The 31st--Issue #3

Welcome to this third issue of The 31st, everyone! If you've forgotten, The 31st is a semi-regular column that I write on my blog on the 31st day of every month that has a 31st day! I started this column way back in August, and naturally this is the third issue.

The 31st is all about weird, wacky, and funny trivia. It could be about anything! But today, this month, I've chosen the subject of time. Yes, time. As every year comes to a close, a new one looms ahead, it seems to me that a lot of people think about where they've been, where they are now, and where they would like to be. Time seems to be a lot more precious around this time of year. And so without further adieu, let me present a few fun facts about time!

Did you know that a year is made up of...

• 12 months?
• 26 fortnights?*
• 52 weeks?
• 365 days?
• 8, 760 hours?
• 525,600 minutes?
• 31, 536,000 seconds?

*: A fortnight is two weeks.

So this new year, 2012, is about to begin. Another 12 months, 26 fortnights, 52 weeks, 365 days, 8,760 hours, 525,600 minutes, and 31,536,000 seconds. So what will you do with it? Make sure you spend time this year doing some things that have eternal value!

Who will you follow?

Well, here we are. The last day of Two-Thousand and Eleven. While I'm always happy for the months to come and go, I must say, the turning of a new year is always more significant. What will happen this coming year? Will it be good? Will it be bad? It's that unknown factor that always gets to me.

I don't think I'm alone in this. Many people think about where they've gone in the past year, where they are now, and where they'd like to see themselves next year this time. In other words, making New Years' Resolutions. There are many good and important resolutions one can make, but perhaps the most important question is this: Who will you follow? During the coming year? Throughout the rest of your life? A couple weeks ago I ran across the above video, and it has impacted me in a major way. I'd highly recommend that you watch this powerful presentation, and then honestly ask yourself,

"Who will I follow?"

My Story

Greetings! My name is Joktan, and I have been a shepherd on the hills of Bethlehem. It was a clear, cool night, that night was...oh, you will stay for my story, will you? I want to tell it to as many people as possible!

It was a clear, cool night, that night was. The stars twinkled in the vast, endless sky, and I could hear the sheep's deep breathing as they slumbered the night away. The quiet, resting city of Bethlehem slept away, and hardly man or beast stirred.

Once again, I turned to my companions, Eber and Uzal. Eber brought out his treasured scroll, and once again we all searched the Scriptures. Just like every other Israelite, we were highly looking forward the the coming of Israel's Messiah and Deliverer. We had checked, checked, and double-checked our calculations, but tonight we checked once more. Yes, it seemed like all the prophecies pointed to the Promised One coming very soon. Micah 5:2 even said that Bethlehem, our little town, would be where the Messiah would come from!

I took another long, longing look at the sky. The stars glistened just as brightly as always. Somewhere out there was God. But when would He come to Earth? Then--

Huh? What was that?

A light seemed to hover right above us shepherds. It quickly got brighter, brighter and brighter till it was brighter than the midday sun! I could hardly look at it! What was it? The light became more defined, and then it looked like--huh? An angel? Eber, Uzal, and I were petrified, falling on our faces to the ground.

"Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people."

The angel--what a magnificent  majestic voice he had--continued speaking.

"Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord."

The booming voice kept on speaking. I barely got enough courage to lift my eyes to look at this heavenly being.

"This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Suddenly, night transformed into day! Angels, millions upon millions, brilliantly lit up the sky and sang,

"Glory to God in the highest,
  and on earth peace to men on
         whom his favor rests."

My, my, that was the most beautiful chorus I have ever heard! Tons of angels singing, there was no doubt this was heavenly music! Soon, the angel choir faded away. Slowly, carefully, Eber, Uzal, and I got up. Our eyes had to get used to the dark night again! Quickly, we took inventory. All the sheep were still there. The hills of Bethlehem were in their same place, and the town slept on.

All of a sudden, we spurted out words. "Let's go to Bethlehem," I cried. "and see this thing that has happened," continued Uzal. "which the Lord has told us about!" Eber joyously finished our joint sentiments.

Taking a look at our snoring, slumbering sheep, we took off running over hill and dale--bound for Bethlehem. Rocks, streams, nothing could get in our way. The Messiah had come! He was born this night here in Bethlehem! Angels told us how to find Him! Dawn was just starting to break in the east as we arrived at the city gates, which had just been opened a few moments before. Most people were still sound asleep, but we dashed through the streets to the inn, where we found the Messiah--the Baby Jesus--lying in a manger just like the angel had said. There we met His parents, Joseph and Mary, and joined in their happiness. Eagerly, we reverently worshipped our Messiah.

We had seen the Messiah! He was born, the Desire of All Nations! He had finally come! We felt like we must tell everyone. The sun was starting to shine on Bethlehem once more, and the townspeople had roused themselves out of bed. Some had come out of their houses.

"The Messiah is born!" I shouted.

"He has come to deliver His people!" Uzal chimed in.

"We saw angels who told us that He is born in a manger!" Eber concluded. "Go see Him at the inn!"

We repeated our joyous cries all across town, and everyone was amazed at our report. After proclaiming the good news to everyone, we headed back to our sheep, which had just started to stir.

But I have some questions for you. Are you getting ready for Jesus' second coming? Do you study your Bible, and learn about His coming? Just like His first coming, you don't know when exactly He will come. But you can know the general circumstances and situation which the world will be in when His coming is soon.

When God sends special revelation to you--through an impression, the Bible, trusted friend, though probably not an angel--do you listen? Do you believe what God tells you? He is always trustworthy, and will never forsake you (Deut. 31:6)!

When God reveals information to you, what will you do with it? Will you just barely acknowledge it, think it's nice, and lay back in your lazy chair? Or will you get off the couch and do something about it? Will you do the equivalent of going to see Baby Jesus? Will you decide to worship Him as your Lord, Savior, and Messiah?

After you worship Him, will you just immediately go back to your "sheep"? In Israel there are two prominent bodies of water, and one river that connects them. The bodies of water are the Sea of Galilee in the north and the Dead Sea in the south. The river, called Jordan, flows into the Sea of Galilee in the north and continues out of it at the south end, going through Israel all the way to the Dead Sea. However, that is where the Jordan River stops. It does not flow out of the Dead Sea, and that is why the Dead Sea is called that--because it's dead!

It's wonderful if you decide to worship and accept the King into your life, but that's only one part. You have the input, but unless you have output, you'll be like the Dead Sea--lifeless. In what ways can you share the news about Jesus, and have output as well as input?

Be like the Sea of Galilee. Not like the Dead Sea!

Where Am I?

Where am I? Or more precisely, where have I been?

Good question. As you probably have guessed, I have been very busy! I really wanted to blog all about the fun that I had at Thanksgiving. We had my grandparents from Michigan and my uncle from Arizona all at our house for the big day! Lots of fun was had by all, and much board game playing and geocaching was achieved as well. ;)

So then I was going to blog about Thanksgiving in early December. But did it happen? No. So many wonderful Christmas celebrations, as well as the usual work and school, seemed to take priority. There is a wonderful set of trails (probably around 8-10 miles) on the mountain just behind the local university, and my best friend and I have been taking advantage of those trails quite a bit over the past few weeks. It's so fun to finally hike the trails, and my friend and I have found a few caches up there, too! :D

Speaking of geocaching, I've been doing a lot lately. If you don't know what it is, geocaching is a high-tech treasure hunt in which players use their GPS devices to locate hidden containers all around the world. I've found 123 geocaches, and hidden 25! I'm hoping to hide 5-6 more caches over Christmas break (yes, I still got one more week of school!), so of course all that planning and placing takes a bit of time as well. Not to mention all the great books I've been trying to read...

And speaking of books, I'm halfway finished with one! I've read Ellen White's classic on the life of Christ, Desire of Ages, before, but it was so wonderful that a few months ago I decided that I just had to re-read it! So I have been--but leading a readathon, as well! Since November, I've been reading approximately one chapter a day and then blogging about it over at the Desire of Ages Readathon blog. Check it out, feel free to jump in and join at any time! :D

My grandparents are coming for a repeat visit soon, and while they can't stay for Christmas, we're still going to have a lot of fun anyway. Geocaching, fun, family, and presents are all on the agenda! So if I'm not posting on this blog as much as you wish, well, I'm sorry. I'm still alive and well, happily geocaching and enjoying the season. I am still very committed to writing devotionals each and every week, and will post more about my life here on this blog when I get the chance.

Merry Christmas,
Tennessee Photobug

The Small Things

A few weeks ago, my family and I officially welcomed the Christmas season by setting up our Christmas tree. Yes, it's a "fake" tree, and it's not super big, but it's our tree and we have grown to love it (and the constantly-falling-off-fake-pine-needles) over the years.

There is a definite order in setting up our Christmas decorations. First, of course, is the tree. Dad and my little sister Alison brought it up, and got the various pieces out of the box. Soon they were all assembled, and we all helped by spreading out the bunched up branches. It looked almost perfect in front of our window, and as the sun set I knew that all we needed was the Christmas lights. Then everything would be perfect!

One of the lovely things about having a "fake", pre-made Christmas tree is that we don't have to worry about stringing the lights. Our little beauty already came pre-lit! All we have to do is plug it all together and it will work...right?

Yeah, right!

In years past, our tree lights have lit up just fine. No problemo at all. But while I couldn't remember any problems before, due to that circulating joke about how Christmas lights don't always work, I wasn't holding my breath for an immediate perfect performance.

My hunch was right! Dad plugged everything together, and then in grand suspense plugged the final cord into the wall. The tree lit up--partly, anyways! Honestly, it was the weirdest thing. The bottom third of lights was working, and the top third of lights was working, but middle third stubbornly remained off! Dad got right down to work, with his family encouraging him, "We know you can do it!" So Dad fiddled and fussed and then fiddled some more, but not much luck. Some of the lights came on, but there was still a noticeable chunk that wasn't on. What to do?

Dad tried for almost the entire evening to get all the lights working. Unfortunately, he never succeeded. We had to finally resort to other methods, that being stringing a separate strand of working lights onto the tree where the other lights weren't working. It all looks nice now, but if you look closely you can still see that some lights are off!

You know, I've been thinking about how some of our Christmas tree lights didn't work. You've heard the saying, "A chain is only as strong as its' weakest link", and I certainly think that was true in this case! More precisely, "A light strand is only as strong as its' weakest cord or light"! One of the major things that I feel this experience has taught me is how important the little things are. I may have thought that a light or cord is a little thing, but I certainly changed my mind after seeing how it affects everything!

Sometimes I feel like I may not be important. Like I'm little, and I can't make a difference. But I'm starting to rethink that. Sure, we all have different roles to play (check out 1 Corinthians 12 for details!), but we all have a power to change things for the good, or change them for the bad.

Maybe you don't know where to start. OK, start with the small things! What small--but meaningful and important--thing can you do today to better your relationship with God? A relationship with a family member or friend? What about doing "small" things to help better your neighborhood and community? Picking up trash starts with one piece at a time!

But I think you get the point. Small things are important, and can have a vast influence over things. In what ways can you do a seemingly small thing today and make something better, or someone happier?

Telling the Difference

Have you ever worked with trash bags? I know that I have. Holding the office of "janitor" for several years now, I have torn off, emptied, thrown away, and replaced more than my fair share of trash bags!

Sometimes, the job is easy. There's not too much trash in the existing bag, it easily comes out of the can in a snap, and the new bag opens with no problems, lightly settling down "just so" in the trash can. But sometimes the job is not so ideal. Too much trash has been stuffed in the bag, there's yucky food, smelly diapers, or (worse!) standing water. Sometimes, the bag is so stuffed I can hardly heave-ho it out of the trash can! Other times, it's so bad that I have to go solicit help so I can achieve my chore! And then--nightmares of nightmares--those big, over-stuffed bags were brake, and a dam of water and trash will brake. I'm not complaining, but guess who has the privilege of cleaning it up? :D

However, how hard it is to get the bag out of the can is not the only problem I have. All my big, black trash bags come on a roll. I lay the roll out on the floor or table, and then roll it out, until the needed number of bags have been unrolled. Problem is, sometimes it's hard to know where one bag ends and another begins! Since those bags have been rolled up for so long, the imprint of the tear-off point had been imprinted on several parts of the bag, whether or not they are the true tear-off point! Sometimes I will mistake a fake tear-off point for an authentic one, but when I try to tear it off nothing happens!

You know, I've been thinking about this genuine vs. fake idea a lot lately. It's not just a silly matter--in the spiritual realm, it has profound (and eternal) consequences. Jesus talks about that very matter, and how when His coming gets close, false Christs and prophets will appear:

"For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect--if that were possible." (Matthew 24:24)

So how can we make sure that we are not fooled by these false Christs and prophets, and that we can without error discern the real from the fake? The answer's easy, though the implication isn't fast. To discern who is the Real Christ, we need to get to know the Real Christ. We need to have a relationship with Him--pray to Him, and read His Word, too. That's how we can discern truthfully who's the Real Christ--by knowing Him ahead of time.

As for me and my trash bag dilemma, I've got it solved. Being a janitor for several years know, I've learned how to tell apart the real tear-off point from the imprint. But this spiritual matter is much more serious--could you tell the difference between the Real Christ and the fake and false ones?

Not Knowing the Time (Exactly)

Last month, I was very excited. Why? Well, because my grandparents were coming for Thanksgiving, and I was looking forward to them coming very much!

Finally, the day of their expected arrival came. As soon as I finished my school and work for the day, I joined forces with Mom and we both cleaned the house like crazy! Sure, it was early afternoon, and we didn't expect them until later in the evening. But on the other hand, we didn't know exactly when they would get here, so that's why we cleaned so soon.

Our hard work and forethought soon paid off. It was only quarter to five, but right at that time I saw a blue car come up our driveway--my grandparents! We had expected that with the 12-hour drive from Michigan, that they wouldn't get here so soon. But we were wrong (they had actually left Michigan really early in the morning), and as I said previously, we were both happy that we had done so much cleaning beforehand.

I've been doing some thinking about my grandparents' early arrival time. You know, that story is really quite similar to another event soon to happen. The event that I'm talking about is Jesus' soon Second Coming! Just like my grandparents' coming, we know some details. We know what to look for, and what the world will be like right before Jesus comes again. Check out Matthew 24 for details, but suffice it to say that by the condition of the world, Jesus' coming can't be too far away!

My family and I knew approximately the time, day, etc. my grandparents would come, but we didn't know the exact time beforehand. We just had to get ready, and stay ready. So it is with Christ's coming--we can know when it is close, but we don't know exactly when He will come. We just need to get ready and stay ready.

"But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father...Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come." (Matthew 24:36, 42)

Are you ready for Christ to come?

THANKSgiving

Just a few days ago, most of you probably celebrated the holiday of Thanksgiving. What comes to mind when you think of Thanksgiving?

For most people, slaughtered turkey, pilgrims, and over-stuffed stomachs probably come to mind. Maybe family coming together, too. That's understandable, I mean, what does Wal-Mart say about it? With the big Christmas push starting mid-September, there's hardly any room for Thanksgiving. And if the stores advertise Thanksgiving at all, it will probably be for a week max.

But Thanksgiving isn't really about slaughtered turkeys or over-stuffed stomachs. Well, if it's not that, what is Thanksgiving about then? Take a look at the word. What's the first part say? Yeah--you read that correctly. THANKS. The next part is just as important: GIVING. So Thanksgiving is all about giving thanks, especially to God.

"Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind" Ps. 107:15

And that's nothing to pass over too lightly. Do we really give that much thanks at Thanksgiving? God has abundantly blessed us more than we could ever imagine. As the holidays are now upon us, try to remember the true meaning of the holidays and give thanks to God for all that we have.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Here is a video that vividly illustrates how we need to give thanks to God for all that we have. I pray and hope that this video will help and bless you--it certainly has impacted me!

~Photobug

Germs & God: Really Quite Similar

Lately, germs have been on my mind. Why? Well, probably for several reasons, but one of the main ones is that my sister had pink eye a few weeks ago, and so the germs/don't touch your eye/wash your hands/use your own towel thing came up again!

I think germs are funny things. After all, we can't see them! (well, I suppose one could with a microscope but that's beside the point) For all we know, they could be some crazy brain idea thought up by a weird scientist in a laboratory somewhere. Still, we take these "invisible" germs very seriously. Why? Because we can see the results of what germs cause (such as sickness, etc.).

Let's apply that to the spiritual realm. Why don't some people take the "invisible" God so seriously? Sure, Jesus may have come a few thousand years ago, but they surely didn't see him! Why should they believe this God story? For all they know it could be some crazy story created by a wily theologian.

If people couldn't see the results of God existing, I'd understand. But that picture is faaaar from reality. Just like germs, we can't see God, but just like germs, we can see the evidences of God existing. For example, just that you're alive is a miracle in itself. A few years ago I took a Human A & P course, and it was litterally mind-blowing to find out how intricately amazing the human body is. On their search for God, people could look to the sun, which God has set in its place to shower the earth with light. Who keeps the sun all ticking away? Certainly not humans! Or look at the plants, how they grow, are sustained, and help us live. I could go on and on with this theme, but the point is clear. People may not see God, but just like germs, there are evidences aplenty for them to believe in God!

So far, we've only talked about the two far ends of the spectrum, believing in God or not believing in God. But there's also a middle group, a group that believes in God but wonders where He is in there lives. Here's two bulletins of good news: God is always watching over you, no matter where you are. He is with you always, and will help you if you ask Him. Secondly, go out to nature, and observe how the plants, trees, and sky go about their life. Get out in nature, and that can help remind a person that God is in control.

"But God made the earth by his power; he founded the world by his wisdom and stretched out the heavens by his understanding." Jeremiah 10:12

So just like there's evidences for germs, there's also evidences for God. He is a God deeply invested with His creation!

Successful Launch & Docking for Expedition 29/30 Crewmembers

Expedition 29 finally reached its full strength as Anton Shkaplerov, Anatoly Ivanishin, and Dan Burbank successfully docked their Soyuz to the International Space Station last night. Shkaplerov, Ivanishin, and Burbank had launched from Kazakstan in a blizzard earlier this week. 


Expedition 29 will have just a few days together before Expedition 29 Commander Mike Fossum and his comrades Satoshi Furukawa and Sergei Volkov depart for home this coming Monday.



Expedition 29/30 launch



Expedition 29/30 docks with the ISS, and all spacemen freely dispense hearty welcomes to each other

You Have Saved Me, You Have Changed Me

This is a video I took at camp this past year...I liked it so much I thought that I'd share it with you!

~Photobug

Hover & God's Understanding

One of my favorite computer games to play is called Hover. It's a really old one that came on one of Dad's computers years ago, but it still works on our computer so I'm really glad for that. ;)

The goal of Hover is to collect all of your oponents' flags before they collect all of yours. You are in a Hovercraft, and using the map you can expertly glide through the maze to collect flags. Sometimes the flags are easy to find and grab; for example, right behind a wall (with an opening), or just plain out in the open. And sometimes you have to climb the stairs to nab a flag, all while avoiding the various traps.

While there are multiple levels, the hardest level is the one that looks like a sewer (see above photo). The hard part is that to win, there is often a flag on a platform...but no stairs. The only way to collect that is to use the springs you've collected and jump, hoping you will make it up on the platform! As a general rule, I will save this flag for last. While I collect the rest of the flags throughout the maze, I purposely collect as many springs as I can, so if I miss the platform on my first jump I can try again.

There's just one little problem with that, though. The other team (about 5 or 6 strong, and run by the computer) knows that I am just one flag away from winning. So they all congregate around me, taking turns jabbing and pushing me away from the platform! And if you get bumped while trying to jump, you most certainly won't reach the platform!

Is that how you feel sometimes? That everything is coming at you, jabbing and pushing you around? That no one is for you? Perhaps you feel like no one could possibly understand what you are going through. If so, let me share a Bible verse with you:

"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin."

That's from Hebrews 4:15, and the verse is talking about Jesus. Jesus did come to this earth, and become fully human and retained his identity as fully God. It's a mystery beyond comprehension, but the point is that Jesus does understand what we go through. He's been there, and is in a perfect position to help and comfort us through our trials and and hardships.

And what about me on Hover? Well, I also collect "invisibles", and as I jump I also enable the "invisible" function so the other team can't see me or knock into me. That way, I have a very good chance of jumping onto the platform, collecting the last flag, and winning the game.

Remember that whatever you are going through, Jesus understands. He is more than ready to help you if you only let Him!

What Goes Up...Must Come Down (and more!!)

The Expedition 30 crew, expected to inhabit the International
Space Station on Christmas.

Due to a rocket failure this past August, the International Space Station will see more action than planned during the coming holidays.

Expedition 29 will come to full strength as Anton Shkaplerov, Anatoly Ivanishin, and Dan Burbank rocket into the heavens this Sunday at 11:14pm, Eastern Standard Time. Docking to the International Space Station at 12:33am EST on November 16, 2011, there will be a five day period in which all six Expedition 29 crewmembers are in space. 


Expedition 29 Commander Mike Fossum will hand over command of the orbiting outpost to Dan Burbank on November 20, and thus Expedition 30 will begin. Fossum and his crewmates Sergei Volkov and Satoshi Furukawa will depart for the green hills of Earth on November 21, with an estimated landing time of 9:25pm EST. 


Burbank, Shkaplerov, and Ivanishin will remain alone on the space station until late December, when Oleg Kononenko, Andre Kuipers, and Don Pettit will blast off from Kazakstan on December 21, reaching the International Space Station in time to celebrate Christmas with their Expedition 30 colleagues. 


More information about launch, docking, and landing times will be posted as they become available. Don't miss out on any of the action this season--watch it all on NASA TV!

North Carolina in a Weekend

These photos are posted especially for my Uncle Brian's friend John, who really enjoys seeing my latest exploits in photography. :)

This past weekend, my family and I spent a delightful weekend over in western North Carolina. Since it had been several years since I had really seen the state, I had grand fun! We actually went over so that Dad and another teacher from our local university could talk in church about faith, science, and creation; however, our family also enjoyed the beautiful fall color and finding a few geocaches, too! :D

Foundations

One of the many jobs I do as a janitor at our church is straightening tables and chairs. It's a very precise process, and there's no room for random movements. For example, I have to straighten all the tables before I straighten the chairs. All eight tables forming a square, getting that first table exactly straight is of utmost importance. It must be totally straight on the lines of the floor, so the rest of the tables and chairs are straight as well.

If I had to grade what was the most important part of my straightening, I'd readily say that getting the first table straight is the most important. Because, after all, that first table is kinda like my "cornerstone", or "foundation" for the rest of the straightening process! If the "foundation" is straight, all's well. But if not? Well...I have to take everything out and do the job all over again.

That's how it is with our spiritual life, isn't it? If we don't have our foundation right, everything else is a mess. Jesus illustrated this point in Matthew 7:24-27:

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

As you've probably guessed by now, Jesus is the True Cornerstone and Firm Foundation.(see Eph. 2:20) If we build on Him, if we align our lives based on what He told us to do, we'll be just fine. And how do we "build" on Him? Listen to His words--read the Bible! Develop a real relationship with Him--pray to Him like you would a friend! Go to church each week--you'll be spiritually recharged! Put Jesus' teachings into practice in your own life!

When we trust and build on the Firm Foundation, life won't exactly be roses. But we do have the reassurance that He is with us every step of the way (see Matthew 28:20) and will help us through whatever we might face. If we build on the other foundation that Jesus mentioned, we don't have any of that. When the rains come, we will be swept away because we wouldn't have built on the firm foundation.

As for me, I'm trying to build on the Firm Foundation. Every time I head into the church to straighten tables and chairs, I am reminded about my resolve in a very practical way. Now how about you? What foundation are you building on?

Fall Break, Part 2:...to North Carolina

Well, we finally got to go to Cherohala Skyway on the Sunday of Fall Break. And it was fun! Not too long of a drive, and the colors were just gorgeous on the Skyway, too.

First we stopped by the Visitor's Center, and I found a geocache (what else?). We also visited a very nice museum nearby that nicely displayed telephones "back in the day". Mom was teasing me because I didn't even know how to "dial" a telephone! The museum was very nice--not big, but free is always our price! Really enjoyed seeing the rows and rows of early telephones, a telephone repair truck, and even two early telephones you could talk on!

After the telephone museum, we hit the Skyway and just drank in the beautiful color, turn after beautiful turn. It was really wonderful, there was hardly anyone there, and many pull-offs were provided to see a view for a longer time. We had a wonderful picnic lunch at almost 3,000 feet (a great view, too!), and continued into North Carolina so that I could rack up a cache in another state! :D

The 31st--Issue #2

Welcome back to The 31st, everyone! As advertised this past August, this column will appear on my blog on the 31st day of every month that has a 31st day, and will be filled with all sorts of cool and interesting trivia.

For this issue (#2), I'm going to focus on the day October 31. Since I am a Christian, I do not celebrate Halloween. Well, what else has happened on October 31? Check out the below list and see!

~Photobug

Did you know...

• that on October 31, 1517, Martin Luther kicked off the Protestant Reformation by nailing his 95 theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenburg?
• that on October 31, 1861, Union General Winfield Scott resigned command of the entire Union Army, due to poor health?
• that on October 31, 1864, Nevada became the 36th U.S. state?
• that on October 31, 1913, the first U. S. transcontinental highway was dedicated? It was called the Lincoln Highway.
• that on October 31, 1930, Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins was born? 
• that on October 31, 1941, Mount Rushmore was completed after 14 years of work?
• that on October 31, 2000, Expedition One launched from Kazakhstan in their Soyuz  TM-31? Since then, mankind has constantly had a presence in outer space. Expedition One was the very first crew to inhabit the International Space Station.

So there you go. Now we all know that there is much more to October 31 than just Halloween! See you in December!

The Flowers of Fall

This month has been soo busy for me. From schoolwork, to part-time jobs, to looking into college, there have been so many things to do! As I’d go about my daily life, I’d see vibrant fall color everywhere. It was gorgeous, it was pretty—I knew it wouldn’t last for long—but couldn’t the leaves see that I was busy? They needed to stay on until I could photograph them!

A week or two ago, I realized that the leaves wouldn’t wait for my life to slow down. So, I finally found time in my schedule and took some pictures of the fall color (such as the leaf at left, which I found in our yard).

You know, I’ve been thinking about my experience with the fall color. It’s kind of like our relationship with Christ, really. Sometimes we may say to Him, “Lord, I want to spend time with you! I really do! But can’t you see I’m really busy right now? I don’t have time for you!” God never forsakes us, but chances are if we don’t spend time with Him now, we probably won’t in the future. Yes, life is busy. Yes, there are many, many things to do. But make an effort to spend a few minutes with God each day. Read His Word, pray to Him, develop a relationship with Him!

“Be still, and know that I am God…” ~Psalms 46:10

There’s an expression that says, “Take time to smell the flowers”. It means that we need to take time to enjoy the little yet vastly important things of life. In my example above, I needed to smell the “flowers” of fall, and take time to photograph the fall color! Spending time with God may seem a little thing, but really it isn’t. Make the time to “smell the flowers” and get to know God better! You won’t regret it.

Fall Break, Part 1: From Alabama...

Me near the site of my first Alabama cache find! 

Ahhh....fall break. The time when the trees are absolutely aglow with vibrant hues of red, orange, and yellow, and when there is no school and minimum work. In other words, a very welcome break from the daily grind of things!

So felt I this past fall break, which occurred last week. While I still had to work on Thursday, our family had planned a grand big trip up to the Cherohala Skyway on the Friday of fall break. Well, scratch that! My little sister awoke Friday morning with a case of very bad pink eye, and there flew out all our Cherohala plans! Holding a family council, we decided to try for Cherohala on the Sunday of fall break, and that day (Friday) get Alison all squared up with medicine.

So on Friday morning, Mom took Alison to the doctor, getting some medicine as well. But the afternoon was free. We wanted to do something with this rare time opportunity! So we decided to drive the hour or so over to South Pittsburg, Tennessee. South Pittsburg just happens to be the home of Lodge Manufacturing, which is the only company in the country that still produces cast iron cookware. (They've been doing it since 1896!) Additionally, there is an outlet store of Lodge cookware in South Pittsburg. Mom really wanted to visit the outlet store, so we hit the road and decided to have some fun.

View of Nickajack Lake,  taken from the welcome center

Now I must mention something. All day had not gone to plan. The drive to South Pittsburg was no different. Cherohala--out. Instead, Alison had pink eye and went to see the doctor. We are about to get onto I-24, but an overhead sign warned us of severe traffic delays on that highway, so we quickly got off of the Interstate (75). The traffic was just as bad off the interstate! Finally we were able to get some maps (we had left ours at home). Still I-24 had bad traffic. So we skirted the city close to I-24 but not quite on it. After almost totally going around Chattanooga, we rejoined I-24 and reached South Pittsburg shortly thereafter. But it took us like two hours instead of the planned one! (However, we did stop to eat a wonderful little picnic lunch at a Tennessee Welcome Center--and find a cache.)

The Lodge outlet store was very nice, and Mom had a wonderful time selecting various pieces to bring home with her! Alison and I thoroughly enjoyed a nice little video on how Lodge manufactures its' cookware. Wow--very interesting, hot, and hard. Really awesome video, loved it! As Dad put it, watching the video makes you want to say, "Cool!"; but really, it's "Hot!" (Lodge manufactures its' cookware using temperatures of several thousand degrees Fahrenheit!)

The "Iron Man"

Finished with the outlet store, we hit the road caching. In geocaching, you must understand that it is a big thing to find geocaches in different states. Previous to this day, I had never found an Alabama cache before. South Pittsburg is like only a mile from the TN-AL border. Guess what I asked my parents to do? ;) Happily, I was able to quickly locate and find my first Alabama cache. It was a really cool location, too, with a plaque talking all about the Trail of Tears and Alabama! Many photos were taken.

After that, we reentered Tennessee and found a really cool micro cache that was hidden in a statue of cast iron (naturally, by Lodge of course!). This statue looked like a man, so it is called the "Iron Man"!! :D After that we headed home, a grand day indeed. It was honestly amazing to see how God turned something bad (my sister's pink eye) into something good (a family trip to South Pittsburg, something we weren't even planning!) That reminds me of a favorite Bible verse...


And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)


To be continued...

Applefest

Every year, the president of the university where Dad works holds an "Applefest" for all the university faculty, staff, and their families. It's always a highlight of the year--a celebration of fall--and food, fun, and fellowship reign in high gear. It's really fun interacting with people you normally only see around campus, working. Here's some pictures I took! (I would've taken more, except that the hot dogs and apple pie looked too inviting! ;D)

~Photobug

InteGRITy

Integrity. What comes to your mind when you think of it? Doing good? Doing the right thing always? Or maybe you think of a "goody-goody" boy you knew years ago.While I have my own personal opinion of what integrity is, I decided to see what Noah Webster had to say on the subject. In our Webster dictionary (Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary), the explanation for "integrity" goes like this:

"1: an unimpaired condition : SOUNDNESS  2: firm adherence to a code of esp. moral or artistic values : INCORRUPTIBILITY 3: the quality or state of being complete or undivided : COMPLETENESS"

Tennessee Autumn

This month has been soo busy for me! I've been going about my daily life in a virtual kaleidoscopic of brilliant colors, but have just been too busy to take photos. Finally, when I found out that thunderstorms are predicted for our area tonight, I decided that I needed to take some photos busy life or not!

So here are some of my better shots...isn't Tennessee in the autumn pretty?? I love my state! These photos were all taken in my own yard.

~Photobug

 ^^Can you spot the chickadee in this photo??

 These leaf photos are my favorites! 

^^Our street. See you next time! :)

The Real Thing

A couple months ago, our town did something really cool. They started building a sidewalk on our road!

Okay, so it isn't exactly our road. We actually live off a side street. But since our side street was at the far end of the main road leading into the university, we were all thrilled when we saw the sidewalk being built on the main road. Now, if we needed to, we could walk all the way to the university, or even the main part of town.

Our town officials were so thoughtful they built even more than just the sidewalk; they installed street lights! While we liked the sidewalk, we were thrilled about the street lights. If we were ever out late and had to walk home, we wouldn't have to worry at all about bringing flashlights!

Ruby Falls

Guess what I did this week?

Well, I got to see Ruby Falls, and walk through the adjoining cavern! This past week our local university held a special "preview" meeting/session for high school seniors interested in coming to college here. In other words, to catch all the gullible fish that they can! ;) Haha, no, really our local university is top-notch, and I really enjoyed the meetings.

As you might suspect, there were the to-be-expected campus tours, "our school is great!" talks, and financial aid presentations as well. Additionally, the school also took all the high school seniors and their families to Ruby Falls! It was grand fun as I had never been, and probably never will go again, due to the price tag. However, when it's all free to me, I sure don't mind going! ;)

Ruby Falls is very nice. It is a commercialized cave to be sure (normally you don't see electric lights or handrails), but the tourist receives the impression that they have seen a rustic and "natural" enough cave. Of course, the highlight of the tour is the view of 150' Ruby Falls itself, (and at 1,120 feet below Lookout Mountain) a magical sight to behold. Spotlights illuminate the falls, with nice music accompanying. 

The Results Are In!

Before we leave World Space Week too far behind, I thought I'd let you know of the results of the poll I conducted during the past week or so. Out of all three photos, the above shot received 100% of the votes! Which I think is pretty good. ;) It was taken by Astronaut Bill Anders in December of 1968 on the Apollo 8 mission, and was one of the very first photos to show the Earth in its' entirety.

~Photobug

Flying In Space At A Historical, Exciting Time (World Space Week, Day 7; Armchair Astronaut Oct. 2011)

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be bolted onto a Russian Soyuz rocket, and then be sent into space for five months? How about living in a space station in which you could get lost, or when the last two shuttle mission ever arrive?

Wheels Stop for the Final Time (World Space Week, Day 6)

Today, I'd like to share with you a very nice summery video of the final space shuttle mission, STS-135! Enjoy!

~Photobug

God of Wonders (World Space Week, Day 5)

Today I'm sharing with you one of my absolute favorite songs, entitled "God of Wonders". I sing it almost every week in church, and for a while now I've wanted to share it with you. So now I have; today it doubles both as my weekly devotional and as my daily post for World Space Week.

I greatly enjoy the outstanding pictures of stars and galaxies in the video; however, I also really appreciate the message of the song. So sit back a moment, tune everything else out; and watch this video. God truly is a "god of wonders beyond our galaxy!"

We Choose the Moon (World Space Week, Day 4)

Ever wanted to learn more about Apollo 11? To hear what the astronauts and Mission Control said? To view actual photos and video of that historic mission?

Well now your wish is granted! About two years ago, the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum produced an outstanding website named "We Choose the Moon", and it's all about Apollo 11. While many books (and I'm sure websites, too!) have been written on the subject, this website really stands head and shoulders above the rest. The website guides you from launch to landing to splashdown, employing a variety of media to re-create the journey. There will be a few minutes of video for each "stage", and after the video part ends you can explore photos and video relating to that part of the Apollo 11 mission. There's also places to view pictures of JFK himself. Underscoring all of this is the constant, authentic transmissions between Houston and Apollo 11.

The title, "We Choose the Moon" came from a quote by John F. Kennedy, as he spoke one September day on why the United States was choosing to go to the moon:

"We choose the moon in this decade and the other things, not because it is easy, but because it is hard..."

From the roar of the Saturn to the heart-stopping landing of Eagle, the website "We Choose the Moon" is epic. Any space enthusiast or history buff should pay a visit!

WeChooseTheMoon.org

~Photobug

A First & A Last Combined (World Space Week, Day 3)

One of my all-favorite stories is the story of Project Apollo travelling to and exploring the moon. (Could you guess? ;D) Here's a video of a very unique launch--the first and only night launch of a Saturn V! The mission was Apollo 17, and astronauts Gene Cernan, Ron Evans, and Jack Schmitt took off at 12:33am on December 7th, 1972.

Their mission was one for the history books, as they spent more time in space and more time on the lunar surface than any previous mission. Returning to Earth on December 19, Apollo 17 was a grand way to cap off the Apollo program.

~Photobug

Space Poll (World Space Week, Day 2)

 ^^Picture A.

 ^^Picture B

^^Picture C

*    *    *

Above are, in my opinion, the three most iconic pictures ever taken in the early space program. "Picture A" shows Ed White becoming the first American ever to walk in the void of space. It was taken by White's commander, Jim McDivett, on June 3, 1965. White spacewalked just a few months after Russian Alexei Leonov became the first man ever to spacewalk.

"Picture B" was taken by Apollo 8 crewmember Bill Anders on Christmas Eve, 1968. Just a few hours before, his comrade Jim Lovell, and his commander Frank Borman had become the very first humans to ever reach lunar orbit. They had put much effort into training for this history-making flight, but they were lacking in one thing: they had not expected to see the Earth so powerfully.

"Picture C" is probably the most familiar to us all. It was taken on July 20, 1969 as Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin became the first men to walk on the Moon. And yes, that is a picture of Aldrin, not Armstrong!

So...what photo do you like best? You can let me know in a variety of ways. You can vote in the poll on your left (in the sidebar), or leave a comment on this article. Or if you know my e-mail or Facebook, you can vote that way. I'll post the results next week!

~Photobug

World Animal Day

This morning, I was about to tell my 7-year-old sister that today was the 54th anniversary of Sputnik's launch, and that today was the start of World Space Week. But guess what she tells me? That it's World Animal Day!

(Yes, that's a real holiday. Go to: http://www.worldanimalday.org.uk/ to find out more.)

So...happy Sputnik Day AND happy World Animal Day! See all the animals my sister has on her bed? I think she even has a real one on there, too! :D

~Photobug

A Fellow Traveler (World Space Week, Day 1)

Guess what today is?

October 4.

Yep, well, good start. Do you know happened fifty-four years ago today?

Ummm...I don't know. Considering it's coming from you, it's probably something space related.

Good guess! Fifty-four years ago today, the Soviet Union (now Russia) launched Sputnik 1, the very first artificial satellite to ever circle the globe.

Big deal. That thing's probably not even up there now, is it? And I don't suppose anyone still celebrates the fact, do they?

True, Sputnik 1 deorbited after exactly three months. And whether it's still a big deal? Well, have you ever heard of World Space Week?

No.

Okay, well, I don't blame you. I just found out about it a few weeks ago when I was purusing a magazine calendar. I Googled it, and what do you know? World Space Week is an annual celebration of all things space, and is celebrated in over 55 nations. It's even the largest public space event on earth...or should I say, off it!

Haha, very nice!

Using Talents to Witness for God

Disclaimer: the idea for this devotional did not originate with me. Instead, I heard it from one of our Sabbath School teachers at church.

How can you be a good witness for God? Be a pastor? Okay, good start. Pastors and ministers do a wonderful job of spreading the gospel, and are integral to the church. But there are a lot more church members than pastors. Let's look at Matthew 28:19-20--

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." 

Most people are probably familiar with these verses as the "Great Commission", which it is. But Jesus doesn't limit this challenge to just pastors, though they are certainly included. Jesus is including everyone in this command--that means you and me, too!

So that brings us back to our original question. If we, not just pastors, are supposed to spread the word and be good witnesses for God, then how do we do it?

County Fair!

Guess what we did this past weekend? We went to our local county fair! We've gone for several years in a row now, but some things just never get old.

"Don't let Satan snuff (YOU) out..."

As you probably know, each and every week I will help clean our church. I'll end up spending most of the day there, emptying trash, vacuuming rugs, washing windows, or a host of other things!

A couple weeks ago, I was almost done with my work at the church for that day. Just a few more windows remained to be cleaned, and then I could get onto the final little jobs! I was up at the far end of our church, by the Youth Room. Our church's technical director, Dean, was also up in that same far end of our church, working out some bugs in the Youth Room's internet connection.

As I'm washing my last few windows, Dean comes out to me and asks if I wanted to watch a really quick music video on YouTube! Evidently the Internet was working, but Dean was playing a video just to make sure that it was.

"Sure!" I replied.

And then--

Boatlift

Just over a week ago, 9/11 once again made the news. No, not because it had happened again, but because people were remembering. Just over 10 years ago, that terrible tragedy occurred.

I remember that day well. I was still a little kid, doing his homeschool on a typical September morning. One of my subjects was Bible, and at the time I was working on Psalm 91, particularly verse 7:

"A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee."


Suddenly, the phone rang. It was my dad, almost commanding my mother and I to turn on the TV NOW! I dropped my Psalm 91 practice, and ran to the TV. Mom turned it on, and she and I both watched the second tower fall. 


It's been a decade, but those memories are still as vivid as if it had all occurred yesterday. Recently, with it being 10 years since 9/11, many people have either changed their profile picture to a patriotic one, or written  commemorative statuses. Recently a powerful video has been circulating on Facebook, and I finally made time to view it yesterday. 


I was blown away. Powerful, amazing, intense, and moving don't do it justice at all. This video was on the massive boatlift that tons of people participated in to help evacuate Manhattan Island. I had known of the tragedy of 9/11, and I knew there were heroes, but I hadn't known the particulars. I highly recommend watching this video, I've even included it with this article. As my mother says, 9/11 brought out the worst--and best--of mankind. This video highlights the "best" part.


~Photobug

Chicken Charlie's Grand Michigan Adventure, Part 7

What's happening: Geocacher "Photobug" takes trackable "Chicken Charlie" with him on vacation to Michigan. They visit lots of history museums, but that's not all they do!

Hey guys! This is Chicken Charlie once again! In this final article, I'm gonna  tell you what Photobug and I did when we were not going to history museums. Can you guess? Yep! You're right--geocaching!!

Of course, being a geocaching trackable myself, I just had gobs of fun visiting all the different caches! We found some in Michigan, and then on our way back to Tennessee we found some caches in Kentucky. Following are some photos and descriptions of some caches that I found!

*    *    *

^^This one was one of my favorites--it was named, "I don't see no quails". Birds are GREAT!

Still Standing

By nature, humans would rather do nothing than something. For example, there's a lot of people who would rather stay home and watch television instead of getting out of the house and exercising on a perfectly fine day. Or play a computer game instead of folding the laundry.

While I do try to be active and not just spend my entire day starring at a screen, I have noticed sometimes that I feel like I'd rather sit than stand. For example, a couple times a week I head down to our local university's cafeteria and help clean their bathrooms and dining hall. The work is fairly easy, and the people are extremely nice, which helps a lot. However, nice people or not, after almost four hours on my feet I can get a little tired. When I sit down in the dining hall to grab some stray food article that I need to pick up, often I have a very strong temptation to just stay seated, as I am tired! However, I know that I still have a job to do, so I conscientiously stand up and get back to work. I have to make sure that I am still standing--I can sit when I am done with my work.

I've been thinking about that lately. Sometimes in the spiritual sense, it may seem to be easier to sit down and go with the flow, go with your peers, instead of standing up for what you believe in. It may be the easier option. But is that what we should do?

No. We need to keep standing for God, even if it's not easy. Of course, Jesus never said it was easy. In the Beattitudes (see Matthew 5:10-11) He said that while we may get persecuted for His sake, He will remember our actions and reward us in Heaven. Another encouraging verse is Romans 15:5--

"May the God who gives endurance and encouragement..."

Jesus has promised to give us endurance and encouragement! So when we feel like our stand for Him is slipping, we can call on God and He will help us. Another beautiful promise is found in Matthew 28:20--

"And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

While Jesus has revealed that we may have to endure various forms of persecution, he has not only promised to give us endurance and encouragement, but to be with us! I don't know about you, but that encourages me aplenty. With God's help, we can keep standing for Him!!

So I have a question for you. When Jesus comes back in the clouds of Heaven very soon, will He find you still standing for Him??

Expedition 28 Lands Safely at Midnight

Last night, at exactly midnight Eastern time, three spacemen finally completed an 164-day trip in space. At 10am local time, Expedition 28 crew members Andrey Borisenko, Alexander Samokutyaev, and Ron Garan safely landed their Soyuz spacecraft in Kazakstan. While communications were a little sparse during descent, the crew still made a bulls-eye landing.

Of course, I really enjoyed watching the landing last night, and especially because Ron Garan was aboard. Throughout his past five or so months aboard the International Space Station, Garan has kept an active blog on what living in space is like. So I am both happy and sad that he is back on the planet. If you want to read his past articles, go here: www.fragileoasis.org

Below are some videos of the change of command, goodbye's, undocking, and landing back on the green Earth. If you would like to read the NASA article chronicling the landing, click here.

~Photobug


Expedition 28 Commander Andrey Borisenko hands over command of the International Space Station to Expedition 29 Commander Mike Fossum


Expedition 28 good-byes


Expedition 28 undocking from the International Space Station


Expedition 28 lands safely