Pete here: Andrew, Philip and I spent last weekend together in Minneapolis, complete with bidding on a hotel room for cheap and getting surprised with the beautiful Doubletree Inn, complete with warm chocolate chip cookie, big exercise room and the perfect temperature, working, whirlpool; biking (courtesy of the Jones generosity) the Greenway in the "best city in the US for bike trails"; swimming on the north beach of Lake Calhoun on a 93 degree day; reading and discussing Harry Potter (ad nauseum); subway sandwiches at 33rd and Nicolet where they pile it on - good advice Vicki; a light rail ride and Twins game - fun, despite a 12-2 drubbing from the Blue Jays, and a parking ticket to nullify our savings; visiting Joel 3 times - no significant news but anticipating the halo ceremony; batting cage and laser tag at Grand Slam in Burnsville; hospitality from Todd, Vicki and Hannah Svanoe where we boarded Sat. eve - Hannah went biking and swimming with us and energized the boys with her enthusiasm for life and quick wit; and my personal highlight, worshiping with the Svanoes at Park Avenue.
I left the worship personally enriched and very encouraged by the maturity of what I think is a more liberal church. I expected covetousness and adultery to be evident and encouraged. Instead, I saw genuine unity in the spirit, all colors and ages praising God together, voices bursting in song, humbling of hearts, calling on God for forgiveness of sins, for healing and for help in brokenness. Rachel Svanoe sang in a quartet, some soul song, the 'later rain'. Amazing sound! The music was so well done. God invented excellence so the church's music was a celebration to God. A certificate was awarded for summer garden help from an immigrant who was befriended by the church and recently baptized. She poured out her heart at the microphone, beautifully revealing how God uses churches who love with helping hands and warm hearts. In his sermon, the pastor emphasized patience in relationships with self-deprecating humor, recounting Yancey's experience with a church who resolved to love a young man who had been kicked out of 3 churches prior. After he would rant and rave in the middle of the service, some men would pull him aside and talk to him with words like "appropriate". Over a prolonged period, he was patiently loved into maturity. A fantastic discipleship message. Perhaps Park and I do not line up on politics exactly but I sure believe in how they love and worship.
Showing posts with label vacation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vacation. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Chicago Culture
Chicago cultural experiences:
On this trip, we didn't do too many touristy things -- just rode the Ferris wheel at Navy Pier and devoured deep dish pizza at Giordano's. Instead, we hung out with our Chicago relatives, soon to be married: Aanna Stadem and Nick Chase.
Some observations:
1. Chicago is divided into 77 neighborhoods, each of which has many thousands of people. Aanna lives in Logan square; Nick in Albany Park; they will soon live together in Lincoln Square, which has a smaller neighborhood inside it called Ravenwood and an even smaller Lincoln Square inside that, which is where Nick and Aanna will actually
live.
These neighborhoods are like small towns, at least some of them - and not so small either, at least some of them. Certainly anyone could live, work and shop exclusively in their neighborhood. Many if not most of the stores seem to be one-of-a-kind, not chain stores.
2. There is a Starbucks on every block. well, not quite, but close, especially in the downtown area. Also, two blocks down from the mall where Nick works there are duplicates of almost every store in his mall - forever 21, Banana Republic, The Gap.
3. On a Thursday afternoon, every dressing room (about twenty in each store) in Nordstrom Rack and forever 21 was filled, with a waiting line of customers with clothes to try on. At least ten purchasers lined up to buy, and at Nordstrom's there were four cashiers.
4. People are willing to spend long periods of time just getting places. Aanna, the girls and I spent four hours this afteunion going to look at her new apartment. We walked around in that area for about an hour; the rest of the time we sat on the bus and the L (for "elevated") train. She mentioned that her church is twenty minutes' bus ride from her current apartment - "very close." Aanna rides the bus and train an hour to get to work - I think it's less than ten miles away. On the bright side, our $20 passes must have paid for 10 hours or more of travel.
5. We rode and rode and still more homes, apartment buildings and stores appeared. The sheer quantity of people staggers my imagination.
6. In most areas, a great diversity of restaurants and other shops exists. In Lincoln Square, we saw a Greek tavern, an Italian gelato shop and several German bars. Only in Chinatown was everything Chinese. A great variety of people strolls the streets as well, speaking many languages.
A great place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there!
On this trip, we didn't do too many touristy things -- just rode the Ferris wheel at Navy Pier and devoured deep dish pizza at Giordano's. Instead, we hung out with our Chicago relatives, soon to be married: Aanna Stadem and Nick Chase.
Some observations:
1. Chicago is divided into 77 neighborhoods, each of which has many thousands of people. Aanna lives in Logan square; Nick in Albany Park; they will soon live together in Lincoln Square, which has a smaller neighborhood inside it called Ravenwood and an even smaller Lincoln Square inside that, which is where Nick and Aanna will actually
live.
These neighborhoods are like small towns, at least some of them - and not so small either, at least some of them. Certainly anyone could live, work and shop exclusively in their neighborhood. Many if not most of the stores seem to be one-of-a-kind, not chain stores.
2. There is a Starbucks on every block. well, not quite, but close, especially in the downtown area. Also, two blocks down from the mall where Nick works there are duplicates of almost every store in his mall - forever 21, Banana Republic, The Gap.
3. On a Thursday afternoon, every dressing room (about twenty in each store) in Nordstrom Rack and forever 21 was filled, with a waiting line of customers with clothes to try on. At least ten purchasers lined up to buy, and at Nordstrom's there were four cashiers.
4. People are willing to spend long periods of time just getting places. Aanna, the girls and I spent four hours this afteunion going to look at her new apartment. We walked around in that area for about an hour; the rest of the time we sat on the bus and the L (for "elevated") train. She mentioned that her church is twenty minutes' bus ride from her current apartment - "very close." Aanna rides the bus and train an hour to get to work - I think it's less than ten miles away. On the bright side, our $20 passes must have paid for 10 hours or more of travel.
5. We rode and rode and still more homes, apartment buildings and stores appeared. The sheer quantity of people staggers my imagination.
6. In most areas, a great diversity of restaurants and other shops exists. In Lincoln Square, we saw a Greek tavern, an Italian gelato shop and several German bars. Only in Chinatown was everything Chinese. A great variety of people strolls the streets as well, speaking many languages.
A great place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there!
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Coast to Coast to Prairie
In just over three weeks, Kari and Sarah traveled from Laguna Beach in California to Cocoa Beach in Florida to Bryant, SD (that last is the ultimate tourist destination!).
Our family vacation to California thrilled us all, from Disney
and Hollywood
to the Golden Gate Bridge
and the redwoods, thanks to the hospitality of Pete's cousins, Chloe & Gary Koslowsky and Russ & Ria Schaefer. We also enjoyed riding the train again
and relaxed for a few days at Dana Point. Pete, Kari, Sarah, Andrew & Philip formed the crew - much smaller than our usual nine-person contingent. We didn't get any stares or questions like, "Are they all yours??" At the end of that trip we spent a short time in the frigid waters of the Pacific at Laguna Beach.
Kari, Joel, Daniel and Sarah flew to Orlando with thirteen others from Svea for a volunteer week with Give Kids the World in Kissimmee, a resort for families of children diagnosed with life-threatening illnesses. They work with dozens of wish-granting organizations to provide these families with a week of pure happiness. Corporations donate money and goods, while volunteers man 1500 shifts per week, cleaning, serving, helping, feeding, playing with and interacting with the children and their families. Our group provided 153 shifts during the five days we worked, driving 20-30 minutes (each way) twice a day for 3-4 hour periods.
On our off day, we surfed, swam and body-boarded at Cocoa Beach, where the air was almost 100 degrees and the water of the Atlantic was warm enough to spend hours.
Last weekend the Stadem family gathered in Bryant for the bi-annual reunion, with 81 present. We were able to use the rebuilt (though unfinished) barn, which amazed everyone who entered. The efforts of Leroy Stadem, Steve Stadem and Bernie Iserman, along with donated labor, time and money by dozens of relatives, have really paid off in a usable and beautiful meeting space.
Now we're ready to be home for a while. Almost caught up!
Our family vacation to California thrilled us all, from Disney
and Hollywood
to the Golden Gate Bridge
and relaxed for a few days at Dana Point. Pete, Kari, Sarah, Andrew & Philip formed the crew - much smaller than our usual nine-person contingent. We didn't get any stares or questions like, "Are they all yours??" At the end of that trip we spent a short time in the frigid waters of the Pacific at Laguna Beach.
Kari, Joel, Daniel and Sarah flew to Orlando with thirteen others from Svea for a volunteer week with Give Kids the World in Kissimmee, a resort for families of children diagnosed with life-threatening illnesses. They work with dozens of wish-granting organizations to provide these families with a week of pure happiness. Corporations donate money and goods, while volunteers man 1500 shifts per week, cleaning, serving, helping, feeding, playing with and interacting with the children and their families. Our group provided 153 shifts during the five days we worked, driving 20-30 minutes (each way) twice a day for 3-4 hour periods.
On our off day, we surfed, swam and body-boarded at Cocoa Beach, where the air was almost 100 degrees and the water of the Atlantic was warm enough to spend hours.
Last weekend the Stadem family gathered in Bryant for the bi-annual reunion, with 81 present. We were able to use the rebuilt (though unfinished) barn, which amazed everyone who entered. The efforts of Leroy Stadem, Steve Stadem and Bernie Iserman, along with donated labor, time and money by dozens of relatives, have really paid off in a usable and beautiful meeting space.
Now we're ready to be home for a while. Almost caught up!
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