Outstanding trip!

Our cruise along the Inside Passage is complete and what memories we have! The beautiful snow-capped mountains, the glaciers and the eight delightful communities that we visited are wonderful memories that I know will be recalled over and over again. What a thrill it was to view eagles soaring overhead and a mother bear eyeing the bright red salmon heading up-stream while her three cubs played games in the tree above her. It was a real treat to travel all those miles without having to repack each day. Daughter Sue made this trip twice before so she was a fantastic resource in selecting how to spend our days on shore. It was great to be able to spend time with her on the ship as well as on land when she was not working.

At our stop in Sitka we visited a Russian Orthodox orphanage. As we toured the facility one plaque caught my eye as it described the founder. I am not sure that my quote is exactly right, but it went something like this: "His appearance alone commanded respect and his humility turned the respect to love." I thought a lot about that little quote during the balance of our trip and the importance of humility in my life. It is so easy to get all focused on my own desires and fail to display a humble spirit. I was especially aware of those desires joining lines around the ship. It sure is easy to want to push yourself to the front of the line at the expense of someone else.

With the most urgent matters that accumulated in my absence handled, I will be heading to bed early tonight. The four-hour time change messed up my sleeping last night so I need to do a bit of catch-up.

Thanks for your prayers and love!

Chuck