Tall
twisted
gnarled
red cedar
on the side of a hill
What have you seen in your long years?
What can you teach me?
Read MoreZumwalt Tree, from www.americansouthwest.net
Trojan Fun, by Gary Klein in LA Times
We Just Wanna Have Fun
Cyndi Lauper got it right, in part. We all wanna have fun. It enlivens life and motivates us. Pat Haden, the Athletic Director of USC, removed the football coach partway into this 2013 season. The 3-2 record, bad as it was, dimmed in view of the dispirited and disorganized play of the team.
The new coach, Ed Orgeron, instituted several goals for the team--one was to have fun. So, he brought In and Out burgers and cookies to the menus. It’s worked. My Trojans are now 4-1 under Mr. Ed, playing hard and smart and having fun with football. And I’m having fun watching them!
Fun works, but sometimes it dominates the church.
Read MoreBaby Girl-Discovering by Microcontroleur
Hope for Today?
Our times oppress us. Tonight’s news focuses on the inhumanity of the LAX killing of a TSA agent. Other news covers the extra security of the New York City Marathon resulting from the explosive pressure cookers at the earlier Boston Marathon. Growing secularism pushes the practice of faith to the periphery. Radicals killed more Christians, for being Christians, in the last century than all combined. A climate scientist just stated that some climate changes may be beyond the point of reversal. Let’s not even address the uncertainty that circles the roll out of Affordable Health Care!
And many Facebook friends bemoan current conditions, conveying a sense that nothing can be done.
They may be right.
And I don’t care.
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Image from Massage Center, Thousand Oaks
Ministering on a Massage Table
The core group of this summer’s ride to Glacier National Park broke up in Redding, in north California. Jerry spun off the day before near his home in Oregon; Brad got released from the hospital after his collision with a deer, and he and Mick stayed a few days to celebrate the birthday of Brad’s dad, who was also Mick’s brother-in-law. I headed south alone for the last 600 mile leg.
Now, I love riding, but at the end of a trip the desire to get home grows, and I was ready to see my wife and our cats. Notice the order, OK? So I pulled out about 4:30 in the darkness before dawn, and hit the garage door remote about 2:30. 10 hours and 600 miles is a good day’s ride, but even with the sport touring bike my body felt it. And, I knew the solution.
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The Eagle
His soul yearns to soar
but gravity binds
denying his destiny of flight
until he spreads his wings
and breaks away
for gravity cannot conquer
the wildness at his core
That wild streak lives in me
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My '73 in '74
The Role of Rules
On that mission trip to Penasco that I mentioned a few weeks ago, two of us cruised there on bikes. Both looked custom. Mine—a 750 Honda, slightly chopped, “Easy Rider” American flag paint, a custom seat, but basically the bike the factory made. Chris’ had a 750 motor, but totally custom and totally cool—winning the foreign show bike competition at that year’s Winternationals.
From New Mexico I rode the bike on to Nashville to see family, about 5000 miles for the overall trip. The only problem came when a piece of grit got caught in the carb jets, and half an hour took care of that.
Chris had a different story...
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Blue Angel Wings, by redbubble.com
Angel Wings
Sunrise carried beautiful conditions into our Conejo Valley on Friday. At about 6 AM, walking out to get the morning paper, I found clear, calm blue skies, and a temperate temperature. Why so many move to SoCal. By 10 AM, everything changed. The typical slight southwest wind reversed itself into a Santa Ana condition, a high gale coming from the northeast, with gusts up to 70 mph.
And I was headed into the wind that afternoon...
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Fog Lingers In, by Don Bartletti, LA Times, 2010
Temecula
Clouds rolled in
shutting out the sun
its warmth
energy
and joy
leaving life in shades of gray
letting darkness reign
even penetrating my soul
The sun then...
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