Dear Friends

Move Up Higher
On the return portion of my recent ministry trip to Ketchikan I had memorable experience that I want to share with you.  The time in Ketchikan was great and the Lord was indeed with me in so many ways.  When I arrived we immediately went to the church where I invited the boys in the youth group to attend the men’s conference.  The next day we did a radio interview and that night I ministered at the opening session of the conference.  On Saturday I spoke for three sessions and then preached that Sunday morning at the host church, Ketchikan First Assembly of God.  Between all of the Saturday sessions I was able to do counseling with some of the guys who attended.  By the end of my time there I was VERY blessed but pretty weary and felt a bit drained.  It was sunny and absolutely beautiful the whole time I was there.  I had a great time staying with my long time friends, Paul and Vicky Slenkamp and it was a special blessing as well to get acquainted with Pastor John Braten and his wife, Rebekah.

For those of you who have flown that trip between Ketchikan and Kenai you know that most of the flights are what they call, “the milk run,” stopping in Wrangell, Petersburg, Juneau, Anchorage and then finally on home to  Kenai.  It was a full flight and I was imbedded in the back of the economy section but managed to sleep the short leg between Ketchikan and Wrangell.  When we stopped there, I saw the captain of the plane standing at the front entrance and recognized him.  He and his wife are very close friends with our daughter and her family in Anchorage.  He is a great guy and a former elder at Abbott Loop Community Church.  He and his family recently relocated to Idaho.  I made my way up to say hello to him and then sat back down in seat 22D for the rest of the trip.

While I was talking with the guy next to me, the captain tapped me the shoulder and handed me a ticket indicating that I would be reseated in seat 1-A in the first class section for the rest of the journey to Anchorage.  For a guy my size, that was about the best news I could have heard.  I was surprised and as I made my way up to the front amidst the good natured kidding of the coach passengers, I thanked Jesus all the way.  Sliding into that wide-body first class leather seat was a great feeling for my weary body.

We flew the scenic route into Petersburg under cloudless early morning skies but discovered when we arrived there that Juneau had been socked in for days with freezing fog and we were told that we’d be holding on the ground in Petersburg while they waited for a break in the Juneau weather.  It turned out to be a three hour wait.  The good news though is that the folks in Ketchikan had given me a lunch to eat on the plane and I was able to sit there in the comfort of the first class section and talk with the pilot almost the entire layover.  As I said, Bob Tucker (the pilot) is an incredible guy with a contagious, joy-filled relationship with the Lord and by the time  we lifted off to head to Juneau (where the fog had lifted), the weariness I had felt earlier was only a distant memory!  Though we were running late getting into Anchorage, when we touched down there I was able to high tail it down the concourse and made it with five minutes to spare to catch my Era connection to Kenai.  What a trip.

Two scriptures come to mind in reflecting on this experience.  The first is Proverbs 10:22 which says: “The Lord’s blessing makes us rich and he adds no sorrow to it.”  The other scriptures are found in Luke 14:7-11 where Jesus teaches a group of folks at dinner one day at a prominent Pharisee’s house about taking the “lower seats” at the feast and then experiencing the blessing of having the host invite you saying “Friend, come up higher” and sit close to me…instead of having the embarrassment of being asked to move aside or lower while a more important person takes your place.  While the circumstances of my being in coach (who can afford first class???) are different than the Biblical setting…the blessing I experienced was genuine nonetheless.  The principle Jesus was teaching had to do with walking in humility as a way of life, not thinking you are better or more important than anyone else, and is indeed good advice.  And, the good news is…even if you are crammed into seat 22D with no leg or elbow room…Jesus himself, (when he isn’t busy keeping the plane in the air) can easily squeeze into that center seat in coach and fellowship with you for the duration of flight 65! Colorado

Marveen is down in Steamboat Springs helping her mom for the next month.  Like Alaska, it is still very much winter up there in the Rockies.  Marveen said that on the final leg of her journey to Steamboat she was on the same commuter plane with Olympic ski medalist, Todd Lodwick and was able to get a picture of him as he was showing off his medal to the fans waiting for him.  Amazingly, over the years there have been more Olympic ski team members from Steamboat Springs than any other town in America!!  And, FYI…Howelson Hill is one of the first ski jumping hills in the US and the view from the window of Marveen’s bedroom in the house she grew up in was directly facing the 70 and 90 meter ski jumps.  With binoculars  it looked like the airborne jumpers were headed right for their house!  When Marveen was in high school, their marching band performed every year at the Winter Carnival…cruising down main street playing their instruments…ON SKIS!  She said it wasn’t too hard doing that while playing a flute…but, the tuba and bass drummer had a bit of trouble keeping their balance on the turns.

Up here in Alaska it is Iditarod Sled Dog Race time again.  As usual I am rooting for either DeeDee Jonrowe, a remarkable lady, or Mitch Seavy from Seward (an old acquaintance and relative of some good friends).  It is an amazing feat to travel 1050 miles behind a team of dogs through a rugged and dangerous wilderness route.  Both the mushers and the dogs are incredible athletes.  The race was kicked off this morning in downtown Anchorage.Lots to pray about...

Along with the state of things in our US economy and the victims of those terrible earthquakes, please pray for Mickey Feeney.  Mickey and her husband, Jim, were neighbors back in the 70’s when Jim and I were both on the staff at Abbott Loop Community Church in Anchorage.  Mickey, a wonderful person, has been told that the doctors are unable to do any further treatment for cancer in her liver.  Please pray for her healing.  Thanks.