Stella my friend

I've got a friend named "Stella"

She's my GPS and I've named her Stella because she tells me where to go. I don't know how I got around with out my GPS. It is such remarkable technology. Stella and I get along fine.

Do you own a GPS? Do you always follow where it says to go?

God's Geeks

Wycliffe Bible Translators

Wycliffe has people spread around the world working to bring the Bible to every known language. From Wycliffe's site:

Wycliffe works all around the world. Currently our efforts serve languages spoken in more than 90 countries. The majority of the remaining translation needs represent minority languages—relatively small people groups, many of which struggle to maintain their identity in the shadow of majority culture. Often these groups have no written language of their own, and many struggle to gain the literacy skills they need to prosper in the majority culture.

The benefits of translation and literacy for these minority language groups are many. They include better health as a result of access to medical information, economic growth due to the acquisition of marketable skills, and the preservation of culture thanks to a written history. Most importantly, Bible translation brings people closer to God Himself—the One who transforms hearts.

Techie Missionary?

I've been seeking whether God would help use my techie skills to help in the effort to bring the Bible to those who still need it. I went to a Check IT Out conference a few weeks ago with a friend. We learned how important technology is to the translation effort. I feel a tug on my heart. While Wycliffe uses much technology in doing translation work, most of the time the work and expertise in translation is not necessary the same skills as the technology that helps that work. They need techies to come along side of the linguists to help in the work.

Next Step

I'm going this week to spend a day at Wycliffe HQ in Orlando, FL. I will be talking with a number of people about my possible role with Wycliffe. It will be a quick trip but I'll get to see some good friends while I'm there.

Pray for my journey and my possible calling. Thanks!

God's Chisel

"Thank you Sir, May I have Another!"
[Omega Fraternity Pledge (Kevin Bacon) in the movie classic Animal House]

This period of singleness is giving God a great opportunity - and He's taking it. God is using this as a time of growth for me. I think The Skit Guys skit God's Chisel very accurately portraits the process I'm feeling. I feel He is opening up deep wounds and bringing some healing that will make me more into the person he wants me to be. And it is tough.

How was the Bosnia Trip?

From Bosnia Youth Workshops 2009

Youth Workshops

The main workshop was the digital storytelling workshop. The youth (ages 10 to 15) were divided by the Novi Most staff into three teams. They were told that this is a contest. They were to make a three-minute story that would tell an new kid about their home town, Capljina. Each team had a Novi Most staff adviser but they all created their own projects.

The three teams all made very good projects. I was able to provide limited guidance since I was unable to understand the actual story in their native language. They all finished their stories and then on Friday evening they were all shown in the city square. Everyone had a good time. One boy even said that he already knew what he wanted to do for his next project.

Encouragement and Support

We spent a good bit time with both Bernard the pastor and with Mick and Ali of Novi Most. They are on the front lines of the battle to bring the light of the Lord in that country. They really appreciated our presence and the fellowship time we had.

All in all, it was a good trip. All the travel went smoothly and all our connections went without a hitch. Will I go back next year? I'm going to wait to see how the Lord leads me. So I can't really answer that now.

Link to: Bosnia Youth Workshops Blog and Bosnia Youth Workshops Picture Album.

North Point Online

Coming August 16th

LIVE webcast from Buckhead Church! Check out North Point Online



It will be awesome. I'm sorry I'll miss it. We will be in the air heading to Bosnia.

But Officer...

"Here come da judge..."

Well, I got a little bit in a hurry and I got timed doing 62MPH ( 100kp/h) in a 45 MPH (70kp/h) speed zone.

So I got dressed up in my best suit and headed to court. What amazed me is that I could FIT into my suit! This is the suit that I got married in 17 years ago. Also, my sister and brother-in-law gave me a nice dress shirt and tie that went well with it.

Since I had (had) a squeeky-clean driving record, they reduced the charge to "driving faster than conditions." But I still had to pay a good sized fine. The good thing is that charge won't be reported to the State of GA and appear on my state driving record.

Grief

Sad Plants

Sad Plants in July 2009

We had lots of rain in March, April, and May. Then in June we had virtually nothing. Consequently, my plants were not happy. Even the daphne was drooping badly.

So I got outside with the hose and gave them all a good dousing. They started responding in a few days.

A Loss

We grieve anytime we have a loss. I have just been reading Captivating by John and Staci Eldredge. This is the Wild at Heart book for women. They are talking in the chapter I'm reading that every woman has a beauty to unveil. And that she brings that beauty to the relationship.

While watering the plants, I was reminded about how much beauty Trudie used to bring to my life. She brought beauty through the plants she planted. She brought beauty through the decorating she did in the house. She brought beauty by bringing her own beauty to our relationship. Thinking about the beauty that is no longer here I got sad. I stayed sad for a number of days. It's probably the closest I've been to actual depression.

Beauty Replaced

I took my sadness and pain to the Lord. He has taught me that He can handle anything I'm feeling. After a while, He taught me to look to Jesus to see beauty. I see beauty in His creation. I see His beauty in the variety of birds and animals. I see His beauty in the variety of plants He has put around me. I see beauty in His love for me that sustains me every day.

I've climbed out from my sadness. I know that I've lost a beauty but I am now more aware that there is so much beauty around me and that it is a gift from God.

Big Dogs Anonymous

Hi, I'm Patrick and I'm a yip-dog hater,

"Hi, Patrick."

I have to admit, I've had a relapse. I fell off the Big-Dog wagon.

But the yip-dog was so cute. And she snuggled right up to me. And she was soft. She was almost like a cat - in fact, my daughter has cats that are probably bigger than this dog.

It wasn't a REAL dog. A REAL dog is a dog that you can body slam.

But I did stroke her. It was a "slip."

I will take my white chip and pledge to only be friendly to REAL dogs from now on.

Rocky Mountain High

Rocky Mountain National Park - June 2009

A Day in the Mountains
I took an extra day on my recent vacation and spent the day driving through the Rocky Mountain National Park. It as a great day. The weather was unseasonably cool. The high was about 65F/18C at the park entrance. But by the time I reached the summit, it had cooled down to 30F/-1C. The wind was really blowing. And when I was at the Trail Ridge Store it started snowing. It was great.

Emotional Ambush

I took my camera and, as I usually do, I took lots of photos. [Click the image above and it will take you to the web album of those photos.]

That night I downloaded them to my laptop and started to look through them. Then it struck me - I'm the only one in the photos. Boom. Trudie and I used to really enjoy traveling together. So my sadness was about not having my favorite traveling companion with me. This was a great opportunity to grieve another area of loss. Yes, it was tough - but I've learned that tough is part of the territory and that Jesus is walking with me.

So I let myself feel the sadness and I had a good cry.

I'm A Man

The Beard Story Morphs

My first digital story was about My Bosnia Story. It was a project that I did during my Basic Digital Storytelling workshop.

My second digital story was supposed to be about shaving my beard and mustache after my having them for 27+ years. I wrote it and liked part of it but I was not satisfied with how it ended. Over the course of six months I would struggle with it and then put it back on the shelf again many times.

I got the chance to take the Facilitator Intensive Training offered by The Center for Digital Storytelling. This workshop gave us perspectives on how to facilitate a digital storytelling workshop in our environment.

So I brought my "Beard Story" to be mulled over by the collective of instructors and fellow facilitator trainees in a story circle.

I was asked deep probing questions about what was the story really about?

This was tough right-brain work that I'm not used to doing. Issues were being uncovered like "what makes a man?" and "do I know I'm a man?" and "how do I know I'm a man?".

I rewrote it and then shared it again with my classmates and the lead facilitators. More layers of the story onion were probed and revealed. I rewrote it again.

Over the course of four days, the Beard Story morphed. It was hard work and my brain felt like mush but I really like this revised story.

Enjoy!

I'm A Man from Patrick Bartkus on Vimeo.

My thanks to Daniel, Amy, Kayann, Christina, Corinne, and all the great folks in our group last week.