- Busy and good week…finally finished up all my classwork for this semester of seminary.
- Spending a bunch of time with family this weekend..tis the season. Taking the nieces to see Arthur Christmas tonight and then Greenfield Village Holiday Lights tomorrow night.
- Back unemployed. Will be working on my resume over break and hope to find something soon. Again appreciate any leads you may know of.
- Saw Sherlock Holmes 2 last night with guys from my small group…very entertaining much like the first one.
- WHAT happens when you don’t spank and your taught is in a church musical.
- One of my more important blog posts that got well over 100 hits…if you haven’t read it check it out HERE.
- Started reading a new book over break: In the Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day. It’s from a couple of years back but I always heard good things about it.
- Still seems crazy that Im living back in Michigan…
Tag Archives: holidays
Floating Thoughts
Home for the Holidays
This is a first…I’m writing this blog from 30K ft above Oregon/Idaho on board the first of my two leg journey back to Michigan. Who would’ve dreamed WiFi on airplanes when it came out?
This is my 7th year heading back east for Christmas since moving to Portland in 2004. As I was sharing with a friend who drove me to the airport this morning, traveling back and forth between Michigan & Oregon is like traveling through a tunnel. On one side is a life I lived for 24yrs; where I was born, grew-up and have the most memories. On the other are my most recent memories, relationships and career path…the past 7 years of my life. In a very real way my heart exists in two physical places. I look forward to these trips home for sure but it doesn’t come with a little heartache as I re-enter the side of the tunnel which I havent visited in over a year or stayed for more than a week in 7. I’m probably getting a little deep here, but as usual I share my thoughts here with little edit and a desire to share with you authentically.
It’s going to be a unique Christmas this year as our little family has been under a good deal of pressure and is in need of hope springing up in the midst of it. I’m excited to see everyone and am going to do my very best to love and serve my family for the next 10 days. Given that as my focus, I doubt I will be blogging much but definitely will be sharing via Twitter and uploading pics to Facebook.
Though it’s been said many times, many ways…Merry Christmas.
Other than Presents
It’s almost Christmas and if you’re like me you are looking forward to most of it. This year is going be unique for a number of reasons, the main one being that my income is quite smaller than years past. So as I think of ways to give gifts this Christmas I have to think of giving gifts other than presents. Maybe you are right there with me this year or can relate when in years past you didnt have the luxury to go out and buy everyone something nice. I thought it would be a helpful exercise personally to think of ways to give gifts this Christmas other than traditional presents. I will share my ideas but would love to hear yours or feel free to expand on the ones I am sharing.
Words – While it might sound a little trivial, maybe there is some way to bless a friend or family member with something you have never said to them before or have said in a long time. Could be; “I love you.” Or maybe; “I’m Sorry.” Or how bout; “I’m proud of you.” Each of these has the potential of making someones Christmas.
Service – Is there something that needs to get done at your parents place? Do you know of a project that a friend has struggled to finish alone? Why not offer this Christmas to finish it once and for all. There are few things more satisfying then finishing a job you have longed to complete.
Give em something you own – Now at first this might sound like re-gifting, but that’s not at all what I mean. What I am suggesting is giving someone something valuable to you. When we re-gift it’s usually something not valuable to us. Has a friend of yours always commented on something in your home when they visited you that you could give them? What about something passed down through families? Is it time you passed it on to some little one in your family?
Books - I think that a book given at the right time can be a Godsend. Now some aren’t readers, but for everyone else passing along a book that had a significant impact on you has the potential to do the same for them.
Make a Memory - Some of the very best things about Christmas aren’t things at all. Crazy how this makes complete sense to us and yet we still spend so much $$ on things. Is there something you could do as a family or with friends this year that will be a memory shared for years? Maybe it’s a trip to see a relative, sledding, a night on the town, going to church or starting a Christmas tradition.
Christmas
Ahh another Christmas.
If you are like me you always spend some time during the holidays thinking about how things have changed over the years. When you think about it some things never change no matter how much you hope they would and alot of the stuff we hope would last forever just doesnt come back the next year. One thing I’ve noticed these last couple years which is pretty funny is how much it bothers me that we spend so much $$$ on toys for my nieces. I mean don’t get me wrong, there is nothing better than watching them get excited and smile when they open up a box that reveals the gift they have been wanting…what I have a tough time with is just how fleeting it all is. While this is true throughout the year it is highlighted on Christmas…they were so excited to get the Wii setup and yet once we tried to teach them how to play they gave up on it and returned to playing with other toys. My nieces are 5 & 8…this year they got a Wii, tons of Wii games & accessories, clothes, playmobile stuff, dolls and tons of Zuzu pet stuff.
This is all amusing because as my mom reminds me I was no different when I was their age, I was the king of Toys R Us. While I wish I could deny it all they have video proof :/
Thanksgiving Week
I am definitely looking forward to this week…
It seems like my life has been in a sprint since Sept 9th between Seminary & work and now I should be able to catch my breath for at least a weekend. I don’t think most people outside of ministry can appreciate just what a break it is not to have a weekly program one week. So what am I gonna do this week? Well…here’s some ideas
- Get ahead in my seminary class
- Play some Assassins Creed 2
- Spend Turkey Day with the Campbells
- Sleep alot.
- Play Settlers of Catan Friday with friends
- More Assassins 2…
- Miss my family…
- Hopefully reconnect with some friends I haven’t hung with in awhile
- Prepare for an important meeting Dec 8th
- Play more Catan Sunday…
- Something with you?
Here’s a great thought to start this Thanksgiving Week I heard this morning from Rob Bell;
Your overflow is someone else’s necessity.
Christmas
As usual its been great to be home for Christmas. I wanted to give you a window to some of it…so here’s the first of hopeful a couple of posts with pictures.
A bit of irony you might say…Portland was hit with a snow storm the day I left for Michigan. Here are some pics of my car in Oregon;
Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Home for the Holidays
Tomorrow I’m heading home for the holidays the fifth time since moving to Oregon in 2004.
I cant think of not being home for Christmas…dont know how others do it. I’m so looking forward to spending time with family, friends and students who I havent seen for a year! Tomorrow night I will be having dinner with my dad who I havent seen in a year and half! That will be a gift in and of itself.
Looking forward to;
- Sleeping alot
- Eating at my favorite resturants that they dont have out here
- Laughing with Kristi
- Attending my home church
- Hugging my family alot.
- Making memories with my beautiful nieces
- Having deep conversations
- Catching up with Catherine on her first year as a missionary
- Reading a couple of books
- Sledding!
- Connecting with students who I miss alot
- Reconnecting with friends who I havent seen in years…
- Being surprised with the plans Papa has for me
While there is alot to look forward to going home some of it is bittersweet….especially this year with Detroit in such a funk. It’s always hard for me to walk back into peoples lives after not being there for a year. Their lives have moved on, they have experienced alot of new things and have new relationships…all of which I havent been part of. It’s also tough leaving my friends in Oregon…not being part of the parties, skiing, church services and random things that happen during winter break. In some ways I dont feel like I ”fit” in either place at the holidays and that is hard. I wish I could have taken both pathes…but God only allowed me to take one.
I will be in Michigan until January 3rd…and I will probably post a couple of blogs while there so please check back. I also will be twittering and sending some Twitpics…so if you havent joined the revolution now would be a great time! Look me up; “GodSideKurt” When I get back I definitely hope to have some skiing trips, RISK and Poker nights lined up! Dont forget me Portland!
HOME is where Kurt is…
It is good to be home.
As usual the time is going by SOOOO fast…seems like yesterday I got here. I cant tell you how much I love just sleeping in and not having much to do during the days. Friday I got in and had dinner with mom, grandma and grandpa. Then it was over to see my wonderful neices. They were so excited to see me. They wouldn’t let me sit down for a minute, I was quickly pulled away to play with them. Saturday I went to church…it was a great service, took me right to the manger and positioned me to worship Him. Kristi led worship…which is always sweet. Brad’s talk on Herod was a good reminder on how we can let the pleasures of this world become what we are all about. I miss the excitement that is present every week at the Ridge, people actually LOVE going to church. After church I hung out with Catherine and Kristi, dear friends who I quickly get caught up with. You know those kind of friends that you don’t see for 6 months and when you hangout its as if you never left? I am blessed to have them in my life. I also got to see Jordan and his friends…hopefully we will hangout later this week.
Yesterday I spent it all with family. Drove to spend time with my dad’s side…( I will post pics later this week, photobucket seems to be jacked up right now). It was good to catch up with them, haven’t seen them since we went up north in July. Today I slept in, went to Borders and got this sweet devotion I am going to do for 2008. Anyone want to go through it with me? It looks sweet. Now I am chilling at Panera cause mom doesn’t have internet, cable or anything to play with. Tonight I am doing dinner again with mom and then 
seeing a movie…its kind of a tradition mom and I have done.
MY Christmas Card to the WORLD
Tomorrow Kurt is heading home for the Holidays. I will be in Michigan till January 3rd. I hope to see as many friends and family as possible. If you are interested in connecting please give me a call or send an email my way. I will have BOTH my cells; the old michigan number and the Oregon one.
Christmas Today
So we celebrated Christmas today. My sister is a fight attendent and was on call yesterday…didnt get back until the evening so we werent able to have dinner together. I went to my grandmas apartment and we had some of her amazing spagetti. YUMM! One of my favorites.
Today mom and I went shopping a little bit, Im on the hunt for a nice new jacket. I have my heart set on a North Face jacket…but they are a little spendy so Im going to keep looking. I did however get some nice shades on sale. After that it was over to my sisters…where we celebrated. It was fun watching the girls open their gifts…so much joy so quickly despensed with gifts. They are truly adorable. My favorite moment was after dinner I went into Aidas room and pretended to fall asleep. (though I really could have slept) Both Adia and Zoe came in, pulled up chairs and sat their just looking at me. After about about a minute, I couldnt hold it any longer…I jumped up and they screamed. Then Zoe kept telling me to go back to sleep. Dinner was good. Each Christmas meal is precious, as my grandma who is an excellent cook is aging and probally wont be doing it much longer. Her Christmas cookies are to die for. I hoping to use them to gain the 10 lbs Im trying to gain.
