Friday, December 21, 2007
Our Top Ten (but remember we can't count)
The wise dogs haven't directly witnessed many of the family events this year, but they've heard the stories and feel confident that they can share adequately about what their humans have been doing. For their part, they've enjoyed regular meals, love and pets from their people, and many a good frolic in the back yard.
It was fun watching Jon try out competitive swim, even though he had no prior formal instruction. He loves, loves, loves the water, and had the opportunity to be on a very small team last school year. He's on a larger team this year, and is one dedicated guy. He's taken 12 seconds off his 100-meter time already this season! The coolest meet of last season was the finale at the county aquatic center. Big, beautiful facility -- and Grandma got to come watch, too.
Andy graduated from technical school and is now a certified automotive technician. Yeah! He and his good friend found the parking-lot graduation ceremony to be every bit as meaningful as they had anticipated... but it was "a-okay" to be done!
There were actually a couple of tuxedo events this year. Jon got to wear his first one to a formal dance. Andy donned one as he performed the duties of best man at his friend's wedding. Not only did he stand up for his bud (without fainting), but he also acted as spokesman during the reception. Great job!
Peter has enjoyed playing tennis for three seasons. As a sophomore, he had never picked up a racket but some good friends encouraged him to join them. This fall, he was able to participate in a sub-district tournament. The weather was horribly rainy and windy that day, so the tourney was abruptly moved to an abandoned warehouse. Okay, not a warehouse, but a failed sports facility that had courts to rent. (That's him at the near right.)
Another Pete highlight was a missions trip to Mexico. He was privileged to help build two new houses for local families during a one-week stay near Tijuana. One of the most memorable parts of the trip involved a falling hammer, a visit to a local medical clinic, and five stitches in his scalp. Our verbally adroit youth pastor told me in a follow-up conversation that Pete's bandaged cranium reminded him of the Asian pear in the photo above.
While Pete was out of the country, the rest of us worked on painting our house. This would not have been possible without the fantastic work of generous church friends. Because of their combined expertise, the main painting was completed in less than three hours! It was quite amazing, and the results are much appreciated.
A much-anticipated family reunion took place also while Peter was on his trip. It was wonderful to see almost all of my cousins from both sides of my family, all in one weekend. There were joyful hugs with beloved family members whom I had not seen in several years, and youngest and eldest got to meet some more of their large extended family.
Another wedding this summer -- our nephew's -- was a beautiful outdoor event. It was a wonderful occasion, although marred by Grandma's injury in a fall shortly before the ceremony. It's hard not to think of all the distress that happened as a result, but the wedding itself was very special.
In all the years of doing a high school varsity football score book, there have been many highlights. This year, our team was selected to play the first game of the season at Qwest Field, home of the Seahawks. It was fun for the folks to see the inside of the stadium, but even more fascinating to get to be on the field itself and to go behind the scenes and see some of the non-public areas. They had a great time, the boys won their game, and another fun season ensued. Mom (Katharine) looks forward to doing this every year, and is so thankful that there have been coaches who are happy to allow her on their sidelines for an up-close view of the action.
Another mini family reunion occurred when Mom attended a state convention this fall. Besides seeing many wonderful black Labs and one chocolate Lab in Spokane, two cousins and an aunt who hadn't been able to go to the summertime reunion received her into their home for a wonderful supper and an evening of delightful conversation. Our aunt adjured us to never lose touch, and we promised to honor her wishes. With pleasure, Aunt Rae!
Mark has had many high points in the jail chaplaincy this year, but we'll let him detail those on his blog. For the most part, they let him come and go from the jail, so he always comes home to us and it's all good.
There were many other high points, some of which have been noted in other posts, but these are the ones that sprang to mind today. Next year will bring another graduation, the completion of another swim season, more time spent with family and friends, thousands of ball-throwing and -watching sessions in the back yard, and time spent in fellowship (for the humans, anyway) with God and His people.
Monday, December 17, 2007
The Only Sure Foundation
I had a sad conversation a few minutes ago. A lady has been coming to visit me, off and on, for over a year. We have had some very stimulating talks, but I finally felt the need to cut them off. She tried to move me, I tried to move her, but neither of us would budge.
There have been a few things she said that I actually found laughable. The one that comes to mind often is when she dropped off a booklet about the Creation, and mentioned that my sons might want to refer to it for school reports. What??? My sons wouldn't even use historically proven Biblical references without some outside evidence! And she would suggest that material written by a group whose end-times predictions have been repeatedly disproven by time itself... It was just too much.
So, I have ended the conversations. I'm too tired, too worn out by living life and having real, two-sided, open-ended conversations, to continue listening to someone with whom I can only argue. I'm sorry. But that's how it has to be, unless God Himself shows her otherwise. She was sorry, too, but said she would continue to look for people who are "meek and teachable." Oh, don't get me started.
"Lord, to You I will listen long and hard. Thank You for giving me ears to hear, and a heart to understand."
Friday, October 26, 2007
Free Nostalgia (t-shirt extra)
While drinking my coffee this morning, I came across a reference to the Piggly Wiggly grocery store chain. There was a Piggly Wiggly store in my neighborhood when I was young. I can almost remember the funny smell of clean, old, wooden grocery shelves. The checker had a little card she had to consult as she finished ringing up our purchases on the old cash register. (The joys of growing up before computers, in a state with a sales tax.) The Safeway store had some kind of guarantee that you'd always get the sale price or your money back, but I don't think Piggly advertised such a promise. My mom's favorite checker was Bonnie Birch. And it was in that checkout line at Piggly Wiggly, in my monochrome community, that I first noticed people with different colored skin. I couldn't help but stare at them... because they were wearing terrycloth robes... in broad daylight... in the grocery store... Wow, that was so weird. This might have been one of the few times I embarrassed my mother.
If you grew up in a Piggly Wiggly store, you might enjoy their website. For only $6 you can get a cool Mr. Pig logo t-shirt of your very own! Did you know that Piggly Wiggly stores were hugely innovative? This was the first "self-service" grocery store chain in America! True, it wasn't quite as self-serve as Prairie Market, but it was an amazing new idea for its day, and it changed the way Americans would shop.
Ah, that was a nice little walk down memory lane. Thanks for coming with me.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Wait for it... Wait for it...
Dear Rufus has gotten better about waiting. When he was a young pup, therewasnowaitingforanything! But now that he's -- wow! -- almost three years old, he can wait a while, if he has to, without going berserk. He has finally graduated to being left to roam the house with Blackie when the family is away for a few hours. Yeah! No more kennel!
I know some people who are used to waiting. I know a lot more folks who don't have to wait hardly at all. I tried to make myself wait a couple of weeks ago. It didn't go well. My work schedule was a little confusing and I showed up an hour early. Good opportunity, thought I, to go practice the fine art of waiting. No reading, no radio, just sitting until I was supposed to show up at the library.
I failed. First, a quick stop at the store for some orange juice. While there, I received text messages from two sons, both needing replies. Oh, and I could really use a snack for lunch, since I'll be working later than I'd planned. And maybe a little something for now, too. Back in the car, with my morning snack and juice and messages to write, I turned on the radio. You know, only for a minute, while eating. Then there were a few lines of an article in the Braille magazine that I hadn't had time to finish (my plan is to read bits of it while waiting for my sons after school.) Uh, oh, now it's down to twenty minutes before I have to be back at work, and I have wandered into a strange neighborhood a couple of miles from the library. Time to pack up and go!
The people I know who are used to waiting know that they have to wait. They aren't just sitting around, not at all. They have places to go and things to do, but the bus only comes at scheduled times. If you want to ride that bus, you must be there early. Not down the street, not on your way, but at the bus stop. There are things they can do while waiting, but the first thing is to get there, be there, waiting. Anything else is icing on the cake.
There's a familiar passage about purposeful waiting, and it comes with a promise:
Yet those who wait for the Lord
Will gain new strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary.
Okay, mounting and running and walking don't sound like "waiting" to me. But the verse starts out emphasizing that those who are waiting for the Lord will be blessed with stamina and endurance. This waiting is not simply standing around, it's like planting yourself at the bus stop. It's not a maybe thing, it's knowing there's something in His mind to do. It's planting yourself right in the middle of His will, being careful to know His ways so that you may be assured of being in the right spot. He is coming; He will do what He says He'll do. Wait here and be encouraged, and while you're waiting you can also do some running and walking and other good things. Just remember for Whom you are waiting, and keep Him at the forefront of all your thoughts.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Tidal Waves (but not tsunamis)
When I was growing up, I spent a lot of time on Puget Sound. One of the coolest things about our little bay was that it changed, a lot, four times a day. At low tides, there might be 200 feet of beach to walk on, from rocks and barnacles out to mud flats. As the tide came up, the water covered everything and made a more uniform appearance. When the tide got really high, you might be caught dancing between salt water and bushes on the high bank. If you were lucky enough to be able to get into a boat, that was prime cruising time, right up at the edge of the land. But if you were afoot, you'd better count on getting your shoes wet.
I haven't posted anything here for a few weeks because an unusually long-lasting high tide. Life has been full, full, full, and all I could do was dance along a narrow shoreline. I'm thankful that none of the waves have been big enough to knock me down, but the force of the tide has been unrelenting and has made me feel pinned in place.
Although this blog isn't all about me, per se, it is about my walk. I have kept walking, kept reading, kept praying, but there hasn't been much that could be openly shared. I think the tide has reached its high point and may be starting to turn. When there's a little more beach to walk on, I'll be able to write more freely. I do think I'll be able to get working on some fiction soon, finally. Thanks for reading.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
How's Your Prosperity Today?
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Recipes and Controlled Outcomes
I just jumped into a book by Donald Miller, a rather unflinchingly genuine writer who writes about being an unflinchingly genuine Christian. (Okay, so maybe sometimes he flinches, but he'll probably tell you all about it.) He compares self-help formulas to following a recipe. If we try to "do" certain things to please God, we're actually trying to control our own outcome. Having a relationship with God is like... having a relationship! There are good days and bad days, and times when we're totally together and times when we're out of sync. But the point of the relationship is the relationship.
Humanly speaking, it is extremely frustrating to realize that there's no toothpick test for doneness, no measure that shows I'm progressing adequately toward the desired product. Come to think of it, whose product am I, anyway? I don't have a photograph to aim for, except I know that I am to grow up in all aspects in Him who is the head, even Christ. But I won't ever turn into His clone -- I'll be me, made in His image. I will have certain quirks and gifts and weaknesses, just because I am me. My only goal is to become more like Him.
I think I'd like to have a recipe to follow and a photo to emulate. But that's not how He works. And if I really had control, it would mean I would have to control everything about myself. That means I'd have to be responsible for all my failures. No forgiveness, no mercy, no arm around the shoulder with a gentle, "It's okay now."
It's decided, then. I'll keep trying to do this His way, without formulaic instructions, so He can lavish me with undeserved love and pure affection, in spite of my shortcomings. It's all about grace.
Monday, July 23, 2007
Connections and Connections
Another kind of connection was renewed last weekend. Most of the cousins on my dad's side of the family got together for an afternoon. There wasn't a reason for this gathering, except to reestablish family ties. It was good to be there, to know that those were people with whom I share a heritage. We live in different places, in different situations, but we have that one thing in common.
We need connection. We need grounding. We need the touch of another hand in time of trouble. A wise man said, "A friend loves at all times, and [if that isn't enough,] a brother is born for adversity." Another said, "Bear one another's burdens, and thus fulfill the law of Christ." I have been thankful many times for friends with whom I share a special closeness, and also for family members who know my history and walk with me from afar. Maybe these are the touch of God.
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Dreams of Rest?
"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My load is light."
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Changing Gears, Still Moving Ahead
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
The End of the Road
Friday, June 8, 2007
Another Way to Waste Time?
- Activities for a good day...
a good night's rest
a bowl full of fresh water
big grass with fresh scents
snack (with milk, please)
more water
more grass
a nice run with favorite tennis balls
more water
more rest (preferrably on couch or the big bed)
another snack
more grass
another run
Now, we ask you, where does television-watching fit on our list? IT DOES NOT! Although we are very adept at sleeping through the artificial noise, why don't our people just take naps with us? Why do they have to watch that thing? And now they have television on the computer, too? What's next, obedience videos?
That said, Mom did find an amusing clip from Ye Olde Sesame Street on YouTube. We didn't actually watch it with her, but the title seems to indicate something about security settings on library computers. We're sure it's very enlightening. Here's the link -- and can we go outside to play now?
No Cookies in the Library!
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Web 2.0 Awards and Just Sniffing Around
The other 2.0 Award winner we scoped out was a collaborative site called "43 Things." It's a fun meeting place to share your goals and find others with the same goals. Some of the aims were very specific (like completing these 27 Things) and others were more broad (learning to do new things.) This is a great site if you've got something in mind already, but also a handy place to pick up ideas for large or small life goals. Blackie is considering adding another nap to her daily routine, but she's going to have to do more searching to find others with this common interest. Rufus would like to learn how to carry three balls in his mouth, and hopes to find expert advice on improved embouchure development.
Google Labs... It's Gotta Be Good!
Saturday, June 2, 2007
Pulling Together Toward a Common Goal
Friday, June 1, 2007
Searching, Learning, Culling
Rufus, being younger and (therefore) having both a shorter perspective and a shorter attention span, doesn't have much interest in customizing his search engine or eating his kibbles from a new self-feeding container.
So, the dogs' thoughts are that the more things change, the more they stay the same. If there's a package of blue tennis balls at the store, let Mom buy the contrasting color so she doesn't lose them in the lawn any more. They're still tennis balls, after all.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
If Dogs Had Cameras
Blackie figures she could probably work a camera, if it had big buttons, as long as it was on a base so she didn't have to hold it, and if it was auto-focus and automatic in every way. Dogs don't normally care much for pictures, but art can be fun (just ask Tillamook Cheddar) so Blackie tried her paw at making a picture of Mom.
The controls on the image generator were very easy to use, but rather limited in options. This was the closest Black could come to how Mom seems to look. If they only had a scent generator, we'd be in business!
Rufus did not participate in this exercise. To him, "fun" must absolutely, positively involve a spherical object.
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Tagging and, well, you know...
Blackie patiently explained to young Rufie that humans haven't been in touch with their social needs. She further reminded him that they have a very poor sense of smell, so their tagging cannot be done invisibly. It's a good thing they can read, and that they have the Internet, or the dogs would have to do everything for them. Turning on the computer is like going to the dogpark. Let them have their time at the keyboard and they'll be happier and better socialized, and maybe then they'll take you out for a nice run and fetch.
Friday, May 11, 2007
Mom has a new toy...
Friday, April 20, 2007
Dog Friends
http://www.myspace.com/175410448
Please join us in virtual play by visiting our page! Let's go fetch! Let's swim in a swamp! Let's eat roadkill together!
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
We made an OurSpace page! Yeah for us!
This networking thing seems like a lot of work, considering that Blackie and Rufus were happy just waiting for friends to drop by whenever they took a notion to visit. One more URL, one more password, one more computery thing to maintain... Blackie isn't very interested in continuing this part of the 27 Things, and Rufus doesn't have the patience to sit at a keyboard.
Hey -- this lady looks like she could use a break. Do you think she'd like to pet me for a while? Maybe go out in the back yard and toss a few spherical objects? We hope she's not too busy maintaining her network.
Sunday, April 1, 2007
Networking for the Network
Friday, March 23, 2007
RSS Feeds... Sleepers?
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Getting Ready for Automatic Feeds
Sunday, March 11, 2007
The Dogs Try Flickr
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Meet Blackie and Rufus
If they could talk, Blackie would ask thoughtful questions. Rufus would be the pesky kid at the counter asking, "Why did you do that? Why is this here? Where are you going now?" He'd run his questions together so fast you wouldn't have time to answer.
These are my dogs, my friends, and this is my library.