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.

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."

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.

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.

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.

How's Your Prosperity Today?

In my quiet time this morning, I came across a wonderful promise of comfort and love. Then, further on, I heard this phrase in the strident voice of a television preacher:

"No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper..."

Ugh -- prosperity doctrine 101? If we belong to the Lord, nothing bad will befall us? If we are protected by faith, everything will be fine? Here's the whole verse:

"No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper; and every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their vindication is from Me," declares the Lord.

Okay, here's what I think, and these opinions are my own and are not necessarily those of The Management. First, I have experienced what I have considered to be suffering and even depression. Second, the Lord has proclaimed His love for me over and over in Scripture. Therefore, my circumstances (and my happiness) are not necessarily reflections of His care for me, His child. No matter what I'm going through or how I feel, I am wrapped in His merciful love.

Nothing can get to us unless God allows it. Not that He intends us harm, but nothing can sneak past Him to hurt us. He knows what is happening at all times, and there are no "accidents" in His economy. Yes, I think it'd be nice if He'd warn me, or at least follow an event with a five-point explanation... But He is God, He is sovereign, and He certainly loves me. Period.

Recipes and Controlled Outcomes

Doesn't this look delectable? Oh, my. Whatever it is, it's what it was meant to be. Someone followed some kind of recipe -- they assembled all the ingredients, did the prep work, and ended up with this stupendous concoction.

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.

Connections and Connections

A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to share a prayer request with some fellow believers. A friend's daughter injured her eye, and I asked friends in the blind community to pray for her. I knew they would have a special empathy for this girl and her family. What made this special, though, was when I got responses from several individuals. They wanted the family to be assured that they were praying, so I bundled those notes and also mentioned where each person lives. My friend was heartened to learn that there were specific people praying for her daughter -- people all over the country, whom she has never met and probably won't meet on this side.

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.

Dreams of Rest?

One thing I'll say for dogs, they know how to sleep. Whether it's all night long or many naps during the day, they get it done. Wish I could say the same for people.

We've been learning about sleep apnea in our house. This is a condition that creeps up on you. A little extra tissue at the back of the throat, a little extra weight on the body, and a lot of loud snoring that doesn't let any near neighbors get a deep sleep.

The symptoms of sleep apnea may include short attention span, irritability, and daytime fatigue. They're subtle, and more so since they add up over months and years. It's just part of life, right?

But then enters the amazing CPAP machine. By forcing air into the nose, it keeps open that flap of tissue that had blocked the airway. Now, breathing happens all night, all the time. Sleep can happen all night, all the time. Oh, the joys of a really good night's rest! Increased mental stamina, patience, and no more dropping off for a nap during lunch.

Is there such a thing as spiritual sleep apnea? If it came on slowly, how would we know? Its symptoms might be short attention span when relating to others, irritability with their shortcomings, and fatigue as the weight of the world rests on your shoulders. If this sounds familiar, you may not be getting enough spiritual rest. Would you like to have the benefit of an internal CPAP device?

"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."

Changing Gears, Still Moving Ahead

Now that the "assignment" for work is completed, I can play at blogging for myself. It's not much fun to write this if no one is going to read it, so I'll just maintain the same blog that the dogs started, and see where it goes for a while.

It was fun writing from the dogs' viewpoint. They are totally relationship oriented -- well, at least Blackie is. (Rufus's meaningful relationships must include several tennis balls.) But there is one relationship to which the dogs cannot relate, and it has more potential than any human bond. That is the one I would like to discuss.

This morning's reading followed one that pointed out error and resulting judgments. That one was honest and right, but the administration of discipline is a hard thing. Today, in the very next chapter, God said, "But..."

"But now, thus says the Lord, your Creator, O Jacob,

and He who formed you, O Israel,

'Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;

I have called you by name; you are Mine!

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

And through the rivers, they will not overflow you.

When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched,

Nor will the flame burn you.

For I am the Lord your God

The Holy One of Israel, your Savior..."

Despite the time we've spent sniffing around instead of following Him, despite our outright disobedience, He created us for His glory, and His glory will prevail. Why? Not because of any good thing I have done, but because He paid the penalty for me. He bought me, even though He had already made me. He stepped in and took away the guilt of my selfish acts, so that I might come again to be His pride and joy.

And He will be very present, here and now, in times of deep-water distress and fiery troubles. Even though I walk in these scary, awful places, He is here. He does not simply lift me away from harm, but He will somehow protect me from utter destruction. I know this is true. I am in the swift waters, and I have felt the singe of flame. But He is here. May the name of the Lord be praised.