Wednesday Wisdom

 

John

What if ... ?

There is a lot that can be said about the Buddhist belief that possessions and desires tie you down and lead to suffering. For example --
I like our home. I like our house and I like having a safe place to retreat to and a warm, comfortable place to live and sleep. I like the five acres we have and the various flowerbeds. Although I don't mind working in the yard, it is also a pretty big commitment and takes quite a bit of time and effort.
It is a privileged life that we live.

However, I also think it would be cool to get a truck-top tent rig for the Maverick and just hit the road, stopping wherever I feel like stopping and spending whatever time I want to spend before moving on. That really isn't a thing that my wife would be into, so that attachment (along with the homeowner obligations) is another tie down. 
Honestly, I don't know if that is something that I would really like for an extended period of time. There is a little bit of me that thinks I would like it and is a little sad that it likely isn't something that I will ever do. I can't say that it is a major regret or anything. It's just something I think of from time to time as kind of a fantasy adventurous lifestyle. 

So that has me wondering...
What would you be doing differently if you weren't tied down by obligations to people or property?
Would you live in a different city? ...or maybe a different country?
Maybe you have a dream of starting a business (talk about being tied to an obligation!).
Is there something you'd like to learn about?
An instrument you'd like to learn how to play?

Maybe there are things you can do in spite of your commitments and obligations.
I know that there are people that thrive on having obligations. They need to be committed to something. They need to have a purpose for getting up in the morning, Maybe you are doing exactly what you truly want to be doing.
In a sense, we are all doing what we choose to do -- even though it may not be what we want to do.

Just some weird things rollin' 'round in my head today.

What would you be doing today if you could be doing what you truly want to do?

John

Can We Talk About the Birds and the Bees?

One of a simple life's pleasureful things is being able to observe and enjoy nature. 
I get to do that a lot -- morning coffee on the deck, working in the flower gardens, an afternoon cigar, a relaxing evening, and late nights listening to the frogs, bugs, and occasional coyotes.

This year we seem to have an abundance of dragonflies. I read that this is in part due to the very wet spring that we had. These voracious little hunters consume mosquitoes and other small flying insects -- often more than 100 per day.
Competing for small insects and also eating dragonflies are the barn swallows. I kind of hate that these birds dine on the dragonflies, but love that they also keep the wasps population in check. I haven't seen as many wasps around this year. It might have something to do with the mud nest built on one of the deck joists!

Earlier this week I watched a tiny little jumping spider stalk and capture a small moth on the deck screen. It was the third time I have observed a spider make such a catch. The other times were houseflies.

There are golden finches that nest in the trees across the street that come to feast on the seeds of my zinnias and cone flowers. In the fall I will harvest enough seeds to plant in the spring, but leave most of them so the birds can feed on them throughout the winter months. They will be picked clean by spring.

My hummingbird feeders have been dry for a little while. I don't worry about it this time of year and often see them feeding at the flowers. I tend to pay closer attention during the spring before the flowers bloom and in the early autumn weeks before they begin their long migration back to Mexico.

I often work while barefooted. I must have startled or stepped on a little critter this week and took a stinger of some sort in my foot. I didn't see what stung me, but did dig a bit of stinger out of the lower side of my foot. I've been surprised at how long I can still feel the effects of that little sting. 

I have to admit that I laugh at myself when I think about how much I enjoy observing the smaller side of nature. One the one hand it does make me feel like an old guy. But on the other hand I wish I would have been more observant of the life around me all along.

Spiders hunting moths, dragonflies hunting mosquitoes, birds munching on dragonflies -- nature can be pretty violent and unforgiving even at this small level. It really is a privilege to be able to observe and learn.

John

Happy Blogoversary! 19 Years of Out of My Hat!

On this date in 2006 I published my first post here at Out of My Hat.
I no longer do magic as a profession, hobby, nor ministry, so the name doesn't make as much sense as it did back in the day. And most of the post seem to come from out of my --, well, from somewhere else.

I am a much different person today than I was 19 years ago. Not only am I no longer a magician, I am no longer working as an air traffic controller, I am no longer in ministry as an evangelist or kids' camp pastor, and am happily retired and pursuing new hobbies like gardening, smoking cigars, sipping bourbon and tequila, and staying the hell away from people.

I do still enjoy writing and using Out of My Hat to share my thoughts, but no longer care as much as I once did that other people actually read them. I should probably challenge myself to write more often and to take on a greater variety of topics from time to time -- perhaps I will in year #20. I suppose I could find a random topic generator or accept suggestions from the few readers that I still have. Or I can (and likely will) just keep doing what I have been doing for the past 19 years.

It has been an interesting evolution.
I wonder what the John of 19 years ago would say about the person that he would become. He would probably look at what has been posted recently and wonder -- Who writes this crap?
From the other perspective -- I am glad that I have grown and am no longer the person that I was. I truly wish more people would constantly question what they believe and who they are and challenge themselves to grow rather than to just blindly follow the same well worn pathways.

I do hope that you will stick around for another year, and I hope that you might occasionally benefit from some of my posts and rantings. 
Maybe I'll celebrate the milestone later today with a cigar and a tequila cherry limeade. 
It will be -- Just another day in the life of John
But each day is a day worth celebrating.

John

Thursday Theology -- Deconstructing Your Faith

A recent post from a friend has had me thinking.
The post was an ask for spiritual counseling or for somebody to talk to about faith and questions about God/faith/etc. Honestly, I don't remember exactly how it was worded and I don't know what their particular crisis of faith might have been at the time of the ask. What I do know is that faith deconstruction is a difficult and often lonely process -- one that often leaves people with no faith at all. 

Here's the thing --
I have no theological education nor background of any kind.
I have no qualifications as a counselor of any kind.
I am no longer (and never really was) a preacher nor clergy of any kind.

But...
I have been through my own faith deconstruction and managed to come out of it feeling closer to God than I was when I was burdened by all of the religious crap that was the foundation of my previous spiritual experience.
I get needing or wanting somebody to talk to or to be able to verbalize what you are going through. I really didn't feel like I had that. I was pretty much a heretic in my previous circles, but I was okay with that. Yes, having a qualified spiritual guide to talk to might have been helpful -- but I didn't even realize I needed it at the time.

As I said -- I am no expert in deconstruction, but I have a personal experience that I can share.
I can listen to your questions and maybe help you find answers. 
I can offer a couple of books that I found helpful.
And I can do it through private written communication or over a cup of coffee or a pint beer.
For some people, it might be best to meet in a small group where others can share both experience and insight as well as asking their own questions.

Anyway, I've been thinking about it, so I just thought I'd throw this out there.
Hit me up if I can serve you as you walk your own faith journey.
(Comments to this blog are moderated so you can request not to have your comment published if you include contact information.)

John

Good Noise

It's weird how the word noise carries a negative connotation. Sounds can be good, but noise is generally bad.
Night noises usually refer to the creepy, scary sounds of the night; where night sounds might be about the calming sounds of bugs, frogs, and other critters.

Last week I spent several nights sleeping on the deck futon.
This week the nights have been a little warm and I've been sleeping inside.
Sometimes (like last night) the night sounds can be incredibly loud. 
This morning the outside sounds are also quite loud. Along with the morning chatter from the birds, the bugs and frogs are still chirping and chattering.

I don't know what it is about the sounds of nature that are so calming -- really kind of healing. 
I am a believer that grounding --physical contact with the earth -- is beneficial to the body and spirit. Maybe there is also something like an auditory connection. Maybe nature has an auditory frequency that is also healing to the body and spirit. It is likely just easier to recognize it at night when there are fewer man-made sounds flooding the space around us. The natural sounds of the forests, the mountains, or the seas likely bring the same peace and healing. 

I know that this space that I have is quite a privilege. As the sun is beginning to climb a bit higher in the eastern sky, the bugs, frogs, and night critters are slowly becoming more quiet and giving way to the sounds of the day. Even though the cars and trucks on the nearby highway create a steady hum of low frequency traffic noise, the sounds of nature are easily separated and heard with the simplest concentration or meditation. 

It is Wednesday, so I'll offer this bit of wisdom:
Find a way to connect to the sounds of nature -- even if it means streaming the night sounds from your phone. Be aware of the life that lives around us that we don't see. I find a connection to our Creator in the sounds of nature. 
Maybe the auditory sensation of calming isn't about healing. Maybe it's about connecting with God and remembering that I am a part of the creation. Maybe it is a call to live in harmony with nature rather than trying to conquer or exploit it.

Enjoy the sounds of nature today.
It's time for me to tend to my flowers.

John 

Are there any good people stories?

I could use a good human story.
There is far too much bullshit being posted on social media platforms and so much fake stuff that I am ready to retreat to the deck with only a drink, a cigar, and a book.
Forever.

To be fair -- 
I have a good life and recognize the joy I find in simple things -- blooming flowers, singing birds, dragonflies hunting in my backyard, etc. Nature provides me with many hours of pleasure just by observing what is going on around me. 

However, human nature often brings me down. 
I seem to find far much more corruption than kindness among my fellow humans. People seem more hurtful than helpful. 
Please convince me that I am wrong.
I need some good human stories.

Good human stories don't have to be anything spectacular. Simple kindness is enough for me. 
Tell me something good!

John

Missed Milestone

Hmmm...
I just noticed that I missed the milestone 3000th post.
This is post #3003. 
Damn! That's a lot of nonsense that has been put out into the world by a single person. 
One week from today will be my 19th blogoversary. 
Now that is a milestone! There are only a few of the blogs that I was following from back in the day that are still around as blogging has given way to podcasts and other more advanced forms of social media.

I'll have more thoughts on that next week.

Today I am thinking about flowers.
Some time ago I read about a farmer that used a road side portion of his field to plant flowers and made them available to anybody that wanted them. He set up a small stand that had hand held cutting shears and a number of small, inexpensive vases. Not only did many people come and cut flowers to take home, they also left vases and shears for others to use.

Maybe I can do something like that with a portion of my yard.
We don't have much traffic on our road as there are only a dozen or so homes and it ends in a cul-de-sac. Nevertheless, neighbors and their friends might benefit from a free flower stand. The local birds, bees, and butterflies certainly would!
And I could always cut flowers and give them away myself.
I mean -- Who doesn't love freshly cut flowers?
For now, it's just a thought. 
Also a thought -- Do I really need one more outdoor project?

Truthfully, flowers make me happy.
Being outside and working with them makes me happy.
Seeing them make other people happy makes me happy.

Maybe I do need one more outdoor project.

John

Wednesday Wisdom

It's late in the day (8 PM) and I'm just getting around to opening the Chromebook for an evening post.
It makes sense that today's wisdom is simply that some days you just go with the flow. 

I have been enjoying some cold brewed iced coffee in the mornings for the last week or so.  I was out of cold brew and didn't feel like brewing a pot of coffee this morning, so I went out and cleared the last of a Starbucks gift card and bought a trenta iced coffee. 
I enjoyed the coffee on the road and did a walk-through at Harbor Freight. Then I came home and did my time weeding the flowerbed, dead-heading plants, and watering stuff while listening to Pandora's Classic Rock Radio. I don't know if I'll get to finish that section of the flowerbed tomorrow because I have a luncheon to attend. I may work during the afternoon hours; partly cloudy and 92 (33C) is doable. Or I could mow tomorrow afternoon instead of Friday.

I guess I'll take my own advice and go with the flow. There isn't a real priority other than the mowing needs to be done in the next day or two and the weeding, mulching, watering, and dead-heading are pretty much ongoing daily projects -- forever!

It was a good day.
Now it is time to read a book with the night sounds in the background.
It's a simple life.
It's a good life.
It's just another day in the life of John.

John

Daily Activity (yard work at my place)

I've been behind in my yard work lately. I really left my flowerbeds unattended for too long and now there are quite a few weeds and grasses that have taken root where I don't want them. For the past few days (and for the next several to come) I have been spending a couple of hours pulling weeds. I had a few other things to take care of yesterday morning, so I was pulling weeds during the hot part of the day. 

I found myself looking ahead at how much work was still to do and had to remind myself that having a yard this size to take care of is a privilege that few people have. And besides, there really is some joy to be gained from digging in the dirt and producing some colorful flowers. I love having a vase of freshly cut flowers on the counter and easily visible to anyone that walks into our home (even though no one ever walks into our home).

I enjoy looking out over the smaller flowerbed that I can see from the deck. It is filled with perennials and self-seeding annuals (and also needs to be weeded). I do wish that I knew more about growing flowers, but I am slowly learning by doing and I am picking up tips and information from a few different plant pages on different social media platforms. 
I definitely see a small (but not too small) greenhouse in my future.

But for the coming week or so, it will be a few hours of pulling weeds and spreading mulch each day.
Not so much that I get sick and tired of it, but enough to give me a bit of activity each day so that I rest well at night and have something that gives me some sense of accomplishment. 

A thought just occurred to me -- Having flowers to appreciate shouldn't be a privilege. Everyone should have a little such beauty in their day.

Be well, my friends.

John

What are you learning?

Once again, I have decided to learn to speak Spanish.
Spanish is the official language of twenty countries and the US territory of Puerto Rico, plus it is widely spoken in Mexico, the USA, and the Philippines. 

I am using Great Courses plus to learn and am just over a week into the course. My greatest challenge is finding places to actually speak in Spanish. I need to find a cigar smoking Mexican man that might need help learning English so that we can smoke cigars, sip tequila, and help each other learn our languages. In today's world, I don't think that advertising for a Mexican person that needs to learn English would get any response, so I guess I'll have to find another way to practice.

I know there are AI courses that allow you to converse with an AI generated teacher. I might have to look into that if taking an old fashioned, repeat-after-me course doesn't work. I don't know that true fluency is the goal, but I would like to be conversationally fluent enough to do more than order a beer and tacos. I am glad there are online translation apps like Google Translate to help when we are in Mexico.

The US is a vast land and there really is no need to learn a second language if your travel is restricted to the US and Canada (although French would be helpful in parts of Quebec). However, it is a little pathetic that so few of us can speak more than just English. Truthfully, it's pathetic at the number that struggle to speak English properly.

Learning a second language is my current quest. 
That and shedding about 60 pounds (27 kg). 
Truthfully, I am doing more to learn Spanish than I am to lose weight, so it is more likely that I'll just be un gringo gordo rather than a normal sized English only American. 

I've completed today's Spanish lesson so I should probably get to work.
¡Adios amigos!

John

Theology and books

I am currently reading Peter Enns' book Curveball: When Your Faith Takes Turns You Never Saw Coming. I am only 1/3 of the way through it, but I am thoroughly enjoying it -- so much so that I was thinking that this is a book worthy of a book club selection and discussion. I kind of wish I had someone to discuss it with as I am reading it.

Having said that, I really don't think I'm much of a book club kind of person. While I do read books of many different kinds, I generally read what I want and at my own speed. I am currently reading through a fiction series of a badass black ops team by Scott Conrad. I often have two books going at the same time -- one fiction and one nonfiction.

Back to Curveball;
I'll get around to writing a review for it when I finish reading it, but I'm wondering if there are theological books that others have read or would like to read that seem to call for discussion as you read through them. I don't know what an online as-you-read book club might look like, or if there are other people in my local area that would be up for an occasional group read of such books, but I'd be interested to try something out.
I'm thinking -- it doesn't even have to be a book centered on theology. They could be books on behavior or how we think or philosophy. I suppose they could be fiction or nonfiction, although I think the genre would typically be mostly nonfiction.

Whether or not such groups exist, I am interested in books of theology or philosophy that you have read and would recommend. I should include books of other religions or belief systems that might not really fall under theology, but address the spiritual lives of its followers. I am particularly interested in progressive Christian authors that have managed to evolve or deconstruct (or whatever they want to call it) in their following of God.

What are you reading?

John

Wednesday Wisdom

I think most people would say I have a boring life.
I don't.
I would agree that I have a simple life.
I am happy with that.

Up when I finish sleeping
Coffee on the deck 
Morning quiet time
Some computer time, light reading, maybe something to learn (currently online Spaanish course)
A couple of hours of yard work
Afternoon on the deck
Cigar, drink, book, music
Evening on the deck or maybe a baseball game
Simple, not boring.

It works for me.

I'm not sure how I feel about this. I understand the sentiment, but being busy and doing stuff isn't the same as living. Find your peace. Be happy.

John

The USA and Democracy

The "demos" of the pre-Common Era Grecian world were considered to be the lower class of citizens. Our current language defines "demos" as the people making democracy the rule by the people.
Aristocracy is the rule by a few aristocrats -- often wealthy by power of inheritance or social status.
Plutocracy is rule by the rich where wealth translates to power. It is similar to oligarchy, except in oligarchy the rule is by a few that came to power by any means, not just wealth. Plutocracy is a form of oligarchy.

More and more, it appears that the USA is becoming more of a plutocracy (rule by the rich) than it is a democracy (rule by the people). When it costs more than a million dollars to run for a seat in the House of Representatives you know that we have strayed far from the representation of the people by the people that our founders envisioned.

I have to say that I am more than a little disillusioned about celebrating our freedom on this Independence Day. I am no longer sure about who is included in the "our" part of our freedom. The inalienable rights of all humans defined in our Declaration of Independence don't seem to apply to everyone anymore. It is now criminal to pursue life, liberty, and happiness. If we really believed in those basic human rights, shouldn't we be helping people that are seeking them rather than hindering or criminalizing them and their families?

I am not pleased with the current politics of the USA, and I fear that the current ruling class will make it very difficult to swing the control back to something more moderate. I am also at a loss as to what an old, retired guy can do to help change things. I am especially displeased with the so-called Christian Nationalists that claim to have God telling them to do some very un-Godly things with their power.

I just don't know how to describe my feelings today.
I do know that I am not alone.
I think I am going to fly my flag today. 
I am going to celebrate the years that I have been proud to live in the USA.
I am going to celebrate the hope that I have that I will again be proud of living in the USA.
I am going to celebrate that I have a vote and a voice to change the representation of the demos in government.

I will grill some burgers today, 
We'll have some corn on the cob. 
We watched fireworks last night and I am sure that we will see some from the deck tonight.
It's a little weird that this year's Fourth of July seems more like a day of reflection and remembrance than a day of celebration. 
I just don't know what it means to be a citizen of the USA anymore.
Honestly, I'm kind of bummed out about that.

John

Wednesday Wisdom

 I hope everyone has a few people that are like medicine in their life.

John

July 1

The sun is poking through a mostly overcast sky in the Ozarks of SWMO. It looks like it will be another beautiful day in the Ozarks. Even under cloudy skies there is a serenity and solemn beauty that exists in the rural setting that I look out at as I enjoy my coffee each morning. I hope that I never take the privilege of early retirement for granted and that I will always appreciate the beauty and comfort of my home.

Happy Canada Day to my friends in the north!
Friday will be Independence Day here in the US. 
I guess July might not be a historically good month for Great Britain.

The calendar shows that we are beginning the second half of 2025. If you are actually counting days, the halfway point is noon on July 2nd. Maybe I should set some goals for the second half of the year. I feel like I am an underachiever. I think that most people would find my life incredibly boring. It is a little weird that I really don't do anything and yet I can't say that I am at all bored with life. Perhaps that is a part of the privilege of having the choice to do nothing.

I have gotten better about working earlier in the day as the summer intensifies. I feel like that is progress. I am a slow starter when it comes to doing things during the day. I can't really say how much I appreciate my quiet mornings on the deck. Alone with my coffee and Chromebook and the sounds of the birds that are gathering food and singing their songs is the best time of day and I tend to enjoy it for much longer than I really should.
I saw a pair of gold finches in the flowers this morning. I've seen them in the past, but it might be the first time this summer. 

I have some wind damage to clean up and just general yard maintenance to take care of today, so I'd better get to it. 

Have a wonderful July.

John

Scripture thoughts

Some time ago I said I was going to read through the gospels, looking specifically at the things that Jesus taught. I got started on that project, but like most things, it got set aside for reading that required less work and study. For whatever reason, I feel compelled to resume that work and continue where I left off.
Whether you are a follower of Jesus or not, the man Jesus taught us some pretty good stuff -- stuff you can live by and have a full and meaningful life.

Meditating on the words of Jesus is complicated for me. Knowing that the gospels were written many years after the death of Jesus concerns me. Because of the practice of teaching disciples by repetition, storytelling, and memorization it is possible that the quotes attributed to Jesus are accurate. Plus the message is consistent throughout the memories and writings of the different authors.
Perhaps it is my own experiences with men using scripture as a weapon to control others that concerns me. I am not convinced that today's religious leaders care about the eternal life of people as much as they care about attaining their loyalty and their money. 

Personally, I would like to be thought of as a good person. For some people, being a good Christian is a prerequisite for being a good person. I don't agree with that, but I am okay if that's the standard used to judge me because I wouldn't mind being thought of as a good Christian, as well.
You don't really get much say in what others think of you. And to be honest, it isn't a big deal. I know there are many that will see me as a heretic that left the church because I pushed back by questioning some un-Christlike policies. I'm okay with that, too. 

I would be sad to know that I had done something to cause somebody to hate me or to think I'm an asshole or really bad person. I am sure that I have done and said things that poorly represent the Jesus that I claim to follow. 
I'm still working on it. 

These are my thoughts on this Monday morning.
Have a wonderful week.

John

June 29: Day 180

It's difficult to believe that the year 2025 is almost half over. July 2nd is the 183rd day of the year, making noon of that day the halfway point. I can't say that I've accomplished anything significant in the first half of the year, nor do I have any great plans to achieve greatness of any kind in the second half of the year.
Unfortunately, I am happy to enjoy each day as it comes and I tend to enjoy the simplicity and beauty of the small world around me.

Although I truly have very few people encounters throughout the week, I did manage a few good conversations last week. Reflecting on how much I've changed over the past few decades is interesting. Going from Southern Baptist Evangelist and doing revivals and kid camps that were complete with altar calls and encouragement for repentance and surrender to the religion of Jesus is pretty far from the seldom going to church, anti-religion, to each their own, but still a Christ follower that I am now.

In my few conversations with people, I find that many are searching for a community in an otherwise chaotic world. A trusted community seems to be an elusive thing for many adults in the US. It may be so in other cultures, as well, but I think that the competitive way of life in the US has destroyed community as a culture here. We would rather get ahead of our neighbor as individuals than to help the community be better as a whole. We seem to be far more concerned with getting more for me than doing better for all of us. 

Even as I recognize this need for community in our culture, I am not likely to be the one that ushers in the changes necessary to bring about the cultural shift. Community building requires far more people skills than I have in my limited toolbox. Plus, many of the community seekers are from younger generations and have community needs that I am unaware of. 

Perhaps something like the new cell phone restrictions in Missouri schools will help change the culture from the head down, eyes on the screen behavior to actual face to face communication with peers and teachers. The restrictions may provide more than eliminating learning distractions. It may bring cultural changes to how and when we use certain technologies.

Have we replaced our community with technology?
Have we taken technology that could give us more free time and used it to give us more time to work harder to make more money, accumulate more power, and achieve a higher status?
Has social media replaced personal friendships and interactions?
I think that is true for many people.

Honestly, I don't have much of a community. 
And that's okay with me.
I am fine with going to the ballgame alone, or going to watch the fights by myself. My only real hobbies are reading and working in the yard -- both are things that I do solo. 
Maybe I need a community more than I think I do.

Tell me about your communities.
How do you cultivate mutually beneficial relationships with groups of people?
Is it something that is teachable or easy to replicate?
Is community a basic human need?
Are we better off as a species when we work together?
If so, how have we gotten so far away from building and being cooperative communities?

Those are my thoughts.
What are yours?

John

Wednesday Wisdom

 Definitely a worthwhile goal

Have a grand day!

John

Monday Motivation

No Meditation for this morning. I am out at the Ozark Starbucks using a gift card for my quad breve latte. I have an outdoor table that is in the shade which avoids the inside coffee shop chatter. 

Going out for coffee this morning is my method for getting an early start on the work portion of my day. I figure that I will take less time for coffee, I'm close to Lowes and can pick up some plants and mulch for my work, and then the work can begin. 

I noticed yesterday that the moon flowers were about to open, but then forgot to check them when we got home last night. This is what I saw this morning!

 

Seeing flowers bloom is good motivation for working in the garden!
Our gladiolas are close, so are the hibiscus. Dahlias are also budding and about to open.
Yeah, it's summer and life is good!

Some Monday morning coffee shop observations --
Although Starbucks has both a steady stream of customers that are using the drive-through, and a good number of people that order on the app and then just park and pick-up, there seems to be fewer people that use this as a meeting place than at other area coffee shops.

I like that the local shops get more of the morning meeting business. Personally, I think that may have as much to do with the ambiance as with the coffee or anything else. Starbucks has a pretty sterile kind of atmosphere. It seems more suited to the drive though or pick-up kind of traffic.

If I am going to take advantage of the cooler morning temperatures, I'd better get to it.
I hope that you find some flowers or pretty colors to brighten your day.

John

Summer!

Well, almost.
A little more than an hour past sunset in the Midwest the earth and sun will reach the summer solstice point for the northern hemisphere. That makes this the longest day (daylight) of the year. 

Summer is my season.
I'm not particularly outdoorsy, and I don't do anything special to celebrate or enjoy summer. Mostly I just sit on my butt and enjoy the warm, sunny days. It's weird that I enjoy being outdoors without really doing anything outdoorsy.

I won't lie -- sometimes mowing and caring for our yard and flower beds can be a pain in the arse, but I do love my quiet morning coffee or evening cigar while looking out at this view.

I'll be out watering and weed-eating in a little bit. I am going to try to get work finished in the mornings before it gets too hot. I'm not usually successful because I do enjoy my morning coffee and quiet time a bit too much. 
Enjoy the Summer Solstice.
Enjoy the summer season.

Here's an old favorite of mine to usher in summer.

John

A day at the ballpark

Yesterday I took in a rare day game of the Springfield Cardinals (the AA team for the St Louis Cardinals). Typically they only have day games on Sundays or an occasional weekday during May. The May day games are full of school kids that are on end of the school year field trips.
The mid-June day game caught me by surprise, but I managed my busy retirement schedule and made it to the game.
Buses of summer school kids and summer day camps were in attendance, as well as a couple of corporate groups that were taking an afternoon off from work. 

I had forgotten how shrill the screams and yells of middle school girls can be!
The kids definitely brought some life to the game. They danced and sang along to the popular songs they recognized in the players' walk-up music and they got very excited every time a Cardinal player hit a fly ball into the outfield.
A number of kids never really sat down, but were up and about and making good use of the opportunity to be more social than school might normally provide.

I also witnessed a couple of adult workers that provided such great care and compassion to a small group of both physically and mentally handicapped adults. The caregivers were definitely working and rarely had time to enjoy the game. They helped their charges by physically lifting some of them to their seats, making several trips helping them to the nearby restrooms, getting them food and drinks, and generally making sure they had an enjoyable day at the ballpark.
I was impressed by the genuine care that was shown. It was obvious that this was so much more than a job for these care givers.

Since I generally go to the games by myself and usually enter with a General Admission pass, I rarely stay in one place for the entire game. I was able to find a couple of different vantage points and switched seats or found comfortable places to stand and watch the game and the crowd.

A thought occurred to me during the game --
The Springfield team has several Latino players that I figure are here on visas of some kind. They are from Mexico, Venezuela, and Panama. Other minor league teams also have MLB hopefuls from other countries on their teams. 
I'm sure they have the monetary protection of the MLB to protect them from having their visas revoked and being deported, but I wonder how our current administration and Sec. Noem feel about this particular set of migrants that are taking our US jobs.

I didn't mean to go there when I started this post, but the effects of the corruption and bigotry of our current political system invades our everyday lives -- even as we go to ballgames or out to eat at a favorite Latino restaurant.

It's still early in the season (about midway) and there are plenty of games to go to. I've been to a few games each home stand and will likely continue that pattern. I enjoy my solo trips to the ballpark, but have also enjoyed seeing a few friends at a game. If you are in the area and are planning on going to a game, drop me a message and maybe we can connect at the ballpark. 

John

Wednesday Wisdom

 

Just another day ...

It looks like another beautiful day in the Ozarks of Southwest Missouri (SWMO).
Yesterday I started on a project that will take some time to finish -- weeding and mulching the front landscaped area. I suppose it could easily be finished in a day or two, but I have no desire to work that much at a time and prefer to use 2-3 hour workdays. That makes it a week-long project, even if I work at it every day.
And I probably won't.

I am excited that my moon flowers and hibiscus will be blooming soon. 
And I am super thrilled that our dwarf hydrangeas are flowering nicely this year.
I am not thrilled with how the Rugosa rose is spreading. I am going to have to do some serious pruning when it goes dormant this fall.


I don't typically do my own maintenance on things, but my mower needs some adjustments that I think I can handle. I replaced a couple of front wheel bearings on a mower last year. YouTube is a big help. Maybe I will learn to do more of that kind of stuff. It kind of sucks when the thing that poses the biggest obstacle to doing stuff is having to get this fat, old body down to the ground and then eventually having to get back up!
When did the ground get so damn far away?

That is pretty much my life these days -- work in the yard or garden until I get tired of it and then enjoy looking at my work while smoking a cigar and sipping on something cool and refreshing. I might read a book, listen to music, or just bask in the energy of nature.
I'll probably take in a baseball game tonight.

I know that many would be bored with my simple life, but it works well for me.
More nature; fewer people.

John

The Next Go 'round.

Having completed my 65th trip around the sun, today marks the beginning of trip #66 and my 23,741st day on planet earth.

I am wondering what the coming year holds for me. 

Truthfully, I am not one to overthink it. I typically let life happen and try to recognize and enjoy the moments as they come. Although today looks to be an overcast, drizzling, rainy type of day, I am going to enjoy my morning coffee on the deck, listen to the crowing rooster and the chatter of birds, and just look forward to another simple day in the life of John.

I'm not a big goal setter so I don't really have anything I want to accomplish in the next 365 days. 
Yeah, I know I need to lose some weight and get more exercise, but somehow that seems small and insignificant -- more like a daily thing than a yearly goal. I suppose that speaks to my whole attitude towards living the retired life -- it's more of a daily thing.

It might be that I need to approach it from the perspective of -- What habits do I need to make a part of my daily life?
Eating better (and less) and regular exercise are a given. I just need to work it into my daily routine.
I struggle a little about getting more people time. I typically enjoy myself when I am out with people; it's just never something that I plan on nor really look forward to. I don't really believe it is necessary to have more interaction with people, but I do often wonder if my preferred solitude is abnormal. 

I do need to learn a few things -- speaking Spanish, playing the ukulele, maybe doing a little magic again.
I'm thinking need to instead of want to might be the perspective more likely to get things done. I'm sure I'll figure it out -- one day at a time.

John

Wednesday Wisdom: baseball and life

Here's my Wednesday Wisdom take for today -- Have Recognize a good day!

I guess you can really do it either way. 
Have a good day - seems like a purposeful way to approach the day. It implies that you will do something to facilitate having a good day.
Recognizing that it is a good without having to do anything to achieve it is more of an awareness of the good that surrounds us.

It is an unfortunate reality that recognizing the good around us often means that we have to recognize and dismiss the bullshit that also demands light in our world -- at least when people are concerned.
Much of the good and beauty in my world rarely involves other people. Mostly I get to recognize the beauty around me in the chatter of the birds and the colors and scents of the flowers.

Last night I got to experience a good people moment that was mostly observation with only minimal interaction.
I did go to the AA Springfield Cardinal game. It was a well attended night with the reserved areas booked to small groups instead of set aside for Red Access Members. I took my $2 brats and cheap beer down to the tables in the General Admissions family area. It was pregame so there weren't many people there yet.

I noticed a young boy (maybe 8 or 9 years old) come up to the rail in front of me to watch the players warming up. His family was sitting at a table behind me -- Mom, Dad, teenage sister. 
Soon it was picture time. Mom took a pic of the kids together, which was cool since the younger brother obviously thought the world of his big sister. Then Dad took a pic of Mom and kids, followed by Mom taking a pic of Dad and kids. As they passed by me to return to their table I asked the dad if he wanted me to take a pic of the four of them and he politely declined.

I think he got overruled.
A moment later I felt a tap on my shoulder and he asked if they could still take me up on the offer as Mom handed me her phone. 
After the pic, Mom and young son headed off somewhere and Dad and daughter remained at the table with the food and drinks and they were talking to each other! When Mom and son returned the conversation expanded to the four of them. No phones were out. They were just a young family enjoying being together at a baseball game.
Sometimes, just being aware of what is happening around you can make for a good day.

After finishing my brats and beer and as the pregame festivities and National Anthem ended, I moved to a better vantage point to watch the ballgame. But I am glad I got to observe the moment and take a pic to help them remember the night.
I know it's just a small thing, but it is not at all an insignificant thing in today's chaotic world. 
There is just something right and beautiful about going to a baseball game. 

John

Two Dollar Tuesday

Two Dollar Tuesday is the promo at the Springfield Cardinal's Tuesday home games. 
No, you don't get in for a $2 ticket, but brats and hots (hotdogs) can be had for the low, low price of just $2 each.
Between the rain and my being out of town for a few days, I didn't make any of the games during the last home stand. I am looking forward to taking in the game tonight. I've been using my Red Access Membership this season and have enjoyed going to a number of games. We will be back at the ballpark on Friday (the 13th). Friday will be a double celebration as 1) it is my birthday, and 2) it is Cancer Survivor Night.
Chris will be there and cancer survivors will be recognized as a part of the evening festivities.
Friday night Fireworks are a thing for Friday home games. I haven't stayed for them yet this season. Whether we stay this week or not will be up to Chris.

That's summer.
I don't have a very productive nor active life.
I mow my big yard, tend to my flowers, smoke cigars, sip bourbon or tequila, read books, and follow a little baseball. 

I did try something new last Saturday night. I watched the UFC PPV event at a theater. 
Honestly, it was better than watching it at a sports bar, and it was also less expensive. Even adding concessions to the $20 ticket was less than I would have spent at a sports bar. Plus I had a nice comfortable reclining theater seat and was easily able to hear the broadcast. I will probably do that again for future PPV events.

Like I said -- I don't have a very productive nor active life.
Time to tend to the flower beds.

Just another day in the life of John

John

Monday Morning Contemplations

June is the time of year when Facebook reminds me of all of the summer church camps that are a part of my past. I have had inquiries about doing magic since then, but I really haven't done any practice for a very long time. I may have done a little more preaching/teaching since those long ago days, but not too much more and not for a couple of years now.

Yesterday I was asked if I am still religious.
It's interesting when you have to examine who you are and how you have grown over the years to answer such a question. 
In truth, I have never really considered myself to be religious.

Side story:
Maybe 20 yrs ago
I remember walking in DC with members of NATCA's National Constitution Committee. One member that was a pretty vocal atheist prefaced a question by saying, "Hey, you're a religious guy..."
I interrupted by saying, "I am not!"
He paused, looked at me for a moment, and said, "Yeah, I get that, but..." and then went on to ask his question.

I'm actually more anti-religion than I have ever been.
That is not to say that I think churches or church camps are bad things.
I don't.
There are even parts of that previous life that I miss and think were beneficial -- both for me and for the kids that got to experience those weeks at summer camp. Sometimes I wonder what it would look like today if I were to step into a reconstructed Pastor John role. 
What would an anti-church camp be like?

I believe there is so much good stuff found in the teaching of Jesus that I don't ever see myself setting it aside and turning away from it. 
I also believe that there has been so much harm and destruction caused by churches (and religion) of all kinds that I find embracing a regular practice of religion to be a bit repulsive.

So -- 
No, I don't consider myself to be religious.
I do believe that I have become more spiritual. If I were going to assume a role similar to that of my past I might strive for something more like a modern day mystic than that of a preacher. 
Mystic, sage, mage...
Mage! Magic! Yeah, that's what I'm talking about!

No.
Not really.
I am happy in my quiet, isolated life.
No shows.
No stage.
No platform for preaching or teaching other than this little read blog.
I'll occasionally toss a few insignificant words into the cyber world and be happy if anybody reads or comments on them. And I'll be okay if nobody does.

Today (like most days) I will connect to God and nature by doing a little yard work and trying to coax a few flowers to bloom.

John 

Sunday Summer Thoughts

I know that we are still a couple of weeks from the astronomic beginning of summer, but just as I cling to summer past its celestial end in September, I choose to observe its beginning with the beginning of June. Today I am realizing that it is time to alter my daily routine to begin my outside work before the sun gets high in the sky and the day turns too warm for hard outdoor work.

It is nearing noon and I have decided that I am going to skip the yard work, smoke a cigar, sip a paloma, listen to music, and read a book while sitting in the shade of the deck and under the deck ceiling fan. I may try to get a little work done when the sun gets lower in the sky and the temp drops this evening.
Either way, it's a good day.

Eight days into June and today's high is supposed to be up to 88f (31c). The Ozarks of SWMO have had a cool, wet spring. Today is the first really warm day. I am expecting a hot summer ... and that's okay. Summers are supposed to be hot.
I wouldn't mind living where summers are a little cooler, but I am not willing to trade for colder and longer winters. In fact, I'd trade our moderate winters for no winter and hotter, longer summers near a tropical beach!

The Jimmy Buffett radio is playing Five O'clock Somewhere as I sip my tequila drink at just past noon. It seems appropriate. Maybe the clock doesn't matter on the weekends.
Or when you're retired.
Or when you have a good cigar.
Or when you just don't care. 

Our shaded deck with its ceiling fan is comfortable enough on most summer days and I am looking forward to the many summer hours that I will be spending here. Later this afternoon I will make my way down the steps to the smoker and plan to smoke some wings before finishing them on the grill. 

Just another day in the life of John.

John

Wednesday Wisdom and Fair Warning

"Fools multiply when wise men are silent." --Nelson Mandela

It seems that there are fewer people that are willing to remain politically silent in recent days. Many elected republicans are really hearing it from their constituents as the Big Beautiful Bill threatens to impact lives in varying negative manners. I am surprised at the Congressmen and women that have admitted that they didn't know something was in the bill or that they didn't read the entire bill before voting for it.
I know that they often don't actually read bills before voting on them and rely heavily on their staff to tell them what is in each bill, but it seems weird to actually hear the admissions. 

I don't know if this is really an issue of wise vs foolish as much as it is about informed and ignorant, or maybe kind and cruel, or powerful and oppressed.
One thing is for certain -- there isn't anything godly about the bill as Speaker Johnson wants us to believe. Well, I suppose if you recognize that his god is power...

I know that I often find myself in that silent majority of people that have remained relatively quiet about the fascist takeover of our government. Like many others, I find myself in a deeply red area and there is never a majority (silent or otherwise) that stands against whatever the GOP is doing nationally. 
However, I have to admit that silence is growing tiresome and willful ignorance is starting to really piss me off.
I'm okay with political differences, but this is no longer about politics. It is now about whether or not we remain a constitutional republic or we become something more authoritarian. 

I don't believe there are many (if any at all) far right readers of this blog at this point. Most of my evangelical contacts from the past have long since declared me a heretic and left me to my eternal condemnation.
In any case -- fair warning! 
I may be including more politically triggering posts from time to time.
Also, I have been using my social media less often recently and hope to continue that decline. If you are reading this from a Facebook or Bluesky link, you may want to consider subscribing to this blog or just checking back on a regular basis.

Let's not be silent
Let's end the foolish proliferation of the ignorant.

John

It's Medicare Day

June 1st of the month I turn 65 is my Medicare birthday. 
It's weird.
It's also a bit of an Uh-oh moment as I realize that there is no good end that can come from my current health path and I really need to make some lifestyle changes or look forward to facing some unpleasant consequences. 

I shouldn't need any diet apps or exercise apps to get started on a better way of living -- I know enough to be healthier, but maybe the routine and regular encouragement would help. Our local community center accepts Medicare Silver Sneaker memberships and I could take advantage of that, or I could just decide to begin using the exercise equipment we have at home and walk around the neighborhood regularly.
That and quiet quit eating so damn much crap.

I'm no newbie when it comes to losing weight and getting in shape. I've done it before. I just need the motivation and desire to get going again. Maybe the thought of an early death from heart attack or stroke, or a miserable existence as a diabetic amputee or something would help. 
Personally, I think living on tacos and tequila while sunning daily on a Mexican beach would help, but what do I know?`
Medicare would be of no use in Mexico, but if I'm going to be living better, do I really need it?

I probably just need to focus on today.
And today I am not in Mexico. I'm sitting on a porch in a retirement community in Metamora, IL.
It's 50 (10c) degrees and I'm wearing an effing sweatshirt in June!
Definitely not Mexico!
But -- I can walk. I can eat better. I can make choices to live a longer, more healthy life.

As a timely encouragement to what I just wrote -- one of the senior residents of this community just rode past on the main circle drive on her adult tricycle. She was wearing a big puffy coat with the hood up and bright red gloves, but she was getting her ride in at 7am on a cool Sunday morning in Central Illinois. 

Damn.

Well, 65 in two weeks.
They say it's better than the alternative. 
I'm thinking that's only true if you make it that way.
Wish me luck (and good health).

John

Front porch

It's a little bit different perspective this morning.
I'm on the front porch
Of my mom's cottage in Metamora.

It's early (6:30ish), but I'm up and a sweatshirt and a cup of coffee makes it comfortable.
I'll be here in Metamora for a few days while mom recuperates from a rough week of health issues. That getting old stuff ain't for sissies.

I don't expect that we will be doing too much other than recovering some strength over the next few days. Maybe dinner out this evening and a few errands either today or tomorrow. My sister will be here to take over early in the week and then we will (hopefully) be back to our guarded care from a distance. My brother has been here for the past two weeks and endured the heavy lifting of unexpected care. Other siblings were here to pitch in and help.
It's what we do.
I brought a couple of hostas from home to transplant here for Mom -- a few plants of a couple of different varieties. Hopefully they will root well and provide some pretty for her front yard.

With all of the trees around the cottages, the morning cacophony of birds is quite stunning. They are mostly house sparrows, but there are also vocal robins, occasional cardinals, and a few other varieties of feathered friends. It is so much more volume than at our rural, tree sparse, country home.

Have a grand weekend.
I am hopeful that June will bring summer when it arrives tomorrow.

John

Technology

It was time for a new phone.
My old one was just getting too slow and was becoming a bit of a pain in the butt.
I'm a cheap android guy. Although I appreciate the technology of a smarter than me phone, I'm not the person that has to have the latest and greatest phone. I need to make calls and texts, I like the navigation to connect while driving, and there are a number of apps that I use regularly but could live without.

Calendar is great for keeping me on schedule for appointments and events. but I honestly don't have that many things going on in life that it is very necessary. 
The clock and alarm feature is necessary if I want to know what time it is since I gave up wearing a watch about the same time I started carrying a phone. Of course, it isn't all that necessary that I need to know the time on most days.
Some kind of photo organizer is a good thing to have. I don't take many pictures and a good camera isn't one of the selling points that guides my selection when choosing a phone.
I do have social media apps on my phone, but have been using them less often since I turned off the notifications and they quit calling for my attention on a regular basis. I could (should) probably delete them from my phone and check them in the morning and evening on my Chromebook instead.
Google or your search engine of choice is cool for just knowing and learning stuff.
Games are okay for when you need to waste or occupy time.
Streaming apps also fill long periods of otherwise wasted time, but there are plenty of other things that can occupy my time rather than playing games or watching someone else's stories on my phone.

In reconnecting with my new phone, I am a little concerned with how much I actually use it -- and I am pretty certain that I use my phone much less than others use their phones. I may be making an effort to use it even less in the coming days. I suppose that cyclical rise and fall of usage is a part of my love/hate relationship with technology. It is a great tool, but it can also take over much of our time and undermine many of our relationships (for those of you that actually have relationships).
I'm not condemning technology. Last night I had the St Louis Cardinals on the deck TV, and the Springfield Cardinals streaming on my phone. The outdoors, the drink, and the hand rolled cigar were my connection to the low tech world.

How much technology do you use every day?
What would your life be like without it?
Even if you discount the community technology of electricity and automotive tech stuff, how reliant have we become to the growing world of technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI)?
I cautiously embrace the advance we are making. My ignorance of what is possible has me curious. My knowledge of man's depravity and greed has me frightened.

John

Stories

What kind of stories are you drawn to?
For some reason, I am drawn to medieval or early world fantasies. Dragons, sorcerers, magical beings, battles between forces of good and evil, conflicts with primitive weapons or martial arts -- yeah, these things are the stories I like to read or watch.

I really don't know why. It seems a little weird when I think about it, but fairies and fae and people that can channel power from the earth's energies -- earth, wind, fire, and water -- intrigue me.
Are all of these stories from the superstitions of our ancestors?
Or were the imaginations of the past just that creative and often dark?

It seems that most of the magical stories come out of ancient worlds of Europe or Southeast Asia. There are also stories of djinn from the ancient Arab world.

Does anyone else find these stories to be fascinating? Or at least entertaining?
Are there powers or energies that we can tap into that seem magical?
Are there secrets that we have forgotten or that have been forbidden by the powerful? ...or the fearful?
What if Jesus was an avatar for good that we killed because he displayed the same powers that previous evil avatars had used?
What if magic is real?
What if there are truths woven into the mythologies of the ancient world?
What if the veil that separates our reality from the realm of angels and demons is a thin one that can be crossed from time to time?
What if dragons and gargoyles were real creatures with other worldly origins?
What if ... ?

It seems that there are still good stories to be told; good stories to be written.

What stories do you like?

John

 

Fun Fact Friday

 Did you know ... ?

John

Serving God and mammon (money)

I don't know why I'm thinking about money and its importance (or lack of it) today, but I am.
I am glad that money isn't something that concerns me much. I realize that comfort comes from a place of having enough that I don't really need to worry. 
We are not rich by any means, but we have enough. Maybe that is considered rich by many that do need to worry about having enough.

I think that reading about the cuts in the proposed budget package in Congress may have something to do with my thoughts this morning. So many of the cuts are really going to hurt a lot of people and it appears that the help the budget provides will be for a few that don't really need help.

How much money is enough?

I know that differs greatly from person to person, but is there a base of comfortably surviving that can serve as enough and everything else is excess of different levels?
Do different people deserve different levels of comfort?

I think it is fair that some live better than others when the difference is what they have put into improving their situation. I don't think that improving one person's situation should be the cause of another person's pain or in any way make it more difficult for somebody else.
I am afraid that so much of our society is structured by the people with wealth and power to accumulate more wealth and power by restricting what others can get.
I think that we have far too many divisions within humanity that we are competing with one another rather than cooperating with each other.
Maybe it isn't a matter of serving God or money as much as it is a matter of serving self or community.

I don't think our members of Congress give much thought to the community of the country. They seem to be focused on a much smaller community of people that can afford to buy their influence and votes. There seems to be a bit of buyer's remorse within the US electorate.

Admittedly, I am not very active in my community. I have become a very non-productive member of society with my sole contribution being that of a consumer and tax payer. On any given day, I give practically nothing to the world around me. 
I read things that others have written and write things that only a few might read.
I tend to my yard and flowers and only my neighbors get to see them unless I post a picture.
I provide more food and shelter to birds and butterflies than I do for my fellow humans.

Maybe there are too many people like me that exist without doing anything to make our section of the world a better place; too many people content to live without actively contributing to society.
Maybe it isn't a matter of serving God or money, or serving self or community.
Maybe it's a matter of too many of us not serving at all. 

Hmmm...
I am going to have to do some self evaluation.
Whom do I serve?
What if I am not serving anyone?

John

Wednesday Wisdom

It's late. but it's still Wednesday...

John
 

Weekend Weather

There has been quite a bit of severe weather throughout the Ozarks of Missouri and parts to our east.
Fortunately, our little area around Highlandville MO has been spared from anything more than some strong wind. It looks like we are going to be missed by the worst of the severe storms again today. 
We may get some rain and thunderstorms. I am hopeful that it won't be too bad.

It looks like the overall system will bring some cooler temps and I hope to get some more work done outside. It doesn't sound like much, but on this property digging even a small hole is work that requires a pick or heavy breaker bar (IYKYK). Getting four maple saplings into the ground is going to be work for an old, fat guy like me.

Maples (like most hardwoods) are typically slow growing trees. It would be nice to be here to see them as mature trees, especially in the fall. In any case, they will be here long after we are gone and will provide shade and beauty for future owners of this land.
I also have a couple of mulberry saplings that have started growing in unwanted places. I'm certain they were seeds dropped by birds. I think I'll try to transplant them to better locations to feed future generations of birds. Yesterday I found a cherry and stem dropped in one of my flowerbeds. I fear some poor bird dropped its dinner! There are no cherry trees (that I know of) anywhere near us.
And I have an Eastern red bud sapling to plant as well. 

All-in-all, it is just another week in paradise. 
This will be our fifth summer in this home and the landscaping is starting to come together. There are things that I'd like to add, and some things that I might take out. I am currently content to spend a couple of hours per day doing something in the yard. 

For friends and neighbors that have been hit by the storms, be sure to reach out if you need something. Oftentimes, it's not that your friends are uncaring; it's simply that they don't know.

John

Birds

I downloaded a new app to my phone. It's called Merlin and it recognizes the birds' calls and songs and names them. I am surprised at how it picks up songs that are so far away and faint that I don't hear them until after the app recognizes them.

There is a nearby meadowlark that I hear often, but haven't yet seen. 
One interesting call is a Great-tailed Grackle. This one is rare for our area as it is on the fringes of its normal habitat. I have yet to see it, but have heard it a few times in a couple of days.

I guess I'm officially old.
I now spend my time listening and recognizing bird songs.
I have to say that I'm not complaining. Having the time and connection to nature has been a real plus for me. Being more aware of the world around me has made me more aware of myself, as well. It's too bad that it has taken a lifetime to reach this point.

Here was this morning's lineup of birds I heard:

Have a wonderful weekend!

John

Fun Fact Friday

According to Google AI it takes around 205 trees to offset the carbon footprint of the average human over a lifetime.

We need to plant more trees!
Especially when you consider that the US average is more than three times the global average.
Globally, the average is 4.8 metric tons of carbon dioxide produced per year, per person. In the US, the average is 16 metric tons per year, per person.

Additionally, conifers (pines and firs) can have a greater offset due to their rapid growth. However, naturally diverse forests tend to have a greater offset than mono-cultural farms.

John

Thursday Theology and Mother Earth

I wasn't going to write this morning. 
Well, I was going to write. I did write several paragraphs and then deleted it because it was too unorganized and not well thought out. Maybe on another day.
Then I thought that I need to get to work in the yard since I took the day off yesterday and went to a ballgame.

But, ...
Planting a couple of trees and tending to my flowers has really become a kind of religion to me. Noticing creation and trying to live in harmony with the earth  and its environment brings me closer to its Creator. 
I will say that the Southwest Missouri soil (or lack of it) often makes it physically challenging. Digging even a shallow hole in the ground is a task for this old, fat guy.

It will be warmer later so I'm going to finish my coffee and quiet time (with a very vocal nearby house sparrow) and get to work meeting with my Creator and trying to offset my carbon footprint for today. 

Be well, my friends.
Plant flowers.
Be good to Mother Earth.

John

Perspective

I'm beginning my day with a slightly different perspective. 
To be fair, not much has changed. I'm still having my morning coffee and quiet time on the deck. The birds are still flitting about and singing their songs (one meadowlark is particularly vocal this morning), the highway noise is there with the morning traffic, and Groucho the cat is sleeping in a sunny spot on a comfy chair.

But I moved. 
I am sitting in a chair facing east instead of south. 
I am looking out over the neighbor's backyard instead of looking at our field.
Our neighbors have been busy. They planted a lot of trees and have moved a lot of dirt and done a lot of work in their yard. Many of the morning bird sounds come from that direction and I am sure that the fruit trees they've planted will be producing a good harvest for them in the coming years.

I am kind of glad that they are to our east because I don't want the fall winds blowing all of those leaves into my yard. It might not be a big deal, but the trees at our last house dumped so many leaves. Here, we don't have the fence to hold them in so they would probably just continue to blow out of the yard.
No matter. It's not an issue.
I do have a couple of trees to plant, but I have lots of room to plant them so that their leaves won't be a problem. 

Anyway --
I was just thinking that the world looks a little different from this vantage point. Changing our view from time to time is a good thing. Seeing things from a different perspective can give us a better understanding of the world around us. It might help with just being aware of differences that you didn't see before, or it could bring a different understanding of social injustices or political or religious views.

I have used the front porch from time to time. That particular perspective is more active in the morning than back here -- especially during the school year. Kids going to school, people going to work -- there are neighbors that actually do more than smoke cigars and sit quietly on their back decks or porches!
Some neighbors have golf carts or four wheelers that they use to get their mail which is delivered to our boxes at the entrance to our 3/4 mile (1.2km) road. One of our neighbors runs every day. Kids bike and ride some motorized vehicles. There is actually quite a bit of activity at different times of day. It all happens unnoticed by the loner on his well shaded back deck, smoking cigars and enjoying a cold drink in the quiet and peaceful company of birds and nature.

Perspective
Sometimes we should change it.
Even if it is just to see what others see from where they are.

John

Wednesday Wisdom

 

64 years, 11 months -- How did I get to be this old?

It's cool and foggy on this Tuesday morning and I am enjoying my morning coffee and quiet time indoors today. It's a nice warm feeling after sleeping on the deck and waking up to the damp air and water dripping down the deck screens.

It will warm up nicely today and I am looking forward to going to the Springfield Cardinals baseball game tonight. I generally go to the games by myself, but tonight I will be with some of the other chaplains from Mercy Hospital. 

I have to get my 2-3 hours of yard work today. I should probably do more, but I find that around three hours per day is enough to give me something to do every day but keeps me from getting tired of always doing work in the flowerbeds, garden, and yard. I generally do a bit more on mowing days, but sitting on the mower isn't really work; it just takes time.

I am one month away from my 65th birthday.
I am really not very active and have become comfortable with my inactivity. The gardening stuff in the spring and summer helps a lot, but doesn't really make up for the fall and winter inactivity. I should get back to the habit of long daily walks. Today, I might use the push mower for the yard area around the house. Once I logged three miles doing the walking/mowing together. It will take longer to use the push mower this time since the spring rains have really caused the grass to grow and I'm a little late at getting to it.
No worries. Time is something I have plenty of.

The fog is burning off and the day is going to be sunny and warm. I might put in a little extra time today and then take tomorrow off and go to the SGF Cards day game.

I'll say it again -- Retirement does not suck!

John

Simple Things and Happiness

What makes you happy?

This morning I am sitting on the deck with my Ethiopian coffee and enjoying the sounds of the many birds that make their homes around the house. I hear some hammering in the distance and think that somebody in a nearby neighborhood is getting a new roof. I can also hear traffic from the nearby highway, but I am often surprised at how muted the traffic noise has become. Maybe I've just trained my brain to tune it out and listen to the birds. (I am currently downloading an app to identify the birds sounds.)

This really is a wonderful place to spend time. I will be out here for many hours during the spring, summer, and fall. It really doesn't take much to make me happy. 

It's funny, but verbalizing that -- It really doesn't take much to make me happy -- makes me pause and realize just how much I truly have.

We have a home, a very nice home.
We live in a rural neighborhood that is far enough away from towns and cities to be relatively quiet, yet close enough to have access to urban amenities.
We have clean water to drink and plenty of food and the means to prepare it at home, but also the means to eat out pretty much as often as we like. We generally eat better when we prepare our own meals and it definitely costs less, but...
We have multiple vehicles for transportation.
We have smart phones, internet access, and several smart TVs to access information (and misinformation) from around the world.
We have a lot.
I'm sure I would be happy with less, but I am also happy that I don't have to find out for sure right now.

It probably isn't fair to say that it doesn't take much to make me happy when I really do have so very much. Neither is it fair to say I enjoy a simple life when that simple life is a product of much work, some planning, and a lot of luck.

Nevertheless, I am happy that I don't have to be busy or always doing things to feel like my life is worthwhile or valuable, nor do I need the affirmation or approval of someone else.
Maybe life isn't so simple. Maybe I just cope well with the complexities of life and that makes it feel simple.
I don't know.
What do you think?

John


We have 

Facebook Memories: a gratitude journal

I enjoy looking through my Facebook Memories. It's fun and often interesting to see what I've posted through the years. Recently I was reading about keeping a gratitude journal and how looking back over such a journal can be an inspiration for continuing gratitude in our daily lives.

Over the past 60+ years, I have started and stopped several different types of journals. Rarely have I ever looked back over what was written. I figure if I keep a gratitude journal it will probably be the same -- unless I used something like Facebook and then am reminded daily of something I posted from previous years!

I am not thinking of the big things that people always mention when talking about gratitude. I'm thinking of the simple moments. Moments like this morning. 

It's a cool morning for coffee on the deck, about 50 (10c) degrees. I have my house sweater on and a blanket over my legs. I thought about having coffee inside this morning, but I really do like being outside as much as possible. I can endure the chill this morning as easily as I will handle the heat later in the summer during the afternoons that I sit out here.
I type a line or two and then pause to watch the hummingbirds at the feeder, I just look around and breathe in the cool, damp, pollen filled air and think how grateful I am for benadryl. 

I am so privileged and thankful to be able to have this home and this retirement life. It isn't fancy nor luxurious. We are not wealthy and can't afford to be travelling or dining out at nice restaurants regularly. But we are comfortable. We have the things we need and then some. I'll spend a few hours working in the yard today and then I'll be back here on the deck with a cool drink and a good cigar (and probably another dose of Benadryl). And I'll likely end the day out here watching the fights on my Chromebook. I may even decide to sleep out here tonight.
It is definitely a good life.

I don't know what algorithms are used to pull posts for daily memories so I don't really know if this plan will work. And I won't know if it works until a year from now. But I am certain that pausing daily to recognize moments with gratitude will not be a waste of time.

Does anyone care to join me?

John

Hope for the SBC?

The Conclave of Cardinals has elected a new Pope!
For the second time in a row they have elected a person that has lived a life that appears to be truly dedicated to helping the underprivileged, marginalized segments of humanity -- you know, like Jesus modeled for us. 

I was expecting them to swing the pendulum back towards a much more conservative person after having dealt with the push back caused by Pope Francis. While the Roman Catholic Church is a worldwide religion, it is also the largest Christian denomination in the US. Overall, Protestantism has more adherents than Catholicism, but there are many different denominations among Protestants; even different groupings such as evangelicals, mainline (Methodist, Lutheran, Presbyterian, etc.), and historically Black Protestant. 

It seems to me that the rest of the world must have been more open to the shift to actually being more like Jesus under Pope Francis than the conservative Catholics of the US. 
And if the Catholics are going "woke," maybe there is hope for the Southern Baptists.
After all, I think God is still in the miracle business.

I shouldn't be too harsh on the US evangelicals. When it comes to actual religious beliefs, we are not that far apart. However, in far too many ways many evangelical denominations have become as much political machines as they are religious organizations, and our politics are as different as night and day (or in this case, heaven and hell). When mercy and grace are what your religion teaches and capitalism and nationalism are what your politics are -- well, those things are irreconcilable differences in my mind.

I will never have the worldwide stage to influence people to live like Jesus as Pope Francis did. My circle of influence is small and pretty insignificant. I don't even feel like it is my responsibility to be an influencer of any kind. 
I do feel like it is my responsibility to follow the teachings of Jesus, to love my neighbor, to take care of those in need. and to offer comfort and compassion where I can.

It is just so weird that although Christianity is worldwide, we Christians have made following Christ so exclusive that there are an estimated 45,000 - 47,000 different Christian denominations! 
And some of them believe that they are the only ones that will actually go to heaven!

Today I am grateful to Pope Francis for his influence to be more like Jesus.
And I am grateful to the Roman Catholic Church for continuing on the path he set them on.
I am hopeful that the trend of showing mercy and grace to our neighbors will influence other Christian denominations and individual followers to do the same.

John

Thursday Theology

I've been thinking about religion more often lately. I don't really know why. Generally the thoughts are not very positive nor very encouraging. If there is a dualism of God and Devil or good and evil, then I would have to conclude that religion is of the devil.

I ran across this meme in my Facebook feed this week:

Back when I was doing kids' church camp every summer, many of the church kids brought friends that were not from church going families so we often had lots of kids without any kind of religious background. I think I am of a generation that began a kind of religious rebellion with many of my peers leaving behind the religion of our parents and grandparents.
Once again, I was the slow learner, waiting until my 50s to get the flick and begin the process of deconstructing the religious part of my faith.

I know there are churches that are non-denominational and are in sync with many of my thoughts. I just don't really know if I'm ready to become an active part in organized religion again. I really don't think that I ever will. Something about that makes me a little sad.
As for the meme -- well neither of my kids go to church anymore, and something about that makes me kind of proud. I'm glad they are independent thinkers and see through the bullshit that people put out.

I am not completely anti-church. I know good people in church ministry and have great respect for the work they do -- especially with kids, youth groups, and young families. Somewhere along the way, there must have been somebody that helped me to grow and question and think deeply about my personal relationship with God that moved me to my present place. I don't know when that happened or who that might have been, but here I am.

I also don't think that's the kind of person that churches really want in their midst, which is why we were indirectly invited to leave the church where we had served for a couple of decades. Imagine a church that has a teaching pastor -- the how to move beyond religion and church life pastor!
If you know of a church looking to fill such a position, I have the resume and credentials!

For now, I no longer feel the responsibility to meddle in the spiritual lives of others. I am happy to pursue and grow in my own spirituality. I am happy to share thoughts about religion and spiritual growth. I just don't feel like I'll be the guy asking if you know Jesus or if you want to be saved or any of that religious stuff.

John

Wednesday Wisdom

"Silence speaks wisdom. Listen to it." --The Buddha 

It is amazing how much we can learn when no one is speaking and nothing distracts us.

John

Nature

This bright Monday morning I am sitting on the deck, drinking coffee, and watching the hummingbirds at their feeder. There are sparrows tending to their nest and feeding their babies, and across the yard bluebirds are doing the same. Swallows dart past me to their nest to feed the babies under the deck, while more bluebirds and house wrens tend to their young ones in the front of the house.
It's like we've got a freakin' avian nursery!

Feeding a nest full of babies is a full-time gig for the mama and papa birds. They alternately enter the birdhouses with small bugs or to regurgitate food into the wide open, waiting mouths. Watching them is interesting and entertaining. 
I am surprised at the number of birds that seem to find nesting areas near the house since we don't have any trees near us and the only feeders we tend to are for hummingbirds. I have a couple of other feeders out, but haven't kept them full for more than a year. Maybe I just fill them again, even if there seems to be plenty of food for our feathered friends.
Maybe our home is just a safe place from predators to build a nest and feed babies.

There is also a small family of crows that frequents the area. Two years ago there were three birds. Last year there were five. This year there are generally six. It's been a week or so since I've seen them in the morning, but I do hear them cawing in the distance and sometimes see them when I'm out driving to or from the house. 

Hmmm...
I don't know anything about the nesting habits of crows, nor hummingbirds. That's something I need to check into.

Because of the large open fields and no trees, we don't see many critters. Squirrels, rabbits, and rodents are just hawk food. They are smart enough to keep to the trees or areas of cover from the high flying predatory birds.

Obviously, my meditative time this morning is being spent appreciating the natural world that surrounds our little home in this rural neighborhood. There is something calming and comforting about observing nature. 

I hope you are able to find a moment in your day to appreciate the beauty of nature. 

John