Archive for the ‘Family’ Category

Podcasts: Faith Swapping

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Posted 27 Feb 2008 — by nick
Category Family, Jesus, Ministry, News, Podcasts, Spirituality

NPR Story of the Day is one of the podcasts I keep up with on a regular basis. Embarrassing as it is to admit, often times it is the ONLY news input I get in a day.

Particularly interesting to me was today’s story: “Religion Survey Find Many American’s Swap Faiths.” The segment is short, less than 4 minutes and worth listening to, but if you’d rather read it you can find the transcript here and the results of the survey here.

Since I’m short on time I don’t have the ability to get into much depth on this, but I think it reinforces something we see in college ministry all the time and a trend I’ve seen in my family. Children choosing a different flavor of Christianity from their parents, happened with my Dad and his parents and my brother and I with our parents.

A Silent House

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Posted 26 Dec 2007 — by nick
Category Blogs, Family, Technology

Each time I visit home it weirds me out how early things shutdown in the suburbs, coffee shops close at 10, streets are eerily quiet at 9, house lights extinguished around 10. This activity isn’t weird to my parents, it’s normal even to age 22 sister who has joined the suburbia middle class working force. On campus, life meanders on until 1am or 2am on nights I don’t have to work the next day, on nights I do, usually until 11:30.

I came across this xkcd comic tonight and it fit this feeling like a glove.


Happy Christmas All!

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Now playing: Clemson Impulse – Insomniac Mix 1
via FoxyTunes

Doggies

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Posted 26 Nov 2007 — by nick
Category Family, Friends, Fun

Here are some of the friends I got to hang out with when I was home this past Thanksgiving:


Tyson: He’s about 4 years old I think, a Yorkshire Terrier, and my mom’s replacement for all us kids being gone. Tyson lives with my Mom and Stepdad. This guy is who I’m usually talking about when I say “my dog”. Tyson is very loyal and affectionate, you need to either be playing with him or he needs to be laying on/next to you while you pet him. We’re buds.


Wiggles: He’s about 3 years old I think, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, and my Dad’s replacement for all us kids being gone. He is incredibly attached to my Dad. He needs to always be by his side, he likes to ride in the truck with my Dad and has been known to knock over drinks (of all sorts) and lap them up. Wiggles likes to give hugs, which actually I find very awkward, but cute.


Rascal: This guy is a new addition to the extended family. He’s still a puppy and getting potty trained. He’s the “child” of my cousin Tara and her fiance. Rascal and I met for the first time at Thanksgiving dinner, he was pretty distracted by all the people and scraps of food, so we didn’t bond as much as one might hope.

Toby: I didn’t get to see Toby this weekend because Chris and Lisa were busy. He’s a Silky Terrier puppy, still under a year I believe.

Leah: No, this is not a stuffed animal, she’s a Bichon Frise/Miniature Poodle hybrid (I didn’t realize dogs could be hybrids, but my sister-in-law says so). Leah and Toby live together so I also missed out on visiting with her this weekend.

I’m sorta getting into this pictures thing. I think I’ll ask for a camera for Christmas, but for now you’ll have to settle for pictures taken from my Treo and ripped off of facebook.

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Now playing: Over the Rhine – Goodbye Charles
via FoxyTunes

Heading ‘Somewhere North’

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Posted 21 Nov 2007 — by nick
Category Family, music, Volkswagen

I don’t miss the driving
Seems like forever
And I’m always driving in my mind
And wearing out the road that gets me there

And I’m driving till my eyes just can’t see straight
But I suppose that it’s getting late

I may never find the sleep
I’ve lost all feeling in my hands and
Feet may touch the ground but
My mind’s somewhere north of here
~ Caedmon’s Call “Somewhere North”

In about 5 minutes I’ll be making the familiar drive up Interstate 57 to the Chicago Suburbs and then out to my Mom’s place – all in the comfort of my beautiful VW. The drive is familiar, the house familiar, the people familiar – yet I always find it so hard to get out the door and head home. Maybe it’s wanting to avoid the stress and tension of family brokenness, maybe it’s just not wanting to leave what feels like home now, maybe it’s being scared of feeling lonely with people who are supposed to know me well. Maybe I’m just over dramatic. I really do love my family and I’ve missed them a lot, I’m just trying to capture some of the inner tension right now.

Either way, here I go.

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