NAUGHTY OR NICE

 

Chris

Chris's mother told us that he was a perfect child.  My mother told us that I was a perfect child.  We couldn't understand why we had imperfect children.  By having these children our eyes were opened to our own failings.

I think my sister was perfect.  The only time she ever got into trouble was when she wouldn't go to bed on time.  Our dad clapped his hands at her and she obediently ran up the stairs to bed. I can remember only one time I got into trouble.  I had invited a friend over to play and we were too noisy while my dad was trying to sleep.  (He worked the night shift and had to sleep during the day.) As I look back on it I believe I got into trouble for childish irresponsibility.  I hadn't meant to disobey. But then as I got older I realized it was my pride and self righteousness of what I was guilty. My brothers can probably remember other sins I committed.  I can remember the defects of my brothers!

Even though we determine to be nice--  all are guilty of some naughtiness. This is exactly why Jesus came.  We come face to face with our sin, our flaws, our need, and face to face with our Savior. Jesus was the God/man who lived a perfect life and died for our sins and rose from the dead so that we might be with Him forever in His glorious kingdom. 

As we sing the old and new Christmas carols this Christmas may we recognize the promises from centuries earlier being fulfilled in a tiny baby. 

Galatians 1: 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

IT'S THANKSGIVING TIME

 

Path we take to the shopping center.

The leaves are almost gone as we near Thanksgiving.  It's time to take into account our blessings. We love the colors of fall in the Pacific Northwest. Here are a few more good things we enjoy:

Our fancy golf cart.  Chris waving.  Me on the drivers side.  Our condo in the background.

Natalie, Heather, Noah faced blurred, Jessie, Jes, Jessica, me

We have several play areas for the kids.  

Natalie--  headstand

Another good thing-- Sammy and Josh got married.  Noah was ringbearer.

Sammy, Noah, officiant, Josh.

And Liberty Lake will receive a makeover.  Here is an article in the Spokesman Review.   

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

THANK YOU VETERANS

Chris's microwave electronics class Keesler Air Force base in Biloxi, 1982. Chris back row 3rd from the left. He was class leader. 

Back in 1982, when Heather was 11 and Jes was 4, Chris and I were between jobs.  After our church had been praying for good jobs for us, and after a conversation with friend Dick, Chris decided to reenlist in the military. We ended up at Keesler Air Force Base for a 5 month class.  

It was a good time. They have air conditioning now!  Also the military furnished temporary housing while we were looking for an apartment.  The meals were such a good price.  Haircuts were cheap.  The kids lived in the swimming pool.

Heather and Jes 1982

Thank you to all veterans for your service. 

Psalm 144:1 Blessed be the Lord, my rock,
    who trains my hands for war,
    and my fingers for battle;

VOTE

 

Some may ask "why vote?"  I say it is one way to hold those in power accountable.  Once when we had moved to a new area the first opportunity to vote included voting for the mayor and the city council.   I asked a friend who I should vote for.  She said "throw the old guys out and vote for all the new ones." I thought that was an interesting way to stop anyone from holding on to political control. 

Now I check out advice from trusted sources. I talk to friends, I pray, and if all else fails I read the voters guide. I vote because we live in a free country where we can vote.  I vote as that is one way I can make my voice heard. I vote to make a difference. Why do you vote or not?

Romans 13:3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer.

   

WHEN I WAS 19

 

Suitemate Nancy, roommate Diane, suitemate Judy or it might have been Jane 1963

At 19 and 20 years old I was a student at James Madison U. in Harrisonburg, VA. At that time it was a woman's college of education. Now it is a coed public university. I selected to attend there as my best friend from high school, Nancy, was a student there.  We were suitemates that year -- which means we had rooms adjoining through a shared bathroom. 

We had family style meals in the dining building. Apparently that October we had a table decoration contest which our table won.  Then my friend Nancy, and another friend, Connie Bell decided to go trick or treating.  I was all for it as I did not spend money buying snacks in the campus "tea room." We dressed as college students with our plaid Madras pleated skirts and weejun loafers. As I recall some Nuns invited us in for gingerbread and hot cider.  I couldn't find any reference to that in the letter I wrote home that year.  Here is an excerpt.

Trick or treating 1963

What were you like when you were 19?

I Corinthians 13:11  When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.

MEMORIES OF GRANDFATHER

 

Chris with Daddy Bert and Sinbad, Teddy, and Dana 1952.

Research says that singing in choirs is good for brain structure.  Confirming this is an article our son Jes sent us.

https://www.psypost.org/choir-singing-associated-with-improved-brain-structure-especially-in-older-adults/

Jes's comment was that Daddy Bert must've been onto something with that!

"I was reading Gram's diary and it would talk about how he'd sing in at least 2 choirs on a Sunday! Probably was pretty good for his brain!"

Here is the rest of the story from Chris about his grandfather Daddy Bert:

Yes, Daddy Bert had a low baritone almost Bass voice. But he didn't have the timber to be a bass so he was considered a baritone. He sang in the Spokane Men's choir for years. I suppose the other choirs were church choirs. I remember as a little boy we were visiting Trail BC which was built along a river running through the city. One morning he took me for a walk along path by the river and then stopped to lean on a railing to look at the water. As we we stood there watching the water he started singing and I can still hear him in my mind singing "Old Man River." It is such a vivid memory that I swear I can actually hear him. He meant a lot to me as I didn't have a dad.

This brings back more memories. During WW2, my mother and I had moved to Spokane and we lived with Daddy Bert and my grandmother on Knox street in Spokane. I couldn't have been more than three or four but I have vague memories of having breakfast with him sometimes before he went to work as an engineer building the Farragut Naval Supply Depot in the Bayview, ID area. He would leave Spokane, probably about five or six to drive to Bayview – in those days there were no freeways and most of the highways were narrow and two lanes – the drive was probably a couple hours each way. You may wonder why the Navy would have the supply depot for the Pacific in Idaho. The thought was that the Japanese couldn't bomb it as it was so far inland (there was a significant fear during the war of an attack on the Mainland).

When I was five or so my mother and I moved to an apartment on Broadway Ave. After the war, Daddy Bert had taken a job with the Washington State Highway Department in Olympia. He would come over to visit when he could and always at Christmas. That Christmas he gave me my first bicycle and he proceeded to go out with me so he could teach me how to ride it. Those winters in the late 1940s and early 1950s had very heavy snowfalls so the sidewalks were lined with long piles of snow that was cleared from the walkway. I would get on the bike and he would give me a shove and I peddled like crazy until I would fall over, landing in the snow. This was a great way to learn to ride and I learned rather quickly.

Those memories of him singing while looking over the river, my having breakfast with him, and of his teaching me to ride my first bicycle are so real they bring tears to my eyes even today, some 75 years later. 

Proverbs 3:1 My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, 2 for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you.

BRIGHTER THAN THE SUN

 

Milky Way from Keck Observatory in Hawaii.  Internet photo.

When daughter Heather was in her first year of college she felt led to travel somewhere warm during her spring break.  We happened to have many many airline miles.  Also we found a coupon for a cheap place to stay if we were willing to attend a timeshare presentation. Unfortunately only Heather, son Jes, and I were free that week. Chris was involved in a big project at work.  We were sure he wouldn't miss us as he only came home to sleep for a few hours each night. So we made the reservations and called and left a message on Chris's work phone singing "Leaving on a jet plane." We immediately got a return phone call. He was very surprised but said he could handle batching it. That was our first trip to Hawaii.  A few others came later. 

Preceding us, Grandma Isabel and Grandpa Claude had traveled to Hawaii to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.

Next Grace Grandma and Grandpa Dave toured.

They gifted us with Hawaiian wear:

Chris, me, Heather, Grandma, Grandpa Jes

On our first trip to Hawaii Heather, Jes, and I took in a luau and toured a pineapple factory.  Pineapples are no longer widely grown in Hawaii. 

Chris and I made it to Kauai a few years later. 

Then many years later when Heather and Jes went with us we toured volcanoes on the big island.

We celebrated New Years Eve with a nice dinner.

We never made it to the observatory on Mt. Keck. One Pastor who took in this amazing opportunity said that the night sky of millions of stars was the most awesome and surprising scene he had ever seen.  Then he said that when Jesus returns He will shine so brightly that the spectacle will be even more wonderful. Will we be like the Israelites at Mt. Horeb (Deuteronomy 5:4 The Lord spoke with you face to face at the mountain, out of the midst of the fire, 5 while I (Moses) stood between the Lord and you at that time, to declare to you the word of the Lord. For you were afraid because of the fire, and you did not go up into the mountain.) 

Or will we be so relaxed like Peter, James, and John and fall asleep?(Luke 9:28 Now about eight days after these sayings he (Jesus) took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. 30 And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, 31 who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they became fully awake they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him.)

Revelation 1:7 See! He is arriving, surrounded by clouds; and every eye shall see him—yes, and those who pierced him. And the nations will weep in sorrow and in terror when he comes. Yes! Amen! Let it be so!