Out on a Limb

When the apostle Paul penned the words of 1 Timothy 1:12-14 (MSG), he was reflecting on his life's work: "I’m so grateful to Christ Jesus for making me adequate to do this work. He went out on a limb, you know, in trusting me with this ministry. The only credentials I brought to it were invective and witch hunts and arrogance. But I was treated mercifully because I didn’t know what I was doing—didn’t know Who I was doing it against! Grace mixed with faith and love poured over me and into me. And all because of Jesus."

I feel the same way sometimes. My 40 years as an educator found me adequate to do this work. Since junior high age, I'd wanted to be nothing more than a teacher. Jesus went out on a limb and gave me the education, experience, enthusiasm, and energy to be what I needed to be in those classrooms.

During my last 16 career years as professor of education at Martin Methodist College, my students would frequently ask me when I was going to retire. I don't think they were asking hopefully but rather simply from curiosity. My answer was always the same, "When I can't enter this classroom and be excited and enthusiastic about teaching you to be teachers, it will be time to retire." That actually never happened. I retired anyway in 2017. I still keep in touch with many of my graduates on Facebook. Most are now my colleagues and doing exceptional work in the classroom. I enjoyed following their 2020 challenges.

Thinking back on the 1 Timothy 12 passage, I imagine what Paul might be asking is captured in the lyrics of the song "Why Me, Lord?"

Why me, Lord, what have I ever done to deserve even one of the blessings I've known?

Why me, Lord, what did I ever do that was worth love from you and the kindness you've shown?

Lord, help me Jesus, I've wasted it so; help me, Jesus, I know what I am.

Now that I know that I've needed you so, help me, Jesus, my soul's in your hand.

Try me, Lord, if you think there's a way, I can try to repay all I've taken from you.

Maybe, Lord, I can show someone else what I've been through myself on my way back to you.

Lord, help me, Jesus, I've wasted it so; help me, Jesus, I know what I am.

Now that I know that I've needed you so, help me, Jesus, my soul's in your hand.

This song poses a sobering question which translates in my mind to, "What have I ever done to deserve my career, my wife, my children, my grandchildren, my travel opportunities, and now my retirement?" The even more sobering answer comes to me, "NOTHING! Absolutely nothing."

My son Matt...out on a limb decades ago

I take solace in Paul's words in Romans 7:25 (MSG): "The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different." Jesus took a  chance on me. He went out on a limb. For. Me! Jesus, my soul's in your hand.

How Great Thou Art

The popular hymn "How Great Thou Art" is based on a Swedish poem written by Carl Gustav Boberg in Sweden in 1885. The melody is a Swedish folk song. It was translated into English by British missionary Stuart K. Hine, who also added two original verses of his own composition. The message of this old hymn is one or amazement and adoration of our majestic Creator in heaven.

O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder,

Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;

I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,

Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,

And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.

When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur

And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.

And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;

Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;

That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,

He bled and died to take away my sin.

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,

And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.

Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,

And then proclaim: "My God, how great Thou art!"

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou art, How great Thou art.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

A young minister’s two-mile walk in the rain provided the inspiration for “How Great Thou Art." The Reverend Carl Boberg of Monsteras, on the southeast coast of Sweden, was 25 years old when he wrote the lyrics of this song after trekking through a thunderstorm from a church meeting two miles away.

photo by Nick Scheerbart on unsplash.com

More than forty years later, an English missionary, Stuart Hine, first heard the song in Russia. He and his young wife were missionaries to the Carpathian area of Russia, then a part of Czechoslovakia. There, they heard a very meaningful hymn that was a Russian translation of Carl Boberg’s O Store Gud (O Great God). While ministering in the Carpathian Mountains, Hine found himself in the midst of a threatening storm. As it rolled through the mountain range, the thunder was so awesome that it reminded Hine of the beautiful Russian hymn that had already become so dear to him.

The gentle power and serene beauty of the lyrics proclaim the greatness of our God. We find ourselves singing both about the Creator and directly to Him in this magnificent prayer of praise. God, how great thou art!

Change revisited

On May 12, 2020, just a long couple of weeks ago, I published a blog about CHANGE. That was about the frustration I feel when I'm surprised with change. That's what happened when I tried using the Wal-Mart Photo Center App for a new photo book. I had created nine previous volumes on that site over the last decade. I discovered they had changed literally everything. I switched and used Snapfish instead.

Today I opened Blogger to post the next episode in my serial book blog Imagine! only to find a notice of imminent change. Effective the end of June, Blogger is adjusting to a whole new platform for its creators. They urge me to try the new format now rather than waiting for their announced beginning. Didn't they read my May 12 blog?

by Markus Spiske on unsplash.com

I don't like change! I read their entire posting. It did state a writer could opt to stay with the old Legacy format now in use. Then I read further...the ability to revert to Legacy will only last until the end of July at which time everyone will be on the new platform. I must state with no fear of contradiction...I DON'T LIKE CHANGE!

Alas, I will adjust. There is much I like about Blogger. Right at this moment though, I am taking time to wallow in my frustrated unhappiness. 😬 (Blogger names this emoji their grimacing face.)

Walking Alone at Eve

Walking Alone at Eve has been a favorite hymn of mine ever since I learned it in the summer of 1968. I was a counselor at Camp Ch-Yo-Ca outside West Monroe, LA. The name always sounded Native America to me until I learned that it was just the first two letters of each word in the phrase Christian Youth Camp. Singing was always my favorite part of summer camp.

Will Slater composed the hymn in 1917. It is evidence that he believed, "It is God’s creation that inspires worship." The words have both inspired me and brought back happy memories of the three summers I spent as a camp counselor during my college daze.

God showing his truth and love in a Kauai sunset (June, 2013)

1. Walking alone at eve and viewing the skies afar,

Bidding the darkness come to welcome each silver star;

I have a great delight in the wonderful scenes above,

God in His power and might is showing His truth and love.

2. Sitting alone at eve and dreaming the hours away,

Watching the shadows falling now at the close of day;

God in His mercy comes with His Word He is drawing near,

Spreading His love and truth around me and everywhere.

3. Closing my eyes at eve and thinking of Heaven’s grace,

Longing to see my Lord, yes meeting Him face to face;

Trusting Him as my all where-so-ever my footsteps roam,

Pleading with Him to guide me on to the spirits’ home!

Chorus: O for a home with God, a place in His courts to rest,

Sure in a safe abode with Jesus and the blest;

Rest for a weary soul once redeemed by the Savior’s love,

Where I’ll be pure and whole and live with my God above!

Suddenly Everything Will Fall Apart

When will this pandemic really ease, or better yet...END? As of this Memorial Day weekend, no one really knows. Things are reopening gradually; however, normalcy, whatever that means in the future, is still some distance away. Predictions vary depending on the news source. We must be careful of returning too quickly and with too much complacency.

The second coming of Jesus is described in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-9 (MSG) with similar terms:

 Don’t think, friends, that I need to deal with the question of when all this is going to happen.

You know as well as I that the day of the Master’s coming can’t be posted on our calendars.

He won’t call ahead and make an appointment any more than a burglar would.

About the time everybody’s walking around complacently, congratulating each other.

“We’ve sure got it made! Now we can take it easy!” Suddenly everything will fall apart.

It’s going to come as suddenly and inescapably as birth pangs to a pregnant woman.

But friends, you’re not in the dark, so how could you be taken off guard by any of this?

You’re sons of Light, daughters of Day.

We live under wide open skies and know where we stand.

So let’s not sleepwalk through life like those others.

Let’s keep our eyes open and be smart.

People sleep at night and get drunk at night. But not us!

Since we’re creatures of Day, let’s act like it.

Walk out into the daylight sober, dressed up in faith, love, and the hope of salvation.

God didn’t set us up for an angry rejection but for salvation by our Master, Jesus Christ.

He died for us, a death that triggered life.

Jesus won't call ahead for an appointment. The heralding trumpet blast will surprise us all. As God's people we must be ready and confident, but never complacent. Let us live under the wide open skies he created for us. Let us know where we stand. Let us walk out into the daylight dressed in faith, love, and the hope of salvation.

1 John 5:13 (MSG) sums it up beautifully...John states, "My purpose in writing is simply this: that you who believe in God’s Son will know beyond the shadow of a doubt that you have eternal life, the reality and not the illusion. And how bold and free we then become in his presence, freely asking according to his will, sure that he’s listening. And if we’re confident that he’s listening, we know that what we’ve asked for is as good as ours."

God continually creates SURPRISES!

So don't be caught off guard by the surprise ending. Our lives may seem as though suddenly everything will fall apart, but it will be just the beginning of that amazing eternity we are promised...

And It. Starts. Right. NOW!

Shock Them Awake!

The Master said (Isaiah 29:13-16, MSG):

“These people make a big show of saying the right thing,

    but their hearts aren’t in it.

Because they act like they’re worshiping me

    but don’t mean it,

I’m going to step in and shock them awake,

    astonish them, stand them on their ears.

The wise ones who had it all figured out

    will be exposed as fools.

The smart people who thought they knew everything

    will turn out to know nothing.”

Doom to you! You pretend to have the inside track.

    You shut God out and work behind the scenes,

Plotting the future as if you knew everything,

    acting mysterious, never showing your hand.

You have everything backward!

    You treat the potter as a lump of clay.

Does a book say to its author,

    “He didn’t write a word of me”?

Does a meal say to the woman who cooked it,

    “She had nothing to do with this”?

God's bow spans the Grand Canyon

The NIV starts this passage with the words: "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me." Take the time to reread the MSG version above. Be surprised by some of the phrases about us and those about God.

Verse 14 in the NIV amazes me: "I will astound these people with wonder upon wonder!" Get ready, to be shocked awake, friends. God's wonders are always just around the corner. Can you IMAGINE?

Beautiful Feet...NOT!

From where do your memories come? Mine often come from imagining or daydreaming. Sometimes they originate in song lyrics. Occasionally they materialize in scripture. Such is the case with today's blog.

Isaiah 52:7 (NIV) states: How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

In my younger days I used to backpack a lot. Two teacher colleagues of mine and I started a company we called Ozark Backpackers in the hills around the town of Ironton, MO. We led groups of teens on overnight trips in that rugged part of Missouri. Taum Sauk Mountain, the highest natural point in the Show Me State, was in that area of the Saint Francois Range. It was a towering 1,772 feet in elevation and was called an elongated ridge rather than a mountain peak.

portage with canoe

Our next move was to Shreveport, LA. I teamed up with the educational minister and led the Dirty Dozen (12 teens from the church) on a backpacking trip into Yellowstone National Park. One of our hikes was from the Canyon rim to the bottom of the river at Seven Mile Hole. Coming back up the same day was quite an adventure. The next year I led a group of those same guys back into Yellowstone. We had a several night pack planned. As a conditioner we did the Seven Mile Hole trek, once again in a single day. We surpassed our goal for that hike of coming back up from the Hole in less time than it took us to descend.

A few years later we lived in Dallas, TX. While there I joined with several other men and led members of the youth group on wilderness canoe trips to the lakes and rivers on the Minnesota/Canadian border. The portages were often short but strenuous backpacking hikes between lakes. We carried all our gear and the canoes on our backs.

RMNP backpack, 1975

I will never forget the time my brother and I went on a backpack of several nights length in Rocky Mountain National Park in the summer of 1975. The most memorable part of that trip was when I contracted a mild case of hypothermia one afternoon. My problem was I didn't adjust my wardrobe to match the quickly changing weather. Fortunately I taught the what to do if... to the teens I led often enough so I recovered quickly.

Remembering and relating some details of these adventures is pleasant. Rethink the Isaiah passage above. Think about the "beautiful feet" phraseology. In all the hiking and backpacking I did during my first decades as an adult, I never remember myself or any other group members having what could be described as beautiful  feet.

The scree wreaked havoc on our feet in the hiking boots despite our wearing two heavy pairs of socks. Adding moleskin at the first sensation of a hot spot that soon reddened and turned painful, never seemed to keep the blister from forming. Besides that, the feet got crusty and smelly. There was not much preventative we could do except change socks often and bathe our toes in the cool water at day's end.

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who backpack...NOT! Thank you, God, for the experiences and the memories...but not for the blisters.

Antelope Caught in a Net

Isaiah 51:20 states, "Your children have fainted; they lie at every street corner, like antelope caught in a net. They are filled with the wrath of the Lord, with the rebuke of your God." My wife and I have been blessed with four children and 11 grandchildren. To paraphrase Proverbs 22:6 (NIV), we have high hopes that we have started them off on the way they should go, so that even when they are old they will not turn from it. In fact I have high apple pie in the sky hopes. [Song High Hopes sung by Frank Sinatra in the movie A Hole in the Head in 1959. The recording of Frank Sinatra and a bunch of kids won an Oscar for best original song.]

I hope my children will never faint.

I hope they will never lie at every street corner.

I hope they will never be caught like antelope in a net.

I hope they are never filled with the wrath of the Lord.

from africahunting.com

I hope they are not full of the rebuke of their God.

That third hope about the antelope caught in a net reminds me of the old black and white African Safari movies. The white Bwana with the high-powered rifle would walk the Savannah. His hired natives would fan out in a semicircle beating drums and sticks. They would drive the antelope or other prey into the center of their human net for an easy kill shot by the boss man.

May my children and grandchildren live to become the words of 3 John 4 (NIV): "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth."

Cul-de-sacs of Gossip

In 1 Timothy 1:5-6 (MSG), Paul uses an interesting metaphor: "The whole point of what we're urging is simply love - love uncontaminated by self-interest and counterfeit faith, a life open to God. Those who fail to keep to this point soon wander off into cul-de-sacs of gossip."

from treehugger.com

The apostle was urging that the people simply love...no self-interest, no fake faith. Christians must live lives open to God's will. Failing that, we end up wandering into "cul-de-sacs of gossip." Carolyne Call described a spiritual cul-de-sac this way (The Christian Century, July 10, 2013): "A place of stuckness, stunted growth and limited vision. We lose our forward momentum, and our focus strays from God." She continues to list other spiritual cul-de-sacs including bitterness, vengeance, despair, isolation, guilt, rebound relationships, perpetual anger, and the belief that one is unlovable. She concludes that each offers sweet yet unfulfilling fruit.

The English dictionary defines a cul-de-sac as a dead end street especially one ending in a circular turn around. We live in a subdivision which has numerous cul-de-sacs spread out among its several through streets. Interestingly for us grammarians, the alternate plural can be written as culs-de-sac. That is similar to mothers-in-law or attorneys-general. Apparently, depending on which source is accepted, the latter can actually be correctly unhyphenated or written as attorney generals. Yes, English language is amazingly inconsistent. That is rather like the lives of the people Paul is describing in the opening scripture from Timothy.

Be careful that your lack of faithful reflection and growing relationship with God doesn't cause you to leave the narrow path. You could wind up in the cul-de-sac of gossip.

Bite the Bullet, NOT the Chip Bag

I am often mesmerized by both history and the English language. Did you ever wonder about the origin of the phrase "bite the bullet"? It means to do or accept something unpleasant, often after a period of hesitation. Google sources indicate there are two early meanings both stemming from the Civil War era.

from MusicIDB.com

The first concerns rifle cartridges used by the infantry in the 1860s. The soldiers would bite off the end of a paper-tube cartridge in order to expose the powder to the spark. They had to stay calm in battle to accomplish this task as quickly as possible. The practiced rifleman could load and fire three shots in the course of one minute.

The second is a more popular rendering. It theorized that patients were often given a bullet on which to bite when facing a painful medical procedure (even amputation) in the days before anesthesia and pain killers. Both seem to be plausible explanations for the idiom's beginnings.

Amid this history/English lesson, you may be questioning the title of this blog. I know a person who was on a vacation road trip a few years ago. Let's call that person "X" for the purpose of anonymity. As the story goes, the bag of chips that was brought along for a snack was not of the "easy-open variety." After wrestling with it for several moments, X decided the expeditious method of entry would be using human teeth to bite the corner of the bag. The result was a broken tooth and a trip to the dentist upon returning home. The lesson was learned...bite the bullet, NOT the chip bag.

Back in the Habit

No, this blog is not about Maria returning from the Von Trapp family mansion to the convent for a short time in the Sound of Music. It is about escape. Maria was running from love. I drove to Planet Fitness yesterday after six weeks away to escape the quarantine and its routines.

Instead of the 30-minute workout I'd been repeating for a month in my house with walking and light weights, I returned to the gym with its many workout machines and a one hour thirty minute regimen. I sweated, I became tired, I reveled in the variety. I plan to return today. Kind of makes me think of the song by Chicago: Saturday in the Park. The lyrics of that popular ballad were written by Robert Lamm in 1971 (the year I was married) for the Chicago V album published the next year. The opening stanza lyrics are:

Saturday in the park I think it was the Fourth of July

Saturday in the park I think it was the Fourth of July

People dancing, people laughing, a man selling ice cream

Singing Italian songs...Eh cumpari, ci vo sunari [Hey, buddy, what's that sound]

Can you dig it (yes, I can), And I've been waiting such a long time for Saturday.

I could parody those words to become Saturday in the gym...People walking, people lifting, a man sanitizing...and I've been waiting such a long time for reopening. So life is beginning to return to normalcy or the new normal, as some have termed it.

from zerotoalpha.com

I'm ready to start seeing friends and family again...with precautions. I plan to wear the stylish masks my wife made for me, I don't plan physical contacts of welcome, and I'm going to limit distancing and numbers of those with whom I reconnect. With that plan in my mind, I'm ready to practice some Fitness Distancing by getting back in the habit.

Convictions of STEEL

Have you ever wished for a super power? As children we sometimes daydreamed about having some of the special powers that we watched in movies and television shows  or read about in comic books. Some of the more impressive ones were strength, speed, intelligence, ability to control nature, etc. One of my favorite fantasy powers was invisibility. Imagine the amazing possibilities if you were invisible!

1 Thessalonians 1:4-5 (MSG) states, "It is clear to us, friends, that God not only loves you very much but also has put his hand on you for something special. When the Message we preached came to you, it wasn’t just words. Something happened in you. The Holy Spirit put STEEL in your convictions.You paid careful attention to the way we lived among you, and determined to live that way yourselves. In imitating us, you imitated the Master."

A really cool special attribute would be the ability to imitate Jesus...the way he loved, the way he lived, his very essence. In Acts 8 (MSG) Simon the Wizard observed Peter and John preaching the Message of Jesus and performing miracles. "When Simon saw that the apostles by merely laying on hands conferred the Spirit, he pulled out his money, excited, and said, “Sell me your secret! Show me how you did that! How much do you want? Name your price!"

from designbolts.com

He was immediately rebuked for trying to purchase the gift of God. He had seen the movies; he had read the comic books; he wanted the special super powers. He wanted to be able to imitate Peter and John in astonishing the people with sorcerer's magic tricks. He should have sought to preach and imitate the Master, Jesus Christ. Only in that way would he have received STEEL in his convictions.

THEM!

Recently the words of Isaiah 26:14 (NIV) caught my attention. They were part of our morning Bible reading from YouVersion audio. "They are now dead, they live no more; their spirits do not rise. You punished THEM and brought THEM to ruin; you wiped out all memory of THEM."

photo from scifist.wordpress.com

This verse reminded me of a favorite Fifties Science Fiction classic film, THEM. The scripture from  Isaiah relates the times when other lords ruled over God's people. Those other nations are now dead, they live no more. In the movie the powers that be are giant mutant ants. They are destined to wreak havoc among humans and possibly become the dominant species on Earth. The military forces discovered the creatures building a colony in the sewer drains beneath the city of Los Angeles. Grenades, flame throwers, and machine guns proved too much for the beasts, and they were destroyed. They are now dead, they live no more.

No powers on earth or under the earth will ever defeat God. Those that follow Him will always defeat them. Another hopeful and powerful verse comes to mind. Revelation 17:12-14 states:

The ten horns you saw are ten kings, but they're not yet in power.

They will come to power with the Scarlet Beast, but won't last long--a very brief reign.

These kings will agree to turn over their power and authority to the Beast.

They will go to war against the Lamb but the Lamb will defeat them,

proof that he is Lord over all lords, King over all kings,

and those with him shall be the called, chosen, and faithful.

photo by Nghia Le from unsplash.com

The Lamb wins the ultimate battle against the devil and all evil. Those of us with him will be victorious as well. God will wipe out all memory of them. Whether fighting the powers of evil on the movie screen or in a real-life battle, Jesus and His followers win...every time...over THEM!

I Believe...😌

😌 Blogger describes this emoji as a relieved face. I think it's more of a "Thank you, Lord" face. Yesterday I blogged about my total frustration with a photo book website. They had changed so much that I couldn't figure out even where to start in spite of having used their site over the last decade to design nine books. I was trying to create two pictorial documentations of road trips we took last fall to the Canadian Northwest and the Northeastern USA. The changes were so radical that I was at a very frustrated place. 😡 This was the pouting-face emoji I used in my previous blog to describe my feelings.

I closed that blog asking God 🙏 to send my guardian angel to guide my technological efforts as I investigated a different photo book website. God did it...again! With his help by the end of the day, I had created two photo books with no frustration, no pouting, and a real sense of fulfillment. He promises, "Ask and you shall receive." He even threw in a 70% off coupon code. It was like getting two books, shipping, and tax for the price of one book. Don't even try to convince me that was a coincidence! The posted deadline for taking advantage of that offer was midnight May 12, 2020.

photo by Zoltan Tasi on unsplash.com

I've always believed in God, in guardian angels, and the power of prayer. After yesterday's events, more than ever. God took me from  😡 to 😌 in a few short hours. There's a country song that's been a favorite of mine for two decades. Angels Among Us was written by Don Goodman and Becky Hobbs and first recorded in 1994 by the group Alabama. The lyrics express my sense of relief and even victory over technology and change during these recent happenings.


Feel free to sing along. You might even find a recording of it on YouTube. There are about a gazillion.

Angels Among Us

I was walking home from school, on a cold winter day. Took a shortcut through the woods,

and I lost my way. It was getting late, and I was scared and alone;

But then a kind old man took my hand and led me home. Mama couldn't see him,

Oh, but he was standing there; And I knew in my heart, he was the answer to my prayers

Oh, I believe there are angels among us; sent down to us from somewhere up above.

They come to you and me in our darkest hours; to show us how to live,

To teach us how to give, to guide us with the light of love.

When life held troubled times and had me down on my knees,

There's always been someone to come along and comfort me:

A kind word from a stranger to lend a helping hand;

A phone call from a friend just to say, "I understand."

But ain't it kind of funny at the dark end of the road,

That someone lights the way with just a single ray of hope.

Oh, I believe there are angels among us; sent down to us from somewhere up above.

They come to you and me in our darkest hours; to show us how to live,

To teach us how to give, to guide us with the light of love.

They wear so many faces, show up in the strangest places;

To grace us with their mercy in our time of need.

Oh, I believe there are angels among us; sent down to us from somewhere up above.

They come to you and me in our darkest hours; to show us how to live,

To teach us how to give, to guide us with the light of love...to guide us with a light of love. 😇

Change! 😡

😡 Blogger's Emoji file of smiley faces states this is a pouting face. I'll admit it's my frustrated look. I seem to implode frequently especially when I'm surprised with Change.

I take comfort in the assurance of Hebrews 13:8 (NIV), "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." Not so much Wal-Mart's online Photo Center! 😡

In retirement fall has become my favorite season of the year. We have taken some great road trips during the fall these last three years. For nearly a decade it has been my habit to create a photo book of these trips. This year that plan was delayed...a lot. First I returned home in October with a hacking cough that persisted for several weeks. Unobligingly I shared it with my wife. Her bout lasted about three weeks as well.

After all that cleared up we took some shorter road trips. We went to Gatlinburg and then North Carolina in December with our daughter and grandchild. This past January found us in New Orleans celebrating out 49th anniversary. following that trip, my old nemesis procrastination reared its ugly head followed by this pandemic and its quarantine.

During these last two months of safer at home, when I seem to have all the time in the world, procrastination returned with a vengeance. Yesterday I conquered it and spent several hours at the computer intending to start my fall 2019 photo book. That adventure didn't go so well.

I have created all nine of the previous volumes online at Wal-Mart Photo Center. We'd become like old friends over the last decade. I knew how to make the book: cover, layout, design, adding photos, the whole ball of wax. That candle melted at both ends when I discovered that WM had adjusted every phase of their photo book template. I couldn't figure out anything. Looking around proved fruitless. Pushing buttons got me nowhere. Change! Inevitable but dastardly 😡!

Today my goal is to investigate Snapfish. It's a rival site that children of mine have used and recommended in the past. The beauty of it is that IF Snapfish has changed, I won't even know it. I pray God will send my guardian angel to guide my keystrokes and make the process simple and rewarding...like it used to be. Before the CHANGE 😡 !

photo from brandongaille.com

Fresh from the Dryer

A few months ago, in my fading memory of the early quarantine daze, I had just finished my in-house, 30-minute workout routine. It was time for a shower. It must've been Monday, because it was laundry day. I neglected to check for my towel before getting in the tub. The hot water felt good.

Upon concluding my cleansing task, I opened the curtain and reached for my towel. It wasn't hanging in its usual, convenient place on the back of the bathroom door. That was an easy reach, except when it wasn't. The air is always a bit on the chilly side with the exhaust fan blowing and the door left ajar. That's when I remembered, "Laundry day!"

Dripping and chilled, I called for my wife. Fortunately she heard me and responded quickly. She brought my towel fresh from the dryer. It was fluffed up and very warm. Oh, the blissful warmth of a towel just out of the dryer. Heavenly it wasn't; but at that moment, it seemed close.

photo by carolynpriesterjones.org

I was reminded of John 13:4-5 (NIV) as it relates a special episode involving Jesus and a towel, "He got up from the meal, took off his  outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around His waist. After that He poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around Him." Was it a chilly evening in that room? Was a breeze flowing through it? Was the towel warmed from the sun right off the clothes line? What was the temperature of the water in the basin?

 I can Imagine! the temperature of towel or water.  How soothing it must've been as the Master anointed their feet and then dried them. There's nothing like a foot massage and washing after a long day tramping through the dusty streets of Jerusalem. Neither is there anything quite like a warm towel fresh from the dryer after a brisk workout and hot shower.

Up on the Roof

Back in January of this year, before the pandemic hit and the quarantine began, we spent five days in my hometown New Orleans celebrating our 49th anniversary. We stayed in a condo down in the French Quarter just off Canal Street. (I posted lots of those pictures on Facebook for the dates January 20-24 2020. I also posted about our anniversary trip on those days in this blog.) Isaiah 22:1 (NIV) states a fairly realistic summary of life in the French Quarter...What troubles you now that you have all gone up on the roofs, you town so full of commotion, you city of tumult and revelry?

We spent our days seeing sights in the Crescent City such as City Park, the World War II Museum, The Insect Emporium, the Riverwalk Mall, and the French Quarter Flea Market. There were plenty of childhood memories conjuring up in my mind. In spite of some rain, we had a good time.

View from Bluegreen Club La Pension -- Up on the Roof!

Evenings we investigated our quaint and mystical resort. It had lots of cultural artifacts in addition to two floors with rooftop areas and panoramic views of the surrounding Quarter. It reminded me of a favorite song from my Rock and Roll years as a boy, Up on the Roof. The song was written in 1962 and quickly was made popular by the Drifters and later James Taylor.

Up on the Roof

When this old world starts getting me down and people are just too much for me to face

I climb way up to the top of the stairs and all my cares just drift right into space

On the roof, it's peaceful as can be; and there the world below can't bother me

Let me tell you now...

When I come home feelin' tired and beat, I go up where the air is fresh and sweet (up on the roof)

I get away from the hustling crowd and all that rat-race noise down in the street (up on the roof)

On the roof, the only place I know where you just have to wish to make it so

Let's go up on the roof (up on the roof)

At night the stars put on a show for free and, darling, you can share it all with me

I keep a-tellin' you...

Right smack dab in the middle of town I've found a paradise that's trouble proof (up on the roof)
And if his world starts getting you down there's room enough for two up on the roof.

Pleasant memories are wonderful thoughts to have whether remembering from my pillow-induced dreams during the night, or daydreaming from a favorite recliner in my bonus room after lunch. A favorite song often helps with that journey into reliving the past. Music can carry me away to the safety and imagery of a few moments Up on the Roof.

Fearless

In June of 2009 we were on a road trip with our younger daughter and her husband into parts of Northeastern Canada. Because of our fondness for Anne of Green Gables, we had always wanted to explore Prince Edward Island. We home based in a condo near the New Brunswick border in Maine.

Blue Canoe restaurant

We crossed into Canada on back to back days eating at the Blue Canoe on both occasions. This was before the days of needing a Passport to enter our Northern Neighbor. The sights were numerous including the Reversing Rapids and Bay of Fundy.

Bay of Fundy low tide

Reversing Rapids

The Reversing Rapids, formerly referred to as the Reversing Falls, are a series of whirlpools, waves, and white water rapids created as the high tides of the Bay of Fundy -- highest in the world -- collide with the Saint John River in a rocky gorge in Saint John, New Brunswick. We were surprised to see the water running in the opposite direction upon our return in the afternoon. It really is a reversing river. We managed to arrive at the Bay of Fundy with perfect timing. We walked on the dry beach among the cliffs and crags at low tide.

L. M. Montgomery Birthplace

Once on Prince Edward Isle we hiked the Haunted Wood Trail, toured the Lucy Maud Montgomery Birthplace (author of the Anne of Green Gables works), and played on the red dunes of the Atlantic Ocean. We ate lunch at Ruthie's Pub and Eatery on the ocean. Krista ordered the lobster. Since none of us had ever eaten that northeastern delicacy before, she was privileged to have an employee give her a personal lesson in lobster eating.

Lobster eating lesson

The only wildlife we photographed on the entire trip was this red fox. It was padding away on the opposite shoulder. When I stopped the car to take its picture, the fox also paused and simply looked at us. I'd always heard foxes were very shy. On all my road trips I seldom have seen one much less had time for a photo. This fox glared as though claiming the road as its own questioning our right to even be there. It stared us down for several moments before resuming its journey...FEARLESS!

Fearless Fox on Prince Edward Island

Presidential

Mother duck and her brood of little ones

Some years ago we were staying at a resort in Gordonsville, VA. During that vacation we were able to visit homesteads of several of our early presidents: Jefferson, Monroe, and Madison. At one of these mansions, we came upon this very attentive mother duck and her group of very young toddlers. I just can't remember at which presidential palace we had this encounter.

Some traits of this family hit close to home. The youngsters followed Momma everywhere staying close to her wisdom and protection all day. They huddled together with their siblings for warmth and safety. Surprisingly they seemed very comfortable with us in close proximity. No doubt their regal mother had assured them that we posed no threat. In fact I'm pretty sure this watchful parent had enthralled them with tales of their someday becoming famous by having their photo posted on a Facebook blog. It was probably one of their favorite bedtime stories.

Imagine! The family is huddled close in the protection of the reeds along a creek at Monticello. Mother duck addresses her sleepy band, "Now children, settle down and I'll tell you a bedtime story." As the ducklings hush attentively she begins, "Once upon a time there was a blogger who lived in a village far, far away called Columbia, Tennessee..."

Amazing Race

In the fable of the Tortoise and the Hare, it was finally race day. No one expected it to be close or even competitive. The training had taken months.

The tortoise spent the time plodding around the lake, only stopping for the occasional sip of water or snack. This was his chance to be somebody, accomplish the improbable. Even though the odds were stacked against him and his friends were secretly betting on the opposition, he humbly prepared for the opportunity to bring down the braggartly rabbit. His camp flag had the words, "Slow and steady...maybe."

The hare, on the other hand, spent those days giving speeches and celebrating with his many supporters and friends. Occasionally he would wow his entourage by assuming a sprinters starting stance and jumping up for a few fast steps. This was always met with loud cheers followed by hours of partying. His training camp motto was, "Take the SHELL down!"

The day of the big event finally. The track was laid out around the lake...several miles in length. At the blast of the starter's gun, the hare was off like a shot. The turtle plodded step by step. The rabbit's strategy was obvious from the beginning: get as far ahead as he could in a short time so he could take it easy and coast the last part of the race. He ate a snack and sipped a power drink at nearly every rest table. At the halfway mark he rested for hours in the shade, after all it was a fairly warm day.

YouTube Kids/The Hare and the Tortoise
Moral Tales from Panchatantra

The turtle kept moving at his usual pace. When his shell got a little warm, he would detour into the lake for a refreshing dip and a quick drink. About a hundred yards from the finish line, he came upon the hare snoring away in a hammock on the side of the track. He quietly passed by plodding on toward the end. The astonished cheering of the crowd woke the hare. Realizing all might be lost, the rabbit sped toward the finish but fell short as the tortoise waddled across just ahead of him.

An early version of this story is from the French author Jean de la Fontaine penned in 1668. He puts an interesting twist on the tale with the tortoise becoming a bit persnickety at the end. He asks his opponent, "Mr. Hare, how fast do you think you could run carrying your house on your back?" Among the morals of this story is, "Slow and steady wins the race." While that might not always be true in real life, it was certainly apparent in this Amazing Race.

Hunger

Hungry babies outside our living room window
decades ago in Phoenix, AZ.

A few times in the last nearly 22 years in our current home in Columbia, we have had birds nesting on our porch behind the light. This is one of those years (see photos below). We've always enjoyed the cardinals, robins, blue jays, sparrows, and myriad other birds on the ground and in the trees our present house affords. We awaken to their lovely songs in the early morning.

I especially like the cardinal's "pretty bird" notes and the mockingbirds varied calls. It's a joy to lie in bed and listen to God's creation waking up. As Mark Twain once quipped, better to say "Good morning, God!" rather than "Good god, morning!"

Bird nest on our front porch today

There appear to be two robin eggs

Breakfast Cycle

1. Prowling.

Many years ago I was privileged to view the feeding cycle of a pelican in Yellowstone NP. It would glide on the surface of Yellowstone Lake watching for its prey...probably a trout just below the glistening surface of the lake. At exactly the right moment it would plunge its impressive beak into the water. On this occasion its timing was impeccable. It surfaced with a large fish in its mouth. After savoring it for several seconds, all that was left was to lean back and swallow. The process reminded me of my eating an extremely appetizing meal. I admire it, put a bite on my dining utensil, place it in my mouth, chew, and swallow.

2. Savoring.

3. Swallowing. Yum!

No Social Distancing

The only sign of geese in Hawaii

The Hawaiian (or Nene) goose is descended from the more common Canadian goose. This extremely rare endangered bird (estimated that only 32 existed in 1952) became the state bird of Hawaii in 1957. Although we saw lots of chickens during our 17 days in Hawaii in the summer of 2013, we only saw a few signs of the nearly extinct Nene goose. It is rumored that some of the existing 2,500 birds worldwide live in England today.

Compared  to its ancestor from Canada, the Hawaiian version is very soft spoken. Its chirp has been compared to an infant crying or even a cow mooing. It is thought by some to be the guardian spirit of the Islands. I had the privilege of seeing Canadian geese close up and photographable in the marshy fields along the Mississippi River in the 70s. I was playing hooky with a few male colleagues from the statewide teachers conference in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Several of us went in one door of the arena, checked in with our principal, and sneaked out another exit on our way to the goose refuge a few miles away. There was a rest stop for geese on their southern migration in the fall of each year.

I won't bore you with details of how the geese flight patterns save energy, help one another when injured, and honk encouragement when tiring. Many positive lessons can be learned from these wild fowl. The photos illustrate they care little about social distancing on the ground or in their recognizable V patterns during flight. They are a beautiful part of God's Creation especially when they flock together.

No social distancing during rest stops

V pattern of flight

Resilience

Road Runner...Beep! Beep!

When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child...and I watched cartoons on television and at the movies. But when I grew up, I put away childish things (1 Corinthians 13:11 NLT)...pretty much all except my favorite cartoon which has always been Road Runner and Wylie Coyote.

I never really liked Road Runner much. He seemed to be a very smart, quick, and strategic BULLY! I could hardly blame him for his continual harassment of Wylie Coyote, since the latter was persistent in his trying to eat the bird.

Wylie Coyote...on the prowl for his dinner

I was concerned that Coyote kept returning to his drawing board with one failure after another. While that displayed his most positive attribute, RESILIENCE, it also was his greatest negative trait as he kept shopping online with the ACME Company. In all those cartoon episodes, Wylie didn't have one single success with the contraptions he built with his mail order plans. He never got his meal...Road Runner Shish Kabob marinated in cactus juice. Ahhh! But he never gave up trying.

That's resilience, perseverance, stick-to-it-tiveness. No matter how many times he ended up at the bottom of a cliff, in a hole, with a large boulder or anvil hammering him into the earth, he never quit!

He bounced back in the face of adversity EVERY TIME! As I laugh at his clumsiness and level of perpetual ignorance, I shall always admire Wylie Coyote's RESILIENCE! 🐺😲😵🐺

Imperfect Sunrise

Elk at sunrise in Hayden Valley

On many of my 18 (so far) visits to Yellowstone NP, it was my habit to rise before the dawn to explore the photo opportunities the park offers. Sunrises always amaze and the big game animals are often prolific. Hayden Valley is one of those places.

The photo shows a bull elk on the shoulder of the road that winds through the valley with the sun rising over the river and hills beyond. I was standing beside my car on the opposite shoulder of the roadway. Had I thought to move a few steps to my left, I might just have gotten that once-in-a-lifetime picture with the sun ascending between the silhouette of the elk's antlers. 

Alas, whether from fear of startling the majestic critter into flight or just not having that positioning adjustment cross my mind, I never moved. What I have is an excellent and delightful photo of the elk at sunrise in one of my favorite spots on Earth. 

It was just one more of God's surprises. He has given me many in our travels over the decades. Perhaps He expected a little more of me than I delivered that morning. What I now possess is a panoramic view of an Imperfect Sunrise.

Racks!

Over our decades of traveling out west, the most majestic animal we have been privileged to view in God's Creation is the bull elk. These two photos are of two of the largest racks I remember seeing in Yellowstone NP. When you notice these creatures grazing in a pasture near the road, you count your blessings and utter an inspired, "WOW!"