Tag Archives: Scripture

The Road to Diamond, Day 200: Worn Velcro and Frayed Tempers

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Posted by on in Assistance, collaborating, Community, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving

June 16,2025- The cuff on my trusty Blood Pressure Monitor has been giving way, nearly each time I use it, over the past two weeks. The velcro has lasted fifteen years, through countless travels across the continent and across the globe. I have used it in my Home Bases, first in Phoenix and then in Prescott; in Chula Vista, Northglenn (CO)), and Saugus; aboard a Navy Destroyer, on a Tiger Cruise and on a picnic bench in Pie Town (NM); in South Florida and southeast Alaska . It has been faithful in Canada, across western Europe, in South Korea and in the Philippines. Now, I have a back-up monitor, with a new cuff. Life goes on.

It is the hot part of the year, close to 100 F, here in Prescott and 115-6, in Phoenix. Thankfully, I need not go outside for extended periods of time, at least not after 10 a.m. or before 5 p.m. Soon, the rains will come, and the air will be a bit sweeter. Life goes on.

The nation made it through the weekend, with its varying rallies-either questioning authority or mildly validating it. Attempts at violence, by those at either end of the political spectrum, received their just condemnation-and where they resulted in death, arrest and arraignment. Heat and humidity are no excuse for killing one’s political opponents, throwing concrete or engaging in a fire fight, in the midst of innocent people. Life will go on.

The fruits of ignorance, oppression and intransigence are now coming ripe, both here and in western Asia. Those who have lived by the sword are now finding out what that brings. Those who dwell in a blinkered dreamland, based on a skewed interpretation of Scripture, are finding that others have a very different take on the same Scripture and that there is simply no room for basing an ever more heightened threat of nuclear holocaust on that Word of God. Life trembles, but goes on.

Tempers are far too frayed, and only the stern voices of the People-in every country so afflicted-can bring leaders to the table, and the cool waters of sensibility to bear on their insistent passions. Life must go on.

Camp Notes, Day 2

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Posted by on in Assistance, collaborating, Matters of Faith, Personal goals, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Spiritual, Striving

June 8, 2024, Bellemont- “Life is tough; but you are tougher.” So says the logo on one of the campers’ t-shirts. This pretty much some up this group of campers, and though they are uniformly respectful and helpful to us, the staff, it is clear that many of them have been through quite a life, already. That is what draws them to this faith-based camp. Even those who are church-goers say they are looking for something further, in their spiritual quest.

So, they are engaged in both scriptural study and in developing communications skills-“Don’t run from a conversation”; “Engage, no outrage” and “Be the grace you want to see” are phrases I’ve heard tutors and animators use, these past three years. A troupe of budding Afro Beat dancers is among the campers, and there is no shortage of potential basketball stars, both male and female. Every key “racial” group is represented here and yet there is no conflict, no seething anger. Acceptance of rules is the norm, though it is also accompanied by questioning. These are, after all, teenagers.

Staff is uniformly competent, to the point that, besides handling sudden requests from campers and tutors, I have relatively little to do, during the day. I have taken on the role of primary dish washer, and function as security, making sure whatever needs to be locked, gets locked. Lights go on and get turned off. It is a combination of “staycation” (“praycation”?) and collective grandparenthood.

The weather has not been as hot as predicted, but that may change by the middle of this coming week. Stay tuned.

Autumn’s End

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Posted by on in distraction issues, Inspiration, Personal Values, Spiritual, Striving

December 20, 2020-

The season of my birth

once again draws to a close.

Three consecutive twenties tell me

it’s also time to embrace life

with renewed vigour.

It is also, as always,

time to be prepared

for what’s coming.

Some astrologers made mistakes

about this year,

missing the pandemic completely

and cheerfully predicting

the Tokyo Olympics.

People other than astrologers

predict an unforeseen catastrophic event.

What do I see coming?

Nothing.

I’m not one to dabble in psychic phenomenon.

Neither am I one to concern myself

with interpretation of Scripture.

I see only the need to ready myself,

to steady myself,

to be able to help those around me

those I love,

through any form the darkness

may take.

Autumn has ended.

Solstice is here,

and with it,

the hidden blessings

that come

with Winter.