dutch treat

guess what i just found in the main office at my church! a rare dutch delicacy: windmill cookies! i don't know who found them or where they found them or why they brought them to the office, but it sure feels like home! toni, one of the secretaries, tried one, and she thinks they're stale, but they're not. that's how they're supposed to taste. she's not impressed, but i'm thrilled. this is truly a tribute to my heritage.

kickin' it

oh my gosh, i've just agreed to do something inCREDibly embarrassing and unbelievably unprofessional. i can't tell you what it is yet, and most of you will never see it. but i can show you this picture. oh my gosh.
this is dedication.
this is sacrifice.
tom rapchak is lucky i love the CCO.

the giving of thanks

i'm back to work today from a lovely and relaxing weekend in grand rapids. as always, there is much to be thankful for, but this year, i was particularly grateful for my family. after being out here in pennsylvania and meeting so many people whose families are not Christians and whose lives are full of painful experiences, i am so thankful for God's grace to my family. i grew up in a Christian home, and my entire family knows the Lord. during my grandfather's prayer at our extended family thanksgiving, he thanked God for the heritage that has been passed down from generation to generation in our family, that we have been able to know His grace and love and peace. of course, things have been difficult for my family, and we have not been free from the pain of death, divorce, etc., but i am so grateful for the constant presence of God in my family. it really is such an amazing gift. how lucky am i that i enjoy being with my family? we had a great time at home, playing trivial pursuit: pop culture edition, rummikub, and euchre. i got to stay a few days longer than usual, and it was harder to leave than usual. but still, i am thankful. we got back kind of late, but early enough (kind of) to head into the city to see the girls, chris, and new friend phil. i really do it love here.
i am thankful for safe travel, big snowflakes, wedding invitations, catching up with good friends, wolfgangs reunions, free laundry, the new house, harry potter, crossword puzzles, and coming back to 62 degree weather in pittsburgh. i am thankful for the communities i have in grand rapids and in pittsburgh: on either end of that blasted ohio turnpike, i am welcomed with open arms, smiles, and laughter.
here's this poem that i like. it's by e.e. cummings.

i thank You God for most this amazing
day:for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky;and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes

(i who have died am alive again today,
and this is the sun's birthday;this is the birth
day of life and love and wings:and of the gay
great happening illimitably earth)

how should tasting touching hearing seeing
breathing any-lifted from the no
of all nothing-human merely being
doubt unimaginable You?

(now the ears of my ears awake and
now the eyes of my eyes are opened)

please also enjoy these pictures of friends this weekend and a few weekends ago. i might be able to add pictures of my family also if a) someone would send me some, or 2) i had a digital camera. perhaps one of those will be remedied? :D

huh.

so, real quick before going home for the night, i was perusing my friends' blogs, and found this at my friend becky's blog. she wasn't thrilled with the accuracy. (bex, that's actually nearly the opposite for you, huh?) it did a little better for me (though i am aware that the system is crap), but since it gives you your results in code to post on your blog, i thought, what the heck, i might as well post it. critique at will.

Your Birthdate: July 15

You take life as it is, and you find happiness in a variety of things. You tend to be close to family and friends. But it's hard to get into your inner circle. Making the little things wonderful is important to you, and you probably have an inviting home. You seek harmony with others, but occasionally you have a very stubborn streak. Your strength: Your intense optimism Your weakness: You shy away from exploring your talents Your power color: Jade Your power symbol: Flower Your power month: June

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

happy thanksgiving from the burger king

i have nothing of value to post today. the steelers lost yesterday in overtime, promiseland was cancelled, as was pamoja (my senior high youth group), all my rmu students are gone this week, so there's no gospel choir or bible study. so, my normal schedule is off. i'm in the office working on my support-tracking system and my next newsletter. that is the relevance of the picture, by the way. it's one of my students at our halloween party. he's the king of burgers. fantastic.
i'll be in the office all afternoon. so, if you want to play email tag, today's a good day. i'm excited for a slower week... i'm leaving on wednesday morning, and will hopefully arrive in g-rap by early afternoon. don't expect much posting now until next week. the burger king will just have to tide you over.
happy thanksgiving!

to my faithful readers

greetings. i am sorry about the dry spell. today is my first day in the office this week. (my dilbert desk calendar is still on sunday.) i apologize for neglecting you, but i did not forget about you. i have been at home (where there is no internet), once again, lying on my futon and reading. as you may recall, i had walking pneumonia last month, and i never really got completely better. then last week, i started to feel terrible again, and it turns out that i have now contracted a sinus infection. but, my doctor has prescribed some new antibiotic, and some huge horse pills that taste terrible but are supposed to help. last night my ears popped and i was able to breathe through my nose for the first time in a week. hurray.

so, happy:
-ability to breathe nasal-y
-lots of naps and reading
-my sister sarah visited a few days ago. we played rummikub and had a lovely time. it was awesome.
-one of my friends from church brought me ginger ale, lots of soup, and a beautiful fall bouquet of flowers. i love roses and gerberra daisies.

crappy:
-the drugs make me sleepy, but also somehow keep me from sleeping for more than an hour without waking up. very frustrating.
-my support-raising is in a slump. i need to get working on this some more.
-it is very cold here. i heard it snowed the other day, but since i haven't left my apartment except to go to the doctor's office, i can't be sure.
-harold continues to elude me, though he did donate some of his fur on the sticky trap.

reading:
-in the past week, i read the entire chronicles of narnia series. it was incredible. i also did a lot of crossword puzzles.
-next, i plan to tackle the screwtape letters, also by my old pal clive. thanks, sarah, for bringing that.
-in my bible study (the one i'm not in charge of) we have been reading I kings. and i'm doing a lot in isaiah and james lately too. good stuff.

that's all, folks. thanks for sticking it out through the illness and the blog-silence. i'll try to do/be better from now on. peace out.

bombings in jordan

some of you know robin king, one of my best friends, is in jordan right now. a number of you have asked how he is doing, especially after the bombings in amman this week. (he's okay, by the way. thank God.) so, i thought i would link you to his site so you can see for yourself. he has written a very thoughtful and insightful response to the terrorism in jordan that i think you should read. click here.
also, my dear friend annie is working at a school in bethlehem in palestine. if you'd like to read more about her experience, click here.