Category Archives: Inspiration

Ride the USA-Day 5: White Sands

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Friday, May 29—Las Cruces, NM to Van Horn, TX

Approaching White Sands Missile Range

Approaching White Sands Missile Range

It was a short ride over the Organ Mountains into the White Sands area. I hadn’t planned on it specifically, but decided to go to the White Sands Missile Range. Two young men with smiling faces calling me, “Sir”, greeted me! They then escorted me into a visitors clearing center, did a quick background check, and issued me a visitor’s pass. One of their colleagues was wearing a hat declaring, “I love Jesus,” and a shirt defining “Sacred Heart” on the back. He was all-in! Continue reading →

Ride the USA-Day 4: Coronado Trail Scenic Byway

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Thursday, May 28— Eagar, AZ to Las Cruces, NM

Today was another beautiful day with clear skies and temperatures in the mid 50s when I headed south on the Coronado Trail Scenic Byway. I appreciate the weather over the past four days. I know I will likely face several rainy days as I move into Texas tomorrow.

You know it’s going to be a good day riding when the music starts with Feeling Groovy by Simon and Garfunkel followed by Go by MercyMe. Most everyone knows the first song. For those who don’t know the second song, here are its main lyrics: Continue reading →

Ride the USA-Day 1: Yosemite National Park

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Monday, May 25—Novato, CA to Lone Pine, CA

I was excited when I woke up this morning about beginning a perimeter-of-the-country ride. My Harley was already packed and ready to roll. Three weeks ago I’d prepared, reviewed and cut a long list of what I needed to take with me, and loaded it all up for a ride to Los Angeles, taking advantage of a planned trip to visit my sister, Janet, and daughter, Jessica. It was a fun ride, complete with rainy weather to test my new rain gear. There’s not a lot of room for luggage on a motorcycle, so packing right is critical to a successful, long-range ride.

I flipped on the starter switch this morning and turned on the iPod connected to the sound system. There was an error message on the screen—“No connection to the iPod”. I tried making a few quick adjustments to no avail. In spite of preparing several days of music for the ride, it was going to start in silence. No worries. The route planned for the first day didn’t really require musical entertainment. God’s creation on the route to Yosemite National Park is stunning. Continue reading →

Where Have I Been?

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Just over a year ago I described How God Gets Control of Our Game, concluding, “I believe our best response to the many challenges of life is to reflect the everlasting forgiveness of our own sins and love one another. And when we stumble, once again, trust that God will get control of our game!”

At that time our immediate family was facing a crisis, one that has been very difficult to process emotionally. Through faith and a little help from Al-Anon, we gained a new footing in life. We also determined that surrendering to the inevitable passing on of sinful behavior from generation to generation is not an appropriate response. So we press on, in faith, towards the ultimate goal of our calling as individuals and a married couple in Christ Jesus. Continue reading →

How God Gets Control of Our Game

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I’ve been thinking about how to best communicate a truth in which I firmly believe, in a manner that is consistent with what reDeploying is all about. In this final, long overdue segment of Get Control of the Game, I hope to communicate this truth with grace. Continue reading →

Get Control of the Game

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Lisa and I are headed to the 100th Rose Bowl Game in Pasadena with our good friends from Idaho, Dan and Colette. As we pack up for the road trip south, I am reminded of a great life lesson learned during a prior Rose Bowl experience—get control of the game! This is part one of a three-part series. Continue reading →

The Road Home

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Lisa and I enjoyed a refreshing visit in Kansas with our son, Nick, daughter-in-law, Betsy, and 15 month-old grandson, Benson. Nick and I played three rounds of golf, Lisa spent every moment she could with Benson, and we all laughed and played together. Our time in Kansas was the perfect start to the journey of reDeploying. There is simply nothing better than uninterrupted time with the people we love!

Continue reading →

Loafers

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While spending time in Hill City, SD and then continuing on our journey to Kansas, I kept reflecting on the shutdown of the federal government, the inspiration of the Crazy Horse Memorial, and the books I’d recently read about the American-Indian conflict written from the perspective of the Native American. Continue reading →

Things Aren’t Always What They Appear to Be!

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We awoke on day five of the Road Trip to Kansas somewhat disoriented, and had to get our bearings. Think of the many maps you’ve seen that advise “You Are Here” so you can orient yourself to your surroundings. Continue reading →

Lemonade!

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When Life Gives You Lemons…

In July I wrote, “The path of life is often very crooked, no matter how straight we think we can make it. We are in control of very few influences, with the rest well beyond our reach.”

Our plan for day two of the Road Trip to Kansas was to spend another day in Yellowstone Park and then drive east to Cody, WY. Unfortunately, the United States Congress couldn’t reach an agreement on funding the Federal government, so what would become an extended shutdown of non-essential Federal services began on October 1, day two of the road trip. Highway 14 through Yellowstone was closed! Continue reading →