Readings:

Wisdom  12, 13, 16-19,   You judge with clemency.

Psalm 86,   Lord, you are good and forgiving.

Romans 8, 26-27,  The spirit comes to the aid of our weakness.

Matthew  13, 24-43,  A farmer sowed good seed in his field.

 

                                                                                                                                          

Our first reading (Wisdom 12) is from the Book of Wisdom, written about 100 years before Jesus. Though the author is unknown, he was a member of the Jewish community at Alexandria in Egypt and wrote in Greek. Solomon did not write this book as we used to think; the author sometimes speaks as Solomon, a common artifice authors used to emphasize the value of their writings.

The second reading (Romans 8) continues Paul’s letter to the Christian community in Rome. This community was predominantly Gentile, though there were Jewish Christians there too. In this letter Paul is making a point that Christians were free of the Jewish law of Moses. Paul’s view was that Jesus and faith in Jesus was the only source of salvation and he was beginning to push Christian communities away from Judaism and toward a faith more compatible with Greco-Roman thinking.

The Gospel reading continues in Matthew (Matt 13). Most scholars date this Gospel as around the year 70, probably after the destruction of Jerusalem.  It points to a growing rift between the followers of Jesus and official Judaism. It is clearly anti-Pharisee and anti-scribe.  It quotes the holy books of Judaism a lot more than the other Gospels to show their promises were fulfilled in Jesus and that he is the Messiah. Matthew also writes about how Jesus was not accepted by most Jews but accepted by many Gentiles. It is clear that Matthew depended on Mark, written several years before. Matthew contains 600 of Mark’s 661 verses.

                                                                                                          

 

Homily 

I want to focus today on Jesus’ teaching that God is now and was always with us, and how we can see God. There’s that Bible verse in today’s Responsorial Psalm 86 vs.5 that says “You, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in kindness.” Stack has said it’s his favorite line in the Bible.  I decided to google this verse and found the same words in multiple places in the Bible.  Psalm 145: vs. 8-9 has exactly the same lines. And Psalm 103 vs. 8 has the same.  And it’s not just in the Psalms.  The Book of Exodus Ch. 34, verse 6 reads, “The Lord is a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in kindness.” The Book of Joel Ch. 2, verse 13 has exactly the same line. And the Book of Jonah Ch. 4, verse 2 has the same.

The take-away from those verses that describe God as “gracious and merciful, slow to anger and rich in kindness,” could be that whenever we see those traits and those behaviors, we are seeing God.  Jesus’ said the kingdom of God is here, and is experienced when we share mercy and kindness with one another.

On July 4^th I joined a group of family and friends for the Fair Park fireworks display. At the end of the evening Leo & Freddie, seeing fireworks for the first time, said, “This was the coolest ever.”

Later I remembered some of what I saw and experienced about being gracious and showing kindness.

1. I got to Fair Park early and walked around, then sat on a bench eating a corn dog slathered with mustard. I saw a woman walking with 2 children and an infant in a stroller. The little one dropped a stuffed toy to the ground. Another woman saw it and, noticing the mother hadn’t seen it happen, called out to her and pointed to it.  They made eye contact and I saw them connect with a smile as the mother picked up the toy. This was a brief but gracious human contact.
2. At one point after our group got together at the lagoon, my nephew Merik, offered to take Leo and Freddie on a walk around the lagoon. He entertained them for 30 or 40 minutes, and his act of kindness allowed the other adults time to visit.
3. Gina, a close friend of my daughters Joey and Sam, came with her husband and 2 daughters, who are a little older than my grandsons. Gina thought about the 4 kids who would be there and brought snacks for all of them and also light sticks to make necklaces or bracelets or, like Freddie, just to wave around. The kids loved it and I took note of her thoughtful kindness.
4. Most of the group had gotten snow cones while walking around. So I decided to get in line for a snow cone for myself (I was told that there were sugar free ones) and for Gina’s daughter who had missed out on one. It was a really long line of more than 30 people. After a while I struck up a conversation with a woman in line. Later another woman, also in line, joined in the conversation. At one point the latter woman, who was sort of ahead of me and the first women (line not straight but uneven), offered that we both go ahead of her. Of course by this point we had all been in line a long time and had tired feet. That was another act of kindness and mercy.

 My question: when have you seen God lately?  And when do others see God in you?

 

 

 

   

Readings: Deuteronomy 11, 18-32; Psalm 31; Romans 3, 21-25; Matthew 7, 21-27

  

Deuteronomy: Just a couple of reminders–

• Deuteronomy is the 5th & last book of the Pentateuch or Torah;
• Moses is reminding the people of how Yahweh has guided and protected them in the desert after escaping Egypt;
• The discourse takes place in the desert outside the promised land, the land where the Canaanites are living.
• Moses is dying and will not enter. Instead Joshua will lead the people.

Matthew & the Foundation of Your House

Because the Gospel of Matthew will be our Sunday gospel now through summer & fall until we begin Advent, which is the first Sunday after Thanksgiving, let me offer some data about Matthew.  I have five observations about Matthew's gospel and a thought about his selection today on foundations for your house.

• Who?  Matthew was not written by Matthew the Apostle. Instead, the writer seems to be an anonymous, non-eye witness Jewish Christian.
• When?  Around 80-85, i.e., about 50 years after Jesus
• Where?  He wrote in Antioch probably.  Rome, Alexandria in Egypt, and Antioch in Syria (today Turkey) were 3 big cities of the the Roman Empire. Antioch was defeated in the 13th Century and never revived, partly because ships could no longer come up river to the city. Sand had collected in the river bed.  Like Seville in Spain.
• What was he trying to do?  He was trying to convince Jew & Gentile that Jesus fulfilled the O.T. prophesies about a savior.  Consequently, he makes multiple references to the O.T.
• Synoptic Gospels?  3 of the N.T. gospels are called the Synoptic gospels, because they are all similar.  Matthew is one of them, along with Mark & Luke.  In fact, Matthew seems to have used Mark & maybe Luke, along with an oral source called Q, as his sources.  Matthew has over 1000 lines, almost 400 of which are identical to Mark.

   In today's selection from Matthew we are at the beginning of his chapters teaching about good living. His metaphor of the house built upon sand makes me think, "Welcome to Dallas!"  Is there a house in Dallas that does not have foundation problems?  If I lay a pen on my desk at home I have to position it correctly or it will roll away.

In fact, a few years ago we invited some foundation companies to give us an estimate on leveling our pier & beam house.  One major company said, "Sorry, folks.  We won't touch this house."  Consequently, we live in a tear down hoping it won't fall down before we are ready to sell and move.

The house obviously is a metaphor for you and me.  We are being instructed to build our lives on spiritual health, especially obedience, which the Deuteronomy reading adds.  Again in these readings, we are presented with a choice.  Deuteronomy calls it a choice between blessing & curse.  I would suggest it is a choice between a path of fear and a path of trust. 

Just like in Dallas, we all attempt to build our lives on a solid foundation.  We would not be gathering here if that were not moving us.  The up side of the metaphor of the house is that we are encouraged again to continue to improve our lives.  The down side is the reality that, like in Dallas, despite our best efforts, we have shaky foundations.  Therefore, are we cursed forever?

I think an answer lies in the readings.  Again we have both positions represented.  We can choose.  The Psalm writer says, "In you, Oh Lord, I take refuge; You are my rock; Take courage and be stout hearted, all you who hope in the Lord."

Consequently, instead of the path of fear, I have chosen the path of trust.  How about you?

AUDIO:  http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2008-06-01.mp3

 

 

Say Rosemary & Cathy, "Happy Kentucky Derby Weekend and welcome in."

 

Readings:

Acts of the Apostles  2, 14, 36-41  Let the whole house of Israel know.

Psalm 23,  The Lord is my shepherd.  (Beautiful, consoling)

1 Peter 2, 20-25, By his wounds have you been healed.

 John 10, 1-10,  Whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd. 

 

 

 

Welcome back to Dallas, Ann, and to our community.  You are one of our best all time friends.

 

The Three Best

Whenever I go on a trip like the one Rosemary & I just did with Viking on the Elbe River in Eastern Germany, I get questions.  Like, ‘What was the best thing?’  I would like to talk briefly about 3 best things that struck me, a Berlin chapel, a church door, and a concentration camp. 

 

 

 

This bell tower is all that is left of the old gothic Kaiser Wilhelm church in central Berlin.  It is preserved as a remembrance.

 

In the heart of Berlin there used to be a large gothic church called Kaiser Wilhelm Church.  It was bombed badly in the war and all that is left is a large, beat up bell tower.  Bullet wounds and bomb damage from bottom to what is left of the top.   The bell tower has been preserved as is to remind.

 

 

 

Interior of the Kaiser Wilhelm chapel .   The blue ambiance comes from bricks with glass circles tinted blue, very moving.

 

Next to the tower a chapel has been built, very plain, a grey box on the outside.  After looking at prewar pictures of the old church, just for the heck of it, I decide to go inside the rather plain chapel.  I am stunned by the simple beauty.  The curved front wall is made of cement blocks with round blue bottle like glass.   A gold, ascending, larger than life-sized Christ hangs right in the middle.   Simple wooden pews.  The blue and gold ambience was stunning. 

The half destroyed bell tower and the stunningly moving chapel symbolize for me the story of Berlin.

 

 

View of interior from right aisle.  The bell tower in union with this simple chapel symbolize the old and the new Berlin.

 

Second best experience.  Wittenberg and the church where Martin Luther posted 95 theses, exactly 5 centuries ago on October 31.

All my training about this event gave me a misconception.  Namely, that Luther was out to start a church revolution.   Nope.

 

 

Wittenburg, Church door where Martin Luther posted his 95 theses 500 year ago this year.  It was a university bulletin board.

 

The story goes like this.  Luther was a professor at the Wittenberg University.  The church door was a bulletin board.  Professors would post theses which the students were expected to debate the pros and cons of.   Everything was hand written in Latin.  Luther even titled his material as Disputation on the Power & Efficiency of Indulgences.  Disputation is the key word and implied debate of the pros and cons.  It was only later that year or the next that Rome got wind of them and a year later excommunicated Luther and the ideas went viral.

 

 

 

Wittenburg town center.

 

3 samples of theses:

#21.  Those indulgence preachers are in error who say that a man is absolved from every penalty and saved by papal indulgences.

27.  They preach only human doctrines who say that as soon as the money clinks into the money chest, the soul flies out of purgatory.

32.  Those who believe they can be certain of their salvation because they have indulgence letters will be eternally damned, together with their teachers.

 

St. Mary's Church, Wittenberg.  This is not the Luther church which was more of a college chapel. 

 

I spent three years, ’62-’65, studying philosophy at Spring Hill College in Mobile.  There were a hundred plus Jesuits engaged in this process.  We debated theses and we debated in Latin.  I took all my philosophy exams in Latin, written and mostly oral.   We had the church position and we had the adversaries.  We were expected to be able to verbally ace those adversaries.  Luther was probably one of our adversaries. 

 

 

 

A small number of the survivors of Ravensbruck. 

 

This was so déjà vu for me.  I could feel exactly what was going on, no revolt, just debate.  Somebody copied those theses, got them to Rome, and some priest, bishop, or pope over reacted, excommunicated Luther, and a revolt took place among the people.  Could this be taking place today?

 

 

Revensbruck compound & barracks.  100,000 plus women were concentrated here.

 

Thirdly, Ravensbruck concentration camp for women.  For years I have read about the camps, in particular Ravensbruck.  This camp was set up for women and it was this camp where medical experiments were performed on the women. 

 

 

 

Ravensbrook compound.  The camp is 60 miles north of Berlin.

 

We drove straight north out of Berlin about two hours on a beautiful day.  When I walked onto the compound I felt I was walking on hallowed, sacred ground. The barracks have all been removed, but the official buildings are still there, the infirmary, the clothes sewing hall, and the men & women officers’ houses.  I stood on the morning assembly ground and could see it all. 

As human beings we are capable of such horror and such beauty. 

 

 

Ravensbruck today.  The barracks have been removed, but the outlines are still present.  On the left are the work building and the infamous infirmary.  The picture is taken from the assembly area.

 

 

Welcome in, Everybody.  It gets no crazier.

 

Readings: 

Genesis 15, 5-12, 17-18,  The Lord God took Abraham outside and said to him, "Look up at the sky and count the stars."  

Psalm 27,  The Lord is my light and my salvation.

Philippians 3, 17-4, 7,  He will change our lowly bodies

Luke 9, 28b-36,  The Transfiguration.

 

 

The Irish are taking over, Joe with Marsha & Cathy.

 

Genesis observations

What : book 1 of the whole Bible which includes

1. Origin of people, Creation, Adam & Eve, the apple tree,
2. Cain & Abel,
3. Tower of Babel,
4. The flood, Noah, and the arc,
5. Abraham, The Father of the tribe, Isaac, and Jacob

The stories are mythological and fun reading.

 

 

Beware, Hue, it may be contagious.

 

Author: numerous sources, at least 4 big strands. 

When: guess.  Yes, compiled during the Babylonian Captivity, 555 before Christ, to build cohesion in the tribe because it has a history, especially the point that they are chosen to be special by God.

Our selection: The story about Abraham and how God made a pact with the tribe led by Abraham, considered the founder of the tribe. 

 

 

Welcome back home, Shonda & Bill.

 

Amusing note: in our reading Yahweh promises a section of land to the Israelite tribe.  This genre of literature comes under the title of denial of responsibility, typified by ‘The dog ate my homework” or ‘God made me do it.’

The story is put together after the fact, after the event.  The fact is, the Israelite tribe had to remove the Caananite tribe from the land.  The Israelites slaughtered them all, men, women, and children, even the live stock.

Their observation years later, ‘Yahweh told us to do it.”  Such was the origin of the Holy Land.

 

 

Emma has this candle lighting down perfect.

 

Philippians: another amusing observation

Paul says that his enemies and the enemies of the new Christianity have as their god their stomach.   That could apply to me, too.

 

 

At your age, Buddy, I could never do what you do every Sunday.  Congratulations.

 

Sunday Homily, 3-16-19, Transfiguration

This morning we celebrate the Transfiguration.

I would propose that our lives are filled with transfigurations, emphasis on the plural. 

I would likewise propose that a transfiguration event produces in us peace, joy, and gratitude.

 

 

What's going on back there, Cheryl & Grace?  You are missing one of your conspirators, Rosemary.  

 

Six examples from my own life.

Kilimanjaro.  I climbed that mountain 5 times and each time was a transfiguration.  Each time was a special story and filled me with peace, joy, and gratitude.  How high was I?   19 thousand feet plus.

Secondly, every time I biked across Iowa with Ragbrai.   About 500 miles, 12-20 thousand other wakos.  Talk about peace, joy, and gratitude.  I could be riding along with tears in my eyes, just to be there pedaling along on a bright, cool morning, bike riders all around me.  When I was younger and stronger, passing lots of people, I would greet everyone with a “Good Morning.”

 

 

The Best  of all Teams.

 

More modestly, my early morning spin bike get togethers {M. W, F.) at the Jewish Community Center.   6 A.M. 15-18 people.  Survival  is a transfiguration, a natural high.  And to think that there were days recently when I thought I may never do this again.  To top it off, the first time I returned after the lumbar operation (another T.), they threw a welcome back-birthday party at the Monday session.  Got me all choked up, which I know you find difficult to believe.

 

 

The Great Dougherty Team.  Welcome home for Spring Break, Kevin.

 

Then there is Hilton Head, where Rosemary’s sister & brother in law live.  It is always special.  This trip tomorrow will be especially beautiful because the azaleas, the camellias, and maybe the Gardenias will all be in bloom.  This is a re-booting trip after the disaster of our Thanksgiving trip

Did you notice the beauty of yesterday morning?  It even reminded me of many equally cold, calm & beautiful mornings in Yosemite, especially my favorite, the Matterhorn Canyon trail.

 

 

Can you find happier kids?

 

Finally, it is a transfiguration trip for me each Sunday morning when we all get together.  It don’t get no better.

Peace, joy, gratitude.

What are your transfiguration moments?

 

 

Communion team ready.

Readings: Acts 6, 1-7; Psalm 33; 1 Peter 2, 4-9; John 14, 1-12.

Acts:  This is another example of stories from the early Christian Community.  On this occasion, the community is selecting from the community seven people, men, who will help free up the priests to do preaching.  The seven chosen are like deacons.

A Chosen Race, a Royal Priesthood

Two things happened to me in Italy that came to mind when I saw this line in Peter’s letter about being a chosen race and a royal priesthood.

First, in Rome on our last evening before departing this past Friday.  It was about 6:30.  All four of us were planning to celebrate sunset at 7:45 and the end of our trip with a glass of wine on the rooftop of our 4-5 story, 500 year old palace & convent.  A great vista point for the city.

Rosemary & I had taken a stroll and were coming home crossing the little plaza next to our convent, when a young Italian boy about 17 came up to me and in Italian asked me where the Pantheon was.  This delighted me for two reasons.

First, he must have thought I was more of a local, not an American tourist.  Ever since my time in East Africa I have always tried to blend in, not stand out as from elsewhere.  That was hard in Tanzania. Secondly, because of the first, he spoke to me in Italian. I both knew what he asked, and I knew how to respond and guide him to the Pantheon, which I half walked him to because it was fairly near.  For a last nighter, this was a gift.

The other event took place on a high point in Florence a week earlier.  Again Rosemary & I had taken a stroll in the early evening while others rested & before going out together.  I was exploring and had climbed a hill to see if I could spot a good place to see the sunset over Florence.  I had heard about this place from one of the sisters at the Florence convent we were staying in.  There were a series of steps in a switch back pattern leading up to a secondary basilica, called St. Miniato.  The steps were quite a climb, with the basilica steps going straight up.

At one point Rosemary is wandering around & I am sitting at the very top, my legs hanging over the marble balustrade.  I am looking over Florence & watching a rain storm approach from the west when I see a little man stooped with osteoporosis start to climb the steps way below me.  He has a dark overcoat on and he uses an umbrella as a cane.  He leans on the balustrade on his left.  Slowly & steadily he climbs until he reaches the top, turns right, and starts to pass near me. 

As he approaches I say in Italian, "Congratulations on climbing the steps."  I reach over and shake his sweaty little hand.  Bent over, he looks up and says, "What?"  I repeat and he asks me who I am.  After I tell him he says, "Are you Italian?"  I am complimented, but say, "No, I’m not Italian.  I am American."  "Oh, bahh," he exclaims and goes on his way.  I am slightly deflated. 

As Peter says in his letter, we are all chosen, we are all a royal priesthood.  Royal does not grab me, but priesthood does.  Sometimes we feel more chosen, more priestly, sometimes we feel more rejected and certainly not royal. 

The 17 year old boy chose me out of all the people in that plaza and asked for help.  In the priest context, I was able to help & guide him.  This experience is common to all of us.  I chose to compliment the little man in a priest context, but he rejected me.  Another common experience to all of us.  Because we are all chosen by God, we are all called to priesthood.  The challenge is to continue to congratulate, help, & guide the next person.

How are you doing this?

AUDIO: http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2008-04-20.mp3 

Readings:

Amos 1, 1 4-7 , Woe to the complacent in Zion. 

Psalm 146,  Praise the Lord, My Soul.

 1 Timothy 6, 11-16,  You, man of God, pursue righteousness, faith, & devotion

Luke 16, 19-31,   The Rich Man and Lazarus.   (A good one.)

 

 

Says Victoria and her buddy, our gorilla mascot, "Welcome in, Everybody."

 

 

Amos observations :

What :  One of the 12 minor prophets, only 9 chapters.

Who:  the book presents the thoughts and observations of Amos, who was a sheep herder and a fig farmer.  He was born in the southern kingdom of Judah in a little town south of Jerusalem, but he is condemning the people, especially the rich, of the northern kingdom, Israel.

Time:  Amos was active around 755 before Christ, but his words and message were revised and edited down through the years, especially during the Babylonian Captivity, around 555 before Christ.  He lives just before the Syrians destroy the northern kingdom of Israel, around 700 before Christ.

 

 

And Genevieve says, ""Hey, I got a belly button.  You, too?"

 

 

Message:  prayer and sacrifice don’t make up for social injustice and oppression of the poor by the rich. 

Today:  God will punish you rich and prosperous for your abuse of the poor.  Amos may have seen the threat coming from the Syrians. 

Sources:  Good News Bible, New Interpreter’s Study Bible, Wikipedia

 

 

Says Buddy, "Where did all this rain come from?"

 

 

7 Devils

I admit that the gospel today is so rich I would like to talk about it.  However, I really want to talk about our recent 10 day back packing trip in the 7 Devils region of central Idaho.  7 Devils refers to 7 mountain peaks in a straight row, very rough, vertical, probably needing technical equipment to climb.

There were 7 of us.  Beth and her swim buddy, Lynn, both excellent hikers and campers.   Mike, Bill, Ray, myself, and Andrew Sokolowski, a friend of Mike.  All these people are excellent, experienced campers and hikers. 

 

 

Hi, Zoe, I missed you last week.   

 

 

Three observations about the trip and the group. 

First, there was a marvelous spirit of congeniality, fun, and joy among everybody.  This was evident always, but especially around 4:30, when we would have Happy Hour.  We begin this hour with an old tradition I learned the many years I went back packing with the Jesuits.   Everybody gets 2 oz. of Jack Daniels and a slice of cheese, Gouda, Muenster, or some other.

You can picture this.  We have been hiking during the day most often.  We have taken showers in the lakes or rivers.  Mike & Beth even swam in Shelf Lake where he measured the water temp at 52 degrees.  We are hungry and it is getting near twilight.  Mike and Ray have built a campfire.  Ray is cooking the freeze dried main course in a pot over the little stove.  Everyone is sitting around the fire on logs or bear canisters.    The camaraderie and joking around is the best.

 It is enchanting.  It is why I go every year.

 

 

Offertory with Claire & Ray & Bernadette & Bill (two of whom, campers.  Guess whom.).

 

 

Secondly, there is a spirit of generosity and mutual responsibility.  We have to purify our water.  So we take pots of water from the lakes or river, pour them into a 1 gallon plastic bag that has a tube with a filter.  The water runs through the filter into another 1 gallon plastic bag.  We get our drinking water from the second bag. 

This takes constant care and refilling.  Mike and Andy always kept the first bag filled. 

Every evening during Happy Hour Ray was cooking the freeze dried main course, chili, Chicken tetrazzini, and others.    Mike brought chocolate bars for deserts.

 

The Campfire, Beth, Mike, Ray, Bill, Stack, & Lynn.  Andy on camera.

 

 

In the morning I always knew when it was time to get up, even if it was dark.  Ray would be banging pots, while he filled one and heated it for coffee and oat meal, whatever each one brought for their breakfast.

Bill would be checking the maps to see exactly where we were headed that day.  He was always our guide on the paths. 

 

 

The Campfire again, Mike, Stack, Beth, Ray, & Bill.

 

And then there is the third.  Just when I think I am a pretty hot camper, I make a couple of small mistakes.  Humiliation.

We had pulled into this drop dead gorgeous campsite on the western edge of Shelf Lake. It had a beautiful fire ring, two, in fact.

The time was about 3:00 and the trail had been totally dry.  The campsite was even a bit dusty.   It was warm and sunny.

 

 

The Campfire again, Stack, Beth, Ray, Andy, Bill, & Lynn.

 

I set my tent up in a delightful little grove of trees.  I wanted the shade so I could take an afternoon nap after my shower.   We intended to spend 3 nights and 2 days doing day hikes out from the campsite.

The first day we cut short our day hike to get back to camp because it was looking like rain.  We had our usual Happy Hour and dinner.  I went to bed.  I had asked Andy to seam seal my tent earlier, so I was content.

About midnight a wind like a tornado blew in.  Dust everywhere, even filtering into my tent.  Then all out rain.  It stopped and then about 3:30 it blew again and it poured.  No problem, I went to sleep. 

 

 

Swim anybody?  Delightful, beautiful Shelf Lake, ca. 7 thousand feet, and a fresh 52 degrees.  Swim and you will look like Mike and Beth.

 

In the morning, yes, in the morning, I wake up.  I am on an island on my Therma rest air mattress.  Water had seeped up through my floor. 

Two silly mistakes.  First, I set my tent in a slight depression.  Secondly, since it had been so dry when I set up, I forgot to put hand sized stones around the tent under the edge of the ground cover. 

What had happened was that the water from a little trail in the woods near me emptied out near one corner of my tent.  The water jumped over my ground cover and settled under my tent floor, ultimately seeping inside.

 

 

Ray on top of the World.  We day hiked up here from Lower Bernard Lake.

 

 

Fortunately, the day was good and we were staying another night.   I dried my tent and moved to another spot.

30 years of camping, and I still can make beginner mistakes. Rather humiliating. 

Without emulating the mistakes, where do you find similar camaraderie, joy, and mutual support?

 

 

 

Cooling off in the snow before returning to the Dallas heat.