Dearest Rachel – Well, I promised I would tell you about it, and here we are; after over five years of driving your car around, Daniel finally has a car he can call his own. It has everything he wanted in a car (which, admittedly, wasn’t much to begin with, but thus far, he hasn’tContinue reading “Something He Can Call His Own”
Monthly Archives: September 2026
What Passes for Productivity
Dearest Rachel – I had this title in mind when I was on my way to the ‘office’ yesterday morning; if I could get everything accomplished that I had in mind for the day, I could write and tell you about how much I managed to do. And in a way, it was a relativelyContinue reading “What Passes for Productivity”
Pawpaw Party
Dearest Rachel – So, while I had prepared for nothing much to happen last night – and as a consequent sidelight, begun a couple of letters to you as contingency plans – that is precisely what turned out to not happen. As a result, I have plenty to tell you about, even if much ofContinue reading “Pawpaw Party”
from Rachel: On the Contrary
What happened to Paul and Silas (called Sylvanus in Thessalonians) after they were dragged into the marketplace before the authorities (vv. 22-24)? “The crowd joined in the attack, the authorities ordered them to be stripped and beaten, they were severely flogged, they were imprisoned in an inner cell, and their feet were put in stocks.”Continue reading “from Rachel: On the Contrary”
Small Stuff in the Meantime
Dearest Rachel – There’s a pair of rules for life that go like such: 1.) Don’t sweat the small stuff, and 2.) it’s all small stuff. And from your vantage point, that’s truer than any living human can grasp. Literally anything I tell you about is ‘small stuff,’ in the grand scheme of things, noContinue reading “Small Stuff in the Meantime”
A Day For Daniel
Dearest Rachel – I’ve got to admit, I really don’t know what to write to you about this morning. It’s been a day of a fair number of little things – just enough to keep me occupied – none of which strike me as particularly noteworthy. It’s just a little bit of everything and aContinue reading “A Day For Daniel”
We Disappoint
Dearest Rachel – Coming home from class at church last night (Pastor Joel is doing a series on Old Testament characters, and certain Biblical counseling principles that apply to them; our first night started almost at the very beginning, with Cain and God’s warning to him to keep his desires under control, lest something terribleContinue reading “We Disappoint”
Going On Younger
Dearest Rachel – Yesterday, I mentioned something rather in passing about how I see those who are my peers – people my age – to somehow be older than myself. As I was writing that parenthetical comment, I realized that it could stand to be expanded upon, but if I were to do that rightContinue reading “Going On Younger”
I Could Use a New Drug
Dearest Rachel – I’m not gonna go so far as to say that I need a new drug (and in event, apparently Huey Lewis didn’t go that far either – he actually said “want,” much to my surprise – not that he was talking about drugs in the first place, but rather about love andContinue reading “I Could Use a New Drug”
Harnessing Resolve
Dearest Rachel – I’ve told you in the past about one failure or another when it comes to attempts at both diet and exercise; not only have are there the standard problems with motivation, there been times when one’s determination to do right falters when faced with certain obstacles life presents. My struggles with thisContinue reading “Harnessing Resolve”
from Rachel: Hear It
Please look up the precise wording of verse 8 in either the NASB, KJV, or the ESV. According to one of these three versions, exactly what sounded out or sounded forth from them?“the word of the Lord” The following verses offer a broad-spectrum view of the power of the phrase. What does each say aboutContinue reading “from Rachel: Hear It”
We Need A Third, At Least
Dearest Rachel – This weekend is particularly quiet for Daniel and myself, honey. Logan is out of the house for the weekend; I forget if it’s a sibling or a cousin of his, but one or the other is getting married this weekend up in Michigan. It strikes me as a little odd for aContinue reading “We Need A Third, At Least”
Not For Me, But Still…
Dearest Rachel – So last night had me in class again at church. It doesn’t require the same sort of schedule juggling as Grief Share did five years ago (when it was running concurrently against Awana clubs and my responsibilities there), but given that it’s on a Thursday, it does sort of interfere with ourContinue reading “Not For Me, But Still…”
Would I Be Like Arne?
Dearest Rachel – It’s been a while since we went walking like this in the woods; not only were the last two weeks that I’ve met up with Lars been rather short on actual walking, he’s been hosting friends from overseas, so I’m something of a bit player in those days (and I’ve rather hadContinue reading “Would I Be Like Arne?”
The Beasts of the Kingdom
Dearest Rachel – So, over Labor Day weekend, Logan dragged Daniel and I (not too insistently, as we’d found the movie intriguing enough to consider checking out – we just don’t go out to do these things on our own without a little extra push, which Logan was more than happy to provide) to seeContinue reading “The Beasts of the Kingdom”
A Healthy Crowd
Dearest Rachel – I don’t know what it felt like to you or Daniel, but it seems like whatever I have right now is like one of the colds either of you would deal with; longer term, lower symptom intensity, but just there the whole time. Rather than being laid out flat like I usedContinue reading “A Healthy Crowd”
Walking Distance
Dearest Rachel – I’m pretty sure that Kirsten started the conversation this weekend about what we might do together, which will eventually become somewhat ironic at some point in this story. To be fair, she started it sometime in the middle of Friday, when I was staying home (although not exactly staying home the wholeContinue reading “Walking Distance”
from Rachel: Reading Lives and Letters
What do you think my pastor’s statement means? “Happiness is wonderful, but it is hard to hold onto. It comes and goes with the moment and one’s mood. Even on an extra happy day or in an especially happy place, little problems or inconveniences or disappointments or even slightly boring moments can make happiness ebbContinue reading “from Rachel: Reading Lives and Letters”
A Mad, Pointless Dash
Dearest Rachel – So yesterday saw me sitting at home yet again; for all Mom’s mock-concern about losing track of the days with ‘two Saturdays’ at the end of the week, I can’t seem to avoid the situation. This time around, it was a continuation of an issue we had mostly dealt with of aContinue reading “A Mad, Pointless Dash”
Vaguely Familiar Ground
Dearest Rachel – So, yesterday saw me driving Mom to her investment advisors’ to deposit a refund check from Dad’s health insurance, as well as determine what to do with the life insurance payout she had already received. While I would point out that she could certainly have driven herself – she does so whenContinue reading “Vaguely Familiar Ground”
Chained in Place
Dearest Rachel – For all that I mention it (and for all that I try not to), you’re well aware of my newsfeed, and the fact that I still read it on a daily basis. You might remember that I used to read certain articles of interest to you, partly as practice at reading scripts,Continue reading “Chained in Place”
Meanwhile, at Home…
Dearest Rachel – There are some stories that are not really mine to tell, as I don’t enter into them until the second or third act at best, but since Daniel’s not likely to tell it (for various reasons, including that he’s not a writer, as such, and it’s debatable as to how well theContinue reading “Meanwhile, at Home…”
Letting Myself Be Treated
Dearest Rachel – I’ve no idea how long it’s been since I’ve been to Lake Geneva; in fact, as far as I know, I (and therefore we) never went there before. There are the odd sights that seem vaguely familiar from my childhood, but as you know, my childhood memories don’t seem to be asContinue reading “Letting Myself Be Treated”
To Shock God Himself
Dearest Rachel – I mentioned just the other day in replying to you that I feel a sort of futility in the idea of praying to an omniscient God – although what kind of “god” would One be if He wasn’t that, along with all the other “omni”s ascribed to him? Were He to lackContinue reading “To Shock God Himself”
‘Working’ on Labor Day
Dearest Rachel – It may seem a little inappropriate for me to be reporting in to the ‘office’ today – although it’s been pointed out since the holiday was created how odd it is to celebrate ‘labor’ by not laboring – but that’s the beauty of being retired and being able to set one’s ownContinue reading “‘Working’ on Labor Day”
from Rachel: But Also in Power
Read Mark 4:41. What question did they ask in their great fear? “‘Who is this?’ (‘Even the wind and the waves obey Him.’)” ✭ Trying to wrap human language around holy exposure is like trying to cover a big screen TV with six inches of Christmas paper. Do you understand from experience what I’m talkingContinue reading “from Rachel: But Also in Power”
Playing Tour Guide
Dearest Rachel – It was an interesting start to the day, honey. I was assured by Copilot that the trains departing the Arlington Heights station for Ogilvie would show up there at about 48 minutes past the hour, so I made a point of leaving the house shortly after nine (but not without extending aContinue reading “Playing Tour Guide”
Making Preparations
Dearest Rachel – Since I really want to get this out before I have to leave the house in the morning, this letter is mostly being written ahead of time. Oh, I expect to have a fair amount to tell you about regarding today’s activities, but that won’t be until I get home, and byContinue reading “Making Preparations”
Costco Run
Dearest Rachel – Good news this morning (or, more accurately, from Tuesday afternoon); Daniel called in to the county as instructed on his summons, and it turns out that his services were not required after all, which was a relief. I was fully prepared to escort him down there (despite never having been called toContinue reading “Costco Run”
Can Ghosts Take Care of You?
Dearest Rachel – Given a fairly calm and otherwise uneventful week – it’s too hot and muggy to go walking (and in any event, Lars is being visited by some old friends from Europe, although he’s invited me to join them on Friday when they hit the city in earnest; we’ll see how that goes),Continue reading “Can Ghosts Take Care of You?”
Retirement Home
Dearest Rachel – It’s been one of those days where nothing interesting is happening, at least not personally, which is okay; life doesn’t always have to have something monumental going on in it every day. In fact, if it did, it would get to the point where a boring day would be the most unusualContinue reading “Retirement Home”
