Yet another shot of the swing.

Rebekah vs the Spiky Frost.

Spiky branches

For the first time in a week the fog has lifted and we can see the mountains, No sun or sky yet, but at least we can see more then 100 yards. There was some wierd spiky frost on everything this morning too. It seems like each day this last week we have had a differend variation on frost each mornings. Sometimes, little white dots, sometimes snow frozen in clumps, and now the spiky stuff.

Rebekah got me into Foxtrot (www.foxtrot.com) awhile ago and I have continued to look it up everyday for at least a year now. Having a Tablet PC from work now I couldn't resist doing this Sunday's puzzle offering from Jason.

This last week we have had John Michael Mugerwa in Missoula sharing about his ministry to AIDS orphans in his home country of Uganda. He oversees a boarding school orphanage called "Destiny School" about 25 miles outside of Kampala. It has been a true blessing to have him with us. This morning he spoke of how important prayer is to the church in Uganda. Prayer is central when they gather together and is seen as the battleground for the work of the church. John Michael pointed out that Jesus won the battle in the garden of Gethsemane on his knees where he uttered the words "not my will, but yours be done." (Luke 22:42) which directly led to his salvific work on the cross. He also said that the armor of God is put on to do battle in prayer. What a picture, Righteousness, Truth, the Word, faith, and Salvation surrounding us as we pray for God's work on earth. Is there any other way to go into battle?

It fills me with joy to hear John Michael's stories. Two hundred of the children come from Muslim families and several of those family members are now Christians at John Michael's church because they have visited the children and seen the love that is poured out on these kids. Some of these children were left on the street because nobody cared for them after there parents succumbed to AIDS. As John Michael put it, Islam cannot stand up to the practical love of Christ. When children come to Destiny School they are no longer orphans because they have been adopted into Christ's family.

Snow on Lolo. Usually the view is the opposite, clouds on Lolo and none elsewhere, but this morning the clouds framed in the peak while the sun shined brightly on the fresh snow.

A smoky day on Saint Mary Peak. Although we couldn't see the bottom of the Bitterroot valley from the top of the mountain it didn't stop us from having a lovely hike.

Rebekah and Mobius studying

New blog and the Agony Ride.

Rebekah and I have started a cooking journal found at http://storycooked.blogspot.com/. It should be interesting.

We recently got back from the Agony Ride in the Sierra Valley north of Lake Tahoe. The Agony Ride is the fund raiser that Christian Encounter Ministries does every year and is called such because you ride a bike for 24 hours, or at least close to that amount. I had a good ride, 169 miles. It started well and it ended great (let's not talk about the middle). Rebekah did excellently too with 150 miles (and she didn't think she would make 100). All around it was a good time to see friends and help raise support for a wonderful ministry.

In other news, it's smoky out, so we don't have the house opened up and it is hot.

It is a month until the Agony Ride!

Rebekah and I are going to ride in the 24-hour bike ride fundraiser for Christian Encounter Ministries this year known by those who ride it as the Agony Ride (it's also named that). The ride goes back and forth between three different SAG (Support and Gear) stops with Loyalton CA in the middle. Riders raise support per mile, I hope to ride 200 miles this year.

Christian Encounter Ministries is a residential counseling ministry for youth from ages 16 to 25. I did an internship there after college (if you look closely on their website you will see the wonderful interns I worked with). The ministry there is two fold, helping the kids and teaching the interns about ministry.

If you want to know anything about CEM, or the ride, send some email!

We drove by some Not-so-big-horn sheep on our way back from visiting family in Boise. Well hopefully they will grow up to be really-big-horn sheep, that is if they learn to stay away from the highway. They were so close I could smell them. Up on the hill was a mama sheep with her little lamb. At least she had some sense.



Next weekend we are going up to Glacier National Park, expect more pictures.




Later

We ventured to the National Bison Range last Saturday. It was beautiful, but there were no baby Bison as we had hoped. Getting out of the house into the open range is always welcome (even if you have to stay in the car so as to not become a Bison welcome mat).

The mountains in the background are the Mission mountains which form the east side of Flathead lake (at least they do a little more to the north).

It's March Maddness time.

I put together some photos I took while I was building a dresser last weekend:

http://home.bresnan.net/~fryguybob/blog/desser_0002.wmv

If anyone wants a Mac friendly version just let me know I think I can swing it.

Ryan

p.s. Fixed url

Our Montana neighborhood.

Rwanda is forgotten Again.

Is a truly excellent film about self-sacrificial love in the midst of unthinkable horror not worth recognizing? Oh wait, I forgot it's the Oscars®. We need to celebrate American angst, the American dream. How a single person can fight against the odds and come out on top (Howard Hughes? Ray Charles?). I guess the thousands of lives that Paul Rusesabagina saved don't make the cut. He didn't touch millions with his airplanes or his music (no offence to the late Howard Hughes or the late Ray Charles). Mr Eastwood has had such a long career though, he deserves to be recognized. Black Hawk down at least had good enough sound, dispute it being about Africa American troops. Riddly Scott gets a nomination nod, but again he had such a distinguished career. Besides Bruckheimer was behind it so it's safe to nominate.

Was Hotel Rwanda too artsy? Had it won too many awards already and didn't need any more? Did they think, "well we have room for only one hero award and by golly that Incredibles was incredible."

The AP writes:

The 77th Oscars were another heartbreak for Scorsese, the man behind "The Aviator," who lost the directing race for the fifth time.

Boo hoo, is that the bigest snub story they could find?

200,000 killed in Rwanda while America turns its back and now the best American film and the best foreign film by American estimation both carry the theme of assisted suicide? Fitting.

As a fan of NPR's online Music show All Songs Considered, I knew that they were featuring a live webcast of Wilco tonight. Last time it was Bright Eyes and there were a couple of other bands that played first, so naturally I was wondering who would be playing with Wilco. Somebody hip? edgy? Maybe another Chicago band waiting to be discovered by the rest of the world? Perhaps the one band that delivers the most efficient rock and roll available? Yes you guessed it, the Detholz are opening for Wilco, live webcast at 8:30pm eastern:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4502847

From the NPR website:

Detholz (pronounced "death holes") play a mix of power pop, punk and new wave. The band's members met in 1996 at what they call a fundamentalist Bible school and now perform "outsider" songs with "Christian kitsch."

Lets hope they play Monolith of Death,

Yates

Last night at bible study we were looking at Ephesians 5 which begins:

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (ESV)

We are to imitate God and we have an example, Christ (who is God with us). Profound.

I hope to in this blog explore what it means to be an imitator of God with Christ as my example in a technologically filled world.

peace.