And Away We Go....

The fall quarter has now started. I have spent the past few days looking at my Palm and wondering how I'm going to juggle everything; work, school, home, friends..... It's transition time again.

What is it about change that gets people so out of sorts? I have always welcomed change. But yet it still puts me out of whack. I find myself feeling restless, pacing or finding something to do (like blog ;-) ). Perhaps it's the change of structure or consistency. For a moment it can make you feel inadequate to deal with the change. It's like standing on a street corner at an intersection in an unknown city. You just stand there wondering which way to go. You look at the map in your hand (or your Palm) and still respond dazed completely lost. And in that moment God is more real than ever.

What came to me like a blast of unexpected wind was my utter and total dependence on God's leading in my life. Okay God, you brought us here and you've affirmed this move time and time again.

I guess I'll trust that. Now.... how do I manage my schedule?

til next time.

The Porter Worked

It's actually kind of funny that I am writing this now since my homebrewed porter is just about gone. It turned out fantastic though. Everyone who has tried it said they loved it, even my son who is a real beer snob. He went to Europe this past summer and got spoiled with amazing suds. He brought one home for me from Germany that was brewed in an Abby way up on some small mountain. He said you have to trek about 4 miles up this big hill to get to it.

The Porter:
Great body= full flavored all over the tongue
Lace = smooth and not too heavy.
As it hits your tongue there is a smoothness and then a rich full-bodied flavor. You can taste a hint of chocolate malt and then a touch of English bitters. There is a slight hop at the end on the back of the tongue which does not linger. Very nice. The secondary really cleaned it up well.

The temp is dropping so I think I'll brew a Boston Ale. I got a great deal online. I discovered that my wife is not too much of a Belgian fan so I may reserve that brew for Christmas when we have something else still in stock.

My summer was... um... well.... mundane for the most part. I worked on biblical Hebrew three days per week for 8 hours per day. The other days and some evenings I worked at Alger Park CRC where I am the Director of Adult Ministries. We did go camping for a week in Ontario with my wife's family and our two oldest boys came out to visit from Colorado. It was great to see them and we even got in a little DnD and a Ren Faire. What a blast.

The fall quarter starts soon so we're trying to find money for books. Freda, Jeremy and I will be spending a total of about $800 on school books this quarter. I suddenly feel nauseous. New students are moving every week lately and we are paired up with a family from Japan to help them feel at home.

Well that's it for now.


'til next time,

AKD

Enjoying the brewing

I transferred the porter to the secondary the other day.  It’s doing nicely – still fermenting a little.  The gravity was 1.017 when I transferred and the color was great.  The SG was 1.055 so I’m hoping for a solid brew with about 5.5% alcohol content.  I will rack it mid week.  I did take a little taste and …OOOOOhhhhh.. it’s going to be smooth.

I am planning on brewing a pale ale with a slight hint of citrus after this porter.  Probably later this summer.  If I can’t keep the temp down, I’ll brew a Belgian.

Biblical Hebrew is going well.  I find that I’m taking to it quite easily.  We’ll see how it goes as the summer progresses.  Lot’s of jots and tiddles.  LOL

‘til next time.

Seeing Josh off and more...

Freda, Jeremy and I went to Chicago on Saturday. We maneuvered our way through crazy city traffic along the Lake Shore until we reached the Museum of Science and Technology. We spent a good three hours there before heading over to O’Hare airport. Josh and his friend Katie were on their way to Europe and had a three and a half hour layover. They met us outside the terminal where we hung out for an hour and a half before they had to jaunt. It was great. Who knows when we’ll see him again. They arrived safely in London. Josh MySpaced us and said he was having a great time. He checked out three pubs already and is enjoying the local brew. They’re off to see the sights and then they’ll be backpacking and camping in Scotland. They’ll be hitting France, Austria, Switzerland, Germany and more. Lucky beggars.

I finally started a new brew yesterday. It’s a porter. And wouldn’t you know it, the weather was stinking hot and muggy the last couple of days. I had trouble keeping the temperature in the house down enough for the beer. I’m still fighting it even with the air on. I hope it’ll be okay. Don’t want any of those fusel alcohols in it. Nasty stuff.

I did great in my quarter. So far it looks like I will get all A’s – maybe one B in Philosophy for Understanding Theology. I start Hebrew this week and am looking forward to getting into a new language. Okay, I’m weird that way. I have always liked languages and done well in them. Ask me in a few weeks. LOL.

It’s looking like Jeremy is heading to Ontario for the summer to work. He will be living with his cousins and working in a greenhouse. I still don’t know how to feel about that yet. I get a little emotional at times because Jeremy and I are soooo close. We are always laughing and joking together not to mention the deep talks about life, religion and things spiritual. He’s such a great and deep kid. He’s not going until the end of June so we’ll make the best of it until then.

Gotta go. We’re going to do a four mile walk around Reeds Lake not far from here.

‘til next time.

Things Are Really Coming Together

Praise God for His redemptive work on the cross!
True reflection on the power of that event makes life worth it all. It burdens my heart, however, to think that there are so many who just woke up on Sunday and worked in their yard. This very thought drives me.

It's just past half way through the quarter and I'm doing fine. In fact, marks wise I'm doing great. I am thankful for God's provision of a scholarship for the Seminary year starting in the fall. I am thoroughly enjoying the school work; the learning and the community. It is refreshing. I started my position at Alger Park CRC last week and it seems to be going well. I'm just making contacts and trying to get a handle on what's happening in the church's ministries. I'm enjoying not being the man in charge.

We've moved to Seminary housing on Englewood and are settling in to our place. We finally got internet yesterday so Freda and Jeremy are quite content. Now Jeremy doesn't have to come to the campus every day to do his school work. Freda is starting to connect with a number of seminarians and their wives. She is particularly making friends with one gal who just so happened to attend Redeemer when I worked there back in the mid 80's. I am thankful that Freda is very positive and forward-looking in all of this. It really helps that she received exciting news from Grand Valley University about her degree program starting in the fall. It is perfect for her. PTL! It's about time she gets her just rewards.

Now.... what beer to brew before the summer!? I'm thinking a Pale Ale with a hint of citrus. I've scoped out a brewing supply store, but was very disappointed. I'm hoping to hunt a good one down this weekend. Otherwise I'll just have to order online. Bummer.

'til next time.

Alger Park & The Loft

Often times we associate the presence of the Holy Spirit with feelings. Some groups of Christians go as far as to say that unless someone is dancing or speaking tongues or barking like a dog, the Spirit didn't show up. Well that is horse pucky and, by far, not scriptural at all. There are no accounts other than Acts 2 that anything like that remotely happened in the New Testament.

Regardless of the that, Jer and my worship experience this past weekend was definitely Spirit filled. The incredible thing is that our experience came within a great contrast of styles. We went to Alger Park Christian Reformed Church in the morning and The Loft at Calvin College at night. Both are completely different in their style, but quite the same in the focus. And therein lies the crux of it all.

The Holy Spirit showed up at both services. In the morning there was a wonderful sense of being part of a greater family of God. The pastor's sermon was right on. Even Jeremy commented about how awesome it was. While the style was somewhat conservative -- organ, piano and choir -- the people were pleasant and there was a real sense that God was at work there by His Spirit.

The same was true at The Loft -- a college student led service. It was very contemporary in style and participatory. We came and laid the things that seperate our nearness to God at the cross in the center of the auditorium. The auditorium was filled with about 200-300 students all praising God with a sense of passion and earnesty. Dale Cooper, the Calvin College chaplain and speaker, gave a solidly biblical message that did not mince words, wasn't fluffy, but rather deep in content. The students were clearly eating it up. It was powerful and visibly emotion-filled.

All I can say is PRAISE THE LORD for both services. It's not about style. It's about the people's obedience and openness to the Spirits moving. Once again it is an affirmation that God meets us where we are at.

Miss you all.

'til next time.

Made It Through the First Week

Whoa!
I made it through my first week at Calvin Seminary. We finally got Elise Willet's box to her. Lot's of goodies. Jer and I had considered emptying the girl scout cookie boxes first so she'd freak out when we gave them to her. We thought of leaving the cookies in the van so she wouldn't be too dismayed. But, alas, we're just too nice.

Lot's of reading; 60 pages here, 45 pages there, then a report, more 50 pages of reading.... etc. I'm glad I got those reading glasses. The courses are good though; Philosophy for understanding theology, Pastoral Care and counseling, and church history in North America. So far it looks like it will be pretty good.

I am in choir -- don't laugh. I had a chance to play with the chapel praise team this week which was cool. Some awesome musicians even though Calvin Sem is a pretty conservative group (generally speaking). I was told that a few naysayers were conspicuously missing. Oh well.

I'm still waiting for Alger Park CRChurch to get back to me about a second interview for a part-time position there. I met the pastor who said the committee is being frustratingly slow and methodical. Patience is the key here, I guess. Jer and I are going back to church there tomorrow hoping to touch base with someone from the committee to see what's happening.

I'm so excited that Freda is coming next week. Her parents are flying her out here so we can all drive to Ontario for her dad's 70th birthday. It'll be fun.

Jeremy and I are a bit bummed about not being able to see Nate's play, "West Side Story" at Mesa State. I've heard that it is really great. I'm so proud of Nate.

We miss everyone very much.

Blessings to you all this weekend.

'til next time.