THREES?

Saturday night I spent about three hours hooking up the digital converter boxes to three TVs. (two in the basement and one in an upstairs office)  I didn't actually spend the entire three hours hooking them up, that would be silly.  You just run the cable into the box, then run cable from the box to the TV.  That took about ten minutes.  The rest of the time I was on the phone with customer support asking why they wouldn't work.  This is what I saw on all three TVs...

This movie DID NOT win an oscar

The good news is that I got plenty of exersize running down to the basement and back up to the office.  The bad news is that the converter boxes are sitting, disconnected next to the TVs.  I decided after my work-out that I would figure them out later.

Sunday morning we had to be at church early to serve coffee and donuts.  The fog was so thick we could barely see a block ahead of us.  Robyn said "It's like we're driving to heaven."  In a sense we are, every day we get a little closer to our destination.  I'm just glad we know where we're going.

the son tries to burn through

I did find a moment of splendor out side the church.  I thought it was beautiful.  check it out...

a slice of paradise

After church it was back to earth.  With the help of Nick and Canyon, we moved about a ton of pea gravel from the front flower beds around to the new flower bed in the back yard.  

Ok plants,  Bloom

After three days of heavy rain the yard was getting pretty scruffy, so I got the mower out and got it running.  Once I started mowing, the entire neighborhood roared to life.  Ahh,.. spring is here.  On the bad side, I noticed I had some dandylions.  And by some, I mean all.  It appears that they really like my yard and nobody elses.  I would have to do something about that,.. later.

Over the week-end I recieved a call from my boss that the people with the copper sink decided they want fiber optics in their counter top.

Monday I ran the fibers.  

ready for concrete, almost

Then I returned to Hawaii.  The job not the actual location.  They changed the stove and needed a small piece to match put behind the stove opening.

I'm still in awe of the size

Tuesday we laid out some glass for the copper sink job and poured it.  The glass is supposed to symbolize how copper tarnishes and turns greem.  What do you think?

interesting

That afternoon I recieved a call from my older sister.  My older brother had a stroke.  Wow!  He's only two years older than me.  He was in the hospital and doing ok.  It hurts me that I am not able to be there.  He lives in Florida.  I ask for your prayers.

I had to tend bar that night.  A bunch of regulars were sitting around playing cards.

deal or no deal

Suddenly one of them remembered that the big lottery drawing was that night.  It was for a record 350 million.  They pooled their money and got three tickets.  They were all excited as they talked about what they would do with the winnings.  Long vacations, new cars, new homes.  The list goes on and on.  Just like Willy Wonka, we wondered who had the golden ticket.

I can now reveal that they won $0

Wednesday we got the vanity processed for the little country house.  I can't wait to install this one, however I am a little concerened about how it will fit.  The curved and tapered sides were tough to template.  All three pieces, the top, the face and the backsplash are unique.  Only time will tell.  I found it difficult to concentrate because I was thinking of my brother.

ready to go home

Then I had to run out to the main office to pick up a delivery.  I talk about the main office a lot so I thought you may like to see what I'm talking about.

a bee hive of activity

Thursday I wasn't feeling well.  The night before I had a nagging cough so I slept on the couch to keep from waking Robyn.  Now I was still coughing but I also felt a little run down.  However, I was able to get the forms ready for the big granite sink job.  The client still hasn't decided on a color.  Sometimes it's a curse to have so many options.

waiting....

Because I was rundown, I decided to take the rest of the day off.  

After sitting at home on the couch for about three hours, I felt like I should be using this day off more constructivly.  So I went outside and began picking the dandylions from my yard.  My first assult was vigorous.  Starting in one corner I began plucking every broad leaf I found.  I filled a 5 gallon bucket and my back was getting sore.  I looked up and realized I had barely made a dent.  So my next battle plan was to attack the very infested parts of the yard first.  I filled another bucket and realized that I barely made a dent.  My next, and as it turns out last, plan was to go after anything yellow first, then go after the rest.  I filled another bucket and looked around.  A small dent.  I felt like a farmer trying to bring in the crop.  I decided to show some mercy and let the rest live, for now.

a drop in the bucket, so to speak

Friday at work I assembled the forms for the out of town job my boss brought back.   It was a very simple form.

an easy one

While at work, I recieved a phone call from my little sister.  She told me my mother had fallen and she broke her hip.  Wow!  That's a lot to take in just three days.

I hope what they say isn't true, that these things come in threes.

It makes me think about my own mortality.  I know that one day I will die.  I'm OK with that because I know where I'm going and I'm excited to get there.  Don't get me wrong, I love living.  I just don't fear death.  But with the events of this last week it makes me think about my loved ones.  My hope is that I will see them there.  But only God and they know where they are headed.

Canyon always says "Why wouldn't you find your hope in Jesus?  You have nothing to lose.  But if you choose to keep a blind eye you may have everything to lose."

Here's some food for thought.

700 years before the birth of Christ there was a prophet.  His name was Isaiah.  He was not widely accepted in his time, as with most prophets, because they are fortelling the future.  Time proved many to be false prophets, but 700 years later Isaiah was proven right.

Isaiah 53

New Living Translation (NLT)

53 Who has believed our message?
    To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm?
² My servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot,
    like a root in dry ground.
There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance,
    nothing to attract us to him.
³ He was despised and rejected—
    a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.
We turned our backs on him and looked the other way.
    He was despised, and we did not care.

⁴ Yet it was our weaknesses he carried;
    it was our sorrows that weighed him down.
And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God,
    a punishment for his own sins!
⁵ But he was pierced for our rebellion,
    crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole.
    He was whipped so we could be healed.
⁶ All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
    We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
Yet the Lord laid on him
    the sins of us all.

⁷ He was oppressed and treated harshly,
    yet he never said a word.
He was led like a lamb to the slaughter.
    And as a sheep is silent before the shearers,
    he did not open his mouth.
⁸ Unjustly condemned,
    he was led away.
No one cared that he died without descendants,
    that his life was cut short in midstream.
But he was struck down
    for the rebellion of my people.
⁹ He had done no wrong
    and had never deceived anyone.
But he was buried like a criminal;
    he was put in a rich man’s grave.

¹⁰ But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him
    and cause him grief.
Yet when his life is made an offering for sin,
    he will have many descendants.
He will enjoy a long life,
    and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands.
¹¹ When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish,
    he will be satisfied.
And because of his experience,
    my righteous servant will make it possible
for many to be counted righteous,
    for he will bear all their sins.
¹² I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier,
    because he exposed himself to death.
He was counted among the rebels.
    He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.

 In the New testament we find out that Isaiah was right.  Isaiah knew that Jesus was coming.  He knew that he would be like an ordinary man, nothing special as he grew up.  He knew he would be frowned upon by most people in his lifetime.    He was kicked, beat, whipped and tortured.  When asked to defend himself, he never said a word.  He was crucified, but never did any wrong.  He was the only one pierced with a spear to make sure he was dead.  The tomb where he was laid to rest belonged to a wealthy follower from Arimathea.

700 years.  How could Isaiah know?  The same way we can all know.

Faith.

Just 10 short years ago I was just like all those who have trouble believing.  I only got involved in church for the betterment of my young son.  It turns out that I was there for me.
As with any subject you don't understand, the only way to find the truth about it is to study it.
Learn about it, than make an educated decision as to weather or not it is real, right, or otherwise.

As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.


By the way, the caption under the second picture wasn't a typo.  He does try to burn through to our clouded minds.

open the blind eye and reveal the beauty

Peace

Dan

ARTIST, PLUMBER, ELECTRICIAN

The Sunday after St. Paddy's day the service taught me another new thing.  It was explained to me something I never understood.  In the bible we read that at the moment of Christ's death on the cross, the curtain in the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.  (Matt. 27:51, Luke 24:45)  I never understood that the curtain, which was several stories tall and made of very thick material, was torn with out the help of man.  The curtain seperated the area where the Ark of the Covenant (and God's presence) rested, from all people except for the high priest, and he was only allowed to enter once a year to atone for the sins of the people.
The significance of this act was to show that by Christ's death and resurection all people can now come before God of their own accord.
If you have never read the Bible, The new testament is a great place to start.  Matthew, Mark, Luke and John all tell the same story from different perspectives.  Jesus' story.

Because this week was the beginning of spring break, our class on finacial peace was suspended until next week.  But I was not sitting idle.  I took all those credit cards that we cut in half and made some art work for our office. (I removed the numbers first).

The best use for credit cards, ever!

That afternoon we went over to my brother-in-law Mike's house to celebrate our niece Morgan's birthday.  One present she got was three dimensional chalk.  When you put on the special glasses the different colors rise up to different levels.  I was amazed.

Morgan and Mercedes bring the sidewalk to life

Monday at work I had to run over to a new client's and template their kitchen.  They have a beautiful copper farm sink.  The kitchen was small but it is a remodel and the walls are anything but straight.  They want backsplash and that will prove to be the most difficult part of this job, but we can do it.

more copper than the Statue of Liberty

As I headed back to the shop, I paused long enough to snap a picture of this magnolia tree.  This is one of my favorite things.  It tells me that spring is here to stay.  We may get some snow as late as April, but it won't stick around long.  Oh Joy!

Robyn and I's first home is on the right

When I got back to the shop, my boss had just returned from Chariton, Iowa with a template for a kitchen down there.  Things are starting to pick up at work. 

Tuesday I finished the forms for the fire pit job, then we layed out some colored glass and poured the job.  Here is a photo of the broadcast glass in the forms right before pouring.

I've reinvented the wheel

I also started forming the copper sink job.  You can see the pieces of backsplash formed in the upper right.  I had to make short pieces because of the crooked walls (because you can't bend concrete).

almost ready

Wednesday I went to another client's to template a kitchen.  He has a sink that almost puts the copper sink to shame.  However because he has it mounted higher than the countertops, it will be extremely hard to template and even harder to install.

carved from a solid block of granite

That night our small group was cancelled (also because of spring break) so our hair cutter stopped by and gave me a much needed hair cut.  I was growing tired of my hair always sticking up so I asked if her flowbee had a shorter setting.  It did.

does this hair cut make my head look fat?

The next morning my head was cold, but I will get used to that.  At work I ran down to the office and installed the end panels on the shower.  I also picked up some items that had been delivered for the jobs we have on the tables, waiting to be poured.

now it looks finished

Once back at the shop we poured the vanity for that small house in the country. (About three posts ago)

what a mess

That night I picked up Nick from his work.  He has the next three days off and is happy about that for a couple of reasons.  First, he has been out of the workforce for quite a while and his legs are killing him, but second and more importantly he had a rough first week.  He is learning the new technology in cash registers, and the  store he works for is very large and they are throwing everything at him at once.  I think he is a little overwhelmed.  I told him to stick with it and in a couple weeks time it will be second nature to him.  He agrees.

We stopped by the grocery store on the way home and got some pop.  That seemed to cheer him up.  We got some funny looks from fellow shoppers.  I think we may have been mistaken for a gay couple because we were arguing about what milk to get.  I'm sure my butch haircut didn't help.  Just so there's no confusion, I'm the man.

have a Coke and a smile,.. I mean Pepsi.

Friday we processed the fire pit job and got it ready to seal.

love, love, love the rock face edge

We also demolded the small country vanity and began processing.

hard to explain what your looking at,  just trust me.

With one project in the sealing room, two more in processing and three jobs being formed, the shop is getting very active.  And that dosen't even take into account all the flooring and patio projects that are done out of our shop. 

I failed to mention that I had my review last week.  I got a nice raise.  Yahoo!  Now I have to get all these projects pushed through to show I've earned it.

Tables full of jobs equals cash flow equals raise

Friday after work, Chris and I went over to my sisters to try one final thing to fix her problem.  Her problem?  Every time she flushes the toilet she can hear air being sucked into her shower drain. 

 I know, right? 

We deduced that there had to be a clog in the vent stack.  Late last fall we found a piece of shingle stuck in there, but it snowed and we had to wait for a thaw to get it out.  That seemed to solve it until last week.  So we (when I say we I mean Chris, I just stood on the deck and drank a beer) snaked the vent stack and used a blow bag to force water down there to clean it out.  Kind of like a stint doctors use during heart surgery.  Using a flash light, Chris could see a gob of grease hanging out of a drain line.  We were able to get it cleared and everything seems to be working fine now.

lucky I was there to hold the ladder

Saturday Robyn and I held our first weekly budget adjustment meeting.  We got our money in order and our bills lined up, then we went shopping.  Actually, we just went to get a printer for the computer.  We were never able to get the old one working and we found that we sometimes really need it.

enjoying the sunshine

Now my work is cut out for me.  I have to install the new digital adapters for cable on some of our TVs and hook up the new printer.

electronics,.. right in my wheel house

Wish me luck.

Tomorrow Robyn and I have to serve at church.  This will be the third week in a row.  I don't think I would want to do that on a regular basis.  Getting up early enough to be at church by 7 is no fun.  I can't wait to sleep in next Sunday, but in the mean time I better get my electrical work done so I can go to bed early.

Until next time...

Peace

Dan

DO YOU BELIEVE

Thursday morning we took the loaded trailer and got in line to set up for the show.  It was early and we were the second ones in line.  When they finally opened the doors we began the set up.  It took most of the morning but the booth looks very nice

the coolest booth in town

Back at the shop I had enough time to form this arrow head for a potential client.  He has a collection and may want us to do a bench for him.  We poured it with a marbled effect.

this could be interesting

Then we got cleaned up, changed clothes and went down to the show venue for an exhibitors function.  The home builders association held a catered party for all it's members.  The caterer came over to where our group was standing and asked about the awesome concrete tables we made.  Her bbq resturant is located in Knoxville Iowa (about an hour away) and she was interested in possibly getting some for her place.  Knoxville is where the nationals are held for dirt track races.  It draws tens of thousands of spectators annually.  She told us that one of the drivers and his crew were interested in buying a franchise of her company and taking it down south to Kentucky and Florida.  It would be great to get concrete in her franchise deal.  We'll see what happens.

free beer and free food,  what could be better?

Friday I noticed a comic in the paper that caught my eye.

How did he know???

I took the bad news in stride and we loaded the trailer for the install at Iowa State University.  The remodel project has been going on for quite a while and the end is no where in sight, but they were ready for us to put in the first segment of our part to the remodel.  These glass and concrete bases will be the bottom of double glass sided display cases.  The outside is a hallway and the inside is offices and lecture halls.  In this picture the install looks simple..

looks can be decieving

Each piece weighs over 300 pounds and had only a quarter of an inch clearance on the sides.  The walls are coated with a finish called porcelina.  Expensive and fragile.  The install didn't go off with-out a hitch but all in all went pretty well.  I was told by the general contracter that there were two more display cases ready to template.  I told him I would be back up the following week to do the job.

Just before leaving for the weekend we popped the arrowhead out of the form.  I think it looks very natural.

cool

Much of Saturday was spent relaxing and spending time with Robyn, who had safely returned from Florida.  Nick had a job interview set up for Monday and to celebrate, he made guinea grinders for dinner (Italian sausage sandwiches) and they were yummy.

Sunday we had to serve at church and we were asked to serve the next two Sundays because the main kitchen guy was going to South Africa on a mission trip.  I wish I could go.  

The service was very good.  This new series we are doing is really helping me to understand the bible better and better.  You can always see the services at pointofgrace.com.  

Sunday night, I let Canyon drive up to church for his student service.

Canyon looks very confident in his driving abilities

Me, not so much

Monday morning we went out to Saints resturant and pub.  We made some tables and a fiber-optic bar for the out door patio a year and a half ago.  Some of the "stainless steel" feet for the tables didn't seem so stainless steel.  They were rusting and breaking off.  We contacted the steel fabricator we used and they sent us replacements.  

Getting the patio ready for St. Patrick's day

When I got home I asked Nick about his interview.  He said he thought it went pretty well, and he felt good about his answers to their questions.  They told him they had some more interviews and they would let him know of their decision.

Tuesday I ran up to Ames to template the next stage of the project.  The weather was amazing, but all the people were gone for spring break.  I took some pictures of the campus buildings.

cool architecture.

the clock tower

Wednesday, we went down to the main offices and installed the shower panels.  That was no easy task either, but the finished product was beautiful.  Look at this picture and then try to imagine that three of us had to fit in there to get the panels in place.  I weigh 210 and I was the skinny one.

rub-a-dub-dub, three men in a... shower

Thursday I went out a templated a rather difficult outdoor bar-b-que area.  Along with the bar there is a fire pit and bench.  After several hours I had most of it figured out and went back to the shop to start forming.  That's one of the things I love about my job, it's never the same old thing.

now for something completely different

Thursday night Robyn and I had a free seminar on flipping houses to attend.  I may have misunderstood what the advertisement said but I will get back to that in a second.  

A while ago, Canyon got in some trouble and has been grounded ever since.  As a possible solution to keeping him out of trouble we asked our nephew Dean to mentor him.  Dean has seen his share of trouble and hard times, but has recently turned his life around and asked Christ to be his leader.  We are thrilled about that and since Canyon looks up to him we hope that maybe something will click there.  

Thursdays are the day Dean offered to spend some time with Canyon and that worked out great with the seminar.

Now back to that.

After a couple of hours we understood that it was all about real estate investments and they wanted us to buy tickets to a three day workshop.  The good news is that it normally cost $1,197, but today only it was just $197.  We were able to pass on that great deal and went to pick up Canyon.

Canyon, Dean and Martha play a board game with Adrian Peterson

Friday at work I spent the entire day forming the bar-b-que and fire pit.  By the end of the day I had almost all of it done.  

Nick called and was very excited.  They called him in for a second interview.  It was scheduled for Saturday at 9.  Things are looking up for our friend, Nick.

I had a small side job to do and as I was leaving, I noticed that somebody had fed the fish in our pond.  I was always told that you have to be careful of over feeding your gold fish but just how much is too much?

That might be too much

I went over to start the side job.  It's a ceiling repair.  It took longer to plastic off the area I was doing than it took to scrape and re-mud it.  While I was waiting for the mud to dry, I stopped up to Stormy's to see my sister.  She was hard at work and really didn't have time to pose for a picture.  March Madness was in full swing so the joint was jumping but I snapped a quick pic anyway...

I think she's saying "no loitering, order a drink!"

I ran back to my side job and finished up.  I tried using spray popcorn ceiling texture but the can malfunctioned.  So I went to get another can ($12 a can) but stopped at my shop first to grab my reading glasses.  

I read the second can and realized that the first can was not faulty, it was operator error.

While I was working, the homeowners son just happened to mention that he was an editor for an on-line magazine for writers.  I asked a few questions and found out that anyone can submit material.  I asked about my screen play.  He said that although the e-zine didn't use those, he had some friends in that arena and asked to see it.  That gets me excited.  Pray for results.

I finished up the job and wrote up a bill, I did not charge for the "faulty" can.

second times a charm

Saturday morning I took Nick for his interview and I went down the street to a coffee shop to enjoy the morning.  It was really peaceful.  Oh, and it is St. Paddy's day.

I wish I could do this for a living

As I was checking my e-mail, I came across this link from a friend of mine.  It furthered my excitement.  If the link dosen't work, copy and paste in your browser.  Check it out...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqkKa3bDb2o&feature=player_embedded

Then Nick called.  He was pumped up.  He got the job and starts tomorrow.  PRAISE GOD!

I took him to a near by resturant and bought him a celebratory beer.

It's a good day for Nick!

When I got home the collage basketball games were on, so I checked the bracket that Nick and I put together.

umm...  not good

Robyn decided that since it was St Patricks day, she would make corned beef and cabbage.

My bracket isn't the only thing that stinks around here

Here is a recap of the last 9 days.

Speck USA is hoping to get involved in a franchise deal...,

The I.S.U. project is crawling along...,

Stay off the roads, Canyon's driving...,

We had a shower scene more scarey than Psycho...,

The fish are getting fat...,

and Nick joined the ranks of the employed.

So, to the ten of you reading my blog, let me just say in the words of Tyler Perry, "Never stop believing.."

Peace

Dan