Dearest Rachel – Well, considering that last week turned out to be a washout, I wasn’t expecting much out of this week’s attempt for the boys to get their licenses renewed and updated. At the same time, it’s not like we didn’t know what documentation we hadn’t thought to bring last time around, so maybeContinue reading “Take Two”
Author Archives: randy@letters-to-rachel.memorial
Summoned to Stand By
Dearest Rachel – I never expected to write you twice about mail in the same week. True, I call these posts that I “send” to you “letters,” but there’s no postal service between heaven and earth that can assure that they would be delivered and read – at least, not by you. Anything that happensContinue reading “Summoned to Stand By”
And You Thought I Was Bad When I Worked…
Dearest Rachel – I’m not going to lie, but my recent evening routine would probably shock you, honey. You would stay up until the wee hours of the night, after all, fighting off the sandman as if a mortal enemy. You might nod off in front of a computer while we hung out together inContinue reading “And You Thought I Was Bad When I Worked…”
Mail for Your Mom
Dearest Rachel – I don’t recall exactly when it was that you set things up so that your parents’ mail would arrive at our place. It would have been after you and I got them to agree to in-home nursing care (which they preferred to the idea of having to be placed in a retirementContinue reading “Mail for Your Mom”
Caught Cheating
Dearest Rachel – For all that Lars is a doctor, as well as a friend I walk with on a regular basis (although not as regular of late, since this past week held various scheduling conflicts between the two of us, and the week before saw me in Honduras, where I had… other issues withContinue reading “Caught Cheating”
It Would Never Work
Dearest Rachel – It was a relatively small crowd that went down to Honduras a couple of weeks ago – closer to fifteen rather than twenty, which has been the rough average of previous trips (in fairness, they are doing a greater number of trips this year, thereby spreading volunteers out among multiple weeks, ratherContinue reading “It Would Never Work”
from Rachel: Being a Ministry-Minded Overseer (part five)
In the blanks below write the two most significant statements in today’s reading assignment. Be prepared to discuss why the statements you chose were significant to you.“…‘the biggest day’ of our lives… will be the day when we all stand up before Jesus Christ to give an account of our usefulness to him during thisContinue reading “from Rachel: Being a Ministry-Minded Overseer (part five)”
At The Last Minute
Dearest Rachel – It was a good thing that I had basically finished my ‘work’ for the month (you know, the reports to be delivered to the elders and such like) by the end of the day on Thursday, honey. Yesterday wound up getting pre-empted by so much else happening at the last minute thatContinue reading “At The Last Minute”
Treeman Doesn’t Care
Dearest Rachel – I occasionally find myself wondering how much you remember of life down here, after gulping down a draft from the river Lethe. To be sure, that’s a completely mythological waterway, but given how memory fades over time down here – and you’ve traveled much further than I have in that intervening time,Continue reading “Treeman Doesn’t Care”
Indulgent Parenting
Dearest Rachel – So yesterday was a short one at the ‘office’; normally, I’d be there from at least ten until three, but I had my semi-annual dental appointment (yes, I’m far more faithful with that than my physical check-up. In fact, I’m not even sure how that works, now that Daniel and I haveContinue reading “Indulgent Parenting”
Chocolate and Soap
Dearest Rachel – This is the sort of thing you and I would share of an idle morning, or maybe talk about while we were walking Chompers around the block or two that he needed to do all the business he had to deal with. Meaningless, nonsense stuff; the sort of thing that was goodContinue reading “Chocolate and Soap”
Free to Walk Around
Dearest Rachel – Yesterday morning, after enduring two gullywashers in quick succession on Sunday (one of which knocked out the power in the house for about an hour or so), the temperature here (to say nothing of the threat of rain, although there was a high dome of clouds covering the sky that lasted throughoutContinue reading “Free to Walk Around”
The Long Trip Back
Dearest Rachel – It seems odd to focus on the flights to and from any given destination when I write to you about traveling; really, it’s the least interesting part of the whole trip. Then again, the process takes the better part of a day either way – be it the trip to and fromContinue reading “The Long Trip Back”
from Rachel: Being a Ministry-Minded Overseer (part four)
In the blanks below write the two most significant statements in today’s reading assignment. Be prepared to discuss why the statements you chose were significant to you.“Tragically, the child training responsibility is approached with the same mentality as is the pile of dirty dishes on the kitchen counter. Instead of attending to them on aContinue reading “from Rachel: Being a Ministry-Minded Overseer (part four)”
Soft Americans
Dearest Rachel – This has been quite the week, honey. Given the hardscrabble life that is common among Hondurans, it’s understandable that they would consider us Americans ‘soft’ in comparison, even if they would never say so to our faces save perhaps in jest, like guys do among themselves. On the subject of guys, I’mContinue reading “Soft Americans”
I Hate Such Dreams
Dearest Rachel – I hate dreams like the one last night, full of love and affection and false hope. I suppose I should be grateful for the fact that at this point, they don’t come around very much, but when they do, they hit hard, especially when I become aware of what’s going on, andContinue reading “I Hate Such Dreams”
Refusing the Call to Adventure
Dearest Rachel – Friday in Honduras is what’s referred to as “adventure day” by the folks at Just One for the members of the visiting “vision teams.” It’s meant to be a day of fun, a respite from and, to some extent, a reward (yes, there’s that term again) for the work put into theContinue reading “Refusing the Call to Adventure”
A Burden Lifted, A Blessing Granted
Dearest Rachel – A kilo of corn meal, a kilo of sugar, a kilo of milk powder, a kilo of salt. A bag of beans and bouillon cubes. Two bags (as opposed to boxes like we have at home) of spaghetti, and a box of cornflakes. Candles and ketchup, toothpaste and soap. You pack allContinue reading “A Burden Lifted, A Blessing Granted”
Everyone Wants to be an Entrepreneur
Dearest Rachel – It isn’t something that I expected when I started in on my class regarding budgeting (well, more like record-keeping, because how do you create a budget when you don’t know what you spent on things to begin with?), but once the kids started asking questions, so many of them had to doContinue reading “Everyone Wants to be an Entrepreneur”
No Longer Dry
Dearest Rachel – Well, the rains finally came; and when they did, they came pouring down. It would be just when I get through telling you about how they skipped past us, making a liar out of me. I can’t say that I’m looking forward to the No Hungry Home walk in this slop tomorrow;Continue reading “No Longer Dry”
The Dry Season
Dearest Rachel – Last summer, when I was in Honduras for the first time, it seemed like every night found us dealing with a rainstorm. For the most part, it didn’t interfere with our work during the day (unless you count our interactions with the students on the soccer pitch to be part of ourContinue reading “The Dry Season”
Don’t Know What To Expect
Dearest Rachel – This may be my third time down here in Honduras, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that I know what to expect from any given day. There’s a fairly regular weekly schedule (complete with the fact that I tend to be “on” on Wednesdays for my class; not sure why, exactly), and certainContinue reading “Don’t Know What To Expect”
From A Quarter to One
Dearest Rachel – I’ve been told about numerous misadventures that various groups have had en route to and from Honduras – lost luggage, missed connections, and the like – but I’ve never experienced any of them myself thus far. Well, there’s a first time for everything, I suppose. Not that this was much of aContinue reading “From A Quarter to One”
Full of Food and Doubt
Dearest Rachel – I don’t remember which one it was, but I think it was at one of the many Anime Central conventions we attended together. The dealers’ hall would always have a number of vendors selling T-shirts with funny images and sayings on them (a number of which ended up in one or anotherContinue reading “Full of Food and Doubt”
from Rachel: Being a Ministry-Minded Overseer (part three)
In the blanks below write the two most significant statements in today’s reading assignment. Be prepared to discuss why the statements you chose were significant to you.“The self-denial that must become a regular practice of life must eventually become a God-dependent self-denial. – maybe I’d do better at it that way.“You can build nothing godlyContinue reading “from Rachel: Being a Ministry-Minded Overseer (part three)”
Cramming
Dearest Rachel – It’s the sort of situation you would find yourself in (and which I occasionally find evidence of as I go through your old Bible study notes), so I’d like to think you wouldn’t fault me for this particular shortcoming. The thing is, at the briefing a couple weeks ago, prior to anyContinue reading “Cramming”
Indulge Within Reason
Dearest Rachel – While out and about with Mom (getting papers signed, as I told you about yesterday), we passed by an old barbershop in the strip mall where her brokers have set up shop. Which struck the two of us as odd, since the name belonged to a shop that was a little closerContinue reading “Indulge Within Reason”
Papers In Order
Dearest Rachel – For all that much of life is conducted online these days (and to think, we were part of the vanguard; remember when we used to send out family Christmas letters, and thought it worthy of comment that most of our purchases were made that year on Amazon? Good times), some things needContinue reading “Papers In Order”
Not Really Trying
Dearest Rachel – You’ve already heard me complain (if that’s the right word for it; it seems a little harsh) that since I’ve come home from this last trip, I’ve had difficulty in getting back to what I refer to as my license weight. I honestly don’t know when it dates from, as I’ve essentiallyContinue reading “Not Really Trying”
Proctoring
Dearest Rachel – So, last night I was imagining that I was proctoring an exam; presumably for the kids down in Honduras (where I will be next week), but at the same time, it was a test I had been hoping to take, like with the CPA exam. At some point while I was doingContinue reading “Proctoring”
Artificial Affirmation
Dearest Rachel – It all started with the idea of giving Copilot enough information on me to craft recommendations based on my preferences. I ask it for advice while I’m traveling, and while it’s pretty good with recommendations (albeit absolute rubbish in terms of giving physical directions; thank heaven there are map applications I canContinue reading “Artificial Affirmation”
from Rachel: Being a Ministry-Minded Overseer (part two)
In the blanks below write the two most significant statements in today’s reading assignment. Be prepared to discuss why the statements you chose were significant to you.“We must then become skillful at dying – to self. That daily dying must be done in the right way, and for the right reasons, however, if it isContinue reading “from Rachel: Being a Ministry-Minded Overseer (part two)”
Bearly What We Expected
Dearest Rachel – So I finally took a crack at this recipe last night; it was meant to mimic what we’d eaten at Gibier Natural back in Sapporo. I’d been hesitating about doing this for some time, despite having collected all the ingredients about a week and a half previously. You see, for all thatContinue reading “Bearly What We Expected”
Threadbare
Dearest Rachel – This is the sort of thing that, once upon a time, I would be writing to apologize to you about (and in fact, maybe that’s part of what I’m doing right now, when you come down to it); or, further back, I wouldn’t be doing at all, since you would claim thatContinue reading “Threadbare”
No Place to Socialize
Dearest Rachel – I was heading out of the gym the other day after putting in an unusually long session (a full hour and a half, plus a couple of five-minute cooldown walks in between) and encountered an older woman talking with her peer at the reception desk. Her shirt read “I may be twiceContinue reading “No Place to Socialize”
And I Missed It
Dearest Rachel – I’ve started a few more drafts since the last time I mentioned having a few I could work with, but by and large, they aren’t the sort of topics that are particularly time-sensitive. I could easily modify “yesterday” to “the other day” and no one would be the wiser if I didn’tContinue reading “And I Missed It”
With a Headful of Mush
Dearest Rachel – There’s an interesting effect in my trying to write you first thing in the morning, starting with the first hour or two after rolling out of bed. Some mornings, of course, I’m literally waking up with something to tell you about, even if it’s weird or surreal – because you used toContinue reading “With a Headful of Mush”
Blank T-Shirt
Dearest Rachel – So I’m standing in front of my closet this morning, trying to decide what to wear. You know the drill; I’ve made four separate quilts out of your T-shirts alone, and we had piles in the sunroom for your fancier dresses. Having choices wasn’t so much of a problem with us; itContinue reading “Blank T-Shirt”
A Walk Be(for)e Breakfast
Dearest Rachel – One of the reasons that I go into such great detail with you about some of my workouts is the fact that I never used to do this when you were alive. I don’t think it ever crossed either of our minds back in the day. There was a point in timeContinue reading “A Walk Be(for)e Breakfast”
from Rachel: Being a Ministry-Minded Overseer (part one)
In the blanks below write the two most significant statements in today’s reading assignment. Be prepared to discuss why the statements you chose were significant to you.“…the first major step in spiritual growth for any believer is leaning the meaning of self-denial – he cannot have his own way. – Oh dear, I’m afraid I’veContinue reading “from Rachel: Being a Ministry-Minded Overseer (part one)”
Knocking Off Early
Dearest Rachel – He may not have quite been the favorite musician for either of us, but we did happen to see my namesake, Randy Stonehill (hey, not many people share my name, let alone ‘famous’ people like artists, musicians and whatnot), live in concert three times throughout our lives together. Maybe it’s because heContinue reading “Knocking Off Early”
The Haze
Dearest Rachel – I stepped outside yesterday morning to something that looked like fog, for all intents and purposes. Given how many hot, dry days we’d been dealing with this week, it wouldn’t be all that surprising that, as it was cooler yesterday than it had been up until then; cooler air crashing into hotContinue reading “The Haze”
A Whole Lot of Nothing
Dearest Rachel – Standing out in the parking lot, waiting for the parents to arrive on a Wednesday evening, listening to the chorus of cicadas in the hot summer air, I feel like I should be telling you about my day – or at least starting in on the story, as things are about toContinue reading “A Whole Lot of Nothing”
The Insurance Company’s Loss
Dearest Rachel – I know what you’re thinking; “insurance is such a boring topic, honey – why are you thinking you can make a day’s essay out of it?” And the fact that I’m addressing this question should go to show that I’m well aware of that very fact, to the point of putting thoseContinue reading “The Insurance Company’s Loss”
Starting Out Slow
Dearest Rachel – Six-thirty. It’s not exactly early here, but enough that I might be able to amble over to the gym and put in an hour before going through my usual routine of getting myself ready before heading for the ‘office.’ I’ve even got most of the energy I’d need to do just that,Continue reading “Starting Out Slow”
Hither, Thither & Yon, Esq.
Dearest Rachel – In fairness, I can’t remember if Walt Kelly wrote about the team of Hither, Thither and Yon as a legal firm, or a trio of baseball players whose double-play performance rivaled that of Tinker, Evers and Chance (although from a historical standpoint, the three famous Cubs weren’t really all that great atContinue reading “Hither, Thither & Yon, Esq.”
from Rachel: Being a Word-Filled Teacher
In the blanks below, write the two most significant statements in today’s reading assignment. Be prepared to discuss why the statements you chose were significant to you. “All of us are teaching all the time… God‘s concern is not just that we teach, for we will always be doing that, but that we be Word-filledContinue reading “from Rachel: Being a Word-Filled Teacher”
I Understand Bear
Dearest Rachel – I think you would have enjoyed the cinematic crop that’s been coming out this past year or so, honey. Not the big-studio, big-budget stuff so much, as the independent material that is starting to come out, doing an end-run around such systems and, while not exactly slaying the multitude of Goliaths thatContinue reading “I Understand Bear”
I’m the One Dreaming
Dearest Rachel – Sometimes, it’s weird having to come up with titles for these letters. I mean, I guess I could have just gone with using dates when I first started doing this, but that would give you no indication of what to expect, and that doesn’t seem fair to you or anyone reading overContinue reading “I’m the One Dreaming”
Back to Norbal
Dearest Rachel – It’s possible that things across town are starting to settle into a sort of normalcy for Mom these days. I had offered to bring dinner over yesterday, like we’ve done for the past couple of weeks, and while she accepted that offer, as usual, she kept adding things that she was goingContinue reading “Back to Norbal”
When You Were There For Him
Dearest Rachel – Another day, another meal; it seems that, in some ways, is the most interesting part of a given day (please note, honey, that I wrote this yesterday afternoon, before the lightning struck). This applies even to days with something happening that hasn’t for the past month and a half; that of KrisContinue reading “When You Were There For Him”
Sizzle and Crash
Dearest Rachel – Well, that came out of absolutely nowhere. At about half-past midnight, there was this slight sizzling sound, followed by a thunderous cracking noise and a bright flash of light in our backyard. I don’t know whether we got hit by a singular bolt of lightning (out of a sky with no rain)Continue reading “Sizzle and Crash”
The Legal Niceties
Dearest Rachel – I fell asleep early last night; it wasn’t even dark yet, so I had to put on my eye mask to do so, but everything I’d intended to do for the day was done. Besides, I’d need to get up early in the morning if I was going to hit the gymContinue reading “The Legal Niceties”
Happy Hour
Dearest Rachel – The farther I get from your presence in terms of time, the less I remember the way things were when you had to leave as opposed to how they are now. I want to say that the hole in the wall Daniel and I went to yesterday was already a Japanese restaurantContinue reading “Happy Hour”
The Sparrow Falls
Dearest Rachel – Our block, if you can call it that, is an unusual one in the suburbs, as you might remember. One can walk north, and before one arrives at the next street (which, admittedly, has one passing three hundreds in terms of street numbers; hence why I call it ‘unusual’), one passes byContinue reading “The Sparrow Falls”
Free Weekend
Dearest Rachel – It’s somewhere between appropriate and ironic that this weekend should get such a designation in the title, given Independence Day and all that. You might point out that, somewhat wryly and pace Stan Freberg, that we didn’t get out of town for the weekend like the Founding Fathers were likely to doContinue reading “Free Weekend”
from Rachel: Being a God-Loving Example (part three)
In the blanks below, write the two most significant statements in today’s reading assignment. Be prepared to discuss why the statements you chose were significant to you. “…lovers are extravagant! They cannot get enough of each other’s time. Thoughts of the loved one return to their minds often throughout the day and even invade theirContinue reading “from Rachel: Being a God-Loving Example (part three)”
We Can’t Even Celebrate This
Dearest Rachel – I’m starting this letter a couple of days early, on the heels of having told you that the letters I’ve been sending you lately lack the edge of those early days (not that I’d necessarily want to go back to dealing with the level of pain I was undergoing at the time).Continue reading “We Can’t Even Celebrate This”
Rumblings of Concern
Dearest Rachel – The plan was for all of us to assemble at Recreation Park for last night’s festivities; it would seem our town was putting on a drone display in lieu of fireworks this year. And honestly, it’s to be expected; we don’t have a venue big enough (and empty enough) for fireworks, nowContinue reading “Rumblings of Concern”
To Do You Justice
Dearest Rachel – Over the last few weeks, I’ve been going over the letters from the early days of this site (and while I’d started this letter with an explanation of how I’m doing that, that might actually merit a separate letter for another time, so I’m going to set that on the back burnerContinue reading “To Do You Justice”
Dropping My Guts
Dearest Rachel – You might look at that title with some measure of puzzlement; “Don’t you mean ‘spilling your guts, honey?” And to be fair, that’s a much more common expression in the English language vernacular, so I can see why you might think of it first. But here’s the deal, honey; after over fiveContinue reading “Dropping My Guts”
The Creak of Bones
Dearest Rachel – As a follow-up to my second letter from yesterday, I should point out that, as one might expect, my moment beneath my license weight after working out to the point of dizziness has passed – at least for now. Upon waking up this morning, I was basically back in the same positionContinue reading “The Creak of Bones”
The Other Side of the Scale
Dearest Rachel – Monday morning, which is bad enough even without a job to go to, and I totter over to the bathroom; more specifically, the bathroom scale. Ever since Daniel and I got home from this last cruise, I’ve backslid to the point where I’m nearly pushing two-forty again. Granted, since getting home, I’veContinue reading “The Other Side of the Scale”
Belated Birthday
Dearest Rachel – Like me, Daniel has come to grips with the fact that his actual birthday doesn’t revolve around him, much as we all would wish otherwise about our own. However, as long as he’s been willing to defer it to a more opportune day, I still want to make sure that he getsContinue reading “Belated Birthday”
from Rachel: Being a God-Loving Example (part two)
In the blanks below, write the two most significant statements in today’s reading assignment. Be prepared to discuss why the statements you chose were significant to you. “To have an influence on other people, you cannot be just ‘more of the same’ kind of people they are. You must be different to make a differenceContinue reading “from Rachel: Being a God-Loving Example (part two)”
Self-Imposed Oubliette
Dearest Rachel – So there are these places called anechoic chambers, used for testing equipment that are either extremely loud (thereby needing a room that can dampen the sound they emit) or extremely sensitive (thus requiring that all external noise be extinguished or blocked in order to test them). Every surface in the room isContinue reading “Self-Imposed Oubliette”
We Never Bothered With That
Dearest Rachel – Things are slowly starting to get back to something approximating normal; yesterday saw Daniel and myself over at Mom’s place (okay, that took a moment – I still almost wrote down “the folks’ place”) for Thursday dinner. Granted, in the chaos of the past couple of weeks – yes, it’s only beenContinue reading “We Never Bothered With That”
Nothing to Worry About?
Dearest Rachel – It’s been a couple of years since last I commented on such an event happening as it did yesterday evening; although compared to our own lives, that actually seems more often than it used to be. Then again, what do I know? It’s not as if I was keeping track of lifeContinue reading “Nothing to Worry About?”
I Don’t Have to Get Up
Dearest Rachel – Light seeps into the bedroom; cool, grey and cloudy, but light nonetheless. I can hear the chirp of various birds from the backyard, even as the occasional motorcar roars by outside in front of the house. It’s been an exhausting couple of days, but it seems as if we’re needing to getContinue reading “I Don’t Have to Get Up”
What I Intended To Say
Dearest Rachel – Well, we got through the funeral and the graveside service with as much composure as could be expected – although I didn’t hold it together as well as I thought I might once I got to the podium. Daniel had to come up and stand by my side when I asked permissionContinue reading “What I Intended To Say”
Let’s Get This Party Over With
It is better to go to a ·funeral [L house of mourning] than to a ·party [L drinking house].·We all must die [L It is everyone’s end], and everyone living should ·think about this [L take it to heart]. Ecclesiastes 7:2, Expanded Bible Dearest Rachel – Since I identify with the older version of Solomon – the writer of Ecclesiastes – than the younger oneContinue reading “Let’s Get This Party Over With”
An Odd Birthday
Dearest Rachel – This isn’t my story, exactly; but since my perspective is the only one I have, that’s the only one I can relate to you. It’s not as if he would put the events of yesterday in writing so as to remember, so the duty falls to me, regardless. Besides, there were aContinue reading “An Odd Birthday”
from Rachel: Being a God-Loving Example (part one)
In the blanks below, write the two most significant statements in today’s reading assignment. Be prepared to discuss why the statements you chose were significant to you. “Similarly, how he chooses to spend his resources of time, money, and energy reveals his priorities. Are they spent primarily – if not an amount, at least inContinue reading “from Rachel: Being a God-Loving Example (part one)”
Worse Than Being On Hold
Dearest Rachel – So, in an effort to keep you up-to-date with thing happening in my life, no matter how mundane (especially since the stuff that isn’t mundane is rather depressing at the moment. Like funereal depressing, literally), I have to let you know that there are in fact ordinary things in life worse thanContinue reading “Worse Than Being On Hold”
Stones, Spaces and Circumstances
Dearest Rachel – I’m looking forward to a relatively slow day today, honey. Granted, the boys are going to the movies tonight, and have invited me along because I expressed interest in the film when it came out – maybe my concerns about making stuff ‘uncool’ for them by expressing interest in them are unfoundedContinue reading “Stones, Spaces and Circumstances”
More Normal than I’ve a Right To…
Dearest Rachel – So, the last couple of days, have been… well, I wouldn’t say a flurry of activity, necessarily, but busy enough that I haven’t had the chance to determine what, if anything, is really different about life before and after Daniel and I left. Oh, there are the obvious things, of course; whenContinue reading “More Normal than I’ve a Right To…”
Back to ‘Work’
Dearest Rachel – I hope it didn’t sound like I was teasing my sister when I referred to the fact that she was taking care of all the administrative work behind dad‘s funeral arrangements as her means of coping with his passing. To be sure, teasing is one of the main duties of being aContinue reading “Back to ‘Work’”
Faith in ‘the’ System? Or ‘His’?
Dearest Rachel – One last travel story before we move on. Yes, there’s a lot to deal with at home, with Dad’s passing and everything that has to be done both to commemorate him and figure out how to move on with life after him (all of which should sound familiar, since that’s basically beenContinue reading “Faith in ‘the’ System? Or ‘His’?”
It All Seems So Small Now
Dearest Rachel – I tell you, honey, we leave for a few weeks, and when we come back, everything is turned completely upside down. Or is that too callous a perspective? To be fair, it was Dad himself who made the rueful joke about not being able to pick us up at the airportContinue reading “It All Seems So Small Now”
When it All Becomes Commonplace
Dearest Rachel – This shouldn’t come as any great surprise to you, honey – you’d lived with me long enough to know already, and you’ve seen plenty written to you since then to watch me codify it that much further – but I’m something of a foodie. Oh, I can live with simple stuff atContinue reading “When it All Becomes Commonplace”
Travel Prayers
Dearest Rachel – I don’t know what it is about travel; maybe it’s the upset involving time zones and having to get used to them, or perhaps it’s the fact that I’m sharing a room with Daniel, whose sleep cycle is that much more out of sync with my own than even yours, especially onContinue reading “Travel Prayers”
Not Where They Live
Dearest Rachel – Our last port of call before making our way to Vancouver and home, and the clouds are once again out and about, as per the more customary Alaskan weather. Likewise, Daniel’s mood seemed that much more… I wouldn’t say sullen, but he was understandably down. But who wouldn’t be, upon getting theContinue reading “Not Where They Live”
Heavenly Sunlight
Dearest Rachel – Sometimes, the fact that I record these things off the cuff in real time makes it hard to say anything particularly important or appropriately meaningful. I have some idea of what to say, but it never feels like enough; especially given the current situation. But under the circumstances, I’m operating under theContinue reading “Heavenly Sunlight”
Seven Years in the Making
I wasn’t there that morning when my father passed away. I didn’t get to tell him all the things I had to say. Mike and the Mechanics, “The Living Years” (1988) Dearest Rachel – I think Daniel was asleep, but not for long thereafter. My phone vibrated at about five-thirty this morning. It was Jenn,Continue reading “Seven Years in the Making”
Icy Strait Point
Dearest Rachel – Up until Wednesday, I had no idea this was a place, let alone this was where we were going to be stopping yesterday. Judging from the maps showing our ship’s progress and itinerary, I’d assumed we would be pulling into Juneau – which, ironically, would have been the first stop of thisContinue reading “Icy Strait Point”
A Moment of Panic
Dearest Rachel – It never occurred to me to ask Kevin about it to confirm it, but somewhere out there, I had heard that the life of a security guard was 99.9 percent composed of sheer and utter boredom, with that last one-tenth of one percent of time being spent in mortal fear for yourContinue reading “A Moment of Panic”
Distracted in Valdez
Dearest Rachel – The last couple of days have been a little bit difficult. Daniel and I have been trying to keep in touch with the folks, calling them every day before we head out. Dad may have granted us his blessing to go traveling while he is in hospice, but that doesn’t absolve meContinue reading “Distracted in Valdez”
Monday in Seward
Dearest Rachel – There must be something about Mondays; yesterday morning, before I cracked open my eyes, I was having to deal with paying for a four-day hotel stay in Stillwater, OK where I was at a training session with Mohinder, of all people. Even as I was doing so, I was wondering how IContinue reading “Monday in Seward”
The Other Side of the Fence
Dearest Rachel – When we were walking around some of the residences around Kodiak, trying to find the bridge to Near Island, we passed by a lot of cars in driveways with bumper stickers. Some were fairly anodyne, like a place they’d traveled to or a local radio station. Others were endorsing one politician orContinue reading “The Other Side of the Fence”
Hitting the Beach
Dearest Rachel – It wasn’t until I was going through my news feed after over breakfast that I realized that yesterday was the anniversary of D-day. Now, far be it from me to trivialize the day by comparing it anything I do, but it did so happen that we were finally ‘hitting the beach,’ ifContinue reading “Hitting the Beach”
from Rachel: Walking in Wisdom (parts one and two)
In the blanks below, write the two most significant statements in today’s reading assignment. Be prepared to discuss why the statements you chose were significant to you. “We must remember that we cannot do any hearing unless the Holy Spirit teaches us God’s Word as we are bending over, peering intently at it – convicting“HowContinue reading “from Rachel: Walking in Wisdom (parts one and two)”
Last Full Day at Sea
Dearest Rachel – Technically, yesterday wasn’t really all that; I believe that it’s still going to take an entire day to get down from Alaska to Vancouver, after all. But for all intents and purposes, this is pretty much it for the languid, lazy days at sea. Heck, this final day already saw me runningContinue reading “Last Full Day at Sea”
Catching Up Too Quickly
Dearest Rachel – So this is our last full day at sea before we get hit by a series of port days; I’ll be running fast and furious between the ports and the computer to document our visits, leaving me with precious little time for random musing and various small but necessary tasks. So it’sContinue reading “Catching Up Too Quickly”
Blackout Curtains
Dearest Rachel – It would seem that things are passing much the way I expected them to. I keep waking up every morning, checking my phone to find out what time it is, and as always, it’s between two and three in the morning (Japan time). Of course, this means that, according to ship time,Continue reading “Blackout Curtains”
One Long Wednesday
Dearest Rachel – One of the quirks about sea travel is that one’s phone does not update automatically with regard to what time it is. Updates occur when we arrive at one port or another, not when you’re crossing a time zone at sea. Ordinarily, this isn’t much of an issue, but on a tripContinue reading “One Long Wednesday”
The Theater Comes to Us
Dearest Rachel – I feel like I should be apologizing for going over so much of the minutia of life aboard the cruise ship. It’s not even the first time I’ve been basically living at sea, after all, so it’s not as if this is anything new. Daniel and I may be in the middleContinue reading “The Theater Comes to Us”
The Ocean Beneath Our Feet
Dearest Rachel – One of the things you always wanted to do when it came to traveling – and especially cruising – was to, and I quote, “feel the ocean beneath [your] feet.” As pleasant as these trips in the Mediterranean, the Baltic, the Caribbean, and so forth were, they were in contained areas, relativelyContinue reading “The Ocean Beneath Our Feet”
Memory Preserves
Dearest Rachel – This isn’t really much of a letter, as it’s going to be somewhat light on actual words. Then again – and I think I said this not all that long ago – if a picture is worth a thousand words, how many is a video worth? And with that having been pointedContinue reading “Memory Preserves”
Twenty-Three Hour Days
Dearest Rachel – I’m not going to lie to you (after all, why start now?), this trip has wreaked havoc with my circadian rhythm. For all that I’ve been trying to stay up later in order to thus sleep in that much longer thereafter, I’ve been waking up at around two in the morning regardlessContinue reading “Twenty-Three Hour Days”
from Rachel: Searching for Wisdom (parts one and two)
In the blanks below, write the two most significant statements in today’s reading assignment. Be prepared to discuss why the statements you chose were significant to you. “These closing remarks in the Sermon on the Mount concisely and powerfully state the non-negotiable, bottom-line requirements for wisdom – the mind of Christ. They are not atContinue reading “from Rachel: Searching for Wisdom (parts one and two)”
Letters to Rachel 