Thursday, May 31, 2007

Renewable Energy and Sustainable Living Fair

The Midwest Renewable Energy Association will present the 18th annual Renewable Energy and Sustainable Living Fair June 15-17, 2007 in Custer, WI.

If you are interested in learning more or would like to attend click here for the link to their website. Lord willing we will be going again this year. Went for the first time last year and it surpassed my expectations.

For those interested in alternative energy the event can’t be beat. However, I would point out that there is an obvious New Age-ish influence with all the “Green” and “Save the Planet” background. You have to glean the good stuff while shrugging off the worldly.

If anyone plans on attending let us know and maybe we can arrange to bump into one another at the fair.

Tuesday, May 01, 2007

A Beautiful Picture

Recently ND Homekeeper and Herrick Kimball blogged about a movie called A Journey Home. They peaked my interest so I ordered the video from Franklin Springs Family Media and promptly watched it. The movie is about the Waller family who had made the leap from city living to country life. They have 11 children and spent about 6 years homesteading in TN, where they were salt and light to all who met them. Then God called them to go do the same in the land of Israel where, if I understand correctly, they are living at this time.

The makers of the film did a wonderful job painting a beautiful picture about a beautiful family. It seemed to me a main emphasis was that the family had grown enormously close to one another during their years in TN, a natural by product from living in such close proximity and of their lives being wholeheartedly surrendered to the Lord. I would say that for us, moving to Wisconsin had a similar effect on our family, though perhaps in less obvious ways.

However, the film didn’t high light any of the misadventures that must surely have happened, you would think, at least a time or two during 6 years. It didn’t show the bugs, the snakes or just how hot it can get in TN in the middle of July. It made no mention of the “learning curve” that folks go through when they jump into a brand new enterprise. One really wouldn’t be able to glean much information from the film in the way of a nuts and bolts approach to living off the land. But nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and found it very inspiring. For me I especially enjoyed the artistic expression that the makers put into the film combining inspirational music with beautifully mastered imagery. The film was a work of art in and of itself. An award winning combination to be sure.

If I were a film critic I’d certainly give it a thumbs up just simply for the warm fuzzy feeling I got from watching it. It also made me want to renew my efforts of investing in the people I care about and love and to be salt and light to the world around me.


Until Next Time