Articles written by jesse utz
Sorted by date Results 51 - 75 of 322
Huckleberry hounds
This last weekend was our annual family campout and this year we welcomed Cairo on his first visit to the “plantation,” our huckleberry heaven. The crop was in good standing thi... — Updated 7/18/2018
Road trip
Sometimes you never know where your road trip will take you. The plan was to head to Conconully, Washington, to see their annual Independence Day Celebration. We had a plan when we... — Updated 7/11/2018
Awaken
A lot can happen in a week or two. From Father’s Day to the 4th of July is a busy time in most families. Camping, vacations, fishing trips and camps can take up a lot of this t... — Updated 7/3/2018
It is time to change our tune
First off, a disclaimer: I know many of you will disagree with me on this topic, but please bear in mind that if we want change, we have to be the change. For years, Lake Roosevelt... — Updated 7/1/2018 Full story
Sometimes something bigger happens
It happened not long after graduation started in the Lake Roosevelt 2018 ceremony. A shift occurred. One more graduate was added to the class, and there was not a dry eye in the... — Updated 6/13/2018
The day has come: goodbye, seniors
“This is bittersweet.” “I was not prepared.” “No one told me about this.” “Every time you think something will be easy, it is not.” These were all phrases that scooted through... — Updated 6/6/2018
With arms wide open
Sometimes you just have a good weekend. When things build upon each other and you know you are supposed to be right here, right now. That is the way last weekend unfolded for me... — Updated 5/23/2018
Speaking of life
We have all had that one person who has spoken so directly into our heart that it changed us forever. It might have been a parent, a grandparent, an uncle or an aunt. It may have... — Updated 5/16/2018
Taking him with you
This past weekend I found myself in many different situations as we packed in a lot of things over the few days we had off. On most Saturdays we go into Spokane and pray for those i... — Updated 5/9/2018
Build up the artist
I was honored this weekend to spend some time with some truly gifted men and women. I attended a training session put on by First Peoples Fund, in partnership with Northwest Native Development Fund (NNDF). The training was about... — Updated 5/2/2018
Senior Profile: Alyssa Hobrecht-Flores
Sometimes life just happens. That was the summary of my sit-down chat with this powerful young lady getting ready to walk the stage and get her diploma at Lake Roosevelt. Alyssa... — Updated 4/25/2018
I can only imagine
The song “I Can Only Imagine,” by MercyMe, has been a family favorite since it first came out. I have vivid memories of this song and the lyrics cut me to the core every time I hea... — Updated 4/18/2018
Senior Profile: Keianna Vera
I sat one day, about three years ago, with Keianna Vera. She told me her story up to that point. On that day, I knew that this young lady was going to go places. She told me about... — Updated 4/11/2018
The nail, the blood and the rock
How often does this happen, Aprils Fools and Easter on the same day? The more I thought about it, the more I realized that this is the state of the world today. I will let that sink in a bit. It is a thought provoking question and... — Updated 4/4/2018
A little bit of willing today
This past week I have gotten to hang, be in meetings and just spend time with some pretty cool dawgs and cats. So I thought I might share a bit with all of you. If anyone went to... — Updated 3/28/2018
Sleep: is it necessary?
Most parents realize this not long after bringing their newborn home. A lack of sleep is something that must be overcome as we pray and wait to see if our child will actually sleep through the night tonight. As those kids grow up,... — Updated 3/21/2018
Senior Profile: Lucas Bird
Sometimes it is just fun to chat with a young man who is ready to conquer the world, and sometimes you can learn a lot about life from that same young man. A few years ago I wrote... — Updated 3/14/2018
The joys of parenthood
When you’re surrounded by kids for most of the day, sometimes you reflect on parenting skills: your own and others’. I also have many friends, who are young parents themselves, who... — Updated 3/7/2018
Integrity: the missing link
Sometimes I take a look at this world we live in and just shake my head. It feels like we are living in a big movie script and the actors and actresses just keep stirring the plot.... — Updated 2/28/2018
Wanna wrassle!
The tradition continues. Two Raider wrestlers answered the question that has been hanging over the team all year: “Who’s next?” The Raider wrestling team has put on a streak of st... — Updated 2/21/2018
Valentine's Day
It would be a huge mistake for me to let a day go by when the paper comes out on Valentine’s Day and not write about my love. Plus, it is a huge opportunity for brownie points. Oh, by the way, this very paper wrote about us way b... — Updated 2/14/2018
Love: what does it look like?
When we were growing up we correlated love with a valentine or a girlfriend or boyfriend. The nervousness, anxiety and excitement that came with receiving or getting a little... — Updated 2/7/2018
Senior Profile: Chasity Williams
I recently sat down with one of my all-time favorite ladies, Lake Roosevelt senior Chasity “All-star” Williams to talk about how things are going. Chasity has one of the big... — Updated 1/31/2018
Looking into the shadow
How do students get real-life looks into a career without holding down a job? The answer is being a “Job Shadow.” This gives students a real opportunity to walk in the shoes of a c... — Updated 1/24/2018
Perfect day, different lenses
If I asked you to tell me what your perfect day would look like, I would get different responses from across the spectrum. One day over the weekend took on the look of a different day, not through my own personal lenses, but throug... — Updated 1/18/2018