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My family went to Pizza Hut yesterday. My daughter said something that really explains why they are so successful.

"This cheese tastes buttery" -- Julia Reighley

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I have posted my first entry as a contributor to Thinking Christians. If you are interested in my religious posts, please subscribe to that blog.

I really enjoy writing about my spiritual life, and what God is teaching me through prayer, study, and interaction with others. I am glad to have a place where I can put those entries where they will not be drowned out by politics, technology, family life or other more trivial matters.

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Yesterday Andee the Kids and I went up to Mt. Spokane and hiked down to our favorite Huckleberry patch. We ran into several rangers who where shocked to see our little ones had made it that far into the hike. They spent most of the time in the fancy bike trailer stroller combination unit. We broke the stroller, but brought home enough berries to make a few pies. We notice that we have a lot more friends when we are well stocked on Huckleberries.

Today Dean and I went back for more. I figured we could get a lot more if we didn't have the kids with us, and could ride mountain bikes. I brought back about the same amount of berries as I got yesterday, but I got some really neat photos from the top of Mt. Day.

Posted by at 11:36 PM | Permalink | Comments ()

Today I was driving around downtown, and I had to stop my car to wait for a woman to limp across the road in front of me. She was jaywalking, and could only take one painful step at a time. She was wearing high heel flip flop type shoes, was about 5'11, and looked like she may be a prostitute or drug addict.

After parking my car, I was walking to my destination restaurant, and I ran into her in a parking lot. She asked me if I had a car.

Re-runs of "Cops" came flashing through my head. How many times have I seen them arrest somebody with the story "Yes, Officer I gave this woman a ride. I don't know her name."? I told the lady I couldn't help her, and I continued on my way. As I looked into her eyes, I could see that both of them where fairly bruised. She looked like she had been badly beaten recently.

There is little doubt I should have done something. I did nothing. I didn't even talk to her more than I had to. I could have called her a cab, or gone to get a friend so that it would be more appropriate to give her a ride to a shelter or a clinic. I didn't even find out what she needed.

As I left my dinner, I felt quite guilty walking through the parking lot again. Of course the woman was nowhere to be seen.

Posted by at 11:28 PM | Permalink | Comments ()

I just got back from a trip to Oregon. My itenerary included Canby, Bend, Prineville, Neskowin, Lincoln City, Newport, and Pacific City.

Stayed at a pretty cool vacation house in Neskowin. 1.5 blocks from the beach. The weather was quite nice, which is quite unusual for that area. Did some Geocaching on the coast. Logged over 1400 miles on my GPS over 7 days.

Missed out on the last couple of weeks at liferoads. Yesterday was the transition day. Brad Williams is leaving liferoads to plant a new church in New York city. His courage and obedience to his calling is quite admirable. If you know anyone in New York (Brooklyn Heights) who is looking for a good church, be sure to look Brad up. I am sorry that I missed his
Last sermon at Liferoads. I am excited to see the amazing things that God has in store for us.

Last week I attended New Life Foursquare in Canby. It is interesting to notice the subtle and not so subtle differences within churches that preach the same Gospel. Yesterday, I failed to attend Church at all. (Agast!)

Andee and the kids are staying in Oregon for a few more weeks. I get to adjust back to the graveyard shift. Perhaps I will write more soon.

Posted by at 5:31 AM | Permalink | Comments ()

I finally received my Under the Overpass : A Journey of Faith on the Streets of America book by Mike Yankoski on Thursday afternoon. finished it Friday afternoon.

This is an amazing story. Mike felt called to go experience life on the streets. Along with a friend, He took time off from his upper-middle class college student lifestyle to find out what it is like to be homeless on the streets of 5 American cities.

The courage and strength exhibited throughout this book is inspirational. Mike and Sam stood firm on their Christian principals in spite of their circumstances. They accepted this mission in spite of it's inherent dirtiness, danger, and lack of glamour.

It is amazing how much blessing you can give to somebody just by acknowledging that they are human. How often we look at another person, made in God's image and treat them like they are a piece of furniture or garbage? For most all of us, the answer is probably way too often.

BibleGateway.com Passage Lookup: Luke 10:25-37

25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

26 "What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"

27 He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"

28 "You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."

29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"

30 In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'

36 "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"

37 The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him."
Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."

Unfortunately all too often Christians are behaving like the priest and the Levite in this story. When we are obedient and respond like the Samaritan, the results are moving, and glorify God. Mike's book has come to set us straight. He exposes both forms of behavior within churches that he met on his journey. I pray that the Church gets the message and mends it's ways.

Posted by at 4:46 AM | Permalink | Comments ()

They want to build a light rail system through my neighborhood. The sales pitch is pretty good. Probably too good to be true.

Spokane Light Rail

My neighborhood is a block or so away from the Appleway Avenue simulation. That simulation shows the neighborhood as it is today. Appleway runs right along the back of University city, A nearly abandoned shopping mall. They show a simulation of the effect that mass transit is going to have on University city.

I am suspecting that there is similar propaganda out there for the Appleway-Sprague couplet. They converted Sprague avenue to a one way street a few years ago, and installed Appleway Avenue. The couplet does make it easier to get around the valley, but it certainly has not lead to an economic boom.

I don't necessarily oppose the light rail, or transit. I just think that we should be realistic about it. The mass transit system will be really good for downtown Spokane. It will likely increase the property value in the immediate vicinity of the rail system. (Hey that is me) It will not impact the aesthetic properties of the neighborhood however. I don't believe that property owners are going to be inclined to put in a massive park in the middle of their property.

Trains don't make trees magically appear on the side of every road. Take a look at the Napa simulation, and it is obvious that that is what they are inferring.

Posted by at 11:53 PM | Permalink | Comments ()

Fingertoe.com made $1.94 in revenue last month. Minus expenses of course.

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