Smoke Gets in Your Eyes

Last summer I took the photo above to highlight the interesting phenomenon that we call the marine layer... basically fog that makes its way inward when the sea breeze is strong enough and the fog is deep enough. Note how well you can see the hills only a few miles from our house and the blue skies.

Now, check out the pic below, taken today. Note that the hills have disappeared. The whole Bay area is engulfed with smoke from various wild fires burning to the north, east and south of us. Most of them were started by dry thunderstorms about a week ago.

Because there are fires in every direction but west, almost no matter which direction the wind blows (except from the west) we're gonna have smoke until the fires are gone.

The weather guys are saying that next week the sea breeze should come back, cooling things off a bit and blowing the smoke away... at least until the winds shift again. That will definitely be nice for us, but it also means folks east of us may get even smokier.

Click here for a map of where the fires are burning.

Click here for satellite photos.

On a related topic, I read today that for the first time in recorded human history the arctic ice may melt enough this summer to allow ship traffic through what the explorers always hoped to find... the Northwest Passage.

Achilles Update

Well, today at 7 weeks post surgery I met with Dr Hamilton to evaluate how my Achilles is doing. He was quite pleased, saying I was a little ahead of the curve at this point when compared to the other patients he's worked with.

He encouraged me to continue to stretching and icing. I can continue to pedal an exercise bike and use an elliptical trainer. He even said I can walk briskly on a treadmill and, of course, I can continue walking other places. No jogging yet, but maybe in a couple of more months I can start back on flat surfaces. He said at the 6 month mark we would know just how successful the procedure has been.

Needless to say, I'm really pleased. I had been a little worried with the continued soreness, although it is better than before the surgery. He assured me that soreness at this point is normal, and, in fact, mine was healing better than most.

So, I'm planning on keeping on with the prescribed activities and looking forward to some hiking and maybe even jogging by the fall.

Full Day

Yesterday was a really full and really good day. Our combined worship assembly with Delta Bay, with a few attendees from Diane Ave as well, proved to be a rich experience of worship and unity. On July 6 they will launch into their new location, and I pray God will bless them.

While we worshipped in Antioch, Kyle was preaching in Ray Lawson's place with the Martinez congregation. He was well-received there.

Brice and Neisha had to leave a little early to get to Santa Rosa for a wedding at which Brice was officiating. It was a really special day for them, and Zeke got to come home with us for the afternoon and evening.

Our small group came around 6:00 - several couldn't make it, but it's always a special evening when there are fewer. I love those folks. Zeke just hung out with us, and even stayed awake until his folks came to pick him up... maybe it was that 2.5 hour nap he took.

All in all, it was a good day... a God day.

Not Your Ordinary Saturday

Ruth called me around 7:30 this morning with the sad news that Tim's mom, Mary, died about 4:00. While Mary's health has not been very good over the last year and she has had some trouble with oxygen levels, she had been doing pretty well recently, so this was pretty unexpected.

At 11:00 we had a wedding at church. Joe and Shawna, two or our young adults, tied the knot with Kyle doing the honors. Virginia and I ran the sound and lights. It was a small wedding and Kyle did a good job, especially for his first. The family put together a nice reception for the invitees that included grilled meet.

VJ and I then went over to Ruth and Tim's house just to visit and hear a few stories about Mary. it's a sad time, but they'll do OK.

Today is also the annual Relay for Life to raise funds for cancer research. You can even donate to our team on-line if you would like. It's really hot today, supposed to reach 104 here, so all the walkers will need to stay hydrated. VJ and I are supposed to walk from 6:00 to 8:00, so it should be at least past the hottest part of the day. Don't know how my Achilles will stand up... will just have to take it easy and see how it goes. For now I'm just resting it.

Tomorrow is a special combined worship assembly with Delta Bay. Beginning in July they will be meeting at a new rented space at the Prewett Water Park, so this will be a time of honoring the time they've been with us and rejoicing and blessing for them as they go forward. It should be a God day.

Birthday!

It's interesting, when I was a kid I anticipated birthdays, especially those milestone birthdays like 10, 12, 16, and 21. Then as a runner looking for an age group edge anywhere I could get one, I really looked forward to those 5 and 10 year markers, hoping moving up into another age group would move me into a bracket without as many of those "young and fat guys." Sigh, it seemed that many of them always moved up with me.

As I've gotten older I've not begun to dread birthdays, but they've tended to sort of fade from any sense of urgency or importance. Yesterday as I was leaving the office for lunch, Ruth said something like, "I'll be gone when you get back, so have a good birthday tomorrow." I said, "Huh, what was that... oh, yeah, tomorrow is my birthday." It had totally slipped my mind.

However, today I felt well-celebrated. My mom and brother called this morning. Both my kids called during the day, Jen from home and Jeremy from Vegas while at a trade show. I received several emails and cards from friends.

Late this morning there was a knock on the door, and DHL delivered a big box from a Houston bakery. A bunch of our friends with whom we used to celebrate each others' birthdays had it sent. Once I got it open, peeled open the insulated pouch, removed the still intact dry ice, and opened the inner box, there staring me in the face was what has proven to be a delicious Italian Cream Cake. Check it out! VJ and I even got it cut properly without Lisa's instruction.

We actually didn't eat any until tonight. Virginia took off from work early and we went to see the Indiana Jones movie and grabbed a bite to eat. When we got home we were stuffed, but eventually supper settled enough to enjoy the cake. And enjoy it we did!!

I have to share June 19 with others, however. Lou Gehrig was born on this date, as were Guy Lombardo, Lester Flatt, and Paula Abdul... maybe that's why I like music. Of course, Moe Howard was born on 6/19 in 1897... maybe that explains Mark, Richard and I being referred to as the three stooges by that angry church member that time. Hmmm...

To top it all off, Virginia conferred with some of our younger and more tech-hip friends and bought me an Ipod Touch. I've never really desired an Ipod, but this is definitely cool. I have all my songs on it, a bunch of pics, and I can even surf the web and check email. The screen is amazing, and I could even watch a movie on it... in that rare instance when my best option for watching is on a screen that fits in the palm of my hand. I definitely feel a notch or two higher on the tech-cool scale.

Well, thanks to all who have helped me feel loved... even on this run-of-the-mill-non-milestone birthday. You guys are the best!!

Today is quite a day. On this date in 1215 the Magna Carta was signed. If we'd been around Ben Franklin's house on this date in 1752, we'd have witnessed his famous kite experiment. In 1911, Tabulating Computing Recording Corporation (IBM) was incorporated... if only one of my ancestors had invested $100 with them. (Of course my great-great-grand kids might ask me why I didn't invest in Google.) Also, today is the 100th anniversary of Father's Day in the USA (although the first one was July 5). Like I said, quite a day!

This morning in our worship, we thanked God both for being our perfect Father and for the blessing of our earthly dads. Brice effectively reminded us how God uses worship to change us... to make us who we need to be... and how worship thus helps all of us dads grow closer to who we need to be for our families.

I hope that any reading this will remember to appreciate their dads... flawed though we are. And I pray that each of us dads yields to the Father who wants make us even more special.

Micro Climates

We are getting into that fascinating time of the year when what the meteorologists call the Bay Area "micro climates" really begin to influence the weather.

Growing up as a kid we experienced something similar in Oxnard. Even in July and August (except when we had east winds off the desert) Oxnard would be mild... 60's to 70's most of the time for highs... while inland it might get up in the 90's on warm days. Because our proximity to the ocean also moderated the winter temps, we were pretty spoiled, living with a usual temp range of mid-40's to around 80.

Up here the Pacific is even cooler, so the moderation effect is more dramatic. Add in all the various hills that can trap heat and shield the sea-breeze, the temps can vary a lot.

Yesterday the high here in Antioch was 95; San Francisco was 60. That meant shorts and t-shirts here, but jeans and sweatshirts if you drove in for the Giants-A's game yesterday afternoon. And at Stinson Beach the high was in the low 50's. Crazy!!

Today at the Antioch Marina it's currently 73, while up near us it's 86. In SF (an hour away) it's only 58. That amazing marine layer with the fog... truly nature's AC.

I took advantage of the warm weather to get some much needed yard work done today, and my Achilles did fine. Zeke is visiting with us for a while this afternoon, so he was a big help in the garden as wll.

Remembered

Yesterday I had word from a friend that one of the Boy Scouts killed in the tornado this week was from their old home church in Omaha. His name was Sam, and he apparently was a special kid. The preacher at that church, Jim White, has been on several news shows talking about the kind of young man Sam was. What a tragedy, but I'm glad so many are remembering him well.

Today the air waves have been filled with competitors' and co-workers' remembrances of Tim Russert, the NBC political guru and moderator of Meet the Press. A trusted friend and loving family man, he apparently died of a sudden heart attack at work today after returning early from a family trip to Italy. I know he will be missed, but it was neat to hear so many news types talking about his love and devotion for his dad and wife and son.

I remember vividly when Mr Bullough, our 8th grade social studies teacher, quietly told us that John F Kennedy had been assassinated, and over 4 years later I remember being stunned by the shootings of Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy. I remember wondering how the world would be different.

Late one night a little over 21 years ago my dad fell prey to a sudden stroke. He's been gone a long time now, but just this spring my mom told me she still misses him. I miss him too... a big part of who I am is due to his gentle nature. Thanks, Dad!

I remember several years ago learning that one of my best friends since youth group days in Oxnard had died of a heart attack after getting his family moved from Oregon to Colorado. He died in his sleep of a heart attack.

Over 2000 years ago at a Passover meal with his friends Jesus broke some very ordinary bread and said, This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” He then shared some wine around the table, and told them, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

Thank you, Jesus. My prayer is that you use the memories of our loved ones to help us remember just how much you love us. Help us remember...

Bug from Idaho?

Well, the last few days I've been fighting a bug of some sort. It crept up on me Monday afternoon, masked as stronger than normal allergy symptoms. The one hint that it might be something more was a scratchy sore throat. Sure enough, by Monday night I was pretty sick and have remained pretty draggy the last couple of days. Today I seem to be better, mostly dealing with left-over symptoms like congestion, etc. Hopefully the next couple of days will see that clearing up also. My guess is that Kaleb shared a bug with me, but who knows for sure. Whatever its origin, I'm just glad that it seems to be subsiding and that (so far at least) Virginia is steering clear.

The Achilles seems to be progressing in its healing process. I continue to be hopeful that I'll end up much better than prior to the surgery.

Father's Day coming up this weekend, so early Happy Father's Day to all you dads out there!

Love...Live...Serve

Today was a significant day for our church family. After several months of prayer and preparation, we began to roll out some changes to help us better become a church whose members are rooted deep in God's love, who live and grow together in Christian community, who learn how to reach out and serve those around is in meaningful ways as the Body of Christ.

One change we made was to flip-flop our schedule, worship first at 9:30 and classes after at 11:15, leaving plenty of time in there for informal fellowship. The other major piece we implemented was our Shepherding Groups for adults, which meet during our class time and will also help us form and strengthen relationships, help the elders to better shepherd the flock, and encourage more people to be involved in class. I think all three groups got off to a good start today, and I'm looking forward to seeing how God works through them in the coming months.

Our desire is to implement biblical principles in simple and effective ways. That's what our Shepherding Groups are about, and that's also the energy behind reformatting both our small groups and ministry team structures this fall. Please pray along with us that we'll be discerning in seeking God's will.

Visit from Kaleb

We're about to head to the airport to pick up Kaleb for a brief stay. He's spending about a month with his dad, Kapil, in DC, and, thankfully for us, connections worked out best for him to fly SW Spokane to Oakland and Jet Blue to DC and back.

We'll have him only until Monday, so we plan to soak up every moment we can!

On a totally different note, click here for a clip of one more hilarious dancing animal... this time a walrus, if you can believe that. Enjoy!

Achilles Update

Yesterday was my first day to shed the ortho-shoe and go with a running shoe, and man did it feel good! The Achilles was still sore, but the running shoe, especially with a really good insole, is so much more supportive.

The doc told me I could start back on an exercise bike once I moved to the running shoe, so I also hit the gym and pedaled for 30 minutes. It's been a month since I've done anything except push-ups, so it felt good to get my heart rate up a bit.

Although it's tough to tell day-to-day, it seems that today there was less pain or discomfort than yesterday, and I could walk more normally. It seems to be healing slowly, and for that I'm truly thankful. Hopefully by the time my next appointment rolls around on the 26th I'll get clearance to do some hiking. I think Virginia will like that too.

40 Years

Forty years ago we were entering the summer of 1968. In April Martin Luther King, Jr had been assassinated, which set up one of the most eventful summers in modern American history. The violence continued with the June assassination of Robert Kennedy on this very date. The Viet Nam War was raging, and protests here at home were increasing. James Earl Ray was arrested. Richard Nixon became the Republican nominee for president. Violence between protesters and the police became a bigger story at the Chicago Democratic Convention than the nominee, Hubert Humphrey.

I graduated from Hueneme High School in June, and we have a 40 year reunion coming up in August.

The Olympics were held in Mexico City. The high altitude of Mexico City (2240 m) made it difficult for many endurance athletes to adapt to the oxygen-deprived air. The high altitude was also credited with contributing to many record setting jumps and leaps in the long jump, high jump and pole vault events.
For the first time, athletes from East and West Germany were members of separate teams, after having competed in a combined team in 1964.
US discus thrower Al Oerter, won his fourth consecutive gold medal in the event to become only the second athlete to achieve this feat in an individual event.
Bob Beamon jumped 8.90 m in the long jump, a 55 cm improvement of the world record that would stand until 1991 (when it was broken by Mike Powell); it is still the Olympic record. United States athletes Jim Hines and Lee Evans also set long world records in the 100 m and 400 m, respectively, that would last for many years to come.
Dick Fosbury won the gold medal in the high jump using the radical Fosbury flop technique, which quickly became the dominant technique in the event.
In the 200 m medal award ceremony, two African-American athletes Tommie Smith (gold) and John Carlos (bronze) raised their black-gloved fists as a symbol of Black Power. As punishment, the International Olympic Committee banned them from the Olympic Games for life.
After winning the gold medal for heavyweight boxing, George Foreman walked around the ring with a tiny American flag, bowing several times to the audience.

And the music... ah, the music. 1968 produced some of the best rock ever. If you want a stroll down memory lane, among the top 100 songs for the year were:

HEY JUDE – The Beatles (Apple)
YOUNG GIRL – Gary Puckett & The Union Gap (Columbia)
(Sittin’ On) THE DOCK OF THE BAY – Otis Redding (Volt)
MRS. ROBINSON – Simon & Garfunkel (Columbia)
HONEY – Bobby Goldsboro (United Artists)
PEOPLE GOT TO BE FREE – The Rascals (Atlantic)
GREEN TAMBOURINE – The Lemon Pipers (Buddah)
HARPER VALLEY P.T.A. – Jeannie C. Riley (Plantation)
HELLO, I LOVE YOU – The Doors (Elektra)
I’VE GOTTA GET A MESSAGE TO YOU – The Bee Gees (Atco)
CRY LIKE A BABY – The Box Tops (Mala)
LADY WILLPOWER – Gary Puckett & The Union Gap (Columbia)
THOSE WERE THE DAYS – Mary Hopkin (Apple)
BEND ME, SHAPE ME – The American Breed (Acta)
JUMPIN’ JACK FLASH – The Rolling Stones (London)
LADY MADONNA – The Beatles (Capitol)
SUNSHINE OF YOUR LOVE – Cream (Atco)
STONED SOUL PICNIC – The 5th Dimension (Soul City)
MIGHTY QUINN (Quinn The Eskimo) – Manfred Mann (Mercury)
BORN TO BE WILD – Steppenwolf (Dunhill)
ANGEL OF THE MORNING – Merrilee Rush & The Turnabouts (Bell)
CLASSICAL GAS – Mason Williams (Warner Bros.–7 Arts)
DANCE TO THE MUSIC – Sly & The Family Stone (Epic)
JUST DROPPED IN (To See What Condition My Condition Was In) – The First Edition THE LOOK OF LOVE – Sergio Mendes & Brasil ’66 (A&M)
DREAM A LITTLE DREAM OF ME – Mama Cass (Dunhill)
SEALED WITH A KISS – Gary Lewis & The Playboys (Liberty)
SUZIE Q. – Creedence Clearwater Revival (Fantasy)
REVOLUTION – The Beatles (Apple)

Forty years... the time has gone by more quickly than I'd expected. Here's to the next 40. :-)