Grounded Theology

It's Tuesday (8/1) and I am officially 1/2 way (6 weeks) into my sabbatical. Today I rode from Winthrop, WA down to the South East Corner of the state, Clarkeston, WA. It was hazy, due to fire activity in Idaho. I also experienced some remnants of forest fires where it looks like 1000+ acres were burned. As the ride progressed, it got warmer and warmer, until I got to Clarkeston where it was 103 degrees! Glad I'm in for the night with AC! On the way out, I stopped for coffee at Blue Star Coffee Roasters in Whisp, WA. This was recommended by the young couple this morning as I was packing up camp. It was a very good choice!! Great cup of coffee. The ride took me along the Columbia River and finally crossing the Snake River into Idaho then back into Washington. It reminded me of the saying, "you can't get there from here!" If you're from South Carolina, you know what I am talking about. Today's thoughts and concerns are about fire and the devastati...

After speaking to two Gentlemen at St. Andrew's, today (7/31) I decided to take the route through the Northern Cascade Loop. This would require riding to Port Townsend and taking the ferry to Whidbey Island on Route 20 and staying on 20 over Deception Pass through the Northern Cascade mountain range. That is exactly what I did!! What a beautiful ride. Plenty of turns and twists, elevation climbs. Lots of other bikes! I stopped at the Northern Cascade National Park Visitor's Center, then I rode all the way to the little town of Winthrop, WA where I set up camp at the KOA. I met a nice young couple and their two children at the campground. My thoughts today are on perception. I love the fact that people don't expect me to say that I am a priest. I don't know if you have noticed, but my beard is in, I'm mostly in rider neon, or a Harley t-shirt and jeans. It was very cool talking to this young couple, and then (inevitably) the topic comes around "what do y...

I have experienced a great weekend! I rode to Port Angeles from Seattle on Friday (7/28) because I was invited to stay with Doug and Gail Wheatley. The ride was beautiful across the Puget Sound on the ferry over to Bainbridge Island, up 305 and then 3 to 101. I can't get over the wonderful scenery along the way... The mountains, the water, ahhh... Gail was my neighbor in seminary my Junior year (we shared a wall!). She graduated in 2005, so it was wonderful to catch up with Gail after 12 years. Like other schools I have attended, the filial relationships that form in the setting at Sewanee, it was like picking up a familiar conversation. Doug and I went on an excursion on Saturday (7/29) up to Blue Mountain and to the Elwah River. He scared me to death on the road up to Blue Mountain - definitely pushed my boundary for "fear of the edge" - pay attention to that portion of the video. We had  Dungeness crab and steak  dinner and an awesome Sunset on Saturday eve...

For some reason, I can't think about Seattle without the crazy theme song from Frazier running through my brain. Well, I guess now that it's running through your brain if you've ever seen the show, you know exactly what I'm talking about. Guess where I am!! That is correct, today I rode from Camas, WA to Seattle, WA to meet up with and stay with some more friends. It almost seems that I have more friends in the Pacific North West than I do in the East. I first met up with Cathy Banks on the South side of Seattle. We met for coffee and to catch up. Cathy and I actually went to Chesapeake Demonstration School together. CDS was an experimental elementary school in Chesapeake Virginia in the late 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. Cathy and I lost touch after I went to Frederick and she moved to Florida. She and I were in school together from 1st to 8th grade. It was great to catch up with Cathy after 36 years. I then went to meet up with Jenna Ingersol. Jenna is like a second daughte...

The thing about friendships, if they are true, then they will last forever. Marni Larson (now Osterhage) and I went to Frederick Military Academy together and were part of the last graduating class in 1985. She was Valedictorian of our class and only one of 3 female students that year. We haven't talked since graduation, but caught up on Facebook a few years ago. He late father, Maj. Stuart Larson, was my Tactical Officer, a great man, a great soldier, and one of my earliest mentors. I always felt like Marni was a sister. Anyhow, she heard that I was traveling west and invited me to stay with her for a couple days. It was a very nice time, hanging out with her in the evening and meeting her lovely family. When she and I connected, it was like the conversation 32 years ago just continued... Marni is a Children's Pastor for Grace Foursquare Church and was in the middle of running their Vacation Bible School program. With the multitude of volunteers and children running aro...

Today (7/24) I rode from Coos Bay, OR to Seaside, OR. Talk about a cold ride! This one was really cool with the cross winds and overcast. I don't think I saw the sun but twice. I tend to take more pictures when the sun is out, so the bulk of the pictures from today include sunshine. The ride up Hwy 101 and the coast of Oregon was great, even though it was cold and overcast. At one time, I felt wet from all the sea spray. So, not every day has been the bliss of sunshine! Hmmm... it reminds me of life. While the good days definitely outnumber the bad, I've had my share of clouds. I think that the clouds are what help us appreciate the sunshine. It's the gloomy pieces that make the bright pieces so much more enjoyable. Church life is not any different. Church is a messy place sometimes. It isn't all sunshine and daffodils. Sometimes there can be real challenge and real hardship for the community, but if the community is living for Christ, then it is possible to get thr...

It has been a fantastic weekend in Coos Bay, OR. I came into Coos Bay yesterday afternoon. The temperatures were a little cool but moderate. Traveling up Hwy 101 was a bit chilly. In some places the cross-winds were vicious! I always try to plant myself for 2 nights over the weekend.  Today I enjoyed worship at the local Episcopal Church, Emmanuel. It was a wonderfully welcoming small parish in the heart of Coos Bay, and I was received warmly by the parishioners there. The worship at Emmanuel was inviting. They are "trying on" some different music to enhance their worship and had a survey form in the bulletin. This new music was played during the prelude and postlude. However, during the service, the hymns were out of Hymnal 1982. The Eucharist was Rite II prayer B from the Book of Common Prayer 1979 . The rector, the Rev. Christie Erskine, is a wonderful story teller and rhetoric preacher. Her message was clear, and I won't be mixing up weeds and wheat anytime soon!...