The Obnoxious High-Tech Papa

The ultimate in obnoxious grandparenting in a high-tech way. Here is a link to a 31 minute video of Cole...

I've removed the video and will replace it with shorter version later.

An Angel Lives Two Houses North

The last few weeks have been exceedingly busy. I've worked hard, but the work has been piling up, especially around the house. Yard work has literally been "piling up" as the Maple Monster in the front yard has finally decided to shed its leaves. My plan has been to spend the last two Mondays off mulching them and getting them ready for pick up. Which means other things get left for later.

Two Saturdays ago we came home from my best friend Randy's daughter's wedding to see a pile of leaves at the curb and my yard immaculate. After a moment's thought I had a pretty good idea who my benefactor was. A week later the yard was filled again and this time Marcia was home as my neighbor, Roger, came through with his vacuum/mulcher and spent significant time cleaning up our yard again. This was in the midst of one of the busiest ministry weekends I hope to experience for a long time.

Roger is this wonderfully humble guy who thinks I'm doing him a favor by spending a bit of time with him and going on an occasional bike ride together. I honestly haven't invested that much time in him, and I truly enjoy our times together. Mostly, I've listened. So, now, I'm the one humbled...by a guy who has shown Christian humility and service I teach about, but don't practice nearly as well as he.

And then there is...Cole Michael Hinterman

Cole was born this afternoon (11/13/07) at 3:03 p.m. He is 8 pounds even and 19 inches long. Lots of dark hair and baby blue eyes. He is very alert and showing off those eyes quite often.

Jill is doing great and Kent is expected to make a full recovery. They will be at Spectrum Downtown for a couple days and then off on the new adventure of life with baby.

Waiting for # 6

Marcia & I are here at Spectrum Health Downtown (Grand Rapids) waiting for Grandchild # 6 to come along. We are waiting patiently (not!) with Jill’s parents and sister. We should be hearing soon and I will update my blog with the news.

Last night we were talking about how it is we got to be grandparents of 6 grandchildren so quickly. However, we don’t care so much if we sound old, we don’t feel old and we are so much enjoying those little creatures. Each one is precious and unique - Faith - the dramatic, beautiful first born. Lily - best known as the “q-tip” girl around the church is strong willed and unintentionally funny. Rhys is...hmm - strong willed and intentionally funny. Pixie fits her name - a delightful little sprite - Raegan’s personality is just beginning to show but appears to be another good natured, fun loving soul. And then there is.....I’m not giving it away yet...but you can count on plenty more stories from Papa Chris

Heritage

We Hintermans are of Swiss descent. That's our coat-of-arms to the left - we aren't much for flashy graphics apparently. My great-grandfather Rudolph emigrated here in the later 1800's from Zurich. I grew up on the little farm that he settled six miles south of (where in the world is...) Merrill, Michigan. The log house that he built still stands and I had many adventures in it - both real and imagined - growing up there.

This week I was doing a little net surfing and ran across an article on the Hintermann (the old spelling - as if it isn’t a long enough name in its current usage!) family. It was all in German so I used a free online translator. It is worth every cent I paid for it. The translation is rough, but allows one to get the gist of the article.

Here are a few out-takes:





The Hintermann are one of the completely old families of Beinwil, (A small village that has a fairly strong Hintermann contingent) which already established themselves there in the outgoing Middle Ages. From where they came, is not anywhere held. If we test however, where except in Beinwil there are today "Hintermanns", the strong spreading of the name in the canton Zurich is noticeable, while it in other cantons do not (makes no sense) at all is. Therefore a strong probability exists that the Beinwiler Hintermann came from there. The first (makes no sense) mention of the name in Beinwil falls in the year 1500.





The following stanza explains so much....





Traces of the branch of Hintermann in the canton Luzern are us so far in the sources do not meet. There are descendants anyhow there today no more. In Beinwil however the sex spread with the time strongly. After the family listing of 1589 the village counted already seven Hintermann families.





A few final thoughts about the translation: I have always thought the name meant "the man behind" either indicating that our family lived geographically behind some more prominent personage or that we served as servants or that we were just a bit slow (the most likely of the options) However, in the on-line translation the Hintermann name was literally rendered as "backer". I like that! So maybe our family name means - "I’ve got your back!" Or I’m one who works behind the scenes to assure the success of another.



I’ve had several people ask how I’m doing with being "only" a staff pastor. After all, I spent thirty years as solo and lead pastor in four churches. The truth is, I’m loving what I am doing now. I enjoyed helping Joel succeed in his ministry and am very excited about the days ahead with our new lead guy, Brandon. So, I guess if anyone else asks me how I’m doing in this role, I can just say, I’m a Hinterman - it’s in my blood.

Glowing for Jesus

That is the singularly most scmaltzy title I've come up with yet. I have every confidence I can do worse. Anyway - last night was Halloween and our CIA team went out to distribute glow sticks to kids in the neighborhood near the church. It was cool - and rainy - but it was also COOL! Our group was near Post Oak School and we went through 200 sticks in about 35 minutes.

Our success may have been location, or it may have been our enthusiastic barker. My buddy Neil came along with his parents and sister. He was dressed up as Peter from the Chronicles of Narnia. While his mother, Sonya held up our "Free Glow Sticks" sign, Neil was shouting the same at the top of his lungs. At one point he was yelling, "Free Glow Sticks! Free Glow Sticks! Just follow the sound of my voice!" What a riot.

It seems to me that Neil was having more fun than the hundreds of other ghosts, goblins and assorted monsters & superheroes around us. I love what we do to show the love of Christ to those who don't yet know Him. But I also love how we are teaching a new generation that it is normal and fun to demonstrate our Christ-love to others. Neil may have missed out on "trick 'r treat" but he gained something much more valuable. Besides, believe me, Neil doesn't need the sugar.