Friendship, Project 365

The Burts are Here!

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Our wonderful friends, the Burt family, are in Washington visiting from Thailand. Ema, their second oldest daughter, has graduated from high school and is heading off to college this year. Greg and Tina are here, with Zach and little Theo, to drop Ema off in Wisconsin at Bible College. We are thrilled to have time with them.

Daniel went to visit Zach in Thailand last year and had an amazing time visiting Asia. We have had Zach with us this whole weekend, and it has been a joy to see how he is growing into a fine young man. He is funny, helpful, kind, and a comfortable, welcome part of our family.

4th of July - Boys on the Ferry (Zach is in the orange)

4th of July – Boys on the Ferry (Zach is in the orange)

Sunday the rest of the family (well, except Leah who has to work) came to join us. We had a wonderful time talking, laughing, catching up, walking to the park, and, of course, going out for some Thai food. Tina is a fantastic cook, so we could have easily made something delicious at home, but it was just too HOT to think of cooking and cleaning.

Tina, Zach, Sarah and Ema

Tina, Zach, Sarah and Ema

Thankful for time with the Burt family and proud of their faithful service with New Tribes in Thailand.

Project 365 – Day 186
Kathy

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Holidays, Project 365

Transience

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We spent the afternoon on Anderson Island, with some dear friends who hosted what seemed like our entire church body in their home and yard. People kayaked, cooked (and devoured) mussels, played games, enjoyed delicious food and soaked in the uncharacteristic heat of Independence Day.

This evening we watched the fireworks from another friends’ deck — they have a perfect view of the entire show, and we loved that we could avoid the traffic of Steilacoom (it seems like the whole world drives there to see the fireworks).

I was struck by the beauty of each of the shells that were launched into the sky, and it made me think about their design. Someone sat down and calculated the proper amount of color and explosive and launching distance, to create a design that is expended in a few seconds, never to appear again.

A flash in the sky

A flash in the sky, like a flash in the pan?

It made me think about the transient nature of my life, and how (at least from an eternal perspective) my years on this planet are not unlike these fireworks, that burn brightly for a few seconds, and then are gone, perhaps not even to be remembered among the flurry of others. I think it would make me despair, if I didn’t know that there is One who measures my days and who records the good things I do, to be considered on the day when the books are opened and we are judged for what we have done in the body.

Project 365, Day 185
Tim

Related posts:

Daily Life, Photography, Project 365

Sensor Cleaning

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I love my camera! It’s a Nikon d7000 – Tim bought it for me several years ago. I’ve taken one basic digital camera class (would LOVE to take some more), spent hours reading blogs and photography forums, and taken 1000′s of pictures. Today I took my camera in for a sensor cleaning.

My little baby.

My little baby.

So incredibly pleased and thankful to have an excellent camera shop right here in town where I can go for help.

Look closely to see the before (on the bottom) and the after (top)

Look closely to see the before (on the bottom) and the after (top)

I am eager to spend some time shooting tomorrow on the 4th and see if all the black spots are gone. As you can see from these pictures, I’ve had this problem for some time now. Not sure why in the world I waited so long to treat it.

July 4th, 2012 – look at these sweet girls!! (click on the picture to see it more closely – spots are in Sarah’s blue sweatshirt)

2012 - 4th of July ferry ride.

2012 – 4th of July ferry ride.

July 4th, 2014 – another sweet group of girls!! (spots on Tarah’s face)

2014 - ferry time!

2014 – ferry time!

Can’t go around having black spots on my beautiful subject’s faces! I’m very thankful that I have Photoshop and can edit things as needed, but I’m thrilled to have the actual problem fixed.

No more spots, I hope. I’ll see tomorrow!

David and Sarah - getting ready for a dance.

David and Sarah – getting ready for a dance (spots on the garage door – nearly on their faces).

Project 365 – Day 184
Kathy

Related posts:

Daily Life, Project 365

Day 182 – NOT captured on film

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Things we did today that I forgot to take pictures of –

1) Sarah working with a beautiful woman from church – learning how to stencil and do woodwork
2) A Starbucks date out in the sunshine with a sweet friend
3) Lake time with friends – all the moms hanging out on The Island
4) A walk to the park with David and Sarah
5) Middle Schoolers vs Parents Kick Ball Game & BBQ
6) Planting my flowers with Tim
7) Gardening work with Daniel
8) Sarah and Rachel making banana muffins
9) Movie night w/the family
10) Jenny coming over to visit Rachel

What a great day!! Too bad I didn’t think to document any of it with pictures. It’s not like I carry my phone with me all the time or anything. Well, not when I’m out on the lake, but other than that, I pretty much have a camera at my disposal all the time.

Here is the picture for the day. Heh heh heh

Hope this compost will save my dying plants!

Hope this compost will save my dying plants!

Project 365 – Day 182
Kathy

Related posts:

Friendship, Project 365, Tim

Memory Bin

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On Saturday, we went out to the our house in the Duckabush to clear out our shed, which may be needed during Wilderness Northwest Camp week, coming up in late July. With so many families attending, a few of the older boys may need the shed as housing for the week.

We brought a whole van-load home, much to Kathy’s dismay (she’s been clearing out our garage for the past week). We threw away a lot of junk (after all, if we haven’t needed it in ten years, how important is it?) but some things just couldn’t be discarded.

One bin was marked “Tim’s Memories” which I found very intriguing. Today, Kathy went through it, and found (buried under some old Army field jackets) this treasure:

A valuable note from my best friend's wife.

A valuable note from my best friend’s wife.

Apparently, about 26 years ago this last March, I set off from Fort Bragg, North Carolina — headed for Northern Virginia to stand up with my friend Phil at his wedding. I wrecked my car about an hour into the trip, and took a train instead, but made it in time to help Phil and Deb get ready for their big day. At the time, eating salad was not my favorite, and so (when I had to eat salad at the reception) I extracted this note from the new bride. It makes me laugh to think that this was probably the first thing she wrote with her new name (except maybe signing the wedding certificate).

To whom it may concern:
Tim Edgren was a good boy today. He got Phil to the church on time and with all the necessary arrangements for us. He also ate his salad, so he is exempt from touching lettuce again for 6 months!
Thanks, Debbi Dickerson

Happily, in all the excitement of her wedding day, Deb forgot to date the note, so I can use and re-use it to get me out of eating salads, pretty much forever.

I miss you, Phil and Debbie! Thanks for being my friend!

Project 365, Day 180
Tim

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The musings and ravings of a bloggart family