Guess where I'm writing this from?
I think you're wrong. :) Did you guess in a plane, 30,000 feet over the pacific ocean? Probably not. That's where I am. They are experimenting with wi-fi on this plane and I'm a guinea pig.
I'm on my way back up to Alaska for the fourth straight summer. My friend Jimmy is with me again and Andrew and Stephen will be joining me in two weeks. Like usual I got really homesick before I left. With a family like mine it isn't a surprise that I get homesick. I do better when I'm actually gone. This trip will be about 7 weeks.
I have about 100 pounds of luggage. But only one pair of shoes. Sorry, that was for someone I know. :) And they really aren't shoes. They're rubber boots. Also, in my defense, about 2/3rds of the luggage is camp supplies. I'm looking forward to running through the airport with all that stuff trying to make my next flight. We only have about 30 minutes from when the plane lands to get our bags and check in.
But to be serious, we definitely appreciate your prayers for safety, wisdom, direction, and that the Lord will be working in the kid's hearts and lives as well as ours'. Every year I come up here with expectations, and each year the Lord has had me learn a different lesson I didn't even realize I needed to learn. I most likely will not be updating this blog at all, and I'm not sure if I'll be able to write many e-mails. If you'd like to know what is happening up here, you should probably ask my mom or the rest of my family.
I better quit now before I get bloodshot eyes. That'd be scary for Jimmy, as well as the rest of the people on the plane. And by the way, if any of you have blogs, e-mail addresses, etc, make sure to keep me up to date as well. I love to hear what is going on at home and at church, or anywhere else.
"Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up." - James 4:7-10
Friday, May 29, 2009
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
An unimportant update and a desert trip
I've got good news and "bad" news. The bad news is that I don't have a job, even though I've applied to over 50 places. But there's always a lot of good news. First, because I don't have a job I have the time to post this. Second, stemming from the fact that I don't have a job, I could be going to Alaska this summer. My friend Josh will Lord willing be going (he was doubtful before) so I won't have to direct the summer camps by myself if I do go.
Also, not having a job has let me work in our front yard quite a bit. Besides the fence, gates, and a decent amount of landscaping, Drew and I put in a sprinkler system. We're going to put a drip system in, but we're waiting for the financial backing. ;)
And lastly, not having a job (or school) has let me do more activities with my family and friends. That's the best part and it's not even close. :) Most recently, I got to go on a desert trip with some of the guys.
All that being said, I still wish I had a job, but look forward to seeing what the Lord's going to do whether I get one soon or not.
Back to the sprinkler system, this is the master at work. He's pretty good. Even the neighbors thought his work was pretty professional.
As far as me...I got muddy, if that counts for anything.
"Wow Drew, they actually work with no leaks. That's pretty good. But why is my car getting soaked?"
Adjustments were needed as well as a few other minor changes, but when we finished, it worked real well. A plumber that had stopped at a neighbor's house came over and said we should go through the neighborhood asking if they want us to put in sprinkler systems for them. I'm starting to consider it.
It is really brutal going underneath sidewalks. A nice neighbor helped us with a tool he had.
It was rather last minute but Stephen announced that the one-day filming trip we took in February did not count as a real desert trip and we needed to do another one. We all agreed. Jimmy was a last minute dropout for school reasons and Jacob took his place. Jacob had never gone with us before so I'm sure it was a real experience for him. :)
We set off to an area that I had been to once before and really liked. In the exact area we wanted to camp we weren't allowed to shoot so we stopped on the way up to do a bit of skeet shooting. Those are our two vehicles.
Stephen mounted the skeet launcher on a chair and it worked much better.
We still couldn't find a way to launch two good ones at the same time. We did have fun shooting one at a time though.
I tried to do two at a time but ended up hitting both of them with the first shot. Not that I would have been able to cock, I mean pump (inside joke), the shotgun and hit the second anyway.
After shooting we set out on another long drive to get to our camping spot. Brian was driving Jimmy's truck and Stephen was driving his jeep. Because Andrew wanted to navigate (with his gps, my laptop and Stephen's map) and Justin wanted the snacks and candy in Brian's car (just teasing), I was elected to ride in the backseat of the jeep. I didn't protest because I figured I'd just sleep.
I can be so naive at times. But we had a good time and we did have some edifying discussions, which was real nice.
Richard kept the other car up to date on what was going. Justin and Brian commented in between munching on the cookies and red vines.
Meanwhile Andrew silently tracks our position. I think he could have let us know when we had incoming bee swarms.
Brian and Justin looked like real hicks with the skeet launcher strapped up on top. I was jealous.
The scenery started changing from the typical desert look as we got higher.
Our campsite didn't look or feel like the desert. There was actually a campsite...with trees, and large rocks. That's actually unusual.
We decided to all sleep in one tent so we could do evening devotions together inside. We had tried it once before out in that area but heavy wind blew the tent down so we had to sleep in the car. This time we brought smaller tents just in case.
Justin laid claim to his spot and promptly used it. We didn't get much sleep the night before so this was a wise move.
I'm not even sure what the rest of us did during this time, but Drew was obviously taking pictures.
We had a great dinner of hotdogs and baked beans while sitting around the fire. We were forced to retire early when the wind picked up after dark and it became near impossible to sit around the fire without turning into smoked meat.
After we went to bed we had a long night. In more than one way. We went to bed at 8:30 and some didn't even get up to about 8:30 the next morning. The wind was brutal and the tent fell about three times during night. Drew and Stephen fixed it twice and I did the honors the last time.
This looks like a grub nest. I'm sorry for the disturbing mental images that may have created. :)
It still looks like one. Sort of. Our tent obviously wasn't doing so well either.
Since Kevin isn't with us any longer, we all figured we need to train a new cook.
Let me tell you, our food this trip was better than all our other trips combined. And we all did our share, just so you know.
After breakfast we sat around the fire waiting for our morning entertainment. We all quickly looked towards the tent as we didn't want to miss it. But what is it, you ask?
Justin! You haven't lived until you've seen Justin coming out of the tent on a desert trip. It's second only to the now legendary story of Kevin coming up from Skelton Lake on a backpacking trip. On second thought, I doubt most of you would find it as entertaining as we do.
(ok, I'm teasing. I just liked the picture of us all looking at him coming out.) :)
"Uh, look guys, I think I may see a trail...or not. Maybe we shouldn't have taken that right, huh? Anyone have any rope? Guys?"
The guys don't appear to be impressed by my trailblazing skills.
Richard: "Kyle, what are you doing?"
Jacob: "This totally wouldn't have happened if I was leading."
Stephen: (shaking his head) "I knew it was a bad idea to follow him."
Andrew: "Even if he doesn't have a clue, at least it's a good picture!"
Justin and Brian would have been saying similar things except they stayed behind to relax. Smart guys. We decided to go check out some mines we knew were up there.
Once we got back on track we discovered an old car. Rather beat up as well.
This is really a Kevin picture. But he isn't around anymore so I had to take his place.
We eventually found a mine, though it wasn't the one Stephen had originally planned to go to.
"Ok, who's going into the dark creepy mine first?"
"Oh."
Actually, this was before we had good flashlights. Stephen and Jacob went back to get theirs so we could actually see where we were going.
Thankfully, the mine opened up so we could walk. It basically went straight into the mountain over 400 feet. That's farther than it sounds. Part of it had water almost up to our knees so we had to take our shoes off. Stepping over dead bats and everything. It was the best mine I'd ever been in. Most mines I'm in show signs of other people but because of the water keeping most people away, this one seemed the most untouched. We finally had to quit when a caved in airshaft blocked us from going further.
We found the top of that same airshaft in a smaller mine for that purpose on the other side of the mountain. It's mostly filled in now.
It was nearing lunchtime so we headed back down. The wind had started to pick up again as well.
I did have time to try another pose. I knew the food was good this trip, but this is just ridiculous. I can't believe I bent the roof that far out of shape, too.
Before we knew it we had cloud cover and the temp was dropping. We scrambled to put up the tent that had blown down while we were gone. Or I should say Drew and Stephen scrambled.
Shockingly enough, it started to snow on us. It didn't stay on the ground, but for a bunch of CA guys it was pretty neat.
It's rather embarrassing that due to the fact that I'm taking pictures, it's obvious I didn't help.
The whole group. We figured this was good a time as any for a group shot.
You can tell when Drew gets the camera. The pictures all of a sudden start looking decent.
I laugh to think of what my out of state friends think when they see this kind of thing. You can't even really see the snow without clicking on the picture. I can count on my fingers the times I've been somewhere while it was snowing though, so this is rare for me.
The snow left soon enough and the sun came back out. We found the correct mines this time and had more fun exploring.
I often wonder what these piles outside of mines were before they were...piles. I can often guess, but I don't remember what this was.
It's funny because camera flash makes mines look so...light. In real life all you can see is just what your flashlight is shining directly at.
This picture looks like it's just a hole with water, but the mine actually extends way beyond it. To the left the tunnel continues though it's filled with water and in front in opens into a small room.
Stephen should have been a geologist. The picture doesn't prove that, but I have more to go on.
Yet another example of the camera making our adventure look silly. :)
This picture without flash and with flashlights of the same area (without Stephen and me) gives a more accurate portrait.
A perfect spot for a group picture.
On the way back we played some "ditching" games. Everyone as a group would hide from one person.
I think I'm telling someone to duck. Other than that, no explanations.
Andrew took some pretty pictures on the hike, too.
After we got back we were greeted by the other members of our party. I have to admit we were surprised they were there because we didn't tell them exactly where we were going (because we didn't know). We had tried to call but there was no reception.
Washing dishes by lamplight with limited water is actually rather enjoyable.
On Saturday, the last day, we headed out but not before stopping to check another mine and do a bit of shooting. On the way we spotted some deer, which we don't see every day out there. There is a better picture of them, but since Drew took it he can post it on his blog if he wants.
The other mine had loads of buildings around it, which was fun. We all thought this would be a perfect house for Kevin. With a little work, that is.
Justin noted that he may want insulation for the winter.
But with a heating system that included this I'm not so sure.
It had a great shop out back that with a few changes could work as a garage, I'm sure.
And it comes with a stove...
And refrigerator. What more could one ask for?
I admit that the neighborhood is kinda dumpy, but hey, the crime is non-existent.
Maybe if family moved in next door it'd be better? Who knows. The houses are kinda small.
But getting back to what we did, this little setup turned out to be interesting.
There was a tall shaft leading down to water.
This one turned out to be really neat and really disappointing. It was neat because it opened into a huge room right below the water level and that there was a huge tunnel leading off to who knows where. It was disappointing because it was filled with water and there was no way to explore it. Pardon the dead rats in the picture.
This post is taking way too long already, so I've got to end it. We went out and did more shooting before heading home. All in all it was a great trip and we all enjoyed not having to film while we were on it. I hope in the next few days Justin will have a post about it and you don't want to miss his fun perspective.
In other news, just before we left, Jonathan got back from a fishing trip. He caught several of these monsters. Of course, it can't compare with some of my big ones...
Point made. :)
And during the making of this post I found out I'll be able to finish my work for my brother in San Diego tomorrow and Thursday. It will be good to get that done.
"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed." - I Peter 3:15-16
Also, not having a job has let me work in our front yard quite a bit. Besides the fence, gates, and a decent amount of landscaping, Drew and I put in a sprinkler system. We're going to put a drip system in, but we're waiting for the financial backing. ;)
And lastly, not having a job (or school) has let me do more activities with my family and friends. That's the best part and it's not even close. :) Most recently, I got to go on a desert trip with some of the guys.
All that being said, I still wish I had a job, but look forward to seeing what the Lord's going to do whether I get one soon or not.
Back to the sprinkler system, this is the master at work. He's pretty good. Even the neighbors thought his work was pretty professional.
As far as me...I got muddy, if that counts for anything.
"Wow Drew, they actually work with no leaks. That's pretty good. But why is my car getting soaked?"
Adjustments were needed as well as a few other minor changes, but when we finished, it worked real well. A plumber that had stopped at a neighbor's house came over and said we should go through the neighborhood asking if they want us to put in sprinkler systems for them. I'm starting to consider it.
It is really brutal going underneath sidewalks. A nice neighbor helped us with a tool he had.
It was rather last minute but Stephen announced that the one-day filming trip we took in February did not count as a real desert trip and we needed to do another one. We all agreed. Jimmy was a last minute dropout for school reasons and Jacob took his place. Jacob had never gone with us before so I'm sure it was a real experience for him. :)
We set off to an area that I had been to once before and really liked. In the exact area we wanted to camp we weren't allowed to shoot so we stopped on the way up to do a bit of skeet shooting. Those are our two vehicles.
Stephen mounted the skeet launcher on a chair and it worked much better.
We still couldn't find a way to launch two good ones at the same time. We did have fun shooting one at a time though.
I tried to do two at a time but ended up hitting both of them with the first shot. Not that I would have been able to cock, I mean pump (inside joke), the shotgun and hit the second anyway.
After shooting we set out on another long drive to get to our camping spot. Brian was driving Jimmy's truck and Stephen was driving his jeep. Because Andrew wanted to navigate (with his gps, my laptop and Stephen's map) and Justin wanted the snacks and candy in Brian's car (just teasing), I was elected to ride in the backseat of the jeep. I didn't protest because I figured I'd just sleep.
I can be so naive at times. But we had a good time and we did have some edifying discussions, which was real nice.
Richard kept the other car up to date on what was going. Justin and Brian commented in between munching on the cookies and red vines.
Meanwhile Andrew silently tracks our position. I think he could have let us know when we had incoming bee swarms.
Brian and Justin looked like real hicks with the skeet launcher strapped up on top. I was jealous.
The scenery started changing from the typical desert look as we got higher.
Our campsite didn't look or feel like the desert. There was actually a campsite...with trees, and large rocks. That's actually unusual.
We decided to all sleep in one tent so we could do evening devotions together inside. We had tried it once before out in that area but heavy wind blew the tent down so we had to sleep in the car. This time we brought smaller tents just in case.
Justin laid claim to his spot and promptly used it. We didn't get much sleep the night before so this was a wise move.
I'm not even sure what the rest of us did during this time, but Drew was obviously taking pictures.
We had a great dinner of hotdogs and baked beans while sitting around the fire. We were forced to retire early when the wind picked up after dark and it became near impossible to sit around the fire without turning into smoked meat.
After we went to bed we had a long night. In more than one way. We went to bed at 8:30 and some didn't even get up to about 8:30 the next morning. The wind was brutal and the tent fell about three times during night. Drew and Stephen fixed it twice and I did the honors the last time.
This looks like a grub nest. I'm sorry for the disturbing mental images that may have created. :)
It still looks like one. Sort of. Our tent obviously wasn't doing so well either.
Since Kevin isn't with us any longer, we all figured we need to train a new cook.
Let me tell you, our food this trip was better than all our other trips combined. And we all did our share, just so you know.
After breakfast we sat around the fire waiting for our morning entertainment. We all quickly looked towards the tent as we didn't want to miss it. But what is it, you ask?
Justin! You haven't lived until you've seen Justin coming out of the tent on a desert trip. It's second only to the now legendary story of Kevin coming up from Skelton Lake on a backpacking trip. On second thought, I doubt most of you would find it as entertaining as we do.
(ok, I'm teasing. I just liked the picture of us all looking at him coming out.) :)
"Uh, look guys, I think I may see a trail...or not. Maybe we shouldn't have taken that right, huh? Anyone have any rope? Guys?"
The guys don't appear to be impressed by my trailblazing skills.
Richard: "Kyle, what are you doing?"
Jacob: "This totally wouldn't have happened if I was leading."
Stephen: (shaking his head) "I knew it was a bad idea to follow him."
Andrew: "Even if he doesn't have a clue, at least it's a good picture!"
Justin and Brian would have been saying similar things except they stayed behind to relax. Smart guys. We decided to go check out some mines we knew were up there.
Once we got back on track we discovered an old car. Rather beat up as well.
This is really a Kevin picture. But he isn't around anymore so I had to take his place.
We eventually found a mine, though it wasn't the one Stephen had originally planned to go to.
"Ok, who's going into the dark creepy mine first?"
"Oh."
Actually, this was before we had good flashlights. Stephen and Jacob went back to get theirs so we could actually see where we were going.
Thankfully, the mine opened up so we could walk. It basically went straight into the mountain over 400 feet. That's farther than it sounds. Part of it had water almost up to our knees so we had to take our shoes off. Stepping over dead bats and everything. It was the best mine I'd ever been in. Most mines I'm in show signs of other people but because of the water keeping most people away, this one seemed the most untouched. We finally had to quit when a caved in airshaft blocked us from going further.
We found the top of that same airshaft in a smaller mine for that purpose on the other side of the mountain. It's mostly filled in now.
It was nearing lunchtime so we headed back down. The wind had started to pick up again as well.
I did have time to try another pose. I knew the food was good this trip, but this is just ridiculous. I can't believe I bent the roof that far out of shape, too.
Before we knew it we had cloud cover and the temp was dropping. We scrambled to put up the tent that had blown down while we were gone. Or I should say Drew and Stephen scrambled.
Shockingly enough, it started to snow on us. It didn't stay on the ground, but for a bunch of CA guys it was pretty neat.
It's rather embarrassing that due to the fact that I'm taking pictures, it's obvious I didn't help.
The whole group. We figured this was good a time as any for a group shot.
You can tell when Drew gets the camera. The pictures all of a sudden start looking decent.
I laugh to think of what my out of state friends think when they see this kind of thing. You can't even really see the snow without clicking on the picture. I can count on my fingers the times I've been somewhere while it was snowing though, so this is rare for me.
The snow left soon enough and the sun came back out. We found the correct mines this time and had more fun exploring.
I often wonder what these piles outside of mines were before they were...piles. I can often guess, but I don't remember what this was.
It's funny because camera flash makes mines look so...light. In real life all you can see is just what your flashlight is shining directly at.
This picture looks like it's just a hole with water, but the mine actually extends way beyond it. To the left the tunnel continues though it's filled with water and in front in opens into a small room.
Stephen should have been a geologist. The picture doesn't prove that, but I have more to go on.
Yet another example of the camera making our adventure look silly. :)
This picture without flash and with flashlights of the same area (without Stephen and me) gives a more accurate portrait.
A perfect spot for a group picture.
On the way back we played some "ditching" games. Everyone as a group would hide from one person.
I think I'm telling someone to duck. Other than that, no explanations.
Andrew took some pretty pictures on the hike, too.
After we got back we were greeted by the other members of our party. I have to admit we were surprised they were there because we didn't tell them exactly where we were going (because we didn't know). We had tried to call but there was no reception.
Washing dishes by lamplight with limited water is actually rather enjoyable.
On Saturday, the last day, we headed out but not before stopping to check another mine and do a bit of shooting. On the way we spotted some deer, which we don't see every day out there. There is a better picture of them, but since Drew took it he can post it on his blog if he wants.
The other mine had loads of buildings around it, which was fun. We all thought this would be a perfect house for Kevin. With a little work, that is.
Justin noted that he may want insulation for the winter.
But with a heating system that included this I'm not so sure.
It had a great shop out back that with a few changes could work as a garage, I'm sure.
And it comes with a stove...
And refrigerator. What more could one ask for?
I admit that the neighborhood is kinda dumpy, but hey, the crime is non-existent.
Maybe if family moved in next door it'd be better? Who knows. The houses are kinda small.
But getting back to what we did, this little setup turned out to be interesting.
There was a tall shaft leading down to water.
This one turned out to be really neat and really disappointing. It was neat because it opened into a huge room right below the water level and that there was a huge tunnel leading off to who knows where. It was disappointing because it was filled with water and there was no way to explore it. Pardon the dead rats in the picture.
This post is taking way too long already, so I've got to end it. We went out and did more shooting before heading home. All in all it was a great trip and we all enjoyed not having to film while we were on it. I hope in the next few days Justin will have a post about it and you don't want to miss his fun perspective.
In other news, just before we left, Jonathan got back from a fishing trip. He caught several of these monsters. Of course, it can't compare with some of my big ones...
Point made. :)
And during the making of this post I found out I'll be able to finish my work for my brother in San Diego tomorrow and Thursday. It will be good to get that done.
"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed." - I Peter 3:15-16
Monday, March 23, 2009
Another random update.
I often get the question about what I've been doing lately. Of course it varies day to day, but I have been hunting today. Job hunting. For some reason though, no matter how much I try to think of it as hunting, it doesn't have the same appeal. It gets old. Of course, today wasn't the first day either. And I'm sure it won't be the last. :)
There are quite a few reasons I'd like to get a job decently soon. Most are the normal, responsible reasons, but there are two bigger ones. The first is that I'd like to start flying soon. No surprise there, and I've probably mentioned that before on my blog. ;) The second is that I'll Lord willing be going for my graduate level degree in Bible. It will probably be a Masters in Biblical Studies from Homestead College of Bible. It was my parent's idea, but I look forward to studying the Bible for "school".
While the process can seem like a pain, it gets exciting when I realize that God is in control of it all. I don't want a job if He doesn't want me to have a job. And I don't want to fly if He doesn't want me to fly. And it isn't like I have nothing to do while I "wait". Plus the Lord has given me another possible opportunity if I don't get a job.
The camp in Alaska that I have worked with the past three summers has asked me to be the co-director of the summer children's camps. The other co-director would be a friend of mine I met up there who's not sure if he can make it. I hadn't been planning on going to Alaska this summer, but this could change things. If I don't get a job in a specific time frame that my dad set, I'll Lord willing be going back up.
Leading the camps would pull me outside of my comfort zone, but I know it'd be a good experience if God puts me there. Part of me would be real excited and the other part would be nervous about all the prep, effort and PR that go with it. I'm not the greatest at organization. But again, that's in the Lord's hands and it will be interesting to see what I end up doing.
Sorry about all that information. And like usual, all the information is subject to change at moments notice. :)
SWORD has been moving onward. I'm afraid my leadership has been lacking for a while now. I'm looking forward to regrouping and being able to apply what I've learned for next year. But this year has not been a loss and our other leaders have been great. In this picture Johnny is looking over Philip's verse sheet.
Andrew told a story a few weeks back. Coming up with creative stories to illustrate the verses for the night can always be difficult and he did a good job.
The nights that we don't tell a story, we have a skit. Creativity is a must as this is our fifth year of SWORD and it seems like we've done everything. :)
I got a dreadful virus last week, by the way. It was a real winner. Knocked me out for almost a week. I got it from a friend and ended up giving it to most of the family. I'm working on my generosity. It started out last Sunday morning when I woke up feeling like I'd spent the night running a marathon in the Sahara desert. Thankfully the family has pretty much recovered by now.
The younger guys have been digging in the backyard. Our yard alternates between beautiful large gardens during a growing season and dirt patches during the off times. It must be an off time right now.
This hole is pretty serious. I was almost tempted to join them. By the looks of it and the equipment I can tell it hasn't been inspected by OSHA.
It's Paul's 14th birthday today. He's getting taller and taller. Many predict me to lose my "tallest in the family" status soon. I'll survive this tragedy somehow. ;) Make sure to travel to our family blog and tell him happy birthday. :)
"For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." - Ephesians 3:14-19
There are quite a few reasons I'd like to get a job decently soon. Most are the normal, responsible reasons, but there are two bigger ones. The first is that I'd like to start flying soon. No surprise there, and I've probably mentioned that before on my blog. ;) The second is that I'll Lord willing be going for my graduate level degree in Bible. It will probably be a Masters in Biblical Studies from Homestead College of Bible. It was my parent's idea, but I look forward to studying the Bible for "school".
While the process can seem like a pain, it gets exciting when I realize that God is in control of it all. I don't want a job if He doesn't want me to have a job. And I don't want to fly if He doesn't want me to fly. And it isn't like I have nothing to do while I "wait". Plus the Lord has given me another possible opportunity if I don't get a job.
The camp in Alaska that I have worked with the past three summers has asked me to be the co-director of the summer children's camps. The other co-director would be a friend of mine I met up there who's not sure if he can make it. I hadn't been planning on going to Alaska this summer, but this could change things. If I don't get a job in a specific time frame that my dad set, I'll Lord willing be going back up.
Leading the camps would pull me outside of my comfort zone, but I know it'd be a good experience if God puts me there. Part of me would be real excited and the other part would be nervous about all the prep, effort and PR that go with it. I'm not the greatest at organization. But again, that's in the Lord's hands and it will be interesting to see what I end up doing.
Sorry about all that information. And like usual, all the information is subject to change at moments notice. :)
SWORD has been moving onward. I'm afraid my leadership has been lacking for a while now. I'm looking forward to regrouping and being able to apply what I've learned for next year. But this year has not been a loss and our other leaders have been great. In this picture Johnny is looking over Philip's verse sheet.
Andrew told a story a few weeks back. Coming up with creative stories to illustrate the verses for the night can always be difficult and he did a good job.
The nights that we don't tell a story, we have a skit. Creativity is a must as this is our fifth year of SWORD and it seems like we've done everything. :)
I got a dreadful virus last week, by the way. It was a real winner. Knocked me out for almost a week. I got it from a friend and ended up giving it to most of the family. I'm working on my generosity. It started out last Sunday morning when I woke up feeling like I'd spent the night running a marathon in the Sahara desert. Thankfully the family has pretty much recovered by now.
The younger guys have been digging in the backyard. Our yard alternates between beautiful large gardens during a growing season and dirt patches during the off times. It must be an off time right now.
This hole is pretty serious. I was almost tempted to join them. By the looks of it and the equipment I can tell it hasn't been inspected by OSHA.
It's Paul's 14th birthday today. He's getting taller and taller. Many predict me to lose my "tallest in the family" status soon. I'll survive this tragedy somehow. ;) Make sure to travel to our family blog and tell him happy birthday. :)
"For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." - Ephesians 3:14-19
Monday, March 9, 2009
My monthly report
It's been a very busy, interesting, and encouraging month since I last posted.
I'm sure there are those wondering what I mean when I say busy. Do I have a job? Yes and no. In February I worked for my brother's company down at an undisclosed location. It's undisclosed for security reasons, understand. My security, not theirs.
I have wasted my time filling in those online applications for a few places where I wouldn't mind working when I'm flying and continuing my education, but naturally I haven't heard back. Once I finish this work for my brother I will get a little more proactive. I want to test the theory of college degrees being useful. But it's been nice having a more flexible schedule these last two weeks anyway.
This is Brian, my co-worker most of last month. I hope I can safely assume none of my readers will recognize this place. This picture shows absolutely nothing of what we were doing there. (charging, programming and shipping scanner devices.)
Now moving to home life for those who care. Working made me miss at least one visit from my sister's family. That was disappointing, but life goes on.
Our dryer broke (in other words when we tried to turn it on it just made a humming noise) and while I don't mind having and using a clothesline, it isn't fun when it's raining. I decided I'd fix the dryer. *pause*Ok, I hope you all had a good laugh during that pause. I certainly did. I wish very much that I knew more about mechanics and hope to remedy that in time, but as of now I'm not so knowledgeable in that area.
Not that it surprises anyone after that build-up, but it works now. (I wouldn't be posting about it if it didn't) I would love to say I fixed it, but I can't. It was real dirty as you can see and I cleaned everything. I unfortunately think I have to attribute that more to my janitorial skills rather than my mechanical skills.
We have been filming again. Filming is really taxing. I can't believe we willingly do it.
Some of the scenes brought us to the desert. This would be the first desert trip we've ever taken without Kevin. We somehow survived. Seeing that we did it 2 days before his wedding and a lot of his groomsmen and friends were there we called it his bachelor's party.
Because of all the rain we've been having at the lower elevations, we were hoping we could incorporate...
...these snowcapped mountains in the filming. Unfortunately everything was too built up around their base.
We made a brief stop at McDonalds to improve the morale of the team. I'm not sure that's the place to go to do that, but it worked in the end.
Upon arriving near the filming location we found a big mine shaft, now mostly filled.
The "Desert Rats" as we call ourselves used to do quite a bit of mine exploration. Or at least we tried. Most mines are filled in now.
Most the pictures from the day were of filming and I can't show most as they'd give parts of the movie away.
Meanwhile you can enjoy this picture of...vehicles.
Our director of photography makes a brief cameo.
I hope this movie is more exciting to watch than it was to watch it filmed. Exciting probably isn't the right word.
One final shot. Hooray! You never can use too much duct tape. Not when Andrew's expensive camera is bouncing on the hood of a truck anyway.
We rewarded ourselves with a bit of skeet shooting at the end of the day.
Normally people wear their ear protection on their ears, but if you're from Texas 12 gauges feel and sound like BB guns. Just kidding, Brandon. ;)
We all had a really good time. We're at the point where launching just one at a time is getting boring.
Our one regret was that Justin couldn't make it on the trip. But we saw plenty of each other in the next several days. On Friday we spent all day at church moving pianos, organs, pews, dividers, chairs and doing all sorts of pre-wedding tasks. I also was able to practice the trumpet part with Mrs. Smith the piano player for the first time.
We surprised Kevin by all wearing Ireland shirts. As most know he feels called to be a missionary in Ireland. Andrew O, who came up with the whole idea, also got Kevin one.
The rehearsal. I'm doing my stretches it looks like. Standing up there for over an hour requires us to be in top physical shape.
Upon hearing me complain about having to stand in the "front row" of the groomsmen, Benji asks me how I think he feels. ;)
Playing for the bride to come down in the rehearsal. I actually played fair in the wedding. That's surprising because I have an apparent penchant for messing up when it matters the most and playing the best when it matters the least.
While the diligent fix flowers, Justin and I pass the time by playing rock-paper-scissors. Yes, we were bored.
Wedding day has arrived. Kevin actually handled himself quite well. I was proud of him. It is really different having a good friend get married and watching him be in love. Not bad, just different.
Because I had to play the trumpet for Darleen to walk down to, I got to leave the row of suspects and hide behind the piano with my trumpet.
Once my whispy note sputtered to an end I had to line up again. Since I forgot to hold my hands in the right position at the start I was hoping I didn't ruin any pictures. Richard made me feel better when he got so bored he started falling asleep and had to go sit down. I was jealous I didn't think of that first.
After the wedding we went in survival mode. Most of us were pretty tired. Mr. Williams, a really neat elder at our church, was discussing some funny, but good, ideas with us.
That Monday we went to the beach as a relaxing final get-together with everyone left from the wedding. We played UF (of course). And for the record, that field is pathetic. :)
Volleyball. At least we had a net and a ball. The similarities end there. But I had a grand time running around with Richard and Drew. I still insist we should have divided the teams, but it wasn't to be heard of.
Looking at the teams, I think it could have been pretty even. Our team just had such incredible team spirit and chemistry that we gained the advantage.
After volleyball it was more UF, where I got picked to the winning team with all the chemistry. I felt the call of duty however and switched to the other team to make it fairer. We got creamed. It was brutal really. There were practically no survivors. Yet still my original team wanted me back. I felt like I was in the Civil War. Fighting against my team for a losing cause I believed in. Ok, enough of the drama.
Once we got tired of the beach, some of us went to the Weston's house for some game time. We stayed really late because we were having such a good time. We played 3 on the couch, which was terribly confusing yet entertaining. After our brains started protesting we moved to "signs". That game turned out to be really fun and we could have gone on for hours had it not been past time to go.
On Wednesday I went to the Shepherd's Conference. That will require it's own post. Check out Justin's blog for now. It was an incredible blessing and I look forward to and hope I can post about it soon. The Lord even worked it out so I met some men who are missionaries to Canadian First Nations people (natives). We had mutual friends and contacts from Alaska and we were able to talk for hours about helpful training and the work up there.
And on a side note, I've recently been enjoying one of the many books I got there. This one is: "Craftsmen: Christ-Centered Proverbs for Men". One of the chapters I read this morning was on diligence in work. So with that I really need to get going. This post feels so scattered and poorly done. Hopefully it was still worth your read. I can't waste more time on it. Have a good day!
"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain." - Galatians 2:20-21
I'm sure there are those wondering what I mean when I say busy. Do I have a job? Yes and no. In February I worked for my brother's company down at an undisclosed location. It's undisclosed for security reasons, understand. My security, not theirs.
I have wasted my time filling in those online applications for a few places where I wouldn't mind working when I'm flying and continuing my education, but naturally I haven't heard back. Once I finish this work for my brother I will get a little more proactive. I want to test the theory of college degrees being useful. But it's been nice having a more flexible schedule these last two weeks anyway.
This is Brian, my co-worker most of last month. I hope I can safely assume none of my readers will recognize this place. This picture shows absolutely nothing of what we were doing there. (charging, programming and shipping scanner devices.)
Now moving to home life for those who care. Working made me miss at least one visit from my sister's family. That was disappointing, but life goes on.
Our dryer broke (in other words when we tried to turn it on it just made a humming noise) and while I don't mind having and using a clothesline, it isn't fun when it's raining. I decided I'd fix the dryer. *pause*
Not that it surprises anyone after that build-up, but it works now. (I wouldn't be posting about it if it didn't) I would love to say I fixed it, but I can't. It was real dirty as you can see and I cleaned everything. I unfortunately think I have to attribute that more to my janitorial skills rather than my mechanical skills.
We have been filming again. Filming is really taxing. I can't believe we willingly do it.
Some of the scenes brought us to the desert. This would be the first desert trip we've ever taken without Kevin. We somehow survived. Seeing that we did it 2 days before his wedding and a lot of his groomsmen and friends were there we called it his bachelor's party.
Because of all the rain we've been having at the lower elevations, we were hoping we could incorporate...
...these snowcapped mountains in the filming. Unfortunately everything was too built up around their base.
We made a brief stop at McDonalds to improve the morale of the team. I'm not sure that's the place to go to do that, but it worked in the end.
Upon arriving near the filming location we found a big mine shaft, now mostly filled.
The "Desert Rats" as we call ourselves used to do quite a bit of mine exploration. Or at least we tried. Most mines are filled in now.
Most the pictures from the day were of filming and I can't show most as they'd give parts of the movie away.
Meanwhile you can enjoy this picture of...vehicles.
Our director of photography makes a brief cameo.
I hope this movie is more exciting to watch than it was to watch it filmed. Exciting probably isn't the right word.
One final shot. Hooray! You never can use too much duct tape. Not when Andrew's expensive camera is bouncing on the hood of a truck anyway.
We rewarded ourselves with a bit of skeet shooting at the end of the day.
Normally people wear their ear protection on their ears, but if you're from Texas 12 gauges feel and sound like BB guns. Just kidding, Brandon. ;)
We all had a really good time. We're at the point where launching just one at a time is getting boring.
Our one regret was that Justin couldn't make it on the trip. But we saw plenty of each other in the next several days. On Friday we spent all day at church moving pianos, organs, pews, dividers, chairs and doing all sorts of pre-wedding tasks. I also was able to practice the trumpet part with Mrs. Smith the piano player for the first time.
We surprised Kevin by all wearing Ireland shirts. As most know he feels called to be a missionary in Ireland. Andrew O, who came up with the whole idea, also got Kevin one.
The rehearsal. I'm doing my stretches it looks like. Standing up there for over an hour requires us to be in top physical shape.
Upon hearing me complain about having to stand in the "front row" of the groomsmen, Benji asks me how I think he feels. ;)
Playing for the bride to come down in the rehearsal. I actually played fair in the wedding. That's surprising because I have an apparent penchant for messing up when it matters the most and playing the best when it matters the least.
While the diligent fix flowers, Justin and I pass the time by playing rock-paper-scissors. Yes, we were bored.
Wedding day has arrived. Kevin actually handled himself quite well. I was proud of him. It is really different having a good friend get married and watching him be in love. Not bad, just different.
Because I had to play the trumpet for Darleen to walk down to, I got to leave the row of suspects and hide behind the piano with my trumpet.
Once my whispy note sputtered to an end I had to line up again. Since I forgot to hold my hands in the right position at the start I was hoping I didn't ruin any pictures. Richard made me feel better when he got so bored he started falling asleep and had to go sit down. I was jealous I didn't think of that first.
After the wedding we went in survival mode. Most of us were pretty tired. Mr. Williams, a really neat elder at our church, was discussing some funny, but good, ideas with us.
That Monday we went to the beach as a relaxing final get-together with everyone left from the wedding. We played UF (of course). And for the record, that field is pathetic. :)
Volleyball. At least we had a net and a ball. The similarities end there. But I had a grand time running around with Richard and Drew. I still insist we should have divided the teams, but it wasn't to be heard of.
Looking at the teams, I think it could have been pretty even. Our team just had such incredible team spirit and chemistry that we gained the advantage.
After volleyball it was more UF, where I got picked to the winning team with all the chemistry. I felt the call of duty however and switched to the other team to make it fairer. We got creamed. It was brutal really. There were practically no survivors. Yet still my original team wanted me back. I felt like I was in the Civil War. Fighting against my team for a losing cause I believed in. Ok, enough of the drama.
Once we got tired of the beach, some of us went to the Weston's house for some game time. We stayed really late because we were having such a good time. We played 3 on the couch, which was terribly confusing yet entertaining. After our brains started protesting we moved to "signs". That game turned out to be really fun and we could have gone on for hours had it not been past time to go.
On Wednesday I went to the Shepherd's Conference. That will require it's own post. Check out Justin's blog for now. It was an incredible blessing and I look forward to and hope I can post about it soon. The Lord even worked it out so I met some men who are missionaries to Canadian First Nations people (natives). We had mutual friends and contacts from Alaska and we were able to talk for hours about helpful training and the work up there.
And on a side note, I've recently been enjoying one of the many books I got there. This one is: "Craftsmen: Christ-Centered Proverbs for Men". One of the chapters I read this morning was on diligence in work. So with that I really need to get going. This post feels so scattered and poorly done. Hopefully it was still worth your read. I can't waste more time on it. Have a good day!
"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain." - Galatians 2:20-21
Thursday, February 5, 2009
20 pictures...
My last two posts have been heavy on text and light on pictures of my family and me. I apologize for that. I honestly have no explanation for it, either. This post will get us back on track.
Remember that fence I talked about? Here's more of it. That cowboy hat was a lifesaver from the sun, by the way. While the style may be questionable, I always have and will continue to believe in comfort before style.
How many Stevens boys does it take to put in a fence? Who knows? It's certainly more fun with lots.
Just for the record, it's easier to put fences on level ground. Note my t-shirt. Who can't help but like Alaskan Malamutes? (see, I still have to mention the word Alaska...n)
Ah, Timmy is drinking on the job. For shame.
I started coveting a chop saw while doing this. Sorry for the earplugs and glasses. I value my hearing and eyesight. :)
This actually isn't its final state. While it doesn't look too bad, we wanted a picket fence.
We had to put on nearly 200 pickets. That's a lot of pickets. Painting them was worse.
Meanwhile, on our off days, we filmed. Filming can be so tiring, but we have a good time together.
We're setting up for a shot here. Cars can be hard to work with in filming. I saw a little bit of what we've filmed so far edited together and it's really good. We may have our best "movie" yet.
Rachel holding one of our pets.
I don't know if Rebecca will like this picture or not. It's just proof that she was working while we were doing the fence, I guess. :)
While we were at our church Men's Retreat (you can read about it on Justin's blog), Philip and Timmy joined the army and pitched camp.
They set up camp in our bedroom actually. I hear it was raining outside and they figured they'd take the good parts of camping and staying indoors.
Ah, the hard life of a soldier.
This brings us to last week with the co-op food arriving. That's one big truck. And you can see more fence from here. We're going to have an archway in the fence openings eventually.
With all the guys in our family it doesn't take long to get the food inside. I remember back when our family was a bit smaller in size and quantity, so it would take us quite a long time to lug everything in.
Meanwhile, the "food order man" like we grew up calling the person who dropped the food off, is doing a double-take, wondering how on earth one family could eat all that food. I hope we told the poor man it wasn't all for us.
This is one of those "cute" family scenes. My mom really just took this picture because she thought it was cute having Becca help me wash dishes and Rachel washing out a trashcan. I wash dishes every Saturday but there's never a picture. When my sisters gets there, bam! Serious photo ops. That's good, too. Who wants to see a picture of me washing dishes alone?
And really, I won't dwell long on this, but who picked the standard sink height? It must have been a woman. Which is perfectly fine because they spend way more time in the kitchen. But it certainly provides a little pain with the chore for guys who have to bend over constantly while washing. Thankfully I'm not tall enough to really give myself a serious backache from it. Other than that, I don't mind washing dishes at all.
My sister Rebecca turned 16 on Monday. I missed most of it because of work unfortunately. But she still somehow turned 16 without me being there.
Timmy and I waited patiently for present time. This was definitely posed. Timmy and I tried of few more random poses but this was the best. That says a lot more about how bad the other ones were than how this one is. Don't ask. I guess it's hard to be patient when ice-cream is waiting at the finish. ;)
And for current news, there is none. Actually, I worked down in San Diego this week (and finished early), and will continue to do so for the next 2 or 3 weeks. I'd tell you what I'm doing but it'd be really boring. I'll just say I'm working with technology. But a part of it which doesn't require much brains. Which must be why I got the job. ;) I've been and will be staying at my Uncle and Aunt's house which is almost like a second home.
"My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life. Put away from you a deceitful mouth, and put perverse lips far from you. Let your eyes look straight ahead, and your eyelids look right before you. Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established. Do not turn to the right or the left; Remove your foot from evil." - Proverbs 4:20-27
Remember that fence I talked about? Here's more of it. That cowboy hat was a lifesaver from the sun, by the way. While the style may be questionable, I always have and will continue to believe in comfort before style.
How many Stevens boys does it take to put in a fence? Who knows? It's certainly more fun with lots.
Just for the record, it's easier to put fences on level ground. Note my t-shirt. Who can't help but like Alaskan Malamutes? (see, I still have to mention the word Alaska...n)
Ah, Timmy is drinking on the job. For shame.
I started coveting a chop saw while doing this. Sorry for the earplugs and glasses. I value my hearing and eyesight. :)
This actually isn't its final state. While it doesn't look too bad, we wanted a picket fence.
We had to put on nearly 200 pickets. That's a lot of pickets. Painting them was worse.
Meanwhile, on our off days, we filmed. Filming can be so tiring, but we have a good time together.
We're setting up for a shot here. Cars can be hard to work with in filming. I saw a little bit of what we've filmed so far edited together and it's really good. We may have our best "movie" yet.
Rachel holding one of our pets.
I don't know if Rebecca will like this picture or not. It's just proof that she was working while we were doing the fence, I guess. :)
While we were at our church Men's Retreat (you can read about it on Justin's blog), Philip and Timmy joined the army and pitched camp.
They set up camp in our bedroom actually. I hear it was raining outside and they figured they'd take the good parts of camping and staying indoors.
Ah, the hard life of a soldier.
This brings us to last week with the co-op food arriving. That's one big truck. And you can see more fence from here. We're going to have an archway in the fence openings eventually.
With all the guys in our family it doesn't take long to get the food inside. I remember back when our family was a bit smaller in size and quantity, so it would take us quite a long time to lug everything in.
Meanwhile, the "food order man" like we grew up calling the person who dropped the food off, is doing a double-take, wondering how on earth one family could eat all that food. I hope we told the poor man it wasn't all for us.
This is one of those "cute" family scenes. My mom really just took this picture because she thought it was cute having Becca help me wash dishes and Rachel washing out a trashcan. I wash dishes every Saturday but there's never a picture. When my sisters gets there, bam! Serious photo ops. That's good, too. Who wants to see a picture of me washing dishes alone?
And really, I won't dwell long on this, but who picked the standard sink height? It must have been a woman. Which is perfectly fine because they spend way more time in the kitchen. But it certainly provides a little pain with the chore for guys who have to bend over constantly while washing. Thankfully I'm not tall enough to really give myself a serious backache from it. Other than that, I don't mind washing dishes at all.
My sister Rebecca turned 16 on Monday. I missed most of it because of work unfortunately. But she still somehow turned 16 without me being there.
Timmy and I waited patiently for present time. This was definitely posed. Timmy and I tried of few more random poses but this was the best. That says a lot more about how bad the other ones were than how this one is. Don't ask. I guess it's hard to be patient when ice-cream is waiting at the finish. ;)
And for current news, there is none. Actually, I worked down in San Diego this week (and finished early), and will continue to do so for the next 2 or 3 weeks. I'd tell you what I'm doing but it'd be really boring. I'll just say I'm working with technology. But a part of it which doesn't require much brains. Which must be why I got the job. ;) I've been and will be staying at my Uncle and Aunt's house which is almost like a second home.
"My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life. Put away from you a deceitful mouth, and put perverse lips far from you. Let your eyes look straight ahead, and your eyelids look right before you. Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established. Do not turn to the right or the left; Remove your foot from evil." - Proverbs 4:20-27
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Seward's Folly
Or more realistically, "Seward's Icebox".
As most of you know, I've had the incredible opportunities to go up to Alaska the last three summers and hope to be a missionary to a specific native people group up there. I love almost everything about Alaska. I love how it's wild, remote, extreme, and I love the wildlife and scenery. I love bush planes, ATVs, their laws (or lack thereof), fishing, and hunting. But this all presents a problem. Not a problem in the Lord's mind, but in mine.
Because I love Alaska so much, I naturally would choose for the Lord to send me there as a missionary over any other place. And therein lies the problem. It can be so easy for me to let my will take precedence over the Lord's, in my mind. Because I want it, I'd like to think God wants it. It can be hard to keep my ideas separate from the Lord's direction. I do believe that the Lord has called me to Alaska and has given me the desire to serve there to a specific people group but possibly not where or how I expect.
In one way I'd almost rather be called to some place I hated. This way I could be sure I was in the Lord's will. Proverbs 27:8 warns that, "Like a bird that wanders from its nest, is a man who wanders from his place." I haven't done a study on that verse, but when I read it this morning, it struck me as a man who isn't following the Lord's moral will for him. A parent bird who leaves their nest unprotected, and the chicks vulnerable to enemies and elements, is completely missing its purpose and responsibilities in life. And if a baby chick wanders from its nest, it's as good as dead. It isn't a light matter to wander from where God wants you.
I feel like I may have taken that verse completely out of context. I find it interesting how a proverb can take different applications depending on what the Lord is taking me through at the time. There are many other verses in Scripture that address the topic specifically, so I don't think it's heresy.
To put your mind at ease, I am really thankful that the Lord is leading me to Alaska so far. :) And I'm not trying to say that there is no way for me to know what the Lord's will is. As we serve Him and remain under His authority and authority structure, He will direct our steps, no matter what our plans are. All this is just a caution to be alert to what God really wants from us and not try to add on our own extra baggage.
I'll now add a few pictures to show you why I love the state of Alaska. I've posted a lot of pictures of the ministry in the past, and this will mainly be animals and scenery. God's handiwork in Alaska (and everywhere else) is incredible. And it's even more incredible when you can do the Lord's work while living in the middle of it all.
(All but the plane and camp pictures were taken by Eddie Fisher)
Believe it or not, this is a common scene while flying over western Alaska. The stunted trees, fog over the mountains, and a cow moose in the water. But it doesn't get old. Not yet anyway.
This is not a common scene in western Alaska. At all. While there are certainly wolves and they even come into camp at night, we don't see them during the day. And by the way, a nearby wolf howl is scary. Neat, but scary. Loud, too.
I love Super Cubs. I may not ever fly one, but I still like them. :) I just got my pilot medical and student pilot certificate today. The Lord does seem to be leading me to be a pilot, but we'll see. Nothing is for sure.
I've actually seen quite a few caribou but only the first year I was in Alaska. I was hiking with a friend in Denali, actually trying to get reasonably close to a grizzly for pictures, when a small herd of them ran by about 150 feet away. I know (I think) how close 150 feet is out on the tundra. It was unreal.
Yep, we were trying to get a closer picture of one of these big boys. But he wasn't as big. Yikes! The things I do.
I've never been to Alaska in the winter, so I've never seen this. And I'm not sure it won't take a bit of getting used to. :)
And since I've never been in Alaska during the winter, I've never seen this. But I haven't seen a whole lot of things. In fact, I've seen very little of Alaska and what it's famous for.
I'd love to fly floats, too. At least I can watch them. :)
Getting this close to a moose would be almost as scary as getting that close to a bear. That moose must have been used to photographers.
Heh, Andrew took this picture after the (new) pilot he was with had gotten lost for about 40 minutes. It was a welcomed site. You can tell everything is still brown from the winter. In June it gets very, very green. I am not planning on going back this year as I need to earn money for flying, but hopefully the rest of the crew can make it. It sure won't be easy staying back, but I appreciate the direction I've received. :)
For those of you who like pictures of my nephew and nieces, don't worry. They'll be coming. And I'll post about the Men's Retreat and that famous fence I've painted and most built. Anytime I write this much, my posts take forever. I'm not just a poor writer, I'm a slooow writer. :)
"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." - Mark 16:15-16
As most of you know, I've had the incredible opportunities to go up to Alaska the last three summers and hope to be a missionary to a specific native people group up there. I love almost everything about Alaska. I love how it's wild, remote, extreme, and I love the wildlife and scenery. I love bush planes, ATVs, their laws (or lack thereof), fishing, and hunting. But this all presents a problem. Not a problem in the Lord's mind, but in mine.
Because I love Alaska so much, I naturally would choose for the Lord to send me there as a missionary over any other place. And therein lies the problem. It can be so easy for me to let my will take precedence over the Lord's, in my mind. Because I want it, I'd like to think God wants it. It can be hard to keep my ideas separate from the Lord's direction. I do believe that the Lord has called me to Alaska and has given me the desire to serve there to a specific people group but possibly not where or how I expect.
In one way I'd almost rather be called to some place I hated. This way I could be sure I was in the Lord's will. Proverbs 27:8 warns that, "Like a bird that wanders from its nest, is a man who wanders from his place." I haven't done a study on that verse, but when I read it this morning, it struck me as a man who isn't following the Lord's moral will for him. A parent bird who leaves their nest unprotected, and the chicks vulnerable to enemies and elements, is completely missing its purpose and responsibilities in life. And if a baby chick wanders from its nest, it's as good as dead. It isn't a light matter to wander from where God wants you.
I feel like I may have taken that verse completely out of context. I find it interesting how a proverb can take different applications depending on what the Lord is taking me through at the time. There are many other verses in Scripture that address the topic specifically, so I don't think it's heresy.
To put your mind at ease, I am really thankful that the Lord is leading me to Alaska so far. :) And I'm not trying to say that there is no way for me to know what the Lord's will is. As we serve Him and remain under His authority and authority structure, He will direct our steps, no matter what our plans are. All this is just a caution to be alert to what God really wants from us and not try to add on our own extra baggage.
I'll now add a few pictures to show you why I love the state of Alaska. I've posted a lot of pictures of the ministry in the past, and this will mainly be animals and scenery. God's handiwork in Alaska (and everywhere else) is incredible. And it's even more incredible when you can do the Lord's work while living in the middle of it all.
(All but the plane and camp pictures were taken by Eddie Fisher)
Believe it or not, this is a common scene while flying over western Alaska. The stunted trees, fog over the mountains, and a cow moose in the water. But it doesn't get old. Not yet anyway.
This is not a common scene in western Alaska. At all. While there are certainly wolves and they even come into camp at night, we don't see them during the day. And by the way, a nearby wolf howl is scary. Neat, but scary. Loud, too.
I love Super Cubs. I may not ever fly one, but I still like them. :) I just got my pilot medical and student pilot certificate today. The Lord does seem to be leading me to be a pilot, but we'll see. Nothing is for sure.
I've actually seen quite a few caribou but only the first year I was in Alaska. I was hiking with a friend in Denali, actually trying to get reasonably close to a grizzly for pictures, when a small herd of them ran by about 150 feet away. I know (I think) how close 150 feet is out on the tundra. It was unreal.
Yep, we were trying to get a closer picture of one of these big boys. But he wasn't as big. Yikes! The things I do.
I've never been to Alaska in the winter, so I've never seen this. And I'm not sure it won't take a bit of getting used to. :)
And since I've never been in Alaska during the winter, I've never seen this. But I haven't seen a whole lot of things. In fact, I've seen very little of Alaska and what it's famous for.
I'd love to fly floats, too. At least I can watch them. :)
Getting this close to a moose would be almost as scary as getting that close to a bear. That moose must have been used to photographers.
Heh, Andrew took this picture after the (new) pilot he was with had gotten lost for about 40 minutes. It was a welcomed site. You can tell everything is still brown from the winter. In June it gets very, very green. I am not planning on going back this year as I need to earn money for flying, but hopefully the rest of the crew can make it. It sure won't be easy staying back, but I appreciate the direction I've received. :)
For those of you who like pictures of my nephew and nieces, don't worry. They'll be coming. And I'll post about the Men's Retreat and that famous fence I've painted and most built. Anytime I write this much, my posts take forever. I'm not just a poor writer, I'm a slooow writer. :)
"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." - Mark 16:15-16
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Random thoughts and pictures
You wouldn't believe what I'm thinking about. Demons. But don't leave just yet. I have a logical reason.
On Friday afternoons, Pastor and some young men in our church watch a theology dvd from The Master's Seminary. The theology classes cover a wide variety of Biblical topics, some more interesting than others. We are finishing up the Theology 2 class, which focuses on Christ, the Holy Spirit and Angels. We're currently on the topic of Angelology.
Yesterday we were focused heavily on missions and the spiritual realm, particulary demons. In my trips to Alaska I've encounted a decent amount of fear of demons, and have heard all sorts of stories from children on their, or their relatives, encounters with them. While I realize a decent portion of the stories are exaggerated or completely made up from their fear, it is no secret that demons are more outwardly active in the dark and remote villages. This topic of spiritual warfare has interested me for that reason ever since I first went.
Concerning demons and the spirit world, "deliverence" ministries and the like have been popping up constantly and the belief that believers can be possessed (or demonized as they call it) by demons while still having the Holy Spirit is becoming more common. This belief is utterly false and not found in Scripture. It comes from speculation and assumptions based on experience rather than the study of God's Word. This speculation also promotes the idea that our sins are "caused by" or "due to" demons rather than by our own wicked heart. While the devil our adversary certainly does seek to destroy us and plays an active role, our own hearts draw us away. James 1:14 and Matt. 15:19 come to mind, though there are certainly other verses which address our own hearts being wicked.
In regards to missions, the popular movement today, especially among many modern charismatics, has been to stress the importance of dealing with the demons that rule the region you're attempting to minister in. They claim the reason that the people in some regions are so accepting of the gospel while others in different regions aren't as much, is because of demonic oppression. Their major focus is on dealing with the regional demon power so the people will be able to be saved. While looking at some missionary examples and stories exclusively this makes a lot of sense. But does it fit with scripture? I don't think so.
I'm a firm believer in the sovereignty of God and His effectual grace. This basically means that, in the context of this idea of regional demon power, I believe God has chosen who will accept Him and if God is calling someone to repentance, no demon or legion of demons will be able to keep the person from repenting. As most of you will recognize, this is part of the doctrines of grace, and as I believe most my readers understand these points and at least agree with most, I won't say too much. I dislike using just one verse in this case as there are many, but more probably aren't needed to convince any readers. John 6:37, "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me."
My point is basically that as a missionary, our concern is not on the best way of dealing with demons, but rather on preaching the gospel. God's Word is powerful. We don't control how it's taken. We can't. We only have the responsibility from God to share it. If we have visible "success", it isn't because we've defeated Satan in that region. And if we aren't having visible success, it isn't because we haven't defeated Satan. The Lord is in complete control.
And for the record, I'm in no way saying that there isn't very real demonic oppression and activity. I just addressing where our focus should be.
But now, to keep with my normal blog fashion, I'll post a few pictures and write a few predictable captions. :)
As covered on my sister's blog, we went up near Mount Baldy to be in the snow. We had a good time and thankfully the Lord spared us from injuries. Afterwards we went to our church for the New Year's Eve get-together which was fun.
The boys and I are making a picket fence for our front yard. While the idea is great, painting the whole thing is really quite a job. Thankfully I have good help.
A few of the pickets. Would you believe we have to paint about 200 of those? Crazy. Philip has helped a bunch as well, but no pictures were taken.
I got the roller which takes way less time. So now we've gotten a few more. Hopefully when we finish our frontyard we can get some good pictures.
I have no idea what she's sewing. I would probably know if I looked at it, but I'm too lazy.
My life lately has been really full of future plans and ideas. It's really interesting...and difficult. It can be hard to accept what the Lord has for me and at times hard to know even what He wants me to do. But I should be updating occasionally to let you all in on what's going on. I don't want to give any current plans, because they're sure to change. But for those keeping score from home, it looks like I'll be around for a while, for better or for worse. :)
In upcoming news, I'll Lord willing be going back to the Shepherd's Conference this March. I'm really looking forward to that. And I'll be doing some work for my brother down near San Diego for a period in January and February. I don't know which weeks yet, but I'm excited about the work. Also, our church Men's Retreat is in two weeks. And one of my best friends, Kevin W, (who has been pictured on my blog more times than he cares to know) is getting married on February 28th to a really neat girl. I'm playing the trumpet in his wedding. They're very brave. For the having me play the trumpet part...not the getting married part. And that's it for the upcoming news.
"Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest." - Matthew 9:35-38
On Friday afternoons, Pastor and some young men in our church watch a theology dvd from The Master's Seminary. The theology classes cover a wide variety of Biblical topics, some more interesting than others. We are finishing up the Theology 2 class, which focuses on Christ, the Holy Spirit and Angels. We're currently on the topic of Angelology.
Yesterday we were focused heavily on missions and the spiritual realm, particulary demons. In my trips to Alaska I've encounted a decent amount of fear of demons, and have heard all sorts of stories from children on their, or their relatives, encounters with them. While I realize a decent portion of the stories are exaggerated or completely made up from their fear, it is no secret that demons are more outwardly active in the dark and remote villages. This topic of spiritual warfare has interested me for that reason ever since I first went.
Concerning demons and the spirit world, "deliverence" ministries and the like have been popping up constantly and the belief that believers can be possessed (or demonized as they call it) by demons while still having the Holy Spirit is becoming more common. This belief is utterly false and not found in Scripture. It comes from speculation and assumptions based on experience rather than the study of God's Word. This speculation also promotes the idea that our sins are "caused by" or "due to" demons rather than by our own wicked heart. While the devil our adversary certainly does seek to destroy us and plays an active role, our own hearts draw us away. James 1:14 and Matt. 15:19 come to mind, though there are certainly other verses which address our own hearts being wicked.
In regards to missions, the popular movement today, especially among many modern charismatics, has been to stress the importance of dealing with the demons that rule the region you're attempting to minister in. They claim the reason that the people in some regions are so accepting of the gospel while others in different regions aren't as much, is because of demonic oppression. Their major focus is on dealing with the regional demon power so the people will be able to be saved. While looking at some missionary examples and stories exclusively this makes a lot of sense. But does it fit with scripture? I don't think so.
I'm a firm believer in the sovereignty of God and His effectual grace. This basically means that, in the context of this idea of regional demon power, I believe God has chosen who will accept Him and if God is calling someone to repentance, no demon or legion of demons will be able to keep the person from repenting. As most of you will recognize, this is part of the doctrines of grace, and as I believe most my readers understand these points and at least agree with most, I won't say too much. I dislike using just one verse in this case as there are many, but more probably aren't needed to convince any readers. John 6:37, "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me."
My point is basically that as a missionary, our concern is not on the best way of dealing with demons, but rather on preaching the gospel. God's Word is powerful. We don't control how it's taken. We can't. We only have the responsibility from God to share it. If we have visible "success", it isn't because we've defeated Satan in that region. And if we aren't having visible success, it isn't because we haven't defeated Satan. The Lord is in complete control.
And for the record, I'm in no way saying that there isn't very real demonic oppression and activity. I just addressing where our focus should be.
But now, to keep with my normal blog fashion, I'll post a few pictures and write a few predictable captions. :)
As covered on my sister's blog, we went up near Mount Baldy to be in the snow. We had a good time and thankfully the Lord spared us from injuries. Afterwards we went to our church for the New Year's Eve get-together which was fun.
The boys and I are making a picket fence for our front yard. While the idea is great, painting the whole thing is really quite a job. Thankfully I have good help.
A few of the pickets. Would you believe we have to paint about 200 of those? Crazy. Philip has helped a bunch as well, but no pictures were taken.
I got the roller which takes way less time. So now we've gotten a few more. Hopefully when we finish our frontyard we can get some good pictures.
I have no idea what she's sewing. I would probably know if I looked at it, but I'm too lazy.
My life lately has been really full of future plans and ideas. It's really interesting...and difficult. It can be hard to accept what the Lord has for me and at times hard to know even what He wants me to do. But I should be updating occasionally to let you all in on what's going on. I don't want to give any current plans, because they're sure to change. But for those keeping score from home, it looks like I'll be around for a while, for better or for worse. :)
In upcoming news, I'll Lord willing be going back to the Shepherd's Conference this March. I'm really looking forward to that. And I'll be doing some work for my brother down near San Diego for a period in January and February. I don't know which weeks yet, but I'm excited about the work. Also, our church Men's Retreat is in two weeks. And one of my best friends, Kevin W, (who has been pictured on my blog more times than he cares to know) is getting married on February 28th to a really neat girl. I'm playing the trumpet in his wedding. They're very brave. For the having me play the trumpet part...not the getting married part. And that's it for the upcoming news.
"Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest." - Matthew 9:35-38
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