Dearest Rachel – So yesterday, I met Lars to go walking through the woods, as we do every week. This, despite the fact that it was below freezing and there was the threat of snow that day – in fact, for most of the time we were out there, we were dealing with a fairContinue reading “Don’t Tell Me How Cold It Is”
Tag Archives: decisions
from Rachel: Understanding Biblical Change
In the blanks below write the two most significant statements in today’s reading assignment. Be prepared to discuss why the statements you chose were significant to you. “‘And most important, will it stir within them a thirst for God, a hunger for His Word, and a desire to represent Him well as salt in theContinue reading “from Rachel: Understanding Biblical Change”
They… Pray!
Dearest Rachel – I realize just how silly this statement sounds as I’m preparing to type it, but it has to be said; there are times when I have no idea what my mind is thinking. That would seem completely oxymoronic on its face; it’s my mind, I’m inside of it, I am it, inContinue reading “They… Pray!”
A Chance to Hit the Town
Dearest Rachel – For all that, when I’m wandering around some foreign land (or even just another city here in the States – the last time I caught myself saying this was when Daniel and I were crisscrossing Boston), I find myself thinking that I should devote a little more attention to the sights ofContinue reading “A Chance to Hit the Town”
from Rachel: Allies and Enemies
…the only women we’ve seen so far were Belshazzar’s wives and concubines, and they contributed little to the character of our gender. “(The queen mother was wise and helpful 5:10)” What does Daniel 11:59 tell you about this woman? “She is the daughter of the king of the South.” Let’s have a quick review andContinue reading “from Rachel: Allies and Enemies”
Options and Add-Ons
Dearest Rachel – So, this is a weird situation to be in where, after decades of telling ourselves we would be going to Japan and taking Daniel with us, to show him a little bit of what each of us individually and separately fell in love with (and these encounters long before otaku culture wasContinue reading “Options and Add-Ons”
Walking Away from the Runners
Dearest Rachel – It feels wrong, almost like cheating, to write to you about something I didn’t do over the past weekend. And yet, there’s been this sense that I owed you (or somebody) an explanation for this choice of activity – or rather, inactivity – this weekend, as I’m not out cheering the runnersContinue reading “Walking Away from the Runners”
Text Silence
Dearest Rachel – For all that I’ve told you about the more-than-occasional mad rush of messages I get from folks I meet on dating websites, this story is about the opposite side of the coin. Sometimes, you want to keep things going, just to make sure, but things go silent on the other end ofContinue reading “Text Silence”
孝道的限度 (The Limits of Xiào)
Dearest Rachel – I don’t claim to be a student of Confucianism by any stretch of the imagination, but I am passingly familiar with at least one tenet of the philosophy? …religion? I’m not even entirely sure as to which it really is. Both are a means to guide behavior in the present world; whileContinue reading “孝道的限度 (The Limits of Xiào)”
Seeking Shelter
Dearest Rachel – I’m not sure if you were ever acquainted with the phrase ‘love bombing’; it’s a term I’ve encountered more and more as time goes on, and our time together gets further away, ironically enough. I’m not sure if it’s one of the latest buzzwords in pop psychology, or if it’s just somethingContinue reading “Seeking Shelter”
You Never Asked That of Me
Dearest Rachel – The other morning, as I was waking up to the stillness of the empty bedroom (which, after over a week of sharing hotel rooms and a ship’s stateroom with Daniel’s, ought to be a bit of a relief, but there you go), an earworm burrowed itself into my mind. You know theContinue reading “You Never Asked That of Me”
Nuuk
Dearest Rachel – Well, now we’re on our way to the capital; a town not even a third the size of our own, but which makes up nearly half the population of the entire… country?… of Greenland. Yes, that’s a contentious point, and I’ll get to it further along, as I put this together. Yes,Continue reading “Nuuk”
Health Concerns
Dearest Rachel – Normally, when I wake up of a morning, the house (at least, the portion within earshot) is quiet as a tomb. Even the fact that Logan gets up early enough to start his workday doesn’t register with me. Maybe it’s because his upstairs room that he confines himself to during working hoursContinue reading “Health Concerns”
Cruel Silence
Dearest Rachel – There are times when I imagine you, like my paternal grandfather before you (who you never met, although I think you met my grandmother), either filling in for Saint Peter or standing alongside him at his post, welcoming the new arrivals as they appear at the gates each constructed of individual pearls.Continue reading “Cruel Silence”
His Opinion Matters
Dearest Rachel – I don’t remember who told me this, specifically, but in the immediate aftermath of your departure, I was advised not to make any major rash decisions in my life. No major purchases, no attempts at pursuing ‘Megumi’ (who hadn’t been given that name at that point, let alone had her criteria fleshedContinue reading “His Opinion Matters”
Tell-Tale Feet and the Chocolate Plateau
Dearest Rachel – After telling you about how I ‘cheated’ to get under the two-fifteen line yesterday before I was to go and meet up with Lars yesterday, I didn’t have as much to talk with him about when we started to make our way around the mall. Oh, and by the way, I thinkContinue reading “Tell-Tale Feet and the Chocolate Plateau”
DIY Catfishing
Dearest Rachel – Another day, another dip into my news feed. This one hits a little closer to home, as it touches on the topic of artificial intelligence, and the relationships we develop with it – quite literally, in fact. This is something I’ve come across that really makes me wonder where we’re going asContinue reading “DIY Catfishing”
Out of Sync
Dearest Rachel – It’s probably not advisable for me to be writing to you like this at three or four in the morning; it certainly would have been pointless to talk to you like this back in the days when you were alive, as you would have just gotten to bed and fallen asleep, mostContinue reading “Out of Sync”
Cramping My Schedule
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”
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”
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”
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”
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?”
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…”
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”
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”
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”
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”
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”
The Extra ⅔ Mile
Dearest Rachel – The last couple of mornings have seen me awake with a little more time on my hands; enough time not only to go work out and get back before I’d be expected to be anywhere as part of what constitutes a “routine” for the day (let’s face it; the “routine” for aContinue reading “The Extra ⅔ Mile”
Taking the Chariot
Dearest Rachel – Setting aside the whole process of building up my initial motivation every morning – which basically consists of stepping on the scale and realizing I’m back over a line I’d just as soon put in my rear view mirror – my workout routine has basically become a matter of ascertaining and pushingContinue reading “Taking the Chariot”
Shaking Up the Schedule
Dearest Rachel – They say (and no, I’ve never quite managed to figure out who “they” are, these legendary arbiters of both the status quo and nearly every form of advice to shake it up. They’re clearly a contradictory bunch; maybe I wouldn’t want to meet them, much as any larger-than-life figure would be aContinue reading “Shaking Up the Schedule”
Can’t Give It Up
Dearest Rachel – Which would you rather do, honey; something you hated for an hour or two, or give up something you loved for a day or more?  More to the point, if you had to do both in order to accomplish a certain goal, which do you think you would have the mostContinue reading “Can’t Give It Up”
The Illusion of Choice
Dearest Rachel – In light of my current understanding of the process, I’ve resolved (if that’s the right word for it) to try to come up with a new T-shirt design at least once a week – and involve Daniel (and maybe Logan) in the process, in order to determine the ‘right’ image for eachContinue reading “The Illusion of Choice”
from Rachel: God Talks Back
On a scale of 1 to 10, how convinced are you that your prayer time is an honest-to-goodness two-way communication? “10 – how convinced I am“7 – how often it actually is… (or maybe 6?)” If we don’t ‘ask or imagine,’ what does God have to out-do? Glance at the first half of [Psalm 132]Continue reading “from Rachel: God Talks Back”
For the Ones Who Have…
Dearest Rachel – There are plenty of luxury items that bill themselves as gift possibilities “for the man (or woman) who has everything.” Heck, there are entire shopping locales that are built to hawk such wares, most of which strike me as being geared for those with more money than sense, in my humble opinion.Continue reading “For the Ones Who Have…”
Without Consultation
Dearest Rachel – So the fellow from the HVAC company came over yesterday; I showed him the old system we had on the side of the house, and he agreed that it’s past its time. Apparently, air conditioning systems have an expected life between eighteen and twenty years. That we got over twenty-five years outContinue reading “Without Consultation”
Factory-Installed Conscience
Dearest Rachel – One of the reasons why I’m hoping to find a ‘Megumi’ for myself is because I don’t trust myself to make the ‘right’ decision. Left to my own devices, I know I’m more likely to make the asocial, selfish choice far more often than not (consider, just as an example, how oftenContinue reading “Factory-Installed Conscience”
Price Point
Dearest Rachel – Yesterday found me between responsibilities, for the most part, at the ‘office.’ I had sent off what I considered to be the last of the reports our auditors needed for the annual review, and while the month has ended, I was still waiting for information from other people in order for meContinue reading “Price Point”
Superior But Equal
Dearest Rachel – A lot of men, including myself, will jocularly refer to their wives as their “better half,” with a fair amount of unspoken truth embedded in that title. While I don’t think I’m qualified to speak for all men, I can’t be the only one who sometimes suffers from “imposter syndrome” when itContinue reading “Superior But Equal”
from Rachel: Vain Labor
“[Verse 5 is] very different [between the NCV and HCSB translations]: warfare vs. vocal confrontation” Glance at the headings under both translations. To whom is this psalm attributed? “Solomon” In Hebrew, the words are actually the name of God gave Solomon according to 2 Samuel 12:25: Jedediah, meaning ‘Beloved of Jehovah.’ The tone of theContinue reading “from Rachel: Vain Labor”
The Extent of the Effect
Dearest Rachel – “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” So goes Isaac Newton’s first law of motion, the product of the Enlightenment concept of experimentation and observation, as opposed to blind acceptance of received wisdom from generations past. Best envisioned (and demonstrated) on a billiard table or a croquet lawn, thisContinue reading “The Extent of the Effect”
The Cruelty of the Spotlight
Dearest Rachel – As much as I am loathe to, even as it feels like it’s unavoidable, I guess it’s appropriate, on this day of all days, for me to talk about politics. It is, after baseball, the national pastime, especially every four years – which is where we are now. We aren’t as physicallyContinue reading “The Cruelty of the Spotlight”
All Of The Power
Dearest Rachel – It was a scene right out of the last temptation offered to Jesus Christ; I dreamt that the fellow you might guess to be behind the throne and actually running the country right now (because – especially after last Thursday – no one believes that the guy ostensibly in charge really is,Continue reading “All Of The Power”
An Honest Cheat Day
Dearest Rachel – Four-thirty in the morning, and I’m awake. It doesn’t exactly surprise me; while a little earlier than most days this week, I’ve been getting into something of a habit of waking up early enough to walk down to the gym and put in a few miles of walking in before getting backContinue reading “An Honest Cheat Day”
In Every Direction At Once
Dearest Rachel – There are days when, as I sit down in front of the computer to write to you, I find myself dealing with writers’ block, even with – possibly even especially when – considering the events of the day or so past. Some days, there just isn’t much of interest going on; thereContinue reading “In Every Direction At Once”
I Still Have My Appetite
Dearest Rachel – It’s almost funny; last week, I was struck at various times by a good half-dozen ideas of thoughts to tell you about – and which didn’t pertain to the moment at hand, so they could be kept in reserve until such time as I didn’t have much to tell you about fromContinue reading “I Still Have My Appetite”
I Think I Got Its Attention
Dearest Rachel – It’s been over a week since I bought that new computer to replace the one in my ‘office’ in the basement of my folks’ house. Indeed, it’s almost been a week since it arrived and I took it over to Best Buy to have an additional hard drive installed. Now, while youContinue reading “I Think I Got Its Attention”
Snap Purchase
Dearest Rachel – I woke up this morning, wondering what it was I could talk to you about, thinking (for some reason) that nothing had happened in my life over the last twenty-four hours that was in any way unusual and worth relating to you. And, to be sure, there are plenty of days likeContinue reading “Snap Purchase”
Not Today
Dearest Rachel – I woke up again – sort of – at four in the morning today, but this time around, I couldn’t bring myself to get up and go work out. And just like yesterday, it prompts the question as to ‘why,’ but from the opposite direction. Some of the reasons I might giveContinue reading “Not Today”
To Clear My Mind
Dearest Rachel – So yesterday, I met with Pastor Scott, in part at my dad’s suggestion. It’s been a while since we used to get together for lunch – in part for fairly obvious reasons, but it’s been more than just the fact that I’ve been traveling that’s keep us from connecting. Just like withContinue reading “To Clear My Mind”
A Waste of Time and Money
Dearest Rachel – Another year of the convention scene, another reminder that the scene has passed me by. I wish I didn’t have to utter the cliché “I’m getting too old for this,” but more and more, I’m starting to realize how well it fits. There’s no place for dilettantes in Otaku Nation; you’re eitherContinue reading “A Waste of Time and Money”
With Time to Spare (Barely)
Dearest Rachel – As much as I’ve been trained to try and get every place I mean to be as early as possible, sometimes that just doesn’t work out. I’d spent the entirety of yesterday evening uploading the mall footage from Hong Kong, and this morning dealing with the Kai Tak rooftop garden video. TheContinue reading “With Time to Spare (Barely)”
Instructions Unclear…
Dearest Rachel – Every new port – well, at least every new country that we come to – has its own rules regarding customs declarations, and stuff like that. You can only bring so much into the country, and you can only bring so much out, especially when it comes to certain, let’s just say,Continue reading “Instructions Unclear…”
This, Too, Will Pass
Dearest Rachel – At a top speed of twenty-five knots, you might be able to guess that, as the Serenade of the Seas moves through the water, it generates a fair amount of wind against my balcony door. And for whatever reason, the door doesn’t seal tightly, causing a bit of a rattling noise whenContinue reading “This, Too, Will Pass”
No Ragarts
Dearest Rachel – I’m giving myself just a little more than two hours from check-out at the hotel until my pick up for the cruise port. As I’m scheduled to show up for check-in at two, that gives me 45 minutes to ride those six miles, which may be absurdly too much time to getContinue reading “No Ragarts”
The Last Thing That I Need
Dearest Rachel – I suppose it could be worse; at least this way, I’ve got just enough time to let it run its course before I head out. This morning saw me waking up at about three-thirty to a very unpleasant sensation; not so much for the sensation itself, as what it represented. Lying there, tryingContinue reading “The Last Thing That I Need”
Back in the Balcony
Dearest Rachel – It seems like half a lifetime ago (possibly because, when you come down to it, it was) that you and I would find ourselves in the church balcony of a Sunday morning. It wasn’t so much a matter of trying to be inconspicuous (although, when you’re carrying a small baby who mightContinue reading “Back in the Balcony”
The Sign of Jonah
·Evil and sinful people [L An evil/wicked and adulterous generation] ·ask for [seek; demand] a miracle as a sign, but they will not be given any sign, except the sign of Jonah [see 12:40; Jon. 1:17].” Then Jesus left them and went away. Matthew 16:4, Expanded Bible Dearest Rachel – To be sure, when Jesus invoked the name of Jonah, as aContinue reading “The Sign of Jonah”
As Long as They’ll Let Me Show Up
Dearest Rachel – My scale didn’t groan when I stepped on it – after all this time, it’s certainly seen (and felt) much worse – but I rather did inwardly to see my highest weight of the year. And yes, I know that’s a ridiculously short span of time, which sounds longer than it is (hadContinue reading “As Long as They’ll Let Me Show Up”
The Hard Way
Dearest Rachel – To think that I was just telling you yesterday about the beauty of the first snows of winter. That beauty comes at rather a cost, after all, foremost of which is the cold. Already, I find myself challenged as to how heavily to dress for one activity or another – for example,Continue reading “The Hard Way”
Bye, Bye, Brony
Dearest Rachel – The weirdest part of this isn’t so much that Daniel has decided not to go this weekend, as much the fact that I’ve been asked to drive Logan to a pickup point where he can meet a friend of his, from whence they’ll drive up to the convention in Milwaukee together. It’sContinue reading “Bye, Bye, Brony”
Giving Up… For Now
Dearest Rachel – It’s official; my subscription to eHarmony ran out at the end of October, and I’ve decided not to renew it. Not for lack of trying on their part, to be sure; I was getting emails from them throughout the last month – and in the last week, they were arriving almost everyContinue reading “Giving Up… For Now”
A Man With a Plan
Dearest Rachel – In his (posthumous) Oscar-winning turn as the Joker in The Dark Knight, Heath Ledger utters the line to Aaron Eckhart’s Harvey Dent, “Do I really look like a guy with a plan?” The implication behind the question is that Dent is supposed to conclude that of course not; the Joker is tooContinue reading “A Man With a Plan”
Picking the Lyrics Apart
Dearest Rachel – I want you to know that I’m not trying to avoid your memory – heck, if I was, would I be writing to you every day like this? – but there’s only so much I can take of going through my offline music library, where I’m guaranteed to encounter one of ‘our’Continue reading “Picking the Lyrics Apart”
Pound Foolish?
Dearest Rachel – I’m sure this is something that, under other circumstances, one might actually expect of a man my age. After all, isn’t it almost cliché for a man in his fifties to deal with a midlife crisis by quitting his job, finding himself a new woman, and getting himself a sporty new setContinue reading “Pound Foolish?”
The Deals I Make with Myself
Dearest Rachel – It’s still pitch black when I open my eyes this morning for the first time. Without even looking at the clock on my nightstand, my superego points out that I probably have just enough time to throw on shorts and a t-shirt, and head out to the fitness center for a workout.Continue reading “The Deals I Make with Myself”
What I Had to Do
Dearest Rachel – I think my subconscious mind is trying to help me come up with material to tell you about these past few mornings without actually putting together actual dreams as such – I don’t know if it’s being lazy or brilliant. Considering that what it put together is mostly unusable, I’m actually mildlyContinue reading “What I Had to Do”
Using the Memento
Dearest Rachel – This letter is going to be a little more difficult to write than most, particularly because it’s about a touchy subject – and, since you know me, I have to make it clear that I don’t mean that literally – and I thus, don’t want to name names. But I suspect that,Continue reading “Using the Memento”
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”
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”
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”
Yes, I Have To Do It Now
Dearest Rachel – Shortly after your accident, Pastor Scott reached out to me, and offered to meet me on a regular basis, to keep in touch and “make sure I didn’t do anything rash.” It was a very informal approach to grief counseling, even before I enrolled in the support group (in fact, he evenContinue reading “Yes, I Have To Do It Now”
Other People’s Accidents
Dearest Rachel – I woke up with a slight headache this morning, and I regret to inform you that it’s only increased in strength over time. Some of it may have to do with the fact that I can’t remember much of last night’s dreams, apart from a.) it (or was it they?) was (were?)Continue reading “Other People’s Accidents”
When He Gives A Sign…
Dearest Rachel – There’s something mildly ironic about the fact that I just put out a study that you did (like I do most Sundays), and in my comments about it, questioned how we can know whether our choices glorify God. Most of the time, it’s because the decisions we face appear, even to ourselves,Continue reading “When He Gives A Sign…”
from Rachel: To Glorify God
Based on your recollection of day 1, check the five primary benefits we are free to enjoy as children of God. Review for any you missed.– “experience God’s peace– “enjoy God’s presence– “know God and believe Him– “find satisfaction in God– “glorify God” Drawing from your memory as much as possible, what is our definitionContinue reading “from Rachel: To Glorify God”
On My Own To Decide
Dearest Rachel – I’ve mentioned to you before the ambivalence I have toward the fact that I (theoretically) can decide for myself what to do at any given time. There is something nice about being able to go out on a whim, like I did this morning, and grab breakfast without worrying about needing toContinue reading “On My Own To Decide”
Bet Against the Idiots
Dearest Rachel – Of all the topics I could discuss with you that you have left behind and find meaningless from where you are, there’s nothing that has less impact upon you as the subject of money and investments. I always find myself thinking of your perspective as that of Saint Peter in some oldContinue reading “Bet Against the Idiots”
Just My “Luck”
Dearest Rachel – I’m not entirely sure what prompted it; I think it was some comment on the possibility of an impulse trip this autumn (despite already having lined up this immensely long cruise next spring). I’d probably gotten the idea in my head after inviting the girls over to, among other things, share inContinue reading “Just My “Luck””
Passing Thoughts
Dearest Rachel – After writing you yesterday’s letter, I was surprised (although perhaps I shouldn’t have been, given how my mind works sometimes) to find myself coming up with possible scenes that could go into a story about the two of us as well as my attempts to cope with being on my own –Continue reading “Passing Thoughts”
Force of Habit, I Suppose…
Dearest Rachel – A couple of weeks ago, shortly after returning from Japan (from which I had unsuccessfully tried to get a room in the hotel that the convention was being held in; when you’re fourteen hours out of sync with the world you’re trying to deal with, that adds a level of difficulty toContinue reading “Force of Habit, I Suppose…”
Fine With the Evil Choice
Dearest Rachel – I realize that the ‘you’ I saw in last night’s dream was wildly out of character, but I’ve come to accept that this is how dreams operate. Considering that there was a whole other level of distance from reality involved, it shouldn’t have been that much of a surprise. In the dreamContinue reading “Fine With the Evil Choice”
from Rachel: The Reign of Uzziah
Isaiah 1:1 lists the four kings who reigned over Judah during Isaiah‘s life. Find their names in the list below and order their reigns 1, 2, 3, 4. “1. Uzziah“2. Jotham“3. Ahaz“4. Hezekiah” What did Isaiah call his wife? “the prophetess” The name Uzziah means “the Lord is my strength.” In what ways does thisContinue reading “from Rachel: The Reign of Uzziah”
The Song That Fits
Dearest Rachel – So last night, Kerstin came over. It was all we could do; getting all the girls together just wasn’t in the cards. It’s part of why it’s taken so long to arrange your final send-off – Erin needs her schedule together for the following year by the previous November, while Aaron (theContinue reading “The Song That Fits”
Running Cold and Hot
Dearest Rachel – Even before Daniel was awake this morning, I was packing for today. Not that I knew we’d need it – I’ve seen enough anime to know what people wear (or rather, don’t wear) in a hot spring – but in a somewhat forlorn hope that we could retain a certain amount ofContinue reading “Running Cold and Hot”
As You Would Have Wished
Dearest Rachel – I have to admit, I’m still feeling pretty punk this morning. My face feels like it’s in a vice, and I’ve been coughing just enough so that I‘ve only been able to get about an hour of sleep at a time, before waking myself up by my own convulsions. Needless to say,Continue reading “As You Would Have Wished”
from Rachel: Living for What Lasts
From memory, what is the perfect indicative? (Look back at yesterday’s lesson if you need to.) “It is the verb tense when the action is already complete.– ‘an objective fact or reality’” What two things does John tell us not to love in verse 15? 1. The world2. “Anything in” the world [starred and underlinedContinue reading “from Rachel: Living for What Lasts”
Tools and Toys
Dearest Rachel – There are days when I look back over the day at ‘work,’ and think to myself that I spent it doing anything but. It’s not that I regret the time spent just playing around with the computer, mind you, but when the folks ask about what I did, and if I accomplishedContinue reading “Tools and Toys”
Running Toward the Chaos
Dearest Rachel – It’s not natural, when everything is going crazy around oneself, to head in the direction of the chaos. The flight instinct is part of the whole self-preservation mechanism that is common to virtually all sentient life. But of course, someone has to get those in the midst of the madness out ofContinue reading “Running Toward the Chaos”
Not Nearly So Nimble
Dearest Rachel – One of the things that might be considered an advantage of being suddenly single is that I can make snap decisions, without consultation. No “I think I’d like to do this or that, but what do you think, honey?” I can just go and do whatever it is, and not worry aboutContinue reading “Not Nearly So Nimble”
The Malevolence of God
Dearest Rachel – It would be understandable for you to think that my biggest issue with God would be the fact that He took you from me. After all, your absence has left a hole in my life (and Daniel’s, and really, everyone you ever touched, to a certain extent) that has yet to beContinue reading “The Malevolence of God”
Just Enough That It Hurts
Dearest Rachel – They say that a single hour of working out every week can make a big difference in one’s life, health-wise. That may or may not be true – I do see the results after each visit, even if they are only temporary in effect – but they also suggest that the processContinue reading “Just Enough That It Hurts”
I Still Need to Get Out More
Dearest Rachel – I hear the occasional comment about how unusual our weather is this winter, but I can’t say that I’ve seen any real evidence of it. For instance, I’ve heard that last month has the least amount of sunlight for January since we’ve been keeping track of that; I have no idea howContinue reading “I Still Need to Get Out More”
No Sense in Going Back
Dearest Rachel – Last night’s dreams were mostly scattered fragments, with very little to them to allow me to remember and relate to you, even these few minutes after waking up. The couple of bits I do remember seem hardly worth telling you about either, except that by that very nature, they form a minorContinue reading “No Sense in Going Back”
The Right of Refusal
Dearest Rachel – By rights, I probably should have spent last night preparing myself for the trip down to Tennessee, rather than going out to dinner with the girls as planned online with them shortly after Kevin signed off from our last gaming session together (look, how were we to know?). I had put togetherContinue reading “The Right of Refusal”
Sorting Out Schedules
Dearest Rachel – These days, I tend to think of my schedule as being reasonably flexible. Whenever someone wants to get together with me, at any given time, I can be there. There’s nothing cast in stone in my life that prevents me from any particular interaction. It’s not even so much that I canContinue reading “Sorting Out Schedules”
Perhaps A Little Too Comfortable
Dearest Rachel – So, last night after getting home from the folks for dinner (Dad had been in for a procedure on Wednesday and Thursday to adjust his feeding tube – more to the point, he was getting the finishing touches put on the new port in his stomach – so Mom had her handsContinue reading “Perhaps A Little Too Comfortable”
Hunkering Down
Dearest Rachel – Nature Seems to Know As we started out on our customary walk yesterday, Lars wondered aloud what the odds would be of spotting wildlife in the woods over the next few miles and hours. Since we’d seen a few deer last week – and the trees were by now completely denuded, leavingContinue reading “Hunkering Down”
A Feature, Not a Bug
Dearest Rachel – I was probably dealing with a little bit of overconfidence after having helped the table I had been sitting at win the Christmas trivia contest – which I really should not have had, seeing that I had also been responsible for a run of three wrong answers in a row, that hadContinue reading “A Feature, Not a Bug”
Letters to Rachel 