Stan’s Notes
Notes from the Trail
Stan’s Notes
Enter Your Email to Receive New Notes
I am also in overtime – having battled cancer extensively over many years including a stem cell transplant in 2011. God has been so good to give this extra time to enjoy with Vicky and the indescribable joy of grandchildren! We are also enjoying lots of travel. She is seeking a Master’s degree in Theology, so I travel alone from time to time. This allows me to really get lost in thought and wonder on the trail.
These notes are musings on a variety of topics – usually related to my passion to integrate God as I know Him in Jesus with how He is allowing Himself to be known in His creation. Just as a painting is a window into the artist, creation is a window into the Artist! I welcome your thoughts as well as we journey together toward Truth.
Toodling and Noodling, Stan
I am in a great season in life…having finished what I think are my main life assignments with some time to spare! It has been great joy to partner with God and others to give birth to Apartment Life, Lionheart Children’s Academy and Skylark Camps. These “businesstry”s encourage others toward God thru Christ in unique ways that are scalable and sustainable. All are now under better leaders to further develop and scale the visions.
I am also in overtime – having battled cancer extensively over many years including a stem cell transplant in 2011. God has been so good to give this extra time to enjoy with Vicky and the indescribable joy of grandchildren! We are also enjoying lots of travel. She is seeking a Master’s degree in Theology, so I travel alone from time to time. This allows me to really get lost in thought and wonder on the trail.
We took trips to some national parks early in our marriage and fell in love with them. In the last few years that passion has morphed into a journey to visit every National Park, and I am well on the way – with only 6 left as of this writing. It has certainly been a physical journey – travelling and hiking thousands of miles. But it has also been a spiritual journey. As a person who has been in a devoted relationship with Jesus for many years – this has been precious time to reflect on God, His creation, and this beautiful gift called life.
These notes are musings on a variety of topics – usually related to my passion to integrate God as I know Him in Jesus with how He is allowing Himself to be known in His creation. Just as a painting is a window into the artist, creation is a window into the Artist! I welcome your thoughts as well as we journey together toward Truth.
Toodling and Noodling, Stan
Recent Notes by Stan
Seeds
Seeds are magical. How can a mighty Seqouia come from something that I can balance on my fingertip? Within the seed lies a library of instructions carrying the secrets for form, function, and survival – the distilled wisdom of eons.
The Boy
I met a boy on a railroad track. We were on the famous Rovos Rail from Pretoria to Victoria...
The Great Migration
Vicky and I planned our Africa trip to coincide with the Great Migration. There are few...
The Maasai
The Maasai stand out - even in an Africa full of tribes. Tall, wrapped in bright shukas, carrying...
The Lemba
In Pretoria our tour guide told us he was a member of the Lemba tribe who trace their roots back...
The San Bushmen
Our trip began in Cape Town, South Africa where we first heard of the San people—sometimes called...
Biodiversity’s Crown Jewel – the Cape Floral Kingdom
At the southern tip of Africa lies a wonder of the natural world: the Cape Floral Kingdom. It is...
Northern White Rhino
Vicky and I were privileged to visit the last two northern white rhinos on Earth at Ol Pejeta...
Paparazzi
Nothing turns a calm game drive into chaos quite like the word: “Lion!” Radios crackle. Jeeps...
Wild
Africa greeted us with wildness in stereo sound. Our first night in a tent at Maasai Mari, just...
Intro
Welcome to Reflections of an Africa tourist series! Vicky and I thought “Reflections on Africa”...
Notes from an African Tourist – Home
Notes from An African TouristEnter Your Email to Receive New Notes
Scenic Drives
Vicky and I recently took the grands to Tetons and Yellowstone. I drove and met the family who...
Creating
Part 3 – Notes from the Garden. Click here to see series...
Weeds
Part 4 – Notes from the Garden. Click here to see series...
Notes from the Garden
Notes from the Garden Notes from the GardenEnter Your Email to Receive New...
Stroll thru the Garden
Notes from the Garden. Click here to see series...
Beauty
I’ve had a long-standing requirement that anything I planted in the garden had to bloom color. No boring stuff.
The Garden
I have a passion for gardening. It started in early adulthood when Vicky and I bought our first home and has grown ….
Progress
I recently read a powerful book by Johan Norberg entitled Progress that laid out some ideas that I been noodling on lately and recapped in my previous…..
Bioluminescence
This is a picture of my new Firefly Petunia on the patio (taken at night under a dark blanket). The firefly petunia is bioluminescent – meaning it glows in …..
Vaccines
I had to get caught up on my vaccinations – including measles, hepatitis and yellow fever. I feel like Superman now! But it got me thinking vaccines…
Theory of Everything
You may have heard the phrase “Theory of Everything”. It is the “holy grail” of science – a theory that explains….everything! It implies that science is zeroing in on complete knowledge of the world…..
Extinction of Evolution
Evolution as historically understood is an endangered species. It is going extinct – at least how it has operated since Creation. This extinction is being brought about by …….
Horseshoe Crab
Have you ever seen a horseshoe crab? They are everywhere on the east coast. Turns out the horseshoe crab is a very special creature. It looks prehistoric because it is…..
Honor System
There is a small Romanian Orthodox church near my house that sells honey in the parking lot – $15 and $25 jars. It’s on the honor system.
Frisson
Have you ever started crying listening to music and you didn’t know why? That happens to me sometimes when I hear opera (which is not often ).
Tardigrade
The Tardigrade, affectionately known as a “water bear”, is a tiny creature (only .02” long) found...
Top 5 Texas State Parks
This is Part 4 (final) in a series on my journey thru the Texas State Parks. Click here for Parts...
Texas State Parks – 7 Themes
1. Texas History The state parks are full of artifacts that tell the story of Texas’ ancient...
Texas State Parks
One of my bucket list items is to visit every National Park (4 remaining!). In between the “big...
Genome
I was studying a timeline at the visitor center of Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona. It...
Revenge of the “God of the Gaps”
In ancient times many natural phenomena were attributed to God (or gods). Storms, earthquakes,...
CCC
Anyone who has spent time in our national or state parks knows the huge debt that we owe to the...
scuba
I recently got trained for scuba. The team at Grapevine Scuba - led by CB, Pam and son Brian are...
extinction
Extinction is forever…right? Not anymore….. On Wednesday, July 30, 2003 extinction was no longer...
quantum entanglement (…and the two shall become one flesh…)
When a man and woman marry, they become “one flesh”. Christ “indwells” a believer. God is three in...
top 5 hikes
I have done a lot of hiking. Hiking is my happy place – surrounded by beauty and able to toodle...
meow wolf (down the quantum rabbit hole)
Vicky and I visited Sante Fe while touring some national parks out West and stumbled on a place...
better
The last few years I have been on a lot of airplanes and occasionally I will get an upgrade that...
The glory of Bucee’s
I pulled into Bucee’s at sunrise. I could tell walking in that glory filled the place.Inside I was...
e coli
E. Coli, or Escherichia coli, are common bacteria that live in our intestines. You have probably...
binoculars
When my wife and I struck out to journey through the national parks, I bought her some nice...
beauty
Long ago my grandmother loved to go to the beauty parlor. Are you old enough to remember those...
blood
Blood is special to me. And to you…and many other living creatures. But especially special to...
zygote
As I shared in the “blood” note, blood stem cells saved my life. By transplanting blood stem cells...













































