An Elder Pilgrim's Reflections

Dingmans Ferry Prayer Grove Remember Ukraine And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.  ( from   2 Corinthians 3:12—4:2 ) Imagine for a minute you have loaded up the car for a four hour drive to Wherever Park. The kids are really excited imagining it as a fun place to be for a week. Then two hours into the drive you hear from the back seat: "Are we there yet?" Behind my former church is a hill rising from a field making it a great winter sliding place.  One Sunday the youth group planned to go tubing and build a small jump for excitement. After MUCH coaxing, I chose to take my turn. Forgetting I was 65 and not 16, I picked up a tube, sat down and off I went. After 2 seconds of sliding, I realized I had no clue about guiding a tube. I slid out of control, flew over the jump, got separated from the tube and ended up in some bushes.  I ...

"Do to others as you would have them do to you." (from Luke 6:27-38 ) Life in the Old Age feels oppressive and brutal.  We are still dealing with Covid-19 as people get sick and die even with vaccines available. Job losses continue, people fear catching the virus, and people are tired of wearing masks. People fear violence from prejudice or simple random acts. People are definitely grouchy and defiant.  Fear is at the core of life in the Old Age. Mercy is at the core of life in Jesus's New Age. Mercy is the motivation for the multitudes coming to Jesus. They are looking for relief from their diseases and unclean spirits. The Twelve, the disciples, and multitudes looking for some sort of healing. Mercy is the motivation by which Jesus heals their diseases and unclean spirits. Jesus demonstrates to the gathered crowd how God's mercy is to be lived by God's people. However, instead of a long list of merciful actions, Jesus summarizes the principle in what we call ...

Irish Fishing Vessels "Happy is the one... whose delight is in the law of the Lord,     and who meditates on his law day and night." (from  Psalm 1 ) Russia announced its intention to conduct naval exercises off Ireland's coast on Feb.3. It would cross boundaries into Irish fishing waters. Government officials held talks, but couldn't change the Russian plans. The fishermen's income loss could be significant.  With failed government negotiations, the fishermen decided planned a coordinated effort to head off the Russian fleet. The plan meant constantly having fishing boats in the exercise waters. The fishermen would—peacefully—prevent the Russians from conducting naval exercises. On February 1, the fishermen headed out to sea. The plan worked. The Russian naval vessels remained outside the Irish fishing boundary.    Sometimes it seems like one of our boundaries may be crossed.  Psalm 1 is a wisdom psalm describing two ways of life beginning with happin...