The Passage

no...I'm not dead...but close

So the summer trimester is over! 6 papers and about 65 pages later...and I am still alive, barely... The fall class start in...oh...about...1 week! WTF!  I am taking 10 graduate level credits plus doing my internship plus working 30+ hours at UPS, so...my next post might not be until Christmas depending on whether or not I survive!

My last post was my birthday present to myself - the Pioneer! It is amazing, it is simple the apex of all my material possession, even greater than my Mac.  Once you go HD, you will never go back to basic, promise! Next week I am headed to Canada (no Steve not to take over) but to see the Avett Brothers, for Welles birthday. (Welles I put you on my blog!) Stay tuned for further posts, no promises, but I will most definitely try!

Shalom

Happy Birthday to ME!

Yes, Today is my 31st Birthday! I am getting old! I bought myself a wonderful gift! Thanks to money from relatives and a big bonus from work, I bought a 42" plasma television! Its coming on Friday!! Woot! I can't wait to watch Michigan football!

Mark

Lake Serene Hike...

My friend Jordan and I went on an awesome and challenging hike.  We decided to hike to an Alpine Lake - Lake Serene.  It was about 8 miles round trip, yet 3 miles were straight up...straight up. It was an awesome trip, the trail included waterfalls, grand views, alpine lake, and snow.  I hope you enjoy the pictures.  There is a photo album, but I thought I would share 2 pictures that show how amazing the trip was; the first picture is a picture of Jordan and I clearing away the trail, some trees had fallen and we had to remove them; the second picture is my proof that Big Foot really does exist, you decide for yourself....

   

OT Genre..

Currently, I am sitting through the first of a 2 weekend Old Testament Genre class. I have experienced an array of emotions throughout the class. Our prof is unbelievably learned in the OT and his knowledge of the OT far surpasses any hope I have of understanding the OT. I am very interested in some of his stuff and could do without some of his theological implications about the nature of God.  But overall the class is informative. Tomorrow I am planning on going hiking so hopefully I will have some awesome pictures to share tomorrow.

Shalom

history is made....

I have successfully completed my first wedding as a pastor. I have been involved with a "tag-team" of pastors performing a wedding, but I just completed my first solo wedding. It was back at Dayspring Community Church, with two former students, Justin and Melissa.  It was both more difficult and easier than I expected. Easier, in the sense that the words I was to speak came to me pretty easy and all I had to do was read them at the ceremony. It was more difficult because as I was reading personal comments about people I love, I got choked up, and shed a tear. I didn't expect that. I also didn't expect being nervous. I has been 2 years since I had stood in front of 200-300 people, so I had nerves, but the ceremony went great from my perspective.  It was such an honor and privilege. Marriage is a beautiful thing. I also got to spend time with people I love, and people that love me. It was like a breath of fresh air, I have been inspired and rejuvenated.  It was a great trip!  I have a photo album up, enjoy the photos!

Shalom

batting .0000...

So my visit to Michigan/Indiana has gone pretty well. I got to spend time with my Mom and brother and I also got to see a couple of my friends from high school. But the biggest disappointment has been the coffee! Is there no coffee outside the Northwest? Good coffee? Other than the Starbucks machine? Seriously? As I type I am in a coffee joint in Indiana - probably named 'Higher Grounds' or some other play on words - and I am drinking the worst drip coffee I have had in years! Not only is the coffee bad (it's hard to type this let alone believe it!) - they do have wifi which in itself is amazing, but the barista asked my to not plug in my computer! "Please just use your battery, we don't want to run up our electricity bill." What am I to say to that? Now for the kicker....ready.....they have no bathroom! This place is pretty big! She explained to me that the bathroom is for the employees only........she's the only employee.......oh Seattle, where for art thou?

Shalom

ps - rehearsal tonight - wedding tomorrow - pray that I read the names right, and don't mix up bride and groom!

Shalom

Photo share and karma...

So, this morning my boss calls me and gives me 2 tickets to the Yankee vs. Mariner game; the seats were not just any seats, but seats in a suite! Somehow he got tickets in the King 5 News suite, and he gave them to me! I was awesome! FREE FOOD AND DRINKS! Great seats and a great game. What more could you ask for? I called my friend Jeremy - a big baseball fan; and told him to pick me up because we are going to the game!! Here are some photos for you to enjoy...

a new toy....

                                    

So we got a new camera! Canon SD1000, which is a little pocket camera with decent quality. I wanted to get a nice SLR but the reality of being a graduate student means you settle for what you can afford.  I am hoping to take more photos of the beautiful land of Seattle!

Next week I am heading back to Indiana/Michigan to officiate a wedding! Justin and Melissa are getting hitched! I haven't been back to the Midwest for almost 2 years! It's amazing how time flies. I am halfway done with graduate school!  My cell phone died a few weeks ago and I had to get it replaced - the crappy thing is that I lost a ton of phone numbers! So I will be in Indiana on May 24, 25, 26, and 27; if you want to get together for food, or coffee (at the new Starbucks) give me a call because I don't have your number! 260.417.8120 - same number I have had for the past 6 years!

Shalom

Proof that JRT are amazing animals...

A friend of ours, Kate , sent me a link to the article on CNN World, about a heroic Jack Russell Terrier that saved the lives of a group a children at the cost of his own. I am the proud owner of 2 JRT and can say with out doubt they are the best dogs to own, if you can handle energetic, fun loving, devoted dogs. We took our dogs today to Golden Garden Park in Seattle and let them run an play on the beach - it was a blast! Currently, they are a sleep because they had too much fun. Below is the article, it breaks my heart. A moment of silence for George..... (Left is a picture of George, below is a picture of Max, my JRT)

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) -- A plucky Jack Russell terrier named George saved five children from two marauding pit bulls, but was so severely mauled in the fight that it had to be put down, its owner said Wednesday.

George was playing with the group of children as they returned home from buying sweets at a neighborhood shop in the small North Island town of Manaia last Sunday when the two pit bulls appeared and lunged toward them, Allan Gay said.

"George was brave -- he took them on and he's not even a foot high," Gay told The Associated Press. "He jumped in on them, he tried to keep them off.

"If it wasn't for George, those kids would have copped it."

One of the children, Richard Rosewarne, 11, was quoted in the Taranaki Daily News on Wednesday as saying George fought with the pit bulls to keep them off his 4-year-old brother, Darryl.

"George tried to protect us by barking and rushing at them, but they started to bite him -- one on the head and the other on the back," Rosewarne said. "We ran off crying and some people saw what was happening and rescued George."

But George was so badly mauled that a veterinarian had to put him down, Gay said.

South Taranaki District Council official Graham Young said the two pit bulls had been impounded, and likely would be put down because of the attack.

In New Zealand, owners of dogs judged to be too aggressive can be required to have them neutered and dogs involved in attacks are destroyed.

Daily Show interview...

This is probably one of the best political interviews that I have ever seen. Now, Jon Stewart wisely pointed out in an interview with Moyer about his discussion with McCain, that nothing can be gained when people begin to talk over one another and dialog ends. Watch and comment.