The Alaska State Fair

I love our fair. It is the last hooray of the summer, the final goodbye to warmth and sunshine and the welcoming hello to the beauty that is the Alaskan winter.

There's is much that could be written about the fair, and many pictures that could be shared. But for the sake of time I'll share just a few from when Christy & I went to the fair together Wednesday night. We had also gone the previous Saturday. The weather was perfect, so the place was packed. We did it as a family event, with all the in-laws, nieces & nephew.

Wednesday night was just me & my lovely bride and the crowds were much less. We wandered by most of the booths and ate a few of our favorite fair treats. Here's the pictures:

This is one of my favorite things at the fair... Pork Chop on a Stick. It's best on the slow days because after being cooked they leave it marinating in it's own juices so it's super flavorful & super tender.

These were something new for me to try... They are locally grown fried Yukon Gold potatoes. They weren't that good though... They were cut too thick so not cooked all the way through, plus they had a ton of Montreal Steak Seasoning on them. The better choice is the fried Peanut Potatoes from the Bushes & Bunches booth.

My other fair favorite... Buffalo Chips from Buffalo Bills. They are just waffle cut fries with Johnny's Seasoning Salt on them, but they are good. The burgers from Buffalo Bills are really good too. I almost forgot to grab this picture before I ate them all...

The Chugach Mountains to the south past the old barn. This is near the Red Gate.

The Colony Stage. They have different acts that rotate through out the day on this stage. We watched the Gothard Sisters, three young ladies from Seattle who did Irish dance, played fiddles and sang. They did a good job.

The Colony Stage. They have different acts that rotate through out the day on this stage. We watch the Gothard Sisters, three young ladies from Seattle who did Irish dance, played fiddles and sang. They did a good job.

The King BMX Bike Show. These guys were pretty fun to watch.

This is the Hooperdoodle cookie. It's big and sooo very good. Christy always gets their M&M's cookie.

As we leave the fair we always get a bag of kettle corn from Becky's. Novices will buy this as they come in, but then you have to pack it around with you. Experts know to get it on the way out and eat on it over the next few days.

The view of Matanuska Peak to the east as we head back out to the truck.

A Fun Cache....

If you are unfamiliar with Geocaching, start by going here to learn a little about it. It's basically a high tech treasure hunting using a GPS device to find "caches" that have been hidden. We've found over 700 and have hidden about a half dozen. Here's one I have hidden in the Lake Lucille Park area.

Oh, I guess first I should explain that caches come in all shape and sizes. One very common size is a called a micro. As you may have guessed, it's a very small cache. It's often a metal container called a bison that is about the size a tube of chap-stick. Now these caches are fine in an urban area, but I get annoyed when they are hidden in the woods where a larger cache could easily be concealed.

This one is called "Micro in the Woods." It's kind of a tongue & cheek reference.

Do you see it????

How about now?

See... It's a "micro" in the woods.

Yes, that's a real, full sized microwave that I packed a quarter of a mile into the woods. Now all I need is about 1500 feet of extension cord and I can plug it in.

10 Ways to Achieve Your Money Goals with Financial Peace University

10 Ways to Achieve Your Goals With Financial Peace University

The kids are back in school, before you know it the trees will be changing colors and summer will be over. But don't let that get you down! Fall is the second New Year's, meaning it's time to readdress all those resolutions you made for yourself at the beginning of the year.
Remember all those financial, physical, spiritual and mental goals you made? Fall is the perfect time to create a schedule that allows you to meet those resolutions! And with back-to-school shopping out of the way, why not get started meeting some of these goals with the help of Financial Peace University?
The life-changing information you will learn in Financial Peace University (FPU) will help you take control of your money, but have you ever realized that money is tied to all areas of your life? Once you work toward getting your financial house in order, your other goals will follow suit and build upon each other. Here are 10 ways FPU will help you improve your money ... and your life!

1. Helps couples get on the same page with money. No more money fights! Couples learn how to make decisions about their money together.
2. Forces you to do a budget and actually use it. Guessing games are a thing of the past! Learn how to make a written plan for your money.
3. Explains the importance of an accountability partner for singles. Gain a sense of empowerment over your money by acquiring an accountability partner help you make smart decisions.
4. Shows you how to teach your kids about money. Tell your children how to save, spend and invest their money and help them make a great future for themselves!
5. Teaches you how to get out of debt—for good this time. Time to kick out Sallie Mae and get rid of the car loan! Using the debt snowball, you'll learn how to pay off your debt.
6. Lets you know what insurance you need and don't need. Learn how to cover yourself with the right type of insurance for you, your family and your assets.
7. Tells people how to bargain and get great deals. Learning how to negotiate deals will save you hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars!
8. Prepares you for a happy and stress-free retirement. Planning now saves you heartache and money in the long run. Figure out how you can retire with no money worries.
9. Helps parents plan ahead for their kids' college funding. If you have kids, preparing now for their college funding will save them from student loans later in life.
10. Demonstrates the importance of working in a job you love. Instead of dreading Mondays and loving Fridays, you will learn how to do work you love.

This article was taken from Dave's Newsletter. If you would like more information on my upcoming FPU class, click here...

The Colonel

I love me some KFC... There's nothing better than a bucket of the original recipe chicken with some biscuits and a side of gravy. And of course you can't think of KFC without thinking of the Colonel. Colonel Harland Sanders. The man who came up with those 11 original herbs & spices.  He passed away in 1980 but KFC still uses his likeness as their logo.

The Colonel was born in 1890, the oldest of three boys. His father died suddenly when he was just five years old. His mother took work in a tomato-canning factory, and the young Harland was required to cook for the family. He dropped out of school at age 12, right around the time his mother remarried. His new stepfather was abusive and Sanders moved to live with an uncle. At age 15 he lied about his age and joined the army.

At age 18 he married and soon had three children. He worked a variety of jobs to support his young family, but after his boss fired him for insubordination while he was on a trip, his wife stopped writing him letters. He then learned that she had left him, given away all their furniture and household goods, and taken the children back to her parent’s home. Her brother wrote Sanders a letter saying, "She had no business marrying a no-good fellow like you who can’t hold a job."

At age 40 he opened a small service station in Kentucky along a busy Highway 25. In the small residence attached to the service station, he'd cook and serve meals to weary travelers and soon became well known for his cooking skills. He became so popular that seven years later he built a hotel and a 142 seat restaurant across the highway . Two years after opening it burnt to the ground and Sanders had to rebuild.

Then when he was 65, Interstate 75 was built and the once busy highway suddenly was bypassed. The restaurant failed for lack of business. At the age when most people retire, the Colonel took $105 from his first Social Security check and set up a franchise business for his famous fried chicken recipe. Ten years later he sold Kentucky Fried Chicken for $2 million.

The early death of his father...
An abusive stepfather...
A failed marriage...
A failed career....
A fire...
A failed restuarant...
Old age...

None of it stopped the Colonel. So why should the challenges you face stop you?

My Anniversary: Thirteen Years of Bliss

Today Christy and I celebrate thirteen years of being happily married.

Well... I celebrate 13 years of happiness. For Christy I'm sure it's been 13 years of reminding herself that murder is illegal and generally frowned upon in our society. Plus it would be hard to effectively hide a body as large as mine. Seriously... she spends a lot of time watching those true murder mystery shows where the spouse bumps off their partner. I've learned to sleep with one eye open and check my brake lines before leaving the garage.

We live in a world where over 50% of all marriages end in divorce. So how have we made it 1/8 of a century? Simple. We've learn that we can either battle each other, or battle together whatever we are facing. Your spouse can be your best ally or your worst enemy. It's usually one or the other though.

About a year before we were married, Christy had a discussion with Kim Baker, who is the wife of the Youth Pastor we were serving under at the time. She shared that love is not just a feeling that comes and goes, but a choice to made each day. So each day we choose to not be selfish and love the other, no matter what.

So to my wife: I love you and thank God for each and every day that we are together. I'll try my best to make the next 13 years even better than the first 13 years. You are an amazing woman and I am truly blessed to be able to call you mine.

And to my other readers (both of you...): If you are looking for some good teachings on marriage, I'd like to suggest some great messages from Newspring Church (click here...).

What Does The Bible Say About Money?

Almost everyone agrees that the Bible contains great advice about life, from improving your marriage to getting along with your boss at work.  But does the Bible really say much about money?  Does it really give us advice that we can apply to our own life in today's world?

The Good News is Yes!  Absolutely!  We believe the Bible is as relevant and helpful today as when it was written, and God has a lot to say about money.  Did you know money is mentioned in the Bible over 800 times?  God must be pretty serious about this subject to talk about it that much. 

In fact, Jesus says in Luke 16:11, "So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?"  It appears from this verse that God uses money as a test of our management and stewardship skills before entrusting us with spiritual things.  See more below.

Money in the Bible
1. Proverbs 13:22  "A good man leaves an inheritance to his childrens' children" indicating that God wants us to make a difference, financially, in our family tree.
2. Proverbs 21:20  "In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has."  This gives us an idea of how God wants us to save for a rainy day, to set something back for safekeeping.
3. Proverbs 22:7 states that "The rich rule over the poor, And the borrower is servant to the lender."  Really?  The Bible discourages debt?  Does God really want me to pay my debts off and avoid debt?
4. Luke 14:28  "For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it."  Does Jesus really want me to save up and pay for the things I buy?
5. Matt. 6:24  "You cannot serve both God and money".

If money is this important to God, why are there so few Sunday school classes on this topic?  Why don't we see lots of small group studies on "Managing Your Finances" or "Getting Out of Debt"?  Why aren't there more sermons in this area?

There are many reasons, but the top reason is that most people don't realize how much of a problem managing money is for the average family.  Look at the statistics below:

Financial Statistics

1. Marital Problems - 37 percent (the highest rate) of marital problems derive from financial situations
2. Cash Flow - 70 percent of all consumers live paycheck to paycheck, meaning they run out of money before the end of the month
3. Savings - The average family would have to use a credit card to pay a $1,500 unexpected expense (ex: home or car repair).
4. Retirement - Nearly half of all Americans (46%) have less than $10,000 saved for their retirement.
It is a problem that affects everyone, inside and outside of the church.  In fact George Barna says that the fastest growing churches are teaching about marriage, child rearing, finances, and careers.  Money is a serious subject, and God is serious about money, which is why we should study closely what he has to tell us.

Finally, there is something to guide us!  A study to take God's wisdom about money and help us apply it to our own lives. It is called Financial Peace University.

700 Geocaches in 7 Years!!

Christy & I learned about Geocaching from Daren Lindley, who is a traveling minister that was speaking at our church. This was June 25th, 2005; seven years ago today. It was shortly after Google Maps introduced their satellite view. Daren was going to be speaking at a Saturday night service and beforehand a bunch of us were hanging out and checking out the satellite views of different places. Darren joined in and was looking up various places in his hometown in Oregon. He then had us go to Geocaching.com and was telling us a little bit about geocaching. We looked and saw that there was several caches in the area and Daren mentioned that he'd love to find one after the service. Service didn't get done until late and I figured he'd forget all about it. But Daren is a super enthusiastic, energetic guy and he was ready to go. So Christy, myself, Scott and Daren headed to the Crevasse Moraine trail system about 10 miles away. After a short walk, surrounded by clouds of veracious mosquitoes we reached ground zero and made the find.

The next day, after speaking in our Sunday morning service, Daren was itchin' to find some more caches. Christy and I had enjoyed ourselves the night before and so we headed out again, finding 3 more caches. The follow Wednesday Christy & I bought our own GPS and became regular geocachers. Since June 25, 2005 we have 700 geocaches. We've cached in 12 states and two countries. We've cached in hip deep snow and through swamps. We've cached in -40 degree weather along the banks of the Chena River and in 100 degree heat in Dallas. We've cache in hurricane force winds and in a torrential thunderstorm along the Louisiana Gulf Coast. We driven & hiked miles in search of caches, chewed on by mosquitoes,  encountering moose & bears.

Some of our best times together have been while caching. And, some of our worse fights have been while caching. We've seen some incredible sights and explored places we would've never been to otherwise. It's been a great form of exercise and gotten us up off the couch. For Christy, geocaching is the only time she can disconnect from the stress of her job.

Geocaching was born May 2nd, 2000 when the US government switched off Selective Availability, meaning GPS signals could be received by civilian owned handheld models with much greater accuracy. A man named Dave Ulmer hid a five gallon bucket near Beavercreek, Oregon and posted the coordinates on a Usernet group, challenging others to find what he had hidden and sign the log book within.

Others began to do the same and soon Jeremy Irish created a website where these "stashes" could be listed for others to find. To avoid any negative connotations that might come with the word "stash" it was agreed to call the hidden objects "caches".

Since then 1.5 million caches have been place in over 200 countries. Almost 5 million people enjoy geocaching, making 4 million finds last month. A geocache could be as small as a chapstick container or as large as a suitcase. Ammo cans make a good hiding container and would be considered a "regular" size container. Smaller caches simply contain a log book or sheet to be signed. Larger caches might contain "swag" to be traded. Swag can be almost anything not dangerous or illegal. A deck of cards, local souvenirs, small toys and fishing lures all make for good swag.

To participate in geocaching all you need is a handheld GPS, a free registration at www.GeoCaching.com and access to the internet. You can search for caches in your area, plug the coordinates in your GPS and you are good to go. Your GPS will get you within 10 feet or so of the hide and then its up to you find the cache. Some caches are large & obvious. Some very carefully hidden & camouflaged and can be hard to find.

You can read a little more about geocaching at it's Wikipedia entry or by watching the video below. And if you'd like to get started geoaching yourself, visit www.Geocaching.com and sign up for your free basic membership. You can also read more about geocaching here in the Mat-Su Valley by checking out the article I wrote for the MatSu Visitor's & Convention Bureau.