Reflections

There is something about the stillness of water reflecting it's surroundings, that makes it very beautiful. One of my favorite pictures is the cabinet mts in the background, being reflected perfectly in the still water in the foreground.

Proverbs says (paraphrased), "as still water reflects the face, so the heart reflects the man."

I know my reflection has been blurred at times...and many times it is not easy to look at...
I hear this verse and wonder:
What does my life look like to those who are watching?
What kind of description would they give of me?
Do I reflect the character of Jesus?

Remember that old Petra song, In the Likness of You?
"...and when I'm sleeping, keep me dreaming, until I can awake, in the likeness of You"...ha ha, that one takes me back!

What does our life reflect?

I am certain of this, there is not a more beautiful reflection than a person who looks like Christ...

"...I wanna be just like You, in all I say, in all I do!" good tune! =)

Jesus, more of You, and less of me!

Weekly update

1. Enjoying the light winter! Just hope there is plenty of snow in the mountains this summer...
2. Work outs are back on track. Last week I was so busy, I did not work out at all! This week I managed to get in 3 bike sessions. I think I am finally starting to see some results! I was getting discouraged...
3. Zags had a very good week!
4. Did some senior pics this week...it was almost dark, so it is causing some more work in editing, which I already need help
with!
5. I am strongly considering buying skis for hiking in the mountains.
6. Haven't heard from Haiti groups yet...suppose it will be a little while. There is a small possibility of doing something with Mike and Loretta in Fiji for 5 years! =) sounds like a really cool project.
7. We are doing some songs for the valentines dinner - the guys sound really good! I was asked if I would like to do pictures again. I don't want to do the same thing though. Anyone want to help or do it for me, or have any ideas for a good setting, equipment? =)
8. Small group is hard right now. Some of us have a very busy schedule, and some really need the support. I don't know what to do yet.
9. I got a cheap bass cabinet to have at home. Now I can practice at home without packing around that heavy 4-10 cabinet that is at church!
10. Work has been good. I am blessed with a great supervisor! We are having to cut back this year because of the economy, but also have a lot of new opportunities which makes my job busy. Next week, we will be audited by the makers of Benadryl (owned by J & J). This would be a big step for us if we pass their audit. They could bring us lots of new business.
11. Really been enjoying the Ravi podcasts. What a great mind!

Life is good!

Asleep

I have a friend who struggles with fear and loneliness...I do not understand it, I do not know how to help.
In fact, It is very hard for all to understand, but it's there...I see tears, sorrow and pain, many times...
Where does it come from? Why does it not go away? Is this person crazy, or is it that there is so much more comprehension of the spiritual struggle than I have ever known? Maybe I am crazy?
Confusing yet? We talked last night of this struggle...the good days are those spent alone with God. The hard days are those spent alone with no one to turn to for help. What a conflict! Spend time with God alone and ease the suffering, but also the need to have someone close to help get through the struggle, and understand what is happening...

Alone...

I can't imagine what Christ went through as He endured the cross...when He prayed at the Mount of Olives, "Father, if You are willing, take this cup from Me." Jesus was alone in this struggle. He anguished! And his sweat was like blood dropping to the ground. And those closest to Him were sleeping in His time of need...did they not understand what Jesus was going through, did they not know what was about to happen to Jesus?

Alone...

Am I like the disciples, exhausted of the struggle? Oblivious to the spiritual battle? Why do I not anguish?

I have this thought in my head today...am I sleeping?

In the same passage, Jesus told His disciples to pray, so they would not fall into temptation. Did He not want to be alone in His struggle? Was He not asking for someone to come along side of Him to help in His time of anguish? Is this what my friend is asking for?

Lord, let me not fall asleep...

Worship II

"the older you get, the more it takes to fill your heart with wonder." Ravi Zacharias

it is not enough to love somebody...
it is not enough to be loved by somebody...
even after you have obtained this in life, you can still have loneliness...
there is something that goes deeper than this love in the heart of man...
it is a different kind of love...
it is appreciation love...
it is worship...

We have a need for the love of God, because we are sinners...
We come to God in service, and offer our lives to Him...
But it is not until we go from "need love" to "gift love" and then into "appreciation love," that your heart can be satisfied...

Only God is big enough to fill your heart...and your heart is filled when you come to Him in adoration, wonder, and appreciation. It is in those moments, you can be in the darkest of times, and never be alone.

I probably killed this message, but Ravi has really opened my eyes to worship...it is the purpose to life, and yet I know nothing about it...

Worship

Our small group talked about worship tonight. Ravi Zacharias has a great series about worship. I cannot pretend that I comprehend worship yet, and cannot even touch the surface in a blog. It seems though, that it is in our very nature to worship - isn't that why God created us? Unfortunately, we become adultererers, and worship the created, instead of the Creator. And if you really want to go to the root of it, we are worshipers of ourselves, fulfilling our own selfish desires.
All the way back to the fall of Satan, who fell from heaven, because he wanted to be worshipped. Then the fall of man, when Satan said that you shall be like God. God's 1st commandment of the 10, you shall have no other gods before me. Satan tempted Jesus and offered the whole world if He would worship Satan. Many of us desire significance, like the Pharisees...worship.
There seems to be this theme of worship, and it is at the very heart of God.
Ravi sums worship into 4 categories: emotion, reverance, sacrifice, and purity of heart. (Read malachai 1). All of these things, in the spectrum of life, are unified together through worship! The world tries to find a way to bring unity out of diversity, and fails. All of the greatest philosophers tried to find this unity, the answer to life. The word university is from the phrase "unity in diversity." If you have watched the movie avatar, you would see an attempt to find unity with the earth, and everything is as one. There has always been a desire to find unity, something that holds this life together, a meaning and purpose.
Well, if the purpose of life can be summed up into just one word, it would be worship. Worship brings our emotion, conscience, will, and intellect into unity...all aspects of life brought to the submission of God. The result is that gigantic secret the Christian can claim - joy!
Some thoughts on worship that I heard:
worship is not merely going to the temple, but taking the temple with us!
Worship is the submission of all of our life to God, a sacrifice...and as Malachai says, we are to bring God our best.
Worship is a moment by moment expression.
Worship is capturing every thought to Christ.
We must worship in spirit and in truth, if you do not, even God will fail you - because you cannot come to God on your own terms. You have not given Him your best.
There is much about worship, and I feel like I have degraded it with what little I comprehend. I am left with one thought about this...this week we are singing the song, " take me in to the holy of holies." that is such an amazing thought - being in the very presence of God, but sad, that it is an amazing thought. Being in the presence of God is not a figment of imagination, it is not a fantasy world, it is not something i achieve because i fulfilled the "works" checklist...no, it is a reality of worship through emotion, reverance, sacrifice, and purity of heart. And when God says, "I have loved you," I hope that i do not say, "in what way?" we worship God because of what He has done for us - He deserves our best...

Diez

1. Only on the 3rd week of hourly pay, and they already need me to work some OT! =)
2. I have been helping manage timelines and product testing for a new cold sord treatment product in a tube. Sounds cool, but will be a tough project for us, and as always, the deadline is yesterday!
3. I know one of the marketing guys at Encoder, and today he left a note saying that he was interested in using me for some photo stuff...not sure if that will ever really work out, but I need to start getting my foot in the door...
4. Also had a buddy of mine at work ask today if I wanted to do his daughter's wedding this summer...crystal and Shelby? =)
5. Also had another friend ask today to buy a picture for her house.
6. Also just got home from doing some photos for a high school year book at Leslie's school.
7. I only say all of this, because I think it is time to get a little more serious and do something with it!
8. I started sleeping with my head at the other end of the bed. Don't ask me why, but I sleep better!
9. Last night I had a dream that I started doing white water rafting in one of those small kayaks - it was awesome! I might have to take that up this year.
10. I also went on a hike in the mountains this last weekend, and found that it would be nice to have some skis.
11. No updates about Haiti yet...I am hoping to go down as a photographer with a group of doctors. If not, a buddy of mine is getting information for me to be able to go down with a group from his church in Bonners Ferry. If that doesn't work out either, I am still signed up with HODR! I think I am going down there one way or another! =)
12. enjoyed a conversation about worship with a friend this week. It combines all facets of life, and brings them all together in unity. Emotion, reverance, sacrifice, and purity of heart...worship is not a moment, it is a lifestyle! we do not go to the temple to worship, we take the temple with us! Awesome study with Ravi if you need some listening material.

Leigh Lake

Now that I am back on hourly wages at work, I have to keep track of my vacation hours. Right now I am maxed out on what I can earn, so I HAD to take a day off yesterday to burn some hours. =) I should mention that when I went to get the vacation day approved, he didn't want to sign it off. In a good way tho! He said, "I owe you a day anyway, just take it off." I have good supervisors! That didn't help me out cuz I needed to burn the hours, but he said he is going to make up for it some time.
So, what do I do on my day off? How bout a grooling hike up into the snowy mountains? Perfect!!! Actually, not so grueling - working out saved me! =)
my buddies and I decided to go to Leigh Lake in the Cabinet Mts of Montana. I haven't had a good hike in the mountains in quite a while - I didn't realize how much I missed it!
There was just enough snow to keep us from driving up the road, so we had to hike an extra 2 miles each way, but it was well worth the extra work.
The day started out with blue sky, but it would not last...

At the end of the trail, it opens up into a winter wonderland...and untouched accept for a few rabbit tracks on the snow. The trees and the bushes were frosted with snow...


A stream that flowed out of the lake was all that could be heard - life in the mountains ceased to exist for the season...

The view was spectacular! Leigh Lake frozen over and covered in snow. Snow Shoe Peak towered over the lake, and looked much more intimidating to me than the last time I was there. The sun was coming up over the ridge, and trying to peak through the clouds...

it seemed like unfound territory, and we were the first to explore...our tracks proved our discovery!


We walked across the lake to look at the ice formations on the steep mountain wall. Looks were deceiving! Sitting below the tallest peak in the Cabinet Mts made the lake look more like a pond, but we soon found that we had traveled a mile before got to the other side. And the wind was bitterly cold crossing over the open surface of the lake! Ice was all along the wall, and some had bright shades of blue...

Time for a group shot-I didn't pack the tripod all the way up there to not use it! Robert, Jared, Jonah, and me...it was awesome to be hiking with these guys again. Now if I could only take my brothers with me some time!

All the other guys came up in skis, so they got their gear together and hiked up the ridge a ways to get a run in...

By the time they got back, the light was quickly fading. We would have to quickly backtrack to get past the worst part of the trail...

from there, head lamps illuminated our way back to the car.
Another great adventure