1st Third of 2004

1. Name of Park: ? (not shown on sign in Park at this time)
   Location: South side of Clackamas River, Oregon City
   Owner: Oregon City (?)
   Chapter(s) Read: Joshua 1, 2
   Notes: A paved path runs along the south bank of the Clackamas River between the remains of the old highway 213 bridge and the old interurban / railroad bridge. A number of large trees dot the area. There is some mowed grass, as well as wild river bank environment. The park suffers a little bit from the noise of Interstate 205, but further west on the trail the noise becomes a little more tolerable. There are no benches or other such details in the park yet, but there are a few downed trees near the trail that make a reasonable substitute. Therefore, I found one of these and started reading. Who can stand against us when God goes out with us to fight against the enemy? Our attitudes should be ones of confidence and faith, not of failure.

2. Name of Park: Adams Acres
   Location: Rock Creek area of Washington County
   Owner: Tualatin Hills Parks & Recreation
   Chapter(s) Read: Romans 7
   Notes: Walked from Rock Creek Powerlines Park. Undeveloped land near school that appears to have wetlands / wilderness potential. Who is our worst enemy? Romans 7 indicates that it is the rebellious nature that lives in us. Catch the meaning of these first several verses: those who are saved by faith are dead to the law. The the battle pictured here in Romans 7 is a battle of self control. In the last part of the chapter, it is clear that we can have no victory over such things if our only methods are the same self-satisfaction that drives our sinful desires. See Rock Creek Landing Park for the next chapter.

3. Name of Park: Bethany Lake
   Location: Rock Creek area of Washington County
   Owner: Tualatin Hills Parks & Recreation
   Chapter(s) Read: Romans 9
   Notes: Walked from Rock Creek Landing Park. Finding this was a bit of an accident, since walking on NW Neakahnie Av. has signs under the power lines that say "Private Property" and "No Tresspassing", yet in the distance to the east I could see a sign indicating that there was in fact a public park back in there. So, I walked down the walkway to the park. Public parking is on NW 185th Ave. Has a few paved walkways, benches, and a huge cleared area under the power lines. The lake itself has a lot of ducks, and feeding them seems fairly popular with local children. Left on bus route 52. Paul states his concern here for his Israelite brothers who are so emphasizing the law of the teaching that they do not see the faith part of the teaching.

4. Name of Park: Brookview
   Location: at the end of Glenbrook Road, Beaverton
   Owner: Tualatin Hills Parks & Recreation
   Chapter(s) Read: Joshua 9
   Notes: Walked from Lilly K Johnson Park. Small area of mowed grass but majority of park is real preserved welands area, unlike Twin Cedars. There are ducks and other birds in the park, and a bridge crosses one of the small streams going through the park. I did not explore further due to high water, but looks like it would be interesting to do during dry conditions. A single picnic table is the only real man made feature, other than the bridge.

5. Name of Park: Clark Wilson
   Location: Near Germantown Road, inside Forest Park
   Owner: City of Portland
   Chapter(s) Read: Isaiah 1
   Notes: Walked from Germantown Road down Forest Park Firelane 9. Park is somewhere to the right side of me, but Forest Park all blends together into one huge forest, and there does not seem to be a way of getting down into that park of the park from this direction. It is interesting that I would run into this passage a day after seeing the movie Osama. The pride of the nation has been taken away, there is blood on the hands of the rulers of the nation, and the government and religious leaders are corrupt. Walked to Linnton Park.

6. Name of Park: Clifford Stocker Memorial Park
   Location: 82nd Drive & Oatfield Road, Gladstone
   Owner: city of Galdstone (?)
   Chapter(s) Read: Joshua 3, 4
   Notes: Park consists of a turn-around for a dead-end road, a flag on a pole, a trash can, and a few bushes and other landscaping. The park suffers hugely from traffic noise on the busy road nearby, particularly as traffic accelerates from the traffic light. There are several large rocks, and I used one of those as a bench while I read. Preparation being dedicated to the Lord - Making God the center of our lives, and not our own needs, desires, wants, cares.

7. Name of Park: Hamby
   Location: Hilsboro
   Owner: city of Hilsboro
   Chapter(s) Read: John 21
   Notes: Paved trail through grass and trimmed bushes. Small covered picnic area plus picnic tables in other places, basketball hoops, and a shaded stream that runs through the center of the park. This chapter covers Jesus' reconciliation with Peter, who had rejected Christ during the crucifixion. Remember that Christ is also reported to have called Peter the rock on which the church will be built. No matter how far we may wonder, Christ is willing to accept us back if we are willing.

8. Name of Park: Harold Eastman Memorial Rose Garden
   Location: Jackson School Road & Grant & 6th, Hilsboro
   Owner: city of Hilsboro
   Chapter(s) Read: Mattew 27
   Notes: A rose garden it is. It is an attractive use of an otherwise unusable piece of land in the middle of an intersection between these somewhat busy roads. The surrounding busy streets are unfortunate, but it is still a pleasing place overall.

9. Name of Park: Jessie Mays
   Location: North Plains
   Owner: North Plains
   Chapter(s) Read: John 20
   Notes: Walked from North Plains park (by city hall). Quiet park with library, picnic tables under nice shady trees and playground, plus tenis courts and other small sports fields.

10. Name of Park: Lilly K Johnson Park
    Location: between Division St. & Farmington Rd., west of SW 153rd Ave, west of Beaverton
    Owner: Tualatin Hills Parks & Recreation
    Chapter(s) Read: Joshua 8
    Notes: Walked from Twin Cedars Park. Mixed dirt and bark dust path leads among the trees of this forest preserve. Much more bird life here than in two previous parks. There is a parks department sign and a trash can, and little else of human origin, which is how it should be in a forest preserve park.

11. Name of Park: Linnton
    Location: Inside Forest Park, near Linnton and Firelane 10
    Owner: City of Portland
    Chapter(s) Read: Isaiah 2
    Notes: Walked from Clark-Wilson Park (firelane 9) to firelane 10 and followed it to a point well inside the area defined by the maps as being inside Linnton Park. There is a call here to stop trusting in man made things, as there is an appointed time for them all. This includes all earthly governments and related authorities.

12. Name of Park: North Plains (named on map as this, park has no identification sign)
    Location: Norht Plains
    Owner: North Plains
    Chapter(s) Read: John 19
    Notes: Only way to get to North Plains is to drive there. Happened to be in area and decided to make the most of it. This park has only a picnic table and local information on where to find things in the city of North Plains. It is basically the yard next to the city hall. While the park is located on one of the busier streets in town, it is still fairly quiet on a lazy saturday afternoon.

13. Name of Park: Rock Creek
    Location: Rock Creek area of Washington County
    Owner: Tualatin Hills Parks & Recreation
    Chapter(s) Read: Romans 5
    Notes: Walked from Bus 89, at NW185th Ave & Rock Creek Blvd. I found the Thomas Guide map inaccurate with the location of this park. The actual location is beteen Highway 26 and Rock Creek Blvd near NW Malheur. The 2000 edition of the Thomas Guide shows the park in the center of a bunch of residential roads and in the middle of the Rock Creek Country Club. Park has a small playground, basketball hoops, a few benches and picnic tables, and a paved pathway around the edge. It sufferes a lot from being separated by only an aluminum guard rail from Highway 26. Romans 5 illustrates the extent of God's love for us, and the gift: "For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. The chapter also expands on the theme of salvation coming from faith alone, and not through any acts that we may have done.

14. Name of Park: Rock Creek Landing
    Location: Rock Creek area of Washington County
    Owner: Tualatin Hills Parks & Recreation
    Chapter(s) Read: Romans 8
    Notes: Walked from Adams Acres Park. Medium trees sattered about a mowed field, plus tenis courts and benches. Cornelius Pass Road does not provide a pleasant companion, but is not as bad as some roads near some parks. In this chapter, Paul ties the concepts of the previous several chapters together. The concept at the end of Chapter 7 is that we are not agreeing with the nature of our own flesh, which is always self-centered. Here, connects this with the concepts that we are forgiven by faith, and owe the flesh nothing. It is a difficult task, but through the spirit alone we are able to deny our bodies their desires. "Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us" - verse 37. Furthermore, if it is God that has saved us and justified us, who then will condemn us? (verse 33)

15. Name of Park: Rock Creek Powerlines
    Location: Rock Creek area of Washington County
    Owner: Tualatin Hills Parks & Recreation
    Chapter(s) Read: Romans 6
    Notes: Walked from Rock Creek Park. The 2000 edition of the Thomas Guide does not show this park. Large soccer fields under the power lines with a drinking fountain. This chapter is an argument against continued life of sin, despite the fact that Christians are forgiven by the grace of God.

16. Name of Park: Roy E Dancer
    Location: north of Allen Blvd., west of Murray Blvd, Beaverton
    Owner: Tualatin Hills Parks & Recreation
    Chapter(s) Read: Joshua 10
    Notes: Walked from Brookview Park. Preserved grasslands and forest lands. The park is nearly hidden by a Rite-Aid pharmacy, and most of those who drive past this place each day probably don't know the park is there. There is various bird life here, and encoutered several Rufus-Sided Towees calling back and forth. There is a bench in the park, and a nice wood-chip pathway among the trees.

17. Name of Park: Schuepbach
    Location: Between Davis Rd, Division St & SW 160th, Village Circle, Beaverton
    Owner: Tualatin Hills Parks & Recreation
    Chapter(s) Read: Joshua 5,6
    Notes: Dirt trail worn in mowed grass beneath power lines. Little else here yet, but if other parks along this same power line right of way are any indication, then one day this will be yet another useful and interesting open space park.

18. Name of Park: Stoneridge
    Location: Tualatin
    Owner: city of Tualatin
    Chapter(s) Read: 1 Samuel 3
    Notes: Walked from Brown's Ferry Park. Park is of limited interest. Standard size residential lot with a set of swings and a few trees, and a little bit of grass. Samuel is called in a time when few people have experienced any sort of personal involvement with God. Those who should be leading the people have turned into a corrupt mess, and the ability of God to be a refreshing and relevant power in the lives of real people has been neglected to the point of being forgotten.

19. Name of Park: Turner Creek southern extension (?)
    Location: SE Hillsboro
    Owner: City of Hillsboro ?
    Chapter(s) Read: Isaiah 15, 16
    Notes: Walked from bus route 57. Park does not seem to have a clear owner, and is unmarked. There is a paved trail through the park that connects two dead-end streets. Found park almost completely by accident, other than small green blob on map, and the hope that there would be a connection between two dead-end streets to provide me with access through this area. Other than the paved trail and substantial pedestrian bridge, the park is completely wilderness.

20. Name of Park: Turner Creek
    Location: SE Hillsboro
    Owner: City of Hillsboro
    Chapter(s) Read: Isaiah 17
    Notes: Walked from an unnamed park (see above) - though possibly all part of the same park. Left on bus route 47. Park has baseball diamond, small playground, scattered benches, and a paved perimeter trail. The broader implications of this chapter is not positive for certain groups today. Originally, this chapter was aimed at the Assyrian empire, but today these very same things could be said about stronger political powers that plunder weaker ones and gain piles of war treasures.

21. Name of Park: Twin Cedars
    Location: end of Shelton St west of SW 160th Ave., west of Beaverton
    Owner: Tualatin Hills Parks & Recreation
    Chapter(s) Read: Joshua 7
    Notes: Walked from Schuepbach Park. A sign indicates that with future development Shelton Street will be extended into this open area. The park is really a preserved wetlands type of area. A concrete pipe empties drainage water into the area, which is the only thing I found that could be used as anything like a bench to lean on while reading. A lot of black sludge from what looks like motor oil is apparently part of the drainage from neighborhood streets. There is some bird life here, but little evidence of significant wildlife activity.