Since the season has passed that Alaskans "walk on water," and the ice is gone, water is plentiful again. The snowmelt is providing a lot of running water to fill the rivers and streams.

Fishing for food and fun, skiing and swimming, and just being by or on the water are enjoyable again. Warmer temperatures add to the fun.

Certain topics have always been taboo within the church world. Well wait, taboo might be too strong a word; I suppose we can call it "uncomfortable." These topics are either skipped or skimmed over with relatively no practical application.Suffering is one of those topics.

The discussion of suffering, in the church, is like trying to find your cup holder during a movie; it's dark, frustrating and you have no point of reference.  Yet, it's an important reality in life and the church needs to shed some light on it. This leads to an important and practical question, how?

Okay, I confess. Sometimes people think I am a little crazy. But that Sunday night I was feeling good about the way the evening service went. Several community churches got together for an hour of singing and worship in our facility. The musicians were good. We had a full house. We experienced something I call "community." I was feeling very good.

On the way home I remembered that I needed some soda, and so I made a stop at a local convenience store. I was also thinking that this would be a perfect opportunity to get something "chocolate" to celebrate the evening.

Twelve years ago this month, my wife Maryna and I were married in Homer. I had just finished a year of bible school at Alaska Bible Institute and Maryna had spent the last 12 years of her life in the mission field with Operation Mobilization.