an “about me” meme

I’ll jump on the band wagon:

• My favorite food is … Thai
• I cannot stomach … okra.  (I agree with Henry on this one).
• My favorite TV show is … we don’t have TV at the moment but we like NCIS.
• In my spare time I … read, or spend time with my kids.
• One word used to describe me when growing up … unfocused.
• One word used to describe me today … wiser.
• If I had a million dollars I’d … give to church planting efforts among the unreached and Bible translation.
• I send this many emails each day … 0-1 or 2.
• Being homeless and underemployed is … hard.
• My favorite book … Tim Gombis’ The Drama of Ephesians.
• My (earthly) hero is … .
• My favorite theologian is … John Stott, even though he was more a pastor/scholar.
• I went to high school at … Kentridge HS, Kent, WA.
• My favorite spot on earth is … Just about anywhere on or around Mt. Rainier though I like Sunrise and Paradise (as do many).
• If I wasn’t homeless, I would be… a pastor or cross-cultural missionary (if I could keep the job!).
• My favorite Bible verse is … probably Philippians 3:12 (as the NASB puts it)(I have to keep pressing on and not let things hinder me, such as my hearing impairment).
• My favorite pet is … I liked our cat Buster (he was a mane coon), he died about 10 years ago.  We don’t/can’t have pets.  Allergies.
• My favorite commentary on 1-3 John is by … John Painter in the Sacra Pagina set.
• I am embarrassed that I … can’t always hear and cause undue conflict because of it.
• I have been to the following countries … Australia, Thailand, Philippines, Canada, (though I lived in Bellingham WA for college so going there didn’t seem that big a deal – Vancouver is a cool city, very international).
• I was a substitute teacher …  in Springfield, MO while in Seminary and at the Grand Canyon while pastoring.
• Debbie and I honeymooned in … Nova Scotia.
• Our first mission trip together was to … the Philippines.
• My first mission trip ever … to Thailand (Pang Nga Province, just north of Phuket).
• My first journal article appeared in … not published.
• I was once asked to … lead small groups for the Chai Alpha group in College – learned alot doing so.  .
• After completing my MDiv … pastored a little church in the Grand Canyon National Park with my wife Debbie.
• Once they get to know me, most people are surprised that … I can be funny.
• Most people don’t know that I … rebuilt an engine (302) and put it in a pinto mustang I had.
• I have never been to … Europe. And I want to go.
• The number of states in the U.S. I’ve been in is… 10 (though I have driven through 7 states on various trips.
• While in high school I… I took a cross-cultural exchange trip to Australia playing tennis with other high schoolers there, the next year they came to see us.
• my favorite sports growing up… waterskiing (skied competitively) and snow skiing).  (I tend to prefer individual sports over team sports)