Skip a bit, brother

Let's see, where'd I leave off?  I had a lovely visit with friends Delia and Geoff on Friday, Aug 6.  This is in Charlottesville, VA, wherein also lies Monticello. ( Pictures on Facebook, and soon enough on Smugmug, but for a sneak preview look at the back of a nickel. )

Next day I had a fabulous steak dinner in Charleston, West Virginia.  ("Blue ridge mountains, Shenandoah River.")  I say of it what Kirk said of Alpha Centauri: "A beautiful place, you ought to see it sometime."  My waiter instructed me in the proper way to jailbreak an iPhone (jailbreakme.com) when he saw the iPad I carry around.

Speaking of skipping a bit, Brother, in Kentucky I caught up with friend Todd who is a Baptist minster there.  Last communication with Todd: 35 years ago, when we were both ten and growing up in Walnut Creek.  His dad got a job in Stone Mountain, GA, and so that relationship was put on hiatus for 3.5 decades.  Todd's memory is to mine like "Millions of Colors" is to CGA (16 colors for those of you who never heard of the 80's), so to say that we reminisced is not entirely accurate.  He reminisced, and I was in awe. I have had other experiences in my life of being presented with old memories from an external source.  Suddenly a bit of memory floods back.  Usually my sister is responsible.

Todd's word for my religious orientation was ecumenical although I think interfaith is better because my stuff incorporates ideas from many world religions besides Christianity.  I think ecumenical has a Christian specificity. In any case, he recommend a book by CS Lewis called "Mere Christianity" in which CS Lewis conducts a philosophical examination of Christianity and its place in the world.  I got it from Audible and have been listening as I drive from Arkansas to Oklahoma.  It's going to take a few listens with "rewind" close at hand.  It's very approachable, I just want to repeat certain points.  I don't agree with everything CS Lewis says but it's the first reasoned statement for the case for Christianity I've come across, and I'm impressed.  If you are the kind of person who must have brain food in addition to faith, I recommend this book.