On Sunday, August 6th, 2006, we dedicated Alan to the Lord. I looked up the word "dedicate" and three of the definitions matched what our intentions were for doing this. 1) To set apart for a deity or for religious purposes. Yes - the God who created Alan and all of the rest of creation, Jesus Christ, is who Alan is set apart for. 2) To set apart for a special use. Yes - whatever use God has for Alan! I pray that Alan will choose to submit and let God use him. 3) To commit oneself to a particular course of thought or action. Yes - Dan and I committed to raise Alan in God's Word. To show Alan the Christian life. No small responsibility. I pray for wisdom in trying to do this!

It was a wonderful ceremony, and I especially appreciated when Pastor Denny prayed through the entire lives of the children being dedicated, from babyhood to childhood to teen years to marriage to parenthood themselves. (Although Alan tried to drown him out by saying "da-da-da-da-DA-DA-DA" louder and louder and louder, and the other baby filled his diaper quite audibly, it was still a wonderful time of prayer.)

Dan's boss and his wife even came for the service! The funny thing is, Pastor Denny was preaching from Titus about employers and employees and their responsibilities before God. Barb and Randi will think that we just invited them to hear that sermon! But I swear, we did not know. :)

Most of the week, Alan and I spent at Grandma Gloria's. As her birthday present, I offered to organize the unfinished area of her basement. Let's just say . . . this really needed to be done. We'll leave it at that. I have posted a picture of Alan perched on one of the shelves where I organized and stored my mom's belongings.

While we were in North Branch, we got to have dinner with Grandpa Doug, and Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa Karsky. I think we solved all the world's problems, including identity theft and the North Branch freeway bridge. At least we talked about solving them.

Alan spent Thursday and Friday with Grandma Lucy while I went to school to get my classroom ready. Hey, is there anyone out there who was in 3rd grade in 1987? Oh wait . . . I WAS!!! And deep in the cupboards of my classroom, untouched by the cruel hands of time, I found many many items from 1987. Most of them, I threw away. A few, I brought over to Chad (the guy who teaches next door and is about my age) and had a chuckle. One amazing find, I taped to the wall. It was a magazine ad not just for an original Nintendo, but also for the Power Pad. The Power Pad!!!! I will enjoy looking at that blast from the past every day when I get to school this year.

Alan seems to really enjoy spending time with Lucy, so I hope being with Fran goes just as smoothly. But, with all my worrying and sadness, I have a couple of friends who have much deeper worries this week. You know who you are, and I won't broadcast your worries here. But I want you to know that I am praying for you and thinking of you nearly all the time. My worries have faded to almost inconsequential. It's strange what it takes to get some perspective on things. I know that in a very short amount of time, both of you will be beyond what you are worrying about now. Let me leave you with the verse that one of my best friends clung to when she struggled with cancer as a teenager. "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:34. I can certainly use this advice myself.