Welcome
to Marty's Page!
and congratulations for having the persistence to get this far into my website...
This is the place where I can 'talk' about something other than business... A challenge with me; it seems that so much of my life is centered on business. I would prefer that it be centered on loftier pursuits. The Father and I are working on it, but it seems I still have a long way to go. He has it worked out. I apparently don't listen all that well...
There's
an old story about a young man who went to visit a 'wise old man of the mountain,'
wherever one happens to find these people. The young man asked, "How I can see
God?" The wise old man thought about it for a long time. Finally he replied, "My
son, I cannot help you in this matter. You see, I cannot NOT see God."
I make no claims about wisdom, but my kids think I'm old [I sometimes agree], and we do
live on the slopes of Mount Scott. To be truthful, I can't not see God, either. Not that I
see Him physically; I don't believe that God is tangible. But all around me I see evidence
of His presence. I also see evidence of His absence in the lives of so many around me. I
was introduced to Jesus Christ in college, having been raised without the benefit of
church or religion. I usually describe myself as having been raised a pagan; not that I
did weird things with idols, I simply wasn't sure that there was some sort of Being that
knew, or cared what was going on in this world. I certainly didn't.
I've been walking with God for 39 years, as of this writing; I've seen miracles, I've seen
much about life that I cannot explain rationally. I have far more difficulty in believing
that the beauty in this world-- the coloring of a fish that lives at the bottom of the
ocean where it's dark, and color is irrelevant, for example-- is the product of two
molecules that happened to bump into each other a few billiion years ago; than it is for
me to believe that there is a guiding Presence behind all of this stuff. I don't get into
arguments about Creation vs. evolution; not that I don't have opinions on the subject, but
that's all they are-- opinions. For me, knowing the Father does not mean that I have a
better understanding of life; but it encourages me in believing that there is an Answer to
most of our questions. I also believe that we probably won't find that Answer until we get
Home. To quote an old Righteous Brothers' song, "If you believe in Forever, then life
is just a one night stand."
The next 'most important and most influential' aspect of my life is shown below. My family.
Jones Family, 2000
Judy
Lynne [Halliday] Jones, Marty, Arna Jones, Jennifer [20], Rob [17], David [15]
Mom and I look a little odd, but the rest of the family looks pretty good.
Mary 2012
| Jen is a graduate of University of Northern Colorado in Greeley; now living and working in Fort Collins as a full-time Mom; and full-time office manager. On October 1, 2002, Jen gave birth to Katelina Ruth Jones Moore, in Portland. Jen is married to Robert Wayne Moore, aka "gearjammer", who sometimes drives long-haul trucks. |
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Rob is an Eagle Scout, and a graduate of Johnson & Wales University in Denver,
where he is working on a degree in Food Service Management. He also has an Associates
Degree in Culinary Arts.
Rob currently works at Lucca, a Portland restaurant
serving an Italian-inspired menu featuring wood-fired cooking.
David, having attended University of Oregon, is in the process of finding his gifts and
career goals. He is also a gifted artist.
Judy is a Cook for the David Douglas School District, as well as an English as a
Second Language teacher, serving the refugee community living in the David Douglas
District. She is also a Senior Senior at Portland State University, working on a Sociology
degree.
Arna died at home at the end of 2004, having lived with Judy and I for her final year. She
was 86. Arna was born on a small island in Norway, and came to the States with her mother
and two sisters when she was 8. Not understanding a word of American, she and her sisters
had some interesting experiences as a result of 'helpful friends'.
For many years she dedicated herself to the Harvey Scott Elementary School PTA, the Cub
Scouts, the American Legion Auxiliary, 8 & 40 [an offshoot of the Legion], the
Wellington Park Lion's Club and to my father, Robert C. Jones. Dad died in 1985, a few
months before David was born; his last 5 years were fraught with a number of health
challenges, mostly from working himself too hard, and not taking care of his body as he
should have done. Dad was involved with the Boy Scouts, a Little League Umpire, very
active with the American Legion and the 40&8, the Wellington Park Lion's Club. I spent
a lot of my childhood sleeping on folding chairs at Lion's and Legion meetings... Dad's
dad, Reuben Chester Jones, became blind, from diabetes, when my Dad was 8; consequently my
Dad had to take over a lot of the running of the family wheat ranch. Reuben died when my
Dad was 18; there were some challenges during the Depression, and the family farm
disappeared. My Dad worked as a ranch hand, a catepiller tractor driver, a machinist, a
welder, a building contractor, a really poor real estate salesman, and then as a Public
Accountant-- the only career I saw. For most of his life he worked 12-18 hours a day, 7
days a week. Being diabetic [he discovered, while on a troop train to Fort Lewis], he
probably should have cut back on his hours; but that's all that he knew how to do. In his
last 5 years, his two grandchildren became one of those miracles that pop up now and
again. His only-known-apology was given to Jennifer, who ran off in tears after being
scolded one day. He wasn't really sure what the problem was, but he knew that he didn't
want to be on her BAD list. She was a great light in his life. As she has become for so
many others.
In 2009
I became aware of my idiopathic polyneuropathy. It started with a silver-dollar-sized area
on the ball of each foot, the previous November. In May of 2009 I was 'shooting' a
wedding; by the time the reception started, I was in so much pain from
fibromyalgia/rheumatism that I asked my Father to take me Home. I was ready to not wake up
the following morning. Within a few weeks, my ability to feel external pain, and my sense
of touch had become absent over 70% of my body. In May of 2011 it expanded to include the
rest of my body, most of my taste buds, and the function of my gut. After several months
of testing at Oregon Health Sciences University, it was determined that there is no
explanation as to the cause of my neuropathy; and no prognosis for recovery.
I could say that I'm becoming accustomed to my 'new normal' but it wouldn't be true. Each
day is different, sometimes in small ways, sometimes in larger ways. There are chronic
issues that unfortunately have become a major focus of my attention. I lack the stamina I
once had; my inability to feel pain, and my lack of balance make it foolish to do many of
the activities I've done for most of my adult life. Walking is becoming more difficult;
and I've discovered aspects of pain that I never knew existed. Many of my chronic aches
and pains have disappeared as the nerves become damaged; but there's a 'hidden' aspect of
pain that I wasn't aware of before. My body reacts in negative ways to pain I can't
feel...
So what's left...
I love
to draw. I fill my life with music, mostly on CDs...a lot of worship music, Jazz, Latin,
Celtic, selective Country&Western and old Rock & Roll. I do have a soundtrack to
my life, mostly provided by the Multnomah County Library system. Music is playing in my
office 24 hours a day. I value hero stories, and I am a movie addict. For years while
working for the City of Portland, I would take MY vacation in January. For 4 weeks I would
draw and watch movies, 3-5 per day. Hollywood Video, et al, always did better in January.
I enjoy reading theology. Not to the point of understanding the Graf-Belhausen Documentary
Hypothesis [if you know what that means, could you send me an email?]; but from the
standpoint of attempting to understand the weird creatures we are. Favorite theologians:
Steve Brown, C.S. Lewis, Philip Yancey, Frederick Buechner, Tim Hansel, Eugene Peterson,
Os Guinness.
I'm an Elder of the Presbyterian Church, and currently attend Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church, where I serve as a Stephen Minister.
That's it for now.
If you've gotten this far, please send me an email, with Marty's Page as the subject. I'm curious as to whether anyone ever reads this...
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