Surreal experiences

So no pics for this one yet but I'll hope to add some in the coming days.

I had a couple experiences over the past couple days on vacation that were truly amazing and for me at the time surreal.

First, my brother-in-law and I went down the creek on the kayak. The dam, had just been lowered thus the water was really rushing. About a 5 minute hike up is a waterfall. I was pretty excited about what I knew was ahead. The water was rushing like I had never seen before. After a run in with a Fisher, which is a pretty small animal a little bigger than a rat, we made our way down the waterfall (more about the Fisher at the bottom if you care) We proceeded to try and find places where we could lodge ourselves against some rocks and push against the waterfall. I realized 2 things - one I needed to tighten my shorts and two which made the previous obvious, that water was alot stronger than I was. At one point I put my leg in the water to have in thrust into a rock - needless to say this was very uncomfortable.

Second, I went for a kayak down the creek again after a thunderstorm had just passed over. Everyone else was hiding inside, but those who know me know that I don't do stuck inside very well. Plus the water is amazing so who cares what its like outside. I started down, going through the fog that was coming of the water after the storm, and the thunder from the storm now on the other end of the lake still shook the kayak. Things got a little more worry some on the way back. I went to check out my friend the fisher and the storm was pretty isolated and had come back to the cottage I left the waterfall, got in the kayak and turned the corner to come back and all I saw was dark clouds so I went full out the whole way with a lightening storm encouraging me on.

It was so cool especially the second one to sit back and just "wow" at God and his creation and how powerful He is. Both these are nothing in comparison to his strength, but I was like nothing compared to it.

So now to the Fisher story for those who care - Dave and I started looking around testing out the water and waterfalls and finding our best way around when we saw this little runt who looked not to happy that we were around. I haven't seen many of these animals around and I'm starting to understand why. It kept running around and we weren't sure what to make of it. Next thing I know he gets in the water, swims across to where we are and comes at us! Dave was right behind me, I stress was cause he bolted to the waterfall where the water likely rushed to fast for the little critter. I did the first thing that came to mind. Grabbed a stick and took a swat, he took off and we never saw him again. For all you animal lovers don't worry I didn't hit him, although if he came back again I couldn't promise I wouldn't have made sure to put all the years of sports and swinging bats and clubs at small objects into play.

And people say I'm pig headed

So I've had the discussion many times about I'm pig headed or not, I don't deny being a little stubburn, and Elisabeth and I have often joked around about me not liking to be wrong. I always say, I don't deny that, I don't like to be wrong, that's why I'm usually not. My idea is that I don't usually talk to loudly about things unless I know cause ya I don't like to be wrong, why would I?

But just to show how open I am to guidance when it's right I'll let you in on a happening in our place over the last little while. Maybe it'll even help you.

We bought some new mouth wash the other day. Not sure how we got on the topic but somehow it came around to the fact that I have always rinsed after I brush, I guess I just figured "Hey it'll give you the freshest breath the longest" I mean with the burn sometimes lasting 15 minutes the freshness has to last longer than that. Elisabeth let me know that 30 years of rinsing has been done wrong. That you actually are suppose to rinse before cause it helps loosen the plaque and stuff to be brushed away. Now this where reading the label would have helped, but who actually ever does that?

So I've changed my ways, I rinse before now, and not sure if its a mental thing or not but it does seem to work better. I guess you can let me know about the fresh breath thing.

My only question is why did a dentist or hygienist (aka torture person)not even tell me this?

Big heads and Bucket Lists

So I watched the movie the Bucket List the other day. Great movie, but as always one thing really stuck out to me. There is a point where they are having a discussion after seeing an amazing sight out of a airplane window. They start talking about God creating it, and get into a really neat discussion about whether God exists or not when the quote comes across "my head gets in the way". Thus the picture of Barry Bonds and a big head. Which could really be taken to ways with him, cause he is quite conceited so a big head comment fits, but in that you have to think that his head got in the way of so many decisions he made and got him to where he is today.

While doing some research on the book of Acts I came across the meaning of the name Paul - it means small. Saul changed his name to Paul when his life was changed on the Road to Damascus. He started a new life, and thus a new name, and choice the name Paul ... little or small - not wanting to let himself get in the way of what God was going to do. Makes that comment that your head can get in the way pretty dead on. Doing it on our own would seem to me to be linked to what we in this world would call a big head. I mean how can you be more conceited than to think you can do it better than God. And Saul when amazed with the truths and overwhelmed with the love that Christ had for him, and the power of the Holy Spirit, can only change his name to something that exemplifies what he needs to do. He needs to be small, and not let his head get in the way anymore.

Thoughts over Mac and Cheese

So someone just had to bring up Mac and cheese in our staff meeting this morn. Call me a child, call me stupid you likely have before, call me whatever you want, but I love this stuff. Mac and cheese is soooooo good. Maybe its cause I didn't live of it at college, although I really can't see that being all that bad, but I still at times when I go somewhere and they've made "meal A" for adults and Mac and cheese for kids, wish I could get relegated to the kids table. There are likely many other childish foods I like but I'll save that.
So after staff meeting I walked home for one of the things I enjoy most these days ... lunch with my boy. Elisabeth was waiting to eat so Nate and I enjoyed a good ole box of fake KD cause so often now it actually tastes better. It was at this time, as we sat at the table together both of our heads bearing very little hair, that I remembered 2 comments from the weekend.
2 times on Sunday we had 2 different people who didn't know us make comments about how he didn't need to tell anyone who his parents were cause that was quite obvious who we were. I just love this - I mean how amazing is God that he brought this amazing little guy into our lives that is the perfect match for us in so many ways, and on top of that, gets told all the time how much he looks like his daddy.

So I look forward to the days ahead when we chomp down on some Mac and cheese together, talk about how great God is and what He is doing in both our lives.

Hopefully he will always love it as much as I do .

When Apologies don't work

I'm sure the lady that called our house 5 times last night and once that we know of the night before was feeling alot like this picture.
It seemed at first one of those thing where a person just can't hit the right numbers on the phone. She kept calling back, and unfortunately saying she didn't speak english very well is an understatement. So after Elisabeth had talked to her enough that she didn't want to again I answered the phone. I tried to be nice ... I hope I was, but I just told her that it was the wrong number and please don't call it again. No idea what she said ... I couldn't understand - I just repeated its the wrong number and not to call. We had only got the phone the day before and other than my sister calling me once, this lady was the only call we received.
It all seemed a bit weird so Elisabeth called Rogers. From what I understand somehow we did get this lady's ... husband's (we are thinking she was saying) number. How not sure, luckily we hadn't started giving many our number yet, cause we got a new one.

So I'll likely never talk to that lady again, her calls won't come to us anymore, but to her I say I'm sorry. You may have been telling me you just called the Number on Monday and it worked and wondered how it wasn't now. It's funny for me, but likely it sucked for her.

I am Legend

Rented this movie on Sunday night. I've never read the book, and apparently its a little different from the book, but all in all not a bad movie. I mean I had my sub turned up too loud and so it shook the walls a little. It was a little too scary for Elisabeth at times, but had a couple of parts in it that were pretty neat.

Will Smith thinks he is the last man on earth, trying to find a cure for a disease that was created years earlier as a cure for cancer. It ended up killing off most of the world, and leaving those who hadn't died already in a almost zomby like state. A woman and her son find him, and through some cricumstances suggest that God had sent them there. She says that the world was to noisey but now that its quieter its alot easier to here God. Smith balks at the idea. Near the end of the movie he's realized they have the cure for the disease, but are cornered. He sees a butterfly tattoo on the ladies neck. His daughter always talked about butterflies earlier in the movie. He hands her soem blood with the cure in it, sends her off to take it to others who are alive and goes to die while saving them. She says no, but he looks at her and says "I'm listening".

So neat to me to see a movie talk so loudly about God working amongst us all in day to day things. That there are so many signs and times God wants to talk to us yet we let the "noise" of this world get in the way.

What did you miss today? How is God going to speak to you tomorrow? Will you listen?

Love, true love

So we often talk about loving othersand we can't talk about love without the quote above from Princess Bride. I wear a shirt that if you know me, you've seen me wear it. It says, "Jesus loves you and I'm trying". For the most part its true, I am trying, well in most cases ... most of the time. But here is a challenge about that. We often throw around that saying Jesus loves you, but do we believe it? Here is the challenge

Don't tell them Jesus loves them, unless you are willing to love them