Mexico Borderless Mission

Flying south, looking east.
Practicing his siesta.

Sunny St. Louis.
Friend made this from the Sky Mall magazine.
Thought this mountain in AZ really looked like God's Thumb from the movie Holes.
The border. Crossing into Mexicali Mexico after dark was most interesting. Getting lost did not help either. Saw both sides of town.
Walking the streets of Mezquital.
The all important water tank.
Campsite.
Team Leader Kay A. explaining how to flush a Mexican toilet. It is not as easy as you may think.
The area where we had devotions every morning and evening. Heard so many incredible testimonies shared here. The Holy Spirit was really at work in this place.
Two front ones are our two team leaders. Both did an amazing job. Thanks to them for so much.
Team Members. Some of them.
Coke in a glass bottle. You can't beat it.
Part of the roofing crew.
The roof. We got the whole thing on by the end of the week.
Marbles.
Pastor David's son. A very cool guy. He was fun. He loved tapping people on their shoulder so they looked the wrong direction. He did it a little to much, people started to catch on.
Went to a border town on Sunday afternoon to do some souvenir shopping. It was odd to think that that piece of tin separated two different governments and cultures. Guess which one I like best?
Never seen so many dentist offices in one town in my life. This was just a couple of the many that were all over town. Another interesting experience in Algodnaz (the border town where we went shopping) was bartering with enthusiastic sellers. It was a fun skill to learn.
We are not in Kansas anymore. I was noticing the Baja California.
Played foozeball with these boys. They were really good, but me and my teammate won. It is so great how even though we did not understand most of what the other person was saying, this old foozball table allowed us to get to know each other.
I guess I owe an explanation for why this post took two months to get here. Well the thing is that towards the end of the trip I was pretty sick. And being so, made my already forgetful brain even more so. So when we got dropped off at the airport, I left my camera in the vehicle. Now it was really okay, because the team we had been traveling with from Minneapolis were not leaving till later, and they were dropping off the rental vehicles then. With a phone call telling them to watch for a camera, and another phone call saying they had got it, everything was good. It simply took two months to get it the rest of the way. That is the simple story. Oh, by the way, being sick in Mexico really was not fun. Glad it only hit the last day.
Pastor David and his family. He pastored at the church where we were helping. Another amazing man, who is so strong in the Lord. He has a lot of courage and faith. He is also the first man who I have seen help roof a church in black shoes and dress pants.
Putting a roof on. That metal gets hot. Ouch!!
These kids rocked at soccer.
Eric. Or when he told me, "EEEEEeerrric!" He was also the king of marbles. His pockets kind of bulged with marbles he had won.
The culvert that we cleaned out and basically rebuilt. Pity I do not have a before picture. Just imagine it half filled with mud and junk and the sand bags laying in more horizontal fashion. Nothing is easy in the Mexico sun.
The amazing Pastor David. He does everything from entertain the kids with magic, speaks spanish, and oversees the construction of the roof. Hence the hardhat.

All in all. An amazing trip. Christ is doing awesome things all over. It was so great to worship the same God with people who spoke a different language. It just is cool. It is kind of like Pentecost.

Please remember these people in your prayers, the country of Mexico is really going through some tough spots, and Christians often feel it the most. Pray that they will have the retain the courage and faith to witness and be lights in a dark place.

In Christ

Chip

Great speech.

Please follow the link. You will not be disappointed.

Yes, it is another Nephew.

Photo courtesy of Sarah L. Ethan Bruce R. 8 lb. 2 oz. 19 3/4 in. long. Born April 1, 2010. God bless you as you grow in God's marvelous world.

Chip

He Has Risen

What more can be said about Easter? I mean that has not already been said? Okay, well maybe I will say it again.

This Holy Day leaves me in awe of my God. His stunning fulfillment of the old covenant. I encourage you to take the time to read Luke 22, 23, and 24 (if you have not already). Think about what was going on in the mind of the people who were experiencing this paradyme change. This day marks the change of the Christian world. God has come into the world and has payed the final price for us. Jaw drop. If you are you a sinner like me your jaw should drop too. He has rolled away the stone of death and risen to victory and redemption. And we are raised with him. Praise the Father, the Risen Son, and Holy Spirit.

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