BRRRizzard!

It makes me sad that we don't post more often!

Here is a quick update:

Currently, it is blizzarding outside, which outside of the constant sirens and our apartment shaking a little, is pretty awesome!

[Living Room View]

Blizzard = two Snow Days! Thankfully, we are stocked up on all the best things, like puzzles, hot chocolate, Netflix, Sims,...

[Hardest Puzzle Ever!]

Chinese New Year is just around the corner! Thursday, we have friends coming over to make dumplings. Brad and I are hoping that we can coax them into making some chocolate ones too.

[Preparations Begin]

Meanwhile, Brad is keeping busy with baseball posts, teaching, and making videos. He also got me interested in reading a book about baseball: The Bullpen Gospels. It's funny!

I'm doing my usual school and work stuff. I've also been hanging out with a new friend. A month or two ago, I started praying for a friend - someone to watch chick flicks with or go shopping, and someone who is a Christian, so we can encourage/challenge eachother. (Not to say that I'm not super thankful for Brad, who is an amazing and loving husband. He just doesn't always share my enthusiasm for girly stuff.) Anyway, I'm pretty sure that my prayer was answered! God is good to us :)

Well, that's pretty much all the excitement here. We miss you guys a ton!

Hurry, someone else make a post!

Bradley Woodrum Bradley Woodrum Bradley Woodrum

Up to what has Bradley Woodrum been? An excellent question, Brad. Among other things, I have been engaged whole-heartedly in a campaign of Passion, a journey of Excellence, and noble pursuit of Americanism: I have been trying to get a million cat/kitten images to appear in a Google image search (GIS) for "Bradley Woodrum" and "Brad Woodrum."

Step one of this devious plan is to, you guessed it, write "Bradley Woodrum" or "Brad Woodrum" in blog-posts featuring cats slash kittens.

My less-noble, more-boring, recent pursuits include:

1) Teaching my ESL classes in Chinatown. Helping out at Cornerstone.
2) Doing some freelance editing for McGraw-Hill.
3) Finishing up my last few RU classes.
4) Writing for DRaysBay, where they treat me like, eh, maybe the son of a demi-god? Yeah, not great or anything, but they at least recognize me and say stuff like, "I think I kind of like your writing."
5) Polishing up a short story for a writing contest.
6) Learning how to write the word "meow" in Chinese. 咪.

My ESL Classes
I feel very fortunate to say I love the place I'm in right now. I really like teacher -- even though it can be a real strain sometimes -- and I suspect I'm decent at it. I can easily picture myself teaching for a while. And, with the possibility of decent income coming my way via freelance writing/editing, I should be able to work at the Pui Tak Center and still put noodles on the table.

Jamie and I have also taken leadership roles at Cornerstone (the church that formed out of our old church in Chinatown). We really love Cornerstone! It's a collection of great friends and genuine, God-fearing and God-loving people. Jamie has started helping with Hospitality and Greeting, and I'm currently serving the Children's Ministry and Worship Ministry (they want me to learn more keyboard, HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!).

I really have a burden for the Youth Ministry, though, but unfortunately we don't have any youths. So, since half the church is under age 13, the plan is to help with and learn from the Children's Ministry while we wait for the kids to get older, which can take any unknown amount of time. I'm told children age at different rates, but they don't seem to be aging at all. Go figure.

Fall Is Here

Well, it feels that the cooler weather is on it's way...and for some reason, I'm not quite ready to let go of summer yet. I've decided to have one more cookout/volleyball game which will have to take place some time in mid-late October just to try and make it last a little longer. So far there will be M&J, Dayle and Zach and Malcolm. I think probably mom & C, as well as Riley & Lynn too.

Janelle & I just finished a co-project for the upcoming Wardlow baby. Here's a photo:
Janelle found a website that shows you how to make your own stuffed animal, which ended up being pretty easy. It was really fun to do too. Sorry it's sideways.

Things have been going really well at Eastgate, especially since M&J have gotten here. The worship has gotten a much needed boost for which we are all grateful, including Riley.

Connor is turning 10 in a few days and has a big party planned. We will be out of town for the Jags game, so I'll miss it...any gift ideas would be much appreciated. I thought of movie tickets for a man-date with Matt and/or Rob & Riley to watch a guy movie and Connor says he wants some legos and video games.

Here's one more photo I took yesterday from the yard, I'm real proud of my hibiscus. We had some serious rain last night! Burning House was going to be on the beach but because of the rain it was inside. We're gonna try next month.

Dad's plans for the Sudan are starting to come together, but I'll let him update you on that. The dates will be November 15-December 2, and he will be going with Tom Randles who will stay for at least a year and Dave Pierce who will travel to and fro with dad. He is also taking the first two weeks of October off, but there are 3 trips planned during that time. One to J'ville for the game, one to Tennessee to stay in a cabin for 3 days and one to Merritt Island for a pastor's day.

I'm looking forward to hearing back from all of you kids-in fact, that is my only reason for making this post. ;o) So, please update your goings-on as soon as you have time in your busy lives. Love to you all

Mom

What I do.

Hey everybody,

I just wanted to show you an example of the stuff I'm doing at work.

The girl is the cover the piece, (it's folded), it opens up to the sky with the boy and then the top half with the mail panel would be the back of the piece.

So yup, that's me...

An Answer to Prayer, for now at least...

Thank you all so much for your prayers, God is indeed good and gracious. Sheri, my boss, has offered me my job back. She actually sent me a 3-page text at 1:30 in the morning on Saturday, which I did not receive till Sunday, but that I will transpose for you here:

"Daniel... i will explain it to you tomorrow... but you still have your job you are not going to be laid off... just thank God because of marlene('s) [my boss's boss and sister] faith in God and my faith in him we know everything will be ok... we will make it!!! We are just going to put it in his hands... and i know will do ok... God always works in mysterious ways... so have a great weekend... Sheri"

Apparently, this all stemmed from a brief conversation I had with Marlene earlier last week. It was, in fact, my first real conversation with her, wherein she apologized for having to let me go and told me as soon as it picked back up she would be calling me. I mentioned in the conversation how I had full faith that God will get a me a job and take care of the whole situation. Anyway, something must've struck her funny because she and Sheri stayed up late Saturday night discussing the business and myself, and they decided to take a chance and keep me on in faith that the business will do well.

So it is an answer to prayers, at least for now... :) Thank you all so very much for your prayers, I know it was the only way this could've happened. I am still making $12 an hour, 40 hours a week, which is way better than any other job I was looking at switching to. So, I shall stay the course, feel free to say I should do otherwise, I am open to discussion.

Thanks again,

Daniel

Dad & I had a great time in Chicago (see Rob & Brad at Navy Pier), and then in Jacksonville. It is always so great to be able to see you kids. In fact, it's our favorite part of any trip we take.

I'm still working my 3 jobs, but they all add up to about 2-4 days a week. I have time for another one but we'll see what comes up...

Next Sunday we will be beginning construction at Eastgate, literally taking down the ceiling. I'm excited about that, though I know it will be a lot of work too. Yesterday at the end of the Sunday meeting, Rob made a general kind of altar call for salvation or re-dedication ...where he asked people to come up to the front of the room (which he never does) for prayer, and my mom went up. Afterward, I went to her and we hugged, but she didn't' seem to want to talk about it. I'm not sure what was going on, but we're going over to their house today, and maybe she'll feel like talking. Chuckie is starting to volunteer in the media room, managing the camera feeds, which he LOVES. He admitted that he gets kind of "tired" of the singing, but being at the computer enabled him to be right in his element.

Dad did a wedding last Saturday out in the countryside near Vernon, in a church building that was built around 1867. It is listed on the historical registry, and it was quite beautiful. All of the wood was original, and because of the natural oils in it, peoples hand and footprints were left on pieces of the wood used for the ceiling. You could even see a few bear prints. There was no a/c, just windows open and a wonderful breeze blowing through. Afterward, the reception food was outside on a big table like the one at Papa's old church. In the cemetery next to the building, there were graves for young men that fought in the civil war. I posted a picture of the wedding on FB.

I'm looking forward to seeing you girls and Matt in a few weeks, and really looking forward to the big move for M & J. It's still a big unknown, but I know that God has something great in store-

Mom

movies

Moments of time in Chicago: