One of my biggest fears right now is the lack of time with my daughters. Being a three-quarter to full time student and working 40 plus hours a week does not leave me much time with my girls. I really need to make sure I take every opportunity to spend time with all four.

A couple of months ago Jessica approached me with a request.

“Dad, I have been selected to take part in the Science Olympiad competition this year. Will you be a coach?”

When my [almost] thirteen-year-old daughter asks me to do an activity with her, I better jump at it. It is more common at this age for our kids to want less time around their annoying parents, not more.

I was happy to say yes. I assumed that I would be paired up with the science teacher or some other adult with experience in this thing. It turns out, this is not the case. I am quite alone in this thing.

To make it even more interesting I was given the “Keep The Heat” event. In this event our team will build a box designed to hold a 250ml beaker of warm water. This experiment consists of measuring the heat loss over a specific period of time. The goal is to build a container that will ‘keep the heat’ for as long as possible.

It was completely perfect that we were given this science project to perform. Since my dad owns a cabinet shop I got on the phone with him right away, and recruited his services for the construction of our device. He was more than excited to help us out.

It took two evenings to build the box. Both evenings my dad brought cookies and juice for snacks. We fired up the shop full of tools and built quite the capable box.

Here is a picture of the girls stuffing it with sawdust for insulation.

Here is grandpa and the girls.

Of course, being girls, they had to paint the box.

Next, we will be putting together a binder full of information on Thermodynamics, something I do not understand at all!

I have no idea how well we will do at the competition. Regardless of how we do, we are making some great memories together, and I am thankful that she even wants to have me around her school friends and teachers.

Jessica is a great kid and I am very grateful for the opportunity to be her dad.

I started my second semester last week. I am taking Human Lifespan Development (HLD) and Anatomy and Physiology (A&P). Both classes are three and a half hours long. A&P is Tuesday and Thursday and HLD is just on Mondays. I am so glad that I decided to take less hours this semester. I actually have two days each week with no classes and will not have to work every single weekend this semester like I did last semester. I cannot believe how much easier this feels already.

I am glad that I took so many hours last semester. I pushed a lot of stuff off my plate, and I should be able to enter the nursing program of my choice by spring of 2013. I am perfectly fine with that plan.

I could feel the anxiety in the room during our first A&P class. For many students this is the first class that really feels like healthcare. We will be studying the human body, and everyone is curious what kind of instructor we are getting.

About three quarters of the way into class he was explaining to us how the ‘anatomical position’ is described. Out of the blue he barked:

“I am creation, not evolution! After taking this class I do not see how in the world you can be an evolutionist. I have never purchased a car that got better over time. Things do not get better over time. Things do not go from disorder to order with the passage of time. Show me an example of that anywhere!”

A few days later we were in the middle of a class break during my HLD class, and I was walking by another A&P class. When I looked through a window into the room an evolution presentation caught my eye. At the bottom of the slide on the screen there was a bullet point that stated, “Species evolve, but organisms do not”. I found this statement to be in direct contrast to the idea of evolution. I asked myself, “How does evolution know the difference? How in the world can you have entire species evolve but individual organisms not evolve?” Even at the cellular level evolution is contradicted. The only way a cell can divide successfully is if it makes an exact replica of itself. If there is even the slightest difference the new cell will die. How can you possibly have evolutionary change if every cell has to be identical right down to the very DNA structure for successful replication?

Humans like to make simple things complex, and that is why evolution continues to be taught so widely. Creation is just too simple. It takes five minutes to explain creation and five hundred hours to explain evolution.

With creation comes purpose. Because I was intentionally formed then it stands to reason that I also have a specific purpose. I like the idea of that. I like knowing that my life has meaning.

I will proudly proclaim, as my instructor did: “I am creation, not evolution!”

A couple of weeks ago I updated my Current Hard Work page and added the goal to have prayer and bible reading time each morning.

I have never been an early morning person. My plan all along was to get up around 6:15 or so for my quiet time. I have done that each morning since my journal from January 9th.

Previously I would get up around 7:00 and have just enough time to get dressed, and have a cup of coffee before leaving at 7:20am to drop the older girls off at school then head to work.

With this earlier schedule I have been given quite the surprise. My two youngest girls, who normally do not get up till around 7:30 each morning, are coming out of their room around 7:00 to sit with me in the living room while I wait for the time to leave. Julie even pointed out to me that they are actually setting their alarm for 7:00 so we can hang out for a few minutes.

These events have left me to consider a few things.

1. Not all the benefits of spiritual activities are spiritual in nature.
Certainly it is spiritually healthy to start the day with prayer and reading. It is not just about getting prayers answered or growing in my understanding of the bible. It is about making myself available for what God wants to do. What if God wants me to be up early so I can have more time in the mornings with my family?

2. My kids are watching me.
Like many parents out there I am constantly trying to teach my kids how to be responsible people. Sometimes I get weary trying to get a particular point to stick in their heads. I really did not expect the two youngest girls to notice my new plan. I certainly made no announcements to the rest of the family. Still, they noticed and have adjusted their own schedule to have time with me in the mornings.

3. I am not the only one who benefits.
My spiritual obedience is not just about me and my needs. There is a bigger picture that may not be revealed until after I obey.

This new practice I am following has reminded me of something. My obedience is not always just for my benefit. There are others in my sphere of influence that need me to be more on task with my obedience to God’s word. The challenge is being willing to try.

I understand my title for this entry is a little cliche. I cannot think of a title that is more fitting.

In April of last year (2011) I wrote a post titled: “Learn to foretell the future“. In that post I told the story of how our church leaders are showing us the direction our church is headed by their choice for youth leader and associate pastor.

Yesterday our church held a vote on whether or not we should appoint Todd Blansit to co-pastor which essentially set him up to be the future lead pastor of our church.

Let me share with you a couple of reasons why the future of New Life excites me.

1. Actively looking to fill needs in the community
An area I find most frustrating in ‘old school’ thinking is this idea that anyone with a problem needs to just pull up their boot straps and fix their own lives. Not everyone can do this on their own. It is the responsibility of the church (I am the church because I go to one) to help those in need. Todd and Tiffany are always looking for ways New Life can be a part of the solution.

2. Operating out of a plan
Todd and Tiffany are very organized thinkers and planners. A teen mom can show up at 5pm any Wednesday of the year and receive help. Consistency is key in any organization and everything these two people touch is orderly.

3. The truth is not watered down
In an age where many churches are changing the message based on popular opinion, Todd’s teaching holds strong to biblical truth.

4. A passion to reach the lost
Too many churches just focus on the people who walk in the doors. The world does not need any more churches designed and built for church people. A church body should be on the lookout for the hurting and lost and we should be taking the message and hope and healing out to where the people who need it the most live. I will gladly give my money towards ideas that will help reach people outside of our building.

I cannot wait to see what the next few years hold for New Life and I am excited to be a part of something amazing in my own community.