Easter Sunday

When we are down in Washington with the kids i really enjoy going to their church that meets in a barn. It is filled for both services on Sunday with enthusiastic people. A unique thing about this church is that Pastor Rick Crawford has been going through the Bible for several years now. They just finished 2Samuel when we were there. He uses a lot of scripture from both the Old and New Testaments which shows how it all applies for us today. Here is a link to all of their sermons on the internet for free. I believe that is the way the gospel should be provided to everyone.

Wisely the church had been saving to get some land and build a bigger church. The elders decided to buy some property and to not go into debt. After that decision someone told the pastor he would buy it for the church. God is generous!

Turkey dinner!!!!

I love good cooks.

Cranberry Lake

Holly is checking the map.
This lake is about a half mile above John and Heidi's house which is on Oakes ave. There are a
few lakes and many trails up there. A good place to exercise or relax and enjoy nature.

Spring break in Anacortes

Lois Ann and i went to visit John and Heidi in Anacortes WA. Holly is also renting from them to help with their house payments. It was fun to see them all and play a little golf. We also have a medical update: 1. Holly had her appendix removed in February, she doesn't seem to be missing it. 2. Heidi is pregnant so we will be grandparents in October!

This is the coffee shop that holly works at.


A ship they were working on in Anacortes.

Notice the blossoms in downtown Seattle.


A Quick family get-together downtown Seattle.

Last North Roaders game?

These top two photos are from our Phillips Blue Flames team. It was my last game of the season because Lois and i went on vacation to Anacortes WA. We usually play two games a week in the Rusty Blades league in Soldotna. We have 6 teams and often the same number of fans.

Below are a couple photos from the North Road rink which is cooled by global cooling.




The weather has been staying above 32 for about a week now and the ice has been getting softer each time we play. It has been a fun season of hockey. Tonight we had seven players, other nights there are more of us. If there is no goalie we score by hitting the pipes. We've been playing 2 or 3 times a week recently, ice permitting.

Are We Rome?

I recently read an interesting, well written book comparing ancient Rome at it's height to modern America. If you google 'Are We Rome' you will find many links to reviews etc. It was interesting to read about Rome's history and see the parallels that we are repeating today. Below is an exerpt from a review on Amazon.com written by Daniel B. Clendenin: (i made the bold words)
"After a short prologue, Murphy devotes one chapter each to six parallels of "direct relevance" between ancient Rome and modern America. Both empires exhibit the symptoms of solipsism-- an exaggerated self-identity, the isolating effects of exceptionalism, ignorance of others, the presumptions of privilege, and sheer arrogance. Militarism characterizes both societies. Today America has 700 bases in 60 countries, and in any one year will conduct "operations" of some sort in 170 countries. Murphy suggests that our military is both "too large to be affordable, and too small to do everything it is asked to do." He then turns to how America has blurred the distinctions between the private and public (government) sectors, "the deflection of public purpose by private interest." Outsourcing government responsibilities might be effective and even necessary, but selling the public good for private profit isn't. The fourth parallel between Rome and America is the disdain with which both view outsiders ("barbarians") as inferior. Fifth, Murphy explores the complex notion of borders, both literal (eg, immigration) and figurative. Finally, in his epilogue he examines the "inherent complexity" of large empires like Rome and America. Are they ungovernable?"
An interesting observation was made in the epilogue that the 'fall' was really not noticeable until decades after it happened. Finding the peak of an empire is much harder to find than say the peak of a stock price. Many aspects of the Roman empire carried on even centuries after it's apex. After reading this book i wonder has America reached it's peak already? What can we do as a nation and as individuals to improve life in this country and the world? He talks about his book if you click here.