THESENIORPOINT thewoodlandsumc.org // August 2015
GRAND CANYON TRIP Recently 46 members of the Senior Adult Ministry traveled to Sedona, Arizona to view the spectacular sights of the Grand Canyon and surrounding areas. The tour began with a Sedona Trolley ride featuring the Chapel of the Holy Cross and Airport Mesa. We got to visit uptown Sedona, shop the Spanish-Mexican Village of Tlaquepaque, take a guided (Pink!) Jeep Tour into the back country and a helicopter ride over Sedona. We traveled aboard the Grand Canyon Railway to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park, visited the Montezuma Castle National Monument and the old mining town of Jerome. A highlight of the trip was our ride on the first class Verde Canyon Railroad. This trip was a great way to see the wonders of God’s creations while spending time with friends.
Summer is a good time to read good books. Among my choices this summer was The Road to Character by David Brooks. He was inspired to write this book after hearing a rebroadcast of a program following the Allied victory in World War II. He was impressed by interviews of returning soldiers and leaders who had every reason to be proud and egotistical because of their great military victory but who, on the contrary, sounded humble, self-effacing and grateful. He realized that the group we call ‘The Greatest Generation” had great moral character. When comparing them to the present generation, which is so full of egotism, self-promotion and narcissism, we see a different moral country, a different attitude about what is important in life, and a different formula for how to live a life of character and depth. Unfortunately, we have left this tradition behind and lost the understanding of how character is built. Mr. Brooks says we can’t return to the past, but he feels we can rediscover this moral tradition, relearn this vocabulary of character, and incorporate it into our own lives. I say “amen” to that. We are living in a culture that has shifted from encouraging people to think humbly of themselves to a culture that could be called “The Big Me”, that encourages people to see themselves as the center of the universe. We need to learn again what it takes to build character. After all, our Lord did say, “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” (Matthew 23:12) The Road to Character is an excellent read. I hope you also have discovered a good book and that you are having a summer of enjoyment and relaxation. Your Friend, Don