Category: Journal

My journey

A Word and a song for our Northwest vacation celebration

Post author By pastorkelvin
Post date August 27, 2010

One of the purposes of vacation is to be able to think about God’s work in our lives in a way we don’t think to do during regular work times. So JoAnne and I try to take time to read Scripture. On a driving intensive vacation like this one (we covered about 3100 miles in 2 weeks), sometimes she would read to me as I drove. We also occasionally sang. In the majesty of this area, the song, “How Great is Our God” was a natural choice. Second was “This Land is Your Land, This Land Is My Land.” In bear country they tell you to sing anyway, but it comes natural when you are followers of Jesus. It wasn’t very long before we discovered a favorite Psalm too, one that that seemed to describe so well our experience with nature and with God on this trip. We read it over and over—Psalm 104. I have inserted subtitles that related to our travels.

Ps 104
Praise the Lord, O my soul.
For the sunny mountain heights

O Lord my God, you are very great;
you are clothed with splendor and majesty.
2 He wraps himself in light as with a garment;
he stretches out the heavens like a tent
3 and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters.
He makes the clouds his chariot
and rides on the wings of the wind.
4 He makes winds his messengers, flames of fire his servants.

For the great rivers and the seaside

5 He set the earth on its foundations;
it can never be moved. 6 You covered it with the deep as with a garment;
the waters stood above the mountains.
7 But at your rebuke the waters fled,
at the sound of your thunder they took to flight;
8 they flowed over the mountains,
they went down into the valleys,
to the place you assigned for them.
9 You set a boundary they cannot cross;
never again will they cover the earth.

For all the mountain creatures and the birds

10 He makes springs pour water into the ravines;
it flows between the mountains.
11 They give water to all the beasts of the field;
the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
12 The birds of the air nest by the waters;
they sing among the branches.
13 He waters the mountains from his upper chambers;
the earth is satisfied by the fruit of his work.
14 He makes grass grow for the cattle,
and plants for man to cultivate — bringing forth food from the earth:
15 wine that gladdens the heart of man,
oil to make his face shine,
and bread that sustains his heart.
For the great evergreen forests
16 The trees of the Lord are well watered,
the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.
17 There the birds make their nests;
the stork has its home in the pine trees.
18 The high mountains belong to the wild goats;
the crags are a refuge for the coneys.

19 The moon marks off the seasons,
and the sun knows when to go down.
20 You bring darkness, it becomes night,
and all the beasts of the forest prowl.
21 The lions roar for their prey
and seek their food from God.
22 The sun rises, and they steal away;
they return and lie down in their dens.
23 Then man goes out to his work,
to his labor until evening.

24 How many are your works, O Lord!
In wisdom you made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.
25 There is the sea, vast and spacious,
teeming with creatures beyond number — living things both large and small.
26 There the ships go to and fro,
and the leviathan, which you formed to frolic there.

27 These all look to you to give them their food at the proper time.
28 When you give it to them, they gather it up;
when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things.
29 When you hide your face, they are terrified;
when you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust.

For the volcanic peaks
30 When you send your Spirit, they are created,
and you renew the face of the earth.

31 May the glory of the Lord endure forever;
may the Lord rejoice in his works —
32 he who looks at the earth, and it trembles,
who touches the mountains, and they smoke.

Grand doxology

33 I will sing to the Lord all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
34 May my meditation be pleasing to him, as I rejoice in the Lord.
35 But may sinners vanish from the earth and the wicked be no more.

Praise the Lord, O my soul.
Praise the Lord. NIV

Tags joy, vacation

Church Leadership Journal

The importance of recording

Post author By pastorkelvin
Post date August 27, 2010

Keeping family memories

Journaling, picture taking, blogging, and sketching, those are the four ways we have chosen to record our 40^th anniversary trip. When we were younger, we were content to simply experience events, and maybe just take a few pictures. We remember years ago when I was in the military and we traveled in Europe; to document things, we took some pictures on the old film rolls and JoAnne kept a notebook; but neither method was used too much.

These days it seems we just enjoy writing and preserving the memory. It seems almost as important as experiencing the event. Maybe it’s because we realize our physical memories are getting weaker and we need pre-planned prepared methods to prod our neurons to trigger the precious reminiscences. Anyway, these days we have doubled the number of ways we write and record. JoAnne sketches with colored pencil and watercolor pencil and pen and she keeps her journal, some hand-written, some on computer. Both of us take pictures, many more than ever with digital cameras; and, of course, I blog.

Keeping organizational memories

As a leader, this got me thinking about the importance of organizational memory and how recording of events is so essential to create that. How many meetings have I led where I didn’t have anyone keeping good minutes? How many times have I asked a secretary to look something up in the minutes from a few months ago, only to find that the record was not adequate? And how many times have we searched for a good picture of a past church event? At Community Wesleyan Church we are coming to our 50^th anniversary. I am acutely aware that the history of the organization is very important in understanding its present; creating a sense of cohesiveness and for envisioning its path into the future. Suddenly the role of historian– which seems so mundane, even trite, during most years– becomes very crucial. Just by the choice of what is included in displays and the way it is labeled, the historian will play a critical role in interpreting the narrative of the church. When you think about it, those who keep the organizational memory—increasingly this will involve website keepers too—are critical to the long term health of the organization. For an organization has to deal, not just with fading memories, but with longer time spans and changing personnel. The organization’s memory is crucial to keeping the spirit of the organization alive.

Tags journaling, leadership, memories, minutes, records

Americana Journal

The deepest blue

Post author By pastorkelvin
Post date August 26, 2010

Crater Lake was a surprise to both JoAnne and I. Even though we had seen pictures, what we experienced surpassed our expectations in so many ways.

We did not realize that it was located at the top of a mountain. By the time we reached the lake, the landscape stretched downward for miles in all directions. We later learned that Crater Lake was formed by the collapse of a huge mountain in the Cascade chain, Mt. Mazama, which was originally taller than Mt. Rainer, the tallest today.
We did not realize that one of the most rigorous hikes we would take on our vacation would be from the rim down to the boat ride on Crater Lake and back to the car. All the sides of the lake are still precipitous cliffs. The boat ride is located at one of the most “hikeable” spots. But the trail down takes a half hour and contains multiple switchbacks.
We were surprised by a hot day, even at the high altitudes. By the time we reached the boat, the captain assured us that the ride was “air-conditioned.” He was referring to the refreshing breeze off the cool water created by the movement of the power boat. JoAnne was missing her sun hat which she had left behind in anticipation of the breeze.
The variety of the formations of rock surrounding the lake was more than we expected. One formation looked like a castle perched on the mountainside. Another is called the “phantom ship.” It is an island created from a very old lava upflow. Some spots contained interesting geological formations. One had misty waterfalls tumbling into the clear lake. Then there is Wizard island, the extinct volcano on one side.
The shear immensity of the lake was a real shock. Our mental picture was of a body of water a mile or so across. What we encountered was gem of a lake six miles across. Then the guides tell you that this lake perched at the top of the world is the 7^th deepest in the world at about 1900 feet deep. The facts are staggering.
The height of the cliffs surrounding the lake was unexpected too. In some places the mountains rose a couple thousand feet above the lake. Everywhere, they were too steep for climbing without technical equipment. We were told the lake only filled about half the pit created when the mountain collapsed.
Most of all, we were amazed at the color. The deep blue of the lake is inspiring, shocking, intriguing, almost haunting. It was the bluest lake we had ever seen. We learned why when we learned that Crater Lake is the clearest lake in the whole world. That fact combined with its depth results in its mind-boggling jewel blue.

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Tags Crater Lake, national parks, vacation, views

Americana Journal

Redwoods

Post author By pastorkelvin
Post date August 26, 2010

We have always wanted to see the redwoods of California. We learned that there are two kinds of oversized trees in CA, redwoods in northern CA, the tallest trees in the world and sequoias in southern CA, which are much bigger around than redwoods, but not quite as tall. We would be seeing redwoods, not sequoias. We also learned that formerly hundreds of thousands of acres of northern CA were forested with redwoods, but lumbering demand over the years has reduced the acreage greatly to maybe a tenth of that. So now there is a complex of state and national parks in northern CA to protect some of the biggest and oldest groves [ http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=24723].

We hiked in Jedidiah Smith Redwood State Park and drove through several others. I remember, one time recently we asked Keely what he thought was different about the west. She replied, “Everything is bigger.” Now that we are traveling here, we agree heartily, and the redwoods are a perfect illustration. In the East, we admire a mature towering grove of hemlock or Adirondack pine. But those would be like children standing beside these towering redwoods. Both the height and width are in another league to us Easterners. I remember seeing three people standing fingertip to fingertip in front of one trunk and the tree was wider that all three together.

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We were especially impressed with the quiet in the redwood forest. We are so used to noise that quiet impresses us greatly. Another interesting feature is the fern-covered forest floor. There is very little undergrowth, bit am abundance of ferns. We also noticed that neighboring redwoods seem to grow together and merge into one tree more than most trees do. So one would occasionally observe complex structures where multiple trunks had grown together or crossed each other.

It was in the redwoods that JoAnne first introduced what was to become the theme song for our trip, it just seemed so appropriate. “How great is our God, sing with me how great is our God… and all will see, how great, how great is our God.”

Tags national parks, Quiet spots, Redwoods

Americana Journal

An old Shay locomotive

Post author By pastorkelvin
Post date August 25, 2010

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One night we were searching all over for a motel. It was at the end of a long travel day and we were both tired. We hadn’t made reservations since this stop was about 10 days into the trip and we weren’t positive we could keep up our planned itinerary. When we arrived at Glacier, hotels were full and in Kalispell, the nearest big town since the State Fair was in town, so the situation was compounded.

But, sometimes good things happen, even when you are frustrated over something else. We turned up a street in Columbia Falls, Montana, looking for that elusive room. As I started to turn around, there at the end of the street was a railfan’s dream, an old lumber locomotive, a Shay. It was all alone in an end-of-the-street park. Of course, I jumped out and took the picture. Online, I found a webpage about it (http://claytondeerparkhistoricalsociety.com/photo_11.html).

It’s easy in life to get so focused on the frustrations that we miss the gifts that come at inopportune times and unexpected moments. One of the great skills in life is to be tuned in to the rarity of the moment so that we don’t let the urgency of the mundane – like searching for a room – make us miss experiencing something rare, like a parked Shay, or a special spiritual moment.

Tags locomotive, railfan

Journal

When the fog clears…

Post author By pastorkelvin
Post date August 25, 2010

After we left Staters, we headed down the Oregon Coast. We just had to stick our toes in the cold Pacific Ocean, just to say we did it. The coast was fogged in. In the nearby shipping channel, we could hear the ships going out at low tide, blowing foghorns and being answered by the bells on the channel buoys. But all we could see of them even with binoculars were looming gray shadows. It didn’t seem like a very climactic moment to our transcontinental journey. I was also using the binoculars to watch birds but there were very few–also disappointing. So we piled back in the little cherry-red rented Nissan Versa and continued south along 101. There weren’t even any coastal views for miles and whenever we got close to the coast, we could tell by the fog banks rolling in.

After many miles we came to the town of Port Orford, OR. Route 101 made a sharp left turn but straight ahead was a broad uphill street with the words “Ocean view” painted clearly in huge letters on the pavement across both lanes. The last time we saw such signs, it had been several miles to the actual coast. But this time as soon as we crested the knoll, there it was, a beautiful coastal view of the Pacific; and surprise, there was no fog. We stopped; took turns taking pictures; then I spent time watching the many birds and the coastal small-boat activity while JoAnne sketched. Then someone pointed out a whale spout. Amazing! We had the unexpected privilege of watching a whale spouting while presumably feeding among the huge rocks for at least a half-hour before he decided to swim back out to sea.

After that, for many miles of coastal road, the fog stayed out to sea and we enjoyed a beautiful trip, with many stops. We even took a coastal byway and the weather held for hours while we traversed it, taking pictures and feasting with our eyes on the vistas.

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It reminded me that you just never know what blessing God has in store when the fog clears. God is like that in our lives. We can live in expectancy looking for God’s sunshine to break through. The “sun of righteousness rises” and then somehow the fog clears. St. Paul put it bluntly, “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you” (Eph. 5:14 NIV).

Tags encouragement, views

Journal Joy Notes

Fun with Staters

Post author By pastorkelvin
Post date August 20, 2010

$Gail\'s boat$

$Jones\' & Staters at Proxy Falls$

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The gift of hospitality is certainly among your gifts, Gail and Sue! Our son-in-law’s Dad and Mom hosted us in royal fashion this past weekend. We relished home-cooked fresh salmon –super– and enjoyed a very tasty new grain pronounced “keyno” – I have no idea how to spell it – that their son Bill’s wife, Fatima, brought over to Sunday dinner. (Ever since our time in Morocco, JoAnne and I enjoy trying new foods.) Saturday we took a most enjoyable trip to the Cascades, hiking to Proxy Falls, stopping at Belknap Lava beds and Clear Lake too. It was another exciting taste of the volcanic Cascades. Later Sunday, JoAnne and Sue cemented their friendship with a six or seven mile walk around the U of Oregon campus (where Mark went to college and grad school) and then back to Staters.

We talked lots and perused pictures of our children with delight. We discovered that Sue is a fantastic scrap-booker. Sunday morning we attended their Presbyterian church where we deepened our family bonds by sharing the Lord’s Supper together. Mark’s Dad, Gail, also took me trout fishing on the McKenzie River. We floated down for about four hours while Gail piloted expertly to avoid the rocks and anchor us in the best fishing spots. It was an artificial bait only section and we did catch and release. I found out I can still handle an open face reel, case a fly rod, and catch trout. In fact, I was quite successful with his fly rod, landing four trout with it. At one point we had two fish on the line at once. The kind of boat Gail has is especially invented for the purpose of float fishing on the McKensie and Rogue Rivers. The oars were not solidly fixed as we are used to in a row boat in the East. Instead, they have a ring to keep them from sliding all the way out and a sleeved section where the boatman can slide them in and out as needed to avoid hazards. At the end of the float, I felt like one of those rich guys a hundred years ago who had just been guided down the river by a professional guide.

Each morning, I enjoyed a quiet prayer time in Staters enclosed garden. Even vacation can be too busy if one does not set aside time to reflect, read and pray. It was a great place of retreat.

JoAnne and I were so very thankful to have been the recipients of Sue’s and Gail’s care and love.

Tags hospitality, vacation

Americana Journal

Mt. St. Helens

Post author By pastorkelvin
Post date August 20, 2010

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Friday, on the way to Staters, we turned up into the Cascades to visit Mt. St. Helens. Again, our time was limited by our schedule, so we chose just two of the four or five visitor centers. We stopped at the first one you encounter and the one sponsored by Weyerhauser Lumber company. Both were excellent choices. The first had an excellent display area and a moving informational film about the eruption. The second, inside the original blast zone, was a good observation point for Mt. St. Helens and the valley below, including our first glimpse of Roosevelt elk through the telescope and showed the impact on the forest. It also helped one understand the area logging industry which is everywhere in evidence. The valley below, 30 years later, still very much bears the marks of the devastating gray ash water and log flood that rushed down it in 1980.

Tags national parks, views

Americana Journal

Hurricane Ridge

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Olympic National Park; a place of many different ecosystems, of tremendous variation in elevation, and fantastic beauty. We almost decided to head straight South but are so glad we opted to turn Northeast via ferry and car first and visit this jewel among the National Parks. Our time was limited; though I think one always feels that way when in National Parks. So we just drove straight up to Hurricane Ridge. We were blessed with an outstanding day. Views were phenomenal, as you can see.

Tags national parks, views

Journal

Adventure is fast paced

Post author By pastorkelvin
Post date August 19, 2010

What a whirlwind pace we are setting. Tonight we are in Bend, OR. We have visited three national parks so far (Olympic, Redwoods, and Crater Lake), as well as Mt. St. Helens which isn’t one yet. We also toured the lava beds of Belknap crater and Proxy Falls; and I fished for trout on the McKenzie River. But with so much going on and lots of driving in between– over 1000 miles so far, there has not been much time to blog. And besides, we have only been able to get a true working WI-FI connection two or three nights so far anyway.

Tonight, I did fix the resize problem I had with the new camera so I will now be set to write more and make more picture galleries. I redid the Seattle gallery to test it and it now has five pictures that work instead of the one that took forever. We have taken hundreds of pictures so far.

Tags national parks, vacation

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