Hettinger.us

African Safari

2025-11-22T09:42:00.007-07:00

I recently was part of a Global Information Technology conference for Mission Aviation Fellowship. About forty people from around the globe met in South Africa to worship, unify, and look towards the future.

While there, we had the opportunity to go to Kruger national park and see some of the wildlife. Seeing all the wildlife was a great experience.

Home Automation

2024-11-21T21:43:00.003-07:00

Over the years, I've been very interested in Home Automation. We setup a HAI Omni LT in our cabin long ago, and I've enjoyed the technical aspects of it since.

So I thought I'd go through some of my Home Automation setup.

I've been using Home Assistant, having tried several different things, such as Smart Things hub, Home Seer, and so forth, but I've been pretty impressed with Home Assistant.

Currently I have the Home Assistant OS installed on a small computer.

The computer is the MeLE Fanless Mini PC Quieter3Q 11th Gen N5105 8GB 256GB, Micro Computer WiFi 5 Small Desktop Service with USB-C PD, Gigabit Ethernet, Dual HDMI 4K, Auto Power on, PXE Support M.2 SSD. If has a M.2 slot, which I have a Google Coral installed to.

The Google Coral, SOM Google Edge TPU ML Compute Accelerator, Integrate The Edge TPU into Legacy and New Systems Using a Standard M.2-2280-B-M-S3 (B/M Key), allows for object detection, and is a pretty neat interface, allowing some of the video software to do object recognition.

For a Home Alarm and the basis for sensor, I have what is now a legacy device, a Leviton Omni IIe/LTe.

It is wired into all the doors and such for sensors on what is open and closed in the house.

As well, the Mele computer has a Z-wave Dongle.

The zwave controller is the AEOTEC Z-Stick Gen5 Z-Wave Hub Z-Wave Plus USB to Create Gateway (Ordinary White). With Z-wave, there are several Zwave outlets, zwave light switches, zwave water sensors, zwave power monitoring, etc.

I also have a Home Assistant SkyConnect - Matter and Zigbee compatible dongle, though I haven't plugged it in, because I don't have any devices that 'matter.'

With the Mele box and Home Assistant, I also have a RF controller, a RFXtrx433XL Transceiver, USB HA Controller 433.92MHz. It interacts with the automated Blinds, form Blindster - Automatic. They are Battery powered motorized blinds, and can be controlled from Home Assistant and a battery remote. They are also solar powered.

I have permanent Christmas lights, running WLED.

The controller for the led lights is a QuinLED-Dig-Quad Pre-Assembled. With the controller, I picked up some lights from Amazon, BTF-LIGHTING WS2812B IC RGB 5050SMD Pure Gold Individual Addressable LED Strip 16.4FT 150LED 30LED/m Flexible Full Color IP67 DC5V for DIY Chasing Color Project(No Adapter or Controller) 16.4FT 150LED. I also got some from Ali Express, though that takes longer to arrive, WS2812B Led Lights DC5V WS2812 RGB Led Strip Light Individually Addressable Smart Pixels Magic Light Black White PCB IP30 65 67. Emitting Color: WS2812B White PCB Color: 1m 60 IP65. I also have some stranded lights that are controlled as well, 100pcs WS2811 LED Module 9/12mm 2811 IC Black/Green/White/Crystal/RGB Wire IP68 Waterproof RGB Digital Led Pixel Module DC5v/12v.

Anyway, another neat feature of the Home Automation and security cameras integration is the use of Frigate.

Church History

2024-03-12T20:34:00.003-06:00

I had the pleasure of teaching a church history course for our adult Sunday school last fall. It was a fun time highlighting bite size bits of events in church history.

Devo

2024-03-12T20:29:00.001-06:00

While exercising the devotional approach to scripture, it is important to maintain healthy exegesis. Often the devotional method will parcel up scripture into small portions and the interpreter will plunge ahead looking for application without appreciation of the context or authorial intent. Remember the first rule of interpretation is context, context, context!

Bernard Ramm rightly points that we should approach the scriptures devotionally, but there are some dangers:

The devotional and practical emphasis in Bible teaching is absolutely necessary. The purpose of preaching is more than doctrinal communication or exposition of the meaning of Scripture. It must reach over into life and experience, and this is the function of the devotional teaching of Scripture. The vital, personal, and spiritual must be present in all the ministries of the Word.
There are two weaknesses of devotional interpretation:
(i). It/falls prey to allegorization especially in the use of the Old Testament. In the effort to find a spiritual truth or application of a passage of Scripture the literal and therefore primary meaning of the passage is obscured. If it is not a case of bald allegorizing it may be excessive typology. Given enough allegorical and typological rope one may prove a variety of contradictory propositions from the Old Testament. One may prove Calvinistic security (the central board in the wall of the Tabernacle) or Arminian probationalism (the failure of faith at Kadesh-Barnea). A Reformed expositor may prove that the soul feeds on Christ while discussing the sacrificial system, and a Catholic prove his doctrine of the mass.
All sorts of distortions have been made of the historical records of the Old Testament (and occasionally the New) in order to derive a spiritual blessing or to make a devotional point.
(ii). Devotional interpretation may be a substitute for the requisite exegetical and doctrinal studies of the Bible. Strong doctrinal sinews and solid exegetical bones are necessary for spiritual health. If the emphasis is completely devotional the requisite doctrinal and expository truth of Scripture are denied God’s people.

Bernard Ramm, Protestant Biblical Interpretation (Grand Rapids, Mich. Bake Book House, 1970), 62-63.

Lauren Baptism

2023-10-15T15:20:00.002-06:00

Anulum Solis

2023-10-14T22:17:00.006-06:00

We went to Sunriver, Oregon for the annular Solar eclipse that happened this morning. While we were in the area, we went to crater lake as well. It was a fun time, seeing the lake, bicycling around Sunriver, and hiking at the lake and also at the Newberry National Volcanic Monument, and Benham falls.

Biblical Theology of Resurrection

2023-06-25T14:11:00.010-06:00

Today I preached on the 'Light of life: A biblical theology of resurrection.' It was an opportunity to share some of the learning and research I've done on Biblical resurrection when doing my ThM thesis.

Biblical Theology of Shepherd

2023-02-26T17:01:00.003-07:00

Had the opportunity to preach on short notice, and I got to deliver a sermon I've been working on for a while. A biblical theology of Shepherd. Was nice to present this.

Biblical Theology of Temple

2022-08-11T08:34:00.008-06:00

Recently preached on a Biblical Theology of Temple. You can watch the video here. I was more concerned about accurately presenting Biblical Theology than extemporaneous presentation, so there was much reading. Next time should be on a Biblical Theology of Shepherd.

Sermon starts at 46:00

It is also available for download here.

Nahum Study

2022-06-05T15:04:00.009-06:00

Recently completed a study of the book of Nahum:

https://sites.google.com/view/gbc-2022-nahum/

Reading 2022

2022-06-05T15:02:00.005-06:00

Been reading several biblical interpretation books, including Interpretation of Prophecy by Paul Lee Tan, Let the Reader Understand by McCartney and Clayton, Biblical Interpretation by Gerald Bray, Grasping God's Word by Duvall and Hays, and rereading Understanding and Applying the Scriptures (now available on kindle) by Danny McCain and Craig Keener. Also read Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund.

Started reading through Forsaking Israel edited by Pettegrew, and Letter's to My Children by Daniel Taylor.Currently reading Ivanhoe by Walter Scott. Finished The Strangled Queen, and The Iron King, by Maurice Droun. As well as Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman, Origins of the Hebrews by Douglas Petrovich, and Epi-paleo Rx by Dr. Jack Kruse.Finished the Broken Earth series, The Stone Sky, The Obelisk Gate, and The Fifth Season all by N. K. Jemisin. read through Permission to Fail: The Overachiever’s Guide To Becoming Unstoppable by Lisa Abramson, and How to Lie with Statistics by Darrell Huff and Irving Geis. Read some of Aristotle’s Revenge: The Metaphysical Foundations of Physical and Biological Science by Edward Feser. Finished Riding the Elephant: A Memoir of Altercations, Humiliations, Hallucinations, and Observations by Craig Ferguson, and worked on the Dictionary of Major Biblical Interpreters edited by Donald K. McKim. Enjoyed reading 31 Ways to be A One-Another Christian: Loving Others with the Love of Jesus by Stuart Scott and S. Andrew Jin. Finished the Mistborn saga by Brandon Sanderson, and read Moby Dick by Herman Melville

Obadiah Study

2022-03-13T21:03:00.006-06:00

Recently did a Bible Study on Obadiah:

https://sites.google.com/view/gbc-2022-obadiah

Ham Radio - KK7ARH

2021-09-05T14:30:00.004-06:00

Yesterday, I took the HAM radio exams for Technician and General status, and passed both. I have to wait a few days to receive my callsign, and then I'll be able to converse upon the amateur radio waves, and partake in interesting technologies, such as APRS.

Growing up, my dad had a plethora of radios/communication devices: business radios in our vehicles, a 100' radio tower in our backyard, shortwave radios for backcountry flying, walkie talkies, handheld ham radios, CB radios, airplane radios, a radio telephone bridge, a radio telephone in his Jeep, remote audio and video transmission, and probably several other things I can't recollect. I remember visiting mountain top lookouts and testing radio connections. Many fun memories.

Aeron Remastered

2021-05-27T09:41:00.005-06:00

I've been working from home for quite some time, and have worn out my office chair. I've gone through a couple in the last two decades, so decided to get a higher quality chair and went with the Aeron Remastered. Pretty excited about it.

Introduction to Bible Study Methods

2021-05-22T08:58:00.000-06:00

Interested in the process of studying the Bible? Want to learn the in's and outs in bible study methods? Check out this site I setup that was from a course I taught several years back:

https://sites.google.com/view/biblestudymethods/

COVID toes and circulation woes

2021-05-04T12:28:00.010-06:00

Some references about COVID, circulation, and COVID Toes:

Music - Phil Keaggy - When Will I Ever Learn to Live in God

2021-04-17T10:48:00.004-06:00

Phil Keaggy does an expert cover of this song, written by Van Morrison.

Reading - February 2021

2021-02-27T10:09:00.000-07:00

While I was sick with the Corona virus, I had some time to read. And read through Mistborn, by Brandon Sanderson. The book was well written, and makes a well rounded story in a single book. Though the book begins a trilogy.

Covid 19

2021-02-26T09:55:00.001-07:00

All the precautions were for naught; I caught the Corona virus. It wasn't too bad, I started off with some zinc when I had an initial fever. The fever was very slight and only two degrees Fahrenheit above my normal, for only three hours. I then had a headache, and muscle pain for three days, and developed a light cough. Six days after my fever, I lost my sense of smell, but retained my sense of taste. I've been released from quarantine by the Center for Disease Control. I was isolated from the family into two rooms for over a week, so it's nice to be free again.

Bitcoin 50k

2021-02-16T09:58:00.007-07:00

Bitcoin recently broke $50,000 U.S., and to celebrate, here is a paintmash.

Reading - 2020 into 2021

2021-01-15T15:38:00.004-07:00

I've recently finished reading the Lightbringer series, by Brent Weeks. Several book comprise the series: The Black Prism, The Blinding Knife, The Broken Eye, The Blood Mirror, and The Burning White.

Before the Lightbringer series, I read the The Last Druid, by Terry Brooks. The supposedly last in the line of the Shannara novels. And before that was working on The Once and Future King, by T.H. White. The Once and Future King has been heralded as a cornerstone of Fantasy literature, but I've only made it a quarter of the way through.

Also read the book Creation Unfolding: A New Perspective on Ex Nihilo, by my friend, Dr. Ken Coulson. An excellent book that presents a perspective that reconciles some of the disparities between scientific perception and faith.

Trucky Truck

2020-12-28T18:55:00.002-07:00

Recently purchased a 2015 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport, four door, four wheel drive. We're Sending the Prius on down the line. We've had the Prius for eight years, and changed the traction battery on it in 2018. But it will be nice to have a four wheel drive vehicle again.

Spin Cycle

2020-11-21T16:38:00.002-07:00

Trying to improve my cardio, so I purchased a used spin bike off of craigslist.

Very happy to have an exercise bike with the cold weather coming.

Pain in the Neck

2020-10-25T20:24:00.002-06:00

For approximately the last five years, I've had substantial neck pain. I've changed chairs, mattresses, had an MRI, physical therapy, and been on prescription muscles relaxants.

However, the cause of the neck pain was never fully clear. Recently, when the pain was quite intense, we resolved that I should go to a chiropractor that used x-Rays. It was immediately clear from the standing profile x-ray (as apposed to a horizontal MRI of just a few vertebrae), that my neck was too straight. There should be a curve to your neck, and mine was not behaving appropriately. I later googled this, and there is a term called 'Military Neck' which seems to describe it. So I've embarked on working on my neck posture, and though sore, it seems to be helping so far. I purchased a blue neck alignment pillow, which makes me happy, though will have to see about its efficacy.

In the mean time, you can see my Halloween costume photo this year (or x-ray rather).

ePebo Vacuum Brewer

2020-10-25T19:32:00.003-06:00

20 years ago, I purchased a Starbucks Barista Utopia vacuum brewer (when they were on closeout from Starbucks). It was a great coffee maker, I nicknamed the coffee volcano, but was used pretty heartily for making several pots of coffee a day for me and my roommates, and eventually wore out.

Bodum (who manufactured the Utopia back in the day), have another electric vacuum brewer, the ePebo. It was (probably) on closeout, so I purchased us a new coffee maker at 50% off. Also, our trusty drip maker finally gave out.

Starbuck's Utopia from long ago