Evelyn Rose Plays Basketball

Evelyn Rose had a wonderful experience last night (12/29/07). She had her first practice at Upwards Basketball. Her team is the Ducks and there are 4 girls on her team: Adrianna, Alyson, Hope and Evelyn. Her coach is Keith Williams, Adrianna's dad and her assistant coach is me. We had a wonderful first practice. Each practice consists of learning the fundamentals and a short bible study with memory verse. Games are played on Saturdays and no score is kept at this young age. Everyone plays equal time. Clint and Meredith are also playing on two other teams. Both Evelyn and her assistant coach are expecting to have a great time playing/coaching basketball this year.

Kimpel Girls

I decided to post this picture simply because I like it. This is my wife and her 3 sisters. Clockwise from back: Lisa (Kimpel) Fox (in pink sweater), Beckie, Jean, Mary (my wife).

Aren't they beautiful?

Thanksgiving With Jean

One of the most frequent readers of this highly-acclaimed blog is Mary's sister, Jean, pictured here in the white turtleneck. Besides being an absolutely wonderful person (and good looking too xxxooxxx!!), and excellent sister an daughter, a wonderful American Airlines employee, and a endless supply or gum for our kids, she is also.....a dog lover!
On our way back from the airport, Jean was telling us that in addition to her 3 dogs and numerous cats (sorry can't remember how many, Jean), she and her also lovely roommate Jen often animal sit -- most specifically -- dog sit.
Some call it doggy-paradise, others call it doggy-day-spa, but whatever you call it, it is perfect and Jean and Jen are perfect doggie hostesses. From my recollection, Britta (German Shepard) is the Queen and sits in the middle of the back yard and oversees all the activities when all the other dogs (both visitors and residents) are playing and roughhousing. Nolan (also German Shepard), is sergeant-at-arms and breaks up any unapproved scuffles. Tinkerbell (Jen's rat dog -- didn't know how to spell chi wah wah) just runs around thinking she is both queen and sergeant-at-arms.
While Jean was in Ellwood City enjoying Thanksgiving with her family, Jen was kind enough to watch all the dogs plus one or more doggie guests. Thank you Jen!
Finally, the lovely and gracious Mrs. Glenn (that's my wife, Mary), would like me to make sure all of you know that Jean does an excellent impersonation of an Asian manicurist/pedicurist, especially when she says...... "big toe gooh fur fwower!" For those of who don't understand, that's "big toe good for flower." (Inside joke, I guess.)

Ellen and Mary Go Shopping

We've been somewhat fortunate not to have to struggle with "clothing issues,".....much. Ellen, of all the four kids, has been the most clothing-centric although it has not been all that bad and it seems to be getting better. Witness the most recent shopping trip by Mary and Ellen.
First, it should be noted that Mary has historically avoided shopping with Ellen because it can be a high-stress activity.
Second, Ellen has serious issues going shopping with either of her parents because we have these "sometimes" unrealistic standards about the clothes she can buy. Here are a few examples of the unrealistic expectations we have for young ladies purchasing clothes:

• pants ought to ride high enough in the back so that when a young lady kneels or squats, all those behind her are made abundantly aware of where she shops for her underwear.
• pants ought to ride high enough in the front so that a young lady's navel is NOT far from her belt (or even under her belt would be better).
• skirts need to be knee-length or longer
  
• blouses/shirts need to fit in such a way that they do not need to be often "pulled up" simply to avoid indecent exposure (or the threat thereof)
• shirts/blouses must not be form-fitting (tight)

These are the expectations that sometimes meet with resistance....although not so much anymore.

This last shopping adventure was apparently a storming success. Mary too Ellen to spend up to $200 of ELLEN's money on clothes.
The first stop was American Eagle where Mary promptly set herself down and started making "pray-chain" telephone calls and turned Ellen loose to find what it was she wanted to find. Ellen soon found herself tied up with one or two of the store clerks whom she indicated were "very helpful," and spent over $100 buying shirts, sweaters, jeans (not too low), and a "hoody." She even put a few things back so she had enough money to buy a church outfit -- which she needed badly.
Mary finished up her phone calls; Ellen finished up shopping. All items were approved by Mary and off they went to Boscovs to look for church clothes. Ellen wanted to go to Boscovs because she heard she could save 15%.
Boscovs was also successful. Ellen got a lovely church outfit.
Both Mary and Ellen came home sane and with good reports on the success of the venture.
Then Dad (me) approved all the outfits.
I am proud of both Mary and Ellen. Ellen did a great job shopping and Mary did a great job enjoying the experience.

Meeting Kyle Rote Jr.

Had the great pleasure of meeting Kyle Rote Jr. this week during a business meeting in Chicago. Mr. Rote was the keynote speaker at a Global Heat Treat Summit luncheon. Now I am not usually big on meeting big name people, but since the magazine I publish was a co-sponsor of the event, I was fortunate enough to sit at the “reserved” table with Mr. Rote and several other key players.
There was one person sitting between Mr. Rote and myself but I was fortunate enough to engage Mr. Rote in conversation with the rest of the table for 15-20 minutes before he spoke.
To my great surprise and pleasure, Mr. Rote made several biblical allusions during his presentation that was entitled “What Michael Jordan, Mother Teresa and You Have In Common.” Before the talk was over, it was pretty clear to me that Mr. Rote had some Christian underpinnings. Following his talk, I got his photo with several of my customers and then asked one of them to get a picture of Mr. Rote and myself. During the photo, I said something like, “I’m guessing you are a lover of Christ. Am I right?” He was not shy to reply in the affirmative. It was a real encouragement to see a well-known figure like Mr. Rote, professing Christ in the most appropriate ways he could.

The "Public" Reading of Scripture

Here's my old beat up Bible. Several pages from the front is the "Presented to..." page which reads, "Presented to Doug Glenn by Doug Glenn on February 9, 1991. This Bible has gone pretty much everywhere I have gone since that time...which explains why it is so beat up.

As a result of my "public" reading of this Bible, two interesting things happened on this trip (I'm in Chicago at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare all week -- 11/5-10). Things like this do not always happen, but they do happen periodically. This trip has been unusual because it has happened twice in two days.

First Event: Sitting in the Pittsburgh airport waiting for my flight to Chicago. I pull out my Bible to do my daily reading as prescribed by Robert Murray M'Cheyne's Calendar for Daily Readings (highly recommended for anyone wanting to read through the Bible in a year). During the course of my reading, I got very sleepy and took a snooze right there in the airport with my Bible open on my lap. I woke up and finished my reading. As the flight is loading, a black man who was obviously not native to the US, said to me in his non-American-black-voice, "You a Christian?" I said, "yes." He said, "I'll see you in heaven," and then went on his way not giving me a chance to respond.

I'm looking forward to meeting this man again in heaven (assuming I make it!). There have been probably over a dozen other instances like this in my work career where I've identified other Christians or they've identified me but for only a very brief moment and the idea of "seeing you again in heaven" or "see you again someday" with an understanding nod and wink that we were talking about seeing each other again in heaven has happened. It has always been an encouragement.

Second Event: I'm sitting at breakfast this morning (11/6/07) in the restaurant on the second level of the Hyatt Regency O'Hare reading my daily Bible reading. I happen to look up just as two people were leaving the restaurant. The second person was a rather attractive middle-aged women who whispered to me from halfway across the restaurant in a tone that said "I don't really want to interrupt you, but....," "Have a good quiet time," and then she left. I, of course, said "thank you," as she was leaving. I smiled and went back to reading.

Many Christians want others to know that they are a Christian and it is important for our assurance that we publicly profess Christ even if its as simple as the interchange I described above. Since it is tough in our modern day culture to make this known to just anyone because of the possible dreaded "offense" that might be taken, it is much easier and safer to make this known to others who appear to be Christians. This is a good thing. It is encouraging to know they're out there...there are other Christians lurking around nearly every corner and behind every bush. If you make yourself known, many will speak up and make themselves known. It's just as fun for the one making themselves known as it is for the one being informed. For both, it is an encouragement.

Final thought...one reason it is so comforting to find other Christians in public these days is because the public display of religion is a fairly rare thing. Since it doesn't happen that frequently, it is a high-value event when it does happen. Because it is a scarce event, the value of each event is high (think supply and demand). I'm in favor of lowering the value of these experiences by making them more abundant. Feel free to join my campaign to lower the value of public displays of Christianity by more frequently making your Christianity known.

Harvest Party and Other Scary Topics

Last Wednesday night (October 31) was our church’s Halloween alternative (Harvest Party). It was a wonderful time and I’m including one small picture of each of the kids.

At roughly the same time, I also learned that my sister (Michelle) and her second husband (Randi Irwin) who have lived up in the Adirondacks (up state New York) for I’m guessing over 10 years (?), were selling their house and moving back to the Meadville area. This was a great surprise. The entire family is looking forward to having them closer.

First picture: Meredith on left -- black face.

Second picture: Clint on left with Rambo buddies.

Third picture: Evelyn on left with two friends (Willa Howard and Hannah Nolan)

Fourth picture: Ellen on right with next door neighbor, Xan Clelland.

Last picture: the "lovely and gracious Mrs. Glenn"

Other journal entries of note are as follows:

• Mary and I have decided to stay married for life (just in case anyone was wondering). It has never been a question for us! Mary and I have also decided to replace all the windows in our house. They should all be replaced before Christmas. We’ll not talk about the price…..!!!
• I and Clint were able to successfully replace the front sidewalk (mostly) this last Saturday. It looks great. There’s still some work that needs to be done on it, but 90% of the work is done and everyone agrees that it looks good.
• Meredith and I with some help from Evelyn, cleaned up most of the leaf piles in our yard yesterday (Sunday). It is unusual for us to do yard work on Sunday, but I am going to be out of town all this week in Chicago and I didn’t want the leaf piles to kill the grass, so we did a work of “necessity” and cleaned up the piles.
• We also had a church meeting at our house last night (Sunday, November 4). It was a busy weekend. Mary did a great job entertaining the Porters on Saturday night (Dave, Valerie, Dave, John, Ben, Anna, Sam & Dan) and folks from the church on last night (6 Nolans, 4 Emericks, 2 Colosimos, Bill Voorhis, and Kerry Black, plus our six). A total of 20 people.
• I’m spending the week in Chicago and won’t be home until Saturday night. This week, the following events are happening concurrently at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare in Chicago: IHEA Combustion and IRED Seminars including a tabletop exhibit tonight (Monday); IHEA Board Meeting; IHEA Fall Business Meeting; MTI Board Meeting; MTI Fall Business Meeting, and the Global Heat Treat Summit. In one way or another, I’m involved with all of these events. It’s nice to knock them all out in one week, but it will be a very long week w/o family! I’ll be happy to be home on Saturday.