Tuesday, July 31, 2007

QUESTION OF THE DAY



I'm aware that I may be a little obsessed with shooting sasquatch sometimes, but do you think if you were the one who shot sasquatch and finally laid the question of its existence to rest that you could make a living off of being the person who shot sasquatch?

Giving interviews, writing a book, selling the body, guest appearances, traveling on a lecture circuit, etc...

Could you bank enough off of shooting sasquatch that you would never have to seek gainful employment again?

I wonder...

OH, VERMONT! I WISH I COULD TRAMP YOUR WOODS TODAY. SOME DAYS ARE LIKE THAT.


Photo courtesy of Andrew Peck.

SUPERBOWL PREDICTIONS!!!



The start of the 2007 season is just around the corner. Before a single ball has been snapped I want to make some predictions about how the season will go so I can say "I told you so" later.

The AFC will be represented by the New England Patriots in the Superbowl, and the NFC will be represented by none other than my very own Redskins.

That's right...the Redskins. I have good reasons too. Don't think that my ardor as a fan has clouded my judgement.

My second and third picks are San Diego and Indiannapolis respecitvely from the AFC and the Saints and Cowboys from the NFC.

Keep an eye on the Rams to make a run for it as well this year.

...but yeah, definitely the Skins!

LAST WORDS OF THE COUNT FROM SESAME STREET



"One assailant! Ha Ha Ha! Two assailant! Ha Ha Ha! Three assailant! Ha Ha Ha!"

Sunday, July 29, 2007

I HATE GROUND SQUIRRELS

On Saturday I discovered that a ground squirrel had infiltrated the chicken wire cage that covers my beets and had successfull devoured some of them. I quickly harvested the remaining plants before they could fall into enemy hands despite the fact that they had not yet reached full maturity. The roots were tiny, but I steamed the entire plant and they were DELICIOUS!!!




Beets are sooooooo good! On Wednesday I plan on planting a second crop of beets, and adding some more security devices to foil those pesky varmints.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY LITTLE SPOON!!!

On Saturday, Sarah threw Lucy a wonderful tea party for her birthday. I have decided that Sarah is incapable of throwing a simple party. It just isn't in her. She doesn't feel like a thing has been properly celebrated unless she becomes thoroughly exhausted. Lucy loved it though, and I guess that was the point of the whole exercise. Speaking of Lucy...isn't she just the most adorable little two year old you have ever seen? I am little biased, but still...



I dressed up for the tea party. If I look a little wilted that is becuase it may have been a tad bit too hot for a full suit and plus I was carrying around Jack- that little bundle of sweaty warmth- for the better part of the evening.



I love you Lucy!!!

I GOT A POST CARD FROM LYDIA THORNBLADE IN QUEBEC!!!





Thanks Lydia! I do pine for my days beside the St Lawrwence. What a beautiful city!

Thursday, July 26, 2007

JOSH TATE TAKES A STAND ON GLOBAL WARMING

It seems that I cannot turn on the TV, flip through a magazine or eavesdrop on a coffee house conversation without hearing about the threat of global warming. The frequency with which I am confronted by the issue has required that I take a stand on the matter. I would like to go on record as saying that I don’t know if global warming is a reality or not, but if it is- I am not concerned. I am all too happy to concede that it is a possibility, but whether it is a reality or not is a debate I am glad to excuse myself from. I will not waste one iota of time or mental energy trying to sift through the various arguments that surround the issue. I would be happy to learn that the theory of global warming was debunked, but I would receive undeniable evidence to the contrary with an equal amount of nonchalance. I have decided that the whole thing is irrelevant.

Consider the following verses:

Isaiah 51:6
6 Lift up your eyes to the sky, Then look to the earth beneath; For the sky will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment and its inhabitants will die in like manner; but My salvation will be forever, And My righteousness will not wane.

Matthew 24:35
35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.

Hebrews 1:10-12
10And, you Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the works of your hands; 11they will perish, but you remain; and they all will become old like a garment, 12 and like a mantle you will roll them up; like a garment they will also be changed, but you are the same and your years will not come to an end.

2 Peter 3:10
10But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.
(now that’s global warming for you.)


I believe that the Earth is a temporary place with a temporary purpose. I believe that many who are obsessing over the possibility of global warming desire in their hearts to make the earth a forever place, and they find the prospect of the Earth “growing old like a garment’ troubling. I simply see it as inevitable, and I am not troubled because this earth is not intended to last forever and it is not my eternal home. I look forward to the creation of a new earth (Is. 65:17). In some cases I believe some have even made a deity of the earth…a religion where the earth is punishing us for our sins of excess, greed and pollution, and the only way to save ourselves is to repent, buy a hybrid and recycle.

I believe that God made the Earth for us to use and enjoy (Is. 45:18), and possessing concerns about the temporal nature of the earth can make one feel guilty for using it and enjoying it. We shouldn’t be made to feel bad because our existence results in the use of resources or contributes to the “growing old” of the earth. We should give God everything he wants to take and we should take from God everything He wants to give. I think that the earth is one of those things that God wants us to receive with gladness, and to make good use of. That is the true meaning of stewardship- making good use of something - not preservation as even some Christians insist. The preservation of the earth was never God’s goal. People are his passion, and that should be our passion as well.

Scripture says that God, not man, will destroy the earth.

Matthew 24:36-44 talks about the second coming of Christ at the end of time. It says that people will be “eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage.” It talks about people engaged in farming and going about the business of earning a living. In other words life will still be going on at the end of time much as it is today. Global warming and like issues only serve to make us worry about irrelevant things and cause us to lose focus on those things that truly matter…our relationship with God and our neighbors. I will concede that in some circumstances making “full use of the earth” would adversely affect our witness with unbelievers, and I think we should conduct ourselves in a manner that is sensitive to that, but we should never adopt the same motives or the same attitude towards the earth. Likewise, “making full use” of the earth should not be done in a way that harms or exploits others. God has a passion for people and that should be the passion of those who follow Christ as well. Let us look not only to our own interests, but also to the interests of others.

…and that is where I stand on the issue of Global Warming.

Thursday, July 19, 2007

THE THREE FUNNIEST MEN TO EVER WALK THE FACE OF THE EARTH

I can't get enough of these guys. I think they could make me laugh if they reading the telephone book. They are just that good. Well...Benny and Winters were that good.

JACK BENNY



BOB NEWHART



JONATHAN WINTERS

COMING SOON- JOSH TATE TAKES A STAND ON GLOBAL WARMING

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

AN EXCERPT FROM "MY DAYS AS A GEL TECH"

I built me dis here robot-
It's better'n one dat's sto' bought.

Thursday, July 12, 2007

SURPRISINGLY IMPRESSED!!!



JOURNAL 7/11/2007

Sarah and Lisa repeated my mistake from yesterday by attempting a visit to the park. They were a little more successful than me, and I was thankful that they returned with Slurpees. Took my van in to a Chevy dealership and they determined that the battery needed to be replaced. They had the van for most of the day, which meant we couldn't really go anywhere, but I was glad to have it fixed. Tried to work on my sermon without any success. Visited for a while in the evening before saying our goodbyes and leaving for home at around 8 pm. It was 107 degrees when we left Tempe and 53 degrees when we rolled back into camp at approximately 1:45 am. We retrieved Andie and Kevin from the Crooks before dashing home. We made good time although I think I hit a coyote as we hurtled past Palm Springs and we hit a bat on the way up the mountain. At approximately 10:30 we stopped near the Colorado river so Sarah could nurse and I bought some caffeine for the last lonely leg of the journey. We miss the irvings.

JOURNAL 7/10/2007

French toast for breakfast. Tricia took Lisa and Sarah to target, and left me with three kids. We took an ill-advised walk to Kiwanis park in the hundred-plus degree temperatures. Lucy wilted like a delicate shade plant under the angry Arizona sun, and I ended up carrying her while pushing Jack in the stroller. Bowden did well, but he frustrated me by climbing on things and taking unnecessary detours, which only served to slow our procession to a crawl under the heavy weight of the sun. We finally reached the park only to have Jack wake up from his nap and started freaking out. In reaching the park I felt like Napoleon who reached Moscow only to find no comfort there. We beat a hasty retreat to the 7/11 where we sat in thre air-conditioned comfort and enjoyed some tall slurpees. In the afternoon, Tricia took Sarah, Lisa and all the kids but Jack to a huge wading pool. I stayed home with jack to work on my sermon for this Sunday, but Jack didn't let me get any work done. In the evening we ate at Lo-Lo's Chicken and Waffle House. My first such experience. It was sooo good. Our van started giving us problems. It wouldn't start and when we would turn the key it would sound like R2-D2 on crack. After turning the key a couple of times it decided to fire up. Had a nice visit back at the house and ended up staying up until around 11:30 talking about the war in Iraq with Chad.

JOURNAL 7/9/2007

Left Idyllwild at 4:30, ate breakfast at a McDonalds (don't judge us) in Quartzite, AZ, enjoyed a beautiful drive through the desert, and arrived in Tempe at approximately noon. We had to make a few stops to nurse the baby and use the facilities, but otherwise made good time. We delivered Andie Burton and Kevin Gilbert to David Crook outside the 99th avenue Costco before driving to the Irvings. Hung out with Tricia until Chad came home from work. We also went to the Borders in downtown Tempe where I used my gift card from the very generous Chirstiansens to purchase a copy of Pee Wee's Big Adventure and some children's books for Bo-Bo and Lu-Lu. Had a nice visit with Chad and Tricia in the evening before turning in.

I BROKE INTO THE OLD APARTMENT



They changed the name of John's old apartment complex, but they couldn't fool me. I still made the pilgrimage. Being in Tempe made me miss John.




I couldn't recall specifically which apartment had been John's so I just took a picture in this general area.





I also took a picture of the Library because I know you used to hang out there a lot, John.

IN THE HOT, HOT SUN...HOW BIZARRE!



Arizona is hot! ...but the Irvings are cool so it all balanced out.



They graciously allowed us to invade their home, which was kept at an even 78 degrees for the duration of our stay. I will remember this vacation as the time when I rediscovered the joy of Slurpees (what a fine product!!!!!), had my first Chicken and Waffle dinner (sooooooo good!!!), and hung out with the Irvings a lot. Chad and Tricia are easily two of the most fascinating people I know. They're quietly courageous, sincere, loving, dedicated to the work of the Lord, full of joy, and generous. We love them, and are thankful for the kinship that we find in Christ with people such as them.


Sunday, July 08, 2007

JOURNAL 7/8/2007

Sunday- went to church. Cooler today. Last day of family camp. Hung out for a long time just talking with the family camp folk. Lots of fun. We made plans to travel to the Wellmans for a barbecue sometime. Sad to see the Christiansens and others off, but Meghan will be back for her last summer as a staff girl. Had a surprise visit from a Ruth and Larry Solomon in the afternoon. They were driving through to San Diego, and we felt honored to make their itinerary. Pizza for dinner. Worked most of the day- finished next newsletter. Tomorrow we leave for Arizona for a visit with the Irvings.

Saturday, July 07, 2007

JOURNAL 7/7/2007

Worked from 8:00 until 5:30. Checked the guys in at 10:00 pm. Last full day of family camp. Sarah and Lisa went to Hemet to buy diapers and such. Nanny watched Bowden and Lucy. This morning in the shower, Sarah threw about a dozen cups of cold water on me. I did not think it was funny. She thought it was hilarious. I really couldn't believe she was doing that. Not funny!!! Cold water is not funny...not funny!

OVERHEARD OUTSIDE THE IDYLLWILD POST OFFICE

"I'm not homeless. I'm camping!"

JOURNAL 7/6/2007

Hot today. Worked from 8 until 4:45. Bowden naughty today, and Lucy doing a very convincing Bowden imitation. I think if Bowden lit himself on fire Lucy would follow suit. Talked with Emily White and Tricia Irving in the afternoon. Fell asleep in my recliner before Sarah woke me up and sent me up to bed.

Thursday, July 05, 2007

JOURNAL 7/5/2007

Worked from 8:00 until 4:30- mostly in the office. Lifeguard a night swim from 9:00 until 10:00. Took the boys on staff out for sodas in front of the post office at night- an annual tradition.

JOURNAL 7/4/2007

Fourth of July. Marched in the parade. Cookout. Worked from 8:00 until 5:30.

JOURNAL 7/3/2007

Worked from 8-5:30. First day of family camp. Not much else to report.

Wednesday, July 04, 2007

"Hello Kettle, this is pot... you're black," she said sarcastically.

I responded, "Well maybe the pot has insight into the kettle. Did you ever think of that?"

Monday, July 02, 2007

JOURNAL 7/2/2007

Took a day trip to the beach at Oceanside with the entire summer staff. Left Idyllwild at 9:00 am and rolled back into town at 9:00 pm. It was a good day. Bowden and Lucy loved playing in the surf, digging in the sand, and playing with the staff kids. We ate dinner at Carl's Jr. with the staff before heading for home. Sarah and I both are pretty sunburned. We thought to put sunscreen on the kids but not on ourselves. Nanny was a big help with the kids, and we were greatful for her willingness to tag along. Took a walk to the Post Office after putting Bowden and Lucy to bed- received a letter from Dad.

JOURNAL 7/1/2007

Sunday- went to church. After church, Lisa joined us for lunch. After lunch I repotted the hanging plants on our front porch and wrote a letter to Job. Spoke with John and Chad Irving in the afternoon. Sarah took Bowden into the Candy Cupboard for some special Mommy/Bowden alone time while I held down the fort with Lucy and Jack. Jack Grumpy as usual. Spoke with Dad who advised that the new septic system out at the lake was fully installed before the 7/1 deadline. Nanny arrived in the evening for a visit. She made us dinner and graciously agreed to give Bowden and Lucy a bath and put them to bed while Sarah and I (with Jack in tow) headed over to the church for a special presentation from the Holsclaws who have returned from China for six weeks. It was interesting to hear what they have been up to over there. Watched the news before bed.

Sunday, July 01, 2007

GARDEN REPORT

My beets are thriving beneath their protective chicken-wire shield, the hollyhocks are blooming and our Pumpkin plant has overflowed the small confines of the planter I built and is beginning to encroach on the kid's new swing set.



It would appear that a family of Widjiwats has taken up residence beneath the broad shady leaves of our pumpkin plant.



With mussel shell roofs
And birchen walls
Widjiwats construct
Their summer halls