Buried Treasure

   This is a true story. It happened to me and my brother, Jason. When we were boys, our grandfather Dennis (or Grandpa Elvis to some) told us lots of stories. Some were about his boyhood adventures while others were simply made up on the spot. One serial adventure story I fondly remember was about a gold miner named Ike "the Spike" Clampet, a man who struck it rich in the Sierra Nevada range. I suppose me and brother were quite caught up in gold, gold panning, and had the extra energy to burn digging in random
places on our grandparents' three acres. Grandpa saw the potential, and here's the result below. Enjoy.

BURIED TREASURE

Tucked away in my memories, when I was but a lad,
Not more than eight or nine, a treasure hunt I had.
My own California gold rush tale I'll relay-
One my own children might listen to someday.

Grandpa told us stories of miners and their gold
(Yarns so fantastic that we never tired of them told).
'Round the fireplace we sat listening to one particular story,
We kids caught gold fever: the treasure hunter's quest for glory.

Sizing up our keen interest, the enthralled look on each face,
Grandpa said, leaning in, "Didja know we have treasure on this place?"
My brother and I about fell over in utter surprise and disbelief
When Grandpa assured us finding treasure we could achieve.

Skeptical, we asked, "Really?" he said, "of course- if you work hard-
You might even find some buried treasure along the house in the yard!"
Well, our boyish imaginations ran wild with sheer delight
And we lay awake thinking 'bout gold in our dreams all that night.

Next morning after breakfast we found Grandpa had staked our claim.
Then he went off to work and we commenced to do the same.
Like a couple of greenhorn prospectors, our shoveled eagerly decended
Into the soil as our hopes rode high for that gold to be apprehended.

Digging and a'picking like two Yukon sourdoughs,
We felt as if in Grandpa's yard we find the City of El Dorado.
But like any seasoned miner knows, treasure doesn't just lay
     right there on the ground,
So we deduced whatever we were digging for must be a foot
     or two on down.

Our dig grew to six feet long, two feet deep and four feet wide.
Dirt was up to our elbows and we'd probably keep digging 'till we died.
Fortunately, to our relief , our trusty shovels went "KERPLUNK"!
We let out a yahoo and gleefully began uncovering what we struck.

After feathering away dirt and dust there we both sat-
Two exhausted, bewildered brothers not knowing what we
      were looking at.
The gears in our brains turned from treasure to other thoughts-
Like why of all places did Grandpa have us dig in this spot?

As we sat there pondering, it became clear to tell
We hadn't uncovered gold for there arose a treacherous smell.
Here we are at the conclusion- here our hearts both sank.
For there's no fame, riches or glory when you dig up a septic tank.

First Post in Almost 5 Years!

So this has been a while. And now for a little context.

The last time this blog received any light of day from me, my wife and I were newlyweds, we didn't have a passel of children, we lived in Washington state, Bush was still in office, and the world had not yet come to an end during the Mayan apocalypse. So as you can plainly tell, my writing ambitions have been nil.

When I established (that sounds important, yes, I shall keep that word there) this blog, I obviously was in love with the Book of Proverbs, and, therefore, named my site after a NKJV rendering of one it's passages. I suppose every blog has a vision of what is supposed to be, I'm now figuring that out. At any rate, since this may just be me and a select few who stumble upon this little bit of cyber space, I shall set out to at least brush off the dust collecting on the writer in me.

I hope this rekindling of words brings some glory to God; if this is all that becomes of it then it will not be for nothing.

A Lot Happens When You Grow

Woke up this morning with my wife by my side, thanking the Father for His glorious ways, and in awe of His plan. Will post more often now.

I am living up in the Okongan Highlands, working daily towards the upwards call in Christ Jesus. He is wonderful and most great.

A Prayer of Thanks and Simple Adoration

Great Father, Your works in the world today are mighty, taking the world by storm, coinciding with the love and care you place before the masses and the commission of the gospel in the hearts of Your children. Your love is unconditional. Your truth essential. Your Son Jesus Most High. Almighty God, I wish to express my gratitude to You for saving me and also for the continuous work You do as the Potter. For I am only clay. Mold me, dry me out, place me in the kiln, break me if need be, but use me in Your will, O LORD! The seas in chaos and the mountains erupting cannot compare to Your power. The sweetness of the rivers running through places that were bare, now lush and giving forth harvest, attest to Your compassion. May Your will be done and loved by all. Amen.

Worrying Not, Walking the Fields

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" (Matthew 6:25-27)

Remember this, O man. Take the Savior's words to heart. Embrace and follow. Listen, trust, obey. The Master's plan worketh well. Like the clearest sun light, rising on the saplings back in the orchards in the San Joaquin Valley in California, the Lord's truth and wisdom provide life and growth. A tree needs sun light, and it needs water as well. In early youth I can recall wading through almond tree orchards during irrigation, when the canal water was opened up and whole rows of trees would be covered a half foot or more up to the levies in between one orchard and the next. With cousins or siblings there have been plenty of times I have gone trekking through the soggy ground--much to the farmer's dismay, and ours when we were caught.


When I would walk through an irrigated field, my feet would leave their deep imprints in the soil, leaving plenty of uneven ground when the water would seep into the ground below, drunk up by the roots. Uneven ground is a loss for harvest time. The almonds would be shook from the branches of each tree yielding the crop by a machine; the mechanical arms would grasp the tree at its trunk and vibrate in such a way to do the work in several minutes what any laborer with a long stick might do in an hour. After each orchard's crop is on the ground, there comes along another tractor which sweeps all the almonds into rows to be picked up later. This sweeping is most effectual when the ground is even; when there is a dip or hole, many almonds may be lost or looked over. This is a loss. We youths probably contributed only a small part of that loss with our fun. Our cooling off during a hot day caused a "cooling off" in the farmer's pocket.
"loss" for the farmer is gain for the birds and varmits, who are sustained with this produce. Even the birds are provided for. Do

Not sure why I brought all that up, but it was an enjoyable recollection. It's been a long week. To go on with the general theme, one is not to worry about his life, for the Lord provides all that is needed. One cannot add any good to his state, his health, or life span by worrying. The reader may still be scratching his head by the inserted ancedote, but you ought to know that this not fret. The birds are cared for! You, a human being, are taken into account; whether you know it or not, you are loved dearly by the Creator. O Lord Christ, multiply Your Kingdom! Show Your compassion on all that would receive it. May Your followers walk in Your steps; give wisdom and boldness, strength and sustanance to us, Your sheep, Your warriors of the faith. In love may we walk, and walk through rough ground, breaking up holes and dips that are home to wayward produce. If this be senseless to any, so be it! Motivate me, Lord! May it be so.

Grandpa Elvis

Cannon Beach, Oregon---A friend of mine was attending school at Ecola, and so I took a little trip down to visit her last October, staying for a day and a half. Walking down the beach is probably the paramount of the trip, seeing the Lord's creation, seeing the chaotic sea fall back, crashing against solid ground, permanance, is beautiful thing to behold. Especially in the fellowship of friends in the Lord.

Cabin Mansion on the Hill. Taken: December 2005, Molson, Washington

A discovery resulting in a little summer time street wandering I did last year.

Sumner, Washington. Had some time on my hands as you can see; it's usually when I run out of creativity when I begin taking self portraits. Go figure.

Molson, Washington--Last Labor Day I had the chance to visit family in Eastern Washington, taking the time to go around the area for photography and site seeing. Some rural humor can be found in this shot. Good times.

To Seek and to Walk

"As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving." (Colossians 2:6-7)

God is on the move! His ways are swift and true; His light glows in the hearts of the true, the saints of His Way. Every day, despite the weary labor, I find rest in Christ's strength. Carrying on the work of the Lord with the church, Christ's body, is the calling which addresses and propels me onward. I do not understand to the utmost clarity what the line of work I am now in is preparing me for next. I dare not doubt what God has blessed me with, therefore, I, a servant of His majesty, shall live like a servant. My Lord lowered Himself to the likeness of man, undergoing the renunciation of status and comfort and pursuit of earthly kings while traveling and ministering to the poor and the sick and the sinners. A King He is, righteous and kind. As a servant, I must aspire to not only obey my Master but also be trained by Him and then imitate Him (Luke 6:36; Ephesians 5:1). To "walk in Him" is the centerpiece of my task.

The journey starts here on the path of the Christ, and it extends into the wilderness, places of peril, just as He walked. O to walk with integrity! To walk uprightly is a very good thing! Bravery for the weak, strength for the humble, boldness for the wise are given. Today's devotion from Spurgeon brings up Hosea 10:12, "It is time to seek the Lord." How, Lord, how? How shall I seek You this day? Now, in my youth, it is time. Yes, it is time to follow you, to respond to Your call.

Your Lordship is utterly motivating and meaningful to me. May my friends and family be strengthen every day by Your strength, O God. May those few who may come across this site of prose be filled with curiosity concerning who You are. If any asks, Who is this God whom is followed by the writer of this page? then may he or she be answered. In that request, may You take delight in granting if it is Your will, Father. Amen.

Verses of Endurance

For Christ my life is spent,
In joy and hope's reward
And all that is deemed worthy.
All things of Chirst are true,
And I shall strive to answer,
"For my God, in meekness I will do."

Shall I fall countless times,
And share the weakness
Of Peter in denying my Lord,
And then bend to my knee?
To repentance I shall fall,
Say I, "O forgive me!"

And like a weepy child,
All wretchedness seems true.
But He, a patient, loving Father,
He is my comforter and shield.
And as a great commander
Gives his soldier a sword to wield,

You, O God, give me You.
And Your testimony I have,
With light to scatter darkness,
Without timidity have I strength,
TO affirm my alligence to You
And name Your name to any length.

New Computer: New Possibilities

The Lord provideth much. I found a great deal on a Gateway this afternoon. Having a Saturday evening with a family of friends in Graham, having just finished supper. Will stand now with regular place for venting within this blog. Perhaps contructive prose will follow. God be glorified!

This site was looking a bit bland, so I went on an online treasure hunt and found this scenic shot. I believe it is somewhere in the Colorodo Rockies. My source for any electronic computing and Internet use is limited to my trips to any public library which fits my travel schedule during the week. Therefore, there has been a considerable lack of original, personal photographs since last year sometime. Not that anyone is about to notice. My ambition for promoting my blog doesn't meet the Budweiser commercial grade. Sorry 'bout that.

Perspectives on the World Christian Movement at Grace Community Church has been underway since January 10. With the information that hasn't reached this blog yet, Perspectives has been part of that block of data. The words of Christ in Matthew 9:37-38 find me quite often. Workers are few. And while that is true, the gospel compels and convicts the average Christian to answer the call. To do as Jesus did, and to do as he commanded. Acts 1:8 is convicting as much as the reponse to it is inspiring. I pray that this course continues to help me engage in the Lord's will.


The gospel must be heard all around the globe. Every nation and all peoples must hear in oder to repond, yea or nay, to the name of Jesus. This is convicting me. Christ calls me whereever I am. He calls others likewise. He calls you.

Pondering the will of God, I wonder now what to do. Much praying is involved, but more is needed. In the Perspectives course I read about a young Christian man who desired to help the pastor David Wilkerson on the streets of New York with the gangs and drug addicts in the 1970s.

Wilkerson asked the young man, "How much do you pray each day?"
"About twenty minutes," said the man.
"Go home, young man," said Wilkerson. "Pray two hours per day and then come back. I can't send you out on the streets on twenty minutes per day."

Wilkerson expressed the need for much prayer, for with minimal spiritual equiping, he said to the young man, death would be certain. And it is true.

And with that, I say, Lord, let's talk!

On Being Holy and Not Overly So

If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new (II Corinthians 5:17).

Confession time. At various moments, this week included, the concept of being a "new creation" has not sunk in. Knowing the commandment to "be holy as [God is] holy" (Leviticus 11: 44,45; 19:2; 20:7; I Peter 1:16) to be serious and essential for the servant of God, I try and sometimes fail as a servant and child of God to be as His. Reading this week in Ecclesiastes during one of my lunch breaks, I stumbled across these words: "Do not be overly righteous, nor overly wise: why should you destroy yourself" (7:16)? Those are comlplex words. I was thinking, don't be good? But I have always been taught that the way of righteousness is better than the way of wickedness, I thought. And that is true. Lately, though, learning that grace is something none deserve, but receive freely as a gift, I have witnessed my quirky, desparate, atempts at being righteous. Ironically, the thought that none are righteous apart from the righteousness of Christ did not nourish my intentions.

Blessed be God and His ways, in that He still sustains me at work (everything is work for me these days it seems, which is quite the contrast from the childhood I have put behind me). The wisdom in the proverb to not be "overly righteous, not overly wise" is in line with the wisdom and commandment to be holy as God is holy. Because we should be holy as He is holy, we are not to be as holy as we might be if we really were God. The illusion of man's supremacy, or the ideal that man is progressing--a product of Humanism--and therefore getting better by our own accord, is a faulty one. Even as a Christian, I wander into that camp, or a variation of it.

A variation of the before mentioned which Christians are more likely to fall into would be the kind in need of admonishment of Eccesiastes 7:16. Much pain and failure and disapointment fall upon us with a horde of the devil's forces, who take much perverse glee from seeing us eat of the works of the flesh. When we wrap ourselves up tightly within the good intentions of charity, of service, of model living, the reality that we are still sinners has not been changed; and when we are reminded of this fact, and when we have set up camp back in bondage of works, our dream has been shattered. But the joy of the Lord is our strength. God told Abraham, "I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward" (Genesis 15: 1). How fulfilling His reward is! It is so vast, so complete, and so endless!

Our world now extends only so far, and our planet circles a star in a galaxy which has boundaries, in a gigantic universe of star systems and planets and other wonders within boundaries which may seem infinite but stop short of it. Nature and all that is in it will melt with a fervant heat in the Day of the Lord. The history of man will change from what it is now into a time when all of man's deeds and acts and feats will be known as bygone days. "Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells" (II Peter 3:13). That puts everything back into perspective.

It Is Well

Work continues at Tire Distribution Systems. But what else will God do in the times to come? O such glorious things! Vast and perfectly designed. I hope to record more in this blog in the times to come. If anyone reads this, please pray and do the will of our Savior Christ Jesus and pray that I would do so as well. I need to be more disciplined and steadfast in the plan and purpose of the Almighty God.

May His name preceed me.
May YAh, the LORD, be above me.
Amen.

Laying Down Pride, Holding a Hearing Ear

"'For as the sash clings to the waist of a man, so I have caused the whole house of Israel and the house of Judah to cling to ME,'" says the LORD, 'that they may become My people, for renown, for praise, and for glory; but they would not hear'" (Jeremiah 13:11).

My tired hands are throbbing, shooting countless feelings through the nerve endings to my brain; I'm happy to feel this way, and when I am completely worn down, usually, I am suseptable to rest--sleep. The same goes for my pride. When it is proven wrong circumstance after circumstance, usually, I will lay away my reluctance, my haughty or fearful attitude and be swept away by the brilliance of God's perfect wisdom.

He whispers loudly. Boldly He shows me His ways. As it happens to be during the work day, I am usually backed up with at least forty tires hanging on the line, in need of repair. And I tend to stress about them and the million others awaiting my attention. A week goes by, points out a co-worker, and you finally get to that one, or that one which must be rushed back to customer today. Rush is not my man Friday I will tell you that. Fast, unless it has two all beef paddies and loads of cheese and onions and pickles and a side of fries, is not my cup of tea. O LORD, I think aloud, muffled under the clamor and the rushing cyclone of the production plant, GIVE ME SPEED!

Patience was on the agenda before those 1,000,040 tires came along--then my prayer turned to Grand Turismo, Tour de Speedy Gonzales, tire repair. Patience is a lesson, not a "gimme" I have learned. And what correlation will this have to the verse I quoted above? I'm not sure; I'm tired. Pride, however, ruins us. We get to the point where we demand something from God, and when we finally realize how pathetic we have become when we lash out against Him for not giving to us the request we want, we (usually) understand that we weren't clinging to His will. We, in our stupified pride, have answered the door which temptation was knocking on a moment before, trampled with delightful lies which tickle our ears with "sweet nothings" until we, if only for a few moments, believe that we actually need this thing or that thing. Cling to the Rock.

"Hear and give ear; do not be proud, for the LORD has spoken. Give glory to the LORD your God before HE causes darkness, and before your feet stumble on the dark mountains, and while you are looking for light, He turns it into the shadow of death and makes it dense darkness. But if you will not hear it, my soul will weep in secret for your pride; my eyes will weep bitterly and run down with tears, because the LORD's flock has been taken captive" (Jeremiah 13:15-17).

Standing Fast

"Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage" (Galatians 5: 1 NKJV).

It's been two months since I started a new line of work--tire retreading. I repair tires, fixing the slashes and holes and tears and blisters and gouges and mumps and bumps and lumps. You understand the concept, I think. It's reapair work. And I am glad to say that I have attained one level of certification recently; this lets me go on to attain a higher certification, namely, the technician's certification. I am set to leave for Iowa in December (5-9) of this year. Much prayer is needed regarding this trip, one that ought to present the Lord first and foremost, and one which will propell me onto to praise Him once again for His care and direction in my life.

I've been aware of how weak I am, spiritually inhibited still by the flesh and it's conquests of the heart. Prayer must not cease, my precious readers. Lord, grant that I may not give into the flesh and it's faulty nature. For your many other children of light, my Savior, provide the evidence of the Spirit's strength in their mind and fuel them onward.

"...For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God" (1 Corinthians 2:10).