Dale and Jan Holloway Family

Closing Down Blog

2012-01-25T06:27:00.000-06:00

Well, the time has come to close down this blog. I'll let the hollowayweb.com domain expire in March. Obviously, I haven't been updating this and I have no further plans to do so. By the way, you can no longer access the site through that address. You must use hollowayweb.blogspot.com.

So, if there are any pictures you'd like to keep, now's the time to save them. I'll probably leave this up with the blogspot address for a few weeks, but eventually I'll close the whole thing.

Jan's back from Florida

2011-04-11T11:54:00.002-05:00

Jan got back last night after her 12-day trip with his sister, Patt, to Orlando. She arrived home to 80-degree weather. So much for Florida. :-)

Yesterday, we had a spaghetti luncheon at church, which was a fund-raiser for our Nicaragua mission team in December. It was very well attended and Billy Heller gave a concert afterward. Contributions totaled $1,125, so we're all pretty excited.

Surprise! I'm Back . . .

2011-02-05T12:12:00.004-06:00

Yup, I'm actually posting something here after over a year. No guarantees I'll be faithful, but at least I've rejuvenated the thing. Also, I've reactivated the www.hollowayweb.com web address, so you can update your bookmark to that if you'd like.

We survived this week's blizzard just fine. I think we had about 12" of snow plus, of course, lots of drifting. It took me close to three hours to blow the snow and shovel our drive and sidewalk. Fortunately, the city did a great job of plowing the streets quickly.

Tomorrow morning I'll be continuing my sermon series through the book of Acts which I started the first Sunday in January. Looks like the series will last about twenty weeks. Great stuff! We're looking forward to tomorrow evening when we have our annual Super Bowl Party at the church. Looks cool on the big screen.

Blizzard of 2009

2009-12-09T13:52:00.010-06:00

Well, we're in the midst of our first blizzard in Iowa since we moved here in 2002. So far, there are snowfall totals of 16" in eastern Iowa and it's still coming. I'm not sure of the official total in Cedar Rapids, but I think it's a bit less than that. The bad part of it is the wind which is gusting to over 50 mph at times. Sustained winds are around 25 mph. I think the blizzard warning continues until midnight tonight.

Click on the Blizzard of 2009 under the slideshows on the right to see some pictures Jan took of me snowblowing/shoveling our driveway this morning.

Vacation Part 4

2009-10-11T20:44:00.011-05:00

We left Joliet around 2:00 p.m. on Friday and drove to Justin and Angie's to see them for a bit and deliver a quilt to Angie from our church. We left there around 7 p.m. and drove to Grand Rapids, where we spent the night with Jean and Larry.

On Saturday morning we visited Jan's mom for a bit before heading to Coleman. Our purpose in going there was one of mixed emotions. We were going to see many friends from our very first pastorate at Geneva-Hope United Methodist Church. However, this was the closing service for the church. Like I said: mixed emotions.

We had a wonderful time, though, and got to see people we hadn't seen in 40 years. Afterward, we went over to Vernell and Glenna Lewis' with their family. We felt like were were transported in time. It was hard to say good-bye and leave. We were going to leave for home early on Sunday morning, but instead we just had to go back to Coleman. We had breakfast at a beautiful restaurant at the old train depot.

I have to say that that church means everything to me. We went there in 1967, young, untrained and inexperienced. But they loved and accepted us and laid the foundation for my whole ministry. We were so blessed to be there for this closing service. It was really neat to see Calvin Long preach in that service. Calvin sang and played the cornet in the youth choir and brass ensemble we had while I was there. He went into the ministry and is pastoring a UMC church in Owosso now.

We got home around 7 p.m. tonight, tired but satisfied. Now it's back to work. Take a look at some pictures from Coleman at the right.

Vacation Part 3

2009-10-11T20:02:00.015-05:00

We got back from NYC/Minneapolis on Wednesday evening and drove to Joliet, Illinois, on Thursday to meet Mike and April and the girls. We spent the night there so we'd have plenty of time to get to the Chicagoland Speedway for our Richard Petty Driving Experience. Unfortunately, we got rained out. That was a bummer, but at least we got to spend time together. We went to the mall a couple of time and the girls had fun in the play area there. There's more pictures at the right. Just click on "Abbonizios 2009."

Vacation Parts 1 & 2

2009-10-08T22:12:00.011-05:00

Last Friday we headed to the Minneapolis area and spent a couple of nights with Spencer and Becky. It was great to see them again. We had a great time playing with the girls and a new game with Spencer and Becky. Great job, Becky.

Then, on Sunday morning, we flew to New York to spend a few days with David and Janet. We had a wonderful time being with them and experiencing the everyday hectic-ness of their busy medical lives. It was especially great getting to play with Grace and Joy and to finally see James. Thanks, guys, for everything.

We got back to Minneapolis about 5:30 yesterday, then drove to Cedar Rapids and got home around 10:30. We left this morning for Joliet, Illinois, where we met Mike and April and the girls and are spending the night in a motel. Tomorrow, Mike and I get to do the Richard Petty Driving Experience and drive 8 laps around the Chicagoland race track. Can't wait.

I'll update you on the rest of our quick trip later this weekend or early next week. Oh, check out a couple of new slideshows at the top on the right side of the page.

Vacation

2009-08-15T21:17:00.008-05:00

Well, I'm finally getting around to updated our blog after vacation (which ends tomorrow). My laptop is still in in the shop after crashing before we left a couple of weeks ago.

We spent a few days in Indiana before going to Michigan. The pictures above are of Jan and our good friend, DeAnna Breedlove, and of Jan and I with Max and Ike. In Michigan we went to the beach in Holland one day, where Mike and April were spending a few days. But we stayed with Jean and Larry and got to see lots of family on both sides. Last Sunday was the Holloway reunion (38 were there) at Jean and Larry's. We had a great time.

There are two slide shows at the right: (1) Holloway Reunion 2009 and (2) Vacation 2009 Pictures. Enjoy.

Family Camp

2009-07-26T17:30:00.004-05:00

April and Audrey came up for our District Family Camp last week. Click on the Family Camp 2009 link at the right to see more pictures. On the way from the motel to the campground one afternoon, we stopped to see one of the dozens of wind turbines in the middle of a big Iowa corn field. That's Audrey in the pictures. We had fun playing hide and seek in the corn for a while.

Playing in the Park

2009-07-10T17:03:00.004-05:00

A storm went through this morning and it rained really hard for quite a while. Then, this afternoon, the sun came out and it turned into a beautiful day. Grandpa took Avery and Audrey to the park behind our house to play for a while. That was fun! Click on the "Audrey & Avery" slideshow at the right to see pictures of them.

Thursday VBS

2009-07-09T21:21:00.007-05:00

Audrey and Avery both went to VBS tonight and had a great time. It's another excellent program this year. To see more pictures from tonight check out the VBS 2009 slideshow under Living Hope Church. It's fun to see all the fun all the kids are having. The picture here of the girls was during snack time in the parking lot.

Audrey the "Bird Girl"

2009-07-07T09:05:00.003-05:00

Well, Paquita sure does love Audrey. We think Audrey should now be known as the "Bird Girl." See some more pictures of the "Bird Girl" in the slideshow at the right. We'll add some more during the week.

Last night was the first night of VBS at church. There was a great turnout and Audrey really enjoyed it. There's also a VBS slideshow (under Living Hope Church) at the right that I'll be adding to during the week.

Audrey's Visit

2009-07-05T19:17:00.004-05:00

This afternoon after church we drove half-way to St. Louis where we met April and Audrey. Audrey is staying with us for the week so she can attend our vacation Bible school. She LOVES Paquita and, as you can see in the pictues, Paquita simply ADORES Audrey. We're going to have a fun week for sure.

Jan's Birthday

2009-07-01T19:57:00.004-05:00

Today was Jan's birthday and I took these pictures of her at home before we headed to Galena, Illinois for the day. We had a great time seeing the sites, looking at antiques, and eating too much for lunch. Happy Birthday, Jan!

Ashley's Graduation

2009-06-07T19:08:00.005-05:00

Our granddaughter Ashley's high school graduation was yesterday in Nappanee, Indiana. It was a beautiful day with a great turn out. Several people from the church brought food and helped out in other ways. Everyone had a great time. Click on the slideshow at the right for some memories of the day.

90th Birthday Celebration

2009-06-01T15:32:00.006-05:00

On Sunday, May 31st, much of Jan's family gathered together at a park in Grand Rapids to celebrate her mother's (June Engen) 90th birthday, which is actually June 1.

The picture on the left is Audrey and her great grandmother. On the right is Jan's mother and children--minus Shirley who passed away several years ago. There's a slide show on the right with all our pictures from the get together.

Angie Update

2009-05-22T14:54:00.002-05:00

Just a quick update on Angie. On Tuesday, she was admitted again to the hospital in Chicago. It's headache related again--adjusting and changing meds. She also has a couple of other spots with staph, so I'm sure she's getting more antibiotics too. Hopefully, she'll be able to go home this weekend and the holiday.

Grandson Zach, the "Star"

2009-05-04T20:06:00.016-05:00

Here's a picture of our grandson, Zach Lamason, who recently played the lead in his school play, Disney's Mulan. We're proud of you Zach!

Hey, now that you're famous, can I have your autograph?

Poor Little Girls

2009-04-29T11:32:00.013-05:00

Our poor little granddaughters! If only Mommy would feed them, little Avery wouldn't have to eat whipped cream off the floor. And certainly an occasional bath would solve the messy face problem for Audrey and Avery. Poor little girls! :-)

Severe Iowa Weather on Sunday

2009-04-27T09:50:00.008-05:00

Yesterday turned out to be quite an eventful time for us as far as the weather goes. The weather radio was very active with tornado and thunderstorm warnings all afternoon and evening.

At close to 5 p.m., a tornado (the one in the picture) touched down just a few miles north of us. It did considerable damage at Pinicon Ridge Park, where many campers were located. It also hit a few homes and several trees and power lines. We just had strong winds here in Marion, but parts of Cedar Rapids were without power for awhile.

Saturday Update on Angie

2009-04-25T13:41:00.004-05:00

Angie was scheduled to be discharged from the hospital today, but she is having trouble keeping anything down. So, the insurance company "relented" and will allow her to stay one more night. We'll see. She really wanted to get home, especially since Zach had the lead in their school musical, Disney's Mulan. The main performance was Friday night, but there's another one tonight.

If you look carefully at the picture, you'll see that Zach, the youngest of the three kids, is now the tallest. Way to go Zach! Looks like Angie will soon be the shortest member of the family.

Back from Minneapolis

2009-04-21T20:58:00.005-05:00

We got back this afternoon after spending a couple of days in Minneapolis, where Dale had a district board meeting on Monday. We had left home on Sunday afternoon and spent Monday and Tuesday nights in St. Bonifacious with our friends and former neighbors, Spencer and Becky Hedstrom and their daughters Regan and Reese. It was good to see them again. Thanks Spencer and Becky for the kind hospitality.

Good News / Bad News on Angie & Ashley

2009-04-16T05:20:00.012-05:00

The bad news is Angie is back at the Diamond Pain Clinic in Chicago's St. Joseph Hospital. She was admitted Monday and likely will be there until next week. She was suffering extreme head pain again, likely due to the front that was moving though northern Indiana.

The good news is that overall she is doing much, much better. They are changing several of her meds now, which was in the plan, and the pain she experiences has diminished from previous episodes. Also, the new treatment on her foot is working and it is looking much better.

We have good news / bad news on Ashley too. The bad news is that yesterday she drove to Chicago to see Angie. Well, that's good. But after she left to go home late afternoon, she was waiting at a stoplight on Lake Shore Drive (just a couple of blocks from the hospital) when someone rear-ended her car. The driver immediately sped off. Ashley's car had considerable damage but was driveable. She then drove the couple of blocks to the hospital ER where she was treated for whiplash. The police officer who came said that kind of hit-and-run happens all the time. He said it's likely the guy didn't want to get caught without insurance.

The good news in this is that she wasn't severely injured, although she may have some pain to deal with for a while. In addition to her neck pain, she has a huge black and blue mark on her chest from the seat belt. It was also good that Angie was able to leave her hospital room and go down to the ER to be with Ashley. Someone from the church was driving Justin to Chicago last night so he could assess things and likely drive home with Ashley.

Easter Sunrise Service

2009-04-13T06:08:00.005-05:00

Yesterday we had our first Easter Sunrise Service at Living Hope. 54 people braved the chilly 34-degree weather. Despite the cold, it was a beautiful service with several different participants. Looks like we've started a new tradition at Living Hope. To see all the pictures, click the slideshow link at the upper right of the page.

Next Day Thoughts on the Game

2009-04-07T07:11:00.010-05:00

Michigan State was outplayed by a more experienced team in the NCAA national championship basketball game and North Carolina deserved to win. But MSU fans can still hold their heads high. Here's a few things to remember.

MSU played three straight number one seeds in the tournament, defeating Louisville and Connecticut before losing to North Carolina in the championship game.

No other team even played two number one seeds in the tournament. North Carolina didn't play any.

State outscored NC in the second half--and that was before the reserves were put in during the last 90 seconds of the game.

State won the Big Ten championship by four games and finished the season at 31-7, a great season for any team any season.

I'm disappointed with the loss but proud to be a Spartan fan and alumus. Go Green!

Friday Update

2009-04-03T08:24:00.004-05:00

Jan left for Grand Rapids this morning to visit with her aged mother and then to go with her sisters on their annual "get-away vacation" in northern Michigan.

Angie is doing somewhat better, although yesterday the doc diagnosed her with a bladder infection, plus her thyroid was low again. The good news is the wound on her foot is improving daily. Their family left this morning for a few days of vacation in Florida.

Paquita and I will be holding down the fort for a few days. She still misses Audrey and all the attention she got from her, so I guess I'll have to spend a little more time with her this weekend.

April's Visit

2009-03-29T21:56:00.003-05:00

It was great having April and the girls here for a few days. They left today after lunch and we already miss them and all the activity around the house. Audrey is a real animal lover and really warmed up to Paquita. She would get her out of her cage, hold her, kiss her and play with her. We all had lots of fun.

Fun With the Grandkids

2009-03-27T19:45:00.005-05:00

Audrey and Avery at Play Station

2009-03-26T17:34:00.008-05:00

April and Girls Have Arrived

2009-03-26T06:29:00.021-05:00

April, Audrey, and Avery arrived yesterday afternoon from St. Louis. Fortunately, they were able to be here a while before Becky and the girls had to leave after supper. Here are a few pictures of the afternoon.

Becky and Girls

2009-03-25T11:00:00.003-05:00

Our friend and former neighbor, Becky Hedstrom, and her girls, Regan and Reese, came to visit us on Monday and leave today. They live near Minneapolis. The picture was taken last night at a gathering of several of us who used to live in the same neighborhood. Becky is in the middle. We can't wait for April and the girls to get here this afternoon.

The Way It Ought To Be

2009-03-20T18:09:00.010-05:00

Today I drove to Ames to meet with Pastor Eduviges Perez, pastor of Iglesia Cristiana Fuente de Vida, the Hispanic Wesleyan Church in Denison (west side of state). Ed is from El Salvador and founded this church in 1998. It is a solid, growing ministry. The purpose of the visit was to complete his supervised ministry credit for ordination this summer.

It was good (and helpful) to be able to speak Spanish for a day. I have little opportunity to speak it in Cedar Rapids. Anyway, what impressed me today was Ed. I've known him for about six years and have always been impressed with him. Spending a few hours discussing ministry issues only reinforced my opinion of him. But the clincher was lunch.

We were at a Mexican restaurant and just about done eating when we got into a conversation with a Spanish speaking family at the table next to us. They were from Piedras Negras, Mexico, a place I had visited one weekend with some doctors and medical students from San Antonio when I was working with the Christian Medical & Dental Associations. That led to some interesting conversation.

Before long, Ed took advantage of the opening to steer the conversation to spiritual things. It was as natural as talking about the weather. Soon, he offered to start a home Bible study with them.

I share this because it seems rather ironic that I was with Ed in a supervised ministry role. As it turned out, he was actually the one in that role. Unknowingly, he demonstrated evangelism at its best. No deliberate method. No booklet. No program. Just letting what he does be a natural reflection of who he is. How refreshing!

Isn't that the way it ought to be?

--Dale

Update on Angie - March 19

2009-03-19T21:55:00.002-05:00

Angie saw a different surgeon today and it was a very encouraging visit. Monday she will have more blood work, then on Tuesday they will do an MRI on her toe. He is also having the home health care nurse treat her wound differently (She can explain it; I can't!).

The problem has been that the staph infection in her toe has not been healing properly and there is concern where all the infection may be. The steroids she has been on for months do not help at all with the healing process. It has been a long, somewhat discouraging ordeal, but today gave another glimmer of hope. Keep praying.

It's Time for Change!

2009-03-17T22:36:00.003-05:00

The following is from Dale’s January article in the “In Touch” newsletter, a monthly publication of Living Hope Wesleyan Church.

Shortly after the election of Barack Obama as the 44^th President of the United States, conservative syndicated columnist and author Cal Thomas wrote an article about the Religious Right movement which was founded in 1979. I was greatly challenged by what he wrote and will do my best here to summarize and mix parts of it with my thoughts.

The Religious Right is a Christian–social movement with which many of us, because of our value system, have easily identified. Like previous religious–social movements, it seeks moral improvement through legislation and court rulings. Sometimes such movements are successful, more often they are not.

Historically, social movements that have relied on political power to enforce a conservative moral code haven’t been nearly as successful as those that focused on changing hearts. As evidence, Thomas cites the four well- documented great revivals in America since the early 18^th century and the millions of changed lives.

The problem is we have put too much faith in the power of government to transform culture. Thomas writes, “Thirty years of trying to use government to stop abortions, preserve opposite–sex marriage, improve television and movie content and transform culture into the conservative Evangelical image has failed.”

I agree. And why wouldn’t it fail? Conservative Christians error when they expect government leaders who do not share their worldview and view of God to accept their beliefs when they control government.

So Thomas asks the pressing question for twenty-first century believers: “What is the answer, then, for conservative Evangelicals who are rightly concerned about the corrosion of culture, the indifference to the value of human life and the living arrangements of same– and opposite–sex couples?

His answer comes in the form of a question. “Do conservative Evangelicals want to feel good, or do they want to adopt a strategy that actually produces results?” Ouch! The fact is, the partisan politics of Christians have not enabled them to achieve their objectives. Do we really think that thirty more years will do it?

True and lasting cultural moral change never comes through legislation but through changed hearts. Thomas suggests we already have a model for this in the life and commands of Jesus Christ. “Suppose millions of conservative Evangelicals engaged in an old and proven type of radical behavior . . . to ‘love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit those in prison and care for widows and orphans,’ not as ends, as so many liberals do by using government, but as a means of demonstrating God’s love for the whole person in order that people might seek Him?”

Unfortunately, in the past thirty years, evangelical Christians have strived for an inferior power—political power—while the real power is in God. And His power is made perfect in our weakness not in our strength. When did we lose sight of this truth?

Thomas says it far better than I ever could: “Evangelicals are at a junction. They can take the path that will lead them to more futility and ineffective attempts to reform culture through government, or they can embrace the far more powerful methods outlined by the One they claim to follow. By following His example, they will decrease, but He will increase. They will get no credit, but they will see results. If conservative Evangelicals choose obscurity and seek to glorify God, they will get much of what they hope for, but can never achieve, in and through politics.”

My friends, it’s time for change—change that will make a difference!

Pictures of Chris, Kara & boys

2009-03-15T20:14:00.010-05:00

These are a few pictures we took in February while having lunch in Ft. Wayne with Chris and Kara and the boys, Max and Isaac (Ike), our newest grandchild. The top picture, of course, is proud Grandma Jan holding Ike.