Laura and I were newly married, and we went with her parents out Petersville Road (past Talkeetna) in their old, beat up motor home. Grouse season was open, and I brought along my bow and a few arrows with blunt tips. I shot 'instinctively'- which means with no sights. We saw our first grouse, and over the course of the morning a second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth. With six shots I had six gr...  Read More

Snow is still coming down. It looks like about 10 inches. I washed my truck 2 days ago because the roads were dry. Alaskans always know when they are in a different state because the cars are clean. Here it's common to not be able to tell the paint color through the grime. But the beauty is there. It's underneath. It's hidden from view, but we KNOW it's there. Many of the marginalized people in ou...  Read More

Six inches of fresh snow at my house. We haven't seen this much in a single storm since the end of October. For months I wanted snow and didn't get it. Now I don't want it, and here it comes. Oh, well. I've already been out shoveling and I know the exercise is good for me. No matter how long it takes, I know that spring will come. Once again we will see green leaves bursting forth, and soon after ...  Read More

I enlisted in the infantry without even knowing what infantry was. The recruiter told me that I would be able to choose a job once I got to basic training. My drill sergeants got a good laugh out of that one. One of them said, "Boy, you done chose." Some choices- even big choices- we make in total ignorance. This is how I was spiritually- ignorant. Because of that, I made many choices that were no...  Read More

Psalm 121:1-2 says, "I lift up my eyes to the mountains- where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." In Alaska it is an easy thing to lift up our eyes to the mountains. In much of our state those who do not live ON a mountain live 'at the foot' of a mountain. And these are not the 'friendly mountains' found in some places. Ours are not filled with cof...  Read More

Snow. It's true, I'm disappointed, but it IS only March. For some reason the lack of snow this winter has made me even more ready for Spring. A part of us was made to yearn for the next season- for our most beautiful life- for eternity. It isn't that here and now can't be good- at times it is VERY good. And yet somehow we all know that we were created for something more. We hunger for the PERFECT ...  Read More

For some reason, doing hard things alone is a lot more work than doing them with a good friend. The time seems to pass more swiftly. The tasks seem to be less 'painful.' Our minds can be distracted by good conversation. This is why the word of God says, "Two are better than one." Yesterday I was able to climb a mountain with one of my daughters. Our schedules don't often work out. I enjoy climbing...  Read More

Jesus never married and yet he lived a perfect life. Even so, for the overwhelming number of adults in the world today, being single is a great burden- a source of continuous longing and heartache. You see, except for a tiny number of people (like the Apostle Paul) we were CREATED to be married. God said, "Let us create man in our image, in our likeness." And then God said, "It is not good for the...  Read More

I'm old enough now to look back on a large 'collection' of experiences. I was trying to think if there's been a time in my Christian life when I've ever felt helpless or hopeless. I was by myself  over 40 miles into the mountains with no cell service, laying face down on the tundra with five fractured vertebrae, broken ribs and a crushed foot... but no... I don't remember feeling helpless. I never...  Read More

Yesterday morning on the mountain was even better. The trail up Mount Baldy had more snow and less ice than Bear Mountain. It was 28° and blue skies. Something about the sunshine is good for my soul. As strange as it may seem, I LOVE to climb in the dark, but I love climbing in sunlight even more. Over 100 air miles away, Denali was strikingly clear. Jeremiah 10:12 says, "The Lord made the earth b...  Read More

Yesterday was perfect weather for climbing- 21° and clear. The trail up Bear Mountain was basically sheet ice under a couple inches of snow. Even so, it felt good to be out. Even with crampons I had to step carefully going up and even more carefully coming down. Choosing our steps carefully is one of the great secrets of successful people. When Christ is at the center of everything- when honoring ...  Read More

By the 2nd month our pattern was established- 5 AM climbing Bear Mountain or 5:30 AM climbing Mount Baldy. On a light week we'd climb three times, on a busy week seven. I was getting stronger. My climbing was getting less painful, but I wasn't losing my extra weight. I was actually consuming more calories now that I was working hard in the early morning. I was becoming more disciplined in one area...  Read More