Musings...9:50 p.m.

Dark clouds are gathering and I'm hoping for a heavy downpour. Maybe a good rain would cool things off here in Idaho's Treasure Valley. Yesterday's nearly 100 degrees and heavy humidity reminded me of Mississippi, but it didn't last. Hot again today, but cooler tonight. We haven't had a sand storm as yet. Those are no fun. (It's beginning to lightning and thunder, and it's beginning to rain. Good.)

Yesterday afternoon we visited the Warhawk Air Museum. The museum is packed with countless WWI, WWII, Korean and Vietnam displays, including a number of aircraft including two P51s. Quite a place and some of the artifacts are very personal -- letters from airmen, first hand accounts of battles, etc.

Today we visted the Koenig Winery. This is Idaho Wine country and there are many wineries in the Nampa/Caldwell area. We tasted some superb Riesling and bought a bottle as well as a bottle of Idaho Potatoe Vodka. (Photos soon of the endless acres of vineyards.)

Like many of you, we concluded the day watching the Kennedy final graveside service. I've never been a Kennedy fan, but I have to say I was impressed with (1) the senator's love of family and his attention to the children; and (2) his effort to redeem himself from some sordid periods of his past. "Let him who has no sin cast the first stone." As the graveside service concluded in the dark, Helen wondered out loud if the darkness was a sign that the light has gone out in Camelot. ??

Kennedy's stated love of the Roman Catholic church and its doctrines caused me to think of my 'church' -- the Presbyterian Church, USA -- the church that birthed me, nurtured me in the faith, educated me and ordained me, and called me to serve seven pastorates in three states, and how I have grieved at the PCUSA's inability to be faithful to Jesus' last instructions: "Go, make disciples." Sadly, my church has lost more than a million members in the last decades. Is that because, like Jesus, we have been faithful at all costs, or because we have jettisoned our core beliefs? I have been thinking a lot about that in this first year of my retirement. I'll share some thoughts re same in the near future.

Blessings, Larry