Ruminations from the Temple

We fear. We fear loss--of loved ones, of employment, of security. We fear the loss of our youth, our money, and our mind. We fear losing precious children, beloved possessions, and our prized choice. And ultimately, we fear losing good health, human dignity, and the respect of others. “Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.” Fear of loss is the shadow of greed--the path to a dark and lonely place. A place where the worst scenario plays out, where darkness presses and desperation resides. Fearful panic takes hold and suggests decisions based upon lies. Acting on fabricated what-ifs is giving in to uncontrolled fear in a desperate attempt to gain control of that which hasn't happened. Convinced there is but one path to take only reinforces the obvious--you have no choice. Anger starts to seep into thoughts, as fear-fed resentment takes root. Why me? Passion runs high when one is pressed into a fearful c...

No, I am not taking any classes this summer. Oh yeah, I thought about it...seriously. But, after registering for Pacific Lutheran for the fall, I have decided it is best for me to spend my time and effort at university rather than any more community college courses. Now, don't get me wrong--I don't have anything against community college. Quite the opposite, in fact. I appreciate some of the real teaching gems I have had the privilege to have. My Bible as Lit prof is a good example. Yes, he was an actual professor, with a Ph.D and everything. Dr. Wakefield was wonderful, insightful and fair with his grades. The kind of teacher that inspires students to stretch a bit further to grow and learn. Then there was my Anthro teacher; although not a prof, she was incredible. Would I be able to give engaging, interesting and whiteboard-illustrated lectures every day for the 10 weeks without notes? OK, so she had an outline, but I'm telling you, Ms. Williams had all that stuff ab...

It is the ability to move farther and faster than was previously possible. The anxious 16-year old that first sits behind the wheel of power and movement feels the thrill and danger that is soon lost in daily necessity. The worst wheel of the cart makes the most noise. ~Benjamin Franklin The guy who invented the first wheel was an idiot.  The guy who invented the other three,  HE was a genius. ~Sid Caesar The engine sucks the highly refined fuel as we hit the ignition, and the pistons fire precisely enough to give us the energy to move forward. And what of our appreciation? A modern miracle reduced to the mundane--much better if the  wheels  sport the latest popular paint color... 12: Fear 13: Pleasure 14: Forty-two 15: Wood 16: Ordinary matters 17: Time 18: Fire 19: White 20: Bird 21: Moon 22: Portrait 23: Fish tales 24: Crowd 25: The future 26: My toothbrush 27: Nude 28: Outlier 29: Lines 30:  The De...

well worth the drive! advice? take your camera *smile*

Fairhaven, Washington along Chuckanut Drive , northern coastal Washington

I hate waiting. Yep. That about sums it up. However, we all spend a tremendous amount of time waiting. In fact, I wonder how many hours/days/years we spend waiting in an average lifetime. I'm sure there is some type of fancy math formula to figure that one out... 62 minutes a day. The below paragraph states: in 70 years, the average person spends at least 3 years waiting. I calculated that those 3 years would be approximately 4.3% of time spent waiting or 62 minutes a day. Excerpt: Waiting, an inevitable and even necessary aspect of human life is not something that most of us relish. We wait in lines: in order to purchase groceries; to be served at popular restaurants; to be attended to in a bank; at stop signs and traffic signals; at amusement parts; to see a play or film. We must also wait for flowers to grow and bloom; for babies to be born; for wounds to heal; for bread to rise and cheese to age; for children to mature; for friends to call; for love to de...

When I traveled abroad, I quickly gained a glimpse of how the rest of the world sees Americans. We are categorized as materialistic mass-consumers who resemble either celebrities or reality television show personalities. We appear wasteful, loud, opinionated and brash—not to mention ignorant to the standard or style of living of those in other countries. I can definitely see how that could come across to newcomers, and can understand how that could be a bit of a shock. However, it leaves me with one question: why does anyone take all the trouble to move here, then? Seriously, I believe I know the answer. I like to think that it is because those who chose to immigrate here are eager and willing to share in our dream—the American dream. They want to enjoy the freedom of opportunity and to experience “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” in a land where people have rights. Not to say that citizens of other countries don’t have rights, but in America we get to flaunt it, righ...