Having just re-read my first post I feel it is time for at least a brief update on the journey and any progress that has been made in that direction.

Life has not gotten any easier—if anything there are more questions now than ever before and the answers and application of truth that follows seems to be more significant in the effects that any movement this way or that way will have on my life.

In other words life is still day by day.

I am in the process of reading Donald Miller's "Searching for God Knows What", Thomas Merton's "Opening The Bible" and "The Seven Ages", a book of poetry by Louise Glück.

I am listening to a new CD by Heather Clark intitled "Vial of Worship" which in my opinion is as good a Christian music CD as any I have ever heard.  It has helped me make it through the day many times in the past several weeks.

Sandi and I have had some people over for a get-to-gether a couple of times in the past month—people from the past and present mingling together. We have also been invited and gone to another get-to-gether at the home of a good friend. I am impressed by the amount of vulnerability that many of these people we have gotten together with in the past couple of weeks are willing to live in.

I am mostly an open book type of person—if I am down you know it and if I am up—well you know that as well. I am not a poker player and don't cultivate a facade of the socially acceptable Terry as opposed to the one you find out about several week or months after you get to know me. I think and process my life out loud—often with people I consider friends and confidants. I am at that point in my life where I have once again been reminded that I need to process less of my frustration out loud—that an idle, unguarded word can come back to haunt you at the most un-opportune time. That if what you say can be mis-interpreted—it will be—and often to your determent.

I have lived long enough to see both my earthly father and mother pass on. I am aware—as if in a twilight time of day—that there is a void in my life with their absence but can't explain what that means or even begin to get my head around what that might look like.

I took off work early the other day in order to take a late afternoon bike ride. By the time I had reached my house, the sky was getting darker and the possibility of rain was near. So I weeded my beans for a while and then it rained and as quick as it rained it cleared up and I dressed for a ride and left from my neighborhood. As soon as I made the top of the hill the clouds had begun to form again but since I was on my way I thought maybe the rain would pass me by. A couple of miles into the ride, the rain began and I was lightly pelted with a warm water spray for the the next several miles as I worked my way back home. As I approached my home the rain stopped and so did I and that was the extent of my ride that day—9 miles.

Life is like that—you can't always predict—even with radar—what the future 15 minutes will hold. So you just have to take off and hope you don't get to wet when it does rain on your ride.

And—accordiing to the latest news reports—the Pope has re-interated the fact that he believes that the churches that I have attended for most of my life do not have the means to salvation in them.

You could have fooled me—I wonder what translation he is reading.