Check Your Sources People!!

Like many of you, my inbox is filled on a daily basis with forwarded messages. Now many of them are harmless fun and some jokes but I get so cheesed off when someone forwards pictures and stories that claim to be true that just aren't. You know the ones I am talking about. The picture of the great white shark jumping out of the water to get that diver in South Africa, or the pictures of the shuttle explosion, or the strange creatures washed up after the tsunami. The story of Starbucks refusing to send coffee to our troops in Iraq, or the giant pig etc. I can't tell you how many of those I have received. I have one piece of advice people. Don't ever blindly forward some story or picture unless you know it is true!!!! The internet can be a good place for information but any ol' yeahoo with a computer can concoct a story and publish it on the internet. Just because it is on your screen does not make it true!! There I feel better. Now my suggestion for you is to check out all stories and pictures with a site such as snopes.com. They do the research on these and many other stories and legends. If we all do our part we can end the madness. The truth is out there!!!!

Well I have finished about half of Greek I. It has been a lot of fun. Really! It is a lot of hard work but I have enjoyed it. I am looking forward to using my new skills in some sermon prep soon. On that note I am preaching Sunday June 12th at Bethany. It has been a few months since I have given a message at Bethany and since that time I have taken another preaching class. I am getting more comfortable finding my style and I look forward to sharing God's word with the congregation. I am preaching on Isaiah 42:1-7. Good stuff.

In other news I will be leaving for Alaska on June 24th for a mission trip with my Church. I went last year and I learned a lot and had a great time in some of the most beautiful countryside I have ever seen. I will be going with 16 others and we will be leading Vacation Bible School at two places, Pt. McKenzie and Big Lake. They are both near Wasilla Alaska. I will get home on July 2nd and then I leave for Mexico City on July 4th. While in Mexico I will be enrolled in a Spanish Language school for a month. I will also be doing some traveling and scuba diving while I am there. I will be staying with Jill's brother who is currently working in Mexico City. I will get back to the states on August 8th just in time to start the fall semester.

Well that is pretty much my summer. I hope to catch some Angel games before I leave and when I get back. I do miss working at the stadium. That was the best part-time job I ever had! More to come later.

In the Beginning!

Well I finally started a personal Blog. For those who don't know, I worked at Arrowhead Lutheran Camp for many years and during that time my camp name was Manuka. Hence the name of this blog. Manuka is a name that means friend. I hope to stay connected with all my friends with this page. I look forward to chatting with you soon.