The Old Apartment

Hal writes:

Rachel forwarded me an e-mail that linked to a web page of someone who took a tour of my old high school. A couple years ago a new high school was built and the one where I spent my 8th grade through graduation is being torn down. I selected just a couple of photos for my post, but if you want to see more click here.

Our tour begins in the gym. This is the location of phy ed classes, basketball games, graduation ceremonies, after proms and even a pinewood derby when I was a boyscout. The hole in the far wall is where they brought in large equipment to tear the place up.


The next photo I selected was from the auditorium. This was the place of Prairie Fire children's plays, many dance recitals that my sisters were in, and a number of choir performances. I most remember the area for the variety shows that I was involved in. There were other photos from the perspective of the audience looking at the stage, but I chose to post this picture because most of my memories of the place are walking out on stage and looking out to the audience.

French class was held here. You can see that Le Petit Prince made it through the last fresh coat of paint that was given to the room. There was a time when I was on the verge of really speaking and hearing French, but that time has passed. C'est domage. Je suis triste.

My dad's classroom. It hardly looks like his room without all the desks, cabinets, and other items on the wall.

I have three ideas as to who this may have belonged to, but I think it is fitting that this was found amidst the destruction.

Stop, pencils down

Hal writes:

This post comes during the break between the English and math placement exams that I am proctoring this morning. It makes for an early Saturday morning, but I get a small stipend for helping.

"It's amazing how much I can read when I don't watch TV." I said this to my wife last week amidst a reading binge that began during my spring break. (For those who want to see my current reading selections, check out my bookshelf on Facebook.) I've enjoyed my evenings recently with the books and feel more accomplished with my free time reading than watching TV. I haven't sworn off the idiot box totally (LOST will have me back when they start showing new episodes later this month and I'll be cheering for Memphis and NC to win my yahoo fantasy league) but I have cut down dramatically on my casual viewing. Plus, I've read a few articles recently about how most of the costs in health care in the US are for preventable maladies, so I am back to walking/running on a daily basis. Hey, you can always record/tivo a tv show and watch it later. Or, get some sort of indoor bike or nordic trak while you are watching tv; at least you are moving.

The Coach of the real Titans came to campus this past week. You may have seen the Disney movie that starred Denzel. After his talk geared towards the "young people" he took questions from the audience. In addition to some questions involving race relations in the US, we also learned about how much of the true story was change for the movie (very little, only eight items that were altered by the screenplay). For example, Gary's car accident in real life happened after they won the state championship, and not just before as told in the movie.


I came across this piece of scripture a few days ago, found it very helpful and have been reflecting on it daily since then. Psalm 42:

1 As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, O God.

2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?

3 My tears have been my food
day and night,
while men say to me all day long,
"Where is your God?"

4 These things I remember
as I pour out my soul:
how I used to go with the multitude,
leading the procession to the house of God,
with shouts of joy and thanksgiving
among the festive throng.

5 Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and

6 my God.
My soul is downcast within me;
therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.

7 Deep calls to deep
in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
have swept over me.

8 By day the LORD directs his love,
at night his song is with me—
a prayer to the God of my life.

9 I say to God my Rock,
"Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
oppressed by the enemy?"

10 My bones suffer mortal agony
as my foes taunt me,
saying to me all day long,
"Where is your God?"

11 Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.

Spring Break: Happy Easter!

Hal writes:

Happy Easter! We woke up to a blanket of snow covering everything. A little off for Easter weather, but quite symbolic in regards to the bright white that covers all that is part of the Easter message. Put as Pastor Dennis mentioned this morning, we won't have an Easter this early for another 220 years, so I'm guessing that since I won't live that long there will be more April (non-snowy) Easter's in my future. Here are a couple of pictures from the snow.

Coming back to your home town church is always interesting. Some people have not changed (primarly older members of the congregation who have looked the same the past 20 years) and then those who have. A few of my high school classmates were there, many with children of their own. I tired to hold my friend Rachel's daughter Aili, but Aili would have none of that and would rather stay in mom's arms. And then there were those sweet "little ones" that are now high school punks (which I say in jest). What is it about playing hockey that allows a tenth grader to have more facial hair than I do?

This is the first Easter in a while that we have not celebrated with Anna's family in Indiana. Anna thinks this is the third Easter that she has missed being with her family. It just couldn't work for us to drive all the way from Duluth to Indiana and back with Anna not having any days off.

On Friday I was able to spend some time with my friend Lauren. She is back in the Duluth area after enduring a bad accident while in Ethiopia. You can read about her story in an article in today's Duluth News Tribune or you can read about her first hand experience working with the women in Addis through her blog.

Notice that my legs are longer than her crutches that I am holding.