It's our 60th

Proverbs 31 describes "a wife of noble character" vs. 10. It also says that her husband is "full of confidence in her" vs 11, and her husband "sits at the gate" and "praises her".

This blog seems to be the best place I can publicly do that.  I have been very reflective this week as I have recounted my life with and my love for Carol Sue. It has been quite a emotional journey as I have thought through our marriage- my 60 years of days living and loving this woman.

Her senior picture was taken about the time that the following account, taken from a memoir I have written, recalls:

"We were going steady when I graduated from high school, but by the time I went away to college we had drifted apart just from the sheer difference in our geography and interests.

We were going steady, but not very steadily, seeing each other, still occasionally dating when I came home from school to work on the weekends.  Then one day while sitting in my room at college, it hit me. I missed her terribly and I was treating her and our relationship way to casually. I had heard she was going out some with other guys and I was in danger of losing her. I sat down and wrote her a letter saying I was coming home on the weekend and if she still thought she wanted to be with me I would meet her at a certain dance. I remember I was at the dance nervously looking for any sign of her. Well,after the dance started, she showed up and we have never looked back.

She has shown an enormous amount of patience with me, which is a huge part of the definition of true love. Carol always has been more whole emotionally. I have been just the opposite. I was damaged goods in the love department. Because of the lack of love or the examples of love in my upbringing, it has taken me a lifetime to grow to anywhere near a real understanding of love. In fact, I am sure that if I never had become a follower of Jesus and experienced His love and became familiar with His love letter the Bible, I never would have come to understand what true love looks like and to experience it. I am thankful for her unconditional love that has never wavered, I am also thankful that because of her, I experienced the opportunity to receive God’s love and begin the process of love finding me."

So began a journey of finding and serving God together. It was the beginning of a family that has grown to include over 65 people including 18 grandchildren and almost 20 great-grandchildren.
I am overwhelmed at the thought of what this lady has done to follow and support me in our efforts to serve God and raise our family. From Washington, to Alaska,
to Oregon, to Canada, and back to Oregon. In between the lines of those moves have been numerous houses, thousands of miles. thousands of meals and many crises. All without regret and surely without recrimination.
A faithful marraige is not about the crises or the spectacular. It is about a day by day commitment. A priceless gift, she is truly God's gift to me.

 

Good Intentions-Gone Bad

Three months since my last post. On top of that I had intended to make a special post  about each of our children on their birthdays. I did our eldest Mark on his 55th birthday in February 2010.
I followed that up very speedily? with a post about our second and daughter Marla three months ago. almost two years after Mark's post.

I had intended to get the other four this year. One complication is that all their birthdays are within weeks of each other. Another complication is that I got very ill with pneumonia during that time. I just feel I must make mention here and hope to catch up next year or being accused of favoritism to the oldest two.

In truth neither Carol or I feel any favoritism to our children. We do acknowledge unique giftings and personality traits in them that makes us highlight or appreciate them for their uniqueness. We never would wish they were all the same. I  highlighted some of the special characteristic about the oldest which you can read in the above mentioned blogs. Now for a thumbnail about the other four just in case I don't get to mention them on their next birthday.

Marty-  

Born in October Marty is a clear thinker, and is a committed to ministering and serving others. In fact that is a common trait in all our children. He had to deal with some challenging physical problems, but has faced and more than conquered those challenges.

His focus has been to live and serve in Alaska and his fine family could be called true Alaskans

He and Nikki have raised three, now grown and married children and are now enjoying grandchildren.

Merlin

Born the end of September, Merlin is our adventurous one. He married a Canadian girl and they have lived in Canada (Saskatchewan and Alberta), Texas, Mexico and now live in Vancouver Canada. They did a good work as missionaries in Mexico, learning the language and helping develop small churches there to have more significant outreach to their neighbors.
In fact Merlin and Brenda still have a significant tie to Mexico. Their daughter is married and living in Mexico and their two grandchildren live there. They look eagerly to each opportunity for visits from them.

They have three children, a daughter and two sons.




This picture shows them with their daughter, son in law and granddaughter. A grandson has since joined the family.

 Matthew

Also born the end of September, Matthew is fun-loving, mixed with a deep compassion for people.He keeps our family laughing and enjoys life and helps those around him to enjoy it as well.
He lives with his family (Maralle and two high school aged children) in Sandy, Oregon. Since he lives close to us, we are often included in many family activities.

 

 



Often Matt will call and suggest we join he and his family in many fun activities. He helps keep us "young" thinking.

 

Marianne

Our November baby has grown into a remarkable woman. Gifted and wise we enjoy being with her and her family. Since she and husband Scott live in Alaska that is not as often as we would like. Marianne works at a school as an accountant and is very active in running and other outdoor pursuits. She and Scott are involved in many things Alaskan.

They have three  grown children, but so far no grandchildren.
Scott like all of the spouses of our children, gives us great joy and we are convinced that each one of our "in-law" kids were chosen by God and consequently could not be a better choice for us.

I don't think I mentioned Mark and Marla's mates in my previous blogs so I will correct that here.

Mark and Shari's three boys are married and those marriages have given them 10 grandchildren. It is hard to find a picture of Mark and Shari without them being surrounded by grandchildren.








                                                                               

Jim and Marla at his retirement party last year. Their lives are full with all of their family living very close to them. Their six grandchilren give them much joy.

It's our oldest daughter's birthday!

 

                                                           Mark admiring his new sister

56 Years ago today God blessed us with our first daughter who has grown into a lovely, God used and God blessed woman.
Carol and I celebrated her birth here in Portland today, wishing we could be with her in Alaska to celebrate.
We celebrated by the two of us travelling down memory lane together.
We visited the house we moved into when we came to Portland to attend Multnomah School of the Bible.We tried to find the building that housed the machine shop I worked at those four years. That location is now part of the I-205 freeway, near Glisan. We drove through the Multnomah campus where new students were arriving, registering and saying tearful goodby's to parents. Just thinking how it seems like yesterday I was registering 57 years ago.
We tried to find the house we lived in when Marla was born. 10509 Burnside. The house is gone replaced by apartments.
We went by the houses we stayed in on two different furloughs.

A lot of life for us happened in that one mile radius.

We drove up to the old Adventist hospital where I remembered a heat wave was on as Carol gave birth to our new red-haired daughter. The hospital is now a retirement center.
We did not take any pictures because except for Multnomah University, most of the locations and neighborhoods have deteriorated. Not picture taking material.

We had great plans to finish Bible College and enter the ministry. We did not realize that the greatest things we would accomplish are wrapped up in these two and their brothers and sister.
Happy Birthday Marla!!

Old Friends

We visited long time friends Jerry and Jo Thomas at Boise, ID. this weekend. We drove over with old friends from Salem, Bill and Joanne Goods. A plaque on the Thomas' wall said something like:

Old friends become New friends when you get old"

We certainly experienced both as we laughed, remembered and got caught up on our lives.

We ate Sunday dinner at the Cracker Barrel (the only one I know of in the Northwest. Went to church together and thoroughly enjoyed our time.

We also visited an air museum at Nampa, ID. Besides some cool WW11 memorabilia and planes (especially a couple P-41's) there was an old car exhibit.

We found a restored 1940 Ford, our dating car and our honeymoon car. We also confirmed the statement that old friends are new friends. Our friendship is deeper, richer, and fuller than it was in 1949.

Ministry Partner Memorial

We drove to Sequim, Wa. last weekend to attend a memorial service for a friend and ministry partner. Richard Breithaup was a man's man and more important God's man his whole life. He worked for forty year as a tree faller in the Forks, Wa. area and then "retired" to do horse logging with his team of Percherons in the Olympic National Park

He died at the age of 91 a hard worker. The picture with his wife was taken a couple of years ago when Carol and I drove up to Forks to see them. They had 8 children and were instrumental in starting at least 4 small churches on the Olympic Peninsula.

The picture above was taken when he came up to help us in Tanana, Alaska. He helped cut up quite a few cords of Yukon driftwood. I then took him hunting where we got two moose(legal).

This first one we shot about 15 minutes downriver on our way to go hunting. We dressed it and took it back to Tanana and then went hunting for real!

He truly was a great friend, committed to Christ and was one of the most Godly men I have known. I feel humbled in his memory.

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58th Anniversary Trip

Every December, (as long as we are able!), Carol and I plan a trip somewhere to celebrate our anniversary. Usually it is someplace warm!

This year we became kids again and went to Disneyland. We had a great time, the weather was perfect and we survived miles of walking and standing.

Disneyland and California Adventures were decorated in the Christmas theme and the lighting was beautiful. Not a hint this year that it was wrong to say Merry Christmas. Even though the real meaning of Christmas was somewhat muted there was no denials and even some acknowledgements as to what Christmas is all about.

Its a great time to visit there. the crowds a smaller and the waits are shorter.

We have a pretty average camera and I was wishing for a better one (or more skills) to capture some of the nightime lighting magic. One of the most spectacular was the new World of Color

in the California adventure Park. Laser, lighting, sound and water all integrated to make s spectacular experience.

And best of all Mickey remembered us from when we were kids.

The Proof is in the Pudding

The Jess Tanis family

Or put it another way, How do you know your life counted for anything. Carol and I got a graphic illustration of that as we attended the memorial service for a long time friend and fellow missionary, ALTA TANIS. Alta and Jess Tanis had labored in central BC for years among the First Nations tribes of the Chilcotin, Shushwap and Carrier.

At the recent memorial in Central BC many of us were witness to the proof in Alta's life and ministry. Serving in a group of people who self admit "they are hard to work with" Alta and husband Jess faithfully loved and shared Jeus Christ. There were many of them at the memorial service and many gave public testimony to their appreciation for that ministry in their lives. In fact most of the people who spoke and sang were first nations people.

The Picture above shows an Indian lady sing a tribute to Alta. She sang the song in her native language-a song she wrote in memory of Alta. She shared how much influence Alta had in her life.