We are glad we were able to be with my family after my dad's surgery last Thursday. He is recovering very well. Although he doesn't really feel good all the time, it's pretty remarkable how he is healing. Thanks to many friends and family for their prayers for him!
We also got to see Margaret, Ryan's cousin who goes to the University of Chicago. She hadn't met Stephen yet. The four of us met up at a local pizza joint and enjoyed a concoction called Garbage. Seriously.
Then on Saturday we headed to Indiana to be with Ryan's grandparents. Dave and Susan also joined us, which enabled us to take the long-awaited 4-generation Leatherman picture. That's what you see here. It would have been nice to stay longer, but we had to get back to Champaign for Ryan to rehearse Sunday afternoon and to get to a superbowl party that night.
Heidi is staying with us for the week to get some work done in town. (She does most of her doctoral work from her apartment in New Jersey, though she's still a U of I student.) She and Ryan are keeping pretty much the same schedule - leaving in the morning, coming home for dinner, then going back to campus to work some more. Ryan is also beginning a job this week, so he's gone extra hours for that. Beginning tomorrow, I'll be playing 3 nights in a row for the CU Symphony. Tomorrow's sitter is Heidi and Thursday's is Heather. Ryan will be home on Friday night.
Stephen is changing every day, it seems! I'm noticing little abilities all the time that even a week ago he couldn't really do. His newest pastime is turning pages in his cloth books. He mostly wants to put them in his mouth, but sometimes he "reads" them. Tonight he actually drank a little bit of apple juice from a glass! He loves the look of glassware and that was enough to intrigue him to try it. We still aren't having luck with having him like solid food, but I figure that is alright for the time being. We'll just keep trying.
I finished the David Kuo book, Tempting Faith. Fascinating material! I'm still not sure entirely what I think about his conclusion - that Christians should take a break from politics - but the stories he tells are riveting. Once he was convicted that, as a speech writer for many Republicans, he shouldn't be making fun of the Clintons, and he felt that he really needed to actually apologize to them. He found himself face-to-face with Hillary at one point and got up the strength to do it. Though she didn't react much at the time, she apparently mentionned how much it moved her in a national speech the next day! There are accounts of things other powerful leaders in Washington have done and said that you would never hear about on the evening news.
Heather is on her way tomorrow and we look forward to seeing her again!
1 comment:
I noticed that you had David Kuo's book. I'm curious to hear what he had to say. I've heard a little about it, and what he says doesn't surprise me. I think Kuo believes that Bush is a Christian, something that I strongly disagree with. Every indication shows that Bush's Christ is Satan. What fruits of Bush show that he is a believer?
I'd also agree with you that Kuo goes too far in saying that Christians should get out of politics. God calls some to that arena, and we should support them. But from what I've seen is that every politician, or politically motivated Christian leader (like Falwell or Robertson) who claims to be a Christian either isn't, by our definition that is, or is a sell-out. What we as believers need to realize is that dominionism, the belief (or more accurately, agenda) that we need to act politically to enforce Biblical morality, is not Scriptural, and is a very destructive theology. Carried to its logical conclusion, you would have that insane and despicable Left Behind video game actualized, which would be a horrible thing. There's a proper balance, but legislation and protests don't change hearts, Jesus does. I think you would agree with me on those points, but I felt compelled to comment. Cool blog!
-- Eric
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