Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. –Matthew 11:29-30 A few weeks ago, I returned from an eight-day, 90-mile hike on the Pacific Crest Trail. The PCT runs 2600+ miles from our Mexican border into Canada. Last year a friend, his adult children and I hiked the 70-mile section of the PCT from Snoqualmie Pass to Stevens Pass. We enjoyed it so much that we chose to … [Read more...]
Chip Off the Old Rock
12 Pentecost A—8/27/17 Isaiah 51:1-6; Psalm 138; Romans 12:1-8; Matthew 16:13-20 Pr. Scott Kramer I have here a receipt that proves that I recently shopped for groceries at Fred Meyer. Nothing unusual: bread, cheese, fruit, milk, cereal. But down near the bottom of this receipt—and every Fred Meyer receipt I’ve seen recently—is this message: Tell Us How We Are Doing! The company provides a link to a survey which enters me in an online sweepstakes for gift cards ranging from $100 to $5000. I … [Read more...]
Ultralight Backpackin’ Tips
Summer is short in our part of the world but for me one of the joys of the season is climbing and hiking our local mountain ranges. Over the years I’ve summited all five of Washington’s volcanoes but another long-time goal I’ve had is to hike from Snoqualmie Pass to Stevens Pass. Weeks ago, finally, that goal was realized. This route is only a small portion of the 2600-mile border-to-border Pacific Crest Trail. Also known as Washington Section J, this spectacular 71-mile stretch gains a … [Read more...]
From Distraction to Focus
4 Epiphany B—2/1/15 Deuteronomy 18:15-20; Psalm 111; 1 Corinthians 8:1-13; Mark 1:21-28 Pr. Scott Kramer Kick-off for the Super Bowl is just a few hours away. It’s been a wild ride getting to this point, hasn’t it! Early in the season it was looking like the Seahawks wouldn’t even make the playoffs, but here they are, back in the Super Bowl! What’s the difference in the team between now and last September? As the coach and players tell it, individuals were getting into arguments with … [Read more...]