I is for Inquire

“So David and his men came to the city, and there it was, burned with fire; and their wives, their sons, and their daughters had been taken captive. Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voices and wept, until they had no more power to weep.  And David’s two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite, had been taken captive.

Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.

Then David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech’s son, “Please bring the ephod here to me.” And Abiathar brought the ephod to David. So David inquired of the LORD, saying, ‘Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?’  And He answered him, ‘Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all.’”–1 Samuel 30

The thing that struck me about his section is that when David was in despair he first strengthened himself. After that, he inquired of the Lord what he should do.  

Perhaps, when we are in despair, it isn’t best to ask God what we are supposed to do. Maybe it is best to wait. Maybe it is best to wait for a moment when we are stronger, when we are thinking more clearly–when we have some faith.

H is for Hard Times

G is for Gear

I have accumulated lots of gear over the years. Each type of gear has its own feel and nostalgia.

-My climbing gear clinks a lot and smells like dirt.

-My biking gear is pretty quiet but it smells like chemicals–reminds me of all the time I have spent pedaling up steep gradients. 

-Yesterday I dug under my bed and retrieved my ski gear. My skiing gear rustles a lot and, right now, smells like dust. I hope that changes soon.

F is for Film Festival

This is a video I put together from the 2007 San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival. My brother, Nathaniel, did the interviewing.

E is for Exotic Food

Which of these would you eat?

D is for Down Under

C is for Cave

B is for Burning Sensation

A is for Around the World

In 2004, Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman traveled around the world on BMW motorcycles. They took a camera man along with them to document the trip. Their travels were made into a TV series called “Long Way Round.” Here is an excerpt from Siberia. They were helping their support team to cross some difficult rivers. This clip has a small amount of swearing in it.

Z is for CraZy

I saw the film “20 Seconds of Joy” at the Banff Mountain Film Festival last week.

I don’t know whether we should call Karina crazy for what she does, but most of us probably can’t understand why she does it.

 

“I don’t want to die, I want to live. I’m pretty good at running away, and this is my escape!” This is how Karina Hollekim describes her dedication to BASE jumping. Documentary filmmaker Jens Hoffman first met the now 30-year-old Norwegian in 2002. He immediately started to film, accompanying her through many stages of her BASE-jumping career, until it comes to a sudden stop, changing all aspects of her life.