Pictures from my latest visit to Tijuana Mexico

I met this kid in tijuana while I was there last spring...I was with a group from Oregon State building a house for a family...this kid along with many others would show up on the job site every day we were there....they were soooooo fun to interact with. This kid (Score-his street name/Brandon-his real name) would rap for us every once and a while...i had no clue what he was saying...but it was tight. He never wanted his picture taken...but one time before we left he let me take a few...



During a hard days work of construction...the group i went with to Tijuana built a 1 story 4 room house for the guy on the left along for his family of 8. Before they were living in a 1 room shack that actually burnt down prior to us building them a new one...



I have a bunch of pictures of Jesus from my last visit to Tijuana Mexico. He was such a fun kid to be around...he thought he was spiderman! Everytime I tried to capture him acting like spiderman he just gave me this blank stare! It was hilarious! I have about 20 pictures of him making this face, and none of him acting like spiderman! haha...



I stopped this boy on his way home from school one day and we played keep away with the basketball. Following that day he would always find me after school and we would play keep away with each other...playing keep away on the streets in Tijuana is really hard! As you can see there are rocks and divot's all over! There was no basketball courts or even pavement/asphault for us to play on. This kid's family could only afford to get him one pair of shoes...and as you can see, he chose soccer cleets! Thats what he wanted and he wore them 24/7!



Hope you enjoyed...have a great day!

You...you...you...and you

So i've had this picture/thought running through my mind over the past week. It's something that one of my good friends shared with me last week, he was told it by a pastor up in the seattle area. My friend asked this pastor something like: "What are your views regarding Calvinism and Arminianism?" This is what the pastor said:

"I see it this way: All of mankind is in darkness and locked up in their own personal jail cell. Then, God appears and opens up their cells and speaks out to them saying that they can come to Him and be with Him. Mankind replies with a thanks but no thanks attitude, and lets God know that they prefer it in their dark jail cells alone. So, mankind locks themselves back up in their cells. Then God proceeds to say (while pointing with his finger) "Ok, You, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you" and so on..."

This to me is such an amazing picture of the grace of God, and I love it! This picture of grace (or what Paul Zahl would call "One Way Love") has just been messin' with me through this past week of daily struggles/temptations. Paul's words in Romans have almost never been so clear to me since this past week and since hearing this picture:

Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Romans 7:24

The reality is: Is that I would rather be locked up in my jail cell, it's my human nature...to sin and fall short of the glory of God. But I cry out, "WRETCHED MAN THAT I AM! WHO WILL DELIVER ME FROM THIS BODY OF DEATH?" I desire to be with God, but i can't do that on my own because I don't want to change, who will save me from myself? The truth is that I have been free'd by the Grace Jesus Christ showed me through enduring the cross because of the joy that was set before Him. God has apointed me to salvation and it's only by His grace that i can be with Him. It's only by his finger being pointed at me and his voice saying "You! Grant Blomdahl! Step forth from your prison cell and be free!" that I can be with Him. All I can think to say is..."Why? Why me Lord? I don't deserve this love, i deserve shackles and a cold dark prison cell, I have so many weaknesses." Then, the Lord reminds me... "My grace is sufficient!" Wow, may the power of Christ rest on me!!! (As Paul said in 2nd Cor. 12:9)

I guess what i'm trying to say, is that it's so amazing how God calls me to be with Him and that He even still loves me despite the fact that I have chosen to turn away from Him so many times. It's only for the fact that He has shown grace to me that I am with Him. Wow, what a God we serve, glory to Him! Jesus Christ made fellowship with the Father possible, and the Father has called me out of my prison cell of darkness. I am at a loss for words.

Praise be to God! Thank you for opening my eyes to the wonders of your enternal kingdom! Continue to show me your grace, love, and glory...till I see you face to face.

Some John Piper to get your day going...

Oh, that we might worship the terrible wonder of the love of God! It is not sentimental. It is not simple. For our sake God did the impossible!

-John Piper

Time Lapse Video of Guy Driving Across the Country - From Peter

One of my Jr. Highers, Peter, sent this video to me via e-mail, he usually sends me a video or two every couple weeks from youTube. Here is the message he sent me that included the video, he cracks me up:

"this is funny and cool at the same time. Where am I going? I think I’ll put the top down, no, up, no, down.-you will get this after watching this video."

-Peter

haha
Yah he nailed it: "funny and cool at the same time." Check it out, really cool idea:



I'll post video's Peter sends me every once and a while...they'll be labeled, "From Peter" on the title...

Have a great day,
Grant

Hey Everybody...

I am now ready to get this blog rollin'!!! I'll be posting thoughts i have regarding THEOLOGY (the study of God), i'll also be posting pictures/concepts as I progress in my new hobby PHOTOGRAPHY, I'll be posting REFLECTIONS on various ideas/situations life throws my way - both positive and negative, and also some random GESTURES aka things that make me laugh and intrigue me either in a good or bad way. Look for posts very soon!!! I'm excited to see what this blog turns in to and what it will do for me along with others. This whole blog concept is new to me and it'll be cool to see what a blog really is as I write and share my own thoughts along with reading other's blogs...i'll leave you with some of my recent photography...until next time....

P.S. This place is seriously called "Best Teriyaki"...and i can't disagree...some of the best teriyaki I have ever had. Best Teriyaki is a favorite of my freind Talon and I to have Bible study together. They have this deal where you get a BIG bowl of teriyaki chicken, vegetables, rice and a soda for 4.99! Can't beat that deal... check it out: DIRECTIONS


This picture was inspired by an artist by the name of moaan check out his work. It was also taken with my new Canon EF 50 f/1.4. i'm lovin' this lense!!! Enjoy this picture...there will be much more to come...

Thanks