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January 2013

To all the Saints of Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church,

Greetings in our Lord Jesus Christ!  I hope everyone had a blessed Advent season and a Merry Christmas.  In reality, how couldn’t you when it’s God’s Word that brings us to be penitential within Advent - along with putting into our ears the wonder of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, thus, making it a Merry Christmas?  And now we can look forward to Him bringing about a blessed Epiphany and Pre-Lent season.

I am taking this second Grace Notes opportunity to give you a little bit more information about myself, Kelli, and Phoebe.  Samuel will be along soon enough to reveal himself and what he’s all about in February.  For now, he’s showing an interest in playing soccer and doing stretching exercises while waiting to be born (you mothers know what is being said here).

There’s always a lot of pondering that happens when new people arrive on the scene: What are they like?  What interests do they have?  Are they approachable or do they keep to themselves?  Well, I thought this article could answer some of those questions so you can learn a little more about the newly arrived Carver family. (If you read last month’s Grace Notes, or the biography that was in the Installation bulletin, then you were informed of the beginnings of who we are as a family.) 

Kelli and I both enjoy athletics (myself having a track & field background and Kelli having a volleyball, basketball, and softball background), but we also enjoy the outdoors very much.  Both of us have done some camping in the past:  Kelli used to go with her family to the Colorado Rockies, and when I lived in southern California (Pasadena) I used visit a friend who lived in South Lake Tahoe and we did a lot of hiking, mountain biking and camping.

Having a television and film background I have introduced Kelli to new aspects when it comes to watching movies, namely, how they might do certain special effects, and other issues involving sound (although she admits she has not been able to watch them quite the same ever since).  We thankfully possess an understanding that television can be a wonderful tool for staying informed and being entertained, but to keep it from hindering focused, quality together time as a family (as much as television can these days), we make sure that there are times when we either read books together, play cards & board games, or go for walks.

Outside of absolutely loving being a homemaker (and at that she is a blessing indeed), Kelli also enjoys singing good solid hymnody and chorals within the Church and mainly country songs outside of the Church.  She also plays the piano (being the Church pianist in Montana for nearly 2 years).  She has taken the time to learn how to play the organ and looks forward to practicing again after getting settled a bit following Samuel’s birth.  Another thing she picked up while living in Montana was gardening.  The growing period up there was only 60 days because of the short summer.  She is looking forward to longer growth time and hopes to have a green thumb here in California.

Phoebe is your typical energetic 4 year old.  She is very excited to learn how to read and write, and especially looks forward to making lots of friends.  She enjoys watching a TV show called My Little Pony.  Some of you may have seen her various pony friends that she carries with her (please don’t ask me to name them all).  She has taken swimming and gymnastics lessons in the past and looks forward to the possibility of continuing that in the future.  She says that when she grows up she wants to be an art teacher as well as a Sunday School teacher (we’ll just wait and see what God has in store).

First and foremost, I enjoy spending my time off by simply being with family.  I have already taken them to see the Pacific Ocean, Muir Woods, and little bit of downtown San Francisco - but I realize there is so much more to do.  I very much look forward to doing the various things there are to do in northern California.  As long as we are together it will be that much more special.  Outside of this I also enjoy running, biking, and swimming early in the mornings (because it’s the only time it won’t interfere with family time or work).  I enjoy watching college football when I can and grew up with my brother Tim admiring old cars (especially muscle cars).

The majority of my office time is then spent searching the Holy Scriptures so that God’s Word can be rightly divided and properly proclaimed to God’s people.  Of course there are other things that are involved (i.e. visitations to shut-ins, teaching the Grace Lutheran students, Daily Offices, mid-week Bible studies, Grace Notes articles, and, of course, preparations for Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter and basically every Sunday that falls outside of these).  By the grace of God I look forward to faithfully carrying this out for all the saints at Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Now you know a bit more about us and what we enjoy.  You have learned a little of what we are like; you know a few of what our interests are, and, by all means, I certainly hope that you know that we’re approachable.  We look forward to getting to know you.

With you IN Christ Jesus!