Reflecting on 2018

As we close 2018, I find it helpful to look back just a little. Suzanne and I wish you a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year. Suzanne really got into decorating for Christmas this year. It has been a treat. We have been watching Holiday movies and generally have a good time with friends. Some of you will disagree with what I write, for I share with you some thoughts as well as the enjoyable things we have done this year. It is all right to disagree!

Suzanne and I want you to know how much we thoroughly enjoy Clearwater, FL. We look forward to the winter months, which never have snow, but it can get into the 40s. We enjoy the Gulf of Mexico and the beaches. It is all very relaxing. It is wonderful to have everything within about 15 minutes. Sam's Club, Whole Foods, Pet Smart, Publix, theaters, and the Mall are all so close! We love downtown Dunedin as well. We parted with year 2000 red Mustang and now have leased a Ford Focus. We hope to have the last of the furniture bought this year. Yes, we are still in The Breley Apartments, and are in no hurry to leave. At the close of the year, it feels like we have gone from a year long vacation to a luxury vacation. Trust me, we are doing plenty, and I am doing much preparatory work for publishing, but we are also thoroughly enjoying the relaxed pace. We continue going to movies and watching both Amazon Prime and Netflix a lot. We are particularly impressed with Man in the High Castle and The Good Place. Disappointed with The Ranch Part Six this time. We also watched The Americans, to which we need to return, and Game of Thrones, Season 7.

Suzanne and I have enjoyed Palm Harbor UMC, with Pastors Dave and Cathy. I was a confirmation mentor for Matthew Jack Clayton. We have participated in a small group, Bible Buddies, on Sunday morning. This group had a nice class party at Ozona Blue in Palm Harbor. I have participated in another small group, Wingmen, which meets at Sonny's Barbecue.

During spring break, we had a nice visit with Mick, Bethany, Mattie, and Emily at Sea Sea Rider and walk in Dunedin.

On the personal side, I am ending the year physically very good. However, I had a pulled hamstring due to baseball and plantar flacitis due to poor arch in the shoe I was wearing. It was fun playing baseball again. However, I think I am done with sports. It took several months to get over the physical issues. It slowed me down too much. LA Fitness helped in providing enough guidance on exercising to keep me going. With the help of my Garmin watch, I keep track of my sleep patterns and getting in my 10,000 steps. Toward the end of the year, I have enjoyed jacuzzi, pool, and sauna as well. I was running a little high in my cholesterol at the beginning of the year, so I have been eating and exercising differently. New friends Jason and Teresa, who have since moved to Michigan, were very helpful in this area, as well as just being good friends. My exercise pattern is Arms and Shoulders Monday, Core and Legs Tuesday, and Chest and Back on Thursday. The other days, I may get in a long walk or a run.

Suzanne wrestled with energy levels in the second half of the year. She went to some doctors. We hope she is getting some good direction now. Her energy seems to be doing better.

In addition to Jason and Teresa, we have enjoyed new friends Mark and Karen. We went with them to the Dunedin Christmas Boat Parade in December. It is always nice to have friends from Indiana, Darryl and Linda, join us. Gregg and Alice Conrad from Crawfordsville visited as well. It has been nice to receive calls from Craig Andrews as well. New friends at PHUMC are numerous. We have enjoyed them all. Carl and Bonnie went back home. We had a nice supper at the home of Rick and Sandy. We had a very nice surprise with Indiana Fred and Judy Gearhardt at Bon Appetite. A colleague and friend, Dean Fager, died. We had a break together in Logansport, Indiana with other colleagues in the town, usually once a week and Buffalo Wild Wings. 

Suzanne's son Tim was with us August 5-13. It was nice to go on the Starlight Cruise with him out of Clearwater. He spent much time on the water and the beach. He also went to his first professional baseball game as we saw the Clearwater Threshers play. We look forward to more visits.

  In April, we missed Easter at the church due to the offer of a time chare in Key West. It was very nice accommodations. The island was nice, of course, but Clearwater is a better beach.

We know much is happening politically. I remain concerned about the national debt. I am pleased about the Supreme Court nominee. Very proud of the speech by Susan Collins on the Senate floor. Socialism is a failure while capitalism is the protection of people for their economic freedom. I like the deregulating of the economy, which is lessening the power of Washington DC and federal agencies over the economic and private life of the country. I like the notion of defeating ISIS and then getting out of Muslim nations. Staying indefinitely in Muslim nations is just not a good idea for any nation of the Western tradition. Very pleased with the Florida election results of Ron Desantos for Governor and Rick Scott for Senator. I have enjoyed following Candace Owen and Charlie Kirk on Twitter. I have been very concerned with the rise of violence from the Left, whether with Antifa or other George Soros funded groups. I was very disappointed in the funeral designed by John McCain, who showed that even war heroes can age in the direction of a petty mind. In contrast, George HW Bush showed and his family showed great class and traditional values for his funeral. Suzanne remains a strong supporter of Trump. I have been more cautious. I do not view him as a traitor, as some of clergy colleagues do. Obviously, since my wife and many other good friends are strong supporters, I do not think Trump supporters are dangerous, as many of colleagues seem to think. The whole Russia thing seems a little silly to me. He is clearly a patriot. A good article on comparing the Trump obsession with Ground Hog Day might be helpful. I make my judgments based upon individual policies, many of which I like and some of which I do not. I refuse to allow my life to revolve around him, however. Too many of those who seem to hate him get so worked up over everything, interpreting everything in the worst possible way. That seems distorted to me. I hope the articles I post about these matters reflect such a spirit. Victor Davis Hanson had a good article on Nation V Tribe. Another article places Trump in the context of populist movements. Another article examines the rhetoric of Trump in light of Aristotle. Given the progressive and elitist trends in the Democrat Party, another author makes the case for the GOP becoming the working class party.

We had a very nice 71st birthday for Suzanne at Bon Appetite in Dunedin

with some friends, Bill and Joyce, Cato and Susan, Jarvis and Dianne.

The United Methodist Church will have an interesting and important General Conference in St. Louis, MO next year. My own hope is that we will affirm the Traditional Plan with a gracious exit. It helps the denomination stay close to traditional Christian sexual values, it helps in ecumenical discussions, it helps us stay connected to the global and in particular the African and Asian churches. Besides, Karl Barth and Wolfhart Pannenberg, my two favorite theologians, would agree. If you would like to pursue it further, my exposition of Mark 10:2-16 is relevant. I invite comments. Among the matters that concern me is that the issue is far broader than simply heterosexual-homosexual. An article on transgender ideology is very good here. I agree with Barth, though, when he said that discussion of sexual matters need a clear mind and strong heart. Again, as many have said, the Christian notion of marriage is one it holds out of love for all persons.

I continue reviewing and reflecting again on past sermons and studies through my lectionary posts. I so thoroughly enjoyed preaching an teaching. The Bible has been so much part of my life. It has been so renewing and refreshing to revisit these studies over the years, to appreciate old insights, and to receive fresh insights. I invite friends and family to check in once in a while. I was particularly pleased with posts on Job 1-2, Job 23, Job 38, and Job 42. I thought I had an interesting approach in Song of Solomon 2.

I have been part of a reading group that has challenged me to keep reading theology. We have done much with Hans Urs von Balthasar, including his work on Karl Barth and the first of his trilogy on theology, "The Glory of the Lord," which is his theological aesthetics. Although the group did not continue immediately with the rest of his theology, I did, reading his Theo-drama on the Good and his Theo-Logic on the Truth. We also discussed Sonderreger and Garrish. In the evangelical tradition, we read Alvin Plantinga. Someone I am following on twitter challenged me to read one part-volume of Church Dogmatics per week. I have kept to the challenge pretty close. I have completed reading Volume III, and am ready to do some writing on that volume. Chuck Britt has continued to be a good friend with whom I keep in touch through the phone.

I went to Indianapolis in June. I was at the last Indiana Annual Conference I will likely every attend. I participated in the ordination of Glenn Knepp. I attended a Fathers and Family luncheon, the organization for which my youngest son David now works. I also officiated at the baptism of Alice, the daughter of David and Kari. I stayed with David. Good visits with Michael as well. It was all good. Two weeks got a little long, however.

Again, we know that God blesses you as you conclude one year and begin a new year. I conclude with a few pictures that simply remind me of some of the beauty of this year.