Ella Mae Ice

Ella Mae Ice
07.25.2005
8 lbs 5 oz
21 inches




Ella was born at 1.33 pm after a brief but at times difficult delivery. She was face up instead of face down, had a little odd seat-belt effect with the umbilical cord, and was a full pound heavier than Darby was, making for an awkward (understatement) process. We went in for the induction at 6:30 am and things progressed nicely, epidural included. By 12.45 or so Laura pushed a good three or four series of pushes and things speeded up quickly. By 1 pm the process was in full swing; at one point we came pretty close to an emergency c-section. Between Laura's pushing and the Dr.'s pulling we avoided the c-section. Mac was of course utterly intrigued by the whole process, recalling his sometime leaning towards a vocation in medicine. Laura did extremely well!

At any rate, we are so grateful that things went as smoothly as they did, that we didn't have to rush into surgery, and that most importantly, both Mom and baby are doing fine. Nashville was, by the way, the hottest its been in some time; heat index was over 100. Laura doesn't know how the human race survived when childbirthing was done in log cabins, open fields and who knows where else. We enjoyed an air-conditioned suite surrounded by more technology than launched man to the moon, an array of fine medication, and a small army of well-trained and competent professionals.

Maybe in a future post I'll try to wrestle with the theology of the day's events; right now I'm just enjoying the grace and peace of the moment.

This and That

In no particular order...

The Ice's are waiting for Ella to arrive. If she doesn't come before the 25th, we will go in to induce. So far, so good.

The house is insanely quiet without Darby, who by the way has basically lived in the pool at her grandparents' house in St. Louis. Last report was that she had them swimming at 7:30 am yesterday. Laura's mom will bring her back home Monday. Truth be told, we've been going crazy without her.

Mac learned how ignorant he is of all things postmodern this last week. The short-course in Postmodern Theologies was a great way to send Mark away with his MDiv. It was good to be with Josh, Brennan and Caleb. John Mark did a fine job leading us through; if I'm ignorant it is not his fault. I feel like I know the landscape a bit better now, but I've still got quite a bit of trail before me before me (to borrow a backpacking metaphor). I'm also glad that Caleb kicked me around, philosophically speaking, because it keeps me humble (BOY do I need to brush up on my philosophy). He'll make for a sharp teacher.

I'm getting into some research and reading on crisis counseling as that course winds down as well. I'm just about through with the preliminary sort on the National Christian Missionary Convention material at the Historical Society. I keep saying that I'll blog about these twin summer pursuits; but hey, its summer, I'll get to it when it strikes me.

It was fantastic to see some friends at Waffle House Thursday night. Brought back some fine memories. God gifts us with good people who journey with us through the difficult times. The back booth at the House is a testimony to me of God's goodness in sustaining me with great friends. Too bad Brad Benedict couldn't be there. Thanks to Mike Kidder for his fine hospitality; its was good to catch up with Pops and Ray. The grace I have received from my friends keeps me conscious, and desirous, of opportunities I have to grace others with friendship.

School starts in about 3 weeks. I'm ready.

Grace and peace.

Thou Knowest Who We Are

O Lord, our God! Thou knowest who we are: men with good consciences and with bad, persons who are content, and those who are discontent, the certain and the uncertain, Christians by conviction and Christians by convention, those who believe, those who half-believe, those who disbelieve.

And Thou knowest from whence we have come: from the circle of relatives, acquaintances, and friends or from the greatest lonliness, from a life of quiet prosperity or from manifold confusion and distress, from family relationships that are well ordered or from those disordered or under stress, from the inner circle of the Christian community or from its outer edge.

But now we all stand before Thee, in all our differences, yet alike in that we all are in the wrong with Thee and with one another, that we all must one day die, that we all would be lost without Thy grace, but also in that Thy grace is promised and made available to us all in Thy dear Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. We are here together in order to praise Thee through letting Thee speak to us. We beseech Thee to grant that this may take place in this hour, in the name of Thy Son our Lord. Amen.

--from Karl Barth, Selected Prayers

Summer at the Ice's, part 2

The long hot Middle-TN summer rolls on...

Laura is having good and bad days as Ella's due date nears. Darby can't stop talking about her new baby sister. The room that the girls will be sharing is now complete (save a few details). Darby loves it. Mac is glad that the work is done. She is enjoying some high-end spoiling by both sets of grandparents. Mac's parents are taking her to visit her great-grandmother Ice in Indiana this weekend (we have the house to ourselves and we don't know what to do with ourselves). Laura's mom will be in for a few days next week and will take Darby back to St. Louis for another few days (what will we do for 4 straight days?).

Mac continues a counseling course and is about half-way through an internship at the Disciples Historical Society. More about those two pursuits in forthcoming post.

Last week I was privileged to share a meal with the new president of the Historical Society, Glenn Carson, and Sharon Watkins, nominee for General Minister and President of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Dr. Watkins was in town for the installation of Dr. Carson as President. (Thank you Sara for inviting me). Afterwards I met several wonderful folks at a reception at the Society. It was a joy to reconnect and talk with my friend Clint Holloway, who is Associate Minister at First Christian in Nashville. Clint worked at the Society for a few years; I met him when I first started research work on J. W. Shepherd.

What struck me most about that day was that for all the fanfare associated with Sharon's nomination as General Minister, she was as humble and yet as called and determined as anyone I've ever seen. It would be easy for her to gloat about breaking the ground as the first woman President of the Disciples (or to wring her hands at the tough problems the Disciples face). Instead, I saw a disciple who loves her church, who loves God and who chooses to be hopeful about the work of God in the world and the work of God in her. She expressed her confident expectation that God through the Disciples has a word to say to our world and that it will be her privileged ministry to facilitate unity and purposefulness among Disciples so that the word of God be proclaimed.

I have to applaud that attitude and that hope. I'll have more to say about her remarks in another post.

The Postmodern Theologies short-course had to be modified; I'm reading for it, but since I'm auditing, I admit to a bit of laziness. Ok, a lot of laziness. Nonetheless, I'll get it done somehow and I know it will be great.

So the summer is half-over; I'm actually looking forward to going back to school. Judges-Ruth-and Samuel are up for the Fall; the gospel of Luke for the Spring Semester. These are two of my favorite semesters.

On deck for the blog: I've got some more reflection about my summer pursuits (counseling and the Society internship) I'd like to banter about. I'm also mulling over a series of posts about the ministry of teaching. This series is really thinking out load for me; I've never written on this before so I want to trot out some metaphors and ideas, tease out a preliminary understanding. Hopefully the discipline of putting finger-to-keyboard will force me to articulate just what it is I propose to do as my vocatio. And maybe some of you will critique me along the way?

Coming very soon: a prayer by Karl Barth.

Grace and peace.

Good Food, Good Friends, Good Memories, Good Times

Tonight we shared a meal with Brandon and Beverly Fredenburg and their kids. They are in town visiting family and dropped by Central; we ate at the Old Spaghetti Factory downtown after church.

Brandon is Associate Professor of Biblical Studies at Lubbock Christian University. Before moving there in 2000, he taught at Lipscomb and we shared ministry together at Central. We had a great time catching up.

I count Brandon as a treasured teacher, co-minister and friend. I have so many fond memories of being challenged (read: put through the wringer) by his courses. I had him two semesters in a row (my entire senior year). Introduction to the Old Testament and Intro to NT were among my most difficult courses and the most rewarding. Brandon was concerned that we be competent ministers, that we be intellectually honest with evidence and fair and Christ-like with those with whom we disagree, that we engage study as a spiritual discipline for the purpose of transformation, that we love God with our minds. A good measure of my toughness on my students can be traced back to his high expectations of me. Thank you, prof.

I have fond memories of Brandon's (always) thoughtful and (often) provocative sermons and classes at Central. He taught me to take my task of teaching seriously: to engage the text head-on in fearless yet hopeful disposition. Brandon taught as one convicted by the word. I often tell my students to go where the Word will lead you (see post below). A good measure of that is due to Brandon's influence. Thank you, friend.

Laura and I also have fond memories of helping Brandon and Beverly paint a nursery for John, lay tile, mend a chain-link fence. We ate a lot of pizza together. I remember lots of trips to Lowe's and Home Depot. I very clearly remember holding John not long after his adoption at a booth at Shoney's in Hendersonville before a Christmas play at Community Church. I remember hating to see him leave Nashville and Lipscomb and Central. Thanks for welcoming us into your lives, friends!

God is so good to bless us with people like the Fredenburgs: folks who are zealous and passionate in their discipleship, who are gracious and caring, who take a sincere interest in our lives, who invest themselves in the people of God.

Grace and peace.