MORGAN'S MOMENT...
A boy runs down 100 stairs
   cautiously going over barnacles
   to the edge of the tide.
He peers at creatures strange to him..
   living sand dollars
   and lively little green crabs.
He moves from peering to poking…
   from poking to picking up
   gradually getting used to it all.
So much of what he finds is alive
   and a lot is dead
   and some alive that appear dead.
He brings us examples of his find…
   being brave enough to hold
   unfamiliar things.
I try to identify what’s alive
   that the crab with eyes is dead…
   that the oyster is alive
He leaves the oyster
   keeps the crab
   examining its body parts.
He’s learning about life on our shore
   how to tell life from death…
   how they are all part of life.
— Art Morgan 

BOOK CORNER
I’m 100 pages into a book I’m not sure whether I want to finish. It’s my current read on the boat, so I’m sort of stuck. It’s a Wilbur Smith historical novel set in Egypt as were others of his I’ve read. I’ll let you know what I decide.
My in cabin book at the moment is another novel/mystery by Aaron Elkins, Little Tiny Teeth. His books feature Gideon Oliver, a forensic expert who solves mysteries by looking at old bones. It’s a break from heavier stuff.
It is interesting, however, to note how much religion and theology is to be found in the Wilber Smith books and even in the Elkins books. Not that one needs it.
Several likely books have been suggested for future reading that are on order.
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MOMENT MINISTRIES
July 15, 2008
home address:  25921 SW Airport Ave.
Corvallis, OR 97333   541-753-3942
email at a-morgan@peak.org
DON WHITNEY IN HALL OF FAME
Only the most careful readers of the Blue Sheet will likely know much about Don Whitney. I mention him most often as “our Associated Washington Moment Minister.” Moment Ministries in fact endorsed his ordination. We both attended the School of Theology at Claremont, though at different times.
Don doesn’t lead any group or congregation or anything, but he does do occasional weddings (like the first wedding at Seattle’s Safeco Field) and the recent Memorial Service for a friend and colleague at the University of Washington Bothell campus where he serves as an administrator in the School of Business.
He is a poet and musician and husband of Beth and father of Colin. They are regular summer visitors at our summer compound.
We came to know each other when he was a Campus Minister at Oregon State University while I was a pastor there. He went on to positions with the athletic departments at Oregon State University and the University of Washington among other things.
I always knew that he attended Oregon State University where he played football. His main claim to fame as far as I knew was that he played on the team known as “the giant killers” for a victory over #1 USC. (At his wedding I had a chance to mention the fact that he was once a “giant killer” who had tackled OJ Simpson. People actually applauded). Being on that team got him into the OSU Sports Hall of Fame.
All this leads up to the fact that on July 18 Don will be inducted into the Pendleton High School Football Hall of Fame. He only played there one year, starting as both defensive and offensive halfback where he gained 1100 yards.
Don was in my personal hall of fame a long time ago. I’m happy for him that others recognize him too!

SUMMER HAPPENINGS
Not much to report here. Well, we did teach a couple of boys how to sail the small dinghy out a bit – and back! One learned to row and paddle the kayak and canoe. That’s big stuff if you’re a kid. We had a semi-summer wine-tasting of Jerry Burd’s Black Mesa wines from New Mexico. He also cooked up fish tacos. Jean hitch-hiked on the occasion to celebrate her birthday (it’s actually the 18th).  Some folks are putting in for certain dates as summer rolls along. One of our grands just left (Max who is now with his folks somewhere in the Dakotas I think). Granddaughter Grace and friend Trey just arrived for a few days.
I’ve been across the bridge a few times for activities related to the Tacoma Prostate Cancer Support Group where I serve on the Steering Committee.  It’s a nice summer so far.
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JOSH
        The last I heard about Josh was that he had been wounded in Iraq and that his mom, Catherine, was flying to Washington DC to check up on him. I really don’t know Josh, having only met him briefly at a party at his folk’s house in Corvallis.
        A lot has gone on since then. The death of his dad a few years ago, then the death of his grandmother, Jean Mater on July 6. Josh graduated from Oregon State University then went on to become a Captain in the Army.
        On July 8 there he was on the front page of the Corvallis Gazette-Times. He shared the page with his renowned grandmother who was featured in an article about her death and impressive life and contribution to the community and beyond. 
        The paper didn’t need to say in print what the two articles and photos proclaimed: Josh’s is a living tribute to her life.
        The headline to Josh’s article reads: OSU grad books deal – Captain Josh Mater works with Oregon State to get texts for Dhi Qar University. What Josh did was facilitate the donation of some 200 engineering texts from Oregon State University to Dhi Qar University in Iraq. These recent edition text books are valued at $20,000. He’s trying to work a similar arrangement with the School of Business. I suspect his grandma’s name and influence has helped open some doors.
        Our general news from Iraq is sparse. We get news of roadside bombs and occasional actions in one place or another. We get a relentless trickle of casualty reports with flags at half mast in one community or another. Brigades come and go. We don’t know what the troops are doing when at war or when not at war.
        Then we hear about someone like Josh. He’s been involved with some University we’ve never heard about. !0,000 students go there. Presumably there will be a future for them. OSU President Ray has talked about making it a sister University. Josh hopes there will come a time when the two Universities will exchange students.
        Is that any way to fight a war?
        Here on Puget Sound where the sun is breaking through morning clouds to reveal the promised sunny summer day we pick up the morning Tacoma Tribune delivered up our driveway. The opinion page has a commentary today by Nicholas Kristof, the New York Times Pulitzer Prize writer. The headline jumped out at me: Perhaps we need books, not bombs.
        He starts out by telling us that since 9/11 we have tried fighting terrorism with two approaches, George Bush’s and Greg Mortenson’s. If you have read “Three Cups of Tea” (which I hope you have) you know the story. Minds are shaped and changed by education and books that will never be changed by bombs. While Mortenson’s work has been on the Pakistan/Afghanistan border region, the point is the same: We aren’t changing hearts and minds with our multi-billion dollar military approach.
        Kristof says: “Each Tomahawk missile that the United States fires at Afghanistan costs at least $500,000. That’s enough for local aid groups to build more than 20 schools.” A Lt. Colonel agreed that “The conflict here will not be won with bombs but with books.”
        It’s probably not an either/or situation at this point. It is naïve to presume that fanatics can be brought into lawful behavior only by books. It is equally naïve to think that bombs win friends and change hearts and minds.
        I don’t know how many there are like Josh. I’m betting and hoping there are many stories like his that have not yet made there way into public press. I’m also betting and hoping that there are lots of schools and Universities like Oregon State with students and faculty and community people who would be more than glad to send books to Iraq instead of more bombs. We’ve tried bombs. Now let’s try books.
─ Art Morgan, July 16, 2008