More questions than answers

Just another cute kid pic.

QUESTIONS:

You're riding your motorcycle down I-17 from Sedona and the sign says "5% Grade Ahead"
5% of what? It means nothing to me because I don't know what 100% is. I'd do better if they told me the angle in terms of degrees, like "5 Degree Grade." Is 100% straight down? That would be 90 degrees from horizontal, which would make 5% = 4.5 degrees. That's not much of an incline, so I suspect that's not the reference point.

Why do people drive under the speed limit in the fast lane? Why do people drive under the speed limit on a two-lane twisting mountain road with no room to pass, well aware that they're leading a parade, but NOT take the opportunity to pull over when a pull-out appears?

I'm watching the Western Finals - Lakers vs. Spurs. Explain, please: a player goes to the line, shoots his foul shot and misses...and his teammates come over and exchange hand slaps as though he just made it. He missed! Why the fives as though he sank it??

I may have an answer to this one, and it relates to Sunday mornings at the typical church. The pastor preaches a sermon which at least half the time is below average, but out in the foyer the people faithfully tell him what a great sermon it was, how much it meant to them.
In the business we call this "the glorification of the worm."

We rode about 250 miles today - up very twisty back roads through Jerome and over to Sedona for lunch. I'd never ridden into Sedona from that side and we both agreed the view is outstanding. We ate lunch on this side of Sedona at a BBQ joint and during our conversation Josh asked me what I think is the hardest part of starting a church. Without hesitation I told him it's getting the word out. Minus a large budget for advertising, how do we let people know we're here? That's something we're going to talk about at our executive committee meeting next week. Josh didn't ask what the best part is, and I'm sure it varies from start-up to start-up. But I volunteered an answer from my experience with Pathway. It's easy: the people. No pastor could ask for a more faithful, committed, and receptive group. Plus, we have a ton of kids, all under the age of 6.
And it gets better: the growth we've seen has been primarily more of the same, including more little kids!

Part of our route today was north on a road that winds through the Coconino State Forest. Every couple of miles is a small camping area just off the road with spots large enough for a tent or small camper. As I looked at them I found myself wishing I had an isolated spot, someplace I could go to study and pray. I sometimes go up the road to Paradise Bakery, but it's full of people and the music is too loud. And this time of year anything outside down at this elevation (we were at 6,000' today), including our patio, is too hot.
Then again, when you're ADD the dream of centering down for an extended period of time, even in the most isolated setting, is pretty much a naive dream.