thedavewave.com

"Last" day of summer

2010-08-07T10:33:00.000-05:00

Sitting in my office this morning, working on my extensive to do list, I'm watching campers from the final week of youth camp leaving with their parents. Where did the time go? Summer camp is OVER!

Unbelievable.

Starting tomorrow, a week of Urban Camp, followed by WAFS "Burn Camp," and then we start training the 2010-11 class of LCM interns for our fall outdoor ed season.

It's a slippery slope - was that a snowflake I saw?

Time's slipping by so fast! In 3 weeks I'll be moving into my first house. How'd that happen? A couple weeks ago, Jen & I tossed out the "what if" concerning home ownership...less than two weeks later we've already got an accepted offer & have a closing at the end of the month.

Ever want to call a cosmic "time out?" Seriously, if God could answer Joshua's request to stop the sun over Gibeon (Jos 10:12), He can give me an extra week in here somewhere. Lord?

Ok, not that God couldn't pull that off again, but I have to admit that my circumstances, though seemingly frantic from my vantage point, are probably not exceptional enough to warrant a divine pause. So, what is this teaching me?

Love God, treasure my family, and live for today, resting in the knowledge that my steps are ordered by Him and not to lose sleep over tomorrow.

Preach it, brother!

2010-07-03T18:51:00.005-05:00

Read a great series of posts from a fellow Elim graduate. Check it out!

What I Hate About My Job
http://theylookliketrees.typepad.com/my_weblog/2010/06/what-i-hate-about-my-job-part-1.html

Jennifer Knapp

2010-06-24T22:58:00.006-05:00

For those of you who haven't heard by now, Jennifer is back in the music scene, with a newly released album ending a 7 year hiatus...and an announcement that she's gay.

Here's a link to an article in Christianity Today.

Now, I'm not going to talk about homosexuality & what the Bible says about it. Read it for yourself. What I am going to touch on is the troubling response to her announcement on the part of some Christians & Christian retailers. Turns out some stores are pulling her Grammy nominated Christian albums from their shelves in the wake of her coming out. Anybody gonna yank her CDs from your collections & burn 'em in the Weber grill?

John 8:7, folks, hang on to your stones!

Now, I know I'm painting in broad strokes here, but I'd bet there's a bit of pride going on here... proud that they're "not like her," proud of their own spirituality, proud to take a stand, etc.

Know what the Bible says about the proud? They're pretty much screwed! (I'll let you look that up for yourself as well, but there's a lot of stuff regarding God's thoughts of the proud...and frequent use of the word ruin.)

I love the apostle Paul's reference to himself as the "worst" of sinners in 1 Tim 1:15, and vs. 16 in The Message, "...someone who could never have made it apart from sheer mercy. And now he shows me off - evidence of his endless patience - to those who are right on the edge of trusting him forever."

Jennifer is a sinful human being in need of Jesus Christ. Plain & simple. And so am I! I can be selfish, prideful, judgmental, all things that apart from salvation through Jesus Christ justify an eternity in hell like any other sin. There are times that I feel like the "worst of sinners," and I'm inexpressibly grateful for the endless patience God continues to show me.

Pray for Jennifer, and don't forget me while you're at it!

UPDATE: Thanks to all who provided feedback regarding this post. In response to some, though it wasn't necessarily the focus of this post, let me be abundantly clear that, as unpopular this is nowadays to say (bracing myself), homosexuality is sin (in Great Britain, I just got arrested for offending someone with my "hate speech!"). In the passage in John mentioned above, Jesus confronted the Pharisees & religious teachers, challenging the one without sin to throw first. It's speculated that the words Jesus wrote in the dirt while he waited were the names & associated sins of those ready to kill the woman caught in adultery. I can picture them, one by one, leaving with rocks in hand, heads hung low.

Jesus didn't stop there - as Jesus wasn't above getting down in the dirt, I can picture Him kneeling before this woman, lovingly helping her to her feet, asking where her accusers went, and telling her to go and "leave her life of sin."

'Nuff said. Already thinking of future posts...

New design

2010-06-16T09:53:00.000-05:00

Hey, I've got a few minutes before I have to run out & set up rappelling at our climbing tower - camp's in full swing, after all! Logged in to my blogger account this morning & saw some significant changes to some of the blog features, including new templates. I've never been big on some of the generic cookie-cutter templates available in the past, but some of these new ones (including what you're seeing now) are pretty nice. With a little tweaking, I'll truly make it mine.

Six minutes until my staff arrive... later!

Where have I been?

2010-05-20T00:00:00.004-05:00

Where has the time gone? Hard to believe thedavewave has been without a Dave for over two months. To all my faithful readers out there, my apologies.

Where to start... the picture. It was taken this past weekend at Devil's Lake State Park. Got to run climbing and rappelling for a couple Timber-lee groups. My reclining on the rock before the groups got there was well earned. I was awake by 5:10am and climbing the bluffs by 6:00am to ensure we got the climbs we wanted. Good times later that morning with guys from the Father/Son Retreat and youth from First Presbyterian Church of LaCrosse.

Our outdoor education season is winding down. Only 1 1/2 weeks left before summer staff training and 10 weeks of summer programming. The year is flying by!

Olivia and Hattie are a handful, with Olivia turning 3 last April and Hattie turning 1 a couple weeks ago. When do they start college?Seriously, I love my girls! Jen's got a few more weeks before she's done teaching for the summer.

I've got more on my mind, but I'll save it for later this week. Gotta keep you coming back for more!

Why do people hate change?

2010-03-05T11:13:00.006-06:00

Get it? Change?

Sorry, but I thought it was funny reading some of the angry comments left on a coin blog (yes, there are blogs for pretty much everything) regarding the redesign of the back of the 2010 Lincoln cent coin. Some folks are outraged - "It's ugly!", "should've left it the way it was," etc.

People don't like change.

I actually collect Lincoln cents. I've got one from 1909 (the first year Lincoln was on the penny), steel pennies from 1943 when World War II demanded copper for shell casings, the switch in 1959 from "Wheat" pennies to ones featuring the Lincoln Memorial on the rear face, and on through the present day.

I can imagine there were similar thoughts with each of these changes, but we survived. We weathered the storm of the different, persevered, and came out the other side relatively unscathed...with new pennies.

Admittedly, in the grand scheme of things, the penny change is insignificant (hopefully for you it's not a big deal!) But why is it, that as Christians, we sometimes get all bent out of shape when change is thrust upon us. A move, loss of a job, illness, standard of living, etc.

GOD, WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?!
(Why did they have to change the penny?)

Now, let me back up a bit to clarify something - just because you're a Christian doesn't meant difficult things don't affect you, like you're inside some fluffy, pink, cotton candy-filled bubble of denial, 'cuz...that's just weird. Jesus, our ultimate example, wept at the tomb of his friend Lazarus before raising him from the dead. Take a good look at the apostles... beaten, jailed, stoned, crucified, etc.

Peter writes (1Pet 1:6 NLT) "So be truly glad! There is wonderful joy ahead, even though it is necessary for you to endure many trials for a while."

In The Message, vs 7 "Pure gold put in the fire comes out of it proved pure; genuine faith put through this suffering comes out proved genuine."

The Message in 1Pet 4:12-13 "Friends, when life gets really difficult, don't jump to the conclusion that God isn't on the job. Instead, be glad that you are in the very thick of what Christ experienced. This is a spiritual refining process, with glory just around the corner."

I've been reading "Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God" by Francis Chan, and he spends a decent amount of time trying to paint a picture of the enormity, the eternal nature of God, a God who spoke not just a few stars into existence, but countless galaxies, populated by billions of stars, with planets orbiting these stars...all because He could! He created caterpillars with 300 muscles in their necks alone...all because He could.

And He loves US!

As Christians, we're not immune from life's changes, trials, and tragedies, but thank you Jesus we have hope! Each difficulty we face is an opportunity for change, for refinement, one step closer to that finish line that Paul talks about in 2Tim 4:7 ("the only race worth running" in The Message...hmm, how many different races do we sometimes find ourselves...sorry, little attention deficit creeping in, topic for another day!)

"You never saw him, yet you love him. You still don't see him, yet you trust him - with laughter and singing. Because you kept on believing, you'll get what you're looking forward to: total salvation." (1Pet 1:8-9 MSG)

How cool is that? Now, go enjoy your new pennies!

Social networking fast

2010-02-13T15:40:00.000-06:00

Ok, I told you I'd write about my experiment in cutting the technical "cords" for a weekend. To be honest, it really wasn't that bad. The inspiration for my fast came from an article I read from a former editor of a well-known blog, chronicling her experiences (both good and bad) in living a life both on & offline.

I have to admit, it was tempting to check my facebook, or post updates to Twitter, especially for the first day or so, but then it kinda wore off. Maybe it's because I grew up in the days before email, MySpace, etc. Social networking back then involved physically getting together with people. Maintaining relationships required actions beyond a few keystrokes from miles away.

Don't get me wrong, I love technology (and most other things shiny - my iPhone is a part of my everyday life,) and it's allowed me to stay connected with friends, relatives, etc. in ways that were unimaginable 25 years ago...but we need to be careful that the people that are important to us aren't reduced to profile pictures on a computer screen. Go out for coffee, why don't ya!

Is death ever "good?"

2010-01-15T11:22:00.012-06:00

How’s this for a nice, light post after my ebay blurb. And don’t worry, I’m still planning on posting about my social networking fast, but that’s getting pushed to the back for a while.

I recently was informed of the death of a friend of mine, someone I knew many years ago from a Bible study I attended. Service is this weekend. Having experienced my share of memorial services this past year, there’s a part of me that’s not exactly looking forward to going, in spite of the fact that it will mean a reunion with good friends from long ago, people who were lasting influences in my life.

Earlier this week I came across my “keepsake box,” a catch-all containing everything from my plastic Yamaha recorder from my 3rd grade music class, pay stubs from my first job (The Hobbyist), and birthday cards & letters from throughout the years. I also found tons of letters from my mom & dad during my time studying in New York. I spent a couple hours reading them, bawling, reading some more... more bawling.

Letter from when our dog Randy died... you guessed it! [sniff]

As a Christ-follower, what exactly is the “correct” response to death? Don’t base your theology off this (though, maybe I’m quick to discount it based on my personal bias...and the fact that I’m writing this wearing a bathrobe while eating wasa bread while listening to Clifford the Big Red Dog in the background.)

I’m sure you’ve heard them - the “Christian-ese” expressions (better place, with the Lord, God’s plans, etc.) offered to the grieving. I’m convinced that these are given, not out of insincerity, but maybe a lack of knowing the “right” thing to say in the midst of such pain and loss.

As one left behind, there’s also the temptation to try to be strong, to answer “ok” when asked by a friend or loved one. To be or do any less might seem to be lacking in faith or something. The ones who died, those who knew Christ as their Savior are with Him now. No more pain, worry, sorrow... we should be rejoicing, right?

Well...

Now, before you start throwing things at me (putting some extra pillows under my robe), hear me out. Death sucks! Whether it was over quickly or dragged on for many months, it leaves those left behind wounded. Those wounds may heal over time, but there will always be a scar, a permanent mark reminding us of our loss. That scar on my pinkie finger from when I cut it 24 years ago working at McDonald’s hasn’t produced pain in... about 24 years, but the reminder is there & will remain until I’m old & gray (no smart comments, please! :-)

As Christians, there is incredible comfort knowing that our loved ones are with God, that they’re no longer afflicted by the pain, illnesses, worries, losses, etc. that mark this broken, fallen world. There’s also security for those of us that remain, knowing that this isn’t the last stop for us. Thank you Jesus for making a way for us to know God the way He intended before sin wounded & scarred creation. Hallelujah!

As I prepare to see my friend who lost his wife tomorrow, I really can’t fathom the “right” thing to say. I anticipate that there may be no words at all, that as one husband to another, the best I may be able to manage will be to simply hold him & weep, and to continue to lift him up in prayer as he faces life without his beloved.

Dave's ebay secret

2009-12-12T22:01:00.008-06:00

Here's a light post for the day - I've been using ebay to buy & sell stuff since 2005, but it's not until the last couple years that I've perfected my technique for winning auctions. After some really good buys this past week (i.e. $175 snow pants for Jen for $13.06), I'm feeling pretty good, so I figured I'd share my secrets.

(1) Know the value of what you're bidding on. It's not a deal if you end up spending more than it costs in stores. I laugh when I see people get into bidding wars & drive the price to full retail or even more!

(2) Watch for bad descriptions & photos. I love picking up items that are listed as "Patagonia fluffy jacket" along with a blurry photo. A casual glance may not reveal much, but closer inspection may reveal that the "fluffy" jacket is actually a Patagonia Retro X windproof fleece, last year's model based on the pocket design & zipper pulls, that retails for $185. I'll pick up the "fluffy" jacket for $30, turn around & list it accurately with great pictures and double or triple my money.

(3) And lastly, the "Dave Snatch." I'll set my scope on a particular item, watch it closely throughout the auction period, and if the price is still low enough where it'd be a deal for me or I could easily resell it, I get down to business. First, know your maximum bid. Don't get swept up in the thrill of the hunt. Give yourself the maximum you're willing to spend on the item. If it goes for more than that, it wasn't meant to be. Let it go! :-)

During the final minute, watch the bids. With about 30 seconds left, enter your maximum bid (the most you'd consider bidding) and place the bid. Go with an amount that's weird. For example, instead of entering $100, enter $101.22. I can't tell you how many auctions I've snatched by 50 cents because of entering an odd amount.

Here's where it gets fun. Ebay will ask you to confirm your bid. WAIT!!! You'll want to wait until about 6 seconds left before confirming your bid (a second or two longer depending on your connection speed.) This timing prevents someone from submitting a counter bid before the auction ends.

BAM!!! The moment of truth. You either just won the item or another bidder's maximum bid was greater than you were willing to spend in the first place.

Happy ebaying!

The real tragedy of Global "Warming" (btw, the polar bears are fine!)

2009-12-11T09:01:00.007-06:00

[Getting on soapbox] Ladies and gentlemen, the myth of manmade global warming unravels almost by the day. Googling "Climategate" produces a wealth of information. Regardless of what you believe, read everything you can get your hands on. At the very least, it should prove that the theory of manmade global warming is far from settled science. We need to show our leaders that we have brains & can think for ourselves.

But this post is not about whether or not we're responsible for raising the earth's temperatures. It's about, in my opinion, collateral damage resulting most recently from this whole global warming mess.

(1) The death of network news. In the two weeks following the University of East Anglia's documents being made public, the "major" news outlets in the US remained oddly silent on the matter, even as it was being reported in major outlets worldwide. Instead, viewers who rely on NBC, CBS, and ABC were treated to more than 35 reports on Tiger Woods' marriage problems, even something about a moose, with nary a SINGLE mention of quite possibly the biggest scandal of modern science. Crickets chirping...

And they wonder why their ratings continue to plummet? It's because they've lost our TRUST. No longer champions in search of truth, they've instead become a glorified infomercial, hawking agendas.

(2) Corrupted science. Contrary to how Al Gore and other global warming acolytes would like to portray them, the recently published documents from the University of East Anglia are pretty damning. An article in the Wall Street Journal-Europe calls "Climategate" the "tip of the iceberg" as raw data from other researchers, including NASA and NOAA, has not been provided as required by FOI. Interesting to see how far the rabbit hole goes! Think Al will give refunds if all this proves to be a big sham?

Used to be the scientific method couldn't be corrupted, but when the politicians write the scientist's paychecks, what should we expect?

(3) Polar Bears. Ok, contrary to what kids are STILL being taught in school (the "drowning" polar bear pics were debunked years ago, btw) they're really not a victim in this, as scientists who actually STUDY polar bears for a living report that their numbers are increasing overall, that the varieties that are decreasing are doing so primarily as a result of hunting. Actually, according to the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment, if there's an increase in temperatures, it'll result in an INCREASE in habitat for wildlife, decreasing the arctic desert and increasing forested areas.

Bottom line? Study for yourself, guys! And you politicians out there, beware. Knowledgeable citizens vote.

A financial milestone

2009-12-01T10:21:00.004-06:00

Besides being December 1st (WHITE RABBIT!), today marks a significant event in our family's financial history.

We don't owe anything on credit cards. Zip. Nada. Zilch.

Four years ago, Jen & I were introduced to Dave Ramsey & Financial Peace University. Both with good jobs, in debt up to our eyeballs, Dave encouraged us to take steps to change our situation.

We learned that that dread "B" word...budget...isn't a dirty word but a tool intended to gain control of the money we worked so hard to make in the first place.

Then came the debt repayment plan. Almost $40K in credit card debt is hard to ignore, and even harder to pay off playing by the card issuers' rules, especially when they CHANGE the rules frequently (ex. "New changes to your account terms and what they mean to you.") Four years later, that debt is gone & we never wanna go back!

Next are the car loans & student loans. We're working toward having those completely paid off within the next 1 1/2-2 years.

We're already talking about saving for and paying cash for a house. How crazy is that?

Where's my stone?

2009-11-20T09:31:00.006-06:00

I'll be honest. There are times that I'd like to throttle people. There's one in particular, right now, that I'd like to kick the royal ####### out of.

"David!" (I can hear my mom gasp)

As a husband & father, I was made aware last night of a supposed follower of Christ who recently announced to his wife (with infant son) that he was leaving. Reason given? He wanted his life back & his wife and child were holding him back.

Wanna take turns swinging? I'll share my bat.

"Do not judge, and you will not be judged." Luke 6:37 NIV

Ugh! Ok, God, I'm listening...

In this passage, Jesus isn't asking us to abandon discernment. It's not popular to say such things nowadays, but there still are things that are right and wrong. What Jesus is saying is that we should avoid self righteously judging others, whipping those rocks at someone who may honestly have 'em coming while we ignore the sin in our lives that deserve our own helping of judgement.

Pray for this family!

Memories of home

2009-11-04T20:46:00.007-06:00

Spent some time last weekend transporting some things for my sister as she prepares to move back home to my parent's house. After bringing the last of the boxes inside, I found myself walking around the yard in the moonlight. It was amazing all the memories that came to mind...

* That scraggly little tree in the front yard that looked like a mop
* Dodgeball in the front yard with soaked Nerf footballs
* The apple "bush"
* Our dog's "minefield," especially when cutting the grass
* Riding bikes on the patio 'cuz dad didn't want us in the street
* Mom's chive plant by the back steps
* Throwing dried dirt clods at each other like hand grenades
* The grits I dumped into the evergreen bush when I made too much
* The play fort (manly 'til mom & Vikki painted flowers on it)
* Playing catch with Dad next to the garage
* Kickball games at the side of the house
* The Prayer Tree

Louis Vincent Albano - 1933-2009

2009-10-15T11:30:00.008-05:00

I'm both sad & smiling as I write this, especially considering the substantial amount of time since my last full post. Who would've though that "Captain" Lou Albano would break my writing drought.

Those of you familiar with professional wrestling, especially the years that I followed it (mid to late 1980's) are probably nodding in silent tribute to "Captain" Lou. I still have pictures I took in 1987 of matches that took place in Milwaukee that dad took us to - Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, the British Bulldogs, etc. As I reminisce, what exactly was Lou captain of, and how did he get those rubber bands to stick to his face?

I think what makes me sad today is that I know that my dad would've called me right away. I can almost hear the voicemail he would've left..."Hey Dave, did you hear about Captain Lou?"

Ugh, another month has gone by!

2009-09-23T09:14:00.005-05:00

Yes, I'm still alive. Not much new to post besides the fact that life is crazy as usual. Olivia continues to grow at an accelerated rate...Hattie is developing into a little girl with a unique personality (she laughs & smiles a lot!), Jen's busy with school & parenting, I'm trying to stay on top of the wave that includes being a good husband, dad, and camp program director (without a fulltime assistant) during a crazy busy fall outdoor ed season.

[breathe]

Oh hey, here's something new...I started playing volleyball in my church's league. Surprisingly, we won! I think the last time I played volleyball was almost 20 years ago. I remember because I broke my left middle finger during that game. No breaks last night, so maybe that's a good sign!

Taco John's + caving = ?

2009-08-24T07:26:00.002-05:00

Had the pleasure of meeting up with our new interns yesterday in Richland Center for an afternoon of caving. On the way there, my friend Jim and I stopped at one of my favorite eating spots. Oh, Taco John's, home of the Potato Ole. Yumm! Anyway, as we were back on the road with the spoils of our stop, it hit me... can burritos and underground confined spaces ever safely mix?

I'll let you find that out for yourselves.

Summer draws to a close

2009-08-09T12:27:00.002-05:00

Where did it go? Seems like not so long ago we were wrapping up staff training and welcoming our first week's campers. Now we just have a couple weeks of specialty camps, training for the new interns, then the fall outdoor ed season begins in force. Wow!

Learning to float

2009-07-01T00:57:00.004-05:00

It's hard to believe I've been in fulltime Christian camping ministry for 10 years now. That's 25% of my entire life! Scary thought...some of the 6th grade students I may have taught in 1999 are now finishing their undergraduate degrees, some possibly with children of their own! Yikes!

How did I get here? As a senior at Elim Bible Institute, I thought I had it all figured out, and it didn't include camps. Sure, I got hooked on backpacking & rock climbing while a student there, but I had a plan. My friends were envious as we approached the end of our last year together. I had taken quite some time writing down in detail my plan for the 3-5 years following graduation. Yup, had it all worked out...

Until I sat in the "hot seat"...

Each spring, Elim has visiting ministers with proven prophetic ministries come to the school, a kind of "sending out" or commissioning of that year's senior class. As I sat with my back to them, facing my friends & the rest of the student body, I'll never forget the first words out of Stanley Hammond's mouth...

"Plans, plans, plans...this young man is drowning in plans. It's no fun to be drowning. I have a clear word of direction from the Lord for you. SCRAP whatever it is you have written down, and learn to float in the sea of My Spirit."

There went my plans!

Over the next couple of years following graduation, God continued to prepare and guide me, teaching me to "float", knowing that His current would carry me in the direction He intended for me. Bobbing around in that seemingly endless "sea" with no sign of a destination, God would sometimes drop a clue or an encouragement, especially when I started focussing on the waves instead of keeping my eyes on the horizon. On a trip to New York, just before Timber-lee entered the picture, a pastor I had lunch with shared a word God had given him concerning me. "I can't shake it," he said, "but I keep seeing a picture of a slingshot in my mind, and I believe God wants you to know that He's preparing to launch you into the ministry He's called you to. Don't be discouraged, like you're not progressing, or even losing ground, because like a slingshot, it gets pulled back before it fires. Be ready!"

A year later I was at Timber-lee in a fulltime position! Borrowing from the Peace Corps' slogan, it's the toughest job I'll ever love. I have to restrain my laughter when I'm asked what I do for a living & I tell 'em I work at a camp. "What do you do for the rest of the year?" is not an uncommon response. Timber-lee serves around 60,000 people a year on our grounds, and the ropes course program I oversee serves almost 30,000 participants annually. I'm a pastor with a climbing harness on, an adventure minister who gets to see lives impacted through the tools of adventure programming. It's a fulltime, year-round job that is very hard work, but I absolutely love it. Watching a sunset from atop our 40' climbing tower after a full day of classes, or Nordic skiing with school students when the air is calm & those huge snowflakes are falling...you get the picture. It's such a gift to have a career built around a blessing!

Thank you, God.

The pain will never end...

2009-06-29T23:01:00.004-05:00

I've been chewing on this for a bit now. As you probably know by following my site, the past 7 months have seen the loss of both of my parents. Particularly hard for me is seeing pictures of mom & dad at the birth of our oldest, Olivia, two years ago. I was so proud to introduce them to her, to see them hold their granddaughter. This past May brought the birth of our second daughter, Hattie, only 2 weeks following my dad's death. Just the thought of them not being there still brings tears to my eyes. There are times that I fear, if I dwell too long on their loss, I may be swallowed by the grief.

I grieve deeply because I loved and was loved deeply...

I will always miss my parents. The void they left will never truly be filled. I'll never get to email mom the latest pictures of the girls for her work computer desktop...I'll never share another breakfast at McDonald's with my dad.

But I will go on...I can go on!

It's only because of Christ, and the love of others in my life.The blessed truth is that I will see my parents again someday, and in the meantime I have a wife & daughters that I love, brothers, a sister, and relatives that are here for me to love & enjoy. The sadness doesn't stand much of a chance when my Olivia jumps on the bed in the morning, a big smile on her face as she gets to "snuggle daddy", or I get that look from my wife that expresses a wellspring of love & support. Hattie pretty much just lies around at this point. I swear she smiles at me sometimes, but the accompanying farting sounds reminds me it's probably just gas.

Life without my parents will never be "ok," but God sees every tear, and promises to supply all my needs. God has blessed me with life & it's my responsibility to honor Him by treating each day I remain on this earth as a gift, and be an instrument of His love to those around me.

Zagg "Invisible Shield"

2009-06-29T15:49:00.006-05:00

Looking for the ultimate in protection for your valuable gadgets? I tried one of their screen protectors for one of my GPS units & I'm sold. The installation process is a bit more involved than a simple stick-on sheet, but the extra labor is well worth it.

The invisible shield product uses a kind of activator spray that allows the military-grade film to conform to the surface. Over a 24hr period, any air bubbles are eliminated, resulting in a flawless-looking installation.

Since buying my iPhone the other day, I've ordered a full "skin" that protects the entire unit from scratches. Watching the video of the guy "keying" an iPhone with & without their product sold me.

Severe weather

2009-06-23T10:51:00.004-05:00

A few days after the fact, I thought I'd post a little concerning our sever weather we had last week (yes, that's an actual radar image from the storms last friday.)

As usual, the Timber-lee "bubble" prevailed, so not much happened here besides some good thunderstorms, gusty winds, and lots of rain.

A little excitement - I got to hear what turned out to be a weak tornado that passed just north of camp. It's funny how Jen & I stood outside, debating exactly what a freight train sounds like for a few minutes before deciding it might be a good idea to go inside.

And you wonder why the world hates us!

2009-06-12T12:22:00.003-05:00

Over the last few days I've read news accounts that, as a follower of Christ, have made me cringe.

Now, it seems like I'm always reading. My wife Jen pokes fun at me. She'll start telling me about something she heard, will stop mid sentence, and say, "of course you've already heard about this." I'm a bit of an information junkie.

The first, involving the recent crash of an Air France flight, is indeed a tragedy. Still under investigation, over 200 people lost their lives as their plane crashed into the Atlantic. Just days later, an older couple who missed being on that fateful flight were involved in a devastating automobile crash, killing the wife & seriously injuring her husband.

As I read about the couple's crash, I scrolled down to the "Comments" portion of the page. I get a kick of how even small news articles can generate hundreds of opinions. Some are obviously thoughtfully written, but it's amazing how, given a soapbox, the "nuts" come out. Instead of recognizing the pain suffered by this man, spared a plane crash only to have his wife taken days later, self-proclaimed "Christians" were trying to explain away the unexplainable, and tact or any sense of compassion was sadly absent.

"This is why I hate you Christians!" replied one of the readers, and his sentiment was not alone.

Example #2 - A former Baptist big wig was recently interviewed in a major news outlet. When asked about the current administration in Washington, he stated (and repeated when asked to clarify) that he was praying for the death of our president. When asked why, he answered that it wasn't wrong to "pray for something that God wants."

You should've read the comments posted below that article! Even worse were the multitude of folks who wrote how this only confirmed why they'd never want to become a Christian. Literally hundreds of lives potentially lost for eternity.

God, through His word, tells us to expect hatred & persecution for the sake of Christ. The American Church has escaped much of this while our brothers & sisters in other countries are persecuted, imprisoned, or killed because of their faith. I read another article (really? :-) that stated that Christians in the United States might see strong persecution for their beliefs within the next 20 years. The author of the article added that Christians are becoming perceived more and more as being ignorant, fanatical, and even dangerous.

4th Century Christian apologist Lactantius wrote, "God commands us to wait patiently for the day of heavenly judgement when He Himself will honor or punish all according to what they deserve...but let us work hard so that people will punish nothing in us but our righteousness. Let us strive with all our might so that we can deserve the avenging of our suffering and a reward at the hands of God."

A new car

2009-06-04T00:03:00.004-05:00

Well, we're the proud owners of a 2005 Pontiac Vibe. Jen & I had seen this car at a dealer in Mukwonago for a few weeks now & even stopped to look at it a couple of times. Being a one-vehicle family has been a bit of a stretch, plus the Xterra only got 18mpg on the highway. Not exactly an economy vehicle, especially considering the $3/gal I paid tonight for gas!

The original price was reasonable, but it was marked at a sale price a couple weeks ago. We were prepared to ask for the reduced sale price, when the salesman pulled out a new sale tag from between the seats, due to be posted the following day, for $4000 below the original price. With our substantial cash down payment, the amount we had to finance was pretty reasonable & we drove away this morning with our new car...seating for all of us, and 35mpg to boot!

More Mac thoughts...

2009-06-02T09:26:00.002-05:00

I'm not going to write a long, massive essay on why I like my new Mac, but I did find myself realizing exactly why I like it...

You'll have to bear with me here. It's kinda like enjoying vanilla ice cream all your life, then suddenly being introduced to Ben & Jerry's Chubby Hubby...where have you been?!

I've worked with Windows computers for as long as they've existed. Shoot, our first family business computer was an old MS DOS machine, didn't even have a hard drive, and that was high tech back then.

All along, I've enjoyed what I could do with a computer. It was a tool that allowed me to express myself through writing, web & graphic design, digital photography, etc. New computers simply meant more storage space, more memory, faster processors, etc.

Working on a Mac allows me to not only enjoy the end product, but the "journey" to get there as well. It's almost a pleasure to work with. I can focus on my creativity, versus the occasional hung up program, long load times, etc.

Like Apple's advertising says, "it just works."

Ok, that's my last Mac post...maybe?

Loss of a friend

2009-05-31T15:50:00.004-05:00

I couldn't believe the news when I heard it. A friend of mine from the fire department, someone I'd known for almost 9 years, took his own life a few days ago. Emergency workers like us get the sad duty of responding to calls like this - the first responders and EMS workers all knew him personally.

We all knew he was going through a very difficult time in his life, and a number of friends from the department had reached out to him. How very sad that he still was willing to take such final measures to end his pain.

Our department won't be the same without him. We'll miss you, "Gump."

Please pray for his family as they deal with the loss of a husband & father.

Switched to Mac

2009-05-27T11:42:00.007-05:00

I did it...after many years of wanting to try a Mac, I took the plunge yesterday & bought a 2.4ghz MacBook.

Nice.

After being a die hard Windows user for so many years, I'm surprised how easy it is to make the transition. I still haven't figured out all the nooks & crannies of Mac OSX yet, but it's pretty intuitive.

I'm also liking how well the MacBook is built. It's definitely not in the same league as the $599 deals from Walmart, or even some of the $1000+ models out there. In a word, it's solid. I got the aluminum 13" model, whose body is machined from a single block of metal. The fit & finish is remarkable - no creaks when you pick it up, the display is glass, not plastic.

Yup, definitely liking it!

Painful Praise

2009-05-23T15:19:00.002-05:00

I’ve been experiencing something new in my spiritual life as of late, or at least I’m aware of it now. Probably not surprising considering my life these past 5 months. In that span I’ve lost both parents & experienced a rough start with our newest daughter Hattie. Add to that stresses at work…when it rains, it pours!

Now, I’ve definitely labored in prayer during trials past – health issues, financial struggles, future uncertainties, etc. Through it all I’ve had no doubt as to God’s presence in the midst of it, and His provision has been unmistakable.

Then came that phone call on December 9th, 2008…

The unexpected death of my mom was devastating! I had always imagined her present at my daughters’ weddings. My dad was killed in an accident on April 22nd, forcing us to not only deal with his loss, but also legal difficulties because of how his estate was left. Hattie’s birth, just a couple weeks after that, brought its own worries when she experienced complications requiring specialized care.

Then I realized it…

As the severity of my situation increased, not only was I praying (boy, did I pray), but I found myself praising God as much, if not more! The harder it got, the more grateful I became, confidently aware of God’s presence, even as it seemed my life was spinning out of control.

“I will not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let you down (relax My hold on you)! Assuredly not!” Hebrews 13:5 Amplified

I have to admit, it was tempting to blame God, especially watching my newborn daughter, unable to hold her as she lay in the nursery with tubes & sensors keeping her from the arms of her helpless parents. “How much more?!” I thought as I stood there, holding Hattie’s tiny hand. I was up to my neck in circumstances that could’ve driven me away from God, trials that have done just that to countless others who’d reached the limits of their trust in God. “If He loved me, He wouldn’t let [fill in the blank].”

Instead, I found myself driven closer to Him. With every cry, every tear, a wave of praise seemed to rise up from the deepest part of me.

“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Christ Jesus is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” 1 Peter 1:6-9 NIV

2009-05-09T11:51:00.003-05:00

Ok, I thought I'd finally take the plunge & set up a twitter account. I'm always hesitant to add even MORE online accounts to maintain, but I think twitter will fill a niche within thedavewave that it's ideally suited for - those things that make me go "hmm" that don't really require a full blog post, plus it's really easy to "tweet" from my phone when I'm away from a computer, adding to the spontaneity of the posts.

Hattie's here!

2009-05-07T20:28:00.004-05:00

Hattie Leona Prowitz joined us at 4:25pm on Wednesday, May 6th. Eight pounds, 11 ounces, 20 inches long, with thick & curly dark hair. It's amazing to have another little one in our family. Jen's recovering well, and Hattie is doing alright. Seems like she's trying to outdo her older sister...an overachiever if you will...

...she cried SO hard when she was born that she gave herself an air bubble trapped between her lungs & chest wall. Evidently this happens sometimes, and they're treating her with moist oxygen & letting her body absorb the bubble. It sucks to see my little one with an IV & wires hanging off of her (it looks much worse than it actually is), but hopefully it will resolve itself in the next 24-48 hours. Oh, how I wish I could take all the pokes & prods for my little one!

It makes me appreciate even more, especially in light of the recent passing of both of my parents (my dad just 2 weeks before Hattie's birthday), how precious life is & how each day we have with those we love is a gift of God.

As joyful this time is, however, it just isn't the same without being able to share Hattie's arrival with my mom & dad. The first of many "firsts" without my folks. I miss 'em so much!

Gear Review: Patagonia

2009-05-03T10:31:00.003-05:00

Ok, I'm taking a bit of a departure with this one - not so much a review of a specific product as it is a review of the brand as a whole.

As an outdoors professional, I have a tendency to look beyond the label. My gear has to WORK, regardless of price. Some of my most versatile equipment remains to this day among the least expensive...my $8 Walmart fleece flip-mittens, $25 insulated snow bibs. Don't get me wrong, I'm not afraid to hand over large amounts of cash for quality gear that'll do the job for me. I can imagine your face if I told you how much my GoreTex XCR technical shell jacket cost.

Having never tried Patagonia's stuff before, I usually shied away...seemed like an overpriced niche brand, especially compared to my usual brands of choice...

...then I took a chance & bought my first piece on ebay.

After having a chance to put my first jacket to the test, exposing it to a full range of conditions out on the challenge courses, I became very aware of how well made it was. The quality, features, attention to detail...a very well made, solid garment that's obviously built to perform, not just to look good worn by a teenager at the local mall.

I've since sold a lot of my old gear & replaced 'em with their Patagonia counterparts.

Reading "Let My People Surf", by Yvon Chouinard (founder of Patagonia) has only further solidified my growing appreciation of what goes into each of their products - company philosophy, extremely rigorous testing...testing, and MORE testing. Patagonia's never the "fad" brand because it can take 1-2 YEARS before a product idea becomes a purchasable product...that is, IF it survives the testing. Amazing stuff. I highly recommend reading the book if you get a chance.

I'm sold. Keep 'em coming, Patagonia!

My dad's gone...

2009-04-25T10:38:00.004-05:00

On Wednesday, April 22nd, around 11pm, my dad went home to be with the Lord.

Of all the ways to go, he was hit by a train at a crossing in Pewaukee. I was stunned when my brother Dan called me at 3:20am when the police & medical examiner came to his door.

Only 2 weeks until my daughter Hattie is due to be born. Why?!

Only four months after my mom's death, we've lost another parent. Still raw from December's loss, now my pop's gone. There are times the grief is overwhelming.

But...

God has proved Himself faithful throughout this maelstrom. I'm actually thinking of writing down the growing list of ways God has answered prayers, supplied for our needs, etc. during this difficult time. Even the way dad died fulfilled a wish of his...when the medical examiner says, "I don't know how to explain this, but...", it's another reminder that God's in the picture. Despite being hit by a TRAIN, he had no broken bones, no devastating internal injuries...the only physical cause of death found was his broken neck. His death was instantaneous. Dad's biggest fear, especially with his heart and other health problems, was that he would slowly, painfully pass away in a hospital. Wednesday night, he was here one second, gone the next. The God who intimately knew my father honored that wish.

I know there are those out there who either don't believe in God, or at the very most believe He's hanging around on a cloud somewhere, watching us make due on our own. That's not the God I know. I've seen His involvement throughout my life, financial provision, physical healing, guidance...to say that God's not around makes absolutely no sense to me.

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Oh, the picture...dad had it hanging in his office at church. When I asked him about it, he said it reminded him of me when I was little, how I'd run to him with my arms in the air. It also reminded him of the love of God, our Father, and how much He delights in His children.

I love you, dad!

Where are all the pictures?

2009-04-20T16:24:00.010-05:00

I've been wondering why I've been feeling like this for some time now. Seems so out of place. I've been taking pictures since I was 12 years old. Most notably, I've photographed a hit TV show, shot a few weddings, portraits, and then some. I've derived great pleasure through photography over the years.

I don't take pictures anymore, at least not like I did.

When did this change? I'm a photographer, after all. Then it hit me today...my mom's gone. Since she passed away, I've only taken 265 pictures. This is in stark contrast to the nearly 800 photos taken during the same time period last year. Why the difference?

My mom was my biggest fan. We shared a love for photography & we'd frequently share our pictures with each other. Almost like a child's art hung on the refrigerator, I couldn't wait to show mom my latest "yes!" shot, or to email her the most recent Olivia picture for her computer desktop at work.

I've lost my biggest fan.

So, what am I going to do about this? Not take pictures anymore? To borrow from the cliche, I've got to get back on this particular horse & start photographing for myself again.

Mom wouldn't want it any other way.

Can you beileve it's almost May?

2009-04-19T20:57:00.002-05:00

I can't believe we're already starting the 3rd week of April. This year is flying by at an unbelievable pace. What's new?

(1) Baby Hattie is coming in less than three weeks! I'm really looking forward to holding my newest daughter (and Jen's ready for Hattie to stop doing chin ups from her ribcage.) With how much I love Olivia, my little Jelly Bean, I can't imagine loving her any less, or Hattie any more than the other. I wouldn't trade being a dad for anything. Olivia's my joy, and Hattie can only add to it!

(2) Busy springtime at Timber-lee. We're starting to see a marked increase in school groups. Plus, in a little more than a month, I'll be welcoming my summer team.

(3) I'm selling The Biner. Yup, I can't fit 2 child seats in the cab of my faithful steed, so it's nearing the time to say goodbye to my 2002 Ford Ranger. Know anyone who's in the market for a fuel efficient (24mpg hwy) pickup truck outfitted with red emergency lights & siren? Only 65k miles...anyone?

(4) I'm reading a fantastic book, "Let My People Go Surfing," a book written by Yvon Chouinard, the founder of Patagonia. It's really cool to glean from his experience as an outdoors enthusiast who started a business doing what he loves.

That's about all. I'm actually going to hit the sack early tonight. See ya next time!

It's coming...

2009-03-25T08:51:00.005-05:00

Outdoor Education this spring is arriving like a lion...who, after a huge roar, soon after takes a nap. Tomorrow & Friday are extremely busy, with the first High Ropes & Archery classes of the year, plus Tower, GPS, and multiple Teambuilding classes all going on simultaneously. You'd think it was mid-May! The following week is fairly slow, but that's only temporary. Bring on the school groups!

Hiring for summer is coming along. I've got more than half of my instructors so far, with a small pile of applications on my desk.

Keep me in your prayers. Without a full time assistant for this year, it could get pretty rocky. Without a wife or children, I'd probably dive in, suck it up, and deal with the work of 2 people, but a wife & daughter, plus another one on the way, I'm really not willing to write them off until November when things slow down again. I've got some creative ideas...we'll see how they work out.

Oops, I forgot about my website!

2009-03-12T23:42:00.002-05:00

Hey readers, sorry I've been gone for so long. Family & work have kept me busy this past month. I'm just about ready to hit the sack, then a thought crossed my mind...when's the last time I updated thedavewave?

What's new? Things here at camp are going alright. getting things in place for a very busy spring & summer...and fall...you get the picture. We're going to try some new and exciting things with staffing my activity areas this summer. I'll know by mid-June if it was a success.

This is cool - I'm seriously considering doing a 100k ride in June. It's for raising funds for diabetes research. I've wanted to do a ride of this length this year, plus it's kinda fitting as I've got family who've dealt with this disease. I've got to raise a minimum $150 in pledges - I can already take online payments via PayPal...hmm...I'll keep you posted, especially if you'd like to pledge something.

Ok, now I'm going to bed, but now I can sleep knowing I'm not leaving ya hangin' for an update! :-)

Zzzzzzzzz

Live from the conference

2009-02-07T15:39:00.000-06:00

It's been a while since my last post. I'm live at the 2009 WEA/PRCA conference in Bloomington, Indiana. Lots of meetings and workshops - very cool stuff, but after 3 full days, I'm ready to go home.

Cool update regarding my previous gear review - the owner of the company wrote me & asked if they could use my review for possible website & catalog promotion.

Gear Review: Rail Riders Weather Pants

2009-01-14T13:19:00.003-06:00

It's been a while since my last gear review, and I've had a chance to really put these through the ringer, so here it goes...

Ok, to be honest, I used to throw away their catalog (dumb mailing lists!) I mean, c'mon, the "toughest clothes on the planet?" Limited selection of products, kinda pricey, etc. Well, after trying some of their stuff over the past couple years, I'm a fan.

And now for the review. I bought my first pair of Weather Pants last fall. At $80 retail, I had to think of them not as your general, run of the mill pants, but as a piece of gear. As the temperature began to drop here in Wisconsin, I started layering underneath them, using them as a shell pant.

First of all, they're built like a tank, but surprisingly light weight & nice technical features. You can wear these year round. The nylon dries quickly if they get wet, plus the butt & knees are reinforced with a heavier nylon. As an added bonus, they look nice enough that you can teach a college lecture or two in them & not look like you're just in from the backcountry.

Buy 'em with confidence, and don't let the sticker price fool ya. They're a true workhorse, extremely versatile & worth every penny (plus, as of the day of this post, they're still on sale for $39.50 at www.railriders.com.)

About time!

2009-01-09T10:44:00.005-06:00

I remember purchasing my first Palm handheld in 1996, back in the days when they were still US Robotics and made in the USA. Since then I've owned 6 models, ending with my Palm T/X. Though I've switched to WinMo smartphones (HTC Touch is my current phone), I've always had an affection for Palm, but with an operating system that's remained relatively unchanged for a number of years, and hardware design that's been left in the dust by competing products, the future of Palm looked pretty bleak. Combine that with company "promises" of something new that have been fraught with delays, I had pretty much given up hope...

Until now.

Palm unveiled the Palm Prē at this year's CES, a new smartphone that appears to be worth the wait. Full touchscreen, slideout keyboard, WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, and a user interface that some early reviewers are gushing over makes this a Palm to get excited about. Due out in early 2009, it'll be exclusively available through Sprint, but if the Palm Centro's term of exclusivity with Sprint of 90 days is an indicator of how long we'll have to wait, it may not be long before this device is available through other carriers.

As a long-time Palm fan, all I can say after viewing available video demonstrations and photos is "nice job!" It's been a long time coming.

Yuck!

2009-01-02T09:14:00.004-06:00

Jen's been asking me the last couple days, "have you written it yet? Did you write the post yet?"

Ok, here's the story. The Friday after Christmas, Jen & I were staying at her mom's house & were taking advantage of a very willing babysitter to have a night out.

After sitting at the top of Grandad's Bluff, talking about the roller coaster this holiday season has been without my mom, Jen asked where I'd like to go for dinner. For those of you who know me, my comfort food is Chinese food. My mom & I would occasionally hit area buffets followed by leisurely browsing through the nearest book store. It was one of our "things." The food's not exactly Jen's first choice, but she was game, especially considering my emotional state, so off we went.

Our first warning signal should've been the fact that there were only six other people in the restaurant, at 7pm on a Friday night. Strike two was the limited, unremarkable selection of food in the buffet. Those sauteed green beans had obviously been sitting there for a while.

After finishing our first plates, we sat talking for a few minutes, very softly since no one else in the restaurant was talking. Seriously, Twilight Zone stuff! I was just about to get a small 2nd plate when one of the staff, mopping the floor by the food lines, loudly snorted & cleared his throat like he had a 50lb wad of phlegm in his mouth.

Uh, yeah. I was done. Strike three! Check please?

I had to try so hard not to laugh as we paid our bill & quickly made our way to the exit. Once clear of the door, I lost it. Fearing she'd been scarred for life, I offered with a smile, "for the foreseeable future, I will not ask you to eat at Chinese buffet."

The night wouldn't have been complete without a trip to the book store.

The Shack

2008-12-29T22:27:00.003-06:00

After hearing some of the buzz surrounding this book, and running into a display of them at Barnes & Noble last weekend, I picked up a copy and read it for myself.

It's really interesting how the Church at large is responding to this book. On one hand, you've got Eugene Peterson (The Message) & others giving it rave reviews. On the other, there are prominent Christian leaders decrying it as deception and heresy (one even calling it goddess worship - I'm sorry, but did you even read the book? Oops, I won't spoil it by elaborating on that one.)

Firstly, I liked the book. Read it through in a couple sittings and plan on reading it again, kinda like watching a movie a second time & catching what you missed.

Folks, remember that this is a work of fiction. Read it as such. It's not meant to be a resource from which you should base your theology. The Shack tackles the subject of the Trinity, something that has been tying knots in theologins' heads for centuries! In creative literary form, the author illustrates the relationship & interplay between the members of the Godhead (one God, three distinct individuals, but they're all One, but three...there we go again!) and the personal, loving relationship God desires to have with us. Again, remember that this is a fictional novel, but it beautifully paints a picture of how a loving, relational God desires to walk with us, day by day, moment by moment, just like He walked with Adam in Eden before the fall.

I think it'll challenge you in different ways, and with it entering a 4th printing & talks with major studios about a motion picture version, the sheer circulation of this story may give you opportunities to share with others the nonfiction relationship you have with God.

Christmas 2008

2008-12-25T20:42:00.007-06:00

Never saw this one coming...

Who would've thought, just a few weeks ago, that we'd be spending this Christmas without mom. Jen & I were all prepared for the usual holiday travels...Christmas Eve at my folks' house, followed by Christmas day at her mom's house. We were even going to cook the ham mom gave us for Christmas Eve. Mom would've been proud - the ham was amazing!

Due to tight finances in recent years, my family would "pledge" (yeah, right!) not to buy gifts for one another. We'd always seem to find a little something for each other. A regular tradition was for my brother Dan or dad to go to the nearby Walgreen's store & buy inexpensive Christmas gifts (if you've ever been in a Walgreen's at Christmas, you know the type of gifts I'm talking about...over sized candy cane pencils, motorized plush animals that play "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer", etc.) We'd share a Christmas Eve dinner together. A "Funny Face Contest" was almost sure to ensue at some point during the meal. It was raw, it was fun, it was real. A family who loved each other & loved the chance to gather together to celebrate Christ's birth. God has seen our family through so much!

Never saw this one coming...

I've struggled with what to write for this post. Do I stick to "safe" terms? A "typical" Christian with a chance to be an example to others in dealing with the loss of a loved one? Don't get me wrong. I firmly believe that God truly works out "all things for the good of those who serve Him." I've seen it firsthand, and there's not a bit of doubt that God can use this.

Doesn't make it hurt any less.

The loss of my mom has left a gaping hole in my heart. There are times that I remember something she said, see a picture of her on the refrigerator, watch my infant daughter do something new & instinctively want to tell her...I never knew I could weep as deeply as I have in the past few weeks. There are times I wonder if the wound will ever heal.

But healing does come from our Intercessor.

Jesus experienced the depth of loss I'm going through. He sees my tears & is forever faithful. In the midst of the tears, I have found myself increasingly grateful for the gift God gave me in my mom. Truly blessed. My mom was not only a parent, but a friend, a mentor, someone who'd give me a swift "kick" when I needed it. All I can say is "thank you," with a sense of gratitude impossible for words to describe.

As much as I would've liked for her to stick around on this earth for another 15-20 years, God had other plans. In the midst of this season of loss, I'm reminded of something so powerful, it pierces through the sadness.

Mom's with Jesus - how wonderful is that?

Here comes the snow

2008-12-18T21:42:00.003-06:00

This year is looking to repeat last year's snowfalls, at least this early in the season. We could see more than a foot of snow by tomorrow, plus another 4-8 inches may be on deck for Sunday night...then ANOTHER round of snow next Tuesday.

Today, even with the impending winter storm just hours away, was a beautiful, sunny day. This afternoon we laid mom to rest. We said our goodbyes, then had a simple ceremony at the grave site.

Many thanks to everyone who sent their condolences.

The post I thought I'd never write

2008-12-11T08:19:00.005-06:00

I still can't believe I'm about to write this. My mom's supposed to read this, keeping up on the latest Olivia news, and email me back from her work address. She always liked showing coworkers the latest photo or video of her little Ollie.

Mom passed away unexpectedly in her sleep on Tuesday, December 9th.

I had the extra blessing recently of 4 months with mom as a house guest. God was working things out in my parent's marriage & our guest room here at camp was her sanctuary. She told me, just before Thanksgiving as I helped her load her belongings in her car for the trip home, that words couldn't describe her gratefulness for us opening our home during this time.

I'll especially remember her morning ritual...when I'd get Olivia up & put her on the floor, the pitter patter of her feet was mom's cue to come upstairs for breakfast. Mom & Olivia would share the berries from their cereal. They loved each other so much. Olivia would just squeal & run into my mom's arms...mom always said that was the best part. God's healing touch in the arms of a toddler.

I would give anything to hear her footsteps coming up the stairs once more.

I love you, mom!

Black Friday

2008-12-01T12:09:00.005-06:00

I know this is a departure from the tone of my usual posts - new cars, Olivia's latest exploits, etc. However, the recent reports from this year's "Black Friday," the busiest retail sales day of the year, have struck a nerve & I feel like I need to vent.

Make no mistake about it, the Walmart incident in New York was no accident. Throughout the night, over 2000 people gathered outside the store, jockeying for position in anticipation of "getting the deals." Unwilling to restrain their materialistic lust, people started pounding their fists and pressing against the glass at 4:55am. Seeing the doors bowing inward against the force of the crowd, Jdimytai Damour, 34, and 5-9 other Walmart employees attempted to keep the doors from breaking inward. The doors shattered & the crowd rushed in, knocking Mr. Damour & the others to the floor. Staff & emergency responders attempting to provide aid were jostled & shoved by the mob, even as rescuers were trying to administer CPR. Mr. Damour was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital about an hour later.

It gets better. As police & security were attempting to clear the store following the death, some shoppers were indignant, yelling back that they'd been in line since the previous day...

...and they kept shopping! Witnesses described the behavior of some as "savage."

Are you sick yet?

I used to avoid shopping the day after Thanksgiving solely because of the crowds. I'll never shop again on "Black Friday." I don't want to be associated with an event that brings out such disgusting behavior, where the value of a human being isn't worth missing out on 50% off a video game console, or a cheap DVD player.

God help us!

What a ride!

2008-11-28T20:36:00.005-06:00

Ok, the pun's intended in the title of this post. Jen and I had originally planned on keeping both our paid-for automobiles (her Corolla & my Ranger) until the arrival of Prowitz baby #2 required us to purchase at least one additional vehicle capable of carrying multiple kids.

We were hoping to wait until next August before taking the plunge. However, when Jen was told the day before Thanksgiving that her car was literally a rolling timebomb ("I wouldn't take it on the highway" was our mechanic's advice) costing twice the value of the car itself to repair and her Monday commute fast approaching, we went into accelerated car purchasing mode.

After a lot of talking, praying, and pad thai noodles for lunch today, we ended up buying a Nissan Xterra. To Bob Peterson & the staff at Saturn of Greenfield, thanks much! You helped ease the stress of a major purchase like this with your personal attention, humor, and lack of pressure. Thanks to you, we won't miss Thanksgiving dinner with Jen's family up north on Saturday, and Jen can go to work on Monday with a vehicle that won't fall apart.

And dang, Bob! That spilt cup prop looks SO real!

28.8 miles

2008-11-14T10:18:00.003-06:00

Yesterday, I took the day off from work & joined my friend Rodney on a nice ride on the Glacial Drumlin Trail that runs from Cottage Grove (near Madison) to Waukesha. Since it's been a while since either of us has tackled a ride longer than 20mi, and time was a constraint, we hit the Dousman to Waukesha section. A really nice ride, plus I'd like to check out more of the town of Wales when I get a chance. Round trip from Dousman to Waukesha & back = 28.8 miles.

I remember in high school, my friends & I biked from Oconomowoc to Neosho & back, about 25 miles total. Until yesterday, that was my longest non-stop ride. Hey, a new personal record!

My goal is to bike the entire trail, which is about 53 miles, by next summer.

Oops - a follow up

2008-10-31T08:59:00.002-05:00

For those of you wrote expressing your ammusement at my misfortune of watching the wrong "Journey to the Center of the Earth," I got to see the right one last night.

Watch out for the jumping fish!

A movie oops!

2008-10-30T09:30:00.005-05:00

Ok, so I wasn't looking too close at the covers when I rented a movie from the Redbox from our local grocery store. I had a cart of food, and was looking forward to a night at home, watching a movie with Jen. I checked available titles, saw a couple covers for "Journey to the Center of the Earth," and thought that'd be a fun one, so I tapped one, paid for it, and left.

I knew we were in for it when Greg Evigan (wasn't Brendan Frasier the star?) was the headlining actor. Greg Evigan? Wasn't he the star of "B.J. and the Bear" in 1979? Yup, and "Private Road: No Trespassing" (1987), and as a spot character on "Melrose Place" in 1997?

Ok, to his credit, Greg Evigan has a long and distinctive acting career, but he's not Brendan Frasier, and I didn't see the "Journey to the Center of the Earth" version some of you saw in theaters.

Oh well, maybe next time...

100th post - The Announcement

2008-10-27T16:17:00.002-05:00

I just noticed I've past the 100th post mark for my blog. Ta da! And with that milestone, I get to announce on thedavewave.com the anticipated May 16, 2009 arrival of Prowitz baby #2!

A fun experience

2008-10-27T15:23:00.002-05:00

This was kinda fun - a friend of mine told me of an opportunity to help with a race sponsored by The North Face. Seems they needed some folks to watch their stuff overnight before the 6am scheduled start of the race. In return for providing night security for their aid stations, we'd get a free tent. Not a bad deal!

There wasn't really an ideal spot to pitch my tent, plus it was raining on and off, so I decided to spend the night in my truck. Around 3:30am, a couple rental trucks arrived. I helped the guys unload 648 gallons of drinking water. Just before 5am, some of their staff arrived to start setting up the aid station. I got to help with that until almost 6:30am and the first of the runners had come through.

I have a weird daughter...

2008-09-29T21:04:00.007-05:00

I was watching Olivia today when I heard a banging sound from around the refrigerator & caught this. That's my girl!

Gear Review: Trango Cinch

2008-09-29T17:17:00.002-05:00

Well, after my last gear review, I'm sure most manufacturers would be quaking in fear should their product's performance incur my wrath.

Trango, fear not. I've been using the Cinch for almost a year now, and I absolutely love it. Super simple design, and rope literally flows through it while belaying, but locks off securely in a fall. Be aware that the lack of friction when the device is unlocked works both ways. Lowering someone of near-adult size takes some practice, and since one hand is occupied holding open the release lever, your brake hand takes all the heat (literally!)

The learning curve is worth it. I highly recommend the Trango Cinch (retail $69) for your gear rack.

Day off with dad

2008-09-22T12:47:00.003-05:00

Taking time off with Olivia today. Before lunch we decided to go to the playground across the drive from our apartment. It's kinda funny - it's tempting when you see all those cool toddler/ child toys at Walmart to want to lavish them on your child. Olivia likes going down slides? We should buy her a slide. She likes water? We should get a little kiddie pool.

Then Jen reminds me of where we live. Wanna slide? Walk 100 yards to the commercial playground at Timber-lee's campground. Wanna splash, head down to the lake. When she gets older, there's the 40' climbing tower, archery range, horse trail rides, etc.

I didn't have access to all that growing up...

LUCKY!

Gear Review: DON'T BUY THESE!!

2008-09-09T12:55:00.006-05:00

Ok, I realize that the title of this post is a bit harsh, but over a couple year's experience with this brand of outdoors footwear, they've earned it.

If you're looking for shoes that will surely disappoint, then Merrell® makes the shoes for you. I don't know what's happened to them. Merrell® used to sell decent shoes & boots. I have an older pair of mid-weight Gore-Tex® hiking boots that are still going strong...then I bought my pair of polar mocs, a slip-on shoe for cooler weather. Within a few months the inner lining had worn completely through. Not much fun to wear when your heel gets jabbed by an exposed plastic shell.

Then I bought my Gore-Tex® approach shoes. Vibram® soles, waterproof, workhorse of a shoe, right?

Wrong!

The heel lining wore out within a couple months (anybody got some duct tape to cover the edge of that plastic heel cup?) plus the "waterproof" Gore-Tex® lining leaks like a sieve. My toes were squishing in 'em last week during heavy rain.

Bottom line: Avoid Merrell® shoes like the plague. They look nice, but the quality's just not there anymore.

A long time comin'

2008-08-25T23:21:00.000-05:00

Hey guys! I can't believe that it's been so long since my last post. I'm busy training our new intern here at camp, plus getting started on a new semester at school. Got a lead on a new college that I can start after Beacon University closes next May. Similar degree program, plus the cost is about the same.

The family's doing well. Jen starts back at school tomorrow. Olivia is growing like a weed. Watched her tonight and noticed that the top drawers in the kitchen are no longer out of reach. Where did I put those safety latches...

A busy summer & a surprise

2008-07-12T10:10:00.002-05:00

Hey everyone! Sorry for the rather big gap since my last post. It's been a pretty bust summer here at camp...combine that with my online college classes, and Jen finishing her degree...you get the picture.

Here's a bit of a shocker - the college I just started taking classes thru is closing! Financial crisis is what they called it. They're going to finish the 2008-09 school year to allow current seniors to graduate on time, and help underclassmen (like myself) get plugged into similar online programs at sister schools.

Didn't see that coming!

What I'm reading...

2008-06-09T22:27:00.003-05:00

Just sent off my book report on "The Servant," by James C. Hunter. I really enjoyed reading this book. It both affirmed some of the things I'm already doing and challenged me to grow in other areas.

I think the principles in this book are so vital to effective Biblical leadership that I'm considering making it required reading for staff in my department who are moving into leadership roles.

Stormy weather!

2008-06-08T11:19:00.004-05:00

We've been under some pretty nasty weather the last couple of days. Yesterday was the day of tornados. I even got to video record some of our belongings before heading to the basement. Needless to say, I didn't have to make use of our Renter's Insurance (reminds me, the annual premium is due next week!)

The radar image is from the actual time of this post...yup...like, right now. We're looking at the possibility of more severe thunderstorms for the next few hours. Tons of rain, lots of lightning, and high winds are forcasted for today.

I'm published!

2008-06-04T10:44:00.002-05:00

Hey everyone, guess what? I'm a published author! Ok, not planning on changing careers or anything, but it is kinda cool.

About a month and a half ago, I received a phone call from the editor of an online magazine, Faith and Fitness, wondering if I'd be interested in writing an article for their June/ July issue (they got my name off a Christian adventure program website.) After thinking about it, I thought "why not?"

You can read it here:
http://www.faithandfitness.net/node/181

Updates

2008-05-24T11:56:00.003-05:00

I realized, looking at past posts, that I kinda left you hanging, especially with the May 7th post. So, to fill in the gaps, here's what happened...

(1) ACA inspection. Everything went really well for us, both as a camp and for my department. My supervisors got a kick of my "Yes" answers to the inspectors. They'd present the standards...I'd answer "yes." Fifteen minutes or so & I was out of there.

(2) Mother/ Daughter Retreat. What a bunch of fun! We had a blast with the ladies, leading them through different problem-solving activities. I got feedback after the event that our activities were a hit with many.

Summer is upon us!

2008-05-22T14:05:00.005-05:00

I still can't believe that my summer staff are arriving in 5 days. We've got a few classes tomorrow, then some weekend activities we're running for Family Camp, then it's here. Around 100 fresh faces, many new to Timber-lee, beginning almost two weeks of training in preparation for summer ministry.

Pray for us, that God is able to use us in powerful ways that leave our campers forever changed.

"And so, since God in His mercy has given us this wonderful ministry, we never give up." 2 Cor 4:1 NLT

Busy, busy, busy!

2008-05-07T19:15:00.002-05:00

Just washed the dirt from my belayer hands. Hard to believe we're already into the second week of May. Just a few short weeks and I'll be welcoming my new summer staff. I'm kinda excited because the entire crew is new to Timber Challenge. Like working with blank slates. I'm looking forward to investing in them.

Our American Camp Association inspection is next week. I'm about as ready as I can get. The ACA inspection is a kind of peer review, with "site visitors" coming every three years. Good way to ensure high standards.

This weekend we'll be working "outside the box" a bit - I'm accompanying two of my staff to a hotel in SE Wisconsin, where we're providing teambuilding activities for a mother/ daughter retreat sponsored by a nearby church. Should be fun!

Back to school...the latest

2008-04-18T08:12:00.003-05:00

Well, registration is drawing close. Hard to believe that in three weeks I'll be starting classes online. Though the thought of diving into 3 years of college is a bit daunting, I think it'll be worth it.

College Algebra? Yuck!

The church blew up!

2008-04-05T13:34:00.003-05:00

At 1:26pm on April 2nd, First Baptist Church in Oconomowoc was completely destroyed in a gas explosion. Fortunately, no one was in the building at the time, and none of the construction or utility workers were seriously injured in the blast.

Now, you might be asking, "wasn't your dad the pastor of that church?" He was, but the church board let him go a few months ago for reasons I won't get into...let's just say "church politics." Had he still been with the church, he would've been in his office at the time of the blast & we wouldn't have a dad/husband/grandpa. God works in weird ways.

I'm back!

2008-04-05T13:08:00.003-05:00

I know, I know...left ya hanging after that last post. Lots of things have happened...

(1) Jen's final test results turned out great. Nothing to worry about.
(2) Olivia celebrated her first birthday on April 2nd. This picture was taken before she really got into her cake.
(3) Still getting over the flu. Wouldn't you figure, the weather is getting warmer, you actually want to spend time outdoors...and I get sick. At least the 102 fever is past, just have to get over the fatigue and nagging cough.

Ugh, I hate hospitals

2008-03-12T10:30:00.001-05:00

Just a quick note - Jen's day surgery went fine. Her doctor said everything looked good and the initial results look good. Final test results should be done in 3-5 days.

I'm continuously reminded through this that our days are ordered & numbered by God. There's nothing that Jen & I have done to deserve God's favor, like He owes us one. It's because He loves us immeasurably that He chooses to involve Himself in the details of our lives.

He cares...the God who spoke the universe into existence cares. In the midst of life's storms, that's where we find the peace and strength to face the unknown.

Thanks to everyone who has remembered us in prayer.

How many Olivias?

2008-02-23T11:36:00.006-06:00

Been playing with Photoshop this morning. How many Olivias can you find in this picture?

I read an article on "cloning" yourself or others in photographs. After playing around with Photoshop a little, I feel like I've only just touched on what's possible with the software.

Olivia goes sledding

2008-02-16T21:49:00.004-06:00

This evening, Jen, Olivia, and I went for a bit of a stroll...ok, Jen & I strolled, while Olivia enjoyed the ride in a borrowed sled. We noticed that Olivia was kinda dragging her mittens in the snow as we went along. Well, she noticed, too after awhile & decided to taste the funny white stuff on her hands.

Apparently she doesn't like it too much!

Update on the weather - looks like the heaviest stuff is going to stay just to our west, with us getting a mix of freezing rain, sleet, and some snow later on Sunday.

Seriously, it can stop snowing now...

2008-02-15T10:15:00.003-06:00

I feel like the weather has dominated my posts as of late, but I had to laugh when the National Weather Service issued ANOTHER warning for this weekend, with another 7-13 inches Sunday.

Trying to take today off from work...sort of. I still have some things I have to do, but not until later this afternoon. Given that Olivia is at her babysitter's house, I'm taking this opportunity to catch up on some needed rest, tidy up the house a bit, and run some errands.

Waitin' for my order

2008-02-13T18:28:00.001-06:00

It's been a few days since my last entry. Yes, the snow did come, and even more is on the way. Fantastic winter here at Timber-lee.

Ah, the title of this post...I'm sitting in the Golden Dragon restaurant, waiting for my order. My brother Dan and his girlfriend Deb are coming over for dinner tonight. Again, gotta love being able to do this on my phone.

Ah, more snow cometh...

2008-02-05T08:04:00.001-06:00

One word describes our snow cover this winter...AWESOME! Being in charge of the cross country ski program here at Timber-lee, I've felt myself at the mercy of really sad winters for a few years now. I'd have the "pleasure" of informing groups that we either (a) don't have any snow, or (b) don't have enough snow to ski without damaging the equipment.

No so much this year! Sure, we've had to cancel a couple classes here & there, but it's the exception, not the rule. Had skiing this past weekend, but it got warmer & rained yesterday. Conditions are a bit iffy right now...but that's ok. We've got another 10-14 INCHES coming tonight.

Just in time for tomorrow's ski classes & this weekend's high school winter camp.

UPDATE: at 2:30pm CST, the National Weather Service is forecasting up to 20 INCHES OF SNOW for our area! That is nuts! All the school groups scheduled for the next couple days have rescheduled for later this month. Where's my shovel...

Back in WI

2008-02-01T09:55:00.000-06:00

Well, the trip to NY came to a close Sunday, but not before getting to check out Word of Life Camp. Their Snow Camp was AWESOME! I especially enjoyed the cardboard sled races. WOL Camp is a Bible college, where the 400+ students learn both theology and camping by running the summer and winter camps. Very impressive.

Update on the arm...turns out Jen has the same problem, and we've narrowed down the suspected causes to one...Olivia! When we put her in her car seat, it causes our right arm to twist weird momentary while supporting all her weight. Advice from our chiropractor...stretching exercises.

They fixed it!

2008-01-26T00:25:00.000-06:00

I really should be hitting the sack, but I thought I'd take advantage of our newly restored internet connection.

The classes I taught today went really well, plus we made some good connections with students. Might even see some as summer staff at Timber-lee in a few months.

Later...gotta teach a teambuilding workshop in a few hours.

They crashed the network!

2008-01-25T09:24:00.001-06:00

Good morning, folks. The internet is down here at EBI, so I'm forced to resort to my phone to stay connected. Gotta love technology!

Our meetings have gone well, and we've made good connections with EBI students and staff. Gotta teach some classes this afternoon, then head to the Eastern Mountain Sports store in Pittsford (no trip to NY would be complete without a pilgrimage to EMS....maybe buy a new hat!)

We're in New York!

2008-01-23T22:54:00.000-06:00

Well guys, we arrived safely at Elim tonight (11pm EST). The travel was fast and uneventful...until we hit whiteout conditions south of Buffalo, NY. Cars & semis in the ditch, traffic slowed to 35mph. Pretty hairy until we got closer to Buffalo, then it was pretty decent the rest of the way to Elim.

Gonna hit the sack. We're both pretty bushed.

Zzzzzzzzzzz

Pray for my arm...and my trip!

2008-01-20T18:14:00.000-06:00

Hey guys, I could really use your prayers. I pulled a muscle in my right arm and it smarts! It's been like this for over a week & the pain is getting a little old. Those of you who know me know that I have a pretty high tolerance for pain...

Also, I leave for New York on Wednesday with my friend & co-worker Matt for a few days at Elim Bible Institute. I'm going to teach some camping classes & talk Adventure Ed with the college's president. Matt is meeting with their internship director to discuss partnering with them, which could mean a steady stream of summer staff & LCMs that Timber-lee could invest in.

Just checking in

2008-01-13T17:53:00.000-06:00

I realized it's been a few days since I posted anything. Nothing huge going on at this point. I got my acceptance notification from Beacon University...it's official, I'm a college student again. Probably start classes this summer.

I leave for New York on the 23rd. Heading back to Elim Bible Institute, this time with my friend Matt, to teach some classes & promote internship opportunities for Elim students. I may be meeting with the school's president to talk about what it would take to start & run an adventure education program at Elim. Could use your prayers.

Olivia's got TWO teeth starting to peek out now. It's so fun to watch her grow - it's happening so fast!

It's here!

2008-01-01T21:24:00.000-06:00

Well, 2007 is officially history, so that can mean only one thing...ok, it could actually mean a number of things...but anyway, it's time for my 2007 "Best Of" collection of photos taken over the past year. I've created a public gallery on my photography site, www.prowitzphoto.com, where you can view or even purchase prints of selections from the "Best Of" collections from 2005 to date. Enjoy!

To view them, click on "Purchase", then "Best of" Collection under "Public Galleries."

God's Finger

2007-12-28T16:02:00.000-06:00

I can't believe how much snow we've gotten this season! No blizzards like last year, but we've had good snowfall after snowfall. Today starts our first weekend camp at Timber-lee for high school students. We we're worried about not having enough snow for the winter activities.

We were worried...hah! God is so good. Today's storm is finally slowing down after dumping another 8 inches on us.

It's a reminder to me that God is interested & involved in ALL the details of our lives. I remember a number of years ago, we had a group scheduled for a day of ropes course activities. As their day drew near, the weather forecast was not in their favor. The night before, they were predicting "100% chance of thunderstorms." Not looking good.

The next morning, I went over some last minute details with their youth pastor. "By the way, it looks like the weather's going to be a problem today & we may have to cut things short depending on when it hits." "We've been praying all week for today," was his response, "and we're believing that it's not going to affect us."

By 3pm, under blue skies & tall clouds to our north & south, I was getting a little curious as to where our "100%" storms were. I sneaked away to my office where I could check radar images on the web.

As someone who took meteorology classes in high school & college, I couldn't believe what I saw...

The entire region was experiencing strong storms...except us. Looking at the radar image, it was a mass of green, orange, and red, but right through the middle of it, it looked like someone had taken their finger and erased a 20 mile wide straight line right through the middle of it. Animating the map, Timber-lee stayed exactly in the middle of that line.

I went back out to the course to meet up with the youth pastor. "I'm witnessing the answer to your prayers, live on Doppler radar."

Two hours later, as we were finishing the last group of the day, we heard our first rumble of thunder & it started to rain.

Gear Review - Crocs

2007-12-27T11:36:00.000-06:00

Ok, so this is what I do once I get back in the office - I write reviews. To be fair, I've got a few minutes before lunch, and I HAVE finished repacking the kits from my caving trip, done some budgeting work, read an article related to universal access of challenge courses (i.e. participants with disabilities), and turned in a handful of receipts to the office.

Back to the review. This may seem like kind of a stretch. I mean, come on, are Crocs really gear? Aren't they those wacky foam slippers that everybody's wearing? If you go online, you'll find sites created by those who absolutely love 'em, and sites with people putting Crocs in blenders. Even The Daily Show made fun of them. So, where do I stand when it comes to Crocs? Originally, I thought they were funny looking & overpriced, especially for a couple pieces of foam.

Then I bought a pair.

I had some extra money, and after hearing enough people rant & rave, I decided to put 'em to the test. I have to admit, they are very comfortable. They don't breathe (at all!), but the abundance of ventilation holes make up for it. They fit loose, but wearing 'em with a thick pair of socks in cooler weather will make the sale for you. It's like wearing air!

Final verdict: I wouldn't go out & spend hundreds of dollars just so you can have one in every color, but like any other piece of gear, there's a right "tool" for the job, and Crocs definitely fill a niche. I'm actually interested in their new line of technical apparel. Somehow they've integrated their material into a woven fabric that's light & breathable. Oh well, that's a discussion saved for a future review.

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-25T18:15:00.003-06:00

Good evening & Merry Christmas! I'm away from my computer this evening, but I just wanted to take a few moments to wish all my readers a blessed Christmas. I say "readers" because I just found out that 121 unique visitors came to thedavewave in the last 30 days. That's pretty cool!

As I look back at this past year, I have so much to be thankful for. I'm celebrating my first holiday with our baby daughter, and God has proved Himself faithful in so many ways. He's provided financially through my work here at Timber-lee, plus more than a few photography jobs. He's provided for me professionally through the hiring of a very capable assistant who's helped me greatly, plus my appointment to the Professional Ropes Course Assoc. Board of Directors.

So again, have a blessed Christmas!

Hittin' the books (again!)

2007-12-22T22:23:00.000-06:00

Well, it looks like it's official. I'm heading to school again. My last bits of info are en route to Beacon University in Columbus, GA, where I'll be working towards a BA in Organizational Leadership & Management. It's a distance learning program, taken online. I'm both excited & a bit nervous. It's been awhile since I've played the part of student.

Jen & I both think it's a good idea. Educationally, it'll give me more options down the road. My Elim education, though invaluable in preparing me for full time ministry, isn't exactly the kind of preparation desired by some of the grad schools I'm looking into. Trying to get into a MA in Adventure Education or Recreation Management program is a little tough with a Bible school diploma.

God has given me some awesome opportunities over my 10 years in this field. I direct an adventure education program that serves over 30,000 participants annually. I've lectured on numerous occasions at different universities. I'm beginning my second term on the Board of Directors of the Professional Ropes Course Association. I look forward to the doors God can open in the future with a stronger academic background in this field.

I don't need a nap!

2007-12-17T08:55:00.000-06:00

Heading back from the cave...

2007-12-14T15:58:00.001-06:00

This is kinda fun. I'm writing this on my phone as we drive back from Pop's Cave. We had a good time with students from Badger High School, getting muddy in the balmy 50+ degree temps inside the cave. One student was visiting from Turkey. "Someone take a picture," he said after crawling out a particularly muddy passage, "my mom's never going to believe this!"

I love my job!

Mobile Device Testing

2007-12-12T21:35:00.001-06:00

Hey guys, this is a test of my ability to post with my new smartphone. I'm kinda excited as this will allow me to eliminate carrying so many different gadgets. We'll see how it goes...

Speaking at UWM

2007-12-04T22:47:00.000-06:00

I'd love your prayers as I speak tomorrow at the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. My friend Sean is a professor for a therapeutic recreation class, and he's asked me to speak to the class about my experience with Hodgkin's Disease. I'm supposed to share about what it was like to go through the entire process as a patient, from diagnosis to treatment and everything in between. I also have the freedom to share what an important part my faith played.

Pray that God gives me the words to say. I hope the students see that my relationship with God is much more than a dry religion, that they see that I was able to face cancer because of my personal relationship with a loving God.

Gear Review - Mountain Hardwear Monkey Man Jacket

2007-12-02T10:46:00.000-06:00

Being an outdoors professional who's closet looks like a mini-camping store, I've thought of reviewing some of the pieces of gear I pick up from time. Hope you find it helpful.

A month or so ago, I picked up a new fleece. It's been awhile, and I did sell some outerwear on eBay to make room for it. It's the Monkey Man Jacket ($140) by Mountain Hardwear. Now, for those unfamiliar with technical outerwear, you may be choking at the thought of spending that on a jacket. Maybe my review will help explain (BTW, I paid way less - watch for sales!)

The Monkey Man is like a feather-light, unbelievably soft shag carpet fashioned into a jacket. It's made out of Polarguard Thermal Pro fleece, in a weave Mountain Hardwear calls "Monkey Phur." It's not windproof, or even wind resistant. Where this jacket really shines is its versatility. Because it breathes so well, you can wear it in moderate temperatures comfortably. When the wind picks up or the mercury drops, put a shell jacket over the Monkey Man & say goodbye to cold.

It's quickly becoming one of my favorite jackets, so two enthusiastic thumbs up!

We survived!

2007-12-02T10:28:00.000-06:00

Ok, it wasn't that bad for us. We picked up a few inches of snow, and the freezing rain covered everything, but the warm temps we had this morning has already melted off the ice. Does look like winter, though.

Hope you like the picture. Before you think, "wow, he was outside last night, trying to find a cool picture for the blog," let me fill you in on what really went into the shot. I turned our porch light on, stuck my head & camera out the door, took the shot & closed the door.

It was cold!

It's a little icy...

2007-12-01T20:38:00.000-06:00

Yeah, the snow & freezing rain have been falling for hours now, and everythings coated in a layer of ice. I'll take some pictures tomorrow morning. We were going to catch a performance of our friend AJ tonight, but decided against traveling when the National Weather Service described travel as "impossible" and "dangerous."

Hopefully we can make it to the 3pm show tomorrow.

Calm before the storm...

2007-12-01T11:31:00.000-06:00

Jen & I just got done shutting our storm windows & putting plastic over the air conditioner (not gonna need that for awhile!) We're under a Winter Storm Warning, with a lot of snow & ice on its way. I'm sure I'll have more to write later. Are those snowflakes I'm seeing outside my window?

A Father's Love

2007-11-26T14:23:00.000-06:00

Olivia got a boo-boo.

Besides crawling around a whole lot, she's now discovered how to pull herself up to stand. While exploring the kitchen yesterday, she pulled herself up on a drawer knob & at some point lost her grip and slid to the floor, hitting her eyebrow on the knob. Boy, did she cry!

I surprised myself when, as Jen was giving her a bath later that evening, I found myself tearing up as I looked at her little smiling face, a red mark and a little swelling above her left eye the only evidence of her injury.

Why the tears? I felt helpless. I couldn't protect her from everything. I wanted to take the injury for her...wow! What an amazing illustration of God's love for us. God did take our place when Jesus hung on the cross for our sins. As a father, I can't imagine what God felt watching His Son die in our place.

But that suffering was necessary. Without Christ's death, we'd not know eternal life. Without trials, we don't experience the "fires" that temper our souls. Without drawer knobs, Olivia wouldn't learn to be careful as she explores her new world.

And I'm sure it's not her last...

Weekend with Olivia

2007-11-11T20:41:00.000-06:00

Well, Olivia is down for the night, so I figured I'd take a couple minutes to check in. It's been a nice couple days off from work. Jen let me sleep last night on the couch (I slept there from 6:30pm until 5am this morning!) I am so glad it's this time of year again. Working at camp can be so demanding. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE what I do, but I've learned that the pace can be physically draining. When you go hardcore for almost 9 months straight, the body demands a vacation after awhile.

Happy Birthday, Vikki!

2007-11-02T15:01:00.000-05:00

This is a special post for my sister Vikki, who's celebrating a birthday today. Being the ever-vigilant older brother, I realized that her birthday was coming up...yesterday when I realized it was now November. Since the internet is faster than the postal service, I thought I'd squeak this in under the wire to avoid "belated" status.

Seriously, though, Happy Birthday, Vik. I pray that this year is one marked by God's favor & love for you. We all love you & Olivia can't wait to see her aunt again. BTW, the guest room is finished. Any day, anytime, just let us know.

Father-Son Retreat

2007-10-23T21:43:00.000-05:00

Got a chance last weekend to be the event photographer for the father/son retreat here at Timber-lee. Was a lot of fun (and a lot of work!) I'm really happy with how some of the pictures turned out.

iPhone Update

2007-10-17T14:34:00.000-05:00

Some cool news made public regarding the iPhone recently. The bullet points:
1. Apple is opening the iPhone up to 3rd party applications.
2. 3G version - much faster than the current phone.
3. GPS enabled for navigation and location-based services.

What does this mean in plain language? I'll be able to load my Bible software on it, the internet & email will download faster, and I'll be able to use it for traveling. No roadmaps necessary, just take my phone. Watch for lower prices next year as well, especially considering production is supposed to increase.

Take the Survey

2007-10-15T14:17:00.000-05:00

Just curious, but my site averages quite a few hits from around the country. Not a ton, mind you, but their frequency and location of origin is sometimes surprising (no, I CAN'T tell who's visiting my site, but I do use a Google tool to generate site statistics.) So anyway, I've added a quick survey in the sidebar. Take a few seconds to submit your answer.

Your feedback is important to me. I've treated this site as a way for friends around the world to quickly stay on top of the latest in Dave News, but I don't want to necessarily limit it. I may add more surveys in the future to best determine how to move forward with my site.

A big Dave Wave to you all!

I'm back!

2007-10-15T13:53:00.000-05:00

Good afternoon, everyone! It's been a while since my last post, and I have a few minutes to spare, so I thought I'd check in.

Things at camp are going well. We made it through our busiest week of the season last week, and it's nice to know that we're going to see a bit of a slowdown over the coming weeks - not quite as crazy!

I got to shoot photos for a couple friends of mine who got married this past weekend.

Olivia's still growing quickly. She's sitting up on her own. Still not crawling, per se, but man can she scoot! Does kind of this inchworm-like thing. Funny to watch, and makes us very aware of how many things in our home are quickly becoming reachable. Time to do some baby-proofing!

A Tough Call

2007-09-23T13:31:00.000-05:00

I'm still dealing with probably the roughest call I've responded to in almost 7 years on the fire department. What started out as our rescue squad being called out for a missing person turned into a two day search involving over 130 people from multiple agencies.

This was so different than the other calls I've responded to in the past. In cases of fire or auto accident, the damages are already done, the property lost, the injuries sustained. In this case, we had a 40 year old autistic, diabetic man with the functional level of a 5 year old who had wandered off from home. To make matters worse, he couldn't speak or respond when called.

While we hoped our efforts would end in finding Kyle & providing the medication he desperately needed, the radio call "Code 99" for the coroner around noon yesterday signalled the end of our search.

It's the first call that's made me cry.

During one emotional moment last night, Jen reminded me that Kyle's with Jesus now, that his thoughts are clear, he can speak, and he'll spend eternity freed from his imperfect, human body.

A merciful God wouldn't have it any other way. Pray for his family as they cope with this loss.

A Weary Thankfulness

2007-09-15T15:07:00.000-05:00

As I sit here at my desk, I find myself feeling very...tired. Our internship program is short a few people this year & it means I'm in the teaching schedule more than usual. It's been a long week in the rain, the sun, the heat, and the record cold of the past few days. Couple that with the fact that I'm still recovering from a case of pneumonia...you guessed it. It's been a challenge.

Human beings are a funny bunch when it comes to challenges. I see it all the time on our ropes courses. When we encounter resistance of any kind, our natural inclination is to take ourselves out of the fire. After all, hardship=BAD, doesn't it?

However, God gives us the ability, the grace, to overcome ANY challenge in our lives. It doesn't mean He takes it away. If anything, He wouldn't be the loving Father that He is if He prematurely removed us from the tempering fire of our refining.

I'm tired, but I'm good, and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

Mike & Katie's Wedding

2007-09-02T23:52:00.000-05:00

I got to shoot my friends Mike & Katie's wedding up in northern Michigan the weekend of August 18th at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. It was a small wedding, mostly the wedding party & immediate family. The ceremony took place on the beach, about a 2 mile hike from the trailhead. It was absolutely gorgeous, and their wedding was a powerful example of God's love & the miracle uniting of husband and wife.