I am walking to New Orleans and back.
The trip will be 2012 miles. For those readers who use km, it is 3239 km's.
The journey begins on Sunday, September 14th. You can follow the journey here.
No, I am not taking six months off of work and actually walking there and back. However, I am keeping track of how far I walk each day and computing it out on a map.
I am doing this as a fundraiser for the youth servant trip to New Orleans. Would you consider sponsoring me in this trip? It would mean a lot to me and the youth who will be going to New Orleans.
The donations can be made to the church and it will be tax-deductable. Leave me a comment if you would be willing to support this effort.
The thoughts and writings on this blog are the thoughts of Jeff and do not necessarily represent the views of Grace First Parish of Russell and/or Lutheran Campus Ministry of Southwest Minnesota State University.
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
Iverson Lowers Price On His Home
Allen Iverson is having trouble selling his home in Villanova, Pa. He is now in Denver and has been trying to sell his Pennslyvania home for over a year. The housing market crunch is even hurting the stars.
Thus, he has drastically reduced his house. His house is now the best "comp" in the market, so he is hoping the new price will lead to a quick sale. Thus, I wanted to give a heads up to those of you out there that might be looking for a house. For 3,999,000 .... the ome is a steal.
If you want to take a look at the house and contact the agent, please do so. If you decide to purchase the house, please make sure that you tell the agent that Jeff Greathouse sent you.
The Home
Thus, he has drastically reduced his house. His house is now the best "comp" in the market, so he is hoping the new price will lead to a quick sale. Thus, I wanted to give a heads up to those of you out there that might be looking for a house. For 3,999,000 .... the ome is a steal.
If you want to take a look at the house and contact the agent, please do so. If you decide to purchase the house, please make sure that you tell the agent that Jeff Greathouse sent you.
The Home
Monday, September 08, 2008
Wasted Food
This bothers me. I know some people think that I am crazy and say that it should not bother me, but it does.
We were at the fair today - The Wayne County Fair - and as I walked by the trash, this was on top of the trash.
Over and over throughout the day, I saw this. Numerous people walking up to the trash can dumping 3/4+ of what they got into the trash.
We are so wasteful.
No, I do not know the solution.
Yes, I know that it was their money and they can choose to "thow" it away, but it bothers me.
Alright, time to get the kids in bed and then watch the second half of the GB/Min game and then to watch the Oak/Den game.
Saturday, September 06, 2008
WVU = PATHETIC
That was horrendous.
That was terrible.
That was the worst football that I have seen in years.
That was the worst coaching job I have seen in decades.
The play calling was terrocous.
I could go on for days.
WVU and Coach Stewart, continue in those ways and you will have a losing record.
UGLY.
That was terrible.
That was the worst football that I have seen in years.
That was the worst coaching job I have seen in decades.
The play calling was terrocous.
I could go on for days.
WVU and Coach Stewart, continue in those ways and you will have a losing record.
UGLY.
Friday, September 05, 2008
Isaiah is 11
Yesterday, Isaiah turned 11 years old. It is unbelievable. I remember 11 years ago that I thought that I was going to lose both my wife and my newborn son. With them both in surgery and their life in balance, I was terrified and had no clue what to do.
My wife though tells the story of Isaiah so much better then me. Thus, today, I am stealing her post and letting her share about last night AND more importanly, the story of Isaiah's birth. It truly is amazing and it is a MIRACLE.
The story through the eyes of my beautiful wife:
Isaiah turned 11 today! I cannnot believe he's past ten years old. I'm not possibly old enough to have an 11-year-old child... am I? After bathtime this evening, we suprised him with presents and a cake! I think he'd given up on getting anything this year at all!!
At 4:57 am this morning, it was officially 11 years since the birth of our little 2 lb 3 oz, 13 1/4 inch long, wonder baby. His birth marked the end of what felt like the world's longest but also shortest pregnancy. I'd been on bed-rest for 10 weeks by the time he was born. I had thrown up at least three times everyday practically from conception. I had been in excrutiating pain the same amount of time. I had been told by doctors that I was just having normal pregnancy pains and to get used to it. I had lost 30 lbs from his conception to his birth. I was so sick. I didn't know exactly how sick until two days after his birth when I woke-up with a 106 degree temp and couldn't move from the incredible pain. I ended up in emergency surgery at 11:00 that night fighting for my life. This was when the Crohn's was diagnosed.
While I was fighting for my life, so was my little guy. After a day or two, his weight had dropped to a frightening 1 lb 12 oz. When he was born, he just looked like a really small, but healthy baby. After losing a several ounces, he looked like a sick baby. Although at the time, I didn't think so. I just saw the precious baby that I had wanted since I was a five year old putting a pillow under my shirt pretending I was pregnant.
I spent many moments in tears wondering what would happen. If you've ever given birth and had a "normal" delivery and baby, you know the emotions and hormones that run thru you. Multiply that feeling by 1000 and you have an idea of what giving birth to a sick baby does to ones emotions. Then add in the stress of being sick for six months straight, surgery, and medical bills, and you've got one emotional train wreck.
After I was finally released from the hospital to go home, two weeks after my arrival, I went to the hospital to see him as often as I could. Most weeks that meant 7 out of 7 days. On occasion my mother and the nurses "made" me stay home to rest. On those days I called several times to check on him.
There was a point sometime during his first month of life that they sent us home one evening and told us to discuss the option of turning off the machines. This was right after they had told us that he had a severe interventricular brain hemorhage and hydrocephulus. Basically his little brain was supposed to be so damaged that he probably would never do most of the things we take for granted. It didn't look good for our little guy. We decided that we would allow him to be whoever he was supposed to be. We did and look at who he has turned into today.
He's the most amazing 11 year old I've ever had the pleasure to be around. He's a hard worker, which comes naturally when you have to teach yourself to get around somehow because your brain isn't letting you crawl, so you decide that scooting on your butt is a good option. He destroyed the butts of many cute little outfits by scotting around. He used his hands and the sides of his ankles to push around. It was a sight to behold. I remember when one of the people at the development center shot down my thrill about his scooting around and told me he had to crawl or he wasn't developing properly. I never stepped foot in their office again. We found another person who would rejoice in what he could do, not tear him down for what he couldn't.
By the time he began walking at the age of two, I had been taught the most valuable lesson in my life... don't take anything that your children do for granted. Parents of typical children just assume their child will do everything when they are supposed to. We knew he probably never would. He never has. He does everything when he's ready and not a second sooner. I've learned to rejoice in everything. I've learned that slower doesn't mean dumber as many people think. It means that he thinks differently, and wow does he.
He's an amazing kid that has overcome alot in his first 11 years of life. He's had to work harder his 11 years than most of us have to in 30. I find myself wanting to protect him from all the crap that the world will surely bring his way in the years to come. Right now he lives in what I call "Isaiah land". This protects him from the other kids who tease or make fun because they can't always understand what he says because of his speech delay. Part of me hopes that he always lives in "Isaiah Land", but I know that one day he'll leave there and see the world for what it really is. I dread that moment because that'll be the day when I wanna step in and fix it all for him and I know I won't be able to. He has to learn to live in the world as Isaiah.
So, Big Guy, on this 11th birthday of yours... a day we weren't sure we'd celebrate 11 years ago... Happy Birthday to my favorite 11 year old! I love you soooooooooooo much!
My wife though tells the story of Isaiah so much better then me. Thus, today, I am stealing her post and letting her share about last night AND more importanly, the story of Isaiah's birth. It truly is amazing and it is a MIRACLE.
The story through the eyes of my beautiful wife:
Isaiah turned 11 today! I cannnot believe he's past ten years old. I'm not possibly old enough to have an 11-year-old child... am I? After bathtime this evening, we suprised him with presents and a cake! I think he'd given up on getting anything this year at all!!
At 4:57 am this morning, it was officially 11 years since the birth of our little 2 lb 3 oz, 13 1/4 inch long, wonder baby. His birth marked the end of what felt like the world's longest but also shortest pregnancy. I'd been on bed-rest for 10 weeks by the time he was born. I had thrown up at least three times everyday practically from conception. I had been in excrutiating pain the same amount of time. I had been told by doctors that I was just having normal pregnancy pains and to get used to it. I had lost 30 lbs from his conception to his birth. I was so sick. I didn't know exactly how sick until two days after his birth when I woke-up with a 106 degree temp and couldn't move from the incredible pain. I ended up in emergency surgery at 11:00 that night fighting for my life. This was when the Crohn's was diagnosed.
While I was fighting for my life, so was my little guy. After a day or two, his weight had dropped to a frightening 1 lb 12 oz. When he was born, he just looked like a really small, but healthy baby. After losing a several ounces, he looked like a sick baby. Although at the time, I didn't think so. I just saw the precious baby that I had wanted since I was a five year old putting a pillow under my shirt pretending I was pregnant.
I spent many moments in tears wondering what would happen. If you've ever given birth and had a "normal" delivery and baby, you know the emotions and hormones that run thru you. Multiply that feeling by 1000 and you have an idea of what giving birth to a sick baby does to ones emotions. Then add in the stress of being sick for six months straight, surgery, and medical bills, and you've got one emotional train wreck.
After I was finally released from the hospital to go home, two weeks after my arrival, I went to the hospital to see him as often as I could. Most weeks that meant 7 out of 7 days. On occasion my mother and the nurses "made" me stay home to rest. On those days I called several times to check on him.
There was a point sometime during his first month of life that they sent us home one evening and told us to discuss the option of turning off the machines. This was right after they had told us that he had a severe interventricular brain hemorhage and hydrocephulus. Basically his little brain was supposed to be so damaged that he probably would never do most of the things we take for granted. It didn't look good for our little guy. We decided that we would allow him to be whoever he was supposed to be. We did and look at who he has turned into today.
He's the most amazing 11 year old I've ever had the pleasure to be around. He's a hard worker, which comes naturally when you have to teach yourself to get around somehow because your brain isn't letting you crawl, so you decide that scooting on your butt is a good option. He destroyed the butts of many cute little outfits by scotting around. He used his hands and the sides of his ankles to push around. It was a sight to behold. I remember when one of the people at the development center shot down my thrill about his scooting around and told me he had to crawl or he wasn't developing properly. I never stepped foot in their office again. We found another person who would rejoice in what he could do, not tear him down for what he couldn't.
By the time he began walking at the age of two, I had been taught the most valuable lesson in my life... don't take anything that your children do for granted. Parents of typical children just assume their child will do everything when they are supposed to. We knew he probably never would. He never has. He does everything when he's ready and not a second sooner. I've learned to rejoice in everything. I've learned that slower doesn't mean dumber as many people think. It means that he thinks differently, and wow does he.
He's an amazing kid that has overcome alot in his first 11 years of life. He's had to work harder his 11 years than most of us have to in 30. I find myself wanting to protect him from all the crap that the world will surely bring his way in the years to come. Right now he lives in what I call "Isaiah land". This protects him from the other kids who tease or make fun because they can't always understand what he says because of his speech delay. Part of me hopes that he always lives in "Isaiah Land", but I know that one day he'll leave there and see the world for what it really is. I dread that moment because that'll be the day when I wanna step in and fix it all for him and I know I won't be able to. He has to learn to live in the world as Isaiah.
So, Big Guy, on this 11th birthday of yours... a day we weren't sure we'd celebrate 11 years ago... Happy Birthday to my favorite 11 year old! I love you soooooooooooo much!
Thursday, September 04, 2008
A Busy Week
It has been a very busy week. I am hoping that later on today that I can give a little update on the number of things that have been occurring.
The week has been full of the following:
- many church meetings
- wooster association of interfaith partnership
- wayne county student minister network meeting
- walking, walking and more walking
- breafast and lunches with members of the church
- isaiah's 11th birthday breakfast
- first ever kids care club meeting for us
- training for the zion care groups
- swimming has picked back up for jacob and bethany
- etc, etc, etc ........
More later ... just a quick update on the fact that I am alive, just busy and hopefully a small update break is coming soon.
The week has been full of the following:
- many church meetings
- wooster association of interfaith partnership
- wayne county student minister network meeting
- walking, walking and more walking
- breafast and lunches with members of the church
- isaiah's 11th birthday breakfast
- first ever kids care club meeting for us
- training for the zion care groups
- swimming has picked back up for jacob and bethany
- etc, etc, etc ........
More later ... just a quick update on the fact that I am alive, just busy and hopefully a small update break is coming soon.
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
One Sabbath: Poverty
The video (little over 6 mins) says it all:
As it states, "we must make a difference".
A bill that is "on the table"
Talking Points
U.S. COMMITMENT TO GLOBAL CHILD SURVIVAL ACT
Background
- Every year, 10 million children die before their fifth birthday – that’s one every three seconds – nearly all of them from preventable or treatable diseases, like diarrhea, pneumonia and measles.
- Worldwide, more than 500,000 mothers die each year from complications during child birth.
- There are inexpensive, effective interventions that would prevent the needless deaths of mothers and children in developing countries.
- For too long, poverty has devastated millions of families, but for the first time we have affordable and proven technology to deliver healthy babies and treat and prevent a range of childhood diseases.
As it states, "we must make a difference".
A bill that is "on the table"
Talking Points
U.S. COMMITMENT TO GLOBAL CHILD SURVIVAL ACT
Background
- Every year, 10 million children die before their fifth birthday – that’s one every three seconds – nearly all of them from preventable or treatable diseases, like diarrhea, pneumonia and measles.
- Worldwide, more than 500,000 mothers die each year from complications during child birth.
- There are inexpensive, effective interventions that would prevent the needless deaths of mothers and children in developing countries.
- For too long, poverty has devastated millions of families, but for the first time we have affordable and proven technology to deliver healthy babies and treat and prevent a range of childhood diseases.
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
Monday, September 01, 2008
Gustav
It is weakening and slowing. They think that it may not be as bad as projected or could have been with the weakening and slight turn it took.
I am checking some blogs on my blog roll as I was the news reports and get ready for a relaxing day. We are going to a picnic today.
I am checking some blogs on my blog roll as I was the news reports and get ready for a relaxing day. We are going to a picnic today.
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