Flightseeing!!!

So, we have been doing missions in Alaska this Summer, if you haven't heard or i guess read this blog at all.  We have brought in and through Alaska well over 800 people.  That is 800 new faces, 800 new stories, 800 lives changed by doing missions in Alaska, and that isn't even counting the literally thousands of lives of the people here in Alaska.

Lately we have been getting our groups in on a Saturday and orientating them on Sunday and then taking them sightseeing on Mondays.  Lately in the past two orientating sessions Scott has mentioned the sightseeing day as a day of worshiping your creator.  That when you see his beautiful creation that speaks volumes to his majesty, worship him, thank him for what he has created and what he is allowing you to see, do and experience.  With this little idea set in their minds, it has changed the way they look at this sightseeing day, not as a day that they have wasted instead of working with the community of Alaska, but as a day of worshiping their creator for what he has created.  There outlook on the rest of the week has been changed as well.  God's beauty is life changing and altering.

I got the chance to fly in a plane and see his creation from a whole different view.  I am only putting a few pictures on here, check out my facebook album entitled flightseeing to see the rest of the pictures.  No picture, no words can do justice to the awesome and indescribable beauty that i witnessed yesterday, I only mentioned the story to you to say this... why have we forgotten to worship the creator for giving us the nature and people and everything around us.  Why have we stopped looking at the mountains, the rivers, the changing leaves with awe and wonder.  I desire to give MY KING worship for EVERYTHING that HE has given me and shown me.

A few rules you should know

So... for those of you who are still coming to visit me... :) haha here are a few rules and laws of Alaska that you should know.

I just think everyone should know a little about Alaskan culture so, here are the two big laws that are different.

Law 1:  You should have your headlights on whenever you are driving your car... so whenever you are driving... you have them lights on.  The reason for this is because of those long long and incredibly dark hours of night that you have during the winter.  So instead of just saying have them on all the time in the winter, why not be simple and have them on whenever you are driving year round.  Now this doesn't mean you will get a ticket for driving with them off, because i and many other Alaskan's have driven around with no headlights on, it is more of a secondary offense i guess.

Law 2:  When driving down the highway's and byways of Alaska, keep in mind there are only two ways out of Anchorage... North (Glenn Highway) and South (Seward Highway), if you have more then five cars backed up behind you, you legally have to pull over.  WHAT??? is what you may be saying, why do i have to do that... well thank those people who go to Cross America RV rental places and consume the road systems of Alaska with RV's.  Because most of the time these highways are one lane (two lanes really, but one lane per direction) those big vehicles can cause a lot of problems and block a lot of road.  In fact there was a 30 foot boat in front of us the first time we were going South to Portage Valley and a cop got in front of us and pulled him over, for something flying around unsafe from the boat, but then the people towing the boat started going again and completely missed a turn off to let us go by them, and so the cops had a field day and pulled him over once more for hindering the traffic flow.

Oh and here is one Alaskan "joke," not really a joke but ehh.  There are only two seasons in Alaska, Winter... and road work. HAHAHA :) Get it?  It is true, there is a random and sudden summer that pops up, but the joke is that there are only those two previously mentioned seasons.  When the Alaskan winter ends and the snow and ice melt from the roads, the roadwork begins.  It is quite crazy and annoying because they will close down random roads and so your rout has to change on the fly, and when you are driving groups around you look crazy and like you have no idea where you are going.  But hey, if you want to come up to Alaska and make some good money, come up and hold one of those signs that say slow and stop, that will get you $20 + dollars an hour, thank you unions.  Lame i say, but you know.

Well i hope you have enjoyed some fun facts of Alaska, i have more to share along these lines... i think, so you may get them later in personal asking of me or not, not to sure, but hey, enjoy life my friends. Enjoy life.

Best Acting and Best Movie Ever!!!

I MEAN ABSOLUTELY UNREAL!!!

The movie The Dark Knight... which i saw tonight with Mike Wir$ (haha), Lily, and Jared was amazing.  I mean in all honesty i went out of the theater with the biggest smile on my face and hands lifted high in pure ecstatic joy.

I mean I honestly cant convey in words how joyful and pumped about this movie that I am.  Yes it was dark but i found quite a bit of light, especially towards the end.

And as for the role of the joker, one... he looked amazing and two.  HEATH LEDGER NAILED IT!!! i mean kicked it up a notch or two.

THIS MOVIE ROCKED MY FACE OFF, I MEAN QUITE LITERALLY ROCKED MY FACE OFF. :)  I mean i am even being way serious, but also i walked out and still have the biggest smile on my face.  ahhhhh this movie is soooo good. See it again or see it if you havn't.  I mean it is unreal how good it was.

Follow Up

As i have been reading this book some like to call the Bible, God has blessed me with insight and humbling thoughts.  Some things i read and take strait to heart, and others i mull over a little bit and then apply them to my life.  But recently i have been reading 2 Kings and today something jumped out at me.

If you have ever read the 2/3 of 1 King and pretty much all of 2 Kings you may have realized two very frequent phrases as it talks about all the Kings that reigned in Israel and in Judah.  The more frequent phrase being " And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord," and the second less frequented phrase is "And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord."

I find it quite interesting that as the Bible talks about most all of the Kings it says that they did what was evil in the sight of the Lord.  For the life of me i can't comprehend why.  I mean some of these kings even sacrificed their own children, they "passed them through the fire."  And then it will mention another King and say that they did what was right in the sight of the Lord.  Every time i get to where that phrase is said i get giddy with anticipation because i love seeing the Kings do what is right in the sight of the Lord.  I love seeing how they are blessed.  But the said truth about it is, is that i have read 21 chapters in 2 Kings and only one time... 1 time out of all the other 20 plus kings, does it mention a king that took down all the other places of worship of the other Gods.  Time and time again it mentioned that kings did what was right in the sight of the Lord but they did not devote to destruction all the things of the other God's.  Only one man thus far has done it, but as his son succeeded him, he put back all those places of worship and built other things to God's and went the complete opposite way of his father.

So this morning as i was reading i thought of these scriptures and the thing that came into my mind was that there was no follow up between the kings that did what was right and the kings that did what was wrong.  It never specifically mentions that the kings that did what was right, did or did not raise their sons in their ways, but you have to wonder if the "good kings" ever discipled or taught their son's the Law of Moses that God gave him.  You have to wonder why their son's turned their back on God.  You have to wonder why did this all happen.

For me, I apply this to missions, and where we are in Alaska.  As i have talked to some of my friends on this team the thought of follow up and making sure we don't just leave these people with any plan or any people who can teach them, is a concern of ours.  As we do all of our events we mention that they need to get involved in a church and a community that they can grow and learn about God in.  We want this community in Anchorage to explode for God and praise his name... but if we just leave, they will do what is evil in the sight of the Lord.

I am not saying God cant change them without us here or if they don't go to church, but all these references in 1 and 2 Kings makes you think, what is going to happen if we leave with no follow up ministry.  Our huge desire is to get the churches to disciple these new believers.  Another desire is that we get specific people from these congregations to help us do this ministry why we are still here so the kids and adults have familiar faces to see and recognize because the truth of this all is by August 31 all of the team i have been working with is leaving.  The truth of this all is, the people that the community has seen working week in and week out with them for over 2 months are leaving. 

I want this community to do what is right in the sight of the Lord, i want them to follow and be disciples of Jesus.  I want these people to grow together, but one thing i have noticed from doing ministry and even reading these scriptures, is that with no follow up and no focus on these individuals, no matter how much WE (our team) did what was right in the sight of the lord, this community of Anchorage that we have reached, with no follow up and with no discipling can and will do what is evil in the sight of the Lord.

The shame of this all is, is i have realized that i have done mission trips before and even gone back to communities where i had previously been and it seems that some people have reverted back to their old ways.  I have been on mission trips before and have seen some where there was no follow up information gathered, or maybe it was overlooked, but still how can we let these new believers make such an amazing decision and give them no way to grow and learn about Christ.

God has been teaching me about community and it is something that i want to grow in with those that are around me, whether friends already or not.  Non the less, i desire to grow with those around me.  I have been reading some amazing things on community and i desire with everything in me that God has put them deep within me and my heart so as i travel around and do mission trips, I help community grow, I help disciple others, and I myself am changed for the better by those around me.

It's just funny to think that we all eventually leave where we are at in one way or another, but are we growing a community around us that when we are gone, will still follow after Christ.  

I MISS YOU!!!

Yah, you read the title correctly, i miss you.  I mean i really do... well maybe not you, but the other person reading this post.  AHHHHH just kidding, sure i miss ya, well maybe.

But for serious, i have got to be real and honest.  I really really with all my heart miss this one individual.  I didn't think i would but every day i miss them more and more.  My heart longs for  them.  They may have somewhat bad breath, be color blind, illiterate, and scared of real loud noises like fire works (yay 4th of July) or thunderstorms.  At times they may have bad allergies and smelly ears.  They may get startled and react to a doorbell from the TV, but you know what... He is my little short bus rider.  I mean sure i am glad i haven't had to deal with his weak bladder, but I... Paul Michael Stippich (Yah, get your laughs out and thank my mother) MISS GOLIATH ARCHIBALD STIPPICH.  Man i miss that little puppy.  I love him soooo soooo much.

I just felt like i needed to share that I miss my little G-Baby. :(

Penguin Slide

This dashing young gentleman right here...

Yah him, his name is Joey.

He is one of my many new Alaskan buddies.  For awhile now i have been training under him for some pretty cool Alaskan tricks.  It is a shame i have no pictures or other type of proof, but you will just have to take my word on this story. Haha :)  

So we hiked Byron Glacier again, and the trail looked completely different.  The snow had melted and revealed a part of the path that had been completely covered before.  Well as we broke out into the field of snow we walked around and had a SNOWBALL FIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF JULY!!!  Well after walking around we had to head back to continue the rest of our sight seeing trip and as we were heading back i saw some people slide down the snowy slope... so I figured, what better a time then to use the skills that Joey taught me.

I did the penguin slide.  I ran as fast as i could and then jumped head first and slid on my belly on the snow down the slope.  OH THE PENGUIN SLIDE!!! Be jealous. :)  I must say that i looked pretty graceful, but i got to give mad props to Joey.  Thanks my little bow-tied buddy.

Simplistic Healing

This morning... well yesterday as in Monday morning i woke up at five o-clock in the morning and felt completely horrible.  I felt like puking and so i slowly made my way to the restroom and took out my retainer... just in case.  Well lets just say it wasn't the outcome i expected but non the less lets skip those interesting and incredible details.

Any who, i still felt pretty sick as i was waddling back to my room and i just felt God's presence on me.  I thought of something so intriguing and mind boggling that i bet you won't guess what i did.  Hahah, it is so simple but it is something so underused... i two of my friends that honestly God has laid on my heart for awhile and has been growing an amazing friendship in both areas, and as i texted them i asked them to pray for me.  texted They both said i would and the one friend even gave me a request which I prayed for.

Well after texting my compadres (i know that needs an accent, so how  bout you read it with a spanish accent for me) Any ways, i felt like reading the Bible, i felt that God would heal me as i read his words.  Well honestly i was reading the Bible, i could feel my sickness melting away.  As i finished up a chapter or two i slipped back into bed with an amazing feeling... prayer works.  I could feel the prayers of my friends interceding for this little sick feeling and actually healing me.  I truly believe their prayers and God's word worked within me immediately.  Even though i still felt a little sick as a lay down for another little rendezvous with dreams, when i woke up i felt worlds better.

I love how something so simple can heal.  I love how we as people honestly under use prayer.  As i have been up here God has been changing me.  God has been helping me care for others, and one way that i have done that is by asking others how i can pray for them.  So my peeps, any prayer requests you want to post on this little comment part.  If so, do, and when they are answered repost.

But again, i find it so amazing that prayer works and that you can feel it.  I find it incredible that by reading my masters love for me... it heals me.  I love our Lord and i love the ways he has given us to unite and to heal.

But as i write this, i feel uneasy, i feel like i have wasted a little of my night, not from writing this but by dilly dallying with other stuff.  I don't know, i just have this bad feeling.  But pray for me, i have quite a long day tomorrow, starts at 9:00 a.m. and doesn't end until 2:00 a.m.  And no i am not traveling back in time to be tricky.  I am really going to be working with groups and getting ready for airport pick ups and other shtuff.  I know this though, my Lord gives rest and peace. Amen!

House in the Middle of the Street

So on my way home today, and when i say home today i mean 12:25 a.m., i saw a tractor trailer that had a house that was taking up both lanes on it.  The only thing about this vehicle that was a little odd was it wasn't moving... at all.  So as i saw policeman racing past me, through lights to get to this situation that i previously didn't know about, i would never have guessed that a house was in the middle of the road.   Oh and the best part is, it conveniently broke down right after the turn to checkmate drive which will eventually lead to Boniface.  Conveniently for those who don't know the Anchorage street names.  Checkmate is the road i have been living off of this Summer.

So i came home and told Connie this and she said, we should roll our house (impossible to do, so humor all the way) in the middle of the street because that would really make the stuff hit wouldn't it? oh it was humorous.

But really this post is kinda a continuation of the first one of last nights.  Talking about how these kids won't forget these life changing events that happened this Summer.  Well as i was driving Lily home we got to talkin and we mentioned this little fact.  That it is all good and well to serve these kids doing vocation Bible school but there are so many opportunities of untouched ministries up here.  Opportunities that would seem to have a greater impact then these VBS's.  Now i am not saying we should stop doing VBS or that it isn't impacting the children at all, because that would be a lie.  I am just saying there are some basic needs that need to be met.

One last thought from our little convo that we had in the car was that we are feeding these people for days and days, but we are leaving them hungry for life.  The proverb that says you can catch a man a fish and feed him for a day, or you can teach him how to fish and feed him for life (i am sure that is misquoted but take the gist and run my friend).  We kinda realized that with these beautification processes, and VBS's and picnic in the parks, it all means nothing with no follow up.

As we discussed this all, it was kinda clear that it is going to take full time missionaries and or fellow Alaskans to continue this change.   Because we as the volunteer's who come in can only set up a foundation for something, it is the Alaskan who is going to have to cause the real change.  It is the Alaskan who will have to disciple and teach  so that a community can grow and reach the rest of Alaska.

Battle of the mail

Let's just say i got the coldest and coolest Alaskan package ever known in history today!!! :)

Means the mail record is 1 everyone else to Lily's 50 million.  We have a little ways to go in beating her in receiving mail but hey... it can happen.

But once again, i mean this piece of mail made my LIFE!!!

Soon to be Deja vu

So tonight was kinda sad, the realization that Summer is slowly coming to an end has hit.  Within a little more then three weeks, i will start heading back to Atlanta.  Within three weeks memories of people, events and laughter will soon start to fade, only to be remembered by me from this blog that i have set up... along with the journal that i am writing.

As a group from right outside Athens Georgia was talking about their most memorable moments, they mentioned the fact that they will never see those kids again.  It hit me, we leave, but they don't.  The kids will be here next week, next month, and most all of them will be here next year.  And even though they may fade from our memory's, we never will fade from theirs.  We have changed lives and given love, and food and laughter, and some unforgettable experiences.  Not to be conceited with any of the past statements, but it is interesting to me that without this blog and letters that i have written, i don't know if i would have remembered half of this stuff.

I hate good things coming to an end.  I hate this change of leaving this place in such a short time, but i know I am being called away for other ministry and other lives to touch.  

We are going to leave... but they may never.  We are going to leave but they are going to stay.  We are going to leave, but will we remember and will we continue to pray and support.  We are going to leave...