Thoughts, kids, biking

Arianna: Arianna took PALS tests today and read words on a 6th grade level-smarty pants. 

Personal biking record: Today I biked 15miles. Pretty soon I'll be able to do a biking vacation!

Culture: Last night I was doing homework and had to watch a video of an interview between one of my professors and a Japanese student. I was so struck by some of the things the student said that were different from our culture. He said that Japanese people are very reserved and more quiet. They do not speak much and when they do, they use few words. They think before they speak (imagine that) and are very concerned for how the other person or persons will take what they say-will they be offended, hurt, or even bothered? They think of themselves in more of a group identity as opposed to individualistic like we are here in the West. I was very convicted about his words especially since I think the Bible may have more to say in his defense than ours. (Slow to speak, slow to anger, quick to listen, think of others as better than yourselves are a few that come to mind).

Jonny wrote a great paper entitled "All about Me". In one part he wrote, "My favorite food is NOODLES! You can't go wrong with those! The rest of the paper was just as amusing. He really has a great sense of humor.

Races, times, school, kids, birthdays, LIFE

Races:

I did the Brian Tap Room 5k race on Sunday. It was bloody hot even at 0800 but I ran it in 28.42 minutes (I am usually in about the 50 percentile which is good for me). I still made it back to teach SS and sing in choir and have a women's retreat meeting! I met a lady there who was still running races into her 80's but now she walks them! I hope I am like her if I live that long. I met a couple of friends there my age which is fun-we encourage one another. 

I plan to do the Turkey Trot in Fredericksburg on Thanksgiving day and drag some friends and my kids too (5k for adults and 1 miler for kids).

Then Dec. 14th is a half-marathon or a 5k. I am toying with the half-marathon even if I walk but will at least do one of them.

So all kinds of goals for me.

Triathlon: Dave and I signed up for it as a team on October 12th. I am worried about my part especially the swimming. I get so out of breath! I will just do my best. At least I don't have to worry about transitions for my first one.

Saunas: I have been using the Sauna at the club because I heard it was good for me to ditch toxins (which is all I had to hear).  I only go in for 3-5minutes as recommended (176 degrees limits it). It will be fabulous in the winter!

School: Almost done with my paper on my cultural background. I learned a lot-like how I really am privileged as a white but that I can work on being more culturally cognizant. After this I will be half-way done.

Birthdays: Sunday, Sept 14th was Dave's B-day. We celebrated by going to Outback (delicious except they just stopped the sweet potato side dish unfortunately) and of course, Carl's for dessert! Dave got a chance to work on his dining room project which although a chore, I think her also enjoys it-a chance to be creative but he can refute this if I am wrong. Anyway, it is turning out beautifully.

David II: his birthday is Sept. 25th-he wants another Patriots' Jersey, this time travel one. He magnanimously gave his small older one to Jonny. He will be 15.

Jonny: birthday is October 11th-we are going to the field house to play dodge ball with his friends on the 18th. Should be fun. He will be 11.

Arianna: birthday is October 25th-we will just have tons of girls over and have games, prizes, food, cake, and lots of giggles.

Then in November-December, all of Dave's family (and I mean all) have birthdays, so this is our season for birthdays, in addition to holidays, school, activities,etc. BUSY for us.

My musings: I have been wondering if some of the good things that I practice have become too important. Let me explain. I am a stickler for keeping one's word which is all right and good except I notice that I get really angry at others when I perceive that they are not keeping their word which often comes out as forgetting, not having time,etc. The anger has set up a red flag for me. Perhaps I should just worry about keeping my own word and let others be convicted themselves? Any comments? Dave I am sure, would appreciate some reprieve from me.

Signing off for now-still have a weekly assignment to do for school

Nancy

Hanging clothes

For about a month now I have been hanging my clothes on the lines my husband had hung up for me under the decks. This brings me right back to childhood and of course, South Dakota where Dave's mom still hangs most everything out as long as possible. Unfortunately, we do not get as much wind as she does which is mostly good except for drying laundry. But, I am saving money and wear and tear on the clothes and they all smell soooo good-another good memory from childhood. I keep hanging them out a bit too late though and I ended up using the dryer for the towels in the long run. It is funny how I enjoy such domestic chores as laundry and dishes. (hate cleaning bathrooms and dusting though, cooking is not my favorite anymore either)

Funnies from son David

Jonny had a school assignment to learn more about our experience with 9-11. He asked Dave questions about his work because that is where Dave was at the time the Twin Towers were hit. Dave mentioned that he worked for the FBI like he does now but also with the DEA. Jonny asked what the DEA stood for and was told the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was then that David chimed in with, "Wait, before Dad worked for the FBI he did drugs?" We all laughed.

Getting a word in edgewise

This is Nancy and I have been wanting to blog but haven't been able to get a word in edgewise in blogvile with my talkative husband blogging away-he's doing so as I type.

School: I am halfway done with this class. I decided to do my cultural background paper on European Americans particularly Anglo and Italian descent. I am 3/4 Italian I found out but was raised Northern European American (English, Scottish, Irish, Welsh). I ended up interviewing my Aunt Marie (91 yrs old, means a lot to me, brought up some memories she had of me when my parents first adopted me "such a beautiful baby with a round face and chubby cheeks" and how "you always knew exactly what you wanted and got what you wanted" which she meant as a complement), Virginia (grandmother-biologically who praised our children and our parenting) and Ellen (biological mother who also praised our kids/parenting and still has regrets about having me out of wedlock and giving me up but knew it was for the best and I am glad she did). Anyway, it ended up being better than I thought and so now I am almost ready after reading for hours today, to actually write the paper.

Triathlon: so I will have help with the triathlon now but I am glad Dave is going to do it with me. Biking is something we can share. His bike is in the shop getting new tires and a tune-up.

Dave's Birthday is September 14th so all of you reading this-wish him well. He has about 2 gray hairs and doesn't have bifocals yet! Unlike me with the multitudes of gray and bifocals over a year ago! Must I get old first?

Arianna sick already and missed school today! It starts. I went right to the Natural Health place and told her to help me shorten and prevent illnesses this year so I am armed.

I taught chapters 1-20 of Genesis in SS this week to the youth and tried to help them apply some of it. For example, I bet Abraham and Sarah looked back and regretted having a child with Hagar and not waiting for God. I mentioned that wouldn't it be better to look back and be glad you trusted God, obeyed Him and waited for His timing? Sometimes I have done that and sometimes not. 

Pastor Bill taught on Matthew 17 and the transfiguration. Peter really puts His foot in his mouth and mentions building shrines for Moses, Elijah and Jesus. The mistake was that everyone pales in comparison to Jesus-certainly, no one is remotely on equal ground and therefore, no one or thing deserves to be worshipped but Him alone.

Tag Team - Call Me Crazy

On October 11, the tag team of Nancy and Dave will be competing in a mini-triathalon in Richmond. Nancy is doing the swimming and running while I do the 12 mile bike ride. The rest of the Fauth nation will be milling around cheering us on.

Keilan's Departure

After living with us for almost 15 months, Keilan finally left today for Richmond.   While we didn't always see him a lot, he left a major impact on our whole family.  Some cool things I remember are:

• Impromptu jam session in the family room
• Falling asleep while watching Florida/Auburn football game only to wake up at the end when Auburn won.  Keilan wasn't a happy camper.
• Wii tournaments and his Bob Marley Mii.
• Keilan and Jonny playing basketball.
• Listening to his first recordings and getting a copy of that.  He is some talent.

Keilan, keep chasing the Wild Goose.

Wild Goose Chase

Mark Batterson, author of Wild Goose Chase, is the pastor of National Community Church in Washington, D.C., and an avid blogger. His best selling book In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day launched his speaking series about chasing lions—also known as huge, God-given opportunities.

“Celtic Christians had a name for the Holy Spirit–An Geadh-Glas, or ‘the Wild Goose.’ The name hints at mystery. Much like a wild goose, the Spirit of God cannot be tracked or tamed. An element of danger, an air of unpredictability surround Him. And while the name may sound a little sacrilegious, I cannot think of a better description of what it’s like to follow the Spirit through life. I think the Celtic Christians were on to something….

Most of us will have no idea where we are going most of the time. And I know that is unsettling. But circumstantial uncertainty also goes by another name: Adventure.” --from the introduction

I first heard Mark speak at the Whiteboard sessions earlier this year.  He spoke on how much larger and vast God is than us and how we often we don't dream God size dreams.  In his book, Wild Goose Chase, Mark challenges the reader to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, "the Wild Goose".  The reader is challenged to chase God-ordained passions like Nehemiah, to break out of the cage of routine, to break through our assumptions and let God do amazing things, and to challenge the cages of guilt, failure and fear.

With easy to read yet challenging chapters, this book caused me to think about so many ideas/thoughts/notions in my life.  

• "Don't make a living. Make a life." 
• Quit playing defense.
• Quit putting eight-foot ceilings on what God can do.
• Chase the Goose

Brian Regan

The Fauth 40+ were introduced to Brian Regan in Iceland. That guy is hilarious. We had an episode saved on our DVR (until the Olympics wiped out everything I had saved....) that we would watch over and over.

I checked his website and saw that he is going to be in Frederick, Maryland on Thursday, October 23rd so last night I scored us some tickets to go see him. Looking forward to it immensely.

Olympics - Iceland style

I'm not sure how Jason missed this but Iceland was in the finals for the last Olympic medal. The sport was team handball. Unfortunately, Iceland lost to the French and was awarded the silver medal. For the record, Iceland had only won 3 prior Olympic medals, all in the summer games. A triple jumper won silver in 1956, a judo bronze in 1984 and a pole vault bronze in 2000.

What really captured my attention were some of the quotes from Iceland's President. Quotes such as:

"Have none of you been to Iceland? Oh well you've seriously got to come, you don't know what you're missing. First of all it's not cold. Second, or rather reverse order, the girls are the prettiest in the world." -- Iceland's first lady, Dorrit Moussaieff.

and

Iceland President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson: It's very difficult to present a too positive picture of Iceland, because in many ways it's a dream country. It was for centuries one of the poorest countries in Europe. A nation which was under foreign rule. And we succeeded to gain our independence and establish the republic in the middle of the last century, and we have now reached one of the highest standards of living in the world. Our energy is 100 percent clean.

Everybody can read and write. And it's a country without fear, without terror. Our open, free, democratic society. So when my friends from the United States come to Iceland, they don't really believe that such a country exists. And what happened here tonight will be yet another unbelievable aspect of the dream country that Iceland really is."

However, having been to Iceland, the dream country is missing the knowledge of the gospel and a saving relationship with Christ. Just another reminder of the need for people like Colby and Annie to sacrifice and take the gospel to a lost and dying world.

Wild Goose Chase and How Small I am

I've been participating as a book reviewing blogger for Mulitnomah publishing.  The book I'm currently reading is Mark Batterson's Wild Goose Chase.  I heard Mark speak at the Whiteboard sessions and he talked about how our thoughts are so small compared to God's thoughts.  

In the Wild Goose Chase, he relates a story about Theodore Roosevelt.

"When Teddy Roosevelt was president, he and naturalist friend William Beebe would routinely go outside after dinner and look up at the night sky.  They would locate a faint spot of light in the lower left-hand corner of Pegasus and recite the following:

This is the Spiral Galaxy in Andromeda.

It is as large as our Milky Way.

It is one of 100 million galaxies.

It is 750,000 light-years away.

It consists of 100 billion suns, each larger than our sun.

Roosevelt would pause and grin.  Then he would say to his friend, "Now I think we feel small enough!  Let's go to bed."

Isaiah 55:9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth, 
       so are my ways higher than your ways 
       and my thoughts than your thoughts."

Book Review: God Loves Me More Than That, and When God Created My Toes

   

Summary: In two new books from best-selling children’s author Dandi Daley Mackall, clever rhymes and delightful illustrations help young children, ages three and up, understand God’s huge love for them and his joy in creating them. These enchanting picture books from the writer-illustrator team of Dandi Mackall and David Hohn will instill awe in young children as they revel in each page. Parents alike will appreciate the engaging stories that communicate God’s perfect plan and his divine purpose for little hearts.

            In God Loves Me More Than That, children learn that God loves them deeper than a wishing well, wider than a semi-truck, louder than thunder, and softer than a kitten’s sneeze. Each question, presented with charming child-like faith will help young ones grasp the great love of God through comparisons and descriptions they can easily understand. In short, they’ll discover that His love is bigger, wider, higher, and deeper than anything they could imagine!

            In When God Made My Toes, kids are drawn into the wonder of their creation by God. Their masterful artist who fashioned them just right for amazing and delightful adventures, such as roller skating, finger-painting, doing flips, and drinking cocoa. Children will come to an understanding that God shaped each part of their amazing bodies with joy, delight, and humor.

These books are written for the younger child.  Both are excellent choices for first graders or younger who can easily read and grasp the concepts of God's love and creation.  Both books are available at Amazon.  

God Loves Me More Than That

When God Made My Toes

Author Bio: Dandi Daley Mackall has published more than 400 books for children and adults, with more than 3 million combined copies sold. She is the author of WaterBrook’s two other delightful Dandilion Rhymes books, A Gaggle of Geese & A Clutter of Cats and The Blanket Show. A popular keynote speaker at conferences and Young Author events, Mackall lives in rural Ohio with her husband, three children, and a menagerie of horses, dogs, and cats.

 

Book Review - God Gave us Heaven

 Little Cub awakens one morning with some important questions on her mind: What is heaven like? How do we get there? Will we eat in heaven? Will we be angels?

During a delightful day spent wandering their arctic world, Papa gently answers each question, assuring Little Cub that heaven is a wonderful place, “a million times better” than she can imagine. He explains how God has made a way for those who love him to enter their heavenly home forever after their lives on earth are over.

My kids loved this book and it presented a biblically sound picture of how they have a way to enter this heavenly home forever.  For example, the little cub asks if he will be an angel but is told no as angels were created for a purpose.  Just as we are looking towards a heavenly feast, so is little cub anxiously awaiting a feast of fish in heaven.  This is an excellent choice for younger kids and parents, grandparents and librarians will love it.  The pictures are great and the story is easy to read.

Through captivating, full-color illustrations and tender, biblically sound storytelling, young readers and those who love them will find reasons to rejoice in knowing that God Gave Us Heaven.

God Gave Us Heaven is available at Amazon.

Author Bio: Lisa Tawn Bergren is the award-winning author of nearly thirty titles, totaling more than one million books in print. She writes in a broad range of genres, from adult fiction to devotional. God Gave Us Heaven is Lisa’s fourth children’s book, following in the tradition of the best-selling God Gave Us You. She makes her home in Colorado, with her husband, Tim, and their children, Olivia, Emma, and Jack.

Camera woes

Our Nikon D40 is giving an error message each time we try and take a picture so off to the Nikon repair shop it will go.

Getting a grip for the fall

Good thing Dave has posted a bit regularly or we would be out of the Pelt's good graces at least as far as blogging.

School: I start a new class tomorrow on cultural diversity. I am supposed to do one of the papers on my cultural identity. I don't feel like I have one which is how a lot of Northern European Americans feel according to my textbooks. I can't even interview my parents or grandparents as I do not have any now. Should be interesting to figure this out. Plus, Northern European Americans are bashed in most of the books as we are the domineering and privileged majority that have suppressed everyone else for hundreds of years. (An interesting fact: The Native Americans started out at 12.5million 400 years ago and by the 1980 were down to only 237,000 people). At least I am a woman!

Exercise: I have been contemplating the sprint triatholons and have been running, biking and swimming like a good little cross trainer. I was wondering about my bike though (bought from a garage sale, heavy, only 3 speeds, etc). So, yesterday I went into the bike shop to see what they could do with my bike. Well you guessed it, surprise, surprise, "You might as well buy a new bike" which I wasn't going to do, but he went on to say in the same breath, "We have 1 year free financing" and so that did it. I ended up settling for a hybrid (cross between a mountain ad road/racing bike) and some paraphenalia with it. Needless to say, the new 4 hour shifts at work will help pay the monthly payment for the year. Now I really feel pressured to ride.

Vacations: This has been an amazing summer for me as I went away for over 7 weeks between school, youth camp and family vacations. I really enjoy traveling but the summer is pretty much done leaving me to wonder where it went. We are definitely Kayak fanatics now and hope to find 3 double kayaks gently used so we can all go out on the lakes and rivers in the area. We enjoyed Myrtle Beach and St Augustine, FA-our first time at both. We saw lots of friends and family this summer and caught up a bit. Now I am working like a maniac to "catch up" a bit. Not everything is free financing.

Kids: Jonny's feet are now a size 9 men's and he is not even 11 years old. David just keeps getting bigger. Elizabeth is almost my height. I just bought Arianna size 10 clothes thinking they would be big-they fit nice. I am so proud of them all and I think they enjoyed the summer too.

Health: I am putting a plug in for the Natural Health place across from the New Marriot Hotel on Rt 1. The certified nutritionist there, Beverly, is very good and knowledgeable and has helped me a lot to figure out the maze of supplements to take or not. I am glad I have finally come to rest on that.

Bunco: I played Bunco for the first time last night with women at church. I had the most baby buncos. Colby and Annie, there is NO skill to that came-it is pure luck.

Travels

Been to Florida and now are in Myrtle Beach.  Quick notes from travels.

• Lots of Waffle Houses in the south
• Saw Keilan at the Creech compound.
• Saw a van with an air condition unit in the back window and a portable generator on back of the van
• Went kayaking several times in Florida

Pictures to follow

Congratulations

Congratulations to Bryan and Aimee on getting an iPhone and getting engaged.  Awesome....

Pet peeve / prayer request

The Fauth-nation went out to watch a great concert by Maranatha this past Sunday.  The emcee did a great job, but he said one of my current pet peeves.  "These kids are our future...".    The kids aren't the future, they are very much in the present and a part of the church.

King David started as a teenager fighting Goliath.  Josiah was 8 years old.  Mary and Joseph were teens.  They weren't the future, they were the present.  

Tonight we had close to 20 kids over for youth home group.  Luke Smith talked to us about loving Jesus, not making excuses, dropping everything when God calls and never looking back.  What struck me was Luke 14:15-24 where Jesus tells of the Parable of the Great Banquet.  Christ has a great feast awaiting us and I make excuses of how I'd rather eat my Spam instead of partaking in the Great feast.  

My heart is burdened for these kids as they all are struggling with at least one of those four things.  As Colby said, we see glimpses of something glorious and we need to step out in faith and act on it.

The Fauth Tribe

The Fauth tribe.  For some reason, people think we multiply or just take over tons of space.  I don't understand.

Last year, Shaun and Karen Doheney said we had "a million" kids.  It was a great joke that we still talk about.  It's a good thing Karen's Honda Pilot could carry a million and a half kids with our four and her two.

Now, I see that Jonathan Burke has called out Fauth Nation as a tribe of 40.  

We seem like a lot and we are a lot.  It just seems funny.

Camp and Dave

It is me, Nancy, back from Global Youth camp with 20 teens and 4 other young adults (I was the oldest in our group). What an amazing camp that is. I can understand why Colby wants to go there although I am still hoping to go to the Virginia version next year. I am so impressed with how their focus is so much on teens getting closer to God and reaching the world for Him. They are so concerned with youth groups not just in America, but around the world. I was tired but very happy I went.

So now my tribute to Dave ( I have to do this often because I want to remind myself and everyone else how amazing he is).

I was running this morning and came across the song written out below by Colbie Callat and thought about Dave immediately. After our first date 20 years ago! (see previously blog by Dave) and when he started to write to me, I realized what a different person he was and is than me and maybe the rest of the world. Like the song says, he really does want to make people smile and show how much he cares for them. He does this by 1. his quiet, subtle jokes, 2. by his constant service and 3. his generosity. He was unable to go to camp this year which I know was a big sacrifice for him and so the youth had a moment of silence for him and chanted DSF (his initials) when we returned home and saw him in the parking lot. Anyway, you still make me smile! And I am glad I am your lady. Thanks to Colbie Callat for her consistent sappy love songs.

Colbie Callat-Oxygen

I came apart inside a world made of angry people.
I found a boy who had a dream, making everyone smile.
He was sunshine, I fell over.
My feet like the rays under the water.

And how am I supposed to tell you how I feel
I need oxygen!

Oh baby if I was your lady
I would make you happy
I'm never gonna leave.
Oh baby I will be your lady.
I am going crazy for you.