Sunday, August 7, 2011

In 6 Days... Literally

I've been remiss... two weeks ago, I promised pictures and a recap of our latest journey to the Creation Museum in Kentucky. Time has rolled on...


But better late than never, right?

I'll start with answering a question. Several people have asked, why did you go the Creation Museum? Like...

  • are you a nerd? 
  • or, are you a fundamentalist Christian?
  • or, isn't the museum in Kentucky? (booorrrriiiinnnggg)

For starters, we were invited on this trip by our friends Ian and Meg Murphy. And it wasn't boring at all. Quite the opposite. 

We joined in because (1) we rarely get to spend time with Ian and Meg, (2) the museum was recommended by others we know, and (3) we've had some questions about Creation lately. 

The Creation Museum shows how Creation (Genesis 1) occurred in six "literal" days---i.e. when Scripture says "And on the first day, God created..." it means a day. Not a year or a billion years, a day.

The museum also explains why the earth looks so old by pointing to the Flood. One display was dedicated to proving how the Grand Canyon was formed by receding waters rushing away and cutting through the rock at the end of the 40 days and 40 nights. 

Personally, I was interested to see how the museum would handle dinosaurs. As kids, Jeremy and I both confess to loving paleontology. I also confess to digging around in my backyard looking for bones.

I was tickled to see that the Creation Museum put the dinosaurs right there in Noah's Ark. They claimed that the dinosaurs (and many other animals) on the Ark were much smaller than their post-flood descendants. 

They also put dinosaurs in the Garden of Eden.

After touring the main exhibit and visiting the Petting Zoo, we attended a lecture which debunked some myths of evolution. I came away understanding that evolution is not science; its theory.

Although modern culture scoffs at Christians who believe in supernatural creation, evolution is full of so many holes and contradictions, it barely has a leg to stand on at times.

Time and again we choose to trust in ambiguous science, which we don't actually understand, rather than consider the possibility of a divine, omnipotent Creator God. Our hearts are so rebellious.

Overall, the Creation Museum was a really pleasant place to be. All day long, we were surrounded by Scripture displayed through the exhibits, on the walls, on people's clothing, and on people's lips.

I would highly recommend the museum, especially to people with kids. In the next few years, they plan to build a life size Ark and a first century village. It's worth the road trip.

 Ian and Jeremy with their buddy, Martin Luther. 

 The Creation Museum believes anything less than a literal interpretation of "6 days" is a compromise of Scripture. 

 Garden of Eden. Adam naming the animals. 

 Meg and Jeremy checking out of the flora and fauna. 

Jeremy and an alpaca.

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Road Trip

Greetings from Washington, PA. Jeremy and I are returning home from a weekend in Kentucky/Ohio with our friends Ian and Meg Murphy where we visited the Creation Museum.

Tonight we're staying in a cheap, very shabby Red Roof Inn off the highway... and by cheap and shabby I mean, we stopped at a rest area in Pennsylvania and found a coupon book that offered tonight's accommodations for nex' ta' nothin'.

Anyway! That doesn't matter. We're having a lovely weekend. Ian is one of Jeremy's best friends from high school. His wife, Meg, is natively of Carver. They currently live in Brockton and this road trip/Creation Museum outing idea was all theirs.
I should note, however, that the shabby Red Roof Inn is all my doing and Jeremy's. Today, Ian and Meg jetted ahead in their journey since they'll be traveling all the way home to Brockton tomorrow. We decided to stop here and cut our day shorter.
The Creation Museum was very good; very informative; very well-presented; and very well-AC'd (thank goodness!) I will post pictures as soon as I can. I can't wait to share our little adventure with everyone.

Until then, we'll be on the road. We're planning to stop near Frank Lloyd Wright's famous Fallingwater home tomorrow morning to stretch our legs and see the waterfalls. Then, we'll head straight home to Devon. See ya then!

Monday, July 18, 2011

2 Years Today

This morning I didn't even have time to shower. Happy Anniversary, babe. I have to laugh... this is so our life!

Two years ago---on a day almost as steamy hot as today---we became Mr. and Mrs. Jeremy Powell in the same church where we grew up, met, worked together, fell in love, and got engaged.

Since then...

- We've moved to a new state (Pennsylvania)
- Lived in two different apartments in two different parts of greater Philadelphia
- Eradicated the smell of Cat from one apartment
- Joined a new church
- Each started a new job
- Completed 4 semesters (or two years) of seminary together
- Made countless trips up and down Route 95 between Philadelphia, Massachusetts and Maine
- Saw Meredith and Kyle get married
- Enjoyed visits from family
- Walked and hiked through Valley Forge a million times (and counting)
- Experienced a devastating miscarriage
- Experienced the joy of a new pregnancy --> yes, we have a "bun in the oven"!
- Realized the depth of our commitment to one another
- Realized the depth of our commitment to God and ministry
- Affirmed that our life is in God's hands...

Happy 2nd Anniversary Jeremy. I love you.

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Home Sweet Home

I'm blogging from my old bedroom at 12 Allison Road, Middleboro, MA this morning.

Jeremy and I spent July 4th weekend in Maine with the Powells and now, we're staying in Middleboro for the week as Jeremy "shadows" our home pastor, Peter, to earn Mentored Ministry credit needed for seminary.

This morning, Jeremy joined Peter at a local prayer meeting. Then, he went straight to work preparing a sermon to preach on Sunday, and later, he's going on "visitation" with Peter to greet and encourage some of the church's elderly members.

Throughout the week, Jeremy's "office" is a spare office at my dad's Charis building behind the church. At noon, they carpool home for lunch together and Mom and I get to spend some time with our guys.



PS---While Jeremy is working, I'm reading Mayflower by Nathaniel Philbrick. About five years ago, everyone went gaga over this historical account of the Pilgrims voyage to America and their first years in Plymouth and now I know why!

This book is great. I can't put it down. The first two decades in Plymouth were one near-death (and death) experience after another.

The Pilgrim's grit and sheer determination to cling to life in the face of starvation, dodgy Indian politics, and swarms of new English settlers is astounding. If you haven't read Mayflower, I implore you to read it!

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Quick Trip Home

This summer, it feels like we're spending 50 percent of our weekends in Philly and 50 percent in New England, not that we mind. :-)

This weekend we dashed up to Middleboro on Friday night for BJ and Yvonne's wedding on Saturday and Father's Day on Sunday. It was a great blessing to spend time with friends and family.

 For a wedding gift, we found a 1965 vintage Ansel Adams print of Yosemite Falls. Since BJ and Yvonne are honeymooning in Yosemite, we thought it would provide a happy memory. 

For a long time, Jeremy and I have wanted to start framing our own art, so we made BJ and Yvonne's gift our first project. Here's Jeremy measuring the mat board.

The finished mat board around the Yosemite Falls print.

 BJ and Yvonne saying their vows with Peter presiding.

 Chad and Erica at the wedding reception, which took place at Grouse Ridge Farm in Lakeville. The setting was private and beautiful.

 On Father's Day Sunday the Powells and Sweitzers got together and drove down to an Audubon Society site in Bristol, Rhode Island. Here's Ricky-Bobby showing Luke, Sam, Ryan and Isaiah how to tie clover flowers into necklaces. 

 After eating a picnic lunch at the Audubon Society building, we followed a trail out to Narragansett Bay. Here's the trendiest Sweitzer posing on the lookout dock.

 Uncle Jeremy and Grampy holding the "twins" up to see the view.

 Family Photo! All of the Powells (and future Powells) minus Dave.

Friday, June 10, 2011

Redeemer


Be awed by God today. "Redeemer" by Paul Cardall.

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Catching Up...

It's been a few weeks since I've posted. I usually update our blog while Jeremy is studying, but since school is out (yeah! cheer! cheer!) we've been a bit busier.

To start, Jeremy celebrated the end of final exams by making an English breakfast, inspired by stories and pictures from Jenna's semester abroad.



Then, last weekend, we drove 9 hours north to Maine for Memorial Day weekend with my family (Sweitzers) and to attend the wedding of a close childhood friend, Emily Feleen.

Em and her fiancĂ© Tyler were married on May 30 (Memorial Day Monday)---which was also Meredith and Kyle's first anniversary---on the waterfront in Portland. Their reception was in an old church-turned-restaurant called "Grace."

Before and after the wedding, all of the Sweitzers stayed at the Powell cottage in North Leeds, Maine. It was great to share such a special place with my parents, sisters and Kyle.

We took tons of pictures, so I decided to put them together in a little video. Enjoy!