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The Monday night softball league was able to sneak in a rain make-up game today before the normal evening line up. The made up game was the Bethany vs. Bethany game from weeks ago. The next game after that was...the next Bethany vs. Bethany game. The only thing better than a B vs. B is a double header of the same.

Get your game face on BW!

Not alot of showing for such a huge event. Thanks Tim and Nicole!

I'm kidding!! Adult section...

...kiddie section.


You go boy!!!!!

......HOT!

Final scores? BE had no mercy with two wins in a row. But both teams were a blast to watch with very intense plays and the knowledge that good sportsmanship would win out every time. Great job teams!!

Kick-off The Week

Last year's Chicago trip was considered to be pretty relaxing. But due to the shortening of the trip (returning at 2am Sunday) and a busy Sunday, this week did not begin so relaxed. Sunday's busyness included volleyball and the first pictures of the year to prove it!



That is one hansom serve if ever I saw one.


A tie-breaking third game was supposed to go down, but at the last second, the girls proposed something else. That's right, making it all about gender in a girls vs. guys game. Who won again?


Real life kicked in at work last week with a full-time work schedule. So I had to be in to work at (gasp) 8am today. But thanks to the 12 hour work day last week, it was only a half day. The rest of the afternoon allowed me to get the annual gutter cleaning done for a lady at church while hearing several more stories about what Peoria was like 50 years ago. Then computer support and dinner with Jimmy D's fam. I feel pretty wimpy when it occurs to me that God has me on a "light" learning plan. It doesn't seem so light to have your income cut in half, actually have to sweat on your new job and still realize God easily provides. But try seeing that happen to a family with 8 kids who then tricks you into staying a feeding YOU dinner :-) It's alot harder to complain about circumstances and throw a pity party for myself, even if I do have excuses.

And finally, a winning night at church league softball. Pictures are still being added occasionally. Today's MVP is the dynamic duo that is Phillips.

Missing Week

Well, it's about time for that marathon post on a missing week of my life. Here's what happened the last week in July.

7/27 Sunday evening - More Trey time
Thank you for dinner (and dessert) Steve and Elise! Thank you for being so cute Trey.








Hoodies from the other Columbia Terrace bachelor pad also attended.




7/28 Monday
Work was not crazy first day after vacation...wow

Final regular softball games before the tournament and rain make-ups. Amazingly enough, there are no pictures, or I can't find them. I know, you'll live.

Meeting at church. Nothing much to be said there except welcome to the team Dave, Paul and DOUG! Paul made a special delivery.

Thank you Paul and Cheryl!






The night wasn't over. I came home to a very tense situation between Andrew and his fiance, wait, WIFE Ashley.









The Yahtzee Nazi wins again!




Nothing major to speak of Tuesday. It was our last official meeting of the discipleship group I have been with for the last 19 months.





7/30 Wednesday
Men's Bible study opened with a huge sigh after hearing our video presenter state, "You thought the honeymoon was steamy, wait till you hear THIS!" We made it through :-)

7/31 Thursday
Allergies had been kicking my butt this week, so I took some benadryl and completely missed Thursday evening.

8/2 Saturday
Softball rain make-ups. No pictures of the game buuuuuut


Ya. Don't worry, he's got his own place now.

Laugherty the flag!
The Laugherty family generously invited me over once again for a little hang time. The Deutch clan was also there, which made just enough people for a completely crazy and eventually dead game of capture the flag.







Guess who was there to greet me as I pulled up!!










You're goin' DOWN team Stuber!











As the team gimp, I was assigned to guard the prisoners.







...who clearly didn't take me seriously one bit.










I got my eye on you boy!









Recon work was fun.

Start Over!

A rare moment of intelligent thought happened in my brain this evening. If I wait until I've caught up on previous posts before I start making current posts...we'll never see another post again. Back-posts are being hashed out in the background I promise. I just won't promise that they'll ever get done.

Slight recap of last week's Sunday morning service though. Great Job in the duet Sunday morning Bubbles and Ben!

We'll have a full recap of Saturday's softball tournament eventually (maybe). Bethany West (Kari's Team) and Bethany Tuesdays (Steve and Elise) lost in the second rounds, but Bethany East claimed victory over BW. They were to finish off the tournament today, but this morning's rain was enough to cancel for now.

After a pleasant break in the day, II Peter let me in on the task of raiding his kitchen of perishables before he leaves on a long, distant, and NOT FAIR vacation to Australia this week.

He kicked off a movie before I had to leave. I stayed just long enough to hear one of Pete's funniest quotes, and to watch New York City rats and roaches clean an apartment in harmony. Not long enough to see my favorite part.

As Gazelle falls into the arms of her Prince Edward, meeting for the first time. She tells him her name and he announces that "We shall be married in the morning!" Peter responds shortly after with, "Just like our Sunday School class!" Nice.

At South Side, I boast about the opportunity you have to hear and be convicted by some women who have gone or are going through WAY more than you, me and most of the people we know could handle where we are in life right now. At the Rescue Mission, you get to see these guys get fired up about the same old, but great hymns that they ask for again and again. It's great to be there to watch rather than be responsible for something. Tonight, Kent hit the high notes and Mark hit Psalm 8 with vigor. I Had some thoughts on what has to be their #1 hymn pick. Don't you feel lucky?

What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge, take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do your friends despise, forsake you? Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield you; you will find a solace there.

Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised Thou wilt all our burdens bear
May we ever, Lord, be bringing all to Thee in earnest prayer.
Soon in glory bright unclouded there will be no need for prayer
Rapture, praise and endless worship will be our sweet portion there.

I don't think the guys who stay at the mission are picking this song because it's a catchy tune. And it's not a hymn that simply tells us God can take care of our burdens. It tells us how blessed we are to have a friend who is better to us and for us than the bestest of best friends we could imagine here on earth. Do we find our contentment and peace in Christ before others or find that our own support structure is what we have the most confidence in? What a friend we have in Jesus, if we will only let Him in.

I Have A Blog???

Oops. Sorry. Time for a marathon of updates.

Friday morning and afternoon was spent mostly in airports. I've never felt like O'hare is a familiar place, because it is so huge. However, Laguardia airport seems quite common now.

Here's where you get food before the shops close for the night, and you're stuck in the airport


Here's the bedroom. That guy has NO respect for Ashley's old bed.



Our friends, Jeff and Lisa, waited over an hour late for their flight to arrive and begin boarding. Not an encouraging sign for your flight, to the same place, scheduled an hour later. But everything worked out fine.





Connie and Elke are no longer allowed to sit within earshot of each other.





We had the opportunity to embarrass Sarah once more with a public singing of Happy Birthday in the Peoria airport. Random folks from the terminal were more than willing to join in.



Elisabeth and Charly were quite content with their present too.


After getting home (updates on on New York are coming). I should have taken a nap...but no. Homemade Ice cream at Hornbrooks drew me in...drawed me...drug...dragged...I had ice cream.

We all got to shake Kimberly's hand. The hand that shook the president's hand! Ironically, Pastor Ritch was asked to give the opening prayer at Aaron Schock's fundraiser (President Bush attending), but had already made a previous commitment. So, Kimberly ate his $500 plate of food, for free.





One of our missionaries from South Africa, Carol, is back in town. II Peter was ready for the pose. He's getting good at it.





Alright look. I know it's a two and a half hour movie, but I was gonna see the last 15 minutes (missed the first time) if it killed me! It was worth it. After the first viewing of Batman - Dark Knight, I thought all this movie was going to do was feed the folks with already depressed, angry, suicidal rage building up inside them to become psycho killers. But in the end (the part I missed), there was at least an effort to encourage people to overcome the desire to react to this world's brokenness with more brokenness. Close enough...moving on.


Saturday
First thing in the morning was rain make-up Softball games. I was totally shafted, attending the game on a baby watching premise...oh well

I left the house with camera in hand, and battery in wall...so all we have are horrible camera phone pictures.




This blur is Dave up to bat.








This one is Josh.







Tyler did his duty, transporting as much gravel as possible from the playground to the playhouse despite the incessant nagging by his daddy to stop.




Both Monday night teams lost :-( But later that night. Steve's Tuesday night team won, securing the #2 spot in the tournament.

Congratulations to Jerry Randall and his United Presbyterian team. They finally overcame their fear of swinging at imperfect pitches, were able to enjoy a game since it ended in a victory, and expanded their four letter word vocabulary. Some folks have not yet mastered the skill of simply enjoying church league softball...but we trust they'll get there some day.

Luau!

Saturday was the...6th annual (no clue) Career Impact Luau.

Pre-Luau activities:

- Make plenty of ammo.


- Place the food...mmmmm food.


- Decorate (ok, that was already done)


- Setup the games.


Almost there


Emmmmmmbarasing.








"Oooooo, look at us, wearing cool shades... meemeemee"












This is called water balloon volleyball. Very interesting. (picture shamelessly swiped from Sarah's camera)














How things digress when you don't have anything planned for the rest of the water balloons. (picture also shamelessly swiped from Sarah's camera)






Must have been when that three-headed bird flew overhead.

Votes for a better joke can be submitted as comments.

This is called making a whirlpool and it kept this group entertained for quite a while.


Happy Brithday....AGAIN!