FIRE WEED AND "FLAG STOPS" (August 4 - 26,2018)

Alaska has now been our stopping place for 66 days with 21 more to follow.  We have made so many new friends while serving as Interim Pastor at the Eagle River church of the Nazarene.  We have found them to be typical of the Alaskans that we have met in the past; industrious, strong, independent, kind, and generous.  We have been made to feel right at home.  They have loaned us vehicles so that we could see the beauty around us, they have invited us into their homes, and they have taken us out to meals.  We feel so very blessed that we have been given this opportunity to serve these wonderful folks as they go through the process of calling a full-time pastor.

The past three weeks, since our last blog, have been filled with church activities and adventures.  The adventures aren't very hard to find.  They are all around us.  The mountains, the water falls, the wildlife, and the grandeur of the land continue to cause us to stop and gasp our amazement.  This is truly a land of many faces.  In our over two months here, we have seen the bright fire weed blossom its' way to the top of the plant.  This is an Alaskan indicator that winter will soon be upon the state and that it is time to start getting ready for the harsh days ahead.  Daily highs have already dipped into the fifties and sixties.

Good friends, Terry and Janice Edwards from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, were our guests for several days.  Sherry and Janice were college room mates at Olivet Nazarene University in the mid 1960s.  They now pastor a church in the inner city of OKC.  We took day trips to the Girdwood area, the Portage Glacier, and, a full day train trip on the Alaskan Railroad to Hurricane Gulch.  Memories were made at the same time that memories were recalled.

This train, that runs daily from Talkeetna to Hurricane Gulch, is the last "flag" train in the United States.  Homesteaders, along this wilderness route, can flag the train down anywhere along its' journey.  The engine will throttle down to a stop and the train will even back up, if needed, to pick them up.

REFLECTIONS

As I have reflected on these past weeks weeks, I have been reminded once more, by the fire weed, about change and how along our life cycle there are indicators that our lives are changing.  Like the fire weed, it is, many times, the top of our plant (body) that let's us know that we are nearing the winter season where things will become much more difficult.  Our mind doesn't work the way it used to and the hair on our heads either disappears or changes color.  Remember "change happens"; embrace it and cherish each moment.

The "flag" train caused me to think about how quickly our lives tend to move.  Like the train, barreling along the clinking rails, they move rapidly from station to station.  What we must remember is that there are needy people alongside the tracks of our lives that may need to flag us down.  I am trusting that there are a few "flag" people remaining.  We must be willing to come to a grinding halt and even back up if needed in order to help someone along the way.  I serve a man who many times stopped to help someone along his track.  Let us be patient enough to do the same.

ENJOY THE EXPEDITION (July 14 - August 3, 2018)

After three weeks of learning the ins and outs of being an interim Pastor in Eagle River, Alaska, the next three weeks have been spent settling in to the routine of life and ministry.  Sherry and I have grown to love the special folks who call the Church of the Nazarene home.  We have also enjoyed being so blessed as to view God's creative goodness all around us.

The church seems to be on pretty solid ground with attendances and finances holding their own while they wait to welcome a new pastor (no news yet).  It never ceases to amaze me how the ties that bind us together as Christians extend well beyond geographical limits.  We feel as loved here as anywhere during our nearly 50 years of ministry.

The beauty of God's people is matched by the beauty of the area around us.  A short drive is all that is needed to be captivated by the Alaskan scenery.  It seems like every time we round a bend in the road that we comment on how breath taking the view.  We are about half way through our stay, have enjoyed it so much, and are anxious to see what the next six weeks hold.

Part of the routine, for me, includes a 12 miles drive up to the Eagle River Nature Center and back on days when I have a vehicle.  This drive provides spectacular mountain views and the opportunity to see some of the Alaskan wildlife.  I have learned the fine art of timing and observing.  I know that it is important to keep your eyes on the road but I confess it is difficult with so much going on along side of the road.  It is the tension of driving with an awareness of the surroundings as well as the road.

Such drives have yielded sightings of bear, beaver, moose, and eagles.  The sightings are the result of patience, perseverance, and alertness.



                          REFLECTIONS 

I am afraid that sometimes on the road of life we get so focused on the road ahead of us that we neglect to see the vistas and beautiful things that are all around us.  We drive by at such high speeds that there is no way we can spot what God might want us to see.

We drive, we push, we rush past some things or people that God might want us to pause and enjoy.  We brag about how fast we have "arrived" but have nothing to really show for the journey. 

I know that it is vitally important to keep our eyes on the road, the goal, but to what loss?  Someday we will all come to the end of our road.  I know that, for me, I want to reach that terminus and not just have completed my journey but have, also, spent time along the way alert to what the Lord had placed near my path.

The successful excursion is not the one that has reached its destination but the one that in so doing that has yielded moments of complete amazement and awe.

THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS (June 22 - July 13, 2018)

Stand-By Flights from Indianapolis to Seattle and from Seattle to Anchorage, Alaska went smoothly and we landed in the land of the midnight sun at 12:15 a.m. and, just as promised, it wasn't anywhere near dark!  The drive to Eagle River took only about a half hour and we were tucked in our bed at the apartment by 2:00 a.m.!  Problem was that the sun came up at 4 a.m.!  Welcome to Alaska in the summer.

Eagle River would be our home for the next three months as I would serve as interim pastor for the Church of the Nazarene there.  This fine, small church had just said goodbye to their pastor and was entering the process of calling a new one. 

My task was to faithfully preach the Word, love the folks, and help them prepare for their new parsonage family.

 I continue to be amazed at how the Lord opens the doors for such awesome assignments for an old preacher.  I was handed my first District Minister's Licence in 1968 and now, 50 years later, continue to pursue the "calling".  I am blessed.

                                                REFLECTIONS

These first three weeks have been spent getting to know the people, understanding the unique qualities of the church, and exploring the beautiful scenery that surrounds this "suburb" of Anchorage.

It really is the best of all worlds for me!  I am within walking distance from Safeway Grocery, McDonalds, Arbys, Subway, Cold Stone Creamery, and various other eateries. 

Not really "roughing" it in the last frontier!  Yet 5 miles out of town in the three other directions stand incredible mountain scenery and wilderness.

I can get my morning coffee and drive to a secluded mountain spot.  There I enjoy my coffee and the sounds and sights that surround me.  Eagles fly overhead, beaver busily build their dams, and Moose forage for moist grasses beneath the marshy water.  All of this with the backdrop of mountain vistas and the smells of the forest.

As I sat in such a place this morning, I thought about how blessed I am;  all of this and Heaven too!
I was reminded that our Lord promised us eternal life and life abundant right now.  I am thoroughly enjoying, as a Christian and an interim pastor in Alaska, the best of both worlds!

BEDS TO COUCHES: AN INDIANA INTERLUDE (May 12 - June 21, 2018)

We left the peaceful beaches of Edisto Island and headed north to our cabin in southern Indiana.  We had just finished the last of eleven weeks of timeshare travel for the spring with stops in Lake Lure, North Carolina (Wyndham Mountains), Hilton Head, South Carolina, (Island Links), Sevierville, Tennessee (Wyndham Smokey Mountains), and Edisto Island, South Carolina (Wyndham Ocean Ridge).

Now we were about to spend some time in Indiana and take a "friends tour" through Ohio.  It was going to be a time of preparing for our adventure in Alaska and a time of renewing old friendships.  However, once again, we were reminded that things don't always go as planned.

Ten days into our Indiana stay Sherry damaged her back trying to change the futon from a bed into a couch by herself!  The "friends Tour" trip to Ohio had to be canceled, and much of our remaining time was spent just trying to be sure we would be physically able to travel to Alaska.  The good news is; she is able, and we leave tomorrow.

Even with the change of plans we were still able to have an enjoyable time.  We shared the cabin for several days with our two youngest grandsons from Missouri, I played golf twice, we spent Memorial Day with members of Autumn's and Aaron's families, we enjoyed extended time with Sherry's brother and sister-in-law, had two dinners with close friends, and watched from our deck as the critters came out of the woods to visit us.  Pair-A-Dice Point @ Camp Clifford is a special place.

Now, it's back to Alaska for our fifth time.  This time we will serve as Interim Pastor at the Eagle River Church of the Nazarene.  We will be there until the middle of September or until the church can find a new pastor.

REFLECTIONS

I was working outside the cabin when I heard my wife's painful scream from inside.  As I hurried through the door, I saw her stumbling to keep her balance while groaning and crying loudly.  After steadying her and helping her into a close by chair, I learned that she undertook the task of changing the futon from bed to couch by herself.  It had always been a two person job, and not an easy one at that.

I would have been happy to help, but my independent "I can do it myself" wife, chose not to ask for help.  The result.....pain and the inability to do anything physical for a month.  She is just now beginning to tackle easy tasks and her pain levels continue to be elevated.

How many times during our lives do we insist on pushing ahead by ourselves when there is Someone standing close by, just waiting to help, but in our stubborn pride we refuse to reach out.  The Someone standing close by is the one who has promised to give us life abundantly!  It is the one who reached down and lifted us up when we could not help ourselves.  It is the one who said; "I will never leave you nor forsake you."  Never forget that He is "a very present help in your time of struggle."

You don't have to be crushed by the changes you must undertake in life.  Remember, in your push to be self-sufficient, that it is always the better option to seek His help. No matter how mundane or simple the task seems, it is always best to "wait upon the Lord" so that he can "renew your strength".  Too many times we find ourselves struggling to "take care of it ourselves" when we would be so much better off seeking His assistance.  We end up suffering so many times because we fail to include Him in the process.  Oh, he'll hear our cry and come rushing to our aide, but if we'd have included Him in the first place we could have avoided the pain and suffering.

TIME CHANGES ALL THINGS (INCLUDING US) (April 29 - May 11, 2018)

As we pulled on to our property in southern Indiana and drove down the narrow lane to our cabin, it meant that our spring Southeastern adventure had come to an end.  Our times in North Carolina and South Carolina would now be memories to be cherished.

Our final two weeks at the Wyndham Ocean Ridge Resort on Edisto Island, South Carolina were a time of wonderful weather, awe inspiring sunsets, playful dolphins, and good long time friends.  They really were days we had hoped to have when we planned this nomadic lifestyle.  Days of renewing both friendships and ourselves.

This time our guests were Don and Jane Dunnington from Oklahoma and Darwin and Jean Pressler from Indiana.  Both couples have served in ministry assignments throughout their adult lives, the Dunningtons in the educational arm of our denomination and the Presslers as pastors.  We are blessed with so many wonderful friends and it is good to be able to share our life with them in some beautiful places.

Next up is a three week stay in Indiana and a two week jaunt through Ohio visiting the homes of more long time friends.  Plans were to just hang around the Midwest for the summer but plans change.  Just yesterday we accepted an invitation to be interim pastor at the Eagle River Church of the Nazarene in Eagle River, Alaska.  Yep, it's back to the "Last Frontier" for the summer (we leave June 21).  And life moves on with its twists and turns.

REFLECTIONS

One of the places we "discovered" during this adventure to Edisto Island, South Carolina, was a place called Botany Bay.  It is a secluded location run by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.  It includes a driving tour through what used to be two large plantations and a 1/2 mile walk through the Low Country to a mysteriously beautiful Atlantic beach.

The stops along the driving tour are interesting and the broken remains of plantation life are a curious reminder of days long gone by, but it is the beach that is most amazing.  While it has taken centuries for the buildings and land to have drastically changed, it only took a strong hurricane two years ago to change the landscape of the beach.

The salt water that surged onto the land turned beautiful green trees into skeletons of their former selves and the push of the water onshore changed what used to be a wide expanse fronted by tall, old beautiful trees into an eerie meeting to surf, sand, and dead trees stretching their uncovered branches toward the sky.

Once again I am convinced that there is a lesson to be learned here.  A lesson about how everything changes.  Some changes come quickly and some changes take place at a slower pace; but all the time things are changing.  I know people who try to resist change but it happens none the less.  As individuals, we buy the latest diet/health item that is lauded on TV and expect that somehow we can stop the changes that are happening to our bodies.

Some have seen their life change gradually throughout the years, no catastrophic event, just slow change.  They realize that they can't do all that they used to be able to do.  Others have experienced a sudden storm in their life that made an immediate impact on their living.  It seemed that everything changed overnight.

But whether your "change" has been long coming; like the plantations, or sudden; like the beach, you can still be a beautiful reminder to those traveling by that, in spite of the years or the storms, one can still hold a certain beauty to be enjoyed and admired.

Change will happen!  Embrace it and allow the changes to, in their own way, be a wonderful example of how God makes all things beautiful.

THIS OLD HOUSE (April 17 - 28, 2018)

                                                                                 (Botany Bay)

The flights back from Springfield, Missouri were a whole lot different than the flights out there.  Going, we were prepared for a funeral.  Returning to South Carolina, we were rejoicing in the complete restoration of our son's health.  As we landed in the Savannah, Ga. airport we were excited to connect with long time college friends, Jerry and Karen Frye.  They picked us up outside the airport and in an hour and a half we were back at Edisto Beach, SC!

The Fryes live in Eldon, Missouri, where Jerry has pastored the same church for over 40 years!  It was good to be able to spend some extended time with them in a relaxed, slow paced place.  It was exactly what Sherry and I needed after the hectic ten days in Missouri! We made an afternoon trip to a most unique place called "Botany Bay."  Botany Bay is a land preserve overseen by the South Carolina D.N.R.  It was opened in 2010.  Nearly 5,000 acres of two former plantations take you back in time. (The Patriot was filmed on the grounds.)  The most amazing part of the five mile driving tour is the secluded beach, cluttered with dead trees due to the recent hurricanes that have hit the island.  It is beautiful and, at the same time, eerie.

After three days of just lying around and doing nothing which, by the way, we did pretty well,
our next guests arrived.  This time it was Ken and Linda Moore from Ohio.  Sherry and Linda had been friends since 7th grade, and college roommates.  Ken met Linda at college and we have been good friends ever since.  Life took us different directions, so catching up now that we all are retired was wonderful. Edisto Island again provided the perfect place to reconnect.  We took a 2 1/2 hour island tour with a local lady, Dottie Thomas, who drove us through two very old plantations and down a road, the King's Highway, built before the Revolution!  A stop at the oldest Presbyterian church in South Carolina, with a tour of the building and the cemetery, was a wealth of information about the early days of this out of the way island.

REFLECTIONS

Locksley Hall was a plantation home built on Edisto Island for Sea Rice Barron, William Eddings, around 1809.  It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places but is best known on the island as the "House of Tragedy".  Across the last 209 years it has experienced several startling tragic events.   

Two young Eddings children died of diphtheria.... An orphaned boy who went to live at Locksley Hall at the age of 17 accidentally shot a nanny and then killed himself.....A sister burned to death when her hoop skirt caught on fire....A brother was murdered in the stable.... A young mother died during child birth (rumor is that she is buried under the front porch).

How sad it is that this beautiful old home (still inhabited) is remembered for the tragic times and not the good times.  I am sure there were times when the home rang with laughter and music.  I am sure there were times of joy and rejoicing.  I am sure that there were times that were not tragic; times of weddings and healthy babies being born.

I want the home of my life to be remembered for the laughter and the music, the joy and rejoicing.  We all have those times that are less than we had hoped for; times that perhaps were downright tragic.  But it should be how we handled those times that become our legacy.  Again, it's pretty much, a choice.  As long as this old house in which I live is inhabited, it will be a "house of hope".

Just like the blend of the dead trees and the living ocean at Botany Bay, I want my life to blend together the tragedy and the triumph into something to be remembered; something that will make people say, "that is uniquely beautiful."

LIFE INTERRUPTED (March 23 - April 16, 2018)

The all night drive from Avon, Indiana, to Edisto Island, South Carolina went without a hitch.

We settled into our two bedroom condo, overlooking St. Helena Sound and the Atlantic Ocean, and began to plan for a special week with family. My two granddaughters, ages 11 and 13, were anxious to enjoy another week's visit to this special place.

Indeed, we did enjoy five days of beaches, dolphins, sunsets, table games, and just being family.  Then everything changed.

I was sitting on the deck, watching several dolphins feed at the mouth of Big Bay Creek, when my wife came out with startling news.  Our 42 year old son, the picture of health, had just suffered cardiac arrest in Missouri and was taken, unconscious, to the Cox Medical Center in Springfield,  where the emergency room Doctor indicated that family members should immediately gather.  We, in shock and through tears, packed for a funeral.

The flights from South Carolina to Missouri were a blur of prayers and tears;  pleadings and memories.  Flight attendants quietly slipped me tissues as the tears continuously slid down my face.

Even the lay-over in Atlanta provided a moment of deep pain as I couldn't bring myself to get lunch at the airport Chick-Fil-A because I knew that, surely, that's where he would go.  Just that simple thought caused a deep hurt as I slumped into an uncomfortable airport chair.

Arriving at the hospital, we were led to a small MICU room.  There he lay; linked to life through tubes and needles.  They had induced a deep coma with paralytic drugs and had begun a Hypothermia Protocol.  For the next 36 hours he lay there; body temperature reduced to 91F, cold to the touch, and unable to move.  They were hard hours, waiting for a sign.  Then it happened...he squeezed my hand.

Now, 16 days later, he has returned to the studio, is recovering from the defibrillator implant, and shows no  physical signs of ever being without a heart beat for several minutes.  His life was interrupted but now is back on track with an amazing story of God's grace to share.  Our life, too, was interrupted but we are now back on our peaceful island, planning to enjoy the next three weeks before heading back north.

REFLECTIONS

As I sat inside a beautiful condo, looking out over St. Helena Sound, I notice that the face of the water had drastically changed.  The glassy calm surface with dancing dolphins was now being whipped by gale force winds.  It was the same place, just very different.  

I watched it turn from peaceful to distressed as the winds stirred up its surface.  It is a scene that has been repeated over and over again across the years.  

Once again, my mind reflects on how much that is just like life.  Life interrupted...over and over and over again.  Once again, I am reminded that in a moment our lives can be turned from peaceful and calm into a raging storm.  

Once again, I am reminded of the ONE who calmed and calms the storm with strong words; "Peace be still".  Once again, through the prayers of so many, I am able to say; "To God be the glory, great things He has done.