A New Frontier

Like everyone, I have a few regrets tucked away from previous life experiences. The rewarding and positive things totally outnumber the regrets. I look forward to many rewarding things in my life and am in awe of all the greatness life has to offer us.

Zack, Brooke and I are taking an Alaskan cruise in two weeks. This has taken alot of planning and decision-making. There are so many great excursions to choose for Juneau, Ketchikan, Sitka and Victoria BC ports. Between e-mails and phone discussions we finalized our plans today.

Alaska has been on my to-do list for at least 15-18 years. Clu Flu and I always planned to go, but it never materialized...kids' summer activities, summer camps, family vacations, no time to get away, etc. all got in the way of making final plans to do this. Not pursuing our plans for Alaska is one of my biggest regrets. It would have been a great thing for us to experience together.

That has not minimized my excitement in taking this cruise with Zack and Brooke. They are more adventurous (and younger) than me, and they are taking bike rides, zip-line expeditions in rainforest, sea kayaking and dog-sledding/glacier helicopter tours. I will visit a totem village, watch whales; explore for brown bears/bald eagles, sea otters; take a tram to top of a mountain; and examine old Russian architecture. We will all explore Glacier Bay from the ship.

I will eat wild salmon and Alaskan King Crab as much as I can. I will enjoy sitting on our verandah and watching the landscapes, glaciers, sunrises/sunsets.

We plan our short time in Victoria, BC to just sight-see, visit an English pub and just enjoy each others' company. What memories I will have from this trip!

I am humbled and overwhelmed to be able to share this trip with them. Clu Flu will be with us, I'm sure.

If I Had Been Tempted In The Garden Of Eden

If I had been roaming the Garden of Eden instead of Eve, maybe there would have been a different outcome. You see, I can resist the temptation of an apple..no matter how red, unblemished, crisp or sweet....I am able to turn 'em down. "No thank you, I'm fine." "Yes, that is a beautiful apple, but I'll pass."

Remember, even Snow White was tempted by the mean Queen's red, juicy apple. Look what happened to Snow White...a premature demise, a deep sleep.

My temptation would be a glorious, red, full of sunshine tomato. And we are in the midst of the "season of the tomato." Just give me a just-plucked warm, red tomato from the vine and a shaker of salt---I AM IN HEAVEN! I have stood in the middle of my Dad's garden in July, canvassing for the ripest tomato within sight; I have reached down to hold it in my palm, gingerly feeling its weight and girth. The warmth of that tomato on the vine and the smell of the tomato sends me into a state of excitement coupled with the thought that life just can't be better than this.

As I have snapped the tomato from the stem of the plant with just a slight twist and felt the remnants of dew from the leaves as my hand reached through the branches, I anticipate the first bite. I gently rub the tomato against my jeans to knock off any errant sand granules and with the salt shaker in my left hand, I bring the fruit to my mouth. With eyes closed to experience its flavor without distraction, I lean forward to take that first bite. I know from experience that the juice will run down my arm as I take that bite. Then, I shake some salt over the excised and exposed area of the tomato flesh and take the second grand bite. I have no words worthy to describe the flavor. I eat that tomato and walk forward down the row of tomato plants to find my chaser tomato.

You see, Satan would never have tempted Eve with a tomato. For centuries, tomatoes were believed to be poisonous. Satan's goal was to make Eve suffer, not to kill her. And then Eve convinced Adam to take a bite of apple...you know the rest of the story.

The next time you pick a tomato from the grocer's shelf or from a basket at a road-side produce stand, remember that if Eve had eaten the tomato instead of the apple....we might all be living in the Garden of Eden, unclothed, happy, healthy and enjoying fruits of our Lord's bounty.