Nephews

My nephews at Scidmore Park last night in Three Rivers. I remember playing at the lion water fountain when I was their age! By the way, I didn't tell them to pose at all. That is just what he did when we came up to the lion.

Al Capone

This is supposed to be a guard house just down a hill from Al Capone's mansion in Purgatory, MI. This is just south and west of Three Rivers and was half way between Chicago and Detroit when US 12 was the only route (before I-94).

Al Capone

This is a view from just West and above the guard house at Al Capone's house in Purgatory just south and west of Three Rivers, MI.

Rocky River in Downtown Three Rivers

Took this picture this morning as I went down to the library to get my Expedition which sat there overnight. A wire had come off the starter.

Johan Guenter Racing

Last Wednesday we, as an office, went to a go cart track and rented the whole thing. This was the same day that I got my new camera. This picture of Johan is one of the first I took with the camera.

NIKON D-80

I finally got my new camera. It's a Nikon D-80 with a Sigma 18-55mm lens and a Sigma 70-300mm lens. I've been happy with the camera so far...I have a lot to learn. It's 10.2 MP and has so many features, I can't even begin.

While I am happy with the camera, I'm extremely dissatisfied with Abe's of Maine where I bought it, and I've contacted them to no avail.

Anna and Laura

I don't know where to begin. I think the last time I saw these two was about 8 years ago, and since then, they have grown up and become women. I was a little embarrassed when I first met them because I kinda gushed that they've become beautiful women! They accepted the compliment with grace, but I was still shocked. I should note that others say that Laura looks like my wife when she was younger, and I that's why I reacted. LOL.

Anna and Laura are the daughters of Bret, a pastor friend of mine. Bret asked me to preach at his church last week while he was away, and I didn't expect to see any of the family there. I didn't recognize the girls right at first, but then I was shocked.

Anyway...it was nice to talk to them and I look forward to seeing Bret and his family more often.

Painting the Fire Hydrant

This nice lady from the Three Rivers Michigan Department of Public Works was painting a fire hydrant the other day out by Frankies. I stopped and asked to take her picture. I asked her name, but I forgot. Bad Joe!

My Wife

I haven't seen my wife for almost a week.... Ahhhh... I'm looking forward to her coming home today! This is by the bridge behind LA's Coffee Cafe'.

Jen Jumping In River

Jennifer at Scidmore Park. She's faking that she's jumping in...

Jen still by Bridge

My beautiful wife by the bridge.

Jen by the Bridge

This is a picture of my wife, Jennifer, sitting by a walking bridge just west of Main and North of Michigan. This is about a block from our home.

STRAY DOG BOOKSTORE AND COFFEE SHOP

This is my favorite bookstore in Three Rivers. It is just across Portage from where I live, and has a large selection of exceptionally good books. He hasn't collected a lot of crap like some bookstores...mostly great stuff. I think I'll visit over there today.

Michigan Avenue Train Crossing

This is looking south on the Michigan Avenue rail crossing in Three Rivers, MI. Just to the left of this picture (west) is LA's Coffee Cafe'.

HIDDEN DRIVE

This is my last Withers Road picture. There is a boat launch just on the north side of the bridge and the hidden drive sign refers to the two drives coming up just west of the bridge toward US 131. Also notice the cross. Someone evidently died here...makes the pic mean a little something more to me. Somber. Sobering.

Withers Road Bridge

I took these pictures today on Withers Road. The first is pointed south of the bridge, notice the swans and the boat in the background, and the second is pointed north. This is a couple of miles south of Three Rivers, MI. It is amazing how many places like this there are around here.

Paisano's

I was at Paisano's yesterday and Rhea Lynn (left) let me snap her picture so long as Debbie (right) stood in as well.

JT Guenter

Took this picture of little JT when the family stopped by work the other day. He thought he really looked pretty cool with that sweater...and he did!

Weenie Kings!

I took this picture of the the Weenie Kings vendor at the Three Rivers Public Library today. I thought he was a pretty cool guy. Unfortunately, I never did get his name, but I got a great "Chicago Style" dog. You really have to try one!

UPDATE: I was told that the Weenie King is Mike King!

This guy was at the Weenie Kings cart when I was there. I think he said his name was Mel Taylor, and we talked for a bit.

Centreville Cemetary

This is a photo I took several years ago in the cemetary where my grandmother was buried. I thought this marker to be quite unique.

At The Lake

The Guenter children at the lake! Thanks to the Zuidemas.

Superchristian

I am greatly distressed when I am confronted by Christians who think themselves more highly than they ought. It is easy to point fingers at other Christians and point out supposed flaws in their character.

Our moral fiber is never a perfectly developed photograph of Christ’s Likeness, but rather it is a diorama created by a first grader. Our moral fiber is disproportioned, unflattering and difficult to understand. The point of view is often skewed and the lack of depth belies our true nature.

We see very clearly our own areas of well developed godliness, but we hide our faults way in the back behind our strong points. We even fool ourselves into believing we are truly good, and we begin to think of differences even of personality as moral questions…asserting our superiority.

We can become arrogant and conceited in our perfection. Of course we would never say this…especially when confronted. We look past the telephone pole sticking out of our own eye and grow angry over the sliver in our neighbor’s eye.

The Invasion

So my pastor and I went to a movie the other night at 9:45 PM. We went to see the The Invasion, a movie about an alien germ like creature that takes over human beings. It was kinda weird, but there was a distinct and obvious philosophy put forward both overtly and covertly.

Human beings are inherently self interested, and to lose that quality of self interest, meaning to experience a harmony of interests or to achieve unity, would necessarily mean losing our humanity.

The movie achieves this unity through the destruction of humanity, but in the end humanity reigns supreme and self interest return to the throne. The movie ends with the statement that we need self interest in order to be human and in order to be good.

What is missing from this is a biblical idea of a harmony of interest as well as unity through Christ. When we are devoted to serving Christ and realize that we are not our own but that we are bought with a price, we can set aside our own selfish desires and ambitions in order to submit to Christ.

Do we lose our humanity when we are submitted to Christ? Paul wrote that he was dead nevertheless he lived…yet not him…but it was Christ living through him.

Open Door Policy

Just watch that first step.

This is behind Main Street in Three Rivers, MI.

Jefferson Memorial

The Jefferson Memorial from when we were in DC recently.

Historic Downtown

A picture of downtown Three Rivers, MI. This is right around the corner from our apartment.

imagine

This is directly across the street from our apartment on Portage Street in Three Rivers, MI. This is on the wall of the Carnegie Center for the Arts.

Weyerhaeuser

The back side of the plant in Three Rivers, MI.

The Truck

This truck lives next to our building. I've never seen it move.

Local Rail Bridge

This bridge is located next to the bridge on Broadway Street in Three Rivers, MI. It is about 1/2 mile from our place. Obviously, its abandoned.

Valley Irrigation 7000 Series

This is the same pivot as below. It's on soybeans.

Valley Irrigation

This is a picture of a pivot just across the road from where I work.

I thought this was a pretty neat picture of several buildings on Main Street.

This is the alleyway behind the businesses on Main Street in Three Rivers, Michigan. Do wonder they built the multi-million dollar parking lot for 55 cars. They raised the street level and left the stuff below to rot.

This is the dam in Constantine, MI. I go by this almost every day on my way to and from work.

Joe in the Park

Jen took this picture at the LBJ stand of trees in Washington, DC. It wasn't that great of a place, but it was nice to get away for a bit.

This was looking out the back of our apartment across the parking lot. Actually, I was just south of our place behind the businesses on Main Street in Three Rivers.

Who Is This?

Hints: He has never voted in a civil election in the United States. He could never be the President of the United States. He likes hockey...eh! He always has the bag. He has an office, but it's in the basement. My wife has a sewing machine with the same engine as his car has. He has a Facebook page...well...so do I...but I use myspace more. Main Street Cafe, World Fare, Brewsters, Taproom, Sam's Place, Dykstra's....all places you can find him if he's not at his office. He's a chick magnet. You will probably not find him in Walmart. He's a fisherman, a hockey coach, a water skier, and an alien.

Grand Rapids Adventure

So we went to Grand Rapids this weekend, and we visited the church of some of our friends (Hi Troy and Amy!).

Anyway, the service was unique and interesting. I rather enjoyed it. I was thinking of several questions during and after the service…and I’ll share them.

1. Is it incumbent upon a Christian to partake in communion unless they have a reason to decline, or is it incumbent upon a Christian to decline communion unless they have actively sought communion.

Let me use an example. If I’m traveling across the country and stop into a church at random on a Sunday morning, do I partake in communion if they happen to be partaking on that day? Or should I politely decline since I don’t really know much of anything about the church? I have erred on the side of declination in general because it takes a while for me to know if I am in fact in unity with that church body.

2. I heard today that Unity within the church centers around this question: “Do you believe that Jesus is God and that your sins were forgiven when he died on the cross?”

Indeed, this is the essential of the faith, but most Christians I know would not affirm the above statement. Most modern evangelicals don’t believe that their sins were forgiven when Christ died on the cross. They believe that their sins are forgiven when they make a decision or a confession of faith…or do something.

A.W. Pink wrote in his book on the doctrines of salvation and justification that most theologians begin their suma theologia, or summation of their theology, with the attributes of God. His argument is that every theologian should begin rather with how salvation occurs. He states their view of salvation tells much about their view of who God is. Do they worship a truly sovereign God who is sovereign even unto salvation, or do they worship a God who can’t really bring about His will?

Do I seek unity with those who deny the sovereign God? Do I pursue unity with Jews? Do I have unity with Roman Catholics or Mormons? Jehovah Witnesses? What about the United Pentecostals or the Apostolic churches which deny the trinity? What about the modern evangelicals who claim salvation is affected by our own decision or commitment?

It isn’t really all that simple.

3. I am a member of the Christian Reformed Church, and we are dedicated to a true, biblical view of the sovereign God. How does this “reformed-ness” influence or color our worship services? I have wondered at times about how I am personally effected by the reformed faith, but how is my church unique or what distinctives jump out from our faith? I noticed several things in Grand Rapids today, but I’d be interested in what Troy or Amy would say.

Anyway. I enjoyed it, and I enjoyed seeing you guys!

John Guenter

I thought this was a pretty cool picture of John in Scidmore Park

The Big "TR"

In the park, just off Michigan Avenue and by the fire/police station is a big blue "TR" which, obviously, stands for Three Rivers. I always thought it to be pretty cool.

This is John Guenter and his family in front of the TR on Sunday, August 5.

Suzie Guenter trying to climb the wall in the park in Three Rivers by the rapids on the Rocky River. This is a block from our home.

The Guenter children. JT, Katie, and Suzie. Perfect little angels!

Katie

Katie Guenter. I took this picture at Scidmore Park in Three Rivers by a little stream that runs into the Rocky River behind her. Katie is the daughter of a friend...Johann Guenter.

I have not yet discovered what the meaning of "soon" is.

The End of the Affair
Graham Greene

It seems unlikely that Greene would write this book without at least some element of truthfulness from his own life experience.

Disguised as a story after of adultery, a long and rocky love affair, the book hides the true power. The underline of the book is about the inescapability of the claims of Christ. As David said…there is no where that we can go to escape him…we reach the very heavens, and He is there. We descend to the depths of Hades and He is there. We have no where to run and we have no where to hide.

In the book the main character Bendrix has had a long affair with Sarah, but Sarah has cut it off. The story begins with Sarah’s husband Henry confiding in Bendrix that he suspects Sarah’s infidelity, this years after Bendrix affair was over, and asks Bendrix to hire a private detective on his behalf.

Through the course of events, Henry and Bendrix are forced together in true friendship by the death of Sarah. Only after her death does Bendrix find out that Sarah, the devout atheist, had been attending the Roman Catholic Church and going through catechism in order to join. She had rejected her life long anti-God beliefs and embraced the church much to the chagrin of her atheist teachers and friends. Posthumously Bendrix and others read in her journal that though she fought and strove against it, Sarah could not escape Christ. She felt magnetized to the Church.

Bendrix eventually finds out from Sarah’s mother that she, though she was never a Christian, had Sarah baptized as an act of rebellion toward Sarah’s father when she was but an infant.

The story is about Christ, predestination, and the power of God to save and keep His own.

The picture is of a building in downtown Three Rivers, and the eye blinds always remember me of God watching over me. I cannot escape his goodness or his knowing.

Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.
(Psa 139:7-8)

Duane…My Hero.

Duane is a guy I know from the Tap Room, just down from where we live in Three Rivers, MI. Duane is a fun, sometimes goofy, sometimes eccentric, sometimes very odd guy.

I like Duane because he rides a bicycle 6 miles to come into town to enjoy a little time with his friends. He doesn’t worry about what people think, and makes choices based on his own preferences. Duane makes no attempt to reconcile his world with reality. I think it’s better that way.

Duane is a knight in shining armor defending the virtue of every woman. Duane is the hillbilly wearing chaps and cowboy boots driving his dodge dart wherever he wants and line dancing with whoever he wants. Duane is the John Wayne hero of all us lesser men.

This is a vacant lot where a building once stood on main street. I believe this was recently purchased and there are plans for a new building.