Dear Members and Friends of St.
John,
In the past year my wife and I became “proud” owners of a
small dry cabin on the Kenai Peninsula, near a boat launch on the Kenai
River. Now, Alaskans know that the Kenai
River is the prime fishing river in Alaska which can be easily accessed by the Alaska
road system. In addition, people who know
me, know that I like to fish. When
people greet me I’m often asked two questions.
The first question I’m asked is, “How are you doing?” But the second
question people ask is, “Have you been fishing lately?”
As any landowner knows, owning property comes with responsibilities
for maintenance and upkeep, and then all those little projects one may want to
do. I have learned that a maintenance
task which looks easy isn’t necessarily as easy as I thought. I am now at a point in my “fix-it experience”
where I estimate the time I think it will take to do a job, and then multiply that
time by 3! In fact, often, such as with
this cabin, the jobs takes much longer, and are more expensive than I expected.
We did not build this cabin we now own. Another man built the cabin and had it for
sale about a mile from the small piece of property Kathy and I bought. Part of the purchase price included moving
the cabin, but then it was our responsibility to paint the cabin, get it set up
for our use, and hook it up to electricity and propane. On its previous site the cabin had been on
natural gas.
For me, it was the propane conversion that took the
majority of my effort. I thought, or I assumed,
it would be simple to hook up a propane tank to the natural gas line, which was
already part of the cabin. I understood
that I would need to convert the space heater and the stove from natural gas
use to propane use. But, the more I
investigated, the more complicated this process seemed to be. Actually, while I am not a natural handyman,
I have learned that I can pretty much do
anything as long as I make enough mistakes to learn. But . . . there are some areas where that
first mistake might be disastrous, like with natural gas, or propane. So, I called a professional to install the
conversion kit for the heater, and to help with the hookup of the propane
tank. That was expensive, but it was a
smart move.
Nevertheless, when I went to look for parts, I started at
Spenard Builders in Palmer. They sold me
two parts, but said I really needed to talk with a plumbing contractor in
Wasilla. When I called this contractor,
they sent me to Suburban Propane in Anchorage, who then sent me to Central
Plumbing and heating. Central Plumbing
sold me a regulator, but they also directed me to Alaska Rubber to make the hose
to hook up the tank to the gas line. I
still had to get the conversion kit from a business in Anchorage, who wouldn’t
sell it to me because I wasn’t a licensed contractor. However, when I put them on the phone with
the Kenai business which was installing the part the next day, they reluctantly
sent it with me, as long as I gave it to the contractor. After about 10 stops, the technician from the
company that sells the heaters came, and the propane was connected, the heater
working.
That still left the stove. I have an owner’s manual for this appliance. But, after reading the explanation about how
to convert from gas to propane I still had some questions. Harvey Kolberg was on the peninsula and he
stopped by and worked with me. But, the
manual was confusing. For example, when
the manual indicated that we should turn the adjustment valves
counter-clockwise, were we to look at the valve from the front, or the back? Were we tightening, or loosening? Harvey called the company and they admitted
the manual could be confusing. He got
some of the conversion done, but didn’t have all the tools he needed. On my 3rd trip to work on this
issue, I too called the company, and finally, with all the tools in hand,
finished the job. I’m sure someone who
does this work professionally, could have done these jobs simply, quickly, and
without the questions we ran into. Finally,
on July 19, with Kathy and I in the cabin, we had the electric and the propane,
and all the appliances working. . . I think!
As I said, “I can pretty much do anything as long as I make enough mistakes to
learn. But . . . there are some
areas where that first mistake might be disastrous.” With the complexity of seemingly simple tasks
in mind, do your heart and soul ever fill with awe when you look at the
Creation around you? I know the questions
I had with the simple tasks of hooking up electric that was already wired. I know the mistakes and the trouble I experienced
with the simple hooking up of propane to a building which was already
plumbed. Yet, we are told about the creation
around us, “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening,
and there was morning-- the sixth day.”
(Genesis 1:31) God didn’t make mistakes. The Lord created
our world, and still cares for it. The days and seasons and years continue, and God provides land and water, sun
and rain, warmth and cold. Even with all
the lack of wisdom which humans show in stewardship of God’s gift, we are still
blessed by the world around us, by the beauty we experience, by the food we eat
and the places we live. God is good!
The Psalmist
wrote, “3 When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
4 what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for
him?” (Psalm 8:3-4) We look at the creation around us, at the
complexity, at the order, at the beauty, and the world teaches us about
God. Creation teaches us about the
power, and the wisdom, and the creative nature of our Lord. The world around us also teaches us about His
love for us. The One who created us
also, according to Psalm 8, cares for us.
He cares so much He sent His own
son to die for us.
The cabin we bought has taught me humility . . . again. I am thankful for friends and professionals
who helped me. But, the complexity of
these simple tasks has reminded me to be in awe of the beauty and the order found
in creation around us. And, to know that
the powerful Lord who created the world, and continues to keep it working, is
the one who has reached out to care for me and to save me, gives me comfort and
hope.
A Child of God, Living in Awe, and Comfort, and Hope,
Because of my Creator and My Savior,
Pastor Jonathan
P.P.S. Thank you
to all who helped feed the District Board of Directors when they visited St.
John on August 3. Here are some
pictures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/CUcoTzj2rBnFynPT6
P.P.P.S. I took
Mike Livingston fishing on Monday, August 5.
Mike’s wife, Nancy, is on the District Board of Directors, and he is a
fish and game biologist for the state of Washington in the Yakima area. Mike caught his limit of silvers in 15
minutes on Monday. https://photos.app.goo.gl/sn85bkErYgiSN8zN8
******
ABOUT ‘THOUGHTS FROM THE PASTOR’ - I am
sending these e-mail messages, hopefully weekly, to all St. John members and
friends whose e-mails I have. (I am regularly adding new names of friends
and members – in case you are just receiving this e-mail for the first
time.) However, if you do not want to receive this e-mail, please let me
know, and I’ll gladly leave your name off my list for this message.
******
IMPORTANT - When I retire I will continue
to write these devotions, but I will no longer send these e-mails as a St. John
newsletter. I will post these devotions
on my Facebook page, but not on the St. John Facebook page, for now at least. I
believe the articles will also continue in The Frontiersman. However, if you want to continue to receive these devotions by e-mail please
send me an e-mail TO ME at jonrock53@mtaonline.net to let me know to send them to you.
++++
FROM PRESIDENT PAUL LINNEMANN - President Paul
Linnemann preached at St. John on Sunday, August 4. During his sermon he quoted the old Cat
Stevens song, “Cat’s in the Cradle.” He
also wrote 2 new verses, and a new refain.
A number of people asked for his new verses. Here they are:
1.
My child arrived just the other day; Came into the
world in the usual way
There were hugs to give and lots
to say; love overflowed almost every day.
He asked
questions. I told stories and as he grew he said
I’m gonna be like you, Dad. You
know I’m gonna be like you.
Refrain
And the Word’s on the table and
it’s really read,
There’s laughter and there’s
loving and there’s prayers before bed.
What’s
happening tomorrow, Dad, what’s in store?
There’s
more, son, there’s so much more.
3.
The years have worn on and my son is on his own; It’s
hard to believe just how much he’s grown
When I hear him speak and watch
him live, he shares his love and he loves to give.
You see he knows his real father
and his heart he shares
I wanna be like You, Dad. You
know I wanna be like You.
Refrain
And the Word’s on the table and
it’s really read,
There’s laughter and there’s
loving and there’s prayers before bed.
What’s
happening tomorrow, Dad, what’s in store?
There’s more, son, there’s so
much more.
Thank you,
President Linnemann!
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