USA Today with Biblical Understanding

There is an Interesting article on page 9d of USA Today, Tuesday October 28, 2008. It is about the discovery of Egyptian artifacts in a copper mine in Jordan. The article is about King Solomon, the Old Testament kingdom of Edom, copper mines, and Pharaohs.

3000 years after Solomon died archaeology is discovering one of the mines that contributed to his great wealth. I am continually amazed at the discoveries in the dirt of the middle east, findings that lend credence to the Bible.

Of course this discovery proves nothing. I don’t need it to prove anything where my faith is concerned. Just the fact that competent archaeologists find in their digs the very things you would expect them to find if God’s word had any historicity.

The Bible tells us that Solomon was one of the wealthiest men in ancient history. But when offered wealth by the Lord, he instead chose wisdom. Thus we hear “The Wisdom of Solomon” referred to as a positive thing whereas we rarely hear of “The Wealth of Solomon.”

This wise man concluded his treatise about life by saying “The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13 NASB)

What's That Again?

The Politically Incorrect Guide to American History by Thomas E. Woods Jr.

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
While I am not naive enough to accept everything in this book at face value, it does have an interesting alternative look at some of the major events in American History.



I was especially interested in the articles on the Civil War, (which the author points out wasn't a true civil war) WWI and the intentional methods of Woodrow Wilson to manipulate us into joining the war, and the chapter about the causes of the great depression.



The book is weak at the point of references. While the bibliography is a long one, the text is not footnoted.



Read it, you may just learn, or rather relearn some of your own history.


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Head GO! vs Heart NO!

I first became aware that there is a difference between being a head fan and a heart fan during the Western regionals for NCAA basketball back in the 90's. The tournament was held in the "Pit," home of the UNM basketball Lobos. One of the teams to make it to the regional was the New Mexico State aggies.

On my way to the game my friends asked me, "So who will you be pulling for, the Aggies or UCLA"?

My head tells me it would be a great thing for the state of New Mexico basketball if the aggies could pull off a win against the heavily favored Bruins. "I will be pulling for NMSU", I confidently responded. But inside the pit, when the aggies ran out onto Bob King Court in their fringed warm ups, I immediately switched allegiance. I have pulled for the aggies in the newspaper, and even cheered them heartily on television, but my heart would not allow me to pull for them in the Pit. No way Jose.

I have the same problem today with BYU and Utah. While undoubtedly they are Mountain West Conference leaders, along with TCU, and it helps the conference where the BCS is concerned for the Utes and the Cougars to win outside the conference, my head says GO! but my heart says NO!

I try, I really try to pull for the Utes. And that is the truth. How awesome that the Mountain West Conference is 6-1 against the PAC 10. If I could just wake up in the morning and read the scores and see that Utah beats OSU 31-28 my head can say, “YEA” But if I watch the game as soon as I see that stupid helmet with the feather Logo or Swoop that ridiculous feathered mascot, or hear “I’m a Utah man sir” I immediately revert to what I was born to be.

Funny isn’t it? My head says "GO"!, my heart says "NO"! I have the exact opposite reaction to the Texas Longhorns. I don’t want to pull for them. My head doesn't care if they ever win a game, but when they run on the field and I see that awesome Longhorn Logo, Bivo the majestic live longhorn steer, and hear “The Eyes of Texas are upon you” my heart says “hook em horns"!

I am just being honest here. It is something I do not fully understand. I may never have a Lobo football team to be proud of. But I am a Lobo none-the-less and three teams Lobos don’t pull for, New Mexico State, BYU, and Utah. “I’m a Lobo fan sir, I’ve been one all my life.” And that, is the rest of the story.

Isaac's Storm

Isaac's Storm: A Man, a Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History by Erik Larson

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
As hurricane Ike hurtled toward Galveston I was reading this book about the 1900 Hurricane that virtually destroyed the same city.



Isaac Cline was the representative of the US Weather Service stationed at Galveston. The book is about him, the weather service, and the hurricance. Weather prediction was in its infancy and Isaac was attempting to learn the science.



It is a story of Government impotency that gives perspective to Katrina.


View all my reviews.

Beethoven's Hair: An Extraordinary Historical Odyssey and a Scientific Mystery Solved by Russell Martin

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
In 1827 a budding musician cut a lock of hair from the body of a recently deceased Ludwig Von Beethoven.



In 1995 two Americans employed scientists to open a simple locket that contained a lock of hair, purportedly from the great musician, Beethoven.



This book deals with two questions. 1. How did this lock of hair make the journey from early 19th century Vienna to a late 20th century London auction house, and 2. what does the examination of the hair tell us about the life and death of Beethoven.



The first question is enhanced when one considers the history of 20th century Europe and the Nazi attempt to eliminate all things Jewish.



The book has a varied pace, sometimes very slow and cumbersom, at times as quick paced as a mystery. I gave it a 3 star rating (out of a possible 5) because of the slow pace and because after reading it, I now know trivia so trivial it will never even show up on trivial pursuit.


View all my reviews.

Anonymous Comments

One thing that has always bugged the daylights out of me is people who are so cowardly as to make anonymous comments. It began early in the pastorate. An envelope without a return address came in the mail. Being young and inexperienced I opened it to find a 5 page letter. The writer proceeded to complain about everything under the sun. They didn’t like me, they didn’t like the church, they were very critical of everything and they didn’t sign the letter.

It upset me terribly. For one thing, I didn’t think many of the complaints were valid but I couldn’t discuss them with the complainer. I was really bothered by the whole situation. But the thing that bothered me the most was the yellow bellied writer who spouted opinion while hiding from their own comments.

I made a life decision that I followed all my years as a pastor. If a letter came unsigned, I tore it up and threw it in the trash without reading it. If a person didn’t want me to know who they were, I didn’t want to know what they thought, good or bad.

One of the reasons for writing a blog is to open communication with people I couldn’t normally converse with. Every time I write anything concerning Mormonism I get an anonymous comment. Go ahead and look through my archive of blogs. Look at the blog about Mitt. Look at the blog about the Temple in Idaho. That is why I believe the comment on my last blog has more to do with Mitt than with my position on abortion.

Either way, if a commenter doesn’t have the gumption to identify themselves, they don’t deserve a hearing. I don’t have to read them. Beginning with this post anonymous comments are no longer allowed. A commenter will have to identify themselves. It isn’t hard to do, and it doesn’t cost anything. You will have to have a Google, AOL, or Yahoo account to comment. There are some other options, but anonymous won’t be one of them.

Don’t let that stop you. I want to hear from you. But I want to know who you are.

Election thoughts

As I sit here listening to the Democratic convention my thoughts drift to my own political journey. I have trouble believing many of these speakers believe what they are saying.

I am not excited about our choices for president this year. The first time I was old enough to vote for president I was in favor of the democratic candidate. I didn’t vote because I moved in October of that year and it was obvious that George McGovern had no chance to unseat a very popular Richard Nixon. My first vote was in 1976 when I voted for Gerald Ford. Four years later I voted for Jimmy Carter against Ronald Regan. I voted for Jimmy Carter, not because I thought he was a good president, but because his presidency gave me a multitude of opportunity for spiritual conversation. His outspoken claim to be born again was a great conversation starter.

Between 1980 and 1984 it became obvious to me that there was a great divide in our country between those who called themselves pro-choice and those who called themselves pro-life. They were called respectively by their opponents, pro-abortion and anti-choice. At that time I realized that the culture war that was being fought called for a change in strategy in presidential voting. Since that time I have voted for the pro-life candidate in any election where I had that choice.

You see, I am not sure about conservative/liberal issues of economics. Reganomics sounded good, but didn’t seem to work as good as it sounded. It wasn’t until Bill Clinton became president that the government began to get control of the deficit. Now I understand the conservative arguments. I have used them many times. It took that long for the tax-cuts that Regan initiated to make the difference. It wasn’t until 1994 when Republicans took control of congress that the deficit came under control. I know those arguments, but they are opinion, they cannot be proved. I think John McCain is the most honest of the candidates ever, “I don’t completely understand how the economy works.” I am not sure any of the others do either.

It does seem that democrats are for higher taxes. But then, if we are going to do all the things for people that both Republicans and Democrats want to do, then we need taxes. The money doesn’t grow on trees. W has given Americans all the things the democrats say they need, but he doesn’t raise the money to pay for it. So we have deficit spending again. I know, it is the democratic controlled congress that passes the money bills, but it is the president that signs them.

Now that McCain has not chosen Romney for VP I will support McCain. There is one issue that I look at first, like many other Americans. I cannot vote for a President, a Senator, or a Congressman who doesn’t hold life sacred. A woman’s right to choose cannot come before a baby’s right to life.

An Unstoppable Force: Daring to Become the Church God Had in Mind by Erwin Raphael McManus

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
It took me a while to work my way through this one, not because it wasn't good, but because it inspired a lot of thinking.



The chapter on Spiritual Leadership is one every Christian leader, especially Pastors, should read. The Epilogue, chapter 10, entitled Radical Minimum Standard is a chapter every believer should read.

His statement that in today's church we live with a conspiracy of mediocrity, that we are unwitting enemies of nobility and heroism, where we choose to live where apathy is normal and average is the goal, reminds me of a statement of Billy Sunday, "most christians are so sub-normal that when you see a Christian that is normal, we think he is ab-normal."






View all my reviews.

The Beatle Dilemma

Last night we went back 40 years to a 1968 Beatles concert. A band of Beatle impersonators were a part of the Utah Symphony’s Deer Valley Music Festival. The festival is an open air event. Spectators sit on the grassy ski run. We took a couple of quilts, (there were six of us, including my mother who couldn’t believe I took her to a Beatles concert) and a picnic dinner to eat on the slopes while awaiting the concert’s beginning.

The first sign that this was to be an adventure came on the trip from the parking lot to the slopes. It started to rain. Off and on throughout the evening it rained, until we were pretty much all wet. But the concert went on as planned.

Here is the dilemma. I like the music. Even our symphony musician friend says the music is genius. Many of the songs have words not from my world view. “I get high with a little help from my friends.” The impersonator dressed as John Lennon sits at the piano and does a great rendition of Imagine. Pretty music with artistic lyrics that fit together in a delightful way make the song fun to listen to. But singing along is difficult because I don’t believe the message in the words.

It isn’t a dilemma just for rock and roll’ers though. Several years past I went to a Garth Brooks concert where the song everyone waited for and brought the greatest response is one Garth is noted for. It too has a fun tune and witty lyrics. I don’t go to low places where whiskey drowns and beer chases the blues away, even if I have friends there, but it is fun to sing.

Puritans among us might say we best avoid all worldly amusements. There is a progression here. You could just accept the alternate world view. Or you could sing the songs while rejecting the worldview. Perhaps we should avoid the songs with a secular worldview. Any artist who sings the songs with a secular world view should be avoided. We should not partake of the genre that has the songs with the secular world view. Even a music style should be avoided, if it is a style that is used by those espousing a secular world view. That would include using the music in church with spiritual words. Then the last step, maybe we should avoid music all together.

The dilemma then is to decide where you draw the line. I suppose most of us would agree the first and the last options were going too far. Now you have to choose where along the way you will draw your line.

Talk to me. I would like to know what you think.

Oh! The concert. Even though we were all wet from the rain, and cold from the wind that followed, I think we all, from Mom and Dad to the ten year old with us had a good time. Or then, maybe I am just seeing it all through my perspective. I had a good time, the others will have to speak for themselves.

The Last Lecture

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
When I read a small book like this, I am usually happy to find one thing worth writing in my notes/journal/idea book. In this book I wrote down 10. Great book.


View all my reviews.


Imagine. You get the news from your doctor that you have less than 6 months to live. What would you want to say? What would you want others to know? What message would you like to leave to your kids? Grandkids?

The Last Lecture is a book by Randy Pausch, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University. He was asked to give such a lecture at his college. The difference, Randy Pausch had been told by his doctor that he had less than six months to live. Pancreatic cancer.

The book is his lecture with some added chapters. It is his attempt to leave a message to his three children, the oldest is only 6. The youngest is 18 months and Randy is aware his littlest daughter will have no memories of him. So he set about to make sure his children knew who he was, how much he loved them, and how much he would have like to have lived with them.

My friend Lynn has received the same prognosis. Unlike Randy who is in his 40’s, Lynn is in his 80’s but some things never change. He is looking at how he will spend the few months he knows he has left. While visiting Lynn last week a mutual friend gave him a copy of The Last Lecture. He already had it so they agreed to allow me to read it. I am thankful they did.

It is a book worth reading even if you don’t have a set amount of time left to live.

Barbs Day

All along the trail the flowers are plentiful. Even early on the trail, before there were leaves on the trees there were flowers on the ground. Bluets are delicate little flowers, blue like their name. Trout lilies are yellow flowers with spots resembling spots on a trout. The Dwarf Iris is just that, a little Iris and they have a purple blossom. One of the earliest flowers we saw and one that was impressive because of the way they covered the ground was the Spring Beauty. Several times they looked like snow on the ground.

One of Jen's favorites was the Lady Slipper. “I have heard of them all my life but this is the first one I have ever seen” she said as we looked at the pinkish red blossom. Another favorite was the Trilliam, we saw white, yellow, pink, and blue ones. The red ones have a different name though they are the same flower.

Hiking for long distances and long time allows the mind to go anywhere. Jen chose to use much of her time and her love of flowers to pray for our family. When she saw a Bluet, she prayed for our daughter Amy. When she saw a yellow flower she prayed for our son Josh who was overseas in the war zone. His wife Krista was prayed for when there was a purple flower, and our Grandson's prayer flowers were the white ones. Our son Nathan and his wife Amy were prayed for when she saw ferns.

Between the hikes, from last year to this, Jen found out that her friend Barbara has breast cancer. The most abundant plant on the trail has been the Rhododendrun. From Georgia to Central Virginia there have been Rhododendrun everywhere. So Jen decided that Barbs prayer plant would be the rhododendrun. In addition to being abundant they were tough plants growing in a difficult environment, a perfect environment to pray for Barb.

We were always ahead of the flowering rhododendrun however. We had not seen one in bloom, until today. Not far up the trail we crested a hill and there on both sides of the trail and into the woods as far as we could see, the rhododendrun was in bloom. It was beautiful. Rhodendrun blossoms look to be about the size of a softball, but when you look at them closely you see that they are made up of a cluster of much smaller blossoms.

This is when Jen told us about rhododendrun being Barb's flower. So after a few minutes hiking in the middle of flowering rhododendrun we stopped. We decided that maybe this was a day Barb was in need of our prayer, so we prayed for her and Pete. Then we dedicated the hike on this day to Barbara Straker. It became Barb's day.

Keep on Barb, we are with you.

Plan C

Plan A= 2007 through hike, Georgia to Maine in 7 months. NOT.
Plan B=2008 section hike from Virginia to New York
2009 section hike from New York to Maine. NOT
Plan C=2008 slack pack or day hike as much of the remaining sections as you want to hike. Leave your camping gear in the truck and carry less than 15 pounds.

Maybe then, the weak knee will be able to handle the trail. I have to admit that three doctors and two physical therapists were right. My knee structure will not allow me to carry 40 pounds up hill and down for 2000 miles. After 8 days and 79 miles on the trail it is painfully obvious that the knee will not handle the weight. So here in Pearisburg, Virgina we are calling plan B off. Now we will be day hikers, still trying to hike the trail but hiking from road to road and eating and camping out of the truck.

The decision to make now is if traveling this way is worth passing every white slash which will still take this summer and next to complete or if we should just cherry pick the sweet parts of the trail to day hike and end the hike in Maine in July.

Jen really wants to wear the T-shirt that says, I am a 2000 miler, so we will probably try to keep going north, one section at a time. (tell me, 2007 thru hikers, did anyone get that T-shirt?)

We have some friends from Georgia coming to join us in our trek now. We will have two cars and can drive one ahead and the other to the trail head, and just leap frog them up the trail. It is not the way we would have preferred. But if we are going to get any more of it done, this will have to be the way.

Get In The Game

Flint and Jubilee are back in the game. We may not win at first, but we are at least on the move north once again. When I was in High School we had a period of time each year when you were “in training” for the sport you were playing. When you were “in training” there were certain things you did, and certain things you didn't do. If you were “in training” for basketball for example, you swore off of cokes and candy bars. Well at least you were supposed to. I dont remember a coach ever telling us that, it was just something we all talked about doing.

There is a definite “in training” for hiking. And it is obvious that we are NOT in shape. We are back where we were when we began last year. After 3 ½ days of hiking we have accomplished 33.9 miles. That is just short of our beginning goal of 10 miles per day. I was sure we could do better than that, but not yet. Tonight we are in a motel in Bland, Virginia. Tomorrow will be resupply then on to Pearisburg.

Paul the Apostle said that we should “train” ourselves for godliness. Have you ever stopped to consider what that means? How much spiritual inaction does it take for us to fall out of shape?

The Last We Saw of Giblet

Many of you remember our hiking chicken from last year, Giblet and have asked if he will accompany us on our hike this year. Giblet was very glad to get home from the trail last year, after all, she had to wade naked through chest deep snow in the Smoky Mountains, stand on her head in Tennessee and was upset that we dangled her over the edge of Fontana Dam.

When we started getting ready for the hike this year we decided Giblet must be hiding from us because we couldn't find her anywhere. A little research determined that she was last seen heading south, trying to quack, flapping her wings, and wondering why she wasn't evolving into a duck. After all, who ever heard of a hiking duck?

She needs to be worried though. In the resturant today at the Cabelas store in Nebraska we were sitting out a snow storm. (Entertainment is hard to come by in Sidney, Nebraska.) Jen went by the hot food bar and they had hot wings for sale. They were not labeled buffalo wings, or even chiken wings, they were duck wings. Just to be sure, Jen asked, are those really duck wings? The attendant assured her they were from authentic ducks.

If they start taking their wings, ducks will have to start hiking.

Oh The Places You Will Go

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. You are the guy who’ll decide where to go.”
--Dr. Seuss--

Some wonder about the brains in our head part. But our feet are in our boots and we are ready to steer them past the white blazes that mark the Appalachian Trail.

We leave Thursday for Virginia and the place we dropped off the trail. We will get back on the trail 2 days short of 1 year later. Our Thru hike has become a section hike. If we can hike three good months we will attempt to finish the trail in 2009.

If you want to follow our hike, I will post here updates on where we are and things that have happened. I will be keeping an online journal at www.trailjournals.com.

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Supposedly you can get to our journal by going to www.trailjournals.com/flintandjubilee but I haven't been able to get that to work yet. So go to the home page, go to the journals section, be sure you are on the Appalachian Trail 2008 page and scroll down. If you sort by trailname, look for flint and Jubilee, if you sort by name look for Rodger and Jennifer Russell.

This will give you an idea of how many hikers or on the trail, so see, we are not totally insane.

The Quaking Desert

At the sound of the neighing of mighty steeds,the whole land quakes.
Jeremiah 8:16 HCSB



It sounded like a dull rumble coming from up the river. My first thought was it sounded like the arroyo behind our house when I was a kid. Long before flood waters would reach our place you could hear the water’s roar. I didn’t have long to worry about whether we would be high enough above the river to escape the rising water before I realized this was something different.

I could hear the distinct sound of hoof beats. Horses! This is wild horses running down the canyon.

We were camped in a narrow canyon on the Muddy River. The canyon was less than 75 yards wide where our camp set. The river and accompanying brush filled two thirds of the canyon between our camp and the river.

The sound increased in both decibel level and intensity. I began to wonder if I should get in my Tahoe or at least behind it. But I was literally transfixed. I could not move. I stood in complete wonder at the fantastic sound of the running horse herd.

And then they were there. Running between camp and river. In the pitch black darkness I could only see shadows. They ran by in waves, was it 10 seconds, 20 seconds, half a minute? I can’t tell you, only that my heart was beating in concert with the pounding hooves.

Imagine standing in the orchestra pit while the band plays the 1812 overture with the drums beating. You are at a rock concert standing in front of the bass amp and the music is pounding. You hear it in your heart as much as in your ears. This was the experience of the horse stampede.

Then they were past, and we heard the sound fade away down the river until it was only a memory. I looked and Jen, totally amazed. Wow! How awesome was that?

In the morning we saw some remnants of the herd grazing in the meadow below camp. Earlier we had seen signs that there were horses in the area, even spotting one herd the evening we were driving in. On the way out of the desert, later that day, we saw another herd lazily grazing off in the distance.



Can you just imagine the sound that early pioneers heard on the plains before the buffalo were all gone? This small horse herd was heart pounding, I can only regret that I never heard the sound of 100,000 buffalo running by. Mercy!

SNOW!

Woke up this morning, happy as could be,
looked out my window, what did I see,
sitting on my driveway, and over on my porch,
there was snow that I never thought I'd see when we left March.
(with apologies to Buck Owens)

At least I could turn the furnace up and stay indoors. I have been following in my journal from last years hike on the Appalachian Trail and it was one year ago today, April 7, 2007 that we woke up at Icewater Spring Shelter to 17 degrees in the shelter and 6 inches of snow on the ground.


We had no furnace, we had no choice, we had to get up and hike. Well, we did have a choice though we didn't consider it very long. We could have hiked back south to the highway we crossed and go back to Gatlinburg and wait the storm out. Waiting the storm out is what a lot of hikers did. But not us, we hitched up and hiked north to the next shelter, further into the Smoky Mountains.

Boy that was fun. We have it all set up now, we think. If our ailments will allow us, we will be returning to Virginia and to the AT on May 5. Our hope is to hike until the last week in July. Goals:
Jennifer: Get Across Pennsylvania
Rodger: Get To Southern Vermont
Rodger: Lose weight to 200 pounds. (I haven't weighed that since my first year in college)
Both: Just be able to keep hiking for three months.

Jen of course is a pessimist. She also isn't much in geography. She doesn't realize that it is only 731 miles from where we will be starting to cross Pennsylvania. And it is 1033 miles to Southern Vermont.

The people we were hiking with last year all made it to central Vermont by August 1.

OK, so maybe we won't make Vermont. Let's shoot for NY. Wouldn't it be great to leave the trail at the Shelter in NY where you can catch mass transit to NYC? Maybe that should be our goal.

Realistically speaking. Our goal is to remain injury free, and just hike our own hike, at our own pace, and see where we get.

I wish we could convince just one of our friends how much fun this really is.

BIG BEND COUNTRY

Big Bend National Park is not one that you hear a lot about. We had a fabulous spring vacation there last week. Of course, you have to really appreciate the desert to enjoy it much. Big Bend sits in the peninsula made when the Rio Grande makes a Big Bend along the Texas-Mexico border.

We had beautiful weather except for one night when the wind blew our camper around. The days though were warm and sunny with nary a drop of rain. There are several main areas of the Park. There is the River, the Desert, and the Mountains. The Mountains are desert mountains however, not a lot of the vegetation you are used to in mountains.


We saw a nice collection of wildlife. A beautiful red bird flew around our camp one afternoon. We later determined it to be a Vermilion Flycatcher. We saw lots of Road Runners and discovered that Chaparral does not mean Road Runner in Spanish. The Spanish word for Road Runner is Paisano. I was a little offended that I saw so many of them and they are the state bird of New Mexico—not Texas.

We saw Javalinas a couple of times. We learned that Javalinas travel in bands. We were calling them a herd, as in a herd of pigs, but we learned that they are neither pigs nor are they related to pigs. Hmmmm—they look so much like a pig.

Do you care about the animals. There was quite a bit of human activity around 1900 and it is interesting. Unfortunately the Park Service doesn’t think so. None of the signs tell much about the ranchers, miners, or farmers that tried making a go of it in that rough country. They spent their money on signs telling us really brilliant things like, “the closer you get to the rock formation the bigger it looks.” No kidding, that was the message on one of the viewpoint signs.

The pictures of our outing are posted at
http://gallery.mac.com/nathanrusell#100015
Take a look.

Computer Crash Causes Delays

Last time I was ready to post a blog my computer crashed. I lost everything on the hard drive when I had to re-format. It was the night of the super bowl. I was watching the game and the commercials. I planned to give a report and a review of the best commercials. I had them all rated. But alas, crash went the computer and I have struggled to get back on line.

Just a note, I lost all my emails prior to Feb 3 so if I owe you a response, sorry, you need to rewrite me.

My favorite commercial was the one with Shaq riding a horse as a jockey. Poor horse. I expected there to be a disclaimer, “No animals were injured filming this commercial.” The horse under Shaq must have been pretty strong. I don’t remember what the commercial was for. But it was funny.

Commercials two and three were the E trade entries starring the talking baby. If you haven’t seen any of these commercials I recommend a quick trip to youtube.com and see them for yourself.

Jen and I continue to plan and prepare to pick up the Appalachian Trail where we left it last May. We hope to get close to three months of hiking this summer. I am working with a trainer to get the muscles around my knee in shape to make the journey. We are taking a test hike in March. We are going to hike for a week in the Big Bend National Park in Texas. That should give us a good idea if the AT is even possible.

One last comment in the potpourri of thoughts tonight. I was watching a movie the other night. Some FBI agents were sitting around a room discussing the case at hand when one of them accused the other of “misremembering” events. I just noticed that my spell checker accepts it as a real word too. Maybe Roger Clemens isn’t quite as off base as everyone makes out.

Getting Ready

For those of you who think we are loony for hiking on the Appalachian Trail when we could be sitting in a rocking chair or a hot tub, get ready to send us to the loony bin. We are getting ready to return to the trail. Jen is working extra shifts in return for May, June, and July off. Our plan is to use those three months to try for another 1000 miles or so.

On my part, I have employed Mitch the Masochist to help me get my knee in shape. Twice a week I meet him at the gym and he tortures me for an hour. It is a lot like my athletic coaches used to do, except when we are done we don't get to shoot baskets or hit baseballs.

We have made a change to our water system. We are going to use a Ultraviolet Light Pen to sterilize our drinking water. It weighs a little more that 8 oz total compared to the pump and filter we carried last year. I have bought a new pack that weighs 3 pounds less than my old one. We have learned how to get by with less clothes, and we will be walking in spring and summer instead of winter so we should be lighter on clothes too.

I have a new ipod that weighs almost a full pound less than my old one. One piece of weight I have added though is a mini computer so we can maintain better communication and post our pictures and journals ourselves. It is a small computer that weighs only 2 pounds and is made for rough travel. It is an EeePC, look it up on the internet. I am using it to write this blog right now.

We are planning to go back to the place we left the trail the first of May and continue the hike until the end of July. That isn't enough time to make it to Maine, so we won't feel like we have to hurry. Maybe that combination, less weight, less time pressure, and better knee conditioning will allow us to hike for three months. I certainly hope so, and Jen is counting on it.

Snow Day

In the Uinta range we thought we would try for some powder skiing, cross country style. After 2 weeks in the haze of a Salt Lake inversion where the air is unbreathable, the temperature never above freezing we thought we would get up into the mountains. What a beautiful day. There were just enough tracks to keep us from having to break the snow trail ourself, yet it was soft and beautiful powder. The sky was a beautiful dark blue that you only find in a cold clear mountain day. The temp was around 30 with sunshine so that once you started skiing, you didn't even need a coat. Did I say it was beautiful. Let me share a few pictures with you. According to the forest service map we made an 8 mile loop. None of us think it was quite that far, but...what do we know. And here is Uma. Don't feel sorry for Uma. It wasn't this bad for 8 miles and she had a blast. That tail never quit wagging.

Here is a video of her stuggling through the snow, we had just cut this trail and so there was still a place between the ski tracks and she had to struggle through it.

Perception vs Reality

There are just some things everybody knows. Everybody knows that Colorado is America's best ski state. (Unless you live or ski in Utah and know better.) Everyone knows that Democrats believe certain things and Republicans usually believe something else. Everyone knows what young people are most concerned about these days. Everyone knows that people who live in California are the most ecologically correct citizens, just look at their laws.

Mr./Mrs. Perception--meet reality. According to Autobytel.com 40% of the people who are driving hybrids, the most ecologically friendly automobiles we have at this point in time, are Republicans while only 36% are Democrats. While this is not a significant difference, please be reminded that there are approximately 77 million registered democrats and only 55 million republicans nationwide. So if the democratic party is the environmental party, why do so many more republicans drive hybrids?

Young people are perceived as being most concerned with the environment. Of course they are the ones who have grown up with global warming preached as gospel to them since they were babies. The threat of nuclear winter that the boomer generation grew up with proved to be insufficient to justify bigger government. But reality shows that 57% of hybrid owners are over the age of 45. Yep, boomers own the most hybrids. Wait a minute! Aren't we the ones who are determined to destroy the earth and leave nothing for the generations to come?

Well, the reason for that, so we are told, is the expense of the hybrids. You have to be relatively wealthy to be able to afford one. "POP goes that perception. 35% of hybrid owners make less than $40,000 per year.

The final perception, that California, Oregon, and Washington residents are the ones who care for the environment lacks evidence as well. Only 16% of hybrids are owned by West Coasters. 31% are owned by Northeasterners, while 21% hail from the midwest. That, by the way, leaves 32% for the Mountainwest and the South.

I don't know what all that means, but I do know this. Perception is not reality, even if we think it is.

Earth's Sacred Places

I have been in many of the world's sacred places. I have stood on the temple mount in Jerusalem, a holy place for two world religions. When my friend Dave and I received permission to enter the temple compound we were constantly watched by Israeli police. We were allowed to wander at will around the grounds but we entered neither of the Mosques that occupy the space once occupied by Herod's temple, the temple visited by Jesus.



Yesterday in Rexburg, Idaho I visited one of the holy places of another world religion, Mormonism. In the brochure they gave me is the statement, "The Temple is the Most Sacred Place on Earth for Members of Our Church." We were told that it is a holy place because it says so right on the facade, "Holiness to the Lord."

I have never toured a temple before but it was much like I thought it would be. We were encouraged to find a place of peace and inspriation there. Instead I found a place of boring sterility.

And much like our tour of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem we were watched carefully by the temple police. We were picked out as possible trouble makers early in our tour. Why? Well first of all, we (my friend Dan Walker) and I were two men while almost all the other tourers were families. Second we were not in the proper attire. They should have sent an announcement with the tickets clarifying the uniform of the day was dark suit, white shirt, dark tie. Very few men were not so dressed.

Anyway, we picked up a tail at the first room we visited and were followed all the way through our tour. Dan and I both picked this tail out even though we didn't talk about it until we were once again outside. As we passed other "agents" with ear pieces and radios we could hear them speak into their microphones, "clear." I suppose we could have just been imagining things, but the other tour groups didn't have radio equipped agents following them.

There was never an opportunity given to ask questions so many of the questions I had then, I still have. I probably wouldn't have asked them anyway since they would have further identified me as an infidel, oops, I mean gentile.

While the tour guides continually reminded us that this temple was dedicated to the savior, and the fulfilment of the gospel, and throughout they have framed preschool pictures of Jesus during his earthly ministry, the only appeal to believe was given in the sealing room where we were encouraged to think of eternity with our families.

Twice we were told that heaven wouldn't be heaven without our wives and children. In the sealing room we were told that this could happen under the authority of the priesthood given to Peter when Jesus told him that his were the keys to the kingdom and restored to Joseph Smith and the church in these latter days.

I was left with a sterile feeling. Beautiful buildings, (and beautiful is in the eye of the beholder) soft words, solemn testimony, strict security, complete control, shoe covering slippers, hundreds of smiling pointing usherettes, just left me with an aching heart to share with this people the simplicity of the true gospel.

Jesus built no buildings, he never had a building program. The disciples built no buildings. Paul, in all his missionary travels never encouraged his followers to build a temple. I am not sure when Christians decided they needed buildings of their own to gather in, but it sure wasn't in the NT period. Perhaps they knew, when beautiful building are built, men have the tendency to worship the building. That tendency is not limited to Mormons either by the way.

Well, this blog is becoming a sermon. I apologize. I will conclude with this condensation.

Condensation removed by Rodger

Ooops, Another book.

My brother reminded me last night of a book I left off of my list. Bill Bryson is an author that draws me to his books. Some of them are pretty lousy, but he has some great ones too. His latest one, The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid is a must read for anyone who grew up in the fifties and sixties. He captures life in the fifties and early sixties through the lens of a pre-teen boy. Though he grew up in one of Iowa's larger cities and I grew up in a small New Mexico town, the experiences are very similiar.

Three other Bryson books I have really enjoyed. A Walk In The Woods, about the Appalachian Trail. In A Sunburned Country, about Australia. I'm a Stranger Here Myself: Notes on Returning to America After 20 Years Away.

Happy New Year

I posted a list of books I read in 2007 if you are interested. Actually I posted them even if you aren’t interested, you just don’t have to look at them. They are in the sidebar to the right.

In reviewing my reading there are several things I find interesting. First I read less theology and church oriented books this year than in previous years. I guess that is to be expected though right now I have 5 such books on order for reading early in 2008.

Second, I read fewer books this year than last year. Of course, for two months I didn’t read anything. The two months we were on the trail I read very little. By the time all the work was done and it was time to relax, sleep is what I wanted. Besides that, I didn’t want to carry a book. On my Ipod I did listen to a book on Texas history, but I discovered that if you are going to listen to something while hiking, music is better than reading. For the other ten months I read at about the same rate as last year.

My dad led me to a new western author, well, new to me anyway. Elmer Kelton and I read six of his books. They resemble Louis L’Amour, except they are longer and a little more literary. A little I say.

If you would like a list of the books with a short synopsis/review of each one, let me know and I will email you a copy.

Hope you have a great New Year.

Merry Christmas

Christmas day in Mill Creek Canyon.

Jen was scheduled to work on Christmas day. The 5am phone call told her, “hey just take the day off.” So she did. She just laid around the house eating leftover Christmas candy and cookies and watching TV. Not! She suggested we go for a cross country ski trip up her favorite canyon. It is her favorite because it is the only one of the canyons that allows Uma to accompany her.

It was a beautiful day for such an outing. So beautiful in fact that we had to park at the 3rd parking lot from the main lot there were so many people enjoying the canyon. But by the time we had skied 2 miles we were pretty much out of the crowds, and off of the snow packed road. Now there were only two ski tracks through a foot and a half of fresh powder.



It was crisp up there. The thermometer said 15 degrees when we started. I suspect by the time we turned around it was around 0. It was ok as long as you were moving, and had shoes on. Uma was beginning to get pretty uncomfortable and when we started down, Jen put her on her back. Other than the people thinking she had the ugliest baby in the state, it went pretty good.


Christmas Eve we spent at Alta with Amy. We downhill skied that day. It was a pretty day until about 1pm when the wind started to blow and by 3 the snow was pelting us pretty hard so we wrapped it up. We went down the hill a little way to Snowbird where we attended the Christmas Eve service they have there each year.

They had asked me to preach the sermon, those were their words. But the storm coming in kept the pianist and the music leader from showing up. So in addition to preaching the sermon I was also privileged to lead the music without accompaniment.

I preached on The Birthday of a King. Using Philippians 2 I pointed out that Jesus’ birth was different than any other in that He was not born and then grew to be a king. He was King who emptied himself to become like us. When Joseph held the baby in his arms he was holding the creator of the universe. When Mary nuzzled his neck and kissed his face she was kissing the face of God.

I quoted from the song “Mary Did You Know,” The baby you delivered will soon deliver you.

I talked about the Herod and the Wise men in all of us. There is a Herod in me that resents another wanting authority in the kingdom of my life. But there is a wise man too, that if I will allow, will fall down and worship the Lord Jesus.

All in all it was a good Christmas. We heard from Nathan and his Amy as they celebrated in Texas. Krista called from North Carolina and helped us talk to Andrew. He said “hi” to me, on cue. (along with hanging up on us two or three times) That was special. Josh surprised us with a call from Afghanistan. He had “borrowed” a satellite phone and called from the top of a building in the north east corner of the country.



We talked to our families and some other friends throughout the day. Our plan of Green Chile Enchiladas for Christmas dinner fell through though. After the 6 mile ski trip, we were content to eat some left over chicken and call it a day.

I pray you each have a wonderful new year, a really happy 2008.

God Bless

Rediscovered Gems

While cleaning off my desk this morning I discovered an old pocket notebook. I have no idea how it appeared on my desk, except that in moving things have been displaced. Trying to fit all the tools from the two room suite Holladay provided for me into one little room at home that Jen allows me to use things are bound to show up in odd places.

It was one of those little pocket notebooks that I carried to make short notes in. It is from over 10 years ago. I thought you might be interested in some of the tidbits.

Jesus spoke of men who were alive as if they were dead. Paul spoke of men who were dead as if they were alive. –Rev. John Watson, Moab, Utah, at a funeral service 8/12/1983

God didn’t say to go into the world and pray. He said to go into the world and witness, and we can go into our schools and witness. –Dr. Frank Pollard

After holding hands in a circle of fellowship looking in we should turn around and hold hands in a circle looking out. –unknown

3 frogs are sitting on a log, one decides to jump off. How many are left? . . . Answer: 3. Just because you decide to do something doesn’t mean you do it.

The medical definition of death is a body that does not change.

Be anxious for nothing, prayerful, in every thing thankful, this is God’s will for you. ---Apostle Paul

7 first words of the church—“I can do all things through Christ”
7 last words of the church—“We never did it that way before”

Jesus can turn water into wine, but he can’t turn whining into anything.

Do you believe in God? I am not impressed. It is no big deal. You are in the company of the devil. He believes in god. Do you believe God? That is impressive! That is a big deal!

It is the voice of the church that is heard in singing together. It is not you that sings, it is the church that is singing, and you, as a member of the church may share in its song. – Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Questions for the believer:
In what area of your life is it hardest to obey the Lord?
What would your spouse say is your greatest contribution to his/her life?
What are you most apt to lie about?
What Christian character trait is your trademark?
What Christian character trait do you most lack?

A note made after attending a state board meeting of the New Mexico Fellowship of Christian Athletes. “Today I saw more concern for the lost expressed that in any Deacon meeting, Denomination meeting, Pastor meeting, that I have ever attended.”

For what it is worth. Have a great day.

Pastor Rodger

American Courage

In the political climate we live in today we desperately need a good word about America and Americans. I don't know about you, but one of the most discouraging parts of our political system is the constant tearing down.

Men and women running for office make an effort to tell us how bad everything is in order to get us to vote for them so they can make it right. When the truth is, most of us have it pretty good.

The UN just announced that the best country to live in is Iceland. The 12th best country to live in is the United States of America. You can go ahead and migrate but as for me, and 6 million illegal aliens, we think we will stick here.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071127/ts_nm/un_development_index_dc

If with all the bad news about America you would like a little refreshment I have just the prescription for you. It is a book compiled by Herbert W. Warden III entitled, American Courage

American Courage is a collection of short stories recounting the courage of Americans from the Pilgrims at Plymouth Plantation to the Heroes aboard United flight 93 that crashed into the Pennsylvania countryside on September 11, 2001. I read this last story with tears in my eyes as the men and women aboard called their families, and realizing what was happening, made the fatal decision to keep Flight 93 from crashing into a building full of people.

I don't doubt that a book about Icelanders, Norweigans, Swedes, Canadians, French, could be published. The courage of these peoples may equal that of the American stories published, but they can never surpass them.

With each political hack from Hillary to Mitt to Fred to John I have to listen to, I am going to remember the stories of American Courage and remind myself, "Hey, things aren't all together that bad."

God Bless.

To Tie or Not toTie

What a depressing feature. For over a millennium a properly dressed gentleman wore a neck tie. The tie serves no purpose except to hide the top button on a shirt. Perhaps it gives your girl a handle to grab you and pull you down to her face for a kiss, but that has never happened to me. Nor has a bad guy every grabbed my tie to direct me like the reigns on a horse, though that would certainly be a possibility.

We have been fighting the tyranny of the necktie for years now and we have made some progress. While here in Utah a trip to the ward meeting finds a bevy of white shirts and ties, a worship experience in most other venues finds very few ties. Many times no one is wearing a tie except the pastor and maybe one or two old timers who still believe it the dress code for the Lord’s house. At our church not even the preacher wears a tie. Usually he is wearing Jeans and sandals. We are making progress. Down with tyranny of the necktie!!

Just as this progress begins to register I see a feature this morning on CBS about the comeback of the tie. Once again the 20 somethings in our culture are rejecting the progress we have made toward liberty. Sales of neckties are up to that age group. It is becoming fashionable to wear a necktie again.

Some of the reasons given are,
It gives me a feeling of empowerment.
It gives me an air of respectability.
It makes me feel like I have one up on everyone else.
I feel more dependable with a tie.
I feel so stylish.
I feel like a good businessman.

Excuse me while I barf. A neck tie makes me feel non of those things. It makes my neck hurt. Wearing one too long chafes my neck. I feel trapped and totally a victim of the tyrant called culture whenever I am wearing one.

The interviewer on the news cast talked with a clothing salesman. The salesman in trying to make the case for wearing ties said “a tie ups the look a little.” I would say, “it ties up the neck a little.”

He said, that it “even dresses up Jeans. It is an interesting piece that makes one stand out more.”

Excuse me again. Ok, I am back. The documentary concluded with on the street interviews with one saying it makes me feel “clean, smooth, and proper.”

One last time, please excuse me.

I am old enough now that I can forget wearing ties. I don’t plan to wear one very often, only when not wearing one would be rude. But the 20 somethings are messing up their own lives, as well as the lives of those who follow. If they want to chafe their necks and wear a bridle, it is up to them. Go for it.

One last question. Why would a “postmodern” want to sell out to the “modern” culture of men’s wear and tie a noose around their own necks?

Lost Leisure, or Writers where are you?

Oh no! TV writers are on strike. Whatever will we do. I won’t be able to watch my favorite TV shows like, well like, uh like. . . Gee I don’t guess I watch any TV shows. Actually that is not true. I sometimes remember to watch Jay Leno on Monday nights when he shows headlines. But that is it. Last year I watched 24, but 24 episodes of Jack Bauer stretches even professional writers to the limit.

So what can we do for leisure? I got an email from Amazon telling me that since I had bought a movie on DVD they were sending me the names of some other movies I might like to see. I am scratching my head for sure. What is it about watching The Bourne Supremacy that would make Amazon think I would be interested in two musicals, Hairspray and High School Musical 2?

I don’t think I will order them. Although I did watch a musical the other night. Some friends invited us to dinner and then offered to show us the musical 1776. Trying to be gracious guests we agreed and surprisingly I enjoyed the show. Like my dad said, “It was pretty good except for the musical part.” It is the story of the writing and signing of the Declaration of Independence. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were pretty good signers, but fell short as singers.

My favorite leisurely pastime is not affected by the TV writers strike. I just finished a biography of Johnny Unitas, called Johnny U. Subtitled The Life and Times of John Unitas it is as much about professional football in the 50’s and 60’s as it is about Johnny. It is a great read. Caution: the author, Tom Callahan doesn’t pull any punches when recording the locker room language.

How are you going to make it through a TV writers strike. The good news is there won’t be any new shows assaulting our senses with bad language, sexual escapades, and poor plots. The bad news is they will probably just show reruns with bad language, sexual escapades, and poor plots.

Turn the TV off and try a good book. Johnny U is a good one and you won’t miss the language you are used to on TV. The Worst Hard Time is a good history of the dust bowl days of the depression. You will be depressed too about the conditions in the great plains during the 30's. Next for me is a John Grisham book about football, Playing for Pizza.

De Ja Vue

De Ja Vue. Does that mean, it happened again. Well anyway, it happened again.

I was playing golf with my friend Mark, also known as Golden Bear, though not because of his golfing prowess. As a matter of fact, not braggadocio, I had trounced him on the front nine. We were now on the fourth hole of the back nine and we were tied. We were keeping track of strokes and holes, and we were even on the back.

On the fourth hole we were both on the green in three. He had a 10 foot point to win the hole and he not only missed it, he hit it so far by the hole he didn’t lose his turn. I put my hands to my throat and taunted, just like A-Rod. Can’t do it when the chips are down.

Neil, the duffer we were playing with, kind of laughed, then he looked right at me and said, “Did anyone ever tell you that you look like Joe Torre?” Mark and I almost fainted with laughter and poor Neil didn’t understand what he had said. Mark explained it as I lined up my putt to win the hole.

I don’t know if you are aware of the dilemma of this situation. You see, I don’t mind being the look-a-like of the manager of the Yankees. However, it is looking more and more like Torre will make a deal to manage the Dreaded LA Dodgers.

LA is one of the teams most mentioned to be in the running to take on the mega contract of the home run hitting, clutch time choking, A Rodriquez.

Just to make it clear. I don’t root for the Dodgers, period. Even if one is my alter ego, look-a-like, and the other the player most likely to erase Barry Bonds from the record list. Bronco fans don’t root for the Raiders, Jazz fans don’t root for the Bulls, and Yankee fans don’t root for the Dodgers. This Yankee fan would even root for the Red Sox if they were playing the Dodgers in the world series.

So my dilemma becomes obvious. Of course, since I won’t be wearing an LA hat, maybe people won’t be so quick to recognize the similarities as when Joe and I were both wearing the hat of Baseballs all time greatest franchise.

Joe, Joe, have you no standards?

Partisanship, Iraqi Style

The only difference between the sunni/shia conflict in Iraq and the Republican/Democrat conflict in the US is we don’t use weapons…yet.

Other than that, the partisanship in America is every bit as vitriolic as the partisanship in Iraq. The Iraqi parliament cannot do anything because of the partisanship. How is that different than our own congress. They can’t seem to get anything accomplished because the democrats blame Bush for everything wrong, and the Republicans blame Democrats for all that is wrong and they spend their time and energy throwing barbs at each other. The only difference between Washington and Baghdad is American barbs are mostly verbal and sometimes legal.

Time magazine this week is a prime example. The president’s daughter has written a book about a teenage mother living with HIV. So the question to her is about the Bush’s administration hindering HIV/AIDS relief. “Aids is the fault of the Bush Administration.”

In the letters section a letter writer from California is responding to an essay about Brian Belichick and the New England Patriot’s cheating incident. Listen to this brilliant statement. “Even worse, this same attitude has allowed the Bush Administration to commit crimes against the constitution and the world.” Any occasion, even a football scandal, is legitimate for throwing barbs at the enemy.

Later in the letters section a writer from Jordan says that if President Bush could be persuaded to withdraw troops from Iraq and Afghanistan and stop Israel from abusing the Palestinians the problem of violent radicalism in the Muslim world could be stopped. Did terrorism begin when we sent troops to Iraq and Afghanistan or did we send troops because of terrorism? Don’t let facts get in the way of our partisanship.

In the first 12 pages of Time Bush is accused of keeping AIDS from being cured, committing crimes against the world and constitution and causing terrorism in the Middle East.

Instead of seeing all of these as problems we could be working on together, we are content, and Republicans are as guilty of it as Democrats, we are content to just set back and blame the other guy. They do the same thing in Iraq except they are not content with verbal assassination, they practice the real thing.

Crater Lake

Last time we were at Fish Lake down by Richfield we found a trail head to Crater Lakes. No one we talked to anywhere had ever heard of Crater Lakes. There they were on the map though, and there was the trail head for a hike to the lakes. An unhiked trail to Jen is like an uneaten enchilada to me. “We will have to come back sometime and hike up to Crater Lakes.”

Well, this weekend was the sometime. John, Charma, Jen, and I began our hike to Crater Lakes on Friday morning. As we were gathering equipment at the trailhead three young people came back down the trail. I struck up conversation with them, specifically because I wanted to know if there was any use in carrying a fishing pole to the lakes.

“Are you planning to fish Crater Lakes?” he asked while eyeing my pole with a hint of humor in his eyes.

“We were thinking about it. Are there any fish in the Crater Lakes?”

“I don’t know. I have never been there.” He said. I took him at his word then, but later, after I had hauled fishing gear for 10 miles, I have my doubt he was very sincere. “You can let me know when you get back.”

The Forest Service trail sign said 2 miles to North Crater Lake. One thing we learned on the Appalachian Trail is that Forest Service signs are notoriously wrong. For example, the sign at North Crater Lake pointing back the way we had come said “Trail head 3 miles.” We all know that it isn’t 2 miles up and 3 miles down. How far is it really? The pedometer I have on my belt said we had walked 3.6 miles when we got to the 3 miles down sign.

And the Lake? What Lake? There isn’t any lake here. But I guess North Crater Lake sounds much classier than North Crater, which is what we found. We walked to South Crater Lake and while there still wasn’t much fishing, there was at least some water. The picture is South Crater Puddle.

Between the two lakes we jumped a small group of deer, does and fawns. We watched them scatter and then continued to South Lake. On our way back, just minutes later, we saw two fawns come back to the clearing. They were mewing like cats, calling for their mamas. I said, “Listen, they are calling for mom.” Jen wouldn’t believe me. She was sure I was making it up and what she was hearing was a bird and that as soon as she believed me that it was the deer I would laugh at her. Maybe I have fed her too many lines over the 41 years we have been together.

While we were eating lunch a horseman with a pack horse came into the North Crater. We thought about hiking out the way he had come in. Unfortunately we didn’t have a map. In front of us though was an unhiked trail. Jen wanted to hike it for an hour to see if it went anywhere. Charma wanted to go that way because she didn’t want to have to back down the steep trail we had come up. For once, John and I prevailed and we continued around the crater back to the trail we came up.

When we arrived back at the trail head, we looked at the map closely and discovered that the alternate trail did return to the trail head. Only it was about 4 times as long. That would have turned our ten mile hike into a 20 mile hike at least. Shoot! We might be still walking.

John and I made up a great story about all the fish we caught. Of course we didn’t bring any of them down the mountain because we practiced catch and release. And if I ever run into the guy who told me he had never been there with the glint of laughter in his eye, I am going to show him this picture of all the brookies we caught at South Crater Lake.


The next day, Saturday, we drove the Tahoe up the backside of the mountain to the same two crater lakes. I would say we wasted the day before by hiking to where we could have driven. But then, there would still be an unhiked trail on the plate. At least if we had driven there first, we wouldn’t have carried fishing gear for 10 miles.

On the bright side. I bought a new brace for my knee that I wore when we started down hill. I didn’t have any problems with my knee. Tomorrow I am going to get some orthopedic inserts for my shoes that will supposedly line the leg bones up so I will have less trouble. On a scale of 1 – 10, a return next May to the Appalachian Trail is approaching 6 ½.

Why Not Mittens? Part 2

Just a follow up. What did I say about the LDS church using a Romney presidency to proselytize. Check out the following news item in today's Salt Lake Tribune.

Understand, I don't fault the LDS church for taking this opportunity. They have the right to do so. I just don't want to be a part of it.

Just say no to Mitt Romney.

http://www.sltrib.com/Salt%20Lake%20Tribune%20Home%20Page/ci_7062785

Why Not Mitt?

Mitt Romney is admittedly an attractive candidate. He has business experience, governing experience, he is tall, good looking, and has an attractive wife. He is correct on most of the issues we are concerned about. At least the current edition of Mitt Romney is pro life, pro family, and conservative on fiscal issues and foreign policy. So why would I be opposed to voting for him?

If you read the news magazines evangelicals oppose Romney because of the doctrinal differences with the LDS church. Evangelicals believe Mormonism is a cult along the lines of Branch Davidism only a "more acceptable to our culture cult" like Jehovah’s Witnesses.

We are electing a president not voting on a Pastor. We don’t choose presidents on the basis of doctrine. They don’t have to agree with the gospel to be a good president. Make no mistake, while Mitt talks about the gospel, it is a different gospel. I don’t oppose Mitt based on the heretical doctrines of the LDS Church to which he belongs.

A lot of news sources believe opposition to Romney is based on the polygamy factor. The LDS church officially ended its ties with polygamy in 1890 although the unofficial acceptance continued for at least another generation. Even today there are many polygamists in Utah and if they will just keep their beliefs to themselves they go un molested although the young girls, 13 and 14 years old married off to uncles and cousins are not so lucky. See the Warren Jeff’s rape trial. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,231017,00.html

But Romney is not pro polygamy, nor do I believe his election will either make polygamy more or less acceptable or prevalent.

So what is my opposition to Romney based on? Romney grew up in the LDS church. Just like all good Mormon boys he was baptized at age 8, joined the Aaronic priesthood at 12 and became a deacon, became a member of the Melchizedec priesthood thus becoming an elder when he was 18. Before returning to BYU and marrying Ann he served as a missionary in France. Those are all the actions of a cultural Mormon and would describe most of the young men growing up in a Mormon home. But does he really believe?

ABC reporter Terry Moran asked Mitt on Nightline, January 29, 2007 Would you describe yourself as a devout Mormon? True believer?"

Romney answered, “Absolutely. I'm proud of my faith. It's part of my heritage.” USA Today asked Romney if he would disagree with any aspect of LDS church? His response: "I wouldn't take it upon myself to try in any way to distance myself from my faith. I love my church. I am not going to pick and choose doctrines and beliefs." USA Today 3/12/2007

That being the case, let me tell you a few things Mitt Romney believes about you and your faith.

1. He believes that your faith, unless it is LDS, is corrupt. Mormonism was founded on the first vision of Joseph Smith who said God told him that all the religions were corrupt and all their professors were corrupt. Professors was not a word talking about teachers as we use the word, but to all those who profess to believe.

Every Sunday when Mitt and Ann attend the local ward meeting they hear from every speaker that the LDS church is the only true church. It is a part of the testimony of each speaker. So if he accepts all their beliefs, as he has said, he believes that your church is corrupt and not true.

2. Mormons who do not stay in line are disciplined. First their temple recommend is taken away, meaning they can no longer enter the temple and do the temple work. (be baptized for the dead, be sealed for eternity, or attend the temple marriages of their children or friends.) Then if they don’t straighten up they will be excommunicated and will no longer have the blessings of the gospel.

That may be the reason Romney makes such statements as he accepts all the doctrines and beliefs. He doesn’t want to be excommunicated. Do we want a man as president who must believe certain things or be excommunicated from his church and from his chance to become a god?

The LDS church is very lenient about political views. If they required all good Mormons to tow the church line they would have to excommunicate Senator Harry Reid of Nevada. But what would they excommunicate a politician for? I don’t know.

3. Mormons do not preach a gospel of conversion. They don’t even call what they do evangelism. They call it proselytizing. Because that is what it is. They want the members of your church to become the members of their church. Not so you will be saved, and have an opportunity to go to heaven, but so you will belong to the correct church.

A Mormon president would be a real boon to their proselytizing efforts. That is why Utah is the brewing ground for a Romney presidency. Recently he used the mailing list of LDS Living magazine as a fund raiser. LDS Living has a strong connection to Deseret Books, some say they are owned by Deseret Books. Deseret Books is owned by the church. So the Romney campaign used a mailing list of the LDS church to raise funds. That would be like a candidate using the mailing list of Home Life (a Southern Baptist Family Magazine for those that don’t know) to raise funds.

Utah is one of the smallest states in the union, but except for California, Romney raised more money in Utah the first six months of 2007 than any other state. Why do you think that might be? Could it be because they know it will greatly enhance the stature of their religion thus helping their proselytizing efforts to have a Mormon president? Of course they do.

Robert Millet, Professor at BYU admitted such. He said, electing Mitt Romney would “be a statement that to some extent people have begun to treat Mormons as something other than an oddity." In other words, they would be more accepted as a religion.

So I am opposed to Mitt based on three things.
1. What he thinks of me and my faith.
2. His need to tow the LDS line or be disciplined.
3. The advantage to LDS proselytizing that his election would have.

One last comment. I think it would be a mistake for the Republican party to nominate Romney for this reason. A poll conducted in June by the Los Angeles Times and Bloomberg found that 35% of registered voters said they would not consider voting for a Mormon for President. The poll found that the only faith that would be more damaging for a candidate would be Islam. (Time Nov. 26, 2006) Republicans would be nominating someone with a high negative factor not based on political views. All presidential races are so close that a negative as high might tip the scales to the democrat.

If the presidential election is between say, Romney and Clinton I will have to do a lot of soul searching. And the question I will ask myself is “what is the price at which I sell my spiritual beliefs for political goals?”

Tell me, what do you think. I don’t believe I am infallible. Where have I gone wrong?

Aaargghh Matey, Blow me Down

Do you know how to talk like a pirate? Arrghh matey. Shiver me timbers ya scurvy bilge rat. If you get used to it, you can begin to enjoy it. I think I will answer the phone tomorrow, “Ahoy, me hearty!” If it turns out to be someone I shouldn’t be calling me hearty, I might change it to, “Ahoy, you scurvy dog.”

My name tomorrow is Dread Roger Rackham. That is my official pirate name. You want to know your official pirate name? Go to this website and they will help you.

http://www.piratequiz.com/result.php

Why would you do that and what is this all about? Well you should know. September 19 is international talk like a pirate day.

So I am going to release my inner Pirate tomorrow. How about you? What is your pirate name.

Til then you scurvy bilge rat,
Dread Roger Rickham

Blogless

I haven’t had a good blog in a long time. I still have a lot of things to say about hiking the AT, but that seems to have faded into insignificance now. Kiwi, the hiker we hiked through the cold Smokey Mountain National Park and who was with us the evening I hurt my knee for the first time will finish the trail this week. When we left the trail he was one day ahead of us, and last week he was hiking with one of the hikers we were with just before we quit. Congratulations Kiwi.

We are hoping now that we can return to Virginia and hike from the place where we left the trail to Harper’s Ferry next spring. That will take us about 5 weeks if my knee will hold up. I am trying to strengthen the muscles in the leg so I will be able to at least give it a try.

So if not the trail, what shall I blog about? I have lots of insights into scripture as I read and study on a daily basis. But I am not fleshing those out very much these days.

It is political season, but I am about fed up with the political system. We had such a great time on the trail NOT listening to or watching political news we just kind of decided that we would not resume when we got home. So since we left in March we haven’t listened to or watched Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Alan Combes, Bill OReilly, or any other political pundit, left or right.

I have a fantasy football team for the third year. I am not very good at it. The first year I place next to last giving me the second pick in the second year draft. The first pick, Tony Wolff took the player I wanted and I had to settle for LaDainian Tomlinson who turned out to be the very best fantasy football player. So I finished in second place. I may have been the only fantasy football owner in the whole nation who had LT on his/her team and didn’t finish in first place. So this year I had the next to the last pick again and in each round I drafted the best available player according to ESPN.com and this week I am going to lose to the player, Sean Patrick, who drafted after me. He has three players playing tonight on Monday night football, QB, WR, and his Kicker. He is only 5.5 points behind me. All my players have played. I wonder if they have fantasy golf and I could get Tiger Woods.

Other than fantasy though, it was a good sports weekend. BYU and Utah both lost, Utah to a Mountain West Conference team. New Mexico beat New Mexico State. The Yankees won two and are now 4 games ahead in the wild card race for the playoffs. And the Broncos pulled out a close one. It has been a long time since they won a close game that came down to the wire.

I am having trouble getting into the presidential race. I shudder at the very thought of having to listen to Hillary. Her voice alone grates on my nerves, never mind the way the things she says grate on my sensibilities. When she is talking she sounds like she is either whining or nagging, and sometimes both. I can’t imagine what life would be like should she win. On the republican side I could never vote for Mitt Romney. I will probably write a blog soon on why I don’t think a Mormon president is a good thing. Rudy Guiliani has not been a conservative although he is tough on foreign policy. I like Mike Huckabee but I am not sure he can win. Fred Thompson may be the best choice but I don’t know much about him at this point. And political blogs are boring, don’t you think? Look at Mike Huckabee’s answer to the creation question here.

Great job Mike.

My time has been taken up the last few weeks with events in our state convention where I am finishing my second term as president. I cannot be elected to a third term so that is coming to an end, PTL. That has been a time of stress and I don’t want to write about it. You don’t need to know all about it and I don’t need to go over it again.

I have read a couple of good books I could recommend. “Manhunt” is the story of the search for John Wilkes Booth after he assassinated Lincoln. “Brutal Journey” is about the Spanish Conquistadores who invaded Florida. The one I am reading now is “The Worst Bad Time” about the dust bowl days of the 1930’s. I recommend them all.

I put the AOL widget on my blog, over to the right. When it says “Rodger is online” it means I am just waiting to hear from you. So tell me howdy when you drop in. We don’t have to talk for long. Hopefully I can get inspired to blog soon.