The Rapids

There were rocks everywhere.  I should have paid more attention to the rapids and its geography before getting into this situation. Now there was no way out of what was bound to happen.

The best outcome was a scratched aluminum canoe. Or a canoe folded in half by the weight of the water. I decided that a scratched canoe was better than death by stupidity.  Actually, there was no time for rational consideration or asking a teacher what to do now.

Personal survival does focus the mind. 

Off we go into the rocks. The flowing water creates a cushion that allows for bouncing off of some sharp-edged rocks. Please get into the mainstream of the rapids. Do not let the canoe get pushed sideway by the current. So far, so good.

Notice the tree branch ahead.  It may remove my hat. It does and there it is floating on ahead. 

Driven by the water the canoe runs against a rock that leaves a deep scratch in the side of the canoe but does not puncture the aluminum skin.

Now I can see clear water ahead. Be careful of the whirlpool at the foot of rapids.

The expectation of a scratched canoe was realistic and was accomplished.

This story is brought to mind by the global pandemic. 

by Delton Krueger 4/1/2020

Murder on The Cottonwood River

There were three parties in this drama

One woman. Two men. 

 

Observers included several birds and animals.

The setting was a substantial stream.

The time of day was dusk.

The atmosphere was charged with human emotion.

An argument was happening.

The drama was building to a climax.

The woman realized she was the prize.

Two men realized this was a test of their manhood.

One man had a gun in his pocket.

The contest was elemental.

A man died.

The murderer had a plan.

 Train tracks were just up the hill.     

He had experience in jumping a freight car

He got about 60 miles until they got him.

The woman went on with life.

On Being 91 Years Of Age

Today I become 91 Years of Age. This is one personal story that I am willing to share. Son of Mathilda and Rudolph Krueger I was born at home near Lamberton, Minnesota on a farm on Dutch Charlies Creek. I went to District 16 one room school with 11 students.

Due to foresight of parents. we moved to Redwood Falls with its good School System and then went to Hamline University in St Paul, Minnesota. Then went to Graduate School at Drew University at Madison. New Jersey. Joan and I were married and our children are Martha, Margaret, Janet and Elizabeth.

A decision to be a United Methodist local church pastor led to being at a number of congregations. At a number of appointments there were two churches and up to three worship services a Sunday.  Some weeks there were services during the weeks as well and what seemed like unending committee meetings.

At one point I was appointed to be a regional leader called a District Superintendent.

My approach was personal in that I did not directly tell people what to believe. Rather, I raised questions about daily life issues and proposed possible spiritual guidelines for individual thought and personal decision making. 

Counseling people was part of the work. When death came it was up to me to relate with the berieved and  
preside at funerals. When a woman and man decided to be married I counseled with them and officiated at the wedding.
Counseling also was with people whose lives were falling apart or who were dealing with alcohol or unfaithfulness or mental illness.

As for the theology that was my foundation, here it is: Blessed be the Name and Person of Jesus Christ, Creator God who came and enables us to Deal with Evil and raises us to New Life in the Spirit

Learning How to Read Slow

Remember speed reading. It treated reading as a contest. A person could read books, magazines, comic books, faster. Except for really interesting articles or pictures.

Then letters became another thing. Love letters were quite another matter unto themselves. There every word counted.  Sometimes emotion was the whole story. You could read between the lines and you had been waiting impatiently for that precious letter. 

There were other times when a "Dear John" letter came. You were afraid and now here it is.  Go ahead. Read it. And cry.

Times have changed.  A text message usually does not include details or emotion. Just the Facts please. This treats your information as a business exchange  Or maybe a Tweet ?? That is a way some folks save time and avoid human interaction.

Once upon a time I wrote many letters. Then came a stroke and writing became scribbling so a computer made it possibly to be legible. Now it became necessary to once again learn to make sense. My mental acuity is right there in public.

When you receive a personal letter from an old friend, take time to read it slow. I suggest reading it aloud.

I am blessed with children who write well. Their letters are informative and well crafted.

 

Befriending Norovirus

Certain viruses are the well advertised enemies that can turn into global pandemics and kill many people. So why befriend them?

Anxiety can lead people to depression and despair. In such a frame of mind we become more vulnerable to one kind or another of virus. We can weaken ourselves by imagining a dire personal result.

My proposal is to learn all that we can about the particular virus that has arrived on our doorstep. 

Norovirus has come to this community. It spreads easily and shows itself by causing vomiting and diarrhea. Here are beginning steps for indiviuals.

     1. Washing hands frequently is basic.
     2. Avoiding groups decreases vulnerability.

Knowing these facts through research is an example of befriending norovirus.  Only by learning can we prevent ourselves from being agents of norovirus

A more serious virus from China is now arriving in our country and is being described as a possible global pandemic.  We look to National Health authorities if the Coronavirus begin to spread.

For now we all can  WASH HANDS.
We can learn all we can about NOROVIRUS.
We can begin to learn about CORONAVIRUS.



Written by Delton

0n Hands and Knees

Much of nature is small. We humans have no choice but to get down on hands and knees if we want to see or smell the small creatures - our relatives in the family of the natural world.
  
We first smell the atmosphere of the small.  Sometimes pleasant - a perfume of sorts. Sometimes musky and a bit unpleasant. Always curious.

Then one sees the threads and lumps of earth - dirt. Perhaps a worm is at work stirring up the microbes. Air and water, minerals, gasses and remains of living organisms. All of this looks and smells of the earth.

In springtime of the northern hemisphere as the snow and ice melt little ponds begin to form. That melt water is filled with life.  Little red spiders.  Black beetles move about. Crustaceans take many forms. one looks like a galleon  -  a tiny ship under full sail.  All this in a few drops of clear water.  It is a wonderland of the North snow country.

 All of this and more is the Spring Time world. On land one can find lichens and molds, mosses and vines - all in tiny form. Mushrooms begin to appear and expand.

Hands and knees can be hazardous for older humans.
Take it from me - if one wishes to be a hands and knees person - have family members or trustworthy younger friends at hands Otherwise you may join those little creatures and become part of their nourishment.  

Am I the Only One

In High School there was a large bodied boy named Sam. When it was Gym class time Mr S the teacher insisted that we  all  participate. 

 I decided to stay out of the way of Sam because I was a slim little stick of a boy. Now and then I was at the bottom of a pile of boys with Sam on top. No fun in that.

Upon graduation Sam went to  Minneapolis to do some wrestling. We heard that he got absolutely beaten into a pulp. How did us little people react. I for one was quietly pleased.

There is a word for that  in the German language   SCHADENFRUEDE.  It means taking pleasure in the misfortune of others.
   
A pretty girl gets jilted by a boy friend or lover. Friends say to themselves: She was rather shallow you know. And all that lip stick!

 At one church service where I was speaking, a man stood up and spoke up, saying that what I was saying was wrong.  I allowed him to go on talking.  Afterwards people were quite offended that he had gotten up and done that. I got some pleasure out of that.

This is a personal flaw for most of us.  I for one commit myself to personal Honesty and more Kindness to all. It is a long word but worth remembering. Schadenfreuede

Delton