Dear Yeti,

When I arrived back in Indiana, I was a bit surprised to find that you were now living in the backyard. I will never forget the day that Lynette told me she was going to give you away. I, like everyone else, was completely shocked by the declaration. I never thought I would see the day. I knew there had to be a good reason for her to do something like that. And there was.

I know that I have been hard on you in a lot of ways. I have refused to throw you your gross, slobbery racket ball on more than one occasion; and I scolded you when I found you lying in my bed. But through it, I think we came to a healthy understanding. Believe me I felt sorry for you when you were tied up outside this past month, but there was nothing I could do.

In the end, I think this move has greatly benefited everyone involved, you especially. Now you will be able to run free, learn to hunt, swim everyday while living indoors and being the fun, loving social dog that you are. Lynette is already missing you, even greater than she sometimes will admit.

I hope that you find all the attention, affection, and love you need in your new home. I have no doubt that you will.

When Worlds Collide

October 17-19, 2008
Being back in Indiana, the home of my college years, has brought many faces of old back to the forefront. The encounters have been great but still have been from one aspect of my life. This past weekend, a few other ventures of my life intersected in one of the most unlikely places: Wisconsin.


Originally, this weekend trip to Wisconsin was in order to make an exchange. It was time for Lynette’s dog, Yeti, to move to a new family that would give her all of the attention she deserves. Wisconsin was chosen because it was the halfway point between Minnesota and Indiana.
Lynette worked in WI for 4 summers and one full year so her connections in the area where we were going were significant, a place to stay was easy to come by. The Christian Adventure Association just happened to be having a conference there that weekend. One of the members of the CAA just happens to be a professor that I worked with while at JBU in Arkansas (a fact that I was not aware of until I walked through the door and saw him across the room). Too, the place where we were staying was just across the street from Devil’s Lake State Park where Lynette and I led a group rock climbing while in college. Furthermore, Devil’s Lake is not far from Madison, WI; a city in which a friend from college had moved to some months back. His wife (a good friend who I hadn’t seen in 3 years) is still in Georgia trying to sell their house, but she and their three children just happened to be coming up to WI that same weekend.














In two and a half days, all of these lines intersected some of which quite unexpectedly. All of which really makes me contemplate my past with a smile on my face. It is nice to know that whether it has been months or years since I have seen someone, things always just natural seem to pickup where they left off.

4 seasons

October 10, 2008
Sometimes I find it hard to imagine living in a place that doesn’t experience all four seasons. Each season brings such a unique pleasure, beauty, and those wonderful traditions that I look forward to every year. Being in the Midwest for the fall, I look outside and cannot help but appreciate all the change that is happening. I see the colors of the leaves, the height of the corn, the beautiful weather being not too hot or cold; everything in full transition in preparation for the winter. In many ways, I find this the hardest season to let go of. I have a feeling it will be the same again this year.