The Way to The Cross

Live long enough and you will undoubtedly experience trials, some will be life changing. Trials are surely part of the trail of life. Yet, the view from the top, absolutely worth it!

The Cross - Above PV

Some of the most wonderful victories came after great endurance. 

The thoughts above are inspired from the best of staircases while once again visiting Puerto Vallarta. It is 6am, the roosters bellow their ever distinct crow, and from our bedroom I'm able to view my goal that I'll set out once again to conquer. For most, it is daunting to consider once let alone daily. And then, once I arrive, the decision will become, how many times? 

I began stairclimbing in 2005. Then, as a 47 year old, it was to honor my mother who died of cancer at that very age. Most climbs have the added benefit of raising funds for cancer, cystic fibrosis or several other great causes. My very first competition, I call “The Beast”, was as a firefighter climb in Seattle's Columbia Center. Sixty-nine stories, 1311 steps of pure EXHAUSTION!  And yet, isn't that just what life often throws at us…pure exhaustion? 

Staircases - Thousands Across the City

From our apartment it will take just over twenty minutes to reach the cross. As in life, the trail goes down before it goes up. And unfortunately you don't just descend once. No, the trail descends and ascends multiple times. Yet, once at the top, the beauty, the refreshment of the body, the soul… it all becomes worth the agony. Which, is made less, quite less, by regular training.

A Steep Descent

Most will make this particular climb once or perhaps as an annual event. Many will struggle with each of the 205 steps for the cross that sits atop. Kind of a pilgrimage of sorts. This is part of my pursuit as well. From this perspective I reflect on the life of the Christ, whose journey took Him to the cross. His ‘way to the cross' definitely had descents and ascents. None greater than which occurred three days after being placed into the tomb. There, in His resurrection, stands the pinnacle of our faith. And finally, after time with His disciples and many followers, all giving witness to His, and our ultimate victory… over death…He made His final ascent.

The Grand-daddy of Staircases

The moral of this blog … life will always be full of trails (or crosses) that descend into valleys before ascending to the mountaintop. In daily life, if I could encourage you to prepare yourself through regular disciplines, i.e. by exercise and reading good books, especially the bible. For myself, I have found that the ascent is so much less daunting when I have done such.

The Reward - The View Across Banderas Bay

Well, I'm off once again to make my way to the cross. Perhaps you'll join me one day. Not just here in PV, but to His cross that was placed on Calvary. That ascent, though trials continue to persist, makes life less daunting.

This blog I dedicate to Nan Turner Jopp who made her final ascent to the Father this week. Dad and you ... some SPECIAL people!

Wanted...All I Ever Was

It was your time for braiding hair,

A Greatest of Pictures!

Skipping rocks across the lake glare.

In school with friends was your place

Writing poetry, dreaming of space.

Life has a way of changing our course,

Bringing on burdens, making remorse.

Taking of innocence that of a child,

Leaving a life never again mild.

Wanted, it's all I ever was

Wanted, the life you gave me

Wanted, I am just because

Wanted, (only) wanted your love for me.

Freedom of youth stolen on Signal Hill,

To a girl of sixteen, seems like a thrill.

Yet lost in the midst are choices and hope,

Days turn to months you learn how to cope.

Daughters and son come into your life,

Gone was your husband no longer a wife.

It's love and devotion she always does show,

The care of my mother is all that I know.

Wanted, it's all I ever was

Wanted, the life you gave me

Wanted, I am just because

Wanted, (only) wanted your love for me.

Can you tell me would it have changed if the year was 73?

Do you make a choice, take a life meant to be freed?

I can tell you the answer as if she were here now,

My son I love you, even then we would make it somehow.

Because...I was wanted by a girl just sweet sixteen.

Her love and devotion what a gift to me

I was wanted do you know, do you know what I mean?

I was wanted by this girl who loved me.

A Lady With Laughter...She Was!

This poem was inspired after watching the 2011 movie 'October Baby'

                        Written for his mother who died in 1958. My mom was a BIG Elvis fan. So...in her memory.

Are We...Followers of Paul, Apollos or Christ?

It was in 1976, now some thirty-eight years yesterday (note, this blog was written July 26, 2014), that the redemption of Christ began its saving transformation in this life. A journey, as with each, that has not been without challenges. That said, I cannot express fully into words the gratefulness to our Savior, Jesus, for the truly 'abundant' life that He has guided me through.

Roofing Volunteers

What keeps me anchored in the midst of the journey? Most certainly I would at least include the Word of God, His indwelling Spirit, prayer and music. Yet how delinquent would I be to not add the relationships of my brothers and sisters in Christ. Over fifty 'one another's' are scattered about the NT. To encourage, build up, forgive, serve, submit to, be devoted to, accept and love are but a few.

The past few days I've been in service with several 'one another' men, who have taken part on an urgent roofing need for our daughter. In this time I have discovered a new truth regarding anxiety/worry. Yes, as Paul says to the Philippians, "Be anxious for nothing, but by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God, and the peace...". Perhaps you know the rest. Powerful, it is. And pray I do, yet...when these men and women, most volunteering, have given selflessly of their time to bless our daughter, I have found that joy, through much sweat and some pain, is the overwhelming result and not anxiety.

There is likely no greater need when being connected to 'one another' than unity. Back to the roof...the mutual effort and respect is absolutely evident in this project. At the same time we are carrying out the 'call principle' of Ephesians four..."Walk worthy of your calling, with all humility and gentleness, with patience lifting up one another and striving to keep the unity of the Spirit in bond of peace".

 Why is that often not the case within our 'church' walls?

Now to the point...

We recently left attending a body of believers, of whom we had been a part of for twenty years. We had grown apart due to a change in the message plus style of teaching and the desired direction of this body. And though I disagree, at least with some I can respect and sense how the teaching resonates, such as the series on 'The Jesus Creed' or that of ‘Becoming a Conduit’. This 'creed' emphasizes the 'one another's' stated above, plus the treatment of others in the manner that is seen in the person of Jesus Christ. Though preached, in some ways it was sanctimoniously demonstrated over the past couple of years. For example I ask...Would Jesus have requested Nicodemus to attend a different group of believers because he was no longer their leader? Would Paul have been removed from the Cyprus prayer letter because he separated himself from Barnabus? Would Epaphoditus have removed Timothy from a service that he'd provided for years because he wasn't regularly attending the Philippian church without communicating such with him?

Would Paul not say that which he wrote to the Corinthians, 'Are we followers of Paul or of Apollos or of Peter, or are we followers of Christ? The answer seems rather obvious!

                                          Might we go forth, be followers of Christ and truly be a conduit with one another...

                         Written by Rick Williams on July 26, 2014, and recently found amongst my electronic clutter.

More Than or Only…Co-Incident

Coincidence, luck, providence, chance, timing, serendipity, good fortune, just happened, unexpected and unexplainable occurrences, a concurrence of events with no apparent connection, luck, a conductor who orchestrates…and many more.

 

I would imagine that all of us have had experiences of the above. The question… are they divine, just part of everyday life or perhaps both? Looking at scripture, my personal life and most recently an experience of some young friends has revived this question

Scripture … wow, so many examples! To name a few are Joseph, Esther, Daniel and Saul to Paul.

My own life … again, so many! Yet most recent would be during my trip to Nicaragua in November of 2017. A primary goal of that trip was to coach a baseball clinic to the Miskito children in Kisalaya. Enroute to that location I stayed an evening in Puerto Cabezas at Verbo. Less than an hour after arriving I went to have lunch in their dining room. One other man, Junior, 10 years my junior (pun intended), sat across from me. During the ensuing four hours we would learn that both not only played high level baseball, but have coached youth for many years. Our style, including the discipline of young men and directing them in a walk with Christ are what both desire to achieve most. This was just one of a few such experiences during this brief two week trip. I saw (and still see it) as God ‘conducting' the orchestra of life….yeah, I have a difficult time placing ‘coincidence’ on this experience

 

On to the young friends. Now in their mid twenties, I've known Liz from the time when she was learning to walk. It has surely been a blessing to watch her grow to the women who is now a kindergarten teacher. And her husband Austin, about to complete his master's in leading worship. Awhile back they began pursuing possible opportunities to put this passion into service. Through a couple connections they were drawn to a church in Coral Springs, Florida. Two weeks ago this would be quite insignificant, today, of amazing significance! For it was on Valentine's day, one week prior to Austin's interview, that a young man stole the lives of 17 beautiful people from that very location. So… is this a divine appointment?

Sure… this blog could delve into the ‘If there is a God, why is there so much evil’ debate. That subject has been tackled quite thoroughly and will continue to be. What I will say, I believe that the Creator has designed within each one of us a unique DNA. How will we use our uniqueness and the gifts that make up the threads of our lives in the pursuit of caring for our neighbor?

 

So the timing of this interview, coincidence, really! As queen Esther was placed into her dynamic, “For such a time as this” (Esther 4:14), I believe that Austin and Liz likewise have a similar providence ahead

Might the Father bless this interview and henceforth use both of them in the healing process that will become so vital in the days that follow.

2017...Year in Review

Logan Valley - South of Prairie City

 What a year Twenty-seventeen was. There were three Team Rubicon trips (a disaster response organization whose motto is 'Disaster is Our Business, Veterans is Our Passion'), two were training into Wyoming and later Wisconsin, plus to Operation ‘Hard Hustle’ along the Texas coast after hurricane Harvey, the year was full with that alone. 

Operating a 'Case' Excavator - Fun!

Band -  Aransas Pass after Harvey

But then…you add our annual Central Oregon week, plus my annual motorcycle ride with 'Oregon ABCity Tour', around most of this the ninth largest state of the union. But why stop there? No, Karen a month in Mexico and I joined her for three weeks of that, then I continued south to Nicaragua for an amazing two week journey. That adventure had me traveling west to east and then into the northeast corner visiting the Miskitu people along the Rio Coco.

Up the 'Coco River'

(Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=nicaragua+fall+2017)

Baseball in Nicaragua

The above travels alone cover nearly 25,000 miles, but … we’re not finished yet. After three years of planning we were able to complete likely the longest motorcycle adventure that we’ll ever experience. Deserving a blog all its own (surprised that I haven’t completed it yet) we were able to put on, wait for it … Ten thousand one hundred and seventy miles! Along with dear friends, the Cavaliere’s, we traveled to the southeast into Florida, up the east coast, then into Ontario Canada and back into the U.S. ending the ride in our own Newport, Oregon.

Prairie City - My Favorite Diner

The above ‘Coast to Coast’ trip included a few delays and detours, non greater than the death of one of Karen’s sisters. With this we found ourselves changing our itinerary while in the Black Hills and making haste home along Interstate 90 and 84. Arriving home on a Saturday morning we flew out that evening for brief five days of encouragement to family and friends in New England. Upon our return to Oregon we immediately packed our bags, picked up our loyal riding partners and finished what we started on May 5th. So on July 1st, 2017, again after 10,170 miles, we made history…at least for ourselves, completing what was mostly quite the experience.

Riding through Custer State Park

When we add the above numbers along with several smaller sundry trips around the state, we traveled what would be nearly two times around this globe of ours. I’m sure for some, that’s nothing unusual, for us, I don’t imagine that they’ll be another year like it for us.

-- End of a 10,170 Mile Ride --

So here we find ourselves, already past the 2017 Christmas holidays, and into another year ... what a FULL year 2017 was. And today…I haven’t even stepped outside. Feels weird, but then again…perhaps it’s OK to just take a break.

What the above blog leaves out are the lives that we’ve been touched by and those that we’ve been so privileged to touch this past year. That along with the protection and provision of our great Creator and Redeemer God, we will forever be filled by so many recurring memories that this year has provided.

What Did He Think?

Photo mom sent to dad while he was in Greenland

Though my dad died seven years ago this past Fall, and though we never had conversations regarding my early years, still I am fortunate (I guess) to know what he was thinking the day ‘I was born’. How is that? Well the following gives some description of that time.

Earliest photo of just dad and I

In caring for my dad’s estate in Chapala, Mexico during that fall of 2010, my brother Ike and I came across many keep sake items within his house and on his computers. One such item found was a short story, though not complete, that Richard R. had written. He called it, “There Is No Escape! – A True, But Short Story”. In it he writes about the months following graduation from High School, how he met Elizabeth Ann and Cissy. Though much could be said of that story, what I’d like to mention here was his response upon the birth of his son, yours truly.

Just the three of us...

Dad, in the Air Force, was in electronics tech school in Biloxi, Mississippi just a year and four months out of high school when he writes, “On October 8, 1958, a messenger arrived at the drill field where we trained to inform me that my son had arrived.  If ever I had doubts about our marriage, which I had plenty, they all disappeared when I saw my son, little Ricky.  I pledged to myself at that moment that I would make this marriage work and help develop a happy family.  That was a significant period of maturing, accepting the responsibilities that I had unsuccessfully attempted to escape.”

What else was he thinking beyond these words? I’ll never know for this is where the story ended. Did he get to this part as he was writing in 2004 and just couldn’t bring himself to complete the story?

Five of Us...Going to Church?

I’ve often wondered what those early years were like. Two sisters would be added to the family in 61’ and 63’. What were our family dynamics like in those days? How significant was that pledge in those early days? How connected were our parents with one another and together with the three of us? That is, how did we play together, eat, read or sing together? These, I’ll never know.

My Favorite of mom with all 4 of us...

And though a baby brother would arrive in 65’ he would not be part of the family as a whole. Reason…late in 1964 dad had determined that it was the time of “his escape”.

…Why do I even write these words today? I guess that I was thinking, as I often do, about my past. Thinking about what dad thought of me when I was five, or fifteen or even fifty. Did he think of me often? If so, what did he think? Whatever it was, why did he seldom communicate it? 

Ray X, Kenneth E, Richard R and Richard A...

So on what would have been his seventy-ninth birthday, my encouragement is…be involved in others lives. Let them know what you’re thinking and how you feel about them. Don’t give them reason to question … “What was he thinking”?

Broken...we are such a broken people. I speak of the world entirely. I wish that I could say otherwise of my own life, so such is not the case. And though I choose to not reflect often upon all the elements which have added to this brokenness, there are days when that is just not possible. Even then, in those days, I am able to reflect upon a Savior, Jesus, who came to the broken, with grace and without accusation, to call us to a place of peace. See John 4 and 8 for His response to the broken. We KNOW what He thought, and He said it with such gentleness. Might we go and do likewise.