Ymer

According to very old Norse mythology, clouds are formed by the giant Ymer's brain. I think this is because clouds make you reflective, they make you think and you never tire of looking at them. It reminded me of a profound thought. One way to live longer is to cut out the things that you want to live longer for.

Too busy?

November 15, 1905

A father and his young daughter were great friends and much in each other's company. Then the father noted a change in his daughter. If he went for a walk, she excused herself from going. He grieved about it, but could not understand. When his birthday came, she presented him with a pair of exquisitely worked slippers, saying, "I have made them for you." Then he understood what had been the matter for the past three months, and he said, "My darling, I like these slippers very much, but next time buy the slippers and let me have you all the days. I would rather have my child than anything she can make for me." Some of us are so busy for the Lord that He cannot get much of us. To us He would say, "I know your works, your labor, your patience, but I miss the first Love."

-G. Campbell Morgan

Hope

Perhaps the difference between heaven and hell is the proud courage which arrogantly thinks it can dread everything and the humble courage which dares to hope everything. I think it's those who learned to harden their hearts with a certain proud self-satisfaction that life stinks, who have the hardest time trusting in God. Perhaps it's better to have our heads bowed down in affliction and suffering.

I like what Herman Melville wrote about it.

"Hope is the struggle of the soul, breaking loose from what is perishable, and attesting her eternity."

-Herman Melville

Evergreen Mountain

Our group hiked up Evergreen Mountain yesterday. The result was this this nice view of Mt. Evans from the summit on a beautiful November day! You can't get much better than this.

Colorado is fantastic. We had a nice, warm 76 degree Colorado day for our hike. Our next hike is up to Carpenter Peak in a couple of weeks. Let's hope the weather holds out.

The opera

Nancy and I went to La Boheme last night, the opera. The way I see it is that no matter when you go to an opera, you've gotten there on time. I figured I'd go to the opera whether I needed the sleep or not. Actually, it was very good. The girl who played Mimi and was the main character was wonderful and her voice magnificent. Opera would be great if it weren't for all that singing!

Autumn in the morning

I walked around the lake yesterday and enjoyed a beautiful morning. It reminded me of the words of SK, "Everything during autumn indeed reminds us of decline - and yet it strikes me as being the most beautiful of seasons. When I begin to decline, would that someone might think as well of me as I do of autumn!" My prayer is that I finish strong.

We need to live more with nature if for no other reason than to get more of an impression of God's majesty. Huddled together in large urban centers we've pretty much abolished all overwhelming impressions of God's creation. By the way, I saw a beaver swimming in the lake but I was unable to get my camera out in time.

Miracle of the loaves and fish

I wonder if a man who could perform miracles would think about having the crumbs collected? Jesus collects the crumbs and it's no surprise that a poor person might say: 'He does not disdain the crumbs.' It is no surprise that a poor person says: 'The scraps, too, are bread - but now the richest one of all gathers up the scraps as if he were the poorest of all.' Now this is divine. Then, Jesus makes something big out of something small and feeds 5000. He becomes poor so that we might become rich.

I like what Leif Enger said about miracles:

"My sister, Swede, who often sees to the nub, offered this: People fear miracles because they fear being changed--though ignoring them will change you also. Swede said another thing, too, and it rang in me like a bell: No miracle happens without a witness. Someone to declare, Here's what I saw. Here's how it went. Make of it what you will."

Skull Valley

My Dad and I drove down to the little town of Skull Valley, AZ over the weekend. We went to the general store and got a couple of root beers. Skull Valley is a town of about 500 or so people, and believe it or not, it's quite lovely, charming, and quaint. The name Skull Valley came from the early pioneers to the area who found Indian skulls everywhere. Evidently, there was a major battle between two tribes and they just left their dead.

Below is a picture of the Skull Valley Elementary School. I know if I were a kid, I'd be climbing in those big cottonwood trees. You see, there are two important days in the life of a student: the day he starts school and day he's booted out!

Car manufacturers spend years designing cars with smooth, sleek lines. Then you have to get gas. What I want to know is, why do auto mechanics carry rags when they have perfectly good seat covers to wipe their hands on? Ah, Skull Valley. My guess is, these guys will fix your car and do a pretty good job.

Top Secret

They just added a new classification to secret papers in Washington. "Top Secret" used to be the ultimate. Then later you got, "Destroy Before Reading." Now you have, "don't bother reading it because it's too long." Did anybody ever worry about what the initials of the Senate Office Building were?

Voting

Some late-breaking news - with six cemeteries still to heard from, the election is too close to call! And, if Acorn is in charge of things the new motto will be, "Vote early, and vote often."

So, I thought I would impart a few words of "wisdom." Such as it is these days. I found voting for judges to be the most difficult thing. You have to go on-line and read all the reports about each one of them. Because I remember the Memphis judge who gave a hillbilly a divorce from his fourteen-year-old bride because she'd acted like a kid. Then there was a judge who had mirror in his chambers. Every time he passed it, he asked, "Who's the fairest of them all?" You just can't be too careful. After all, they were appointed by politicians.

As it relates to the rest of the candidates, I am reminded of the words of Woodrow Wilson, "If you think too much about being reelected, it is very difficult to be worth reelecting." And we've certainly seen a lot of that this year. It was former House Speaker Tip O'Neill who said, "As we all know, the truth is a frequent casualty in the heat of an election campaign." House Speakers say the strangest things, don't they! Maybe they should stop speaking!

Weather

I'm not sure how much more biking we'll have this year. Below is Nancy biking near our house, close to Chatfield State Park. We've had unseasonably warm weather but it won't last long. Knowledge of bad weather and preparing for it just doesn't cover the agonies of a morning when the temperature is zero. You know it's winter when you see a Dalmatian with thermal spots!

Halloween kids

On Halloween, he really knew how to scare people, smiling and waving. It's pretty clear to me she wants to pick it up and take it home. Shopping runs in the family. This is one of the sports in which her mother has a black belt!

Where to go on vacation

The government tells us to go to friendly countries. I can't find any! So we go to the mountains. I know a few things now. Knowledge is what's left after we smarten up!

Pessimists and Horses

Nancy and I went biking a few weeks ago near our house. Seeing this reminded me of the definition of a pessimist. A pessimist is an optimist on the way home from the track! I remember the last horse I picked at the track. He was so slow, I think they made him a mascot for the post office. I like to follow horses - which follow other horses.