Memphis for Santa's visit

We returned last evening from Memphis where we celebrated Christmas early with Alethea, Justin and Camdyn. Karisa flew there from Chicago and rode home with us. On Tuesday Cheryl and I took Camdyn to the Peabody Hotel to see the famous ducks and we enjoyed lunch at T.G.I. Fridays.



At the Peabody

Baking Cookies for Santa















It was so much fun to watch Camdyn with her toys. She reminds Cheryl and me of Karisa and Alethea as well when they were her age . "Alethea" shows up when her mom tells her not to do something. She gets a determined look with a sheepish grin and does it anyway knowing there will be consequences (e.g., a toy is put away for a couple of days). For example, one of her gifts was a play piano her mother had when she was Camdyn's age (see picture). Camdyn loved playing it but she also loved sitting on it. It had been broken over the years and I had repaired and reinforced it. I suspect Alethea did not trust my skills and did not want Camdyn sitting on the piano. Camdyn looked streight at her mother and plopped down. It was promptly put away for a couple of days.

The Piano

Her favorite toys seemed to be a rocking horse and the refrigerator I made her. but she enjoyed them all.



Papa's Girl

Four Women

Karisa in a rare serious mood.

Justin finds his place in the world.

Larry and Danny Visit

One of the great aspects of a long term pastorate combined with teaching at a seminary is becoming family with students who then become life-long ministry peers. Cheryl and I have several former students who are also former New Covenant members who fit that category. Two have come for a visit this week, Larry McQueen and Danny Alvarez. Larry is in town for Brenda Hughes' graduation from UT Knoxville with an Executive MBA degree. He has recently been accepted into a doctoral program at the University of Birmingham in England. Danny is on break from his doctoral program at Regent University in Virginia and came to see a "friend". The visit included meeting her parents. They are both very special to us and a pleasure to have in our home (they both help with chores around the house).

Larry McQueen


Danny Alvarez


Brenda Hughes

Lane's Visit

We had a special surprise this week-end, Larry and Maxine Lane came over for brunch. Maxine worked at Northwest Bible College when we taught there (1976-1979). In every place there are people who make having lived there special. Larry and Maxine are two of those people. They are warm, loving and gracious friends, a major reason our memories of North Dakota are always pleasant.


Larry and Maxine


Another Thanksgiving shot. Camdyn was checking Santa out from a distance.


Another shot from our front yard.

Family Visit

Thanksgiving has come and gone. On the Saturday before Thanksgiving we met Alethea and Justin in Decatur, Alabama and brought Camdyn home with us. She requires a little bit of attention. Karisa arrived on Tueday evening (Wednesday morning), with Johnmark and Mat. Alethea and Justin came on Wednesday. We had a great Thanksgiving. (I didn't cook anything.) My sisters Shirley and Darlene came on Friday.


A view from our front yard.






Marcy Williams Webb came for a visit before Thanksgiving





Alethea and Karisa




Johnmark survived his first inquisition


Justin and Matt


Camdyn help's with Papa's project


Shirley and Darlene

Travel & Work

We've been busy since Camdyn's birthday party. I traveled with Cheryl to New York on November 2-4. She went to the Evalgelicals and Catholics Together meeting. I met her friends from the group including J. I. Packer, Chuck Colson, Tom Oden, Richard Neuhaus and others.

I spent a day at the Union Theological Seminary. It was great for me. One of my special interest is early twentieth century religious education theorists. During that time-frame George Albert Coe taught at Union, John Dewey taught literally across the street at Columbia University's Teacher's College and H. H. Horne taught downtown at New York University. The library was a treasure cove of resources on the period. It was a great disappointment in other sources.

We spent Friday walking around downtown New York. There was a great display of Medieval manuscripts at the library, Bibles and prayerbooks. They were absolutely beautiful.





Last week I went to the mountains in our pop-up and pulled together some of my research. I'm going again this week. We pick up Camdyn next Saturday.

Camdyn's Birthday Party

Memphis Visit

Cheryl and I went to Memphis on Thursday evening to celebrate Camdyn's second birthday. On Friday we took Camdyn "trick-or-treating" at the children's hospital. On Saturday she helped her Papa make pancakes and Camdyn helped make cup-cakes for her party before we went to the party.

News From Alethea

Yesterday Alethea was asked to become chief resident at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital when she completes her residency there in 2007. This will mean they will stay in Memphis for an additional year. This is quite an honor and we are very proud of her. She has not officially accepted. I have attached a link to the hospital. www.lebonheur.org

Also, Justin's ministry at the University of Memphis was highlighted in a local paper today. The following link should take you there. Commercial Appeal

More Pictures

Here are a few more pictures.

Katherin enjoys a ribbon more than her company.

Cheryl:"This gives me great ideas about Karisa's wedding."
Karisa: "I hope mom's not getting any ideas."

"When I get this seed out of my teeth I'm going to kill Jackie and smash his camera."

Katherin throws rice on her Uncle Jonathan.

Ronnie, Crissey, and Katherin.

Wedding Pictures

Here are a few pictures Karisa and I took at the wedding.
Jonathan and Jennifer


Thurman gives last minute guidance, "And by all means end each sentence with, 'yes, dear'."

"Did you order the jacuzzi? No, I thought you did."

My Aunt Betty (Dad's sister), cousin Terrell and his wife, Linda

My sisters (Darlene ans Shirley) and my cousins Diane and Linda (My Aunt Lorrine's daughters) [Left to right].

My Aunt Mary Lou (my Mom's sister).

"It seems we've been here before." Jimmy and Iris had their wedding reception in this room on December 17, 1967.

Wedding Day

We are in Jacksonville, Florida for my nephew's wedding. Cheryl and I drove down yesterday and Karisa flew in last evening. Cheryl and I went to the rehearsal dinner where we got to spend time with my brother and sisters and their families (except for my nephew Ryan who flies in this morning). There were a coulple of other people I knew from years gone by.


The picture above was taken two years ago when Jonathan and Jennifer came to our house for a visit. I will post some new pictures later.
Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33

Travel

I've been away from this site for a while. I've been traveling and catching up. On Thursday, September 29 I flew to St. Paul, Minnesota for the Evangelical/Roman Catholic dialogue. We were hosted by the Catholic Studies Center at the University of St. Thomas. It was a good dialogue but not yet well defined (this was the third year). I saw several friends including Ralph Del Colle (Catholic), David Cole (Open Bible -- Pentecostal), and I got to know Gene Menzies (Assembly of God) as well as several other very fine people. As always, several people knew Cheryl from her various roles.




On Sunday I flew to Chicago where I got to spend a little time with Karisa and spend some time in the Wheaton College library. Karisa was in charge of chapel on Wednesday; She is student director of the Student Missions Project. She gave an excellent homily that challenged us all. Other highlights included getting to meet JohnMark. He is a very pleasant young man who loves God greatly and is planning to enter the ministry. I was also blessed to attend the World Christian Fellowship at Wheaton. (JohnMark is the chair of that group.) It was great to see scores of students worshiping and praying together. I returned home last Thursday.

Attached are some old photos. Jimmy and Shirley (circa 1955), my mother and brother way back when (circa 1950), and Mom and Dad (Circa 70's).