Jerry Bridges at Covenant

I doubt many of you have heard of a man named Jerry Bridges.  He has worked with the Navigators for like 50 years.  One of his books, Pursuit of Holiness, is a very popular book in Christian ciricles.  Actually, when Kathee and I were first married, when we started our first couples Bible study with the Carpenter's, the Schurman's, and the Kuiper's, we studied through Pursuit of Holiness.  

A few weeks ago, all classes were cancelled for the day for our annual day of prayer on campus.  This year Jerry Bridges was brought in to lead our time together.  It was very neat having him here and seeing him in person.  I had actually just finished his book Transforming Grace the day before he came (I was reading it for a class).  Just another perk of seminary life!  

Star of the Week

Each week in Gideon's class, one student gets to be the star of the week.  As part of that, each student makes up a poster with words and pictures on it about themselves.  When their turn comes around, the rest of the class writes letters that encourage each student (interestingly, I remember doing the encouragement letter-writing during youth groups each year with my youth group at FUPC).  Gideon's was in the last couple of weeks.  Today he got his book, as Mrs Sciortino had to write her letter to him.  

(the cover of his book)

(And example of a letter from another student)

(the letter he received from his teacher--who he thinks is all that and a bag of chips!!!)

Guys Weekend!

Last weekend Kathee, Hope, and Esther, along with Kathee's sister Sharon and neice Dora (who both flew in from Mississippi) headed up to Chicago to attend a wedding reception for Kathee's cousin Sarah.  So Gideon and I had the place to ourselves from Friday afternoon through Saturday afternoon.  We had a blast.  

Friday night I took him bowling, which he absolutely loved!  He scored 93!  I really reminded me of when I was young and my now-sister-in-law Kris would pick up my brother Zach and I and take us bowling at Riverside Bowl in Dubuque.  She did this while dating my brother Nathan, who was living in Conneticut and working at Tiffany & Co in NYC.  GREAT memories for my brother Zach and I (the bowling part, not my brother Nathan living in CT).  

After bowling, he wanted to go to Imo's Pizza.  This is the place to get St Louis-style pizza (think cracker crust and a funky cheese called Provel cheese-- it's a white Velveeta-ish cheese).  He likes it.  I like it.  Away we went.  

Saturday morning we woke up (okay, he woke me up) and made breakfast.

I wanted to make bacon, egg, and cheese on a bagel (even with the McDonald's-style sauce).  They were so good!  

Then I took him to the St Louis Science Center.  He really had a blast (and so did I).  I love it that there is so many free things to do in St Louis.  

Book List

So the semester is coming to a close.  I believe I only have two more books to read for the semester (my Covenant Theology book will carry on through next semester, however).  This does not include 3 other books (one over 500 pages) that I read on my Kindle.  It also doesn't include one class that didn't have a textbook but had umteen million readings that I got to print off and read.  So to say that my nose has been in a book a lot this semester is an understatement.  Oftentimes I get done with one book, and if I have time before my next thing I immediately grab another book for a class and start/continue reading.  This is crazy.  My best friend is the highlighter (so I can highlight and then go back in order to write papers).  Great books, for the most part.  I just wish I had time to digest them.  

Esther Reading

I think it's pretty cute to watch Esther walk over to the children's book section of our library, grab a book, walk back to her rocking chair, and "read."  She certainly sees her mother and father and brother and sister reading a lot.  I think she comes by it naturally!

Study Break

I hope this doesn't come back to bite me.  I am taking a break from studying Greek as I've wanted to update you all for a couple days.  The below is what I have to have memorized for tomorrow's quiz.  These words are quite funky in the New Testament (basically they are a verb form that predated the Greek that was spoken at the time of the writing of the new testament yet were sort of hold-overs from a previous time.  So although there are only about 15 actual "MI verbs" (pronounced "me" verbs; they are verbs that end in "mi" instead of the more common omega endings and omai endings).  All that's a bunch of Greek jargon (of which I understand about a half of right now).  Basically, there are not many of these verbs used in the New Testament, yet the ones that are used are all over the place.  Some of the words translate I stand up/arise (resurrection), I give, I stand, I hand over/betray, I place/put/appoint, etc.  So that's what I'm supposed to be memorizing.  However, I have endings already memorized tonight, so I'm feeling good about that.  However, it's the principal parts that is going to give me fits.   

Basically the principal parts are the various forms a verb can take.  So...

Present Active- didomi- I give.

Future Active- dOsO- I will give.

Aorist Active- edOka- I gave

Perfect Active- dedOka- I have given

Perfect Passive- dedomy- I had given

Aorist Passive edOthain- I was given

So for tomorrow's quiz I need to know the various verb endings in the present active for three different verbs and then the 6 principal parts for each of those verbs.  Sounds like a lot?  I kind of is when I think about it.  We'll see how I do.  

I continue to be very surprised at how well I'm doing in Greek.  After 28 quizzes, my average score is 99.11% (50 % of my final grade).  My first test score was a 95% (10% of final grade).  My second test score was 100% (15% of my final grade).  My only remaining grade will be the final.  It's good to know that I will still pass the class.  Thanks for praying for me, it's helped a great deal.  

   

Bible Translation

This past weekend when we were in Moline, we had a fantastic discussion about Bible translation.  We were discussing literal vs paraphratic translations and why some translations read more chopily (NASB and even the ESV) and why others are much more readily read and understood.  So that night I went home and wrote out a part of a Scipture passage, translated it, and then made it readable.  This may be of some interest to you all as well.  Bear in mind, this is coming from a first semester, first year Greek student.  This is basically entry-level Greek.  However, I do think it illustrates our discussion quite well.  

Krispy Kreme

Since Kathee and I went to bed early last night, we also woke up early today (which I don't normally do).  However, that allowed us to drive down to the Krispy Kreme for breakfast (Kathee's idea).  When there was a KK in Davenport, and before we had kids, Kathee and I would sleep in every Friday (my day off) and then head to Krispy Kreme for breakfast.  We had so much fun.  So it was great to head down there this morning for breakfast.  

The two older kids were very interested in how the best donuts on the planet are made.  

Both of the girls really got into their donuts.  They had glaze everywhere!

Gideon even said they were better than Dunkin Donuts AND Donut Delight (a place in Moline that everone loves but I think is gross).  What a good morning!

Mah-ther Russia!

This week I heard Hope in the bathroom talking with Esther.  So I got a bit nervous.  When I walked in, Hope was very confidently telling Esther that she was born in Russia.  I thought we had her broken of the notion that she was born in Moldova.  I guess we need to do a better job of teaching where she was born instead of focusing on all the places that she wasn't born.  The hilarious thing is that she actually argued with me about where she was born.  Ever had an argument with a three year old who will not listen to the truth no matter what?  See how I get a better understanding of God each day that I am a father?  It's almost nightly that I lay in bed and reflect on how little I knew of God even the day before.  I am so thankful to be a father.  "Papa, I was born in Mahther Russia."  "Honey, you were born in Moline."  "No.  I.  Was.  Not.  I was born in Mahther Russia."  Shaking my head.  

My Greek Test.... 100%!

Meeting a Missionary

One of the things Kathee and I wanted to do in adopting Gideon was to financially support evangelistic missions in Ethiopia.  Our great desire is that if Gideo's biological mother doesn't know the Gospel of Jesus Christ, that somehow, through God's providential benevolence, that she could hear the Gospel, respond to it, and that she would spend eternity with Christ (along with her biological son).  So we waited for the right opportunity.  

While I was taking God's World Mission a few years ago through Covenant's distance learning, I learned a bit more about the world mission's arm of the PCA.  After looking through the Mission to the World website, I found a young family that was preparing to head to Addis Ababa to plant churches and provide medical care (Gideon's biological father died of malaria before Gideon was born).  So we thought the Polk's would be a great family to support.  So we started supporting.

I found out later that my brother Aaron's church also supports the Polk family and that they had been to Aaron's church to share about their ministry.  The week they did so, my parents were visiting Aaron's family and got to hear the Polks speak.  

Last week, Jason, a Covenant grad, was the featured speaker at the Ministry Luncheon (they have them almost every week) so I went and learned more about what they are doing in Addis.  It was very good to hear, and very good to meet.  

Hearing a few months back that they were coming back to the States (specifically St Louis) so Liz could give birth to another child, we contacted them about coming to our home for a meal.  So this is a great opportunity to connect with them and encourage them and get to know them better.  It's a small world, isn't it?  Wow, our God is good!    

Sleeping

Gideon and L. Williams

Gideon and his buddy on Saturday night in Moline

Weekend in Moline

Esther was a flower.

Hope was Cinderella (no picture)

Gideon was Ironman (no picture)

Had to get a picture of our old house.

Got cold and dark quickly.

We walked the neighborhood with Justin, Tara, Kileigh, and Vada Wilson.  Then Rhonda McKinley stopped over to see us.  After the kids were in bed we went to Matt Williams house where we spent time with Matt's family, Sally and Bob Dontje, Bill Ziel, Dave Otto, and Tim Fiscus.  Then Saturday morning we had Nick, Melanie, and Carsten McKittrick over for breakfast.  Then Saturday night we hung out with the Williams and Wilson families for supper.  We attended church at FUPC on Sunday.  During Sunday School I was invited to lead the combined high school classes to give a life-update and had time to answer questions from the kids.  The new youth director was present, so it was fun to encourage him and encourage the teens to love him and participate.  After that we went to the Pothoven's and had lunch with them and the Jones'.  It was such a fun weekend away!

Family Fun Picture

Free Day!

On Thursdays I tutor a 5-year-old boy named Baraka from 4:15-5:45.  I tutor him at the offices of our church.  Each week he comes (Monday's, Tuesday's, and Thursday's) he gets fake money that adds up to a free day.  After $1,000 dollars (he gets $100 per day if he comes, brings homework, and behaves), he gets a free day where his tutor takes him out to do something fun.  This time I had the opportunity to take him out.  So I took him to Bubble Tea (his first time ever), then he wanted to go to the Dollar Tree to get some candy, and then I took him to Heman Park to play on the swing set.  I had him back on time.