Transformed Thanksgiving: Day 7

*This week at Transformed we are reminding ourselves of some of the things for which we are thankful. Each day will feature a new entry for which we want to thank the Lord.

Today, we are thankful for our home. Neither of the apartments that we have lived in during our marriage have been the most magnificent places. Each has provided their share of minor frustrations. However, that does not change the fact that they are the places we call(ed) home.

So we are thankful for the shelter, warmth, comfort, and security that our small, cozy flat provides.

As with all Thanksgiving celebrations, the important part of this week’s reflections was not to create an exhaustive list of the things for which we were thankful, but to aid us in remembering to continually give thanks for the many instances of unmerited favor that the Lord provides.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Blessings.

Transformed Tidbits: 11/28/08

*This week at Transformed we are reminding ourselves of some of the things for which we are thankful. Each day will feature a new entry for which we want to thank the Lord.

To coincide with our week of Thanksgiving posts, this edition of Tidbits features five additional items for which we are thankful.

1. We’re thankful for forensic justification and transformative sanctification. These undoubtedly deserve more of a thankful response than a mention in Tidbits, but we wanted to recognize God’s continual work in our lives. We are new creations apart, and in spite, of ourselves. For that we are truly thankful.

2. We are thankful for each other. We have known each other ever since Mr. Keefe’s 8th grade English class. Needless to say, our relationship has progressed a little since then (at least we hope) and we truly are thankful for the continual companionship.

3. We are thankful for friends old and new. We are especially thankful for our dear friends the Radneys. Thanksgiving is Derek’s favorite holiday and so their family has been particularly in our thoughts and prayers over the last few days.

4. We are thankful for education. It does not escape us how privileged we are to have been involved in a vast array of academic communities. We cherish learning and are thankful for the many opportunities we have had to partake in it.

5. We are thankful for competition. We truly are. There are times and places where competition is unhelpful (e.g. Christian academics), but it can also be a tool of learning, enjoyment, and achievement. In that vein we complete our Husker Prediction competition. This week’s game will break our current deadlock and provide fodder for some healthy Christian boasting until next season. Predictions: Huskers 49, Buffaloes 17 (Jeff, 5-5-1); Huskers 56, Buffaloes 14 (Allison, 5-5-1). We look forward to next year’s competition, which will feature another participant who will at one point (at least) get to don the following . . .


Blessings.

Transformed Thanksgiving: Day 5

*This week at Transformed we are reminding ourselves of some of the things for which we are thankful. Each day will feature a new entry for which we want to thank the Lord.

Happy Thanksgiving.

It may sound a bit cliché on Thanksgiving to say we are thankful for our family, but we’ve never shied away from a helpful cliché. It would be impossible for us to mention something about all of our individual family members, but we are truly thankful for all of them. Beside ourselves, our move here to Scotland has required their adjustment more than any one else. We are thankful for the support.

We also wanted to give thanks for Jeff’s brother Mike and his dad, Bob, as they celebrate(d) their birthdays this week. Congratulations on turning 21 to the both of them!

We also wanted to give thanks to the Lord for two of the family members we lost this year, George Pirtle and Junior Bailey.

We love all of you and hope that you are able to enjoy a wonderful holiday.

Transformed Thanksgiving: Day 4

*This week at Transformed we are reminding ourselves of some of the things for which we are thankful. Each day will feature a new entry for which we want to thank the Lord.

We apologize for the delay in today’s post. We wanted to make sure that are pre-written entry was not a farce.

Today, we’re thankful for the arrival of our shipment. We don’t mean to sound over materialistic. We have survived just fine without many of the items that arrived today. Rather, we are thankful that the process is over and for the valuable reminder of patience, the virtue that we struggle the most to attain.

However, on the more materialistic side we must admit that we are overjoyed to have our books and a few more of the pictures and other items that remind us of who we are and where we’ve come from.

Transformed Thanksgiving: Day 3

*This week at Transformed we are reminding ourselves of some of the things for which we are thankful. Each day will feature a new item for which we want to thank the Lord.

Today, we’re thankful for Abigail. Yes, we realize that she has not yet arrived, but that won’t stop us from being excited about and for her.

We are particularly thankful to the Lord for bringing all of this about. For those of you who know the story particularly well, this should not even have been a real possibility. We are, therefore, truly amazed at what the Lord has done to bring this about and ashamed of ourselves for ever thinking that we knew more about the situation than he did.

On a preemptive note, we are thankful for those family and friends who will come see Abigail and lend a helping hand after she arrives (nudge, nudge; wink, wink).

Transformed Thanksgiving: Day 2

In case you missed our entry yesterday, we are reminding ourselves of a few of things that we are thankful for this year as we will not be celebrating Thanksgiving in any official capacity here in Aberdeen. So, everyday will feature just one item or group for which we want to particularly thank the Lord.

Today we are especially thankful for our coats.

It is not especially cold in Aberdeen, even with the recent snowfalls that we have enjoyed here. It rarely drops below freezing and since we do not have a car we rarely see the ill effects of the temperature, like breaking two ice scrapers in one attempt to clean the car windows on the North Shore of Chicago.

Nonetheless, we do quite a bit of walking here and the 3 in 1 versatility of our jackets provides a wonderful array of options. Thanks to all of those who helped two poor folk obtain such blessings.

Transformed Thanksgiving

Due to the obvious fact that Scotland is not America, there has been no hustle and bustle for Thanksgiving here. No mass lines at the airport (at least in relation to the holiday), no continual marketing ploys for the consumption of Turkey, and no preparation for the all out “Black Friday” shopping spree (sorry Randy).

While we enjoy the pleasantries of the holiday and will miss spending it with family (whether ours or the Betts’) we wanted to make sure to remind ourselves of the things for which we are thankful. So, everyday this week we will feature something for which we are thankful here at Transformed. They will undoubtedly range in overall significance, but we are thankful for items big and small, measurable and immeasurable.

We hope that all of you have a wonderful holiday and that you are able to thank the Lord for all that he has given you over the course of the last 12 months.

Day 1: The Ministry of the Word

Today, we want to particularly thank the Lord for the pastors God has put in our midst over the last few years. We are thankful for Kent Hughes, Scott Eaton, Lee Eclov, Jared Smith, and now Dominic Smart.

We consider the preaching of the Word to be a divine task and are thankful for these men who so sufficiently minister the Word for the people of the Lord.

Blessings.

Transformed Tidbits: 11/21/08

We list because we love.

1. Thanksgiving? Thanksgiving is not a recognized holiday here for obvious reasons. Rumor has it, however, that our long awaited shipment will arrive as many of our readers are enjoying the pleasantries of an American feast. We would be thankful for that.

*Update: After posting Tidbits this morning we confirmed that our shipment is to be delivered next Wednesday afternoon. Please pray with us that all goes according to plan.

2. Did you love Legos as a kid? We did. It appears that the brand has been having some Trademark struggles.

3. After a good performance against a terrible team the Huskers are off this week. Due to our “tie” earlier in the season the game against Colorado next week will serve as a winner-takes-all showdown in our competition. Go Big Red.

4. Speaking of competition: In view of the impending arrival of some of the board games that we enjoy, we endeavored on one last Cribbage competition. Allison is proud to report that her dominance continued with a miraculous comeback to retain her title as Aernie Family Champion of Cribbage.

5. Abigail Fan Club: Mother and baby are still doing well, apart from a decrease in overall comfort and an increase in bathroom breaks. In addition, we recently put together the crib/cot in which Abigail will be sleeping (Lord willing). While a lack of tools posed a problem with our stroller, it was a lack of written instructions that boggled us this time. In this case, the pictures did not say a thousand words.

Blessings.

Returning to Scotland

Ever since visiting Europe in the summer of 2001, I (Allison) have dreamt of the day of my return of a more "permanent" nature. I have always hoped that the Lord would allow me, even if for a short while, the opportunity to live and work abroad. During my relationship with Jeff, I never officially "gave up" this dream, but thought that perhaps it would only manifest itself in short visits for conferences, mission trips, or things of that nature. As we were making the decision on which school to attend for Jeff to complete his Ph.D., I was certainly never willing to throw out an option simply because it was located overseas. The decision was never just about what was best for Jeff, but also what was best for me, our marriage, and what was ultimately glorifying to the Lord. Now that we are here in Aberdeen, I am overjoyed to see how the Lord has answered my prayers of allowing me to return to Scotland and minister to the people here once more.

I vividly remember sitting atop a hill overlooking the city of Dunoon, Scotland in 2001 and asking the Lord to give me a burden for the people of Scotland. At that point in my life I never imagined that I would return to Scotland and have the opportunity to live, work, and raise a child here. As I was a full participant in the decision making process for coming here, I am so thankful that the Lord guided us in this direction. For me, moving to Aberdeen was not just about finding a job to support our family while he worked on his dissertation, it was about the fact that God was giving me a new and greater opportunity to minister to my co-workers and once again step out of my own comforts into a grand new adventure. Ever since the Lord challenged and called me to travel with Royal Servants in 2001, I knew that my life would never be about comfort or ease, but that it would be about God's glory and the advancement of the gospel. I pray that the Lord may use me mightily as I work and serve here in Aberdeen.

Blessings.

Made in America: Part 2

We recently posted on the joy we felt when one of Allison’s co-workers was able to bring us a few items from the States that cannot normally be obtained here in Aberdeen. We actually have not had many problems finding what we need here in terms of groceries and supplies, but those items did brighten our day.

This week, however, we found something else that brightened our day. Unfortunately, this brightening had less to do with taste and more to do with humor. We give you the Scottish version of the Hot Dog . . .



Although there is a glare, you may notice that the can actually reads “American Style Hot Dogs.” We have still yet to figure out to what the adjective American refers. Is it the packaging? Clearly not. Is it the taste? In a word, no. Is it the shape? There is some similarity here, but look at the can for goodness sake. Foot-long was changed into one-third foot-long.

Scotland has great food and a plethora of grocery stores. They should remove this item from the shelf. It cannot possibly be making great in-roads into the consumer landscape.

If they imported some Fairbury hot dogs or even some Vienna Beef hot dogs we might partake. We will not, however, be consuming any more canned hot dogs.

Cheers.

Transformed Tidbits: 11/14/08

Time for a few more tidbits:

1. Still no word on precisely when our shipment will make it to us. We are still hoping that it may make it to us next week, but this would require the combination of good customer service and overall business efficiency. Unfortunately these two things are clearly not high up on this particular organization’s priority list. We hate when we make mistakes. We won’t make this one again.

2. We took part in our first pre-natal class at the hospital this week. Jeff’s group (the dads) completely obliterated Allison’s group (the moms) in the light-hearted quiz at the end of the class. Chalk one up for the men. All in all, the class was informative and lacking in overly awkward scenarios.

3. We were satisfied with the outcome of last week’s Husker game, but a little confused that the coaching staff handed out the Blackshirts after the win. We assume it was a motivational ploy, but we’re not sure that it was necessary considering this week’s opponent. Our predictions: Nebraska 49, Kansas State 21 (Jeff, 4-5-1); Nebraska 38, Kansas State 14 (Allison, 5-4-1).

4. In a related matter, feel free to root for the over-matched Iowa State Cyclones this week in their game against Missouri. A Cyclones win is the only way that our slim chance of winning the Big 12 North stays alive.

5. If you happen to be in the Boston area this weekend we recommend you take in the Boston Lyric Opera’s rendition of Les contes d’Hoffmann at the Citi Performing Arts Center, which features the much acclaimed Andrea Coleman. If you cannot make it to Boston, Lincoln is good too. Allison’s younger sister, Arica Coleman, is making her opera debut in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at UNL.

6. Thanks to the Malones here in Aberdeen for letting us borrow the first season of Lost on DVD. As mentioned before, we’re not big on TV watching, aside from our normal enjoyment of Pushing Daisies and Seinfeld, but we may have to make room for one more minor addiction.

7. We’re not sure why everyone on the planet does not use G-mail. Aside from its copious storage space and its overall accessibility, having a G-mail account also affords you easy access to Google Reader. If you are unfamiliar with RSS feeds and how to peruse all your favorite websites in less time, then be sure to check out this helpful blog entry (HT:AP).

Blessings.

Abigail’s World

When discussing technology with family and friends we often reflect on how we cannot remember a time without computers. We can remember green screens, MS-DOS, and more basic games like Oregon Trail and Number Munchers, but not life (or at least academic life) without computers. Our lives have undoubtedly been shaped by this technological advancement.

This fact led us to reflect on some of the ways that Abigail’s world will be different from the world we grew up in. The following list of items is by no means exhaustive and the placement of the entries does not belie any sort of ordered significance. Moreover, many of the items, particularly the ones dealing with technology, are bound to overlap others. It is remarkable, however, to see how rapidly the world can change in the course of 25 years.

1. An African American President: Political parties and debates aside, this is a remarkable cultural shift. When we were born in 1984 the United States was barely two decades removed from Jim Crow laws and the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. Praise God for this change.

2. The Internet: When we were born the Internet was only just beginning to find its place in this world. By the time Abigail is born it will have become a centerpiece for communication, news, and the overall marketplace of ideas. In fact, Abigail will never know a time in her life when she will not be able to successfully search for her own name on Google (thanks to this blog).

3. Skype: This is of course related to no. 2, but is particularly relevant for us in our current life situation. Skype, and programs like it, will allow Abigail to interact with her extended family on an entirely different continent instantaneously and for free. Jeff can remember calling his grandparents on a rotary phone for goodness sake.

4. The i-Phone: We could have simply mentioned cellular technology, but the i-Phone allows us to deal with several other changes. Besides the incredibly rapid and rampant increase in the use of cellular phones, the i-Phone signifies the phenomenon of the text-message, the availability of individual global positioning systems, the presence of digital photography, and the increasing influence and availability of MP3s. Thanks in large part to the iPod, our daughter will likely never own a cassette tape and even the CDs that were part and parcel of our high school and college years have nearly become a dead technology.

5. AIDS and the HIV virus: In our formative years information about these two diseases was only beginning to work its way into the public arena. We can even remember hearing the false notion that they afflicted only the homosexual community. Abigail, however, will be born into a world ravaged by the AIDS pandemic. Will her generation be able to find a cure?

6. The Red Sox: Neither of us is particularly overwhelmed with excitement for professional baseball and we really do not like the Red Sox (or the Yankees for that matter). The fact remains, however, that the Red Sox World Series title in 2004 was a significant moment in American sports culture. We just hope that Abigail will be able to say the same thing about the Cubs.

7. The Berlin Wall and 9/11: We were both very young when the wall fell, but the cultural and political implications have echoed throughout the last twenty years. In line with this of course, is the tragedy that occurred in New York on 9/11/01 when we were only seniors in high school. These are just two of the many historical events that we are amazed to think about Abigail learning in a history course and not through her own eyes.

8. Post-modernism: Although a precise and accurate definition of post-modernism is not easy to come by, it is clear that this cognitive shift has had an effect on society (in both the spiritual and secular realms) over the last few decades. While we recognize that post-modernism, like all ideologies, is a conglomeration of both brilliant and unhelpful ideals, we’re completely aware that our daughter will face the full brunt of its implications.

9. The “Worship Wars”: Discrepancies about worship practices have, of course, been going on for centuries and will likely not cease until the Lord’s triumphant return. However, particular debates about musical worship characterized our formative years in the church. We are certain that things will continue to change as the years progress, but the products of men such as Graham Kendrick, Bob Kauflin, Matt Redman, and Stuart Townsend have certainly helped change the practice of the ecclesial community of which Abigail will, Lord willing, be a part.

10. Nebraska-Oklahoma: This is not quite as dramatic as some of the others, but representative of some of the change in Nebraskan culture over the last two decades. While the Nebraska-Oklahoma rivalry was lost during our teen years, it was a significant part of our childhood memories, especially those dealing with Thanksgiving weekend. It is also a family affair. Allison’s father was on the Nebraska sideline to cheer on Johnny Rodgers historic run in 1971’s “Game of the Century.”

We would love to read your comments about the list or hear suggestions for other significant changes or advancements that we were not able to mention in these limited observations.

Cheers.

Transformed Tidbits: 11/7/08

Here’s to hoping that November is not quite as much of a whirlwind as October.

1. We forgot to mention last week that we were attempting to predict the score of the Husker game after the first half (cough). Hopefully this week will be a little less embarrassing and we can get a little revenge for the beating we endured in Lawrence last year. Predictions: Huskers 38, Jayhawks 28 (Jeff, 3-5-1); Jayhawks 42, Huskers 21 (Allison, 5-3-1).

2. A few of our readers expressed frustration (contempt?) concerning Jeff’s view on exclamation points. While you will not have much luck changing his mind, you can rest assured knowing that Allison approves of nearly all uses of exclamation points and welcomes them in all forms of written discourse.

3. We thought when we left Chicago that we had heard the last of Donald Trump’s building projects for a while since we would no longer be near the site of the Trump Tower. Trump’s business ventures, however, have no trouble crossing the Atlantic Ocean.

4. We were able to make it to the new James Bond film this week. Our verdict is that it is not superb, but still worth seeing. We also thought we would add a couple of interesting points about our experience at the theater. First, we had assigned seats. Not a bad idea, but a little humorous on a night when the theater was not even close to being full. Second, there were previews galore. At our favorite American movie theater, the Showplace 8 (home of the unlimited ICEE), you could expect at least 15 minutes of previews. The Scottish cinema put that number to shame, compiling exactly 30 minutes of pre-film material.

5. Abigail Fan Club: Allison had appointments with both the doctor and the mid-wife this week. Abigail is progressing wonderfully and we are looking forward to meeting her in person. For now, here is an external picture of her internal progress.


Blessings.

Made in America

The engineering firm that Allison works for is an international entity. The headquarters for the Eastern hemisphere are here in Aberdeen and the headquarters for the Western hemisphere are located in Houston, Texas. Coordination of this kind often involves trips by certain persons between the companies in order to facilitate management and communication.

Recently, one of Allison’s co-workers made a trip to Houston and Allison put in an order for some special items that you cannot find here in Aberdeen. While the food here is excellent, there are certain things that a pregnant woman is bound to desire from her recent past.

The two primary requests were for large, white marshmallows (a nearly impossible find here in Aberdeen) and Butterscotch chips (another non-existent entity). For those of you know us well, you will recognize the latter item as one of the key ingredients to the ever-popular Scotcharoos. If Allison has ever made these delightful objects for you, you will no doubt see the need to have the missing ingredient shipped to us in any form or fashion. The former, of course, is the key ingredient to good old’ fashion Rice Krispie Treats, one of the focal points of pregnant desire.

Unbeknownst to Jeff, however, Allison put in a request for a few more items for our mutual enjoyment. Cheez-its, Peanut Butter Oreos, and pumpkin filling were all on the list, but unfortunately only the Cheez-its made it due to store availability and luggage space. We’ll have to work out another way for Allison to make a pumpkin pie and for the both of us to enjoy the wonders of the S.O.M. in future days.

Most importantly, however, Allison managed to sneak one more item on to her co-worker’s list: Red Vines. While we developed a reputation at TEDS for being connoisseurs of homemade dessert (e.g. the aforementioned Scotcharoos and homemade pie), we are both especially fond of Red Vines. Even though they have a pretty large market of sweets here in the UK, you just cannot compete with the chewy goodness of these licorice stalks.

Abigail Update

There are several key differences between the way pregnancy is viewed and handled here in Scotland as compared to the United States. From our original reading about the process we were fairly confident that because of the differences between the two systems we would not have the opportunity to have another ultrasound (or scan) prior to Abigail’s arrival.

We were pleasantly surprised, therefore, when we got sent down for another scan at Allison’s first (and last?) appointment with the doctor on Monday morning. Allison’s claim that Abigail was quite the mover and shaker was verified again by the need for the ultrasound technician to rapidly move back and forth just to keep up. As evidence, you can see the type of gymnastics that she is up to in the picture below. The nurse suggested that Jeff not try this move at any point in the near future. We pass that warning on to you.

We also thought we would post a picture of our newly acquired stroller (or buggy), which, thanks to the wonderful complexities and contours of our ice cream scoop, is structurally sound.

Finally, many of you have expressed your thoughts on our decision to use cloth diapers (or nappies). Although the spectrum of opinion has ranged from a sarcastic “good luck with that,” to an affirmative “way to be good stewards,” to a realistic “you’re crazy,” we thought we would at least show a picture of the fashionable colors that Abigail will get to sport.


Cheers.