Evendays

Tomorrow, Son 1 will be 21. Amazing!

He’ll celebrate with a big breakfast in a nearby village (the have a "bread festival") and then have some buddies (and a buddiette) over for lunch.

And we get to celebrate with him. What fun!

In Switzerland, at 16 you can buy beer. At 18 you can buy wine and other drinks that are bad for you, get your driving license, vote and shoot a bazooka (do military service).  And file your own taxes.

But 21 is still a big deal. Or so we think… 

Here’s how many Swiss Francs (CHF) you could buy with ONE US dollar (USD) on every September 26 of the previous 7 years. Remember, the more you can buy, the better it is (for me…).

2000: 1.65
2001: 1.67
2002: 1.50
2003: 1.31
2004: 1.26
2005: 1.29
2006: 1.24

Today’s rate (at the time I’m writing this post) is 1.17.

An imaginary monthly house payment of 1000 CHF would have cost each September 26 in USD:

2000: $606.06
2001: $598.80
2002: $666.67
2003: $763.35
2004: $793.65
2005: $775.19
2006: $806.45

Today’s imaginary monthly payment (at the time I’m writing this post) would be $854.70.

So what do we learn from this exercise? People who live in foreign countries and are partially paid in USD only write about it when the USD is low. Otherwise, they never bring it up.

Mom is doing well, at home where Dad and Sister One were taking care of her after surgery. Here’s a morbid thought: Before appendectamies, people died of appendicitis. Makes you thankful…

Today went pretty well, about a 8.2. I started searching for Ukrainian documents that will be useful for the church in Ternopil. The problem is I don’t read Ukrainian (though the Cyrillic alphabet is not a mystery any more). If the word has the same stem as the English word (or French), I can often figure it out. My search took me through 12 large boxes of Father-in-law’s correspondence. Quite an adventure. I found some documents, but pretty sure they’re not the right ones.

Then I studied the Bible with S. and A. They have many challenges in life, but A. told me the studies were doing them much good and they loved learning about God’s will in his world.

After some more searching in the afternoon, Wife and I visited with our elderly neighbor who comes to church. We had a good talk. It is tough when your health takes a dive, the husband’s in a Home, and life’s not finishing how you’d like. But she displayed so much trust in us while sharing with Wife and me. And at 85, her faith is still growing.

Thanks for the encouraging words about fellowship. Needed them. It gets hard to persevere.

Got a note from Sister 1 that my mom had her appendix removed rather urgently. I’ll know more later when I call home.

I’m enjoying N. T. Wright’s book: Paul, In Fresh Perspective. He’s reminding me of many of the things Dr. Tom Olbricht taught us many years ago at ACU. It’s a quick read, so pick it up. (See sidebar.) It’s like a new pair of glasses for reading all of the New Testament texts, not just Paul.

We were blessed by Andy and Adam and their families who came from Geneva to preach on Sunday and then to eat with everyone. Afterwards, we played ping pong and they set up a big table out under the walnut tree and played NERTZ. (No idea how it’s spelled.) 8 young ladies from the Pepperdine program were here for worship and 4 stayed for the AGAPE meal (that’s “potluck”, in Greek). And there were three from Bern with us and a couple of visitors from the neighborhood and most of the members.

A good morning, though few of the members stayed for the AGAPE. Wife and I, and I think the kids too, hunger for fellowship. Except for a few notable exceptions, and praise God for those people, our local church does not always express that same hunger.

How do we, without ignoring the work of God, stimulate the Body’s members to greater fellowship? Any ideas? I ask, because for me fellowship has always been a natural thing… A part of being a Christian.

But now I’m stumped…

They were 220 to start the year in forensic science, and only 30 to pass the year. 

Son 1 got his results on Friday for the final two exams… He passed them both, even the one that he said "nobody" passes.

So on Tuesday he goes back to the University… Very thankful. And we are very proud of him.

Son 2 came into our life with a smile. He waited till the jams were cooked and their lids tightly clamped on, for me to finish the lawn and then to quickly rinse the sweat off… 5 run-red lights and 25 minutes later, he was born bald and happy. He has given the family much joy.

Yesterday we brought our 19 year old to Marseilles where he will spend a year in the Spiritual Internship that Son 1 finished a year ago. If God allows it, next year in late summer he will start university in the USA.

We will see him again in November and December, and he’ll only be 320 minutes away (by car). Not far, I know, but a definite break. A part of growing up. And a part of being a parent too.

He may have been my first “out-of-the-family” hero. The preacher John Banks always paid attention to me and I tried with all my might to listen to him.

Though I was led to Jesus by my parents, John (did I call him John, or Brother Banks?) was instrumental in that process. He was intelligent. He was fun. He was a Bible student. He would often cry when he preached even though to look at him, you knew he was tough as nails.

To a kid growing up in a new church, he was bigger-than-life. He owned a motorcycle (which he once let me ride) and a jeep, and he would drag church members out to the west-side or even to Death Valley (not me) for jeeping. He had a plane (which he once let me fly) and a Bible question and answer show that broadcast from some lost country studio into a sleepy, central-California night.

On Saturdays, Dad would mow and edge his lawn and I would pull his weeds. Bernice, whom he called “Plunk” and who was WAY fun, would fix us ice tea.

He challenged me to love Jesus and he encouraged me to do good. I responded to the call and he baptized me into Christ over 35 years ago.

On Saturday, his body will be laid to rest in central-California soil, awaiting glory, awaiting redemption.

– Check out Steve’s memories of John here. Go on, click on it…

I’d never met Nadine outside of her home. She was a member of the Geneva church and we went to sing at her place 2 or 3 times. D. and B. went often for a visit. R. and L. would take her to the park in her wheelchair, giving her fresh air, dropping off the cassettes of sermons, praying with her, giving her husband a break from the constant care.

When I was a kid, these older members were called “shut-ins”. I can remember taking communion to Sister Rice on a hot Sunday afternoon, or Dad and Mom visiting another lady that lived in nearby Clovis.

We sang praises to God one last time today in honor of Nadine. She died last Thursday. D. and R. spoke of her faith, a faith carefully nurtured by the Spirit of God, the Bible and communion with the Saints.

Do “brothers and sisters” still visit shut-ins? Is there still a “ministry” that remembers them, making sure they get the both kinds of communion with the Body of Christ? I’m sure there is, and may God deeply bless those who do it.

Son 1 finished his exams on Monday. Chapeau! (French, for “hat”. Like, “My hat’s off to you…") So now we anxiously await the results of the last two exams. He gave them a good shot, and although going into second year of chemistry is not his first choice, it’s a good option if things don’t turn out the way we hope.

We spent Tuesday in Geneva together. His passport had expired months ago. If you were under 16 when you got your last passport, you have to appear in person for a new one. (It’ll be here in 3 weeks.) There’s a minuscule “America” office (no flag, very discreet…) on the first floor of a building just off the Mont Blanc bridge. The security guard took away our threatening keys and cell phones. Nice guy, but a really long search.

Son 1 signed the proper forms in front of the secretary and we paid our 121.10 CHF. Since the Consul was absent, and since he is the “receipt master”, they will send a receipt by mail.

After a good Italian lunch we headed off for an afternoon of Bible studies and visits. It was great fun having a partner for the day.