Time moves differently here...

Hi all-
So, I thought I would take a few moments to ramble about life in Seminole, OK. Or at least, my life here in Seminole, OK. There are these two poplar trees that are growing between my house and the Cheyarha church. They were planted there when the church was built, some 50+ years ago. (There are also a couple of magnolia trees)... Anyways- I like to walk by these trees during the day and look at them- which I do when I walk up to the street to check the mail- in other words- I watch them daily. Well, I have noticed one of them starting to change into it's fall colors- bright vivid red. But only a little- in fact, if you weren't watching the trees carefully you probably wouldn't even notice it. But there are a couple of patches of red starting to grow on the tree and I just find it fascinating.... Fascinating because I have the time to actually take this in. Fascinating because I love autumn colors- things you don't get to see when life is so busy- or when one lives in Austin... I find this subtle changing of color refreshing... healing even.

Anyways- things are moving along here well. Our softball team has started it's season. The Bible study gained a couple of members this week and we had really good discussion I think and church at Wewoka was a lot of fun this past Sunday. Yes, things are progressing at a nice slow pace, at a pace where I can really stop and smell, touch, see and feel the beauty of this earth...

sorry for the delay folks...

All right- So it's been a while since I had updated... Let's see... Well, I just got back from tonight's homecoming game for Wewoka High School- they won 35-8, with one of the youth from the church on the homecoming court. Uhm... I now have broadband Internet here at the manse- it was finally installed yesterday- which is the biggest reason I haven't updated this here blog. It's hard to believe that I am wrapping up my third week here already. Last weekend I ventured out to Shawnee for the first time, found an office supply store that sells ink for my printer and a movie theater- so I also saw Righteous Kill with Al Pacino and Robert Denaro. It was pretty good I guess- not the greatest thing out (I hope)... I have since been back to Shawnee two more times- once to have dinner with some church members at their family restaurant and then today to find a softball glove- because Wewoka Pres is playing fall ball this year and our season starts tomorrow! (Well our first game is Monday). This past week I also started a weekly Bible study and doing "office hours" at the two churches. Last Saturday I also went to a parade in Seminole honoring the Indians in the area- Seminole Nations Day Parade. The oldest church member at Cheyarha is a full-blood Seminole- so she rode in the parade- they believe, that she is the first Seminole princess- and she in now 93. Her picture, as well as a couple from Cheyarha are below, and an exterior of my little house. Now that I have internet here at the house I hope to be better at this whole updating thing...

So until next time, peace and grace.church above... banner in English and Seminole below (hangs inside the church), house below that

End of the first week...

Hi all-
I am once again at the library checking e-mail and it appears that the Hurricane Ike is getting ready to cause some havoc to Texas- maybe even to Austin- and that makes me very sad. Prayers are with those in the path of the storm- which according to projections we here in Seminole will feel the affects of it come Sunday night- to a much lesser degree of course.

So, I am wrapping up my first week here. Day 7. It has been a good week with some adjusting to this new place. I have been to visit a handful of folks from my two churches and went to the Indian Nations Museum in Wewoka before session meeting on Wednesday. Which was pretty cool and I met the assistant curator who tried (unsuccessfully as I try to recall it now) to teach me a blessing in Seminole. I will have to go back there and get him to teach it to me again.

I am preaching at Wewoka this Sunday which will be my second sermon there- one year later than my first- to the day almost. Lectionary text. Lunch afterwards. Should be a good experience.

Other than that, not much else is going on... Literally. It's pretty quiet here. Not helping is the fact that I was unable to recover anything off my old hard drive, so I am devoid of pix and music that I had acquired over the last few years... Oh well, life...

Hope you are all well, and safe, and Ike some how, falls apart quickly...
C

ok, so what is a sooner?

Greetings all-
Made it to Seminole, OK around 5pm on Saturday, a good 400 miles away from Austin- (or about 6 and a half hours drive time). The little house that I will be living in for the next few months is pretty cool, and reminds me a lot of the house I used to live in up at Kerr Lake when I was a summer camp director- actually the whole place does, for those of you who are P-Point fans, you remember on the drive up where the road splits and you go right and then not too far down the road there is this little white church on the left with a nice big lawn- well, then, you can picture what Cheyarha looks like.
I am venturing slowly into Seminole- yesterday I worshiped with them, preached, had Sunday School, etc. then went to one of the member's houses for lunch. Last night they had a reception at the church (for both Cheyaha and Wewoka) for me. It was nice and we have started to put together the calendar for the fall- at least, I know where I will be each Sunday. I think this will be a great experience and am very glad that this all has worked out so far.
My computer still isn't fixed. The repair person asked if he could come tomorrow- so I am at the public library, which is a lot like the old one Garner, NC used to have. So, hopefully, I will be up and running fully tomorrow- there is even talk of internet at the manse- which would be superfabulous as hockey season is fast approaching (not to mention the fact that I can't get ABC on the television- with internet, I could watch it on the computer- but I digress).
Opened a checking account today, got a stadium chair for the effort. Exciting life I know.
And, I am reading a book (The Shack) that was given to me before I left Durham, which is an interesting read, a little odd, but overall pretty decent I guess...
That's it for me. Getting settled in and all that. Thanks to all of you who wished me happy birthdays and what not... 32. whodathunkit?

hard drive shot...

So last night I was getting ready to start working on a presentation and I left my computer unsupervised for a few minutes, and when I returned, my hard drive had crashed. Awesome. After spending over an hour on the phone today with dell tech support, they have concluded that my hard drive has gone bad and also that I need a new screen... all of which means that i am with out a (working) computer for the next several days, (partially due to the fact that I am moving).
Thankfully, here in Austin i have access to the school's computer labs, but, this is an added stress to have as I try to prepare to arrive at a church of whom I have yet to talk to but have to lead worship at on Sunday after somehow getting into the manse the day before to move in. No biggie. Really.
Anyone want to trade weeks???
No?
My prayers are with you in the RDU area as yall prepare for potential hurricane effects of Hannah (not Gilbert).
Take care and I will try to update again soon. On the positive side, we have a rather nice and friendly group of new students here at APTS- and that's always good.
Until sometime in the future-
C