Bitter-sweet, but it was good while it lasted!!
Thanks For 8 Great Years!!
We would like to say thanks to all of our customers. For the past 8 years we have made and sold our original kayak racks here at MartinCreek.com. We are sad to annouce that we have stopped productions of all of our products at this time due to major increases in production cost, influx of imports, and major decline in the US Kayak Industry. If and when things pick-up again in the kayak industry we will resume production. Thanks again to all who have purchased Martin Creek Kayak Storage Solutions over the years.
Marcus & Christy Williamson
Owners
www.MartinCreek.com
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
New Pictures of the Little Man...
First wave???
The "photo shoot" on the futon!
Seth without hair!:^)
Playing in the music room!
6 months already!?!? No kidding, blink and you'll miss it. I have been trying not to blink too often these days, even this week with the cutting of his first TWO teeth and his first cold...all at the same time!! There are so many things I am looking forward to...hearing him talk, watching him learn to crawl and walk, watching him try new foods, seeing him meet new people, seeing his first act of compassion, and chasing the pets! Then so much I want to protect him from and so many conversations I look forward and dread having with him. But we miss so much of right now when we look forward. He is teaching me all about being in the here and now. Even at 6 months he knows when my mind is preoccupied and when I'm not totally into him. So I'm learning everyday how to say "yes" to him and "no" to other things that 7 months ago would have been a must before going to bed. How I strive to prioritize my faith in that same way...some days I do okay, most I probably fail miserably. But God knows I am weak like that and I know all about His mercy that I don't deserve. I'll spend a lifetime readjusting priorities and learning new rhythms. And I guess that's what makes it makes it...interesting!
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Offended by Palin's Comments
I don't talk about Presidential politics much on my blogs for many reasons that I won't go into now. But I strongly felt Palin crossed a line during her speech at the NRC and I was thankful to find someone other than the media addressing the issue. And I was excited to see it was Jim Wallis at that. If you haven't heard of him, he founded Sojourners, http://www.sojo.net/ (a nationwide network of Christians working for justice and peace) and author of God's Politics. I hope you'll take a minute to read his article below. I have never held the title of "Community Organizer" but I do consider myself a Community Advocate and have held jobs that are essential to the making a healthy community. May you take your right to vote seriously and may your decision be one that is bathed in prayer and education of both candidates! - Christy
Palin Owes Some Good People An Apology (by Jim Wallis)
Wednesday morning I got an e-mail from a former member of our Sojourners community. Perry Perkins is now a community organizer in Louisiana with affiliates of the Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF). "Perk," as we used to call him, reported on the enormous consequences of 2 million people being evacuated because of Hurricane Gustav, much of the state now being without power, how hard cities like Baton Rouge were hit, the tens of thousands of people in shelters and churches, and the continuing problems caused by heavy rains and flooding. Then he talked about how their community organizers were responding to all of this -- responding to hundreds of service calls, assisting local officials in evacuation plans, aiding evacuees without transportation, coordinating shelters and opening new ones, providing food, essential services, and financial aid to those in most need. Since Katrina, Perry's Louisiana interfaith organizations have played a lead role in securing millions of dollars to help thousands of families return to New Orleans and rebuild their homes and their lives.Then Wednesday night I heard Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin say that her experience as "a small-town mayor is sort of like a community organizer, except that you have actual responsibilities." The convention crowd in St. Paul thought that was very funny. But it wasn't. It was actually quite insulting to the army of community organizers who work in the most challenging places across the country and have such a tremendous impact on the everyday lives of millions of people. I guess Palin and her fellow Republican delegates don't know much about that. The "actual responsibilities" of community organizers literally provide the practical support, collective strength, and hope for a better future that low-income families need to survive.
Community organizers are now most focused in the faith community, working with tens of thousands of pastors and laypeople in thousands of congregations around the country. Faith-based organizing is the critical factor in many low-income communities in the country's poorest urban and rural areas, and church leaders are often the biggest supporters of community organizers. And many of them felt deeply offended by Palin's remarks. Here are a few of their responses:
"As a lifelong Republican, the comments I heard last night about community organizing crossed the line. It is one thing to question someone's experience, another to demean the work of millions of hardworking Americans who take time to get involved in their communities. When people come together in my church hall to improve our community, they're building the Kingdom of God in San Diego. We see the fruits of community organizing in safer streets, new parks, and new affordable housing. It's the spirit of democracy for people to have a say and we need more of it," said Bishop Roy Dixon, prelate of the Southern California 4th ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Church of God in Christ, member of the San Diego Organizing Project and former board chair of PICO National Network.
They have also pointed out how the most important victories for social justice have come more from community organizers than elected officials.
"We can thank community organizing for the weekend, the eight-hour day, integrated swimming pools, public transportation, health care for children and safe neighborhoods. Community organizing is behind most of the family-oriented initiatives we benefit from every day. I am proud to work for change in my country, my state, and my city as a community organizer, following the great traditions of Dr. Martin Luther King," said Laura Barrett, national policy director of Gamaliel/Transportation Equity Network (TEN).
And when you put the accomplishments of politicians alongside those of community organizers for poor families, it isn't even close. Without the pressure from community organizers and the movements they lead, there would often be nobody to hold politicians accountable.
"Politicians should thank community organizers, not insult them. As a longtime organizer, I've seen time and time again that we are the ones who make government work for the poor, the powerless and the marginalized. Politicians' policies and promises would amount to nothing without grassroots activists to hold them accountable. We are leaders of faith and stewards of democracy. In a time when the face of faith in politics is often ugly, community organizing is a valuable example of faith's positive role in public life," said Pastor Mark Diemer, senior pastor of Grace of God Lutheran Church in Columbus, Ohio, and a DART community organizer.
Palin's effort to attack the experience of Barack Obama, a former community organizer in Chicago, turned into a bad joke and an insult. Palin owes a lot of good people an apology.
Palin Owes Some Good People An Apology (by Jim Wallis)
Wednesday morning I got an e-mail from a former member of our Sojourners community. Perry Perkins is now a community organizer in Louisiana with affiliates of the Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF). "Perk," as we used to call him, reported on the enormous consequences of 2 million people being evacuated because of Hurricane Gustav, much of the state now being without power, how hard cities like Baton Rouge were hit, the tens of thousands of people in shelters and churches, and the continuing problems caused by heavy rains and flooding. Then he talked about how their community organizers were responding to all of this -- responding to hundreds of service calls, assisting local officials in evacuation plans, aiding evacuees without transportation, coordinating shelters and opening new ones, providing food, essential services, and financial aid to those in most need. Since Katrina, Perry's Louisiana interfaith organizations have played a lead role in securing millions of dollars to help thousands of families return to New Orleans and rebuild their homes and their lives.Then Wednesday night I heard Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin say that her experience as "a small-town mayor is sort of like a community organizer, except that you have actual responsibilities." The convention crowd in St. Paul thought that was very funny. But it wasn't. It was actually quite insulting to the army of community organizers who work in the most challenging places across the country and have such a tremendous impact on the everyday lives of millions of people. I guess Palin and her fellow Republican delegates don't know much about that. The "actual responsibilities" of community organizers literally provide the practical support, collective strength, and hope for a better future that low-income families need to survive.
Community organizers are now most focused in the faith community, working with tens of thousands of pastors and laypeople in thousands of congregations around the country. Faith-based organizing is the critical factor in many low-income communities in the country's poorest urban and rural areas, and church leaders are often the biggest supporters of community organizers. And many of them felt deeply offended by Palin's remarks. Here are a few of their responses:
"As a lifelong Republican, the comments I heard last night about community organizing crossed the line. It is one thing to question someone's experience, another to demean the work of millions of hardworking Americans who take time to get involved in their communities. When people come together in my church hall to improve our community, they're building the Kingdom of God in San Diego. We see the fruits of community organizing in safer streets, new parks, and new affordable housing. It's the spirit of democracy for people to have a say and we need more of it," said Bishop Roy Dixon, prelate of the Southern California 4th ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Church of God in Christ, member of the San Diego Organizing Project and former board chair of PICO National Network.
They have also pointed out how the most important victories for social justice have come more from community organizers than elected officials.
"We can thank community organizing for the weekend, the eight-hour day, integrated swimming pools, public transportation, health care for children and safe neighborhoods. Community organizing is behind most of the family-oriented initiatives we benefit from every day. I am proud to work for change in my country, my state, and my city as a community organizer, following the great traditions of Dr. Martin Luther King," said Laura Barrett, national policy director of Gamaliel/Transportation Equity Network (TEN).
And when you put the accomplishments of politicians alongside those of community organizers for poor families, it isn't even close. Without the pressure from community organizers and the movements they lead, there would often be nobody to hold politicians accountable.
"Politicians should thank community organizers, not insult them. As a longtime organizer, I've seen time and time again that we are the ones who make government work for the poor, the powerless and the marginalized. Politicians' policies and promises would amount to nothing without grassroots activists to hold them accountable. We are leaders of faith and stewards of democracy. In a time when the face of faith in politics is often ugly, community organizing is a valuable example of faith's positive role in public life," said Pastor Mark Diemer, senior pastor of Grace of God Lutheran Church in Columbus, Ohio, and a DART community organizer.
Palin's effort to attack the experience of Barack Obama, a former community organizer in Chicago, turned into a bad joke and an insult. Palin owes a lot of good people an apology.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Engage-Reality
Some of you know Marcus and I have been working on a ministry called Engage-Reality since last September. God has been giving us the vision piece by piece, so the website http://www.engage-reality.com/ has been our attempt in putting those pieces together. At the time God gave us this vision, we were working with groups of people that were often ignored, misunderstood, and oppressed (Marcus with the homeless and myself with survivors of sexual abuse.) We soon felt alone in our passion for these issues - we wanted people to understand the truth behind the stories and stereotypes of those struggling in these issues. Our hope with Engage-Reality is to spark an interest in others to find a group of people they can be passionate about, then educate themselves about the issues and motivate them to some type of action/service. We are in the process of redesigning the website, and possibly turning this into a non-profit, where we will focus on core issues, public awareness of the issues, and linking individuals with work already being done on the issue. Please check back with the site in a few weeks and keep us in your prayers as we seek the direction God has for us. Below is our latest post from Engage-Reality's Blog: http://www.engage-reality.blogspot.com/
And thanks to everyone for your prayers and sweet words about Seth and the adoption! We love you!!
__________________________________________________
Why Should Christians Care About Social Injustice?
Poverty. Orphans. Degradation of women. Abuse of children. Homelessness. Unequal access to health care. In the last hundred years our society has shifted, from the church caring for the oppressed to government programs overseeing issues. Many may see this as a positive shift, and it is not a bad thing. The government does have the resources, funds, and research to address these issues. But something is gotten lost in the shift…people. When we view rape as an issue or poverty as just an issue something’s wrong. Behind the scary words, like sexual violence, HIV/AIDS, homelessness, there are people; people that are hurting, scared, isolated, and often hopeless.
I know that issues can be overwhelming. I have heard many people say “I don’t watch the evening news or read the paper anymore. It is too depressing.” But ask the same person what’s their favorite TV show? Don’t be surprised when you hear Law and Order or CSI! Is it okay for issues to be entertainment but not reality? But it is reality, “ripped from the headlines”, you couldn’t make up most of those plots. Caring about “issues” doesn’t make you right or left, red or blue, or “in the world”. Caring about “issues” makes you compassionate, even (dramatic pause)… Christ-like.
There are over 2,000 verses in scripture that relate to caring for the oppressed and the poor. 2,000! Do you think the God of all creation was trying to tell us something? Yes, something like, don’t forget each other while you are doing life. Jesus is the perfect example of what God expects from us. (No surprise right?) Jesus loved people, I mean really loved people. He didn’t care about social norms. Remember the Samaritan woman? Jews talking to Samaritans wasn’t going to happen, but a man talking to a woman in public was a disgrace. Jesus never put a stereotype on anyone nor did he have one size fits all way of healing. Instead he looked at crowds with compassion, took time to listen to stories, and touched people. Jesus was revolutionary in person and in love. He made history of 600 plus laws and gave his followers just two – to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and the second love your neighbor as yourself.
The kingdom of God is right now. We are in it, we are it. It isn’t just something that awaits us, but it is Good News that must be shared today with those that need hope and a future. The Good Samaritan saw one person, with one need he could meet. Maybe he left his house that morning with his day’s agenda in his planner and heard story after story of issues that were beyond his control, but he did not let that stop him from doing one simple thing. He simply crossed the street. He saw a man with an immediate need who wanted help, and then he did something about it. The Samaritan cleaned his wounds and carried him to a place that could meet needs beyond his ability. We are not meant to meet needs on our own. I think that is why many Christians find themselves overwhelmed or afraid to reach out. We are afraid we won’t know what to do or what the answer is. Yet, we are surrounded with resources, we just have to know them and be willing to learn how to help with a specific need.
God has not called us to be passive or timid. But he’s called us to boldly reach out with compassion to others and to look beyond an issue or a stereotype, and see a person. Yes, we must make ourselves aware of the issues, their prevalence and consequences. We can’t be effective if we are ignorant and we can’t help someone if we aren’t aware. So may we not see issues, may we see our neighbors.
I Dare You,
Christy
And thanks to everyone for your prayers and sweet words about Seth and the adoption! We love you!!
__________________________________________________
Why Should Christians Care About Social Injustice?
Poverty. Orphans. Degradation of women. Abuse of children. Homelessness. Unequal access to health care. In the last hundred years our society has shifted, from the church caring for the oppressed to government programs overseeing issues. Many may see this as a positive shift, and it is not a bad thing. The government does have the resources, funds, and research to address these issues. But something is gotten lost in the shift…people. When we view rape as an issue or poverty as just an issue something’s wrong. Behind the scary words, like sexual violence, HIV/AIDS, homelessness, there are people; people that are hurting, scared, isolated, and often hopeless.
I know that issues can be overwhelming. I have heard many people say “I don’t watch the evening news or read the paper anymore. It is too depressing.” But ask the same person what’s their favorite TV show? Don’t be surprised when you hear Law and Order or CSI! Is it okay for issues to be entertainment but not reality? But it is reality, “ripped from the headlines”, you couldn’t make up most of those plots. Caring about “issues” doesn’t make you right or left, red or blue, or “in the world”. Caring about “issues” makes you compassionate, even (dramatic pause)… Christ-like.
There are over 2,000 verses in scripture that relate to caring for the oppressed and the poor. 2,000! Do you think the God of all creation was trying to tell us something? Yes, something like, don’t forget each other while you are doing life. Jesus is the perfect example of what God expects from us. (No surprise right?) Jesus loved people, I mean really loved people. He didn’t care about social norms. Remember the Samaritan woman? Jews talking to Samaritans wasn’t going to happen, but a man talking to a woman in public was a disgrace. Jesus never put a stereotype on anyone nor did he have one size fits all way of healing. Instead he looked at crowds with compassion, took time to listen to stories, and touched people. Jesus was revolutionary in person and in love. He made history of 600 plus laws and gave his followers just two – to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and the second love your neighbor as yourself.
The kingdom of God is right now. We are in it, we are it. It isn’t just something that awaits us, but it is Good News that must be shared today with those that need hope and a future. The Good Samaritan saw one person, with one need he could meet. Maybe he left his house that morning with his day’s agenda in his planner and heard story after story of issues that were beyond his control, but he did not let that stop him from doing one simple thing. He simply crossed the street. He saw a man with an immediate need who wanted help, and then he did something about it. The Samaritan cleaned his wounds and carried him to a place that could meet needs beyond his ability. We are not meant to meet needs on our own. I think that is why many Christians find themselves overwhelmed or afraid to reach out. We are afraid we won’t know what to do or what the answer is. Yet, we are surrounded with resources, we just have to know them and be willing to learn how to help with a specific need.
God has not called us to be passive or timid. But he’s called us to boldly reach out with compassion to others and to look beyond an issue or a stereotype, and see a person. Yes, we must make ourselves aware of the issues, their prevalence and consequences. We can’t be effective if we are ignorant and we can’t help someone if we aren’t aware. So may we not see issues, may we see our neighbors.
I Dare You,
Christy
Monday, August 4, 2008
It's Offical...
I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him.
1 Samuel 1:27
A little over 4 months ago our lives changed forever. The word change seems too small for what really happened…transformed describes it better. One, seemingly normal, Thursday afternoon, 12 noon on March 20th to be exact, we received the phone call that all adopting parents wait not so patiently for. The voice of our case worker on the other end said, “Your son is ready for you.” I didn’t know if I should shout for joy or cry out of shock and happiness. I cried… and called Marcus, “Come home now…we have to go to Columbia…We have a boy.” It took several repeats of that statement and picking Seth up from the hospital for him to believe me. The transformation happened in 6 hours – notified at noon and held him in our arms by 6 pm! That is a day we will never forget.
Things are very different for parents who adopt verses those who can have biological children. For biological parents, you are never interviewed – questioned of everything in your past that could affect your ability to parent well or not, you home is never inspected, and once you hold your child in your arms, count all the fingers and toes, and look into their beautiful eyes, biological parents never have a lingering question of “What if something goes wrong? What if the biological father shows up?” So for us the next most important day after bringing Seth home from the hospital was his court date for finalization.
The day was full of anxiety, excitement and in the end, relief and peace. We didn’t expect any surprises. Our lawyer was as thorough as they come, prepared us for every question and possibility. But you can’t help but to question or think something will go wrong or be rescheduled, especially after our journey. But God knew what we needed and things absolutely could not have gone smoother. It was pretty special having family there to celebrate with afterwards too. And what an incredible anniversary present. Today we are official!
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