Wow! Has it really been 6 weeks since my last update? I guess you could say we have been busy lately. If you haven’t caught it on the news (those of you not in the ATL), the metro Atlanta area was hit hard by heavy rains a few days ago causing major flooding and generally wreaking havoc across the area. Many families have been flooded out and sadly there have been a number of lives lost as well. Thankfully, our area was spared the worst of the storms and we certainly realize how blessed we are!
Fall is in the air, leaves are beginning to change colors, and we are all looking forward to the next several months! The kids are on their “Fall Break” this week and are enjoying themselves in Mississippi with Melisa’s parents. It has been a welcome break in their now familiar routine. That has allowed us to spend some quality time together this week that we both needed. It has also allowed me to spend a bit more time on my studies. With the holiday season looming large, the entire family will be quite busy as 2009 winds down. Both Hannah and Joshua are participating in the children’s musical at our church and I will again be a part of our annual Christmas Cantata. It should be a lot of fun as we plan our first holiday season in our new home!
Joshua and Hannah are both playing fall baseball for the first time this year! It is so cool to see them excited about playing. They are working hard on the basics of baseball and seem to enjoy it. In her first game, Hannah was 3 for 3 and batted in 4 RBI’s! Very cool. Of, and speaking of baseball, I recently took Joshua to his first Braves game…just the two of us! We enjoyed the night out together tremendously. Weather threatened the game but it cleared up and the Braves went on to win. Great first game for Joshua!
After a mediocre performance in my last class, I have managed a return to my normal study habits and clearly see the difference in the results so far in my current class. I have never received a “C” in a college class before but my last class saw me earn just that. Far too many distractions insisted on my attention when I should have been studying! Melisa has been so encouraging and that has certainly helped as well! My current class (Systematic Theology I) is going much better and I expect to see a much better grade at the conclusion of this class. I have another book review due soon which I will happily post here once the grade has been returned. My recent review of C. S. Lewis’ Reflections on the Psalms actually received a favorable anonymous comment on this blog much to my surprise! Of course comments are always welcome, it is rare here so it was encouraging. Perhaps someone benefits from my ramblings…anyway, I appreciated the fact that someone took the time! I have one more class scheduled for 2009 (Systematic Theology II) but have not yet considered what I will enroll in next. I have to get my degree plan out and see. So far though, I am happy with the progress I have made and continue to feel lead in this direction.
With all of the lively discussion about healthcare in recent weeks and months, many have forgotten about the proposed “Cap and Trade” approach to addressing so-called “Global Warming”. I have stated recently on Facebook that this is certainly not the time to be increasing taxes on the American people. Regardless of what the current administration says, the current bills circulating in Congress do include increases in taxes (yes…on the middle class too!) and are also wrongheaded. The nonpartisan tax research group The Tax Foundation released a new study (http://www.taxfoundation.org/publications/show/25196.html) covering the amount families pay in taxes versus the benefits they receive from the federal government. Check it out!
