What can swimming chickens teach us about blind faith? More than I ever imagined. Robin, a friend from high school days, has chickens in the neighboring town, and posted this pic of Pearl the swimming chicken. Honestly, I’d never heard of that before, and asked why she swam. Robin’s response? “Blind faith.” She proceeded to educate me on...
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Reasons to Believe
A week or so ago I gave a Facebook update on my skin cancer surgery, that the margins were all clear and the cancer had not spread. In relief, I added, “God is good.” Then I thought of the many friends, some who love God deeply, who currently struggle with very serious cancers and other health issues. For some, death approaches and when is the only question. What about them? I had to add, “And, he would be just as good if the news had been bad, but I do rejoice.” That prompted more pondering, about God and trouble, about the reasons people enter into faith, about...
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Unexpected Consequences
The pic above of a debate trophy represents a hasty decision I made, one motivated by fear and done without knowledge, one that changed the course of my life. Here’s the backstory. Back in junior high, with knees knocking to produce more sound than my voice, I gave an oral report. It...
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image by Josh Garcia
Lamborghini Lessons
My first exposure to Lamborghinis came in college—my roommate Ron Stump brought a mag about it, and I got hooked on the Italian supercar. But I’d never even sat in one, until Sheila gifted me with 7 laps with Exotics Racing at the Fontana Speedway. In a Lambo Gallardo 550. The 550 proclaims the horsepower, it tops out at 200 mph, and scorches 0 to 60 in 3.9 seconds. Naturally, I posted a pic and thoughts on Facebook, but the exhilaration transcends the day. Driving home in our slow Honda Accord, I realized the Lambo taught me some lessons. I learned…
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image from HotAir
Making God Smile
While working outside a few days ago, an older praise song came on Pandora, and one line echoed in my mind, a line based on the verse, “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD” (Psalm 19:14). Then, during lunch we caught up on the news, with the riot in Charlottesville topping the list. Hateful and vile speech and actions abounded. I wonder if...
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image by fanpop
Selling Cheap
Back in 8th grade, Sheila’s artistic streak caused her to yearn for colored pencils. The nun who taught at her school, aware of Sheila’s love of colored pencils and that her family couldn’t afford them, tried to bribe her by offering those pencils if she became a nun. Sheila REALLY loved the pencils, but not that much. By the way, to my family and friends who follow the Catholic faith, I don’t mean to imply that is standard church policy. Her self control beat mine...
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Tough Times
About every other week, Jim and I meet here at the Swing Inn. Breakfast and God talk and job and health issues and well, just life. Guy times. Good times. At our last get together, Jim brought up a friend of his who had a marvelous job opportunity in another state, and every step seemed orchestrated by God. Prayer inundated it all. They asked for input from trusted friends. Too many coincidences to be coincidental. The job turned out to be the proverbial “died and gone to heaven” type. Until…
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Give a Little
Some of the best experiences of my life have come when I knew enough to compromise. A recent ride with Rich Klinsky, above at Michael’s Restaurant in Taos, provides an example. We go back a long time, growing up at the same church in Long Beach CA, and began riding together as soon as I got a bike 47 years ago. He rides a Harley, I a Honda, but we’re close. Honest. But…
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