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