Just thought I better post some photos of the weather we’ve been having. Saturday I was home doing my finances, and it was around zero to start. So I wasn’t in a rush to get out. But around lunch time I had enough of being inside and looking at the bright blue sky outside, so grabbed the shoes and went up on Canfield.
Sunday, after church, went to see my buddy Dave. We shoed up to his cabin and hung out there for a bit. It was a good time to relax a bit.
I have been very blessed to be able to live close to where I work. It's just around a mile as the crow flies. And we know that crows don't fly straight. But with all the snow this year (over 5' in December, breaking all December records) I've enjoyed walking in instead of taking the truck or car. It's so different than driving or even riding a bike, in that it's very low tech. That is welcome after years of such a busy high tech living! It makes me think of how dependent we are on vehicles, and with lots of snow, things just come to a crawl. Just a nice way to unwind at the end of the day.
Times are busy around here. Some things listed below are left over from before, but none-the-less still a viable project. I would like to keep an update a little more current, but it does take time, and it's mostly all office work. (See my previous post: Not enough time -- and a record snow fall!)
Book printing - 7 books on the ready to print. Each requires a contract w/ the printer, having all the files complete and ready, money in place, quantity established, etc.
4 Videos to finish / finalize / produce (each around 45 minutes):
Other things to do:
So, that's a quick look at where I am at right now in the scheme of things. It is a little overwhelming at times, but need to be faithful with the time I've been given. And it does get tough at times to keep focus.
Thanks to all of you who donate to allow me to be here, working full time, on these needed projects. Without your support, I would have to have a part-time job, which would make completing these tasks that much harder (and slower.) If you want to know more of how you can support me, check out this website: One-in-Sixty.
After our record snow last week, it seems that this year is a repeat from last. What I mean, is that it seemed for a while last year, it snowed every day. Here’s the forecast for this week. Notice the blue on the bottom (snow!)
For me, there isn't enough hours in a day. I don't know where this came from, but back when I was a kid (you know- in my 20's) it sure seemed that things for the day were getting completed just fine. I'd cut grass, build something or cut a tree down (then back up, which is why it took so long....) It seemed at the end of the day, it was time for the day to end. But now that I have office work, and a whiteboard full of projects to do, then going home and seeing all that yet needs to be done, the hours just seem too few.
Some projects completed lately:
There are many projects that I would love to tackle, and will come in time I hope!
Starting yesterday, we probably have received around 30" of snow in the past 24 hours. I don't have all the facts, but needless to say, it is a lot of snow. It took more than 2 hours of shoveling to do just our sidewalks this morning. Being only a mile from work, I was able to walk in and fill orders. UPS hasn't showed up yet, and wouldn't be surprised if they didn't, even though I did see Tony (our UPS driver) 3 times in the course of the morning's travels. But Ryan is our PickUp driver, and...we'll see if he makes it in. No problem if not and totally understandable! Actually will be surprised if he does. (This was a dilemma of mine: Should I have orders ready or not? I figure he might not like being out today, but if he has to be, wouldn't it be nice to be able to pick some packages up? Better than being out and not picking anything is what I figured, so I have 6 orders for him waiting.)
Earlier in the day I received a call from a friend who was stranded - the packed snow from driving back from the airport flipped the serpentine belt off his engine. I drove down to help out, but had to help a lady in our condo units get her car off the road first. All in all, I think I only helped out 4 people stuck, which wasn't bad. Most people stayed home like they should. Except for another neighbor, who thought her front-wheel-drive car would go through 26" of snow, and took only 10 feet to realize it wouldn't : )
I thought I better get an update up. Last week our web team met for a couple days (Thursday and Friday) in Olds, Alberta. It was a good time, but too short. At least it'll get us started moving forward as a group, which should be very helpful.
Drove home on Saturday, made a batch of bread on Sunday after church, and visited my local sporting good store after work today. That's what the pictures are all about!
Yes, I'm in Canada again. This trip has been for a team meeting for those working on the GoodSeed website. Since more of the folks involved are in Canada, it just made sense that I come up and not them come down. We are meeting today at tomorrow, and I should be heading back to ID on Saturday or Sunday.
This evening, we had our Christmas party at the Kary's. It was a crowded but good time to hang out and celebrate Christ's coming a long time ago. Lots of wonderful food, fellowship and a White Elephant gift exchange at the end to finalize the festivities.
On the way home from visiting the Ketcham’s / Snyder’s over the weekend, I had the opportunity to drive through Mt. Rainier National Park. I stopped to hike up Crystal Peak, which took about 3 hours going up, 1:40 down, and just over 3,000 feet up (6,611 on my GPS). It was a great way to help offset some of the ‘activities’ this weekend.
Today (Black Friday) we drove up to see 3 of the dams up the valley. It rained all day, but we had a good time anyway. We visited the Gorge Dam, the Diablo Dam, and the Ross Dam. Actually made it to 2, but that was fine w/ me, because the smallest was the one we didn’t hike down to (Gorge).
Well, I drove out to Mt. Vernon, WA to spend Thanksgiving with my friends - Gene / Rose Kethcam. And they went over to another friend’s for dinner, so I tagged along. There were 3 families all together, and was a great time.
If you ever had a claim on your vehicle, and gone through the insurance company to get it fixed, then you might know what it’s like. First of all, they swear up and down that after market parts “meet or exceed” OEM. “If they don’t fit, we’ll replace it for OEM.” “The warranty for the aftermarket parts are 5 years, where OEM is only one.” Bottom line was that they would NOT use OEM, only after trying the aftermarket.
Fix-it day comes, and the bumper doesn’t fit right. Basically, the car is finished, except now the front bumper has to come off, returned (but it is painted already), a new OEM bumper shipped in, fitted, painted, finished. All this to save around $40 in the first place.
So, I’m not sure what to advise. You can cut a deal w/ the body guy and agree to pay the difference up front for OEM parts, or go through the hassle of doing it this way. Had I known about paying the difference, I would have done that up front. At least for the bumper. But even then, it seems wrong to have to pay extra to have the car fixed proper…
It was a long trip, crossing the border 3 times. See, they turned me around twice due to the load I was carrying (books) but it exceeded the dollar allowance for not having a broker clear the load. So I needed to get a broker, and by the time I made it to the commercial port (the first crossing wasn’t commercial…) the broker didn’t have enough time to process the load. So I headed back up to Cranbrook for the night to come down the next day. Other than that, it was a great trip.
Today, I drove the truck w/ a small load to Canada. We are having our annual Bible Camp, and so all of us are supposed to go. But Russ' doctor didn't let him go, and Rachel wasn't feeling well, so they didn't come. It's too bad, and we'll miss them, but what can you do.
The trip was uneventful, just a little snow. It was a nice drive - little traffic, and decent weather.
Another reason for driving the truck is that I'm planning on hauling about 1,100 books back down to ID with me when I leave here. Not a full load by any means, but too much for the car. We are trying to get our old stock to run out at the same time, so when the new cover comes out, both offices will at least be close for the change.
I called in dell.com for some tech support today. I received a computer (bought refurbished) that had 3g memory listed twice. I didn’t know what the box had inside, but thought possibly there was 6g, so I looked inside when it came, and it was full (4 slots) of 3g total. So I called in just asking what is usually done in this situation. I was transferred ten times before getting help, lasting oh, about 45 min. You know the drill, each time “May I have your order number” “For verification purposes, what is your full name?”... I talked to Rachel, Indira, Hersh, Nihal, Pavin, Ranbhir, Sanjeev, Mara and finally Joaquin. But I retained my sanity through it all, and since the box will only work w/ 4g, they agreed to send another 2g and I’ll send 1g back, giving me a total of 4. Was it worth it? I don’t know. But I do appreciate those companies out there that have local support, hiring local people, instead of farming overseas—and think Dell should reconsider. Again.
If anyone's had my mom's cinnamon bread, you know it's a tough act to follow. Here's my second attempt, and it turned out ok. The first attempt was back in June, and that was ok too, but had too much cinnamon inside. This time there wasn't enough. But I did stab my loaf before letting it rise in the pan, to help let the air out that accumulates in between the layers, which seemed to work just wonderfully.
One, however, was an attempt on creating a vertical layered loaf. This would have worked, had I rolled the seam to the bottom. Instead, being on top, it cut loose and that was the end of that. Tastes, good, though.
The cut loaves look rough, but that's because it was cut hot. You know how it goes.
All-in-all, it was a wonderful rainy day project.
It is good to hear positive things about projects that you have worked on. I must admit, I don't know much of how the products I've help build have helped others, (many of you helped me help build these products--we all have a part in this) simply because it's probably not really thought of to write the producers. We have sold around 5,000 bible study lessons -- in the DVD video sets (which is good I think, considering we haven't really marketed them yet.) The other day, a story came in that was very encouraging to me:
StoryTime: “Just thought I would encourage you with some news of The Stranger DVD course in the UK prisons. I am a chaplain in one of the high security prisons here in England. Over my 13 years in the prison ministry I have used every course that is available. In November of 2007 I began using the Stranger course. As far as I am aware this is the first time it has been used in a UK prison. I have to say that the Lord began to work immediately. Over the last months the Lord has saved a number of men in most remarkable ways and they are living to prove the reality of their conversion. I cannot tell you all the individual stories but be assured the Lord has honoured your exercise here and is working in a wonderful way. I can honestly say that the course is by far the most effective and scriptural course I have ever see, both outside and inside prison. We have also used it amongst the local population around our church building.”
As many of you are prayer or financial partners in my ministry, I want to pass on to you my “thanks” as well as the “thanks” contained in the above email. I couldn't do what I do without people behind supporting and praying, and I thank you.
James 1:5
But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
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