Our Latest

Wanted to put a few of the latest pics of the kids out there. So here ya go. Liza and Grace are now 13 months old and quite a pair. You should see the latest version of their crawl...hands and feet only with no knees on the ground. Quite fun to watch.

Yesterday at Boyd Orchards...pickin strawberries. And Benjamin and I at the finish line of the 1/2 marathon in Nashville last month.
Pretty quiet this weekend. Enjoying our Sabbath together. Girls are napping right now while Benjamin and Leslie are watching Peter Pan behind me. But now Benjamin has become interested in my blogging. He says "tttttfa;sid--ftggghh1133333333gnb" to you all.

I finished up the semester about a week ago and have started my CPE internship (Clinical Pastoral Education) at UK Hospital this summer. It is a full time internship where I will be serving as a chaplain to patients, families and hospital staff. These first few days have just been orientation type stuff and learning my way around the hospital. But next Thursday it all gets real when I'll be assigned several floors in the hospital to serve. From my short time there so far I know this is going to be an incredible experience but probably one of the toughest things I've ever faced in my life. I'm sure I'll have many more reflections on this as the summer goes on.

Leslie is doing great and ready for summer. We were wearing jackets and jeans until just a few weeks ago. Our backyard has officially become the Redneck Riveria, Kentucky style... complete with $11 pool from walmart, sandbox, and toys all over the place. But the most choice item among the little ones is the hose pipe (garden hose for you snobby lawn types). I forgot how much fun and wonder you can have from a simple hose pipe. It's perfect to use as a water gun, temporary fountain, drinking source, mud maker, and sister terrorizer. So we are off to a good start...except that our house is becoming more like a beach house with sand all over our furniture.

Got to go...Benjamin wants to do some "recycling" with some of my school books.

The Wine Press

Ah, back again. It's been months since my last post so I'm trying to ease back into blog life. These last days have been exceptionally busy and tiring ones. It seems that this semester has been a pretty tough one to balance...between school, work in our Seminary's chapel office, and family life, it's been a pretty good stretch. Most of you reading will also know that my Dad has been in some very trying times. He has been battling cancer for almost 8 years now and it has recently become very aggressive. A few weeks back he made the decision to no longer pursue treatments and he is now in the care of Hospice. So it's been a heavy season for our family.

About a week ago I spent a day over at the Abbey of Gethsemani. This has become one of my favorite places in the world. I went with my good friend JD Walt, aka Farmstrong, who I have worked for in the chapel office for the last two years. The rain poured on us for most of the day but we still made it out through the trails to the statues of Gethsemani. On our drive out that morning I was telling JD that I have felt like I have been in that place of Gethsemani...where I see what is before me and feel completely strained.

Mark 14:32-36 They went to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray." 33 He took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be distressed and agitated. 34 And he said to them, "I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and keep awake." 35 And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 36 He said, "Abba, Father, for you all things are possible; remove this cup from me; yet, not what I want, but what you want."

I want to ask God to take away what is ahead but I know that it must remain. Then JD, in his wise knowledge, let me know that Gethsemani means "wine press". Yes, this is where I have been. The Wine Press. But most times I'm feeling more of the "press" than any sort of fine wine. But I have hope. It has been a semester of healing and becoming whole. Learning a new way to live...another whole post I will have to share soon.

But in all this "pressing" I have felt like just being quiet on the blog. I hope to have more coming soon.