This & that & even more...

hmmm, whats new with us... some people were asking for a bit of an update...

Brendan and I are going to a Steve Bell concert next weekend in S'toon.. on a DATE. A great reminder of Winnipeg and a great way to spend an evening together. Can't wait! Sometimes it feels like we've been married every minute of the 15 years we'll soon be celebrating.... other times, I have no idea where the time has gone! As I was ordering the tickets, we almost called up another couple and asked them to join us, and then pretty much simultaneously we both said.. hey.. wait a second... how about just the two of us go? Now.. who wants to feed our kids next Sunday night?!

Owen and Syd are enjoying school this year - they were ready for summer to be over. Volleyball games start this week, we're looking forward to that. O says he has mastered overhand serves in practices so far. He is actually a very changed guy from the one who moved from Winnipeg. He is a full head taller than me and its downright weird. He's still playing guitar, and his band's name (I think?!) is sense of security. (changed from soul poured out..) They haven't played in church or anywhere yet this year, we'll see... I hope to hear them soon. Syd is going to start guitar along with her voice lessons in Oct. She'd probably prefer piano, but we have three guitars and zero pianos so that sort of made the decision! She continues to develop and be a preteen girl. What can I say.. there is plenty of screaming and screeching in our house - both the good kind (Joe Jonas is soooo cute!) and the not so good kind (stay out of my room! and I LIKE that moldy milk on the dresser!)

Some recently read books to recommend:
The Source (Michener): I finally finished this book that I started in July. I loved it!! It was a challenging read, but a worthwhile one. The history of Israel was fictionalized, but there was enough accurate history to make it interesting and informative.

Pillars of the Earth (Follett): Another great read about history, especially church history. My understanding was expanded, and I really grew in my understanding contextual faith. Our practices are related to the practices of those around us, no matter how unique we think we might be... and change to any 'cultural' practice, be it around expressing faith or any number of things.. is slow in the coming. Fascinating bit of info is that Ken Follett calls himself a very unspiritual person.. yet he wrote something that sure speaks powerfully about spirituality and the body of Christ. Reader warning: there are some pretty graphic scenes that almost made me stop reading. I'm glad I didn't.

the Shack (Young); A book that was highly recommended by several people. Would I call it life changing? I'm still sitting on the fence. What I liked best about this book was that it was somehow affirming to me personally. I felt after reading it like the way I relate to God was perhaps not as strange and girly and silly as I've always thought. I grabbed The Barbarian Way a couple of weeks ago, I've heard that its supposed to be for late-comers to faith like me, you know, the ones who just sort of invent their own brand of expression because they don't know all the rules? I won't be reading it for a while though... I would most definitely encourage others to read the Shack. I think it stretches us in lots of good ways.

What else? I'm taking a Mark course, taught by Tim Geddert, all next week. I'm really ready for a change of pace, and I don't think its such a stretch for me to actually take part in a Bethany class. It's not a good time.. would there have ever been a good time?! I'm taking it for Seminary credit, so my assignments are slightly different that our students. I'm pretty pumped about it. The commentary we're using was actually written by the instructor, so I think he knows his stuff. I hear that he's one of the best and most interesting teachers around.

We're looking forward to being in Winnipeg for Thanksgiving. Can't wait to see family and friends.. especially TJ, Eryka and Haily! (they're the ones who really change between visits!) Two of my sisters have moved to new homes, so we'll be checking those out for the first time, and I look very forward to sunday at KPAC, except, what will it be without Liza? I'm a bit disappointed about that! I think we're putting together a girls night out - or maybe a breakfast on the Saturday (oct 11?) at Pineridge Hollow? If any winnipeggers are reading and want to come and have a preference, let me know... we're flying there and driving back, so it'll be really nice to have a bit less road time this trip. The bad news is we won't be there for Christmas. Our budget said a simple Hepburn Christmas is just the right thing...

a couple of final newsy things: We are now part of a supper club (this is for you, Kim :) and it is so, so, so awesome. I heartily recommend other families consider one if the supper rush is a frustrating experience. How it works is this: You get together with a couple of other families, and each family takes a turn cooking for all the families. (So, ours is three families - I make supper once for everyone, and then, two glorious nights each week, supper shows up at my door.) So far, it has meant I just work later, but at some point in the near future, there will be an hour of peace and calm in my house between work and eating. How awesome is that? And, we have so far sampled all the family favorites from each participant... what a blessing to somehow feel part of other families' traditions!
my next idea is a PROJECT club. I'm pretty sure Lisa is either interested or I've pushed her hard enough; but either way, we're looking for a couple of others.. so, each month, you rotate houses and devote a couple of hours to a project.. redecorating a living room, organizing a closet, cleaning out a pantry.. whatever! Interested?

Theres the update, from all of us. Take care, and have a wonderful week!