First Draft Turned In

Last Friday I sent in my first draft to my adviser who said it’ll take him a few weeks to read. O Lord, may the process go smoothly and quickly! Since then, I’ve been making final revisions on a couple journal papers that I wrote before we moved and generally catching up on the rest of life; many things were put on hold or throttled down while I was finishing the first draft.

Among those the things on hold was this blog so I apologize if I haven’t done the best job of keeping people in touch. I hope to do more of that now and perhaps post some updates about how Gloria and I are doing as well as the Lord’s move in Madison.

Currently, Glo and I are still getting settled in. I’d say we’re about 35 to 40% settled in, which is a function of us juggling thesis writing and serving with settling in. Throw in a few weekends where we were out of town and that takes us to our current state. We hope that in the next few weeks we can have a few more things ready…

Speaking of out of town, this weekend we are in a conference in Brooklyn Park, MN, a suburb of Minneapolis and we (and Dave and Jean and kids) are staying with… guess who… Paul and Tonya! It’s great to see them again and to see Spencer a little more grown up at age three. He is a funny (and witty) kid that says a lot of funny things! Right now, Spencer’s telling me about his work. (Daddy goes to work and so does Spencer.) He works at the purple and red spots; he’s inviting me to his work but I can only take red computers, not the silver and black laptop that I’m typing on… I think Gloria got a video of Spencer and Sam playing together and if so, I might try to upload that when we get home. Paul and Tonya are doing pretty well; Tonya is really happy about being back in the Midwest in a more family-friendly environment.

Brother James and Dan are speaking at the conference and personally, I am really enjoying the speaking. I think the reason is that the spirit of the saints is really refreshing. Part of it might have to do with being in Minnesota/the Midwest, though I don’t think that’s not the main factor. Before the meeting, as they were praying and enjoying the hymn, I felt watered and refreshed. This isn’t implying anything about the saints in Northern California, but it has more to do with me being with other saints. It just seems that our spiritual constitution and health is not really made to be in one place for too long and really benefits from being blent with different believers. It’s also really great to see saints from Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Canada.

Egad! It’s October 18th!!

This means I have exactly two months until the deadline to file my thesis. Currently, I’ve been spending nearly all my time finishing the first draft. I need to get it to my adviser asap because in the past with other students, the process of reading and revising has been known to take a few months. The goal was to finish this draft by this weekend, but it looks like Tuesday may be more realistic… O Lord, grace for the writing!

Madison Move: Final Stage

While Gloria and I made it safely to Madison, we have been awaiting the arrival of our possessions and wondering if they fared as well as we did. This final stage of our move was completed last Wednesday, when our shipping cubes arrived around noon and were unloaded in about two hours, with the help of Thuan, Tina, and Dave.

Gloria and I had braced ourselves for the worst; after hearing so many stories from the other saints about their belongings, we had identified a couple areas where things may have been damaged. It seems that rubbing and friction, rather than impact, is the main concern with a move of this distance. Jean noted that all the blankets she had used as protective layers had holes rubbed through them. So….. when we opened our cubes, we discovered that none of our worst fears were proved true. All in all, our things were intact (thank you Lord) and most of the damage was minor involving scratches to furniture surfaces or small chips to the edges.

Now we begin the task of setting up our currently empty apartment. A slow task since it is really happening by the efforts of Gloria as I have been working as much as possible to finish up the dissertation. Interestingly, we have yet to spend a night in our own place. For the first two nights, we stayed with Dave and Jean and had the pleasure of keeping Sam company during the day. The night before our cube arrived, we stayed with Thuan and Tina for two more nights, even though we had our mattress by the second night. The fact is, we could have at least slept in our place from the first night since we brought our Aerobed with us; but the reality is, this isn’t just an issue of convenience–I’ve enjoyed the company and it’s nice to wake up and eat breakfast with saints, or to pray, or just talk, especially when just arriving in a new environment.

And so it seems that the “moving” portion of our migration has concluded. After 2,343.8 miles, five state capitols, and three localities, we have arrived at our destination. It has been an interesting but worthwhile experience. Perhaps I’ll say more about this later.

All Quiet on the (Mid-)Western Front

I concede this blog has been silent these past few days. As some of you know, Gloria and I were on trip to SoCal for a family wedding these past few days. Once our cubes arrived, we unloaded them, left for LA the following day, and returned back to WI yesterday. So although it’s been about a week, we’re still just getting settled in. In fact, last night was our first night in our apt. (Of course that is due in large part to the hospitality of Thuan and Tina as well as Dave and Jean.) While on the trip, my moments of free time, when I wasn’t occupied with family and/or the wedding, were spent working on my papers and dissertation as much as possible so there was little time to update you all. Anyway, we’re back now and starting to settle in, so a few posts are forthcoming.

Going forward with Ready Writer

Praise the Lord, He brought us safely to Madison. Of course, that is just the first step and there is a lot for us to do. As of now, my plan is to update you all topically rather than chronologically, so I’ll let you all know how we’re doing in terms of the apartment, church life, dissertation, etc.

There’s a lot for us to do now, but I’ll do my best to keep you posted. Jean will be leaving for Berkeley this afternoon (related to her work) and she hopes to visit as many saints as possible.

Madison Move Day 7

Day 7 (10/4)

From Lincoln, NE to Madison, WI
Miles Driven Today: 491.0
Total Mileage: 2,348.3

We took the table with the church in Lincoln, which was also very encouraging. There were about 15 saints this morning, although normally there are about 30 saints that meet. It was an enjoyable meeting where the prophesying meeting occurred before the Lord’s Table and the meetings ended around 12:15 pm.

From meeting the saints in Lincoln, I was impressed at some of the different “connections” among the saints and the churches. We met a brother named Greg, moved to Lincoln from Denver six years ago, who installed the carpet of the Berkeley meeting hall. His daughter is now one of the young couples that recently moved to Israel for the Lord’s move, so we have been standing with him and his family in prayer. Another brother named Gary moved to Lincoln from Austin, TX and now travels back and forth between Lincoln and Omaha. He has visited Berkeley and knows many of the saints.
The church meets in a property that they recently purchased with the help of all the churches. The property costed $300k and the church received material offerings from all the churches which amounted to $225k so they were able to purchase the property with a $80,000 loan.
After they finish their current “Holy Word for Morning Revival” (HWMR), they will get into the new HWMR
on “Migration for the Lord’s Move” and they have been receiving all the fellowship concerning migration. I realized it was an encouragement for the saints to receive and fellowship with other saints who are migrating for the Lord’s move.

After being in Lincoln, I had a greater appreciation for the fellowship, spiritual and material, that flows among all the churches. Though each local church is autonomous, we are all part of the same Body, enjoying the same fellowship and following the same move of the Lord. Praise Him!

After leaving Nebraska, we cut through Iowa and entered Wisconsin through its southwest corner. We arrived in Madison at 8 pm and ate some late dinner with Dave and Jean. (Sam was excited to see us.) After that, we stopped by our apartment, called Monticello. Everything was ready for our arrival and we were excited about our new place. Mark, Miriam, Thuan and Tina, greeted us and helped us unload the boxes we packed in our car. After some talking and catching up, we went back to Dave and Jean’s to settle in. Praise the Lord, we are really in Madison.

Madison Move Day 6

Day 6 (10/3)

From Estes Park, CO to Lincoln, NE
Miles Driven Today: 574.2
Total Mileage: 1857.3

Today was supposed to be a more leisurely leg of our drive, but it seems that unforeseen circumstances continue to chip away at our time. The first was a welcome surprise, when we learned that Trail Ridge Road had been re-opened by the Park Service. (Trail Ridge Road is a beautiful drive that takes you through the Rockies and offers panoramic views reaching a peak altitudes of 12,000 feet with steep dropoffs on both sides.) We decided to drive as much of the 45 mile long road as possible, carefully watching the time since we would have to double back over whatever distance we traversed. Our decision rewarded us with a wonderful view at Forest Canyon at 11,100 feet, though we weren’t able to make the peak of the ridge. The second factor was my own lapse in judgment when I realized I had forgot to factor in the time zone difference, which pushed everything back by an hour.

It would be about 10 pm before we would arrive in Lincoln. Interestingly, our hospitality was not at home and could not be reached until they arrived at home at 10 pm so it seems that our timing worked out after all.

We stayed at the home of a couple, the husband who is a professor at the University of Nebraska and the wife is a soprano. He has lived in Lincoln for 10 years first as a graduate student, when he was saved, and now as a professor. (Picture below)

Brother Weixing and sister Judy from Lincoln, NE

Nebraska

Madison Move Day 5

Day 5 (10/2)

Location: Rocky Mountain National Park
Miles Driven Today: 62.0
Total Mileage: 1283.1

Today was a much-welcomed day of recharging by visiting Rocky Mountain National Park. Though there wasn’t the fellowship we enjoyed yesterday but it was great to see some of God’s creation. On a hike during dusk, Gloria and I saw some elk up close.

Gloria up close with an elk (ca. 100 yds)

Currently, it is elk mating season. If you’re interested you can hear the mating call at the end of the 20-second video below. (will upload later).

Caution: the section below has been described by Gloria as “cheesy”. Read at your discretion. (I wanted to try to describe what I see in the mountains.)

Originally, I had debated between two routes to Madison: to go north via the Dakotas and see Mt. Rushmore and the Badlands, or to cut straight east and see the Rockies in Colorado. I had seen the Rockies before in Banff and have always remembered their majesty and beauty. I decided to see them once more and this time, to share them with Gloria.

For me, the Rocky Mountains have always captivated me. These beautiful formations are made of ‘metamorphic’ rock, so called because they are originally igneous or sedimentary rock that has been transformed through heat and pressure deep within the earth’s core. Brought upward to the earth’s surface by powerful geological forces, they are subsequently revealed when the downward force of erosion strips away the outer layer of earth to reveal a marbled mantle, a stately swirl of gray and white tinged with brown. Like the peppered hair of an elder that bespeaks of sagacity and respect, this majestic mantle, an indelible mark from the arduous process these rocks have endured, along with the snow capped peaks produces a stately majesty as one surveys the scene.

Standing aloof in the backdrop, they are the caretakers of all life below them. As they overlook the riparian habitats, rivers stream down from their shoulders to flow water, the source of all life, into the land at their feet. They are also the guardians that reach high into the skies to sequester the clouds trapping in precious precipitation that is so rare in Colorado. Indeed, the origin of the mighty Colorado River traces its humble origin back to this area.

These mountains never fail to impress me and sometimes I find myself wondering if there is any spiritual significance or whether the sight of them will ever tire me. The cold climate has closed off some parts of the park and I wonder if Gloria and I will have a chance to pass through again at some future time.

The Rocky Mountains

Here’s another shot; shhhh-the couple in the bottom right corner just got engaged (we overheard).

Rocky Mtn Proposal

Madison Move Day 4

Day Four (10/1)

From Salt Lake City, UT to Fort Collins, CO to Estes Park, CO
Miles Driven Today: 495.0
Total Mileage: 1221.1

Seeing the saints was the highlight of this day but it seems that time constraints continue to be the running theme (at least thus far).

The morning gave us a chance to repack our car and see some of downtown Salt Lake City (SLC). Afterwards, we met up with a brother named Rod, who is now serving on the University of Utah campus. He was one of the original who took the ground in 1986, after moving to SLC from Austin, TX in 1984. A little later we were joined by another brother named Daniel who moved with his wife from Irvine in 2004 from Irvine. Currently, there are about twenty saints on Lord’s Day with brother Rod as the sole full-timer. It was great to meet some saints in Salt Lake City and they were encouraged to hear of and see some saints migrating to Madison. The downside was that we left SLC a a bit late at 1 pm, putting some pressure on our drive out to Fort Collins, where we were to have dinner with some saints.

At Fort Collins it was wonderful and encouraging to see the fruit of the prayers of all the saints. We arrived near the end of dinner and were able to eat and have some fellowship. We had been praying for Fort Collins and hearing that it was the slowest city of the GTCA to gain traction, but now here we were in the home of an older couple with another young couple and five sisters who have all come here for the Lord’s move. All in all, there are about 20 to 25 saints that meet on the Lord’s Day.

The majority of saints are sisters so there is a need for more brothers in the church. The campus team currently comprises four sisters who are meeting with about nine students. Since there is no player coach, three brothers rotate in on a regular basis: Scott from Irvine, Brian from San Diego and Mark from the Seattle/Bellevue area. Pray for more brothers in Fort Collins!

Fort Collins itself seems to be a great place. Right outside the campus is a historic “Old Town” area filled with many interesting shops, restaurants and boutique stores. This area was in close proximity to where many saints live, yet the vicinity around their homes have nice wide streets with plenty of parking. Though if you prefer an alternative to driving, the whole city and campus is connected with bike trails, according to one brother. (In fact, Gloria and I made an unplanned second visit, since the Elk Festival in Estes Park precluded us from eating lunch there; we opted to stop by the downtown area on our way out to NE and found a delicious Italian restaurant amidst a very amiable atmosphere.) Besides the campus, there is a regional healthcare center that is largest provider in the area spanning north of Denver well into Wyoming. Besides that there is also a technology industry, with the more modern, southern part of Fort Collins hosts Intel, Hewlett Packard and a few others. (Brothers, come to Fort Collins!)

Praise the Lord for our second day of moving, which was bookended by fellowship with the saints! There were a few tense periods during the drive; first in trying to make it to Colorado at a decent hour. Around 5 pm, as we were leaving Rawlings, Wyoming, ominous clouds began to appear above us. With the sun already looming low in the horizon, it seemed a bad formula as our final destination in Estes Park would be at an elevation of about 7,500 feet. A brother in Fort Collins had mentioned a possible storm front coming in that night. Eventually, we drove through those clouds and the weather, though windy, cleared up as we drove south into Colorado. The second trying period came late at night in attempting to find our lodging in Estes Park. We had left Fort Collins late (as generally seems to be the case when with the saints), although we still should have arrived at the inn by about 10:30 pm, a tolerable hour. Unfortunately, a wrong turn in downtown Estes Park left me confused, and at such a late hour I had no idea where to find help or clarifications. After several minutes of futile turns and the meticulous checking of street numbers we found our lodging, much later than expected. I took comfort in knowing that the next day would be a chance to recharge and unwind.

Brothers Rod (left) and Daniel from Salt Lake City

Scenery from the drive through Utah

Madison Move Day 3

Day 3 (9/30)

From Berkeley, CA to Salt Lake City, UT
Miles Driven Today: 726.1
Total Mileage: 726.1

We got off to a late start this morning with last minute cleaning and loading the car, leaving at 9 am instead of 7 am. Fortunately, that gave us a chance to bring some donuts and say good-bye to the full-timers one last time, which I’m sure meant a lot to Gloria and the serving ones. Amazingly, Gloria said good-bye without crying, though she was tearing up by the time we exited the meeting hall.

As we turned onto I-80 East and drove away from Berkeley, I realized it was goodbye. For me, words flowed out instead of tears as I began to reminisce or comment about our years there. This was too much for Gloria and since she was feeding me a muffin we had bought for breakfast, I soon found myself chewing on copious and unending portions of banana walnut muffin to prevent me from talking further.

This segment of our drive was the longest leg and the travel was tedious and tiring. The distance from Berkeley to Salt Lake City is about 760 miles, a distance which normally requires about 10.5 hours of driving, not including the one hour loss when crossing time zones. Unfortunately, there was road work all along I-80 from California throughout Nevada. In many places we were reduced to single line traffic where we plodded along behind a trailer at less than 60 mph. In places where the freeway was originally one lane wide, we were reduced to driving on the shoulder–a particularly tiring task because I had to drive right over those safety ridges lest the car begin to vibrate madly and hum angrily at me. For those stretches, I felt like I was on a ride at Disneyland as I watched a row of cars driving along over the white lane line like it were a vehicle track. We went through these roadwork areas about eight times, which each stretch lasting at least a couple miles. Add to that the roadwork in the Sierra Nevada and I think we may have lost a about an hour or hour an a half. I was especially disappointed because I have longed to see the Great Salt Lakes outside of Salt Lake City ever since I missed the opportunity a few years ago. By the time we reached the city it was dark and difficult to see the lakes. I called a brother in Salt Lake City and though it was too late to meet tonight, there may be a chance to have some fellowship tomorrow morning.

Despite the delays, we made it safely to Salt Lake City and not in the least do they mitigate the praise to our gracious Lord. Praise the Lord for His move and for HIs covering over our moving in HIs move! Hallelujah! Praise the Lamb!

This morning, Gloria and I read Ezekiel 1:19-20, which describes the wheel moving beside the four living creatures. It made me realize that as we were driving out to Madison, there is a wheel beside us! On one hand we are following the migrating Lamb to Wisconsin, but on the other hand, He is going with us as we take the lead to migrate to the Midwest. How exiting and glorious!