Dukey Droppings

Sex Trafficing

2010-03-29T00:00:00.005-05:00

I hope this gets your attention. It should.

Until Dukey Drops Again....Much Love

Please watch - "Constance" by Mr. J. Medeiros

The Sold Project website

Sold Video

Disintegrated

2010-03-27T22:01:00.002-05:00

Am I?
Do I want to be? I don't think so.
What does that mean? Disintegrated?
Integration is the opposite.
Disintegration is "to lose unity or integrity by or as if by breaking into parts."
Am I lacking unity?
Am I broken in to pieces?
Am I scattered?
I once was told Before God uses a man, He first breaks him.
So Am I Disintegrated?
Am I lacking integrity?
In my life?
Am I willing to be broken by God to be used?
I am self-reliant and self-sufficient.
Do I need to be broken because I what I portray and whats true of my life and my heart are not congruent.
Do I dare to be willing to be broken? I don't know.
Do I need to be broken?
Broken of my self-sufficiency?
Broken of my self-reliance? Probably.
If I am broken will it hurt? Probably.
Will my pride be damaged?
Will my self-portrayed picture of who I want to be and who I am be distorted and smashed?
Can it be rebuilt...pieced together again? I hope...I pray so.
Am I willing...I don't know.
I want to be willing.
But am I...

Wander in the Moment...

2009-04-18T12:14:00.004-05:00

While in Kenya this last March one of the things we got to do was take the school on their first field trip. We took them to the Bomas of Kenya. Boma in Swahili means home. At the Bomas they have many tribal dances you can watch and then tour homes of the various tribes of Kenya. The kids and adults at the school were so excited. You could smell the excitement in the air among them.
After we arrived at the school we hung around waiting to arrange things for the 225+ that came on the trip. While we were standing around two of the boys came to me and asked for a picture. They are actually the two boys in the back left of the picture. When they lined up the other boys saw what was about to take place many of them came running to get in the picture or in one of their own. As the "mob" grew and I got ready to take the picture an airplane from a nearby airport flew over. Many of the kids LOVE airplanes and want to be pilots. As the plane flew over they all became distracted looking at and pointing at the plane forgetting the chaos around them. I caught them in their excitement and awe pointing and forgetting why they were standing where they were. The were lost in the moment.
It was so much fun to see their excitement as each plane passed. It was these things that we are far more used to that were first time experiences for them that were highlights of their trip.
It made me recall how we often become calloused to things we have seen/experienced before and no longer appreciate them. We miss something. Something amazing. Simple. Incredible. Something awesome that leaves children with their eyes wide open and jaws hanging. I hope that in our life of experiences and new things that we don't forget to stop and appreciate the things that once amazed and value and learn from them.
May we be in awe and in wonder of "the plane in the sky" once again where we forget all that is around us...just for a moment.

Until Dukey Drops Again....Much Love

In the midst...

2009-04-15T16:50:00.004-05:00

In the midst of the unknown sometimes there is somethings that are known. Sometimes we just don't know them yet or see them.
In the midst of my personal unknown and what I feel is a real time of searching in my life I took off to Kenya. I hadn't planned on going honestly and felt rather content not going. So I prayed about it and went. Read the previous post for the story.
I went back to work with Christ Academy. Porfirio had been there since the middle of January and Jessie, Jennifer and myself went at the end of Feb to work along side the school and Porfirio. It was a short trip that went fast lasting only three weeks but I believe we made the most of our time there and went away feeling like the trip was longer than three weeks.
We spent the first part of our trip catching up with P, networking and focusing for our time with the school.
The following two weeks we busted our butts to be at the school and do as much ass we possibly could. We went hard. There was so so much.
Over the next few days I will post some pics on here and maybe share a story or two.
For now I'm off to another random job to make a few dollars to get by for today.

Until Dukey Drops Again......Much Love

The Hype...The Hustle

2009-04-13T16:08:00.003-05:00

Here is a couple pics of a young moose that was about 10yds from my cabin in January.

Since flipping my Xterra on its top much has changed for me personally. I've gotten caught in the hustle tryin to figure things out and not stopped to post anything on here. I've had many things change from m previous situation but yet have taken much time to stop. To stop and breathe. To stop and listen. To stop and think. Its been trying to sort out the Hype and hustle to make ends meet.
When I last posted I was living in a cabin between Boulder and Marbleton, WY near the New Fork River. It was -10 to -30 degrees most nights and my pipes were frozen in my little cabin. I was forced to take a cooler and go out to a well runoff pipe and collect water that felt like if it slowed it would freeze in order to shower. I would take the 32degree water in and pour it in to my electric skillet to boil it so that I could have some warm water to shower off with. I didn't have a stove and my microwave had just went out during the work week so I didn't have time to go buy a new one. It took 2hrs to boil enough water so that I could clean off a bit and go to bed.
The flow of mice in to the cabin had ceased and I guess the water felt left out to decided to join in. Then I rolled my Xterra and that made life just a bit more challenging. I got done with work the evening of the 22nd and got a plane to Kansas City to make it home for Christmas thanks to my parents offering much assistance with making the arrangements. I drove 20min to a gas station that had wireless so these circumstances made this very inconvenient. I didn't have a TV either...not that a TV would have helped at all but there wasn't lots of extra frills and they were getting less and less.
I was wondering about my time in Wyoming and felt like there were becoming fewer and fewer reasons to stay. I missed being around community with other bothers and sisters of which I had pretty much NONE of. So as I prayed about the struggle I flew to visit my family for Christmas. I was off 3 weeks and had time to prioritize a bit. I was going to go back to Wyoming work if they were working then pack up and move back to Kansas. In the meantime I needed to find a vehicle. God provided and I headed back to Wyoming to work a few days and pack up.
As I left Wyoming I sent an email out to friends and family who have supported and prayed for my as God has opened up opportunities to do ministry here and overseas. I shared a brief story about Christ Academy, a school we served at in Kenya in 2007 and then a bit about the impending changes and said I am flexible. That evening I received a call telling me there was a group in Rock Springs that had been meeting discussing how they could have me come share about Christ Academy again. When they went home and checked their email they found that a few of them had received an email from me opening the opportunity. Feb 8th Jessie Hock, Brady Peters and myself drove to Rock Springs, WY to share at a small church of 40 or so.
I had been praying about going back to Kenya as Porfirio had left on Jan 16th and Jessie and Jennifer Follis were planning on going at the end of Feb. I told only 3 people that I was stepping in faith to go to Kenya. Two of those people were Brady and Jessie the other was at the church we shared at. We got done sharing about the school and I was informed that $584 was given toward the school and $2010 toward me going to Kenya. I could not believe it! I was stunned. Prayer ANSWERED! I called my parents and Porfirio to tell them I was on my way to Kenya.
Four weeks prior I could have told you I was very content with not going to Kenya right now and that I was going to need a miracle to go. I guess I got what I prayed for.
Once again I was looking to return to Kansas because I wanted to remain in community knowing brothers and sisters in Christ, them knowing me and living life together.
I came back to Hays, KS and found myself staying in a spare room(laundry room) on an air mattress. Not exactly in the lap of luxury. I had quit my job in Wyoming and still was searching for something around here. I was again finding community but without a job. A price to pay? I don't know. The hype, the hustle that misses what God has for us is not worth it. To run a race on my own is not why I was created. I was created to live among others, with others and share the journey. The hype, the hustle...its overrated.
When you have lost something or taken away is when you most often realize what you had. I realized this and had to figure out a different way to live because my priorities were not what I want them to be.

Until Dukey Drops Again....Much Love

Keep on Rollin...

2008-12-27T01:10:00.004-06:00

On December 20th at 1am I was headed home from work up on the Mesa near Pinedale, WY. I just had hung up from calling Porfirio, a friend of mine in Hays, KS and I was going around a corner. Little did I know that corner would be a challenge, a surprise, and a first for me.
I rolled my '03 Nissan Xterra. It happened so fast. The ditch was steep and my undoing. There was no avoiding it after briefly taking my eyes off the road. I am so thankful God protected me because I know it could've been much worse. I tried to keep it from rolling but couldn't. I hit the far side of the ditch and it shot the nose of the Xterra back in the road. I went on two wheels on both sides then somehow did a 180 and flipped it on to its top. It was around -10 to -15 degrees so I was really glad I was able to crawl out because along with injuries after a while the cold would have started to work on me if I was there long. Praise God that wasn't the case.
The pics are hard to see much of the damage because of the snow and the fact its so bright and the white vehicle. I am really surprised the windshield was still in it when I got to the salvage yard. It was barely hanging on when I rolled it.
I still don't know if its totalled but my professional opinion would say yes its totalled.
Nothing extremely spiritual or deep just grateful for my health and safety and the fact I got to spend Christmas with my parents. Simple.

Anyway thats it for now...

Until Dukey Drops Again...Much Love...

In - n - Out

2008-10-09T21:00:00.004-05:00

I was reading an article written by a guy who does some writing for a magazine called RELEVANT and I had somethings jump out that I wanted to share. The one that really jumped out at me was the statement I bolded at the start of the 3^rd italicized paragraph. I’ll share a few thoughts at the conclusion of the article.

You know its often that we go about our day with our mouths spouting about wrecklessly whatever spills out. It can be positive and encouraging, negative, rude, spontaneous, gossip or perhaps truth but words carry great power and influence. Everyone remembers sticks and stone may break my bones but words will never hurt me, right? Not sure I ever bought that one. It seems its more of a coping mechanisim than anything. Words still carry great power to change a moment, a day or perhaps a life. Consider the words “Guilty” or “I Do”. Even a coaches half-time speech, just words, can totally change a game and its outcome. Life changing in some cases and powerful direction altering ones at that words can carry great weight. Not only do they sometimes carry a “hammer” they also can be reflective.

And once they are expressed, words not only create—they also reveal. Words are windows for us to see deeper into the heart of the one who is speaking. To quote Matthew’s Gospel: “Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34) In Jesus’ case, The Word made flesh gave us a better picture of who God is. We were finally able to plainly see the heart of God in the reality of creation and salvation. Through Jesus we are able to see the unifying theme that God is speaking and establishing the reality of life. The Word created life and sustains life. The Word provides salvation (which is even more life). The Word reveals that within God’s heart is life, life and more life. So, Jesus isn’t kidding when He tells His disciples, “The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the spirit and life” (John 6:63).

But where does that leave us? Since we’ve been created in God’s image with this strange ability to affect the world we live in with what we say, what do our own words reveal about who we are? What do the realities we’re creating disclose about our hearts and our character?

If we want to begin creating realities that bring truth to the world, we’d do well to begin filling ourselves with “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable” (Philippians 4:8). I’m not suggesting this means creating a legalistic set of parameters that ban rated-R movies or controversial music. But we should be aware of how things affect us. We must be cognizant of our words and the realities they create. Is what we say creating life or death for those who hear? After a quick personal assessment, we may need to make a few changes. If we’re going to speak words that create life for those who hear us, we must begin by surrounding ourselves with things that create life within ourselves.

To help you do that, here are a few questions you may want to ask yourself:

Is there anything inherently good or bad about it?
A great way fill your heart with goodness is by running toward what is good and away from what is bad. And while it’s true that the idea of “good” and “bad” may be a bit subjective, it’s an appropriate place to begin because there are some things that automatically scream good or bad. Not everything is a gray area. For instance: Scripture = Good. Porn Site = Bad. See? Not so hard!

How do I feel after experiencing it?
This particular question is a little tricky because our emotions are so fickle. But there is definitely value in assessing how we feel about what we do and whom we meet. I know from personal experience that I can’t watch the news during election years because political commentary makes me want to punch someone in the head. In the same way, if the movies you watch, music you listen to, books you read or people you surround yourself with make you feel angst-ridden or fearful, you may want to consider spending yourself somewhere else.

Am I gaining more clarity or more confusion?
It’s good to have your worldview shaken up every once in a while. But a good dose of truth should begin to peel away the layers of false reality, not add more. If the things you do and people you interact with are making you less and less confident of what you think and believe, look for people and experiences to that help you understand who you are (and whose you are).

Am I changing because of what I do and who I know?
Stagnation is one of the worst things possible. Try to engage the things that evoke positive change in you. We need to look at art that inspires us and watch movies that make us want to be better people. We need people in our lives who speak truth and encouragement. Neutral goes nowhere, so make sure that what you experience does something to you, drawing you closer and closer to faith, hope and love.

Author: Nathan Key

I think its always good to receive times and opprotunites of personal reflection and evaluation toward the direction my life is headed and who and/or what I convey to others---To ask introspective questions of myself and try and seek the reality and truth of who I am ugly, dirty scarred or otherwise. It only brings to light reality versus the fantasy we all like to live in…I myself included. Thank God for forgiveness and his Son.

What I put in comes out…hmm…not new…not a profound revolutionary statement. So why do I succumb to the compromised thinking, “aw its no big deal, I’ve been good…been strong”? Its our pride that tells us that. I don’t need to lean on my Savior, I’m solid. That for me often seems to be the first step to the settling to not paying attention to what I put in. Before long, if not in a few hours, days, months or years, if it continues, the ugly I put in will spew forth raring its ugly head and I’ll find myself in a bad spot, asking for forgiveness or caloused and hardened by the seeping of dirt I’ve allowed. There is a great verse in Song of Solomon that says, “Catch for us the foxes, the foxes that ruin the vineyard”. Watch the little things as they can destroy the “vineyard” or you before you know it. I think it parallels the idea of what you put in comes out. If you don’t care or watch what you put in then grab your helmets because whats coming out is gonna be a beast sooner or later.

Be on your guard. Not only do our words reflect our heart but our King who many may not ever meet(aside from your witness) but possibly hear…hear in our words…hopefully words of grace, truth and love.

Phil 4:8 “Finally brothers(and sisters) whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy think about such things.”

Until Dukey Drops Again....Much Love.....

Caught up...

2008-09-11T22:02:00.007-05:00

So recently I've come to the conclusion that when some one asks me what I do with my time off away from work, you know, free time, well my answer is now going to be I KILL MICE! I end their not so sweet little not so harmless rodent poop dropping, trap dodging, poison eating, t-shirt eating, disease carrying little lives. I know its a little violet sounding but fun time with Luke is over. This is war. Well at least around my place. They have officially crossed the line in the last few days as I went to grab one of my favorite t-shirts out of my drawer and there was a hole large enough for a large hamster to have waddled through. Not to mention the bits of D-Con poison and mouse tirds dropped next to the shirt. Obviously the mouse or perhaps mice, judging by the ample scattering of poo, had a good time wrestling in the poison tray and had their fill and decided to go on adventure and find some good material for a nice winter bed. It appears they found my softest shirt and got to gnawing.
I amazed at the entertainment value this mouse community has brought me. Seriously. The first night I put out traps it was as if they were blind to the traps. They were going off 10min after I reset them. I got up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom and found all the traps had been set off. I thought if there is such activity I should set them again. 10min later SNAP! Clank Clank Clank Clank...I thought someone was having
spasms but it continued. So I figured I'd get up and check. I walk in the the bathroom and the mouse trap was racing across the floor chasing a mouse...now thats a mouse trap! After looking closer the mouse had ALMOST dodged death and his tail was caught in the trap! The mouse followed by the trap bolted for the hole in which he entered. The mouse disappeared but the trap was not so cooperative. It was too heavy for the mouse to pull in the hole so it assuredly left the mouse dangling for his life on the other side of the sheet rock. I was laughing hard at the sight, what the mouse was likely thinking and at his misfortune. I grabbed the trap and ended his struggle for him. He must have been wearing a helmet like this mouse pictured but got lazy and got his tail.
The mice have gradually gotten smarter because in the beginning just the scent of peanut butter would have them running and hurling themselves onto the traps. Not anymore. Too many of their community have not returned from what ended up being a journey of peril. So now they can clean the peanut butter off the trap and go back to the hole with a full belly. There is now an array of potential mice "killer". Its like a buffet that includes teal colored D-con(should be called D-can't) mouse poison, some grain sticks that are supposed to kill the mice...they seem to be getting FATTER and the JIF peanut butter that laces the traps. A delicious menu if I don't say so myself.
So I had a few days off this last week and returned to my place expecting that I would find at least one mouse. I was correct. There was one but there were only 3 traps...there were 4 when I left.
I began scan the bathroom around the toilet where the hole is...1...2...3...where is the 4th? I must be hallucinating. Again 1...2...3...no 4th trap. I check one other place where I had once seen traces of mice. There it was laying upside down. I was sure it had a mouse in it if it was carried that far. I picked up the trap...and...no mouse. HOW!? I glanced again...wait...there's not a mouse but remnants. There was mouse leg. Apparently a front leg. It appeared he had fought so hard for his life he severed his leg from his body. So now tri-pod is free but left me a souvenir. I was shocked! I did laugh too...and almost took a picture because I couldn't believe it. If I didn't have lazy cats like the one pictured here I wouldn't have such a problem. Stinkin' cats. Too well fed. They need THE HUNGER. The hunger for survival.

You know this tri-pod incident made me think of how we as humans often get ourselves caught in little seemingly harmless things like gossip, sexual temptation, gossip, lust, greed, gossip, anger, dishonesty, gossip, wasteful spending, jealousy, pornography, not praying, lying and one last one...umm...gossip, etc and we find ourselves caught in a trap scrambling what appears to be for our lives. It ends up that we may escape with our "lives" but we've lost a "limb" as tri-pod did or a piece of our heart or maybe we lose the trust somone once had in us or vice a versa. I mean all we're doin' is nibblin on a little cheese or PB(gossip, lie, porn site, one bad movie, one beer too many, a super-sized meal at 1am, an extra $100 pair of jeans) and before we know SNAP...our little piece of the pie has got us trapped...trapped in debt, trapped with bad health, trapped with a dead spiritual life, trapped in a "little" lie thats not so little anymore, trapped with no one that will trust us anymore, trapped watching someone else get hurt because of our gossip, trapped in addiction to alcohol or porn, trapped with deep anger thats burning inside for years and now we're scarred...scarred in a way our life is impacted greatly. So please watch out for traps. Don't compromise. Listen to others especially those who have lived a few more years than you. Educate yourself of traps. Ask questions. Be aware so you don't fall victim. And finally if someone loves you enough to approach you and confront you about a trap they may see...have the grace and maturity to stop and honestly look around. Be objective. If its true and its not cost you something do whatever you can to stop. STOP! Its a funny picture but I know none of us would like to be like our friend tri-pod...well not my friend but maybe yours...and be scarred in a way that will remind us daily of a trap we should have looked for.
And if your friends, community and people you hang out with look like the last mouse picture here...everyone caught in a trap....Uh... TAKE NOTICE! Do you want to join them???
Don't get CAUGHT UP...

There's my thoughts for today...if you have any mouse wisdom I am all ears.

Until Dukey Drops Again.......Much Love......

***Oh yeah...Kill count...

3 rabbits(unintentional)

1 ground squirrel(unintentional)

18 mice & an arm(intentional)

20days and a cloud of dust...

2008-08-23T21:29:00.007-05:00

20days ago I started work and 20days later I'm hurtin' but I've got some days off. I don't know if it will be enough but its better than nothing. We are now on a schedule of 10 days on and 5 off so maybe over the next few weeks I can recover a bit and get healed up. It won't be long enough but I'll take what I can get.
This week I will be back in Kansas for a few days the 28th-31st to see some family and play in a softball tournament. Its been a great time in the past and I'm looking forward to it. It'll be a nice change of pace. I'll get to visit some friends back in Hays and hang out a bit.
I don't know if anyone has watched the Olympics or enjoys them but I have the last few days I've been off and I DO enjoy the Olympics. There are so many stories of expected triumph and fantastic performance, crushing failure and perserverence resulting in glorious victory. There are amazing and inspiring performances from teams and individuals. They are great stories of preparation, commitment and focus all meeting at one place and tested. USA Decathalete Brian Clay redirecting his life and turning it around win Gold, Jamaican Sprinter Usain Bolt with 2 world records, USA Womens Soccer & Basketball, USA Mens Basketball celebrated with joy like little boys when they won, British hurdler Tasha Danvers overcame an unexpected pregnancy and much scrutiny for having the child to win bronze, South African Natalie du Toit leg amputee making her debut in the open water swim to finish 16th, Australian Diver Mathew Mitchum won Gold over the favored Chinese divers on his last dive, Swimmer Michael Phelps made olympic history with 8 Gold medals, German weightlifter Matthias Steiner wins Gold on his last lift after losing his wife in a car wreck in the last year, Equestrian Rider 61 yr old medalist Canadian Ian Millar rode for 35+ years without a medal but that changed in 2008 and many others that inspire greatness, perserverence, commitment, heart and spirit. I found a great story in the Calgary Herald that alludes to this spirit. You should check it out. The passion is enticing. The stories captivate.
The thing I wonder as I think of the Olympics come to a close is why does this spirit loved and adored in sports but we often are scared to exhibit the same commitment to our faith in Christ. Not belief but faith. Where is our commitment? Where is our preparation for those appointments that are divinely directed? We may not all be great athletes, scholars, speakers, or anything else but we are not asked to first be great and then commit we are simply asked to follow with what we have and who we are and our Creator will use us in ways and do things we could never ask or imagine(Eph. 3:20-21) He says "follow me and I will make you fishers of men". All through the gospels He says "Follow Me". Know me. Walk with Me. I know I am guilty as the next. Why do we not follow with out hesitation? Its almost like we have layers like an onion that have to be peeled away in order for us to act. Why are we not diligent? Is one persons eternity not worth it? These questions have simple answers that I think are often more difficult to back up with action.
I'll leave you with a quote that I love and is so true from the movie The Gladiator....
"What we do in this life will echo in eternity." -General Maximus Decimus Meridius
Lets make this one day we have count.
Until Dukey Drops Again......Much Love.....

Safety Over Significance?

2008-08-02T22:50:00.004-05:00

I was reading "The Barbarian Way" by Erwin McManus(highly recommended) and some statements made in here really hit me. The first being the oft used cliche "The safest place to be is in the center of God's will." Read Corrie ten Boom's diary and you'll feel different about that statement.

"For Corrie and Besty(Corrie's sister), the promise of safety in the center of God's will was fleshed out in the concentration camps during the Nazi holocaust of the Jews. Betsie's statement was a declaration that to walk in the character of Christ is always the right choice, regardless of outcome or consequence. Was have some how perverted this more primal understanding to a more civilized one. Instead of finding confidence to live as we should regardless of our circumstances, we have used it as justification to choose the path of least resistance, least difficulty. Instead of concluding its best to be wherever God wants us to be, we have decided that wherever it is best for us to be is where God wants us. Actually, God's will for us is less about our comfort than it is about our contribution. God would never chose for us safety at the cost of significance. God created our so that your life would count, not so that you could count the days of your life.
Bam! Powerful words to soak in...to let marinate in your spirit. Convicting. Then McManus poses this question: "If the safest place to be is in the center of the will of God, then how do you explain the life and ministry of Stephen---one sermon and then stoned to death? Was he really that bad? If the safest place to be is in the center of the will of God, then why is it that the biblical work for witness is actually the word for martyr?
And what about Paul...I'm sure Paul didn't sign up for jail time because he was bored or needed a place to stay. Check 2Cor. 11:23-27
McManus goes on to say, "There may not be a more dangerous weapon for violence or oppression than religion. It seems counterintuitive, but when human being create religions, we use then to control others through their guilt and shame. True religion always moves us to serve others and give our lives to see those oppressed find freedom."
He goes on and asks, "Is it possible that the transforming power of the church has been lost because we keep inviting people to step into the comfort, safety, and security of Jesus Christ? We've created a religious culture in which---even though we're the most blessed society in the history of the planet---our best selling literature still focuses on how we can be more blessed. Maybe we need to step way back to the beginning of this movement. The original call of Jesus was so simple, so clean, so clear: "Follow Me." He wants us to surrender our lives to HIm and follow Him into the unknown. And if it means a life of suffereing, hardship, and disappointment, it will be worth it because following Jesus Christ is more powerful and more fulfilling than living with everything in the world minus Him. Have we forgotten this? Have we become so refined and so civilized that the benefits of our faith have become more precious and more valuable to us than the Benefactor of our faith?" I wonder how many of us are in that place of John the Baptist, at that crucible where God is asking, "Are you willing to lose everything on My behalf to gain everything I desire for you? Rather than living a long life, are you willing to live a life worth living?"

Words that sting my heart and challenge me. Words that are hard to type and not take them to heart.

Gotta get going...found out I have to be at the shop by 6am. Rumor is that I've got work to do tomorrow. How long? No idea. My bet is a week to 10 days but we'll see.
Anyways let those words stir in your heart and see what God has for you.

Until Dukey Drops Again....Much Love.........

A Day Wasted?

2008-07-31T13:15:00.000-05:00

Today(yesterday) was one of those days that you look back and ask “What did I do? Hours gone by and what?” My boss called this morning and said we’re not working today and maybe not tomorrow. I went to bed last night planning on working today. I mean when I’m working there’s little time for anything else so that’s all I do…W-O-R-K. No work and possibly a day or two before we do so. So I slept a little extra(been enjoying a nagging sinus infection/cold), got my laptop and drove 15min to use the internet for 45min, ate some lunch, and wondered what else I should be doing or needs done. Obviously I need to clean my place a bit, do some dishes, put up some clothes, vacuum, could read some, I’ve got time I could pray, journal, etc. Nothing grabs me so I go for a walk just to get some night fresh air hoping to avoid the mosquitoes but trust that’s not too likely. I risk it anyways. I’ve got cabin fever. I walk out on the dirt road trying to see where my feet are going with no other light than the glare of the well lit rigs off in the distance. I look to the sky and see half a trillion stars lighting up the sky. I see the dissection of the Milky Way galaxy splashed across the sky. A few shooting stars race through the sky burning up as they enter our atmosphere. I find a place to stop and just look up at the night sky. “What am I doing?”, I ask as to also imply the question where am I headed? “Are You there God? What did I miss today? Was my day, my existence here on earth today, simply wasted?” I peer into the night sky wondering. I think of how fast the earth rotates yet as I lay here on this concrete construction road block it looks completely motionless but I know otherwise. The cool crisp light breeze and occasional mosquito, aside from the hum of the rigs in the distance and the inevitable work being done there, seem to be all that’s moving. It’s peaceful and perplexing. So much stillness yet I know that the world is happening at an astounding rate and God is still moving with or without me. The question I ask then is did I join Him in some way? Did I walk with Him, pray for His people, miss opportunities to be love, light, grace, mercy, truth, peace, to someone? How does He care for me? Why does He despite our neglect?

God is all powerful, all knowing, gracious, just, righteous, Yahweh, the Creator…I wonder if we in our finite minds just believe that we are the only ones God created? I mean there are galaxies upon galaxies that go beyond where we can see. Would it be beyond God or like God to have us think we are the only ones and yet there are others? Other solar systems that work like ours and people who think they are the only ones that exist and have yet to discover anyone else or would He just out of sheer greatness continue to push and expand the vastness of His creation and watch man try to put it in to an algebraic equation for life? He continues to say I can’t be measured. I have no end but keep seeking it and all you’ll continue to find is Me. Keep seeking you’ll find Me. The day wasted? I’m still here. Keep seeking and you’ll find Me. Wonder what to do? Keep seeking Me. Come join Me. I’m still here. Obedience is what I want not sacrifice. If sacrifice is required then ok but I want obedience no matter what.

James 4:8 “Come near to God and He will come near to you.”

Until Dukey Drops Again….Much Love….

Days off & Paintball

2008-07-27T23:52:00.005-05:00

Whewwwwww...last time I posted I was getting ready to do some work and work we did. Twelve days later I'm so ready for a day off after doing 12-14hr shifts of some pretty physical work that should have me in pretty decent shape in a little while. My body hadn't really recovered from the daily work out of which I wasn't really used to and I picked up a sinus infection of some sort. Good times. I think a little rest and I'll be over it though. My body just has to adjust to the routine a bit. I think I go back to work Wednesday.
So mom is away in Texas for a Mary Kay seminar, of which she is being presented with keys to her new Pontiac G6, so I decided to come visit dad. Today after church we went and played some paintball with several of the guys from church. It was my first time to play. I've wanted to many many times and finally we did. So the pics included were after the battles. This nice jewel on my neck happened after my dad and I who were on opposite teams both got hit. We stood up and were talking to each other in the paintball arena and POP! POP! My dad gets hit in the back and I get hit in the neck. One of the guys on his team(John age: 10 or 11) shot him and shot me in the neck from about 15ft away. He claims he was trying to shoot me because he didn't know if I was out. I don't know but not very often do you have guys on opposing teams just havin' a chat in the middle of a paintball match. Sorry not buyin' it. He saw bodies and shot 'em. He was craving some action and I'll have to be honest it took a little self restraint to not give him some of that action he might have been craving. I just don't think he would have enjoyed it. So I have the wound to prove it. Some how I also got hit in the left thigh 3 times all within 1inch of each other...really how does that happen? It made a rather large welt.
It doesn't hurt enough I won't do it again... =)

Was readin' the other day...Daniel 7 & 8...actually heard someone on the radio reading it then I went and read it a few times. Wondered what it would be like to have a dream like that and what I would do with it? Prayer, don't know what else. Talk with some other wise believers. Thats all I've got...check it out if you get a minute.

Kill Count:

Mice - 12

11yr old kid named John - almost 1 =) haha!

Well thats all for now...Until Dukey Drops Again...Much Love...

Do Work Son

2008-07-16T23:05:00.002-05:00

Well the Mesa is finally opening. For those you who don't have a clue what that means...I didn't before I moved up here...it just means we can go to work...serious like. Instead of a job here or a job there. Most of our work is in the area called the Mesa and its been closed for a while. Its only open until sometime in November and we have 25-30% more hole to do this year in a shorter "drilling season" should be fun. We have 86 holes to drill. So its time to "Do Work Son!"
I did get my CDL permit today to drive the trucks. A little practice and I go take the skills test and I will be official...and get paid better. So thats good too.
Well off to pack my lunch and get some sleep.
Until Duke Drops Again....Much Love....

Wind River Mountians: Cirque of the Towers

2008-07-14T00:33:00.007-05:00

On Saturday I went out for a day hike...my goal was Jackass Pass to get a look at Cirque of the Towers. It was 10mi in and 10 mi out obviously for those of you mathematically adept making it a 20mi hike from the trail head. =) 20miles in Kansas in less than 9 hours...please. NEWSFLASH this ain't Kansas. So I was gonna give it a shot and see how far I could make it before dark. I didn't know which would get me first the dark or the pain. I was up for the challenge to see what would happen. I arrived at the trail head at 11:45am and was cruisin' out at 8:15pm(gets dark around 9:30-10 here). Granted I was glad to be at the trail head because make no mistake I was in a little pain as you can see from the pics it was worth it. I wish I had more time to spend there than just a day but I'll be back. I'll try to put more of the pics on here when I get a chance but here are a few. Also I will have as many as I can on facebook in the next few days if you visit there. Anyway enjoy the beauty....I know they're small...not sure if I like 'em that way...if you click on them they'll enlarge....again enjoy.....

(#1)Temple and Haystack mountains (#2)Sundance and Warbonnet peaks
(#3) Arrowhead lake in the foreground, LtoR Temple, East Temple, Steeple & ???

(#1) Cirque of the Towers (#2) Cirque of the Towers & me (#3) Big Sandy River & peaks in the back

(#2) Big Sandy Lake & Temple mtn

(#1) Haystack mtn (#2) Big Sandy Lake

Until Dukey Drops Again....Much Love........

Living Dangerously..."Halal"

2008-07-09T16:21:00.010-05:00

I was in Pinedale yesterday and I saw some little league baseball games going on so I stopped to watch. I quickly flashed back to when I played as a little guy. The object of the game was simple hit the ball and run or if you’re on defense catch it if the ball is hit and get the batter/baserunner out. To hit a home run was the ultimate glorious moment all of us dreamed about and when it happened life was as good as it could get. We ran the bases like there was no tomorrow. We’d swing the bat like we were going to hit the ball into tomorrow. Giving our all to win. To be victorious.

I remember the freedom and fun I had playing T-ball with my cousin Tyler. Our team was called the Tigers. We had orange shirts with black lettering and numbers. We’d play our hearts out and celebrate with victory like we won the world series or sob with the agony of defeat like we had just lost it…and then we would go to Dairy Queen or The Cardinal Drive-In and get some delicious ice cream and all would be right with the universe because that’s what you did after a baseball game. Then next week would do it all over again. Of course we would make sure we didn’t go to the pool on game days because as our parents and grandparents told us we would be tired and wouldn’t play well. It was simple. It was fun.

As I read the devotional (sitting on the log to the left in the pic with my feet in the river...a spot I may visit again if the log is still there)I was doing today these thoughts and memories were revisited as it talked about living dangerously. It said, In Dangerous Wonder, Michael Yaconelli writes, “Remember the thrill of thinking you could fly, the adventure of going places in your imagination, the joy and abandon of running and jumping and playing hard-without worrying about what might happen?”

Some of us remember what its like to be a child. Fearless wonder-some call it innocence. It’s the discovery of something new, the abandonment of our whole selves to living life. Somewhere along the path to adulthood, things change. We’re taught to “grow up.” Some behaviors just aren’t acceptable when you get older.

Stop crying. Quit goofing off. You’re laughing too loud. Sit still. Emotions are considered foolishness, and before you know it, we become the adult who doesn’t display passion about anything. We are lost.

I think we sell out with this dignified behavior. I think we miss the God-intended joy of living life.

One of the Hebrew words for praise is halal. It means to celebrate, to rave, and to act foolishly. Foolish actions are acceptable to God. He loves them; they’re heartfelt.

Life is meant to be enjoyed.

Read 2 Sam 6:12-15 This week lose a little dignity. Get lost in the moment without worry what other people think.

I loved it. I caught myself this week actually doing this. I was up in the Wind River Mountains running around taking pictures…literally running around. A guy on a motorcycle came over the hill and I stopped and acted like I was just hangin’ out. And as I’m doing now I laughed and thought what was I doing.

Why did I stop? Who cares. For a moment I was that little kid getting the picture of the lake, the eagle, the butterfly, the mountains and then for a moment that motorcycle made me think…I may look foolish. So I stopped. So what. I want people to know that I love my life and live it with passion. How boring is life if you don't enjoy it? I want to live life and enjoy every moment of it...even if I look foolish.

Kill count:

Mice-9(in my cabin)

Ground Squirell-1( death by vehicle)

Fish-0

Pronghorn Antelope-0 (1close call by vehicle with a mama and 2 little ones…not the way I want to do it)

This guy(Pronghorn Antelope) was in my "front yard" and stopped to pose for a pic(rarely do they stop) not 70yds from my house.

RANDOM WEBSITE: The Orion Project...if you haven't heard of it you should check it out. Its quite interesting. It deals with our energy sources and poses intriguing questions about our current ones.
http://www.theorionproject.org/en/

Until Dukey Drops Again.....Much Love.....

28hrs in a Day?

2008-07-07T15:30:00.007-05:00

How many hours in a day are there? 24 you say. Most everyone would agree. This last week while I was in New Mexico there was someone who disagreed. We were drilling a water well for Shell this last 10 or 12 days and one of those days we crammed 28hours into 24. It was crazy. In the last 3 weeks I've been working there I've put in about 225hrs. Many nights I go to bed and sleep well. I'm tired but wow it is a very different tired than when I worked at TMP as the Dorm Coordinator for the boys dorm this last year. I feel really different. Its a good tired...maybe exhausted physically so I sleep well but I get up and go again. I'm not tired and draggin' like I found myself working at TMP. Some of it too is just adjusting to the work so its still fresh. I'm sure as the winter approaches and temperatures fall into the teens life on the drilling rig will be a little different...less sunshine. =p For now its been beautiful.
To work though has been a blessing. There have been some guys sitting at home waiting for work...kind of like I'm doing now but I'm sure I'll be back at it soon enough. I need to work on getting my CDL while I'm not out on the rig or somewhere else. We are supposed to be turned out to go crazy around July 15th as the big gas field that we will do a lot of drilling in is closed by the EPA and BLM. So now a little rest...pay bills...fun stuff like that. May have to run up to the Wind Rivers and mess around. I'll take my camera so I'll share a little of them on here.

RANDOM QUESTION: If you could open up a restaurant what would it be called and what kind of food would you serve?

Until Dukey Drops Again......Much Love.......

Burdening questions...

2008-06-28T23:00:00.002-05:00

You ever wonder why? Wonder why it is that somethings are the way they are? Wonder why it is that God has given you what you have or placed you where you are in the company of the people you are with or allows you to see or experience the things you have? I think about these things sometimes.
These questions or similar ones I danced with once again a week or two ago. I was watching a movie documentary called "The Devil on Horseback". It is a violent story that saddens me for several reasons. Watch it and you will see why. I see the injustices and ask myself why suffering people have to suffer more. Its not right. Its not fair. Then to see people don't care. People who have the power to change things. The power to give the voiceless a voice and to draw attention to things that are not right and unethical.
Why does my heart break for single mothers who struggle to survive and meet her needs and the needs of her child with a food stamps as she tries to go to college? Why do the things of this world that seem impossible become the ones that burden my heart? The war on people groups based on ethnicity to cleanse the "lesser" people. And because these people or places don't have untapped raw capital of limited natural resources, fossil fuels or a growing economic base we look the other way and say that is too bad and we move on with our lives like we don't care.
Why do the weak or poor get kicked by the healthy and rich? Our selfishness and our pride will not let us say we are wrong and go against what we see. That then would make us look weak and we don't want to be like those that are perceived to be below us.
Does someone have to be a Christian if I am a Christian to help them? What if the person is Muslim or Hindu believing? Does that change my actions? It shouldn't. Is my effort to help someone or pray for someone less because they they haven't showered/bathed and stink? How about if they are Mexican, Iraqi, Black or Indian? Often times we feel comfortable taking care of our own, those we know and are comfortable with but is that the love we are taught by Christ to show? I don't think so.
Psalms 11:7 For the LORD is righteous, he loves justice; upright men will see his face.
Matthew 22:36-38"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment."

So why is my heart burdened with these things and thoughts? To remind me? To help open my eyes? To help others eyes to be opened to their actions? I don't know but injustice is heavy. A burden the whole world, the wealthy world with opportunity needs to quit ignoring. My question is what will it take for the world to not just notice but to act? How many people have to be burned, shot, raped, murdered, starved or eliminated for senseless reasons? How many...

Until Dukey Drops Again.....Much Love........

Dirt and Dust

2008-06-28T10:42:00.002-05:00

Its hot here or has been in the Santa Rosa area, about 2 hrs east of Albaquerque. Of course today we're not doing much. I'm not sure whats going on currently, like there is a code of secrecy but I know whats happened the last few days. We got out to the site north of Cuervo(means "crow"), NM in the red dirt, cactus and warm wind and started drilling. The first 30 feet we drilled was so messy. Dirt flying everywhere. Everything on me had a red dirt tint. We dug the first 30 feet to put the casing pipe in then we could begin to use pressure to blow out the dirt deeper in the ground with water and 350 pounds per sq inch of air pressure. We got to about 500 feet and the bit got plugged so we pulled all the drill pipe and cleaned the bit. The ground is hard here so its moving a bit slowly...even more slowly when I'm sitting at the computer updating this and not working. Overall I've found the first drilling interesting. You have to watch yourself and others at all times but it is interesting work.
Today...umm...well I guess we might not be working. I really don't know. Thats the code of secrecy I was talking about. Don't know why or when or if. Ask my boss you say...well I would but I don't know where he is/was. So for now I guess we may not be working today and I don't think we will work on Sunday. According to the little bit of nothing that I know I could very well be completely wrong. HA! So for now I'm not getting dirty but am collecting dust sitting around. I'm sure we'll find something just not sure what. Maybe we can run to Albaquerque?
I have really enjoyed working with Alberto and Tavo. They are fun guys. Both in their mid-upper thirties and are from Mexico. Tavo is single with a daughter(lives with mother) ad Alberto is married and has a couple kids. Tavo doesn't speak much english but still manages to make me laugh no less than Alberto. They're characters. They're good guys. Fun to work with.
We talk about languages...I'm currently teaching Alberto a little swahili and he teaches me spanish. Tavo is always saying "Don Chakaron"...ALWAYS! He sometimes is like a parrot...Don Chakaron...Don Chakaron...It never fails to make me laugh. I wish I could explain the story behind Don Chakaron.
We talk about imigration, Africa, where they are from in Mexico, food, what we don't know about work, our plans for the near future(2 or 3yrs), family, some about beliefs, weather, sports with Tavo, and you know a little this and that. Good times. I really hope to continue to get to know them better. Tavo is a good cook I guess and maybe soemtime next week he offered to cook when we get back to Pinedale. Sounds like a good time.
Well gotta run...boss just showed up.
Until Dukey Drops Again......Much Love........

Rough landing

2008-06-24T23:40:00.002-05:00

We arrived in Santa Rosa, NM tonight around 8pm(MDT). It was a interesting trip. We took the company plane from Pinedale, WY on a stormy cloudy day and flew to Hanksville, UT to pick up one of our guys. The Hanksville airport is something out of a crazy murder movie. Its desert. Hot. Desolate. There is one plane off to the side of the long wide scorching hot black top runway. No buildings but an old adobe outhouse and some antennas for air traffic. I was told half the lights on the runway don't work at night. I don't know just sounded like a murder plot where no one would hear you scream or find the body. Ha!
I rode co-pilot on the 10 passenger plane to Hanksville but gave up my seat after the turbulence and activity of the small plane had me using the barf bag. Just for good measure I had to do it again a few minutes after we got off the ground from Hanksville. Not my idea of a good trip but thank God we made safely.
After a quick stop in Farmington, NM for fuel we landed in Santa Rosa. Tomorrow we go out to the drill site and get to work.
Until Dukey Drops Again....Much Love......

Vamanos...to NM

2008-06-24T12:26:00.003-05:00

Well about 11am this morning(not long ago) I got a call and I'm to meet at the Pinedale airport at 2pm. It looks like that quick I'm headed to New Mexico for work. Where? I have no clue. New Mexico I guess. =) I've been working here for about a 10 or 12 days and minimal information seems to be the norm. Its nuts. How long? Maybe a week...but honestly don't know. I hear its hot down there. Its been warm here but not hot. Maybe 85ish...betting 100 is more like it down there.
Last night I got to my place at 12:30am...after midnight. We put in 17hrs I think. I went with some guys and we drilled a hole not too far from where I live...on an area called Warbonnet. Anyway that was interesting. A virgin drilling experience. I still don't have a clue REALLY of whats going on but I'll catch on. I spent the majority of the time moving dirt with the Backhoe/Forklift/Tractor away from the drilling rig we were using called the Rat-hole.
I'd better go pack....I'll update my War, Solitude, Pink post later...I obviously didn't finish it.

Until Dukey Drops Again...........Much Love.....

War, Solitude and Pink

2008-06-22T20:22:00.004-05:00

I'll deal with the first topic...War. I've officially declared war on my own household and the mice that are attempting to occupy it. I noticed there was a problem...well knew there was but noticed the degree of the problem one evening when I got out of the shower and there was a mouse running across the floor toward the small hole in the wall behind the toilet. I bought some mouse traps and in 36 hours I have now caught 6 mice in the traps designed just for them. I caught 4 the first night alone. Sorry I have no pics of the slain and fallen mice. I'm not fond of the diseased little critters that the deaf cat who supposedly knows sign language is failing to catch and consume.
Pink: For those who enjoy the color pink there have been several pink sunsets lately. One of them pictured here where the mountains were turned pink due to the sunset being reflected off the snow and the storm hanging over. Made a really pretty sunset even for a non-pink fan. =) Here is also another sunset pic that I took recent that was rather colorful. The water from the river running high because of melting snow make for a nice mirror. Just enjoying and sharing the beautiful creation.
Solitude: Something I have much of right now and I find it can be peaceful, relaxing, refreshing, lonely at times, beautiful and reflective. I've enjoyed some very nice bike rides out here. Out here with the Pronghorn Antelope and cattle. Well lets not for get the mice. But their not really in that refreshing and tranquil category. The thing I like about solitude is often times you can find yourself looking around and the bigness of God and creation. It can be stunning and overwhelming yet energizing and brilliant. I drove northwest of Pinedale the other day and got to see the Wind River Mountains up close. Majestic solitude. I wish I had my camera. Silver and blue mountain lakes and snow covered peaks mixed with fresh greens of spring busting out of the ground and covering the aspens with color.
Well I must go...
Until Dukey Drops Again........Much Love......

Settling In & Exploring

2008-06-14T03:16:00.006-05:00

So I'm working on getting situated here in Wyoming. I thought I would be living in or very near Pinedale but it turns out I'm about 30min south in this sweet little place. Its about 15-20min from the tiny town of Boulder, WY. Its great. Its a bunkhouse kinda place but its just me living in it. As you can see its a cabin style kind of set up...like I'm waiting for the guys to come over and hang out before we go fishing or camping only its where I'll be living.
Actually on the end that you cannot see there is a little saloon...seriously...its hilarious. Its called the Lost Dog Saloon. I'll give you a chance to see what you're missing out on.
Its not far from the Wind River Mountians. I am looking forward to doing some hiking in the Wind Rivers this summer. Its very likely my camera will document as much of the mountians as I can. I am really ready to go out tomorrow and get after it. I mean after all thats why I came up here...to play and do it well...ok maybe not.

From my porch I have a pretty good view of the mountians although I sit in the valley a bit(phone sevice is absent at my place...have to walk up the hill) because I'm right next to the Boulder River. Right next to as in a few minutes down the road.

It provides some nice scenery also and I hear its fishable so I'll be sure to test that out and see whether its true or not. When I was taking these pics I did see a beaver cruisin' around in the river slappin' his tail on the surface of the river. Apparently he was having a good time of which I can appreciate.

The scenery is amazing. The place is a blessing to get to see this gorgeous creation. I know its early but wow I'm looking around thinking God this is awesome. What an undeserving blessing to get to enjoy such beauty each day! The place I'm staying is great. I'm excited.

In my front yard there are both cattle just across the cattle guard and also pronghorn antelope. I've heard there's been moose very near so we'll see who comes to visit.

Lets not forget Sadie the cow dog. She's great. Real on the chill. Nice dog. Not one of those dogs that follow you around and you can't escape them jumping on you, barking at you or rolling around at your feet so you can trip. Today I was calling her poop dog though because some how she had manure all over her. She seemed to not care much though. I guess it was like some good hair gel or something...

Liz, the lady who lives in the main house on the ranch property, is a riot! One of the more entertaining people I've ever met. When I first met her she gave me a hug and promptly told me that if the shade is pulled on the window across the way I should not peek in the window or I might be traumatized for life as she likes to relax is the big spa tub and watch TV that is directly on the other side of the shade. She told stories of selling poop(cow poop) on Ebay, how she looks forward to seeing pictures of Africa and a few other crazy things. She should be fun to run into when I am at my place. She is quite a colorful character!

Alan her nephew lives in a 5th wheel RV next to my place...so we're neighbors. He's a nice guy. He's from Arkansas and has a family back there but they didn't want to come up so I guess he's doin his thing here makin' some paper for the fam.

This last week I attended a safety meeting for BP and it appears monday and tuesday I could be doing very similar activites only for Shell and BP again just at a different site. I'll also be working toward getting my CDL in the next several weeks to drive the Semi's and drilling equipment so we'll see how that goes. I also found out that I work 10 days on and 5 off. One 10 day stretch I work noon to midnight and then the next 10 day stretch midnight to noon. I won't likely start doing that until July.

I don't have internet at where I am staying so I don't know how often I will be able to get on here but I will try. You can look me up on Facebook if you'd like...I'll have some pictures there for sure.
Well thats the news for now...

Until Dukey Drops Again.........Much Love.........

Transition Time:Pinedale, WY

2008-05-20T11:24:00.002-05:00

A year has gone by at TMP and oddly enough that year is all I will have at TMP. It was not an easy decision but I think the right. There a many things that I don't know about but there are a few I do. Those few I do are the ones I am going with and trusting God for direction.
So I am headed to Pinedale, WY to work for a drilling company. Here are a few pics of Pinedale. More later....Until then.....Much Love....

Happy New Year!

2008-01-18T17:27:00.000-06:00

Hey everyone I just wanted to get on here and drop a little note to let you know I AM ALIVE! I know its been a few days since I posted on here but I'm still kickin'.
Happy New Year to everyone! I hope we are all ready for something fresh and new in the coming year.
Above are some sequential pictures from when I took the RA's from TMP (www.tmp-m.org) out to Blackhawk, CO and when went white water rafting. We had a great time getting to hang out before the students started rolling in and filling the dorms. I'm sure you're wondering if anyone fell out of the raft and we actually managed to keep everyone in. Even in the second picture where our raft got a little elevation. We all were piled in the back of the raft but we were all in.
I'm now starting my second semester as the dorm coordinator for the boys dorm which has 42 students(high school) from all over the world. I've learned plenty and know that theres much more to. As I'm sure you've already thought each day is a new challenge and is rarely monotonous. I'm not a fan of the over abundance of paperwork I'll assure you that. That is hands down the worst part of the job. Its great however to have the opportunity to shape the lives of these boys from Nepal, Taiwan, China, Korea, Mexico and the USA. Its also fun to help guide and encourage the 7 RA's that work here. They all have rough days like the rest of us and the few days a week they are on duty they get 40 high school boys to care for. Today they all seem really crazy! I don't know what the deal is...wow!
Well I guess I should get back to work. My goal: 1Cor. 10:13
Until Dukey Drops Again............Much Love......

Ever wonder why?

2007-09-23T20:01:00.000-05:00

Sometimes you hit a spot along the road and you find yourself sounding like Paul. You're askin' Why do I do what I do when I know what I shouldn't do? Its so stupid. Its honest but stupid. Why is it that we do what we know we shouldn't do? That thought is spellbinding. The struggle can be seemingly paralyzing sometimes. Why when we know what to do and what we should do yet we do something totally against that. When you find yourself at this spot you wonder can I do what I am supposed to do? You will win a few small skirmishes and you get bumrushed and lose a battle. It frustrating. Its true. We're not stupid people. We just sometimes forget who we are in Christ and what we are against and allow ourselves to make choices that don't benefit us physically, spiritually or emotionally.

Maybe we become apathetic? Maybe we are scarred of the pain?

Maybe we are scared to look at ourselves in the mirror objectively and see the real, the dirt and the stains?

Maybe we think that we, on our own, can do it. We don't want to admit that we're not selfsufficient despite our desire to be. I know I don't want to be dependent. That says I'm weak...not strong, right. I'm capable. So I'm told to believe. But that only gets you so far.
I'm a survivor I tell myself. I will come out on top. I will not be dominated. I will not let a situation dictate my attitude and outlook. I refuse to.
I've been in some situations where my own and/or a persons life was possibly in question and there was a team of us. We were a mess. I wasn't going to be a mess. I couldn't. Maybe theres times to be that way and then theres times where its not so good when you're almost like pretending its going to change on its own when you wake up tomorrow. Maybe its a male pride thing. I don't know.

Sometimes it may not even be the case of doing something wrong but not doing as it has been asked of you. Its like when you were little and your parents told you to after you get home from school you need to have your room cleaned,vacuumed and dusted before they get home from work. Well what do you do but you get home from school and think I have plenty of time so you go play some streetball with some buddies. Before you know it is 5:30 and mom gets home at 6. So you race home and run to your room, grab a shovel and start throwing things under your bed and slopping things into your closet. Mom walks in and you think my room is clean just as she asked. Maybe not the way she had in mind but nonetheless its clean. Its kind of like in Deuteronomy 2:24-37 where God instructs clearly the plan of action. Even though the course of action is clear a path of lesser resistance is chosen(v.25-29). They say please be nice to us and we will buy food from you if you allow us to pass through. Verse 24-25 says go engage these people in battle God has given their land into your hands. God has begun to put the terror and fear of you in them. Not that its in opposition of God's will but its just not direct obedience that was instructed. God says I will deliver so now get steppin'. Their actions are in the general direction of what God's will is for them but not in complete and total obedience. How often do we do that? We say(whether in words or actions), "I know God that you told me this but that sounds too hard or crazy so I'll go this direction...still in the direction of your will just not 100% they way you told me to do it." My room will be looking clean just as you told me but not the way that you told me to do it.
We will never know what God has intended for us if we are not able to know him and follow him.

Until Dukey Drops Again....Much Love........

To Africa and Back

2007-08-16T00:56:00.000-05:00

Wow its been FOREVER since I have posted on here. I figured it about time to drop something on here about now. So for some of you may know this but a lot has happened since I last posted. I and three others; Porfirio, Jessie and Kiesha spent 5 months in Kenya working with college students

at the University of Nairobi. As you can see by the pictures we spent some time in other places like Christ Academy, a Refugee/Orphanage school. Also we helped with some street kids ministry visited a Salvation Army handicapped high school and others. It was both challening and amazing to have the opprotunity to live there and get to continue to be apart of minstry there and also see other ministries in action throughout that area. When I think about it I consider it almost unreal and a blessing that I have been able to continue to be apart of what God is doing there.

Since coming back I have taken a job at Thomas More Prep-Marian High School in Hays, KS as the Male Resident Dorm Coordinatior. Basically I am the leagal guadian for 36 high school boys and get to work with 6 Resident Advisors who keep the boys in line day in and day out. Yes I some of you may be wondering "wasn't he an RA a few years ago?" You are correct and at this same school 2003-2005. I was not looking at TMP as being a place of possible employment upon my return but I recieved an email about 10 days before we left Kenya saying TMP was hiring and they wanted to know if I was intrested in the position. If I was they would wait on hiring someone. Six days after returning from Kenya I took the position. So far its been real crazy honestly and there have been numerous long days. I am so glad the kids have now arrived though. We have students in the boarding program from Vietnam, Thailand, Korea, Mexico, Nepal, Rwanda, China, Japan, Taiwan, Columbia and America. I am really looking forward to things settling down and bit and the opprotunity to be apart of these students lives.

Until Duke Drops Again......................Much Love..............

INSPI(RED), Hope in the Dark, Thanksgiving

2006-11-24T03:06:00.000-06:00

This was an email I sent out to some friends that have been to Africa...included some thoughts and resources. Check it....

As I sat here in warm, balmy and wind-free S.W. Wyoming I had a chance to reflect on the many things I have to be thankful for. I wish one of them would have been that I got to share Thanksgiving with some new African friends but for some reason it didn't work out. I called them and my calls were never returned. I am a bit disappointed for one reason that they may have eaten at the only restaurant open here on thanksgiving...to the surprise of no one it was China King Buffet. =) Anyway I hope they had a place to spend their time. I know I ate enough for them...unfortunately.
So Thanksgiving was good and I again was reflecting on something that you and I were undoubtedly changed by and also share...A visit or visits to Africa. There are an endless amount of things to be thankful for but no doubt I think some of the things our African friends are likely thankful for often we take for granted. I hope you all have taken a minute to just think of the many things we are so blessed to have around us...both our parents, siblings, grandparents, our health, opportunity for education, clean water to drink, endless resources to grow spiritually, a bible, a home with plenty of space, freedom, stable national and local governments, safety, shoes, feet, legs(polio free), contacts/glasses for some, the option to chose what I want to eat, the option to chose what I want to wear, my own car, I mean I could go on and on. I came up here to Wyoming with one suitcase(not a large suitcase) that quite possibly had more clothes in it than many of our African friends. Crazy. Some blessings are material and some aren't but I think we need to not neglect any and be extremely grateful for all.
I am excited that I have had a few chances and will have a few more to share about what the coming months may bring in Kenya as I return and what God has done in the past few years not only in my life and the teams I was with but also in Africa and our friends there.
I hope that each of you are taking the chance to seek out ways Africa can still be apart of your everyday. One that I thought was cool that I wanted you to be made aware of is called INSPI(RED) http://www.joinred.com/ . It is a simple creative and great way to take advantage of our consumerism here and have it benefit Africa. The simple idea is to buy RED. Buy RED cell phones, t-shirts, watches, i-pods, etc that are all sponsored by companies giving a portion of the amount you spend to go back to Africa and help the people battling AIDS. Plain and simple YOU buy RED. THEY get MEDS to help them battle AIDS and live another day. I'd encourage you to check it out and perhaps buy RED for Christmas for those you love. Pass this on to whomever you like...I just wanted to start with those I knew who had "African blood" in them and let you do your thing and spread the word. I know you will so do your thang!

Below are some additional resources/organizations you may or may not be familiar with that you may want to check out.

African Leadership www.africanleadership.org
Blood:Water Mission www.bloodwatermission.com
DATA www.data.org
Invisible Children www.invisiblechildren.com
Oxfam International www.oxfam.org
World Vision www.worldvision.org

There are 27 additional organizations right here http://www.hopeinthedark.com/links.php

Here is a portion of a closing letter written by the authors of a book entitled, "Hope in the Dark" by Jena Lee and Jeremy Cowart that I must share with you. You'll know what I mean when you're done reading it.

..."It would be wrong for us to close our eyes and our hearts to everything that we have learned. Our experiences won't let us do that. Our passion and anger and hope don't give us permission to abandon these experiences, because the time we have spent in Africa is beautiful and tragic, rich and life-giving, horrible and yet redemptive."
..."People have the right to know that there are places in the world like Africa, where water is a luxury, where the laws of poverty riegn, and where people are fighting a battle of disease with every ounce of strength that remains. It is fair, too, that people are given an opportunity to connect to Africans as hard-working, dedicated, creative, and compassionate people. If we fail to see their humanity, our response will simply perpetuate the inequality and the misunderstanding."
..."When we expand our world view to include those whom we have never met, our lives are changed. We are compelled to give of our time, our resources, our leadership, and our voices. We invite you to join us on this journey with our friends in Africa. Its is not a plea for charity; it is an invitation to join a team of people, Africans and Americans alike, who are walking alongside one another in love. It can make all the difference in the world."

Until Dukey Drops Again........Much Love................

WAKE UP! An E-mail from a friend visiting Africa for the semester...

2006-09-14T01:21:00.000-05:00

This is an email from a friend of mine who is in Africa right now. I read it and had to post it on here. I've got nothing really to say for this one. It very strongly speaks on its own and echos my own heart. I hope it resonates with your own in some way.

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We definitely jumped right into our semester abroad without a spare moment for hesitation! I know I sent a very brief report last week, but I'll now make the seemingly futile attempt to express what I saw, felt, and learned in Rwanda.The focus of our trip was to study the genocide, the role of the church, the role of the West, and future hope for Rwanda in their economic goals and system of justice. We traveled to three major cities: Kibungo, Butare, and Kigali. Each city held many lectures, visits to museums and memorials, and personal testimonies of hope and survival. I'd love to relay all astounding details and reveal the truth, but I'd rather give you what the Lord put on my heart through all I learned and let you find the facts in a textbook. Sadly, though, textbooks and school curriculum never seem to full explain Rwanda. In summary, the West not only abandoned Rwanda in their time of need, the West also created much of the conflict there as well as in the rest of Africa. Learning of all the things our country has and has not done tended to make me feel personally responsible and ashamed of my skin. But what blew me away even more was the forgiveness and love that all Rwandans showered upon us! In all my travels I have never felt so loved and welcomed by every person I met. One night I hit a breaking point, a rush of anger, frustration, and sorrow that I think everyone needs to feel to truly learn from experiences like this. As vulnerable as it feels to share, I hope that my raw emotions and reactions can help bring the reality of the need to you rather than a recount of numbers and facts you can find in a book.
After one of our first few days in Rwanda, I wrote this in my journal: "My heart is crumbling. I feel the weight of all the world's travesties bearing down upon my soul. Need. NEED. NEED! Not just wants or desires or hopes, but basic human needs are going unmet around the globe. Children with barrel bellies and twig legs watch with their curious, kind, joyful generous, hungry eyes as I am let to a seat of honor and fed until I feel sick. The land is in a drought. Orphans of genocide still lack necessities. I visit for one day and feel my passion and spirit crushed by the enormity of everyone's problems. How can this church, these people, the country keep going? They are ALIVE. In the wake of evil and death, they are vibrant! In the wake of materialism and luxury I am dead inside.
I've had the privilege of traveling to see the big picture of needs in Kenya, Uganda, Mozambique, andRwanda. And the news is full of images of India, Iraq, Indonesia, Mexico...needs everywhere! My drive and joy cave under the daunting task. But, what exactly is the task? What am I really seeing-physical or spiritual need?The church here in Rwanda labors away, chipping into the hardened walls of hatred, pain, and suffering that the people of this country endured. They walk. Work. Go on. In the Kenyan slums they just keep going, spending boring, tedious, exhausting lives with asmile on their faces while offering me their choice meat and crops which I struggle to eat thinking of its horrible nutrition content. Who am I to be cynical of their motivations in asking for money? Who am I to withhold my love? Love your neighbor as yourself. But love is not money. And I am dry. My crushed, empty spirit has no more love to give. I am finished. And the week has only begun.
"I am now back at school in Uganda, and still my mind floods with questions which I'm sure will only continue to baffle me more as the semester progresses. The more I learn about Africa and the rest of theworld, the more I lose my blissful naivety to the needs of the world. It reminds me of Ecclesiastes1:18. "Because in much wisdom there is much grief,and increasing knowledge results in increasing pain."I have seen firsthand that as Christians, we can not put our faith in governments and human institutions. The thing about Rwanda is not how barbaric and different from us they are, but rather how similar. We are all a depraved humanity. Where was the U.S. while that was happening? And the UN? The amount of troops it took to evacuate all the ex-patriots would have been enough to stop the genocide. But what should we expect? The US, the UN, and other organizations are full of humans. The United States of America will ultimately behave in its own best interest, and Rwanda had nothing for us but loss. Infact, the conflicts in Rwanda were actually started long ago by the Belgians in colonization. Hutu andTutsi aren't even separate tribes or ethnic groups, it was a caste system essentially created during colonization. Fingers of blame point in all directions. The same istrue for conflicts around the globe. But as Christians, we should not be asking where was the US or the UN. We need to be crying out where was the church?! And where is the church now?! We say "never again," but people are dying without Christ everywhere. We've probably all mentioned Iraq in our prayers during guided prayer concerts at church, but how often do we lift up the needs of the world? Do you know what's happening with the LRA in Uganda? Have you heard of the massacres in Darfur? Did you know that the same genocidal propaganda that lead tothe horrific deaths in Rwanda is becoming widely spread in India? And how horrible is it that at this moment I struggle to think of other places where weshould be mindful of human need because I don't know about them?! By the same token, I'm not advocating that we take the weight of the world upon our own shoulders. We can't possibly each pray for and get involved in meeting needs in every corner of the globe. That's the beauty of the body of Christ, that He'll lay certain places and people on our hearts. But I am saying that we really need to wake up. Rwanda was 95% "Christian" at the time of the genocide. The church was there during the genocide, but sleeping. Church leaders were rubbing shoulders with corrupt politicians. They didn't raise their voices and take opportunities for change. It was the individuals who truly followed and knew the Lord that heroically saved many lives in acts of love and compassion. Many of the "Christians" in Rwanda had merely converted to enjoy the benefits of education and material provisions that the western Christians brought with them. Churches that should have been places of refuge were slaughtering grounds for thousands upon thousands of women and children. As one of our speakers, a bishop in the Anglican Church of Rwanda shared, "The church as an institution failed. The church as individuals with personal conviction of sin never failed. That church prevailed." Sound familiar? How many Christians do you know in America that are sleeping? Are we trying to hard to gain power in government, business, education, whatever the field, that we fall asleep to the sin around us? The church must raise her voice, because we are the ONLY people with the TRUE answer for love and peace and reconciliation. No government, organization, or institution can do it. Only Christ. And only the people of His church can bring forth that message! So I don't know what God is calling you to. I'm not asking you to pray for anything specific or to go any certain place. This is only a cry to WAKE UP. And if you are awake, as I know many of you are, then stay awake and start waking others around you! This is nota message of condemnation or guilt, but rather a call to action. The last thing anyone in Rwanda would want to do is fill you with guilt. I wish I had more time to explain their peace and reconciliation process, called gacaca, but I can tell you that the country has HOPE and is moving on. There is a great need for trauma counselors and economical and agricultural training, but they are firm in their resolve to succeed without becoming beggars. So please, feel regret and remorse for how we have failed to meet needs, and use that constructively to help build a future wherever God is calling you. And it also seems that this update email has turned into a sermon! I wish I had a computer of my own here so that I could write a novel, but alas my computer access is limited. That will be a challenge when I have to start writing papers! Thanks for your prayers, and I hope that God will teach you as He is teaching me. I'm sure many of you are far beyond these lessons I am just experiencing for the first time, but thank you for humoring me. I greatly appreciate the unique opportunity I have to come here and learn! I want to share that with all of you! Please continue to email and let me know what the Lord is showing you as well. My classes started today, and I can tell it's going to be an incredible semester. Hope all is going well in work and school there, and keep listening to the Lord and relaying His message of hope and love to the world.

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Until Dukey Drops Again....Much Love.......

2006-08-25T02:27:00.001-05:00

Inspirational Love of Amazing Proportions

2006-08-25T02:27:00.000-05:00

I've seen the video of this incredible story and if you have blood in your veins I can't see how you can't cry and be moved but I don't have the movie. Instead I recieved the story the other day in an email from a friend of mine and I had to post it. If you haven't ever heard or seen the story of Dick Hoyt and his son you need to. Its amazing...and whats more amazing is its about an earthly fathers love for his child. It just makes me totally amazed and speechless to try to comprehend the love our heavenly father has for us. Nonetheless here is the story of Dick Hoyt and his son Rick....

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From Sports Illustrated, By Rick Reilly

I try to be a good father. Give my kids mulligans. Work nights to pay for their text messaging. Take them to swimsuit shoots. But compared with Dick Hoyt, I suck. Eighty-five times he's pushed his disabled son, Rick, 26.2 miles inmarathons. Eight times he's not only pushed him 26.2 miles in a wheelchair but also towed him 2.4 miles in a dinghy while swimming and pedaled him 112 miles in a seat on the handlebars--all in the same day. Dick's also pulled him cross-country skiing, taken him on his backmountain climbing and once hauled him across the U.S. on a bike. Makes taking your son bowling look a little lame, right?And what has Rick done for his father? Not much--except save his life.
This love story began in Winchester, Mass., 43 years ago, when Rick wasstrangled by the umbilical cord during birth, leaving him brain-damaged and unable to control his limbs.``He'll be a vegetable the rest of his life;'' Dick says doctors told him and his wife, Judy, when Rick was nine months old. ``Put him in an institution.''But the Hoyts weren't buying it. They noticed the way Rick's eyes followed them around the room. When Rick was 11 they took him to the engineering department at Tufts University and asked if there was anything to help the boy communicate. ``No way,'' Dick says he was told.``There's nothing going on in his brain.''"Tell him a joke,'' Dick countered. They did. Rick laughed. Turns out alot was going on in his brain.
Rigged up with a computer that allowed him to control the cursor by touching a switch with the side of his head, Rick was finally able to communicate. First words? ``Go Bruins!''
And after a high school classmate was paralyzed in an accident and the school organized acharity run for him, Rick pecked out, ``Dad, I want to do that.'' Yeah, right. How was Dick, a self-described ``porker'' who never ranmore than a mile at a time, going to push his son five miles? Still, he tried.``Then it was me who was handicapped,'' Dick says. ``I was sore for two weeks.''That day changed Rick's life. ``Dad,'' he typed, ``when we were running, it felt like I wasn't disabled anymore!''And that sentence changed Dick's life. He became obsessed with giving Rick that feeling as often as he could.
He got into such hard-bellyshape that he and Rick were ready to try the 1979 Boston Marathon.``No way,'' Dick was told by a race official. The Hoyts weren't quite a single runner, and they weren't quite a wheelchair competitor. For a few years Dick and Rick just joined the massive field and ran anyway, then they found a way to get into the race officially: In 1983 they ran another marathon so fast they made the qualifying time for Boston the following year. Then somebody said, ``Hey, Dick, why not a triathlon?''How's a guy who never learned to swim and hadn't ridden a bike since he was six going to haul his 110-pound kid through a triathlon? Still, Dick tried.
Now they've done 212 triathlons, including four grueling 15-hourIronmans in Hawaii. It must be a buzzkill to be a 25-year-old stud getting passed by an old guy towing a grown man in a dinghy, don't you think? Hey, Dick, why not see how you'd do on your own? ``No way,'' he says. Dick does it purely for ``the awesome feeling'' he gets seeing Rick with a cantaloupe smile as they run, swim and ride together.
This year, at ages 65 and 43, Dick and Rick finished their 24th Boston Marathon, in 5,083rd place out of more than 20,000 starters. Their best time? Two hours, 40 minutes in 1992--only 35 minutes off the world record, which, in case you don't keep track of these things, happens to be held by a guy who was not pushing another man in a wheelchair at the time.``No question about it,'' Rick types. ``My dad is the Father of the Century.''
And Dick got something else out of all this too. Two years ago he had a mild heart attack during a race. Doctors found that one of his arteries was 95% clogged. ``If you hadn't been in such great shape,'' one doctortold him, ``you probably would've died 15 years ago.'' So, in a way, Dick and Rick saved each other's life.
Rick, who has his own apartment (he gets home care) and works in Boston, and Dick, retired from the military and living in Holland, Mass., always find ways to be together. They give speeches around the country and compete in some back breaking race every weekend, including this Father'sDay. That night, Rick will buy his dad dinner, but the thing he really wants to give him is a gift he can never buy.``The thing I'd most like,'' Rick types, ``is that my dad sit in the chair and I push him once.''

Until Dukey Drops Again.....Much Love........

Stumbled on to a old but great song...

2006-08-11T04:11:00.000-05:00

There is a group named Caedmon's Call that I have many of their Cd's and have enjoyed their smooth folk-acoustic music rich with percussion and true honest lyrics. One song in particular has struck a cord with me tonight as I was headed to bed and heard it. Its from their "40Acres" cd released in 1999. I love the words and the truth they bear. So I found this old song and great CD I might add and wanted to share it with my two readers. =P haha It can mean for you whatever it may but I just was reminded of two verses...
Jer. 29:11-13 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
Prov. 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Well with that here are the lyrics to this song "Table for Two"...

"Table for Two" by Caedmon's Call (40 Acres)

Danny and I spent another late night over pancakes
We talked about soccer and how every man's just the same
We made speculation on who's and the when's of our futures
And how everyone's lonely but still we just couldn't complain

And how we just hate being alone
Could I have missed my only chance
And now I'm just wasting my time
Looking around

But you know I know better, I'm not gonna worry 'bout nothing
'Cause if the birds and the flowers survive then I'll make it OK
And given an chance and a rock see which one breaks a window
And see which one keeps me up all night and into the day

Because I'm so scared of being alone
That I forget what house I live in
And that it's not my job to wait by the phone for her to call

This day's been crazy but everything's happened on schedule
From the rain and the cold to the drink that spilled on my shirt
'Cause You knew how You'd save me before I fell dead in the garden
And You knew this day long before You made me outta dirt

And You know the plans that You have for me
And You can't plan the ends and not plan the means
And so I suppose I just need some peace to get me to sleep

Until Dukey Drops Again.....Much Love....

Hope in the Dark and my thoughts

2006-08-08T23:12:00.000-05:00

I've been on this fresh self-reflective perspectives kick as you can tell from a few of my recent posts specifically relating to what we have been blessed and what we don't realize we have and how we should be different. Anyway since I posted some of my previous posts I recieved this book "Hope in the Dark" about Africa and was amazed how refreshing and accurately it has penned some of my thoughts. It says much of what I've been thinking in different words so well. So I picked some clips from the book that may astound and shock you but they are true. As you read them think how life would be different and how it changes the lenses you look through.

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"We know that American pity Africans," he told me. "But sometimes I think Africans pity American."
"How so?" I asked him.
"American seem to expect that everything will be provided for them. For us," he said, "this ear of corn is a gift from God. This evening's rain is a shower of mercy upon us. This healthy breath is life-giving. And, maybe tomorrow we will not have such things, our hearts are so full from God's provision."

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****Decisions I must make on any given day:
-Blue shirt or pink cardigan?
-Tall soy chai latte or Grande caramel macchiato?
-Write reports first or work on budget?
-Text message or call?
-Eat out or frozen dinner?
-Reality television or Headline News?
****Decisions SHE must make on any given day:
-Blue dress or blue dress?
-River water or puddle water?
-Walk once for four hours to get water or walk twice for eight hours to get more water?
-Sleep with the fisherman who will give food in return or let orphaned grandchildren go to bed hungry?
-Persist through the struggle or give up?
-Curse God or praise Him?

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"When she gave birth to an HIV-positive child, she named the baby "No Hope", for there was none. The mother's life was an isolated of stigma, abondonment, and fear. But her community began to shower love instead of judgement, support instead of neglect...and everything changed. Glimpses of grace enterd into the darkness of the pain, and hope made itself present. She has changed the name of her child to "Jesus is my hope."

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There's something incredible about African skies. It's as if God said, " I have so much beauty to give My world. And I'm going to shower it on this place because I can."

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"If you want to know the pulse and strength of Africa, spend a day with the women of a village. In the midst of deep suffering, domestic abuse, societal and poverty constraints, the women are the stability of Africa. The will carry the buckets upon thier heads, touch the wounds of the sick, accept the burdens of helping the village survive-and all the while, the will be singing praises to God."

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In this world, God has given us the gift of choice. Injustice threatens to take it away. They can drink the filthy, bacteria-ridden pond water or drink nothing. Clearly, that is no choice at all.

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There is a quote(below) in this book Hope in the Dark that I believe that anyone who goes to Africa can identify with and find totally true. Its something that you can only experience and when you see it you know it and its both amazes and inspires. -Luke

People ask me, "Doesn't it paralyze you to walk so closely and intimately with suffering?"
"No", I tell them.
"If I learned anything form my time in Africa, its that though the suffering is overwhelming, so to is the hope."

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Well let all that soak in a bit and see what you realize. See what you learn. I hope that this at the very least prompts you to look at your own life and see if you can say the same as some of these amazing people do who don't know where todays meal for themselves and their family will come from, battle with AIDS or don't even have remotely clean water. To be happy, content and free is a choice. Its a perspective of hope, love and grace that you chose to rest in.
Until Dukey Drops Again......Much Love............

10 things God may ask

2006-08-02T16:35:00.000-05:00

This was a email I wanted to post that I got from a friend.
Just some thoughts to ponder...

1. God won't ask what kind of car you drove: He'll ask how many people you drove who didn't have transportation.
2. God won't ask the square footage of your house: He'll ask how many people you welcomed into your home.
3. God won't ask about the clothes you had in your closet: He'll ask how many you helped clothe.
4. God won't ask what your highest salary was: He'll ask if you compromised your character to obtain it.
5. God won't ask what your job title was: He'll ask if you performed your job to the best of your ability.
6. God won't ask how many friends you had: He'll ask how many people to whom you were a friend.
7. God won't ask in what neighborhood you lived: He'll ask how you treated your neighbors.
8. God won't ask about the color of your skin: He'll ask about the content of your character.
9. God won't ask why it took you so long to seek Salvation: He'll lovingly take you to your mansion in heaven, and not to the gates of Hell.
10. God won't have to ask how many people you share this with: He already knows whether or not you are ashamed to share the good news of his love and salvation.

Until Dukey Drops Again.....Much Love.........

By choice or necessity

2006-08-02T15:57:00.000-05:00

I was thinking in the last few days about how we as wealthy Americans have so many options and opportunites all around us. I mean if we get a little hungry and there is nothing in the fridge or cabinets that we would care to eat we can jump in our cars and drive up to the window at the local Burger King, Spangles, Taco Bell, Wendys or whatever we choose, depending on how late it is, and they give us food that was picked out on our own. We get to choose what food we would like to consume and however we would like it! We don't even have to get out of our cars.
I'm curious in such a make-it-your-way have-it-how-you-want ready-to-eat-in-10-seconds-society with opprotunity and convieneince everywhere how would our lives be different personally if we were born into poverty. Not American poverty where we claim to have it rough but 3rd world poverty where you dig in trash in hopes to find a chicken bone to suck on or boil with some water or where you are extremely excited and consider yourself blessed because you have one meal a day that is a bowl of rice and whatever else you may find.
I try to put myself in an element that I've seen but not experienced and I find myself asking would we be so picky if we were born into a different life? Would we even know what it is to be picky? Would we be so selfish? Would we be so ungrateful and unappreciative? Would our expectation of deserving or having rights to certian things instead of giving still exist? Would it take such a drastic change for us to realize the blessings we have and maybe cause us to be a little more selfless?

Luke 16:13"No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money."

This is not to make us look at ourselves and be disgusted at all that "we" are but to recognize the blessings we have and still be different while sharing those blessings. Don't be consumed by this world....Romans 12:2 "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."

Until Dukey Drops Again.....Much Love..........

My Sisters Wedding

2006-08-01T21:34:00.000-05:00

The week prior to July 8th 2006 I thought to myself this can't be real. My little sis is getting married!?! She's my little sis, she can't. As I began to work on the slideshow for their wedding it gave me a little chance to stare at the fact that yeah my sister is getting married. I'll be honest there were tears of joy and excitement for my little sis that she was...GETTING MARRIED!
It was a beautiful wedding and an awesome celebration of D.J. and Amanda(Ross) Castilleja (Cost-ee-yay-ha)!! For those that don't know D.J. he's a good guy and a great other half of the new Castilleja couple.
So I guess there is a time for each one of us when we enter a new season. A new season which brings new challenges and new surprises and blessings in which we become that much closer to who God has created us to be! I love these two and wish the greatest blessing upon them both for their lives and those that they touch!
Well thats it for now....Until Dukey Drops Again.........Much Love..............

Artist of the Sky...

2006-07-17T20:15:00.000-05:00

I am continually amazed at the beautiful displays of artwork that we so often get to experience as the sun sets or the sun rises. How can you not see these things and not be in awe of our Creator!? Does he have time to paint the sky? I don't know probably. Does he paint it for us? Maybe, if not I'm sure enjoying the heck out of it anyway. Does he paint it as a reminder of who our creator is and his greatness? I think most likely.
Could you imagine if every morning at 6:43am a flash of light would appear and the sun would be up. Then as the day concludes and the sun nears the horizon like a light switch turning the light off the sun is gone. Not real exciting and not really that impressive.
I am however impressed and wonder likely till the day I die how it is that on a 99% clear evening that there may only be a few clouds in the sky and they are so convieniently placed right where the sun is going down causing beautiful colors to emit through the clouds as the sun sets. How? Why? The sky is clear except for the four clouds in the west changing from yellow, to gold, to orange, to pink, to red, to maroon and on in to darkness. Incredible.

Its absolutely inexplicible how light, the sun, refraction, speed, time, rotation of the earth, 24hours, lightyears, atmosphere, and clouds all work together to create such masterpieces. Coincidence of the daily occasion? NOT HARDLY. More like Perfection.

Yet we sit here on this ball of dirt and if we so choose to pause we can enjoy and experience new and unique works of art almost daily. How fortunate are we!? Its right before us screaming in color and vibrance asking us who is your creator? So then what is our response?

Until Dukey Drops again..............Much Love....................

Sleepless in Hays

2006-07-13T04:11:00.000-05:00

You ever have a night where you just can't go to sleep? Its not so much that you're not tired becasue I am but that you've had some great conversation and you're pondering your dilemas, the worlds dilemas and everthing in between. You could have went on and on until the sun came up but you HAD to quit because the sun will come up and you will have to go to work. Its great but knowing that I have to work in the morning really isn't so great. And when you make yourself conclude you wish you could write everything thats in your head on to paper and pick up where you left off....almost impossible. Its just one of those moments that you just want to sit and marinate in...or at least I do.
I guess with that I'm going to marinate.

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." -Edmund Burke

Until Dukey Drops again.......Much Love..................

Comfort of the legalist

2006-07-12T22:07:00.000-05:00

I know its late...but I got some stuff so its just gonna be late.

le·gal·ism Pronunciation: 'lE-g&-"li-z&mFunction: noun1 : strict, literal, or excessive conformity to the law or to a religious or moral code
What is right? What is moral? Is the church right? I ask this not in the reference to "ethical relativism" with the idea that there is no truth, and what I do and believe is my truth and your truth is yours but more so just to ponder the thought and evaluate the values of which we stand by as Christians or as churches.
We as Christians are quick to lend grace and love to someone who we may not see on Sunday at church or at any given ministry but one of our Christain brothers or sisters make a mistake and by all means Gods grace is the only grace they can find becasue it sure isn't coming from the person that sits in the row in front of you at church. In fact its likely that they will talk about you and how what you did was so wrong or that maybe it was something else. I'm not gonna pull up any definition but I'm pretty sure thats gossip. Still as much of a sin as bring drunk, murder, adultery and everything else thats gonna be named in church as the bad sins. Oh we won't say it in so many words but our actions and the way we talk we give gossip, among other things, the free pass in church.
Someone who is going to be this way is most likely not going to go out of his or her way to be apart of someone elses life but instead will sit at church in spiritual arrogance and condem and gossip. How is that right? Let me answer that question...ITS NOT.
And so we preach we need to reach the world. We want people to be saved. We want more people to come to church. We will invite people we work with to church and we will tell them about the great sermon we heard. We, in our hearts, want people to know Jesus but how is it that they will know if they never see. Yeah we all have co-workers that we share our "neutral" workspace with but when we leave work we never see them outside the workplace. Our occupation is rarely a real picture of your life. And we say, "but I invite them to church all the time and they never come?!" It may be true and they may never come to church with you but thats all they see. So the perception they may have is gossip, church on sunday and revivals that shapes who Jesus or being a follower of Christ is to them. Then we ask them to come be uncomfortable in our environment. Given that picture I would likely not want to step into an uncomfortable environment either. Maybe they have church experience and all they see is they get the obligitory "welcome" hand shake, some gawks, a "gold star" for attendance and a nice talk when they show up. I'm thinkin' naw I'll stay at home. Its comfortable in the chair or the pew at church for the Christian but not for everyone else and again we want them to join us. No wonder they think we are too good because we are never willing to be uncomfortable and join them in their environment. To live life beyond our daily comfort zone just may communicate that you really care about who they are as a person and not more so as another person sitting in the pew or chair on sunday...because Lord knows we don't need more people just sitting on sunday. Yeah its comfortable but whos life do you impact? They may gossip that you walked into a bar but I'm pretty sure that life will go on. Jesus was judged and ridiculed for some of the company he kept and the places he went so why shouldn't we. Now this isn't to suggest that six days a week we should go find the local bar, strip joint, club or any other place for that matter and just be there but if you're invited by some friends to meet up at a bar to watch the All-Star game, have a meal or just chat don't find some lame excuse about your bible needs polished and you can't make it. Maybe it should be dusted off and see where Jesus walked. Be uncomfortable. Be available. Share in life with others. Sharing isn't with the expectation of getting anything in return. I believe that lasting impacting life altering change happens not just when something is heard but seen.
Well theres a truck load....Enjoy. Thanks for the chat pops. Look what you started. HA!! Until Dukey Drops again...........Much Love...................

When to Say When?

2006-06-10T01:42:00.000-05:00

Just a thought or two I have pondered in this season of change for me.
As one looks to move on to whats next at what point is it time to lay that dream aside and move on to whats next or is there a point where you become defiant of what you should be doing next and instead postponing God's plan for you?
I mean Louis La'Mour, the famous western novelist, submitted his novels 350 times and was denied the opprotunity to have his stories published. Should he have given up? Would I have given up? But he tried once more and 351 was the magic number. Now his novels are known worldwide.
So I ask again is there a point where clarity or lack thereof lends itself to persist after a dream or perhaps just to be still?
Please feel free to share your thoughts......Until Dukey Drops Again.......Much Love...............

Kansas City Royals...Royally Pathetic...Jayhawks winning

2006-05-29T00:15:00.000-05:00

...Right now the Kansas City Royals are on pace to have the worst team they have ever had. Radio stations in the KC area are boasting "We have more hits than the Royals" and then retracting that statement continuing saying, "...wait thats not many".That in itself needs a little background. Lets just say the Royals could break two records this year. One for most losses ever in a single season in Major League Baseball and if they do that they will secure the second record of having the worst terrible losing streak in baseball history by losing over 100 games in four consecutive seasons. Right now it is not even a debate who is the worst team in baseball, there's the Royals boasting a .229 winning percentage and then everyone else. The Roylas already have had 13-game and 11-game losing streaks at this pint in the season. 48 games into the season they are already 23 games behind thier division leader Detroit who is playing some great baseball and is leading the league in winning percentage at .700.My question is can the Royals finish over 50 games behind? Can it be done, right now I think it might be very possible. To win 50 games would be a good season at this point. Word is that some needed changes are taking place at the top with a potential new GM to be hired but the Royals are a long way from thier winning ways of the past(80's-early 90's). Check these links out... http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=92711
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/14684842.htm

The lone bright spot right now in Kansas baseball is exactally that....Kansas Baseball. The Kansas Jayhawks are headed to the National Tourney by winning the Big XII baseball tourney title beating 3 of the top 16 teams in the nation to become the Big XII Champs. Go Hawks!

Graduation is around the corner...May 13th at 10am

2006-05-10T01:20:00.000-05:00

Invisible Children and the Global Night Commute(april 29th) went great! We had around 200 show up for the screenings and we had 80 people walk to Felten Middle School(pic above) and sleep on the field between the rainsoaked grass and 40 degree temperatures. It was a bit(very) chilly but none the less a great time and a good experience. Everyone had an opportunity to write letters to our president, congressmen and senators. Not bad for having about 25days to throw things together. We had a lot of awesome help...believe me...it had to be there or I either wouldn't have been graduating or it wouldn't have happened. I was very pleased with the response!
Just a sidenote but the filmmakers were on Oprah the wednesday before the Global Night Commute talking about the Invisible Children movement! That was cool to see!

The big news now is that graduation is this saturday! Its TRUE...I will be GRADUATING with a degree in Organizational Leadership...Finally! Its gonna be great to be moving on to the next step in my life. Phil3:12-14 has been a verse that has really been catching my attention...Check it out if you have a chance. I personally have focused on the first two verses not that the third one is a sad excuse for a verse but thats just where my focus has been.
Well thats it for now....Until Dukey Drops again....Much Love....

Invisible Children Movement & Global Night Commute

2006-04-18T20:06:00.000-05:00

Invisible Children is something right now that has inspired me to great lengths and I and many others are doing what we can to see that Hays and Western Kansas knows about it and has a chance to be apart of something that could stop and war and change the history of N. Uganda. We've only had 4 weeks at best but we are doing what we can to make some noise from lesser populated side of Kansas. Its been exciting thus far and we'll see what the resluts are. I hope people are aware of the rare opportunity that stands before them and take full advantage by joining in the movement.

April 27th we will have a screening of the full length DVD at 7pm in the Fort Hays Ballroom
April 28th we may have another screening TBA
April 29th the Global Night Commute takes place all over the world but here in Hays it takes place at Felten Middle School at the track

Americans are closing their eyes to open the worlds’ to an unseen war.
By lying down, we are joining the invisible children in northern Uganda, and demanding that our government put an end to the longest running war in africa, and one of the worst crises in the world today.

FACTS:
--Northern Uganda called the worst humanitarian crisis in the world today because of the lack of attention
--1.7 million people forcibly displaced
--AN estimated 20- 50,000 children abducted to fight as soldiers
--tens of thousands of children commuting nightly
--130 people die per day in Northern Uganda due to violence

Take a look at these links.

www.invisiblechildren.com

The response from Washington D.C.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBZunv9kgd0

Local info for the Hays Area
www.invisiblechildrenhays.com

I have got to get off here if I want to graduate...
Until Dukey drops again......Much Love.....

Africa...Invisible Children

2006-03-26T17:08:00.000-06:00

This quote is from the story of the Invisible Children...

"Once one has been to these challenging terrible places they're always strangely drawn back...because there's nothing that can compare to seeing the raw reality of the basic human need for survival. It disgusts and inspires." -Dan Eldon

Any thoughts? Curious?
Check out the link to the right...
Until Dukey Drops again...Much Love...

The Madness of March

2006-03-24T17:52:00.000-06:00

As the snow begins to melt from a snow storm that came through a few days ago after many 60-70 degree "winter" days we find ourselves officially in spring. Every year around this time there are favorites and there are cinderellas among college basketballs best teams. Everyone attempts to guess who will be the Final Four and who will be the cinderella team. There are upsets that destroy your bracket and there are teams that defy their seed. My Final Four included Kansas, Texas, Uconn and Florida. Kansas sadly was that team for me that I was counting on. They ran into the MVC buzzsaw Bradley Braves. Bradley almost didn't make the tourney and they made the most of their opportunity knocking of #4 seeded KU and #5 seeded Pitt.
The biggest news now in the state is that of the Wichita State Shockers who play another seed-defying team the Colonials of Goerge Mason tonight. Both teams have an opportunity to do what many teams would almost die for, a chance to make the Elite 8 of the NCAA Tournament. After both teams have been knocking off higher seeded teams they have a rematch of a game earlier in the season where George Mason won by three 70-67 and they are favored to win again. It should be fun to watch.
Ok so after I posted this Wichita St. went on to lose to George Mason in what was not the best game for the Shockers who looked slow and just not on their "A" game. They were still fun to root for.
Other big news in this area is the Kansas State signing of Men's head basketball coach Bob Huggins former coach of the Cincinnati Bearcats. Kansas State I believe took a huge step toward seeing success with their Men's basketball....unfortunately.
Fort Hays State Men's basketball won their first game of the North Central regional but dropped their second to eventual DII National Champ Winona St. They ended a great season 27-4.
Coming into this the tourney everyone had expectations of a certian team or maybe of a conference. Oddly enough this made me think of the expectations we have of one another whether in a friendship or dating relationship. I'm not going to speak toward marriage because as most of you know I have no experience in that area but this is
very relevant to it.
So often we have unrealistic and very idealistic expectations of one another and this often causes problems. Granted they are good to have and help us push each other to greater things but in the event that someone doesn't meet those expectations I believe we should be honest with ourselves and see if we were perhaps a bit unrealistic. Whether we were a bit over zealous in our ideals or we weren't we should be able to let it go and not hold a grudge toward that person because they didn't meet our lofty bar.
I believe it is really important that those expectations are discussed early on in a dating relationship so that as it progresses you are aware and be open to any modifications too. The vital part in discussing these is that you yourself are able to listen to the other person and find if they feel that you do have unrealistic expectations. You also need to be honest with yourself if you are in a cosmic world of your own in the making of the mold that your friend or date needs to fit into. If your horizontal relationships around you are really out of whack and messed up it is very likely that your vertical relationship is imapcted too.
Anyway just some thoughts I had...Until Dukey drops again....Much love....

Skiing...highs and lows

2006-03-08T01:18:00.000-06:00

Last week I drove to Rock Springs, WY to meet up with my parents to go to Park City, UT and go skiing with my old man, pops and daddio. We went to The Canyons in Park City and had a great time. The sun was shining and it was quite warm as you can tell from the picture. I chose not to wear a hat, hair, and forgot sunscreen. The results speak for themselves. Today I started peeling. Its all good though. We had a great time on the mountian. The snow and the weather were both excellent!
It was fun to laugh at my dad and he had a few chances to laugh at me. We made some jokes on the camcorder..."dad are those your panties in the tree!!?!!" LOL! We trekked across unknown territory and just brought about more laughs. We just plain and simple had a good time.
One of the times when dad did nothing but laugh was when we were headed across an open area of unskiied territory. I got up to the run we were trying to find...dad showed up later because he lost his pole in the snow...and I stood at the incline on the edge of the run checking things out and I began to slide backwards. The back of my skis dug in and I fell over backwards burring my left shoulder and my backpack two feet into the snow. It was just the sight dad needed as he skiied over to me. He demanded the camera while he laughed. He paid me $20 and he got the camera. So thats what I'm doing on my back. Just kidding about the $20. We went in to Salt Lake City one night and ate at a Brazilian place where they come around and cut off hunks of freshly roasted chicken, turkey, elk, pork tenderloin, etc. off of big skewers. It reminded me very much of Carnivore in Nairobi. Then the second night we messed around in Park City and headed home. It was also good to hear of the cool things that God is doing in the lives of those apart of their ministry in Rock Springs. Is. 40:28-31
It was awesome to enjoy the beauty of the moutians and hang with a pretty cool guy too. He's not quite the risk taker he used to be 10 or 20 years ago but I won't be the one to spoil the fact that he's not 18 anymore. It more fun to think that you are and will be for a long time...so next time take that 20 foot jump in the terrain park instead of looking at it. You may never live to get another chance to take it. Of course you may not live to tell about it either but the people watching will pass on the legend of the "Flyin' White Weasel".
While I was on the road the Fort Hays Tigers dropped one out of two games in the conference tourney and fell from #1 in the region to #2 and lost the chance to host the regional. It is sad because I was making plans for my smooth canvas of a head to show some school spirit. So many students are too concerned with looking cool and are too scared to show a little passion and excitement and have some fun...I'm not gonna get started. Anyway we dropped to #5 (26-3)in the Nation(Div. II) but that doesn't matter now. The fellas have got to go out and win. The girls didn't do so well and ended a great season at 21-7.
Well thats it for today as another beautiful early March day ends...Until Dukey drops again....Much love....

Sold Out!

2006-02-28T01:50:00.000-06:00

FHSU Tiger Basketball had a big weekend in some ways and others not so much. The Tiger Men's team has been ranked #1 in Div II for a few weeks now and came in to Sundays game against Nebraksa-Kearney 25-1 and 18-0 in the RMAC. Sundays game was the first in school history to sell out in advance. The official attendance was 7,187. The place was packed and loud!!! It was awesome to see over 6,000 already there for the start of the womens game. The Lady Tigers(21-6) deserve a big loud crowd. They played well and beat the Loper ladies 60-52. The guys had established a 31 game home winning streak and had won 18 straight games. The men just had a tough time getting shots to fall. Free throw and 3 point shots were not dropping as the Tigers shot 55%(12/22) from the freethrow line and 17%(4/23) from 3-point range. Still they battled but in the end we all went home disappointed with a 70-66 loss to our bitterly disliked rival Nebraska-Kearney. The conference tourney starts on wednesday and continues on the weekend as the guys are the #1 seed and the women are the #3 seed. The women have got to possibly win the conference tourney or make it to the championship game to have a shot at making the national tourney as their region is very strong. The guys will have a NCAA DivII tourney bid locked up and should host the regional being #1 ranked in our region. Should be a lot of fun. Hopefully they will rebound from this loss and realize they have got to play better because now it becomes one and done for the season. I'll continue to enjoy rooting for the Tigers as long as the ride lasts.
Speaking of fun, this wednesday I am leaving for Park City, UT as my dad and I are going to go skiing Thursday and Friday at The Canyons www.thecanyons.com one of the top 15 best places to ski in North America. I am really excited! It will surely be a lot of fun. Its been a long while since pops and I have just kicked it so that will be really cool. I'm sure I'll have some good pics from the trip.
Thanks for your prayers for my mom as she had surgery about 4 or 5 weeks ago. Its been a kind of slow process as healing from surgery is but she is doing better and getting healed up. She had a bit of cabin fever but is back on her feet and getting in to a routine again. So thank you to you all...all 3 of you who read this. HA!
Monday nights I have a bible study and we are reading a book by John Piper called "When I Don't Desire God:How to fight for Joy" and I think its going well. If you haven't read Piper before he can be quite philisophical and I can't say it has been real smooth all the time for us all but tonight was really good. We talked about how joy is a gift and it is ultimately a gift that stems from God's grace and love for us. God's grace just is humanly very difficult to comprehend. (Eph.2:4-5,8-9) Why does He still love and pursue us when we repeatedly do stuff wrong and hurt our relationship? (Rom.7:13-23) I have no clue why in human reason to be justify or make sense of it. Thats love. We also talked about how we rank sins. In our eyes murder, adultery, rape, and homosexuality are among the "worst" but in God's eyes even though the bible says those things are wrong our "small" sins of gossip, lies or lusting are equal because they are sin. So if God loves us the same no matter our sin why the heck can't we love others whether they are homosexual or not. We should exhibit the same grace and love God gives us to others. Good stuff. Gotta be Sold out!
For those who may be wondering I will not be going overseas this summer. I know its became a trend for the last 3years but I am stateside this summer. I've got my sisters wedding on July 8th to celebrate and I know that God has got other plans for me this summer only not in Kenya. It is possible I could return there because I would most definitely like too for a longer period of time but thats down the road a bit. I am trying to search and see what this summer and next fall will bring aside from the knowns that I'm graduating on May 13th and my sister is getting married on July 8th.
Well I think thats it for now.....Until Dukey drops again....Much Love..........

Papa Johns, Papa Ross, and Mr. Philip

2006-02-08T12:38:00.000-06:00

Here are some pics from the Papa John's Pizza Showdown on Thursday Feb 2nd at the halftime of the #2 ranked Fort Hays State Men's Basketball game vs Metro St. The first(at the top) pic you see all the contestants in 4 teams of 2 with their partner standing behind them. The guys on the far left of the group pic and in the background of the 2nd pic were the winning team...They called themselves "Team Mexico" and are on our cross country team here at FHSU. They ate 9 pieces of pizza in 3minutes, crust and all. I've heard a lot of people say they could do better but we'll see next time if their talk is walk. The one girls team pictured in three of the pics finished 2nd with 7 of 8 pieces in the given time. Sedera(left) and Heather(right) represented well. I knew them from Christian Challenge and knew they were savages and could hold their own. I wasn't disappointed. They got game.
The picture below is of my dad at Christmas time that I promised to post on here. I'm sure he'll appreciate it. He got in the fridge to get some OJ and got excited and wet himself. He really likes OJ. LOL! Just kidding...the lid wasn't on very well and he dumped it all over himself. I chased him around to try and get a picture and he wouldn't let me. Finally he gave up and took this beauty! Thanks Pops!
And Finally to Mr. Philip(not pictued...maybe later) and his wife Sandy, whom we worked with the last two summers in Nairobi, Kenya, were at Challenge last night and they shared with us. It was GREAT to see them. They have been such a blessing to know and work with. They are currently stateside on furlow for the next 6 or 7 months. Maybe I'll have to make a road trip to go see them? It was awesome to get to see them once again! I guess thats it for now. So until Dukey Drops Again......Much Love...........

Woooohoooo!!!(except homework)

2006-01-31T17:03:00.000-06:00

The Fort Hays State mens and womens basketball teams are doing heating up! Currently the men's team(18-1) is ranked #2 in Div. II and is playing great basketball. Its the highest the Tiger men have been ranked since the 96-97 season when they went 34-0 and finished as national champs ranked #1. The women are 16-3 and playing well also. Both have big games this Thursday as we host Metro St. from Denver who are in the top three in the conference for both the men and the women. Thursday will be fun for me too as I have been doing some marketing for Papa John's working with FHSU and we will be sponoring the game on Feb. 2nd. At halftime there will be a pizza eating competition where in teams of two, four teams will compete to see who can eat the most pizza in 4 minutes. It will be like a tag-team deal where only one person can be at the table at a time. It should be fun and create a little halftime excitement for both Papa John's and the Tigers. The winning team gets a $100 gift certificate from Papa John's.
As far as the Jayhawks go they are playing well...of course last time I posted about thier success they went and dropped two in a row to lowly KSU and Mizzou. Sad. So (knock on wood) I hope it doesn't happen again. They are in the thick of the BigXII race.
As for me I am busy with reading way too much stuff for class. Its been nuts. I average about 100 pages for one class, 2 chapters for another, chapter for bible study and I'm on hold for any reacreational reading. I can understand it for my leadership class that is my "capstone" class for my degree but I have a gen-ed, basic 100 level class that is killing me like its a capstone class too. I don't get some professors I guess. Oh well life goes on.
For those of you that were aware of my moms health thanks for your prayers. She seems to be doing well and healing from surgery. I guess she has to be home for the next two weeks but I'm thinkin' what crazy stuff she's been dealing with she needs as long as she needs. It was cool as my mom was in the hospital I had emailed Peter, friend of mine from Kenya, to ask for prayer and his father had just went into the hospital and we got to specifically pray for similar situations dealing with our family and their health. The situation itself wasn't cool but to meet eachother through prayer a world away was great. He sent me Phil 4:4-8 as encouragement and I really stopped and looked at it in many more ways than usual. We have no reason not to rejoice. No reason.
Well homework awaits me so I'd better run...Much Love to you all...Until Dukey Drops again......

Happy New Year!

2006-01-18T13:00:00.000-06:00

Sorry its been so long since I've posted. Its been a busy but good break. Classes are started up again and its gonna be a real busy semester. I guess I'm gonna have to be extra disciplined with my time. That likely means few postings on here. We'll see.
Anyways Christmas was really good as I got to see my bro Tyler, visit my parents out in Wyoming and hang with my sister and her fiance. Yes she got engaged on Christmas eve. Don't ask for details about a wedding because at this time there really aren't any. So it was a great time with the family. My dad kills me. I had some good laughs at his expense like he spilled a half a jug of O.J. on his lap and it looked like he had an accident(pic to be posted later) and one of the times we played racquetball I hit him in the head twice!! It was so painfully funny! It was a coincidence that I had been hit twice the day before...it wasn't revenge. I had tears flowing and was in pain because I was laughing so hard after we got done playing.
I came back to Hays and my grandpa had put two new tires on my car. Merry Christmas. He also put these awesome hubcaps(see pic) that I'm sure he stole off of some HUGE '72 Olds cruiser and thought they would look nice on my car. To put it mildly they have gotten some attention. I mean they had a photo shoot with Porfirio as you can see so they're famous. He clown too much. Grandpa has out done himself again. Its funny stuff.
New Years was good. The cops showed up at Micah's house because the guys across the street were shooting off fireworks and Micah got his out as the cops showed up. So naturally Micah standing in the street with a roman candle in his hand held high above his head caught their attention. All of his fireworks were confiscated. Thankfully the cops showed up before I could get mine out of my car or I would have been in the same boat and I would have been mad because as some of you know I am a 4th of July savage.
Jan 2-6th we went to LifeImpact in OKC, OK. It was really good. Its awesome rub shoulders and talk with some awesome and incredible people who are seeking God in all they do. We took 45 from FHSU and had a great time.
We had a Christian Challenge leadership retreat this last weekend in Salina at WCC. A lot of stuff in less than 48 hours but we had a blast and I was able to connect with some people I maybe didn't know so well. This semester I am only going to be leading a small group. We're gonna go through the book "When I Don't Desire God: How to Fight for Joy" by John Piper. I am excited about it and it should be good and a great chance to grow a little closer to a few guys.
This weekend I will be going to Kansas City to help move the new pastor of our church to Hays. Micah, P, myself and two other guys from our church are gonna be the moving crew and tackle it all on Friday. I know theres gonna be a great way to help out and I'm sure it will be fun too.
FHSU basketball update: Men are 15-1 and ranked #8 in the latest Div.II polls. The women are 13-2 and playing better and better each week. It shouldn't be too long before they get some attention.
KU basketball update: Its sad times right now as a Jayhawk fan as KU has dropped two straight and to the two worst teams they could, Mizzou in overtime and K-State by 4(You happy Heather?). Things are really looking doubtful for an NCAA Tourney bid setting with a record of 10-6.
And yes its true I am planning on graduating this spring with a degree in Organizational Leadership. This is my last semester taking undergraduate courses here at FHSU. So there will be a huge celebration of grand proportions to mark my perserverence. Ok so maybe not but I will be done this spring.
Happy New Year to you all!
Until Dukey drops again.......Much Love...

Winter is here...

2005-12-05T15:41:00.000-06:00

The last week winter showed up after weeks of 60 and 70 degree days. It blasted us with 60mph winds and snow. Interstate 70 was closed from here in Hays west on Sunday night to Denver(eventually closed to Salina 90miles east of Hays) and didn't open back up until Tuesday morning.
The next morning(Monday) I went outside to put salt down on our stairs and sidewalks around our apatment building and my neighbor got stuck on the ice in her Camaro. I helped push her car back in the driveway and gave her a ride to work. I went back outside and my rear driverside tire was totally flat. So as the snow was blowing at 60mph and 25 degrees warm I put the "donut" on my car.
I decided since the weather was bad I would go ahead and go to campus. So I drove to campus and I get out and my donut is flat(little bit of air). I just laughed. So I got back in my car and drove across town for air. I get there and the hose is plugged with ice. After 10min I finally got some air out and filled the donut up enough. I get back to campus and I decided to check to see if I have class and I don't. Its cancelled. A not so great start to what was a good day...seriously.
Today its snowing, as it did last night and we have maybe 3"(guessing) of snow on the ground and its a balmy 7 degrees(high of 8) with a light wind at 17mph giving a windchill of -14. So given this today and the blast we had last week I'm going to make it official...WINTER IS HERE! I'm still wondering where fall went but thats the past.
So the winter means college basketball and bowl games among other things. I'm excited to see the Jayhawks being bowl eligible...granted they are playing in the Fort Worth Bowl thats more than K-State, Taxas A&M, OSU or Baylor can say. The Jayhawk baskeball team(3-4) is young, talented and struggling. They have tons of upside they just have a lot of maturing to do. Besides their 12 point loss to Arizona, KUs other three loses(by a total of 6points) are all by less than 3points.
The Fort Hays basketball teams(men 7-1; women 4-2) and wresting(ranked #10 Div. II) are doing well and all three should be fun to watch as they are all very talented this year. www.tigersportszone.com You can see whats going on here.
I'm doing good. One final down and finals week is not here yet. Great news. Its next week.
I'd better get to work. Until Dukey drops again.......Much Love......

Happy Thanksgiving

2005-11-26T14:49:00.000-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving to all three of you that read this! I hope you had a good one. I headed up to Plainville and spent the day with the relatives there. My sis was with her boyfriend and their family in the Austin area(I think) and the parents were with some friends of theirs in Rock Springs, WY where I'm sure it was cold. Anyways I had a good time at Gramps and Grams house. It seemed like we ate all day. It was a good day all around.

I'm gonna copy someone elses site(Ali) and ask you to name something you're thankful for.

Myself I'm going to have to go with the freedom we have. Its one of many but thats my choice at the moment. There is so many things that we wouldn't have if we didn't have our freedom.

So what are you thankful for???

Until Dukey drops...Much Love...

Duck Watching

2005-11-22T23:16:00.000-06:00

Well I would title this "Duck Hunting" but I didn't bring home any proof that I actually went hunting...so its more like Duck Watching. Yes I did have a few shots but...uh...the sunrise was bright. Yeah. Anyways I went out with some friends here to Cedar Bluff(see pic) to do some duck hunting this morning...early. Word was there's 10,000-15,000 ducks, mostly mallards, at the lake. I'm not sure how accurate those estimates were but if they're true the ducks must have been stacked on top of each other on the rest of the lake. We had good time though. I definately need to go again soon...not only b/c it was fun but the duck stamp is expen$ive. Dang. Too much for me just to do once a year.
So I'm feeling better...cough once in a while but better. Just in time to work over Thanksgiving Break...yeah! I wish I hadn't been sick or I would most likely be in Texas visiting my sister right now. She and the parents are so stinkin' far away. Amanda is 12hrs south and the parents are 10hrs west(Wyoming). Either way its one day drive. Too far for a weekend trip. It really doesn't seem like I'm on break between working and not getting to see the family. Oh well. I am so thankful for my family and friends. I'm so blessed to have the friends and family I do have.
Well one more day of work and then I'll be chillin' with the relatives in Plainville at the grandparents crib for Thanksgiving. Always good eats...too much and always crazy. Until Dukey drops again...Much Love and Happy Thanksgiving...

D-D-D-D-Down with the sickness

2005-11-16T20:54:00.000-06:00

Well its been a while since I've been on here...some because I've been busy but mostly because I've been busy trying to get to feeling better. I got some meds and my sinuses are clearing up but I still have junk in my throat somehow. I have been coughing and coughing and coughing. The last 3 or 4 nights I haven't gotten to sleep before 4a.m. because I cough all night. Its nuts. I sure don't want any of that whooping cough business that's going around.

I wish I could have gotten a shot to fix it all real quick like this little guy. HAHA! Naw I think I'm getting better...still coughing but getting better.

We have two more days of class and then FHSU has its first official fall break as we have this next week off for Thanksgiving. I and I'm sure 9,000 other students are glad we have a real fall break now! Its good. I was hoping to possibly go visit my sister in TX or my parents in WY for the break but it doesn't look like its a possibility now with being sick this last week. I'll have to hang around here and catch up on some missed work hours. I'm sure I'll find some turkey to eat somewhere right!? You know I don't miss many meals.

Its finally gotten cold here. Yesterday it was a balmy 35 for a high and 35mph winds. Quite a change from the 70 degree stuff we've been having lately. We actually had a little snow too...it didn't hang around past the early a.m. but it did snow. Its the wind thats terrible though. After living in South Dakota in high school I learned that I can take the cold. 20 degrees, 5 degrees or -15 degrees is all cold and quite tolerable especially with some sunshine but when you toss the wind in with it it totally changes things and gets rather miserable. In fact there was one day in South Dakota that I went and checked the temperature b/c I am/was a bit of an amateur weather guy(especially in h.s.) and I don't recall the temp. but the wind chill was -82 degrees. Yeah we still had school. Just had to cover up real well. I'm sure the days of cold and snow are on their way...I can't wait to hit the slopes!

Well I need to slide on up outta here...until Dukey drops again...much love ya'll.

Kenya weather...

2005-11-10T21:54:00.000-06:00

I can help but have these 70 degree days in November remind me of Kenya this summer. The weather was incredible and it was the same 3 out of 4 days. Anyways since its got me thinkin' about it here is a pic of our team(Brad, Megan, Michael, Jenn, Me) at Lake Nakuru with the pink flamingos posing in the background.

Well after this gets posted I'm off to study for a test that I am less than excited about. Its been quite a while since I've had a class that is such a waste of my time, honestly. And unfortunately the teacher knows less about the class than most of the class. 4 more weeks of class!

I'm feeling a little better but it seems to not totally go away. Just hanging around in my neck. I got to feeling a whole lot better after I made an emergency run to wal-mart on tues. night b/c the roomate(John) did a fabulous job clogging the toilet. So while I was there I picked up some Echinachea(eck-in-ay-sha) from the pharmacy area. Its great stuff if you're ever getting sick.

Good luck to those that will get the chance to go pheasant hunting(opening day in Kansas) this weekend. I'm jealous and be safe. Be sure to wear your tank top and sunscreen as I don't think were too likely to see snow once again.

For those of you that are going to be watching college football this weekend be sure to root for the Jayhawks as they play at #2 Texas. They need all the help they can get. You did see the whipping the Jayhawks handed the Huskers, right!? 40-15! Well until Dukey drops again....Much Love.

Welcome...

2005-11-08T17:19:00.000-06:00

To those brave ones who came on here to say hi I say thanks.

Here is a pic of my family from Christmas last year that I thought I would add on here. We were near the Flaming Gorge Reservior, WY/UT. It was a beautiful place and a great time with the fam! I am looking forward to this year.

Right now I should be working on homework...HA! But I'm not. I wasn't feeling real good today. I hope it goes away. A little sinus junk and sore throat. I think in the last 2days I have slept 27hours. Anyways I had to come work on a few things here at the school since my computer at home is in Chinese. Yes Chinese and I'll explain for those who don't know some other time. So this weekend is opening day of Pheasant season, a national holiday in our family, but I'm not going. Sad but true. We have our Nov. Retreat for Christian Challenge this weekend which should be good but could be on a different weekend. Bad scheduling I must say b/c I know there are several that aren't going b/c of opening day of pheasant season. Anyways there's a brief update...Until next time Dukey Drops....Much Love.

Does It Work?

2005-11-07T20:56:00.000-06:00

This is a test to see if I can actually post on my own blog...