Christmas Part 5: PICTURES!!

Okay, everyone is interested in seeing our pictures from Christmas...well, I will direct you to one of our family websites to see all of them, as they will be posted shortly following the posting of this message!

www.thefamilypost.com/theherrinfamily

Christmas Part 4: North Wake Christmas Pageant

I'm not sure how to spell it, but the pageant at our church was terrific. Coming from someone who has had his share of pageants and children's Christmas programs, I only wish I had this creative of an idea when I was in charge. It was set up so the children could just show up the night of, put on a costume (shepherd or angel) and break up into the different age groups to sing familiar Christmas tunes in front of proud parents and flashing cameras. No rehearsals! No lines to memorize!

Now there were special solos and instrumental features (which were delightful as well!), so obviously, some did practice quite hard for this. But overall, it seemed like a very low-stress pageant. I was impressed! They featured an evangelistic Christmas video which was phenomenal and followed it up with refreshements in the foyer. It was great!

Christmas Part 3: Unto us a baby is almost born...

Okay, well, I had it all planned out perfectly. We were going to put the kids in bed (always a great way to begin a romantic evening), then turn off all the lights except the Christmas lights on the mantle and tree. Then we were going to pop some popcorn and crash on the couch, snuggle up under a warm blanket and watch It's a Wonderful Life. Great idea, right? Well, God had other plans.

Ashley and I spent Christmas Even with a nurse named Vicki who was Ashley's triage nurse at Rex Hospital. Ashley was in the early stages of labor, and because we were unsure as to how quickly this one would come, we went on in under the direction of her OB. One of our absolutely wonderful neighbors, Kerry Johnson sat with the kids. She had just had surgery, it was Christmas Eve, and she was glad to come sit in the house while the kids slept. Talk about sacrifice! This is what Christmas is all about!!!

On the way to the hospital we talked about how neat it would be to have a Christmas Baby. We were both very anxious and really not sure if this was for real. It was all a very surreal experience. We checked in quite quickly and were in triage within 10 minutes of our arrival.

After they hooked Ashley up to the monitors, they determined that she was still not quite ready to pop. So they kept us there a little longer to monitor what sort of activity was going on. After an hour of this, our nurse gave us more information and we were back on the road headed home.

Poor Ashley was so discouraged. She felt like she had cried, "Wolf." But I kept reminding her that this was a good thing, because now she knew for sure.

We were too tired for Jimmy Stewart when we got home, so we settled for sweet dreams instead.

The rest of the story......

Ashley is still progressing and today we will find out how much closer she is. So stay posted as the story develops. We did get to watch It's a Wonderful Life on Christmas Day. We snuggled up and watched it. Not sure how I felt about the movie this year. I hadn't seen it in a very long time...but that's whole other posting.

Christmas Part 2: Jesus vs. Santa?

Classic as this argument may be, it is still a fresh one to us, and will always be relevant as long as Christmas continues as it has for so long. Some of you may know us enough already at this point to know this fact, but some of you may not quite know us enough to know that we are Anti-Santa Clause. Now, we do not deny that there existed a man who generously gave gifts to needy children as an expression of love and generosity. We only object to one of the biggest Christian holidays of the year (Easter being another one - and we are also Anti-Easter Bunny!!!) being overtaken by Materialism's poster boy, Santa Clause.

For us, it is all about who takes center stage. Thereofore, I will never call any believer a non-believer if they do celebrate Christmas with Santa, as long as he doesn't take center stage. Call it rebellion, or simply going against the flow, but we are perfectly fine with that. Christmas is all about celebrating the greatest gift of all - the Son of God taking on human flesh and dwelling among sinful man so that those who might believe in him would be saved and one day dwell with God. That is what Christmas is all about.

Our children will grow up knowing that there is no such thing as Santa, and we will save them years of materialistic disappointment. Santa can be fun, I agree, but the Tempter himself would not plan his take over of Christmas in a boring, obviously ungodly fashion. No, he will mix a little bit of truth with the error, and make it interesting and rewarding enough for all who participate to be subtly dooped, one year at a time.

What about gifts? Here is what our plan will be from here on out...

We will have a tree. We will have gifts. But the centerpiece of our living room will be a manger full of hay. On Christmas morning, a baby doll will be placed in the manger. Our gifts will then appear under the manger rather than under the tree. We will explain to our children and family that these gifts are merely a tiny reflection of the greatest gift that God has given to all of us. One which he continues to give even now!

Hopefully this will enstill in the hearts of our children that materialism has no part in the grand scheme of God's masterful plan. Christmas is so exciting for me. And now, it can be wedded with the real meaning behind it by being Anti-Santa, and Pro Jesus!

Christmas Part 1: 2008 Candles!

Every year, Ashley and I reflect on our Christmas festivities with bittersweetness. The sweetness come from the beautiful memories that were made from precious time spent with the ones we love. Spending time with family always leaves our hearts warm and full to the brim with joy. This Christmas, we were able to focus on just the four of us, and our cups are overflowing.
The bitterness in the reflection comes from the fact that Christmas has been reshapened by our culture. So, we struggle each year with how to keep the CHRIST in Christmas and not get "wrapped up" in the whole gift thing too much. This year was an experimental year because now the kids are old enough to pay attention to the Nativity story and learn something from it. We had a good time opening presents, but then celebrated Jesus' birthday for lunch. Have you ever tried putting 2008 candles on a cake (or in our case, Amish Bread)? Well, we just stuck with 10 candles to be on the safe side. The kids still had a hard time getting all the candles out, though.

Happy Birthday, Jesus!

A New Shift, A New Season

I have worked on a weekend shift ever since I began working for the WalMart distribution center 6091 in Henderson. The only schedule I have known since 2005 is the one I am about to leave. I used to work Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. Well, just this week I got a transfer to a Weekday shift. Now I will be working Tuesday - Friday mornings, 4 am till about 2 pm. The times may not be right, but I'll find out soon enough. (I like this picture to the left here...it was a day when I had to go to work with some borrowed boots that were about 3 times too big. It reminds me that sometimes we have big shoes to fill. I feel like that with this shift change.)

What does this mean for our family? I haven't been able to go to church in over a year now! With this new schedule, I can finally start going to church regularly and get involved in the Sunday activities of the church.

This schedule will also free up our weekends (which all the rest of the world has off) for visiting family. This also means that I will be able to go to more of Ben's football games in the fall since he'll be playing on Saturdays!

My new position in Shipping will be quite a challenge, but I am ready to face that challenge head on. "INTO FIRE!" as the Scarlet Pimpernel says. This will also make me a more experienced supervisor so when a promotion opportunity rolls around, I'll be a prime candidate.

Well, here goes nutin'!

Ashley Dawn

God has a way of giving us exactly what we need, exactly when we need it. He has given me just that in providing me with a wife who has been far beyond all my highest expectations. Yesterday was her birthday and I wanted everyone to know just how much I love and appreciate her. She is my best friend, my confidant, my helping hands in times of need, and most of all the absolute love of my life. Her smile can change a room, and can make my heart so glad! She is an incredible mother to our children. My Ashley is so incredibly unique and has such a way with things. She makes everything so wonderfully beautiful. I think any who know her would also testify that she can make anything beautiful. From a simple meal to a crafty decoration, she has a beautiful touch. There is no other man out there as blessed as I to have such a mate who cares little or nothing for credit cards, the latest fashions, cheesy TV shows, or how many pairs of shoes she has in her closet. No, her heart is set steadfast on the Lord and the things in life that have eternal weight and value. Like raising her children, providing for her family, planning ahead for the unknown, and the ever so important task of packing her husband's lunch box for work (she does this every single night before I work).

I love you so much, Ashley. God did an amazing thing by placing you next to my side. By your side is a place I always long to be. Happy Birthday!

Purpose Driven Obama?

I was just perusing through the daily Google headlines when something from the AP caught my eye. President-elect Barak Obama has chosen Pastor Rick Warren to give the invocation at the inauguration ceremony next month. AND boy has that made every homosexual mad!
Here are my thoughts, and surprisingly, these thoughts have little to do with Rick Warren. What I can conclude from this choice, though is that Obama seems to be a true, world-class liberal. Now, before you turn me off, listen to my definition of a liberal. A liberal is one who is open-minded to any and every belief, world-view, choice, or anything anyone wants to do. A true liberal is one who condemns no one for his or her views. To a true liberal there really are no "wrongs," but all is "right" because all is permissible.
Now, as is usually the case, most American liberals would not fall under this definition. These type are as close-minded as many of us, their conservative counterparts. They just call themselves liberals because their views are radically different from the typical, what once was mainstream idea that morals and principals are of sound value. But in all reality, they are not at all liberal. They are not liberal because they are not open-minded to anyone else’s view save their own. A true liberal would believe everyone is right in his own way. These other kind believe only they are right an everyone else is wrong. They are not liberal, but instead they are just plain radical.
President-elect Obama's choice of Pastor Rick Warren demonstrates even more that he will be in some ways open-minded in hearing both sides of the table. This is confirmed by his choice in cabinet officials who seem to have polar opposite views. He seems to be painting a picture of himself to Americans that he is a great mediator between the right and left and plans to come forth with some resolutions to unite America in several ways.
Is this good or bad for America? Or for the family?
Well, I would argue that in some ways it can be good, but in other ways it can be disastrous. In our public square, every American has the constitutional right to believe as he so chooses and make decisions accordingly. Protecting our rights to be heard, either on the right or left of the discussion would be a very positive thing. The only harm in it is that there are a lot of historical documents, monuments, and other such government-owned items that are not as open-minded as Obama.
For example, "In God We Trust" is not exactly open-minded. The inscription in the preamble of the Constitution is not exactly open-minded as it credits our inalienable rights as gifts from our Creator. Historically, our nation has stood for principles, sound morals, and has fought to uphold them. These sound morals or even fighting for them would be seen as tyrannical since it would close the open minds of others.
So, being open-minded may sound like a win-win situation, but in all reality this is not such a good thing. There are absolutes. Some things are right and some things are wrong. Which one will our government stand for? Both? Only time will tell.

More Thoughts on the Chronicles of Narnia

I just finished reading the entire series of the Chronicles of Narnia. I picked up the seventh and last book in the series, The Last Battle, and somehow managed to finish it before lunchtime. As I have noted previously in another entry, I am absolutely fascinated by these little books and would encourage anyone to read them. To sum up my feelings on the series as a whole, these books are so very inspiring. The story line has a way of gripping you from the very beginning. Because it is a very easy-to-follow plot, it is so easy to remember the big picture even from one book to the next. The Last Battle was all that I'd hoped it would have been in a great ending. I can see now why C.S. Lewis set the standard in children's fiction. I really want my kids to read them when they get older. From time-to-time I will attempt to feature a different quote from the books on the blog here for your thoughts. There is a lot of wisdom in them, and many things that leave one challenged and inspired. I'm honestly sad that the series is over. I'm ready for another one!

The Results Are In...

Well, the results are in. Looks like Hannah was the winner for the girl's name, and Micah won out for the boys. These are the two I personally like best (Jonathan), but I believe Ashley likes Makayla a little more than Hannah. Thanks to everyone who participated in this little poll!

The Chronicles of Narnia: My Reading Adventures

I think I have discovered another genre of books I truly enjoy reading - Children's Fiction, if you can call The Chronicles of Narnia that. Well I picked up where I left off two years ago with the Narnia books by beginning The Horse and His Boy (book 3 of the series). I could not put it down. Then I dangerously dove right into the next book, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Now only one week after beginning The Horse and His Boy, here I am at the next to last book, The Silver Chair.

What is it about these books that is so fascinating to me? I can't really pinpoint it to be perfectly honest. Lewis writes in an extremely well, easy-to-read fashion. It is also nice to read something entertaining for once, rather than being simply informed. But the profundity of these books lies in the fact that not only is one entertained, he is challenged. You cannot read a Narnia book and not walk away feeling challenged to adhere to the principles of faith and goodness.

Perhaps it is the boy in me reliving imaginary voyages into made-up worlds I have never seen with my own eyes that fascinates me. It is relaxing and entertaining all at the same time.

To be perfectly honest, I have felt the urge to write even more. I have felt the urge to write like Lewis, but I know that is only a fleeting thought. I am not C.S. Lewis (did you know he went by the name "Jack"?). I am me. And I write like me. So to write a book of adventure and suspense in order to challenge readers both young and old (spiritually challenge I mean) would be a great task. One that I would enjoy undertaking no doubt.

So, "by the Lion's mane!" pick up one of these books and have fun! You won't regret it!

Octuplets

Well, I guess I spelled it right. One of our pregnant fish just birthed 8 new fish the other day. I could not imagine what it would be like to have 8 all at one time! You go guppy fish!

Speaking of Names...

Speaking of names, try this fun name game...it's a blast!
1. YOUR REAL NAME:
Jonathan
2. YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (first 3 letters of real name plus -izzle.)
Jon-izzle
3. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color and favorite animal)
Black Lion
4. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (your middle name and street you live on/or neighborhood if it's a number)
West Durkyn (okay, mine sounds like a street name because my middle name is a cardinal direction)
5. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first name)
Erdjo
6. YOUR SUPERHERO/CRIMINAL NAME: (Your 2nd favorite color, and favorite drink)
Blue Pepsi
7. YOUR IRAQI NAME: (2nd letter of your first name, 3rd letter of your last name, 1st letter of your last name, 2nd letter of your moms maiden name, 3rd letter of your dads name, 1st letter of a siblings first name, and last letter of your moms first name).
Odeecbe
8. YOUR WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (parents' middle names)
Edward Allen
9. YOUR GOTH NAME: (black, and the name of one of your pets).
Black Mercy

Let your voice be heard!

CHANGE! Oh yeah, that's what we need in our house! More change! I guess we don't change enough diapers because we're going to be changing more! Well you can help us with our names...tell us what you think. We have narrowed down the name list to two girls names and two boys names. Tell us what you think. (Not that we are going to go with the most popular one, but it's still fun anyway.)

Maw Maw

To put into words what my Maw Maw means to me would just be impossible. There are no words to express my love and appreciation for this special, special woman. Maw Maw embodies exactly what a loving mother and grandmother should be. Like a protective Mother Hen, she has cared for and watched over all of us and never seems to grow tired of it. Here are some of my favorite memories about Maw Maw...

• Sneaking into the back of their van after they visited us when I was real little. They didn't know I was there until they pulled into their driveway. I just wanted to spend the night at their house!


• Eating ice cream and watching cartoons.


• Big family Christmas gatherings.


• Catching all the fish and convincing Maw Maw that we caught them all.


• Making sand cars and boats at Carolina Beach. We sat in the sand and built the sand around us to make it look like we were sitting inside a race car or a boat.


• 50th Anniversary


• 60th Anniversary!


• Travelling all over England and Scotland and sleeping on Army cots in the Chicago O'Hare Airport.


• "I'M GONNA PADDLE ME SOME BOYS!"


• "I see the moon and the moon sees me..."


• Maw Maw's suitcase never collects dust.


• Neither does her house and if it does, then she stops at no end to annihilate it!


• Holding Abigail and Nathaniel for the first time.


• Every goodbye hug and kiss.

Oh, the list can go on and on. Happy Birthday, Maw Maw. We sure do wish we lived on the compound, too, so we could see you every day!

We love you!

Bean Stalk

Ashley was trying to get Abigail and Nathaniel to eat their green beans. We are not the world's biggest green bean fans. But these kids just refuse to eat good veggies. So she told them that if they ate their veggies they would grow big and strong. She told Nathaniel first. She said that if he ate his veggies he would grow big and strong like Daddy (good for the ego!). Then Abigail said, "Mommy, would I be big and strong like Daddy, or big and strong like you?" Abigail is very smart like that. So Ashley said, "You will probably be big and strong like Mommy."

Abigail got this excited look in her eyes and her whole face lit up as she said, "OH WOW, then I could reach things!" So she started really eating her green beans. After she had scarfed them all down, she got out of her chair, ran to the kitchen, and then started to get frustrated for some reason. Ashley said, "Honey, what's wrong? Why are you getting frustrated?"

"I'm not growing yet!" Abigial said.

Oh, my Abigail. I love her so much. Both of these two bring such joy to my life!

DAD'S REVOLT!

Okay, okay...you can see from the previous posting's video that mothers go through a lot everyday with the kids. What about the dad? Check out this video to see exactly what we go through. I mean, in a nutshell, this lady nails it right on the head. It's not easy being the Dad...here's the link....enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtNGFh-dCe0&feature=related
->Jonathan

MOM'S UNITE!

A friend of ours showed us this hilarious clip that was too good to pass up. I think all moms will appreciate this. I would have never thought of this on my own, nor do I have the time to think of such things, but it does sound all too familiar.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGoelj7l668

~Ashley

In the Christmas Spirit

Here's my latest project. I think it looks nice. I'm afraid Ashley didn't quite like the time invested in it, but she's okay with it now that she's seen the final product. You ladies just need to learn that we know what we're talking about - always.

Our First Gingerbread House

This was a gift that was given to us by the family who purchased our Hyundai. They were so nice and very generous. The father was from Russia and while he spoke excellent English, still had a very thick Russian accent. He and I got to discussing origins and family history and I shared with them that my family is from Germany. So when they came back to purchase the vehicle, the brought with them some authentic German cookies from Weisella and this really cool gingerbread house. Check out the pictures of the process!

Sparks on Marriage

Ever heard of Nicholas Sparks? He wrote several books that eventually became Hollywood blockbusters. Books like, The Notebook, Message in a Bottle, A Walk to Remember, and others. Here is an excerpt from his book, Three Weeks with My Brother. I found this section to be one of the most insightful. In fact, I would recommend this book to anyone. It was very well written and hard to put down. I finished it in less than a week! All 350 pages! Listen in to this conversation between Sparks and his brother Micah Sparks and I think you will see a little glimspe as to why I liked reading this book so much.

"What do you think the secret of a long-lasting marriage is?" Micah asked.

"I don't know if there is a secret. Every couple is different. What works for one might not work for another."

"I know. But if you could pick on thing, what would it be?"

....

"Commitment," I finally said. "Both people have to be committed. I think if two people are committed to the marriage, if they really want to make it work, then they'll find a way to do it. No matter what happnes in life. If you marry someone who isn't committed-or if you're not committed-and something goes wrong, the marriage won't make it. Marriage is hard."

"Hmm," is all Micah said.

"How about you? What do you think the secret is?"

"I have no idea. I've only been married for four years. But for me and Christine, I think it is communication. When we talk about issues and really open up to each other, things are great between us. When we keep things to ourselves, grudges and resentments build up and we end up arguing."

I said nothing.

"What? You don't thnk communication is important?"

I shrugged. "What good is talking if neither of you are really committed? If one of you had an affair or got addicted to drugs or was abusive, simply talking about it wouldn't take the hurt away. Or fix the trust that's been lost. In the end, marriage comes down to actions. I think people talk too much about the things that bother them, instead of actually doing the little things that keep a marriage strong. You have to know what your spouse needs from you, and then you do it. And you avoid doing the things that harm the relationship. If your spouse acts the same way, your marriage can make it through anything."

"Lite" Blogging

Okay, I promise to make the next few posts shorter. I don't know what happens...I just start typing away and before I realize it I've written a whole essay on the subject at hand. I really like this whole blog thing anyway. I don't think I'll write a journal much anymore. This is a lot more fun, and it is something I don't have to store on a bookshelf! And best of all, this is permanent! I may lose a journal, but as long as we have the address to the blog, we'll never lose this!

Nathaniel West

Last month I wrote an entry about my little girl Abigail Faith. Feel free to take the time to scroll down and learn all about why she is truly her "father's joy."

Deciding on Nathaniel's name was very easy for us. From the time I discovered what Nathaniel means I knew from then on that I was going to name a son Nathaniel. It was when I was taking my first Hebrew course at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (SEBTS) that I discovered the rich meaning behind this name.

Many parents name their first sons after the father. Often times they use the same name as the father but include a "Jr." at the end. We had toyed around with the Jr. idea for some time and every time we talked about it, it just didn't seem like something we wanted to do. Then I discovered the name Nathaniel.

Nathaniel literally means, "My gift from God." What made this choice easy for us was this is exactly what Jonathan (my name) means. Jonathan is Hebrew for "God's gift." Of course, these meanings could be expressed in several ways such as, "Given by God," "Gift of God," etc. Still, the general meaning is the same.

LET'S BREAK IT DOWN...

For all you Hebrew language geeks out there, and for anyone else who might be the slightest bit interested here is how the names break down.

JONATHAN-

The "Jo" comes from "Yehovah" which is to say "Jehovah." In Hebrew Jonathan is literally spelled "Yehonathan". The "nathan" portion of the name is a phrase meaning "to give" or "gift." Therefore, Jonathan literally means, "Jehovah's gift," or any variation thereof.

NATHANIEL-

Right off the bat, close observers will notice the "nathan" at the beginning of this name. The meaning here is the same as described above. The difference in this name is that "Gift" is at the beginning and is followed by "iel." I believe in the Biblical recording of this name it is spelled Nathanael. There is a slight difference in meaning. The "-el" ending comes from the Hebrew El which is another name of God. Often times El is translated into English as "Mighty God." So we have "Gift" and "God" again in the same name.

But I changed the "a" to an "i" (to spell Nathaniel rather than Nathanael) on purpose. In the Hebrew language the "i" ending denotes first person possession. For example, the Hebrew word for "mother" is Em. To say the phrase "my mother" one would say Emi. So by adding the "i" to "Nathan" I am saying the gift God has given is my gift rather than just a generic gift. It makes the name a lot more personal since God has given Nathaniel to us.

What does "West" mean? My middle name is also West. My parents chose my name from both of my Grandfather's middle names: Donald John Erdman, Sr. & Gerald West Herrin. My Paw Paw (Gerald West) was given the name West by his parents. It was the surname of a pastor friend of the family. Now the name spans across three generations. While the name probably means the same as the cardinal direction (you know, like North, East, South, West!) it has taken on a whole new meaning in that it represents who we are. I consider it an honor and privilege to carry the name of a faithful minister of God's Word, as I'm sure Paw Paw does as well. Perhaps Nathaniel will come to appreciate the same as he comes of age.

Nathaniel has been a joy to us as well. He and his sissy bring smiles to our faces every single day. His favorite new word is, "Huh?" It occurs at least once in every conversation.

Nathaniel loves to color and draw. He will literally sit for hours if he could just drawing and coloring in his own little world. And when he does, he is so focused, it looks like he is working on some major project.

He also loves to wrestle with Daddy. His favorite wrestling move is the upside-down-flip-me-over move. He is also very ticklish. You would think that this would make him run from Daddy's tickle attacks, but Nathaniel will take about three steps away from Daddy, then turn right back around and beg for more! I think he likes wrestling with Daddy.

Most of all, he has one real love in his life - Mommy. I think he gets this one from Daddy. Hey, he knows a good thing when he sees it! Daddy can help all he wants, but when there is a boo boo or an upset belly, it's Mommy Nathaniel wants. But who can blame him? Mommy's nurse skills go far beyond shots, bandaids, and casts. She does good things for our hearts, and shares unending love and fills all of our hearts with endless joy!

Nathaniel is a very special young man and I love him so much. I thank God every single day of my life for giving me such a special gift. My son is so precious to me. I know we will have a close relationship all the rest of our days.

On Whom Will the Stone Fall?

Some Pharisees (religious leaders of Jesus' day who focused more on following God's rules than following God Himself) wanted to see what Jesus would do. They brought before him a woman who had been caught in adultery (wonder how she was "caught"?). They reminded Jesus of the Law and how it stated that the woman should be stoned to death for her sin. They then asked what Jesus thought about it. He made very clear his feelings when he responded, "Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her." After this the crowd fizzled away like a pack of dogs crawling away with their tails between their legs.

On Friday afternoon, November 28, 2008, I was watching Headline News when I heard that one of my fellow associates, a Wal-Mart associate had been trampled to death by a stampede of shoppers. To me, this is one of the lowest points of modern history. Some of my other associates at work told me how they had seen video footage of the event and how the man was desperately crying out for help, but to no avail. One by one, the heartless crowd continued to step right over top of the dying man. And now we are all confronted with a question - "Whose fault is this?"

On the same Headline News report I referred to above, I heard the sorriest and most pathetic analyzing from supposed expert forensic and social psychologists. One of which blamed Wal-Mart. Why not? Wal-Mart is an easy target (no pun intended to refer to WalMart competitor Target Stores, Inc.). But is Wal-Mart at fault here?

The expert pscychologist concluded that Wal-Mart should have taken measures to better prepare themselves for tighter crowd control on this fateful morning. Was she right? Personally, I disagree. Even if Wal-Mart was not my employer, I do not feel the blame rests on the shoulders of the store at which this happened. The fact is, this could have happened anywhere. Not to mention, the crowd was lined up in a line, which in most cases is a fairly natural and common form of control. Also, how many other retailers set up crowd berracades as the expert suggested?

The other expert stooped even lower. In his comments on the situation he made a statement to the effect that these were Christians buying Christmas presents, but they were acting very un-Christianlike. This is a classic fallacy of argumentation. In other words, this guy was arguing unfairly and wrongly. His statement that these shoppers were all Christians was first of all an assumption. It was also backed by no grounds - he had no research to prove these individuals that were doing the shopping - or the killing - were in fact Christians. And lastly, he was drawing a false conclusion that all Christmas shoppers are Christians and therefore pointing the blame on Christians who had gone out of control. Of course, we all know that there are plenty of atheists who celebrate Christmas, which blows this guy's expert opinion out of the water.

Here is my personal view on the whole situation. The reason this event strikes a cord with us is that we can all relate to both the crowd and the Wal-Mart associate. There have been times when we have been wronged terribly. We have suffered as a result of the choices of others, and it cost us a great deal. So part of us wants so badly to speak up for the innocent man who suffered because of the sins of others.

At the same time, however, we can also relate extremely well with the shoppers. There have been so many times when we have been so controlled by our desires to obtain that "greener grass" which we do not have, that we will behave completely unbecomingly of ourselves in order to obtain it. This whole even enrages us, and we know exactly how ruthless those shoppers were because if we are all being honest, we have done the same thing. Granted, most of us have not killed anyone. But I honestly believe that we have at one time or another been so controlled by our own selfish desires and wants that we give little to no thought to how it affects others around us.

In my mind's eye I can picture the whole scene unfolding. The man is a the door knowing that it must be opened. He struggles for the key to find the hole in the latch. Once the door bursts open, he scrambles to jump out of the way, but his struggle is in vain. The shoppers, whose eyes are glazed over with the materialistic thrill of getting their hands on that gift for half price, whose brows are furrowed in frustration that some meager Wal-Mart employee would dare get in their way, and whose elbows are flying in attempts to maintain their position in the race, burst through the entrance at an explosive rate. As they rush in they make their way through the cramped doors and race to grab the shopping carts as tempers flare shouting, "Mine!"

For the shoppers this may have only seemed like a split second as they burst through the door, grab their cart, then head for the aisles. But for the injured employee on the ground fighting for an escape, desperately crying for help, I could only imagine the entire ordeal seemed like it lasted hours as he was hammered by work boots, tennis shoes, high heels, and other foot apperal worn by people both small and very large.

As the crowd slows, perhaps a nearby associate who watched the whole thing happen runs to the aid of the fallen man and begins to find help. Perhaps there were shoppers who stopped or simply stared in disbelief that something like this would happen.

And as if what had alread happened was not tragic enough, you will never believe what happened next. Of course at this point, the store decided to close down, but informed all shoppers to report to the registers with their purchases, then vacate the premises. And to my utter amazement, shock, and absolute disgust, shoppers protested. Not all of them, but only some. One of which even pulled aside another Wal-Mart associate, and with frustration and anger in their voice said, "But I waited in line since yesterday!"

No remorse. No thought to the consequences of their actions. But yet, we have found ourselves here, too, have we not.

The bottom line is this, we cannot point blame on any one person in this situation. Nor can we even blame Wal-Mart. You may as well blame the victim, and I know no one who will do such a thing. Could we review the security film and press charges against every shopper who stepped on the associate? Are the camera's high-tech enough to show whose foot hit him and whose didn't?

This event is a perfect illustration of the fact that all human hearts are depraved. All of us need to be given new hearts if we expect to change. Perhaps this will serve to awaken our world to the reality that Christmas is not at all what it was intended to be. Who knew that the exchanging of gifts would come to this? "Saint Nicholas" (the originator of the practice of giving gifts) himself would probably shrivel in disgust and weep in sadness at the thought of this horrific scenario. Nonetheless, here we are.

I have heard two statements this Christmas holiday that have really struck me in the chest. One was spoken by a co-worker of mine. They were talking about the struggling economy and began to get very heated. When they began discussing how they were personally affected they ended in anger saying very strongly, "This will be one pathetic Christmas!" Oh my heart sunk. I think I actually heard it as it plopped on the floor.

The other statement was one that was a bit of a pleasant surprise. Someone shared how an "expert" was commenting on the same subject as my co-worker. The expert was asked if he felt as though this Christmas season will be a bleak one for families because of the struggling economy. His answer was a breath of fresh air. He responded that he felt that this will probably be one of the best Christmases families have had for years. Because money will be tighter and paychecks will be smaller (or non-existent all together), people will be more creative with their gift-giving. They will invest time and care rather than dollars and cents into their gifts. They will also focus on simple gatherings rather than elaborate gifts this year, which would have a stronger emphasis on family ties than Christmas expenses.

Whatever this season brings, perhaps we should stop and examine our own hearts. God will freely give us new hearts if we ask. He will take these hearts and give us his own. All you have to do is ask. If you want to know more about how to do this, email me and I would love to help you. jonathan.erdman@sebts.edu

Why don't we let the one who is without sin among us throw the stone at WalMart or any other party involved. Let's pray for the family of the associate who lost his life. And let's be thankful for the time we get to share with our families this holiday season.

Beach Trip - Reflection and Retrospection

Well, I am sitting on my couch at home in Wake Forest. We made it home around 3:30-4:00 this afternoon. Gracen was very glad to see us, and so were the fish (they told me so).

This past week was a great week. What made it so great was that we spent an entire week with my family. That is something that has not happened in a very long time. We all broke our normal routines for one whole week to do whatever we wanted to do. Fishing, reading, playing games, or just sitting and knitting (hey that rhymes!). Some of us slept until lunch time. Others of us hardly slept at all.

We woke up this morning and wasted no time in getting all our gear together for the trip home. It took a little longer than usual as we all found ourselves waiting for our turn on the elevator and trying to put our things away before Maw Maw claimed them as hers or threw them away. She tried to pilfer several peoples' belongings, but was caught early on so as not to confuse anyone. The only item she is sure to have gotten home with was a sack of potatoes. But, as they always say, perhaps the criminal needed it more than we did. (We love you Maw Maw!)

We all plopped down on the cushy living room couches in fatigue before we began our goodbyes. I don't think anyone was in a hurry to begin saying goodbye. After we were sure that everything was out of the house we started saying our goodbyes and heading down to the cars. Some went on to Bojangles for a little breakfast while others of us went on our way home.

I can only imagine this, but I think it would be very close to the truth that just after every car door was shut I bet at least one person in the vehicle had to fight back the lump in their throat as they said something to the effect of "This was a great house, this was a great week, and I can't believe it's already over."

Who knows what lies ahead. Perhaps we will find ourselves at Bea's Nest once again and try to relive what are now memories forever etched in time. Perhaps then we will enjoy our time again as we did this week. Perhaps then there will be more added to the family to share in that enjoyment. Perhaps then the fish will be bigger and the donuts will be cheaper. Who knows what the future holds, but we do know that if God allows us to find ourselves at Bea's Nest staying up till 2 am joking around and telling oursleves we desperately needed to go to bed, then that would be fine by me.

I love my family and wouldn't trade them or our time together for anything in the world.

Beach Trip - Day 7, Our Last Hoorah

Well, Friday is here. Believe it or not, the week did not go by as quickly as I imagined it would. I'm grateful for that. I tried to savor every moment spent with my family. We certainly do not do this often enough. Our stay has been tremendous.

This morning we went to the beach to take advantage of the beautiful weather we were having. It was in the 60s today, and was sunny all day until this evening. Perhaps what I will always remember the most was The Erdman Turkey Bowl football game we played on the beach.

It was Skip & Andrew vs. Jonathan & Ben. Dad was all time QB. Believe it or not Skip and Andrew won. We only played to 5. They won 5 to 4. We were terribly out of breath even though we didn't play very long. My legs are still sore and it is close 10:30 at night.

Ben left out this afternoon to head back to Mt. Ulla, NC to watch West Rowan football win over Carver and advance to the next round of playoffs. Ben is nothing short of a hometown hero there since it is where he graduated high school and really began to shine as a kicker.

Dad and the guys hit the surf for some more fishing mid afternoon. I was about to join them when Nathaniel woke up all out of sorts. I decided to stick around and give Ashley a hand. Just so happens that's when the fish were coming in real good. But, in the end, I will not even remember how I missed out on fish. All I will remember is the time we spent together.

Our supper was a combination birthday party for all the birthdays we didn't get to celebrate. Since we cleaned out the fridge for lunch, we ordered pizza for supper. We put candles in the pizza and sang Happy Birthday to everyone. It was great.

I attempted to fish more this evening, but with no luck. Time to pack up and get ready to head home in the morning. I'm actually ready. I've enjoyed my time with the family, but it's time to get back into our routine and get ready for this baby to come!

Beach Trip - Day 6, Thanksgiving Day

Dad, Skip, and myself got an early start on fishing this morning. We were up and out by 6 am. We went to the little pier by the marina with high hopes. We probably only stayed there for an hour with not a single bite. So we packed up and headed to a different fishing spot on the beach on down the road a ways. No luck there either. I got a little adventurous at this fishing hole, however.

My fishing clothes consisted of regular layers of clothes (t-shirt, long sleeve, and sweatshirt) and my freezer bibs from work (made for sub-zero temperatures). I would also wear my big yellow jacket on top. My waterproof boots made me almost completely waterproof. At this new fishing hole there was a small seawall just to the south. I decided to fish from on top of it. At first I would stay away from the rolling waves that would flow over top of the wall (it was about 2 feet wide). As time went, though I thought it would be better fishing if I could walk out on the wall a little ways in attempts to get my hook out a little farther.

Even though I was wearing my layers, they were not waders by any means. So to have a way to get out further in the water was very nice. The only thing about the wall was it gradually disappeared into the water at a downward slope. The more I scooted out on the wall, the closer to the breakers I became until I was right on top of the spot where the waves were breaking. It got to the point where the waves were literally breaking on my ankles, but I didn't care. I hadn't caught a thing and I knew we would be out too much longer.

It was so adventurous, and it was fun! It also afforded me a great view of the ocean floor. What appeared to be several feet deep from the shore was actually only about 2-3 foot deep. This was a bit disappointing since I thought we were fishing in a deep hole, but it was beautiful none the less.

Before we came back to the house (around 9 am) we decided we could not come back empty-handed. We made one last stop at Krispy Kreme for our second round of donuts for the week. Those donuts didn't even last 12 hours (a new Surfside beach trip record). There were two dozen, too! They were delicious (I had only one! But that's okay).

Being that this was Thanksgiving Day, I decided to spend more time with the family than with the fish for the day - regardless of what happened with the fishing. I held true to this all day. And wouldn't you know it, but later in the evening after the kids went to bad (which is the prime time to fish for me because I know Ashley would not be alone with the kids) I decided to spend time with Ashley.

What most always happens on trips like this is I focus so much on spending time with my family (Mom, Dad, Maw Maw and Paw Paw and others) that I often neglect my own family. But we are on vacation, too, and do not get this many baby sitters very often. Being as tired as Ashley was, though, we decided not to go out, but to stay in and play some games. Skip's girlfriend, Stephanie, arrived sometime around 8:30 and we decided to all play some games.

We had a great time. We taught them the joy of playing Ticket to Ride and they were instantly hooked. We'll have to play that one again.

We were in the middle of one of our games when the fishermen returned from the pier. They had caught so many fish. Wouldn't you know it. The one time I don't put my hook in the water is the one time I would have caught a bucket full of fish. But I had to remind to myself one thing - that family time is way more important than fishing time. I didn't pay my hard-earned money to spend time with slimy fish (that usually aren't cleaned and cooked right anyway). No, what I was most looking forward to was being with my family. Fish or no fish, I have had a great time this week.

Thanksigiving came and went like the ocean waves, and just about as fast. The ladies spent literally hours in the kitchen. It only took us less than 20 minutes though, to devour the feast they had prepared. Then after the deed was done, everyone went back to doing their own thing. This was a little disappointing to me. I envisioned us spending more time at the table reminscing of Thanksgivings past. I wanted us to savor the moment. Unfortunately, that didn't happen. BUT we have been spending some good time together this week and that makes up for it. The truth is, in my heart we celebrate Thanksgiving just about every time we eat together. I have been so very thankful for the time we have spent together this week.




I love my family.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Beach Trip - Day 5

Like most days of our stay here at Surfside Beach, the day didn't really get going until sometime after lunch. For the most part everyone would just lounge around or sleep in until mid morning. Then we would get ourselves together just in time for lunch. Wednesday was no exception. The only real different thing that happened was Dad and Paw Paw were gone most of the day on what I would call Operation Rescue Skippy.

Skip, my brother, was stuck back home (close to Charlotte, NC), and could not make it out here. Although he wanted to make it badly, Skip simply did not have a way here. His car, a rather old, two-tone Ford Taurus, would probably not make the drive. So after thinking overnight about how to get him down here we came up with a plan first thing in the morning. We'll just have to go get him. So around 8:30-9:00 am Paw Paw and Dad set out to rescue Skippy and bring him to the beach. They didn't mind one bit as long as Skip was here. They did not return until early evening, just after dinner.

Just after lunch we decided to get the kids out of the house. They had been couped up in this house all week and were craving some sort of adventure beyond these walls. It has been very cold out this week, making it hard to take the kids somewhere, but we knew it was getting necessary.

I remembered passing a small community park in the middle of nowhere fairly close to the beach house. We bundled up the kids and went to the park. They had a great time, and so did we.

Another thing that happened on this day that I will never forget is finishing my first Nicholas Sparks novel - Three Weeks With My Brother. I'm an instant fan and want to read more.

The day ended with a very unproductive trip surf fishing. The best part about it, though, was every last one of us boys was there with a hook in the water - Dad, Skip, myself, Andrew, and Ben. That was something I will never forget! That sort of thing does not happen often at all.

Beach Trip - Day 4, A Day with Birdman

Yes, that's right. We got to spend the afternoon touring the lair of Birdman. He is about 6'2", 180 pounds and can kick the pig out of the pig skin. He was just awarded his first postseason honor by being voted First Team All-Conference. Basically, he's the best punter in the conference. Check it out at www.goccusports.com/football.



Today I stayed in my pajamas until lunchtime (that was actually my goal). It was great. After lunch, we put the kids down for naptime. As soon as we felt we were in the clear, we jumped in Ben's Cherokee and began our official tour of Coastal Carolina with Coastal's very own "Birdman". Well, at least that's what everyone calls him. Everyone! Even the head coach. They mostly call him "Bird." I don't care what they call him. Everyone is so proud of Ben.

Our first stop was the Chanticleer football locker room. It was awesome! The coolest part was a machine that automatically looosens up your muscles. Ben put me on it without telling me what would happen. Before I jumped on it he told me to try to touch my toes. I am not exactly a flexible person, so I reached and barely touched to top of my shoes (not exactly my toes). Well, I jumped on the machine and held on for dear life as it began to vibrate at an amazing rate. It lasted for about 20 seconds. As soon as it was over, Ben told me to jump off and try to touch my toes. I didn't just touch my toes, I palmed the floor! And did so with amazing ease! It was incredible!



After that we went met some of Ben's coaches and the school's Atheletic Director - Warren "Moose" Koegel. He played at Penn State and went on to play for the Oakland Raiders and the New York Jets. He showed us his football card from his time with the Jets.



After our visit with the coaches, we visited the campus bookstore where I purchased my new Coastal pullover, and Ashley her new Coastal shirt. I could have bought the entire store!!! But everything is a bit pricy. Fortunately we were able to leave with a couple of goodies without splurging too much.



Our next stop was the Presidential Suite at Brooks Stadium, the CCU football field. It was incredible! Very elite! Ben told us that there have been several famous people to visit the suite, including none other than Michael Jordan who has ties with the CCU basketball coach. That was a very neat place to visit.



Before we headed back the beach house we made one last stop. Ben is a part of a discipleship group through CCU Campus Outreach. The guys that lead the group live in a home close to campus. We stopped by the house for one thing, and it wasn't to meet more people. There was one thing that we were interested in seeing, Ben's busted up moped.



Earlier this year, Ben was involved in a very serious moped accident while heading to a beach house at Myrtle Beach. He was conscious, but sustained serious injuries to his head and leg. It is an absolute miracle that Ben survived the accident. In fact, he didn't break a single bone. He broke his nose, but that was already broken during high school, so that didn't take much. His scars on his leg are amazing. And now he is punting like never before and just made All Conference!



Not a game goes by where we sit back and thank God for how he spared Ben's life. God has big plans for Big Ben, I know it. I'm so excited for him and so proud of him.

So...another day is gone, but plenty more ahead. Good times indeed.

Beach Trip - Day 3

We officially began our quest to catch some fish today. The day began just right. Dad and I made two stops this morning before everyone was awake. We stopped at the bait shop and Krispy Kreme Donuts. Life just doesn't get any better.

We began fishing mid-morning, but with no luck. We were told that high tide was around 10is AM, but that was way off. The tide was definitely going out, not coming in. Well, what we made up for not catching fish by catching some great photos of the kids on the beach for the first time of the trip.

They had a blast!

We did some more fishing this evening after dinner. For me it was bitter sweet. The fish were finally biting, but the only thing was they weren't biting my hook. They were biting Dad's and he was the only one catching them. He ended up catching 7! I caught ZERO. BUT, it was still fun to fish together again.

Beach Trip - Day 2

Sunday was exactly how every Sunday should be. It was filled with great family time and incredible amounts of relaxation in the living room. I would fall into the couch and kick back as the evening rays of the sun filled the room with golden light. We ate dinner at the humongous, Last-supper-like table by candle light. It was delicious. While I don't think I snapped a single picture for the day, the peace and physical restoration that filled my heart will be something I will never forget.

Beach Trip - Day 1

We had a great ride down to Surfside Beach on Saturday. We departed Wake Forest about 8 am with a very smooth departure. We rode all the way to the SC border before we got out to stretch our legs. Our choice of places to stop was none other than the not so famous, South of the Border entertainment and shopping plaza just at the SC/NC line.

The highlight of the stop was taking pictures by the larger than life statues as well as stopping in the Hats from Around the World shop. Abigail and Mommy especially loved the large ice cream cone! The Hat Shop was so unique! It was a shop with nothing but hats. Before we left we each had to pick a goofy hat to wear at the beach. Abigail chose a flowered pink hat with yellow smileys on it. Nathaniel fell in love with a Construction workers not-so-hard hard hat. Ashley chose a cow-print cowgirl hat. And last but not least, I got an umbrella hat. It's a hat that is an umbrella. Grandpa Durst would love it! It may end up in his stocking this year!

BLESSING IN DISGUISE

After we got to the beach house we decided to go ahead and settle in before gearing up for the football game. I knew that Paw Paw would be soon arriving so I wanted to get the elevator ready for his use. Well, I went to open the shaft and practice operating the thing, and for some reason I could not get in. After about 10 mins of trying I decided to call the Realty Office. To our complete surprise they informed us that the elevator did not work. In fact, it had not worked since August. We couldn't believe it. There was no way Paw Paw could get in the beach house without the elevator.

The Realty Office said that we should have been informed, but we certainly were not. In fact, if we knew the elevator did not work, then we would not have reserved in the first place. So what happened next? The company we rented from also rented out the house next door. Now the house next door was supposedly nicer than the one we originally rented. So I met with the maintenance man and he let me in. YOU WOULD NOT BELIEVE HOW NICE THIS HOUSE IS!!! It is like something straight out of Country Living magazine. It is gorgeous. WAY better than the other house, and it has a working elevator that is very nice! We are loving this new house and are very glad the elevator didn't work. It was a real blessing in disguise.

FAMILY TIME

We stayed up till about 2:00 am last night. It was great. We all just sat around talking for the longest time. Everyone was here except Skippy. We even got to spend the whole time with Patty and Jennifer! They helped to make this night one of the best! It would not have been the same without them. I wish they could have stayed at the house with us, but already had reservations at a hotel close to the school. We had a blast, though.

Today is promised to be full of more family time. Andrew had to head back to Raleigh for work, but Maw Maw will be joining us today.

PROMISING PROSPECT

We met Ben's new girlfriend, Kaylee. Needless to say, we are very proud of the both of them. They seem to be very mature in their decision to begin what seems to be a wonderful relaionship. So far I am impressed, and as his big brother, that is saying a lot. I think Ben has made a good choice. And I think Ashley likes her, too. In fact I know she does.

Well, its lunch time and the kids are hungry. Day 2 is almost over. I'm already grieving our departure....BUT we have plenty of time to enjoy the moments together.

Cold in Conway

The Chants finished the season with an upset last night. They fell 24 to 0 against Charleston Southern. BUT it was still so worth if for us to watch Ben play. Check out the photos.