Life...to the max!

Catching up: Life By Design--120/245

Tuesday:  30Apr13--Onalaska, WA to Corvallis, OR

        For both of us, with our siblings all so much older than we are, we have the wild, wonderful and unusual situation of having nieces and nephews, great nieces and great nephews, aNd great-great nieces and great-great nephews.  Next summer one of the great-great emerging adults, in his easrly 20s, is getting married.......so, I, his great-great uncle (much to his parent's chagrin) is asking he and his beautiful bride (they met in college down in Oregon) for a great-great-great or two before we head through the thin veil.

        The potential of that is excellent.  Not many get to have the sacred privilege of doing that.  Talk about wonderful...........!

        As the days count down to the conclusions of this magnificant trip, we headed yesterday for Onalaska, WA.  Don't worry, we didn't know where it was either.  lol  But in beautiful rolling hills and farm land to the east of I-5 between Seattle and Portland reside our great niece and nephew and their three sons.

        All five in this family are beautiful, handsome, unique-to-the-max souls.  Every time we are with any of them there is a sense of delight and engagement.  Here I am with the two sons, great-great nephews, who remain at home.  The one on the right is graduating in a few weeks from high school.  The younger one on the left is writing his first novel.  Great fun!

        Awakening early this morning the one on the right asked if I would like to go and see his cabin.  What?  Of course!  Where?  That was an honor.

        So we trudged through the early morning dew to the back of their beautiful property, and whaddayaknow, there was a small cabin back there.  With his grandfather's help (his dad's dad) he cut down the trees, put the timber through a small mill sawed to just the right thickness, hauled it all back to this spot, built a porch outside and a bunk inside for friends to spend the night.  Amazing!  Talk about learning with your head and hands.  He figured it all out.

        One of the treasured moments of this trip is sitting with him on this porch as we drank hot mugs of coffee and talked about life.  His.  Ours.  The future.  Talk about picture perfect!

        In mid sentence he said, "Shhhh! Quiet!!  You hear that?"

        To our right we heard a coyote howling, not all that far away.  He pointed to the left into the edge of the forest, "OK, just wait."  And sure enough a coyote to our left howled back.  This went on for about a minute.

        Then he looked behind the cabin, and the first coyote was seen ambling down the path toward the second coyote.  We sat still as we watched it trot on by, being guided by a continuing howl from his friend to the left.

        Ah.......life!  What a treat this morning was with one fine young man.  It was almost time for breakfast back at the house, and our coffee mugs were drained into us.  So what does one do?  Of course, you go back and collect the eggs for the day on the way home.  :-)  Talk about fresh.

        One more wonderful time was what we had with the greats and the great-greats!  It was now time to head for my boyhood home down in Oregon.  This is one Tuesday this olde uncle will long remember.

 

 

 

Catching up: Life By Design--119/246

Monday:  29Apr13--Gig Harbor to Onalaska, WA

        Who ever is in charge of the weather (and I may just know Who), we have been ridiculously blessed with clear, clean, beautiful, “oh, wow!!!” weather for our whole trip, from LA, all the way up the coast to here.  We even enjoyed this past Saturday’s NW mist for which Seattle is known.

        This was our first look at life here this morning in Gig Harbor at the home of our good friends.  Almost every room of their home has this view of their part of Puget Sound.  Even saw a couple of seals cavorting earlier in the dawn of this new day.

         Breakfast was not only tasty for the food we enjoyed, it was deep a breath of fresh air for our souls from the conversation.  We are unusually blessed with the Board of Directors we have walking with us into a new future for Leadership Design Group.

        We began the trip in SoCal with two of our board members, Tim and Janean Stripe, who live in the San Diego area, and some extra meaningful conversation concerning LDG’s future.  This topic of conversation continued with our friends we just spent time with in Bellevue, Gary and Jorie Gulbranson, also on our board.  And then this morning with Dick and Bo Teodoro, as Dick serves and the Chairman of our board.

        Every conversation, without us all being together, seemed to strongly build on the previous conversation with these valued board members and good friends.  There’s been an undeniable “holy thread” weaving through these conversations.  Stunning.  Hope-filled.  Life-giving to both of us.

        So we sat this morning at their kitchen table for a very long and utterly welcome time of interaction.  Their wisdom and insights?  Spot on!  As expansive as that picture (above) is, looking out their kitchen, the breadth and depth of our conversation was nothing short of ordained.

        We took off for relatives who live in Onalaska, WA with thankful hearts and hopes soaring.  Timely?  To the max!  As our minds and hearts begin to bend toward home, for which we will fly this Saturday from Portland, OR.

        This cement seagull sculpture rests in the Teo’s neighbor’s yard.  I had to take a picture of it before we left this morning.  Some heaviness, stuckness with regard to LDG’s future was like that bird.......going nowhere.  But, today that left.  The reality from these conversations caused my spirit to soar.

        Truly, a new day is dawning for us.

                Amazing grace,

                        unfettered,

                                taking us where we need and long to be.

                                        Oh, yes.................................

Catching up: Life By Design--118/247

Sunday:  28Apr13--Bellevue to Gig Harbor, WA

        It was good to wake up today realizing that in seven days we would be home again.  Not that we want the goodness of this trip to end.  But by the time we rest in our own bed this coming Saturday we will have been in fifteen different beds in three weeks.

        This morning we did early church at Westminster Chapel. Gary Gulbranson is one of the finer pastors in our world, hands down.  No prejudice.  Just true.  Good memories from this time with these good people.
 

        Packing up we headed for downtown Seattle to return an item to the flagship store of REI.  This massive, several story store is tucked in alongside I-5.  Of all the times we had been to Seattle, this was my/our first time there.  An amazing company, to be sure.

        Clocks telling the time from major adventure places in our world hung on the outer, upper balcony.  Who knew Mr. Everest was a half step off from the rest of the world.  Have yet to find an REI I didn’t like.  But did escape, this time, without purchasing anything.  A miracle in and of itself.

        Our destination tonight was Gig Harbor, WA.  Good friends live here, Dick and Bo Teodoro.  Dick currently serves at the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Leadership Design Group (LDG).  Much can be written about these vibrant soles (and I’m not talking about shoes).  :-)

        We took the ferry from West Seattle to Vashon Island, drove the length of the island, and then took another ferry to Tacoma.  The Washington State Ferry System?  The best!  Outside on the top deck I found three Latino children inventing some sort of impromptu game, chattering in Spanish and laughing themselves silly.  What a reminder that if we are truly going to get God’s love and grace at all into our lives (Jesus speaking) we are to become like little children.  Free.  Open.  Trusting.  Abandoned to joy.  Even when life sucks?  Yeah.  Somehow.

        This day concluded at the Teodoro’s in a most gracious manner.  They invited friends in to hear more of the story that is unfolding for the expanding future of LDG.  The conversation, full of good questions, was most encouraging as we shared our hopes for the future.

We’re pooped.  Time for bed.  Good night.

Catching up: Life By Design--117/248

Saturday:  27Apr13--Bellevue, WA

        Simply stated:  what a day.

        What a very special day, for three reasons.

        1.    It's been a deep privilege to be with the leadership of Westminster Chapel.  Last evening we began the Circle of Life Mentoring Workshop, and brought that to a conclusion today close to lunch time.  This fine, faithful and fully committed team, of staff and volunteers, are committed to significantly enhancing and growing their leadership capabilities.  Thus, the generous invitation to be a part of this.  Good people.  Good times.  An honor to have been here.

        2.    After doing lunch with some of their key leadership, we left and headed for the home of our close friends, Gary and Jorie Gulbranson, where we were staying.  Gary is the lead pastor.  We four met 39 year ago in seminary in Denver.  We have done a lot of life together.  Grateful beyond words for being in each other's lives.

        So, later this afternoon, I needed to go for a run and have some alone time to sort through and digest the significant hours just experienced.  I ended up where I had not, at first, expected to be.  This time here was all about the Circle of Life.

        Long story, way short (kind of...and already known by many of our mutual friends), when in grad school Gary and Jorie asked Judy and me to be godparents to their first child they were expecting.  What joy.  Oh, wow!  Wonderful.

        Marci Lynn was born in our second year of school.  A pecious second daughter was born a few years later.  In the years that followed the family moved to Chicago and then on to the Seattle area (now having been there 20 years), ministering in two good places.  Those girls grew up into wonderful young women, and marring great men.  Delightful.

        Fifteen years ago, in May of 1998 I assisted Gary in Marci's wedding to a good young man, Scott.  Tragedy struck 104 days later when Marci was found dead in their newlywed apartment.  She died of totally unknown causes.  Unexplained.  No known reasons.  Evidently, according to the coronor, about 1% of deaths in the mid-20s age group happens with unknown cause.  This took her.

        With all the tenderness and emotion of being in Bellevue for this magnificent weekend, I decided to see if I could find the cemetery where we laid Marci's body to rest.  Again, way too long of a part of the story, but we were with our dear friends as often as time and resources would allow in the months to follow this tragedy.  For whatever God's and my joint reasons, I decided to run to where I thought I remembered the cemetery to be.

        With the help of one of the men at the cemetery, I located this special place.  Our Board of Directors for Life Enrichment (the name at the time...now Leadership Design Group), along with some others, easily decided to place a memorial bench on this site.  These were allowed to be scattered across these peace-filled and beautiful grounds that look west across Lake Washington toward the Seattle skyline.

        My imagination soared a bit while sitting on this bench today.  A gentle NW mist fell for a few moments as I sat there.  It almost seemed like soft angel tears were blessing the moment.  My memory moved through all the years of knowing this close and more than precious family.

        Yes, there was a certain sadness and a measure of lingering grief.  Yes, there were the warm thoughts of friendship shared over almost four decades.

        Yes, none of us know how long or big our own individual circles of life may be.  Yes, we all need to be committed to living life fully, as our God has intended our lives to be lived.

        After some time of pondering, praying, even shedding some grateful tears over much that has taken place in my own life in recent years, I got up and headed back to our friend's home.  Late.  Again.  They all wondered where I had been.  Telling them, in the quiet of that moment earlier today, Gary, Jorie's and Judy's affirming look let me know I had made the right decision to debrief the day.

        3.    Yes.................................!  Some times even the split second decisions prove to be the best ones.  Again, what a day.  Thankful, to the max.

 

Catching up: Life By Design--116/249

Friday:  26Apr13--Bellevue, WA

        No trip to the Seattle area is really complete for us without, at the very least, a meal with these two amazing souls, who live in the Mill Creek area.  I lived with Beecher and Nayda Wallace and their family in the Costa Mesa/Newport Beach area of SoCal (saving $$$) before Judy and I were married.  The night, in SoCal, in 1966 I gave Judy her engagement ring, they were the first friends to see that little bauble.  Their whole family was even at our wedding in Arizona 46 years ago.

        After retirement they moved, years back, up to the Seattle area to be near two of their three adult children (Wally, an exceptional Boing exec, and Keri, a truly remarkable grade school principal) and their spouses and grandkids.  Their youngest son (Dan, a truly distinguished professor of Greek at Dallas Seminary) was born almost exactly to the minute ten years after me.  What a good family in all ways!  Some of our finest of "forever friends."  Age may be taking it's toll on their bodies, but not their spirits.

        Gary and Jorie Gulbranson are one of the three finest long-term pastoral couples we know.  There are many fine pastoral couple out there.  We know that.  But the three I'm thinking of, truly are.  Those who know them would agree.  Gary and I stopped by the church to make sure all the details were in place for the Circle of Life Mentoring Workshop for their entire leadership team.

        Confession:  I know I can overwork the word "amazing."  But the Leadership Team at Westminster Chapel IS just that.......amazing!  What a deep and sacred privilege to be with them tonight.  A few other friends of ours are also expected.

Tonight was a very good beginning.

We conclude the workshop tomorrow.

 

Catching up: Life By Design--115/250

Thursday:  25Apr13--Leavenworth to Bellevue, WA

        What deep joy to have a long, slow, extra tasty dinner last evening at an Italian restaurant in a Bavarian town.  Why not.  We four, catching up with each other was just what each of us needed.  This trip has been full of reconnecting with treasured friends from past decades.  What deep delight.

        Pulling back the curtains in our room this morning took our breath away.  Grabbing an extra blanket, sitting on the swing of our balcony (pictured above from yesterday afternoon), the tranquility was life-enhancing.  The quiet was stunning.  The scene soul-nourishing.  Until the resident woodpecker decided we had all been quiet long enough.  lol

        After a breakfast feast that would sustain us almost all day, we took off to hike around Leavenworth, and further catching up on each other's lives.  Those who know us and know Gary and Jorie Gulbranson, and our family stories, know we have done just a bit of life together.  Treasured friends, to the max!!!

But, it was time to "get real" and head down the hill.

        Good work is waiting for us the next two days at Westminster Chapel, where Gary has served as Lead Pastor for 20 years now.  It's time for one more Circle of Life Mentoring Workshop for their entire staff, full time and volunteers.  What a privilege that is going to be!

Catching up: Life By Design--114/251

Wednesday:  24Apr13--Seaside, OR to Leavenworth, WA

        Well, enough of just the two of us.  These past several days driving up the west coast have been heaven sent.  The weather?  Beyond beautiful, like perfect.

        Today we headed inland to the Seattle area and an overnight with some of our closest friends whom we met in grad school 39 years ago.  Goodbye Pacific Ocean and hello to the grand Washington Cascade Mountains!

        Arriving at the home of our dear friends, we were whisked off to Leavenworth, WA.  Quaint (a retool of a Bavarian village).  Beautiful (clear sun, no breeze).  Snow high on the mountains.  We were taken to a BnB, as our friend's guests, that surpassed about anything we've been to before, anywhere.

A first indication of some place very special.

Let it happen.

"Official" Inn greeters.

We could already tell that just one night was too short. :-)

What a welcome packet, even with our names.

Food for some of the wild life, soon to show up.

And here they were. Others just waiting out of sight.

"Solitude food" for our souls after over 2000 miles of driving.

Was this heaven?

For a few hours...........yes.

 

 

Catching up: Life By Design--113/252

Tuesday:  23Apr13--Gold Beach to Seaside, OR

        This day was our longest day of this splendid road trip.  Driving up into the central and northern Oregon coast we were in spaces we visit almost every time we've been that way.

        However, knowing that my favorite lighthouse was up near Newport, I "sacrificed" seeing it this trip by taking in the Heceta Head Lighthouse.  This is one the most photographed places on the whole coast.

        So while Judy took a nap in the car and was lulled to sleep with the gentle waves, I took off up the hill.  To my surprise, the volunteer ranger could not believe that an olde dude like me had run the distance from the parking lot.  So I told him, "Hey, come on down and let's do it again together."  He declined.

        He was a retired high school teacher who loves lighthouses as much as I do.  So we had some great conversation.  This old house was under total refurbishment.  He showed me what all was taking place.  Impressive.

        Then he said, "Bet you can't tell me which state has the most lighthouses on its coastline!"  I should have really made it a bet.

        "Michigan," said I.

        "What?!?!?"  He responded.  "Your the first person in two days to know that answer."

        My smack answer back, "Hey.  I do get around."  And we laughed like olde buds.

        Tourist or not, one does not drive north on USHwy 101 without stopping at the Tillamook Cheese Factory.  Come in and taste away.  Every time I'm in the grocery story, I see their cheese.

        But what do we like best here.  marionberry ice cream.  Oh, whoa.  The best.  And as I've possibly bored dozens of friends over the years, I do know about the evolution of the marionberry.  A tasty part of the possibility of evolution.  :-)

       The day ended with a sunset walk along Cannon Beach.  Way, way off in the distance you can see Haystack Rock, which is another of the most photographed beaches on the west coast.

        When we went out on that far strand of sand toward the HUGE Haystack Rock, one moment took our breath away.  Hundreds of coastal birds call that rock home.

        All of a sudden they were taking off in droves, squawking like crazy.  I looked up and saw a bald eagle majestically soaring overhead headed for the rock.  The eagle's white feathered head was blazing white in the setting sun.

        Words fail at the blessing of that sight.

        .......nuff said.  Good night.

PS: Enjoying all these pics from a simple iPhone 4

 

Catching up: Life By Design--112/253

Monday:  22Apr13--Eureka, CA to Gold Beach, OR

        Funny how places can capture your imagination.  This is one of those in our lives.  As mentioned earlier, part of this road trip north on the west coast of our country was retracing our honeymoon trip from 46 years ago.  Time does fly!

        When we would road trip north up I-5 from LA to Oregon to visit my parents, we would always be "home" for 3-4 days, and then over to the coast and slowly wind our way back to our home in Whittier.  Confession:  what my parents did not know, for years, was that we would head for Gold Beach and Ireland's Rustic Lodges and that one Pine Cabin #4 for some us time.

        Ahhhhh.  Just us.  Time we needed then.  Time we needed now, as well.  And...wildly Pine Cabin was still there.  Still cozy.  Still with a wood burning rock fireplace.  Still well appointed.  Still a place of comforting and sweet memories.  What a kick!

        I hope, sincerely, that we will be able to go back, at least one more time in our lives.  What a special reminder to keep the memories coming.  Visiting the olde.  Making new ones.  This was a very good day.

 

Catching up: Life By Design--111/254

Sunday:  20Apr13--Mendocino to Eureka, CA

Eureka!

The dictionary says this is an expression of discovery!

OK.  We'll go with that.   :-)

Amazing to think the redwood trees of Northern California were growing when world events were talk place way back in "ancient" history.

The trees in this redwood grove are reported to have been seedlings when Jesus was walking on the planet.  We "did silent church" in the midst of this truly amazning sanctuary.  The awe of the moment was palpable.  Inspiring.  No words were needed as we wandered slowly through our thoughts.

Awe.

Pure awe.

Grateful for God's creation...to the max!