Forced into Silence

My wireless WWAN connection keeps running out of data space before the month does, and it is very frustrating, forcing me to go quiet for the next two days or pay outrageous data fees for exceeding the limit. My Iphone kids keep their phones in use all day with this or that and seem to use a fraction of the time.

I will be back Saturday or Sunday. Today we traveled to the National Memorial Cemetery in north Phoenix where 52,000 veterans are buried to lay Hugh’s ashes to rest. They do a fine job in organizing and honoring the families services. It is so inspiring to see the flag wrapping and presentation.

The fraternity of airline mechanics

All the news today is about air safety. All the focus is on the scanners supposed to stop the crazies bent on self and other destruction. Yesterday I met a number of folks who are the real safety assurance for air flight, a bunch of airline mechanics who came to honor Hugh H for a long career. An Air Force veteran who kept our large B 52s in service around the world during his military service will be laid to rest at the Military National Cemetery in Phx today.

Hugh was a fixer, so good that he often invented tools to get jobs done more efficiently. I asked one man why so many co-workers stuck together in that profession and the answers to me where that they stuck together while airlines were growing, struggling and dying and being sold. Most of them went through many transfers within the airline hubs and many name changes on the sides of the planes, while their concerns were for the complex working parts that keep those massive masses of metal airborne through shear air speed, and God's marvelous creation of air pressure and the wing.

A small milestone

This is my 500th post, which means nothing except that I decided to build this communication and expression and picture blog to publish throughout the internet for connections to other human beings in the process of enjoying a wonderful life, and that I have stuck with it for a year and a half.

I admire those bloggers who are reaching great masses for whatever reasons, like my friend who constantly shares the virtues of a simple and frugal life. I enjoy the photography sites that teach and share techniques.

I enjoy the debates about the things going right and wrong in modern Christian practice and thought as I have spent my life in the discussion and have the wounds and blessing that go with life in the organized church.

I enjoy forming a thought, be it silly or profound to send to those who click by. Most of you click my silently, and that’s OK, it probably means my blog is not reaching that far or that I have not discovered the type of writing that inspires comment. I am me, and in a good place in this fragile life, in spite of playing the back nine, I still have lots of dreams and hopes and experiences to live. Thanks for reading and stopping by on occasion.

Dressed for Hot Dogs?

One of the things we enjoy about Disneyland is that some people dress up in costumes, or dance along with piano players. At our favorite cafe at the end of main street we saw this couple obviously playing out a fantasy. It is harmless fun and adds to the spice of a short vacation.

Now that I am back to the daily schedule the pictures we took always serve to bring back these captured moments. When I take people shots I try not to offend people by shooting against their will, but I felt that this couple was enjoying the elegance of there Frank Sinatra look.

Goals and plans are not resolutions

Resolved.....smacks of personal commitment to change, and as we all know, usually ends in failure. Setting goals and planning time for the things you desire to change can create the environment for transformation, which embraces our own weakness and hopes in a power greater than ourselves.

Last year the Internet took more of my time than reading, although of course much of my Internet time is reading theological articles. I hope this year to read outside my normal genres.

I have set a goal to learn more conversational Spanish. The immersion programs are slow and effective, and need to be used daily to get saturation. Lord help me to have a sense of connection to Hispanics than are all around me.

I enjoy playing guitar, and being stuck in mediocrity is my own fault. It needs fifteen minutes a day.

The wind instruments have brought great joy to my personal development. My daughters flute is now with me, and I am getting good tone and learning the scales.The flute sings with such beauty.

Exercise...first you pay the price and then you enjoy the price. Walking, stretching, lifting, and finding the time to do those things makes this tent flexible enough to enjoy life.

Living in the presence of God is not work, or discipline or duty, it is the very reality that makes getting out of bed and doing anything make sense.

Patti Lupone.....Wow!

As we continue our 21st year in Phoenix I remember one of my dreams was to see great entertainers and artists. On our date night this evening we dressed up and heard Patti Lupone sing Broadway songs with the Phoenix Symphony in her Woulda, Shoulda, Coulda, Show.

She has one of the most powerful and distinctive singing voices I have ever heard and we enjoyed hearing her great parts and the parts she was sure she could have nailed. A very sweet presence and great sense of humor as well. Wow! and according to Sacajawaytoget there, we are only 24 miles from home to our seats.

Rest in peace, my brother in Christ

A quiet New Years Day. I did not watch one play of football. As we were preparing soup for dinner, a call informed me that my friend Hugh had just passed away. I found his wife Donna and some family friends in the emergency room and we had a final prayer around his now silent and still body.

The cancer diagnosis was unexpected, the battle valiant. For many years this sweet couple have sat in my weekly Bible study, thinking about the promises of God, and at this moment, it is all we have. We must believe the most elemental of all promises, that Christ has taken the dominion away from death.

This good man had a good wife and family, a good career in the transportation industry, and a good life. They did not want it to end, no one does. But the meeting was yesterday for Hugh, unexpectedly, and we begin to grieve and to hope again. I never get used to these moments around the bed of a loved one whose tent has collapsed. They bring me face to face with my own upcoming meeting, yet create in me the lovely desire to seize the day. Carpe Diem.