Who's Washing Your Windows

I've always thought the best drummer in the world has never been discovered. He is probably in a garage somewhere and is such a perfectionist he won't let another soul hear him.

On my way out the door at work today, I recognized the window cleaner. I couldn't quite put my finger on it and then it hit me.

"Matt! What are you doing here man?"

A couple of weeks ago he and I were playing in the same worship band together. He's an insanely good drummer and a really awesome guy. I learned his band, Coldville, is recording soon and I want to check out his music. I talked with him for a few minutes and then we parted ways.

You never know who is washing your windows.

Suffering and Prosperity

My parents must have had a few awkward moments raising my twin brother and I. In fourth grade, both Connor and I ran for student council. I remember coming home and telling my parents I won. Connor didn't. As a parent, how do you celebrate with one kid and mourn with the other? Especially when they're identical twins!

We had band practice tonight. Afterwards, Mike always leads us in a time of prayer. We usually come with reports of bad news for which we need prayer or good news for which we want to thank God*. I am thankful that Mike makes a point of this every week, not only to pray, but also to connect and get

Help Line

"Would you take care of this computer software problem? You seem to understand this stuff better than me," said Heidi, the office manager at Pulver Chiropractic, where I now work. It's a small business so everybody kind of chips in on everything. I like it that way; we function more like a family and less like machines.

Needless to say, I obliged, fully knowing that she could have done it but also happy to take something off her to-do list. I called the help line and waited on hold for about ten minutes.

A soft voice answered the phone and offered to help me. Debbie was her name. She was very kind and helpful. But my cell was running out of batteries* and I had to ask her to call us back on the land line. The phone rang. "San Diego, CA," read the caller ID when I picked it up. 

"Debbie, where are you?" 

"San Diego, in fact, I just moved here two months ago."

I learned that Debbie had just endured a nasty divorce and was advised to relocate for her own safety. She left all she knew and moved from Georgia all the way to a brand new city in California,

Unlike an Arrow

I love to watch snow come down like it did today. Silently, uniquely, carefully the snowflakes make their unhurried journey from the grayness to the ground. If you watch closely, a single snowflake does not fall straight but makes its way patiently like a lazy leaf in a creek that changes course with pebble-bent mini currents. It spins and turns until it gently comes to rest. Unlike a launched arrow whose arc is carefully followed with determination until it hits bullseye, a snowflake makes no attempt to claim its own importance; it does not even know its destination. Although each snowflake is a

Attention of the Heart

The day we moved to Michigan, we sold Rachel's car* and drove off with three thousand dollars in cash. Upon our arrival in Western Michigan, we had only one car, and since Rachel's job requires her to commute, we were graciously loaned a car from Rachel's parents. But that can't last forever.

Two months later and we still can't afford a car. Moving expenses as well as the cost of setting up a new home left us a little short, and we are still in need of our own car. So yesterday, again by the grace of Rachel's parents, my father-in-law offered for Rachel and I to pick out a car. He will buy it and we will pay him back over time, interest free.

As we were looking at cars, I struggled with all of the thoughts running through my head. First, why

Hunting

Hunting is much more sedentary than I thought. It was about thirty-three degrees as we sat in a thinly walled blind at seven in the morning. We saw a young buck graze our carrots for about an hour, but he was too young to kill. So we kept on sitting like that for over two hours. I learned that this is a common experience for hunters.

It's not what I was expecting. In my imagination, I pictured shouldering my gun through birch trees, taking a knee to study tracks and broken branches, peering from behind a tree and taking my pick from a heard of large bucks.

No, hunting is a sport of waiting for what comes your way, being on the lookout and ready to act when

For Who Are You Thankful?

Thanksgiving is tomorrow. I love the tradition behind Thanksgiving Day. I remember as a kid having Thanksgiving with my mom's family. We always had it outdoors in the beautiful California central coast, full of oak trees, dry grasses and rolling hills. I remember one Thanksgiving before my grandma died; she came dressed as a Native American and got all of us grandkids laughing. We ate barbecued turkey, cold from sitting out while we got the whole meal together.

As I've grown, I have learned to love this holiday. I love that for the most part, it's just one day. It's

Fall is a Season of Change and Preparation

Preparation. Maybe the trees aren't losing their leaves; Maybe they are letting them go. Maybe somehow they know winter is coming and they must shed anything that is not trunk or branch.

Preparation. Animals store food and find homes. How do they know?

(I am and we are all hopelessly unnatural in our

Daily Invitation

We invited our neighbors over for dinner tonight! Rachel and I have been looking forward to this for some time. We found out Matt and Mary don't like veggies of any type, so we baked some fries and cooked up some chili cheese dogs for them. When we saw a car pull into their driveway at six thirty, Rachel poked her head out, "You guys want to have dinner tonight?" "Maybe, it would have to be later though," Mary responded, "I'm only home quick; I have to go to work for a couple of hours yet." "Okay, how about tomorrow night," offered Rachel. She excitedly agreed. So we ate the meal ourselves and we're hoping to have them over tomorrow instead.

I was sad that it didn't work out*. Not to over-spiritualize the situation, but it reminded me of a

All at the Same Time

The kids on our block play incessantly*. Today was no different. It was fifty degrees outside and a half dozen of them were running around in their shorts and tee shirts, building forts, throwing the football, and laughing a lot. There's usually a group of adults watching them and hanging out, and I notice that they usually are smoking. My first thought is that these parents are setting bad examples for these kids**, teaching them bad habits. My second thought is that these parents are so cool to let their kids outside to play with one another and that they're there, hanging out together. Not every parent is like this***. I'm embarrassed that my first thought is one of judgment, coming to negative conclusions based on my narrow vision. The truth is that nobody is perfect. 

Rachel told me that our sweet neighbor, Sandy, put up some Christmas lights a couple years ago,

Neighbor Love

I left my house through the back door on my way to flag football with a bunch of guys and spotted my wife talking with our neighbor, Sandy.

Sandy and my wife were planning a time they could go on a walk together. When Sandy's son lived where we now do, they would go on walks together every day. Now that he's moved and has a job, she hasn't been on a walk since. She says she'd like to get back into it; walking is good for her health

The Good Judge

GUEST BLOG by Rachel McClenahan

I walked into a judge’s courtroom today and saw fifteen faces looking up at me.  They were waiting for the judge to enter, silently seated in two rows.  Seven children were among the group, one girl with two red bows in her curly black hair.  But today wasn’t her day – it was Jacob’s.  His adoption was being finalized today. 

I took my seat in the back as a mere observer today.  I saw the adoption worker and foster care worker interact with the family.  One of them scooped up the young girl with bows, who explained to the worker who everyone was – grandma, grandpa, aunts, and cousins.  Not quite

Work

Today was my first day of work! I had a meeting with Levi Pulver, my new employer. Dr. Levi is a chiropractor and I will be his practice representative, managing local outreach and promoting health and wellness to the community. At the meeting we talked about how he needs somebody to represent him, to build relationships first, to be present in the community, to spread the news that he can help them, to find ways to bless people and businesses, to make health more accessible to people. Basically, I will be what I like to call a "chiropractic evangelist".

I came home from a short day of meetings and scheduling and I felt so relaxed. It's the first time

Ambassadors of Hope into Winter

It was twenty-seven degrees out this morning when I began to scrape the ice off my windshield, not something a Californian is used to doing. I started the car and drove through our neighborhood, all freshly frosted from last night's cold. I remember mornings like these in northern California as a little boy. We would walk to school, hear the crunch of the frozen grass under our sneakers and leaving softer greener footprints behind.

As I pulled out onto the main little street, I passed a service truck beside which was a man on a ladder hanging some kind of evergreen garland around a lamppost. He was about half-way done with the whole street.

The evergreen seems to be a cute holiday tradition. A long time ago, I thought, evergreens must have been chosen to symbolize everlasting life offered at Christmas. In southern California, nothing

First Snow

Fall Is Reaching Snow Time. Something New Of Weather.

Heavenly

A heavenly crystal craft floats gently down in the arms of the wind. I feel the first one touch my eyelid as I am walking from the school gym. This is not only the first of the day, but the first of many days, the first of the season.

::

My feet, encased in shoes, strike trail leaves on a damp forest floor. I am reminded it rained last night. Trees pass me by, stuck like many enormous flagged toothpicks in tiny leaf-soil sandwiches. My pulse is quick, but I am at peace as my lungs draw in breath and steadily release it. I reach the other side of the nature reserve and I turn around. I do not know how far I have come, only that I'm

Willing to Make it Right

"Between services, can you pick up two zucchinis, some stock and a lime?" read a text from Rachel between gatherings this morning. I was scheduled to play in the band so I came to the first service and Rachel was going to meet me at the second service with her whole family (mom, dad, brother, sister-in-law). After the service we planned to have them for lunch so there were a few things I needed at the store before then.

I ran out to my car, cruised over to the store and found a parking spot, of which there were few. For some reason, Sunday is Western Michigan Family Grocery Shopping Day (WMFGSD). Lines are long, even when families are "supposed to" be in church. I turned off the car, grabbed my wallet,

How Do I Begin?

I have the best friends in the world.

How do I even begin to describe them?

Today they were all together in my brother's living room in California and they called me on FaceTime to say hello. I was passed around and got to see all of their faces and I was reminded again of how special these people are to me. Here is a teeny tiny snippet of what I love about each one:

Connor is my identical twin brother, my genetic match, my lifelong companion. He understands me like nobody else. Sometimes when we're with our wives, Connor and I will start laughing about something that to us is unbelievably funny. Rachel and Sherianne just look at one another, puzzled. Connor is a believer, an encourager, a relator. Connor is incredibly intuitive, wise, insightful and understanding. Connor is the kind of person who will stick it out with you until the very end. He is the best brother I could have EVER asked for.

Sherianne is tender and go-with-the-flow but also resilient and intelligent. She's the kind of person you hope to find in a nook reading a novel. I love her goofy laugh and that sometimes it gets the best of her. You can tell that she thinks things through, that she's been wanting to ask you this one question and she really wants to hear your response. She's a great mother to her son.

The five of us backpacking in Ansel Adams Wilderness

Jono is an adventurer, a teacher, an inspirer, a protector. You want him as your friend. I have been in many situations with Jono in which, if I wasn't with him, I would be backing down. But Jono has a way of instilling courage in people, enabling them to go farther than they thought they could. He's up for anything at any time, especially if it involves something contrary to social

Thinking Too Much

Today Rachel finished training in Detroit for her job as an adoptions specialist! She's been at it for seven weeks, half of which have been in Lansing or Detroit. She's been sitting in classrooms, staying at hotels, eating out and missing me. To celebrate her homecoming I thought I'd go get her a little something.

After cleaning the house, I made a trip to the store to pick something out. I began at the jewelry stand, looking through earrings and necklaces. But I thought I could maybe pick out something better, something more meaningful, something more special. So I wandered through the women's clothing,

A Little Letting Go

I had a good day today. I pulled on some long spandex and jogged through the cold neighborhood. I met our new auto insurance agent and got all that dialed in. I studied at the library, made a visit to the chiropractor, and went to my in-law's to work on building a bookshelf. I got lost in the work for a few hours, stopped at home for a quick dinner and called my brother. I got to worship practice a few minutes late and got to play bass. I drove home and pulled up into the driveway. The windows were dark and the doors were locked.

Rachel is in Detroit tonight. Her work sent her out there to complete her training. So I walked in the door to an empty house. The furnace pilot had gone out so it was a little colder than normal.

Alone.

It's not that I can't spend a night by myself (I actually usually enjoy that occasionally). It's not that I

A Familiar Voice

"You don't want to miss the sunset tonight. I wanted to go drive by the lake on my way home," said my mother-in-law late this afternoon. I had been using my father-in-law's wood shop today and finished up at the same time she got home. I love making things, creating, building things. Especially things so natural and raw as wood. Very slowly and from a little seed grew a giant oak. It grew so heavy and old that it fell in a storm. Since it was on his property, Uncle Wes milled it and gave most of it to my father-in-law. Today we planed the faces and jointed the edges and made the first cuts. It's such beautiful wood. The grain is tight and strong. But it gives itself to my shaping and joining.

Needless to say, I peeked out the window to see a corner of sky, lit up pink by the setting sun. I said goodbye, started my car, and chased toward the sun, eager to catch a full view and knowing I had

Another Walk in Deeper Autumn

Deeper autumn stroll

Leaves are brittle shells

That which once held life

Shivers on a branch

Rattles in the wind

We Carry Our Pains

I got out of bed and painfully straightened up on my legs, tenderly shifting my weight as I got dressed. Soreness plagued all of my leg muscles, my abdomen, my back, and even my neck. Just the thought of squatting or bending over was enough to make me cringe. I used to heal so much faster in high school and college!*

It started on Saturday morning as I eagerly joined in on a fun game of five on five flag football with some guys in the community. We played for two hours, enough time for me to get to play all positions. When we won I felt like a hero, but when my muscles cooled down again, soreness set in

Eight Hours

Most people like naps. I don't know what's wrong with me, but I can't handle them. Today I tried once again. Don't get me wrong, I was in need of one. My body was heavy and my blinks were getting longer. I took off my shoes, climbed underneath the covers and let my body settle and my breathing slow. And with that final breath and I was under the spell of an afternoon nap.

As you can see, I have no trouble getting to sleep. It's when I wake up disoriented, confused, sluggish, and groggy that I remember that I don't like naps. Today, I woke aware of how unproductive I've been. I was aware of how hard it has been to adjust to Michigan. I was aware of how much I miss close relationships. I should have known I would be feeling down. Jono and I have talked about this a number of times and we both have had the same experience. We go to take a nap but wake up

Nothing Natural Happens Immediately

This morning I watched a pot boil.

They say it can't be done. Ha!

All you need is patience, really.

If you look close enough, it is changing all the time.

And it will happen. (Nothing natural happens immediately.)

Out of the Loop

It's nights like tonight that I love not having a television. Rachel spent the night at a friend's last night, so I hadn't seen her since yesterday morning. I was excited to have her home! After sitting down and catching up, we put on our jackets and walked to Fricano's Pizza for a little Friday night dinner date. It was a slow walk home as the sky was beginning to darken. We came back home to silence and space. We were a little bit bored, but it was nice to just rest together.

If we had access to television in our house, it may have also been nice to watch that show we like. But personally, I know that I tend to zone in, carry on to another show, and I would most likely let the night slip away without ever really connecting with my wife on an emotional level. 

Even having a computer can be a way to avoid a situation or boredom itself. Maybe part of the reason man keeps inventing new things is to make him busy. 

It is so refreshing to let go of that need to be busy and to let myself be bored a little bit. I think it should be a natural rhythm of our lives. Before electricity, when evening came, activity and work came to a close and families were drawn into a time of rest. Are we better off now? Well, yes in

Space for Broken Buildings

Spring Lake is a great place to walk around. They've got a board walk trail that runs along the shore for a little ways and then it cuts into town parallel to the little shops and neighborhoods. It was here that I decided to take myself on a little walk. Through beached boats up on the dock, I walked the boardwalk with the wind and came upon an old brick warehouse*. Tall weeds hid some small broken window panes and grew up the cracks and gutters. Circling, I peeked inside. So much space! All filled with old boat trailers and somebody's furniture.

Where I am from in California, this building would be torn down or refurbished or used for some purpose beyond collecting dust atop boat trailers. Where I am from in California, land is way too valuable to let that happen. Every square inch of land is maximized and monetized, even the 5 freeway is too much space to leave empty! We spread our busy feet into every usable corner and claim it. Now Spring Lake is a nice town, a similar kind of nice as the town I am from in California. It seems to be doing well and most people who live there are probably middle class. It is not a "ghetto" like Detroit**(***). All that said, there is something about this part of the country that allows space