GroshLink

Check out UCD provost Heckler leaving for Valparaiso. Why? The article highlights an Etown College alum's appreciation for Etown College's faith based education (of 1977) as he was announced as Valpraiso's new president.  Valpo's coverage is here, with links to his CV (including the various productions he was involved with on campus), and his acceptance speach. Praise God and may these testimonies continue!

Pray for me [Tom] over the course of January 2-6 as I take part in InterVarsity Christian Fellowship's National Staff Conference, St. Louis, MO. I'll briefly share in two seminars:

1. How to 'identify, encourage, and equip' Christian scholars to be redeeming influences in higher education:  I'll relate how to begin the process. Pray for the ability to choose 1-2 stories from the various campuses from which I'm connected: Carnegie Mellon, Dickinson, Duquesne, Elizabethtown, F&M, Penn State Harrisburg, & Pitt.  (More)

Looking forward to Eden getting around in the new year.  Over the past several days she's been taking 5-6 steps between destinations, when encouraged. Praise God! 

Physical therapy today, speech therapy tomorrow, ear-nose-throat (ENT) Monday, occupational therapy next Wednesday, and the cycle marches on with various evaluations for good measure . . . but with the joy of knowing the Father is working through these daily investments to re-fashion Eden in a redempive manner.  Not to menion, how much we're being molded more into the image of Christ as the Spirit humbles us by filling us with patience, perseverance, faithfulness . . . Your prayers and encouragements are a great blessing to the whole family.  We rejoice in the intercession and care of the people of God. 

The past several days have been filled with activity as we pushed to finish bedrooms for Ellen and Hayley before year end.  We did it, they were able to sleep in their own rooms on December 31.  Now we await for the sonogram on January 8 to begin renovation of Ellen and Hayley's old room . . . and we've only been in the house for a little over 1 year ;-)

As to traditions . . . instead of singing the old drinking song immortalized by Robert Burns, we capped the year off with sharing what we've been thankful for (the Lord's daily provision for our transition in family/home/congregation/ministry, the near completion of the house, 1st and 2nd grade with Mrs. Spickler) and what we're looking forward to in the coming year (birthdays, a new baby, 3rd grade, InterVarsity Conferencing).  But tradition was not lost as we had fondue New Year's Eve and pork-n-sauerkraut on New Year's Day.  It was quite a treat to hear Theresa's grandfather and father share memories of growing up on the farm interspersed (corrected when necessary by those around the table) with living today versus knocking down a right good-will draught with the mythology of the good old days which never were and to which we can never return.

Kevin Offner, a friend on InterVarsity Christian Fellowship's Graduate & Faculty Ministry, will be leading the below seminar on Sunday, January 20, in Washington, D.C.  If you're in the area, I commend it to you.  If you're not in the area, take a few minutes to read his Touchstone magazine piece, Three’s No Crowd.

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