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The pic comes from the movie A River Runs Through It, taken from Norman Maclean’s book, recounting the mostly true lives of a Presbyterian pastor in Missoula MT in the early 1900s and his two sons. Notice the beautiful writing in these early excerpts, but more so, notice how Maclean weaves his faith into all he does, including fly fishing.
“In our family, there was no clear line between religion and fly fishing…
Read MoreI never realized tuning a guitar had such complicated principles behind it! Of course, my tonal ability ranks with a paramecium, or likely lower, but this site, one that described how the right tension is set for a guitar string, based on the type of guitar, the style of playing, the diameter of the string, the amplitude of vibration and more, amazed me with the technical details. To summarize it, though, the correct and appropriate tension on a string allows beautiful music to be played by an excellent guitarist. But proper tuning requires…
Read MoreWell-meaning friends and family warned me of the pain and difficulties that follow a total knee replacement, and I took them to heart. Desiring to regain a functional knee, I committed to doing the physical therapy, to keep ahead of the pain with drugs, and to not push too much. Two hours after surgery, they had me strolling to the bathroom with a walker for support and balance. I would continue to rely on that walker. Until I didn’t. Just four to five days after my April 1 surgery, I pushed the walker ahead of me from my living room recliner to the kitchen sink, grabbed a travel cup to get water to hydrate, then moved to the spigot at the refrigerator.
Then, to my total and unplanned surprise, I noticed…
Read MoreOn our early long bike tours , music played no role. Instead, we spent a lot of time in our minds: thinking, pondering, praying, questioning. A lot of major life decisions got determined to the gentle hum of the bike’s motor. Or, we’d play “Easy Rider,” set our throttle locks, stretch our arms to the side and flap them like birds, singing the tune, “If you want to be a bird.” No bird brain jokes, please. Other times, the four of us pretended slalom ski, curving between the white paint strips. Right turn, left turn, wash, rinse, and repeat. The rhythm of all four of us matching the others and creating a motorcycle serpent, held beauty brought grace.
Later…
Read MoreSix weeks back we started a short intermittent series on Annals of the Former World by John McPhee. This book stretches my mind and faith, in healthy ways. Three weeks ago we examined “Six Days of Creation,” where David Brower shoehorned 4.5 billion years into six days of creation. I’m amazed at how long the process took before people arrived, let alone Jesus, now let’s look at the more recent speed of change.
The Appalachian Mountains formed 400 million years back, the equivalent of 12:38 PM Saturday. Fast forward to…
Read MoreEach bike trip seems to develop its own spiritual impact. One year my prayer and worship led to some conclusions about continuing a ministry. Another astounded me with the beauty of the northwest and Glacier National Park. Some deliver great times with long time friends and fellow followers of Jesus. But one year challenged the pattern. We rode 3800 miles in eight states, from near sea level to over 10,000 ft. What most struck me was what creation reveals about the Creator, and I still struggle to integrate it. Here’s why…
Read MoreOur perception of God drives our connection with him. View him as legalistic—rules and fear of failing will consume us. View him as gracious—we may take advantage and miss obedience. View him as distant, and we never discover intimacy. Understanding his nature motivated a long search, attempting to determine how he can be personal and immediate and simultaneously present in every cubic centimeter of the universe. Was he…
Read MoreAddictions combine a strange and strong desire with an inability to function well with it and distress without it. We’ve all seen the damage that some addictions can bring, like substances, sex, food, or self. But let’s flip the script, right here.
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