This last week, Jennifer went to Florida to visit her parents, therefore I have been taking care of the children.  This is why I’ve written so much about me and the children.   Today we spent a hour at the local play ground, basketball, baseball, and tennis courts.   Here’s some pictures;

Me running around the park. I only did 2 miles because I forgot to take my asthma medicine (puff..puff..wheeze).
(Picture taken by Elizabeth)


Elizabeth serving


Monique returning the ball


Megan at the playground

This morning the girls and I took a 3.5 mile hike around a Sussex County park at Latitude, Longitude of 41.02000,-74.735 .  This park is about 30 minutes Northwest from where we live. The path was mostly flat, which passed by a few fields, ponds and lakes.  There were nature signs which identified various trees and plants around the park – which we read many of them.  


Posing at the entrance of the park, which was almost 2 miles from where we began the hike.  Elizabeth and Megan starting to get tired.


All of us posing for a picture, toward the start of our hike.  

  


White Pond frozen and Monique wanted to go walk on it.   Like that’s going to happen!

The girls getting a bit ahead of me, as we go across White Pond.

Megan showing me horseshoe imprint. 

While there was some snow still on the ground, much of it had melted. 

The girls trying to skip stones on Lake Aeroflex.  Elizabeth skipped her first rock sucessfully.  

A swan taken it easy on Lake Aeroflex. 

The girls were quite tired by the hike – but all in all, they had a great time.  

My friend Chou, my brother’s family, my girls and myself (14 of us) when on a winter hike up Pyramid Mountain, which is near us – in Morris County, NJ.  From Interstate 287, we got off the Boonton exit, we went on 511 North (Boonton Avenue) about 20 minutes to the park entrance on the left. 

Pyramid Mountain climbs to 928 feet above sea level. Pyramid Mountain is located at latitude – longitude coordinates of N 40.954265 and W -74.388208.  Native Americans once hunted and foraged in this area.  Later on, notorious outlaws used the region as a hide-out.

The hike is family friendly and of moderate difficulty; fairly flat trails, being 3.5 miles round trip, and having a upward climb of a 500 feet.   We took the blue trail most of the way, until it split with the white and then follow the while trail to what is called Tripod Rock.  Tripod Rock is a large 160 ton rock which is balanced nicely on three smaller rocks.   As far as I know this is one of the most famous rocks in the Northeast U.S.

Some believe that Tripod Rock is a natural phenomonum where a large boulder was plunked down on 3 smaller rocks by the last glacier.   Others believe (like my father) that ancient European visitors set this rock up as some kind of North American Stonehedge.   In any case, while I was looking at Tripod Rock my attention was drawn by my Niece and Sister-in-law to two smaller stones which are also set on three stones, which are referred to as Solstice Stones.  These two stones are less then 5 meters from Tripod Rock.  

They are called Solstice Stones because the sun sets perfectly between those two stones on the summer solstice (June 20-21).   ”Solstice” is derived from Latin meaning:  Sun Stands Still.   It is the day when the North Pole is tilted farthest towards the Sun and the Sun reaches its highest latitude north of the equator. From this day on - the days begin to shorten.  Solstice Stones were part of an ancient calendar system made of stone from which to tell time. What are the odds of Tripod Rock, and the Solstice Stones all being set up just so – and right next to each other?  

It was a fun hike and the kids, which at first needed a push, enjoyed it.  In fact Megan (my youngest) asked me this morning, if we can do it again.  “It’s good exercise, Daddy”


All of us posing in front of Tripod Rock.


Three of the children showing their trust in the three stones.


The Solstice Stones which perfectly align with the sun (and daughters). 


My nephew creates his own version of Tripod Rock.


The littlest children having fun.   If you’re wondering – they were carried up to the top. 

Elizabeth’s greatest challenge since her injury last year.   I told her she could make it!


On the trail we saw some bear tracks near a nearby rock, called Bear Rock.   So named - because the Lenape Indians associated the etched lines on the rock with the claw marks of a bear. 

Last week the press was trying to ignore President Bush’s surprise trip to Afghanistan and Iraq.    The media played down the trip the best they could - until they were helped out by a diversionary story.   While the president was speaking – an Iraq reporter threw his shoe at the President (missing him completely). Big deal right? So what does the media do – regarding such a small incident?   They ignore: the purpose of the trip, the message of the trip and they all provide this disrespectful Iraqi tons of positive attention.  Is there any question as to the bias of the main stream media and that they just like to play gotcha politics? 

What was our President doing over in Iraq?   What was he saying – that he deserved such disrespect?  Unless you dig around on the web – you wouldn’t have a clue.  He was over there as U.S. Commander and Chief, and Chief Ambassador of the United States  –  thanking the troops for their work and their sacrifice.   Telling the solders that they were successful in beating back the enemy and that they deserved credit for their courage. Here’s a quote which summarizes much of Bush’s message:

“And so I have a message for you and all who serve our country: I want to thank you for making the noble choice to serve and to protect your fellow Americans. Sometimes it can be hard to tell when history is being made, particularly if you’re in the middle of the action. What you’re doing in Iraq is as important, and courageous, and selfless as what American troops did in places like Normandy and Iwo Jima and Korea. Your generation is every bit as great as any that came before it. And the work you do every day will shape history for generations to come.”

It’s a shame that this message of thanks to the troops was not heard, instead the media refocused the story to be all about Bush and this shoe thrower.   It is no wonder many people believe the main stream media is bias and they don’t support the men and women of the military.

Here in New Jersey/New York – it was very cold this morning.  It was 17 degrees with the wind chill it was five below zero (-20.7 Celsius).   This after a weekend of 10-12 inches of snow.    Missouri is in a deep freeze, with subzero temperatures, with the wind chill it is -20 degrees.   Illinois, Ohio, etc…. Burrrrrrr.

To the distress of the global warming alarmists , 2008 was the coolest year in a decade!  However don’t expect to read about it in the news.  The main stream media hide this story and in their graphs they hide the details.   (Basically they switched from their year by year chart to one which shows the general trend. Why? Because this year doesn’t fit their model.)

Senator Obama -this week Obama appointed as Secretary of Energy Steven Chu, a confirmed global warming alarmist from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.    While some folks think this issue matters little - it does matter – because we as a nation will spend countless billions on this over-hyped national concern.  Our attention and priorities will be off-centered from what is really important. 

The other day we had a 10 inch snow storm and I was returning home from my office in NYC.  When on the phone with Jennifer – I kiddingly asked my wife to meet me at the train station so we can enjoy a nice walk through the snow together (1/2 mile walk).  To my utter amazement I got off the train there she was.  What a nice surprise.  What a great wife!


Taken with my cell phone at the train station.

I did not write about my Saturday run – because I was coming down with a cold and like a dope I tried to run anyway.  Big mistake – I’ve been paying for it since. 

Anyway my running time (28 minutes) was poor in general, but it was good considering that I was sick.  

Hopefully I will recover by next week.

A couple days ago, it was reported that President Bush stated in an interview that he believes in God and at the same time believes in evolution.  President Bush is not alone, this view is referred to as ‘Theistic Evolution’ and needs be answered.   Does the ‘theory of evolution’ contradict the Bible or can these views be harmonized?   

Before I answer this question you will notice that I did not say ‘evolution’ but the ‘theory of evolution’.   If you remember your high-school science class, you may recall that science involves what is testable, observable and repeatable.  We have never observed evolution, we can not test evolution and we can’t repeat evolution. Thus evolution is merely a theory which lacks any real verifiable evidence and works off a series of assumptions. 

Anyway with that said – Does the ‘theory of evolution’ contradict the Bible?   The answer is Yes, yes and yes.   Here are some of the conflicts you encounter when you try to place the Bible along side the ‘theory of evolution.’ 

The Theory of Evolution Teaches:
That mankind descended from a monkey-like creature
That death was around before mankind
That mutations were around before mankind
Evolution requires the world to be millions of years old

The Bible Teaches:
That God created man out of the dust of the earth (Genesis 2:7)
That death did not exist in the original creation until sin (Romans 5:12)
That God created everything good. (Genesis 1)
The world is less then 10 thousand years old. (Genesis 1-10)
That God created all things out of nothing instantly within six days.  (Genesis 1, Exodus 20:11)

To hold the President’s contradiction is to open pandora’s box.  If God did not create everything good, then how can mankind be held accountable?  If mankind was subjected to death before the fall – then what really changed after the fall?   These are just a couple of the countless questions which jump out at you when you try to hold these two contradictive views together.  Also most importantly it undermines the scriptures as inspired.  This throws a giant monkey wrench into the Christian faith and what is to be believed.  For example:

“And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” (Genesis 2:7)

This passage is written as history, in a book which is all about history and it’s titled “Genesis”, which is Greek for the word “Beginnings.”  The passage says in plain language that God formed man out of the dust of the ground.  If this passage can not be taken as written – then I don’t know how you can take any of the Bible as inspired.   Thus without a Biblical world view of origins – we are going down a rabbit hole which will lead us to contradictions, illogical conclusions and questions of unbelief.  

The reasonable approach is to simply trust in what God has written in His Word.   You may remember the first miracle of Jesus – where His mother asked him to help because of the shortage of wine.  He instructed the servants to fill six large jugs with water – and when it was served at the wedding it was aged wine.  If you were on the receiving end of the wine you would have been certain that it took a great deal of time and labor to have created this fine wine.  The vines need to be planted, the grape grown, after several months picked, squeezed, strained, fermented over time.  However the wine did not take all this work and time.  It was water one minute and the next it was fine wine. This is because God is not bound by the same laws of nature that we are bound by.    

“Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.”  Hebrews 11:3 
 

Giving blood is vital for our society and there is no replacement.  Only 37 percent of the U.S. population is eligible to donate blood and less than 10 percent actually give.  

Up till several years ago - I never gave blood.   I assumed that my blood would not be desirable - because I had a rare blood type (e.g. AB Positive).  I was so wrong!  I was told by a technician that blood is only a portion of what they take out.  They also take out plasma which makes up to 55 percent of blood volume – which they need.  Was I ever embarrassed – that I never asked before? 

Anyway if any of you – have a misunderstanding about if your blood is desirable for donation – drop in a donation center and ask.      

Picture taken by my oldest daughter – Monique.

No I am not running away from bees! I did my normal Saturday 3 mile run in a nearby area called Bee Meadow – beating my last time.   The area has a number of hills – but they were long decents and ascents – making running a little tougher.   Two thing that was nice about the run.  First is that 3/4 of the run I have the sidewalk to run on.   Secondly, where I started (and ended) the run was at a play ground, rooster farm and pond which worked out well because my daughters came along. 

My run started at Bee Meadow Park, made a right onto Reynolds, right onto Joseph, left onto Kearney, right onto Parsippany Road, right onto Bee Meadow Parkway, and then right onto Reynolds.

Here are my stats for today, compared to my last three runs:

My time was 26:47 which is around 38 seconds faster then my last run, with an average pace of 8:54 per mile.  I am quite happy with this. 

My heart rate was close to where it was last time I ran – but towards the end, I spent a little more time in zone six.