Dearest Rachel – I’ll admit, I had planned to skip my usual weekday workout this morning anyway. Sure, I hadn’t hit the gym all weekend, due to working in the booth – which required a lot more active attention to details than some times, due to the unpredictable nature of baptism weekend – nor didContinue reading “Cramping My Schedule”
Author Archives: randy@letters-to-rachel.memorial
from Rachel: Same Spot, Different Despot
Fill in the blank according to Luke 21:24: ‘Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until “the times of the Gentiles” are fulfilled.Now, fill in the blank, according to the final words of Daniel‘s fifth chapter: ‘That very night Belshazzar, King of the Babylonians, was slain, and “Darius the Mede” took over the kingdom,Continue reading “from Rachel: Same Spot, Different Despot”
Sleeping Through the Process
Dearest Rachel – After putting myself through a full-day fast last weekend (with an exception made for a can of coffee to get me through Sunday morning’s shift), I’ve made it through the entirety of this week below the two-fifteen line, and at least once a day at or below two-ten (although I still haven’tContinue reading “Sleeping Through the Process”
When We Are The Terror
Dearest Rachel – It would seem that not all nightmares involve being personally terrorized; sometimes the nightmare involves being the terror itself, all while appearing to be perfectly innocuous. Such was my dream from last night, and a vivid one it was, honey. As far as I could tell, I was part of some classContinue reading “When We Are The Terror”
It Can’t Rain Forever
Dearest Rachel – While I might point out that I’m still sleepy this morning from having stayed up later than usual with Daniel watching videos last night – and I may have gotten a little too smug about dropping my weight down to two-oh-six after yesterday morning’s workout (had leftover salad to serve as myContinue reading “It Can’t Rain Forever”
One Final Trip (part four)
Dearest Rachel – It’s annoying to get reminders of things you need to do at the most inappropriate and inconvenient times. I spent Sunday morning in the audio-visual booth, listening to a sermon entitled ‘Roadtrip’ (about the conversation on the road to Emmaus – it was the week right after Easter, you understand), and foundContinue reading “One Final Trip (part four)”
I’d Tell You Everything
Dearest Rachel – Yesterday really had me going through my news feed rather than trying to finish a topic that I couldn’t resolve in that moment. In the process, though, I ran across a tweet – okay, a retweet of a retweet – that really made me stop and think about what I would doContinue reading “I’d Tell You Everything”
News Feed Fire Hose
Dearest Rachel – I had actually started a topic yesterday afternoon that I was going to work on for you for today, but it doesn’t seem like I’m going to arrive at any resolution to it soon enough, what with the weather being sunny today and rainy thereafter until the weekend – which means thatContinue reading “News Feed Fire Hose”
from Rachel: Weighed and Found Wanting
Read Daniel 5:18-31. What was Belshazzar’s defining mistake (v. 22)? “He had not humbled himself (though he knew what had happened to his grandfather).” Can you think of any easier route to victory than learning from the mistakes of others? Oh, the pain we’d avoid! Really think about it: why do we tend to beContinue reading “from Rachel: Weighed and Found Wanting”
Hoover Parenting
Dearest Rachel – It should hardly come as breaking news that, with a few exceptions, I’m no fan of leftovers. There’s something decidedly distasteful about being obliged to eat more of the same meal you couldn’t finish the day or two before, simply because if you don’t, it’s going to be forgotten about in theContinue reading “Hoover Parenting”
Last One Out
Dearest Rachel – It’s a sight I don’t see very often when I head out to the office in the mornings… No, it’s not the fact that the magnolia tree is still in bloom; like I said the other day, it’s a hardier flowering plant than the sakura trees that Japan is so famous for,Continue reading “Last One Out”
Nearly Bird
Dearest Rachel – This is hardly groundbreaking news – especially to you, of all people – but very few of us, once we reach a certain point in our adult life, care to admit to our advancing age, even to ourselves. We would prefer to be, and act, like someone considerably younger than ourselves; asContinue reading “Nearly Bird”
Leaving You Behind (by Accident)
Dearest Rachel – It’s probably that much worse to be having to admit this to you on an anniversary date – in this case, the fifty-first month since your departure – but this is the way things happen (to say nothing of the timing of my finding out). Considering where it happened, it could atContinue reading “Leaving You Behind (by Accident)”
花見 – Hanami at Home
Dearest Rachel – Maybe I never noticed it because it was right there in front of us the whole time (and we had to deal with the blossoms once they fell and stuck to our respective cars, which is something of a nuisance); maybe it’s just that more obvious to me after two straight yearsContinue reading “花見 – Hanami at Home”
One Final Trip (part 3)
Dearest Rachel – Now that the busyness of the Easter weekend is in the rear view mirror, I have to get on with things regarding our (and I do mean our; you’re coming along with. In fact, you’re the reason we’re even doing this, after all) trip to the island. I’ve gotten a confirmation fromContinue reading “One Final Trip (part 3)”
from Rachel: An Extraordinary Spirit
Read Daniel 5:10-17. Who told Belshazzar about Daniel? “the queen” List all the ways she described Daniel: “① ‘has the spirit of the holy gods in him’;“② has ‘insight and intelligence and wisdom like that of the gods’;“③ was appointed ‘chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners’;“④ the king called him Belteshazzar;“⑤ has ‘aContinue reading “from Rachel: An Extraordinary Spirit”
Serving in the Shadows
Dearest Rachel – Last weekend, when we were moving most of Sylvia’s stuff out of her home so she can live with Ellen (and be watched over by Jeanette when she can stop over), we moved a lot of stuff into the U-Haul. I could safely assume that the sisters packed up what they consideredContinue reading “Serving in the Shadows”
Running Short on Time
Dearest Rachel – Look, I realize that I’ve no justification for complaining about a tight schedule; the last couple of Holy Weeks have seen me not only on vacation, but abroad on cruises. I’ve taken it easy enough times already that I’ve absolutely no right to complain about diminishing down time. And while I mightContinue reading “Running Short on Time”
Not Perfect, but Simple
Dearest Rachel – The house still smells a bit too much like curry for an early morning, but I suppose that’s on me. It’s a pervasive scent, whenever it’s used in cooking; some people find it objectionable, while to others, it’s a way of life. I don’t fall into either of those categories, but ifContinue reading “Not Perfect, but Simple”
Quite the Scrape
Dearest Rachel – I should probably mention that to a large extent, this isn’t really my story to tell; much of what happened here happened to Daniel, and I’ve only gotten the bare bones of it all. Which is part of the reason I’m writing you about it, since Daniel isn’t going to say muchContinue reading “Quite the Scrape”
Work Keeps You Sane
Dearest Rachel – I really thought that coming back to your hometown would hurt more than it did. As I’ve said before, what with you being gone (to say nothing of your folks, who served as your anchor to the place), there’s nothing for me in the place anymore. It represents somewhere – and moreContinue reading “Work Keeps You Sane”
The Last Trip Home
Dearest Rachel – Honestly, I never thought I would be setting foot in Macomb again. I may know my way around the place, even after all this time, but I couldn’t imagine having a need to return there. Of course, as it turned out, it wasn’t a need of mine that brought me back. WithContinue reading “The Last Trip Home”
from Rachel: Healthy Sorrow
List everything James 1:13-18 tells you about God: “‘God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone’ (13) He sends good and perfect thing, He is the Father of the heavenly lights, He does not change (17), He chose to give us birth, and He made us firstfruits of all He created.” WhatContinue reading “from Rachel: Healthy Sorrow”
Offering Assistance
Dearest Rachel – I honestly didn’t know whether I’d have time to get in touch with you today. Oh, I’ll have hours in which I’ll be doing nothing but sitting in the passenger seat of a U-Haul bound for your hometown, but I think that may serve a purpose in its own right, which deservesContinue reading “Offering Assistance”
A Little More Sun
Dearest Rachel – It would seem that this morning exercise routine, reluctant though I am to follow it, is something of a self-perpetuating cycle. I put in some seven-plus miles on the treadmill yesterday, and by nine o’clock, I was as ready to fall asleep in my chair than actually bother with watching another videoContinue reading “A Little More Sun”
So What’s Holding Me Back?
Dearest Rachel – Ostensibly, one of the great privileges of my semi-retired state is that theoretically, I can pack up and go here and there on a whim, at a moment’s notice. It would please me no end to be able to just cab out to the airport and fly wherever at some point –Continue reading “So What’s Holding Me Back?”
That’s How They Get You
Dearest Rachel – Technically, this is something I’d consider to be old news by now, having happened a week or so ago, but since it happened after your departure, it would still probably be news to you. You might remember those companies that would offer a DNA analysis service back in the day; I thinkContinue reading “That’s How They Get You”
Too Early, Too Cold… Too Late?
Dearest Rachel – You won’t believe how early it was when I first wake up. Then again, if you were still here you might not have had to believe it, since we could have been crossing paths (assuming I followed through, in my somnambulant state); you would have seen I was up, and wondered why.Continue reading “Too Early, Too Cold… Too Late?”
Fears for the Future
Dearest Rachel – There are some things that were a part of your personality, certain likes and dislikes, that were on the periphery of my perception, that I often forget to comment upon in these letters to you. It’s not so much an oversight on my part, since I barely was able to notice themContinue reading “Fears for the Future”
from Rachel: Unholy Use of Holy Vessels
Please reread the portion of Scripture that held our primary attentions in session 5: Daniel 5:1-9. What part of it did God use to speak to you? “Satan revels in using holy vessels to toast unholy things.” Read 2 Timothy 2:20-21,26 and briefly describe the parallel. “We are holy vessels, but if we surrender toContinue reading “from Rachel: Unholy Use of Holy Vessels”
Like Crabs in a Bucket
Dearest Rachel – There’s not much to tell you about today (although at this hour of the morning, would you expect there to be?), aside from what for me was a fairly unusual dream, in that I had no part in it, save as an observer of what might as well have been a theatricalContinue reading “Like Crabs in a Bucket”
Cheat Day (and a Half)
Dearest Rachel – I’m not sure if you’d be grateful for it or wondering about the topic’s recent absence, but you might have noticed that I haven’t been telling you much about my weight loss journey for the past week or so. Much of what’s been going on has had to do with my carContinue reading “Cheat Day (and a Half)”
Fifty-Seven
Dearest Rachel – Seven and a half years ago, the family gathered at a restaurant after Sunday services (like we often did back then, but this was a fancier place than we’d usually assemble at, since this was a special occasion) to celebrate my parents’ anniversary. For the life of me, I can’t remember whatContinue reading “Fifty-Seven”
Reprieve and Delay
Dearest Rachel – Well, the good news is that it’s not the transmission that’s wrong with my car (or, presumably, yours, were I or Daniel to take it in to get it looked at). The bad news is that all the little things that are wrong with it are going to cost as much asContinue reading “Reprieve and Delay”
Defying the Pattern
Dearest Rachel – You’re probably well aware that the human mind sees patterns where none actually exist. It’s how concepts like pareidolia come into being; we see a pair of similar marks balanced atop a slightly larger mark, and instinctively imagine a face (two eyes and a mouth; there may be more, but that’s quiteContinue reading “Defying the Pattern”
When Even the Experts are Stumped
Dearest Rachel – By the end of the day today, it will have been nearly a week since dropping the car off at the dealer’s for what I rather thought would have been fairly routine – if admittedly less regular than just a simple lube, oil and filter – maintenance. Sure, a multi-point inspection wouldContinue reading “When Even the Experts are Stumped”
from Rachel: The Handwriting on the Wall
Belshazzar made the mistake of treating the “holy” as “unholy.”Compare Leviticus 8:10-11 and 2 Chronicles 7:16 (“masah – to anoint; masiyah – the anointed one”). The Hebrew transliteration for consecrate is qadas meaning to be clean, “pronounce” clean (ceremonially or morally); to consecrate to God, “declare” as holy, “treat” as holy, signifies an act orContinue reading “from Rachel: The Handwriting on the Wall”
Speaking Of Signs…
Dearest Rachel – It was just yesterday that I was telling you about literal yard signs, and how they serve as a means to determine who to vote for (and who not to, as well) based on what we know about the neighbors who support this or that candidate. The signs (or is it justContinue reading “Speaking Of Signs…”
There Will Be Signs
Dearest Rachel – They say that “all politics is local,” and that’s something we’re about to deal with come next Tuesday, when we’re to vote for the mayor, village trustees and the local school board. Granted, there’s something to be said about holding an election on April 1st, of all days, but for the moment,Continue reading “There Will Be Signs”
All the Time in the World?
Dearest Rachel – Daniel has been asking me multiple times throughout the past day whether I’ve heard from the dealership about the status of the work being done on my vehicle. After just a single day of me appropriating his/your car, it would seem that he would like it back. It seems a little weird,Continue reading “All the Time in the World?”
Wheels and Feet
Dearest Rachel – So, yesterday had me bringing in the car to the dealership to have it looked at. Officially, I was only overdue for an oil change, but there are places I can go where that can be done quicker and more efficiently, in my opinion (although I can’t necessarily speak for ‘cheaper’; evenContinue reading “Wheels and Feet”
Intentionally Insensate
Dearest Rachel – Yesterday, after treating Kris to sushi (we were making good on a rain check from the week before, when she had to run out quickly after finishing her work on the house), Daniel and I made a couple of stops on the way home. They were mostly just ordinary grocery stuff, butContinue reading “Intentionally Insensate”
When the People Are Dying
Dearest Rachel – This is definitely not one of the tunes we swapped between us when we were courting after I graduated from college, but it’s true that at least one of Tonio K’s songs was in that lineup. This one has way too much social commentary to be considered a love song, to sayContinue reading “When the People Are Dying”
from Rachel: Break Off
Which part of the interpretation recorded in verses 20-27 do you imagine was most disturbing to King Nebuchadnezzar? “I would imagine the living with wild animals, eating grass like cattle, and sleeping outside every night.” Glance back at Daniel 2:48-49. What had Nebuchadnezzar done for Daniel after he interpreted the first dream? “He had madeContinue reading “from Rachel: Break Off”
Why Tiny Houses?
Dearest Rachel – The other day, I was telling you about how I fell down a rabbit hole of real estate listings, particularly in a place that we’d both individually been to and wanted to return to, but never got the chance to do together (let alone take Daniel with us to show him whatContinue reading “Why Tiny Houses?”
The Son in the Vineyard
Dearest Rachel – So last night was an assembly for what might be considered the leaders of the church to present their pledges for the upcoming… well, it’s not so much a capital campaign like we’ve held in the past for certain specific projects as it is a commitment for future giving going forward. There’sContinue reading “The Son in the Vineyard”
They’ve Stopped Making It
Dearest Rachel – It’s a silly little line that hits early on in A Charlie Brown Christmas, but it occasionally resonates with me for reasons I can’t quite pin down. The gang are catching snowflakes on their tongues as they fall around them (Lucy, fussbudget that she is, insists that she never engages in suchContinue reading “They’ve Stopped Making It”
Running Water
Dearest Rachel – And here I thought the most interesting thing I would have to relate to you this morning was the fact that I just received (and was trying out) a couple pairs of cushioned insoles for my gym shoes. This is what happens when I forget about the things that I’ve scheduled weeksContinue reading “Running Water”
Same Singer, Different Songs
Dearest Rachel – At the moment, I’m short on both inspiration and time, when it comes to talking to you this morning. The former is probably due to the uniformity of midweek; when days look the same every time you open your eyes to the not-yet-dawn, what’s to tell you about? The latter has toContinue reading “Same Singer, Different Songs”
Shallow Targets
Dearest Rachel – Some days, I’m at a loss for what to write you because there just isn’t much going on that I haven’t told you about before (or that I can at least put a slightly different spin on, for the sake of offering some amusement). Today is a little different, insofar as IContinue reading “Shallow Targets”
Are Things Not Satisfactory?
Dearest Rachel – There’s an old joke about a child who, for the first few years of his life, appeared to be completely mute, much to the consternation of his parents. They took him to doctors and specialists, who couldn’t find anything wrong with his vocal cords or his neural connections. Eventually, they gave upContinue reading “Are Things Not Satisfactory?”
from Rachel: Stripped Leaves and Scattered Fruit
The image in King Nebuchadnezzar’s first prophetic dream was a statue. What was the image in the second dream (today’s segment)? “a flourishing, sheltering tree“ According to the definition, what is the word luxuriant used to describe? “luxuriant or flourishing trees” How did the first tree symbolize Nebuchadnezzar‘s reign in Babylon up to that time?Continue reading “from Rachel: Stripped Leaves and Scattered Fruit”
I Can Smell the Barbeque
Dearest Rachel – “We need to talk.” Those four words (and their variations) have chilled the blood of boyfriends and husbands throughout the world for generations. We always somehow knew the that the topic of conversation was going to be an unpleasant one, and we were likely to be receiving blame for the situation itselfContinue reading “I Can Smell the Barbeque”
Another Part of the Routine
Dearest Rachel – I’ve mentioned before how, at the moment, I’m best able to come up with (or at least start on) topics to relate to you in between crunch sets at the gym. I’m not sure why; it’s probably from having to do something while I’m catching my breath, and this is as goodContinue reading “Another Part of the Routine”
Competing With Myself
Dearest Rachel – Even though the wind isn’t whistling at its worst this morning, it’s more than sufficient to remind me that spring isn’t quite here yet. What motion the air has in this thirty degree environment is enough for me to feel like my arms are clad in steel wool; even as calm asContinue reading “Competing With Myself”
Things that Once Were Normal
Dearest Rachel – You’d think I was up late last night (and it may well have been, since Daniel joins me to hang out only once Logan heads off to bed at nine, which is too early for even me to call it a night); somehow, I didn’t open my eyes until it was almostContinue reading “Things that Once Were Normal”
Willing to Discard
Dearest Rachel – Well, it’s Tuesday, honey, and you know what that means. No, we’re not picking up dinner from Taco Bell; while I didn’t mind the place in the slightest, that was still more your thing than mine or Daniel’s. I’ve probably been there fewer times since you left than I have fingers onContinue reading “Willing to Discard”
The Persistence of Hyperreality
Dearest Rachel – I don’t think I got enough sleep last night; Daniel and I were up past eleven (stop laughing, honey, you know that’s late for me!) watching YouTube videos and dealing with an interruption that I’ll get to in a moment. Then, as I tried to drift off to sleep, I found myselfContinue reading “The Persistence of Hyperreality”
from Rachel: Stubborn Minds
What image was in Nebuchadnezzar’s first dream? “a very tall statue being destroyed by a very big rock.” What kinds of metals or materials comprised the image? “gold, silver, bronze, iron, and iron and baked clay” Recall to the best of your ability the parts of the statue’s ‘body’ made up of each of thoseContinue reading “from Rachel: Stubborn Minds”
Down to the Two of Us
Dearest Rachel – As weird as it sometimes is to have Daniel’s friend Logan rooming with us, there are times when he’s almost indispensable. While he hasn’t been the influence toward improving Daniel’s work ethic (but what’s he going to be able to do that will earn him more than his portfolio already does?), he’sContinue reading “Down to the Two of Us”
Better To Do Than Tell
Dearest Rachel – I fell asleep in front of the screen last night, so there’s clearly not much for me to tell you about my day. It wasn’t entirely unexpected, either; I could feel myself nodding off, so I switched to one of those videos that show a black screen and play what they claimContinue reading “Better To Do Than Tell”
The Price of a Jones
Dearest Rachel – Obviously, you know I’m not talking about the mythical neighbors who our generation (and the one before us) would often attempt to try to “keep up with.” You and I, while growing up, never had the same tastes as the general public, as we knew them to be; why expend the effortContinue reading “The Price of a Jones”
Watching the Watchers
Dearest Rachel – I’m a little reluctant to tell you about the events (such as there were between Daniel and I) of last night; I don’t like to talk about politics here, even though we didn’t shy from such discussions in life. While the three of us tended to be on various spots within theContinue reading “Watching the Watchers”
…And There It Is…Again
Dearest Rachel – And to think, I was going to write you about this girl last week in fairly glowing terms, especially considering the level of proof she seemed to have given me. But after setting her story aside for the moment in order to cover actual events happening in my life, things… began toContinue reading “…And There It Is…Again”
No One Expects…
Dearest Rachel – And to think, the Brits (in the form of Monty Python’s Flying Circus) would make fun of the Spanish Inquisition. As it happens, they went through their own periods of attempting to root out heretics. And while I’m sure their methods weren’t like the one we faced in my dream, I dareContinue reading “No One Expects…”
from Rachel: The Lap of Luxury
What kind of goals did you have for life? In other words, what was your idea of personal success? “I couldn’t picture college or adult life, so my impossible goal would’ve been to be five again and stay a kid.” Have your life goals or ideas of success changed at all since that time? “yes”Continue reading “from Rachel: The Lap of Luxury”
It Feels Like We’ve Done All This Before
Dearest Rachel – Considering how rare it is that we get the gang together these days, and considering this is the first time we’ve been to this place, I feel like I ought to talk about last night and give you my impressions of the place. At the same time, for all the unfamiliarity ofContinue reading “It Feels Like We’ve Done All This Before”
Back From Backsliding
Dearest Rachel – I woke up with an idea to write you about this morning, and even began adding to it between reps at the gym (I’ve gotten into a pattern of doing twenty-five crunches at a time, with pauses in between on the way to a total of a hundred – remember when thatContinue reading “Back From Backsliding”
Ice on the Tongue
Dearest Rachel – It was a cinematic sequence so short that it hardly seemed to count as a dream – let alone one worth relating – but by the time I woke up, I had viewed it from so many different angles that I thought it must mean something, something worth telling you about andContinue reading “Ice on the Tongue”
A Loose Hold on Time
Dearest Rachel – It’s a good thing that I no longer have to hew to a regular day-to-day schedule, because I keep losing my grip on what little I have of one. Then again, it’s entirely possible that it’s a matter of not clinging to one so tightly that leads to this situation in theContinue reading “A Loose Hold on Time”
Ice Cream Headache
Dearest Rachel – It should come as no surprise that, upon returning from the cruise last month, I found myself not only no longer dancing around the two-ten line that I’d been considering a near-permanent plateau after four or five months, but hovering around the two-twenty line I hadn’t been at for as many monthsContinue reading “Ice Cream Headache”
Making Myself Useful
Dearest Rachel – Freud had a word for it: “sublimation.” While it’s now mostly used in its physical, chemical sense of a solid transmuting to gas, skipping over any possible liquid state (like carbon dioxide does, for example), he used it to refer to taking one’s baser instincts and diverting them to where they couldContinue reading “Making Myself Useful”
from Rachel: My Pleasure to Tell
What title would you give to this episode? “God Humbles a King” God is called the “Most High”… five more times.… As you come to each one, record the verse and any contextual insight… v.2 – The Most High God – performs miraculous signs and wonders“v.17” – “The Most High” – “is sovereign over theContinue reading “from Rachel: My Pleasure to Tell”
Accustomed to the Emptiness
Dearest Rachel – To a certain extent, I think that I’m living the life I expected to when I graduated from college with no one to my name but myself. Much as some folks used to denigrate the university experience as an opportunity for certain females to obtain their “Mrs.” degree (is that still aContinue reading “Accustomed to the Emptiness”
Looks the Same
Dearest Rachel – The last time I was here at the Fashion Outlet Mall was just over a year ago, and for much the same reason; at barely above zero Fahrenheit, it’s just too darn cold outside to walk through the woods. So I’m wandering around here, waiting to meet up with Lars, at whichContinue reading “Looks the Same”
Rid of the Taxman
Dearest Rachel – This should probably be a letter for another two months from now, but it’s at the top of my mind at the moment, so I think I’ll tell you about it today. If nothing else, I’ve been having to do more about it over the last couple of days, so while there’sContinue reading “Rid of the Taxman”
I Still Think I’ve Been Had
Dearest Rachel – Even before you had to leave, we had pretty much gotten to the point where our land line – which we still have – had become almost exclusively the property of telemarketers and spam calls, at least from my perspective. I think you still used it to talk to Ellen or SuzieContinue reading “I Still Think I’ve Been Had”
The Luxurious Option
Dearest Rachel – I often used to say, somewhat in jest (but not entirely) that when we got sick, the three of us would wind up dealing with the same amount of cold over different time periods. Whereas I would be essentially incapacitated for a 24-hour period, and Daniel would feel pretty poorly for aContinue reading “The Luxurious Option”
Spending Out Of Spite
Dearest Rachel – It’s the sort of thing that would be an episode in any number of high-school (give or take a grade year or two) anime comedies. The main character goes on a date with a girl he likes, while another girl (who he also likes, but assumes wrongly that she hates him, becauseContinue reading “Spending Out Of Spite”
from Rachel: If He Does Not
In your opinion, what is most amazing about the event in Daniel 3:24-30? “Only their bonds burned, and there was not even a smell of smoke or fire on them.” Scenario A: “We can be delivered from the fire.”Dividend: “Our faith is built.”Scenario B: “We can be delivered through the fire.”Dividend: “Our faith is refined.”ScenarioContinue reading “from Rachel: If He Does Not”
“Pretty”
Dearest Rachel – This is entirely the wrong season for this to come to mind (this will normally come up during October, as of late), but it’s not like dreams care about times and seasons. Besides, that’s sort of the whole point of this particular dream – it could be brought to fruition without anyContinue reading ““Pretty””
Molding Fired Clay
Dearest Rachel – It’s axiomatic that, somewhere along the line, every analogy breaks down at some point; the trick is to try and figure out where that breakdown point is. And while I don’t know where that point is on this particular topic, it’s entirely possible I’ll be able to figure it out as IContinue reading “Molding Fired Clay”
Assume That They’re All Fake
Dearest Rachel – So… tomorrow is Friday, a day we all celebrate, for our various reasons – even if only because most of our fellows are (temporarily) released from their workaday prisons (which they may or may not recognize as such, but whatever). It is also Valentine’s Day, which for the fifth year in aContinue reading “Assume That They’re All Fake”
Stocking Up Before Getting Socked In
Dearest Rachel – It looks like there’s about to be some interesting – in the sense of that famous Chinese curse – weather coming our way. Yesterday morning, the folks warned me that we could end up with between eight and ten inches of snow in the next twenty-four hours; as a result, they hadContinue reading “Stocking Up Before Getting Socked In”
We Don’t Have That Kind of Time
Dearest Rachel – It was a strange and small dream that I saw you in the other night, coming in on the heels of a completely separate feature where I and Mohinder(!) had been lost in the empty wilds of rural Japan, able to send reports electronically to the home office in Yamanashi, but forContinue reading “We Don’t Have That Kind of Time”
Won’t Be’s in Heaven
Dearest Rachel – We’ve been taught since time immemorial that everything that exists as part of our ecosystem does so for a reason. Call it God’s plan or the great circle of life as you will, but supposedly, every organism (or family of organisms) serves a purpose within the natural world, even if we don’tContinue reading “Won’t Be’s in Heaven”
A Long Painful Weekend
Dearest Rachel – Well, I suppose I saw this coming. As of Friday, I was already at the point where I wasn’t particularly motivated to get myself to the gym for another five uphill mile session – more from joint pain than illness, but aware that one might very well inform the other. By SaturdayContinue reading “A Long Painful Weekend”
Restoration Comedy
Dearest Rachel – I’ve been told that, in classical literature, a tragedy is a tale where virtually everyone winds up dead, while in a comedy, everyone ends up married, so I figured I was dealing with the latter in last night’s dream. To be sure, the only ones that ended up so were you andContinue reading “Restoration Comedy”
from Rachel: The Heart of Loyalty
Read Daniel 3:13-23. Glance back at your notes from the session and record a new insight you received specifically pertaining to this segment of Scripture. “Beth’s three scenarios makes sense, but so does her point that these men probably never even considered the possibility of the middle one – the one that occurred.” Look atContinue reading “from Rachel: The Heart of Loyalty”
Well, Why Waste Time?
Dearest Rachel – When we walk through the woods, Lars will often ask me about my romantic life, such as it is; whether I’ve found anybody out here in the ether – or at church or whatever circles I make my way through in life – and how things have been progressing. Considering that he’sContinue reading “Well, Why Waste Time?”
I’m Not Sick (I Think)
Dearest Rachel – …♫but I’m not welllll♪… Just after telling you about my consistency at the gym this week – and putting in five-plus miles each time in a matter of sixty-five minutes – I woke up this morning stiff and sore, and in no mood to get over there and put in my now-dailyContinue reading “I’m Not Sick (I Think)”
Limits to My Adaptation
Dearest Rachel – Not to brag or anything, but I didn’t expect to be able, let alone willing, to hit the ground running (well, walking uphill really fast, anyway) upon returning from the cruise with Lars. After all, it wasn’t as if I spent any appreciable time in the gym aboard the ship, despite itContinue reading “Limits to My Adaptation”
State of Normalcy
Dearest Rachel – Is it strange that it’s been half a week since getting off the ship before I start telling you anything about life back home? You’d think that there wasn’t anything to talk about here, now that I’ve returned to a state of normalcy. And let’s face it, you wouldn’t be that farContinue reading “State of Normalcy”
Never Insult a Customer?
Dearest Rachel – You might remember the “Dirty Knife Sketch” from Monty Python’s Flying Circus (honestly, this is one of those things where I’m going to have such a hard time finding a ‘Megumi’ with a comparable sense of humor to yours. Between these guys and the Three Stooges, you were such a rare birdContinue reading “Never Insult a Customer?”
Not a Bad Meal In the Lot
Dearest Rachel – It hardly needs to be said that the food on a cruise ship is expected to be, if not always gourmet (after all, the kids have to have their hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken tenders and pizza, and I don’t have any objection to those items now and again, either), at least topContinue reading “Not a Bad Meal In the Lot”
Muzak Mornings
Dearest Rachel – It might go without saying, generally, but it’s definitely different to be traveling with someone than to be doing so on one’s own. You become aware of your own habits that might conflict – or at least contrast – with theirs, leaving you to question why you maintain them. One of theContinue reading “Muzak Mornings”
Subdued Chaos
Dearest Rachel – Well, we’re on our way home after a week at sea. You might recall how departure day was always chaotic, with us having to get up at a ridiculous hour (for a vacation day, at any rate). Despite having been up late the night before (and as much having to do withContinue reading “Subdued Chaos”
from Rachel: The Apple of His Eye
Describe how you imagine the sound of [the astrologers’] tone. “tattling, snotty and snobbish” What do you believe was their motive? “making themselves look good/more loyal by pointing out disobedient ones” What does Galatians 5:15 warn will happen if people don’t cease ‘biting and devouring each other’? “They will be destroyed by each other.” WhatContinue reading “from Rachel: The Apple of His Eye”
The Lark and Owl
Dearest Rachel – It sounds like some quaint British pub, doesn’t it? Maybe one attached to a bed-and-breakfast in some seaside resort town overlooking the English Channel or on the Isle of Wight. The B&B would service the morning people (the larks), while also providing a place for the night owls to sleep off theirContinue reading “The Lark and Owl”
Lost In Labadee
Dearest Rachel – I always took for granted that, when you described visiting this place with your folks back in 1990 on the Sovereign of the Seas, it was a private island owned by the cruise line, not unlike their later acquisition of Coco Cay. And we’ve been here before; I remember you finding aContinue reading “Lost In Labadee”
Letters to Rachel 