June 2012

	Thursday Mornings at Emerald Heights As many as forty residents are sitting in on my eight-week Bible study through Matthew 8-11. In June, I got us through chapters 8 and 9. My standard of quality is that my teaching needs to be something that I would want to sit in on myself. Chapters 8 and 9 introduce the miracle-working Messiah (Son of Man, Son of God, bridegroom, Son of David). Then chapter 10 escalates the mission to Israel as the Twelve are sent out two-by-two. That's my topic for July 5th. At the start of each week of study and lesson preparation, I wonder how I will ever develop an hour of quality material ready to present. And each Thursday morning (9:45-10:45 a.m.) I've surprised even myself at how interesting and complete my talks have become. (Thank you, Lord.) I'm getting so many accolades from my senior students that it's humbling. I'm sure the high tech PowerPoint doesn't hurt my approval rating! My lessons run to 16-17 pages of 16-18 point type and average about 57 minutes including planned and unplanned digressions.
	Grandma Ginger's 90th Birthday Party is a Go! Grace Rutherford turns 90 on July 17th, but her big party will be on Saturday the 7th. Nearly 100 invitation postcards (left) have been sent out. Ginger is managing to get around despite her compressed vertebrae. We worry about her diminishing mental state although acquaintances who visit her infrequently will probably not notice at all. But her medical challenges, especially low blood pressure, seem to have taken a toll. She is no where near the place that my mom passed through, but she forgets details and occasionally asks the same question that was recently answered. The party will be at Susan's house. Ours is still a mess.
	Thomas and Annie Come Home on Father's Day Annie has been a big help attacking the piles of junk in the house, and Tom has pitched in where he can. Nathanael took down the cedar tree next to the driveway and progress on making 1228 99th livable is thankfully visible. It's good timing because Annie's friend Sandra has joined for two weeks. A Broken Lens Results in Three New Ones On June 14th I set my camera on the podium just after I took the photo (at top) of my Bible class. Alas, it fell off and the 18-55mm lens broke off my #1 Nikon D300 body. Fortunately, the body seems unharmed. But the good little lens would no longer mount to any body. So, like any self respecting camera nut, I bought three lenses to replace it! All three were acquired via eBay. Any rational "reason" would prove to be just a rationalization. I got a replacement 18-55mm model, because I needed a wide-angle lens. And I got the newer VR model for under $100. Tom's 18-70mm had failed in Korea — just as my own 18-70mm had failed. So I gave him my good 18-105mm VR. I purchased a second 28-200mm (but one made in Japan, not China) and I finally got a 60mm Micro lens for close-ups. With it, you can see (above right) that at least one of my crops are coming up — Catnip! And the critters love it fresh. Nikon AF Nikkor 28-200mm F/3.5-5.6 D lens Nikon AF MICRO Nikkor 60MM F2.8 D lens Nikon DX Zoom Nikkor 18-55mm F/3.5-5.6 VR AF-S G lens
	"I've been here only three weeks, and I'm already losing my teeth!" That's how I explained my missing tooth to my new Bible study friends at Emerald Heights. When Dr. To fixed it last, he said it might be good for five years. It lasted about two. Now I've met with Dr. James Reed at Eastside Oral Surgery and I've scheduled surgery for Monday morning, August 6th. I'll be sedated and he will remove the rest of the tooth that broke off and then install the implant post in the same operation. Then it will be at least three months while the bone and titanium post bond together. Dr. To made a "flipper" fake tooth to fill the gap but Dr. Reed says I need to make another visit to Dr. To in Shoreline to have it fitted. My Employment History Back in the early part of the last decade, I wrote an employment history document. Jeff Van Duzer had asked for it as a way of better getting to know his new staff. I have updated it and offer it here as a .pdf file for anyone with time to spare on such a personal history. And I'm happy to report that I have once again been hired for another year. SPU is not required to keep me around. There's no such thing as tenure for employees on staff contracts. My annual salary of $62,484 for 2012-13 may be low given my skills, experience, and credentials, but it's fine by me. When one factors in the $57,061.80 tuition discount my children will receive because I work here, my effective annual salary balloons to $119,545.80. It will never be so high, but it's great while it lasts. Golden handcuffs indeed!
	Kara Smith Wins P.E.O. Star Scholarship Nancy was surprised that Chapter A's 2012 sponsored candidate won another Star scholarship. We've watched neighbor Kara grow up. She will be in the UW business program this fall. Nancy was especially happy when my photo and the story was printed in the local Bellevue Reporter newspaper. Bree & Bryce Oldham Move On Many BCS friends attended a big graduation party for Bree and twin brother Bryce and some of their friends at the South Bellevue Community Center. As their photographer for the past four years, I've gotten to know the family well. Father Mike Oldham is high up in Microsoft. Bree is off to Baylor, and Bryce is off to Calvin. Nancy and I are not a very social couple, but we were invited to this party so many times, we just had to attend. We're glad we did.
	The Digital Society: The Intersection of Theology and Technology On Friday and Saturday (June 22-23) I was a conferee at "The Digital Society" event we sponsored. This was a unique international conference that brought together Christian philosophers, theologians, academics, and technologists to address God's purpose for technology. I was duly impressed with the high caliber of attendees. I guess my dean and others in our Center for Integrity in Business assumed this conference was right in my sweet spot. I learned a lot and contributed where I could. But I was out of my depth rubbing shoulders with theologians and Christian executives in the computer industry. I did enjoy learning about a new web business www.eBible.com. I love their web site and met their CEO (second from the right). The conference program listed me as the School of Business and Economics "CIO," a title Jeff Van Duzer first used for me.
	Pearl Warms to 1228 99th and the Family "Pearly Girl", as I call her, is fitting in more and more. She's spending lots of time with Jeannie Beth. And she has explored more of the house this month. She comes when I bring her food, but she still eats in the gym, segregated from elderly Ginger (who snitches her food), Shadow, and Diana. Katherine Kidwell, M. A. in Museology Niece Katherine pulled together a Kleespies/Kidwell/Sleight party at Adam and Katherine's new apartment (just east of Aurora Ave. at 115th N.) Laurie and Tom, Randy, Don and Judy, and Jon and Sarah made it there and my six swelled that number. Katherine gave us all an animated review of her master's project now on display at the EMP (Experience Music Project). She has a section she setup titled, "What if I were the chosen one?" in the Science Fiction section. She's continuing to volunteer at the EMP while she seeks employment related to her new credential. She graduated this month after two years in the UW's Master of Arts in Museology program.
	Bits and Pieces The BCS coaches bought me two 32GB 400X Transcend Compact Flash memory cards for my cameras. That cost them $114. But it's clear they love my work and want me to keep at it. Donations, gifts, and purchases for the BCS Track season amounted to nearly $1100. I can't support my family with my hobby, but it's nice to not go in the whole because of it. And I still enjoy it — especially when I get to create the most important end-of-season awards. After completing our spring study through 1 and 2 Peter, we returned to the Psalms in June in the Saturday Morning Men's Bible Study. We broke for the summer after covering Psalm 95. I got agreement before we took our summer break that we'd start in 1 Kings this fall. Or next meeting is September 8th. Two songs really caught my attention in June. Taylor Swift's Back to December is a heartbreaker — even to the month. But this time the song is sung from the lady's point of view. Adele's Someone Like You had a similar vibe, but not so close to the mark. Yet one song that's been around for a few months really caught my attention in a unique way this month: Jar of Hearts by Christina Perri. The video is amazing. But what really got to me was to listen to this song as if she was singing to the Enemy of her soul instead of the thief of her heart. This is the attitude believers must have toward "the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience." Before I go up on the roof to shoot downtown Bellevue in July, I wanted to clean up the formatting of this journal, which has gotten messy. Having few wishes: I recently realized I had few strong personal desires in the way of things I'd like to do. But one "wish" presented itself this month. I want to drive to some spot in Eastern Washington, and on a clear night in a dark place, I want to photograph the sky. I can only imagine what might result from different lenses at different exposures. Jeff Van Duzer and I met with representatives of University Communications to explore the next steps for a complete redesign of the SBE web site. I'll be very busy after July. I transplanted my many tomato plants and green onions to the north yard garden. If this crop lets me down, it'll be time to rototill a new garden on the south side of the house. My Quote from June Speak, O Lord, as we come to You To receive the food of Your Holy Word. Take Your truth, plant it deep in us; Shape and fashion us in Your likeness, That the light of Christ might be seen today In our acts of love and our deeds of faith. Speak, O Lord, and fulfill in us All Your purposes for Your glory. Hymns (like this stanza) are providing elements of my prayers for my Thursday morning lessons.
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