Category: Personal Posts

Blog posts by Peter DeHaan, many of which are in his book Woodpecker Wars.

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My Mailbox Dilemma

mailbox

Last week I received a strange notice from my US mail carrier. It seems that the location of my mailbox is unacceptable.

What’s perplexing is it’s been like that for twenty years, so I’m not sure why it’s suddenly now out of specification.

There are two complaints with my once acceptable mailbox: it needs to be raised about 8 inches higher and moved closer to the road by about the same amount.

What’s interesting is that the printed instructions indicate that “Whenever possible, boxes must be located so that carrier’s vehicle is off pavement when serving them [sic].” 

But my carrier’s hand-written note says, “Move your box closer to the road so I don’t have to leave payment.”

This is quite a dilemma, do I move it closer as my carrier requested or move if further away as the formal instructions dictate?

She further implied that if I don’t move it, I might not receive my mail every day this winter. Of course, if the snowplow takes out my mailbox because it’s too close to the road, then I won’t get my mail on any day.

Isn’t that just like the government, providing conflicting constructions—and demanding compliance.

Do you like this post? Want to read more? Check out Peter’s book, Bridging the Sacred-Secular Divide: Discovering the Spirituality of Every Day Life, available wherever books are sold.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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Where do toads come from?

Where do toads come from?

I pondered that question during Ike’s massive deluge as I peered out my basement egress window into the window well. (The water was draining away nicely—thank you.) Sitting there as happy as could be were two toads. 

Being different size and color, I assume that they were not related, yet they both turned up together.

What was interesting was that they weren’t there prior to the rain and they weren’t there afterward. 

Even more perplexing is that the window well is about four feet deep with near-vertical sides, so although they could have jumped in, they certainly couldn’t have jumped out. 

The bottom of the window well is filled with gravel on top of a wire mesh. 

Moles occasionally bypass the mesh, so I supposed the toads could have as well, but the toads are a lot fatter, making their task all that much more challenging—besides, I don’t envision them as being tunneling animals.

I frequently see toads around my house in the moist dirt as I weed flowerbeds—so I know they are around—but when it rains they become much more apparent.

Then there are frogs. The closest water—their normal habitat, I think—is a small stream about a half-mile away.  Yet when it rains, they, too, show up at my house.  Right after, they disappear.

Although I thought I was knowledgeable about these two amphibians, it seems that I am not. There is a lack of consensus about this pressing subject on the Internet, with one site even claiming that all toads are actually frogs.

So my simple query about the origin of toads has opened up a Pandora’s Box of related questions, leaving me with: How did the toads get out of my window well?

Do you like this post? Want to read more? Check out Peter’s book, Bridging the Sacred-Secular Divide: Discovering the Spirituality of Every Day Life, available wherever books are sold.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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Wedding Photo and a Few More

Wedding.

Several readers have asked for photos of our daughter’s wedding.  Here is one of the bride and groom, flanked by my wife and I, along with Dan and his betrothed.

Wedding.

Do you like this post? Want to read more? Check out Peter’s book, Bridging the Sacred-Secular Divide: Discovering the Spirituality of Every Day Life, available wherever books are sold.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

 

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Donate Money to Your Favorite Charity Just By Searching Online

search online to donate

Earlier this week, I received an interesting press release. It was about search online to donate money to charity.

Though it’s not my habit to post press releases, this one seems worthwhile:

Supporters Turn To Innovative Ways To Help
Their Favorite Nonprofits This Holiday Season

Charities across the nation are bracing themselves for declining contributions this holiday season and people are looking towards innovative and free ways to help their favorite causes.

There is a solution with a new Yahoo-powered search engine called GoodSearch.com, and on-line shopping mall GoodShop.com, which enable supporters to generate donations just by searching the internet or shopping online.

What makes the system so compelling is that it doesn’t cost the users a thing. It’s philanthropy on a shoestring.

Consumers are helping their favorite causes with every search conducted on GoodSearch.com and shopping at GoodShop.com, where they can choose from more than 700 top online retailers.

I talked with one of the charities listed, and they are receiving donations. It is easy to use, just select your favorite charity and for each search you conduct through GoodSearch, your charity will earn about a penny.

With enough people involved you can funnel money to your charity month after month and it won’t cost you a thing. The same concept applies to Good Shop.

If there’s a cause you support, this is an easy way to direct money to them at no cost to you. Just use GoodSearch to search online to donate.

Do you like this post? Want to read more? Check out Peter’s book, Bridging the Sacred-Secular Divide: Discovering the Spirituality of Every Day Life, available wherever books are sold.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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I Married a Monk

Monk

I really like the TV show Monk. The season premier was last Friday. Since we were a tad busy with Laura and Chris’s wedding, we’ve not yet had the opportunity to watch it, but I’m most anxious to do so.

The show features Adrian Monk, a former homicide detective, who has some issues: he struggles with a long list of phobias and has OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder)—which the show takes to entertainingly exaggerated extremes. 

With keen powers of observation and deduction, he brilliantly solves every case. Although the department has him on leave until he deals with some of his issues, they hire him as a consultant for the more baffling cases.

Monk is a clever TV show with a compelling story line about colorful characters. That makes for a great show, but my interest goes even deeper.

You see, my bride is a bit like Monk. No, she’s not a crime fighter, and she doesn’t struggle with phobias, but she does exhibit some compulsive tendencies. 

These used to immensely irritate me, but after repeatedly watching and being amused by Monk’s over-the-top compulsive antics, my wife’s obsessive manifestations are so minor in comparison that they have grown to be most bearable.

They are even beginning to become endearing.

Thank you Monk for entertaining—and enlightening—me. I owe you.

Do you like this post? Want to read more? Check out Peter’s book, Bridging the Sacred-Secular Divide: Discovering the Spirituality of Every Day Life, available wherever books are sold.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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Flipping Houses on TV and in Real Life

Houses

Last week’s entry about the TV shows I watch reminds me of a trio of shows I watched in the past—all covering the same theme: “flipping” houses.

House flipping—which has no connection to cow tipping—is the art of buying distressed real estate, making quick improvements, and (hopefully) selling it for a profit.

The three shows are Flip This House on A&E, Flip That House on TLC, and Flipping Out on Bravo. To varying degrees, all fit the genre of reality TV.

“Flip This House,” an hour-long show, features businesses that specialize in house flipping and provides the most amount of practical information.

“Flip That House” is a half hour show, which restricts the amount of information that can be conveyed. 

It generally features less experienced “flippers,” who are more prone to make errors and less likely to make a profit. Both shows have a degree to personal drama and conflict factored into each episode.

“Flipping Out” focuses on dysfunctional relationships of an obsessive-compulsive boss and his employees (who are sometimes treated like family and other times as pawns). The theme of flipping houses is secondary.

Watch it to be amused, but don’t expect to learn too much—at least about flipping houses.

The reasons these shows caught my attention was that I once flipped a house—some 20 plus years ago. Back then it was called “house recycling.”

Then the economies were different, the margins smaller, and you had to do the work yourself. I did make a small profit on my flip—if you don’t count my labor. It was a good experience, but once was enough.

My bride would ask why I watch those shows if wasn’t going to put it into practice. I would respond with “why do you watch hockey if aren’t going to play?”

Besides, with the kitchen area receiving prime attention in the flips, I think she was getting kitchen envy.

Do you like this post? Want to read more? Check out Peter’s book, Bridging the Sacred-Secular Divide: Discovering the Spirituality of Every Day Life, available wherever books are sold.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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The Sky is Falling

sky is falling

First it was falling leaves from my Maple trees and then falling stems. Now it’s falling branches.

Fortunately, the dropped branches are few in number and small in diameter. In examining the breaks, they are suspicious looking. 

Certainly, there was a weakness at the point of separation that caused them to break. 

Each fallen branch has a small cavity in the center and seemingly an exit hole on the side, as one might expect if an insect egg had been laid inside and hatched.

It’s just a theory and I have not researched it, but it seems like a reasonable idea.

Besides, there’s nothing I can do about—except pick up the branches.

Do you like this post? Want to read more? Check out Peter’s book, Bridging the Sacred-Secular Divide: Discovering the Spirituality of Every Day Life, available wherever books are sold.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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At Least I Don’t Have to Rake the Stems

stems

A few weeks ago, I shared about leaves falling from my Maple trees (see Raking Leaves).

In the spring an insect lays eggs in the stems of Maple leaves. When the eggs hatch, the stems become weak at that juncture and the leaves fall off. That was June 6.

At this time, the leaves have stopped falling off (at least until fall when they’re supposed to) and now it’s the stems’ turn. Apparently, each stem that lost it’s leaf now has nothing to do.

So out of boredom or a loss of purpose, they are jettisoning themselves to the lawn below.

It’s not a big deal, but I do find this interesting. I grabbed a handful of them to show you.

Notice the long stem on the bottom.

The left end was attached to the branch and the right end was where the egg was laid in the stem.  The brown is the trauma caused by the egg hatching and the stem breaking.

I realize this is likely trivial to you, but I find it fascinating!  Tomorrow, I will try to find something that you will find fascinating as well!

Do you like this post? Want to read more? Check out Peter’s book, Bridging the Sacred-Secular Divide: Discovering the Spirituality of Every Day Life, available wherever books are sold.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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The Mighty Flooding Mississippi River

Mississippi River

Where I live, flooding is a rare thing. When it does occur, it is generally on a small scale, doing minimal damage.

Aside from watching flooding video on TV, I have little real comprehension of the wide-scale power of a major flood and the damage a raging river can cause.

Last week, on my visit to St. Louis, I was able to get a first-hand look at the immensity and raw force of the surging waters.

These shots were taken on Thursday, June 19, about 11 hours prior to the floodwaters cresting; the site was the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial Park (the St. Louis Gateway Arch).

According to experts, much of the flooding and damage could have been avoided.

Each effort that is made to stop the river from overflowing its banks in one area renders it that much more likely to flood elsewhere—usually downstream.

So, if the river were allowed to naturally overflow into its flood plain without human intervention, the excess water could be removed from the river at many points along the way, minimizing downstream disaster.

As it is, attempts to stop flooding only serve to keep all the water contained, flowing towards the ocean.

Eventually, the amount of water continues to expand until it breaches levees and overflows its banks. When it does the volume of water and the force behind it do great damage.

As such, I am certainly glad that I don’t live anywhere near a flood plain.

Do you like this post? Want to read more? Check out Peter’s book, Bridging the Sacred-Secular Divide: Discovering the Spirituality of Every Day Life, available wherever books are sold.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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Animal Rescue 911

animal rescue

Last week, my daughter and I embarked on an animal rescue of prime importance.

I’m not talking about the kind of liberation you might see on TV, like a beached whale, escaped circus animal, bear on an iceberg, or large game stuck in an inexplicable situation.

This rescue was the backyard type; the predicament was a window well. (You may recall in “Oh Deer” that the wildlife near my house is the decidedly smaller variety.)

It was important because I didn’t want to watch an animal die—or deal with the consequences if it did, which would be inevitable without human intervention.

Our basement has two egress windows and over the years many an animal has gotten themselves stranded in the window wells that surround them.  Many a successful rescue operation has been completed. 

There was one rabbit and a couple of birds (the escape trajectory is too steep for some of my featured friends).  In this case, a pail, lowered on a string, along with a dose of patience, does the trick. 

Other unfortunate critters have included frogs, toads, and each spring, newts (salamanders — I’m not sure if they hatch there or what).  These can be extricated by hand.

Aside from the mysterious arrival of the Newts, the rest fall into the opening.

That leaves the moles. These buggers tunnel up from the bottom.  Never mind that it is four feet deep and the bottom is lined with wire mesh and covered with gravel.

Somehow they work they’re way in.  As soon as they exit their tunnel, the gravel caves in and they are unable to dig back out. 

In their panicked attempts for freedom, they work themselves into a frenzy and quickly succumb. Not a pleasant end. Usually, I don’t find them until it is too late.

This time, Laura saw him right away. He was moving too fast to catch by hand and the pail technique didn’t work as its circular shape provided ample room for escape. 

A new method was needed. It turned out that a square Tupperware container taped to a long board was the tool for the job.

After the sixth or seventh try, I was able to free him (so he could go dig up more of my lawn.)

So if you ever call my office during the day and I don’t answer, it might just be that I’m out on another animal rescue 911.

Do you like this post? Want to read more? Check out Peter’s book, Bridging the Sacred-Secular Divide: Discovering the Spirituality of Every Day Life, available wherever books are sold.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.