Here in our part of Oregon, the snow is melting off as quickly as it came. But we had about ten days in the middle when it was a winter wonderland—making December 2008 our snowiest month since January 1950, four years before I was born.

Usually here in my part of Oregon there are more mighty downpours than great snows. But my brother Lance and I, who've lived here all our lives, were just agreeing that this is the most snow we've seen since 1968, forty years ago.

We've spent a few days with our grandsons, Jake and Tyler Stump, who live just up the road from us. We were on the sled, threw snowballs and built a snowman in our side yard. You can't often do that in our part of Oregon, and we've had a blast.

Four days ago I watched a short film called "Volition" that is extremely powerful and well done. It's a great investment of fifteen minutes.

In the final eight minutes of this three part video, Jim Harrell, dying of ALS but living with an eternal perspective, says, “Suffering is the icy cold splash that wakes us up from the complacency of living this life."

See my previous blog to learn a little about my friend Jim Harrell, who has ALS, and watch the five minute video that precedes this one. Or, just go straight to the ten minute one below. I guarantee you, this ten minutes will bring more to your day than almost anything else.

This month we’re giving away Randy’s children’s book Tell Me About Heaven, which has been beautifully illustrated by artist Ron DiCianni.

In the past year I've gotten to know Jim Harrell, a friend I've exchanged emails with and talked with once on the phone. I interviewed Jim on the subject of suffering for the book I'm currently writing. 

December 7, this Sunday, is the 40th anniversary of the day Nanci and I met. We were freshmen in high school. It was a double date in which we went to see two new movies at Portland's Village Theatre on 122nd.