Suddenly everything changes

This photo was taken in 1998 or so. This is the good friend that was the purpose of this trip. Steve was born with a condition known as transposition of the great vessels. He had a surgery done forty years ago that was successful and gave him forty years of life. The procedure he had done was old, but it worked.

I first met Steve in 1989 when I went to school at Biola University. Steve was one of those people that you take an instant liking to, and we quickly became friends. I soon got to know Renee, his wife to be. We were at their wedding on August 1, 1992. Patty and I were married a year later and as young married couples we used to go places together on vacation.



In 1999 we moved from Orange County to Victorville, and although we didn't see them as much, we stayed in touch. In 2002 we were able to go to the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City with Steve, Renee, & the girls. We had a great time as our two families (+ our Utah friends Dave & Terri Butts) enjoyed the salt lake valley and attended events together. It was one of those unforgettable experiences that was made so much more full by our friendship with Steve & Renee.

In 2005 they moved across the country to Durham, North Carolina. We were sad to see them go, but they quickly endeared themselves to the people around them and have made Durham their home. Although Steve had always had health issues related to his heart, he never complained about them and only talked about them when pressed for information. Steve's health began to decline, and over the last year he has suffered one setback after another. I came out to be sure we had the opportunity to spend time with Steve in case his health took him before we were able to come out during a vacation time.

Today was a normal day like any other. Steve went to work, came home, we had a nice time talking, we looked at pictures, we laughed at youtube videos, we just hung out like friends do. Then we went to dinner at a great North Carolina Barbeque restaurant. After dinner, we were heading to a Durham Bulls game when everything changed. Steve collapsed on the sidewalk and went home to be with the Lord.

I miss him, but I am SO grateful that I was able to see him one last time. I am even more grateful that I was able to be here for Renee and the girls. Watching Renee break the news to her girls was one of the saddest moments of my life.

God is sovereign and perfect, and His plans are perfect. God knew when He would take Steve home, and arranged my trip so that I would be here for Steve's family in this time of need. I grieve for my friend, and rejoice in the provision of the Lord!

Joel

A day in ... Kentucky

Fred and I got up early to beat the sunrise and headed out to Red River Gorge. When in "photo safari" mode we stop wherever we feel like we can get great photos. Our first stop was at a 700 foot long tunnel that was dug out by hand as a railroad tunnel. The first load of logs got stuck in the tunnel, and they had to dynamite them out. Our passing wasn't quite so eventful, but we tried to capture a little bit of the flavor of the tunnel on film.

Yes, film. I still shoot it, and I still love it. I have a little Nikon 10MP camera as well, and the shots you see in this blog entry are all from it as I haven't developed the film yet. I have one camera loaded with black and white, and the other loaded with color. I've been shooting a mix of slides and prints. Slides are almost impossible to get processed these days, it's very frustrating.

We also stopped at a really cool bridge that just screamed out for photography. After leaving the gorge we made our way through Kentucky for most of the day. We took "Little Shepherd Trail" which winds its way above pretty much everything. Anywhere there was a twisty road, we took it. We tried to stay off of the interstate and away from traffic as much as possible.

Coming from California, it's easy to forget that there are parts of the country that simply do not have the material resources we take for granted. In the parts of Kentucky we drove through there is virtually no industry (and thus, no jobs) except for coal mining. We saw lots of people home during the day sitting on their front porches.

The roads in Kentucky are a mixed bag as well. The interstates are in pretty good shape, but as the numbers get higher, the road quality gets worse, a lot worse. Towards the mid-afternoon we went through a big tunnel into Tennessee. I was astonished at how different the two states were, even though they border each other. Tennessee is greener, and just seemed...prettier. No offense to any of my friends in Kentucky!



Once in Tennessee we headed for the Great Smokey Mountain National Park, where we went up to Look rock to shoot the sunset. Unfortunately, that was very anti-climactic. The sunset was really rather ordinary. We have better ones out our front window almost every night.

We then made for Cherokee, North Carolina by some very twisty, very fun to drive roads. Gotta love heavy braking and cornering followed by hard acceleration! Thankfully, Fred's WRX has very sticky tires, so we didn't actually have to use the brakes that hard :-)

Thus endeth day two of the North Carolina Road Trip & Photo Safari.

Joel

My (Quality Inn) Kentucky Home

A good friend of mine is experiencing some very severe health issues, and so Patty and I decided that it was time for me to make my way to the east coast to see him. So today I flew into Indianapolis, where another friend of mine picked me up and we are driving down to North Carolina. Why the indirect route? Well, first off it was like $300 cheaper from a plane flight perspective, and secondly it gives Fred and I the chance to hang out and take pictures for a few days.

Tonight we made our way into Kentucky, and tomorrow morning we will head to the Red River Gorge and other cool sites around Kentucky for round one of photography. You can see examples from some of my prior photo safaris with Fred here and here.

I will probably blog daily on this trip because, well, we don't take many pictures when it's dark, and hotel tv isn't even worth turning on...

Joel

Air Travel

My first ever plane flight was to Brazil in the 1970's. It was all very exciting. It was the only time I ever flew on a Boeing 707, one of the planes that made commercial jet travel possible and affordable for the masses. I have vivid memories of the pain in my jaw as we landed, unable to clear the congestion. As a six year old, it was agonizing.

I have many memories of that trip, but the novelty of air travel for the first time is something I will never forget. AIr travel for me now is a necessary evil. I don't mind doing it, but I hate the lines, the cramped spaces in airports, the lousy overpriced food and waiting for a delayed aircraft. As I write this, I'm sitting in the Las Vegas Airport waiting for the plane to arrive that we will travel on. We were supposed to leave minutes ago, and the plane hasn't even arrived from it's first flight of the day.

Sigh.

And so I sit, waiting, and writing. I miss the days of walking across the tarmac to the plane. I loved the old Boeing 727's where you could exit out the back stairs instead of everyone going to the same door. That plane was designed with passenger convenience in mind. It seems that is all but forgotten in these heady, unregulated days of air travel.

I guess you can categorize this blog entry as "sappy memories of days of yore"

Joel

Anger

Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly. - Proverbs 14:29

Every parent should have this verse seared in their mind. Raising kids is great, but it's also very trying at times. It is for those times that God gives us this directive. I have a great father, and I believe he exemplifies living this verse out. I have seen my dad mad, but I did not live in a house filled with yelling.

Yelling is easy, but not effective. As a parent, I disappoint myself when I yell. Kids need discipline, and there are plenty of times for that, but it's important to be of gentle spirit, even in discipline.

Slow to anger has many applications outside of just parenting as well. Our world expects anger, and when we are kind it often takes people by surprise. I'm always amazed at how anxious customer service people get when things go wrong. Those poor people must get chewed out day in day out. Life would be a lot less stressful if people would relax and look for understanding instead of anger.

Maybe Bill & Ted had it right with their motto. "Be Excellent to Each Other"

Not bad advice, when you think about it.

Joel

Monk Habits for Everyday People - The Book Review

If you read this blog regularly, you know that I attended a lecture entitled "Monk Habits for Everyday People" by Dennis Okholm. He has written a book by the same name, which I purchased at the end of the session. I was excited to read the book, to see what further insights would be contained within the covers.

I wanted to like this book. I really did. But I found it unfulfilling. It isn't nearly as good as the lecture I attended, and reads more like a commentary on the rule of St. Benedict, which I read prior to reading this book in preparation. Perhaps that was my mistake. This book is geared more towards convincing the reader that monasticism is still relevant and worthwhile, and I don't need convincing on that point. The commentary on the rule wasn't revolutionary either, but served to provide an introduction to the monastic life to protestants who have never read the rule or studied the monastic life at all. I have done quite a bit of study on Christian Mystics, so perhaps I'm just not the target for this book.

If you are looking for a protestant introduction to what the monastic life is all about, this is not a bad book. But I can't recommend it wholeheartedly like I expected to.

Joel

The leading of the Spirit

From time to time I have the opportunity to preach to the seniors in our church. I love doing it because it gives me the opportunity to really dig into the word. The last time I taught, I went with Psalm 8 because there was a wedding that day and I wanted to set the mood as one of celebration and worship. This time I was struggling with what to teach on. I don't teach that often, so I have to do messages that stand on their own. I wrestled with it for a while, and nothing was coming to me. I talked with a friend of mine who suggested I talk about Paul and Silas, and how great God is. Great idea, great topic, but it just wasn't grabbing me. Finally I settled on Psalm 42-43 (really one psalm). I decided to keep working through Psalms and to use the opening of the second book.

It was an odd choice, and I kept asking myself if I really wanted to do this... But as I got into it I ended up creating the longest sermon I've ever delivered... Although many guys can preach for a very long time, I tend to be brief. I like to highlight the word of God and try to stay out of the way as much as possible. I'm sure there are guys who could go a lot longer on this topic, but I was happy with my result. Still, when it was all over, I was puzzled as to why God would put that psalm on my heart.

Two days later I found out. I went to the hospital to visit with a friend whose daughter was having surgery. I greeted everyone and then saw my friend's dad, who did not look good. I sat down to chat with him about how he was doing. Before I knew it, I was delivering an abbreviated version of my sermon on Psalms 42 to him. He was really struggling with his granddaughter being in the hospital, and was greatly encouraged by David's struggle and the example of how we are to work through tough times that is portrayed in Psalm 42.

As I drove out of the hospital parking lot after the surgery I marveled at God's timing and providence. If we listen to His leadings, He is faithful to provide. I didn't know why God gave me Psalm 42 to speak on until I went to the hospital that day. Often times God doesn't give us clarity that soon. It may be years later, or maybe we will never know why He did things that He did. When we are puzzled, when we are confused, we have to remember the promise made to us in Romans 8:28 - And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Let God lead, He knows what you need!

Joel