House Updates

           When Christine and I bought our first house at the end of July we knew we had a lot of work to do to get the place where we wanted it.  We had many friends and family helped us with a variety of tasks that we had to do, such as wall paper removal, multiple mirror removal, texturing walls, prepping and painting all the walls, doors, and closet doors, cleaning, fence repair, blind removal and reinstall, drap removal and new install, putting together a new porch set, moving all of our stuff from our old apartment, removal of all the carpet in the entire house, etc...the list goes on and on and on.  The month of August consisted of 6 am to 11pm days of working on the house.  We pushed ourselves pretty dang hard, and the numbers prove it...I lost 15 pounds in August without working out once.  Here are some before and afters. 

Basement Before

Basement After

Basement After

Basement Bedroom 1

Basement Bedroom 2

Basement hallway..looking toward the stairs and bedrooms

Upstairs living room Before

 Up livin before

After

Master Bed Before

Master After

Upstairs bedroom before

Upstairs bedroom after...now office and place for my clothes.

 
New Patio furniture.

We finally finishes putting stuff away!



The Metaphysical Club

    I try to read one book at a time in order to take time to digest the material and reflect on the content.   That being said, the books I am currently reading are Reaching Out by Henri Nouwen, When Helping Hurts by Steve Corbett, Where Shall Wisdom be Found? by Harold Bloom, and the Metaphysical Club, by Louis Menand.  All of the books are interesting and helpful, but the ladder has really grabbed my attention.
   
      The Metaphysical club is the story of ideas in America, told from antebellum through postbellum northern thinkers.  The narrative, thus far, has a variety of characters displayed, including Ralph Waldo Emerson and William Lloyd Garrison.  It seems both men have a lot to say to my thoughts on how the world works, and my place in it.  Emerson's advise being the critical/analytic...think for yourself and never stop thinking (though, to me, he seems he takes it way to far...conjuring up paradoxes..especially concerning leadership in the church and religion in general).  William Lloyd Garrison's view of Christianity and culture is brutal, yet refreshing.  Specifically, in what he is famous for, his abolitionist magazine, the Liberator.  Brutal = no stock in government and anti-government.  Refreshing = Having a faith that transcends the political/social structures around you and that is inherently action based.
 

      I have enjoyed reading this book for a variety of reasons.  The subject matter, ideas, is interesting to me.  Also, I have been brought back into a time period that I know a little bit about (History 3-- Civil War).  Last, but most important...good historical literature thrusts the reader into a place, time, prescribes a worldview, and allows them to look around and be amazed at what they see.  Now I just need to finish chapter two :)      

Glenwood Springs & Hanging Lake

Christine and I went to Glenwood Springs for our Anniversary this weekend.  We have friends coming for the actual date, so we decided to go a few weeks early. 

Saturday morning we drove to Aspen for a huge hot air baloon event.  Unfortunately, the weather didn't cooperate and it was cancelled. 

This morning, on our way back to Denver, we stopped at Hanging Lake to get some hiking in.

Recent Happenings (in Pictures)

- A BRI Board member gave us tickets to the pre-season Broncos vs Bills game.


-Luke has half season tickets to the Broncs, so we met up with him and Kels at the game.




-We sat in the blazing sun for the first half, so we were very sweaty.


-Over Labor Day Luke, Joe, Nate, Phil, Aaron, and i went to The Great Sand Dunes National Park in southern Colorado.

Michigan Wedding & Summer Vacation

Over the weekend of July 23rd Christine and I made a pilgrimage to CRC Mecca, Grand Rapids. We met up with Tim, went to Kalen and Amber's wedding, and went to the cottage with the Soodsma side. Christine's cousins are our age and we had a blast jet skiing, wake boarding, Skiing, pontooning,playing volleyball, yard games, and Rook. Good times were had.








-Darren and Ben had a really good time on the JetSki.


-Unfortunately, this is why...pulling younger brother Brett on the tube at 45mph...very safe.





-Darren is a good wake boarder...


-Or is he?


-I learned how to wake board.


-Brett is already established as the one who can REALLY wake board.