Today I went to the Newfrontiers church in Basildon where I preached on Isaiah 66. You can download the audio or read my notes here:
1.The God we come to.
These opening verses seem to encourage us to fix our gaze on the God who made a universe that is at least 100 billion light years across and says it is just a throne for him. His hands flung stars into space as easily as a child flicks paint. The ESV study bible says “He cannot be walled in”. So he says, you cannot build for me a house. We mourn at the state of the church v10 BUT, Jesus says “I will build MY church” (Matthew 16:18)
There is an onward purpose. The gospel must advance we … [Link]

I had a revelation yesterday: the answer to every prayer is more of the Holy Spirit. Need more boldness? What you really need is more of the HS. Need more wisdom? What you really need is more of the HS. Need more love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness or self-control? What you really need is more of the HS.

The Holy Spirit is to the means to every spiritual end. And the good news is that God wants to give more than you want to receive. Just ask! [Link]

Photo I took in our neighborhood…

Well, it's 1:51 in the morning on Sunday as I wind down and blog a moment. Why not go straight to sleep? I'm the type of person that needs to read or write before bedtime or I just lay there wide awake. I am finally stopping at almost 2 am, trying to get everything done as we are leaving straight from church tomorrow.

Why go through all this? Well, first of all there's nothing worse than coming home to a messy house. Second, there will be people here. A housesitter to take care of things in our home including Jordan's bunny while we're gone and also a very good friend from the church (I could just kiss her feet right …

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I have advocated reading the Song of Songs first as about Christ and the church (corporate not individual), and then to secondly for marriage. In this 'She' is the church the bride, and He is Christ, who loves her.

Darrin Patrick notes: The transfer of the role of the bride from the community to the individual is one of the main theological errors that promotes consumerism.
And a whole lot of other problems!

Tom Gledhill, author of the BST Song of Songs and the article on it in the New Dictionary of Biblical Theology is not so keen on this Christ-Church approach:
“Whilst the NT never quotes or alludes to the Song, it is nevertheless true that the OT uses the love and loyalty of the lover-beloved relationship … [Link]

Medina park..1981…UB picnic and the day I gave my life to Jesus. Everything changed. I stopped here yesterday to reflect. I was in that mood. my heart was overwhelmed with gratitude for all Jesus has done for me. I deserve nothing. I am thankful for my salvation and God's amazing grace! I looked right at the spot where I kneeled I'm the grass and received forgiveness, cleansing' mercy, grace, all by faith in Christ. I eas at that moment justified in the sight of Father, adopted as His son and set aprt for His purposes. Amazing Grace!!

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• Following the Eagles. A lesson in perseverance. #
• Totalitarian tendencies of so called equality laws in UK are proving that legislating against hurt feelings is stupid — http://su.pr/6OLodt #

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It’s our church family conference next week, bloggers welcome to an informal hello on Thursday, 1pm in the Main Hall, right hand side. [Link]

In many ways, writing copy for websites is similar to news writing. Here are some useful, common features of both:

• Good news writing requires a short, concise "lead," usually the first paragraph, that summarizes the key points of the story. Likewise, web copy should start with a concise statement of the article, story, or web page.
• Good news writing develops the content of the story quickly, following the lead. Well-written website copy also works quickly to get the information across.
  Good news writing relies on short paragraphs, often of one sentence each. Web copy, too, should be structured in short paragraphs to capture and maintain web visitors attention.
• Web copy, by nature, must be brief. Web pages which stretch on screen after screen die a …

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(Picture by Chris_J via Flickr)

This is a great time to pray for America and our leaders. Also for the American church and for revival.

Related Posts?:

1. Election: The People Have Spoken–Now What?
2. National Day of Prayer

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I had some fun 4th of July flashbacks today.

During our first year at National Community Church we held a Fourth of July picnic at our house. We invited the entire church. And the entire church fit comfortably!

I remember the extreme weather Independence days. I remember when we got soaking wet one year because of thunderstorms. And I remember the 100 degree heat when our Air Conditioning broke on the 4th. Miserable!

Finally, I remember watching the fireworks from under the Washington Monument one year and all the ashes from the fireworks were raining on us. I actually had to shower and shampoo to get the ashes out of my hair. Nasty but cool.

I love 4th of July in DC. [Link]

(Picture by Chris_J via Flickr)

This is a great time to pray for America and our leaders.

Related Posts?:

1. -A Lesson in Forgiving and a Time for Healing
2. -Iranian Christians Need our Prayers

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(Picture via Wikipedia)

Here’s the case of a gentleman in Toronto, Canada that was censured by his landlady for saying “hello” and “good Morning” to his neighbors. The offended folks in this case were Muslims and the husband did not think it was proper for his neighbor to even look at his wife much less verbally greet her. The outraged husband threatened him and even filed a complaint with the apartment managers:

When the landlady of my Toronto apartment building said an outraged neighbor had filed a complaint about me over an apparently inappropriate hallway interaction with his wife, my mind raced through the countless conversations I’ve had with fellow tenants, none of which seemed a possible source of offense.

It turns out, …

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Another Day Along the Way
Saturday, July 4, 2009

Another day,
We celebrate freedom while living lives of bondage. Trapped in cages of hurry, of performance, of ranking, of status, of wealth, and of success, we fail to enjoy the freedom of joy and calmness.

So, as you hear the fireworks and gain the pounds, pause to notice.

Pausing and noticing aren't easy these days. At least, not for me. I write about it often because I'm trying to practice what I type. Even my moments of silence and solitude are strategically planned in my list of duties. But when I force myself to become un-forced, when I schedule a non-duty moment, I can breathe. I can hit pause, knowing the earth keeps spinning, the Creator keeps loving, and this … [Link]

Just thought I'd share one prayer technique that has really helped me cultivate a prayer habit. I call it praying the calendar. I basically go through my calendar and pray about anything and everything. I pray for the people I have meetings with. I pray for upcoming events. For example, my kids go to camp next week so I prayed that they'd have a defining spiritual moment. And its the 4th of July so I found myself praying for America. More specifically, another Great Awakening.

Here is what praying the calendar does for me: it gives me a sense of destiny. I feel like I walk into each day, each meeting, each experience with holy anticipation. Why? Because I've prayed about it. [Link]

“I know that the Lord is always on the side of the right. But it is my constant anxiety and prayer that I and this nation should be on the Lord’s side.”– President Abraham Lincoln, during the Civil War

July 4, 1776 there were 56 men who decided that freedom was worth dying for.  They came to a defining moment in their lives and it became a defining moment in the history of the US and the world. Because of their defining moment five signers of the Declaration of Independence were captured by the British as traitors and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured. Nine of the …

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Until our vacation!

I am running around like crazy trying to get everything done to leave tomorrow. We will do the Sunday morning service and then leave right afterwards. When we actually pull out of the parking lot (after an amazing service!!!) I am going to let out a huge sigh of relief, sit back in my seat in the car and read to my heart's content for hours, alternating with sleep. Larry got me Glenn Beck's book, Common Sense, to read and I am so excited!!! I am also reading, 48 Days to the Work You Love by Dan Miller. No, I'm not looking for a new job. I'm estatic with the two I have. I am reading it because our national trainer (my former manager …

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I am now back blogging. I thought I'd let you know about a new feature I am testing out here, and a bunch of websites that have been set up connected to the church where I am part of the leadership team.

Firstly, if you look to your left of the screen you should see a tab that when clicked will open out a draw which forms a tweetboard. This is kind of a replacement for comments. It allows you to discuss posts you see here, or perhaps even connect with other readers of the blog. All posts will also appear at http://twitter.com where you can get an account.
If you have facebook, you can use twitter to update your facebook status line. Some people seem to … [Link]

According to an article in the UK Telegraph, Pope Benedict XVI claims that scientific tests confirmed shards found in the underground chamber at the church of St Paul’s-Outside-the-Walls in Rome were from the apostle:

“This seems to confirm the unanimous and undisputed tradition that these are the mortal remains of the Apostle Paul."

Are these Really the bones of the Apostle Paul?

Dr. Andrew Jackson of the SmartChristian blog calls this “very speculative” and I agree. << Read my conclusions on the Apologetica page>>     ~ *Top

Related Posts?:

1. -Was The Apostle Paul a Fake and a Spy?
2. Serial Review: “The Lost Gospel of Judas Iscariot: A New Look at Betrayer and Betrayed” -Part 1

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This is a quote from a Derek Webb song that I really love.  I think of it every once in a while as I have been "church shopping" for almost 3 years now.  There are so many churches that "do church" badly, that I find it difficult to get out of bed on some Sundays.  I agree with the title of this post and I have had to challenge myself to look past much of what I feel is wrong with the church in order to motivate myself to keep going.  Recently, I found a great church that "does church" the way I feel it is supposed to be done.  But even here, there is something lacking.  Even here it is hard to get up … [Link]

Here’s a cartoon summary of the Intro to Neil Postman's Amusing Ourselves to Death. I highly recommend the book, but this depiction gives you enough to consider. [Link]

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Here's an open ended question, for which I do not have an answer myself. But, I think, it's worth pondering this weekend…

What does the following phrase mean to you: "The Spirit of (17)76"?

Let the fireworks begin!:) [Link]

• Major assignment for Master’s Unit done and dusted. Aaaah. That’s better. #

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Now I know if I get in a gun fight she won't wake up!

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I found this tshirt on the clearance rack at a Life is Good store in Rhode Island. It really surprised me and bothered me - so much so that I took it up the the sales rep and told them how disappointed I was to find the shirt in such an otherwise positive store. I then walked out. What would you have done?

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Ken recently retired from working with Royal Ranger (a boys ministry). At least, he retired from doing it on a regular basis. He has also served as the president of a group within Rangers called Frontiersmen Camping Fellowship. They pick a fur trade era persona, and they have lots of fun learning frontier skills along with the spiritual stuff. This is actually how we got started in Rendezvous (fur trade) play acting, since he decided that the gear was so expensive we'd better use it at secular gatherings as well.

This was recently published in their newsletter, and since Ken never blows his own horn (and doesn't often have someone else blow it for him) I am copying it here.
A Tribute To Our Outgoing President, Bearded … [Link]

I visited Concord, MA on my vacation and saw the various author's homes that have been turned into museums there. These include Louisa May Alcott, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Henry David Thoreau. I learned a lot about how these folks were interconnected and the culture of that time. I learned that Alcott's father was a writer and philosopher, specializing in the areas of children and education. He actually composed a list of rules for teachers, which I think is very appropriate even for today.

Of course, all of these folks were Transcendentalists, which I would not subscribe to. However, considering how they lived their lives, it should be acknowledged that they strove to promote the value of human life at … [Link]

The MP3 and PDF resources from the Love the church weekend I spoke at for Reading Family Church are now online.

I love them as a local church and it was a real highlight to serve them last month particular on a subject so close to my heart as this.


Centrality of the church 68mins (Dave Bish) -
I belong to the church (Richard Walker)
Ambition for the church 54mins (Dave Bish)
PDF sessions 1-3 outline
The Wedding Day 39mins (Dave Bish)
PDF homegroup notes

The content of these sessions captures part of a larger writing project I'm working on at the moment. I'm looking forward to developing this further in written form and teaching on the subject a number of … [Link]

Most of my 'heroes' seem to skip Exodus 18 which has left me with a small selection of commentaries to turn to for assistance as I prepare to preach this chapter in a couple of weeks… Thus far:

v1-12, A God shaped mission. Moses tells Jethro about the LORD's salvation, and Jethro belives in the Triune God. We're on mission because he is. Jethro the Gentile comes because he's heard, hears and becomes a friend of God (Jethro is later called Reuel = friend of God, Numbers 10v29)

Why wouldn't we see this or do this? Have we forgotten his great salvation… having sojourned in a foreign land (Gershom), the LORD has helped us and delivered us (Eliezer). Hear again, rejoice with Jethro! Celebrate the LORD, greater … [Link]

J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye is as classic a novel as it is controversial. Catcher’s literary value is almost totally invested in the symbology that is Holden Caulfield. Holden’s seemingly misguided adventures and expressed apathy with unavoidable phonies points towards a much larger human condition that all readers can appreciate in varying degrees. The character is a familiar one, especially to young adults who are only just beginning to experience a so-called real world and the difficult quest for authentic individuality. This sort of appreciation practically guarantees future relevancy to a novel that has already been deemed a treasure in an original context that can best be described as bland industrialized-american, prosperity-minded, and heavy on assumed social codes/norms. Catcher in the Rye – …

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Here’s another, from a long line, report that does injustice to the science of climate change.  I won't go into detail, but will just point out this quote:…the most egregious miscarriage of science in this agit-prop exercise is its near-total dependence on worst-case scenarios conjured up by computer models. That’s where it gets its litany of Day After Tomorrow Hollywood disasters.These climate models have never been validated by actual observations, notes Professor Robert Carter of the Marine Geophysical Laboratory at Australia’s James Cook University. Indeed, Australia’s own climate modeling agency (CSIRO) stresses that climate change scenarios are based on computer models that “involve simplifications of [real world] processes that are not fully understood. Accordingly, no responsibility will be accepted … for the accuracy of forecasts … [Link]

Solomon
Solomon had an auspicious start. His promise would have made him unique in history if he lived up to it. His name is great, no doubt, but so were his follies. The few things that God said a king of God's people should not do, Solomon did with relish. Hording, horses, and whores (oops, I meant "wives" and concubines) were enthusiastically amassed: humility, faithfulness and obedience were tossed aside in his never ending search for broader experience and self-fulfillment.

Solomon may have been a poster boy for Maslow’s theory, but he was a disgrace to the kingdom of God. He let his emotional, self-absorbed quest for fulfillment overwhelm every other consideration in life. The result was a kingdom at odds with him, an existential depression with … [Link]

(Image by vgm8383 via Flickr)

Many of you will probably wonder what I am thinking—after all the Reformation happened over 500 years ago with Luther nailing 95 theses on a cathedral door. Actually, it is my contention that the Reformation was a move of God that is still with us in some degree or another—the effects of the move changed Christianity forever. It wasn’t just the beginning of Protestantism but also brought major changes to the Roman church also.

Regardless of how you view the history of the Reformation that continued for several hundred years, Catholics view it different than protestants, nevertheless God was bringing something lost and something new to the church through this move and all Christianity has been changed for the …

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Jonah 3:9 Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?

We will continue today in our installment of blogs regarding Jonah. The story of Jonah is truly remarkable on so many levels. The mercy and grace of God often gets overshadowed in discussions about Jonah's ride in the big fish. When Jonah was finally released from the belly of the fish, a revival of biblical proportions took place. Jesus says that Jonah's arrival in Nineveh was a "sign" to the people (Luke 11:30). This prophet of God arrived in the city with a message of destruction; "Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown". Jonah's message was not of the "repent or else" variety. … [Link]

Yesterday morning, opportunity presented itself for a descent to the lobby area of our condo, a place where a man can get alone with his lap-top, check his e-mail, and perhaps catch up with a few friends. Instead, as it happened, I got "mugged" by a Morman. The only other person in the room was a gentleman, my age, seated there with his own hook-up to the Internet; and, when he spoke, in jest, of [Link]

I love history. And I love America! Thought I'd share a little of both as we celebrate Independence Day.

Before I do, let me say a few things. First of all, this isn't meant to be a dissertation. It's a blog. Secondly, I'm not nominating all of our founding fathers for sainthood. Having said that let me say this: there is a lot of revisionist history that totally ignores or distorts the faith of our Founding Fathers. A lot of them were motivated by their faith in Christ.

Here’s some back story on some of the fifty-six signers of the Declaration of Independence. Most Americans know next to nothing about these fifty-six heroes who pledged their lives, fortunes and sacred honor to the cause of freedom.

John Witherspoon … [Link]

I recently did an interview with Neue on modeling community.

Here’s an excerpt.

In your latest book, Wild Goose Chase, you hold the view that our lives with God should be an adventure. What part does community within the Body play in this adventure?

Well, I think life by yourself isn’t much of an adventure. I’m going to preface this by saying this: I would like to think that when I pronounce the Benediction at the end of our services, I am sending dangerous people back into their natural habitats to wreak havoc on the enemy. That really is the DNA of the book—that we’re about being on mission, and that’s part of the adventure of living for Christ. To me, the greatest adventure is God inviting us …

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Leo, my older brother received this American Flag (below) that I had sent to him, which I carried with me to the Joint Security Stations around Baghdad. He purposed to fly it atop of Moosic Mountain in Northeastern Pennsylvania. I wrote about it here: http://worthmysalt.blogspot.com/200~

He and his friends made kind of a pilgrimage to post it. As you can see it was a beautiful day in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Over the years we've ejoyed many hikes to this precious place and he has placed a flag or two there. See post: http://worthmysalt.blogspot.com/200~

The pictures below were from this past Memorial Day time-frame. Although, the pole was missing on this last trip. With our last email exchange it sounds like there will be another sometime in the future.

The 4th … [Link]

When people call you, what do they hear if they don’t reach you? OK, so it’s probably a voicemail or other messaging system so they can leave you a message and you can call them back. So let’s assume that’s true, and let’s focus on the message you have that people hear when they call your number.

Many people have a plain vanilla greeting, and often you’re not even sure if you reached a human being or just a machine. “Hi, you’ve reached 555-1212. Leave a message.”

BARF!

Who am I calling, and why should I care enough to leave a message with you?

“Hi, this is Phil. Leave a message. I’ll call you back. Thanks.”

That’s a little bit better. At least I know …

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Resolution 18

 

UNETHICAL FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

 

WHEREAS,     There is an increased scrutiny of the financial practices in our society’s institutions, including churches and religious nonprofit organizations; and

WHEREAS,     Ministers of the gospel are called to be accountable in their personal, church, and ministry finances; and

WHEREAS,     The current Bylaws are somewhat limited in ways of dealing with financial misdeeds by ministers other than Article X, Section 3, c., “Any moral or ethical failure other than sexual misconduct” and j. “A habit of running into debt which brings reproach upon the gospel”; and

WHEREAS,     While Article X, Section 3, c. and j. are good, they do not provide the clarity needed to address the complex issues of handling finances in today’s atmosphere; and

WHEREAS,     An amendment …

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Resolution 17

 

GENERAL TREASURER’S SEMIANNUAL REPORT

 

WHEREAS,     Historically, the general treasurer’s office provided semiannual reports of ministers’ contributions for the support of Headquarters to district offices for review; and

WHEREAS,     The Division of the Treasury no longer submits semiannual reports of ministers’ contributions for the support of Headquarters to district offices; and

WHEREAS,     Notification of ministers’ contributions for the support of Headquarters is now provided to ministers and districts at the end of the year by means of the credential renewal process; therefore, be it

RESOLVED,   That General Council Bylaws, Article VII. MINISTRY, Section 10. Credential Renewals and Reinstatements, f. Support of Headquarters, page 118, which reads:

      f. Support of Headquarters. The work of The General Council of the Assemblies of God, in …

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Resolution 16

 

ASSEMBLIES OF GOD TOTAL GIVING CREDIT

FOR SUPPORT OF SATELLITE CHURCHES

 

WHEREAS,     Church planting is a high priority in the Assemblies of God; and

WHEREAS,     Strong sovereign churches need to be encouraged to parent new churches, including satellite churches; and

WHEREAS,     Other church planting methods receive Total Giving Credit, and a need exists to provide Total Giving Credit for the support of satellite churches; and

WHEREAS,     The Executive Presbytery appointed a committee to study and review the granting of Total Giving Credit to mother churches of satellite churches; and

WHEREAS,     The Executive Presbytery adopted a resolution recommending that Assemblies of God Total Giving Credit be given to parent churches for satellite startup costs, up to 6 months, including property (facilities and equipment), …

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Today is the day of my monthly column for ministry wives at Take Root and Write Publishing.

This month's article is, "It’s Not Worth the Price," speaking of a lack of trust in God, and worry. If you are interested, head over there and read it. If not, here are a few updates for you on the state of things @the Shrodes.

Took Jordan to the doctor's yesterday morning and sure enough, he has strep throat. I had a hunch that's what it was after his throat still hurt so much and wanted to get it better asap. Instead of giving him a few week's worth of antibiotics they just offered him a shot of penicillan. He chose the shot, but afterwards had second thoughts …

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In case you haven't heard…

Not important, but, I believe, still interesting. They may be the real deal, according to Pope Benedict. The fresco to the right is an ancient one, probably from around 400 A.D., still too late for him to pose.:) Here and here are two reports on the bones.
Not nearly as big a story as Michael Jackson's untimely death, but a story nonetheless. [Link]

This is according to Time Magazine.

Now, in an unexpected move, Obama has told White House aides that instead of joining a congregation in Washington, D.C., he will follow in George W. Bush's footsteps and make his primary place of worship Evergreen Chapel, the nondenominational church at Camp David.

Anyone surprised? The more things change, the more they stay the same. Wherever we are headed, it's for sure that we aren't lurching very far to the right or to the left. [Link]

President Obama told a gathering of religious news reporters today that he receives a daily devotional including a prayer from White House faith director Joshua DuBois every morning on his Blackberry.

He said that the “wonderful practice” started during his presidential campaign.

Response: This is good news and reassuring—at least the President’s spirituality is not being completely ignored. There had been a recent story that the Obama and his family had not yet chosen a regular church to attend in DC because they were sensitive to the disruption their attendance caused those that they had visited. I was concerned that the First Family was not being ‘spiritually’ fed. I have even heard some Christians complaining that Pres. Obama didn’t really seem to be the …

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• “if at first the idea is not absurd, then there is no hope for it” - A. Einstein #
• Aust politicians are becoming bigger fans of Jesus - http://su.pr/2VbWt9 #
• Missing transformers with some of the northshore boys to finish my assignment - analysis of our org’s culture and strategic processes. #
• What God is doing among a new generation he is raising up. Standing in the GAP: Generation Applying Prayer — http://su.pr/2TlFh6 #
• Why it is better to light a candle than rail at the darkness. How not to protest. http://su.pr/1sj7PJ #

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We have been at the Michigan A/G camp in Grass Lake, Mi for the last 5 days. it was a great camp with amazing services, lots for the kids to do. Here Levi is doing the Zip line and Gabe is doing the ropes course. We did a lot of swimming, reading, laughing with great friends, and playing.  this was the 10th year we have been to family camp and it is a highlight of the summer.  I was blessed that we had over 30 people from the BCC family there this year!   We are now off for a week at a cabin on a lake.  It will be a good time for family, for reading, reflecting, praying, and playing.

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Cromwell RequiescatNear to this placeWas buried the headOf Oliver Cromwell.And who can compareTo the terror & dreadOf Oliver Cromwell?His musket & swordThe Irish have swornWere the pain's stingOf Oliver Cromwell."May God sort them out!"Was Ollie's high shoutWhen Drogheda's churchDid burn downAll to the groundAt the dire siegeOf Oliver Cromwell.But now he is goneAnd history's songForever will [Link]

I had previously written about what I think pro-life really is (more than just a stance on abortion), so I didn’t feel the need to write about the murder of Dr. Tiller. In reading this post, I was just ambling along not too interested in getting into the discussion with all that prior writing of mine being on record until I came to this link, which talks about the recently murdered doctor/abortion provider from Wichita, Dr. Tiller, and how he offered the fine service of memorializing newly aborted babies prior to dumping them in the incinerator.

That is sick.

I can’t see how anyone can look at those photos and realize the entire situation and not think something about it is sick.

What is the …

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In a great upset, the last round of the illustrious game left me in defeat. It now stands at

• Julie: four wins
• Mark: two wins

I really hate losing.

“You have all the resources! Stop building roads! You’re stealing my road strategy! Now you’re stealing my development card strategy! My gosh, you’re killing me! How many points do you have?! I’m dying here! Stop putting the robber on that square! Oh man, now you have maritime trading at your disposal!” and so on, I went, all but pounding the table or eating the cards in my hand out of nervousness. And he just sat across the table chuckling and grinning evilly and mocking my pain as he wracked up victory points and piles of …

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Not much to watch, but fun to listen to.

Here’s a map of JFK.

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Mainly, I have to wear something with a hood. I have head lice phobias to an intense degree while at movie theaters and though I am aware of at least three logic flaws with using a hooded clothing item for that purpose, it does give me peace of mind.

This evening, I went to the movies with my sister and her family, who are here in Bismarck visiting me. After several excruciating previews geared mainly towards kids, the movie began. As the start of the 20th Century Fox music commenced, I leaned in toward my sister Jacqui (much like the scene from Dumb and Dumber and the Most Annoying Sound In The World), hood pulled snugly around my head, and began to hum along to …

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Because I worked for the United States Postal Service off and on in the past, I am allowed to gripe about them. I am.

I had two small items to mail to a friend. Upon arriving at the post office, I tried to decide how to send them. The priority box that they would fit in was at a $7.40 rate, which was just 60 cents more than my friend had paid me for the two items.

That seemed asinine.

I decided to buy a small box that wasn’t Priority Mail, fully aware that the Priority Mail boxes are free. I knew that the first class rate, even with the cost of the small box, would be less than the $7.40. This seemed to be …

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I apologize for the silence on this blog. As you may have guessed by following my Tweets and now looking at this confusing page where you are used to seeing something else, I’m in the process of moving things. You will likely find my site down or partial or inaccessible in the next days while I migrate to a new host and make some foundational changes. I will be importing many of my blog posts, though not all. The look will change, and will keep changing until I get it where I want. Those of you who subscribe to this blog(s) with a feedreader, etc. will have to change your feed details. I will be working with my FeedBurner account to make that painless for …

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The idea was that I would at long last take dad’s plane (fondly known as “Chip” since, as my dad joked, you needed to be careful walking around it lest you get a chip of paint in your eye) up in the air and get in at least three take-offs and landings. In order to take up passengers, I needed to have done that in a single-engine-land airplane within the previous 90 days, and, sadly, I hadn’t.

One reason for my failure to do this (besides lackluster devotion to aviation, I admit) was that nearly every time we attempted to go up, Chip had a maintenance issue that kept us grounded.

Things were looking well; I pre-flighted it and everything looked OK. The tanks were …

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I read a blog post from a family member tonight which spoke of the times in life where it feels as if we are in the desert. I recognize the sentiment.

The desert is a tough place. It’s dry and parched and we are in want of something to drink. We feel like we’re dying, about to dry out and blow away. We’re so thirsty. We’ve been going too long, and it’s too much to keep going, our thirst overwhelming. It’s a place where we see our dreams and wants and plans wither up for lack of water, and the pain is very great because it seems we’ve been abandoned and there are no landmarks as far as the eye can see.

We feel alone. …

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While I understand people seem to like summer, I can’t say I agree.

1. Kids are out of school. I want them back in school and not out and about, annoying me.
2. Bugs.
3. People are infatuated with noisy get-togethers at all hours of the day and night in their yards when I am trying to nap/sleep.
4. Sun, sunburn, sunblock.
5. Hot.
6. Some summer clothing styles should not be made in a size larger than 6. When I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror, I am reminded of this. The words “sausage casing” come to mind.

I suffer on.

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In theory, tomorrow I will be flying with Mark to the Twin Cities in my dad’s airplane (fondly named Chip). At least, I think Chip is still an airplane; it’s hard to say. She hasn’t wanted to leave the ground for quite sometime, evidently fond of the maintenance staff and her hangar queen status.

Because I have foolishly allowed myself to get my hopes up for the possible fun to be had at his parent’s house and at Valley Fair (roller coasters!) on Saturday, I decided I did not want to risk another attempt at flying tomorrow for the grand weekend if Chip mistakenly thought we were only out for another stroll down taxiway Charlie.

So I write the inanimate (and that word has never …

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