My 2nd Year of Bible Institute...

...we took a mountain flying trip through Colorado and Utah.

There were 4 of us: our instructor and 3 students in a Cessna 172.

A couple of us were working on our instrument ratings, the 3rd student was a senior, building hours in preparation for his commercial test.

We got off to a little bit of a rough start...our first landing was an <ILS approach> in a driving rainstorm at Chicago Midway.

Went pretty well until an engine out halfway down final.

It's unnerving to see the prop standing still outside your windshield...

...when it should be spinning at 1500 rpm or so.

Much to our collective relief, a turn of the key in the ignition got it going again, and thus we didn't literally drop in on someone for dinner below us.

After that heart stopping incident, everything else was small potatoes, and we eventually crossed the fruited plains of Iowa and Nebraska...

...en route to the majestic mountains of Colorado then Utah.

We chose Utah as our turnaround point because our instructor's sister was married to a missionary who was ministering there.

Together they ran a Christian radio station, held Bible studies, hosted summer VBS events and practiced lifestyle evangelism, all in an effort to share the good news of Jesus Christ with as many Utahns as possible.

It was inspiring to see people who valued the eternal well being of others more than their own material wealth in this world.

After a day or two it was time to go, and I flew the second leg from Arizona to Texas on an <IFR flight plan>.

It was during this flight that I had a life changing experience.

When you're in true IFR conditions, you cannot see the horizon outside the cockpit...

...it's just fog and clouds and rain.

That may not seem like a big deal, but hearken back to <The Day The Music Died> for context (scroll to the bottom).

The truth is, without all the visual cues outside the cockpit - the horizon, the earth below, sky above - you have no way of telling your physical orientation.

You may doubt it if you've never experienced it, but any pilot who's flown in IFR conditions will say the same.

And halfway between Tucson and Abilene I got "the leans":  I became convinced we were in a steady climb to the left.

That's how my body felt, and so naturally I wanted to push the yoke forward and turn it to the right so we'd stop climbing and fly straight.

Only problem was my attitude indicator...

blue sky, brown earth, yellow wings; looks straight and level to me

...told me we were flying straight and level.

But I definitely didn't feel like we were straight and level - as far as I was concerned we were climbing to the left.

So...decision time: what to do?

Do I go with my feelings, or trust my instruments?

I and the occupants of our Cessna 172 all survived that flight and eventually made it back home in one piece, so you know the answer to that:

I ignored my feelings and trusted my instruments.

It wasn't easy and I had to constantly fight off the urge to "course correct" which - had I done so - would have spelled disaster for all of us.

Eventually my undependable feelings subsided, realigned with reality, and the last hour or so of our flight into Abilene passed without incident.

And you know what?

It's the exact same way in life: you can either trust your feelings, or you can bet your life on your "instruments", God's Word.

It's the only reliable way to prosper in your sojourn as a stranger in this strange land.

I mentioned a couple of months ago these 2 huskies...

tweedle-dee...

...and tweedle-dum

...came up onto our back patio and mauled our cat Smokey...

...to death.

Consequently we decided to have gate enclosures installed on the 2 stairways from the lower patio/yard to our back patio:

Amazingly, they did so on a frozen day during a snowstorm, and guaranteed them to be solid and secure come spring and summer.

Today we found out they work as advertised; both huskies showed up here again, only this time were unable to gain access to our back patio.

We contacted animal control - again - but honestly expect nothing to be done about it.

Our original plan when we bought this place was to fix it up, enjoy living in our beautiful mid century modern classic...

...and then sell after 10 years or so.

This is year 8, and we may bump that schedule up by a year or two.

We've been kicking it around for awhile now, feeling like our next place might be an American 4 Square, which we'd decorate in art deco style.

If we do, we'll probably move somewhere other than a suburban neighborhood so our quality of life is not so tightly tied to folks living around us.

Time will tell...

Alrighty, let's get some 23 Skidoo motivated, shall we?

the parent's lament

cue the Jaws theme

let us pray that is in fact the case...this man should never be in charge of anything more impactful than tying his shoes

that's not "snow", it's "lake effect".  see the difference?

they could raise all the money they need if they raffled off tickets to Californians for the chance to do this

and that was the last meme he ever created as a married man

As you rush the exits, consider this:

Apparently today kicks off the start of a "Polar Vortex" event here in West Michigan...

...with temps headed down to the single digits and wind chills below zero.

In my younger days I lived in a mill town in northern Maine...average snowfall around 220 inches and temps regularly fell below zero from December through March.

Back then cold weather wasn't news.

<To Build A Fire> was schoolboy reading...

...and no one wanted to end up like Jack London's nameless unfortunate.

A cold snap didn't merit a special sobriquet, nor ominous sounding forecasts delivered in funereal tones by stern faced meteorologists.

We called it "winter", and anyone with functioning gray matter between their ears knew you should dress for it or else stay inside.

Of course, that was before we put warning labels on tooth paste and college students needed <legos, milk and cookies and coloring books> to comfort them when things didn't go their way.

My oh my, how things have changed.

Stay warm, mcm fans...

How Would You Like A Career...

...that involves enough travel...to circle the globe 6 times?

Exciting prospect, yes?

There is a catch, however.

Much of the time you'll be living in remote areas with no electricity or running water, ministering to a people descended from a warrior nation:

The Zulus of South Africa, during the dreadful apartheid years.

Enticing?

For most people, the answer to that question was a resounding no.

But for the family of a friend of mine...

my friend Peter is the young lad standing on the far left

...the answer was "Here am I Lord; send me." (Isaiah 6:8).

Through their decades of service to the Lord, they really did travel enough miles to circle the globe 6 times as they made repeated trips from the states to South Africa, as well as the European continent, Britain, Norway and Israel.

Beginning in 1946 and ministering under the auspices of The Evangelical Alliance Mission (TEAM), Peter's father and mother were involved in training African pastors, overseeing the building of a 175 bed hospital at the top of a mountain, 300 miles from the source of their needed supplies, as well as supervising area churches and 30 different schools.

What was life like for Peter, growing up in South Africa in the 1950s and early 60s?

He has fond memories of playing with a Zulu friend named Mgaai (Oom-guy-ee) and roasting flying ants on an open fire...

seconds, anyone?

 

...so they could eat them like peanuts.  Yum!

Another time he and Mgaii found a can of sardines...

...which they decided to share.

We should pause at this point to consult "The Chef's Resource" re: this "delicacy":

"Sardines are small, oily fish with a salty, briny and fishy flavor..."

Considering that ominous description, it’s impressive they actually ate them, but there's more:

They also used the remaining oil like an all over body lotion, because Zulus liked to make their skin shiny.

Predictably, you could smell them coming a mile away for a couple of days, and Mom was less than pleased.

But childhood in South Africa was more than just exciting culinary adventures; when Peter was old enough he attended a boarding school, rooming with other boys his age.

Enterprising and resourceful, he used to read after lights out...

...by Nature's Nightlight: a jar full of fireflies he caught earlier in the evening.

He also got a job at a local bakery, starting work at 2 am, then attending school at the regular time during the day.

Why did he keep this punishing schedule?

So he could earn enough money to buy a 50cc Honda motorbike, of course.

Eventually his hard work and perseverance paid off, and he was one happy camper when he finally reached his goal.

No doubt he was also the envy of his classmates until that fateful day when he collided with a hapless dog on a tar road.

It's easy to imagine our canine friend casting his eyes heavenward wondering, "why me?" as he trotted away unscathed.

Peter, on the other hand, was left with the unenviable task of accounting for his ruined school blazer, which effectively turned the page on his Easy Rider days.

By his high school years he'd developed a love for rugby...

 

...swimming and playing tenor drum in the marching band.

On family vacations he enjoyed seeing wild life at the Kruger National Park of South Africa...

...and swimming in the ocean...

...off Durban, Natal.

By age 16 he was back in the states where he graduated high school, went to college, got married...

...and eventually had to choose a career.

What do you suppose he chose for his life's work?

No, he did not go pro...

...in rugby...

...or - to the relief of dogs everywhere - motorcycle racing.

Here's a hint:

Proverbs 22:6 says, "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it."

Like his parents, Peter chose a life devoted to full time Christian ministry.

Serving as a pastor at several churches, he raised his family while preaching the gospel and shepherding his various congregations.

I met Peter when he was doing visitation work at several local companies, the one I work for included.

His friendly, open, easy going demeanor invited frank conversations about life's challenges, and through the years I've come to appreciate both his wisdom from and dedication to the Lord.

He's retired now, splitting time between California and Michigan where his children are, but he and his recently visited South Africa again, returning to several places his family lived and ministered so many years ago:

the hospital Peter's father helped establish

the hospital chapel Peter's father helped build and at which he held worship services

the hospital's doctor and administrator

So why am I sharing all of this?

Pretty simple, really.

One, Peter's a good guy who's led an interesting and impactful life, ministering to the spiritual and physical needs of those under his care.

That's worth sharing.

And two, because it's Scriptural to do so:

He's labored in the Word and doctrine for decades, and only God knows the souls saved and spirits lifted due to his faithful service.

I'll be fortunate if I get to polish a few of his crowns now and then when we both get to heaven.

Woke up this morning to find even more of my favorite form of precipitation blanketing the grounds:

Quite annoying, but I think I've found the source of the problem:

what the heck were we thinking?

...and hit upon the solution:

much better

As Groundskeeper Willie once said...

...that should do it.

Know any of those folks who can't seem to get out the door once they've said goodbye?

It's a 20 minute ordeal, starting with an opening salvo of "I'd best be on my way..." followed by multiple rounds of chit chat and questions and several detours leading away from the exit.

Annoying, right?

Brevity is not just the soul of wit, it's the essence of good manners.

As we native Texans are wont to say...

this never gets old

Well, prepare to be annoyed, because this is going to be a 23 Skidoo that doesn't know when to quit...too much stuff, but I'm cramming it all in whether you like it or not, to wit:

you've got to know your <Benghazi history> to get this one, but it's genius.

Trump tweaks "black face" Trudeau.

Trump conquers - and renames - the world.

it's been a while since the deer came around.

Wretched Dimwitmer's plan to <permanently clear cut forests> for 5 months of sunshine per year.  truly, we live in the dumbest state in the union.

Carter was the worst president in modern times until Dementia Joe stumbled onto the scene.

no crime = no punishment, so a colossal waste of time, energy and money, but at least JM had his moment in the sun...well, until his kangaroo court rulings are all reversed on appeal; then he'll just look like the corrupt fool he is.

sadly, there will be some people who don't realize it's a joke.

in the "so bad it's great" department.

Dementia Joe giving Soros the now meaningless Presidential Medal of Freedom.  Not sure which is DJ and which is Soros; they could be twins.

fabulous pic from Karen's hometown on Lake Huron.

and I love Calvin.

my day's on the left, and we'd kick the butts of the nerds on the right.

 

don't be that 4th ape.

Some encouragement on your way out the door:

later, mcm fans...