Alaska
Dress for the weather, not the calendar!
It’s November, and record-setting cold temperatures are hitting Alaska. Usually, we don’t see these types of temps until January or February. This cold snap brings to mind a saying all Alaskan and other cold-weather dwellers understand. “Dress for the weather, not the calendar.” Alaskans understand dressing for the weather. Well, mostly. Sometimes I see teenagers…
Termination Dust: Winter Begins
One morning, earlier this month, I woke up to the sight of termination dust. For you non-Alaskans, that is SNOW. On the mountains. The termination of summer. Today, I woke up to snow everywhere. Alaska, I’m not ready for winter. I’ve barely said goodbye to summer and hello to autumn. Yet I feel winter…
Breaking Up Is Hard To Do
Breakup. A term used for the ending of a romantic relationship. The old song says it so well, “breaking up is hard to do.” Sometimes, the breakup is quick, like taking a surgeon’s scalpel to our heart. Other times, the breakup drags on and on, on-again, off-again. Our heart looks forward to moving on to…
Hope Reborn
Last summer, a fire devastated the landscape along the Sterling Highway. Smoke filled the skies on the Kenai peninsula, and at times, surrounded my house in Anchorage. The smoky smell was inescapable; whiffs of smoke filtered through the closed windows into my home and assaulted my lungs. It was heartbreaking to see the skeletons of…
Fireweed: Beauty from Ashes
When I think of Alaska, one of the first images to cross my mind is of a field of fireweed. Fireweed flourishes along the roads, on the hillsides, and in your backyard. Its glowing magenta color transforms the landscape. Last week, as I drove along the Turnagain Pass on my way to Seward, I was…
Anchorage Hits 90 Degrees: A Tale of Survival
I can’t believe I’m getting ready to type these words: Anchorage hit 90 degrees for the first time in recorded history. I know, all you Southerners are laughing at my supposed discomfort. But it’s HOT, HOT, HOT! This is a piece of Alaskan history I’d just as soon miss. I used to brag that I…
My Life as a Tour Guide
Tourist season has arrived in Alaska, and my life as a tour guide has kicked into full steam. As a child, I never dreamed of being a tour guide, but during my time spent overseas and in Alaska, I’ve had the misfortune privilege many times. I’m always amazed that visitors mistakenly believe I am an…
Called to Alaska: Ministering in the Hard Places
As the Executive Director of the Alaska Baptist Convention, my husband receives scores of inquiries about being a pastor in Alaska. The lure of ministering in the Last Frontier excites the heart of many a pastor, especially if he happens to enjoy hunting, fishing, and a wilderness adventure. Long-time Alaskans have seen many pastors come and…
Xtratuf Boots aka The Alaskan Sneaker
For Christmas, my husband surprised me with a pair of Alaskan sneakers, aka, Xtratuf boots. It’s not often my husband surprises me, but he accomplished it this Christmas. Now, I look and feel like a true Alaskan. If you are looking for fashion, Alaska is not the place you find it. Alaskans dress for the…
My Path to Popularity
I always longed to be one of the popular crowd. In high school, I was a shy introvert who concentrated on good grades. My only claim to fame was singing with a small jazz ensemble, but even then no one knew my name. But, I’ve finally discovered the key to popularity as an adult. Moving.…
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