Dearest Rachel – I’m not entirely sure why l’m coming to you with this, as if I was confessing to a priest or something. It’s not that you ever concerned yourself with nagging me about my weight, even though I was twice the individual you were. You probably looked on it as a sort ofContinue reading “Penance”
Monthly Archives: July 2023
Side Quests
Dearest Rachel – On what I expect to be my last walk through the corridors of the Hyatt convention center, I found myself pausing at the sight below: It might be a more common sight at an anime convention than most times and places, but it was a new idea on me. I decided thereContinue reading “Side Quests”
from Rachel: The Obstacle of Legalism
Write Isaiah 64:4 from memory (compare 1 Corinthians 2:9): “Since ancient times, no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides You who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him.” What is Benefit 5? “to enjoy God’s presence” Many elements or conditions can keep us from trulyContinue reading “from Rachel: The Obstacle of Legalism”
Smoke on the Water
The good sleep better at night, but the wicked enjoy their waking hours more Woody Allen (attributed) Dearest Rachel – Well, were you expecting the intense bass guitar riffs of Deep Purple? This isn’t exactly a format that can accommodate that; or rather, I don’t have a .midi file at hand to attach to thisContinue reading “Smoke on the Water”
The Main Events?
Dearest Rachel – Main programming is not where I spend most of my time at an anime convention. To be sure, the largest part is spent in my hotel room – sleeping, of course, but we would also watch stuff (and do other things) there, and these days, I spend time writing you a lotContinue reading “The Main Events?”
The Return of Samurai Dan
Dearest Rachel – For all that I’ve talked about the atmosphere surrounding the convention, I haven’t told you anything about the actual scheduled events. Part of that is because, even when we were attending these things together, we were rarely all that concerned about the panels, the guests, the screenings and all the other scheduledContinue reading “The Return of Samurai Dan”
Asking the Artist
Dearest Rachel – So another thing that went on yesterday that I just didn’t have time to cover (because other things came up – I’m sure you can understand). Regardless of the fact that I’m not ‘meeting’ anyone at the convention this year (not that this is really any different than last year, to beContinue reading “Asking the Artist”
A Lot (Or Not) to Unpack
Dearest Rachel – You’ve heard me mention several times already how this is my first road trip in a year. In that time, I’ve taken two overseas trips, which tend to be for longer periods, and require me (and Daniel) to use a large suitcase, and pack a lot more (although, since he will sometimesContinue reading “A Lot (Or Not) to Unpack”
Once, Twice, Three Times a Philosopher
Dearest Rachel – There is a story about Voltaire that tells of him being invited to a party by some of his more… libertine… friends. For all intents and purposes, this was basically an orgy. The story doesn’t relate as to whether he actually participated in the events of the night, but one is leftContinue reading “Once, Twice, Three Times a Philosopher”
Home(wood) Away from Home
Dearest Rachel – I think that, at one point, we may have considered booking a room at the Homewood Suites a short walk away from the convention center, but balked at the price; at the time, we weren’t in the financial position we – well, I guess, I – are (am?) now. Besides, given thatContinue reading “Home(wood) Away from Home”
Like Virgil in the Forest
Dearest Rachel – I wouldn’t go so far as to suggest I owe you an apology for going back on my word – had life continued as we expected, with you still here, there would have been absolutely no question about whether or not we would continue to go to Anime Iowa, no reason forContinue reading “Like Virgil in the Forest”
Speaking Love in the Wrong Language
Dearest Rachel – I really shouldn’t be grocery shopping when I’m planning to go out of town. Sure, a few snacks for the road – or even the hotel room; we always used to bring a supply from the local Japanese market when we would go to an anime convention, but that was often inContinue reading “Speaking Love in the Wrong Language”
To Answer the Call of the Road
Dearest Rachel – I hadn’t meant for this to happen, but I suppose it shouldn’t have come as any surprise; this morning saw me up by five. I had fallen asleep in bed watching YouTube before ten while the boys were doing likewise in the family room as per usual – in part, I wouldContinue reading “To Answer the Call of the Road”
Comfortable With the Spectrum
Dearest Rachel – There’s a fine line between insight and common sense. Frankly, I think the main difference between the two is that you haven’t heard the insight often enough before to know that, whatever it is you think you’ve just come up with, it really isn’t a new observation. So it was for meContinue reading “Comfortable With the Spectrum”
To Frame the Events of the Day
Dearest Rachel – You might think that, after a day as unusual as yesterday (even for a Sunday), I would have so much to tell you about. And yet, I was dismayed to wake up this morning without a thought in my mind as to what to say to you – or really, to sayContinue reading “To Frame the Events of the Day”
Introduction to the Family
Dearest Rachel – I will give Grace credit; while I would no more be willing to leave my church family than my actual family (in fairness, the former includes most of my actual family, particularly the immediate part of it) for the sake of a woman, she was willing to visit mine to see whatContinue reading “Introduction to the Family”
from Rachel: The Obstacle of Prayerlessness
Begin with the following words, and… complete the two verses accordingly. “Do not be calm about anything, but in everything… “…feel stress and anxiety, with fear, and hold it all inside yourself. And the nauseous, nervous feeling in the pit of your stomach will continue and grow until you feel like you might throw up.”Continue reading “from Rachel: The Obstacle of Prayerlessness”
If I Can’t Get You to Stay…
Dearest Rachel – Last night felt like an experiment in lucid dreaming, if it wasn’t for the fact that none of it was deliberate. But still, I seemed to be able to have you join me in a series of dreams, almost at will. The only problem was, I couldn’t convince you to stay –Continue reading “If I Can’t Get You to Stay…”
Trudging the Trudge
Dearest Rachel – Last night I went to bed early; before ten, so I could wake up a little after five and get to the gym more or less when it opened. I didn’t bother to shower yesterday, so I figured I’d get my second workout of the week in before taking one this morning.Continue reading “Trudging the Trudge”
I Can Only Be ‘Good’ for So Long
Dearest Rachel – Since I can’t quite tell you a success story about my drawn-out battle with weight loss – at least, not until I can prove to myself that I’ve attained a measure of lasting success – allow me to regale you with… well, would it count as a failure story? It’s not allContinue reading “I Can Only Be ‘Good’ for So Long”
What Was I Thinking?
Dearest Rachel – There are mornings when I wake up, and I just have to wonder about the mental images my mind has just conjured up for me to observe throughout the previous night. It becomes a literal case of “what was I thinking?” Which is weird in and of itself, as it basically involvesContinue reading “What Was I Thinking?”
Overclocking the Mind
Dearest Rachel – I probably did myself no favors by stepping on the scale last night. Ever since pulling that calf muscle on Friday, I’ve been relatively indolent, at least on a physical level. In a way, that’s to be expected; I don’t make a habit of working out over the weekends as a generalContinue reading “Overclocking the Mind”
Three-Legged Race
Dearest Rachel – Since my dad served on the board of directors there (and our family, while decidedly middle class, wasn’t exactly rolling in cash for big-ticket vacations on the regular), I spent a lot of my summers as a kid camping in northern Wisconsin, at Fort Wilderness. I won’t say it was my favoriteContinue reading “Three-Legged Race”
Dating as a Non-Contact Sport
Dearest Rachel – Dinner and a movie. It’s been a long time since we engaged in that traditional dating pastime – and, by extension, it’s been a long time since I’ve done so, myself (although, one doesn’t do that ‘by oneself,’ almost by definition). It brings back memories from the days before we were togetherContinue reading “Dating as a Non-Contact Sport”
from Rachel: The Obstacle of Idolatry
List everything Isaiah 55:1-9 teaches us about God. – “God satisfies spiritual hunger and thirst. – “God gives generously and freely. – “He makes everlasting covenants. – “He puts leaders in power. – “He ordains futures. – “He endows with splendor. – “He is available and eager to hear from us. – “He calls theContinue reading “from Rachel: The Obstacle of Idolatry”
Hamstrung
Dearest Rachel – I’m hoping it hasn’t come to this; since I’ve never really experienced an injury like this before, I don’t know what it feels like. I don’t want to claim I’m suffering something that’s so much worse in reality than what I’m dealing with. For all I know, this could be nothing moreContinue reading “Hamstrung”
Little Things in the Morning
Dearest Rachel – You’ve heard tell from me on one day or another about how I have so little to write to you, and that’s still quite true; in the nine hundred days since your departure, some of them have simply run together, and offered nothing in particular to set them apart in terms ofContinue reading “Little Things in the Morning”
Two Pieces of Mail
Dearest Rachel – It’s true that we get way more than two pieces of mail in any given day; the recycling bin can well attest to that. And, considering how early in the morning I’m writing you about this, I’m sure you can already figure out that these weren’t received today, in any event. ButContinue reading “Two Pieces of Mail”
Ignoring the Thunder
Dearest Rachel – King Solomon wrote about how there would be days like this as he grew older; how he would “rise at the sound of a bird,” even as he could barely hear “the daughters of song.” This morning started with what sounded to me like the noise of movers on the roof, rollingContinue reading “Ignoring the Thunder”
Changes of Plan
Dearest Rachel – The thing about yesterday’s synchronicity of inconveniences is that life rarely works out so well (even in the midst of not working out so well); that’s really why I wrote to you about it, because it was so unusual. Not only were each of the main issues out of the ordinary, butContinue reading “Changes of Plan”
Convenient Inconveniences
Dearest Rachel – I don’t know where I heard it originally, but it’s been said that there are no such thing as coincidences; it’s just that God doesn’t always want to sign His name to everything that happens. Considering that some of what happens isn’t exactly what we would call ‘good’ (although, given our collectiveContinue reading “Convenient Inconveniences”
from Rachel: The Obstacle of Pride
In Isaiah 26:8, what do the people desire or value? “God’s name and renown” Place an X on the scale to indicate how you would estimate the visibility of God in your life. “(about 8 out of 10 on a scale from practically invisible to conspicuous)” How does Isaiah 4:8 say God responds to thisContinue reading “from Rachel: The Obstacle of Pride”
It’s Only Carbon…
Dearest Rachel – The day before your memorial service, Jenn and Lars drove me up to the Milwaukee funeral home where your body had been transported after I had authorized the plug to be pulled on you, and you were declared dead. They were the nearest place that did cremations, and it would be cheaper,Continue reading “It’s Only Carbon…”
Not There Yet
Dearest Rachel – I keep hearing from people that one of these days, working out will be second nature to me. There will come a point in time, or so I’m told, in which I can’t go a day or two without exercising like I do at the gym. Not so much out of guiltContinue reading “Not There Yet”
Commitment Kept
Dearest Rachel – This is something I hardly need to tell you, as you always meant what you said when you said it, but… one must never make an offer to someone that one isn’t prepared to back up. Now, this isn’t to mean that I have just done this; when I got the textContinue reading “Commitment Kept”
How to Start the Morning
Dearest Rachel – I wonder if you’d be amused by the fact that I’m getting this much milage out of the effects of a holiday intractably stuck in the middle of the work week like this. You’d probably point out that it doesn’t affect me as much as most people, now that I’m able toContinue reading “How to Start the Morning”
Limits to Freedom
Dearest Rachel – Back in the day, you remember that I used to read articles from my newsfeed out loud to you, partly in order to practice reading scripts for the day when I brought my channel online, and partly because I simply agreed with (or at least was amused by) the writer’s perspective, andContinue reading “Limits to Freedom”
The Space Between the Spaces
Dearest Rachel – It’s been barely four years, and already I’ve forgotten how to deal with days like this – or how others deal with days like this. Of course, since you never had a nine-to-five weekday workday job yourself, you wouldn’t exactly be the person to ask about this issue. Not that it reallyContinue reading “The Space Between the Spaces”
Heart in My Throat
Dearest Rachel – It’s a well-known trope, experienced by parents from generations past; that of staying up, waiting for their children to come home, worrying about what may have happened to them while they were out. It’s not one that you and I experienced very often, as Daniel was – and still is – ordersContinue reading “Heart in My Throat”
Nothing Much?
Dearest Rachel – There’s a story that’s made the rounds online that, back before the turn of the century, when automobiles were little more than a rare and expensive novelty, there was a state in which the only two automobiles within it collided. I want to say this happened in Ohio, which, considering its sizeContinue reading “Nothing Much?”
from Rachel: The Obstacle of Unbelief
According to Isaiah 57:14, what must be removed? “the obstacles” If the king found the path unprepared, he’d bypass the village and withhold his blessing. What are some obstacles you’ve battled in previous efforts to live the liberated, abundant life in Christ? – “Procrastination – “slothfulness – “love of TV – “love of computer gamesContinue reading “from Rachel: The Obstacle of Unbelief”
The Lost Wedding
Dearest Rachel – The trouble with summer is that, once the sun is up, and its light floods the bedroom, it’s all but impossible to stay asleep, no matter how hard I try (or how late I was up). I don’t honestly know how you managed to sleep so long in the morning, surrounded byContinue reading “The Lost Wedding”
Letters to Rachel 