Goat Lake

Superior day with perfect Northwest weather. Low 70's, dry, cloudy for most of the day and sunbreaks included. 5.2 miles one way along a rather easy trail for most of the distance.

They said the last half "rudely switchbacks" up to the lake. Perhaps it was because during that time one's tongue was hanging out - - I don't know. Jonathan, Annie, Margaret and I made a day trip out of it.
Included some pondering at the lake - - that is leaning back against a tree and taking in all of God's power and grandeur on display before us. Lots of mining in the area 100 years ago, and a small settlement, which is now gone. Huge cedar trees along the way.

Much of God's beauty and creativity on display as we traveled.



Great Quote
The hiker can go without combing his hair or shaving and will be accepted as perfectly normal. He can get dirty and his friends will still speak to him jovially. His clothes may be in tatters, and people will think nothing of it. If there happens to be a little rock dust on his shirt or trousers, or if his clothes are a trifle torn, so much the better. Of such stuff are hiking heroes made. The hiker doesn’t have to have to talk very much, say witty things, hold a glass in his hands, or laugh lightly at banalities. His is a world of opposites, and no one cares or worries about it. —ANN and MYRON SUTTON, The Appalachian Trail: Wilderness on the Doorstep, 1967

Six Blind Men and an Elephant

The Blind Men and the Elephant

John Godfrey Saxe's ( 1816-1887) version of the famous Indian legend.

It was six men of Indostan
To learning much inclined,
Who went to see the Elephant
(Though all of them were blind),
That each by observation
Might satisfy his mind.

The First approach'd the Elephant,
And happening to fall
Against his broad and sturdy side,
At once began to bawl:
"Oh bless me! but the Elephant
Is very like a wall!"

The Second, feeling of the tusk,
Cried, -"Ho! what have we here
So very round and smooth and sharp?
To me 'tis mighty clear
This wonder of an Elephant
Is very like a spear!"

The Third approached the animal,
And happening to take
The squirming trunk within his hands,
Thus boldly up and spake:
"I see," quoth he, "the Elephant
Is very like a snake!"

The Fourth reached out his eager hand,
And felt about the knee.
"What most this wondrous beast is like
Is mighty plain," quoth he,
"'Tis clear enough the Elephant
Is very like a tree!"

The Fifth, who chanced to touch the ear,
Said: "E'en the blindest man
Can tell what this resembles most;
Deny the fact who can,
This marvel of an Elephant
Is very like a fan!"

The Sixth no sooner had begun
About the beast to grope,
Then, seizing on the swinging tail
That fell within his scope,
"I see," quoth he, "the Elephant
Is very like a rope!"

And so these men of Indostan
Disputed loud and long,
Each in his own opinion
Exceeding stiff and strong,
Though each was partly in the right,
And all were in the wrong!




MORAL.
So oft in theologic wars,
The disputants, I ween,
Rail on in utter ignorance
Of what each other mean,
And prate about an Elephant
Not one of them has seen!

New trail in a new decade

Wow, it looks like the trail is dusty and overgrown from lack of use. Since the last post, we have started a new school year, survived hunting season with Tim and Jonathan and seen God start and develop Everett Bible Church, of which we are privileged to be a part.

Today I preached again at Sedro-Woolley for Pastor Rick Coursen while he was away. The message was from Colossians 3:1-4. One of the key concepts in that text is that we have died, and our life is hidden with Christ in God. A great paradox for the believer. Fully alive due to human birth, we remain dead in our trespasses and sins - walking dead men. Coming to Christ by faith, we are born again. Now we are dead to sin and alive in Christ. Our life is hidden in Him - kept for eternity, preserved and secure and full of mystery and adventure, walking in obedience.

I told some of my classes a few weeks back that if you were to take one new area of obedience from the Scripture and practice it for a week, by the time you die, you would not need to repeat any of God's wonderful permissions for life. That is much better than practicing death by degrees and thinking it is life.

A new year is here. I am excited to see the things God has in store for me and my family as we continue to explore our new life in Christ.

See you on the trail.

What is in a name?

I met recently with a missionary from Germany. As we talked, he informed me of something in which I have long been interested . . .the meaning of my last name.

In German, there is word that closely resembles my last name. There are two dots above the "U" and the word is spelled Ube. As we go back in the family tree, we find that many in Germany had this as their surname, but added the "en" in the following generation. Ube was also a popular first name.

The meaning: one who practices

So, I have had some interesting thoughts on this. Is it because we never get it right that we need to practice? Or is it because we have it right that we get to practice?

Some Scriptures I found on the subject are instructive and the manner in which I want to live my life.

Psalm 106:3
How blessed are those who keep justice, Who practice righteousness at all times!

Hebrews 5:14
But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.

2 Peter 1:10
Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble;

1 John 2:29
If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him.

1 John 3:7 - 10 7Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous;
8the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.
9No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
10By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.

ich übe die Bibel

Cornerstone

Here is another actual cornerstone. Most of these are decorative today, rather than structurally useful. However, the point is still made - all of life needs to revolve around something. Make sure it is the best in Christ.

Of all of the images I found online, this one is the best. It really depicts the nature of Christ and the wall.It is interesting that in this depiction, the instrument of death is used. But Christ is a living stone, and we, who were dead in sin, have been made alive through the cross of death, that we might be fitted into the wall as living stones. I love the intertwining of word pictures.

Cornerstones

Cornerstones. Everyone has them. Some are good, some are dangerous. Here are some I was thinking about in the past few days.

Personal happiness. Some people measure all of their life choices and values by what will make them happy. Careers are chosen, spouses are chosen, entertainment is chosen, solely on the basis of what will make them happy. Jesus spoke of happiness in the sermon on the mount and included some things that would normally not be put on the list: poor in spirit, mourning, gentle, hungering and thirsting after righteousness, merciful, pure in heart, peacemaker, persecuted for His name sake. This list will not ever make the popular media depiction of what makes a person happy, yet Jesus uses that Greek word "blessed" which has the meaning of true happiness.

Personal ability. We tend to do things we know we can do. We do not want to do things that are new or out of our experience level. I was reminded of this again this year as my Junior class researched and reported on missionaries of the past. They went to places that were new, without all of the training and preparation that we give missioinaries today - no language school, no extensive deputation, no travel fund or retirement package or health care program - they just went. And many of them suffered loss of possessions, loss of potential gain, loss of family ties, loss of health and loss of children and spouse - all for the sake of preaching Christ. They did not have the personal ability to conquer. Some gave their very lives because they did not have the ability to protect themselves. And yet, great things were accomplished through their sacrifice, even when they did not have the ablilty to do that which they did.

I will be thinking of some cornerstones in the next few days. Feel free to respond with some ideas of your own.

AVU

Can you imagine evolution . . .

Producing this?