Happy Halloween

Here we are again the beginning of the holiday season starting off with Halloween. I want to wish everyone a happy Halloween. I especially want to say hello to those who do not believe or celebrate Halloween. It is OK not to believe in it at the same time allowing those who do have an enjoyable time.

I remember really enjoying going trick-or-treating as a kid around the neighborhood well as going to school in a costume. These days we don’t have many kids if any at all coming to the door. Often I leave candy outside the door. There have been years when I was out visiting friends for Halloween. I make sure there is candy though I know likely no one will come. Here in Gig Harbor now the children go downtown to celebrate Halloween after getting out of school. It is really a great way to celebrate Halloween without fear that something may happen with the children and they get to spend time with their friends showing off their costumes. Some do go out trick-or-treating when they are done. Many of the homes in the downtown area get visitors that way along with their own neighborhoods.

Last year was real nice because my sister Barb was in town. We went to friends of our mother’s who traditionally had the Great Pumpkin for children to enjoy. They have moved so no longer doing the tradition. I am sure the children who visited over the years will miss seeing the Great Pumpkin.

I always enjoy seeing how creative people can be at work and out in the community in their costumes. It was always great to see who got the award for the best and scariest costumes. Of course seeing the little children in their costumes is adorable too. I will see what I can do this year to enjoy Halloween. So everyone enjoy this wonderful day even those who don’t celebrate it. Happy Halloween!!

Changing Our Lives

 First of all we must love ourselves however we must realize that we can change things in our lives as well. None of us is perfect by any means.

I am not talking about our personality because that is the best part of us. In some cases we may have to tone things down but in general personality keeps us going. I am one that enjoys talking a lot and telling jokes however I have realized over the years that I don’t have to talk much as I have and to listen to others. For some people they may have to learn to talk a lit bit more. I am speaking to those who primary are very shy. Let you know that you do have something to share and offer to other people. I know that I certainly could hear from you.

I have to say that most areas in our lives that can change come from our past. We all have hurts and insecurities that we still have to overcome even after many years. The key is to figure out what they are and be willing to change. As we all know is that change is not easy for most of us however we have to decide to do so. You see we will be better and happier people. I have mentioned before that being happy is a choice and the same thing goes for change. We must decide we are going to change and make the steps necessary to do so. At the same time continue to love ourselves in the process.

An area I feel that we need to change the most is our hearts. The Presidential Election in the United States has shown me that. We have two primary candidates that most people don’t really want to be President however they willing to go vote for one of them. I decided to do a write-in candidate and I know that many will say that my vote doesn’t count for anything and they may truly be right however on the other hand if people really voted for whomever they truly wanted then the race may look a bit different. I had someone on social media say that I sold out for voting a candidate that doesn’t have a chance to win. I can understand what they are saying and I am sure many of you reading this post may feel the same way. I could come back on that individual saying they sold out by voting for someone who they really don’t want to be President. The whole thing I have heard over and over again “lesser of two evil”. I heard another person with the good point is that they are still both evil.

So my point here is that we need to change our hearts. Where our hearts are at right now is not in a good place. I know some will say I have a good heart. If so then you are in a better place than a lot of people. Certainly a better place than mine; I am not saying that I have a really bad heart but there is a place of improvement.

So recognize the places that you know that can be changed and go for it. I look forward to the future where I can share where my changes have happened. Currently I am dieting hoping to lose some need weight. The goal is to lose four to eight pounds a month over the next year and then maintain the weight. So for the month of October I have lost five pounds so I am right on my goal. What I have done is eating lesser portions along with different choices of food. I look forward to making other changes in my life too. I hope you are looking to making changes in your life too. The best of luck and keep on loving yourself.

Living a Successful Life

One thing I know for sure there is million answers to the question “What makes a successful life”. What I feel is a successful life is probably different than what many other people think it is. As a Christian a successful life is making to heaven and bringing as many people with me as possible. Beyond that I would help people to change their lives around. Oh yes having a good time with others as well; also fulfilling my life of purpose and destiny. I am sure that I can go on and on with this answer for myself.

I know to that there are those who believe money and power gives them a successful life while others believe having a good family and career. Like I say there is millions of answers to the question. The important thing is for each of us to figure out where we become successful in living this life.

I will end here saying for each of us to use our talents and gifting to help our fellow man. It doesn’t matter whether we become famous or not if we can make a difference in the lives of those around us we have been successful.  

Encouraging Others

 

 I believe the greatest honor we have is to encourage others. On social media I have been attacked for planning to vote for someone other than Donald Trump even if it is not Hillary Clinton. I call what they said making my conscience to feel guilty. I am amazed how far people are going in regards to the Presidential election. I am sure they would not do this under any other circumstance. I wish people would encourage everyone to go out and vote for the candidate they feel best to run the country instead of attacking others. They are doing the opposite of encouraging others.

So back to the main reason in writing this post is that encouraging others I feel is the biggest honor we have. Everyone can be involved it and how the world is today we can all use a word of encouragement. I know the last couple weeks I have received messages from friends and told in person as well that they have been praying for me. It is always bad when someone attacks you on social media. I know that I would never do such a thing even if they don’t agree with me. We have all been given free will by our great Almighty God and no one has the right to go against how we feel. I would say that to anyone that I don’t agree with on issues as well. We will all stand before God on the words we speak and our actions. We are not supposed to judge others. We can let them know when we feel they are going off track but not to bash them. Anything less than love is not encouraging word; want to know where to start with encouraging others begin with your family and friends then go on to those who you do not know. Let them know how much you appreciate them and then on from there.

I want everyone here to know how much I appreciate you reading my blog whenever you have the chance; many blessings to everyone today and over the weekend.

  

Asking For Wisdom

I am sure that most people have heard the story in the Old Testament in the book of 1King chapter 3 verse 9. King Solomon who has just taken over his father David as King of Israel was asked by God for anything he wants. Solomon asked to have a discerning heart because he is young and how to correctly rule the nation of Israel and its people. Also this is known as having wisdom as well. Solomon was the wisest man ever in the world.

I don’t consider wisdom to go along with how smart we are however I believe at times we all need a discerning heart and wisdom to get us through something very important. This is especially true if we want to be the people of purpose and destiny. A discerning heart will help us realize how others talk to us. Other words whether they are speaking truth or not. So like Solomon we should ask God for a discerning heart and wisdom when the time arises; sometimes we may have to make a decision going one way or another. Example if we are looking for a job and we are given a choice between two jobs which one to take.

Regardless how smart we are the truth is we don’t have all the answers so we need to know about what we are capable in the natural and that is where wisdom comes in. We may ask others for help to resolve our questions. Many counselors can give us more of an idea where we should go. So don’t be afraid to ask for wisdom. Go for it and blessings to you.

Always Good to Hear From Family

It is always good to hear from my family whether it is by snail mail, e-mail, social media or the phone. I like the phone because it is nice to hear their voices however e-mail is good for more details along with social media having pictures. Snail mail is primarily used for the end of the year when it gets even more personal and they write about the whole past year.

Monday I got an email from my cousin Christy and her husband David. They recently arrived at their late fall and spring home in Arizona. The rest of the time they spend up in British Columbia, Canada. They took quite a run about get to Arizona this time. Their son Brook, his wife and young baby girl moved to eastern Canada so they do a lot of face time as well. Also on the way they first stopped in Edmonton, Alberta to visit their other two sons and wives. This is where her dad and my mother grew up as well. Also, they visited my sister Barb and nephew Connor in Quebec along with my brother Jack and some of his clan in Virginia. They visited a little of David’s family in North Carolina before heading to Arizona. They did a stopover in New Mexico too. So you see a lot of travel and adventure before arriving in Arizona. Sometimes they stop by seeing my mother and I in Gig Harbor on the way to Arizona. They may do so in February or March when they return to Arizona the second time around. They go back to British Columbia to spend Christmas.

You can see that I have family all over the place so in the future when I travel I have plenty of spots to layover. The best part besides seeing family is all the adventure going on and seeing places I haven’t seen before or for some time.

I have to admit that I come from a really good family and that I am very blessed to do so. I know that not everyone does. I recommend though that you talk or mail with other members of your family even if your relationship is not good. We have to remember that we will not all be here forever. Think of them as friends well as family.

Loving Washington State

                      Gig Harbor Washington and Mt. Rainier showing off in the background

I look forward to more traveling however I know that I will miss you Washington State

All though seeing other places will be grand coming back home will be joyous

I am glad that God choose this place for me to be born

I know some leave because of the rain however I like the fact there are four seasons in a year here

Most likely I will travel to warm places in the winter unless it decides to snow in Washington

I know that I can go up to the mountains to visit snow but it is still nothing like having snow in the front yard

Washington you’re so wonderful because you have the Olympic and Cascade Mountains

Mt. Rainier I love waking up each morning seeing you

Sometimes the clouds cover you but you are always beautiful

Gig Harbor my home for all these years you are beautiful to see each day as well

Seeing the homes and the waters in the bay

I enjoy seeing you first thing in the morning to Pt. Defiance Park along with Vashon Island and Commencement Bay

Seeing the boats out fishing everyday

Washington you have so many Port cities around that we can enjoy looking out on their waterfronts

Seattle you are so beautiful especially at night

Love going up the Space Needle on a clear day where can see the San Juan Islands to the north along with Lake Washington and Lake Union

Enjoy taking the ferry from Bremerton into Seattle and walking up to Pick Place Market where the fish are thrown with beautiful flowers around

A wonderful place to have lunch or dinner eating seafood looking out on a wonderful scene

There is so much more I can say about you Washington I just thank you for being here for me

Spiritual Warfare

 

A while ago I wrote about miracles though I know that not everyone believes in them. This would include those that are Christians. I can say the same thing about spiritual warfare. I do admit that I am far from being an expert on the subject however let you know that we are spiritual beings besides flesh and blood. Since we are spiritual beings this means that we are in a spiritual battle. Even if you don’t believe spiritual warfare you are still involved in it though likely the battle is not so hard since you don’t believe.

You see Satan wants us to be distracted from our purpose and destiny. We are dangerous if we are living our purpose and destiny because we totally in the will of God so he makes ways to get us off the mark. If you don’t believe in this his job already is done so he doesn’t have to work at it. Being human beings we are certain things happen to all mankind like sickness. At some point we get a sickness or in the end we die.

Along with our purpose and destiny sickness is a big part of spiritual warfare. We are distracted usually when we are sick. This can apply to what we call mental illness. If you are a believer than some physical illness along with the mental illness is a major area for us to do battle against. The spiritual warfare does not mean that we fight on our own we have God and fellow believers. So if you are dealing with something right now that can be identified as spiritual I would find friends that believe in prayer. They can help you battle over whatever causing the problem. I would look for someone who is mature in their beliefs. Depending how severe the spiritual attack (a word I figure to use) than prayer could last for a while. In fact it could take the group a time of fasting too.

Last week I text messaged a couple in my church who right now are out of town on a trip. Actually they recently sold their home in Kent, Washington and plan to move to my hometown and where our church is located in Gig Harbor, Washington. Currently they are in Oregon however the plan is to go travel most of the United States. Their original plan is to be gone for three months. I am not sure whether they still on that plan or not. When I text them I let them know that I was thinking of them and wanted to know how things were going. I got a respond back from them both. He said that they had been praying for me and they missed me along with friends and the church. She texted me a little later telling me that they were having a good time and relaxing. Yesterday (Sunday afternoon) I got another text from him saying they had been praying for me all week. Though they did not give me any details on what they were praying it was really nice to know that they were doing so for me. The Sunday before I had prayer at church with a man on the church prayer team about having some issues with having neck and back pains; I usually don’t have the problem like most people would with neck and back. So he prayed that the pain would go away. Yesterday I saw him again before church and let him know that I believe it is a spiritual attack because the pain comes and goes. It doesn’t happen all the time other word. Although it is spiritual the problem could be how I am when sleeping. It is a good way to explain the problem away; however, I still believe it is spiritual because the pain does go away during the day and often transfers to another part of my body which I can understand sounds weird too.

So I want you to know that we are in a spiritual battle and again find people that you trust and who believe to be in this spiritual warfare along with you. This way you can be comforted and get your eye back on your purpose and destiny.

Enjoying People

I have to say that I enjoy being around people. It seems to be foreign to most people though. I like all types of people at all ages. It does not mean that they like me in return; most people like those that are most like them. It can be the color of their skin, personality or enjoy the same things in life.

I find it interesting in meeting all kinds of people. The truth is most people are not like me so why search out for them. The world would be a better place if the majority of the people were like me however that is not really going to happen. I am sure you feel the same way.

When I go out for my daily walking I notice a lot of people walking with their dogs. Of course dogs need their exercise much as people do. My impression is that a lot of people or I have to say dog owners like their dogs more than other people. I don’t have a dog so I can’t say that. I actually like dogs though I don’t have one. It takes a commitment to have a dog which I don’t have at this time. I enjoy being around dog owners and their dogs. I understand why people like their dogs because dogs like people and that is not the case with all of us people; however, when you see a dog approach another dog it is a lot like us though they don’t like each other sometimes. I am sure that dogs think of people in the same manner that we like them. They enjoy the fact that their owner takes very good care of them and will feed them to along with these lovely walks. I do get some friendly responses from dog owners but on the other hand some ignore me. I figure it is because they don’t like other people in general just their dog. Regardless I still like them anyway. We can get into cat owners and the other animal owners but that may take way to long for you to read so we will leave it right here.

I have to say probably a major reason I like people a lot though the affection for me is not going to return in some cases is that other people are why I have a purpose and destiny. People are the ones that I have a purpose for. It is the reason that I write and post here on a daily basis for others to be encouraged especially those who are hurting. I would not be surprised that dog owners who don’t care much for other people the reason they were hurt by others over the years and they get unconditional love from their dogs. I have to say though I may not agree with them but I do understand where they are coming from. I have been hurt by people over the years however I have learned to forgive. This is the key to really enjoy other people. Most of us do not get accepted in the manner we would really like to be so we must accept that and enjoy people under the circumstances we are in. Even we feel that we are being ignored by others important to put a smile on our faces anyway. Who knows the tide could shift the other way where more people will actually like us or at the very least dream about. So regardless you do have a friend in me besides your dog or cat or fish or whatever animal that lives with you.

Learning From Each Other

One big thing we need to do in our society and world is to learn from each other. It does not only apply between people of our own age but those of different ages and cultures. Here in United States we have people of different races and locations. I know that I could learn from those who live on the east coast of the USA well as the Midwest and South to name a few places. We all talk with different accents to. Even though here in Washington we jokingly say “we don’t have accents”. It is easy to know people who have moved here from other places because they do have obvious accents.

Recently some students and staff members from Lincoln High School in nearby Tacoma, Washington returned from a trip to China for eleven days. Lincoln High School has one of the most diverse students in Washington State. Those students come from white parents to black Americas along with Asian plus mixed. I am sure the students and staff learned not only about the Chines culture but about each other as well. I am sure they learned a lot about Chinese history which of course is a lot older than USA history by a long shot. Also they learned what is to be a teenager in China too. I am sure there were some similarities well as differences. Learning from the elderly in China would be fascinating too.

So this comes down to our country to where teenagers should learn how life was for their parents and grandparents. You can only learn so much from books and on the internet for that matter. When I go around town to go shopping at the grocery store or in a coffee shop there are people of all ages. I try to learn by observing and in some cases speaking to younger people well as those my age and older. One thing I do know is that I don’t know a lot about people. This applies to those I know more than others. We only let others know much as we want them to know.

In my town of Gig Harbor ninety percent or more are white like me. There are some that have come from different places including California, the East Coast, other countries like England and Russia to name a few. The other about ten percent is made up of Mexicans, Native Americans and blacks. Actually the blacks probably make up the lowest percentage of those living in Gig Harbor. When I was growing up here there were no blacks and few Mexicans. The majority of minorities in Gig Harbor were Native Americans and there were not many of them either. Most of the blacks that I have seen in Gig Harbor are from mixed marriages. This does apply to some other minority groups as well. You will find Asians married to whites or blacks. I would find it interesting to learn what it would be like to grow up in a mix race family as well. I am sure there are a lot of questions that can be asked. Most of the kids I grew up with in Gig Harbor we lived here almost of our childhood. There were some that moved in from other areas. Some of them came from Tacoma so did not move too far. In those days people in Seattle never heard of Gig Harbor. Now Gig Harbor is often mentioned on local television news. It mostly applies to the weather.

I have to admit that I don’t understand the whole tension between blacks along with other minorities against white cops since I never have lived in that world. I believe though these groups need to sit down and talk with each other. Not only talk but really listen. This applies to youth all the way to the elderly. White cops should never be put in position to shoot and kill blacks or other minorities regardless of age. The white cops need to realize that minorities are people too. The minorities need to know what they can do or not do when they are out in the streets. I believe that there needs to be more minority cops in the neighborhoods as well. I haven’t had a lot of dealings with cops other than saying hello but I believe we all need to be put in situations where we don’t have to deal with them in a fashion that can get us in trouble. I believe the time of the day is important as well. If I had teenagers or young people in my family I would make sure that they had a curfew of no later than 12 midnight on the weekends. Later than that time you are ready for trouble. This also goes for where you spend your time at as well. Also watch carrying a weapon or showing that you are carrying one. Other words you could have your hand in the pocket of your jacket. I recommend that we all keep our hands out where there is no question that you don’t have a weapon. Everyone meeting with the police asking questions would help out a whole lot. What to do and not to do. You see all our lives matter. This is why we need to learn from one another. This way we can help each other out better too.  

Walking in the Rain

                                             Enjoy the puddle!!

 Walking or singing in the rain is romantic while yelling sounds pretty good too. Drowning in the rain doesn’t feel so good though. Last week I mentioned that it was going to be heavy winds along with the rain here in the northwest. The heavy winds pretty much did not materialize except in a few spots especially on the coast and north of Seattle. There was a little damage in places along with losing electricity however the report of heavy winds didn’t happen.

The rain has continued to be hard most of this week. The average rain fall in the Seattle area is about five inches in October but this year it is about seven inches already with ten days remaining.

Last week before the rain came I went out and bought a new neon yellow rain jacket. I have received a lot of comments about the jacket. For example, “Herb are you there?”  I had a blue jacket but it was hard to see me when it got dark out. Now everyone can see me that I am for sure or at least the jacket anyway. It was time that I bought another jacket anyway.

On my next agenda is to go out and buy a pair of boots. My shoes get a bit wet in the rain. I do have a pair of boots that I can wear if I have to but they are a bit tight so I need to buy the next size up. I have realized that when it comes to buying shoes the next size up works out really well. Also I have found that to be true when it comes to shirts as well. Depending where you go for shirts the size I have been getting does not fit. Oh yes I haven’t gain any weight. In fact I am trying to diet where those shirts will fit in the future.

Anyway back to walking in the rain.  I have found myself doing my daily walking when it is not raining. Although we have had a lot of rain the last week there has been times where sun breaks have come out too. A lot of the heavy rain has been going on during the night and in the morning so the afternoons have had the sun breaks. I figure though I take the chance then to walk. Yesterday was one of those days I could walk in the sun break for the full time. Earlier in the week I walked until the rain started happening and then I turned around to go back to my destination. I was lucky that it did not rain hard until I did get back. This new rain jacket really helps out in the heavy rain though the shoes don’t that is for sure. The parking lot where I leave my car at the water looks like a river or at the least a small stream so I have to be careful walking over not to get shoes to wet and that I don’t fall over; also not to get spray from other cars.

Depending exactly where you live here in Western Washington the average yearly rain fall is between 35 and 40 inches. So you see it averages about the same across all of USA though we are known for having rain. A lot of the rain happens in the fall and winter so it is quite deceiving. Anyway enjoy your walks especially those romantic ones in the rain.

Having Hope

 Regardless what happened yesterday we now have a new day. This means we can have hope. Today allows us to start over. We may feel that things are not different from yesterday but really we do have the chance to have new hope.

A major player in this new hope is forgiveness. This pertains to forgive another person that has wronged us or forgiving ourselves. Often forgiving ourselves is harder to do than the other person. When I was thinking about this I had a situation come up from a long time ago. Actually it was back in Junior High. I am sure everyone remembers those wonderful days. I was in a situation that had to do with bullying. Without getting into full details I had forgiven those other guys involved in the bullying but I had not forgiven myself. A lot of situations back in those days I have forgiven others and myself but I must not have in this case or it would not have come into my mind. In fact I don’t even remember who was even involved in the bullying. I did not participate in the bullying however I should have stopped it from happening. Now I can forgive myself that gives me more freedom and hope. Lack of hope means that we are not free in our spirit; we are not the person we actually need to be. I am sure there are other situations that I need to forgive and give hope in but I can check this one off the list.  Forgiveness does not necessarily mean that I forget the situation but I have taken care of it.

So whatever happened yesterday or in the past forgive others and yourself. Remember that none of us is perfect. We all make mistakes and it is important not to hold grudges or bitterness. This will give us hope that we can live with today. I am sure we will make mistakes today however we can the hope we all desire to have and freedom to live. Let’s not beat up on ourselves or others. Be the best person we can be today. Also remember tomorrow will take care of itself as well.

Making Changes in Our Lives

We all feel like that we need to make changes in our lives. This is true to some degree or another. We are all imperfect so we do things that are imperfect however we can do the changes if we put our minds to it and the grace of God.

The most important thing though is to believe who God has made us to be. I been told a number of things about my life however truly believing is hard to do. We all see what our lives been like and can’t believe that we can actually be the person we are meant to be.

Remember we have a purpose and a destiny in our lives and no matter what has happened up to this point in our lives whether we are close to our purpose and destiny or not we put our minds to it and ask for help it will all come to pass. This is especially true if you know that you’re not living the life that you should. It takes faith along with belief for our lives to be what it is meant to be.

In the bible people’s names had a purpose to their lives. In many cases the parents named the child for what they were going through at the time. Also some had their names changed; for example Jacob became Israel, Simon became Peter and Saul became Paul. You find out what your name means. You might find out who you were meant to be. If your name means something negative you can pray against that. Also if you have known people over the years that have spoken words of negative over your life please forgive them and move on. I know that I have had to do that myself and it has given me freedom. I am not where I know that I should be however I am working that way. Be positive and you will become the person you were meant to be. It will not happen unless you truly go for it. The great thing is not only you will be a better person for it the world will be a better place for you being in it. God bless you and the victories that will come into your life.  

Visiting Big Lake British Columbia

                                         Susan and David's home at Big Lake British Columbia

                                    

                                         left to right on Vancouver Island  cousins Rob, Susan,
                                         brother Jack, cousin Christy, myself and mother.

 My mother was born in Alberta and grew up in the cold and snowy city of Edmonton where she lived until finishing college. So our family had the Canadian heritage to live on. In fact my sister Barb lives in Quebec not very far from Ottawa, Ontario the capital of Canada. She has lived there longer than the time in Gig Harbor, Washington. Before moving to Quebec she along with her husband and two young children at the time lived in the Vancouver British Columbia area. Growing up we would visited Vancouver on numerous occasions since at that point our grandmother (mother’s mother) lived there along with my mother’s oldest brother Bob along with his wife Joan, children Rob, Susan and Christy. Rob is about two months older than my sister while Susan is about a year and half younger than Rob. Christy is the youngest and is about five years older than me. When I was ten Christy spent a summer with us in Gig Harbor while our mother was down in the Portland, Oregon taking college classes at Lewis and Clark College. Although I do know Rob and Susan I have spent more time with Christy. All three of them live in British Columbia though all three lived elsewhere for a period of time. Rob lives in Vernon, British Columbia selling real estate. He lived quite a few years in England. In fact I spent a few days with him in England when I visited there along with seeing my brother Jack who was living in Germany at the time. With his time in England Rob does have a partial British accent. Christy and her husband David lived in England for a short period of time too. There middle son is Kent named after the city of the same name. If you ever meet a Kent likely named after the city. Susan and her husband David lived in Ottawa for a period of time while he was working for the Canadian government. When they moved back to British Columbia he had a position in the province government too.

So now to the story about the title with Big Lake, British Columbia; this is the area that Susan and David now live on their ranch. Though they don’t live on Big Lake Ranch that is where their mail is delivered to. I have visited there a couple times because of weddings. The first time was for the wedding of Susan and David’s middle son. The wedding took place on the ranch. Mother and I stayed at Christy and David’s place which is on Rose Lake east of 150 Mile House. This is where you would get off get to Big Lake Ranch as well. It is at least a half an hour drive to Susan and David’s place. The second visit was when Christy and David’s oldest son got married just over three years ago. Mother and I stayed at Susan and David’s place. This wedding took place at Rose Lake on Christy and David’s property.

In both cases of the weddings there were some who came for the occasions and stayed in their RV’s on both properties. This is really a great way to spend vacation time in the Big Lake area is traveling in your RV. Susan and David have at least three lakes on their property and one that their house located on. While we visited there a neighbor young woman living on the other side of the lake came over and watched their grandchildren. I found this a wonderful place to visit beyond seeing them. I look forward to my next visit to see them. I hope that will be next summer depending on my mother’s health that is. I know for sure I will visit once again at some point. That whole area of British Columbia is so beautiful and a great place to get away to enjoy yourself and relax. If you like fishing make sure to take your pole along with you. Actually the whole province of British Columbia is nice to visit. Winter time you will have to be careful since they do get a lot of snow in that part of British Columbia. Christy and David spend time in Arizona while Susan and David usually go to Mexico. Also Rob and his companion Tina go to Mexico during the winter too.

Make sure that you take your camera with you for taking some awesome pictures. A great place to take your children or grandchildren; you can have a grand time spending out in the deep country. You can laugh a lot without anyone hearing you.

Being Teachable!

Whether we are leaders or followers one of the most important things is to be teachable. Even if you’re a leader there is someone that should be your overseer. Many leaders fall because they don’t have someone above them to receive counsel and insight.

Being teachable means that you listen to those that are above you; it is important to accept truth even when it hurts. At the same time it is important to judge what you are being told as well. For example you don’t walk off a bridge because your leader tells you too. If you get to the point where you can’t accept what the leader is saying than it is time to move on. This doesn’t mean that you are not teachable it means that you are being wise.

If you are planning to be a leader it is wise to find a leader that recognizes that someday that you will be one too and they are not threaten by it. This does not mean that someday you will take the leader’s position it just means that you will be a leader too. There is a strong possibility he will send you out to lead your own group or knows the time for you to move on.

Another reason you may have to move on and go under another leader is that leader does not have the same vision that you do. Not everyone has the same purpose in life to do. This doesn’t mean you necessarily have to leave until the time is right. Although you may not have the same vision you may feel that you can learn a lot from that leader. This is another way of being teachable as well. The important thing is too feel right about the situation. You should not leave just to leave. It is a lonely road out there if you are not able to find the right leader. A good leader is still a good leader even when you don’t agree on the same vision. This could be the time where you learn a lot about yourself and becoming a leader yourself. Remember becoming a leader may not be on your time schedule either. You can’t force others to follow you when the time is not right. This shows to whether you are teachable as well. You have to be willing to keep the desires to yourself. If you are truly meant to be a leader the right time will come along. Even when you become a leader it is still important to be teachable. Other leaders that are more experienced especially the one you learn from can still let us be taught. The great lesson is that we are never done learning no matter how far we go.  

Motivation!

When it comes to our purpose and destiny we have to check in on what our motivation is. What I mean are we doing this with the right motives or not. I expect that most of us are using the right motive however we could go the other way because we feel this is our purpose and destiny so that is why I am doing what I am doing.

The whole thing about our motives is that we need to check on them on a regular basis. I find that there are those who mean well doing what they are doing however they are using the same formula over and over again so at some point the motives could become wrong. When I talk with people to see how they are doing and how I can help them I try not to do it the same way all the time. Since each person is an individual we have to treat them that way as well.

Another question we have to answer as well is the motivation of the people we try to help as well. We have to remember at some degree or another we are all selfish so they can have the wrong motives as well. Although we want to help them change we must realize that most likely they have asked for help from others as well. In fact they may have asked many times over and are looking to see what they can get out of us like the previous people. I am not saying this all to make us feel paranoid or checking our motives all the time. I believe we should check ourselves out once in a while. This is especially true when things seem to go along too smoothly. Another thing we have to question when things seem to be off with the other person we are dealing with. I am not necessarily saying to them but to us.

We all know about scams whether on the internet or over the phone that we have to be aware of. This can be the same for those who we may deal with on a daily basis. There are possibilities that people who are looking to us for help they could be after scamming us. If you have met any of their friends it would be a good idea to talk with them as well along with family members. We have to watch there to because they could be part of the scam as well. Although we want to be compassionate there are those who want to take advantage of that as well. Keep your ears and eyes open to what is going on. Most of all it is the experience that you have had before that will decide whether to continue a relationship with them or not. So end here with checking out motives on both sides. On yours and on theirs.

Staying Inside

                                         Manzanita Oregon hit by Tornado on the coast

This is one of those weekends that are best to stay inside most of the time. Here in Gig Harbor we have rain up to two inches the last couple days and more is expected today (Saturday). Besides the rain strong winds are expected in the early evening. Friday the winds got up to 44 miles per hour and it could be twice that amount tonight. We could lose electricity for several hours although where I live the power is located underground however the transformers above ground could go out.

We are fortunate this only happens about once a decade where we have high winds. The last one was December of 2006. I expect to go out for dinner at a friend’s house tonight but the chances are pretty good that it will be cancelled. I am confident of my own driving no matter of the weather however they could be without power or trees could be down and roads being closed.

The high winds have already hit the Washington and Oregon coasts on Thursday and Friday. A tornado hit one small town on the Oregon coast that caused plenty of damage the mayor declared a state of emergency. It was reported on Friday that Mt. Rainier had winds of up to 100 miles an hour. I don’t expect that we will have such winds but 50 to 75 miles per hour would not be a surprise.

So now you see likely I will be staying indoors most of the day. I probably will be going out for coffee this morning and get some added food supplies. Depending on the electric power staying on may be watching a lot of football, baseball and some movies on television today. Not a bad way to spend a day especially if it only happens every decade or so. I just hope not a lot damage happens in the area. Everyone have to change their plans. Not a good idea to be on the roads when heavy rain and strong winds happen. Don’t want to run into a nasty downed tree plus it will take a lot longer to get anywhere. Wherever you are stay safe I certainly know I will.

  

Wearing Rain Gear

                                            Fashionable rain gear in Western Washington

The rain we had here in Western Washington on Thursday that will continue through the weekend with strong winds reminded me how people dress when it comes to rain.

On Thursday we had rain of up to two inches depending where you were. That is a lot more rain than we are accustomed in having on one day. Usually when we get rain it is about a quarter of an inch or less. Right now it continues to pour hard and I would not be surprised with another couple more inches.

So this comes to me on how people here dress for rain. Thursday I wore a rain jacket that I actually bought on Wednesday nice I really needed a new one. I wore a baseball cap under my rain hood since it is hard to see with the hood only. I saw some people running or walking fast wearing no rain jacket or using an umbrella. It is interesting that more umbrellas are sold in Los Angeles than in Seattle while the people of Los Angeles have fewer sunglasses than in Seattle. You would think it would be the opposite since Los Angeles has more sun during the year and Seattle has more rain.

When it comes to umbrellas I find it a surprise when someone is using one. I actually have an umbrella but I seldom use it. The only time I would use an umbrella would be if I am walking several blocks to my destination and that doesn’t happen too often. Another thing when we have heavy rain often the wind blows enough that it is hard to keep hold of the umbrella in the right fashion so I find it useless to use.

The rain we are having right now does happen very often. Only a few times of the year during the fall and sometimes in winter and spring does the rain come down hard. Most of the time it is a light rain so my rain jacket is all I need and I don’t walk very long distance unless I am on a trail for my daily walk. Those times I usually walk when it is not rainy or light rain. When we see someone using an umbrella I figure that person is either a visitor or has not lived here long. Natives in general don’t use umbrellas. Even when I was a child waiting for the school bus I would wear a rain jacket only even during the down pours. Like most places the natives have their own way of doing things and here in Western Washington is no different. Most time of the year people here will wear light clothing even during the winter unless it gets around freezing. We are not affected most of the year by the temperatures. Although some people do wear long sleeved shirts I don’t most of the time. I would only do so when it gets around freezing and it snows. Also I wear winter gloves when the temperatures drops low and I feel that I need them. I make life simple especially when it comes to dressing.

Sleep Disorder

The older you get the more you have to deal with medical issues. Recently I have felt real tired early in the day. It hasn’t affected me when I have gone on my walks. In other words I haven’t had breathing problems while walking.

Tonight I will be tested while sleeping to see if I have a sleeping disorder. My brother had this procedure done a few years back because of his snoring. I don’t have that same problem. If I do snore it is very infrequently. My cardiologist was the one that recommended me in getting this procedure done. It could be that my heart is affecting my sleep pattern so we will see.

They used to have this procedure done in a hospital or medical clinic however it is now more commonly done where you go and get the equipment the day before. So in a few hours I will be stopping by to get the equipment to put on. They will show me how to install it for tonight and then wear throughout my sleeping time. I will then return it tomorrow morning and then they get back to me with the results in a few days. I have had similar procedures like this concerning my heart so the only thing I have to do is be sure that I get enough sleep in the night. The insurance companies are the ones recommending this being done where we sleep in our own bed. They feel the results are more conclusive this way because in the past where you stayed overnight there was a good possibility the patient would not have accurate results. In my case this is can be true because I usually don’t sleep well in a strange bed the first night. Like most procedures I can still feel nervous about what the results will show. I hope that all I need to do in the future is taking fewer naps.

In news around here in Western Washington this weekend we are expected to have the largest storm in over fifty years.  The heavy rains have already started while the wind may come in tonight or tomorrow. We could end up losing electricity along with trees coming down and flooding in the rivers. The storm is expected to be mostly on the coast and north of Seattle so we could miss the strong winds here in Gig Harbor area. I ask for prayer that the damage would be minimal and that no one would lose their lives over the storm.

In the meantime I will have positive thoughts concerning my procedure and the storm. Everyone have a wonderful day until next time I write here.

Fun Times

 For us who are leading a life of purpose and destiny I figure it is important that we all relax and have some fun times as well. Of course I believe most of us are having fun already. I am mainly saying this because what I have written is serious business however fun has to be included in it all. Other words lighten the load.

Now I feel sort of strange saying all this and ending it right here but this not very long is it. The world is in a state right now that it needs all of us as much as possible. We were destined to be born in a time as this. You are here because everyone around needs you. It is often easy to feel that we have no significance in this life and we just want to live it out however that is a big lie. Many of the people around us have a lack of hope and do not know a way to get out of it and this is the major reason we are here to give hope to the hopeless in whatever manner fits us the most. How I give hope to others is likely different than what you give for hope. Our life experiences are where we can use the hope the most. Our lives are far from perfect but we are heading to the right direct. Other people seeing that we are having fun and laughing can rub off on them like anything else we do. I know that most people though need a shoulder to cry on and to know that someone really cares. Whatever fashion that you use your purpose the people around you want most of all is that you’re real. They want someone that cares for them without faking it. Being there for them is more important than giving a message sounding like we know it all. I am not condemning here just being honest.

Our interactions with our close friends and family can show volumes to others who have had a negative impact growing up in a family that was not so loving and caring. Whether we know it or not people are watching our moves all the time both positive and negative we put across. I believe a major part of being real is genuine way of living and our character. Invite a close neighbor or someone from work over to your home so they can see how you live outside of where you see them. Show them all the fun time they could use. Alright I will leave it here and enjoy a fun day.

Dreaming!

I believe there are two different types of dreaming. The primary one is what we do at night and the other is our desires on what we want to do with our lives. When we are dreaming or thinking when we grow up we want to be this or that like a fireman or doctor.  I actually wanted to be a sportscaster myself and actually went to school for two years in being a broadcaster and my first job as an adult was working at a radio station. Although I didn’t really have the talent to go along ways in the business of radio at least I gave it a shot. Actually I probably do a lot better now then way back when. I have done some acting in plays and speaking in front of groups so much more comfortable at it and able to get across my message. I admire those who are working jobs that they dreamed about as a kid. It doesn’t all have to be about a job though you should look back and look at your dreams and desires. If you still have any interests in them go for it.

In regards to the dreams that we all have at night I don’t really remember most of mine. I did research on dreams and I found out that is very common. We seldom remember dreams and if we do because we woke up during the dream. Also it is possible that we remember the dream for a few seconds as well and then they are forgotten. On average we have three to five dreams a night. Most likely later the dream the better chance we will remember them too. They say to that the content and purpose of dreams is not understood though currently the belief is that dreams may occur to solve a problem that you have been thinking about. So my suggestion if you do remember several of your dreams over time to think about whether there is anything in common with them or they are just random. So if there is a common theme to your dream you maybe being told without realizing there is something for you to do. It could be your unconscious mind is telling you something that you already know and it is confirming it. 

Like I have said I don’t really remember any of my dreams however I am going to do a test to see if I can remember more of them. When I go to bed I am going to ask my mind to recall at least one of my dreams during the night. The dreams may be telling me something to do or confirming that I am going in the right direction already. Anyway sweet dreams.