Absolutely Nothing Profound
Finally, pmPilgrim gets down to truth in advertising. Nothing profound.

It's 7:15 or so on Saturday evening. I worked today, then went and worked out (yes, I'm still doing that- more another time) and now I sit at an outdoor table at my local favorite weekend coffee shop. WeatherBug tells me it's 83 degrees, the sun is casting longer shadows and there's a light breeze. The yellow daylilies are magnificent in the islands in the parking lot. I am listening to my favorite radio show, American Routes, on Minnesota Public Radio through my earbuds. (Although it is in a tie for #1 with A Prairie Home Companion.)

What more can one ask for?

Yet we all spend so much time hoping and asking for more- much more. We are so often so little satisfied and so much wanting what we don't have. Of course I am speaking mostly about those of us who are lucky to have enough of all this that we can spend time thinking about these things. Which just raises my gratitude on this beautiful evening for what I do have.

Behind me in the parking lot across the road sits a big tent selling fireworks for the July 4th holiday. My wife likes to remind us that these are symbols of the all-American right to put your eye out or produce 2nd and 3rd degree burns on your arms- all in the name of freedom. I must admit that I have never liked these personal fireworks. It is the one thing about the 4th of July I don't like. I love the official municipal fireworks but these noisemakers and personal explosive devices seem to be a little too much.

Or perhaps they remind me of the news, day in and day out, of war, terror attacks, murders in Minneapolis. Today an attack in Scotland. Scotland, for God's sake. And here I sit less than 25 miles from the #1 attraction in America- the Mall of America. Maybe it's not that safe anywhere anymore. Maybe wonderful summer evenings like this one are so precious because they are far more rare than we care to admit.

And no, I don't feel guilty for enjoying it. We enjoy what we are given when we are given it.

So, for me, at least, on this Saturday evening, life is good, very good.

Thank you, God!

Only In Wisconsin
Cheesehead hats aren't all that you can make from cheese. Cheddar is so much more versatile than fake Swiss Cheese. Link here.