Medicine of Immortality "It's a cold, and it's a broken, 'Hallelujah!'"

GuiltyPosted by Rick on May 29th, 2004

So Rachel’s parents were found guilty of heresy by the session. Rachel’s trial is still pending. More later.

The Honeymoon Journals: Part IIPosted by Rick on May 25th, 2004

Reading my own posts should be illegal. When I go back and see that, in my haste, I used incorrect homophones, I’m horrified. It’s not like a typing error, where everyone knows you were just typing too fast. It’s the wrong word, and I’m sitting there thinking, “Do my readers really think I’m that moronic?”

Okay, so I didn’t have time to write about St. Augustine. Let me summarize: beach, St. Augustine Lighthouse, cathedrals, beach, Fountain of Youth (which is gross and sulfuric), beach, mini golf and go-carts, The Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse, Castillo de San Marcos (which rocks), and other hokey tourist attractions. We spent quite a bit of time on their newly renovated beach (i.e. they put 18 million worth of sand on it in the last year). The water was warm and delightful. We met with my second cousin, Norbert, my great uncle, Frankie, and my great aunt, Eleanor.

We went to a Lutheran church in St. Augustine, and then we went to St. Andrew’s Chapel in Sanford, where Dr. RC Sproul pastors. It was an interesting, skit and hymn-filled service without a sermon. I got a good picture with Bishop Ambrose, but my favorite had to be the guy in the Steelers thug cap with the Steelers banner (impersonating RC).

The best part is that the church has a miniature orchestra with a full brass section and stringed instruments.

We’re in NYC now (well, over the bridge in Secaucus, NJ). We’ve spent time with my Aunt Miriam and Uncle Richard. We spent yesterday evening with Linda, my childhood friend. I used to yell out the window to Linda, who lived across the street. “Wiiiinda” She’s really cool. We ate dinner with her mother and her. When her mother met me, she said, “You look so different! Chubby, chubby!” THANKS MOM. It was kinda funny. Linda took us back to her place, so we got to see the house I grew up in across the street. We went down the block and saw Anna and Tony Acabassio, old friends. We got back to Secacus about midnight, way later than we had hoped, and we’re sleeping in this morning (well, obviously I’m not, but Rachel is). We had a full day yesterday with getting into our studio apartment, goind to Ground Zero and St. Paul’s Chapel, shopping, and walking in Central Park. Across the street from the park it was snowing in front of the Natural History Museum. Okay, so it was fake snow for the premiere of The Day After Tomorrow. While there, we were greeted by Billionaires for Bush. After talking with Count D’Monet, I said I’d check out their tree huggers website. They’re one of the fastest growing Anti-Bush groups. Check em out: BillionairesforBush.com (not that I’m anti-Bush or anything I’m going to make breakfast in bed for my wonderful bride, so we’ll try to keep you posted.

The Honeymoon Journals: Part IPosted by Rick on May 22nd, 2004

Hopefully a couple of journal entries will keep the bloghounds satisfied. Bug Isaiah for pictures. I’m sure he had to take some.

Tuesday, May 18, 2004

This is the first time Ive had a chance to sit down and write in my three days of marriage. So lets recap. The wedding went off wonderfully with only a couple of glitches by our deacon and one from our pianist. This is quite understandable considering that this was a new service to the two of them and the pianist wasnt even Lutheran. However, the glitches hardly made a difference.

After taking pictures for two forevers, we went to our reception. It was okay. Most everyone left after about an hour. We stayed for about three hours and opened our gifts. We didnt get very many, but thats not a surprise.

I was very thankful for the help and gifts we received from family and church. I really appreciated Forrest and Rebekahs support. While they gave us gifts too, their help was even more appreciated.

Forrest helped organize a bachelor party. Of course, I was a party-pooper and didnt stay very long, but I got a pina colada out of it, so I was happy. Forrest also ended up driving us to the airport after church on Sunday.

Rebekah was an immensely invaluable and calming presence. Her support for the wedding and her tranquil spirit made the experience most enjoyable.

Forrests sister Holly was a very useful person to have around, and I use the word useful summa cum laude. She helped do the little things like sweeping the floor after the rehearsal dinner and making the corsages for the wedding.

In addition to paying for the wedding, Rachels parents have given us numerous wedding gifts throughout the past few weeks, including a camcorder. My parents gave us various kitchen appliances, a few other wedding gifts, and $800 for the honeymoon. Both sets of grandparents gave us money.

Aunt Pari was always there to answer any question that needed answered and to ask what can I do to help? Uncle Trevor helped the service run smoothly by conferring with the pianist and Deacon.

Ryan, Taneisha, and Matt M. helped get the reception stuff all put together. Ryan, Matt, Elias McConnell and Jon Amos were wonderful liturgical servers even though they had never served in these positions.

We took a limo to the reception, and that was way cool. We took a limo to the Davenport Hotel, and that was even cooler. I highly recommend limos to newlyweds.

The Davenport was beautiful. I had paid a bellhop to sprinkle rose petals on the floor, to and around the bed and around the jacuzzi (another thing I highly recommend).

We brought some tea lights and bubble bath, and we used our jacuzzi once at night and once in the morning. Rose petals in jacuzzis are very cool.

Sex: the taboo subject. Okay, so I could avoid talking about it, and give you a good laugh, or I could talk about it, openly and honestly.

My mind is still a little boggled. Our first, somewhat successful, time to have sex was the most sacrificial experience I have ever had. The two of us were both being more sacrificial than we had ever been to each other. In fact, the whole experience, I think, has transformed us into better people. Through sex, the act itself, I realized to a great degree how fundamentally selfish a person I am. I also realized how giving I could be, and I have a desire to be a more sacrificial person because of it. In my just four days of married life, I have been greatly sanctified.

Through sex, I learned that as great as sex can be, its not about sex itself. Its about serving someone else. A note to the unmarried: if you want to get married because you need to have sex, its pointless. Sex is a lot of work. Dont get me wrong. Its good work, if you can get it, but its work nonetheless. I am not just talking about the physical act of moving your body for an hour or more. There are a ton of emotions that go into sex. Its physically draining to love somebody so much to give yourself to him or her in that way.

Around 11 or midnight, we were really hungry, so we went to Mollys Diner. Thats another thing about sex: it makes you really hungry, so if youre on the budgeting page of your pre-marital workbook, keep this in mind.

In the morning, Isaiah picked us up from the Davenport (Explanation: we couldnt park at the Davenport because the Lilac City Parade was circling it), and we drove to church, running two red lights, I might add.

I rushed in with the extra albs from Salem. When we came in, our church gave us a round of applause. I cannot stress the love I have felt from that church. They have been so supportive of us, not even knowing the ridiculousness of the stuff going on in the PCA church. They have loved us unconditionally. We were their first young couple (there are a few more now), so its just kinda funny to be loved so much by people so different. Were not Democrat or Swedish; were not on social security or the theological left. But they have loved us so much that I cried through half of the last service.

Wednesday, May 19, 2004

We arrived in St. Augustine about 3 AM on Monday morning. We stayed up until about a quarter until 5 AM, and I slept until 10:30. She slept until around 1. This is one thing Ive been finding interesting. I wake up quite a bit before her. I expected that, but I expected it to be more like 5:30 and 7:30. I havent slept too well, and I think a lot of that has to do with not liking the late hours. But were creatures of habit, and our bad schedules are catching up to us. We woke up around 9 today, so maybe well progress as the week does.

Gilmore Girls was interesting last night. I am mad at and feel sorry for Rory. I was very proud of Lorelei, and it made me have confidence in her ability to marry. Im really glad Luke and her finally hooked up. On the one level, the last four seasons of Loreleis love life have been frustrating. There was Max, the great guy, whom she ditched on the day of the wedding. Then Cristopher, Rorys dad, came back and almost married her, but then he stuck with his girlfriend after he found out she was pregnant. Next was Jason. Jason was a jerk; no one despises him, but no one really liked him very much.

Luke was pretty celibate until he married Nicole in a drunken stupor while on a cruise boat. When that happened, you just cringed, and then you hoped Luke was man enough to stick it out with her until she died in a freak gasoline fight accident. And when that relationship was over there was Luke and Lorelei, and you just sighed a big sigh of relief mixed with apprehension and this feeling thats coming out in the form of questions: Is this really right? Will she hurt him? Will he love her like a woman? Is this even morally right? Oh God, I dont want them to have immoral sex, but how can it be avoided when the world thinks that way about sex?

SchedulePosted by Rick on May 12th, 2004

I don’t know how much time we’ll have to blog in the next few weeks, so here’s our summer schedule:

May 16-23: St. Augustine, FL
May 23-31: New York City, NY
May 31-June 2: Spokane, WA
June 2-June 8: Tillamook, OR
June 8-June 19: Spokane, WA
June 19-August 14: Liberty Corner, NJ

You can reach us at our cell phones, and we’ll be able to check email a couple of times a week and maybe even blog a bit.

SurprisedPosted by Rick on May 12th, 2004

You are a GRAMMAR GOD!


If your mission in life is not already to
preserve the English tongue, it should be.
Congratulations and thank you!


How grammatically sound are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Story of A Bronze RatPosted by Rick on May 8th, 2004

A tourist walks into a curio shop in San Francisco. Looking around at the exotics, he notices a very lifelike, life-size bronze statue of a rat. It had no price tag, but it was so striking he decides he must have it. He took it to the owner: how much for the bronze rat?” “Twelve dollars for the rat, one hundred dollars for the story,” said the owner. The tourist gave the man the twelve dollars. “I’ll just take the rat, you can keep the story.”

As he walked down the street carrying his bronze rat, he noticed that a few real rats had crawled out of the alleys and sewers and began following him down the street. This was disconcerting, he began walking faster. But within a couple of blocks, the herd of rats behind him had grown to hundreds, and they began squealing. He began to trot toward the Bay, looking around to see that the rats now numbered in the millions, and were squealing and coming toward him faster and faster.

Concerned, even scared, he ran to the edge of the Bay, and threw the bronze rat as far out into the Bay as he could. Amazingly , the millions of rats all jumped into the Bay after it, and were all drowned. The man walked back to the curio shop.

“Ah ha,” said the owner, “you have come back for the story?”

“No,” said the man, “I came back to see if you have a bronze Democrat.”

A Love LetterPosted by Rick on May 8th, 2004

Darling, You Were Well Worth The Nine Goats

Letters from LutheransPosted by Rick on May 6th, 2004

I thought I would share a few letters from Lutheran pastors encouraging Rachel and her family. These were gathered by Rachel’s aunt from members of the Society of the Holy Trinity. A few of the authors are very well-known, like Frank Senn. The comments about the authors are hers.

I’ve made this an extended entry because of the length so click below to see the comments.

This is the slowest week of my lifePosted by Rick on May 6th, 2004

Life’s been good but stressful lately. Rachel’s mom finished all the bridesmaid dresses, and they look awesome. And they look good on the bridesmaids, so it’s not just theoretically nice looking. The sleeves on the royal purple overlay cape thingies are ginormous and fantabulous. We went clothes shopping for me today, and I got a pair of khaki shorts, a pair of mesh shorts, and swim trunks. I feel prepared for the honeymoon finally.

Yesterday we drank wine and played Scrabble to relieve wedding stress. We practiced today with our pianist, and that was fun. We found out our cantor will not be able to be our cantor after bronchitis and a TIA, so we think we have someone else to replace him, but it’s not the same because we don’t know him.

I am hoping the last few strings will come together with the wedding. A few friends are coming from afar. Elias McConnell will be here with his family, so if you’re French with hairy legs, please stay away from our wedding. Ben Bryson will be coming up with a friend. I’m not sure if it’s “a friend” or a friend. (Sorry Ben, but hey, if you don’t say anything, we just have to ass-u-me.) RIJEL’S COMING! And hopefully some more people from Moscow will come up.

After the wedding on the 15th, we’ll be staying at The Davenport Hotel. The Davenport is the best of Spokane. It’s the premiere building in town. We have the honeymoon suite with the two person heart-shaped jacuzzi. Yum. We’ll be going to church at Salem in the morning where I’ll be the assisting minister before catching a flight to Florida. We’ll be staying a week in St. Augustine, Florida, where we’ll catch some rays and visit the oldest town in the USA.

Then we’ll catch a flight to NYC. We don’t have a whole lot planned for NYC. We hope to catch a play, a Mets game, and visit Leah (formerly Schlissel) and Mike Sosa. I feel really bad because we haven’t kept in touch well, and when I mentioned that I was living in Spokane and that I would be in NYC with my wife Rachel, she didn’t know I lived here, and she said, “Rachel who? Not Rachel Eyre?” lol. Okay, it’s been way too long I guess. Actually, I haven’t seen them since they were engaged, I don’t think. Pastor Schlissel will be at Christ Church for a conference this weekend, and Mike will be here too, so I may drop by just to say hi to him and see if we can’t plan on something to do.

After we get back from NYC, we’ll be in Spokane two days before going to the Pacific Ocean with the Eyres, including Isaiah, and the Tuckers (Rachel’s sister’s family).

PS-My love for Hello Kitty clothing grew exponentially today.

HeresyPosted by Rick on May 5th, 2004

Rachel’s heresy trial was postponed.

A commission was formed at the presbytery level. They’re being so much more reasonable.

From the rumors, I hear the church is basically imploding and that gossip has overtaken it. Was sad to hear the session told another family they weren’t welcome at that church, but that’s consistent with some of the other things I heard about other people that tried to join a few years ago.

Blah. So stupid. All of it.