I love to play chess. I used to play allot when I was in High School and in college. Now I just beat up on my son Corban. Truth be known, he actually beat me this game!   (OK, so this was a staged photo but… he has learned how all the pieces move along with their proper names!)
This is our beloved (mostly) dog Midge – she is a Maltese. We got her a couple years ago when I was in the Youth Ministry. One of the teens there (Nathan Shirk) suggested that we should call her “Blackie.” (Aren’t teens great! ) One of our former Youth Leaders (Jeanne Goodman) suggested that we name her “Midge” for midget, because she was so small and adorable. We liked it – and so Midge became Midge!

 
 If anyone out there in cyberspace has any questions on my kayak or the canoe – feel free to email me, as I love to talk about them. If you live anywhere near me I’d love to go canoeing or kayaking with you… especially if you know of places to go! I just moved here and still don’t know all the good spots. If you can help – PLEASE email me!

 

When I was in High School I made a birdhouse in shop class. The fair housing committee immediately condemned it! I’m not much of a craftsman. The kayak pictured above is my only exception. JD Barret, a good friend of mine, helped me build it in the summer of 2001. It is a 17 ft Arctic Tern. It is made out of marine grade mahogany and fiber glassed inside and out. It is designed by Pygmy Boats (www.pygmyboats.com) and available in either plans or as a kit. It took us about 2 months to build it. That’s mostly JD & I talking however… …so the actual build time is anyone’s guess! Also in the first picture is my plastic Perception Acadia and JD’s strip built solo canoe that he and his wife built (its also in the second picture). It is an absolutely gorgeous canoe that paddles as well as it looks! JD says that he designed it to paddle well but messed up… because it looks good to!   JD Barret is the man in the picture who is wearing the green lifejacket. Sam Oltz, a good friend of mine from my former church, is wearing the blue lifejacket. The first 3 pictures were taken two chilly mornings on Black Creek in Churchville, New York. The last one was taken on lake Pleasant while I was vacationing at Camp Of The Woods in Speculator NY.

 

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Note the shallow water in this picture – I love this about kayaks! I had just launched off of the little piece of land (just to the right of bottom middle). I stepped from shore right into the kayak (using a paddle brace) and not only kept my feet dry… I didn’t scratch bottom on those barely submerged rocks you see in the picture!  Awesome! – It will float in virtually no water!

 

Note in this picture the paddle blade that is out of the water… I chipped off the tip somehow while on vacation (personally I’m blaming my brother-in-law… just kidding Andrew!). Oh, and to be clear on the kayaks – this one is the Acadia, not the Arctic Tern. It wasn’t done yet when this was taken. Bummer!

 

 In closing this section let me also say that I am a huge Pepsi fan. I collect anything with Pepsi on it – from mugs & clocks to toy trucks with the Pepsi logo on them! I’d put up some Pepsi pictures but I’m not sure of the legality of that.

 Have a great day, and know that if there is anything I can do for you, please don’t hesitate to call. As I have written on my business card, “I’m really no different than you! I too am a sinner. What might be different about me is that I KNOW God has forgiven me. That forgiveness has given me freedom, and a purpose for living.” If you’d like to talk about this, your personal journey with God, the kayak, your marriage, your teens, or anything else – please don’t hesitate to call. I’d love to help you discover Gods help in what you are facing.

 Pursuing Gods Purpose

In My Generation,

Pastor Mark