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The Presbyterian Planning Calendar

1/3/2018

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I remember the first time I saw a Presbyterian Planning Calendar.  I was at my first staff meeting while on staff at a presbyterian church, and when they began to discuss the calendar, everyone pulled out this spiral bound calendar that everyone had but me.  Within a year, I had my own copy and I was grateful for it.  It is a printed calendar, spiral bound, with 18 months worth of calendar, including lectionary readings, special Sundays in the PC(USA), and other notable dates.  It is an awesome tool that many presbyterians use.  But it is a print calendar.

I have tried to go paperless (not necessarily "no paper," just less paper) but found a need to have this trusty tool in print because that is the only form it is offered.  It was available online for the year 2011 (see
here) but they never updated the calendar beyond that year.

In an attempt to ditch my printed copy, I scanned it and began using a pdf of it (for a sample, click here).  But it wasn't as useful as I needed it to be.  I could access it from anywhere, but it was an extra step in my workflow.  I needed it to be available in my normal calendaring system.

There is an online group on facebook called Young PC(USA) Leaders in which a few like minded people lamented the lack of a digital edition of this calendar, even hoping for the possibility of an app.  I bit the bullet and input all the data for 2018 and don't want to keep it to myself.


Click here to get the 2018 Presbyterian Planning Calendar data.

If you find this useful, please leave a thanks in the comments below (it helps me remember that this is useful for people other than me when the time comes to prepare the next one).

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PROFESSIONAL NAMETAGS ON A NON-PROFESSIONAL'S BUDGET: A GUIDe

12/6/2016

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Want professional looking PVC nametags but don't have the budget to get the expensive system?  I have a potential option for you.  I have created professional looking PVC nametags for only a fraction of the cost that big companies use to make them.  Here's my setup..

What I used:
  • Printer: Canon IP7200 picture printer; $75 on Amazon (click here to see amazon page)
  • Blank PVC cards from Brainstorm ID; $18 for 100 cards on Amazon (click here to see amazon page); note: if you order from Amazon, make sure the vendor is Brainstorm ID.  I have ordered from a cheaper distributor, but those cards did not work.  You can also purchase it direct from Brainstorm ID (click here to see their webpage)
  • PVC card printer tray (J tray): $20 on Amazon (click here to see amazon page; also available from Brainstorm ID website, click here)
  • Slot Punch by TruLam: $16 on Amazon (click here to see Amazon page)
  • Badge Clips: $10 for 100 on Amazon (click here to see Amazon page)
  • Lanyards: $30 for 100 on Amazon (click here to see Amazon page); note: I was particular about this one because of the wide clip; there are cheaper and different options available

Startup cost (printer, tray, and punch): ~$111
Cost per nametag after that: $0.18 (pvc card) + $0.10 (badge clip) + $0.05 (ink cost approximate) = $0.33 per nametag
or if you use a lanyard: $0.53 per nametag


Step by step guide:
  1. download templates from BraistormID (click here to view webpage); make sure you download "Canon J Tray" template for the program you want to use
  2. Design ID using template (I used Apple Pages); note, you may have to adjust the guides for your setup.  When I printed my first set of nametags, it was about 3/4" shifted, so I adjusted the guides and now it prints perfectly.
  3. Print to Canon Printer; make sure to choose "printable disc" under media type and "disc tray" under paper source (on a windows computer, your options might be different so adjust for your setup).
  4. If you are printing on both sides, flip the cards over and print again (for nametags for a conference, I put names on one side and the conference scheudle on the other)
  5. Use slot punch to make a slot, then affix badge clip or lanyard.
Here is a video to help see the step by step process.  I was in the process of making our family's Christmas ornaments that we will be sending to family and friends.  Same process, just a different design.
It will take a little practice to get the final product you want, so be sure to order extra cards and know that you will have to toss a few while you perfect your setup.  It works quite well for me and I hope you can same some money and create some excellent quality nametags in your own environment.
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Problem/solution: USB flash drive formatting

6/11/2016

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Problem: USB flash drive won’t format to full capacity
I have a SanDisk Ultra 64GB micro USB flash drive.  When I plugged it in to my pc, it recognized it as a blank drive and asked me to format it.  When I did, it gave me a maximum of 200MB.  I plugged it into my mac, and after formatting it as Fat, Fat 32, and exFat, my PC wouldn’t recognize it and offered to format it again, but at a maximum of 200MB.  I couldn’t understand what was going on and it was a very frustrating experience.  After scouring the net, I realized that this was a common problem with a solution that was not obvious.  I found a solution that worked for me and hopefully it will work for you.​
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Solution: thanks to https://discuss.howtogeek.com/t/how-can-i-format-a-128gb-usb-stick-to-fat32/3934/13 for helping with this solution.
after plugging in USB flash drive to a computer running windows
open a CMD window (press windows + R)
type CMD (command prompt window opens)

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​in DOS run "diskmgmt.msc"
in DOS run "diskpart.exe"
​New window opens.


In new window prompt is "DISKPART"
In DISKPART run "rescan"
In DISKPART run "list disk”
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Figure out which disk is having the problems (in my case it was disk 2)
In DISKPART run "select 2” (or whatever disk is problematic)
In DISKPART run "CLEAN" should get msg "DiskPart succeeded in cleaning the disk."
Now check the Disk Management window for a "Disk 2" Removable 57.91 GB on line.
Black bar on entire Disk 1 as 57.91 GB unallocated.
In DISKPART run "create partition primary"
Should get msg: "DiskPart succeeded in creating the specified partition”

Now check the Disk Management window for a "Disk 2" Removable 57.91 GB on line
Blue bar on entire Disk 2 as (E “57.91 GB exFat Healthy (Primary Partition)".
Right Click in blue bar space of disk 2 (E in "Disk Management" window.)
​Select FORMAT
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New window opens to FORMAT E: fill in as you like :
Volume label: “(insert title here)”
File system: "NTFS" or "exFAT"
Allocation unit size: "Default"
check "Perform a quick format"
click "OK" Window opens to make sure so just hit "ok" again.
Now check the Disk Management window for a "Disk 2" Removable 57.91 GB on line
Blue bar on entire Disk 1 as (E “57.91 GB exFat Healthy (Primary Partition)".
Close and Exit DISKPART> EXIT
Exit Disk Management
Exit CMD if it is still running

Hopefully that helps you if you have run into this problem.
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That time i touched the Lombardi trophy

6/4/2016

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We were in the greater Denver area for a wedding and while we were there, my wife had scheduled for us to take a stadium tour of Mile High Stadium (currently called Sports Authority Field) because I am a huge Denver Broncos fan.  When we arrived for our scheduled tour, we were told that they were unable to honor our reservation because they had another large group which had scheduled a private event for that morning and that someone should have called us to cancel our reservation.  We were dejected.
The private group that took over the stadium that morning were bringing in bus loads of people for a stadium tour (about 25-30 people at a time) and through the graciousness of one of these group's leaders, we were allowed to accompany a group on their tour.

We got to see the United Club, an Executive Suite, the press box, and a party suite.  We didn't get to go on the field (there was another event scheduled on the field) but we got to go to the edge of the stands and see the field.  We toured the player areas and even a locker room.  All of that was cool, but the highlight of the day was in the locker room; the team had sent over the Vince Lombardi Trophy (the trophy given to the team that wins the Super Bowl).  Apparently the Broncos will sometimes do something special for large groups and they did today, allowing people in the group to pose with the trophy the Broncos won in Super Bowl 50.  Had our original reservation been honored, we probably wouldn't have had this opportunity, but because we were with this other group, I got to see the trophy up close.  There was only one rule: don't touch the trophy.

I am generally a rule follower, but I couldn't resist the urge.  After posing for pictures with the trophy (first by myself, then with my lovely wife), I swiped my hand across the table, nipping the back corner of the trophy. I touched it!  We went from dejected to out of this world.
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As a child, I dreamt to one day hold up that trophy after winning the Super Bowl.  I'll have to settle for nipping the back corner of it.  But hey, I touched the Lombardi Trophy!
Edit:
Two days after touching the trophy, it was in DC with the Broncos to visit the White House and President Barack Obama.
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photo credit: http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/_JVfiMIFR7h/President+Obama+Welcomes+Super+Bowl+Champion/C7l5t57OM-H/Barack+Obama
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Invocation at City Council

4/19/2016

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I was privileged and honored to be invited to offer the invocation at the recent Diamond Bar City Council Meeting.  I received some positive responses so I am making it available.

Let us pray...
This is a holy season:
          Christians are celebrating Easter, signifying the resurrection of Jesus
          Hindus are celebrating their new year, Ramanavami, signifying the birth of Rama, and Hanuman Jayant, signifying the embodiment of Rama in Hanuman
          Practitioners of the Baha'i faith will celebrate Ridvan this week, commemorating when Baha'u'llah declared that he was God's messenger
          Those embracing Judaism will celebrate Passover later this week, commemorating God's deliverance from Egypt
          Theravadian Buddhists celebrate their new year this week
          and globally many will celebrate Mother Earth on Earth day.
It is indeed a holy season.

But tonight is a holy night
          for our city council,
          elected by the people of Diamond Bar
          is assembled to discern, to deliberate, and to decide
          what is best for our city.
          Give each council member
          wisdom, courage, and fortitude
          to make the best decisions for our city,
          decisions that make us residents
          proud to live in Diamond Bar.
          Having celebrated 27 years of incorporation,
          we look forward to many more celebrations,
          because of holy nights like these.

May the holy be present and prevalent in all that we say, do, and think.
We pray this in the name of all that is holy.  Amen.

(Identification of religious holy days from: http://www.interfaithcalendar.org/2016.htm)
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TV the way it should be

2/7/2015

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Yesterday I got an invite to try Sling TV (www.sling.com).  Sling TV is a subsidiary of Dish Network and it took home the best in show at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) this year.  It offers a minimal cable package including: ESPN, ESPN2, CNN, ABC Family, Disney, TBS, TNT, Food Network, HGTV, Travel Channel, El Ray, Maker, and Cartoon Network/Adult Swim.  All this for just $20 a month.  I'm thinking the ESPN channels alone make it worth it, but with all the added content, it's a good deal.  And these are available over the internet.  You can add a Kids package (Disney Junior, Disney XD, Baby TV, Boomerang, and Duck TV) a news package or a sports package for $5 each.


This is the future of television and for me, allows me to watch ESPN, HGTV, Food Network and Disney legally for minimal cost.  We got rid of cable a number of years ago, which made watching sports a difficult affair.  But now, I can access football, Basketball, and other sports live without paying $100 a month for cable.


About the only drawbacks to Sling TV is that it doesn't include more stations (it doesn't include broadcast channels like CBS, NBC, ABC, and Fox, although I get them through a decent antenna streamed to my phone through Tivo) and that you can only watch Sling TV on one device (although I heard a rumor they might increase it to three).  Other than that, I am super excited to be a Sling TV customer and am enjoying cable TV for the first time in a while.  Check out the brief video below to see how it works on the mac.
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Bible reading plan

1/1/2015

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Every year people make resolutions to read their Bible daily.  That's what I'm doing this year.  But where does one start?  
  • Does one start at Genesis and go through to Revelation?  There are plans that get you there in a year.
  • Does one go through the daily lectionary?  The PCUSA Mission Agency website helps with that.
  • Does one purchase a one year or two year Bible and just follow along?

There are a lot of options helping one decide what what to read daily, but the important thing is that one sticks to it.  Me, I got an email from the Common English Bible website with a topical reading plan, and I that's the one I'm gonna do.  Want to join me?
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Goodbye Bella

10/25/2014

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It happened...the dog bit at my son.

About a month ago, we seemed fortunate to have received this rescued dog that was two years old, that had been fixed, that had all her shots, that needed a good home and family to take care of her.  Her owner wasn't able to give her the attention she needed so with tears, she gave us Bella.  It wasn't easy...she wasn't really potty trained yet and preferred to do her "business" on the carpet in our bedroom, that was replaced a year or two ago.  But we grew to accept Bella despite her piddles and poos.

But on a fateful night this week, Bella bit at my son, and left a mark and bruise on his cheek.  We no longer had confidence that Bella would behave around our children and we made the decision that we could no longer keep her.  Her previous owner wanted to be called first if we decided we could not keep Bella so we did, and she came and took Bella.  We had Bella for only a month and I was a little emotional when we said a final goodbye.  Perhaps it was because Bella had made inroads into our family routine.  Perhaps it was because one of my sons woke up every morning calling to Bella.  Maybe one month is long enough to be family.

I have been on trips with relative strangers for a week (think camp or mission trips) and they have left lasting marks on my life as, I'm sure, I have left on them.  But a month?  If Bella was family, would we have let her go?  

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Grace or Nice

10/17/2014

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Today during a conversation with my son, I was confronted with a great theological question: do we mistake grace for niceness?
Context: my son is in kindergarten and receives a daily behavioral sheet which lets parents know how they did.  Pink is the best, Blue is next, Green is neutral, Yellow means a comment from the teacher, and Red means the teacher needs to talk to the parent.  When asked what color he got, my son stated that everyone in the class got blue except for two students, a boy and a girl, who ended the day on yellow, but "[a girl] went home with blue because [the teacher] was nice, but she should have had yellow."
Here, he equated the teacher's grace to niceness.  Is grace (unmerited favor) nice?  When we reflect on God's grace, does that make God nice?  Does that mean that when grace is not received it is mean?
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Did Ray Rice set back women's rights 20 years?

9/10/2014

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With the release of the elevator video displaying (now) former NFL player Ray Rice committing violence on his now spouse, we hear NFL people (including Atlanta Falcons coach Mike Smith) saying things like "We don't treat women that way. We protect them."

While I abhor violence and am willing to accept that domestic violence is different from other types of violence (spouses often feel trapped and there are numerous instances of it not being reported or the victims of domestic violence protecting their assailants) but his attitude continues to treat women as lesser than men, doesn't it?

In some of my mischievous moments, I advocate for equal rights for women saying they should hold doors open for me or men should go first. But I wonder, does chivalry support equal rights or is chivalry a way for women to receive some of the benefits of womanhood while still fighting for equal rights?

It seems like Janay Rice, the victim in this domestic violence that was caught on tape, is defined by her gender, needs to be protected by the male gender. Perhaps I am mis-reading the situation, but maybe not, what do you think?

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    I'm PaulK: a child of God, called into ministry, currently in the PC(USA), an avid football fan and tech nut

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