Toledo Botanical Gardens
"Giraffes"
Monday, May 29, 2006
Sunday, May 21, 2006
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
It again has been forever since I have updated this blog, so I will post a few photos to show what has been keeping me busy between seeing patients and being on call.
The above two photos are of the unfinished project of putting the 6'4"x3' hole in the wall between the livingroom and the kitchen. I have yet to do the trim work on both sides and repaint the walls and trim. I was able to do this project thanks to my gracious friend Larry and all his tools.
Here is the truck that has replaced my VW Jetta. It is still requiring a little money here and there to get it running up to par, but I think it will be a reliable commuter vehicle along with providing a flatbed for landscaping this fall. 
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Time to say good-bye to my VW---
I decided to get rid of a car payment this week, and become a detroiter by buying an American vehicle. I will miss the "driving experience" of VW, but will hopefully have another one day. On Saturday a person from Wisconsin is travelling to my place to purchase the car. One thing to note if you want a car that doesn't depreciate quickly and is in high demand, look at buying a diesel VW. I have had the vehicle for two years, put 34,000 miles on it and sold the vehicle within 24 hours of posting it online to a person 2 states away for only a few thousand less than what I paid originally. If you haven't heard of www.craigslist.org check it out sometime. It is a great place to shop and advertise.
Here was my posting http://annarbor.craigslist.org/car/151635875.html If anyone feels the need to pay respects... :o)
Hopefully, I will have another vehicle by mid next week. I am looking at getting a used Ford Ranger, since I won't be driving long distances too often over the next few years.
I decided to get rid of a car payment this week, and become a detroiter by buying an American vehicle. I will miss the "driving experience" of VW, but will hopefully have another one day. On Saturday a person from Wisconsin is travelling to my place to purchase the car. One thing to note if you want a car that doesn't depreciate quickly and is in high demand, look at buying a diesel VW. I have had the vehicle for two years, put 34,000 miles on it and sold the vehicle within 24 hours of posting it online to a person 2 states away for only a few thousand less than what I paid originally. If you haven't heard of www.craigslist.org check it out sometime. It is a great place to shop and advertise.
Here was my posting http://annarbor.craigslist.org/car/151635875.html If anyone feels the need to pay respects... :o)
Hopefully, I will have another vehicle by mid next week. I am looking at getting a used Ford Ranger, since I won't be driving long distances too often over the next few years.
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
CHECK THIS OUT! Another reason I still believe small groups of people can change the world!
CLICK HERE: Invisible Children
CLICK HERE: Invisible Children
SAN DIEGO, Calif. – March 28, 2006 – On April 29th, thousands of people across the country will take a new approach to ending a devastating war abroad – they’ll take it lying down. Invisible Children Inc., an organization committed to ending the war in Northern Uganda where children are forced to fight as soldiers, has organized a Global Night Commute in 136 cities across the country.
On this night, thousands will commute to their cities’ designated location and sleep outside on behalf of the invisible children of Northern Uganda. This event is a plea to the U.S. government to help put an end to this horrific 20-year-long war.
“It’s a moral outrage to see thousands of children that have been abducted, that have been maltreated. They are going through the most horrendous torture by the rebel movement and that same group is now being neglected by the whole international community,” said Jan Egeland, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs. “I cannot find any other part of the world having an emergency on the scale of Uganda with so little international attention.”
The event promises a wide variety of people from celebrities and legislators to activists and authors. Actress Kristen Bell, from the hit show “Veronica Mars” heard about Invisible Children through co-star Ryan Hansen.
“Invisible Children is not only an inspiring movement, but it has forced me to act,” said Kristen Bell. “On April 29th you’ll find me in the streets Night Commuting.”
The start of Invisible Children came in 2003 when three naive filmmakers, from Southern California, flew to Africa in search of a story that would change the world. What they found was a situation in Northern Uganda that disgusted and inspired them. They documented their findings of a 20-year-long war where children are the weapons, and the victims. The result was a film called, “Invisible Children: Rough Cut.” After seeing the impact of their film worldwide, they formed the non-profit Invisible Children Inc.
The organization is dedicated to ending the war in Northern Uganda where children are abducted and forced to fight with the rebel army as child soldiers. For fear of being hunted by the LRA (Lord’s Resistance Army), these children commute on foot every night to find safe places to sleep in their town centers. To date, more than 30,000 children have been abducted and forced into war. That’s why Invisible Children is calling on the world to take a stand.
“The Global Night Commute is an opportunity for Americans to rally with one voice,” said Jason Russell, one of the filmmakers and founders of Invisible Children. “We are asking people to lie down and close their eyes with us for one night, so that we can open the world’s eyes to this unseen war.”
As a media-based company, the filmmakers will create a music video ‘mocumentary’ to encourage people to attend the Global Night Commute. This video will be sent out via Pod cast, a couple weeks before the event. With this video, the filmmakers are pushing the envelope on how aid is perceived in the world. They are grabbing the attention of a younger generation with media that is both funny and touching. This music video is the biggest production to date for the non-profit.
About Invisible Children Inc.
Invisible Children Inc., established in 2004, is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing financial resources to invisible children by documenting their true, untold stories in a creative and relevant way, resulting in positive change. Invisible Children Inc. was formed after the release of the film “Invisible Children: Rough Cut”, which documents a war in Northern Uganda in which children are abducted by a rebel army and forced to fight as child soldiers. The filmmakers for “Invisible Children: Rough Cut”, Jason Russell, Bobby Bailey and Laren Poole, are also the founders of Invisible Children Inc. Currently Invisible Children Inc. employs over 150 people in the war-torn area of Northern Uganda and is putting 300 kids through school, with plans to see that number grow into the thousands. The organization is based in San Diego, California.
Sunday, April 02, 2006
VACATION WEEK
Janelle came to visit and discover the greater Detroit area.
We packed in a full week together.
Saturday Night: Janelle arrived, stopped by the house and gave a quick tour, then met up with interns and med students at Gizzmo's Jazz Club, then went to house of an intern and visitied for a while.
Sunday: Went to Detroit Metro Christian Church, grocery shopped at Trader Joe's, had lunch at La Dolce Vita and enjoyed jazz music performed by Gypsy Strings of Detroit, drove through downtown, returned to home and made salad for dinner.
Monday: Wedding Registry at Sommerset Collection in Troy Michigan. Sommerset is the largest mall I have ever been to and includes a sky walk that spans 6 lanes of traffic and parking. We spent 10 hours there, minus a nice lunch we packed and enjoyed near a water fountain outside the mall. Had delicious Thai food in Royal Oak at 10pm and then returned to home where I remembered I needed to read for a lecture I needed to attend in the morning.
Tuesday: Surgery lecture at 7am, picked Janelle up at 9am, picked out Tuxedos at Mens Warehouse for wedding, went to another store for wedding registry, had dinner with my program director and his family, made black bean salsa together
Wednesday: Spent day at Detroit Art Institute, had dinner with medical education secretary and husband.
Thursday: Toured hospital 7:30am, met friends (Larry, Dallas, & Amelia) for breakfast at 8:30am, left for Toronto, Canada at 10am. Arrived in Toronto at 2pm, checked in to Global Backpackers Youth Hostel, and began exploring the city by foot, including Chinatown, and the theater district. We had Vietnemese food for dinner and watched Blue Man Group, returned to Youth Hostel Bar and listened to live music, snacked, and danced, went to bed at 2am.
Friday: Ran the waterfront along Lake Ontario, continued to explore city on foot (approx. 10 miles), found "Herbivore" a great Vegan/Organic restaurant in Kensington area (the hippie street), returned to Chinatown and enjoyed Mango and Red Bean Bubble Teas, then continued on to Old Town. Left Toronto at 3:30pm and experienced Toronto Rush hour (ugh...2 hours to go about 15 miles). Returned home around 10:30pm.
Saturday: Worked out, breakfast together, our friend Trung came over and helped with Video interviews for wedding video, met with friends from church for lunch at Jimmy John's, went to Grosse Ile country club and met Dr. Lamb and wife Darlene, showed Janelle the Island with its beautiful homes, went to Elizabeth Park, met up with interns to celebrate a birthday.
Sunday: Breakfast with intern Dean and wife Rhonda, went to church, took Janelle to airport, went to another church, had lunch with friends from church, went home and took a nap and then began to switch gears back to work mode for Monday morning.
Janelle came to visit and discover the greater Detroit area.
We packed in a full week together.
Saturday Night: Janelle arrived, stopped by the house and gave a quick tour, then met up with interns and med students at Gizzmo's Jazz Club, then went to house of an intern and visitied for a while.
Sunday: Went to Detroit Metro Christian Church, grocery shopped at Trader Joe's, had lunch at La Dolce Vita and enjoyed jazz music performed by Gypsy Strings of Detroit, drove through downtown, returned to home and made salad for dinner.
Monday: Wedding Registry at Sommerset Collection in Troy Michigan. Sommerset is the largest mall I have ever been to and includes a sky walk that spans 6 lanes of traffic and parking. We spent 10 hours there, minus a nice lunch we packed and enjoyed near a water fountain outside the mall. Had delicious Thai food in Royal Oak at 10pm and then returned to home where I remembered I needed to read for a lecture I needed to attend in the morning.
Tuesday: Surgery lecture at 7am, picked Janelle up at 9am, picked out Tuxedos at Mens Warehouse for wedding, went to another store for wedding registry, had dinner with my program director and his family, made black bean salsa together
Wednesday: Spent day at Detroit Art Institute, had dinner with medical education secretary and husband.
Thursday: Toured hospital 7:30am, met friends (Larry, Dallas, & Amelia) for breakfast at 8:30am, left for Toronto, Canada at 10am. Arrived in Toronto at 2pm, checked in to Global Backpackers Youth Hostel, and began exploring the city by foot, including Chinatown, and the theater district. We had Vietnemese food for dinner and watched Blue Man Group, returned to Youth Hostel Bar and listened to live music, snacked, and danced, went to bed at 2am.
Friday: Ran the waterfront along Lake Ontario, continued to explore city on foot (approx. 10 miles), found "Herbivore" a great Vegan/Organic restaurant in Kensington area (the hippie street), returned to Chinatown and enjoyed Mango and Red Bean Bubble Teas, then continued on to Old Town. Left Toronto at 3:30pm and experienced Toronto Rush hour (ugh...2 hours to go about 15 miles). Returned home around 10:30pm.
Saturday: Worked out, breakfast together, our friend Trung came over and helped with Video interviews for wedding video, met with friends from church for lunch at Jimmy John's, went to Grosse Ile country club and met Dr. Lamb and wife Darlene, showed Janelle the Island with its beautiful homes, went to Elizabeth Park, met up with interns to celebrate a birthday.
Sunday: Breakfast with intern Dean and wife Rhonda, went to church, took Janelle to airport, went to another church, had lunch with friends from church, went home and took a nap and then began to switch gears back to work mode for Monday morning.
Sunday, February 26, 2006
A Sad, but joyous day lies ahead for Mercy Ships, as the baton is passed to Africa Mercy this June in Tema, Ghana.
Anastasis and Caribbean Mercy Retire - Mercy Ships
Anastasis and Caribbean Mercy Retire - Mercy Ships
I took this from Reuel's blog. Reuel is an amazing person who lives radically for God. Check out his blog sometime (see links). I met him in KC a couple of years ago, and have enjoyed reading about his life since.
Below is a challenging piece (for me anyway) to meditate on.
Excerpted from:
The Heart God Revives by Nancy Leigh DeMoss
Proud People Vs. Broken & Humble People
Focus on Failures of others
Vs.
Overwhelmed with sense of personal spiritual need
Critical & fault-finding spirit; looking at other’s faults with a microscope; own with a telescope
Vs.
Compassion- being able to forgive much knowing how much Grace has been given
Self-righteous; looking down on others
Vs.
Esteeming others better than self
Independent spirit; self-sufficient spirit
Vs.
Possessing a dependent spirit; recognizing need for others
Claim entitlements; Rights & possessing a demanding spirit
Vs.
Yielding rights; possessing a meek spirit
Have to prove “I’m right!”
Vs.
Willing to yield the right to be right
Self-protective of own time, rights, and reputation
Vs.
Self-denying
Desire to be served
Vs.
Motivated to serve others
Desire to be successful
Vs.
Motivated to be faithful and to make others a success
Desire self-advancement
Vs.
Desire to promote others
Possessing a drive to be recognized and appreciated
Vs.
Having a sense of personal unworthiness; thrilled that God would use them at all
Wounded when others are promoted & them overlooked
Vs.
Eager for others to get the credit; rejoicing when others are
lifted up; promoted
Have subconscious feeling, “This organization is privileged to have me and my gifts”
Vs.
Heart attitude of “I don’t deserve to have a part in this thing”
Thinking of what they can do for God
Vs.
Knowing they have nothing to offer God except brokenness
Confident in how much they know
Vs.
Humbled by how much they have to learn
Self-conscious
Vs.
Not concerned with self at all
Keep others at arms’ length
Vs.
Willing to risk getting close to others and take risks of loving intimately
Quick to blame others
Vs.
Accept personal responsibility and seeing own wrong in situations
Unapproachable or defensive when criticized
Vs.
Receiving criticism as constructive; with humble spirit
Concerned with being respectable; what others think;
Vs.
Concerned with being real; only what God thinks, matters
Working to protect reputation
Vs.
Willing to die to reputation
Find it difficult to share spiritual need with others
Vs.
Willing to be transparent; open with others as God directs
Careful that no one finds out when they’ve sinned- constant cover up
Vs.
Once broken, not caring who knows or finds out; willing to be exposed because of nothing to lose
Have a hard time saying “I was wrong; could you please forgive me?
Vs.
Quick to admit failure and seek forgiveness needed
Tend to deal in generalities when confessing sin
Vs.
Able to acknowledge specifics when confessing sin
Concerned about the consequences of sin
Vs.
Grieved over cause of sin at it’s root
Not remorseful over sin, but sorry they were caught or found out
Vs.
Truly genuinely repentant over sin, evidenced in forsaking same
Wait for others to come to ask forgiveness when there is misunderstanding or conflict in relationship
Vs.
Taking initiative toward reconciliation when misunderstanding or conflict in relationships (inevitable) occurs- quick to get to the Cross, no matter how wrong the other
Compare themselves with others and feel worthy of honor
Vs.
Comparing themselves with Holy Standard of Almighty God; feeling desperate need for His Mercy
Blind to their true heart condition
Vs.
Walking in the Light
Think there’s nothing to repent over / of
Vs.
Realizing continual need of heart attitude of repentance
Don’t think they personally need revival, but everyone else sure does
Vs.
Continually sensing personal need for encounter with God; for refreshing or His Holy Spirit
Below is a challenging piece (for me anyway) to meditate on.
Excerpted from:
The Heart God Revives by Nancy Leigh DeMoss
Proud People Vs. Broken & Humble People
Focus on Failures of others
Vs.
Overwhelmed with sense of personal spiritual need
Critical & fault-finding spirit; looking at other’s faults with a microscope; own with a telescope
Vs.
Compassion- being able to forgive much knowing how much Grace has been given
Self-righteous; looking down on others
Vs.
Esteeming others better than self
Independent spirit; self-sufficient spirit
Vs.
Possessing a dependent spirit; recognizing need for others
Claim entitlements; Rights & possessing a demanding spirit
Vs.
Yielding rights; possessing a meek spirit
Have to prove “I’m right!”
Vs.
Willing to yield the right to be right
Self-protective of own time, rights, and reputation
Vs.
Self-denying
Desire to be served
Vs.
Motivated to serve others
Desire to be successful
Vs.
Motivated to be faithful and to make others a success
Desire self-advancement
Vs.
Desire to promote others
Possessing a drive to be recognized and appreciated
Vs.
Having a sense of personal unworthiness; thrilled that God would use them at all
Wounded when others are promoted & them overlooked
Vs.
Eager for others to get the credit; rejoicing when others are
lifted up; promoted
Have subconscious feeling, “This organization is privileged to have me and my gifts”
Vs.
Heart attitude of “I don’t deserve to have a part in this thing”
Thinking of what they can do for God
Vs.
Knowing they have nothing to offer God except brokenness
Confident in how much they know
Vs.
Humbled by how much they have to learn
Self-conscious
Vs.
Not concerned with self at all
Keep others at arms’ length
Vs.
Willing to risk getting close to others and take risks of loving intimately
Quick to blame others
Vs.
Accept personal responsibility and seeing own wrong in situations
Unapproachable or defensive when criticized
Vs.
Receiving criticism as constructive; with humble spirit
Concerned with being respectable; what others think;
Vs.
Concerned with being real; only what God thinks, matters
Working to protect reputation
Vs.
Willing to die to reputation
Find it difficult to share spiritual need with others
Vs.
Willing to be transparent; open with others as God directs
Careful that no one finds out when they’ve sinned- constant cover up
Vs.
Once broken, not caring who knows or finds out; willing to be exposed because of nothing to lose
Have a hard time saying “I was wrong; could you please forgive me?
Vs.
Quick to admit failure and seek forgiveness needed
Tend to deal in generalities when confessing sin
Vs.
Able to acknowledge specifics when confessing sin
Concerned about the consequences of sin
Vs.
Grieved over cause of sin at it’s root
Not remorseful over sin, but sorry they were caught or found out
Vs.
Truly genuinely repentant over sin, evidenced in forsaking same
Wait for others to come to ask forgiveness when there is misunderstanding or conflict in relationship
Vs.
Taking initiative toward reconciliation when misunderstanding or conflict in relationships (inevitable) occurs- quick to get to the Cross, no matter how wrong the other
Compare themselves with others and feel worthy of honor
Vs.
Comparing themselves with Holy Standard of Almighty God; feeling desperate need for His Mercy
Blind to their true heart condition
Vs.
Walking in the Light
Think there’s nothing to repent over / of
Vs.
Realizing continual need of heart attitude of repentance
Don’t think they personally need revival, but everyone else sure does
Vs.
Continually sensing personal need for encounter with God; for refreshing or His Holy Spirit
Saturday, January 28, 2006
Thursday, January 26, 2006
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Monday, January 23, 2006
It's THE weekend...
So Friday night after work I got on a plane and flew to SeaTac International Airport where I met up with my friends Dan and Jo and their new baby Isaac...
So Friday night after work I got on a plane and flew to SeaTac International Airport where I met up with my friends Dan and Jo and their new baby Isaac...
On Saturday morning Janelle drove up to meet us and we spent the day enjoying Tacoma's waterfront and having fun with the camera 
Is the chase over?
I hope so, and make the move-in...
A few hours later we had dinner over looking the Tacoma city lights and bay, and then returned to Dan and Jo's for what Janelle believed to be dessert with Seth's friends, but when we arrived it was just us, some candles, flowers, dessert, music, memory slide show, and me on one knee...
Janelle's Response...First-- "Are you serious?!"
then...Yes!
Saturday, January 14, 2006
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