Let-Him-Shine

North Shore 2011

2011-06-09T21:36:00.006-05:00

My sister and her family came up to MN from Florida for a visit. Since they were in town, we decided to take a family trip up to the North Shore. We love staying at Superior Ridge and this year was no exception. It was just perfect there! Each family had their own room and two of the rooms had decks and kitchenettes.

Tim and I came up a day later than the rest of the family and when we arrived, everyone was heading to Carlton Peak to go hiking. Andrew and I needed naps from the long car ride, so we stayed back. Everyone had a great time on the hike, but they were all very tired when they got back.

Below, Melissa, Tracy and Laura get to rest after making it to the top of the peak!

Here is a view from the top of Carlton Peak! Just Beautiful!!
Andrew loved collecting rocks (it runs in the family). He had his pockets and hands full of rocks!

On Monday night, we drove up to Grand Marais for dinner. The kids (and adults) loved sitting on the beach throwing and skipping rocks in the water.

We ate supper at Sven & Ole's Pizza. Tim and I ordered the vegetarian pizza (aren't you proud of us, Wendy?? :o) and it was probably the best pizza I have ever eaten! If you are ever in Grand Marais, that is the pizza to get!!!

On Tuesday night, after the guys got back from a full day of fishing, we had the mandatory (because of popular demand) salmon dinner. Dan, my brother-in-law, has a special marinade that he uses on salmon, then he grills the fish on smoked pieces of wood and the flavor is out of this world! All the kids gobbled up their fish and I don't think there were any leftovers that night!

These pictures are a little out of order. These are the pictures of the guys BEFORE fishing. It was pretty rough for them on the water, lots of mosquitoes, and not many fish, so the AFTER picture is not available for viewing :o)

Gooseberry Falls is so beautiful and the kids had so much fun playing in the water!

Our last event before heading home was a family picnic by Lake Superior. We had such a wonderful time together and we are already planning next year's North Shore trip! I'm so thankful to the Lord for giving me such a wonderful family!

Trip to CA

2011-05-17T21:53:00.006-05:00

I arrived in sunny California around 11pm in the evening (1am MN time). The weather was so wonderfully warm! It was what I had been looking forward to for weeks! My family picked me up at the airport and before arriving at our condo, they treated me to an In & Out burger - delicious - especially since I hadn't had dinner.

Above is a picture of our condo and below is a picture of the view we had from our deck.

For lunch the next day, we ate at a wonderful deli/bakery called "Shermans" I loved the signage they had around the place :o)

Just LOOK at that sandwich that Dan is holding. It is a Rueben with pastrami on it rather than corned beef. He let me take a bite and I can't remember when I've eaten a better sandwich! It was Incredible!

Next we headed to the Living Desert. I wasn't quite sure what to expect and when we arrived, I realized that there really is no way to KNOW what to expect until you have been there for yourself. It was a cross between a zoo, park and a museum.

After the Living Desert - where the temps reached over 90 degrees - compared to the 50 degree weather back home - it was time to go swimming. The place where we were staying had a pool for everyone to use. It was probably the nicest pool I have ever swam in! If only I could pack the pool and the weather in my suitcase and take it home with me...

My grandma celebrated her birthday while we were in CA, so we all went out to Tommy Bahama's restaurant to celebrate. It was a memorable night with good company, expensive food, lots of appetizers (we ordered at least 6 for our table), pigeons walking under our table, a bread basket that caught on fire, and a broken salt shaker. Yes, a very memorable night.

I posted the picture of the street sign because this street "El Paseo" pronounced "El Pass A O" is the main street where all the high-end stores are located. If you want good shopping, this is where it is at. Of course, Tim gave me a wad of cash before I left on the trip and he told me, "buy whatever you want, honey". Okay, wishful thinking... Just looking in the store windows told me that I wasn't in Kansas anymore.

While it was a wonderful trip and I absolutely LOVED the warm weather, I was really missing Tim. He did a great job taking care of Andrew. Unfortunately, Andrew got sick while I was gone, so Tim had to be a doctor as well as a Daddy for a couple of days.

I'm so thankful for family and the opportunity to go out to CA for a visit.

It's spring in our hearts!

2011-03-08T16:08:00.014-06:00

Though weeks turn into months, winter seems to last forever in Minnesota. Listening to local weather, I learned that up to date this year was the 7th snowiest on record. We did get blanketed with the snow storms this year. However, we are comforted with signs of spring...

ROBINS!!!

Because the snow came so early and stayed this year, the ground did not freeze like it usually does. These red-breasted birds that usually appear in the spring are already searching the ground for worms. We hope that this is a sign of a mild March and an early spring.

Drew is 13 1/2 months and is sprouting up like a weed. He just cut his 7th tooth and is so close to walking that it could be any day now. He loves to tease, play games, and read books among many other things. Andrew is always moving, but we are making encouraging headway in teaching him "no touch" and "lie still". Below is a movie recorded tonight.

Mare is excited that it worked out coming up in March for her to join her grandparents and family for a couple days in Palm Springs, California. I will be watching Andrew while she is gone, which will be a good break for her. I know that this will be a special time with her family, so it was worth the expense.

My family is headed to Washington D. C. at the end of April and God graciously worked it out for me to join them for four days. I have never toured the Capital and since I love history, I am thrilled to go. Marilyn seems just as excited to have me go because she knows how much I enjoy history and politics. I am so thankful that God has allowed me this privilege. -Tim

A Night Out

2011-02-09T22:54:00.014-06:00

Ruby Tuesday: one of our favorite places to eat

Marilyn and I were both thinking that this Tuesday night was a good time to spend a little time out together. We tried to find somebody to watch Drew, but it was last minute, so that didn't work out. He did so well at the restaurant that we really enjoyed the meal. I ordered steak, which was excellent!

Our boy: He is growing up so fast! (More Below)

Mare tried Chicken Alfredo with broccoli. I usually prefer red or pesto sauce for pasta, but her entree was delicious! The meal was super cheap for us because we had a coupon and a gift card. What a blessing that was.

Now a quick news update:

Drew is growing up so quickly. We just had the family over to celebrate his 1st birthday. He is not walking yet, but it could happen any day now. The other day, I was holding my cell phone and he stood up on his own to reach for it. I was so proud of him.

Drew loves music. I'm looking forward to teach him how to sing and Mare will no doubt be giving him piano lessons. We are understanding the joys of parenting. The Bible is true when it states that children are a blessing. We daily thank Him for our boy!

Last weekend I got out on the ice to skate in our annual Havlik Cup invitational game. The weather was perfect for Minnesota hockey. We all had fun and no one got hurt, though one of Josh's skate blades cracked in half near the end of the final period. It took away our momentum, we lost by a goal. It was still a blast!

All my brothers and I played except for Sam, who is training in the Marines. We were all touched that prior to the game, Shawn, our announcer, called us to remember Sam and his service to our country.

Mike poses with Sam at boot camp graduation

Defending our freedoms always requires sacrifices. We hope and pray that our men and women in uniform stay safe as they uphold the call of freedom that we hold dear. May God bless them all. Sam, we miss you. We trust that God will keep watch over you while you are gone.

As a Christian, the greatest benefit of freedom is the right to worship the Triune God openly and in fellowship with other believers without the threat of persecution. Too often we take this gift for granted. Let us dedicate ourselves to living a life that is worthy of the God and Savior that we serve! -Tim

Christmas Memories 2010

2011-01-07T21:35:00.015-06:00

Well, another Christmas has come and gone. This year was especially busy for us because Tim was working on graduate projects all the way up until December 31st. Lord willing, Tim will graduate in May with a Masters in Theology!! I'm so excited and proud of him
and all the hard work he has done.

This year my sister Jen and her family joined us for Christmas. It was wonderful having them here for the holidays! Because we don't get to see them very often, we asked Ashley to take some pictures of the 4 sisters and the kids. Good thing Ashley didn't know exactly what she was getting herself into, otherwise she may not have been willing to take the pictures. The place was a nut house trying to get the kids ready and focused for the pictures! When one was looking at the camera, 3 others were crawling away :o) We did get a few good pictures! Thanks so much, Ashley!!

Above is a picture of Andrew and his partner in crime - cousin Zac. My sister-in-law watches Andrew during the day so I can go to work. Zac and Andrew have become good friends, although they have opposite personalities, so it will be interesting to see how they interact as they grow up :o)

Christmas Morning was at Tim's family's home. It was a great time together and it was especially fun 'cuz everyone was home for Christmas this year! This was Andrew's very first Christmas and he opened his first gift with Uncle Nate. It was a big, red dump truck and after it was opened, Andrew began to cry! Maybe it was 'cuz Andrew was hoping for a winter hat like his uncle had.

On Sunday, the 26th, we celebrated Christmas with my side and had a great time opening gifts and laughing together. The picture below depicts the handiwork of me and my sister Melissa. We wrapped a special gift for my sister Tracy. A lot of hard work and lots of love went into the gift wrapping, but I don't think Tracy truly appreciated our effort!

My little bundle of joy!

Below is a picture of our big happy family (girlfriends included :o) The Lord has blessed us so much this past year, and He continues to pour out His blessings on our lives. He is so good to us and we are overwhelmed by His love and goodness in our lives. -Mare

San Diego, CA

2010-10-19T20:31:00.012-05:00

we arrived in un-sunny San Diego on Wednesday night around 11pm (1am MN time). It was our first visit to California and we were excited to see Sam - Tim's brother - graduate from Marine bootcamp and also see some of the sights in San Diego.

On Friday, October 15th, Sam Havlik became a Marine! It was so stirring to see all the new Marines lined up with a large American Flag waving in the breeze behind them. The Marine Marching Band played the Star Spangled Banner while proud parents, siblings and friends looked on, with their right hands covering their hearts. We are so glad we could be there to be a part of this exciting time in Sam's life.

As I said above, San Diego was un-sunny - the whole time we were there, we didn't see the sun once! The hotel had a lovely pool/hot-tub area, but I never enjoyed it (other than taking a picture with me sitting on one of the lawn chairs wearing my sweatshirt and sweat pants!) I definitely packed for sunshine and am thankful that I brought some sweats 'cuz that is about all I wore the whole time!! :o)

For lunch after Sam graduated, he wanted to go to a wonderful fast food restaurant called "In & Out". I guess ALL the Marine graduates decided to go there for lunch because the whole place was PACKED OUT!! Even the drive thru was packed. Below is a picture of the drive thru line-up that wrapped around the back of the building to the other side of the restaurant. Once we got the burgers and fries, though, I realized that the food was worth the wait. IT WAS DELICIOUS!!! Definitely go there for lunch if you are ever in San Diego!

After lunch we went on a boat ride around the San Diego harbor. It was pretty awesome to see so many huge military ships in the harbor and to see sea lions hanging out on docks in the harbor.

I love the black and white photograph "Kissing the war good-bye". Below we saw the statue that was inspired by that photograph. So cool!!
Below is a picture of the USS Midway. This war ship was docked in the harbor and we wanted to get a tour of the ship, but weren't able to. Next time!!

On Saturday, we all spent the day at the San Diego Zoo. It was pretty incredible to see the bird sanctuary and the hippos. We took the tour bus around the zoo and saw so many awesome animals that God has created! He sure is creative and imaginative!! Below, Tim and his brothers Dan and Chris are stopping to take a little break from all the walking at the zoo.

Andrew was tuckered out and took a little nap in the carrier that Tim brought (I told Tim not to bring it 'cuz I didn't think we'd use it. Good thing he didn't listen to me :o)
It was so great that Jordan and Grace came up from Texas for the graduation. It was fun getting to see them and hang out with them over the weekend. Andrew just loves Grace and enjoyed all the attention she gave him.

Saturday night, after dinner, we all went out for icecream to Cold Stone. It was a delicious treat!!

The last big thing we did before heading home to MN was to visit the beach. How could we come home saying that we never went to the beach when we were in California?? Even though it was overcast and cold, we still had a blast! Almost everyone played football in the sand. Andrew loved the ocean water and all the sand. It was a great way to end our time in San Diego! -Mare

Fall Photo Shoot

2010-10-10T17:17:00.003-05:00

My friend, Ashley, came over the other night for dinner, and to help me buy a new vacuum! While she was over, she graciously offered to take some Fall photos of Andrew. It was fun watching her work and interact with Andrew. Ashley did a great job! Thanks so much, Ashley for taking these photos!! :o) -Marilyn

Up North in the Fall

2010-10-03T22:07:00.006-05:00

Every Fall, my parents like to drive up to the North Shore to see all the beautiful colors of the changing leaves. This year, Andrew and I were the only ones who were able to accompany my parents Up North. My mom rode up with me and my dad followed up later in the evening. We drove through Duluth (traffic was down to one lane and just crazy!), passed Two Harbors, continued on to Silver Bay, kept going until we reached our destination in a little town called Schroeder, MN. Here in Schroeder we stayed at a very nice resort/hotel called Superior Ridge

me and my morning coffee are rarely parted :o) Below is a picture of the room Andrew and I stayed in.

my mom said that she would watch Drew while Dad and I packed up the cars. When I came into the room to get some of the suitcases, I found Drew with a cord to my mom's curlers in his mouth! My next trip to the room revealed Drew with a curler in his mouth. My mom said it was keeping him occupied.

my parents treated me to breakfast at our favorite spot - the Blue Water Cafe in Grand Marais. A big omelet, 2 pancakes generously filled with wild blueberries, coffee and grapefruit juice . . . I'm already excited for next year!

my mom loves the Ben Franklin store in Grand Marais, so we darted in there before going for our hike and my mom bought Drew a little hooded sweatshirt.

when we reached the Cascade Falls where we were going to go hiking, I was going to put my purse in the trunk and lock up the car, however, because my mom works at a bank and see a lot of fraud & forgery cases, she insisted that we take our purses with us on the hike! :o) Below you can see the serious hikers (who look more like shoppers :o)

we had a blast Up North and I am so thankful that the Lord gives us these Fall colors to enjoy. Fall is one of my favorite seasons!! I love the crunch of the leaves under your feet, wearing warm sweaters, drinking hot beverages, football and apple picking. God has given us so many wonderful things to see and enjoy! He is so good! -Marilyn

New Lives Bring Life to a Family

2010-08-09T10:46:00.009-05:00

They say that babies grow up so fast. It is so true. Drew is already inhaling the baby food that we have started feeding him. He will eat almost anything that we feed him. One thing is for sure, no one will ever accuse our boy of "eating like a bird."

Josh and Bethany's boy is also growing like a weed. Zach was not 7 pounds when he was born, but now he weighs over 13 pounds. What a big boy!

Grandma holding Zach (she and Dad are loving their role)

The other day I was letting Andrew suck on my finger and felt something hard. "A tooth! Drew has cut a tooth!" I exclaimed to Marilyn. Sure enough, he has his first took on the bottom of his mouth. The other breakthrough for our little guy has been his mobility. Drew was always a baby that had to be moving and we could tell that he was frustrated that he couldn't crawl. That changed a few weeks ago. Now he is scooting all over the house. We have removed the cords and other dangers that he is able to reach.

Zach is not as antsy as Drew, but is a well built baby who we are convinced will be a stocky, tough kid. Zach is much more easy going which will balance Drew's personality as they become friends. Bethany will be baby-sitting Drew starting in September.

Of course, we have to have a little fun after the babies go to sleep. It was a good night for Settlers of Catan. Bethany barely won over Marilyn and Josh was heavy on their heels (I was never much of a threat, but I did well with the position I had).

Josh and Bethany have been doing well. Josh's income as an insurance agent is starting to pay off. On top of that, they have been making tons of progress on remodeling their home. They are just finishing their kitchen. Wow does it look nice! It is great to have them so close by. Not only are they family, but also great friends. Mare and I thank God for the privilege of having most of our families within close driving distance. It must really be hard when families are states or countries apart. We are counting our blessings, especially the new additions that make our lives so lively. - Tim

Itasca 2010

2010-07-22T10:37:00.006-05:00

Every year Tim's family goes camping at Lake Itasca. This year, was especially special because 1) we were celebrating Sam's birthday 'cuz he was heading to bootcamp and joining the Marines 2) Grace & Jordan were going to be flying to MN to go camping with the family 3) Bethany was 38 weeks pregnant and still wanting to go camping and sleep in a tent - she is one spunky lady!

Unfortunately Nate & Mike were not able to make the trip, but we still had a wonderful time as a family!

Itasca is Beautiful! We wanted to get out on the lake, but that didn't happen for Tim and me this year. When we arrived, everyone, except for me and Drew who were taking naps, went for a bike ride. Later, Tim took Drew and me to the bike shop and he bought some us some popcicles.

Andrew really enjoyed the walk and fell asleep halfway through the journey. We spotted a bunch of Ladyslipper flowers along the dirt road and really enjoyed the sunshine and cool breeze.

When we got back to camp, a bunch of us played a board game - "Ticket to Ride" It was a fun strategy game and mom beat us all!

It was great having Grace & Jordan on the trip. ( I posted this picture especially for Ashley.)

Mom made brownies for Sam and we all sang "Happy Birthday" to him. I'm really going to miss him while he's at bootcamp, but I'm so proud of him for joining the Marines! As far as I know, Sam's the first one since Grandpa Kurtz to join the military. Way to go, Sam!

As darkness set in, a big Rook tournament began. There were two separate games going on - one in the tent and one by the fire. It went late into the night and got pretty intense! Drew and I went to bed well before the games were done.

Here's Bethany and Josh. Bethany is such a trooper! She gave birth to Zachery Caleb on June 16th, 2010. He is such cutie-pie! Our next post will include pictures of Zach.

On the way home (before we got pulled over by a policeman and before Andrew cried for 2 hours straight) Tim surprised me with A&W for lunch. Even though it was delicious, let's just say that A&W is not "Fast Food" :o) We had a great trip and were able to pack in a lot of activities in just 2 days! We love our family and are so thankful for these times that we can spend with them! God is so good!! -Marilyn

Dave & Tanya's Wedding

2010-07-22T09:48:00.004-05:00

My cousin Dave got married a little over a month ago to a very sweet girl from Canada. They had their wedding at the historic courthouse in Stillwater and it was beautiful. There were about 40 people at the wedding - just a small family gathering. Everything went well and it was a beautiful ceremony. I've posted some photos from the day.

Drew looks scared in this photo

Their car was decorated with streamers. One side of the car had red, white and blue streamers for the USA and the other side had red & white streamers for Canada.

Andrew did quite well at the wedding. We brought along an exer-saucer for him to sit in. As I was in line getting my food, I noticed my mom and sister power walking to the bathroom with

Andrew. I hurried through the line, put my plate down and went to go investigate. Apparently, he had a diaper blow-out while in his exer-saucer, and it took two people to get the situation under control. My sister asked me if I had a plastic bag. I gave her one and she placed a balled up wad of something in the bag. Thinking it was Andrew's dirty diaper, I threw the bag in the trash. It was only on the way home that it hit me - like a bolt of lightening - that my sister had put Andrew's cute (but dirty) outfit in the bag and I had thrown his clothes away! (way to go, Marilyn!) :o) -Marilyn

Observations of a New Parent

2010-05-20T12:00:00.005-05:00

Though parenting has its challenges, we are starting to get into the rhythm of caring for a young life. I try to help balance the load for Marilyn, who is juggling feeding and hands on care for Drew, a part time job, piano lessons, a host of church responsibilities, and other concerns related to being a wife. (The picture above is Andrew's first walk in our "Snugglie" carrier. The walk wore the little guy out; he slept for 10 hours that evening.)

Andrew (Drew, for short) is as babies go, an inseparable part of our life and is precious to us. Though, he can be frustrating, too, as you parents know little ones can be. It is often hard to get things done with Andrew not always sleeping or feeding as we would like, but we are learning how to get him to eat and nap in a more manageable pattern.

Yet, we are thankful that our little son is generally good-natured and fairly easy to care for. Drew is quick to smile and is rapidly adopting to our active life: learning to sleep in various different surroundings and to be quiet while we are away from home often when he is tired or hungry. (Above: Drew has just found his feet. He likes using them to play with his hanging toys.)

He is a chronic-sucking machine. When he starts teething, I'm sure that he will be gnawing on everything, too. Drew has no trouble eating.

My prayer is that I can be a spiritual leader in my home. I regularly try to read Scripture to him in the mornings. He may not understand yet, but eventually I hope that he will learn the importance of seeking God.

We have a lot of fun together. One of the most enjoyable things is making Drew laugh. Today I found out that my son loves it when his legs are moved back and forth. He let out some terrific giggles.

I am so thankful for Mare and Drew; together we make up the best family I could have asked for. Tomorrow is Marilyn's Birthday. Hopefully the day and the celebrations will be special for her. Praise God for family. -Tim

Life's little joys

2010-03-09T15:09:00.005-06:00

One life's little joys for me is a cup of hot coffee - complete with cream, sugar and maybe even a donut (if I'm lucky :o)

On Saturday, Tim surprised me with a trip to the local Starbucks. It was great sitting there at the coffee shop soaking up the sun's rays, sipping my coffee, and enjoying time with my man. Tim worked on his homework for his seminary class and Drew slept quietly in his car seat carrier.

One thing I didn't count on though was that Drew would re-act to the caffeine from the coffee, so he didn't sleep too quietly on Saturday night. Next time Tim takes me to a coffee shop, I'll have to order de-caf!

This was Drew's first trip to Starbucks, and he slept through the whole experience.

Tim was slaving away on his Logic assignment. He has really struggled with that class this semester and has had a mountain of busywork for the class. I can't imagine what this semester would have been like if he had taken more than just the one class. It will be nice for him to have Logic out of the way, though.

We are gearing up to move in the next few days and Tim has a BIG Logic assignment due at the end of next week, so it's going to be an interesting week for us. We are super excited to move, but just wish the moving part of the adventure was done. :o) We'll have to post pictures in a few days of our new place!

We are so thankful to the Lord for providing us this new apartment. He is so good to us! We have so much to be thankful for and we are continually counting our blessings! -Marilyn

Musings of a mother

2010-03-03T22:38:00.005-06:00

Well, it's been a busy time for Tim and I lately. I'm trying to get the house packed up and cleaned so we can move in 2 weeks. I was looking back at pictures from the last time we moved - which was a little over two years ago - wow . . . it is hard to believe everything that has happened over those past two years. Tim has had 3 jobs, we've lost 3 of our dear family members, we've met and made new friends at our church, Andrew was born, Tim graduated with his bachelor's degree, Tim's sister and brother both got married, my sisters have had children . . . wow . . . so many changes in just 2 years.

So between doing laundry, washing dishes, writing thank-yous for all the wonderful baby gifts Drew has received, changing diapers and feeding Drew, I'm also packing up boxes, purging unneeded items from our home and taking them to the thrift store, and cleaning/dusting/vacuuming. Who knew you could fit so much stuff in one little apartment! And who knew that it was so easy to justify keeping so much stuff!

On Monday, my dad stood before a group of professors at Central Seminary in Plymouth, MN and defended his dissertation for his doctorate. He called me later in the evening on Monday and left a message saying, "This is Dr. Dad calling . . . " He passed!! He has been working on his doctorate for at least 10 years, so it is thrilling that he will be walking in May and receive his doctoral diploma! I don't know what my mom is going to do. Most of their married life, my dad has been in school. With Tim being in school now, I wonder how in the world my mother did it for so many years. She is such an example to me. I want to be like my mom when I grow up! -Marilyn

Andrew: 3 Weeks Old

2010-02-19T11:08:00.006-06:00

When I saw Andrew peeking out from his blanket I had to snap a picture. Our little son is growing bigger and developing in personality every day. As the title reads, he just turned three weeks old on Wednesday. I am not going to lie and say that caring for a new baby and trying to keep him on a schedule has been a breeze (ask Marilyn and she will give you an earful).

However, Drew has been a pleasant baby and we are thankful that our Heavenly Father picked him out for our family. I love my son so much and am happy to have the privilege of reading Scripture to him early in the morning, taking pictures and videos of his new discoveries, holding him and seeing his expressions, and, of course, showing him off to everyone.

The only thing that I regret right now is that I am so busy with school and work to be as much help to Marilyn as I would like and as she would prefer. I am praying for God's direction in the changes that I need to make so that I can better support my wife.

As most babies, Andrew is hopelessly addicted to sucking everything he can. We have allowed him to suck on a pacifier some, but we hope to strike a balance so that Drew can be content when he has nothing to put in his mouth. In these early days it is still a work in progress.

Drew is a lot of fun. Even though he does not rock for hours in a swing or play on his tummy for long, he has a great personality already. Though, he definitely has my strong will. He isn't usually passive when he wants or needs something.

I just love this picture of our little guy.

Our friends, the Kiems, gave us this cute outfit that we love on Drew. Mare is a sucker for brown in clothes and decor and I have developed a preference for it, too.

We hope that things have been as peaceful for you as possible recently. In our busy world, it is so easy to fill up our schedules with tons of worthless or meaningless pursuits. Join us in turning our backs on the mold that society wants to fashion us in and seek a transformed mind through simple trust and renewing that Jesus Christ brings us through his Revelation (Romans 12:2).

The Scriptures show us who God is and what faith looks like. We don't live in quite the same world situation as Moses or Jesus, but the principles, applications, and precepts have not changed. Jehovah and his truth do not change. Our God still calls to each of us individually, seeking willing hearts, true worship, and warm fellowship as we respond to his active involvement in our lives. Only a redeemed life walking with the resurrected Christ can be this satisfying! Now the challenge is to get out there and share the good news with others. -Tim

Havlik Cup 2010

2010-02-10T19:46:00.006-06:00

All the brothers along with Bethany

Every year towards the end of January, the Havlik brothers along with many of their friends, gather together for the annual Havlik Cup Hockey Tournament. The goal of the tournament is not just to win the game but more importantly to be chosen as MVP for the tournament. After the hockey game, the men gather at Green Mill for pizza and to find out who the MVP of the year is.

Sam, one of Tim's brothers

Nate and Tim fighting for the puck

Dan taking out Josh on the ice

Havlik Cup 2010 Crew

Waiting for the pizza at Green Mill

Tim has not had many opportunities this year to get out and play hockey. In fact, he only made it on the ice once before the tournament. He was pleasantly surprised when he was selected as the MVP of the 2010 Havlik Cup!!!

Also, I just wanted to post a recent picture of Andrew. He is 2 weeks old today and growing more and more alert each day. :o) -Marilyn

Andrew's Arrival

2010-01-27T08:51:00.009-06:00

Mare was smiling between contractions. She was a real trooper!

Our first nurse was a Christian. Tina and her husband Scott attend Grace Church in Eden Prairie. We had great fellowship and a good start in the hospital.

Bethany, my brother's wife who is trained in midwifery came to help coach us in the delivery room. She was such a HUGE blessing.

At 9:19 am after about 8 hours of labor, Marilyn gave birth to a big little boy, Andrew Timothy.

Andrew weighed 8.5 pounds and measured 21 inches. It is amazing that our little one was packed inside Mare's belly! It was a perfectly healthy birth and we thank God for his goodness and mercy!

My mom graciously brought us breakfast. My parents are now proud Grandparents. Andrew joins three other grand kids for Marilyn's parents. This is, indeed, a great day for our now extended family. -Tim

LABOR...

2010-01-27T05:07:00.004-06:00

My beloved wife is in labor right this very moment. Bethany, our sister-in-law joined us at 4:30 am which is a great blessing since she is trained in midwifery. Marilyn's water broke at 12:45 am and she woke me up with a jolt. On the way to the hospital, minor contractions began.

The contractions are now growing in intensity and are about 3 minutes apart. We would covet your prayers for a smooth and quick delivery. I will update you all when we have significant news to report. It is difficult for Mare right now, but also very exciting! Marilyn is trying different positions when the contractions hit. Sitting up has offset some of the pressure. Things are going as well as can be expected! God is good. -Tim

Birthday Celebration and Another One Soon

2010-01-17T21:28:00.009-06:00

Happy Birthday to Josh (Tim's Brother)! We celebrated his big 28 on Saturday night at my parents' house. I appreciate Josh and have a close friendship with him. Even though we differ on some view points, I praise God that my second oldest brother is living out his Christian life and someone that I have a lot in common with. It can be so fun to have close family members (though, at times I did not always think so).

Josh and Bethany will be parents like us this June

I was assigned to toast the pita bread that Mare and I brought. To do this, I lightly buttered the pitas and sprinkled garlic salt and dill on them and put them in the oven. They were so tasty!

Josh had requested Kabobs. We all raved about them.

After the meal, Josh opened gifts. Can you guess what the present with the bow on it in his hand is?

Bethany had brought a couple gifts for us to open for our baby. It was an unexpected surprise.

Dad, Mom, Mare, I, Josh, Bethany, Dan, and Chris joined in to play a game called, "Up a Bit." Marilyn and I had never played it, but we both enjoyed the game. Shockingly I managed to win by a point!

Dad can never resist snapping pictures throughout our get-togethers. His nickname has become the "Papa-razzi." Often, it seems that he gets more grief with picture taking than he deserves. My siblings will be thankful later. :o)

Mom preparing dessert

Rather than blowing out the candles, Josh proceeded to extinguish them with a clap. VERY IMPRESSIVE. ;o)

The Angel food cake was then drizzled with berries and whip cream. Delectable!

Mare couldn't resist slapping my nose with whip cream. She is such a character.

Dad snapped a picture of us. Unfortunately he chopped off the top of my head in his attempt to capture Mare in her pregnant charm. lol.

Because time is ticking down on the arrival of our precious bundle (our baby), Mare has been seeing the doctor once a week now. We are thankful that our medical plan includes prenatal care. Thank God for this feature in our insurance! We had a nice breakfast at the local IHOP (International House of Pancakes) and then had a great meeting with the doctor. Everything seems to be going well. This pregnancy has flown by (probably more so to me because of my schooling). It is stunning to think that in just a few short weeks we will be caring for a new life. What a humbling thought! May God give us grace to raise another generation in His ways. We trust that He will continue to be faithful! -Tim

Oh, for a Pleasant Shower!

2010-01-04T20:00:00.001-06:00

Our new shower head is chrome with a gold goose-neck. What on earth?!

Why would we install conflicting finishes in our bathroom, especially since the rest of our bathroom is finished in chrome? It is a humorous and tumultuous story...

Hopelessly Scummy!

Understandably, Marilyn desired a new shower head after a brave but fruitless attempt to clean the present crusty old thing that served the apartment bathroom for so many years. My wife very carefully researched and bought a wonderful new shower head; one that fit the specifications of our landlord, yet appeared to be able to deliver a superb shower.

Initially, Mare had tried to install the new head herself because I was so occupied with school. Alas, she realized that it was more than she could take on. She patiently encouraged me to try my hand at it.

Tim: All I had to do was loosen the threaded joint on the goose-neck pipe coming out of the wall. On the internet, the job was listed as "easy." How hard could it be to replace the crusty shower head with the new one?

I fumbled with the crescent wrench and tried to loosen the joint. No movement. I tried turning the wrench the other way and only twisted the goose-neck. That would not do. The shower head had to come off somehow!

Frustrated I yanked and yanked the joint. Suddenly, something gave way. Was the joint free? No; to my horror I saw that I had snapped the goose-neck at its base inside the shower wall. OH, NO! "Argh!"

"What am I going to do now?"

In desperation, I left a message with our landlord informing him of the tragedy and asking if his handyman nephew, Tom, could take a look at it. That evening I arranged for Tom to take a look at 8 am the next morning. I worried in spite of the fact that that Tom is a capable guy.

When Tom came the next morning, he asked me to spray a lubricant into the joint every couple hours. So I grabbed my trusty can of WD-40 and diligently followed the instruction. All I could do beyond that was to hope in Tom's skill.

Marilyn called me at work that evening and asked if our landlord had called me. "No, he hasn't," I replied. She called me back and told me that Bob, our landlord had told her that the shower problem was fixed. What a relief!

However, there were a couple problems. (1) It was gold colored and a new head was installed. How puzzling since the bathroom finish was in chrome. What were they thinking? Didn't they remember that we had already bought a head and Bob already reimbursed us?
(2) Marilyn turned on the water and found that the pressure was so low that a pleasant shower that we had hoped for was even less likely. It was laughable if it wasn't so frustrating!

Our "fixed" golden shower assembly

"Gold? Why, Tom, why?"

In the morning, Marilyn took a trickle shower. I felt horrible that her hope for a pleasant shower had been made worse. After we finished helping her out the door, I talked with Bob and was surprised that he had picked out the gold assembly (it made me chuckle; this is another reason why men need women). Bob graciously gave me permission to take a look at the shower head and replace it with our (more desirable) purchased head. It was a simple unscrew off and screw on to install the chrome head.

Aha! Golden pieces of metal had clogged the gold head. No matter, though, I put on the new head. Viola! It worked wonderfully! I enjoyed a great shower before work and phoned telling Marilyn the good news.

Now I could laugh. Sometimes a simple pleasure is so hard to obtain, but patience persistence often pays off. Too bad that I gave myself to frustration and worry or it might have been a lot less stressful. Jesus instructs us not to worry about tomorrow (Matthew 6). Paul states that "...patience...is the fruit of the Spirit." "God causes all things to work together for good to those that are the called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28).

When I could not get the joint unscrewed I should have been patient and at least talked to Bob about it before forcing the wrench and making it worse. Fretting about it and shifting blame did not solve anything. These important lessons will not soon be forgotten even though they stemmed from such a silly little problem. -Tim

Happy 2010!

2009-12-31T22:33:00.004-06:00

We hope that you all have had an exciting and eventful 2009. We have!

Let us wish you a sincerely HAPPY NEW YEAR! May you rejoice not in temporal blessings alone, but in the promise of eternal riches to be invested and stored for an unfading inheritance in glory with Christ. This hope gives us joy no matter what trials or sorrows may come. The confidence compels us to not be weary in well-doing for we will reap if we do not faint.

From our hearts to yours, we love you and pray that Christ will be formed more fully in you this year of 2010. His grace be on your lives as you persevere in obedience to him! -Tim

Christmas Moments in 2009

2009-12-28T12:53:00.012-06:00

With lights on the tree glowing,
and no end to the sight of it snowing,
we celebrated Jesus Christ's birth,
God's priceless gift to sinners on earth.

Our Christmas was filled with special times spent with both of our families. Our festivities started early a couple weeks ago with a Christmas concert that Marilyn's uncle Michael conducts for Coon Rapids High School.

The students always outdo themselves in joy and excellence! Both the choirs and the musicians are top notch for students still in high school. I always come away amazed.

Marilyn's Uncle before the Concert

It was a great evening!

Marilyn played the piano for our church's annual children's Christmas play. They did very well this year and the play warmed all our hearts.

Wise men presenting their gifts

I worked both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but praise God that I was able to celebrate on Christmas morning with my family and then this weekend with Marilyn's family.

My sister and brother-in-law, Grace and Jordan, made it in to the Twin Cities just before we got royally blanketed with thick snow. It has been reported that 2009 is the snowiest year since 1945.

Grace and Jordan also brought their cute little dog, Cheeky.

Members of the family got a variety of gifts (above: Dan with his jug of Tapatio-hot sauce).

Mike received a trophy mount from Jordan!

My dad gave me a Seagate 500 gigabite external hard drive. Can you tell that I liked the gift?

This past weekend, Marilyn's cousin threw a baby shower for her. We were blown away by the generosity of our families; especially since it was so soon after Christmas.

Mare is holding a classic Piglet stuffed animal that she thinks is adorable. Our baby will probably get many years of good use out of this stuffed friend. We were also blessed with a stroller, highchair, diapers, and countless other gifts. I commented to Mare that people were so thoughtful and practical with what they gave us. We are so grateful!

Marilyn and I hope that you had a very merry Christmas. May you seek God's direction as you think about this coming New Year. Many unexpected things and changes are bound to happen, but the same God that brought about salvation in Jesus Christ knows what lies ahead.

We believe that God is trustworthy enough to turn uncertainty and even what seems like tragedy into good to those that are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28-32). "If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?" (Rom 8:31b-32). We are excited to see what God is going to do in both our life and your life in 2010! -Tim

We're Back!

2009-12-21T22:23:00.015-06:00

Friends: Alyssa, Wendy, and Marilyn

Sorry for the long pause in our updates. We were so busy that we had ZERO time to blog. I was working full time and attending school almost full time (and very little sleep). Marilyn was working, trying to maintain everything with her husband preoccupied, and needing extra rest and attention as she carries our child. All our duties and cares did not leave many free minutes.

I have included several pictures of a few breaks and fun times that we had sandwiched between our strenuous lives during the school semester.

Spending an evening celebrating a Birthday

Thanksgiving treats

At a Christmas Concert

Tim and Eric--Last night at our church's Christmas play

Wendy and Mare

Wendy has graciously offered to provide daycare for our baby while Marilyn works three days a week. This is a HUGE blessing for us. We praise God for wonderful friends to assist us when we need help. Thanks Eric and Wendy! (More baby details below.)

As you can see, it is becoming very evident that our baby is coming soon. Only about a month to go! Mare is due on the 22nd of January and has a family baby shower coming up this Saturday. It all is happening so fast that I barely have time to think. Before we know it, we will be parents. We are now starting to stock up on diapers. May God help us! (Seriously: We are confident that the Lord will give us the strength and direction that we need.)

Will our little one be a boy or girl? I am hoping for a boy and Mare is wishing for a girl. (I think her guess is right, but only time will tell.) Needless to say, this is an exciting time.

We hope that you had a good Thanksgiving! As you prepare for Christmas, remember to stop and think about the meaning of why we celebrate. Jesus Christ, the eternal God-man was born to die for the sin of mankind. This incarnation of God becoming man and dying for us is the greatest demonstration of God's love (Romans 5:8). The gracious gift of salvation in Christ is received by faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). May you renew your trust in the Savior this Christmas season. -Tim

A Trip Up North

2009-11-10T20:52:00.008-06:00

I was able to go with my family up to the North Shore for a day. We had a wonderful time together. Dan, my sister's husband, grilled salmon for us for dinner and we had fun talking, laughing and watching some football.

The next day, we ate breakfast in Grand Marais at the Blue Water Cafe. Their breakfast is so delicious! Because it was overcast and drizzily outside, we drove on the Gunflint Trail and looked at leaves. We took a trip up North last year and it is amazing to compare pictures of Laura from one year ago.

I'm so thankful for my family. The Lord is so good and has blessed me with wonderful parents, sisters, brothers-in-law, nieces and a nephew :o) It was great to get away for a day and spend time enjoying nature and spending time with my family. -Marilyn

we are still alive

2009-10-27T19:01:00.005-05:00

well, it's been over a month since our last blog entry and part of the reason for that is because Tim has been so busy studying and working that we haven't had many opportunities to take pictures. Also, because Tim is so busy, we haven't really gone anywhere.

Below are some pictures from family birthday parties over the past month. The first party was for my uncle. He is picture below with his lovely family and my aunt's imfamous cheesecake. Yes, it was a great birthday! :o)

Laura, Mayu and Max the dog

Laura and her most common expression :o)

my Grandma basting the beef wellingtons. birthdays are always a big deal!

next we celebrated Bethany's birthday. She is such a sweetheart!

as you can see, I'm thoroughly enjoying Bethany's chocolate birthday cake - complete with fresh raspberries :o)

Bethany surrounded by her gifts and cake!

Finally, I just wanted to give everyone an update on how things are going with my pregnancy. The baby is doing fine. I'm about 28weeks along and due at the end of January. (so I have about 3 months to go and I know they are going to fly by fast!!!) We are waiting to find out if it is a boy or a girl, however we do have names picked out. As of right now, if it is a boy, we are going to name him "Andrew Timothy" and if the baby is a girl, she'll be "Sophia Grace".

Bethany, my sister-in-law, has been a huge help to me over the past months. I'm so thankful for her and her midwifery training. So many people have given us baby items and they've given me maternity clothes. What a blessing!! The Lord is so good to us!! I have my glucose test on Thursday morning - where I have to drink the icky orange liquid. Blah! Other than that, everything is going very well with us! We'll try to do better at keeping up with our blog. -Marilyn

Picnic Time

2009-09-13T19:31:00.007-05:00

The weather has been so beautiful the last couple of weeks, and we've definitely been enjoying it! Tim and I attended a picnic that his school was hosting. We had such a nice time getting to know the new students and catching up with old friends. After the delicious lunch we all headed to a field to play some games. Above you see a father helping his daughter with an egg relay race.

Tim had a blast running around doing the relay races and playing an intense game of soccer. I sat in the shade and cheered him on.
Above is a picture of the group gearing up for a game of tug-of-war. Dr. Straub, one of Tim's professors is at the end of the rope. He was a great help to his team and they ended up winning :o)
Here's a quick picture of me with my baby bump. Below, Tim is getting on his cleats - he came prepared just in case someone decided to start a football, soccer, or ultimate frisbee game.

Below, Tim and Dr. Bauder, the president of the seminary, pose for the camera. We are so blessed by Central Seminary and it's desire to teach and train men and women to know and study God's Word. Tim is extremely busy this semester and it's a growing and stretching experience for both of us, but the Lord is using it in both of our lives to keep our focus on Him and to have a greater dependence on Him. -Marilyn

Over the Mountains and thru the woods . . .

2009-09-13T18:31:00.006-05:00

It's been a while since our last post and I just wanted to share with you some of the beautiful pictures from Tim's trip out west to Oregon. His mom's side planned a large family reunion out in Oregon where most of the family already lives. Marilyn was unable to go, so Tim trekked out west on his own.

The scenery is incredible in Oregon and Tim was able to not only see the mountains but also enjoy the cold ocean waves. He and the rest of the family camped on his aunt's large property in the country. They busied themselves with fellowship, volleyball, Memoir 44, blackberry picking, and just relaxing. Together they enjoyed pancake and scrabbled egg breakfasts each morning.

On Tim's first day in Oregon, everyone headed to the coast for a day filled with cold ocean water, sand football, sand castle building and some warm sun rays.

The family also dined at Mo's - a restaurant that had some great shrimp! Because Tim's cousin is nicknamed Mo, everyone signed a cup for her from the restaurant since she was unable to be a part of the fun.

Josh and Bethany, who have almost been married for one year now (it's hard to believe how quickly time flies!), were able to also go out to Oregon for the reunion and they had a great time as well. They live down the road from us in MN, so we enjoy getting together with them. They are always a great blessing and encouragement to Tim and me.

A picture of the Kurtz Gang

Tim was able to ride the train from Salem, OR to Seattle, WA in order to catch the plane home. It's such a blessing the way the Lord worked out all the details for Tim's trip. If you ever get a chance to ask him about it, you should. It's a long story - otherwise I'd tell it here. But it's great to know that God is watching over every detail of our lives and He is in control of every situation that comes our way. -Marilyn

The Dakota County Fair

2009-08-22T19:37:00.003-05:00

Recently, we journeyed to the Dakota County Fair with our dear friends. It was a great time of talking, eating and enjoying all the sights of the fair. I usually go to the fair for the food, but surprisingly, Tim indulged more in the food than I did.

Ashley and I have been friends for many years and she and her family have been such a blessing to me. I'm such a blessed person having such wonderful friends in my life!

A New Job!

2009-08-14T15:17:00.004-05:00

God is so gracious to us. This week I got a call that a security job had opened up at a office building complex not far away. Unfortunately, there were 5 other applicants also interested.

This Thursday I interviewed for the job and an hour later they offered me it to me! Praise God! I start training after we get back from a short trip to Oregon. The hours are 3-11 pm Monday through Friday (fits perfect with my school schedule). I am thrilled, too, that I don't have to work on weekends.

Thank you everyone that was praying for us. Now we are better positioned for the arrival of our baby at the end of January. The Lord knew what we needed and provided at the right moment. -Tim

Fellowship in August

2009-08-09T23:05:00.006-05:00

Wouldn't life be lonely without good friends? Great times with friends have been frequent so far in August for Marilyn and me.

A new couple in our church, Jake and Alyssa invited us over for dinner recently. Jake is holding Abe their flamboyant cat.

Abe sure knows how to play up to people. Although, I must have been allergic to his hair because I was rather stuffed up by the close of the evening.

I gave the coals a good marinade of lighter fluid to get them going strong.

We ate on the balcony and then headed indoor for a nice game of Loaded Questions.

The next evening we were entertained by Josh and Bethany in their home. The white lasagna that they served melted in our mouths! It is so exciting to witness the remodeling progress that they have made on their house.

On Friday we had the Dickies to our place for dinner and games. Dave and Erin taught us a dominoes game they called "Chicken Feet." Afterward we duked it out in a number of rounds in Phase 10.

On Saturday night, I played volleyball and then we enjoyed a bonfire at Josh and Bethany's. It was so cool to meet scores of new people that they go to church with. We laughed and fellowshipped past midnight. Praise the Lord for the encouragement of friendships.

Let me change the subject. Last night I finally justified ordering a new phone since my cell buttons have become almost impossible to press. I look forward to this Samsung Rant that I found on internet special and discounted due to a cell plan bonus. It was virtually free for me!

This evening (Monday) starts our short softball playoff stint against our rivals, Prior Lake Baptist. It will be a great game and we pray that the weather holds up. I pick up my work for Hidden Fence of MN today and hope that I can also finish my painting project this week. Before long, classes start again. God has been so good to Marilyn and I. We trust in his continuing care for us and our little one. -Tim

Wedding Weekend

2009-08-02T23:35:00.006-05:00

Florida and Our Current Activities

2009-07-30T00:00:00.005-05:00

Yes, we just got back from Clear Water, Florida and loved it! The weather was hot, but I could tell that Marilyn loved every minute of it.

Beside that, hanging out at the beach is nice when the heat is on. We hung out with Jen and Elijah most of the time. Anthony chilled with us on the weekend and in the evenings after work.

You know you can't get away with sneaking candy, don't you?

Not everything was fun and games. I mowed the lawn and swept for Anthony to help him out (especially because he had a fractured wrist).

We had quite the adventure checking out a pier at Fort de Soto.

Our first time together in Florida was incredibly relaxing and memorable. Anthony and Jenny really made us feel at home.

Lately, we have gotten around. We celebrated my brother Mike's Birthday with my family.

Mare's cousin Terry's house was the location of a grill-out, bonfire, and hot-tubbing party for family and friends. Good stuff!

I joined the cousins for a softball tournament in memory of Marilyn's uncle, Roger. We did fairly well and enjoyed ourselves in the sun.

Last week, Mare and I went to the Sand Creek/ Prior Lake Baptist picnic in Jordan. The celebrated highlight was beating Prior Lake in a tug of War.

If that tugging wasn't enough, four teams battled it out.

Work has been slow, yet God lined up a job for me doing painting in Bloomington. I'll be finishing that job sometime next week. Tomorrow, I drive to Austin, MN to install a radio fence for a family down there. Please pray that God will provide a more consistent job to support Marilyn and the baby. I have put in applications and trust that the outcome is in God's hands. -Tim

Announcement!

2009-07-17T10:15:00.006-05:00

Many of you out there already know or have guessed our exciting news. We are expecting a baby at the end of January!!! Can't you feel the excitement? Marilyn could not keep me from telling everyone once we decided to let the secret out.

We had a little refresher on the pains and pleasures of parenting this last week with our nephew, Elijah. I guess we better start stocking up on diapers!

Last night we talked with Bethany Havlik, a trained midwife, and realized that Mare is just about to enter the second trimester. She has had some feelings of morning sickness, but praise God that she is not throwing up. Usually the queasiness disappears if Mare eats some fruit.

We are thinking that we are going to wait until our little one is born before finding out whether its a boy or girl. Doing that will add a little more fun to the time of birth. Do you think we will have a son or daughter? The funny thing is that there is a little pattern going on in my family: My grandpa grew up in a family of 5 boys and a girl. When he had his kids, they had 5 girls and a boy (though, they did have another boy that died as an infant.) I grew up in a family of 7 brothers and one sister! It will be interesting to see what our family looks like.

Either way, my whole family will love the edition. This will be the first grandchild for my parents. Please pray for us as we nurture this little life. Our deepest desire is that our children would grow up to be victorious Christians that God would enable to stand strong and be exuberant witnesses for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! -Tim

Chicago Tea Party 2009

2009-07-12T20:23:00.018-05:00

Beep, beep...beep, beep...beep, beep. I quickly jumped to turn off my alarm clock. It was another early morning because I had to get to the airport for my Chicago flight at 7 am. Today was Independence Day and the day I had planned to attend the tea party in the Windy City.

Never before had I taken such a whirlwind trip in and out of a state in less then 12 hours.

When I arrived at the O'Hare, I caught a train and a bus to Navy Pier to await the rally.

On the pier I discovered a display of stained glass from all over the world.

Amazing art!

The weather was rather sloppy, but I decided that I had to take the ferris wheel for some pictures of the city.

Navy Pier, Chicago

View of Chicago from Navy Pier

All kinds of action existed on the pier. Here I am posing with some characters I met.

Ever had a Chicago Dog?

The only regret is that Marilyn wasn't able to join me. Considering the weather, though, it was for the best that she stayed home.

The Tea Party started at noon with a good group of concerned citizens. Unfortunately, not near as many as was hoped showed at the event, but it was still a good rally.

People from all political stripes spoke at the tea party. Represented were the Green Party, a tax cut coalition, concerned youth for America, candidates to clean up Chicago and Illinois corruption, a petition for reversal of spending in Springfield, a Chicago artist for free expression without government suppression, and a coalition for free & fair elections.

Of course, I did not agree with all the speakers in every point, but we all met on common ground of dissatisfaction with where the United States is headed. Unless our government is held accountable for its rampant spending and corruption of the powers we lent it for the protection of our freedoms, our free nation cannot last much longer.

We the people must rise and let our voice be heard. An army of Americans have had enough of party politics without regard to responsibility and common sense. The rally opened my eyes to the common cause that rational Americans have regardless of political differences. We are now awaking from our slumber! Washington must reform or get out of the way. Liberty is our right and we will give our lives for it!

After the tea party, I hustled down the rainy Chicago streets to my favorite pizza place.

Fortunately, a Giordano's location was not far from my route to the airport. When I arrived, I was given a seat at the bar and ordered right away. However the deep, stuffed crust pizza was going to take 35-40 minutes to bake. Not knowing how long exactly it was going to take to get to Midway Airport, I knew time was going to be tight.

A man and woman next to me generously shared one of their slices with me while I waited. When the bartender told me that my pizza was almost done, I paid the bill, and had him box it up. Next, I stuffed it in my bag and started hustling to the train.

A dreadful thought dawned on me as I was jogging. The pizza was shifting to the side in my bag! For the rest of the trip, I carefully held my bag on its side to protect the precious cargo. By this time the box showed signs of the hot contents, but at least it would not be mangled any more. What a man will do to preserve a pizza! ;o) It passed though security without a hitch and I enjoyed it later with my wife. -Tim

Morning Highlights

2009-07-03T09:03:00.005-05:00

Coffee kept me up last night and I couldn't fall asleep this morning. Suddenly, I got the urge to head outdoors for a morning walk. The sky met me with a beautiful morning glow over the lake.

The neighborhood brimmed with flowers and flags specially hung with independence day in mind.

When I arrived back home, the sun had started climbing the sky. It was the beginning of a wonderful new day. I am grateful to God for each moment He gives me to live in this amazing world that He has made.

Independence day celebrations all take place tomorrow as the United States remembers her march to liberty. Tomorrow morning I fly out to Chicago to petition for a return to liberty from government abuse and control. Count on pictures and a report of how the trip goes in the next post. Thank you for taking a little time to catch up with us as we seek to let Christ shine in our lives. -Tim

The Joys of Vacationing up North

2009-06-28T00:28:00.009-05:00

Marilyn's family has been taking a trip to northern Minnesota for many years. I am only too happy to continue this wonderful tradition.

Our Sister Jen and family were able to make it this year. Their presence made the week special. Elijah is really growing up.

As most of you know, the Common Loon has captured notoriety as the state bird of MN. They are odd, but almost mystical creatures. This year Mare, Melissa, and I got to observe a family of loons close up as we canoed. The haunting call of the loon is the mark of the Minnesota lake wilderness.

The annual golf tournament always serves to be a highlight for the family. Traditionally, the winner is treated to a triple scoop cone afterward at the local ice cream store. My goal is to earn the glory as the golf champ some year, which will not be easy.

When the Groschel family congregates, usually group games and activities usually follow. We love spending time together. It is these weeks at the cabins that we have drawn close as a family. Part of the closeness, though, is that we all have fellowship as Christians. Nothing could be sweeter!

Enjoying Uno

Lunch at the 371 Diner

I had to get up on water skis at least once

The week went by so fast this year, but the cabins are reserved for 2010! Whew, are we almost a decade into the new century already?

Though time passes quickly, our freedoms have never been in more danger at the hand of BIG government. This Independence Day, I am booked to fly to Chicago to take part in a Tea Party. TEA stands for: Taxed Enough Already. These peaceful protests are more than against taxes, though. Our hope is that we the people will eventually all wake up and hold our irresponsible government accountable for this reckless spending in a time that our economy is suffering. Political office holders from both the Democrat and Republican Parties have done little to curb blatant squandering of American wealth on projects and departments that are not only bankrupting our country, but are limiting our freedoms in the name of the greater good. The "Cap and Tax" passage in the house is another evidence that our government is out of touch with our desires and needs. Enough of this social restructuring! We will take our country back for the people of this great country! I would encourage you to get involved locally in a tea party near you. http://www.teapartyday.com/ Your children will someday thank you for it!-Tim

Downing Trees

2009-06-19T11:07:00.008-05:00

A couple weeks ago, Marilyn and I spent an evening up at her cousin Terry's for an evening of fellowship and fun. I heard that there was some work to be done beforehand, so I showed up early and they put me to work on the tree clean up project.

They sawed down three dead trees. It was a lot of wood. The pile above is just the big logs. That was a bunch of work, but satisfying to see a job well done!

Todd borrowed the wheelbarrow from me at one point. In the background you can see the base of two of the trunks that we felled. The brothers are going to plant new seedlings in their place. I love new life!

Marilyn and I got a kick out of watching Dan play with Laura, our niece. She is growing up so fast! What a cutie!

My beautiful Wife-She is better than I deserve.

After the third driest spring on record, it is great to finally get some rain. The lake is down at least three feet!

Marilyn and I are so excited for this next week up at the cabin in Brainerd, MN. It will be a good time to refresh and spend some time with her family. We will definitely post about the trip when we come back home.

May our Lord and Savior bless you as you seek to serve Him this busy summer. Thanks for keeping up with us. We are grateful for your friendship with us. Please pray for Marilyn and I as we seek God's will for housing next year. We are contemplating moving closer to our church and work.-Tim

Birthdays & Ethiopian Experience

2009-06-10T12:25:00.001-05:00

Sam and Mom have Birthdays back to back. We had a great time celebrating both!

Armed and Dangerous

Styling in his New Shades

Sam loves Ice Cream Cake

Time was going to be tight to celebrate Mom's Birthday, so we planned a surprise party for her. Here we are waiting for the big moment.

Mom was so shocked and tickled

Bethany and Josh did a wonderful job of hosting the party

They served Creme Broile for dessert. It was Luscious!

The Birthday Girl got some wonderful gifts. Her most treasured was a new blender.

A couple days later, Mare, her family, and I went out for ethnic Ethiopian food at Fasika in St. Paul, MN.

For many of the Groschels, this was their first exposure to Ethiopian cuisine. Dan & Tracy sure know how to play it up.

Marnath was our host. He is a young man staying with the Groschels while he finished high school. It has been great getting to know him.

Marilyn prepares with a hand full of napkins. I went through a pile, myself.

Marilyn's Dad knows how to top it all off. We stopped at Izzy's Ice Cream for Dessert. Fun with family sure adds spice to life. I am so thankful to God for the family life that we enjoy! -Tim

Early Summer 2009

2009-06-06T10:26:00.008-05:00

'Tis the season for wedding preparations. Marilyn was busy late last week through early this week with three bridal showers. I joined in some initial shopping.

Is it Marilyn's color?

Melissa showing off

The family celebrated Melissa's Birthday by going out to Pei Wei. This restaurant is owned by P. F. Chang's and has much of the same food for less. The cuisine was great!

The dining experience is less formal, but well worth it!

Melissa got a lot of nice cards

Afterward, I treated everyone to the Grand Ole Creamery in St. Paul. The ice cream was delicious. Ice cream at the Creamery compares to Izzy's, but I definitely preferred Izzy's unique flavor over it.

By the time we left, the line stretched out onto the side walk!

My brother Chris is playing baseball this year

Josh had the great idea of grilling at the game. We chuckled though because we forgot matches. ;o) After I tracked down a lighter, I couldn't believe that I had ran out the door without a bun for my brat! So much for a nice cookout. Actually, it turned out splendid in spite of our rush.

It was exciting to see Chris' team win the game! Chris did well with a single, double, and a great couple innings as pitcher. We are so proud of him.

Celebrations for my Love

2009-05-24T21:37:00.013-05:00

My lovely wife, Marilyn just had her Birthday celebrations this week. I wanted to create some special times for her to know that her family and I appreciate and love her.

First, we went out to breakfast at Emma Krumbees in Belle Plaine. It was a nice morning together. We then both went to work. On the way to a job, I picked up an ice cream cake at DQ and stuck it in our freezer.

Marilyn insisted on the full number of candles for her cake. Would she be able to blow them all out?

It worked out for Mare's family to stop by for a slice of cake. Later, Josh and Bethany also dropped in.

Mare loved the cake!

Did I get the right amount of candles?

We sang and she blew...

Friday night after we went out evangelizing, Marilyn's parents took us out to Carbonies Pizza in St. Paul and then to Izzy's for ice cream. It was another great night!

On Saturday after a little work, I took my wife to the MN Arboretum to enjoy the afternoon. Both of us agreed that it was so relaxing!

One is wowed with the collection of landscaping and plants at the arboretum near Chaska, MN. We would highly recommend it for a leisurely afternoon with the family.

We were both fascinated with the design of this rock walkway. The water from the waterfall actually flows between the rocks in rivulets!

Upon a referral, I decided to surprise Marilyn with a luxurious dinner at Perron's Sul Lago bistro in Prior Lake, MN. The food came to about $30 a plate, but it the dining was well worth the price!

My Sirloin was cooked Medium and came bursting with flavor!

Marilyn ordered the evening's special a summer halibut with fruit salsa and greens (it melted in our mouths). Both of us raved about the food and the experience. Sul Lago is not a place we can afford very often, but it is fine dining at its best! It was definitely a wonderful way to end the evening.

Marilyn and I are so privileged to have each other. I can't imagine life without her! Friendship, companionship, music & Bible ministry, and growing in Christ is so precious through my relationship with Marilyn. I am so thankful for a woman to share my life with. God gave me the best when He gave me Marilyn! -Tim

Swinging for the Team

2009-05-18T23:47:00.005-05:00

Ahh, the joy of softball when spring finally has sprung in Minnesota. I am thankful that I am able to play for Sand Creek Baptist again this year. In our early practices, my batting was DREADFUL until a couple of teammates gave me some pointers on my stance and swing. Since then, my hitting has improved dramatically. Overall, my average after two games is .888 with four doubles!

It is fun working together as a team to score points and get outs. Pastor Dan (above, left) is our coach and is doing a marvelous job of motivating the guys.

For our first game, we played Prior Lake Baptist, our sister and planting church.

We played hard and stuck with them through the seventh inning until they pulled ahead to win. This past Monday we played Rosemount Red and beat them. It was a great game for us and such a beautiful night to be enjoying the outdoors.

Last year we played in all kinds of threatening weather and sometimes it rained on our play, but we trudged on. We pulled out a very nice record last year at 11-3 (second in the division).

Every year teams also compete in tournaments which is also fun and streching for our players.

My brothers' team, the Prior Lake Piranhas, took second overall last year and won the year-end tournament. It was thrilling to see them do so well.

God has blessed us a lot to be able to play sports for recreation and exercise. I always look forward to the season when we dust off our gloves to play softball as a church. If any of you readers are able, we would love it for you to come down and cheer us on. It is a good way to get to know other believers and enjoy God's creation in the summer evenings. -Tim

Graduation & Visit to Texas

2009-05-11T08:44:00.004-05:00

The time had come for me (Tim) to walk the line for my bachelors. After a little research, Mare and I had realized that we could stay with my sister Grace and combine the graduation with a long weekend visit.

Grace picked us up and we had a relaxing first day.

On Friday, we left fairly early to Louisiana for the graduation. Here we are taking a break from the driving.

When we arrived, Grace and Jordan treated us to lunch. It was tasty!

Before long I was among the other graduates awaiting our recognition.

It is done at last! Doesn't Mare look glad to get this behind us? She worked so hard and was so patient as I pushed at the end to complete the projects before the deadline. Thanks, Babe!

The University treated us to some Cajun cooking for our celebration dinner. Jordan and I are holding up boiled crayfish.

Jordan's cousin, Ricky also graduated.

Ricky is a pilot working toward his instructor's license. He took us both for a spin in the family's Cessna. We both had fun.

Another experience for us was exploring Ft. Worth's historic Stockyards with Grace.

That evening we had Gari-Anne and Brandon over to play the Wii and...

CHEESECAKE from the cheesecake factory. Mare and I treated everyone out of appreciation for being included in the fun.

In spite of a chance of rain, we headed out to the golf course the next day for 9 holes of golf. Jordan and I enjoyed ourselves while the ladies sipped on coffee, played games on the iPhones, and watched us from the golf carts. My golf game is nothing to brag about, but I learned some pointers from Jordan and felt like my ability improved as we played.

We were privileged to celebrate Mother's Day with Jordan's family. They have an amazing home and backyard.

Mark grilled delicious sausages and hamburgers

The mothers present opened cards and gifts. All the ladies then took turns getting in-house massages from a local masseuse that they had come for the afternoon.

Marilyn and I took one last picture with Jordan and Grace before we had to go.

I think we left a little part of ourselves behind in Texas. It will be hard to forget the beauty and hospitality of our Lone Star State family. Hopefully it will not be long before we can stop in for another visit! Praise God for bringing me to the end of my undergrad and for the great joy of spending some precious days with our relatives down south. -Tim

Pleasantly Surprised!

2009-05-05T21:04:00.010-05:00

Marilyn shocked me the Friday after my Birthday by arranging a night of fun and laughs with our good friends, Eric and Wendy. I was planning on studying that evening and was a little surprised when Marilyn encouraged us to keep the weekend open for further study. Suddenly, Mare got a call and told someone to come in. It was Eric and Wendy. I thought that they had been in the area and stopped to say "Hi." Unexpectedly, they told me that we were going out for supper (below).

Chipotle, one of our favorite fast food places!

After a pleasant, but fairly quick dinner we set off for an unknown activity. I discovered later that they had reserved tickets for us at Comedy Sportz, an ad lib comedy show. It was good, clean fun and had us almost rolling on the floor laughing. What a night! Many thanks for a special night, Mare, Eric, and Wendy. It was a great celebration. When you go to Chipotle, what do you like to order?

On Sunday, Marilyn and I celebrated my 29th with a Greek style dinner of shish-kabobs, fresh humus, and home baked pita bread. Both Mare and I still rave about that meal! Thanks, Mom and family!

A couple days before the Havlik celebration I had told the family, when they wanted hints for gifts, that the best thing would be gift cards. They decorated a little tree (because of Earthday?) with the certificates and cards. I was touched!

Dan and Tracy were able to join us for the party. Here we are chomping on some delectable chocolate cake with vanilla frosting. It was the perfect way to end a great celebration. I thank God that He has given me so many people to share special times and life with. If my family and friends love me, I know that my Creator and Savior loves me infinitely more!

On Thursday morning, Mare and I will be flying out to my graduation. We are looking forward to a nice long weekend. It worked out that we were able to stay with my sister in Texas. It will be good to see Grace and Jordan and their home. Pray for us as we travel. I promise that we will come back with pictures. -Tim

April 13th, 2009

2009-04-13T22:40:00.004-05:00

Today is a very special day in Tim's life. Today, after a couple years of hard work, Tim has completed his bachelor's degree!! It was a lot of hard work, prayer and determination - especially since he was doing the courses via distance learning and had to be self-motivated for setting deadlines for the assignments, papers, tests, and projects.

About a month ago, Tim told me that the school set a deadline of April 17th for all course work to be turned in in order for the student to graduate this year. Tim had about 2 and a half courses left to go. I didn't know how in the world he'd be able to complete all the work by the deadline. I remember telling Tim, unless the Lord helps you, I don't see how you are going to get it all done. I wasn't trying to discourage him, but it really did seem like an impossible goal.

Tim and I prayed many, many times over the course of the past month and we asked several other people to join us in prayer as well. The Lord saw fit to answer our prayers and Tim finished everything ahead of schedule! What a great God we serve!

There are still piles of books surrounding our dining room table and there are still papers to be written, but all of this is for Tim's seminary course that he was taking this semester alongside his undergrad courses! Please continue to pray for him, if you think about it, that the Lord would help him get his other papers and projects done for his seminary course.

It's been a long road but finally - Tim is a college graduate!!!

End of March!

2009-04-03T21:30:00.007-05:00

The end of March is always a wonderful time of year for several reasons. #1 - Spring is right around the corner!! (that's a big reason) #2 - daffodils are being sold in the local grocery store (they are such happy flowers!) #3 - It's my Grandma's birthday.

My family got together with my grandparents, aunt, uncle and cousin to celebrate Grandma's birthday. We had such a wonderful time together!

Dan, Melissa, and Mayu are playing an intense game of Dutch Blitz

Here's Grandma with the secret-family-recipe cake that is exclusive to family birthday parties

Aunt Miyuki and Grandma serving dessert

Another thing to add to the "why-I-love-the-end-of-March" list is that we also were able to spend an evening out with a bunch of our friends. First, we went mini-golfing where the guys kind of did a little bit better than the girls, but it's not about winning or losing; it's all about having a good time right??!! Tim ended up getting 2 holes in one!!

Eric and Neal

After the mini-golfing, we all headed up to the Galleria in Edina for dinner at the Good Earth. We had such a wonderful time of fellowship!
Below, you'll see the video that Tim took of me playing the 18th hole. Really, it's not worth taking a look at, so just skip it!

-Marilyn

Central Seminary Student Banquet

2009-03-28T13:42:00.002-05:00

This year, Tim and I attended the Central Seminary Student Appreciation Banquet. It was WONDERFUL! Prime Rib steak, fresh green beans, caesar salad, cold salmon and shrimp for appetizers, Double layer chocolate cake for dessert . . . it was quite the evening! The best part of the evening was the fellowship. It is always great getting together with other people who share similar goals, dreams, and values. Tim and I are so blessed by the people that the Lord puts in our lives ~ and this is only a small sliver of what Heaven will be like someday!!

March Madness

2009-03-19T00:02:00.007-05:00

This March has been terribly busy for Marilyn and me. The only reason this post is here today is because I sacrificed sleep past midnight to put it up. Above is one of our fellowship nights with friends from church. We have been blessed to get to know Eric and Wendy, and Dave and Erin a lot better. They are great people that encourage us in our faith and in laughter.

Math never was one of my strong points. I called up Louisiana Baptist University because I was really struggling and found that I could substitute a science class instead. Hallelujah!

Read along with this cute card that Marilyn picked out for my Grandpa...

What a BIG way to say Happy Birthday!

In between times of study, I made time to join Marilyn in visiting her cousin Chrissy and Fiancee, Kale while they were in town over spring break.

Tracy has brought Laura over a couple times recently and she is getting more cute every day!

Our latest home project has been trying to stem the tide of invading ants! Our Terro ant poison hasn't been working very well (as you might be able to tell in the picture). I sealed up one ant hole in the bathroom and we are supervising another one in the kitchen. There is one good omen connected with the ants; God is bringing spring back to our doorstep. It will be wonderful when the snow and ice is finally all gone and the plants start greening up again.

Until the ground thaws and work kicks back into gear, I am trying to push hard to finish my studies so I can graduate with my bachelors this May. Please keep us in your prayers this next month as we work harder than ants! -Tim

School, Cookies, and a Wedding

2009-03-03T21:29:00.010-06:00

Only a month and a half left for Tim to try to complete all of the requirements for his bachelor's degree. He is working hard and the Lord has definitely blessed his hard work. Tim is almost done with his History course! He finished 5 papers in just one week!

As a treat, Tim took me to the Burnsville Mall where we walked around for about an hour and later he took me to Olive Garden for coffee and dessert :o)

getting ready for spring

This past weekend, Tim and I saw "Fireproof" for the first time with our friends Eric and Wendy. Eric and Tim worked it out so we could view the movie "theater-style" in their living room - complete with big screen, comfy seating, warm blankets, coffee, and just-out-of-the-oven, chewy, warm, chocolate chip cookies! Is there a better way to watch a movie????

While we were at Eric and Wendy's, we got a call from my cousin Chrissy that she and Kale were engaged!! We are looking forward to Kale joining our crazy family! I think he'll fit in well :o)

-Marilyn

The Hilton Garden Inn

2009-02-22T22:58:00.006-06:00

I love hotels. I always have. For me, a hotel says 'vacation'! And I don't know about you, but I love getting away from the busyness of life - taking a vacation from all the stuff that consumes my daily life. Well, this past weekend, Tim and I took a mini vacation. We stayed at a hotel with other couples from our church and my parents' church. There was a marriage conference this past weekend at a Hilton in the area, and Tim and I had the privilege of being able to attend the conference. What a blessing it was!

The speakers were Dr. Matt Olson and his wife Diane. The Lord has really gifted both of them in the area of speaking, but also, the Lord has given them a lot of wisdom in many different areas of life - parenting, marriage, Godly living, leadership, time management, and other areas. Much of this wisdom comes with their desire to be saturated in God's Word. It is evident by how they talk and live that they love God and want others to learn to love God as well.

Some of the things I learned this weekend are:

Are you trying to produce fruit and good works by yourself and present it to God? If so, your fruit is plastic - not real - and God knows the difference between plastic and real fruit. Only God can produce real fruit in your life.

Do you have expectations of your spouse or of others around you (Friends, children, co-workers)? The gap between your EXPECTATION and their RESPONSE or ACTION is the amount of DISAPPOINTMENT you will have. What is your motivation behind your expectations in other people?

How often do you pray . . . I mean cry out to God in prayer! Jesus, who met so many people's needs and was continually focused on people and relationships, never once worried about being late to an appointment, had a checklist or blackberry, hurried from one appointment to the next. How did He do it? How did He stay so peaceful and calm? How did He know where and who His Father wanted Him to minister to? Through prayer and staying in tune with His Father's will (read Mark 1:32-39). Are you in tune with God's plan and will for your day, or do you already have it planned out for Him?

What is a leader? So many women want a husband who is a leader, but a leader is someone who has people following him. As a wife, am I following my husband?

How can I be a better encourager to my husband? I need to Respect him, Try to meet his needs, Admire him, Lovingly give advice/make suggestions, Be a recreational companion for him, Make our home a place of peace and comfort.

There were so many good things said at the conference and I learned so much! So even though I got to stay at a hotel, sit in a warm hot tub, eat some amazing food, and talk and fellowship with dear friends, the best part of the whole weekend was that I definitely grew in my love for the Lord and in my love for my wonderful husband. It was an amazing weekend get-away! -Marilyn

Oh, the weather outside was frightful!

but being taught God's Word and how to love Tim better was SO DELIGHTFUL!

Us with the Olsons

Us with our friends, Eric and Wendy

Steele discusses problems in the Obama Stimulus

2009-02-18T15:13:00.001-06:00

My Love

2009-02-16T22:24:00.009-06:00

Once a year there is a day set aside for remembering your sweetie. It's called Valentines Day. Now I know that I'm posting this a little bit after February 14th, but really, we can express our love and appreciation for people on any day of the year.

I don't want to be mushy, but I do want people to know how much I love my husband! We have had many wonderful memories together - through tears, celebrations, parties, funerals, late nights, traveling, date nights, long work weeks, moving, and many other times together, Tim has been there by my side as a leader and a comfort. I am so blessed to be married to him!

I love you, Tim! Thank you for being such a godly leader in our home. You light up my world and I love living my life with you!

~Marilyn

where have we been??

2009-02-12T22:23:00.009-06:00

Picture by Kelvin Kay

Wow! I can't believe it's been almost 2 weeks since our last post! Time really flies by.

Well, I wish we could tell you that we've been away these last two weeks on an exotic vacation to Egypt or Australia basking in warm sunbeams and drinking in the cultural richness surrounding us, but alas, we've been cooped up in our home - enjoying every minute, of course!!

Tim took me mini golfing last week and guess what?? It was a close game but, I beat him. I had forgotten how much fun mini-golf is. Tim and I are looking forward to summer when we can venture over to our favorite mini-golf spot.
We also celebrated Tim's brother's birthday this past week.
We had a blast eating homemade pizza, playing Mario carts on the Wii, talking, laughing, and playing an intense game of Balderdash! Tim and I came in second. It was hard to beat the genius minds of Josh & Bethany. They were on a team and definitely came up with some very witty and deceiving definitions.
The evening also included the very important birthday spanking machine!
Tim has been busy, busily studying night and day for his 4 classes. He is hoping to finish 3 of the courses before the middle of April so he can get his bachelor's this year. Please keep him in your prayers: 1) that he'd be able to finish in time to graduate this year 2) that the Lord would give him strength, understanding, and endurance during this time of pressure. -Marilyn

Devaluing our Money

2009-02-10T16:15:00.001-06:00

Where are we headed? Will the insanity end? -Tim

Remembering Gen

2009-02-01T23:39:00.008-06:00

What a better way to remember a loved one than traveling back in time through pictures? At Melissa's request, Marilyn and I had the privilege of helping compile a collection of photos of Grandma Gen for the visitation and funeral.

We were all fascinated to see life from Grandma's perspective in the albums that she compiled years ago.

I had to stretch after all the bending down!

Our exploring paid off, though. Melissa turned our stack of photos into a work of art! I think Grandma would have been proud.

The visitation was a joyful time reflecting back on Grandma and coming together to support one another. Above, Mom embraces Debbie, her late brother's wife.

(Great-Aunts: Betty, Melva, and Shirley)

Jenny and Anthony came out for the time with our nephew, Elijah. He is such a cute little man. Marilyn's cousin Terry called me over to capture this moment.

We are so thankful that we can rejoice that our Grandma had trusted Christ for Salvation. It gives us hope in the biblical promise that we will see her again in heaven.

Marilyn and I marvel at the family heritage that Grandma left behind. Even though Grandpa resisted the things of God for so many years, she was faithful to pass on her faith to their children. Today, we have a close knit family that fellowships around our mutual trust in Christ.
As we gathered to celebrate the life of our matriarch, the awesome faithfulness of God was unmistakable. The message of Gen's life served as a powerful testimony to us that had gathered.

Many people shared the love that they had for Grandma and the hilarious stories that we remember about her. Aunt Connie led the way with a wonderful tribute to her mother that warmed all of our hearts and made us roar with laughter.

Paying our last respects at the grave site of our beloved Grandma did not leave us with a sense of gloom, but excitement for eternity. This picture captures the experience of our looking beyond the shadows of the temporal and the grave to rejoice in Grandma's life that has gone on to glory. Our blessed hope of everlasting life in Christ grows brighter as the days melt away and other believers like Gen pass on before us! -Tim

Grandma is in Heaven

2009-01-26T12:08:00.006-06:00

Gen Groschel brought life to everyone around her. The world held so many exciting and new experiences for Grandma that she never seemed to slow down until the last two years of her full life. Marilyn, her sisters, and the family tell story after story about the fun and laughter that G'ma created at family gatherings, sleepovers, and trips.

On Friday afternoon, we got a call saying that our beloved Grandma had gone to be with the Lord. The news was bitter-sweet because we knew that toward the end it was a struggle for Grandma. We had been praying that God would take her soon because she had lost her quality of life when she had gotten very sick and then broke her hip in the nursing home. The Lord graciously allowed Grandma to go home with very little suffering and we are thankful.

We will miss her. Many that have lost loved ones who have trusted Christ know that even though we are confident that the suffering is over, we will deeply miss them. Yet, Marilyn and I are comforted knowing that we will see Grandma again at Christ's side. What a glorious day that will be!

Terry & G'ma last Easter

The visitation is this Wednesday night and the funeral is the next morning. It will be a good time to gather, reflect on Grandma's life, and say goodbye until we meet again in eternity. Please pray for the family as they are grieving the loss of this precious woman. -Tim

Concert and Dinner!

2009-01-23T01:00:00.001-06:00

Marilyn and I were blown away at this year's Musical Portraits of America concert! As the choir assembled I kept on seeing people that I know. The lights dimmed and beautiful music delighted our hearts all evening. Most of the pieces were sacred, so it lifted our spirits to the Lord.

This concert was hosted by a Lutheran church in Bloomington this time. The house was packed and no one was dissappointed!

Marilyn noticed that a man in the choir was wearing red socks and a red shirt under his black one. She got a kick out of that.

Larry dazzled the crowd as always with his accomplished fingers on the ivories. He is so much fun. I am so thankful that my family has had the privilege of getting to know him personally.

One gorgeous sight was the pipe organ lit with colored lights from overhead. J. Marty, the main conductor, also played a wonderful piece on the organ.

Marilyn and I had a great time listening and singing praise to our God! After the concert, I met up with a fellow chalk artist that I hadn't seen in a while to lend her my easel. Christy drew this week and was in a bind when the chalk easel she was promised turned out to be a marker board easel. I was glad to help her out! Praise God for the opportunity to serve.

Mare and I thought ahead and brought money to go out, so we decided on the Cheesecake Factory. I hadn't been there since we had visited Chicago when we were just getting to know each other, so it was a treat!

Unfortunately, there was a wait, but they told us it would only be 15-30 minutes.

Sure enough after a half hour, our buzzer went off. We were so glad to be seated!

I got right down to business ordering a raspberry lemonade. It was very sweet, but tasty. To my delight, they offered free refills!

Since I had eaten a late lunch and wasn't that hungry, I suggested that we order the Factory Nachos and then see how much room we had left. They were some of the best ever. With thick cheese, fresh salsa, and creamy guacamole, Mare couldn't say enough about them!

We were both satisfied with just the appetizer. We decided to finish off with some cheesecake since that is why the restaurant became famous. I would have to say that the lemon-raspberry cheesecake is a slice of heaven. It was just the right balance between rich and light. What a great way to top off the evening together!

Marilyn and I are so grateful to God for his provision to us and for His mercies that are new every morning. Today is Friday and we are excited to have two new families from our church over for dinner tonight. The Lord has been blessing our church recently with new people. We hope to be an encouragement to them.

Evenings with the Church Family

2009-01-16T07:30:00.000-06:00

If it is Wednesday night, you will find Marilyn and me gathering at our Pastor's house for prayer and fellowship with our church. When I was growing up, the churches that I attended with my family differed in what we did for a mid-week service. At Evergreen Community Church, the boys and girls split up into separate Bible clubs. The guys had Boys Brigade and the girls enjoyed Pioneer Girls. We memorized verses, did crafts, went on field trips, and played games. In my early teens, my folks helped to organize Bible lessons and activities for the youth group. When we left Evergreen for a Baptist church, Wednesday nights were the time that the body gathered for prayer. Honestly, I dreaded the service for a couple years. Then my thinking changed...

I realized that sessions of prayer were not wasted hours, but opportunities to grow in faith and depend more on the Lord Jesus since He does answer when we call. The Bible teaches that God knows our needs even before we ask Him, yet "the prayer of a righteous person has great power" (see James 5:16). The Lord doesn't need us to do His will, but surprisingly He chooses to work through the prayers of His people!

What an AWESOME privilege to lift up our needs to our loving Heavenly Father! The more I grow in Christ, the more I appreciate gathering with my fellow believers for prayer.

After we pray, everyone gathers around and we talk. It is great getting to know other Christians better because our love for each other grows. Everyone has highs and lows, but it is so reassuring that one can trust in the loving hand of God.

After the meeting, often one hears music floating in the air. Many of us use this time to practice pieces for the worship service on Sunday. I found out recently that my pastor has started teaching violin. Some of the kids in the church are learning to play the guitar. As regular readers know, Marilyn teaches piano. Eventually I hope that we can organize a choir. It will be good to see what the next generation does in the church with their music skills!

Please pray for us as we continue to reach out to Jordan, MN for Christ. We want to be used for our Savior. May the gospel penetrate deep into the heart of this precious city.

What do you fill your time with on Wednesday nights? Have you seen specific answers to prayer lately? We would love to hear about it. -Tim