When Grandpa “Accidentally” Blasted Off On Space Mountain

Can you imagine candidates for the Navy Seals or the Army Delta Force in training, feet propped up watching war movies on television, drinking milkshakes and eating potato chips?

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 Last summer my grandson, Josiah, and I visited Disneyland near Paris. I’m not much of a ride-rider,  but I decided to force myself to go on the ones I didn’t usually like—especially the roller coasters—so he wouldn’t have to do them alone.

When you’ve got grandchildren you find yourself trying things you didn’t think you’d do again. So, if you’d been a bird posed in a Disneyland tree you would have seen me doing a 360-degree loop on the Indiana Jones roller coaster.

And other than the crick in my neck afterwards, I kind of enjoyed it. That’s how I found myself later in the day, fortified by newfound courage, in front of the Space Mountain ride with Josiah. Continue reading

The Correct Emotional Reaction When You’re Being Sniffed By a Bear

A mature person has learned to be the commanding general of his emotions

Our five senses help us to know the world around us, but in reality they don’t do a lot of interpretation. They work closely with the interpreters.

We interpret what we hear, smell, feel, taste and touch with our emotions, our logic. These help us to make sense of all that’s going on around us. We hear a noise in the forest. We see a bear running towards us. Raw fear sends bolts of electricity up our backbone. Our brain says, “That bear is going to kill and eat you.”

And your emotions kick in and say, “Get out of her, fast!” And your legs fly into motion. (Note: some experts counsel you to avoid running because that excites the bear and provokes him to attack. These men in the know counsel you to lie down and cover your head with your arms. I don’t know myself. I think if a grizzly was sniffing around me, I’d probably die of a heart attack. That might be preferable to getting ripped apart and eaten. Having never been there myself I just leave it to you to decide. I guess it’s according to how fast you can run or if you have someone slow and tasty with you).

Our eyes see a sunrise over the mountain. Our brain says, “The sun is coming up.” Our feelings and emotions say, “Wow! That is beautiful.” Our spirit chimes in with, “O, Lord, what a gift you’ve given us, providing us with such beauty.” Continue reading

Four Ways To Grow Up

Little babies need to grow into maturity so that the Church can be what she should be.

The other day I was waiting in the checkout line at the supermarket and there was this kid in the other line, about two years old I suspect, howling in his baby stroller.

He seemed to be wailing for general principles because his mother didn’t seem worried. I tried to figure out what was wrong but nothing was obvious. He still cried, even after his mother lifted him from the stroller, so I think he was enjoying his tears.

Or maybe he was punishing her for waiting so long to pick him up.
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Biblical Jogging

How To Run Like the Wind In Order To Win In Life

A fellow I used to know said he would never jog because joggers were an unhappy lot. “Have you ever seen a jogger with a smile on his face?” he would ask.

I agree. Even if my knee didn’t wobble and my stomach didn’t jiggle when I jog, I wouldn’t like it. What’s to like about huffing, puffing and sweating?

Back in high school I could never see the need to run unless I was chasing someone who carried a football. But, our football coach thought track and field helped build stamina so he made us participate in the Spring. Continue reading