My name is Linda Wallenius.  I live in Central Oregon.

I’ve been here about six years since my husband retired from his firefighting job in Eugene after 25 years.  I still work part-time.  I have a son, daughter-in-law and three wonderful grandchildren that I love to spend time with.

Butch and I both grew up in the San Francisco East Bay Area; these were our “city” years.  We moved to Oregon in 1976 and began our “country” years.  We’ve lived in a duplex with small acreage (interesting), on a farm (hilarious), and then on a one-acre place with neighbors far enough away that I could call Jeff in from outside at the top of my lungs (freedom).  Butch and I have been married for 37 years now (amazing!).  We’re committed to not going anywhere without each other!

I’ve worked a few jobs:  for county government, an alcoholism treatment facility, driving school bus, had my own photography, secretarial, typesetting, and a number of home-based, multi-level marketing businesses, as a church secretary, an 11-year stint in a social psychological study facility doing secretarial editing, teaching parenting classes, and helping to keep a computing department up and running (a few years on each), and finally as a church administrator, my most current position.

I’m one of those people who want to try many hats (all having to do with terra firma – I am NOT into extreme anything!).  I love acting, making people laugh, running the show, helping others, pc’s, gadgets, camping, traveling, photography, learning, creating and various crafting things.  I’ve been known to start things and not finish them.  I’ve been known to do something new, make one thing of this new-found love, give it away, and never do it again (I have NO craft items I’ve made over the years – they adorn other people’s homes)!  I keep saying I’m going to break out my stained glass equipment and make something for myself for a change.  I keep saying I’m going to break out the crafts, books, learning dvd’s and go to it.  I want to learn to play the guitar, learn to play the piano we’ve had for 29 years and, and learn how to quilt.  What can I say?  There’s always tomorrow!

The final love of my life is Christ.  I decided I needed Him in my life in 1976, the year we moved to Oregon.  It’s been quite a journey ever since.  About the time I think I may be getting things together, He decides to teach me something else new.  I used to publicly say, “I don’t like change!”  Well, I’ve since learned that one, not well thought out statement was probably the most profoundly stupid thing I’ve ever said in my life.  Living this life is about change…something God intended.  He’s busy redeeming me to Himself, even when I’m waltzing around my life not realizing that the next “change” is just around the corner and about to slam me to the ground yet again.  I was dead serious for years when, after one of these recurring “take downs”, I would look up, mud all over my face, and declare to God, “this ISN’T funny Lord!”  I’ve since come to a newer, more recent stance of tolerance for these times of horizontal learning, like what I talked about on my home page.  They are necessary and unavoidable, these changes in our lives.  The sooner I give in to it and learn what He’s trying to teach me, the sooner we can get on to the next new thing He’s got waiting in the wings.  Yep, this life is about change.

Seriously, I love Jesus.  I don’t understand how He’s gotten me to this point in my life, but here I am.  You’re invited along as I share what He’s doing in my life.