Goodbye little friend

It's the hardest thing in the world that we've ever had to do.

We had to say good-bye to our K.B. today. She was the most lovable kitty that we'd ever known and we served as her staff for 15 of her 17 year life. No longer will I walk in the back door with her waiting by her food bowl to be fed and then follow me around waiting for that warm lap. No longer will she curl up on our warm flannel sheets for a nap while she waited for Dee to come home at lunch to supply her with warm laundry for the afternoon. No longer will she purr up a storm while having her chin scratched. She won't chase a little laser dot around the living room, either. She won't, but she will. She is firmly entrenched in our memories. She will always be the sweet charmer whom even those who are not cat fans liked.

We would have gotten in trouble with Dee's folks if we had ever not shown up for a weekend in Oregon with our well-traveled feline companion in tow. She put on a few miles, over 2100 across the country back in 2002 when we moved west. Probably another 90-some trips back and forth to Eugene for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, summer, spring, fall, whenever. She endured those trips, but as a family member, she had to go. And now she did.

This is admittedly not eloquent and can not begin to describe the hole in hearts. It's just meant to tell you we were so fortunate to have her with us.

Not for a long time

I wonder why I haven't posted a blog for over a year. Is it because nothing has happened? No. There's been hiking trips, Ducks games, a vacation with a two day train trip, and even a wedding in the family. How strange that I haven't written anything for so long.

I guess the main reason for my past posts was to share some stories along with pictures of our hikes, but I haven't stopped using my camera, so that can't be it. I haven't felt particularly chatty for a long time, that could be true. I don't use my cell phone to call past friends much anymore, except for my buddy Pete in northern Wisconsin. And that occurs about once every other month.

Our trip across the northern part of the country on Amtrak last summer was pretty neat, especially traveling through Glacier National Park and then Eastern Washington. The former for it's beauty and the latter to see the part of the state that we haven't experienced yet. I still don't know that I could accurately describe the trip except to say that I'd love to do it again and can't wait to ride the train again, too.

Luke and Katie's wedding, in June, was nearly perfect. Everyone says that about their children's wedding, so that isn't really right for this blog.

There is the case of one more lost WELS member, but I'm still trying to put that into words. We joined a local congregation here in Longview since the closest wels church that is available is 50 minutes away and this one is just fine. It's a member of a church body not in fellowship with the wels so we've been ostracized by congregations in Oregon that we had formerly been welcomed in. Funny how one's ideas change after so many years of hearing one corporations propaganda that never really rang true. This corporation's propaganda isn't perfect either, but then I joined a congregation, not a corporation.

See? That just doesn't work. I can't accurately tell why in positives, it's still somewhat of a rejection of attitudes of a group that apparently spoke for me.

Here goes again. We found a group of Christians led by a pastor who sees things the way I do on so many accounts. He sees problems in the corporation, but focuses in on the local congregation which is what he and others can leave the same or change. This group of grey-haired people wish for youth, but they have a genuine friendliness that flows over into their social/fellowship dinners - the high point of each month. They quietly work in the community helping the less fortunate, not to gain favor or salvation or whatever as some would suggest, but are simply living their faith in a way that they know. I like to study the Word with them and they like it that I'm pretty good at teaching Bible class along with the pastor who looks to me as one who has valid insights and training, not as a "threat" to his ministry. I'm now an elected elder who doesn't want to make quick changes, but wants to point out what scripture says and let the people decided when and if changes, no, improvements, should occur.

How does this relate to hiking?

Life is a journey.

Our journey has taken quite a detour lately. We haven't found the end of the detour and are quite content to stay on it for as long as the LORD wants. We don't really know why we are where we are, but we know for sure that he was the one who put out the big orange signs marking the Way for us. It's not a drive to make time, it's time to enjoy the trip. We're still traveling.