G.R.A.C.E. and Church on Christmas

I pray everyone is doing well out there.   This Christmas (yesterday actually) I was at church (yes our church met on Christmas, more on that later).  My pastor has been doing a series on the characters of the Christmas story, and it has been a very good series, and Sunday was centered on Jesus.  The part I want to mention is something some of you may have heard before, I know I have, but I wanted to write it down this time.  It is the acronym G.R.A.C.E.  God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense.  It was a great Christmas reminder that God gave up everything to come to Earth, be human, experience temptation, and then suffer and die on the cross for my sin.  And He did all that so that I could one day live and experience God’s wonderful riches in heaven.

Now about church on Christmas.  I heard a lot on the news last week about churches that were not going to meet on Sunday BECAUSE it was Christmas.  Something seemed REALLY wrong about that.  Christmas doesn’t fall on a Sunday very often, so why wouldn’t you want to go to church on Sunday (assuming that is your normal church day) and on Christmas?  I saw some interviews with pastors saying that they just didn’t expect people to come, because they would spend time with their family instead, or that they thought it was important for their congregation to spend time at home with their family.  I must disagree!  It sounds like these pastors are telling people that their personal family is more important than God’s family.  God is more important than anything here on earth, even our families.  Now, some of you may say, but you don’t usually go to church on Christmas, or even Christmas Eve, and that is true, but to CANCEL church when it normally occurs seems really stupid to me.  Oh well, it is past us now, and there is nothing one can do about it now.

Film is NOT dead!

As some of you know, I work for K. B. Canham Cameras Inc. We manufacture Large Format cameras (also called view cameras or field cameras). Some people think that since these cameras use film that the business is suffering, since film is dying. Well, let me tell you that film is not dead. Our business is doing just fine. Ultra large format (ULF) cameras (sizes larger than 8x10) are up in sales. I just finished 2 14x17 cameras, and there are a few each of: 8x20, 11x14, 7x17, and 12x20.

Some people say that you can't get film for these cameras anymore, but that is also NOT TRUE! Ilford just announced that they will be cutting and supplying film for ULF cameras, and other odd size films (5x12 for example). Kodak and Fuji have also stated that they will continue to make film.

It is certainly true that film is not being made in the large quantity that it once was, but it is still being made, and will continue to be made. Large format photography is still largely used in architectural photography, due to limitation in fixed body cameras (like most digital cameras, 35mm cameras, and medium format cameras).

Other things that are changing are that companies are developing digital backs to attach to large format cameras. These backs have some limitation (like exposure time to name one), but some people like them. Also, many new to large format are taking pictures using film, but then scanning their negatives into the computer and printing them using large photo printers. So, both digital and film can be used together. In fact, I may be using this method to print my latest pictures from Yosemite/Sequoia, but I have yet to make a final decision.

I do believe that 35mm film will be going away someday (and maybe sooner rather than later), due to the digital area, but it will never replace large format photography. It is not a "better" thing that I am talking about. They are different. They look different. They are produced differently. I have a digital camera and like it for what I use it for, but it doesn't replace my 4x5, it is used for different applications.

So, when you hear someone say that film is dead you can know that they are not correct. Most likely, they are misinformed (since most people are).

Getting Kissed by a Drunk Guy

So, last week Beverly and I went to a goodbye party for a friend at Intel. He is doing an ex-pat (ex-patriot) assignment in Malaysia, and will be gone for 3 years. So, we wanted to pay our resects. It was great seeing a lot of people that we don't get to see very often, and to catch up on the goings-on in each others lives. So, the guest of honor was pretty drunk by the time we got there, and when he came by to say hello to us, he decided that he needed to give me a big ol' kiss on the cheek. And there just happen to be someone with a camera there to get it in all its glory. So, there you have, and I can officially say that I have been kissed by a drunk guy.

The Christmas Dilemma

So, Christmas is almost here (a week and a few days to be exact), and the holiday dilemma has hit me. I have been searching for that perfect gift for my wonderful wife, but I am having a tough time figuring out what to get her. I love her immensely, and I know she loves me the same (but more today since it is an even, inside thing), and no mater what I get her she will love it. But there is always that desire to get the "perfect gift."

The rest of the family is taken care of. That was pretty easy. Most of my side told me what they wanted, and Beverly knew what most of her side wanted. This has allowed me to focus on what to get my wife, which is nice, but it doesn't make it a whole lot easier.

What is going on in the back of my mind when I try to figure out what to get her is the gift that I though she would like, but it was a bomb (for the most part). A year ago and a bit, I got her a set of DVDs that were French movies. They had received decent reviews, and my wife liking French, I figured how could I go wrong. Well, the movies weren't that great, actually they were bad, well one was OK, but overall a bad present. I have tried not to repeat that event. She tells me that it was OK, and that it didn't matter, but I don't want it to happen again (at least for a while, one a year is not a good thing).

So, I am still thinking and time is running out. Friday I am going to spend some time looking around for something. I am praying that God will lead me to the "right present." I am sure it will all work out. If I don't write again before the holiday - Merry Christmas!