I had a dream Sunday night.  I couldn’t wait to tell you about it, but I did.

I was riding on a flat bottom rail car through an unnamed city.  

Our flatbed train was kind of like a ten-foot wide airport moving walkway. We were traveling in an open flatbed rail car with no safety features at all. It seemed normal. 1

I traveled with my son Josh, and a third person who was a combination of my wife Amy and daughter Shannon.  Since they are so close, it didn’t seem weird at all.  

I didn’t start playing chess until I was in my thirties.  I’m not very good, but I do enjoy playing. 

Well, I enjoy playing people  have a chance to win against.  While I love my friends Eric Swendsrud and Jeff Prentiss I’m intimidated playing them in chess.

Jeff and Eric patiently play while I try to outwit them.  Masterfully they wait until just the right time to turn things in their favor; every time.

I’ve never beaten them.

Some people suggest that God seems to play an unbeatable divine chess game with us.

I can be focused, self-centered, myopic and ignorant.

I can live contentedly for short periods of time “in my own little world.”

I’m learning that it’s important to look beyond myself and embrace reality.

Embrace My Own Reality

I’m learning not to do stupid things.

I knew I was supposed to do good things, but I didn’t really think about why I should.

Years ago in my Bible I read “Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.” 1

Everyone I know is selfishness; some more than others.

It’s funny and sad, but I have met so many people who actually don’t struggle with selfishness at all.  They believe that their selfishness is a right, a responsibility, an entitlement, a debt, an only source of hope or their single hope of survival.

Trapped in a delusion of autonomy those kind of people are the users of society.

Fortunately, and I say this carefully, fortunately, for those people we have tragedies.

Tragedies expose our humanity.

I cannot speak for everyone nor everyone’s situation, but I believe that trials are often a blessing in disguise in my life.

“All our trials, great and small, can bring more of the two best things in life: love for life and love for others.”, wrote Gary Smalley.

Chuck Swindoll said, “There’s a old Swedish proverb: A shared sorrow is half the sorrow and a shared joy is twice the joy.”  It’s been a great joy to find that when I have trusted trustworthy people with my hardship they help me carry my load.

Tuesday I had a near-death experience.

While driving home — surprise — death came calling.

Death Came Calling

I was sitting at the intersection talking to my friend Jesse waiting to turn at the light.  The green arrow lit up.

Time to go.

I started to turn left and stopped for no apparent reason.

My foot slowly rose off the gas pedal, for no apparent reason.

Suddenly…ZOOOOM!!!

A southbound city bus traveling at a high speed went through a red light at 252 & 66th Ave N.

Darkness surrounded our thirty-eight degree October morning. School buses filled the streets with their diesel roar.

Damp, drizzly, dark and dreary. This morning was not ideal for much, but I was looking forward to a day to write. Nearing the coffee shop I reached my left turn lane.

Across from me awaited a school bus. Like me the driver was longing to turn. Traffic was heavy; we both waited to turn.

The bus blocked my immediate view, but I watched for all the cars to pass.