Christmas in Wakarusa ( with Uncle Keith )

I write about the Etsinger traditions more often than the Eby traditions but after reading some of my brother's blogs about the Eby Family, I think that it is important to document some of my perspectives as well.

I wonder what Keith, Mom and Dad all think when every gift opening is followed by intense game playing.

Every year, at every age, the kids have amazed me at how intensely they compete with each other and with Uncle Keith. They normally are competitive, but somehow or the other, their view of Keith being the ultimate game player and their ability to win with him on their team is like adrenaline to their competitive spirit.

This year, Jackie got Cranium for Uncle Keith and we all dove into the game that afternoon. ( OK, Keith has an effect on me, too. And Jackie never needs a reason to play a game to its finish no matter who wins )

Keith only has a short time each year to influence the kids but he is very effective in that short period of time. I was really impressed this year at how he responded to Adam's comment to Carmen about getting a new and better iPod because he destroyed last year's model. Keith quickly pointed out that Carmen now had the chance to have an iPod AND a new gift.

Opening that new gift brought a smile to Carmen's face and provided yet another life lesson to Adam. Adam likes to collect life lessons from many sources....

Adam then proceeded to teach Uncle Keith how to shoot paintball guns at objects that would have grounded Keith for several weeks if he were Adam's age.

The target on the right side is a fungus that is growing on one of Dad's trees. This is a target that is marginally appropriate because it will be a constant reminder to Grandma and Grandpa that "Adam was here" ( Good ) but will also be a concern that it will damage the tree.

The target on the left side is one I never would have attempted as a child. Keith wisely claimed that he was not good enough to hit the post and that Adam was the only one who could.

All and all, it was a great Christmas for the Eby family.

I'm not sure why Carmen and I get a reputation of "not smiling", but I'll accept that it is true. Many people think that I look disappointed when I am just thinking and many people think that Carmen is deep in thought when she is just listening or observing. Carmen perfected the "furrowed brow" look at a very young age.

Christmas Card 2006

This is our 19th Christmas letter in 21 seasons of Christmas as husband and wife. Remembering our Savior and sharing our lives with each other is a great way to end every year.

This has been a difficult year for Jackie’s side of the family.

Early in the year, we learned that Jackie’s mother’s battle with cancer was not over. This year, her healing came in the form of a new body for Ruby. Much of Jackie and Becca’s summer was in Indiana spending precious time with Grandma and Grandpa and the rest of the family.

For a family that is steeped in traditions of laughter, activity, fellowship and helping others, this was a very different summer. One full of tears, comfort, pain, prayer and song. Don’t get me wrong, there was plenty of stress, but it was always balanced with promise and hope.

Over Thanksgiving, we continued on with the Etsinger traditions without Grandma with joy and sorrow. Each of the daughters helped Grandpa with the meal and Aunt Shirley brought balloons to send off with a message of thanks associated with the privilege of knowing Ruby as a wife, mother or grandmother.

The community response in Wakarusa and Nappanee brought back fond memories. We miss it dearly and have questioned our placement in Lexington more this year than ever before.

But now we look to the new. The new year, a new marriage Stephanie ( Jackie’s niece ) married Peter in the spring and new life as we take Ruby’s role of dropping subtle hints about finding suitable partners, getting married and starting families like hers and her children’s.

In this season of Christmas, we pray that you have the grace, peace and hope that Christ offers before, during and after death. ENJOY LIFE NOW!

Christmas Card 2006 - Kevin & Jackie

Old School: TRADITIONAL, RESOLVED, COMMITTED, DEDICATED, INSATIABLE, GROWING UP AN ACTIVE FAMILY

A few years ago, Jackie and I determined that we were going to take our first cruise together on our 20th anniversary.

Instead, God intended for us to spend our 20th in Wakarusa with family and we enjoyed a dinner at Cook’s Pizza. Several meals alone with Grandpa during this time taught me a lot about love and marriage. The cruise will have to wait. Maybe on our 25th anniversary.

I’ve been spending more time in fellowship at church playing Ultimate Frisbee and demonstrating my age by the number of recurring injuries that I can amass.

Jackie is looking forward to next year when she can cross elementary school off of her places to be active.

She will continue to help out at the Middle and High School wherever help is needed, but that is not as demanding as Elementary School.

Christmas Card 2006 - Carmen

High School: VOLLEYBALL, FCA, YOUTH, VOLLEYBALL, HOMEWORK, STUDYING, CLOSE FRIENDS, AIM

After graduation from Southern Middle School with all A’s, Carmen’s first semester at Tates Creek High School has gone very well. She is working very hard in several challenging classes (Geometry and Earth Space). She is also looking into an international diploma program that will keep the challenges coming.

The Freshmen Volleyball team at TCHS had only 6 players this year, so there were no substitutions, no absences, no excuses. Carmen received the defensive MVP award at the end of their 13-4 season. A growing experience.

Carmen is starting her third season in club volleyball and has accepted a position on the second team of a higher age level. We are excited about the competition and opportunity for development at that level.

Carmen remains active in her youth group at church. She had a great time at Dare2Share and at B.A.S.I.C. Training Camp.

Christmas Card 2006 - Adam

Middle School: BASEBALL, DRUMMING, YOUTH, ONE-WAY, FOOTBALL, CHEERING, DANCING, SOCIALIZING, PAINTBALL, TALKING, MYSPACE, TSA, AIM.

This was Adam’s final year of Cal Ripken baseball and he decided to accept a position on the all-star team. Had we known that Grandma would be heading to the hospital and hospice so quickly, we may have turned that down.

Adam graduated from Tide football to Southern Middle School football. He made the A team as a seventh grader and is looking forward to next year.

Adam has grown at least 6 inches in the last few months and is now taller than both his mother and his older sister, but not as tall as his feet.

Adam has grown socially in leaps and bounds. He relates to people of all ages and was really challenged by the Dare2Share conference at the beginning of 2006. He’s looking forward to another year of impacting lives for Christ.

Adam has played 10 different percussion instruments for 6 different crowds in 7 days this week. He is not afraid of anything.

Christmas Card 2006 - Becca

Elementary School: AMERICAN GIRL, ANIMAL LOVER, TV, PURPLE, PARTIES, SHOPPING, FRIENDS, DOG PARK

Becca still loves to play, but is starting to move away from the dolls a little bit and starting to be more concerned about her own clothes.

After dragging Carmen to the malls for years, Jackie has been having fun taking Becca to some of the stores that they can enjoy together.

Becca loves being with her friends from church, school and Girl Scouts. She loves to talk and has been told that she has her mother’s laugh!

During the summer, Becca spent more time at the hospital and nursing home than anyone else in our family. Those memories will be with her for a lifetime.

She has found a new favorite pastime of going with Robin and her four dogs to the dog park. To further develop her animal lover heart, she has an interview program on the school video news show. She interviews pets and their owners.

Christmas Letter

I've been on vacation this week and catching up with shopping and end of the year activities at home, church and work.

On Tuesday, Jackie and I decided that we had time to squeeze the Christmas letter in before Christmas (unlike last year), so we made a mad blitz and completed it in less than 48 hours. Writing the first word on Tuesday night to mailing the last letter on Thursday afternoon. We are still personally handing out a few of them to neighbors and friends with cookies, but I'm considering the job done.

Jackie actively participated in the editing process, and contributed significantly in the writing.

Special recognition goes to Adam this year. He edited, folded, glued, stamped and mailed approximately 180 letters. I really enjoy working with someone that pushes me as hard as I push him.

So... If you are on the list, the letter is in the mail

School Spirit

When Adam starting taking drum lessons over two years ago, Michael Harrington warned us that he would begin to get in trouble at school for tapping his desk with pencils, stomping his feet and general disruption associated with the rhythm in his head.

This week, in addition to several band concerts, he is also been stomping out a beat with the Southern Middle School student section. Tonight, he and Kyle convinced their principal to demonstrate her school spirit by stomping with them.

Southern Band Concert

Last year at the Southern Band concert, Adam played some really fun songs on the bells and some jazz on a drum set. This year, he added the kettle drum and the chimes. I really liked the chimes in the song they chose.

The first set was the combined percussion from the 6th, 7th and 8th grade. Adam played the snare for this song. On Monday, Adam and the rest of the Southern Middle percussion section will be performing with the Tates Creek High School percussion section at the Singletary Performing Arts Center at UK. We're looking forward to that.

We sat with the Cornett's and were asked to help count how many times Olivia rolled her eyes. I captured one in this picture.

The City - Our last entrepreneur

Tomorrow afternoon, Jackie will move the last refrigerator box to a VPE City. Becca's group entrepreneurial project is a Hair and Nail Salon. The pink polka dot patterns should grab lots of attention.

Jackie and I helped the kids paint their booth in our garage last weekend while it was 15 degrees outside. Since it is 60 degrees today and this weekend, I'm sure they wish they would have procrastinated. My garage floor is pink now and so are the old T shirts that Jackie loaned them.

Becca worked with a group of six girls on the project and they have a tight schedule for selling manicures, face paintings, hand made jewelry and other strictly girl stuff.

We'll see how they do given that they have eliminated half of their potential market.

Neighborhood Vandals - Aarghh!

Last Friday afternoon, while walking home from school, Adam noticed that someone had knocked over some Christmas decorations in an older couple's yard. He stopped to set them up and continued on his way home wondering why anyone would do such a thing. ( He helps set up the Christmas decorations at our house and knows it takes time to get it all working just right )

When we moved into our house 6 years ago, it came with an adjustable basketball goal. That goal saw some good usage in the first 6 years, but this summer, someone decided to dunk the ball and hang on the rim. After that demonstration, the goal hung at 30 degrees for the remainder of the summer.

Adam decided to fix the goal on Saturday with my bar clamp.

That very evening, between 11:30 and 12:00, Buster started barking at something. Normally, Jackie gets up to pound on the window to make Buster stop, but she didn't this time. We woke up on Sunday morning and suspected that Buster was barking at some boys that were out "Deer Tipping", since our two Christmas deer were laying on their sides.

On Sunday night, when it got dark there were at least 6 houses that discovered that their Christmas lights had been snipped. Apparently, these "Deer Tipping" boys were also carrying wire cutters or hedge clippers. They cut a lot of wires in a very short time.

Within an hour, Jackie called the omsbudsman that normally calls us about Adam's fort and Buster's barking and told him that we are going to sharpen Buster's teeth and teach him to bark louder. I also suggested to Jackie and one of the neighbors that our whole neighborhood pack up our lights, take down our Christmas trees, and give away all the boys toys to boys in other neighborhoods.

12 hours later, I think we'll just get new Christmas lights and pray for the boys, whoever they are.

Starting a Christmas Letter (not)

It is going to be tough to start the Christmas letter this year. I am certain that the things that we have learned about Bud and Ruby, ourselves, and our family will be the majority of the letter, but I just can't get started today.

Instead, I continued to add recipes to the blog that I started for the family to continue traditions of love, service family and food that Ruby modeled so well.

Ruby's recipes

Freakonomics

I just finished reading a book that was given to me by a friend who thought I might enjoy it. The title of the book is Freakonomics and the authors, Steven D. Levitt (economist) and Stephen J. Dubner (writer), present their data on many topics from an economists point of view.

He basically places himself selfishly into any set of rules and determines what the factors are that are most likely to be measurable and then looks for data that supports his theory. Sort of an anti-scientist.

I'm looking forward to future books where Steven can prove some of my life long theories correct. [ Sun screen is a hoax, Cholesterol is a hoax, Dental fillings are a hoax, .... ]

The book is rivoting...

Here is something to think about in terms of Natural Selection. Some of the most famous proponents of Natural Selection to date are Adolf Hitler ( to eliminate Jews ), Pharaoh ( to eliminate Moses ), Charles Darwin ( to eliminate defects [ anyone not like Darwin ] ), King Herod ( to eliminate Jesus the Christ ).

Freakonomics presents a very strong case that the United States has actually exceeded all of those proponents in terms of results starting with Roe Vs. Wade. By killing a statistically significant number of unwanted babies before they are born, we have very inefficiently eliminated a fraction of the violent criminals that would have existed. I don't recall the exact inefficiency that Steven stated but it was something like "for every 100 babies killed, we eliminate one violent criminal before he is born". The only reason that this had any impact on violent crime was because of the huge number of babies that were killed over many, many years.

Darwin would have been proud of the United States.

Purdue Headed to Champs Sports Bowl

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Purdue football team today accepted an invitation to play in the Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando, Fla., on Dec. 29.

"We appreciate the opportunity to go the Champs Sports Bowl and play an outstanding team from the ACC," said head coach Joe Tiller, who will take his ninth Purdue team to postseason play in 10 seasons. "I am pleased for our players that they get this reward. We have a young team that has worked hard, gotten better over the course of the season and put itself in position to play in this game."

Purdue will play in its 14th bowl game in school history. The Boilermakers played in the Capital One Bowl in Orlando on Jan. 1, 2004.

"We're very excited about going to the Champs Sports Bowl," junior linebacker Dan Bick said. "Orlando is a beautiful place. I know the team went down there for the Capital One Bowl the year before I got to Purdue, and I have heard great things about that trip."

Said sophomore wide receiver Greg Orton: "Florida will be a great place to go to celebrate our bowl game. As a team, we have worked hard all season, and this is a great opportunity for us."

"Purdue boasts one of the most exciting offenses in all of college football," Florida Citrus Sports executive director Steve Hogan said. "The Boilermakers have one of the more passionate fan bases and will follow their team to Orlando to see what should be a top bowl matchup against a very good ACC opponent."

1967 Rose Bowl USC W 14-13
1978 Peach Bowl Georgia Tech W 41-21
1979 Bluebonnet Bowl Tennessee W 27-22
1980 Liberty Bowl Missouri W 28-25
1984 Peach Bowl Virginia L 24-27

ENTER JOE TILLER
1997 Alamo Bowl #24 Oklahoma State W 33-20
1998 Alamo Bowl #4 Kansas State W 37-34
2000 Outback Bowl #21 Georgia L 25-28 (OT)
2001 Rose Bowl #4 Washington L 24-34
2001 Sun Bowl #13 Washington State L 27-33
2002 Sun Bowl Washington W 34-24
2004 Capital One Bowl #11 Georgia L 27-34 (OT)
2004 Sun Bowl #21 Arizona State L 23-27

Colonial Days

Becca's class celebrated Colonial Days today and Jackie braided Becca's hair up so that she would look like Laura Ingalls. Since I'm on vacation today, I got to see them in the classroom as well.

I wish I would have gone with Jackie to pick Becca up after school. Jackie said that seeing Becca run done the hill in her dress carrying books really threw her back to Little House on the Prairie.

When I asked Becca what she did for Colonial Days, she replied "Nuttin". It sure is nice to have Jackie involved in the school so we know something goes on there.

Stewardship and Tithing

Josh Wilson, Michael Harrington and Brady Hudson are starting to convert me to the latest instruments of satire. I've always used a healthy dose of satire in my discussions and writing, but video technology is clearly superior. This one you tube video is just beautiful.

I look forward one day to talking to Jesus about His clearing of the temple while He walked the earth. Back in the 80's when Jackie and I lived in North Carolina, we had the chance to tour through the remains of the PTL club.

It is amazing how many groups of people have gathered together to build towers of babel over the generations. This video is extremely convicting to any of us that have flesh.

Christian No More

Matt Hind found these great videos on YouTube. You can view them all by searching for "Christian No More"

Tates Creek Volleyball Banquet

The 2006 Tates Creek Volleyball team celebrated their season at Hilton Green this year. Rob Hench did a great job with a video to recall some of the season. The coaches and players made presentations to each other and we all ate very well.

Carmen received the Defensive MVP award for the freshman team. She is pictured below with the Offensive MVP, Rachel and the most improved, Casey. All three girls will be playing on different BAVA teams in a few weeks.

A Tale of Two iPods

Last year, Adam and Carmen both asked for iPods for Christmas.

Uncle Keith came out of retirement and cancelled a tropical vacation in order to trade Steve Jobs some money for two engraved iPods for his neice and nephew. Carmen's white iPod is still in mint condition, but Adam's black iPod has finally given up the ghost. I've not recorded all the stress tests that Adam has applied, but I wanted to share just a few:

1. Left it in his pocket for Grandma to wash ( and tumble dry )
2. Drop it
3. Drop it on concrete
4. Run through crowded restaurants with cord swinging until it catches a chair which slingshots the iPod from his pocket into a neighboring chair
5. Football players punch him in the chest while he has it in his pocket
6. Football players smack it out of his hands while he is listening to it
7. Slam the Jeep door on it.

In 6 of the 7 listed trials, returning the iPod to its charging station has amazingly restored it's ability to function. In the last trial, it failed.... nothing is perfect, but this device is well engineered.

One Way Bonfire

We all headed for Nicholasville last night for the first ever One Way Bonfire. I don't think it will ever get to be as big of a tradition as it has at Texas universities, but the kids seemed to enjoy each other, the discussion of life as a Christian, and sharing concerns with each other.

Robin brought her guitar out to the fire and led the group in a few songs. You can see the extreme heat from the fire in this picture of the kids singing the "fruit" song.

In addition to the middle schoolers from Southern, there were a few youth from local high schools, some of them were former One Way members. The crew from Tatesbrook was there as well to help set up the fire and support their sister Robin. The high school kids were not as energetic.

Party #2 for Carmen

As I've mentioned before, Jackie likes to celebrate birthdays all month if she can. Another tradition that she has is to have breakfast for the birthday child. Carmen picked cinnamon rolls and chose a rather late time for breakfast. We ate around 10:00 AM and she had opened most of her presents by 10:30.

I was particularly proud of the items that Carmen put on her list. I was even happier when Jackie supported the developing of Carmen's analytical mind with the purchase of a Wireless USB Mouse, USB Flash Drive (with necklace), and the best of all a graphing calculator for algebra and geometry.

This afternoon we will be going to the movies to see "The Guardian". Tonight the kids will be going to a bonfire. The bonfire is for the entire youth group and One Way, but Adam and Robin will be sure to make everyone aware that it is Carmen's birthday.

Party #1 for Carmen

After eating chili together and opening Carmen's first gift, we used Carmen's birthday as a good reason for us to have a family game night. Carmen wanted to play Phase 10 and she got to be the scorekeeper. This is an important position in our family.

We discovered Phase 10 during our vacation to Seabrook Island in South Carolina several years ago and it has remained a favorite for us. Here is a view of Becca's hand last night.

Here is a picture of us in Charleston, South Carolina near the USS Yorktown in 1999. The week we discovered Phase 10. We've all done some growing in the last seven years.

Will he go all the way??

Yes he Will!
Tonight was Southern Middle School's last home game and the 8th Graders were honored before the game.


Southern won the football game on this interception, broken tackle and extremely well placed block. That defensive touchdown in the first quarter would be the only touchdown of the evening.


The interception goes to Will Sweet.



The excellent block that gave Will the last 20 yards goes to Leo. Leo also had an excellent game.


Touchdown Storm!



Will's parents had a good view of the game behind their cameras.

Dave is the official Southern Storm film crew and therefore is the only parent with a bird's eye view.

Paintball Party

Adam and Hunter Hendrickson shared a birthday party this afternoon at Paintball Hill. Everyone had a good time.

Most of the time was spent learning how to use the guns and play the various paintball games, but the kids stopped long enough to eat some hot dogs and cut a cake.


Hunter got shot in the head in back to back games with complementing colors orange and pink. The kids are required to wear facemasks so getting shot in the head is painless, but messy.








Carmen and Rachel were two of the most successful competitors because of the relatively high level of caution that they possessed.

But Carmen did get hit during one of the games.

Panther Pride ( 300 Wins )

Last night, NorthWood defeated Plymouth 13-7. It was a very close game, but NorthWood finished strong with a touchdown in the fourth quarter.

A touchdown in the fourth quarter was something that was often needed by the NorthWood football program. When I played from 1981 through 1984, Jim Andrews was the head coach and when he needed a little more effort than what we were giving, he would hold up one hand.

That lifted hand represented "Panther Pride". Coach didn't have to say anything, all the players knew what it meant and so did all the fans in the stands any given Friday night in Northern Indiana home or away. It meant that we didn't lift weights, run, practice, review film, spend time together, and push each other to give up right now. All the effort needed to win the game, needed to be applied. We didn't always win, but we did our best for the program, our team and our coaching staff.

Coach Dodson was the linebacker coach and defensive coach while I was playing so I spent more individual time with Coach Dodson on the field and in practice. You can hear the honor in his words about Coach Andrews. Everyone who speaks of Coach Andrews, carrys the same honor. A great leader builds up the leaders that follow him.

I agree with Coach Dodson that tying Coach Andrews with 150 wins would be a good way to go out, but I know that Coach Andrews would want him to exceed that mark.

Another great leader once said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father."

You can read the article on the Elkhart Truth at the following address:
Dodson earns 300th win with NorthWood

Surprise Party for Adam

We surprised Adam with a 13th birthday party this afternoon. His birthday is tomorrow, but we had the party early. Jackie invited several of his friends from school, baseball, football and church to an afternoon of football and ultimate frisbee.

Later, they returned to the house for cupcakes, ice cream, and kool-aid.

Freshmen Season Over

The Freshmen 6 went out went out with a bang tonight. They beat Lafayette and Henry Clay in 2 game matches. One of the keys tonight was Janet Jones, who got out on the court with Coach Emily to help keep the girls warmed up between matches. Lexington Catholic needed 3 games to beat Henry Clay.

It really was a great season in terms of playing time for the Freshmen 6 even though it started out with weaker competition. On the way home tonight we divided the season up into the following sections:

• Regular Season: 8-1 ( only loss was to Lafayette )
• Freshman League: 4-2 ( both losses were to Dunbar )
• Woodford County JV Scrimmage: 1-0

Since the girls really only lost matches to Lafayette and Dunbar, you have to look at the individual records against those teams:

• Lafayette: 2-1 ( 2 wins in Freshman League, 1 loss in Regular Season )
• Dunbar: 1-2 ( 1 win in Regular Season, 2 losses in Freshman League )

Here are the pictures from tonight:
Final Game against Henry Clay

Carmen really wanted a chance to play Dunbar or Catholic tonight, but we ended up playing Henry Clay for the fourth time.

Next year, the competition will be much steeper at the JV level with a few tournaments.

Ultimate Frisbee in the Fall

Enjoying the fall that is coloring the Bluegrass state while playing ultimate frisbee is a great way to spend a few hours with family. Carmen, Adam and I have been playing Ultimate almost every Sunday afternoon at Kirklevington Park this summer and fall.

Jackie and Buster joined us today and took some pictures. Carol, Aaron and Joshua also showed up to watch James.

I sat out the first game because of a rib injury that I received while playing football with Adam and the rest of the neighborhood the Sunday before.

Here are the pictures:
Ultimate Frisbee

Tates Creek Volleyball update

Carmen's freshman team has now lost 2 matches. The first loss was to Dunbar at the Freshman tourney two weeks ago that they avenged the following week at Dunbar for a regular season match.

Their second loss was to Lafayette in a bitter battle where Tates Creek Freshman won the first game but then lost the second game 21-19 and the third game 22-20. Carmen really wants to beat Lafayette so that she can say that they have beaten every team that they have played this year.

Tates Creek will be playing Lafayette at the second Freshman tourney tomorrow.

Here are some of the pictures of the last few games:
Lafayette (F/JV)
Harrison County (F/JV/V)
Dunbar (Varsity)
Bulldog Bash (JV)

Adam's First Game of the Season

Middle School football season starts late here in Kentucky. We played Crawford tonight and barely finished before dark. With teams traveling across Lexington in a bus, it is hard to start earlier than 5:30 so I'm not sure how we will squeeze them in as the days grow shorter.

Adam is number 34 and he is playing linebacker. I'm calling him "Sweetness". Adam's team is stacked with good sized athletes. I think he is the smallest defensive player.

Brandon Shrout (#22) did an excellent job of blocking, tackling and running the ball all night long.

The Southern offensive line dominated the game.

Crawford scored on the opening drive, but never scored again. No one really knows how many points Southern had since scoreboards are optional at Middle Schools ( along with the optional football field ) I've got pictures of at least 6 Southern touchdowns and I know they score before I got there as well.

View all the photos at: Crawford Game

Pete needs a job...

Many of you know that my brother Keith is in desparate need for a job. At least all of his friends think so.

I didn't know that Purdue Pete was looking until he stopped by the Lexmark booth at the world's largest Career Fair this week.

His interview was brief because of his inability to speak. His response to my first question, "Can you program?" was to motion so-so with his hand.

I think he needs to attend Austin's interviewing skills course at the Farmhouse Fraternity.

Tatesbrook Reunion

Yesterday was the first ever Tatesbrook reunion. Joyce Baker set up a picnic at Shilito park and invited as many people as she could. It had been over ten years since Jackie and I had seen most of the people.

I had never met Joe and Norma Kiser. Joe was a significant factor in building the original sanctuary. It was good to talk with him.

Stuart Henderson and his entire famly made the trip up from Alabama as well. As many people can remember, Stuart led the worship on Sunday evenings and also led us with Hymn #20 ( God of Earth and Outer Space ). Some of the little boys that requested that song 10 years ago are now husbands and fathers...

It was also good to fellowship with the people that we see as we go about our lives in Lexington from time to time. We miss them dearly.

If we do this again, I would like to attempt to contact some of our streams in Texas, Florida, Colorado, and Greenville that have graduated from Tatesbrook in the late 90's and beyond.

Here are the pictures:
Tatesbrook Reunion

Thoughts from the Hill

This is the first Saturday morning I have had at home in a very long time. Saturday mornings are the time that I go through mail and balance the books for the church and for our personal finances for the last 10 years or so. While trudging through the bills, credit card receipts, solicitation for donations, statements and other junk mail that Jackie placed in my overflowing box, I stumbled upon a jewel of a newsletter from Bob Warren.

I have copied the letter from his online version for your convenience.

THOUGHTS FROM THE HILL

No event has issued a personal wakeup call like the event which I will “attempt” to describe. It was the ultimate litmus test, the result of which rocked me at the core as I consider how far we have strayed as a nation. If after reading the following you can conclude that we remain a nation which heralds the truth, you might need to rethink your position.

A few months ago I received a call from a local high school principal asking if I would agree to speak at his school’s graduation ceremonies. I was honored that he would call, especially sense several of the students graduating would be either children or grandchildren of many of my friends. I was also honored because of the man I knew the principal to be, a man well respected in the community and a fellow believer. I asked if there were parameters to the subject matter I might address, to which he replied, “no.” He said I had twenty minutes and a free reign to say whatever I deemed necessary.

The thing I knew going in was that I needed to be sensitive to the environment and honor the students who were graduating. They did not need a sermon (chapter and verse), but they needed to hear something that would encourage them as they faced the world of their day. In the next paragraph I will begin writing as though I were presenting the speech to you, but understand that it was addressed to a student body of over two hundred and an audience of approximately four thousand. Because I very seldom write my speeches, what follows is not an exact replica of what I stated, but a partial reproduction. Here we go!

It am honored be with you tonight. You have paid the price to be here, having completed the requirements necessary to graduate and pursue your dreams. In fact, sitting where you are confirms that you can process information and draw conclusions, validating that you are thinkers. Don’t you love to think? Isn’t thinking fun? It should be, for your generation has accessible to itself the largest information bank of any previous generation. As a result, each of you has developed a world view—a grid through which you run everything that stimulates your senses and penetrates your mind. This world view is what you use to define for yourself what you deem to be truth and what you deem to be error. In 1964, when I graduated from high school, we called this “perspective,” or “what made a person tick,” but your generation has labeled it “world view.”

However, as you “think” and continue to develop your “world view,” your world view cannot violate the following principle—“the fundamental law of thought is the law of noncontradiction.” In other words, if what you believe contains contradiction, it is non truth, it is error. Therefore, if A=B, and B=C, then A=C. We also know that 2+2=4, not 5, because 2+2=5 is a contradiction. Therefore, no matter how sincerely or passionately someone teaches that 2+2=5, he or she is sincerely and passionately wrong. There is little doubt that none of us would have darkened the doors of this building had the architect who designed it began with the presupposition that 2+2=5. For sure, he may have designed one building based upon that mindset, but I dare say that anyone would have hired him to design a second.

I say all of this to make a point. When you leave this high school there will be those who say to you, “There is no such thing as an absolute.” However, in making this statement they have stated an absolute, creating a contradiction and validating their error. Postmodernism is running rampant in our society, a mindset that deems absolutes as taboo and nonexistent. However, we have just proven that postmodernism is taboo in itself and has no foundation on which to stand.

When I graduated from high school I owned a world view (perspective) much different than I possess today. It was different because I lacked wisdom, wisdom being the correct use of knowledge. Let me explain.

There are four terms that I defined in 1964 as follows:
(1) Wealth—The ability to do anything I wanted to do whenever I wanted to do it;
(2) Notoriety—Doing something well enough that everyone in the country knows who you are;
(3) Power—Putting my thumb on others for the purpose of having them accomplish my desires;
(4) Success—This was a term that I had difficulty defining because success is basically a synonym for fulfillment, and the people who were labeled as successful were in many cases grossly unfulfilled.

However, some thirty-two years ago, and ten years after high school, I began pursuing truth—“absolutes” in other words. I desired to know truth above anything else in life. The reason I possessed such a passion was because I saw the majority of the world as ill-equipped to give adequate answers to the tough questions of life. As a result of my journey, my world view has changed and I define the previous four terms as follows: (1) Wealth—Being content with what you have; (2) Notoriety—Living your life without fanfare or public acclaim, never promoting yourself or your agenda, only to have society realize after you are gone that everyone should have known what you were about; (3) Power—Serving others; (4) Success—Basically a synonym for fulfillment, is realized only after properly defining the first three terms.

In my pursuit of truth, I have discovered that it is found only in a Person, a Person who is invisible, a Person who claimed to be the way and the truth, and His name is Jesus Christ. I have studied the major religions of the world and found Him to be without equal—the only one capable of answering the tough questions of life void of contradiction. And just think, He is my best friend and confidant, in fact, my very life.

I have an old ABA basketball with me for the purpose of illustration. I was offered $1,800.00 for this ball only a year ago. Obviously, it has lost its color, is flat, and is basically worthless in most circles. However, the man who offered me such an inflated price knew something. He understood that it possessed worth because of the individuals who had touched it—people who knew more truth about the game of basketball and how to apply that truth than anyone alive. They were men like Julius Erving, George Gervin, George McGennis, and others who were the best of the best. My point is this. If we will but allow possessors of truth to speak into our lives (touch our lives), in the end we will possess worth, and at the same time, be an example of what truth can do in the heart of its possessors. I would encourage you to enter into the pursuit of truth and the corresponding adventure of faith. Again, thank you for your time and willingness to make me a part of you special celebration.

After I finished my speech, I had no idea that a local TV station had filmed it. When I returned home, I began receiving calls from individuals who stated that they had seen me on the 10:00 pm News. What I had not realized was that the same TV station had interviewed both the principal and a portion of the senior class beforehand about my coming as a “religious speaker.” I did not personally see the broadcast, but was told that the only portion of my twenty minute speech aired was as follows: “In my pursuit of truth, I have discovered that it is found only in a Person, a Person who is invisible, a Person who claimed to be the way and the truth, and His name is Jesus Christ.” I found it interesting that the only segment aired was my statement containing the name “Jesus.”

What I took away from this experience was priceless. First off, I saw a principal walk out on a limb, put his name and neck on the line in having a “religious speaker” address his senior class. He is to be commended. God is already honoring that decision and will continue to do so in the future. I also saw the local interest this generated, even resulting in a newspaper writing a very solid story about what had transpired. One of the greatest things I have learned, however, is that many who saw the broadcast viewed my speech (and the fact that I would use the name “Jesus”) as an act of bravery. Please don’t misunderstand what I say in response. I have been very encouraged by all who have given me positive input and greatly appreciate their hearts and concern. But this, more than anything else, has shown me where we now live in America. Since when does using “the name” in a public setting indicate that an act of bravery has been witnessed? Would Paul would classified it as such or would he have laughed at the thought?

2 Corinthians 11:24-33 Think about it, and as you do, walk on!

Eby Family Reunion

Barb and Gene Klein hosted the first Eby Family Union at their home in Osceola. It was a good collection of many of the descendants of Charles Victor Eby. We believe this was the first meeting since a Christmas dinner at 211 South Elkhart Street in Wakarusa in 1985.

Grandma Eby would have made a fuss about "those that didn't make it", but then she would go ahead and have a good time. Aunt Helen was the most senior member and filled the role of going around telling everyone to eat up before she had eaten anything herself.

For those that didn't get the CD from Gene, I've posted a portion of the pictures:
Family Portraits
Candid Shots

One day, I hope to post a family tree so that we can all know the names of all the great grandchildren and great great grandchildren.