What’s Up

Do you like this title? I find figuring a title the hardest part of writing. I have heard the title can make or break your story. I sure hope not anyway or that is how it goes.

This weekend I caught a cold at the reunion. I have felt hot all week probably because of some humidity so I didn’t wear a jack at all which turned out to be a mistake since it was colder than has been for a while.

It shows I am vulnerable to being not perfect. Can you imagine that! Often we put on an act pretending we are perfect. Sorry we are not.

Being imperfect shows us there is a perfect God we can rely on and who loves us despite the mistakes we make.

Our main purpose in life is to honor God and the rest of it is to show others God loves them too. Amen!

RE + Union

Saturday afternoon I went to a reunion of a former church I attended for many years that doesn’t exist any longer. I won’t get into details of the church no longer around.

A reunion should be those you had a union with in the past whether school, family, or in this case church.  There is a special bond with some people you have known in the past or you haven’t seen in a while.  I don’t understand why some people refuse or don’t like going to reunions. I feel anytime I see someone I know regardless of the situation it is important. It is sad not everyone feels that way.

Some of these people I saw at the reunion I hadn’t seen in a couple decades or longer. It felt though things hadn’t changed a lot since the last time I saw them.  We met at the city park in Gig Harbor which I spent a lot of time at as a child. The park is less than a mile from the house I grew up in.

There were several people who didn’t attend that I thought would be there. I am not sure why they weren’t in attendance unless something came up or the weather was the reason. It didn’t rain though the temperatures felt like fall and cloudy the whole time.

If you are someone who doesn’t like reunions and you haven’t been to one in a long time I recommend you go to the next one. It doesn’t matter how things went the last time you saw them they are people who were part of your life and you have union with them regardless of how things ended. Amen!

                                    Gig Harbor Crescent Creek Park 

Out Of The Funk

I remember when I was young the Beatles album “Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Band” came out.

I asked my older sister about how I could become a member.  I don’t remember her giving me the answer. I became an honoree member though. I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of young people did.

There are millions of people with lonely hearts. You don’t have to be single or divorced. I am sure there are many married people who are lonely as well.

I am sure psychologists have a clinical word for it. Depression can fall in with having a lonely heart.

So it is time for those of us with lonely hearts get out of the funk. We must decide we are no longer live with a lonely heart. Not an easy task because we probably have lived there for many years.

A good reason we are on earth for a purpose is to help those with lonely hearts. Who else can help but someone who has a lonely heart.  So keep your eyes open for those who do and talk with them. Amen!

You Will Know

It does take time to know your life purpose or how to use it effectively. At some point, you will realize it by how you are working with others.

Another name for life purpose is your original design. God designed you specifically for a purpose. Having a mentor or someone who knows you well or they hear from the Holy Spirit you will find out.

I have a good sense of humor so I use it as much as possible to make people feel at ease. This goes well with encouraging others too.

There is more to my original design; however, I am learning day by day.  This is really all we can do. Amen!

Calling It

In the sport of baseball, they have a term “calling it”. This means when there is a pop up in the infield or between the infield and outfield or a fly ball to the outfield one of the players has to call it or they may run into each other where one or both parties get hurt and the ball drops in for a hit.

In the outfield generally the rule is the centerfielder has the right to any ball he can get to; however, when the ball is hit between left and center field or center field and right field the centerfielder has to call out so the other fielder knows it is his ball. Sometimes though the other fielder thinks he can get it or he doesn’t hear the centerfield. The same goes on in the infield as well.

This can happen in our everyday life as well where we are calling it but another person isn’t hearing us or vice versa where we don’t hear them. There is miscommunication because we may feel like the centerfielder where we are in charge. The ball ends up dropping and everyone is upset. The best thing though someone should apologize whether they in the right or wrong. Often it doesn’t happen either so hurt feelings happen.

Another learning lesson we can all get from a sport or another lesson. It is so important for us to have communication among each other but sometimes it doesn’t happen then comes hurt feelings. This is when we should apologize whether we are right or wrong. Other words, we should be the bigger person. Amen!

This Day We Will Always Remember

Today is the 18^th anniversary when two planes crashed into the World Trade Center Towers, the Pentagon, and a plane crash in Pennsylvania. It cost the lives of over 3000 people who had no idea it would be their last day on earth. This day we call it 9-11.

Those on the flight in Pennsylvania were heroic taking down the terrorists who took over the plane. There may have been hundreds or thousands of more people losing their lives that day.

It is amazing to think a whole generation has been born and raised since that day. We let them know what a day it was.

I still remember waking up on September 11, 2001, hearing the news on the radio a plane had crashed in one of the World Trade towers. I went and turned on the television right when the second plane went into the other tower. I am sure many were like me couldn’t believe it. I thought I was watching a movie.  I spent most of the day hearing about what more conspired that day.

We have to continue to fight against evil. A part of the problem though so many consider evil as good these days; a sad situation and hopefully remember 9-11 we will return to knowing what is evil and what is good. Amen!

Looking Back

We all have fond memories from childhood well as not so good. The good and bad experiences have all shaped who we are.

The good experiences have given us confidence in certain areas while the bad experiences haven’t.  We have to identify both the good and bad.

The bad experiences where we may have trouble in especially if it has to do with relationships we need to resolve them. I am sure we have taken care of some of the experiences but not them all. This is what I did on Sunday evening in my prayer session. 

I know there is still some stuff I have to still take care of but what I did on Sunday evening I feel so much better now. I feel as though a cloud has been lifted. I can get on with life now in a more positive way.

Rex one of my classmates from high school passed away four years ago. Another classmate Dave shared on the anniversary of his memories of Rex. Dave and Rex were neighbors so they spent a lot of time together during our childhood. So I learned more about Rex then I knew before.

It is interesting to note most of the kids you interacted with were those living in the same neighborhood.  My best friend Gary lived just up the street from me. It took less than five minutes to walk to his house. At some point, he decided to build a treehouse, so Gary and I spent time in the treehouse looking at the baseball cards we both had purchased over time. We were especially interested in the cards where we each had more than one of the same players. Gary and I would exchange cards of the players we were most interested in getting which we didn’t already have.

Gary had a good size yard where we could hit the baseball. We would warm up as you can imagine throwing the ball to each other. I remember once feeling bad because I hit him in the face.  I think he was distracted by his mother calling him out from the house.

After warming up we would pitch to each other to help each other’s hitting. Gary and I played on the same little league baseball team. The batter would be facing away from the house toward the treehouse.  We would try not to hit the ball too hard because there were blackberries around the treehouse and we didn’t want to hunt for the baseball. Of course, there were times the ball would land in the blackberries.

Gary had an older sister but she wasn’t around very much. So in a way, I was like a brother to Gary. At school whenever we picked teams no matter the sport and Gary was a captain he always picked me first. It wasn’t the case when Gary wasn’t a captain.

I haven’t seen Gary for a long time now. I understand he lives in Idaho and is retired. One of my other classmates Paul who went to college with Gary as well runs into him at the college reunions. So whenever I see Paul I ask him about Gary.

Looking back thinking about the memories is a good thing. It helps live in the present time as well. Although I have good friends in the present time there is still something about those who knew you from way back when.

Enjoy your day and think positive. Change your life in the areas that have been negative for so long. Amen!

Peace In the Heart

Here in the USA, we have the privilege of living in freedom and peace along with prosperity like no other country.

Most Americans though don’t have the freedom and peace in their hearts.   Even many of us Christians have to deal with areas of our lives where there is no feeling of freedom and peace.

In my church, we have what is called freedom prayer where we help people get free of what bounds them. We are helping people in other countries as well.

I know some of you who live outside of the USA and read this faithfully live in countries where freedom, peace, and prosperity isn’t anything like the USA; however, you live in peace in your hearts or you are working on it.

I feel as though you are brothers and sisters of mine even if we never meet. Find friends who can help if you’re struggling with areas in your life where peace is not in your heart.

I am on a prayer team at my church to bring freedom to others whether a member of the church or not. We even have prayer members who go to other churches. I felt it was important so I had prayer myself Sunday evening. I still have a ways to go like we all do but I feel much better today.

I continue to appreciate you ready here. Have a blessed week and may God hear you today. Amen!

Lightning Strikes

Saturday night we had over 1200 lightning strikes in the Seattle area beginning around 7:30 pm.

I believe this is the first time lightning has taken place in September or at least in a long time.

The Washington Huskies football game had to be delayed for more than two and a half hours. They had to restore power as well.

I stepped outside for a moment. It was quite a sight to see. It was north of where I was standing and saw a bright light beyond the trees.

The lightning strikes went on for at least an hour and a half. I am sure many people lost power. Fortunately, where I live the power lines are underground so didn’t lose power.

The weather forecast never mentioned lightning would happen so they were surprised as anyone.

It shows anything can and probably will happen at any time. Enjoy your Sunday everyone.

                          I told you how fantastic nights look in Seattle!

Memories of Seattle

Growing up in Gig Harbor, Washington thirty-five miles south and west of Seattle it was always a big deal to go to the big city.

In those days most people in Seattle didn’t know where Gig Harbor was. In fact, nearby Tacoma many didn’t know of Gig Harbor. I am surprised now when Gig Harbor is mentioned during the weather forecast on TV.

Gig Harbor is at least twice as big now as when I was growing up. It is still a small town just not as small.

We used to go to Seattle at least once a year because we had relatives in the city. I always felt Seattle was in another country. Even today I feel that way.

The Space Needle has been the main landmark though there is the Smith Tower as well.  The first time I remember going up the elevator in the Space Needle. A very uneasy feeling since I wasn’t good with heights.  The observation at the top wasn’t easy to deal with either. When arriving at the top it was good seeing places near and far. You can see Mt. Rainier to the south and east, Bremerton to the west, and the San Juan Islands to the north.

We had relatives in Bellingham, Washington which is near the Canadian border, and Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. I always enjoyed the drive back going into Seattle. Often I would sleep on the way; however, I made sure my parents would wake me up before getting to Seattle. At night, it was a spectacular sight seeing Seattle all lighted up. Something I have never forgotten.

The Destination

The journey is exciting; however, the destination is the most important. Where we arrive in the end is what counts the most.

Our purpose begins with the journey. The destination is what we want the most. The journey is what gets us to the destination. Our success comes when we arrive at the destination.

So enjoy the journey; however, have your eye on the destination. Amen!

The Journey

Whatever we do whether it is travel, looking out for others, or life, in general, it is a journey.

The most important thing is to make the best of whatever we do.

All this leads us to our purpose is what comes about. I have mentioned before our purpose is what we enjoy the most.

God wants us to live in him. Put our heart toward him. This is the journey we should enjoy the most.

We will enjoy the people, the places and life when we do what God wants us to do.

He does give us free will in the process. We likely will lead a life of selfishness; however, at some point, we realize it isn’t what we should have done.

We might enjoy free-loving for a while but we realize it is meaningless. King Solomon who was the wisest man on earth said that everything is worthless. This includes being wise as well. We end up being responsible in everything we do and it is meaningless as well.

King Solomon said in the end the important thing is to fear God. He said it all and we find out this the more we go on this journey.

Ready For Fall?

Now school is back in session it reminds me of fall. It is one of my favorite times of the year.

I remember playing flag football which must have been sixth grade because parents didn’t want us to get hurt. I caught a pass for a touchdown. The main reason the kid covering me wanted to tackle me instead of pulling my flag. He wasn’t big enough to do so while at the same time his teammates were yelling “pull his flag.”

In junior high, my neighborhood friends and I played football at the city park. We all lived real close to the park so we played almost every day after school. I caught a lot of passes because I was the tallest and one of the fastest kids in the neighborhood. We played tackle football though our parents thought we were playing touch football. We wanted to be real men.

Another reason I like fall is the changing colors of the trees. Just like in spring they are so beautiful. I liked the rain to though it does get tiresome after a while.

What is great living in the Pacific Northwest we have all four seasons. Some places go from summer to winter back to summer. Winter isn’t always as cold or we lack the snow but we do have it.

There is something good for all the seasons. They each have something to look forward to every year. I feel so blessed to live in the Pacific Northwest.