Dear Rose Park,

I grew up at Calvary Reformed Church on 8th Street in Holland Heights. Calvary served as the fertile soil for my faith to grow. I went to the Wednesday night ministry called “Kid’s Club”, I was a part of the middle school and then high school youth group, I participated in multiple mission trips over the years, and I was even ordained in Calvary’s sanctuary just after graduating from seminary. Calvary will always have a special place in my heart, but it also has a special place on my wrist.

Dear Rose Park,

A few days ago I heard an interesting conversation on the radio. It essentially boiled down to this: we’ve all heard of helicopter parents (a parent who hovers over their children making sure nothing bad could ever happen), but the host of this radio show was talking to a family therapist who introduced a new-term called the snowplow parent. Have you heard of this? It refers to when a parent pushes every struggle out of the way (like a snowplow) in order to make the road for their children stress-free, pain-free, and challenge-free.

Dear Rose Park,

During this isolating time our routines and schedules have been interrupted. A new sense of normal is setting in; parents are now becoming stay-at-home teachers, medical professionals are living in RV’s to keep their loved ones safe, and pastors are becoming talking-heads on the computer screen. This is an unprecedented time and we’re doing our best to keep a sense of normalcy, but we all know something is different and life has drastically changed.

Dear Rose Park,

Some of you were witnesses, some of you heard it, others saw the aftermath. Immediately following worship this past Sunday morning, Simon was running when he tripped and hit his head against the brick wall of our sanctuary. The only thing that was faster than his tears was the swelling. Simon had a pretty good goose-egg on his head all day Sunday, but even after the swelling came down we still talk about our ‘owie.’

Dear Rose Park,

I haven’t been roller skating in years. The last time I went was probably in college with a bunch of friends. I remember waking up the next morning with a bruised tailbone and a humbled ego. Besides the annual trip to the roller rink in elementary school, roller skating wasn’t something I did a lot growing up, but tonight I’ll do my best to lace up a well worn pair of roller skates and stay on my feet at the GEMS roller skating party.

Dear Rose Park,

After going for a run, Simon and I met two friends from Rose Park for breakfast this past Saturday morning at Russ’. Before we left for Russ’ Simon had already had some oatmeal and a banana. Given that, I figured he’d just have a muffin at Russ’. I was wrong. As we sat down at our table, Simon looked at me and said, “Daddy, I’m hungry.” So, I ordered him some french toast and sausage; after he polished that off, he then proceeded to eat half of my muffin. It’s a good thing I love him.

Dear Rose Park,

Yesterday afternoon Sam, Simon, Winnie and I drove to the corner of Riley and 120th to Eagle Crest Charter Academy in order to watch our friend Ava Lemire play volleyball. It was so much fun to see her play and see her gifts on display. Even more, it was so much fun to see Ava’s friends and family cheer her on.

Dear Rose Park,

There’s been a change in the traffic etiquette at the intersection of Riley and Butternut. If I can say it, this is one of the funkiest intersections in all of Holland (maybe only second to the 32nd Street, Lincoln Avenue, & State Street intersection). I don’t have any facts to back this up, but I can only imagine the amount of accidents that have occurred at Riley & Butternut because of all the complexities (blind turns, awkward angles, narrow turning lanes, etc.). The change is this: if you are driving west on Riley and come to a red light at Butternut, you are NOT ALLOWED to turn right on red. This change has come within the last few weeks or so and naturally it has been received with the cold shoulder.