Summer School

Summer 2008

I lost my job. I had been praying for a new job. My plan was to find something then quit my current job. Instead, I was laid off with no prospects in sight.

I got a new job. It paid less than the previous one. I got a new home.

I love this job, which I still have. Our new home is smaller, cheaper, with easier upkeep. The new location led us to our current church home, which I also love.

Lessons learned:

• My prayers are not always answered how I expect them to be.
• God works everything together for my good. He provides for all my needs.
• The Lord guides my path when I trust Him.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

Summer 2009

I lost my car. I was in a terrifying car crash. We rolled over on the highway four times.

I got a new car. I got a new sense of mortality.

Lessons learned:

• God answers when we cry out to Him.
• I must and can trust Him with my life and death.
• He must have more planned for my life, because I survived a crash that could have easily been fatal.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

Summer 2010

I lost my dad. After four weeks of battle in the hospital, he went Home.

I lost friendships. Relational struggles turned my world upside down.

I got a new perspective. I got new friendships – with the same people, at a new and deeper level. I got a new heart.

Lessons learned:

• I cannot rely on my human relationships to sustain me, to fulfill me.
• In Christ alone can I find my strength. He is my foundation.
• Forgiveness. I learned about forgiveness.
• Sometimes we are stretched in painful but effective ways to grow our faith, our character, our love for God and others.

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. Matthew 7:24-25

Summer 2011

I lost material possessions. The basement flooded. It wasn’t very bad, and we really lost very little. The biggest loss was in time. Move everything out. Clean everything up. Put everything back.

I got another new perspective – on “stuff.”

Lessons learned:

• The more stuff you have, the less free you are.
• Don’t be too attached to material possessions.

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-20

Summer 2012…

TBA

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4

The Whole World

Some friends of mine recently travelled to Pittsburgh, PA. This was not a fun jaunt to visit the sites. They were bringing their seven-year-old son to see the best in the nation for the specialized surgery he needed.

To fast forward a bit, God did amazing things to work out so many details, provide for his health, see him through recovery, and get them all safely back home to Chicagoland. Praise the Lord!

But, let’s back up a bit, to the days they were out east, visiting doctors and preparing for the surgery. From what I saw and heard, their faith was sustaining them. They seemed to be doing well. Strange, then, it was, that I was struggling. My heart was so heavy for their situation. Being so far from home, away from normal comforts, away from many friends and family members, all sounded so tough to me. Add to that the uncertainty of exactly what the procedure would entail and the possible risks involved.

It just sounded like so much. I wanted to be able to be there with them, to pray with them (even though I was praying for them already,) to give a hug if they needed one, to remind them in person they are loved and not alone even though they were so far from home. I felt such a burden for them. God used this to continually bring me to Him in prayer.

At one point, while praying for them, I again had thoughts of wishing I could do more and of concern that they were far from where I or others near home could easily help. It was then that God reminded me, that, though they were far from my hands, He had them in His. I wasn’t there with them, but He was. “I’ve got them.” was the phrase that was impressed upon my heart and mind. It was ok.

Reassurance, relief, gratitude, hope, and peace flooded my soul. Humility worked its way in, too, as I was reminded I can do nothing, compared to God. Who cares if I’m not with them, or where I want to be in any other situation, if God is there?

It was so good to remember this truth. Whatever any of my friends face, He has them. Whatever my family members are going through, even if I can’t be with them, God is. Whatever situations in my life that I try to get under control, it’s all in God’s hands.

“I’ve got them.”

Gaming Library

I’ve been told more than once that I need to provide a list of the games I own. Here it is. I will update as the collection grows.

At the end is a wish list of games I would like to own. These are ones I have played and know I enjoy. There is also a list of games I have seen or heard of that I would like to try out some time.

*Indicates most recent update

Consider this a reference list for any games:
You would like to borrow
You want more info on: (Just ask!)
Description
Review
Tips
Suggested variations of play
Recommended expansions

Aargh!
Alibi
American Trivia Game
Apples to Apples
Axis and Allies
Backgammon
Bananagrams
Bang!
Battle of the Sexes Card Game
Beyond Balderdash
Bohnanza
Boggle
Carcassonne Hunters and Gatherers
Carcassonne Inns & Cathedrals Expansion
Checkers
Chess
Chez Geek
Chinese Checkers
Chrononauts
Citadels
Compatability
Cranium
Cranium Turbo Edition
DaVinci’s Challenge
Democrazy
Dicecapades
Dominoes
Duel of Ages
80’s Game
Egyptians
Empire Builder
Encore
Eye To Eye
Family Feud
Forbidden Island
Global Pursuit
Guess Who
History of the World
Hit The Deck
Imaginiff
In A Pickle
Kill Doctor Lucky
Killer Bunnies
Killer Bunnies and the Journey to Jupiter
Killer Bunnies and the Quest for the Magic Carrot + Expansions
Killer Bunnies and the Conquest of the Magic Carrot
Loaded Questions
Malarkey
Mancala
Mastermind
Match-Ability
Mille Bornes
Monopoly
Monopoly City
Monopoly Deluxe Edition
Monopoly Electronic Banking Edition
Photo-opoly
(Triopoly)
Munchkin
Munchkin Bites
Munchkin Cthulhu + Expansion
Munchkin Fu
Super Munchkin
The Good, the Bad, and the Munchkin
Newlywed Game
90’s Game
Nuclear War
Old and New Testament Trivia
Operation
Origin
Outrage!
Oxford Dilemma
Palatinus
Pass the Popcorn
Payday
Perudo
Phase 10
Pictionary
Pit
Poker (chips)
Politika
Portobello Market
Presidential Election Game
Price Is Right (The)
Puerto Rico
Quelf
Quiddler
Quiz Wizard Trivia Master Edition
Racko
Rail Baron
Reel Clues
Ribbit
Risk
Risk – Star Wars
Rook
Say Anything
Scattergories
Scene It?
Scene It Simpsons
Senator
Settlers of Catan
Catan Adventures – Candamir: The First Settlers
Catan Histories – Germany
Catan Histories – Settlers of America: Trails to Rails
Catan Histories – Struggle for Rome
Settlers of Catan + 5-Player Expansion
Settlers of Catan Traders & Barbarians Expansion
Settlers of the Stone Age
Starfarers of Catan
Sharp Shooters
Simplexity
Small World: Days of Wonder
Be Not Afraid Expansion
Cursed Expansion
Grand Dames Expansion
Solarquest
Sold
Sorry
Sort It Out
Split Second
Stratego
Such & Such
Taboo
Celebrity Taboo
Electronic Taboo
The Big Taboo
Take Your Pick
Take Your Pick Movies, Music and More
Therapy
Tis the Season Christmas Trivia
Travel Buff
Tribond
Triopoly
Trivial Pursuit
90’s Edition
20th Anniversary Edition
The 1960’s
1980’s Master Game
Bet You Know It
Digital Choice
Entertainment Singles
Family Edition
Genus III
Genus 6
In Pursuit
Know-It-All Master Edition
Music Singles
Pop Culture DVD
Pop Culture DVD 2
Star Wars
Totally 80’s
Trivial Pursuit (original)
TV Edition
True Colors
Truth Be Told
Tumblecups
Twister
Unexploded Cow
Uno
Upwords
Vegas Showdown
Walk The Dogs
What’s Yours Like?
Whoonu
Why Did The Chicken
Wordsters
Worse Case Scenario Survival Game: The Office
Would You Rather…?
Yamodo!
You’ve Been Sentened

Wish List

Alhambra*
Dixit*
Jaipur*
Princes of Florence*
7 Wonders*
Steam*
Tiagonka*
Taj Mahal*

Games I’ve Never Played But Would Like To Try

City of Thieves*
For Sale*
Gnomes of Zavandor*
Isla Dorada*
Ora & Labora*
Pirate’s Cove*

Top 3 Get 2 Know U Games

As I’ve said before, games are a great way to get to know those mysterious creatures around you. As you’re gathering around the table this season, here’s some top picks I recommend. (If you’re looking for last minute gifts, they’d be good too, but you’re probably too late for ordering online.) 

Loaded Questions

 

The Premise: Players take turns being the guesser. The player reads a question aloud from the stack provided. All other players write down their personal answer to this query. All answers are then gathered up and read to the guesser by the person on their right. The guesser must then try to surmise who wrote which answer. For each correct guess, (s)he moves forward on the game board.

This simple premise creates an abundance of laughter and fun. Questions vary from serious to silly, thought-provoking to fluff. It is amazing how much players can learn about each other, or find out how much they already know.

 # of Players: 3-6 – The game includes six tokens. Less than five and it’s not very enjoyable because there aren’t a lot of answers in the mix. However, up to eight is still manageable and fun. Get creative and use pieces from another game, or coins, as game pieces, to include a couple more people. They want to have fun, too.

 Time: 90 minutes. However, this will depend on whether or not you included those extra people. This can be a one hour game, depending on the number of players. If you have a chatty group that likes to discuss each and every answer (which can be a lot of fun) then allow two or more hours.

 Variations: I strongly recommended deviating from the provided instructions for movement. For each correct answer, the guesser it told to move one space on the board. Make this reward two spaces per correct guess. With slower movement, the game takes much longer, often too long for most players.

A second recommended change is the “end game.” The given rule is, after landing on the finish space, the guesser must get all answers to the next question correct in order to win. This is usually too difficult, especially when playing with a larger group. A better rule is to make the player get half or a majority correct.

 Who should play? This works well for groups of people who already know each other well, or for those who want to get to know each other better. It is also a great way to help a newcomer or two jump in and get the scoop on everyone else, as well as reveal their own personalities. There is enough competition for gamers who enjoy that aspect, but simple and laid-back enough for less serious gamers. Really, a great game for any fun-loving group.

 Buy it

 Compatibility The Premise: Each player receives an identical set of 54 cards illustrated with a variety of pictures and texts. On the board is placed a stack of topic cards. Players take turns being the matcher. A player begins his turn by drawing a topic. Then, he looks through his personal deck to see which cards he would associate with that topic.

For example, I draw the word “family.” I see there is a card with a bride and groom pictured. I also see one with a baby, and another has a crayon drawing of a house and people, and so on. I choose the top five I would personally associate with the word I’ve drawn. I probably pass up the one with skyscrapers and another showing a dolphin. Then again, who knows?

Meanwhile, the other players are searching through their decks, which are the same as mine. They are trying to decide what they think I will be choosing. What would I associate with that word? They will place five cards face down in front of them, and I will place mine. After everyone is finished selecting, cards are revealed and players are rewarded with board movement for any matches they have with me. (Some words are harder than others.)

This process really takes players into the inner workings of each other’s minds. It can be very revealing to see what associations people make! This can also be a good method of revealing how well players know each other.

 # of Players: 6 – Fun with as few as four. Due to the cards required to play, extra players cannot be added. (Unless you’d like to create an entire extra set of cards for them – now that’s devotion!)

 Time: 60 minutes. Keep in mind, though, this will depend on the players. If there are some indecisive minds in the bunch, the card-selection process will take longer for each round, lengthening the game. If things seem to be dragging along, a timer can be added, allowing 2 minutes for choosing cards.

 Variations: The above rules are the variation, but it is the best way to play. The game rules actually show this to be played in teams with special rules for individual play. Participants are instructed to pair off, and instead of everyone attempting to match one player each round, teammates try to match each other and outscore the other team(s). This method is simply less fun. The focus is only on reading your teammate, is more frustrating, and less group-oriented, which does not work as well for this game.

 Who should play? This one is also for groups who are already acquainted or those who aren’t. Again, some competitiveness is involved, but it’s also relaxed and fun-inspiring.

 Buy it

 Imaginiff

The Premise: Before beginning play, eight names are written on the board with a dry erase marker. These will include all players, and, if less than eight are playing, additional names of people all players are familiar with (mutual friends, famous people, etc). A role of the die determines which of these names is the subject each round. A question card is drawn. The card will pose an imaginiff question, such as:

Imaginiff (subject) were a home, which would (s)he be?

1. Cabin in the woods
2. Beach-front bungalow
3. Mansion
4. 2-story traditional
5. Penthouse apartment
6. Double-wide trailer

All players, including the subject, secretly vote which answer they deem most appropriate. All answers are then revealed simultaneously. The answer with the most votes wins, and everyone who voted for that choice is rewarded with board movement. What if the subject said something different than the winning answer? It doesn’t matter! The majority wins!

This is a fun and simple way to discover how players perceive themselves and each other. The resulting conversation can be quite humorous and insightful.

 # of Players: 3-8 – Fairly lame with less than six due to the voting process of the game. Best with 8, so all names on the board are of those playing.

 Time: 60 minutes. This could be quicker, but that would mean no debate over what the answer really should have been each time, which takes away some of the fun of the game.

 Variations: If it bothers you that the majority wins rather than matching the subject’s answer, play to match the subject instead. Obviously, this method will not work if extra non-player names are used on the board, since the extras won’t be voting.

 Who should play? Very little competitive edge to this game. Definitely more for a light time of laughs. A group of any age looking to get to know each other.

 Buy it

Holly or Holy?

This season, will I…

be surrounded by presents
or be surrounded by His presence?

have childlike wonder at the magic of Christmas
or wonder at the child – the meaning of Christmas?

watch a Christmas movie
or watch Christmas move me?

see snow fall
or His kingdom reign?

take my wishes to Father Christmas
or my prayers to the Heavenly Father?

sit by the crackling fire
or have a Holy Fire within me?

shop ’til I drop
or drop everything for Him?

enjoy a sleigh ride
or remember Jesus slain?

sing Christmas carols at people
or actually be caring for people?

have a piece of pie, good desserts
or know peace on earth, good will to men?

sit in awe of the Christmas tree
or stand in awe of Calvary’s tree?

wish all a Merry Christmas
or think of Mary’s Christmas?

hang beautiful lights,
or see the light of the world?

manage my time
or spend time at the manger?

attach a bow
or bow my knee?

Such an amazing gift,
this season, this reason.

This Christmas, Lord,
may I be wrapped up in you.

Fractured

It broke.
Again.
Shattered in a million pieces on the floor.
Seems like I had just put it back together.
I stood over it, weeping.
I wasn’t sure I had the energy for another repair.
It was so hard to get all those pieces to fit together.
Was it even worth it?
I wasn’t sure.
I stood there,
overwhelmed,
crying.
I was so tired,
and scared.
Trying to fix it again seemed like too much.
I wrung my hands.
I wept.
I wished someone else would do this for me.
Just then a man approached.
He stood next to me.
He looked from the broken pieces to my tear-stained face.
“Do you want me to fix it?” was all he asked.
“Yes.” I managed to choke out,
surrendering to the offer.
He picked up the pieces,
cutting himself in the process,
but he did not complain.
With gentle yet sturdy hands, and much care,
he began restoring it.
The white adhesive I had used in the past
always left an ugly residue.
I noticed his red one dried clean.
After a few minutes,
he held out his completed work to me.
I realized there was a hole in it.
I wondered how he could have missed it.
He seemed so thorough and capable.
I asked about the missing piece.
“You don’t need that part any more,” was his reply.
My response was not that of the reassured.
“What do you mean? There’s a big gap -
right there in the middle,” I argued,
“an emptiness.”
“Do you want me to fill it?” he asked.
I glanced around.
What about the other piece?
How was he sure I didn’t need it?
Could I trust him with this repair?
My searching eyes fell on his face.
His eyes provided the answer as he asked again, softly,
“Do you want me to fill it?”
“Yes…please.”
He reached out and,
covering the hole with a hand,
he filled it with his own peace.
The transformation was miraculous.
Not only was it repaired,
it no longer showed cracks from previous breaks.
In fact, it looked completely new.
I was amazed.
But then I noticed
something else.
The shape did not seem
quite right.
There were bumps where I thought it should be smooth.
A curve here and there did not arc as I expected.
With confusion,
near dismay,
I asked why this was.
It had seemed to be remade,
but I still saw imperfections.
“Yes,” he explained.
“This new creation is now as it should be…
not perfect, but whole.”

Hands of a Father

Remembering my dad on his birthday today. I wrote this over a decade ago as a gift for him.

Hands of a Father

The hands of a father,
forever extended, reaching.
Always ready to give comfort,
always loving, always teaching.

 Continuously outstretched,
for the child to take hold.
Ready to help her grow,
to help shape and mold.

Never ceasing to provide,
for the needs of the child’s heart.
For in each of laughter, love,
and understanding,
these hands play a part.

Always there to lift her up,
their caring touch will intervene,
in any situation that may arise,
their influence at times unseen.

For from times of gladness, joy, and pride,
to illness, pain, and doubt,
these hands are always helping,
forever reaching out.

Their touch so influential,
helping guide her way.
Hands so selfless in all they do,
show their love day by day.

The greatly needed hug,
the wiping away of tears,
the extra helping hand,
so much care over many years.

And so as the daughter looks back,
she sees again and again,
the loving hands of her father,
always reaching in.

Those hands, so strong, yet gentle, too,
with such a loving touch,
asking for nothing in return,
while always giving so much.

They remind her of The Father’s hands,
which reach from far above,
and her heart fills with gratitude and joy,
that she was given
two fathers,
both so full of love.

My Path

A firefighter, a ballerina, or a ditch digger. As a small child, these were my career goals. I don’t think much has changed. I’m still all over the place when it comes to “what I want to be when I grow up.” In fact, I’ve come to detest that question. It’s absurd. Not that I’m against dreams and goals, but, seriously, can most people answer that at 8, or even 18?

I remember being terrified as a college student. I have to choose something right now, based on what little I know, to do for the rest of my life. No pressure!

I knew I wanted to help people in some way. I enjoyed my high school psychology class. Ok, psych major it is. Declared. A year and a half later, I switched to social work, as it seemed to be more hands on and practical service for those I would be helping.

Then there was the question of what area of social work. Knowing first hand what families can go through when someone is ill, medical social work seemed like a good idea. But wait, it looks like one really needs a master’s degree for a lot of social work jobs. What now? More schooling for a career I’m not even sure of?

By the time I graduated with a bachelor’s degree, I was so burnt out on social work and school I just could not take any more. I had been working part-time in retail during college, and went up the ladder to full-time assistant manager after graduation. One year of that was enough. I demoted myself and got my life back. A couple more years of retail and I was done.

God brought me next to real estate. I worked for 6.5 years as assistant to one of the area’s top agents. I learned a lot. I enjoyed a lot of it. I was ready to be done with it when the real estate market popped and I was laid off.

What now, God? I thought. I still have no clue what job would be a good fit. Nothing sounded too appealing.

Turns out, God led me to my current job, which I love, as a school photographer for Color Portraits. Praise the Lord for guiding me to it. It’s a great match for my skills, interests, and personality. (Skills including photography and finding my way around Chicagoland, which just so happened to be what I developed in my real estate job.)

I had been praying for a new job during my last few months with the realtor. I just didn’t realize how God would answer that prayer. The photography job is a position I would not have taken if I had not already been laid off, due to the drastic decrease in pay it would mean.

The job has been a huge blessing. I love the work, plus I now enjoy summers off with my teacher husband.

This was not without sacrifice, though. As I mentioned, this job would not be paying what I was used to making. In fact, taking it would mean downsizing our home. What would that involve?

Moving out of the extremely charming 75-year-old home we had purchased four years before and had spent the past four years pouring blood, sweat, tears, and a lot of dough into fixing up just how we wanted. The home that seemed perfect for the entertaining we like to do. The home I was in love with. Also, the older home, with a high-maintenance yard, that required lots of upkeep both inside and out, that was using up a lot of our resources in both time and money.

In other considerations, this was not a good time to be selling a house. My job lay-off was evidence of that.

So, what happened? We took a little step of faith and God showed up. Our house sold after just two weeks on the market. We got more than we bought it for (which was becoming a rarity in the market by then.) We found a townhome just our size for cost, upkeep, and living space. Yes, we did let go of some furniture and my beloved ping pong table, but we now have a lot less to clean and care for, including NO yard work. We now live farther away from some friends, but closer to others. Entertaining can be a bit of a squeeze, but we manage.

My husband is now seven minutes from his school. I often enjoy our (much smaller) patio overlooking a nice pond, complete with geese and a weeping willow. My extra time off has allowed me to pursue what I have since come to realize is my answer to “the question.” No, not 42.

While I still don’t feel tied to one dock for career choice, I have circled back to what I have wanted to be since old enough to wield a pen. A writer. In the past three years, I have been blessed with opportunities to write for my church, this blog, and, recently, have even started getting paid to write for websites! Pursuing this passion has been a huge blessing.

All in all, God clearly worked all this out for us. Praise the Lord!

Where will these opportunities lead? What about three more years from now? Who knows but God. I’m just excited to be where I am and look forward to what God will do next.

I guess the point of all these ramblings (other than to get the tumbling thoughts out of my skull and onto the page) is to reassure you, reader, that there is no need to panic. If you don’t know what you want to be when you grow up, maybe that’s ok. If the future seems uncertain, that’s ok too. God directs our paths anyway.

The path you lay before me, Lord
I do not see the end.
I know not what may lie ahead,
or what’s around each bend.

You set me on this road,
in your wisdom, for your glory.
I must walk a trail, paved not by men,
for you, Lord, write my story.

Each step will lead me on in faith,
that you know where I go.
I’ll walk on toward what you have for me,
though what lies ahead, I do not know.

It may be a darkened wood,
or sunny ocean’s shore.
I know only that you’ve said start here,
trust Me, and no more.

I can’t guess what may come next,
but you will be my light,
guiding as the path takes turns unseen,
as I walk by faith, not by sight.

And as I take the first step down that path,
hoping your will to obey,
I hear you whisper “Fear not, my child.
Just take my hand. I’ll lead the way.”

In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:6

Resting

Reality TV?

I have found myself missing fictional characters. Show cancellations, off-season times, or even a busy few days when I haven’t had a chance to watch something I am currently into – have actually made me miss the people on a show. This is just crazy. They. Are. Not. Real. I do not really know them. I do not have a relationship with them. And, yet, there it is. I miss them all the same. For cancelled shows, I miss the times we had together. For current ones, I ache for more times together. For deceased characters, I mourn. This is ridiculous, right?

Incredibly, I’m not alone on this. I have spoken to others who have similar experiences. Are we all crazy? More importantly, do we miss the real people in our lives as we spend our time with the imaginary ones instead? Probably not. There is something strangely comforting about our TV friends – to feel you know these “people” – how they feel, how they will react – that you see their inner thoughts and emotions – that you have a connection with them –  you feel safe with them.

Not always with reality. Ever feel like you know your favorite TV characters better than you know your friends? There may be some plot twists, but you can usually predict a TV-friend’s behavior based on their previous character development. Not those real people in our lives. You think you know them, then realize you don’t. They are simply unpredictable. Suddenly what you thought was an episode of Friends is an M. Night Shyamalan movie. It makes you yearn for a good rerun.

I had someone ask me once if our real-life relationships shouldn’t be more like those on TV. Thirtysomething was used as the example. It seems the characters can say whatever they want to each other and still remain friends. Relationships remain intact because they care about each other. Unfortunately, no script ensures we all make up and continue in a loving manner within the hour. Each character can choose how the story progresses. There are no guarantees that what we say will be received how we want, or that forgiveness will be given. No director is forcing those things to happen. Our big blow-up may not be resolved by the end of sweeps week.

Still, I guess that’s what makes the shows appealing. We see on the screen what we wish would happen in our own lives. We see people who are more appealing than the ones around us. We can fall in love, burn with hatred, weep, or laugh uncontrollably, with no risk of how that person will respond to us.

The problem is…what? Oh yeah. It’s. Not. Real.

Real life involves risk. Real people can hurt us back. (But real friends can also love us back.) Real relationships are less convenient than watching a prerecorded show at your leisure. Real dramas aren’t always neatly resolved. Heck, some of our plot lines may end up as convoluted as a Lost finale. Who knows?

So, where does that leave us? Are our imaginary bonds unhealthy? Do they hurt our real ones by making them less appealing? Do we live too much on our Fantasy Islands? I’m not sure. Maybe we should ask Frasier?

I’ve started working on what will, God willing, turn into a book on biblical friendship. Perhaps this strange TV relationship topic will find its way onto those pages where God can help me sort it out more through His truth. Meanwhile, I guess we should try not to neglect real relationships in pursuit of a place..where everybody knows your name.