Come to think of it, canoes are a lot like women. You disrespect one at your own peril.

Good morning,

I pray the day finds you well.

I have decided to get in my canoe and start down the river. Good news, my traveling companion wants to continue this journey with me, which makes me happy. 

Canoes are good modes of transportation, they can feel a bit tippy at first but once you get the hang of it, you find that canoes are a lot more stable than they first feel. This doesn't mean a canoe won't dump you in a river if you aren't careful, or don't treat it with respect. I have disrespected more than one canoe in my life only to find myself floating in the water. 

Come to think of it, canoes are a lot like women. You disrespect one at your own peril. 

You disrespect a guy and you could get hit in the mouth. You disrespect a woman and you may think you got away with it, only to find when you least expect it, they dump you in a river. 

Yep, my canoe is a lot like a woman. I disrespected my canoe once just trying to get into it and right there in front of a group of people it threw me into the river. There was a bit of chuckling going on, not by me, but by the people on the shore, and I think I even heard some from my canoe. 

But if you respect your canoe, it will respect you and it will get you where you need to go. 

As I was getting my canoe ready for the trip I got to thinking. 

Evidently, I am quite popular.

Sunday morning, Laurie and I parked in what was at the time an empty parking lot to go to church. When I came out of church, the parking lot had become quite crowded.

At least it was next to my car.

Just in case you don't get the full picture, here is another angle.

Yep, people just like me!

Laurie says I am like a magnet, people are just drawn to me.

She said that right before she pushed me into the river. 

When I saw this I laughed. 

When I showed it to people and said that I had to get Laurie to crawl into the car to get it out they said, "Why do think this is funny?"

I guess the only answer I can give is, "It is not the challenge that defines you, it is your response."

I wonder what challenge I will have today? I also wonder if my response will be appropriate?

Do you ever ponder such things?

Blessings,

Roger

The river is therapeutic, and paddling is cathartic.

Good morning,

I pray the day finds you well.

I am getting tired of walking, not the physical tiredness that I get from working hard, but the, "This is getting old" kind of tired. I am thinking that I want to continue my journey in another way. 

I have been walking close to a river for a while now, and I am the owner of a canoe. I am thinking that I will put the canoe in the water and go for a paddle. 

I like canoeing, and so does my traveling companion. 

Some of the best conversations happen in a canoe. I don't know what it is that brings these conversations out, but they tend to come out while we are paddling our canoe. Maybe it is the calmness of the water or the quietness of the river, or maybe it is that life is happening all around us, we just have to have our eyes and ears open to see it.

In a canoe you can sit silently for a long time lost in your thoughts. You can watch intently as an eagle soars above. If you are lucky you can watch a beaver build something or an otter play. 

You can watch life happen in a canoe. 

One of the things I enjoy most is the act of paddling.  Paddling a canoe is an art, one that I am not sure I will ever completely master. There are a myriad of paddle strokes that can be used. The one that comes to everyone's mind is the simple forward paddle stroke. 

Anyone who has ever paddled a canoe quickly finds out that if you just paddle straight forward the canoe will just go in a big circle. Most people get frustrated and eventually quit canoeing, but there are other strokes that correct this canoe behavior. 

There are strokes to make you go straight. There are strokes to make you go forward. There are strokes to make you go backward. There are strokes to make you go sideways. 

I never get bored paddling. In fact, when I bring someone with me, I don't even care if they paddle. I like having them along because I enjoy their company and the conversation, not to help me paddle. 

The river is therapeutic, and paddling is cathartic. 

I wonder if my traveling companion will get in the canoe with me or will I canoe alone? I hope my companion comes with me, but it is not up to me. I do enjoy the company and the conversation. 

What part of life's journey are you on?  

Are you still in the mud? 

Are you on dry ground?

Are you traveling with a companion?

Are you traveling alone?

Are you on the water?

Something to ponder.

Blessings,

Roger

Somehow I get strength in my weakness. It makes me want to read 2 Corinthians again.

Good morning,

I pray the day finds you well.

I am in a great mood this morning, I don't really know why but I am. My eyes popped open before the alarm and I got out of bed and I am happy, and I don't know why.

Nothing in my life has changed, per se. I didn't win the lottery (I really don't think that would make me happy anyway, it might for some people, but I doubt I would be any happier), I haven't bought a ticket in God knows when. No, really, God does know when, but I can't remember. I didn't get promoted. I am not sure how you get promoted once you become the "Other duties as assigned" guy. 

I just feel good, and feeling good makes me happy. 

I took a look at my boots and there is still mud on them, it is old and caked, kind of flaky but it never really goes away. I am getting used to the fact that I wear muddy boots.  People have looked at my boots and said, "You have muddy boots." and I have replied, "Yes, I do." 

Some people are surprised that I would have muddy boots.

They say, "I can't believe you have muddy boots!"

I reply, "Why is that so hard to believe?"

They say, "You're an ordained minister, how can you have muddy boots?"

I reply, "Ordained ministers have some of the muddiest boots there are."

They look at me in disbelief. I guess they went to one of those plastic smile churches. 

My boots are muddy, my life is transparent. I am vulnerable, and I am weak. 

Somehow I get strength in my weakness. It makes me want to read 2 Corinthians again.  

I will go to the "Y" today and love people. If they ask me how I am doing, I will tell them. If they don't, ok. 

I will listen the best that I can. I won't try to fix, mostly because I can't fix what is broken in them, that is God's work, not mine. I will walk beside them, and hold them up when they feel they cannot go on. 

I will rejoice with the rejoicing and mourn with the mourning. 

Today will be a good day!

Blessings,

Roger

I gave a pastor a ride to his car, I wouldn't recommend doing that!

Good morning,
I pray the day finds you well.

I am still out in open country, I cannot get the visual of my dog running away out of my head. He wasn't really running away, he was chasing a bird, but hey it was funny either way.

My buddy Matt (yes, he is that pastor I am talking about) asked if I could give him a ride to his 30+year-old Bronco II, it was at the shop. 

Actually, it went more like this.

Every Tuesday morning Matt and a bunch of guys play basketball at the Y. They had finished and he stopped by my office. He just wanted to say hi and to smell the place up a bit, He was sweaty from playing basketball. 

Matt, "Hi Roger."

Roger, "Hi Matt"

Matt, "What are you doing?"

Roger, "Holding my breath"

Matt, "Why?"

Roger, "You stink, go take a shower and let's get a coffee."

Matt, "Ok" and leaves.

Matt comes back a few minutes later, freshly showered.

Roger, "I need a coffee, let's go."

Matt, "Ok, but first can we get my Bronco?"

Roger, "Sure."

This is where being present in the moment changes the day. I call it God's calendar versus my Calendar.

We got in my car and drive to the shop, did I mention his Bronco was 30+ years old? 

We got his Bronco, but now has another dilemma, if I just take him back to the Y he will have two cars at the Y. 

Roger, "Let's just take your Bronco home and then get coffee so you won't have two cars at the Y."

Matt, "Ok" Man of many words, that Matt is.

So I follow Matt home. He parks the car and jumps in mine. 

Matt, "I want to take you to a special coffee place, I know you will be thinking I am taking you on a wild goose chase, but trust me.  

So Matt directed me through this meandering journey to his "special" coffee place, and we began to talk, and not about the weather.

We got the coffee, it was pretty good for a cup of mud. 

We were in the middle of what I like to call a crucial conversation and decided to just drive and talk until our next appointment which was at 9:30 am, it was currently around 8:15 am. 

We talked about life.

We talked about death.

We talked about all the stuff in between. 

We talked about the future.

We talked about the past.

We remained in the here and now.

Time went by pretty quickly. We got done and to our next appointments on time.

I guess we both need someone to talk to, and we were lucky enough to be present enough to realize it.

Are you being present to the moment? Something to ponder.

Blessings,

Roger

The Big Paddle

 Good morning,

I pray the day finds you well.

We had another big event weekend, and this is how it started.

Darryl, "Calendar, now, must, event!" 

Roger, "I totally agree!"

Now if you are wondering what this was, you are not alone. I have become very fluent in the Bigfoot language, with all of its dialects and idioms. 

Daryll and I were at Corp Thursday, yes, we drove in Daryll's midlife crisis Porsche that has a Golf logo on the front. Only one "It's on your side," happened that day. 

Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor, "I signed us up for a golf tourney in Oregon City."

Daryll, "So..."

Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor, "I need you to be at one of the holes that we sponsored and Wow the golfers."

I laughed, Wowing, is not one of Daryll's or my best traits."

I said that I already had an event I was prepping for so Daryll you are on your own.

Friday morning rolls around, I am in Daryll's office.

Esmerelda comes in.

Esmerelda, "Have you seen the event swag tub?"

Darryl, "I took it to East last night for the Golf tourney."

Esmerelda, "What!!!! I have an event this morning at Evergreen School District and need that tub."

Darryl, "Huh."

I looked at them, decided I was better off elsewhere, and left the office.

I walked back to my office and there was Wonder Woman. 

Wonder Woman, "Can I have the keys to the bus, I need the bus for a school event this evening."

Me, "Yes, as long as it is back in the locked storage facility by 7 am tomorrow morning, so I can get it to Ridgefield.

Wonder Woman, "I can do that." She looked stressed.

I asked, "What is going on?"

Wonder Woman, "The School is putting on an event and has the "Y" being part of it and they forgot to tell me!"

I said, "I guess it is cool that we are getting so engrained into the community that they are including us naturally without us asking or them checking to see if it is ok."

Woman Woman, "Yes, but I had to cancel a bunch of stuff just to make it happen." 

I said, "Do you want me to go?"

Wonder Woman, "Thank you, but no, you have your event in the morning. I will have the bus back in place and text you when it is done so you won't stress about it."

I guess she knows me.

I watch Esmerelda go into her office.

I go back to Darryl's office.

Darryl, "Calendar, now, must, event!"

Darryl was saying we need an event calendar so we aren't going through this again. 

I said, "I agree." And then went on to say, "The calendar would not have helped in this case, since two of the events came upon us unknown and we just need to make things happen."

I gave him a Jack Links Beef Jerky, it seemed to calm him down a bit.

11 pm, I get a text from Wonder Woman that the bus was safe and sound and the keys were on my desk.

5 am the alarm goes off, and Laurie hits me on the head, I get out of bed.

I go to the office, get the keys, go get the bus, drop off my car, and am in Ridgefield at 8 am. 

You say, "Wait a minute it doesn't take 3 hours to go to the Y, get the bus, and then drive to Ridgefield."

True enough for most people, but this was my morning.

5 am the alarm goes off, Laurie hits me on the head and I get out of bed.

• I stumble through the dark bedroom, hit my big toe on the door jam, and yell ouch. Laurie yells be quiet!
• I go to the kitchen and make my coffee.
• I turn on the news to see the weather.
• I wait impatiently for the coffee to finish.
• I drink my coffee.
• I go to the bathroom (I have socks that explain this process).
• I take a shower.
• I brush my teeth.
• I get dressed.
• I make another cup of coffee for the road.
• I go to the car and realize I forgot my backpack.
• I go back into the house and get my backpack.
• I go back to the car, just to realize I forgot my coffee.
• I go back into the house and get my coffee. 
• I go back to the car, get in, and buckle my seatbelt only to realize I don't have the key.
• I go back into the house and get the key.
• I go back to the car, get in put it in reverse, back out to the road, put it in drive, I look down (I am glad that I did) and see I forgot to put pants on (I am also glad I live in the country). 
• I drive the car back into the driveway and park the car and go into the house and put pants on!
• I go back to the car, get in, buckle my seatbelt, and leave.

Now you know why I got up at 5 am.

I got set up at "The Big Paddle" an event in Ridgefield where all these kayakers and canoe people come and paddle the Lake River, dance, eat, and generally have a great time. 

Padme got us into the event, and we had quite the crowd. Everyone wanted to know where Padme was.

It appears she is very popular in Ridgefield. 

Archibald was with me and we were doing safety around water experiences. 

Laurie showed up and started doing her "sales" thing and the next thing you knew we were overrun with kids and moms. I was busy handing out summer camp flyers, and talking about the "Y."

Laurie is a very good salesperson. 

Darryl brought his handler with him, Claire. She was keeping him under control. 

We watched Laurie do her thing, it was fun to watch.

We even found a Membership Director for Padme. The only problem was she is just 3 years old. She was running around getting kids to come to stick their hands in cold water and play with Legos. She even diligently dried off the Legos with Archibald's towel. She then threw them back into the tub of water, but the intent was still there.

It was a great event, by the time I got home I was pooped, well not pooped, I better find another word. Exhausted comes to mind. An introvert doing extravert things tends to tire one out. 

The Friday events went very well. 

The Saturday event was a big hit. 

I wonder what next weekend will bring?

Do you ever have weekends like this?

Something to ponder.

Blessings,

Roger

Rhapsody Church, the church at the "Y."

Good morning,

I pray the day finds you well.

I had a person say to me, "How do I know if I am a muddy boots person and not a fancy shoe person?"

I felt like saying, "You would know if you're a muddy boots person." But that just seemed impersonal and contrite.

I directed them to this video instead.  

Jelly Roll - Son of a Sinner

If you relate to this video, you are a muddy boots person. If not, well, then you're not.

Oh, this song sounds so familiar, my wife cried when she heard it. 

She said, "Promise me you're not there anymore."

I said, "I promise I am not there. And, yet I still am. I'm not looking for ways to get gone anymore, but I'm still a long-haired son of a sinner.)

 But, I know there are people who are and they need a friend."

The part of the song that says:

Talk to God and tell him what I think

At first, He's gonna hate me

But eventually, He'll save me

I had to get pretty desperate to come so clean and vulnerable to Him that I would risk His hate. Hoping all the while that eventually, He would save me.

That is a tough place to be. 

I found that God never hated me. No, it was only me that hated me. 

Do you know what I love about this song? It is so real, so vulnerable, so relatable. 

Do you know what I despise about the American church? It is so fake, so dangerous, so unrelatable. 

I watch muddy boots people step way out of their comfort zone, many times in a last-ditch effort to find God, desperate hurting people, and they are confronted with plastic smiles, ultra-spirituality, people in the pulpit acting as if they have it all together, and if you just act more like me God will love you. 

And then, there I am having conversations with broken, hurt people about how bad Christ is and how they no longer call themselves Christians. 

All I have to say is, "The same things that pisses you off about church pisses me off too."

If the colorful language upsets you, oh well, there is just no other way for me to say it.

Here is a shameless plug. 

Rhapsody Church, the church at the "Y."

If you find yourself in Vancouver Washington on a Sunday morning at 10 am, come on in. 

You won't find plastic smiles.

You won't find ultra-spirituality.

You won't find people up front (we don't have a pulpit, we have a rug though!) acting as if they have it all together.

You will find real, open, authentic people all working through their stuff in community with each other and God is loving on them, and they are loving on God. 

You will see people crying.

You will hear people laughing.

You will see a person get up from their chair (Yes, we use chairs, not pews), walk over to someone, sit down and put their arm around them and hold them while they cry. 

That is the church you will walk into if you ever find yourself in Vancouver, Washington at 10 am on a Sunday morning. 

And if you think I am plugging myself, you're wrong. I am not the pastor, just a long-haired son of a sinner sitting in a chair, sometimes laughing, many times crying, occasionally getting up, walking over to someone else, putting my arms around them, and holding them while they cry. 

Hopefully, I will see you there.

Blessings,

Roger

Muddy boots peeps got more to worry about than how a person laments to God.

Good morning,

I pray the day finds you well.

Being in open country is a vulnerable place to be.

I know a thing or two about open country, I grew up in Kansas. Kansas is open country, not many trees, not many hills, in fact not many of anything. 

Kansas is so flat that I once watched my dog run away from home for three days!

In open country, there is no place to hide. 

I am in open country, and I can look as far into the future as I want. I can look as far into the past as I want.

I am intentionally staying present in the moment, but this has its realizations too. 

I have to apologize to God.

The song, "Need a Favor" by Jelly Roll comes to mind. 

I only talk to God, when I need a favor

And I only pray when I ain't got a prayer

So who am I, who am I to expect a savior, oh

If I only talk to God when I need a favor?

But, God, I need a favor

Jelly Roll

I cleaned it up a bit, there was a cuss word in there, which I know God is bigger than being offended over, but there might be a fancy shoe person that will. Muddy boots peeps got more to worry about than how a person laments to God. 

This being in open country is good for the soul. It gives it a chance to call out to God and to cleanse itself. 

I had been talking with God most of my life. I would talk with Him about the most mundane things. I wouldn't wait until I needed a favor or wait for something interesting to say. I would talk with Him, and He would talk with me. 

Some people would say tell me I was crazy, and I would respond, "Well, if having a conversation with God is crazy, then I would rather be crazy than live in your sane world."

I have to apologize to My Dad. I  have to tell Him.

I am sorry.
I am sorry that I stopped talking to you about the mundane things.

I am sorry that I got into the habit of asking.

Asking for things.

Asking for outcomes.

Asking for feelings.

I am sorry that I stopped being grateful for the life you have given me.

I am sorry I wanted to end it.

I am sorry I haven't been a good son. 

I will do my best to do better.

I will do my best to talk with you more.

I will do my best to listen better.

I give you full permission to remind of my apology and to call me out. 

Not my will, but your will be done.

Love you!

It is hard to apologize and to own your s_it, I guess that was a muddy boot moment.

I could go on and on with this lament, but there is always tomorrow. I must look to today, this is where life happens.

Blessings,

Roger