Learning
Growth
Unity
When We Awake to Astonishment
Probably the most astonishing sight I’ve seen lately is video of my husband hanging out with sharks.
We spent eight days on an archipelago of 330 islands that make up the country of Fiji. Dan is scuba diving as I sit in our private yard with the “Beware: Coconuts Falling” sign on the largest palm tree, and the hammock and the blue sea beyond.
Jenga or J. Vernon
Remember the first time you played Jenga? It looked so simple, the stack of blocks and all you had to do was slide out one at a time, alternating with whomever you played against.
But as the game progressed and the stack teetered, anxiety replaced calm and your fingers seemed not able to be still…until the whole thing tumbled with you still holding the last piece you were trying to remove.
Rocks in a Backpack
The Other Night…
The other night we had a few friends over for dinner. It was a fun evening eating take-out BBQ and enjoying each other’s company. We stuffed ourselves, laughed, did some competitive Spam carving and had lively discussions around a few hot topics.
When It’s Only a Human-sized Effort
You may have heard the story of the elderly man who was shuffling along a beach with an unusual amount of stranded starfish. In the distance, he noticed a young boy picking up starfish and pitching them back into the sea.
When the lad got within hearing distance, the old man called out, “What are you doing?”
When Rage Looks Like a Good Option
A couple of Saturdays ago was a busy one in Bend. We attended Chris Friess’ memorial service (a very good man remembered well), and after changing clothes I rode the bike down to Drake Park for the No Kings protest and march, and at the same time the downtown bike criterium was running hard on the streets, and Styx was warming up at the amphitheater. Oh, yes, also there was a triathlon finishing up at River Bend Park, and half of the West Coast was visiting our town.
Memorials, Mementos, and Memories
It’s funny how our minds work. The other day I heard a song that evoked a memory of riding in a friend’s car, which led to memories of his first sermon on a mission trip, which led to memories of a starlit Mexican sky, and so on. Memories are like a locked room, and sometimes we find a little key—a song, a smell, a memento—that opens the door.
Here Comes the Diesel
The past couple of weeks, Team Immatour has been on a little bike trip, which is the reason for two Tuesdays without my scribbles. This team is a group of friends who ride together most every summer and were given their name by Francie’s dad while staying with them on a trip through Montana a few years ago. This summer we started in Durango and made our way south and east to Taos, around the Enchanted Circle, then back a different route to our rigs left where we started.
Why Are You Here?
It was midnight and I was hitchhiking home to California on Interstate-5. A trucker stopped to pick me up. A trucker with a daughter my age. On the drive south, he said he’d take me all the way to the California bay area, but he encouraged me to return to school.
When Anxiety Muscles Its Way In
I’m not a worrier by nature. During my widow years, it was normal to drive to a wilderness trailhead, text a friend to let her know where I was, and then call her when I returned to my car. Looking back, it would have been a good idea to have a healthy fear about hiking alone in the wilderness.
Hey, Jude
Have you read the little letter from Jude lately?
Jude is one of those often overlooked books in the Book, slid in between John’s three letters and Revelation. Hidden in the back, almost as an afterthought, Jude can be easily skipped, but is a letter that holds good stuff for any believer today.
Acts: The Hug Heard ‘Round the World
I snuck away from the office one Friday, as I sometimes do, to substitute teach at Mountain View High School. I only ever fill in for one math teacher because my time and expertise are limited. But on this day too many positions were vacant, so the office manager asked me to use my free period to cover for choir. “As long as I don’t have to sing,” I replied.
When It's Test Day
Life these day can be stressful and occasionally my sweet dreams give way to nightmares. There are two I remember. One is some version of a chase dream, where I am pursued and am unable to run fast or far enough to escape. The other, tied actually to my school days, is of a math test where I am unprepared, arrive late and flail and fail my way through the dream.
What Would It Look Like to Take a Screen Break?
A friend recently threw out a challenge to see if we could take a 24-hour rest from all screens—phones, computers, TVs. I shouldn’t have been surprised, but it was enlightening to discover the most challenging aspect of screen dependency.
American Idol Punching Bag
Claudia and I enjoy following each season of American Idol. This is the singing competition that leads viewers along from mass auditions where the good, the bad and the bizarre hope to hear, “You’re going to Hollywood!” from Lionel, Luke and Carrie. Through numerous cuts, getting harder with each round, at the end there is just one left as the winner…the next American Idol.
It’s Not About the Tea
You may be tempted to think this blog is about how much I enjoy tea. And reading. And being home. I mean, just because I’ve included some of my favorite quotes about these things, that doesn’t necessarily mean anything. By the way, have you heard this one by C.S. Lewis?
“You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.”
The Next Book of Acts
Recently while reading the book of Acts, I tried to imagine what it was like for these new followers of the Way.
Think about it, in pretty short order after the resurrection of Jesus a wave of spiritual power seems to have crested and crashed, soaking everyone around. Thousands begin a journey of faith based on the words from those who traveled with Jesus. Stories abound.
Is Being Selfish Always Wrong?
Are we always self-centered when we’re selfish? Depends on the boundaries we set.
Authors Henry Cloud and John Townsend in their book, Boundaries, talk about Highly Productive People (HPP) and Highly Sensitive People (HSP). HPP people don’t know their limits so often crash and burn. HSP people are so sensitive to stimuli around them that their emotional reserves are quickly drained.
It Was a Dark and Stormy Night …
A small passenger ferry, far from shore, was being tossed about in the fierce gale. Eventually the ship capsized and sank, leaving all the passengers struggling in the cold water. Soon a helicopter appeared overhead and a rescuer was lowered on a rope.
Just a Man, But a Good One
As I began writing this, tens of thousands had waited hours in a huge square for a chance to spend a moment before the casket and body of Pope Francis. The outpouring of love and support caught the Vatican a bit flat-footed and they had to significantly expand the hours for visitation to accommodate the crowds. By the time you read this, the funeral will have happened and the conclave to choose a successor will have been called.