HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SON

GEOFFREY IS 35 TODAY

I almost titled this entry "Another Spiritual Hero", and that would have been accurate. Like his brother says, "He is an awesome man of God", and that appropriately explains why his family is deservedly proud of him. I suspect his life is about to change more than he realizes as God is bringing into his life a wife. We are eager to share Dana, his chosen with you soon. He proposed on her birthday and she quickly said "YES". I wonder what surprise she has for him today on his birthday.

My wishes for you, son, include cake and ice cream and balloons and such in the company of many friends. My prayers for you are abundant with praises to God, many thanksgivings, and entrities for peace and efficiency during this engagement period and petitions for a long and happy marriage together with your (and our) beloved Dana.

I celebrate your unique way of enjoying life and sharing it with others. I brag on your website all the time. I know how many others you have served and have reached out to touch and that is a precious part of your ministry to people. I have seen how generous you are and how prudent. I would even like to have your capacity to prioritize the stuff of life and keep from accumulating so much clutter. You are an awesome teacher among and of upcoming teachers. Someday I'd like to match your count of countries because I believe this has given you a broader and more tolerant view of the world and life than I have. I know of no other individual who is so comfortable with people of all ages and stations in any community. You are way more thoughtful than I am, being in this respect much more like your mother. (and that's a very good gene-trait to follow). I respect and admire your faith. And now I delight in your discernment and choice of Dana. Atta-boy, Boy!

Your daddy is mighty proud of you, especially today.

A FEW OF MY SPIRITUAL HEROS

Here are a few precious Christian friends who make my life a delight, especially on Wednesday afternoons.

For several years, I have had the opportunity to spend an hour of Bible study each week with these Senior Saints. Actually there a few more than are shown in these pictures, but not everyone can come to every class every week. There are sometimes one or two who are missing. Still, this is a good representative sample.

We have studied the Life of Jesus Christ by examining the four "Gospels" in parallel and we have traveled together through the actions and adventures known as "The Acts of the Apostles" with considerable attention to the historial, geographic, and social foundations of the times and regions in which those stories occured. Now we are surveying Paul's Epistles together.

I love these sisters and brothers. They represent to me a solid foundation of faith and they have demonstrated steadfastness in lives well lived. They are serious Bible students indeed, but their considerable knowledge is not held just for the knowing of facts and religious trivia, but for the Power of Christ which it places within them. These individuals are full of grace and hope and love and benevolence and the Holy Spirit. They are wonderful examples to me of the peace which passes all understanding.

Here are individuals who have lost a spouse, who have had to move recently, face financial challenges, or have experinced a few of several other items commonly listed on typical stress screening scales without showing any unmanagable disruption in their lives. It is because of their confidence in the protection and providence of God who is a daily part of life. Their concern and care and love for one another is truly exemplary. These are my encouragers and role models. These men and women are among my most cherished heros in the faith. I recommend you get to know them too for they will bring uncountable blessings to your life. Really!

GRANDPA'S TOYS

OK. There's no question about whether this Grandpa collects stuff or whether he likes toys and gadgets. When the two afflictions collide, it can be fun!

During recent "snow days" while fighting cabin fever, I dug out my collection of curiosities, gathered up related toys and items from drawers and shelves and cubbyholes here and there and installed these treasures in a larger box. So have a look at some of my doo-dads, thing-a-ma-bobs, and whatcha-ma-call-its. Do you have any of this kind of stuff?



Among these oddities and trinkets and miscellaneous are marbles, jacks, yarn weavers, a dippy bird, chatter teeth, penny whistles, yo-yos, crickets, a variety of rubic's cubes, pinball games, puzzels, bug-eye viewers, kaleidoscopes, finger traps, a hand boiler, a button on a string, jacobs ladder, and a bunch more. What else do you spot in the picture?

I'm still gathering old fashioned toys and amusements like this so don't discard anything I might like to add to my treasure box. Maybe we can swap duplicates?

SNOWBIRDS

It must be difficult to be a weather forecaster! Last week more cold and snow was promised than developed. Today more snow and cold came than was predicted. And it just about paralyzed the metroplex.

Since we have so many Alaskan winters behind us, it is always a bit amusing? astounding? perplexing? to see how the Vancouver/Portland folk react to a little winter weather. They never seem to handle the traffic aspect very well, and the schools districts seem to be perpetually confused about whether to cancel or delay classes. Although this surge follows four or five deep-freezing days (with nighttime temperatures into the mid-teens), the unexpected abundance of snowfall still caught most drivers unprepared. TV reports chronicle problem after problem due to iced roads or packed snow, or unskilled drivers.

As for Betty and me, we stayed home, stoked up the woodstove, had tea and bagels, bean soup for dinner, and worked on quiet projects. I printed out a series of photos for a painting project, worked ahead on materials for Bible classes, and spent a lot of time studying the bird feeder action.

The photos today show the perky mountain chickadee snagging a black-oil sunflower seed and a flock of bushtits mobbing the suet feeder. But additionally we had crowds of Oregon Juncoes, several flickers, three pairs of bright orange Varied Thrush, hummingbirds, Chestnut-backed Chickadees, Red-breasted Nuthatches, several kinds of House and Purple Finches, a completely fluffed up American Robin (a winter local that looked really miffed today), a couple of kinds of sparrows, a fly-by of crows, a Downy (or perhaps a Hairy) woodpecker, a few LBJs and some bandits (European Starlings - Sternus Vulgaris).

It was great day to relax and NOT be anxious about stuff.
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"Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly father feeds tham. Are you not worth much more than they?" Mt 6:26
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BAREFOOT IN THE SNOW

Not all of our family traditions are solemn and dignified.

Running around the house in bare feet when it snows is one. No! Wait! Really! And I don't mean running around inside the house. I mean outside, running around the whole house - outdoors - barefoot, in the first significant new snowfall each year..

Maybe it's an Alaskan thing.

Come to think of it, maybe it's a father-daughter thing. My sons would participate, but it was my daughter who talked about it and schemed to get everyone pumped up to do it each year. And now she is inculcating the tradition in her own daughters.

Sure enough, when they came to Grandpa's house yesterday to retexture his yardfull of unblemished snow, the first words I heard were "When are we going to run around the house in the snow in our bare feet?"

So here's a bit of evidence as to how strong and important and bonding our family traditions really are. BTW, in the fairness of full disclosure, I took the picture after I put my own socks and boots back on. (I ain't a complete dummy.)

Can you tell whose feet these are?

Is It Just Me?

I often see announcements or posters, or advertisments, which amuse me or perplex me because they just seem somehow out of plumb. It's not quite parallel to a photograph being slightly out of focus - and there's a lot of that. It's more like the intent and the attempt don't quite blend, or like the thought is half a bubble off, or the intended meaning has been detoured by a mischievious word imp. It's like the language kind of skidded past the original idea and ended up a bit cockeyed.. The words in the mind are not synchronized with the words before the eye. Jay Leno does a great bit on these phenomena as found in newspaper "headlines".

This morning, entering my oil painting class, I saw such a sign. In fact, I went on into the classroom, did a delayed mental double-take, and trucked back to the hallway to confirm what must be an unintentional "extra meaning". After this one finally registered, having caught my mind's eye, it struck me as funny. So, how about you? Can you hear the unspoken questions? Can you imagine a scenario where this would be a legitimate public announcement? Can you put your finger on what's awry?

Or Is It Just Me?

A DAY TO SHARE

Everyone likes birthdays, right? Well, today is "our birthday, although the family asked to have it early this time, on New Year's Eve, while they were all here except Geoffrey.

But really, today is "our" day because yesterday was Betty's and tomorrow is mine, and the first time we celebrated together was on 4th, before we married. We called it "our birthday". It was also our first date.

We had met before, but once the fuse was lit it only took me 30 days to propose (February 4th), and less than 30 days more (February 23rd) to marry this wonderful girl who is my wife. So we continue to celebrate "our birthday" together, and I love it.

Happy Birthday again this morning, my darling, my friend, my wife, lover, encourager, joy, inspiration, and delight.

Let the celebration continue.

PAPA'S DELIGHT

Is there anything finer than to have a house full of grand-daughters (and their families of course)? This shot was taken while we were reviewing some of the extra features on the DVD "Cars". During many of the clips we were all laughing, but between features David caught us in this relaxed moment with these three girls spread out on my lap.


The New Year's weekend finished out the holiday season, and the kids engineered an early birthday party for Memaw and Papa John, since they will all be gone on the real birthday dates.

My cup runneth over indeed.