pedewho's Xanga

Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 01:18:32 GMT

Howdy folks! Hold it, if you want to hear some good singing, come to SMBI this weekend! Friday night at 7:00 is THE Night of Music (which means that if you don't know anybody, you will feel lost, but the chances of you knowing absolutely nobody are...slim.) Saturday night, By the Way is giving a program at Shippensburg Christian Fellowship at 7:00. Sunday morning, Emerald Chorale is singing at SMBI. (this chorale went to Ireland last June, directed by Urie Sharp...no, I wasn't along, but I know a lot of the people that were.)

So...just an encouragement to come if you want! Blessings, Peter

Friday, January 09, 2009

Fri, 09 Jan 2009 00:42:46 GMT

Oh, wow, the memories! If you remember last summer, Kevin, Lee, Duane, and I recorded out in IN. Twas a good experience...fun, tiring, and enriching.

Tonight...I got some boxes!

Yep, they finally came (actually, they came to Lee's place, and Gina picked them up from his area for me...Thanks!)

So if anybody wants one, let me know by email, call, or, if you must, leave a message (though I prefer other ways.) Please don't buy one to be polite, but if you want some, I'll be glad to take your money! They are $13...$15 if I need to mail them to ya.

Blessings to you all! Peter

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 21:36:31 GMT

OK, OK, so it's almost Christmas and y'all (corrected spelling) haven't heard from me in 1/2 of forever...but there's a reason for that--I really haven't felt the urge to update. I've been doing "other things." Seriously...life is a struggle, and put that, work, dating, and everything together, you get...um...what do you get--no updates, for one!

I was out in OR for a week at Thanksgiving. I may post a picture if I feel like it! Anyway, it was a good week...nice to be actually with her...like, in the same time zone! That girl continues to bless me...and she says I bless her too, but often it feels like a grossly one-way street!

Getting ready for Chrismas? It's gonna be a crazy weekend! My whole family will be around , food, Grandma and Grandpa's 60th anniversary celebration, food, Christmas, my B-day, extended family, food, etc! Speaking of food, my Grandma Byler's carmel candy recipe is....uh-huh! I'm watching the screen saver pictures on Mom and Dad's computer as I type this...anybody heard of pig-trough sundaes? It's schweet. We do it at family reunions. You make a trough out of, say, 1x4s, probably 8 or 10 feet long. Line it with tin foil, load it up with several gallons of ice cream, toppings, cherries, etc., and then have as many people as can crowd around the thing crowd around the thing and spoon it out! Great fun and more entertaining than serving it up in little dishes!

I have been reminded different times this year of how incredible God's gift to man really is. That God would actually come down to earth and die for us. Obviously, He knew it would work, but that He was willing to do it. Here's some lyrics from Selah-Rose of Bethlehem...

"Mystery...how He came to be a man, but greater still...that His death was in His plan. God predestined that His Son would die, and He still created man! Oh, what love is this, that His death was in His plan?"

...and then I get cross because somebody cuts me off in the passing lane. Hmmm.... Perspective?

OK, here's a picture..and I know it's crooked, which is kinda one of my pet peeves, but that's OK...this time!

see ya later, Peter

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 22:58:20 GMT

Hmmm....I really haven't had a strong urge to update. But I don't think I'll apologize for that! Life continues to be full. Full of good things, full of questions, full of struggle, but I'm thankful that in the midst of all that, God is the same and He is faithful.

Right now I'm in DE...yep, working out of state, though not b/c I lost my job in VA, just that my old boss, Don Geiser, fell off the scissor lift and hurt his back, so I'm in here for a couple weeks helping out with a 60x80 shop. Yeah, it's gonna be a sweet shop! 18' high, metal ceiling in the whole thing, 26x16 overhead door. Anyway, we set trusses yesterday--was pretty windy, broke a truss, and exciting stuff like that, but we were safe, thank the Lord, and the truss got fixed, and they haven't blown over in this gale (at least not that I've heard!) Hoping to put on roof Thurs., but with 33' sheets of metal, we can't have too much wind that day...so we'll wait and see and pray.

And in a couple weeks I hope to fly out west (yes, again). No, dating is not all stars and full-moon nights and all that stuff, but it is good.

So, yeah. Keep fighting the fight of faith...in Christ! Peter

Monday, September 01, 2008

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 18:06:39 GMT

Hey there all ya'll,

Yes, I'm home...got there about 11 last night. And it feels weird, and like I just got back from Bible School or something. But it was a good honeymoon trip...I highly recommend them! OK, basically here was the deal: No, I'm not married, and neither is Brianna! See, there were 3 Amish couples from WI, 2 of which were on a honeymoon trip (married a month or so ago) and they came out west on the train and wanted someone to drive them around to see the redwoods, etc. So Brianna, Adrienne and I did that last week! It was crazy, fun, and funny, but also good, challenging, and growing. We didn't know these people from Adam, so that was kinda scary and stuff, but they were 3 fun couples and it was cool to get comfortable and enjoy the trip once everyone got over the awkward stage!

We got to see Crater Lake, some of the redwoods (which, by the way, are really cool!) and took a jet boat ride up the Rogue river. Quite the trip and lots of good memories! And lots of good opportunities for photo shoots! Because of their convictions on pictures, we didn't get any good ones of them posing for shots, but it seems it wasn't a huge deal if they were in the background, so anyway, here are a couple (no pun intended) pictures of the trip and stuff.

This was the jet boat we rode in...I think I was in the wettest spot on the boat the back row on the right! It was fun though. Those are our Amish comrades sitting on the boat.

This picture is annoying because it's just a fuzz blurry, but I think I'll keep it because of the context! I like big trees and nice people to share them with!

And here's the 3 of us at Crater lake. Absolutely beautiful scenery!

Well, have a great day! Until next time...Peter

Friday, August 22, 2008

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 15:16:04 GMT

Warning...this is probably gonna seem disconnected and sketchy. But I think that's OK. I like it that way this time.

Hmmmmm.....I've started a good book on dealing with doubt. Should be interesting. Talking about not only factual doubt, but emotional and volitional doubt as well. I hope it's helpful.

Nevada is very barren. And Las Vegas is very "casino-ish". Actually, I'm only seeing what's in the airport, but there are a bunch of the $1 or .25 thingies that some people are taking advantage of...or should I say "being taken advantage of!"

I still haven't figured out a good way to make money on vacation! Maybe I should ask to be put on salary! No, it's OK, but I do seem to be taking off a lot! I wonder if/when that will change?

And I should get to see Brianna in about 5 hours! And I'm looking forward to the honeymoon trip next week! Hopefully I'll have a few pictures when we get back! (Boy, that will get the gossip going! I wonder if I'll be in the Budget or anything!) Speaking of which, the acronym for the Budget is: Brings Us Delicious Gossip Every Time! Unfortunatley, it's not original with me!

Isn't it wonderful that God doesn't change? "Forever, O Lord, Thy word is settled in Heaven." I read that this morning. We need that Rock. Thank You, Jesus!

See ya later!

Thursday, July 31, 2008

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 01:15:07 GMT

Hey ya'll!

Well, some of you have been clamboring for an update on my life. I wish you could go on trips for a living and work a week or two for vacation in stead of the other way around! Feels like I've been going and going...which is kinda cool, but also not very profitable for the checkbook! Let's just say I didn't get to my church any Sunday during July.

My cousin got married in WV the first weekend, which was way cool to see the Bylers again and have a mini family reunion. Then I was home for most of the week and left on Friday for IN to...record! Oh, yeah! That quartet from SMBI...well, we actually did get together! We still haven't decided on a name, but really liked to chew Trent's "Powerhouse Meeting of the Brethren!" I don't think we'll use it, though. Anyway, went out to PC Friday night and steyed with Mike and Rachel Gingerich...hmmm...I think that's the first time I've written that! Good to see them and then on out to Kevin's place. Got there in time for supper and yakked at Kevin for a while and then Duane got there later that evening. Lee drove all night and got there about 5:30 Sunday morning.

So anyway, Sunday afternoon and Monday we did the bulk of our practicing, and started recording on Tuesday afternoon. By Thursday evening we were done...13 tracks and a tag! Wow! Praise the LORD! It was quite a week, but God really blessed the work of our...vocal chords! Got some good stuff and really enjoyed it!

Kevin Peter Lee Duane

So yeah, then I headed out to IL for Wendell and Bethany's wedding and had a good and blessed time out there singing in that. Then by Sat. evening late I was back in Plain City for the night and then on home by Sunday night. Got rained on only about 2 hours from home, but was it a doozy of a thunderstorm! (I was on my bike!) About 1700 miles. Thank You, God!

Then by Wednesday noon I was heading to DE for the rest of the day! I was taking my pastor down to a meeting in Maryland and so I scooted up to have supper with Abi, Jess, Joel and Caleb! Twas really good to see you guys! Got back about quarter till 3 and soon after noon I was heading to BWI...

Why?...

Yeah, I know you won't remember any of the other stuff anyway, so here it is...yes, I am dating and had a really good weekend in OR! Beautiful weather and really nice people, too! Seriously, though, I have been so blessed and am thanking the Lord for this opportunity. Pray for us if you think about it! Yes, it is fun and good and all that stuff, but it's also challenging and scary at times (though I think it's becoming less-scary!) So here's picture of Brianna Krabill and myself.

Blessings to you all! May the Father keep you as you trust His plan.

Peter

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Sat, 28 Jun 2008 01:12:11 GMT

Hi again.

Just got back from a youth project of picking rocks/seeding/strawing our youth sponser's yard. Fun-ish, definitely dirty, sweaty, dusty, and yet a really good feeling of what we got done and also being able to help them out.

And tomorrow...no alarm clock. Twas a good week. Last night Mom, Dad and I went to "Excellent Trouble"...remember Ted and Lee that I used to talk about? Well this was Ted and Ingrid...they did different sketches of different couples in the Bible...like, not your "normal couples" mostly. Like...Boaz and Ruth, Jacob and Leah, Solomon and wife # 522, etc...definitely brought to life some of the possible tensions and real-life stuff in those characters! Stuff you wouldn't normally think of. Funny, sobering, and sometimes thought provoking!

Sometimes its hard to trust God. Like, what if He wouldn't come through the way we think He should? That doesn't make Him any less God, but it does make it harder to remember that He's in control...and esp. when stuff is out of our hands...how do we let it in His able hands and trust Him with everything?

I'm reading a book about the Anabaptists. It's a light-reading book, but definitely can raise some good quesitons...Are we/Am I ready for persecution? Do we need to be, or should we not worry about it and instead trust God to give us the strength at the time? Or should we proactively work and "prepare?" Seemed the Anabaptists memorized Scripture, etc. so that if the Bible was taken from them, they would still have it. Good challenge.

Well, I think I'll head to bed. Blessings to you all! Peter

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Sun, 15 Jun 2008 00:37:04 GMT

Hey, Ya'll...or maybe I should say the plural...All Ya'll!

Wow, yes, it has been a while, but I don't think I'll apologize for that. Life has been good, busy, stretching, sometimes trying, sometimes scary, but God is faithful.

I had a reallyfull week and very interesting day...not so much because I did anything real special today, but rather it was just, well, full. Here's a rundown:

Got up before 7...on a Sat., that's brutal. (Note: this stuff may not be in order, but it all happened) devotions, breakfast, walk through 1800 feet of turkey house 4x, de-breast some turkeys, mow grass, drop off my bike at the Honda place to get a new chain, go to the bank, head to my uncle's place to help unload the moving truck, pick up my bike, fix the push mower-self-propel-thing, help wash cars, mulch a little of the garden, give the lambs a bottle of milk 2x, play piano, and update my xanga!

Wow, had a good trip out to Mike and Rachel's wedding! Nice weather for riding...and I didn't even get rained on!

Maybe I'll do an update later that is deeper, but I feel like a bed...well, actually I feel like I would feel good on a bed...not like a bed itself! OK, enough of the joke attempts! Buzzer please!

Blessings to you all! And I hope you let your light shine wherever you go! Peter

Monday, April 28, 2008

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 22:35:30 GMT

Wow. What a tour! Thanks to you all for praying! The west is beautiful, and Yosemite is amazing!

I don't really feel like trying to type out an overview of the whole thing, but it was a good tour. Also a hard tour, but sometimes life is like that. It was really cool to see us come together, esp. during the last week. Our Lancaster program was such a blessing--so many friends there, and less spiritual oppression, it seemed. Then recording went extremely well--so much better than last term, PTL! God really answered prayer that day and esp. for my solo that I was having issues with 'cause of my voice. (that sentence has horrible grammar, but I don't care enough to change it!)

So I was home for 25 hours and now I'm up in NY for the week with Mom at Hans'. 'Tis good.

So, how much am I really willing to let God run my life? He was challenging me on tour to let go of control--esp. since some of the stuff happening wasn't in my control. He wants us to trust Him that He has a future for us--even when we don't see it! But that's...um...difficult sometimes because it's easy to wonder if He's going to come through. So how do you trust...and rest...and hold your dreams, future, desires, etc. with an open hand without falling into the ditch of trying to kill your desires so that you are "surrendered"? 'Cause that's not the answer either!

Trust Him. He's faithful.

Blessings to you...and some pictures! Peter

mountains of...I forget...Say "Washington"--that'll be good enough!

yeah...Welcome to Idaho--through the mountain pass!

Bad hair day on the OR beach! (about 8 of us guys had actually swam for about 5-10 minutes, so it had been wet, and then twas windy!)

Beautiful scenery!