TRIPTICK

Returned late last night from Iowa and Nebraska.  A few impressions.

 

Lots of water. Went thru Ottumwa which is downriver from Des Moines.  They are sandbagged and bracing for the worst.  It's not good.  If the river goes up a couple feet they are all underwater.

 

Same in Burlington on the Mississippi.  If the water breaks thru there will be no downtown.

 

And the flooded fields.  Lost of lost corn.  Huge expanses of things not even planted.  Too wet I guess.

 

Good time to be in the Soybean Seed Business.  You can plant beans till the fourth of July.  This year that may be normal.  Lots of subsoil moisture. HA.

 

We were at a wedding.  It was nice.  But I went to a ball game.   In Nebraska when they sing "Buy me some peanuts and crackerjacks" at the 7th inn stretch, it's Russian peanuts they are talking about.  Sunflower seeds.  My mouth is still sore.

 

Girls softball is something.  Funny to hear field chatter, "Go Amy, strike her out Christy, Come on Sarah, Swing Tammy".  Seems a little strange.

 

I did think that the emphasis on softball and baseball is a bit over the top.  I think that those girls would miss their mothers funeral because they have to pitch a game.  Balance people.  Balance.  It's only a game.  Life happens more than between innings. 

 

The stories of the flooding in Iowa in the paper were marred by the accounts of looting of the Wal-Mart stores, People pushing large screen TV's they had just stolen down the street in a floating container they stole. 

 

People complaining about the treatment they were getting from George Bush.  Heck he didn't even send Brownie.  All those Iowans who wouldn't evacuate stranded on their rooftops needing rescue. 

 

Wait, wrong story.  Oh, yea, this is Iowa not Louisiana.  I'm so impressed with them.

 

It's always interesting to see relatives cleaned up that normally don't wear suits.  They clean up real good.  That's all I'll say about that (Russ).

 

Gasoline is cheap (relatively) and potent in Iowa and Nebraska.  I paid between 3.77 and 3.85 everywhere. 

I also bought only non ethanol gasoline.  My gas mileage in chicagoland with the phony fuel they sell us is barely ever much above 27 MPG.  On the road yesterday using the more pure gasoline and refining mixes we don't use in IL we got 34 MPG.  The Buick capable of this easily. Which I don't get.  Why are we messing with Hybrids when Gasoline autos easily get 30MPG?  And, using the badly refined mixes got almost 20% worse mileage and we pay more in IL.  I don't get it.  Yes I do, that makes it worse.

 

Sunday Morning we went to King of King's Lutheran Church in Omaha.  I think it might be either the largest Church in the LCMS Denomination or one of the largest.  I'm not sure. 

 

It was a precious service.  Music, a prophetic word, preaching, an altar call to which perhaps 80 men responded and knelt a the front.  Moved me greatly.  Passion and freedom.

 

I have seen the future of the LCMS and it looks like this church.  If the LCMS doesn't take this route it will die.  Those churches that embrace this model will prosper and eventually split the LCMS unless the confessionals die out first. 

 

I know what side of that equation I'm on. 

 

By the way one song we sang I had not heard for a long time was a Matt Redman Song.  You Never Let Go.  They have a new worship leader.  An Aussie.  Very sensitive.  They really milked the song for all the emotion it has.  I was impressed and moved.

 

We sat with Barry and Nancy Kolb who happened to be in town for the world series.  It was good to see them but they haven't been away that long such that they seemed like long lost friends.  Just friends away for a bit.

 

A year from now it will be different.

 

It was still good to see them.  Enjoy the Games Barry.