Thursday, December 29, 2005

Global Address Book

As I was looking at the messages in my e-mail inbox, I felt a part of something bigger than my own ministry. I have e-mails from friends in China, Honduras, Israel, Cambodia, and Germany right now! It is exciting to partner with and pray for these friends (and others around the world), as they are serving the Lord as missionaries or tentmakers in a foreign culture.

Pray with me that God would continue to use them in their respective areas to advance His kingdom!

Saturday, December 24, 2005

Want to Take a Trip?

So I've been looking at maps recently, trying to figure out my route from Michigan to Florida (it looks like the move will happen in about a month!). I'm beginning to realize that it's a really long trip down there and it might be good to have a traveling companion. Anyone know somebody who might be interested in driving from northern Michigan to Orlando...or at least making a portion of the trip?

Tuesday, December 20, 2005

Scary Big City? Worse...

I'm not scared of big cities. I'm scared of big malls. At the moment, I'm sitting in Woofield Mall in suburban Chicago, the largest in the area.

My thought is that they are built to scare people. Too many stores on too many levels, with too few directional markers and maps. It's like trying to navigate the streets of an old European city (curvey, narrow and confusing) with maps only at the major intersections where cars are careening at each other at 60 mph, and everyone crowding around to figure out where they're going.

Give me downtown Chicago any day, over this madness I'm experiencing right now.

Thursday, December 15, 2005

Internet Connectedness

All day today, I've been listening to my favorite San Francisco radio station, KFOG. One of the beautiful things about the Internet is the ability to listen to stations that might be thousands of miles away. It allows me to reminisce a little (hearing about the traffic back-up on the Bay Bridge and the amount of fog covering the City) and also hear the music that was always on in our office and my car.

When baseball season begins, I'll probably renew my subscription to MLB.com Gameday Audio, which allows me to listen to any game, anywhere as long as I have an Internet connection. This means following my A's on KFRC. (I still haven't decided if I'll have to become a Devil Rays or Marlins fan when I move to Orlando. It seems unlikely, but it's sometimes nice to follow the "home" team, as well.)

It makes it difficult to imagine what people did before the Internet...how did people stay connected? Are we more connected now because of the Internet, or do people communicate less because of not using the phone? All random musings on another cold and snowy day in northern Michigan.

Thursday, December 08, 2005

Fascination With Fire

Why is it that humans are so fascinated by fire? I know I'm not alone in my ability to sit and stare into a burning fire for hours. That's half of what makes sitting around the campfire what it is. (The other half is sharing with each other and being in fellowship.)

There was a major fire in our town today. I don't think anyone was killed, but a man reportedly had to jump from a second story window to the ground and was sent to the hospital. It was early this morning, but I happened to be up for a prayer meeting and I swung by the fire (we heard about it on the news) on my way.

Just like a campfire, it was captivating. Mine wasn't the only car that was just parked, staring at the flames leaping from the top and sides of the building. A large bucket truck was there, dumping tons of water from the sky, yet the fire raged. It's encouraging to know that the firefighters (from five different cities) are putting that fascination with fire, that we all have, to such constructive use: saving lives and property. It certainly is more productive than poking that stick into the campfire, moving around the logs and sending sparks flying.