Fingerprints

Five Things I Dig About Jesus

2007-06-19T17:57:00.000-05:00

Benjie tagged me to do the meme called Five Things I Dig About Jesus.

My five things that I dig about Jesus are as follows:

1) Jesus loves me all the time when I'm good and when I'm bad.
2) Jesus guides me through the rough and the smooth times of life.
3) Jesus teaches me to look for the good in other people.
4) Jesus encourages me to reach out to other people in His strength.
5) Jesus gives me hope both for right now and for eternity.

Below are the rules for this meme:

Those tagged will share 5 Things They Dig About Jesus.

Those tagged will tag 5 people. [But as with all memes, I personally do not tag other people. If you would like to do this meme, please consider yourself tagged.]

Those tagged will leave a link to their meme in the comments section of this post so everyone can keep track of what's being posted.

Eight Random Things about Myself

2007-05-12T15:34:00.000-05:00

I'm been tagged by Charley Pitchford to do an Eight Random Things list about me.

Here are the rules:
1. Each player starts with 8 random facts/habits about themselves.
2. People who are tagged write a blog post about their own 8 random things and post these rules.
3. At the end of your blog you need to tag 8 people and post their names.
4. Don't forget to leave them a comment and tell them they're tagged, and to read your blog.

Here are my eight random things:

1. I am getting married to my beloved September 8, 2007.
2. In 1988, I spent three months in Belize, Central America under the YES program. I went with a team to assist a village church with their youth program.
3. In early 2007, I spent a week in Honduras through the MAMA Project. The MAMA Project seeks to help mothers and their children learn proper nutrition and basic health care.
4. In highschool during nineth grade, I took a year of Latin.
5. In college, I studied Koine Greek for two years.
6. I first learned that I don't make a good sales person when I attempted door to door book sales through Southwestern Publishing Co. in Texas during one of my college summer vacation times.
7. For almost seven years, I worked in a home for the severely developmentally challenged and disabled.
8. I love Raspberry sour cream pound cake.

And anyone is tagged who wants to do this exercise.

2007-05-08T17:11:00.000-05:00

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

Quote on Vocation from Frederick Buechner

2007-05-01T11:34:00.000-05:00

"The kind of work God usually calls you to is the kind of work (a) that you need most to do and (b) that the world most needs to have done....The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet."

This quote was found in the book Live Your Calling by Kevin Brennfleck and Kay Marie Brennfleck on page 15.

How Scary Are You?

2007-02-21T16:48:00.000-05:00

You Are Not Scary

Everyone loves you. Isn't that sweet?

How Scary Are You?

What Color Is Your Brain

2007-02-21T16:40:00.000-05:00

Your Brain is Green

Of all the brain types, yours has the most balance.
You are able to see all sides to most problems and are a good problem solver.
You need time to work out your thoughts, but you don't get stuck in bad thinking patterns.

You tend to spend a lot of time thinking about the future, philosophy, and relationships (both personal and intellectual).

What Color Is Your Brain?

Favorite Christmas Songs Tag

2006-12-10T05:58:00.000-05:00

I've been tagged by Benjamin Potter to list my favorite Christmas songs. So at least some of my favorites are listed here below:

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
Silent Night
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
The First Noel
The Little Drummer Boy
Oh Holy Night
Do You Hear What I Hear
White Christmas
It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas
Silver Bells

What Part of Thanksgiving Are You?

2006-11-20T20:27:00.000-05:00

You Are The Cranberry Sauce

A little sweet, a little sour - you've got the flava!
Though, you do tend to squish in people's mouths...

What Part of Thanksgiving Are You?

What American accent do you have?

2006-11-10T23:39:00.000-05:00

What American accent do you have? Your Result: Philadelphia Your accent is as Philadelphian as a cheesesteak! If you're not from Philadelphia, then you're from someplace near there like south Jersey, Baltimore, or Wilmington. if you've ever journeyed to some far off place where people don't know that Philly has an accent, someone may have thought you talked a little weird even though they didn't have a clue what accent it was they heard.
The Northeast
The Midland
The Inland North
The South
Boston
The West
North Central
What American accent do you have? Take More Quizzes

A Quote from Walking Thunder

2006-10-22T19:04:00.000-05:00

Life is not long or short; it just is.

from the movie Walking Thunder

The Sesame Street Personality Quiz

2006-10-17T21:47:00.000-05:00

You Are Bert

Extremely serious and a little eccentric, people find you loveable - even if you don't love them!

You are usually feeling: Logical - you rarely let your emotions rule you

You are famous for: Being smart, a total neat freak, and maybe just a little evil

How you life your life: With passion, even if your odd passions (like bottle caps and pigeons) are baffling to others

The Sesame Street Personality Quiz

What Art Movement Are You?

2006-10-11T16:55:00.000-05:00

You Are Romanticism

You are likely to see the world as it should be, not as it is. You prefer to celebrate the great things people do... not the horrors they're capable of. For you, there is nothing more inspiring than a great hero. You believe that great art reflects the artist's imagination and true ideals.

What Art Movement Are You?

What European City Do You Belong In?

2006-10-08T17:25:00.000-05:00

You Belong in Amsterdam

A little old fashioned, a little modern - you're the best of both worlds. And so is Amsterdam. Whether you want to be a squatter graffiti artist or a great novelist, Amsterdam has all that you want in Europe (in one small city).

What European City Do You Belong In?

You Are an Oatmeal Raisin Cookie

2006-10-05T20:27:00.000-05:00

You Are an Oatmeal Raisin Cookie

On the surface, you're a little plain - but you have many subtle dimensions to your personality. Sometimes you're down to earth and crunchy. Other times, you're sweet and a little gooey.

What Kind of Cookie Are You?

Quote

2006-09-24T14:40:00.000-05:00

Irene put down her sandwich. "I've always found the phrase 'personal relationship with Jesus' a little puzzling. I don't mean to be rude, but it sounds so self-centered. I've always had an intimate relationship with Jesus, but my faith is more rooted in the communal than the personal."
--Ian Morgan Cron in Chasing Francis: A Pilgrim's Tale, p. 132.

Quotes

2006-09-21T20:56:00.000-05:00

Sarcasm is confusing to the pure of heart.
--Ian Morgan Cron in Chasing Francis: A Pilgrim's Tale, p. 63.

"Do you know the story of Rabbi Zusya?" he asked. "He was a Chasidic master who live in the 1700s. One day he said, 'When I get to the heavenly court, God will not ask me, 'Why weren't you Moses?' Rather he will ask me, 'Why were you not Zusya?'"
--Ian Morgan Cron in Chasing Francis: A Pilgrim's Tale, p. 67.

Which Shakespear Character Are You?

2006-09-21T16:58:00.000-05:00

You scored as Friar Laurence. You are Friar Laurence, of Romeo and Juliet. You are wise and learned. You take the time to think before you act, though you sometimes can be twisted to do something hastily, if it's for a good cause.

Friar Laurence

85%

Puck

70%

Macbeth

60%

Jaques

45%

Nick Bottom

35%

Romeo

25%

Catherine

15%

Which shakespear character are you?
created with QuizFarm.com

Complete the Thought

2006-09-21T16:06:00.000-05:00

Never again in my life: are some of the most dangerous words in the English language.

When I was five: audio cassettes were introduced to everyday life according to www.babyboomers.com. Am I really that old? :)

Highschool was all about: making good grades and surviving.

I will never forget: the scary dream from my childhood years in which I approached the throne of God and God's hand pointed towards a door labeled HELL. In my dream, I approached the door but escaped by climbing over a fence to go to my family. Is anyone out there good at dream interpretation?

I once met: up with a three foot rattlesnake only three feet away from me. I quickly moved back and then slowly moved a little closer to take a photo of the snake.

There's this boy I know who: dreams wildly.

By noon I'm usually eating my bag lunch of a meat, cheese, & lettuce sandwich, carrots, and a fruit such as grapes, peaches, or apples.

Last night, I read from the book Chasing Francis: A Pilgrim's Tale by Ian Morgan Cron. I also ate blueberry yogurt before going to bed as well as checking on a few blogs.

Next time I go to church: I will be teaching the fifth and sixth grade Sunday School class like I do every Sunday from fall through spring.

What worries me most: alternates and sometimes disappears.

When I turn my head right: I see trees lining a cemetery. Except during my college years, I have always lived next to a cemetery. I find them peaceful places to sit or walk and contemplate.

When I turn my head left: I see my cluttered combination table and bunk bed.

You know I'm lying when: I say I have a million dollars.

If I was a character written by Shakespeare, I'd be: Friar Laurence of Romeo and Juliet according to a QuizFarm.com Shakespeare quiz.

By this time, next year: I will have lived another 365 days or be enjoying eternity in the presence of my God.

A better name for me would be: hard to come by. :)

I have a hard time understanding: many of the choices we make.

You know I like you if: I tease you from time to time.

Darwin, Mozart, Slim Pickens, & Geraldine Ferarro are: all famous personalities whom I rarely think about.

Take my advice, NEVER: forget your blessings. Easy to say; difficult to practice.

My ideal breakfast is: a cheese omelot or cold cereal and milk with a glass of orange juice.

A song I love but do not have is: Harry Chapin's Cat's in the Cradle which was actually written by his wife Sandy.

If you visit my hometown, I suggest: that you let me know especially if you regularly visit my blog.

Why won't anyone: is as bad a phrase as is the word "never".

If you spend the night at my house, DO: know that I have only one bed.

I'd stop my wedding for:seems like an unlikely situation for me to face.

The world could do without: war.

I'd rather lick the belly of a cockroach than: injure another person. That doesn't mean that I don't ever feel like injuring another person.

My favorite blonde is: unanswerable. I generally don't notice hair colors unless they are really weird.

Paperclips are more useful than:staples because they are easier to remove.

San Diego means: an opportunity to explore another facet of life.

And by the way: Answering this is lots of fun and takes lots of time.

By the way, I borrowed this from Lorie who borrowed it from Katie.

You Are A Chow Puppy

2006-09-20T17:41:00.000-05:00

You Are a Chow Puppy

Don't fence me in!
You're an independent spirit that won't be tied down.

What Breed of Puppy Are You?

Quote

2006-09-16T14:15:00.000-05:00

Delay is not denial. It is only the opportunity for the best to become possible.
-- Hannah Hurnard in Hind's Feet on High Places found on Renée's Reflections

Quotes

2006-09-04T20:09:00.000-05:00

Like the good ape he is, man is a social animal, characterized by cronyism, nepotism, corruption, and gossip. That's the intrinsic blueprint for our ethical behavior. It's pure biology.
-- Carlos Ruiz Zafón from The Shadow of the Wind, page 96

Television, my dear Daniel, is the Antichrist, and I can assure you that after only three or four generations, people will no longer even know how to fart on their own and humans will return to living in caves, to medieval savagery, and to the general state of imbecility that slugs overcame back in the Pleistocene era.
-- Carlos Ruiz Zafón from The Shadow of the Wind, pages 106-107

Empire Falls; Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe

2006-08-29T07:25:00.000-05:00

In the past few weeks, I read Richard Russo's Empire Falls. The author is talented in creating real life characters and exploring their inner depths in a localized town past its prime. Many times, I could find myself identifying with some of the players in this story. Russo makes these characters so real that one wants to go and meet them in person.

Last night, I watched on DVD: Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. It's not a bad movie; but I loved the books so much better where the imagination could run so much more freely. And Aslan the lion in the movie did not seem so awe inspiring as in the book.

Which Sports Car Are You?

2006-08-27T17:16:00.000-05:00

I'm a Ford Mustang!

You're an American classic -- fast, strong, and bold. You're not snobby or pretentious, but you have what it takes to give anyone a run for their money.

"Take the Which Sports Car Are You? quiz.

As of my taking of the personality test, the following statistics were true for this inventory:

2714656 people have taken the Which Sports Car Are You? (Version 2.0) personality test. Here are the results so far:

Chevrolet Corvette: 727857 (27%)
Porsche 911: 399984 (15%)
Ferrari 360: 260225 (10%)
Ford Mustang: 239258 (9%)
Lamborghini Murcielago: 184603 (7%)
Mazda Miata: 168673 (6%)
Mazda RX-8: 164527 (6%)
Dodge Viper: 147205 (5%)
Mercedes SLK: 116919 (4%)
Nissan 350Z: 70131 (3%)
Lotus Elise: 69825 (3%)
Honda S2000: 65510 (2%)
Audi TT: 60623 (2%)
Porsche Boxster: 39316 (1%)

What Planet Should You Rule?

2006-08-09T14:53:00.000-05:00

You Should Rule Saturn

Saturn is a mysterious planet that can rarely be seen with the naked eye.

You are perfect to rule Saturn because like its rings, you don't always follow the rules of nature. And like Saturn, to really be able to understand you, someone delve beyond your appearance.

You are not an easy person to befriend. However, once you enter a friendship, you'll be a friend for life. You think slowly but deeply. You only gain great understanding after a situation has past.

What Planet Should You Rule?

One Book Quiz

2006-08-03T08:47:00.000-05:00

1. One book that changed your life

I'll change that to one author - C.S. Lewis - specifically the following books: Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, and The Narnia Series.

2. One book that you read more than once

Tolkien's The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy

3. One book you'd want on a desert island

Martyr's Mirror

4. One book that made you laugh

I don't remember the exact name of the book; but it was a book of Garfield comic strips.

5. One book that made you cry

Fred Gibson's Old Yeller

6. One book that you wish had been written

At different time periods in my life I have been involved in researching local Mennonite history and family history. Through this, I had gotten to know a Robert Ulle who when he died was working on a project to identify Mennonite genealogical connections between Pennsylvanian and Canadian Mennonite families. Due to his health condition and death, the project and publication never got off the ground. This one book I would have loved to see published.

7. One book that you wish never had been written

I don't know if I have any such book. There are books that I believe have had too much negative effects in our world. Yet I believe so much in freedom of expression for all.

8. One book that you're currently reading

Richard Russo's Empire Falls

9. One book you've been meaning to read

David Cottrell's Monday Morning Leadership

10. Now tag four people

I don't tag specific people; but I would love any of you who read this to do it also and then to let me know. There are two rules: The Bible or your holy book cannot be an answer to any of these questions. And only one book per question is allowed; if that is not possible for a specific question, make it only one author per that question. Go, have fun!

I got this meme from Kevin Stilley's Silver and Gold Have I None blog.

How Do You Communicate?

2006-08-02T22:33:00.000-05:00

You Communicate With Your Eyes

When you say, "I'll believe it when I see it" - you really mean it.

For you, what you see is a lot more important than what you hear.

You don't take someone's words at face value.

You judge people by their facial expressions, body language, and appearance.

You tend to be quiet, but when you talk, you tend to make eye contact and describe things in colorful detail.

How Do You Communicate?

Cartomancy, Book 2 of The Age of Discovery

2006-07-09T20:57:00.000-05:00

Tonight, I finished reading Cartomancy by Michael A. Stackpole. It is Book 2 of The Age of Discovery series. It is a complex story - one in which initially I had a hard time keeping track of all the characters. But I have not read A Secret Atlas which is Book 1 in the series and that may have contributed to this situation. However, by the time I got into the second half of the book and the closer I got towards the end, the more entwined and fascinated I became by the story. It is a novel of the fantasy genre and at least to me shows some of the futility of excessive ambition and wars.

Two Movies on DVD

2006-06-25T14:31:00.000-05:00

Yesterday evening, I watched two different DVD movies - Fried Green Tomatoes and Finding Neverland. Both were inspiring and both had weaknesses. Fried Green Tomatoes exemplifies the value of multi-cultural, multi-racial, and age diverse friendships but has some rough edges that might be offensive and not appropriate for some audiences. Finding Neverland also teaches the value of friendship and the value of a creative imagination but sacrifices a marriage relationship.

If Your Life Was a Movie, What Genre Would It Be?

2006-06-21T18:15:00.000-05:00

The Movie Of Your Life Is A Black Comedy

In your life, things are so twisted that you just have to laugh.

You may end up insane, but you'll have fun on the way to the asylum.

Your best movie matches: Being John Malkovich, The Royal Tenenbaums, American Psycho

If Your Life Was a Movie, What Genre Would It Be?

How Do You Communicate?

2006-06-21T17:39:00.000-05:00

I had to think about this one. This might have truth; but frequently it probably is not readily apparent. Many times, I tend to be rather restrained at least until I get to know a person well.

You Communicate With Your Body

This isn't as bad as it sounds, it just means that you're a "touchy-feely" person.

You need a lot of affection in your life. And for you, this means both giving and receiving little touches.

Warm hearted, you bond with people easily. In fact, you often feel a little sad when you're not in the company of others.

A little moody, you tend to be controlled by your emotions. But a bit hug always comforts you!

How Do You Communicate?

The Simpsons Personality Test

2006-06-21T17:27:00.000-05:00

I find this hilarious. My initial reaction is this is so not me! But, ...?

You Are Bart Simpson

Very misunderstood, most people just dismiss you as "trouble."

Little do they know that you're wise and well accomplished beyond your years.

You will be remembered for: starring in your own TV show and saving the town from a comet

Your life philosophy: "I don't know why I did it, I don't know why I enjoyed it, and I don't know why I'll do it again!"

The Simpsons Personality Test

What's Your Love Style?

2006-06-21T17:11:00.000-05:00

Your Love Style is Storge

For you, love and friendship are almost the same thing. And your love tends to be the enduring, long lasting kind. (You've been known to still have connections with exes.) But sometimes your love is not the most passionate. Leap before you look, and you'll find that fire you crave.

What's Your Love Style?

What kind of meat are you?

2006-06-12T15:20:00.000-05:00

You Are Fish

You have a well formed palate and a daring appetite. If it's served to you, you'll at least try it. People are pretty scared of your exotic ways. But once they get a taste of you, they're addicted!

What Kind of Meat Are You?

What Kind of Soul Are You?

2006-06-10T13:42:00.000-05:00

You Are a Dreaming Soul

Your vivid emotions and imagination takes you away from this world
So much so that you tend to live in your head most of the time
You have great dreams and ambitions that could be the envy of all...
But for you, following through with your dreams is a bit difficult

You are charming, endearing, and people tend to love you.
Forgiving and tolerant, you see the world through rose colored glasses.
Underneath it all, you have a ton of passion that you hide from others.
Always hopeful, you tend to expect positive outcomes in your life.

Souls you are most compatible with: Newborn Soul, Prophet Soul, and Traveler Soul

What Kind of Soul Are You?

What Kind of American English Do You Speak?

2006-05-31T18:10:00.000-05:00

Your Linguistic Profile::

55% General American English

30% Yankee

10% Dixie

0% Midwestern

0% Upper Midwestern

What Kind of American English Do You Speak?

My Hidden Talent?

2006-05-19T21:57:00.000-05:00

Your Hidden Talent

You have the natural talent of rocking the boat, thwarting the system. And while this may not seem big, it can be. It's people like you who serve as the catalysts to major cultural changes. You're just a bit behind the scenes, so no one really notices.

What's Your Hidden Talent?

You Should Be a Film Writer?

2006-05-19T21:37:00.000-05:00

You Should Be a Film Writer

You don't just create compelling stories, you see them as clearly as a movie in your mind. You have a knack for details and dialogue. You can really make a character come to life. Chances are, you enjoy creating all types of stories. The joy is in the storytelling. And nothing would please you more than millions of people seeing your story on the big screen!

What Type of Writer Should You Be?

Yawns

2006-05-09T07:27:00.000-05:00

Yawns
Awning the day
Waking not a reality
Not now, not ever

Yesterday's yawn is gone
A new day begun
Waking brings a new reality
Now or never

[This poem was written by me this morning in the comments section of another person's blog. I write it here for possible future reference.]

Time and I

2006-05-09T06:57:00.000-05:00

I wrote this poem yesterday in the comments section to another person's blog.

The road awaits
Time doesn't
The road beckons
Time steps forward

Will we move
In step with time?
Will we step forward
Shaping our time?

Will we take time
To see the present?
Will we explore the past
To understand our heritage?

Will we laugh?
Will we wonder?
Will we touch?
Will we feel?

Time flies on
We have choices
Shall we go fast?
Shall we go slow?

We shall go forward
But we will choose the pace
We may dance with all our heart
Or bathe ourselves in a setting sun

You Are Midnight!

2006-05-08T22:51:00.000-05:00

You Are Midnight

You are more than a little eccentric, and you're apt to keep very unusual habits.

Whether you're a nightowl, living in a commune, or taking a vow of silence - you like to experiment with your lifestyle.

Expressing your individuality is important to you, and you often lie awake in bed thinking about the world and your place in it.

You enjoy staying home, but that doesn't mean you're a hermit. You also appreciate quality time with family and close friends.

What Time Of Day Are You?

What Color Should Your Blog Be?

2006-04-19T19:17:00.000-05:00

Your Blog Should Be Blue

Your blog is a peaceful, calming force
in the blogosphere.
You tend to avoid conflict
- you're more likely to share than rant.
From your social causes to cute pet photos,
your life is a (mostly) open book.

What Color Should Your Blog or Journal Be?

What Flavor Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream Are You?

2006-03-28T20:05:00.000-05:00

You Are Karamel Sutra

Plain on the outside, but once someone gets in, they're stuck

What Flavor Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream Are You?

San Nakji's "What's on my desk?" Tag

2006-03-15T18:21:00.000-05:00

San Nakji tagged me with the question - What is on my desk? What a question! :)

My ancient Dell computer
a scanner and a printer
computer speakers
Rosetta Stone Spanish Language CD
Four Spanish children's books
Two Spanish music CDs
my digital camera
remotes for my radio and my TV
some church yearbooks
pens and pencils
assorted letters and bills

Tagged by San Nakji - 7 Things Lists

2006-03-03T16:13:00.000-05:00

Seven Things to do before I die

Travel to the Holy Land to visit where my faith was born
Visit Germany and Switzerland where many of my ancestors came from in the 1700s
Hike across America (probably just a dream)
Take a balloon ride
Travel to the moon (a fantasy)
Make the world just a little bit better because I was
Find something funny to laugh about every day

Seven Things I cannot do

Run in circles
Swim in the ocean or anywhere (I always sink)
Eat turnips
Draw a realistic looking person
Swallow goldfish live
Eat chocolate-covered scorpions
Be a politician

Seven Things I say most often

Oh well
What will be will be
How are you?
Go ask the boss
about the weather - We'll take what comes
One thing at a time
Now, where was I?

Seven books I love

The Bible
C.S. Lewis' The Narnia Series
Tolkien's The Hobbit and Lord of the Ring series
a dictionary
an encyclopedia
many historical fiction books
many science fiction or fantasy books

Seven great movies

Lord of the Ring series
almost all Audubon nature films
Roots
Shattered Glass
AntZ
Amadeus
The Secret of Roan Inish

Dog and Cat Theology & other things

2006-02-10T18:30:00.000-05:00

Yesterday on the radio while I was doing bakery deliveries, I heard a minister describe the difference between dog and cat theology. The dog thinks, "You feed me, shelter me, and care for me; you must be God." The cat thinks, "You feed me, shelter me, and care for me; I must be God." Made me smile a bit.

It's been a busy week for me. Tuesday evening, I went to my church's Men's Banquet who had comedian Gordan Douglas as speaker; Wednesday evening, I was at church council (kind of needed to be there since I fill the role of chair); and Thursday evening I spent with one of the co-leaders of the January Honduras MAMA Project team helping with beginning work for giving a report to our church. And this Saturday afternoon if the weather allows, I will be helping one of my uncles sort through his historical books and other materials as he prepares to move into a personal care unit at a retirment home. Time just keeps running away.

I've been tagged - The List of Fours

2006-02-07T14:18:00.000-05:00

Four Jobs I had:

Stone crusher operator in a quarry
Paving Crew Laborer
Providing basic care and teaching basic skills in a home for the developmentally challenged
A bakery employee in a grocery store

Four Movies I Watch Over and Over Again (or just among my favorites):

The Secret of Roan Inish
Lord of the Rings
the old Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
Veggie Tales

Four Places I've lived:

Pennsylvania
New York (college years)
Guatemala (1 month)
Belize (3 months)

Four TV Shows I watch:

Stargate
Antique Roadshow
Monarch of the Glen
MASH

Four Places I've Vacationed:

Maine (hiking and camping)
Ontario, Canada (houseboating)
Western United States (camping and hiking)
Washington, D.C.

Four of my favorite foods:

Baked Alaska
My sausage and vegetable crock pot dish
Hamburgers done on the grill
Chocolate chip cookies

Four Places I liked to be right now:

Germany
Australia
New Zealand
Argentina or Chile

Four Web Sites I visit daily:

My Yahoo!
Many on my blog roll
MennoLink.org
Google (almost)

As for tagging others, any who wish to do The List of Fours may do so. And if they tell me, I'll list them here.

The Value of Short Term Mission Trips

2006-02-05T21:11:00.000-05:00

Since I've participated in a short term trip to help hold medical clinics in Honduras, I've been asked whether short term mission trips such as these are economically efficient. It may or may not be pertinent that both people who asked this question are business people.

In reflection on this question since then, I think they may be right that at least in the short term that these kind of mission trips may not be most cost efficient way of providing medical services. But I wonder whether the value of these trips are beyond economic calculation. I think the value for both parties is found in the personal contact and love communicated in person between two different cultures.

There's something about the giving of one's self to another that can't be accomplish through the inpersonal giving of money to an agency to do the job. Saying that, I think both have their roles; but that it is a matter of balance.

But I'd be interested in hearing other people's responses to this question.

Notice: Disregard this Notice

2006-02-02T19:20:00.000-05:00

On a produce white board at the grocery store where I am employed were the following words:

Notice:

Disregard this notice

until further notice.

It gives me a laugh every time I see it.

Boys and Girls Club Benefit Dinner & Variety Show

2006-01-28T22:29:00.000-05:00

This evening I attended our church's Boys and Girls Club Benefit Dinner and Variety Show. The proceeds went to support both relief and mission work. The boys and girls served as our waiters for the dinner and then entertained us with skits and music during the variety show. They performed skits filled with humor that communicated a Biblical message. At the end of the variety show, there was a slide show of Boys and Girls Club activities with maxims and proverbs attached to the various actities. They put a lot of work into this. I was impressed. They raised over a $1,000 through this project.

Service Project To Begin This Saturday

2006-01-13T14:53:00.000-05:00

This Saturday, I am to leave for San Pedro Sula, Honduras for nine days (January 14 - 23). I am going with a team from my church under the MAMA Project. The MAMA Project focuses its ministry on the health of mothers and young children in Honduras. We'll be assisting with medical clinics in Honduras; my team has a doctor and two nurses on it. I'll appreciate your prayers. It will be a new thing for me. If we have an internet connection as our team organizer thinks we may, our team plans to keep a blog at DRE MAMA Project Journal. It has already been set up with beginning prayer requests if you would like to take a look. If you believe in prayer, pray that our team works well together in doing and receiving ministry to and from the Hondurans. Thanks.

So I probably won't be posting again until January 24. But don't forget about me! :)

The Haj and massive crowds

2006-01-12T12:01:00.000-05:00

Today I was reading on Yahoo! News about the death and injuries confirmed from the Haj. It reported 345 deaths and an additional 289 in hospitals for injuries. The deaths were reported as resulting from people in the crowds crushing each other to death. That's fearsome.

But many years ago, I felt close to that when I was leaving a Promise Keepers' Convention in either Baltimore or Washington, D.C. [I forget which city it was.] But everybody was leaving the arena at the same time with most heading towards the nearest escalators for the subway system. As we had to narrow for entering the escalators, I just about had the breath crushed out of me. And you could not stop moving; it was skin to skin people. That was scary; I've never been in such a crowd since.

Shadowfall and The Godslayer Chronicles

2006-01-10T21:30:00.000-05:00

Today I completed reading Shadowfall: Book One of The Godslayer Chronicles by James Clemmer published in 2005. It's a book of the fantasy genre focusing on the battle between good and evil. The action takes place in a world called Myrillia settled by gods and humankind. He writes in such a way that often the "good" characters actually turn out to be the "bad" characters and vice versa.

Weird Habits Meme

2006-01-02T15:40:00.000-05:00

I've been tagged by Ma Beck of WardWideWeb to list five weird habits of mine. That's a challenge for me; I think others can more readily see my quirks than myself. But nevertheless here's a stab.

I get up a half hour earlier in the morning than I need to so I can eat a leisurely breakfast and get in fifteen minutes of reading before going to work. I even do that when I need to be at work by 3:30 a.m.
I always add a quarter cup of raisins to my breakfast cereal each morning no matter what the cereal is.
Frequently, when I make my dinner meal, I make enough to last a whole week and then I eat the same dinner all week long. It saves time and energy.
I generally eat left-overs cold and even find that I like them better cold than warm.
I put no butter or mayo on my meat, cheese, and lettuce sandwiches that I eat for lunch.
And one more for good measure: When I get the chance, I love listening to the comedians Click and Clack, the Tappet Brothers, of Car Talk hosted by NPR.

Any who read this may feel tagged if they so wish. Now, I completed my assignment. Actually it was a bit of fun coming up with this list. ;)

The Diary - Miscellanea

2006-01-01T21:52:00.000-05:00

This past Saturday, I watched the movie Happily Ever After and episodes of MASH, Stargate SG-1, and Stargate Atlantis series all on Fox Television. I also worked on preparing a blog for the upcoming MAMA Project trip to San Pedro Sula, Honduras by a group from my home church. The trip will be from January 14-23.

Today, attendance at church was slim; I think too many people stayed up too late last night. But I had a blast teaching and talking with my two sixth grade Sunday School students. Normally, there are four students. After church, I went to Mom and Dad's for dinner and played the word game Upwards with them. This evening, I've been reading some fantasy fiction and browsing various blogs as well as working on mine.

The Practicing Congregation - Salvation and Growth

2005-12-30T21:49:00.000-05:00

I'm reading a book entitled The Practicing Congregation: Imagining a New Old Church by Diana Butler Bass. In it, Diana Butler Bass briefly compares two contrasting views of Christian salvation. One argues that salvation comes through the church functioning as community living out the values of God's kingdom; the other argues that salvation is a personal choice to follow the Messiah that is demonstrated by personal purity. She notes however that these are two extremes and that most Christians fall somewhere inbetween on a continuum between these two poles. As such in today's context, she calls this two pole paradigm dead; that today's postmodern context is calling for a new salvation paradigm.

I haven't read far enough yet to know precisely where Bass is headed. But earlier, she wrote that churches do not exist to provide rational choices. They are an alternative logic offering hospitality to the traveler and molding people both in community and as individuals through ancient forms of being in God. In the author's words, the church's alternative logic provides "a way of exploring moral, religious, communal, and personal identity that moves with purpose and intention through the ever-shifting terrain of the postmodern city." She also noted that the most vibrant of today's mainline Protestant congregations are those who are intentionally and innovatively reclaiming their historical chain of memory that ties its past, present, and future together.

The Diary - A Full Schedule

2005-12-29T20:52:00.000-05:00

It's been a busy but wonderful week. Saturday, Christmas Eve, was spent at church followed by a snack, fellowship, and game time at the Cosands with a few members of the Rice family and the Cosand family. Christmas day, the Rice family held its traditional dinner and supper with our parents and nephews and nieces. Monday evening I was at a birthday party for my youngest niece. Tuesday, I got my third hepatitus vacination shot in preparation for my Honduras trip with the MAMA Project in a couple weeks. And last night I spent with the junior youth group from my church playing wallyball and other activities. This evening, I spent about two hours preparing to teach the sixth grade Sunday School class at church on the beginning of Jesus' ministry as recorded in the book of John in Scripture. And as chair of church council, I've been working at preparing for our church's monthly second Wednesday council meeting and our congregation's annual business meeting coming up at the end of January.

The Diary - Ark of the Covenant

2005-12-22T16:50:00.000-05:00

After work yesterday, I briefly visited with Mom and Dad and went up in their attic and dug up my Spanish/English dictionary from probably a couple decades ago. Afterwards, I stopped at the home of one of my brothers to pick up two containers of my frozen blueberries. He and his wife invited me to stay for supper with them and my brother from Michigan. It was a good evening of conversation and game playing. My brother from Michigan introduced us to a new table game called "Ark of the Covenant." The game makers tried to make the game an allegory of the Biblical Israelites setting up their lives in the Holy Land. The allegory is weak but the game was enjoyable.

The Diary - The Rice/Moyer Christmas Dinner

2005-12-19T22:50:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I attended the Rice/Moyer family Christmas dinner at church. I think there may have been between forty and fifty people there. In the evening I went to Mom and Dad's place along with some other siblings and their family members. It was a good time of fellowship, playing games, and too much good food. I brought back some yummy leftover potato soup and fruit salad.

This evening, I worked on my church council chairperson's report for the upcoming Annual Business Meeting in January. After that, I worked on my Spanish for a while. Tomorrow, I plan to bake some cookies.

Which of Santa's Reindeer Are You?

2005-12-17T20:55:00.000-05:00

You are Comet!

A total daredevil, you're the reindeer with an edge!

Why You're Naughty:
You almost gave Santa a heart attack
when you took him sky diving

Why You're Nice:
You always make sure the sleigh
is going warp speed

Which of Santa's Reindeer Are You?

I don't really think of myself as a daredevil; although of late I am learning to step beyond my comfort zone -- sometimes to my regret but mostly to greater joy. And of course, there are times that I retreat back to operating within my comfort zones. But I still say, "Don't limit yourself to your comfort zone. The joys outweigh the risks." It is frequently a two steps forward, one step back process; but still worth it all.

Memories of Childhood Reading and Radio Dramas

2005-12-17T20:13:00.000-05:00

A question was raised on the MennoLink discussion board about what we read as children. The following is the response I gave:

Among the books I enjoyed reading as a child were the Danny Orlis series, the Felicia Cartwright series, the Sugar Creek Gang series, a book entitled Treasures of the Snow, and of course the Narnia series. I know I read many more. I was always reading to the point that mom had to chase me out the house fairly often. And for children's magazines, I enjoyed reading Jack and Jill and also Highlights. As we grew a bit older, the stories in Reader's Digest became a favorite. I loved adventure stories and also Greek, Roman, Norse, and other mythologies. I also remember enjoying reading Baga Yaga witch stories. The Baga Yaga stories that I recall had a witch's house that stood on chicken legs.

As for radio dramas, I enjoyed Sailer Sam, Ranger Bill, and other children's radio series from Back to the Bible, Children's Bible Hour, and more. I also remember a children's program that every Saturday morning would play march music and we would follow our father marching around the dining room table in our house. Oh, there was also a radio program called Big John and Sparky.

To Which Race on Middle Earth Do You Belong?

2005-12-15T19:27:00.000-05:00

Take this quiz!

The Diary - Disappointment and Other Things

2005-12-15T17:33:00.000-05:00

Today, I've been in sort of a fog and to some extent maybe all fall this year. Today, it was in part because I had to miss the bakery Christmas party and gift exchange at work because I had to be out doing deliveries and also in part because I'm not meeting my personal performance goals in one volunteer position I took on at church. At times, I wonder if I made the right decision when I took on the position. If you read this, maybe you can whisper a prayer for me.

While I was out doing deliveries this afternoon, it began to snow. By the time I left work though it had switched over to sleet. It's suppose to switch over to freezing rain sometime during the night and maybe regular rain later.

I received my four Spanish children's books in the mail today. I'm looking forward to working with them to help build my Spanish vocabulary. The four books are Huevos Verdes con Jamón, La Pequeña Locomotora Que Sí Pudo, Buenas Noches Luna, and El Pez Arco Iris y La Ballena Azul.

The Diary - MAMA Project Preparation, Blogs, Etc.

2005-12-13T21:05:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I got the second of a series of three TwinRix vaccination shots for Hepatitus A & B in preparation for spending a week in Honduras helping at a MAMA Project medical clinic in January. These shots aren't cheap - $105.00 each time. I continue to work at a little basic knowledge of Spanish using a Rosetta Stone Latin America Spanish CD and watching some Spanish TV programs. I also have on order from Amazon several Spanish children's books that I'll use to help expand my vocabulary and understanding of Spanish.

As for other activities, I continue to explore a variety of blogs from people throughout America and the world. It's a good way to explore the world from other people's eyes although one needs to use a discriminating eye. I also bought some gifts from the Dollar Store in Dublin today and began preparation for teaching my sixth grade Sunday School class on Sunday. I had a couple Sundays off from teaching as my class along with other classes were practicing for the children's Christmas program which took the place of Sunday School this past Sunday. They performed very well. To see some pictures check out my Ramblings blog. I also ordered a mince meat pie for the Rice/Moyer family Christmas dinner at church on Sunday.

The Diary - Snow

2005-12-09T18:52:00.000-05:00

During early morning, I think we got close to eight inches of snow here in Souderton. It made me wish I was still a student. Because the sun came out before 10:00 a.m. and I wanted to go out and enjoy the snow. But I was at work and unfortunately as an adult I needed to be there.

God's Gift by Dee Henderson

2005-12-08T17:19:00.000-05:00

This morning I completed reading a Christian romance novel entitled God's Gift authored by Dee Henderson. It's a story of two people coming together in the midst of some of the dark sides of life; but at times torn apart by both new and continuing incomprehensible pain and suffering. It was a book that I often had a hard time putting down. This, too, is a book that examines the grieving process as well as some of the joys of life.

ELCA Mosaic Online and DVD Videos

2005-12-06T21:33:00.000-05:00

On Saturday, I watched a 40 minute video "Introducing the Old Testament" on Mosaic Television online. This evening I watched a DVD "The Life of Paul" also produced by Mosaic Television. Both productions provide a good basic overview. Mosaic Television has some other titles that I'm interested in viewing over the Internet.

An Internet Assessment of my Sense of Humor

2005-12-03T21:55:00.000-05:00

The 3- Variable Funny Test

The Wit

52% dark,
30% spontaneous,
36% vulgar

Your humor style is CLEAN, COMPLEX, DARK. You like things edgy, subtle, and smart. I guess that means you're probably an intellectual, but don't take that to mean pretentious. You realize 'dumb' can be witty--after all isn't that the Simpsons' philosophy?--but rudeness for its own sake, 'gross-out' humor and most other things found in a fraternity leave you totally flat. I guess you just have a more cerebral approach than most. You have the perfect mindset for a joke writer or staff writer.Your sense of humor takes the most thought to appreciate, but it's also the best, in my opinion. You probably loved the Office. If you don't know what I'm talking about, check it out here.

The test tracked 3 variables. This is how I compared to other people my age and gender that took the test: higher than 65% on darkness, higher than 17% on spontaneity, and higher than 60% on vulgarity. I take some issue on the vulgarity rating but maybe it is referring to that dumb can be witty as per previous paragraph.

God JR. by Dennis Cooper

2005-11-30T19:56:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I finished reading a short novel entitled God JR. authored by Dennis Cooper. It's a story of a father working through his grief. His teenage son died in a car accident caused by the father. The father sought to come to terms with this loss through going inside of a Nintendo game that his son spent lots of time playing. As he enters this Nintendo world, he keeps interviewing the Nintendo game characters in hope of discovering the son he lost. The book is a bit weird yet I think that it does give some insight into the workings of this kind of grief.

Junior Mennonite Youth Lock-In Activity

2005-11-28T15:03:00.000-05:00

This past Friday night, I was one of the adults at the Junior Mennonite Youth Lock-In activity at my home church. The activity began at 7:00 p.m. with the youth playing touch football in our gym. Some of the other games we played included a variant combination of football and basketball, crab soccer, and a game in which two teams of youth competed to get the most Lifesaver candies without being spotted and identified by their sponsors.

The Lifesaver game was played in the church auditorium with the lights out but with the sponsors using a powerful flashlight to spot the players and identify them. The youth had to start at the back of the auditorium, get to the platform where the Lifesavers were scattered, and take the Lifesavers one at a time to the back of the auditorium without being identified through the whole process. If they were identified, they had to go to the back of the auditorium and begin again without the Lifesaver. To avoid being identified the youth got creative in the use of and exchanging of coats and sweatshirts. Some also formed a relay chain to minimize the chance of being seen and just scooted the candy from person to person while they remained under the benches. There was also a scoring pattern set up giving different values to the different colors of the Lifesavers with one color being a negative value. However the players were not told the values of the different colors until the game was completed.

Interspersed with the games, we had a devotional time and a prayer walk time within the church building with different stations focusing on world needs, congregational needs, church leadership needs, and local community needs. And before heading to sleep around 2:30 a.m. in the gym, we all watched Veggie Tales' "Lord of the Beans". The kids were great and participated actively in both the fun and the serious activities.

My Laughing Jesus

2005-11-24T10:09:00.000-05:00

While browsing some blogs, I came across this blog entitled For God. It had a subsection entitled "My Laughing Jesus" which contained a lot of pictures of Jesus laughing. Too often, I think many of us forget that Jesus enjoyed life and so should we.

The Diary

2005-11-21T17:47:00.000-05:00

At my home church, I teach the sixth grade Sunday School class. And naturally, I'm totally delighted when totally unsolicited my students let me know that they want me to keep on teaching them. For example, yesterday morning I told them that there would be two Sundays in January that I would be unable to teach them. Immediately before I had a chance to tell them why, they asked me, "you're not going to stop teaching us, are you?" I said, no, and explained that I was planning to be a part of our church's January MAMA Project team to Honduras. With that explanation, everything was then okay. It makes one feel good to be positively wanted. And I like them. They make my teaching a joy with their active participation in activities and discussion.

The rest of the day I spent with my nieces and my brother & his wife. It was a good day. I enjoy spending time with them. Among other things we spent time playing table games and frisbee. And I enjoyed listening to two of my nieces and later my brother play piano. And later after the girls went to bed, my brother and I played a card game called Rook and had some good conversation time.

TV and Me

2005-11-20T22:57:00.000-05:00

A little over a month ago, I bought a TV. Before that, I was without a TV for a good number of years. Anyway,yesterday, it just kind of hit me while I was watching an episode from each of the two Stargate series as to how much more graphic violence I was now exposing myself. Before that, I mostly read books, listened to my local NPR & local Christian radio stations, and occasionally watched a movie over the Internet or as a DVD on my computer. And I'm now pondering as to how much violence I really want to expose myself. In some sense, I felt that I might be jading my peace beliefs.

I'm also watching a considerable amount of a Spanish TV channel in an effort to supplement my other beginning attempts to learn some Spanish. I find at this early stage that I learn the most from advertisements rather than the scheduled programming. I'm doing this because I am planning to be a part of my church's MAMA Project team to Honduras in January. What I have noticed on this channel (and my suspicion is that it is true to great extents with most non-public TV channels), is that with the exception of a few afternoon/early evening hours on week days and a few hours on Saturday mornings, there is an ever-present sexual element that disturbs me as being excessive. And, no, I don't have to watch during those hours and most times I don't. But I have to wonder what impact this has on our society today.

The Diary

2005-11-19T21:43:00.000-05:00

After work today, I went to the Q-Mart in Quakertown where I frequently buy my fresh produce, lunch meat, & cheese. But before I go there, I often stop at a WAWA to buy gas for my car. Today, I was shocked; gas was selling for $1.99/gallon. Since Katrina and the rising global demand for oil, I had thought the days of gas prices below $2.00/gallon were over.

Earlier in the day, I went to flu shot clinic at my doctor's office. They were quick; I doubt that I was at the doctor's office more than six minutes and most of that time was spent at the receptionist desk. This is the first time ever, I got the flu shot. But in January, I'm planning to go with a group from my church to Honduras under The MAMA Project. The MAMA Project is a group that seeks to provide healthcare and teach good health practices and nutrition to mothers with children in some of the poorer villages of Honduras.

Islands by Dan Sleigh

2005-11-18T21:35:00.000-05:00

Over the past couple weeks, I have been reading the historical novel Islands by Dan Sleigh. It is a rerecreation of what life might have been like at the Cape of Africa during Dutch rule and colonization. It was a bit dull at the beginning but as I got further into the book it began to catch me. Unfortunately, I had to return the book to the library this morning unfinished having only read about 400 of the 750 pages. I just may have to borrow the book again at a later date. One theme in this book that I find significant is how often its main characters are low on a socio-economic scale and are often told by their superiors that they have a future; but in reality are permamently trapped in their socio-economic status.