the MUCH better card

so my friend Johnny saw my poor card attempt and decided to help me out.














What do you think?

cool huh?

dove

Can I just say, I really really like Dove... No, not just the chocolate (though that's very nice too) but the soap company.

Here's a video making rounds on the net. It's a nice reminder that things are not always as they appear.

dove film (full screen)

same film low res (fast download)

Check it out, and let me know what you think.

Another busy week down. Today I have a dentist appointment in an hour and a half--I think I would rather be at work. Dietrich and I are going to go play frisbee, and then I'm getting together with Emily for tea.

The big news though--the exciting news, come January, Jonathan will be heading back to school to persue his MBA. We just found out that he was accepted this week, so we're very excited at this next step towards our goals and dreams.
We're very thankful that God has given us this opportunity, and want to be good stewards of it. So I am sure that this coming year will full of adjustments, changes, and much learning.

If you think about it, pray for us that God would continue to direct our steps in this. Play for flexibilty with J's work, that they would be accomidating to his part-time school schedule. And also that we would learn the right balance between work and rest.

My young, immature motto of "Sleep is over-rated" has lately been replaced with "when can we sleep?" as it seems so easy to become involved with so many wonderful things--that ultimately create busy, hectic lives. I am really trying to learn and grow in this, seeking to find the balance in work, home business, housework, church commitments and fellowship, family, and other relationships. I have been soliciting advice on this topic, so if you have any to give, send it my way. :-)

Well that's all for now, stay tuned for the next random update.
~Christina

updates

Just updated the biz site...

It still needs work, but let me know what you think.

capturetheexperience.com

The Newest Super Hero

It's a bird, a plane, a mid-life crisis involving spandex...

nope,

it's Missions Man, making his debut at Eagan Hills Church for Mission Fest '06

Jonathan and I were asked to take pictures for a life-sized cut-out that will
bring attention to our upcoming missions festival. A few cups of tea and some photoshopping later and this was the result.... pretty fun.

Here's another we may play with... we'll have to see.

Missions Man Wants You!

Very cool

"He'll be a vegetable the rest of his life;'' Dick says doctors told him And his wife, Judy, when Rick was nine months old. "Put him in an Institution.''

But the Hoyts weren't buying it. They noticed the way Rick's eyes Followed them around the room. When Rick was 11 they took him to the Engineering department at Tufts University and asked if there was Anything to help the boy communicate. "No way,'' Dick says he was told. "There's nothing going on in his brain.''

"Tell him a joke,'' Dick countered. They did. Rick laughed. Turns out a Lot was going on in his brain. Rigged up with a computer that allowed Him to control the cursor by touching a switch with the side of his Head, Rick was finally able to communicate. First words? "Go Bruins!'' And after a high school classmate was paralyzed in an accident and the School organized a charity run for him, Rick pecked out, "Dad, I want To do that.''

Eighty-five times he's pushed his disabled son, Rick, 26.2 miles in Marathons. Eight times he's not only pushed him 26.2 miles in a Wheelchair but also towed him 2.4 miles in a dinghy while swimming and Pedaled him 112 miles in a seat on the handlebars--all in the same day.

For more of this story, and a cool video, visit my brother's blog Robboek.com

Fat Sheep and Dead Goats

This came in our October church newsletter at Eagan Hills.

Fat Sheep and Dead Goats
by Pastor Bruce Konold

I became a Christian in January 1984 while serving in the Navy, and had the huge advantage of being trained every day by a spiritually mature believer named Eddie. Daily we prayed together, read and studied the Word together, and witnessed to others. Only those who have served in the military, understand the pressure-cooker of living and working so closely with a group of other people. As a Christian, any slip up, even the slightest failure, was used by the unbelievers against us. In a sense, the "persecution" we Christians faced onboard ship held us extra accoutable and forced us to live for Christ. As a result, my first year and a half as a believer felt like "Believer-Boot-Camp." Not surprisingly, God used our little group that was totally devoted to Him to make a huge impact! Dozens came to faith in Jesus, and several of us are in ministry today.

In August of 1985 I recieved an honorable discharge from the Navy and moved back to Minnesota. I got invoved in a church, but the accountability to live for Christ I had experienced in the close knit environment of the Navy was gone. The result--while my Biblical and theological knowledge increased, my prayer life waned, my witnessing became less frequent, and I slowly drifted into comprimise and sin.

Eventually I went to a new church on the East Side of St. Paul where Biblical and theological knowledge was king! Our pastor (or should I say professor), had a PhD, and we called him Dr. So-and-so. Our services (or should I say classes), were all about learning more and more, and we thought we were growing in the faith. Everyone in this Church came with their Bible's (many brought their Greek NT as well), knew doctorine, were devoted Christians, and epitomized being "fat sheep."

Week after week we attended Sunday morning, Sunday evening, and midweek Bible studies. We got so fat in God's green pasture, that we became arm-chair shepherds, "experts," able to explain all things Christian. Prayer and witnessing were no longer a vital part of my life. I was a fat sheep, content to mock sinful, dying goats.

Beloved, while Eagan Hills is a church that emphasizes learning Biblical and theological truth, we must always remember that the goal of our learning is living. [emphasis mine] When the goal is learning, sheep get fat and goats die. when we learn to live the truth, we become active sheep, reaching out to goats, and heling them, well, to become sheep.

Are you a fat sheep? Then put your learning into living and love someone by sharing the gospel with a friend, co-worker, or neighbor. Share with someone you personally know, and are in relationship with now. Take the risk, move out in faith. Maybe you need to skip a class and service in a ministry. Step out of the holy sheep-pen and rub some of your precious wool on needy goats. Or will goats needlessly die because you are too fat to move?

playing with montages

Photographs by Christina Teichroew capturetheexperience.com

What if you knew?

What if you knew what was coming?
What if you knew that the person sitting on the other side of the coffee shop was going to die tomorrow?
Would it change the way you acted towards them?
Would it change your priorities?
Would it make you make a more conscious effort to reach out and share the gospel?

What if you knew?



Nickleback song: Savin' Me courtesy of my awesome sis, Larissa
Life is short and unknown. Let's break out of ourselves a bit more, and share what really matters.

New pic for Kim G.

We shot some family pics for some friends of ours this past weekend. It was a lot of fun, and I think the images are going to come out great! The style (at least on this picture) is a higher contrast and more moody image.
What do you think? do you like it?



Another week of craziness before work starts to slow down and I start updating the blog more frequently. The goal is to spend some time this winter improving my photo editing, as well as learning some graphic design skills--so if that pans out, I'll be posting more work to the blog. :-)
Then heading into next year, we're looking to move more into wedding photography. I'm very excited and think it will be a great time!

To say goodbye, I''ll leave you with the latest installment of What the Duck
Have a great day!!

Rain

The first NOOMA video with Rob Bell. Very cool.