The election is Monday and this is where we're at

Schwarzenegger: Obama Has “Scrawny Arms”

COLMUBUS, Oh (AP) - John McCain has called on a political

heavyweight to give his campaign a lift -- Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The California governor told a rally in Ohio that "Mac" is

back.

He ribbed McCain rival Barack Obama by saying Obama has "skinny

legs" and "scrawny arms" and "needs some meat on his ideas."

The actor turned politician called McCain "a real action

hero." McCain has spent two days in Ohio. His campaign considers

it a must-win state.

- pump yourself up with the full story here

.

Triangulation

Web reception so bad, I gotta lean back no less than 45 degrees from vertical with the M1210 notebook in my left hand, oriented aproximately 11 degrees magnetic north until I get a signal, and then try typing with four fingers on my right hand.

Please, no Mac jokes.

Arroz con pollo

When I was a kid it was "Chicken and Yellow Rice" but no matter what it's called, this dish is still one of my favorites.

Recipe from CubanFoodMarket.com

Ingredients:
1 chicken (3 lbs.) 2/3 cups olive oil 1/2 onions 1 sprig parsley 1 green pepper 2 cloves garlic 4 cups chicken broth 1 cup dry wine	2 tbs. salt (approx.) 1/2 tsp. saffron 1/2 tsp. cumin 1/4 tsp. pepper 1 lb. rice 1 can red peppers 1 small can petit pois 1 small can asparagus
Cut chicken into eight pieces and brown in hot oil. Remove chicken and saute the onion, parsley, garlic, green pepper in the same oil. Return the chicken to pan adding the broth, and boil until chicken begins to soften. Add the wine, salt, saffron, cumin, half the red peppers, the water from the red peppers and the petit pois. Bring to a boil and add the rice. Cook over low heat or in a 400ºF oven for about 30 minutes. While cooking, add small portions of water, as needed, so that the rice does not dry up. When done, place on serving dish and garnish with asparagus and red pepper strips ENJOY!!

No More Waitin' for Bacon

I thought bacon was bad, right?

All that sodium, the artery-clogging cholesterol, all those un-pronounceable additives and mummifying preservatives ... and we won't even mention fat grams, will we?

Plus, porkers are supposed to be smarter than dogs and my animal-loving side shivers just thinking of all those piggies going to market.

It's just that bacon tastes so good ... and unfortunately, the soy bacon substitutes I've tried are better suited for plugging leaky fiberglass decks and re-soling shoes.

Then I saw this: JD's BaconSalt

According to their website, "Bacon salt is a zero calorie, zero fat, vegetarian and kosher seasoning that makes everything taste like bacon." But JD's has an innovative spirit, too: Baconnaise.

Baconnaise™, available in Regular and Lite, is the newest addition to the J&D’s family.

We started with a customer request to make “spreadable bacon, namely mayonnaise.

Wow. I hope soon we'll have bacon-flavored peanut butter, bacon-flavored popcorn, bacon jam and preserves, bacon-flavored cotton candy, and bacon-flavored ice cream ... in time for Christmas.

Save a pig, and check out JD's.

It's an AWESOME day

Got weather?

It's 41.9 degrees here and overcast with rain. And 45 mph winds, too.


The GPS/XM alarm just switched on with a Marine Weather alert, but I wasn't planning on going to sea any time soon anyway. And Calypso's got central heat and hot running water so I'm all set.

The 24-hour forecast sees no improvement, and actually calls for the wind to keep up (at 45 mph) till tomorrow afternoon.

So what?

I think it's gorgeous outside.

-- -- --

Yesterday, after 9 weeks of fear, denial and procastination, I finally drove myself to the hospital and found out my knee was OK. No torn ACL, PCL or MCL, no Jumper's Knee, no dislocated patella , no Shin Splint, no Tendonitis, no tearing of the meniscus ... nor any sign of arthritis.

I could hardly believe my ears (maybe I shoulda asked the doctors to check my hearing, too).

Flummoxed and red-faced, after the doctors had twisted and torqued and bent and pressed and measured both legs in positions largely banned by treaty since the Inquisition, I shrugged and asked, "Then why does it hurt so much?"

One doctor rolled her eyes, shook her head and walked out of the examining room. The other squinted back like I'd just asked if he'd let me be a Guest Assistant during his next surgery. He looked me square in the eye and said, "Because you did something to make it hurt."

Of course, I knew it. I knew that all along.

-- -- --

Might not sound like much, but to me, finding out I hadn't damaged or blown out my knee was stunning news. A miracle. Compared to others, maybe a small miracle, but still a miracle just the same, and I want to thank my friends and the people who've been praying for me.

Especially Brent Sears, and Will Rodes ... who responded with wisdom (and unshakeable persistence) each time I thought of a new excuse to avoid making an appointment and going to see a (dreaded) doctor.

Love you guys.

Loading up the bases: batter up (slight updates)

Sorry, but the World Series is playing in the background and it's boring ... although wondering about what's going on in a pitcher's mind got my attention.

Imagine that like the Tampa Bay Rays, you're way in over your head in the World Series during an away game, trailing the series 3 games to 1.

As the team's Number One pitcher, the situation you're facing is grim: tonight it's everything: Make-Or-Break ... and entirely on your shoulders whether you'll fall apart and lose in a spectacularly humiliating fashion and ride home in silence and chagrin, or trust what you know and triumph to play another game ... and ultimately win the World Series at home.

But wait, it gets even better.

-- -- --

You're trailing in runs with a full 3-2 count against a heavy-hitting batter who doesn't mind crowding the plate. In case there's any doubt in your mind, Yes, the entire season comes down to just one pitch: your next one.

Every eyeball in the stadium is fixed on you. TV commentators are broadcasting your name across the planet, and they're all waiting to see what you'll do and how you'll perform when performance counts.

Starting to feel some pressure?

All alone on the mound, nervously turning the ball over and over between your fingers, the batter is grimacing in your direction and hefting imaginary homeruns at the stands. You feel a lump in your throat because you don't like the signals you're getting from home plate but sorry, this ain't the NFL ... and you can't signal the sidelines for a time-out.

It's all on you baby.

When it's now or ever and the whole world's watching, how confident will you be of the outcome once you've given your very best ... and finally let go of the ball?

Leo the Lion-hearted

Not everyone loves kittens, but ...


"A dog has risked its life to protect four kittens trapped in a house fire in Melbourne, Australia.

"Firefighters found Leo guarding the kittens which were in a cardboard box in one of the bedrooms. When the fire broke out inside the house, the family of four plus their other dog managed to escape.

"However Leo paid the price for his bravery. He succumbed to the smoke and heat. Firefighters rushed the dog to safety and revived the unconscious Leo with a heart massage and oxygen."

-full story here

Tomorrow is Monday; I hate Mondays

So what will we do?

To you O Lord, I lift my soul

In you O God, I place my trust

Do not let me be put to shame

Nor let my enemies triumph over me

My hope is you

Show me your ways

Guide me in Truth

In all my days

My hope is you.

"My Hope Is In You"

Third Day

A prayer for you this Sunday morning

Said a prayer for you this morning, but it might not have been what you're thinking.

I didn't ask God to give you peace or to make your life easy by solving your current crisis.  I didn't ask the Creator to fix your car, buy you a new computer or change your boss's opinion of you and I didn't ask Him to help you find your long-awaited "soul mate." 

I didn't even ask God to be on your side, or to be your personal genie and grant you three magic wishes.

Nope, none of those things.  Instead, I asked God to totally ruin your day.

I asked God to use the next preacher you hear to pierce your heart, to blister your eyes with the gospel and kick the seat out from under your lies, your selfish hopes and your false convictions.  

I asked God to open your eyes and show you yourself and your life as He sees you.

I asked that the Holy Spirit would convict your heart of its sins, as proof of your inability to stop them.   

And that you'd see how sin is controlling your life.

I prayed that today you'd be so angry and so tired that you'd stop running and give up right where you're sitting; that you'd finally let go of every lie and every deceit; that you'd ask Christ in to your heart and literally beg Him to break the life you've been living into pieces.

And that today you'd find the joy of eternal life through Him.

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

- Matthew 11:29-30

Death of an acquaintance (updated)

Got a phone call this afternoon telling me that a man I knew- I'll call him "Bob"- had a heart attack at 4 AM this morning, and died.

I didn't know Bob except as an acquaintance, only that he was a marina regular,  had suffered a debilitating work-related injury at some point in his past, had lost almost 60 pounds in the past 3 months and had recently given up drinking entirely ... running, working out & exercising instead.

Oh, and he spoke with a raspy New Jersey accent so LOUD I'm surprised the Statue of Liberty didn't hear it and call someone to complain ... because the more Bob drank, the louder and more incoherent he became.

I hardly knew Bob at all.

The last time I saw Bob was Tuesday night: he was entering the same steak joint down the street just as I was just leaving.  It was the only time I'd seen him sober ... and the only time I clearly understood what he was saying.

Working out, losing weight and giving up alcohol seemed to have taken 20 years from his appearance and turned him into a different person, one I'm not sure I would've recognized ... except that of course, Bob still couldn't outrun or work-out his gritty accent.

Wow Bob was happy and looked great on the outside that night; the difference from the Bob I knew was more than startling.  But Bob died just 56 hours later.

And Bob was two years younger than me.

--   --   --

You can already feel the curtain of indifference closing in around Bob and his sudden, unscheduled departure.  Sure folks were stunned upon hearing the news, but only because we live in a culture of egotistical denial that perceives death as a perpetually postponable event.

In other words, we like to think that dying is Something That Happens to the Other Guy: if we're careful enough, wear selt-belts & drive responsibly behind airbags, race to the doctor at the first sign of snot or a cough, munch seeds for lunch and grill soy patties (insteak of fat-marbled steak) for dinner, then why ever bother with dying in the first place?  Why can't life just keep on going, without interrupting our plans?

We think of death as though it's some kind of preventable condition.

Because our lives ... our careers, our relationships, our wealth and our selfish ambitions are too important for reality to ever confront and supercede.  Thank You for ordering life your way ... want fries with that?

Now pull around to the next window, please.

--   --   --

When the world treats D-E-A-D as the ultimate 4-letter word, is it any surprise that expressing concern or anxiety about What 's Going to Happen to Me When I Die? is an intellectual taboo?  Isn't that what the world wants us to believe?

"You dummy, what happens when you die is simple: you die.  That's it, the end, period.  Finito.   Just like what happened to your chimpanzee great-grand daddy two million years ago.  And to his great-great slimy amoeba father before that.  You die, you go back into the ground ... and eventually get recycled to become part of harmony of the earth."

Huh? 

If you believe that, then why are we alive in the first place, except as an evolutionary accident ... and if our lives amount to nothing more than a haphazard 70 year-or-so sequence of chemical events, why does anyone even bother thinking about "What's gonna happen when I die?"  

Why do so many people live according to the world's standards, yet still feel such a spiritual hunger and emptiness in their lives?

Because the world's interests are its own, with values and doctrines geared toward satisfying what the world believes matters most: itself.

--   --   --

So God created man in his own image, 

       in the image of God he created him; 

       male and female he created them.

- Genesis 1:27

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned.

- Romans 5:12

God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

- John 3:17

For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.

- John 6:33

--   --   --

But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.

- 1 Timothy 1:16

Please Don't [10:11 PM]

8:06 PM

A faint, static-filled notice was just broadcast from the Coast Guard over the VHF.

I turned up the volume to make sure, and if I understood correctly, the Coast Guard was issuing a warning to boaters of a bridge jumper at such-and-such location.

"Bridge Jumper" might sound like a description from a sci-fi film, but in real-life a bridge jumper is serious business with potentially deadly, life-ending consequences.

Whatever the circumstances, whatever pain that person is feeling, they've arrived at a position where that moment's choice, one simple step, is fatal ...  because they can't see beyond THE MOMENT. 

And have overlooked the choice of eternal life.

9:57 PM

Memo to Self re: Sunday Morning Worship Service

a) Remember to firmly suggest new Steering Committee re: Assistant Minister of Music not dressing appropriately for his age (and needs a haircut).*

b) Also, make sure pastor understands the need to be clear about where we stand on this election (Use tithe-based pay cut as leverage, if required).

c) When new members are counseled for baptism, emphasize "appearance importance" and the necessity of good grooming and a clean-looking haircut

PS. Minister of Music (already on my nerves for smiling too much, also for singing all 6 stanzas): Complain that Praise and Worship music isn't scriptural and so has no place in our service; also in general, hymns are Too Loud.

* What's next, a tattoo?

Let's Communicate - part 2

If you're cruising along out of sight of land and suddenly catch fire, how can you depend on calling the Coast Guard for rescue ... if your VHF radio won't even reach halfway to shore?

Gimme the radio that transmits the farthest

The top of the antenna on a small pleasure boat is usually no more an 12-15 feet above the surface, while the Coast Guard monitors VHF marine traffic from huge antennas hundreds of feet high.   

So a two hundred foot-tall tower can "see" transmissions from 30 miles away because it's "radio eye" is so high above the earth's surface: its height gives it a much greater line-of-sight.

Antenna height above the surface is the only solution for the getting past our horizon problem; your radio's "power" has nothing to do with it.

Now, please stand by for the flip side

Folks who should know better still insist upon buying a certain radio because "It transmits the farthest" without stopping to consider this: what if your radio isn't sensitive enough to pick up the response?

You would wanna hear the response to your distress call, wouldn't ya?

Or when the going gets rough, are we more interested in filling the sky with emergency pleas for rescue and assistance than we are in shutting up and making our best effort to listen, hear and completely follow the instructions accompanying the response?

--  --  --

The LORD is far from the wicked 

       but he hears the prayer of the righteous.

- Proverbs 15:29

I call on you, O God, for you will answer me; 

       give ear to me and hear my prayer.

- Psalm 17:6

And the LORD said to Samuel: "See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears of it tingle."

- 1 Samuel 3:11

He who has ears, let him hear.

- Matthew 11:14

Let's Communicate - part 1 (updated with handy horizon calculator)

Boats operating in coastal waters here in the US communicate with each other (and with the Coast Guard) with VHF radios.  That's the good news.

VHF stands for Very High Frequency, which means your broadcasts travel pretty much in a straight line and don't bounce around the atmosphere (like shortwave signals) ... while the earth's surface curves and "dips" below the horizon.   By Federal law VHF radios are limited to just 25 watts of transmitting power, because the line-of-sight limitation means your signal can't follow the earth's surface by wrapping around it.  So more power doesn't translate to more range.

Which means you can expect to fire up your VHF and communicate with any vessel that's within 10-15 miles away. 

Still loud n' clear?  Now here's the bad news.

Uh Oh, I just punched a hole through my hull

Well ... then if things get hinky out of sight of land and a life-threatening emergency occurs, how can you depend on calling the Coast Guard for assistance ... if your signals won't even reach halfway to shore?

Useful Nfo You Should Know Department:

How far away is the horizon?

1.17 times the square root of your height of eye = Distance to the horizon in nautical miles

Example: Assume a 6-foot 3" tall man with eyes mounted 6 inches below the top of his head.  Thus, 75" inches tall minus 6 = 69

√69 =  8.3066238629180748525842627449075  

8.3066238629180748525842627449075  x 1.17  = 9.71875 nautical miles to the horizon

To convert from nautical to statute miles the factor 1.15 may be used (although it's not precise):

9.71875 nautical miles x 1.15 = 11.1765625 statute miles

See, there's nothing to it.   :-(

Election Notes from Dr. Joe

Dear Friends 

This is in response to many emails that we have received about the upcoming elections.

 
Much prayer energy is released every time we have an election. Republicans Christians pray against Democratic Christians, and vice versa. Now, I admit this election has ramped up the rhetoric because of all the interesting nuances. Obama's birth heritage and race adds something new to the mix. Sarah Palin's gender adds something new to the mix. Yet all of that is a smoke screen to deflect attention from the real issue. 

The real issue is that the Church of Jesus Christ has corrupted itself and entangled itself with the affairs of this world. Since the Church has lost its prophetic edge, it seeks power through politics, both within and without the structure of the Church. If we were really to pray the kind of prayers featured in this email every time we have an election, it would seem that Jesus would have modeled something on such an urgent matter. Yet the scriptures are silent on directing prayers for the political structures.

If this were so important for us, and for the growth of the Church, I am quite sure the Head would have addressed it. He was given ample opportunity to get involved in Israel's political structure and difficulties with Rome. Yet every time, He deflected the argument because it detracted from His agenda. His fight was not over taxation. He deferred, of all things, to a pagan dictator who was ruling over and oppressing His own people. When Peter wanted to take up arms to protect righteousness, He rebuked him. The sermon on the mount was His Kingdom agenda. Are either Obama or McCain running on that platform? 

Over and over, Jesus rebuked His disciples and others and reminded them that His Kingdom was not of this world, so it doesn't operate with a political agenda. When brought before Pilate, He did not use the opportunity to engage in political debate, though He had every "right" to. The fact is that American Christians have become so enamored with their rights that they have trampled on the example of the Lord they say they follow. On the issue of "rights", He taught some revolutionary things. He said if someone tries to take your "rights" (or cloak or dignity, or...) we are to give it to them. He said the only way to keep our lives is to lay them down for His sake and for the Kingdom. 

On a regular basis, He observed and walked by the most egregious form of torture ever devised-crucifixion. Yet He never addressed it. He never drew a distinction between pagan Rome and His own people. He never said that His own people were more righteous because they had not instituted this form of torture and caused so many people to die. 

We also don't see Paul addressing any of the issues of his day the way American Christians address their election. Instead, he advised believers to pray for their leaders that they might lead peaceable lives, even though at the time he wrote that, Nero was emperor of Rome. This man trampled on all the "rights" of Christians and visciously persecuted the Church. Yet Paul never suggests that Christians ought to try to overthrow this evil ruler or to pray that he be dethroned. Could it be that Paul understood that the worst thing for a developing believer is not persecution, but social respectability? Could it be that even years before Constantine came to power in Rome and freed the Christians from persecution and made Christianity the state religion and made it socially acceptable, that Paul understood that would be the downfall of the Church? 

The Church was left here on earth to finish the King's agenda of discipling all nations (Matt 28:16-20). When that task is done, our King can return (Matt 24:14). But since we don't want to do that task, and really don't want our Lord to return, it is so much easier to argue about politics. Our pride enters into play in its attempts to devise any number of good and religious-sounding arguments about why one or the other candidate should be president. It is so much easier to gravitate to the things we feel will make our lives easier or more comfortable. The prayers of Republican Christians become very much like the prayer of the Pharisee. "I thank you, Lord God, that I am not like that sinful Democrat who believes in killing babies." The prayers of Christian Democrats reflect the same spirit. "I thank you, Lord God, that I am not like that sinful Republican who talks about serving You, and tramples on the rights of the poor and social justice." 

And while we argue and pray about politics, 27 souls are slipping into a Christless eternity every single second of every minute of every day. These are not the souls that have heard about Jesus and rejected Him. These are those who never had a chance to hear. What about their rights? Who is speaking on their behalf? 

For myself, I will vote. But I am not praying for either candidate to win. What I am praying for is that God would deliver the American Church from the political system. I am praying that we would focus on our reason for being here, which is to finish the task. I am praying that God would deliver us from the idea that if Christianity is socially acceptable, we can get more work done. The fact is that the Church has never done its best work when it is acceptable. It loses its prophetic voice and just becomes one more political voice clamoring in the marketplace to be heard. 

It might take real persecution to bring us to that point. It seems we have ignored all the wake-up calls. We prayed briefly after each calamity we have experienced in the past few years. But we keep thinking it is all about us. What does God have to do to get us to see that though we are not concerned about the 6,322 unreached people groups in the world, He is!! 

The fact is the American Church has lost its saltiness. It has no moral authority to speak to the world because it has become a part of it. Short of a mighty revival or a persecution that would spawn a mighty revival, we are no good for anything but to be cast out and trodden under foot. THAT SHOULD BE OUR PRAYER FOCUS. 

Joe and Peggy Rayman 

- The African Orphaned and Abandoned Children's Fund

Who's that at the door?

Feeling uneasy about a potential situation that's been brewing in the back of your mind?

You were caught off guard at first and initially worried about the consequences, but still felt the pangs of temptation hanging on ... until now you've convinced yourself "I'll just go along ... and there won't be any problem at all."

Because you've decided it's OK to ignore God, and made up your mind to sin.

Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast?  If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."

- Genesis 4:6-7

Pure Man Stuff?

-from the J. Peterman Owners Manual No. 64

Men’s Irish Cloak (No. 4033), our own respectful copy of the knee-length original found just off St Stephens Green; for making your appearance at the Abbey Theatre or intimidating headwaiters into recollecting that of course Sir you booked the best table in the house.

Pure melton wool, great flow and drape. Satin lining. Handcrafted, aged pewter fleur-de-lis clasp. One size fits all.

Color: Black.

Be prepared to declare where you stand on the burning issues.

--   --   --

Sorry, but I couldn't do it.  Just couldn't.

Must be the fine print describing how "One size fits all."

:-)

New don't fit inside the Old

Calypso is 24 years old and was equipped from the factory with a handful of 120-volt household outlets thoughtfully installed for convenience ... especially in potentially hazardous areas, like near sinks.

Marine electrical codes have changed a lot since then: the current standard now requires that any 120-volt outlet installed within 3 feet of a sink be outfitted with a Ground Fault Interrupter (GFI) to reduce the danger of receiving a lethal shock via faulty wiring.

I'd already replaced the outlets I knew about, but then I found another factory-original outlet half-hidden under a counter-top in the head (bathroom).

And so yesterday I decided to replace it.

Swapping-out all 6 wires (and their stubby 1-inch leads) only takes about 5 minutes ... assuming you've got the patience and dexterity of a neurosurgeon. Which means installing the new GFI took me about an hour --- and I was having a good day.

Once I'd sweated and coaxed every connection into place and screwed down each lug, I breathed a sigh of relief. I was finally done ... and tried pushing my new GFI into place.

But No, oh no way: 1984-era outlet boxes aren't wide enough to accommodate 2008-era Ground Fault Interrupters. Which means I'll have to take everything apart, yank out & replace the original box, and then start the GFI installation all over again.

See, sometimes the new version is too BIG and too improved to fit inside the original faulty container. Which means chucking the old box out: it's too small and can't serve any useful purpose any more.

-- -- --

Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation.
- Galatians 6:15

For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.
- Romans 6:6-7

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
- 2 Corinthians 5:17

You're a Failure ... but that's the good news

Putting selfishness aside to "be a good person" and "live right" won't save you.

Neither will piety, righteousness, going to church, reading the Bible, "being religious" or doing good works.  So forget about it.

You may have just finished a best-selling book and feel suddenly creative and empowered, with lots of fresh new ideas regarding your personal plan for life and eternity  ... but no matter how sincere, complex or heart-felt,  your personal whimsies (however fascinating) amount to nothing.

When it comes to confronting eternity let's face it, you're a failure: it's gonna happen and there's absolutely nothing you can do to stop it.  

And duh, unless you've died and been resurrected, then you lack first-hand Experience.

So where do we get off pretending our opinion matters, when the reality is that eternity is beyond our control?

--   --   --

The gospel, the Good News, is that because Christ died for our sins Salvation is Free ... costing nothing ... because in his infinite wisdom God knew that if salvation was left up to each individual to decide for themselves, then every one of us would fall short to be condemned and lost.

Compared to Christ, we'd all fail and perish ... and we prove our shortcomings, by sinning, every day.  

--   --   --

I'm glad my salvation doesn't depend on me, because despite my best efforts I'm a failure.  Every day and every way.  So I have nothing to brag or be proud about.

But even though I  fail and disappoint, my faith abides and becomes even more secure in Christ .... who never fails, never falters ... and never falls short.

Look Ma, no water

Waterless washing machine created by Singapore students

"Two students - Tan Si Jin Gabriel, Chua Wenni Wendy - from the National University of Singapore's school of industrial design have developed such a washing machine. This waterless washing machine can remove stains from clothes in a matter of a few minutes. 

The AirWash Washing machine uses negative ions, compressed air and deodorants to clean the clothes. The AirWash washing machine has won the Electrolux Design Lab Award in 2005. "

- source

Ionized clothes?

I think I'd like wearing ionized clothes.

Why shy?

Wait a minute.

Jesus willingly hung naked on a cross and allowed himself to be crucified to save anyone who believed in him from their sins, right?

And yet we're too scared to invite a friend, neighbor or co-worker to church ... because we're afraid of what they might think of us?

Huh?

Being Number Two is Job One

On Sunday morning don't even think about what you're going to wear to dress up for church.

Leave your coat, tie and jewelry where they are.

After Sunday School, but before the service starts,  forget talking over Saturday's big game with the deacons.  Or about collecting on your bets.

During the service, stop thinking about how your newly-hired pastor will adjust to tithes plummeting over the past month (as a consequence of "The Failing Economy").

And while the pastor's praying for God's will to be done, never mind considering "having a moment of prayer" with the person who owns the car on your church parking lot stickered with slogans endorsing the candidate opposite of yours.

Don't glance around during the offering to make mental notes about what so-and-so's teen-aged daughter is wearing to church, and forget entirely about reminding the pastor after the service that last week's service ran 90 seconds past noon ... which made finding a seat at Turf n' Stuff next to impossible.

In other words, on Sunday morning, stop thinking about Being Number One.  

--   --   --

Oh boy, then what on earth am I possibly suggesting?

I'm suggesting that you think about putting yourself aside and making God Number One ... and soon as you've got a handle and mastered that one, then start thinking about bowing your head, repenting & praying that God will take control of your life ... even if that means putting your own interests aside and acknowledging your role as Number Two.

Maybe, with all heads bowed, for the first time in your church-life.

--   --   --

One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"

 "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.

"'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'"

- Mark 12:29-30

--   --   --

I can't even read the word "gyro" on a Greek menu but I'm saying that no matter what translation of scripture you read, be assured that the word "All" means to not leave anything out.

All your mind and strength means Don't Bother trying to impress others with your riches and material success at church ... because wealth didn't come from you and isn't yours to begin with.  It also means stop trying to be the most influential member of the congregation by talking the loudest and being the most argumentative during budget and steering meetings.  

Are we almost through yet?

No, we're not.

All your mind and strength means to stop bullying and intimdating others with retaliation to get your own way ... because you aren't Christ, and Your Way can only lead others in one direction ...  straight to hell.  

"With All your mind and strength" tells us how far we should go to Love the Lord Your God.

And Yes, it All your mind and strength even means getting rid of all the porn, sexual fantasies and emotional bitterness, too.

--   --   --

When the Pharisees tried trapping Christ in their word-snares, he didn't take advantage of the opportunity to push God aside (like we do when we're confronted, emphasizing our own piety and reminding others of our self-importance) to make himself Number One.  

Uh, being 100% sinless, Christ was certainly much more qualified than either you or I to tell others that he was Number One.

Instead, Jesus answered with words that that still make legalists and iron-willed traditionalists wince and start thumbing in their paid-for pew to see if the King James also says:

"And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

- Matthew 22:39-40

Christ had no problem with humility or making himself Number Two, being subordinate to the will of The Almighty.

So stop trying to make church All About Me 'cause it ain't ... and never was in the first place.

"If you love me, you will obey what I command."

- John 14:15

Noah's Big Wood Boat

Built by Johan Huibers of Schagen, Netherland, as a testament to his faith in the literal truth of the Bible, this replica of Noah's ark is about 507 feet long, almost 85 feet wide and almost 51 feet tall.

And naturally, it's built of wood.

How fast is fast enough?

"A driver's job is to get the best out of the vehicle he's got." - Stirling Moss

Sir Stirling Moss was a Formula 1 driver between 1951-1961.

As a young man when Moss told his father he intended to be a race driver, his father insisted that he wear a helmet.  To which Stirling replied, "Dad, that's a bit sissy."

Stirling raced in an era when F1 drivers drove 200 miles per hour in open cockpits surrounded by gas tanks with their heads and shoulders exposed above a welded-together chassis.  Life expectancy for a driver was predicted to be between 5 and 10 years, though few had careers lasting nearly that long: between 1953 and 1966, 22 drivers were killed racing, testing or qualifying for F1 events. - source

Nonetheless, 78-year old Stirling still has a competitor's perspective about crashing:

"If you're worried about safety, just go slower."

Going to see a man about a dog

Whas dat mean anyway?

It's an idiom: "If you tell someone you are going to see a man about a dog, it is a way of saying that you do not want to tell them where you are really going."

- thefreedictionary.com

Now, let's use it in a sentence.

"Is Christ the Number One priority in your life?"

"Oh I tried going to church, but being a good person and acting religious with all the other hypocrites didn't help me at all.   Besides, I don't believe in a God who says he loves everybody but still sends some people to hell.  I'd love to explain how mainstream religion changed Christ's message and why everybody's path to salvation is different, but right now I've got to go see a man about a dog."

S.A.L.T.

Pacific Grace

S.A.L.T. stands for  Sail and Life Training Society, a non-profit Christian organization based in Victoria, British Columbia, which provides sail training for 2000 young people per year.

S.A.L.T. owns, operates and maintains two ships, Pacific Grace and Pacific Swift.

Pacific Swift

Check out S.A.L.T.'s home page here.

Horror-Movie Cliches

I usually enjoy don't mind watching a suspenseful horror (not slasher) film; trouble is, finding one worth watching can take years. In the meantime, here's a quick list of tired scary-movie clichés from Mark H. Harris at About.com:

"Few horror movies are truly unique, but some elements are even less unique than others. Here are 20 overused horror clichés that have officially worn out their welcome."


Horror Clichés: Doll HeadsHorror Clichés: Vanishing BodiesHorror Clichés: The Medicine Cabinet/Refrigerator "Boo"Horror Clichés: DreamsHorror Clichés: Excessive BraveryHorror Clichés: The Black GuyHorror Clichés: Helpless VictimsHorror Clichés: The Stumbling Female VictimHorror Clichés: Kids Who See GhostsHorror Clichés: The Wise Old TimerHorror Clichés: The Sixth SenseHorror Clichés: Kill Tease

Day of the Schooners

You shoulda been there to see it live and in-person, no kidding.

This morning the tell-tale helicopter was in the air again, hovering just over the marina.

I climbed out on deck right away to find the cause of the commotion and saw Schooners. Lots n' lots of schooners.

In just over an hour I saw just a fraction, at least fifteen or twenty double- and triple-masted schooners, leaving the Inner Harbor enroute to a 2-day racing weekend in Annapolis.

Pictured up top (from Wikipedia) is the schooner Amphitrite, the world's oldest seagoing yacht.

Below is the 154-ft schooner Shenandoah, a cruise ship out of Vineyard Haven Harbor, Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. The Shenandoah is the only vessel of her size and rig, without an engine, operating within the United States of America. (photo from their web site)

Bonus Bluebook Points for identifying this classic schooner, pictured below:

Others went out on the sea in ships;
they were merchants on the mighty waters.

They saw the works of the LORD,
his wonderful deeds in the deep.

-Psalm 107:23-24

I believe in I Am

"I am that I am (Hebrew: אהיה אשר אהיה, pronounced Ehyeh asher ehyeh) is a common English translation (King James Bible and others) of the response God used in the Bible when Moses asked for his name (Exodus 3:14). It is one of the most famous verses in the Torah. Hayah means "existed" or "was" in Hebrew; "ehyeh" is the first person singular imperfect form. Ehyeh asher ehyeh is generally interpreted to mean I am that I am, though it more literally translates as "I-shall-be that I-shall-be."" - wikipedia

Keep my commands and follow them. I am the LORD.

- Leviticus 22:31

'Do not make idols or set up an image or a sacred stone for yourselves, and do not place a carved stone in your land to bow down before it. I am the LORD your God.

- Leviticus 26:1

I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!"

- John 8:58

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

- John 14:6

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

- Revelation 22:13

There's a BIG difference

I never saw an eating place advertise itself with its name followed by Wings and Oysters.  Like, "Salty Joe's Wings & Oysters."

That is at least, not till Charm City.  I mean, there's a fairly BIG difference 'tween the two ... isn't there?

Oysters cling to whatever's comfortable & available and consume organic material over the course of their insignificant lives to build thick shells to protect themselves and culture the pearl that's (hopefully) the cause of what's irritating them on the inside.

What about wings?

Wings were meant to fly.

Copy-a-blog

I hardly read blogs anymore and this was the first time I visited her site but this post from littlesanctuary.com is worth copying and presenting here:

Warfare or Disciple

I think this is sometimes hard to discern. I came across something Blackaby wrote and thought I would share. I know Experiencing God is an “older” study, but if you haven’t gone though it you are missing out.

For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives. (Hebrews 12:6)

There is a tendency among Christians to view anything unpleasant that happens to them as the result of “spiritual warfare.” When a difficulty arises, many immediately ask God to remove their distress. The problem is that their predicament may have nothing to do with Satan or with spiritual warfare. It may appear far more glorious for us to explain our hardships as Satan’s determined attacks against us, rather than admitting that we are merely reaping what we have sown and are being disciplined by our heavenly Father (Gal. 6:7)

What is often mistaken as Satan’s attack may actually be chastisement from our loving Father. If you have neglected your role as spiritual teacher to your children, God may correct you by letting you face the consequences. It would be foolish to pray that God would ease your discomfort. God is disciplining you in order to gain your attention and bring necessary change to your life. How tragic never to make the connection between your problems and God’s discipline. God’s discipline will not help you if you dismiss it as Satan’s doing or spiritual warfare. Not every hardship you face is the chastisement of God, but Scripture indicates that God will discipline you.

If you misunderstand God’s chastening, you may actually blame Him for not answering your prayers or failing to protect you from Satan. Meanwhile, God is warning you of the danger you face because of your sin. Are there difficult circumstances in your life? Could it be the discipline of God? God, whose nature is perfect love, will correct you because He has your ultimate good in His heart.

10 Tips for Pet Owners

My friend Tom sent this along. If you've got (or want) a pet, it's worth the time it takes to read it ...

1. My life is likely to last 10-15 years. Any separation from you is likely to be painful.

2. Give me time to understand what you want of me.

3 . Place your trust in me. It is crucial for my well-being.

4. Don't be angry with me for long and don't lock me up as punishment. You have your work, your friends, your entertainment, but I have only you.

5. Talk to me. Even if I don't understand your words, I do understand your voice when speaking to me.

6. Be aware that however you treat me, I will never forget it.

7. Before you hit me, before you strike me, remember that I could hurt you, and yet, I choose not to bite you.

8. Before you scold me for being lazy or uncooperative, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I'm not getting the right food, I have been in the sun too long, or my heart might be getting old or weak.

9. Please take care of me when I grow old. You too, will grow old.

10. On the ultimate difficult journey, go with me please. Never say you can't bear to watch. Don't make me face this alone. Everything is easier for me if you are there, because I love you so.

Jambo
July 1995