Mín Englisc Blog

I'm to leave in about an hour for Pittsburgh. At 7:30 tonight, at North Hills RPC, is to begin the installation service for the Rev. Messrs. C.J.Williams and Dr. Rick Gamble to the professorate of the Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary.
Finally done with classes for another week. Over the weekend, I hope to do a lot more work ahead with Bible; if I can do all of the work for the next month (unlikely but possible), I'll just have to do a quick review later.
This afternoon, I went across town to talk with the Rev. Bruce Backensto (co-pastor of Geneva RPC) about arrangements tonight (he's driving) for a few minutes. We ended up talking for an hour :-)
Please pray for Mrs. Helen Keys, a sister-in-law of our oldest member at Belle Center. Mr. Keys came in from the barn this morning and collapsed suddenly in front of her, and he passed away very quickly. I can't imagine what that would have felt for her, but I know that she needs the comfort of God. At least both of them were faithful Christians!

John Glover Roberts, Jr. has been sworn into the office of Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States of America, only the seventeenth man to hold that position.
Sorry for no post yesterday. I was somewhat tired and didn't realize that I hadn't posted until it was bedtime.
Praise God for a useful talk this afternoon! I spoke with the person with whom I'd had the problem, and it's quite resolved. Call, instant message, or email me if you want to know more.

While returning from that talk, I met Prof. Werthmuller (who teaches my History 220 class 8AM Monday-Wednesday-Friday), and we discussed topics for my term paper. Currently, I am considering writing a paper on either of two topics:
• What (if any) permanent effect did the conquests of Justinian I have? [Justinian was the famous Byzantine emperor in the 500s who reconquered most of Italy, only to have it be reconquered after he died]
• What (if any) permanent effect did the conquests of Heraclius have? [Heraclius was another Byzantine emperor, in the 600s, who (despite great odds) destroyed the enemy Persian empire and saved his own, only to have the Muslims come and conquer all that he had saved.]

Because relatively little has happened today, I'm going to post my class reflection paragraphs for Bible.

Tuesday's class "filled in the blanks" between creation and Joseph. I benefited by the discussion of the reasons for the Fall; although I had always believed that the Fall was in God’s plan, I had not been able to explain the implications of some factors, and I had never considered others. In particular, I appreciated the discussion of God’s grace; it’s truly wonderful that, by the Fall, God still glorifies himself — and in a way not likely without the Fall!
As well, I learned from the discussion of Jacob at the end. In the "children’s Bible stories" that I always heard as a child, it was always assumed that Jacob was by far the more godly of the twins. The realization is shocking that Esau was, in some ways, the better of the two! However, this knowledge gives me an even better sense of God's grace, as I see how God saves a worse man and leaves a not-as-bad man to die in his sin. Praise be to God for rescuing us from our sin!

Could we do this to Grove City?

Sorry about the non-showing pictures. I eventually gave up and decided to try out Photobucket, a favorite of certain people from Broomall.
Yesterday, I visited Geneva RPC, somewhat more than three miles south-southwest of here, up in Patterson Heights. In the morning, Pastor Bruce Backensto ended a long-running series on Hebrews by preaching from the last eight verses of chapter 13, and in the evening, Pastor Keith Black preached from the second half of Exodus 2. In the morning, I bicycled to church (Steffan Hill is bigger than anything we had on the bike trip to Calvin, making it hard to climb but fun to descend ), and I rode with Dr. Jack Delivuk (college librarian) in the evening. After church, I visited Dr. and Mrs. David Carson for most of the evening.
After much prayer, I have decided to commit to Eastvale RPC to be my home church. This is not because I liked the services best (it's far nicer to hear 200 people singing than 25) or because the pastor is better (they have no pastor, so the preaching varies), but because I think I should do what I can to be helpful there. Of course, I'm not sure what I could do to help, but any help I can give will be most useful at Eastvale. They are barely half the size of Belle Center, they have just two families with children (only one of those families are members), and only one other college student is planning to attend there. Pray for more members, and pray for the Rev. Derek Miller, who's not decided on his call from Eastvale. Pray that if he should not accept the call, that someone else soon might be found who would be the pastor here. They truly need much help!

Pictures from today:

Geneva RP's building viewed from the street

Geneva RP's sanctuary viewed from the back

Geneva RP's sanctuary viewed from the pulpit

Pastor Bruce Backensto

Pastor Keith Black

Pastors Black and Backensto, co-pastors of Geneva RP

The oddest street sign I've ever seen

If I think of it, I'll post more tomorrow about my churchgoing today. It's late, and I'm tired.


1. Becca: 7 posts, on 6 days.
2. Anna: 7 posts, on 5 days.
3. Ellie: 6 posts, on 2 days. Five posts were a series of pictures.
4. Nathan: 2 posts, on 2 days.
5. Charity: 2 posts, on 2 days.
6. Katie: 2 posts, on 2 days.
7. Bekah: 2 posts, on 2 days.
8. David: 2 posts, on 2 days.
9. Luke: 1 posts, on 1 days.
10. Allen: 0 posts, on 0 days. Last post 8 August.
11. Rebekah: 0 posts, on 0 days. Last post 8 August.

I just got back from watching Batman Begins, and I didn't care for it. Too much action, too much bad language, and simply too much movie. Every time I saw the corrupt official who puts people in asylums, all I could think of is the man above — Alan Colmes, who is the liberal half of the Fox News debate show Hannity and Colmes.

Today has been somewhat boring, but I've still enjoyed it. It feels so good to have practically no homework, even though it's just for today.
Yesterday afternoon, Tony went with Josh Wilson (our RA) to Josh's house in Toronto, OH (45 minutes west of here) to spend the night, returning just fifteen minutes ago. As a result, I had the evening to myself. However, Micah Wright, very bored at his grandmother's house (where he is living), arranged to come up here for the evening. He arrived at about 7:00 and left around 10:30, following a very pleasant visit. Not only were we able to talk for a good long while, I got some of my room cleaned, and Toby next door was able to help us hang my Merits of Scouting poster from the ceiling. However, the best part of the evening was when Micah, at my request, took me over to the local Wal-Mart to buy a new backpack. My old one had mostly frayed on one of the shoulder straps, making it unreliable. After Micah departed, I spent a good two hours chatting online before bed, and I finished next week's Bible homework in the mean time.
This morning, I did rather little, although I studied a little of Donne and caught up on my Bible reading. After lunch, I decided to go down to the rugby game. Bear in mind, please, that the only rugby games I'd watched before were World Cup games in 1995 (when I was seven years old): played by professionals, each team is drawn from all over a country, and the matches are held in great stadiums. Instead, here, I got a few new amateurs playing on an isolated grassy field. However, it was still enjoyable, even though Geneva lost both women's and men's games.
Since I returned from the games, I've spent much of my time working on stamps, for the first time since I got here.
This evening, Avery Mann is getting a bunch of RPs together to go to the Skye Lounge to watch Batman Begins, beginning at 8:00. Although I've never seen it before, I received a glowing recommendation from Jenny. We'll see how it turns out.
Tomorrow morning, I've arranged to go with Dr. Delivuk (college librarian) to worship at Geneva RPC. I'm not sure how I'll get there in the evening, but that can be worked out later.

I want your prayers and advice about a problematic situation I don't want to deliniate online. Email me or IM me about it, and I'll be happy to discuss it with you. This is nothing to do with Tony at all.

I'm tired after spending most of my out-of-class time on either (1) working on my nearly-completed Bible paper, or (2) having rather important conversations online. Pray about Hurricane Rita!

Here's what I can do for the Donne sonnet that I must memorize. Compare my guess to the copy I made several days ago:

Death, bee not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadfull, for, thou art not soe.
For, those, whom thou think'st, thou dost overthrow
Die not, poore death; nor yet canst thou kill mee.
[something about sleep] which but thy pictures bee
[something about "more"]
And soon must our best men follow thy steps into
Rest of their bones, and soules deliverie.
Thou art slave to Fate, Chance, kings, and desperate men,
And dost with poyson, warre, and sicknesse dwell,
And poppie, or charmes, can make us sleep as well,
And free from thy stroake; why swell'st thou then?
One short sleepe past; we wake æternally,
And death shall bee no more, Death, thou shalt die!

Judy Hughes died yesterday, February 20, 2005, at her Belle Center home, with her husband Lewis at her side. Born in Hardin County, she lived most of her life in the area, although in her later years she and he would make extensive use of their winter home in Zephyrhills, FL. An avid walker, Mrs. Hughes kept going as long as she could, using her walker if necessary. Mrs. Hughes was a member of the Belle Center Church of Christ, where her funeral will be held on Thursday morning at 10:00. Her visitation is to be held Wednesday at the Eichholtz Funeral Home in Belle Center from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., and from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Please make memorial contributions to the American Cancer Society.

This is what could have been written for Mrs. Judy Hughes, whose lawn I mowed for several years.
Tonight, for my humanities class, I watched a movie called Wit. This movie traces a professor as she dies of cancer: we watch as she is diagnosed, as she remembers her past, as she suffers from treatments, as she weakens, and finally as she dies. Although the entire movie is difficult (the first line is: "You have cancer"), I didn't have trouble until the last three scenes. At that point, twenty minutes from the end, I broke down. Not until a while after the end, when Tony and I had had a wonderful conversation about the movie, did I regain control of myself. As we discussed, praise be to God that our ultimate ending as Christians, regardless of our methods of arriving there, is wonderful!
Before I finish, let me offer this one note of warning about the movie. At the end, there is a quick scene of the female professor's dead body topless. This is not at all a gratuitous scene (the body is topless because a doctor is rushing into emergency CPR and doesn't have time for anything else), but it's still a scene of a topless woman.

Nathan tagged me to be a part of this. I wondered when it would get around to me...

Ten years ago I was:
• Newly eight years old.
• Recently returned from Ireland
• Beginning fourth grade
• Beginning to dislike math (because, for the first time, I had to copy from a textbook instead of using a workbook!)
• Old enough to join a regular Cub Scout pack, although that wasn't in consideration

Five years ago I was:
• A new teenager
• Beginning highschool at home
• Very lonely without friends
• Learning the basics of algebra
• A new communicant member

One year ago I was:
• Beginning my first college class at Ohio State — Lima Branch — Bellefontaine Center
• Still active in church
• Getting along well with faraway friends
• Beginning to look at ideas for an Eagle Scout project
• Starting work on Glasgow's History

Yesterday I:
• Gave a presentation of the Psalter to my freshman orientation class
• Visited Dr. David Carson very quickly
• Rode my bicycle downtown to the bank
• Emailed a distant relative, Dwight Copper, about another Copper here at Geneva
• Became rather stressed while talking with Bekah and Katie about some problematic situations

Five snacks I enjoy:
• PopTarts
• Potato crisps
• Grape juice
• Pistachios
• Cashews

Five songs I know all the words to:
• Carmen Ohio
• Psalm 24
• Psalm 100
• Psalm 133
• Psalm 137

Five things I would do with $100,000,000:
• Help my church greatly
• Help my family greatly
• Worry less about keeping my scholarships
• Invest in securities
• Improve my stamp collection

Five places I would run away to:
• Belle Center, OH
• Indianapolis, IN
• Cincinnati, OH
• Rose Point, PA
• Kingston, OH

Five things I would never wear:
• As Nathan said: "Um, girls' clothing? Duh."
• Anything with bad language
• Anything from the University of Michigan
• Anything demeaning our country
• A football jersey with my name on it (there's no way I'm ever getting on a football team!)

Five favorite TV shows:
• Fox News
• Weather radar
• Cops
• Anything on the History Channel
• Ohio State football
This was difficult, because I watch almost no television.

Five bad habits:
• Wasting time on the computer
• Cracking knuckles
• Thinking other people operate just like I do
• Being too serious
• Becoming annoyed too easily

Five biggest joys:
• Salvation in Christ
• Loving family
• Caring friends
• Living with friends for the first time in my life
• Living in the United States of America

Five people I tag to do this:
• Brenda
• Emily
• Julia
• Kaitlyn
• Nancy

Leave me not, nor forsake, O God,
Thou Savior art to me;
Though both my parents cast me off,
I'm taken up by Thee.

These words, I'm sure, are meant to be primarily figurative, but they are surely true in such a situation in real life.
Please pray for someone I've met who has just been abandoned by his parents. Pray for their repentance, and his maintainance in the mean time. Give thanks that he's with a safe family. I'm sorry that I can't give more details, but revealing a name would not be proper.

This afternoon, for the first time in my life, I may have witnessed the commission of a crime.
When Mom and Dad came last weekend (that's why I missed posting on Friday, by the way), they brought my bicycle from home. As well, when they were here, I went to a local bank to set up a savings account. Because I had been given a couple of checks as birthday presents, I decided today to go downtown to the main bank branch, 2½ miles away. When I arrived in the bank (after fighting traffic, having trouble locking my bike to a lamppost, and going in the local state representative's office next door by mistake), I deposited the checks. While I gathered my papers, a woman came in to cash a check, although she was not a bank customer. Supposedly, she went to the nearby Chippewa branch, where she was told that she needed to have two forms of identification, which could include a drivers' license and a Social Security card. Therefore, with these two documents she appeared at the downtown branch. There, the teller told her that a Social Security card is not acceptable, although she could use utility bills or a credit card. She replied that she had none, and she could not provide the name of the person to whom she talked at Chippewa. At this point, I finished packing and rode back up here.
In short: I was rather suspicious of this woman: she didn't cash her check at Chippewa, although they were supposedly accepting of her ID; she doesn't have either a credit card or utility bills; and she was unable to provide a name for the employee of the other branch. I would not be surprised at all if I were a witness to attempted bank fraud.

Death be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadfull, for, thou art not soe,
For, those, whom thou think'st, thou dost overthrow,
Die not, poore death, nor yet canst thou kill mee.
From rest and sleepe, which but thy pictures bee,
Much pleasure, then from thee, much more must flow,
And soonest our best men with thee doe goe,
Rest of their bones, and soules deliverie.
Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,
And dost with poyson, warre, and sicknesse dwell,
And poppie, or charmes can make us sleepe as well,
And better than thy stroake; why swell'st thou then?
One short sleepe past, wee wake æternally,
And death shall be no more. Death, thou shalt die.

I must memorize this, John Donne's Sonnet #10, for my Humanities class a week from tomorrow. Pray that I might be able to get it done!

Great news! Noah Finley, who took Honors Bible last year, says that the second semester (New Testament) is much easier than the first semester!
Today, I attended College Hill RPC. Because one of my uncles and aunts are members there, I went home with them for the afternoon. Since they live just a short distance from my grandparents, I spent much of the afternoon at their house.
Because it's late, I'm going to stop the post now and just do the ratings.

BLOGS
1. Nathan: 4 posts, on 4 days.
2. Becca: 4 posts, on 4 days.
3. Luke: 2 posts, on 2 days.
4. Charity: 2 posts, on 2 days.
5. Katie: 2 posts, on 2 days. I wanted to give her first place for posting about my birthday, but that wouldn't be fair to the rest of you.
6. Ellie: 5 posts, on 2 days.
7. Anna: 2 posts, on 2 days.
8. David: 2 posts, on 2 days.
9. Bekah: 1 posts, on 1 days.
10. Allen: 0 posts, on 0 days. Last post 8 August.
11. Rebekah: 0 posts, on 0 days. Last post 8 August.

In response to a question:
My Bible class is taught by the Rev. Dean R. Smith, D. Min. On that note, my history class is taught by Kurt Werthmuller, my political science by Dr. Jay Neikerk (no clue what type of doctor he is), my writing class by John Allen Shearer, Jr., and my humanities class by Shirley J. Kilpatrick.

It was Thursday, 15 September 2005.
This was day
240
of the blog contest.

Thanks, Nathan, for running this contest!

Today has mostly been a day of work on Bible, interspersed with leisure. Dr. Smith, by the way, told us to forget about an essay that he wanted for next Tuesday (hooray!) Soon, I'll resume work on Bible, although I have most of next week's work done — I want to do paperwork for even farther ahead, when I may have yet more work to do.
This afternoon, I was chatting with Kaitlyn Gladfelter, when she made an unusual offer: she told me that her sisters Tricia and Brenda were going to Wal-Mart, and they wanted to know if I wanted to go. Bear in mind how they asked me: Tricia, in Beaver Falls was talking to her mother (in Philadelphia) on the telephone, Mrs. Gladfelter passed the request to Kaitlyn by voice, and Kaitlyn passed it on to me by instant message. How complicated! At any rate, I accepted, went along, had a good time, and bought some hooks to hang my Merits of Scouting poster from the ceiling. I don't know why I'm prohibited from putting holes in walls yet permitted to make holes in ceiling, but I am.
This evening at dinner, I first felt like I am happier to be here than at Miami. As I sat eating, someone that transferred from Ohio University (in Athens, OH — not Ohio State) was telling his horror stories about his frequently-drunken roommate. Praise be to God for keeping me from things like that!

No longer am I in connection with the Boy Scouts of America.

Today has been rather more relaxed than on other days. Even though I had both Bible and Humanities, I have almost nothing assigned for Thursday's classes. However, I do have the obligatory essay for Bible — by the end of the month, I will have written five papers and essays, each at least three pages long. That's tomorrow's job.
Tony and Josh (the RA) finished rearranging the room today. Although the layout that we designed last night is much better than the original layout, the one they made is better yet. We now have our own private changing area, because the portable closets partially hide a small passageway between them.

Today has been rather busy, but mostly with more enjoyable matters than papers about creation. For one thing, after history I was able to lend Professor Werthmuller my Old English grammar and reader book, which he seems to have enjoyed. At political science, I was a few minutes late (history went five minutes too long), but apparently I didn't miss anything. L&T class was a discussion of exploring and committing to various callings, whether career or otherwise. English was a discussion of the essays we wrote about an essay in our textbook, and because Professor Shearer was only discussing that, he let us out twenty minutes earlier.
As well, I have been busy since class ended. Reading a newspaper and writing a report on it for political science took up a bit of time, as usual. I visited Dr. and Mrs. Carson for a short while. Finally, my copy of Microsoft Office arrived, a couple of weeks after it should have come. Tony and I went to dinner with several other people tonight. I had a good time talking with people today.
Tonight, with the advice of Josh (the RA), Tony and I decided to rearrange our room. I hope soon to put up a plan of the room as it was and as it will be. So far, we've moved the "portable closets" to a temporary location, and the beds have been bunked and put where the closets were. More work will follow tomorrow. The worst part about this (not that it's too bad) is that everything's a mess, since Tony and I both had tons of stuff under our beds, and there's no point in sorting it all now.
Sorry for the short, choppy sentences; I want to get a little more done before bed, and better writing requires more time for thought.

Something like the following was to have been posted yesterday, but the Internet failed for over twenty-four hours. That's why there wasn't a post at all yesterday.

Yesterday, I visited the Tusca Area RPC, ten miles southwest of here. Although the congregation is larger (49 were in attendance, and several others were on vacation), I met fewer people than at Eastvale last week. However, Pastor and Mrs. Hoffman were extremely hospitable, inviting me to lunch at their house along with the other seven Geneva students who attended Tusca yesterday. In case you be curious, I decided to post the morning's bulletin:

• Announcements
• Call to Worship
• Praise: Psalm 98 ("Psalm Settings")
• Invocation
• Apostles' Creed [read by entire congregation]
• Praise: Psalm 138A
• [Not in bulletin] Congregation mentions prayer requests
• Pastoral Prayer
• Children's Message [children go forward to front seat]
• Tithes and Offerings
• Praise: Psalm 25C
• Responsive Reading: Matthew 3:1-3 [congregation read verse 2]
• Scripture: Romans 14:17
• Message: "The Kingdom of God and You"
• Praise: Psalm 100C
• Benediction
• Praise: Psalm 72C stanza 12


BLOGS I don't have much time tonight, so all I'm doing is a plain list.

1. Katie: 8
2. Nathan: 5
3. Luke: 4
4. Anna: 3
5. Becca: 2
6. Charity: 2
7. David: 2
8. Ellie: 1
9. Bekah: 0
10. Allen: 0
11. Rebekah: 0

Please pray for my cousin, Jill Pockras. She's a member of the varsity girls' cross country team at Princeton High School, a suburban school on the north side of Cincinnati. Since her team's first meet, she hasn't been able to run, due to back problems. Furthermore, her absence leaves the team with only four members, and regulations require at least five members per team! Pray for her back to recover (I believe that her injury is related to a fall from a horse that she had several months ago) and for her to be free from pain.

At dinner tonight, I sat with my friend Greg Holland, another Eagle Scout, who is from less than an hour from here. As we talked, we came to the subject of his best friend, J. D. Selzer, who moved to the Carolinas less than a year ago. J. D. has completed miliary boot camp and is now due to leave for Iraq in a week. An ammunition specialist, J. D. has two likely jobs: either working at ammunition dumps, or going out to deliver ammunition to soldiers elsewhere.

Please pray, therefore, for J. D. While ammunition dumps are heavily guarded, due to their nature they are likely targets for the terrorists. Worse yet, those who deliver ammunition to soldiers are both likely targets and relatively easy to hurt. J. D. is in an especially perilous position. Pray for his safety, and pray that he might return safely to his parents and older sister, who has returned from a tour of duty in Iraq.

Lastly, please read past the pictures of birds (unless you attend one of the respective schools) and read my post below this one. I too need prayer, although I'm not expecting to be in physical danger.

Who will win?

While I'm at it, I'd like to mention something that's annoyed me about Tony.

This week, I had to write a "Personal Insight Essay" for my Bible class. Among other issues, this essay required me to look at my strengths and weaknesses as a believer. We had a list of issues to consider, with Richard Pratt's He Gave Us Stories as a guide. I decided to follow the guide quite closely, and this decision resulted in my realization that I'm strongly lacking in at least two areas: personal prayer and fighting sin with which I have problems. Because of these disturbing findings, I decided to follow an excellent example. As you continue to read this post, please know that I have requested and received explicit permission to make such a post as this.
In recent months, Katie has made several prayer requests on her blog, such as this, for sins that she sees in her own life. As I've joined others in praying for her, I've decided that God has given her an excellent idea. What better way to confess "victimless" sins than this way? I brought up this concept (without mentioning Katie's name) in my little huddle group at Bible class on Tuesday, and the encouragement of others prompted me to follow Katie's example.

Therefore, I ask prayer for my feelings about Tony. As I said before, I've been somewhat annoyed with his schedule, although he has done nothing wrong.
I have 8:00 classes every day. This means that I must go to bed by about midnight every evening, earlier than I would prefer. Furthermore, classes such as my Honors Bible require much homework, and I would prefer to have more time during the week to spend with friends, whether by IM with old friends in Indiana, or whether in person with friends I've met here.
Meanwhile, Tony has two 8:00 classes, and he doesn't eat breakfast. Therefore, he rarely is even around when I go to bed, and he sleeps much later than I can. On Tuesday, he didn't awaken until about 10:15! Furthermore, his classes, especially his regular Bible class, require far less homework than mine, leaving him much more free time.
Before I continue, I must say that Tony is a perfectly-behaved roommate. Not once has he disturbed me when he arrives and I'm asleep. Because he and I like different kinds of music, he invariably listens to his music with headphones. However, if I've been listening to talk radio or to my music when he arrives, he is quite happy to decline offers to turn it off.
Therefore, everything that annoys me about his habits is unworthy of annoyance. I recognize that I should not be annoyed with him about these matters, but I am. Please pray with and for me that God may rid me of this sinful irritation! At the same time, give thanks to God that he has kept me from showing this annoyance, so that Tony is not affected. My worst fear is that he would take some of these improper annoyances to heart and change his behavior therefore. Please pray that he might not change anything like this. Pray for my continued sanctification, and pray that I might be a more prayerful person, both in this matter and in everything else in life.
Thank you for your prayers.

On my honor, I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country,
And to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times,
To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.

The Scout Oath.

Do a Good Turn Daily

The Scout Slogan.

I think that I've helped other people and done a good turn tonight.
Tonight was the busiest night I've had since getting here. To summarize: Tony had borrowed a copy of Life is Beautiful from the Filberts and had promised to lend it to a girl in our focus group, Abby Bowser, so that she wouldn't have to watch it last night. This movie went everywhere; it was in the hands of at least four different people, and Abby wasn't one of them. Overall, it took me over half an hour tonight to be able to contact Tony (I even tried to call Micah Wright and got his grandmother, Shirley McMillan!), to get the DVD from Akambe Annankra in Memorial, to find (through her neighbors) that Abby was up at Young, not at her Clarke room, and to run it up to her there. And all this to find that some of Abby's friends had rented another copy in the meanwhile! What a night! At least it's all cleared up now.

While I'm at it, I'd like to mention something that's annoyed me about Tony. However, it's late, and I have an 8:00 class tomorrow. I'll just say that he has done nothing wrong in this other matter.

By Babel's streams we sat and wept;
Our thoughts to Zion turned.
There on its willow trees we hung
Our harps which now we spurned.

For there a song demanded they
Who did us captive bring,
And our tormentors called for mirth:
"A song of Zion sing!"

O how the LORD's song shall we sing
Within a foreign land?
If you, Jerus'lem, I forget,
Let wither my right hand.

Let my tongue cleave to my mouth's roof
If you I should forget,
And if above my chiefest joy
I Salem do not set.

Remember Edom's sons, O LORD,
How in Jerus'lem's day
They cried, "Tear down! Tear down its walls!
Its base in ruins lay!"

O Babel's daughter, near your doom,
O happy count that one
Who shall deal back to you again
As you to us have done!

Yes, happy count that one who adds
To your destruction's shock,
Who takes and breaks your little ones
Against the mighty rock.

Psalm 137

Tonight, I watched the most powerful movie that I've ever seen: La Vida è Bella. Never have I had such a hard time at a movie. Why? Not because of the heart-rending scenes. Not because of the details that are so difficult for many people. Rather, it is because I am of Jewish heritage. Pockras is a Ukrainian Jewish name.

Four generations ago, my ancestors were forced out of the city of Zhytomyr, Ukraine. [It's found under the U in Belarus in the northwest corner of the country] At that time, during the 1890s, the imperial Russian government was quite anti-Semitic, and anti-Jewish pograms were frequent. As a result, Avraham Pokrass and his family were forced to leave, so they went to London. Years later, after my great-grandfather was born, they moved to north-central Pennsylvania.
My grandfather was born in August 1927, so he had his fourteenth birthday about two months after the German invasion of Russia. Had my family not been forced to leave the Ukraine, he would have been murdered in a death camp in Zhytomyr.
Hallelu Yah for the providence of YHWH!

Today was relatively easy, with only two classes and rather little homework. As a result, however, I did relatively little work, and I still have to read something for English tomorrow afternoon.
Tonight, I had a wonderful time over at Filberts' house, where a short Bible-study-and-singing time was bracketed by lots of chatting with hilarious subjects. Especially good was the end of the time, with Avery Mann (Shawnee RPC), Becca Troup (North Hills RPC), Brenda Gladfelter (Broomall RPC), Tony, and me. Almost as good was the walk back, with everyone except for Brenda. It's times like this that I had always imagined when I thought of being with friends at college. Together with the wonderful times I had last week at church and talking so much with old friends online, I have felt so great for the last several days. Please pray that this might continue!

I need to post quickly before getting ready for bed.
Today's events have gone well. Despite the holiday, we had all classes, although the professors handed out almost no homework. That may change tomorrow, of course. Anyway, classes went well, and I had a good time as usual seeing people — just before my English class, I saw Ryan Cerbus, who informed me that Rory had been in town too — and talking.
Because I had a bit of time to spare this evening, I walked downtown again and returned a book I'd borrowed from the library. It's about four miles round trip overall. Everyone seems to think I'm walking the most amazing distances. Last night, I walked to church, not much more than one mile — if that. As well, I made arrangements tonight with a couple in town who attend Tusca RPC; they agreed to drive me, and I surprised them by saying that I'd walk to their house (somewhat more than a mile, up a steep hill) so that they wouldn't have to pick me up.
I can't express how wonderful this past weekend was. Not only did I have a pleasant time with other students at Pastor Selvaggio's house last night, and not only did I have a good time at other points with friends, but I had things I hadn't had in previous days. For example, I was able to have several good, long IM conversations with Indiana people. As well, although it wasn't nice for there to be so few people at church, I couldn't have asked for a more welcoming congregation. Just to think about it: to my knowledge, before yesterday, I had never met any of the people who were at the evening Bible study, yet I remember all their names now. Mr. Caskey. Mr. and Mrs. McMillan. Mr., Mrs., and Miss Schaefer. Miss Baumgartner. Mrs. Adams. Me. What a loving group of people! Please pray for them soon to have a pastor!

President Bush has renominated John Roberts to be the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court.

Today, as I planned, I went across the river to Eastvale RPC for worship, attending the Sabbath School, morning worship, a fellowship lunch afterward, and evening Bible study/prayer time/psalm sing. Mrs. Margaret Carson drove me this morning, I walked to church this evening, and Mrs. Madge Adams drove me back. After tonight's meeting, I walked over to the house of the Rev. Joseph Caskey and talked with him; after that, I walked over to the house of the Rev. Anthony Selvaggio, where there was a get-together for RP students.
Because Eastvale has no pastor, they have different ministers coming and preaching for them. This morning's preacher was the Rev. Dr. Ed Robson, recently retired from the professorate at the Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary. Because tomorrow is Labor Day, he preached a Labor Day sermon from Matthew 11: "Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." The evening meeting followed a program of psalm singing followed by group prayer followed by a Bible study of part of Psalm 40, conducted by Mr. Caskey. Twenty-three people attended the morning service, including me. This is rather typical attendance, although several people were absent. Tonight, there were nine people, including me.
I've decided to post several announcements from the bulletin today. Because most were publicly announced, I believe that they're free to mention; I received permission to post the only other one. Although you may not know anyone on this list (I didn't meet most of them myself), they can still use your prayers.

Prayer matters:
• Victims of the hurricane
• Pastor Derek Miller and his family as they consider the call [Eastvale has called this man, the pastor of the Stirling RPC in Kansas. Please pray for the provision of a pastor, be it Mr. Miller or someone else!]
• Rolland & Clara Warren: Rolland's cataract surgery on 9/14
• Chuck and Marion Simmons: Chuck's recovery from surgery
• Bernice Caskey: adjustment to personal care status [Mrs. Caskey, the wife of the presiding elder, is suffering from dementia. She was moved this week to a better room at the nursing home where she lives. Pray, also, for Mr. Caskey, as he visits her every afternoon. She only is in the nursing home because he could no longer care for her. Pray, especially, for his loneliness; the first Mrs. Caskey died when I was very little.]
• At the recent congregational meeting, Joseph Caskey and John McMillan [two retired ministers who attend Eastvale] were elected to serve as elders for the congregation. They have been serving as provisional elders appointed by the Presbytery. Their installation has been scheduled for September 11, before the morning worship service.
• The Committee for Church Revitalization will be meeting at the church all day Tuesday and Wednesday until 3 p.m. [Pray for this meeting. Eastvale RPC needs revitalization; they have just two families with children, and nearly all of their people are senior citizens. Of the nineteen regular attenders today, I would consider thirteen to be senior citizens.]


BLOGS
1. : 4 posts, on 3 days.
2. : 3 posts, on 3 days.
3. : 3 posts, on 3 days.
4. : 3 posts, on 3 days.
5. : 3 posts, on 2 days.
6. : 2 posts, on 2 days.
7. : 2 posts, on 2 days.
8. : 1 posts, on 1 days.
9. : 1 posts, on 1 days.
10. : 0 posts, on 0 days. Last post 8 August.
11. Rebekah: 0 posts, on 0 days. Last post 8 August.

Best post: Becca: 28 August

The Honorable William Hubbs Rehnquist,
Chief Justice of the United States, has died.

I'm about to go out and see if I can find something better to do than watch Georgia Tech vs. Auburn. Since I want to go, I'll make only quick descriptions; if you want to know more, leave a comment. They are always appreciated :-)
Tony was gone much of the day at a Pittsburgh party for the Rev. Dr. E. Clark Copeland. Dr. Copeland, a retired missionary to Cyprus, is celebrating his ninetieth birthday.
Ohio State beat Miami 34-14. Miami scored twice in the last four minutes to avoid the shutout. I like Miami (I did want to go there, after all) but I still cheer for Ohio State in football.
Because I was diligent on previous days, I had very little homework to do today. That was all completed by early afternoon, leaving just some work for Bible. I plan to do that tomorrow.
After lunch, I decided to take a walk downtown to the Public Library. Not only did I do that, but I ended up getting a library card.
Because I didn't sleep long enough this morning, I took a nap this afternoon. It was supposed to be from 4 until 5, but it ended up going until 7.
Because I napped until 7, I missed supper. Therefore, I decided to do something I will do very infrequently: I walked down College Hill to the local Papa John's and bought a pizza. It should suffice for a full meal tomorrow as well as tonight.

Ahh, it feels nice to be able to stay up late! With an 8:00 class all five days of the school week, I try to go to bed by midnight. How nice it is to be going to bed after 1:00 simply because everyone else is asleep!

Let me just make a few simple notes of thanks to people and to God:
Thanks to people like Katie and Nathan! I had wonderful long conversations with both of them this evening, ending a little before midnight. I don't know anyone here well enough (yet) to be able to have the kinds of conversations I had with them. When I'm here among people I yet do not know very well, it's simply blissful to talk and talk and talk with good friends like you.
Thanks to Tony, my roommate, for being so considerate, and for being concerned about my spiritual and physical welfare. I'm so blessed to have someone so helpful.
Above all, let me say Hallelu Yah! Praise Jehovah for all his wonderous deeds!

Bless the LORD, my soul, my whole heart;
Ever bless His holy name.
Bless the LORD, my soul; forget not
All His mercies to proclaim.

Who forgives all thy transgressions,
Thy diseases all Who heals;
Who redeems thee from destruction,
Who with thee so kindly deals.

Last night, I had hoped to post, but the amount of homework occupied me all evening.
After eating supper, I went up to Dr. and Mrs. Carson's house for a visit. Among other things, we discussed Dr. Carson's brother, the Rev. James Carson, who was mentioned for prayer at church this week because of his surgery. Although Mr. Carson is still in the hospital (and probably will be for a while), he's continuing to improve. Part of the reason for the long hospital stay is the major nature of the surgery he had — not to mention that he would have died quickly due to the illness if he hadn't had the surgery. Let's keep praying for his recovery, even as we praise God for this deliverance.
Shortly after I returned from Carsons', I completed arrangements to buy a "jump drive", a USB-operated bit of hardware that enables me to transfer large amounts of information quickly. It only cost $20, and it's a far better price than market value. I'm so glad that I sat with the seller (another Eagle) at dinner!
I'm done with my classes for the week. Time to clean the room, to organize my papers, and to do more homework.

Another item for prayer: at about 10:00 last night, I realized that I had a bit of an assignment to do for my Bible class that starts 45 minutes from now! This caused me to make a frantic visit to the library and to work as fast as possible here. Then, I had to borrow a printer from the RA's roommate (at least he was completely understanding!) — and because my laptop didn't recognize his USB-operated printer, I had to retype both pages of material onto his computer!
I had been planning to catch up on sleep by going to bed about 11:00. Instead, I didn't get to bed until a bit after 12:30, and because I was keyed up I slept horribly. I didn't even get to sleep until after 1:00, and I woke up at all hours.
Lest this post sound like Psalm 88, let me say this: I believe the assignment is completely done, and I did get a few hours of sleep. I should be completely caught up again by Saturday. Please pray that I might not forget any assignments again!