GETTING SETTLED IN. I haven’t written in a while simply because the change of pace in jobs has been a bigger adjustment for me than I anticipated. I’ve received a lot of encouragement--most notably Dr. Chaney, the founding headmaster at DA, said, “It’ll be like riding a bicycle all over again.” Truth be told, my lessons have wobbled quite a bit the first three weeks. Hopefully my bike ride is starting to even out. Vicki commented a few nights ago that I seem more relaxed than I have since beginning at DA.
It’s been quite interesting being part of school life once again. It’s been homecoming week at DA this week so all the halls have been decorated and the students have been dressing to the daily theme. On top of all the classes we’ve other activities like a school volleyball tournament, a trivia game, a dodgeball tournament, and a powderpuff football game. And then to have your own sons in class really makes the experience more personal.
Speaking of my boys, I want to say here how much I appreciate both of them. As I mentioned above, getting back into the classroom has been shaky, and both boys have been there to see it. Both of them have been honest and told me when things have gone well and when they haven’t. What I will treasure most about this time is that both of them have proven to be my biggest source of encouragement. Every father should have sons who have their back like I have in Ben and Nate.
DRIVING. Ben sure is getting the experience behind the wheel. A 30 mile commute to school allows for that. Early on I started letting Ben drive up 31W from Millersville on our way home. We gradually added a bit more over time. One day last week I noticed I-65 was practically deserted when we crossed it at Millersville and I gave Ben the option of getting on if he wanted.
“Are you sure?” he asked.
“Yes, get over in the left lane.”
“So, you want me to get on now?”
“I want you to decide if you are ready. If you think you are, turn left.”
About half way up the entrance ramp he said, “I guess it’s too late to turn around now.”
He did just fine.
He’s been getting a lot more interstate practice since then, and I think we’ve only had two people blow their horns so that isn’t so bad for a beginning driver. I am proud of him not only for how well he’s picking up the skill, but also for how well he takes instruction and criticism. I’ve even found that if I hold my tongue for a moment he usually critiques himself out loud saying the very things that were on my mind. I think he’s coming along nicely. The true test is when he can take Vicki for a ride and not set off the “mom alarm.”
HOME SWEET HOME. I neglected to write about this last time, but we’ve been calling our house “home” for 20 years now. Mom had began renting the house some time around 1975. We took possession of it the summer after we got married (after having lived in an apartment in Springfield for a year). We spent the whole summer doing a lot of work to the house and moved in at the beginning of August of that year (1995). There were still several things left to be done because I remember having to wash dishes in the bathroom sink for about a week. Fortunately, we’ve been able to continue to add improvements (like insulation) over the years and it has been a wonderful home to raise a family in.
I feel sorry for Mr. Oley Simmons. He built the house in 1908 for his fiancée only to have her break up with him. He never married so he never got to enjoy his house the way we and other families have. To his credit, he had it built well. It truly is “home sweet home.”
SOME FAMILY NEWS. Since it has been three weeks since I last wrote I will catch up on our social calendar a bit.
Morgan is engaged! Next May Kenny will be walking his daughter down the aisle. Her financé, Jimmy Ring, is a great fellow and a wonderful match for her.
On the other end of the spectrum, Sue Hancock passed away. She and her husband, Elbert, were a special part of my life growing up. They would stop in to visit about once a month and Uncle Elbert would always spend time with me. We were always delighted to see them any time they dropped in. We were able to go to the visitation but not the funeral.
Speaking of the Hancock family, we went to a family reunion today. There weren’t as many folks there as usual, but it was fun to catch up with cousins you don’t see too often.
Finally, Vicki and I went to see the movie War Room. This was produced by the same people who made Facing the Giants, Fireproof, and Courageous. Once again, they knocked it out of the park. This film will make you rethink how seriously you take prayer.
WELL SAID. On the subject of faith, Jenna showed us an essay she wrote for her Dual Enrollment English class a few days ago, and with her permission I am sharing it here.
On Keeping FaithJoe
Throughout my 17 years, I have come to notice that I conduct myself differently from the way others act. Being different does not bother me; rather, it has just been a fact of my life. However, it was never more apparent until a few days ago when some fellow students were recounting what happened at a party over the weekend. As they were telling their story of other teenagers participating in underage drinking and casual sex, I found in myself that there was absolutely no desire to want to partake in activities such as this kind of party. Some might say that parties are a rite of passage as a teenager and call me a bore, but I say that even attending this type of party can tempt a person into sin. Sin is when we fall short of obeying the commandments of God, who is the Creator of everything, and follow our own will instead. The idea of there being absolute right and wrong may sound daunting, but through God’s teachings, I have learned that sins’ consequences are much harder to bear than if a person stayed away from it in the first place. The reason I believe in this way is because I am a follower of Christ and use God’s Holy Word, the Bible, as my guidance.
Believing in God and having faith in a Being that you cannot see is not an easy journey; some even call it crazy. My faith and belief in God, however, grows stronger with each passing day because I know He loves me unconditionally, and I want to show Him my love in return. Even when life gets tough, I am able to feel God’s presence pointing me in the right direction, and I suddenly feel unexplainable joy because I know He will always take care of me. The hope I receive from God is also reassuring. God sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross for EVERYONE’s sins so that we could live eternally with God in Heaven. Yet God does not want only me to experience His beauty, He wishes for all of His creation to come to know Him through Jesus Christ.
One way in which I share God’s love and message of hope is through the mission field. Back in March of 2013, I felt God prompting me to go to Haiti, one of the poorest countries of the world. I had only one dilemma; it cost almost two thousand dollars to go. The church I attend had just begun to offer trips, and I was struggling to figure out how I would raise enough money. However, with God, there is always a way. It took quite a bit of dedication, but in a little more than a year, I was headed to Haiti to share my love with the community of Jeremie. It was while I was there that God taught me to be grateful for each relationship I have, the provisions that He supplies for me, and to praise Him whenever possible because life is so very precious.
All in all, my faith simply boils down to the fact that God gives me hope and life. I understand that there will always be non-believers in this world; I have come to accept this fact, but I feel that God has commissioned me, as His follower, to change this for at least a few of His lost people. With all my heart, I will serve and love God and do whatever I can to help point others in His direction.
