Redeeming creation one byte at a time
Archive for August, 2008
I love my new theme and I love message design
3I have to admit, I love the new theme; it really fits thematically with the blog and is just fun to look at; it lays out pictures really well and I don’t know if I can do better than this one. yeah.
O.k., so I’m really, really enjoying watching the political conventions these two weeks. Admittedly, I was totally suckered in early in life; I remember staying up to watch George Bush Sr. being nominated as Ronald Regan’s VP and I loved the theatrics of it all. The idea of a smoke filled room was really where I wanted to be; although I’m alergic to smoke, I thought it was an interesting idea.
Flash forward, after 3 years getting my Master’s degree in Communication, I grew to love political conventions more. Understanding that there is a large, macro message that organizers need to get across and they tailor each individual night’s message as it’s self contained unit, but try to draw a line and an argument across four nights really is facinating. If you get the right anchor on the backend, it gets even more interesting. I’ve been watching MSNBC each night and Chris Matthews, Ketih Olberman, Brian Williams, Rachel Madow and Pat Buchannan really provide some entertaining background commentary.
What will be even more interesting is Bill Clinton’s speech tonight; there have been academic papers written about his public speaking skills (he was still president when I was in grad school). Mix his skillz with good comentary and a pressing need to get a message across and you’ve got an evening of theatrics that will be unparalleled.
yeah!
Pete emerges from his hole, sees his shadow and sees a Ninja Turtle
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Aidan started school today.
What was particular fun was that he gets to ride the bus to school because his pre-K is through our local school district. So, at 11:50 every morning, he gets to wait at our driveway for the bus.
Honestly, it was really nostalgic to watch him board the bus on Monday. A thousand different memories came from childhood, from watching Aidan grow from a helpless, poopy mass to a boy, and eventually a man.
As a dad, I’ve really wanted to focus on the relational aspect of being a father. I’ve wanted to walk into our relationship with the understanding that my purpose in it is to prepare him to be a man, to prepare him to be a father and to let him go into the world. I really understand that, but at pivotal moments like this I find my self nostalgic, and slightly sad.
But, yet, it reminds me too to take advantage of these moments; I need to pay attention because they pass quickly. What’s interesting too is that 4 years old is got to be my favorite age so far.
So, Aidan borded his bus to school on Monday and I called anxiously to find out what had gone on later on in the afternoon. Well, he got a rough start. Getting off the bus, he fell onto the concrete and smacked his head on the sidewalk and came home with a big knot on his head. Ouch!
Seeing the picture and Melissa’s story
3First, a thought on seeing the picture.
So many people told us to expect to not ‘love’ our child at first site. That we should be prepared to kind of grow to love her and choose to move forward. Honestly, I was so scared seeing the picture today. But, not to romanticize this, and hopefully not to setup for false expectations, but I loved her. She’s georgeous. It’ll be really fun to go pick her up and bring her home. So, mileage varies yes, but for those of you in our boat that are waiting, just enjoy the moment for what it is. You’ll be surprised at your reaction.
Also, here’s Melissa’s account of ‘The Phone Call’:
I woke up this morning with a peace and sense that she was coming today, but I was SO afraid to listen to it for fear it would be wrong! I was running errands this morning while Aidan was at VBS, and I had just left Kinkos where I Fed-Exed a care package to a friend who will be delivering it to “our daughter” in the Transitional Home in Ethiopia, even though we didn’t know WHO she was. My phone rang just as I was thinking of calling Pete, and it was the infamous 703 area code! I answered, and it was indeed Terra! The whole call lasted less than 5 minutes, and I had to pull into a parking lot (thanks, Walgreens!) so I could focus and write and stop shaking and crying.
When I got off the phone, I stopped by Cookies By Design and got a cookie on a stick for Pete, and then I hand-delivered it to Pete at work. We went home together and looked at the email! She is SO beautiful!!!!
We have a Referral!
4Hi everyone!
Thank you so much for your prayers and love and encouragement over the past 9 months. I just had a conversation yesterday with my friend and I mentioned that the enemy was the wait. Well, it’s finally over and I’m proud to say we have a referral for our new 2-month-old girl Iona (pronounced Eye-Oh-Na) Juvinall! 
Ethiopia is particular about the rules regarding referrals, so some FYI’s, especially considering we have a brutally long wait ahead of us due to court closures from August to October. Until we PASS court,
We are NOT allowed to share her picture or any information about her. Especially consdering we won’t probably even get into court until October at the earliest.
Again, our community has been wonderful and we’re so thankful for your encouragement, love and practical care for us lately. Still be in prayer as we wait these final two or three months to hold Iona; it’s going to be hard!
We got the call at 9:20 this morning, and have been on the phone dialing our friends and family letting people know about our BEAUTIFUL, wide-eyed daughter.
We are thrilled to be a part of her story and God’s big story in the world.
We love you all!
Looking forward to holding Iona,
The Juvinalls
Deliver us from Me-Ville
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My friend, Dave, recently posted a couple of articles on his blog about what good books do. I think I’m adding another truth about good books – Good books end up caring a club and swing it pretty hard.
The main idea behind the book is the exploration of pride – superbia in Latin – and its effects and how to escape them. It’s something everyone deals with at some level, and for me, this book came at a unique time this summer when we started dealing with the 9th inning of our adoption. It’s these moments that seem to separate the men from the boys, so to speak, where the long wait adds up and people seem to leave this process either bitter or with a serious understanding of being something bigger than themselves – being part of God’s great story.
In the scant 169 pages (not including the wonderful discussion guides), Zimmerman gently guides the reader to take the latter path – out of superbia – and away from themselves. He does it, honestly, in a style that I’m becoming quite fond of. Similar to Margaret Feinberg in a deeply personal account, Zimmerman’s book reads like a letter from a friend. It’s often witty, always insightful and a fun, quick read.
Each chapter deals with implications of leaving ‘Me-ville’ (superbia as Zimmerman calls it). One of my favorite chapters, and quotes, specifically comes in dealing with community. In it, he writes:
I have a rock in my house. I got it at a small-group meeting. It’s big–it’s clearly not there by accident. Written on the rock is the phrase “We need each other.” I believe that–we need each other because it’s so frustratingly easy to reduce each other from three dimensions to two, to look at one another as nothing more than toys, tools, or threats in whatever narrative we’re constructing for ourselves in hte moment. We need each other because it’s so frustratingly easy to shove Jesus out of the center and to face the world and all its inhabitants alone. We need each other because we need love, and love is the heart of communion.
I could go on. In short, it’s an easy read, it’s a good, wise, warning on life in community and life with yourself and I would highly recommend it–I would guarantee you won’t be dissapointed and will get a good deal out of this entertaining read.