Leave a Legacy

Tim Riter November 5, 2018

God moves in unexpected ways through minor events. While we dined in a Palm Springs restaurant, I spotted three paintings of local scenes on the opposite wall. One colorful pic intrigued me, so I consulted our waiter. He knew it was close, maybe 40 miles away, at Slab City, an abandoned military fort where snowbirds and unreconstructed hippies and artists roamed. That pretty much exhausted his knowledge. A little research revealed the name, Salvation Mountain and directions and distance—about 80 miles. Even so, we took off one afternoon to…

A Time to Sail

Tim Riter October 29, 2018

OK, I may get the nautical terms wrong, or just not use them, but I AM a landlubber with merely three sailing experiences. My first came when good friends and former neighbors, Ray and Carol Ann, invited Sheila and me to join them for a day on the water with their sailboat. The air rushed past my face as we flew into the wind. One side lifted as we turned, reminding me of taking a tight turn on my motorcycle, but somehow even more thrilling. The joy of “driving” it, and handling one of those wild turns as my wife screamed “Slow down!” in fear, even as Ray encouraged me on. Finally…

Just Add Heat and...

Tim Riter October 22, 2018

A good friend, Andy Scheer, put up this pic with the tag, “In another hour, the individual dried split peas will have disappeared, leaving in their wake a wonderful, creamy soup.” Not only did it make me begin to salivate, that post of Andy’s gives a nice extended metaphor for following Jesus. Heat. Heat transformed dried or raw foods into a delectable soup. Back in high chemistry with John Gunning, I discovered that heat…

Transcending Political Differences

Tim Riter October 15, 2018

Honestly, as venomous as current politics have become, they can’t match some of the past. Like 1804, when the sitting Vice President of the US shot and killed the former Secretary of the Treasury. Two other founding fathers, close friends in the Revolution, became bitter enemies, slandering each other far more than we see today. Make no mistake however…

Pray. Like This

Tim Riter October 8, 2018

Following Jesus has its difficulties, and prayer ranks near the top. Communication with the God we love shouldn’t distress, but it often does. Even the apostles need to ask for a prayer lesson, in Matthew 6:9. Mutual, two-way communication builds any relationship, and the lack brings damage. I do OK with trying to stay aware of God each moment of the day. I try to say thinks for the good stuff, and rely on him for help with the bad stuff. On the big decisions, I’m decent with immersing it in prayer. But I’m not OK…

Bucket Lists

Tim Riter October 1, 2018

Bucket lists typically focus on getting dreams finished near the end of life, but we all have goals and dreams and hopes. Important tasks we desire to do. However, we all face limits that hinder those. It may be physical conditions. Despite my love of playing football, I knew that would never occur in the NFL. Too small to be a linebacker or lineman, too slow for backfield spots. Now, I did…

Make God Laugh

Tim Riter September 24, 2018

Typically, each year brings three trips to the eastern Sierras—a May weekend, an October weekend, and four or five days in the summer. 2018 broke the mold. Plans for our granddaughter’s June wedding, which included prepping the house and yard to host the rehearsal dinner, consumed the spring. Summer featured a 6,000 mile motorcycle trip with friends, including an Iron Butt run the first day…1,000 miles on two wheels in 24 hours. The rest of the summer was given to recovering, along with a bunch of yard and house tasks. That left room for…

Who Ya Hangin' With?

Tim Riter September 17, 2018

A good friend from Taos days, Jeff Boyer, spotted this arrangement in a magazine rack, featuring a magazine containing the entire New Testament, and I weighed in, “Jesus hung with wine drinkers and sinners, so it’s appropriate his Word does the same.” Makes sense, right? But…

Unconventional

Old Faith, New Following