Doreen's thoughts...

Guess what!

2008-12-31T08:52:00.000-08:00

I hate keeping secrets! So now I can finally share the good news from our family.... Guess who will make an appearance around the Fourth of July....

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T06:47:00.001-08:00

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:14

Hmmmm.... How am I spending my $$ this Christmas?

2008-12-04T07:21:00.000-08:00

I've never been a fan of all the "stuff" that goes along with Christmas. You can call me Scrooge or stingy or whatever; it's just not that important to me. Don't get me wrong.... I enjoy the sights, smells and sounds that go along with the holiday season. But I often am tempted by the sights/smells/sounds to forget what we are truly celebrating. The Advent Conspiracy is helping me this year to celebrate in a new, more meaningful and enjoyable way. ("The Advent Conspiracy is an international movement restoring the scandal of Christmas by substituting compassion for consumption.")

It's not about money; it's not about what I buy/get. With the current state of the economy and with most of my family in relatively small living quarters (with plenty of stuff already), we had decided to cut way back on Christmas presents. But really, this season is NOT about presents; it is about His Presence! This season is NOT about all we get; it is about giving! Please watch this two minute video....

Re:Hope Next Generation Bible Church - Glasgow, Scotland

2008-12-01T07:27:00.000-08:00

Dave and I support a young couple, Brian and Kellie Ingraham, who have started a church near the campus of the University of Glasgow. Although once having a rich spiritual tradition and history, today Scotland has relatively few vibrant, Bible-believing churches. However, we have been thrilled to watch God develop re:Hope into such a church.

Would you please take five minutes to watch a short video about this church and then pray for the people of Scotland.

Re:Hope Next Generation Bible Church from Stephen Irwin on Vimeo.

Fight FOCA

2008-11-25T07:48:00.000-08:00

Now that the presidential election is over and President-elect Obama is working on his transition, I don't want us all to forget the very important issue of protecting life in the womb. You know how I felt about this issue as it related to voting on November 4th. I don't feel any less strongly today.

Presidential candidate Obama made a clear promise that the first thing he would do as President Obama would be to sign into law "The Freedom of Choice Act" (FOCA). This terrible piece of legislation would establish the right to abortion as a fundamental right--like the right to free speech--and would eliminate every state/federal restriction on abortion nationwide (and would also prevent enactment of similar protective measures in the future).

If this piece of legislation concerns you as it does me, I urge you to go to the Fight FOCA website and sign the Fight FOCA petition to be sent to key members of Congress and to President Obama upon the re-introduction of The Freedom of Choice Act.

Updated Go Dawgs!

2008-11-22T13:41:00.000-08:00

What a disappointment!! Well, there's always next year.

Dave is still crying even though he refused to watch the overtime periods.

Today... a call for unity

2008-11-05T07:33:00.000-08:00

The presidential election is over; the candidate I voted for graciously acknowledged defeat. Does this mean I'm discouraged? Does this mean I'm sad? Absolutely not! Although I'm a proud citizen of the United States of America, I know that my true eternal citizenship is in Heaven (Philippians 3:20-21) and that God is sovereign over all earthly leaders (Proverbs 21:1). I am praying that President Obama will look to God for wisdom as he governs our amazing nation. I am praying that God will change his heart and mind regarding abortion--life in the womb deserves protection. As Solomon prayed, so I hope President-elect Obama will pray: "Give me now wisdom and knowledge to go out and come in before this people, for who can govern this people of yours, which is so great?" (2 Chronicles 1:10)

I also am praying for unity among American believers as we move forward. Every four years, many churches feel the tension as believers see political arguments from different perspectives. While disagreement is often a healthy thing, disunity among believers is not. Our unity must be based upon God's Word, not political affiliations. As the apostle Paul wrote to the very diverse believers in Ephesus, "As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit--just as you were called to one hope when you were called--one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." (Ephesians 4:1-6)

This morning Erik's and Krista's pastor posted a wise call for unity and love among believers (Yes we must....). I hope you will take the time to read it. I especially appreciated his final paragraph: "We must realize that our calling is to live, right now in the present, in accordance with the priorities and ethics of our eternal King, and His coming kingdom. This will mean offering bold critique and resistance at some moments, and enthusiastic support at others, for various positions and reforms offered by both the left and the right. As we seek to embody this Kingdom, the walls that have divided us will fall down, because

we will care about life in the womb, and life on the streets;

we'll care about justice and mercy;

we'll care about loving our enemies and standing up for those who are unprotected.

We'll become artisans of genuine hope, spilling the colors of beauty, reconciliation, celebration, service, justice, peace, and compassion on the canvass of our communities. This, I'm convinced, is not only our calling in Christ, it's what our world desperately needs in these immensely challenging days. We must lay our weapons down and commit to being the presence of Jesus in the world. Yes. We must. "

Congrats to Jamie Moyer!

2008-10-30T12:22:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Jamie Moyer and the World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies! Jamie was my favorite Mariner while he was with the team and still remains the definition of "class act" in baseball.

In writing about the wild, late-into-the-night third game of the World Series, the Wall Street Journal states, "For all this, the hero of the game may have been Mr. Moyer, the 45-year old pitcher who this year had the best campaign ever by a starter so old. Tampa Bay's young hitters, having been provided with sternly worded scouting reports instructing them not to let the old man expand the strike zone, simply could not resist the temptation to swing at an endless array of puff balls, benders and lobs. The fastest arrived much slower than most pitchers' change-ups. Mr. Moyer allowed three runs in 6 1/3 innings and left with a lead that would have, had it held, made him the oldest man to ever win a World Series game."

Don't you just love how they call him "Mr. Moyer"!! Congratulations, Jamie.... and you're not really THAT old....

Happy Birthday Erik!

2008-10-22T09:58:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I'm a few days late in posting birthday wishes to our son, Erik.

Nonetheless, we had a wonderful time celebrating with Erik & Krista on Sunday evening.

Weekend at Kara & Dusty's

2008-10-21T09:16:00.000-07:00

Boise was gorgeous this past weekend! As I flew into town, I could see the the landscape dotted with the most beautiful red, gold and yellow-leafed trees.... And the view from the ground was even better. The weather was perfect--sunny and 70+ degrees all weekend.

This was my first visit to Dusty and Kara's place since they moved. I can't believe all of the work they have done on the house. And when I say "they," I mean Dusty, Kara, Dusty's parents, Chris C. and more. Truly a team effort! You can see Before and After pictures on Kara's blog. I would have posted my own photos at this point, but forgot to bring my camera. :(

Dusty and Kara made sure that I had a great time in Boise. (Although I've driven through Boise a number of times, this was my first real visit.) We attended the Boise State University football game, visited the Eagle Saturday market, walked through several local parks (including a walk with Gunner, my granddog), visited a church having their "grand opening" service, and satisfied appetites at several local restaurants.

But the best part of the weekend? Helping Kara clean the gutters! Being entertained is one thing... helping out is another. Hope they'll really put me to work on my next visit!

Life Chain 2008... and Election 2008

2008-10-07T08:54:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday afternoon, my family and I had the privilege of standing on a busy street corner in the rain with about 25 other people for a little over an hour... probably the most important hour of this past week. We quietly, prayerfully held signs asking people driving by to consider an unborn baby's right to life. People all over the United States joined us on similar street corners as we participated in Life Chain 2008.

Unborn babies were created, given life, by God.

Roe v. Wade made it legal across our country for that life to be taken away.

There are many issues facing Americans as we vote for a new President this year... Iraq, the economy, healthcare, leadership, experience and vision. I am excited by Barack Obama's candidacy as it deals with many of those issues. HOWEVER, in my opinion, the one issue that trumps them all is abortion. When my son and I were discussing the presidential candidates and I expressed a leaning toward voting for Obama, he indicated that he too thought Obama would make a good President and would want to support him EXCEPT for the fact that the President appoints Supreme Court Justices. With those words, I knew that I would have no other choice than to vote for the presidential candidate who would seek to protect the life of all unborn children.

My son-in-law's cousin wrote a moving letter that I would like you to read:

Dear family and friends,

I woke up the other morning with this on my mind, so Rusty watched the girls and I went to the library for an hour to get it out of my head and onto paper. I'm passing on my thoughts to you.

I have been doing a study on the life of Moses and am struck by how God had a plan for him from birth. When the ruler of the land commanded all baby boys to be cast into the Nile , the midwives and Moses’ parents feared God, saw that he was an exceptional child, and spared his life. Years later he would go on to deliver a nation.

We have before us a most important election. One in which there are many issues and causes that push people onto one side or the other. Emotions run high. Many “firsts” are at stake. Yet, on the other hand, to hear them talk, it is at times hard to distinguish where they differ—both wanting to appeal to the other side.

There is one issue in my mind that rises above all others. And that is the issue of the sanctity of life. The two tickets could not be further apart on this particular issue. Senator Obama, while a state senator here in Illinois, was an outspoken opponent to legislation that would protect newborn babies from being killed or left to die if they were born after a failed abortion. NARAL even opposed such legislation as infanticide. He has voted against the ban on partial birth abortions in the US Senate as recently as Oct. 2007. To hear his campaign speak to this issue today they will skirt, hem and haw. But his record is clear.

So what? you may ask. Abortion and pro-life issues may not be your “cause”. Perhaps you are excited to be able to cast your vote to put the first African-American in the White House. I agree it would be very cool and a huge step to further racial reconciliation. Or perhaps you are most concerned about the stewardship of the earth. Or maybe it’s the violence and bloodshed involved in the War on Terror. Or maybe the economy makes you nervous (believe me, I’m nervous—my husband works for himself in the real-estate market). These are issues near and dear to my heart as well. But I can’t help but put them behind the cry of nearly 4000 (say that out loud) babies being killed in our country every day. 4000! That is nearly the same number of American deaths in the war since we began in March of 2003.* The total number of Iraqi civilian deaths since March 2003 is estimated to be between 89,000-96,000—that’s the number of babies killed in less than a month here, year after year.** We have allowed more than 40,000,000 babies to be killed by abortion. Today’s hot issues pale in comparison to the thought of the damage that will be done by putting activist justices on the Supreme Court (as Biden made it quite clear his ticket will do). It will be decades before there is another opportunity to get a fair hearing with the Supreme Court.

With McCain, there are no guarantees, but there is a chance he could appoint one or two new justices that would re-visit the poor conclusion of Roe v. Wade. It would not immediately stop abortion in America as the far left would have us think. Rather it would send the decisions back to the states. More importantly, it would raise the question in the minds of Americans, “Is it right or wrong to end the life of a baby in the womb?” When our law says it is ok, people stop questioning it for themselves, because, yes, all laws legislate morality, by definition, good or bad.

So what is at stake in this election? If your issue is racial reconciliation—what about the thousands of minority babies killed daily who will never vote, much less be fine presidents? If it is non-violence—what about the horrid bloody violence done to the most innocent and defenseless? If it is the economy—think of all the contributions all of those who have been aborted or will be aborted would bring to this nation: industry, jobs, new services needed, housing, etc.? What ever your issue is this election, does it compare to the atrocity of the massive number of killing happening under our noses?

Well, back to Moses. There is a common thought in our land that some lives would be better off unlived. I’ve had two babies in recent years, and thankfully, they are healthy. But I know what they test for, the questions they ask, and I know their recommendations should tests come back abnormal. Trig Palin, by our country’s set of morals, should not be here. Yet his parents feared God and welcomed him. Could it be that he was born “for such a time as this”? That he might grow up in the spotlight of our country, and therefore the world, to deliver us from such selfish and wrong thinking. Might we see, the once unthinkable, overturning of Roe v. Wade in our lifetime? Oh, for the day, that the womb would no longer be the most dangerous place in America .

*The statistics I am drawing from were found on antiwar.com stating there have been 4177 American deaths since March 2003-October 3, 2008.

**On iraqbodycount.org I found that they estimate between 89,000-96,000 Iraqi civilian deaths from Mar ’03-Oct’08. This is horrible, but again, the same number of babies die every 24 days here.

2008-09-27T16:28:00.000-07:00

This morning our daughter Kara and her husband Dusty packed up the moving truck and drove off to their new home in Idaho. While it was fun to see how excited they were for this to finally happen, it was also bittersweet to say goodbye. We'll miss you guys!!

I'm a Disney Princess.... What About You?

2008-09-25T16:42:00.000-07:00

You Are Belle!

Intelligent and kind. Your beauty goes much further than your apperance. Also, you make judgements of people based on their personality and not their looks. Attaining all the knowledge that you can is one of your major goals in life, but you are also a person who can make things happen.

Which Disney Princess Are You?

Breast Cancer 3-Day

2008-09-06T10:14:00.000-07:00

Over 19 years ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer. At that time, I was a young mom with kids who were in kindergarten and second grade. Scary times.... To make a long story short, through the grace of God and through the marvels of modern medicine, I am still here and asking you to support breast cancer research, education, screening and treatment. Over the years Dave and I have chosen to donate to the American Cancer Society and the Susan G. Komen for the Cure, two excellent charities with long-term excellent track records.

Next weekend, Seattle has the privilege of hosting the annual Breast Cancer 3-Day benefiting Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Each walker is asked to raise $2,200 and then walk the 60-mile course during the designated three days. My daughter's friend Anne is taking these three days out of her very busy public school teacher's schedule to walk 60 miles for breast cancer. Would you please consider supporting Anne and making a donation to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation?

Political Conventions... do we really need them?

2008-09-04T11:23:00.000-07:00

Anybody else tired of the VERY EXPENSIVE political conventions that are been held this summer? When I think of all the money that has been spent for these made-for-TV displays, it just makes me angry. Why not use that money to do just one of the things the candidates are promising?

Your thoughts?

What I Did On My Summer Vacation....

2008-08-30T06:47:00.000-07:00

Remember the "What I Did On My Summer Vacation" writing assignment that was given during the first few days of school each year? This is my attempt to catch you up with my summer and to provide my lame excuses for not blogging in the past three and a half months.

Let's start with my lame excuses for not blogging:

1. Summer is a great time to spend more time outdoors and less time at the computer.

2. It's always more fun to read other people's posts than to try to compose one myself.

3. My life is boring, so therefore I have nothing to write about.

4. Major life changes are staring me in the face and I'm trying really hard to ignore them. If I'm blogging, I might feel the need to write about the changes and then they will seem more real.

5. Blogger "ate" my last attempt, so I just gave up.

6. I have been too lazy to keep up with my blog. (This is probably closest to the truth about why I took a long break from my blog.)

Here's what I have been doing during the past four months:

1. Finished my volunteer work at Mirror Lake Elementary School and Silver Lake Elementary School.

2. Celebrated my step-grandmother's 90th birthday and my in-laws' 60th anniversary.

3. Enjoyed getting to know my new community... on bike and on foot.

4. Took full advantage of the Saturday farmers market which is just across the street from our condo.

5. Celebrated 4th of July watching Tacoma, Vashon and Des Moines Fireworks from our deck.

6. Vacationed at Eagle Crest with Kara, Dusty, Krista and Erik.

7. Participated in a Women's Bible Study.

8. Said goodbye to Dusty and Gunner; faced the fact that Kara will follow them to Boise in just a few weeks.

9. Enjoyed visits from my parents during May, June and August.

10. Hiked in the Cascades and Mt. Rainier.

11. Adjusted to using a knee brace for less pain and swelling during walking, biking and hiking.

12. Helped in-laws pack and move from their home of 45+ years to a very nice retirement community within walking distance from our condo.

13. Mourned sad news with good friends.

14. Celebrated good news with good friends.

15. Read several books, some good, none great.

16. Contemplated ending retirement and going back to work.

17. Learned to be content with trusting God and not understanding circumstances.

Happy Mothers' Day to Two Terrific Moms!

2008-05-11T07:15:00.000-07:00

I have been blessed to have two terrific moms..... My mother-in-law, June, raised four kids including my wonderful husband, Dave. She brings joy and laughter to every conversation; she bakes the best dinner rolls in the world; she spreads God's love through her gift of hospitality. My mother, Helen, is such a kind woman; she taught me everything I know about hard work; she displays God's grace to the young, old, healthy, and infirm alike.

Happy Mothers' Day!

Random thoughts....

2008-04-24T12:26:00.000-07:00

Today is just one of those days where I have much to accomplish, but the tasks are TOTALLY unrelated. As I do laundry, clean house, sort mail, pay bills, respond to email, plan projects, search craigslist for bar stools, read blogs, etc., etc., etc., my mind has a tendency to jump from thought to thought quite randomly and quite quickly. So here is what I've been thinking about this morning:

The WASL is a waste of time, energy and money.
My son-in-law would have been a terrific 80's rocker; too bad he wasn't born a couple of decades earlier.
Dave and I are fortunate to attend a church where our pastor believes the Bible, preaches the Bible and, most importantly, lives the Bible.
I'm sure glad that we aren't selling a house right now.
Why does my furniture get so dusty?
The human brain is amazing, but when it doesn't work right it is truly perplexing.
Maybe if I go back to work then I can justify hiring someone to clean my house again.
This weekend is going to be really busy. My parents will be here; we will be visiting their old church in Seattle and going to Erik & Krista's on Sunday. We will also be going to see "Generations," a musical theater production at Cedar Park Church in Bothell. Dave and Kara will be doing a family video project in Mount Vernon all day Saturday.
When is the weather going to improve?
Why can't Google make Blogger easier to use?

Enough for the random thoughts.... It's time to fold laundry again.

Greece and Israel Trip... A Few Photos

2008-04-08T07:19:00.000-07:00

I still haven't finished going through all of my photos from our recent trip to Greece and Israel, but I thought I would post a few from my favorite places we visited:

Top Left - The Parthenon, Athens, Greece

Top Center - Masada, Israel

Top Right - Western (Wailing) Wall, Jerusalem, Israel

Mid Left - Beit She'an, Israel

Mid Center - Sea of Galilee, Israel

Mid Right - Jordan River, Israel

Bottom Left - Sea of Galilee, Israel

Bottom Center - Mt. Carmel, Israel

Bottom Right - Garden Tomb, Jerusalem, Israel

This truly was a trip of a lifetime that I would highly recommend to others who have studied the Bible, but who desire to actually see many of the places listed over and over in the Scriptures.

Our New Condo

2008-04-04T04:23:00.000-07:00

We love our new condo at the marina!! I literally have to pinch myself every morning because it is just too beautiful. We have three bedrooms and two baths... plenty of room for you all to stop by and visit. And the view? All we can say is WOW!

Thanks to Kim, Dave, Dani, Bob, Krista, Erik, Kara, Dusty, Heather, Jeff and Kellen for helping us move. These friends and family actually made Moving Day FUN!

Do we miss our little one bedroom apartment? Only when it takes me longer than 15 minutes to clean! (But we do miss living close to Dusty, Kara and Gunner.)

Happy 25th Birthday Kara!

2008-03-30T21:28:00.000-07:00

Kara has always added joy to our lives with her contagious smile, that mischievous twinkle in her eyes and her zest for living. Tomorrow, March 31st, we celebrate Kara's birthday and continue to marvel at her still contagious smile, mischievous twinkle and constant zest for life!

Happy Birthday, Kara!!

The Fast Life....

2008-03-28T05:42:00.000-07:00

Life has been moving so swiftly for us these past few months that I truly have not had time to blog on a regular basis.

What have we been doing?

September: got house ready to sell
October: put house on market
November: had knee surgery
December: vacationed in Central Oregon
December: sold house
January: packed & moved to one-bedroom apartment
January - March: 2-3 times/week physical therapy for knee & shoulder
February: Co-directed annual Women's Conference at church
February: purchased condo
March: two week trip to Israel & Greece
March: moved to condo
Today? Unpacking MORE boxes!

This weekend I'll try to put together a few photos from our trip to Israel/Greece and of our new condo for all of my readers to view. (Yes, I do think I have readers plural. There are still two of you out there, I hope....)

Torseth Look-alike Meter

2008-02-18T07:24:00.001-08:00

MyHeritage: Family trees - Genealogy - Celebs - Collage - Morph

Another Torseth Look-Alike Meter

2008-02-18T07:14:00.001-08:00

Now if only we knew who she acts like....

MyHeritage: Family trees - Genealogy - Celebrities - Collage - Morph

Six looooong weeks....

2008-02-12T10:23:00.000-08:00

Anybody notice that I haven't blogged in six weeks? So, why not? (Not "Why haven't you noticed?", but the questions is "Why haven't I posted?")

In the past six weeks, I have...
... completed physical therapy following my knee surgery
... celebrated Christmas in Central Oregon
... sold our house in Cambridge East
... started physical therapy on my sore shoulder
... gave away or sold one third of all of our belongings
... moved half of the remaining belongings into a storage unit
... moved the other half of our remaining belongings (including Dave and me) into a one-bedroom, 730 square foot apartment in Fife
... decided against purchasing the gorgeous new penthouse condo in Tacoma
... co-directed a women's conference at church
... began to search for another condo to purchase
and... caught a nasty cold!

Sorry about the lack of photos or witty writing to go with any of the above subjects. I'm still spinning from all of the changes/activity. But it is comforting to know that even though life seems a bit out-of-control these days, God is in complete control AND that He is working everything for my good and for His glory.

"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28

What Christmas is all about....

2007-12-21T17:24:00.000-08:00

Wishing you a truly joyous Christmas!

Interesting day....

2007-12-11T04:37:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was one of those days that just didn't turn out as planned....

Every Monday morning I head out to the local public elementary school to read with students. What can possibly be more fun than sharing something I love--books--with kids who are just starting out on the lifelong reading journey! As fall/winter in the Seattle area can get a bit chilly and as public schools aren't generally heated over the weekend, I normally dress pretty warmly on Monday mornings. I don't know if it was the anti-inflammatory/pain pills from the knee surgery or just getting older, but for some reason I forgot the extra layer of warmth when I left the house yesterday morning. And wouldn't you know it... the Reading Room's heater wasn't working (just blowing cold air, no heat)! Nothing like shivering through Fourth Grade Rats!

After shivering for an hour, I then made my weekly trip to Trader Joe's for Uncle Sam cereal (cheaper at TJs than at my regular grocery store). Hypothermia must have set in at school, or maybe again it was the anti-inflammatory drugs, because I suddenly felt the need to stock my pantry and came home with $98 of very cool groceries. That's a whole lot of cool groceries for two empty-nesters to eat!

No sooner had I gotten home and filled my pantry... I received back-to-back calls from realtors who wanted to stop by and preview our house. (Haven't posted an update on the house sale recently, but we are still listed as "Contingent"--waiting for our buyers to sell their house, but still marketing ours at the same time. Tell your friends we'll make them a great deal on a great house!) No big deal because I'm used to hobbling around sprucing up the house on short notice and then leaving for an hour or so. However, I'm not used to MULTIPLE realtors "stopping by" on the same day. Interesting.... Then just as I'm about to grill swordfish for dinner, I get call from another realtor who wants to bring a potential buyer for a showing.

Anybody who has ever had a house on the market knows that you can't cook fish right before someone comes to view your home, so the swordfish quickly swam back to the refrigerator. I figured this would be the perfect opportunity to go out for dinner AND get some much needed Christmas shopping done, so we headed out to the local mall. Since one of our favorite restaurants just opened at the mall, we thought it would be a good time to try it out... Monday night, no wait, in and out quickly... right? Wrong! Upon entering, we were told there was a 35-50 minute wait. Since we couldn't go home and all of the other mall-vicinity restaurants were probably packed as well, we decided to wait. Great dinner and we hurried out without having any cheesecake--big victory!

(My precious son Erik, if you are reading this post right now, please STOP HERE!) For his birthday in October, our son Erik received a new iPod Nano from his lovely wife Krista. So for Christmas we planned on giving him an iPod case, AV cables and an FM transmitter--required iPod "accessories," I'm told. I swear that everyone else in the entire Seattle area was also out purchasing iPod/Mac gear because the Apple Store at the mall was packed! And believe me, two middle age adults don't get a lot of attention from staff at this store. We finally caught the eye of a young employee, made our purchases, walked back to the car, and escaped out of the mall parking lot. When we arrived home, all of the lights were still on in the house just as we had left it (well-lit houses sell more quickly, our realtor tells me) and it looked wonderful. Made me want to buy it all over again. I love this house... our home for the past 16 years... where we raised Erik and Kara... where I learned to survive cancer... where we shared rousing pinochle games with special friends... where we first got to know Krista and Dusty whom we now love like daughter and son....

Yet, I can't wait to downsize to our new condo-without-a-pantry. (I'll have to learn to stay away from Trader Joe's.) Anyone looking for a wonderful family home in a terrific neighborhood?

Bad Blogger!

2007-12-07T06:27:00.000-08:00

I feel like I'm a bad blogger because I just can't think of anything to post right now! I have so much for which I should be grateful to God, but I'm having a hard time getting beyond the pain in my... KNEE! Arthroscopic surgery on my knee last week has led to a very longggggg week of pain. Here's hoping and praying for a better weekend....

Screen Saver Reminder

2007-11-28T08:26:00.000-08:00

Instead of flying windows or some other freaky screen saver, I like to use a Marquee screen saver with important thoughts traveling across my sleeping computer screen. This month's thought is from John Piper:

"If you live gladly to make others glad in God, your life will be hard, your risks will be high, and your joy will be full.”

Food for thought....

Thanksgiving

2007-11-21T09:55:00.000-08:00

As you and your family gather and give thanks today, please remember to thank Almighty God for blessing our nation.

"Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor--and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me `to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.'

Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be -- That we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks -- for His kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation--for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed--for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted -- for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions--to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually -- to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed--to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn [sic] kindness onto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord -- To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease [sic] of science among them and us -- and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best."

Given under my hand at the City of New-York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.

George Washington

Happy Birthday Mom!

2007-11-16T07:03:00.000-08:00

Today is Mom's ____th birthday! (In deference to her desire to remember herself as "younger," I won't fill in the number.)

My mom is truly a godly woman who taught me everything I know about being a wife, mother and servant of Christ. Thanks, Mom!

A Colorful Perspective

2007-11-15T16:33:00.000-08:00

Aren't you glad that God created the world in color? Even though Dave and I are basically boring people who see too many things in black and white, we can appreciate the color around us....

Autumn leaves...

Babies' pink cheeks...

Cool aqua streams...

Our new condo is just a few steps away from the Museum of Glass, a site that I know will become one of my new favorite places. Have you ever seen anything quite as colorful as these pieces of glass?

Lost and Found

2007-11-03T15:01:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting here writing this post with a splitting headache. You know the kind; the headache that comes AFTER a stressful situation has worked itself out.

Earlier today we received a call that an older loved one was lost in downtown Seattle. We were told that the police had been notified and would we please come help look. Of course we dropped everything to join the search. To make a long story much shorter, this person eventually "found" himself, walking back to the location from which he had left. While everyone was relieved, there still remained a sense of unease in that it could very well happen again.

Many of us have been there before... a lost child in the mall, the elderly aunt who still loves to roam.... The feeling is never a good one, whether you are the searching one or the lost one.

Jesus had a lot to say about being lost and found....

And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house.... For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost." Luke 19:9-10

Now all the tax collectors and the irreligious Jews were coming near Him to listen to Him. Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, "This man receives sinners and eats with them." So He told them this parable, saying, "What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? "When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. "And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!' "I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. "Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins and loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? "When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost!' "In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." Luke 15:1-10

I am so glad that when I was lost Jesus found me!

Happy 80th Birthday to my DAD!

2007-10-31T05:20:00.000-07:00

Please comment or email birthday wishes/greetings to my dad; I know he'd appreciate them! I love you, Dad!

Hair... can't live with it... can't live without it!

2007-10-24T13:16:00.000-07:00

For most of my life I've struggled with my hair. I was born with curly, unruly hair; my younger sister was born with straight but full-of-body hair.

Becoming teenagers in the late sixties, we both agreed that she was the fortunate one. When everyone wanted to have long, straight hair with long, straight bangs, I was the one who had short, curly hair with bangs that seemed to shrink up to my hairline.

No product produced would make my bangs straight.

(I didn't even try with the rest of my hair.)

Not Dippity-Do.

Not pink hair tape.

Not jumbo hot rollers.

Not big pink foam rollers.

Nothing!

So, why am I telling you about this? Because I went to my sister's surprise 50th birthday party this past weekend. Her friends and family had put together a photo collage for sis and because we are only 11 1/2 months apart in age, I was in many of the earlier shots. The hair horror all came back to me as I saw photos of the two of us side-by-side. There she was looking cute with her soft, long, flowing head of hair. There I was with my short, kinky, unruly blob of hair. Yikes!

(That's my sis on the left and me on the right. The guy just to the right of my sister is now married to famous fashion designer Trina Turk!)

Then I remembered my months of chemotherapy and the totally bald head I sported throughout that process. It certainly put things in much better perspective....

"Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered...." Luke 12:7

"...for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." I Samuel 16:7

Happy Birthday, Erik!

2007-10-18T19:51:00.000-07:00

One score and seven years ago today,

Erik was born into this world.

Today, Erik is healthy, successful, married to the love of his life and following our Lord Jesus Christ. What more could a mother want?

Happy Birthday, Erik!

Living the Cross-Centered Life

2007-10-12T20:00:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading a great book by C.J. Mahaney, Living the Cross Centered Life: Keeping the Gospel the Main Thing. Mahaney did a wonderful job of removing all of the distractions of life and focusing straight on what matters most--Christ crucified. Just as Paul said in I Corinthians 15:3-4, "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures...." I highly recommend this book to all who are serious about living for God.

Hiking 2007

2007-10-12T13:32:00.000-07:00

Now that the weather has turned chilly and drippy, I'm reminded of some of the terrific hikes I was able to take this year in Arizona, Colorado, Oregon and Washington. Ahhhh....

Anybody want to buy a GREAT house?

2007-10-09T16:47:00.000-07:00

We've got our house for sale and are hoping that a nice family will buy it! Do you know of any nice families (or nice young couples) looking for a terrific house in a terrific neighborhood?

Cool Slideshows

Weekend

2007-10-08T13:55:00.000-07:00

Typical October weekend... with a few extras!

We "dogsat" for Kara and Dusty while they had a weekend away. Gunner is a terrific dog who is polite, quiet and clean--my kind of dog! K&D came to pick him up on Sunday and stayed to watch the first three quarters of the Seahawks-Steelers game. (No comment about this lame game.)

Since we're trying to sell the house ourselves, we sat around most of the weekend waiting for people to call. VERY few calls.... We'll give it a couple of more weeks before listing the house with a real estate agent.

Went to church Sunday. Jeff had a good sermon, but attendance seemed a bit down (due to Seahawks 10:00 a.m. start??).

Isn't this cute?

2007-09-21T06:05:00.000-07:00

Loved this picture of our son Erik and his lovely wife Krista! Wait... you say... When did Erik and Krista have a baby?

The darling little Seahawks fan is actually Kellen, the son of their good friends, Jeff and Heather.

But coming from these bloodlines....

... there's always the possibility that we will have a little grandseahawk... I mean, seahawkgrandbaby... a grandbaby Seahawks fan at some point in the future!

Our future home... The Esplanade

2007-09-17T10:10:00.000-07:00

Unit 910 on the top floor will be our new home in about five months or so.

Anyone know of a nice family who would like to buy our house (see post from 7/26/07)?

Sunset Dinner at Anthony's Homeport

2007-09-06T20:10:00.000-07:00

Dave completed an important presentation for work today, so we decided to go out and celebrate at Anthony's Homeport in Des Moines. Sitting in their upstairs bar deck area, we enjoyed a four-course sunset dinner (translation: early & cheap). Dave had a gorgeous silver salmon and I had the Beef & Prawn Kabob. Yummmm! The only thing better than the food was the view over the Des Moines Marina.

Gunner... the Granddog!

2007-09-03T09:51:00.000-07:00

Gunner belongs to Dusty and Kara. I guess that makes him our GRANDDOG. And a grand dog he is! While Dusty and Kara were in Boise this weekend, Gunner stayed with us. He likes coming to our house because he's got an entire backyard to roam and because we spoil him. Gunner's favorite toy is a little gray stuffed kitty. He drags it around in his mouth and likes to lie next to it when he sleeps. That's all well and good, but I think Gunner thinks all cats are his toys. We have a cat in our neighborhood that thinks she "owns" a piece of the sidewalk. Unfortunately, when Gunner gets to that piece of the sidewalk, he goes right up to the cat and tries to make friends. Although Gunner is a quick learner, he hasn't learned yet about this cat. You see, we have walked him by this cat twice a day for the past three days and he still tries to make friends with the cat each time... and each time the cat hisses and takes a swipe with her paw right at Gunner's nose.

Kara has her own blog... FINALLY!

2007-08-31T09:38:00.001-07:00

Our lovely daughter, Kara, finally has her own blog. All of her friends blog.... Even her mother blogs.... Now Kara can share her OWN view of life!

Anniversary

2007-07-29T14:07:00.000-07:00

Dave & I celebrated our 28th aniversary yesterday!

Selling our house

2007-07-26T15:06:00.000-07:00

After living in our house for 16 years, we've decided to put it on the market.

Our two kids were only in grade school when we first moved here. I had just finished cancer surgery and chemotherapy. This house was to be both "moving up" and a "new start" for us. It doesn't seem that long ago....

Now that the kids are gone, I'm retired and Dave's working downtown, we actually have the opportunity to move to another location in the greater Puget Sound area. Our preference is Issaquah--close to mountain hiking, close to Lake Sammamish, not too difficult a commute to Seattle. We also have an opportunity to downsize a bit--less living space, though not less in terms of mortgage.

There are two VERY difficult aspects to moving:

1) Sorting through MANY accumulated possessions, and

2) Leaving the church we love!

Yuk!

So... if anyone is interested in a terrific house in a terrific neighborhood....

Afternoons at Mirror Lake Elementary School

2007-02-10T16:08:00.000-08:00

My son-in-law is the best 4th grade teacher I know! Because I'm recently retired and generally have too much time on my hands, I volunteer in Dusty's fourth grade classroom at Mirror Lake Elementary School.

The kids of Room 122 have been doing science experiments the last couple of times I've been in class. Can you imagine 23 students exploring the scientific properties of water? The kids are hilarious, but I think they are really learning about surface tension, absorption rates and other valuable pieces of earth science knowledge.

Dusty is a very skilled communicator who has the obvious respect of his students. The kids are quite the communicators also. (That's my way of saying that they sure talk a lot!) Although many of the students speak English as their second language, they all have MANY things to tell me when I show up in their class. Unfortunately, none of what they want to say has anything to do with what they have learned in class. Many of these students are behind grade level in reading and math, and seem to be falling farther behind each week. I wish there was more that I could do for these boys and girls....

Ladies who love the Psalms

2007-02-01T16:52:00.000-08:00

For those of you who don't already know, I lead a Women's Bible Study group at my church on Wednesday evenings. This year we are studying the Books of Psalms. Yup... all 150 of them... From Psalm 1 all of the way to Psalm 150. What a challenge!

What a treasure of wisdom God has instilled in these women. They come in all shapes, sizes and ages. We have women born in the 1920s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. Though all different, the one thing they have in common is their love for God and His Word.

Last night these precious ladies discussed what they had learned from studying Psalms 64-68. As we ended the evening, we prayed together agreeing "O God, You are awesome from Your sanctuary. You, the God of Israel Himself, give strength and power to the people. Blessed be God!" (Psalm 68:35) I praise God for these wonderful women!

Christmas in the Desert

2007-01-24T10:12:00.000-08:00

Yes, I do realize that Christmas was a whole month ago. But I have some catching up to do!

Dave and I thought we'd try something different this year. Because both of the kids are married, we usually celebrate holidays with them every-other-year. Christmas 2006 was "our" year. Wanting to make this year special, we all put our heads together and decided to go away on vacation instead of celebrating Christmas together at home. And to make it REALLY special, we decided to invite both sets of grandparents! (And it probably goes without saying that the record rains in November made a December trip to the desert sound even better!)

To make a long story short, we rented two houses in sunny Palm Desert, California and proceeded to plan activities that all three generations could enjoy. Here are a few pictures from our Christmas in the Desert vacation!

Grandma T. and Erik reading by the pool on Christmas morning:
Because we ALL have way too much "stuff," we decided not to exchange Christmas gifts among ourselves this year. However, we did decide to do a fun "book exchange" utilizing the rules from your typical white elephant gift exchange. What a hoot!! We each ended up with a book to read by the pool that had previously been a favorite of one of our special loved ones.

Two of my favorites from the Living Desert Museum: We visited Palm Desert's Living Desert Museum the day after Christmas. I would HIGHLY recommend it to anyone visiting the Palm Springs area. Great, natural wildlife and plant exhibits; a terrific model train display; a fantastic stage show!

Palm Springs Air Museum: Because the museum was full of World War II era aircraft and memorabilia, the four grandparents truly enjoyed this outing.

Joshua Tree National Park: This is a photo of Kara & Dusty and Krista & Erik at Keys Overview at Joshua Tree National Park. While in the park, we also took a short hike to Barker Dam. Weather was terrific and the scenery beautiful!

Palm Springs Aerial Tramway:
It had snowed up on the mountain the day before we went up on the tram. We had a blast looking down at the desert thousands of feet below while treading carefully on snow and ice up above.

She's back....

2007-01-23T08:54:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I haven't written anything in a year and a half. Where have I been? Certainly NOT blogging! My goal in 2007 is to turn this into more of a family news blog... so that family and friends can keep up with what we are doing... and so I don't have to send out the annual Christmas letter next year. (Got that great idea from friends... Thanks, Larry & Linda!!)

Quick Trip to D.C.

2005-07-23T10:01:00.000-07:00

This past week just flew by! I truly loved being in Washington D.C. and loved meeting many co-workers who I only previously knew by phone. It wasn't difficult to put names/faces with the people based on their voices.

Although the days were long (and filled with MANY meetings), I did get some quick sightseeing in on Thursday late afternoon. Charrie drove Judy (from Atlanta), Donna (from D.C.) and me all around town, stopping at the various sights. We quickly toured the Viet Nam Memorial, the Korean Veterans Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, the National Cathedral, and Georgetown. In addition, we drove past most of the other famous/historical locations in Washington D.C.

We finished the evening with dinner on the roof of the Hotel Washington (on 15th St and Pennsylvania Ave, across from the White House), where we saw the sunset and the city lights begin to illuminate the Washington Monument, White House, Lincoln Memorial and many other famous buildings. What a view!

I love being back home now, but am so grateful for the opportunity to work with and for such a wonderful bunch of people! The sights and sounds of Washington D.C. (more about the sounds later) were amazing, but meeting Terry, Rich, Donna, Gerry, Charrie (and many others) was the highlight of the week.

(Charrie & Donna)

San Jose Airport

2005-07-17T16:06:00.000-07:00

As I'm writing this post, I'm sitting in the San Jose International Airport waiting for a flight that has been delayed (once again!). Tonight I fly back to Seattle and then tomorrow morning take a 6:00 a.m. flight back to the Bay Area and then on to Washington D.C. Lots of miles!!

Airports are an interesting place to get your fill of people-watching. A lady just walked by me with purple hair, wearing a purple flowered dress. It would be fitting to tell you that she was wheeling a PURPLE carry-on suitcase, but I won't. (The carry-on was RED.) Parents with kids are fun to watch in airports also. There's usually two kinds--the ones who are letting their children run wild and the ones who are trying to keep control of their kids with leashes, snacks or "The Look." You know The Look; that's the one that Moms use when they REALLY mean business. In addition to the strangely dressed and the parents-with-children, there's always plenty of airport staff to watch. Some are extremely energetic and helpful; others are standing in groups talking to each other with the attitude written all over their faces that CLEARLY says, "I don't care what you need; please don't even bother to ask."

Well, I'd better go check to see if they've delayed my flight YET AGAIN....

Campbell, CA

2005-07-16T08:51:00.000-07:00

What a cute town! Campbell is a suburb of San Jose, CA and a very cute, quaint-yet-cool town! Dave & I are here to attend a reception celebrating Erik & Krista's recent marriage. "Brunch in the Garden," in Krista's parents' backyard, will be a wonderful opportunity for us to meet the rest of Krista's extended family and friends from both the Bay Area and Central Valley.

Dave & I just got back from a 3 mile walk along the Los Gatos Creek Trail--sunshine... beautiful scenery... good company--what could be better!

God's grace

2005-07-13T04:57:00.000-07:00

II Corinthians 12:9 And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

Have you given much thought to the grace of God lately? Grace is God's unmerited favor to those who deserve only His wrath. It's God's kindness and blessing on those who by their nature and their action deserve anything but kindness and blessing! Ephesians 2:8 says that it is by grace we are saved; we haven't done anything and can't do anything to earn salvation.

Thank you, Lord, for your Amazing Grace!

FREE hide-a-bed sofa & chair

2005-07-10T20:25:00.000-07:00

Erik & Krista would like YOU to have these lovely pieces of furniture (one or both).

They are both in the "early college" or "early apartment" style.

The chair is a rocker/recliner and is EXTREMELY comfortable.

The hide-a-bed sofa comes with a good mattress. Sofa is apartment size / double bed.

(Click on pictures for larger/better view.)

The price is definitely right - FREE. Just come get either or both before July 29th.

Give Erik a call at (206) 818-4068.

A dear friend

2005-07-09T10:48:00.000-07:00

Did you read what I wrote a couple of days ago: "Cancer... YUK!"? Well, I hate the disease even more now (if that's possible)! I just heard that a dear friend, Bobbie, has terminal pancreatic cancer with only a few months to live. A few weeks ago we were hugging and laughing about weight loss of all things. A few months ago we were studying the Bible together. A few years ago Bobbie was encouraging me through a difficult career change. More than a decade ago she was a mentor to me in learning to be a wife. Though saddened by the news, Bobbie and her husband are rejoicing in their faith in a loving God. Though devastated by the new, we are praying for God's strength and peace in their lives.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything through prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7

Erik & Krista...the newlyweds

2005-07-08T12:04:00.000-07:00

Our son, Erik, and his new bride, Krista, were married on June 18th in a lovely ceremony at Christ's Church. Their reception followed at Cedarbrook Conference Center. What a terrific day! The weather was perfect... everything went as planned... the reception location was out of this world!

The picture to the left was their "first dance." Yes, I think they really are as happy as they look!

While the "first dance" is always memorable, my personal favorite was the "second dance" with bride & dad and groom & mom (ME!).

Of course, everyone else who was there commented that neither the couple's first dance nor the dance with the parents was the most spectacular. The comments that I heard the most related to a certain dancing wild woman--the groom's grandmother! I can honestly say that I have NEVER seen Dave's mom, June, have as much fun as when she was wildly dancing at Erik & Krista's reception. You go, girl!

Dave

2005-07-07T18:44:00.000-07:00

My husband Dave (even OLDER than me!) just made the comment, "My wife is a blogger? My wife is a blogger!" Actually, he repeated it probably TEN TIMES, which is pretty typical of Dave. His favorite bad line? "When something works, you gotta stick with it!" Of course, to him that means telling the same funny story over and over (not so funny anymore) AND telling you a new joke (that he told you five times just yesterday) AND working at the same job for thirty years (despite having other opportunities) AND being married to the SAME WOMAN for over 25 years. When something works, you gotta stick with it!

Cancer... YUK

2005-07-07T18:35:00.000-07:00

Cancer has been a terrible, but valuable, part of my adult life. I am a sixteen-year survivor of breast cancer. Sixteen years ago breast cancer treatments were still nightmares from the dark ages. While treatments have improved over the years, too many women are still having to face the diagnosis of breast cancer. Why can't they fine a definitive cause? Why can't they find an absolute cure?

Although living as a cancer survivor is something I wouldn't necessarily choose, it has taught me that every day is precious.... It has taught me that I can't survive alone.... It has taught me that my life on earth is short; only what will survive in eternity matters.... It has taught me that Jesus Christ is the same today, tomorrow and forever!

It's Official!

2005-07-07T18:31:00.000-07:00

It's official... I'm a blogger! So what if people my age don't blog. After seeing a couple of blogs done by my daughter's friends, I thought I'd give it a try.... It can't be THAT hard after all. But then again, I'm not the most random person in the world and probably haven't had a random thought in years. Well, it's about time!