Well I was enjoying the blog of my good friend Markus: StreachyChurch and saw this video called Mr. Diety…and here it is just incase you want to watch it:
(Disclaimer: This theology is WAY OFF, but man this really is funny. The old guy is God (the Father) the young guy is Jesus, and Larry is Holy Spirit)
So, then I found this video that some one shot @ Lake Louise where Tiffany and I went on our honeymoon…and man this made me miss being able to be with my wife for longer than just a date night here and there:
Anyway and it got me thinking…. I just got off the phone with another friend Aaron (disclaimer: he has not updated in a long time), and I was talking about the importance of Sabbath (and we talked about this in staff today too @ Florence UMC) and I realized that Tiffany and I have not been on vacation since we graduated from Seminary. All the vacation time that we build up during the year we take during Christmas and New year to spend with our families. and while i love that time…it really is not necessarily a true vacation. And to be honest, planting a church and being a part of a traditional church at the same time is a very tiring and time consuming thing. I really think that I need a vacation. But even if we did carve out a time for a vacation, we would not have any money to take one. It is just frustrating and honestly we do not see any sabbath or vacation time in the future. Plus moving and Tiffany starting up a new job is not helping anything either. but i am really sensing that I and we need some good marriage vacation time. We have talked about in the past going to Walt Disney World before we adopt/have kids and then get to save up and go back with kids….and we have also kicked around the idea of going with other couples on vacation together…kind of like a Sr. trip with adult married friends…and how much fun that would be….but then all of our dreams are dashed against jagged rocks when we look at our lives, and lack of funds…. anyway…just talking out loud here… and if you feel the same way a little bit….. I would say just go for it… really be intentional and start saving up now and set a desired date to go and work for it…. you deserve it….and Lord knows I will try to join you and take some of my own advice. love yall and God bless!!! KUTPs!!!!
Well, yesterday during lunch time Scott and I went out for a photo shoot. Scott is an amazing photographer and since I love photography…I decided to go with him every month or so and we go around the area to take pictures of different places and things. Yesterday we went to the Cincy Krohn Conservatory ad saw all the great plants and flowers they had…one entire section was closed so they could change it around for the seasons…but I still had a ton of fun and Scott is great company! So here are a few of the pictures I took, if you want to see more than just go to my Flickr photos over there on the right side of my blog and you can view them all….
Here is the waterfall…I took this one without a tripod which is why the greenery around te water is a little blurry too, but the water came out great.
The orchid room was amazing…it was not very big…but man those flowers are great!
Here is looking up a tree….. I loved the texture on the bark of the tree and just had to get a shot of it…and of course I love looking at things differently, so I decided looking up would be fun.
Barrel Cactus…. very cool cactus and just loved the shape. Ironic the shape is pleasing but the spikes are not, heh.
Not sure the name of the succulent plant, but I just loved the Black and White version of this one. The black tips came out great and the design of it is great!
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Well, Tiffany and I went to a meeting yesterday and when I went to check my pocket PC (PPC) the screen was fried and I could not see anything on it… so the piece of tech that held my contacts, calendar, (a few games), and tons of notes and tasks is now officially dead! So, I will be attempting to see if I can get by with just using my laptop for all those items…but it just will not be as convenient to get a telephone number, enter a date, etc… Maybe I can hold out for PPCs to get cheaper when the iPhone comes out, heh… anyway…it is dead…and I will get to change the way I work a little bit…but who knows this might be a blessing in disguise.
Oh here are a few pictures that I had laying around my Flickr that I meant to put up here, but just never have until now….
Here is a photo that my friend Scott shot of me for our church directory. They wanted a photo of us while at work, so we went to a local Starbucks and I thought this one was probably my favorite.
Here are a few more (this is mainly for my Mom….please do not think that I like to see my own photo…i hate it actually which is why I love photography…. most of te time you are not in yor own pictures, heh
Here is a Buffalo mounted at the Longhorn Steak house in the shopping center that the Friday night OG meets… I thought I would grab a shot of it.
Now this is a cool lamp I saw @ Lowe’s! Man it looks and moves like a robot (not on it’s own sadly), but what a cool lamp to have on a geek’s desk!
lastly, here is Jedi Halo! Halo loves to get the covers under his nose and lift them over and over again until he is under them and comfortable…I took this shot when he decided to emerge from them in the morning. ——————————————-
Well, yall have a wonderful weekend, God bless ya, and take care! KUTPs!!!
Well, Today is my brother Jay’s Birthday. For those of you who don’t know he passed away a few years ago, and in honor of my brother I am going to go eat Indian food today with Tiffany, heh… We really should not be eating out and be good about our money and just eat at home..but I am sure we will do it anyway, heh… But it got me thinking…. are we going to celebrate birthday’s in Heaven? I know someone asked Jesus if there was marriage in heaven…and the answer was “no” (fine by me I guess. I love my wife, but I love my God more…and she loves me even more because of that fact, heh)…. but what about Birthdays? They do seem a little selfish…being alabout us…..but it in reality should be able our praise for God allowing us to have this life….well, I guess I will just find out when I get there, heh…. what do yall think? Oh and Happy birthday Jay….if yall celebrate it there, heh heh…..
It also sure is a good excuse to go get some good food, heh….
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Well, here are the ton of videos from our Christmas that I promised…. They are all on YouTube so you can find them there too….but in no particular order here they are…..(and yes i realize that this is mainly for my family…but they are probably my most active readers so I get to sho them some love too!…..
Here is the Cutter Cam @ Rudy’s in Austin TX. Rudy’s is a very good BBQ place all over TX and a few in NM, and this is how serious TX is about it’s BBQ….they have a live camera showing them cut the BBQ while you wait in line…love it!
Stop Spitting Here Is Caleb my nephew telling his grandfather (who is pestering him) to stop spitting! Then tiffany tries to pester him by saying the (not allowed words, “shut up”) It is funny because he knows “shut up” is not supposed to be said, but instead of telling Tiffany to not say those words…he tells Tiffany that pop (his Granddad) should not say that word, heh.
We Don’t Say That Word…Because That Is Naughty Finally Tiffany got him to tell her not to say that word…and we heard this all the time when we were down there…Tiffany loved it…so so se would purposefully say the “naughty” words to hear him say it, heh.
My Nephew the future rocker…he has great stage presence!
So here is my mother-in-law opening up the gift Tiffany and I (mostly Tiffany) gave her…and then Caleb my nephew gets a little confused as to how he should play with it…it just made me miss my dog Halo. ha ha ha…..
So here is my Father-In-Law opening up a present from my wife. It is a huge home-made bobble head of Tiffany. It was @ her church’s bazaar and Tiffany bought it so that no one could get it….so she gave it to her father….and man…every time he looks at it…man those eyes crack me up…I would be doing the same thing….
Now here is my side of the family, and here is my nephew and his Dad attacking me and then fighting each other…kind of scary. But very cute.
And lastly I had to put up one Wii video and this time was my Nephew boxing..and doing a very fine job at it, heh…
================== Well, yall have a wonderful MLK Jr. Day…and watch a historic video or two to remember a wonderful man!
Well, I must say ever since I got a MacBook Pro laptop…I have been amazed and blown away with the Apple brand. Apple was actually one of my first computers…well it was my brother’s computer…but I got to play games on it too, heh…. but then Microsoft came into play and it became THE machine for games and if any of yall know me you know I like video games……so it was an easy choice…to go with Microsoft and the PC…. but ever since I have gotten a taste of Mac OS X and seen some of the simplest, yet amazing things they do with their products (like the two finger scroll on the mouse pad on the power Macs…very easy and cool) I am blown away…and also since my design classes in Undergrad I have had a flavor for good design and there is no one in the consumer market that can beat apple with the class and design of their products. Well, the rumor sites have been hinting at it al along and with Kevin Rose on Diggnaton leaking a few f the specs it seems that the big day @ the Mac World Expo has come and the iPhone is a reality…. And why am I freaking out (along with the rest of the geek nation)????
(click the image for all the info and stuff)
Well that is why! It is a phone (only through Cingular Wireless as of right now) 4G and 8G iPod with widescreen, TOUCHSCREEN, video capabilities (i.e. download TV shows, music videos, and movies from iTunes and watch them on it), Wi-Fi internet browser, can hold your contacts, calendar, a 2Meg digital camera, widgets, clock, calculator, email, runs Mac OS X, bluetooth 2.0,has 2 batteries one for the iPod part and another for the phone so that you will not kill the other one if using the other…..(you get the point….it is an end-all-be-all in your pocket device! I am actually surprised that they did not make a deal with Starbucks and it could make your mocha in the morning and your frap in the evening…(but during Steve’s Keynote speech he did order 4,000 cups from Starbucks to go fro the iPhone by using Google Maps on the web browser, heh) So how much for this little fella??????
4 Gig = $499 5 Gig = $599
Yep, for the price of this device that fits in your pocket….you could buy a PS3, or a small HDTV, or a decent computer, etc…. So I am sure that Cingular will give their usual more or less $100 discount when you sign up for a 12 year agreement with them for the phone…and not sure about anything when it comes to warranty, heh…. but pending the FCC allowing it to come to market… Apple has single handedly revolutionized the cell phone and MP3 player market forever! Amazing just amazing….
Steve also just mentioned the (click the image again for info) {apple}TV
for your home that costs $299 that will hook up wirelessly to your computer and iTunes and will allow you to watch your downloaded movies, TV shows, Music, etc…from iTunes on your widescreen TV in your living room! This product and others like it may very well kill both the next gen HD-DVD and Blu-ray-DVD High Definition DVDs out of the water! While they are fighting in another format war just like VHS and Beta Max….the download able services found on the Xbox 360 live Market Place and Apple’s iTunes may lay them both to rest and the thought of walking around with a hard copy of a movie with be a thing of the past…because it will just reside in your phone…that someday you will just put next to your TV that will play the High Definition movie wirelessly! And seriously I do not think that kind of dreaming is not too far off.
Anyway…. this is the week that a part of me was in the consumer electronics business. The Mac World Expo is going on and so Apple is telling the world what is new in their corner of the world…and the the CES show (Consumer Electronics show is also going on too! CES…is the place that all the consumer electronics manufactures gather to gather to show off their latest technology, from gadgets, to cell phones, to TVs, to surround sound, etc… And man I know that I would just loose bowel control if I had the opportunity to attend one of these events… but until that happens some day and I make friends with Steve Jobs or good old Bill gates…I will just have to get my news from the people I can almost trust (news websites, the companies themselves, bloggers, etc…)
Well, needless to say I am very excited about all the electronic stuff going on especially the HDTVs that are being shown there… (especially since mine is being worked on and I am without my TV for 7-10 days…..aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh, just kidding it is not too bad…especially since I have borrowed the church’s projector (thanks Gary)…but it is still not in HD…and with someone who just bought for Christmas the HD-DVD drive for the Xbox 360
(clickable again) it is all mine…my precious….my love…..(oh wait that would be Jesus and my wife…wel, it sure is fun to enjoy and play around with, heh heh heh….)
…it does kind of suck a little bit, heh…. But, some very cool technologies are out there and coming to TVs….like Sony’s new OLED technology that claims to have 100,000:1 contrast ratio…(it means very good ability to show the difference between the darks and lights in a picture which gives it much better clarity and definition no matter how much light is in the room that the viewer is in) this is something that plasma and LCD have been having a hard time with as far as a technology is concerned…but then Mitsubishi has a new technology that uses lasers to give the picture on their TV…and that has the potential of producing “perfect” colors instead of having to use red, blue, and green to produce the other colors, they will use CMYK and Red, Blue, Green…this will allow the yellows, Magentas, etc…to be really vibrant…and I am sure that technology will be amazing…even though I have not heard anything as of yet about it at this years CES, but the show still has a few days to go yet…. And all the news is towards the High Definition Format war…with LG even producing a player that plays both formats…so that it will not matter what movie studio goes with which technology that the consumer will be able to play them both, heh heh… and others (Warner) have gone the route that will allow the movie distributors to put both a HD-DVD movie on one side of the DVD and a Blu-ray HD movie on the other side! Very cool that someone out there cares about the consumers instead of being greedy and having a format war…. these selfish battles killed Super Audio CD and DVD-Audio….but then again downloaded movies might just kill them both off anyway…oh well………….
Well, let me see….. ah yes, Christmas and New Years….Tiffany and I had a great trip to TX (i.e. the promise land) and got back safe and sound with lovely gifts and the best gift of all getting to see family! So, I guess until I can get a few of the videos into youtube I will just have to put up a few pictures for yall to enjoy…so here you go…..
Here is one of my favorite gifts I got from Kevin…who i always have a “gag” gift for…it was just my way a long time ago of welcoming him into the family…and this year my plans were shot…so he got to have all the glory…and yes, that is a jewel encrusted toilet bowl plunger…and why you may ask did he do this…well, for a few of you long time blog reader you might remember this little gem of a post/story that involves Tiffany, poop, a plunger, and a phone call.
my parent’s dog Teddy
Teddy sleeping
My Dad and Brady (Kevin’s (the Holy Plunger guy) youngest boy)
The Stones and my aunt
Here is Caleb Nephew on tiffany’s side that did not want to hold anyone’s hand when he crossed the parking lot to the movies, heh… he was a wonderful delightful…handful, heh… But boy do we love him!
Here is Halley our Niece on Tiffany’s side…I loved the tongue she gave me for the picture.
Tiffany’s Dad with Noelle’s dog Sunshine
Me with little Haley
Caleb face
Caleb face 2
Central TX clouds….I just loved this shot
And to top it off a shot of that wonderful state of TX….God bless her!
Yall have a good night and go check out the tech stuff. It really is very cool stuff! KUTPs…and be looking forward to videos of our Christmas soon!
Happy New Year everyone! I hope that 2006 was a wonderful year for you all and than 2007 has many more blessing for you and yours! (even if some of them might be in disguise). We are now @ my parents house in Floydada TX, and so far it has been a wonderful vacation and visit with our families! God bless you all…and KUTPs!!! Oh and I got my mac back! woo hoo!!! Blessings!
Well, the sermon went very well this morning and so I thought I would allow everyone to read it if they would like and I might try to put up the audio for it again..but I need Courtney to host it on his site…and I need the Cd from it too, heh…
But here is this years Christmas Eve (morning Sermon:
(don’t forget that you need Adobe Reader to Read the sermon)
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So I was looking @ the blogs I read and I saw this and I thought it was kind of cool:
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Well, I am off to go to the 6:00 pm candle light and communion service….and then another one @ 11:00 pm… I hope and pray that everyone is having a wonderful end of Advent and has a WONDERFUL Christmas!!!!
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My Apple laptop is in the shop and I hope to get it back in about a week so, I you do not get to see much of me around here, or on my email that is the reason…I feel naked…but it is probably for the best! I love each and everyone of you and I hope that whoever reads the sermon is blessed by it. Yall take care and God bless yall! KUPTs!!!
Here are a few shots of West Texas…and the 3rd most important part of it…Cotton! This is a shot of a cotton field..and as you can see it just keeps on going into the flat land of West Texas! This is not the best example of a fruitful field…there were a few that were AMAZINGLY coated in little white bowls of fluff (and seeds, heh) But, my parents just stopped on the side of the road to let me get a few pictures of the sight!
Close up…and ready for harvest!
Here is a shot of the Cap Rock! This s the place that it goes from VERY flat to “normal” country. I liked the shot because it was very clear where it starts and stops.
And this is just the tip of one of the wings of the planes flying from Houston to Indy. I love that curved tip! Well, I will be fixing REAL TX Chili for tonight, because the Monday evening Organic Gathering will be coming over for a Chili cookoff! I rarely win these cook-offs, mainly because people around here have no idea what chili is, but oh well, and I am sure that Tiffany will enter a big bowl of New Mexico Green Chili…which is not TX chili either…it is just cut up NM green pepper chilies, heh heh…. but they do go good in regular chili. ha ha ha…… and some of you might be wondering… 3rd best thing in West Texas? Well that is easy 2nd best thing=Sun rises and sun sets (both are equally awesome!…and the best thing in West Texas?…………………. the people! No greater people in the world than the hospitality, an character found in West Texans! no offense to those of you who read this blog and are not fro West Texas…..Yall are filled with hospitality and character too….but I am speaking in generalities here, heh….. (and yes I know this will get lots of comments…heh heh heh…. KUTPs!!! and know I love yall…..(some of yall I love anyway, ha ha ha ha ha)
Here is one of my favorite pics from the funeral…it is from the plane and taken with a long exposure! Those lights are the green lights on the runway of the plane in Houston. I just thought it was very cool!
Here is the same airplane ride, but this time with the lights blinking under the wing of the plane….
Here is a big red ball just outside of Target in Lubbock, TX….. I loved the way the sun was hitting it and thought the contrast of light around the globe was cool. I was wondering why this was there. I can not remember if there was just this one, or multiple balls were around the parking lot…but it would be cool, if this was the center of the target from the bull’s eye of the target logo.
And here is a shot of the shopping cart sing in the parking lot of Target….. I am not sure why I took this photo, but I like it…effective design work.
I wanted to let you know that I just found out from my dad that my Nanaw (Grandmother) just passed away and join the church triumphant tonight! I just go t in to my house from driving from Louisville after flying from Seattle to Houston and then Houston to Louisville…and I am currently looking for flights out of here to go home to TX for the funeral….
When my Daddy told me I immediately smiled! I shed a few tears too, but smiled from my soul. Nanaw is with Jesus! Praise be to God and on ALL SAINTS DAY SUNDAY, TOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Also, while I was on the phone with my mother-in-law telling her about my Nanaw…their dog Matelda jumped through their back window shattering it all over their living room and the vet does not know if Matelda will make it because of all the blood loss.
So…needless to say our phone is off the hook, but there is joy in in our missing! And hope is renewed each night and each day with each life and each death! And from a book I am reading let me share part of a poem from Maya Angelou:
And when great souls die, After a period peace blooms, Slowly and always Irregularly. Spaces fill With a kind of Soothing electric vibration. Our senses, restored, never To be the same, whisper to us, They existed. They existed. We can be. Be and be Better. For they existed.
–from “When Great Trees Fall”
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And now a little from William W. How (1864) (Hebrews 12:1):
For all the saints, who from their labors rest, Who Thee by faith before the world confessed, Thy Name, O Jesus, be forever blessed. Alleluia, Alleluia!
Thou wast their Rock, their Fortress and their Might; Thou, Lord, their Captain in the well fought fight; Thou, in the darkness drear, their one true Light. Alleluia, Alleluia!
For the Apostles’ glorious company, Who bearing forth the Cross o’er land and sea, Shook all the mighty world, we sing to Thee: Alleluia, Alleluia!
For the Evangelists, by whose blest word, Like fourfold streams, the garden of the Lord, Is fair and fruitful, be Thy Name adored. Alleluia, Alleluia!
For Martyrs, who with rapture kindled eye, Saw the bright crown descending from the sky, And seeing, grasped it, Thee we glorify. Alleluia, Alleluia!
O blest communion, fellowship divine! We feebly struggle, they in glory shine; All are one in Thee, for all are Thine. Alleluia, Alleluia!
O may Thy soldiers, faithful, true and bold, Fight as the saints who nobly fought of old, And win with them the victor’s crown of gold. Alleluia, Alleluia!
And when the strife is fierce, the warfare long, Steals on the ear the distant triumph song, And hearts are brave, again, and arms are strong. Alleluia, Alleluia!
The golden evening brightens in the west; Soon, soon to faithful warriors comes their rest; Sweet is the calm of paradise the blessed. Alleluia, Alleluia!
But lo! there breaks a yet more glorious day; The saints triumphant rise in bright array; The King of glory passes on His way. Alleluia, Alleluia!
From earth’s wide bounds, from ocean’s farthest coast, Through gates of pearl streams in the countless host, And singing to Father, Son and Holy Ghost: Alleluia, Alleluia!
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And just for god measure to throw a little Charles Wesley (1762) in there too:
If death my friend and me divide, Thou dost not, Lord, my sorrow chide, Or frown my tears to see; Restrained from passionate excess, Thou bidst me mourn in calm distress For them that rest in Thee.
I feel a strong immortal hope, Which bears my mournful spirit up Beneath its mountain load; Redeemed from death, and grief, and pain, I soon shall find my friend again Within the arms of God.
Pass a few fleeting moments more And death the blessing shall restore Which death has snatched away; For me Thou wilt the summons send, And give me back my parted friend In that eternal day.
I love you Jesus, take care of my Nanaw…she is yours and in your hands!
Edwina Emert (Hollums) Entrance into the church triumphant Sunday, November 5th, 2006
Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers, and I am sure our family loves you and thanks you for them as well! KUTPs!!! God bless yall!
Well after a VERY crazy ride to the Market…man the public transit system is filled with lots of “interesting” people. We had a very nice driver, and a very needed crack user, and one lady in the back that was mad at them both…heh…tons of fun…so we go toff the bus, ran into a Rite Aid to buy umbrella’s… so duh…it is freaking Seattle, heh…. and then we met some really good friends of mine @ the market right here at this place…where they are known for throwing fish…. Here is Juaniece enjoying a fish being thrown at her, heh heh… she so was sweet…we got there very late and they were about to close up…but she got them to throw one more fish so I could take a picture of it!!! She was so sweet and it was so good to see her and her husband Neil(sp?)!!! They really treated us wonderfully!…and even got our dinner that night! more on that later…but check out the flying fish above her head!!! Sorry it is blurry, but still very cool!Here is a Monk Fish…why do I have one of the ugliest fish in the world on my blog?…well, 1) because it is freaking ugly, 2) it had a sign next to it that said it was a Monk Fish, 3) Monk Fish liver is my favorite Sushi!!!
(clickable again)
