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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Yes, Aliens Exist. I Have Proof

Thousands of crystal white stars pierced the stark darkness of the night sky above the Owens Valley, but jammed together so densely that you couldn’t stick a needle in the dark without hitting white. Sprawled out on our sleeping bags laid on three furniture moving pads, Dad and talked of much, and I asked, “Ever see anything strange up here at night?”

Dad paused, then told a story he’d only told…

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Turbulent Transformations

A fellow teaching compatriot, Leilani Smith, has crafted a new skill since we both left the school—painting. That’s her “Water into Wine” above. I easily saw the blue of water, at the top right, and the red of wine at the bottom left, and the turbulent mixing of the two in the center. But she neither intended nor noticed the faint presence of a face top center. A suggested jaw line, a mouth and nose, and shaded eyes.

What a metaphor of the turbulence that accompanies following Jesus and the transformation he brings to our lives. Let’s experiment and…

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