To Save A Life

Last night we had the privilege of hosting an advanced of the independent film To Save A Life. The screening was for area community and church leaders.
The film was written by Youth Pastor Jim Britts, and is set for a January 22 theatrical release.

I'll be honest, I'm not a fan of Christian Movies (there are very few exceptions, End of the Spear is one that comes to mind). I usually find the directing subpar, the acting poor, and the plot lines overly simplistic and cheesy.

I did not find this film to be like that. There are a couple below average performances by supporting cast, but the main characters are fantastic. The story line is engaging, moving, and hits close to home quite a few times (sometimes uncomfortably too close to home). In fact, we had several 11th and 12th Grade Student Leaders present who loved the film and were challenged by it.

The bummer with an indie film like this one is that it may not last very long or get widespread release. At this point, the film is not set to release in our area. There's some things people can do to get it to their area. Here's some suggestions from the makers of the movie.

Today, I sent out three emails to area movie theaters letting them know I'd love to see the movie make it to their theaters.

Terrific 2s: 2 Prayers

The finale to the series.
Most nights where I'm home for bedtime, I put Katylynn to bed. Our pre-bedtime ritual consists of reading 2 or 3 of her current favorite books and then a couple of stories from her "Bible Book." After that, we pray together. She's learning to say prayers of Thanks... "Jesus, thanks for..." and she finishes it. Every night, I make it a point to pray two things for her.

1. God, allow Katylynn to see how much You love her.
2. God, teach Katylynn what it means to love You and to love others.

There is much more I pray over and for her on a regular basis, but these are the two prayers I want her to hear regularly, as well as what I believe to be the two most important things she could possibly grasp to expeirience the life her Heavenly Father desires for her to Grasp (see I John 4:17, Ephesians 3:14-19,& Matthew 22:37-40)

Baby Walk

This weekend has some awesome stuff going on with Kids In Need.
5K.I.N. Saturday Morning.
Silent Auction for Baby Center kicks off Saturday at 5K.I.N. and online Sunday.
I'm preaching on the K.I.N. focus this Sunday morning.

Maybe the best kept secret in all this is Sunday Night's BABY WALK. It's a part of our 3-week Sunday Night series called ENGAGE LaRGe at NMC. Each week puts a focus on the Local, Regional, and Global aspects of NMC.

Baby Walk is a Global focus. My wife and several students have organized this experience where you will have the opportunity to walk through the live of 4 different babies associated with AGC Abandoned Baby Center in Kenya. This event will allow participants to better grasp the reality of the AIDS crises in Africa and the hope that the Baby Center is bringing. It puts a face and life to the crisis. I see it as an opportunity for individuals to travel to Kenya without leaving home.

If you're reading this, you should seriously consider blocking out 45 minutes of your Sunday Night sometime between 5:30-7:30 to GAIN awareness on a significant Kids In Need issue!

Terrific 2s: 19-24 Months

1. I put caca in my mouth - Yup, you read that right. Somewhere along the way, Katylynn decided that her pacifier is called a ca-ca. This would be why she will not be making any trips to Latin America in the near future.
2. I go poopie on the potty, yay! - We bought her the potty to see if she would be interested. She was. She's far from there, but she's learning that there's a difference between her diaper and her "underwear" (a pull-up). During the day, if she has to go, she will begin to bounce and frantically say, "I got poopies." Fun times.

It's crazy to think that it's been two years to the date that I held my daughter for the first time. Happy Birthday to her, and looking forward to more great memories to come!

one of the cooler pics i've ever been able to take.

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Terrific 2s: Losing Grandpa... A Repost

Originally Posted Friday, Feb. 20, 2009

Grieving through a 15 Month Old's Eyes

(pic taken in Ludington, Michigan; April, 2008)

2 Stories:

1. Janelle briefly had Katylynn at the viewing (it was closed casket). There was a video with pictures of dad running. As Janelle was walking out, Katylynn pointed at the screen, then shrugged her shoulders as if to say, "Where's Grandpa?"
   
2. After everyone had left the graveside service, I took Katylynn with me to the grave site. I told her that we were saying goodbye to Grandpa and that he loved her very much. I bent down by the flowers, and she grabbed one. I told her she could put the flower on the casket by the others that were there. She did so. I asked her if she wanted to say goodbye to Grandpa. She waved goodbye.

Katylynn Ivy Prenkert (note her initials) will not remember either of these events, but I'm glad we will be able to share with her how much she loved her grandpa.

Terrific 2s: 12-18 Months

1. Meeting Ninnie: Janelle and I admitedly become Disney freaks. I think as we were in the holding pattern to starting our family, our visits to the Disney World Resort allowed us time to recapture our childhood as well as dream of the family to come. Add in Katylynn's blossoming love for all things Minnie, our December trip to Orlando had a pretty special moment when we bumped into her at Hollywood Studios.
2. Last Christmas with Grandpa: She went sledding. She opened presents. She made Christmas cookies. She had a blast. We had no idea it would be the last one with him, but it was a great Christmas.
   

Terrific 2s: Months 7-12

1. Bedtime: More nights than not, bedtime was my job. We began reading books together, and then I would simply hold her, sing and rock. Sometimes she would fight it, but eventually she would give in and lay her head on my shoulder. In those moments when the breathing became deeper and deeper, I would often think, "There's no better place to be than where I am right now."
2. Stay-at-home Dad: In the Fall of '08, Janelle would work Tuesdays and Thursdays. On Tuesdays she'd spend the day with Grandma and Grandpa. On Thursday, it was my baby girl and me. Stroller Walks, trips to the park, and shopping trips were common and fun. We were really worried if we were making a wise choice when Janelle went back to work. Looking back on it now, I'm so happy she got nearly every Tuesday from September '08 to February '09 with my dad, and then Thursdays with me. I'm confident the bonding that happened in those times will pay huge dividends in the future.
   

Terrific 2s: 2-6 months

1. Cry Language: Someone told us that if you paid attention to your child's cries, you could tell what he/she wanted. The "I'm tired" cry sounds a little different from the "I'm hungry" cry which sounds different from the "I need changed" cry which sounds different from the "I'm hurt cry." As we tested this out, we felt like "Naaaaa" seemed to coincide with hungry and "Whaaaaa" went pretty close to nap and bed time.
   Whether or not it was accurate, it helped us keep in mind that she wasn't just crying to cry. She wasn't colicky, and may have just had a sweet cry, but it rarely got on our nerves.
   
   
2. An Internal Change: A lot changed the way that I did ministry, the way I worked, and the way I viewed things. I think it was an internal change that has had some major external effects. I'll call it "daddy eyes." Holding that little girl, realizing that it was Janelle and my responsibility to love, care, and provide for her. Knowing that I can't control everything that happens to her, but I can control how I'm going to respond to it began to mess with me. I can't look at gals in our youth group the same way. Recognizing that's somebody's daughter makes a move toward compassion over simply pushing toward conversion. Not totally sure how to explain it all, but it was in months 2-6 she changed me... big time!
   

Silent Auction Deadline this Sunday!

We're doing a Silent Auction to help Kids In Need. All items donated will be auctioned both at NMC and online November 14-22. All proceeds go to the AGC Abandoned Baby Center in Kenya.

At this point, here's some of the big dollar items we have donated:

• Big Screen TV
• Hand Crafted End Table
• Recliner
• Brett Favre autographed mini-helmet
• Peyton Manning Autographed picture (framed)
• 4 outdoor fire pits
• PS 2 with DDR pads and game
• Ipod
  

There's some pretty cool stories behind some of the items above. There's some other items that may not be "high dollar" but are very cool stories of students giving sacrificially of the talents and treasures.

If you're interested in donating something, items can be turned into the Student Ministries office this Sunday!

The Terrific 2s: Home and rolling

1. Bottles and Diapers: Saturday, November 10, we arrived home around 11:00 p.m. As I look back at it now, it feels like what commenced was 2 months of bottle feedings and diaper changes. It was during that time I gave Katylynn the nickname "Poops McGee." As I think back on it, I remember a lot of joy and peace in our home as well. God's faithfulness was so tangible in those early days as we were (and still are) seeing the most unlikely answer to a 6 1/2 year long prayer.
2. Dad Holding Her: It wasn't as big a deal at the time, but it's a huge memory I carry with me now. The Sunday after we brought her home, my parents came over for lunch and met their Granddaughter. After lunch, my dad sat on the couch and held his granddaughter for the first time. The mental photo of a proud and loving grandpa looking down at his baby granddaughter is etched in my brain now. On I'll carry with me.
   

Terrific 2s: The Hospital

1. The First time I held her: She was asleep in her little plastic crib when we arrived. Candy (birth grandmother) took her out and handed her to Janelle. After a few minutes (at 9:38, give or take 30 seconds) Janelle handed her to me and I held my daughter for the first time. Until that moment, holding newborns absolutely freaked me out. It was always awkward. I was afraid I would drop the tiny fragile thing I was holding onto. In that moment, I couldn't think of anything more natural. She seemed just as tiny and fragile as any other newborn I held, but this time she was my tiny and fragile.
2. The Handoff: We were in a hospital room next to Emily's. A little before 6:00 p.m., Emily rolled the tiny baby in on her bassinet, picked her up, handed her to Janelle, and through tears said, "Here is your daughter." Emily and Candy walked out of the room. I walked over and put my arm around Janelle, put a hand on Katylynn, and tearfully let the moment sit.
   

NFL Pick 'em: Week 9

Week 8 didn't have an impressive showing by any of the participants. I've been consistently picking with average to above average results in comparison to others. Craig is still riding a huge lead based on his early season, almost voodooish success.

Week 9's picks:

• Washington at Atlanta
• Arizona at Chicago - The Bears had a big win last week, but it was against a terrible team. The O-line is pathetic, and the Defense is average. Arizona Offense will win this game.
• Baltimore at Cincinnati - I'm done doubting the Bengals. I've always liked Carson Palmer. I'm glad to see him back and healthy.
  
• Houston at Indianapolis - This will be a good game. Houston is #2 in the division. They look good. They always play well against Indy. In the end, I say Indy will be the only remaining undefeated at the close of the week.
  
• Miami at New England - This is painful to choose. I'll be happy if I'm wrong. Miami did go nuts on NE with the Wildcat last year, but the Patriots are clicking and Brady looks healthy. All I'm asking is that Miami beats up the Pats a little bit as we head into next week.
  
• Green Bay at Tampa Bay - The battle of the Bays. Well, at least two teams with "Bay" in their name are playing. Not going to be much of a battle.
  
• Kansas City at Jacksonville - Out on a limb on this one. I say LJs benching will spark KC and Cassell will be clicking.
  
• Carolina at New Orleans - Carolina is better than their record. This is the upset special, by far.
  
• Detroit at Seattle
  
• Tennessee at San Francisco
• San Diego at NY Giants - Giants are overdue for a win. San Diego is struggling.
  
• Dallas at Philadelphia - Miles Austin has arrived.
  
• Pittsburgh at Denver - Denver, it was fun while it lasted.
  

The Terrific 2s: Pre-Birth

I'll be highlighting 2 memories/stories throughout the 2 years Katylynn entered our life.

Before Katylynn was born.

1. Fort Wayne Restaurant: We met a17 year old girl named Emily and her mom Candy. It was the first of two meetings prior to Katylynn's birth. Walking into the restaurant, I was tempted to treat it like an "interview" where we needed to sell ourselves to this gal and her mother. At the same time, Janelle and I both knew that we simply had to bring ourselves, share our story, get to know them, and see what God wanted to do.
   I had a lot of questions about what we were doing. The whole possibility of this adoption came to us so quickly and the birth was nearly 2 months away. We walked into that restaurant unsure if we were going to pursue it. We walked out certain that we needed to go through the application process. With what could only be God's direction, we had made our choice.
   
   
2. The Phone Call: It was October 23, just 5 days after the tornado had touched down in Nappanee. I had a nasty flu bug that just wasn't going away. I had hugged the porcelein 20 minutes prior to the phone ringing. I heard Janelle:
   "Hello"
   (pause)
   "O, Hi Gina"
   I knew this was it, we were about to receive the news. Gina is the adoption coordinator we worked with. In the midst of exhaustion from disaster relief work and a sickness that I was about to hear news that would change everything for us from that point forward. Janelle screamed with delight, ran back to the bedroom and said, "Derry, we're going to have a baby!"
   My less than enthusiastic post-puky response was "That's great!" My internal joy was unmatched!