RLMartin

Love is the outer shell…

Love is the outer shell and the inner core. But what is love? We know it has been described, but it’s essence has not been captured. Love is patient, love is kind, love is..but what IS love? A thing? An emotion? Or is love a being? God is love. Is that just a metaphor? OrContinueContinue reading “Love is the outer shell…”

Lessons from Kayaking–Plan, Paddle, Pray

I set out from Titlow today thinking I would try to paddle across to Wollochet, about a 1.3 miles away. At first, the going was easy. I felt confident that I could make it. But after about a half mile, I started to get into some choppy water. I used the Narrows Bridge to myContinueContinue reading “Lessons from Kayaking–Plan, Paddle, Pray”

Pray and Sing Like Paul and Silas

In Acts 16:22, Paul and Silas were beaten and thrown in jail for talking about Jesus. I guess freedom of speech has ALWAYS been under threat. But their reactions surprise and amaze me. I would have been cursing the people who did that to me, asking “What right do you have? Blah Blah Blah.” ButContinueContinue reading “Pray and Sing Like Paul and Silas”

Lessons from my dog

I’ve been spending more time with my dog during the lockdown. He’s teaching me a lot. Here are a few lessons I’ve learned so far under his tutelage. 1. When you see people, always act like you’re really excited.2. When you take a walk, take time to smell stuff, even flowers. 3. Water is probablyContinueContinue reading “Lessons from my dog”

Prayer and the will

I’ve often wondered what the deal is with prayer. Does God really need me to tell him that something bad is going on somewhere and he needs to fix it? For instance, last night I prayed for China. I want the Chinese communist party to fall and to fade quietly into history. Why does GodContinueContinue reading “Prayer and the will”

Rough on Rats

Note I apologize if anything I say sounds like it is motivated from racism. It is not my intent to stir up controversy but to explain things so that both sides can better understand each other. The Chinese diet may have been a cause of prejudice against them in the nineteenth century. The smell ofContinueContinue reading “Rough on Rats”

Writing MIDI characters?

While revising one of my novels for publication, I started to realize that my characters don’t always act in consistently believable ways. I tend to throw in actions and emotions wherever the actions and emotions are needed, regardless of whether a real person, that character I am creating, would have actually done or said thoseContinueContinue reading “Writing MIDI characters?”

Pestiferous Chinese

I’m starting to think that one of the main reasons that whites were against Chinese was that they were being used as slave labor. Ostensibly, it’s a moral argument. But the term Pestiferous Chinese betrays a deep racism that underlies this excuse. Daily Ledger, Tacoma, WA Territory September 30, 1885 Geronimo’s little band of ApachesContinueContinue reading “Pestiferous Chinese”

Hop Picking in Puyallup, 1885

Puyallup Pickings From Tacoma Daily LedgerSeptember 17, 1885 Hop picking is advancing although the rain has been heavy. The Indians do not stop much for wet weather. The women, with calico dresses and many of them with bare feet, work all day, but they are not exempt from diseases, many of them are dying withContinueContinue reading “Hop Picking in Puyallup, 1885”