One other note, tonight many people, some even family and friends of mine will choose to include stimulants in their celebration activities for the new year.  I just want to saw how much I detest the use of these stimulants.  OK, I'm talking about alcohol.  It is something that just isn't needed and it is dangerous.  I anyone that reads this will think about why they choose to use alcohol, reevaluate their choice and choose to make a change.  If you choose to use it anyway, I hope you don't end up hurting anyone. 

Beginning tomorrow, January 1 2009, this journal will be in the Journal History link and the 2009 journal will be started.  Take care and God Bless! - Cam & Jeri

I would also like to thank many of you that sent us Christmas cards this year.  Please don't take it personal that we did not send you a Christmas card.  As we have this webpage and try to keep it current with our activities and other information, we pay for it rather than spending money on cards and postage.

It has been an amazing year!  From the loss of my job, the economic down turn, the election of an African American president, there have been many amazing events this year.  What will happen in 2009?  That is a great question.  The president elect has some enormous problems to deal with. Will he have success?  He may!  He may not!  However, this I can tell you, I do not believe we will be better off in 4 years.  And I think that is true, regardless of which presidentail nominee had won.  They problems are not ones that man can solve.  They are caused by sin and will only get worse.  This is an opportunity for us that know about God and his love for us to share that with those around us and invite them to know God too.  All these things are happening as a result of sin, caused by the devil, Satan, to deceive us into thinking that God does not love us.  God wants sin to cease to exist but not by force but by our choosing not to sin again.  We can do that through knowing God and having a relationship with Him.

Someday soon, the sin problem will be resolved, Jesus will come to take us, that have chosen him, to be with him forever.  As this year of 2008 concludes, I invite you to consider your relationship with God.  If you would like to know more about God and how to have a relationship with Him, use the links to the left in the bottom portion of the menu to go to www.AmazingFacts.org to find links for bible studies, Videos with interesting topics and other related information.

God Bless all of you in 2009! - Cam & Jeri

It has continued to snow here.  We now have around 12" of snow.  It is amazing.  I haven't seen this much here ever.  It is cool that we will have a White Christmas for the first time in a long time and a real fluffy white Christmas too.  Here is a picture of our front yard.

Here is a picture of a snow covered Joey!  My mom took this picture!

December 14 2008:   Snowy day here in Hillsboro.  As you may know, we are in store for for several days of below normal/sub freezing temps here in Northwest Oregon.  It started snowing at daybreak.  Don't have much, maybe an inch but it is something we don't see very often.  So, below there are some thumbnails pics I took a few minutes ago.  Just click on the picture to see a larger version of the picture:

I was just reading an article in our church paper, the Adventist Review (www.adventistreview.org) and found this article on the recent election of Barack Obama as President of the United States.  I just wanted to share it with anyone that may read our journal as it is an excellent comment about how anyone as a Christian should feel and believe about this change in the politics of the United States of America.

November 17 2008:  There are some people I know and you know who you are that have chosen to have alcoholic beverages as part of their lifestyle.   You were raised with the belief that using these beverages was not acceptable but for whatever reason have chosen to add the use to your lifestyle.  Though you are correct that this is your choice, it is a choice that I hope you will take some time and prayerfully reconsider.  I believe if you do, you will change your mind about the use of these beverages.  No matter how bad the world is, drinking alcohol does not make it better.  We love you!

Someday, I expect those that believe that homosexual behavior is not wrong will eventually be in the majority and the the vote will eventually change to allow homosexual marriage.

PS...What prompted me to make this statement was the various protests that took place yesterday Nov 15 2008 around the country, including one in Portland Oregon where the mayor elect made the comment that the laws would be changed to allow homosexual marriage.  Because of that, I just felt I needed to make a statement about my position.

However, I have a different take on this.  Things will not be better in 4 years.  It's not because the leaders won't try to make things better.  They will try and they will have some successes.  However, the issues are not whether we will be better off or not in four years.  The reality is we live in a world filled with wickedness.  The are a few people that understand that our future is not based on how good our life is in this world is but rather on knowing that there is a great controversy taking place.  If your click on that link in the previous sentence and read that book, you will find that the real issue is whose government is the best government and that it is a universal question.  Is it Satan's (who claims ruler ship of this world, or wants to be ruler of this world) or is it the "Kingdom of Heaven", God's Government.

So with that understanding should we give up or quit trying.  NO!  God placed us here to witness of Him of His goodness.  There are many ways to do this.  For me, it is sharing this information on my webpage.  For you, it may be some other way.  It is my prayer that if you are reading this, that you click on the link to the Great Controversy above, read the book as you have time.  If you find truth in that book, then click on the links related to Amazing facts on the left side of this page, there are many with different subjects.  Review them as you can.  And after all that you will have a choice, to join me in knowing the love and peace that is God's character, that God does exist and that someday and probably sooner than later, all that we have gone through will be answered and that we will judge that God's character of love is true.  At that point, there will be a future, an eternal future where there will truly be peace and love. 

OK, I will tell you that yes, I did vote for one of them, but which ever one wins, I will support the president of the United States because he will be the leader of my country.  Whether I agree with the president's policies and positions, whoever he , is irrelevant as that person will be the President of the United States.  As a citizen of the United States, I have the right at the moment to disagree with a position or policy.  But, as I mentioned in a earlier post, Romans 13:1 says "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.".   That does not mean that the president will always do God's will.  After all God gives us "Freedom of Choice".  The answer is probably, no, the president will not always do the will of God.  However, it would be blasphemous for us to assume we know God's will.  Yes, we can read the Bible and in prayer ask to know God's will, then attempt to apply that will to our lives. 

God gave us "freedom of choice" so that we can experience true love.  If we didn't have freedom of choice, we would worship God because we didn't have a choice and it would be a dictatorship.  God is teaching us that the choice of Love is a the choice that results in Peace, Joy, Love, security, and true freedom.  The devil, Satan of course wants us to believe that God's character is not love, but rather the very character opposite of that, a character of a dictator.  Personally, I chose to believe in God's character of love!

So, there it is!  That is my political statement.  Thank you for taking the time to read it. 

A week ago, October 18, Jeri, who is a member of our Church's Master Planning Committee, was involved in a dinner and church business meeting that presented a plan to remodel our church, adding some space and provide a more organized and attractive facility.  The dinner went very well and the meeting was well attending.  The presentation of the proposed changes was led by our assistant pastor Rodney Payne II who did an excellent job of describing the results of many years of planning by the MPC.   The recommendations were well received and even though the country appears to be in a recession, the church family approved the recommendation with a 92% approval by those voting.  All involved believe with that large a percentage approval, confirms God leading in the decision and direction presented. 

Yesterday, Jeri and I went to the Oregon State Fair.  We had an enjoyable day there.  

Last week I had an opportunity to spend a day with friend Bob Cotterman who drives a semi truck.  He invited me to join him on a day run to the coast.  He picked me up at 6am and we were off to Newport, Lincoln City, Tillamook, Seaside and Long Beach Washington, before going back to the terminal in Vancouver.  Here is a picture of his truck!

Last Sunday, we spent the day doing wedding photography for a church member.  The day turned out pretty good with overcast but mostly dry skies, and it was cooler.  Friday and Saturday had been around 100 degrees, but Sunday was in th low 80's though higher humidity.  Still better than 100.   So far the pictures look pretty good so we are thankful for that.

This week is Camp Meeting out at Gladstone.  Look forward to making it to a couple meetings as I now have some time to do such things.

After the movie is when we had the excitement.  As we left the theater (Movies on TV), we were just outside the door and heard a plane fly over, looked up and thought that the pilot was awfully low.  This area is the flight path for the Hillsboro Airport.  We of course live on the flight path for the main runway and see aircraft on approach all the time.  However today, this airplane, a Cessna 182 was not flying in the correct flight path for approach but rather was paralleling the highway, heading east and descending.   We saw the plane descend below the horizon of the building to the east, but could not determine if he crashed or landed safely.  Not knowing, Jeri said "lets drive over there".  We did, but couldn't see anything in the big open field (owned by St Mary's).  we then turned on to the Highway, heading east and then saw the plane in the field.  So indeed it did look like he landed.  Just as we were about parallel with the location of the plane (though we couldn't see it from the highway because of the vegetation, a car stopped in front of us almost in the middle of the street.  We stopped of the road behind him.  He ran off toward the field where the plane was located.  Jeri, being a nurse, followed.  I stayed in the vehicle and called 911.

The 911 dispatch indicated that they had other calls and Police and fire were on the way.  They arrived shortly.  In s few minutes Jeri was back and reported the pilot was OK.  The word was that the plane had run out of gas and the pilot had landed the plane safely.  The guy who had stopped in front of us turned out to be a off duty police officer.

We saw on the news later that he refueled his plane and they had video of him taking off safely and returning the plane to the Hillsboro Airport.

Needless to say we are happy that it tuned out this way.  In all the years I have lived near the airport, this was the first time I have witnessed a plane with problems.  We have great respect for the air traffic controllers that manage the traffic around the airport.  We have seen close calls, but obviously they have observed and directed the planes to change their flight paths.

We also got a new camera for Jeri this month, a Canon 40D with a 17-55 F2.8 and a 75-300 F4 - 5.6 lens.  She will plans to use it for Wedding Photography.

Also, as you all know gas prices have been skyrocketing.  Today for the first time (mostly because I haven't been out much) most of the stations I went by had gas prices above $4.00 a gallon.  Many were at $4.09.  Will be interesting to see if the prices continue to climb or if people really start to cut back on travel.  I know we have.

As we are in this political scene with the presidential candidates along with the senators, representatives and local candidates all bombarding us with their spin as to why we should vote for them, I just saw this article put out by my church about liberal vs. conservative.  It really expresses my position fairly well.  Enjoy!

One of my projects is to support a mission outreach called FETCH International (I sponsor and manage their webpage).  FETCH is a excellent mission program, helping children and families in India with education and training.  100% of monies donated to FETCH to sponsor students goes directly to those in need.  None is used for administrative needs.  It is rare to find a organization where all money donated goes to help those really in need.  You are welcome to check them out and donate if inspired to do so.

There are many things going on the world right now, the economic crises, wars, food supply, environmental issues, natural disasters.  It seems as though the problems are becoming overwhelming.  They may be.  The Bible has prophecies that suggests that these things will be happening and with greater frequency.  These things are not things that God does, but rather things He allows to happen to show how awful sin is.  All of these calamites are a result of sin.  What is sin, transgression of the Law Of God.  Fortunately, we have a Savior, Jesus, the Son of God and soon we will be saved from this planet if we accept Him and allow Him to fill us with His love.   For more information, check out the picture links on the left side of the page.

Our diets have stalled somewhat, but our weights have stayed about the same for which we are thankful.  We feel so much better. 

We serve and awesome God and thank Him for His love for us.  The world is so full of pain, suffering and deceit.  However, that comes from the evil one, not from God.  The important thing is to remember that!  Regardless of what happens, God loves us.  That could mean bad things happen to us, but it is the devil that is doing it, not God.  Jesus told us this would happen in Matthew 10:34-37.  These words I believe were not meant to instigate a riot, but rather a warning that when you love your neighbor as you would love yourself, some of your neighbors, friends or even family, would not accept that love and would even reject that love with bitter hatred.  This is hard to believe, but we see it all the time.  Misunderstandings, lies, back stabbing, all in a effort to gain advantage.  As Christians, shouldn't we love our enemies regardless?  If that results on our death, isn't that what martyrdom really is?  Blowing up one's self up for a cause is not martyrdom, it is suicide or if it kills others too, it's homicide.  So put aside petty differences, love your family, friends and neighbor.  If they are treating you wrong, go to them and tell them.  If they accept it you have gained a friend. If they reject it, take another friend and tell them.  If they still reject it walk away.  Matthew 18.  Maranatha

In other news, it was somewhat of an exciting day yesterday.  Cam had been considering a TV upgrade to a flat panel and the set he had been looking at, and costing more than he wanted to pay was on sale yesterday at Best Buy.  He went just to look but the sale price was 23% less than the typical price.  He had a gift card to which reduced the price even more.   We plan to donate our old TV to the Beaverton Church Youth room.

The last two weeks Cam has been doing the scheduling job at work.  This job is always a challenge, but it has gone well.  So well, that the boss wanted him to continue for another two weeks. 

After the holidays we are continuing out diet.  As of this morning Cam is at his lowest weight since his lowest high school days, at 181.4lbs.  He hopes to break 180 in the next couple days and start working on the 170's.  Target is 165 which is only 16.4 lbs away.  Jeri is doing well too.  I won't post her weight, but her goal is in site too.  We both feel much better and have more energy just as you would expect.

Also, I figured out how to get my home network working with our new Verizon FIOS Internet.  When we got it the other day, after hooking everything up, we found that our network drives and shared printer would not work.  After some calls to FIOS support and though they really didn't help me, they did suggest the problem was the firewall software on my PC's was the cause.  Click here for information on how I resolved the problem!