MERRY
CHRIST
mas 2019 !
note: some of the photos below were taken by me, mas 2019 !
others are for illustration purpose only & come from a free photo database
IF YOU MISSED SOME of my
PREVIOUS CHRISTmas cards, also see
below is my log of Christmas cards sent over the years
below is the 2013 Christmas card which I also turned into a general Christmas blog containing up-to-date news
& inspiration about Christmas
below is 2016
below is 2018
below is 2019
SO THIS IS A 'NEWSLETTER' I STARTED A FEW MONTHS AGO (october 2019) which I was updating Daily for a WHILE , but then stopped for a while :
I
am starting early on my annual ministry newsletter and Christmas greetings.
Depending on various factors I may send a separate hand-drawn card as well, as
I’ve been trying to do for many years now as part of the ministry…the power of
Christmas cards. But for now I am starting with a newsletter to provide you all
with information about how the ministry is progressing with the help of God and
of course your prayers that are so immensely important . We continue to operate
on a frugal budget and do NOT ask for financial contributions, despite knowing
how much you want to give to our ministry .
As
much as I know you want to do so, Please do NOT send financial
contributions. I use “my” and “our” ministry
interchangeably . It is “mine” in terms of I was the one who “founded” it but
like the apostle Paul how can I take the glory ?! It is for the Glory of God
alone and without Whom there would be no ministry.
And when I say “we” and
“our” I am speaking of it as a ministry in the hand of God (Father-Son-&-Spirit)
as well as it being empowered by the prayers of other people …essentially
another branch of the Body of Christ, just like a church, or a missionary, or a
denomination, … every little ministry big or small is part of the united family
of Christ.
As
some of you know my nuclear family (Jim, Linda et al) moved from west Michigan
to southern California in 1984, after my junior year of high school, and while
I moved with them that summer of ’84, I actually finished my final year of high
school back in Michigan, and basically since my junior year of high school have
been living on my own, either with a friend’s family for a while, with an uncle
for a while, with college classmates for a while, and as a young adult on my
own also for many years starting out as a missionary in the Philippines and Costa Rica
above: Filipino kids watching us perform a gospel skit
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above: another evangelical event we did in the Philippines. Also with us was a group of evangelical Filipino Christians who were associated with YWAM (Youth With a MIssion)
above: that's me in a cave we explored in the Philippines during a little bit of rest & relaxation time (R&R)
.jpg)
above: earthquake damage 1991 costa rica
.jpg)
above: some of the children I tutored at the tourist camp in the Corcovado rainforest area of Costa Rica (Drake Bay)
above photo by me: bighorns in coachella are wild but they have tracking collars
Even
though I have “based” my ministry in southern California, I continue to venture
out of SoCal regularly and spend at least almost half the year outside of the
area , including several months in the “bay area” but also every year a 3 or 4
month “mission trip” across the USA to different parts.
This year (2019) I
spent time in Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, S. Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan,
Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and
back in California (that’s the order of the “loop” I took)…
evangelizing in
different ways along the way. More about that later ..
Recently
I met with family members, ie the beloved Jim & Linda, at a
restaurant near their home in the ABC area (artesia, bellfower, Cerritos) a few
times… when it works out this has become our regular meeting place where I
update them about the ministry activities and they tell me how they are
doing.
As some of you know, Jim despite being retired is still doing some ministry activities at the nearby CRC retirement home in Artesia, and also still with the post-Crystal Cathedral congregation known as Shepherd’s Grove (now in Irvine). While I was sub teaching and going to seminary I also became a regular presence around the Crystal Cathedral as a volunteer and a regular attendee of the worship service and even the membership process.
I was there during it’s hey day as they were still constructing new buildings, buying out an entire neighborhood of homes in order to do so, etc . It was quite something to behold . And then as you all know the ship hit troubled waters, financially. And I stayed with them even attending some of the bankruptcy proceedings at the federal court in Santa Ana .
I remember one time I was there and a guy from Chicago flew in and was sitting next to me and said to me something about the Crystal Cathedral congregation being “spectators” or an “audience” more than a congregation. Unfortunately, if one only watched the church on TV it might SEEM like this from afar, but actually there was a VERY ROBUST ministry and congregation highly participative in the local body which those who only knew it from TV would not realize. There was a professional counseling center. There was a prison ministry. There was pastoral care visiting parishioners. There was a new membership class …for the “becomers”. It was a REAL CHURCH.
I
mention meeting with Jim & Linda a few times every year but because there
is so much to talk about with so infrequent gatherings the
conversations get chopped up and complete thoughts not always conveyed. I
conveyed part of the above conversation with the guy from Chicago to Jim &
Linda recently but was unable to finish my thought.
I wanted them to know that I admired the Crystal Cathedral in its hey day.. and believed it was a church of high integrity and sincerity. Anyways, maybe this letter will eventually reach them so they will know what I had intended to finish saying but for some reason was unable.
I wanted them to know that I admired the Crystal Cathedral in its hey day.. and believed it was a church of high integrity and sincerity. Anyways, maybe this letter will eventually reach them so they will know what I had intended to finish saying but for some reason was unable.
And
of course the END of the Crystal Cathedral “hey day” seems like an unfortunate
thing but maybe we can hope that it was part of God’s plan for it to become
incorporated into the larger body of Christ..now owned and operated by the
Roman Catholic diocese of Orange County .. and there may have been some
providence in such regards for my becoming more involved with the Catholic
church while working as a substitute teacher around Los Angeles while
simultaneously starting a Christian evangelical ministry.
above: the new look of the interior of the Crystal Christ Cathedral
after several years of remodelling . The exterior remains the same
I
was often exhausted at the end of some days which usually began around 5:30 am
and going to wherever they requested me in the greater L.A. area … and some
“assignments” were more challenging than others ..and I needed more spiritual
strength than I had just from attending church one day a week on Sunday at the
local protestant church.
I
discovered daily mass ! Now I know there are plenty of issues and things to be
wary about in the Catholic church, but there are also some good things,
including what I needed most at the time..a source of spiritual stability and
regularity more than just on Sunday. And there are NUMEROUS Catholic church
locations around L.A. and O.C. . So that’s how I began getting familiar with
the Catholic church even before the Crystal Cathedral changed hands.
And
since many of you receiving this letter are from my CRC tradition it is worth
reminding you that John Calvin himself was also a Catholic before he became a
“protestor” (ie protestant) , as was Luther and ALL the original reformers.
They wanted to “reform” the Catholic church, not necessarily start a new
religion or new branch of Christianity.
Their
hope was NOT to throw out the baby with the bathwater but to challenge the
corruption, and it is to be presumed they would be agreeable to becoming
Catholics again once it was reformed and the corruption uprooted. Thus I submit
we should ALSO be thinking of the Catholic church as part of the Body of Christ
we should be more closely acquainted with..
in fact, perhaps it is even an obligation on our part to at least periodically attend a local Catholic mass , if not like I have done become familiar with numerous Catholic congregations especially around southern Cal, but also all over the USA when I travel. Our presence as “protestants” (not as disrupters but as participants is helpful and important even if you do not need to announce yourself as “protestants”.. ;
in fact, perhaps it is even an obligation on our part to at least periodically attend a local Catholic mass , if not like I have done become familiar with numerous Catholic congregations especially around southern Cal, but also all over the USA when I travel. Our presence as “protestants” (not as disrupters but as participants is helpful and important even if you do not need to announce yourself as “protestants”.. ;
whether
or not you participate in eucharist (communion) is your own decision
but keep in mind that “technically” you are supposed to have gone thru the
Catholic membership process (aka RCIA) to participate in the eucharist, but
there are other priests who will say it is about whether you have been baptized
and you can make your own theological argument about whether or not you should
participate in the eucharist if and when you attend a Catholic
mass).
The important thing is your polite presence and feeling that this is truly another part of the Body of Christ. So I will leave my exhortation at that for now .Meanwhile, I hope all is well for everybody. The summer of 2018 I spent most of the time on the road in the pacific northwest… doing a lot of hiking as well.. having started off the summer of 2018 climbing the 6 biggest peaks around Los Angeles (on separate hikes, separated by a few days or weeks) so I was in decent hiking shape.
The important thing is your polite presence and feeling that this is truly another part of the Body of Christ. So I will leave my exhortation at that for now .Meanwhile, I hope all is well for everybody. The summer of 2018 I spent most of the time on the road in the pacific northwest… doing a lot of hiking as well.. having started off the summer of 2018 climbing the 6 biggest peaks around Los Angeles (on separate hikes, separated by a few days or weeks) so I was in decent hiking shape.
And
by the time I got to the Seattle area I found some new hiking challenges
including the popular Mt Si and the nearby Mt Tenerife (did 2-in-1 hike).. all the while
doing my evangelism.. calling people to repentance and baptism via video
messages as I passed thru big and small communities and towns up and down the
west coast. I also explored the Olympia area more closely where I have several
aunts (although I did not impose my presence upon them)
which I explored later in the trip
Likewise
as mentioned I did this again in 2019 making the loop thru the Midwest and back
down south and west again . I spent a lot of time in Michigan this year, more
in the northern areas than where I grew up in Grand Rapids & Holland.
I enjoy the Traverse City area around cherry festival time, and nearby Cadillac etc.
I also spent a few days around Detroit including the wonderful Detroit Zoo among other things.
I spent a little R&R time fishing in
many lakes around northern Mich.. caught some nice bass in a few places, and
even kept & cooked one… SO DELICIOUS ,wow !
I enjoy the Traverse City area around cherry festival time, and nearby Cadillac etc.
I also spent a few days around Detroit including the wonderful Detroit Zoo among other things.
I spent a little R&R time fishing in
many lakes around northern Mich.. caught some nice bass in a few places, and
even kept & cooked one… SO DELICIOUS ,wow !
But
the fishing was also a metaphor I was “living out” for a message about being
“Fishers for Christ” .. if we think of the thrill of fishing as a guide for
what SHOULD be the thrill of evangelism and fulfilling the Great Commission it
gives us another way of looking at it 
"Go & make disciples of all the nations..."
Matt 28.16-20
.. some fishermen have a huge supply of
lures and hooks and lines and poles and reels for all different occasions. Why
shouldn’t we also have such a great supply of ways to reach others with the
Good News ? Think about it.
I
also enjoyed going to Interlochen Music Camp for free daily recitals
and concerts… my mom attended there as a child and so it was fun to see what it
looked like (actually my 2nd time there) and be
welcomed by the interlochen community to enjoy their music .
It is set right on Green Lake not far from Traverse City .. beautiful in the summer and kids come from all over the USA and probably even other countries now . I don’t think they have any particular religious persuasion as far as I know but at least I haven’t heard anything negative in terms of secular liberalism being indoctrinated on the kids there.
It is set right on Green Lake not far from Traverse City .. beautiful in the summer and kids come from all over the USA and probably even other countries now . I don’t think they have any particular religious persuasion as far as I know but at least I haven’t heard anything negative in terms of secular liberalism being indoctrinated on the kids there.
..so as I travel on my mission trips I try to reach people with the message of repentance & baptism saying “REPENT & BE BAPTIZED for the kingdom of heaven is near…” it is a timeless message & God works in mysterious ways to reach people.
What inspired me to do this kind of mission ministry is my experience on a mission trip in the Philippines where we would do this from the back of pickup trucks with megaphones and then people would gather in large #’s and we would show the Jesus film and pray with them and give them Bibles..very inspiring, !
There’s
only ONE PROBLEM with trying to do this in the good ol’ USA, they call it
“DISTURBING the PEACE” .. thus this is the next best thing… , and even
better is that they are TIMELESS … they remain on YouTube & other
sites for many years.. and sometimes I will notice that they get a big
following in some cases.. so we can only HOPE & PRAY that they found “good
soil” to grow in ..
The
other good thing that comes from traveling mission trips is that when you
return, the 2nd or 3rd time etc.., you have a
greater sense of familiarity and care for the city or neighborhood or community
and LESS of a stereotype of it as this or that.. Everybody grows up with
stereotypes of other areas for better or worse.. even in y our own town.. you
grow up thinking of the other side of town as different ..
I
grew up in Alger Heights Grand Rapids 
.. & attended Seymour Christian Elem
& Millbrook Christian Jr. High with all the same kids/classmates .. but
then we merged into the larger GR Christian High school and with students from
the greater Grand Rapids area.. Westside, and Sylvan, and Creston, &
Oakdale, et al . and ALL of us some sort of preconception about one another
..some that were accurate others that were not.. and slowly but surely we grew
to care for one another and not stereotype one another as much..
.. & attended Seymour Christian Elem
& Millbrook Christian Jr. High with all the same kids/classmates .. but
then we merged into the larger GR Christian High school and with students from
the greater Grand Rapids area.. Westside, and Sylvan, and Creston, &
Oakdale, et al . and ALL of us some sort of preconception about one another
..some that were accurate others that were not.. and slowly but surely we grew
to care for one another and not stereotype one another as much..
Likewise
when you travel with a “mission-mind” praying for a community, with intention,
and doing some sort of outreach in a big or small way …over time that community
begins to have a new meaning to you…it’s no longer “FLY-OVER” country .. as the
wealthy coastal people sometimes think of the Midwest areas that they pass over
as they fly back-&-forth from California to New York. I’m NOT in that group
of elites but everybody does this to a certain extent, hopefully less so than
the elites, however.
No
area of any country or the world is “flyover country” for Christians. We need
to strive to reach ALL the world with the Good News, the Gospel of our Savior,
Jesus Christ. There are many remote unreached areas, but also some unreceptive
areas right around the corner from us.
So we must keep trying to reach them just like a fisherman who can’t get a fish to bite…he tries different bait, different size lines, etc. If an invitation to church doesn’t work, try leaving a pamphlet for them to read, or a “simple act of kindness” … sometimes back off for a while ..you may have “spooked” the fish so to speak.. come back later.. don’t be overbearing.. the fish can see your shadow.. , and of course people are NOT fish, and NOT objects .
So we must keep trying to reach them just like a fisherman who can’t get a fish to bite…he tries different bait, different size lines, etc. If an invitation to church doesn’t work, try leaving a pamphlet for them to read, or a “simple act of kindness” … sometimes back off for a while ..you may have “spooked” the fish so to speak.. come back later.. don’t be overbearing.. the fish can see your shadow.. , and of course people are NOT fish, and NOT objects .
We
need to respect them as human beings and not just a “conversion” to check off
of our list. Friendship evangelism is important. Of course this is not always
possible when you’re covering a lot of territory but you hope that others will
pick up what you have put down…other Christians who are local to the area might
water the seed you planted.. it’s teamwork .. we need to be unified as the Body
of Christ.
Meanwhile,
a new form of prayer has begun .. or I’ve begun to use as a tool to “pray
without ceasing” . I’ve actually created a booklet which I call the “New Book
of Prayer” which has numerous categories of prayer.. items & topics to pray
for and about
…and lo & behold as I compose this letter at 12 noon I am in Pacific Palisades on 10/21/19 and there is a new wildfire nearby ! People are getting alerts on their phone. You can hear helicopters overhead. I was hiking in the well-known Temescal Canyon this morning…lots of dry grass & trees & brush in that area and of course LOTS of homes as well on the border of the Santa Monica mountain area.
And I attended a few church services up that way yesterday (Sunday at the Lutheran Church & later at the Presbyterian).. so I am starting to pray with my EYES WIDE OPEN as we speak.. It’s the Santa Ana Winds again.. dry warm windy weather. And they’re still fighting the #SaddleRidgeFire over in the San Fernando Valley. God be with them.
…and lo & behold as I compose this letter at 12 noon I am in Pacific Palisades on 10/21/19 and there is a new wildfire nearby ! People are getting alerts on their phone. You can hear helicopters overhead. I was hiking in the well-known Temescal Canyon this morning…lots of dry grass & trees & brush in that area and of course LOTS of homes as well on the border of the Santa Monica mountain area.
And I attended a few church services up that way yesterday (Sunday at the Lutheran Church & later at the Presbyterian).. so I am starting to pray with my EYES WIDE OPEN as we speak.. It’s the Santa Ana Winds again.. dry warm windy weather. And they’re still fighting the #SaddleRidgeFire over in the San Fernando Valley. God be with them.
10/22/19
I add a little to this letter every day..sort of a stream-of-consciousness and
ministry report update and Christmas greetings etc. There was a big fire hire
yesterday as mentioned above. Now it is Tuesday and just as hot as yesterday..
but not windy yet ..
if it had been windy yesterday the #PalisadesFire might have become a major disaster. Fort. It did little damage to structures..no homes burned from what I’ve heard. I don’t like to get too preachy but these fires are a constant reminder of what is, or should be, most important to all of us beyond our material possessions.
God is not going to ask people what was the value of your house when you get to the pearly gates, but what did you DO for the kingdom after you became “saved”? Reformed rightly know that salvation is NOT by works but by faith , BUT after we are saved God will be interested in knowing what we did AS EVIDENCE of OUR FAITH ? Some even argue that there will be different “levels” of heaven according to one’s faith journey.What do you think?
if it had been windy yesterday the #PalisadesFire might have become a major disaster. Fort. It did little damage to structures..no homes burned from what I’ve heard. I don’t like to get too preachy but these fires are a constant reminder of what is, or should be, most important to all of us beyond our material possessions.
God is not going to ask people what was the value of your house when you get to the pearly gates, but what did you DO for the kingdom after you became “saved”? Reformed rightly know that salvation is NOT by works but by faith , BUT after we are saved God will be interested in knowing what we did AS EVIDENCE of OUR FAITH ? Some even argue that there will be different “levels” of heaven according to one’s faith journey.What do you think?
This
morning I woke and took a hike in Temescal canyon and walked past the old
swimming pool that used to be there. They covered it over with grass several
years ago. Sad. Then I went down to Will Rogers State beach in Santa Monica and
took a swim.. did a little body surfing..now I’m back working on this
letter and also doing some “maps evangelism”.
I continue to contend with chronic pain. Swimming in the ocean is helpful .. even when it gets quite cold in the winter I try to take a dip a few times a week. I’m usually one of the few or only out there withouta wetsuit in the winter. But if you grew up swimming in Lake Michigan the water feels warm here all year around, at least in southern Cal (not northern Cal).
I continue to contend with chronic pain. Swimming in the ocean is helpful .. even when it gets quite cold in the winter I try to take a dip a few times a week. I’m usually one of the few or only out there withouta wetsuit in the winter. But if you grew up swimming in Lake Michigan the water feels warm here all year around, at least in southern Cal (not northern Cal).
Today
I am working on Maps evangelism in the country of France. I’ve found that I can
literally reach almost the whole world via google maps… 
even North Korea. I try
to reach the “most unreached” according to Operation World (see http://www.operationworld.org/hidden/unreached-peoples )
...this is the “new frontier” of evangelism .. using social media ..just like audio Bibles are taking over actual written Bibles in some parts as the more effective way of telling the Gospel story .. and relaying the message via the Oral word .. people telling other people the stories in their own local vernacular. On maps
I first reach out to various popular spots in the country that get a lot of views , then I reach out to the schools with a message (always translated into their home language of course) , also a word of encouragement to the Christian churches, and then synagogues , & finally mosques ..
even North Korea. I try
to reach the “most unreached” according to Operation World (see http://www.operationworld.org/...this is the “new frontier” of evangelism .. using social media ..just like audio Bibles are taking over actual written Bibles in some parts as the more effective way of telling the Gospel story .. and relaying the message via the Oral word .. people telling other people the stories in their own local vernacular. On maps
I first reach out to various popular spots in the country that get a lot of views , then I reach out to the schools with a message (always translated into their home language of course) , also a word of encouragement to the Christian churches, and then synagogues , & finally mosques ..
10/23/19
another warm day here in pacific palisades ..i took another hike in Temescal
Canyon this morning to start the day before the heat hits .. walked about
halfway to Will Rogers State Park on the Rivas trail..maybe about 4 miles
roundtrip.. this area of L.A. is fairly comfortable to be around.. not as much
of the homeless problem as other areas,
but then I saw 2 adult males today looking a bit sketchy.. , you see there's normal "homelessness" and then there's angry homelessness or poverty-stricken, the kind that do NOT care about the community around them.. they're the ones who end up in prison sooner or later, because they are angry. You say "good morning" to them and they scowl at you.. They stand out like a sore thumb in the area.. pray for the homeless !
but then I saw 2 adult males today looking a bit sketchy.. , you see there's normal "homelessness" and then there's angry homelessness or poverty-stricken, the kind that do NOT care about the community around them.. they're the ones who end up in prison sooner or later, because they are angry. You say "good morning" to them and they scowl at you.. They stand out like a sore thumb in the area.. pray for the homeless !
..anyways
back to work: as some of you know I am self-employed , the CEO/Founder of
Mustard Seed Ministries. CEO is "chief evangelical officer" :) , I'm
not into titles and power..just telling others the good news of Jesus Christ.
Every day I look for new ways or repeat the same ways of reaching out to others
with the Good News, planting seeds of hope and faith, in Christ.
You've probably heard of Johnny Appleseed, well I think of myself as Johnny Mustardseed . And I maintain numerous blogs on various topics which integrate evangelism.. some older generations don't really "get" blogs so another way of thinking of my kind of blogs is an "online newspaper" .
You've probably heard of Johnny Appleseed, well I think of myself as Johnny Mustardseed . And I maintain numerous blogs on various topics which integrate evangelism.. some older generations don't really "get" blogs so another way of thinking of my kind of blogs is an "online newspaper" .
Lots
of what I do is scour the news whether it be politics, tragedies, crime,
sports, etc and "aggregate" the news into my pray-the-news blog or
pray-by-play sports blog or protect-the-unborn blog or pray4-hollywood blog,
and the list goes on.. many different news topics to cover.
And then there's also my telling-the-gospel blog and mission blog, and my CRC blog (covering CRC news),
and I even have a blog dedicated to some of my alma maters
: including my high school, as well as Calvin College,
& one for Fuller
Seminary et al. Then there are the Youtube channels... similar to what I
do with blogs but with videos , including a baptism channel along with my
repent-and-be-baptized blog. I also do some writing ( I was an English major
for that matter, I hope I can write well; as well as psychology , double
major).
A lot of my word documents are posted on scribd.com, as well as Issuu website, .. So you could say my ministry is mostly an E-ministry, ..an electronic social media ministry, but not totally. I also do street ministry mostly with pamphlets under windshield wipers. Face-to-face evangelism does NOT work too well in America. It creates conflicts more than it converts souls to Christ. Today I am reaching out to Buddhist temples in the country of Bhutan via google maps, in Nepalese and in English.
And then there's also my telling-the-gospel blog and mission blog, and my CRC blog (covering CRC news),
and I even have a blog dedicated to some of my alma maters
: including my high school, as well as Calvin College, & one for Fuller
Seminary et al. Then there are the Youtube channels... similar to what I
do with blogs but with videos , including a baptism channel along with my
repent-and-be-baptized blog. I also do some writing ( I was an English major
for that matter, I hope I can write well; as well as psychology , double
major).A lot of my word documents are posted on scribd.com, as well as Issuu website, .. So you could say my ministry is mostly an E-ministry, ..an electronic social media ministry, but not totally. I also do street ministry mostly with pamphlets under windshield wipers. Face-to-face evangelism does NOT work too well in America. It creates conflicts more than it converts souls to Christ. Today I am reaching out to Buddhist temples in the country of Bhutan via google maps, in Nepalese and in English.
10/27/19 took a break from writing for a few days. Today is
Sunday. Now I'm in Manhattan Beach, attended church at American Martyrs, 
and am
closely following the updates for the #KincadeFire in northern Cal . I do
a lot of "tweeting" and have gotten a fairly good base of
"followers" .. it really looks like Hollywood Armageddon up there..
like a movie..with evacuations and fires & structures burning and freeway
closures...better than a movie , it's REAL LIFE !
fortunately no deaths (yet) . It's crazy.
and am
closely following the updates for the #KincadeFire in northern Cal . I do
a lot of "tweeting" and have gotten a fairly good base of
"followers" .. it really looks like Hollywood Armageddon up there..
like a movie..with evacuations and fires & structures burning and freeway
closures...better than a movie , it's REAL LIFE !fortunately no deaths (yet) . It's crazy.
Almost 200,000 evacuated so far up north. I am a little familiar
with that area from passing thru mostly. I spend more significant time in the
silicon valley area of northern cal but have explored the santa rosa area as
well a little bit. And closer to home is the #TickFire on the northern
side of los angeles...looks like they've got more control of it than the
Kincade fire.
I haven't heard from JIm or Lin lately.. they've been on their
cruise .. forget when they actually get back..assume I will hear from them
then.. I hope so.. they did send one picture in a text message, since they
don't know how to send pictures via email. Social media is another
"language" ..just like people had to learn how to use
typewriters , ..and calculators, & record players then CD
players etc.
Technology is always changing ..it's a language. Like a gun,
it is neither good nor evil in and of itself, but it is the user who makes it
good or evil. IF the good people refuse to learn the "language" and
to employ it for the sake of good, it allows the non-good to dominate on it. We
are called to be in the battle for good for God so we must learn the language ,
FOR THE KINGDOM...
10/29/19
the "Getty
Fire" has been burning for 2 days now 
..I woke up yesterday morning
with numerous text alerts from the LA FIRE Dept. even though the fire is
on the other side of L.A ... THEY send these texts to anybody who signs up for
them which I did.. you never know when you might be in the area of an
emergency. The getty fire is on the west side of the 405 this time (a few years ago it was on the east side ). I know both sides fairly well from hiking and because I also walk to the getty museum at the very least once a month, sometimes 3 or 4 depending on events. I am one of the few who walks up sepulveda about a half-mile to avoid the $15 parking fee.
Most
people probably only go there once a year so $15 seems cheap especially for a
whole group, but being alone it adds up. The getty fire is also between the
Museum and everything to the west heading towards Pacific Palisades and the
ocean. Apparently it has already burned about 10 houses or so.
Everytime
a fire starts I send out informative tweets 
and they usually get about 4000 or
5000 views. I also tweet information about the Kincade Fire up north which is
much more widespread than the Getty Fire (or the Tick Fire which is
well-contained now).
BUT THE BIG NEWS is that they say we are going to have the BIGGEST WIND EVENT of the DECADE starting tonight (Tuesday) and all day wednesday. The humidity will also be low. BUt the temperatures are NOT very hot (in the 70's). So we will see what happens. Thoughts & prayers.
and they usually get about 4000 or
5000 views. I also tweet information about the Kincade Fire up north which is
much more widespread than the Getty Fire (or the Tick Fire which is
well-contained now). BUT THE BIG NEWS is that they say we are going to have the BIGGEST WIND EVENT of the DECADE starting tonight (Tuesday) and all day wednesday. The humidity will also be low. BUt the temperatures are NOT very hot (in the 70's). So we will see what happens. Thoughts & prayers.
The
Getty Center itself is well-protected from fires with a 1-million gallon water
tank below the parking structure, and no plants that burn quickly or easily in
the landscape around it. The building itself is stone and the roof covered
with crushed rock. They are more worried about smoke damage than fire, but they
have a state-of-the-art ventilation system as well. If a fire did happen to get
inside they would quickly compartmentalize it...maybe they have automatic walls
as well.
11/1/19 I survived
halloween ! 
happy reformation day, yesterday ! and today is all
saints day for catholics or pro-cath-ordox (which I am) . 
I also briefly
attended the annual Fuller Seminary missiology lectures in Pasadena, so today I
am at the library in Altadena just up the road.
There's been a few new fires since the Getty Fire a few days ago which is now somewhat contained and the evacuations have been cancelled ( a few homes destroyed, but no deaths). I try to encourage people during these times of trauma to consider the possibility of God calling them in a direction they never considered.
happy reformation day, yesterday ! and today is all
saints day for catholics or pro-cath-ordox (which I am) . I also briefly
attended the annual Fuller Seminary missiology lectures in Pasadena, so today I
am at the library in Altadena just up the road. There's been a few new fires since the Getty Fire a few days ago which is now somewhat contained and the evacuations have been cancelled ( a few homes destroyed, but no deaths). I try to encourage people during these times of trauma to consider the possibility of God calling them in a direction they never considered.
Unfortunately,
Most people are obviously first & foremost concerned about their
possessions..their home and other physical items, ..none of which they can take
with them at the end of time. Its a good time to pray & re-assess ones
priorities. Since then there's also been the #Hillside Fire in San
Bernardino ( or San Berdoo for short) .. and the #EasyFire near the Reagan
Museum {the museum was saved!} ,..
..& then overnight into Thursday the BIGGEST one of all (in terms of acreage) started near Camarillo & Santa Paula called the #MariaFire ..causing major evacuations and nearly all the Ventura County schools are closed. That's out in the direction of Santa Barbara...
..& then overnight into Thursday the BIGGEST one of all (in terms of acreage) started near Camarillo & Santa Paula called the #MariaFire ..causing major evacuations and nearly all the Ventura County schools are closed. That's out in the direction of Santa Barbara...
I
keep a close eye and ear on these emergencies around LA County and have become
a prolific tweeter which a lot of people follow esp. during the
emergencies.. I have a knack for summing things up quickly and precisely
for people who are " on the run" (ie evacuating).. telling them who
needs to evacuate and where to go etc, providing screenshots of google maps and
links etc.
This is just being a good citizen, but I hope also maybe some of what I do will plant a seed of hope or faith in them and maybe if they do not yet know Jesus Christ as Savior, it will find good soil to grow in ! we pray so anyways.
This is just being a good citizen, but I hope also maybe some of what I do will plant a seed of hope or faith in them and maybe if they do not yet know Jesus Christ as Savior, it will find good soil to grow in ! we pray so anyways.
Meanwhile
it was nice visiting Fuller Seminary campus again. I stop by there from time to
time thru the year, and now appreciate it a little more now that I am not
a student there anymore (it was a pretty grim experience being a seminary
student..surely nothing fun about it)..
..all the while when I was a seminary student here I was also working as a "missionary substitute teacher" for the large school district in L.A. .. sometimes good experiences, other times not so much.. always hoping and praying that I've done some good. It was never intended to be a "career" .. altho some manage to make it so somehow..
..all the while when I was a seminary student here I was also working as a "missionary substitute teacher" for the large school district in L.A. .. sometimes good experiences, other times not so much.. always hoping and praying that I've done some good. It was never intended to be a "career" .. altho some manage to make it so somehow..
My intention was always to move on into full time
ministry.. hence Mustard Seed Ministries 
which most of you are aware of..
I also am aware that Fuller Seminary will be moving to Pomona in a few years
from now.. the end of their time in Pasadena due to the outrageous cost of rent
for students.
It will be better for them out there, although the heat will not be so nice, but then Pasadena is pretty hot a lot of the time as well. I wonder if a location in central Cal near the coast might actually be even better, but I guess they want to stay within driving distance of LA . And they already have a northern Cal location near Palo Alto.
which most of you are aware of..
I also am aware that Fuller Seminary will be moving to Pomona in a few years
from now.. the end of their time in Pasadena due to the outrageous cost of rent
for students. It will be better for them out there, although the heat will not be so nice, but then Pasadena is pretty hot a lot of the time as well. I wonder if a location in central Cal near the coast might actually be even better, but I guess they want to stay within driving distance of LA . And they already have a northern Cal location near Palo Alto.
I
also continue to work on maps evangelism, ...at the moment as I compose this I
am also reaching out to locations in the country of Niger 
..
yesterday Libya..the day before Burkina Faso... always schools , churches,
synagogues, & mosques (I already did the various favorite tourist spots ,
stores, merchants, etc) and of course translated by google translator into
their primary language ( which is French in Niger, Arabic in Libya, etc ) as
well as English. The messages to churches is encouragement to keep the faith
and keep trying to fulfill the Great Commission !
..
yesterday Libya..the day before Burkina Faso... always schools , churches,
synagogues, & mosques (I already did the various favorite tourist spots ,
stores, merchants, etc) and of course translated by google translator into
their primary language ( which is French in Niger, Arabic in Libya, etc ) as
well as English. The messages to churches is encouragement to keep the faith
and keep trying to fulfill the Great Commission !
11/6/19
Last few days I've been taking care of an "identity theft" issue. 
Somebody opened a checking account in my name at wells fargo, and 3 accounts at
Chase bank, all in the matter of a week or so. Suddenly I began receiving tons
of mail from both institutions and immediately reported it ..first to the local
branches , then on the phone, then online and also to the local police.
This began near the beginning of October and I'm still taking care of the odds and ends of it. IT might take another month or more to put it all to rest, because it also involves cleaning up any negative marks caused by it on your credit bureau (x3) account. I also took the time to freeze two of the three accounts (fairly quick & easy online for 2, but the 3rd requires more paperwork and using USPO).
Somebody opened a checking account in my name at wells fargo, and 3 accounts at
Chase bank, all in the matter of a week or so. Suddenly I began receiving tons
of mail from both institutions and immediately reported it ..first to the local
branches , then on the phone, then online and also to the local police. This began near the beginning of October and I'm still taking care of the odds and ends of it. IT might take another month or more to put it all to rest, because it also involves cleaning up any negative marks caused by it on your credit bureau (x3) account. I also took the time to freeze two of the three accounts (fairly quick & easy online for 2, but the 3rd requires more paperwork and using USPO).
11/8/19
friday. The heat returns. 86 today. 88 tomorrow. humidity below 30% again. 
almost feels like santa ana winds again but they're not issuing any warnings
that i've heard of (yet). We're not out of "fire weather" . Hope and
pray for the best.
I haven't been sending emails to Jim anymore...it seems like he was getting tired of my communication..and I don't know if Linda ever looks at the emails..she doesn't have her own account. Occasionally we communicate by text. But with Jim I didn't get the feeling that he was taking my communication or publications very seriously. It was a bit disheartening...
12/17/9
so I just sent out a batch of Christmas cards yesterday.
You should be receiving it soon. I'm in Los Angeles now. It's been rather cool this week (60's & low 70's). I still go swimming in the ocean when the sun is shining, ..the water temp right now is about 63 degrees which really is NOT that cold especially for those of us who grew up swimming in cold lake Michigan.
But I'm usually one of the few if not only in the water "bareback" (ie without a wetsuit) in the winter. I've also found that the cold water combined with body surfing is good for my chronic pain problem. It's like physical therapy because body surfing stretches out the body 
.....almost like traction sometimes or a chiropractic session & getting your "back cracked" so to speak.
above: Redondo Beach
From September to January I usually stay around southern Cal., often in the palos verdes area, which includes redondo beach. I periodically attend events around town, including Manhattan Beach & some events in Los Angeles ; occasional events in San Diego etc & then from January to May I am usually in the Bay Area around Palo Alto including the Stanford community, & less so in the Berkeley community. Even though both are somewhat liberal (Berkeley more than Stanford) I enjoy the academic culture & events that are open to the community on a daily basis. & I also use the time to do evangelism online & in person here & there , planting seeds wherever I go.
Stanford, of course, is a private university & does not promote any specific religion but it does have a lot of Christian events on campus & it does have a beautiful memorial church including a cross on top.
I've been fighting a cold for about a week now. I think I'm getting over it now.. maybe a few more days of sniffles & a bit weak & tired. But I was able to take a hike this morning.. I have a path I take ..about 2 or maybe 3 miles ..combining off-road dirt trail including "rattlesnake trail" in palos verdes with sidewalk thru neighborhoods. I actually came across a dead rattlesnake on the trail a few weeks ago,
or to be exact a portion of a dead rattlesnake. It looked like something had eaten part of it & left the rest on the path. The rattle was still on it (ask me about it sometime) . Maybe a bird-of-prey got it ? & I saw the first coyote 
I've ever seen in palos verdes a month ago. I was beginning to think there weren't any around here. I remember when I first came to southern California on my own (or returned) to attend Fuller Seminary I would walk my golden dog Lola 
in the park in Altadena in the morning & there would be occasional coyotes in the park & Lola would chase them away. Later I was warned that this was a ploy that some coyotes use to bring the dog to their pack where they team up on the lone dog. Lola passed on in 2007 after 14 years of life & she is buried in the pet park in Calabasas ..same cemetery as Lassie ! 
What a great companion she was for me.
KEEP CHECKING BACK FOR MORE RECENT UPDATES! .
almost feels like santa ana winds again but they're not issuing any warnings
that i've heard of (yet). We're not out of "fire weather" . Hope and
pray for the best. I haven't been sending emails to Jim anymore...it seems like he was getting tired of my communication..and I don't know if Linda ever looks at the emails..she doesn't have her own account. Occasionally we communicate by text. But with Jim I didn't get the feeling that he was taking my communication or publications very seriously. It was a bit disheartening...
12/17/9
so I just sent out a batch of Christmas cards yesterday.
But I'm usually one of the few if not only in the water "bareback" (ie without a wetsuit) in the winter. I've also found that the cold water combined with body surfing is good for my chronic pain problem. It's like physical therapy because body surfing stretches out the body above: Redondo Beach
From September to January I usually stay around southern Cal., often in the palos verdes area, which includes redondo beach. I periodically attend events around town, including Manhattan Beach & some events in Los Angeles ; occasional events in San Diego etc & then from January to May I am usually in the Bay Area around Palo Alto including the Stanford community, & less so in the Berkeley community. Even though both are somewhat liberal (Berkeley more than Stanford) I enjoy the academic culture & events that are open to the community on a daily basis. & I also use the time to do evangelism online & in person here & there , planting seeds wherever I go.
Stanford, of course, is a private university & does not promote any specific religion but it does have a lot of Christian events on campus & it does have a beautiful memorial church including a cross on top.
Stanford also has the Hoover Institute which is conservative.
Also in January in the bay area is the annual Walk-for-Life west coast 
for those who are concerned about protecting the unborn from being aborted, which I am. And i hope you are too! IT's not as big as the giant annual march in Washington DC but it's getting bigger every year. There's a rally at the majestic city hall 
& then everybody walks with signs to the embarcadero, sometimes with pro-abortion protestors yelling angrily at us. Too bad. We believe unborn babies should be protected. We won't back down. 
for those who are concerned about protecting the unborn from being aborted, which I am. And i hope you are too! IT's not as big as the giant annual march in Washington DC but it's getting bigger every year. There's a rally at the majestic city hall & then everybody walks with signs to the embarcadero, sometimes with pro-abortion protestors yelling angrily at us. Too bad. We believe unborn babies should be protected. We won't back down. or to be exact a portion of a dead rattlesnake. It looked like something had eaten part of it & left the rest on the path. The rattle was still on it (ask me about it sometime) . Maybe a bird-of-prey got it ? & I saw the first coyote I've ever seen in palos verdes a month ago. I was beginning to think there weren't any around here. I remember when I first came to southern California on my own (or returned) to attend Fuller Seminary I would walk my golden dog Lola KEEP CHECKING BACK FOR MORE RECENT UPDATES! .
12/20/19
so even if you do not live here most of you know there's a lot of latinos around Los Angeles. Having grown up in West Michigan I did NOT KNOW many, of maybe any, latinos growing up.. I can't think of any anyways. I know now there is a latino community in west Michigan but our paths did NOT cross as I was growing up in the Dutch Christian Reformed schools & churches. So when we moved to LA in 1984 it was a little bit of culture shock.
My dad & mom did not intersect with them either. They had no way of helping me assimilate with them, or if there was a nice way to interact with them.. according to their norms . So it took a LONG TIME for me to get a "feel" for how to interact with latinos without making assumptions or generalizations. Later I would teach at a school for two years that was 98% latino, which was another new challenge.
My teaching experience back in west Michigan was with almost all Dutch-American white kids. But what I've learned and which most people will say is "obvious" but it's not so obvious ...is that the Latinos around southern Cal decades ago are different than the Latinos today. Today , we are seeing much more assimilation of Latinos into the AMerican culture.
Sure there's those who still say "Viva Mexico" even though they have lived here for decades, but some of my Dutch-American friends still say "If you aint Dutch you aint much" ha ha. But one thing I've noticed about the "new Latinos" is that they are doing the things you would hope for in terms of assimilation. They are trying to live healthy and be hospitable towards non-Latinos.
They are getting braces on their teeth to try to look nicer. They're speaking English much more often when they are out and about even though they could just as easily speak Spanish. It's just like my Dutch ancestors slowly but surely assimilated into American culture, speaking more English and less Dutch. My grandfather preached in Dutch & English back in the mid-1900's but by the time he retired he was preaching only in English . So it's a good sign, and makes you feel better around them. HOpe it continues.
ALREADY COMPLETED:
Every year around this time I start going to parades & Christmas events. This year so far I've been to 5 parades (Hollywood, Whittier, El Segundo, & Palos Verdes; & also the Newport Beach CHristmas boat parade) .
I've been to one Christmas concert at Rolling Hills Covenant; & a live nativity at Neighborhood church.
COMING UP! :
I still hope to attend the Messiah singalong at Claremont College in a few days from now, as well as the fabulous annual Christmas concert at Grace Community in Sun Valley (Where John Macarthur preaches).
And then the grand finale is always the annual LA holiday concert at the Dorothy Chandler pavilion.
It is always on Christmas Eve and is free & consists of about 20 different robust groups of all different types playing Christmas music for about 5 minutes each, with a live telecast. The only "catch" is that because it is so popular, there is always a LONG LINE.. usually about 2 hours in line. I've done it every year as long as I can remember now .
so even if you do not live here most of you know there's a lot of latinos around Los Angeles. Having grown up in West Michigan I did NOT KNOW many, of maybe any, latinos growing up.. I can't think of any anyways. I know now there is a latino community in west Michigan but our paths did NOT cross as I was growing up in the Dutch Christian Reformed schools & churches. So when we moved to LA in 1984 it was a little bit of culture shock.
My dad & mom did not intersect with them either. They had no way of helping me assimilate with them, or if there was a nice way to interact with them.. according to their norms . So it took a LONG TIME for me to get a "feel" for how to interact with latinos without making assumptions or generalizations. Later I would teach at a school for two years that was 98% latino, which was another new challenge.
My teaching experience back in west Michigan was with almost all Dutch-American white kids. But what I've learned and which most people will say is "obvious" but it's not so obvious ...is that the Latinos around southern Cal decades ago are different than the Latinos today. Today , we are seeing much more assimilation of Latinos into the AMerican culture.
Sure there's those who still say "Viva Mexico" even though they have lived here for decades, but some of my Dutch-American friends still say "If you aint Dutch you aint much" ha ha. But one thing I've noticed about the "new Latinos" is that they are doing the things you would hope for in terms of assimilation. They are trying to live healthy and be hospitable towards non-Latinos.
They are getting braces on their teeth to try to look nicer. They're speaking English much more often when they are out and about even though they could just as easily speak Spanish. It's just like my Dutch ancestors slowly but surely assimilated into American culture, speaking more English and less Dutch. My grandfather preached in Dutch & English back in the mid-1900's but by the time he retired he was preaching only in English . So it's a good sign, and makes you feel better around them. HOpe it continues.
ALREADY COMPLETED:
Every year around this time I start going to parades & Christmas events. This year so far I've been to 5 parades (Hollywood, Whittier, El Segundo, & Palos Verdes; & also the Newport Beach CHristmas boat parade) .
I've been to one Christmas concert at Rolling Hills Covenant; & a live nativity at Neighborhood church.
COMING UP! :
I still hope to attend the Messiah singalong at Claremont College in a few days from now, as well as the fabulous annual Christmas concert at Grace Community in Sun Valley (Where John Macarthur preaches).
And then the grand finale is always the annual LA holiday concert at the Dorothy Chandler pavilion.
It is always on Christmas Eve and is free & consists of about 20 different robust groups of all different types playing Christmas music for about 5 minutes each, with a live telecast. The only "catch" is that because it is so popular, there is always a LONG LINE.. usually about 2 hours in line. I've done it every year as long as I can remember now . 