The Rock

An update to: Breaking the Silence

2005-02-11T06:59:00.000-05:00

Our local paper has been very supportive about the story I posted a few days ago. Here is a link to their article:

Georgina Advocate

The link may only be open for a week or so. Thank-you all for the exposure I have been trying to get via blogs, and any other method, in order to achieve our goal!

Gay Marriage?...How about Your Marriage?

2005-02-04T18:34:00.000-05:00

Just as ski slopes progress from bunny hills to black diamonds, so
conversation starters in marriage range from simple to sizzling. But with
greater risk comes greater adventure. So hit the "slopes" with these
questions
on your next date and watch your relationship take off!

here is the rest of the article from Christianity Today
magazine:
http://www.christianitytoday.com/mp/2004/004/8.34.html

I think i'll be using some of these on my wife as a test.

UPDATE OF PREVIOUS POST: PICTURE THIS!

2005-02-01T01:13:00.000-05:00

Here is a picture of the way I found it! Although pictures don't do it justice, I think you can imagine the rest.

This angle is no better!

BREAKING THE SILENCE!

2005-01-31T23:02:00.000-05:00

It has been quite some time since I last posted. Not because I have nothing to say, rather I have lots to say but no time to do so. I want to leave everything off the table now except for one thing:

In the course of my job, I came across a man in need. Turns out he is in even more need now then when I began helping him.

The man is George Thrower. He is 61 years of age, and has worked at a full serve gas station in Richmond Hill for the last 35 years. He was forced to go to work, when his father fell ill, to support the family. His wife died at the age of 45 due to complications with MS. He has since taken in and cared for his brother-in-law, who is mentally challenged (I'm not exactly sure what, but not extremely).

Georges' house was in need of repair. He met a (so called) "contractor" at his work and a deal was struck to fix up his roof and foundation. Cash deal, of course. After borrowing $5,000 from family, and taking out a line of credit for $10,000, combined with whatever money he had saved, gave $22,500 to this contractor. This is when I met George.

I inspected the house and found the house to be beyond repair. The contractor did not hold any licenses nor did he take out any permits. His house was destined to be condemned. George told me that the contractor wanted another $30,000 to finish the job. George is a kind and simple man, not very attune to the world system.

His brother has taken up the legal battle with this handy man. In the mean time his brother also contacted the insurance company to see if they would cover the damages. I was rallying support from the legitimate contractors, in the area, to provide George with a house. The cheapest and quickest fix was to buy a modular home (pre-built in a factory) and put it on a foundation. Then demolish his house.

I had an out-pour of people willing to help, including the local media. Just when things were looking good, the insurance company sent George a letter saying he would no longer be covered as of December 20. Then of course the Tsunami crisis came and we were faced with little donations. We chose to go with a used modular home instead of new. It would be easy enough to fix it up with all the free labour and supplier donations, than to seek more money.

The modular home now sits on it's foundation and I'm collection supplies that are needed to make the minor repairs. (e.g. windows, furnace, flooring, bathtub). We received financing to purchase the modular home until we could pay it back. All together we still need about $15,000. We are holding a fundraising event next month, and we are hoping to reach our goal.

The local paper is going to run another article about the situation and appeal for public help. While I was at Georges' house waiting for the writer to come, George gave me some more bad news. His work gave him a termination notice! Someone bought the gas station and he's not sure if they will hire any of the current employees.

George only makes $11/hour and $80/week are spent on gas to get there. I am currently helping him find a job closer to home and perhaps a little better than standing outside in the cold, at age 61, pumping gas! I asked him how he can handle being on his feet, and in the cold. He told me that it's okay except when he comes home his legs really hurt.

On Friday I saw George cry as he told his brother, on the phone, about his desperate situation. How can I walk away and not help him? I can't! Up until Friday I had not mentioned anything about my faith, nor about Jesus. I have prayed much for the two of them and their situation, and to have an opportunity to share with them about Jesus.

I will write again.

Alas! I think it works

2004-12-02T22:55:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Ed for helping me get this picture problem solved. I'm just wondering if you all can see them.

Before I'm home-free, I would like to know how I am able to re-size my photos to suit my needs. Any takers to this problem?

Okay, I've had enough!

2004-11-17T21:38:00.000-05:00

I've got some tips on how to post a picture in our blog, but for some reason, it doesn't work. Well, it works on our home computer, but when I look at our blog at my work computer, it's just a box with an X...no picture! Judging by the comments we get, I think that's about all everyone else sees.

So, if anyone could help me out by telling me how to successfully post a picture, I will offer them a reward! Well...at least a thank-you.

Look what we woke up to!

2004-11-09T01:04:00.000-05:00

Well, it was almost twenty four hours ago, but what can I say...I've been very busy with life lately. I hope to resume blogging to a more normal frequency soon.

Halloween!

2004-10-30T14:00:00.000-04:00

Just wondering how everybody is gonna be celebrating halloween, if at all. Are you going for it whole-heartedly, or have you got an alternative plan, or are you avoiding it altogether? I know Christians can be pretty divided about this issue, so I'm not looking for an argument, just curious about the different practices.

My Therapy Session!

2004-10-25T01:20:00.000-04:00

(I charge by the minute, so read fast.) ;-) This journey of spiritual growth is hard. It seems like the more the Lord teaches me, the harder the blows from the enemy. It completely makes sense to me that the enemy of my soul would want to hinder me wherever possible, but the fact is, it is difficult. I feel the growing pains from the weight I have to carry. As much as I want to shrug the burdens off, a still small voice tells me to persevere. How true that the greatest lessons I have learned have been through hardships.

Darryl said something last night that struck a cord in me. He said (and I'm paraphrasing here), "Why do we treat sexual sin any differently than we do, say, anger?" The reason that statement hit home with me is that I have a problem with anger. I've always known it, struggled with it, and hate it. I can excuse it and blame my parents for modelling it for me, but that's not taking responsibility for my own actions. The thing I noticed is that when I'm spending a lot of time with God, my sin is not such a problem. When I slack in my connection with Him, though, then my anger escalates. I guess the easy answer here is to constantly spend time with God. That, however, is easier said than done. Sometimes I have a hard time disciplining myself to spend time with my Lord. I get caught up in my day to day stuff, and before I realize it, days have gone by without me even touching the Bible. Sure I shoot little arrow prayers up, but I know that's more for my conscience's sake than it is to strengthen my relationship with God.

And that, my friends, is where the problem lies. I learn something amazing through the Spirit and I decide to put it into practice. Satan then puts all kinds of things in my way to keep me busy (that I fall for, much to my shame), and I start neglecting my number one relationship, which frustrates me and leads me back into my pattern of anger. So, I guess, I have to learn not to fall for the busyness trick. The key in all this for me is to stay connected to my Savior at all times no matter how hard it seems. I can't do it alone, I know 'cause I've tried many times. The solution is to let Him work in me, rather than me try to change myself. The incredible thing for me is that no matter how often or how far my gaze leaves my Master, He's always ready with a smile and open arms to pick up exactly where we left off.

I know this post sounded like rambling, but it was more off a therapy session for me than anything else. So, thanks for listening in.

Learning to Discern-the problem

2004-10-06T09:39:00.000-04:00

2) DENIAL

Perhaps we may be aware of the moral decay in our culture and even detest some of the stuff that is available to the consumer. We might say I don't buy those magazines, or go to those kinds of movies, or listen to that kind of music. Let us not become complacent about the fact that no matter how hard we try to avoid these, we are exposed and affected by them nearly every day.

Jesus told us to go into the world, not to seclude ourselves from it. We are to be in the world, not of it. Removing ourselves from society is not his answer. We must be informed and aware of the problem around us.

The devil wants us to think that it's not so bad and that the problem is very isolated, that people are generally good. "The LORD saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time." Genesis 6:5. I think God has something to say about thinking people are good.

If what we see and hear does not really matter, then why do companies spend millions of dollars for a 30 second adveretisment on TV or in a magazine?

Let's just take a little test right now. Complete the following phrases or guess the product that is being advertised.

1) Good to the last drop...
2) Don't leave home without it.
3) Silly rabbit, _______ are for kids.
4) Frosted _____ _____ they're magically delicious!
5) Just do it!
6) Is it in you?

For a spontaneous test that you didn't study for, I would say that most of you did very well. Why? Beacause we have been subjected to several ads for only 30 seconds at a time. Are you starting to see the effects of what we see? and the power it has on our minds? Whether we want to admit it or not, we are affected by everthing we see and hear. The more we see and hear, the more we are affected. If we are in denial about the need to discern, then we are defeated already.

The final part of the problem is DECEPTION!

answer to test: 1)Maxwell House, 2)American Express, 3)Trix, 4)Lucky Charms, 5)Nike, 6)Gatorade.

Learning to Discern-the problem

2004-10-04T13:30:00.000-04:00

1) DESENSITIZATION

We are in a very real war between good and evil. "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Ephesians 6:12. It is a covert war within each of us, yet it's casualties are more than any war that has ever been fought. The stakes are high, not only physical death, but eternal death. We must not treat this subject casually.

Before we can address the need to discern, we need to identify the problem. Unless we arrive at a crisis, we will not see the urgent need to change our attitudes and behaviors. Beloved, we are facing a crisis!

de·sensi·ti·zation. The mitigation of an individual's emotional response to a distressing stimulus by repeated exposure to or imagination of that stimulus.

Everyday we are being bombarded with media, and I don't mean just the news. I'm talking about TV, music, video games, internet, magazines, and movies. Our mind is like a computer which compiles information and images that are filed away and stored permanently. The more frequent any type of image or information is presented, the larger that file will be. The larger the file, the more prominent place it will take in our minds.

Sad to say, many of us have become accustomed and desensitized to what we see and hear. We accept these as part of our daily lives. Little by little we are entering an arena of utter moral decay where evil is good and good is evil.

My wife and I recently painted our kitchen a deep red colour. First we used a tinted primer that made the room appear pink. Then we applied several coats of paint. Gradually the room turned deep red after the many applications. So much so, that you couldn't even tell that the room had once been white.

We saw a mid 1950's poster of a playboy centerfold, which was very controversial at the time. She was clothed much more than, say, a Calvin Klein ad of today, yet no one has a problem with that anymore because we have been desensitized. Pre-marital and extra marital sex have been made socially acceptable, so long as you "play safe" (use a condom), as if the biggest problem is getting pregnant or getting a disease.

When I was a teenager, there was a big issue about backwards masking in our music. Today they don't even mask the lyrics, but say it straight up! Once again, to avoid legal action, the recording companies slap on a label saying "parental advisory" and now this garbage is okay to pump into the minds of kids.

Do we have a problem yet? Desensitization, the first part of the problem. The next part...Denial!

Learning to Discern-the prelude

2004-10-03T23:47:00.000-04:00

Here is the key verse to begin our topic.

"I will walk in my house with blameless heart. I will set before my eyes no vile thing." Psalm 101:2b-3a

I wrote an entire post, which I will re-write tomorrow, and then crash! I didn't even get a chance to save it. I think I will write it on paper and then just transfer to the computer.

In the mean time, this is a great verse to post above the television, or computer, at home!...or at least memorize it and recite it before you turn the tube on.

Come out of the closet? or hide deeper?

2004-09-30T21:48:00.000-04:00

I've been so caught up in talking with some friends on their blogs that I haven't had much time to attend to this blog. Ed and Darryl have raised some very interesting questions lately about sin. Sexual sins and about some sins being worse than others, as well as what type of reprimand should be given to pastors who fall into sexual sins. Some very good discussion went on. Check it out if you like and I'm going to try to post tomorrow about "Learning to Discern". What we allow into our lives via our ears and eyes and its deadly effects on our families. Stay tuned!

2 (parents)+1(pregnancy)=5(people)

2004-09-29T23:32:00.000-04:00

Well, we finally have some good news. Jen and Ray became first time parents 3 times this morning. They had one boy and two girls over 3 pounds each. Amazingly enough, she had them all naturally without an epidural! Wonderwoman! Besides all the normal compications of a premature birth, they all seem to be doing well. Thank you all for your prayers today, and we would ask that you continue to take them to the throne of our Lord as you remember them. Jen's coming home on Friday, but the babies have to stay in for a few more weeks. We're planning a visit to the hospital tomorrow. I can hardly wait to see these precious children.

What a miraculous thing it is to bring children into this world.

URGENT! PRAYER REQUIRED!

2004-09-29T07:11:00.000-04:00

I want to appeal to everyone reading this post to pray for our neighbours Ray and Jen.

I'll just give you the reader's digest version; they have had problems getting pregnant and have really wanted a baby. 30+ weeks ago they told us she got pregnant. We were thrilled to find out they are having triplets! Talk about instant family.

Yesterday she went to the doctors for a check up and they sent her off to the hospital because she was 2cm dilated. Last night he told us they are keeping her in until she has the babies, due to possible complications with a multiple birth. This morning I got a knock on the door. Her water broke. I guess they will be having the babies real soon. I comforted him with the fact that we have no control over anything that happens, so not to worry just pray to the one who can do all things. Now I turn to you, my extended family for further prayer cover. While you are praying, pray for their salvation also. We had the opportunity to take them Friday to see Dr. James MacDonald. He is searching, and as far as she claims, she has accepted Christ.

NOTICE OF MOTION

2004-09-27T22:57:00.000-04:00

Whereas I tend to get caught up in various mini/major projects which consume a lot of time and energy in the initial stages. I get so passionate about participating in these projects and find myself coming up short.

Whereas Every one of these projects seem noble and noteworthy, but I need to realize I can't do everything myself.

Whereas I took a step back today to see this as a pattern developing in my life.

Therefore be it resolved I want to be still and wait for the voice of God. I want to go out there and change the world, but maybe God wants to change me first.

Be it further resolved I think I will spend more time with God and wait for His guidance.

Can I get a seconder?

Walk In The Word

2004-09-25T13:42:00.000-04:00

I must apologize for not writing much lately, but I've been away at a conference and I just returned yesterday.

My wife and I attended Queensway Cathedral, where we listened to Dr. James MacDonald from Walk In The Word. We had an amazing time and the Lord really spoke to us.

If you have never listened to Dr. James MacDonald speak, you really must!

Independence Day

2004-09-14T11:47:00.000-04:00

Well, the kiddies are off in school. As excited as I was last night, I have to confess, I really miss having them around. I guess this is one of many steps to their independence. As I was driving home from school this morning, I couldn't help seeing my kids in about 15 years when they finally move out for good. Man, how time flies. The saying "you never know what you have until it's gone" really applies to my kids going off to school, too. I hope I never take having them around for granted because it seems like we don't have much time left. I'm anxiously awaiting their return in 3 and a half hours to see how they made out today. I never realized what an emotional time first day of kindergarten really is until we went through it last year with our son. It seems like I can never get used to it, and I hope I never will. It feels like a piece of my heart gets ripped out to stay with. These little buggers really know how to crawl into our hearts and just stir up all our emotions, don't they?

HAAAAA-LELUJA!

2004-09-13T22:44:00.000-04:00

Well, tomorrow marks the first full day of school for our 2 oldest (they're in SK and JK). I feel guilty for the next comment I will make, but..........I'm actually looking forward to it! There, I said it. I don't know if I'm the only mother out there who feels this way, but after reading some of the other accounts of kids going for their first day last week, that's what I feel like. Don't get me wrong, I will probably be just as emotional, especially with my JK daughter. However, I'm looking forward to some peace and quiet (with my 2 younger daughters). :-) We've been having a very trying time with them for a few weeks now, so I'm hoping that school will calm them down a bit. To their credit, they have been doing much better these last few days.

So, if there are any other parents out there who feel even just a tinge of excitement at getting their kids back to school, please let me know I'm not the only one around.

I tried, but it wouldn't let me.

2004-09-08T23:36:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I decide to write the previous post. When I hit the "Publish Post" button. Not much happened. I was very frustrated to say the least. After many attempts, and several e-mails to Blog*spot, I figured out I had a problem. (laugh)

Well, it finally let us post today and everything is back to normal. Technology is so neat, but when it goes down, you wonder how you ever lived without it before! Okay...here it goes...

UPDATE: It works!

Little Monsters!

2004-09-07T23:03:00.000-04:00

In the past few weeks, something strange has been happening in our house. No, it's not the twilight zone, but close. Our four precious children, without exception, have been doing a little remodeling in our home. We tend to buy things in bulk, seeing as how we are a family of six, which saves us money in the long run. That is, until our children took it upon themselves to liquidate some of our surplus.

I have recently accepted a new job that pays way less than we are used to. Why, you may ask? My new job is 5 minutes away from home, they provide me with a vehicle and fuel, I have an hour lunch which allows me to go spend with my family at home, and they have excellent benefits. Not to mention the hour and a half I used to spend in traffic, which I can find better things to do with, as well as the moocho denairos I save on fuel.

My wife and I have come up with a tight budget that we have to discipline ourselves to follow. The kids making pancakes with syrup on the carpet, mixed with Quaker Oats and cocoa, doesn't help. We estimated $60 worth of groceries wasted in this one event. My wife and I have disciplined them in the past because this is a recurring problem. In the last week and a half, this problem seems to be escalating and we decided on a new punishment plan, which doesn't seem to be working either. We keep saying they need time to adjust to this new plan, but we are running out of patience, ideas, control and FOOD!

Do you parents realize the pay-back we get for what we put our parents through? I feel sorry for our children when they have kids of their own!

Bruised and Battered

2004-09-05T01:54:00.000-04:00

We've been reading through the archives on some of our favorite blog sites and this is what we've noticed.

1) Some Christians are very, very, VERY judgmental. (Which in itself is a very judgmental statement.) Sometimes we write because we want to pool information about certain topics in order to be more informed. Other times we write our thoughts or feelings as a way of showing a part of ourselves to the reader, rather than asking for an audit of our spiritual health or new accountability partners. Which leads to the second point.

2) I wonder how many commenters actually know the author of the blog sites personally? By that I mean in person and not just from what they've read. Many people tend to think they know someone based on what they have read/seen/heard about them. An example would be me saying I know George W. Bush. But really, does George W. Bush know me? It's one thing to comment your feelings and thoughts in response, it's another to attack or question a person's standing in Christ.

3) Lastly, if these people have so much to rant about, why don't they start their own blog and ease up on their "preaching" at the author? It's free and there are several hosting options.

In light of these personal attacking comments, no wonder people do not post too frequently. They are too afraid to say something wrong, and would rather not engage in an all out battle. These blogs are available for everyone to see. Now, imagine what an unbeliever might think about Christianity when all they see are people fussing and fighting without loving and encouraging.

Who said that?

2004-09-03T01:01:00.000-04:00

It's funny how my own words echo in my head as I give instruction to my kids. Currently, we are experiencing a self-control problem with our son, who is 5 yrs. old. As we sat there explaining to him the importance of self-control in his life, and as the words came out of my mouth, they sort-of lingered and brought to light a few areas in my own life. Areas that I struggle keeping self-control over.

Ever since I have become a father I have noticed this phenomena. God, I believe, teaches us many lessons through our children. I find myself saying...why do you still do it after I have told you many times not to do it. Then I think of Jesus telling me the exact same thing! Why do I repeat the same actions that I've been told over and over again not to do?

It is the sin nature in all of us that is the default setting in our hearts. Once we have become born again, we are like little children. We have to learn how to daily die to our sin nature and to live in the Spirit. This, of course, is the battle of the ages. It is not easily achieved nor is it something I have mastered. "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."

Thanks A Million!

2004-09-02T10:57:00.000-04:00

This blogging thing is really great! I didn't realize how diverse the feedbacks could be on any given post. I especially liked the ones on the previous post. The comments really made me think. I guess I didn't realize how cynical my post sounded until people actually started commenting. Maybe more of the problem lies with me. I might be overlooking my responsibility in all this. Or sometimes I just can't see the genuine people because of my own clouded vision. Other people usually see things a lot clearer than we do about our own situations. So thanks to all the comments. It's nice to get feedback on my thoughts and feelings. I've got a better perspective on this whole "Hi! How are you?" business.

Hi! How Are You?

2004-09-01T00:22:00.000-04:00

One of my biggest pet peeves with fellow Christians is the question, "How are you?" For many years, my answer used to be the one you hear all the time, "Great, great!" However, in the past couple of years, I don't answer so flippantly. My problem with that question is, why do people ask you if they don't really care? I've tried to answer, "I'm hanging in there", or even, "Not too good right now". As soon as they hear that answer, they're gone in 2 seconds flat. Then why did you ask? Sometimes I feel like telling them exactly how I'm feeling just to see the shock on their faces. We don't expect an honest answer anymore. The same goes for when I ask, "So, how are you?" I genuinely mean it, but just about everybody brushes me off with a, "Good!" Why are we so quick at putting up a front and making people think we have no problems of our own? We, as Christ followers, are in a spriritual battle daily. However, it seems like we all want to be fighting in the front lines by ourselves. Doesn't that sound a little silly? How encouraging would it be in our battle if somebody actually cared enough to listen to the honest answer? I know I would feel more energized to see that there's actually someone out there who cares how my battle's going, and who's willing to fight alongside me.

I regret the many times I've asked this question without really wanting to hear anything but, "Great!" May I never get caught in the "Hi, how are you?" trap again.

When opportunity knocks, I can't shut up.

2004-08-27T22:21:00.000-04:00

I used to be a real crusader when my faith was ignited. I found many people got offended and turned-off by my "in-your-face" approach to witnessing for Christ. A few years later, I decided to let the Spirit lead me to witness and only speak as the opportunity presented itself. I always marvel at the way this opportunity surfaces. Today, one of the contractors asked to meet me and go over some building code requirements.

I hired this contractor one Saturday, with his excavator, to do some work around our yard. At the end of the day, he came downstairs to my home office where I wrote him a cheque and enjoyed a cold beer.

When we met today, he inquired about the many books we have on the bookshelf relating to The Bible and Christianity. BANG! That was all I needed to hear. Almost an hour later, I was able to share much of the Gospel. I get so fired up and awestruck when God uses such an imperfect person like me, especially when I've been only simmering this last week in my own walk. I hope he will visit us in our home-based church and find something that will draw him to a relationship with Christ.

Wiser?

2004-08-24T22:19:00.000-04:00

This afternoon I had my wisdom tooth pulled out, so I can't say too much because my mouth hurts. My mouth has only two wisdom teeth and the one was developing a cavity so the dentist suggested to pull it out, which I would probably have to anyway.

I was expecting more pain during the procedure, but I'm just starting to feel it tonight. Does anyone have some good drugs? Just kidding...Tylenols will work fine.

Amazing how God moves!

2004-08-24T07:52:00.000-04:00

Last Friday I was fired-up about the Dominican trip that Brian and Lynn went on. We had just talked about it the night before. In my line of work, plumbing/building inspector, I intended to speak with a few people about possible infastructure for a small primitive village. Mainly I am concerned about clean water, sewage, and some electricity. Currently Brian tells me there are 75 homes, but the village can go up to 400. I can see the need for this. It has to be very in-expensive and low-maintenance also. If anyone has suggestions or can lead me to some research area, I would appreciate it.

Anyways, I had purposed in my heart to meet with the supervisor of the pollution plants and water filtration plants at work. FYI, we are currently going through a major conversion from septic to municipal services and I have to work out some bugs with this supervisor. I planned to ask him if he had any suggestions about this village infastructure thing.

Turns out he is a follower of Christ! He is involved in a similar mission in Africa. I was floored! He is interested in a home based church also. Our conversation was very exciting. I look forward to establishing a new friendship with him, and his family with ours.

In such a small town (approx. 50,000 population), I have met three followers of Christ working for the Town. Another one happens to be a building inspector in the same department as me. It's all very Amazing!

From the Red, White, and Blue!

2004-08-22T23:22:00.000-04:00

It has been many years since my brother in-law, Benny, came to Canada to visit us. This weekend we had the privilege of having Benny and his girlfriend Emily over for a couple of days. We had a blast staying up late both nights. Of course, it didn't seem so great a few hours later when our four kids woke us up. They took in seeing the CN tower with my wife on Saturday. At night we had a campfire. They promised us they would be back more often in the future. We look forward to that!

After they left today, we had a lazy hazy afternoon, with one exception. I took the training wheels off my son's bike preparing to give him a lesson on riding without them. Before I could say something, he bolted away and rode off! We couldn't believe it. I guess it was long over-due. He was so proud of his accomplishment and so were we.

Cottage Country At It's Best!

2004-08-19T23:22:00.000-04:00

Tonight we had a very nice visit with Brian, Lynn and the kids. They invited us up to the cottage for a BBQ. We (meaning everybody but me) had a nice time swimming in the very shallow, sandy lake in the backyard. If it's not like 85-90 degrees, I'm not interested thank you very much. It's funny where this blogging thing will lead. We met Brian through one of Darryl's blog links, and have gotten to know his family a bit through some visits. The more time we spend together, the more I realize what an awesome family they are, and how easily our 2 families get along. Our combined 6 kids seemed to have a blast, and we adults had a nice time getting to know each other better. It was really exciting hearing and seeing about their Dominican mission's trip. I'm looking forward to spending a lot more time together with them in the future.

UPDATE: I finally figured out this "Posted By" business!

WWIII!

2004-08-19T10:45:00.000-04:00

Is it just me, or do kids lose their minds when we go shopping? It just started lately, but they seem to lose their hearing and whatever little self-control that they already have. Every excursion these days turns into WWIII where Peter and I are both stressed to the max. We make a point of making sure they're not tired, hungry or thirsty. They've been pretty good about going places before, but lately they have changed big time. Is it just us or do you have the same problem? We're open to suggestions because at this point, we're ready to try just about anything.

Posted by: Niki

Happy Birthday All!

2004-08-16T12:41:00.000-04:00

Well, this is my first blog post ever. I haven't quite figured out how to get my name on the "posted by" part, but I'm working on it. There's a lot Peter and I still need to learn here.

We just got back from my in-laws' cottage this morning. We celebrated a couple of birthdays this weekend, my niece's, Katherine who's 9, and my mother-in-law's. We usually go out for dinner and then have cake and presents. We end up celebrating each birthday 3 times a year, at home, with my parents and brothers (in Cleveland), and with Peter's parents and brother's family. That confuses our kids quite a bit because they think they get one year older each time we celebrate (they're 5, 4, almost 3, and 1 1/2 years old). I try to explain to them how it really works, but I don't think they understand completely.

Just wondering, but how do you guys celebrate birthdays? Do you make a big production out of it with relatives or just keep it in the family?

Posted by: Niki

Combined blog

2004-08-10T22:11:00.000-04:00

In talking with my wife, we have decided to share this blog. Rather than have several days without an entry, we could both post and our blog would be current almost daily. I still haven't had time to configure the front page, but I have received some help from http://prayingmantis.blogspot.com. This blogging thing is still pretty new to me and my programming skills are lacking.

WHAT'S YOUR TAKE ON KIA?

2004-08-05T14:48:00.000-04:00

We are looking to buy a KIA Sedona (mini van). I'm just wondering if anyone has any experiences or stories about KIA that might be relevant to our purchase.

We have considered other mini vans and you can't match the price of a KIA. Other factors have led us to this vehicle as well.

Crash!

2004-08-04T13:48:00.000-04:00

No, not my car. I gotta like this tech stuff. I got a new digital camera at work and it's a lot better than our personal one. I decided to take the new one to Niagara Falls with us. I intended to download the images into my work computer and then e-mail them to me at home. I had a hard time accomplishing this and asked the IT department to help me. The next day we had a few power outages at work and somehow it crapped out my computer. The IT dept. had to re-load my computer and in doing so, all my files were wiped out! Sorry, they said. ARRRRGH! I said. Of course the camera disk was erased to make more room for future pictures.

It sounds like a good story and you may be asking if we really went to Niagara Falls or not. But I tell you I did! I really did! I hope some of my uncle's pictures turned out. He used the more reliable film method.

Very Busy

2004-08-02T23:05:00.000-04:00

Sorry I haven't blogged much lately, but my family and I took a little vacation. Rather than put it off for another day, I thought I would post a quick one for now. I just got back today and the garden is over grown with weeds, the grass is very high, the house is just how I left it (messy).
Sunday I had the opportunity to go to 707. It's an evening service (actually three of them), which is geared towards youth. They have a website, but I don't know how to get in yet. It felt really good just going in shorts and a tee shirt. The message was awesome. Yet another lesson on holiness. I tell you, the Lord is really talking to me about that lately!
I hope to post some more tomorrow.

A NEW ENTRY!

2004-07-21T07:42:00.000-04:00

I really don't like starting something, like a blog, and not continuing with it. I do have an excuse, whether it's a good one or not, I hope to be blogging full gear soon!

Last Wednesday my family went to Niagara Falls, state side, to meet my uncle and family for the first time (complete families that is). We ended up coming home at 3am. Pictures and a short story will follow.

Saturday we had Brian and family over for a terrific day at our house, you can read about that on his blog. http://vv.typepad.com/parsontoperson/2004/07/bbq_hungarian_s.html#comments

Thursday we are having Niki's cousin and family over from Georgia. They have 3 boys and 1 daughter....we have 1 boy and 3 daughters. The kids will out number the grown-ups 2-1!

In between we have had an excavator helping me around the house with landscaping and rock removal (large boulders). I bought a new computer, which crashes worse than my old one, so that needs to be returned. Shopping for kids clothes (a real test of patients). I'm doing a renovation job at the beaches. All of these takes a lot of time because we live half an hour from the major stores, and about an hour and a half from the beaches.

Now that I've finished playing my violin, I hope to post as best as I can in the future.

The War on Christians

2004-07-10T01:33:00.000-04:00

An article in Christianity today writes;

Former Labor Secretary Predicts Religious War in America

"The true battle will be between modern civilization and anti-modernists; between those who believe in the primacy of the individual and those who believe that human beings owe their allegiance and identity to a higher authority; between those who give priority to life in this world and those who believe that human life is mere preparation for an existence beyond life; between those who believe in science, reason, and logic and those who believe that truth is revealed through Scripture and religious dogma. Terrorism will disrupt and destroy lives. But terrorism itself is not the greatest danger we face."

For some time now (several years), I've been thinking that we are going to endure persecution here in North America. With all that is going on in the world, how they call evil good and good evil, this maybe a possibility. Even in such a free state! I also believe God is moving amongst His people and separating the true followers from the superficial ones. Persecution would really be the test.

Question two: Faith and Trust? or my strength?

2004-07-09T12:31:00.000-04:00

In regards to our daily life, whether it be at work, home, or school, how much of our own effort do we exert to accomplish a task and how much do we lean on God and let him work things out through faith? What is the balance?

In the old testament God gave skill to the workers to perform their work. How much did they have to train/study?

If a missionary is called to go to another language/culture, how much effort, preparation, or fund-raising of his own strength should he make before he goes?

How much time and energy should we use to provide for our families, like getting a second job, or to seek a higher paying job, to make ends meet, or to pay-off a student loan, and how much do we "seek first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added unto you"?

Question one: Healing?

2004-07-08T11:14:00.000-04:00

I have been asked some questions lately, for which I do not have any solid answers. I will be posting a series of topics/questions in order to provide me with a broader base of information and views toward these questions.

Does healing still occur? Why haven't I seen any? Can anyone receive the gift of healing if they ask for it?

I'm not talking about gradual healing here, but rather instant healing.

Here are some verses to fuel the discussion:

Matthew 10:1
He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.

Mark 16:
15He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. 16Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well."

Happy Birthday Canada!...What is Canadian anyway?

2004-06-30T22:22:00.000-04:00

It always puzzles me how immigrants change the way our country is when they arrive here. Don't get me wrong, we are all pretty much immigrants in one generation or another. I have a problem with people who come here and complain how it was better where they came from. "Then go back!" I like to say. If it was so good from where they came, then why leave? And why force us to adopt their customs and bend our rules for them? (i.e. Turbans allowed in police uniform, and religious daggers allowed in school)

A friend of mine had a great idea. The U.S.A should buy us out by giving each Canadian citizen $1,000,000.00, u.s. of course. We would all be instant millionaires!

The Americans seem to have a handle on their patriotism. Immigrants are only too happy to give up their past and call themselves an American. Why are we so different in this regard?

Happy 137th Canada!

Here is an e-mail I received not too long ago;

This says it all! This is an editorial written by a Canadian
citizen, published in a Canadian newspaper. He did quite a job;
didn't he?

Read on, please!

IMMIGRANTS, NOT CANADIANS, MUST ADAPT.

I'm tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some individual or their culture. I'm not against immigration, nor do I hold a grudge against anyone who is seeking a better life by coming to Canada.
Our population is almost entirely made up of descendants of immigrants. However, there are a few things that those who have recently come to our country, and apparently some born here, need to understand. This idea of Canada being a multicultural community has served only to dilute our sovereignty and our national identity.
As Canadians, we have our own culture, our own society, our own language and our own lifestyle. This culture has been developed over centuries of struggles, trials, and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom.
We speak ENGLISH and FRENCH, not Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society, learn the language! You can still keep yours but learn ours!
We have many belief's and religion's and no one belief or religion is worth more or less than the other. That's what makes us so unique. We even have the right not to believe. If you want to participate in your community or belong to a group or organization, It is YOUR responsiblity to adapt to their rules and regulations. Not the other way around. If the Maple Leaf offends you, then you should seriously consider a move to another part of this planet. We are happy with our culture and have no desire to change, and we really don't care how you did things where you came from.
We as a country of tax paying citizens should not be paying for you to abuse us with our own immigration laws. If you want to make a lawyer wealthier then do it with YOUR own cash. There should be no discounts or freebee's to immigrants unless we're going to give it to our own unfortunate people too! We'll help guide you, but if there's a cost you have to cover it!
This is OUR COUNTRY, our land, and our lifestyle. Our government gives every citizen the right to express his or her opinion and we will allow you every opportunity to do so. But once you are done complaining, whining,and griping about our flag, our pledge, our national motto, or our way of life, I highly encourage you take advantage of one other great Canadian freedom,THE RIGHT TO LEAVE.

Liberals Get A Third Term

2004-06-29T20:09:00.000-04:00

The whole country overwhelmingly chose the Conservatives, except Ontario that is. After a whopping budget, that made a liar out of the Liberals, we here in Ontario reward them with yet another term in office and another chance to swindle money from us taxpayers for them to hand it over to their friends. Well, I guess we will get exactly what we asked for...more corruption.

Although a minority government is good for the people, giving any party three consecutive terms in office is not. What's more pathetic is how only 62% of us actually voted.

Testing

2004-06-27T17:44:00.000-04:00

Just checking it out.