Nexus - Spiritual Emphasis Week

NEXUS Closing from Ken Kistler Photography

This week Dave, my brother-in-law, spoke at our school's spiritual emphasis week. They decided to call it NEXUS. Nexus, of course, means "the central or most important place." What a great week.

Dave began the messages speaking on the majesty of God. Tuesday he spoke about the meagerness of man. Wednesday he shared about the grace of God. All these messages connected. The holiness of God is necessary to know and understand before you can see our own meagerness, lack, and need. Once you see the need of man then, and only then, can you see how incredible God's grace is. Thursday Dave spoke about love. Once you've seen God's grace toward you then the reaction should be love for him which overflows in love toward others. Friday we wrapped up with a focus on serving.

Again, it was a great week. There was so much to consider.

Darby and Nora Slideshow

Darby

The other little boy I photographed yesterday was Darby. What a cute little kid!

Here are some pics.

More of My Niece

Yesterday Keara, Dave, Nora, and I traveled to Lombardi Farm (not Lombardi Field). It's a huge pumpkin farm on the far side of town. We joined up with Jason, Dana, and little Darby Hendrickson for some family pictures. A fun time was had by all!

Misreadings

Some thoughts from devotions for the last few days.

Yesterday I read through classic Psalm 96. “Sing to the Lord a new song. Sing to the Lord, all the earth.”

I always enjoy that Psalm and feel like I could spend devotions every morning for days digging through its truths.

Apparently I wasn’t quite awake when I began reading yesterday. I found a new truth in verse 5.

Here’s what I read: “All the gods of the peoples are worthless IDIOTS!”

Of course it actually says they are worthless idols. I kind of liked my new, sleep-induced translation better. Maybe I ought to mail my correction to some new translation committee.

My Niece

I feel like I've been working on pictures for the last two months of my life. No, that's an exaggeration. Most of the time has been spent developing new school lessons and grading for my classes at Santa Clarita. That doesn't leave me much free time. The free time I do have has been spent editing pictures from my last two weddings of the summer.

Since I finally finished editing, I felt good taking out the camera and snapping some shots of my beautiful little niece. She was looking awful serious for the few moments I photographed her, but the cuteness still shines through.

An Evening Drive

Last night I took a drive into the mountains outside of Santa Clarita. What an experience! I always loved that fact that you could walk out of your apartment in Butler and within fifteen minutes be standing by one of a dozen lakes, in the woods, completely alone. That could never happen in Southern California, right?

In fact it can!

I took three right turns out of my drive way and within fifteen minutes was alone in the mountains. No lakes, of course. What a great way to get into nature.

It was too dark too soon to get many pictures, but I did snag this one on my drive home. Wish I could tell you it's from the top of a nameless mountain peak, but actually I took it behind the new Target on a hill overlooking town.

Oh well!

The Land Flowing with Panera and Starbucks

This morning I took the "VIA Challenge" at Starbucks. They asked me to differentiate between their Pike's Place Brew and the new Via Instant Coffee. Sorry to say, I was right. I guessed the Instant Coffee. The poor barista looked so disappointed.

"It was still good!" I tried to cheer him.

Simply by taking the test I was given a coupon for a free coffee. Ok, I got to tell you- the coupon is for the smallest, cheapest coffee that Starbucks sells. That said though, it's still free.

I'm still shocked by the number of coffee shops out here. Within a mile of my apartment you can get coffee at Starbucks, McDonalds, Coffee Kiosk, It's a Grind, or Panera. That's not all though. I did a quick search on the GPS as I was driving with my sister last week. Eight Starbucks popped up on the screen within three miles of where we were. In Butler there's not a single Starbucks in 13 miles let alone 3.

This morning I spent about 15 minutes in the car driving to the center of town just to visit my favorite Starbucks. A cute little stream flows behind it between a fountain on one end and a small waterfall on the other side. The patio beside the stream is shaded and little birds hop across the cobblestone to nibble on any crumbs dropped by the customers.

It's the perfect little place to enjoy Saturday morning devotions.

So with that I say "Adieu" to you and open the Word . . .

Long TIme . . .

So I mentioned in a previous post that I got to visit a Fire Camp with my students. Way Cool experience!!!

The cheerleading coach at the school rounded up a group of volunteers to bake cookies and goodies for the fire fighters. It was a great idea! Four vehicles of students drove down to the Fire Camp to drop off the stuff.

I've never seen anything like it. An entire exit of the highway was closed to public transit to make room for the enormous camp. Our cars had to pass through three security rings guarded by CHiPs (California Highway Patrol, I believe) just to make it to the camp. As we pulled off the highway and down to the main road we saw dozens and dozens of police cars lining both sides of the road. Beyond the squad cars lay van after van of Media Vans. Beyond the vans lay acres of trailers solely devoted to ending the Fire.

After we parked and delivered the cookies a Public Affairs officer offered to take us for a tour of the camp. Of course we agreed.

He showed us a trailer devoted to organizing all planes and helicopters over the fire. A trailer devoted to the governor's office and their response to the fire. A trailer assembled just to print current maps of the fire situation. A trailer maintained for paying all the fire personnel. Their were additional trailers for the Fire Fighters to sleep in. They were kept totally dark with only a few black lights to see and air conditioning running 24/7. Massive trailers were set aside for showers and washing of the fire fighters clothes. Trailers ranged as far as we could see.

After a wonderful hour long tour of the facilities the local Fox News affiliate interviewed the students. They did a great job in their responses.

A final few facts about the fire:

- 8 days in and the state of California had spent $33,000,000 in battling it.

- Fire teams spent 5 days on the line with food delivered by helicopter.

- Each state of the union sent people to help battle the blaze.

- The fire was one of the biggest three fires in LA County in the last 20 years.

- Two fire fighters died battling the blaze.

- The blaze was set intentionally.

One Month Down . . .

Today marked the end of my first month teaching at SCCCS (Santa Clarita Christian School).

It's been great. I enjoy all 101 students. Some certainly present challenges, but what's life without a few challenges? In the last month I've experienced a smoke day, visited a fire camp, sat through multiple department meetings (English and history), written dozens of lesson plans, attended two football games, embarrassed myself in a Pep Rally, walked miles more than I ever walked last year, seen more palm trees than ever before in my life, gone swimming in two of the apartment complex's three swimming pools, visited two churches, and participated in various and sundry other activities.

Am I glad I moved? Yes. Oh, yes. This has been the best thing for me. Do I miss PA? Yes. Oh, yes. I miss the students, staff, teachers at FBCS. I truly miss the church and the friends and fellowship there. I miss my parents and the hours of fellowship spent at Barnes and Noble. There's a lot to miss, but a lot to enjoy as well.

Here I stay. I can do no other.