GroshLink

Boom.  Boom.  Boom.

That's the sound of Lily hitting milestones.  And it seems about that fast too.  She made her first forward crawling motion last Monday (2/16) and became a proficient crawler on Saturday (2/21).  The sitting-still stage was so nice while it lasted.  Now nothing is safe, as her sisters are quickly finding out.  She can gobble up a homework paper faster than you can say my baby sister ate my homework. I need to vacuum about every other day because Lily puts everything in her mouth and I'm just not comfortable with her eating leftovers she finds under the dining room table.  During the (literally) one minute that I walked away from her today she knocked over the (thankfully empty) kitchen trash can and was trying to chew on the garbage bag. 

She's also started to babble more -- d's and m's.  I'm so much more aware of the developmental markers with Lily.  With Ellen and Hayley I just took their development for granted.  With Eden I watched her so closely to see when she reached long awaited milestones.  I still do.  Just last week she took her shirt off by herself.  If she was typical for her age I would have reprimanded her because it was not an appropriate situation to remove one's shirt.  But I was just so thrilled to watch her do it I let her go.  Never again will I take typical development for granted.

No, I don't mean Fasnaught Day preparations.  Even though I'm from and living in PA Dutch Country with the opportunity for purchasing some doughnuts on my mind ;-)  Instead I'm referring to gathering good Lenten resources (from the web and our shelf) while framing our family's Lenten Journey around Christine Sine's 2009 Lenten Guide: A Journey Into Wholeness.  Anyone interested in joining us? 

To introduce the season, our family considered What Is Lent Anyway? followed by watching and discussing the Reflection for Lent youtube video. Our twins particularly had interest in the Mutunga Challenge, i.e., each person in the family eating for under $2.00 a day for 1 week of Lent (and then carrying over this challenge into the rest life giving the difference of money spent to support the poor in Africa, the Caribbean and Guyana).

When tucking the twins into bed, I shared from The Lenten Tree: Devotions for Children & Adults To Prepare for CHRIST's DEATH and HIS RESURRECTION (by Dean Lambert Smith).  Hayley noticed the other book I had with me, i.e., Bread and Wine: Readings for Lent and Easter, had a similar cover to Watch for the Light: Readings for Advent and Christmas -- quite observant. 

Father grant us the grace to recognize our brokenness and walk through the healing season of Lent to arise with your Son in resurrection power, to live lives marked by the bursting forth of the fruit of the Spirit as part of the public testimony of the salt, light, and leaven of the Body of Christ.

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What is true hospitality? It’s a way of living that models God’s love and welcome of us. We love and welcome others because God has loved and welcomed us. But we also embrace others because God loves and welcomes them as much as he does us. (I know we all say we believe this, but it’s a radical notion when we really take the time to ponder it.) True hospitality tries to see others with God’s eyes, and when we do that we realize just how loving and welcoming God is! -- Quote from Hospitality From the Heart, by Erika Dekker

Dear Partners in the Campus Mission,

We rejoice in your prayers over Valentine’s weekend! God showed favor, even extended hospitality in and through, the Mid-Atlantic Graduate Student Winter Retreat which Tom directed on the theme of Being Hospitable, (pictures posted at http://groshlink.net/album/09-winter-retreat). In addition to the provision of stamina, good decision making, and the ability to offer a hospitable learning environment/community through a Spirit-led staff team effort, some memorable moments include:  (More)

Totally missed the game.  How my interests and use of time has changed.  But I'm still interested in comments from the zen master. ...

"This is something that the people work together, people find a way to get through situations, find harmony in their life, find co-habitation,” Jackson said. “I hope this speaks volumes not just for our community in basketball but our world community, too.”

Now I'm interested what Jackson has to say with regad to next steps for those of us committed to live together in communities.  Communities where we don't want to (and many times) can't just walk away, let alone be paid millions of dollars and receive national/international media attention to do such.  True harmony is tough. I've been learning more and more how unnatural (or should I say supernatural) it is. ... Join me in prayer that our family, friends, local congregation, and community would be infused with the fruit of the Spirit as we start a new day:

love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. -- Galatians 5:22-23

Lily has mastered the belly-to-sitting maneuver. I get a knot in my stomach just thinking about how few days are left before she's crawling. Yikes. The honeymoon is soon over.

In other news, we had Eden's IEP (Individualized Education Plan) meeting this past week. It's great to see "officially" the progress she has made this past year. She will continue at STARS preschool at Schreibers two mornings a week. It's a fabulous place. Major goals in each of the areas include: (PT) Walking in a more balanced, controlled manner. (OT) Managing self-care activities such as dressing herself. (Speech) Making the "s" and "f" sounds in conversation. (Classroom) Playing cooperatively with peers. There are many more goals, but that's a sample. Her teacher told me of a funny situation during circle time when Eden stood up in front of everyone and belted out "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" (a Sunday School version). She says there's a video of it so maybe we'll acquire that some day.

The search process is beginning for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship's new Information Technology Services Director. This position will provide leadership and management to leverage the effective use of enterprise architecture and technology which supports and enhances achievement of the Fellowship's operational and strategic goals.

Preferred candidates will have an advanced degree in Information Technology and ten years of experience managing IT systems and personnel. Anyone have interest or know someone who would be a good candidate? Carnegie Mellon alum? On-line info/application here

It's hard to keep up with Eden as she roams around and get's into things.  Great to witness the development and a great stretch upon our sanctification. ... Pray for the Father to fill us w/the fruit of the Spirit and that we would become more Christ-like.  Almost since the new year began, our family's been regularly praying for 'patience, gentleness, and self-control.' 

Below is an email which we sent to our partners in ministry.  If you are not receiving e-updates and have interest in receiving them a 1x month, drop us an email.

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But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay.  Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.” When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.  -- Ruth 1:16-18

Dear Partners in the Campus Mission, 

Below are some highlights of family and ministry from the past several months:  

1.  Pray for Tom to have the stamina and the ability to make wise decisions as he directs "Being Hospitable," the Mid-Atlantic Graduate Student Winter Retreat this weekend, http://www.gfmma.org/retreat.  Please visit/print the Winter Retreat Schedule in order to join us in prayer for the retreat.  Note: the weekend will be formed by material/insights from the book of Ruth.

2.  Pray for Theresa to manage household affairs as Tom's away, particularly since all the girls have 'off school' Friday and Monday.  Praise God for friends and family who are helping this come together!

3.  Praise God for His financial provision!  Through the gifts of His people, we met our 6 month fiscal year budget.  Pray for the next 1/2 of our fiscal year, which ends June 30.

4.  Praise God for his amazing work at Following Christ 08. Audio of main sessions is available here.  It was a great joy for both of us to serve on the intercessory prayer team.  Thank-you to all who helped care for our girls during the conference.

5.  Another update will come after the retreat to share with you about the gathering and provide info on Andy Crouch's visit to Central PA on Sunday, April 19.  Andy will be coming to Elizabethtown BIC to talk about his book, Culture Making: Recovering our Creative Calling.  On-line information can be found at here.  Below is a picture of Tom with Andy, taken at the Following Christ conference in December.

 

 

May God richly bless you as you grow more and more into the image of Christ Jesus,

Tom & Theresa Grosh
InterVarsity Christian Fellowship
Mid-Atlantic Faculty Ministry Catalyst
http://www.groshlink.net
http://blog.emergingscholars.org/author/tomg/

PS.  Financial support for this strategic ministry should be directed to "InterVarsity Christian Fellowship" P.O. Box 7895, Madison, WI 53707-7895.  Please enclose a separate piece of paper indicating that the gift is for the work of "Tom Grosh."  On-line giving can be found at http://www.intervarsity.org/donate/to/Tom_Grosh

'Students and Faculty Transformed, Campus Renewed, and World Changers Developed.'

Have thoughts on Fresh fruit in February as cultural artifact? Share at Culture Making's 5 Questions. Below's our first set of thoughts ... more coming, as weather and time permits ;-)  Can't wait to have Andy join Elizabethtown Brethren in Christ on Sunday, April 19!

Quite frankly, ‘fresh fruit’ in central PA which has been imported from warmer climates makes it more difficult to eat healthy. While at the grocery store on Monday, Theresa passed up the South American grapes that were on sale because she learned at a seminar how soft, fragile fruits retain the most pesticides. We’re likewise not buying imported blueberries, which (along with strawberries) never approach the taste of fresh picked, in-season berries in the supermarket. We opt instead to stock the freezer with strawberries, blueberries, and peaches when they are local and in-season during the summer months.

Our family is trying to make small steps toward more in-season, local foods and canning some of our own foods for year round. Even if we’re not always successful, we’re conscious of it. Theresa did buy the Mexican avocados that were on sale this week. And bananas are a staple at our house. But we’re trying to make small steps toward change, living more simply, more connected to the seasons, and with greater health.

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If you're unfamiliar w/the Terrible Towel and how it benefits the common good, take a few minutes to read For Terrible Towels, a Wonderful Legacy (NY Times article).  If you have stories to share regarding the Terrible Towel and your family, share them below.  Here are some pictures of our girls during the first half of night's game.

  

PS.  In case you haven't already done such, take a minute to observe Intelligent life from space waves the Terrible Towel (youtube post of communication from the International Space Station.  HT to Joe).

Thank-you to my friend Joe who shared this link to communication from the International Space Station, Expedition 18 Commander Mike Fincke, a Pittsburgh native, who showed his true colors as he offered encouragement for the Pittsburgh Steelers in a downlink message from the station on Jan. 16, 2009.

As part of the subsequent Facebook conversation regarding the message I stated:

Yes, both intelligent life above (in the space station) and below place a lot of confidence in steel and the "men of steel" ... nothing less than a "new creation" of iron, carbon, and various other elements (including some impurities which are in process of refinement).

Game time approaches and we'll see what's in the Cards when they face 'da Steel Curtain with Big Ben at the offensive helm.  I must confess if Warner pulls this off, he'll have quite the NFL underdog success story (coupled with his run with the Rams).