“In the West we are doing our best to destroy our Christian heritage but in China, Chinese intellectuals are coming around to the view that it is precisely this heritage that has made the West so successful. Former editor of the Sunday Telegraph, Dominic Lawson, in a review in the Sunday Times of Niall Ferguson's new book, ‘Civilisation: The West and the Rest’, carries a quote from a member of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in which he tries to account for the success of the West, to date.
He said: ‘One of the things we were asked to look into was what accounted for the success, in fact, the pre-eminence of the West all over the world. We studied everything we could from the historical, political, economic, and cultural perspective. At first, we thought it was because you had more powerful guns than we had. Then we thought it was because you had the best political system. Next we focused on your economic system. But in the past twenty years, we have realised that the heart of your culture is your religion: Christianity. That is why the West is so powerful. The Christian moral foundation of social and cultural life was what made possible the emergence of capitalism and then the successful transition to democratic politics. We don’t have any doubt about this.’”
Praying and winsomely presenting hopeful pro-life options to people who have abortion appointments continues to be an important part of Vital Signs Ministries (as we were doing on this very warm morning) as does the ongoing entertainment and visitation outreach we conduct in the senior care facilities (as we will be doing on this very warm afternoon). “Vindicate the weak and fatherless; Do justice to the afflicted and destitute.” (Psalm 82:3, NASB) “Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” (James 1:27, NASB)
Climbing a mountain doesn’t happen quickly. Indeed, it is a slow, laborious process which challenges the hiker’s strength, patience, resolution, and perseverance. And faithfully living out our lives for Jesus requires these same virtues.
The 14, 265 foot Mt. Quandary almost did me in last week. In fact, there were several times that I decided I wasn’t going to make the top. There was no way. It was too steep, too far away. Yet I had made a vow to the Lord (and to Claire and especially encouraging friends like Dick, Pat, John, and Allen) that I would “go as far as I can.” And that vow I wanted to diligently keep. So, I kept getting up after every rest, prayed for strength, and proceeded to go a little further.
My wish, of course, was to get to the summit. But that wish, that hope wasn’t my immediate goal. No, my goal throughout that very difficult morning was only to get a bit higher, to be faithful to my pledge, to put one foot in front of the other for a wee bit longer.
You know, there's an important lesson there. For this is all that God asks of us in any test – not necessarily to be successful in how we might define success, but only to be faithful to do our best. To obediently, keep on the course He has set before us and lean upon Him for strength, endurance, wisdom, and joy.
In a real sense, the journey is the destination. It is all that He requires of us. It's the only thing we have to deal with for our success, our reward – those matters are all in His capable hands and set for His perfect time. And what an assuring, comforting, even motivating force that can be.
That I did eventually make the summit of Mt. Quandary was a special gift of His grace, one which reinforced the lesson for me. One foot before the other...one challenge at a time...simply doing what you can do. Then God works with our efforts to bring about blessings in our lives that are way beyond our own abilities. Sometimes they're even beyond our hopes.
So, please be encouraged, dear saints of God, to keep the Faith in whatever trials and tests the Lord has allowed in your lives. Anxiety, loneliness, illness or disability, loss of freedom, disappointment, a ministry without visible results, being wrongfully defamed, unjust treatment...whatever. Our Father merely asks you to hold onto His Hand, take one step at a time, and rest assured that His love and grace will take you into a glorious, victorious future.
Don't look at the mountain's peak. Instead, look immediately ahead, call upon His Name for help...and go just a bit further.
Follow this link to read the latest “When Swing Was King” quarterly newsletter. It is filled with Big Band trivia, quotes and Scriptures dealing with summer, a spotlight on “Stardust,” and a personal note from Denny & Claire. These fun, inspirational letters have proven to be a real hit this year with the audiences at the 12 senior care facilities where we present “When Swing Was King” every month. Check it out.
And see how well you do on the Big Band quiz that’s in there.
To celebrate my 65th birthday on July 5th 2016, I returned to Colorado (the land of my admittedly misspent youth) and hiked up the 14,065 foot Mt. Bierstadt. For almost two years I had been doing a lot of walking here in Omaha (over 7 miles a day, several days a week) but I soon learned that walking a level, paved course wasn't nearly enough to prepare an elderly fellow for the challenge of hiking far above timberline. Yet, by the gracious permission and provision of God, I managed to make the summit. (The pictorial review of that adventure can be viewed here.)
And so...for my birthday this year, I decided to try again. Here, in photos and brief descriptions, is the story of our quick trip trip to Golden, Breckenridge, and Mt. Quandary.
1) After a lovely day driving out to Denver, a day including conversation, prayers, in-car picnics, and a Louis L'Amour audio book, we went on into Golden, the town where I went to Junior High School and where my Father's and Mother's bodies are buried. Claire and I stopped to buy some fresh decorations for the grave and then spent a little time at the cemetery before heading on to Breckenridge.
2 & 3) Claire found us a great studio apartment to stay in Breckenridge and at a surprising price. It allowed us to fix our own meals, enjoy an unusual but pleasant shower, and experience a delightful view of the mountains. Early the next day (Tuesday), we ate breakfast at the Columbine Cafe and then found a place along Main Street to watch the 4th of July parade. To be honest, we found last year's parade in Frisco to be bigger, more fun, and more decidedly Americana, but this one was okay. The photos below show the town's fire engine, a high school marching band, and a portion of the very large crowds that the event drew.
4 & 5) Following the event, we drove south on Colorado 9 into the long grassland valley that is South Park in order to check out the trailheads for the two hikes I was considering. Along the way were the towns of Alma and Fairplay. Just south of Hoosier Pass, we stopped to snap a few photos. The first is looking south into the valley. The next photo is facing west and shows Claire with the gorgeous backdrop of North Star Mountain.
6-10) After our drive, we returned to Breckenridge. It was a refreshingly cool evening in which to saunter around and soak up some of the Rocky Mountain atmosphere we both love so much. The following photos were taken on the grounds of Beaver Run Resort where we were lodging -- or in the forest nearby.
11) And now the hike. I had chosen Mt. Quandary, mainly because of the information we had learned the day before from a forest ranger we met on our drive west of Alma towards Kite Lake where you begin the trail for Mt. Democrat. Because of the late snows in Colorado this year, the road was worse than usual (it's never good) and that meant that people were having to park 1.5 miles away from Kite Lake. The prospect of adding 3 miles onto the already daunting hike made my decision for Quandary pretty easy. The photo below shows Mt. Quandary, named by a group of miners in the 1860s who were unable to identify a certain mineral they had found.
12) I was up at 4:30, breakfasted and out of the hotel by 5:15, and actually on the trail just before 6. I took this photo maybe a half hour later to capture the exciting moment when the sun first slipped above the mountains.
13) The newly awakened sun illuminates this steep (but clear and well-travelled) part of the trail. It's a big help emotionally because I had been unpleasantly surprised by the sharp ascent I had encountered so early in the day.
14) It was really exhilarating when the sun rose high enough to brighten up the whole mountain.
15) Here's a look up the valley showing the Blue Lakes reservoir fed by Monte Cristo Creek. At the photo's left is the north face of North Star Mountain and deeper into the valley is the rise to Mt. Wheeler. On the far right is Mt. Quandary. The trail is a bit rocky here but still quite clear. I would soon encounter a lot “rockier” going.
16) I've been hiking for 80-90 minutes before getting beyond timberline and getting my first real clear “peek of the peak” that is my goal. I've inserted an arrow so you will notice some of the hikers that are already ahead of me...way up yonder.
17) I meet another hiker on the mountain. Cute, isn't she?
18) Here's the first of 3 snow fields that needed to be traversed. Because I hadn't packed in spikes (I was, in fact, wearing tennis shoes), it was super slick and a bit tricky. I had the day's first fall here.
19) I took this shot after making it through the first snow belt. It looks east and back down the mountain towards Highway 9. I've put in an arrow marking where the hikers parked their vehicles. If it looks like an awful long way away, believe me, it was longer still!
20) The goal is in sight. Yes, it's a sharp ascent through a lot of rocks and still quite a long distance off...but I can at least see it. However, for some time already, I've been praying for strength just to make it a little further, then a little bit further, then...you get the idea. Tackling 14ers as a 66-year old Clydesdale (I'll explain the reference when you ask me) is a tough go.
21) Looking across the rocks of Mt. Quandary towards the northeast towards Gray's Peak and Mt. Evans.
22) Here's a loooong look down the south face of Mt. Quandary towards the Blue Lakes Reservoir. What a crazy place for a guy with vertigo to be hanging out, huh? The reservoir is at 11,700 feet while where I'm standing (nervously holding my camera out) is somewhere around 13, 500 feet
23) I've been climbing for almost three hours but there's still quite a way to go. And every time I look up, it seems farther away! (The truth is that I know it's farther away than even what it looks -- because the actual summit is a little ways past this “false summit” that you can see from the trail.)
24) Talk about a tough job! There were four young people (2 guys, 2 gals) scraping away rocks, shoving big rocks into place to make “stairsteps,” and filling in the worst of the snowmelt ruts.
25) A breathtaking view to the southwest.
26) The final snow field is ahead. Just past it is the way to the top.
27) Atop Mt. Quandary looking west. I'm almost moved to tears with the beauty, the immense relief of finally making it, and the deep sense of gratitude to my Lord in giving me this amazing gift.
28) It's a party atmosphere at the summit yet, at the same time, there is a shared sense of solemn awe. Here is a 360 degree video clip.
29) The highlight of my birthday? I guess so!
30) I hang out at the summit for quite awhile -- resting, eating a bit, taking more water, and being almost overwhelmed by all elements of the experience. I also take a few more photos including some, like the one below, that again begs the question, “What in the world is a guy with vertigo doing up here?”
31) Okay, on the way down now, I occasionally look back and wonder how on earth I just managed to get up there!
32) It was a hard and slow climb down. It took two hours just to get back to timberline and, with my legs going “all noodly” on me, it took even longer for me to make it back to the car. Thank You, Lord, for bearing me up through the ordeal and for giving giving me patience, hope, and encouraging friends like these to cheer me up on the way down.
Because we had several things going this weekend (including a wedding reception for Jake and Tricia Malek on Saturday, teaching a Sunday School class and preaching the sermon at Lighthouse Baptist Church on Sunday morning, writing the monthly letter of Vital Signs Ministries, etc.), we left Breckenridge early Thursday morning and got into Omaha in the early evening. Our way home was helped by listening to an audio copy of Who Built That: Awe-Inspiring Stories of American Tinkerpreneurs by the incomparable Michelle Malkin. Terrific.
To all of you who prayed for my protection and for success in this venture, I express my deepest thanks.
Thursday morning Claire and I joined Pat Osborne, John Malek, Quint & Carol Coppi, Jim & Jeanne Lawson (and another 150 or so conservatives) for a breakfast talk by columnist and radio broadcaster, Dennis Prager. Sponsored by The Answer Omaha Radio and held at the Hotel RL, the event seemed to be a success on several levels. Kudos to 1420 AM.
Dennis Prager was certainly in fine form Thursday morning and his observations and exhortations regarding the culture wars were enthusiastically received by the audience. Want a few highlights of his talk? Well, I transcribe below some of the notes I took on the back of a bank envelope.
* Prager reminded us that he opposed Donald Trump’s nomination throughout the primaries. However, he supported Trump enthusiastically in the general election although frequently he presented the choice between Clinton and Trump to something like the choice of two doors. Behind one of them, you were guaranteed, was a man-eating lion while, behind the other, there only might be a man-eating lion. People of moral values thus had a clear choice for Donald Trump. That being said, Prager told the audience that he “is amazed at the great job Trump has done” so far.
* "The modern university is a wisdom-free institution."
* The left does not represent liberalism. Indeed, the modern left is decidedly anti-liberal. Examples? Think of the ideals of Harry Truman, John Kennedy, or Henry Jackson (patriotism, optimism, strong national defense, freedom of speech, opposition to big government and government handouts, traditional moral values, etc.) vs. the whining, value-free authoritarianism of Barack Obama, Bernie Sanders and Nancy Pelosi.
* The left is actively, purposefully undermining the ideals of Western civilization.
* America’s historic trinity of ideals? Liberty. In God We Trust. E pluribus unum.
* The left represents the legacy of the French Revolution – godless, intolerant, and violent. It demands equality by denying liberty and justice.
* The Democrats are now all the same. Republican candidates (at every level) must run against the Democrat Party and its positions and tactics.
* “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” (Proverbs 9:10)
* The question, not merely to ponder, but to excite action on our part should be, “How American is America going to be?”
* The left is, by valuing everything according to race and class, is proving itself racist and elitist.
* “Hysteria is to the left what oxygen is to biological life.”
* Canada is already lost. So is Europe. Are we next to fall, the last great hope on earth for freedom?
* The left does not hate evil. They hate carbon emissions and pro-life advocates and Israel and conservative speakers on college campuses…but they don’t hate evil.
* “The university, at least for students in the humanities and social sciences, is a fraud.”
* A key problem in America? The grandchildren of Jews and Christians do not know Judaism or Christianity.
* The problem with Congress is democracy -- for voters today are addicted to government handouts. Today’s Democrats do not, as did JFK, put the interests of the nation before the wants of the individual. No, they literally pay for votes by promising more and more free benefits to voters.
Comments from today’s “When Swing Was King” presentations:
1) “You know, I’m missing a College World Series game to come here. But that’s okay because I sure didn’t want to miss one of your shows.”
2) After assuring one woman that we would be back next month, she replied. “Oh, you can’t come back soon enough for us. You could come every week as far as we’re concerned. And you could show the same program too. We just love it!”
3) First lady: “I’m glad we got here early and got some good seats.”
Second lady: “But they never get very many people in here [the theater] for a program.”
First lady: “Maybe normally. But trust me, for THIS show the place will be packed.”
4) Fellow: “Oh, this is that big band thing. I hear it’s a pretty good show.”
First Lady: “Oh, you haven’t been to one of these yet? You’re in for a treat!”
Second lady: “Yes, of all the programs they bring in, this is the best.”
5) “Don’t mind me crying a little. It only is because your program is so beautiful that it makes me cry. The music, oh my. How wonderful it is to hear it again. And the pictures are wonderful too. And all the work in finding the history behind all those songs. It is just great that you do this for us. Thank you so much.”
