Home Again - Family Update

It's been a crazy summer (every summer I say - Next summer will be slower). We just got back from Michigan - former student from our church there got married in Detroit (I co-officiated, Benjamin was the Ring Bearer, and Lori and I sang a duet. It was a wonderful wedding. We also were able to visit our old church in Michigan. That was a wonderful time. I really enjoyed seeing so many old friends.

Our children are doing well - and did incredibly well on this trip. It was not enough sleep, too much driving, and crazy schedules. We are so blessed to have such great children.

We're looking forward to the Olson family vacation (my parents, siblings, grandpa, and cousin are heading to Wisconsin to a cabin for a week). I am so pumped for it. It will be even more fun in a few years when our kids are old enough to feed themselves, go the bathroom by themselves, and sleep in. Still, what a wonderful week it should be.

RAGBRAI is tomorrow - 15000 people biking by our house. Our church is going to be giving out water (I'm in charge). That's my task today - to figure that all out.

All is well enough. God is faithful.

An Easy Week??

Last week was a week I've been looking forward to all summer long. My first (maybe only) "easy week" where nothing big was going to be happening. God had other plans. My wife started feeling a bit of pain in her stomach on Monday. Late Tuesday night - we went to the E.R. The short of it... Morphine once, the doctor's office, 3 times since then - and one more to come. She's had an ultrasound and is looking forward to an Upper GI (sp??). It's not ulcers. We're waiting. She's been sleeping on the couch for much of the nights (pain only at night, right now, if at all).

So - easy week is done.

We're on our way to Michigan - I'm helping officiate Corey's wedding.

Preaching again... the 10th Commandment (Don't Covet)

I am preaching again - 2 weeks in a row. I was gone on Monday and Tuesday driving to Wood, SD and back. Wednesday was family and fireworks, and now I'm back in the office (bulletins, sermon, worship, interruptions, and such). Pray for me.

I'm excited to preach on the 10th commandment. I don't feel like I'm doing a great job - and honestly, I don't think I'm doing well in applying it to my life. The biggest point - Don't Covet teaches that we are not to be satisfied with stuff, but we are to be satisfied with God. "God is most glorified when I am most satisfied in Him" (Piper).

It's a great thing to preach on, but I'm finding it hard to do it justice.