The Knight Life

Last Post.

2011-07-31T22:19:00.002-05:00

Let it be known: I'm killing this blog. Not because I don't love you all, but because I'm *terrible* at keeping up with it.

If for whatever reason you're still interested in my ramblings, you can follow my "micro" blog at http://mlizknight.tumblr.com. I can't promise well thought out posts, but I will at least share my thoughts.

Adios.

Sharing the Wealth

2010-08-17T21:52:00.002-05:00

I had read some of the most beautiful, intelligent and thought provoking books, papers and sermons since having started my seminary education. Unfortunately, I’ve read all sorts of silly things too, but the wisdom has thus far outweighed the folly.

I intend to share bits of it on this blog, as long as you permit me to do so. I’ll start including some quotations along with my posts; please find the first below. I hope that these small bits of wisdom encourage and impact your lives, as they have mine.

“The world of Scripture is not satisfied with claiming to be a historically true reality-- it insists that it is the only real world...The Scripture stories do not court our favor, they do not flatter us... They seek to subject us, and if we refuse to be subjected, we are rebels”

Auerbach, as quoted in Preaching the Old Testament

If anyone wants more information about where the quotations came from, or would like to talk with me about it further, just let me know. :)

I start school next week and about to be immersed in the world of Scripture like I’ve never been before. I’m taking two intense exegesis classes, two preaching classes and several other language and ministry classes. I’m excited for the challenge and the pace of a full load.
Love to you all. Knowing that there are people all over the country, and perhaps the world, loving you and caring about you is a really beautiful reality. Thanks for making it so.

Summer of Sewing

2010-08-02T10:25:00.005-05:00

With Kenyon at his new job, a little more than a month away from school and myself occupied only by a part time / at home job, I have had ample time to devote to creativity. Though I am working ahead on homework and preparing for Fall classes, I tend to have plenty of hours in the day to spend however I want to. This is both revolutionary and wonderful.

Janelle (my maid of honor and a best friend) came to visit in July, bringing with her a generous amount of creativity as well as the all important knowledge of the inner workings of my sewing machine. She fixed it up, showed me how to work it, supplied me with yards of garage sale fabric and set me loose.

Since her visit, I have found such joy in sewing and creating. I've added decorative edges to otherwise plain pillowcases, learned to take in clothes that were too large, made curtains, throw pillows, and now- my personal favorite - I've created a little carrying case for my iPhone. The minute my sewing world met my Apple world, my life was complete.

Beyond that, I've been painting picture frames, knitting, re-arranging furniture, and having a generally creativity-laden summer. Couldn't be happier.

(Kilo has of course enjoyed the whole ordeal.

The introductionof any kind of moving string

into our daily lives is much appreciated by the cat.)

Kenyon's New Job

2010-07-07T10:24:00.004-05:00

Good news, folks: after six years of Kenyon's dedication to the coffee industry, he is done working at Starbucks. ( *clapping * cheering * ) Though the company faithfully provided us with work as we moved about the country, our having temporarily settled down has allowed Kenyon to pursue different work.

As of yesterday, Kenyon is wearing suits to work. He is an employee of Chase bank, a personal banker, in fact, and we expect him to do very well. The job offers us everything we had at Starbucks, plus a larger income, paid vacation, and on top of that, monthly commission. The job is one Kenyon could grow in for years, and will allow me to work only as needed throughout school, so we can get in and get this degree done. :)

We're excited for the opportunities that this will create for us, and glad Kenyon will be in a position in which his hard work is tangibly rewarded. This is good for the male soul.

If I Could Be Anywhere in the World...

2010-03-29T11:48:00.002-05:00

... it would probably be right here.

March has been a really beautiful month. Especially in the last couple weeks, I've settled into a routine that energizes, strengthens and calms me. Everything about "the average day in the life of Michelle" is pretty wonderful.

In the last couple of weeks, I've only been subbing once a week, and then tutoring later in the afternoon. I'm only at school twice a week, leaving two empty days at home. This has been a pretty wonderful arrangement, to which I am becoming quite attached.

On such days, I get up at 6:00.
I've discovered that I am the most productive between the hours of 6 and 9, as after 9 my attention is shifted tremendously. I have a horrible tendency to start baking without any warning. Recently, it's been strawberry muffins.

As early as possible, I work on homework. I've remembered that I need to spread out my subjects, working on everything a bit every day. Apparently, with marriage comes a terribly inconvenient shortening of attention span.

During homework sessions, Kilo keeps me company by sleeping at my feet, on the guest bed, or occasionally, sprawled across my keyboard. Coincidentally, the temporary title of today's Greek Notes is something like, Gre999999999999999999k Notttttttjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjes.

Homework is wonderful. Something clicked in my head and I've finally realized that I like to read my homework. I can now look forward to reading about Greek participles, amillenialism, the book of Colossians or church government. I'm finally in a stage in my education where everything that I read interests me, at some level.

I keep the blinds flung open and music playing often. Kenyon gets home around 1:00, when he's usually up to running a couple of errands and helping me tidy and get things done. We make dinner, we watch TV, see friends and relax. We go to bed early.

And then I get to get up early the next day and go to school.

I love this life.

Spring Break in the Volunteer State

2010-03-15T18:47:00.003-05:00

Kenyon and I made our yearly pilgrimage to see Mom and Kenny in Sevierville, TN last week. They live about 45 minutes from Knoxville in a cozy little place called Wears Valley, at the foot of the Smokey Mountains. It's a really beautiful place, and we always look forward to the abrupt change in pace and time with great family.

Kenny always rises to the challenge of entertaining us with his out of the ordinary hobbies and unexpected skills. Kenyon always looks forward to the opportunity to shoot things, burn things, talk about knives, play with dogs and be all dirty, and Kenny truly enjoys the opportunity to offer such activities.

As always, Kenny took us out to the farm (Kenny's family land) where we got to "go shootin'." Kenny's respectable gun collection and wealth of expertise provides me with hours of target practice and Kenyon at least a year's worth of bragging rights. Needless to say, it's a fun activity for all of us.

Kenyon also had the unique opportunity to help Kenny and a colleague with a controlled burn. Nothing is weirder than watching your loved ones start a raging fire and set it loose on the side of a hill. But as it always is with careful preparation, the fire abruptly stops were it is supposed to, and almost overnight, lovely green things start growing with a renewed energy.

All of our flashy and testosterone-filled activities aside, I always appreciate the simplicity of our time in Tennessee. Schedules are lax, choices are not rushed and life is never something worth getting all upset about. With the calm resolution of 'mountain people', Mom and Kenny take things as they come- and with enough coffee, patience and time- things tend to work out as they should.

I hope that through osmosis, some of their quiet, no fuss strength seeps in through my skin.

For more pictures from the trip, click here to be redirected to our website.

Love to you all.

Insights into the High School Psyche: Confessions of a Brand New Substitute

2010-02-21T19:30:00.004-06:00

Having substitute taught only three times, I have only recently re-entered the high school world. However, as in most life threatening situtations, I have quickly become familiar with my surroundings. My initial insights are as follows.

Three days in, I have learned the following about high schools students:

Like elephants, lions, bears and tigers, (oh my) high school students can smell fear.
Nagging, while ineffective with husbands, is extremely effective with the unmotivated student.
No student really likes to look unintelligent.
A high school student's reputation is precious. Damaging it through humiliation is deeply painful and should be avoided in almost all circumstances.
Often when you say "please" and "thankyou," your students will too.
The ability to laugh at oneself is a powerful weapon.
The dean will always scare a student more than you will (at least when you're 5"3'). Let him (or her) do the yelling.
A student would rather avoid a situation than fail in it, whether it is an assignment, a question or a discussion. Creating a safe environment for failure is essential to the learning process.
Students are prepared to hate substitutes long before they are prepared to like them.
Eyes in the back of your head are unreservedly necessary.

Three days in, I am totally glad I'm having this experience. I will never call substitute teaching easy, nor will I call it fun, but it is a great job and an incredible learning experience. I can now efficiently write my name in calligraphy, balance chemical equations and sufficiently explain the plot of Antigone.

Reconnecting

2010-02-06T13:51:00.003-06:00

Interestingly enough, living in Waukegan is feeling more "home-y" than I had ever expected it to. Something about knowing we will live here at least three years gives our lives some permanence, and thus gives my heart permission to love the people and places that are a part of our daily routine.

I think the easiest part of our transition back here, and by far the coolest, has been our ability to reconnect with Jonah- the best man at our wedding and Kenyon's childhood best friend- as well as his wife, Katie. They are good friends, and within the last couple of weeks, we've been able to spend some quality time with them, which really makes this place feel like home.

At Trinity, I've also had the opportunity to make a great friend. Like me, Madison's part of the AP MDiv program and has placed in the same language classes I have. She's smart and fun, and I feel so fortunate to have her- we females are few and far between over there :)

God continues to provide quality people in our lives, and we feel oh-so-blessed to find them everywhere we go. Waukegan, apparently, will be no exception.

Nested... officially.

2010-01-26T16:22:00.002-06:00

Please find a tiny video included below of our new apartment, as has been requested, promised and now delivered.

Enjoy. Please do ignore any ridiculous commentary or general disarray.

Finally

2010-01-13T20:18:00.003-06:00

All of our open ended plans are coming to fruition.

First: I'm officially a student. (!!!)

Second: We move into an apartment on Saturday. Two bedrooms, safe, cozy enough. We're very excited.

Yay. We'll fill you in on apartment stuff on Saturday!

See, I'm not TOTALLY ignoring you.

2010-01-04T22:36:00.004-06:00

Hey.

I'm sitting in a snuggly corner of a big couch at the Knight's house in Waukegan, while everyone but Tim and I are out cold. While he's clicking away at the family computer, I'm curled up on the couch trying to decompress. It feels good though, like my feet might hit solid ground again.

So, we live in Waukegan now. As many of you may have heard, the house that we offered on in Zion was lost to a higher bid (a cash bid, unfortunately), so we are now seeking the ideal apartment for our time here. We are surprisingly relieved about losing the house; the more we consider the responsibilities and risks of owning a house at our age, the more we welcome the convenience of temporary housing during a very transitional time in our lives.

We have narrowed our search down to two apartments, and are now considering the age old tensions of balancing convenience & necessity, location & neighborhood, commuting, working and just being comfortable. So, we're assuming we'll decide in another day or so, move our stuff in (which is piled high on Kenyon's parents' front porch), go get our kitty and get on with living here. And then start school!

On Friday, I have my Greek proficiency exam. This is me pretending I'm not totally freaked out about it. But this is it- my last speed bump on the way to academic bliss.

I keep praying that the test will do what it's designed to do: place me in the appropriate Greek class. I studied a lot in November/December, but with the holiday rush and the chaos of moving, I'll only have a few spare moments to finish brushing up before the exam. I know the language and remember its nuances, but unfortunately, the specifics are both super fuzzy and extremely numerous.

I pray that God in his great grace will take this test on my behalf, because during church the other day, I was trying to remember the Greek letter that corresponds to "h." Unfortunately, friends, there is no "h" in the Greek language.

I am officially so frazzled, I have forgotten the Greek alphabet. * sigh *

Addendum.

2009-09-23T18:21:00.003-05:00

Correcting last post:

So, instead of applying for an MA in OT, I went crazy and applied for an MDiv. An AP MDiv, actually, which means, if it works out, they consider my undergraduate classes and give me credit toward my degree based off of similar coursework I've already completed. Instead of taking a 90ish hour degree, I'll complete a 70ish hour degree. Which, beyond being more convenient, is cheaper, shorter and full of less familiar material. Cool, huh?

And feel free to blame my lack of posting on the admissions process, applying for a mortgage, continuing to apartment shop, trying to remember Hebrew and general running about.

More later. :o)

Preparing & Reflecting

2009-08-29T16:06:00.007-05:00

I'm sort of selfishly blogging today. I needed to sort of debrief & unwind. And as Kenyon isn't around to share a bottle of wine, I'm using you all as the perfect means for unwinding. So much is happening, so much to look forward to, so much to remember and so much to process. Here goes:

We're moving to Chicago in January. I'm using the term "Chicago" loosely, and am referring more specifically to the Waukegan / Zion / Gurnee area. I will be attending Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and will be getting an MA in Old Testament & Semitic Languages. Waukegan is about 25 minutes away from Trinity, and the most affordable place to live within an hour of the school. Kenyon has family there, and grew up there, so after our couple of years in my hometown, I suppose it's only fair!

We have a lot of friends who live in Kenosha, WI, which is just over the border and only about 30 minutes (when Kenyon drives) north of Waukegan. We're excited to live so close to them. In fact, we were both in a wedding for Jonah & Katie, two friends who live there now who we are particularly excited to be near. They've been bugging us to move for years now, so we're all excited about it. While I'm thinking about them, here's some pics from their wedding:

So from upper left going across, we have: 1) myself and some of the other bridesmaids, 2) Kenyon and one of his best friends, Jonah (the groom), 3) Kenyon, myself & Kristen, a friend of ours who was married to his friend Ricky, 4) Us and 5) Kenyon, Jonah's brother & Josh, one of his friends from high school. It was soo fun!

It was encouraging, to be around so many people our age who we knew we'd be able to see again when we moved up. It made leaving people here a little easier.

We're struggling with leaving my family, especially Chrispy & Sarah. We've even been spending time with my grandparents every other week, and are so disappointed that we'll have to give that up. But either way, we know it's time to go. I'll never be able to do what I want to do until I get back to school. It's time!

In less important but exciting news, we've been saving up to refurnish our apartment when we move, and have recently bought both a desk and a bedding set. These little things make it easy to get excited about the move. A place of our very very own, where we'll stay put for about 3 or 4 years. That will be THE LONGEST we've ever lived in one place. Can't wait!

More later. Enjoy your Saturday. :o)

Dad's Luau... our latest excitement.

2009-08-17T21:45:00.008-05:00

That's right... we went to a luau this weekend. Dad and Wendy got married New Year's Eve last year with a super small ceremony, and planned themselves a smashin' luau for a much-later-and-bigger reception. It was Saturday, and it was fun. Enough fun, that it woke me from my I-forget-to-blog slumber. Pictures first:

Kenyon and I luau-ing.

Dad & Wendy... matching. (tee hee)

The PIG that was cooking IN THE PIT all night.

Dug up and eaten. Delicious.

Enter tropical paradise here.

Dad's greenhouse turned tiki hut. Woot.

It was a great time. A neat event in the middle of an otherwise monotonous August. We've had the pleasure of seeing Mom & Kenny a couple of times this summer, and even getting up to Chicago for pre-wedding festivities for Kenyon's long time friend Jonah, but other than that... same 'ol.

We're solidying plans for this January (when we're planning to re-arrange our lives a little bit) and will blog at that point. No point in me speculating and then changing details for you later. We'll fill you in soon. :o)

Um...

2009-06-14T15:42:00.001-05:00

WE JUST PAID OFF OUR FIRST STUDENT LOAN!

I think I shall throw myself a party every single time...

Your #1 Movie Source

2009-06-12T13:09:00.003-05:00

Since we are passionate about movies, it only makes sense that we should pass along movie-related tid bits and news to you- our dear friends.

This is only marginally related but so dang clever. I'm posting this without Kenyon's approval, by the way, so only blame me if you find this a waste of time. :o) Brilliant, I think. This is RECYCLING, people!

http://www.netflixorigami.com/tray.htm

Whoa I'm a Gardener

2009-06-05T17:29:00.007-05:00

That's a lie. But, the truth is that Kenyon and I planted the miniest little garden ever, and we totally love it. It's precious. Let's just call us domesticated.

So far, I haven't even had to water it. The rain has done it's duty. I kept getting worried that they'd get beat up outside, but then I remembered that they were designed to be outside... ya, I know. New at this.

It's not even in the ground, it's in a super clean & well kept wooden box that Kenyon made for me. Three pepper plants an a tomato plant.

It's like unborn salsa. :o)

Tennessee Vacation Time...

2009-05-16T20:52:00.012-05:00

So, I fail at keeping up. But here's to catching up on lost time. Some highlights:

Kenyon got transferred to a new Starbucks store. You'll now have to go to the College Hills store to get his wonderfully brewed coffee drinks.

Michelle had a little bit of a hospital fiasco when, during a CT scan, she was injected with IV contrast, which she apparently was allergic to. Awesome. (I recovered quickly- no worries).

Though not really a highlight at all, our Great Grandma Henley passed away on Friday. We only know her a little bit, but have always heard her spoken of very highly. She was a very wonderful woman, nearly 90, who lived a spunky, full life. We love her dearly, and have enjoyed celebrating her the last several days. She is loved by so many and will be dearly & warmly remembered. She's wonderful enough we can't help mentioning her.

Currently, we're enjoying a much needed vacation in Tennessee. We took the week off of work (we= Chrispy, Kenyon & myself- Sarah was unable to get off work) and spent it with Mom & Kenny. Wonderful. We're heading home tomorrow (overfed & sleepy, but extremely refreshed). Here's a few pictures for your enjoyment:

Sigh of Relief

2009-04-21T20:02:00.001-05:00

Kilo is just fine. The vet took pity on us and did a bunch of stuff on Monday that we couldn't afford... and they did it for free. Who knew people even did things like that!?

So Kilo will make a full and wonderful recovery. My carpet, on the other hand, will not.

Small price, I suppose...

a Kilo Update

2009-04-19T15:50:00.002-05:00

So, we thought Kilo was fine, but he doesn't seem to be... at all. We've been praying a lot that he'll get better, even though praying for a pet feels so silly...

After the pen cap fiasco, we expected quick improvement, only to find that Kilo seemed to feel worse... not drinking, eating, using the litter box, cleaning himself, anything. Apparently while he wasn't feeling well, he managed to get severely dehydrated, even to the point of becoming extraordinary constipated. Feel free to stop reading, as this feels absurd and gross to type out.

We took him to the vet Saturday morning, where they gave him an IV, two enemas, and laxatives (which we've been giving him twice a day since then), and since Saturday morning, has still not been able to move anything. The bad stuff has now been in there for at least three days, and in doing so can become extremely toxic, not to mention painful.

Basically, there is nothing left that we can do, except an exceptionally expensive "exploratory surgery." We love this cat dearly, but cannot legitimize allotting resources of this size to a pet when they should be going toward far more important and pressing things in our life. It pains me to talk like this, but that's the truth.

We've been force feeding him chicken broth and water for the last two days, massaging his belly and carrying him to and from the litter box, since it's getting difficult for him to walk.

I think we're both crushed. All he needs to do is go to the bathroom...

Thanks for caring. Again, I feel so stupid talking about a cat like this, but I really love that cat. I'd make fun of myself any other time, I promise. Just not this week.

Cuidado... Vomito de Gato

2009-04-15T22:56:00.008-05:00

So I love my cat too much. This we know.

Sad news... he's super sick. I think we're going to have to go to the vet. I could pretend to be unworried... but I'm blogging about it, so I've blown my cover.

He's sleeping in the bathroom tonight, and is looking very pathetic. Kenyon, always a loving pet owner, stayed in the bathroom with him for an hour tonight. He's a sucker for that cat, you know.

* sigh *

Quick edit 4/17/2009

Kitty ate a pen cap. Finally that went away, and he's fine now. A pen cap. Stupid cat.

March Winds Bring April Showers

2009-04-05T15:01:00.002-05:00

Greetings from the wetlands.

Kenyon and I are enjoying a relaxing afternoon in the office listening to the rain. It's raining hard, which could be gloomy, but instead seems melodic and relaxing.

I'm enjoying the rain, because our pipes get questionable when it rains, so I have an excellent excuse not to do laundry. Too bad...

We have recently renovated (i.e. cleaned/plowed/excavated) the extra upstairs bedroom and have transformed it into an office/guest bedroom. There's a bed in here (which has been claimed by Kilo), my desk and all of my files and bill-paying, account keeping & recording necessities, two bookshelves, and the one storage closet that we have. My favorite part about the room is the bookshelves. One is mine--cluttered by concordances, a gazillion dictionaries (in various languages), bibles, files, and books-- and the other is Kenyon's, and is empty except for his matching collection of Harry Potter books and three small paperbacks of various interests.

We spend quiet afternoons in here often, me at the desk computing, designing or studying, Kenyon on the bed, reading, using the laptop or playing with the Kitty. It's a nice change from the living room and the temptation of the TV, and an extra 20 feet further from our rather loud and intoxicated neighbors. A respite. In all honesty, it feels like a dorm room, a little bit, and we're still in a place in our lives where that's a comforting feeling.

Kilo prefers this room, as birds play in the bush outside one window and in the tree outside the other. He runs back and forth all day, and occasionally whines for Kenyon to give him a boost to see out the window that faces the bush. Kenyon does so, begrudgingly.

We hope you're resting somewhere, because the quiet afternoon feels so good.

SHERLOCK HOLMES!

2009-03-22T12:15:00.003-05:00

Couldn't contain myself; I (Michelle) had to share.

A new Sherlock Holmes movie is set to release at the end of 2009. And who is the cast? Our very own Robert Downie Jr. stars as Sherlock Holmes... with Watson casted as none other than Jude Law. Yah, I know!

I am surprising pleased with the casting of Sherlock, but not so sure about Watson. Funny, I always pictured Watson as a shorter and less lanky fellow, though I can't for the life of me remember if that's how Mr. Doyle described him or not. Either way... Jude Law is never what I would have expected.

Read more about the movie here.

So excited... here's one of the production pictures from the set:

Best St. Patty's Ever.

2009-03-18T15:40:00.002-05:00

Kenyon and I have had our favorite week of 2009 so far... this week.

Which is crazy, as it has yet to come to a close.

We had the privledge of joining my grandparents, 4 old friends and Chrispy & Sarah for cornbeef and cabbage on Monday night. Delightful. Food was surprisingly good (we won't lie... we'd never had either together in a St. Patty's day spread before), company was even better, and the conversation was hysterical. It's always wonderful to be surrounded by people who are.... quality. Down to earth, as real as they come, and terribly concerned with loving you to death.

We share Monday nights with Nana & Papa every other week, which is cool enough, but to add four of everyone's favorite people to the mix made the night even better. For Christopher, Sarah, Kenyon and I, it was really neat to sit back and watch such loving, wise people have a really good time, and quite obliviously impart all sorts of wisdom and character to us.

An excellent Monday night was followed by a similiarly wonderful Tuesday, when Courtney & Neil (from school) stopped in for some quality time before they prepare for their move overseas. They've felt a strong calling to head over to India to work & live there among the people for at least a couple of years, and we couldn't be more excited for them. To be immersed in such an incredibly beautiful culture is terribly exciting for them... and for us!

So we had the pleasure of feeding off of their excitement (not to mention feeding off of Kenyon's skillfully crafted skillet cookie) and wonderful memories for much of the evening.

A great St. Patty's day for sure.

Oh- and we get to go to Chicago this weekend in celebration of Kenyon's upcoming birthday. A fitting end to a wonderful week, I think...

Kilo's Adventure

2009-03-08T14:44:00.003-05:00

With the sudden onset of spring weather and Kenyon and I's ever growing sense of cabin fever, we have officially thrown open all of the windows of our house to let in the fresh Spring air. I'm in heaven, as the bed sheets smell fresher, naps feel all warm & wonderful, and the smell of winter is dissipating.

Unfortunately, in our excitement, it never occurred to us to make sure that there were screens on all of our windows. Why wouldn't there be? But there were not. We opened windows Friday night, left for a movie, and allowed Kilo to make his first Great Escape.

We returned from the movie to find a band of stray cats scattering upon our arrival, and a poor, scrubby, dirty looking Kilo sitting on the doorstep really preferring to be indoors. If the window he escaped from had been open a little further, we surmise that he would have re-entered the house in haste.

As it was, he was extremely happy to see us and stuck close at Kenyon's side for the rest of the night. We cleaned him up, got the bugs & grime out of his coat, and he seems to be as good as new.

Kenyon is under the very distinct impression that he won whatever fight he was a part of, by the way, and thinks he's walking a little taller and prouder these days after proving himself to the neighborhood's feline population.

Either way, we're glad he's still here, and will more hesitantly throw open windows from now on.

Having Seen Australia

2009-02-27T07:56:00.002-06:00

No, not the continent.

Kenyon and I were given tickets last night to see a free movie at the new theatre in town (a VIP ticket, by the way. Because we're very important, as you well know) There hadn't been a lot of buzz about Australia, but we took a chance on it since it was free. We were nervous, as we were the youngest people in the theatre by at least 20 years, but we went for it. We like Hugh Jackman. How bad could it be?

It was a beautiful film. Not a boring romance, not a war movie, not a western, not a drama, but something amazingly in between. It was serious with a tinge of humor through the whole first half, reminiscent of Moulin Rouge in several instances (whether that was directing or Nicole Kidman, I'm not sure), but an incredible and powerful story the whole way through.

So, we suggest it to anyone who's up for a good movie. It's nearly 3 hours long, but we were riveted the whole time. The acting was pretty darn good, the story was lovely and it's a crowd pleaser all around.

Plus, it was one of those movies that made us want to stand up for something and fight for it with all of our hearts. (I love stories like that!) It's a story where- rather unintentionally, I'm sure- the adventurous, loving, courageous, redemptive heart of God shines through, even though it's not really about Him at all. At least intentionally. :o)

Dishwashers. Best idea ever.

2009-02-19T18:09:00.004-06:00

True story: Dishwashers are the greatest invention ever known to man. Anyone who has talked to me (Michelle) recently has probably heard all about it. We (and by 'we' I do mean we) have actually kept our kitchen clean for the last week. A whole week! And by clean I mean clean. No stacked dishes, no cereal boxes, swept, tidied, the whole shebang. I know... this is standard for most people. But, truly a victory for us! And we shall share it with you for the sake of celebrating.

My brain seeks order in everything, and to maintain an orderly kitchen helps me want to cook, want to tidy, want to bake and want to grocery shop. It's the truth. Don't know why, but it makes all of life easier. So, we've been cooking & baking up a storm. And it's wonderful.

And thanks to a dear friend who has been sharing quite wonderful recipes with the world. Her blog is perfect for young adults and full of recipes that are both easy & tasty. Check it out here.

American Idol

2009-02-12T08:02:00.002-06:00

So, this season, we're way too emotionally attached to American Idol.

I, Michelle, cried twice during last night's show. Not like I bawled or anything, just a tear or two. BUT STILL.

Kenyon, despite his oh-so-manly demeanor looked super sad about some things. I figure he might as well as cried, considering his usually emotionless appraisal of American Idol.

Anyway, we're in mourning today because Jamar went home. So sad.

Lovin' It.

2009-02-05T19:55:00.002-06:00

So, we're loving Mint.com recently. Quality program. Mint.com works with your bank account (quite securely), registers your transactions like any online banking, but then allows you to assign it to budget categories, which you have set with preset limits at the beginning of the month! We love it! We'd always worked through out budget on a spreadsheet which took forever. But this- is not only easy- but free. Yay.

AND- it supports a wicked cool iPhone application. So- on the go- we can check how much we have in a specific budget all the time. It's my favorite. See screen shot below.

Thought we'd pass it along. It made our life so much easier, and we hope that it might do the same for you!

New Year's Resolution. Promise.

2009-01-31T10:23:00.004-06:00

So, consider this my (Michelle's) heartfelt apology. I officially am bad at blogging.

Consider this also my New Year's Resolution (is it too late for that?) to blog more frequently, whether there's anything truly exciting happening in our life or not. I shall share the joys, sorrows, excitements & victories of our everyday lives. I solemnly swear.

Now, after that rather official-sounding promise:

Happy January. My (Michelle's) favorite part of January thus far is our brand new addiction to the board game Settlers of Catan. (Read here about the game). Perhaps the reason I like it so very much is because I win every time I play it. I'll just be honest about that. There are few board games that go that way for me... so it's a keeper. :o) I shall have to track down a board and make Kenyon play it often. But it's truly a wonderful combination of Risk & Monopoly, but unbelievably shorter & easier. Cool idea, eh?

Kenyon has been pluggin' along at work. He's being recognized for how hard he's working, which is extremely rewarding! We're both thankful that he has a job that not only provides compensation but excellent benefits. And today- that's a big deal. He's happily re-reading the Harry Potter series (which he got for Christmas) when he's not working or out with me.

PS: For those of you concerned about Kilo, I just wanted to pass along that he's doing marvelously. He's getting bigger, but no less kitten-y, and is cooler than ever. Feel free to be jealous.

A Quality August

2008-09-02T21:37:00.005-05:00

August flew by mercilessly, as usual. Even without school hustle and bustle, (an odd feeling, might I add) we totally lost track of ourselves for a month.

Kenyon spent the month working away, and is now oh-so-sad the Olympics are over. He watched every event for two weeks straight (you think I'm exaggerating...). With mass amounts of time to spare after its conclusion, he started reading the Harry Potter series. He's thrilled with it.

He loves his Olympics... and Hogwarts, it seems.

I've fully taken over office operations at my job. Work is long, but organized, routine and fulfilling. I've recently read too many books (the Twilight Saga and Sherlock Holmes, for those who are interested) for way too long while having lost my husband to the Olympics... but have enjoyed the respite and the imaginative endeavor. Without school, my poor brain gets so lonely.

Having finished good books and international athletic events, we celebrated another classic American pastime... grilling! With his graduation money, Kenyon bought us a grill! Here's the master at work:

So with grilling and late summer evenings in the hammock to round out our summer, Kenyon and I let August slip right on by without too much productivity.

But we decided that rest was oh-so-productive. And that's what this August has been. Restful.

Quality, wouldn't you say?

Good Week

2008-07-29T16:27:00.010-05:00

This past Saturday night, Kenyon and I headed down to Clinton IL for Carson and Angie Cheatham's wedding. We had such a great time. For those of you who don't know Carson and Angie, they are a couple from the church in Manchester who we got to know while we were on my internship. Fortunately, Carson is actually from Clinton, so their wedding was in the midwest. Friends from NH came to the wedding, so not only did we get to enjoy their company, but we got to host friends from the church too. We had missed everyone so much, so it was GREAT to see them again!

Kilo (somehow he snuck into the wedding pictures...) is settling into life as a Knight. We're likin' him more and more each day, and he's getting used to us. It's fun.

We went to Waukegan / Kenosha last weekend for some time with friends up there and a benefit. Super fun weekend. We really enjoyed it!

Kenyon and I are both are enjoying diggin' into good books this summer. Kenyon has discovered military fiction and the Bourne books, while I have identified a keen interest in the Maccabean revolution as well as classic fiction. After having forgotten about public libraries for a couple of years, we have been reintroduced to the pubic library and are using it for all it's worth. Lovin' it. I caught myself saying to Kenyon the other night, "put down that book and come watch TV with me!" WHOA. What a role reversal. Scary.

The Cutest Kitten Ever

2008-07-12T18:56:00.003-05:00

Meet: Kilo.

And you say, "kilo?" and I remind you that Kilo is K in the military alphabet...

I wonder who named our cat...

SO. We have a kitten. I know in many people's lives this is a very small thing, but for me, this is huge. I've been wanting a kitten pretty much as long as I can remember. So, to have one makes me so happy. And don't let Kenyon fool you, he's enjoying it too.

Kilo's loving and kind, playful and curious. Notice that brilliant wasn't listed, but he makes up for it in love-able-ness and general instinct-fullness.

We took a short video of him the other night from Kenyon's MacBook for the fun of sharing his cuteness with you all. The video's kinda funny because it's from the laptop, not from a camera, but you can still enjoy his cuteness this way.

We are working hard still and things are going well. Really, we aren't doing too many exciting things, just working hard every (and sometimes all, in Kenyon's case) day. We are enjoying the hard work though. We have realized that this is the time in our lives to hunker down and work hard, so that knowledge is making this a little easier than it might have been.

Thanks for checking in on us and caring about where we're at. We really would love to hear from you. Right now, email is truly the easiest way to track us down. We have our emails posted on our website under "contact" and would love to hear from you.

Nice Easy Landing

2008-06-22T21:40:00.004-05:00

Good news all around:

We have settled happily in Bloomington. Kenyon and my Dad and I are cleaningout/reorganizing/redecorating his basement and it has turned into a rather comfortable place to live. We're very much enjoying it.

Kenyon has worked out everything with Starbucks and is officially on schedule. After 20-25 hours at Starbucks (enough to enjoy health, vision and dental benefits), Kenyon works about 30 hours landscaping and washing windows for C&E Landscaping. He is working so hard!

I got a job for BeautyofaSite.com which is based in Bloomington. I work from the office as an administrative assistant and webmaster/updater. I love the work and enjoy the work environment even more. It's a full time job that pays appropriately and is truly a blessing for us in this time.

We attended Eastview this morning. Being at church again made us miss MCC, but we were comforted by old friends and a familiar environment. While Kenyon's involvement will vary with his work hours, I'll be jumping into volunteering with the youth ministry to love on some teenagers for a couple of months. Maybe even teach. :o) We're currently small group shopping, and once we've settled into one, I think we'll officially feel at home.

Stuff is going so well, and we feel so blessed. God has loved on us through his move, and we are so thankful for that.

Road Trip Top Ten

2008-06-16T11:07:00.003-05:00

The TOP TEN most important things learned from our gallant trek across the United States:

1. Be prepared to sell your right arm to afford the tolls in New York.

2. Avoid Pennsylvania at all costs, for reasons of general uncleanliness, lack of adequate gas stations, and above all, the fact that it is B O R I N G.

3. Buy a car charger. The outlets in Taco Bell aren't active. You'd have to walk to McDonald's to find a working outlet if your phone died in Ohio.

4. Without a turbo booster, a caravan and rocket launchers, never attempt Cleveland at rush hour.

5. The first exit in New York is for Canaan. We'd have never left if we'd known the promised land was oh-so-close.

6. After driving through the picturesque parts of Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio, Indiana has the ugliest landscape imaginable.

7. New York cops are sneaky sneaky. They don't sit on the road, they hide in the grass.

8. The Relevant Podcast has the ability to entertain even the most tired soul for hours on end. Michelle listened to it for nine of the eighteen hours.

9. If one gets on I-90 in Mass, they wouldn't have to get off of it until ILLINOIS. That's right... one road, many names, FIFTEEN hours.

10. Never leave your friends in NH. It's miserable.

Returning to Illinois!

2008-06-12T17:52:00.002-05:00

Despite how much we have learned to love New Hampshire- the church we were a part of, the people we worked with, the family we lived with, and the great friends we had made- some unfortunate circumstances have lead us back home, to Illinois.

We are moving to Bloomington on Sunday (arriving around midnight or so) and jumping into jobs as soon as we can. Kenyon is transferring to a Starbucks in town, as well as picking up some hours washing windows. I'm still a-huntin', but have some interviews and opportunities I'll be pursuing next week, as soon as we're in state.

I don't think that either of us would say that we're really excited to move, simply because we have so much here that we've become attached to. We would say, however, that we're looking forward to what is in Illinois that we thought we'd left- the people there, Eastview, family- and enjoying a little more time with them that we weren't expecting to have.

Keep us in your prayers as we make this tough transition. Like we said, we know good will come of it, but it's a quick change and we have a lot of loose ends to tie up in a short time.

But to those of you in Illinois, we say, "see you soon!"

That's right... We graduated.

2008-05-12T23:20:00.002-05:00

Greetings from Lincoln Illinois, where Kenyon and Michelle just GRADUATED. There's a few pictures below (we don't have the pictures with Kenyon's family yet). We'll have some even better ones shortly, but here's a couple from the big day:

Michelle's two brothers, Christopher and Kevin.
Poor Kenyon had to wear a pink tassel.

Yet another picture where we look like sisters...

Both of us felt very honored at graduation. It was noted at graduation that Kenyon would be joining the Marines, so he got a couple hoots and hollers from proud citizens in the audience. Michelle received a bunch of cool academic honors that were mentioned also. We're basically the coolest.

Kevin surprised us by showing up at graduation. He actually graduated from USMC boot camp the day before and spent his first hours of freedom at my graduation. What a brother, huh? The picture below is one from his graduation. We're so bummed we couldn't be there...

My grandmother was a Marine, so she was able to get all dressed up in her blues for the ceremony. How cool.
Kevin will be part of a Marine Corps Band and will be assigned to a general stationed in Okinawa. Even cooler.

We had a great time during the weekend in general. We were able to see family, but more importantly, we were able to hang out with good friends. We hung out on Saturday night and laughed until we cried. It was so fun. We miss them so.

Stay tuned for more graduation pictures. We'll put an album with all the pictures from graduation on our website when I get back to New Hampshire.

Dave's Tribute to Ricky

2008-04-17T22:43:00.004-05:00

I know many of you don't know Ricky, and this just won't mean as much to you, but to those of you who do know him, or to those of you who want to know just what it was that we loved so much about him, there is this:

http://richardjnelson.com/

This is our dear friend.

Ricky

2008-04-15T20:00:00.002-05:00

With all that is going on in our lives, I fear we only have one thing to share tonight.

Kenyon's best friend, Ricky, was killed in Iraq on Monday.

He is one of the greatest men we will ever meet.

We love Ricky, so much. We miss him, and will never forget him.

How March Rolled on Out...

2008-04-05T19:02:00.004-05:00

So, the major excitement of this month was having Kenyon's family come to visit. We were able to do some more of the tourist-y things that we love doing, plus were able to hang out with people we like best. Perhaps the highlight was the Fenway Tour... Tim (Kenyon's dad) was lovin it- it was neat to watch.

Kenyon's family came the week after Easter. Easter in itself was fantastic. It was neat to be a part of such an outreach-centered church on a weekend like Easter. It was tiring, but so rewarding and a wonderful experience for us. Even though, Kenyon had to work on Sunday afternoon. So sad.

We're in the season of making our final decisions right now, but more importantly... IT'S ALMOST TIME FOR GRADUATION! We're finishing up our last classes and counting down days. It's so exciting to have something on paper that says, "hey, I recognize how hard you worked... here's proof it was worth it."

So close. I'm so excited.

As we make our final decisions, we'll keep you in touch. Right now, there's just nothing to tell. We're preparing for a six-month stay in either Illinois (probably Lincoln) or a six-month stay here in Manchester. Kenyon has a job opportunity here, but we are waiting for news about what a job could look like for me here. If that doesn't work out, we will happily be spending time in old familiar places before January. Now, I say January because in May, we are only choosing where to move to for six months. Kenyon leaves for boot camp in October, but is finished in January. Now, January is when Kenyon will be doing his basic training, and I'll be able to live with him then. This all happens in Virginia.

So that's the short version. Again, nothing is set in stone yet, so there isn't much I can say for sure. As soon as we know, we'll fill you in!

Miss you all...

How March Rolled In...

2008-03-13T20:31:00.008-05:00

Bonjour mes amies! Some exciting highlights from the last couple weeks:

1. Michelle drove in Boston. And she survived.

2. Chrispy and Sarah visited! It was so good to see them. They stayed with us in Amherst from Saturday to Tuesday. We spent Sunday in Boston doing the aquarium, Hard Rock, some shopping and Quincy Market. After they spent some more time in Boston on Monday, we had a Guitar Hero party that night and a little more time in Boston together on Tuesday for a beautiful trip. What great memories.

2. Michelle had acupuncture. (WEIRD)

3. Kenyon and Michelle received two more successful haircuts.

4. We met a sting ray.

5. We caught up on LOST!

6. >> shift to serious tone >> We have a small group that we really love. We're meeting weekly, but we're also hanging out- as good friends. The group is full of young people - our age - in our place of life - who are wonderful to grow and be stretched with. We're loving it. They will be hard people to leave if we return to Illinois in May. What a blessing.

It's been a neat month. We're finally making some progress on figuring out our futures, and we're able to just get excited about where we are at. We are growing together; we're being stretched in a new place, but we're loving it. We're excited to get settled somewhere, but we're enjoying the ride.

We hope things are well. We're looking forward to being in Illinois for graduation and seeing everyone. A couple more months!

Dad's Visit

2008-02-26T08:02:00.019-06:00

So, I'm totally convinced that the weather in the Midwest is worse than it is here. *gloat*

Dad visited this weekend. We did all sorts of fun things:

... like snowshoeing! Super fun. Not quite Little House on the Prairie style, though. I was very sad about that, but content with the experience overall.

Besides... we saw a porcupine den. That's stinkin' awesome.

Oooh, and a beaver pond. A HUGE pond created by a little family of beavers chewing trees. How crazy!

The place really was beautiful. Just a forest reserve, that happens to stretch right behind my house, because we live in the most beautiful place on earth.... New Hampshire.

We spent a lot of time at home, playing some crazy Canadian card game called Kalucki (sp?). Kinda like rummy, more like Phase 10, but truly fantastic and sleep preventative.

After church on Sunday, Kenyon was able to join Dad and I and we all headed to the coast. We loved it. We drove up to New Castle, NH. It's a beautiful little spot up in Northeast New Hampshire where our friends often go collect sea glass. Oh- so much fun.

Pictures from the coast:
>> click on the photo to open a larger photo

And since those pictures were probably much more helpful than all my words, that's probably all I'll say about that.

As far as life in general, there isn't too much to report. Kenyon's up to more like 30-35 hours a week, and is gaining a lot of respect from his co-workers and shift managers. This is of course a super exciting time for him. He's SO GOOD at his job, and people are noticing!

We're still struggling with our "big decisions" that need to be made for the Spring. We're sorting through military options, volunteer options, employment options and SO MANY THINGS. Through it all, we're striving to remember that we are young, and that we have time to do a lot of the things we want to do. We just have to decide what to do first.

I hope all is well. Let us know how you're doing!

A "Squall"

2008-02-09T22:42:00.001-06:00

I had to look up the word "squall" today on Wikipedia, because it's one of those words that you read in books... but you're not sure what it is in reality.

In the forecast for tomorrow, the little picture said, "SQUALL."

So, whatever that is, we're having one tomorrow. We live about an hour from the coast, so maybe it's some sea captain term. Either way, it means snow and wind and cold. So I say... just another day in New England...

Not much to report. I've been putting off posting because my report would be so boring. So, here's our boring report:

1. The Fulfords' cat loves Kenyon more than the Fulfords or me. I'm really bitter about the whole thing... he doesn't even like the cat. I crave its attention. Stupid cat.

2. Kenyon, the Fulfords and I are just about finished with season three of Lost. We'll start watching them on TV next week. For the record. Just so you know.

3. I really don't have anything else to say. I just felt like a number three was necessary.

4. Ok, I got one: I was able to speak in the church service last Sunday. It was neat to be given such a unique opportunity to share some insight... and from Deuteronomy no less. (Kenyon's been playing acoustic and running tech stuff... they love him. We're all over the place.)

So... we miss you guys. That's all.

Almost a Month...

2008-01-26T19:13:00.000-06:00

So, we haven't had time to tell you specifics about how everything is going... so hopefully I can do some of that tonight.

Kenyon is working at Starbucks. He's finishing up his training this coming week, and after that his hours will be bumped up and he'll be a full-fledged barista. Hopefully, within the month the management will recognize his talent and experience and promote him to shift manager. They've already hinted at this.

I am working hard at the church. I'm in the office Monday through Thursday and get Friday off to be at home. I attend meetings to plan the services and plan the sermons, to plan teaching series and to aid the elders in translation and study. I teach classes on Sunday mornings and Monday nights. I am working on word studies, reading books, helping with the arts and Sunday programming. It's fun. My hand's in everything. I'm learning so much about everything. Love it.

Some random things:

Kenyon's telling me that you all should know that he bought a knife today. Like, a knife. We're proud.

I got my haircut today. I know this sounds small, but in my world, this is huge. Brand new place, brand new stylist, and it turned out ok. Yay.

We have decided to take up watching Lost with the Fulfords. They are huge fans, so we're picking up on all the old episodes as we go. We've watched half a season so far... only two and half more to go by Thursday!

Woot.

Welcomed by the Snow

2008-01-17T08:26:00.000-06:00

Bonne journee!

Greetings from New Hampshire, home of the snow storm, the bitter cold, and the live-free-or-die mentality. All is going well; Kenyon spent the week training for his job, I am settled comfortably in at the church, and we're as happy as ever tucked under a roof with the Fulford family.

We endured our first NorEaster (North-Eastern snowstorm) on Monday, when the Fulfords and I were snowed in from work (but worked from home). No tv-watching, snuggling-under-the-covers snow days around here. Since they happen so frequently, everyone's used to working from home. But let's be honest, work is soo different when you're in your pajamas with a kitty curled up on your lap. TOTALLY different. That was Monday for me. Kenyon plowed through the snow later in the day to get to work, though. He's such a champ.

Nothing very different this week to report... just that we're falling in love with this area of the country. People are certainly different here. There is a true spiritual vacuum... it's just not the Bible Belt mentality that we're used to. It's refreshing, almost. It's hard to find a lukewarm Christian here...

We're gearing up for another storm tonight. I need to get to work so I can get home in plenty of time. We miss you all and think about you often. Take care, dear friends!

Long Promised, Much Awaited Post

2008-01-11T18:37:00.000-06:00

Finally, I'm making time for an overdue post.

Let me start from the beginning:

After leaving Tennessee, we had a wonderful time in Chicago. We even had time for some touristy things. To the left is Kenyon and I and the "bean" in Millennium Park on Michigan avenue.

On January 1st, we headed out for New Hampshire. In Illinois and Indiana, there was quite a snow storm, so after losing some time the first day, we didn't arrive in NH until late on Wednesday night. We were relieved to be home.

Speaking of home, here is our home:

The main house is the part off to the left, but the chunk of the house over the garage is our special place. See the two small windows between the main house and the space above the garage? That's the hall that connects their bedrooms to our suite. Our suite is LOVELY. A bedroom and storage space and a bathroom... with two sinks! My dream. Behind the two garages on the front of the house, there is a garage around back where Kenyon and I can store a car. The Fulfords take such great care of us.

The Fulford family with whom we are living resides in Amherst, New Hampshire. Wikipedia has a cute little article on it. Christine always talks about how it's similar to the little town on Gilmore Girls. Though Manchester feels more like a Chicago suburb, Amherst is very colonial, with a "common ground," a "meeting house," selectmen who serve instead of a mayor, and family owned businesses instead of big box chains. Quaint and wonderful; refreshing after a fast-paced day in town.

Work is amazing. I officially started at the church on Monday. I'm working at Manchester Christian Church, a wonderful and thriving church truly reaching people in all walks of live in the community. Feel free to check it out here. Manchester reminds me of Bloomington-Normal. All of the businesses and stores that you can think of, a great mall, a Starbucks (where Kenyon works! He starts this coming Monday), and a church that we are taken with.

At the church, I'm able to be involved in so much. I'm on the teaching team, who plans the teaching initiatives and sermon series for the church. I get to help with preliminary research and resources. Love it. I (and Kenyon too) participate in the programming team, also, which plans the artistic and logistical aspects of the Sunday morning services. Kenyon is very involved in these programs. The church even has a cool role for him to be involved in that we've never seen anywhere else. He's going to function as a "producer" for the worship team. Every week, this individual takes the service and nurtures it from creation to fruition. He takes care of the transitions, makes things work with the tech director, and directs things according to the vision and theme laid out by the other teams. SO HIM.

I feel like God formed a special little place in his kingdom with Kenyon's name on it, and then disguised it as my internship, simply to surprise Kenyon with something so wonderful! We're so excited.

Other cool things: WE WERE ABLE TO VOTE IN THE NH PRIMARY! How cool. Here's some pictures from the Obama rally we were able to attend:

Kenyon just reminded me to share that he was able to shake Obama's hand at the rally. We were so close. Cool, huh.

All in all, it's been an exciting week to be here. We are refreshed and excited; ready again to pour into ministry and learn from people of such excellent caliber. We'll try to keep you updated as we get even more settled and involved in different things, both at home and at church. We miss you all, dearly.

Tennessee Adventures

2007-12-20T21:00:00.001-06:00

Our Tennessee trip has been absolutely wonderful. Peaceful, warm, full of family and new memories. Having Kenny around makes everything even better. Some things to share:

Kenny works in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, where we drove up to the top of the mountains to look down on the range. Absolutely breath taking. We stood in a cloud for several minutes- if Kenyon were telling you the story, that's the part he'd tell. I'd probably talk all about the colors and sounds and sights, but Kenyon was super excited about the cloud. I'll give it to him; it's cool.

Today, while Mom and Kevin and I were Christmas shopping, Kenny and Chrispy and Kenyon went shooting out on Kenny's family farm. They spent all day playing around with Kenny's arsenal. Kenyon's favorite part was the 50cal monster that he was able to shoot. I just was excited to see a silencer. It basically made me feel like Jack Bauer.

Here's some fantastic shots from the afternoon:

Kenyon and the monster who we named Lucky.

I'm pretty frickin' awesome.

And let's be honest... we're so cute!

Humbled

2007-12-16T22:50:00.000-06:00

Over the past week, we've been incredibly humbled as we say goodbyes. It has become more and move obvious how God has blessed us through such strong, unique friendships here in Lincoln and in Springfield at Lakeside. Such wonderful people with such passionate and caring friendships have become a part of our lives, even in the last several months. To leave is painful.

We are, however, oh so very grateful. We will cherish them forever.

the Golden Compass

2007-12-09T08:13:00.000-06:00

There has been a widespread panic in the Christian community about the Golden Compass, a movie in theaters. The outcry rises from the fact, allegedly, that "bad wins and good loses." This is, of course, troubling. Because we all know that can't happen.

But that's not what the movie is about at all. Good overcomes evil in the movie without a question. The real reason Christians are all upset: the Church is the bad guy in the movie. Ah-ha. Makes more sense now, huh? The author plays with classic Christian vocabulary to cast an power-hungry, hierarchical light on the Church. The movie uses words like "heresy" for free thought and "imposing" and "reigning" for the power of the church. The (quite brilliant) author even refers to people's souls as their "demons."

Something to keep in mind before one attacks this movie: this movie degrades an earthly power trying to call itself Christianity. It looks surprisingly like the very church that Christianity claimed was corrupt during the Protestant Reformation. Why are we all getting so upset? We all said this was a bad idea too! The church attacked in this movie is not the church as we now know it, it is the ever-looming potential that the church could become if she loses sight of her purpose and identity in Christ.

Now, I (this is Michelle if it wasn't obvious already) do agree that the church is looked upon very negatively in this movie, and particularly in some of the other books in this series, the church in its present form is being attacked. I do not doubt that at all! But telling the world to not see the movie is not the answer.

From this movie, I was reminded what picture I need to fight. I need to love the crud out of people, so that someone could never peg me as part of that sort of an institution. And more importantly, we need to keep our church leaders responsible, honest, and close to Christ.

So... whether or not you see the movie is of course up to you, but please refrain from attacking it without seeing it. You might be surprised what you learn about the world... and the way it sees you.

We're Moving!

2007-11-30T21:35:00.000-06:00

Amongst finals and internships and hebrew and conducting, we have big news: we are moving! We are moving into a new home in New Hampshire on January 2nd. The Fulford family from Manchester Christian Church has welcomed Kenyon and I into their home. We're thrilled.

We have a lot to survive between now and then... including finals... but we're excited. Counting down days (33 days, to be exact).

We're excited to move on to a new place and a new stage in life, but we're sad to leave. We were so "ready," but have finally gotten to the point where we are recognizing all of the relationships that we will miss so much. Especially at Lakeside, we've made a lot of lasting friendships just recently- only to move! The timing seems all off.

But who can complain? We're moving to the most beautiful place we could have ever imagined.