Finals! Its almost over?

As finals week quickly approaches I am shocked my how fast this quarter and year has gone. I know the experiences I had in these classes will stay with me for the rest of my life. Whether it was the late nights in the lab finishing up something due the next day or getting up at 6am for an early morning class, I feel confident I not only learned how to manage my time better but also received a broad scope of education.

This quarter my favorite class was the Learn By Doing Lab. The learn by doing lab has four sections: Engineering, Earth Science, Physical Science and Life Science. I was involved with the Engineering and Earth Science which were both very hands on and fun.

In the Earth Science lab the students looked at was to build a better wind turbine by testing various pitches and types of blades. Not only did I learn more about wind energy but we had the opportunity to put into practice our Engineering skills.

The Engineering Design Process we used in our lab.

The earth science lab was more involved and due to the small amount of time each student had at the various experiments, it was very hectic at times! My favorite experiment of all was the pressure and volume test where a marshmallow was placed inside a vacuum and seemed to double in size! The cheers and cry's of delight from the students was the highlight of my week.

Over all, in order to better develop a stronger education program and improve students attitudes towards learning, I feel is is important to spend time preparing material and activities for the students. Not only will this increase the over all effectiveness of the program but it will also help to develop in the Cal Poly students a method of initiation and preparedness.

This program will continue to make a positive impact on the Engineers and scientist of tomorrow.

Motivation through trials

Returning from memorial day weekend out at Camp Emerald Bay I was feeling pretty content. The good community, fellowship and fun times really made the island a place I want to go back to. However, since I have two more weeks of school I grudgingly had to return to the mainland. After catching the ferry and then driving to the Fullerton train station I was worried about my transportation home. If all went as planned I would arrive in SLO after 11:45pm. The thought of walking back from the train station at midnight didn't scare me as much as missing my bus connection in Santa Barbara.
After buying one of the last tickets to SLO, I meandered outside to enjoy the 2 hour wait before the train came. Occasionally a huge freight train would roar past, rattling the windows and doors around me. Other then myself there were few passengers waiting on the station's patio. Peace and tranquil, I slowly let go of the stress I was feeling over finals and the train and began to doze off in the warm afternoon sunlight. Suddenly and unexpectedly, a woman's cry of pain shook me awake. A shoot of adrenaline coursed through me as I look around for the reason of the cry. Right in front of me, bent over and leaning on crutches was a short, overweight women who appeared to be in her 30's. Dressed in baggy but colorful short and shorts, the women wore a cast on her leg. Her companion was a African American male who was trying to help. What struck me as strange wasn't the situation but that a huge grin was painted across his face. I was shocked! How could he be so inconsiderate to this women who was obviously in extreme pain?
The women looked up and looked directly at me. Even at the distance I could see pain and fatigue in her eyes. But then, expectantly she spoke to me. "I'm pregnant with my fathers child because he raped me. I have cancer and my knee needs surgery. Praise God! God is Good!"

I didn't move. My heart beat in a slow thump, thump, thump rhythm. God is Good, I asked myself? Where can such a person, who has endured such pain and suffering, find God? I came back to reality as the women cried out in pain again, this time loud enough for everyone to look up. I could tell she was having difficultly in even walking but I couldn't think of anything to do. I felt helpless, frustrated and drained.

Thinking on this experience more I began to contemplate the life I live. So much of the wealth I have is taken for granted. Health, Family, Finance, Food, Security as well as Freedom. How easy is it for us to worry about whether well miss the bus or not and forget about the more important things in life. If there is one thing I never want to forget it is that simply living is a blessing from God.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYWPLxVJca0&feature=player_embedded

Sabbath in Community

"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light,
we have fellowship with one another".
1 John 1:7

Over the past weekend I had the opportunity to spend time with a loving group of people who welcomed and supported me in my spiritual walk with God and offered a break from the busyness of school. Not only did we have delicious food, warm campfires, and beautiful scenery but the time spent in reflection of who Jesus is gave me a better sense of what these people represented.

So often I forget in the hectic life at school that Jesus loves each and everyone of us, more then any of us can ever understand. This perspective helps me respond to others in love and not out of raw emotion. Dealing with people on a real level isn't easy but Its a lot easier than what Jesus went through.

I hope your time spent with people can be filled with open sharing and venerability because the closer we grow in relationship with Jesus and start walking in the light, the more this love for each other becomes a reality.

VANDENBERG

A Tour of the Air Force Base and its Civil Engineering Projects

By Jordan Gamble

May 17, 2011

As the mishmash of students from Cal Poly stumble out from the bus, all eyes are turned upward in awe as they finally come face to face with the reality of the launch tower. It’s big! I mean really big! Image looking up at a tower over 230 feet and weighing more than 8.5 million pounds; now imagine standing at the top, leaning over a rusted railing, looking down hundreds of feet into the flame ducts of the launch pad. Most of the students were probably thinking, “No way! This is so cool!”.

Vandenberg Air Force Base was originally built to handle the space shuttle program but after the challenger disaster in 1986 the program fell apart and was lost in history. However, after many renovations and lots of reconstruction, the first Delta IV launch took place in 2006, marking the beginning of the most successful space and missile program on the west coast which continues today.

As a student in IME 223, I had the opportunity to see firsthand the work of the government on a project whose scale and magnitude dwarfed my wildest imagination. Although I must give credit to the management and logistical planning that has gone into this program I could not avoid noticing the inefficiency in many of the projects aspects. Our tour guide told us of the bureaucracy and complicated paperwork involved for any Air Force project due to safety precautions and regulations. In some cases this has tripled the cost of the project from what it would cost normally. Other inefficiencies were caused by inventory delay and excess storage of old parts and inventory. It may be a perfect opportunity for industrial engineers to cut costs and improve productivity for the government projects.

This tour was fun, inspiring and educational as to all the aspects of engineering that is involved in the space program at Vandenberg Air Force Base.

The Devil is in your home

Each year, the society of women engineers offers free tours of various companies in the nearby area. Last year I attended a tour of Ernie Ball Guitars which really was inspiring for its efficiant and no-waste manufacturing. Check out my old post here. However, this years tour of the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant was not only an amazing engineering feat but also a revelation as to why nuclear energy is becoming the most viable energy source for our century!

The power plant consists of two reactors. Each uses the uranium from old Soviet Bombs. From the atomic fission process the energy produced is used to heat water. In order to keep the water from evaporating, the pipes are pressurized. Ocean water is pumped past the hot pipes which is instantly turned into steam that powers turbines used to produce power. Each year Diablo Canyon produces 18,000 gigawatt-hours of electricity.

The other aspect of the plant was the potential for growth in this field. It costs approximatly 0.77 cents/kWh. Compare that with the other fuel sources and you can see the nuclear is the most cost efficient source of energy.
























Moreover Diablo Canyon gives more than $250,000 annually to the community and is a supporter of community service.

From this tour I found that Nuclear power is the only realistic option available for generating clean power. In fact, nuclear energy is the only source of power that produces almost zero greenhouse gas emissions during the generation of electricity and therefore makes a future source of energy for our production driven society.

Entrepreneur; You got an Idea?

Just got out of an awesome meeting with the Cal Poly Entrepreneur club where the guest speaker was Dan, the owner of OneWay Board shop.

He had lots of stories to share about making mistakes and learning but some of the best advice he had was to let companies grow organically. So many big companies go corporate and lose the culture and vision for when they started, leaving them with nothing but lots of inventory and no costomers. So take your time, there are more important things in life then getting rich quick.

He also recomends working for an Entrepreneur since this will give you a place to grow while not risking everything you have. However, at some point, you need to take a leap into the unknown... thats what makes you different. Risk makes you and Entrepreneur.

The two biggest things he says that will keep the business alive in bad times is passion and margins. The only way to find out your margins is to get work experience in your field of business. The Japanese call this a gemba, or Go and See. Getting hands on work experience is necessary in making informed decisions for the future.

Dan had lots more to say but it was cool to see a local company start up and thrive with a business model and culture that is focus more on the community rather then the money.

Lets go Exploring

Today was the second week of my explorations into the realm of unknown churches. I attended a Lutheran church off broad st... Why you might ask???

After spending most of my freshman year at grace and getting involved with the college group at Grace Church(a nondenominational christian church), I am determined to see what else there is in order to get a better understanding of my own religion and what I believe. This can also offer beneficial insight into how we might improve our program or even outreach.

Similar to traveling, going to other churches give one an opportunity to learn about different beliefs, religions and cultures. I am even willing to try out various other churches including Everyday, a very emotional worship, Byzantine Church, a catholic priesthood i think, Slo crusade, a campus focused church. I have even considered the possibility of attending a Mormon or Jehovah witness church.

“If your gonna screw up, do it while you're young. Older you get, the harder it is to bounce back.”

Winston Groom

American Novelist author of such stories as Forrest Gump

Beer Pong! (Well, that got your attention)

According to the Wall Street Journal the drinking age of 21 doesn't save lives but does promote binge drinking and contempt for the law. What is your impression of this. My point is not whether drinking is right or wrong, sinful or holy but instead what is good for the betterment of society.

I feel an obligation to my teachers, friends and parents to do my best and uphold standards for myself above what society thinks. I've had underage friends from classes ask me to buy them beer and had to say no over and over again. I've been out drinking with friends who's sole purpose is to get drunk. As mentioned in a previous blog, it is important to have standards of integrity while not becoming judgmental towards others. In fact, the opportunity to attend a party should be viewed as an opportunity to witness and is key to spreading the good news! Though some may say I'm a heretic, I feel a life living on the edge(mixing with the culture) is going to be more overt then staying inside the safety of my christian bubble.

As a side note on Drinking and the stress involved:
There are various reasons to drink including social comfort and party aspects. But by far the most driving force behind drinking is a desire to STOP THINKING. Stress from school, work and relationships builds up until our brains get a rest from going, going going... Unless we get daily or weekly breaks from the busy schedule of life we will be forced to resort to more dangerous and risky types of relaxants.

Our society needs well balanced individuals who take time to reboot. Gardening, yoga, or meditation are all great ways to stop and get some respite. Check out some tools available online that help deal with stress.

Care of Creation

Hi all,

Hope your busy lives are going well as you continue to grow in Love with others. Here is a great note from the website, careforcreation.org, about what has been going on in Japan. I hope you get a chance to read it and digest what it means to us in the US, one of the most prosperous places on earth. Also, please pray for the people who are dealing with great loss and turmoil.

With love,

Jordan Gamble

"It hasn’t been a year since the Gulf oil spill, which we rightly saw as the worst environmental disaster in memory. At that time I wrote a piece trying to come to terms with that situation: “How Do You Pray about an Oil Spill?” And now I sit pondering a disaster that could turn out to be exponentially greater than the BP/Halliburton fiasco. I am doing so at my dining room table, in a part of the world that is seismically if not politically stable, many miles from the nearest nuclear facility. I am looking out at a landscape where the first birds of spring have arrived and are singing up a storm: Robins, redwing blackbirds, a cedar waxwing and (I think) a pine warbler (If you are a birder, see the pic below and tell me if I’m right.) just this morning. The contrast between my window and the stories on my computer screen could not be more different, and I am forced to ask the same question I asked last summer: How do I pray about what is now happening in Japan?

If you are not already overloaded with video of the disaster, check out the clip below. This is one of the first live reports of the wall of water and debris engulfing the flat land bordering the sea in Miyagi Prefecture north of Tokyo. I don’t expect you to be able to watch all 18 minutes, but take it at least through the first four or five, remembering that every house, every vehicle being swallowed has people in it.

[Click here to go the clip.]

My first reaction to this is to think that Hollywood’s disaster flicks don’t come close to duplicating the real thing. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anything even in fiction like this monster as it races across the landscape, belching smoke and flame, swallowing everything in its path. My second response is similar to how I feel when I stand at the base of Niagara Falls – very small and inconsequential. Look – everything human is being obliterated. Our greatest works hardly slow it down; instead, as human artifacts are swallowed they become part of the monster, swelling its size and increasing its power to destroy. There is powerful metaphor here – read on.

This 20 minute disaster by itself is enough for a lifetime. But this is only the middle act of a three-part tragedy. To this we have to add, on the front end, approximately three minutes of the worst earthquake in recorded Japanese history, and on the back end a still unfolding nuclear disaster whose effects could last from decades to centuries.

Now would you like the really bad news? This is happening in Japan.

This is one of the wealthiest, most technologically advanced countries in the world. Japan is not only the source of many of our cars and electronic gadgets – she is the most prepared-for-disaster country in history. Japan knows earthquakes as Oklahoma knows tornadoes. Building codes are possibly the strictest in the world. Public education, early warning systems, disaster drills: Everything that could be done in anticipation of a disaster was being done. There is no way to blame this tragedy on greed (the Gulf oil spill), poverty (Haiti), or political ineptness (Hurricane Katrina). No – it seems like this is one tragic event that was going to happen and there was nothing anyone anywhere could have done to prevent it or to adequately prepare for it.

An article in the New York Times on disaster preparedness sums up the situation nicely: No matter how high the levee or how flexible the foundation, disaster experts say, nature bats last.

[Note for international readers: That last phrase comes from the American sport of baseball, in which teams have to take turns at bat, the only time a team can score runs. The home team always bats last and therefore always has the last opportunity to win the game. In the great game of life on earth, we human beings are the visiting team, and nature will always have the last say.]

So let’s get back to the original question: In this situation, where the best that human society can offer is less than inadequate, how should we pray?

First, we need to put God back into the picture. “Nature” is a euphemism – God is the reality. Nature does not control the movement of tectonic plates, the displacement of billions of tons of sea water. But God does. Isaiah 40 might be a useful chapter to run to in these times of trouble and chaos:

21 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
Have you not understood since the earth was founded?
22 He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth,
and its people are like grasshoppers.
He stretches out the heavens like a canopy,
and spreads them out like a tent to live in.
23 He brings princes to naught
and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.
24 No sooner are they planted,
no sooner are they sown,
no sooner do they take root in the ground,
than he blows on them and they wither,
and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.

Does putting God at the center of the Japan disaster make you a bit uncomfortable? It should. “Fear God” is a common exhortation in the Bible for good reason – over familiarity with the God of earthquakes and tsunamis is not a good idea.

This leads directly to our second item:

We need to understand our frailty and adopt an attitude of humility. There’s a line I use often in my talks that applies here:

“The entire human enterprise depends on two things: Six inches of topsoil and the fact that it rains.”

No matter how clever our inventions, no matter how beautiful our artwork, no matter how profound our works of literature or how powerful our weapons or how vast our (imaginary) wealth, we are in the end biological creatures who suffer and die quickly without air, food and water. Our frailty is evident in every disaster – water and food become matters of top priority, and lack of these is often a major reason for breakdowns in security and social norms. But absent a disaster, we human beings act like teenagers who are invincible and will live forever. Could there be a better description of an economic system built on the premise that perpetual growth is possible, desirable and inevitable?

Perhaps James’ caution could apply here:

13 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil.

And we need to admit the reality of our sin and repent. Think back to the image of the tsunami wave racing across the landscape, engulfing cars and buildings and then carrying them along, adding them to itself and using them to consume and destroy yet more cars and buildings. There is a powerful metaphor here: All of our economic, political and social structures have been built, like the Tower of Babel on a foundation of arrogance and greed. We have in fact “added house to house until there is no more room and we live alone in the land” (Is 5). We have “destroyed the earth” and unknowingly lived on the blood of millions trapped in poverty. And the system we’ve built for our comfort and prosperity is in the process of destroying us, more slowly but just as effectively as that tsunami wave whose destructive force was magnified by the cars and houses it had swallowed. (See previous posts that relate here and here and here and here.)

Biblical repentance calls for a change of attitude as well as change of direction. “Go and sin no more,” says Jesus to an admitted sinner. Can an entire global society learn to “sin no more”? I’m not sure we can, but I suspect this is the great challenge of our time.

And this brings us to our one hope in all of this:

We can appeal to the mercy and grace of a God who is not only wrathful but also loving:

13 “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, 14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. [II Chronicles 7:13-14]

And while we confess and pray, we can also hang on tight to the words of Jeremiah at one of the darkest periods of Israel’s history that are the source of one of our greatest hymns of prayer and praise:

9 I remember my affliction and my wandering,
the bitterness and the gall.
20 I well remember them,
and my soul is downcast within me.
21 Yet this I call to mind
and therefore I have hope:
22 Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
24 I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.” [Lamentations 3:19-24]

And so I turn from visions of disaster and tragedy to think again of the warbler I saw this weekend, who has survived a long, hard winter and a flight of thousands of miles, and who spends his morning singing praises to his creator, and mine:

In a day of turbulence and tragedy, may God give you the peace and hope that is the inheritance of the children of God.

Blessings -

Ed, for the Care of Creation Family"

Love as an exchange

In response to the last post I have realized there is a major flaw in my worldview;
DONT JUST LOVE PEOPLE TO GET LOVE BACK!

Over the past few weeks my roommate has been making a series of choices that I considered irresponsible. I felt I should call him out as a brother in Christ on some of his choices yet I never got up the courage. I felt afraid of how he would react and view me since we have already been at odds due to separate churches, social lives, and priorities. Instead of building my brother up, I choose not to care.

My sin of judgment grew until I no longer wanted to spend time with him because I felt his life was not a representation of Christianity. This pride of my self-image stopped me from loving him as a brother and made my heart harden towards him even in times when he needed me most.

Last week, after expressing this to a close friend, I realized I needed to apologize to Brian and rebuild the relationship that was lost. In the last few days I have seen such a change in our home that I brings joy to my heart knowing God is willing to forgive everyone! Even those who have a hard time loving others.

Takeaway: Loving people is not easy. It might mean giving up your own comfort for the sake of others. Don't think you will always get your way... Long term happiness comes from giving more then you receive.

Similar Interests

College is a great time; everyone is running after the same thing: careers. Spending time with similar minded individuals makes a person happy. That's why people who think alike sometimes end up getting married.

But what do you really care about? What are interests you believe worthwhile?

For me, being raised in a loving family and the church has taught me a love of community and relationships. In the Boy Scouts, I applied my Christian moral code as a standard to live by. These values are what I stand by today in making decision about who I spend time with and what kinds of activities I do.

Build relationships with people who care about you...

Yet, some might say the opposite: Treat others as you would have them treat you. But don't expect them to return the favor. I'll talk more about this next time.

Confession and Self Examination

Getting to know ourselves is difficult for sure, but the pay off is being in line with the desire of Gods heart.

"Search me O God and know my heart,

Test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive ways in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting. " Psalm 139: 23-24

I often fall into the mentality that if I don't murder or steal then I don't really need to confess those sins. Yet sin is anything that breaks our relationships with God and others. We need to be continually reminded of the power of the cross and what Jesus has done for us.

The powerful tools of self examination are useful. Ask yourself, which of your sins hurt those closest to you?

Giving it all up...

Giving it all up, means bringing our burdens, blessings and entire self to Gods feet and asking him to change our hearts. When we accept that our lives are not our own and depend entirely upon the death of Jesus on the cross it breaks the bonds of guilt in our lives; a process that is both empowering and humiliating. Yet at the same time we are called to make a daring effort to continually be putting to death sin in our lives and "perfecting holiness out of reverence for God." (2 Corinthians 7:1)

How we begin this transformation is spelled out directly in the bible. It is through reading this guidebook for our lives that we can gain insight into how our lives are a reflection of God's love. These principles will be stepping stones of forgiveness, service, and loving others that will lead to outreach in our communities. Let us make it our business, then, to never grow lazy or apathetic in our battle for holiness and desire for communion with God.

All to the Glory of God... Jordan

INCLUSION

Loving your neighbor: it means including others who don't deserve to be.

"My roommate always eats more then his share of the food!"

"I wish my little brother would grow up and stop being so annoying!"

"My lab partner is so lazy, why doesn't he ever do his share of work?!"

The world is full of hypocrites who claim they love people and God yet live such self-serving lives they miss out on the opportunity to serve others.

We don't want to hear, "I love you but only on the condition..." We want to know you love us even with our mistakes... Thats what it means to love everyone, even those who aren't our friends.

Story of Self

Today we are studying the ways in which God uses us to bring the lost sheep back to the Lord. (Luke 15:1-7) One of the most powerful tools in evangelizing is the story of self; it is a brief (two minute max) story of your life: before you knew God, how you came to accept Jesus as your Lord, and how your life is transformed and renewed by his spirit. This is my story of self, how about yours?

Growing up in a christian home (with the best parents in the world), I knew from a young age about who God was and how Jesus died on the cross for me. I was a good child and did what my parents told me to. However, my hearts desire for happiness was self serving; only searching for the next satisfying thing in my own life. I didn't ever stop to check my perspective or ask why I could go to church on Sunday and go through the week with only prayer at bible study and meal time. I was lost in the world and I didn't know it.

In 2009, when I first came to cal poly, I joined a lot of clubs; InterVarsity, Wheelmen, Robotics, etc. My freshman year was a time full of trying new things and being spontaneous, irresponsible, and fun. Little did I know God was planning on using my crazy schedule to bring me back to him. In the busy spring quarter of that year I gave up most of the clubs but stuck with InterVarsity because of the friends and community I had made there. I never expected that to be such a pivotal moment in my life.

Today, I am leading a bible study; a position, I realize, I don't deserve and am unqualified to hold in my strength alone. Yet it is with Jesus Christ that we find our righteousnesses and courage. Everyday I get to see things that God is doing in my life and others, while transforming my heart and mind to become more like Jesus. I can say in full conviction that the Joy of seeing other peoples lives transformed for Jesus is more rewarding then any club, party, or adrenaline rush I will ever find in the college life.

My Perogitive

It's been a solid seven months since I blogged last and I have missed writing out my experiences and hearing your questions, comments and thoughts. This lack of communication with family and friends has drawn me back to the blog as I begin the processes again, hoping to share some of the thoughts I have on my life and the community around me. My hope is to share with you in honesty and venerability what I am experiencing.

The second reason I am returning is due to a feeling a gratitude to those around me who have included me and made my experience at college a family focused lifestyle. I hope to use these posts to express how valuable my friends are in school and society.

Finally, although I may be self-righteous in claiming this, I hope that by sharing what I am learning, this knowledge and understanding will somehow translate into your lives or someone you know.

Whether you are a follower via email or just a visitor, you will see a life and purpose in my writings that reflect the glory and love of Jesus. To that end is my goal but through the process I expect to see transformations in my heart and wisdom in what it means to find my right to life in Jesus Christ.

Sincerely,

Jordan G

What is my Prerogative?

SLO Symphony: check it out at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrjoU0RveRQ

Last weekend I went to a concert at the Preforming Arts center where we watched the talented musicians play the most beautiful music I have ever heard live! It made me realize how passionate these people where and how much they must practice in order to get so good; much like musicians, I must also practice discipline in order to become a master at what I want to preform.

What are some important things in your life that you haven't been putting enough of your life into?