Eltolad in 3D

Update: October 2007

2007-10-20T06:54:00.000-07:00

Here we are, in October of 2007. I will post what's been going on these past few months in the weeks to come. As far as what's been going on now:

Issac turns 1 Tuesday! We're having a party poolside here at our apartment. It's amazing to wonder at the fact that he's already that old! It wasn't that long ago that he was just the tiniest little critter one could ever hold in their hands. He's already walking - in fact, he took his first steps on September 11, of all days! He is so cute!

Judah looks like a kindergarten student! He is as tall as many of the young students running around the campus I teach at. Judah is currently enrolled in the Nursery (we'd call it preschool) program here in Jakarta. He's talking quite a bit; much of it's English, sometimes Indonesian, and other times it's "Judarish," where he's just making the sound up. :)

Mimi and I are teaching! Which is why I couldn't post about it for the first few months. Here, we have to worry about visas and such, and if the occupation on my visa doesn't match the one I'm doing, then it causes big issues. We had to wait for all the paperwork to be sorted out and propperly documented before we could openly talk about it (like here on this blog).

Mimi is teaching music, and I'm teaching English. its fun; I'm teaching the same curriculum I grew up using in Broken Arrow Public Schools. I'm taking care of both 2nd and 5th graders - about 120 students. It can be quite interesting at times, switching between the grades, though! You have to teach at completely different levels!

I'm taking college courses! I'm continuing my educational career, taking some courses at TCC at the time being. I can take them all online - all the essays, quizes, classroom discussion can be done from thousands of miles away! Please be in prayer about that! I'm already a week in, and my books have still not arrived. I'm making do for now, pulling info off the internet, but it would be so much better to have the same materials the rest of the class has. Its like eating dinner without your silverware. You can get the job done, but its a pretty messy process!

That's the news to date. I'll talk more about what else has gone on, and what ministries we are doing in later posts. Hopefully, I will have a few photos posted as well. See you all soon!

The Prodigal Blogger has Returned

2007-10-20T06:34:00.000-07:00

My, how time flies. I honestly cannot believe it's been almost a year.
To be honest, I haven't posted on purpose the first part of the year
because there were so many things that could've happened, I didn't want
to post anything until I actually knew. To be honest, I was applying a
few places, both here in Indonesia, as well as back home. By the time I
actually got the job, I was so busy doing it, as well as being with my
family, I barely had time to post. It was always one of those "if I
have time next time I'm online" sorts of things.

Again, I know it's been some time since my last post. For my friends
and family out there that have been checking this faithfully the past
few months, I am terribly sorry. I have a new system set up where I can
more freely post (even from my cell phone), so these will be coming much
more often in the days and weeks to come.

Started using Twitter

2007-05-11T00:54:00.001-07:00

By the way - for those interested in an integrated SMS-IM-Blog interface, I started using Twitter. Click on that link, and you can check out the automatically created blog. You can also create an account, link me as your friend, and get updates on your IM client (AIM, Google Talk, MSN Messenger, etc), or by email. Let me know if you set up one, I would love to hear what's going on with you!

New Youth Group Blog Created

2007-05-11T00:35:00.001-07:00

For those who really want to know, Eltolad in 3D has a new sister blog - ::relevant youth. I will be posting sermon notes, and relevant information for English speaking youth living in Indonesia.

Currently, we are studying the Chazown Small-group DVD curriculum. It's an awesome series based on the Life Development Plan series. It also has a great (free) web tool for searching out God's vision for your life. Look for the discussion questions on the blog!

THR3E - Highly Recommended Movie

2006-12-08T11:10:00.000-08:00

I have been a fan of Ted Dekker since I discovered "Blink" - everything I've read by him has been excellent. Another note, he grew up as a missionary kid in the jungles of Indonesia! His novels are paced with precision, with superb character development and plot twists. THR3E was my second Dekker novel - and I can't wait to see the movie!

It's raining in Singapore. . .

2006-12-07T03:57:00.000-08:00

. . . and how do I know that? Because I’m here! I’m taking a short trip to reset my visa (Americans cannot stay in Indonesia for more than 6mo without a special visa). I left Tuesday morning, and was supposed to return Thursday afternoon. No such luck. I found out the hard way that you can only drop off a visa app at a certain time, and pick it up the completed passport/visa after a certain time. Needless to say, I won’t be returning until Saturday afternoon. I try to look on the bright side – an extended vacation; however, I only took clothes for two days. This will be the first short vacation I have to do laundry. ^_^

Singapore is a unique and wonderful place. It’s much cleaner than Indonesia, of course, but some smoke still remains from the forest fires on Sumatra. At least the air quality is a bit better than Jakarta. There are tones and tones of shopping centers – every one unique. There’s upper class malls with your Versace, Chanel, D&G stores and the like. There are, however, a lot of low cost shopping centers. These places are loaded with stuff made in China or Indonesia. In fact, there were a number of kids clothing stores that had same/similar styles as the wholesalers carry in Jakarta. It’s fun looking around – there are a ton of computer accessories (i.e. USB powered everything – lights, vacuums, USB adaptors for every known kind of data transfer, etc.). There are even USB phones for use with Skype. You can get full suits made for US$30. I even picked up a pair of sandals for S$.50 (about US$.33). That’s right – 33 cents! A lot of the stuff is tempting to buy – but I didn’t take a lot of cash with me, so I pretty much just have enough for my room and food. And, of course, a little bit left over to find something nice for my wife. ^_^

Culturally speaking, there are people from every walk of life here. I didn’t know there was both a Chinatown and “Little India” here. The crazy thing: most signs are quadra-lingual – in English, Mandarin Chinese, Bahasa Malay (similar to Indonesian), and Hindi. I even walked by an open grassy area – about 300 by 300 meters – with a sign stating “City Land – Enter at Own Risk.” It was a well kept, open, plot of grass. No bars or bushes to set it off from the sidewalk. Too bad my camera’s battery died, I would’ve taken a photo.

I need to go eat – it’s past 7 on Wednesday as I write this. I’ll post more experiences soon!

God bless!

Mimi and Judah, before Isaac was born!

2006-10-30T23:57:00.000-08:00

This photo was taken the 23rd of September; exactly a month before Isaac was born! This is below the mango tree next door to the Domba Kecil office. ^_^

Isaac Ethan Morton warming up in the incubator!

2006-10-30T23:46:00.000-08:00

By the way - I did the math - 4.1 kg is just over 9 pounds! That makes Issac bigger than his brother at birth, but Judah was a bit taller!

Isaac Ethan Morton is Born!

2006-10-26T08:47:00.000-07:00

The good news is finally here! On Monday, 9:20 PM Jakarta time (9:20AM CDT), Isaac Ethan Morton was born! He weighed 4.1 Kilograms, and is 52cm long! I haven't had time to convert that to standard measurements - I only have a few minutes to hop online and post.

He was born via C-section, and both Mimi and he are doing well. Thank you all who were praying for us! Don't stop! I'll post more (hopefully photos if I have time) when I can get on again!

God bless!

Disciple Message Series at LifeChurch!

2006-09-30T02:30:00.000-07:00

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NCWC is over, Baby's coming soon, and tons of great things going on!

2006-09-22T18:59:00.000-07:00

For you faithful readers, I apologize again for the lack of regular updates. For those of you subscribed to my newsletter – I hang my head in shame – it has been far too long since I’ve sent one of my promised “regular updates.” I am exploring an alternative to the newsletter system I am currently using. It’s nice and fancy and has color and places to put pictures, but I can only set that up while at the office with internet access. I will be trying to change over to a new system – something as simple as Google Groups to make it easier to stay in contact. That will mean less fancy, but more frequent updates.

Now that the National Children’s Workers Conference is over, we still haven’t dropped into low gear. We’re still sorting all the materials we had available at the conference, inventorying them, and finding ways to store them. I haven’t asked for the final tally, but last I checked there were nearly 3,000 people there for the conference. People from all over Indonesia came - I would have to check, but I believe we had children’s workers from nearly every populated island in Indonesia! If I remember, I’ll see about posting some photos of that as well (after I post the photos of Judah I keep promising).

Mimi’s really showing now – and not a day goes by that she tells me she wants “to give birth now!!!” Keep her in your prayers – we’ve received no word of complications – but she is really getting to the “extremely uncomfortable” stage: 36 weeks. Really, the baby can come any time now and be born healthy. To top it off, we are looking into possibly moving in the next couple of weeks. While that seems major – to be honest, we’re still basically living out of our suitcases here. We’d finally be moving into the house we expected to move into when first came – minus a chauffeur. That will make an interesting situation for scheduling work for now – but we’ll end up working it out if we actually move there.

Judah is on the verge of being potty trained! I know you all want to hear about that! ^_^ But truth be told, its great news – because if he’s trained, that’s one less set of diapers we have to worry about after the new little guy is born. He’s learning so much – I love spending time with him, wrestling, and teaching him words. He’s really a cute little guy!

On a personal note, I had a great experience this week getting to know a guy from Japan and another from the UK at my very first fully-online LifeGroup. That’s a cell group or bible study group for those of you who aren’t familiar with LifeChurch. It really was an awesome time to connect and discuss the word, and I felt it was effective in helping us live more like Christ. It didn’t matter that we were separated by several thousand miles (or kilometers ^_^) – we had real, Biblical community. If you guys are reading this, I can’t wait to meet again next week! For those of you who want to join us in learning what it means to be a disciple of Christ, be warned, we meet at 6AM CDT! Email me and I’ll fill you in on where to go online.

To top off such an awesome experience yesterday with the LifeGroup, I also had an opportunity to meet another white guy/Indonesian woman couple today! They are actually missionaries – fresh out of serving in China and now serving here in Jakarta – and their church and home are just around the corner from the office! It was great to relate to someone who faces much of the things I face – and to top it off, he used to live in Bartlesville! For those not familiar with Oklahoma, that’s just about an hour’s drive North of Tulsa, where I grew up.

It’s crazy how all of a sudden, it seems God puts people in your path that are the perfect fit for the time in your life – either to encourage you, to lift you up, to simply relate to, to you to disciple, or for them to disciple you!

That’s all for now, but remember: Whoever Finds God, FINDS LIFE!

Is it late August already?!

2006-08-24T20:00:00.000-07:00

Those were my words recently (like 5 seconds ago!) when I looked at the calendar and discovered that it was. This month seemed to fly by! It almost seems absurd that when I was last on Tulsa soil, kids were getting out of school for summer break. Now, they are already buying supplies for yet another year! I try to reconcile it in my mind – it hasn’t worked yet. I’ve not been on any ministry trips since my last post, but we have been preparing for NCWC – The National Children’s Worker’s Conference, for those new to my blog. Our fax machine has been running seemingly nonstop with new registrations coming in! It’s awesome to watch them roll in – page by page by page by page by page – it shows that people are truly interested in coming! It’s exciting to finally see that part of the puzzle locking into place. We still have a way to go to meet (or exceed) the goal of 4,000, but we are well on our way!

If you’re wondering what I’ve been up to, I’ve been dubbing video for distribution at a ministry opportunity this Saturday, as well as NCWC. A while back, a major children’s minister gave us use of his preschool-level video series to distribute in Indonesia. The only catch – all the “masters” are on VHS! I’ve been patiently dubbing them from VHS to the PC, adding our titles, encoding, then burning them to VCD. Its a time consuming process, but it’s definitely something I enjoy! Editing video is something I have found that I enjoy doing! I can’t wait to actually produce something original for the ministry!

Speaking of which, we have some awesome time lapse footage that we will be using for our introductory video at the Conference. It’s pretty spiffy! I’ve got a few more vantage points to shoot, but I’ll have them shot before the end of the week. More on that later!

Mimi can’t wait to have the baby, Judah gets cuter every day, and I’m enjoying Indonesian food every day. Its getting hard to imagine what a day without tempe might be like. . .

Remember: Whoever Finds God, FINDS LIFE!

On a personal note. . . News of Judah!

2006-07-17T10:51:00.001-07:00

Hey all!

Just a quick note – Judah has been learning SOOOOOO many words – both Indonesian and English! Mimi likes to joke that when we come back next year, no one in LifeKids (at www.lifechurch.tv) will be able to understand him because half of his talk will be in a foreign language. ^_^ I’ll try to get some video and see about getting it uploaded sometime soon!

It’s been a late night at the office, so I’m going home to get some sleep. God bless!

Looking Back at the Trip to Palembang. . .

2006-07-17T10:51:00.000-07:00

I have to say, I would not have traded it for anything.

Sure, I missed my wife. Sure, some conditions were less than what most in the west would consider sanitary. And sure, I probably would’ve gone nuts if I heard “Mister, Mister,” a thousand times a day. None-the-less, the experience was worth my bruised knee, and lack of running water. I look back at the photos again and again, and I see the joy in these kids! Not just when I was photographing them around the camp, but when they were worshiping God and learning His word – they were all smiles! Ibu Tanti even said she had never seen that percentage of kids in a crowd really participate in worship! Looking at the video – nearly all of them followed along with the dancing and hand motions! It’s as though they didn’t care what others thought. I prayed these kids would go home with this same fire in their heart, to love their parents and their friends and lead other kids to Christ. They were so hungry to be touched by God – praying and worshiping Him in the most intimate way. Our resource table was nearly exhausted by the end of the two days we were there. They truly wanted to hear and know more about Christ!

At the end of the last session, the kids started to crowd around me and shake my hand and ask for my signature. Many times I had so many notebooks and scraps of paper in front of my face that I couldn’t even see the paper I was signing. I added my trademark ^_^ smiley and “Mazmur 23,” translated: “Psalms 23.” It was so touching when they said goodbye, and you could see in their eyes they were going to miss you. Many of them asked me to come back – but I couldn’t guarantee I would be back again next year. Would my family and I be back in the US? Would we still be in Indonesia? If so, would Mimi be the one to go instead, because she can speak Indonesian? I didn’t think about that. Instead, I relished the last few moments in saying goodbye that night, because we were to leave the next morning, before most of them would rise.

It was evident in their smiles – the loved Christ, and they loved me. It was truly an experience I will cherish.

Report from Sumatra, Day 2

2006-07-17T10:50:00.002-07:00

Again, today turned out to be an excellent day for ministry. I couldn’t walk more than 100 meters before the kids would notice, and holler “Mister, Mister!” and “Photo, photo!”

Falling asleep – finish this tomorrow. =

Update (7/17): Man! I wish I could’ve stayed awake to write – but most of my impressions from Thursday can be found in the next post. Again, the experience was awesome – and I had a chance to teach the kids directly during the last session. By then, they had all seen me, chatted with me (with what little Indonesian I know, and what little English they know), so I felt comfortable talking with them directly. I taught them Ephesians 6:1 – in Indonesian! We also have a little tune for the verse, and it was really cool hearing them all participating and singing it. At the end of the session, the worship team came back up for the “Celebration” ending of the camp – they had set up some balloons to drop at the end – followed by confetti poppers and candy for the kids! It was a blast! The kids were having fun dancing to the praise and worship leading up to the big finish – I can’t wait to upload some photos! There’s more, but I basically covered it in the next post. . .

Report from Sumatra, Day 1

2006-07-17T10:50:00.001-07:00

What an experience this has already been. I continue to search for words that describe the spectrum of feelings I’ve had since landing.

Perhaps what stands out the most is my experience walking the “streets” of the camp here. Shortly after 4pm, I pulled out my camera to get some shots of the camp. It has a lot of character – it’s been around for nearly 20 years! It wasn’t long before the kids noticed the camera and were always trying to pose or jump into the shot. I had some fun taking 200+ photos, but as I walked, more and more kids began to follow! Unless I hide in my (locked) room, they continue to follow and touch and talk. It was remarkable how it resembled the videos many of us have seen, with the crowds amassing behind Him. Don’t get me wrong, by no ways am I trying to compare myself with Jesus! But, for a moment, I was able to peer into His life in a way I’ve never had a chance to do.

Granted, they amassed beause they wanted to see “bule” or foreigner/white person, and I spoke English, and I wanted to take their photo. Jesus came with so much more! I was blessed when it was finally time to minister to them! I played Eugene, behind a puppet stage (I didn’t want my skin color distracting them), followed by Ibu Tanti (my mother-in-law), speaking on the story of a slave being set free. At the end, we played a short clip of Christ’s beating and Crucifixion. Ibu Tanti prayed with them – and it was follwed by song. They wept as they sang “S’muh Baik” or “All is Well” and “Ku Istimewa” meaning, “I’m Special <to God>.”

Now, I’ve heard these songs since I’ve been here, and granted I can sing along with them (mostly). But so often, because I don’t know the meaning of all the words, I haven’t really “entered in” when singing them. I’m sure many would say that it’s because I finally understand the words (which I don’t), but I truly felt God there – and I knew I was not alone. The kids, the leaders, everyone! God’s presence truly touched us all! But it started with the kids responding. They began to cry without prompting <I believe>. Again, I’m reminded of the scripture that we must become like one of these children to enter the kingdom of God!

God bless you all!

Waiting for a flight. . .

2006-07-17T10:50:00.000-07:00

Hello faithful readers!

I am sitting on the edge of a luggage cart with my back leaning against my bags as I wait in queue for a standby flight to Palembang, Sumatra. I learned a horrible truth today – some Indonesian Airlines overbook at an extreme level. I woke up before 5 today, and got to the airport shortly after 6 (AM!). In the past, we’ve been able to still catch the flight, but in this case, they had already given our seats away. Not to worry. I have been using the time to catch up with some Bible study, and (assuming I can find a power outlet), I will probably continue on the project I am working on for the ministry.

It’s times like this when I must (literally) practice what I preach. Just this past Sunday, I taught the youth about the 4^th chapter of Philippians. Paul “learned to be content in any circumstance.” (v.11) I’m reminded that he wrote this while in a filthy, stinking Roman prison, chained to a guard. If he can write that in that situation, then surely I can be happy despite a few hours to wait. Besides, doesn’t the Bible say that “all things work for the glory of those who please Him and are called by His name?”

I encourage you to assess where you are right now. Are you happy? Paul was content with where he was because he knew of the promise of eternal life (he was going to trial – and could’ve been executed). We should be encouraged to follow his example to not grumble and complain.

A few delayed posts from our recent trip to Palembang

2006-07-17T10:39:00.000-07:00

Hey all!

Nice to have you on my blog! I’ve not written recently because I’ve been pushing to get a pretty big project done – getting all the ministry’s visual aids organized into the computer! That sounds easy, but I’ve photographed literally HUNDREDS of these painted-paperboard learning tools! There’s three sets per year (VBS, Easter, and Christmas) dating back as far as 1994! None-the-less, the project is nearing completion (I have the Easter catalog completely laid out – the file size is nearly 500MB!), and I have a few moments to write a quick update or two.

The following posts (which, in blog terms, means the posts above this one ^_^), are from our trip to Palembang! Ibu Tanti, my mother-in-law, and I traveled to Palembang, Sumatra for a Bible Camp. Three hundred (300!) kids learned of Christ’s love, and were challenged to share His love to the people they know and meet. I tried to capture the essence of what I was feeling at the end of each day – but, alas, the written word, though powerful, still cannot quite explain the wide range of human emotion. The words I would use today wouldn’t give it justice – it was nearly 2 weeks ago (June 28 & 29). I hope you enjoy my recounting of this awesome experience. ^_^

Heads up - Ministry Materials Available!

2006-06-06T00:05:00.000-07:00

For those of my readership who happen to be ministers in some fashion - LifeChurch.tv OPEN recently OPENed. Basically, LifeChurch has taken all of their graphic artist's work, and made it available, free of charge. Things like bulletin artwork, looped backgrounds, even preview "commercials" for the next week's message. To sweeten the deal even more, they've started making the messages themselves available! They've started with the recent "Why?" and "Meds" series, as well as most of this year's Switch (youth) Videos. Their only requirement is that the tools are not used for profit, but rather "to lead people to become fully devoted followers of Christ." Add to the fact that we now have LifeChurch.tv: Internet Campus, and people all over the world can be ministered to by the awesome tools LC has worked so hard to create.

For the videos, they come in a ZIPed ISO file. Layman terms = you will have to "unpack" and "burn to DVD." If you don't have DVD-R's readily available, or you already have a PC hooked up to your A/V system (or like in my case, all you have available to use with the youth is a laptop), may I suggest Dameon Tools. You can basically use your hard drive as a virtual CD/DVD drive. Basically, you can run ISO files right on your computer - without having to burn them to disc first. I've tried it on multiple ISO's I've created, as well as LC:Open's ISO's. They work flawlessly!

That said, get the word out! Email our call your minister friends or family members and let them know to check it out!

God bless!

The New Baby on the Way!

2006-05-30T04:08:00.000-07:00

Here he is! This photo is from last month, but we'll have more this Friday! He's progressing well and I even felt the faintest of kicks just this week!
God bless!

The New Baby's Hearbeat

2006-05-30T03:12:00.000-07:00

You can see the ripples on the right side of the photo. That's our little one's heartbeat! I know it doesn't look like some of the modern charts you've seen; don't worry - it's an older ultrasound machine. The hearbeat is healthy and strong!

Earthquake in the News - We're safe

2006-05-27T03:17:00.000-07:00

Hello faithful readers!

By now, many of you may have learned of an earthquake that happened here in Indonesia. Yes, it was 5.9 on the Richter scale, and yes, it was here on the Java Island. Don't worry - the epicenter was 250 miles away - we didn't feel anything (that I'm aware of ^_^ I was asleep). It is near Mount Merapi - which has been at it's highest warning levels for impending eruption. It's had several micro-eruptions over the past month - spewing hot ash and gas into the air and down it's slope. Only recently has lava started flowing - mostly caused by the quake.

Please pray for ministry partners. Toto, one of our two graphic artists, lives in the town that was worst hit. He is safe, but sadly, his parents are not. They have gone to be with the Lord. His house is also leveled, and most electricity and communications have been knocked out. We don't know anything more at this time. Please pray for God's provision and for his safety as he is in this time of transition.

I will post as I learn more. God bless you!

The Domba Kecil Website is up

2006-05-21T20:47:00.000-07:00

Hello all!

Check out two pages - dombakecil.org/index.htm and dombakecil.org/index.php

The first is our basic ministry web page - it gives an overview of our ministries and current projects we are working on. The second is our NCWC - "National Children's Worker's Conference" web page - and it is still under construction. Dede, my brother-in-law has set it up, and we will be working to complete it. Our deadline is the end of the month. There's some work to be done, so thanks for not being overly critical. ^_^

For those of you who have heard about Mount Merapi - don't worry. That volcano is some 250 miles away. If it erupts, it's quite far away - at most we'll get some dirty rain from it - but with the smog here, that's something we're used to. ^_^

A Long Awaited Post!

2006-05-14T22:04:00.000-07:00

Hello all again to my outlet to the World, my Blog. <excuse me, while I brush away the cobwebs>

I know it's been some time since I've posted, and many of you may have stopped checking - alas, the wait is over, as is my trip to the States. Many of you know that the National Day of Prayer fair/conference could've gone better - but that is in the past, and we've moved on. Good news, though: Ibu Tanti, my mother-in-law was invited to New York, Philadelphia, and Newark, NJ the weekend before I left. Everything that she brought with her sold - which helped pay off the tickets to the States. By now, she is in LA, and ministering to churches there.

I have a working site set up for Domba Kecil, but its not rendering well in some browsers (i.e. it doesn't look right)! I am working to fix that, and when I do, I'll post the links to it.

The family is doing well - Judah is saying more and more words (many of them Indonesian)! At this rate, he'll be talking better Indonesian than I if I don't start applying myself to my learning program! He's as cute as ever, and expect some photos in the next couple of days.

I'll add details of my trip soon - for now, I'm going to go eat lunch!

Fire Station Field Trip!

2006-04-13T00:53:00.000-07:00

Wednesday of last week, the preschool/playgroup went on a field trip to the local Jakarta Fire Station! They got a glimpse of firefighting by getting to see how the hoses are set up, meeting someone in standard fire gear, an intense heat fire suit, and even had a chance to "operate" the fire hose and ride on the truck.

It was a great experience as a photographer/videographer. I'm working on expanding footage for the ministry for upcoming publications & videos. It's all focused on letting people know about the ministry and leading children to Christ!

Photographing the latest Domba Kecil Magazine Cover!

2006-04-13T00:21:00.000-07:00

I must say, Alfin (pronounced Alvin) is by far, one of the most tallented multi-format artists I have met. He is a wizard with modelling clay and paints freehand in Photoshop. We are blessed to have him on the team!

Pictured is us setting up for the next Domba Kecil ministry magazine. I'm looking forward to see the finished product!

First Official Update from Indonesia!

2006-04-10T02:36:00.000-07:00

Hello all, and thank you for your prayers!

For those of you wanting to know what we've been up to, here's the scoop:

Mimi's been diligently working on translating curriculum for the children's ministry here. She's working hard at getting another volume done quickly. I've been the typical electronic handyman - setting up an additional router to allow for a few more internet devices. I've also been assigned to handle an upcoming conference - it's going to be May 4th - and I'll be back in Tulsa! That's right - not a month into moving here, I'm already headed back - not only to the states, but back to Tulsa!

It's tied in with the National Day of Prayer and it's an all day event, ending in a mass choir concert at the Mabee Center. You can find info about it here. I'm supposing it's a ticketed event, but prices are not yet listed on the Mabee Center website as of today. I'll be there for the entire event - from 7am to 10pm - representing Domba Kecil (Little Lamb) Ministries. I'm not sure which one we'll be listed under in the program, but just look around - we'll have a booth set up. The website is a placeholder for now - later in the month, I will be updating that to a more usable site, and fine tuning/overhauling it after I return from the Conference.

For now, I'm working on constructing the backdrop, and developing/translating some materials & resource catalogs for English consumption! For those who will be interested, I will have a variety of materials available to "Touch young hearts, CHANGE LIVES FOREVER." We will have puppets, puppet stage plans (likely free), puppet stage totes (for storage and travel). Due to weight, most of the visual aids will stay here, but I will have a full catalog - be it on paper, or online, to order those during or after the conference. Mimi's working on a design or two for T-shirts, and if I have time, we will try to record a few puppet skits in English. There are plenty of scripture/inspirational woodcarvings that will be available at a reasonable price (the kind you pay an arm-and-a-leg for at your local Christian bookstore).

We aren't just going to peddle our wares - we also want to get the word out about what Domba Kecil is all about. We want people to know exactly how many children can be reached, and need to be reached. We want people to know about the various ministry methods we employ to try to reach as many children - as many people - as possible. We also want people to know how they can be a part of it. Prayer is the number one request! Don't just pray that my flight back will be safe, but also pray for the effectiveness of the ministry here. We have been invited to minister in Surabuya later this month - I will be traveling there the week before the Tulsa conference. Please pray that lives will be changed there as well.

Nearly all of you haven't heard - I was in the hospital this past Thursday night (early Thurs. for you). I had abdominal pain all day - but it became very acute and localized late in the day. Turns out, my appendix was not to far from bursting. Normally, it should be the size of your pinkie finger. I didn't have a chance to see it, but Mimi & her mom say it was about the size of a stretched deck of cards. The doctor originally said I'd be there for three days, but Saturday morning ( 1.5 days early), I was released! God continues to work - even in the face of a crazy emergency like that. I can honestly say that, unlike previous hospital visits, I was completely at ease. I knew for a fact God would see me through and what Satan intended for evil, God intended for good. As long as I don't lift over 10 pounds, I should be good to go in no time!

Thank you all for your prayers, we welcome and appreciate them! We know we are merely on the brink of what God's going to do here in Indonesia!

God bless you all!

We made it here safely!

2006-03-31T18:27:00.000-08:00

I am happy to say that the family has made it here safely! I am diligently trying to catch up and email all who have asked to be updated on what's going on out here, and I will! It has been a journey, but it has really only now begun! I'm excited about what we will be able to do here, and look forward to hearing from all my friends and family back in the States! Don't hesitate to email - if it takes me a little bit to respond, remember, there is a 12 hour difference between you and me!

Speaking of which, jet lag is almost gone - coffee is very much to thank for that. Forcing yourself to stay awake when your body thinks it's time to sleep is about the easiest way to switch schedules. Judah seems to be switching over pretty easy as well - it's just a matter of making his naps a little shorter, until he gets used to sleeping at night again. In the works is a quick write-up on what to do and not to do when deciding to move overseas (read: don't wait until the last minute). I hope you all will get at least a laugh or two out of it.

Stay tuned, more posts are on the way!

I'm Feeling it. . . .

2006-03-18T15:46:00.000-08:00

<deep breath> <deeper breath> Man - one cannot truly describe the sensation of knowing that a week from Monday, you will be on your way to a new country, new culture, new surroundings. I didn't have this feeling the last two times, because I knew I would only be there for a month. I still had American Dollars in my wallet while I was there. I am going to have Rupiah in my wallet for a full year! I will be used to a rainbow of currency in my wallet, not just the flat green of US bills.

<another deep breath> I'm trying not to put too much thought into this. I've already been there, been in the culture, but I've always got dressed out of a suitcase, not a dresser or wardrobe. I know what I'm getting into, but I know the thought of it will only get more overwhelming. 5x10 + 4 Suitcases (+ 1 for Judah) = all our worldy possesions as of 1 week from today.

<stopped breathing - wait. . . okay I'm back> I'm not going crazy - but those closest to us know that my family has been through changes - quitting jobs, selling off furniture, etc. It can easilly be overwhelming for everyone. I'm okay. Thank you all for your prayers - I know you are out there, because God continues to bless us every day (even days that I sometimes forget to pray myself).

Well, I'm off to go finish pre-spacing our storage - I'm laying it out in our apartment to maximize our space (and make sure it all fits). For those of you who can help us move Thurs-Sat, it would be greatly appreciated. I know that we'll make it there with your help, and God's provision!

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 1 Peter 1:3 NKJV

Judah has a new Sibling on the Way!

2006-03-13T23:30:00.000-08:00

A slightly different ultrasound of the new delivery.

Judah has a new Sibling on the Way!

2006-03-13T23:24:00.000-08:00

WOW - Another little one on the way. I blurred the rest of the photo to help those who aren't as affluent in viewing ultrasounds. The little one is the grey-white spot inside the larger black spot. We're looking forward to the new arrival, due in October!

Yes, that means we will be in Indonesia when the little one's born. Yes, there will be TONS of photos posted here on this blog. I'll keep it posted as time permits, and I'll of course return email within a day or two!

God bless!

Judah - Superstar with Sunglasses

2006-03-02T22:34:00.000-08:00

aka "Cutest Baby in the World"

Perspectives from New Orleans

2006-02-12T21:48:00.000-08:00

As many of you know, I returned from a MicroMission trip to New Orleans to aid in relief. I have many mixed impressions - many of which can be expressed in photos. Give me some time - it's been a very full week - and my last week at Walgreens. I will be updating this blog this week - sharing what it was like down there. Thanks for your patience.

For those of you looking for news of Indonesia, it's coming soon! Updates of all sorts are soon to come!

God bless!

Personal Thanks to all the Tulsa Parking Team!

2006-01-28T00:19:00.000-08:00

Wow! These past few weeks have been CRAZY - every Experience is filling up. The 10am and 11:30am Experiences have kept us on our toes. From driving cartload after cartload after cartload of people to and from the door, to helping count cars to help assess our parking needs, you guys (and girl) have been faithful! Some of you have even volunteered this Monday evening to assist in parking for the Membership Class! I cannot begin to say how thankful I am of those who have been driving a while, and those who have just begun. We literally could not do it without you! Each of you are a blessing, and I pray you are all truly blessed! LifeChurch.tv Tulsa is not the same because of you. I look forward to serving with you every week. Aaron, Clint, David, Derek, Joey, Jon, & Scott - you are awesome in every way. Thank you for your hard work and dedication, and God bless!

"We Moved. . .

2006-01-28T00:16:00.000-08:00

. . . Like a Well Oiled Machine."

2006-01-28T00:11:00.000-08:00

- quote by Superstar Driver David

We Had Carts FULL of PEOPLE - Cartload. . .

2006-01-28T00:01:00.000-08:00

after Cartload!

2006-01-27T23:48:00.000-08:00

Derek was Busy - Driving People to the Door. . .

2006-01-27T23:39:00.000-08:00

AND back out to their cars!

2006-01-27T23:37:00.000-08:00

Another Record Setting Day at LifeChurch.tv!

2006-01-27T23:30:00.000-08:00

Christian Online Gaming Communities

2006-01-16T17:36:00.000-08:00

For years, my good friend Peter has been running TOJ - the Tribe of Judah - an online Christian Gaming Clan that is now a part of CGA - the Christian Gamers Alliance . I have seen many people brought in, counseled, and in some cases - just had a lot of fellowship. As it's once been said - guys spend time side by side (games, sports, etc - doing something) and girls spend time face to face (talking/quality time). This has been a great outlet for guys to spend time with other believers that, geographically speaking, they might not get elsewhere. I have been a longtime member (inactive for now) - but I still wholeheartedly support and encourage organizations such as these. Christ said " go into all the world, and make disciples." And, because of today's culture, where it's sometimes acceptable for a 10-12 year old to play a MMORPG for hours on end, these clans are a great tool for going into "their world."

This post isn't without prompting - to my surprise, Penny Arcade had a whole post/ comic about it (link = curse word warning). As with many I don't agree with everything said on Penny Arcade, many times the posts prove insightful. Of course, their posts are many times based on another post. Of course, if you dig enough on that post, you'll learn about an upcoming strategy/action game based on the infamous Left Behind Series.

Truth be told, my chruch will be launching a 100% ONLINE campus later this year. Our church already uses the multi-campus approach, and this will be treated just the same - it's own Campus Pastor, it's own Praise and Worship Band - even a chat area solely open before and after the Experience - just like chatting in the foyer (still in the works)! It will be a great tool for believers and missionaries alike - stranded in remote areas and living in big cities - to come together and be renewed in their walk with God.

Whew! I think I broke my personal record for greatest number of hyperlinks in one post!

AudioBlog at LifeChurch.tv!

2006-01-08T08:29:00.000-08:00

Narnia Trailer

2005-12-22T08:37:00.000-08:00

Bob the Tomato

2005-12-20T19:46:00.000-08:00

aka - "Judah's First Birthday Cake"

Thanks to Everyone. . .

2005-12-20T19:42:00.000-08:00

. . . for your generosity at Judah's First Birthday! He loves his new outfits and toys! Thanks again!

Christmas Spirit is Rampant. . .

2005-12-20T19:22:00.000-08:00

. . . in the LifeChurch.tv Tulsa Parking Team!

More LifeChurch.tv Tulsa Parking Team Photos!

2005-12-20T19:13:00.000-08:00

Aaron stays warm in his Spiffy Santa Hat!

Joey Reacts in Horror. . .

2005-12-20T19:11:00.000-08:00

. . . as she realizes that she just ran over her fearless Parking Team Leader!

Watch out for the Icy Patch!

2005-12-20T19:08:00.000-08:00

Redell attempts to park the 7-seater without skidding. He was successful.

Redell Contemplating on How Cool the Parking Team is.

2005-12-20T18:57:00.000-08:00

Judah's First Experience with Snow

2005-12-11T12:30:00.000-08:00

Judah's First Experience with Snow

2005-12-11T12:28:00.000-08:00

Judah's First Experience with Snow

2005-12-11T12:26:00.000-08:00

Judah's First Experience with Snow

2005-12-11T12:25:00.000-08:00

Judah's First Experience with Snow

2005-12-11T12:24:00.000-08:00

Judah's First Experience with Snow

2005-12-11T12:22:00.001-08:00

Judah's First Experience with Snow

2005-12-11T12:22:00.000-08:00

Judah's First Experience with Snow

2005-12-11T12:21:00.000-08:00

More Hunter Park Photos

2005-12-11T12:18:00.001-08:00

More Hunter Park Photos

2005-12-11T12:18:00.000-08:00

More Hunter Park Photos

2005-12-11T12:16:00.000-08:00

The Sky's the Limit

2005-12-11T11:07:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite photos - ever.

The Family at Hunter Park

2005-12-11T11:06:00.000-08:00

It's been a little while

2005-12-10T09:22:00.000-08:00

Hello, faithful readers.

It's been some time, I know, since the last post. I've been working hard organizing and taking pictures of my son for his 1st birthday. It's next Sunday - and all his friends and family members are invited. If I haven't had a chance to see you the past week or so, email me. I will make sure you get an invitation before it's time. Push come to shove, I can email you a .jpg and give you a hard copy at the party itself.

I will be posting photos of Judah's first experience in the snow - either today or tomarrow. Check back soon!

Star Wars Info - Not Supprising

2005-11-06T00:26:00.000-08:00

Chances are, if you know me for any length of time, you'll know that I've been a fan of Star Wars for some time. Ranging from interested to fanatical (and now back down to interested), I've followed the plots despite my distinct dislike for Hayden Christensen's acting in the movies. It's no surprise to me that Episode 3, Revenge of the Sith will be released on DVD only!

I wish I could say I'm not surprised. . .

Quote of the Day

2005-11-04T20:41:00.000-08:00

I came across this one recently, and wanted to remember it - so I sent it to my blog:

To avoid situations in which you might make mistakes may be the biggest mistake of all.
- Peter McWilliams

2005-11-01T22:56:00.000-08:00

Judah has a new Booster Seat! He's getting so big! After successfully installing Judah's new seat in the Target parking lot - it's off to Krispy Kreme to celebrate!

2005-11-01T22:55:00.000-08:00

Feeling like a big boy in his new seat, Judah now tries to tackle reading.

2005-10-28T12:55:00.000-07:00

Judah and Daddy went to the Pumkin Patch at Park Plaza Church of Christ - they had tons of pumkins to explore! Judah had a blast, and daddy had fun taking pictures!

2005-10-28T12:54:00.002-07:00

2005-10-28T12:54:00.001-07:00

2005-10-28T12:54:00.000-07:00

2005-10-28T12:37:00.003-07:00

2005-10-28T12:37:00.002-07:00

2005-10-28T12:37:00.001-07:00

2005-10-28T12:37:00.000-07:00

2005-10-28T12:36:00.002-07:00

2005-10-28T12:36:00.001-07:00

2005-10-28T12:36:00.000-07:00

2005-10-28T12:35:00.000-07:00

2005-10-28T12:27:00.000-07:00

The cutest picture of them all!

Back Online!

2005-10-23T20:57:00.000-07:00

After a month long hiatus, my wife and I are back online at home. You can expect more frequent posts from here on out. Thanks for dropping by!

Currently Without Internet

2005-09-20T11:56:00.000-07:00

If you've seen a marked decrease in posts the past couple of weeks, it's because my wife and I moved at the beginning of the month. The cable lines in the apartment complex we're at are owned by an independant company - not Cox Communications. What does that mean? No Cox High Speed Internet. We are still debating on a landline to get dialup or DSL.

Keep checking up on us - I will still be posting - my goal is approximately once a week.

Have a great day!

2005-08-21T14:54:00.000-07:00

Judah - Hanging around with dad after Church.

2005-08-21T00:44:00.000-07:00

New Parallel Blog Created

2005-08-19T23:53:00.000-07:00

In order to keep this blog a family-friendly, fun loving, photo displaying, politlically-free blog, I have created a "sister" blog to Eltolad in 3D, called Worldview with a Twist. If you are interested in a unique perspecive on current events, drop on by.

Movie Review: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

2005-08-13T23:26:00.000-07:00

It's official. Tim Burton can actually make a great movie without resorting to horror. I must admit, when I first decided to watch it, I was unsure if it would live up to it's predecessor, and not rely simply on computer generated gadgetry to carry the movie. I'm happy to say the acting and music far exceeded my expectations and the computer generated effects enhance the movie rather than distracting from it. This movie even has positive reviews on Christian web sites.

All in all this movie is tops. Four Stars. My Custom Movie Scale: I would see it in theatres AND buy the DVD. It's kid friendly and is enjoyable for all the adults who remember reading the book or watching the 1971 version. The review I linked above says it all.

^_^

2005-08-11T13:50:00.000-07:00

Judah had a fun time with Robert after we visted the mall. Look at that smile!

2005-08-11T13:47:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday, Mom, Robert, Mimi, Judah, and I all stoped by the mall to get our photo taken with Hey Arnold! It's one of the few photos with all of us together. It was a great time spending time with them both! I hope they had as much fun as we did!

2005-08-07T23:00:00.000-07:00

A good friend of ours was so kind that he bought dinner for Mimi and I for our 2 year anniversary. It was exquisite! Try it when you have a chance but call me to get a heads up on the dishes we tried.

2005-08-07T22:57:00.000-07:00

Fun times at The Wild Fork - thanks again Ferry!

Carb Supporters Rejoice as Atkins Goes Belly Up

2005-08-02T18:29:00.000-07:00

I'm not one to post a lot of links on my blog, but this needed repeating. I'm not going to say I told you so.

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/la-fi-lowcarb2aug02,0,3817460.story

My favorite quote: "It just proves that what Atkins was trying to do was just too extreme," said Jeff Yankellow, a South San Francisco baking instructor and winner of the World Cup of Baking in Paris in April. "Bread has survived as a nutritional food for thousands of years, and Atkins isn't going to kill it."

2005-07-31T11:40:00.000-07:00

It happened just yesterday, JUDAH CRAWLED FOR THE FIRST TIME! Mimi and I were both there to witness it! It was quite a milestone! Our son is so smart!

2005-07-31T11:39:00.000-07:00

Judah, CRAWLING FOR THE FIRST TIME!

2005-07-31T11:38:00.000-07:00

The way sunlight plays on my son's face can be quite breathtaking at times. I am so blessed to have such a handsome son.

2005-07-31T11:37:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all the guys that help out with the LifeChurch.tv Tulsa Parking Team. This is Aaron, taking a moment to pose after dropping someone off at the door.

2005-07-31T11:35:00.000-07:00

Aaron, setting the new record for the 3 seater!

2005-07-31T11:34:00.000-07:00

Redell and Scott - these guys "rock the lot" - they are faithful drivers, always friendly during the 10 o'clock Worship Experience. Thanks guys!

If you want printable quality photos

2005-07-25T21:26:00.000-07:00

Let me know. I can email you a sharper resolution image you can print at your local drugstore.

God bless!
-Gabriel