how did you begin?

I met with a man for lunch who asked me to speak at his church. He had a thin white mustache and asked questions to make sure that I believed in Unconditional Election. He knew my grandfather, my dad's dad, who I never met because he had died before I was born. My grandfather was a man who straightened his hair because it was so outrageously curly and preached an unwavering gospel from the pulpit of a church that he built from rough-cut timber. As the conversation got to a meandering start I asked him how he got into "the ministry."
"Well, the first time I asked my wife on a date," came the unexpected start, "She had come into the bank where I was working and I thought she was so pretty that I got her name of the deposit slip and called her. She didn't sound interested in beer, but agreed on cup of coffee. So we went out. On that first date she told me I was going to hell. Ha! She was a real prune. But I guess I was too. So we got married. After noncommittally attending church for awhile I said a quiet prayer that the pastor recited every Sunday. I didn't expect anything to happen, but all of the sudden it did...I have been in full time ministry for over 40 years."

On the subject: my roommate is going on a blind date on Thursday to a restaurant. I think it is funny, but am very proud of him for making the call. I have prepared him with questions and I think he is ready! Ha! In all honesty I have been finding acres of joy in the deepening friendship between my roommates and I. Often in our lives we feel that we must compartmentalize laughing and praying--which is pure poppycock--our apartment has been full of both. The apartment has become a veritable green pasture, with the Puget Sound as my still waters and the Olympic Mountains a small reminder of Zion's grandeur. Zack, Nate, and I hunted our limit of clams last week and are having a informal clam bake tomorrow for dinner and all are welcome to join.

Friday we began to pass out the 200 Coffee Oasis hoodies that we received from Hos Bros. for Christmas. They have been very popular and now you can see kids walking all around the city sporting the same branded sweatshirt.