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posted by James on 08/21/08

It is not very often that our whole family is together in the same place at the same time. So, to make the most of this occasion, we decided to take a family vacation to visit the VanEssen family in Ontario, Canada.

Waking at 4:30 in the morning on Friday, August 15, we drove all the way from Salem WV, to Kawartha Lakes ON, a leisurely 13 hour drive. On the way, we stopped for a short time at Lake Erie. Some of us had never traveled along the Great Lakes, so to feel the unceasing lakeside breeze and see the vast, unending expanse of water was a new experience. The road-side pullover was not exactly extraordinary in appearance; but with family, it became a very memorable place indeed, especially when we identified a Bald Eagle soaring nearby.

We really didn’t know what to expect when we arrived in Canada. Most of us had never been outside the US. We cruised into this “foreign” country with eyes and ears open to taking in the new surroundings.   Here are some of the things we noticed: First was the traffic! We hit Toronto at rush-hour and experienced first hand the fact that 3/4 of the Canadian population live within 90 miles of the US border.  We noticed that road signs were in both English and French. It was also strange seeing  signs reading speed limit 100; we quickly learned to  translate from miles to kilometers. As we continued north out of the densely populated areas, we began to notice the striking  geographical changes. The countryside was broad, rolling and forested. Farms and fields were scattered through the coniferous forests. The setting sun reflected off of countless lakes and obscure marshes.

Finally we arrived at our destination at the northeastern tip of Stony Lake where the VanEssen’s greeted us with warm, Canadian hospitality.  God had pro-tected us on our journey on the first day of our vacation and we were excited to see how the Lord would continue to work in the next few days, for indeed, He did!

4 Comments » | posted in Family News

posted by James on 08/8/08

The road to Chicago from West Virginia is well traveled. It’s basically the four-lane all the way. Is there any good place to stop and take a break? This is the question Robert, Daniel and I had as we were driving back to Headquarters on Tuesday. We were pleasantly surprised that this was indeed true! Following the signs 10 miles off the highway to Hocking Hills State Park, we had no idea what was awaiting our arrival!

9 Comments » | posted in Family News, Photography

posted by James on 07/12/08

During my 4th of July celebrations, one event stood out among the rest, namely, a patriotic Photo Scavenger Hunt. As a photographer, I thoroughly enjoyed this activity. But the neat thing about it is that everyone is involved, photographically talented or not. Each team of about seven people was given several different things to act out as a team under a certain time limit. The action was then carried out, photographed, and at the end, submitted to be judged. I was amazed at all the different ideas each team came up with. The game is perfect for any type of celebration, is easy to coordinate, and inspires creativity. Here are a few shots from our team:

This picture emphasizes a comment made about the size of the room where the Declaration of Independence was signed: "I can’t believe we all fit in here!" Our team squished into the front seat of Mr. Gothard’s 1973 Oldsmobile.

In this picture, we are humorously depicting "camouflage."

Our team writing their "John Hancock’s." We quickly made the textured paper using beige colored paper, some water, and, believe it or not, crushed coffee beans.

Here, we were directed to recreate a famous work of art. Mrs. Johnson, who took the picture, had to lay flat on the ground to get just the perfect angle. This one is my favorite of them all.

In this picture, we are trying to spell the name of one of the signers. Can you guess what it says? The answer is J. Penn.

The last one here is our team with Old Glory. We were out of time, but I think it turned out pretty well for it being a quick snapshot.

So, if your looking for a fun, creative, and all-inclusive game to play at the next event you’re coordinating, I heartily recommend a Photo Scavenger Hunt!

5 Comments » | posted in Photography, Tidbits

posted by James on 07/6/08

I have celebrated the 4th of July in many different places. Over the years, I remember celebrating with friends in Manassas, Winchester and Fairfax VA, with family in Salem and Morgantown WV, and away from home in Indianapolis IN. This year, I happened to be in Hinsdale, IL.

The morning started off with, well, catching up on sleep. But of course I was ready for the day by the time the Hinsdale Parade started.

 
At noon, many of the staff gathered on the "hill" for some recreation, namely ultimate frisbee and volley ball.

In the late afternoon, we enjoyed a traditional 4th of July picnic into which much hard work and careful decorating had been invested. It was more than a picnic as we also enjoyed the outcome of the homemade dessert contest.

To conclude the afternoon, Mr. Barth gave an invigorating speech on freedom and gratefulness. Cheers went up for "Mr. Barth for president!"

The 4th of July just doesn’t seem complete without fireworks. In the evening, at a nearby park, and with camera in hand (rather, on a tripod), we enjoyed watching the amazing display of colorful fire bursting in air. Also over the years, I can remember trying to photograph fireworks. This time, I could work based on experience and was amazed at how truly simple such a complex subject can be captured.

These times of celebration are important. They help us to review what God has done in the past and be inspired to trust God in the present. I look forward to celebrating America’s birthday many more times in many more places in the future.

3 Comments » | posted in Family News, Photography

posted by James on 06/28/08

Ever since late spring, when you can expect things to stay hot and muggy and there is no fear of it ever getting cold again (or at least for a while), I have always wanted to get a bike and explore the surrounding area. I’ve always enjoyed biking, whether it was racing through neighborhoods playing "Bible Runners" or cruising through the West Virginia hills on old rails-to-trails biking paths. So, after a month or so, I was finally able to obtain a nice mountain bike. Ever since, I’ve been enjoying the many side roads, neighborhoods, and forest preserves full of biking opportunities. 

Beside enjoyment, transportation is another blessing of having a bike. Yesterday, instead of having to wait for a ride to a nearby park where activities were planned, I was able to ride there by myself and get the benefit of the exercise. However, bikes can also be dangerous.

It was growing dark as Robert and I headed for the exit of the forest preserve we had explored that evening. Because night was coming on, we were traveling rather quickly. This was a mistake because unknown to us, the entrance and exit had been chained off at dusk. Just before I reached the invisible chain, I followed a seemingly useless prompting to slow down. Suddenly, my bike came to an abrupt halt as it came in contact with the chain across the road. I probably would have flown off the bike, but thankfully, I had slowed down enough to lessen the effects of the impact. Later, Robert told me that he was overwhelmed with the urge to ask God for safety just seconds before I hit the chain. I think that prompting to slow down was from the Lord!

But anyway, the pros outweigh the cons. From experiences like the one above, I am getting to know the area around here pretty well and can serve as a sort of "tour guide." I enjoy taking people who have been busy sitting at a desk doing office work all day for short, refreshing biking ventures. Praise the Lord for bikes!

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