So let’s say I get spammed. Let’s say the product that they’re trying to sell something that I actually want. Dude, I’m still not going to buy it. No way. Who in the world would? Evidently about 1 in 100,000 or something like that.

Stephanie is such a good mother. She does all the little motherly things to Trevin, talks the right way, with the right tone of voice, changes his diaper. And she’s only 10.

Ok, so about me shying away from seemingly complex things. This only applies when the impossibly complicated thing is set in an environment that I am not comfortable in. So say that the super-complex seeming thing is a Math class, then I’m not intimidated. In fact, I look at it as a great challenge and the harder the better. But if it’s not in that structured environment that I’m comfortable with, then it’s a lot harder for me to eat my pride, admit that I don’t know something, and learn it. And I’m not nearly as motivated.

Church cleaning, van washing, football game, wedding. In that order chronologically, but not necessarily priority-wise. Those are some of the activities of the day. Beautiful day today, too.

We had a breakdown at the end of my shift yesterday. That meant that Randy didn’t work at all and he got to go to basketball. It was fun, basketball was, a really good workout. Not very many people, but we eventually scraped together 10.

Talking about sports, tomorrow is the really huge game for the Oregon Ducks football team. #3 Michigan is coming to town. I think the consensus around here is that the Ducks have a shot if they can control the ball on offense, keeping the Wolverine’s powerful running attack off the fields and ineffective.

I can completely identify with older people who want nothing to do with computers. I’m not sure if it’s human nature, or if it’s just that elderly people, my Aunt Rosie and I have something in common. But here’s what happens. If there’s something I don’t understand—even if in reality it’s fairly simple—I tend to shy away from it because it seems impossibly complicated to me.

Here’s some more names we compiled before we came up with AHQ. This is in honor of our recent struggle to name our new album that we’re in the middle of recording.

The Western Pacific Valley A Cappella Extremely Conservative Mennonite Singers. One of my favorites. This one leaves ABSOLUTELY NO DOUBT about where we stand.

Take 4.

4 Over Par. We love golf.

4 Under Par.

The Wannabe 4. Perhaps the most accurate and descriptive of all the names thus far.

4 for One.

Jars of Stone. Hey, this “jars” idea worked for one group.

Jars of Mud.

Jars of Mortar.

Jars of Water.

Jars of Oil.

The Clay Pots.

The Cookie Jars. Get it? The pitchpipe is called a cookie.

Ye Olde Tyme Gospel Singers. Has a certain quaint feel to it.

A Cappella Abstracts. Doesn’t that feel modern and edgy?

Awful A Cappella.

Ernest A Cappella.

Ernest Goes A Cappella.

Low Bass Singing A Cappella. Yeah Konrad!

Tenuous Tones. How encouraging.


This album-naming process actually wasn't too bad. We've decided on the working title "Purpose." 12 or 13 songs, different styles (including a great barbershop arrangement, a couple spirituals, three originals, a rare-back-and-sing Southern Gospel tune, and a classic hymn). I'm excited about it.

If you want to get more information regarding my Aunt Dorcas’ book Ordinary Days, go here: www.ahqt.com/dorcas.

I guess you could call it Byran-runs-across-critters Day. I was jogging to work early in the morning (4:50ish) and it was still dark, though the moon was providing a little illumination. Then all of the sudden on the path in front of me was this critter. And what’s more, as it shuffled away I think it stuck its tail in the air. So that scared me, a skunk in the dark. I skirted wide and he shuffled along parallel with me on the path for a little while but eventually he must have turned into the brush. I escaped, unharmed.

Then I got to the mill, walked in the door, and a wild cat scrambled up and fell all over itself as it wildly dashed out of the building. Then I saw a mouse out of the corner of my eye as I was cleaning off the magnet. I was too slow to kill it. Then I saw another mouse while I was out on the loader. I didn’t even try to kill this one.

I wonder where the original York, Jersey, and Delhi are.

On Tuesday I talked to a salesman for awhile. I knew where I wanted to steer the conversation, I wanted to come to the question of purpose from an experiential standpoint and then see if I’d have a chance to say what gives me my purpose. Or something like that. We talked for awhile and I asked a couple of leading questions, I thought. He obviously wasn’t a Christian, he was the type that says “do whatever fulfills you, whatever gives you a purpose.” I loved where the conversation was headed, but we were waiting for dad to arrive to talk to the guy and he showed up just as were talking about truth and different religions and moral standards. I hope it got him to thinking.

But I’m not positive that’s the right approach. It felt right, it was certainly a whole lot more comfortable that forcing Jesus Christ into the conversation from the outset. I was reading the first two chapters of 1 Corinthians, and in Paul’s case it evidently would have been the wrong approach, because he mentions speaking with man’s wisdom negatively multiple times and that he came to them speaking Christ and the cross only. It made me wonder if perhaps I should be quicker to introduce Christ Himself into the conversation.

Problem is, I really feel that would be a quick turn-off to most people. They hear “Jesus,” they think “Bible-thumpers” or “religious fundamentalists” and may promptly shut their minds and hearts. Also, it almost seems like Paul himself used the philosophical approach at Mar’s Hill. It wasn’t quite the same, as he basically started with the Christian view of God before moving on to the resurrection (which some laughed at, by the way), but it wasn’t just getting up there and speaking of Christ right off. And then, things were different in Paul’s time. Most people that he talked to had probably never even heard of Jesus, while most people today are turned off by a serious mention of that name. I think it’s a matter of situation. The important thing is to get to Jesus at some point, because without Him it’s ultimately pointless.

I’m a Mennonite. No, I’m a Christian, but I’m also a Mennonite. Not that the label is very important, but it’s one that is out there, so whatever. Mennonites do a lot of things quite a bit different than most other Christians. Problem is, too often they see those other Christians as almost the enemy instead of fellow-believers. I realize some of the reasons for that tendency, but I do not think it a wise tendency. I’ve thought about this for some time, how that Christians that aren’t “in Mennonite circles” can give such a balance to my Christian life. They make me examine what I’ve been taught, they make me think about stuff in ways that I hadn’t thought before. I can see how it would be scary to people who are completely set in their ways, because if I open myself up to the scrutiny of a “Christian” that doesn’t believe like me, then I might be shown to be wrong and then what? Change my belief? Oh no.

Now, I’m not talking about “Christians” who are not interested in what the Bible says and means. I’m not talking about people who claim the Scripture but have no interest in following the commands contained therein. And I don’t deny that, just like us, every Christian is hugely influenced by how they’ve been taught. All I’m saying is that Christians of every background can stimulate you spiritually, and you will likely miss out if your circle of input is too restricted.

This thought was reinforced at camp this weekend. There were a lot of people from a variety of backgrounds that attended, and it was a really good thing to interact with them. I need other Christians, not only to keep me accountable, but to challenge me to walk more closely to Him and to be truer to His will.

Sunday night after church Carrie hosted a party in honor of some of her friends from Montana. Boy, I felt like I was the old guy putting a damper on the exuberance of some of the others. I can't believe how old I'm getting, particularly as compared to most of the people in the youth group.

I’m on early shift this week; only two more weeks until school. Last night AHQ sang at the Eugene Mission and then we went over to Tom’s and recorded and rehearsed. As it stands now, we had a great evening. I know from previous experience that you can go into a recording session and feel like you knocked a couple of songs out for sure, then you listen to them next week and totally cringe. But we were in a good recording state of mind, and we may have pulled off two or three keepers. Then we practiced some new songs, talked business, then I left. It was really late and I had to get up really early.

Oh my goodness! Mom just came up here with Dorcas's book. My aunt is a published author. My, it's very impressive, and the thing is, the writing is as impressive as the book's appearance. It would be well worth your time to get your hands on a copy.

Quite a weekend. I'm really, really tired. Very interesting, for sure. I led the youth chorus, the preacher was nice, the food was great, and I want to go to Louisiana sometime.

And AHQ rehearsed, with all four parts.