Ramblings

John Newton has done it again...

2010-12-05T16:55:00.001-08:00

John Newton, 1779, from Olney Hymns, vol. 1, hymn 126

1. I would, but cannot sing,
Guilt has untuned my voice;
The serpent sin's envenomed sting
Has poisoned all my joys.

2. I know the Lord is nigh,
And would, but cannot, pray;
For Satan meets me when I try,
And frights my soul away.

3. I would but can't repent
Though I endeavor oft;
This stony heart can ne'er relent
Till Jesus make it soft.

4. I would but cannot love,
Though wooed by love divine;
No arguments have pow'r to move
A soul so base as mine.

5. I would, but cannot rest
In God's most holy will;
I know what he appoints is best,
Yet murmur at it still!

6. Oh could I but believe!
Then all would easy be;
I would, but cannot, Lord relieve,
My help must come from thee!

7. But if indeed I would,
Though I can nothing do,
Yet the desire is something good,
For which my praise is due.

8. By nature prone to ill,
Till thine appointed hour
I was as destitute of will,
As now I am of pow'r

9. Wilt thou not crown, at length,
The work thou hast begun?
And with a will, afford me strength
In all thy ways to run.

Evangelicals and Glenn Beck (OneNewsNow.com)

2010-09-22T04:12:00.000-07:00

Evangelicals and Glenn Beck (OneNewsNow.com)

This article, although long, is well worth the read.

A study worth going through

2010-04-04T05:14:00.000-07:00

Trailer for Gospel in Life from Redeemer City to City on Vimeo.

The Book of Knights - Yves Meynard

2010-03-07T05:48:00.000-08:00

This is a marvelous well written book. It is a fantasy, but an easy and pretty straightforward read. For those looking for a book that looks deeper into life, courage and wisdom and for growing into maturity, this is it. Good for adventure and hard to put down.

The author has written several books in French, and I think has done a great job in English!

A Time to Talk

2010-01-02T14:03:00.000-08:00

This poem by Robert Frost cuts to the quick. I want so much to do this more often, but find it hard. So this is my prayer for today "Lord grant me a greater love for people than for getting things done."

When a friend calls to me from the road
And slows his horse to a meaning walk,
I don't stand still and look around
On all the hills I haven't hoed,
And shout from where I am, What is it?
No, not as there is a time to talk.
I thrust my hoe in the mellow ground,
Blade-end up and five feet tall,
And plod: I go up to the stone wall
For a friendly visit.

Marva Dawn

2009-12-19T04:41:00.000-08:00

If you have not read Marva Dawn, then you ought to. I am sad to say my list of books I am currently reading has had to undergo a reality check, so I must put this one down to read later.

Advanced Driving Skills School

2009-10-22T17:24:00.000-07:00

Yup - it's back to school and fun it was. This is a rather tame picture, but one of the few I have. At the beginning of the day, we were learning how to change direction quickly without loosing control of the car. Switching over 1 lane, then 2 without braking, sliding or taking out instructors and photographers who were standing right in front of us signaling us when to change lanes.

We began the day with a chalk talk to learn the basics of vehicle dynamics, but spent most of the day on the skid pad. I know all about understeer, oversteer, steering with the throttle, secondary weight transfer and power-slides and put them to good use on the figure 8 and auto cross courses. Check it out I just may go on to the High Performance school in the fall and put in some track time!

Spiritual Discernment

2009-10-20T18:16:00.000-07:00

Rarely have I found so many people I respect recommend a book as highly as this one. I am in the middle of reading it and find it quite good. More later. In the meantime check out the author Tim Challies' web site. Check it out.

"Nowhere did I find the quality of that preacher"

2009-10-05T17:03:00.000-07:00

I've had this book set aside for a long time hoping to get to read it one day. A couple of weekends ago, I finally got to read it when a friend offered us a weekend getaway at their parents summer home near the Botanical Gardens near Boothbar Harbor. Here is one of the delightful and surpizing passages from the book. Written in 1962, Steinbeck observers something still needed to be seen by evangelicals today. A reminder also I think of the knowledge of God in everyone (Romans Chapter 1)

"Sunday morning, in a Vermont town, my last day in New England, I shaved, dressed in a suit, polished my shoes, whited my sepulcher, and looked for a church to attend. Several I eliminated for reasons I do not now remember, but on seeing a John Knox church I drove into a side street and parked Rocinante out of sight, gave Charley his instructions about watching the truck, and took my way with dignity to a church of blindingly white ship lap. I took my seat in the rear of. the spotless, polished place of worship. The prayers were to the point, directing the attention of the Almighty to certain weaknesses and undivine tendencies I know to be mine and could only suppose were shared by others gathered there.

The service did my heart and I hope my soul some good. It had been long since I had heard such an approach. It is our practice now, at least in the large cities, to find from our psychiatric priesthood that our sins aren't really sins at all but accidents that are set in motion by forces beyond our control. There was no such nonsense in this church. The minister, a man of iron with tool-steel eyes and a delivery like a pneumatic drill, opened up with prayer and reassured us that we were a pretty sorry lot. And he was right. We didn't amount to much to start with, and due to our own tawdry efforts we had been slipping ever since. Then, having softened us up, he went into a glorious sermon, a fire-and-brimstone sermon. Having proved that we, or perhaps only I, were no damn good, he painted with cool certainty what was likely to happen to us if we didn't make some basic reorganizations for which he didn't hold out much hope. He spoke of hell as an expert, not the mush-mush hell of these soft days, but a well-stoked, white-hot hell served by technicians of the first order. This reverend brought it to a point where we could understand it, a good hard coal fire, plenty of draft, and a squad of open-hearth devils who put their hearts into their work, and their work was me. I began to feel good all over. For some years now God has been a pal to us, practicing togetherness, and that causes the same emptiness a father does playing softball with his son. But this Vermont God cared enough about me to go to a lot of trouble kicking the hell out of me. He put my sins in a new perspective. Whereas they had been small and mean and nasty and best forgotten, this minister gave them some size and bloom and dignity. I hadn't been thinking very well of myself for some years, but if my sins had this dimen sion there was some pride left. I wasn't a naughty child but a first rate sinner, and I was going to catch it.

I felt so revived in spirit that I put five dollars in the plate, and afterward, in front of the church, shook hands warmly with the minister and as many of the congregation as I could. It gave me a lovely sense of evil-doing that lasted clear through till Tuesday. "

-- John Steinbeck in Travels With Charlie -- page 79

Engaging Your Emotions Against Evil

2009-07-01T03:12:00.000-07:00

I don't like the title for this book, but the contents really captivated me. The subtitle much more accurately describes what the book is about.

Prayer requests often seem so weak, because we are not really sure what God's will is. Not wanting to be presumtuous, I often think as I pray, "if it is your will, Lord". But then this puts me in the frame of mind where I don't really expect God to answer my prayer. He is going to go ahead and do what He wants to do whatever I ask. So my prayer is emptied of emotion.

This book was helpful in my seeing that "Jesus didn't ask his disciples to pray according to his will and then neglect to let them know what it was."(page 51) We know what God's character is and the intentions he has for us. There is not as much need to put a reign on my prayers as I have been doing. I am not sure how God will work out the circumstances and I am glad I can leave that to Him, but there is plenty I do know and plenty he has asked me to pray about, and with no caveats. So my prayers are now more decisive and persistent.

This would make a good book to use for our Family Reunion this summer. If anyone is interested in it -- let me know and I'll order you a copy - shipped direct to your home in time to at least look through it.

Compost

2009-05-05T17:48:00.001-07:00

I had real good luck with the compost this year. It is nice and light and black with little junk in it. I use grass clippings, kitchen wastes, leaves and stuff from the garden. I usually put it at the far side in the picture and turn it to the left -- then reverse and turn it to the right and then back again where it ends up in the bin on the end.

This year's garden

2009-05-05T17:34:00.000-07:00

We managed to get a yard of nice clean wood chips when the delivery next door would not fit in the space available. The carpet is wearing out - so the wood chips arrived just in time to spread them out in the paths. I thined the forsythia out and gave away a bunch of them to neighbors and friends. I've also torn out a lot of the dogwood at the edge of the garden. My brush pile is now 6 feet high and about 10 foot wide and 10 fit high - after jumping on it several times! Got to take it all to the dump soon.

Broccli and lettuce has been planted.

Perkins Poetry

2009-03-09T16:11:00.000-07:00

The following two poems were found in a undated (about 20 years ago) special edition of a Second Parish OPC Newsletter called All Creatures Great & Small.

Deep in the forest of the Amazon jungle
is this place I know.
In this place where the cheetah has no spots,
the zebra has not a single stripe,
the banana is always ripe,
the giraffe has no neck,
and the woodpecker does not peck,
is a rare and most unusual treasure.
This treasure fulfills every worldly pleasure,
but to obtain it an exchange must be made:
The human soul for this unusual treasure.
Woe to the man who makes this trade
and follows his greedy desire,
for he shall burn in the eternal fire
when he dies and leaves his treasure.
Ha! He will pay to the fullest measure
for his foolish action.
Now we must leave this place
and leave not a trace
of our being here.
My friends, let us leave this treasure
to the animals who have no souls to give.
Let us not follow our fantasies and wildest dreams

or we may not fulfill our purpose in life.
This purpose is to love God
and feed our cats and dogs.

--Andrew Perkins

Have a good day in Zion,
Said the lion to the sheep;
For if you venture from its gates,
It surely will be for keeps.
--Dana Perkins

Pictures

2008-08-10T06:02:00.000-07:00

Checkout the two sets of pictures Matt's visit in July and our trip to Boise.

Smiley

2008-07-03T17:48:00.000-07:00

Joan has been hapilly volunteering at Mercy Hospital arranging flowers for sale. She has a talent for this and much to her delight is being trained by a retired Florist. Ask her about it - she loves to talk about it!

Keyed Up

2008-07-03T17:46:00.000-07:00

World Flute Trio

2008-06-07T06:09:00.000-07:00

Carl Dimow (bass flute), Nicole Rabata (Irish Flute) and Phil Nyuokai (shakuhacki flute) gave us one grand time last night. This was an amazing blend of Irish, Japanese, Jewish and European music. Ever hear an Irish-Japanese Blues? We did - I think the first time that they played it - so there is no recording of it, but it was some sweet music that left me feeling alive and soothed. I thought the opening footstomper (with an Japanese shakuhacki?-- ya!) was going to be the best, but it just kept getting better. Especially nice was classical guitarist Nathan Kolosko who joined Carl for 2 numbers. The most amazing piece was the last number where there was the most awesome blending of Irish flute and Japanese flute with a suporting bass flute melding into the turns the Irish flute and Japanese flute took at playing melodies that were hard to say were either Irish or Japanese -- they were both at the same time. It is like the music was made for each other's instruments! Here is a link to their site, but the concert was so much better than any samples I found. The World Flute Trio.

Flowers in Backyard on June 01, 2008

2008-06-04T17:08:00.000-07:00

Allium

One of my favorites and one of more than 11 flowers in bloom in the back yard.

For more pictures go to flickr

Three in one

2008-06-03T17:59:00.000-07:00

I bet not everyone can catch 3 woodchucks at one time in one trap!

Celebration Extraordinaire

2008-06-01T03:37:00.000-07:00

If's off to Spruce Point for our 37th Wedding Anniversary!

Nestled away in the woods on the edge of the ocean.
We enjoyed some time on deck
Viewing and listening to the waves
Watching the schooners pass bye.
more on flickr.com

Celebratory Toast

2008-05-12T03:26:00.000-07:00

Joan is just getting over a wicked cold so we postponed the culinary celebration of our 37th wedding anniversary. We did however post a toast and bent the elbow with a good Smithwick's Pale Ale using the mugs Andrew got us while in Europe.
I wanted to include some words of wisdom, but the head to page translater isn't working this morning.

Budge wants YOU!

2008-03-11T04:13:00.000-07:00

Scribbled on the back of this photo in Dan's handwriting is " I pity the fool who took a picture of me. Budge wants you for the U.S. Army."

Budge's 1986 Picture

2008-02-16T17:56:00.001-08:00

I had a really neat picture of Budge to put here, taken in 1986, but his views have changed so much I don't think he'd want me to post it. He even gave the picture a title with a subtitle. Dan -- you want to take a chance and have me post it?

2008-02-16T17:43:00.000-08:00

And Matt's smile hasn't changed much either!

Knight

2008-02-16T16:44:00.000-08:00

I'm guessing that the carving on the mantle is not really randomly placed but was put there by an all knowing and seeing God. Dad carved the knight many years ago. Andrew's smile today looks much the same as it did in the third grade (1986).

Snow Snow Snow

2007-12-21T03:59:00.001-08:00

Snow.... snow .... snow!
3 Big storms in little more than a week. Soon Pepper will be home free!

The Grand Finale

2007-10-27T18:30:00.000-07:00

There really are no words that I could use to describe the feeling one has when one walks into this scene. I think Julie could do it justice, but I can't.

What goes "POP" in the oven?

2007-10-15T17:13:00.000-07:00

Question: What goes "POP" in the oven?

Answer: Eggplant Pate

Joan was interested in trying a new recipie for this delicacy. She really did punch several holes in it before placing it in the oven...

2007-10-15T03:28:00.000-07:00

Saturday we decided to head up to the Maine Botanical Gardens in BoothBay to see how things looked in October and to visit a few of the areas we had not been too on our last visit. We also wanted to see how much the fairy (imaginary kind) village had changed (more on that later). There were still lots of flowers in bloom.

When I took a picture of this carved out and polished in places rock, I didn't see the birch trees. It wasn't until I looked through the camera that I saw it. Kind of like looking at things through another's eyes...

Then I could not help but notice the reflection every time I looked.

2007-10-13T06:23:00.000-07:00

And this is what it looks like from the other side!

2007-10-13T06:13:00.000-07:00

This is what the tree looks like today.

2007-10-11T03:50:00.000-07:00

This photo is not as spectactular as the one I posted in 2004, but it has in its own mood much to commend it.

Sebago Lake Basin

2007-10-07T17:02:00.000-07:00

Joan and I love to drive around and look at the scenery this time of year. Today we went up to Sebago Lake Basin and read while we watched the sun set. The colors are not yet at their peak. It has been dry, so the rain of yesterday won't be enough to bring out the color that might otherwise be, but the glory still appears. Lynn - the sailboat is to continue the theme.

Pemaquid in August

2007-10-07T04:05:00.000-07:00

Standing on the top of this fort and looking at the view, one can not help but think of the contrasts in situations people find themselves in. We are either fighting our battles , sailing or anchored safely in harbor.

Kayak Season

2007-10-06T06:39:00.000-07:00

September and October seem to be the times when Joan and I get the most Kayaking in - as we realise the summer is almost over and we haven't been out on the water much.

We have been out a couple of times in September but haven't had the camera along. But we will be going out in October - and with the camera, as the color is well on its way.

The picture here was taken two weekends ago at our annual Church Retreat. We had a great time in the word looking at the book of Mark and would have gone out in one of these sailboats - had we not had to pickup the dog at the kennel. Next year we will probably bring Pepper along. She loves kayaking but has never been sailing...

Andrews Birthday celebrated from a distance

2007-02-07T20:49:00.000-08:00

Dave Stewart and Joan eagerly decorating Andrew's cake.

For more photos go here.

Thanksgiving in Boise!

2006-11-30T04:23:00.000-08:00

DSC00112, originally uploaded by Dana Perkins.

Click on the photo to see more!

Gid plays the robin

2006-11-29T17:29:00.000-08:00

I needed to get this post up quickly so Lynn's mom would have something to look at. More Pictures to come!

Corn

2006-10-10T16:53:00.000-07:00

Bought a new camera today -- The old one has served us well, but we needed something with more than 1.3 megapixels. Got a Canon PowerShot A540 - a few steps above what you have Dan, but basically the same (6 megapixels) This one will soon be off the market, so got a good price on it. More to come!

Pumpkin Buns

2006-10-10T16:44:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we took a trip toward the Rangely Lakes. This picture is for Lynn.

Smithwicks Irish Ale

2006-03-04T04:14:00.000-08:00

My ability to describe the taste of beers and to distinquish the nutty, fruity, metallic etc... nuances is non existent. I like a beer or not and it is because it taste good or not. Aftertaste can be bad or good. There can be no aftertaste and that is its own virture. I supposed all the nutty, fruity, metallic etc... qualities of the beer is what makes me like or dislike a particular beer, but to describe it -- that is not a natural or acquired ability for me.

So Smithwick's Irish Ale has a thumbs up vote from me just because I like it. Tuesday night Joan and I ventured down to the Peddler's Daughter Resturant in Haverall, MA to have dinner with Joan's sister Mary. When it came to choosing an ale, they were out of the one I wanted to try (it had a nice name), so Smithwick's was served up. I wasn't disappointed. Definitely good with very little aftertaste.

Looking on the web this morning I ran across a site where people rate beers. Much to my delight, I found my ability to distinquish taste has good company. Smithwick's, according to some has no metalic taste, but lots of metallic taste to others. It has a head, and it doesn' have a head. It is very hoppy, and then again it isn't. I've come to the conclusion this difference of opinion is because either there are people with as little ability as I or everyone's tastes buds function differently and make the taste a different experience.

Entering into the text...

2006-02-22T03:50:00.000-08:00

I have been reading through the book of John. Yesterday I read "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him ." Joh 3:36.

You have to really carefully read this sentence to be sure you hear what it is saying. It does not say "those who believe in the Son have life and those that don't won't have eternal life. " It says those who believe will -- and those who don't obey won't. A very interesting way to say that belief involves entering into the drama God has prepared for us. It just so happens, that Eugene Peterson follows what I quoted yesterday with the following relevant comment about reading Scripture.

"We enter the world of the text, the world in which God is subject, in order to become participants in the text. We have our part to play in this text, a part that is given to us by the Holy Spirit. As we play our part we become part-icipants.

We are given this book so that we can imaginatively and believingly enter the world of the text and follow Jesus. John Calvin in his treatment of Holy Scripture is commonly cited in this regard "all right knowledge of God is born of obedience". There is hardly a Scripture exegete or translator of any standing in the Ch5ristian community who hasn't said the same thing.

If we have not entered this text as participants we aren't going to understand what is going on. This text cannot be understood by watching from the bleachers -- or even from expensive box seats. We are in on it."

-- Eugene Peterson in "Eat This Book" page 69

Reading Peterson's "Eat This Book"

2006-02-18T05:59:00.000-08:00

It has been difficult to write as there is to much going around in my head, but I thought the following quote from Eugene Peterson's book "Eat This Book" (pg 46) was right on the mark for my current mindset. He is talking here about reading the Scriptures.

The vast and embracing world of revelation to which our spirituality text gives witness is a narrative form that is badly served when we either atomize or privatize it. We obscure the form when we atomize Scripture by dissecting it, analyzing it like a specimen in the laboratory. Every detail of Scripture is worth pursuing endlessly; no scholarly attention expended over this text is ever wasted. But when the impersonal objectivity of the laboratory technician replaces the adoring dalliance of a lover, we end up with file drawers full of information, organized for our convenience as occasions present themselves.

He goes on to say.

It ceases to function as revelation for us. Far too many contemporary spiritualities, as befits our technological age, are obsessed with technique. If the Christian Scriptures are treated as just another tool for enlightenment or access to the knowledge that is power, sacrilege has been committed. We also obscure the form when we privatize Scripture, using it for what we are wont to call "inspiration." Our Holy Scriptures, of course, are pervasively personal. We are personally commanded and blessed, rebuked and comforted, warned and guided. But personal is not the same as private. Privacy is possessive and isolating. The private is what is withdrawn from the common good for individual control or use or enjoyment; it is stealing. When we privatize Scripture we embezzle the common currency of God's revelation. But Scripture is never that — the revelation draws us out of ourselves, out of our fiercely guarded individualities, into the world of responsibility and community and salvation — God's sovereignty. "Kingdom" is the primary biblical metaphor for it.

The good reader...

2006-02-17T17:19:00.000-08:00

The good reader is one who has imagination, memory, a dictionary, and some artistic sense.... Since the master artist used his imagination in creating his book, it is natural and fair that the consumer of a book should use his imagination too.

-- Vladimir Nabokov "Good Readers and Good Writers

Son ... Father

2006-02-10T19:11:00.000-08:00

And here is the uniform

2006-02-10T19:05:00.000-08:00

If you look close -- you can see Cindy's red hair as well.

November 1960

2006-02-10T18:55:00.000-08:00

Here is proof I once had red hair. No -- I did not doctor the photo. What you see is what you would have seen if you were there. Twelve years old... yup I was playing trumpet then.

Reading

2006-02-10T18:52:00.000-08:00

"We read books to find out who we are... A person who had never listened to nor read a tale or myth or parable or story, would remain ignorant of his own emotional and spiritual heights and depths, would not know quite fully what it is to be human."

-- Ursual La Guin, The Langage of the Night

Confidence

2006-02-08T18:12:00.000-08:00

My peace and satisfaction comes not so much from my level of competence as by my doing what God wants me to do. Contemplation (a lifestyle guided by reading, meditation and prayer) is what gets me there. I am taking time to reflect....

Blogging

2006-01-23T16:52:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it has been so long since I have posted. I have created a few drafts, but haven't finished them. I really am amazed at God's Providence. So many things have fit together in the past few weeks, that it is only a reluctant soul that could deny the existence of God. More on that topic if I ever finish the draft...

Guatemala Team Update

2006-01-23T16:45:00.000-08:00

Since Julie and Dan haven't seen each other for awhile, we may not hear from them for a couple of days. If you would like to check out some detail on what Dan has been up to, check out this link. It is the latest letter from the team leader with lots of detail.

Curtis Comes Through

2005-12-27T13:49:00.000-08:00

Two days before Christmas I wondered up to say hi to Curtis at Book Traders. Since Curtis is often the last book dealer on people's list I never expected him to have a book Dad wanted. When I asked for books by Helen Nearing, he didn't think he had them either, but low and behold he had the one book that Dad was looking for (Light on Aging and Dying); hardcover, in good shape and only $5.00. Made my day, and Curtis's.

Cervical Relief

2005-12-27T05:39:00.000-08:00

Thanks to your prayers, God's grace and some physical therapy I am now pain free! Will be blogging more again; I really miss doing it.

Cervical Oblique

2005-12-13T17:48:00.000-08:00

In case some of you were wondering, here is proof I have some backbone.

It's not the typical way you might look at me, but this is what I look like to an x-ray machine.

Indication: Neck pain and paresthesias. No History of trauma.

Findings: There is no evidence for acute fracture, subluxation, or abnormal prevertebfal soft tissue swelling. The intervertebral disc spaces appear preserved and the nerual foramina appear pattent bitlaterally.

Impression: No obvious fracture. Should the patient's symptoms persist, further evaluation with MRI would be suggested.

In other words, no-one really knows why I've got a genuine pain in the neck that comes and goes and won't let me sleep anywhere but on my back with me looking straight up at the ceiling. Try sleeping that way all night for several nights! It's weird, the Doctor can't do anything for me and Advil won't touch the pain, but a light touch with my fingers on the side of my neck and the pain goes away (that is until I remove my finger). I'll work with a physical therapist for a week - then try some more drastic manipulation with a DO. Pray for me -- I'm headed to Boston Thursday for a Microsoft Seminar.

Trust Offered

2005-12-06T03:25:00.000-08:00

Trust offered is a rare experience -- so yesterday's noon time adventure at Marcy's Diner threw me off guard. I was feeling particularly discouraged so decided a hamburger and community at my favorite diner would provide some relief.

Right after I ordered the hamburger I had this horrible thought about an empty wallet. I quickly checked and found only three dollars for a four dollar hamburger. Much to my surprise, the waitress told me if I was coming back another time, just bring the rest. She wasn't looking for the money today, just whenever. My stomach and spirits lept for joy as I was hungry and didn't know if I could quite survive the trip to the bank and back.

What really amazes me about this experience, is the offer she made. As I remember it (hunger may have clouded my memory) she offered to trust me for the remainder. I wondered, did I look that desperate? I doubt it - I just think she had a compasionate heart...

By the way -- check out the link to Marcy's Diner. You'll see a picture of the place. It is right next to where I work, and is mostly locals who eat there. It is inexpensive - good food - and friendly. Being next to the Maine College of Art, it also has some very interestingly dressed artists who are making statements that aren't at all to clear to me...

Gideon - The Clown

2005-11-26T18:28:00.000-08:00

You gotta love this one!

Thanksgiving Dinner

2005-11-26T18:08:00.000-08:00

Here is one Thanksgiving Picture with the people and so little food in view - but the table is loaded full and the same was said of our bellies a short while later. We celebrated Thanksgiving on Friday instead of Thursday as Bear and family flew in on Thursday and Dad, Sue and Cindy came up on Friday to join us. It was the first time Cindy and Dad had been up for many years and it was good to see them. After dinner we had Evening Prayer after the Anglican Tradition.

Dad also took to the playing the dulcimer he build for us many years ago from his own plans and kit he designed. The strings needed to be replaced, but he did play a tune he composed many years ago when Cindy was in California and worried parents were wondering what she was dong. I've already forgotten the title of the tune, but I'll slip it in here later.

And here is Dad with his two Great Grandsons.

UplandHarma Books

2005-11-23T03:33:00.000-08:00

One of the joys of traveling is getting to explore used book stores. It is even nicer when the book store owner likes to talk about his business. Jerry Haley of Uplandharma Books in Upland, Indiana is one such bookowner, and we had a great time talking about pricing of books, what books to stock and to stalk, what books to have to attract customers in the store, and the differences in bookstores due to geographical locations. Jerry shares the same admiration for reprints with the old fashioned decorated hardcovers as I do as we talked at some lenght some about these reprints. The book in my hand in the photo is a limited edition reprint # 454 of 500 of "Wings" by Gene Stratton-Porter that goes for $71.75 in his store. Later in the day, we went to Gene Stratton-Porter's home on the edge of the Limberlost Swamp (remember reading "Freckles" or "The Girl of the Limberlost"?) and found several copies of the book for under $45.oo!

The Limberlost Swamp was drained during Gene's lifetime and she moved several miles away to a lakeside property to continue her writings. Shorltly after that she went to Hollywood to put some of her books to film. You can buy them on DVD at the store behind the sign in the picture

Apples for pies

2005-11-22T13:46:00.000-08:00

I've fallen way behind in posting the pictures and telling the stories of a trip to Indiana. So here is a picture appropriate for what Joan is now doing -- making an apple (cranbery) pie, although not from the apples in the orchard in the picture. Unfortunately, we left the apples at Dan and Julie's house. Hope you guys have made a pie from what we left!

On the left is a biology prof at Taylor. He was quite knowledgeble about apples and it just happens to be his orchard. Most of these trees have multiple grafs on them, which mean several varieties on a single tree. It's not often you get to taste so many different apples to compare them. My memory being what it is, I can't remember which one I liked best, and probably couldn't get it anywhere else if I could remember it!

Community

2005-11-14T18:37:00.000-08:00

One of the things one normally loses when leaving one group to join another -- is a shared history. I am talking about the knowledge one gains about another person through contact with them under a variety of circumstances. Knowledge that allows space to make a mistake or even to sin or forgive. Knowledge that builds memories to share at a later date. Knowledge that allows communication by a look or a trigger word that communicates by the memory of some shared experience. Joan and I have lost a lot of that in leaving Second Parish.

For 6 weeks Joan and I have been exploring various Christian Communities in the Portland area. Since we were visiting Anglican communities, we did feel a great sense of shared history as we participated in hymns we had always sung, hymns we knew were sung by Christians from centuries back, reponsively read Psalms that have even more history etc. But it is time now to get back into community. For us - as we find a temporary community (and maybe permanent home) at Christ The Redeemer, we are moving into a community with a lot of our old friends! We also then will be moving back into a community with which we have a lot of personal history already. What a blessing!

Chant & Polyphony

2005-11-10T04:09:00.000-08:00

Tuesday night Joan and I went to hear Chants sung by the Cathedral Schola Cantorum in just the right setting, a hugh cathedral. The cathedral setting has as much history as the chants themselves. The REC has introduced us to chants and I love using them in worship as a response in song to God when He speaks to us through His word. The ones we heard Tuesday night were all polyphony. The only downside is that they were all in latin. We had the english words, but as a tool in worship, you gotta use english if that is all you speak! The chants will continue every Tuesday evening until Dec 20.

History of the church building from Portland Landmarks:
The original cathedral was lost in the Great Fire of 1866 while still under construction. The present cathedral, a massive brick structure anchoring a soaring 200-foot spire, was completed in 1869 and represents an urban adaptation of Gothic style. On the day of consecration in September 1869, a severe storm blew down the main steeple, hurling it across the street and smashing a neighboring rooftop. the present steeple, crowned with a gilt cross, was completed a month later. The magnificent stained glass windows were brought from Munich in 1910 to line the nave, while the rose window over the main entrance dates to 1869

Book Traders

2005-11-09T11:58:00.000-08:00

I have never found Curtis in too optimistic a mood, but today was the lowest I have ever seen him. Curtis runs Book Traders used book store just up the street and I can be found there at least once a week around noon-time looking over his books. Curtis was in a talkative mood today, but it was mostly about how bad business was. It seems Portand's social policy has attracted a lot of people downtown to his area who can only afford coffee and doughnuts. Some of these are nice people, but not the whole crowd.

His story today centered around a rather plump guy who "can't stop at eating one doughnut" and whose glutony evidenced itself in Curtis catching him walking out the store with 100 of his video's in a bag. Curtis dumped the bag out and threw the guy's bag out into the middle of the street, telling the guy that if it was ten years ago, he would be throwing his you know what out there as well.

Curtis told me this story just after the story about the police, who don't come when he reports crime. Catching someing peeing on his storefront in the middle of the afternoon and reporting it resulted in only a casual remark "That is only George being George". Well that set Curtis off on a tirade which I won't bother to repeat here...

Portland, in Curtis's opinion, is only interested in the Old Port Area. He loves Portland, but is really down now. He says Sunday he only bought in $25 worth of business. He says he will be lucky to make it through the winter. I'm calling all my friends this evening to go give him a visit. That's Book Traders at 561 Congress Street in Portland. Call 207-773-1840 and tell him you are cheering for him and that Dana says to hang in there...

Vist with Julie, Dan and Sam

2005-11-08T17:55:00.000-08:00

"Can you hear me now" Verizon missed a spot -- the entire inside of the house. Here is Julie making a cell phone call to her folks.

Our trip was so full of fun and activity, that I'll have to give it to you piecemeal. Coming attractions include a visit to Dan's Hydrology class and tour of Taylor University, an evening with Wendell Berry, an evening with Julie's parents, Bohnaza gametime, a trip to Gene Stratton-Porter's cabin by the Limberlost Swamp, a morning jog and a visit to the local used bookstore. Stay tuned...

A Severe Mercy

2005-11-02T16:31:00.000-08:00

My noontime walk today took me up Congress Street in the direction of Cunningham Books. As I walked, I talked .. to Dad on the cell phone as I hadn't talked to him in a few days. We got to talking of CS Lewis. Apparantly he hasn't been able to find a used copy of "A Grief Observed", so I thought I just ought to take a look at Cunningham's, as I can almost always find what I want there. Not to long ago I picked up his "Letters to Children" which is a very good read. Many children wrote to him about his characters in Chronicles of Narnia. Some of the letters were children asking some pretty good moral questions of Lewis, which he answer so simply, without condescention.

I didn't find "A Grief Observed", but I did find A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken, which is a marvelous story of Sheldon and his wife, who shortly after they get married dies of cancer. The book includes 18 letters from CS Lewis to Sheldon, as Sheldon attempts to deal with his wife's death. The book was written before CS Lewis was married and thus before Lewis faced the same tragedy. So - I bought the book at $6.00 (a hardcover in great shape!) and inside of 30 minutes had it packaged, addressed and mailed! The joys of working downtown....

Kayak Surfing on Highland Lake

2005-10-30T16:00:00.000-08:00

Today's stiff winds were not unlike our trip to Nequassett Lake the year we bought Joan's kayak. There were plenty of whitecaps out on the main part of the lake and we had to turn around shortly after setting out. We put in from a sheltered area on the South end of the lake. As usual - Joan, eager to get onto the lake puts a lot of energy into the start of the trip. She did all right against a stiff wind. I failed to get many pictures up ahead, as the whitecaps appeared and the going got rough. But we got far enough out into the lake to take advantage of the nearly 2 foot waves to do a little surfing on the way back in.

Can you guess what Joan is doing in this picture?

1. Getting ready to jump out?
2. Shielding the sun from her eyes?
3. Rowing the wind?
4. Telling me I've taken enough pictures?

Feel free in the comnments to add to the multiple choice questions. After a few days - I'll tell you what she was really trying to do...

This one is just a still shot taken from the surface of the water. We headed south to the dam in the very sheltered outlet to the lake. In our previous trip we had not be able to go far because the lake level was too low. The level was very high today and we made it all the way to the dam. The batteries on the camera gave out, so I didn't get any pictures of the dam.

MIGHTY MEN OF VICTORY

2005-10-29T13:11:00.000-07:00

Well we might not look like Mighty Men prepared for battle, but there is not one of us without some sort of a smile and an eagerness to engage the real enemy and win back strongholds for Christ. This is a wonderful group of Christian men seeking to live the gospel in their families, their churches and communities where they live. Eduardo (Rector of Good Shepherd - Brockton Mass) stands tall second from left in the front. He organized the Retreat, led the singing and most of the sessions. He also kept us on schedule. The guy just to the left of me but in the back, is Don Stone, Pastor of Leigh Valley Presbyterian Church in Allentown PA. who led the Friday Eveing Session discussing the inappropriateness of women in the Military. The discussion was followed by our watching the movie "We Were Soldiers" starring Mel Gibson.

The weekend was quite refreshing. It is so good to participate in these discussions as men do not care what church affiliation you have. They are interested in relating to you as a person and in supporting one another in our efforts to glorify the one true and living God. There were at least three pastors in the group. Typical of Eduardo, who has the good support of the pastors in Brockton, he is not afraid to dialog and befriend any who claim the name of Jesus and to walk together in genuine love and support. I praise God for such men and count it a priviledge to know them...

How to stay warm during soccer

2005-10-29T12:16:00.000-07:00

It is not often you get to see Joan smile in a picture, but the anticipation of a soccer game will do it every time. Shown here also is the smile of pleasure at having created a jacket of warmth (Dan - notice the ingenuity you inherited and Matt will recognize the duct tape) and possesing the treasured coat from Goodwill.

Lunchtime Adventure

2005-10-27T15:24:00.000-07:00

Ok – thanks to Julie’s example and encouragement I am going to try to post here more often. If nothing else, I can record my noontime adventures which have been many and varied. The adventures center around used bookstores, but include a variety of other surprises as well.

Maybe I will start with a Friday adventure of some time ago. I headed down toward the Old Port determined to only walk and not buy lunch (it get’s expensive) and ran into Anthony’s Italian Restaurant, next to Bull Moose music. This restaurant has live dinner shows on Friday and Saturday nights in this wonderfully, but simply decorated small basement area made out to be like a villa. So I say to myself - how can they do live shows here? I edged up to the counter, and low and behold the owner was there and explained the whole thing to me – like these are well known opera singers (The Tenors) and others on Friday and Saturday nights. I know he is telling me the truth because their photos and autographed memorabilia is on the wall above one of the counters. The place only seats about 24 people. The very Italian owner says there is still room for Friday night. Tickets are something like $35.00 and include a three course dinner with a bottle of wine. So I say – how can I not do this. However, we already had arrangements for the weekend. Well, I made it through that the day without buying lunch.

I wasn’t so lucky the next day. It was Friday and I went back to chat with the owner again, when concertino music met my ears along with the Italian lunch aromas as I entered the basement restuarant. Sitting on a stool was this 80 year old man who rides in bicycle into Portland on the Friday’s he is not cutting wood, to play for those eating lunch. I could have restrained myself from buying lunch with the aromas alone, but combined with the great music my resistance melted away. It was a great lunch and I learned to stay away when I can not afford to eat…

One Church

2005-09-26T03:29:00.000-07:00

As I have been during a lot of reading on the Reformed Episcopal Church (REC) lately I wondered if they hadn't already achieved in practice what Godfrey talks about in his article "A Reformed Dream". Their Soli Scriptura, adequate but limited number of creeds (the early creeds and the corrective Thirty Nine Articles), their understanding of the universal nature of the church in the way they process ministerial credentials from other denominations, the invitiation they give while observing the Lord's Supper ("All baptized persons of other branches of Christ's Church are affectionately invited to the Lord's Table), and the way they approach missions. Their "Articles of Intercommunion" come close to what Godfrey talks about.

Welcome Maddilyn Joan Perkins

2005-08-27T04:11:00.000-07:00

We are some proud of Matt and Cheryl –

Here is Maddilyn Joan Perkins

Born August 27, 2005
weighing in at 9 lbs and 11 oz
with a running length of 21 inches.

Mother and Baby are doing fine!

10% Dixie? Me?

2005-05-01T17:17:00.000-07:00

Your Linguistic Profile:

50% General American English

35% Yankee

10% Dixie

5% Upper Midwestern

0% Midwestern

What Kind of American English Do You Speak?

2005-01-10T03:10:00.000-08:00

This is a happy bunch!

Posted by Dana

2005-01-10T03:02:00.000-08:00

Bear and Gideon hard at work

Posted by Dana

2005-01-09T18:15:00.000-08:00

Lynn - You started a trend! I've shoveled three times since you left.

Posted by Dana

2005-01-08T08:19:00.000-08:00

To the left of the clock is a recent purchase from Pier 1 Imports. It may not be placed exactly right, and it needs to have the shelves filled with something -- but we have been looking for a long time for something that might fit in this spot...

Posted by Dana

2004-10-31T14:10:00.000-08:00

Getting ready to kayak Lake Ellis in Athol Mass

Posted by Dana

2004-10-31T13:49:00.000-08:00

...

2004-10-31T13:48:00.000-08:00

Shadows

2004-10-31T13:47:00.000-08:00

Another series of pictures. Which one is your favorite?

2004-10-31T13:46:00.000-08:00

One of my recent morning walks with Pepper in the cementery. It is not unusual to find such breathtaking views.

Sliding into life

2004-10-15T04:21:00.000-07:00

Summer Fun for Casey 2003 and 2004

2004-10-14T17:56:00.000-07:00

And this is another favorite - Gideon from last fall.

2004-10-14T08:10:00.000-07:00

Dana and Dayna

This photo was taken last summer when all the Perkins Boys and Families came up to Maine for a visit. It is a frequent one enjoyed by all at Allenbrook as they pass by my 19 inch monitor.

Cevia frame is in.

2004-10-14T07:15:00.000-07:00

Cevia finally returned the defective frame and it is now up and running.

The first entry

2004-09-18T04:58:00.000-07:00

I am not too imaginative this morning. Just trying to post a comment to Dan's blog, and ended up here while trying to post my comment as 'Dad' Now I have lost my comments and have the same frustration as Dan did in setting up his blog. Oh well....