Sydney Says...

Yes they are warm

Well, spring is coming--and we're thankful!

Now that winter is passing, we can put away our unpretentious hats.




Just so you know... these wonderfully warm hats are NOT part of my Silly Hat Collection.

Pete's Hat Found

Pete!

We have your hat!

How we can lose things in our little place is beyond belief, yet we seem to.

All's well that ends well.

LT Peter J. Dahlstrom (O-3), CHC, USN

My brother, Pete, just graduated from Officer Indoctrination School (OIS) and is now a Lieutenant in the Navy. He graduated with two other Covenant pastors and a physical therapist who graduated from NPU, so the ECC was well represented.

Luke, my dad and I flew to Newport, Rhode Island for the OIS banquet and ceremony. I was very struck by the comraderie and the pride among the officers graduating. It not something I've seen in any of the workplaces where I've worked.

I'm excited for this next phase in Pete's ministry. For those of you who know Pete, you know he's a bit of a pistol with the gift of unfiltered wit. With his Navy comrades, this works very well and he's received as authentic and refreshingly earthy. It was a pure joy to watch him really truly connect with the others and picture how incredibly effective he will be in military ministery.

When I think about how many military personnel are in their early twenties and what critically formative years these will be in their faith journey, I'm glad Pete will be able to walk beside these guys and gals as their friend, confidant and leader. And, he'll make them laugh along the way...alot. And, Lord knows they'll need that.

God be with you, use you, and protect you, Pete, as you serve at the 3rd Marine Division based in Okinawa and elsewhere. We love you and we are so proud of you!!!

---

CHIC Staff?

Luke tries on a CHIC staff shirt.


I like the way he looks in it.

He'll grow into it.

Back up those files!

Our laptop hard drive's new definition of working is now "just make some interesting noises."

Didn't really come as a surprise. We've been pretty hard on it.

I only lost a couple hours work, since I try to be dilligent about backing things up. Even so, it's a couple hours work.

I was lured into thinking that today wouldn't be the day it finally gave up.

Hate to launch into a sermon, but...

Learn from my mistake!


What would you lose if your computer--laptop or desktop--died? Make copies of everything important. Invest just a little time and money, or you'll be sorry.

Need ideas?

Have a USB port? Get a good-sized flash drive for just $20. Have a rewritable CD or DVD drive? Buy a few rewriteable CDs or DVDs.

Run Microsoft Windows? Microsoft GIVES AWAY a very handy program called SyncToy. You set it up once, telling it which directories to back up, then just tell it to do its thing. Super-easy. No hassles. Get to know it and use it. Read about it here. Download it here.

Think about it now. Mess with it now. Get in the habit of backing things up now. You'll be glad.

(You're welcome.)

The artist at work

The artist inspects his work.

Keep it on the table? You're stifling my creativity! (Yes, it's watercolor, but we still didn't think it would come out.)


Looks like there's mischief in someone's heart.


My masterpiece!


But what will the critics think?


These hands, these hands...