Todays' word had me stumped.  I had never heard the word "Laetare" before.  A quick Google search later, I had learned that this is the traditional name for the fourth Sunday in Lent.  The word itself translates roughly to mean rejoice!  It is the first Sunday after the halfway point in the Lenten journey.  It... Continue Reading →

Just recently, I made the comment that when I was growing up in the Lutheran church, I found that we defined ourselves not for what we believed in, but what we were not—Catholic.  Now, I find that the word for the day is, ironically, "Catholic."  I guess it makes sense that this word would appear... Continue Reading →

Signs. Symbols. Icons. They inform us.  They restrict us.  They direct us.  They keep us safe. But only if we see them... and only if we heed them.

Life Death Rivers Oceans Kayaking Sailing Rafting Huck Finn Captain Nemo Lazy River Log Flumes Skloosh Swimming Rain Sweat Boiling Solvent Chaos Floods Fertility Sprinklers pH Fish Dolphins Muck Canals Pipes Slip-n-Slides Skiing (both types) Steam Snow Sleet Ice WATER

Strength is not hard to find.  It is all around us.  It so ubiquitous we often fail to see it even when we see it every day. Here is just a short list of examples I often take for granted: The trees that stand day and night in all weather. The roads that take the... Continue Reading →

It has happened again.  The photo-a-day discipline has taken an unexpected twist. I ended up working 15+ hours yesterday, leaving from work at 11:00pm and arriving at home just before midnight.   As I didn't take the camera with me, I failed to take the photo of "penitential" on the day it was supposed to... Continue Reading →

Congratulations on your upcoming Confirmation, Nicole. Our prayers are with you as you take this significant step in your spiritual life. Let these gifts be a reminder that you are not "graduating," but rather that you are taking a first step in a life of spiritual growth. Uncle Mike

After two days of posting rather literal photographs of the day's theme, I'm going to go for a bit of a stretch today. Why do people climb a mountain?   Part of it is the sense of accomplishment.   Part of it is to find our limits.  Part of it is, "because it's there." Whatever... Continue Reading →

Two-Day Disclaimer:  Because I was on a backpacking trip with the scouts this weekend, the photographs for these two days are going to have a similar theme.  It also explains why today's post is a day late... but I did take the photo yesterday. I love backpacking.  I love camping in general.  But there is... Continue Reading →

Chose to go literal today. When I was growing up in the Lutheran church, it seemed to me that we defined ourselves not so much by Lutheran doctrine ("grace alone") as by "We're not Catholic."   Anything that smelled of the Roman church was to be avoided.   There was no crossing of ourselves (too... Continue Reading →