Almost two years ago, Rich and I began to plan a ride to Colorado and New Mexico for mid-May of 2026. I’d leave from SoCal, Rich from South Dakota, and we’d meet in Grand Junction CO. But I finally got a date scheduled for my much needed total knee replacement—April 1. Appropriate, I guess. My optimism for the ride said mid-May, my surgeon said three months. Yielding to his expertise, we penciled in Monday July 7, after the rush of the 4th. Remember the word “penciled.” Then Rich realized he forgot a commitment, so we pushed it back a week. In pencil. I had a hard deadline to be home by July 29, to teach at an online writers conference beginning the next day.
But Rich’s wife…
Read MoreHistorians delight in their mantra, “The only absolute is change.” Ya gotta admit, change has become omnipresent, and fast. Ever think about analyzing if progress is progress? Let’s do that.
Read MoreI enjoy talking about God stuff, with those who follow and who don’t. Among the latter, I’ve often heard, “Been there, done that. I tried Jesus, but it just didn’t work for me.” Sometimes they’d explain why, and a thought came to mind. Not for all, but I know some of them fairly well. Perhaps they hadn’t fully tried Jesus--they just got vaccinated against him.
Read MoreAnymore, seems like we hesitate to trust others. Crime and road rage rise: can we trust others to be faithful to the laws? Marriages end too often: can we trust our spouses to remain faithful? People break their word: can we trust them to be faithful to their promises? Pastors and members switch…
Read MoreToday, the Sunday before this post went up, provided some great encouragement and a lesson. The message at church convicted me to the core of my soul, then I had a great bacon cheeseburger at a local golf course. Then Sheila and I stopped off at our winery (well, we’re members, not owners 😉), and something struck me. Look at the pic above. Just in front of us were…
Read MoreIn the Christmas season, we all heard the songs and the verses that reveal the reason for the season. But Matthew 1:21 gives an encouraging yet haunting purpose, as given by the angel to Mary, “you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” Yes, we sin; yes, we need saving. Let’s explore this, because I’ve found that I, and perhaps many more, have an incomplete concept of sin, which can retard our spiritual journey. Let’s start by…
Read MoreWe’re still in the afterglow of Easter, Good Friday, and Maundy Thursday. But to truly celebrate these, we need to realize the significance of the most neglected day: Maundy Thursday, the Passover meal that Jesus shared with his followers before the spiritual thunderstorm of Friday and Sunday erupted. That meal has become communion, the Lord’s supper, the eucharist: some bread and wine to remind us of Jesus’ sacrifice. But two dear Christian friends, Cecil Murphey and E Wayne Kempton, combined to change my view. First, here’s an…
Read MoreTwo years back, our Gray Hogs group crossed the Canadian border to snag Mick’s goal of seeing why Banff is such a big deal. We took a circuitous route to Radium Hot Springs just because a biker at a MT hotel told us off a rustic but inexpensive motel there,.The next morning’s ride to Banff thrilled us despite the cold, and the city was nice. A bit overdeveloped, and we struggled to find a breakfast place, but with marvelous views in all directions. That satisfied Mick, and we headed north to Lake Louise. Quite pretty but overcrowded, so…
Read More