StaddonFamily.com

posted by David on 03/28/08

Jonathan and I got a great idea to make two boats that we could sail on our pond. First we got two boards from Dad that he couldn’t use any more and cut the front of them to a point. We hunted in the woods for some perfectly straight sticks for the mast. Then we drilled a hole in the middle of the board for the mast. With tiny little rubber-bands we tied two or three smaller twigs to the mast and taped the cloth sails on. For looks I put six little canons that we made on it. And last of all we pounded a nail on the back of the boat and tied a rope to it so that if it sunk while we were sailing it we could pull it in.

We had a wonderful time sailing the boats on the pond. During a pretend attack from the enemy, Jonathan threw rocks near the boat. Accidently he threw a big rock too far and hit directly on top of his boat and smashed it. So he decided to make another one that was a lot bigger and better with 3 masts, 7 sails, and 2 flags. He used a picture from a book of actual ships for his design.

This is an example of Resourcefulness because we used what other’s would probably overlook or discard like sticks and left over scraps of cloth.

Resourcefulness: Wise use of that which others would normally overlook or discard.

6 Comments » | posted in Family News

posted by James on 03/26/08

Have you ever felt like you are missing something but just can’t figure out what it is? What about in the area of displaying godly character? Do you have a problem with forgetting to apply a character quality over and over again regardless of how much you work on it?

In the physical world, I can associate with the same feeling. My job is to color correct images so that color-wise no one picture looks out of place on a page. Take a look at picture #1. It is the raw image of a rustic, old covered bridge in Center Point West Virginia. It’s a fine picture for being shot on a cloudy day, but the color just doesn’t look right. What is wrong with it?

For one thing, the overall image is too blue. (This is often a problem with cloudy-day-pictures.) So we open the image up in Photoshop, create a Curves Adjustment Layer (it’s the best color correction tool ever if you can learn how to use it), and pull out blue in the highlights on the Blue Channel.

Taking out blue almost always makes an image look too green, so you have to compensate for this by adjusting anchor points in the Green Channel. But how much do you take out? Do I change the Green Channel in the highlights, shadows, or the midpoints? With this picture I find it best to pull out green in the shadows. But watch out, because the more green you take out, the more red is added in.

When dealing with subtle color differences, it can get frustrating because it’s hard to detect just exactly how to change what color to get rid of a color cast. (And it’s even more frustrating when dealing with CMYK Channels on top of your RGB adjustments!) However, there is one secret that has always helped me identify how to correctly change the color in a picture. I simply have to look away from the computer for a few seconds. This gives me a brand new first impression of the picture. When I don’t know where to go, I just need to “re-adjust” my eyes.

Isn’t the same thing true with a character deficiency? In what ways can I get a different perspective, a brand new first impression, on what I know I’m missing but just can’t figure out what to change? Not too long ago, I knew I was missing something in a particular character quality, so I strove to get a different perspective based on the spirit of Matthew 5:24.  I simply asked a mature, close friend to point out “blind spots” in that area. As he explained his perspective, I was able to make out a practical list to assist in the character correction of my life.

2 Comments » | posted in Photography

posted by Donald on 03/26/08

God glorified is man fully alive

Every team member from Taoyuan, Taipei, Hualien, Kinmen and Nantou was able to be a part of the retreat in Taipei for Easter weekend. It was a time to remember God’s faithfulness to each of us in the past year and an inspiration to “die to ourselves” and “live unto God” as we walk with Him into the year ahead. Glory to God.

A major part of the time was spent hearing testimonies of the Lord’s work. As time went by, there wasn’t time for everyone to share–a process which has continued by email since then. Sunday morning, Wes contrasted Saturday with the Sunday that Christ rose again. What is God’s purpose in the cycle of disappointment and supernatural fulfillment? It is to remind us that we do not need to trust ourselves and that He is waiting to show Himself strong on the behalf of anyone who will follow Him whole-heartedly.

“One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple” (Psalm 27:4). As we live in His resurrection each new morning, every location we visit becomes an extension of His house, every step of life is a witness to the beauty of the Lord and the trials are but another loving reminder that we have the right and the pleasure of inquiring in His temple again.

2 Comments » | posted in Ministry Reports

posted by James on 03/23/08

O day of light and gladness, of prophecy and song,
What thoughts within us waken, what hallowed memories throng!
The soul’s horizon widens, past, present, future blend;
And rises on our vision the life that hath no end.

Earth feels the season’s joyance, from mountain range to sea
The tides of life are flowing fresh, manifold and free.
In valley and on upland, by forest pathways dim,
All nature lifts in chorus the resurrection hymn.

O Lord of life eternal, to Thee our hearts upraise
The Easter song of gladness, the Passover of praise.
Thine are the many mansions, the dead die not to Thee,
Who fillest from Thy fullness time and eternity!

Words by Frederick L. Hosmer
Music by Tenry T. Smart

3 Comments » | posted in Photography, Tidbits

posted by Donald on 03/19/08

Along with Easter, springtime is here and I’ve found an excellent method for successful spring birding here in Taiwan. Get up early. Stand on back porch. Look around.

Actually it reminds me of some of the first sightings I ever made, at home, from the kitchen window. It was like a photo blind! Birds would come through the yard or visit the feeder and hardly notice the observers at the window. It’s always thrilling any time you find a good location, settle in and watch the surrounding scenery come to life. The Lord has provided for some great sightings, not because I sought them, but because I kept my eyes open along the trail of life.

It would certainly be a colorful sight to post pictures of the birds seen here, but I’m going to have to go for second best and post some links. They are some really outstanding pictures nonetheless. Special thanks to Birding In Taiwan and the Oriental Bird Club Image Database.

Redshank
Common Kingfisher
Oriental Pond Heron
Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler
White Wagtail
Gray Wagtail
Red-whiskered Bulbul
Taiwan Bulbul
Black Bulbul
Brown Shrike
Black Drongo
White-rumped Munia
Pacific Swallow
Red-rumped Swallow
Taiwan Yuhina
Yellow Wagtail
Little Ringed Plover
Gray Starling
Formosan Magpie

Now for some stories! This morning, while things were still dusky, I barely caught a glimpse of the mystery bird. It’s lonely, descending, two-syllabled cry haunted me for several days. My chance to see it came this morning when a medium-large heron-like bird flew from where I had heard it nearby, knifed between two trees and disappeared from sight. When it did call again, it was from an area further away indicating that it was that heron (or egret) making the call. If it’s the Pacific Reef Egret, then I have seen it before, in flight, on the way to our school near the coast last November.

Speaking of that school, it’s early Tuesday morning that we usually leave to go and teach there. However this week, being up earlier than normal, I was rewarded (from the same porch vista) with the sighting of a crane flying over. Except for the long, outstretched neck, I would have mistaken it for the white egrets that are so common. Maybe it’s the Japanese Crane–our favorite origami creation, remember?!

Perhaps best of all was yesterday. I had more time than usual to investigate the trees out back and to my complete surprise found a quiet but colorful Taiwan Barbet. It’s Chinese name is the “Five-colored Bird”. To tell the truth it was hard to see at first and I thought it would probably turn out to be a thrush or bulbul. When I saw the heavy bill “Barbet” came to mind and I quickly prayed for it to come out from the foliage to where I could see it better. Praise the Lord. So it did. It was a great view.

May He continue to receive glory as we follow Him and keep our eyes open for the surprises He has in store for each of us along the way.

3 Comments » | posted in Family News, The Bright Side