Thought for the Day
Life can be messy.
Keep a bucket nearby
Gratitude
As some of you may know, I was a missionary in Chile for two years. About half of the time I was assigned to the capital city of Santiago. The whole thing was a grand adventure of which I could probably fill a novel.
One of my sectors was Pichilemu, a small village reached by a four hour bus ride over the mountains.
Being on a mission is an experience like no other because you visit a country and live, eat, and work with the local people (well, maybe the Peace Corps?). I lived in a two story home, an old adobe thing harkening back to the days of Spanish colonization. There were chickens in the yard. I washed my clothes by hand in a giant basin; for “warm cycle” I had to gather wood and make a fire.
It was there that I first sampled the Chilean delicacy of pig’s feet. Ah, and one time we were in a humble home and the man of the house brought in what looked like a two foot long, de-skinned rat in a casserole pan. I couldn’t translate the local word for it, but finally figured out that it was a Muskrat. Delicious dark meat, I must say.
It was winter, and the bathroom was a concrete cube with a pipe sticking out, from which would issue ice cold water (at least when we were out of propane).
Now on to the fleas. Every night when we would come home from preaching the Good Word, I would go into the concrete cell, and start picking all the fleas out of my clothes. My record was twenty-three.
In some of the poorer houses, all they could get for flooring was sheets of cardboard, and while speaking with this family I could hear the tic, tic, tic of the fleas jumping around. And then I could feel them crawling up my pant leg and biting.
Even now it makes my skin crawl and itch to think of it.
When I got back to the states I remember laying in bed and thinking: Ah, no fleas. Something I had never been grateful for. I had learned Wisdom.
Would I trade that experience? Certainly not! Because I also understood what it was like to breathe absolutely pure air, to eat bread out of a 1700s style igloo oven with fresh, fresh butter, to hear the waves lapping in the distance, to see a grotto by the sea called the “Pozo de la Virgen”, and most marvelous of all (something that even now, on recollecting it, brings tears of joy to my eyes) to see the Milky Way stretched out over the night sky like a belt of diamonds.
Saturday May 10 2008 The Zoo
Since there’s no game-related material today, I’ll just give the short version.I decided to take a very, very rare day off today. I hung out with the kids all morning, watching TV and eating Captain Crunch. Then we headed out to the Hogle Zoo, which was insanely crowded. It reminded me of California. Except that the air was crisp and clear as a Utah spring!
Not losing the kids in a giant crowd for four hours was a veritable miracle.
To someone who worries about having children: don’t worry. Nothing can really prepare you for it. Kids are more resilient than you think, and you’ll be a better parent than you think. You really do live again through your children. They’re experiencing everything for the first time.
I’ve found that I am a better parent as time goes on. Man, I used to dislike kids, especially babies. That all changed after my first daughter was born. It was hard for a few years, but my heart really softened over time. Now, I can’t get enough of my kids. They’ve really added another dimension to my life. I don’t consider them an inconvenience or sacrifice at all.
My kids are so kind and gentle and obedient and beautiful and intelligent. Every day is a triple delight with them. And that a fourth is on the way just puts me over the moon. When Tamie was pregnant with McKenna our Bishop told us that there are blessings that come with the children. I’ve found that to be true: the Heavens open and strength, prosperity, and an enlarged soul flow to the new parent.
In one possible branch of future reality, you young people of ten or fourteen, will become professionals and die-hard miniatures gamers and will be ordering your projects from one of my sons!
I ate terribly today. Pretty much just ice cream. I like orange cream bars.
On the way home we went by Ikea, which I resisted at first, but I was duly impressed. It was pretty cool.
Once back at home, I actually managed to get through The Golden Compass. Griffin came in near the end and fell asleep in my arms (I didn’t let him watch any of it!). I wasn’t impressed with the movie, though I admit some of the ideas and effects were cool. I don’t see the hubbub about the (ir)religious asptect. It never hurts to hear some new ideas!
Then I headed out with Jonah to return the movies.
What’s on my mind? My heart is wrenched to read about the stuff going on in Burma. It just makes me realize how good we have it. I remember getting home from Chile and really appreciating a well-stocked grocery store. And not having fleas. I could go on about that.
Friday May 9 2008 Spoiled Rotten
Picture: part of a set of terrain made for a client– a bombed out desert imperial outpost. See the video and stills.
Another full night of sleep. I could get used to this.
There’s a local shop that makes t-shirts and I need some done up with the company logo, but whenever I stop by there in the morning they aren’t open. I got to the office early today, swinging by the accounting firm upstairs to wrap up some Payroll stuff.
I had a new painter in today. He’s doing some studio work. I don’t usually start people off on client’s work until I am sure they will do a good job. So, I’m eager to see what he comes up with. They day flew by with the usual, getting packages packed, unpacked, and setting up projects.
I was going to play a game with Renn, but that didn’t materialize.
I stayed up late with the missus watching “The Golden Compass”. And by that I mean, I fell asleep after five minutes. I was so wiped out. My wrists hurt with so much typing. I plan on taking a break tomorrow.
Hollow World
I just stumbled on this website. I don’t know if it’s any good.
http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/HollowWorld40K/
Thursday May 8 2008 Toy Shop Elves
This Soulgrinder is for www.40Kradio.com as a prize. You should all tune in and sign up.
Today, like most days we were as busy as little elves. It’s like a toy shop. We ordered two pizzas for lunch: pepperoni and hawaiian.
First: there is an opening in late May for a Vampire Counts army, if anyone wants one done. I am still running my “core-tastic” special with grunt troops painted at L2 for $2.75 per model. We would need to order materials right away, though, unless you’re sending the models.
Diabetes runs in my family. My mom was talking to me about an hour about watching what I eat. And I couldn’t agree more. But that didn’t stop me from eating a giant bowl of Captain Crunch Berries just before bed last night. So bad, but it tastes so good.
One project has been delayed:
Inquisition 01 PC (don’t worry, it will be worth it in the end! A few figures were delayed and I didn’t realize until too late)
Good news for Vampire Counts 01 DW: done and looookin’ good. Just need to take the pics.
Things are cracking. Nice and smooth. I plan on finishing my Tau army over the weekend.
Oh, I’m sorry, I’m just really tired. My mind is jumping all over.
Right this instant it is midnight precisely. I am watching “Under the Tuscan Sun” with my wife. The house in the movie reminds me of a place I lived while in Pichilemu, Chile, on my mission.
She is really starting to feel lethargic from the pregnancy. We’re leaning towards “Phoenix” as the child’s name. That’s mighty early to settle on that. Tamie was fretting about the pregnancy this morning. I told her to relax and enjoy it since it will likely be the last one.
One thing I’m doing to make the pregnancy smoother is, when I burp, I blow it away instead of in her face. It’s a sacrifice, but I’m willing to make it.
Tuesday May 6 2008 Big Day
Here’s an oldy but goody: a bizarro Tzeentch Fantasy army using the old daemonic legion list. I’m sad they did away with the Nurgle Chariots.
Today was a regular Tuesday; huge, but with less comings and goings than normal.
I’m looking at those Daemon armies on the wall and pretty much I’m likely to paint them up like mad. I just can’t get enough of the new daemon lists. My mind is boiling with ideas for the Studio 40K Slaanesh army. Don’t worry, I’m still plugging away on my Tau. I should have the rest done in the next 14 days, about 2300 pts all told. In fact, I’ve challenged Renn to a game this weekend, hopefully I’ll have time.
The following projects are due to go under the brush this week:
High Elves 01 CM (two weeks)
Dwarfs 01 JC gyrocopter (priority)
Angry Goats 01 (should be done in 5-7 more days)
Imperial Guard 01 TP +conv
Orks 01 BW warboss on bike
Orks 01 CK warboss on bike
Tau 01 SL (two weeks)
Chaos 03 KO +assembly
Vampire Counts 01 LG
Vampire Counts 01 LE (delayed)
Inquisition 01 PC (models delayed- 5-10 days to completion)
Terminus 01 RP
Black Templars 03 AS +assembly
Podhammer Model
White Scars 01 TS
Ogres 01 SL (two weeks, delayed from last week)
Tyranids 01 JB (finally!)
Rust Nids 01 MG
Autumn Bases 01 RJ (priority)
War Machine 07 JL +assembly
War Machine 03 CS Menoth
I was a pretty big fan of Full Metal Alchemist and I’m watching the movie tonight. Sweet.
Want to commission an army?
I need three things:
- Models (or a list of models to acquire)
- Instructions download here
- Deposit download pricing sheets here
Playing Hookey
So, I made arrangements to be out of the office for about five hours today. That’s my version of a day off. Anyway, my wife and I ran off to see Iron Man.
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It was awesome, as you’ve no doubt heard, so I won’t go into it. Great movie. Very well-constructed and believable.
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Now, here’s the strange part. My wife is coming up with these crazy names for the new baby (which is usually my domain): Hannah (OK not strange), Phoenix or Pepper (yes, named after the character from Iron Man). So, what do you think? Which one do you like?
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Again, thanks to all for your support, and for being part of Blue Table Painting.
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PS- I managed to get back to the studio in the afternoon. I’ll have updates and the usual tomorrow. There are a ton of things cooking. Like a ten course meal.
Sunday May 4 2008 Line Upon Line
WARNING! There is no game-related material today. It’s not too late to turn back!
Unusual event: I slept for eleven hours straight last night. I was really wiped out from the week before.
I got a call from one of my home-teach-ee families this morning, asking if I would cover his Sunday School class today, which I was glad to do. I got to see some of my students from just a few years back. Now they are approaching Mission age. Since it was just the three young men, I just regaled them with some mission stories and advice to get them pumped up.
After church we headed up to Salt Lake Valley to visit Tamie’s sisters for a BBQ. We sat out on the back porch in some perfect spring weather watching the ten children play around. My brother-in-law is about to set out on a year term to Kuwait with the Imperial uh… I mean National Guard.
Not much to report. I have like a thousand things on my mind, but only one for now.
I have been thinking a lot about sanctification, I guess the process of becoming a better man. I’m not so concerned about forgiveness, but how can I actually become changed, to have my base desires rooted out of my heart? It made me recall a few passages; the first from Helaman Chapter 3:
v25 Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God.
I think “yielding” in this case has to do with a voluntary action. Like a knight yields to his liege. It cannot be taken by force. And it happens little by little. For most people their transformation will be a bit at a time, step by step.
The other from Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis, which I read numerous times on my mission, from an essay entitled Man or Rabbit, which I quote here for the reader’s convenience:
We are to be re-made. All the rabbit in us is to disappear—the worried, conscientious, ethical rabbit as well as the cowardly and sensual rabbit. We shall bleed and squeal as the handfuls of fur come out; and then, surprisingly, we shall find underneath it all a thing we have never yet imagined: a real Man, an ageless god, a son of God, strong, radiant, wise, beautiful, and drenched in joy.
“When that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.” The idea of reaching “a good life” without Christ is based on a double error. Firstly, we cannot do it; and secondly, in setting up “a good life” as our final goal, we have missed the very point of our existence. Morality is a mountain which we cannot climb by our own efforts; and if we could we should only perish in the ice and unbreathable air of the summit, lacking those wings with which the rest of the journey has to be accomplished. For it is from there that the real ascent begins. The ropes and axes are “done away” and the rest is a matter of flying.
In my mission, I often thought of Grace and Salvation perhaps a bit like being in a pit with no way out, then comes a savior who sets down a ladder. By who’s effort am I saved from the Pit? It is I who climbed the ladder, but where would I be without it. But now, I’m not sure of even that isn’t too simple, or even erroneous in a way.
Now I think of it more like a long journey with a Guide. A Guide who must frequently help me out of briar patches and muddy ravines.
Disclaimer: I am not a very good person. I make no pretensions this is the case. Maybe there is no such a thing as a “good” person exists (except maybe my wife!!!), only people who keep trying. My best hope is that perhaps some soul will be uplifted or enlightened by my musings. May you be bless-ed good reader!
I am very happy. I feel like a hobbit in his hole… after his grand adventure. I suppose my children are the grand adventure right now. Speaking of which, Tamie is starting to *feel* pregnant. We are both very excited.