Post Baton Rouge

Violence never resolves issues or concerns, and most often only leads to more violence. And lethal violence is never Okay, no matter cause or effect.

Wondering if the shooting and killing of the police officers in Baton Rouge and in Dallas would have happened if not for the police shooting and killing (murder?) of Philando Castile and Alton B. Sterling, not to mention our nation's love affair with unbridled gun possession?




The police, who are sworn to provide citizen safety, are in a tough in-the-middle spot, and I salute their being there for us, as we decry their being murdered. Yet it was police who were involved with the death of Philando and Alton (and a legion of others).




Yes, there are reforms being instituted across this nation, but will they come soon enough and be effective enough? One can only hope and trust.


Today starts the GOP convention, with dynamics yet to be seen and open-carry being allowed as a "right" and candidates unleashing racism, intolerance, and bigotry inflaming a dangerous and rude following (are there any adults in the room?).




Thoughts and prayers are such empty utterings when there are such obvious steps this nation can take to make real the prayers. But our highest forum just went on a summer vacation. So nice. Is there any real concern?

Just musing, saying, and wondering . . . . 

Rage

God of Love and Justice,
I do not pray for peace.
I pray for rage,
rage at the ways of evil and injustice,
rage that burns and transfigures this sick world.
I do not pray for mercy, but wrath
upon us who have power to speak and do not.
I do not pray for comfort, but for disturbance
that will not let us rest or wait,
but make us work and witness until we are done.
I do not pray for safety but fear,
fear for the souls of all of us
who shelter ourselves behind violence,
whose prayer shawls are soaked
with the tears of the oppressed.
I do not pray that you save us
from our evil. Let it burn in our hands
until we renounce it.
Let us who have exiled ourselves
suffer our loneliness
until we re-unite with those we have dismissed.
Let us stand outside the gates of paradise
until we enter the lives of those who suffer.
O God, you are today no Good Shepherd
but the Crucified Prisoner,
God of love and Justice,
for the sake of love and justice,
disturb us.

From the the daily blog Unfolding Light by Steve Garnaas-Holmes,

pastor of St. Matthew's United Methodist Church,

Acton, MA, and used with permission.

GEM Is Sold, New Horizons Abound

Yes, Gem sold last February.

We actually had three prospective buyers, plus four more prospects waiting on the edge of the dock. We feel very good about Gem's new stewards.

And now, looking at new ways to cruise, last year we bought a Land Cruiser, a 1999 Airstream motorhome. Yes, Land Cruiser is the name of the model. A bit of a classic as Airstream stopped manufacturing class A motor homes in '05. A well layed-out coach on a Chevy chassy, with a workhorse 454 engine.

We had hopefully planned a big trip last summer, but a failed dashboard air conditioner squashed that hope (southern CA and the southwestern states without air? You must be kidding!). We kept trimming down the trip at the same rate that we discovered more things to fix, and finally just stayed home enjoying local overnights.

Before that, a couple of years back we towed a KZ 14 Sportsman travel trailer we picked up in Lincoln NE. Lots of local trips with her - - Sequim, Port Townsend, and one great 8,000 mile trip Nashville, Lincoln NE, the Dakotas, Glacier National Park to catch what's left of the disappearing glaciers as well as enjoy the great majestic scenery. We've also tripped through the Grand Canyon, the Natches Trace, and Yellowstone. The trailer was great with good room for it's size, even a separate tub/shower in the bathroom - - no soaked TP after every shower.

But then life wonderfully changed. June retired on  June 30th - - YEH! - - after more than 45 great years as a church lay professional (spiritual development, adult education), opening up the possibility of more than just summer road trips. The thought of doing more extensive travel with the KZ didn't sound all that comfortable, especially converting the dinette table into a double bed every night. The KZ was sold, and now comes the Land Yacht,  christened "Gypsy Heart".

On March 23rd we will be heading out for a couple of months on Gypsy Heart, towing our new 2013 smart car named Bleue (we're told a smart is a car, so no need to add 'car'. One wouldn't say, for example, a Ford car). We'll head first south to Santa Rosa CA,  and then to Escondido CA. Then east to Sedona AZ, Santa Fe NM (a big favorite), the Natches Trace, on to Nashville, Lincoln NE, and then west as we meander home to Kingston. A rough itinerary, but lots of flexibility in it.

While you may think us now exclusively road warriors, not so. While two former Christ Crafts, a Richardsons (with 16 year living aboard), and most recently our '32 classic Gem are no longer under our stewardship, we are not completely on the hard. Airstream calls are motor home a "Land Yacht", so we'll go with that.

We still have the Boston Whaler!