Wednesday, March 28, 2018

IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE

2007 reunion of EWU Sponsor Corp Alumni


Another college classmate has passed away.  I knew Chuck Hiatt.  We had gone out one time and I had seen him at several EWU reunions for our class of 1965.  As a result of this loss I began to think about my wonderful life and all that had happened in college and beyond.

EWU highlights for me include the talk with Dr. Fretwell about my future as a psychology major.  After my failure in my descriptive statistics class she advised me to change my major.  I had my best grades in PE thanks to Pat Whitehill and Mary Jo Tracey.  With wavers from Dr. Leighton of all team sport classes I was able to graduate the summer of 1965.  Chris and I were married that August.

With a year as the commander of the EWU ROTC Sponsor Corps, and several other honors under my belt, and Chris having been EWU yearbook and Easterner photographer and Easterner editor (taking over from the editor who flunked out with a .007 grade point average), as well as mentors Dick Hoover and Pat McManus for Chris, we had plenty of background for future employment. 

With our degrees in hand we set out to look for work in Santa Barbara, CA. After a 3-month stint we returned to EWU to prepare to become teachers. We looked for work in Spokane.  I was hired to teach first grade. Chris transitioned from the color dark room for the Spokesman Review to news photographer for the Spokane Daily Chronicle.  Chris became famous in Spokane for his photographs in the newspaper.  My grandmother Stowell clipped and saved them all.  He did some guest teaching for EWU at the extension in Spokane.  He also was on the board for the Spokane Falls Community College. 

But we were a couple of kids who didn’t want to settle down.  Our dream was to live on a boat.  After joining the United States Power Squadron and taking seamanship classes we bought our first boat-- a 14-foot C -Lark sailboat.  After that we upgraded to a 17’ Thistle, and then a 21’ San Juan.  We bought and sold 3 houses, God blessed us with 2 kids, and then we set off for Seattle to begin sailing in Puget Sound.  We lived in Seattle from 1978 until 1982.  Then it was off for Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi for Microwave Electronics school.  Then to California from 1983 until 1985.  Then off to Arlington, WA, Kirkland, WA, and Woodinville, WA. 

The rest is history.   If you have been reading my blog you read about our sailing adventures from 1997 to 1999.  I published these memories on my blog for September 9, 2014 to September 16, 2014. 

Now we are in our “Golden” years.  Time to start on our new adventure.  So far we have tried a digital photography business and next will be publishing e-books.  Only God knows how many days we have but with His help we will make them count.






Monday, March 26, 2018

I CAN ONLY IMAGINE



The movie "I can only Imagine" was a surprise hit at the box office over the week end.  Above is a You Tube of the title song.  Below is a link to an article telling about the showing.  Click here to read.

Wednesday, March 14, 2018

THE PROBLEM OF HOMELESSNESS


I have considered, semi-seriously, living in our car at times.  It is paid for.  The roof over our heads is not.  Expenses and taxes increase on a daily basis.  I am genetically opposed to debt, as is God, (Romans 13: Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.)

 Maybe being buried in debt is from the enemy, but God means it for our good.  Somehow, if we trust in Him, He will help us.  He has before.  We have never missed a meal.

But then I see unwashed humanity living and defecating in the streets and piling up garbage.  Apparently they are drug addicts, alcoholics, or mentally ill.  Some say they are military veterans who can’t work.  We may call them lazy, or just not smart enough to get a job, but the truth is that it is a Spiritual problem.  God loves them and is waiting for them to repent of their sins and turn to Him.  My recommendation would be for the government to remove the wrongdoers who are stealing—(crime in the Soho Business District of Seattle is so bad the government will tow derelict vehicles in hopes that the criminals will leave.) The churches and Union Gospel Mission folks have gone into the areas and tried to help.  Only Jesus, if they will ask, can help them at this point.  Of course many prayers are going up for the situation.

I read “Street Lawyer” by John Grisham years ago.  The protagonist attempted to help an alcoholic homeless woman get back on her feet.  He gave her temporary housing and tried all kinds of different scenarios to help her.  Still at the end of the book she was in the same condition.  Jesus told us that this is the way of the world.  

We know that those who believe in Jesus will have a prepared room and a feast when they see Jesus face to face.  I hope and pray that God will be able to get through to these poories before it is too late.

Below are some other stories about the problems in Seattle.

Small business

Man lives in truck

Kate defaced

skate park