Hi Everyone! I have been enjoying my time off during the Strike at Boeing, and amazingly I still seem to be busy even though I don't have to go to work. I have been able to spend more time with my family, and we went to the Puyallup Fair the other day and had a good time. I've added some new pictures to my "Summer 2008" photo album including a few that were taken there. It hasn't all been fun and games though as I've also spent some time helping to take care of my daughter who is just getting over being sick with Scarlet Fever, and I have been trying to help keep an eye on my mom, who just had a knee replacement surgery due to having arthritis. She is 78 years old and is doing real well, all things considered. I am also still trying to get some things done at home. It seems like no amount of time is ever enough to really get caught up on everything but at least I'm making a dent in it and If the Strike goes a couple more weeks I will be a lot closer then before.
On another subject, recently our Church had a guest speaker named Olivier Melnick. He is a Jewish Christian and his teaching helps to clarify some of the Jewish context of the Bible that we would otherwise not see. I have heard him before and he is interesting and well worth listening to. You can hear his message "The Jewish Wedding & the Bride of Messiah" as well as other Bible Studies from our Church if you click Here to go to the Sermons page.
This is just to let you know that I am still around but I am busy as usual, working and trying to get some things done around the house. I may be getting some extra time off soon as we may be going on strike at Boeing starting on Thursday, but we'll see how that goes.
My wife showed me a really funny video by a Christian comedian named Tim Hawkins. Here is a Link to his site if you would like to see him. You can also see his videos on You Tube Here.
It seems like I have had more people looking at my Space trying to find info on the Boeing Hydroplane than just about anything else. So I thought I'd share a little new info about it. This weekend at Seattle's annual Seafair Hydroplane race it will be featured in some exhibition Heats while running on biofuel, and will be driven by Hydro racing legend Chip Hanauer. It should be a great show. In case you didn't know, the U-787 Boeing Hydroplane is really the back-up boat for the Miss Elam Plus, which is owned by Ellstrom Manufacturing of Seattle. If you would like to see some great photo's taken earlier this month while both boats were out on a test run on Lake Washington, just click this Link.
We just got back from our vacation at Long Beach WA this afternoon. While we were there, we visited the port of Ilwaco and the North Head Lighthouse too. this is not the first time we have been down there, as I used to go every August for the kite festival, but it is the first time for my 3 year old daughter Anna. We had a great time, except for a few scary minutes this afternoon when my son Aaron and I got stuck in the elevator at the resort where we were staying. I won't be using any elevators for a while if I can help it. I am adding some pictures from our vacation to my photo section in the "Summer of 2008" album. I got a few pretty nice shots at the North Head Lighthouse area. Hope you like them.
I just wanted to say welcome to all the new friends I have here on Spaces. I am very happy to see that there are a lot more Christians on here then there were a year ago. I also hope you will all find new friends through my Space, as I am purposely trying to make it a place for Christians to find each other. I have been too busy to write much on here lately, but when I have time I will try to add some new stuff.
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written: “ I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” 20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
Thank you God for saving us, and that we belong to you. Amen
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.
Reconciled in Christ
19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.
No, I haven't fallen off the face of the Earth! I have just been too busy, and too tired to keep up with the Spaces thing. I spent all last week going to school on an earlier shift than I normally work and I had to get up at 4 AM everyday. I just didn't have any energy left to do much else at the end of the day. I was learning all about lean manufacturing (The Toyota System) as Boeing is trying to follow this system to be able to make airplanes faster and cheaper to keep up with all of our orders and be more competitive. It's mainly about cutting out waste and being more efficient. If you are interested in this subject click here to see the book about this at amazon.com.
Yesterday we celebrated my son's 8th Birthday. It really isn't for a few more days but we had a party for him and a friend of his, who also had his Birthday, and we went to one of those Family Fun Centers where they have all the games and stuff. Pretty good place, but very noisy. I bought my son a new bicycle for his Birthday, and we are planning to start going for family bike rides whenever the weather is good enough. I think it is a good way to start getting more exercise as we really need it and I haven't rode my bike in over a year.
I've got to go now, as I need to go down to the Church Bookstore and catch up on some stuff before I go to work today.
A few days a go when I was still lying in bed in the morning, I decided to flip open the Bible that was sitting next to my bed and just start reading at what ever section was there. It came to Revelation chapter 21, the second to the last chapter in the Bible. I have studied the book of Revelation, so I have read it several times before. This is kind of a sobering chapter to anyone who doesn't know God, but for believers, it is a picture of an eternal hope that we all have because we do know God.
Revelation 21 (NKJV)
All Things Made New 21 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." 5 Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful." 6 And He said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. 7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. 8 But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." The New Jerusalem 9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, "Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife." 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, 11 having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. 12 Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: 13 three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west. 14 Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 15 And he who talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. 16 The city is laid out as a square; its length is as great as its breadth. And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand furlongs. Its length, breadth, and height are equal. 17 Then he measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel. 18 The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. 19 The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. 21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. The Glory of the New Jerusalem 22 But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. 24 And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. 25 Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). 26 And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. 27 But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life.
Yesterday my wife took our kids on a trip with our home-school group to a place near Olympia called Wolf Haven. I have never been there but I thought I would share a little about it as well as a few of the pictures that she took. Here is what they say about themselves:
Since 1982, Wolf Haven has rescued more than 100 captive-born wolves, whose fate might have been death, from roadside zoos, animal collectors, private owners, research and other facilities.
At Wolf Haven, these wolves (and a handful of wolf-dogs, coyotes and foxes) receive a lifetime of compassionate care and are treated with dignity and respect for their wild nature.
If you would like to know more about Wolf Haven, you can go to their website by clicking here.
I came across this on Southwest Airline's Blog "Nuts about Southwest". No, they don't have a new mascot. It was taken at something called "the Pooch Parade". Click here if you would like to go to their site to see the rest of the story.
Hi Everyone, I am trying to fix a problem that I am having when using "Windows Live Writer" to write my blogs, so I am writing this message to test it. I think I got the bugs out now. It was operator error.
What a weird week of weather. We have seen snow fall a few times this week, and today during my son's first soccer game of the season we had a really heavy hail storm followed by a little more snow and rain later in the day. Luckily we don't get the big stuff like some states, but it sure was weird to see all those kids being pelted by this stuff when it's almost April. I guess I should be used to strange weather by now as I have lived in the Seattle area my entire life.
If you weren't able to hear a good Easter Sermon this year, My Pastor's Easter message, taken from 1 Corinthians 15 is now online for you to listen to if you would like to. Just click here to go to the Sermons page.
It seems that there are now a lot more Christians blogging on Spaces as I have found many new friends in the last few weeks. I try to keep up on what's new with everyone and leave messages when I can, but being as busy as I am with my job, my family, the bookstore at our Church, and whatever else, I sometimes don't get back to people as soon as I should. So please forgive me if I seem to be neglecting anyone as I don't mean to be. There just aren't enough hours in the day. I hope you all have a Nice Week.
GOD LOVES YOU – "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:16 "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8 ALL ARE SINNERS – "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23 "As it is written, "There is none righteous, not even one." Romans 3:10 GOD'S REMEDY FOR SIN – "For the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23 "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name." John 1:12 ALL MAY BE SAVED NOW – "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him." Revelations 3:20a "Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved." Romans 10:13 ASSURANCE AS A BELIEVER – "That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgement, but has passed out of death into life." John 5:24 "These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life." I John 5:13 "But these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name. John 20:31 My Decision to Receive Christ As My Savior Confessing to God that I am a sinner, and believing that the Lord Jesus Christ died for my sins on the cross and was raised for my justification, I do now receive and confess Him as my personal Lord and Savior.
1 Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. 3 His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. 4 And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men. 5 But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. 7 And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.” 8 So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.
The Women Worship the Risen Lord
9 And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.”
The Soldiers Are Bribed
11 Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened. 12 When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, 13 saying, “Tell them, ‘His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.’ 14 And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will appease him and make you secure.” 15 So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.
The Great Commission
16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
45 Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” 47 Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, “This Man is calling for Elijah!” 48 Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink. 49 The rest said, “Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him.” 50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. 51 Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, 52 and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53 and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many. 54 So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God!” 55 And many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar, 56 among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.
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I just wanted to say welcome to all the new friends I have here on Spaces. I am very happy to see that there are a lot more Christians on here then there were a year ago. I also hope you will all find new friends through my Space, as I am purposely trying to make it a place for Christians to find each other. I have been too busy to write much on here lately, but when I have time I will try to add some new stuff.
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.
Our Father and our God, we thank you for the many blessings You have poured out on America and we praise You for your mercy.
No, I haven't fallen off the face of the Earth! I have just been too busy, and too tired to keep up with the Spaces thing. I spent all last week going to school on an earlier shift than I normally work and I had to get up at 4 AM everyday. I just didn't have any energy left to do much else at the end of the day. I was learning all about lean manufacturing (The Toyota System) as Boeing is trying to follow this system to be able to make airplanes faster and cheaper to keep up with all of our orders and be more competitive. It's mainly about cutting out waste and being more efficient. If you are interested in this subject click 
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:16 
