January 2008 update

Well, I promised to up-date our blog-site every month. The thrill is that I logged in correctly the first time. Don't you just love Ginko Biloba? It's the last day of January and it's hard to believe it's only been a month since our whole family was home and we were celebrating the last day of 2007. It seems like six-months have gone by for several reasons: First, I ache to see all the grands again and just have all those wonderful hugs and kisses and games. And, secondly, because I feel like we're already in the middle of a semester and so much work has been done at JBU and at First Presby. Thirdly, it's snowing today and I want it to last and last. I love snow.

This is the view across the street from the Blue Fox (my name for our house) on Savannah Lane. The church year is off to a good start with full pews and interested new people and the blessing of people who have loved the Lord and this congregation for over 50 years. Part of the reason the new people come and stay is the gracious welcome from the "old folks". And JBU is in full swing and I have a full plate this semester. Two New Testament classes, one class teaching hermeneutics and the book of Hebrews and a Master's class in the theology of hermeneutics. I've had the class read Jens Zimmerman's Recovering Theological Hermeneutics. Well worth reading. I find that most people who staunchly defend the Bible as the word of God (and rightly so!) can't clearly articulate why that is so. It is so and we need fides quaerens intellectum. So, read something this spring besides the new Grisham novel that I can't wait to get to in February! Until then, we remain IN HIS GLAD SERVICE.

JANUARY 2008 POSTING

I really do need to learn how to keep up this blog site! My son Dayton and Daughter-in-love Rebecca keep up sites for their respective familes which are wonderful. It took me two hours today to figure out how to log into IN HIS GLAD SERVICE to begin this up-date. Maybe if I did keep up monthly, that would help! So, check back monthly and see if my resolution to fight my technological anemia responds to this transfusion of new blogger blood!
Here's a brief re-cap of our year.... Here we are at the 2nd-ever dance at JBU!

JANUARY & FEBRUARY '07

Last winter was full of teaching, discipling and working hard both at JBU and First Presbyterian. Men in the church built a balcony and does help with "overflow". It seems like students and new-comers to Siloam Springs are really appreciating Breck's pastoral wisdom and canonically insightful expository preaching. Parenting in the Pew seminars and book continue to be helpful to many people. I do about 4-6 seminars a year (I limit myself or it could be full time!).

MARCH '07 From starting the month in Dallas taking JBU students to an academic conference to Spring Break first in Chicago with Dayton, Karen and Anna and then on to Montgomery, Alabama for a Pew seminar and ministry finishing with a couple of days in Gulfport with Scott, Rebecca, Tyler, Eben and Tate, it was a busy time! Breck took spring break for a church mission to the Gulf Coast--Katrina clean up continues to this day! Here's a picture of Dayton in Chicago ready to go to his studio. His work is still garnering significant attention. Karen is now teaching dance atLoyola University of Chicago and dancing for a local Chicago studio and school. Chicago and Oak Park have become an "at home place" for them. Dayton is still a Philly fan, however. No one is perfect this side of the fall.

Scott's ministry reminds us so much of our first "start from scratch" years at Carolyn Park. Scott's sense of faith and calling are stunning in an age when "peddling the Gospel" has lost its Pauline prohibition. (See 2 Corinthians 2:17 and 4:2!)

Scott, Rebecca and the kids really love Mississippi and the Gulf Coast. And they still love the Saints and for this we are grateful. What a weird season, huh? One thing about Saints fans, however. Been there, done that and someday.... Here's a picure of Tyler and Eben on game day! Scott actually got to go to a game in the Dome! I won't mention what game--it would break your heart all over again.

APRIL AND MAY '07 From the Wheaton Theology Conference to the end of the school year, from our annual Passover Seder at First Presbyterian to Tyler's Graduation from Kindergarten and my time teaching at Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary (Intergenerational Worship for a DMin program), we were busy! Tate Fox was baptised on Pentecost--Scott's first baptism! What a blessing. Here's a picture of our graduate and our new child of the covenant:

JUNE, JULY AND AUGUST '07

June started off with lots of study and writing. I finished my next Bible Study Guide for IVPress (look for it this year in your local bookstore or on Amazon.com!). It's called The Story of Scripture and takes the reader from Genesis to Revelation in twelve studies connecting key episodes of God's theo-drama into one story. Use it this coming year in your small groups, Sunday schools and churches--hope it helps to "un-sound-byte" God's word!

June also was the "Camp Nona & Pop-pops" for a week with Tyler and Eben. We had a blast. This summer is Anna's turn!

The rest of June and early July was sort of quiet because I had cataract surgery in June and July. For the first time in my life I don't have to wear glasses expect to read. What a hoot. I love it. We also went to New Orleans twice for Breck to do the funerals of two dear friends in the Chinese Church. What a blessing this community is to us. We selected the card many of you got in the mail for New Year's Greetings because of our love for the Chinese Church and our dear family of faith there.

From July 25th through August 12th, Breck and I took a trip to Germany & Austria to celebrate our 35th anniversary just about a year late. We had a marvelous time, much of it checking out the Reformation and Luther sites. Our three days in Berlin made us want to go back soon! One week was spent at Schloss Mittersill, of course, at the Theological Students Conference. This was the first time we didn't take the train--we rented a car and had a blast.

SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER '07
JBU in full swing, new people at First Presbyterian, Pew seminars, a woman's retreat and a very memorable plane trip to Chicago to see Dayton and Karen over fall break. Maybe you saw it on CNN....American flight 1400 out of St. Louis...left engine caught fire, had to dump fuel, return to St. Louis, make an emergency landing. We found out after it was all over that it really could have been "all over" for the flight. BUT...(cue the music and praise the Lord)... there just happened to be a third pilot on board (sitting right behind Breck) who they called forward to help land the plane which by this time had NO hydralics. We prayed, we trusted the Lord, we had a kiss, and when we got to disembark on the tarmac, I took a picture. We also made the Chicago channel 7 news..it's on YouTube, but I don't know how to make a link. Go to Dayton's site (Dayton is Not in Ohio) and he has a link! Here's the plane:

My devotional THAT MORNING in Siloam Springs was Psalm 91. I hardly remembered it, so thought I'd re-read my devotional that evening.... O Sovereign Lord....

We did have a fun time in Chicago with Dayton, Karen and Anna. Appreciated it more!

OCTOBER & NOVEMBER '07

The school semester went well, I got to take a quick trip to Gulfport to stay with the kids and help Scott while Rebecca had some R&R with her mom and sister. Of course, Dead Theologians Society had our annual All Saints Eve event and First Presbyterian celebrated Reformation Sunday. The Saints gave us glimmers of hope...
Just before Thanksgiving I went to AAR/SBL professional conference in San Diego and then met Breck in Reno to pick up my mom and drive over the mountain and through the woods to have a wonderful and refreshing Thanksgiving week with my sister Kellie and Bill in California. We ate and laughed and climbed Trinadad Head. We celebrated Holiday Gift Giving (I'm reserving "Christmas" for its proper use--humor me.) and just had a great time. Here we are all decked out in our JBU sweats during a shopping spreed in the Victorian Village of Ferndale, California--people kept asking, "Where is John Brown?". Go figure.

DECEMBER 2007
Final exams, candlelight services, parties with friends and finally time with family. The Chicago family came in time for Anna's #3 birthday, December 23rd. Nona made her a Tinker-bell Castle cake and invited 4 little girls over to make it a real party. It was magically wonderful. The five girls were friends in about 30 seconds and Anna was thrilled with all of it.

The day after Christmas, the Gulfport pastor and his family arrived and the house was full! We played and cooked and took pictures, and just had such a good time as a family all together.

We went to JBU and took some great pix--here we are at "The Eagle" wishing all of you a blessed 2008. Check the blog from month to month....I promise.