Services for Ben Tollefson

On New Year's Eve, Concord lost a son to the war in Iraq. Although I didn't know Ben personally, many in our church family loved him dearly. I am reposting this with permission for any who have been looking for this information:

Dear Family and Friends-

We are pleased to report that, with the assistance of many, memorial and funeral services are now set.

Here is how this week is shaping up:

The funeral service will be held on Saturday, January 10, at 11:00 a.m. at Walnut Creek Presbyterian Church, 1801 Lacassie Avenue, Walnut Creek. 94596.

Immediately following the funeral service, Ben will be buried with full military honors at Golden Gate National Cemetary, 1300 Sneath Lane, San Bruno, 94066

Other public events taking place:

Ben will arrive home on Thursday, January 8, at approximately noon, at Buchanan Field in Concord. Anyone may attend, and we thank you ahead of time for your consideration in maintaining a respectful distance. Only immediate family will be allowed by the plane. Ben will then be escorted to Ouimet Brothers Funeral Chapel on Clayton Road in Concord.

There will be a public viewing on Friday, January 9, from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. at Ouimet. The Clayton-Concord VFW will have a short ceremony at approximately 7:00 p.m.

In conjunction with the Army, the Patriot Guard will provide escorts.

Also, a memorial fund has been set up for Mac (Ben's son).

Here is the information:

Mac James Tollefson Memorial Fund

C/O Wells Fargo Bank

Kirker Pass Office

5431 Clayton Road

Clayton, CA 94517-1039

(925) 672-0501

Looking Back on 2008

I've been looking for a way to process the year that was 2008, so Marko's blog inspired me to post my own take on this survey. This overview helped remind me that though in many ways 2008 was a hard, dark year for me, it was punctuated by many bright spots.

1) What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?
-Hiked 28 miles in one month
-Vacationed in Hawaii
-Planned, led, and translated for a youth mission trip without the aid of an organization
-Tried pilates (love it!)
-Photographed a friend's wedding
-Got sucked into a pop-culture phenomenon (thank you, Stephenie Meyer!). Usually I wait until the hype dies down before I venture anywhere near.

2) Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Um, I don't remember making any last year. And I don't plan on making any this year.

3) Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes! It was fantastic to hold little Nathaniel on the day he was born. (I think I had seven friends give birth this year... crazy!)

4) Did anyone close to you die?
Unfortunately, this was the year we had to say goodbye to Nan.

5) What countries did you visit?
Guatemala.

6) What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
Inspiration and passion fully expressed.

7) What date(s) from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
June 11, Molly graduated high school, and had a (temporarily) paralyzing fall at her graduation night. July 1, we returned to visit our Guatemalan family and church for the first time in 2 1/2 years. Amazing.

8) What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Trusting God and seeing Him work through me to love and mentor Molly like my own daughter. I can't think about it without tears of joy coming to my eyes.

9) Did you suffer illness or injury?
Praise God, I was the healthy one last year. Other than sucky allergies, which I'm just learning to cope with.

10) What was the best thing you bought?
Food for 12-year-old Domingo and his family in Guatemala. Because Domingo required constant attention and care while recovering from a back-breaking fall, his grandfather couldn't go to work and the household was suffering from lack of basic necessities. Best money spent all year.

11) Whose behavior merited celebration?
Spencer, one of our junior highers who of his own accord planned and executed a bake sale to raise money for hungry kids. That kid's my hero.

12) Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Oh gosh, there's more than a couple who come to mind. No need to name names, though. I have been most saddened by Christians who don't take responsibility for commitments they've made (especially to family).

13) Where did most of your money go?
Rent, giving, and car payments.

14) What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Molly and Guatemala. The highlights of my year.

15) What song will always remind you of 2008?
Pocket full of Sunshine - Natasha Beddingfield
A guide to Marine Life - Falling Up
God of this City - Chris Tomlin
Mighty to Save - The Amoeba Singers (Guatemala Team)

16) Compared to this time last year, are you:
Wiser? Only in terms of the sad realities of life.
Healthier? Physically, I might be.
Richer? Relationally, yes!

17) What do you wish you’d done more of?
Invited people over.

18) What do you wish you’d done less of?
Itched (sucky allergies).

19) How did you spend Christmas?
Celebrated over the whole month of December: put up a tree for the first time in four or five years, attended a Christmas musical and a Christmas Eve service at church, then spent the big day opening presents followed by going out to the movies.

20) Did you fall in love in 2008?
Not romantically speaking, but I did grow to love someone very dearly.

21) What was your favorite blog post that you wrote?
"Faithful in the Waiting"

22) What were your favorite TV programs?
30 Rock, Top Model, the Office, American Idol.

23) Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
I don't hate anyone.

24) What was the best book you read?
The Irresistible Revolution, by Shane Claiborne.

25) What was your greatest musical discovery?
Captiva by Falling Up, Viva la Vida by Coldplay, and a song called Reign in Us by Starfield. Plus, that special version of "Mighty to Save".

26) What did you want and get?
Resolution in some old hurts. To see Antonio, Cata, and Pedrito again. A church small group with couples our age. Proficiency in playing the guitar.

27) What did you want and not get?
Answers. A coffee bean grinder. Cute brown shoes.

28) What was your favorite film of this year?
Cloverfield. And, Dark Knight didn't suck.

29) What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 31, and our friends just happened to already have a pizza and game night planned ("Things"). The next night, Molly and Gary cooked me a gourmet birthday dinner.

30) Which celebrity/public figure did you like the most?
I am just fascinated with Angelina Jolie. She is fierce!

31) How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Learning to love layering. And, wearing out my favorite pair of jeans.

32) What kept you sane?
My triad. I have been blessed with two wonderful godly women that I met with weekly to talk and pray with. They've encouraged me through some rough times.

33) Who did you miss?
A high school friend that stopped returning my calls. I miss her.

34) Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
Sometimes you have to let a part of yourself die in order to keep another alive.

35) What did you gain this year?
Good memories with new friends, especially involving travel, tri-tip, and Settlers of Catan!

36) What did you lose this year?
My understanding of my life.

37) Who was the best new person you met?
Eric & Yvette (I just can't separate them). I love who they are as people, I am grateful for their friendship, and I can't wait to get to know them even better.

38) Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
I cried out with no reply
and I can't feel you by my side
so I'll hold tight to what I know
You're here, and I'm never alone

Here’s to ‘09…

Molly's New Blog!

A couple of months ago, we were thrilled to find out that Molly, the young woman that my husband and I are mentoring through shared life, was accepted to Adventures in Missions' "First Year Missionary" program in South Africa/Swaziland. She will spend nine months with a team in southern Africa experiencing intentional discipleship in ministry and missions.

As part of the preparation process, AIM sets up each participant with their own blog site and gives them specific assignments to complete before the trip begins. Once on the field, the participants use their blogs to keep friends and supporters updated with prayer requests, stories and pictures.

You can visit Molly's site here. She has already blogged about her expectations of the trip, her calling to missions, and the reality of life for orphans in Swaziland.

Here's a snippet from her bio:

I have felt for the past couple years that God might be calling me to Africa, and more specifically He has begun to break my heart for Swaziland. When I found the First Year Missionary Program, I learned that I could serve in Swaziland and be mentored into my future in missions. This program was exactly what I had been looking for. So now, I have begun the journey and look forward to what God has for me next.

Please feel free to visit Molly's blog and leave a comment of encouragement!

The Year in Pictures: 2008

January


When our JHers left the classroom and made a real difference in our neighbors' lives, they made "Love Your Neighbor" one of the best Sunday School classes we've ever done.

February


Oh Pizza Pucks, how I miss you. I'm so glad I got to enjoy you one last time, before the last shop that sells you closed its doors. Without you, the world seems a little sadder.

March


These five girls on my New Orleans team learned valuable lessons over the spring break mission trip about love, community, support, and prayer. They inspire me, and I am still learning from them.

April


It took us a while, but we finally found "our place" in the area: Napa Valley. Close enough for a day trip, but far enough away to feel like a whole different world. This picture is the garden at Copia (they actually use ingredients from their garden for the food in their restaurant!) I can't wait to get back!

May


We enjoyed our first camping trip with the Bonus; showing off our favorite sights in Yosemite as well as exhaustedly scrambling to the top of Yosemite Falls, one of the ten highest in the world (this pic is proof we made it to the top!).

June


We cheered on Molly as she crossed the stage at graduation. Two weeks later we cheered as she crossed a hospital room on her own two legs; praising God for the miraculous recovery from a (temporarily) paralyzing fall.

July


After 2 1/2 years of prayer, God blessed us by allowing us to bring a team back to work with our Guatemalan family in Lake Atitlan. (and yes, that's Molly right there with us!)

August


We were thrilled to join our friends the Berrys for a weekend getaway to a cabin in Lake Tahoe. One of my favorite parts of that trip was this hike down to Emerald Bay.

September


I tried my hand at wedding photography, and though I found it more challenging than expected, I really enjoyed the day. I'm so glad I could support my friends by helping them to capture special memories!

October


October saw the return of one of our favorite annual traditions: candy poker night!

November


As part of our annual 30 Hour Famine event, our students not only raised $3000 to send to World Vision, but gathered 200 pounds of food for the Monument Crisis Center, a local food bank.

December


Fellowship means celebration: here we are enjoying a Christmas party with the small group we joined last September. We've been so blessed by the friendships of these other young couples over the past three months.

As I look back over the highlights of these past twelve months, it's easy to see certain themes emerge: ministry, travel, and friends. I am so grateful to God for all the gifts and opportunities He's given me. I am thankful for the special people who have brought joy and meaning into my life. And I look ahead with wonder, with anticipation for what God will bring my way in 2009.

Reading the Good Book

With the end of the year in sight, I have been reinvigorated to finish my "through the Bible in a year (or 3)" plan.

I started in Genesis in January 2006, and have been working my way from left to right, cover to cover, with the desire to read and understand the entirety of God's word in context.

I've taken breaks here and there to move around and study a topic in greater detail, or meditate on scriptures relating to life events, but I always come back to the silk ribbon and renew its progress.

The cover to cover method has been valuable for me to spend time in scripture passages that I may not have come across through a sermon or a devotional. I like knowing that I've read everything in the Bible (hmm, if only I could remember everything I've read!).

This will be the second time I've completed the reading from cover to cover. The first time through, I read the NIV Life Application commentary alongside the relevant scriptures, which also took me three years (I enjoyed the extra information, but ultimately found that the extra weight of the Bible discouraged me from taking it with me anywhere).

So, how shall I spend my daily quiet times in January 2009? I've got a couple different options in mind.

One is the "One Year Bible", which is based on the idea of (surprise) reading through the entire Bible in a year. What I like about this Bible, is that it automatically divies up the reading for each day, so that instead of reading a huge chunk in one place, you read a bit from the Old Testament, a bit from the new, and a Psalm (Hopefully this would keep me from getting bogged down in long passages of similar content).

Another option is a topical daily devotional. Yet another would be to do an in-depth study of Romans, and pick something else once I'm done with that. Ultimately, my goal is to continue learning about God's will in my life through His word, and to grow in obedience and maturity.

How do you choose your Bible devotional / study material? Do you follow some sort of a plan, or the pick and flip method?

It's a Wonderful Life

I'm so excited to see our very own Lauren Galvin starring in "It's a Wonderful Life", presented by Contra Costa Christian Theatre.

The show will run Dec. 12-21 at the Del Valle Theatre in Walnut Creek.

You can get your tickets here.

A Family Thanksgiving Photo-Blog

What makes for a great Thanksgiving weekend?

A pretty table



A thankful heart



Time with my Hubby



High School Buddies



Sweethearts



A Minnesotan's first-time trip to In'N'Out



Laughter



Steaming hot apple cider



My parents



Pie



A real Christmas tree



Watching USC trample Notre Dame



Preachin'



Color!



My hubby's family



Thanks to God for these special memories!

Max's Thoughts on World Hunger and Poverty

The following is a note from one of our students, a young man in the 10th grade named Max. He is being challenged to really live out his faith in a meaningful way. This is exactly why we do things like the 30 Hour Famine:

So recently (as in since the 30 hour famine at my church), I've been thinking a lot about world hunger and poverty. I feel like I'm finally beginning to comprehend what's really going on everywhere in the world...except here. Because like every year when we're preparing for the 30 hour famine, we just hear over and over "kids die every day of hunger" and "other countries are divided into classes and it's so unfair" and stuff like that. But for some reason, it has really made me think a lot recently.

Like it's just so hypocritical how I can stuff myself on Thanksgiving and say I'm a Christian. Aren't we as Christians supposed to feed the hungry, not just live in our bubble to please ourselves? And I'm just satisfying myself and going beyond what I need in order to be full just because I can. And like every day, I'll look through the cupboards for something to eat, and I'm not even hungry. And whatever I see I usually turn down because "I don't feel like having it right now". If people in, I don't know, Swaziland had all the variety that I had, they would be ecstatic. I just take it all for granted.

And grocery stores. I don't think I realize that I have so much because I'm so used to it. Do I ever wonder when my next meal will come? Do I ever question if the grocery store will be out of food next time I go there?

26,000 children die each day of hunger. That's a child dying every 3 seconds 24/7. And that doesnt't include adults or teenagers. How can I not be thinking about that constantly? Why am I not weeping for those children? Why don't I do something about it?

And just watching television disgusts me. There are all these advertisements for cars and crap like that. So many people around the world couldn't afford that no matter how they tried. And I'm worried that I won't be able to use one of our two cars when I get my license.

And I never wonder how we're going to pay for all our expenses. I know that the money comes from the two and a half solid jobs that my parents have. And we have tons of money leftover for so much extra. What do we mean when we say "money will be tight this month"? We can't go out to eat for a month? So many people around the world live on an incredible amount less than us. What if we just cut some more stuff out? It's so unfair how children in Africa have to go work in the fields at the age of 5. And many girls become prostitutes at 8 or 9 just so they can make money to live. Then that just helps spread HIV.

Then I start thinking: Why was I born in America, the richest country ever? It was only by chance that I happened to be born here. Only 300 million people live here. There were like 200 other countries I could have been born into. I don't think I realize how lucky I am.

So I encourage you guys to think about and pray for the rest of the world. Because we DO live in a big, sheltered bubble. And there's so much bad stuff that we don't even know about in the rest of the world. Realize that we are very blessed indeed and that God will expect us to use the situations he's given us to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and tell others about Jesus.