Greek is Done (for now)

Well I finished one semester of Greek! What a challenge. It was very challenging but I felt really good after taking the final exam. Now I just have to remember what I learned when I start Greek II in the fall. Now things are really gearing up for Mission: Alaska 2005. We leave in just two weeks!! There is still a lot to do but we will be ready.

My aunt comes into town this week and Josh and I will be showing her around the southland. This will be her second trip to California and last time she was busy with wedding stuff. I am looking forward to her visit.

The 50th anniversary of Arrowhead Lutheran Camp is next weekend. I am looking forward to spending time with old friends and catch up on what is going on in their lives. My friend JD is coming to town for the anniversary. It should be a good time.

I have to get all my dive gear together for my trip to Mexico. I should get my reg serviced but I don't have the time. After five weeks in Mexico I should be able to post en Espanol solemente. Until then.

Peace Out!!

Not Just Another Fish Tale!

So this lady was caught in an Australian airport with over fifty live fish on her person. The customs officials became suspicious when they heard "flipping" sounds coming from underneath her skirt. She arrived on a flight from Singapore and a search of her home revealed more fish. What a weird and wacky world we live in! Click here to read the full story.

Good Times...

Well, I got an "A" on my Greek test. Good times indeed. Three more classes to go and about 100 vocab words to memorize. We have a test on all the vocab for the semester on Tuesday and then our final is on Thursday. I think I will survive. I can see the light, it is either the end of class or I am being called home.

I have started an online Bible study for my church and you all are welcome to join us. I will be posting on Wednesdays each week this summer. Log on to www.bethanylutheran.blogspot.com. I hope to hear from you all.

Have a great weekend everyone!!

Just when I thought it was safe to go back in the water!

I am questioning the logic in trying to teach a semester of Greek in just four weeks. I am still doing fine in the class and I am learning a lot. I even like it. It is fun! But I see the looks on the faces of my classmates and it makes me sad. Many of them have full time jobs and families. They hardly have time to study. We are all trying to help each other out but it sure seems like we are trying to take a drink out of a fire hose. I was feeling really good until yesterday. We took a test and I think I did rather well (we will see tomorrow). But then we started our lesson, we found out that everything we learned and memorized was true, but not for all nouns. There is this class of nouns that have a whole new set of rules. It was so easy when all the endings matched, but now all hell has broken loose. I had such a headache by the end of the evening. Now I feel even worse for my busy classmates. It's time for the rubber to meet the road tomorrow. Four more classes and counting. At least we get good snacks during class.

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.