Mín Englisc Blog

A random thought: I really wish I could buy and read a copy of Hogwarts: A History :-)

We're back from Pennsylvania, having arrived nearly five hours ago now. Nearly all went well — the only notable exception was our van's right rear tire, which developed a hole and needed to be replaced. It was quite exciting to attend my cousin's wedding. She and her new husband, as they begin their life as a married couple, are beginning on the right track of following Christ, and I pray that they may have many years together.

We're here in Beaver Falls. Synod has just ended, and we're going to my cousin's wedding in a few hours.

With the rain that we got, we were busy again this morning; between the last three days, we've mowed eleven of our total of seventeen (?) lawns. It helped that the largest yard that we mow overall, which we mowed this morning, has large areas that have barely begun to grow.
I'm thankful to have been able to get a haircut today! It's annoying when my hair gets so that it simply won't lie down, but rather flies everywhere and becomes worse when combed.
Sorry to say: I'm not likely to post much for the next few days. We leave early Thursday morning for Pennsylvania, where we'll meet Dad, see my grandparents, and attend my cousin's wedding on Friday. This is the first time that I've attended a wedding in five years (the last was another cousin), and I'm really looking forward to it. I wish I knew my cousin's fiancé better, for he's a really great guy; I look forward to being able to speak with him more at futre family functions. And of course...Dad is attending Synod...and Synod is meeting in Beaver Falls...we're going to Beaver Falls! I hope to be able to see people from church, and perhaps even someone or someones from school!

Sorry for no posting for so long. I've been really busy and wasn't thinking of posting for some reason.
You who read Isaac's blog may have seen already: yesterday morning, he had his first flight lesson, which he enjoyed greatly.
Rain! We've mowed this week for the first time since the earliest days of the month.
Synod is now meeting. The moderator is Rev. Keith Magill, longtime pastor at Southside Indianapolis and now pastor at Elkhart.

Very little has gone on today. With no rain, we didn't mow again today. I'd like to try for another job, but I can't imagine that I could get a job at this time of year that would be done in late August and that would let me take two of these few remaining weeks off for Covfamikoi and Scout camp. I guess this teaches me: trust in God's visits to bring the showers, as seen in Psalm 65. I'm glad I'm not a subsistence farmer!
During the afternoon, I did the only at-all-interesting thing, helping Mom clip off deads pieces from some flowers. Now is that the most interesting thing, all day long? Perhaps, but...
Part of the day I was a little morose, because I'd called a friend and been unable to talk very long, due to schedulling getting in the way. I'm thankful to God that I was able to stop moping quite soon; I just need to remember the context, that even a short talk with someone whom I rarely see is enjoyable and a blessing. This is something that I need to learn: always to keep my experiences in context, to see them in light of what has been happening. In many experiences of life, I may have a slight disappointment one day, but I must remember that I couldn't have such a disappointment if I didn't have what God had already given, if he hadn't already raised me up and given me great blessings. There is so much that I need to learn!

Happy Birthday to Mom!

Today was my day for doctors: at 9:30 I went to the dentist's, and at 11:30 I went to the neurologist's. At the dentist's, all went well; I was told that the last of my wisdom teeth is beginning to break the gum, and that unless I begin to feel pain and experience problems, I'll not need any dental work on them. On the other hand, I was rather confused at the neurologist's; although there's nothing wrong, there were some things that the doctor mentioned that I didn't fully understand, and it's possible that I'll not be able to be driving at all this summer. I've never liked driving, but I figure that I need to begin sometime, and this summer should be as good as any other time.
Because of a sense of boredom, and because Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will be out in less than a month, I decided to check out from the library Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. I'd forgotten how fast these books are to read; I began the book shortly before dinnertime and finished around 10:30, despite taking many long breaks (including dinner!).
I'm now done with typing and computerising the commission minutes. Only one thing remains: I've not yet formatted them fully. However, I'm not sure what the Church History Committee want, so I'm to be calling the chairman tomorrow to see, since the intended use is definitely related to the final format: why bother formatting if they simply want it as text? Or why leave it as is if they want it to look really nice?

Although I'm up north while the ECHO II team is in Florida, I still pulled weeds today. Our garden hadn't been weeded since it was planted, so it really needed it: some parts were much greener than the lawn! I found that I can't go very fast (at least the way I understand it), which was annoying, since I wish we'd been able to get more done. At any rate, it was useful, and after four hours (including breaks) of work, most of the garden is cleared. And a benefit of growing beans: they are big enough and leafy enough that they choke out surrounding weeds :-)
Tomorrow, I have two doctors' appointments: my dentist in mid-morning and my neurologist shortly before noon. I hope to have good results, especially at the neurologist: the dentist is more likely to return bad news (I'm hoping I don't have to have wisdom tooth surgery anytime soon), but I'd rather have bad news from the dentist than bad news from the neurologist. I'm thankful that I'm quite unlikely to have to have surgery or anything else than I have now.
Today, I finished typing in the Minutes of the Manchuria Commission, and I've formatted several of them. I hope to get the formatting done early tomorrow.

Light rain passed through at about 6AM today, and we were hit by hard by quickly-passing rain partway through the afternoon. We're grateful for the rain, but it's still hurting income significantly.
I made progress on the Manchuria Commission minutes today, copying all the remaining pages and transferring five into the computer. I'd hoped to do all of them, but I'm now about asleep — no way that I'll be able to do any more without plenty of mistakes.

Much of today was occupied with hedge trimming. We spent perhaps two hours working on trimming the bushes at the doctor's office in Belle Center, where we mow whe it rains. Mom said that our time with three people, went really fast. I can't imagine what it's like for her normally, doing it by herself! At least it's only once a year...
I've finally begun work on transcribing some documents for Synod's Church History Committee: the minutes of the Manchuria Commission, set up to oversee our short-lived mission in that region of China. So far, I've transcribed five of the eleven pages, and I hope to have them all done by tomorrow. If all go well, it will be but a short time before I have the text in the computer, ready for the Committee's inspection.

I decided to send some text into another language and back into English for laughs. Therefore, I took the first sentence of the previous post ("Today was quite relaxed...") and, using Babelfish, translated it into Chinese and back. Here's the result:

Today quite relaxed; Very little occurred. I am rather tasteless many days; Why although I amn't firmly, I think it as a result of this week: Extremely occurs, I am not accustomed to do little rather! On Monday I hoped obtains continuation more materials, in order to maintains oneself is busy.

And from English to German to French to Dutch and back to English:

The current day was completely lighted; much little has arrived. The day earlier much me was perforated; although I not, for which thinks, I, he because of these yielded is certain is: he arrives this way that I rather do not do a small got used number! I hope more with material Monday continue that, to receive to keep me employee.

Today was quite relaxed; very little happened. I've been rather bored much of the day; although I'm not sure why, I think it's because of this week: so much happened that I'm not used to doing rather little! I hope to get going on more stuff on Monday, so as to keep myself busy.
This week has convinced me that I need to get a driver's license. Not until this week did I fully understand how hard it is to cross busy intersections while riding a bicycle! And what's more: I undersand better now how, when riding a bicycle, I must either (1) depend on other people for nonlocal transport, or (2) be restricted, such as by the time of day, when I can be at certain places.

I'm now back from Indianapolis. What a great time! It's no wonder that I posted so little :-) I praise God for how things worked out; I'd been looking forward to this for months, and I'd been needlessly worrying about things for a couple of weeks.

Happy Birthday to Katie!

Happy 53d Birthday to Dad!

Our camping trip was great! Generally, our camping trips have several things go wrongly, and several people behave badly or simply are lazy. Instead, virtually nothing went wrong. Weather, despite predictions, was wonderful, and the scenery was impressive.

We leave for Kiser Lake in less than an hour. Hopefully the weather goes well, and much is accomplished!

We were busy with today's mowing. I can't remember how many lawns we mow per week, but today we did four of the largest, including one that's 2/3 of an acre. As you can imagine, we were rather tired by the end.

Tomorrow, all of us except Mom leave for Kiser Lake, a state park in Champaign County (next county south) where the Scout troop is camping for two nights. Fancy a campout that begins on a Thursday afternoon! I'm not sure what all is going on (due to being an assistant adult leader, I'm not much involved in the planning), but I do know that a significant part of the time is working on advancement for the newer members of the troop.
Therefore, I'll try to post sometime tomorrow afternoon, but there will be no Friday post. I'm not sure when I'll post on Saturday, but it shouldn't be much of a problem; although I don't know when we'll get back, we have to leave the campsite by 1PM. I hope that I'll be back by 3PM.


A small screech owl that we saw some nights ago. I think this is the worst case of redeye that I've ever seen :-)

Today, I went with Dad to Findlay, nearly an hour north of here, as he visited someone in a hospital up there: the mother of someone in our congregation. I was pleased to be able to meet this lady and her husband, and to see their faith in Christ despite their difficulties. I was especially glad to be able to do something of interest, aside from just staying in Belle Center and either sitting around or mowing grass. Actually, we did little mowing today: with more rain, there was little time for mowing.
Tonight, we went to Bellefontaine for dinner and grocery shopping. One thing we definitely disliked was at Fazolis: "Just 25¢ per person for unlimited breadsticks!" This is a new policy: always before it's been 0¢ per person for unlimited breadsticks. I suppose we'll have to put up with it, but it's not a friendly change.
And also, it was nice this afternoon to receive a phone call from Tony, with whom I'd had almost no contact since the end of the semester. It's nice to be able to have several minutes of conversation with a good friend. I just hope he doesn't lose his cellphone, or I'll not be able to talk with him at all this summer :-)

REALLY weird dream last night: I came home from being gone for a few days and found that Isaac was engaged to be married to someone from Southfield! Not a clue where that came from: I know that he's not considering such a thing :-)

This afternoon, we had (I believe) full attendance, with 42 people present. Dad preached from John 20 and John 12 in the afternoon and the evening respectively, speaking in his "Christian Basics" series and his extremely long series on the gospel of John respectively. Between services, we hosted the Mortons for lunch, an agreeable time as always.
Despite sleeping decently last night, I've still been tired today, almost falling asleep in the late service. I'm going to bed earlier tonight than I did last night.
We got rain for the first time in three weeks!



As I type this post, I sit here considering my life in recent weeks overall. I've done relatively little for some time, even though I have read some Shakespeare and other books as well. I've gotten plenty of mowing, of course, but that's mostly it otherwise. I still haven't put up quite all my books on my new shelves. I'm looking forward to doing that eventually, but I'm not sure when I'll get around to spending just an hour on it — and that's probably more time than I need to do it! People ask me "how are you doing?" and I say that I'm doing okay, which is true in one way, that nothing ill is happening. But is this really my purpose in life? Am I really fulfilling God's will for me right now? I have so much on my mind, so many different topics, that my body is almost idle but my mind can't stop. I worry about things — I had a horrible day on Friday because of something that was on my mind — whether considering my longterm future, what I'm going to do in the immediate future, the affairs of daily life for my family, or the problems and concerns of friends. I'm thankful that others ask me to pray for them in their distress, and I'm thankful that they're willing to pray for me: without a doubt, it's better to exchange prayer requests with other Christians. Nevertheless, I do pay some sacrifices: I wonder what will happen to me or what will come of friends' problems and concerns, and while I miss my friends, whether Indiana, Geneva, or otherwise, such contact only makes me miss them more. Am I really "okay"? You decide. Whether I am "okay" or not, I know one thing: I'm not doing the best that I can, and I need your prayers for me as I seek God's will for me.
As I prepare for bed, I remember a psalm that we sang in church today: the first part of Psalm 84.

(1) How lovely, LORD of hosts, to me The tabernacles of Thy grace! O how I long, yes, faint to see Jehovah's courts, His dwelling place! My heart and flesh with joy draw nigh As to the living God I cry.
(2) The sparrow has her place of rest; The swallow through Thy kindly care Has found where she may build her nest And brood her young in safety there. Thine altars as my rest I sing, O LORD of hosts, my God, my King.
(3) Blest they who in Thy house abide; To Thee they ever render praise. Blest they who in Thy strength confide, And in whose heart are pilgrims' ways. They make the vale of tears a spring, With showers of blessings covering.

Right now I feel a little bit restless, and I'm not sure what I'm doing. This psalm is wonderfully helpful, especially as I consider the last words of Psalm 49:

Man in honor when not wise, Like the beasts that perish, dies.

I'm not in a really honourable position, and I'm not afraid that I'm going to die because I'm not sure what to do right now. However, I can see my dreams die because of a lack of wisdom on my part: I see how frail is that which I want! I must pray ever more faithfully. Many of you know that I like to know what's going on and to be able to keep things under control, and when I find myself physically isolated from virtually everything that's going on, I'm nervous, because I can't do much of anything about something that seems to go wrong. This is why I worry so much, because things are on my mind and I have a hard time leaving them to God's care! Please pray for me, that I might be able to relax in God's care.

Here's a pleasant picture of Leoti, a small town in far western Kansas. Something common in that part of the country but unknown here is the practise of round fields, as you can see in the foreground. Because rainfall is rather sparse, irrigation is practised by means of large wheels that radiate in a circle from a central point. And it even has the side benefit of providing a convenient place for your house!

Today, I read Shakespeare's King Lear. It was interesting, and I was able to follow most of what was going on, but I still think I would do better if I could see it being performed.


Jonathan's Run Falls near Ohiopyle State Park in southwestern Pennsylvania

While wandering around online, I came across the website of Summit County, Ohio. As you can see on their logo, they claim to be "The High Point of Ohio". Now granted, it's the highest point in that part of the state, and was so named for being the high point on the Ohio and Erie Canal. Nevertheless, they need to read up on their geography: Ohio's higher point is found here in Logan County :-)