His name is Hwan

Hey Bro,

Like your picture? I think I captured your spirit with this shot... I'll give it back if you ask. I'll be missing you, Hwan. Enjoy Iraq and take care of yourself. Looking forward to seeing you in Canada someday.

Keep in touch,
Nathaniel

P.S. Leave messages here anytime. I'll try to check it daily. Use it just like a message board.

P.S.S. For all the other people out there that read my blog, feel free to read and get to know Hwan.

The Future Presently

What a great way to bring in the new year. This past weekend my wife and I visited great friends, a couple that we are hoping and praying to live with next year in Toronto. Needless to say, We had a blast! We enjoyed snowboarding, games, great food, and lots of laughs. Couldn't have been better.

Here we are on our way to Phoenix Park (The ski hill). What a gorgeous group we are.

Here is Trent sporting his new goggles and his beaver smile.


What a cute couple!! Believe it or not, Em was sneaking up on her hubby to licked his face. However, catching her red-handed changed her mind.


My love enjoying her triumph of learning to carve... on a snowboard.


Here is a picture of Em's artistic mind snuggling between two Thai paintings.

Visual Memories of the Past and Foreshadows of the Future

Recently my wife and I visited our friends apart (as the Koreans and Japanese call it). It reminded me so much of our previous apart and most likely our next apart with dry-wall. So I documented it for you pleasure.

Cultivating Creativity

Here and now I want to lay down some goals as clearly as possible in hopes that this accountability will hold some weight.

This past weekend Sacha and I watched a movie together titled 'Step Up'. It wasn't a great movie but it did trigger some mind wandering (during the movie I'm afraid to say). However, because of that, I will never forget this movie. Also, reading LOTR's description of Rivendell and Lothlorien added to it.

The centre of the thought was to cultivate creativity in those I love. So, the first people to come to mind were my future family. It is my hope that my future home will not be one of these high-tech, top of the line, ADD traps where your mind isn't free to explore and get itself lost but instead held hostage by the constant need for entertainment and absence of thought. Instead I want to line every room with instruments to express and develop creativity. As an example, I don't want my kids coming home from a hard day at school to just sit down in front of the TV. Instead they could paint, dance, strum, build, etc. their frustrations out in a positive output of their energy. I've even thought of checking cell phones and PDAs at the door in hopes to provide freedom for my family and friends.

Contrasting...

When I took this picture I didn't realize the thought it would produce. It rested on my desktop, which allowed for time of appreciation and thoughtful reflection. These thoughts compounded with those brought forward from Plague Journal, Coach Carter and Lord of the Rings have led to this blog. (It is still fresh and thus, probably, bitter tasting.)

In photos, contrasting is a great tool to learn to use. But in life contrasting is frowned upon. 'Shades of Grey' they call it. 'Black and White' is unrealistic. And this is true for the most part. However, this contrast reminds me of good versus evil or using all of one's energy to accomplish a single goal.

I just hope people don’t forget to trust their instinct, conscience, God’s spirit, etc. Also, people need to believe they are capable of achieving anything which they put their mind to.

Life in the Crosshairs

Two weekends ago a bunch of us got together to release our tension and display our Christian love by lighting each other up paintball style. Check out some of the action.

Umm..... May I have you attention, please.

So here it is. The start... Everyone has one... Must make it unique.... Here I go!

From the mush that remains from my university training, the way to start an effective presentation is with a question. I'll give you five (overachiever from the start) and then you will have received my introduction. Note: For your special treat I will include pictures.

My life’s centre, focus, and strength. Where does my mind, heart, and soul lie (by Gaby Pfluger)?

My life’s enjoyment and support. What is the name of my wife (nickname for Alexander)?

My life’s hidden unrefined passion. What you are looking at now?

My life’s outlook of the future. What do you feel when you look at this (Phares dans la Tempete, la Jument by Jean Guichard [I'm the man on the deck])?

My life’s physical representation in colour. What 3 words would you use to describe this picture ?