Accomplishment of the Year

What was my great accomplisment for the year? Designing and Building a CHICKEN COOP! Actually this is my first attempt to build anything of signifigance.



What did I learn? I will never build my own house!

In light of the coldness of this winter so far, the next one I build will have part composite and part clear roof to help cut down on the heat loss


The Finished Coop










The Clear Roof

Initial Framing

HAPPY NEW YEAR

The Light of the World

This year we celebrate the Advent of the Messiah during the week of the Jewish festival of Hanukkah. This is quite appropriate as Jesus called himself the "Light of the World" (John 8:12) He also calls us the same in Matthew 5:14.



God's miracle during the era of the Maccabees gave Light during a time of cleansing and renewal of the Jewish Temple.



Jesus Christ came to be the Light to a World in need of cleansing and renewal from the power of Sin.



We have been appointed His ambassadors of Light to bring the message of cleansing and renewal to people in need of cleansing and renewal in their personal lives.



As we take time to enjoy the festivities of the season, let each one of us reflect on the what parts of our lives need the cleansing and renewal of the Christ and how we can allow our lives to reflect his Light into the lives of our family, friends and acquaintances in the coming year.



Maranatha!

Finding Warmth and Satisfaction

With the first touch of frost in the air, I begin the journey through the cold and soon-to-be wetness of winter in Oregon. I'll soon be wishing for the days of the past living in warmer climates. Re-visiting memories of the desert landscpes and enjoying the awesome beauty of the Grand Canyon.

As we reminisce about places we have lived or visited in the past, do we remember just the "good" things? Are we mentally fooled into believing that if we returned the "good" places of the past today that our lives would be somehow improved? Is the satisfaction of our present life dependent on reliving the past, or boldly embracing the "now" and courageously conquering the unknowns of the future?

How Will Life Change

I am the late life child of a late life child who remembers my mother talking about growing up in the Great Depression of the 20th Century. She told about her father taking 50 cents to the bank each week to pay the interest on their mortgage and eventually their family did lose their house in town and had to move to the ramshackle farm house they owned several miles out of town. I remember her recollection of how the stress of providing for his family (they had nine children) took a great toll on her father.

With the recent economic events of the past weeks, I wonder if our lives will be changing to reflect the past my mother experienced. Yes, we have government deposit insurance and the minimum wage now, but in the practical living of life what will it mean? What things that we have come to see as necessities will now become frivolities?

Will we sacrifice....
Fancy coffee
Cable TV
Internet access
DVD rentals
Cell phones
A second car
Meat at every meal

Maybe things will go on as they have, or maybe we will have to re-learn the skills of our not too far away ancestors.

What Fills Our Boxes

Over the years, I have collected many different items – rocks (unusual and pretty), bugs (a short lived interest as young boy), coins, and stamps (my current interest). My main interest lies in postage and revenue stamps of the United States with a growing interest in stamps from around the world. I particular like stamps that were issued prior to my birth as the new printing methods seem to have lost some of the intricate detail found in the older issues.


What we collect reveals something about us. How we collect reveals even more. Some things are unintentionally collected. These unintentional collections become either a wonderful new adventure, a nuisance or a nemesis.