Looking back a little

I know you're supposed to look ahead when the New Year arrives, but this has been one of the few times we spent the Christmas holidays without both of our kids. Because of this I spent some time going through some photos and thought I would share a few with you. We missed them over the holidays, so you'll have to indulge me a little.

Here is a nice photo of Tyler on the summit of the Third Flatiron, near Boulder. We climbed it together last fall.


This photo of Noelle was taken on Dan's boat. I would frequently stay on his boat during business trips to Memphis.


Here is one of my favorite photos of Tyler, at his graduation. Behind him is my Dad the retired Dean, smiling.


This was taken near Chicago Basin on one of the small creeks coming down from Jupiter Mountain (in the background). Noelle and I were soaking our tired feet in the cold water.

Update on Tyler

Some of you have asked about Tyler. He arrived safely in Korea last week and sent us an email. As many of you know he will be teaching ESL in a Korean Jr. High school near Puson, Korea. He said he's met some of the staff at the school but is having trouble setting up email and getting phone service in his new apartment. We promise to keep you posted. We miss him greatly.

Ava Hail

Gabriel Rosetti, in his poem on the Virgin Mother, which he calls "Ave Hail," has lines in which he imaginatively describes her. What an important office she held! Yet, never rightly apprehending the truth about him until after the day of Pentecost; a sinning soul, needing redemption from her son very own son.

"Work and play.
Things common to the course of day
Awed thee with meanings unfulfilled,
And all through girlhood, something stilled
Thy senses, like the birth of light
When thou hast trimmed thy lamp at night
Or washed thy garments in the stream;
To whose white bed had come the dream
That He was thine, and thou wast His
Who feeds among the lilies.
A solemn shadow of the end
In that wise spirit long contained!
Oh, awful end! And thus unsaid
Long years when it was finished!"

What if God was one of us?

If Jesus came to reveal God to us, then what do I learn about God from that first Christmas?

Phillip Yancy uses word associations in his book The Jesus I Never Knew. As he thinks through this question the answers may surprise you. Some words that come to mind are; humble, approachable, underdog, courageous. How can you apply these words to an all-powerful deity? The Messiah did show up, but under what circumstances?

Alanis Morissette sang these words in the song, "What if God Was One of Us?"

"If you were faced with him in all his glory
What would you ask if you had just one question?
What if God was one of us?
Just a slob like one of us."

God's visit to earth took place in an animal shelter and the King of Kings was placed in a feeding trough to sleep. Animals were there eating and probably smelling bad. A mule could have stepped on him. "How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is given."

Reflections on God's grace

I was in Church last Sunday and of course the service was about Mary and Joseph. The pastor quoted Phillip Yancy who reflected on the wisdom of God; "It is remarkable that God would entrust the future of the world to two teenagers." Then I thought, "What's even more remarkable is that God became a child."

Why did the savior of the world become a child? Perhaps what God is saying in this is that we are really saved by Grace and nothing else, that we are able to do nothing to save ourselves.

Jesus said, "Peace, I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful." John 14:27

Tyler leaves for Korea

Last night Tyler left for his new job in Korea. He's moving to a town I can't even pronounce much less spell, near Puson which is located on the South Eastern tip of South Korea. He's excited about the new position and sees it as a nice opportunity with longer term possibilities. Nancy and I drove him to the airport to say goodbye.


I didn't photograph the emotional part of this, the hugging, kissing, and tears. But when Nancy and Tyler were saying goodbye and hugging, I looked over at the lady from the TSA and watched her get a little emotional too. Love is a universal human emotion isn't it? We all experience it to some degree and understand it in others. It may not be proof of God's existence, but we still have to ask, "Where did it come from and who taught us?"

New currency

The treasury Department has issued a new dollar to reflect the state of the economy...

Grocery stores

During the holiday season I end up doing things I normally wouldn't do, like go to the grocery store. We were at Costco the other day having lunch at the sample tables and I got run over nine times. One supermarket has just come out with a brilliant new invention - a shopping cart that goes in the same direction as the customer! I have now learned how to cut down on the cost of food. I fill the basket, go in the express checkout, and keep eating until I'm down to eight items.

Also, you need to watch out for those doors at the grocery store. I'm sure the Albertson's here in Denver has one that's nearsighted.

Another leap of faith

On Sunday, Tyler is on his way to South Korea to teach ESL. We're obviously very proud of him and his accomplishments. He seems to be able to do anything he puts his mind to. However, some years ago, when he was in school at NAU, he sent this photo to us. We're glad he was successful on the jump. Evidently, his girlfriend took the photo and she is long since gone. Now, he is on his way to a new world and a new job in a strange land. Somehow, I think he will do just fine.

Parenthood

Sometimes I have the feeling that when God came up with the idea of children, he wasn't sure about it. But he didn't have anybody to show the plans to. So we got them! And, to illustrate this, sometimes things are a little backward. Children cannot understand why they have to go to sleep when Mommy's tired.

Seth is a really great Dad. Every time I've been around him I see a good Father. I know he's taught my grandson (pictured here) the value of a dollar. I understand the little guy wants his allowance in yen!

-17 below

Today's weather was cold! Brrrr. And, I mean cold. After Sunday's snowfall and a Canadian cold front blasting Colorado, we experienced some sub-zero weather today. I drove to the office to pick up my mail and it was COLD!! The radio said it was -17 below at DIA. The roads were treacherous but I made it.

Running around in Tucson

Noelle took this photo at the park in Tucson. We had a great time together in spite of the 90 degree weather. As a general rule, I would put him down, he would run off, I would try to talk with him, he would run off, I tickled his feet, and he would run off. I got plenty of exercise running after him. He did sit still for this photo.

There is only one beautiful child in the world and every parent has it, as well as every grandparent.

One more Grand Canyon photo

Roger sent me this photo of Chad, Val, and Dorothy running Pierce Ferry Rapids about 8 miles from Lake Meade. We had just run this difficult white water moments before they flipped. This area used to be covered up by the lake. Now, after 75 years or so it's exposed.

My post on November 30 has another photo of us on these rapids.

Daughters

We found out last week that our daughter is expecting again. It's going to be a girl! Until I was nine, I thought girls were just soft boys! Young sons are awkward. They evoke pity, not humor. At any rate she is due the end of April. Their family grows. Very soon, Seth (her husband) will learn that a family is a unit assembled to spend money the head of the family hasn't earned yet.

When Noelle was little she was around trucks and equipment from time to time, since she came to my office and the warehouse area fairly often. One Saturday the two of us were at King Soopers in Denver waiting in line to pay for some milk or something. The lady in line in front of us, was built like a truck. I'm sure nobody ever passed on her the right. In fact, I'm sure that when she got on a scale, she got two fortunes! At any rate, we're in line and this lady's pager goes off. Noelle said, "Lookout Dad, she's backing up!"

Tyler found this photo of Noelle taken right before an opera performance in Memphis with Opera Memphis about 6 or 7 years ago. For our young lady, this was a special time.

Girls are special though. I heard a story about little Beth who was sitting with some of the ladies of her mother's bridge club, waiting for her mother to finish getting ready for a game. One woman looked at Beth and said to the ladies, "Not too P-R-E-T-T-Y." Beth replied, "No, but awfully S-M-A-R-T." Don't try to fool 'em.

Thanksgiving in Prescott

Thanksgiving in Prescott was really nice this year. Even though I wasn't the center of attention, my grandson "Andy" was. So, I pushed him around. I think my grandson really likes his Uncle Tyler. And, he thinks Tyler's funny. Tyler gave him gifts. Tyler was patient. Tyler gave him gifts. Tyler was helpful. Tyler gave him gifts. Somehow I get the feeling that if Tyler were an astronaut "Andy" would want to know what Tyler was bringing him. Do you think he remembers who gave him all that Bronco stuff? Me. Tyler gave him a giant dump truck and thousands of giant Lego's, and other neat stuff.


Pretty soon Noelle won't be able to hold little Andy quite so easily. He keeps getting bigger and bigger!

Scouting the rapids

In the interest of safety it was critical that we checked out all the big nasty rapids in front of us. To that end, we commonly stopped and scouted each major rapid which lay ahead. Sometimes, the choices in front of us were slim, to say the least. Below, Jerry looks up river. There is a large hole behind you Jerry.