Michigander Love

After writing my last blog and thinking about euchre, I decided to list some other things that Michiganders do or know. After asking for input from fellow Michiganders on Facebook, I compiled a list of ten things that are vital to know about Michigan and it’s “ganders.”

1. Michiganders point to their hand to show you where they live.

2. If you have ever lived in Michigan, at one point you’ve had to switch on the heat and the Air Conditioning in the same day.

3. Michiganders know that “soda” is what you bake with and “pop” is what you drink.

4. Michiganders know how to play euchre.

5. A Michigander’s year has two seasons; winter and construction. Consequently it is better to drive in the winter because the pot holes are filled with snow.

6. The first day of deer season is considered an excused absence.

7. You know you’re a Michigander if you have been caught in a snow storm on Spring Break.

8. You can look South to Canada from Michigan.

9. Michiganders express distance between cities in minutes not miles.

10. You know that Kalamazoo not only exists, but is only 100 miles fom Hell.

1. Michiganders point to their hand to show you where they live. It’s true, Michigan looks like a mitten. Since elementary school, I was taught to use my hand in the shape of Michigan to show where I was from. I didn’t realize the abnormality of this until I started attending school in Virginia. Sometimes it’s awkward when someone asks me where I am from in Michigan. I pull out my hand to show them where, and they suddenly stare at me like I’m crazy. Then I continue by informing them that Michigan actually looks like a hand. I always thought it was obvious… are Michiganders the only people who recognize Michigan as a hand?
2. If you have ever lived in Michigan, at one point you’ve had to switch on the heat and the Air Conditioning in the same day. One peculiar thing about Michigan is the weather. It never follows the forecast of the weatherman, nor is it ever consistent. I can remember several different days in which it was below freezing in the night and up around sixty degrees Fahrenheit in the day. This can cause a conundrum when it comes to deciding how to set your thermostat. Many times, while living in my apartment in Battle Creek, I changed the setting from heat to air conditioning and then back again.
3. You bake with soda, and you drink pop. For those of you who may not be from Michigan, I have sad news for you. In Virginia, and pretty much every other southern state, there is a great confusion amongst the people. I fear they have been misled. Not too long ago, while attending a dinner at a local restaurant in Lynchburg, VA, I found myself educating a young waitress who obviously had been deceived into thinking that “soda” is some kind of drink. “Pop” is that sparkly fizzy tasty liquid that Coke and Pepsi companies produce. “Soda” is not a drink, and is actually quite disgusting and dry if eaten alone. “Soda” is that white powdery substance made by Arm and Hammer that people use to bake things. You don’t want to get the two confused or you could end up with a dry mouth and a flat cake!
4. Michiganders know how to play euchre. If you don’t know, ask a Michigander. We’ll tell you, but it’s hard to wrap your brain around. So don’t make your non-Michigander brain work too hard.
5. A Michigander’s year has two seasons; winter and construction. Consequently it is better to drive in the winter because the pot holes are filled with snow. One thing about Michigan that will always remain the same is the amount of construction that never seems to end. I swear we are probably close to being the nation’s leading provider of pot holes. These holes are places where the road has dropped to make a hole, causing a bumpy ride in your General Motors vehicle. One good thing about winter driving is that these pot holes fill with snow. As Michiganders, we have all been raised to drive in the snow. Snow is nothing but a substance that helps smooth out the roads.
6. The first day of deer season is an excused absence. November 15 is the holiday that comes right before Thanksgiving. Every year, shotgun season starts on this day for deer hunting. I remember the first opening day I was old enough to hunt. Mom let me stay home from school to go out and try to get a shot at Bambi. The next year, they decided that there were too many students absent from school to be able to count it as a full day. Ever since then, school has been cancelled on November 15.
7. You know you’re a Michigander if you have been caught in a snow storm on Spring Break. Winter never seems to end in Michigan. Just when you start to think that summer is on it’s way, an overnight blizzard blesses you with a foot and a half of snow. There are many times I can remember a couple of warm weeks in April, followed by a full on ice age at the beginning of May. It is not uncommon for kids to snowboard or make snowmen on their spring breaks.
8. You can look South to Canada from Michigan. Michigan is “the only place in the contiguous United States that this can be done.” (Quote Bruce Benedict) This is quite interesting and quite fascinating all at the same time. I did not even know this fact until I asked for input on Facebook.
9. Michiganders express distance between cities in minutes not miles. This is because time is very important to us Michiganders. It’s a challenge sometimes going to school in the south because everyone wants to take their time. In Michigan, it’s all about how much you can get done in the least amount of time. It’s hard to find traffic in the South that will even go the speed limit, let alone over it. I was driving to Clare, Michigan the other day and was surprised at how fast the flow of traffic was going. It was like culture shock being back in that traffic. The average car speed seemed to be 85+ mph. I don’t know whether that means Michiganders are also more dangerous or not, but they definitely have an urge to get things done.
10. You know that Kalamazoo not only exists, but is only 100 (or 1 hr. 57 minutes) miles from Hell. Hell, Michigan that is. Hell is a small town with a population of 266 according to Wikipedia. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hell,_Michigan) There is a gift shop in this town selling various “hell” merchandise. I’ve heard that the town even has a run in which the participants receive t-shirts that say “I ran through Hell”.

Good ol’ Michigan. There are many different characteristics and facts that go along with being a Michigander. I have listed a few more below just for your enjoyment….

-If you are a Michigander, the Big Mac is something that you drive across.

- If you are a Michigander, your Little League baseball game was snowed out….

- If wanna-be gangsta kids from different states ask you if you’ve been to 8 Mile. When you try to explain that 8 Mile is actually a road that stretches across most of Wayne County and that the section of road in the movie is only a few blocks long their eyes glaze over.

-It’s easy to not only get Faygo “pop” but also Vernor’s (Michigan folks won’t understand the significance of this)

-Michiganders love snowdays

-You can only go north when you want a vacation, as in “up north.”

-We have Amish.

Thanks for characteristics and facts about Michigan go out to:

Victoria Harris

Amy Napier-Boley

Jake Boley

Bruce Benedict

Erin Carrigan

Tuesday Van Engen

Chayla Robles

Adam Zank

Late Nights

There’s something about the company of friends that makes me want to leave the house as soon as the family’s tucked away to bed. Maybe it’s the crazy kid inside of me refusing to have a bed time, or maybe it’s the desire to seek out the companionship of those friends I love and trust.

Last night, Leah and I went to Kalamazoo to visit our friends Amy and Jake. As we arrived, we were greeted by the scent of Jake’s famous home-made pizza. Jake makes a delicious pineapple pizza. I have drool running down my chin just thinking about it. After gorging ourselves on the pizza and Leah’s fantastic spinach/artichoke dip, we began to watch the ballad of Ricky Bobby. This film is most heart-wrenching and caused us all to burst into tears like everyone does at the end of The Notebook.

I don’t know what it is about Nintendo 64, but I don’t think it will ever go out of style. After the movie was finished, we challenged each other in the art of Mario Kart. I managed to win a couple of times when I wasn’t getting schooled by my highly skilled girlfriend. I was also beaten quite mercilessly by our gracious hosts. I’m not quite sure how much time we spent with Mario and his Karts, but it was definitely time not wasted.

Now, as a Michigander, there are several things you must learn to fulfill the role. One of these things is Euchre. Euchre is a highly sophisticated game with a complex structure that cannot be understood by anyone who might call themselves “A Southerner.” Amy, Jake, Leah, and I all decided to practice this Michigan ritual. Jake, not knowing the rules of Euchre, played a few hands and was soon a master in the ways of Euchre. Now, if Jake was not a true Michigander, we would have had to play 8 months straight before he could tell the difference between a left bower and a right bower. However, he picked up fast and we were soon engulfed in a full on brawl with the girls in a game of Euchre. After losing the last hand with the score being 10-9, we surrendered our pride and dignity to the victory of the women folk. (Something only a real man can do.)

Oh, I almost forgot to mention the delightful chocolate pie and hot chocolate that we shared together. There’s something about pie and hot chocolate that bonds souls together. I’m not really sure what it is, but I’m sure it’s there.

That night was a lot of fun and was filled with a lot of hysterical laughs separated by gasps for air. I love the joy and fulfillment that comes from hanging with friends. There is a emotional high that only fellowship can create. There’s an even greater high that comes from fellowship at two in the morning. A lot of my favorite memories are from spending time with friends late at night. Whether this time is spent at a friend’s house, or by making a late-night trip to Denny’s our IHOP. Wherever it is, the late hours of night seem to amplify the laughter and tweak the smiles of those I love and trust.

Waves

This summer, Daniel and I met our family out East and went to Bar Harbor, Maine. While we were in Bar Harbor, we went to Acadia National Park. We stopped by a beach and did some swimming. The water was a scorching 60 degrees. Against my better judgment, I decided to risk my camera to try and get some cool pictures of waves.

Not one wave is the same. They are all filled with their own sense of originality. I have always been fascinated by them. Many times I have sat on a beach, watching the waves crash onto the sand, each one different, but amazing in it’s own way….

It’s amazing to me how the water directly beneath a wave can be so calm. Especially while the intensity of the whitecaps looks so ferocious compared to the calm glassy surface below…..

What were God’s intentions for waves. Are they to remind us of the magnificent power that He possesses? Or are they merely examples of our uniqueness and individuality?

Or maybe the clear glassy surface and rushing water is to remind us of our spiritual cleansing.

Waves are truly amazing and beautiful. They give the individual a chance to escape in imagination and wonder. They provide a peaceful, but authoritative sound unlike any other. Waves can lull a baby to sleep or wake a sailor in the deep. There is no better explanation for the uniqueness and beauty of waves than these two words…. Intelligent Design.

Delight Leads to Desires

Psalm 37:4

Delight yourself in the LORD and he will

give you the desires of your heart.

Right before I went to bed last night, I went to http://www.Biblegateway.com. In Bible gateway’s home page, they give a verse of the day. Since it was past midnight, today’s verse was up and it was Psalm 37:4.

Lately, I have been thinking a lot about what the desires of my heart are. Here are some of them (not in any particular order, just how they came to my head):

1. Have a loving wife and raise a family the way my parents raised me.

2. Teach children and teens who have special needs.

3. Perform music and record an album.

4. Stand up for the lives of the unborn

5. Travel to many different countries.

6. Teach abroad for at least one year.

7. Have a house and a big yard for my family and to entertain friends.

8. Have a grill.

9. Own a gun. Shoot more deer. Eat more Deer.

10. Stay committed to my faith in Jesus Christ and be a testimony to others.

11. Help the poor in some way.

There are so many more things I could put on here. There is so much I want to do with my life, not to mention graduating. I feel like I have not been in the word enough lately. The encouragement that one Psalm gave me, was enough to energize me for the day. That verse gave me “Delight” in thinking that God has a plan to prosper me. (Jeremiah 29:11)

How does God tie in to the desires of my heart?

1. Have a loving wife and raise a family the way my parents raised me - I was raised in a Christian home and was taught conservative values. My parents love each other very much and just had their 25th wedding anniversary. I have always been taught the unconditional love that God demonstrates. I have been taught that we need to demonstrate that love to others. Not just family, or other believers, not just conservatives, not just those we feel like loving… but everyone. I want my kids to have the same understanding of unconditional love from me and my future wife that my parents have given me.

2. Teach children and teens who have special needs – It has been my desire for some time now to teach children and teens with special needs. I believe that God has given me the gift of patience and compassion. Every time I have worked with these children of God, I have walked away feeling blessed. I believe this is one area that God wants me to devote my life to.

3. Perform music and record an album – Ever since I attended Kindermusik (http://www.kindermusik.com/), I have had a great desire for music. I believe my musical ability is God-given and that he wants me to use this ability to further His kingdom. Lately, I have been playing music with some friends and I’m excited to see what will happen there. I hope that Jesus will always be represented in the way I perform.

4. Stand up for the lives of the unborn – Being raised in a home that taught unconditional love, I was taught the value of life. I believe that from the moment of conception, a baby is alive and one of God’s children. I know there are many difficult situations that can happen in pregnancy. However, I still firmly believe that abortion is killing a living human and it is wrong. There are health care bills being backed by Obama that are working through congress right now. These health care bills include federal funding for abortion. (http://www.nrlc.org/AHC/Index.html) There is so much to be done in the area of pro-life and I don’t believe the issue will be resolved anytime soon. I hope to stand up for those who can’t stand up for themselves. Whether that is by placing my vote, or by working for an adoption agency, I will stand up for the lives of the unborn. I also know that there are many who struggle with guilt because they have had abortions in the past and they deserve our love and acceptance. (For info on pro-life action go to: http://www.nrlc.org/)

5. Travel to many different countries – My foreign experience is limited. I’ve been to Canada, Mexico, and the Bahamas. Someday, I would like to go visit other continents and cultures. I would love to be able to do mission work again. Some of my greatest memories are from mission trips to Mexico.

6. Teach abroad for at least one year – This is a personal desire. But I think this kind of ties in with numbers 5 and 2. I just think it would be fun.

7. Have a house and a big yard for my family and to entertain friends – fellowship… one of the great qualities of the church.

8. Have a grill – I’m not sure whether it’s God’s will for me to have a grill or not. But I like to cook, and eating is somewhat a desire of my heart!

9. Own a gun. Shoot more deer. Eat more Deer – One of the greatest ways to provide meat for your family and save money is by eating venison, and it’s fun. I hope to teach my sons and daughters how to hunt. Some of my best bonding moments with my Dad and brothers were during hunting season.

10. Stay committed to my faith in Jesus Christ and be a testimony to others - Self explanatory. I need Jesus. Others need Jesus. It is my job to show Jesus to others.

11. Help the poor in some way - Jesus calls on us to help the poor. I’m not sure how I will go about doing this, but I will keep my eyes open for opportunity.

While some of the above desires are slightly humorous, others are very serious desires that I am praying about. I hope to fulfill all these desires. However, there is no better time to start delighting in the Lord than now. I need to be more involved in my relationship with God. I tend to get to a certain point and then get content. One of the words used to describe the word “relationship” at http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/relationship is “involvement”. I have to involve God in my life. No getting stale, no slacking.

How about you? What are your heart’s desires? Please Comment…

Where is Beauty?

Where is beauty?

Sunset at home

Whenever I first arrive back at Lynchburg, VA, I am always awed by the Mountains and the beautiful things there are to see. Growing up in Michigan, I have not seen mountains on a very regular basis. Consequently, every time I see mountains I get this awestruck feeling. I don’t know where this feeling comes from. Maybe it’s the unfamiliarity of this new scenery that draws me in, something that is new and refreshing.

The peak of Sharp Top Mountain overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains.

There have been a couple of really clear days so far. On these days, you can see for miles, even beyond Sharp Top mountain which Leah and I climbed last spring. This breathtaking view is taken for granted by so many who have grown up seeing it everyday.  However, the other day I was looking through some of my pictures from home. There were some that I had taken of a sunset over the pond behind my parents house. This got me thinking. Why do I find mountains so amazing, when the people of the mountains are overwhelmed with the beauty of the place I call home? I myself, have often taken for granted the beauty of that which I used to see everyday. No, there are no mountains, but a different kind of beauty.

Home

Although these pictures felt less significant a few weeks ago when I took them, I know realize how important they really are. They help me appreciate home. There is a different kind of beauty at home. A beauty filled with belonging and comfort. I have decided that no matter where I am, I will never take advantage of the beauty that God has surrounded me with. Because this beauty is everywhere.

“Coal Miners”

I can’t believe it is already the end of the third week of school. I just finished my week the same way I started it…. in Earth Science class. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m all about the amazing things that God created. I just don’t get too much into the whole rock and gem scene.

It’s actually quite surprising that I don’t find rocks and gems and other geological features more interesting. When I was a little boy I used to dream of being a Geologist. I thought it must be so cool to dig up rocks and try and find gems. Now that I look back on it, I think I was more mesmerized by the other fun things that some geologists get to do. Things such as exploring cliffs, canyons, and caves.

I remember one time when my brother Daniel and I dug in a pile of dirt that my dad had made with a back hoe. Dad was doing some project around the house and it required digging. So he dug and put a big pile of dirt near the yard. Anyways, I got Daniel to help me dig and we started to try and dig a tunnel. Then we started finding coal-like fragments in the dirt. (I figure now that it was probably just charred wood or charcoal from a grill that had been buried somehow a few years back.) I was convinced that Daniel and I had found a future location of a coal mine.

Mom came out to check on us once and I remember that she told us not to build a tunnel anymore because of the risk of collapse. Of course, that wasn’t any fun, so Daniel and I continued to dig the tunnel. We had a lot of fun on that pile of dirt. The tunnel never collapsed (I’m not sure why) and the “coal” intrigued us for a week or two. Unfortunately we never made millions from our coal mine, but it’s the thought that matters right?

Another time I remember being mesmerized by this same sort of thing was when my parents were building their new house. Our house was shipped in four sections as a modular and then cranes put the house together. On the day that the house was put together, both sets of my grandparents came over.

I was only really interested in the construction of the house for a little bit at a time. I would find things to do and then come back to watch the house construction when I felt like it. One of the places I went to explore was the field. The field, at the time, was owned by my grandparents. As I searched around for anything interesting, I saw a rock that caught my eye. It wasn’t just any rock though. It had the appearance of a small slab of marble. Even though the slab was only about 5 by 3 by 2 inches in volume, I thought that I had found a gem of great value. I was so excited and wanted to keep the rock.

I was about to take the rock back when I started to feel guilty. I thought to myself, “Wait a second, this rock is on Grandma and Grandpa Benedict’s property, to take it without asking would be stealing.” I was dismayed and afraid that if I asked Grandma for the rock, she would say no. I thought that she would want to keep it for herself so that she could make money from it. I don’t know why I thought this, because my Grandma Benedict was one of the most selfless people that ever walked this planet. However, I went over to her car where she was sitting and watching the construction of the house. I asked her the question that was on my mind, dreading to hear the answer…. When she replied, “I don’t care, it’s just a dirty old rock. Why would I want to keep a thing like that?” Surprised at her answer, I stood there dumbfounded for a couple of seconds. “Why would she not want to keep this rock? Why did she call it a dirty old rock?” Then, suddenly, a feeling of joy consumed me and I walked happily off with my new prized possession.

What is it that made me so fascinated with the simple when I was younger? Why don’t I get the same rush of fulfillment and joy from seeing a simple rock complex in design? Why do fascinations with the simplistic fade the older we, as humans, get? I’m not sure I know the answers to these questions. Perhaps it’s the curiosity and spirit of adventure that consumes us at birth. Maybe, the more we experience seeing these things, the more normal they come. I would love to be able to see things 100% through the eyes of a child again. Unfortunately, those times are over for me. I can, however, try to find joy in all things. With the knowledge I know have, I can be amazed at the complexity of God’s creation. There are so many things to enjoy. I don’t want to take anything for granted.

Hello world!

Hi! David here. I’ve never tried a blog nor had one. I thought I should give it a shot…..

First of all, let me tell you a little bit about myself. My name is David Benedict. I’m from a small town somewhere in Michigan. My family has been making Maple Syrup as a family business for over 100 years. I am the oldest of five boys and proud of the crazy, never slowing household I grew up in. I am dating Leah Faust, who is a Senior at Harding University. We have been dating and doing the whole long distance relationship thing for almost two and a half years. However, the distance is worth it and having a healthy Christ centered relationship has been very rewarding. As you may have already guessed, I am a Christian. I believe that Christ came to Earth, died, and rose again to save sinners like myself. My parents have instilled in me a faith that is unfaltering and I am thankful for that. There are so many things that I have to be thankful for and I am very proud to be me. As far as hobbies go, I enjoy singing, playing guitar, playing piano, and spending time with friends. Ever since I was little, I have been interested in music. From those first moments in Kinder Music, to performing improvisation in the Liberty University Jazz Band, I have experienced much with my involvement in music. I haven’t had quite as much time lately to write songs, but I hope to be able to do so in the near future.

I have no idea what the next few years are going to bring. However, I know God has a plan for my life. Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that God has a plan. It’s not just any plan. It’s an awesome plan for us to prosper. I’m excited to see what God will do with me… and sometimes the curiosity just kills me.