LATE SUMMER LIESURE

In past years I would have been hunkered down preparing for fall-term courses. No longer. In the midst of book-writing and conference lecture preparation, I'm enjoying life to the fullest. Last evening our friends Judy and Les (7 doors down river) called and asked us to join them on their pontoon. We live about a mile up-river from Fifth-Third Ballpark, and it was a home game with fireworks. We slowly drifted down stream, picking up Sharon (Judy's sister) on the way. We had the best seats for the show, and good conversation and refreshments besides. What fun. This photo is the best John's camera would do.

This afternoon we drove up to Rouge River Park and put our kayaks in and arrived back at our house in 2 hours. What a beautiful river the Rouge is--though shallow this time of year.

EARLY MORNING KAYAKING

Here I am at 6:45 a.m. on the misty river. All is still but for our sleeky, chocolate-brown resident mink, a white crane, and a blue heron.

Last night we had our traditional anniversary wedding-eve dinner. We spent $38.11 at Russo's for wonderful Mediterranean food and brought it home to eat in the gazebo on the river. A wonderful night. Today we spend our 3rd anniversary with Sarah, John, and Carlton and the 4 grandkids at Michigan Adventure---an end of summer get-away.

PERSECUTION AT CTS?

I would not describe the loss of my job as persecution. But this morning I was reminded of that while listening to the sermon at La Grave CRC. The topic was persecution, and the minister made the point that losing one's job for wrong-doing or down-sizing was not persecution, but that losing a job because you refused to lie, as the boss required, was persecution. That brought back memories.

On January 14, 2003, most of 2 weeks after I had been told I would be terminated, I received an email from President Neal Plantinga, telling me I should "take control of this ["renewal"] program, including the very idea of doing it" and to "tell people" this very thing. That going into "renewal" was my idea was patently false. I wrote back to Neal: "To acquiesce to your recommendation and tell my colleagues that this one-year term of a supervised program is being done at my initiative would be untruthful and a violation of my conscience before God."

Colleagues were flabbergasted when they heard that Neal was trying to make this terminal appointment my idea. They knew better. One of them wrote: "Don't you realize that you are asking Ruth to lie--to herself and to the community--in order to have a remote chance of saving her job down the road?"

I refused to lie. I lost my job. Persecution?

KAYAKING ON THE GRAND RIVER

Today was a first. I can't believe that we've lived for 2 years on the river without kayaks. What fun! And it only takes 5 minutes and you feel like you've been doing it all your life. We have 2 new kayaks at the Retreat House. You're all welcome to come and go out on the river for a little excursion.

Here's an early morning photo John took last week from our deck. Sunrise on the river is painfully beautiful. Every day we more fully understand the words of the gospel song, "Peace like a river."

OPEN HOUSE: Riverside Writers' Retreat

Friday, August 24, 10-6:30, we are hosting an open house at our cottage 12 houses down river from where we live. Come for refreshments AND to spend some time on the river in our canoe or 2 kayaks, or some time on White Pine Trail on our bikes.

Check out the website for more information and for directions.

MINISTRY, CCU, FRIENDS, AND GOATS

The past few weeks have been busy: 3 days, 2 nights in an upscale hotel in Palm Springs, speaking at a Ministry Conference of the Worldwide Church of God. They're wonderful folks and so very appreciative of our ministry. And, I do mean OUR. John joined me in one 2-hour session on "Three Hundred Years of Singing the Faith." We've presented versions of that before, but this time Ross Jutsum was at the keyboard, and what incredible talent he has. He's absolutely brilliant. Check out his website.

Last week we flew to Denver where I had a 1-day college in-service retreat with most of 50 staff under the Vice President of Student Affairs at Colorado Christian University. The topic related to my book Walking Away From Faith. CCU is an impressive place, and it was a good day of interaction on an important topic.

While in Denver, we spent a day and a night with our good friends Darlene and Kathy. The best part of our time together were our lively discussions (like the ones I write about on pp. 9-10 of God Talk). Second only to this friendly sparring was our breath-taking drive to Mt. Evans. We hiked near Lake Summit and walked to the peak of the mountain.

Here are some mountain goats stretching in the cold morning sun and a marmot enjoying the view.

LEADERS WHO LIE

While researching my book on leadership and legacy due next month, I came across a thoughtful quote from Gordon MacDonald that reminds me of Neal Plantinga and my situation at Calvin Seminary.

"Perhaps inability to tell the full truth is a sign that one is actually lying to himself and cannot face the full truth of the behavior in his own soul.

But then all sin begins with lies told to oneself. The cardinal lies of a failed leader? I give and give and give in this position; I deserve special privileges—perhaps even the privilege of living above the rules. Or, I have enough charm and enough smooth words that I can talk anything (even my innocence) into reality. Or, so much of my life is lived above the line of holiness that I can be excused this one little faux pas."

MacDonald, an author and one-time megachurch minister, speaks from experience: "I am no stranger to failure and public humiliation. From those terrible moments of twenty years ago in my own life I have come to believe that there is a deeper person in many of us who is not unlike an assassin."

Find the entire article here.