Schedules and Priorities

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…

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Blasted

For decades now, I’ve loved adventure, to push my limits. I even created a line, “If you never push your limits, you’ll never realize your true courage and abilities.” But that flows from my innate timidity—yeah, it comes close to my name. So I decided to face and conquer my fears. At 26, I embarked on a 3-month, 13,000 mile, 31 state motorcycle tour of the US. I rappelled down a 190 ft. Rio Grande bridge tower, on a 120 ft. rope. At the age of 70, I did an Iron Butt ride, 1,080 miles in 16 hours on 2 wheels. Yeah, some of us never learn. But…

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Spiritual Maintenance

On our Taos ride, we both richly enjoyed the Ranchos Plaza Grill and visiting the historic San Francisco de Asis Church next door. Think of Saint Francis of Assisi. Dating back to 1772, enclosed in a plaza for protection from raiding Comanches, made of adobe bricks combining clay, straw, and oxblood and plastered with mud, the church is among the most photographed in New Mexico. One pic features a wall with the plaster falling off. Mud erodes. The solution: they replaster with mud each year.

They make it a community celebration in June, church and community members and visitors add fresh mud and straw to protect the adobe bricks. Nice way to…

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Centrifugal Force

Satchel Paige, the phenomenal pitcher from another era, said, “Never look back…someone might be gaining on you.” Satch pitched better than he philosophized—looking back can give us perspective on what’s yet ahead of us. Sheila picked up a book of devotions “Standing on the Promises” by Marilyn Goss, having many pages with a new verse and picture. I love the current one, “I have been young and now am old. And in all my years I have never seen the Lord forsake a man who loves him” (Psalm 37:25 NLB).

Once

            I ran in the center of life

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Free Behind Bars

Doug was one of the students who established a local chapter of the Christian Legal Society (CLS).  The CLS consists of Christian lawyers, judges, and students.

One student hated the idea of a Christian group meeting on campus and brought the matter before the Student Council.  We were called to defend our presence on campus.

Each of us was eager to argue our case, but Doug was certain the Lord was calling him to do so.  We agreed.

Doug went before the Council without…

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It's Dad's Fault

On a solo Sierra trip, to a rarely fished section of Rock Creek well away from most fisherfolk, I spotted a likely spot through the brush that rimmed the wild trout section. I slipped between the willow branches and wild roses, drowned the night crawler a bit without receiving a bite, and carefully backed out, trying not to snag my 9 ft. split bamboo fly rod, or the line, in a vicious branch or rose thorn. But the rod tip struck a branch, the rod flexed and line went all over, taking a good ten minutes to unsnag the mess.

Muttering under my breath in frustration, I blamed my dad. Honest. It was…

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Don't Ask God for Patience

As I begin typing this post, I’ve been waiting on hold 2 hours and 12 minutes for help from Frontier Internet’s “Premium Tech Pro,” which costs an additional $10. That’s in addition to having waited another 9.5 hours dealing with their “tech support,” and having made 10 previous calls. Am I frustrated? Of course, but I gained a tremendous life lesson. No, not to avoid Frontier, but that may happen. I’ve learned to not ask God for patience. I did ask for that, repeatedly, over two days. 6 dropped calls. Inaccurate information given by self-proclaimed “internet experts.” Messing up my internet connections. A simple beginning here, we switched internet from Spectrum to the new combo of Verizon/Frontier. Better speeds, they said…

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Stay Ahead of the Pain

Last year featured a total knee replacement for my left knee, Experienced friends and medical folks offered advice about exercises for strength and flexibility, and the most helpful: stay ahead of the pain with the doctor’s schedule for taking oxycodone. Or, don’t show your toughness by waiting until you can’t take the pain, but follow the doc’s recommendation for time intervals.

Three months later, Rich and I cruised through CO to Taos, NM. I had some concerns and applied that mantra to the ride. My bike has 5 different positions for my legs, and in addition to standing on the pegs. Typically, I would ride…

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