I know.
I haven't been very faithful in posting updates, but it's mostly because I've either been visiting or riding.
Or sleeping.
I'm using the wifi at Starbucks in Cornwall, Ontario this morning while munching on an Oatmega protein bar and sipping the usual Venti 5 shot Americano.
So let's back up and begin with Day 3.
I arrived in Chicago Thursday afternoon after having breakfast and lunch at Mom and Dad's place in Metamora. Traffic going into the city was a little heavier than I expected, but not too bad. Aaron and I met Jenny as she was walking to the condo and then went to Lagunita's for dinner. I had a spicy curried pork bowl that was very good and probably more healthy than my normal Lagunita's Hogunitas sandwich!
Our visit was pretty short since the kids have that adulting thing to do in the morning. I decided to just get up and leave when Aaron left for work, getting an early start to the day. It's a good thing I did because I forgot about the time zone change as I was heading east.
I rode the morning traffic out of Chicago and was in northwest Indiana before I stopped for coffee and a breakfast sandwich at Starbucks. I expected to be able to ride for a while before stopping for gas, but that all changed when it started to rain. I pulled over, filled up early and donned the rain gear. It was a light manageable rain and lasted for about 30 minutes. Since the day was cool anyway, I just rode with the added layer and was comfortable.
I had selected a route on Google maps that showed a ferry crossing from Detroit into Canada. I began to have my doubts as the road to the ferry went through a rather industrial area and then turned to a gravel road for about 1/4 mile or so. It ended in a quaint little yacht club with some nice boats -- but no ferry dock!
There was I nice guy working in the club house that informed me that Google had lied to me. There was no ferry. He directed me to the Bridge to Canada and I wound my way back through the industrial area and Detroit city streets and eventually made my way into Canada. At the border, the Canadian crossing guard asked me what I was doing in Canada and I told him I was visiting friends north of Toronto on my way to Vermont. He also asked if this was my first visit to Canada. I told him no and he asked when I why I had come in the past. I told him last September to visit the same friends. He said, "So this is an annual thing?"
I said, "No, but I like the way you're thinking!"
The drive across Ontario to Toronto was pretty uneventful -- other than the occasional rain showers and miles (or kilometers) of construction and single file traffic. About the time I reached Toronto and needed the navigation, my phone died. Through it all, I ended up at the campground much later than expected. Dinner was ready -- smoked ribs! -- and it was delicious!
It was grand to visit with Jo and Gord. Jo insisted on sending pictures to Chris, guaranteeing my banishment to the proverbial doghouse. We sat out and visited until late. It is really amazing the connection we made with these friends that we met on a Mexican vacation several years ago.
It was well past 1AM when we turned in for the night. Gord had to work Saturday morning, but I got up early to have coffee with them and then spent the morning visiting with Jo before getting on the road and heading eastward again.
I spent the night in Cornwall, Ontario, bringing the trip mileage to 1400 so far.
The scenery across lower Ontario is beautiful! As I moved further northeast along the seaway, the leaves on the trees began showing their colors. Ugh! I'm not a fan of fall.
There is a border crossing here in Cornwall, but I'm going to travel a little farther east to check off another Canadian province. I'll turn south after crossing into Quebec.
I'll write more later. For now it is past time for me to get on the road.
John <><
Sunday, September 10, 2017
Friday, September 08, 2017
Road Trip, early Day 3
I'm just taking a morning coffee break at a Starbucks, somewhere in NW Indiana.
I left when Aaron left for work and rode the early morning Chicago traffic until clear of it and now I'll enjoy a leisurely cup of coffee or two. The downside is that I'll have to make another stop relatively soon after starting again, but that's the price one pays for indulging in the very nectar of life.
I zipped the liner into my riding jacket this morning and went with just a t-shirt underneath. I was thinking I might be a little warm while I was loading up the bike, but feel pretty comfortable on the road.
I'll be back later with a full day's update from the highway.
John <><
I left when Aaron left for work and rode the early morning Chicago traffic until clear of it and now I'll enjoy a leisurely cup of coffee or two. The downside is that I'll have to make another stop relatively soon after starting again, but that's the price one pays for indulging in the very nectar of life.
I zipped the liner into my riding jacket this morning and went with just a t-shirt underneath. I was thinking I might be a little warm while I was loading up the bike, but feel pretty comfortable on the road.
I'll be back later with a full day's update from the highway.
John <><
Thursday, September 07, 2017
Road Trip, Day 2
Today was an easy day.
I slept in and then we went out to breakfast.
Last night Dad told me that when Mary (my sister) was home last week, they took her out to dinner and a movie. He said that's why we had dinner at home. I kidded them about needing to be the first kid to visit. Maybe that's why they took me out to breakfast!
We went back to the house and visited until after lunch when I loaded up the bike and started out to Chicago. I encountered a little more traffic than expected, but made it to Aaron and Jenny's without any problems. We walked to Lagunita's for dinner and are back at the kids' place to visit and watch a little Cardinal baseball.
Tomorrow will be the first long day -- 560 miles.
I'll get an early start and take my time along the way. I imagine I'll stop for coffee and breakfast once I clear most of the Chicago traffic. I really don't know what the day will hold or where or how often I'll stop. I'm hoping to make it to the Canadian camp ground in the early evening.
Today's ride wasn't as windy as yesterday, or it didn't feel as windy with some of it being at my back. That may be the case again tomorrow. I might use my helmet radio for a little while tomorrow. Maybe not. I enjoy riding with nothing but the sound of the wind and the bike.
Not much in the way of adventure today, just some relaxing visiting with family.
John <><
I slept in and then we went out to breakfast.
Last night Dad told me that when Mary (my sister) was home last week, they took her out to dinner and a movie. He said that's why we had dinner at home. I kidded them about needing to be the first kid to visit. Maybe that's why they took me out to breakfast!
We went back to the house and visited until after lunch when I loaded up the bike and started out to Chicago. I encountered a little more traffic than expected, but made it to Aaron and Jenny's without any problems. We walked to Lagunita's for dinner and are back at the kids' place to visit and watch a little Cardinal baseball.
Tomorrow will be the first long day -- 560 miles.
I'll get an early start and take my time along the way. I imagine I'll stop for coffee and breakfast once I clear most of the Chicago traffic. I really don't know what the day will hold or where or how often I'll stop. I'm hoping to make it to the Canadian camp ground in the early evening.
Today's ride wasn't as windy as yesterday, or it didn't feel as windy with some of it being at my back. That may be the case again tomorrow. I might use my helmet radio for a little while tomorrow. Maybe not. I enjoy riding with nothing but the sound of the wind and the bike.
Not much in the way of adventure today, just some relaxing visiting with family.
John <><
Wednesday, September 06, 2017
Road Trip, Day 1 (and a bonus story)
Back when I was still working for a living, most of the conversation as an air traffic controller at SGF was either about air traffic stuff, complaining about management, or deciding where we going for the shift's chow run.
Since the one thing that we all had in common outside of ATC was that we all liked to eat (every day as it turned out), food was a common topic. We talked about places we had been, places we'd like to try, food we created at home, etc. I'm not sure if it was that way with everyone because I heard (more than once), "How come we always end up talking about food when I work with you?"
And it wasn't just controllers.
Once we had a private plane that flew in from LOT, which is close to where we used to live. After asking the pilot if Romeoville/Lockport was his home base (it was), I asked him if the Pagoda House was still there. His response was, "Oh man! That's our favorite restaurant!"
My trainee was like, "So do you know a restaurant in every city?"
During another food conversation with the same trainee, he was telling me about a place that had the best fried chicken gizzards in a little gas station near where he went to school. I stopped him and asked, "Is that the gas station at Buckhorn?"
He just looked at me with his mouth hanging open.
When he finally got it working again, he said, "How could you possibly know that?"
I told him that I stop there all the time and even though I don't get the gizzards, I do get other things like the fried catfish filets, chicken tenders or fried mushrooms!
Anyway, this little place isn't too far from home but just the right distance if you've put away a pot of coffee before hitting the road (about 85 miles).
I stopped for lunch at Lion's Choice in Sullivan since I was going to need gas soon anyway. Two roast beef sandwiches, a diet Dr Pepper and a full tank of gas lasted me until Springfield IL.
I took a little time to re-hydrate, walked a bit, talked to another guy that pulled in to fill up his bike and then finished my ride at bit over 400 miles for the day.
Mom had dinner ready when I arrived.
Chicken and pork adobo, rice, garden fresh green beans, sliced tomatoes (also garden fresh) and deviled eggs. YUM!
We had a nice visit, watched a couple of ballgames and made a call to my nephew and his wife in North Carolina. They are expecting the birth of their son any day now! Once again I will be officially declared a GREAT Uncle. If Irma will cooperate by keeping her rain to the coast or back out to the North Atlantic, I may get to see the little guy on my return trip. We shall see.
All in all, I am declaring the day a good day. It was cool and a bit windy, but a fine day to ride. Traffic was easy and my pack provided a nice back rest. Tomorrow's ride (Thursday) will be short -- just 125 miles or so to Chicago to see Aaron and Jenny.
John <><
Since the one thing that we all had in common outside of ATC was that we all liked to eat (every day as it turned out), food was a common topic. We talked about places we had been, places we'd like to try, food we created at home, etc. I'm not sure if it was that way with everyone because I heard (more than once), "How come we always end up talking about food when I work with you?"
And it wasn't just controllers.
Once we had a private plane that flew in from LOT, which is close to where we used to live. After asking the pilot if Romeoville/Lockport was his home base (it was), I asked him if the Pagoda House was still there. His response was, "Oh man! That's our favorite restaurant!"
My trainee was like, "So do you know a restaurant in every city?"
During another food conversation with the same trainee, he was telling me about a place that had the best fried chicken gizzards in a little gas station near where he went to school. I stopped him and asked, "Is that the gas station at Buckhorn?"
He just looked at me with his mouth hanging open.
When he finally got it working again, he said, "How could you possibly know that?"
I told him that I stop there all the time and even though I don't get the gizzards, I do get other things like the fried catfish filets, chicken tenders or fried mushrooms!
Anyway, this little place isn't too far from home but just the right distance if you've put away a pot of coffee before hitting the road (about 85 miles).
I stopped for lunch at Lion's Choice in Sullivan since I was going to need gas soon anyway. Two roast beef sandwiches, a diet Dr Pepper and a full tank of gas lasted me until Springfield IL.
I took a little time to re-hydrate, walked a bit, talked to another guy that pulled in to fill up his bike and then finished my ride at bit over 400 miles for the day.
Mom had dinner ready when I arrived.
Chicken and pork adobo, rice, garden fresh green beans, sliced tomatoes (also garden fresh) and deviled eggs. YUM!
We had a nice visit, watched a couple of ballgames and made a call to my nephew and his wife in North Carolina. They are expecting the birth of their son any day now! Once again I will be officially declared a GREAT Uncle. If Irma will cooperate by keeping her rain to the coast or back out to the North Atlantic, I may get to see the little guy on my return trip. We shall see.
All in all, I am declaring the day a good day. It was cool and a bit windy, but a fine day to ride. Traffic was easy and my pack provided a nice back rest. Tomorrow's ride (Thursday) will be short -- just 125 miles or so to Chicago to see Aaron and Jenny.
John <><
Just a thought...
Megachurch pastor Joel Osteen has recently come under fire for his response to Hurricane Harvey. I haven't said anything nor responded to posts about him because I really don't feel I know enough about his situation to weigh in on the issue.
What I will say is there is a definite (and expected) disconnect from the reality that the majority of Americans deal with and the life of those that are privileged beyond what we can imagine.
Not long ago, I checked on the contract of a major league relief pitcher -- not a star, just a guy in the bullpen that sees some action once in a while. Even though I was amazed by this 20-something's salary, it was far below the league average of over 4 million dollars/year plus a $100/day meal allowance.
And that is nothing compared to Osteen wealth or Trump wealth or any number of celebrities that get the money and the platform to speak out and be heard. There are a number of celebrities that I follow on Twitter or Instagram. On one hand they often seem to be very genuine and the kind of person I might like. On the other hand, they have no idea what it is like to live in my simple world and would doubtfully take the time to say a few words to a random fan if I were to encounter them somewhere (I can't imagine where) along my life's journey.
St. Louis Cardinal Matt Carpenter said he would donate $10,000 to Harvey relief for every home run he hits for the rest of the season. Pitcher Adam Wainwright and the St. Louis Cardinals said they would match it. That's great and I'm glad they're doing that. Matt's 2017 contract is for $10 million and Adam's is for $19.5 million! These guys make more in a 3 hour ballgame than most people make in a year!
Don't get me wrong -- I'm not begrudging them their wealth. I'm just pointing out that their world is far different from the majority of us. Their kids will never be among the millions of kids that look forward to school simply because they know they'll get a good meal (or two) each and every school day. A car breakdown or bad appliance isn't going to stress the budget or mean no vacation to the campground this weekend.
The truth is -- even in my middle class life in the Ozarks, I live in a far different world than many of the people of my community.
And I often feel like I have no voice and no platform from which to speak.
How helpless and hopeless other must feel. Even with a disaster, they are not much more than a temporary news item. Their personal life disruption will go on long after the media attention and the money go away.
I don't really know if this little rant has a point or not.
Maybe I'm just realizing that some people may not seem to care -- not because they are uncaring, but simply because they have no idea of the struggles going on in the lives of the people around them.
John <><
What I will say is there is a definite (and expected) disconnect from the reality that the majority of Americans deal with and the life of those that are privileged beyond what we can imagine.
Not long ago, I checked on the contract of a major league relief pitcher -- not a star, just a guy in the bullpen that sees some action once in a while. Even though I was amazed by this 20-something's salary, it was far below the league average of over 4 million dollars/year plus a $100/day meal allowance.
And that is nothing compared to Osteen wealth or Trump wealth or any number of celebrities that get the money and the platform to speak out and be heard. There are a number of celebrities that I follow on Twitter or Instagram. On one hand they often seem to be very genuine and the kind of person I might like. On the other hand, they have no idea what it is like to live in my simple world and would doubtfully take the time to say a few words to a random fan if I were to encounter them somewhere (I can't imagine where) along my life's journey.
St. Louis Cardinal Matt Carpenter said he would donate $10,000 to Harvey relief for every home run he hits for the rest of the season. Pitcher Adam Wainwright and the St. Louis Cardinals said they would match it. That's great and I'm glad they're doing that. Matt's 2017 contract is for $10 million and Adam's is for $19.5 million! These guys make more in a 3 hour ballgame than most people make in a year!
Don't get me wrong -- I'm not begrudging them their wealth. I'm just pointing out that their world is far different from the majority of us. Their kids will never be among the millions of kids that look forward to school simply because they know they'll get a good meal (or two) each and every school day. A car breakdown or bad appliance isn't going to stress the budget or mean no vacation to the campground this weekend.
The truth is -- even in my middle class life in the Ozarks, I live in a far different world than many of the people of my community.
And I often feel like I have no voice and no platform from which to speak.
How helpless and hopeless other must feel. Even with a disaster, they are not much more than a temporary news item. Their personal life disruption will go on long after the media attention and the money go away.
I don't really know if this little rant has a point or not.
Maybe I'm just realizing that some people may not seem to care -- not because they are uncaring, but simply because they have no idea of the struggles going on in the lives of the people around them.
John <><
Tuesday, September 05, 2017
It's Time! (well almost)
It is the eve of The Road Trip!
I am pretty much packed (with the exception of a few things like my C-pap machine, computer, etc.) and ready to go. I gave the bike the once over today, cleaning it up and checking the fluid levels, lights and such. Even though I did pack a couple of sweaters, I almost forgot to pack the inner lining to my motorcycle jacket. I have my rain gear packed and expect that I may be needing it somewhere along the way.
I'll be keeping a watch on Hurricane Irma and where the rain tracks once she makes land fall. I may skip the southern return route and end up at UFC Pittsburgh after all.
Be safe.
Watch out for old guys on motorcycles. I'm one of 'em.
John <><
I am pretty much packed (with the exception of a few things like my C-pap machine, computer, etc.) and ready to go. I gave the bike the once over today, cleaning it up and checking the fluid levels, lights and such. Even though I did pack a couple of sweaters, I almost forgot to pack the inner lining to my motorcycle jacket. I have my rain gear packed and expect that I may be needing it somewhere along the way.
I'll be keeping a watch on Hurricane Irma and where the rain tracks once she makes land fall. I may skip the southern return route and end up at UFC Pittsburgh after all.
Be safe.
Watch out for old guys on motorcycles. I'm one of 'em.
John <><
Sunday, September 03, 2017
September
With the calendar advancing to September and Labor Day weekend upon us, it is the unofficial end to summer in the US. Chris and I spent yesterday at the lake with friends which is a fine way to spend a day.
Late summer/early fall is hurricane season for the coastal states, and as the Texas and Louisiana states recover from the effects of Harvey, Florida and the east coast states are keeping an eye on Irma.
I am also keeping an eye on Irma as she has the potential to change my ride plans in the coming weeks.
I suppose that sounds pretty trivial and insensitive to those that may experience great damage compared to my inconvenience, but that is just how the storm track may affect my plans.
September also brings the beginning of football season in the US (that's American football, for my international friends), or so I'm told. As I have mentioned before, I do occasionally watch football...
...after baseball season is over (which it pretty much is for the Cardinals)
...and if there isn't a hockey game on.
Fortunately, MMA has no season and it is pretty easy to find a fight to watch on any given weekend.
Tuesday, Sept 5, is our 36th anniversary. We're taking advantage of the weekend and will be out later today for an early celebration. It has been an incredible journey to this point and I am looking forward to what the future has in store for us as we continue this road together. I am especially looking forward to when Chris retires and the schedule no longer includes work days!
Perhaps it's a good thing that Chris has to work Monday and Tuesday of this week because I have plenty to do to get ready for my trip. September is also grass growing season and I'll need to mow the lawn before I hit the road. I also need to do laundry and pack in a way to carry on the motorcycle. The bike is ready, but needs a good pre-trip cleaning, as well as a final check of everything. Wednesday morning is travel day #1!
I am looking forward to the solace of the road and the sound of the wind. Although I have intentions to write as I travel, I also hope to disconnect a bit from the pull of the internet and social media. We'll see how that goes.
Enjoy the weekend!
John <><
Late summer/early fall is hurricane season for the coastal states, and as the Texas and Louisiana states recover from the effects of Harvey, Florida and the east coast states are keeping an eye on Irma.
I am also keeping an eye on Irma as she has the potential to change my ride plans in the coming weeks.
I suppose that sounds pretty trivial and insensitive to those that may experience great damage compared to my inconvenience, but that is just how the storm track may affect my plans.
September also brings the beginning of football season in the US (that's American football, for my international friends), or so I'm told. As I have mentioned before, I do occasionally watch football...
...after baseball season is over (which it pretty much is for the Cardinals)
...and if there isn't a hockey game on.
Fortunately, MMA has no season and it is pretty easy to find a fight to watch on any given weekend.
Tuesday, Sept 5, is our 36th anniversary. We're taking advantage of the weekend and will be out later today for an early celebration. It has been an incredible journey to this point and I am looking forward to what the future has in store for us as we continue this road together. I am especially looking forward to when Chris retires and the schedule no longer includes work days!
Perhaps it's a good thing that Chris has to work Monday and Tuesday of this week because I have plenty to do to get ready for my trip. September is also grass growing season and I'll need to mow the lawn before I hit the road. I also need to do laundry and pack in a way to carry on the motorcycle. The bike is ready, but needs a good pre-trip cleaning, as well as a final check of everything. Wednesday morning is travel day #1!
I am looking forward to the solace of the road and the sound of the wind. Although I have intentions to write as I travel, I also hope to disconnect a bit from the pull of the internet and social media. We'll see how that goes.
Enjoy the weekend!
John <><
Saturday, September 02, 2017
Sons and Daughters
As a parent, there is nothing quite like seeing your kids become adults that you admire and like to be around.
This past week, mother and daughter (Chris and Hannah) joined with a few thousand other Southwest Missourians in a peaceful demonstration as POTUS #45 made a brief stop in Springfield. This was their second joint demonstration. Perhaps, one day I'll be bailing them out of jail.
I'm happy that Hannah has found her political voice and is willing to exercise it in the public arena. She is articulate (like you'd expect of an English major) and can clearly state her position and her objections to the position of others. She is not hateful, but she can be a bit fierce at times. If you are an underprivileged or disadvantaged person, she is on your side and will fight for your rights and benefit.
Aaron is also someone that I am quite proud of and I am looking forward to seeing him next week as I begin my long motorcycle trek. The following is his response to the Nashville Statement that you may have heard about. If you haven't read it -- you can do so, here: https://cbmw.org/nashville-statement/
This is put together from his response on twitter, his social media network of choice.
Via Twitter @aaronbaronhill: "Ok. Here goes. My thoughts on the Nashville Statement. It's lazy theology. It does not include a single explicit scripture reference outside of the portion of Ps. 100:3 before the preamble. It does implicitly reference many times the practical theology of the charter signers. I argue that by not explicitly referencing scripture throughout the charter signers elevate their held beliefs, and this statement above the Word of God which is exactly what the Statement accuses the LGBTQ+ targets of doing: putting their own desires above God's.This is to say nothing of whether I am in agreement or disagreement with the content, but EVEN IF they are 100% in line with God on this they have still idolized their own wisdom and knowledge above the very Word of God by not citing where the biblical basis is for this. I'm not going to go into great detail how I feel about the content here, but I'll say there are parts I affirm and parts I deny. But all of it is lazy theology, and even lazy theology that is grounded in fact destroys more than it helps. God has strong feelings about when his people attempt to do a good thing the wrong way. In 2 Sam 6, David commissions a team of men and oxen to bring the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem. Rather than having it carried by Levites, he had it pulled by a team of oxen. The cart it is pulled on breaks and Uzzah tries to save it by catching it. God killed him immediately. It was good for David to bring the Ark to Jerusalem, but he did it the wrong way & 1 of his men was punished. Maybe if David had consulted the scriptures before authorizing a movement like this Uzzah wouldn't have died. It is not easy to tell from the Nashville Statement whether or not the charter signers consulted scripture. I hope for their sake and the Church's that the punishment is not as severe as in the case of Uzzah. Finally, I pray for my friends who are feeling less human today because of this statement. I love you and so does the God of the universe."
I like his response in that it address the theology of the statement (by theologians) rather than attacking the statement directly. It is well thought out and distilled into several 140 characters or less statements -- brief and to the point. (I should mention that the story of David returning the Ark to Jerusalem is one of my favorites!)
Anyway -- I have things to do this morning (like go to the lake for the day).
I just wanted to take a moment to brag on my kids.
Proud dad,
John <><
PS -- If you are enjoying this Labor Day weekend or the benefits provided by organized labor (and you are), thank a Union member!
This past week, mother and daughter (Chris and Hannah) joined with a few thousand other Southwest Missourians in a peaceful demonstration as POTUS #45 made a brief stop in Springfield. This was their second joint demonstration. Perhaps, one day I'll be bailing them out of jail.
I'm happy that Hannah has found her political voice and is willing to exercise it in the public arena. She is articulate (like you'd expect of an English major) and can clearly state her position and her objections to the position of others. She is not hateful, but she can be a bit fierce at times. If you are an underprivileged or disadvantaged person, she is on your side and will fight for your rights and benefit.
Aaron is also someone that I am quite proud of and I am looking forward to seeing him next week as I begin my long motorcycle trek. The following is his response to the Nashville Statement that you may have heard about. If you haven't read it -- you can do so, here: https://cbmw.org/nashville-statement/
This is put together from his response on twitter, his social media network of choice.
Via Twitter @aaronbaronhill: "Ok. Here goes. My thoughts on the Nashville Statement. It's lazy theology. It does not include a single explicit scripture reference outside of the portion of Ps. 100:3 before the preamble. It does implicitly reference many times the practical theology of the charter signers. I argue that by not explicitly referencing scripture throughout the charter signers elevate their held beliefs, and this statement above the Word of God which is exactly what the Statement accuses the LGBTQ+ targets of doing: putting their own desires above God's.This is to say nothing of whether I am in agreement or disagreement with the content, but EVEN IF they are 100% in line with God on this they have still idolized their own wisdom and knowledge above the very Word of God by not citing where the biblical basis is for this. I'm not going to go into great detail how I feel about the content here, but I'll say there are parts I affirm and parts I deny. But all of it is lazy theology, and even lazy theology that is grounded in fact destroys more than it helps. God has strong feelings about when his people attempt to do a good thing the wrong way. In 2 Sam 6, David commissions a team of men and oxen to bring the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem. Rather than having it carried by Levites, he had it pulled by a team of oxen. The cart it is pulled on breaks and Uzzah tries to save it by catching it. God killed him immediately. It was good for David to bring the Ark to Jerusalem, but he did it the wrong way & 1 of his men was punished. Maybe if David had consulted the scriptures before authorizing a movement like this Uzzah wouldn't have died. It is not easy to tell from the Nashville Statement whether or not the charter signers consulted scripture. I hope for their sake and the Church's that the punishment is not as severe as in the case of Uzzah. Finally, I pray for my friends who are feeling less human today because of this statement. I love you and so does the God of the universe."
I like his response in that it address the theology of the statement (by theologians) rather than attacking the statement directly. It is well thought out and distilled into several 140 characters or less statements -- brief and to the point. (I should mention that the story of David returning the Ark to Jerusalem is one of my favorites!)
Anyway -- I have things to do this morning (like go to the lake for the day).
I just wanted to take a moment to brag on my kids.
Proud dad,
John <><
PS -- If you are enjoying this Labor Day weekend or the benefits provided by organized labor (and you are), thank a Union member!
Monday, August 28, 2017
Miscellaneous Monday
Just some random thoughts on a Monday afternoon --
This morning was our semi-annual dentist visit. Chris found a new dentist since we were not happy with our former dentist. As first impressions go, this one is much better. Chris took the earlier appointment and by the time I got there, I didn't need to worry about any of the first visit insurance stuff -- I just told them it was the same as hers.
Visits were okay, as dentist visits go. She finished first and went home to wait on me.
We went to Springfield for a light lunch and a couple of errands. She just dropped me off at a Starbucks where I'll kill some time while she takes care of some other things.
This past weekend, we went to a memorial service/family reunion for one of Chris' cousins. Her cousin had been living in Florida and the funeral service for her there was several weeks ago when she died. The get together on Saturday was for family and friends in the St Louis area that were unable to make it to Florida. The memorial service was simple and pleasant and was followed by lunch in the park and visiting with family and friends.
Over the years, we have had very little interaction with Chris' cousins, so I didn't really know anyone other than her sister and brother in law. I did know her cousins and aunt, but wasn't positive of their names and didn't really know which kids or spouses went with which cousins.
I think Chris has had a little more exposure to my cousins, but it is also pretty limited. Our mobile society has dispersed many families.
Since Chris is more social than I am (and also more likable), she has connected with many of my cousins through Facebook and I have connected with none of her cousins.
Just an observation.
Again, there are certainly many benefits to social media and its connectivity. I have to admit that I have purposely chosen to keep my Facebook group relatively small. I guess that is also true of my actual friends, too.
It's a little ironic that we have access to so much information and yet choose to remain ignorant of many of the issues that affect the people that live around us. We seem to be pretty keen on checking out that which affects us directly, but even so, we remain largely misinformed because we choose to believe what we want to believe rather than checking things out for ourselves. Most information that we read on the internet can be easily verified or shown to be false.
We should probably do a better job of checking things out.
Just as social gatherings have me thinking about social interactions, memorial services and news of friends or relatives dying gets me to thinking about how temporary and fragile human life is.
Whether we run the distance and live life to an old age or cash in our chips with many fewer years, this is but a temporary dwelling. I wonder if death is easier to deal with if you have no belief in an afterlife. Does believing that the end is the end make it more or less final than believing in the hope of heaven?
I wonder if that changes if you are the person that is dying or one of the persons that is left living.
My own beliefs are that there is a God and a final judgment. There is a heaven to be gained and a hell to be shunned. I believe that Jesus was serious and truthful when He said, "I am the way and the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father except by me."
I know that there are people from around the globe that read this simple blog from time to time. I can only imagine that there are many different beliefs about life, death, and eternity. While I have listened as others remember loved ones, I can't imagine that my own passing will leave much of a void. Sure, there will be a few that will miss me, but life goes on and the day to day grind quickly fills the void for all but those that are the closest.
After all, death is just a part of life.
It could be that we won't make a grand difference to a large group of people in life, but perhaps we can make a small difference for one person for today. Maybe changing a life is too great of a challenge for most of us; changing a moment for someone should be doable.
A call.
A text.
A word of encouragement.
A smile.
I know it's not a big difference, but it is a difference.
John <><
This morning was our semi-annual dentist visit. Chris found a new dentist since we were not happy with our former dentist. As first impressions go, this one is much better. Chris took the earlier appointment and by the time I got there, I didn't need to worry about any of the first visit insurance stuff -- I just told them it was the same as hers.
Visits were okay, as dentist visits go. She finished first and went home to wait on me.
We went to Springfield for a light lunch and a couple of errands. She just dropped me off at a Starbucks where I'll kill some time while she takes care of some other things.
This past weekend, we went to a memorial service/family reunion for one of Chris' cousins. Her cousin had been living in Florida and the funeral service for her there was several weeks ago when she died. The get together on Saturday was for family and friends in the St Louis area that were unable to make it to Florida. The memorial service was simple and pleasant and was followed by lunch in the park and visiting with family and friends.
Over the years, we have had very little interaction with Chris' cousins, so I didn't really know anyone other than her sister and brother in law. I did know her cousins and aunt, but wasn't positive of their names and didn't really know which kids or spouses went with which cousins.
I think Chris has had a little more exposure to my cousins, but it is also pretty limited. Our mobile society has dispersed many families.
Since Chris is more social than I am (and also more likable), she has connected with many of my cousins through Facebook and I have connected with none of her cousins.
Just an observation.
Again, there are certainly many benefits to social media and its connectivity. I have to admit that I have purposely chosen to keep my Facebook group relatively small. I guess that is also true of my actual friends, too.
It's a little ironic that we have access to so much information and yet choose to remain ignorant of many of the issues that affect the people that live around us. We seem to be pretty keen on checking out that which affects us directly, but even so, we remain largely misinformed because we choose to believe what we want to believe rather than checking things out for ourselves. Most information that we read on the internet can be easily verified or shown to be false.
We should probably do a better job of checking things out.
Just as social gatherings have me thinking about social interactions, memorial services and news of friends or relatives dying gets me to thinking about how temporary and fragile human life is.
Whether we run the distance and live life to an old age or cash in our chips with many fewer years, this is but a temporary dwelling. I wonder if death is easier to deal with if you have no belief in an afterlife. Does believing that the end is the end make it more or less final than believing in the hope of heaven?
I wonder if that changes if you are the person that is dying or one of the persons that is left living.
My own beliefs are that there is a God and a final judgment. There is a heaven to be gained and a hell to be shunned. I believe that Jesus was serious and truthful when He said, "I am the way and the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father except by me."
I know that there are people from around the globe that read this simple blog from time to time. I can only imagine that there are many different beliefs about life, death, and eternity. While I have listened as others remember loved ones, I can't imagine that my own passing will leave much of a void. Sure, there will be a few that will miss me, but life goes on and the day to day grind quickly fills the void for all but those that are the closest.
After all, death is just a part of life.
It could be that we won't make a grand difference to a large group of people in life, but perhaps we can make a small difference for one person for today. Maybe changing a life is too great of a challenge for most of us; changing a moment for someone should be doable.
A call.
A text.
A word of encouragement.
A smile.
I know it's not a big difference, but it is a difference.
John <><
Wednesday, August 23, 2017
The Long Ride
It's getting closer to my long ride and I am starting to get excited about it. I spoke with my brother yesterday and I have been looking at possible routes and points of interest along the way.
I have to admit that I am more focused on the journey itself and am having to force myself to think about stopping and enjoying more than just the ride. Some of the days will cover quite a few miles, so there won't be a lot of time for sight seeing. Other days will find me in cities with all of my gear strapped to the bike and no way to really secure it from being stolen.
There are a few people I would like to see on my journey and I still need to coordinate with them. It is difficult to know what my daily plans will be since I'm wanting to keep it pretty loose and make some allowances for weather or unforeseen problems.
I think the outbound ride to my brother's place in Vermont will be pretty straight forward.
Right now I'm planning a relatively short Day 1 with a 400+ mile day and an overnight at my parents' home in Metamora IL. I hope to visit with them through most of the following day before making the short ride (125 miles) to Chicago to see Aaron and Jenny.
Leaving Chicago will be a long day as I clip the northwest corner of Indiana and then cross southern Michigan on the way to visit my Canadian friends north of Toronto.
From there, I'll ride to Montreal and then drop down to Vermont for a few days with my brother.
It's after Vermont that things are less clear.
Initially, I plan to make my way to Kittery Point ME. Mostly, it's just to add a couple of more states to the journey. I'll skirt the Boston metropolitan area, pass through Rhode Island and Connecticut and plan on making my way through the NYC area past the Statue of Liberty. As much as I'd like to spend some time in NYC, I probably won't. I'd rather see it with Chris (although she has been there many years ago) and I'd need a place to stash my stuff while I sight see.
I suppose I could find a hotel and use public transport or cabs ... we'll see.
Mileage wise, that's about the halfway point.
From there I'll ride into New Jersey, clip Pennsylvania at Philadelphia, cut through the northern tip of Delaware into Maryland, go around DC and into Virginia. There are a couple of friend stops in Virginia before heading through North Carolina (maybe a stop to see my nephew and his wife and new baby) to the Tail of the Dragon.
Then it will be westward through Tennessee until Nashville, then north to Kentucky and home across southern Missouri.
If that route holds, I'll touch 18 states and 2 Canadian provinces in the 4,000 mile trek over nearly two weeks.
If you know of a must see place along the way or a dive restaurant that is a can't miss establishment, let me know. If you're close to my route and want to meet for coffee or a snack, let me know that, too.
I should be hitting the road around the 6th or 7th of September and back home around the 19th.
Watch out for old guys on motorcycles!
John <><
I have to admit that I am more focused on the journey itself and am having to force myself to think about stopping and enjoying more than just the ride. Some of the days will cover quite a few miles, so there won't be a lot of time for sight seeing. Other days will find me in cities with all of my gear strapped to the bike and no way to really secure it from being stolen.
There are a few people I would like to see on my journey and I still need to coordinate with them. It is difficult to know what my daily plans will be since I'm wanting to keep it pretty loose and make some allowances for weather or unforeseen problems.
I think the outbound ride to my brother's place in Vermont will be pretty straight forward.
Right now I'm planning a relatively short Day 1 with a 400+ mile day and an overnight at my parents' home in Metamora IL. I hope to visit with them through most of the following day before making the short ride (125 miles) to Chicago to see Aaron and Jenny.
Leaving Chicago will be a long day as I clip the northwest corner of Indiana and then cross southern Michigan on the way to visit my Canadian friends north of Toronto.
From there, I'll ride to Montreal and then drop down to Vermont for a few days with my brother.
It's after Vermont that things are less clear.
Initially, I plan to make my way to Kittery Point ME. Mostly, it's just to add a couple of more states to the journey. I'll skirt the Boston metropolitan area, pass through Rhode Island and Connecticut and plan on making my way through the NYC area past the Statue of Liberty. As much as I'd like to spend some time in NYC, I probably won't. I'd rather see it with Chris (although she has been there many years ago) and I'd need a place to stash my stuff while I sight see.
I suppose I could find a hotel and use public transport or cabs ... we'll see.
Mileage wise, that's about the halfway point.
From there I'll ride into New Jersey, clip Pennsylvania at Philadelphia, cut through the northern tip of Delaware into Maryland, go around DC and into Virginia. There are a couple of friend stops in Virginia before heading through North Carolina (maybe a stop to see my nephew and his wife and new baby) to the Tail of the Dragon.
Then it will be westward through Tennessee until Nashville, then north to Kentucky and home across southern Missouri.
If that route holds, I'll touch 18 states and 2 Canadian provinces in the 4,000 mile trek over nearly two weeks.
If you know of a must see place along the way or a dive restaurant that is a can't miss establishment, let me know. If you're close to my route and want to meet for coffee or a snack, let me know that, too.
I should be hitting the road around the 6th or 7th of September and back home around the 19th.
Watch out for old guys on motorcycles!
John <><
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