Papa C

My dear Papa passed away at the beginning of May. This was a man we absolutely adored. His quick wit, fabulous stories, servant’s heart, and blueberry pancakes made him a gift to his family. The service was tremendous as it celebrated his life and honored his service to the country. I had an opportunity to share and I’ve included my reflection below:

Papa knew how to run errands. I learned this at a young age and, as a result, I clamored to be apart of as many errand runs with Papa as I could.

When Papa ran an errand, he took it as an opportunity to serve… to love extravagantly. For him, it wasn’t enough to simply be at the store helping, he took it one step further. I can recall being informed by Papa that we would venture into the dreaded frozen food section of the grocery store so that Gege could avoid getting chilled. He wasn’t content to browse the cereal aisle or pick out produce. He took the worst of the worst. He knew Gege’s dislike for the temperature of that section and so that’s the first place he went.

While at the store, he was guaranteed to be making friends. No store clerk, postal worker, or fellow shopper left an interaction with Papa without feeling uplifted. He had a way of creating instant friends, he knew no stranger, and treated individuals with dignity no matter their job. He didn’t step up to the register to simply purchase – he went there to brighten someone’s day, to connect with another human being.

I was always so proud to be standing by the side of this man. He was witty, intelligent, and fun. I was sure that when we exited the store they’d be talking about how he was absolutely their favorite customer they had ever encountered.

I first met Chris, who I later married, at a grocery store with a group of mutual friends. I watched him interact with one store worker using her name, making jokes, and carrying on like they were good friends. And I thought, “He reminds me of my grandpa.” That doesn’t sound like a compliment to many young men… Oh, but it was. A compliment of the highest regard.

Papa knew how to run errands. It wasn’t an insignificant part of the day. Errands were a demonstration of his character, his faith, and his love. These errands mattered – to his family and to those he had only just met.

(Alli)

We love …the 2

I’m not a big hanger guy. I’m really not. But, some hangers simply outperform the others… and their story needs to be told. So today, I would like to publicly celebrate “The 2″ pant hangers. I nickname this item “the 2″ for purely visual reasons. As opposed to standard hangers, these beautiful time-savers provide easy access to your trousers via one open-ended side, leaving the shape of the hanger resembling a number two. Don’t let the name fool you, however. In my books, this culture-altering hanger is absolutely numero uno.

It would come as no surprise to learn that many of you are skeptical, and perhaps even scoffing, at this post. But, my guess is the scoffers are also those who have never experienced the metal and vinyl brilliance of “the 2.” I can say this with confidence: You will scoff no more if you throw down the extra few bucks to pick up a few of these closet champions.

It will make getting ready for work and coming home at the end of the day less stressful and more efficient. If your experience mirrors my experience, your hanger-to-legs time average (and, on the flip-side, your legs-to-hanger time averages) will be slashed in half. I will provide this warning, however. After your purchases (just make the investment and buy a handful), you will quickly loathe the fact that you spent the majority of your life without “the 2.” But, apart from self-loathing, you have nothing less to lose.

It is time to demand excellence in our britches’ storage. Our khakis, chinos, dress slacks and corduroys deserve nothing less. Join me in kicking the cheap plastic hangers and dry cleaner throwaways to the curb.

(Chris)

What to Expect When You’re Not Expecting to be Expecting

Anyone who is or has been pregnant is familiar with the popular book for new parents-to-be, What to Expect When You’re Expecting. But, we’d like to propose the sequel: What to Expect When You’re Not Expecting to be Expecting. Here would be our suggested chapter outline:

1. If you have had three positive pregnancy tests; you’re probably pregnant
2. Timing…overrated.
3. How to throw your five year plan out the window
4. When reality hits: I just heard the heartbeat
5. It’s OK to think your first ultrasound images are a cross between adorable and alien
6. Spousal encouragement 101: “It’s a baby bump, not pooch”
7. What to say when your 4th grade students tell you you’re getting fat
8. Birthing 101: Dad, welcome to a whole new world…you have got a lot to learn.

And yes, we are expecting!

We love… Baked Oatmeal

It’s a recipe with basic ingredients, an unoriginal name, and a standard appearance. Yet, this recipe can take away the sting of my alarm clock (a feat) when it’s on the breakfast menu. I married into this recipe. I never thought to ask Chris which recipes he would bring to marriage, so you could say I lucked out… I did well.

* Proof that I’m speaking the truth: In the process of writing this post, I decided to prep a batch for tomorrow morning. As it sat on the counter, I decided I might as well have it for dinner. Currently, I have an empty bowl, scraped clean, sitting beside me.

The recipe: baked oatmeal

3/4 c applesauce (or oil)
1 1/2 c sugar (I often use some combination of honey, brown, and/or white sugar)
4 eggs
6 c oatmeal
4 t baking powder
2 t salt
2 c milk

1. Mix first three ingredients.
2. Add oatmeal, baking powder, salt and milk.
3. Mix well and pour into 9×13 pan.
4. Bake 350 for 30 minutes.

It’s a forgiving recipe (my favorite kind). So feel free to improvise. We love ours served hot in a bowl with milk poured on top. Sometimes we add fruit, sometimes I forget ingredients, sometimes I try it with agave nectar. Regardless, it always tastes delicious. Try it today.

(Alli)

We love… The Whirley Pop

Two years ago I tasted my first batch of Whirley-Pop popcorn. Crisp, airy, fresh, natural–delicious. My life changed in profound ways that day. It’s hard to look back on what life was like when my only popcorn option was the buttery, artificially-flavored and salt-saturated “popcorn product” birthed out of a microwavable bag. It should have made sense to me a long time ago. Why should I expect a prepackaged handful of kernels coated in artificial butter and zapped by high frequency radio waves to produce a quality product?

I try not to beat myself up over the countless microwaved bags of popcorn I ate before my introduction (i.e., conversion) to Whirley Pop. Microwavable popcorn is convenient…and it doesn’t taste terrible. I guess, in a sense, my rocky popcorn past is comparable to my friends who are committed Cubs’ fans. They’ve never tasted the joy of being a Phillies fan so why should I expect them to understand how completely inferior their fanhood truly is? Allow yourself to savor this kernel of truth: Once you taste a fresh-made batch of stovetop popcorn, you will never, ever go back.

Reasons we love our Whirley Pop enough to spend the time to blog about it…it is:

• Delicious & healthy. To reiterate, this is the best popcorn you’ll eat. Your mouth and your digestive system will thank you.
• Inexpensive. Trust me, in the long run, it will save you money. The upfront popper costs (~$20-25) are satiated by the money you save by buying kernels in bulk. It essentially pays for itself.
• Customizable. Like kettle corn? No problem. Think popcorn’s better with cheddar? Done. Stressed because you need a show-stopping party mix? Let your Whirley Pop help.
• Fun for kids. We do this with our neighbor kids all the time. They love spinning the popper. Imagine having that “Christmas morning joy” every time you bust out the Whirley Pop.
• Hip. We’ve found people that see our Whirley Pop genuinely like us more. We often hear comments like, “Oh wow — you’re a Whirley Pop couple?” and, “You two really seem to be ‘living the dream.’” It’s true. We are.

(Chris)

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For those that don’t know how it works, it’s a very simple process:

1. Turn your stovetop burner on high.
2. Add 1/2 cup popcorn kernels (yellow or white) and 1 Tbsp oil to your Whirley Pop.
3. Put your Whirley Pop on the hot coils and spin till the popping subsides.
4. Pour the hot, delicious morsels into a bowl of your choice and enjoy.
5. Wipe out the Whirley Pop with a paper towel.
6. Just like that…you’re done. Done making popcorn…and done with that microwavable stuff.

Give the Gift of Dignity

Three years ago I read a book by Robert Lupton which changed the way I think about helping the poor. In that book, he introduced the concept of the “dignity of exchange,” which is one of the primary lenses through which I now view compassion. Lupton suggests in this book that “people would far rather engage in legitimate exchange than be the object of another’s pity. There is something in one-way giving that erodes human dignity.” The Christmas season has reminded me again of why exchange matters.

Today, Mile High Ministries (which also runs Joshua Station) is hosting their 16th annual Christmas Store, which gives opportunities for low-income moms and dads in Denver to buy Christmas gifts for their children (at subsidized prices). Parents, as customers, are able to be providers for their children at Christmas. The real Christmas gift of this annual tradition, in my opinion, is given to these parents: Dignity. These parents are no longer needy recipients…they are bargain-hunters.

As a junior in high school, I joined with a group of my friends to purchase Christmas gifts for a low-income urban family in my hometown, Lancaster, Pennsylvania through a local urban ministry. We got the name of a family and a list of suggested gifts and we went to Walmart to pick up the items. After purchasing the items, we drove to to the house, which was in a low-income housing community in a rough section of town. The four of us, all exuberant Christian kids, then hauled the gifts from the car to the door, where we delivered them to the mother of the children, while the children looked on.

I think back to the experience often:

What would it have been like if I was one of those kids? …to see my mom receiving my future Christmas gifts from a bunch of youth I didn’t know?

How would I felt to be that mom or dad? …to have my neighbors see me receiving those gifts? …to feel as though I was incapable personally of giving my kids a great Christmas?

Compassion is important. But compassion, without thoughtful and prayerful consideration of the consequences of the actions, can be harmful. Most mothers will do whatever they need to do to provide for their kids, even if that means they have to humble themselves to allow wealthy high-school aged kids to pick up the tab for Christmas. One gift which we did not give to that mother was dignity. I am excited that Mile High Ministries, and many other wonderful organizations, have re-examined their Christmas efforts to support low-income families.

Jeff Johnsen, Executive Director at Mile High Ministries, said this as to why they began operating the Christmas Store 16 years ago. “A lot of us at Mile High Ministries saw over and over again that there was a hidden price being paid by some of the families that were served [through their traditional Christmas giveaways]. You could see it in a dad’s face. These generous gifts were also a reminder to him that he couldn’t provide for his family that year.I decided there had to be a better way…Dignity is perhaps The Christmas Store’s chief product.”

(Chris)

Davey Elizabeth

Dear Davey,

Welcome to the family. This new baby thing does not get old. We’re delighted to have you join us. And since your sister’s delighted-ness is by far cuter than ours, here’s a picture  representing just how thrilled we are:

Someday you’ll have to let us know if we’re right, but we’re calling for a conspiracy theory. There’s just no way that you and your mom could be that cute only one hour after you’ve been born. Something is going on, because after seeing you/Chrissy and Graham/Kendal we’re convinced that someone’s doing some baby growing elsewhere.

We’re glad to see you confidently pull off your own unique style this early in life. Although the faux hawk have normally adorned urbanite males, you really brought something new to the style. And we agree, baby faux hawks should be the next thing. You clearly proved that it’s unbelievably cute.

Finally, we want to thank you. Thank you for making us feel like baby pros. Somehow, no matter how awkwardly we may be holding you, you mold to the position. And whenever we try to comfort you it always works, like what we’re doing was the exact thing you were asking for. Maybe you’re just trying to be nice, but we really appreciate it. You’ve been a tremendous boost to our self-esteem.

We love you, Davey Baby.

Aunt Alli and Uncle C

Extravagance on the Margins

For the single mothers living at Joshua Station (all 25 families here currently are led by single moms), life has been characterized by broken promises. Fathers who swore they would always be there for the kids. Ex-husbands who claimed they would never hit them. Family members who somehow always forgot to pay back borrowed money. For these women, it is only safe to have low expectations.

It was in that context that our small group at church endeavored to plan an event for the women of Joshua Station which inverted that pattern. Exceeded expectations…instead of lowered. Fulfilled promises…instead of broken. Alli and I were thrilled when the plans started coming together and we truly took a backseat in the process as the generous and enthusiastic members of our group took the lead. They each brought their own creativity, energy and passions into the planning. After many discussions, we settled on doing a “Ladies Night Out,” featuring spa treatments, massage, desserts, live music and foot-washing.

St. Augustine ends one of his famous quotes by saying, “And in all things, charity.” From the beginning, our group’s unstated motto exclaimed, “And in all things, luxury.” Each member of our group found ways to ratchet it up a notch.  Nothing was done cheaply, as if anything they could do was “good enough.” One group member asked her masseuse to volunteer for the event. Another member recognized a large percentage of the moms were Latina so she made culturally-sensitive desserts. And together the group hand-made neck-warmers, facial scrubs and foot baths. To top it off, the transportation for the evening was a stretch-SUV limousine.

By all accounts, the evening was a smashing success. The men in our group watched the herd of kids for the evening, allowing the moms to have a free night, and the women in our small group lavished the Joshua Station mothers with an evening fit for even the most elite women in the most prestigious country club. For at least one night, we wanted each of these women to know they were created for dignity by a God who knows and loves each one of them uniquely. For at least one night, they were the honored guests. For at least one night, they were given the very best.

In many ways, our goal was to reflect the love our Savior demonstrated in choosing, as omnipotent Creator, again and again, to lavish each of us with exceeding grace. And from the comments we heard from the guests, that message was clear. One of the mothers commented after the evening that “the hosts just kept surprising us.” Another wrote this in her heartfelt thank-you note:

It is inspirational and authentic to be shown true respect and “feel the love” one human to another in the manner you ladies demonstrated the other night.

The members of our small group communicated worth, honor and respect to these women who are all too accustomed to broken promises. It was beautiful to observe this extravagance on the margins.

Thanks to our community group member & photographer, Elizabeth Strauss, for the photos.

(Chris)

We love… Southwest Airlines

It would be inappropriate to kick off this series (“We love…”) with anything other than Southwest Airlines.  Alli and I hold a deep, perhaps excessive, love of Southwest Airlines.  But really, what’s not to love?

We both fly often. A few years ago we began recognizing that our flight experiences with Southwest were markedly different, in a good way, than our flights with other airlines. The whole process, from purchase to deplaning, was smoother–and even enjoyable. Our lauding should not come as a surprise. There is a reason SWA has posted a profit for 36 consecutive years (in a deeply struggling industry) and has hosted more customers than any other US airline since 2006.  A recent poll (Oct 16, 2009) by Consumer Traveler echoed our feelings:

Here are a few reasons why Southwest has become like family:

• Flight attendants with personality. They are often funny, and they don’t take themselves too seriously.  Here’s an example from a recent flight. “And for you, sir, hot pancakes and bacon for your in-flight breakfast meal.” – flight attendant, while handing me a bag of peanuts.
• They perform miracles. About a month ago, while traveling from Denver to the Dominican Republic (with a one-day stopover in Philadelphia), I mistakenly forgot my passport in Denver. To make a very long-story short, the Southwest crew agreed to voluntarily carry and deliver my passport to me. No other airline was willing. There was no reason for them to oblige, but they did. If they hadn’t, I would have been forced to skip the trip I was leading to the DR. Above-and-beyond.
• No seating chart. This speeds up the boarding process significantly. No looking at boarding passes while finding seats. No lag while first class passengers board. No inefficiencies. Love it.
• No bag fees. Thank you, SWA, for not nickle-and-diming me.  This has many positive repercussions. For instance, passengers don’t try and carry-on six bags, resulting in the overhead bins filling up to capacity by the time the first wave of passengers has boarded.
• Cheap fares. It’s uncommon to find better fares. When you add in all the fees other airlines charge, it’s extremely rare to find better fares.
• They provide lifetime free flights to customers who write blog posts about why they love Southwest.*

*This has not yet been verified, but we’re hopeful.

It’s Amazing How Quickly You Can Fall In Love

This Thursday we welcomed Graham Marc Wolgemuth into the world.

His parents, my brother and sister-in-law ha

This Thursday we welcomed Graham Marc Wolgemuth into the world. His dad and champ-of-a-mom , my brother and sister-in-law, have entered in the parenting world beautifully (as you can tell).

And this proud aunt might have already started planning the camping trip we’re going to take him on someday. I should probably hold off until he can talk… and walk… and sleep through the night.

(Alli)