It seems strange to me that in just 4 days, @sberg and I will be heading out with 14 others on a mission trip to the Navajo nation. Not really sure why it seems strange we’ve done local missions, stateside missions, and even a couple of international mission trips, but this one already has a calling to me and us. Not sure what it is or why it is but it seems to just make sense, this trip to go out west will be a trip into what will seem like a 3rd world country with more cultural and spiritual difference then i’ve had to deal with before. For a techie that normally has a Blackberry in hand, a laptop on the shoulder and never far from internet and connectivity this will be a challenge for me as well. And that’s a good thing! One of the things I struggle with is stopping and connecting and embracing the things that are most important, those relationships with God, with family, with friends. If you’ve ever talked with a person who has been on a mission trip they almost always say that it had more effect on them then it did on those that they were serving, that’s what i’m looking for, that moment, that realization, that focus. Pray for the Navajo and our group, pray that all involved will grow closer to the one true God. Thanks.
Have I told you lately how much I love the fact that Mozy sends me an affiliate check every month? It’s pretty easy to get people to sign-up for a free 2GB online backup site that works great. It’s one of the ways I’m using to help pay for my Navajo Mission trip so know that not only is it something i use and love it’s also helping support a great cause. So follow this link, http://bit.ly/mozyfree, sign-up for your free account and then once you’re registered click on the affiliate link on the bottom of the page and get ready to start getting your checks from Mozy.
As many of you know and as many of you are as well, I’m a huge fan of the CITRT community. Yes, community, we are a group (or “ungroup” as some say) that definitely come together mainly through our techie tool of the internet. In just over 2 weeks my wife (@sberg) will be heading to the Navajo Nation which is mainly in Arizona and New Mexico on a mission trip. I was getting ready to write up another post this morning to ask for prayer and for those of you so inclined financial support (for the two of us the trip will be over $1600) when I get the incoming link notifications that my buddy Jeff Suever has posted on his blog about our trip in today’s post called CITRT Member on a Mission. I can’t even say how much I(we) appreciate the support that Jeff and others have shown and given us and can only hope we can live out God’s love this well to the Navajo. The following comes from Jeff’s blog I just thought it HAD to be shared
If you have ever been blessed, encouraged or made to laugh by Derek, join me in supporting them in any way you can. Financially would be great, but in prayer (really, do it this time) would be more than appreciated as well. Whip out that fancy phone, put task reminders in there for
This is what I’ve been waiting for and my guess many others have been as well. Google Apps is releasing a plugin that will allow Apps to act/replace your exchange server with Calendar, Contact, and email syncing with Outlook. Looks. Hopefully this is included in the Education edition which is free for non-profits.
As always the easiest way to get these and all other of my blog posts is to follow my RSS feed here, and of course to keep up with all that’s going on in my life follow me on twitter, I’m @djberg.
IT Cost Cutting Tips Seminar & Transformers Movie Premiere
Operating Cost is at the top of every CIO’s agenda. As the economy slows and organizations see revenues decline, many IT departments are faced with reducing costs to improve bottom line.
Join us for a complimentary seminar where we’ll discuss three cost cutting tips every IT organization should explore, including practical ways to start taking advantage of them immediately. The presentation will be followed by a private screening of the new “Transformers” movie! Breakfast and snacks will be provided.
If you sign-up for this one Tampa, let me know via twitter as me and at least one other CITRT guy will be there.
As always the easiest way to get these and all other of my blog posts is to follow my RSS feed here, and of course to keep up with all that’s going in my life follow me on twitter with @djberg.
As I seem to find my way into getting lots of invites for free trainings, sales pitches, etc that involve free food, movies, etc I’m going to start a new category called “tech freebies” on my blog for those that are always asking to get a free “something”. If you’d like please pass along any freebies you find and I’ll share with everyone as well.
The first one I have to share I wish was a little closer to home for me but don’t think I can justify the drive across the state. But for a free meal at Morton’s Steakhouse I certainly would go if it was close, especially for a relatively short time requirement just for lunch from 11-1:30pm. This one is being put on by and for LANDesk Asset Lifecycle Management Seminars in Miami, FL on June 19th, here’s the link to register and more info direct from them:
Join us for lunch and an informational seminar at your favorite local steakhouse
While you network and enjoy a three course meal, an IATAM and ITIL certified industry expert will candidly discuss Asset Lifecycle Management best practices as well as introduce you to how LANDesk® addresses this critical area of IT.
Accurate asset knowledge, accountability, and control are critical to enhancing business value. Address your organization’s most pressing concerns with LANDesk Asset Lifecycle Management.
Topics of discussion include:
Gain Control: Know where assets are/ how they are being used Reduce Risk: Manage regulatory and security compliance Reduce Cost: Understand license, acquisition, support, and service Facilitate Accountability: The right people making decisions about IT Enhance Performance: Move from cost center to revenue enabler
As always the easiest way to get these and all other of my blog posts is to follow my RSS feed here, and of course to keep up with all that’s going in my life follow me on twitter with @djberg.
Each year Woodland sends a team to New Mexico to minister at the Navajo Reservation. They work mainly with three organizations: Western Indian Ministries, Forest Lake Baptist Church in Black Mesa, and Rez Refuge. Ministry opportunities include: construction and renovation, distribution of clothing and health care supplies, outreach at local orphanages, and senior craft seminars.
This summer a group from Woodland, Shana (my wife), and I will be heading to the Navajo Nation July 10th – 18th. We will be working to renovate and develop a Youth Community Center for the reservation, along with the projects listed above. I will also be helping out with their network, computers, and possibly starting a computer lab. We ask for your prayers and financial support as we prepare for this trip. We also are looking for computer, monitor and networking equipment donations.
Way back when at the end of January I posted “Using your phone during church?!?” on the blog. It sparked a little conversation but of course most of the response was from other techies that are on blogs and twitter “professionally” I’d like to widen the question to a broader group of people as I’m still not sure how people take the use of technology in a church service. So please share this on your blogs, twitter, etc. Thanks! Short URL for this post is http://bit.ly/57Dvi
I recently rolled out 4 checkin stations for our Daycare, which will be used for checkin and checkout 5 days a week for about 350 children. Two of these are also being used for Childrens checkin for their weekend service time and the other two will be used for the preschool area at the same time on the weekends. These will also be eventually used on Wednesday nights for the Student Ministry. As these computers will be on most days all day in open areas that everyone has easy access to it was important to me to be able to easily secure these computers and make sure that no matter what happens that the next time they are turned on they’ll ready to go same as the last time. As usual I posed the question to the CITRT IRC chat and quickly was given the answer of Windows SteadyState. It’s a free software available as long as the Windows you are running is legal and legit. I’m always a big fan of free! The homepage says exactly what I wanted it to:
You can’t always prevent problems during a user session, but now you can undo the whole session. Learn how Windows SteadyState can return your computer and hard disk to its exact condition before the user touched it, simply by rebooting.
It’s pretty simple to setup, just check boxes with all kinds of options that you can turn on and off. After you get it set-up just the way you want the settings are exportable and importable so you can just load to other computers and have everything match-up just the way you want it.
Sharing this video I got from Steve Ollis’s blog. Some really interesting thoughts and numbers that make you think. There’s lot of technology related statistics and absolutely zero religious reference but I think that’s where we come in. As ministers of the gospel using technology to further the kingdom how can we use information like this to expand our thinking and help us reach people. Share this with your other tech friends and co-workers, and share in the comments what made YOU think. Now with that all said, “Did you know?”
