Merry Christmas - 2008 in review

On the first month after Christmas…we got snow.

On the second month after Christmas…we celebrated with a bunch of eagles and we got more snow.

On the third month after Christmas…Sara was still playing basketball after a 6 month season and we got more snow!

On the forth month after Christmas…We said see you in heaven to Marv & Ruth. Luke celebrated his Confirmation, and Sue & Bob celebrated 23 years of marriage and no snow!

On the fifth month after Christmas…Jena made the WSHS Poms Pons Squad, Luke started his 2nd year life guarding at Fox Brook. What no snow?

On the sixth month after Christmas…Jena, Leah, & Sara graduated from the 8th grade, Jena & Sara went to Washington DC to celebrate. Leah went off to Easter Seals camp. Sun but no snow.

On the seventh month after Christmas…Sara started summer basketball. Jena goes to Pom camp and her team wins first place! Believe it, no snow.

On the eighth month after Christmas…Sara and Leah join volleyball at WSHS. Jena has a permanent smile from all her Pom Pon work. Luke soars like an Eagle. Luke starts his senior year, and Jena, Leah, and Sara start their freshman year at WSHS, and no snow.

On the ninth month after Christmas…Sara learns how to serve, bump, set, spike. Jena learns to triple twirl. Leah joins clubs. Luke part-time high school senior and part-time college freshman. Hey, but we got no snow.

On the tenth month after Christmas…Hey was that a snowflake I saw? Yup! Leah sung wonderfully in the fall choir concert!

On the eleventh month after Christmas…Hey what is that white stuff blowing on the ground? SNOW?! Sara played basketball at St. Cat’s for WSHS – that makes two of us who have played on the best hardwood in Wisconsin.

On the twelfth month after Christmas…Yeah, Oh yeah we got snow. Leah auditioned for the stage crew and put on a wonderful Christmas choir concert at WSHS. Jena masters the quadruple twirl. Luke becomes pacman and wears togas?

Peace and Love to all of you.
Bob, Sue, Luke, Jena, Leah, Sara, & Trixie

St Paul teaches us to know Christ

Christianity is not an easy path to follow, but a demanding climb illuminated by the light of Christ and his great hope. - St. Paul

Pope Benedict's weekly catechesis on the life and times of St. Paul talked of:

In preaching Jesus Christ risen from the dead Paul was concerned to hand down what he himself had received from the Apostles. He proclaims not only the fact of the resurrection, but its' rather significance in Christ who died and rose for us who have been saved and made righteous in the sight of God. The resurrection reveals Jesus' the true identity as the eternal son of God and the Lord of the living and the dead. We for our part are called to be fully configured to Him in the mystery of the passover from the death to life. Our present sufferings become a sharing in Christ own sufferings and death. By the hope of the resurrection even now draws us to the fullness life with all the Saints in his Kingdom. Salvation, Paul tells us, comes from confessing with our lips that Jesus is Lord and believing in our hearts that God raised him from the dead. With the Apostles then, let us strive even more fully in faith and hope to know Jesus Christ and the power of his resurrection.

Words to live by 1,700 years later.

Pope Benedict in his weekly catechesis talked about Saint and Doctor of the Church, Augustine. In the talk he mentioned:

St. Augustine was a passionate believer who recognized the importance of bringing together faith and reason,

Teaching that we should believe in order to understand and to understand in order to believe.

The particular message St. Augustine has for the men and women of today is perhaps on our need for truth. In his own search for God’s truth St. Augustine said:

You were within me, and I sought You outside in the beautiful things You made, You were with me but I was not with You. You cried out and broke open my deafness. I tested You and now I hunger and thirst for You.

How great is your faith?

Are you willing to wait or do you want immediate gratification?

Someone asked of St. Augustine:

How come God doesn't respond to our prayers? How come we are met so often with silence?

To which, St. Augustine is reported to have said:

That you might be inspired to persevere in prayer and there by allow your heart expand so as to receive the gift that God wants to give you.

Through perseverance we learn to wait and appreciate the gift all the more then it does arrive.

Lord, give my heart patience to know, love, and do your will through my actions.

Fight for what is right!

Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day.

EPHESIANS 6:13

When was the last time I prayed for an enemy?

Transform my passions, Lord Jesus, into the white hot fire of your love.

Be not afraid.

Show me the light.

What is done in darkness needs to have light shown on it.

Duty to Live in the Light

Take no part in the fruitless works of darkness; rather expose them, for it is shameful even to mention the things done by them in secret; but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for everything that becomes visible is light.

EPHESIANS 5:11-14

Open my eyes, O Lord. Help me to see your light in all its glory.

Rules for the new life

Put away falsehoods, speak the truth....Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun set on your anger, and do not leave room for the devil.

EPHESIANS 4:25-27

Did I give way to "bitterness and anger" in any way today?

Lord Jesus, not even the smallest act of kindness escapes your notice. Let it not escape mine either.

Who's your Daddy?

Who made you? Are you self-made, or made in the likeness of God through Christ?

...be renewed in the spirit of your minds...

EPHESIANS 4:23

How clearly do I perceive the presence of God in my life and in the world?

You call us, O Lord, to be partners with you in the new creation. Help us to respond to that call with all our hearts, souls, and mind.


The Holy Spirit is bonds of unity with the blessed Trinity. Unity is communion, love, and giving. - Closing of WYD '08 Pope Benedict

The Church is in us

The common mystery of the our faith is the nature of the "gloried" body of the risen Christ. In the writings of the Acts of the Apostles and other writings of Paul Christ no longer has the limitations of a physical body. Jesus Christ appears when and where he chooses. Paul's image of the Church is very similar, it is here there and everywhere. The Church is in me, in you, in them. The Church is Christ's body; we are the Church.

From whom the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, with the proper functioning of each part, brings about the body's growth and builds itself up in love.

EPHESIANS 4:16

How have I been the instrument of the Christ's love in the flesh today?

O loving God, who put me together in my mother's womb, bring me today more closely into the Body of Christ.

Unity of the Body

We are of one body, one body of Christ!

Striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace
EPHESIANS 4:3

Where is the connection between inner peace and outer peace most clearly manifested in my life?

Lead me , Lord Jesus, on the worthy adventure of a life of discipleship.

Hope you gotta try it sometime.

Hope for every believer "may have the power to grasp...what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses all knowledge."

That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend.

EPHESIANS 3:17-18

When was the list time I was aware of God's love in my life?

Today, my loving Father, I place myself within your loving hands.

We are one because God is one

Jew, Greek, Arab, European, Asian, Christian, Indian, Russian, Brazilian, Ephesian, Muslim, Oceania, God has granted us all access to his kingdom.

"In the former ages this mystery was not made known to the whole world, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit:...the Gentiles have become fellow hearers, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the spreading of the good news."

EPHESIANS 3:2-6

How actively do I seek unity within the Church and between the Church and the world?

Help me to remember this day, Lord Jesus, that whenever two or more are gathered in your name there you are, too.

One in Christ

For he is our peace, he who made both one and broke down the dividing wall of enmity....

EPHESIANS 2:14

Do we have the right balance? Do we have the Right Relationship with Christ? Do we have "Shalom" the Hebrew word for peace, which means much much more. It is a state of being; where all creation interacts with one another in harmony as God intended.

In what ways have I been an instrument of peace?

Come, O Spirit of Peace. Fill my heart with your presence that I might go out and transform the world.

OMG 50 Megapixels - not for your family vacation

In a day when most consumer digital cameras are in the range of 7 to 12 megapixels HasselBland has updated its' digital camera. The previous version only was a 39 megapixel.

This beast is geared toward photographers who shot photographs for (I can't say photos or pics when talking about this camera - it just seems wrong) billboard, high-end glossy magazines and the like. Most of these photographers have not moved to the digital domain, they still use media film and shoot in the 50 to 200 ISO range.

More can be seen on this at: uncrate

Can't have one without the other - faith and works

All of us once lived among them in the desires of the flesh and the impulses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like the rest.

EPHESIANS 2:3

In what ways has my faith and experience of the presence of the risen Christ changed the way I live?

Lead us, Lord Jesus, from the stifling confines of a life apart from you to the golden country of your presence.

Having faith, true belief, really is seeing

May the spirit of wisdom and revelation result in knowledge of Him. May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened, that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call.

EPHESIANS 1:17-18

What is the world that I see when I look out of my window?


Open my eyes, Lord, to the creation of awesome beauty in the ordinary events and meetings of my life.

God's love is no fictious story

As he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him. In love he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, in accord with the favor of his will.

EPHESIANS 1:4-5

How clearly do I see God's plan unfolding in my life?

Thank you, gracious God, for all of the riches of grace you have lavish upon us.

Can I see very far?

Whether writing a letter or typing an e-mail, when you want something noticed your write it bigger or bolder or in caps. That is exactly what Paul did when closing his letter to the Galatians.

See what large letters I make when I am writing in my own hand!

How much better to see things and to drive the point home!


If today I were to die, would the overwhelming experience of my life be of love?

Let not the trees of our imperfections and failings, Lord Jesus Christ, blind us to the forest of God's love.

Have I sowed the right seeds?

Bear one another's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

GALATIANS 6:2

Nurture the seeds of gentleness, compassion, patience, and humility within my community and my heart, Lord Jesus.

Wisdom & Understanding

Now you, my friends, are children of the promise.

GALATIANS 4:28


Guide me, O Holy Spirit, beyond the words on the page to the Word through which all that exists has been created and is sustained.

Are we afraid to be free?

How can you want to be enslaved...again?

GALATIANS 4:9

Lead me, O Holy Spirit, beyond the prison walls of my fears and superstitions toward the limitless horizons of God's love.

Have you checked your sump-pump, lately?

Every once and a while you need to check out the things you take for granted. Things like the sump-pump in your basement, your hot water heater, your furnace, your family, your friends, your kids, and especially your spouse.

Steven Covey had a process he called sharpen the saw. Every so often you need to attend to the tools, the those who make your life easier. Make sure the saw is sharp so when you need it, it will be there for you.

Take time, sharpen your saw, check on your sump-pump, focus on what is important get it done. Believe it, when this is done that voice in the back of your head won't seem to be pest, because the important things won't be in those messages. Rather the work on your desk, on the project, around the corner can be done with more serenity and with less distractions.

So go out there and let your dog kiss you! Hug your kid! Love life! Right before you go to bed each night tell your spouse you LOVE them. Keep that saw the sharpest! Oh and by the way check on your sump-pump, a wet basement can ruin a positive state of mind! ;)

Happy Independence Day - 2008

This has been a nice week. God has blessed us with a good family, good friends, and good fun. The 4th of July is a special time for me. I have many memories of parties, parades, and fireworks. I hope you enjoyed your 4th of July. Here are some photos I took of our fireworks.

Providing Automatic Geotagging in Digital Cameras

How many times have you wonder where did I take that photo? Well with geotagging photos that question is answered. Here is a site that does a much better job oa describing it than I can.

Link to Geotate Providing Automatic Geotagging in Digital Cameras

Tips & Techniques for test taking

There are strategies for taking standardized tests like the ACT or SAT college entrance exams. I tried to gathered these tips from various sources. This tips don't ensure getting a high score/rank.

1. Know the requirements before going to take the test.
   
   
   1. Material needed (i.e., calculator, No. 2 pencils, watch)
   2. Materials NOT allowed (cell phones, etc.)
   3. Valid proof of identification.
   4. etc.
      
2. Know the instructions before going to take the test. Use the time saved during the test to work on questions. This amazingly simple item can save you valuable test taking time. When taking practice tests become very familiar with the instructions for the test and for each section of the test. This allows the test taker to skim the instructions for anything new or changed from the practice test and focus only on those items.
   
3. Answer easy questions first! Mark the ones skipped in the exam book so you can quickly return to them later. Spend only seconds on the easiest questions, which should allow you to spend 1-2 minutes on the hardest ones.
   
4. Guessing is permitted - Yes, guess! Most multiple choice questions with four choices.
   
1. At least one answer is usually not even close - eliminate it.
2. One answer is plausible but could also be eliminated.
3. That leaves two answers, which are close to each other - focus on these two when guessing.
   
5. Avoid errand marks on the answer sheet. A computer scans the sheet and doesn't know the difference between a correct answer and careless doodle.
   
6. Keep on making sure you are marking the right spot on the answer sheet. Make sure the test section and question match the section and question on the answer sheet.
   
7. Don't change an answer unless you are sure you made an error. Your first answer is most likely the correct answer.

To learn more go to

• Top 10 SAT and ACT Test Taking Tips
• How to Easily Increase Your Test Score
• YouTube - ACT Test Tips
• ACT Test Tips and Techniques
• ACT Test Prep Tips and Strategies
• ACT Test General Test Taking Tips
• ACT Test Information and Tips for taking the ACT