There and Back again, again

Just like a hobbit who leaves home just to return again - I set out for Pullman tommorow, on my bike, to visit a friend, just to return again. Also like a hobbit, as with my excursion to CA this summer on my bike, I return each time changed. As in a book where each page takes you further from the begining; so every trip I take, for work or pleasure, seems to take me further from who I used to be. I cannot quite say "where" I am going, but going I am just the same.

So many pages have turned in this book of my pilgrimage since my last post, it would be impossible for me to recap in any detail. The states I have been in this summer will suffice: CA, OR, NV, ID, AZ, NJ, PA and of course WA. I have slept at various times: on the ground near snow capped moutains, in the NJ house my father grew up in, two hours south of San Francisco, and in an old mining town in Nevada. Now with one quick trip I say farewell to a fabulous summer and prepare for the plunge into "the tunnel" that is winter in the pacific northwest.


I will sign off with some pictures from my summer.

Adam

Beverly Hills, France?

So here I am, on the road again. (and no not "on the paths of the sea"). Of course another post, (perhaps a financial quarterly report would be in order as well!). With Lebanese Taverna food in my belly I bravely proceed.

On Monday I flew from Washington to the pollen infested east coast. The weather has been mostly nice here but as one of my many bosses said, "They are measuring the pollen count in tons". (this to explain my unhappy and water source of a nose).

Unfortunately on the day I flew, of all things the song and words, "Beverly Hills....That's where I want to be..." got stuck in my head. How crazy! I don't like the song and NEVER lost anything in B.H. I am not even pondering reading a travel-log from there.

I do, perhaps, want to go to France. Not for the wine, (although good idea), nor to see first hand the courage and determination in the face of international adversity that can be witnessed there... hmmmm.

Moving on- truly I wish to go to France because I am reading, for the first time ever, "Les Miserables" and though caught in its grip of grief/joy/happiness/sadness - filled with the hoping/despairing mix, I am truly enjoying it. Though people for well over 100 years have known the outcome - delightfully, and yet tormented, I do not. What will become of Jean Valjean, Cosette, Marius, Eponine, the evil Thernardier wolf parents ?...

Commenters - spoil it not for me as I will doubtless take sometime to complete the several hundred pages to go.

Vive Le France!

Moi

Narnia to Eternity

After wearing myself out last night at the monthly "hack your toes and legs off fest" (sock hockey) I retreated home and finished off the "Last Battle". It was slightly sad to complete the first return-read through the Chronicles of Narnia in over 16 years.

Though I have some questions on some of the Theological implications of the book, I found one point particularly well made by C.S. Lewis. Eternity will be always getting bigger and better. We cannot imagine how good it will be. Scripture is so clear on this, but how often we forget and "loose sight of the eternal for the things that are passing" (Rich Mullins). The apostle Paul made it so clear when he wrote that: "No eye has seen, nor ear heard the wonders God has prepared for those who love Him". Again we are reminded when Hebrews speaks so clearly that even Abraham and Jacob, (who made the point so clear with Pharoah) knew they were pilgrims in this world and sought the greater one to come.

The points I just made to my sister in e-mail will here be repeated:

I found the thought refreshing that the world to come will not have time, no aging, we will be made whole, (physicaly, spiritualy and emotionaly). There will be no need to try to get so much done in a fleeting youth, for eternity will be ours! And fulfilment beyond our wildest imagination! If I could just keep this in mind when I am tempted by the tempest of life to use bad language, or get angry or despair that my hopes and dreams for this life are not realized...I would be far more useful for the master. This is just passing!!

The "Last Battle" in some glimpsing, limited way, made clearer the joys that await us, that complete "unspeakable" joy that we cannot even fathom now. To be reunited with all that is good and has been lost, to live every day to the fullest and not wear out.

Looking forward to eternity...longing to be useful in the here and now,

Adam

Twitch I'm not, (not)

Perhaps due to my monday pipe organ labors or just because it tasted so good to me this morning, I chose to pour nearly four cups of coffe down my "gullet", (Benny's term) prior to starting my first task at work.

The problem? My first task was a VTC, (TLA for Video Tele Conference). I was supposed to sit quietly, listen and speak only when necessary. I felt like I wanted to explode and go ricochetting, (we'll leave the spell checking for those who do it best, perhaps another "second thought"?), around the room while screaming "C-A-F-F-I-E-N-E". So instead I just sat bouncing my legs up and down at a physcotic, rate and had visions of "Deen a meetay" and singing mountain Goats dancing around my head. I am glad no-one was watching me when I broke down laughing at myself for no obvious, external reason.

When my equipment was talked about and I made comment I was told to relax. I assured them it was due to the coffee I had injested and not any degree of anger.

One of the east coast bosses called me later and told me that my legs bouncing around were a significant distraction.

The Twitch label, I am afraid, is size 9.5 and as such, I must wear it.

Adam

Comments made regarding the afore-aluded to cinematagraphic production, do not in anyway reflect the opinion of the composer of this literary marvel, (hereafter "post"). His unshakable opionion is that it, (the cinematagraphic production) resembled many layers of stale bread separated by the smallest layers of rich sweet icing. The necessity for chewing loaves of this bread to sample the "icing" is regretable. Secure it through a "risk mitigation timeshare arrangement", (how's Blockbuster suit you?) so that you may Fast Fwd Chew through the "bread". While "Hoodwinked" contains diamonds of wit and humor tons of worthless rock must be hauled out of the mine to find them.

The end of the world as I knew it

Welp, (as my sister and others might say).

My blogging life ended almost as suddenly as my traveling life. That's right, I am home pretty much all of the time. While this means I am rather enjoying myself and quite happy to have my life back, the daily morsels of life are not so exciting as the "jet-setting" lifestyle was, (for others to read that is).

Once I could type about the warm beaches of Southern Florida or snowing New England, (in the same day). Now I get excited about making cookies in the "Ducati of mixers" or lighting off the real thing after a winter of sitting. The latter I did last night and was amazed by the length of flame shooting out of the pipes, enriched by the fouled carbs. What a glorious cold ride followed!

The other events of last night even further my point: While I was awefully happy to clean out the nasty moldy gas grill in my back-yard and cook up some burgers, (yes, with a fried egg on them!), that does not look very exciting in print, (besides you can't taste things here).

So I am afraid my posts will continue to be sparadic, with one exception: I will begin to comment on each movie night flick and would welcome other's views on what we watch. Tune in soon for my take on last months, "Cinderella Man".


Adam

Hot Spiced Cider

Here I find myself once again off in New England. I had a craving for something warm to drink as I worked online tonight and found myself a hot spiced cider. I must have been cold because just moments before I bought a sweater!

My trek here as always, did not go as planned. After worshipping with friends at Faith in Tacoma I was graciously dropped off at the airport, still very early for my flight. Unfortunately, my flight was delayed several hours and left nearly 6 hours after I arrived... Fortunately, I had ample opportunity for "quiet-time" a practice I fear is not by a long shot "practiced" by me enough. That said, all eating of good food nourishes, so I partook of the end of Nahum, Habakkuk and the ever challenging first chapter of Psalms. ( and met a fellow believer, Kyle waiting for the same flight, as well as one of the guys from work).

We all so long to have everything we do "prosper", to not wilt in dry times, yet we are not like trees planted by streams of water for we do not partake of the means of grace given to us, we are found too often in the way of sinners, seat of scorners, and walking in the council of the wicked. Such a short 6 verse chapter and we could do well to do as it says even if we only meditated on those 6. "For his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night".

Another favorite, the close of Habakkuk:

Though the fig tree should not blossom,
nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord;
I will take joy in the God of my slalvation.

God, the Lord, is my strength;
he makes my feet like the deer's;
he makes me tread on my high places.


In other news: while the pictures are from this summer, I have a shortcut to share with everyone. It will lead you to my nephew's, "first summer vacation" pictures. A hoot, please enjoy! http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mlschiebout/album?.dir=/b52c&.src=ph&.tok=phnPLbDBTq9ili0B

Well, I should wrap things up here and mosey towards nap time!


May you "yeild your fruit in its season".

Adam

A Life of Transitions

Hello all,

It seems my life is rarely boring. Thankfully, just when one series of exciting events concludes another series starts. Today I am thinking of my home and the folks I have been priviledged to share it with over the past few weeks. First my parents came and visited for a week. We went to Snoqualmie Falls, we blew a hole in the back of my house and replaced the sliding door, we visited and visited...

Then, the very day that I dropped my folks off at the airport E L & M's mom and dad moved in. "How cool is that?" Due to the fact that both moms cook exceptionally well I have been setting a record for consecutive days eating healthy food. So having cleaned the slopped cottage cheese off of my keyboard, I make my first post in ages...While looking forward to another transition this evening, when choir starts again - without the comfort of Paul's dynamic leadership.

Time to get back to the cottage cheese. One parting thought though:

Check out the link to the right that says "Backpacking Adventures". Pictures from the 3 treks that Grant and I organized this summer, (with some wonderful people) have begun to appear there, with more to follow. (Did I mention we found an Ent on our last hike?) You saw it there first!

Adam