has it been this long...

sorry for the delay in update.

it has been a crazy month.

things are good in OKC. we are in tornado season. that's ok. The Spectrum Group is going like gang busters. Which is great; just makes for a busy schedule.

I went back to Michigan for a week around Memorial Day. I was able to see my daughter - which was my focus. Had a great time seeing people i have not seen for a while. That was awesome. I was not able to connect with everyone i wanted to - so i apologize upfront to those i did not see.

We did alot of grilling and swimming (not at the same time). Saw some movies i had not seen. Becca did some horse back riding. That was cool.

Since i have been back, i made a trip to Atlanta. Did i mention i am moving to Atlanta for 6 months?

More on that later. i promise.
Carter

taken the quiz; reading the results

I was reading my favorite blogs and came across a quiz i needed to take. I don't normally take these quizes because i do not hold alot of stock in them. But this one is pretty close to my view.

You scored as Emergent/Postmodern. You are Emergent/Postmodern in your theology. You feel alienated from older forms of church, you don't think they connect to modern culture very well. No one knows the whole truth about God, and we have much to learn from each other, and so learning takes place in dialogue. Evangelism should take place in relationships rather than through crusades and altar-calls. People are interested in spirituality and want to ask questions, so the church should help them to do this. Emergent/Postmodern 68% Neo orthodox 64% Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan 61% Charismatic/Pentecostal 46% Classical Liberal 43% Reformed Evangelical 43% Modern Liberal 43% Fundamentalist 36% Roman Catholic 21% What's your theological worldview? created with QuizFarm.com

Survivor - Oklahoma?

Well, i have been here now for almost 6 months. and things have been cool. Work, church, starting to make some friends outside work (thomps - getting ready to launch Landmark.)

On tuesday my boss, tom, decided to take me and another co-worker greg out to shoot guns. well, rifles really and we were shooting skeet. Tom is an avid hunter. He has a deep, blood lust thing. So anytime he can go hunting he jumps at the chance.

Well, Tom has a friend who has a huge piece of land. Something like 10 square miles! We arrived in the afternoon, set up and shot the guns. It was a lot of fun. So we shoot some skeet and that was awesome. I have never fired a gun before. I am hooked.

After we finish destorying some clay, tom decides to get his polaris 6 wheel ranger out. The ranger is not suppose to be able to get stuck (more on that later). So we head out to the north west side of the property. Beautiful drive. Animals, sun, wind, green pastures. It was awesome.

Tom decides we need to head to the other side of the property. So we're off. Not up until this moment i have having the time of my life. I mean, i have not been out in wilderness for a long time. It was awesome.

We blow over top of a small hill and sunk into a creek bed. Now there was not any water preset but it was moist. and we buried that ranger. Bad. We pull out the winch and hooked it up to (3) trees - and pull them out of the ground trying to get the ranger out of the clay. It was no use.

By this time, it is getting dark. So we decided that we need to go get tom's truck to pull the ranger out. Tom and Greg cross the "creek" bed and climb the next larger hill and start discussing our options.

Tom yells across at me, "Carter, grab the whistle out on my bag and come on up."

Now i know i am in peak physical condition - NOT. Walking across that creek bed (sinking up to my knees in clay) and then up the hill. i was huffing and puffing by the time i go to the top of the hill. Then we had to walk close to a mile where a gate was located.

So Tom and Greg decide they are going after the truck. Tom has his rifle and flashlight. I am armed with a whistle.

Now, i have watched Spike TV. I have seen those shows about animals attacking people. So going thru my mind is this: i am going to get mulled by a mountain lion and all i have to protect myself is a fricken whistle. Funny imagery now; not then.

So i convince Tom to leave the rifle and flashlight. He takes off and Greg decides to stay with me. While we were there, Greg suggests making a fire to keep the bugs away. OOOO. my chance to make a fire. Then Greg remembered the fact that i love fire and thought it would be bad to burn all of oklahoma!

It was dark and bugs were all over us. Tom had to have hiked several miles to get the truck. We were out there quite a while before we saw the headlights on the truck. What a welcomed site.

We did get the ranger out of the creek bed. That was an experience. And we did not get attacked by any animals. And just so we are all clear - there were no Broke Back Mountain situations out there - if ya know what i mean.

I left the office at around 2:00pm and did not get in the shower at home until 11:45 PM.

What a trip.

Sorry, Jeff Probst did not show up with the million dollars.

Later
Carter

Happy Mother's Day

To all moms, grandmas, and moms to be....Happy Mother's Day!

and especially to my mom who never reads this blog... i love you and proud to call you my mom!

Your favorite #3 son (and only #3 son)
Carter Lee Clark or Yacky Doodle

it has been a couple weeks

Life just does not slow down.

I did have a birthday though. Number 41, i think. it was a good one. Two of my co workers were at a trade show. They went to lunch at Hooters. Called me up on the cell; had the hooters girls sing happy birthday. And then as a gift sent me pictures. Then told me not to have impure thoughts. So close yet so far away.

making preparations for Becca to head to OKC. gotta get her room put together. Yikes - big task.

anyway, the jobs continues to be fulfilling and extremely busy.

More later
Carter

back to the grind today

after an exceptional weekend in Michigan, i am back in tornado alley.

It was great! celebrated Becca's birthday, worshipped well at Watermark - and some great teaching to! - hung out with friends and friends that are family. it was great. And the weather was awesome to boot.

trip back was good too. not flight problems. and the weather here when i arrived was good to. Now yesterday, weather was YIKES. it rained and rained and rained!

all is good. i now have to start thinking about when becca comes to OK for a trip.

i am so looking forward to that.

anyway, more later.
Carter

making the trip...

back to the USSR..

no not really. Headed back to Michigan this weekend. it will be great to see my daughter and friends.

Flying into GR on Thursday and out on Monday.

Pretty cool.

hey! becca turned 13! oh the humanity!

later
Carter

Two Post, One Day - What is on your iPod or MP3 Player?

I know i know - two posts one day - i almost cannot handle it.

I work with a guy who absolutely hates the iPod. When asked why, he says because apple has marketed the iPod so well that every thinks that have to have it. That there is no other MP3 player. Personally, i think he is right to some degree. But i love my iPod and that is that.

I add a list of things on my iPod. it will change from time to time. I am interested in knowning what is on your iPod or MP3? is it interesting? funny? inspirational? down right dirty?

Also i added a couple bloggers i have been checking in on for some time. Mike Koert and John Patton. Lots of interesting and thought provoking things to say. Enjoy!

Later,
Carter

The Silence Breaks.............

Howdy from the great state of Oklahoma! how the heck are you?

things here are really busy. business is going well and that is good. we are traveling all over the continental US winning projects from coast to coast. now this is good because the alternative is bad -- really bad. this entertains my days, part of my nights and alot of weekends.

I am not going to mess around - i miss Grand Haven. I miss my friends and family from there and just the general feel of West Michigan. I most of all miss my side kick who has been awesome thru this transition - Becca. If you are getting this and you are from that area know you are missed.

Oklahoma and its people continue to amazing me everyday. not in a bad way but it is amazing how different parts of the world are.The pace is different and even values are different.

I hope you all had a blessed easter holiday.

He is risen.

Outie like Quattro
Carter

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

Everything Women Know about Men

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

Happy Birthday to me!

yes today - Cinco de Mayo - is my 40th birthday. Wow. i have lived to see 40. Lordy, lordy look who is 40? me.

I spoke to my best girl Becca last night. It was great to hear her voice. She is doing just great and i am really pleased. Grades are up. She is singing in an honor's choir at school. I am just so thankful she is doing the things she is doing!

ASU is really busy. That is the company i work for. Great company. I love what i am doing there. It is great to help create something so vital for ministry to continue. I think i have one of the most awesome bosses around. I really enjoy it!

Watermark is doing great too. I am playing bass on Sunday. That will be great. I am excited about that. I am not excited about the departure of our worship leader and his wife - mike and joni morgan. Now before we go further i just have a problem with important people in my life leaving. And i know this is important for mike to continue in school and follow what God is leading him to do. I still do not like it. I have known Mike and Joni for years. I have had interaction with them on different levels. And it has been good. I will miss joni's laugh and over all awesomeness (if that is a word). And i will miss mike - his leadership, his passion and overall coolness. To mike and joni -- i love you guys and will be thinking of (and missing) you often!

Another couple i think the world of is leaving too. Jason and Judy DeRoche are taking a ministry position at a church in Kansas. (there's no place like home...there's no place like home.) Again, i am excited for them as this will be great for them. And the Heartland Christian Fellowship is blessed to have them on staff. Big shoes here to fill! I have said it before and say it again -- Jason, Judy always in your camp! and there is always a place at the campfire for you two!

So what are the big plans for the 40th? go to work, struggle thru a problem with a customer and then i am headed over to Johnson's for a grill out and a fire. Pretty low key! which is ok with me.

Well, i need to head to bed.

Good night!
C

He is Risen.....

How do you answer that statement? what is your first response?

I had a great weekend. I had a rehearsal on saturday and then hooked up with the Becca. We had a great saturday afternoon. Before that though, i was in the prayer room at the Hub (watermark offices). Watermark had a 24/7 prayer time the week before Easter. I signed up for Sat at 1:00. what an amazing time! taking an hour out for just praying and listening and reading what people have written on the walls. Amazing. I makes me want to do it everyday!

Yesterday was great too. Three Gatherings on Sunday. we had a choir which sounded great. the band and choir were on fire if you as me. After that Becca and i headed home for a small meal. We had a larger meal over to some friends house. PRIME RIB! what more can I say?

well it feels like spring now. I am looking forward to nice weather, thunderstorms, smells and sounds of spring.

Wishing i was golfing,
carter

Thought for the day

After starting a new diet I altered my drive to work to avoid passing my favorite bakery.

I accidentally drove by the bakery this morning and as I approached, there in the window were a host of goodies. I felt this was no accident, so I prayed ...

"Lord, it's up to you, if you want me to have any of those delicious goodies, create a parking place for me directly in front of the bakery.

And sure enough, on the eighth time around the block, there it was! God is so Good!"

Happy Birthday, Becca - one day later

well it was a great birthday for the Boo (and Dakota Smith).

We had dinner with the Fishers and the Hilsons. The Furrs and Carys could not make it. but they were missed. it was a good meal and good conversation. And becca enjoyed her gifts.

It is amazing to me that she will be a teenager next year. all the things i have seen and done in the last 12 years. it is truly amazing.

Anyway. big weekend coming up!

Carter

Monday, Monday, Monday

well another week starts. what a long week last friday? yes you heard me. it felt like a whole week in one day. I, and two of my co-workers (my boss included), went to the Kalamazoo area for a site visit and then to northern indiana to correct a problem with a system. The 1st part of the trip was great (except that it rained and it was muddy). Accomplished what we wanted to with the trip.

The 2nd part of the trip was rough. even though we were able to correct the problem -- it seemingly took forever to do. In fact, my boss was really late for a dinner party at his house -- kudos to his wonderful wife (and daughter) for holding the fort down until he arrived.

Great weekend. It was awesome playing on Sunday. I really enjoy that. I have always struggled with the motive for doing things. Let me explain. I used to be more interested in being someone's friend so i could say i was that person's friend. I wanted to be Steve Deur's friend so i could drop his name in conversation. You should see people in awe over that!!! heh heh. I wanted to be Nate Smith and Wally Harrison's friend because that somehow made me cooler (which in reality it did.) But i can honestly say that i have been prayerfully delivered from that. Thank you Jesus. It was that same way with music. I just enjoyed more that i could say i am part of the band. But again, i am glad i am over that. i can honestly say i am enjoying the worship experience more for the "right" reasons. Which is great!

Well, Becca's birthday is tomorrow. That will be fun! big 12! man am i getting old.

Carter

what an "interesting" couple weeks.

Well here is the what is happening....

We had teacher conferences last week. That is always an interesting time. Becca has her mom for some classes. So i sat across the desk from my ex-wife. I am so thankful i have a good relationship with her. Life would be so difficult without that. Becca is doing well in school. Having a little struggle in science but i and her mom are very pleased.

So Becca has been on spring break since last wednesday. and will be on spring break until next monday! i am not sure how that happened -- but 12 days off for spring break -- nice.

Last Friday, i played hookie and becca and i hung out together. I made breakfast -- couple eggs, bacon, and toast -- and we launched into our play day off. We visited the Mongolian Barbeque. Love that place. Food is great. I get to assembly. i am happy. I do not even get up to go prepare anymore. Becca is learning the fine art of spice. That is great. She does not like it but she is not afraid to try it. So, i had a prime rib meal with minced garlic, salt, pepper, soy sauce, a smige of curry, and an egg. it was very good. loved it.

After lunch, we went to visit the butterfly exhibit. that is always cool to see. We took lots of pictures. Becca even had (2) butterflies land on her. Cool. While we were there, we went thru the children's outdoor exhibit. That was fun too. especially since the weather was ok. it was great to be outside. i have serious cabin fever.

more later
C

Bob & Tom

I am not a big bob & tom fan. i was flipping thru the radio stations this morning and heard a news story. last thursday, a man went to a strip club. Now that is not where the story ends. The man took his 4 year old son with him! now that is not bad enough, he left the child in the car and told him that monsters would eat him if he got out of the car.

I am not sure how to react. Outraged is the first thought! I mean really what was the dad thinking?? Wow, what is that? Maybe a child should be left in a car, thinking monsters are going to eat him while his dad gets his jollys in a strip club.

Wow, where are people's heads these days?

Well, what a get weekend we had. I did some spring cleaning. I played at the gathering -- that was fun.

Becca has a big science test today. we spent time studying.

Carter

SAHM

So, the stay at home mom is the newest threat to society???

Over the years, religion in general has taken an awful lot of shots. The philosophy of a moral absolute truth has been beaten pretty bad. The concept of marriage has been skewed & stretched to an almost out-of-control state. Most of these conversations come out of the political left or the feminist movement.

i heard part of the Good morning America interview with the women who made the comment that the stay at home mom is the newest threat to society.

How far will Satan go to destroy the family??

thought for the day

The ox is slow -- but the earth is patient

i am not sure what that means. but it just sounded cool.

i have been preoccupied with some personal things going on for the last few weeks. So i apologize for the delay. Most notibly some friends of mine are dealing with some things - medical things - that just suck out loud. It is just another situation in my life to see God move.

I was talking to one of them this morning. Several cool things came out of the conversation. Day by day. that was the first thought. Not looking ahead -- just day by day. Another was this thought. we do not know how we are going to get thru this situation but we do understand the process. you see this is a couple who has been thru alot: family and friends members dying, financial pressures, etc. But they understand the power of prayer and the God we serve. They understand how God works and His faithfulness. Yeah.

i am confident of this -- the voice sounded down, but the heart and spirit is not beaten!

C to the C

Hollywood

I did not watch the Oscars. I am not in touch with my feminine side to do that. But i did catch up on some articles and listened to talk radio shows the day after. With all the hype, one would think that there was some huge discovery being made. the hype leading up to the Oscars would make you think a new cure for cancer was happening. It is amazing to me how much the hype does not match the actual event.

Why do i bring this up? i am curious about the amount of influence Hollywood has on the general public. Hollywood has a long standing tradition of bring social issues to light. From the racial issues to youth-in-asian to just this year two gay cowboys, Hollywood brings that stuff up for all to see. i did happen to hear George Clooney speak. He said -- something like -- we should be proud of the fact that we are the extreme left on issues.

There were other parts of that speech i cannot remember. But i wonder what was he really saying. i wonder how many people watch what happens in Hollywood and basis their decisions on what they hear.

It is so important for us to engage with people. the influence we have in our own little circle is extremely important. I am not saying we need to march and hang posters that say "God Hates Fags". (that is a whole other thought i will not address right now.) I think a consistent, humble, Christ-like mentality is the key.

later,
C2

DO NOT MURDER

Three words that most of us do not struggle with, right? Go to the Watermark's website or iTunes store and download the teaching from yesterday. And then lets talk. WOW. I will never look at those three words the same way again.

We are in the middle of a series called Life is Waiting. It is a study of the ten commandments. It has been great, challenging and eye opening.

I once worked with a guy who was nicknames "brother loop-hole". He was looking for a loop-hole in everything. I have learned a great deal of good things from him.

So here is the the thought of the day. At the risk of looking for the loop-hole, i ask the question "when is it murder or just sharing ones burdens?" You need to listen to the teaching because what i am about to write is a huge paraphrase and i will not do it justice. The word murder has a much deeper meaning. The fact of the matter is words have a powerful effect of people. The thing that we heard on Sunday is that back biting, calling people names etc. is considered murder.


Matthew 5:21 (from the Message)
21"You're familiar with the command to the ancients, "Do not murder.' 22I'm telling you that anyone who is so much as angry with a brother or sister is guilty of murder. Carelessly call a brother "idiot!' and you just might find yourself hauled into court. Thoughtlessly yell "stupid!' at a sister and you are on the brink of hellfire. The simple moral fact is that words kill.


Wow. how many times in my life have i called someone a name? sarcasticm, anger, just off color -- just trying to be funny??? I am sure i could not tell you how much i have done it in the last month let alone a lifetime. Yesterday's teaching was a difficult one to hear. An area i really need to work on.

I used to work for an "interesting" person/company. Most everyone that worked there would agree. In fact, there was a website created while the company was going out of business. the purpose was for former employees to comment on their experience there. Some of these comments were not good. And it was attended. For the record, i had nothing to do with the site. I was told about it in a blind email. I did read it and thought about making comments.

I have two guys i am close to. I value their option HIGHLY. Some conversations go great and others i leave totally tick off. But it is all good. While i was working for the company that went out of business, i vented ALOT to these guys about things that were going on there and the owner.

I guess to make the blog alot longer than it needs to be -- where is it sharing a burden or "murder"?

I am certain i will be replaying this and praying my way thru.

Thoughts?
Carter

new blogger added.

Hey, my boss and his wife recently had a baby. there names - Tim and Stacey Heneveld. And the new bundle of joy -- Abby Rose.

Stacey started a blog tracking the life of Abby and being a new mom.

Check in out!

Sunday morning..

and all is well.

Sunday mornings are usually very quiet around my place. it is a good time to read and reflect.

i am not sure where i was headed there.

Anyway, have a great Sunday...
Peace

this is a new statement

I was talking to my daughter this weekend. and a subject came up i was a little surprised at. She said, "dad, i have a quesition for you."

I said, "fire away, becca."

She said, "are you becoming a pirate?"

Wow, what kind of question is that? Well, let's review.

1. i have a beard that looks like a pirate.
2. i love talk like a pirate day.
3. i enjoy a Cap'n Morgan and coke drink once in a while.
4. i have a parrot at home. Well, he is a conyour but close enough.
5. i have new houseshoe style ear rings.
6. i have a favorite computer game -- Ages of Empires II. one of my favorite parts of the game is the "sea" battles. they are cool.

Conclusion: yes i am becoming a pirate.

Well.....

i did it.

i have pierced ears!! Yes both of them! It is something i have wanted to do for a long time. And so last night it happened. I did not pass out. I did not cry. It actually was not as painful as i thought it would be. Becca was the one encouraging me to do it.

Good week so far. Becca and the Fisher clan was in Florida over the weekend. So it was a long weekend for me but she had a great time and that is what is important. But they are back and i am looking forward to seeing her.

thanks what i know. Except -- Thomps is my hero!

later
Carter

yeah!

I realize this is just a joke -- as i checked thru snopes.com -- but it is still too funny!


For all of us who feel only the deepest love and affection for the way computers have enhanced our lives, read on. At a recent computer expo (COMDEX), Bill Gates reportedly compared the computer industry with the auto industry and stated, "If GM had kept up with technology like the computer industry has, we would all be driving $25.00 cars that got 1,000 miles to the gallon."

In response to Bill's comments, General Motors issued a press release stating: If GM had developed technology like Microsoft, we would all be driving cars with the following characteristics (and I just love this part):

1. For no reason whatsoever, your car would crash twice a day.

2. Every time they repainted the lines in the road, you would have to buy a new car.

3. Occasionally, your car would die on the freeway for no reason. You would have to pull to the side of the road, close all of the windows, shut off the car, restart it, and reopen the windows before you could continue. For some reason you would simply accept this.

4. Occasionally, executing a maneuver such as a left turn would cause you car to shut down and refuse to restart, in which case you would have to reinstall the engine.

5. Macintosh would make a car that was powered by the sun, was reliable, five times as fast and twice as easy to drive -- but would run on only five percent of the roads.

6. The oil, water temperature, and alternator warning lights would all be replaced by a single "This Car Has Performed An Illegal Operation" warning light.

7. The airbag system would ask, "Are you sure?" before deploying.

8. Occasionally, for no reason whatsoever, your car would lock you out and refuse to let you in until you simultaneously lift the door handle, turned the key, and grabbed hold of the radio antenna.

9. Every time a new car was introduced car buyers would have to learn how to drive all over again because none of the controls would operate in the same manner as the old car.

10. You'd have to press the "Start" button to turn the engine off.

A friendly conversation

I have been in contact with some of the gang i used to hang with in high school. This is an excerpt from a conversation i have been having from one of those friends.

Okay...imagine we are "God's Antfarm"....he is watching us move about our world in our hurried fashions or walk about in wonder. What would bring Him the most pleasure?? Would not He want us to experience the many wonders He has provided, rather that saying, "Hey thanks, but I just don't have time for these things....I am just going to keep thanking you and assume their nice." It's like when I am teaching math. (No...I am not saying I am a math Goddess) Is it the kid who stares at me like I am "so cool" that makes me feel like I am doing something productive with my life? No...it's that argumentative hyper little shit in the corner who questions the theories, who has to experience the problem solving in their own way, who comes in the next day with a question they hope (and sometimes I can't) answer. It is the kid who comes in the next day with this useless long division problem they had to tape two pieces of paper together to solve (and got it way wrong anyhow...but I can't bear to tell them that). That is the kid who I am reaching. That is the kids that is enjoying the world I am providing for them. I am not trying to slam religion, although I am much more cautious than the rest of you in this area, due to my background. I am also not saying to question your faith, absolutely believe in whatever your heart allows you. Instead, I am trying to say that we have been given so much in this world...nature, friends, relatives, education, entertainment, relationships, and I don't think that we are meant to chose only one and go with it alone. To chose one, and SHUT out the other areas is turning away from the gifts of this world. This...is my thoughts...

She goes on to say after another friend chimes in on the conversation:

You will still talk to me when Darin pretends I am a "dead goat"! (Talk for someone you no longer speak to because they aren't a Jehovah anymore!)


Dead Goat? What the?? She explains. "JW" is Jehovah Witness.

And the "goat" thing, let me explain. When you are a "JW", you are a "sheep", everyone else are "goats". When you leave, you are not only a "very bad goat", but also "presumed and treated dead" by the continuin JWs. The vocabulary is, well, interesting!

Wow. I am taken back by this whole conversation. I am struggling how to respond. My first reaction is frustration that a group of people would treat someone as if they are dead because they left the church. Sympathy for the gal writing this is another.

I may edit this later and add more thoughts. Stay tuned.

Thoughts??

Thoughts for 2006

I stumbled across this -- thought you might enjoy!

New Rules for 2006

1. New Rule: Stop giving me that pop-up ad for Classmates.com! There's a reason you don't talk to people for 25 years. Because you don't particularly like them! Besides, I already know what the captain of the football team is doing these days: mowing my lawn.

2. New Rule: Don't eat anything that's served to you out a window unless you're a seagull. People are acting all shocked that a human finger was found in a bowl of Wendy's chili. Hey, it cost less than a dollar. What did you expect it to contain? Trout?

3. New Rule: Stop saying that teenage boys who have sex with their hot, blonde teachers are permanently damaged. I have a better description for these kids: lucky bastards.

4. New Rule: If you need to shave and you still collect baseball cards, you're gay. If you're a kid, the cards are keepsakes of your idols. If you're a grown man, they're pictures of men.

5. New Rule: Ladies, leave your eyebrows alone. Here's how much men care about your eyebrows: do you have two of them? Okay, we're done.

6. New Rule: There's no such thing as flavored water. There's a whole aisle of this crap at the supermarket — water, but without that watery taste. Sorry, but flavored water is called a soft drink. You want flavored water? Pour some scotch over ice and let it melt. That's your flavored water.

7. New Rule: Stop f***ing with old people. Target is introducing a redesigned pill bottle that's square, with a bigger label. And the top is now the bottom. And by the time grandpa figures out how to open it, his ass will be in the morgue. Congratulations, Target, you just solved the Social Security crisis.

8. New Rule: The more complicated the Starbucks order, the bigger the asshole. If you walk into a Starbucks and order a "decaf grande half-soy, half-low fat, iced vanilla, double-shot, gingerbread cappuccino, extra dry, light ice, with one Sweet-n'-Low and one NutraSweet," ooh, you're a huge asshole.

9. New Rule: I'm not the cashier! By the time I look up from sliding my card, entering my PIN number, pressing "Enter," verifying the amount, deciding, no, I don't want cash back, and pressing "Enter" again, the kid who is supposed to be ringing me up is standing there eating my Almond Joy.

10. New Rule: Just because your tattoo has Chinese characters in it doesn't make you spiritual. It's right above the crack of your ass. And it translates to "beef with broccoli." The last time you did anything spiritual, you were praying to God you weren't pregnant. You're not spiritual. You're just high.

11. New Rule: Competitive eating isn't a sport. It's one of the seven deadly sins. ESPN recently televised the US Open of Competitive Eating, because watching those athletes at the poker table was just too damned exciting. What's next, competitive farting? Oh wait. They're already doing that. It's called "The Howard Stern Show."

12. New Rule: I don't need a bigger mega M&M. If I'm extra hungry for M&Ms, I'll go nuts and eat two.

13. New Rule: If you're going to insist on making movies based on crappy, old television shows, then you have to give everyone in the Cineplex a remote so we can see what's playing on the other screens. Let's remember the reason something was a television show in the first place is that the idea wasn't good enough to be a movie.

14. New Rule: No more gift registries. You know, it used to be just for weddings. Now it's for babies and new homes and graduations from rehab. Picking out the stuff you want and having other people buy it for you isn't gift giving, it's the white people version of looting.

15. New Rule: and this one is long overdue: No more bathroom attendants. After I zip up, some guy is offering me a towel and a mint like I just had sex with George Michael. I can't even tell if he's supposed to be there, or just some freak with a fetish. don't want to be on your webcam, dude. I just want to wash my hands

16. New Rule: When I ask how old your toddler is, I don't need to know in months. "27 Months." "He's two," will do just fine. He's not a cheese. And I didn't really care in the first place.

Christmas Party

Yes, it is true. Our companies Christmas party is this Friday. I think we should call it a "Martin Luther King Day" party. Not sure what happened there but it is this Friday night. should be good time.

Well, the Becca made the honor roll at school. Pretty cool. I need to figure out a way to reward her for the effort. thoughts?

Anyway, I am looking forward to this year. I have made some positive changes Health-wise and financially which will make a big difference this year.

Work is good. Busy as usually.

That's it for now. More later!

C

Recently Discovered Bloggers

Hey i added a few more. check em out!

Friday night

Hiho! Kermit the frog here! What the?

Well, i am wishing i was home right now but i am not. You see, i am finishing a video dvd for a friend. I am having some problems with the equipment in the rendering process. Unfortunately the real problem is that i am impatient. I know find i hard to believe but i am. so i thought while my computer i rendering i would blog.

The Becca is down with the flu. So much so that mom drove her to emergency yesterday afternoon. Apparently, Becca was throwing up so much that she became dehydrated. Pretty scary since i work in Zeeland and could not break away. But by last night Becca and mom were home and all was looking mucho better. I spoke to the Boo tonight and she sounded fine.

New Years day! What an interesting day. Becca and I spent New Years Eve with some friends. rang in the new year and headed home. Yeah we were both tired. Next morning, we had one combined gathering. That was cool. I played -- always a good time. Then we had some down time before the Hilson, Hempinstal, Fisher, Cary, Furr Christmas (white elephant). That was interesting. We had great food and lots of laughs. Especially when the white elephant gifts came out. In fact, you will all be impressed to know that i actually received a "white elephant" as my white elephant gift. I have named him Jumbo and he seems to be getting along with Tigger the Cat.

Well, the video only had another 30 minutes to go.

Go X-box 360! (yeah right)

Later
C

blogstipation

ok, ok i stole that from the thomps. but is it really stealing if you acknowledge it?

Wow, so much has happened since 12/10. Both holidays have zoomed by. Times with family and friends has zoomed by. One death and funeral of a friend.

The holidays are always a stressful time for me. I know it is for others but i did not know how to start this segment. It is a very divided time. I certainly would love to spend the entire time with my daughter--that would be heavenly. But i need to divide that up accordingly. I would love to spend time with my brothers. But things like that do not happen enough. This one is going to sound weird, but i would even love to spend time with my ex-in-laws. They are a cool group (who let me hang around) what can i say? I would love to spend more time with my church family. Again, some really cool people there.

But that is not what happened. Oh sure some of it did. Gatherings still went on. I saw my in-law family for a little bit. I spent some really great time with the Becca. During all that two significant things happened. 1. The death of a friend. 2. Time alone with God.

I am not going to spend a tremendous amount of time on the death thing. I am finding myself really struggling with it. A 19 year old goes to bed one night, falls into a coma and 43 days later goes home to be with the Lord. Now there are ALOT of details left out of that story -- i realize. But it just shows how fragile life really is. I head the opportunity to work on the "sidelines" during the whole thing. It was amazing to see God work -- for that i thank Him...

I am still working my thoughts thru - as you can see.

TAWG. When i was on staff at a church, we were required to take 1/2 or full day once a month & be alone with God. I miss those. For me, i had music, a journal, some books (including a bible) and some music writing paper. (and a pillow - because i often found myself taking a nap). Amazing times. Very intentional & focused. It seemed like it would take forever to shut my brain down enough to really hear.

So why is it difficult when i have time and don't do it. hmmmm. Why is it difficult to just be alone?

One of the things the Deur family does at Thanksgiving time is rent an arena. Ok maybe not an arena but a large space and have Thanksgiving dinner. They invite alot of people to this. And i understand it is a great time. Maybe a couple years ago, i found myself "thanksgiving-less". (Matt - look that up for me a let me know if that is a real word.) I was approached by a friend. He said, "You should go to the deur family thanksgiving. they are always taking strays." Now let me say that i was not offended by that and i am writing this because here is my point. Is it that i feel like a stray? A wayword cat tossed out in the snow, meowing at a door.

From the Message, Romans 5: 6-8 reads:
6You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Hebrews 11:1
1The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It's our handle on what we can't see.

A daily walk is critical to any friendship. Without disciple, we will not connect. Which is the same with God. One of my goals for the new year is a greater commitment to prayer and time listening. I do not know how successful i will be but i am going to try.

Wow that was scattered. Hope you enjoyed.

later,
c

Ten days before Christmas

I am reminded of how fortunate i am. A wonderful daughter, a home, car, job, an awesome place to gather on Sundays...family, friends. Thank you Jesus.

i am in the middle of the woods and having difficulty findming my way out. Let me explain. Holidays are tough for me. It is time of reflection and time alone. Most friends are spending time with their families and so interact with people slow way down. My GH family are awesome and they include me in everything. (which i am thankful for) My biological family is on the opposite side of the state. Because of split time with Becca, it makes it difficult to connect with them.

Now i say that not to have a pity party or barrage of comments or cards to come my way. I say it because i think we need to be thankful for what we do have, the friends we share, the family we cherish.

These last 7 years for me have been tough; but i know i have a Savior who loves me and a daughter who likes to hang with me. And that is what will keep me moving.

On an up note, company christmas party is planned -- JANUARY 13th. Yeah, i am not sure how i feel about that one.

A little shout out to the men of watermark - Deurty, Thomps, N8, Jimbo (aka Wally), Mike (my hero), Whitey (aka Brad), and da Roach. You guys are making a huge difference in lives. Keep up the great work! And a special shout out to Whitey and Mike -- you guys put up with me and let me rant and tolerate me not getting stuff done on time or arriving late to play -- Thanks for letting me feel like i am a part of things. it means more than you know. Thanks guys!

and too the watermark ladies - Vicki, amy, Jan, Jan, Brenda, Judy, Shyle and all the rest. Thank you for caring for our children the way you do! I have personally seen the difference in my daughter's life because of what you do with her (not only as a participant at Surf City -- but now especially as a guide).

WOW. cannot let these thing build up. Hug your pastor today. and then really hug his wife! And if they do not have a wife, find their mom and hug her!!!

Later,
carter

Ok ok I promise

I will stop doing the short and "non" meaningful posts. After this one.

Here is a math trick so unbelievable that it might stump you.

1. Grab a calculator. (you won't be able to do this one in your head)
2. Key in the first three digits of your phone number (NOT the area code)
3. Multiply by 80
4. Add 1
5. Multiply by 250
6. Add the last 4 digits of your phone number
7. Add the last 4 digits of your phone number again.
8. Subtract 250
9. Divide number by 2



Do you recognize the answer?

A fan of ''Lord of the Rings"

enjoy -- "TATERS"

Superhero?

I discovered this thru a buddy of mine blog.

I am Neo..the One.



http://quizfarm.com/test.php?q_id=92013

Long time

Hey all

sorry for the delay. more on that later.

I was reading another blog and read this. I am still working thru it. But thought i would post to see what comments i get.

to all those who bear the name "christian",

congratulations.

you have accomplished much of what i have set out for you to do. the state of christendom pleases me more in the 21st century than at any other time in history. you have built en empire that honors me by its solely christian focus. your music, your movies, your books, they all exclude the traitorous heathens. you have your own stores, your own websites, your own greeting cards, your own music industry. you have done well, my children. you have shut out all those who do not bear the name "christian".

your churches are filled with the model disciples. these families send their children to christian school. they send their teenagers to christian concerts. they buy their daughters "God's Little Princes" candy jewelry from the local christian bookstore. they have excluded the evil pagans.

evangelism happens two ways: though the republican party's political agenda and through "testamints".

my children, your ghetto is almost complete.

your father,

Lucifer

WOW!

"i took a drug test the other day; it came back negative. Now that was great but now my dealer has some explaining to do." Dwight York.

I have been working on a construction job site for a couple weeks now. On and off, i have been there programming and debugging a control system. It has given me some time to think; which is usually scary.

It has been a rough couple of weeks. i have been wrestling with some decisions that i was not comfortable making. Nothing too drastic. Just things i need to work out.

Winding up the Fresh wind, Fresh fire series at Watermark. What a great book. very moving. i am looking forward to hearing more stories out of the groups that met during this time.

Congrats to Matt and Heidi Furr -- baby #3 arrived today. Check out Matt's blog to see pics. I am sure there will be updates.

Becca has expressed an interest in Tech stuff. In fact, she was able to serve in that capacity Monday night @ Moto. I was really pleased to hear that. One of the values her mom and i strongly have is an attitude of service for others. I was really cool to hear from others how she is "stepping" up.

I think i am going to host my 1st party at my place in the next 2 weeks. (some will say it is about time) This may not seem like a big deal but for me it is. I was at band practice last night and decided it would be good to have the band over for some grilling and time to hang. No date yet -- will keep you informed.

Well, it is late and i need to work tomorrow.

Later,
Becca's dad

hmmmmm

HYMNS FOR ALL THINGS

The Dentist's Hymn.................... Crown Him with Many Crowns

Weatherman's Hymn................. There Shall Be Showers of Blessings

Contractor's Hymn...................... The Church's One Foundation

The Tailor's Hymn...................... Holy, Holy, Holy

The Golfer's Hymn...................... There's a Green Hill Far Away

The Politician's Hymn................. Standing on the Promises

Optometrist's Hymn.................... Open My Eyes That I Might See

The IRS Agent's Hymn............... I Surrender All

The Gossip's Hymn..................... Pass It On

The Electrician's Hymn............... Send The Light

The Shopper's Hymn.............. ... Sweet Bye and Bye

The Realtor's Hymn..................... I've Got a Mansion, Just Over the Hilltop

The Massage Therapists Hymn.... He Touched Me

The Doctor's Hymn....................... The Great Physician

AND for those who speed on the highway - a few hymns:

45mph....................God Will Take Care of You
55mph....................Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah
65mph....................Nearer My God To Thee
75mph....................Nearer Still Nearer
85mph....................This World Is Not My Home
95mph....................Lord, I'm Coming Home
Over 100mph.........Precious Memories

A new week.

last week was busy. A seminar, a building opening, met with a one of the coolest churches in west michigan, a huge drawing set due. It was busy. Now all the things i needed to get done last week, need to get done this week.

I am really getting into this Dave Ramsey stuff. He is a financial advisor. WOW, what a perspective. Check it out online at www.daveramsey.com. Very cool stuff.

Nothing new from the weekend.

Stat: 54% of all marriages end in divorce; while 46% of marriages end in death. Hmmmm.

Carter

Yeah, my side kick - Becca. This pic was taken a couple years ago at Crane's orchard. I have more recent pics -- i just really like this one. I am so proud of her. She is growing up too fast! When she is motivated, she goes! White Pines, the school she attends, is in this sell mode. The flavor of the week -- magazines. The school had a contest. if a student sold "X" amount of magazine subscriptions in a short period of time, they get to ride in a Hummer limo! Well, Becca loves the Hummer (like her father.)(not the H3, kinda like the H2, BUT love the H1). And made the goal. Now if i could get her to clean her bedroom! (hmmmmm...maybe i need to buy an H1???)

I am spending Monday nights with the Moto crew. I am excited about that. They are CRAZY! Middle schoolers are cool. I am looking forward to mondays! I so respect the leadership of our Genmark community. They have it goin' on.

Spent last night at a Church Building forum. It was cool. Many things discussed. Hopefully, people left with some good information. I did miss my FWFF group last night. I am bummed about that. I spoke to the group leader last night. He was extremely excited about the time. So i am looking forward to next week.

So i am excited about things at Watermark -- gatherings, Moto, FWFF group. i am lovin' it.

Why are we not playing golf?
carter

New Series

We are studying the book Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire. I am excited about this for lots of reasons. First of all, it is a great book from a person who sees and has an understand of the power in prayer.

Second, i am excited about the prayer group i am in. I am not sure if it is anticipation of what God is doing or scared because of what God is doing. Either way, i am lovin' it.

Speaking of lovin' it, today is Talk like a Pirate day. Yes, once a year we get to enjoy talking like a pirate. or not. This was a big deal at a company I used to work for. Someone asked me if there was a "dress like a pirate day". To which i relied -- we already have that -- we call it Halloween.

Busy week ahead. Lots going on!

RRRRRRRRRRRRRR

later
C

thought for the day

yup. lack of leaders.

New school year -- new look

Do you like it?

It was out of necessity...or not. The comment engine driver i was using is not going to be available anymore. So i needed to change up to get the comment ability from Blogger.

Great weekend. Diving head first into "Fresh Wind Fresh Fire" book. I am excited about that.

I went catching this weekend. Yes, fishing is great; but catching is better. On the big lake, with a great friend, catching fish....ummmmm. how did we do? 4 of 6 with (2) steelhead, (1) king salmon and (1) lake trout. They currently reside in Jeff Johnson's freezer.

Just remember there is only one thing worse than falling into a outhouse -- and that is opening your mouth to scream (while falling into the outhouse)!!!!

Out,
C

Podcasting

The latest techno wave is podcasting. The ability to have audio and video streaming downloaded to an iPod. (although, you do not need an iPod to podcast. you can listen from your iTunes.

Well, Watermark is set up for podcasting. A person must have the latest version of iTunes (for Mac or PC). Under advanced, there is an option called subscribe to podcast. Type in http://feeds.feedburner.com/WatermarkPodcast and there you go. We are working on having a one click option where you click and it downloads.

Pretty cool. It was not terribly difficult to setup. I can fill in details on how. email me at carter.clark@gmail.com.

1st day of school for Becca. She is pumped!

Have a great day!
carter

Well, it has been a while

Hello,

I was reminded last night that i have not blogged in a while. It was STRONGLY recommended that i update ASAP. In fact, this person has always been influental in my life and i knew i had better get it updated. Do not wake the sleeping bear.

Anyway, i had the opportunity to attend a birthday party yesterday for my nephew, Seth or big boy Seth. He is a character. When the Cary family move to their current residence, Seth was the one who knew all the neighbors before anyone else in the family. He is a bundle of energy and creativity. All of my nephews are a riot!! I enjoy to see them. And most of the family were there. It is always enjoyable to see and reconnect.

One of the best parts was a gift given by Mark and Marni. M & M are one of Seth's aunt and uncle. They live in Holland. A great couple and awesome kids. Anyway, the gift is an electric guitar that once touched plays guitar riffs and chord progressions. It is loud and obnoxious. He was running around -- making noise the rest of the evening.

it was fun!

Becca is winding down the summer and getting ready for school. Becca and her mom will be headed out soon to tackle the new school clothes hunt. The binder has been purchased and the backpack washed. I had the opportunity to see Becca's recently decorated locker. She is such a girl and her locker looked great.

Things are ASU are continually busy. I will be on a job local jobsite most of the week making the system work. That will be fun. Pulse Intermedia continues to ramp up slow but surely.

Gotta go for now!!!!

Later
C

quarks (or qwerks)

I was listening to the radio this morning and they were discussing different quarks people have.

here are a few of mine:

1. when i see sign on the road or where ever, i count number of letters and see how fast i can find the middle of the sentence.
2. i have a need to use - 0.7 mm Bic Z4 pen. In addition, i need to have multiple colors.
3. When hanging clothing, i prefer to hang shirts/pants by color with matching hangers. In addition, i hang my t-shirts.

there are sooooo many more.

What quarks do you have?

Carter

I have another question

a friend of mine approached me and asked me this question:

He said,"what is wrong with this? If my wife and i are ok with it, what is wrong with going to the video store and renting a porn movie? we use it to spice up our sex life. What is wrong with that?"

He assured me that the wife is ok with it. I grilled him on that fact.

So how would you answer that question?

I have a question...

What comes to mind when you think of the word "community"?

I am curious....

leave a comment.

ok ok -- stop the presses!

There's a joke about a man who dies and goes to heaven. During the tour, his angel guide suddenly shushes him and tip-toes past a cloud with very tall walls. When they reach a distance, the man asks, "What was that cloud back there? How come we had to be so quiet?" And the angel guide replies, "Oh, that's the Lutheran wing. We have to be quiet because they think they're the only ones up here."

You know what the basic problem is? We all act like six year olds. Your wrong. No your wrong. NO YOUR WRONG.

We have a forgiving and understanding God. He is not going to condemn us all for not being the "RIGHT" religion. He would condemn us for our sinful nature, and theres not a religion or person out there that does not fit that bill. Thank the Lord for your grace and forgiveness or we would all be condemned. I try to lead my life as he would intend. Not always successful at it but I have always been a firm believer.

God is in pursuit of us. He loves us inspite of ourselves. I wonder how the world would change if 1. we love the Lord and 2. love our neighbors as ourselves. It is amazing the spins "we" put on things and label it God's will. Why can't we agree to disagree and move forward? You could take the Free Methodists, Wesleyans and Nazarene churchs, throw them in a bag, shake them up and not know who is how -- yet a merger of those demoninations will never happen because they cannot agree how the church should be structured. And alot of it boils down to verbage. Its a lobby -- no a narthex -- yikes?

well, i will not get lost in a debate about religions. Everyone has a little different way of worshiping. I just want to echo what has already been written -- thank you Lord that you are gracious and forgiving. Or heaven would be a lonely place to be.

that's my thought for the day,

signing off,
c-man

ten days later....

well much has happening.

I went to a Promise Keepers. My first. Interesting experience.

Becca had a death in the family. Her cat - Penny. But she and mom ended up getting (2) cutie pie kittens -- Dusty and Angel. Yes, i have met them. They are cute. But it was a tramatic experience for Becca & and her mom. But all is good now.

I have been asked how the training of Tigger is going. To date, he is doing a great job of training Becca. Heh heh heh. He tolerates and humors her trying to teach him things. Definately, that cat beats to his own drum.

All is good at Audio Systems Unlimited. Busy, busy, busy. The way i like it.

All is good at Watermark.

Two things i walked away from Promise Keepers with. 1. a renewed commitment to the basics. 2. Passion for something. I am sure i will expound on that at someother point.

gotta go for now.

are we at a point of no return while we are just dust in the wind?

C

DISCLAIMER

the last post was a copy of an email i received.

I put it in to see what kind of response i would get.

Carter

Hmmmmmmmmm.......

WOULDN'T IT BE GREAT TO TURN ON THE TV AND HEAR ANY U.S. PRESIDENT, DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN GIVE THE FOLLOWING SPEECH?

My Fellow Americans: As you all know, the defeat of Iraq regime has been completed.

Since congress does not want to spend any more money on this war, our mission in Iraq is complete.

This morning I gave the order for a complete removal of all American forces from Iraq. This action will be complete within 30 days. It is now to begin the reckoning.

Before me, I have two lists. One list contains the names of countries which have stood by our side during the Iraq conflict. This list is short. The United Kingdom, Spain, Bulgaria, Australia, and Poland are some of the countries listed there.

The other list contains everyone not on the first list. Most of the world's nations are on that list. My press secretary will be distributing copies of both lists later this evening.

Let me start by saying that effective immediately, foreign aid to those nations on List 2 ceases immediately and indefinitely. The money saved during the first year alone will pretty much pay for the costs of the Iraqi war.

The American people are no longer going to pour money into third world Hell-holes and watch those government leaders grow fat on corruption.

Need help with a famine? Wrestling with an epidemic? Call France.

In the future, together with Congress, I will work to redirect this money toward solving the vexing social problems we still have at home. On that note, a word to terrorist organizations. Screw with us and we will hunt you down and eliminate you and all your friends from the face of the earth.

Thirsting for a gutsy country to terrorize? Try France, or maybe China.

I am ordering the immediate severing of diplomatic relations with France, Germany, and Russia. Thanks for all your help, comrades. We are retiring from NATO as well. Bon chance, mes amis.

I have instructed the Mayor of New York City to begin towing the many UN diplomatic vehicles located in Manhattan with more than two unpaid parking tickets to sites where those vehicles will be stripped, shredded and crushed. I don't care about whatever treaty pertains to this. You creeps have tens of thousands of unpaid tickets. Pay those tickets tomorrow or watch your precious Benzes, Beamers and limos be turned over to some of the finest chop shops in the world. I love New York ..

A special note to our neighbors. Canada is on List 2. Since we are likely to be seeing a lot more of each other, you folks might want to try not pissing us off for a change.

Mexico is also on List 2. President Fox and his entire corrupt government really need an attitude adjustment. I will have a couple extra tank and infantry divisions sitting around. Guess where I am going to put em? Yep, border security. So start doing something with your oil.

Oh, by the way, the United States is abrogating the NAFTA
treaty - starting now.

We are tired of the one-way highway. Immediately, we'll be drilling for oil in Alaska - which will take care of this country's oil needs for decades to come. If you're an environmentalist who opposes this decision, I refer you to List 2 above: pick a country and move there. They care.

It is time for America to focus on its own welfare and its own citizens. Some will accuse us of isolationism.. I answer them by saying, "darn tootin."

Nearly a century of trying to help folks live a decent life around the world has only earned us the undying enmity of just about everyone on the planet. It is time to eliminate hunger in America. It is time to eliminate homelessness in America. It is time to eliminate World Cup Soccer from America. To the nations on List 1, a final thought. Thanks guys. We owe you and we won't forget.

To the nations on List 2, a final thought: You might want to learn to speak Arabic.

God bless America. Thank you and good night.

If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you are reading it in English, thank a soldier.

Wednesday -- Olympics watch

Yes it is true. London wins the bid for the 2012 Summer Olympics. So here is how it shakes out:

2006 Winter - Turin, Italy
2008 Summer - Beijing, China
2010 Winter - Vancouver, Canada
2012 Summer - London, England

Anyone going?

Recap of the weekend. It was a three weekend - because of the 4th. Yeah. Good weekend all in all. Watermark had the center stage of waterfront stadium for Sunday morning. It was cool. I do not know how many were there, but it felt like alot. Steve did a great job. Mike was on fire. Jay McCammon -- what a rock!

The 4th -- grilling and chilling at the Thompsons. Oh yeah. It was kind of a rainy yucky day, but we made the best of it. we had a small fireworks display. that was fun to watch the kids enjoy it.

Thoughts on War of the Worlds? I will comment on that later.

So you want to be a Hilton?

Out,
C

Charles Schultz Philosophy

A friend of mine emailed this to me. I thought it was blog-worthy. Thank you, T!

Enjoy!

Charles Schultz Philosophy

The following is the philosophy of Charles Schultz, the creator of the "Peanuts" comic strip. You don't have to actually answer the questions. Just read the e-mail straight through, and you'll get the point.

1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.

2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.

3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America.

4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.

5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winner for best actor and actress.

6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.

How did you do?

The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.

Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:

1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.

2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.

3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.

4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.

5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.

Easier? The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care.

Pass this on to those people who have made a difference in your life. "Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It's already tomorrow in Australia." (Charles Schultz)

Do you remember...

your senior year high school song?

Ours was Don't stop believin' by Journey.

The other day someone asked me what would my song be today. Here are a few:

So much to say - Dave Matthews Band
Things can only get better - Howard Jones
Don't go away mad (just go away) - Motley Crue
Satisfaction - Rolling Stones
Keep your hands to yourself - Georgia Satellites (What the?)
Tom Sawyer - Rush (just because)

Spoken for - Mercy Me.

Thoughts? what was your class song or what would it be now?

later
C

Signs or bumper sticks that irritate?

No, i am not talking a rash.

I have seen many. Here are 2.

1. God answers Knee Mail.
2. Free trip to Heaven. Details inside.

What signs or stickers have you seen?

And they will know we are Christians by our love.....
C

a week and what?

So sorry for the delay.

Things are good. Just busy.

I will be glad to slow down a bit. ASU is busy. Because of that, there is need for documentation. I am more than buried right now.

Becca is at a day camp this week. It is an acting camp. "PULL MY FINGER." "HOW DID YOU DO THAT?" "I WAS ACTING!!!" whoa, flashback. Friday there is a presentation up in Muskegon. That will be fun! I cannot wait.

I have been trying to get some printer issues worked out at the Watermark Hub. AARRRGGGHHH!!! It is good to serve. It is not good to be frustrated while you are doing it. yep.

Lovin' my place. Good room. Great landlord. Good neighbors. ok cat. anyway.

4th of july coming up. And trip to East Lansing the next weekend. Yup, my 1st Promise Keepers experience. Thanks to Jeffer. You know who you are.....nothing but love for ya!

Gotta go for now.

One of my buddies, Dr. Mojito, recently, and on purpose, purchase a VW bug. He would not tell me what color but did tell me he has one of those "flowers" in it. hmmmmm. I am questioning some things with him.

Later,
CC

hazy, hot & humid

seems to be the way the weather has been described. It is Saturday morning and i am at the ASU office taken care of business. It is unusual for us to work weekends but we have some projects that need to get done. Thank God for overtime.

The Boo is on a marathon trip to Chicago. Becca's mom, aunt and 2 cousins are making the round trip to Chicago and back in a day. Becca's other aunt and uncle live in Chicago now. They are mucho closer and this will help promote more trips to Chicago. Anyway, Libby (becca's youngest cousin) turned 1 this week. So a trip was planned to go and visit. I said this in an earlier blog, but check out Heidi Furr's blog. There is a great pic of Libby doing what she does best!

This afternoon is a BBQ with my business partners in GR. There were several foundational principals by which Pulse Intermedia was created by. One is that we, as business owners, would get together outside of work. We are going to work together. We enjoy one another's company. So, we 1/4erly we get together (with wives and families) and do something. Fun will be had by all.

Driven Part 2 this weekend. I am on the keys and it should be exciting.

That's it for now.
CC

What a week?

I think i expounded that this week is crazy busy. I know all of you are feeling the pains -- so i will not go any further.

But with everything, recitals, graduations, school activities, i find hard not to feel alone. At work, i am in an office all day with little conversation. At home (without Becca), i have the cat. He is not much conversation wise -- entertaining but not talkative. I am shifting gears -- I am not sure why but it is happening.

I am not going to put comments on because i want to be clear that i am not feeling sorry for myself or that i want people to comment. it is not like that. I am commenting about where I am at right now.

On an upnote, my landlord put in central air at my place this week. On my goodness, what a difference!!! unbelievable!

Had a great weekend with Dr. and Mrs. Mojito! Fire, food, beverage!!! And my business partner John was there too. Double whammy! Is that show still on?

No whammy! No whammy!

Anyway, Becca is going to her cousins birthday party (1 year) this friday or saturday. check out Heidi Furr's link to see pics.

Gotta go for now.
Sleepless in GH

Where the Streets have no name....

Yes i am listening to U2 right now. I love iTunes. no i really do. it rocks....

Looking forward to the weekend. even though it was a short week, it was one for the record books. yikes i don't want another week like this.

Playing keys on Sunday -- love that.

Wish i had more to say--but i don't.

More later....maybe....

c

What a rough couple of weeks?

going thru the desert on a horse with no name....

It must just be the season, right? Schedule is out of control because every night and day is booked from now until almost the 4th of July.

AArrrrgggghhhhh!

Just say no!