Dave's Personal Page of Periodic Posts

When Knights Were Bold (A Book Review)

2011-10-30T22:12:00.001-04:00

When Knights Were Bold, by Eva March Tappan

Short Review:

First, I want to clarify a misunderstanding that I held from the book's title. It is not an adventure book. It is more simply an easy-to-read Medieval history. If you have an interest in the Middle Ages, I recommend this book as some light reading to broaden your understanding of the era.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is neither boring, nor adventurous, and it found it to be the perfect book to read a chapter before bed. It broadened my understanding of the Middle Ages, and corrected some "fairy-tale" misperceptions.

Free Text and Pictures:

http://www.mainlesson.com/display.php?author=tappan&book=bold&story=_contents

Free Audio Book:

http://librivox.org/when-knights-were-bold-by-eva-march-tappan/

Don't Think and Drive (16)

2011-08-07T16:06:00.005-04:00

Random and funny things observed while traveling.

I've decided to name my car Alexis. I just want to be able to say, "Yeah, I travel in Alexis . . . " "I own Alexis . . ."

I think I would rent the truck that advertised in large letters "fuel-saving chassis skirts!", except that no one had bothered to actually put them on the truck - they weren't there!

"Sorry restaurant closes at 9pm." Great restaurants are open all night?

"Subway parking only". - I expected to see this sign underground.

"Must be 21 to enter this area". I didn't go, because I'm not 21 anymore . . .

"No Parking: Doctors Only" So I can park there? (I'm not a doctor).

"Handwashing Instructions:
Thoroughly wash and dry hands" -- No kidding, lol.

"The firm concentrates on selling to either small, medium-sized, or large customers." LOL! (They meant small, medium, or large businesses.)

Restaurant sign advertising:
"NEW
Fajita
GrillBurger
Lemonade"
-- sounds positively disgusting.

Something about Wendy's "Natural-Cut Fries" bothers me. What? Do they grow them that way?

Some dress codes are strict, but this one takes the cake!
"Girls: Dresses or skirts and blouses with sleeves, knee-length or below" (Those are some LONG sleeves!)

Check out these great pictures, also!

1) Deanna spotted this one. The sign says "Walk-ins Welcome". LOL. I love this one.

2) We found a boy who fell in a puddle! lol

3) Now THAT is some AMAZING Cologne!

Evolution Died of Pneumonia

2011-07-30T19:24:00.001-04:00

(Short version - read only until dashed line)

Bill: "Imagine you have severe pneumonia. You will die, unless you get the right medication quickly. A pharmacist escorts you to a room where base chemicals sit on shelves, clearly divided into types, but unlabled as to what they are. There are 60 different chemicals in the room, and you are assured that the correct chemicals to save your life are included. You must choose the right combination that will create the medicine that will save your life. Incorrect combinations create poisons that will kill you except for a few neutral combinations that won't hurt you (but you will still die of the pneumonia). Only one creates the drug needed to save your life. Remember, you don't even know the number of chemicals included in the lifesaving formula - you must guess that too. How likely are you to be right?"

Pete: "I am going to die."

Bill: "Now, let's say that the entire world's population has this severe pneumonia. Each one of them gets to try to create the formula that will save their life. We now have 6 billion attempts, instead of just one. How many people are going to survive?

Pete: "Well, I suppose a few would. Maybe a couple hundred?"

Bill: "Actually, as best as we can tell, the chance of anyone out of the 6 billion people getting the right combination is 1 out of 8 followed by 96 zeros. That's nearly a googol against any of the 6 billion surviving. But ... for the sake of argument, let's take your number. 200 people managed to guess correctly somehow and survived.

Now here comes the tricky part. How many of them could remember which chemicals they chose?"

Pete: "Oh dear - probably only 1 or 2."

Bill: "So how is the next generation (if there is one) going to survive the next pneumonia epidemic?"

Pete: "Well that's simple. The two that survived will write down or tell in detail the location and order of the chemicals they chose to their children."

Bill: "And here is the inherent problem with evolution, Pete. You see, in order for good mutations or accidents to be passed on to the next generation . . . you have to require intelligence. It's one thing to argue that chance processes can happen, but why can we simply assume that they're just 'passed on to the next generation'? You see, there has to already be an order, a system, an intelligence in place in order for those genes to be passed on. Where did THAT come from?

--------------------------------------------------

Pete: "But early cells simply grew and divided - they didn't have to procreate,"

Bill: "They grew and divided? Why? Where did the information for growing and dividing come from? Do you see how this doesn't make sense? If a cell somehow did manage to come into existence, where did it get all that information that we just assume it had? We consider it simply inherent to cells -- simply inherent to life. Maybe it is exactly that - simply inherent."

Pete: "You're arguing for a creator?"

Bill: "Why not? I believe that Z-pak you're taking for your pneumonia was specifically designed and created by a drug company. It's not even living, and I don't think it's any more than 13 chemicals in combination. Why wouldn't I believe that our bodies, which are living and so very much more complex, were created also?"

Pete: "But science says--"

Bill: "Science says that the z-pak was created, yes. And it also says that the human body is much more complex. Science does NOT say that man evolved. Science is study involving the observable and repeatable. That's why we know the z-pak was created -- by observation and repetition. But science cannot claim evolution. Individual scientists can claim it, for they are men and women with beliefs and faith, just like us. And so many scientists have claimed it. And many scientists have also claimed that God created the world, humans, and everything else. Neither of those is science. That's faith."

You see, it is complete foolishness to believe that Zithromax was designed by a drug company and at the same time to believe that your body was just a random happening.

Don't Think and Drive (15)

2011-07-01T23:39:00.003-04:00

Random and funny things observed while traveling.

Southern Trip Edition

When I was on trio, we stayed in "camp accommodations". You know, a sweaty-smelling room with humidity way too high, no air conditioning, with 14 other guys who have vowed not to sleep? And the shower you get to use is a concrete bunker with no windows and nobody bothered to change the light bulb, with cracks in the wall so large you can see through them, and 2 inches of standing black water in the bottom? (You think I'm exaggerating - ask me about some stories!)

Well, guess what the ADULTS stay in!? I am apparently old enough now to be an adult. I had a double-bed, A/C, and a private bath at most of the camps I went to!! Check out the best one:

One camp I went to had a resident peacock. I didn't know these things can fly, often hang out in trees, and crow ...!

Road Names are always interesting. But you don't have to be a genius to name a street. Here's some I spotted:

"Cross St"

"Minor Rd"

"Frontage Rd"

What's the next ones? "Narrow Rd" and "City St"? LOL

I just love the Signs you see along the roads:

"Caution: School". No kidding!

"Wi-Fi Hot Tub" - this I've got to see!

"Clay Building Supply" - convenient last name :)

"To Future 26-W" -- We only had enough money for the sign, lol. Go ahead, take the exit. Right now, you launch of a bridge that's yet to be completed, but in a couple years, we'll have that fixed!

Ok, seriously - a hotel sign that says "Clean and Nice Folks"? That's what I look for in a hotel.

"Horseback Riding Zip Lines" - sign me up! This sounds like the adventure of a lifetime! LOL

"Camping -- Next Right" - in light of recent events, I found this extremely comical. (For those of you who are wondering, Mr. Camping predicted the world was going to end, and was wrong. He predicted again ...)

"New Steak Menu!" - They discovered that old steaks don't sell well.

Billboards:

"Go to church or the devil will get you" - Sorry guys, but I had to laugh. On a billboard? For adults?

"Heavy Traffic Can Be Such a Blessing ..." (Unfortunately for the advertiser, the trees had grown so tall no one could read the next line ...)

"World's Largest Sheet Sets" -- huh? Unfortunately no one makes beds this size. :( (I believe this was a problem of placement on the sign. I think World's Largest was supposed to go with "As Seen on TV", but well, they put it iin the wrong place.)

"Sweet Local Peaches" - Spent the next 3 minutes trying to figure out if this was advertising a dating service ...

Churches:

"Kodak UMC" - Come experience a God-Moment! ... I mean a Kodak-Moment ...

"The Church" - Yup, that was their name. Says it all.

Ok, I thought this hilarious! "Department of Mental Retardation" Please call if you would like to become more retarded ...

I thought this department was housed in DC!

Just compare the "Uses Most Energy" rating with the "This model uses: "

1) They found it necessary to explain "qualified person".

2) "Failure to follow these instructions can result in death or explosion." Yeah, a friend of mine tried to service his own water heater. He must have done something wrong. He exploded.

P.S. Sorry I don't have pictures for all these signs, but I hear it's quite dangerous to take pictures while trying to drive ;)

The Club of Queer Trades, by GK Chesterton (Book Review)

2011-06-26T22:03:00.002-04:00

The Club of Queer Trades,

by GK Chesterton (Book Review)

Short Review:

A mystery/detective book with very unexpected endings! Great book with a funny and witty take on businesses. Totally different perspective about some everyday occurrences and unfamiliar experiences.

Review:

This book stays strictly inside G.K. Chesterton's style. Or perhaps better stated, this book defines Chesterton's style. He starts with a situation that doesn't make any sense, builds a detective case about the situation or story, and then wraps up the story with a full and clear explanation that's almost hilarious. Different from the Father Brown series, this book focuses on explaining strange occurrences less related to crime, and more related to "business". It's a great light read.

Free Book:

http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1696

Free Audio:

http://librivox.org/the-club-of-queer-trades-by-g-k-chesterton/

Did I Fail as a Mom?

2011-05-08T22:48:00.003-04:00

A message to all those mothers today who feel like they've failed.

Jochebed (Moses' mother) was a Failure

(Part of the Biblical Failures Series)

--If you don't have much time, scroll down and start at the section titled, "The Story Goes Gray"--

Introduction

Many of us view Moses as a great man of God. He was an amazing leader who led Israel out of slavery and into the Promised Land! How grand it must have been to be the mother of such an amazing person.

Or not.

Jochebed was a failure.

It's a Boy! -- was NOT a celebration.

Or, at least, she probably thought she was. As far as we know, Moses was the second male child born to Amram and Jochebed. The conditions surrounding their births were very different. By the time that Moses was born, it was illegal for male children to live. In a spirit of heroic and loving motherhood, Jochebed managed to hide Moses for three months! (See Exodus 2). As any mother of an infant knows, this was no small achievement! But things changed, and after three months, his parents had to face the agonizing realization that if they tried to hide him any longer, he would be found, and if found, murdered. As my pastor mentioned this morning, Jochebed had to be willing to give up her motherhood of Moses in order to save his life. "In order for Moses to live, someone else would have to raise him." (Thomas Lorimer)

Losing Her Baby

Imagine the thoughts and feelings that Jochebed must have struggled with. If she puts him in the Nile, he is going to cry. If he cries, people will find him. If the wrong person finds him . . . He will die. It must have been a tremendous internal battle. Jochebed certainly realized that she may never see her baby again. But practically, their options were few. If they keep him, he will die, guaranteed. If they try to let an Egyptian find him, he has a very slight chance at living. But the Bible gives us a clearer perspective in Hebrews chapter 11, verse 23. "By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict." Jochebed had faith in a great big God, and she trusted that God was in control. Though she would have to give her child up, and she may never see him again, she believed that God could take care of him.

Irony upon Irony

This story is full of irony. I find it comical that Moses' parents actually found a creative way to obey the law. The law stated that all Hebrew boys should be thrown into the Nile. That's exactly what they did -- they just put a boat underneath! lol.

But I'm sure that on that day they were not smirking to themselves about how clever they had been. Who wouldn't be crying on the day you see your baby for the last time? An interesting note is that Moses' parents did not turn their backs on him. Miriam, his sister, "stood at a distance to see what would happen to him" (v 4). By chance (or an act of God), the daughter of Pharaoh shows up! The hand of God is clearly evident. She has compassion and decides to adopt this child as her own. Miriam, obviously old enough to allow God to give her a clever wit, shows up (and no one is surprised?) and offers to find a Hebrew to be a nurse mother to raise the boy for the princess. The princess agrees. And in a powerful irony that only God can create -- Jochebed was hired by the princess to raise Moses! She's getting paid to raise her own son!

Losing Her Baby the Second Time

Or not. No, in a very real sense, this baby was no longer her child. She had in fact lost her motherhood of him in order to save his life. And when he was old enough, Jochebed lost her child again. She had to give him to Pharaoh's daughter. I have no idea whether this would have been harder or easier than the first time. Perhaps some of you mothers will be able to tell me. But I imagine that this loss was harder. Mothers often worry about their children, and I imagine that Jochebed was very afraid. Which is worse, to lose your child to death, or to lose your child's soul? The only danger she faced the first time was that her baby would die. But now she is turning over a young and impressionable child to an evil tyrant - to be trained in state, in court, and in politics. Moses would be trained to be exactly the kind of person that the Hebrews hated. Mom, isn't this harder than death? Jochebed had but a short time to try to instill every value she possibly could in this young boy. And then he was gone. Gone to be indoctrinated as a communist leader. Gone to a Muslim suicide bomber training camp. Gone to be trained by the enemy. ... Worry ...

The Story Goes Gray

So far, the story has been amazing. God has turned things inside out and done some really awesome miracles! But what happens now? She is no longer Moses' mother. She does not know what will happen. But the possibilities certainly don't look good. We don't really know what all Jochebed knew of Moses after that. But let's imagine what she might have known. After such a long time, how he had turned out? Would he turn on them and become a regular Egyptian? Perhaps a glimmer of hope comes when she hears that Moses is not really acting as the son of the daughter of Pharaoh, but has come down to see his fellow Hebrews. But hope turns to dispair, when just as quickly, she receives news that her son is a murderer. It sounds more like he has become an angry rebellious young man, who both turned against Pharaoh and against his own people. No, he didn't become who she had hoped. And in all too short a time, her little baby Moses has become a murderer and a fugitive.

Jochebed, You're a Failure

A murderer and a fuguive. With a price on his head, her boy flees from the country. And it's very likely that he's never heard from again. Not from his mom, anyway. He worked in the desert for 40 years, and certainly couldn't come back to visit. While it is possible that Jochebed had already passed away before Moses became a murderer, we can be quite sure that she was dead before he returned on God's business. Assuming she was still alive, the last she knew of her son was that he had turned out awful. She must have spent all too much time scolding herself for not telling him one more story about God, for never telling him that one important truth she forgot, for not doing enough ... for not being good enough. How could she have failed after God had given him back to her? But she had. She had failed as a mother, and her son was lost.

What About You? -The Rest of the Story

The story could end there. And perhaps it has for you. It may seem as though all is lost, and your children are lost forever. Perhaps you are crying, like Jochebed, "Why didn't he just die when he was a baby? Then he would have gone to heaven! Now his soul is lost, and however will he come back to God again?"

But the Bible never gives us this idea of Jochebed. Instead, she appears in God's "Hall of Faith", as someone who trusted and believed God to do what she could not! God had worked in Moses' life when it was impossible, and God could do it again! I imagine that Jochebed spent more hours than any of us could count praying for her son. Mom couldn't do anything for her boy anymore, but she could pray. She could pray ... she could pray until the day she died. I have heard so many testimonies about the power of a praying mom. Don't give up! Jochebed felt like a failure too. But her son was Moses, leader of Israel!

If you can do nothing else, pray hard! The God of Moses and his mom is still God today! I remind you that Jochebed never saw her son amount to anything. But we did. We see the rest of the story,

"By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible." - Hebrews 11:24-27

Evil People Get Away With Everything

2011-05-01T21:20:00.004-04:00

Recently, while reading Psalm 37, I realized that it is basically written as an instruction booklet!

It seems like God doesn't punish bad people. It seems like evil people get away with everything. What's the use in being good and doing the right things?

Here's God's answer, straight to us. (Psalm 37:1-9)

These are commands. They are not based in feeling, but in what God directs us.

1) Do not fret

because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.

2) Trust in the Lord and do good;

dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture

3) Delight yourself in the Lord

and He will give you the desires of your heart.

4) Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him

and He will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.

5) Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him;

do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.

6) Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;

do not fret—it leads only to evil. For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.

Devotional Thought:

Three times the command, "Do not fret" is repeated. This phrase basically means to not allow yourself to be worked up in anger or vexation. Don't be angry about it, don't worry about it, don't get worked up about it. Instead,

Trust in the Lord -- focus on God, and not the evil person, have faith in Him.
Delight in the Lord -- moving from faith to emotion; this is becoming real to us
Commit your own way to the Lord -- Now the focus is on us. What about the way we are living and acting? Is it pleasing to the Lord? Is it committed to the Lord?
Wait patiently for the Lord. Oh dear. We thought that after we did the right thing, He would punish those people .... Sorry, but He basically says that the wicked will continue to succeed. This is not a formula for expecting God to act. These are instructions to change our focus.

So now, after telling us that the situation is not likely to change, and He wants us to wait for Him, He again reminds us: Do not fret! Refrain from anger! Turn from wrath! Do not fret! Lol, I think God understands us. About this time, we were getting upset again, so He again instructs us four times in a row to not worry ourselves about it!

Trust, delight, commit, and quietly wait. Lord, help us to think and act in a way that pleases you!

Don't Think and Drive (14)

2011-03-01T22:49:00.002-05:00

Random and funny things observed while traveling.

Has anyone ever noticed that Terminal Lane has no ending? (it's a loop)

While it's perfectly appropriate in most places, it seemed a bit strange to hear "Please come again" in an airport restaurant.

"Warning: Our delicious cookies contain nuts." Apparently their mediocre cookies do not.

"Grout Museum" -- Sounds positively thrilling.

I know what they're trying to say, but this just sounds wrong: "Women - the world's largest untapped natural resource."

Now boarding all first-class passengers . . . .

Immediately after getting off out little 4-seat wide passenger jet, I looked out the airport window and spotted a large jumbo jet titled: "First Class Equine Transportation."

"There are no smoking and seatbelt signs on this aircraft." I'm sorry, that sounds like a serious design flaw.

Gas prices just keep going up . . . I saw a FedEx delivery guy on a bicyle! (Not kidding! - I wish I had a picture!)

I was in a store the other day and saw a sign that read "50% off - Entire Store"

I was going to inquire how much they were asking for it.

Textual Criticism and Lyrical Acceptance

2011-02-26T05:08:00.000-05:00

Why your favorite singer is preaching your sermons.

"As God has shown us by turning stone to bread, So we all must lend a helping hand." - We Are the World by Michael Jackson

By nature, we are evaluative creatures. Very few of us start eating a meal without gaining a pretty good idea of what is sitting in front of us. We want to know what we're getting ourselves into. And we want to know the truth.

So it's really no surprise that when we hear a speech or a sermon, we immediately evaluate what the speaker is saying. And woe to the speaker who misspeaks. After the lecture, the halls will be filled with people asking, "Did you hear him say that Asia is the largest country in the world? The guy doesn't know the difference between a continent and a country." or, "His comment about economics was totally wrong - I'm an accountant, and he was way off-base." Whether intentional or mistaken, any known error is likely to be evaluated and criticised. The same happens with print. For example, a promotion was just placed in front of me on the plane. Though produced by a major company, the promotion includes a logo that has the human heart located in the wrong place. Though I noticed quickly, my reaction was not to the degree that it was a few weeks ago when I saw inaccurate information presented in our newspaper regarding a case for which I was a Jury member. We are "textually critical" of words we hear spoken or see in print.

The real surprise is in the words we don't evaluate. I submit to you that words couched as lyrics are accepted without the same degree of evaluation. In fact, I would argue that they receive little evaluation at all. Why is it that songs are so readily accepted? I have heard songs with lyrics that are dumb. I have heard songs with lyrics that are untruthful. I have heard songs with lyrics that are morally bad. But consistently, if these songs are criticized, others defend them. In fact, it seems to be a social taboo to speak badly of a song. "If you don't like it, then don't listen to it," we're told.

It appears to me that our recording artists have more of a ready pulpit than our preachers. Our pop stars have a more accepting audience than our professors. And our favorite bands' words are more quickly accepted than those of the world's greatest professional.

Textual criticism. Lyrical acceptance.

The Crisis and the Process of Growing Up

2011-02-22T22:15:00.002-05:00

Growing up is a process. Slow and gradual.

But there comes a point where everything changes. Thinking changes. From that point on, one understands that they are now a man, and no longer a boy; are now a woman, and no longer a girl.

That doesn't mean there won't be some boyish/girly behavior. But the thinking is different. The understanding and the goals are different. Today, he understands that he is a man.

Some cultures have a specific rite to commemorate or encourage this occurrence. Some hold special ceremonies, others require deeds of bravery to done at a certain age. Some have initiation, and some simply give more responsibility. But in most cultures, there is a community expectation that encourages this change.

The United States doesn't have a specific rite. The closest would probably be gaining the right to vote at age 18 and being able to drink at age 21. I wonder if our lack of emphasis on and recognition of growing up has contributed to some of our cultural concerns -- "soft men", immaturity, and children who happen to be 35. . . .

I think this change often happens naturally at key events. High School Graduation, College Graduation, Marriage, etc. Perhaps the most specific change would be at marriage. There is a community expectation that behavior will change when someone gets married, and they will act 'more grown up'. How many times have we heard the phrase "settle down and get married"?

This change is a not a point where we are suddenly "grown up". It is a point where we decide to be grown up. Something changes on the inside. Our goals change. Our focus changes. All of a sudden, at one point or crisis, life begins to revolve around "grown up" things. We understand new responsibilities. We must no longer act as children. We have had the crisis; we will be grown up.

The process does not stop; the crisis accelerates the growth.

(A life illustration of sanctification)

In so many similar ways, our spiritual life reflects our physical life. Our spiritual life has been described as both a crisis and a process. When we were saved, we began a consistent pattern of spiritual growth (I hope!). But there often comes a point where God challenges us with the question of how "grown up" we will be spiritually. Will we really commit everything to Him? Will we love and serve Him no matter what happens - good or bad? Our response to this challenge determines our spiritual maturity. Will we remain a spiritual child, or will we accept the responsibility and make the commitment?

The process does not stop; the crisis accelerates the growth.

Doubts and Distrust? -What do we do when we cannot trust God?

2011-02-16T22:28:00.002-05:00

What do we do when we cannot believe God?

"One of the devil's favorite temptations is the kind we cannot argue out of.
We simply have to believe.
That's what we call faith."

Satan wants to make us doubt God. He wants to get us to the place where we cannot trust God.

How can we win a battle if we cannot trust God?

Examples:

In the garden of Eden, the devil challenged Adam and Eve with this question, "Did God really say? ..." (Gen 3:1) Then he directly contradicted God's words. As an argument, the devil probably won. The only way to win that battle would have been to stop arguing, and claim faith -- "God said it, I believe it, and I'm going to follow and obey Him!"

When Satan tempted Jesus in the desert, logically, Satan's first temptation made very good sense. "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." (Matt 4:3). Logically, it makes sense. Jesus is hungry. He understands that physically, he is near the point of starving to death. As the Son of God, he has the power to turn the stones into bread. And most importantly, what Satan has suggested is not wrong. He's not even suggesting that Jesus do anything bad at all. In fact, it would probably be the smartest thing to do.

But Jesus understood that this temptation was coming from the devil, and should be rejected, even though it made logical sense, and was not sinful. Beware my friends, for the devil may first tempt with things that are not wrong. They help his logical case, and get you used to following him.

Contrary to logic, Jesus clung to the Word of God in faith. And He won the battle.

Recently, I have faced similar temptations. Logically, the devil had a very good point. Intellectually, he had beaten me. In fact, I was inclined to agree with him. I had to tenaciously cling to faith, against my intellect and reason. And I won. Not by argument or debate, but by faith.

Discussion

We cannot win spiritual battles intellectually. "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds." (2 Corinthians 10:4). There is a reason that in God's armor our DEFENSE is called the Shield of Faith. Faith is the only way to win many of these combats. The devil will mess with our mind. We can only win by faith in the Word of God (the sword). (Ephesians 6)

One of the devil's favorite temptations is the kind we cannot argue out of.

We simply have to believe.

That's what we call faith.

We're used to being able to argue to what is right. But what about when we can't? What if there is no good argument? What about when we cannot answer why?

We must believe.

I just want to highlight some words from John chapter 14:

[Jesus] Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.
[Us] Lord, we don't know ... so how can we know?
[J] I am the way. If you really know me, you will know ...
[Us] Lord, show us ...
[J] Don't you believe? ... Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.

Our most important choices in life must be decisions of the will, without the benefit of the understanding.

Salvation requires an act of the will
Marriage is a decision of the will without the benefit of understanding. "For better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health." One simply does not know what is coming, but is deciding to be committed and faithful anyway.Too many marriages end because someone starts arguing "I didn't understand what I was getting into."
Our dedication to the Lord must also be an act of the will, even without the benefit of understanding. He has promised persecution, pain, and that the world will hate us (John 15:18-21).

We won't understand what is happening, or why. But the most important decision is this -- will we serve Him, trust Him, and love Him, even when we don't understand?

Job is a constant challenge to my faith. In the midst of the worst (and no good intellectual argument, and no one could answer why), Job makes the strongest statement of faith:

"Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him." Job 13:15

Thoughts:

"I don't understand," said the blind man.
The guide replied with a chuckle, "That is because you cannot see."

Please listen to this song:

"The Promise" by the Martins

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2Irtr3sbBM

What God Hath Promised - Hymn

Verse 1

God hath not promised skies always blue,

Flower-strewn pathways all our lives through;

God hath not promised sun without rain,

Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.

Chorus

But God hath promised strength for the day,

Rest for the labor, light for the way,

Grace for the trials, help from above,

Unfailing sympathy, undying love.

Verse 2

God hath not promised we shall not know

Toil and temptation, trouble and woe;

He hath not told us we shall not bear

Many a burden, many a care.

Verse 3

God hath not promised smooth roads and wide,

Swift, easy travel, needing no guide;

Never a mountain, rocky and steep,

Never a river, turbid and deep.

Car Wrecks and Culture

2011-02-01T22:34:00.002-05:00

Today, I arrived shortly after an auto accident had occured. The car had gone off the road, through a fence, flipped, and landed in a creek. The rescue workers arrived shortly after I did, and immediately went to work. While a couple checked the driver to make sure he was stable, the others began cutting the fence apart. This struck me. No one there attemped to argue with them or stop them. That fence was installed by a farmer. He paid for it; he did all the work; he owned it. And they tore it out without the slightest consideration as to how much it might cost him to replace it. You see, here in the US, we value human life. The preservation of life is everyone's responsibility. That driver needed help. The farmer will have to pay to replace his own fence, but that is his part in helping to save human life.

In some countries, I have heard, this is not the case. Life-saving efforts may be hampered or stopped by individuals insisting on payment for damages to their property. Sometimes a badly injured driver may be chased all the way to the hospital by those insisting that he pay for the damages he just caused.

I'm happy I live in the United States.

Here in the US, we feel that the preservation of life is everyone's responsibility.

Do You Have an Open Mind?

2010-11-16T18:36:00.000-05:00

What exactly does it mean when someone says, "I have an open mind"?

I've met some people with an open mind like an:

open space - nothing, not even gravity
open prairie - breezy endless wasteland
open briefcase - everything inside falls out
open well - easily contaminated by anything the wind blows in
open season - everything there is fair game
open sewer - well, you get the picture
open mine - dark, confusing, and easy to get lost
open door - just because it's open doesn't mean it should be
open gun chamber - only open for a split second, between shots
open trap - one wrong move and it closes hard and fast
open hydrant - it's open, but there's so much coming out you can't put anything in

"The object of opening the mind, as of opening the mouth, is to shut it again on something solid." - GK Chesterton

Christian Movies Making a Difference

2010-08-30T23:01:00.002-04:00

Christians could never have made a difference at the movie theater if they never quit going.

With the Christian film business skyrocketing, even secular producers have gotten on board. Grossly underestimated for some time, Christians are now a significant market force in the movie industry. There's money to be made in Christian movies, no doubt about it.

Many Christians pulled out of movie theaters many years ago, in order to protest the rapidly degenerating morals and thematic content being shown. They were simply unwilling for their financial dollars to go toward an entertainment industry that did not support or even respond to their values.

Recently, the trend has reversed. With films such as The Passion of the Christ, The Nativity Story, the Narnia Series, and Fireproof, Christian films have taken the movie industry by storm. When The Passion was released, many Christians were calling for Christians to return to theaters to show their support for Christian films. And they did. Christians flocked to the theaters by the thousands, blowing the top out of the movie's initial viewing predictions. The same happened with Fireproof, as it became one of the biggest movies of the year!
The resurgence has prompted producers to sit up and pay attention -- "This Christian thing can be a major driving force for profits in the industry! Let's make movies that they want to see!"

Success. Some have mocked those Christians who pulled out of theaters years ago. Many continue to scorn those who demand that movies meet moral and ethical standards. But may I suggest that the modern resurgence of a real Christian movie genre is the victory won by those who pulled out years ago. They were noticed when they came back solely because they had left in the first place.
Christians could never have made a difference at the movie theater if they never quit going.

Other References
http://www.usaweekend.com/article/20100806/ENTERTAINMENT03/8080307/Holy-wood/-s-next-big-hits
http://www.truefreethinker.com/articles/%E2%80%9Choly-wood%E2%80%9D-christianity-box-office-blockbusters
http://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/2008/09/30/Studio-Fireproof-defying-expectations/UPI-20591222794921/
http://www.titletrakk.com/movie-dvd-reviews/fireproof-movie-review.htm
http://www.cbn.com/entertainment/screen/carey_Fireproof.aspx
http://www.christianpost.com/article/20100412/-letters-to-god-reaches-box-office-top-10/

They Gave Me a Phone - or - Google is Awesome!

2010-08-28T21:44:00.002-04:00

Google releases free long distance calling!

All of you are familiar with Google. (www.google.com)

Many of you are familiar with Gmail. (www.gmail.com)

Several of you have entertained thoughts that Google may try to take over the world.

But only a few of you have been watching Google's acquisition of Google Voice with acute interest. (www.google.com/voice)

Well, Google has finally done it!

The long awaited merger of Google Voice (formerly GrandCentral, for those of us who have been with them a long time) with other Google clients has finally arrived!

What does this mean? Simple --

FREE Long Distance Phone Calls anywhere in the United States (and only 2c a minute worldwide - no connection fee)!

As of yesterday (and for some of us, today), Gmail now has a "Call Phone" button. You can call directly from your computer, right from your gmail webpage. Any phone in the US - for FREE!

Way cool, right?

Not hardly ... check this out --

If you are a current Google Voice subscriber, the new Google calling service is directly linked to your Google Voice Phone Number!

What does this mean? Simple -- I call from Gmail, and you get my caller ID number (an actual US phone number). You call my caller ID number, it rings me. (My computer, my home, my cell - whatever combination I want!) All for free.

Free calling; free texting; free phone number!

Now, for some of my friends, this news is very thrilling. Perhaps not because they want to get their Google phone as soon as possible, but ...

Because they will be happy to know that my calls will no longer have a 000-000-0123 caller ID!

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/btl/google-voice-is-added-to-gmail-boosts-exposure-but-still-falls-short-in-other-areas/38381

How to Live on 24 Hours a Day, by Arnold Bennett (Book Review)

2010-08-13T22:45:00.001-04:00

How to Live on 24 Hours a Day

by Arnold Bennett

Short review:

Clever book, British theming. Worth a read because it is short. Requires application to today's culture, but has some excellent points and challenges about how we live our lives.

"Nothing in life is humdum." In everything, there is a cause and effect. Instead of focusing on the effect, if we will but study out the cause, we can find interest in the most humdrum parts of life.

Review

For some odd unexplained reason, I was expecting a semi-sophisticated thrust against the modern busy American life. I say, but my expectations were quickly dispatched. For this is actually an old book, written to a British audience that was widely frittering away time. For a brief 7 1/2 minutes, I doughted that the book would be of any value to me at all. But again, I was wrong.

With cleverly written 7 1/2 minute chapters, Bennett applies British wit and humour to humans, life, and time. It is definitely worth a read. The entire book is roughly 1 1/2 hours. There is one major downside to this book: The ability to extract principles and reapply them is essential. The book does not directly apply to most Americans I know. However, the priciples and many of the ideas and challenges he presents certainly strike home!

In addition to dealing with some of our general assumptions about time, Bennett also presents an extremely doable schedule to follow to gain more from your week. He teaches a simple course on enhancing concentration and improving every aspect of life. As an added bonus, he deals with how to study subjects, specifically the arts, to gain knowledge, learning, and appreciation.

With something so short, it's hard to go wrong. You may say, "I haven't the time!" But you just read this, my friend.

After all, you could have read the first chaper by now.

I have decided to adopt Bennett's challenge regarding poetry. I have a general apathy regarding poetry. Yet, he recommends an approach for the beginner, and I wish to try it.

Free Book:

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/2274/2274-h/2274-h.htm

Free Audio Book:

http://librivox.org/how-to-live-on-twenty-four-hours-a-day-by-arnold-bennett/

Forgotten God by Francis Chan (Book Review)

2010-08-08T22:17:00.000-04:00

Forgotten God
by Francis Chan

Short Review:
A-mazing book. A must-read at 5 stars! If there is a recent book that I would suggest to read right now, this is it. Forgotten God is a balanced and straightforward work on the Holy Spirit.

This book is striking. Not so much in its insight, but in its clarity. Chan doesn't really present any new and astonishing information, but he has a remarkable ability to present truth from God's Word in a clear and simple way. It was been said that the best author puts words to what we already knew and have been trying to express for years. Francis Chan does just that in Forgotten God.

I was a bit leery when I began reading Forgotten God. I had heard some hype about the author and his books (I have not yet read Crazy Love), and was prepared for it to be a bit off-base. I was pleasantly surprised. Francis Chan is right on in this book. He has a diverse denominational background, yet (or perhaps because of) gives an extremely balanced presentation of exactly what the Bible says.

Holiness and the work of the Spirit is laid out as vital for every believer. The ministry of the Spirit is explained clearly (though not entirely, of course ;-) ). The believer is exhorted to a life that demonstrates God in a dynamic, substantive, and real way! It is inspiring, uplifting, and challenging. It made me do a lot of thinking, and a lot of praying. If you have not already, you should read it.

Is he a radical? Probably, according to today's standards. But if that is the case -- Lord, make me a radical too!

http://www.amazon.com/Forgotten-God-Reversing-Tragic-Neglect/dp/1434767957

Don't Think and Drive (13)

2010-08-06T00:27:00.000-04:00

If you've read my blog long, you know what this series is -- random comments and funny things observed while I am traveling!

Comments on the journey:
I learned some "cool" math. In my car (whose air conditioning recently quit), I discovered that having 3 windows down blows a lot more air than having 4 windows down! Who would have guessed?

My thermometer read 101 when I left the second week of youth camp. You know, 101 doesn't feel nearly as bad after you've spent 1 1/2 weeks outside without entering air conditioning!

This was the first trip where I've crossed the Blue Ridge mountains east to west. It really started sinking in when I realized I had been driving fairly steeply downhill for a full 15 miles!! (Now, going back up the other side ....)

Ever heard of Fat Albert? How about Fat Albert's Car? (Bill Cosby show) Well, Fat Albert's truck passed me on the interstate. Yup, sounded like I got passed by a Cessna! I was cracking up!

At a homeschool conference recently, my dad was looking for a certain book. He walked around the exhibit area asking people, "Do you have a well-trained mind?" Most replied no. :-)
Another couple asked a vendor if he had a human body. He replied, "no, but I think the guy over there does!" Apparently, following some investigation, Dad discovered this guy did not have a human body or a well-trained mind! LOL

The funny things you see when you travel:

I saw a license plate that read
"Dun Quit" - Must be retired! :)

How would you like to stop off at Gum Spring Mineral for a bite to eat?

I really like to see signs of Christian evangelism when I'm traveling. It's often arrays of 3 crosses arranged on a hill. But sometimes you get to see signs posted all over that say "Keep Right"!

Signs ...

"Emergency Vehicles Towed Away" -- I'm still trying to figure this one out, lol.

Airhill Church -- I think I've met their pastor ...

"Barefoot Children Enrolling Now!" -- When do the properly shod children enroll?

One sign simply read:
"Earn up to 40 cents!" Now that's my idea of a dream job!

Greek House Italian Restaurant -- Huh?

Church sign:
"It is better to be alone then in bad company." (Read it again) -- Personally, I'm not sure the order matters very much!

"New Trucks -- Half Off!!"
(this unit only)
-- I wish I had a picture of this. It was a car dealership with this sign prominently displayed on a demolished pickup with the entire top sheared off! Clever advertising. Made me want to stop, lol.

One sign ordered, "No Stopping". Lol, except that the entire interstate was completely parked at the exact place where I spotted this sign!

Another demanded, "Maintain 55". Traffic was moving at 20 mph ... so I'm a bit worried what would happen if I obeyed this sign.

Anti-discrimination laws must have gone into effect on the high occupancy vehicle lane. The sign read,
"Restricted Lane. Open to All"
Oh yeah -- "$76 fine". -- I can't decide which bothers me more. The fact that they have the fine listed to the exact dollar, or listing such a clear punishment for an offense that is impossible to commit!

Then again, it must have been this way for awhile - long enough that my directions simply told me to use the HOV lane! Check it out:

"Archaic Parking" -- Carriages and steam cars only, please.

This is how one sign was written:
No Pets
For Rent
Country House
--Except that I only saw the first 2 lines! LOL

"Huge Tire Sale" -- Apparently they have special prices for all your Caterpillar needs!

Above a drinking fountain:
"Do not pour anything down this drain". --- Um, including water?

Summer 2010 Travelogue Part 2 (July 19-26)

2010-08-01T22:53:00.001-04:00

Continued. Be sure to catch Part 1 if you missed it:
http://dlorimer.blogspot.com/2010/07/summer-2010-travelogue-part-1-july-12.html

Appalachian Youth Camp
Monday started with a short trip to AYC Camp. http://www.aymonline.org/> General orientation informed me that I had 5 distinct responsibilites. No worries; that's what we're there for! Monday night is exciting, because that's when teams are assigned! I was coach for the AA Jordanaires - and we had a great team!

The rest of the week was spent Bible Quizzing and playing basketball, volleyball, and softball. We had an awesome team! I really enjoyed the week with you all. Give a shout out if you're reading this! Kudos to Pam for her investment and preparation in the Bible Bowl! I enjoyed how you all really invested yourself in everything we did. We worked hard, and played hard, and it payed off! The 2nd day, we were 2nd place overall (1st in our division)! The 3rd day, we were 3rd overall. The last day, we dropped to 5th overall, thanks to playing against the #1 and #2 teams that day, lol. Special recognition to Tamera for playing on an injured ankle, and to Ryan for staying in and playing even though he was quite sick! Thanks guys! Each one of you was a great contribution to the team, and we couldn't have done it without you. I enjoyed having each one of you on the team!

In addition to coach, I was also a member of Team Compassion, Head Usher, Counselor, and Dorm Master. I have some great stories from that last position! lol.
The barn party was a blast! I helped out with some activities. It was a lot of fun. We finished out the week with the all-star games. There was some spectacular playing, and the Stars beat the Stiffs, which is very rare!

In Fortification

I left immediately after camp for a weekend of vacation. I drove down to Fort Monroe, VA to see my friends Josh and TJ (and the new addition, Rachel). I had a great time! We got to visit and catch up. :) They showed me around Fort Monroe, from the old battlements and guns to the museum, to the new destroyer that just happened to sail by, lol. (Be sure to check out the pictures!: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2000101&id=102800004 ) While it was nice to not have to wake up at a youth-camp-early-hour, I did anyway. Too used to it.

To the Beach!
Well, sorta. Leaving there, I headed south through the tunnel under the bay, and arrived shortly in Virginia Beach. I was headed to visit Chris and Hsin! I spent the rest of the weekend with my amazing friends Chris, Hsin, and Liz (who lives right near them now!). It was SO great to see them all again. We talked, laughed, played games, helped move Liz in to her new place, caught up, talked about old times, and had a wonderful time! The move in began to resemble creation -- from choas to order, and vegetation ensued! (that is, Chris and I playing video games!, lol) I learned a lot more about the special bond of friendship and what it means. It was a very special and wonderful weekend.
Visited Chris and Hsin's church on Sunday. Listened to a couple audio books on the trips. Watch the blog for more notes about those!

Over the Hills and Through the Woods
Headed home again ... About a 10 hour drive on Monday. My car lacks air conditioning, but thanks to a lucky incident (thanks to Shushan's phone call), I discovered that if I left 1 window up, an air vortex was created in the car that kept me quite cool. I spent some time praying and thinking the first part of the trip, talking on the phone for part of the trip, and the rest of the trip was spent with some awesome audio books. (Watch the blog for more about those later.)

I got on I-64 within 5 minutes of leaving their house, and stayed on it all the way back to KY. Lol, it made directions easy! The trip stayed interesting, as 7 hours were all new road to me -- even crossing the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains! Got home about 9:30pm, completing a very enjoyable 2 weeks of travel.

Summer 2010 Travelogue Part 1 (July 12-18)

2010-07-31T18:36:00.002-04:00

So, I disappear for awhile, and everyone wonders where I went and what I did. ... Or, more realistically, I return and they suddenly realize I must have been gone, lol.

I covered over 1600 miles, served at 2 youth camps, spent a weekend with great friends, and generally had a great time!
The first camp was Aldersgate in West Virginia ...

Steamed
The first part of the trip started off rough -- I was boiling - er - the car was boiling, er, uh, both. I had repairs made to my car the week before I left so it would be ready to go the 1600 miles. But something must have gotten bumped ... I ended up with a radiator crack. A patch didn't hold real well, and I left Monday morning with a noticable coolant leak. In addition, my air conditioning (which I had just recharged) all leaked out again. So I was plenty warm with no A/C. I stopped every hour to keep an eye on the coolant level, and generally felt like I hobbled the car to the camp (6 hour drive). The leaking radiator wasn't quite doing its job (especially sitting still in road construction after being on the road 5 hours), so I was running the heater before I made it to the camp to help keep the engine from getting too hot.

Flexibility
To make the trip a bit more complicated, our evangelist had to cancel at the last minute due to his wife developing some health problems. I tried to make some calls to help make arrangements both before and during my trip. I was to be song evangelist, but we had to figure out how to cover the services! We had the KMBC group Set Apart do a full service the first night, then 3 local pastors covered the other nights for us.

The Wheels That Carry Me
I took my car to a shop once I was at the camp (as I now had a week where I would not be driving). I had them replace the radiator, as well as check over everything else really good, as I had noted some other shaking and noises. The cost was more than reasonable (which could be taken more than one way, of course. I mean that they charged me a good $150 more than it would have cost me here), but I was glad to be back on the road with no more worries.

Beautiful Camp in the Hills

We won!! Thanks for all your hard work! Go Reuben!

Aldersgate Camp went great! I served as Song Leader, Counselor, Tribe Leader, and Class Teacher. We had an awesome group of young people (be sure to shout out if you read this!) and my tribe worked hard, and was 1st place! Congratulations tribe of Reuben! We built picnic tables for activities, studied "What does it mean to be a Christian" in class, led vespers (mini-service) and campfire, and had a great time getting to know each other! And who will forget the ultimate -- trying to put our entire team through the electric wire! Kudos to Zach and Seth, who got thrown over a few times too many, and props to everybody's great ideas, from the sticks (rendered against the rules, although we got points for the creativity), to the pole-vaulting (hilarious, but didn't work), to the cheerleading throws, to the just-toss-people-over throws, to handing people through the wire, and finally to the concrete blocks (successful!). It was a blast! I enjoyed having you all on the team.
I got to see and visit with a number of my great friends in WV! I appreciate you all! I enjoyed seeing you.

The tribe of Reuben! I had a blast with you guys!

Aldersgate Senior Camp 2010!

What do you do on a Weekend?
After a meeting on Saturday morning and early afternoon, I visited with a friend of mine for awhile, then headed to Apollo, PA. The car ran fine, with no more problems. I arrived shortly before the Men with Vision meeting, at which I was to give a devotion. Had a good meeting with some wonderful godly gentlemen. I gave a short devotion, and we visited for awhile afterward.
On the way back to where I was staying, I got to watch an amazing display of God's creation! There was a HUGE cloud in the sky, which was having its own lighting show! It looked like a war was going on, or like fireworks were going off. All the lightning appeared to stay within the cloud (not striking the ground), but there was lots of it! There were between 1-3 strikes per second! It went on for about a 1/2 hour. I wish I would have had a video camera.
Sunday, I visited Apollo Faith Chapel for service. I gave a greeting and got to visit with a few folks. Then, I headed across PA to my Aunt and Uncle's house. My cousin and her husband and kids were there also. I got to meet my cousin-in-law for the first time - that was pretty cool! I really enjoyed hanging out and visiting with all of them. You can SO tell that we're related, lol. :-)

To Be Continued ...
Another week of camp coming up next! Be sure to check back!

Are vaccines safe? Are they worth it?

2010-07-05T22:07:00.001-04:00

There have been some concerns regarding the safety of vaccines over the years. I was struck by the opinion of one parent on the subject.

"In 1736 I lost one of my sons, a fine boy of four years old, by the small-pox, taken in the common way. I long regretted bitterly, and still regret that I had not given it to him by inoculation. This I mention for the sake of parents who omit that operation, on the supposition that they should never forgive themselves if a child died under it; my example showing that the regret may be the same either way, and that, therefore, the safer should be chosen." - Benjamin Franklin

Celebrate Freedom!

2010-07-03T23:59:00.004-04:00

This July 4th, I celebrate freedom.

I hear some clamoring for more freedom -- freedom to exercise their "rights"; freedom to have their "rights" met; and freedom to do whatever they want without fear of guilt, disdain, or punishment. But this is not freedom. This purported "freedom" is in fact, a cry for anarchy! If everyone could do whatever they wanted chaos would reign, then yield its throne to tyranny. This is not freedom. I celebrate something quite different this July 4th.

I celebrate freedom from things which I have never experienced. Things which I had heard about, but had never understood.

I celebrate freedom of religion. I am thankful that I can worship God in my own way. I have been freed from a state - yes, even international - church, whose priest is greater than any king. I am free from religious persecution if I happen to choose a different doctrine than the one imposed by this tyrannic church. I do not have to face torture and death from the church if I belong to a different denomination.

I celebrate freedom of press. I am thankful that I am allowed to print and read all the truth. I have been freed from a regulated and dictated media. I am free to read for myself in my own language. I do not have to go to someone who can read, who must tell me how and what to think. The Bible is in my language. I can read it, and it is not a capital crime.

I celebrate freedom of speech. I am thankful that I am allowed to speak my mind. I have been freed from a systematic destruction of opposition. I am free to speak out and oppose that which I do not agree with. I do not have to fear losing my property, my position, or my life because I spoke against a ruler.

My freedom is so complete, that I cannot even understand nor comprehend what my ancestors had to endure. Oppression of that degree is so far gone it is but a story. I have been freed from the tryanny and oppresion; from even the memory and lingering fear.
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to those who freed me from tyranny.

This July 4th, perhaps for the first time, I am beginning to understand what liberty means. I am beginning to love and appreciate those who died, so that I might be freed from tyranny. I celebrate their victory. I celebrate America.
I celebrate freedom.

If you want something to be thankful for this July 4th, read Foxe's Book of Martyrs.
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/22400/22400-h/22400-h.htm#Page_57

"... they slew of all ranks and conditions to the number of 10,000. The bodies were thrown into the rivers, and blood ran through the streets with a strong current, and the river appeared presently like a stream of blood. So furious was their hellish rage, that they slew all papists whom they suspected to be not very staunch to their diabolical religion. From Paris the destruction spread to all quarters of the realm. . . .
"At Augustobona, on the people hearing of the massacre at Paris, they shut their gates that no protestants might escape, and searching diligently for every individual of the reformed church, imprisoned and then barbarously murdered them."

"When the reformed religion began to diffuse the gospel light throughout church, he accordingly instituted a number of inquisitors, or persons who were to make inquiry after, apprehend, and punish, heretics, as the reformed were called by the papists."
"The principal accusation against those who are subject to this tribunal is heresy, which comprises all that is spoken, or written, against any of the articles of the creed, or the traditions of the Roman church . . . and of such who read the bible in the common language . . . ."
"Upon all occasions the inquisitors carry on their processes with the utmost severity, and punish those who offend them with the most unparalleled cruelty. A protestant has seldom any mercy shown him, and a Jew, who turns christian, is far from being secure. . . .
"A defence in the inquisition is of little use to the prisoner, for a suspicion only is deemed sufficient cause of condemnation . . . ."
"A prisoner in the inquisition is never allowed to see the face of his accuser , or of the witnesses against him ..."

"A. D. 1546, Peter Chapot brought a number of bibles in the French tongue to France, and publicly sold them there; for which he was brought to trial, sentenced, and executed a few days afterward."

Facebook introduces new like-liking feature!

2010-06-29T19:55:00.000-04:00

A couple days ago, the ever-developing facebook introduced a likable new feature --
the ability to "like" comments.

Facebook users have been able to like statuses and other posts for some time, but have not been able to like comments on any of these posts. Now, you can like the comments too!

But wait until you see what Facebook has in the works! Under development right now is an even better "like" feature. Starting next month, facebook users will be able to "like" others' "likes" on a status or comment! What could be better!?

Preview of new like-liking feature!

Like likes? Now you can!

My First Friend Request

2010-06-22T23:27:00.000-04:00

In recognition of reaching 1000 friends on facebook, I shall tell the story of my very first friend request:

Long before facebook, or the time of myspace - even before the era of public internet - I received my first friend request.
I was just a very young boy, perhaps 4 or 5 years old.

As I remember, my family and I were traveling, sightseeing, and camping perhaps. At one place we stopped, we had about an hour for us kids to run around, play, and get all those "wiggles" out of our system. We had only been there a short time when another boy about my age ran up to me and asked, "Do you want to be friends?" I was surprised, but simply replied, "sure." Now, I had never seen this boy before, and as we would only be there a short time, I would never see him again.
But we spent that short time together, playing at the playground, exploring, and just having fun. I have a faint memory of going down to see an old bridge. Just he and I -- Me and a friend I didn't know. I think I remember this bridge because we were still there when I heard my parents call, "time to go!" Dejected, I said goodbye to my new friend, and life moved on.

Now, some twenty years later, I am no longer surprised at such random friend requests. With the introduction of Facebook, they are in fact quite common (though i don't say "sure" to so many of these!). Yet every day, through life and through work, I am connecting with people whom I have never before met. Oh, we don't share such formalities as "will you be my friend?"; but with a smile and a tone that cares, we know. It all starts with friendliness.

Today, a connected web interface reports that I have 1000 friends. A few of these are like my young friend - randomly "running up", previously unknown, and requesting to be friends. Some are friends I have never met, yet life - through the internet - has brought us together. Some are mere acquaintances, and like my young friend, we have shared very few experiences. Others are dear friends who are close to my heart. We have shared life, yes, but more than that. We share beliefs and values. We share visions, hopes, and dreams. We share purpose and passion. We want to see the same goals achieved. They are all my friends.

What is the value? Why invest in a friend whom I knew I would only ever see for 45 minutes of my lifetime? Why Facebook, and why so many friends? We share this life with people -- people who are around us every day. And many times we have the option to interact or to remain strangers. I could have spent a full hour at that playground, and never known that boy existed. But he reached out, and connected. We really didn't invest in that friendship. Sometimes you don't need to. We simply shared life for the brief time we were given. Over the years, I have begun to learn how to reach out and connect with others who are around me in life. Transforming from stranger to "friend" with a simple smile and greeting. Why? Because simply breaking that stranger barrier says that we're ok. It affirms that we are human.
Each of us are made in God's image, and are valuable in His sight. I care about every person, because God cares about them. We're in this together. We are brothers. We are friends.

Thanks Facebook. Amidst all the failures, accusations, and problems, you yet have virtue. You remind us that we are human, and that we are not alone. Thank you, facebook, for helping make a connected world a friendlier place.

Vacation Update

2010-06-21T23:25:00.001-04:00

Hey everybody! In case you weren't aware, I've been on vacation the last week and a half (and also away from facebook). Just wanted to give a short update on vacation.

Went to both Illinois and Iowa; saw both sides of the family. I enjoyed seeing everybody again. And, as always, understanding more of my roots, and realizing why I never had a chance at being normal, lol.

The Mundane:
Kept up with my Masters schoolwork during vacation. Class requirements don't quit! You know it's harder to concentrate on school when the rest of the day is vacation? I'm glad to be done with the one module though - I was developing linear programming tables in my sleep!

The Funny:
So, we stopped at a restaurant on the way back. Shortly after placing our order, the waitress came to the table with a tray full of glasses of water and asked "who all ordered the milkshakes?" When I said I did, she promptly handed me a glass of water and went on her way! LOL

The Games:
We played a bunch of computer games, which was a lot of fun. We don't often have time to do that anymore. It has been said that the Lorimers create a network wherever they go, but this trip took that to a new level. So, we, er, had a wireless access point running off a power inverter and created a mobile wireless network that both cars could connect to. Yup, we played games over a wireless connection while traveling down the road! (Hey, you've got to kill 12 hours somehow.)

The Spiritual:
Enjoyed being back at Knoxville Nazarene Church again. Lots friends and family. Especially enjoyed the Iowa Holiness Camp service Sunday night. Powerful and dynamic message and stories. Heard the truth of God's word. Lots of friends there too, and I enjoyed seeing/visiting with you all!

The Family:
I really appreciate my family. I realize more and more the spiritual heritage, culture, and values that have been instilled in me through the investment of family. It means a lot, and I am very appreciative. Thank you all.

The Work:
Just kidding! I've been accused of "just working harder on something else" when I take a vacation (ok, ok, it's true). But I actually did take a break and get a vacation this trip! Helped out a bit around the farm, of course. (Helped take down a patch of marijuana - that was new) :-) Overall, it was a good break.

Dead bodies paint dark and morbid picture of US Society

2010-06-04T00:59:00.000-04:00

*Warning - Graphic Content. Carcasses of "animals" and humans*

Here's what President Obama didn't see when he visited the Abortion Clinics around the country: a dead baby rotting in the shore weeds.

"When we found this baby it showed all the signs of abortion. Blood was just pouring out of it. It was the saddest thing to look at," said the clinics contract worker who took the Daily News on a surreptitious tour of the abortion disaster unfolding in New York.
His motive: simple outrage.

"There is a lot of coverup for the clinics. They specifically informed us that they don't want these pictures of the dead babies. They know the ocean will wipe away most of the evidence. It's important to me that people know the truth about what's going on here," the contractor said.

"The things I've seen: They just aren't right. All the life out here is just full of abortion. I'm going to show you what the clinics never showed the President."

The day was 85 degrees, the blue sky almost white with sunshine, the air fresh with salt tang.
After checking that he was unobserved, he motored out to Queen Bess barrier island, known to the locals as Bird Island.

The grasses by the shore were littered with aborted human life, some dead and others struggling under a thick coating of blood.

"When you see some of the things I've seen, it would make you sick," the contractor said. "No living creature should endure that kind of suffering."

Queen Bess Island was the first place where babies were born when the beloved humans came in the 1970s. Their population rebounded and was finally declared stabilized in 2002.

Now their future is once again in doubt. In what had been such an important nursery, hundreds of babies - their white heads stained with blood – lay still.

"Those babies are supposed to have white heads. The blood is from the abortion. Most of them won't survive," the contractor said.

"They keep trying to survive. They try and they try, but they can't do it."

The contractor has been attempting to save babies.

"I saw a baby under water with only its arm sticking out," he said. "I grabbed it and lifted it out of the water. It was just covered in blood. It was struggling so hard to survive. We did what we could for it.

"Nature is cruel, but what's happening here is crueler."

The uninhabited barrier islands are surrounded by semi-restrictive laws, also stained red, that are supposed to keep the abortion out. It's not working.

"That grass was green a few weeks ago," the contractor said. "Now look. ... This whole island is destroyed. How do you write a check for something like this?"

He said he recently found five babies dying from abortion.

"Three babies were dead. Two were dying and not dead yet. They will be," he said.

As the boat headed back amid the choppy waves, a group of humans showed up to escort it to land.
"They know they are in trouble. We are all in trouble," the contractor said.

The clinics's central role in the disaster cleanup has apparently given the companies a lot of latitude in keeping the press away from clinics where the abortion is thickest.

On Monday, a Daily News team was escorted away from a public beach on Elmer's Island by cops who said they were taking orders from the clinics.

The clinics spokesmanToby Odonedenied the company is trying to hide the sociological damage; he noted the clinics has organized press visits to the spill zone and said the clinics cannot tell cops what to do.

The contractor for the clinics said the public needs to see the truth.

"The clinics are going to say the deaths of these babies wasn't abortion-related," he said. "We know the truth. I hope these pictures get to the right people - to someone who can do something."

-----------------------------------------------------
Now before you go firing any comments, I must quote my sources.
Read: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2010/06/02/2010-06-02_the_hidden_death_in_the_gulf.html#ixzz0pr2T6fzF

I simply used the "Find and Replace" tool, and fixed the context.
I agree that the BP oil spill is a disaster, and should be corrected.
My question is this,

Why is there so much outrage over an oil spill that is harming animals,
yet no similar outrage over an industry that is killing 3,700 humans PER DAY!?

My Life These Last 2 Weeks - A Real "Blog"

2010-04-25T22:51:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! Wonder what's been happening in life lately?

I haven't been on facebook a lot the last couple weeks. Things had been very focused. So here's an update of what all I've been doing!

Most of this revolves around KMBC iLive 2010. As many of you know, KMBC had been preparing for our largest event ever - iLive - for some time. As we neared the time of the event, most of my resources were invested in preparations. But before I go into that ...

There have been a lot of students visiting campus this Spring! Of the 10 days before iLive, I had students visiting campus for 8 of those days. Naturally, between the two, that kept me pretty busy. I enjoyed all of the visits. I got to visit with some really awesome people! On one visit, we got to talking about theology, and had a really wonderful conversation. The Lord was leading the time for sure, and the conversation turned to matters of salvation. Before we were through, the visitor prayed to accept Christ as his Savior! Praise the Lord for His faithfulness!

iLive went awesome! We had ~116 prospective students here for the event, plus adults and sponsors. Everything was awesome. The whole event was on the website, with constant feed updates, live cameras, pictures, and videos. The main game attraction, Life-sized Candyland, was beyond belief. We litterally filled the gymnasium with a candyland gameboard, covered and made out of real candy. The artwork was fantastic, thanks to Brenna Rigsby, a KMBC freshman. Pictures don't do justice, though you'll proabably want to look at them!

http://www.facebook.com/KentuckyMountainBibleCollege?v=photos

We also did a picture scavenger hunt throughout Jackson and the surrounding area, and a treasure hunt in our reclaimed strip mines wilderness area. Those pictures are online also!

http://www.facebook.com/KentuckyMountainBibleCollege?v=photos

Supper was outside, since we really had too many people to fit in the Dining Hall. That evening, the KMBC music groups - the choir, Harmony, and New Hope - led a powerful worship concert. God was working, and a couple youth gave their lives to Christ that night! We watched Gifted Hands outside on the ballfield Friday night. Inspiring and gripping story. We ended up having some rain to deal with, so we moved back to the gym to finish the movie.

-- To all you guys who helped out with all the aspects of the movie - Thank you SO much! We couldn't have done it without you. From emergency screen repairs to stacking hay bales, you all were a great team and very appreciated! --

The chapel service on Saturday was a challenging presentation of living for the Lord. Dr. Speas spoke about Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego. Several responded. At least one was saved at this service, and many others made some life-altering decisions.

Following iLive, I got to hang out with a great group of friends from Iowa who were staying a bit longer. We went hiking, played games, talked, and had a good time.

On Monday, I got to show another campus visitor around. There wasn't a whole lot going on in the evening, so a few of us toured the mines, town, and even "the back way" from Jackson! It was a very enjoyable visit.

Since Monday, I've been trying to catch up on sleep, bring work back into a semblance of order, and catch up on things I've been putting off. I think next week may be returning back to normal.

To everybody who has been here to KMBC the last 2 weeks -- Great to have you here! I really enjoyed meeting you all. I got to meet so many great young people who have a heart to serve God. I liked spending time with you all. I appreciate you guys!

The Social Christianity Phenomenon; Happy with 75% Losses?

2010-04-05T18:54:00.002-04:00

It's something called "Social Christianity." Riddled with questions like, "I know the most important thing is to love God. So if I love God while I'm sinning, it's ok, right?", this weak version of Christianity replaces a personal dynamic relationship with God with a social community relationship. If the peer group is Christian, so is the person in question. Instead of the Bible as the final authority, Social Christianity looks to friends to find the answers. The relationship with God is reduced to a "friend" or "buddy" level, effectively dethroning God and making Him "one of the guys."

Personal dissastisfaction with this adjusted version of Christianity is rampant, often leading its members to abandon all faith, and causing its adversaries to scorn its hypocrisy, emptiness, and immorality. Social Christianity has a security similar to a house of cards, with each holding the other. But it only takes a small wind to drop them all.
Leading experts report that upon studying in a secular college, up to 75% of Christian youth abandon their faith, never to return. (1) Did their house of cards collapse?

One analyst claims to have discovered the cure. "True Christianity is a dynamic relationship with an almightly God. Instead of a dependance upon friends, the Christian answers directly to God. The Bible - God's Word - is the final authority, not a discussion starter. Knowledge is granted by the Holy Spirit, as is the power and strength to live above sin.
It is so radically independent that many True Christians have been known to hold their faith even when every friend abandoned them and turned away. Some have gone so far as to die for their faith. (2) They were changed, and they were strong."

Social Christianity is expected to continue its rapid growth despite the rampant loss from members denying all faith. Rev. Isaiah Azariah lamented, "The only thing that will stop it is revival or persecution."

(1) Steve Henderson, A Question of Price Versus Cost. http://www.christianconsulting.net/statistics/CT3-06.pdf

(2) Foxe's Book of Martyrs. http://www.gutenberg.org/files/22400/22400-h/22400-h.htm
Jesus Freaks. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1577780728/tnsanet-20

Don't Think and Drive (12)

2010-03-31T22:47:00.002-04:00

The trip to St. Louis was great! If you haven't heard about it yet, catch these posts:
http://dlorimer.blogspot.com/2010/03/meet-me-in-st-louis-louis-travelogue.html
http://dlorimer.blogspot.com/2010/03/catch-first-one-here-if-you-missed-it.html

Some funny things along the way:

The "Real Book Fake Book" for the positionally challenged.

The signs along the streets declared:
"No parking on even Tuesdays"
"No parking the 2nd Wednesday of the Month"
I tremble in fear, for the tales behind these ominous (and strange) signs must be terrible and ancient. "On the night of an even Tuesday, with a full moon high in the sky, the steedless horseman rides through town, silent and shrowded by fog, and any vehicle parked on the street is never seen again ...."

At Washington University, nearly everything is named after somebody.
---Their new school of law building is named "Anheuser-Busch". As our tour guide said, it gives a whole new meaning to "passing the bar exam"!

---Right in the middle of campus is a big open space named - oddly enough - "Mudd Field".

As we drove along, we saw a school named "Visitation Academy". Kind of like drive-through restaurants and drive-in movies?

A professionally printed church sign:
"Esther: It's tough being a women." I suppose it is!

Meet Me In St Louis, Louis. (Travelogue 03/16-19/2010), Day 3 & 4

2010-03-24T21:50:00.001-04:00

Catch the first one here if you missed it.

On Our Feet
We walked almost all of the next day. We returned to WashU for a tour of the entire campus. Buildings always impressive, academics great, and sports semi-laughable. We grabbed lunch, then headed back across the street ...

Forest Park

Cheetah

Washington University is located at the site of the 1904 World's Fair. Forest Park, the location of the fair, is literally across the street from the WashU campus. At 1300 acres, this place is astounding. Aside from the manicured lawns, ornate stone waterways and bridges, and reclaimed forest areas, the park also offers a large zoo, art museum, history museum, and science center -- all free! Add a golf course, ice skating rink, opera, and a bunch of other stuff we didn't see, and you have one amazing place! We spent quite a bit of time at the zoo, which was very nice. It's a very nice layout with lots of animals. I believe that was the first time I've seen kangaroos - very strange indeed. Also beatiful zebras, jaguars, cheetahs, and the list goes on. We stopped by the art museum as well. That was indeed impressive, but as I'm not really an art person, it didn't appeal to me so much. But I hadn't seen anything yet . . .

Meet me at the Fair
What I did not see was the glory of the 1904 World's Fair. Part of what is now Washington University was actually built for the fair, which explains why it is so elaborate. (Somehow, they pulled off a deal to buy that location the year after the fair!) Curious, upon returning home, I looked up the 1904 World's Fair. *lack of breath* Astounding. We saw nothing compared to what that place was in 1904. Nearly all of some of the most amazing buildings in this country have now been completely torn now, and are just the manicured grass we walked across. The campus of WashU, and the offerings of Forest Park are a small testimony to the grandeur of the past.

------------------------------
Info about the 1904 Fair:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_Park_(St._Louis,_Missouri)

Pictures:
Then:
http://www.crawforddirect.com/worldfairtour.htm
http://washingtonmo.com/1904/p3.htm
Now:
http://travel.webshots.com/album/179917778HjQVvg?start=0

Check out these maps:
Then:
http://www.fish.state.pa.us/anglerboater/1998/novdec98/fairblay.JPG
Now:
http://www.slfp.com/SLFP-FPFEmap.htm
------------------------------

Looking up at the Arch

Real Estate
We went immediately from there to getting apartment tours in various places, which took some time. Following that, we went to the famous St. Louis Arch. Everything was already closed, of course, but it was a beautiful sight in the sunset. We were both very tired, and called it a day. Surprising for us, when we arrived back at our hosts', they laughed at our sunburns! We weren't expecting that, having just come out of a cold March!

The Arch

Out of the Gateway
Friday promised a lot more miles. We did another set of apartment tours, then went back to the arch, planning to go up the 630 feet. Sadly, in the first 2 hours of being open, they had completely sold out that day and part of the next. The road was again our place as we headed back to Kentucky. It was a great visit to the Gateway to the West.

Capital Building

Meet Me In St Louis, Louis. (Travelogue 03/16-19/2010), Day 1 & 2

2010-03-21T23:27:00.000-04:00

Touchdown
Somehow, in this story, liftoff starts at touchdown. I picked up my cousin at the Lexington airport, and we headed for St. Louis. The primary purpose of the trip was to check out Washington University, which my cousin is considering for Masters work. Tuesday was a pretty uneventful trip, and as it warmed up throughout the day, we had lunch outside in the beautiful Illinois Spring weather. Visited with our gracious housing hosts that evening.

WashU
The big day nearly blew us away at the outset. We were quite ironically in the middle of a conversation about architecture when we arrived at Washington University of St. Louis. Whoa! The campus could nearly knock a person over. Abounding with astonishing architecture, it looks like Cambridge Univeristy! From the dominating castle front entrance, to the stone and the spires and the arches and the lavish interiors, the school is an artistic masterpiece.

WashU Front Entrance.

(If you're not familiar with Cambridge, check out pictures of both. There is an astonishing resemblance.
Cambridge:
http://www.pbase.com/compuminus/image/25417422
http://pacejmiller.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/cambridge_university.jpg
WashU:
http://admissions.wustl.edu/video/campus/Pages/NewPhotoGallery.aspx )

"The Quadrangle" Courtyard. Modeled after Oxford.

A meeting room. (I'm thinking "Greatroom")

Holmes Lounge. Originally built for the 1904 Worlds Fair.

I would have loved to revel in the buildings and take lots of pictures, but we had other things to do.
First a tour, then meetings with Admissions and Financial Aid (yes, how could I not be professionally observant in these sessions?). Lunch, and I managed to get in a jog while I was waiting in line. Got to visit a class after that. I really really wanted to get involved in the discussion, but I refrained. I studied for my masters course briefly in one of their many libraries, then we stepped across the street to one of the most amazing places I have ever not seen. But I'll talk about that later. (check the day 3 & 4 blog)

Short personal review? Very nice school. It's large, but they've managed to keep away from an overwhelming feel. Friendly for a Mid-Western city location, I didn't feel odd interacting with anyone. In terms of connecting with the location, feel, and personality of the school, I could see myself in school there. Major drawback: very secular, sold to postmodernism, and glorying in pluralism.

The 'Burg
That evening, we checked out the area, driving around looking at housing options, the student hangouts, "the loop," and downtown St. Louis. We went to an Italian restaurant recommended to us by our hosts, where the food was excellent and the waitress not so much (we will never forget that experience, lol). We discussed later, and are not sure that she ever made eye contact with either of us - aside from a rather strict application of menus.

Louis under Lights
Now that darkness had set in, the real test began. We returned to all the places we had visited earlier in the day, to see how they transformed at night. This time, instead of just driving around, we got out, walked, and looked around. We tried to get a feel for each area. Most were pretty good, and quite acceptable for a city. But there was also that place with the marble floors and broken grand piano .... That place was an easy decision - no.

To be continued ...

I hate Life

2010-03-12T18:54:00.002-05:00

(Definition Alert: Please note that "life" as used below refers to the way the world works, NOT to the actual living and breathing, of which I am quite in favor.)

Be it known that I hate this World, Life, and all its encumbrances.

I am no longer entirely naive, as I was in my first warring days.

Then, I denounced Life as a boastful youth scoffs about a giant wrestler's strength. He was easy to laugh at, for he existed "only in my mind." I bemoaned the state of those who mindlessly followed his dictates. I had a thousand theories of how I would avoid him, challenge him, correct him. Then I met him . . .

Now, I know the wrestler. I have met him, and indeed, he is as large as Life itself.
And yet I stand against him, even though I stand alone. I no longer scoff in ignorance; I now oppose with the full knowledge that my foe can squash me in an instant. But it does not matter. I hate him; I despise him, and I cannot take his side. I stand opposed on principle, against the greatest foe. I stand in defiance, knowing that I shall lose.

But the offence I must take is greater still, for the wrestler owns all the weapons. Indeed, nothing can be done which he does not approve. I am nothing but a flea screaming defiance at a tank; the wrestler cares nothing about me. I am forced, if I wish to do anything, to accept his methods. All the turf is his. To fight against the wrestler, I must obey him.

So now I obey, but with defiance in my heart. So now I live according to his dictates, but I do not agree with his way. So now I am a slave, but am always looking to escape. So now I work for the man I hate.

I fear that in the future, I shall accept his ways without question. The wrestler will no longer have to beat me, and force me to submission. I fear that I will have lost my will. I shall completely adopt the ways of Life; I shall perform every jot of the law I now hate. I shall agree with the wrestler.
But will I ever love him?

Please read my thoughts upon meeting this giant wrestler:
http://dlorimer.livejournal.com/48278.html

Don't Think and Drive (11)

2010-03-10T22:07:00.001-05:00

You know there's not much cell service in the area when you see a sign like this:
"Signal Ahead - 2 miles"!

So there's this big billboard that says "Sign Available"
I really wanted to call the number and say, "Yes, I'd like a miracle please ..."
(An evil and adultrous generation asks for a sign, you know.)

I drove past a sign that said "Football Parking". Apparently the basketballs and volleyballs must park elsewhere.

The Mohican Climbing Course had an interesting challenge. They had one climbing tower with challenging footholds. This was for the beginner climber, apparently. The other climbing tower had only bare wood! Good luck! (Yes, I know what it is.)

You know it's a big Walmart when they hand out maps at the front door ...!

A lyrical description of my trip. Keep in mind that I was always traveling further North.
From snow to sun
and sun to snow
and on through hurricane
a-traveling I go.

To inches; to piles; to dark blowing snow
then suddenly a sunny barren brownness.
a-traveling I go.

I sit in clear weather, bathed with sun
while events are cancelled from poor weather.
a-traveling I go.

Then I asssault, with my four wheels
those same wintered roads
Going where other men dare not drive
lest, greeted by danger, they do not arrive.
a-traveling I go.

Then finally, with a new band of friends
not in a car, but an intertube
down a snowy hill I fly,
"I love winter; I love snow, and I love sledding too," I cry!
a-traveling I go.

One Week Ago

2010-03-06T12:00:00.000-05:00

One week ago, I attended the Homeschool Alumni Ohio Winter Rendezvous.

One week ago yesterday, I drove across northern Ohio to join a unique group of people, most of whom I had never met.

One week ago last night was spent getting to know these folks, playing carpet ball, playing games, sharing jelly bellies and carrots, and playing instruments while we were just jammin' with our peeps. Who knows our occupations? And who knows if we really love our neighbors?

One week ago this morning was some of the best sledding I've seen in about 10 years, complete with tubing and a snowball fight. And that fateful toboggan ride ...

One week ago today was an afternoon spent in fellowship with new friends, playing games, talking, and sharing meals together. Voting down ridiculous sentences, playing scrabble with cards, laughing at mab gab, telephone, and of course, Hannah's hat getting stolen.

One week ago tonight was the formulation of the greatest mafia ever known.

One week ago late tonight was a time of sharing, and the grand entrance of to-be Senator Jason Samuel.

One week ago tomorrow was my birthday, shared with new friends, and a surprise cake!

One week ago tomorrow morning was a special service, where newly-met brothers and sisters from different locations and different denominational leanings shared in worship of God and the study of His Word.

One week ago tomorrow afternoon was an excellent time of discussion with the few who were able to stay a bit later.

One week ago tomorrow afternoon was, well .... when we all had to leave.

He said it best who said,

"We have come together because of two things: our love for the Lord and the common experience of homeschooling."

If you are a homeschooler or homeschool graduate, and you don't know what I'm talking about, check it out!

http://www.homeschoolalumni.org/

What Were They Thinking? (Part 2 - The Levite)

2010-02-19T18:51:00.000-05:00

An Interview with the negative characters in the story of the "Good Samaritan."
Luke 10:25-37
In case you missed part 1, read it first.

The Levite came by.
I've often wondered why the Levite just passed by. The other day, I had the grand opportunity to meet this Levite. I asked him, "Why on earth did you pass by and not help this man?"

As he was driving along, he was suddenly shocked to see this tragedy at the side of the road. He quickly slowed down, but was suddenly arrested by his thoughts. This man was a scribe - a lawyer - and the law quickly spoke.

"Oh God, look at this disastrous mess! Do you want me to stop and help? Whoa - look at all that blood. Perhaps he is dead. If I touch a dead corpse, I will be defiled. God doesn't like association with death or evil things. This is a horrible thing. What can I do? It's too bad -- there's nothing I can do. I wonder if that person is even a Christian. Probably someone in a gang who got beat up when a drug deal went bad." *shudders*

"What if -- what if it's a trap? Maybe he's faking to get me to stop. I could get beat up, robbed, or killed! I don't know anything about that man. I don't know if I should . . . I don't know if it would be right . . . ."
While he was thus debating with himself, his car, slowly rolling, passed by.

Unfortunately, there is no part 3. I was not able to find the good Samaritan to interview him. I hope to meet him someday.

What Were They Thinking? (Part 1 - The Priest)

2010-02-18T22:31:00.001-05:00

An interview with the negative characters in the story of the "Good Samaritan."
Luke 10:25-37

The Priest came by.
I've often wondered why the priest just passed by. The other day, I had the grand opportunity to meet this priest. I asked him, "Why on earth did you pass by and not help this man?"

He replied, "I am a priest, and I just completed my long tour of duty at the temple. I was ministering to lots of people who had problems. I had worked myself to complete exhaustion. I was burnt out. At first, I didn't even see him. When I did, there was no compassion left in my heart to stir. He was just another one of the hurting people I had been ministering to for months. You know, Jesus turned people away. He didn't heal everyone he could have healed. You have to draw the line somewhere, and I was done."

"God, I'm tired. I have been giving out and giving out, and I have nothing left to give. I'm exhausted; I'm tired, and I just can't do anything else. And now, here's another hurting person. God, I can't do it. I don't care anymore. I'm burnt out. Please bring someone else to help this man."

Remembering Inspector Valentin

2010-02-14T23:39:00.000-05:00

"There was nothing notable about him, except a slight contrast between the holiday gaiety of his clothes and the official gravity of his face. . . . There was nothing about him to indicate the fact that the grey jacket covered a loaded revolver, that the white waistcoat covered a police card, or that the straw hat covered one of the most powerful intellects in Europe. For this wasValentin himself, the head of the Paris police and the most famous investigator of the world; and he was coming from Brussels to London to make the greatest arrest of the century."

Valentin was pitted against one of the greatest criminals of all time -- Flambeau himself. Valentin may have been one of the most powerful intelects in Europe, but he was now facing another of the most powerful intellects in Europe. But what neither of these two could have ever expected was a very short Roman Catholic Priest, with a face round and dull, set with eyes as empy as the North Sea.
Enter Father Brown, the man who will face and capture the greatest criminal in Europe, the man who will charge the most famous investigator in the world with a high crime, and the very same Priest who will be side-by-side with Flambeau when it's all said and done. It all starts with Inspector Valentin.

I could think of no one else better suited to be honored on such a day as this -- "The Day of Valentin", or as we call it, "Valentine's Day".
Inspector Valentin, "the most famous investigator of the world."

Read it all:
THE INNOCENCE OF FATHER BROWN
By G. K. Chesterton
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/204/204-h/204-h.htm

Shot in the Heart - What Happens to You on Valentine's Day?

2010-02-13T14:37:00.000-05:00

So a cute little cupid flies around shooting arrows at "random" people. The story goes that if a person is shot in the heart by one of cupid's arrows, he or she will fall in love.
Being "shot in the heart" seems sardonically appropriate for Valentine's Day.

A Shot in The Heart
Couples usually experience "a shot in the heart" around Valentine's Day. Some start dating, some get married, and for most, it's a very special day. It's a holiday set aside to give an opportunity to express love, and reaffirm relationship. For those who are together on this day, the shot in the heart may be expressed in many forms -- from lubby-dubby to serious realization and appreciation. Enjoy your shot in the heart!

Shot in The Heart
But for many, this special day feels more like "getting shot in the heart." Those arrows work pain as well as love! Imagine - It's Valentine's Day. You're single. Bang! - shoot you in the heart. Painful, broken, bleeding -- not quite what Cupid had in mind.

For a single on Valentine's Day, it may be an all-too-intense slap-in-the-face (thus the affectionate title, "Slap-a-single-in-the-face Day"). It's a constant reminder about what they do not have. To make things worse, on Valentine's Day, friends refer to singleness almost as an ailment, offering advice on "what to do about it" or "how to fix it."

"Stupid Cupid" members may celebrate "Singles Awareness Day" moping, depressed, or balanced with their own parties. It's so bad, that "15% of U.S. women send themselvesflowers on Valentine's Day." (1)

There are some couples, separated by distance, war, etc. who are also feeling "shot in the heart" on this day. The singles will accept you. After all, misery loves company; feel free to come to our parties. One rule: Enjoy yourself -- DON'T spend the time whining about your significant other. If you're going to do that, you might as well join all the couples at the Valentine Bash.

Singles, Change the Day!
For couples, I have no suggestions. You know pretty well what you're supposed to do on this day, lol.
But for those who are single, change it up! Break out above and be a leader!

Don't focus on what you don't have - celebrate what you do have!
Make Valentine's Day a day to express appreciation! Instead of focusing on romantic relationships, why not celebrate friends and family? Do you have people in your life who mean a lot to you? Have you told them recently? Why not spend this Valentine's Day hanging out with the people you love and appreciate the most? If you can't be with them, how about calling a close friend just to express how much you appreciate them? Sure, you can forget the Valentine card, but why not write a letter to someone who has been a significant influence in your life?
"It's about appreciating those closest to you." (2)

“There are, however, so many abuses, so many dangers and incitements to evil, in the usages of this day, that it would be well for the virtue of thousands if its observance were wholly abandoned.”
Notes & Queries, February 1863

(1) http://www.corsinet.com/braincandy/valtrivia.html
(2) http://psychology.suite101.com/article.cfm/single_on_valentines_day#ixzz0fIID6TUx

Can you mix IM and face-to-face? (POLL!)

2010-02-06T14:18:00.001-05:00

Can you mix IM and face-to-face? POLL!

Hey guys, I want your opinions!
Social interaction has changed, and there's a bunch of unwritten rules that go along with it.
In your opinion, what's the rule on "crossing networks"? Most people don't have a problem following up a face-to-face conversation by IM, txt, facebook, tweet, etc, but what about other arrangements?

Does information shared on one network stay on that network?

Questions to think about:
(for you over-analytical thinkers, the "I" is relative and hypothetical in the questions below)

1. Can I reply to your tweet by making a comment on your facebook?

2. Is it ok to bring up yesterday's IM conversation at today's lunch conversation?

3. Can I reply to your text by sending you a tweet?

4. We talked about some deep personal hurts and stuff last night on IM. It is weird to continue that conversation in person the next time I see you?

5. I missed your phone call, so I posted on your facebook asking what you wanted. How do you feel about that?

6. We're talking on the phone and commenting back and forth on facebook at the same time. Why are they two totally separate conversations?

7. We're sitting in the same room within comfortable talking distance. I IM you instead of talking. What's your response to that?

8. Is it ok if when you text me; I call you instead of texting back?

9. Can I tweet you about a status you just posted on facebook? (Specific example: If your facebook indicates you just broke up, can I send you a tweet with my condolances?)

10. It is ok to refer to IM chats in facebook comments and twitter tweets?

Bonus Question
11. I have died. I have also set up an automatic blog/status/and tweet poster that keeps posting for the next two weeks. Are you freaked out?

Reason to Obey

2010-01-31T23:29:00.002-05:00

I liked this -

"There are some general principles in which we both agree—
1) That there is a God; and

2) that this God having given us some stated general rules for our service and obedience,
2a) we ought not willingly and knowingly to offend Him, either by neglecting to do what He has commanded, or by doing what He has expressly forbidden. . . .

3) that the blessing of God does not ordinarily follow presumptuous sinning against His command; and

Thus) every good Christian will be affectionately concerned to prevent any that are under his care living in a total neglect of God and His commands."

The French Clergyman,
The Further Adventures of Robin Crusoe, by Daniel Defoe
Chapter 6

A fine argument giving a very practical reason for following the commands of God.
Now, this will not make you a Christian. But it's sound reasoning for Christians to attend unto obedience!

Does Diversification go a Bit Too Far?

2010-01-26T23:21:00.001-05:00

In an effort to reduce discrimination and expand diversity, Organic Nuclear Biochemicals Incorporated, A United States-based organization, is beginning a radically new diversification program.

The formal policy states, "It is important to recognize the special skills and abilities of all members from different backgrounds. Our goal is to fit members from all social classes, walks of life, and previous experience into a highly efficient pluralistic team. ONB is committed to diversity education, and has adopted a diversification training program for all managers and employees. Failure to successfully complete this program may result in job termination.
ONB does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, handicap, worldview or religious beliefs, criminal record, current criminal status, degree of sanity, physical or mental ability, danger to society, drug use, or previous job performance."

CEO Alan Acepta gave an example of the stereotypes the company is trying to eliminate. "Many managers have a negative bias against current convicted felons, especially escapees. Our goal is help our people develop an appreciation for the unique skills and abilities each person brings to the table. A recent survey reported that white middle-class employees are 'extremely uncomfortable' working alongside a recent serial killer. These findings indicate that many of our employees still need to be convinced of the benefits that come from diversity."

ONB believes that exposure to diverse colleagues helps managers develop breadth and openness. The new training program includes mandatory diversification association, with minority and discriminated groups -- such as burglers, robbers, murderers, rapists, and terrorists -- leading an awareness session explaining and demonstrating the background they come from, the unique norms and practices that are a part of their culture, and conclude by leading the group in activity in their area of expertise. Differences must be acknowledged, accepted, and seen as significant contributors to the entirety.

To demonstrate their commitment to diversity, the company recently hired Sue Spender as Vice President of Finance. "Her previous work experience demonstrates a superior ability to handle money," Acepta explained. "Only those filled with prejudice would argue that we should not hire her." This is a powerful step forward for the ONB diversification program, considering that Spender is a member of more than one minority group. Spender is Nigerian, female, does not speak English, and was recently convicted of embezzlement.

ONB expects that company stock will triple in value over the next year as a result of the new program. Company analyst Slyket Capone stated, "The advantages of diversity to an organization are undeniable. Our studies show that diversity is the spark that ignites innovation. Diversity contributes to organizational performance." Vice President Vadik Lenin added, "Anyone that disagrees with this just hasn't been convinced yet. The new training program is in place to insure that managers and employees at all levels understand the benefits of a pluralistic company."

Source:
Baloney Network News - "All the news that isn't true."

2010-01-26T17:27:00.001-05:00

Had lots of meetings today.

In Training

2010-01-23T22:55:00.001-05:00

10/20/2008
I am learning, painstakingly and elementarily, to obey immediately the first gentle correction of the Holy Spirit. It is a tediously slow and humiliating task, not altogether unlike foreign language drill. The will must be trained to obey my Lord's calls without thinking, for my Lord does not argue once I start to rationalize. I feel like a young child. I know the boundaries. Reach and spank. Reach and spank. Reach and am corrected by "the eye."

These do not feel like spiritual battles. They feel like drill. Yet these may be some of the hardest battles I fight, for they are the very question of whether I will obey my Lord or not. Like a horse in training whose own will must break, around again we go with word, with reign, with whip. I am finally choosing to obey and learn. I pray my obedience will become first nature.

I found these thoughts interesting in light of the challenge I posted recently.
http://dlorimer.blogspot.com/2010/01/under-control-of-holy-spirit.html

Under Control of the Holy Spirit

2010-01-19T18:47:00.000-05:00

Ever feel like you're working so hard to keep control of your mind that it's counter-productive?
For example, if you are trying to conquer worry, an intense focus on stopping yourself from worrying can be almost as bad as worrying itself. Instead of fighting, it may be better to surrender - to God.
I found this helpful, so I decided to pass it on.

Our natural inclination is to simply quote Scripture back to God as a mental or intellectual exercise. This will rob us of the riches of God’s wisdom and the joy of His fellowship. Therefore, we must bring the mind under the control of God’s Spirit with a definite act of the will.

Thus, it would be wise to pray, “Heavenly Father, right now I do place my mind under the control of Your Holy Spirit and the authority of Your Word.” With this prayer, you have just taken a giant step toward daily success.

- Bill Gothard

Jungle Pilot - The Story of Nate Saint

2010-01-14T18:36:00.001-05:00

Jungle Pilot by Russell Hitt

How can a normal guy, who feels a bit "lost" in life, made a big difference for God?

Nate Saint was the pilot who perished with Jim Elliot, Ed McCully, Roger Youderian, and Pete Fleming when they were murdered while trying to bring the gospel of Christ to the Auca Indians in South America. It's easy to think of him as a hero, or someone above our level. But this book makes the picture a lot bigger than that.

Jungle Pilot is a fairly straightforward and simple account of the stories of Nate Saint's life. The style and writing is a shade weak, but is balanced by a large amount of block inclusions of Nate Saint's own writing. Nate said, "I don't want to be a great writer, but I long to express myself." (p. 130) Nate's simple, yet unique, style shows that he was successful at expressing himself in an engaging way.

It's a story of a normal guy whose heart deeply desired to serve God. His upbringing was Christian, but perhaps somewhat lacking (moderns might say "disfunctional). He struggled to find God's will for his life. He spent time "doing his own thing," yet having a heart to serve the Lord. He faced painful struggles and losses in relationships. Yet God was guiding his life, and brought him first to a place of work for His Kingdom, then to the place of ultimate sacrifice for His plan.

I read the earliest chapters at starts and stops, slowly getting the picture of who this man was. As I progressed further, I found my eyes would read on into the next paragraph, even after my brain had said I needed to do something else. About 2/3 of the way through, I was throughly engaged, and put aside everything else in order to continue this story. I knew what was coming . . .

It began to be very difficult to read as my eyes slowly filled with tears. While convulsing coughing had been my lot for several days, the shaking was now due to silent sobs. Yet it is not the loss of life that has brought me to such emotion. It is the dedication and commitment to the Lord and His work. It is the realization of a love so powerful that it transcends life itself. My heart longs to be what God had made each of these men. I want that kind of committment and dedication. I want that kind of relationship with my Lord. I want that kind of love for the lost.

"Nothing was more burning in his heart than that Christ should be named among the Aucas. By life or death, oh, may God get glory to himself."

Robinson Crusoe

2010-01-06T20:50:00.000-05:00

Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe

In Short - Loved it!

I really enjoyed Robinson Crusoe. It tends to move at a slower pace, with less action and suspense than one might expect. I was using it as bedtime reading, though, so this was perfect.

Once, a group of guys in the dorm entertained the idea of doing an audio drama based on Robinson Crusoe - just with more people. Now I'm glad we didn't. We would have had to modify it pretty heavily.

Overview
The story is fairly simple. A man stricken by chronic wanderlust is cast away alone on an island. He finds ways not only to survive, but thrive. Eventually, he saves the life of a native from the mainland, who then joins him on the island. Then, the real action starts ... read the book. :)
Initially, I was extremely impressed with Defoe's apparently expansive knowledge of the sea and island living. But apparently, Defoe based a good bit of the book on the real life story of a castaway sailor. Still, it is well-written. Some parts seem inconsistent or incorrectly "made up," but they don't hurt anything, lol.

Christian Presentation
I was particularly impressed with the strong Christian message presented (please note I read the unabridged version). Good values are presented first, with Crusoe making bad decisions, and paying the penalty. However, during his time on the island, he becomes a Christian. Not only is the discussion of Christianity very clear, the gospel and plan of salvation is presented! Later, Crusoe leads Friday to the Lord, and a few of their religious discussions are outlined, and are very well handled. This is not a large percentage of the book (I don't think someone would be put off by it having too much "God talk" or a "Christian agenda"), but is effectively presented. Friday even suggests that Crusoe become a missionary to his people.

There were a couple of interesting things that struck me. These may become independent blogs later, but right now they're just rolling around in my head.

The Adjective "Christian"
Crusoe's use of "Christian" was very interesting to me. He refers to England and other European countries as "Christian civiliations" or "Christian people." Now, I know very well that these are not "Christian" in our modern usage of the word, especially the sailors to whom he is referring. However, he is speaking in contrast to the barbaric pagan civilizations of the many places he has been. (And Catholicism, I understand.) It's a novel use of the work, and may speak very strongly of the powerful influence of Christianity in the world. Every "Western" civilization now is "Christian" in the exact same sense. Amazing how much difference this religion has made in the world.

Societal Interaction
The social interaction he describes, especially after leaving the island, is fascinating. Imagine a world where there are no regular banks or businesses for holding, transfering, and converting of money and goods. Each relationship is exactly that - a relationship. You have to find trustworthy people, often by references and recommendations, and make your arrangements directly with them. You find a person to hold, use, and invest your extra money. You transfer goods by trust, hope, and commision. We really don't live like this anymore, yet I wonder if there's something inherent to humanity in this type of interaction . . . . Though businesses superintend most of this now, the method he describes is still the most effective method of getting things done. We often call it politics.

The End
I actually put off finishing the book. I was expecting a standard ending, and fearing an ending with a twist. Either way, I was anticipating lots of things to think about upon completing the book. A book that prompts lots of thinking is not the best for bedtime reading, as I was using this book.
However, I got a twist I was not expecting. The end of the book covers events rather rapidly, then nonchalantly announces that there is another book. The End.

Who Would Have Thought? 2009->2010

2010-01-01T02:23:00.000-05:00

"I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me." - Philippians 3:12

As I think back over this year, I'm amazed at what has happened in the lives of my friends. Who would have thought?
Who would have thought at this point last year ...?

-That unanticipated move, redefining both life and home. Who would have thought?
-Life would fall apart this year, and have to be put back together piece by piece. Who would have thought?
-The loss of a loved one, and life will never be the same. Who would have thought?
-The job change, unforseen 12 months ago. Who would have thought?
-The honors and awards, visible results of hard work and good character, which led to more major life changes. Who would have thought?
-So many, making choices they do not fully understand, have seen their lives transformed. I know many who, following God's leading to Bible College this year, have found that by their obedience, God has done a work in them they never could have imagined! Who would have thought?
-That "special someone" and a new relationship. Who would have thought?
-Making those friends and meeting those people who have changed your life. Who would have thought?
-Making those choices which influenced others, and their lives have been changed. Who would have thought?
-The flutter of new life, bringing a child into the world; life changed forever. Who would have thought?

Friends, we have no idea what will happen in 2010. Some of us may face great pain and hardships. Some of us may experience life's greatest joys and blessings. But we are here; this is our life. This is the only one we get. Let's make it the best we possibly can!

In this New Year, I am resolutely determined to serve my Lord Jesus Christ. I do not know what I may face, but this I have decided. No matter what comes -whether I understand or not- I will serve the Lord.

This year, I want to know God better. I wish to become more like Him. I want to learn, "sitting at the feet of Jesus." And I would love to be a part of advancing the Kingdom of Christ, and helping others come to know my savior! My sincere desire is to be a part of young people finding a deep hunger and relationship with God that spills out into a lifetime of dedicated service and love.

The New Year 2010:
"I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me." Philippians 3:12 NKJV

“The object of a new year is not that we should have a new year. It is that we should have a new soul.”
-G.K. Chesterton

“An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves.”
-Bill Vaughn

5 Things You Should Know About Google Chrome

2009-12-31T15:19:00.001-05:00

Why you should switch to Google Chrome . . . and why not to.

A comparison of Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome internet browsers.

The Greatest Reason to switch to Chrome:
1. Chrome handles Facebook chat wonderfully! Guys, when you were trying to sell me on Chrome, if you would have said that it doesn't have the annoying Facebook chat issues, the would have sealed the deal!
Let's face it, Firefox just doesn't handle facebook chat very well. Every time you receive an IM, it stops you from typing, even if you were trying to reply! What's worse, if you hit backspace, it's likely to go back a page, and you lose everything on the page you were working on.
Chrome, however, works like one would expect it to. No errors or problems, the chat just pops up, and you can check it when you want to. No interrupted typing; no lost data.

The other jabberings:
2. Chrome runs every new tab as a separate process. This has some benefits, such as more efficient operation on multi-processor machines, and less risk of losing all your tabs if one crashes. However, for a heavy browser user like myself, it wasn't impressive. I am often using 10-30 tabs at a time, and adding that many processses kinda fills up the task manager. (If you don't understand that last sentence, don't worry about it. Just ignore this entire paragraph.)

3. Chrome has been touted as faster and less intensive, using less system resources. Say what you like, but my experience says this point is mostly moot. Sometimes it loads faster than Firefox; sometimes slower. With few tabs open, it uses less resources; with many tabs open, it uses more. Check out these notes from my experiments:

"Chrome is using less resources right now. I'm gonna kill Firefox and see if it speeds things up ... since it's receiving all these Facebook IMs also ..."

"Hmm, ok. I just managed to stall Chrome like firefox stalls. It uses a good bit of system resources, and steadily uses more until it's closed, just like Firefox.
I don't think there's significant benefit in speed or resources."

"Now I'm using Chrome pretty heavily, and I noticed a significant computer slowdown. So I opened firefox at the same time, and opened the same amount of tabs (10). Chrome is using 77% MORE system resources than Firefox."

(Really) Odd Things:
4. Chrome seems to have been designed with Facebook in mind. It appears that Chrome can stay logged into Facebook, even when the same account is being accessed from another computer! (Yup, I tried it.)

"LOL, what on earth did google do? Firefox and Chrome are SO closely linked, that not only can BOTH be logged into the same Facebook account at the same time, but both will ALSO receive the same instant message -- as though they are exactly the same program. *Cough Cough*"

The Deal Breaker
5. There is no Ad Blocking plugin for Chrome. If you have been using Firefox with Ad Block Plus, this will be one of the first things you notice when using Chrome. There are ads everywhere, and you can't get rid of them! I did not realize how many ads there are now (and how bad some of them are, I might add), because I never see them in Firefox. Unfortunately, this is the deal-breaker for me. Chrome is nice, and I really like smooth Facebook operation, but it just can't top having complete control over your ads.

If/when Chrome has an adblocking plugin, Chrome will become my browser of choice.

How much did you spend this Christmas?

2009-12-25T00:59:00.000-05:00

Christmas ... money ... materialism ... shopping ... greed ... money ... gifts ... shopping ... money ... Christmas.

What Does Christmas Cost?

$1.5 Million Dollars per minute on Christmas Eve. Oh, and that's just in Britain. (1)

$24.9 Billion Dollars on holiday spending (up to December 21). Oh, sorry guys, that's just online spending. (2)

$133.6 Billion -- $133,600,000,000.00 was the approximate spending last year. Oh, that's only for the US. :-) (3)

For a bit of comparison, that is the approximate equivalent of the Gross Domestic Product (for the entire year, mind you), of Morocco or Slovakia.
Or to look at it another way, Americans spend more on Winter Holidays than 135 of the worlds' nations' individual entire economic output for an entire year! (according to the CIA factbook). (4)

What Would Jesus Do?

How much did you spend? How much is it worth?

Seriously guys, "What Would Jesus Do?" Would he really spend so much on gifts!?

Wait -- maybe He would ...

Jesus gave up his house, that He might live in men. He gave up His salary. He gave up respect. He gave up fame. He gave up His security. He gave up His rights. He gave up what He knew He could do, in order to do something that only He could do.

He came to preach the gospel. He came to present a message that would change the lives forever of those who heard it. He came to change the world.

And He came to die. He knew He was going to die – that's the whole reason why He came. He was the only way; the sinless sacrifice for the sins of a fallen humanity. His gift brought life and freedom. He did it all because of the passion He had that whoever would believe in Him would not perish, but have everlasting life.

God spent more on His gift than the Gross Domestic Product of the entire world. Jesus became a gift whose cost is beyond human comprehension. Christmas cost a lot!

What does Christmas cost? Was it worth it?

Have you heard the good news? God came down from heaven to take away the penalty of the wrong things we have done!

Merry Christmas!!!

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16 NIV)

Catch the full story here.

1. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8430258.stm

2. http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/2009/12/21/online-holiday-spending-hits-record-913-million

3. http://www.mindbranch.com/Holiday-Spending-R567-612/

4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(PPP)

Don't Think and Drive (10)

2009-12-16T21:47:00.000-05:00

Today's Travels were short, but found a bit of humor.

Those restricted access signs --
"Prohibited:
Animals on Foot" -- Apparently animals on motor scooters are ok?

Not sure why this struck me so funny --
The rear license plate on a brand new black Lexus: "Oh Well"

One shop was advertising their wares with a slightly confusing sign -
"Ceramic Carpet" -- Now THIS I've got to see!

Slightly later:
Installation instructions can sometimes be confusing. Tonight I was greeted with these messages, with no other messages in between:

"Important: DO NOT connect the printer ..."
"Cannot find the printer - make sure it is connected to your computer ..."

Are You Surviving?

2009-12-10T22:06:00.002-05:00

Why get a job so you can survive in this life?
Why just live life, and tag God onto it?
Sure that's great and all -- but life is nothing if you're just surviving it. You're just making money to get along, so you can continue to survive in life.

Is it not so much better to use your life completely for God? Serving Him personally, yes, but so much more. Why not spend your life being a witness and a minister for Christ, telling others about Him? Are you actively trying to build the Kingdom?
Yes, we must "survive" life, but if surviving is all we do, what good is it? Would it not be better to "survive" only 4 years of life, and have used those 4 years completely for God?

I'm not saying that a secular career is bad. You can be a minister for God in a secular career too. But we have about 85 years here, and then we're gone. Just 85 years - it's not really much time. And for most of us, we've used at least 1/4 of it already. And it really won't matter how well-off we were. Our money won't matter and our job won't matter. One thing will matter -- Did we make a difference?

This life isn't going to matter once we're gone. Why on earth are we spending 95% of life just "surviving" life? That means 95% of everything is absolutely worthless! Why not spend all of life for God? Maybe that means 80% working with people -eternal people- and just 20% to support ourselves doing it.

Why not?
Is your life worth anything or are you just surviving?

"The length of our days is seventy years--or eighty, if we have the strength; yet their span is but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away."
-Psalm 90:10

"I've never understood why people spend all day at a job they don't like, to support a life they aren't happy with, and to pay for a house they don't live in!"

The Impossible Museum

2009-12-04T23:36:00.000-05:00

Museums have a lot of things, but
There are some things you just can't put on display --

The man who holds the Guinness book of World Records for humility.
First paper ever thrown away in Bill Gate's office.
First atom ever divided.
The first plane used in a Japanese Kamikaze mission.
The rocket upper stage from Apollo 11.
The Vanguard I.
The first ice hotel to make 1 million dollars.
Peter's first handkerchief, before they figured out they could cure diseases. (Acts 19:11-12)
The Hindenburg.
Last bomb to be used in World War II.

Giving, Thanks

2009-11-26T12:39:00.002-05:00

1. I am thankful that there is a God, and therefore life has purpose, meaning, and responsibility.
2. I am thankful for Christ, who provided salvation and deliverance from sin, and a personal relationship with the almighty God.
3. I am thankful for my family, with a wonderful Christian heritage, upbringing, and example.
4. I am thankful for you -- my friends, who mean a lot to me; who challenge, encourage, and inspire me.
5. I am thankful to live in a free country founded on Christian principles.
6. I am thankful for peace and safety, and freedom from persecution.
7. I am thankful for abundant blessings - I lack nothing, and have more things than I need to survive.
8. I am thankful for my job, where I get to impact the lives of youth; where I am privileged to learn and grow in a caring environment.
9. I am thankful for Kentucky Mountain Bible College, and our emphasis on training in holiness; training not just to survive life, but preparing for life itself.
10. I am thankful for the ability to be thankful. We're the only ones who can - we are special in creation.

Universal Relativism

2009-11-21T16:19:00.003-05:00

Pondering relativism recently, I was struck by a peculiar thought. I cannot build a large-scale model based on relativism, because relativism only exists in a limited scope.
Relativism is relative.

"His law he enforces, the stars in their courses
And sun in its orbit obediently shine;"
- Let All Things Now Living, Katherine K. Davis

We might believe in relativism, but why?
Let's start as far out as we know -- The Universe. Here we observe absolute law, so continuous an accurate that we (or the Mayans) can accurately predict hundreds - even thousands - of years ahead. This is true throughout the universe, the galaxy, and the solar system.

So let's come down to earth. Surprisingly, here we also observe absolute law. Gravity operates here without exception, just as it has throughout the entire universe. Everything is consistent, absolute, and reliable. Photosynthesis works - always. Respiration, the hydrologic cycle, the law of entropy, as well as recovery, and regeneration. A forest burns, and a forest grows back. Water evaporates, and water rains. It is all reliable; consistent; absolute.
Here we observe animals - something we have not seen anywhere else in the universe. They too, are very consistent, and the circle of life appears absolute. They grow; they die. But they all continue in constancy and consistency. We can predict what will happen, and it does.

Then we see a strange animal. Sometimes active during the day; sometimes active during the night. Sometimes carnivore; sometimes herbivore. Sometimes building; sometimes destroying. We cannot predict him. Each one acts differently, and each one may not act the same way every time in the same situation. Strange he is, this creature called human.
And it's the only place where we find relativism.

Nowhere else in the entire universe have we seen relativism. Nowhere else on the earth. What is it about this creature that is different? He is inconsistent; he is changeable. We cannot accurately predict him. What has given him freedom from the absolute law that governs all?

Friends, we could argue that we have evolved to this point. But how can we, who evolved by absolute law, rise above that law? How can we free ourselves from it? All of the rest of the universe is absolute -- how can we be outside it?
No -- moral relativism, social ethics, societal differences, situational ethics, and "Darwinian morality" all must come from somewhere else.
We are left with an obvious deduction: In order for us to be free from the law, we have have been freed from it. Was the human race granted freedom of choice at some point? Were humans given the ability to operate outside absolute law? Were they permitted the freedom to rebel?

Humans are different; humans are special. They are not just another animal. They are very unique. The Bible shows that it was God - the Creator of the absolute universe - who made man in His own image and gave him the freedom of choice. (Genesis 1-3) We have a privilege no other creation has. We can believe relativism and situational ethics only because God gave that freedom to us.

Friends,
Relativism shows the significance of man.
Relativism declares the existence of God.

Well, What do You Know?

2009-11-07T21:56:00.000-05:00

"I met a man at the coffee shop, and was telling him all about the powerful players in the Middle East controversy. Found out at the end of the conversation that this man lives next door to me."

I wonder if we can't see any of the world, because we are trying to see all of it.

(background in Amusing Ourselves to Death)
(Inspired by a small portion of the Pilgrim's Regress, p. 198-199.)

In our modern age, we are inundated with information. We have the ability to know what is going on (albeit, perhaps a bit skewed) in almost any part of the world. It has almost become a moral obligation to be not only aware, but punditic and opinionated to the point of argument.

But what has actually occurred is the exact opposite. We don't care. We are overloaded with information, and so we withdraw from it all.

Perhaps, in trying to see the whole forest, we see and care less about the trees. Perhaps, in trying to know the whole world, we know nothing about our neighbor. Perhaps, in trying to become part of the "universal consciousness," we are in fact, comatose.

What if we were created for the opposite. What if, in knowing one person so well, we can then meet all people, because we know they are just like our friend. What if, by loving our community, that love would overflow to every community we see. What if, by being so attached to one place, we then care about every place, because we know it is someone's home.

If we quit trying to save the world, (and tried to save our neighborhood) perhaps we would.

"The Landlord has knit our hearts so closely to time and place -- to one friend rather than another and one shire more than all the land."
"Out, little spear that stabs. I, fool, believed
I had outgrown the local, unique sting,
I had transmuted away (I was deceived)
Into love universal the lov'd thing."
(The Pilgrim's Regress, p. 198)

Don't Think and Drive (9)

2009-11-03T23:00:00.000-05:00

Fall Break at KMBC:
Youth Challenge went great! I think this was one of the best years for me personally.
To all my friends who were there -- It was great to see you again!!
Along with 3 days there, today was a optometrist (eye doctor) appointment, which added a bit more excitement.

On the serious side:
"Microwave Altars" really bother me. If someone comes to the altar, and doesn't get help by the time we've finished the closing prayer, something didn't work. It's time to get up and go anyway. I've seen altar workers push people through a litany, like everyone has to fit situation #14 in the altar workers' handbook, or "it's just emotion." Why can't we work with people in a way that gives them time to let God really deal with them, instead of just rushing through prayers?
If you say, "we don't encourage that," I will reply. #1, I watch it encouraged all the time, intentional or not. #2, that is already the social expectation that we have created. We'll have to work to change it. When you microwave, you run the risk of it getting soft and soggy. Let's try Sonbaking!

Some funny things:

Shushan: *shock* "David is wearing a bracelet!"

Shushan: "There's a dog driving that car!"
Me: "What!?"
Shushan: "He's sitting in the driver's seat." *calming down* "Well, he's sitting in the driver's lap, but still, he shouldn't be there!"
Me: "It's probably his seeing-eye dog."

Now here is a walking motion disaster --
A tight straight jean skirt with 5 inch heel knee-boots! (Talk about "can't walk"! Lol)

So, I'm driving along today, and suddenly see a pair of sunglasses reflected in my window. I've owned this car for 8 months, and never saw those things! I guess they came free with the car. :)

Have you ever wondered why they have you pick out new frames - your new "look" for the next couple years - while your eyes are dilated, and you really can't see?

Speaking of which, I decided today that these "auto-drive" features on cars would be a great idea. After the dilation didn't wear off anywhere close to as fast as they said it would, I would have preferred for a computer to be driving my car! (for clarification, they have now begun to return to normal - over 7 hours later)
See
http://www.engadget.com/2005/08/27/gm-will-launch-self-driving-car-in-2008/

Today, my car read "Oil Pressure, 2psi. NORMAL" -- That doesn't seem very normal to me! LOL

"I prefer to run eastward marathons. Whenever I run westward, everything starts going wrong. It seems as though the whole world is turning against me!"
- Marathon runner Iván Buddíndenwin

The Anda, Top American Invention, 2009!

2009-10-26T23:22:00.004-04:00

http://www.segway.com/

Introducing the Anda, a brand new type of Segway that promises to keep you in shape while getting you where you need to go.
The Segway company, developers of the original Segway, have just released the Anda in response to the "fat and lazy concerns" from Segway users. Users complain about discomfort and lack of circulation resulting from the rigid stillness required to drive a traditional Segway. But the days of standing still are almost gone!

The Anda is a two-wheeled transport featuring an open frame and gyro-based moving belt. Unlike traditional Segways, which do not allow for any type of user motion, the Anda requires the user to move around while traveling. As the user pushes the belt in a walking motion, the Anda moves forward. If the user moves faster, the Anda picks up speed as well. To turn, the user simply leans to that side and continues walking. The Anda will be right underfoot. Even with wheels turning one way and the belt the other, thanks to Segway-patented gyro technology, the Anda never tips over.

The Anda MSRPs for $5500, and boasts a top speed 5.2 mph!
Segway is expected to release the Marathon, a jogging model with a top speed of 12 mph, next year.

Voted Top American Invention, 2009
Check it out here.

Source:
Baloney Network - "All the news that isn't true."

Think it's a crazy idea? Think again --
Check out the Centaur -- http://news.cnet.com/Photo-Segway-Centaur/2009-1026_3-5408282.html

And this one --
http://www.engadget.com/2005/11/24/the-treadmill-bike/ (love the sentence under the picture)
http://www.bikeforest.com/tread/index.php

"Grey Area"

2009-10-20T21:37:00.001-04:00

Sometimes when a person rejects the Christian faith, it is pretty obvious that they are no longer following the Lord. One may do what they know is wrong, as a rebellious act of clear defiance.
But most often, we find ourselves concerned about someone because we just don't know where they are. They haven't clearly stepped over a line, but neither do they seem to be doing well spiritually. Sometimes, the person doesn't even know themselves. Often, people in this state will call themselves Christians, even after they seem to have long since abandoned God. How does this happen? Can it happen to us? Would we notice if it did?

There is a large piece of ground between heaven and hell. "Grey Area" is a dry and trackless wasteland, without signposts, landmarks, or boundary lines. It is very difficult to know where you are and whose side you are on. It is not like walking off a cliff and falling into sin (like most people fear, and like our first case, above). It is like wandering without any sense of direction. You can walk right into sin, and not even know it. By the time you recognize a landmark, you may find that you are a hundred miles inside the enemy camp.
By choosing to live in Grey Area, you are choosing to live without the knowledge of right and wrong. It may seem like freedom, but you've sacrificed knowledge. We often like to think that God doesn't know where the line is either, so it's safe to be out there. But if we don't know where we are until we finally see a landmark, whose landmark do you think we will see? It's the temptation that Christian faced in "Pilgrim's Progress" when he saw a green path that ran "parallel" to the road. He didn't know the path soon disappeared and left him without direction. Grey Area doesn't make you right, it makes you lost.
Many of us want to live in Grey Area, for we do not like the idea that God will judge us for our actions. We feel we are safe out there, because we cannot fall into sin. There are no cliffs; there is no danger. We are outside the clear voice of God, and outside the reach of Satan. It's a safe middle-of-the-road. But friends, if we are outside the voice of God, how will we hear when He calls His children home?

Do you know for sure that how you are living is right?

“Grant me, O Lord, the grace to know what should be known, to praise what is most pleasing to You, to esteem that which appears most precious to You, and to abhor what is unclean in Your sight.” -- Thomas a Kempis (Imitation of Christ, p. 236)

"Let a man but have so much piety as to intend to please God in all the actions of his life, as the happiest and best thing in the world." -- William Law (A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life, Chapter 2)

Important Note:
*There is a difference between observing others in a "grey area," and choosing to be there personally. I strongly encourage you to personally stay out of grey areas. Choose to live the way you know for sure is right. If you don't know for sure, stay clear away from it!
On the other hand, I encourage you to have grace with others you observe. Just because you don't know if they are right doesn't mean they don't know. Don't announce that they are going to hell. We are to hold each other accountable and spur one another on in the faith. Ask if they know for sure what they are doing is right. Point them to God's Word as the boundaries and signposts for our lives. Exhort them to a life that abandons grey area in favor of right living. All of us, in any spiritual state, need to hear that exhortation.

1 Great Way to Get Rid of Trashy Ads

2009-10-17T22:06:00.000-04:00

Trashy ads bothering you? Here's a simple way to help protect your space.
You don't have to live with the ads on Facebook (or the rest of the internet)!

You can get rid of them if you are using Firefox as your web browser with the adblock plus plugin!

If you do not have Firefox, start here:
1. Download and install Firefox
go to http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/personal.html
click the download button to download firefox
2. Install firefox
3. After installing, run firefox

If you are already using Firefox, start here:
4. In firefox go to https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1865
this is called Adblock Plus
5. Click "Add to Firefox"
It will install (may require a few more clicks)
6. Restart firefox
7. When firefox restarts, it will show a subscription page. Select "Easy List (USA)".
8. Bam, your ads are gone!

A few notes:
--You should now have an adblock icon in your top-right corner (looks like a stop sign).
--Some legitimate web images may accidentally be blocked by adblocker (for example, it sometimes blocks the main picture on the kmbc homepage. You can disable adblock to check or select "disable for __site__". (both of these are found at the stop sign.)

Seeing Evolution in Order

2009-10-08T23:03:00.002-04:00

I was sitting there on the 4th floor on the highrise, placidly watching the suburban Chicago traffic. As an army of ants goes to and fro from an anthill, each minding his own business, yet working in perfect harmony, so these cars went about their circuit. As I watched the endless motion, so regular, yet so varied, I asked myself, "Where does order come from?"

I am not wholly opposed to assuming a belief entirely for a set time, in order to work from inside the belief system. So, please allow me to embrace evolution for a minute.

Cars, such as those in suburbia, and even ants, such as those in my yard, challenge my modern evolutionary thought. My understanding, based in modern theories of evolution, has great distaste for these cars operating in such harmony. This type of order presents some challenges for us. Where does order come from? In evolution, we rely on randonimity and chance. It is highly improbable that life, and ultimately man, evolved from mere non-living matter, yet it is possible. And it has happened.

Evolution is random. Given enough chances, the universe exploded into existence. Given enough time, life accidentally sprang into being. Given enough opportunities, beneficial mutations occurred, changed the organism, and created new creatures. By luck, it so happens that we humans are now here.
But where did order come from?

If I truly am to embrace evolution, I must hold that it is the best system. If it is the best system, why is this system not operating around me every day?
Why, our highways should go nowhere; our driving should be erratic. Our cars should take turns at random, and reach our destinations totally by accident! Our airspace should be hopeful, our seas should be unmapped, our lands should have no signage -- We're creatures of chance! Who needs NASA? Our spacecraft will make it eventually -- just give it enough time!
Is order really necessary?

I cannot believe that order has always been necessary, for I do not believe it was necessary for the beginning of the universe and life. But if order is not necessary, then why does it exist? It should have been eliminated a long time ago by Natural Selection. If order is not necessary, where did it come from? If all was created by random processes, then order had to be created by random processes.

As an evolutionist, I hold that random processes can produce order, or at least, an order. If I toss Scrabble pieces onto a table, it is possible that a word (most likely a 2-letter word) will be produced. We would recognize that as order, or at least, as in order. Unfortunately, I must already operate from order to recognize that the scrabble pieces are in an order. So again I am foiled. If I was a pure randomist, I would not notice the difference between my random tossing producing gibberish on my Scrabble table or producing the entire works of Shakespeare. I must understand language, which is an order, to be able to tell the difference.

So while I could argue that randonimity can produce an order, I am forced to recognize that randonimity cannot produce an operating system of order. Thus, randonimity cannot produce order, and order did not exist before the beginning. Order should not exist. But it does.

Order then, must be necessary. If it is necessary, then where did it come from? If order is necessary, why do we say it wasn't present at the beginning of things!?

One might say that order is necessary for life today, and I think they would be correct. But then we have another problem. Just when did order become necessary?

I cannot believe that order has always been necessary, for I do not believe it was necessary for the beginning of the universe and life. Perhaps then, it became necessary at some later point? I cannot say where, however.

But now I am left with another dilemma. At what point did order supersede randonimity? Order is what I observe in the world today. Without it, I would probably have been staring, panic-stricken, at a horrible mess of car pile-ups. Order seems to be the dominant operator in the present world. When did it surpass random processes? Since it did, Natural Selection would teach me that randonimity is weak, and order is superior. But if order is superior, why was it not necessary in the beginning!?

In either case, I still don't know where it came from. I also do not know how. If randonimity is all that operated prior to order, then how did order come into being? I have already found that randonimity cannot produce order. Where did order come from?

If I continue to hold that randonimity was the cause of everything, then I cannot explain why I observe order. Order is necessary, distinct from random processes.
If order is necessary, then why is randonimity? When order could explain it all, why do we insist that randonimity must explain it all?

I could propose that order and randonimity must both exist. But then, order is necessary.
If order is necessary, why do we insist that it wasn't necessary in the very beginnings of our universe and life?

Wouldn't a theory that includes both order and randonimity make more sense? Perhaps we should develop a theory in which order is dominant, and randonimity is variety. Maybe random processes have nothing to do with it. Maybe order created the cosmos, and randonimity mixes it.

Perhaps God created the heavens and the Earth.

What's your opinion? 2 bad parents or 1 good one?

2009-10-02T16:01:00.000-04:00

Question:
Is it better for a child to be in a bad home with 2 parents, or to be in an acceptable situation with just one? (for the sake of discussion, the "bad home" is not violent/abusive, but not a good situation either).

Originally from:
http://dlorimer.livejournal.com/25473.html

The Innocence of Father Brown

2009-09-28T23:24:00.000-04:00

The Innocence of Father Brown
by GK Chesterton

The Father Brown mysteries are a set of detective series by G.K. Chesterton. He was president of a mystery writers club. Although he claims to have had some differences with the style of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in Sherlock Holmes, in my estimation he shared some of the same style. Chesterton's gift for "turning things inside out" propels his mystery stories to very involved, surprising, and fulfilling plots.
In The Innocence of Father Brown, each chapter is a complete story, the only continuing elements being the 2 main characters, and of course, Chesterton's singular style.
To summarize, Father Brown, a Catholic Priest, is gifted with uncommon powers of observation, deduction, and inference. Combined with a raw knowledge of human nature, primarily gained through his profession, these gifts make Father Brown the most powerful and successful "detective" of his time. Nearly all the stories in this book involve a man named Flambeau, first as an adversary, then as a friend and colleague. (Curious? Read the book.)
If you like detective stories; if you like lots of surprises, multiple explanations, and false accusations before the truth comes out; if you like to not know what's coming, read all of GK Chesterton's mysteries. I recommend them.

Free Text:
http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/204
Free Audio:
http://librivox.org/the-innocence-of-father-brown-by-g-k-chesterton/

Essays by Francis Bacon

2009-09-24T22:57:00.000-04:00

Finished reading the Essays of Francis Bacon. The book has some merit, but it is certainly not on my list of things to read often. Francis Bacon was a Englishman, a scientist, and an Anglican Christian. Apparently, he was well-versed in a number of other areas as well, as is evidenced in Essays. Further research points out that he was an "English philosopher, statesman, scientist, lawyer, jurist, and author. He served both as Attorney General and Lord Chancellor of England." 1

The essays deal a lot with politics, business, and society (all in a European Parliamentary Monarchy setting). The chief merit of the essays is their deep insights, explanation, directions, advice, teaching and directives to those who are involved in high-level society. The wisdom comes in a level, non-partisan way that reveals a deep knowledge of how things are, and how to best succeed in that reality. Bacon was either a very high-class figure, or had studied high society and gained real insight. The style is direct, not open for discussion, but backed up by reasons and example. The writing betrays much study and comprehensive knowledge. I was particularly amazed at his detailed discussion of a state garden, and the way horticulture "ought to be."

One challenge for the modern reader is this: Though the main text is in English, Bacon includes a fair amount of Latin, which was not translated. As he does not often explain, the reader may sometimes feel that the most important message is lost because of this language barrier. In defense of the text, most readers from this time period had a full textual understanding of Latin, and this linguistic change would have added distinct emphasis and authority to each point.

For most people, this would not be an enjoyable book. I found myself only part liking it.
If you are in (or contemplating) business or politics, I would recommend this book for serious study. Treat it not as an easy read, but as a textbook. Each essay forms a lesson inviting study, remuneration, experiment, and application. Remember the difference in audience and application; take what's helpful and leave the rest.

They are Public Domain now, and can be accessed for free here:
http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/575
http://www.westegg.com/bacon/index.essays.html

1: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Bacon

The Drive Down Home (Travelogue 09/16-18/09, Day 3)

2009-09-21T23:35:00.000-04:00

09/18/09
I slept in, partly to recoup more of Tuesday night's lost time, and partly to continue restoring rest to my mind and body. Made short work of preparing for the day, and was presently on my way. I chose to travel a new route. A rumor that the route was shorter accompanied an adventurous and exploring whim. The rumor proved quite false, adding about 30 minutes to travel the same distance. But the whim was well-satisfied. The route proved to be very lovely and inspiring. My only real regret is that I had no camera, for often I wished one.

The day was pleasant enough for travel, but as I descended from the cool altitudes, the beading sweat encouraged me to close my window and switch to A/C. The first 2 quarters of the trip were spent relatively quietly, without music or audio book, and the only conversation being with myself (naturally) and with God (graciously).
Following, I began The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, a book which promises to be very good, inspiring, and thought-provoking. It requires attention and repose for thought, and thus makes an excellent book for travel. I may wish to have it in hard copy for the purpose of real study.
Alternating, I took in some mysteries by GK Chesterton, finishing "The Innocence of Father Brown," of which I will write shortly.

And so it was that I came safely back to my home.

Editor's Note: This is an incomplete version of this blog.

On a Rock Near the Top of the World (Travelogue 09/16-18/09, Day 2)

2009-09-20T22:42:00.000-04:00

I slept in (which contributes to a non-thinking day), and did not rush to get ready. Took care of some small business (completing Tuesday's project). Then I went to Cooper's Rock State Park. Kisners recommended it to me when I told them I was looking for a place I could be alone and have a great view. Cooper's Rock is a place where I could spent a lot of time. For those of you familiar with Red River Gorge, think taller, less cliffy, and a whole lot more huge granite rocks. The main overlook was way too populated for me. The social PR side of me is still too close at hand, and I had conversations with about 8 people before I went to a different trail. So, packing the essentials (such as a laptop and cell phone), I headed to Raven's Rock. I had to hike almost 2 miles to get away from people, but it was definitely worth it. The view was great, and the solitude was superb. It would be something like Battleship rock at Natural Bridge, but again, much higher. I could see for miles and miles. I spent several hours there, and enjoyed it very much.
This evening, I had dinner with Kisners, then a meeting (did I mention I have a tendency to do this wherever I go?). It had been nice, and (for the most part) real, vacation. I am not yet fully recovered, but we're making progress.

What on earth does "spect" mean?
I suspect a prospect, and therefore expect respect and inspect one aspect. Perhaps I'm too introspective?
Why don't we conspect, unispect, omnispect, prespect, postspect, unspect and despect?
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/specio#Verb

"Hugh, why do you hew with an axe of that hue?"
"I knew gnu weren't new."

Editor's note: This is an incomplete version of this blog.

Driven by Death; Vacation Begins (Travelogue 09/16-18/09, Day 1)

2009-09-20T22:36:00.000-04:00

09/16/09
"I press on, guided not by an inner light;
not by vision or by sight,
but following the trail --
cut and marked
by men who have gone before me."

All of humanity seems to be swallowed up in one attitude:
"We are human, and we are gods."
I readily repeat the speech, but rewrite the sentence:
"We are human, and we are God's."

Driven by Death
Up at 5:15am, left around 6:30am. True to form (and amazing that such a long journey consistently returns such scientific exactness), just inside of 6 hours, I was at my destination. Greatly aided by a lack of sleep (I netted about 4 hrs), mixed with long-term exhaustion compounded by recent inactivity, the trip was largely uneventful, thoughtless, and mellow. A book of Scripture, a few good mysteries, and some high-society essays by Francis Bacon carried the otherwise silent and mentally spastic trip. The trip was prompted by death, as I return to pay honor and my respects. Berlin Wilhelm, founder of Aldersgate Camp, and a man I rapidly learned to love, admire, and respect.

"Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints." (Psalm 116:15)
It is a blessing to attend the funeral service of one whose heavenly destiny is unquestioned by all. In a real sense, sorrow was supplanted by rejoicing.

Thoughts Upon Death
Those who pass on before us have somewhat of an advantage over us. Their race is complete; their journey is done. They have nothing left to fear or face in this unforgiving world. They have survived; they are saved. They have faced their trials and agonies, and they are done.
We are those who are left to face the uncertain future. It is we who must peer trembling into the fear of the unknown. We are left to face the enemy, trials, calamities, disasters, woes, and persecutions. They won. Will we?

King Solomon said in the book of Ecclesiastes, "It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart. Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth." (Ecc 7:2-4)

I say, live close to life. Be present always in the house of death and mourning, for it is man's end. We will all conclude there, and that on level ground. It puts one's life into rapid perspective, for all our works will be tested by fire (1 Cor 3:13). It is the face of the end.
But lest one be torn down and become useless by never-ending introspection and nagging despair, let him frequent the place of new birth. For it provides hope and joy. Fresh life has come, with new hopes, new dreams, new energy and vision. As death takes away, so God gives more. Let one visit the tabernacle of marriage, for it is the joining of lives, of joy, happiness, and promise. It is a place of dedication, and a level, firm, and resolute challenge to life. Know well the place of sickness and of tragedy, for reflection, a new perspective, and loving care are sure to result. Never get so absorbed in the man-made world that you forget our beginnings and our endings. Live close to life.

After the Funeral
After the funeral, I attended the committal, and the dinner following. Public Relations must have stowed itself away in my backseat, for it met me there, and we spent significant time together. I did have the pleasure of visiting with friends, some of whom I have not seen in some time.

And Then to a Swamp
Later, indulging a desire for solitude, quiet, and adventure, I ventured to what is known as the Cranesville Swamp -- a habitat preserve. Whatever would possess a man to go traipsing about a bog, still in formal attire, I can only conjecture. This I do know -- it happened, and was no worse for the wear. (On a slightly more practical note, the mountains of West Virginia are already quite cool at this point of September, and as I had neglected to pack a jacket, the formal coat suited me nicely [no pun intended]. I never even broke a sweat, which is much more than could be said for the funeral chapel.) The place was wonderfully still and quiet, where every sound dropped dead on the soft ground. The cool cloudy weather produced a singularly morosive effect, and much to my delight, kept the mosquitoes down a bit as well (I have killed more while sitting here writing this than I saw in the swamp). The flora is somewhat artificial, as evidenced by the expansive rows of tall, straight pines; and yet unnervingly unnatural, as demonstrated by the short, scrubby trees and bushes in the marsh, and the variety of strange plants, tinged with dull, but uncommon color. All was short and stunted, as though struck by an early frost, and seemed to hover above the surface of the stagnant, stinking water. The forest floor (at the side of the swamp) appeared to have years of needles all piled into a thick soft bed, yet not decaying, as though they had been frozen when once they hit the ground. The dry peat of the swamp path also gave the same effect, softly cushioning each step, but strong and binding if one tried to dig in it.

Evaluating Vacation
Today is day 1 of vacation, and it has placed me in touch with life, with death, with feeling and impression, and put me again back to the elementary principles. It has also made me to see humanity as people; each one as a real person, and I wish for God to reach them all.

(Editor's note: This is the incomplete version of this blog)

The Pilgrim's Regress

2009-09-14T23:10:00.000-04:00

Finished reading "The Pilgrim's Regress" by C.S. Lewis tonight.
I really enjoyed the book, and highly recommend it.

It's one person's progression of thoughts and beliefs throughout life, in an allegory form. If you liked Pilgrim's Progress, if you like philosophy, if you like the study of thought, if you like Lewis, if you like to think about life, I think you would like this book.
I agree with Lewis that in general, it was unnecessarily obscure. But it didn't do very much damage to the message.

For those who have read it:
I was struck --finally-- by an understanding of Sweet Desire (I did not grasp the concept until he explained it in the Afterword). When I got it -- Wow -- Everything in life points to God. Anything that calls to us, producing a desire, but then never delivers, points to the greatest desire Fulfiller of all. God has put a longing in our hearts for Himself and for heaven, and it is evidenced everywhere. The far hill that calls to be explored leaves you yearning for the next hill when you arrive. The call of the sea is never abated, for the sea flows on. The call of the wild is not satisfied by your arrival. The desire for love and security is never fully met in humans alone. The desire to be right is never fully achieved. "There's gotta be something more." Every desire we experience points us to God. I knew, somehow, down in my heart, that my desire to hike, adventure, and explore turns my heart toward God. The two are kin. But I hadn't ever seen it in this light. Sweet Desire draws us to God.

I find myself a pretty strong "Northerner." Lewis states in the Afterword that [for a Southerner] "every feeling is justified by the mere fact that it is felt: for a Northerner, ever feeling on the same ground is suspect." (p. 206) Indeed, I find that when a feeling (often, any feeling) arises that calls for emotional reaction, the ready solution is to whip it and beat it until it is gone. Discipline, dedication, and defiance are the ready men-at-arms. "Weakness," potential instability, and an open heart can easily be crushed into subjection. I think at some points in my travels, I have seen Mania in the distance.

God, would that you send Vertue south to catch fire!

In The Image of His Holiness

2009-09-08T23:18:00.000-04:00

I was struck with a new thought tonight. Often, I view God's work too small. I still think like a native, instead of the alien that I am. God should be involved in so much more than we often think.

Perhaps God was asking me to consider this tonight --
God is holy. I have been redeemed though the blood of His Son, and He has called me to be holy. I know that my life is to reflect God's holiness.

"Just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."" 1 Peter 1:15-16

By this I understand that my actions should reflect the image of His holiness. But am I thinking too small?

"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own." 1 Corinthians 6:19

By this I understand that it's even bigger than that. My spirit, my attitudes, my life, my actions, the way I live, the way I talk should all reflect the image of His holiness.

"To look at the Temple was to direct one to God. The symmetry, beauty, and purity of the Temple is to represent God." - Selected

But am I thinking too small?

"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31

It's huge! Everything I do should reflect the image of God's holiness.
What if my room is to reflect the image of God's holiness? What would that look like?
What if my office was to reflect the image of God's holiness? What would that look like?
What if the way I dress was to reflect the image of God's holiness? What would that look like?
What if my notebooks were to reflect the image of God's holiness? What would that look like?
What if my car was to reflect the image of God's holiness? What would that look like?

I had never thought about some of these little areas of my life before. Should they be object lessons that point to a holy God? It was the thought of my car that struck me tonight. My car should reflect the image of God's holiness? Wow, time to make some changes!

"Lord, may I reflect the image of Your holiness. Help me to understand that every part of my life -- large or small -- has been touched by your Holy Spirit, and should represent you. Continue to teach me how to reflect the image of your holiness. Help me to be a little picture of a great big God. Amen."

Death Didn't Win

2009-09-06T23:08:00.000-04:00

It has been almost 3 weeks since the passing of a great man who won my love and respect. He was a humble, Godly man, who was loving and caring, dedicated, and hardworking.
When death, our final enemy, began plotting against him, the news came back -- Cancer. He entered battle after battle, from chemo to waiting, from physical pain to emotional torture. But in it all, he remained firm and resolute. He not only believed in God, but had a close relationship with God that was real and active. From the day he got the news he had cancer, he testified every Sunday. I cannot remember a Sunday where he did not praise the Lord, in spite of his situation. In spite of death.

Death fought hard, but could not defeat the Power working inside. He never missed a Sunday, and he testified to God's goodness until he could no longer talk. He kept his mind and his humor to the end. He was in church the Sunday before he died.
Death tried to kill him. Death tried to crush his spirit. But when I look at it all, death didn't win. Oh, he died, yes. But he died in glory. He died in way that made death to be nothing. You see, he was redeemed by the power of God through Christ. Jesus died for him and rose again, conquering death and the grave! This same Jesus lived in and through him by the power of the Holy Spirit. Death didn't win, because death had already been defeated by the Power that was working in him!
He son relayed that His last audible prayer was, "Lord, I am learning to lean on you."

May God bless the memory and legacy of Kenneth Amspaugh.

"...Our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel." -- 2 Timothy 1:8

Would Christian Socialism Work?

2009-08-29T21:42:00.000-04:00

A Comparison of Christian Socialism

--Story from the internet--
Many people have sent this one to me. I don't know if it is true or not, but it is a fine example of socialism in action.

An economics professor at Texas Tech said he had never failed a single student, but had once failed an entire class.

The class (students) insisted that socialism worked since no one would be poor and no one would be rich, a great equalizer. The professor then said, "OK, we will have an experiment in this class on socialism."

"All grades will be averaged and everyone will receive the same grade so no one will fail and no one will receive an A."

After the first test the grades were averaged and everyone got a B. The students who had studied hard were upset while the students who had studied very little were happy.

But, as the second test rolled around, the students who had studied little studied even less and the ones who had studied hard decided that since they couldn't make an A, they also studied less. The second Test average was a D.

No one was happy. When the 3rd test rolled around the average grade was an F.

The scores never increased as bickering, blame, name calling, all resulted in hard feelings and no one would study for anyone else.

To their great surprise all failed.

The professor told them that socialism would ultimately fail.

The harder people try to succeed the greater their reward (capitalism) but when a government takes all the reward away (socialism) no one will try or succeed.
--End of Story from the internet--

Socialism fails. But the early Christian church practiced a form of socialism, which we can call "Christian socialism," and it worked (see references below). But there is a very major difference.
Why did Christian socialism work?

If this were Christian socialism, the story would go more like this ...
The class immediately went to work. Those who were fast readers read out loud to a group who could not read as fast. Several study guides were distributed, so they could be compared and studied together. Study groups were set up, and everyone was involved.
Well, everyone except Albert. Albert has always done very poorly in school. Albert didn't show up to the study group, and he never looked at the study guide he received. Trying to help, the class organized a study group at Albert's house. They made sure he was involved, asking questions, and challenging his responses to make them better. Albert did not tolerate this for long. He sent them all away. He did continue to show up to the "coffee and cookies" study sessions, though he didn't seem to participate in much other than the cookies.
When the grades came back, most were As, a few Bs, and 1 F -- Albert.

In Christian socialism, standards and judgment are not taken away. It is community helping fellows, not averaging of results. It is everyone working together to meet the same standard, not redefining the standard to the average.

In socialism, judgment (result) is spread out so all share equally.
In Christian socialism, all share and work together to prepare each for the judgment.

The book of Acts shows us the example of Christian socialism.
Acts 2:44-45 "All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need."
Acts 4:32-35 "All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. . . . There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need."

However, we notice this striking difference that I mention above in these verses:
Acts 5:1-5
"Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. With his wife's full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles' feet. Then Peter said, "Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn't it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn't the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God." When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened."

2 Thessalonians 3:10
"For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat."

I Timothy 5:8-10
"If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband, and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the saints, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds."

The God who is Everywhere

2009-08-26T21:43:00.000-04:00

The other day, I realized how great it is that God is everywhere (omnipresent). I was praying for the persecuted church. You know, my problems are really very small compared to what they are facing. If anyone needs the presence, power, and grace of God, it is them. If God were not everywhere at all times, surely He would be with His children who are being persecuted. That means He wouldn't be with me.
But He is with me, always. He is even willing to dwell inside of me. I am happy to serve the God who is always present!

"God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble." Psalm 46:1

"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you." John 14:16-17

"And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:20b

"Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you." 2 Thessalonians 3:16

Tastes Like Baloney (A Taste of Evolution)

2009-08-22T15:08:00.001-04:00

Ice cream and spoiled beef, clorox bleach and antifreeze.
Have you ever wondered why you have taste buds?

Eating lunch suddenly became a problem in trying to understand our supposed evolutionary structure. It seems that if the separating factor is survival of the fittest, our sense of taste has gone disastrously wrong. According to an article on Bio-Medicine.org, "The endless struggle for survival in nature inevitably boils down to finding food and eluding predators." (1)

If evolution is true, why do we have taste buds?
Taste buds are almost entirely worthless in the evolutionary sense.

Ok, imagine this -- you are suddenly cast into a primitive food-finding area (which could just mean there is no supermarket nearby). You know that some plants/foods are poisonous, while others are safe and beneficial. You put one in your mouth, and it tastes . . . good. Sorry friend, but your evolutionary mechanics just killed you.

Good!? Why does it taste good? Why does it make you smile or frown? If evolution is true, I would expect it to taste either harmful or prosperous. Why does my body make a distinction between an apple and an orange, but has some trouble between parsnips and poison hemlock? (2)

Taste buds often fool and mislead us. It is not uncommon for us to like what is really poison, and dislike that which is good for us. Antifreeze tastes very good, but is a deadly poison. While you are preparing to reply that it is man-made, I am pondering all of the natural plants that are the same way. Many (if not most) of the best-for-you vegetables taste so nasty that we could not choke them down (and they are not sold in stores because no one would buy them). The taste of some might even cause us to vomit them up again. Why has our evolution so destroyed us?

What benefit is there to taste? To be beneficial, taste ought to detect the difference between poison and non-poison.
But taste buds give like and dislike, enjoyment, pleasure, and disgust. None of these are survival instincts. How did something like this come through the survival of the fittest? Why something so worthless to our survival? Why don't we only detect poison, or protein, or indigestibility?

But if there is a God who created us in His image--
If we were modeled after a God who has likes and dislikes, enjoyments, pleasures, and disgusts--
Why, then it makes perfect sense.

(1) http://news.bio-medicine.org/biology-news-3/Can-a-taste-for-poison-drive-speciation-3F-1817-1/
(2) http://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/weedguide/singlerecord.asp?id=550
http://webecoist.com/2008/09/16/16-most-unassuming-yet-lethal-killer-plants/

Principles for Music

2009-08-16T22:58:00.000-04:00

Principles for Music / Media
notes from Aldersgate Music Class
Led by Sam Mokoli and David Lorimer

1. What do the lyrics say?
2. Do the lyrics glorify God?
3. What is the real message of the song?
4. Is the message true?
5. Can I worship God while listening to this music?
6. What does this teach me?
7. What does this teach me about God?
8. How does it use the name of Jesus/God?
9. Does this music control me?
10. How does my spirit respond when I listen to this music?
11. What does this song promote? What does this song glorify?
12. What does the Bible say about music?
13. Does this make me want to be more like God?
14. Would God like it?

These are in no particular order. This is the point summary of the lessons and discussions we had during the class. Aldersgate campers -- We had a great time and enjoyed being with you all. Hope you have a great year!

Don't Think and Drive (8)

2009-08-02T16:39:00.002-04:00

Traveling in Pennsylvania is confusing and frustrating. The designs and laws don't make sense ... unless, of course, you are driving a horse and buggy. You see, PA was the first state to have interstates, parkways, and major highways. But as is so often true of the first to do something, it appears they got stuck there, and have not been as progressive as other states who followed after.
Even though they have some strange laws, and a seemingly overbearing set of laws and reminders, after being around PA drivers, it seems they need it!

One of the best KY driving laws is that we must have our headlights on if our wipers are on. I didn't know how great that was until I drove in a place without it!

PA seems to run slower. In KY, a state highway is 55 mph. That's all there is to it. In PA, a state highway might be 45, 35, or 25. Only rarely will you see one that is 55. I looked forward to 4-lane divided highways so I could drive 55! Between the speed limits and the road construction on PA main roads and interstates, I could have made better time driving country roads in WV! (and if you've driven in WV, you understand what I'm saying.) But don't worry, PA has already thought of that. They slowed their country roads to 35 and 45. I've heard it said that things go slower in the South, but I don't agree. But they know and understand this concern. A couple times, I came across a sign that boldly proclaimed, "Slow-Moving Vehicles." Isn't that the truth!

Perhaps these numbered signs are just suggestions, or perhaps left over relics from a bygone era. As it was, it wasn't uncommon to find drivers going 80 in a 55 zone, or on the other hand, 45 in a 65 zone (this is another funny story, but best not told here).

PA is famous for its toll roads. Perhaps they have gone a bit overboard though. I paid $1.00 to drive on their road for 2 miles!

It seems they are rebuilding PA. I believe that every single road I drove on in PA (which was a lot) was under construction. And remember, if the 4-lane divided highway was 55 before, it's 45mph with construction! They spent an awful lot of money on Road Construction signs. I think they could have saved bundles by putting up non-construction signs! "No Road Construction - next 3 miles"
Again, it is not accidental. PA understands how much road construction there is. In fact, on one road, they went so far as to permanently mount the road construction warning signs! (Yes, tall steel and concrete posts, complete with digital readout road construction signs.)

When on an entrance ramp to a highway under construction, there is a stop sign at the end of the ramp. You see, if you didn't stop, you might actually be moving fast enough to not get hit when you try to merge with traffic. It's always best to come to a complete stop, so when you pull out you can get t-boned.

In KY, when we work on a road, we put in some options. We might build a false ramp or a false lane, so you can get where you need to go while we are working. In PA, options are optional. I got the distinct impression that the signs should read, "Road Closed -- Too Bad."

As we were traveling West again, we were greeted with huge (overly huge) road signs pointing the way to Indiana. I understand. By that time, I wanted out of PA too!

It's not all bad though.
Driving in the country near Lebanon, I stopped beside the road to take in an unusual sight. It was late, and completely dark. Yet, the entire field, as far as the eye could see, was full of lights. Thousands upon thousands of lightning bugs were glorifying their Creator in a dazzling display like I have never seen before.

PA has features that would split an evolutionist's head open. For example, I drove through a section of vertical strata. Now, as best I understand, this was dirt that formed a thin vertical layer, standing straight up because of some air currents or such. Across millions of years, other thin layers of dirt also came alongside, all standing perfectly vertical. After a long time, some grass grew and finally held it all together. . . . VERTICAL STRATA??

On one road that had 3 separate ramps leading to it, they were kind enough to post a sign pointing to one ramp that read, "Enter Here." -- Thanks guys, I really wasn't sure which of the 3 ramps was for me!

I was arrested by another sign that ordered, "Do Not Pass." I stopped and waited for some time, but it never changed. Eventually, in defiance of the law, I passed it anyway.

I was shocked and baffled as I came to an intersection with a sign demanding "No Turns." Then, would someone please explain why this intersection is here!?

You know you're in flat country when there are large orange signs announcing "Curve Ahead!"

One area I drove through was littered with signs of recession. Everywhere I looked were closed businesses and abandoned buildings. There was one exception, which was even more sad. There was one business segment still going strong -- liquor stores.

As I was driving along a country road, I was startled to see a hitchhiker sitting on my hood. It seems an ordinary housefly had decided to use my car as an aircraft carrier. Glancing around, I spotted 3 flies riding on the hood of my car. How they held on, I have no idea. Just hitch a ride, will ya!

Some people are simply dyslexic, but they get hired anyway.
I prepared myself after seeing a sign announcing, "Left Lane Closed Ahead." But shortly after, the next sign read "Right Lane Closed Ahead." -- There's only two lanes guys - are you telling me the whole road is closed!?

Later, I was surprised to see a unique WEIS sign (Weis is a supermarket chain in PA). Someone had installed this particular lighted sign inside out, so when viewed from either side, the words were mirrored!

Random big blue question marks beside the road make me feel confident and assured -- NOT!

I did not take the turn to "Fox Run Equine Center." -- What animals are they working with, anyway?

The truck said "Hazmat Environmental Group, Inc." -- Say What?

I saw an intersection to "Plank Rd." -- I can only imagine what it's like to drive on that!
I saw a sign to the town of Export. Curious, I looked for the road name. Sure enough, the road was "Italy."
Actual road name: "Scenic Drive."

Someone's idea of a practical joke: I was initially confused as I approached a sharp left-hand corner. Someone had turned the second chevron upside down, so the first arrow pointed left, and the second to the right!

Beware what you put on your church sign. At first glance, one church seemed to have their own propaganda placard. Their sign read,
"Believe
Rev. Jones"

Ever been told you are stupid? In a WV rest area, I was greeted with this sign,
"If vending machines aren't working, contact WV society for the blind." -- They'll send a blind person out right away to fix the machine you can't make work!

Never trust Microsoft for Directions:
I didn't look over the directions very closely before I left (first mistake), and was understandably surprised to be greeted with my next maneuver: "*Check Timetable* Take Ferry (East)." -- WHAT!?

I approached a sign declaring "State Law -- Move over for stopped emergency vehicle." -- This isn't so odd, except that this sign had a police car underneath, having just pulled someone over. That was fast signage! Do they pay pennies to starving peons to set up signs whenever a car pulls over, or is this a pop-up sign off the back of the cruiser?

One day, I drove from Gas City to Gassaway, oddly reminiscent of my fuel guage.

A clear message is proclaimed by Rule #1 posted the softball backstop: "No Pepper on Fences."

I'm not sure why these fish were so worth protecting, but they must be real winners:

"Fishing for age 12 and under only. $50 Fine" -- I think most of the campers at that camp were definitely fishing for Ages 12 and up! Oh wait, or does that mean the age of the fish?

"Fishing permitted only by the following persons: ...
Persons so severely handicapped they are unable to cast or retrieve a line or bait hooks and remove fish." -- Now correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't that mean fishing is only allowed by people who are completely unable to fish!?

There were similar fishing warning signs posted everywhere. Naturally, you would expect them to be near a location with fish. But they were prominently displayed all around a creek that ran about 6 inches deep, and I've never seen a fish in it.

Did you hear about the blonde who was stuck in a U-Haul?
She refused to exit a moving vehicle.

Over the Hills and Through the Woods -- Travelogue July 13-29, 2009

2009-07-31T22:49:00.000-04:00

Two weeks of youth camp, then a few days with Redeemed. Summer travels in WV, PA, OH, and NY.

Aldersgate Camp
It all started July 13 as Sam Mokoli, Deanna Rittgers, and I left for Aldersgate Youth Camp in West Virginia. (Now, as any of you who have traveled know, it all really started way before that, but I'll spare you the details of recounting the preparation time.) I was to be song evangelist for the week of camp, as well assisting Sam with his class, tribe leader, and helping in any other place needed. Sam was going as a camp counselor, sports assistant, tribe leader, and teacher of a class on Evaluating Music. Deanna joined us as piano player, and was graciously willing to be a tribe leader as well. Alongside this party, Rev. Street was the camp evangelist, Anthony and Candice Silecchia were there a few days representing Mt. Carmel, and New Hope came and sang for the Wednesday evening service.
From the first chilly night (that got down to 37 degrees in the West Virginia highlands) to the raining final day, it was a great week. Rev. Street's messages were powerful and challenging. My one regret was that more people did not respond. I feel that God wanted to do more work than He was allowed to do.
We had classes in the morning and early afternoon, along with tribe meetings and devotions. Later afternoon was recreation and rest time (often dominated by a green glass door or a camping trip). After supper comes Vespers (a mini-service put on by a tribe) and the evening service. After service is an afterglow for the youth around the campfire (remember the chilly nights?), where the deepest connecting and sharing happen. It rained Friday afternoon, so along with some inside games (where no one got "little black box"), Mr. Street also did some gospel magic. We were also happy to have the appearance of Eustace, Mr. Street ventriloquist dummy, in two of the evening services.

Time with Friends
Sam and Deanna traveled back with Mr. Street after the Friday evening service. I went to Kisners for the night and part of Saturday morning. It was great to visit with them and catch up. I greatly appreciate the friends I have made through Aldersgate Camp. I got to reconnect with each of the Kisners (a rare and highly appreciated event), Berlin Wilhelm, Paige Dopson, John Sisler, his family, and all the other wonderful people that attended camp. Saturday, I got to spend a couple hours with John and Ashley Grose, who have become good friends of mine over the years. I enjoyed reconnecting and sharing stories, beliefs, hopes, and visions.

Covering Miles
Saturday afternoon I traveled to Apollo, PA. Here I met New Hope trio. They were traveling with Mr. Nelson, and our schedules happened to cross here. Rev. West and Don Swinehart took us out for a superb dinner, and Mr. Nelson and I spent the night at Don's house. At his house, I got in a short jog, as well as a brief investigation of gardening.

Sunday, I taught Sunday School at Apollo Faith Chapel, and spoke briefly before New Hope brought a worship concert. It was great to spend some time with them, and hear them in a full service! After an excellent dinner at Rev West's home, I took my leave, and traveled 4 hours to Millersburg, PA. (Here, I interrupt to recommend G.K. Chesterton's mystery books to all readers.-- I had them on audio book.) I joined the youth group at Tiffany Worrell's church for their lesson, and I spoke briefly about KMBC. From there, I traveled to Lebanon, PA to spend the night with my Aunt and Uncle, Bob and Jeanette Reynhout. I got to spend a short while discussing and catching up with my Uncle Bob.

AYC
Monday, after an attempt at sleeping in, and finishing laundry, I headed to Appalachian Youth Camp, in Roxbury, PA. Here, I joined Redeemed, who would be here the whole week as well. Monday is orientation, meet-all-the-people-you-know day, evening service, team assignments, and the first team event: tug of war. The camp went great. My team was killer in volleyball, and we got progressively better at softball (though we never won a softball game). We were the low side of average in Bible Bowl. We had a great time though. Redeemed did an excellent job leading singing, presenting KMBC, and connecting with youth. A few random events, like the fire alarm going off in the middle of the night. Again, the opportunity to reconnect with old friends was much appreciated and greatly enjoyable. (Sorry guys, I can't tag everybody, but it was great to see you!)

Sight and Sound and all Around
We had some free time after the camp ended on Friday, and finding that we were close to Sight and Sound Theaters (http://www.sight-sound.com), we went. It was the first time I had ever been to one. We saw Abraham and Sarah, a live drama of the Biblical story. It was really good, well-worth seeing, and I recommend it. We only went to the small theater, so I can only imagine what the large theater shows are like!
Following the drama, we stopped at WalMart to get a headlight for the Sprinter. How many guys does it take to change a headlight in the dark? After that, my college roommate Joel Bell met us for ice cream. Had a great visit with him. We've always connected well and been able to discuss, and that night was no different. It was great to see him again!

Miles
Saturday, we slept in some, then headed for Leavittsburg, OH. David Speas' laundry had been "cleaned up" (they thought it was left behind by a camper) while we were gone, so we drove the long way around to pick it up again. We got a nice tour of PA countryside. Arriving in Leavittsburg, we enjoyed a nice evening and a wonderful meal at the pastor's home (Ask the guys about dessert that night. It was absolutely delicious ... and, there was none left over). We were hosted that night by Pat, a lady in the church.

Morning service went well, and I absolutely love to hear Redeemed in concert. I had never heard them before traveling with them this week and a half. The church graciously provided sack lunches for us to take on the road, and we headed off on a 4 or 5-hour trip to Wilson, NY. Supper was immediately when we arrived, topped off by a delicious array of fruit pies. Here, we got to see many of our work team friends again, and Redeemed gave a worship concert.

Vacation - Water, Water, Everywhere
Redeemed (and I as well) had Monday and Tuesday off while in NY. I was staying with Potters, and thoroughly enjoyed my time. Did I mention they live right on Lake Ontario? Absolutely wonderful. :) I attempted sleeping in, which didn't go well after 2 weeks of youth camp. Both Monday and Tuesday mornings, I got a nice jog in, enjoying the flat ground and cool weather. Did some work from the road while I was there, so we wouldn't slip behind, and so I would be well-prepared when I landed in the saddle Thursday. Monday afternoon, we went to Niagara Falls! I had been there 10-12 years ago, and it was great to see it again. Though sometimes given the title "a lot of water over a rock," it is truly a spectacular sight. We rode the Maid-of-the-Mist, which gives a much better perspective, immersing you in the full sight, sound, and saturation of the falls. We spend Monday evening with George Waters and his wife. We had a great time. She's a wonderful cook. We played games, talked, and got a horticulture lesson.
Tuesday, I again worked part of the morning. Mr. Potter took us sailing on Niagara River and Lake Ontario in his 25-foot Shark sailboat. I suppose we technically entered Canada at this point, as we entered Canadian waters. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I've decided I like sailing! I learned a lot about sailing, and more new vocabulary words than I can count! We also got to see a million dollar sailboat on its maiden voyage.
(David, here's the answer to our question about how sailing works: )
After we completed our voyage, we swung by Fort Niagara and a lighthouse there for a brief visit. Then we went back to Potters'. While waiting for supper, Mr. Potter took us out on his small sailboat, a Sunfish. It was nice, but I definitely prefer the large one!
Supper was great, and we had a nice visit. I finalized some details for the next day, and had a good long talk with mom.

A Lot of Highway in the Rain
We left Wednesday morning, traveled down to PA, where we met Dr. John. He was to continue traveling with Redeemed, and I headed home. All together, it was about a 10 hour trip. Sadly, it rained almost the entire way. I was stuck in a traffic jam for an hour on account of a flipped semi tuck. (8 miles of parked cars) But, enjoying more Chesterton mysteries, I traveled on, and got back about 10:30pm. Talked with Mom and Dad, unloaded, and headed to bed.

(I apologize that I am entirely photo-less. My camera has never returned from missing.)
Back in the saddle in KY now. It was great to see everyone while I was out. God bless, and I hope you have a great end of summer!

Bombs, Brotherhood, and Beginnings

2009-07-04T00:33:00.001-04:00

We celebrate history
We commemorate the day of declaration by remembering the day of suffering. July 4th marks the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. This day was the first day of war. We celebrate in freedom, because they signed in their own blood. We remember death, for in it, we have life.

We gather as a community
For we are a nation of the people, by the people, and for the people. Together we work, together we face life, together we fight, together we win. We do not turn to our government, asking them to bail us out. We are the people, and we will answer the challenges together. United we stand, divided we fall.

We celebrate with bombs
We are not rejoicing in our prosperity, but in our suffering. Sacrifice is what made us, and selfishness will kill us. We glory in death, for in it, we found life and freedom. We honor those who gave all, so that we might have all.

And we forget
America, where are you? When the people are clamoring for the government to give; when the people are crying that there be no more death; when the people demand that we stop defending, when the people refuse to suffer; when the people expect the government to take care of every problem; when the people refuse sacrifice -- then, we have forgotten who we are.

It is not the government's problem. It is ours.
The government should not be giving us anything. We should take care of our own communities.
The government should not be making the decisions without our direction. We control who is in office.
If you want your government back, you'll have to take it. We control who gets elected -- do we care enough to change it?
The nation does not act, we do.
We are the people. Will we stand?

This 4th, remember.

We pledge allegiance to the flag
Of the United States of America
And to the Republic for which it stands
One nation under God
Indivisible
With liberty and justice for all

New Proposal to Give the Unborn a Choice in their Own Abortion

2009-06-25T23:37:00.001-04:00

To quiet the concern of right-wing conservatives, Hykler Mountebank has proposed a new birth-choice agreement to the UN Human Rights Council. This concession is a kind response to the concern that "the unborn have no 'choice.'" In short, Mountebank believes that the unborn, a minority group with very little protection, should have equal rights, and not be discriminated against. "It's Democratic, it's bi-partisan, and it's right," he stated.

The proposal is really quite simple, and builds upon already adopted standard practice. When an abortion is being considered, the doctor will be required to state this question, "Do you want to live, or are you willing to die for the good of society?" The question must be stated 3 times in the baby's assumed native language (the language the baby is expected to speak in the future). It is also to be repeated 3 times in "feeish," supposedly the language of babies. "Feetish" is the product of research conducted by the University of Berzerkly, investigating a fetus' response to a mother's heartbeat and voice.Following the question, the baby's response is determined by ultrasound. The proper response is either a thumbs-up or thumbs-down. The interpretation of the response is to be determined solely by the doctor in charge. Left-wing partisans from both sides hail this proposal as a "grand step" in defending the defenseless.

The UN is expected to be slow to adopt the resolution, however. Opposition is driven by nations where the thumbs-up sign has very negative connotations. Several alternate signs have been discussed, but the final agreement remains to be seen.

Source:
Baloney Network - "All the news that isn't true."

Do we worship our own religion?

2009-05-20T21:47:00.001-04:00

I find it strange that we think we are so pious. Why, we go out of our way for God. We declare how devoted we are to Him.
We do anything and everything, except obey Him.

We don't keep the Lord's Day, and we don't pay tithe, but we get a Christian tattoo to declare our devotion to God.
Is this really pious?

Exodus 31:15-16, NKJV
15 Work shall be done for six days, but the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. 16 Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant.

Malachi 3:8-9, NKJV
“Will a man rob God?
Yet you have robbed Me!
But you say,
‘In what way have we robbed You?’
In tithes and offerings.
You are cursed with a curse,
For you have robbed Me,
Even this whole nation.

Leviticus 19:28, NKJV
28 You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you: I am the Lord.

1 Samuel 15:22, NKJV
22 So Samuel said:
“Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,
As in obeying the voice of the Lord?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
And to heed than the fat of rams.

I fear that instead of being pious, we are all too often disobedient, going our own way, and wearing a placard of the name of Christ to make us feel better.

When we do not obey, how can we say we are devoted?

God, Thanks For All You Do For Us

2009-05-13T23:57:00.001-04:00

"God, thanks for all you do for us. We're so grateful to you. You're doing a really great job being God --the Servant-- and all. I thank you and praise your name! By the way, I've got a couple of things I'd like you to take care of. If you could get those done by dinner, that would be great. Help us today, Lord. Amen"

Why don't we come to God and ask, "How can I be your servant today?"

Is it a Seismic Oscillator or a Spoon?

2009-04-30T21:51:00.001-04:00

I am often amused at what we claim to know, especially when our claims are based on finding nothing.
We may study an ancient civilization, and make many claims about them, but we might be very far off. A number of the artifacts that we dig up are from trash pits. Imagine someone digging up one of our landfills, and making claims about our culture. Sure, most would probably be right, but they might be confused as to what we used empty ink cartridges for. Similarly, they might conclude that we often held great banquets, based on the large number of cups and food wrappings they found. The point is, we throw garbage away. It no longer has a use, so we trash it. When digging up trash, you have to realize the object you find was considered useless. If you try to find a way to use the object you find, you've got it backwards.

There was a grand, extensive discussion in my home recently regarding the use for a particular item my father had received for free as a promotion. Aside from the obvious purpose of advertising (the company name and logo were clearly displayed), the practical use of the object escaped us. It became a topic of discussion with friends who came to visit, as it seemed no one could understand what the object was to be used for. Oh, there was a lot of conjecture, and several practical, but ridiculous, uses were suggested. I suppose the object will continue for a time at our house, without use except as a discussion piece. And when we tire of it, it will be thrown into the garbage, where some decades from now it will waylay some poor archeologist who again will try to discover for what on earth our generation used such an object.

It can be very difficult to discover the use of an object if that which the object was used for no longer exists. For example, imagine sometime in the far future, who is living in a city-size high-rise, with hydroponic plants and soil-less environment. One day, our illustratee discovers a spade from our century. He may have ever so many conclusions, but the plaque he puts in the museum will certainly be wrong, for he has no knowledge or comprehension of dirt, yards, and fields. How often does this happen to us? Centuries ago, there may have been purposes which have long since vanished. But objects have remained. We are trying our best to discover what they were used for, but there may be that all-important element missing.

But back to my original thought. We often find something missing, and make a claim from the fact that it is not there. I have heard this done by studying literature. A certain thing is not mentioned in a particular piece or sampling of literature, therefore it must not have existed in that time period. However, the exact opposite may be true. The thing may have been so common that the author did not even think to mention it! We don't tend to explain things that are so common everyone is familiar with them.

For example, imagine someone in the future is studying some travel journals from our time. He may read a great deal, and never once find mention of a speed limit. He may then conclude that speed limits had not yet been introduced in our time period. When, however, the truth is that they are so common, we fail to mention them.

Such an observation can be made about many historical claims. While I believe the best science and research is and should be used, there is always the possibility that we are wrong. It can be a great cause for amusement, but the tragedy is that the people who would know the joke are already dead.

You may have heard that the Eastern nations got into a small dispute recently. Chinese archaeologists on an excavation 100 feet deep found traces of copper. They announced to the world that the ancient Chinese had a telegraph system. Soon after, Korean archaeologists dug to a depth of 200 feet, and found traces of glass. Their news headlines declared that the ancient Koreans had an extensive fiber-optic telephone system. Somewhat incensed, a team of Japanese archeologist started digging. They went down 500 feet, but still found nothing. Their news proudly proclaimed that the ancient Japanese used cellphones.

Feel the Breeze: Somebody Left the Mind Open

2009-04-25T22:21:00.001-04:00

I wish to have an open mind like an open receiving dock -- where everything is evaluated and processed in due order. Most people advocate an open mind like the open air -- there's very little there, and it simply allows everything to pass through.

We've got everything all backward. Walmart Stores reject semi loads if the refrigerator temperature is just 1 degree too low, because it might be bad. But if we reject ideas because they might be bad (they seem to be off a little bit, but we just can't put our finger on it), we are mocked and ridiculed. Can you imagine the semi driver yelling at the Walmart receiving department, "Come on, have an open mind! At least give this stuff a try!" Yet this is what we hear all the time. Walmart is intolerant, and they are right.

Why are ideas supposed to just be accepted, while products must meet a standard?
Is there no standard for ideas?

Where is the standard for ideas that determines that 1 degree? God's Word, the Bible, studied aright and interpreted as a whole. Just as you can't go on only 1 sentence out of the receiving dock manual, you cannot just read 1 verse of the Bible. Please read the Manual completely before servicing.

My friend, if your idea is just 1 degree off, it might be best for me to reject it. I can't afford the damage and loss if it's bad. I can't afford the risk.

"The object of opening the mind, as of opening the mouth, is to shut it again on something solid. Otherwise it is more akin to a sewer, taking in all things equally."
— G.K. Chesterton