Seattle Trip

My family arrived home late last night from a small weekend trip to Seattle. As promised, I processed the pictures and posted my favorites below. Check them out and let me know what you think.

Snoqualmie Pass

Driving conditions over Snoqualimie Pass were miserable, not so much because of snow and ice, but because hordes of holiday travelers were crossing the pass after spending Thanksgiving weekend on the coast. Most of the time we drove less than 10 miles per hour, and several times we came to a complete stand still. Going over the pass set us back about three hours. By the time we reached the east side of the state, road conditions had deteriorated into dangerous patches of black ice, causing us to get home much later than we would have liked. But thank the Lord we arrived safe and sound. My children are now sleeping peacefully in their beds.

The Seattle Temple

Sunday morning we toured the grounds of the Seattle Temple. The building itself seemed somewhat bleak and uninviting under the dark, overcast sky, but the surrounding gardens and statues seemed to welcome us. I have many happy memories here; from the first proxy baptisms I did in 1984, to my first endowment in 1990. After Rhonda and I married, we used to visit this temple at least once a month. So much changed since then, it seems like a distant memory, but I never regret any time I spent in the Seattle Temple learning how to be in relationship to the divine. My relationship to God changed and grew, but this place played an important role in my early spiritual development. I remember the temple with tenderness and honor.

My Other Favorite

This is my other favorite picture from our trip to Seattle showing Dakota near the waterfront. He looks so happy here exploring new places in the world. I'm very proud of his enthusiasm for learning and experiencing new things.

The Seattle Aquarium

My children loved the Seattle Aquarium best of all. Of course, I felt the same way when I was their age. These photographs come from my two favorite places in the aquarium. The first is a giant tank where the fish swim above and all around the people; it's like being inside the fish tank. We used to call it the "bubble" when we were younger. My other favorite place is a tank where people can touch the starfish, sea anenomes, and other aquatic creatures.

Pike Place Market

Pike Place Market is probably my favorite landmark in Seattle. I love the way I feel around all the people, cultures, interesting shops, and food. Something about me feels alive there the way it doesn't in other places; I have nothing but positive memories. For example, every time we visit the market, we have to see the statues of Buddha on the lower level. It reminds me of when we went there with Derrick years ago and he had to have his picture taken next to the Buddha.

Honoring the Water

Visiting the beach, we saw these brave souls kayaking on the Puget Sound. It looks like a lot of fun; only if the weather were a bit warmer. I suppose they honor the water in their own way. On the other hand, Whitney helped me sing a song from the Spokane Tribe to honor the spirits of the water. Oddly enough, we're a landlocked tribe, but we still have songs from the ocean. I guess the sea is powerful enough to inspire our ancestors to render it proper reverence and respect through song. I certainly feel that way every time I stand on the beach, no matter where I go in the world.

The Lighthouse

Dakota walking on the cold, windy beach.


The lighthouse at Discovery Park.

After visiting the Indian Cultural Center, we visited a nearby lighthouse. The kids had asked to visit the waterfront, even though the wind and rain chilled us to the bone.

My Favorite

This is my favorite picture of my daughters from this trip. They looked so sweet wearing their matching coats and showing their loving, playful spirit. This picture is more spontaneous and unscripted than usual; and while they posed for a two or three dozen photographs over the weekend, this one shows their truest, most endearing nature.

Indian Cultural Center

Guardian of the Spirit.


My family looking at old canoes.

After breakfast on Saturday morning, my family drove toward Discovery Park, and took a long, winding road through a grove of trees. The road ended at a place called Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center. As it just so happened, there was some kind of event going on when we arrived where people were selling a variety of coastal Native American crafts.

Outside, we saw this amazing terra cotta Indian sculpture, salvaged from the White - Henry - Stuart Building when it was renovated in 1976 (it was originally built in 1909). The statue now stands about six feet tall and had tobacco offerings at the base. Apparently, people have begun to see some kind of spiritual significance in having this old man near the cultural center. A marker refers to this piece as the "Guardian of the Spirit."

A little later, we saw a handful of old canoes once used by the Coast Salish people. When I saw them, something quite unexpected happened to me; I literally started to weep. I'm not sure what it means, or why I felt that way, but seeing those old canoes moved me beyond words.

Snowball Fight

Whitney gearing up to make a snowball.

On the way over to Seattle, we stopped for a snowball fight along the side of the road. When I was a kid, I absolutely hated snowball fights; maybe because I always ended up getting pummeled by really mean kids who liked to pack the snow into hardened ice-rocks, leaving bruises, welts, and other minor injuries. Of course, playing in the snow with my own children is a very different thing; no one aims to kill or maim the other, and we generally just try to have fun. Actually, I loved it. I mean, I really loved it. We laughed so hard we almost cried for joy. That's what winter was always meant to be.

Seattle

We spent the day taking in the sights in downtown Seattle; Pike Place Market, the Aquarium, Ye Olde Curiosity Shop, and others. The kids loved it, and I loved watching their excitement. I'll post more when the pictures come in.

Oh, I almost forgot; I took the kids to see some of the places I used to live, my old school, and my old church. They were very interested in learning more about their father's childhood history.

The Next Level

My family left Spokane this morning for a short break away from home. We braved the snowy pass and are now staying in a Kirkland area hotel. We plan on visiting the Seattle waterfront tomorrow. Our kids haven't seen this part of the state in more than five years, so I'm really glad they'll have this experience. I'll post the pictures when we get back to Spokane.

Earlier this evening, we had dinner with my friend Tresa. She previously lived in the Boise area and completed the Spectrum training in my same group (LT-24) back in 1998. We had a wonderful time remembering our training experience and re-kindling previous commitments to self-awareness and personal growth. In fact, her husband led us in an improvised process around the issue of enrollment. I expressed my personal hesitation around enrolling others into the training and he proceeded to uncover other areas in my life where I hesitate in a similar manner.

As a result of this process, I realized something rather profound about myself. When I completed the training 8 years ago, I was so focused on resolving painful issues in my life, I didn't have much space in my life for looking at issues of enrollment, money, or abundance. I'm not suggesting pain has gone away completely, but I'm not focused on it. Pain doesn't drive me anymore. For the first time in my life, I'm beginning to look at my relationship with things like money, power, professionalism, and abundant living.

At one point he asked us, "Do you have everything you want?" I had to say I do not yet have everything I want, so why not? What holds me back? What would my life be like without my personal hesitations and reservations? Where will I go from here? I'm not exactly clear where I'm going, but I'm clear where I'm not, and that is the first hurdle. I'm ready now for the next level.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving day was both blessed and unusual this year.

The day was blessed for all the normal reasons, such as good food, happy visits with loved ones, and the sound of children laughing. Rhonda's family came over for dinner and spent a wonderful time with us eating and playing games.

It was unusual because of a whole different set of circumstances. We invited one of Anthony's friends for dinner, and when I went to pick her up, there were two cop cars outside her house. I still don't know all the details, but some runaway girl had been hiding out nearby, and so the cops interviewed me just because I showed up on the scene. Later on, I went to see K in the hospital. He was recovering from being "jumped," which resulted in several broken ribs and a punctured lung.

Regardless of the events of this day, I still took time to give thanks for my life, my beautiful family, and my children. I also gave thanks for having a warm house and that people don't ever want to beat me up, and that I don't have police officers looking for me. Yes, I give thanks for all this and more. :)

Cousins

One of the great things about holiday dinners is the way all the cousins get together and play. These three in particular are absolutely inseparable. I think I have pictures of them together from every family dinner or gathering in the last few years.

Home Away From Home

When I was a kid, I used to think the Spokane County Courthouse and Jail was my father's home away from home. Nowadays, I'm beginning to get that same impression for someone else I know... :) I made my weekly visit, and left sad and reflective, as usual.

Alberto and Yoana

Several weeks ago I visited Bridal Veil Falls in Provo Canyon, Utah. I saw this couple taking turns to pose for photographs with a small disposable camera. I offered to photograph the couple together and promised to send a print copy. My computer crashed in the interim, but I finally fulfilled my word. Only very rarely do I ever stop strangers to ask for pictures, but I'm glad I did.

The Covenant

The Old Testament tells the story of King Josiah who ruled over ancient Israel when he was only eight years old. While still a young man, he authorized an extensive renovation of the Temple, where workers accidentally uncovered an old copy of scripture, or the Book of the Law. A priest read the book aloud in the presence of the king, causing him to weep. I'm not sure if the people no longer owned copies of the book, or if it simply fell into disuse, but the king realized his people had gone astray from its sacred teachings. He caused the book to be read to all the people, who joined him in renewing their covenant to the Lord (2 Kings Chapters 22 and 23).

Something happened recently to remind me of this story in my own life. About eight years ago, I completed a training through a company called Spectrum. The training provided a safe place for me to peel back the layers of limiting beliefs and to remember who I really am. Contrary to the way I normally lived my life, I discovered this one truth:

I am a courageous, passionate, worthy man.

This statement became an agreement or covenant between me and the universe. It is a reflection of who I really am on the deepest level. When I honor my commitment, I experience the world as exciting and clear; but when I betray my commitment, I tend to behave in exactly the opposite way; I become timid, fearful, anxious, lethargic, worthless, and irredeemable. This covenant has become a measure of integrity and honor.

Several years after completing the training, I forgot my commitment and fell into a time of deep darkness and depression. Through incredible effort, I slowly returned to my original self and began to experience goodness once again. After Spectrum closed, I started staffing the Great Life in Utah.

As if to remind me of my word, I was digging through some old junk in the garage, and I found an old written copy of my agreement made all those years ago. I was stunned! The paper was wrinkled, stained, and had holes in the center, but the message is the same. I felt like Josiah, who had lost the Law and then had it restored to him. I'm grateful to remember my own commitment and sense of self-worth.

Terry Walker

Looking for an old friend online, I discovered instead her obituary. Terry Walker was my best friend's mom when I was in grade school, and became like my own flesh and blood relative. She introduced me to the LDS religion and was directly responsible for my baptism. The last time I saw her alive, she had come to Spokane for my missionary farewell. This photograph is from that day. I'm sad to see she's gone; I pray God's blessings upon her family.

Soul Dance

My wife and I co-facilitated our first workshop in many years. We used to do this kind of thing a lot, but then life got hard, and our workshops sort of fell by the wayside. It felt good to resume our work together.

We held a Soul Dance Workshop in the beautiful surroundings of Heartsong near Tum Tum, Washington. A handful of people joined us, and had positive experiences. More on this later...