Can you say, “Back Up?”
Posted Jan 31, 2008 by Herbie — Comments (4) — Filed under: Camp, Cross-ing's, Geeky things
FYI: Above the picture is Geeky things - below the picture is more what God is doing in me.
Today was a day off for me but I get a call from camp saying that no one is able to get to any of the camper records. No registrations, no gifting, no payroll,... no nothing. So, I came in to see what was going on to find that the computer (i.e. the SQL Server) that holds all that data couldn’t find it’s hard drives (RAID 1). After doing all the diagnostics that I know how to do I called another local computer guy, Jerry Clark, for some help. After talking it through, I concluded that I need to borrow some of his expertise and tools of data recovery because something was just not acting normal. We found out that one of the hard drives had failed. Fortunately, the other drive was intact and we could copy it to protect it just in case we would loose it again in the rebuild of the RAID 1 (i.e. mirroring or the same information on two hard drives always).
When working with data it takes a long time to copy/rebuild/format/re-RAID. So, I got to camp around 9:45 am Wednesday, figured out it was a hard drive failure about 1:30 PM Wednesday, and it looks like when this is all said and done it will be about 2:00 AM Thursday. But, I don’t mind. I look back to when I first accepted the position as computer systems manager and how uptight I would get with every little computer problem that would come my way. My stress level was always so high. Time, Wisdom, and trust in the Lord has taught me so much over these last 6 years.
Now, this isn’t an actual picture of me tonight. If it was I would be crazy because the temp out side is 40 degrees below with wind chill. Even I am not that crazy 
. However, I thought I would include what it looks like down in the Server Room at camp.
To paint the picture of how serious this could have been to camp - there would have been no payroll tomorrow, no paper record of the communication with groups coming this weekend or others, no records of anyone who has ever come to camp and/or their financial giving, no records for our mailings (the largest mailing being around 14,000-15,000). AND Yet, the Lord allowed me to be calm through all of this. His mercy’s ARE new every morning. He proves himself faithful over and over again. I call Him the “Divine Clicker” because I certainly don’t understand many of the solutions that have come our way. I have hundreds of stories of how God just allowed me to know something at just the right time to solve whatever was going wrong and yet I’ve never known how to solve it before then. I love my Lord. He truly does care for even the little things in life like computer problems. Better yet, He loves to delight in showing His love for us in the things we care about and giving good gifts (like solutions). 
I’m glad He is our ultimate Back-up - He Saves us and never leaves us. 
Sounds good to me
Posted Jan 23, 2008 by Herbie — Comments (0) — Filed under: Personal, Cross-ing's
Over this last year I have been greatly blessed with some significant gifts that I could not have even imagined. The first blessing of this past year came quite unexpectedly. Most of you know that I enjoy doing sound effects and telling my stories of how I’ve used them in public places. Well, a family donated money towards a sound system for me. Over the last couple of years, I have had several invites to churches, youth groups, and special events to “do my thing” (ironically, no one still knows what exactly to call what I do ). I’ve reluctantly declined in most cases because I would want the “event” to have a purpose of glorifying God. You know… make a joyful noise unto the Lord . The only time I’ve ever had to practice my sounds is when I’m on stage at camp. Furthermore, it is usually more a comic relief moment between other parts of the whole ministry at camp. Going “on the road” with my act up to this point would have never felt right because it would not have a clear message or purpose. Now I have the opportunity to develop a message and respond more positively to invites.
The History of a home.
Posted Nov 18, 2005 by Herbie — Comments (0) — Filed under: Personal, Cross-ing's
At the house warming I was presented this story of the home. God has been very evident in the history of this home. Enjoy.
“Once there was a man named John. He had a wife named Millie. They decided to build a big house near the little town of Westboro, Wisconsin. John liked ponds, so he had the swampy part of his land dug to from a pond. He liked trees, so he planted many pines, balsams, spruces, birches, basswoods, maples and oaks around his new house. He planted flowers and vegetables too. Then he bought a white-faced Hereford steer and built a shed for it to live in. He built houses for the birds, too.
One day Millie said, “John, I think this place is getting to be more than we can care for.” John sadly agreed, but they decided to sell their precious house. They bought a mobile home and put it on a knoll next to their big house. Millie missed her beautiful house, but John’s heart was weak, so they decided this was the best way to simplify their lives.
Dan and Jan liked John’s house, so they bought it. They loved gardening, put a wood burning furnace in the basement, skated on the pond with their young son and daughter. But, deep down, they wanted to build their dream house back in the woods behind the big house.
Along came a little 84-year old widow named Vivien. She asked Dan if he would sell her a bit of land so she could build a house. (She wanted to live closer to her family and go to the little church in the woodland.)
“Well,” sad Dan, “How would you like to buy come of my land with a house already built on it?”
Vivien thought, ” That would be a lot less work.” She told Dan, “I’ll do it! It’s a deal!”
So in October of 1986, Vivien moved from Ogema to Westboro. She lived happily for many years, making her home a haven for friends who would drop in for a visit, for a cup of tea, to pray with her, and she even stated a neighborhood Bible Study for ladies in that house. In her big basement, she had a “casino” - tables for games of all kinds. Her favorite was (and still is) Crokinole!
In April of 2005, just before Vivien had her 103rd birthday, she sadly admitted she probably shouldn’t live alone any longer. Then along came a Christian young man named Herbie. Vivian said, “I’d like a Christian young man who works at Camp Forest Springs to have my precious house. Tell him he can have my house and I’ll be happy for him. I think God wants him to have this house.”
And, that’s the story of the house that John built! Bless this house, O Lord, we pray”
