“What should I say?” That was the very first thing I asked myself when I was first asked to become a regular contributor to the Lake Stevens Journal. What in the world should a married, father of four, pastor from Alabama with a degree in dirt fr…

A certain situation has been building in the Parsonage for the last several months. At first, I did not think it too serious but alas, we have reached a terrible impasse. It started a few months ago when I came home, walked into the house and was…

Even a one hour weather delay couldn’t stop Seattle Seahawk fans from breaking the Guinness World record for loudest stadium. As our team played victoriously against the San Francisco 49ers on September 15 cheers reached a decibel reading of…

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints extends an invitation to all The Marysville and Snohomish Stakes of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints extend an invitation to all members of local LDS and non-LDS scouting units,…

Years ago my sister traveled to the Ukraine on a mission trip. She worked among the indigenous Christians on a number of worthy projects, and when her time ran up, she returned home with a heart full of joy, a head full of memories, and bags full of…

You may not be aware of this, but our planet and its people should be bursting with relieved celebration, because 30 years ago this week, life as we have known it, came perilously close to the end. It was September 1983, and the Cold War was…

An ancient story, often retold but never without relevance, has one of the Egyptian Pharaohs making a strange request of his priests. As the sacrificial ox was being slain at the altar, the Pharaoh demands that the holy men bring to him the holiest…

For my wife’s birthday (I am not allowed to mention which one) I surprised her with round trip tickets to her family reunion in upper New York State. Out of courtesy to her, I elected not to include myself in her little vacation. After all, it…

There is a national icon worth looking up on the internet: Shrek The Sheep. He lived in New Zealand and avoided being sheared for six years by hiding in mountain caves. When he was finally captured and shorn he produced sixty pounds of fleece! The…

Ever play sardines? It’s one of my favorite games, kind of the reverse of Hide and Go Seek. You have one person who goes hide, and then everyone else playing tries to find that one hider. The game gets its name from what happens when you find…

There is a strange seasonal mystery that occurs at summer barbeques. Men, who have never darkened the doorsteps of a kitchen the rest of the year or helped in any meal preparations, suddenly head outdoors to cook. With a goal of becoming grill…

The Jewish High Holy Days are a special time. The holiday services are known for their unique and rich melodies. This year Temple Beth Or is fortunate to have Cantor Ellen Dreskin share the bima with Rabbi Jessica Marshall. Cantor Dreskin is a…

Our country, so it seems, runs on choice. The more choices we have the better we like it. Most people in America pride themselves on the ability to make their own choices. “Freedom of Choice,” is the cry you hear all around our country…

All through my life, I have been awkward when talking to someone of the opposite gender. I had thought by the time I got to this stage of life, post-young, I would have left a lot of this behind. Just when I think I have a good handle on this…

I am not what you would call a superstitious person. [Knock on wood.] I am a realist in a modified definition of that word and I usually take things as they come. My past week, however, was an open commentary on “Murphy’s Law.”…

I’m writing this article while sitting in my father’s chair. You know the chair of which I speak. It is that ratty old recliner that occupies the living room, den, or man-cave that no guest or other family member is ever allowed access….

Beware of the multitasker. He or she isn’t being honest, for anyone who claims the ability to talk on the phone, surf the web, cook dinner, send a text message, balance the checkbook, and fly a crop duster all at the same time is terribly…

I have concluded that life, as it stands out in the public arena, is a very confusing thing. As I watched the news and see scandal after scandal unfold and people trying to dance around the facts so that they come out looking good, I am reminded of…

If I had to choose one of the five senses to lose it would be smell. I have never had a good nose that picks up particular scents and have found that often advantageous! Although not an expert on the subject, I would predict nearly half of the world&…

Children are eager to help other children. This was what Mrs. Novak witnessed firsthand when her 3rd and 4th grade students at Zion Lutheran School in Lake Stevens learned of an opportunity to reach…

I was smacked away from the dinner table on one occasion. Calm down, I was never abused, not even close. But my parents did believe in the effectiveness of that proverb, “Spare the rod, spoil the child.” Thus, I was definitely not…

You know it’s time for spring cleaning when you actually hope it will be cloudy when guests are coming to visit so that the sun won’t reveal your dirty windows. Isn’t it amazing what a little soap and water will do when combined…

“God said it, I believe it, and that settles it.” This slogan is one of today’s all too common bumper sticker defenses of the Bible. The phrase is sometimes amended to read, “God said it…and that settles it,” to…

There’s an old vaudeville act that I don’t see done much anymore, but I recently found a great example of it on YouTube. It’s the plate-spinning act. Do you remember that? You have one person who starts out with the not-so-easy…

A host family is needed for a Lake Stevens High School Foreign Exchange student for the 2013/14 school year. A potential host family is needed for students coming from the following countries: Germany, Brazil, Sweden, Spain, Vietnam, Austria,…