Research Update

I thought I'd let you all know that I finshed proving the result that I've been working on for the past three weeks or so. It feels good to have this piece done, but there is still lots to do before I can start writing everything up.

Specifically, I have one major missing piece that needs to be proved in order for my main result to be valid. I have turned my attention to finding a good approach to this part of the question, and am starting to make a little progress on it, but I am nowhere close to resolving the issue.

Thanks for those of you who have been praying for my research. I'll try to be more consistent in letting you know how it is going.

Happy Father's Day

Hi Folks.

I'm trying to post a bit more regularly these days. We'll see how long I can keep it up.

Yesterday was Father's Day, as you probably all know. Father's Day can be a tough day for me since my own Father died from cancer back in 1992, and living far away from family, I tend to just treat it like any other day. This year, I decided that I would try to spend Father's day focusing on and spending some time with my Heavenly Father instead of focusing on the absence of my earthly father. We had some sweet time.

I thought that I'd also like to share the lyrics to a song by a Christian artist named David Meece. I've included a quote from his website about the origins of the song in his own family experience. I hope that you enjoy it.


“One of the few memories I have of my father is that he loved to sit in the same chair and watch TV after work,” David said. “However, he was also very violent and his alcoholism and abuse eventually grew to a point where he just disappeared. So, in the first verse, I talk about my father’s chair, which was empty. In the second verse I talk about ‘my’ chair and how I want my kids to see my chair as a place of love and unconditional acceptance.” Then, in the third verse, David makes the ultimate discovery. “My earthly father was not my real father at all. My ‘real’ father is my Father in heaven and He never left my side for one second. The Father’s chair - His throne in glory - is the chair that will some day draw all His children and none will be turned away.”


My Father's Chair

Sometimes at night I'd lie awake
Longing inside for my father's embrace
Sometimes at night I'd wander downstairs
And pray he'd returned, but no one was there.
Oh, how I'd cry, a child all alone
Waiting for him to come home.

Chorus:
My father's chair, sat in an empty room
My father's chair, covered with sheets of gloom
My father's chair through all the years
And all the tears I cried in vain
No one was there in my father's chair.


Sometimes at night I sit all alone
Drifting asleep in a chair of my own
When sweet sleepy eyes peer down from the hall
Frightened by dreams they cannot recall
I hold them close, calming their fears
Praying they always will say,

Chorus:
My father's chair sits in a loving room
My father's chair, no matter what I do
My father's chair, through all the years
And all the tears I need not fear
Love's always there in my father's chair.


Sometimes at night I dream of a throne
Of my loving God, calling me home
And as I appear, He rises and smiles
And reaches with love to welcome His child
Never to cry, never to fear
In His arms, safe and secure.

Chorus:
My Father's chair sits in a royal room
My Father's chair holds glory beyond the tomb
My Father's chair, my God is there
And I am His eternal heir
Someday I'll share my Father's chair.

N-S-E -- As easy as 1-2-3

Hi folks.

Since is seems that a few of you still check out this site, I'm going to keep rambling on a bit at least every week or two (at least while I am not travelling).

I'm back from my trip to the northwest now - actually I have been back for a good week and a half. I just didn't get around to posting until now. I always find it difficult to get back into the flow of "normal" life after I've been travelling. Maybe its just me. I really enjoyed my time with family. I only get to see them twice a year, so I try to make the most of it.

I spent Memorial Day weekend in Seattle with my brother and his family. They bought a new house this Spring, and needed to put up a fence around it so that his 3 year old son and not quite 1 year old daughter can play in the yard more safely (there is a semi-busy street adjacent to their lot). We spent the better part of 3 days working on it. Putting up fence is hard work. It was a nice change of pace from sitting inside doing math, but I got a BAD sunburn, my lily white ivory tower academian hands took a beating, and my muscles got a better workout that they have had in quite some time. Although work took up most of my time in Seattle, it was still a nice visit. In a way, the work made it more memorable. Now every time I visit, the fence will be there as a testament to that weekend of work together.

I also had some good times with the rest of my family down in the Portland/Vancouver area. That part of the trip was a bit quieter, which was good as I needed a restful time - as much from the past semester as from the fence building. I got to celebrate my sister's birthday with her on June 2nd - which almost never happens, and I got some quality time with family and some old friends too. I also got to do some major reading, which I always make a point of doing when I travel. I got through 4 and a half books during my trip. I'll fill you in on some of them when I get the chance.

So, now I'm back in Lincoln trying to get some research done and working my summer job with the math department. My advisors are going to be out of town for a few weeks, so I'll have to show some self-discipline. My job this summer is the same as last summer - working at new student enrollment helping freshmen and transfer students get signed up for math classes and recruiting to the special 1st year Calculus program. I've already recruited 20 students. I hope to get about 20 more by the end - July 8th.

Well, I've rambled enough for now. More later...