(a Steve Orr Bible reflection)   In case you haven't read  The Odyssey  or seen one of the films, let me sum it up: Odysseus (also known as Ulysses) and his crew have been fighting in a terrible war in Troy (of Trojan Horse fame). As they attempt to sail home to Ithica on the Mediterranean Sea, they are blown off course by mighty storms. Adventures and misadventures follow. One of those misadventures involves some Sirens—creatures who sing a song that, legend held, seduces sa

For many years we lived in Papua New Guinea at an altitude that was over one mile high. We got used to it, although I would feel uncomfortable in my breathing if we were over 10,000 feet for a while.   I did a lot of jogging and running for years and even when it was tough to breathe, I could keep going for a while longer. However, I am now in my 90s and when I walk about a mile every morning, it is not a “brisk” walk. Nevertheless, and even at my slower pace, I sometimes nee

(a Steve Orr Bible reflection)   Nothing in this life lasts forever. Even the mighty fall. Whether it’s a corporation, a political leader, or a superstar, there comes a day when they are no longer on the top of the heap. Do you recall when you first realized this? For me, it was when as a teen I read Shelley’s little poem about mighty Ozymandias. Arrogant and grandiose, his hubris was off the charts. See the link, below, to read the poem and learn his fate.*    Later in life

If I was talking literally about a person having “one foot in the grave,” it might be a scene for a horror movie. But idiomatically speaking, I am saying that the person is very ill and may be close to death.   It is not uncommon for people to visit the grave sites of their loved ones. They often erect tombstones with the dates of the dead etched on them, perhaps a word of scripture, a quote, or even a picture of the “departed.” Flowers are often left at the site, and loved o

(a Steve Orr Bible reflection)   I clearly remember the first time I heard—and was shaken by—a rocket engine. The testing of them is a fairly common experience for those of us living near SpaceX. That deep-throated roar has been known to shake pictures off walls, objects off shelves, and nappers off couches.    During that first test, there was one question on the mind of every person:  What is happening?!   It kept happening, though. In time, our adrenaline levels eventually