Hug Your Cactus

Tim Riter January 15, 2024

Most Unconventional posts begin with a story or question, but let’s open with an extended quote by Robert Downey from a recent American Cinemateque ceremony. While receiving an award, Downey, well-known not just as Iron Man but for his previous struggles with substance abuse, gave some wisdom we can all use, in speaking about Mel Gibson:

“When I couldn’t get sober, he told me not to give up hope, and he urged me to find my faith. It didn’t have to be his faith or anyone else’s, as long as it was rooted in forgiveness…

Grace Givers

Tim Riter November 2, 2020

Quite a few decades back, when Dad still lived and could fish his beloved Sierra streams, we pulled off to the side of the road about where the South Fork of Oak Creek joined the main stream. With the limit then at ten per day per person and having 14, we agreed we’d each just get three to stay safe and went off in different directions for an hour or so. I pulled in three nice ones early and kept fishing, planning on releasing any I caught. Yeah, next hole I landed the biggest yet. BUT…

Victims of clerical sex abuse and their relatives reacted as Attorney General Josh Shapiro discussed the grand jury report at a news conference in Harrisburg.CreditCreditMatt Rourke/Associated Press

Follow Your Leaders?

Tim Riter September 3, 2018

For the last couple of months, several guys that ride from our church have joined in with the biker group from another church, and the motley crew in the second pic above depicts us on one of those rides. But the most recent, a few weeks ago, added an important spiritual lesson to the great companionship on a scenic ride to the town of Ramona. By the way, names will be changed to protect the guilty. ;) The leader picked out a route ahead of time, one he’d not yet ridden, entered it on his GPS, and…

Changes and Mistakes

Tim Riter March 28, 2016

Funny how some changes and mistakes can benefit us. Although a regular at the Mount Hermon Christian Writers conference near Santa Cruz, I missed the last seven years. However, my confidence never dimmed regarding directions, so I left the map at home. Never even glanced at it. A well-worn route. But Palm Sunday came early this year, right at the switch to Daylight Savings Time, and the conference changed its close from lunch to a 7:15 breakfast, so I left in the darkness at 6 AM, hoping to beat the metro LA afternoon traffic. Those changes led to my mistake...

Unconventional

Old Faith, New Following