Mission Safari: The Next Chapter(s)

Good Summer Night

I had another good day at work but was glad to get out on time and get home. Once home, I've had an even better day.

After a quick 3 mile run, I took the younger kids to the pool to cool off. Then, we came home and grilled burgers. Since the night was so pleasant, we went outside where the girls spent a good amount of time on the swings. Following that, all the kids and I played tag in the backyard. It was great to hear all the laughs and giggles.

Not a bad way to spend Friday night.
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Back to Work

Back to work after a great vacation. I feel re-energized for work and much more relaxed. So far I've done 4 out of 6 in a row.

Came home and ran 4 miles. Getting ready to eat spaghetti. Then I'm taking Sarah to Best Buy to look at Macs. She's taking one to Kings.

Overall glad to be back at work. It means a lot to enjoy your job!
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A Few Good Books

While on vacation, I was able to read a few good books.  I have them listed in the sidebar under 2011 Books.  But, I did want to make special mention of them here because they were all an encouragement to me the past two weeks. I realized that I needed a reminder and a refresher about what is important.

First, I finished the book on Ronald Reagan.  Its main message to me was that it is important to pursue the path that God has put you on even if others around you want you to change.  The second book was a novel by Pat Conroy entitled South of Broad. It was an interesting book set in Charleston, SC focused on unlikely friends.  It spoke to me of the value of long lasting friendships even if things move in the wrong direction at times.

The third book I read was a graphic novel, Yun: The Heavenly Man, about a Chinese Christian who suffered greatly over the past 30 years.  It was a quick read but a good reminder of how God grows the church through persecution.  And finally my favorite on vacation was The Long Obedience in the Same Direction. It is written by Eugene Peterson, the same man who wrote/translated The Message. This book explored Psalms 120-134 and how they point us the right direction for the Christian journey. It was a reminder of God's grace, His patience, and our invitation to know Him for now and eternity.

I recommend all of the above, but I really encourage you to check out The Long Obedience.

Video Highlights from Kiawah

Our return trip home yesterday went very smoothly (except Kate throwing up lunch at Ruby Tuesday) and despite having a great time and being sad our was over, everyone was quite happy to get home last night.  That is always a good sign.  And we got home early enough that we didn't feel exhausted this morning when we got up for church.

I was able to get some video posted to YouTube and below are some of my favorites from Kiawah. As I watched them, I realized that if you are 3 years old, you're more likely to end up being videotaped. But trust me, we all were at Kiawah! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last Day @ Kiawah - Gloomy

Okay, so today was a little gloomy around here - the weather and the mood. But there has been way too much fun and memories made the past 2 weeks to really have any room to whine about the rainy skies or mood.

Today I planned to take Sarah out to the beach for breakfast. I packed our cooler with coffee, OJ, and oatmeal (what else?) And set out for a little father/daughter date. Half way there the skies opened up. We decided that we were wearing our swim suits anyway so why not make the most of it. I'm glad we did. The weather cleared a bit and we ended up having a happy, memorable time together.

It rained a good part of the morning and early afternoon but we did get to spend some time at the pool. But around 3pm when I took the girls back for their naps they both lost it, crying all the way to the condo. They hadn't done that the whole vacation. I guess they even knew our time at Kiawah was over!

Sam and I were able to get in a game of tennis before coming home for supper. We're now getting packed.

It's been a great two weeks. We've been really blessed with great weather and low family conflict. God has really taken care of us this year.
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Day 13 @ Kiawah - Beach Pizza Party

My day started with a 10 mile run which might have been more enjoyable if the humidity hadn't been higher than the morning temp (85 vs 75). But I can never really be down about any run in any weather when I'm at Kiawah! Anyway, it was a good start to the day (from my perspective).

The rest of the day (and evening) was spent at the beach. I played in the surf with the girls, frisbee with Sarah, football with Ben, and did some body surfing with Sam. I also was able to finish my third book of this vacation (The Long Obedience in the Same Direction by Eugene Peterson - highly recommended).

This evening we had a pizza party on the beach (Marti's idea), ate Tortuga Rum cake for dessert, and the kids played together while Marti and I enjoyed a walk on the beach.

Tomorrow we will be at the pool in the morning and packing will take place tomorrow evening.
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Day 12 @ Kiawah - Beach and Golf

As this great vacation begins to wind down, we still find ourselves having a good time. Today was a wind-down day for Marti - she just chilled at the condo. I took the kids down to the beach and again enjoyed being with them and watching them. I watched Sarah, Ben, and Sam make a sand castle together. We also played frisbee in the surf. Meanwhile the little girls made friends with two other little girls and spent most of the morning riding the boogie board in the surf. 

After lunching on tomato sandwiches and corn on the cob, I chilled out with the big kids on the beach until it was time for me to take the boys golfing again. We all improved on our scores from last week and that made the time together even more fun. Happily we did not have to avoid any alligators (or pink flamingos or windmills). To finish off the night we are having chicken curry and hopefully will be able to watch the Cardinal game on TV (or at least on the web).

We have only two more days here and though we look forward to enjoying each and every hour we have here, we are also looking forward to getting back home.

Day 11 @ Kiawah - Kate's 3rd on the 5th

Today was our sweet little Kate's third birthday. We had a great day celebrating her birthday. I'm sure after the fun we had yesterday on the 4th she is going to start thinking that her birthday is always celebrated with a 2 day bash! But anyway, it was a fun day.

In the morning the kids all went down to the pool. Marti stayed back and decorated the condo with streamers and presents (in red, white, and blue), made some yummy baked tilapia while I was sent on errands such as getting the ice cream cake from Marble Slab Creamery. Then, after the kids came back, we ate lunch and celebrated her birthday. My parents were able to Skype in during the party and Kate was excited to see and hear them.

After a good nap, we got ready and made our way to Charleston where we enjoyed a gorgeous summer evening at "The Joe" watching the Charleston Riverdogs play the Augusta Green Jackets. The Riverdogs are the Single-A minor league team for the New York Yankees. Even though the home team lost, we still had a good time at the game eating hot dogs, brats, and nachos and taking in a ballgame on Kate's birthday.

Happy 3rd Birthday Kate. We all love you so much.

Day 10 @ Kiawah - America's Birthday

There isn't a much better way to spend the 4th of July than to be with your family at the beach. I started the day with a good 5 mile run, followed by a good day at the beach with the kids and Marti. In the afternoon Sam went and decorated his bike to join in the annual 4th bike parade here at Kiawah. We then went over to Night Heron park to enjoy the beach music, BBQ, games, and dancing. At dusk, before fireworks, we enjoyed a special brownie dessert Marti whipped up . Then to cap the special day, we went to the beach for a great fireworks display.

Thank God for vacations. Thank God for Independence Day. Thank God for freedom.
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Day 8 @ Kiawah - Day of Rest

Today was a good Lord's day here on vacation. We worshiped at Church of Our Saviour (an Episcopal church), bought heirloom tomatoes at a roadside stand, lunched at King Street Grille, played bean bag toss on the beach, read a graphic novel about a Chinese Christian, went on a family bike ride out to Rhett's Bluff as the sun was setting, and finished the day off properly with ice cream at Beaches and Cream at the Sanctuary on Kiawah. Oh yeah, and me and the kids ran around on the lawn at the Sanctuary (which is a lawn with putting green style grass about the size of a football field). It's been a pretty good way to spend the Lord's Day, don't you think?

Day 7 @ Kiawah - Not Traveling Today

The highlight of today is that we were NOT traveling home. As most of the guests here check-in and check-out on Saturdays it was nice to not be one of the families packing up the car with a long drive ahead. Instead, we chilled out at the pool for a couple of hours. Then Marti took all the kids except Kate to see the movie Cars 2 while I stayed at the pool a little longer before I put Kate down for a nap. After Marti came back, she and I went on a date to the Jasmine Porch, our favorite place to eat on Kiawah. All in all, a pretty relaxed day.

Day 6 @ Kiawah: Alligators on the 9th Hole

Today was a chill day here at Kiawah. I guess the biggest highlight is that Sarah registered for classes at The King's College and already has her Fall schedule. It is a pretty neat, tough, but neat schedule.

The rest of the morning and afternoon was spent at the...beach. The boys wanted to chill at the house, so I had the three girls. We did a little "fishing" with a small fishing net. We caught a couple of teeny crabs, seaweed, and a few other little sea creatures.

The day was finished off with 9 holes of golf with the boys. Kiawah has a Family Tee Program that allows the kids (under 17) to golf free with a paid adult. And the tee times aren't until after 5pm. And they move the tees up to between 50-200 yards depending on what type of par the hole is. Anyway, it is a great introduction to golf for the kids and it doesn't cost an arm and a leg.

We had a great time. Sarah came along as a driver for one of the carts. The highlight of the evening was the ginormous alligator chilling out just outside of the sand trap on the last whole. Guess where my shot ended up? You got it, right in the sand trap. I foolishly played the shot. I'm happy to report that I had a nice shot (probably one of my better shots from the sand) and that I still have all my limbs. Anyway, it was a cool "hazard" that not all golf courses offer.

Today's Highlight - Hyman's Seafood

Today started well with a good, honest, much needed conversation with my wonderful wife. Things have been so busy the last few months that I've hardly had a chance to think, much less communicate with my wife. But a good breakfast on the deck together enabled us to share some things that were going on in our heart and mind. Although it's not always easy to share vulnerable things it is always good.

But certainly the highlight of the day for everybody was our visit to Charleston this evening to eat at Hyman's Seafood. I love the place but haven't been there for 6 or 7 years. It is always so busy that we usually decide to go somewhere else. But this time we planned ahead and went in early to beat the rush. And boy am I glad that we did.

I enjoyed their Southern take on seafood. Here is what we enjoyed: boiled peanuts (it's a South Carolina thing - don't knock it if you haven't tried it), hush-puppies, fried green tomatoes, fried calamari, grits and shrimp, fried flounder, cajun swordfish and shrimp, cole slaw, and mac and cheese. They even gave the little kids a free scope of homemade ice cream to finish it off. It was fun to watch the kids (all of them) enjoy these different tastes. Kate especially loved the boiled peanuts, calamari, and hush-puppies.

Not exactly the healthiest meal we've eaten this week, but certainly one of the best! Can't wait to come back next year.

Every Once in A While

Every once in a while, life slows down to a speed in which you can take a look around you and observe in living colors the blessings that are yours. Today on the beach was just such a time.

As I sat in my chair reading with the warm sun bathing me and the ocean breezes cooling me, I looked up and almost in a slow motion sequence saw the ways in which God has blessed me. Kate was running from tidal pool to tidal pool laughing and smiling with freedom and joy. Glancing beyond her I saw Amy happily playing in the sand next to her good buddy and 15 year old brother Ben. He was stretched out in a tidal pool relaxing and enjoying the company of his little sister. Over to my right I watched Sam playing with a new found friend laughing. Directly in front of me, I watched Sarah sitting in a low chair intently reading a book with the gentle waves lapping her feet. And behind me, resting in her beach chair was Marti taking in the scenery. I knew in that moment that I had been greatly blessed with a wonderful family and that God had orchestrated this moment in time as a reminder of His goodness to me.

And I have spent the rest of the morning and afternoon thanking Him.

Day 3 at Kiawah

Today started with a hard work-out with Ben who is working hard to get himself in shape for high school football. We did speed work together. I found out that he has finally caught me on short sprints although I can still smoke him on longer runs. I also ran routes for him to practice throwing the ball; he is really interested in trying out for quarterback. He is making some good progress in that department.

The rest of the day was pretty relaxed after that. I spent time in the kiddie pool with the little girls, ate lunch at the poolside cafe, spent some time reading next to the pool, made some tie-dye t-shirts with Marti, Sarah, and Sam, played pool basketball with the kids, and ate another wonderful meal Marti cooked. The boys and I are going to watch South Carolina try to win their second College World Series in a row tonight.

We are trying to enjoy every warm moment we can in the sun.

Day 1 and 2 at Kiawah (2011)

We've just finished Day 2 at Kiawah. It was another wonderful day; lots of sun, sand, and surf.  Here is a recap of our first two days.

Day 1 - Played on the beach with all the kids. Threw the football with Ben. Finished reading a book on Ronald Reagan. Took the boys to the driving range at Turtle Point. Ate tacos for my belated Father's Day party. Opened gifts from the kids - Bean Bag Toss, Frisbee, Vincent's Drug Store T-shirt, and Palmetto Tree Coffee Mug.

Day 2 - Five mile run with Amy (in BabyJogger). Breakfast with Marti and Kids on the deck. Beach time with kids and their youth director, Annette (and her brothers). Smoking the kids in Bean Bag Toss. Ocean time with little girls - lots of laughs and giggles. Took Sam to Kid's Golf Camp. A fresh Tomato Sandwich, my first of the year. A few more hours on the beach reading and enjoying the sounds and sights of the surf. Helped Marti make dinner. After dinner trip to Marble Slab Ice Cream for dessert.  Reading Little Critter and Ladybug Girl books to Amy and Kate for bedtime stories.

Day 3....to be experienced....

Sarah's Graduation Weekend

Okay, so I'm only 10 or so days late in getting these pictures loaded. But, working 9 out of 10 days since her graduation has greatly cramped my time (as well as my style).  Anyway, we had a great graduation weekend June 11-12. Family came in from all over (Illinois, Texas, North Carolina). We had good weather (except the rainstorm that interrupted the pool party). The Sunday celebration was fitting for Sarah; a family affair, well decorated, great food, meaningful service, and lots of laughter.  We really are grateful for all who participated.

Below are some of the highlight pictures from the graduation.  I've also posted a few albums (which can be accessed on the right hand side of blog). 

 
 

Kate

It's been a while since I posted a picture of Kate. She is really growing up fast. She turns 3 in a few weeks. She initially had a hard time with the move to our new house, but she is adjusting well now. I think she was afraid of being in a room by herself.  More later. Enjoy.

Commencement Remarks

Yesterday we celebrated Sarah's high school graduation. It was a great time with friends and family. I will post pics in the next day or so. In the meantime, if you are so inclined, you can read the (somewhat lengthy) "commencement speech" that I gave at her graduation. I only choked up 4 different times during the talk. A lot less than I figured I would.

"What Are We Celebrating Today?"

Today we are here to celebrate Sarah's graduation from High School. We have come together as family, friends, and mentors to share this milestone event for Sarah (and her parents). Each of you is important to us as a family. And I first want to thank you all for making time to travel from near and far to celebrate with us.
 
When Marti and I started planning for this I realized that unlike most proud fathers of a graduating senior who gets to sit in the audience and listen to commencement speakers, I was going to be the commencement speaker. Initially this seemed like an interesting challenge, but it soon became a daunting challenge. I realized that it has been a while since I actually attended a graduation. And to be honest, it has been 16 years (yes, I have been out of med school for 16 years) since I actually listened to a commencement speech. And when I tried to remember who the speaker was and what he said, I sadly could remember neither. And that depressed me a bit as I realized that although it was unlikely that Sarah would forget WHO spoke at her graduation, it was likely that she would forget WHAT I said.  
 
Undeterred however, I continued to contemplate what best to say. (And Much to Sarah's disappointment it won't be as simple as - "We're here today because Sarah has graduated from high school. She was a great student. She was number one in her class. We are proud of her. Everyone give her a hand. This concludes my remarks. Thank you for coming.") As I considered my remarks, it dawned on me that for most of us sitting in this room, our high school graduation was somewhat different than this ceremony today in several respects; the pomp and circumstance, the number of graduating students, the number of school dignitaries, the number of teachers, and so on. And usually (and very understandably) the focus of the ceremony was on the accomplishments of the students during their 4 years in high school. And without fail, there is usually some nod to the future plans of the student body and how much they have been offered in scholarships to attend college - ie, "our senior class has been offered 3 kazillion dollars in scholarships." (Usually as an acknowledgement of the collective wisdom of the teachers and administration of the high school).
 
I understand why schools have done that and will continue to do that. But when I thought about what we were doing today, I asked myself this question - Are we here to celebrate what Sarah has done the past four years as a high school student or is there something else or Someone that we should be celebrating? Or, do we believe that this milestone is only about what an individual was able to accomplish academically or is there much more to the education of an individual? Or put another way, "what exactly are we celebrating today?" I believe we are here today to celebrate three things that have made a difference in Sarah's life and made today a special day: the Community, the Course, and the Creator. (I wouldn't be a good Presbyterian if I didn't have three points to my remarks! I'm especially proud of my alliteration!) 
 
First, we are here to celebrate the Community who has made a difference in Sarah's education. I want to start with a group who have impacted Sarah who are not even aware that they have done so. These people are the first home-school families that Marti and I encountered as new parents. They are people who modeled what home education was all about. They were mentors and examples to us when we were more worried about Pampers than papers. And so we want to celebrate the fact that God put them into our lives.
 
We also want to celebrate our family community. We are thankful for Nana and Paw Paw and Grandma and Grandpa for their total support for our decision and commitment to homeschool Sarah. Never once in 13 years did anyone in our family ask the following questions: "Are you sure this is a good idea? Are you sure this is best for Sarah? How are you going to teach her high school math and science?" Nor did they ask the really dreaded question: "Yeah but, how are you going to socialize Sarah?" We celebrate the fact that our family has been supportive and encouraging to us and Sarah.
 
And speaking of family, I want to especially celebrate Sarah's primary teacher for these past 18 years, Marti. The dedication, the sacrifice, the tears, the sweat, the patience, the love that Marti has shown in teaching Sarah has been a blessing. It has been an incredible model of sacrifice. She has been a modern day Proverbs 31 woman. Thank you Marti. 
 
Today we also celebrate the community of believers who have participated in the education and development of Sarah. We thank her ballet teachers, her Sunday school teachers, her pastors, missionary friends, small group leaders, youth directors, Potter School teachers, friends, and family. We believe that an education is not just what is accomplished academically. We believe the whole person is to be developed. When you look at Sarah's life, we believe we have cause to celebrate the many people who have made a difference in her life.
 
Many of you know that in August, Sarah is going to The King's College in New York City. Think about that. The little girl from small town South Carolina is going to the largest city in the United States to attend college. How in the world did this little girl who was afraid of the grass as a toddler and who was also a kindergarten drop-out decide to apply and attend a school in the heart of Manhattan? To understand that, you need to consider and celebrate the "Course" (or journey since I was looking for a C-word for my 3 points) of Sarah's education. 
 
At heart, Sarah is a Southern girl, who loves the neighborliness and hospitality of small town America. She spent her early years in rural South Carolina picking up pecans in the yard, doing rounds with Daddy in the hospital on weekends, sharing meals with neighbors who happened to stop by at supper time, and walking down the street to the coffee shop to get Mama a special coffee in the morning. But she is also a world traveler who had 20,000 frequent traveler miles by the age of 2. She has gone on safari, volunteered in the slums, done research papers on the Red Cross by visiting the International Red Cross Headquarters in Switzerland, eaten Italian food in Germany, Chinese Food in France, and Indian food in Kenya. She has traveled to China to be the first to greet her new sister. She feels just as comfortable in an airport as she does in a shopping mall. She's more proud of her Passport than her Drivers License.

The opportunity to travel and live abroad has had a profound impact on her education. She thinks it is normal to have friends who live in other places outside the U.S.A. She doesn't find it concerning to eat in places where she can't read the menu. She thinks it is normal to worship in church with former Muslims, Hindus, and Witch-doctors.

This Course of Education has impacted her interests which are wide-ranging. Look at her iPod (which I did this weekend) and you'll find today's stars like Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift, Kenny Chesney. But you'll also find James Taylor, Chuck Mangione, Steven Curtis Chapman, Chris Rice, Michael W. Smith, and even Elton John. Her bookshelves are stacked with an eclectic blend of writer: C.S. Lewis, JRR Tolkien, Jane Austen, Mark Twain, Don Miller, and Bill Bryson. But you'll also find Calvin and Hobbes and Dilbert. If you look around her room you'll see it decorated with Madame Alexander Dolls, American Girl Dolls, and Mickey Mouse. You'll see posters and photos from NYC as well as baseballs and Dolls from Around the world. I think by this, you get the point, that Sarah's education and experiences have given her a wide range of interests.

And that is part of what we celebrate today. We are proud of the work that she has accomplished in high school - she graduates with a 3.9 GPA. She did well on her SAT and even scored in the top 10% on the writing portion of the SAT. But we want to celebrate that who she is today is not the result of the past 4 years; it is the result of how God has worked in her life over the Course of the past 18 years.

That brings me to my final point. We are here today to celebrate Sarah's Creator. God has blessed our family with multiple opportunities to grow and experience His world. He called us to do our residency training in South Carolina. He provided homeschooling mentors and families for us while Sarah was still a toddler. He called us to live in a small Southern town where Sarah and her siblings learned the value of community. Our Creator expanded our worldview and worked in and through in us as a family on the mission field. Our Creator provided godly friends and mentors for Sarah. He has worked in her life spiritually and academically. Our Creator has gifted Sarah as a writer and a thinker. He has given her a creative spirit. Through His grace He has worked in her life to where she worships the God of her parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents. Our Creator has given Sarah a compassionate, hospitable, and servant heart. This realization that our Creator is behind every aspect of Sarah's development, education, and accomplishment is what we whole-heartily want to celebrate today.

In closing, from what I remember, commencement speakers always seem to have a "charge to give" to the graduating class. And so Sarah, I want to challenge you with these last thoughts. Remember and be thankful for your Community; without Community your efforts will be in vain. Second, never forget who you are or where you came from. God has set you on a Course. It has been an excellent journey so far. Remember it, embrace it, and move forward with the confidence that He will continue to work things for your good and His Glory. And finally, never forget your Creator; the whole world and everything in it belongs to Him. He is most worthy to be praised. You are His child and He loves you. 

Thank you and God Bless.

Season Champs!

Sam's team finished second during the regular season.  Their playoffs were this week.  They won Thursday night 7-6 to advance to yesterday's Championship Game.

The Rockies started a little tight and scored only 2 runs the first two innings.  However, they were able to add a few more runs in the 3rd to take a 6-2 lead.  They scored  a 2 more in the bottom of the 5th to put the game out of reach and win the championship.

Sam ended the season in a bit of a hitting slump but was still able to help out the team with some good defense at key times as well as draw some walks and score a few runs. He really seemed to enjoy playing this season even with its ups and downs. He also learned that anything can happen in baseball if you keep playing hard each and every game. Despite losing 2 of their last 3 regular season games, they won 3 straight to finish the season as champs.

Way to go Sam and way to go Rockies!