Do You Have an Open Mind?

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

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!

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!

Read more:

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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?

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!

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!

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

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

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

*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"

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?

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)

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

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