Here is a picture of Erin and I at the Christmas Banquet. We had a good night hanging-out with other married couples. The theme was Charles Dickens' Christmas Carol. Erin is finished school now, all she has left to complete in order to receive her Bachelor's degree is her final Intercultural Studies paper. She is researching how a missionary kid's involvement in his or her parent's ministry affects his or her spiritual well-being and consequently, his or her social adjustment to North American culture. It is really interesting. Well, we are going to leave for Oregon on Thursday morning (December 21st). It is a 20 hour trip, so please pray for our safety. Right now Erin is making gingersnaps and I am in the middle of reading an essay by Jean-Luc Marion (Synopsis so far: We strive in vain if we attempt to understand God as an object. St. Augustine said that one knows God best by not knowing Him. Seeing God is to be found in not seeing him. "Incomprehensibility does not epistemologically disquailfy the Infinite," in other words, just because God is incomprehensible does not imply that He is not true or that we cannot know Him. For as you know God reveals Himself in the person of Jesus Christ. 2000 years ago the Infinite took on flesh and this is what we celebrate at Christmas). Anyway, I am definitely looking forward to hanging-out with Erin's family in Grants Pass and simply reading, relaxing, watching movies, hiking, eating pizza and turkey, etc. I hope you all have a great Christmas! Blessings! Love Nathan and Erin

Movies to watch during Christmas:

Half Nelson
Little Miss Sunshine
Stranger Than Fiction
The Departed
Babel
Thank You for Smoking
Fast Food Nation
The Pursuit of Happyness

Check out my book wish list for 2007 www.xanga.com/drawntotreason

Today was a pretty good day. It was -20 something with sunshine (this is me being somewhat sarcastic and at the same time attempting to be optimistic). I had yesterday off, which was nice. I slept in, read, hung-out briefly with Steve in the Loft, and watched Superman Returns with Erin. I am still fighting the cold I contracted after returning home from Ottawa. Erin and I bought our first Christmas tree yesterday. It was only $10. Erin insisted on getting a real tree and now the whole apartment is permeated with a strong pinecone odor that I can taste each time I swallow. It’s nice to look at though. Anyway, Erin and I just got back from the library, she is studying and after I write and post this update message I am going to try to persuade her to watch an NBC Office episode with me. Well, are you finished your Christmas shopping yet? I only have one thing left to get and I am done. Erin and I are looking forward to getting out of this -26 weather and having two weeks in Oregon for Christmas. Until next time, buddle up and stay warm friends.

These are some pictures of Erin's new haircut. She is very beautiful if you ask me! Unfortunately, she is feeling really sick today and I went to the Dentist earlier to get a crown done, so we are quite the pair. Erin is a part of a women's conference in Three Hills this weekend, but I rented some movies and hopefully we will get a chance to relax. I had an awesome time on the Christian College University Fair (West), but I didn't get a lot of sleep, so it will be nice to rest on the weekend. I leave for my next trip on November 7th (CCUF East). I'm going home for a few days before the tour, so I'll get to see my parents and some of my friends. Have a good weekend!

This is a picture of Erin and I at Jocelyn's wedding last Saturday. Well, not much is new with us. We got a new computer (used but new to us), so I bought a wireless card and now we have the Internet. I traveled this week to Saskatchewan and eastern Alberta recruiting students. I had good conversations with lots of people, are there are some people who are really interested in coming to Prairie. I've been listening to the Bible on CD as I drive, which has been really great. Yesterday I shared with two people what I had read in Acts, it just fit into the conversation. I found out today that my sister-in-law Suzannah was in a car accident yesterday. Her head went through the windshield. She is okay though, which, of course, is good. I talked to her today, I guess her one eye is swollen over and she can't move her head. Next week I travel to British Columbia on a bus with 25 other Christian College & University representatives. Should be fun. I've been listening to Saxon Shore, Iron & Wine, Calexico, and Josh Tillman, check them out (links). Have a great weekend.

These are some pictures from our Saturday trip to Buffalo Jump. It was probably the last nice summer day for the year (pull out those winter jackets...if you haven't already). It is very beautiful at Buffalo Jump, you feel as if you are in the land of dinosaurs. Well, I just got back from my first recruiting trip, which was in California, and I can't believe it is already Thanksgiving! I predict that the rest of the year goes by way too fast. Today I went to the hospital because I have this wicked rash all over my arms. The doctor doesn't know what it is exactly, so I'm left popping allergy pills. Well, I got to go and read "Either/Or" by Soren Kierkegaard and do some laundry. Have a great Thanksgiving everyone!

This is Suzannah's new haircut...it's so 80s...pure vintage.

Here are some amazing pictures Erin took in Edmonton last weekend. Erin's sister Suzannah and two of her friends (Bo & Marcie) came up from Oregon last week and we all went to Edmonton on the weekend to the Harvest Moon Festival. I represented Prairie at the Festival, which turned out pretty good. Two bands from Prairie played at the Festival, so that helped, plus everyone loved the Prairie tattoos. We stayed downtown, saw some shows (MXPX, Blindside), hung-out, I learned how to long board, it was fun. The "Consume Much" picture is taken just outside of the Bay at the West Edmonton Mall.

Well, Erin and I have been discussing lately when a good time to have our first child would be. I received this picture from a friend and showed it to Erin. We shared a brief moment of non-verbal communication. She looked at me as if to say, "Let's wait a little longer." The perfect horror of this picture has put an end to our discussion of bringing children into this sorrowful world...at least for now. On a different note here is a good prayer to pray regularly: "God in Heaven, let me really feel my nothingness, not in order to despair over it, but in order to feel the more powerfully the greatness of Thy goodness."
- Soren Kierkegaard

Well, last Friday Erin and I drove to Edmonton and attended Claire Thompson's wedding. I grew up with Claire in Indonesia. It was a nice wedding at the First Baptist Church downtown Edmonton. A few other missionary kids from Indonesia came so it was great catching up with them. Two of the Clark girls were there, three of the Kirkley girls, and, of course, the Thompsons. The reception was on the 11th floor of the Delta hotel. You could see the city and the city lights at night, it was really nice. Shawn and Claire are perfect together, they are so goofy and carefree, and they smiled the whole time. I almost fell asleep on the way home and Erin got sick from drinking too much coffee, wine, carbonated drink, etc. Good times. The next wedding Erin and I are attending is Daniel Enns' wedding on September 16th.

I know, I know I am ridiculously in love with my books and my new bookshelf. I bought it in the AS/IS room at IKEA and now all I hear are the words of Tyler Durden: "Deliver me from Swedish furniture, deliver me from clever art…the things you own will end up owning you.” For some of my thoughts on books that I have read recently or books that I am currently reading go to my xanga blog (see link). Also, check out all the links I have added. These are some of the bands Erin and I like, organizations we support, and good Websites to get quality books and music at a decent price.

Here are pictures of Erin and I holding Tristan after he had been out of the womb for four hours! Now it has been over a week since he was born in Calgary at the Foothills Hospital. Erin stayed over night last Tuesday when Scott and Sohayla were rushed to Calgary so Sohayla could have her little Tristan. Erin and I have visited the Courtins a few times since Tristan was born. He is a very cute baby. I've told Erin not to get an ideas, although for some reason, it is becoming more tempting...

How was your long weekend? It went by way too fast for me. On Friday night Erin and I, Steve and Stacey watched V for Vendetta. It is a good movie about an utilitarian society that attempts to control its people and condition its social agents. V is this terrorist or anarchist, who seeks revenge against those involved in testing minority groups and a children's hospital with medicine that leads to infection and death. Anyway, I think it was well written at times, it is has lots of action as well, just watch it. On Saturday Erin worked at the Bookroom and I helped Steve Davis move into his new place. We had some good chats, some pizza and brew. After church on Sunday a bunch of us went to Gull Lake and barbecued, swam, etc. I lost my wedding ring playing football in the water. We all looked for an hour for the ring. Finally, I saw this guy with a metal detector and I asked him if he would look for my ring for me. Just before we left for home I went out to him in the water and he showed me my ring! It was amazing, I thought I lost it for sure! Thank God! Yesterday I finished reading Brave New World by Aldous Huxley and Erin and I played tennis and just relaxed.

Here are two pictures of the main stage at Creation Festival in George, Washington. I just got back Sunday night. It was a great trip, I got to hang-out with my sister-in-law Suzannah, we made friends with the people next to us in the tent, and we had the chance to see Hillsong United and David Crowder Band. I left Three Hills after my exam on Tuesday, which went pretty good. It took 10 hours to get to Spokane, Washington, it was a nice drive. I arrived at the Gorge on Wednesday, it took awhile to figure out where I had to go and it was incredibly hot outside. I finally found Suzannah and we set-up the Prairie booth and our tent, etc. The next three days we told people about Prairie, handed-out Prairie tattoos, camped, smuggled pop into the tent area, watched bands, bought New Fire Paradise and Truth clothing, and drank lots of water. It was a lot of fun, I didn't get too much sleep and on the way home I had to sleep in my car because there was no room at any hotels in Spokane! So, needless to say I am very tired. Erin is planning to come with me next year, should be good.

Okay, so I promised I would write a movie review for Pirates of the Caribbean 2, it is a little rushed, but here it is: Pirates of the Caribbean 2 has all the elements of the first move: homour, pirate legends, adventures at sea, supernaturalism, love, and an evil villain and his crew, but it is, in a sense, over-produced and the plot was a little strange. Basically, Captain Jack Sparrow searches to find the key to unlock a treasure box, so he can possess the heart of Davey Jones, which will then give him control over the sea, and, of course, he is deceptive and lucky as usual and finds it. The only problem is he isn't the only one looking for it. I enjoyed the parts in the film with the great squid because I have always found the myths about a giant octopus destroying ships at sea intriguing. Pirates of the Caribbean 2 is definitely an entertaining adventure ride close to three hours in length and worth your $10. It has cannibals, a giant squid, battles at sea, mystery, a lot of humour, internal conflict, etc. Is the first one better? It could be just the ending of Dead Man's Chest, which was frustrating and exciting at the same time, but I think the first one is better for different reasons, one being that I didn't sense that the characters developed that much.

Here is a hilarious picture of Captain Jack Sparrow running away from cannibals. Erin and I and our neighbours went and saw Pirates of the Caribbean 2 last Saturday night. Later this week I will post my review of the movie as well as post the albums of the week. Today on the way to work I fell off my bike and cut up my fingers, I might post a picture of my hand tomorrow just for fun. Have a great day. I have to finish writing a paper tonight. It should be good times. One week until my exam!

Here are some pictures Erin took of the Three Hills parade last Saturday. Kids love candy, I saw a few children almost get run over by cars/carts trying to get candy. It's funny we tell them not to jump or run infront of cars and then we take them to the parade!

Erin and I are going to Warped Tour 2006 in Calgary on Thursday! We are excited to see bands like: Underoath, AFI, MuteMath, The All-American Rejects, Emery, Classic Crime, and Thursday. It seems to be a concert summer for me for some reason, I am leaving for Creation Festival next Tuesday where I will get the chance to see Hillsong United, Anberlin, Project 86, Starfield, etc. Erin and I saw Pilate live the other day and Phantom of the Opera (as I have already mentioned), we are going to Harvestmoon Festival in September (MXPX, Blindside, Copeland, etc.), and I am going to see Tool in August.

Check out these storm pictures from the other night. Erin took them right outside our apartment building.

Well, here you have it, Erin's new haircut. It is pretty short, but it is cute...I love it. Right now Erin is working at the bookroom and I am registering students for classes. We don't have too much planned for the weekend. I have a lot of reading to do for my course and I have to write a paper. Have a good weekend everybody.