Saturday, March 25, 2017

Kickstarter for a friend

This is to kick start for "The Jr Ranger Adventure" Series of National Park Books. Fun for adults and kids to read.  Each book is fiction and has an amazing story blended with  American Folklore.
As the population of America grows exponentially, our challenge to preserve our National Parks is just as great. “The Jr Ranger Adventures” will educate and impress a more permanent love for our National Parks by enlisting our National Folk Heroes.       
Our first finished book, “Paul Bunyan & Me in Yosemite” is a story of ten-year-old twins Lucas and Lucy, the children of National Park Director Talitha Fern and her husband John Henry who begin a camping tour together of the National Parks. 
Lucas discovers an ability to communicate with the Giant Grizzly sequoia tree in the Mariposa Grove. He is shown the hidden location of Paul Bunyan who disappeared into the west over a hundred years ago, thus beginning an adventure like no other.  
Eventually Lucas and Lucy earn their Jr Ranger badges while helping their Mom (Talitha) recruit the largest human in the world as Yosemite’s newest Ranger. 
 The President of the United States visits to help convince Paul Bunyan into joining the team. A presidential visit described very much like the one that recently took place. Paul Bunyan is a changed man dedicated to preserving trees rather than chopping them down, he decides to turn his axe and bull into tools of preservation. 


Paul Bunyan & Me in Yosemite
Paul Bunyan & Me in Yosemite
You will also meet the mighty John Henry (Father of our Jr Rangers), Casey Jones, Ranger Pamahas (Pam) the great-granddaughter of an ingenious Native American basket weaver and of course the President of the United States.  
You will travel from the palm of Paul Bunyan’s hand in Yosemite, to a velvety soft red seat in the caboose of the Cannonball with Casey Jones, gliding towards book two in the Grand Canyon. An experience you will never forget. "John Henry & Me in the Grand Canyon" will release by May 2017.  
16 Books between 120-180 pages each, are outlined and planned between 2017-2020 including National Parks in Ireland, England, Germany, Russia, China.  All connected to the same story just adding different folk-heroes and countries.
We have an amazing artist preparing beautiful and unusual art of Folk-heroes living in our National Parks. 
Each book includes fun facts and puzzles in the end to assist the reader doing a book report or on a very long and possibly restless trip to one of our amazing National Parks. 

About Derek Ryan Jensen Author of Jr Ranger Adventures



Derek Ryan Jensen was born in Redwood City, California June 27, 1976 and grew up under foster care until leaving on a church mission in 1995.  Derek wrote short stories and poems before graduating from Moorpark High School in 1994. He met the legendary Ray Bradbury his Senior year in High School who motivated him to become a writer.
As a teenager until in his twenties, Derek went on many backpacking trips in the high sierras with the boy scouts and other church groups.  He has been across over four hundred miles of back country between Mt. Whitney, Sequoia National Park, Kings Canyon, Death Valley, Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Zions, Bryce, the Angeles National Forest, San Bernardino National Forest and others.
Battling depression caused by trauma and abuse during foster care, Derek returned to the Dominican Republic spending another five years after his two-year church mission.   He married the elementary school teacher Miledy Lopez, and worked as an English teacher while providing fundraising and purchasing assistance to local medical centers and hospitals for supply and equipment upgrades.  Dedicating most of his time to centers treating patients with broken down or below standard equipment.
During his years in the Dominican Republic, Derek wrote “The tiny Life of Lucas Fern” on an old-fashioned typewriter along with thousands of pages of other poems, short stories and other works.  He was appointed Branch President where he lived, for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints at the age of twenty-three during the worse crisis the country had seen in decades.  Soon after the devastation of Hurricane George, a category 4 hurricane, he managed the administration of food and rebuilding supplies donated by the church to the local members, helping rebuild the homes of members and non-members. 
During his foster years, Derek's last name was changed (not-illegally) four different times before the age of eighteen. Upon returning to live in the USA, Derek was forced to legally clear up the name misunderstanding with the IRS and Social Security Administration.  In 2006 as he legally changed his name to Jensen.
He declared bankruptcy in 2014 after his unsuccessful attempt to settle unauthorized accounts that had been connected to his social security number using his past foster names.
Derek and his family lived in his native state of California until 2015 when he moved to Utah looking to start his own business and finally pursue his dream of publishing his short stories and books.
He camps with his family for a week in Yosemite every year (a family tradition), and other National Parks as time permits.  He missed the visit of President Obama in Just of 2016 by two weeks, but has included part of the visit in his latest book.  He has climbed to the top of Half Dome four times.

The father of two boys and two girls, Derek finally published his first book, “The tiny Life of Lucas Fern” in English and Spanish, and has completed the first book in his National Park series, “Paul Bunyan & Me in Yosemite.”  Set to publish spring 2017, he is putting the finishing touches on, “John Henry & Me in the Grand Canyon.” due to release early summer 2017.

Tuesday, August 16, 2016

The Adventures of a Jr. Ranger: Why Paul Bunyan in Yosemite?

The Adventures of a Jr. Ranger: Why Paul Bunyan in Yosemite?: The story of Paul Bunyan has been told, over and over, in the exact same way.  I for one, am a huge fan, ever since I was a child.  I was a...

Friday, August 12, 2016

Masking Narcissism with Charity

As a person who lived with many different families as a child, dealing with severe physical and emotional trauma in almost all of these families, I understand perfectly, how narcissistic people use charity to cover their sickness. 

I have also discovered the family chain, connecting fathers and mothers, sisters and brothers to using the same strategy to perfect their selfish ambitions.

To begin, I tell the story of two relatives who began a life long competition, by trying to competing their entire lives to have more friends than the other, until it develops into fierce hate and envy.  They grow up and have children, carrying the hate and envy into new circles and generations.

Now one of these family members, due to mistakes, out of her total control, ends up with six children with two different husbands, down the road.  She is now homeless and her parents have found homes for the children, with some of these same relatives, who were part of this hate and envy towards this fallen mother. 

Sadly to say, this is a true story, and I will not mention names, because of further hate and damage this may cause.

I was one of these children, and this fallen mother was my birth mom.  I was born into this world of homelessness.  I lived with many of my aunts and other family members, literally paying physically, emotionally and in every other way possible. 

I have endured abuse from from all of these family members who took me in to mask their life long hate filled Narcissism, with Charity.  Beating me down physically, mentally and in every other way you can imagine. 

I went from having above average grades, to horrible grades in high school as the abuse became more and more frequent.  I moved to different families as I ran away from the abuse, only to find that it existed in more places than one, and I was the punching bag of guilt. 

I fought through the pain and emotions and until I barely graduated High School in Moorpark, CA then finally growing my relationship with God, enough to leave on a Mission, working in the Dominican Republic. 

It may have been a mistake, from the point of view of a church member, or another misinformed family member.  Even if I felt relief as I finally took my flight out of the USA, away from all of the evil surrounding the family.

Sadly it continued with many others in the family, including other children not of my own mother.

As a missionary in the Dominican Republic, I studied, reading book after book, meeting people, keeping busy.  My mind was free.  I could not be hit, physically or emotionally by anyone who could do any more personal damage. 

The days were up and down.  In the beginning I did great work, teaching and helping dozens of families who needed Christ, and even to break free from alcoholism, drugs, and other major challenges. 

A few months into my Dominican Mission. I found myself with more friends and attention than I had ever known in my entire life.  I even felt an attachment to one of the amazing people I baptized, later became my wife and mother of my four children. 

As the mission was ending, I began having panic attacks, thinking of ways to hide and never return home.  It was prohibited by the Church and I had no idea how it would even be possible.  The Church even held on to my passport for safety reasons, especially important due to the crime that exists and the pain in getting a replacement.

I created bonds before I left, mostly with the family of my wife (not wife at the time), and with the hope to return soon, staying away from family issues. 

Most of the family had moved north to another state, and I returned to one of the families that I grew up with, out of pressure from the leader of my Church.  I later found out he was contacted by this Narcissistic family member, masked as Charity, to pressure me.  It was the beginning of a whole new nightmare.

Another eight months, three families, and six jobs later, I was finally on a flight back to the Dominican Republic, with only ten dollars left in my pocket. 

It was not easy as a homeless American in the Dominican Republic, but mentally I was in heaven.  
My friends took me in, I finally dated and married my wife. 

I started to take classes and was unable to gain an educational visa, allowing me to graduate, so instead I took the classes and taught classes, enough to become an English teacher. 

I started writing a book on an old fashioned typewriter, typing hundreds of pages of a fictional story I will post later.  I spent the next five years in a mental paradise, working, raising my family, studying and preparing for the future. 

Back in the USA, the family was happy to have me out of the picture, until one of the main Church Leaders requested that my grandfather assist me and my family in returning to the USA.  He was unaware of the Narcissism in the family and insisted that some of these same abusive family members help us out. 

I am grateful for the help they gave me and my family, but the battle was even worse than before upon our moving to the USA.  This time it was going to harm my wife and kids.

Masking Narcissism with Charity is the perfect way to describe people who help someone, only because someone important is watching, or for personal gain, political gain, family political gain, or to just to torture the person in question, or even to give the middle finger to the mother enemy of this Narcissist. 

You can see it everywhere, from Presidential candidates, church members and leaders, brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers.  Business owners and more.  No category is free from people with this sickness. 

Do you remember the Charity you have given?  You shouldn't, Right?
Weather you helped a friend move, or helped him pay his bills.  If you are expecting something in return, you are more like a bank, than a friend. 
Do you expect a favor in return?  Money?
Can you live without the favor, or the money? 
Depending on your answer, you can see the truth.

Do you help people, expecting some form of payment, or respect later, and still spread to others what you have done, in order to build yourself up, or tear down the other?  You are masking your Narcissism with Charity!

I have seen Narcissism mask Charity in almost every form possible.  I have dedicated my life to teaching my wife and kids how to avoid it, and how to see people who use it, infected by its appeal.

It's a sickness, leading to Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder, in the children of these abusers, sometimes creating Narcissists in their own children.  It is sad and dangerous to all who are caught in their paths. 

I have a feeling that all religions who allow ascension of power will eventually create Narcissists who will mask their sickness with Charity.

God protect us all from this zombie like disease.   





Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Yosemite Jr. Ranger Program

This year our family participated once again in the Jr Ranger program.
Our kids helped me write a song after watching Paul Bunyan.

It is meant to sing to the Disney Paul Bunyan theme.

http://jrrangeradventures.blogspot.com/2016/08/the-yosemite-jr-ranger-song.html


The Yosemite Jr. Ranger Song


Yosemite’s the place where the trees grow tall,  full of Glaciers and 

Waterfalls too!


Where the Jr. Rangers roam,  cleaning mother nature’s home,  

because bears think that s’mores are yummy too!


There’s a fen on the hill,  and a river that’s chill,  for the people to 

swim if they dare.


Cause the water is cold,  only fun for the bold,  and we Jr. Rangers try 

not to stare.

        Chorus:

        Hey all - - - hey all - - - We’re Rangers - - - Jr. Rangers!  

       We have fun, high and low,
                           as we learn how things grow,   

       finding birds up above,
                           and small creatures to love.


       Hey all - - - hey all - - - We’re Rangers - - - Jr. Rangers! 

Publishing with Amazon

It is not easy to get a book published in 2016.  Literary Agents are only accepting work from known writers and referrals.

Amazon has made it easy to publish your work, but don't ever publish too quickly.  Once you think you have finished your manuscript, you need to have it edited from a professional, then read by people who are part of your projected audience.

Create Space has a great program that will verify pictures and once you are ready to publish, they will allow you to order up to five copies of your first proof, before your final approval and publishing.

The process can be completed in less than a week and is genius.

You can remove your publishing any time you like, and make corrections if necessary.


Friday, May 25, 2012

What is the True love of Christ?

There once was a Man who stood Mighty and Tall,
He gave to this Earth His life for us all. - even He - Jesus the Christ

Charity is the True Love of Christ.

Every living Soul is given the Light of Christ.  No matter if they are born in a remote part of the World where not even one single person is familiar with the teachings of Jesus Christ.  They are born with the Light of Christ.  The spark of reason, the light that guides us to care for one another.  Without this light we would not care for our children or elders, we would not seek a better life, we would seek to end the one we have been given.

When we are Charitable we do not just casually toss a coin in the beggars wallet.  When we have Charity we do what Jesus would have done.  We would not rest without doing everything in our power to assist the life of someone in need.

We cannot save the entire World in our lifetime, but we can show the Lord that our Life was worth saving!

I watch my children growing fast.  They seem so helpless as times, causing me to focus on what they need a little closer.  Usually all they need is a complement or just someone to notice them.  I try not to retire to bed without first pondering the day of each child.  I have four.  Sometimes I notice that I have no idea how terrible a day one of them had, and I worry.  I promise myself that I will dedicate more time to this child the very next day, and usually do.  I am far from perfect but I try.

I have been accused of being weak when I only am trying to be Charitable.  Sure I am not great at pressuring someone outside my immediate family into doing something or paying more for something I am selling.  They just don't understand.  It is sad that people see Charity as a weakness when they should embrace the idea and follow the Master in spreading His Charity and Light whenever possible.  The Master was far from weak, yet he was the most Charitable of all to walk the Earth.

Of all of my children I notice that each and every one of them has a gift of Love to offer.  My Wife has passed on this Gift as she has taught them Her simple way of Loving.  She found me at a time where I had been cast out of every household in my family.  I was a lost soul giving up on the fight that we call Life.  I was down to my last drop of Light when I began to draw upon Her Light.  I must have drained most of her Hope as well when finally with the help of two of her wonderful sisters we were both pulled out of the depths of despair and set back on our feet. 

My Wonderful Wife is my meaning in Life.  Our first battle together almost turned into the last for each of us.  The Lord had Charity on each of us and charged into the situation Chariots and all Saving us from the depths of despair. 

True Charity is being able to notice that a problem exists, flex our most powerful spiritual muscle (Love) forget ourselves completely and resolve the problem.  It may take our very last drop of Hope to accomplish some of the problems we encounter, but when we are in the service of our Lord, we are lifted and strengthened until we succeed. 

When we live full of Charity, we will never fail.