Photography Basics

Over on my photography blog I am starting a discussion on the basics of photography, which could also be entitled something like "Telling Your Camera What to Do" or something like that!

So check it out if you want to learn about the more technical aspects of photography enroute to mastering that little high-tech box you just bought.

http://mvpolphoto.blogspot.com

Back home.

Well, after working at Calvin for the afternoon we are back at our house for the night. The air is a lot clearer although our house does kind of smell like smoke still, mainly because our windows don't seal all that well and let in a lot of ash! The fires are still raging around the county and SoCal as I am sure you all know from watching the news, but for the time being I think that Escondido is in the clear. That is all for now! Take care all.

Fire - Evacuation Center

Here are some photos by some friends of ours of the evacuation center set up at Calvin Christian School (my alma mater) where we were at helping out last night.

Fire - Part 2

Well, we made it through the night! Michelle, Beth, and I left our house around 11:00 yesterday morning. The photos I posted yesterday showed all the smoke to the south of us. The winds shifted and started sending a lot directly towards us. Because it was so bad we were thinking of leaving and the decision was made final when we heard of mandatory evacuations just a couple of miles away.

So we decided to drive past Calvin Christian School because we heard that evacuees were being sent there because Escondido High was full. Once we got there we started to help out and actually ended up working a shift from 7:30pm to 1:30am. I was roaming the parking lots and the girls were in the office. We are going back there this afternoon to help out some more. Fortunately it looks as if we can come back to our house tonight as the smoke isn't nearly as bad right now as it was yesterday and most of the nearby fires are to the north, south, and west.

Some of the photos show the area around Beth's house/apartment. The fire literally was a couple of hundred yards from her house and there were unfortunately some houses that were completely lost. But it almost seems at random. A house was completely gone whereas everything around it for the most part was unscathed (most likely flying embers were the cause). So that is it for now! Will keep you posted...

This is as the winds were shifting towards us.


This is just down Beth's street.


This is on the other side of the valley from Beth. We felt so sorry for these people because all the other houses around were untouched that we could see.

Fire!

If you don't know already there are a number of large fires burning in San Diego County and all over SoCal this morning. On my flight from Phoenix last night we flew directly over one of them and it looked really bad. This morning San Diego county is pretty much stopped everything - all schools are closed and some of the major freeways are also closed. The fire actually forced my sister-in-law from her apartment at 2:30am this morning. The winds are so bad that the firefighters cannot get any aircraft up into the air to help fight these fires. So the situation is pretty bleak right now. Please keep in prayer all those fighting the fires, all those who have lost their homes already, and all those that have been injured (1 person has already died.) Below are some photos from our house this morning.

My New Photography Blog

Since there has been somewhat a revival in my desire and interest in photography once again, I decided to devote a blog entirely to that endeavor. The blog is located at mvpolphoto.blogspot.com, so take a look if you feel so led.

I have deleted the two posts that I put on this blog related to photography and posted them on the new blog, I have also given the purpose behind that new blog here.

Evangelical Blogging

Last week I started some "Google Alerts" concerning the upcoming Osteen interview on 60 Minutes. Although I didn't have my alerts set for "Osteen", I have noticed that all the blogs that I have been alerted to as posting something concerning the 60 minutes story, have been by and large sympathetic to Dr. Horton and the Reformed camp. I just find that interesting. Does the Broadly Evangelical world just not care about blogging, and it is mostly the more Orthodox Reformed that do?

Dr. Horton and Joel Osteen

One of my professors at Westminster Seminary California and the host of the White Horse Inn Dr. Michael Horton was interviewed for this week's edition of the CBS show 60 Minutes! This segment of the show deals with the preaching and teaching of Joel Osteen and Dr. Horton is "critiquing" his theology (or lack thereof!).

Since I work for White Horse Media I have had an intimate connection with all of this which has been a blast! We have made a special page available giving resources in connection with what Dr. Horton had to say that is available here from the from the WHI website. Dr. Horton wrote a special article/essay for this which you need to make sure to read, because I am sure all Mike needed to say was not given in the 60 Minutes segment (or edited out).

Already Dr. Horton has been asked to be on other radio shows to talk about this. As those become available on the internet, I will try and post those here.

If you have any questions concerning any of this, please feel free to ask and I will be happy to discuss it with you!

Dr. Horton's radio interviews:

Kevin McCullough's "'Live' in New York
10.11.07

The Paul Edwards Program
10.11.07

Come on Joel!

So I am a glutton for punishment. I signed up earlier this week to receive the "Today's Word with Joel and Victoria [Osteen]". I knew I would get frustrated, and I held my tongue for awhile...

Here is Friday, October 5's devotional:

Pleasant Words

Today's Scripture

“Pleasant words are as honeycomb, sweet to the mind and healing to the body” (Proverbs 16:24).

Today's Word from Joel and Victoria

Do you look for good things to say about yourself and others? Are you speaking pleasant words? The Bible tells us that pleasant words are healing to the body. Do you need healing in your body—physically? Spiritually? Emotionally? Your words can bring that healing. Start speaking pleasant words—words of life, encouragement, and thanksgiving. Guard your heart by making sure you are only listening to pleasant, life-giving words. If there’s something on the TV or radio that isn’t bringing life to your soul, turn it off. If someone’s having a conversation that’s not uplifting or productive, don’t be a part of it.

Choose to meditate on God’s Word which, according to Hebrews, is living and active and full of pleasant words.

As you choose life by choosing life-giving words, you’ll see God’s healing operating in your life. You’ll feel strength and peace in your soul, and you will move forward into the abundant life God has in store for you! (emphasis mine)

COME ON!!! That is not what Hebrews 4:12 says! If you are going to quote something (especially the Bible) then at least get it right! Here is what Hebrews 4:12 actually says (ESV translation), "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." How in the world does that become "full of pleasant words?" Those are anything but "pleasant words." For one who does not believe in the Gospel, those words are utterly damning, and even for believers those words strike at our heart and cause us to turn once again to Christ who is our righteousness.

I could continue, but I better not else I say some UNpleasant words.

The Space Age Dawned

50 years ago on October 4, 1957 the then Soviet Union launched the first man-made object into orbit around the earth - Sputnik. In the 50 years since, mankind has set foot on the moon, sent satellites through the Solar System (Voyager I has essentially entered into interstellar space), and through "rovers" has driven around on the planet of Mars. Pretty remarkable considering the relatively short time in which this has all occured.

For a great read about the dawn of the space-age and how it actually came about check out the book by William E. Burrows entitled This New Ocean (Amazon.com). This chronicles the story not only of space exploration, but the development of the rockets that allowed this to happen. From the ancient Chinese to the German V2 to the space shuttle. One of my favorite parts of the book is the recounting of how the Americans (and I think the Canadians played a role too?) racing to get to the German V2 equipment (and Scientists) before the Russians and taking as much as we could before the Russians knew what we had done!

There will be a lot more big anniversaries coming related to space exploration and I will try to highlight those as they occur since I am kind of a space nerd of sorts!

If you want to hear the "beep" that Sputnik broadcasted as it orbited click here. Other information concerning Sputnik can be found on the JPL Website and Space.com.