End Game

There are a couple of big endings going on around here.  First, the obvious ending to this year's practice of Swedish Zen.  Yes,  fifteen feet of open water now separates the shore from the ice on our little lake and the ice fishing season is over.  It was a lousy year for fishing.  We had good ice for a long time, but no fish!  We couldn't get anything to bite.  We even went to Ontario for three days on Lake Nippissing and had the same lousy luck.  One of my ice fishing compatriots suggested that the problem was that we just sucked at fishing.  He might be right.  Anyway, the tip-ups, the shanty, the fish-finder and the underwater TV camera are getting put away for another year.  The good news is that it warmed up enough to start the Harley this weekend.  Still too messy to ride, but it's coming...and soon.

The second ending is the thesis.  My readers are getting their notes and corrections back to me and I am in the final edit.  It will be off to the seminary on Monday and I will await their comments.  A one hour oral exam in April will be the end of it.  One of my readers, an author himself and seminary Dean, is interested in helping me flesh the thing out for a book, so this ending may be the beginning of something bigger.  All I know for sure right now is that I want this thing out of my house and I want to forget it for awhile.  It is all I have been thinking about since September.

One of the nice things about living in a small town is that we get to participate in some unique events.  This Sunday, one of my parishioners is having his annual sugaring outing on his farm.  He taps about ten sugar maples and we all get together for an afternoon of hot dogs, beer, kids, and boiling down the sap to make maple sugar.  It's a great time and a great way to usher in Spring.  My wife and I can't wait.

Spring is upon us, mid-Lent is nearing and Easter is not far off.  The slow, self-denying days of Lent, the intensity of Holy Week, and the joyous celebration of Easter make up one of my favorite seasons of the church year.  It is a time for renewal on many levels and energizes for the rest of the year.  This will be the first anniversary of my friend Cindy's death at Easter.  A lot of people were touched by her life and I suspect we will all be celebrating with renewed hope this year.

Working on some new stuff to post.  I will post the thesis as soon as I mail it to the seminary and you can peruse it to your hearts' content.

Peace,

Bo

8:54:55 PM   Lay some on me []