We dont live normal lives. . .

These quotes, and this video.

2012-01-11T13:37:00.000-08:00

"I have so much joy in my heart as I see you standing in my home. I know that you travelled around the whole world to come and share time with me in my home, and that helps me know the Father's love." "This is the most joy I have experienced in my entire life. Other teams have come before, but you have satisfied us." "In our culture and in our attempts to reach our children with the

Just a teaser...

2012-01-10T10:03:00.000-08:00

I promised Liz that I would let her be the first one to post a trip update, but I don't know how soon that will happen, so I wanted you to know that until she gets one together, this is all you get. The greater the effort required to achieve a goal, the more meaningful the outcome. This trip took a lot of money and over 100 hours of travel time... it made the joy so much more intense.

Update from India

2012-01-08T00:19:00.000-08:00

I cannot believe that the trip is nearly over, but there are so many things I want to share with everyone. First, God has done GREAT things through this team, and it has been an absolute delight every moment. Second, the Lord is doing amazing things in India, and it has been a privilege to be a part of that for 10 days! I will share three things you should know, and then a video. 1) Five of

New Year = New Me

2011-12-31T10:25:00.000-08:00

Why do I like the new year so much? What is it about this holiday that trumps all others in my mind? Well, there isn't great competition for starters. (With the exception of Christ incarnate to save all of humanity from depravity on Christmas, the rest of the holidays are kinda dumb.) We have Halloween - let's celebrate death and evil spirits... There is Valentines Day - a day dedicated

And we're off!

2011-12-29T07:41:00.000-08:00

Please be in prayer as our team leaves for Kalavai, India! We pull out of Granger, IN in 10 minutes, and then fly out of Chicago O'hare at 5:00pm. If you are a person who prays for things daily, please keep our team in your prayers the next 12 days. If you want to follow our travels, we will be updating a trip-blog. When I get back, I will post pictures and stories for all. In the mean

Dichotomy

2011-12-19T07:05:00.000-08:00

Defined as dividing something into two mutually exclusive halves. How can a Sweet-Tart be both sweet and sour? How does a loving God let awful things happen? (Did I get serious too quickly?) I was sitting in church yesterday and the pastor asked the question, "Isn't God good?!" To give you some context to this story, twenty minutes of open-mic had just wrapped up, in which person after person

la vida loca

2011-12-09T13:47:00.001-08:00

Quiero explicar algo que probablemente no sabes. Hablo Español, y durante mi juventud, vivía en Chihuahua, Mexico. Por eso, pienso como Mexicano. También, no entiendo la "cultura pop" de este país. (no se dice así en Mexico) Casi todos los días, quiero volver a Mexico para vivir. Solo pensaba que quisieras saber. (Mi hermano y yo)

India Trip Update

2011-11-22T08:49:00.001-08:00

Can you believe that our trip is only five weeks away!? These final weeks are filled with preparations. We are putting the final touches on the programming, taking the second round of immunizations, and translating the lessons into Tamil so the kids will understand the stories. (We even did a luggage simulation to prepare for our trips through airports and bond as a team!) There is an

Lincoln, NE

2011-10-24T14:04:00.000-07:00

After those acid trip sunsets, that’s the thing about Lincoln that rocked my world. That you can’t really mess up too badly. You can marry too young, get a terrible tattoo or earn $12,000 a year, and the sky will not necessarily fall. The housing is too cheap and the folks are too kind for it to be otherwise. Moreover, when you live underneath a sky that big, it’s hard to take yourself too

Hitchhiking

2011-10-07T21:08:00.000-07:00

The act of hitchhiking has nearly disappeared in America. You can drive from Los Angeles to New York without seeing a single person "thumbing a ride" on the side of the road. I ask the question, why is that? Let's be honest, we all wish that we lived in a world where anybody was trustworthy enough to give you a ride somewhere. It was not long ago that America was a country where hitchhikers

Legacy

2011-10-06T07:23:00.000-07:00

Think Different Campaign (Apple - 1997) Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes.The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things.

Financial freedom

2011-10-04T20:22:00.000-07:00

Here is a thought for the night. Freedom can be thought of as "unfettered by constraints". This is a useful definition when you think of what Matthew says: "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." So if your treasures are tied up in assets (house, car, hobby, etc...) you will find your heart is tied up in those things too. Now consider the command that Christ claimed was the

WAKE UP!

2011-09-29T20:50:00.000-07:00

What is needed in your life to wake you up? Like a stack of books thrown to the floor wakes a sleeping student, I have been thrown from the status quo. What will it take to move you? We are called to step into the impossible, knowing that until we attempt to live in a way that requires God to come through for us, we are likely to stay on this side of normal. I don't know about you, but I am

Hopes and Dreams

2011-09-28T18:57:00.000-07:00

There is a quote in a DC Talk song that goes something like this: "The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is CHRISTIANS who acknowledge God with their lips and walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle." I've been on a kick lately trying to figure out what discipline looks like. I've been talking about living simply, seizing every moment to experience God, and on

The Things We Leave Behind

2011-09-26T14:03:00.000-07:00

I was in Canada for my grandfather's memorial service. He passed away on September 13th, and the whole family made the drive from Nebraska to Ontario to celebrate his life. It was evident throughout the whole weekend that he was a loved and esteemed man. One person spoke of his faithful prayer life, while another spoke of his heart for the lost. One mentioned his courage as a tribal

Experience

2011-09-21T21:36:00.000-07:00

I recently asked the question about discipline, and I've been thinking about it ever since. In the thinking and praying, this new train of thought has emerged. It comes in the form of analogy, and I want you to know that I speak candidly and from a deeply personal perspective as I share this with you. The thought is centered around this truth: God is always at work around you. If you do not

Discipline

2011-09-19T07:09:00.000-07:00

I'm interested in knowing what perfect discipline looks like. When considering the word "discipline" several thoughts and images come to mind... but what is a perfect balance, and how different can that look from person to person? Are there categories of discipline, and are they all importnat? (example: spiritual discipline, athletic discipline, mental discipline, financial discipline, etc.)

Lives changed...

2011-04-14T11:55:00.000-07:00

If you do one thing today, make sure you read all of this poster and then check out the website: kidsneedcamp.com

In florida and thinking

2011-03-18T14:57:00.000-07:00

This is the view I woke up with today... This is the thought process that has been going on in my mind (warning - I might have used a few CAPS LOCK words):Why is everyone so upset about Rob Bell's book? Why is everyone so upset about Rob Bell? Why is everyone so quick to argue their point and get their voices heard? For all the good that CS Lewis' books have done in the world, there are

Thoughts from a friend...

2011-02-02T12:44:00.000-08:00

... there is a reason February is only 28 days long - it doesn't deserve to be a full month! I'm not sure if you're anything like me, but 28 days is a long time to look at cold, snowy weather and remember that life is good. One way that I maintain morale is through music. If you could pick ONE song that restores your view on the world, that refreshes your soul and reminds you of better

HOMES

2011-01-21T08:00:00.000-08:00

Either an acronym associated with the Great Lakes, or the places we all long for. In the case of Liz and I: the unattainable. We've tried to buy a home for more months than I care to think about, but we are continually bumped back to square one. It reminds me of that game, "Chutes & Ladders". Did you play it as a kid? It doesn't matter who is winning or who thinks they're only moments away

Another video

2010-12-28T12:53:00.000-08:00

A friend introduced me to this. I don't think these creatures actually exist, but I thought we should all be prepared, just in case. MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON from Dean Fleischer-Camp on Vimeo.

DPP #16-20 and then I'm done...

2010-12-28T12:51:00.000-08:00

I've decided to cut this experiment short by a couple of days... I got behind, and then I decided that I've run out of things to photograph. (Honestly, I have TOO MANY things, but they're all in poorly lit areas (old house), and I am stuck using my phone-camera, without a flash, and they don't turn out.) <-- RUN ON SENTENCE? At any rate, these are the ones I took before traveling to Nebraska (

DPP #15

2010-12-15T10:43:00.000-08:00

This is the only "nice" room in the house. Don't get me wrong, the other rooms are GREAT, as in large, closeted, furnished, etc... but very outdated. This room is all in good taste, with great artwork and a comfy bed. Our guests stay here.

DPP #14

2010-12-14T10:41:00.000-08:00

Just wait till you see Liz's shoe closet!

Inturruption

2010-12-13T10:08:00.000-08:00

DPP #12

2010-12-12T14:58:00.000-08:00

Don't bother to ask about the shutter-speed, f-stop, ISO, or equipment... as I stated earlier, for my first December Photo Project, I am shooting all of these with the handy phone-cam (which explains the blurry feet, the poor color, and the grainy image). However, this is the garage, and this is where Elizabeth does the P90X workouts. I am, however, proud of the fact that I timed it just right

DPP #11

2010-12-11T14:55:00.000-08:00

As I promised, this is the other lovely lady. I am in love with her. When plugged in, her candle glows, her arm waves, and her head turns from side to side (Do NOT underestimate the creepiness!). However, for the time, she is making eyes at the santa on the porch across the street.

DPP #10

2010-12-10T14:52:00.000-08:00

Not much needs to be said about this room. It is the lavatory by the main entrance, it has gold wallpaper, an elaborate chandelier, and PINK fixtures (not pictured).

DPP #9

2010-12-09T14:45:00.000-08:00

This accumulation of waterfowl and songbirds is only a small cross-section of the larger collection located throughout the estate. There are two of particular interest that contain unopened flasks of Jim Beam Bourbon within the bodies of the birds. The two previously mentioned as well as the majority pictured below were limited edition releases by "Ducks Unlimited". When we moved into the home

DPP #8

2010-12-08T11:12:00.000-08:00

This guy is one of my favorites. He is our personal bartender. I caught him ogling the lady-statue from yesterday's post. She was kinda asking for it, in my opinion, (parading around w/out clothes and such...) but he still should have shown some decency and respect. I think he might make the move with us.

dpp #7

2010-12-07T11:06:00.000-08:00

Liz was upset when I pulled this beauty out of a corner and photographed her. I'm unsure of the reason, but she made me promise that I would move her back into hiding. There is another pretty lady that will make a debut on this blog soon.

DPP #6

2010-12-06T07:13:00.000-08:00

By far, my favorite piece of artwork in the home. There is a collection of art in the spare bedroom that attractively and tastefully depicts oceans, shore-lines, night-scapes, etc... It is very beautiful. The rest of the artwork mostly involves waterfowl.

DPP #5

2010-12-05T07:10:00.000-08:00

I referenced these chairs and table in an earlier post, but I couldn't let you go without seeing them. They are QUITE comfortable, but never have slip-covers been more desired on my part.

DPP #4

2010-12-04T08:07:00.000-08:00

I hardly need to say ANYTHING about this photo, except to point out the pills "hidden" in the base of this lamp. The late owner of this home did not enjoy taking her pills. Her legacy lives on, in our lamp.

DPP #3

2010-12-03T08:59:00.000-08:00

I should clarify that these DPP images are "behind schedule" because of an internet disconnect at my home. I have been staying up to date, but I have been unable to post them. Today, you will see me catch up. This photo particularly pleases me, for it is of my favorite room in the house: The Sun Room. We have floor-to-ceiling windows on two sides, a trendy fireplace, and seating for over 10.

DPP #2

2010-12-02T08:34:00.000-08:00

I have selected this photo for its story telling ability. I want you to study it for at least 30 seconds before scrolling down. Notice as many "telling" elements as you can, and then compare to my list. Let me know in a comment how many you were able to see. Did you notice the patterned wallpaper - floor to ceiling? The chandelier, with leaves and flowers, matches the patterned wallpaper.

I love my job.

2010-12-02T07:50:00.000-08:00

A girl wrote this thank-you card after experiencing a week of God's love and His life-changing message. She had received special assistance form our scholarship fund, and it made all the difference for her and her family. In the words of Colin, let's keep writing the story: For another inspiring story of God's faithfulness at SpringHill Camps, watch this video: Colin Ridge.

December Photo Project '10

2010-12-01T14:31:00.000-08:00

I've never taken part in this project, but there is a first time for everything. Unfortunately, I don't have a nice camera, so for my first year, all photos will all be mobile uploads. (Sorry purists!) A friend back in Nebraska does it every year, and she is my inspiration. Check out her amazing work at The LOVE EQUALS Blog. (Totally worth your time!)

SpringHill Day Camps | Urban Weeks

2010-12-01T06:40:00.000-08:00

Saturday in Birmingham

2010-11-20T06:06:00.000-08:00

Today was the day we were supposed to move into our new home, or the day we were supposed to travel to Nebraska, or the day we were supposed to announce to the world that we had eradicated poverty... But instead, it will be the day that we sit at home and do nothing. I hope to play my PS3 for five hours, read for five hours, and eat for five hours. Liz probably hopes to get out of the house

The most interesting house in the world...

2010-11-10T13:17:00.000-08:00

While I may not win any competitions concerning "The Most Interesting Man in the World", I submit that this house is a candidate for a similar contest. It is officially the "skinniest" house in Boston. It dates back to the civil war. Legend has it that two brothers were given a plot of land. One brother left to fight in the war, and his brother built a big house taking up most of the lot,

Stay Thirsty My Friends.

2010-11-06T10:18:00.000-07:00

If you haven't seen the rest of these, click on THIS LINK to see a few more. I was recently told that I remind people of this man, so I've decided to start sharing my view on the world. Today, the packing of a pipe compared to raking leaves. In my experience, and you may be able to relate, when loading a bag full of leaves, you fill it full of loosely packed leaves, and then you pack it

Long overdue...

2010-11-05T06:54:00.000-07:00

Granted, who wouldn't enjoy that picture of my mustache as the top-post for several months? However, all good things must eventually come to an end, and it is no different with this blog. I will finally update, and that picture will eventually be shoved out of sight. (Relegated to the archives...) Now, what is so important that requires me to blog? Fair question. I will answer that question

Bigote sin fin...

2010-06-10T07:46:00.000-07:00

I'm at camp... I have been here for three weeks. The plan is to stay with SpringHill for several years. As is common, I grow facial hair at camp. This year's efforts are focused on the upper lip. Interesting story to go along with the 'stache: There is a man here who looks like me. He is 21. One of the counselors saw me talking to him and later asked me, "Was that your son?" It turns out

What 24 hours can do...

2010-03-23T16:23:00.000-07:00

The phrase I learned when I moved to Nebraska was: "If you don't like the weather, wait five minutes." It was only a few days ago that Nebraska was experiencing a warm spell. The weather inched into the sixties and the snow melted off of the roads and lawns... and just when everyone was taking a sigh of relief, the Winter of '09-'10 flexed its muscles one more time. I don't know that I will

Quote

2010-02-25T20:26:00.000-08:00

I promised more pictures of the ski trip, but they have not been given to me yet. They are on another person's camera. In the meantime, I leave you with this thought: This is how we are feeling right now. We made a substantial and difficult decision recently, and that was a direct result of thinking along these lines. Liz is reading a book by Winston Churchill, but I'm unsure if this quote is

Ski trip (part II)

2010-02-20T14:21:00.000-08:00

I promised some pictures and I will deliver: The slopes were beautiful. They have been receiving 6-7 inches of snowfall every evening, and the routes were covered in a thick layer of powder. However, we rarely stayed on the routes long enough to appreciate that, because we took to the trees in the back-country and beyond the ski-boundaries. My partners in crime were Adam Parks and Cale

Ski trip

2010-02-19T03:22:00.000-08:00

I promise to put more pictures up tomorrow, when I have taken some pictures, but I wanted to give an update on my ski trip with the Grace Chapel men. First, we encountered weather. It was only two hours into the trip when it started snowing, and for the next nine hours we battled visibility, icy conditions, and suicidal truck drivers. However, with an expected arrival time of 1:00 AM pushed

The Google Buzz

2010-02-10T19:21:00.000-08:00

For any Gmail users out there, (you know who you are) you've been walking around with a smug expression and a vague knowledge that you were better than all of the other hotmail, aol (insert inferior company name here) users. Your time has finally arrived. (If you fall into the latter category, sorry.) Google Buzz - arguably the new facebook of internet based social networking, is not only

Funny stuff...

2010-02-01T09:56:00.000-08:00

This made me laugh:And if you want to see the list of songs on the album, you'll have to click on this link: Take Your Vitamin Z

Quotable

2010-01-31T09:02:00.000-08:00

I was reading a book by Yann Martel: The Life of Pi, when this quote jumped out at me: If we do not support our artists, then we sacrifice our imagination on the alter of crude reality, and we end up believing in nothing and having worthless dreams.What do you think of that assessment?I recently critiqued a book for not being true to reality. My complaint was justified in my mind because the

IN-and-OUT

2010-01-08T09:00:00.001-08:00

We were home for 36 hours. That is the time it took us to unpack, look for plane tickets, repack, and fly to Michigan. The good news: more time with the Cooke families; the bad news: it was for a funeral. Liz's grandmother passed away on Monday, so we celebrated her life, mourned her death, and celebrated again for her new life without pain - with our Lord. We had accepted the fact that we

We're home!

2010-01-03T19:30:00.000-08:00

Well, after a crazy break, we return to our beautiful apartment in the basement of the Davy's home, and we are happy. The weather was threatening our travels every step of the way, but it never amounted to anything when we needed to drive. The times with family were spectacular, and we are so blessed by being around them.Heather's blog mentioned a dislike for setting resolutions for the new

Consumerism

2010-01-01T16:42:00.000-08:00

That word is my nemesis. Actually, the word has done nothing wrong, but its meaning unveils my greatest downfall. Allow me to expound on the subject, and feel free to judge.For Christmas I have been given many glorious gifts. Examples:Allow me to hit this point home... the problem is NOT in the wonderful gifts I have received. (They are all great, and I have only listed a small portion of them

Early start to the year...

2009-12-31T23:11:00.000-08:00

cultural relevance

2009-08-18T10:01:00.000-07:00

I don't know when it happened, but apparently I have become culturally irrelevant. I know that I grew up in Mexico, and there will always be portions of pop-culture that I will never understand. I also realize that certain allowances have to be made because of my aversion to watching the television on a regular basis, but here is a list I found in my local newspaper. This list is about the

An update of sorts:

2009-07-18T18:29:00.000-07:00

I seem to have left a lot unsaid these last few weeks. I look at the dates betwix entries, and I cannot avoid the fact that it's been over a month. In all honesty, I've had the time, but I haven't had the tools. I don't have my camera when I have the internet connection. When I have the camera, I lack the internets. When both are available, I lack the time or will-power. (Try hard to

We made it.

2009-06-08T14:03:00.000-07:00

First, in that NO ONE commented on how their lives were changed by the sermon posted last entry, I will assume no one listened to it. If that is true, please take the time.Second, we are back in the U.S. of A. How excited we are!The trip home was long but uneventful We were engrossed in the scenery and in awe of the beauty of God's paintbrush. The southwest landscape and then the Colorado

2009-05-24T09:25:00.000-07:00

On this, our last Sunday in Chihuahua, Liz and I decided to spend the time at home reflecting on the year, praying for the future, and preparing for our final days. Before we started the day though, we listened to a sermon posted earlier this year by John Piper, one of the pastors at Bethleham church in Minneapolis and the founder of Desiring God ministries. Wow.This sermon, which hopefully is

I like order.

2009-05-22T16:36:00.000-07:00

Is it just me, or does the concept of a house full of dust-bunnies, dead bugs, half-packed boxes, and piles of unsorted junk make anyone else cringe?The last few weeks here have been crazy. We are packing up the house we've lived in because we have to be out of it by May 28th, and we are finishing up the last week of classes at Binimea because finals are next Tuesday and Wednesday. Therefore,

I forgot my glasses. . .

2009-05-18T13:34:00.001-07:00

Today, I forgot to wear my glasses to work. After 2nd period, a 10th grader walked up to me and said, "You remind me of the blond guy from Heroes." I didn't know who she was talking about, but apparently, w/out my glasses, I look like this dude:I thought that was kind of a compliment, until I realized that most people only know him in the role of this character.I'm not sure whether I should be

Party like a rock.

2009-05-17T11:57:00.000-07:00

A few quick updates:Chango is lying low for a while. . . And he keeps looking at me with a mixture of hurt and confusion. -Why did you do it? What did I do wrong?We celebrated the end of the year with the Binimea staff. We only have one more week of regular classes and then finals. They gave us the "quitter-award" which is supposed to communicate love and sadness as we leave.We also had a

Back at it. . .

2009-05-09T07:15:00.000-07:00

Recently a missionary got very sick with something that wasn't the swine flu, but because the Mexican government is so cautious, if she had been taken to a hospital here in Chihuahua, she would have been completely quarantined for 20 days. Her family decided to take her to El Paso, TX instead.School has resumed finally, so I taught my classes Thursday and Friday. It was nutso! The students

This is a big one!

2009-04-27T18:27:00.001-07:00

I haven't spoken a word on this blog in over a month, but like I said last time, it is due to being super busy with work and such. Binimea has me working overtime, and what with the end of the school year fast approaching, I've been swamped. At any rate, here is a quick news flash that hopefully gets all of your attention:Due to the recent and sudden outbreak of the Swine-Flu, (it's real, look

Parking Lots in Mexico

2009-03-22T12:53:00.000-07:00

For those of you unaccustomed to a foreign country, this may come as a surprise, but to those familiar with them, please let me know if this strikes a chord. As I pull into the Soriana parking lot, I am greeted by a man in a bright orange vest of approximately 75-95 years of age (the man, not the vest). He is there for no other purpose than to give a large toothless smile, provide a pretense of

I fixed it...

2009-03-15T17:28:00.000-07:00

If you were disappointed by the dead-link at the end of the list on my last post, you need not worry, it has been corrected. The link, "list of crushes - a must read from 2005" has been fixed.In other Taylor news, we are on an extended weekend. Our school recognizes "Dia de Benito Juarez" which is one clear advantage to working in a Mexican school. We've had fun outside of the house as well as

Happy 37th!

2009-03-11T20:51:00.000-07:00

When I left my previous blog to start this current page, I had nearly 180 entries over 4 years of blogging. Now I have 37 in 7 months (I think). Apparently I have increased my rate of blogging by approximately 33/year. As a math teacher, I find numbers and such highly intriguing. (do you?) I'm about to do something very unwise. If any of you want to peruse my old blog, an archive of

My, how the time flies...

2009-02-28T16:37:00.000-08:00

February is almost over. That means we are already done with two months of 2009. CRAZY!This is only my third post of the month, but I have excuses. . . sort of. For ten days in the middle of this month, Liz and I were in Florida. When things did not work out to have Liz's parents visit us over the school break, they decided to fly us to where they were. (Cocoa Beach & Orlando) It was a blast

Pachango

2009-02-02T20:29:00.000-08:00

Well, I realize that we asked for input less than a day ago, and that we haven't waited long enough for a response, but the opportunity arose, and we have found our puppy! His name is Chango, and he's a mutt from the street. (Actually, he's a cross between a Shelty-Collie and a mutt from the street.) At any rate, he's our newest member of the family, and we love him!His temperament is

Distraction

2009-02-01T19:02:00.000-08:00

If you haven't heard already, Liz and I are STILL praying and trying to figure out where our next move will be. We want to settle somewhere for a while, and we don't want to move for a long time. We will have lived in five homes with less than two years of marriage when this move takes place. We're ready for some stability, constancy, and familiarity. (Who knows, maybe that is not in the

Retreat . . .

2009-01-18T14:57:00.000-08:00

Today Liz and I spent the entire morning praying and seeking God for guidance in regards to our future. We are in a pivotal time because the decisions for the coming year need to be made, so if any of you make a habit of praying for us down here, we would appreciate your prayers now.The new semester has been going well. The new class load is starting to feel more natural, and the extra work

What we do. . .

2009-01-12T21:02:00.000-08:00

If anyone is wondering what exactly we do down here, this is your chance to get an accurate picture.Our school is small, as you can tell by the picture above. Binimea only has 84 kids from k-12, and Liz and I only deal with the 5th-12th graders. Liz's classes range from 5th-10th, while mine range from 9th-12th.We've been known to host our students over for dinner, host their parties, lead their

iClimb

2009-01-10T15:20:00.000-08:00

First off, watch this video. . . Sunto Core. Have you clicked on the link yet? Ok, now look at our fun pictures.Last night we finalized plans for climbing some mountains that surround Chihuahua. Our neighbors, the Meissners, are outdoorsy types, so they were involved. If you look in ANY direction from our house, you'll see mountains; we decided to climb the closest one today. So we woke up

New year, new thang. . .

2009-01-07T19:11:00.000-08:00

Well, we are into a new year, and the changes are evident! I have been gifted two more classes, and our friend-base has been cut in half. When you do the math, it all works out. (With more work, who has time for friends?) :(A family that we were becoming really fond of recently left the mission due to various reasons, and in one fateful day I found out I was loosing some valuable friends, and

. . . and a happy new year!

2009-01-01T14:55:00.000-08:00

The only sad part about traveling over the holidays is the inability to update your blog over the holidays. I LOVE reading other people's posts about their new years resolutions, Christmas traditions, naughty/nice stories, etc... but I don't get to take part in the fun. (Well, not until January 4th.) I make sure to emphasize that this is the ONLY sad part, because traveling over the holidays

Christmas Movies

2008-12-21T20:38:00.000-08:00

I just finished watching Jimmy Stewart (he's such a dream-boat) find out that life in fact is wonderful. I am sure before the end of the advent season I will see Danny Kay sing a duet with Bing Crosby, and hopefully I'll watch Chevy Chase kidnap his boss when he finds out his Christmas bonus was a year's supply of jelly. What about you? My newest poll is probably the most important of the year,

Home is where the heart is.

2008-12-21T11:12:00.000-08:00

This was how I felt.It's good to be home.

Huggermugger

2008-12-16T07:15:00.000-08:00

We're flying home for Christmas. If you live in the Omaha, Lincoln, Norfolk, or Detroit areas, we are visiting for the next two weeks. Here is our itinerary:Omaha Friday night (11:30)Lincoln through Monday morningNorfolk through Friday morningDetroit through the next FridayWhile I am home, I want to play Huggermugger. It has been a long-standing tradition in our family to play Boys vs. Girls,

Music Monday

2008-12-15T19:21:00.000-08:00

Well, I've officially joined the ranks Music Mondays on the Bloggable Music Network. I am not exposed to new music very often here in Mexico, but a friend posted Ronnie Freeman's God Speaking on her blog, and it was good. However, I think the song I'm about to link to is even better! Play Satisfied on his ShoutLife page. Honestly, it gave me goosebumps and it's been on repeat all night. Oh,

from me to you

2008-12-14T17:14:00.000-08:00

I have a few links that I want to share with those of you that read my blog. You may have already seen them, but if not, they're worth checking out. Each picture is a link to their website.1) Free Rice - End world hunger while improving your vocabulary. Newly added to the website: pick your subject - geography, mathematics, language, etc... (Personal disclaimer: be prepared to spend hours,

el blog

2008-12-13T18:12:00.000-08:00

Don't forget to respond to the new poll I've placed on the right side-bar. . . It decides the fate of Liz and me.To supplement my update: my wife has posted some great pictures of our Friday's activities.In other news, SEVENTEEN strapping and strong men showed up at our old house to assist in the packing and moving of the previous tenant's things. While we had agreed to house sit for the family

New home. . . round four.

2008-12-10T18:47:00.000-08:00

Everyone moves four times in their first year of marriage, right? Okay, maybe not. In my defense, I told Liz that a life with me meant a lot of moving, a lot of uncertainty, and a few unexpected adventures, but I don't think she believed me. :)Here are three stories from our new home. Quick background on the implied move - our last place was isolated, dangerous, and inaccessible by 2-wheel

What are you Thankful for?

2008-11-26T16:56:00.000-08:00

This is your chance to post a comment! I know you read the blog, but do you participate with it? We're about to find out. In your response, tell me two things you're thankful for.As for me, I am thankful for my wife. (I am now going to mention some of the things that make me thankful; this is NOT an exhaustive list.) She is sensitive to my need for adventure and change, even though she dreads

. . . in case you were wondering . . .

2008-11-21T21:17:00.000-08:00

Chance Buss, if you are reading this, you are worthy of praise and laud. We ate several pieces of your dear Bessy today; they were fantastic.There are families on the field that we have connected with over the months, and we wanted to bless a few of them this evening, so we invited them over for dinner. During our last visit to the U.S. of A., we were given random cuts of phenomenal beef.

Pictures Worth Sharing

2008-11-20T19:04:00.000-08:00

Before I get to the good stuff, I want to remind the "Google-Reader" users out there that I have another poll on my blog, and this one is of personal interest to me, so please contribute. Now, without further ado. . . these pictures are from several different locations over several different years. Enjoy!I just participated in "Crud-Wars" at camp. Imagine a food-fight with 600 people.In spite

Did you know that . . .

2008-11-19T17:59:00.000-08:00

The fastest moving land snail, the common garden snail, has a speed of 0.0313 mph.The next sentence is true but you must not believe it. The previous sentence was false.One can cut a cake into 8 pieces with only three movements.In the average lifetime, a person will walk the equivalent of 5 times around the equator. The word "lethologica" describes the state of not being able to remember the

2008-11-14T17:28:00.000-08:00

Math isI would like to take some time to introduce you to my math students in no particular order.Algebra 2 - I asked them to think of how they wanted to be remembered in the annals of time. This is what they came up with: Mug-shots w/height measurements that say they are 2-3 ft tall.PreCalculus - They preferred the group shot, and it happened on a day that we met outdoors.Algebra 1 - They also

There and back again.

2008-11-09T18:48:00.000-08:00

New and exciting things are coming your way! Liz and I just returned from yet ANOTHER school break. You may remember the last break from September. Also chronicled here, and here, and HERE. Well this time, I was asked to be in a friends wedding. Adam Parks, who is adequately described in my old blog, married an outstanding girl from the east coast, and I was given the honor of standing with

New Features!!

2008-10-29T13:46:00.000-07:00

Friends, family, and worhty opponents:There are two new features that you will notice on my blog. (Google-Reader users will need to visit my actual website to see.) I encourage all of you to take part in these new features, as it will allow you to be more interactive in my blog, thus creating a community that I have very much been missing these last few months.First: The poll is inspired because

Homeward Bound

2008-10-26T17:19:00.000-07:00

With another school break fast approaching, and with my mother fresh out of Cancer treatment, we have decided to use this break for some travel. We will be in Denver on Friday and Saturday for Adam Parks' wedding, and then we will spend another five or six days in Norfolk with Momma Taylor. What a blessing it will be to help her in the recovery. The following weekend we will drive back to

Up, Up, and Away!!

2008-10-18T21:15:00.000-07:00

In our efforts to expand our ministry and encouragement down here, (as if we needed a noble reason to make it worth-while) Liz and I joined five families from the language program for a weekend out at Majalca. All of the families involved (save for one) have multiple little children that scurry around and eat mud, bugs, and what-not. It was a lot of fun for sure!Also, if you remember from our

Two thoughts and a picture.

2008-10-10T16:08:00.000-07:00

1) When do you stop accepting causes for the sake of being single-focused, without ignoring the pain and hurting in this world? (In other words, how do you live this Christian life w/out getting homeless, penniless, and completely empty, while avoiding the snares of complacent living?)2) Why does every woman respond to charm so easily? (there IS a story attached to this question... you'll have

2008-10-08T16:43:00.000-07:00

He replaces the phone on its base and rubs his temples. He's never had to deal with this before. Sadness courses through his veins, his throat constricts, and that tension in his jaw develops. (the one he associates with pain, tears, and heartache)They tell her she has cancer. That word feels like a knife, subtly stabbing at his heart, reminding him of all the times that word has ended in pain

page worth reading

2008-10-06T14:01:00.000-07:00

I think everyone should read this:http://branthansen.typepad.com/letters_from_kamp_krusty/2008/09/from-the-archive-excuse-me-while-i-single-handedly-neutralize-al-qaeda.htmlLet me know what you think.

What I miss (part 2)

2008-10-04T08:19:00.000-07:00

I feel the need to apologize for that last post. I mentioned that it wasn't about people, and then I put the picture of Mike Hsu in the middle. Although I dearly miss the man behind that face, the face is supposed to represent the essence of Grace Chapel in that I couldn't find a decent picture of the building.

What I miss:

2008-10-03T16:23:00.000-07:00

There are too many faces that I miss to start mentioning now. If you're reading this blog, I'm sure you're one of them. . . Today's post is not about you. It's about the THINGS I miss most. I will try to capture a few of their essence(es) with some pictures.

2008-10-01T16:18:00.000-07:00

On the camping trip, which is described in DETAIL on my wife's blog, we played a lot of football. This is a VERY short clip which highlights Liz's mad skills.

Physics Project

2008-09-30T12:37:00.000-07:00

This is a project I had my physics students work on over their school break. The following three teams tried to launch an egg three meters and catch it again. The only rules were that it had to be a "hands-free" launcher & catcher.

Being the new guys...

2008-09-26T07:11:00.000-07:00

In this edition of the Taylor's lives, we're talking about the number of nights this week we've spent out of the house. We offered our lives as a peace-offering to the field of New Tribes Mission, and as a result, they are taking us up on that. Also, everyone wants to get to know the new guys! Monday - Tyler'sTuesday - Tyler'sThursday - Miller'sFriday - DormSaturday - Jr. High Camping