New Web-Site
Just wanted to let you all know:
I will still post to this site and do some sporadic maintainance on it - because I really like playing with it - but our main site has moved to
greatoutdoorendeavors.com.
There you will be able to find the most up-to-the-minute details of upcoming hikes and events, as well as the blog, and pictures, and other cool stuff. Soon, we'll even have Great OutDoor Endeavors logoed gear you can purchase, which means we'll even have a "shopping cart." How cool is that?
So, see ya at the new site -
Mike
Welcome……
To Great OutDoor Endeavors! Our ministry is focused on understanding God, via nature, using the Bible as our guide. God has many things to say about the world He created and how it relates to us, and us to Him.
Our hikes, camping trips, and other outdoor activities focus on God’s creation and bringing us closer to Him. Using short devotionals, creation “tidbits”, and the Bible, we will strive to lead you to a better understanding of His word and a closer relationship with Him.
Join us as we explore God's creation in the Great OutDoors!
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
What's In A Name?
Biblical names were full of meaning. Abram, a very wealthy patriarch, literally meant “high father.” After promising Abram that he would be the father of a great multitude, God changed his name to Abraham which means, oddly enough, “father of a great multitude.” Isaac (laughter) and Ishmael (God that hears), among others, were named after a specific event occurred. Most, if not all, had names that had meaning in and of themselves. Examples would be Abiah (the Lord is my father), Joshua (a deliverer), and Samuel (heard of God).
In the English language names derived from occupations (Miller, Smith, Cooper) and from relationships (example: "Richard’s son" became Richardson).
Names, for individuals and for business, convey a certain image behind the name. Try it. Think of the name Bill Gates, for example. What comes to mind? Money? Fame? Philanthropy? Microsoft? Some image comes to mind. The Bible says it this way, “A GOOD name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold.” (Proverbs 22:1)
Businesses get in the act, too. Dollar upon dollar is spent on name selection and name promotion. Big money is spent for name repair and big money is spent to keep a name relevant or to more closely identify what the product does. Who’s familiar with the current ad campaign to change Electrasol to Finish?
Maybe you’re familiar with the origins of two widely known, very popular brand names, Kleenex and Bounty?
Kleenex began as a small, bib-like cloth article. At the end of a meal, it was said that everyone had “clean necks,” hence the name for the bib, Clean Necks; later shortened and modernized to Kleenex.
Who knew that Bounty and Jesse James are historically linked? Yes way! Jesse, shortly after one of his infamous train robberies was in a wash room cleaning up. There were no towels available, but there was an old newspaper lying close by. Jesse grabbed the “paper towel” and dried his head and face. At the same moment Jesse was emerging from the washroom, one of his gang members was coming through the front door with a "Wanted" poster shouting, “There’s a bounty on your head.” Much like the large piece of newspaper plastered to Jesse’s head, the name stuck to the “paper towel” – Bounty.
OK, you got me, the last two are completely bogus, but the point remains valid. Names mean something; always have, always will.
That brings me to the name of this ministry, Great OutDoor Endeavors. “You mean, you meant to do that with 'OutDoor?'” Yeah, I did.
On the surface, our goal is to get people outside of our man-made environments. We live indoors. We drive in our cars to jobs, to stores, and to our friends houses - where we visit inside. Rarely do we spend any time outdoors, and when we do, we barely notice what's going on around us.
God said all of creation is speaking of His glory and that it gives knowledge of Him. We need to take the time to look up at the stars and to contemplate what they say about God and His power. When we look out over the Grand Canyon, we can be reminded of God's ability to inspire awe in, and through, His creation. Or, we can marvel at the intricacies of flight that He's enabled in birds & butterflies. Our desire is to put people in a place to hear creation speaking and understand what it is saying about God. And to hear what God is saying to us through creation.
Like the old Magic Eye (you know - the ones where if you changed your eye's focus you could see a picture-within-a-picture) pictures, there is more to our name than meets the eye. Look alittle deeper.
If you've received e-mail from us you will see that our name is sometimes shortened to GOD Endeavors. There are many, many endeavors we could undertake. There are many, many "fun" things we could do. There are many, many activities we could lead that make us look good or that "pad our pockets." That's not what we desire, however. In the end, it is our desire to do whatever it is that God leads us to do. It is also our strong desire to honor God in whatever we attempt. We want to undertake God endeavors.
So, as you look at our upcoming events know this: we seek only to have God glorified in what we do and to connect people to Him through our activities. It is our desire that God show Himself in these activities and to bless our efforts. Our one driving thought is this: If God isn't in it, it ain't worth doing!
Coming Fall ‘09
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Meet Your Maker - On the River!
Kayaking/canoing and an overnight camp on the
Upcoming Hikes
Please let us know if you are interested in joining us, so that we don't leave you behind if you run late AND so we can notify you if we have to cancel. godendeavors@yahoo.com
**Please make sure that you re-check this site before leaving to meet us for any hikes. From time-to-time there will be changes in the schedule, due to weather or unforeseen problems. We will post changes as quickly as possible.
More Upcoming Events
Trip Is Full
Friday, July 21 - Sunday, June 23, 2009
Come ready to Meet Your Maker!
Contact Mike at godendeavors@yahoo.com for an itinerary and cost info.
*Details to follow.
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Meet Your Maker - Under the Stars!
Friday night, August 14, 10 p.m. - 2 a.m.
Come join us as we watch the Perseids Meteor Shower. The Perseids is one of the best meteor showers to observe, producing up to 60 meteors per hour at their peak.
We will enjoy God's handiwork and find God's provision and protection in this amazing event!
Bring a blanket or chair and your favorite drinks and snacks, then sit back and be amazed ...
*Cloud cover can cause viewing to be severely reduced. In the event of clouds/bad weather, the makeup date will be Saturday, Aug. 15.
Please contact Mike at godendeavors@yahoo.com for more information.
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