Ben as Bruce

Sometimes before the boys go to bed at night we'll put on some music and rock out. The other night I put on a DVD that I have of Bruce Springsteen's 1975 concert at the Hammersmith Odeon Theater in London. Ben was way into it. Do you see the comparison?

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Now playing: Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band - Spirit In The Night
via FoxyTunes

Things I look forward to about Alpena

One week from today we will be embarking on our yearly holiday trip to Alpena. This trip always brings a myriad of emotions. I love going home. It is a place of solace and rest for me. That might also be the fact that I'm always on vacation there. There are many things though that are peculiar to Alpena to which I look forward.

1. Fires: I love a campfire. If I could I would build a fire every night, sit outside, smoke my pipe (I don't smoke anymore Mom.), and be near people that I love, I would be very pleased. I think this love started at Summer Camp growing up in Alpena. After the campers all went to bed, the counselors would sit around the fire that Bill Fitch had built, talk, pray and sing way into the night. These were amazing times! I got to know the saints of our church, learned to talk about this Jesus that I loved and grew up. I love fires now because it is something very masculine that I can do with my boys. I am teaching them things, they are breaking sticks, and we are being together. Fire is a gift to men. Men don't say things very well face-to-face. But if they are all facing a fire, words come more quickly and more gently. Every year when I go on our Guys' Weekend with my friends from Taylor, we experience this. We have talked about staying in hotels on that weekend, but someone always says, "What about the fire." I hope to have many a fire in Alpena while were there.
2. Connie's Cafe: This is a little restaurant in Ossineke, Michigan a few miles from Mom's house where we always like to do at least one breakfast. Sometimes Mom will even keep the kids and Amanda and I get to slip off for a breakfast by ourselves. Sweet and precious time.
3. Tricia, Alex and Davy time: I have missed seeing little Davy grow. I am looking forward to seeing them. Tricia was able to be so involved in the lives of our first two kids. It has been difficult to not be able to see Davy and Drew and be involved in their lives.
4. Walks on the beach: At least once while I am in Alpena, I get to take a walk with just Amanda, one with just my mom and one with the whole family. Mom's spot there is so beautiful. The beauty of winter is one of quiet, cold, barrenness. It is a place where you can bundle the boys up, send them out and know that they are going to have good "boy" time: jumping in puddles, finding sticks, walking on the ice, pushing limits.

I am finding more and more that the times that I feel most myself are outside, not in a "I'm outdoors cool" kind of way. I just like to be out. This is something that I've always loved about Alpena. It is much better outside than in. Not everywhere is like that. Northern Michigan is definitely one of those places.

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Now playing: Over The Rhine - My Funny Valentine
via FoxyTunes

Photos by Ben

Ben has also really been into taking photos with our camera lately. The camera is a hunk of junk that we need to replace so I don't feel too nervous about turning him loose with it. Here's a sample of what comes from his lens. I cut out most of the close ups of the brick on the patio, sorry. As you can see Molly is one of his favorite subjects. Mine too!

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Now playing: Bruce Springsteen - I'll Work For Your Love
via FoxyTunes

Good new, good news!

My colleague Robert (a fellow Springsteen fan) came in this morning and said, "I assume you've heard."

"What?," I said.

"There's going to be a second show in March!"

That's right. Springsteen is coming back to the Twin Cities on March 16! Benjamin has been very into the new album lately. He keeps saying, "Dad, can we listen to the new Bruce Springsteen album?" When we put it on and turn it up loud, he bounces around playing his air guitar (which Matthew mimics). If he's getting really into it, he runs back to the bathroom and gets his hair wet. "Rock and rollers are always sweaty," he says. I tell him, "That's right buddy." The other night when we were jamming out, Amanda said that it would have been so great to take Ben to the show. Well, maybe we'll get our chance. Would a five-year-old like to get Springsteen tickets for Christmas? Would Ben rather go to a Springsteen show or get Lego's? Would Caleb freak out if just Ben and I went to the show? Tickets go on sale Saturday at 10:00 AM. Maybe you'll see Ben and I in line down at the Xcel Center with all of the 40 and 50-year-olds.

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Now playing: Bruce Springsteen - Gypsy Biker
via FoxyTunes

Oh, Oprah!

So many times have I wanted to post about Oprah Winfrey, her huge ego and her cult-like pseudo-religious following. After the story that has come out this week about sexual abuse at her girls' school in Africa, I was compelled. What a terrible thing to happen to any young girl anywhere! I saw a portion of Oprah's press conference yesterday on the news. She said "This has been one of the most devastating if not the most devastating experience
of my life. But like all such experiences, there's always much to be gained and I think there's a lot to be learned." WHAT ABOUT THE LITTLE GIRL? She talked about how she spent the first half-hour after she heard about it crying. Then she was able to pull herself together and do what needed to be done. In response to this incident, she decided to give each of the girls a cell phone with her number on it. Do you think Oprah is going to be answering the calls from those little African girls? "Hello, you've reached Oprah Winfrey. I love you, but I can't take your call right now. Please leave a message." The causes that she tackles are admirable, but it always seems like it all about Oprah and not about caring for people. This seems to be just another example.

Matthew 6:1-4
1"Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

2 "Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Christmas, Jesus, kids, gifts, consumerism

As we begin to think about Christmas and all of the joys that it brings, I also begin to think about our kids and all of the questions that this season brings. This comes early this year because we are going to be exchanging gifts at my mom's house over Thanksgiving. When I come to this topic I come with a few givens.

1. This season is about the most important gift ever given: the gift of the incarnate savior Jesus Christ and his eventual death, resurrection and redemption.
2. Secondarily, the holidays are about being together with family and people that we love. As part of this, we give and receive gifts that are expressions of that love.
3. If anything in #2 takes away from #1 it should be subordinated until #1 is paramount.
4. Our culture makes the main part of this season getting the things that you want out of the Toys 'r Us circular (or Best Buy in my case.)

So with these givens stated, here's my question? What do you and your family or what did you and your family (if your family is gone) do to make sure that Christmas did not lose the focus of Jesus and time with loved ones? One thing that we are going to try this year, that we stole from our good friends the Arendts, is that we are going to give the kids three gifts. We'll talk about how Jesus was given three gifts as well. I think we are going to try and do our gift giving with just our family at home. In the past we've done it as a part of other celebrations. I long for my kids (and me) to be protected from the sweaty palmed madness of materialism/consumerism. It's a tough one and I think it may be something that they need to eventually battle on their own. What do you think? I'd love to read your comments.

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Now playing: Brandi Carlile - The Story
via FoxyTunes

Working to keep the universe safe

I love this picture of Ben. He's so serious.

We had a great time last night. My favorite part of the evening was talking to the two widow ladies on our street. We tried to talk to them for a while. The first one said, "Are you having fun?" I said, "We sure are. Are you?" She didn't really know what to say. As we left she commented, "What a beautiful family. You've made my night." Again, a reminder to us that such a small thing to people in need really can make a difference. Shube said that we should invite one of them down for dinner. That would be scary, but I think we should too. I am sure either of them would love to come down.

Check out the other pictures from last night here.

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Now playing: Bruce Springsteen - Devils & Dust
via FoxyTunes