Crawford, WV

Yesterday, I was in West Virginia, visiting a friend, helping around
the farm after his caretaker suddenly passed away.

Nothing worthwhile to say...

I have been amazed by how much user-generated content is "out there." I have accounts on Blogger, Facebook and Twitter. I created the Twitter account recently and still haven't "tweeted" anything. How is it possible that there is so much to say? I have nothing that worthwhile to say.

Finally Fall

When it's cool outside in phoenix, you can hike in the middle of the
day!

Reflections on Visiting Peru

Of course visiting Paul and Megan in Pucallpa would make me
reflective. They are our dear friends who we rarely see because of
their service with food for the hungry as hunger corps missionaries.
Lauren and I went to college with Paul and Megan in Indiana. Paul was
the best man I'm my wedding and I was his.

Their commitment ends in eleven months, so we talked about what is
next for them. It's always a big question, "what should I do with my
life?"

When we were in college, the decision was obvious. Missions was
clearly the highest call that God could gave on your life. To serve
overseas, that was the presumed chief end of man.

But it's been a difficult two years for Paul and Megan.
Disappointments and unmet expectations, unclear roles and
responsibilities, poor communication, and intercultural relationship
challenges have all contributed to what is looking like it will only
be a one-term assignment.

And God uses those things, of course, but there is still part of me
that responds with frustration and wants to aim my own work and
vocation primarily toward challenges and opportunities that I have
more control over.

But I also believe that work is third and that currently in quasi-
Christian American culture we have elevated our jobs to a level of
importance and significance that God never intended for them to hold
in our lives. I believe work is third. It follows our primary calling
to love God and to love others and our secondary calling to discover
who God has made us to be. So our work us really just of tertiary
importance in the grand scheme of things.

And what about the local church? Certainly my involvement with and
commmitment to a local body of believers should hold some level of
priority in my life, right? And it takes time to invest in a church.
So, even if my work at a particular task or organization in a
particular locale ends, should I be so willing to move on to the next
job, the next place, if it takes me away from the community and
fellowship where God has called me?

I don't know. A lot of unanswered questions, for sure, but a fun trip
nonetheless.

The McCann Family

Our great friends, Paul (dad), Megan (mom), and Cael (6 month old son)
have lived in the jungle (Pucallpa, Peru) for two years serving with
Food for the Hungry. Paul has started two savings groups teaching
locals to save their money and make loans to other members of the
group, earning all members 10% interest. Megan, when she's not raising
Cael, is a trained occupational therapist who helps disabled people
function independently.

Jungle Oasis

An important part of any vacation: ice cream.

La Jungla

Brandon Stark: Ironman

To my ironfriend, Brandon Stark, after finishing the Arizona Ironman Triathalon yesterday in Tempe, Arizona. These are the details of his race (ironman.com):

BRANDON STARK
BIB 390 AGE 30 STATE/COUNTRY PHOENIX AZ USA PROFESSION EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGIST

SWIM	BIKE	RUN	OVERALL	POSITION
1:14:31	6:19:36	4:20:52	12:04:57	417

RACE LEG	DISTANCE	PACE	POSITION
TOTAL SWIM	2.4 mi. (1:14:31)	1:57/100m	935
FIRST BIKE SEGMENT	36 mi. (3:15:42)	18.63 mph
SECOND BIKE SEGMENT	37 mi. (5:24:14)	17.27 mph
FINAL BIKE SEGMENT	39 mi. (7:39:23)	17.31 mph
TOTAL BIKE	112 mi. (6:19:36)	17.70 mph	743
FIRST RUN SEGMENT	3.5 mi. (8:16:09)	9:09/mile
SECOND RUN SEGMENT	8.5 mi. (9:42:56)	10:12/mile
THIRD RUN SEGMENT	8.5 mi. (11:10:41)	10:19/mile
RUN FINISH	5.7 mi. (12:04:57)	9:31/mile
TOTAL RUN	26.2 mi. (4:20:52)	9:57/mile	417
TRANSITION			TIME
T1: SWIM-TO-BIKE			5:16
T2: BIKE-TO-RUN			4:42
PENALTY			TIME
TOTAL PENALTIES			--:--