Duckabush Blog: Events Archives

The "Big" Special Day

Last Monday marked the beginning of my new four-day work-week arrangement, and I was off on Valentine's Day. I had discussed it in advance with the kids, and they were very excited. David kept saying to me: “When will it be the day when we have the big special day for ALL the kids?”

Just 'cause you're home-schooled, doesn't mean you can't ride on a bus once in a while. But how many kids get to drive it?

Although at first I had thought to go to Mt. Rainier or Mt. St. Helens, the weather was not optimal and there was a volcanic activity warning in effect at Mt. St. Helens. Reluctantly, Kathy and I agreed that the children hadn't been that bad, so we decided to play it safe and go to the Hands-on Children’s Science Museum in Olympia. We opened a few presents to celebrate Valentine's Day, and then we got ready go. Kathy decided to stay home, so I set off with all five kids in our little red van. She concealed her sorrow at being left behind by shoving us out the door and locking the deadbolt, laughing maniacally. We all felt very sorry for her.

There was some kind of protest at the Capitol, and the museum parking was taken – we had a terrible time finding a parking spot. I was about to give up but the kids all prayed for a spot, and we found one on the street nearby. I was reminded of my dear friend and adoptive mom, Sue Casner, who taught me that God cares about the little things like parking places.

We had a few things to talk over with the legislature, and then we ate lunch.

The hands-on museum was fairly small and compact, but had many interesting exhibits, with something for all the kids from Sarah to Joshua. I took a few moments when we first arrived to talk over the building’s security with the museum receptionist. Apparently there was only one non-alarmed exit (right by the receptionist’s station) and they had a procedure for when one of the other doors was opened. Employees were assigned to go out each of the doors and had walkie-talkies by which they could communicate with the other workers – it seemed a good system which would prevent easy theft of a child. There were a few times when I lost sight of one child or another, but each time I found my errant child pretty quickly – the building felt secure and our family comprised about a fourth of their patrons for the duration of our visit.

Daniel helped out at the dentist's office, scheduling appointments and ruthlessly filing insurance claims. If you look closely, you can see him printing "Services NOT covered -- OUT OF NETWORK"

The kids loved it. We bought a year’s membership, since I think we will definitely want to go back at least once more during the year, and the price structure was such that two visits will 'pay' for the membership with room to spare. It is a great rainy-day activity, especially when the rest of the benighted kids are whiling away their days in public schools. I picked Monday as my day off partly because I figured most schools won’t tend to have field trips on Mondays – it seems to me it would be hard to get kids to remember the field trip over the weekend, and so Monday trips would cause logistical problems with permission forms, attire and lunches.

Sadly, it was determined that Joshua required extensive dental work, including several root canals and extractions. "Hurry it up with that novocaine!" shouts Dr. Rachel. "This guy's about to make a run for it!"

Sarah got her shirt and jacket wet in the water table before I noticed, and we were short on drinks for the kids (I, of course, had a Diet Dr. Pepper). Kathy had packed us a lunch, and we ate outside in the sunshine, a nice break from the museum.

It was a pretty good day. We were gone for a little more than five hours, and Kathy got some down-time for herself – I’m sure to her it seemed we were only gone a little while. In some ways, it doesn’t really matter what we do on Mondays as long as we are out of the house – Kathy doesn’t get much of a break from the kids, between being a Mom of five kids and homeschooling.

The kids loved playing with the ambulance and ER -- Sarah's real-life experience last September helped her to play the part of a patient convincingly.

One of the activities they had was a set of giant Builder Boards that you could use to build a play structure (like a little log house). Rachel and Daniel built a house without a door or window, so of course I had to prove that I could do one better, and I built a house with both. One of the museum workers passed by and remarked how many people forgot the door – I felt very smug. Then she noted that the average age of usual builders was 5 1/2, and I felt substantially less smug. It has been much too long since I was able to play with Lincoln Logs.

A lot of the pictures that I took were blurry, perhaps because of the low lighting in the museum. I was rather disappointed, because some of them would have been pretty good, if it weren’t for the fact that the kids were nearly indistinguishable. But hey, they were good pictures. Really.

"Captain, she won't take much more! She's breakin' up!

At the end of our visit we stopped by the souvenir shop, and bought some healthy snacks (ice cream sandwiches and cans of pop) and devoured them in the sunny little café area at the front of the museum. Kathy's had the kids reading nutrition books ever since, trying to undo my influence. We piled back in our van and headed home – a good time was had by all.

Now I’m a little worried – can I come up with another Field Trip that won’t be a disappointment? The weather has been clear and cold this week, but I’d really like to do something a little less sedentary than a museum. Each morning as I ride the train, Mt. Rainier calls me with its snow-covered slopes and majestic beauty. But they require snow-chains on some of the roads this time of the year, and I don’t have any (or any desire to purchase a set). Then there is Pioneer Farms, another hands-on exhibit that has been very popular with the kids in past years, but one that has some dependency on good weather. Although it has been sunny all week, now that the weekend is upon us, it is supposed to cloud over. I guess we can have no complaints – once again, we’ve had an unseasonably mild winter, both in terms of temperature and rain. It is hard to remember that we live in Washington, sometimes – this place is more like San Diego!

Sarah really loved the water table -- I told Kathy we really needed to remember to pack extra clothes for her next time.

Of course, nearly every kind of activity costs money, which is discouraging in these months after Christmas, when money is tight and bills are thick upon the ground. But I am enjoying the kids so much these days, it seems very much worth it. At the end of the day (or my life) I doubt I'll regret outings like this or the money spent. Nobody seems to request tombstone captions like, "If only I'd spent more time at the office!"

A True Birthday Blog

This December 9th our dear daughter, Rachel, turned nine years old. We all thought it was very fun that she was turning nine on the ninth. Birthdays, as you know (if you’ve been reading this blog over the past year) are something to be celebrated in a big way in our family. We had a birthday party in the works, but the birthday girl and the Birthday Coordinator couldn’t come to an agreement on the plan. It was amusing to watch the two (Rachel and Joshua) work it out -- or rather not work it out. Rachel wanted an animal-themed party, but we’ve done that before and the subject was ‘boring’ to Joshua. The ideas Joshua presented were rejected by Rachel. Finally I suggested we have a friend over for the weekend and abandon the whole party idea.

Everyone agreed with that plan and I was off the hook for party decorations and organizing. Whew!

This year Rachel’s birthday fell on a Thursday (excellent planning on her part) so Tim was able to be around for the whole day. Joshua got up early and fixed a lovely breakfast for Rachel (and the rest of us). Rachel decided to have her breakfast ‘on the couch’ rather than in bed -- probably due to the fact she’s now sleeping in a bunk bed. It makes it a little difficult to serve breakfast, and it is hard to explain syrup stains on the ceiling.

Princess for the Day, low-budget crown notwithstanding.

We took the day off from school and Rachel had a wonderful time playing with all of her presents. A friend had given her a Strawberry Shortcake horse the day before, so Daniel and I arranged for Tim to pick up another horse and a little doll to join the set. Rachel was so surprised that she would get some coordinating toys. She was delighted with her new things and spent the day wearing her new in-line skates and playing with toys.

In the afternoon Tim’s mom called and said she had a birthday cake for the Nine Year Old Girl and asked if she could bring it over. My goodness! No party to plan, a birthday breakfast chef in the family, and a gorgeously decorated cake delivered to my door. What more could a mother ask?

To Rachel's sadness, this is the only kitten she'll be getting this year.

Rachel opened some presents with Grandma (Grandpa was out at the property working on the Retreat Center building). We had dinner in the dining room with our fancy china plates and crystal glasses. We even enjoyed sparkling cider with our meal. Dinner consisted of Rachel Favorites—macaroni and cheese (Kraft box), pears and little smokies. I’m almost embarrassed to write the menu.

Kids, don't try this at home -- leave it to the paid professionals.

After dinner Tim’s mom came over to join us for cake and ice cream. It was a lovely celebration! The next day Leanne came over to spend the weekend. She joined us in two plays, a neighborhood party, and church. A busy, fun weekend.

I’m very proud of the young girl Rachel is growing up to be. She loves the Lord, is eager to read and learn new things. She loves honesty and justice. She cares for her little brother and sister and delights in their sweet ways. She can reach beyond her age and play with Joshua as well as relax and have fun with Daniel. She is a very satisfactory daughter and I’m pleased to be her mother.

Sisters forever.

Lately we’ve been enjoying some mother/daughter shopping times in the evening. One night there was an accident at a store downtown and Rachel was eager to return home safely. She said to me, “In case we don’t make it home, I want you to know I love you. You have been a good mother to me.”

Precious moments.

A Birthday Blog with hardly any mention of the Birthday Girl

Another Monday has come upon us, and I find myself unready. Weekends never seem to contain enough hours to do what I need to do. I had hoped to work on our Christmas newsletter, to wrap (and mail off) presents to out-of-town relatives, do several hours of work, and pay some bills; yet none of these things happened. I guess those tasks weren’t as important as I thought. I rarely seem to do a good job in managing my time … procrastination seems to be my destiny. Of course, this is a time of year when most people feel the squeeze – I suppose it is nice to know that I am not alone.

Sarah aspires to a career as a vocalist.

Yesterday we re-visited the Lake City church – I still find myself holding on to the church we have been attending for the past month or so. We attended a Sunday school class as well as the worship service. The longer time in the nursery was apparently hard on Sarah and David – when I came to pick them up after church, Sarah looked like she was ready to cry at any moment. Usually our kids are so comfortable and easy in nurseries … it made me sad to look at her tragic little face, even though I know it was mostly an act. I’m guessing there was some kind of altercation with another child – when I checked on them earlier, Sarah and David were both scowling blackly at a little girl who sat next to them during Song Time. It is funny to see David be so protective of his little sister – I guess, like brothers everywhere, he bitterly resents anyone poaching on his exclusive prerogative to beat up on Sarah.

David often 'reads' to Sarah -- he is a good brother, no matter how I may malign him.

We had Leanne over for the weekend, which always shakes up our family dynamic. Rachel doesn’t do well when she gets tired, and the girls do tend to stay up late, talking. Leanne is so gracious and easy to be with, sometimes we hardly notice that she is there. Joshua complains, though: “If you had to ‘adopt’ another girl, did you have to pick one that is taller than me?” I guess a couple of inches make quite a difference.

Leanne and Rachel, thick as thieves.

Come to think of it, I recently had a similar experience. Before attending the annual Scrooge musical at a local church (a near-Broadway production, with 100+ in the cast) we attended a Christmas party at a nearby friends’ home. When I walked in the door, I immediately noticed that all of the men present were taller than me by a good three inches, at least. Honoring a house preference, I had taken off my shoes, so I was bereft of even that half-inch advantage. At 5’11” and over 200 pounds, I don’t usually consider myself a small person – it was strange to be so comparatively short, if not particularly less bulky.

Two of my girls, in the days before Big Blue (our new double-recliner) was delivered.

The Scrooge Musical presented by Covenant Celebration Church in Puyallup was glorious, as usual. Rachel says that since we have now attended three years in a row, this has become a “Tradition”. The performance is a distinct departure from some of the more secular interpretations of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol -- there is a strong (almost heavy-handed) Christian message in the play that only the most determined could overlook. Although I am very fond of Dickens’ original work, I think that the Christ-centered version is a considerable improvement – long-term change in Scrooge’s character is only believable within the context of a changed heart and the power of the Holy Spirit. This year there were few surprises, and I found that much of my enjoyment came in observing my children. Joshua, in particular, seemed to deeply savor the performance, frequently laughing so loudly that I could clearly hear him over the sometimes-deafening music. The simulated snow falling on the audience at the end of the performance was a big hit with kids and grown-ups alike – there is something magical about snow, even the soap-bubble variety.

Friday night we attended a local amateur production of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, a charming story about a church Christmas pageant that is transformed by the participation of a family of un-churched thug-children. Smoking cigars in the ladies room and guzzling the communion grape juice, the six Herdman children end up playing all of the major roles in the pageant. As it is unveiled to them, the Herdmans react to the Christmas story in ways that seem funny to those of us more familiar with the story – Joseph wants to threaten the innkeeper, and the three wise men make plans for a commando raid on Herod’s palace. But it is the oldest Herdman girl, playing Mary, who experiences the deepest change, holding the plastic doll tenderly as she comes to grips with the awesome vulnerability of the Savior. It was a very poignant moment, and I was privileged to see it. Thanks, Mom and Dad, for buying our tickets and watching Sarah and David!

More Pictures of the Lakewood House

Kathy is in Texas, and wanted to show off a few more pictures of the house we are renting. Since I'm just lolling around the house eating meatloaf (Rachel says it is the best meatloaf ever, thank you, Kathy!), I don't mind posting a few more. Sorry to those of you who are bored with it.

The stairs & entry-way

The living room, just to the right as you enter the house.

More of the living room, looking toward the back of the house.

The den -- a dark sort of room at the back of the house, behind the kitchen, with a fireplace & half-bathroom.

There is a three-car garage and a hot tub, which sweeten the deal a little. This house is $100/month more than a comparable house in the area, but the yard makes a big difference (the other house had only about 1/3 of the yard space).

A New Home

We've decided to rent a house in Lakewood for the next year or so.

Here are a few pictures of the house we've selected:

The front of the house (picture cleverly doesn't show how close the neighboring houses are).

The fenced backyard was a major selling point, with a basketball court and lots of room to run around.

The kitchen is always an important part of any house -- this one seems roomy enough.

With a three-car garage and square footage around 2400 sq. ft., this four-bedroom house should be a similar fit to our existing space.

We're both relieved and scared about making this change ... it will certainly be a much shorter commute for me, and I seem to want to hang onto this job for a while. But moving (even locally) will be non-trivial.

When we talked on the phone this morning, Kathy said to me, "Do you think maybe this time we could actually declutter?" We both had a good laugh at that.

Star Status

This week a visiting dignitary graced us with her presence. Rebecca Anne from Leavenworth flew into Sea-Tac Monday morning. Her arrival was greeted with great flourish and fanfare: fans screamed her name in delight while carrying large banners welcoming her to Washington. Her motorcade caused traffic snarls for hours as it made its way south of Seattle. Thankfully security was tight and everything proceeded smoothly.

Here Rebecca poses with a member of her welcoming committee

RA, or Becca as some family members call her, was escorted to her exclusive lodgings. As is expected for such a high ranking visitor, her accommodations were decorated in bright colors and strewn with luxuries. The air was filled with the fragrance of fresh flowers hand-picked from a nearby garden.

While she has not yet granted any interviews, it is rumored Becca is here to celebrate her birthday. She is apparently spending part of her time in the city, enjoying the cultural delights, and the remainder at a fashionable bed and breakfast at the edge of the Olympic National Forest. The staff at both locations are attentively waiting on her every whim as she relaxes from a strenuous year of school and work.

RA resting on some of the landscaped grounds near her room

Becca's first several days were spent opening presents from family members far and wide. Many packages were mailed directly to her vacation spot. She even received gifts from overseas. This one here arrived on her birthday all the way from Korea.

Among the crowd was a young onlooker. Rebecca graciously welcomed him to her side as she opened gifts from grandparents.

Included in this gift box was a special letter that Becca read with careful detail causing much speculation on its form and content. Rebecca was careful to keep the personal letter confidential although there were many attempts to see it.

It's obvious by this picture that onlookers even attempted to sneak into Rebecca's private gift opening time. The life of a celebrity is difficult and taxing. Privacy is a rare and precious thing. Thankfully Becca shows grace and charm at all times, acting as if she doesn't notice the interloper.

After the birthday celebration, Rebecca was hurried out to the country for the next part of her visit. Traveling incognito with a caravan of mini vans, she made it safely to the Olympic Peninsula. Fans have since spotted her playing games, going on hikes and even mingling with some of the locals during her time in the Duckabush. One fortunate person was treated to special attention as Becca worked with him on a piece of creative writing. As part of the spa accommodations there have been many gourmet meals. It is whispered that Becca has even deigned to spend time in the kitchen herself. Her skills as a cake decorator and chef are widely known. The paparazzi managed to get some pictures of birthday cake.

Star-struck fans gather around the famed visitor as she poses near her cake.

Today Becca was invited on a private picnic soiree down at the water. The sights were breathtaking and the company delightful. This evening several select friends and family gathered for an entertainment extravaganza featuring a movie presentation of The Mouse that Roared.

Photo by Rachel

Becca is certainly in high demand here in the country but the duties of her public life call to her and I fear she must leave us tomorrow. She heads back into the city first thing in the afternoon for a performance of the Jesus of Nazareth Passion Play. There is some hope that she will be signing autographs along with the cast after the event.

Further reports forthcoming.
Staff Reporter
The Celebrity Gazette

Day Camp Photographer

It has been two weeks since the end of Day Camp, and yet I have written nothing about it! How curious an omission, when you consider the importance I have placed (and continue to invest) on that momentous week. I guess I’ve been busy, which is no particular excuse.

One of the best things about living in the Duckabush is the neighboring Christian Camp, Wilderness Northwest. Directed by Jody Weed (ably assisted by his family), this camp offers summertime camping, year-round retreat programs, and a week-long Day Camp program for children ages 6-13. Last year I had the opportunity to serve as Camp Photographer, following the five groups of 12-15 children around as they engaged in various skills, crafts, and other activities.

Me in my intrepid videographer pose.

After Day Camp 2003, I produced a commemorative CD set featuring scores of pictures and more than 45 minutes of edited video describing the program for the friends and families of the campers. It was such a positive experience that I determined to seize the opportunity again this year.

Fortuitously, the end of my 90-day contract with my employer fell on the first day of Camp. Although they determined to hire me on a full-time basis, I was able to negotiate a week’s leave before signing on as an employee (just another way that God works all things together for good, for those that love Him and are called according to His purpose). I purchased a new video camera to supplement Jody’s camera, and I pestered Ray Canterbury to release several Counselors In Training (CITs) as my assistants each day of the program.

Over the course of the year, the CITs meet on a monthly basis for discipleship training. It is always inspiring to see the love that these teenagers have for the Lord as they patiently work with the campers, setting an example of kindness and godliness. I am challenged by the effort and talent they invest into the daily skits, often improvised and always enjoyed by the children.

It was a glorious week. The weather was nearly perfect, and the campers were filled with enthusiasm. The week-long program that Jody devised was very well coordinated with the workbook pages and the curriculum used by the teachers. It really seemed to resonate with both the kids and the teachers.

The kids always seem to enjoy parachute games, even on the ground.

On Monday, we studied Creation, with specific emphasis on the fact that all of Creation came about through the literal ‘Word’ of God. Tuesday focused on Corruption – the tragic Fall of man into sin its consequences. Wednesday came in with a Flood, as we examined the account of that worldwide Catastrophe and its impact on the people of Noah’s time. On Thursday we studied Confusion and the story of the Tower of Babel (many groups helpfully provided their own supplemental confusion as well). The week culminated in teaching about Christ and the Cross with an emphasis on the way that God’s plan, beginning with Creation, points to His Son and His redeeming work on the Cross.

Most days included a 45 minute session in each of these categories:

• Craft Station


• Outdoor Life


• Science Lab


• Recreation


• Skills

And of course, each day began and ended with an assembly in the big green tent, with singing, skits, group cheers and Bible verse recitation. I thought that the singing communicated a real sense of being on fire for God. These campers were not ashamed of loving Jesus -- some of us could really take a lesson from them.

This old lady was very helpful in serving the campers from her jelly-bean jar.

The camp was staffed by roughly 30 adults and 15 CITs, in addition to the 65 campers and occasionally visiting parents; it was a bustling place throughout the week. Many of the adults and CITs used vacation or took unpaid leave to serve on staff at Wilderness Northwest, while others worked evenings to make the time for Day Camp.

I’ve begun editing the video footage, and am very excited about this year’s DVD project. Last year it took me more than 10 weeks to put it together – this year I hope to finish more quickly (while people still remember that they attended Wilderness Northwest in 2004). If you are an alumnus of Day Camp this year, look for your DVD in the mail not later than Easter.

Charlie Brown

For some strange reason, I am cheerful this morning. This is a bit strange, since I am rarely cheerful before ten in the morning, and I received less than 5 hours of sleep last night. Ordinarily, writing under such conditions, I produce some dark, brooding essay, inveighing against some injustice or the perpetual curse of human sin. In her subsequent review, Kathy would either veto the entire article or ask me to add a bunch of cheerful pictures for my not-so-adoring public to look at while skipping over my gloomy blatherings.

Actually, Kathy reminded me that she had prayed for me, that God would redeem the sleeping time I lost, especially since I had been so kind to take our family & friends out for an evening on the town. Praise God for His kindness to me!

Truth be told, I could probably drum up the proper melancholy spirit if it was necessary. But I’ve already started my second Diet Coke, and I just can’t stop humming the tunes from a musical I attended last night. It is Friday, after all – I guess a little cheerfulness on the ferry can be overlooked, even in the morning.

While I’m on the subject, I’ll offer a few life-saving tips to those morning people out there. Here is a short list of the things you should never say to a night-person before noon, unless you seek bodily harm:

• “Rise and shine!”
• “Greet the day!”
• “Up and at ‘em, sleepyhead!”
• “The early bird gets the worm!”
• “Carpe diem!”

Nearly any bright and cheerful trill that requires an exclamation point is right out. Avoid any sentence with a verb more active than those routine for sloths or glaciers – otherwise you invite muttered threats, rejoinders and vulgar gestures, e.g., “I’ll greet your day, buddy.”

I guess that is enough do-gooding for today – consider that a public service announcement intended to preserve the lives of unwitting morning people. … And now, back to our regularly-scheduled programming.

As a birthday present to Kathy (her birthday rages on, unfazed by the number of intervening days since the 16th of July) I purchased tickets to attend the Taproot Theatre's production of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown for Kathy, myself, and our oldest three children (Weasel, Nettle and Slug). As an extra treat, I arranged for some dear friends to attend the same performance, unbeknownst to my beloved Kathy and the children. Our faithful neighbor, Annjanette, held the fort and babysat our two youngest children, Thunder & Lightning.

I first saw this musical on stage here in Washington in 1972 (give or take a couple of years). I think it was performed by a local amateur group at Fort Lewis, and I don’t remember much about it. My Dad somehow acquired a reel-to-reel tape of the musical (8-tracks were too modern and trendy for him), and played it on request for me throughout the four years we lived in Germany. It occupies an important place among my childhood memories, particularly the “Book Report” song. (More perhaps on that later.)

My children are all Peanuts fans, particularly Weasel, who owns many, if not most, of the collections of that long-running comic strip. And of course we own several Peanuts videos, including the animated version of ”You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown”, which I heartily recommend.

Arriving in North Seattle, we ate a hurried dinner at a nearby pizza place, and located our seats by the clever expedient of finding our friends who were there before us. I was particularly smug to see how surprised Kathy and the children were to see their good friends 'coincidentally' attending the show with us. Kathy sat right next to Tina and Nettle and Slug greeted their friends enthusiastically. (We are none of us looking forward to the Burt's departure for Missouri next week -- even three days of separation seemed excessive.) The production lasted almost exactly two hours, including a few additional songs along with the parts of the musical we knew so well.

The show was excellent, playing to a packed house. We had great seats in the first and second rows along the side of the long protruding stage, sitting with our missionary-in-training friends and their three children. Kathy had to remind Slug not to put his feet on the stage, for fear that he would trip one of the actors. (For some reason, I always seem to get good seats at performances – I’m not sure why. I always try to be kind and gentle-spoken to the box-office workers and frequently enlist their aid in choosing seats – maybe that is my secret? Or perhaps it is a gift from God, and no credit to me at all. Hmmph.)

I particularly enjoyed the facial expressions as the familiar play unfolded – the actress playing Lucy nearly stole the show away from the Charlie Brown character, in my opinion. The actor playing Schroeder (a worship leader at a nearby Bible church) gave a tremendous boost to his role in the “Book Report on Peter Rabbit” song, dramatizing the fight between Robin Hood and the Sheriff of Nottingham with his oversized pencil. (Many ill-informed readers are not familiar with the critical role that these two medieval characters play in the well-known bedtime story, Peter Rabbit.)

Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus and Schroeder were assigned a book report on the children’s classic, Peter Rabbit. The approaches taken by each of the characters are worth noting for the simple reason that they outline four of the primary possible reactions to any academic assignment. Indeed, this part of the musical made a lasting impression on me and provided the foundation of much of my later academic, er, success.

The song is begun by Lucy, who takes a minimalist line of attack. She quickly establishes the parameters of the assignment (100 words) and eventually reaches that goal through the clever expedient of listing all the vegetables in the garden and liberally using the adjective “very”, as in, “the very very very end.” She completes the assignment having gone through the motions and writing exactly 100 words, most of them devoid of any original thought.

Some assignments and life situations seem to require exactly that approach.

Schroeder begins his report with good will but finds the subject insufficiently interesting to hold his attention. He quickly segues into a plot summary of Robin Hood and ties it back together like this:

I have used this method frequently. When an assignment or situation lacks scope or interest, it can frequently be hijacked into a different, more interesting project, without adverse consequences. Frequently your audience is sufficiently pleased with your passion in the new topic, that they are willing to overlook your failure to address the original issue.

Linus takes an approach which I have labeled “over the top.” Similar to Schroeder, he is unwilling to settle for a simple 100-word report on Peter Rabbit but rather dives deep into the subject matter, examining the sociological pressures under which Peter labored and his deeply-rooted rivalries with Flopsy, Mopsy and Cottontail. At the very least, deep-sounding philosophy can often cloak empty-headed babble, as is regularly evidenced in this blog.

As a sort of a counterpoint to each of these themes, Charlie Brown agonizes over the advisability of procrastination:

Ultimately the other three reach a crescendo and complete the assignment, which time Charlie Brown has wasted in his dithering. He now begins after all the others have finished.

Sadly, this is perhaps the approach I have most relied upon, with predictable consequences. Nevertheless, I really like the “Book Report” song.

Leaving the theater, as we straggled our way to our respective cars, we were treated to an additional bonus. The cast members, heading for their own vehicles, joined us as they exited from backstage. They spoke kindly to each of the children, and shook hands with each of us. Snoopy took time to instruct Slug in the finer points of barking, and I had a chance to congratulate Schroeder on his excellent performance.

We ate our leftover pizza on the way home, stopping for milkshakes after an appropriate interval. I was dead-tired but happy when we arrived at home around 12:30 am. Kathy's marathon birthday continues, unchecked.

Beautiful Birthday Bash

On Friday we celebrated Kathy's birthday.

Some people are born on the 29th of February, and can only truly celebrate their birthday once every four years. I once worked at a chemical company with a 9-year-old computer programmer who had held that job for more than 12 years.

Others are born near Christmas, or their birthdays are overshadowed by some other major event or occasion -- some of them eke out unhappy lives plaintively wishing that someone would celebrate them.

Not so in this family. Birthdays are a big deal for us all, led by Kathy's passion for celebration -- a typical birthday includes massive decorations (Kathy routinely stays up past 2 am hanging streamers & signs), breakfast in bed, an elaborate party, an avalanche of presents, and immunity from all regular work or school for at least the actual birth day itself. When we eat the cake, we always sing "Happy Birthday" and blow out the candles twice (once is never quite enough).

Kathy holds to this philosophy with regard to her own birthday, as well. So it begins in early June, with not-so-subtle hints about how it will "soon be my birthday". Excitement typically builds to a fever pitch a day or two before her birthday, tapering off a week or so later. Eventually the festivities fade to whatever passes for normalcy in this household around the end of the month, just in time for Kathy's brother Thom's birthday.

Two years ago, disaster struck. In all other ways, it was a very good day, but with regard to birthdays, it was terrible: our daughter Sarah had the unmitigated nerve to be born on the 16th of July, the same day as Kathy! We begged and pleaded with the hospital staff to forge the birth certificates, but they took refuge in some legal technicality and refused, point-blank. (Too bad I didn't have this blog back in those days -- I could have traded on my influence by threatening to negatively expose them to my vast readership.)

Last year wasn't too bad -- Sarah was contented with the traditional piece of chocolate cake, and preferred the wrapping paper anyway. But this year the relentless creep of her individuality made itself felt -- Kathy had to actually share her birthday.

The older kids tried to make it up to her. Joshua organized the breakfast-in-bed committee, and Rachel covered the kitchen in crepe-paper streamers. Daniel served as the "right-hand man" and (like many who have served in that capacity) it was not entirely clear how he contributed. They all conspired with a neighbor to purchase presents in advance, and wrapped them the night before, secreting them away in Joshua's room. It isn't every mom that can have fresh fruit, chocolate milk and blueberry waffles served to them in bed at 8:20 am. Following the breakfast, they wheeled in the kid's video player and watched an episode of "Little House on the Prairie".

I made reservations at a Thai restaurant for that evening, and met Kathy & four friends for dinner there, while Annjanette and Sierra graciously babysat for the entire tribe (our five plus three Burt children). Kathy really seemed to enjoy the time with these dear friends -- gifts were presented, pictures were taken and we went for a walk along the Poulsbo waterfront at sunset.

But all the time, it was there in our minds -- Kathy is really sharing this birthday with our youngest little girl. When we got home, all the kids pretended to have fallen asleep draped around the living room (even the babysitters) -- Kathy and I were completely duped and tiptoed around wondering what to do! It was a good joke, and a fun ending to the day (especially when the babysitters refused to accept payment)!

On Saturday we opened presents, pretty much all day. Since I had not managed to wrap anything in advance, each gift required a trip to the wrapping station I had assembled on the deck -- I am a very slow wrapper. We tried to give Kathy a "not in charge" day, but with five kids, a lot of the parenting splashed on her anyway. It was a very pretty day; certainly the Olympic Peninsula cannot be accused of failing to produce weather fitting the honor of Kathy's special day. I tried to have the kids come to me rather than bothering Kathy, and Joshua graciously made lunch for everyone -- we did manage to give her some time off. Typically, she couldn't stand to be left out of things, and followed us around, even when we were all out on the deck trying to give her a break. I even changed a diaper or two -- a chore I have pretty much abdicated ever since I started my job in Seattle.

I did have one 'coup' -- Kathy had asked for a new cordless phone, and it occurred to me to give both my birthday girls a new phone. Sarah's phone was a big hit -- the phone allows me to record a message that she can listen to when I'm away at work. Sarah hardly puts it down and pretty much all the kids have thoroughly enjoyed it -- a well-spent $7.

For some reason, Sarah got the idea that it was my birthday. Each time a gift was opened (most of them were for Kathy), she would gently take it from her Momma and bring it to me for approval. I got a good chuckle out of this; perhaps a little too much -- but I found it very amusing in a sort of ironic way.

Kathy hates for her birthday to end; this year I'm a bit more clever than usual. Instead of paying extra shipping charges to ensure that all her gifts arrived on time, I deliberately ordered them with the cheapest shipping modes, so that some will be late in coming. I'm expecting several gifts throughout the week, and (with my sloth-like wrapping speed) I expect to parlay this birthday out for another 8 or 10 days at least.

I don't know what the future will hold -- can Kathy and Sarah work through this whole birthday conflict, without a lot of bloodshed or expensive therapy? Maybe one of them can shift to another day (or week, or month?) but it is hard to see how it will work out. I guess each day has enough trouble for itself -- we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. For now, Sarah thinks that she got a square deal, and we just have another two weeks or so of Kathy's birthday celebration. We haven't yet made a cake, so we can probably spin that into a couple of days, if only to clean up the mess.

Some people might think that this is a little excessive. "She's a grown woman", they might exclaim -- "Why is she carrying on as though her birthday is such a big deal?" But we know that merely conceals their secret envy. How many of us ever got enough celebration as children or adults? One of the really special things about my Kathy is the joy and fun that she brings into even the most commonplace of household rituals. If that means we spend the month of July singing "Happy Birthday", then it is well worth the effort.

It's true, though -- the party hats and noisemakers do start to get a little shabby, after the third week of parties.

Martin the Warrior

In a moment of inexplicable weakness, Kathy and I relented on our “No Pets” policy. Admittedly, Rachel wore us down, week after week and month after month, wailing about how much she wanted a kitten. When I saw that Kathy was starting to weaken, I knew I needed to act.

Don't get me wrong. I like kittens – indeed, I don't know anyone who doesn't (even my neighbor, who pretends to hate them). The problem with kittens is that they grow up to be cats. Some would say that about children, with a few notable exceptions. Let's face it – a full-grown cat (or human) is substantially less charming than its younger counterpart.

But actually, I like cats. I've never been owned by one, but I enjoy their simple-minded ferocity and unabashed selfishness. I know how to handle cats and they usually enjoy my company, if only because I once worked at a seafood retailer. Many people aspire to be like cats – taking what the world offers without concern for anyone else's rights and giving only when it suits them.

My wife is a bit on the jumpy side. I am constantly startling her by simply walking into a room. I knew from the outset that a small prowling feline in the house was a bad idea. With the stress of five young children and a rather weird husband, I often worry that Kathy is 'on the edge'. I really don't think we need a cat around the house to push her over that edge and into residence at the “Whispering Pines Home for Nervous Moms”.

Rachel loves all animals, almost without exception. As neighbor after neighbor capitulated to the onslaught of pet acquisition, I knew we needed to take some kind of action. “I'd even take an Ant Farm!” cried Rachel in a pitiful, quavering tone.

One of the things I dread is the long period of time after the novelty of a pet has worn off but before the pet moves on to their eternal reward. For many pets, this period occupies 98% of their lives; I was determined to find an animal which would be short-lived. Cats, I am told, can live to be more than 14 years old (although not, I later heard, on the Duckabush). The prospect of buying a kitten for Rachel was overshadowed by the likely ten-year period in which the cat was no longer appreciated by the children yet hung around the house, shedding fur and expecting a free handout.

Enter Martin. Here he stands, a juvenile Guinea Pig with a life expectancy of 3-8 years (considerably less, if he bites Daniel again).

We picked him up at the Pet Smart store in Silverdale, along with $130 in accessories (who knew a Guinea Pig needed accessories?). He is installed in a cage in the living room and seems content as long as he gets out from time to time. He likes watermelon and most leafy greens – he'll eat as many clover stalks as the kids can harvest.

Given the opportunity, he will hide under or behind furniture (not surprising in a rodent). He is surprisingly timid with respect to strange surfaces – he will often remain completely still when placed on something with unusual texture. He won't jump down from anything higher than about 5” -- not much of a mountaineer, our Martin. Lately I have taken to putting him on the Jungle Climber – being plastic, it is easy to clean if he decides to relieve himself. We have learned not to let him burrow into my shoes -- it is very hard to get him out!

He seems to enjoy being held and is particularly fond of Rachel – they both know how to wrinkle their noses in a similar manner. Martin and I have an understanding: he doesn't bite me and I don't stake him in the forest as bait for cougars. This is a hardship for Martin, since Guinea Pigs experience the world in terms of Moh's scale of hardness, as measured against their teeth. I suspect that in Guinea Pig society, a gentle nip is like a handshake; I'm sure he feels regularly snubbed by our failure to bite him.

Already it seems as though his novelty is wearing off (although Sarah still squeals with delight whenever we take him out). Within a few more weeks, Kathy will have become the proud owner of a Guinea Pig, as the attention of the children moves on. Strangely, though, I am quite fond of him – he has grown into his name and into being, in a small rodent-ish way, a member of the family. Each morning when I leave, he is the only one awake to see me off; in the evenings, he is usually still bustling around his cage when I go to bed.

Truth is, I always wanted a Guinea Pig. I like the idea of a docile, contented rodent affectionately nosing about the corners of the room. Admittedly, now that I own the house, I'm a little more worried about pets being house-broken than I was when I was growing up. But there is something amazing about rubbing shoulders (or ankles) with an animal – it must have been very cool to live in the Garden of Eden.

I've always suspected that the references in the Scripture to the “lion lying down with the lamb” are more than allegorical. I guess we'll have to go there to find out – as I often say, “This would be a GREAT day for Jesus to return!”

A Birthday Party

Today we celebrated Daniel's 7th birthday. We're almost a month late! Oh dear! The weeks do slip by. Daniel's birthday fell two days after we returned from Michigan. That weekend Joshua and I were away at a homeschooling conference. The next weekend the little ones were sick (not a good recipe for a party). The following Saturday the neighbors, who make up 3 of the party's guests, were out of town. We couldn't have a party without them!

Thankfully, while we were in Michigan we had a party for Daniel. So, although his big party was delayed, he hasn't been suffering. The neighbor children were here in force this morning and made up a goodly crowd, as you can see by the picture. A friend stopped by with his grandson who was thrilled to find a party going on. Ha! He joined right in.

In a delightful turn of weather the sun was out for the entire length of the party. At the close of our Edgren Lego Island party the rain began and continued for the rest of the day. I love birthday parties and somehow have managed to share the enthusiasm with the older children. Joshua planned the entire party, helped me with invitations. organized the games and then proceeded to implement them. Yay! Rachel handled the decorations. She made posters and signs and hung an assortment of streamers. It's fun (and touching) to see the children take on (and copy) some of the party traditions I began with them. Joshua even made the cakes (with some help from David and Sarah).

Here is a picture of my devoted Cake Bakers:

It's wonderful to see the children work together, especially when the older ones show patience and kindness to their younger siblings. David loved working with Joshua on the birthday cake so when I asked Joshua to make cookies for a neighbor he quickly asked if he could go and get David to help him. They had a great time creaming the butter and sugars, mixing the dry ingredients in a separate bowl and so on. Finally it was time to combine the wet and dry ingredients. I helped David add in the flour mixture and then in a moment of complete insanity told him to turn on the Kitchen Aid. Aieeee! He flipped the switch on and flour and sugar went everywhere! I rushed and turned it off but not before a mess covered the counter and other appliances. Joshua, David and I stood there in a moment of silence. Finally David looked at me, with his adorable blond hair, brown eyes and irresistable three year old face and said,

"That was too hard!"

Joshua and I burst out laughing. Ah, the joys of cooking with children.

Here's a picture of the Lego Birthday Cake. I don't have a picture of the ill fated chocolate chip cookies. You'll just have to take my word for it that they were DELICIOUS even with a little bit of missing flour, salt and baking soda. :)

Happy Birthday Daniel!! We love you and are so glad God placed you in our family.

Kathy

Honoring an Expert Builder

I recently had the delightful privilege of attending the 25th anniversary celebration of Trinity Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Canton, Michigan. Pastored from its inception by my father-in-law, Reverend Bill Moore, the church was founded in 1979 and has enjoyed tremendous blessings from God of growth and ministry throughout the past quarter-century.

As a special treat for my wife's parents, the celebration committee flew my entire family in from Washington (all seven of us), housed us lavishly at a nearby hotel, and whisked us out from a storage closet at the proper moment in the program. It was a glorious surprise, especially considering how many people were "in the know" -- Kathy's parents were overjoyed.

The congregation was unstinting in their enthusiastic desire to heap honors on Pastor Moore and Cindy -- indeed, they presented them with a series of gifts and accolades that awoke a deep sense of "holy envy" in my heart. As I considered the ministry of that church over the past 25 years and all the spiritual "bricks" that built it, I was filled with a yearning that my life would be shown to have produced this kind of eternal fruit.

What are the bricks that make up a church? I'm not talking about the physical building, or even the individual members that exercise their spiritual gifts during a particular time slice in the life of a church. I'm referring to an N-dimensional church -- one that occupies the usual three physical dimensions to be sure, but that extends across time and a number of spiritual dimensions as well.

Imagine a church that is measured in "length" in Biblical teaching, perhaps in "width" in fellowship; "tall" in terms of evangelical outreach. Viewing the slideshow of pictures assembled from the last 25 years, I was struck, even stunned, by the large number of lives that have been dramatically changed by the ministry of this church. Marriages saved, relationships restored, griefs comforted, families bound together. Men and women, boys and girls have found meaning, freedom and purpose in an intimate relationship with their Creator.

I think that a church, at least a thriving church, has a distinct vision or driving purpose specific to that particular body of Christ. It will possess a continuous history and often a connection to a larger organization. It may have scars and blemishes. Some churches acquire a disfiguring handicap that can transcend a particular time or membership and stunts growth for generations. Others develop policy and procedural "muscles" that help it to remain vital and to avoid falling into error or apathy.

One of the tributes for Pastor Moore involved a skit along the lines of "what if Bill Moore had not been our pastor?" The parodied Pastor Howitzer and his "my-way-or-the-highway" organizational philosophy threw Bill's gentle style into sharp relief. Here Howitzer displays the organizational chart for his "Church of the Army of God":

A few minutes later, the spoof pastor has his secretary do pushups for failing to remember creamer in a cup of coffee -- it really helped me to reflect (by dramatic contrast) on the type of influence that this particular pastor has had on this particular church, through patience, peace and kindness.

I fear that if I were a pastor, I would tend toward the Howitzer model, particularly the camouflage vestments. This could be one among many reasons why God has not called me to be a pastor. :)

In his letter to the Corinthians, the apostle Paul writes:

"For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building. By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work."

In my mind's eye, I can picture Pastor Moore walking around the construction site with a set of plans, correcting a crooked wall here, arguing about windows with a foreman there, bringing cold soda-pop to a group of roofers in the hot sun, talking on the phone with material suppliers and generally overseeing the construction of God's church over the years.

I think of my own life, and the things that I have built and am building that have eternal value. How much hay and straw and wood am I using in my day-to-day activities, as I serve my church, raise my children, build my business? And where can I lay my hands on some gold, silver, or costly stones?

It seems evident that my father-in-law, along with many others, has built with gold, silver and costly stones. Trinity EPC is a vibrant church with a large number of members actively using their spiritual gifts in the ministry of the church. Truly it is an honor and a privilege to be a part of God's work and to see the result of our labors become so much larger than the sum of individual contributions.

The Passion

Photo courtesy of Aztlan Communications Network

Under a certain amount of duress, I drove with Kathy to Tacoma to see The Passion today, while my Mom watched the kids. Receiving free tickets, and even being chauffered to the movie theater by my Dad, it was all accomplished with very little inconvenience or pain to me. Except, perhaps, the pain of watching.

Don't get me wrong. I thought the movie was very well done, extremely effective and reasonably true to the Biblical accounts of the Gospels. I found the scriptural quotations to be well-chosen and believe the overall presentation was closely representative of the actual event. But it was a difficult and draining experience to view the portrayal of Jesus' agony up to the moment of his death, in such graphic detail.

I'm glad that I went, for some values of 'glad'.

(This is a programmer joke -- 2+2=5 for some values of 2 and 5. Admittedly, not a very funny joke, but, hey, I'm a programmer, not a comedian.)

What I mean is that I felt responsible to see the movie and I'm proud that I went through with it, but it did not, technically, make me 'glad'. I went to see it because I think for the next month or two it will be one of the most effective ways to engage a non-believer in a discussion about Jesus; indeed, I tried it out on a WalMart checkout clerk on the way home and found the conversation to be very easy and natural.

My wife says that I am too negative in this posting and that I fail to inspire my potential reader to rush out and see The Passion. Perhaps so. Frankly, to quote an obscure line from "Knight's Tale", going to this movie is "something each man must decide for himself." I will probably not allow my children to see this movie, but I would encourage my brother to do so, if he hasn't already. If you love God, seeing this movie will probably deepen your understanding of the sacrifice that Jesus made as He died in your place. If you don't love God, and you reject His Son, then going to this movie may not help you particularly, unless the Holy Spirit uses it to touch your heart and change your mind.

I was very moved by the scene in which Mary manages to connect with Jesus as he makes his way along the Via Dolorosa. Rather than speak of his suffering, or even express his love for her, the actor playing Jesus says, "See, I am making all things new!" (As far as I know, Jesus does not actually say this until quoted in Revelation 21:5.) Gibson communicates Jesus' sense of purpose and submission to God's plan very accurately, using flashback scenes to carefully underscore the fact that Jesus gave up His life; it was not taken from Him. Even as His mangled body is crushed beneath the weight of the cross, Jesus' unswerving commitment to fulfilling the will of the Father blazes forth in this majestic moment.

There was nothing in the movie that surprised me, particularly, except a few 'jump' scenes (as when Jesus stomps on the snake's head or when a Roman soldier knocks an offered cup of water out of a woman's hand). I've seen the Puyallup Passion Play several times, where considerable effort is made to realistically portray the beating and crucifixion of Jesus. And of course I've studied all four of the gospels fairly carefully and read a number of commentaries that explain various cultural customs and practices more clearly.

I was impressed by the way that Gibson used Satan to actually present the essence of the Gospel, in the opening scenes of the film. Satan, trying to discourage Jesus, tries to tell him that there is no way one man can bear the sin of all people. Through this backhanded device, the viewer can clearly understand that Jesus' intent is to bear the sin of all men in His own body, according to the will of God the Father.

There was, perhaps, a bit more reverence of Mary than seems appropriate to me, but from a Catholic perspective, it was fairly restrained.

I strongly identified with the thief on the cross who asks Jesus to remember him, when he comes into his kingdom; the power of God never ceases to amaze me as revealed in that scene. In the midst of the darkest moment of all of Creation, as the Son of God, King of Kings and Lord of Lords is being brutally tortured to death by His own rebellious creatures, God reaches out and uses that opportunity to snatch a soul from Satan's grasp.

Truly, he makes all things new.