Life of the Runion Family

End of Summer in Photos

2009-09-22T13:39:00.000-07:00

Enkutatesh 2002...happy Ethiopian new year! (above)

State Fair (above)

first day of school (above)

the gentleman and the lady

2009-03-10T20:41:00.000-07:00

Levi has taken to giving Kate rides across the backyard across the ice or water--whatever the end of winter has left that day. it started when Kate didn't want to walk across the ice. Levi offered a ride. Here is Sunday's 3:30pm ferry ride.

Calvary Kids Valentine's Dance 2009

2009-02-17T19:10:00.000-08:00

I'm trying to post this to Facebook, but having lots of trouble. This is well worth a couple minutes to view.
A sweet gathering of friends, a game of 'pass the sombrero', and Captain Joe Schwitters steals the show!
(A little background for you 'pass the sombrero' first-timers, if you get caught with the hat when the music stops, you have to do a little dance. In Joe's case, a BIG dance. Very sweet.)

At the end, an all-out dance broke out. We didn't clear this with Pastor Jeff, but we think this fits within church's doctrinal positions on dancing.

I used to journal...

2009-02-06T19:32:00.001-08:00

...but I got perfectionistic and obsessive about it. if i missed a couple days, I would get down on myself, feel bad, then try to catch up by writing all at once the things that I would have written had I journaled on those days I missed. I would never feel satisfied with that. If I missed enough days, I would use one entry to create a list of things I wanted to cover...then try to use the next few days to work my way down that list. Oh, my. That wasn't any better. A vicious cycle, really. One I'm going to avoid in my blogging career.

So, here i am again after a long hiatus from the blogosphere. I don't even have anything really interesting to say. The main thing I came to do was drop this video in. It was taken over a 20 minute period and compressed to 2 minutes...i used it for a sermon illustration of "Patience" for a sermon...and the payoff if we actively wait for God's best for us. Hope you enjoy it!

The Road to India

2009-01-17T12:06:00.000-08:00

As I type this email, I’m at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport awaiting my flight through Frankfurt, Germany to Kolkata. For the next two weeks, I am honored to travel to the beautiful country of India to meet ministry partners and to develop a new summer mission outreach. I'll spend time in the cities of Kolkata (aka Calcutta), Bangalore, Nagpur, and Hyderabad. In Hyderabad, I will spend a week taking a course in my Doctor of Ministry program.

Although I didn’t expect it to be easy, leaving my family in Minneapolis was difficult—more difficult than I had anticipated. I am incredibly blessed with a wife who fully supports me, prays for me, and wants God’s glory to be reign in me. I consider it a blessing to love someone so much it hurts to leave for two weeks. My kids, of course, are also incredible and I will also miss them deeply.

God’s richest blessings to you all.

I will also be posting ministry updates on this page: http://cas.bethel.edu/campus-ministries/sb-missions/sb_updates

I hope you enjoy the ride with me!

Levi--here's a picture of me with the plane that will take me to India! It's a little hard to see the plane through the window, but can you find the plane in the picture?

I love you, buddy! See you in 15 sleeps!

Merry Christmas (Minneapolis version)

2008-12-25T11:52:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve at Calvary...

Gathering with Friends...

Christmas Day with the Schrantz'...

random play

2008-12-22T10:37:00.000-08:00

It's -6 in Minneapolis today. Amy and the kids are at home without a car (Daddy's got it at Bethel). While Mama gets caught up on bills, Christmas letters, and her own stuff, Kate and Levi are randomly playing around the house. Here is Amy's report from Bloomington Avenue:

Kate is pretending to read out of a book. She says...

"I love God the best. I love and respect God for his words. Jesus loves us and sent us the very best gift of all - his son, God. And he got put on the cross and nailed of every kind."

Levi chimed in and said...

"He got nailed on the cross and died."

Kate continued...

"The verses say that..."

Levi interupts and steers them in another direction...

"We're going to be late for the parade."

December Highlights

2008-12-21T20:29:00.000-08:00

seriously. he's huge.

with papa runion

baking nana runion's raspberry ribbons

love and christmas blessings to all.

new sled

2008-12-18T22:47:00.000-08:00

We searched around and we found sleds at Ace on 18th and Nicollet. They were right inside the door. Levi saw them and ran right up to them. As we stood there, we considered the $13.99 version (which had a rope attached--literally the only difference). The $8.99 version had...FLAMES. I said, "I bet that means it's fast." Levi said, "I bet you're right, Daddy." We turned around and asked the three guys working at Ace tonight, "Is this sled fast?" "Oh, yeah. That's a really fast one." They all weighed in and had fun with the moment. We chose the $8.99 version, which Kate also liked because it's purple.

On the way out, we took this pic (attached). Levi and Kate were carrying it together over their heads. This pic caught the moment it was falling off.

We found our own rope at home (for free) and we ran around the yard for a while--me pulling them behind me. We learned the $8.99 sled with flames really is fast. On our way inside, Levi said, "Daddy, those guys sure knew what they were talking about."

Go Tell it on the Mountain

2008-12-14T20:06:00.000-08:00

The Calvary Baptist (Minneapolis) Kids Choir rings in the season with a beautiful rendition of "Go Tell it on the Mountain."

Kenny Was Here

2008-10-31T19:50:00.000-07:00

Our dear friend Kenny Miller (of "Kenny and Julia" fame) blessed us with an evening together the other night. He and Julia are living in Uganda right now--working with Food for the Hungry. It was such a nice time enjoying a meal, coffee, and good conversation. Reminded us of the good 'ol days, Julia. Wish you could have been here! Amasid ginallo, Kenny.

No reunion is complete without a good wrestling match, right?

Yet Another Trip to the Orchard...

2008-10-04T20:35:00.000-07:00

this time with friends from church

A Truly Happy Birthday!

2008-09-30T19:00:00.000-07:00

I had a wonderful day today. My 36th birthday.
Started with a little cuddling on the couch with my best boy first thing this morning. After working this morning, my family picked me up and we all headed for the apple orchard...one of my favorite places in the fall.

We hit the "Hay Mountain",

we did the hay maze,

rode the tractors,

walked through the orchard,
and (of course) picked apples.

We were joined by some good friends from South Africa.

Then, my wife took me out for a delicious meal...including a nice surprise serenade by the servers (and birthday dessert).Thanks to everyone for a great birthday!

Bring on 37.

The Boyz

2008-09-15T18:00:00.000-07:00

Levi got his big desire tonight--to match Daddy. "Khakis", a t-shirt, and an orange fleece vest. Daddy was almost as proud to be matching.

hop on the bus

2008-09-12T20:16:00.000-07:00

day 2 of preschool means the start of riding the school bus. a big day to be sure.

every good student needs to start with a good breakfast!

the bus arrives

gettin' buckled in by miss johnson

the wave goodbye...

they had a great time and they were quite tired when they got home!

First Day of School

2008-09-11T20:07:00.000-07:00

We are so proud of our preschoolers...

they're proud, too...

levi

kate

circle time...

tomorrow, they take the bus.

pray for mommy and daddy!

Happy Birthday, Grandma Dode.

2008-09-06T19:18:00.000-07:00

Grandma Doris (a.k.a. "Dode") turns 86. To commemorate the occasion, she and Uncle Sam sing a beloved song made famous by Johnny Cash. It was a nice moment and I'm glad I had my camera with me.

Then, we sang happy birthday. the look on Grandma's face is priceless. She absolutely loves (i.e. revels in) having her family together and singing for her.

And, for your enjoyment, here are some shots of K&L on the trampoline this morning (you didn't think i could finish a post without photos of them, did you?).

End of Summer (or is it?)

2008-09-05T11:29:00.000-07:00

Lots of signs of the end of summer...like 50 degree mornings. But, this is Minnesota. we probably have some 80 degree days ahead of us yet. here are the latest photos of the beauties... At the end, two quick stories that might sound too good to be true.

Giving Cousin Sophie a lift.

yes. diving.

that's not rod carew, but you should see his swing!

beauty.

in the company of friends.

Monday, September 1. Levi jumped in bed with Mom and Dad first thing this morning. Laying there, he puts his arms straight out and says to Dad, “You should put nails in my hands sometime, Daddy.” I said, “uh, I don’t think so, Levi.” “But Jesus did.” He says. I reply, “that’s the great thing, Levi. Jesus did it so we don’t have to.” … a couple seconds pass … then, he says, “I want to be Jesus for Halloween.”

Monday, September 1. Walking together at Bethel today, Kate asked if she could carry my box of tissues. My allergies had been getting the best of me all day. Then, she asked, “Why do we need these, Daddy?” I said, “Because my nose is running like crazy today.” Without missing a beat, Kate told one of her best jokes yet. She said, “But Daddy, your nose doesn’t have feet, so how can it run?!”

The Great Minnesota Get-Together!

2008-08-25T13:27:00.000-07:00

Mama, Kate, and Levi spent 12 hours at the Minnesota State Fair! (Dad joined for a few hours, too.) Here are some highlights...

priceless.

at the top of the ferris wheel.

boys at the top of the ferris wheel.

levi putting out fires, kate driving. look out for this duo!

Fun in the Sun...and a cute video in the "thanking process"

2008-07-13T20:31:00.000-07:00

Top: Kate and Noelle before their short-lived tubing experience
Middle: Mama finishing a nice run waterskiing
Bottom: The fish (first to the water, last to leave...they LOVE the water!)

We spent Saturday (nearly all day) with our church friends at the lake in Lindstrom, MN.

Calvary Fun-in-the-Sun was wonderful (thanks to the Posts!). Speaking of 'thanking', Kate enjoyed some painting this afternoon and painted a nice thank you card for "Grandma and Grandpa Post" (who opened their home, their beach, and their boat to our group).

She had slipped downstairs undetected by mom or dad this afternoon. Mom came downstairs ten minutes or so later and found her sitting at the dining room table painting away. She had gotten herself all set-up with her watercolors, a little bowl of water, and a work of art in progress. We think the song is original. Let us know if you hear any familiar tune in there!

Mudhen II

2008-07-11T19:22:00.000-07:00

nana and papa runion celebrated 40 years of wedded bliss this summer, so a couple weeks ago we all went to mudhen to celebrate together.

we boated...

we jumped...

we ran...

we smiled...

we ate...

we sat...

and, boy did we swim...
happy anniversary, nana and papa!
we love you!

June Highlights

2008-07-10T22:55:00.000-07:00

Catching up on this blog is going to take more than just the five minutes I have left in me tonight. (I'm running out of gas.) Nevertheless, a picture is worth a thousand words, right? Well, here are 4,000 or so...and I'll add more in the coming days.

Bowling at Bryant Lake Bowl

Father's Day at Maria's Cafe

Levi's growing his hair out (you can't see that...this is just bath bubbles...underneath, his hair is growing)

Summer is the time for...3 year olds and hoses!

Like I said, more to come!

Mehaber? Yes, Mehaber.

2008-06-30T20:29:00.000-07:00

Mehaber is the Amharic word for an occasional gathering of friends and family. The EKC Summer Mehaber was the annual gathering of the Ethiopian Kids Community...it included Ethiopian adoptive families at many stages of the process. We got to spend some quality time with some of our great friends from EKC and we were also blessed to enjoy the day with Nana, Papa, Auntie MaryAnn, Uncle Dave, Auntie Emmy, and cousins Grace, Micah, and Joey. Jumpers, games, music, dancing, a coffee ceremony, and good food. Good job Mommy and the rest of the Planning Committee!

Mudhen I

2008-05-28T12:33:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day Weekend 2008 at Mudhen...the first of many (hopefully) trips to our friends' cottage this summer. (We are so grateful to the Petersons for including us in this wonderful place. It is a gift to our family!)
Kate and Levi each caught a fish (so did their friend Ian!). None of the adults caught anything--even though we were all using fancy PowerBait lizards and our most sophisticated strategies!

We also had our first S'Mores of the season...tasty!

Kate whispered to me with a smile on her face and a twinkle in her eye, "Daddy, don't tell them I'm a crazy driver."

Stay tuned for more adventures from the Runions as we launch ourselves headlong into summer 08!

Happy Birthday, Grandpa Runion!

2008-04-23T19:44:00.001-07:00

The Minnesota Runion Grandkids wish Grandpa Runion a Happy Birthday!

foot races

2008-04-20T19:29:00.000-07:00

The Runion cousins came over this afternoon and the weather was spectacular.
Reminded me of track meet weather back in high school
(the only thing missing today was downing
a full box of raspberry coconut Zingers
and 2 32 ounce Gatorades in the back seat of the bus.)

Anyway, we had some running races...
Round 1: Kate vs. Mary Ann

Round 1: Micah vs. Levi

Round 1: Grace vs. the clock
(as oldest cousin, she had a 'bye')

Round 1: Joey vs. Uncle Matt
(no video taken...conveniently enough...Uncle Matt lost)

Round 2: Kate vs. Micah

Round 2: Grace vs. Joey

3rd Place Race: Kate vs. Joey

Championship: Grace vs. Micah

These kids'll be sleeping well tonight!

family & friends

2008-04-18T18:54:00.000-07:00

And...based on this song from April 7th,
do you think the snow stuck around awhile this year?

Easter 2008

2008-03-25T21:56:00.000-07:00

Children's Sermon

Good friends feeding their dollies...

Levi getting to play drums--in the service!

The Family...we're blessed.

Another treat for Levi (for us all)...exploring an old train museum...

And, of course, John Henry made an appearance!

Happy Easter to you all and think Spring!

Update

2008-03-21T20:38:00.000-07:00

Some pics from the last week...

and Kate and Levi at Midtown Global Market after church last week...it may look like Levi was about to help himself to the canteloupe samples, but there's no proof. The camera's 1 minute video limit saves Levi from the evidence!

Day-to-Day Life

2008-02-18T19:30:00.000-08:00

Ouch. Last post on January 24. One month of no posts would be not only unacceptable, but downright embarrassing. So...

I thought I would tell you that it been sort of "life as usual" for the Runion Family. That might not be helpful, though, if you don't know what that means. So, here's my attempt at showing you a little "peak behind the curtain". Here's what happens in the day-to-day "Life of the Runion Family". (Please, some of this...don't try it at home. We're trained professionals.)

One thing we like to do is dress-up. Kate's a little bit ahead in her dress-up wardrobe--she's got a few princess dresses, some leotards, some necklaces, etc. She especially likes dresses in her favorite color.
"What's your favorite color, Kate?"
"Pink and purple and silver."
She definitely knows what she likes.
Levi also loves dress-up...and he's shunning all those ridiculous social norms. For example, dresses are not only for girls--including tutus--as you can see. Blog readers may think is a tutu he is wearing over some fancy veluer black pants. If you thought that, you'd be wrong. It's a superhero outfit. Either that or a modern day John Henry. You may wonder, how do you know which he character he is? The hammers in his hands, of course!
(We're actually quite excited that Levi has taken so fondly to John Henry--the steel-drivin' man who beat the steam drill on the railroad in the mountains of West Virginia!) Check out Levi's best John Henry impression in the photo of him in his blue shirt.

Weekend visit from our friends Nyanyak and Nyachdier (ChooChoo). Spent a few days with them. One of the highlights was "Jungle Book" movie while cuddled up on the couch eating popcorn together. Note Levi's new "race car driver" dress-up outfit. His wardrobe is growing!

A couple weeks ago, one of Daddy's former students met us for dinner at an Ethiopian restaurant and then came over to our place. Obang showed us a nice documentary he produced in Ethiopia.

Then, of course, there's the old standby--the human burritos. These were rolled tighter than usual.

And, dancing is (seriously) a daily activity. In this video, you get a good taste of lots of stuff. The "purple dancer is dancing right by you" and John Henry decides it's time to do some steel driving. (Jungle Book music in the background.)

So, life is good in the Runion family. Wish we could show you some photos of one of their favorite activities--swimming. They are taking swimming lessons and loving every minute of it. The pace at which they're learning is really unbelievable to us. They are little fishies in the pool!

The moments are precious with these imaginative, curious, talkative little people. We are so blessed to experience life through the eyes of two three year olds with such unique personalities, perspectives, and attitudes.

the rings and the flowers

2008-01-24T18:46:00.000-08:00

Toward the end of December, Kate and Levi got to dress up all fancy, walk down an aisle, and amaze a couple hundred people with their charm and good looks. Oh, and by the way, our friends Kyle and Lindsey got married, too.

Blessings to Kyle and Lindsey on their new digs and new endeavors in Canada, eh?

3

2008-01-02T21:22:00.000-08:00

Three Years old today!

We had lots of good friends join us for an Underwater Adventure. The basement was decorated to be underwater (see the seaweed hanging down and the swimming sea creatures?).

Mama went all out with the kiddy sushi (rice krispies, rolled around gummy worms and wrapped in fruit leather), and jello cups of "sea water" with creatures inside.
Lunch was (of course) shells and cheese with hot dogs cut as octopus.

We finished with a Treasure Hunt!
(those pirates left a fun treasure chest in Kate's bed...she was relieved that we found it before naptime. She said she would NOT have wanted to sleep with THAT.)

Thanks for coming, friends!

Christmas 2007

2007-12-31T09:01:00.000-08:00

Christmas 2007 was a blessed time. Away in a Manger (see previous posts for footage) sung at the top of nearly 3-year old lungs, bells that remind us that "Jesus is Born", sleeping under the tree with the family on Christmas Eve (Levi: "Daddy, you bothered me. Next time, please don't bother me."),

time with the Cousins (what a blast that was!),

a trip to Minnehaha Falls,

a trip to the Children's Museum,

a solo from Kate (do you hear a hint of "Hear I am to Worship"?),

did we mention it was a blast to hang out with the Runion/Wells cousins?,

he he he he he...wipe OUT! (Kate and cousin Micah),

snowmobiling (check out the look on Daddy's face when Levi puts on the gas unexpectedly.
Priceless.),

helping Bumpa blow snow,

helping Grammie make dessert,

cheering for the Packers,

and one more cousin!

Merry Christmas to you all!

and to all a good night

2007-12-26T12:53:00.000-08:00

A Christmas night classic quote from Levi:
I (Matt) was tucking him in for bed and I whispered,
"Levi, I have two more things to say. Merry Christmas, and..."
(he interrupts with a smile on his face and without skipping a beat):
"and to all a good night."
"Yup. And I love you, buddy."

Away in a Manger...It's All About the Baby Jesus

2007-12-23T21:42:00.000-08:00

Kate and Levi and some of their best friends in the whole world got to sing for church for the first time. The weeks leading up to this past Sunday's service were as much fun as the event itself. As you can see from the previous post on this blog, Kate and Levi did do some practicing at home. They practiced in the car as well. "Away in a Manger" proved to be a great way to learn about the beautiful miracle of Jesus' birth.
Through, this post, I hope you can get a good sense for this Sunday morning and the promise of these young voices telling the story of Jesus with their voices and with their lives.

The Dress Rehearsal in the Sunday School room. So far so good.

Teacher Amy giving a pep talk.

Carbo loading with friends (guess that should be "sugar loading").

Linnea seems ready...
Madeline seems a little nervous
(who can blame her?! This is the big moment!)...

But, in the end, it's a masterpiece.
It really would have been a masterpiece
almost no matter what happened or got broken or exploded.
These kids are all precious and wonderful
(not to mention perfect).

Christmas Begins

2007-12-22T11:08:00.000-08:00

Daddy's done working for the year,
a fresh layer of snow is on the ground,

boxes become sleighs,

Mama's cookin' good holiday food with good friends,

"Away in a Manger" is being practiced for church,

And trips out in the wintry city of Minneapolis...

We love this time of year!

Imagination

2007-12-09T12:16:00.000-08:00

I looked over at Levi this morning and he had the doctor's stethescope around his neck and he was talking into the end piece. I said, what are you doing, Levi? "I'm being Bumpa on the radio." So, I asked him if I could take his picture. Kate wanted to be in the picture, too. She said,"I want to pretend to be Grammy."
("Bumpa" is Grandpa Schrantz--who does color commentary for high school and college athletics in and around Menomonie and a Saturday morning call-in show.)
(Grammy is, of course, Grandma Schrantz--who, apparently, is very smiley!)

Decking the Halls...and the First Snow of the Year!

2007-12-03T20:52:00.000-08:00

On Thursday night, Amy and I put up the Christmas tree.
A six foot balsam fir this year. Smells wonderful. We also got out the Christmas decorations
(Kate and Levi were in Menomonie at Grammy and Bumpa's place).
This being Christmas #6 in our home, there was a
"place for everything and everything in its' place".
We talked about how the routine of it took some of the creativity out of the decorating process.
When Kate and Levi came home, the magic of Christmas returned through their nearly 3 year old eyes. They helped us put the ornaments on the tree--a story with each ornament.
Then, they wanted Mama to give them a tour of all the decorations...which put it all in perspective and allowed us to tell the Christmas story (through the nativity scene).
It was such a nice time.

Mama showed them her Precious Moments snow globe collection...

Kate was especially interested.

Levi helped with the lights.

And, then on Saturday, we got our first snow! We celebrated by sledding at Powderhorn Park on Sunday afternoon.

A November Bike Ride!

2007-11-12T20:38:00.000-08:00

Sunday was a beautiful day (especially for November 11!).
We hopped on our bikes and headed for the Greenway.

We decided to check out the new bike bridge over Hiawatha Avenue. It looks a little like a shipwreck.

With downtown Minneapolis in the background, we enjoyed some time at the top. Kate started with a little independent attitude.

Then she seemed to soften.

And Levi...how about that smile?

Cousin Sophie's First Birthday

2007-11-05T07:02:00.000-08:00

The Classic
(You should have seen her at the end!)

Uhh...Sophs, you gonna use that drum?

Grandma Dode even got in on the cake action!

Sophie's cousin Hannah came and Kate gave her a spin on the Gator.

Smiles All the Way Around

2007-11-01T05:22:00.000-07:00

The Shark and the Firetruck enjoyed a fun day with Mama and Daddy at the Pumpkin Patch! Enjoy!

(By the way, the Firetruck--our very own Levi--received 3rd Place at the Mall of America!)

There was a Jumper (Ian--wanna go to the Jumper? Whatcha wanna do?)
There were soft pretzels with cheese.
There was candy.
There were bunnies (Levi: Mama, Raisins!)

Whew! What a Saturday!

2007-09-23T12:44:00.000-07:00

Last night we crashed after a fun day with friends. All of the Runions went to bed with exhausted smiles on our faces.

We started the day with a few hours at the Apple Orchard with our Ethiopian Kids Community friends...

Then we spent the afternoon at a Mariah Johnson's first birthday party...

We have a great group of friends!

Couldn't Resist

2007-09-21T20:11:00.000-07:00

From Top Right: Kate with Uncle Joe, Levi with "the other Gracie with Crazy Uncle Mike", Levi gettin' air, Kate gettin' air, and an afternoon snack with Isaiah.

Breakfast with Nana and Papa

2007-09-18T19:37:00.000-07:00

A short, sweet time with Grandma and Grandpa Runion on Monday morning. Delicious breakfast at Maria's...Mmmm...Cachapas Venezolanas (corn pancakes)...

We love you, Nana and Papa!

Update...three weeks in "one fell posting"

2007-09-07T14:57:00.000-07:00

We've had so much fun in the last few weeks. SO much fun that I haven't had time to update this blog. To our faithful readers, I apologize. Please don't let this hinder your faithful reading! Here goes. {Deep Breath}

We went camping with our friends and went to the Carlton County Fair, too!

Roasting hotdogs, hittin' the swings (see Levi on the left? His friend Tan is in the orange shorts directly in front of the camera--Tan will come up a few times in this post, I'm sure!, Kate is in the red swing on the right), the bunny barn, the Tilt-A-Whirl, and...Levi's good friend Tan (pronounced: "Tahn").

Mommy, Kate, and Levi went to a fun reunion of Mom's childhood friends and their families...

Kate and Levi went to work with Daddy...
(at home, before we left the house, we had a little P&W--that's "Praise & Worship" for those of you non-KTIS listeners)

P&W

At Bethel with Daddy

We helped Auntie Mary Ann move into college...

And...we went camping again!
We have had so much fun in our tent this summer. Thanks to whoever gave it to us for our wedding!

And, we even spent some quality time at home as a family...

Again, thanks for your patience, dear readers. Have a great weekend!

Roastin' Marshmallows in PJs

2007-08-15T19:59:00.000-07:00

Nothin' like it...

We had such a great time camping a couple weekends ago that we're headed out again this weekend!

"My" New Mower

2007-08-14T20:00:00.000-07:00

Meet my new lawn mower. She's quiet, but efficient. Most of all, she's clean. I'm actually 'sharing' this new mower with some generous friends in our neighborhood. My gas-powered mower broke down at the beginning of the summer which forced me to find an alternative. Since then, I've learned that gas-powered lawn mowers are even more polluting than our cars!.According to the California Air Resources Board, gallon for gallon, the 2006 lawn mower engines contribute 93 times more smog-forming emissions than 2006 cars. Mowing for an hour with a gasoline-powered lawn mower can produce as much air pollution as a 350-mile drive in a car! So, we're all concerned about pollution (if we're not, we should be) and we're focused on our vehicles...all the while the mowers we're firing up each Saturday (granted--not as much this summer without rain) are much more polluting. Who knew?

In the process of learning about mowers, I also came across a great article about lawn fertilizers. This is an important topic, too...http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc/114/ghdetox

The Bridge

2007-08-02T11:15:00.000-07:00

I thought I’d share a personal note on the 35W bridge collapse. It is an incredible tragedy. Really literally unbelievable for me last night. I sat there watching the initial reports in disbelief. I take this bridge every day to and from work. I had crossed it an hour and a half before it went down. I immediately called or texted all the people I knew who commuted over that bridge. All responded within a couple hours. A few shared some close calls (one who is sure he would have been on the bridge at the time of the collapse if not for deciding to take an alternate route for unknown reasons).

The stories which have caused even news anchors to refer to the “grace of God” (like the school bus full of kids that didn’t even tip over) will soon be coupled with so many stories of tragic timing—those who were in the precise wrong place at the wrong time and didn’t make it. It’s my prayer that all of these questions about God’s sovereignty and God’s care for us will point people to the hope found in a life lived leaning on that caring Creator, following Jesus.

Even though I don't know anyone affected (as far as I know), it’s heartwrenching for the entire Twin Cities community. At last I heard, as many as 30 people were still missing. Among them, no survivors are expected. It’s funny how the Twin Cities (1.5 million including suburbs) can feel like such a small town at times like this. Anyway, thanks for praying for the community. May God grab more hearts as a result of this.

Friends!

2007-07-31T11:21:00.000-07:00

Saturday, we spent the day with 700 of our closest Ethiopian adoption friends. :) The annual Ethiopian Kids Celebration was once again a fun time to connect with families with Ethiopian adoptees. We saw lots of people we see once a month and some we haven't seen since we were in Ethiopia (2 years ago) to bring Kate and Levi home. It was an important time for us as a family and fun for all of us!

Whew. What a month!

2007-07-27T11:26:00.000-07:00

So...this is terrible blogging. I should be updating much more than monthly. We've been busy, though. Busy living a life worth blogging I guess. So...after a couple weeks since my last entry, we have lots of content to share. Here are some highlights.

Hiking and breakfast at Taylor's Falls...
Calvary "Fun in the Sun" Day...

...tubing with Levi...

(You may marvel at the 'farmer's tan'!)

Amy's Cousin Ben's Wedding...

...playing with 'the other Cousin Gracie'...

Driving to Milwaukee to see Cousin Sophie...

...Video of Kate singing herself to sleep...

If you're patient to the end of this video, you can witness one of the magical moments in the Life of the Runion Family--Kate literally singing right up to the point she falls asleep. You can hear she even starts off slow--showing she's pretty tired. Then, in the middle of the verse, "Old McDonald had a pig, Oink Oink Oink Oink Oink..." she dozes off...it's a beautiful thing!

And all the of the above was in ONE fun DAY! (Saturday, July 14)

Since then, we had a good time in Milwaukee...

...Sophie's obviously indifferent about our visit...

Had friends over in our backyard...

...Levi and his good buddy Joel...

Camped in Grammy and Bumpa's backyard...

Had a haircut (the best one yet!)...

And today went to the zoo to ride the chickens...

So...enjoy the update (even if it is a bit late in coming!).

Backyard Play (Video)

2007-07-08T12:03:00.000-07:00

It's our first video on the blog! (Hope it works!)

This video is actually from June 12th. In it, Levi enjoys the quick slide into the pool while Kate just holds the hose (very helpful!). Unfortunately, this video doesn't capture Levi's most impressive slide technique--on the belly. I figure you'll be impressed anyway!

Happy Birthday, USA. Happy Birthday, Cousin Nick.

2007-07-06T19:39:00.000-07:00

This week we made a quick trip to South Dakota for Independence Day and a Birthday party for Cousin Nicholas. We had a fun time with family and friends. Levi and Nicholas enjoyed each other's company, Kate jumped in the bouncy toy, and a nice little water fight broke out--which was refreshing on a 90 degree day. A slip-n-slide was one of the highlights...

After the party, we headed for Nana and Papa Runion's place and Papa brought out the sparklers--a first for Kate and Levi. Thanks for a fun visit, Nana and Papa (and MaryAnn)!

A Day at the Beach

2007-07-01T21:12:00.000-07:00

A beautiful evening with friends at Lake Nokomis--a great beach. We spent a few hours relaxing, eating a little dinner, and just playing. This is what summer's all about!

Family Day!

2007-06-25T11:37:00.000-07:00

Two Years Ago, on June 25, 2005...the Runion family doubled in size. We met Kate and Levi for the first time. So, today is our Family Day! We thought we would share our very first family photo as well as our most recent family photo as well as some thoughts about how things have changed--and stayed the same.

June 25, 2005

June 25, 2007

Mama and Daddy are naturally drawn to all the changes over the course of two years, but we are struck by the things that remain the same. Some of the things we first observed about Kate and Levi have remained constant--Levi's as charming as he was in the Care Center and Kate is as thought-filled today as she was when her little eyes studied our faces so carefully that day in the hallway. Mama's creativity and adventurous spirit (that laid the groundwork for our home and parenthood) continues to inspire us all. Daddy--holding all 34 pounds of his new babies in 2005--still feels spoiled by God and his family (now that Levi alone weighs over 36 pounds!).

God is good. There's no other way to say it. At every turn, we have experienced the graciousness, the generosity, and the presence of our great God! Thank you to all our friends and family who have surrounded us--many times embodying those very things. You have been so important in the journey of our family. With great excitement, we look forward to what God has in store for us in the coming years.

Pics from tonight's meal at Fasika Ethiopian restaurant:

And...here are a few more pics from the past couple weeks...

Weekend with the Deckers

2007-06-12T06:18:00.001-07:00

We were blessed by a relaxing weekend playing with the Decker family. The weather was beautiful and we spent lots of time outside. It was nice to spend open-ended time with our friends.

Ice Cream Cones in the Backyard

All Five (just before they got really grumpy from being squashed by each other!)

Bike ride for Levi and his good friend Davy Jon

Levi: "We're on vacation, Daddy!"

2007-05-28T19:45:00.000-07:00

What does vacation mean to a 2 1/2 year old boy? Juice, doughnuts, and Honeycomb cereal for breakfast! (and undivided attention from 6 or seven doting adults, of course). We just spent a few days at the Wisconsin Dells. A waterpark, go-carts, rollercoasters (even one for the kids!), and lots of fun. We all had a blast.

Go-carts: Kate and Daddy in line for the start!

Go-cart action shot.
85: Mama, of course
140: Auntie Sarah (Amy's brother Chris' wife)
13: Chuck (Uncle Darrin's dad)
91: Bumpa Schrantz
(Notice they're all behind Daddy...unfortunately, that lead was short-lived)

Good friends: Levi with Hannah (Uncle Darrin's niece)
Getting ready for the kiddy rollercoaster!

Whoa! Hang on!

Congrats, Auntie MaryAnn!

2007-05-21T19:37:00.000-07:00

Auntie MaryAnn (Matt's little sis) graduated from high school! We were honored to be a part of the celebration. She's a hardworking, fun loving young woman. Congratulations, MaryAnn!

the Processional

Reading with Nana Runion

Auntie MaryAnn with her nieces and nephews!

Happy Birthday, Mama!

2007-05-13T20:12:00.000-07:00

A big weekend for the Runions. Potty-training Kate, Women's Retreat for Mama, a night at Grammy & Bumpa's for Levi, plus Mother's Day and Mama's Birthday!

Here's a nice photo of the Schrantz ladies--four generations' worth!

More photos from the weekend...

Yohannes Gebregeorgis,
Ethiopian Kids Book Author

Bumpa and Levi (showing off his muscles)

New Sandals in Time for Summer!

2007-05-09T19:38:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Nana and Papa Runion for the new pairs of sandals! They fit nicely and we think we look quite cute in them!

Finish Well

2007-05-07T09:35:00.000-07:00

As promised, here are the "What Now?" questions from my chapel sermon this morning (May 7). May God give you the people, opportunities, and energy that it takes to finish well!

The end of Hezekiah's life (2 Kings 20) boils down to two principles for us—Seek Wisdom (from God and others), and to 2) Don’t get selfish.

Consider a few questions…
1. Who is your wisdom-giving community? How can you stay accountable to them between now and the end of the semester? Make a plan and follow through.
2. Is your first instinct to pray? If not, what is your plan to keep prayer alive in your life?
3. How’s your selfishness level?
Here are some helpful ways to unpack this a bit:
Are you poised to serve…to submit to other people out of love?
OR…even more specifically
How well are you listening to other people?

These are life-level questions, too. These are questions we need to carry with us throughout our entire lives…in hopes that we can maintain Hezekiah's ‘marks of life’ all the way to the end!

Oh, and here are new photos of Kate and Levi at the coffeeshop...

A Bucket for Sand

2007-05-02T11:04:00.000-07:00

Who says the twos are 'terrible'?

"I'm making a bucket for sand, Mama." Kate had been playing in the dirt behind the bench at our church softball game last night. Sifting dirt through a sifter and dropping the rocks in a bucket. Her face was filthy (as was most of her body) and she didn't care in the least. She's a 'worker' and she will not be slowed down by a little dirt.

Or, a couple weeks ago when we were enjoying our brand new deck. For the first few days, Kate was content to just sit on it in her chair wrapped in a blanket--very much like her Mama--enjoying a comfortable, peaceful place and very happy to watch her brother busily run around the backyard.

Speaking of her curious brother, Levi is a sweetheart. "What's that, Daddy?"
"That's your shadow, Levi."
"What's my shadow, Daddy?" he asked again.
"Uhh...it's the design of you God makes when you stand in the sun." I said.
"Where's Daddy's shadow?"
"Right here. Wanna take a picture of our shadows together?"
"Yup."

These are the wondrous conversations with a two-year-old. They have their moments--and sometimes their "days"--but these are just some of the reasons we're continually saying, "This is a really fun age."

What a Weekend!

2007-04-30T13:46:00.000-07:00

Just coming off from a big weekend of family, friends, and celebrations. Ministry banquets, our sixth wedding anniversary, my parents visiting, going away parties, bike rides, etc. We had so much fun getting together with family and friends. Here are some photo highlights. I wish I had photos from the waterpark at the Depot (Saturday). It was definitely a highlight, but unfortunately I didn't bring the camera.

On our way to the Cebu Banquet

Auntie MaryAnn and the flag of the Philippines!

Our good friends the Deckers.
(They're not as grumpy as they look)

Youth leading worship on Sunday

New Friends

Backyard party for friends Chris and Leah

A Night with the Susis

2007-04-22T19:29:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Chris and Leah Susi for a nice night of dinner, conversation, and music. Chris and Levi teamed up for a mean version of "the ABC's" (Levi's immediate request). Hey, when you get a talented musician like Chris Chris in the house, you wanna challenge him right from the start. These Susis are some great folks...we love them and think the world of them. Kate and Levi seem to light up when they're around.
This is a good chance to mention how much Levi LOVES to play the drum. In these photos, he's playing the djembe I bought him in South Africa. He's taking to it really well and even seems to know exactly where to put his feet! Pretty adorable.

The New Backyard

2007-04-14T21:58:00.000-07:00

The new deck is getting some nice use in the last week or so. Thanks to Aunt Sara and Uncle Darrin for the new bubble machine...it works perfectly on our new deck.

Easter

2007-04-09T20:44:00.000-07:00

Easter weekend was a busy one, but a good kind of busy. Productive and filled with time with good friends. The Decker family came to visit and we built a deck...

Spent some time with friends...
Shared some Peeps...

And swang in Easter dresses...
Thanks to the Deckers for a fun weekend and for the beautiful deck (we're really happy with it...can't wait for the first BBQ).

Sankofa V: Jackson...and on our way back!

2007-03-24T07:29:00.000-07:00

This will be quick since we don't have much time...on our way back to Bethel today. I'll update this a little more in the coming days to fill in the missing spaces (i.e. Selma and Jackson).

We had a great time in Jackson serving with the John M. Perkins Foundation--a Christian Community Development organization that works in reconciliation and development. We heard some teaching from Lowell Noble in the morning on the topic of poverty and the wealth divide. We were challenged by the incredible economic disparity in this country--along racial lines. It's hard to imagine that there is no racial connection when you see the incredible numbers. The rest of the day, we worked. Worked hard. Some of us raked leaves, some of us cleaned a home, Matt Miller did some electrical work installing light fixtures, and some of us transformed a brushy, uneven backyard into a smoothed out, beautiful backyard.

Thanks for praying for us. We are glad to be going back, but many of our members are fearful of losing sight of the important things we learned on this journey. We want to take lessons learned, visions cast, and passions ignited back to our families, friends, and to Bethel--so that Bethel can be challenged to be more and more a place that reflects God's banquet table.

A Word from Ms. Elizabeth Perkins--Executive Director of the JMPF

Teaching from Dr. Lowell Noble

Our great Chief Diversity Officer--Dr. Leon Rodrigues!

Working Together

A BBQ to end the exhausting day

Sankofa IV: Montgomery

2007-03-21T08:56:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, we drove from Atlanta to Montgomery--a journey taken many times by Dr. King. Our first stop was at the National Center for the Study of Civil Rights & African American Culture on the campus of Alabama State University. There, we received a presentation from two men who experienced the Civil Rights struggle here in Alabama.

Rev. Robert Graetz (accompanied by Jean--his wife of 57 years) is a white Lutheran pastor who led an all-black congregation starting 6 months before the beginning of the Montgomery bus boycott in 1955. He spoke with great conviction about the call God had laid before him to live and act in solidarity with his congregation--in the face of life-threatening pressure. Rev. Graetz knew Rosa Parks personally and placed himself right in the middle of the fight for integration and equal rights.

Charles Varber is the Director of Special Projects at the Center and former administrator at ASU. He challenged us to honor the past sacrifices of people by seizing the opportunities now available. He emphasized the importance of education and the absolute importance of finishing was you start.

The Rosa Parks Museum was our next stop. This was a smaller museum, but no less inspiring. Her courage and willingness to act started a revolution.

We finished the day with group processing that lasted over 2 hours. The intensity of our time together can't be summed up effectively. The group wrestled with many topics together. One question we discussed was, essentially, "the struggle for equality" vs. "the struggle for integration". Group members weighed-in wondering why--after many years since the height of the civil rights movement--we've achieved some degree of integration, but equality is so far off. There was a give-and-take discussion with some individuals sharing some deep heart-level things. God gave us all grace to listen, 'push back', and ultimately to wrestle with each other. We ended with a prayer that God would allow us to continue to push each other, question each other, love each other, and experience strong interactive discussions.

Please pray to that end.

Sankofa III: Atlanta

2007-03-20T15:34:00.000-07:00

Today was a day for walking. Atlanta welcomed us with a beautiful day to be outside. Seeing the home in which Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was born was such a joy-filled experience. I could almost hear the music being played on the piano, choir practices led by his mother, and the sound of children playing in the backyard. His family life and early church life shaped his career. His grandfather and his father both preached about desegregation and nonviolent social change...which eventually led to a ministry which held those as high ideals.

Walking around the MLK Historical District (The King Center, The Birth Home, Ebenezer Baptist Church, the Visitor Center, etc.), I was especially challenged by conversations with students and colleagues. Discussions about Dr. King's dream compared to life in 2007 challenged me to think about economic realities of poverty and classism, opportunity and inequality. It seems to me that the dream of Dr. King for integration may have been realized (at least there is some integration now), but equality is still out of reach. I pray that God will use the church to revive our country's conscience to combat the systems that keep people in cycles of poverty.

Sankofa II: Birmingham

2007-03-18T05:09:00.000-07:00

Today was a day in Birmingham. We worshiped at historic Sixteenth Street Baptist Church on this beautiful Sunday morning. The sun was shining, the spring flowers were out (it's coming, Minnesota!), and some of us enjoyed a stroll through Kelly Ingram Park before the service began. Many of us felt in awe at the powerful history of this church, this corner, and this neighborhood. It was from this church that some of the most instrumental protest marches occurred in the fight against segregation. It was in and around this park that police turned their dogs and firehoses on young students. It was in this sanctuary that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke at the funeral services for the little girls who were killed in a senseless bombing of the church during Sunday School. We were welcomed by the congregation and blessed by the worship and the sermon.

Afterward, we we enjoyed a nice soul food dinner from Mrs. B's Cafe.

We finished the afternoon at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. Even more powerful for many of us than the National Civil Rights Museum, we were deeply challenged by the presentation.

Processing later in the evening was difficult for some of us as this experience begins to bring emotions and thoughts to the surface. Our relationships will be strained as we wrestle with these issues which don't remain in the 1960's in the South, but follow us into our own lives in 2007 at Bethel University in Minnesota. Pray for God to show us all how to be real with each other, listen to each other, challenge each other, and love each other. Thanks for praying!

Sankofa I: The Road to Memphis...and then to Birmingham

2007-03-17T21:06:00.000-07:00

The Sankofa Journey 2007 begins. 32 students, faculty, and staff from Bethel University begin a journey to 'look back' at our country's race history in order to 'move forward'--in our lives, at Bethel, and in our country.

We left nearly on time at 5:30pm last night (Friday night). Drove through the night to get to Memphis almost as the National Civil Rights Museum was opening.

We spent a few hours at this incredible museum which traces the Civil Rights Movement from the entry of African slaves in the place which would become called the United States in 1619 to today. Of course, a central figure in this timeline became Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.--assassinated at this very site on April 4, 1968.

Some reflections from team members tonight revealed some deep emotions and hard realities. A few group members shared general feelings of despair at the unfinished nature of the struggle especially Dr. Dr. King's most recent struggle prior to his death--an economic struggle on behalf of the poor and the marginalized. Legalized segregation was crumbling, initial barriers had been knocked down, and progress was being made in the area of racial integration. Dr. King was turning his focus to efforts on behalf of people in poverty being mistreated (sanitation workers in Memphis). The huge economic disparity in our country only widens (with race as on factor among many).

We were all challenged to seek God's particular call to activism. What is it that God is calling us to become an activist? Fighting for opportunities and space to tell and listen to each others' stories? Putting our lives on the line for the sake of economic justice? Risking personal gain or advancement to tell the truth? God's calling us to be activists...for what is he calling me to act?

That's it for tonight, even though much more could be said...about our lunch at the Blues City Cafe on Beale Street or about the Spike Lee film we watched between Memphis and Birmingham called "Four Little Girls"--which perfectly sets up our day tomoorrow. In the morning, we worship with the congregation at Sixteenth Street Baptist Church. In the afternoon, lunch in Kelly Ingram Park followed by touring the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. May God continue to give us strength, energy, and grace.

Thanks for praying for us!

And...Winter is Back, Round 2

2007-03-01T23:45:00.000-08:00

We thought 10 inches was a lot! As of 11:40pm on Thursday night, it looks like about 12-13 inches of new snow has fallen and it's still snowing! Local weather folks are saying 2-4 more inches through tomorrow morning.

Didn't stop us from swinging, though:

And, here are current shots of the backyard at 11:40pm:

And...Winter is Back

2007-02-27T21:32:00.000-08:00

Spring Fever last week, now we get 10 inches of snow! Pretty fun "snow day" on Sunday with breakfast at friends' house, visit to a brand new baby in the hospital, and sledding with friends at Powderhorn Park! Grammy and Bumpa came today. We finished the snow tunnel and spent some time on the swings. "Levi took a tumble," is how Kate would describe it.

Spring Fever

2007-02-20T21:30:00.000-08:00

What a beautiful day! They say there's a blizzard coming this coming weekend, but today it was 45 degrees. We got to spend time in the backyard and grill out some tasty hamburgers. Gave us a little case of Spring Fever.

Old Friends

2007-02-19T20:35:00.000-08:00

We miss the Petersons. Used to spend a lot of time with them. Now we don't. Tonight they hosted us and made a nice meal for us. It was a nice reunion. The kids played nicely with each other, Ian shared his toys incredibly well, and they all made a joyful noise. In between, the big people got caught up on life.

These are the first pics of the band.

Rotating drummers...it's the latest thing in the industry.

Cousins, Nana, Papa, & MaryAnn

2007-02-18T21:00:00.000-08:00

Tonight we spent the night with Nana and Papa, Auntie MaryAnn, and Cousins Grace, Micah, and Joseph. Books, brownies, and balls. Thanks, Nana and Papa. We love you!

Date Night

2007-02-18T20:38:00.000-08:00

Every so often, Amy and I each take one of the kids on a date. Tonight was one of those nights. It's a sweet time one-to-one with our little grommets. This photo is, of course, Mama and Levi on their way for a ride on the light rail to have pizza downtown. At the same time, Kate and I went swimming and then to the Midtown Global Market for...pizza. (We let 'em choose, and they both separately chose the same food.)

Calvary Marriage Retreat

2007-02-10T19:00:00.000-08:00

This past weekend was Calvary's annual Marriage Retreat. 15 couples gathered for a good time together learning principles to build intimacy in marriage. Once again, we all enjoyed the mutual challenge and encouragement. Thanks to Lisa and Bruce and to the Body Life commission members for creating a great event.

Friday Night Bowling at Memory Lanes...Tony bowled a 211!

Saturday: Cold outside, sun pouring in the windows, fire in the fireplace, hot coffee, and good conversation

A Menomonie Weekend

2007-02-04T11:45:00.000-08:00

Spend a few days with family this weekend in Menomonie. We celebrated Auntie Sara's birthday and learned a few things. Levi loves Sophia and is completely unphased by a baby's cry. Kate can use potties in more than one state. And Levi likes "just pepperoni" on his pizza.

With Cousin Sophia (3 months)

Matching Cousins!

Cuddling with "Baby Sopi"

P**pie in the P*tty

2007-01-30T21:15:00.000-08:00

Last night, I was at home with the kids. Kate asked if she could go peepee in the potty (which she had done a couple nights earlier!), so I took off her pants and said, "Sure, Kate. Go ahead. Now, remember, I'll take your pants off, but you don't pee on the floor. If you have to pee, you put it in the potty." She sat right down and I turned to do something with Levi. Five seconds later, I glance over at Kate and she's got this look on her face like when you're trying to unwrap a hard candy in church but don't want to look down and make it obvious that it's you who's making all the noise. I look down in the potty, and there's the most perfect little turd surrounded by the most beautiful shade of yellow urine (no fatherly bias here). Now, all the factors were against me as far as doing this "by the book". I'm a first time Dad, I haven't read anything on potty-training. I also have Levi there, too, who is trying desperately to keep up with his sister on these things. And, to top it all off, I'm by myself. No one to celebrate with. So, I did all the things that came naturally to me. 1) Yell "WooHoo! Kate! Good Job!" and give her a big hug and tell her how proud I am of her, 2) take a picture, and 3) Send a text to my beautiful wife: "Poopie in the potty!". Kate and Levi and I danced around the poopie a bit, then Mama phoned to join the celebration (Kate was all-too-excited to tell her Mama, too!). All three of us marveled at the poopie, I said a little prayer :), and Kate got her previously-determined reward of three chocolate chips. It was a wonderful time.

This next part tells you how I got wrapped up in the moment--and tells you what generation I'm in. I took a photo of the poopie. Later in the evening, when my wife and our home guests Kenny and Julia came home, I told them the story and that I was so excited I took a picture. As those words rolled off my tongue and I saw their reactions, I realized my folly. I was like, "Who takes a picture of their kids' dookie? What's wrong with you?" :) At the time of the photo, I was just thinking, "This is just too beautiful a moment to go without documentation."

Anyway, we're very proud of our daughter's new-found skills. Along with that pride goes some trepidation at the work (and messes) involved in finishing the potty-training job with her as well as her brother. Lord help us.

Just Pics

2007-01-30T11:32:00.000-08:00

Visitors from Faribault

BIG hugs

Walking into Church on a Snowy Morning

You've heard of "chicken buses". This is a "chicken train" with the engineer in the second to last car.

Saturday at Home

2007-01-13T21:30:00.000-08:00

Spent most of the day today at home as a family. It was a refreshing time which reminded us all of the many blessings God's given us.

We played with a little playdough...

Had lunch together...

And had friends over for dinner (when we burned stuff...namely the crust on a delicious Pumpkin Creme Brulee!)

I'M 2!

2007-01-02T22:41:00.000-08:00

"The two" turned two today. We all had a blast. I'll let the photos speak for themselves.

PAAARTY!

(Noah's Ark party, that is. They did come two-by-two, you know!)

Sledding at Powderhorn Park!

Urbana 06 Day 5: Final Reflections

2007-01-01T19:14:00.000-08:00

Unity and Reciprocity in God's Global Church. This seems to be the theme that God weaved through the Urbana conference for me. Through speakers like Pastor Oscar Muriu, Brenda Salter-McNeil, Ray Bakke, and Lisa Espineli-Chinn, I heard God's urgent call to a "new way forward" as I engage with churches around the world (in my job and in my personal life). A call to shared responsibility, shared leadership, mutual teaching and learning, and a willingness to defer to people, communities, and cultures which have historically been oppressed and suppressed (by the Western Christian church). I pray for God's wisdom and grace as he walks with me through this new era.

Urbana 06 Day 4: Community Reflections

2006-12-30T23:05:00.000-08:00

Bethel students (and a few Alumni) gathered today to reflect on the conference and to pray together. Unfortunately, I didn't remember to take photos. The discussion was fruitful as it surrounded some individuals sharing how God is moving in their life, but also included a group discussion of how Urbana 06 could/should impact Bethel.

Many students shared a deep appreciation for the diversity of Urbana, how multiculturalism is such an obvious value for the organization. (130 countries are represented at Urbana, there's a cultural mix that's absolutely unique, and another culture is celebrated at every turn through music, drama, dance, and speakers.) The discussion by the Bethel gathering (and subsequent prayer) was for this sort of multiculturalism and global worldview to be infiltrated at Bethel. For the Bethel community to more naturally enter a multicultural way of living--as a community value. For this to be more natural and for more "grassroots" support (by students, in particular). I was personally blessed during this discussion by the mix of challenge and hope. Challenge because Bethel is a difficult place to infiltrate with these values. Hope because--as one student said--"There are over 50 of us here. If we return and begin to talk positively about what we experienced, our friends can be brought onboard and things will change."

The Bethel students I've spent time with here at Urbana 06 are top notch. God is doing incredible work in them. I pray for their strength as they think about returning to Bethel, their friends, and their families...for these students to maintain some of the momentum they gather here at Urbana 06.

Tonight, I had dinner with my friends from Students International (some from their office in California, some from Dominican Republic, some from Guatemala. Below is a photo of me, Geraldo from DR, and the SI display which has a photo of yours truly. I receive no royalties from the use of this photo.

Urbana 06 Day 3: Jesus the Refugee

2006-12-29T22:47:00.000-08:00

Ray Bakke said tonight: "Refugee movements are incubators for missions." He talked, of course, about the biblical mandate to urban ministry--how the Bible starts in a garden and ends in a city. Most powerful, though, was his description of how Jesus identifies with refugees--of which there are millions around the world...even thousands in the Twin Cities. Having fled to Egypt after his birth, Jesus almost immediately became an African refugee.

I've been impressed by the Urbana organization once again. In particular in a new venue, the logistics and planning is an inspiring example of excellence on the part of a Christian organization. The logistics of buses, shuttles, walking in downtown, etc., have all been almost seamless. It seems Urbana thinks of everything, too. For example, two years ago, 50 InterVarsity alumni moved into the north side of St. Louis and became neighbors to the community on behalf of Urbana 06. Partnering with a local church, they have been teaching in schools, working for the city, and working in the neighborhood. They've rebuilt homes, pulled weeds, and become learners.

I look forward to tomorrow's Bethel Gathering--to see what God's doing in students' lives. I hope a few alumni stop by as well.

Urbana 06 Day 2: Chatty Matty

2006-12-28T23:06:00.000-08:00

Having a good time hanging out with Bethel students, hearing great speakers, and reconnecting with friends from mission orgs from around the world (This afternoon, I actually spent 3 hours in the exhibit hall talking with reps from mission organizations...an rare amount of "chatting" for me). I also had dinner tonight with a Bethel graduate couple who is currently preparing to go overseas full time--a blessing to me and an inspiration that God is moving powerfully in the lives of our Bethel students and alumni. Both of them were highly involved in our short term mission program at Bethel and it's satisfying to see their journey of discernment, faith, and a desire to serve God's church around the world.

In tonight's session, we heard a Kenyan pastor named Oscar Muriu. He spoke about missions from an African perspective and a 'majority world' perspective. He had some hard-hitting things to say about our western approach to missions and the need for changes to that approach given our changing world, the shifting "center" of the Christian church, and the explosion of the church in the world's "south". He challenged us--especially from the US--to be very slow to speak (even not speak), to listen, and to learn when engaged in "missions endeavors".

I look forward in expectation of more good stuff tomorrow (and more chats, I guess).

Urbana 06 Day 1: Driving and Discipline

2006-12-27T20:27:00.000-08:00

I sat in the passenger seat of the coach bus from 10pm last night until 9am this morning. Mike and Don, our drivers, were behind the wheel and did an excellent job. I even slept a couple hours--an improvement over Urbana 03.

Tonight, I was moved by something Terry LeBlanc said in his call to the hard disciplines of silence and uncluttered living. He talked about the challenge of living out those disciplines in our current world (something we've all heard a thousand times). What was so profound was the picture he painted of a life lived without regard for the hard disciplines. "Before long, the chaos of the undisciplined life lies all around us." These words still echo in my mind and heart as I seek God's best for me. As I seek to be the best husband I can be, what chaos do I invite by being undisciplined in my spiritual life, my ministry/work life, my physical and emotional life? As I seek to be the dad God has called me to be, what do I miss when I allow these pieces of my life to be driven by random winds, cultural forces, or lazy priorities? If I seek to know and be known by God, I need to step into a more active, disciplined pursuit of biblical godliness. I pray for the strength to take practical steps, the wisdom to discern those, the counsel of important people in my life, and the grace to let myself be human.

Live a Life Worthy of the Calling. This is the theme of the Urbana student missions conference this time around. Taken from Ephesians, the focus is on the recognition, exploration, and commitment to God's call on one's life. I was blessed tonight by Ajith Fernando's teaching from Ephesians 5--especially his dynamic description of grace as "that which God did for us through Christ" and "which gives us joy". This is a great standard of a grateful, heartfelt response to God's good gift of grace.

I look forward to hearing from God's Spirit about the call he has placed on my life.

I also look forward to walking through the week with those Bethel students with whom I was driven to St. Louis last night.

A Wonderful Christmas with Family

2006-12-26T18:30:00.000-08:00

Christmas with Kate and Levi this year was very special... We experienced the deep satisfaction of gift-giving when we saw the joy in Levi's eyes upon seeing the little train...something he's been dreaming about for the last couple months. He was absolutely enthralled with it! We also loved Kate's innocent request of a 'birthday cake' for Christmas...gave us a chance to teach about just whose birthday Christmas actually is.

We hope you enjoy the photos. As you approach your new year, we encourage you to reflect on God's great gifts to you--and to be grateful for all those gifts. Life. Love. Friends. Family. A Warm Home.

Jesus is the Light of the World

2006-12-25T11:00:00.000-08:00

Kate made this statement just before getting out of the car at the Christmas Eve Service at church. This was around 9pm (thus the glassy look in her eye) and followed a nice ride to church in which Mama told us that Christmas lights remind us that Jesus is the light of the world.

To play this precious video,
1. Click on the photo below
2. You will be brought to another site where the video will be listed.
3. Click on the photo to play the video.
4. Click backspace until you return to runion.blogspot.com after the video plays.
(I haven't figured out how to get a video to play within my blog. Anyone know how?)

Jesus is the Light of the World

Christmas Decorating at the Runions'

2006-12-04T19:27:00.000-08:00

Our family enjoyed a Christmas tradition tonight. Decorating the house for Christmas. Daddy popped some popcorn, Mommy made some hot cocoa, and we had the Christmas music lifting our spirits in the background. (As a nice new treat this year, our friends Kenny and Julia cooked up a delicious dinner of black bean and sweet potato burritos for us to top the night off!)

Didn't get very many great pics of the decorating, but here's one of Levi helping with the lights for the tree.

Celebrating with Chris and Sarah's Family and Friends

2006-12-03T19:02:00.000-08:00

Just came off a weekend with lots of fun activities surrounding Uncle Chris and Auntie Sarah's public wedding ceremony. It was a sweet time of celebration, laughter, and good times together.

The Runions enjoyed being a part of the festivities. Matt officiated the ceremony, Amy did the flowers and sang in the ceremony, and Kate and Levi did a nice job as flowergirl and ringbearer.

We are very happy for Chris and Sarah. God certainly has brought them together for a purpose. Together, they make a wonderful couple--intent on enjoying life to the fullest and serving other people.

Here's the whole Schrantz clan--including baby Sophia, just three weeks old!

Weddings, Weddings, Everywhere

2006-11-26T13:48:00.000-08:00

We were honored to be a part of Uncle Chris' wedding down in Mexico on November 21. It was a beautiful early morning ceremony on the beach.

Walking to the ceremony.

Nearly the smallest possible wedding with the couple, the minister (daddy), and photographer (mommy).

Afterward, we enjoyed blueberry muffins on the beach.

Chris and Sarah immediately boarded a ferry to Cozumel for a nice honeymoon (because they needed a break from the rigors of vacationing at Playa!).

Next is the public celebration back in Menomonie--next Saturday, December 2!

Happy Thanksgiving from Mexico!

2006-11-23T07:47:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving from the Runions in Playa del Carmen, Mexico! We are having a great time. we will definitely miss the turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes, though. enjoy some for us!

Daddy Has a Great 34th Birthday

2006-09-30T18:43:00.000-07:00

Today Daddy turned 34 years old. The day was jam-packed with good stuff.

We started with bathtime, new twists for Kate and a haircut for Levi. Then we were off to breakfast at Sunny Side Up Cafe.

Then we headed for the apple orchard where we enjoyed tractors,

Kettle Corn,

Donkeys, Goats, Ponies,

Pumpkins, Mums, Mom,

each other,

and, of course, APPLES!

We finished the day with the Bethel Homecoming football game and a nice meal with Amy's college roommates and their families. A great time with great friends. We're blessed.

The House is Painted!

2006-09-17T18:53:00.000-07:00

Thanks to help froma bunch of our friends and family (truly, 'thanks' to you all!), our house is painted. We are excited about having that project finished and we're very happy about how it turned out. Here's a before picture and and after picture:

Before:

After:

PLAY!

2006-09-13T05:32:00.000-07:00

With Kate and Levi both talking more and more, life has been much more interesting. Some of Kate's favorite sentences:
"I do it." (followed by, "I did it.")
"I hold it."
"Mama hold you." (which, of course, means "Mama hold me.")
and
"More meat please."

Some of Levi's most common phrases
"Bless you, Dadda." (being allergy season, this one gets a lot of use lately.)
"I love you!"
"Juice, please."
and...upon seeing a playground, "PLAY!"

Speaking of playing, here are a few pics (taken by our friend Chris Chris) from the playground at Lake Harriet the other day:

Coloring with Friends

2006-09-06T20:02:00.000-07:00

Coloring in the backyard with our friend Grace.

Uncle Chris is ENGAGED!

2006-09-04T19:46:00.000-07:00

We got to be there when Chris and his special friend Sarah announced for the first time that they're engaged. Chris proposed (and she accepted) at Minnehaha Falls and then they stopped by our place--where 20 of their closest friends and family were gathered to celebrate with them. They will be married in November in a private ceremony in Mexico and then have a ceremony to publicly celebrate those vows in Menomonie a week later. We are excited for Chris and so blessed to have Sarah joining our family.

More Backyard Shots

2006-08-20T19:38:00.000-07:00

If you haven't noticed yet from the pattern of pics on our blog, we love hanging out in the backyard. Here are a couple recent ones.

We have five little kittens that found a home in our backyard. Levi absolutely loves them. This white one and her orange sister already have a home, but if you're interested...there are three more!

More Ethiopian Friends

2006-08-20T19:18:00.000-07:00

Ethiopian Kids Community on Saturday at Fort Snelling State Park. Beautiful beach with lots of sand to eat...er, play with (and get buried in!).