Here are some thoughts I wrote a couple months back on the subject of abortion. Tell me what you think, please. I did not cover all issues involved, just some basics.

Abortion is a problem that has been an increasing in the world. While you learn every day about how many soldiers were killed in the war or how many children die in third world countries from starvation, almost never will the media talk about the millions of babies who are murdered here in our own country before they even have a voice to utter a sound.

What is our problem and why have such atrocities been allowed to happen? The first thing I would like to make clear is that no one is in the dark about what is really happening, everyone knows that the two cells you started off as were still you. Even when they say that it is not “living” they know they are killing potential future life. So how could this thing have started? There are many things that led up to the conclusion that killing a baby in the womb is okay, but I think there are two people in particular who can bear the brunt of the blame. First is Charles Darwin and next is Ernst Haeckel. Darwin came up with the theory that humans are just smarter animals who are here by random chance whose only real purpose is to advance evolution, and not that humans are designed by a God who cares. Today this idea is popular, for a people who do not like accountability it works almost perfect. Ernst Haeckel took the idea of Darwin and went on to tell how in the womb we go through our own evolution. Haeckel had no evidence to support his facts so like a true scientist he faked it. He drew pictures of the embryo going through its different evolutionary stages, and back in the time before ultra sound and x-ray it looked pretty good. Today any honest person knows this is a fake and will let people know so. This however is actually used in abortion facilities today where they will tell the woman that her baby is actually just a fish or a piece of tissue.

We see here a trend that is disturbing, when people have been indoctrinated that we are only a more developed order of fish, what is it that is so hard to believe about a human being a fish in its early stage. Also those who know that it is not a fish still have the idea that humans are just higher animals so there is hardly a difference between killing the baby fish and the baby human. So where does it stop, what difference does it make if the baby is in or out of the womb, it is still just an animal. It is interesting to note that the woman who has the abortion still knows that what she is doing is killing a human life, and that it is wrong(no one is ignorant of what is happening). They are sacrificing there child to the god of convenience. Even with the lies as a cushion, people realize the evil.

This is why we need to stand strong in the truth that comes from God and tells us that all human life is his, and that he created it with a purpose, the purpose of serving him. So live as an example of the potential of human life, especially with God as its all encompassing guide.

Chip

Welcome to the Wonderfully, Wild, World Ean

My sister gave birth to a baby boy last Friday. He is so grown up. I can't wait to meet him in person, but it looks like I will have to.

In Christ

Chip

Ticket Please

Life might be best defined by the simple mark ?. Why pain, why disease, why laughter, why mosquitos, why taste, why me, why you... why,why, why. It does all seem a bit odd does it not? We look at God with an eyebrow raised, "um, are you sure you wanted to do that?" If you find you can identify with what I am saying, (even if you can't) I would like to recommend a book.

Notes From a Tilt-A-Wirl by N.D. Wilson, and kindly recommended to me by Havilah B, is a carnival ride in book form. Fun, dizzying, and rather unpredictable. Answering questions and seeing the beauty that is God's created and spoken world. It is so unlike any book I have ever read, and I really, I mean really, enjoyed reading it. I would give it five stars.

In Christ

Chip

Moscow Trip

Behold a cup of coffee from Bucers coffee. Oh so good, and warm.
Great atmosphere in this place.

Little Pete. He has got the most cheerful disposition and such great big brown eyes.
Little Claire. She likes chocolate cake. Among many other things.

Nelly and Ingrid. I love my nieces and nephews. Sadly I do not have picture of my other nephew Lewis, from this trip.
So anyway, had a marvelous trip, We flew there, I really like flying. Walking through airports is so much fun for a people watcher like me. Plus flying is just plain cool. Swam a lot with my nieces and nephews, and oddly enough they never seemed to get tired of swimming. I also loved how every night before they went to bed they seemed to put on afterburners of energy right before they ran up to bed.
It was also fun being in Moscow (ID) again, it had been about two years since I had been there. It is really cool because when I was little that was where we went on vacation, maybe not what most people think when they go there (oh, we should spend a vacation here) but like most places it is the people and memories that make it special. I really like Moscow. Enjoyed the great Sunday service a Trinity Reformed Church. I did for the first time in my life, sit through an entire super bowl. I do not really think it was super, but it was fun. I managed to get a sore throat the day before we left, but felt much better the next day. Which I was very glad of since we left the next day. So yes, A very fun trip.

Chip

Art

Art, one of the oldest and most fascinating subjects. It is such, because it is a realm all its own and yet all other subjects contribute to it: math, language, literature, and science all have helped in the development of art. Also the history of art acts as an amazing gage in the measure of a culture's social, political, and religious life. And most often the layers of symbolism buried in works of art by their masters take years to unfold.

As an artist myself (though most amateur) I cannot help thinking of how I am imitating the one who created me. The ultimate artist, capable of creating “little” artists. He says we are made in his image which is why we have the desire to build, design, and create, as he did.

When you learn to shape something into what you want it to be, it is an imitation of our creator.

We should not be surprised then, when we tend to copy his designs. We create people, plants, mountains, spheres, prisms, waves, animals, sunsets, etc... all in our different mediums.

I think as an artist you can also relate to God how when he had made all the world he said, “it was good,” or you can relate more to when he saw man alone and said, “it is not good.”

God is a God who appreciates the beauty and symbolism of art. When Solomon built a house for God, God did not ask for a simple brick building. It was a house that God designed for himself and his people. It was beautiful and deeply symbolic, and might I add, rather pricy. God shares his design with us and says enjoy. We are not to bow down to our graven images but to give them to the Lord saying, “hows my copy?”

Two Thousand and Ten, Anno Domini

The past year has made me all the more ready for another. When I think of the parts of the last year that hurt as well as the parts that felt good it makes me so ready for the next day which turns into the next week, month, and year. I am excited for what God has scheduled for me in 2010.

Oh and I had a great Christmas. Though it was odd and sad having no sisters around. I think for penance they will be getting visits from their pesky brothers.

I got some art stuff for Christmas, along with some itunes gift cards. That is a winning combination. Oh and candy!! Plus some more cool stuff.

New Years Eve was fun, had a small party here and stayed up vainly late, though we did not rise up early, so maybe it was not so vain.

New Years Day was spent in GF where my Grandma was in the hospital. Please pray for her, she is going through a rough time.

It is a mite cold outside, I guess it is mostly just the wind chill. -33 windchill at the moment, it is supposed to drop to -45. I do not really mind the cold, just maybe we could use a little extra heat. I would not mind global warming, if there is such a thing.

Back at school, I like it as much as ever.

I got a job, for which I am extremely happy. I am looking forward to starting. Plus I will be working with my bro, which is sort of bittersweet, hehe.

Read this quote today and I think it is my new favorite prayer. "O my Lord, this I intreat you. Let not Your love be blotted out from my mind, and behold, I am, by Your grace innocent before you." - Saint Anthony

Chip

New Art Blog

Our family is starting a new art blog and hope you enjoy, please check out my link.
Chip

Operation Christmas Child Hooray!!!

Got to see where my Uncle works, a very cool energy efficient building. And why not? He works for an energy company. The architecture was also very state of the arts.
This conference room is suspended 2 stories above the entryway. No goofing off in that room.
Inspectors processing boxes.
More inspectors or sorters and pre-sorters as some people call them.
Taper.
Packer

Places in MN
Cool frost

Chip

We Had A Ball

So we had our mostly annual, sometimes Thanksgiving Ball on Friday in our shop. These are just a couple of photos of the people who came. We had a great time and I think about 77 people came.
Thanks again Mom and Dad for the help. You were the cutest couple there. I do not have very many good shots of people dancing so maybe later I will post some of the video my dad got.

Everybody had a smile.
The pictures do not really do justice to the atmosphere. I attempted to describe it in my journal like this, "The masterfully decorated shop echoed with the sound of elegantly dressed men and women laughing and talking in their various pitches, till it was time to dance, then the music filled the shop along with the clapping of hands and the stomping of feet. The smell also of the heavily laden food table wafted out onto the dance floor. What more can I say? It was positively splendid and fun was had by all." Yeah, You get the idea, it was fun.

Here is the verse my dad read on the night of and then told us all to take a deep breath.

Praise the LORD!

Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty firmament!

² Praise Him for His mighty acts;
Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!

³ Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet;
Praise Him with the lute and harp!
⁴ Praise Him with the timbrel and dance;
Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!
⁵ Praise Him with loud cymbals;
Praise Him with clashing cymbals!

⁶ Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.

Praise the LORD!

God Bless

Chip

Recent Events

Went to Canada to visit my Great, Great, Aunt. She is pretty cool, also sharp, for 94 years old. The picture above her is her as a younger woman. It really puts life in perspective. I think it is something good to remember.
A shirt I thought had a bit of truth.
Happy all Hallowed Eve. This is my Jack- O-lantern. If he looks like he has no brains, it is because he does not.
Douglas and Antonio did the other two. They were fun to make.

Chip

Pictures

Here is a link to some pictures of my new nephew. It is on my brother's photography website.

I am an Uncle.... Again!!!

My sister-in-law had a baby boy at about 12:30 last night. Little Peter, 9lb 8oz. That is all I know for now. Hopefully I will get a picture soon, and post it.

Reading Reviews

I have not previously posted reviews on books I have read but I have decided after reading a couple very interesting and good books that I should share.

The first book is: Perelandra. By: C.S. Lewis. As you may know this is the second book in a trilogy known as the Space Trilogy. It is not light reading, but requires the full concentration of the reader. Or at least that was the case for me. A very gripping story of a struggle between good and evil in a new world where sin has not fully entered. Ransom the main character is sent to protect the the world and prevent what happened on earth. Full of descriptions of a different world and life in a sinless world put together with the story, make it a new favorite for yours truly.

Next on my list is: Do Hard Things. By: Alex and Brett Harris. Yes the title scared me a little to, but after having it recommended a couple different times I decided I better read it. It was an amazing boost of encouragement. It dispels the myth that teens are only supposed to go to school and stay out of trouble and thats it, but that they are the ones who should really be getting their act together. It gives examples of great things that happened when God inspired teens take action. And believe it or not this book actually inspired me to start a book club, where the first book we read was Do Hard Things.

The next book I want to review and the next one we will read for the book club is: Letter from a Christian Citizen. By: Douglas Wilson. This book was written in response to a book by an atheist who wrote a book called Letter to a Christian Nation. Letter from a Christian Citizen does not only offer great Christian apologetics but is actually fun to read. Douglas Wilson is quite amazing when it comes to this kind of stuff. Here is a link to a clip from a debate he had with an atheist by the name of Christopher Hitchens. Here is another shorter clip, but it is so good.

The last but not least is: Paradise Restored. By: David Chilton. This is a book on eschatology and the bible. David writes so well and it is hard to argue with him since so much of what he says comes right out of the bible. His book also made me open my eyes to the fact that the bible is not just a bunch of stories and poetry, but a well written intricately woven document. What else would we expect, it was inspired by God. I highly recommend this book for those who think the end of this world is near or who need some encouragement in their Christian walk.

I hope I have not bored you to much. As a side note I would like to notify people that I am going to be changing my blog address along with some other things. I will post the new address before I change it. Please if you have any suggestions for things you might like to see on my blog, please tell me.

Romans 1:18-20

Chip

Just a Little Update

 Garden has had a great yield and not just the tomatoes.   This was not even half of the tomatoes.  
Carrots about fifty pounds, onions one hundred pounds, and potatoes three hundred pounds.  

                   
      Made an awesome dinner with the sisters, sushi was just one part.
Went on a hike at our local state park, it was fun and beautiful.   And as always people got a little silly.

    I like this one.

  God is a great artist.
    My sis, she is cute.

   I am really blessed.  Yes I am.  Life gets better and better.   My health is not given out on me, even though put it through some tough spots.  Most recently I have had my two sisters visiting and a foreign exchange student from Guatemala.  So our family expands yet again.  Speaking of expanding families my sister had a little news... aha I am going to be an uncle again.  

School makes the days go by so fast and thankfully I enjoy it.  Math and science never stop amazing me in how well they work, hmm, like they were designed.  Gulivers Travels is kind of weird, but has some interesting ideas.  History is kind of depressing.  It is all good stuff to learn.

So it has started to snow and winter is upon even though I like to think fall is not yet quite over.   

Chip

 

Flowers and Insects

    What was supposed to be at the top of this page ended up at he bottom sorry.

 I am not sure if any of you are familiar with the divine proportion, if not that is what those spirals in the sun flower are based on.  It is complex to explain now, but I encourage you to look it up.  

  Flowers and insects are often used to describe things of little importance or significance Even in the Bible tells us to look at the lilies of the field how they do not toil or spin and yet God cares for them, for not even Solomon in all his splendor was not adorned as one of these.  Or to look at the ant how he has no leader over him, yet he goes about his work Just to show that even the smallest things that may not seem important carry important lessons.   Here are some pictures I took this afternoon of flowers and insects that are screaming, "I am designed!!!" a lesson some people have a tough time learning.  

Acts Blog

   You have probably noticed a new link labeled Acts Blog.  At our church we are going to be learning about Acts in our Sunday school.  Anyway the different teachers are writing their thoughts down on this blog.  I highly recommend taking a little time to read some of them.  My dad is a teacher so if it says DR at the end, that is my dad writing.

 Chip

Some more Woodworks

                                 Put this one together with a friend.  We found the wood in our

                          forest.
                               Had this idea from some of the spin art they were selling at potato

                          days.  The illusion makes it look like the ball moves up or down when

                          thing is spun.
                           My sister drew this design of my other sister's name.  So I thought I

                      would carve it.
                         I did not do all the detail, but I was not sure of how well I could do

               it, so I skipped it. 

      Chip