Friendly family and friendly fire

Roadside beauty

Family reunions can be heaven or hell. "There's continual drama when my family meets," someone told me this week. "We could never be together for nearly a week."

In contrast, we Dahers (my dad's family) like each other - and we have peacemakers in every family group. Our clan is outspoken, opinionated, and flexible. We don't care much what others think of our ideas if we think they're good ones.

"I know what I'm doing, but feel free to convince me otherwise," my dad used to say. "I'm open."

Coming or going
in the cabin?

Even the Jefferson
staircase is non-traditional

That's true - if you have a better idea, let a Daher know; it's not done until it's over. I can't count how many times over the years that I've heard a family member say, "I don't care what s/he thinks. I'm doing it this way." And off they go to plan, prep, or accomplish what needs to be done ... in their own way.

So when my dear sis-in-law asked, a week ago, "What are we doing when we get there?" I just laughed.

"We'll see. You know the Dahers. They hate being micromanaged!" I replied. "We'll set a loose schedule, assign meal cooking and cleanup, and figure it out as we go." I had a very rough count of who was coming.

It helps that each household is hospitable and accustomed to hosting big groups. There's a warm welcome at anyone's doorstep, so this was business as usual. Everyone pitched in to serve fantastic meals and left the kitchen spotless afterwards.

Boys' bunkroom, ready for occupancy

We're cool with the assumption that each will "do our own thinking." We grow up that way from childhood: every member of the tribe is creative and active, eccentric and smart in his/her own field. From aunts and uncles to young cousins, we become accomplished at a lot of stuff by trying new things. Few of us follow traditional careers to traditional success. So when plans change, we adapt and no one gets a bee in their bonnet. (Or the bee has a short buzz.)

To accommodate that flex, we:

• posted a 2-hour breakfast window for early and late risers. For lunch, we enjoyed the fantastic surroundings (Kallispell, Bigfork, Whitefish, and - 9 miles away - Glacier National Park). At supper, we met again to feast and tell stories
• thought up evening programs on the spot
• Thursday, we celebrated my parents' 60th anniversary
• Friday, we played "Truth or Daher" (best family memories or bucket list)
• Saturday, we shared what each has recently done and what we're going to be doing
• Sunday was Dad's 81st birthday

• came and went, tried things we hadn't done before, hiked the park, swam the lakes, shopped the tourist towns, and went to the gun range
• spent hours and hours visiting
• got the clan together after one breakfast for our 19th "Historic Point" photo at the side of the highway. We've never had such a huge group for our annual tradition. We got lots of astonished honks and waves from passing motorists and motorcyclists. (There's a historic point nearby: we take a picture of us lined up next to the road sign, pointing in whatever direction suits us.)
• had more (and in 2 cases, less) guests and dogs than planned. We felt privileged and happy to hug every one who showed up
• saved money by cancelling a few hotel rooms for cabin-sharing
• enjoyed the most incredible huckleberry pies and ice cream on a night with enough dessert. (Is there ever enough dessert). Thanks, Rita.
• etc. My guestbook is full of new memories, recorded by young and old and those between

Kids' hangout, the family room's chaos
gets tidied at night

This first-ever family reunion (outside of well-attended weddings and funerals) was in Hungry Horse, MT. My friends at home prayed that it would be peaceful, fun, and glorifying to God. It was.

I wasn't sure how we would accommodate the extended family. Our cabin sleeps 20 (8 bunks, 5 queen beds/futons, and 2 spare camping cots.) A friend rented us their 4 bdrm cabin for a "steal-of-a-deal," honoring years of friendship and W's computer help. A few families stayed in nearby hotels.

There was plenty of room upstairs and down. God blessed us with great weather, so the 12-person picnic table outside - plus the neighbor's donated round table - complemented the table and sofas inside.

Cabin, sweet cabin, we'll miss you

"Bye! See you again!" the family waves as their car begins the trek to Edmonton. Another group heads for Winnipeg. Our Seattlites get stuck in hours of grid-lock traffic on Snoqualmie Pass. Daughter Kirsten and poodle Zoe fly to home to Austin.

W and I are left with the quiet that follows a lively storm of conversation, good food, and shared memories.

Sunday evening, we invite about 20 friends from the campground over. We share the thrill of this new adventure facing us - living in Indonesia after next June. They pray over us and promise to continue to continue praying. Several commit to support us with finances. Above all, in that devout company, the friendly Holy Spirit ignites our hearts with His fire.

By tonight, the cabin will be cleaned up and packed up for the winter. We may not be back, after this year when we finished building. Perhaps the whole purpose of this long building process has been the weekend reunion, sharing our calling, and years of making friends who are mature in the faith.

Whatever, we thank God for his provisions of people and resources. Thanks, girlfriends, for your prayers.

Read more:
*The Lord answered Job, "Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? and said to the sea, 'Thus far shall you come, and no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stopped'?" Job 38:4,11 NLT 

*It shall be one day which is known to the Lord -- neither day nor night. But at evening time it shall happen that it will be light. Zechariah 14:7 NKJV

*(Jesus said,) “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 NIV

*In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. John 1:1, 3 NLT

*The night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Romans 13:12 NLT

Moravian Prayer: O Holy Spirit, you are our light during the day and at night. We thank you for this day. Help us to make the most of it. Help us to let our light shine so that others see you through us in work and at play.

Everlasting God, you extend your righteous hand. Let us feel your touch. You inspire and encourage us in the face of our troubles. Help us to know all strength comes through you. We worship and adore you. Amen.

A 2-church Sunday morning and river views

We're late for one service Sunday and early for another.

At 9:10 a.am, we're at an established church, Kallispell Christian Center. We shake 6 people's hands coming in the door, a friendly welcome. The aisle seats are full, so we crawl over someone's knees to reach a middle seat in the last row.

They sing the song that's been ringing through my head for the past weeks. "When morning breaks and the new day's dawning ... bless The Lord, oh my soul..." I've heard that from Singapore to Indonesia to Seattle to Montana. Maybe it's the new "As the Deer" chorus for this generation? Love it, just like everyone else.

Zentangle 5

I pull out my sketchpad as the sermon starts. Even as a young child, I would keep my hands busy with a pen to be able to focus on the sermon. My mind settles, and God speaks to me through Kevin's words.

Kevin Geer, a former leader of Children's Ministry in our region, is the team leader at KCC. His new series is rooted in the Golden Rule, love others like we want to be loved (Matthew 7:12).  Kevin's transparent and humorous delivery keeps even the most staid pew-sitters chuckling and nodding along. It's an appropriate message for our upcoming family reunion. "Treat others like we want to be treated."

The second church is a branch campus model, Fresh Life Church. We arrive early at the live campus at The Liberty in downtown Kallispell. People mill about, going in and out of the theatre. A few of us old-timers slip into the foyer between children and young families. No one says hi as we head up the stairs to the balcony. We sit there by ourselves for the first 15 minutes, music pounding from the stage. Then a small herd of about 20 others spread out around us.

The sermon series is called Microphone: it's always on. Today's talk is based on Psalm 128. "The walls of a home are the microphone others see and hear. Each of us has a platform," says Pastor Levi Lusko, and marriage and the family are the center stage. He quotes scripture and speaks of the practical implications of finding a spouse and living out the good news in the greater community. "Love Jesus like crazy and live His life out desperately."

His language is colloquial. "We're all in the process of losing our good looks. ... Sorry to tell you this, but we're getting uglier right now," he says, speaking of the attrition of beauty. "Good looks" are a bad reason for choosing a partner. "Both partners occupy servant roles (Ephesians 5:12). Obey God no matter what the other person does... Christ didn't wait for us to become lovable. He died to make us lovable."

Swan River on a Sunday afternoon

He's a good speaker with high energy, and conservative in his theology. He uses pictures to describe his ideas. Murmurs of agreement drift up from the full main floor. We get three friendly nods and handshakes as we leave.

The cool thing about Church is that God makes Hi,self known in many ways. We drive to Bigfork in the afternoon. They're hosting an annual arts and crafts show. Between the morning services, the stunning scenery, and human creativity, God overwhelms us with Presence.

We spend the afternoon NOT working, driving through beautiful countryside and enjoying Bigfork. Their arts and crafts festival is excellent. We're not buying anything though; our house is being down-sized not upgraded. The pictures were snapped along the way.

---Tuesday.

Swan River shoreline: froth from the dam

We get bad news Sunday night. My youngest brother Will (50) spills off his mountain bike and breaks his finger, wrist, collarbone, and 4 ribs. He also punctures a lung. (Two of our boys had collapsed lungs. Not a happy recovery; usually the docs scrape the chest wall so the lung sticks to it and stays open in future.)

Not only will he not be at the family reunion this week, but Will has to stay in hospital while they reassemble him. We'll miss him! Luckily he's in Canada not the US: he won't use up his retirement funds on medical bills.

Shallow waters churn over the riverbed

My folks have set off from our place. They'll be our first arrivals tonight, after picking up Kirsten on a detour through Seattle. K flies home from MT on Monday. She has so much stuff that they can't bring any of the things we left behind. We'll rehome them in Seattle, with all the rest of our stuff.

I amazed by the water that flow swiftly over the Montana riverbeds. Ice-cold from glacier runoff, drop after drop speeds by, bounded only by riverbanks.

Human life is similar: we may be individuals, but our lives combine in history. If we live well, we contribute to the river of humanity. But when we're gone, few people remember our names or accomplishments. Only God keeps track. Pleasing him rather than trying to impress others seems a worthy way to live!

Read more:
*Thus says the Lord, "How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me?" Exodus 10:3 NLT

*All the nations you have made shall come and bow down before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name. Psalm 86:9 NLT

*That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty. God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad. Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 NLT

*All who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted. Luke 18:14 NLT

*Paul wrote: We may proclaim the good news in lands beyond you. 2 Corinthians 10:16 NLT

Moravian Prayer: Father we need you. We need you with us, beside us, and in front of us. We thank you for your guidance, your wisdom, and your direction. Help us in faith to always follow your lead.

Good and gracious Lord, we are in awe of your majesty! Your power combined with your compassion and forgiveness makes us want to proclaim your good news. Help us share your wonders with others. Amen.

Montana in blue jeans

Camp roads in the cool rain

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE BEST MOTHER EVER!

The clouds hang low between the Rocky Mountains. "Did you hear the rain last night?" we ask each other. (He did. I crashed into bed and slept through it.)

The cabin is almost ready for our reunion guests. We've unpacked, sorted goods into cabinets and shelves, and pulled on our jeans to meet the cool damp morning.

It's my first time in jeans since we left for Singapore in June. This rain is unlike the warm downpours of the tropics. Cold water splashes up at us as we walk to the coffee shop.

Breakfast is served:
Montana Coffee Traders

Montana Coffee Traders is legendary in these parts. Israel has its Aroma chain, with great pastries, meals, and coffee. Montana has MCF, which serves yummy omelets, quiches, and sandwiches.

Our kids stayed at the cabin with friends in July. They left it clean and tidy. Kudos! to them. We move around some furniture, stack old paperbacks and kids' books onto shelves, and do a quick inventory. We purged our home collection of books and toys before our basement reno. The classics have come up to the cabin with us, for grandkids and guests to enjoy. One of the losses for our new calling is this cabin. We'll rarely be able to come up to enjoy it; after 18 years of W's DIY, this year it will be finished. Sigh.

Here's what we see when we walk in the door:

Living room: reclaimed Douglas fir underfoot.
Furniture from family and friends and
my fav giclee print by Carrie Fell

Cabin kitchen with retro teak furniture from our
past life, when the kids were young

Candle chandelier found in a shop nearby

W snaps pictures. Above the front door, wasp nests
hang on strands of copper lanterns

We head to town to stock up for the good times ahead. (It occurs to me: wow ... we are blessed to be conservative Christians. It's a lot cheaper to host a non-alcoholic event. Cleaner and safer, too.)

Read more:

*All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.

So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he

purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.

God has now revealed to us his mysterious plan regarding Christ, a plan to fulfill his own good pleasure. And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. Ephesians 1:3-10 NLT

What next?

In progress!

"It's a bit of a whirlwind, isn't it?" T surveys the basement with a smile. His team has framed and roughed in plumbing. He's pulled wires to power up the new space.

"Sure is." W looks around and shakes his head. "This would have taken me ages." Perhaps months.

We've found that Craigslist is an excellent resource for buyers and sellers. Someone's here now, picking up our DR rug, a pale green 10X12 wool expanse. We tossed in a few tables, a slipper chair, and the sturdy loveseat W built for our first apartment (along with the cushions and covers I made.) Hurrah!

Our little slipper rocking chair. Gone!

It's been good fun seeing the happiness of people who like our stuff :-) God has blessed us with mutual satisfaction, for which we are grateful. There will be plenty to toss before we go.

The kitchen cabinets, closet fixtures, and furniture wait for installation. We'll need a wall-mount sink, a toilet, and a stacking washer/dryer. We're shedding dishes, tables, dressers, a queen 4-poster, chairs, and other "stuff" accumulated over 36 years of marriage and raising 4 kids.

We head to Montana for a family reunion in the morning. What's next? W has finishing touches to do at the cabin (flooring and lighting). We'll put mattresses on the bunks about the time the tribe arrives.

We got two notes from Indonesia coworkers this morning. One wrote: "Please come as soon as you can! We need you already." And from another team member, "We've been praying for this for 15 years!"

We're grateful for the friends staying in the house while we're away. Their schedule and ours synched so that when they're away, we're back. When we leave, they're home here.

After MT, W's teaching year and ITINERATION fills our calendar ... until we leave for Indonesia.

If you've considered supporting us, please pledge or donate here. (The site is under my name for administrative reasons; AG only permits one spouse to be listed.) Here's the link for faith pledges.

It's easy to give by clicking here.

Our cash budget of $30,000 and monthly support of $4000 will go toward transportation to various universities and colleges in SE Asia and the branch we're planting in Bandung. (It's almost half of a regular budget, because we expect partnerships there. Our initial term is 2 years, but we plan to renew.)

We're excited! You with us? We can't go without you. If you'd like to contact us about coming to your church or small group, please let us know! (All comments are vetted: I won't share your info.)

Read more:
*I wait for your salvation, O Lord. Genesis 49:18 NLT

*Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. Hebrews 9:28 NLT

Moravian Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for our salvation and happiness. Your arising has brought us hope and peace. We thank you in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Finally getting there

The world is big. Open. Renewing itself.That's sometimes hard to remember, living in the city.

Mountain goat

We've driven past many places in MT without stopping. I decided to spend Monday and 100+ miles in the Montana countryside, catching up on "everyone's-been-there" places I'd seen and roads where I'd never been.

I drove into Glacier Park in the morning, up the Going to the Sun Road to Logan Pass. The dogs waited in the car (no pets on trails) while I hiked up to the Hidden Lake overlook, an accessible uphill climb over boardwalks and gravel paths. The glacier lake shimmered thousands of feet below, under a hazy sky indented by mountain peaks. A white mountain goat chewed grass just a few feet from the trail. On the way down, I hauled out my watercolors for a quick sketch of wildflowers.

The red tour buses of Going to the Sun Road

Construction delays left us sitting on the mountainside for a half hour. I hauled out the sketchbook and let the dogs out on a leash, waiting for the pilot car to bring tourist vehicles through the narrow construction lane. "They're coming, ma'am," said the driver of the car in front of us. "Might want to get in the car."

The dogs hopped back into their seats as the oncoming traffic wound its way around the mountainside toward us. Finally, we inched along for a few miles behind a water truck wetting the sandy surface of the road, trailing a pilot car.

Lake McDonald Lodge

We pulled into the parking lot at Lake McDonald Lodge so the dogs could walk the shoreline and drink the cold water. Then we drove through three campsites I've wondered about (Avalanche, Sprague, and Apgar. Now I know what's there. Campsites.)

Robert Fire 2003 recovery

We stayed in the park, skirting Lake McDonald through the most awful burn area. Acres and acres of dead trees, miles of burned trunks, and underneath, four and five-foot pines and firs, growing up to the sunshine. Blanketing the hills in green, the new growth exists because the old things died off and gave them access to nutrients, light, and water.

The trip to Polebridge wound over gravel roads and pavement. There it was! Polebridge Mercantile. "We have 6 bakers on site," said the young man behind the counter. Apparently they all are fabulous at what they do. Their feta, olive, and artichoke buns? To die for! I avoided temptation in the form of huge cinnamon rolls. (Barely.)

On a little map, the clerk pointed out three ways to get back to our cabin. First, I could return the way I went. (Not an option. "I like detours," I told him.) Second, I could go down a narrow, seldom-traveled gravel road that would take twice as long. Probably not a good idea without phone reception. Or third, I could go back partway, turn right toward Columbia Falls rather than left back to the Park. "The third option is over washboard gravel. If you like smooth roads, that's not the one for you." Done. That's where I was headed.

"Washboard" was right! There's a strange beauty to being in wild country, getting a steering wheel vibration as numbing as a massage chair. The north fork of the Flathead unwound beside the road, gurgling over granite gravel and between massive boulders. In 30 miles, one car passed us and two cars drove by on the other side. Minimal traffic, I'd say. Balm to the heart for someone who lives near I-405 in Seattle!

We didn't get back to camp until 6pm. I was tired and full of memories of beautiful places and wild open spaces.

There's something exhilarating in stopping at every place that catches the eye. Without consideration of time or duties, a day of "finally getting there" is a rare privilege. Hope you find time to wander and enjoy God's wonders before the fall chores comes crowding in.

Read more:

*Fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.” Psalm 14:1 

*Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the great deep. O Lord, you preserve both man and beast. How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light. Psalm 36:5-9 NIV

*There are four things on earth that are small but unusually wise:
Ants—they aren't strong, but they store up food all summer.
Hyraxes—they aren't powerful, but they make their homes among the rocks.
Locusts—they have no king, but they march in formation.
Lizards—they are easy to catch, but they are found even in kings' palaces." Proverbs 30:24–28

*God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise. 1 Corinthians 1:27

Moravian Prayer: We yearn for proof of your existence, O God, for a clear, unmistakable sign, so we often overlook the many small clues that you are with us. Open our eyes to see the daily reminders of your presence in our lives. Amen.

3½ cups of goodness (and a recipe for Borscht)

Clay teaset

What do you accomplish in a day? Do you ever think about all that running around and working? Wonder if you’re leaving a mark on people or the world among all the busy-ness of modern life?

I have little earthen cups and a teeny teapot, suitable for tea in a crowded city like Beijing. I also have medium-sized china cups and saucers that remind me of our stay in England. And now – my favorite purchase yesterday – I have a 3½ cup tea mug that fits Montana perfectly.

The BBC recently mentioned the wonder of driving in Iowa for 40 miles and not seeing a soul. “That would never happen anywhere in the UK,” they exclaimed. But it’s true for parts of Montana as well.

Volunteer firefighters

The siren still goes off in Hungry Horse to call the volunteers for fires, medical emergencies, or Search and Rescue missions. The one grocery store in town and little post office suffice. And as I wrote yesterday, any news is interesting.

The days pass here, one after the other, just like anywhere else. Yesterday I walked to the post office and to the wi-fi spot (and got rained out), drove 25 miles to look around some shops, and walked to a neighbor’s for an excellent Mexican burritos and enchilada dinner. I felt satisfied, crawling into bed.

3 1/2 cups of tea goodness!

Drinking deeply from my Big Cup of peppermint tea, I felt better about the day than I sometimes did after “a good day’s work” at the office. I’d met people, talked to them, walked, and read a story aloud. I’d played with the dogs and skipped rope. I’d cooked a fine borscht soup for lunch (recipe below), freezing the leftovers for two more meals. It was uneventful, crisis-wise, and totally compelling - I'd like to repeat it again.

Such sabbaticals (of rest, not study as in academics) offer God’s respite between energized work. I haven’t heard a Great Task to which I’m called next season. I’ve considered starting a study  of Bible characters, in a public space, with whomever shows up.

But the ideas for the next season are hazy and fluid … and few. I’m loving it. For a task-driven person, such a vacation from “I should” and “I could” can only be healing and God’s kindness!

How about you? Are you accomplishing much with all your activity? Or have you bought into the culture’s hopes that busy work will still the restless soul, that external productivity will reduce the longing for internal significance?

A peaceful spot in Montana

Steal away alone for an hour, a half-day, a day, or a weekend. (If you’re married, offer the same timeout to your spouse.)

Listen for God’s stillness. Perhaps he will speak into your heart that He is enough and we are enough. Just as he made us. Just where he put us – whether that is in the frenzy of output and production that drives capitalism, in the stress and helping mode of people-care, or tucked out of sight on the back shelf, in the pause that encourages prayer and reflection.

Borscht, sour cream, and dill:
the perfect combo

Not-Your-Russian-Grandma’s Borscht Soup

Ingredients:

Meat* (vegan option below)

1-2 tbsp. oil

Onions, Beets

Savory herbs and spices

3-8 c. water or broth – the amount depends on how much soup you want

Optional: cabbage, beans, carrots, etc.

Instructions:

1.     In a non-aluminum soup pot, lightly brown 1-2 sliced sausages, 2-3 slices of bacon, OR ½ cup leftover meat in 1-2 tbsp. oil.

2.     Add a chopped onion and stir into the meat until it is translucent.

3.     Meanwhile, cut 3-8 beets into ½-¾” cubes.

4.     Fill the pot with 3-8 cups of water or broth and add beets. (I used 8 beets in 4 c. turkey stock.)

5.     Sprinkle in savory herbs to your own taste. I used 2 bay leaves; a teaspoon each of dried marjoram, parsley, thyme;  ½ tsp. each of celery salt and mustard seeds. (I chose those because they were near the stove, not for any particular culinary reason.)

Optional: add up to 1 c. each chopped carrots, sliced cabbage, or a mix of beans, Brussels sprouts, or other vegetables to taste.

Cook for ½-1 hour. You can let it sit in a non-reactive pot until the meal. Heat it up and salt to taste before serving. Options: a tbsp. of sour cream in each bowl, fresh dill on top for flavor.

Vegan option: skip the meat, brown the onions, add vegetables, herbs, and spices to a vegetable broth. Include cabbage, smoke salt, and sautéed mushrooms for a heartier taste. Vegan “sour cream” (1 cup): mix together 1 c. soy yogurt + 1 tbsp. lemon juice + ½ tsp. salt.

Leftovers freeze well.

Read more: 

*All a man's ways seem right to him, But the Lord weighs the heart. Proverbs 21:2 NIV  

*Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it. Psalm 34:14

Finally, all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind. 1 Peter 3:8

Moravian Prayer: In our families and in our church families, O holy Mediator, help us to reflect your love. Forgive us when we wrong those around us and restore us to your harmony and peace, in your Son’s name. Amen. 

Peace among the pieces

Snakes and Ladders: guests at the
dining table

The sun’s out after a stormy weekend of rain and wind. Our visitors left yesterday and this morning’s relaxed pace was a pleasure. I took the dogs for a walk, stopped in at various cabins to chat with old friends, washed bedding, and vacuumed. Gradually the construction dust is working its way out of the corners.

All is at peace. Sunshine streams in the windows, an unexpected reprieve from the weather forecast. While I cleaned the cabin, W and another academic discussed the theology of the marriage and societal roles of men and women; the other fellow is submitting his work to a journal.

Noon came and went. W wired the bathroom light and screwed in hooks for hand towels beside the sinks. Jonathan and I chose light fixtures for the stairwell (a funky two-light “crystal ball” chandelier) and considered options for his bedroom. Our choices included glass-blower art, a Montana Western style, and streamlined futuristic halogens.

Jono and I moved a dresser, measured the bedroom, and figured out that the weird little chuckwagon-pattern sofas are never going to fit there. Too bad! Those funny loveseats are incredibly comfy. Were we so inclined (and if we didn’t want the futon features of the IKEA Beddinges), they could serve us another 20 years … after they were handed down as secondhand discards by Chilliwack friends in the early 1990s. We’ll leave them by the camp dumpsters as giveaways once we get replacements. Perhaps someone else will recycle and enjoy them as we have.

Joanna and I at the Lodge

The afternoon unfolded in Costco, Dollar Days, and Lowe’s. Then it was time for a party.

Joanna called, "It's time to celebrate!” and we were off to the Lodge at Whitefish Lake, a beautiful log hotel on the banks of the water. We sat overlooking the pool and the lake beyond as the sun baked the last swimmers and sank below the horizon in streaks of gold frosting across the darkening sky. My friend has completed another book and I’m done with studies. We did a happy dance in the foyer after savoring ribs and huckleberry mud pie. (Joanna always persuades me that crazy things are normal! I soak in her exuberant good will during this waiting season.)

The view from our table: beautiful surroundings

Joanna also reminded me that a servant does not have to be in action to please her Master. Being at the Master’s side, quiet and ready, qualifies as service, just as well as moving forward on assignment. I needed to hear that again, enjoying the peaceful season of rudderless floating between the completed pieces of the past and the new journey ahead.

Read more:

*O Lord, you will ordain peace for us, for indeed, all that we have done, you have done for us. Isaiah 26:12

*But by the grace of God I am what I am. 1 Corinthians 15:10

*This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. 

However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. 

Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. 1 Timothy 1:15-17 NKJV

Moravian Prayer: Lord, because you love us, we can remain strong! Be with us especially when we feel your grace, for you give us all we need when we most need it. In God’s grace. Amen.

Montana Musings, July 13

Our niece Adelina in the LR

Have you ever felt like a foreigner though you’ve been close to home? Montana is still a state of frontier memories, of small towns filled with cowboy art and ranching stores. It’s a world away from the coastal cosmopolitan neighborhoods of Seattle where we live. The thunder rolls between the mountains in the middle of the night, black without the lights of city streets, as I write.

I’ve taken two weeks away from blogging, overwhelmed by W’s building projects and people coming and going. W got a head start at the cabin, arriving a few weeks before I did. He thrives on a plethora of projects while I need solitude to recover my balance. I drove from Seattle to Montana after a spring that included a dissertation and graduation, nearly four weeks in Israel and Jordan, a week with my lovely granddaughter and her mommy, and a trip to middle-Canada for a family celebration. I felt ready for a change of pace.

Our cabin sits near the western gates of Glacier National Park. The air is crisp and the water is pure. The tall-treed mountain slopes tower around us and the Flathead River flows less than a quarter-mile away. We’re smack in the middle of a natural wilderness, near the bighorn sheep, bears, wolves, and deer that populate the park. W’s been working on the cabin for 15 years.

Blockbuster's repurposed shelves take shape

The cabin structure is sound, the rooms are trimmed, the bathrooms are in, and the front steps are built. A few things left to do include door handles, bathroom shelving, towel racks, closet doors ... little stuff compared to what W’s built. The walls are still mostly empty of art and the furniture is second- or third-hand. The mattresses range from comfy to lumpy. But the reclaimed wood floors are spectacular and the walls are painted.

We love the people at the Bible camp where our cabin is located. They are friendly, welcoming, and mostly small-town pastors and church attendees whose families have come to camp for generations. We’ve been spending summers here for 19 years. For many of those, mostly seniors and middle-agers like ourselves filled the campgrounds. The past five years, a new crop of youngsters and their 20-to-30-something parents  have played at the playground or ridden bikes on the gravel streets where our kids used to roam. It’s a rediscovery of a treasured community, the kids of yester-year returning with their own children.

Shelves almost done

The little glacier-fed Lion Lake, filled with crayfish and local swimmers, lies a few miles from camp beside the road to the 500-foot-high Hungry Horse Dam, a spectacular feat of mid-nineteenth-century engineering. Yesterday, I dropped our son Jonathan, my Edmonton brother Will, and his kids Lem and Lina at the lake for a few hours while I went grocery shopping.

In the evening, we ordered American-style meals at the Back Door Restaurant in Columbia Falls, a popular hangout for locals. Except for Lem, an eating machine at 17 years of age, we chipped away at the edges of our meal, overwhelmed by the huge portions of fat-rich foods. We took as much home as we had eaten. Around us, tables crowded with diners polished off their plates and asked for dessert, too.

Ziggy, with the hard-working builder
resting on the sofa upstairs. Shelves
are done!

Most of our family is here this week. I’ve cooked more meals in the past two weeks than I ever make at home, trying to accommodate various adult tastes and diets. No beef for one. No vegetables for the other. Certainly no whole-grain breakfast muelsi for another. The rich foods and lack of fiber of the normal American diet are catching up with me: my body feels toxic, sluggish, and without energy. Next week, I’ll cook healthier food with relief.

As the cabin settles into “finished structure,” I hope to unwind from years of study and writing projects. Especially, I’m looking forward to solitude for prayer and meditation on scripture. My husband is energized by constant interaction with people. However, I’m counting on quiet time and the great outdoors for renewal before heading back to city life and obligations in the fall.

Jeremy, Kirsten, and Rebekah chatting on the sofa

One idea that keeps reoccurring this summer is how scripture calls us to self-control, never to control our circumstances or other people. As I get older, I prefer orderly spaces, tidy rooms, and uncluttered schedules. My habit of reading several books at the same time, of spreading papers across a table for research and writing, and my strong curiosity to explore new things function best without a chaotic backdrop. This week, as W moved the saw outside from the back hall, gathered the tools from the tables and corners of the rooms, and took the piles of wood from the kitchen, I felt my breath begin to deepen and my body to relax.

Jesus never promised neat surroundings and untrammeled relationships. We live in families and among friends with their own ideas and preferences of “normal.” Accommodation of others is part of ongoing self-control.

Even in Montana, where keys are left in unlocked cars and little kids run around without parental super-vision, stuff happens and we learn to lean on Christ for rest and refreshing. He remains the same, in familiar or foreign surroundings.

Hope you’re enjoying summer, wherever you are, too. (I’d love to know where and how you’re living it.)

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