Family Pics

Spider

Does anyone know what kind of spider this is? We've been finding a couple like this around our house. Mostly outside, but they have been getting inside too.

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Life Goes On

Has it ever occurred to you that no matter what happens in our lives, the world will keep on going? I often wonder what other people are thinking, what their experiences have been and how it has shaped who they are now. I like to watch people when I'm out and about. See their reactions to events, see how they react to each other.

I don't think anyone can say they have never complained about their life. We all have, we have all been in the situation of why me. When we are in that situation, we only see ourselves, not those around us. We only hear ourselves and not those around us. It becomes a world centered on ourselves and our poor fortune, or what we believe to be poor fortune. There will always be someone else who can top our poor me story.

For some our lives can get to a dull point, a point where we are in such a routine that we miss out on things happening around us. We get tunnel vision, so focused on the task at hand or the issue at hand that we miss the simple joys in life.

Is is just me or does it seem that life is going by faster and faster?  It seems like the weeks are just flying by.  Which if I was younger that would be a great thing.  I couldn't wait for time to speed up when I was younger.  But now it seems life couldn't care more about how fast it is moving.  My eldest son just turned two.  Talk about life flying by.

I guess the main thought is, You will never have the worst life, you will never have the worst luck, you will never be the most unfortunate, you will never be in last place, you will never be the least importance. 

Psalm 139

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

 ¹ O LORD, you have searched me
       and you know me.  ² You know when I sit and when I rise;
       you perceive my thoughts from afar.
 ³ You discern my going out and my lying down;
       you are familiar with all my ways.
 ⁴ Before a word is on my tongue
       you know it completely, O LORD.
 ⁵ You hem me in—behind and before;
       you have laid your hand upon me.
 ⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
       too lofty for me to attain.
 ⁷ Where can I go from your Spirit?
       Where can I flee from your presence?
 ⁸ If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
       if I make my bed in the depths,  you are there.

 God knows each and everyone of us, down to how many hairs on our head (granted it might be easier for some than others).  I have been guilty of forgetting that I'm not expected to run this race alone.  Christ has run the race and completed it, He turned around and is now running along side you and me to guide us to the finish line.  He loves us so much that He created a path to the finish line.  Through Him, He allowed us a way to forgiveness.

In this clip Aslan is thought to represent Christ, which can be seen when he gives up his innocent life for one who was surely guilty.  Christ too, innocent gave up His life for us, who we know are sinners.  He too understood what needed to be done, yet He knew this was the only way.  The clip also helps remind us that Christ is there to take us into battle, He doesn't leave us in the hard times, but carries us through.

Life won't stop for us and our poor me thoughts, life won't even slow down for us.  Remember that Christ is there right alongside you, clearing a path for you.

Reflection of Film

This past week has been full of movies. Not all great, but not all bad. There were thousands of people who worked on these films and did their best to make it something special. Now here I am, lying in bed, snow falling, thankful for security and a place to stay. So often we neglect to say thank you to our Lord. We leave Him out of the equation. Our God is an awesome god. He reigns over us showering us with His love. God knows we're all sinners and that we deserve hell. But, He sent His son, Jesus Christ to die for our sins. Sometimes I think Christians might be the worst thing for the spread of the gospel. Our witness, our actions, fall short from what God deserves. We curse God when we don't get our way, we curse God when we're hurt, we forget Him in the good times. Its late now and I’m typing this on my phone so my thumbs and wrist are tiring. But mainly praise God in the morning, praise Him in the noontime, praise in the evening. Give thanks and be joyful, be content no matter the circumstance.


This was from January 31, 2010 at 2 in the morning. My phone sends multiple messages instead of one long one.

Giving Up, But Not Letting Go

So the season of Lent is upon us, and many of us are deciding to give things up. However, I've been thinking about that. Sure giving up Facebook gives us more time to concentrate on homework, relationships, but more importantly, does it move us towards Christ? Couldn't we give up things like coveting, materialism, individuality?

Things that truly require focus and a self change? Can't Lent be the beginning of a new us? A new generation? I think the thing that plagues us, our generation, is the quest for personal satisfaction, the impulse to buy to make us happy. I admit I too struggle with this. I love the newest games, the newest technology, the newest anything.

However, how these things make us better? We might develop better finger skills that are able to tap buttons in such a frenzy that those watching can only watch in amazement. We might be able to get places easily with a new GPS device. We may look fantastic in designer clothes, be connected with our new phone, feel great with new "things".

I understand that Facebook, coffee, fast food, chocolate, TV, personal habits, can distract us from Christ, take our money, and sometimes hurt our bodies. But as soon as Lent is over, how many of us go right back to our previous lifestyles? How many of us the day Lent is over celebrate that we made it through? How many of us think more about what we give up for Lent, than thinking about Christ?

When we give up something for Lent, we are supposed to take that and essentially give it to the Lord. For instance, you buy coffee everyday, but give it up for Lent. You could take that daily amount of $50 dollars and give it to your church, a shelter, or some other organization or family that needs it. Without Facebook, you could spend that time in prayer, in communion with others.

However, I think sometimes we give up one thing just to fall victim to another. So I ask the question, can we give up, or make a true effort to change ourselves? Can we say now is the time to give up my materials, can I really focus on being content whatever the circumstances?

These past few days since returning from Seattle, I've considered that very thing, should I get rid of my possessions that distract me? I've looked at the house and asked myself, do I really need all this? I could and should start dissembling those things that take hours away from me. Send a hammer through the TV, make frisbees out of DVD's, block every social networking site, etc.

But I don't and probably won't. But I can decide to make free time for my family, for friendships. I can turn off the games, pack away the TV, and stop buying the newest whatever. So instead of giving something up and counting the days until you get them back, give it up and let it go. Focus on counting the days spent on Christ, spent thinking about how you can make a difference.

Lent isn't just about giving something up, but about what you can gain. And you can't gain anything if you don't put anything into it. So from this point, I am going to try and evaluate what I buy, what I try to add to my collection. Is it necessary to have stuff? Is it necessary to fill my life with selfish materials? Lent is a season of reflection and preparation of Jesus' death and resurrection, not a season waiting for your coveted item to become "okay" again. Lent it?

Sundance

Today was our first day to view films. But before I even mention anything like films, I would like to say how out of place I feel sometimes. Sundance at times feels so superficial, so much like a time to impress. I also get the feeling of a lot of lost people searching for meaning in the films they flock to, yet coming up empty. Maybe I feel out of place because I feel that I am more attracted to the Church and media, rather than the whole movie side of mass comm.


I wonder if a more religious film could make it to Sundance, let alone do well? From my short time here, Sundance seems to be obsessed sex, nudity, spirituality, and a search for something more. Sometimes I feel like they are hurting and trying to find their answers in these movies.






























Our first movie today was "Nowhere Boy", a story about the early life of John Lennon. The link is http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1266029/ or http://sundance.bside.com/2010/films/nowhereboy_sundance2010. I don't want to give anything away, but it is a film you must definitely see.






Our second movie was, "Lovers of Hate", a story of two brothers in love with the same woman, which happens to be one of the brothers' wife. http://sundance.bside.com/2010/films/loversofhate_sundance2010 or http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1436560/. This really isn't a film I would recommend to my friends, just because I don't think any of them would really like it. However, some might like it, but for me it was hard to like it.

The basic plot of the movie is one couple is breaking up and Rudy doesn't want his brother Paul to know, so Rudy ask his soon to be ex to visit his brother who is in town. She reluctantly agrees to but regrets her decision after the dinner. Paul suspects something is up and figures out his brother and his wife are splitting up. Basically, the short story is Rudy ends up in his brothers condo when his brother and his wife come back. He can't escape without them knowing he's there so he has to endure several sexual encounters that his ex-wife or soon to be ex-wife has with his brother.

So during Rudy's time there he spies on his family and pulls small pranks and tries to ruin both of their lives. Definitely a different type of film that borders on creepy. Has a few funny parts, but those are outweighed by some poor camera work, and a story that falls flat.

So those are the two movies we watched today. I'll try to keep you updated on our events tomorrow.

Generation Lost

How does it feel to lose a generation? How does it feel to see them fall to death one by one. Wives, sons and daughters left behind. We don't remember them and what they did until it's too late. When we thank them they can no longer hear us. The generation we are losing is a generation that sacrificed their lives for us.

Lizzy's grandpa Elwyn D. Gaines passed away earlier this week. We all knew it was happening, yet it doesn't take away the pain. For the most part good byes were said, yet we wished to say hello again. I think the pain our society feels is one we have learned. We try to hold in our sadness as long as possible, to be as strong as we can.

We should not fear to really show our pain for that person on the day of their death. Mourn them, then be glad for them. This isn't to say we need to mourn and move on, but if we stay in the grieving process, we will no longer have a fulfilling life. I never really knew Lizzy's father or her grandpa, however, I was at both of their funerals. I too cried, even though I didn't know them. However, what really hit me was at "grandpa's" funeral when the Idaho National Guard was there.

There was a flag draped over the casket, colors of bright red, blue and white, the never failing flag. I find myself to be patriotic, especially when it comes to honoring the military. When the guardsmen were folding the flag, every movement was slow and deliberate, they were truly honoring this veteran. When they had finished folding the flag into the traditional triangle, one of the guardsmen held it close to his chest and squeezed it. Almost to show he was giving Elwyn a hug, thanking him for his sacrifice.

But what really hit me, was the lone veteran that was in front of the line to view the body of the old soldiers body. He saluted the man proudly, then came over and said he was sorry but he had to go to another funeral. Here is a generation watching each other die. They fought the wars and we selfishly live. We criticize their ways, we criticize everything about them, yet we never criticize their bravery, their dedication, their service, their sacrifice, their patriotism.

It still hits me to think about the solute from one old soldier to the next. Their bodies failing them. Given a chance they would still fight for us and our freedom. My generation doesn't have that attitude. We are takers, not makers. We take freedom but don't want to make it.

Elwyn, my time with you was short, but thank you for your dedication to our great country. Thank you for that time together watching golf in your kitchen on that summer day. From what I saw you were man in love with your country and your family. Thank you again for your dedication and making freedom for us to enjoy. We really do enjoy it and we really do appreciate your generation and all you have done for us. We may not realize it, but without your generation, we would be nothing.

The generation is slowly dwindling, they are going one by one. What will our generation be remembered for?