So begins a seemingly innocuous venture in learning the art of Celtic Knotting...  this began as a result of a design project for a missionary family on their way to Ireland.  In my quest to include relative cultural design elements, as well as increase my general knowledge of Ireland and it's history, I braved the depths of YouTube, and found to my wonder – a gleaming gem of 9th Century Biblical Art. 

The Book of Kells
http://digitalcollections.tcd.ie/home/index.php?DRIS_ID=MS58_003v
The interface may take a few seconds to load, but is worth the wait.  The folios are viewable at incredible levels of detail.

Of particular interest is page 34r:

The initials drawn on this folio are X p i  (Greek letters Chi Rho Iota) the abbreviation of Christ.
If you are seriously interested in greek pronunciations... here is the most comprehensive site I've found: http://www.foundalis.com/lan/grkalpha.htm#fn_reconstr

In order to practice some original art to use on the display, I began to work out the intricacies of visualizing the Celtic style of knotting.  Each time a line crosses itself, or another line it alternates Over, Under.  The art is not only keeping track of this, but producing a coherent design, as well as leaving enough room for each thread to keep the rhythm.  The complexity can at times be dizzying.

Here is the progression...

Design attempt 1 (cropped to knotwork)...  These did the job, and I kept the larger transparent portion, but I wanted to add something more abstract.

I soon figured out the old fashioned way was the most efficient method of visualizing and constructing ideas.

Cleek Me.

Which, after a couple of days, revisions and quite a number of hours, turned into this... with the aid of adobe Illustrator.  This was my intended end of this knot.  So I took it over to Photoshop and dropped it into the banner design.  It didn't fit in the space between the map and portrait where I'd planned.  I was disappointed.  I also didn't want to go through a redesign just to accommodate a selfish piece of art.  Oh well, I had fun designing it anyway.

As a last thought, I tried it inside the 4.  It had to be flipped horizontally, but it fit, uncannily well at that.  After a few repositionings, I turned it upside down and settled it there.  I then noticed it could use a little something else to help fill the space on the left side of the 4.  Strangely, the more I contemplated the design, the more I began to see. 

Here is a link to the full rez jpg: Cleek Me so you can take a closer look at the Book of Kells Page.   Please do, I have little doubt you will be as amazed as I am.  There is a reason this book draws 500,000 people a year to Ireland.  When this banner was printed full size, the Kells page measured around 18"w x 22"h.  nearly twice the size of the original 25 x 33cm (~10" x 13"), and there was Still detail to spare.

Here's portion of an email I gave to the missionaries...

I thought I'd share a little about the design on the 4.  Take it for what it's worth...  I actually started drawing it as practice, and eventually decided to use it, but it didn't seem to fit where I thought it would.  Obviously I settled on the 4, but the original line art was drawn facing down, minus the leaflet on the left.  As I finished up the art, I started to see shapes hidden in the design that hadn't been consciously included.  I noticed that the original art resembled a root, with most of it's growth still under the soil, and the top, just starting to break the surface.  As you probably know the Irish were seemingly obsessed with the number and sequences of threes.  And there's probably some merit to the position that the Triquetra can symbolize the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit -at least in a Christian context.  I just thought it interesting that it was encased in the body of the root that appeared to be producing life.  When it was oriented to the 4, it took on the likeness of a budding plant, with the triquetra at it's core, and a somewhat stylized heart shape below, entwined with the soil.  The phrase "...rooted and grounded in love..." kept recurring in my mind, and I finally looked it up.

It's at the end of Ephesians 3, verse 17.  I've included some context...

¹³ So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.
¹⁴ For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, ¹⁵ from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, ¹⁶ that according to the riches of His glory He may grant you to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸ may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, ¹⁹ and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
²⁰ Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, ²¹ to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever. Amen.

As for the leaflet on the end, it evokes a bit of hope, and foreshadowing on my part.  For future seeds of growth, and disciples that will serve as stones of remembrance when times are hard to endure.

What was originally started as an excuse to practice abstract knot work, has indeed taken on a pleasant, far more concrete purpose and significance - at least, for me.  It's not often I find this much meaning in a design project.  When I start a design, I am hopeful that it will have some lasting influence.  I certainly wasn't expecting to find the depth I've experienced on this one.  This has been a special project for me. "

Now.  I tend toward the "most things mean something" camp, and I'm open to the fact that I might be in need of more food, and/or sleep.  However, I was unprepared for how deep all this affected me emotionally.  The idea that something I had formed with only a cursory intent on symbolism, could be turned upsidedown and backwards, to take on a far greater view of it's design, sans the disguise of my nearsighted nature.

This gives me hope:  That the Creator can take what seems conspicuous, or unfitting, or even beautiful in it's own right... and breathe into it (us) passion, and strength, and a power of purpose hitherto unseen or recognized.


 Amen, let it be so.





.

Near Miss.

So.   On my way home from the Wed. night meetings at Northwood that I missed cause I was tending to a project at work... I stopped to help out a middle aged lady with a flat tire she'd acquired by hopping a curb and narrowly missing a very firmly planted signal pole, all because of her last second decision to avoid me and my stationary car, waiting on the red light at Hawkins and Judson Rd.  Luckily there was no cross traffic in the Northbound Judson lanes.  So much could have gone wrong, and I could so easily be telling a much different and hopelessly tragic story.

She pulled in to the Exxon across the street, and a very small part of me thought, "You're both alive, your cars are still mobile, and it's only a flat tire, they can handle it."   I decided to check on them... Turns out it was only a her.  And it very soon became evident that any amount of assistance would help the situation.

Long story short... While we were waiting at the gas station for her good friend "Ed" to arrive from White Oak, she said something to me that I still, am not sure how to take.

I've had similar things said to me in the past, and maybe it's the fact that it keeps happening, and nothing seems to have changed society at large... enough that a person in their 40's would be so caught off guard by kindness to say "I didn't know [people] like you existed." Hearing that helps me make the decision sooner, next time... but it just gets me down.   That no one else in 40+ years of this woman's life, has shown her enough phileo to cause her to place undeserved kindness in any category other than Fairytales, Storybooks, or the Hallmark channel.  It was painfully apparent this incident was in no way an isolated typhoon amid a life of calm, still waters.  This was high tide in the Bermuda triangle.

On the lighter side, I met Ed.  Ed was my 50-ish year old counterpart in this woman's life.  He drove from White Oak, just to bring a spare that -might- fit (because she & I couldn't find hers).  And together, between his elastic battery-powered head lamp, him finding the Original spare tire and jack, and my itty bitty air pump that was in a little emergency kit my parents sent to me... got her under way after a couple hours, as Ed followed her home. 

Lessons learned:
•  Be adequately prepared for disasters in other peoples' lives.  Automotive or otherwise.  [But not too prepared, or you may not get to meet Ed.]
•  The jack for a Honda CRV is inside, behind the back seat, in the right rear quarter panel.  And when you shut the hatch, take the cover off the Spare Tire that's attached to the outside of the door.  [The spare is not located under the mat that covers the secret compartment in the back floorboard, as one might suspect] I had a good laugh at myself when I realized what Ed was up to.
•  Some people need more than one nice person in their lives.
•  Some people need the person who almost got hit, to be nice enough to hang around with them till Ed can get there.

Oh.  She admitted to attending a large church in town that shall remain anonymous.  Well, two actually.  She's a hair dresser at Cut n Loose, I don't think she'll be any trouble to spot... go be nice to her.

Post Lunch Highlight: Plug for PIG Mats!

Good thing, too. Because what you see on the floor beside, is the aftermath of the two previous EcoSolvent Ultra ink spills from our Mutoh Outdoor Falcon 46" printer. Bad printer design = Good press for PIG. Thanks for doin' your job right guys. Not a drop or splatter on the floor.
newpig.com
PIG Universal Poly-Back roll, 31"x75': Item# MAT283

--------


View Joel K's Foto Spots/ feat. Various Escapades in a larger map


2 gallons of Gas got me 14+ mpg. @ average of ~35ºF. Which made the end of my bank run [but the start of my adventure] just NNE of Mona Ave., at a point which is barely SSW of Page/Delia Rd on Loop 281. Which gave me a chance to pick up cans, to give to Will for picking me up, and putting some petrol in my tank. Thanks Will.


Please view the larger map. It took a while to do this. -Ed.


Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
(formatted and edited on a Mac)

+1d

So. My words are now half finished. Re: Previous post...

Just let me take a breather, and I'll be on to dessert in a few minutes.

A quote from Will Danielson seems appropriate here.
"Tornadoes, snow, ...late hurricane? Earthquake?" -via text


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Musical Trees...

This is where Doug's hand delivered Christmas decorations ended up.  He said he wanted everyone to enjoy it.

And that wall is probably the only white at Christmas this tree will ever see in Texas.
But it brightens the dept. Thanx Mackermans.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Here we go a weedle-ing...

Just fer you Moll-e...

This is only a test of the Emergency Vinyl Cutting System... If this weren't a test, you would have heard some grumbling, mild complaining, and in extreme circumstances, quite loud bellowing.

Just wanted to see how small some of the details were, and if I needed to do some extra thickening so as to keep the small bits from peeling oof. [Yes,iknowhowtospell"off"... It was a deliberate.] [Sometimes I use brackets... ...Just because I can.] I hardly ever see them used, so I feel obligated to tell them sometimes what they don't like to hear. "You need to get out and stretch your legs." "Staying inside all day? -That's no way to lead a reproductive life." "If you never meet new people..."

-Wait.

There are TWO brackets... Maybe... they've. never. met. To think of all the hundreds of years in the history of modern writing, and in all the past ages... In all the past Pages... How many times have you Ever seen them together, except by mistake.   For shame.  Twins.  Seperninded at birth.  And the only glimpses we've given them of each other have been in brief moments of passing, no doubt commonly had amid snickering, and jeers at the authors' ineptitude at proof-reading his own work.  Imagine.  I'm sure those tiny moments were none the less treasured still.   But to have such fleeting reunions -swathed in such bitter, uncaring, unabashed...

No more! No longer!

These two shall see one another once again, and in good company.  This is storybook... It shant be done without ceremony... Nay. Without characters!

Ok who am I... Wait, I'm the Narrator, there should be another.

.:*The Spirit of Modern Writing Past*:.


Story to be added here as interest is noted.


(*And the guys from the String Band still have their vinyl sweaters on, cause it's winter. Silly.)

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Testing 1- 2- 500,384,521.

If you don't have anything nice to say, don't make a fire with a fish bucket.

Print Stop #1 & 2...

Print stop #3

Print stop #4




+1d

Highlight of the Day.

Yep. That was about the top.


+1d; edit:+1d

Well. Sir.

On March 13th, in this, the year of our Lord 2008...

Almost a month shy of two years from the last post ...

I bought a Cello.

From a Pawn Shop.

For $150.00.

Out The Door.

They even took care of the tax.

Just for the sake of user participation, Email me if you want the full story... and maybe I'll post it on here and give you credit... there might even be a prize involved, for the question(s) that reap the longest, or most interesting response(s).

wellsir @ gmail.com (w/o the spaces of course, I just don't want a whole bunch o' spam)

Or better yet, leave a comment. So that I have some sort of idea that people actually read this stuff.

-JoelK

Some Recent Interests

Well, in Recent Musical News, I had a little stint w/ a borrowed cello (4-5 months ago), but it broke (it was broken before) and is getting refinished by it's owner. I have been hoping to get my hands on another one ever since. So if any one knows of a really cheap 3/4 Cello (under $3-400) I am definitely in the market... my wallet is empty, but I'm still window shopping.

I also recently picked up the bass (4 months ago). The funny thing about that is, I originally bought the bass to donate to one of the churches I attend (Northwood Bap. w/ Ron Peacock), and well, it turns out that the bass player (the Pastors wife, Mrs. Peacock) is happy enough with the one she's got, even though you can't tune the high string anymore 'cause the tuner head is broken... go figger. So I thought I might try and practice one Saturday w/ a coupla friends of mine to try it out (I haven't played bass up to this point)... and Wham-o, I'm playing in a band (of sorts). Nearly 18 years of fooling around on the guitar, and the day I get a bass, I'm in a band. Funny.

Click us... we get bigger!

For those of you who care... It's a five string bass... tuned B-E-A-D-G from the top. This design is known as a "neck-through", because the neck extends through the body of the guitar as one continuous piece (or 7 in this case). It was hand fabricated in the Philippines. The fingerboard is Rosewood. The neck consists of a seven piece laminate of Maple (light tan color), and Mahogany (darker brown), both strong tone woods. And although it's aesthetically nice, the lamination is done for strength. There's a lot more tension on that neck than just one piece of wood could handle, without warping. The wings (larger pieces on either side of the neck) are Imbuya, a South American tone wood, that no picture can do justice. As it moves in the light, the different layers in the wood shimmer almost like metallic flakes. The whole guitar is naturally finished, I just use a little lemon oil to polish and clean it every now and then. The strings themselves can also be strung through the body of the guitar for a different sound and better resonance. All this for under $350.


Also I've been learning about the mechanic inner workings of Air-feed Folding machines, 46" vinyl printers, at work, and Toyota Supras -through a friend's friend, who, I would also consider to now be my friend.


Air-Feed Paper Folding Machine (Click us too)


46" inkjet printer. Yes it's still operational, it just looks bad. I had to replace & splice a a coupla those white ink lines a while back. Big hassle. Anyway...


Here's (one of the things) it does... 2 1/2 x 7 foot Retractable Vinyl Banner Stand

And...
I have some videos of the work Mike & I have done to the Supra <-- Click

Discovery... (Spiritual -not Space Shuttle)

While I had been growing aware (over the past few months) of the realization I am about to relay to you, it was only after a two day trip to Abilene w/ Ron Peacock (Pastor of Northwood Baptist Church who I originally worked with in YoungLife), the wedding he presided over, and the subsequent sermon he gave on the Sunday we returned, that my thoughts had become coherent enough for sufficient expression.

Throughout life's certainly unpredictable course, it seems there are points along the road that God has designated "OK, -That's Far Enough" areas. And oh, look, there happens to be a nice comfy chair beside the sign. And directly in front of the chair, is a full length mirror, which is strange. -And what an odd place for a chair and a mirror... on such an empty stretch of desert highway... So I take a seat, and I have no one to look at except me.

Some rather intricate circumstances involving several friends, have helped establish an interesting point of realization. Or, 'peculiarantary factor', if you will... (impromptu definition) -A basic component upon which a multi-façaded understanding may be formed, often necessitating the removal of -well- pride, I guess.

I began to notice an uncommon amount of anger which started at the beginning of each day and eventually carried through the night, and was right there to greet me in the morning whether I had slept soundly or not. I wasn't used to this type of pervasive anger, so I didn't know exactly how to deal with it, which as you might imagine, also helped fuel some of my frustration. This was a dark time for me, and you can ask any one of my close friends how much it affected my daily life and attitude. I only describe it at length because I just want you to know how unfamiliar I was to this consuming emotion. Basically, I knew deep down inside that someone that I was close to, was making bad decisions that I couldn't do anything about. If you have kids, you know exactly what I'm trying to say.

A month and a bit goes by

I finally had enough one Saturday morning, and stayed at my kitchen table... quiet... and the Lord kinda showed me what a fool I had been, and what I was so upset about wasn't anything new, and that 'little' bit of anger and frustration that I had been feeling -even though it was just about as much as I could handle- was just my taste of a drop from the bitter ocean that is God's experience with human kind. And I began to realize how often, and how long I had been treating God the same way I felt I had been treated. That was when everything seemed to fall into place. All sorts of things were brought a bit closer to my dark eyes, and my narrow vision made wider... to put free will, and emotions, and hurt, in a frame that no longer clashes with the wall of Sovereignty, Justice, and Love it is hung on. I began to see how He uses our feelings to help us understand how He feels, and how much restraint it requires to love some one enough not to interfere with their willful choices.

Indeed, how unbecoming of us... that repeatedly, we overlook the position of Love, in which God has willingly set Himself. I wonder how many times our questioning of God and His lack of intervention has returned to us with a roaring silence... Not (as some would surmise) for the purpose of divine sadistic enjoyment, but for the purpose of simply, and very tangibly explaining His patient grace to us. It's sometimes so blindingly obvious, that we fail to remember who gave us that capacity to "feel" in the first place. Perhaps, He is giving us the privilege of understanding more fully, His workings of mercy toward us as Christians, wretched as we are.

In other words, maybe He allows us the experience of painful situations, to give us our own first person view of how we have treated Him, -and, just how immensely kind He has been with us. What better way for God to illustrate to an ill-tempered, desensitized, and unforgiving Church, than to show them just how little it takes to rile us up... make us uncomfortable... and shake our fists in rage over petty injustices? This notion has become... strikingly clear to me, as I have experienced a drawn out, but none the less pointed example.


Thanks for the read, sorry for the wait.

Comments and Feedback Appreciated...
-Joel K

Thank You.

It is my duty in this short note of appreciation to convey our gratitude to you, for upholding the ministry and work of Missionary TECH Team. As supporters, you play an invaluable part in the immense orchestra that is world missions -of which TECH is likely to hold one of the least recognizable roles. Being somewhat behind the scenes can have its drawbacks, as we explain what it is, exactly that TECH does. But God seems to be gracious enough to let us see and hear the some of the benefits of our labor from the mouths (and pens) of grateful clients. I have been given this opportunity to express to you on behalf of the TECH Family, our thanks for your faithful contributions to that work.

(Consider the above statement (and following) a temporary alternative to actual, person to person expressions of thanks for all you have done to equip and encourage us, as individuals, as well as an organization. On top of the sheer impracticality of each of us thanking you face to face, I think a bit of our actual appreciation would have been lost in translation (so to speak), through the side-effects of what might be referred to as common, ordinary speechlessness. In most cases this would include the utterance of several short, stuttered, otherwise unintelligible word fragments... none in excess of three letters. Accompanied by any one or more of the following, depending on the individual: shaking of the head, contemplative stares -at you, or the ground (varies), momentary loss of cognizant functions, which may include, general confusion, excessive blinking, reddening of the face -especially in the region surrounding the eyes, often followed by mild to moderate tearing, intermittent slack jaw, rapid changes/no change in facial expression, sudden, uncharacteristic emotional responses, slight paroxysms, excessive fidgeting, tightening of the throat resulting in continual clearing, loss of feeling and mobility in the extremities, I could go on... Thankfully, most of us here at TECH have an observant spouse, who would likely have stepped in with a sincere, prompt, and heartfelt “Thank You”, -hopefully before the whole extremity thing ran its course. Although I am not included in the married bunch, I like to think that the rest of us might at least have the presence of mind to regain our faculties enough if at least extend a hand in a gesture of good will.)

All that to say, we send these letters out to all of you so that our Thanks and Appreciation for all you contribute is adequately conveyed (if, in this case a little wordy).

Probably before you started reading this letter, there appeared to be something different about the format of this, and the beginning paragraph. Along with a question of whether it was done on purpose, and/or whether it was in fact necessary. Well, for those of you polite enough to read this far, you have won yourself an explanation. As to whether the format was intentional, -indeed. To that of necessity, far from measurable. And as to the justification of this letter... I would go so far as to say that yes, it most certainly is, -Right Justified.

-Now unto Him who is able to keep you from stumbling,
and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy,
to the only God our Savior, through Christ our Lord,
be glory, majesty, and dominion and authority, before all time and
now and forever, Amen.
-Jude 24-5

Thank You





*par-ox-ysm: n- a sudden attack or violent expression of a particular emotion or activity.

In a recent email...

To start a bible study:
1. Bible
2. Study...
3. Involve others
4. Live what you have studied.
5. Repeat.

All rights conserved.
-JK

A Matter of the Heart

Here's something I just wrote on a (nearly 3 hour) whim, to a secondary acquaintance of mine, whom I have never met. And since I haven't updated in... "!" *realizes how much time has past* -And it was long enough (Sorry Grant) -And I guess that it needed to be let out anyway... Here it is.

*Note* Grant, his wife, and Vin (my friend from His Hill Bible School) have started a college ministry in Salem, Oregon called University Life. They could use your prayers and encouragement, as God grows their hearts and furthers their education and ministry there. Vin is working on a CD and has some of his music on the 'media' page of his website: www.vinthomas.com


(with a few things added that I didn't want to take up space with on his blog) Comment on Wed. April 20,'05 post.

Hey Grant,

I don't really have a good intro here, so I'll get to the point. Just to offer an encouragement to a fellow brother in Christ... I've found that I do not fully comprehend the 'mechanics' of prayer. This never seemed to be a problem until recent years. I heard one of my bible school friends say something similar to what you've expressed, and I remember being rather confused, until I experienced the same thing not too long after. Prayer had become such a natural and instinctive thing to me as a kid, that I never really thought about how to do it.

So... is it a question of growth in one's journey of sanctification to question how prayer is effectively carried out in the physical realm? I'm not quite sure I can answer that one yet myself. Although I find comfort... I can rest, knowing that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us when we don't know how, or what to pray...

(26)In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;
(27)and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.(Romans 8, esp. in context of vv.22 & following).

(now read the previous context, I'd never noticed this... it makes a lot more sense -to me anyway) Here's a link... Romans 18-30. -Added

I can only share from experience, and one of my personal struggles is whether or not to pray only because of routine. And I have found I am more satisfied with my prayer life when I pray from the depths of my heart... not necessarily with words or 'spoken' dialogue in my mind, but with spiritual desires and longing (for lack of a better word) -ideas that I find here difficult to express. And, sometimes I have to examine what, if anything has slipped between my heart and the Lord, -which invariably, is the case.

All that to say I can relate to where you're at...

I've heard it said that "The more you know, the more you find out how much you don't know." Maybe that's something the Lord uses to keep us humble as we increase in our knowledge of Him.

The Lord knows our heart...
-JK
Jude 24-5; Ps.103,104; Is.55

For those of you who may have missed this the first time...

zenzizenzizenzic. The eighth power of a given number
sesquipedalophobia. The fear of big words. Ha!

I'm a little slow...

Seems I've been keeping myself more rushed than usual, and I get more and more frustrated that I have no time in the morning for my quiet time. I get up with little time to spare to get out the door and on the road, today w/o breakfast (luckily I've prepared, I bought a couple of yogurt breakfast shakes at walmart because I was tired of having nothing. (But obviously not tired enough to get to bed an hour or so sooner on a regular basis.)) I bring my bible to work w/ me just in case I remember and have time to read a little, but you can imagine how much that happens. My attitude is suffering quite a bit because of all this, I can tell because the drivers that I used to slow down for to stay out of their way, I now have little tolerance for, and have to keep myself in near constant check to keep them from getting under my skin. Also, when I stay after hours at work, -last night happened to be around 8:40 PM- I have noticed myself getting progressively louder towards the inanimate pieces of electronic machinery that surround me (New computer),(old computer),(printer) especially when they don't do what they are built to do, or have no earthly excuse to offer for not doing it in a timely manner. All of which affects the drive home as well. At first, these all can be a little funny and good-natured, but now it's just discouraging, because I feel like I'm a lot more edgy than I should be most of the time.

So If you wouldn't mind praying for me in these areas when you remember, it would be much appreciated.

And please remember the Tsunami relief efforts as well, I don't want to appear totally self absorbed. My little sleep problems seem pretty miniscule in light of such a disaster. -Such a numbing disaster...

From Apple.com's relief site:

American Red Cross International Response Fund
AmeriCares South Asia Earthquake Relief Fund
CARE USA Asia Quake Disaster
Direct Relief International International Assistance Fund
Mercy Corps Southeast Asia Earthquake
Oxfam Asian Earthquake & Tsunami Fund
ReliefWeb Information resource for the humanitarian relief community
Save the Children Asia Earthquake/Tsunami Relief Fund
SEVA South Asia Emergency Fund
UNICEF South Asia Tsunami Relief Efforts
US AID United States Agency for International Development
World Food Programme Tsunami Disaster Appeal

-Joel K

A Holiday Reminder

Isaiah Chapter 55 (Amplified)

1WAIT and listen, everyone who is thirsty! Come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Yes, come, buy [priceless, spiritual] wine and milk without money and without price [simply for the self-surrender that accepts the blessing].

    2Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your earnings for what does not satisfy? Hearken diligently to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness [the profuseness of spiritual joy].

    3Incline your ear [submit and consent to the divine will] and come to Me; hear, and your soul will revive; and I will make an everlasting covenant or league with you, even the sure mercy (kindness, goodwill, and compassion) promised to David.

    4Behold, I have appointed him (Him) [David, as a representative of the Messiah, or the Messiah Himself] to be a witness [one (One) who shall testify of salvation] to the nations, a prince (Prince) and commander (Commander) to the peoples.

    5Behold, you [Israel] shall call nations that you know not, and nations that do not know you shall run to you because of the Lord your God, and of the Holy One of Israel, for He has glorified you.

    6Seek, inquire for, and require the Lord while He may be found [claiming Him by necessity and by right]; call upon Him while He is near.

    7Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the Lord, and He will have love, pity, and mercy for him, and to our God, for He will multiply to him His abundant pardon.

    8For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, says the Lord.

    9For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.

    10For as the rain and snow come down from the heavens, and return not there again, but water the earth and make it bring forth and sprout, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater,

    11So shall My word be that goes forth out of My mouth: it shall not return to Me void [without producing any effect, useless], but it shall accomplish that which I please and purpose, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

    12For you shall go out [from the spiritual exile caused by sin and evil into the homeland] with joy and be led forth [by your Leader, the Lord Himself, and His word] with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

    13Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; and it shall be to the Lord for a name of renown, for an everlasting sign [of jubilant exaltation] and memorial [to His praise], which shall not be cut off.

   

Footnotes:
Isaiah 55:5 The identification of the one here addressed is uncertain. A proportionately large number of authorities believe it to be Israel, as here indicated, but other interpreters think it is the Messiah [the second David], or David as His representative.

Please, all;
Remember, take special care and effort throughout the Season, to give what won't break, or get sand in the gears, rust at the bottom of the pool, or shatter when accidentally kicked; won't fade if left in the sun, crush if backed over, explode if microwaved, or bring tears of horror -when sawed in two during a 'mini-magic show'; what will never runaway through a hole in the fence, make you wish you had read the instructions, bought the extra warranty, or payed attention to the 'do not cut','place near heat source',or 'may cause dizziness' label; I will say, not much in this world is worth an apology to the store manager at the duress of a spouse, and even less is worth using the rationale -'they'll appreciate it when they're older'- just so you can use it in the mean-time; and the answer to buying 'two just in case...' is to 'buy none, and wait'.

So in the intrest of high bloodpressure, athsma, nervous stomachs, tiny innocent minds, vast amounts space that have long since been filled, consider taking time to give your loved ones a good story or two, enjoy things like studying how intricately your very own hand is made, the gift of stars that shine brighter than city lights, (each with their own name)...

Ps. 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted
    and binds up their wounds.
   
4 He determines the number of the stars
    and calls them each by name.

    5 Great is our Lord and mighty in power;
    his understanding has no limit.
-(NIV)

And also, the gift of a limited time here on our planet earth, which I am understanding how to appreciate more and more with every wasted hour.

Shine brightly forth,
for the wonder of our Lord
is not a thing rightly concealed,
held tightly, or considered lacking in worth.

Merry Christmas
-Joel K

Word for the Day...

Automagically!

No, hang on, it's a real word... 70's jargon apparently, derivitive of 40's advertizing jargon! Whatever.

Workin', Man.

As I write this I am at the end of my very 'second' day (...some how the ring just isn't quite right) of full-time work here at Missionary TECH Team. The lights that were never lit are all but flickered out, and all the balloons that were never dropped, with all the confetti that was never strewn, have now long been popped and vaccumed up (respectively)... Now the work begins. So stay tuned! The probabilities of frustrating days to be made light of are already evident on the horizon! (But fear not... Perhaps the most grand of stories have come about after one has persevered some random unforseeable event. Re: Happy B Day Murphy/ July 20,2004 -scroll down if you haven't read it yet. Or if you don't have the patience, you may read the synopsis. If, even now, you are running thin on patience, don't blame me for your lack of foresight not to have read thus far into this parenthetical anecdote, which happens to be very informative, and in certain circumstances might even preach well. I harbor no qualms about the lengths of any 'Paren-thesii' that I may have to offer, either now, or in the future... so, consider yourself forewarned and liable for your own time, be it however wasteful or relevant.)

And here's a "Thanks" for all of you that have supported me spiritually and emotionally along the way, I need that more often it seems, than money. But I guess I could thank those of you who have/are given/ing -just as a matter of courtesy. (be sure to knock off that 'e' in 'given' if you happen to be a current giver -well you might wanna take that extra 'n' off there too... but if you aren't one for correctness, it's no skin off my back, you know. Do whatever.)

-JK

(P.S. If you want to, just for a snicker, you can go back and read the long paren-thesis, only this time imagine John Cleese narrarating! It's a kicker. If you don't know who he is, skip it.)

Finally, something worth updating.

OK <---Click me, and be sure to scroll down to the "Word History"

(Thanks for the link Mary!)

Oh, I'm in Pennsylvania visiting my parents too. I'm scheduled to arrive home this saturday.

Another Update to the Update

I have officially stopped work at ETSC in Marshall, as of Fri. Oct. 15, '04. Approx. one year and five mo.'s after beginning. I will go back and pick up my last check this Fri. and then I will be free to go up to PA, I am still working out the logistics for finding a flight. I don't know how much money I will have coming from this next check, so... and I am still deciding when to leave, and how long to stay, which will also decidedly affect the price of the ticket. A tentative leave date is sometime next week or so. I think I've also set a personal best for the number of abbreviations used in a first sentence.

Here you go Todd...Oct. 15, '04

Notice... Up-to-date-Up-to-date.

Almost invariably, when I sit down to write a (paper) letter update on any given situation worthy of mass updation (yes mom, it is a real word) (at least it was when I made the link... It seems to have disappeared now tho') (seems it's found its way home again), it will end up taking just long enough to write, get approval, proof-read, and edited, then final approval, so that by the time I have all this accomplished... it has now availed itself approximately 10-40% antiquated* (specific accuracy of percentage dependent on the suggested or implied importance of selected or stated issue, measure of actual importance is held by writer and used and/or exaggerated at his/her sole discretion -although not in this case). Then I have to bring the update (ahem) up-to-date. Needless to say this is getting rather frustrating, as this has happened more than just once or twice now.

This partly why I haven't written on this blog for a while... I was waiting to put the finished version up here, in addition to sending out the (paper) letter. Well.


You should be able to read the full update after while. But in the mean-time...

"Lemme 'splain... -no, there is too much, lemme sum-up..."
-Inigo Montoya.

I should have a replacement to train for my position over at East Tx Sport Center soon, if not tomorrow (Wed. Oct. 6)... I am actively -two days, into the process of training my replacement for my position a ETSC. Then, when I'm done, I should be able to take a trip to PA, then I should be able to return and work full-time here at TECH.

Here's your reward for reading my blather.
zenzizenzizenzic. The eighth power of a given number
sesquipedalophobia. The fear of big words. Ha!


(*alternately debated word: 'moot' was not used here for reasons of controversy over precise definition. -See 'Usage note' in supplied definition link)

Mom & Dad Update (With informative links!!)

Hi Y'all,

The past few months have been very busy and very stressful and I apologize for not keeping up with e-mails.  I am finally to a point where I can think about other things besides where to put boxes, furniture and clothing, what to do about radon(the crux of the issue is on the 5th page, or here -JK) and nitrate in the water, where to put the TV the aquarium and the armoire, how to enlarge closets, and what to get rid of so we can get everything in the kitchen! 

To catch you up:  It has been two years this month that we moved to Penn.  We moved into temporary housing until Don could find work and we could move to a permanent location.  Last year my dad had a heart attack and had to stop work, so he and my mom moved in with us in our "temporary" home.  Subsequently he died and my mom is still with us, which we are happy about.  Don had been substitute teaching when we first came, then he got a job working at Sandy Cove, a Christian Conference Center, where he worked until January of 2004 when he was offered a full-time chaplain job with Marketplace USA (Recent name change -JK) and is currently serving as an industrial chaplain at Herr Foods, a local snack food manufacturer, and several other local businesses. 

The day after we got back from Texas this spring, we went to an open house and the next day we wrote a contract.  This was March 8.  By the end of the week they had accepted our offer, which was $10,000.00 less than what they were asking, and with the market like it is here in the northeast, we didn't have high hopes of getting it.  I believe a big part of why we got it is because we went back after the open house and visited with them, a sweet older couple who were moving to a retirement center.  She loved this house and wanted a Christian family to have it.  We were the first people to make an offer, and the Lord was gracious in allowing them to accept it.

The house is in a great location, only 10 minutes from my sister, Nancy, 30 minutes from Don's work, 6 minutes from Wal Mart and major shopping outlets.  A cape cod on half an acre with a horse farm across the road and Amish neighbors, too.  The town is Strasburg, which is well known for the Strasburg Railroad, the oldest short-line railroad in the country.  We have a railroad museum, a nice miniature golf course and a wonderful ice cream shop just minutes from us.  Strasburg has cute little shops with bed and breakfasts and does a large tourist trade in the summer and fall.   With farm land all around it has the feel of country, but is just at the city limit of Strasburg.  It was one of the places I said I would like to live, but didn't  pursue anything here because there is hardly anything ever available.  If something comes on the market, it is snatched up before you can blink.  This house was on the market 10 days.  So that is the good news.

We put our house on Sunrise Avenue on the market and almost immediately had a prospective buyer.  An older couple moving from New York.  We were so excited!  To make a long story short, that fell through because of their health and some issues with the house that they weren't prepared to deal with.  That is the bad news. 

So back it goes on the market again.  We were sweating it out, because we had our closing set for May 30 and it was already the middle of April.  As it turned out, the Lord brought a couple from Virginia Beach to buy it.  They will be retiring in a couple of years and their daughter lives close by.  They plan to rent it until they move in. 

So we moved on June 7 with closing on the Sunrise house on July 30.  Since we don't have a church contingency like we did in Longview to help us move, we hired a moving company to move our furniture, and we moved our boxes...and we had a lot of boxes!  We hadn't unpacked much of anything since our move from Texas!  Poor Don put in some pretty long days.  He could only take off a day or two from work, so he moved them in the evenings and weekends.  It seemed like we were moving forever.  And since we are replacing some flooring, everything could not go where it should have.  We had a bad experience with the moving company, too. Several things got broken, oh well...

We were able to get my mom reasonably settled first.  The house has 4 bedrooms and two of them are on the first floor, with her bath just off the hall.  One of the bedrooms we have converted into a laundry/sewing room.  Don and I got our first experience doing tile floor.  Don and a friend cut and laid the tile.  I grouted it.   It turned out great!  We still have some remodeling to do, as I want to take out three walls to open up the living area.  We plan to add a front porch and later a garage.  The house is 20 years old and pretty much still in original condition except the former owners enclosed the original garage to make a dining room and built a single detached garage.   It has pine flooring upstairs and in the kitchen, and part of the basement is beautifully finished off with brick floors and a fireplace.  The closets are a real challenge, as was getting our furniture in.  With about 1700 sq. ft. it is not large, and the rooms chop it up.  We will be adding a kitchen island and building a closet for additional storage.  Don and I have the two bedrooms upstairs as our bedroom and office suite with a bath in between.  It has worked out nicely, but it wasn't easy.  After much discussion, we put the aquarium in the basement which will double as the guest room and sitting area.  So those of you who want to come visit, please come, we finally have a (fishy) place for you.  :)

For Virginia:  The color of my kitchen cabinets are... ta da...Burgundy!

For Tom and Patti:  Can't wait to see you in October!  The airport you should fly in to is either Baltimore or Harrisburg.  I don't know what stage of chaos we will be in when you come, but you will have a nice, quiet, sanctuary in the basement.  Can you tell me exact dates so we can plan some excursions? 

For Rose:  Guess you are wondering when you will get your jacket!  Well, I'm wondering the same thing!  Hopefully by winter!  :) 

We found a refreshing church with a good music program and a good pastor, but no choir.  I continue to favor the mega church with everything.  It's a little harder to get involved, but we haven't made much of an effort either. 

Joel will be coming up for a visit as soon as they find a replacement for him at East Texas Sports Center, where he works.  Tech said that he can start full time, but he is still raising support.  Thank you for your prayers for him.

My mom and my sister and I are joining a water aerobics class this fall.  Hope to get my mom's arthritic knee moving so it doesn't freeze up.  It was a year Aug 10 that my dad died.  In fact, with as much as we have had on our plates the past two years:  two moves, three job changes and a death, it has only been by the Lord's grace that we have stayed healthy.  My back stopped hurting after we got the house, so now my chiropractor is hurting!  Ha! 

This has gone on long enough.  Till next time!
Love,
Pat and Don

Random act of mischief

On a past Saturday morn, not but seven days and a fortnight ago I was exiting my residence, and happened to notice something odd about the main passage of entry to my humble place of abode. However drafty, or inefficient it may be is beside the point, and one must agree that to have one's own place described about in the form of written word, is likened unto that which can be almost purely distilled down to a form of something akin to chin music. I began to examine the scene, and upon closer inspection, had no other choice but to conceed that an egg (which is infused with a fair amount of Choline) had been most definitely smacked betwixt the lower four window panes in my front door.

I later found out through a rather informed young neighbour boy, that in fact, the Choline enriched projectile element was meant for the adjacent door to mine, not three feet from its designated place of rest [though violent destruction of the enCholinated item is evident, it is still accurate to refer to its final destination as a place of 'rest'; this is known as 'Poetic Understatement' to those who are fluent in the use of literary words (Link for C. 'Shroud' Wesley and Mrs.(Dr.) Olson).

Impromptu definition...

Poetic Understatement-An illustrative word picture for purposes of exaggerative emphasis; used in cases of irony, often comic or satirical in nature, a mild, or ultra-refined synoptical description of a catastophic event(s)].

I leave it up to incorrect trajectoral analysis... widely overlooked by the illwitted; also one of the most unchecked, and uncorrected mistakes of those among the practice of common mischievity. No hard feelings tho' because two good things happened as a result of this incident. I got to kill the ants that were congregating on what can only be described somewhat descreetly as 'egg-mess', with some bits of Choline ...and I get to see if this all purpose cleaner that I think I paid $40 a quart for, actually does what it claims.

An arcticle that made me laugh when I read the title.
&Um...

Notice

Well, John Goodding and Birne Wiley have given me permission (about three weeks ago) to give notice to ETSC in Marshall (which I also did about three weeks ago). I've postponed the writing of this update, because I kinda didn't know what to do with it myself. I let Sports Center know that I would stay until they could find someone else for me to train. So, now I'm just waiting for the position to be filled.

This came as a surprise to me, because John was the one that suggested that I could go ahead, after he ran it by Birne. I said that would be fine, but that I also wanted to be very sensitive to how the board felt about me starting full-time, even though I'm ~$100 below their recommendation of $1000 monthly. The reasoning I guess, is that I have enough accrued in my escrow account to amply supplement my current mo. income to reach the $1K... until it is actually met. Needless to say I was a bit taken aback when Birne approved. I gave my notice that Friday, and Paul (ETSC Boss) said that he didn't want to hold me up, but was relieved to find that I would stay until someone came along that I could train for the position.

So that's the big news.

*If you're on my mailing list you'll probably be seeing this in a formal letter type format. If you would (or wouldn't) like to receive a mailed letter, please contact me so I don't send out needless paperwork.*

-JK

It's 3:53pm ...and All is [fairly] well!

The citationary situation is now unequivocally^{(1st def.)}, and reparationally ^(4th) resolved. The ticket was already dismissed when I went in Monday to check on whether the papers I gave to the JOP [Justice Of the Peace] on Fri. got filed of lost in transit [so to speak].

Friday morning I went to the Hallsville office to turn in my "proof" of getting my inspection done. As I walk into the foyer I notice things and boxes lying around, and the inside of the building seemed to be in various states of dishevelment.^(2nd) So I ask the older woman near the door if this is "where I can take care of a ticket?" And roughly the following exchange ensued.

She responded politely "Yes, ...but I don't think they'll be ready for you yet. Hold on let me see -[name of JOP] are you ready to handle tickets yet?" "Probably... not..." the JOP said, -his words conspicuously marked with hesitaion. "But lemme see whatchya got." As I tentitavely began to hand my citation towards him, he approached, even before it was in his hands, he said in a manner much akin to a man who has great knowlege, and who takes tremendous pride in doing well the job at hand, "...It's just a city ticket." Which was like so much music to my ears, reminiscent of the 40's type Bigband era!

Anyway, he asked if I had taken care of it, and I told him yes, and he said Lemme have the receipt and I'll get it dismissed. So I went out to my car and got the receipt, I didn't have to sign anything, he didn't even take my info sheet that said I was supposed to sign and date it.

I came to find out later that the whole office had had to take "all the stuff in here, and put it out there" (in the foyer I guess). "And now we can't find half of the stuff we put out there." This was hardly encouraging now that I think about it, and should have sent up some immediate red flags, as well as when [the JOP] took my papers, he laid them neatly on a chair near his desk. Had either one of those two sheets of imprinted paper been lost [being one receipt, and one pink official State of Texas copy de carbon] I could have conceivably been looking at a warrant for arrest that I would have no defense against. But these are the reasons I went by on Monday. And everything did turn out for the good.

Thanks to all for the support.
-JK

Ow, hre's aa linnk ot az splling errer om Dictyionry.ccom!! What in the Wordl War I?! (linnk) Go to the last entry on the page and look at the #3 definition.