So, a few weeks ago, I went for a hike up into Okanagan Mountain Park so spend some time reflecting on things.I was accompanied by a beautiful blond, and as I had a camera and she didn't object to pictures, I took a few. This was the longest hike I had her on.

On the way in, there was a fork in the road, and I had to make the choice of right or left.

Left looks easier, but we ended up taking it and it had deeper ruts and more rocks.

Chelsea thinking that there was squirrel needing her attention.

I told her to sit and stay for this one while I ran down and took the picture. She sat very nicely for it, eh?

We hiked for a while, tried to start a little fire, but really hard winds changed that, and then I decided that it was time to head back to the truck. A half hour later, with a thick fog rolling in, and twenty minutes to sunset, I realized that my gray truck blended nicely with the fog.

Regardless of our situation, I felt this was nice. We did find the truck, after dark of course.

And then the truck. I had been planning to put these 17" rims on but the turkey that had assured me the rims would fit, didn't mention that they were off a newer dudge and had 6 1/2" backspacing, causing them to rub. I was a little mad, as they are really nice rims.

The truck has now undergone a little surgery.

Newer Injection Pump with a 3/16's delivery screw turn

GM-3 Turbo spring loaded to deliver up to 25 PSI (That's as high as I hit before the boost gauge line blew off the fitting)

Newer Rad

New Oil Cooler Lines

Updated Glow Plugs

And through a deal to do some auto work for someone today, I get two 800CCA Optima Red Top batteries!

Very happy with the truck so far. When it's dry enough to do so, it will spin tires into 3rd gear. I have also been getting 23-25 mpg around town, not sure what the highway mileage is. I towed a  car over the Coke this week with a GCVW of 11,500 lbs and in four wheel around half the time and facing a really hard head wind. The truck cruised nicely at 110 and got 14.5mpg. Plans for the spring involve a new engine, ( I have a candidate sitting out back in a parts truck) I would like to go with a twin turbo setup on a Mahle components 16:1 engine which would be wild. Also a performance built injection pump and a intercooler. I plan to do a custom cold air intake off the side of the truck using an older Z-28 brake vent. Would like to set up a water/methane injection system as well, and to help keep things cool, a couple 12" pusher fans and dual thermostat setup. Of course, we will have to see how the roofing jobs go. A guy who has done most of the things I have posted some dyno numbers recently. He has an intercooler, but I have my turbo on a higher boost level. He put down 215 RWHP and 470 torque, so I figure that's about where my truck is at. All in all, very happy with it.

Life

So I guess I should blog, as I haven't done so in a while, and I guess that is the thing to do when you haven't blogged in a while.

Where to start?

I am now an uncle, as everyone who is going to read this blog knows by now. Lets just say that I am proud,excited,happy,overjoyed,aging,etc.

I can't wait to see Peter.

From the point of work, it has gotten extremely busy lately, and as I only have one full time guy going, it has been a little difficult ensuring that things come together nicely. But I give God the praise for supplying the work. I will post pictures sometime of the house we are doing right now. Kind of a sad story as the owners were ripped off by the last roofer 11 months ago. The roofer stole a lot of material and did not do a very good job, resulting in damage to their newly remodeled rental house. Very nice couple, very nasty job, I am glad that I can be part of a solution. (Note, when you see duct tape on the top of a skylight flashing collar, you know that it is going to be a hack job.) I have Ryan Kraft, another young guy from the Church in Kelowna working for me full time. It has been interesting to get to know him and I have come to realize in the last little while that I am probably spending more time with him and vice versa than anyone else. Mitch Glanz and my brother Luke are supplying part time labour around school. I am getting ready to shut down for the year and hope to hire between 2-4 guys next year, God-Willing.

The recent election was both good and annoying. Good in that the Conservatives now only have to work with one party to get ahead, and annoying in the fact that separtist parties can break up a chance at a benificial majority government. Times like this, I  must remember that God's fingers control the flow of power when we come to him in prayer. In his time is better than my time any time.

Church is really beginning to consume my life of late. As I see it, what better way to spend time than to try and serve God? Whether through witnessing, supporting, or other activities? Our youth is changing rapidly as the focus continues to swing away from just having fun on Friday night to how can we serve God and shine brighter for many of these young people. It has also been a time of growth for me. John Neudorf, our Pastor that teaches youth, recently told me that he counts on me for a lot of leadership in the youth. To be honest, when he first said that, I was a little flustered at first. It is a great responsibility when I think of it and I was worried that I wasn't up to the task. But God has been good in helping me serve him, and one of my desires when I returned to Kelowna was to work with the youth.

The truck is still running, though it has lost it's 36" mudders for more civilized tires. The injection pump is going but I have plans for a new High Output pump. The turbo has been turned for more PSI and the stacks are crucial to making this a unique truck. Much as I love it, I am also looking for a car. There are plenty of times around town picking up supplies or road trips that I would love to go from a 18/19 MPG vehicle to a 35-40mpg vehicle. I understand that you need a truck for construction work, but when you are putting out $2-300 a week in fuel costs, you look to find some savings.

Overall, God is good. This year has had some really hard times. I have had some great struggles, made decisions that were harder than anything else I have ever done, and trusted God more than ever, and been comforted in my dark hours. With work there have been times were I have thought, "What's the point in trying to be self-employed, when I have had multiple job offers to good well paying jobs." Through friends and family, (especially my Dad), I was reminded that I had given this company and the success thereof to God, and it was his to what he pleased with it. Through this, my faith and trust in God has grown, and my understanding of love for this CREATOR who cares for me. I have had to make painful decisions in a life companion and trust to God for that, even though at times, I wish I could just decide regardless of what anyone says. God has been a companion in whom I trust and understand that if I am called to a life of singleness, it is because he dwells in side of me, thereby making me single.

I look forward to the remainder of this year and what God has in store. All the best and God Bless Canada

I am Alive

Or kinda. I have been without coffee for the last two days, and I can tell.

Other than that, lot's happening.

Parents are out in Alberta at Jared and Breanne's wedding. This has resulted in some rather late nights due to the fact that Gary and Karen have also gone visiting, leaving us poor kids in both families with nothing to do....

Finishing a cedar shake conversion and then rolling right onto another job, as well as three bids out with two of them very likely.

Might go up to Northern Alberta for a few months in the winter to work on a refinery that is being built.

Other than that, still truckin'.

Still learnin'.

Still prayin'

Hey

I figured that it was about time that I put something up again. Things have been incredibly busy this last week with work and planning the youth retreat. Five days until it starts and it is looking like it will be well attended. Please keep praying that people will be open to what they hear and that all who go with willing hearts will be blessed.

Other than that, just staying busy. I have trusted God with supplying work and he has taken care of me.

Put stacks on the truck last week. Now am looking at a proper side mount cold air intake and a Turbo Master boost controller as well as a neat littke water/methanol injection kit I found on Ebay. Here are a pic of the Evil Diesel. I'll get a better one later

Alive?

Alive and kicking anyways.

Just to let the massed throngs know that there is still breath in me. Usually. Depends if we are talking about normal times or after I have once again done something like tried to create a thumb imprint with a hammer. It happens.

These last few weeks, I have been heading back and forth between Kelowna and Salmon Arm. The days have been spent working at a resort belonging to old family friends of ours. Luke, Mitch and Nathan have been my rotating work partners.

The roofing business is slow to get going, and I thank God for providing me with a job in the meantime.

All I can ask is that you keep the body of Christ in your prayers. The battlefield isn't somewhere "out there". It's time Christians quit intentionally ignoring the fact that we are in a crisis. We shut our eyes to what is in the world and tell ourselves that either we are doing all we can by staying away from the "heathens" or else we try and tell ourselves that things are worse than they appear. Thankfully, no Christian can honestly say that such is true. So then what are we hiding behind? The battlefield for our souls rages right into our houses as internet and cable open up elements that have never before been dealt with. Standing with your eyes closed in a state of self denial on a battlefield during a conflict might block out some things, but sooner or later, what we are trying to ignore will present itself in vivid and unquestionable contact. Keep our eyes open and aware. Being ignorant is not being helpful to be sure! Our young people have witnessed a miracle. They saw and felt with their own eyes God at work amongst them. The question now is, what will they do with their lives? Will they, (including me), actually fervently follow God's plan for them? Or will the example of others draw them down into wanting to hide their all-powerful salvation? Let's quit play acting and act instead in the manner of those who know that the battlelines are at their doorstep.