I am back and i'm ok

what a great weekend? it was so good to see Becca, some really close friends and watermarkers. huge props to Steve Deur who as always made me feel good to see him!

I flew into Midway Thursday evening late. I drove part of the way before getting tired and finished the rest of the trip on friday. Friday was spent fixing a problem for a customer. I picked up Becca around 4:00 and we partied. Swimming and eating and laughing. it was good!

we also saw Ghost Rider Friday night. Interesting movie.

Saturday was chilling. Swimming in the morning with some shopping. Ya know Becca is almost 13! She likes that shopping thing. The afternoon and evening were spent with the Fischers. Grilling and ribs!!!! Mmmmmmm.....7 layersalad ..mmmm ...baked beans. oh it was so good. i love the fischers (for lots of reasons) because they know how to entertain and make you feel at home! Their son Aaron (or Fish as the football coaches called him) is the coolest kid i know. It was really good to laugh and see all of them.

Sunday was the gathering. Great to connect with people i have not seen in a while. Sunday afternoon was hanging with the Johnsons and Thompsons. Great again to reconnect, laugh and talk. Thomps has some pretty funny videos on his blog about a sledding trip he made with the boys. too funny. one video is of steve sledding. he put his phone in his hat and made the video of his trip down the hill.

Well, it was good and this was long. but we have to get back to the week ahead.

thanks for listening
Carter

Headed back to Michigan

yup, i have a trip planned for this weekend. I am hoping the bad weather will hold off until i get there.

it will be get to becca. i have not been back since christmas. i am excited.

nothing new here. busy working and trying to make new friends. i have not grilled once since i have been here. that is not cool. i am really looking forward to seeing some friends in GH - the fischers. they are grilling machines!

anyway. more when i get back.

Carter

a time to think

I was doing my usual reading of the blogs this morning. And i came across Arkay's blog entry called Catch a Wave. It made for some interesting reading. And i will tell you why.

Oklahoma City is a large city. There are many homeless here. I see them everyday and my heart goes out to them. But i do not know the answer. I do not know the1r story. I do not know how to help.

There is an Outback Steak House right near where i live - way too convenient to where i live. (well, it recently had a fire - but that is not important.) as i pulled in to pick up my order and head home, there was a couple walking in the parking lot. They waved at me like i knew them. Extremely friendly. i did not have enough time to really engage in conversation but ended up giving up my meal for that night. Not sure if that was the right thing to do but that is what i did.

well, i don't know. I wrestle with the issues too. I am not sure what is the right thing to do.



Then the King will say to those on his right, "Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.

"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me."

Then the righteous will answer him, "Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?"

The King will reply, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."

Matthew 25: 34-40

so you say the super bowl....

is in a few hours. the day where people all over gather to watch the game of the year. just so we are clear, i would like the Bears to win. No reason really.

So a coworker and his family were going to the movies on friday. they invited me to go. i have not seen a movie in quite some time so i decided to go. Had a great time. lots of laughs. they had been wanting to see the Messengers for quite some time. that is what we saw. I wished i had the 2 hours back and the $8.50.

it sucked.

on more positive news. i am traveling all month. California, georgia, all over. And i will be in michigan the first weekend in March. YeeHaa

so there you have it.

Later
C

Oklahoma

I have been here since mid-december. we have had (2) ice related storms and (2) snow related storms. the temperature has not creeped much over 40 degrees. Now for a guy from Michigan, this is not much for me to be concerned with. But the drivers here freak out.

the thing that kills me is i thought i was leaving the snow behind. i have be harassed heavily at work about "bringing the snow with me" or "you did not need to pack that up too". I am told that this is a fluck. this snow thing only happens once every ten years. well....i don't believe. just like the ground hog, i think we have alot more winter ahead of us.

enough about that.

things here are busy. business is good and solid - which is great. it my social life that suffers.

I have been communicating with becca - video and telephone. i will be making the trip to michigan soon.

Why are we in iraq? if the CIA has stopped searching for Bin Laden, why are we still occupying Afghanistan? how much money has the US government spent on this war?

hmmmm
Carter

Oh yeah - things are getting back to normal

All is well in OK. the sun is out - and even though the temperature is still cool, it is good to see the sun again. The other thing that is good is that the town is coming alive again. With the weather being uncooperative, OKC shut down. It is good to see things getting back to normal.

People here are friendly. that is cool.

Becca is doing well. Just ended another semester. She is a little boy crazy right now. not sure how that happened. i was talking with her mom the other day and she really notices it. I might have to break some legs. LOL, right.

The hunt for a church continues. The last two weekends have slowed the process right down. With no churches open, it is hard to attend. Yes, i have attended Bedside Baptist the last two weekends - no by choice.

Work is fricken busy. several major projects rolling, a few in design and a conference we are presenting at is all coming up. Lots to do!

The transition has helped me really focus more on God and my relationship with him. I have been coasting for a while. With the move, it really has made me stop and think about what His role is in my life.

So along with the Thomps, my word for the year is prayer. followed closely by trust (and obey). I do have a lot of time on my hands. It will be good to fill it with positive things.

Have you sign up for the month of prayer? DO IT NOW! Shoreline Prays website. i am considering signing up for a slot.

Out like a light,
Carter

This was fun.

Get Your Cyborg Name

Give it a try

Ice Ice Baby

Hi there

from the land of OK and drivers who do not know how to drive on ice, i bid thee hello. No joking there. we have be buried in ice. it has sucked because this ENTIRE area has shut down. So, thank God the electricity did not go out.

Other than the weather, things are going ok. i am starting to feel like i know where i am going and that is good. Work is great. things are slowly falling into place. Our company is out of control busy and it is taking a toll on our people. but there are far worse problems like not having any work at all.

We, becca & I, are making the transition ok. We talked often and have lots to say. We are set up on the video chat thing now and that has helped ALOT.

Still looking for a church. There is an all cowboy church here. i refuse to even go near. too much reality there.

If you think of it, pray for me. Weekends and nights are extremely long.

out for now,
Carter

Happy New Year

One of the things i missed last sunday morning is the time honored "goals for 2007" teaching i sure went on at watermark and SLWC. I am almost positive that these teachings happened because it is such good stuff to think about this time of the year. goals goals goals....

because the amount of driving i have done (over the last 2 weeks), i have had some time to think about what i would like this new year to look like. relationships, new location, new job, finances, physical. i have run the list.

Do you have goals for the new year?

Carter

the move is complete

and the Christmas holiday behind.

I cannot believe the whirlwind that has been my life for the last 2 weeks. Let me explain. After moving 1100 miles, i was blessed with some guys at work helping the unload process. Now is the challenge of getting out of those boxes.

i had negotiated a trip back to west michigan for Christmas to see my daughter. Let me tell you. I felt a little like the guys from planes, trains, and automobiles. I arrived at the airport saturday morning at 3:30 am. I did this to see if i could get my seating set and all that jazz. when the ticketing agent opened up, we all found out that flights going to chicago were canceled because of the snow situation in denver. I spent 2 hours trying to get re-routed on another flight another airline or even dog sled. But i was determined to be home for Christmas - u can count on me..... yada yada. I did find out that the only way home (flying) was to wait until the 26th. that was not acceptable. So i cashed in my ticket and rented a car. and off i drove back to michigan.

I arrive on Christmas eve. I had not done any shopping for becca so off i went. That was alot of fun. But i was able to get what i needed and rolled from there.

Christmas eve i was suppose to hook up with becca. My "ex" family always gets together on Christmas eve and has chinese dinner. Good times! I was still shopping and could not make the dinner. that was a bummer. anyway, i received a call from becca's mom early evening. I was already in route to meet them, but the conversation was becca is getting sick. Something she ate we all agreed. At the time of the call, she was in another restuarant worshiping the porclein god. we all agreed it would be better for the becca to head to the farm and chill for the evening.

Sidebar: the thompsons let me use their house while they were on the east side visiting family. Shout out to them for the use of the crib!!!! Also, i ended up with one of their towels. Sorry guys. Don't charge my credit card. i will bring it back.

So Christmas morning rolls around. I have a wonder breakfast at the Johnsons. that was awesome. I received a call from becca and away i went. We opened gifts at the farm. that was fun. Becca was totally geeked and Tigger was doing awesome. after a little bit, Becca's mom and husband decided they were going to visit some family. No prob as becca and i were trying to figure out what to do from there. As they were pulling out, they backed into my rental car. DUH! OUCH! that was a bummer. it was an accident. So i called the rental company to figure out what to do.

So becca and i chilled out the rest of the day and night.

The next day we spent a portion of the day dealing with insurance, police reports and the rental company. SUCK OUT LOUD! But becca and i were able to go and hang with the fischer clan. It was awesome to see them again.

by now it is wednesday, we, becca and me, are hanging - watching movies, eating at her favorite restuarant.

So i left on Thursday to OK.

And here i am.

Overall, it was great to see family and friends. Most of all, it was great to spend quality time with becca. I miss her in the worst way.

So, i am busy at home trying to get out of boxes. And i am busy at work - projects never stand still. I am trying to get my way around OKC. Also in search of a good church. should be an interesting journey.

More later.

Carter

Well - i made it

Yes, it is true. i am in oklahoma. Giddy up! the trip was extremely long and i am tired but it is good to be here.

My place is cool. it will be good until i can figure out the lay of the land. Our company office is moving. SO i did not want to commit to a place and then find out i have an hour trip to work. Right now it is about 5 minutes. tough i know.

Becca and i are still dealing with the separation stuff. Pray for her. It will work it is just a difficult time for us. Also please be praying for another realtionship i am trying to work some things out with. A delicate time for sure.

God is good and so is the weather right now. I am flying back to Michigan for Christmas and then i don't know. this has all been a blur.

More later
Carter

How do we finish well?

And i break the blogging silence.

Since i made the annoucement to move, i have been wrestling with the issue of finishing well. I struggle with my own feelings of wanting to move on and not leaving the relationships i have. I am a creature of habit. my life is predictable from a schedule stand point. So the move is tough because in essence it is starting over.

I am concerned about the significant relationships i have made. How do you maintain them? how to sustain them? I am riding the line of i don't want the friendships to change and change being inevitable.

I have a couple i am close to. I have spent basically the last 10 years of my life getting to know. And for the last 6 years have spent basically two and sometimes three times a week at their house. they have a child the same age as becca and for the most part have really gotten along well. We spent some time over to their house this weekend and it is getting more difficult to leave their house. I spent most of this evening with talking to becca about not seeing this family and seeing how upset she is about that. You see the other child was spending time with friends in the neighborhood & not really paying attention to becca. Now that is normal and i am not saying i "blame" the other child but it was upsetting to becca. The question that kept coming up, "Does _______ realize we have just a week and everything changes?" So we are all trying to figure out how to finish well. Yet, i feel the pull.

I have a couple i am close to. i have been connected deeply for years. been thru alot. i cannot even break that statement down for you - it is so big. But i can tell you that we have spent many hours at a campfire dreaming, praying, worshipping, laughing and solving the worlds problems. This is a part of my life i do not want to change. Just like the last paragraph, these are relationships i do not want to lose. yet, i feel the pull.

I had some close relationships from work. The disconnect did not happen very well. I am not sure where those relationships are now or if they will ever be reconciled. You see i feel like i finished well -- 3 weeks notice, projects complete (except a programming thing)(an issue that could have been avoided), etc. Yet, i am sure if you asked them they would have a completely different opinion. You see, we were a pretty tight group. The team was strong. Then, over the last 9 months, some things happened and levels of relationships changed. I felt a real connection on one relationship while the other relationship changed for the worse. I have enjoyed watching the one friendship blossom while i have agonized over the other friendship dying. The funny thing is i can see the dying process happening in this one relationship - but i could not stop it. You cannot make some one see the destructive path they are on and denial is a powerful tool. With all that said, i still have good feelings about those relationships, about my employment and employer. I will always have good things to say. Yet, i feel the pull.

I spent some time over the holidays with my family. it was fun to connect and have meals. Becca and i had a great time. It was difficult to leave. There was one spot where i wished i had a camera. My dad is not the most emotional guy. It has only been since becca was born that i would hear i love you between the two of us. He and i made an "unspoken" pact not to part conversation without saying those words. Life if too short not to tell those you care about that you care! I have made the trip home to the farm many, many times. Every time i would leave, my parents would stand in the window and wave. This time was different. As i got settled in my car and made ready for the trip how, i looked up to see my dad standing on the porch waving. I will never forget the image. it is burned in my mind. I know it does not seems like a big thing but it was a moment for me -- never to forget.

Not to mention watermark. I have been part since close to the beginning and i mean before the church started, while we were having test sundays. The disconnect here is going to be hard too. I have enjoyed so much the relationships i have been blessed with. The team, the people, the experience of God here....i am going to miss.

the reality is that all of these relationships will change and that is my struggle because i do not want them too. Oh carter you will make new friends. Thanks for the encouragement but frankly i love the relationships i have! and that is my struggle.

Well, i am sure i will rant some more but it is late and i need to get some sleep.

Love your neighbors as yourself. hmmm lets practice that one for a while.
Carter

and the winds of change start to blow

Hi all

yes i have been keeping quiet about some things. one is a job change in my future. i needed to keep it quiet but the cat is out of the bag. i am moving to a company called Spectrum Design Group in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. There are a dozen reasons why and this decision comes out of hours of prayer. I leave my old employer with good feelings and honestly i am going to miss the guys i work with there.

As time goes on, i will fill in my detail. But for tonight, Becca and I went to a Watermark gathering tonight called Core Focus. This is a time for people who call Watermark home to come, hear stories about what is going on thru Watermark. It was so cool to hear about how God is using our laundry facilities to impact peoples lives. It was awesome to hear about the vision of our new church planters. Yes, Watermark after 3 years is birthing another church. HOW EXCITING!.

I was reluctant to go. I see myself as such a minor part at Watermark. We all have our role to play in the body of Christ, right? I have just been playing my part. So i just wanted to go to OK and leave my "family" at Watermark behind. Well that was not in the cards. They took the opportunity to talk about my move, to pray over me and celebrate the decision. It was pretty cool. i am so thankful for a place where i am accepted for me!

Well more later.
Carter

I am back

after a short period of time. i am back.

don't get me wrong. i liked iWeb and the mac setup

i just like not having to store everything i do.

so here i am enjoy.

Carter

changing it up

i am leaving the blog world

not really check it out!

http://web.mac.com/carterclark49417

please change my address!

it is really not June already???

where is time going? i cannot believe that it is summer time already. I am really looking forward to summer and spending time with the Boo.

So, i have a question. When faced with life changing decisions, what do you do? What steps do you take to make the decision?

People will tell me to seek God first. I have no idea what that means. That is the heart of the quesiton. How to seek God out. Is it as "easy" as just sitting in a room and listening for God to speak?

I had the opportunity to help out a friend with a speech he was giving. He spoke to the 2006 graduating class at Grand Haven HS. One of the things he wanted to communicate (and did well) is find yourself in God and then follow Him where he leads. i am excited to what the next few years show. Our kids are being raised with a far deeper understanding of what and who God is.

Anyway, deep rant there. Becca's last day of sixth grade is tomorrow. Her dance recital is tomorrow. cool stuff.

Gotta run.

Reporting from GH,
Carter Lee Clark

been a couple

Hidi ho!

End of the school year stuff going on. Band Concerts; Honors Choir Concerts; Dance recital! yes, the year is coming to a close with a bang. for the 2 or 3 of you that read this i apologize for not being available or returning calls. it has been busy and will not stop yet.

Things are ok at work. Weird vibe right now. I cannot put my finger on it, but it is definitely there. I just feel like i am continually fighting for position. I am not sure what that means. It is a situation where there is a partnership that has been in existence for a while, which is ok. I am cool with that. They are comfortable with the way the work with each other. Therefore it is difficult to break thru that. And one of the partnership is "overly" protective of his position and passive/aggressively protects it. I feel like i can help more in the organization but I am having difficulty figuring out how. There are so few of us at the office. it is hard not to stumble over each other. but still not anything to complain about. With all that said, I still love what i do and who i do it for.

Other than the schedule, Becca is good. we spent most of the holiday weekend catching up on homework. We did make a trip to the Fruitport Old Fashion Days carnival. I really do not like carnivals. they are a hole for which money just gets sucked in and never to return. But Becca had fun.

Only wednesday and i am looking forward to the weekend.

More later
Carter

DaVinci Podcast

go to iTunes podcast directory and look for it. it is hosted by Josh McDowell.

I am downloading it now.

More later.
C

Thoughts....

The Rules of Chocolate

-If you've got melted chocolate all over your hands, you're eating it too slowly.

-Chocolate covered raisins, cherries, orange slices & strawberries all count as fruit, so eat as many as you want.

-The problem: How to get 2 pounds of chocolate home from the store in a hot car. The solution: Eat it in the parking lot.

-Diet tip: Eat a chocolate bar before each meal. It'll take the edge off your appetite, and you'll eat less.

-If calories are an issue, store your chocolate on top of the fridge. Calories are afraid of heights, and they will jump out of the chocolate to protect themselves.

-If I eat equal amounts of dark chocolate and white chocolate, is that a balanced diet? Don't they actually counteract each other?

More World's Thinnest Books

Everything Men Know about Women

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George Foreman's Big Book of Baby Names

To All the Men I've Loved Before - by Ellen Degeneres

Mike Tyson's Guide to Dating Etiquette

Spotted Owl Recipes - by the EPA

The Amish Phone Directory

I hate not feeling well

Yes, for the last two days i was home with a bug of some sort. Hate that! i normally can work thru most illiness but not this one. Wednesday morning i met our installers at a job site, met with a customer and reviewed the project with installers. I was starting to get a headache on the way back to the office. I made it have way to Zeeland before having to pull off the side of the road. To make the long story short, i stayed home Wed and Thursday.

In between naps, i saw some "must see" daytime television. Ok, talk about brain rot. it is truly amazing how much garbage is on TV. I finally shut it down and started reading the book "Hoot". Becca has been strongly encouraging me to read it so i picked it up. It looks good (between naps).

Mother's day coming up. what are you doing for mom's day?

And what about the hurricane weather we are having? Yikes!

that's all for now.

C