Thoughts at midnight

It's midnight, and I should be in bed. I'm so tired, but my mind still whirls, worrying about things I can't change or redo or fix. It's easy to say that you have to leave your past behind and move forward, but in reality, we all carry baggage. And we get tired of carrying it.

One of the most powerful ideas in Christianity is being "born again." It's a phrase that comedians like to mock, but it carries within it true hope. The chance we all have every day to remake ourselves. To grow. To be better. To not be yesterday's person.

It's hard to change. Habits and friends can keep us imprisoned. And fear -- it's often easier to stay in an ugly room than to brave a dark hall. We cling to the familiar even when it's bad for us because we know what it is. We think we know how to handle it. We get used to it.

I remember reading how the Nazi guards became accustomed to the evil they saw every day. It became commonplace. They chose to close their eyes and go along. They ate lunch a few yards away from where thousands of people died.

Easter is the cornerstone of Christianity. It's darkness, power, and glory. The Resurrection is the end of the beginning, and the world changed. I revere Easter. I can feel the sheer puissance of those final days as the world hangs in the balance. But ... I love Christmas.

Christmas is the beginning of the end of the beginning if you follow that. It touches me to think of that moment in a stable 2000 years ago when a young girl gave birth to the Son of God. When the night filled with angels and Magi followed a portent in the heavens ... That first unnamed Christmas was God's gambit, His choice to send His cherished son to a fallen world to give them a chance to start again, to be better people, to learn to love each other, to be born again as new people.

I had several people disapprove -- in a nice fashion, of course -- that I put up my Christmas decorations before Thanksgiving. I had plenty of reasons -- health and so on -- but the main reason was I needed to be reminded of that hope, that glorious hope that Mary and Joseph must have felt as they gazed on a newborn baby.

Fall photos

Sorry I haven't been here. Been lost in my books and in my head. As you may know, I've been struggling with a health problem since August. Overall, my health is better, but it appears all my major strides have been taken. Apparently my improvement will be an incremental process from here on out. Well, not what I would like -- which is complete and immediate recovery -- but as long as the improvement continues, I can live with it. And will have to.

I've a new camera that I'm really proud of. What follows are some photos that I've taken with it over the past couple of months. Hope you enjoy them.

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The moon tonight

The moon tonight. I'm very pleased with my new camera. It's a Fuji FinePix SL 1000. Not a true SLR, but still a good camera and a huge upgrade from my pocket digital camera.

Fall foilage

Stepped outside and took a few photos on this chilly, windy day.

In a tree across the street from my house

One lone cloud in the sky today

Another tree up the street

Author Day at Duncan, Oklahoma

Yesterday I had a great time in Duncan, Oklahoma, at the Author Day at the Duncan Public Library. Beautiful building, wonderful staff. And I got to have lunch with the amazing Laura Eckroat and talk shop and laugh a lot. A good day. Here are some photos.

Me at my table.

Laura Eckroat at her table in the children's section.

They had a nice display about me.

The building was beautiful. I loved this skylight.

Laura and I outside the restaurant where we had lunch.

It was a great day, and I hope to return next year for the Author Day again. They only let you come if you have a new book. I hope to have two in 2014.