July 25, 2006

Summer Sluggishness


This recent slump has been the worst slump so far. Almost a month with no updates! I feel like my friend William Gray. While I have plenty of excuses for the first half of July, I have none for the last 2 weeks. Beginning of July was devoted to work (54 hrs in one week at the bookstore) and finishing my Exegesis paper on Mark 11:15-19 (The Temple Cleansing). The weekend after that we took off for our trip to New Hampshire with our neighbors, Kim and Josh, and their friends Mark and Corrie and their baby daughter Lily. We had such a relaxing weekend. And I know that it was relaxing b/c of 2 things 1) Meals were thoroughly enjoyed, no rushing at all, we would be around the table for an hour or two, and 2) I was able to read "The Power and The Glory" by Graham Greene in a leisurely fashion. Unlike, last year (see http://mindyourmillers.blogspot.com/2005/08/fish-story.html) Josh and I provided fish through some evening "jug-fishing." Josh had tied fishing line and a hook around the neck of about 20 2-liter pop bottles. He baited them and then we went out and placed all of them in the water and then waited for the bottles to start going nuts (a sure indication of a fish). Once we saw this, we had to chase the bottle with our canoe and then bring the catfish in (they were all catfish). It was such a great time. The water was the perfect temperature for swimming and we had access to a bunch of blow-up rafts. Kim and I had a few "raft-wars" and I will just assume you know who won those.
In other news: we got the car back and it looks better than it did before we came in! I am in the midst of my third summer course, Systematic Theology III. Good stuff to study: Salvation, Holy Spirit, The Church, and End Times are the major area covered. After I finish this course (hopefully mid-August) Kim and I will begin to investigate the plethora of possible options concerning the "What's next" question after seminary ends for me next May. We covet your prayers as we try to discern what is God's calling next for us. The other big news for me is that I, with my wife's approval, purchased a guitar. It is a Takamine G Series Acoustic/Electric Guitar. I took the course, Beginning Guitar, my senior year at Hillsdale thanks to Tony allowing me to borrow one of his many guitars. But, because I did not have my own, I quickly lost everything I learned. So now I have made it a priority to learn it for good by finding my old instructional notebook and daily setting aside at least 30 minutes to practice. We hope to be more consistent in the future on the blog so that the posts are not this long. Thanks for all the encouragement for the new post. Enjoy.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have to admit that I feel like it was my post that pushed you over the writer's block edge. I'm actually kinda proud of this . . .

ldmiller said...

It is an odd thing. If you look back at previous posts, your post is usually the last one recorded. Kudos to you.

Anonymous said...

Hi ! So great to get some news! Wow! What a fascinating way to catch fish! It was great to see photos of you, Kim--a peek into your life there. Hang in there, Lucas--a lot of study and work. You'll make it. And you both are ever in prayer. Life is good. G and G in Nebraska.

Anonymous said...

Hi Luke...I gave you more than an hour but here I am. Great stories and looks like lots of fun. You guys need to relax. So when will you have your first concert with your guitar!! That is great! I couldn't tell but is that Baby Laura Jane on the steps with Kim? If so she is so big!! Who won the raft fight, I really don't know but I suppose it was you. Is Kim going to do a blog story soon we sure miss her funny stories and I know she always has one. So many prayer concerns right now..you and Kim, Logan a job and Loralee, Grandma... will call with any news. Love and miss you both...Mom In MICHIGAN!!

ldmiller said...

I would like to submit that although he insinuated that he won, the raft wars ended in a tie and I was suprisingly tenacious. And it is Laura Jane with me on the step (we would kick our feet and sing a song I made up) and she is getting SO big!

ldmiller said...

Ha, Tie, that makes me laugh. While we did tie on the first day of raft wars, I believe that I blew you out of the waters (or in the waters, I should say) on the second day. VICTORY!

Anonymous said...

It is good to see some new info on the site finally. since I know both of you to well I didn't even want to quess who won the war. But if I was to quess neither since its just for fun and its water and the rules are made up by each person playing. Am I right? Good luck with the guitar Lucas, I think that is a great thing to pick up and learn and relax hopefully while you learn too. Mom in Ne

BillG said...

It's a funny thing, blogging. I think it goes in fits and starts. Thanks for mentioning me in your blog--it's nice to have some sort of fame (or should I say noriety?)

Glad to see you picking up the guitar as well. Just make sure to keep the strings changed--I don't think I've changed my strings since the wedding!

Always remember--the G-string is the easiest one to break . . .

Anonymous said...

A guitar playing fisherman....that's something different. Did you get those abilities from anyone in your family? Think not.Home now for 30 days. Looks like I will be busy with your siblings. Logan needs to be moved to Lansing the 14th. Loralee needs help in getting a new car. Tiger game the 21st with your mother. I am going to try my hand at fishing with your uncles out on Lake Michigan off Manistee the 9-10th. Oh, by the way your classs is looking for you at www.rcclassof97.com compiled by Stacey Baker. They must be planning your class reunion without you. (just like you planned)

Hack said...

speaking of guitars and weddings, gilby, i have yet to see a dvd....burn, baby, burn! speaking of babies, yours must be getting cuter by the day. speaking of days, there are 15 (and counting until my 30th birthday), and i am so not ready for that.

lucas, sorry i haven't been around much lately. thanks for being a frequent stopper in my cyber-spot. happy strumming. you know, for a few hundred more dollars you could have come to japan and i would have given you a guitar. oh well....

Anonymous said...

It's good to know you guys are still alive out there. Kim, I have stories to tell you... in particular, Lauren and I almost got eaten by a zebra in Texas. Ok, there is SOME exaggeration there, but not as much as you'd think ;-)

Anonymous said...

I started playing the guitar too but I am really bad about practicing. I hvae to get better about that. and I recently went fishing but what I caught was NO WHERE near what you did. well there was one that might have come close but the dumb thing was so stinkin hard to get up and actually ended up struggling enough to break my line and take my hooks with him... grrr! I will get that fish! = )