 2007, Interrupted

Where do I begin? I must say, God has certainly chosen an interesting path for us over the last several weeks of our vacation. Last fall, when Danielle went through her kidney stone experience, I thought we had logged enough time with hospitals and doctors to last for several years. Apparently...I was wrong. Let me fill you in on some of the details.

One day before we left for Part I of our summer vacation (the NH part), Danielle informed me that the pregnancy test she had taken was positive. Of course, both of us were very excited at the thought of having a second child. Two days later (after we had already arrived in NH), Danielle started experiencing some difficulties with the pregnancy. The next several days involved numerous trips to hospitals and doctors' offices. (We almost didn't make it to Beauty and the Beast.) We were informed about a week and a half ago that the pregnancy would be a miscarriage.

After returning home to Ohio, Danielle had more blood work done and made an appointment to see her regular doctor on Monday morning...7 hours before we were scheduled to fly to Denver. Her doctor informed us that it would be very unwise for us to continue with our travel plans. In fact, he told us that Danielle would need to check into the hospital Monday afternoon so that he could perform surgery to remove a tubal pregnancy. That is precisely what occured yesterday afternoon. The surgery was successful, and Danielle and I spent the night in the hospital while she was recovering. (A friend has been taking care of Eldan for us.)

Here is what we know at this point (Tuesday morning):
1. Danielle should be released from the hospital by this afternoon,
2. She will be rather sore for a few days, but her recovery should be fairly quick,
3. In the meantime, I (Andrew) will be acting as nurse, mother, and housewife,
4. We cancelled our flight reservations yesterday, and we will purchase new tickets as soon as we get approval from the doctor for Danielle to travel,
5. God is good. His providential oversight in the timing of everything is very obvious to us. It could have been disastrous for Danielle had we continued with our travel plans. We thank Him for His protection, and are seeking to learn what we need to from this situation.

I will provide further updates about our progress as I am able...

Vacation 2007, Intermission

We arrived back in Ohio on Thursday afternoon after an incredibly long drive from New Hampshire. The distance was the same as when we drove out there, of course, but several obstacles (including accident-induced traffic jams, torrential downpours, horrendous thunderstorms, and ubiquitous construction zones) combined to make the trip much, much longer than we wanted it to be. Nonetheless, we are home...for a few days at least. On Monday evening, we will fly nonstop to Denver. (I think it may be the first time I have flow nonstop anywhere!)

On the drive home from NH, I had plenty of time to think as I drove. I recalled a comic strip from the Calvin and Hobbes series that I read several years ago. Calvin, the ever optimistic young man that he was, was compiling a list of things that annoyed him. Why he was doing this I don't know. Furthermore, why I am doing the same thing, I don't know either. Yet, as I drove, I couldn't help but think of a few things I would put on my list, so...here they are with no further ado and no edificational value whatsoever:

THINGS THAT ANNOY ME

1. Those little stringy portions on the side of a banana

2. Female sportscasters

3. The entire state of Connecticut

4. Comedians who laugh at their own routines

5. Each and every prescription drug commercial ever made (Does anyone really ask their doctor if such and such medicine is "right for me"?)

6. Whoever in the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is in charge of road signage

7. Drivers who try to let you know that they want to get around you by tailgating and swerving their cars back and forth impatiently

8. Fast food restaurant employees with an attitude

9. The phrase, "How are you?"

That is just the short list. If you have any of your own to add, please feel free to leave them in the comment section. We can all use this post as a therapeutic way of venting our frustrations about life's little annoyances without doing any real harm.

Please don't misunderstand. I'm really not in a bad mood. I just wanted to make a list. So I did. Life is good, and I'm on vacation. Part II is coming soon...

Vacation 2007, Part I

"How could something that seemed to make so much sense before I did it, seem so stupid after I had done it?"

This was the question I posed to myself in the early morning hours of Thursday, June 14th. I was in our faithful Chevy Cavalier driving the last few miles of the journey between Heath, Ohio and Francestown, New Hampshire where my in-laws live. The final minutes of trip seemed to be moving in slow motion. We had loaded the car on Wednesday afternoon and pulled out of our driveway at exactly 3:28pm. Here we were, 750 miles and 14 hours later, and we were all exhausted. Why did we drive through the night when we didn't have to? You might ask. My answer is--I'm not really sure. It seemed like a great idea before we left. I must clarify, and tell you that Danielle didn't really want to go at night--It was mainly my idea. Eldan didn't express an opinion on the subject. I thought that the drive would be cooler (our AC is on the fritz), and that we would make better time. Both of those things might have been true, but I didn't account for the wear and tear the long night hours would bring upon my wife and son. In the end, we arrived safely, but it took us several days to recover from our little nighttime junket.

We are spendng about a week and a half here in New Hampshire. It has been a relaxing visit so far. Mostly, we've hung out here at the house, but today we went to a local lakeside and did a little swimming. It took Eldan a little while to warm up to the idea of the water (which was quite cool), but he did enjoy splashing around with his cousins. I had a blast playing with a frisbee and some water guns. It was nice to get out in the sun for a while.

We will remain here in NH until next Tuesday or Wednesday when we will drive back to Ohio--during the day!

Hope this post finds each of you doing well.

(PS - If my brother Jeremy is reading this--remind me to tell you about the first picture...)

Something New

The time for mysterious and vague language is over. The time has come to bring the truth out into the open. In my last post, I alluded to "something new" I have been considering incorporating into my life. Several of you asked about this, and now I am here to tell you what it is. (I hope you won't be disappointed after all of the buildup and suspense.) The big new thing is this--I am attempting to launch a small side business to be operated primarily during my summers. This business will offer high quality videography and DVD production for reasonable prices. (At least, I think they are reasonable.) I am offering my video production services to the general public for things such as weddings, parties, graduations, special performances scrapbook videos, home videos and the like. Basically, I want to produce sharp-looking DVDs for people at non-professional prices. (Just Google "wedding videos" and you'll get a good idea of what "professional prices" are.) The name of this video business will be none other than...Eldansdad Family Films. (What can I say? I like the sound of it!) The video at the top of this post is just a beginning. I would like to get together a more substantial promo video soon. Anyway, that is my big decision. If you or someone you know might be interested in some work, please contact me right away. (Several of the packages I offer do not require me to live in the same locality as the customer.) I have price lists and order forms available. I have established a new e-mail address for my business eldansdadff@yahoo.com. I don't really know what to expect, but it will be fun to see what happens!

Return from the Abyss

Well, it's June 4 (one day before my 27th birthday, consequently) and I am finally adding a new post to my illustrious blog! (That means it's time for my brother Jeremy to rotate his tires or buy a new mattress or something.) I am truly sorry that it has been soooooo long, but I guess blogging doesn't always make it to the front burner, so to speak. Because it has been nearly two months since my last post, and because I know most of you would rather look at pictures of Eldan than read my drivel, I will just summarize for you--April and May were very hectic months around here. Today is the first day of my summer vacation, and I am working on plans for something new in my life. I hope to have more information about that in the very near future--it might interest some of you. Anyway, I hope to update with more consistent regularity over the next few months. Enjoy the pictures. Enjoy the day. Enjoy the summer--it'll be over before you know it! (BTW - The last two pictures are from my recent directorial work on a high school production of The Hound of the Baskervilles)

Eldan's To-Do List

I am pleased to announce that I finally have the first new video for 2007 available for viewing. It has taken me a little longer to get this one ready because I am now producing my videos under a new corporate label--Eldansdad Family Films. Anyway, I've given the videos a new look for this year, so I hope you enjoy it. This first installment is all about Eldan and his carefree days as a rising toddler. It's called "Eldan's To Do List." Just click on the player below to view it. Let me know what you think!

Spring Fever

(The following is my TWIRP for the weeks of March 4-30, 2007. Enjoy...)

Spring has sprung in our area at last. The mercury is rising, the grass is growing, and allergens and pollutants are once again wafting in the air. I think Eldan is going to suffer from allergy problems. The poor kid's nose has been rather productive over the last few days. On a brighter (and less disgusting) note, his legs have also been producing something recently--steps. Lots of them. Up to four or five at a time! He really enjoys trying to walk from the coffee table to our outstretched arms. The last step or two usually degenerates into a forward fall, but we are excited nonetheless. His first birthday is a mere two weeks away and we are planning a party to celebrate. You can be sure that I will be manning the video camera, so plan on checking back to the website in a few weeks to see video of the party! We suctioned a small basketball hoop to the door of our dishwasher and bought a small ball so that Eldan can start shooting baskets. He seems to be grasping the concept quite well. (Although he should be given a technical foul for hanging on the rim!)

Danielle has been staying busy lately with Eldan and that inevitable rite of spring--reorganizing the furniture. Our apartment is small so her options are somewhat limited. She was, however, able to spruce up the kitchen a bit and it looks very nice. She is still teaching 6th grade science thrice a week, and I am amazed at her ability to think of creative ways to help her students learn. She definitely has a gift--one that will benefit our children greatly over the years. She is very excited (as am I) to have her sister and brother-in-law and their kids visiting in a couple of weeks. Our little domicile will be nice and cozy with 4 adults and 3 kids as occupants. We don't mind the squeeze--we love having visitors. (If you want to take that as a hint, then you are free to do so...)

Me? I am very glad for the arrival of spring. I love winter, but I am ready for warmer weather. I am occupying my time these days with play rehearsals, home videos, school work, and online banking. I purchased the soundtrack to "Hoosiers" from I-tunes yesterday. I think it is some of Jerry Goldsmith's finest work. I am in the hunt to win our school's NCAA Tournament Bracket Challenge. Right now I am in 11th place out of 78. I still have a chance to win it all, however. All I need is for Georgetown and UCLA to win on Saturday and for UCLA to beat Georgetown in the championship by 67 points and the trophy is mine! (Or something like that.) If Florida and OSU end up in the big game, I'm not sure I can watch--what would be the point? Either way I would be unhappy. By the way, I entered a national bracket challenge through CBSportsline.com. At last check, I am in 152,761st place! We'll just have to sit back and see what happens.

Our church has been holding evangelistic meetings all week. Several students in our school have been saved. It is exciting to me to see some progress in our kids and in my own walk as well. All by the grace of God!

It's Friday afternoon, the halls of our school are silent once again, April is approaching, and the weekend awaits...so enjoy it!

(Videos and Pictures are coming soon!)

Sports, Snowdays, and Sovereignty

(The following is my TWIRP for the weeks of a long time ago to March 2, 2007. Enjoy...)

Well, well, well...(Have you ever wondered why we say things in groups of three like that?) it has been a long time. I must say, when I gave my last post the title of "One Final Word," I didn't really mean it literally. What, you might ask, has prevented me from updating my blog in nearly 2 months? Well, the title of this post is intended to answer the question in part. Let me fill in some of the blanks from the last few weeks...

I have been very busy in recent weeks with sports. One sport in particular has captured my attention and time--basketball. I finished up my inaugural season as the Junior High Boys basketball coach with a 2nd place finish and a season record of 6-14. In case you are wondering how we could finish 2nd with a record like 6-14, let me an an addendum--our conference record was 5-3. We ended the season in just about the best way we could as a young team. We lost by 12 points in the state championship game, but it was one of our best games of the year. I have never been a part of a basketball game where there was so much energy and momentum on our side. It is something I will not soon forget. I have also been busy with the Varsity Boys Basketball team. I am the team's designated videographer, and I have tried to burn as many of the games onto DVD as possible. Basketball season officially ended last weekend, but we had two final roundball activities this week. On Tuesday, our school went to Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland and played an exhibition game with another Christian school on the same floor where the Cavs and their overexposed leader LeBron James play. I really had a blast getting to prowl around the Cavs Arena, but I was further entrenched in my dislike for professional basketball that night when we watched the Cavs beat the Hornets. I think the letters NBA should stand for "Narcisistic Big-Headed Athletes." Give me a college game over a pro game any day! The final chapter in our school's basketball season is the All-Star game which will be played tonight. I am going to announce the game and have some fun while I'm doing it.

The other big story in our lives of late has been snow. For the first 16 months of our sojourn here in Ohio, Danielle and I had both been rather disappointed in the lack of winter weather. In the first two weeks of February, Ohio gave us her best shot at a winter storm. Locally, we got about 4 to 5 inches of snow and were rated at a level 2 snow emergency. (I'm not exactly sure what that means, but the reporters on the local news broadcast seemed to think it was a big deal.) The biggest impact this storm had in our lives was the fact that we missed 4 days of school as a result. I used this extra time to sleep in and to work on a home video project that some of you will be seeing in the near future. (I hope.) I might have enjoyed these days off more if we hadn't already lost 3 days of school the week before because it was cold. That's right--it was cold. The mercury dipped below the 0 mark for a few days, and all the local schools cancelled. Apparently this is a common practice around here, but it was new to both Danielle and I. I've never lived in a place where schools are closed because it's cold. The net result of all of this is that we exceeded our state-allotted number of inclement weather days for the school year, and we will probably have to make some days up later on.

The final portion of the title for this post is the word sovereignty. I included that, not because sovereignty has kept me busy lately, but because I have been thinking about sovereignty in relation to some of the other aspects of my life recently. I wonder, how does God's sovereignty relate to things such as a sporting event or a snowday? How does God decide if the free throw goes in or not? Does a hastily whispered prayer right before releasing the ball actually affect whether or not the shot is made? Does God take an interest in who wins the Super Bowl? What about all of those kids praying in their beds for a snowday? Does the fact that a winter storm blows through that night have any connection to those requests? I don't really know, but it gives you a brief glimpse into the mental processes of my mind.

Meanwhile, in other news--our beloved Chevy Cavalier is in the shop for repairs after a large red pickup backed into it on Monday; Eldan is on the verge of walking; Danielle had a run-in with shingles a few weeks back (and I'm not talking about the kind on your roof); and I am in the middle of making the hardest decision of my school year--who will get to play a role in this year's school play. We are doing a Sherlock Holmes mystery this year, The Hound of the Baskervilles. It should be an enjoyable production, and I will have more to say and show about it in coming weeks. For now, the snow is melting, spring (and daylight savings time) are coming, and the weekend awaits...

One Final Word

I know that the holiday season has now been over for several weeks. The decorations are securely stowed in the garage, the tree has been properly disposed of, and all of the unwanted presents have been returned or exchanged. The new year is here and we are all back to our normal, run-of-the-mill work schedules. However, if you will afford me the privilege, I would like to offer one final word from our family about our holiday vacation. By clicking here, you can view this final word or you can watch it on the player below. (Please Note - Because of the size of this video file, your browser may require several minutes to download the entire thing. Just click "Play", and wait for the download to complete.) By the way, the footage containing all of those complete strangers was taken at Denver International Airport several hours after it reopened from the first blizzard. Enjoy the flick and we hope your new year is off to a smashing start!

Back in the Saddle

(The following is my TWIRP for the week of January 1-6, 2007. Enjoy...)

All good things must come to an end. Or so the saying goes. And they usually come to an end much more quickly than one would want. Such was the case with our Christmas vacation. Once we finally arrived in Colorado, we were rather reluctant to leave. It's not that we don't enjoy Ohio, because we do. It just that...well, it's kind of nice staying in a big house with lots of people and lots of DVD's and lots of food and lots of hands to help with the diaper changing and lots of heat! (My parents keep their house quite a bit warmer than we do.) So it was with heavy hearts and heavy suitcases that we bid my parents farewell just outside the security checkpoint at Denver International Airport early in what proved to be a rather long day.

We were able to fly directly from Columbus to Denver at the beginning of vacation (albeit two days late). We were not so fortunate in returning to Columbus. The only flight that I could find on January 1st that was even remotely within our price range included not 1 but 2 stops. This meant that we got to visit 4 airports in 4 cities in 4 states spread across 3 time zones in approximately 7 hours! In the future, I will do anything short of donating a kidney in order to avoid repeating this process. Eldan behaved very well for most of the day, but he reached his limit during our last flight. We sat on the tarmac for over 30 minutes in a completely filled 737-300. Eldan started screaming. Not just crying, but screaming! I think that some people were getting irritated, but I couldn't really blame Eldan. If I didn't think I would be hauled away for doing so, I would probably have done the same thing.

Eldan did eventually fall asleep, and our plane did eventually leave the gate and the ground. Several hours later we pulled up to our modest abode in Heath only to discover that we could not get in. The front door was locked and chained. The only other way in is through the garage, but the garage door opener was in the car which was in the garage which was securely closed. Needless to say, my wife and my son were both thrilled at this unfortunate turn of events. I succeeded in gaining an entrance to our home only by sawing through the chain on the front door. Normally, I would be irritated at the thought of the added expense of buying a new chain, but at that point...I was just glad to be home.

School resumed on Wednesday, and I jumped back into the teaching saddle with both feet. (Which is a strange way to get in a saddle, let me tell you!) All three of us have been trying to fight off a pesky sinus infection, but have been unsuccessful thus far. As I type this, I am riding on a crowded school bus which is headed back home from Wood County, West Virginia. My basketball team and I suffered a pretty severe loss earlier tonight. At present, our record is 2-4. We're all a little disappointed, but the guys seem to have a really good attitude about the team. That is very encouraging to a rookie coach like myself. There's no time to sulk, however, because we have another game in approximately 12 hours!

Although we are still in mourning over the end of the holidays, we are all doing well and enjoying all of our Christmas "stuff." Basketball season is here in full force, and the weekend awaits...