Springjoy

CS Lewis

2010-05-04T12:25:00.000-07:00

"It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you can talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destination. … There are no ordinary people. You have never met a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations – these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry snub, and exploit – immortal horrors or everlasting splendors."

Spring- I am here! :-)

2010-04-15T10:25:00.000-07:00

future Apple :-D

Wild Violets

Spring

2010-04-06T09:54:00.000-07:00

Autumn

2009-11-25T12:28:00.000-08:00

American Heart Association Royals Night

2009-10-20T11:36:00.001-07:00

Recent Pictures

2009-10-16T09:11:00.000-07:00

The City

2009-09-18T12:25:00.000-07:00

West bottoms Kansas City

a good place to be murdered

I think it is funny that Anarchists have a symbol

my moms old church

how much is that dogie in the bucket?

NNU bucket list

2009-08-11T06:48:00.000-07:00

Here is a survey NNU style! Place an X by all the things you've done and remove the X from the ones you have not, then send it to your friends NNU bucket list

(x) Lived in the dorms
( ) Gone on an TWIX date
(x) Gone to TWIRP
(x) Attended a Crusader sporting event
( ) Participated in NNU sports
(x) Been late to class
(x) Missed class
(x) Missed class because you slept through it
(x) Arrived at class late thinking you were on time
(x) Accidentally gone to a T/Th class thinking it was M/W/F or vice versa
(x) Tripped on the sidewalk
(x) Pulled a prank
( ) Stolen dishes or silverware from the Dex
(X) Stolen a food from the Dex
( ) Gotten kicked out of a building by security
(x) Pulled an all-nighter
( ) Pulled consecutive all-nighters
(x) Arrived at the NNU post office just as they closed
(x) Forgot your ID at the Dex and missed a meal
(x) Hugged a Dex worker
(x) Seen how many people you can cram around a Dex table
(x) Gotten an overdue notice at the library
(x) Stayed up past curfew as a freshman
(x) Went to a midnight movie
( ) Gone salsa dancing
(x) Been to Jump Creek
( ) Been to Pickle Butte
(x) Been on a wing-ding
( ) Went on a blind date with someone you eventually dated
(x) Been in a performing group
( ) Made a fool of yourself at Fresheree
( ) Played campus golf
(x) Been to a NNU banquet
(x) Studied for test/did homework during chapel
(x) Drank too much coffee/caffeine
() Fallen asleep through an entire class
(x) Gotten a blank stare from a professor
( ) Gotten lost looking for Merrit's
( ) Gone to the Hot springs
(x) Been in the Kuna caves
(x) Table hopped at the Dex
(x) Gotten a whiff of good ol' Nampa air
(x) Talked to someone for months who knows your name but you have NO CLUE who they are!(x) Sat by yourself at the Dex
(x) Been called "Hon" by a dex worker
( ) Been on an NNU travel/ministry team or mission trip
( ) Spent a whole day at a coffee shop
( ) Gotten kicked out of Wal-mart
( ) Gone on a photo scavenger hunt
(x) Gone home with someone else for Thanksgiving or Easter
(x) Made snowman on campus
(x) Had an NNU president actually know your name
( ) Played a practical joke on a professor
(x) Been on a long walk and heartfelt talk with a friend that resulted in tears/prayer
() Had a freshman fling
() Got/gave a ring by spring
(x) Had a freshman crush
(x) had a study date
(x) Had a snowball fight
( ) Danced at the gazebo
(x) Climbed on top of a NNU building
(x) had the full lunch plan for all 4 years
(x) lived in Ford when it was coed
() played Bocce ball in front of Wiley
(x) had a "Brick"
(X) Dressed up in random costumes

Don't let me go to PetSmart alone. I have way too much fun

2009-07-30T11:29:00.000-07:00

I took a visit on my own to a local PetSmart :-) i did not get put in a paddy wagon but the staff kept asking if i needed any help :-) I was just fascinated at all the things you can get for rodents. I heard that with all the money people spend on pet care a year we could feed all the starving people in the world. Sound about right looking at this. Check the videos also :-)

Popcorn fun for your pet

just put in the microwave! :-)

Gum!

now that is a hamster ball

I saw a princes carriage and a race trackwell of course

Ratatouille crescent rolls and pie

pretty
I am sure they appreciate the colors

yum healthy sprinkles to liven up any meal

Is this people food?

kind of looks like M&M's

fish tickling :-)

Little fish fronting as larger fish try to eat them through the glass

Turning a Bowling ball!!!!!!

2009-07-20T11:15:00.001-07:00

I started turning about 7 months ago and Dave is a great teacher. I tend to think out of the box. The biggest piece of plastic i could think of was a bowling ball so i thought it would be something good to turn. As of now, i do not think anyone has tried this before. would you like to learn how to do it?

First get a bolling ball

Cut it in half

-be careful-

each is ball is different some are filled with ceramic, others wood and others plastic mixed with metal.

inside of bowling ball.

we were a little lucky. This one only had semi soft ceramic.

attache a faceplate like so

mount it on the lathe

set up your tools

Note: you will need a lot of protection a full face shield and perhaps gloves

First Cuts !!!

look at all those strings!

wow

more strings

ha ha

this is why you need a faceshied. The threads go every were and little chunks of bowling ball sling out in all different directions if you get a chip (and you will)

as you can see it it very easy to chip out a bowling ball. With the plastic only an inch thick i learned to go slowly and use a scraper. Te little chunks fly into your hand also and make little cuts so a glove or something would help.

next ball looking at the carnage

doing a little better

some the the clips were too deep so i decided to fill the wholes with copper shavings and add a stripe because it was a little boring

after a great deal of smoothing with a skew and also about a hour sanding with wet 60 grit sandpaper it is looking better. Next steps are to sand some more and then turn it over and hollow out the middle. I will keep you informed on the progress :-)

Tractor show

2009-07-07T12:07:00.000-07:00

Dave's Dad

steam powered ice cream maker

miniature

Blacksmith Shop
Knife made from Rail road Tie!

International Harvesters
John Deer is my favorite

Perspective

hope triumphant

Antic newspaper press

4th of July

ain't he cute!

Pic's of things lately

2009-06-22T08:16:00.000-07:00

two very cool pictures Forest took

still can't smell it

ahhhh

we found like 14 4 leaf clovers at the botanical gardens

it was pretty ...lucky

Dave looks like a leprechaun

This fish is by my house on Johnson St

and kind of looks like my singing Billy Bass

hehe shhhhhhh

I left him a baby:-)

Giant Mushroom in my front yard! wow

Huh?

Dave's pens and my Bowl and car were in a wood working show!

someone with too much time
Turned acorn boxes, so cool

nice lid

cool

I wish

Amanda and Forest at Old Shawnee days

Window sill

Bachelor Button

Miniature Museum Kansas City

2009-06-10T12:33:00.000-07:00

come with me and see some of the amazing art works at the Miniature Museum in Kansas City. you should come and see for yourself some time also. It is well Worth the $6 for adults admission.

my pointer finger to give perspective i was about 1/2 foot away from the items amazing miniature painted scenes.

This was the most amazing room everything was at perfect scale and all the pencils had lead in them all the pencil sharpeners worked and so much more. To small to focus on and take a great picture.

This will give you perspective of the room. It was about 2 feet wide and a 1 foot tall

amazing wood work

to give you an idea on the scale

The reproduction of entire rooms was amazing also, this is my favorite. The use of small lights and outside scenery makes it look like a real arts and crafts dinning room. This entire room was about 1/2 foot cubed.

some tiny turnings

This shows some of the detail that gos in to the minature art reproductions

this room is amazing also looks like morning sun coming through the windows. The miniature needle work is amazing

can you see how big my camera is in relation to the carved items?

miniature craft room

KU Natural History Museum and Botanical Gardens kansas

2009-05-15T07:44:00.000-07:00

Dave has great date ideas :-) these are a few pictures of the KU natural history Museum in Laurence Kansas and also botanical Gardens in southern Kansas

First the gardens B-e-a-u-tiful! a great place to visit and it's free!

hooo

awww

Love it

these look like fireworks :-)

nice

:-)

love this one

now lets go to Laurence

land of Kansas hippies

kind of like Eugene Oregon

Dave at a few Dinosaur bones at KU

he also likes the grinning dinosaur in the back

Not Real
Real!

i was very impressed with how life like they made the taxidermy animals, like the two above

They had a lot of alive animals also like this rattlesnake

ahhh cute a Manatee

this meets you at the main entrance!

I think this might be a Saber Tooth Tiger!

lots of cool bugs Gods amazing handy work

this bug looks like a dead leaf

all the better to eat you with my dear

sorry not a Unicorn but a Narwhal bone! cool

if skulls can be cute this Walrus scull would be on the top of a cute skull list

thanks for Virtually coming with me and Dave on our outings

Good night

pics of things lately

2009-04-29T13:58:00.001-07:00

Green Spaghetti a neat Dave Clark invention

smiley face spider just found

Found in the garbage

Beaver handy work

my new apartment!

2009-04-25T14:20:00.001-07:00

Wait Quietly

2009-04-08T06:47:00.000-07:00

Dave making a lamp

2009-03-31T07:41:00.000-07:00

Dave Clark a local Kansas City Craftsman (and also my boyfriend :-) ) hand crafted a lamp for my brother and his new wife Amanda. The construction was fun and very interesting and i helped. I'll show you. See pictures below.

First, he started with fancy Brazilian wood ( I do not know the name but he does) and cut thin long pieces. Then made 4 forms so that each could fit into it

with indention's for rabbits and rivets.

He sanded the pieces and fit them together to make 4 independent frames

Each frame was bevelled so that each could fit together snugly in a square shape.

Construction took a couple of weeks working on it, a little at a time.

top and bottom construction
with Bee's Wax and Linseed Oil Attaching the bottom

Very sturdy!

He next put in the hand made paper (from a local art supply store) glued Plexiglass at the back to give it strength. I started a small night light lantern from pieces left over from this project. It looks like a little house, it is cute. :-)
Wiring for the lamp. This lamp has a night light on the bottom

test run

nice!

with fancy handmade shade bought the day of the reception

Beware: shades are expensive and so is the nice wood

and all the tools it takes to transform that wood.

This is not a cheep project but it is fun:-)

presented before reception party

Amanda's reaction: priceless!

ohhhh awwww very pretty

It is the best piece of furniture Forest and Amanda have and i was honored to be a part of it.

my brother is getting married

2009-03-06T13:49:00.000-08:00

My brother is getting married this week!

wow, it is hard to articulate

the joy and guilt

wonder and apathy

expectation and longing

peace and restlessness

Love and aprehention

loss and gain

hope and fearful

emotions floating through my mind as this all comes to a head on the 14th.

I thank God for giving my bother a wife and me and new sister. What good gifts He gives us

Amanda Reneé Sugden
and
Forest Dale Fisk
request the honor of your presence
at their wedding
on Saturday, the fourteenth of March
two thousand and nine
at three fourteen pm
Five Mile Church of the Nazarene
2701 S Five Mile Road
Boise, Idaho

Reception in Kansas City, Kansas:
The home of the new Mr. and Mrs. Fisk
March 28th, at 3:14pm
5513 Pflumm Rd, Shawnee, KS
(913) 638-9037

Making a Pen on the lathe

2009-02-27T09:12:00.000-08:00

lathe- tools hanging from supper magnets

Turning rode for pen with mettle spacers between that help gage the thickness of the pen

Mettle tool rest to steady your tool

This is the start of my design
I realy like it but I am not good at making the little beads on the right and I had to make it skinnier because the mettle bands are too small compared to the pen
Cutting it down

The longer your strings the better (usually) because it shows that you have a good even cut The plastic strings like to twirl and stick to the pen covering your work. You can take them off using your fingers as it is going and you can put you fingers on the pen to see if it is smooth.The lathe is the only power tool that turns the object and not the tool
this makes it a lot safer

I decided to try to put a pink band in the middle
that was a fateful decision

the first broke and also the second so I took the second and resized it.

ohhh cool new pen!Now I need to sand to make it shinny
i will do that next week

Pie Action

2009-02-16T09:36:00.000-08:00

Pie action at Nall Church of the Nazarene to raise money for teen mission trip to Mexico

Yum Pie!

Missions Decorations

Too much Pie!

Sweety and also the guy in back bought like 3 Pies

Pen Blog!

2009-01-28T12:46:00.000-08:00

New pen I and Dave made this weekend! we also made a clock!

the first pen was made by Dave from a apply tree in my back yard! how cool, it has a worm hole and everything.:-) the second one is one of the 2 original ones that he gave me. i got to pick out the design of the blank. :-)

Hand made Wood Pen

2009-01-12T13:40:00.000-08:00

Pen Dave tought me how to make this weekend how fun!

This is also my first project a baby rolling pin!

Trans Siberian orchestra pic's

2008-12-02T06:45:00.000-08:00

Circus!

2008-11-17T12:38:00.000-08:00

THE WEATHERED OLD BARN ~Author Unknown

2008-10-20T06:05:00.000-07:00

A stranger came by the other day with an offer that set me to thinking. He wanted to buy the old barn that sits out by the highway. I told him right off he was crazy. He was a city type, you could tell by his clothes, his car, his hands, and the way he talked. He said he was driving by and saw that beautiful barn sitting out in the tall grass and wanted to know if it was for sale. I told him he had a funny idea of beauty.

Sure, it was a handsome building in its day. But then, there's been a lot of winters pass with their snow and ice and howling wind. The summer sun's beat down on that old barn till all the paint's gone, and the wood has turned silver gray. Now the old building leans a good deal, looking kind of tired. Yet, that fellow called it beautiful.

That set me to thinking. I walked out to the field and just stood there, gazing at that old barn. The stranger said he planned to use the lumber to line the walls of his den in a new country home he's building down the road. He said you couldn't get paint that beautiful. Only years of standing in the weather, bearing the storms and scorching sun, only that can produce beautiful barn wood.

It came to me then. We're a lot like that, you and I. Only it's on the inside that the beauty grows with us. Sure we turn silver gray too... and lean a bit more than we did when we were young and full of sap. But the Good Lord knows what He's doing. And as the years pass He's busy using the hard wealth of our lives, the dry spells and the stormy seasons, to do a job of beautifying our souls that nothing else can produce. And to think how often folks holler because they want life easy!

They took the old barn down today and hauled it away to beautify a rich man's house. And I reckon someday you and I'll be hauled off to Heaven to take on whatever chores the Good Lord has for us on the Great Sky Ranch.

And I suspect we'll be more beautiful then for the seasons we've been through here... and just maybe even add a bit of beauty to our Father's house.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2008-10-07T12:07:00.000-07:00

By Spring

A friend of mine moved many times. The first thing her young daughter would do in each new location would be to bake a batch of chocolate chip cookies then go door to door on the new block and say “Hi! My name is Kat, I am new to the street, here are some chocolate chip cookies, what’s your name?” She continued this for many years. One time they moved to a very ruff part of town and her mom was wondering if Kate would do her usual rounds. As to her custom, Kate made a big batch of chocolate Chip Cookies put them on plates and walk out the door. She went to every door that day sharing Gods love. Crack addicts, prosecutes, pimps, the poor, the rich all received a smile and a plate of chocolate chip cookies. People began to eat them outside and talk each other like they had not talked in a long time. After that every now and again they would hear a knock at the door a Local prostitute or other charater would come by to ask for Kate and if she could pray for them.

Often times we think that witnessing or sharing our faith is hard

sometimes all that is needed is prayer and a plate of Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Farmers market!

2008-09-10T07:15:00.000-07:00

Amanda invited all of us to go to the local farmers market. I usually do not wake up and did not know there was a 9:00 Saturday morning but I am so glad that I did! what fun! I picture above is my conquests of the day including a cool looking eggplant and real Honeycomb! It felt so nice to purchase Fresh fruit and help out local Farmers and gardening enthusiasts. Something so intrinsically good about that!

Speaking of vegetables... that night I also saw Veggie Tails Live here in Kansas city. It was fun. I also went with my friend Dave C and he told me a little about his present work situation. For 2 or more years he has been waiting for his "dream" job and position with great pay, benefits and retirement. He had been thinking awhile about how God viewed his career choice and if he should use his abilities to help his kingdom or for his own gain. he thought about that for a long time and then decided to quite his dream job this week and started applying at Nonprofit Christian companies. I applaud you Dave.

Close up ish of the Honeycomb

Trip to the Zoo!

2008-09-02T09:39:00.000-07:00

Cute! this is for my mom she loves turtles
Petting the turtle

ooowww
Hi!

The one on the left hist at me! One on the right just smiled for the picture. There was also a rabbit in the pen :-)

we're hiding! the Mercats were great at posing

scars

2008-08-13T09:21:00.000-07:00

Two great quotes from a very good book my company published last year. The title is "Why Me?" and it is by Lawrence Wilson.if you would like to see more information you can find this at the following web link http://www.nph.com/nphweb/html/nph/itempage.jsp?itemId=083-412-2014.

"I have seen the scars on Jesus' body. I have learned that all real people have scares. All survivors have scars. All heroes have scares. All who have lived and loved and bled and lost and failed and triumphed have scars. It's the plastic people who are perfect, the unreal people, the airbrushed, digitally enhanced people who can't survive outside the strange and surreal environment of a magazine page or movie frame. We who are missing a limb or are married to an insulin needle or are divorced or abused or hungry or hurt-we're real."

"Elisabeth Kubler-ross wrote, "The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depth. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentlness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.'"

Titanic the Musical

2008-08-06T08:28:00.000-07:00

My freinds Jason and Tim B are in the Musical Titanic this week. They both are doing a great job! Way to go guys!

American Heart Association day at Kaufman stadium

2008-07-30T11:30:00.000-07:00

Poems

2008-07-01T13:15:00.000-07:00

I'd give all wealth that years have piled,

The slow result of Life's decay,

To be once more a little child

For one bright summer-day.

March 16, 1853.~Lewis Carroll

Small speck
giant sky
one lone battle cry

Strength gone
hope is lost
a sole to mend

I turn
You teach
make new
awaken truth

Speck ~Spring Fisk

Update!

2008-06-26T14:17:00.000-07:00

Check out my update video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yy6dlI6IbE

The Race day

2008-06-12T11:08:00.001-07:00

Voting was fierce

Forest won Peoples choice!

i won the grudge match between Forest and I

yeah!
forest having fun. The tiara was the prize for people's choice
Ashley and I fighting neither one of us could make the other fall.

so we gave up

Pinewood car races at NPH

2008-06-10T11:35:00.000-07:00

wow how fun! Today we had our 2008 NPH pinewood derby. This is Forests and also my first time trying something like this. The rules and competition is stiff and it is also very fun. There were some many wonderful cars!

My cool car

This is Forest's nose car, he really did win by a nose in one race. :-) It is so funny!!

The Golf cart is pretty neat and the red car in the very back

ended up wining the entire race

we all had a lot of fun This is one of the best ones at the race,

just look at all the hard work that went into it!

also the car with the trailer in the back is cute
track
me celebrating :-)

not because of my car

I lost in the first race :-)

Memorial Day

2008-06-02T12:54:00.000-07:00

Lillenas Forest Hill Cemetery

Spring

2008-05-30T07:23:00.000-07:00

These are a few pictures of my Friends, the Lovitts, house. they built it by hand and it is finally done! Now we are looking at landscaping. Any ideas?

their house in the winter doesn't Spring make it look a lot better? :-)

Braking Plates

2008-04-28T11:38:00.000-07:00

Ok this is what happened. I had just purchased some defective plates from Corelle and they had sent me replacements but asked me to “dispose” of the defective ones. this could be fun. What better way to dispose of some plates then to through violence. Enjoy.

Wardrobe trunk restoration

2008-04-21T13:47:00.000-07:00

Ever since I watched Joe Verses the Volcano I have wanted to own my own set of wardrobe trunks! I have recently purchased these for $25 and I am learning a lot about restoration, Tug oil and mold. :-) each are made around 1920, one is a Hartmann wardrobe trunk and the other is a nice no name steamer trunk. They have a lot of problems but i am having fun and hopefully will be able to keep you posed on their transformation.

Bone Marrow Donation

2008-03-26T08:01:00.000-07:00

For many many years I have wanted to sign up to be on a bone marrow registry but did not know were to start. i have finally found it. Unfortunately at this time am not able to be on the list but I wanted to encourage my friends who might read this to consider it. You could really save someones lift in a very tangible way! What an opportunity! There are no fees to actually donate if you are a match but there may be a fee to register. Please prayerfully consider this, it can save a life.

http://www.marrow.org/HELP/Join_the_Donor_Registry/index.html

Eclipse

2008-02-21T11:52:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine's dad took these great pictures of the eclipse last night. How neet!

Awsome children's books

2008-01-30T13:22:00.000-08:00

I have been looking for a specific children's book about a old woman that drops a meatball and chases it to the center of the earth. I have not been able to find it yet but did stumble upon the this following list of great children's books on another blog. i love it ! There are so many good suggestions! the ones in bold i have read.

Public educators have come up with a list of what they consider to be the top 100 children's books. The following list was compiled from an online survey in 2007.

1. Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
2. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
3. The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
4. Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss
5. Good Night Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
6. I Love You Forever by Robert N. Munsch
7. Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
8. Oh! The Places You Will Go by Dr. Seuss
9. The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton
10. The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
11. Skippyjon Jones by Judy Schachner
12. Thank You Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco
13. The Cat In The Hat by Dr. Seuss
14. The Lorax by Dr. Seuss
15. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo
16. The Mitten by Jan Brett
17. Crunching Carrots, Not Candy by Judy Slack
18. Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willlems
19. Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling
20. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
21. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst
22. Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman
23. Corduroy by Don Freeman
24. Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes
25. Stellaluna by Janell Cannon
26. Tacky the Penquin by Helen Lester
27. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
28. The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams
29. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr.
30. Click Clack Moo: Cows That Type Doreen Cronin
31. Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
32. Horton Hatches the Egg by Dr. Seuss
33. Junie B. Jones by Barbara Park
34. Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder
35. Make Way For Ducklings by Robert McCloskey
36. The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster -movie
37. Piggie Pie by Margie Palatini
38. The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper
39. The Monster at the End of this Book by Jon Stone
40. The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo
41. A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon
42. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett
43. From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg
44. Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
45. Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
46. Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathman
47. Olivia by Ian Falconer
48. The BFG by Roald Dahl
49. The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn
50. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
51. The Sneetches by Dr. Seuss
52. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
53. Tikki Tikki Tembo by Arlene Mosel
54. A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett movie
55. Bark, George by Jules Feiffer
56. Bunnicula by James Howe
57. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl- movie
58. Charlie the Caterpillar by Dom DeLuise
59. Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes
60. Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary
61. Frederick by Leo Lionni
62. Frindle by Andrew Clements
63. Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel
64. Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney
65. Harris and Me by Gary Paulsen
66. Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion
67. Hop on Pop by Dr. Seuss
68. How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss-movie
69. I Love You, Stinky Face by Lisa McCourt
70. Is Your Mama A Llama? by Deborah Guarino
71. Jan Brett’s books
72. Knots on a Counting Rope by Bill Martin Jr.
73. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
74. Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton
75. Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney
76. My Father's Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett
77. My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss
78. My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George
79. No David! by David Shannon
80. One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss
81. Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
82. Stephanie's Ponytail by Robert Munsch
83. Swimmy by Leo Lionni
84. The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes
85. The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Warner
86. The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper
87. The Empty Pot by Demi
88. The Five Chinese Brothers by Claire Huchet Bishop
89. The Giver by Lois Lowr
90. The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle
91. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
92. The Important Book by Margaret Wise Brown
93. The Last Holiday Concert by Andrew Clements
94. The Napping House by Audrey Wood
95. The Quiltmaker's Gift by Jeff Brumbeau
96. The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
97. The Story About Ping by Marjorie Flack
98. The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka
99. Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt
100. The Wide-Mouthed Frog: A Pop-Up Book by Keith Faulkner

Congraduations Forest and Amanda!

2008-01-17T08:42:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-18T06:45:00.000-08:00

Video Christmas Card for you.

Just Click on the following link. (it might talk a while to download)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDpojVesHlc

Merry Christmas!

favorit picks from my friends wedding Saterday

2007-12-04T14:15:00.001-08:00

My Family

2007-11-06T07:43:00.000-08:00

These are the Fisk's in Idaho. I love them so. I have not been able to see some of them for about 4 years now. My dad visited this last weekend and everyone got together for an early Thanksgiving.

Stick person The non gender biased action hero like you and me!

2007-10-24T10:50:00.000-07:00

2007-10-16T13:14:00.000-07:00

It is hard to see but this is a blanket I knitted for my friend Amber. Actually it is for her bun-in-the-oven, Levi. There is a Z in the blanket to stand for his nick name Ziggy. Amber is such a wonderful person. I really liked making it for them. It took about 6 months because I only did a few lines a week but it is done and she liked it. It made me happy.

cute frog

2007-10-02T10:39:00.000-07:00

Pick's of Things Lately

2007-09-25T12:24:00.000-07:00

Snapshot

2007-08-17T14:13:00.000-07:00

Do you remember the things you treasured as a kid? Shells, Dolls, Gi-Joe's, awards, school papers, colored pencils, Squished pennies....last week it was Large Item trash day in my old Neighborhood and i picked up a old looking box and got more than i was bargaining for. when i opened the box i found a snap Shot of a child's life. Little mettle men and animals, Boy scout Awards, an not Hard bouncy ball, a graduation Sign From High school, Band Pins and all sorts of other treasures to look at. They are a remnant of his past life forgot in his parents garage until they were thrown out last week. For a time those thing meant all the world to him. it was a Honored to share in the snap shot of his life.

Creation and Adgnostic

2007-08-09T06:09:00.000-07:00

This is a paper my brother just finished for a class at seminary. I love the way that he put in such great imagery. It is controversial but the first 2 paragraphs explain some things.

The best histories are often the best fictions, yet the best fictions are often based on profound truths. In what way then is the creation account of Genesis best portrayed in light of the simple fact that blind faith often leads one to dead ends and the cold-hard truth of science often leaves one shivering without hope? The blending of the two will undoubtedly anger some to irreconcilable corners of the spectrum. Yet to be genuine, one must take the art of the one and the reasoning of the other and form a partnership which communicates to both sides, engaging both cultures, and sharing the positive values of each.

The fiction below attempts to place a Judeo-Christian world view on top of a widely assumed Secular (or agnostic) account of the origin of the universe. Neither side will “win” a battle over being “right”, while it could also be assumed that if taken as a creative attempt to engage both sides, each may walk away with something of value from either side. It has been debated whether the Hebrew account of the origins of the universe was borrowed and/or adapted from its surrounding Near Eastern cultures. While some will say that it can never be determined, the debate did not deter the author of Genesis from writing his account of what he undoubtedly was not present to witness

Uluminated by the moon's rays, Heather sat with her mouth open and the side of her head resting gently against the cool glass of the window. As she looked out Heather wondered how the night sky could be so filled with different lights, knowing in part that each light contained a different solar system like her own. She sat in awe as her father, an agnostic, quietly read a favorite book while her mother, a Christian, finished up some nightly chores. Heather's wander made her want to ask something, yet the first question out of her mouth had little to do with the blue night sky.

“Mom, when was God born?”

Setting down her things, and moving toward her daughter she scooped her into her arms and said, “That's a difficult question, love. God didn't have a beginning like we did.” Seeing a potential lively conversation, Heather's father, Grieg, put down his book and listened with his eyes over his bifocals. “How could God not have a beginning?” Heather asked politely.

“Everything but God came from something,” Grace began, as she ran her fingers through Heather's hair, “even time and the universe had a beginning, even if it was a long time ago.”

“Well, how did the universe start?” Heather asked. Greig, her father, began as if Heather was a full 10 years older, “Well, it goes like this,” he said as he used his hands to shape the air into a melon sized container, “it all started out in one tiny ball of density, mass and pressure. Then, it exploded and life as we know it happened after billions and billions of years.”

“Exploded?” Heather retorted, “why did it do that?”

“God wanted to create life, deary.” Grace said, “And so He started His creating process whichever way He wanted to.” Repositioning, Heather curiously took in her mother's last statement.

“It all happened over millions and billions of years, Heather, before any one of us was born. Except for uncle Bud,” Greig continued with a grin, “he's as old as the hills.” Grace rolled her eyes and moved to fit her daughter's position.

“Before time began,” Grace said, “God knew what God was going to make. It doesn't matter exactly how He made it all, but that He made everything there is with the utmost care, including you, babe.”

Grieg continued as if he were reading from a fast food menu from behind the counter, “First there was the planets and the stars. Then the continents and bodies of water as mass collided with mass and then after th... ” Grieg stopped shy of continuing the rest of his speech because of the looks of both his wife and his daughter—one of strained tolerance and the other of wide eyed confusion respectively. Grieg had much more to say, but for the mean time, it was more important to him that he listen to his daughter than to explain the origins of the universe in one sitting while she was still fairly young.

After a momentary pause, Heather asked, “If God made everything with care, how come people have to die?”

Grieg was stunned. His daughter had asked such an astute question. Silence fell upon the family room floor. The corner clock ticked louder as the stares between the parents could no longer be challenged. Outside noises began to creep in when Grieg broke the silence as he drew in the first breath. “Heather,” he said with a bit of reluctance, “this is where your mother and I disagree.” He adjusted his seating while Heather looked into her mother's non-pulsed eyes and back again into her father's. “I believe that death is a perfectly natural and necessary part of life” Grieg said, now fully composed, “everything that has ever lived is going to die. Death brings new life. It's just a necessary part of who we are.”

“And I also believe,” Grace said, nodding in Grieg's direction, “that compared to God, everything in heaven and earth will come to and end, and will eventually die too. But I don't believe that death is necessary, nor do I believe it is a part of God's ultimate purpose for creation.”

“Why?” Heather simply stated.

“Because I believe God is more powerful than death, and if He wanted to He could prevent us from dying.”

“What do you believe, daddy?” Heather began.

Grieg thought for a minute about becoming defensive as if he was in school again defending his positions. But he reminded himself that little defense was needed sense this was his own impressionable child who loved him. He began with a crooked grin, yet mingled his parental pride with a mature humility, “I don't know about all the reasons why the things are the way they are, deary.” he said honestly. “All I know is that I don't see any reason to believe God had to be involved in creating the world if everything could be done without Him.”

Fearing that most of what was being said wasn't being understood by Heather, Grace wisely reached out for Grieg's hand to stop him from continuing. If Heather was going to understand any more of what was being said, Heather would have to initiate the questions to guide the conversation. Heather seemed to want to say more, and wrestled quietly with her thoughts as she squirmed in her mother's lap.

“But why. . . what does...” Heather broke off. Struggling for words she looked out into the night sky again for assistance from the depth of meaning she was unconsciously drawn to.

Grace sat comfortably playing with Heather's hair wondering what deep thoughts her young daughter was struggling to articulate. Grieg wondered how long it would be until he could hold an adult conversation with her. A long pause allowed the crickets outside to remind Heather what it was that drew her to her next question.

“How come God doesn't make stuff now?” Heather asked reluctantly. Both Grieg and Grace had an easy answer to give.

“Were always seeing new things, Heather. Everything changes.” Grieg said, “just about everything is going under changes, even though sometimes it is so slow we can hardly perceive it.”

“And God does make new things now.” Grace said, “He says, 'I am making everything new' and He does. I agree with your dad that God can make things new bit-by-bit, year-by-year. But I also believe God can instantly change something. For instance, Jesus is the first example of how God will miraculously re-create us into something entirely new.”

“But I'm completely content with how fast things change around here.” Grieg said with a smile as he watched Heather yawn. “It feels like just yesterday you could fit into the palms of my hands, and now look at you!” He got out of his chair and held out his arms to pick her up. Heather turned toward her father who scooped her up and spun her around as if they were dancing. She laughed with excitement and gave her dad a big hug around his neck. Grace stood up and gave both a kiss as Heather rested her tired head on his shoulder. “Its time to go to bed, love.” He said as he looked into her eyes. Heather just responded with a few slow blinks and a tighter cuddle.

As he carried her upstairs to her bed she asked him to read her a bedtime story. “Sure honey, I know just the one”. And she got ready for bed.

Moments later she was tucked in the covers with her cartoon printed pink pajama onesies. After opening the window to the cool evening, Grieg scanned through the bedtime story library where his fingers lighted on a white hard covered book. “Perfect” he said as he promptly took it back with him to the chair beside her bed.

The lights were off, save the small night light and the lamp beside Heather's bed. The crickets were busy making their evening song once more as Grieg made himself comfortable beneath the lamplight. “Daddy, what are we reading?” Heather asked,

“Its a book about how the universe was made. I think you'll like it”

“Does it have anything scary in it?”

“No. I don't think so dear.” Grieg said with a half smile.
“Good. I don't want to hear anything about snakes.”
“I think we can make that happen,” he said as he opened the book to its first pages. The cover was fresh, and the spine was tight. The title was In The Beginning, and it was bought so that either parent would feel comfortable reading it to her child. Grieg began to read:

“In the beginning, before time began God had a plan. God would create something wonderful, something marvelous. It would be the most spectacular thing ever, even if there hadn't been anything yet at all. Wisdom was there throughout the whole process.

“Now, when God started the universe was tiny. As small as a pin head. But it was tight, and cramped, and nothing could move because there was so much gravity. Gravity was probably one of the best inventions. Like Christ, gravity holds all things together (Colossians 1:17). So, because there wasn't any room, God spread things out in a hurry. KABOOOM! Now there was a LOT of room! Everything expanded and there was space to move.

“Gravity caused all the exploded parts of mass to start sticking together again forming the galaxies and stars and planets. This process took an amazing amount of time, but it was a beautiful process.

“Our solar system was made just right for life to happen. Our little planet was not too hot, not to cold, not too big, and not too small. After lots and lots and lots and lots of time, God started gathering all the parts needed for life to happen.

“He started small, and worked His way up. Starting with the ocean plant life and then working on the ocean creatures. He used the blueprints from his older models to make newer different versions. It took a really long time, millions and millions of years probably. Plant and animal life worked its way to solid ground outside of the water. Little bugs and creatures, then bigger bugs and bigger creatures. The plants grew taller over time, and God kept making different types of all different sizes and shapes.

“After a long time of God guiding, leading, and conducting life into new and different forms God started his work on people, the best of His work. People can think for themselves, and talk to one another and to God. People can invent and create their own masterpieces, just like God has done. God was very pleased to create humanity and desires a relationship with them. His creation is so beautiful at times it sounds like it is singing to God a thank you for being alive. God is always doing something new, and different. Maybe if you pay attention you can see God doing something new and different in you too.”

Grieg quietly closed the book and glanced down at his daughter who was wide eyed, yet still. “What do you think Heather?”

“I'm glad there were no snakes” she said looking seriously into her father's eyes. With a chuckle he replied, “me too, hon. Me too”.

“When will I get to see God working, daddy?” she said sleepily.

“What do you mean, babe?” Grieg asked. He didn't think the book had mentioned people actually seeing God working.

“The last page. It said I could see God doing something new and different if I payed attention.”

“Ah.” Grieg sighed with a mix of understanding and angst. “Maybe. . . maybe tonight its best that you pay attention with your eyes closed. You can try to look for God working in the morning.” As he bent down to turn off the lamp he tucked her in the sheets and gave her a good night kiss. She kissed him back and they said their 'goodnight's and 'I love you's'.

Heather sat still in bed still wide eyed, but then remembered that it might be best to keep her eyes closed. As she felt the warmth of her pillow and the comfort of the sheets on her skin she thought that she could hear something altogether familiar, but altogether different. It started small and grew larger. It was the crickets singing their sweet melody of the night. She listened and thought that she could hear something new and different. It was, for to her it had changed, and instead of the simple sounds of crickets, Heather was hearing for the first time nature singing a thank you to God for being alive.

The Adventures of Stick Person

2007-08-02T07:57:00.000-07:00

The none gender biased action hero like you and me

2007-07-18T11:25:00.000-07:00

The Adventures of Stick Person

2007-06-26T08:01:00.000-07:00

by Forest

2007-06-06T13:33:00.000-07:00

wow wee my brother does good work : -)

My home town in Oregon

2007-05-30T10:31:00.000-07:00

Get Turtle Out Of Road? It's A Snap
By Anne Williams
The Register-Guard
Published: Friday, May 25, 2007

CRESWELL - The first call came in shortly after 8 p.m. Thursday: Man beating turtle on Emerald Parkway.

Turns out it wasn't at all what it seemed. In fact, the man - a 41-year-old who is believed to be a transient - was only trying to help the poor creature by scooting it out of harm's way, said Sgt. Clifton Harrold of the Lane County Sheriff's Office, who was first on the scene.

"He was fairly intoxicated," Harrold said. "When I got there he was talking to it, trying to reason with it and telling it it needed to get out of the road."
The only thanks the Good Samaritan got was a nasty bite on the inside of his forearm - prompting Harrold to call in South Lane Fire and Rescue to tend to the man and Public Works Director Roy Sprout to tend to the turtle.

"I didn't know what to do with it," said Harrold, who described the creature as "the biggest turtle I've seen outside of the aquarium. Roy was just a whole lot more confident."

Unfazed, Sprout picked up the turtle with his bare hands, put it in the back of his pickup truck, drove it to nearby Garden Lake - from which the men presume it had strayed - and released it.
One of the four firefighters on the scene guessed it was a loggerhead turtle, but Harrold did some Internet research and believes that it was a common snapping turtle - a species not typically found west of the Rocky Mountains.

While the odd roadside spectacle didn't snarl traffic, it certainly caught the attention of passing motorists, Harrold said. One person stopped to offer a piece of plywood to aid in turtle removal, and a city councilor drove off to fetch his daughter so she could see it too.

Harrold said it all reminded him of the 2006 DreamWorks movie "Over the Hedge," which he's seen many times with his children. In it, a band of wild creatures - including a turtle - finds their habitat diminished by encroaching suburbia.

Scrimshaw!

2007-05-23T09:26:00.000-07:00

I have just added www.dalefisk.com to my links. This is my Uncle's website. The best part of the website is his scrimshaw! He has been a scrimshaw artist for 30 years! Check it out!

2007-05-11T11:37:00.000-07:00

When I was 6 I had open heart surgery to correct a congenital heart defect. As a testament to my recovery and to raise money for this great cause I will be walking in this year’s KC Heart Walk.

If you would like to help you can make a donation online. Click on the link below and you will be taken to my personal donation page. Thank you for your support.

https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=185957&lis=1&kntae185957=E44BB6897CB14E04B8C0B9996F707F49&supId=81051093

Picks from the Trip

2007-04-27T07:45:00.000-07:00

ohhh, I miss Oregon!

my mom is quirky

View from my grandparents dinning room

View from my Grandparents kitchen

Grandpa

It was a lovely week. It was such a blessing that the family paid for the trip! The thing that hit me the most was during the viewing. He was just right there dead but we were cracking jokes and enjoying family. We had hope, we know were he was and it was better that this old dingy world.

1 Corinthians 15:55

"Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"

Leland Hill 1916-2007

2007-04-19T14:26:00.000-07:00

My grandpa died today. He had a very good life and a wonderful legacy. I remember coming to his farm and playing for hours as a child. It was there that I realized God's amazing beauty and goodness seen in nature. They were a hard couple but they were kind. They both worked very hard, he evenworked on the farm till the age of 90 or so. I will always be thankful for their leadership in our family. Today Grandpa gets to start the most beautiful next step of his existence. Today he is meeting Jesus face to face and will be hand in hand with his loving wife what a wonderful Day!

In that Sweet by and by

In the sweet by and by,We shall meet on that beautiful shore;In the sweet by and by,We shall meet on that beautiful shore.

2007-04-16T13:57:00.000-07:00

In the search to know a little bit more about myself I have attempted to fill out the following

100 Things You May Not Know...
1. I was born in Washington
2. In one surgery I had 500 stitches
3. I didn’t get my drivers license till my senior year of college.
4. I bought my first car in secret and kept it from my parents
5. The transition died 4 years later in a scary area
6. I let the oil leek completely out to many times
7. I like my job
8. I don’t so much like hugs
9. I have good blood pressure and bad cholesterol
10. Without the help of a Dr Star I would have been a vegetable before I was 12
11. I have been to Papua New Guinea, Italy, France, Germany, Costa Rica, Australia and another one can not remember
12. These were some the best experiences of my life.
13. I have performed CPR on a chicken (and no he did not live)
14. I am horrible at clocking in and out at work.
15. I really like dandelions
16. I can’t smell things very well
17. I love Ernest P Worrall movies
18. The best movie of all time is Joe V Volcano, well maybe not but it is cool
19. I would love to own a good steamer trunk some day
20. I love my family
21. Diet Dr pepper is my favorite soda
22. I don’t really like poetry or Shakespeare
23. I am afraid of lead paint
24. I like the Atari game Asteroids
25. I worked as a gizzard puller in a chicken factory for 6 weeks
26. That is the worst job I ever had
27. I have a game boy with one game (Tetris of course)
28. I love raspberries but I never eat them
29. I recently got paid $20 to get a health screening at work
30. I will never have a problem with osteoporosis
31. I’ve had 6 wisdom teeth removed
32. I hate going to sleep at night and waking up in the morning
33. I have been playing the trumpet for 17 years
34. I own a clarinet and a slide trombone but don’t know how to play them
35. I always thought adopting would be great, maybe from China
36. I have never seen the Atlantic Ocean
37. I don’t like the words pastries, scalp, and panties
38. I like playing around in the paint program on my computer
39. I love flying
40. I have a living will
41. I am a melancholy
42. As a kid I had a job for 7 years
43. I won a trip to Italy through that job
44. I abhor sweeping but like vacuuming
45. I see Gods beauty in nature more than any other thing
46. The only pets I’ve ever had were fish and 2 cats
47. All of my regular socks are black
48. I kill Cactuses very easily
49. I love making up words even though people think I am an idiot
50. I brook my arm when I was 4ish on a porch swing
51. If I was in California and had the money I might get a tattoo from Cat Van D
52. One of my favorite nursery songs is about 2 kids that get lost and die in the woods
53. My family affectionately calls it the “dead baby song”
54. I have been working at my current work place for 5 years! Wow I am old
55. I wish I could win the lottery even though I do not play it
56. I brook the petal and seat frame off of a bike from over use
57. I love Jazz and dissonant 20th century music
58. I am a member of A.S.C.A.P.
59. I leaned to play the French Horn just to go on a trip to Papua New Guinea
60. I think it is stupid that they just call them “Horns” now and not French Horns
61. One of my best friends lives in Indonesia
62. I love watching Cops and Sponge Bob, usually at the same time
63. My Great, Great, Great grandma was Cherokee
64. I have a little black foot in me also
65. I am the secretary of the community service group V.I.S.I.O.N.
66. I have a tatting kit
67. I like Calvin and hobs
68. I don’t like writing in cursive
69. I have moved about 6 times in the last 5 years
70. I wanted to be a doctor but decided against it because I would fell horrible if I killed anyone
71. I took 2 years of piano and was a piano teacher
72. I like playing around on the piano.
73. I type out all my prayers at work and keep them on a word document
74. It once took me 2 hours at Wal-mart to pick out a binder
75. I have an Easybake oven
76. I like to beach comb and dumpster dive
77. I love to leave messages instead of talking to people on the phone
78. The only time I was really cool in my life was when I took a ride on a Harley, it was awesome
79. My name is written on the school of music’s roof at NNU and back stage at the Hult Center in Oregon
80. I am not afraid to show my weaknesses
81. Politically I am an extreme moderate
82. I am an organ donor
83. When I die they can have everything except my heart
84. That would be no good to them
85. I was Who’s Who in college
86. I miss the mountains and the green trees of Oregon
87. I have a recurring dream of being in college and missing a class for ½ a semester
88. I like the smell of pea plant roots
89. It took me 3 years to pay off a $900 car
90. I own 3-5 trumpets
91. 2 of them work
92. I don’t like being angry
93. I once ate a garbage bag size bag of popcorn, it was good
94. I like the time 11:11 both Am and Pm
95. My life Bible verse is Genesis 12 :1-3
96. My verse now is 2 Corinthians 12:9
97. I got paid good money to play in pep band in College
98. That was one of the greatest times in my life
99. My worst year in school was freshman year of high school!
100. I saved my brother life once when I was 4

The Adventures of Stick Person

2007-04-10T06:26:00.000-07:00

The non gender biased action hero like you and me!

by Spring

The Adventures of Stick Person

2007-04-03T08:31:00.000-07:00

The non gender biased action hero like you and me.

Congradualtions Arbainah and Ali!

2007-03-27T06:24:00.000-07:00

WOW !
look at all those awards! so heavy! :-) I bet your mom would be very proud!
Good budies!
WOW very talented!

This is a quote from Solitude

2007-03-21T07:00:00.000-07:00

Solitude1853

I'd give all wealth that years have piled,
The slow result of Life's decay,
To be once more a little child
For one bright summer-day.

March 16, 1853.
~Lewis Carroll

When God is Silent

2007-03-06T08:24:00.000-08:00

When God is silent
Here I lay my gift
My will, my passions
I love You that much

I have gone through deserts in my life. I have cried and cried for God to help but did not find relief. Depressed, I called from help from friends but did not find any. Later I have found healing and renewal from God. Now at a different desert in my life I have found some understanding from reading the book “Hinds Feet in High Places.” Every word has jumped out at me and I have found some wisdom. The following article by Laurie-Ann Zachar Copple also discusses this topic. I hope that this helps you.

A Charismatic Christian in the Desert

How many of us have had a ‘honeymoon period’ with the intimacy and love of the Father, the fellowship of Jesus, and the sweet wooing of the Holy Spirit? What happens afterward when we enter a period of God’s silence that seems to go on forever; a wilderness that stretches our trust? Is it a punishment or a test? Is it abandonment or a preparation for something wonderful in store for us? Is it God’s judgment or His infinite kindness that helps us grow spiritually mature? There are times of difficulty that seem like a ‘dark night of the soul.’ However, this is also when we grow deeper in faith, are refined of hindrances, and gain the fragrance of Jesus by the fruit of the Spirit.

One of the cries of my heart as a Christian has been the desire for spiritual maturity. When I was a young Christian, newly baptized in the Holy Spirit and so enthusiastic that I embarrassed older believers, I begged the Lord for maturity. I experienced healing, love and empowerment, but tried to break through an unapproachable "more." Eventually, my prayer was answered when I was in Northern Ireland doing prayer walks.

Unexpectedly, a hostess in Belfast gave me a prophetic word. She asked me if I had been asking God to take me deeper into maturity. I answered "yes." She told me that it would not be easy and that it required something that I did not expect. This requirement was suffering, not as a punishment, but as the necessary instrument to bring me past the shallowness I’d been feeling even as a Christian. God’s relative silence intensified as I entered the desert of finding Him in a new way, and I learned identification with Christ (Phil. 3:10). I had to no longer live as if I was in control of my life, but to allow for a Christ-centered life. I was learning to know him in the fellowship of his sufferings, as well as the joy of salvation.

This desert has lasted over five years. …Desert experiences are common …and biblical! The desert is God’s gift that demands transformation. Isn’t that what being sanctified is about? …The Bible….shows abundance of desert imagery...The biblical lands are mostly desert or semi-desert. Many biblical characters encountered difficult ‘desert’ times, such as the Israelites in the book of Numbers, Elijah’s sojourn in the wilderness while in danger, David’s refuge in the "wild places" while hiding from King Saul (2 Sam 1) and Jesus’ own temptations in the Judean wilderness (Matt. 4). There is also the ‘interior desert’ (solitude, withdrawal and seeming abandonment) such as the testing of Job and Jesus’ experience in Gethsemane and Calvary. Desert experiences have also empowered and left God’s servants changed from divine encounters, such as the experiences of many in the Old Testament. … Many Christians desiring something more followed a similar call. Some lived in solitude or wandered the oceans as missionaries as did the Irish monks in the sixth to tenth centuries. Others were transformed during extended illnesses while waiting for a miracle. So why is it surprising when we enter our own wilderness?

Part of the reason is our North American materialistic culture which sees simplicity as a weakness. Even in the church, mountain experiences can be glorified and the grief of varied suffering is minimized. We want comfort in the midst of suffering and our one-dimensional ideas of God and all-encompassing self-experience are challenged. The desert calls us to transformation, yet we have a choice to make. We can turn to self-pity and bitterness during these hard times or call out to the Lord for purification. How does the desert make us more Christ-like?

Charles Nienkirchen, says that the humbling effect of the desert "becomes a transforming event in one’s spiritual development only as one’s idea of God and self-image are changed. In the process, faith, hope and love are purified." The desert can help to clear our senses of wrong illusions of who God is and who we are, although it is often a long process. Sometimes we struggle with faulty perceptions of God as a judge or angry parent. Other times we may struggle with self-condemnation and poor self-image (or vanity and pride). When these perceptions melt away, the truth can be more easily discerned. God is no longer what you thought He was, and He is now free to show you who He is! You are no longer what you thought you were, but are loved and accepted. God is allowed to be God, since you have realized that you are not God in your life.

The desert may give us four gifts if we co-operate with God’s purposes: spiritual transformation, psychological change, new roles, and new futures. The first gift can include salvation and the refining that comes after it. Much Afraid in Hannah Hurnard’s book Hinds feet in High Places, was spiritually transformed by the love of the Shepherd, thus turning her lessons of her trials into glittering gems. This transformation is thus a difficult but very rewarding journey. The second gift can be the gain of a new confident humility in what Paul calls being content in all situations (Phil. 4: 11-12). This is a difficult gift to nurture, for it demands a trust in God that puts him at the centre of one’s environment. This is the desert gift that I’m grappling with right now. I believe He is teaching me to trust Him in all circumstances, even when He seems silent and I begin to doubt my calling. A good analogy for this is illustrated in how a poinsettia grows. Apparently these beautiful flowers require a time of darkness for them to even germinate. Perhaps we also need this barren time for essential spiritual growth in faith, hope and love. In the desert, we still experience God’s care and provision even if He is silent, although we may not see this yet with the eyes of our hearts.

The third gift can include such identity change as Abram/Abraham and Jacob/Israel in the Old Testament, and Simon/Peter and Saul/Paul in the New Testament. To the ancients, a name change signified a complete metamorphosis in a person and their role. Abram changed from a childless man to the father of many nations (Gen. 17:5). Jacob changed from a deceiver to Israel, one who wrestles with God (Gen. 35:10). Sanguine Simon became Peter the "Rock," one of the leaders of the early church. Law-loving Saul of Tarsus became apostle to the Gentiles and used his Roman name Paul (Acts 13:9)… The fourth gift concerns our calling: whether great miracles or a quiet life of faith that draws others to Jesus. It is a gift that gives us hope; we know where we are going.

Are we willing to be changed? Do we want to go further? Perhaps the desert is the place for us. Don’t be afraid, it is a road that many have followed in Christ. Just remember that He will never leave you and does not forget his promises.

This article in its entirety can be found at http://web.ncf.ca/eh202/desert.html

M7 conference postmodern

2007-02-27T13:15:00.000-08:00

Last week I had the pleasure of getting to attend the Nazarene M7 conference. The whole week was wonderful! Over 4,000 people attended plenary, mega-seminar, and workshop sessions on evangelism and mission. I learned so much and you could really feel God working in the lives of the participants and in the church of the Nazarene. I wish you all could have gone and seen everything. If I was to sum-up the whole conference it would have been in one sermon given by a Baptist preacher Reggie McNeal on the second night of the conference. If you have time I would recommend that you watch the service. He is hilarious and spoke about the Nazarene church in the postmodern era! Just click on the following link http://www.m7conference.org/M7VideoStreaming/tabid/142/Default.aspx and then click on the Evangelism...Future. (if you want, you can fast-forward till you see a man with a black hat.)

Note: All the other sermons were awesome too, if you want, feel free to watch them all!

Scott and Gabriele

2007-02-15T13:46:00.000-08:00

Handmade with love.

Scott and Gabriele, I have seen you meet, date, marry and now a baby! How exciting and a little scary! :0) How amazing to see a little one grow up, someone to love and someone to love you back. What a precious, beautiful gift from God. Even thought I do not see you as much now as in the past I love you guys so much!

Love,
Spring

2007-02-06T06:16:00.000-08:00

My submission to humanclock.com was excepted! my pick shows up now for 2:30 pm.

I took it during my first filling at exactly 2:30, suffice it to say my dentist thought I was crazy...

To view this click on "view the clock" section at http://www.humanclock.com/ at 2:30 pm (it will automatically update every minute.) :-) if you do not want to wait that long just click on the above link and scrolled down to see all the new submissions.

:-)

picks of things lately

2007-01-29T15:09:00.000-08:00

Game: Where in Kansas City?

2006-12-18T10:28:00.000-08:00

I am not enough

2006-11-10T09:26:00.000-08:00

small speck
giant sky
one lone battle cry

strength gone
hope is lost
a sole to mend

i turn
You teach
make new
awaken truth

Quote of the day

2006-11-06T13:39:00.000-08:00

"Nobody's perfect...Well, there was this one guy, but we killed him."
-Anonymous

The Adventures of Stick Person

2006-10-10T09:13:00.000-07:00

The Adventures of Stick Person

2006-10-03T11:13:00.000-07:00

The non gender biased action hero like you and me.

Quiet the Night

2006-09-19T05:05:00.000-07:00

Hi guys, do you have any sugestions for the following poem. I want to maybe submit it to Barfoot Ministires but it needs some help.

Quiet the Night

I lay down to sleep
And suddenly it’s quiet
my demons come quickly
uncovered by silence

I try to drown out the noise
Doing anything to escape
Thoughts race and I turn inward
As I rage against the night

God I need you
My heart pounds and I cry out
God please help me!
only You can quiet the night!

And slowly they disappear
And I drift off to sleep

Lighting picks

2006-08-29T06:57:00.000-07:00

From outside our front window this last week

Frog Blog!

2006-08-23T11:46:00.000-07:00

(photo provided by Forest Fisk)

I and Forest found this cute toad on our driveway. He was humongous!

The joys and pain of car repair

2006-08-11T12:51:00.000-07:00

10:00pm

Bank: Spring, this is your bank calling. Are you aware of the
large amount of charges on your credit card in the last
two days?

Spring: Yes ....yes I am...

Salad

2006-08-01T08:56:00.000-07:00

This looks good but I probably will never make it. Who cooks anymore?
This week my brother saw Hotdogs sold with the buns already around them. My mom remembers making pudding by scratch, now we have it in slurable things so we do not even have to have a spoon. My Question is: If something happened to all the convince stores would we all starve to death?

Salad

a bowlful of the freshest green things, preferably from a farmer's market (or a farm!)
1 clove garlic, cut in half
walnut or extra-virgin olive oil
red wine vinegar
sea salt, pepper

Begin by washing the salad very carefully by submerging it in water and gently massaging it. Drain and dry it well. Take a large salad bowl, and begin by rubbing the inside of the bowl with the cut side of the garlic until it feels tacky and smells wonderful. Throw away the garlic, or use it for something else. Now, add the salad leaves and sprinkle on a pinch of salt. Pour some olive or walnut oil on your hands (make sure they're clean!), and slowly start tossing the salad with your hands, gently coating each leaf with oil. Pour more oil on your hands and repeat, until all the leaves are coated with a fine sheen. Taste a leaf, and sprinkle on more salt if if the salad needs it. Dribble a little bit of vinegar in the bowl, toss one last time, and grind on some black pepper. The sooner you eat this, the better it will be.

Aslan

2006-07-18T05:58:00.000-07:00

You have to love the Chronicles of Narnia to get this. I found this quote from "Little Boy Heart Alive" by Andrew Peterson (The Far Country) and cropped a picture I found on the internet to put it together.

Marbles anyone

2006-07-11T10:22:00.000-07:00

These are some Marbles that I saw at Moon Marble in Bonnier Springs. It is kind of a cool place were you can see marbles being made. The larger ones seen here range from $35 to $450.

4th of July Fireworks at Theater in the Park

2006-07-05T11:36:00.000-07:00

Some nice pictures. I love some of the effects. After the fireworks my mom called me from Oregon we were both feeling a little lonely. I was missing my friend Riris and my family and she was missing me. so she described the fireworks display she was currently watching as I was watched the firework videos and picks that I had taken a hour before. It was like we were watching it together. I like how technology brings people together.:-)

2006-06-30T06:06:00.000-07:00

My table at home with some water color effects

At 1:30 today I will be exactly half the age of my mom. To tell you the truth I am not sure how that can even happen. but that aside, I am faced with an even bigger issue, the fact that I am growing old. I guess that’s ok though. I mean, I need to embrace every age that I will achieve on this earth, right? How can I do that? I have no idea.

I guess if I have a choice I want to be an old lady that is joyous and wise and pulls her walker behind her as she is leaving or going to a party. We shall see…

A lot can happen in 20 years

2006-06-20T09:14:00.000-07:00

A lot can happen in 20 years. People die, people grow up, people are born, things change, life happens.

Today I am celebrating a 20th anniversary! To tell you the truth I am pretty impressed (shocked) that I could have anything that I am celebrating that would be 20th years ago but I do. 20 years ago today I was carried into a little operating room and had a several hour surgery. I had a very rare heart defect but the doctors did not know that till they opened me up. It “so happened” that Dr Star the top heart surgeon in his field in the world was there performing the surgery. That surgery saved my life. I would have been long dead without it. To top that the whole surgery was paid for! A lot of people would just pass it off as just another surgery. But I know that God saved my life that day. Don’t try to tell me that miracles do not happen today! I experienced one that day and everyday that I live since.

Praise God Poem

2006-06-15T05:32:00.000-07:00

I am really good a complaining! I mean realllllly good! Over the years I have gotten better at complaining that being thankful. I do this even though I know I have had more good times than bad. All of us are like that I guess. We find it easier to complain than to praise God. So in order to help curb my natural inclinations and to practice being thankful I decided to list of all the things I am specifically thankful for. Once I got those thoughts on paper it turned into a prayer to God and a poem.

Thank You God for
For coloring with crayons and doctors when I am sick,
For hugs from my mom and diet soda and great music,
For Trees that I’ve climbed and Your beautiful creation,
For my grandma, and kids books and my fat roles when I see starvation

Thank You God for
Cotton candy, and singing off key in the shower,
For cookie dough and icicle lights, and long days in summer,
for little old lady saints and the wisdom of children,
my student loan because of my great education,

Thank You God for
The chance to be generous and green trees in the city,
for paid vacations and hospitals and electricity,
for grownups who wonder and working toilets,
for Chap stick and deodorant and funny movies just when I need it.

Thank You God for
my birthday and chocolate chip ice cream when I am sad,
For email and pacemakers, and my mom and my dad,
for the chance to have wrinkles, and a Christmas tree when it’s lit,
for Zoloft and good friends and warm sun on carpet.

Thank You for
not giving up when I fail every time,
for being my friend and being humble and kind,
for not giving up and for relay loving me,
for being a good God because you don’t have to be.

Thank You for being You and being what You are,
for loving us even though we are what we are!

Indonesian Dancers

2006-06-14T12:30:00.000-07:00

These pictures were taken at KC, City Market June 10th. We were there to celibrate the departure of a local CMSU professor and his family from Bali and also to see Marty the local Indonesia representative. She also dances and plays a marimba type instrument. She is seen in the top picture left. We had a wonderful time.

World War I Memorial

2006-06-06T05:52:00.000-07:00

This is my favorite view at the Word War I memorial. Riris, Nur and I visited it on Memorial Day. If you have never been I encourage you to visit.

Kansas City

2006-05-31T09:42:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of the side of a boarded up building on 31st street in Kansas City MO. I took it from inside my car as I waited at a stop light. I guess i do that a lot.

It tells a little about the ugliness and the beauty of city life I think.

2006-05-30T09:39:00.000-07:00

Tree on the way home

2006-05-19T13:15:00.000-07:00

2006-05-19T11:00:00.000-07:00

Saved from Nightmares?

It's the middle of the night and suddenly the phone rings... It is not good news. Why do moments like this happen? Do we somtimes think that we will be saved from such nightmares? Sometimes I think that because of my relationship with God, nothing bad is going to happen to me. But, unfortunately, we live in this world, a fallen place, where things are not fair. In this world pain happens, life happens, and it will not go away. I desperately do not want to hear this; I want things to be ok. I don't want my friends or family to die or get hurt or anything else to go wrong but the truth is that it will happen sometime. Jobs end, thing change, people die and pain enters our lives. I don't want to admit that I live in a fallen world--none of us do. For this reason I am glad that Natalie Grant shared a certain song recently. This song was introduced after the songs composer had two close people in her life die. So real, so honest, the song is entitled Held.

Two months is too little.
They let him go.
They had no sudden healing.
To think that providence would
take a child from his mother while she prays
is appalling.

Who told us we'd be rescued?
What has changed and why should we be saved from nightmares?
We're asking why this happens
To us who have died to live?
It's unfair.

Chorus:
This is what it means to be held.
How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive.
This is what it is to be loved.
And to know that the promise was
When everything fell we'd be held.

Bad things happen because we are in a distorted world. Who told us we'd be always rescued? What makes us different? Why should we always be saved from nightmares? Were asking why this happens to us who have died to live. Its unfair!

Yes, it is unfair, but i believe if we have a relationship with Jesus along with the pain God is here with us. He picks us up in our pain and cares for us and loves us. He even cries with us and helps us through. Even though we may not feel Him, He is there! What does this mean and how can we apply it to our needs? I do not know... I am learning along with everyone else. However, I do know that the God of the universe cares about us, He carries us and He is working to make everything good for his children.