Joshua Making Cookies

Joshua got a sweet new stool so that he can stand up and see over the counter, as well as turn the lights on and off... and on and off... on and off... you get the picture.

To celebrate we made cookies as a family!

Watch the video.

Passport Photo...

So as it turns out I need to get a new passport before my March trip to Costa Rica. I discovered this recently and on Thursday took actions to get it fixed. I had my wife take a photo in our living room, I ordered it from Walgreens, completed my application, went over there to pick up the photo.

Upon return I opened my photo looked at it and thought, my goatee looks crooked.

I turned and asked my wife, does my goatee look crooked in this photo? She agreed it did, and then proceeded to tell me that my goatee was indeed crooked.

Evidentally that morning I got a little to razor happy and had shaved off a portion... OOPS!

I am getting the passport with the crooked goatee photo to remind myself of what God says in James when he says that we should look intently into the mirror (the Word of truth) and walk away knowing who we are, not quickly turning away and forgetting who we are.

Joseph Lowery // A benediction with Racism?

Overall I was very impressed by Barak Obama and his inauguration. Despite the Justice fumbling in the actual swearing in. Barak, er Mr. President, was flawless. Fun to listen to. Very ambitious.

But there was a part of the inauguration that made me feel unsettled. It came during the benediction when Joseph Lowery said:

"Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get back, when brown can stick around -- (laughter) -- when yellow will be mellow -- (laughter) -- when the red man can get ahead, man -- (laughter) -- and when white will embrace what is right."

I thought this was supposed to be a celebration of how race now that we have a black President. Not a bashing of races by using slanderous terms of color. Look at what he says:

"Black will not be asked to get back" - Inferring to the times when segregation ran rampant and black men and women had to sit in the back of the bus.

"When brown can stick around" - Stick around? Not be returned to their home country?

"When yellow will mellow" - Just going for the rhyme.

"When red man can get ahead" - Indians would just get ahead.

Here's the one that ticks my clock:
"when white will embrace what is right" - So what have I been embracing my whole life if it is not "right"!?! What Mr. Joseph Lowery do I need to get right? What are my friends and family doing that causes you to plead to our Heavenly Father asking for us to get it right?

All Americans, myself included, celebrate the inauguration of the first non-white President. It is a sign of our times and evidence that many racial boundaries and hurts of the last century have been overcome. But using his platform at a Presidential inauguration to call white people racist was uncalled for and very disrespectful to people of all races who came behind Barak Obama in his race to the White House.

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After talking with my wife a bit about this last night and at lunch, I did some research. Turns out I am not the only one who is upset about this.

Chicago Sun Times
Preach it Glenn Beck.
Try Googling see what you come up with.

Biblical Names of God

I am working on a project for work... a Bible study on God's heart for the fatherless and in the process I created a list of Biblical names of God... it's a bit long, but I thought someone might enjoy it.

Almighty // Revelation 1v8
Alpha // Revelation 1v8
Angel of the Lord // Genesis 16v7
Anointed One // Psalm 2v2
Apostle // Hebrews 3v1
Author and Perfecter of our Faith // Hebrews 12v2
Beginning // Revelation 21v6
Bread of Life // John 6v35,48
Carpenter // Mark 6v3
Chief Shepherd // 1 Peter 5v4
The Christ // Matthew 1v16
Comforter // Jeremiah 8v18
Cornerstone // Ephesians 2v20
Deliverer // Romans 11v26
Defender of Widows // Psalm 68v5
Emmanuel // Matthew 1v23
End // Revelation 21v6
Everlasting Father // Isaiah 9v6
Father to Fatherless – Psalm 68v5
Foundation // Isaiah 28v16
Friend of Sinners // Matthew 11v19
God // John 1v1
Good Shepherd // John 10v11
Great Shepherd // Hebrews 13v20
Guide // Psalm 48v14
High Priest // Hebrews 3v1
Holy One of Israel // Isaiah 41v14
I Am // Exodus 3v14
Jehovah // Psalm 83v18
Jesus // Matthew 1v21
King of Israel // Matthew 27v42
King of Kings // 1 Timothy 6v15; Revelation 19v16
Lamb of God // John 1v29
Light of the World // John 8v12; John 9v5
Lord of Lords // 1 Timothy 6v15; Revelation 19v16
Master // Matthew 23v8
Mediator // 1 Timothy 2v5
Messiah // John 1v41
Mighty God // Isaiah 9v6
Passover Lamb // 1 Corinthians 5v7
Great Physician // Matthew 9v12
Priest // Hebrews 4v15
Prince of Peace // Isaiah 9v6
Prophet // Acts 3v22
Purifier // Malachi 3v3
Ransom // 1 Timothy 2v6
Redeemer // Isaiah 41v14
Refiner // Malachi 3v2
Refuge // Isaiah 25v4
Resurrection // John 11v25
Righteousness // Jeremiah 23v6
Rock // Deuteronomy 32v4
Ruler of God's Creation // Revelation 3v14
Sacrifice // Ephesians 5v2
Savior // 2 Samuel 22v47; Luke 1v47
Stone // Isaiah 28v16
Teacher // Matthew 26v18
Truth // John 14v6
Way // John 14v6
Wonderful Counselor // Isaiah 9v6
Word // John 1v1
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Jehovah “LORD” // Gen 2v4
Jehovah-Jireh “The Lord will Provide” // Gen. 22v14
Jehovah-Ropeh "The Lord Who Heals" // Ex. 15v22-26
Jehovah-Nissi “The Lord Our Banner." // Ex. 17v15
Jehovah-Shalom "The Lord Our Peace" // Judges 6v24
Jehovah-Elohim "LORD God” // Judges 5v3
Jehovah-Tsidekenu "The Lord Our Righteousness" // Jer. 23v5
Jehovah-Rohi "The Lord Our Shepherd"// Psa. 23,
Jehovah-Shammah "The Lord is There" // Ezek. 48v35
Jehovah-Sabaoth "The Lord of Hosts" // Isa. 1v24

Next Day. Same Time.

No Foolin'

No Tricky Stuff going on... I took this photo this AM at 9.

All Shook Up Costa Rica Style

There was a big earthquake in Costa Rica last week, Thursday. It was pretty wild... its right near a place where Kristin and I did a construction project a few years ago. Kristin and her mom stayed at La Paz Waterfall Gardens which was severely hit.

I happened to be Skyping with Phil Aspegren when it happened and heard books falling off the shelves saw a rocking chair viciously rocking back and forth and heard frantically Jill checking on all her boys. The Aspegrens and Casa Viva are just fine. There were two teams from LeaderTreks arriving in country that day... they were a little shaken but safe.

One team had to move to a different work project because a landslide was preventing them from going to work.