I GOT A JOB!!!!

Praise the Lord, I got a job! I start Thursday at The Keane Insurance Group!! Mark & I went out & celebrated this evening, more details to follow tomorrow!

: ) Marci

What state are we in??!!

There are a few quirky things about STL that I'd like to share with you... things that you wouldn't realize unless you live here or you spent some quality time here. Having only been here for 2 1/2 weeks, I'm sure there will be many things to add in the future!


1.) At almost every stoplight that you encounter a traffic light, there are green arrows. There are green arrows to tell you it's ok to turn left or right, but there are almost always green arrows telling you it's ok to go straight. Red, yellow, green arrow. Not the red, yellow, green we're all used to in Ohio!
Also, at these intersections, there are usually special lanes for right turn... but they curve off before the light, so you yield & then continue on your way! It shaves a few seconds off your drive time... amazing!

2.) We're not in Texas... although it seems that way. When St. Louis takes on a project, they don't just do something half ass. They go all out & make it HUGE! Forest Park is HUMONGOUS! Just to name a few things contained within the park... the Zoo, History Museum, Art Museum, Science Center... and more! (see map below) In overall square acreage, it's bigger than Central Park.


Other things that are also large: Laumeire Sculpture Park (below, is filled with ginormous sculptures), Missouri Botanical Gardens, and the Zoo.

Whoever said "Everything's bigger in Texas" needs to reconsider (although I've never been to Texas so I'm not sure what they have to offer in terms of large things).

3.) The bugs here are vicious. I mean VICIOUS. Last night we were on the porch, chatting it up with our neighbors, and we were attacked. I got a bug bite on the BOTTOM of my foot. While standing. With sandals on. Now that's dedication on the bugs part.

And that's just the mosquitoes. I won't even get into the praying mantis.

Have a good one everybody!

Love,

M&M

Our New Place, Part II

Here are the rest of the pictures of our apartment!

Happy Saturday! Mark's in class today, so I'm at home right now waiting on the Dish Network man... hopefully he comes soon!

Love you all,

Marci

Jesus, Lover of My Soul

I usually don't write blogs about my faith. I'm afraid of what people will say, afraid of being judged. But something happened to me tonight that I'd like to share with you.

Mark is at a special night class, and I'm home alone. It's been a long day...
Listening to iTunes, this Red Mountain Church song came on. We used to sing it at our church in Columbus, and I usually listen to it and think "wow, that's a great song."
But tonight, the words struck me in a way I wasn't expecting. I felt something I hadn't before, so I skipped back to the beginning of the song, sat in the chair, and really let the song speak to me. At hearing the 2nd verse, I began to weep.

Jesus, lover of my soul,

Let me to Thy bosom fly,

While the nearer waters roll,

While the tempest still is high.

Hide me, O my Savior, hide,

’Til life’s storm is past;

Safe into the haven guide;

Receive my soul at last.

------

Other refuge have I none,

I helpless, hang on Thee;

Leave, oh leave me not alone,

Support and comfort me.

All my trust on Thee is stayed,

All help from Thee I bring;

Cover my defenseless head

In the shadow of Thy wing.

------

Thou, O Christ, are all I want,

Here more than all I find;

Raise the fallen, cheer the faint,

Heal the sick, and lead the blind.

Just and holy is Thy Name,

I am all unrighteousness;

False and full of sin I am;

Thou art full of truth and grace.

------
Plenteous grace with Thee is found,

Grace to cover all my sin;

Let the healing streams abound;

Make and keep me pure within.

Thou of life the fountain art,

Let me take of Thee;

Spring Thou up within my heart;

For all eternity.

------

There have been a lot of times recently when I've felt totally alone. I haven't been trusting or believing that He is with me, the ONE thing that is a constant in this ever changing world.

If you want, you can check this song out at http://www.redmountainchurch.org/rmm/alb/lyrics.html

Our New Place, Part I

Welcome to post 1 of 2 of our new pad! We're settling in well and really enjoying finding our way around St. Louis! Our apartment is great, it's much bigger than our old place, and the basement is full size! It's unfinished, but we're making great use of the space with our washer & dryer, storage area, and workout area (I'm on a new kick to get in shape).
We've been blessed with wonderful neighbors, which makes settling in that much easier! It's pretty crappy here today, rainy & cooler... so I'll have to wait to post pictures of the outside later (with our bedroom & living room too). Enjoy the first series of pictures... many more to come of STL!

Our bathroom.... it's a decent size... I don't know how we survived with such a small BR in Columbus! The hallway... our bedroom is on the right & bathroom on the left. I'm working on the crosses... I'm still in search of 1 more to complete the look.
Our kitchen. I love it. Lots of cupboard space & new stove/oven! Pardon the dishes in the sink... we were spoiled with a dishwasher in Columbus, so now it seems like doing the dishes is a never ending process!

Other side of the kitchen.
Dining space. This was my Grandpa Harnish's table, and we're making great use of it (thanks for bringing it to us, Mom & Dad Timmons! The sliding glass door goes out to a small patio/cement slab.

Please come visit us... you may even get a home cooked meal! We've been having people over for dinner about once a week, so I'm working on my culinary skills.

Stay tuned for more pictures (hopefully later today!)

Love,

Marci

When Questioning Epistemology, Go to the Klosterman

I really like Chuck Klosterman, and so should you. And so should your friends. And your friends' relatives and let's throw a mailman or two in there, I don't care. I like him because he is very honest and (humble?) if you will, in his journalistic approach.

I was recently listening to This American Life (a favorite radio program in the Robertson home), and Klosterman was doing a feature about traveling. He spoke of his recent trip to Germany which lasted nine days. He was especially interested in how Germans felt about Americans. What he discovered was that Germans focused on the wrong things when it came to popular culture in America. They thought Americans were obsessed with cowboys, with Carson Daly and Baywatch. They had it all wrong because mostly, they had little information to work with, and didn't bother to gather more.

When Klosterman returned to the US, someone asked him, "What's Germany like?" And his only response was, "I have no idea." They enquired, "But didn't you just go there for nine days?" "Yes, I did. And I have no idea what it is like." Surely, he could speculate and turn self-centered events of the long week into paragraphs of analysis about German culture, but he would be dead wrong, and he knows it.

We do this all the time. We gather tidbits of information on something and turn it into a worldview that is based on nothing. We must be more careful. We do this about places we've visited, people we've met, and even Christ. We know the story, (basically), but fail to dig deeper because we feel it has little relevance for our lives. Here is to serious journalistic investigation. And to donkey rides. And my wife. She's a winner. And she brings me candy.

It's Borderline Botanical Baby!

Marci and I are really enjoying our Sundays, being that most other days are filled with studying and other seminary related events. All of these things have been really fantastic, but it is nice to take a step back and enjoy time together with just the two of us. This past Sunday we went to the Japanese festival at the Missouri Botanical Garden, which is an astounding place.

Here is a family that we don't know enjoying the very botanical garden that I am discussing. Looks like they're having fun, right?

We relaxed in this peaceful Japanese garden, and tip-toed across this wonderful wooden bridge, which teaches us that the best path is not always a straight line. In one of the climate houses, we were shown rare herbs and plants that are mentioned in the Bible. Under each plaque for the plant was a verse that corresponds, and I am continually amazed at how Scripture makes its way into our lives and our horticulture.

We have also visited the FREE St. Louis Zoo (twice.) It is one of the best zoos I have ever seen, and the best feature is their hippo exhibit. (see above). I have enjoyed greatly learning about the Bible, meeting new friends, and seeing exotic animals. We can say confidently that this is where we are supposed to be. We will blog more frequently now that our Internet is up and running. God bless you!