Kenneth Marple

Ever since the story of “Charlotte’s Web” there has been a greater degree of tolerance for spiders in our house. They swing from beam to beam, hanging light fixtures, and picture frames weaving lovely geometric designs and adding an artful flavor to our home. When we arrive at our sailboat up on Seneca Lake, we always find that while we were gone, Charlotte’s family has moved into the rigging and taken refuge under the sail covers. Sometimes, they make it to the boat cabin and spend the night with us. Not good.

Ilwaco Bay, Washington, that’s the place. It was first sighted & sailed by Sir Robert Gray, 232 years ago, in 1792. Some 13 years later, the “Bird Woman,” Sacagawea, led Lewis and Clark to this same spot in the river. From the old man’s “Gillnetter” boat, I could see the forest on the Oregon side where they set up camp for the winter of 1805-1806.

Before Albert Einstein, the idea that the physical universe was made from energy was considered absurd. Now, scientists are quite sure that is the way it was formed! Yet, Christians have always maintained that the physical earth was formed from energy. About a hundred years ago chemistry taught that matter was eternal; it could neither be destroyed nor created. It taught that you could change the form of matter, forming compounds or breaking down those already formed; but that all of the matter was still in existence as matter. Einstein’s theory changed all of that. In World War II, atomic physics showed how matter could be changed into energy. Today, there is no question about the ability of matter to change into energy. In addition, the possibility of changing energy into matter has been demonstrated in our laboratories of atomic physics. The Bible maintains that God formed the universe with His power (energy). “The world and the stars –in fact, all things, were made at God’s command; so that the things which are seen were all made from things that cannot be seen” (Hebrews 11:3). Scientific evidence that this could be done was not known at the time the Bible was written – in fact, it was not known until after Albert Einstein.

The word discipline is actually rooted in the word disciple. Discipline can be defined as setting the limits of behavior and encouraging, evoking, or rewarding desirable behavior. Since children are in the custodial care of parents, the development of safe, responsible behaviors is a primary concern for them. It is a function of parents to set up “boundaries” for children. The boundaries not only serve to protect the children from themselves, but they also protect other people and property from the children! Well then, how do you get these kids to behave within the boundaries? It’s easier to write about it than to do it. So, I’ll write about it; you can try to do it!

Save the woods! Save the owls! Save the trees! Yes, Aldo Leopold saw them all as evidence of God. To destroy them, would be tantamount to “destroying the evidence.”

The Sun has gone to bed early tonight. It is a north-winter freeze. Roads protest my wanderlust. A book in my hand. Two cats at my feet. A quilt on

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Poverty is a wonderful thing. Some of the wealthiest folk that I know sit around the fire at night and nostalgically brag about how poor they were when they were growing up. What is really neat, is when two wealthy people get into a contest to out-do each other in telling stories about “who was the poorest.” The fact is, if you’re not poor any more, it’s a lot easier to sit around and talk about the nobility of poverty and your “humble heritage.”

It all started in a college classroom. Neither had ever seen the other before; however, that first look was the beginning of the biggest deal either of them would ever make. He knew nothing about her; she knew nothing about him. Who knows what they saw in each other that day? Yet, he would take what he had and use it to get what he wanted --she would do the same. A year later, they were married --so, it seems they shall be for the rest of their lives. That’s how it works; we use what we have to get what we want. The problem comes when we stop using our skills to attract and please.

Many of my family and friends stopped listening to the news several years ago. They actually seemed happier to Gloria and me! The newest (and strange) “political strategy” is to make sure you are always in the news –even if for the worst of reasons. You can always “deny” and make it into a fight –then gather sides. Really?