Bad Company

What would you say if I told you ...

I've got a friend who comes by at night on weekends and drills holes in the side of my house? (I live on a boat, so that would be bad)

I've got a friend who's constantly trying to set me up with his most recent ex-girlfriend?

That I've got another friend ... who can't help but dump her trash in the back of my truck every time she walks past?

Would ya wince and wonder What's Wrong with my friends ... or would ya maybe start wondering What's Wrong with MY Choice of friends?

Would ya have much sympathy if I started whining, and complained that (a) My boat's sinking; (b) My love life's just one loser after another; or (c) Everybody thinks my truck stinks?

Would ya wanna sit down with me and patiently try explaining why won't people act right and behave like they're supposed to?

Or would you tell me to get rid of "friends" and "relationships" who add unnecessary complications, grief and confusion to my life?

Like oh, duh.

-- -- --

Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character." Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame.
- 1 Corinthians 15:33-34

Deep Impact

According to folks more smarter than me, Karl Barth was one of the most important Christian thinkers of the 20th century.


Wikipedia hints that Barth gave Calvinism a big kick in the pants:

"Barth's doctrine of election involves a firm rejection of the notion of an absolute decree. In keeping with his Christo-centric methodology, Barth argues that to ascribe the salvation or damnation of humanity to an abstract absolute decree is to make some part of God more final and definitive than God's saving act in Jesus Christ. God's absolute decree, if one may speak of such a thing, is God's gracious decision to be for humanity in the person of Jesus Christ."

I don't know anything else about him, except that these quotes make me think Barth had a gift for plain-speaking, plumb pure and simple:

- "Jesus does not give recipes that show the way to God as other teachers of religion do. He is Himself the way."

- "Belief cannot argue with unbelief, it can only preach to it."

- Once a young student asked Barth if he could sum up what was most important about his life's work and theology in just a few words. The question was posed even with gasps from the audience.

Barth just thought for a moment and then smiled, "Yes, in the words of a song my mother used to sing me, 'Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.'"

What's on your mind- really?

Ever feel uneasy about your life's direction? Ever wonder what's gonna happen next, or why things keep going wrong ... or whether some overlooked, uncrossed t is gonna show up without an invitation and absolutely ruin your whole week?

Or is worrying about Me ... the un-dotted, unfulfilled i ... an irritation constantly festering in the emotional background?


If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'

For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
- Matthew 6-30-32

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
- James 1:2-3

Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
- 1 Peter 1:8-9

Just look what I've done

Man, I've done so many bad things ... there's no way God could ever forgive me. How can I be sure he loves me, and that I've been forgiven?


Some sins seem to stick like glue, don't they?

No matter what we've read in scripture or heard in sermons, when we're all alone, sometimes the past arrives with a punch that leaves us staggering with a painful, nagging doubt about ourselves ... Wow, what kind of person would do that? ... and cause us to look at ourselves and feel, not "left behind," but left out.

I'm talking about the sins that seem permanent, inescapable and irredeemable.

Except that God's grace is eternal ... and his love is bigger than any of our doubts. Paul had persecuted Christians, but after seeing Christ on the road to Damascus his life changed forever, and he would later write:

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. 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 1:15-16

-- -- --

Christ never said, "Look backwards and there shall you find me."

Instead he promised, "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 11:30

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.
- Ephesians 1:6-8

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
- 1 Chronicles 16:34

Sometimes I amaze myself

Tonight I fixed a problem.

The starboard (right-hand) speaker at Calypso's helm didn't work; the problem turned out to be a bad connection at the CD player.

Aren't you impressed?

It was dark by the time I had the solution worked out and when I was finished, almost as a reflex, I glanced up at the nighttime sky (weather is important when you live on a boat).

Shoot. There's some big stuff- galaxies that dwarf the Milky Way- hanging up there in the sky.

Things so big and amazing I can't even pretend to understand.

-- -- --

We have doubts and feel so overwhelmed about the circumstances of our lives that we'll lie awake nights yearning to simply have more control, make ourselves sick worrying about the big WHAT IF issues, that we'll buy best-sellers, consult today's newspaper astrology forecast, talk over our problems with any stranger who'll listen, start a new diet, hire a personal trainer, go out bar-hopping or binge-drinking for "relaxation because I've earned it" ... whatever it takes to quiet the doubt inside and just make us feel better about ourselves.

-- -- --

Even with the nighttime sky there to remind me, the idea that the Creator who made everything from nothing loved me so much he was willing to be born on earth as a man with the sole purpose of dying in my place seems amazing. But then God's awesomeness is more than amazing: It's incomprehensible.

Just look at the sky.

God is total, complete, unqualified, infinite and perfect Love.

-- -- --

Understanding Christ's love sometimes seems impossible because it's so vast and complete that I know I've done nothing to earn or deserve it.

And then to remember all he asks- that we love and follow him- is even more amazing.

-- -- --

Sometimes I amaze myself for protesting Yeah but, right now you're just getting in my way and holding me back from what I wanna do.

When feeling humbled, ashamed of my selfishness and unworthy of his sacrifice- would describe my position in the universe, down to the last atom, better instead.

Technoid News

1. Look Ma, no wires
When Nikola Tesla tried, I thought scientists had said delivering electricity wirelessly was impossible. But now it seems Intel has developed the technology to do it.

2. I know a hot product when I see one
Uh oh. Looks like overheated iPod Nanos have been blamed for 3 fires.

3. She's virtually real
I noticed this video mentioned over at avclub.us ... and can't help but wonder what's coming next.

Life On A Boat: part 37

- from today's "On Friday, For Fun" Department:

The first question folks like to ask when they find out you live on a boat is often, "How do you go to the bathroom?"

The quick answer is "Like everybody else." The proper yachtsman's answer might be "I'm sorry, but boats don't have bathrooms, they have heads" ... although I know neither response adequately addresses their curiosity.

What inquiring minds want to know is, "Where does it go when you go on a boat?" and the answer is: To be legal and respectful of the environment, Calypso's head flushes into a 20-gallon polyethylene holding tank.

So how do you know how much is in your tank so you've still got room left to go?

Well, about a month ago I installed a SensaTank monitor that lights up with staggered LEDs to let you know well in advance when your tank's getting full.

What happens when the holding tank gets full? It gets pumped out by a big vacuum cleaner contraption. The pumper has a huge hose with a nozzle that fits into a "deck fill" outlet on your boat.

The marina has a self-serve facility at the gas dock where you can pull up & pump out your own (it takes about 15 minutes), or you can call The Pump-Out Boat for slip-side service.



The devil's in the dockside details Department: one person living aboard a boat full-time requires a pump-out about once every 6-8 weeks. On the other hand, I've seen 100-ft houseboats with 90-gallon holding tanks and five people aboard that had to be pumped out every week.

Blue Horizons: follow-up

I created this image in PhotoShop to show the relative size of Blue Horizons, compared to Calypso.

The Blue Book aboard Blue Horizons

Yesterday afternoon I got invited to take a quick tour of a charter yacht, Blue Horizons, that's moored here at the marina. I especially enjoyed seeing the walk-in engine room ... which has more room than my entire boat. Lots more.



Oh, and she has an elevator, too. Really.

This is the galley (which also has more room than my entire boat). Under the cook top on the right is a dishwasher; it's all one unit. Neat.


Here's the master cabin:


You can see more photos here, and take a video tour here.

I couldn't help but ask about fuel economy. At full speed (22 knots/25 mph) she burns 100 gallons of fuel per hour. Normal cruise speed (8 knots/9.5 mph) sips a mere 18 gallons per hour.

Thanks to Captain Marty for the tour, and for his patience in answering my questions.

Know Your Hymns

Thanks to my friend Misty in Alabama for passing this along:


A few hymns for those who speed on public roads:

45 mph....................God Will Take Care of You

65 mph....................Nearer My God To Thee

85 mph....................This World Is Not My Home

95 mph....................Lord, I'm Coming Home

The Body: not the buffet, not the feedbag

Someone challenged me recently, "Do you know what a pastor's most important job is?" I was sure I didn't know the answer I was about to hear and that I would hear it anyway, so I shook my head No.

The answer came as an antagonistic accusation: "A pastor's only job is to feed the flock."

I said, "Is that scriptural?"

This person leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms. "I don't know where, but I'm sure it's in there somewhere."

-- -- --

The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?"
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you."

Jesus said, "Feed my sheep."

- John 21:17

-- -- ---

I don't believe Christ meant that his church should sit down every Sunday morning at a big spiritual Lazy Susan while the poor pastor runs back and forth from The Church Country Committee Kitchen to the serving table to make sure every member of the congregation has all their needs met because that was his calling.

I don't believe Christ taught that it's the preacher's job to make sure the flock waddles out of the pews at 12:01 PM fat n' happy ... thanks to the preacher's sweat and labor. I don't believe the pastor is the church's butler, their hired hand, their whipping boy, their Mr. Fix-It ... or even their Genie In A Bottle, either.

I don't believe for one minute that scripture teaches anything like that.

-- --

In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.

"Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word."

- Acts 6:1-4

In other words the disciples knew that the church, which Christ intended to be his body on earth, had many members, with different talents and gifts- and each member ... not just the pastor- was called to play a participatory role.

Not that each member was called to stumble around dazed and disconnected in a pasture all week, waiting for a church bell on Sunday mornings to signal it's time to run to the altar in time to be fed.

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.

Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

- Romans 12:3-5

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

- Colossians 3:15

Wired

Two developments today: first, I got my computer back from Dell's repair shop.

Second, I took a deep breath this morning and replaced Calypso's factory battery selector switch with this neat combiner from Blue Sea Systems. It's designed to work with one engine and two batteries; I did the connections to work with two engines, two batteries and an automatic battery combiner for charging.

"The new E-Series switch isolates your Start and House battery circuits, preventing accidental discharge of the Starting bank and also protecting your electronics from engine starting sags and spikes. Ideal when combined with a BatteryLink Automatic Charging Relay or isolator, which will automate charging, while the new Dual Circuit Plus will simplify the switching."
- West Marine

In other words, no more waking up mornings in the middle of nowhere with two dead batteries after forgetting to switch from "Start" to "House" the night before.

Little things count.

product endorsement

I was siting at an "outdoor cafe" tonight when a girl walked by wearing a pink Hustler t-shirt.

A female friend confirmed, "She's about 12 years old."

The girl re-appeared in a couple of minutes, this time carrying takeout from the restaurant next door, and climbed into the passenger seat of a $70,000 biscuit-looking SUV and yep ... Mom was behind the wheel.

-- -- --

Wonder what Mommy's reaction woulda been if, say on the way home, her 12 year old Hustler-t-shirt-wearing daughter had asked her to stop at the corner convenience store ... so she could pick up a copy of the current issue.

It'd be illegal for the girl to buy the magazine.

But it was apparently perfectly OK with Mom if her daughter endorsed the product in public.

Take a timeout

Take a musical timeout from the world and share the joy of knowing our eternity is safe through Christ.


I am Free

Mighty to Save

The Noise We Make
(Drown out the enemy; TURN UP THE VOLUME)

ps. I love you ... and pray Christ reveals himself every day- in ways you'd least expect- throughout your week.

Pinball love

Yep, life has patterns.

Over the past month I've seen a remarkable number of folks ... both men and women ... undergo an even more remarkable number of love affairs and relationships.

Some of these "relationships" have lasted for several months, and some for just one night.

What's common is the aftermath and the disappointment, a helplessness and despair asking, "I can't stand this happening to me ... What keeps going wrong?"

Yet (and this is so common it's almost a rule), within a week, they're goo-goo-gaa-gaa "head over heels in love" because they've "met someone new."

The folks I'm talking about bounce from bedroom to bedroom ... you get the idea.

Their lives have a pattern.

None of these folks are believers, none of them sees anything "wrong" with their sexual habits or sees any reason to act differently or question their motives ... and everyone of them will argue to the point of violence that they're in total control of their lives. And that they have a right and deserve to be happy.

They just can't seem to figure out what keeps going wrong.

Need for fame, need for fortune, the need that keeps me empty

Don't you know that You are a shooting star
And all the world will love you just as long
as long as you are
- Shooting Star
Bad Company





What you need is the love that lasts.

the damage done

Whoa is me, I'm so miserable and suffering so much ... nothing seems to be working; I think I'll buy a best-seller or get a prescription.


We live in a great country. We have so much freedom and opportunity that we feel every misfortune is a personal affront and an injustice ... and demands an immediate remedy.

Just so we can be happy.

We think about refinancing our mortgages to honor our bank commitments; we can't sleep at night thinking of schemes to shuffle our credit card debts to repay our student loans- and buy a new car; we're convinced God doesn't exist because we're single and sad, sitting at home on Friday nights watching either HGN or the Sci-Fi Channel, instead of lounging around feeling appreciated like we deserve.

We profess our faith on Sundays, but still conveniently overlook that we were purchased at a price.

Why do we act like we have the righteousness to even stand in the shadow of the cross, and tell Christ what we intend to do with our lives?

-- -- --

Adulterous affairs & sexual liaisons? Gambling or gossip? Deacon, what about a porn addiction?

SHUT YOUR MOUTH--- that's my business buddy, so BUTT OUT.

No, I love you too much to ignore you.

-- --- ---

We think the damage we do to ourselves is our choice, so somehow it seems permissible.

Nope, it's not ... no matter what the eggspurds say on TV to sell books.

It's the enemy ... not God, not Christ and not Holy Spirit who's arguing inside your head that YOU DESERVE AND HAVE A RIGHT TO BE HAPPY ... and never mind the damage done.

Satan wants you to have everything you crave ... and every physical satisfaction think you deserve in life: really, he does.

But.

Satan does not love you so much that he was willing to be die on the cross in your place and offer you eternal life. Did Satan ever say he loved you ... unless it was when you were being tempted? Nope, the truth is that the enemy is the father of all lies ... and he hates you.

Could be that's why he thinks the damage done is nobody else's business.

Except his.

Crippled eyes, crippled spirit

Tonight I saw a young girl, she was probably 9 or 10 years old, walk across a sidewalk on crutches to drop a dollar bill into a street musician's jar.

Who can say she's crippled or defective? Who can look at her and say she's not "measuring up," that she's somehow "less", or that she needs to be labeled for the rest of her life?

Who can see inside her heart ... and look past their own?

If the church fits, wear it

-I want to visit a church in my neighborhood tomorrow; I'm wondering whether I have the right clothes to wear to "fit in." So I'll probably stay home and watch the Olympics instead.


Peter tried to incorporate Jewish customs and traditions into his faith because he wanted to "fit in"; Paul's letters contain frequent admonitions to believers who ignored their freedom in Christ and chose to honor man-made rules and traditions instead.

How much has changed in 2000 years ... except for our reasons for creating a church that makes us feel important and wise?

Why do we try to force-fit church to conform to our Comfort Factor? Why do we argue that Holiness must mean the very things that make us feel good and important about ourselves?

Does church exist for us, or are we living for Christ?

I don't wanna

Hey, I think your AMAZING NEW BIG IDEA sounds sketchy. It scares us and frankly, we've never seen you do anything like that before.

Know what else? On a more personal level, I don't wanna. So why should we?


Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours of daylight? A man who walks by day will not stumble, for he sees by this world's light. It is when he walks by night that he stumbles, for he has no light."
- John 11:9-10

When rejection hurts ... a lot

It must've ... no, I can't begin to imagine.

When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."

When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. "Where have you laid him?" he asked.

"Come and see, Lord," they replied.

Jesus wept.

Then the Jews said, "See how he loved him!"

But some of them said, "Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?"

- John 11:32-37

Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"
- John 11:40

But but but

Sometimes I wonder what we, as believers, believe ... and where we're willing to fudge.

Whether for convenience, whether to "get along," or whether we're willing to embrace whatever seems necessary to keep peace with the world ... is there a familiar point when our faith feels like an obstacle, a hurdle to get past ... a quiet issue that's "personal and private" ... and Compromise or Indifference becomes our witness, instead of Christ?

Be honest.

Do we really believe Christ never sinned- not one single time? Do we really believe the Son of God came to earth and loved us so much that he was willing to take our place on the cross? And that Christ really/actually/literally/no kidding rose from the dead not only to save us, but to live within those who believe?

But but but ... well sure, yeah ... but but but.

But but but ... who are we kidding?


-- -- --

I wonder how many of us, when our private plans and agendas ... the pieces and ornaments of our lives ... don't fall perfectly into place according to our schedule, would confess to having doubts about how much they believe the gospel- or would admit to just getting by from day to day- uncertain whether Christ is really relevant in the 21st century- and live according to a I-Guess-Christ-Is-Real, I'll-Play-It-Safe-Just-In-Case faith ... and then get mad at God or give up when their prayers seem to go unanswered, and merely exist day to day with fear, frustration, anger, jealousy, envy and uncertainty controlling, dominating and containing their hearts?

And then wonder why God feels so absent from their lives.


"The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.
- 1 John 2:4-6


Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.
- 1 John 2:15-17

Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.
- John 14:21

your father's weather forecast is not local

Living on a boat makes THE WEATHER more real than 3D.

No matter what you've got planned for the next big holiday weekend, the sky (and everything that can come screaming and crashing down out of it) is infinitely bigger- and more permanent in its consequences- than the gas-burning fiberglass shell you call home.



'Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.' You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.

- Matthew 16:3

Utter Frustration

What's the most frustrating thing on your life?

Dating? Paying bills? Waiting in line at the grocery store or trying to renew a license at the DMV? Working with your current boss and co-workers, and trying to make at least one of them see your point of view?

Or is the most frustrating thing trying to explain Why YOUR FEELINGS Matter to your significant other?

But then, what if you'd been one of the 11 disciples who saw Christ raised from the dead ... and tried to explain and convince others of what you had seen?




That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.
1 John 1:1

We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.
- 2 Peter 2:16-18

I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.
- John 3:11

When more than words are required

Earlier this year I went to court with a friend who was facing criminal charges pointing to three years in prison. Neither one of us knew what the judge would decide or what the outcome might be. Except the possibility that he might be led directly from the courtroom and disappear into prison for three years was gut-wrenchingly real and immediate.

Was it scary? I was there as a friend, as a spectator, and Yes it was scary.

And I simultaneously realized I didn't know how to be supportive and reassuring, or even comforting, without offering false hope or optimism. Tired cliches like "Keep a stiff upper lip," or "Prison's not so bad," or "You can do three years standing on your head" would only prove two things: first, that in crisis you can always depend on me to bottom-out with a cliche; and second, that no matter how much you're in pain, I'm never at a shortage for free advice, especially when I have absolutely no idea or experience with what I'm talking about.

This verse came to mind ... instead of any cheap advice or wisdom I could muster.


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 12:30

I know a Christian when I (don't) see one

I found a friend willing to let me use this laptop while mine's awaiting a critical component transplant. In the meantime, thanks to my friend Fran for filling in; I hope to be back soon.

Also thanks to Brent Sears, recently returned from Malaysia, for his prayers, for his friendship, and for reminding me ...


Too often "Christians" try to define themselves and identify their faith by what they don't do.

"Christians don't drink, don't dance, don't listen to rock music, don't go to movies on Sundays, don't wear jeans to church, don't associate with sinners and don't smoke" (unless they're deacons).

Don't don't don't don't almost becomes a source of pride and a way of proving an "Us versus Them" superiority.

But what did Christ command that we do?


A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
- John 13:34

BlogosaurusREX!

Let's begin with a list.

1. Today is Friday! Yay! It has been a long week (and an even longer summer).

2. I'm hungry. For something sweet. Trip to the local bakery, anyone?





3. Blogging for Papa Ridgeback is the least I can do considering I used to come over to his beautiful Victorian home on McDuffie street, stroll into his kitchen, and help myself to his bagels and Diet Coke.

4. Let me add that my friend and I would also use the blender in his kitchen and not clean up after ourselves. I'd like to think I have grown up some since then. I guess you could say I was naive in one or two areas (anyone that knows me is reading this statement and going "Could be! Could be!")



Later Gaters



Summertime Playlist
Learning to Fly - Tom Petty
Won't Back Down - Tom Petty

Around the Horn

This is a special guest post by FF. Papa is out of internet access but he is alive and well. I have spoken to him on the phone, so no worries. I was thankful to learn that although he has no internet access he does still have cable.

I'm really excited to be the author of this post since I quit blogging.

I'm a burnette again! I look fat in this picture, but it's just the shirt, I promise.

So, readers of Papa's blog, try to stay cool for the rest of the summer. I recommend turning your air down low, getting under a blanket, eating an ice cream sandwich, and watching reruns of "Bewitched" back to back for several hours. It's too hot to do much else, really.

On The Playlist

Paper Planes - MIA

Preaching Hell-fire and Fear

I believe hell is a real place.

I believe hell is real because scripture describes hell as a place of eternal torment, and scripture doesn't contradict itself and neither does scripture lie.

Nor does scripture try to scare us into salvation, because God never said he means to scare or worry us into loving him.

-- --- ---

If you died tonight, do you know where you're going? Guarantee your eternal security right now with perpetual fire insurance: Brother, why not play it safe and make a decision to secure your future forever?

Is our self-interest and eternal comfort really what Christ's death and resurrection was all about?

-- -- --

"Making a decision" to play it safe out of fear of being charred into a sin cinder completely ignores Christ's absolute, perfect love.

According to church tradition, 10 of the 12 disciples (excepting Judas and John) died as martyrs rather than renounce the resurrected Christ.

Pain avoidance wasn't the discples' Job One. "Playing it Safe" wasn't even a consideration ... because they realized beyond any doubt Christ was real ... and through their faith, he revealed himself in their lives and in their works.

Ignoring Christ and "walking down the aisle" just in case hell is real is nothing more than focusing on self-interest and pain avoidance.

-- -- --

Does preaching hellfire and brimstone reveal Christ's love, or simply scare people into "playing it safe"? A faith based on fear and "following the rules" is shallow and self-centered, not Christ-centered.

Which could be why so many churches become arrogant and judgmental, locking their doors to keep their traditions and doctrines safe, even arguing among themselves, quarreling that church must be exactly what they say church ought to be.

Because they have no idea what Christ said church means.

-- -- --

Hope based on "playing it safe just in case" is not hope based on Christ; it's doubt based on fear and self-preservation ... instead of hope based upon surrendering unconditionally to Christ, and living and loving one another as he intended.

Love without qualification

Sometimes well-intentioned church-going folks act like they've forgotten Christ didn't die on the cross to save the holy and the righteous, but to save sinners ... and that they were born into sin just like everyone (except Christ) else.

Some of us might like to argue otherwise, but none of us were born saved, none of us were saved by our smarts or by our righteousness, none of us inherited our salvation because we came from strict God-fearing homes, none of us negotiated a plan or worked out a deal with God or did anything else on our own to earn God's favor and skip past falling short.

And gasp ... none of us were saved by singing hymns, by wearing a suit to church or by memorizing Bible verses or by bragging about how much we tithe. Just like none of us were saved by not dancing, by condemning alcohol, or by refusing to shop or go to movies on Sundays.

Nobody earned salvation by ridiculing and pointing fingers at sinners, either.

Grace is God's perfect gift ... so why do so many believers act as though it's their birthright to distort Christ's love into their own doctrine of finger-pointing, suspicion and uncertainty?

-- -- --

Self-righteousness, pride and arrogance cause us to lose focus on becoming more Christ-like toward others and to act, in our words and our deeds, like we deserved our salvation because of our own righteousness. Which is the same thing as professing we don't know Christ because we never needed him to begin with.

Treating unsaved people ... the folks we should be focused upon witnessing to ... with hostility or arrogance amounts to a faith that's indifferent to God's grace and Christ's sacrifice.

And indifference ... treating others as though You sinners can go to hell for all I care ... belongs beside hate as the opposites of Love.




On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick."
-Matthew 9:12

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
- Romans 5:8

And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.
- 1 John 3:23

But where would church be without all our rules?

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
- Galatians 5:6

Beef Shoutouts

Hey AVCLUB: this is what you get every Tuesday night, just two blocks away. Less than $20 bucks & all the salad you can eat [bring Joe Sangl]. Will Rodes, you're invited, too.

P.S. Shoot, everybody come. I miss ya'll a lot.

PPS. Tomorrow is Wings Night.

I gotta do something HUGE for God!

I've heard people say, "I don't know care what it is, I just wanna do something HUGE for God!" On my way to do laundry, that got me to thinking ... :-)

There's this dude who wakes up one morning and suddenly decides he wants to do something awesome for God. Something so HUGE its impact will be unmistakable and immediately felt around the world. He thinks about it for a few minutes, and decides to be a televangelist.

But an hour later, after calling the major networks and satellite channels, he's discovered all the slots for religious programming are full. Not to be defeated by disappointment, Dude calls his pastor on the phone (at home) and excitedly exclaims, "I've been called to preach this Sunday."

There's no record of how the pastor responds ... but the church's minister of music doesn't answer when Dude dials his number a few minutes later. Still eager to do something huge right away, Dude drives over to the church office only to find the door locked with a sign in the window reading, "Closed for Seniors' Day."

Fearful that his opportunity to do something HUGE for God is slipping away, Dude glances around and sees trash from cars on the highway blowing across the church parking lot ... and suddenly has a brainstorm of a HUGE idea.

Within the hour he's standing at the corner of the church property with a sign in each hand (one endorses blue laws and the other protests the latest Hollywood blockbuster), yelling "Is God your co-pilot?" and "When you're dying, you're frying!" to drivers cruising past.

But after about an hour of standing around in the heat without much result, Dude's ready to call it a day and go home. So Dude starts walking across the parking lot just in time to see the church van, full of seniors back from picking apples, pulling in ahead of him.

He waves, trying to get away before they stop, but then just as he's about to open his car door the wind blows a scrap of newspaper against the van's windshield ... which causes the driver to lose control and plow into dude at full speed.

The next instant in Heaven Dude opens his eyes, looks up at the pearly gates and shakes his head. "Lord, I don't get it. Here I was trying to do something awesome, something really BIG and earth-shattering for you ... and now just look what happened. Is that what you wanted from me?"

God shakes his head and sighs. "No Dude, what I wanted was for you to pick up trash from the church parking lot."

So what's wrong with a little sin?

What's the big deal? We can't be perfect all the time and God knows that. He loves us and he knows we're gonna mess up once in a while but he still loves us anyway.

So a little sin can't hurt, right?

Is there something wrong with that reasoning ... or does that kind of hostility go straight to the heart of the issue?


"The mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.
- Romans 8:7-8 (NIV)

For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you.”
- Mark 7:21-23 (NLT)

Dialoguing with rocks

While channel surfing the other night I heard a scientist remark, "We have 700,000 years of recorded history telling us that global warming is a reality."

And on another night, on another channel, another scientist admits, "The fossil record, dating billions of years back to the Archean Eon, is unambiguous and establishes evolution as a fact."

Ok fine. Rocks are our friends and clouds are our neighbors.

But when it comes to considering first-hand accounts of events that occurred a mere 2000 years ago, why do skeptics become so suddenly herd of hearing?

Now there's a new Knol

I love Wikipedia's convenience, although now my second-favorite online resource has some competition: Google Knol, from the same folks who brought you, uh ... Google.

Keep it like I like it (said the enemy)

Does this sound familiar?

The chairman of the deacons waits for his moment, then calmly takes the pastor aside and firmly let's him know, "We appreciate your ideas and enthusiasm, but our church doesn't do things that way.

"And besides, we don't have the money or any idea how we'd get it. So there's no point bringing up the subject again. If you know what I mean."

The pastor smiles and forces a nod ... then he doesn't get much sleep for the rest of the week ... because his vision just revealed the tumor that's sickening the body.

-- -- --

Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
- Matthew 19:26

Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, "Why couldn't we drive it out?" He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."
- Matthew 17:19-21

I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
- John 14:12

Peacemakers

Until just a few minutes ago, I had no idea an organization like Peacemakers existed.

"Peacemaker Ministries was founded in 1982 by a group of pastors, lawyers, and business people who wanted to encourage and assist Christians to respond to conflict biblically.

"Since then we have developed educational resources, seminars, and conciliation training to help Christians learn how to serve God as peacemakers in the conflicts they encounter in everyday life.

"We also provide conflict coaching, mediation, and arbitration services to help resolve personal conflicts, business disputes, church and ministry divisions, and even complicated lawsuits.

"The good news is that because God is in control, it is possible to view conflict as an opportunity to glorify God, serve others, and grow to be more like Christ."

The page titled "Get Help With A Conflict" is particularly worth checking out.

Reaching for The God Switch

You know the feeling.

Suddenly, no matter how honest your hopes and expectations, the world seems about to fall apart and come crashing down in boulder-sized chunks. Never mind how it happened. You just need a way out because Life is coming from every direction ... and it's too late to do anything but reach for The God Switch.

It usually goes something like this: Oh Dear Lord I'm so sorry, I've learned my lesson this time. I promise. If you'll just help me out this one time I promise I'll turn myself around and do exactly what you want me to do with my life. I really mean it this time and, and ... and ... well God, how about it? Aren't you listening!

We reach for The God Switch to ask him to turn off all our problems, and make what's wrong go away.

Wow. Since we're all about being fair, wonder what life would be like if God had a [insert your name here] Switch?

-- -- --

You're in the middle of something important, when suddenly the [insert your name here] Switch turns on. It's God again ... and there's something only you can do. He wants you to invite your neighbor to church. Or forgive your co-worker. Or admit an error of judgment you've made about a friend. Or witness to your spouse, and share what Christ means in your life.

What's your response?

Oh no, God. Please not now. Things are going along so good and I don't want to cause trouble or make anyone uncomfortable by bringing you into the situation. What would people think? Can't it wait? Can't you just handle this one on your own? Dear Lord, I mean, what have you done for me lately?

-- -- --

Seems like so long as Christ's sacrifice on the cross doesn't interfere with our hopes/plans/expectations for our relationships/career/sinful habits, we tend to forget that salvation creates a permanent and eternal relationship.

At least until our plans fall apart, and we find ourselves reaching for The God Switch one more time.

The 3D God Box - pt. 3

Ever wondered how "The Big Bang" got its name?

I mean, everything that blew out of The Big Bang ... the stuff that would eventually slow down and cool off to become stars, galaxies and planets, all of it ... came from a single point scientists estimate was no larger than one molecule across. So why isn't it called The Itsy-Bitsy Bang?

Regardless, people sometimes have a hard time grasping that not just matter but space, billions of light years' worth of emptiness for the universe to expand into, also came flying out of The Big Bang.

But folks have an even harder time grasping that time itself came blasting out from The Big Bang, too.

-- -- --

Some of us visualize Time as a river: the past flows off behind us as we're paddling to keep up with the present, while the future is somewhere "up ahead," about to come smashing into our lives like a runaway train if we don't carefully plan and provide for its arrival. (It's time I stopped mixing metaphors :-)

The paradox is that Time is a quantity, a man-made concept, "a capacity for change" we've created to help our puny brains sequence events. We'd stay confused, for example, if we couldn't determine the chronological order of non-casually related events (imagine if the correct answer to "Which came first, the chicken or the egg?" was Always).

That's one reason we have a hard time (sorry) imagining how God can exist independent of what's familiar (our space and our time) to us.

So, mistakenly believing Time's on their side, the last step for folks trying to fit God into a box is to make him stay in there ... by folding all the corners, squeezing down the Time lid and wrapping the box with man-made rules and theologies.

(concludes next time)

But how BIG is it really?

-source here

The 3D God Box - pt. 2

Imagine if you lived your life inside a painting.

Imagine if the painting where you live is 25,000 miles from the bottom to the top and 15,000 miles wide. It's a beautiful painting, full of colors ... and because you have imagination and curiosity, for as long as you live you're entirely free to walk, drive or swim from one end of the canvas to the other, or from the top to the bottom if you choose, as many times as you like.

But because you live inside a painting you live in a 2D world, and cannot ever leave its surface.

-- -- --

Flying is out: not only is it impossible for you to move even one brush stroke up from the canvas surface, it's also impossible for you to imagine, much less explain, what a 3D world might be like.

Your brain simply isn't wired to think in three dimensions

Scientists living alongside you in the painting are no better off, because their perceptions are also limited by what they can see, test and explain around them ... in two dimensions. They'll argue that three dimensions cannot exist ... because no experiment can be conceived, much less performed, in 2D that will prove three dimensions exist.

Three dimensions can't fit inside a 2D world. Or be described by 2D brainpans.

-- -- --

If you lived inside a painting would you argue that God, the creator of the painting and the universe, had to live within two dimensions as well ... the two you're familiar with ... restrained by the same physical limits as you, otherwise he couldn't possibly exist?

Or could God simply be too awesome and big ... that's what infinite means ... to fit inside our 3D box?

The 3D God Box - pt. 1

Will science ever prove God exists? Or, Can science prove God exists?

For believers the answer might be, Who cares?

-- -- --

Who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
- Isaiah 52:1 (52:1-3)

Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed.
- John 20:28

Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
- John 20:29

A brief history of sunglasses

Ever wondered where sunglasses came from, who invented them and how they got here?


"It is said that the Roman emperor Nero liked to watch gladiator fights with emeralds. These, however, appear to have worked rather like mirrors. Flat panes of smoky quartz which offered no corrective powers but did protect the eyes from glare were used in China in the 12th century or possibly earlier. Contemporary documents describe the use of such crystals by judges in Chinese courts to conceal their facial expressions while questioning witnesses.

"James Ayscough began experimenting with tinted lenses in spectacles in the mid-18th century. These were not "sunglasses" as such; Ayscough believed blue- or green-tinted glass could correct for specific vision impairments. Protection from the sun's rays was not a concern of his.

"Yellow/Amber and brown-tinted spectacles were also a commonly-prescribed item for people with syphilis in the 19th and early 20th centuries because of the sensitivity to light that was one of the symptoms of the disease.

"Modern developments

"In the early 1900s, the use of sunglasses started to become more widespread, especially among the pioneering stars of silent movies. It is commonly believed that this was to avoid recognition by fans, but the real reason was they often had perennially sore eyes from the powerful arc lights that were needed due to the extremely slow speed film stocks used." [emphasis added]

-from Wikipedia

fear is a lie

Fear preaches, You're going to hell ... unless you get hold of yourself and stop sinning.

But Christ proclaims, You are loved ... and born again without sin.


No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God.
- 1 John 3:9

In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
-Romans 6:11

Pastor Reginald

Up with insomnia, I e-mailed this observation to a friend:

"I think it would be difficult for any man named "Reginald" to be a preacher.

"Because any time someone came up to him after a service and said, "Way to preach one outta the park, Reginald" or "You really have a way of bringing the congregation together, Reginald" the poor guy couldn't tell if the comment was sarcastic, or meant as a compliment."

:-)

Have an awesome Monday!

All my ducks in a row

Still, the morning cleanup is a chore.

totALy pUre inNerGy

but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

- Isaiah 40:31

I hate sinners and wouldn't lift a hand to help them

Are you better than Christ ... who lifted both hands to nail sin to the cross?


When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
-Colossians 2:13-15

I'm going to straighten my life out and get myself turned around

No, you're not.

For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.
- Ephesians 2:14-16 (NIV)

If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.
- John 15:19 (NIV)

But it's more fun during the week pointing fingers at sinners!

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

In your relationships with one another, have the same attitude of mind Christ Jesus had:

Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a human being,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!

-Philippians 2:1-8 (TNIV)

Is religion the answer?

No. But a Relationship is.


Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone.
- Romans 5:18 (NLT)

Time to Rededicate?

Rededicate is a great word, isn't it? Trouble is, I couldn't find "rededicate" in Webster's Dictionary. Or anywhere in scripture (NIV). Not even in the KJV.

John the Baptist did not say, "Rededicate, for the kingdom of God is near." Christ never said, "The kingdom of God is near. Rededicate and believe the good news!"

Nor did Jesus say, "For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not rededicate and believe him."

Instead, the word was Repent.

-- -- --

Repent means to turn away from sin. Repent means to become dedicated, or set apart, to changing one's life ... permanently.

Repenting doesn't mean looking the other way when it's convenient ... trusting that salvation is permanent but the wages of sin are not ... then going forth to sin some more.

-- -- --
Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"

"No one, sir," she said.

"Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."

- John 8:10-11

Who's the happiest with a stagnant church?

-The folks who've been members for 4 generations, and have their names splashed across the stained glass windows?

-The folks who like being recognized for their financial contributions?

-The folks who expect the pastor to notice their absence and drop by the house "just to make sure they're OK"?

- The elders who expect to be consulted on every decision?

-The folks who expect everyone else to know their names?

-The folks who like "Doing things the same way we've always done things"?

-The folks who insist "Let those other people go to their own churches"?

-The members who're afraid "We'll lose control if a bunch of new people start traipsing through the door"?

Or is it the enemy who's happiest when a church becomes stagnant, loses its vision and stops reaching people for Christ?


The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
-Matthew 13:38-29

I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.
-Luke 10:19

Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.
-2 Corintians 9:13

Am I A Moron?

Recently mentioned that I'm reading Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon by Daniel C. Dennett. On Tuesday I came to this:

"According to a recent survey, only about a quarter of the population of the United States understands that evolution is about as well established as the fact that water is H20."

"What about the Scientific Creationists and Intelligent Deign proponents who are so vocal and visible in well-publicized campaigns? They have all been carefully and patiently rebutted by conscientious scientists who have taken the trouble to penetrate their smoke screens of propaganda and expose their shifty arguments and their apparently deliberate misrepresentations and evasions."

In other words, you're a dope unless you think like a "bright."

-- -- --

Here's an example of "scientific evidence" that human beings are descended, via evolution, from apes:

"Chromosome 2 is widely accepted to be a result of an end-to-end fusion of two ancestral chromosomes. ^[3][4] The evidence for this includes:

• The correspondence of chromosome 2 to two ape chromosomes. The closest human relative, the chimpanzee, has near-identical DNA sequences to human chromosome 2, but they are found in two separate chromosomes. The same is true of the more distant gorilla and orangutan. ^[5][6]
• The presence of a vestigial centromere. Normally a chromosome has just one centromere, but in chromosome 2 we see remnants of a second. ^[7]
• The presence of vestigial telomeres. These are normally found only at the ends of a chromosome, but in chromosome 2 we see additional telomere sequences in the middle. ^[8]
• Chromosome 2 is thus strong evidence in favour of the common descent of humans and other apes. According to researcher J. W. IJdo, "We conclude that the locus cloned in cosmids c8.1 and c29B is the relic of an ancient telomere-telomere fusion and marks the point at which two ancestral ape chromosomes fused to give rise to human chromosome."
  

-Wiki source

Do I understand one iota of what that means? Nope ... and I can't responsibly comment on this article either.

But it does sound to me like genomic instability is more likely to create runaway cell divisions (like cancer) than to cause apes to evolve into human beings.

Post Hoc is the logical fallacy "If X follows Y, then X was caused by Y." In other words, it's false to assume that the sequence of events proves cause.

-- -- --

"If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts."
-Albert Einstein

It's ironic that astro-physicists peer through their telescopes across the vastness of the universe and have little trouble admitting, "We don't know all the answers." As their knowledge increases, physicists are constantly exploring and developing new theories about how the universe began.

But evolutionists can point to fossils and angrily claim "We do know all the answers ... since 1859! You're descended from apes --- and dumb as dirt if you don't believe it."

Big Sin Round-Up

What sins are the worst sins? The sins so bad that everyone can agree, "Now that's a big sin" ... the sins that are likely to get you noticed, or even kicked out of church?

Should we include Dancing? Drinking alcohol? What about going to movies or football games on Sunday, listening to country music ... or wearing jeans to church?

Some denominations (proudly) define themselves by prohibiting those behaviors, and committing those activities might violate their covenants and earn you a stern warning, but reasonable folks could argue whether they're even sins in the first place.

I Define Myself As A Christian By Condemning Others For Their Sins

What about swearing? Lying? Stealing? Gossiping ... or speeding? Now there's some real sins- 4 of them are specifically enjoined in scripture- but the only transgression likely to get you booted through the church door is stealing (and that's if you're caught stealing from them).

Sin's Not A Sin Unless I Say So

Then there's the red-letter sins, like lust, adultery and coveting. No argument that those are some of the "worst" sins, right? Thing is, none of them will get you kicked out of church either ... not unless you're caught or found out.

If It Walks Like A Deacon, Talks Like A Deacon, And Prays Using Thee and Thou

What's happening here? Man-made rules are created to prohibit public behaviors, acts that might not even be sins in the first place, ostensibly to define what makes Christians different from sinners ... while public behaviors that are clearly sinful, like wrath, arrogance, pride, gossip and coveting- fly by without once raising an eyebrow.

Going To God Looking Our Best ... but keeping the rest in the closet

Traditionally, churches have been preoccupied with outward appearances as a measure of righteousness or "spiritual success":

Teen-aged girls wearing dresses, ribbons, long sleeves (and flat heels) to church are "nice girls" who obviously aren't having sex. Teen-aged boys who show up on Sunday mornings with a tie and neatly-combed hair aren't doing drugs, getting fall-down drunk the night before or cheating in school.

"Family men" who drag their kids to church three times a week can't possibly be addicted to gambling or porn. Mothers who volunteer in the church nursery and serve on the Benevolence committee can't be having affairs, struggling with alcohol or suffering with a dependence on prescription drugs.

Appearance Counts For Lots

It's just, lots of Not Too Much.

Why did Christ die on the cross? (updated)

Not to teach us to wear a suit and tie to church on Sundays, or to wear choir robes or sing cantatas at Easter.

Not to define church as a building with a steeple.

Not so believers could embrace candidates or political action committees.

Not to allow his followers to pursue retribution, personal agendas or vengeance.

Not so Christians can feel superior, ridicule the less fortunate ... or point fingers at sinners.

Not to put God "on my side," do us supernatural favors, or make our lives happy and comfortable.

Not so you could act like a big shot at your church.

-- -- --


For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
- John 3:17

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
- Galatians 2:20

May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
- Galatians 6:14

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
- Philippians 4:7

Van Rooyen's Lion Dog

Rhodesian Ridgeback a/ka/ "the African Lion Hound or African Lion Dog—Simba Inja in Ndebele, Shumba Imbwa in Shona." -wiki

Nothing greater

I know that the LORD is great,
that our Lord is greater than all gods.

-Psalm 135:5

why?

Lukundo is a short story written in 1927 by Edward Lucas White. Like several of White's stories, Lukundo is based on one of the author's nightmares.

This afternoon while surfing I found out that Edward Lucas White lived, and wrote Lukundo, in Baltimore.

In a generation of iPods, CG special-FX popcorn movies and presidential elections driven by sound bites, you might read Lukundo ... just to try your hand at figuring out what's really going on. Underneath the veil and disguise of words.

I also learned that White committed suicide seven years to the day after the death of his wife, Agnes.

-- -- --

While trying to learn more about the author, a Google search spat out the name of Carl H. Meyers. I have no idea who he was; all I know is that he's buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

The on-line record indicates, "First Lieutenant, Air Service, 1 1923 Suicide Victim In Hawaii."

-- -- --

1923 was 85 years ago. Such a long, long time in the past. So?

So what was happening in Meyers' life that made suicide seem the best solution? What series of circumstances combined to make his life seem unbearable? What was the final lever that broke his grip ... and ultimately pushed Myers over the edge?

85 years later, do any of the problems he faced still seem so painfully insurmountable?

We don't know, and Myers isn't here to tell us.

The tragedy is a life lost to itself.

-- -- --

There are approximately 750,000 suicide attempts each year.

An estimated 5 million living Americans have attempted suicide.

- On average, one suicide occurs every 17 minutes.
- On average, a young person (age 15-24) dies by suicide every 2 hours and 12 minutes.

- Suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students.

- More people die from suicide than from homicide.

Each suicide intimately affects at least 6 other people. (estimate)

http://www.suicide.org/suicide-statistics.html

Like my leftovers?

I got a friend who's looking for boat speakers. I just happen to have a pair I'm willing to part with ... at no charge.

I was just about to apply the screwdriver to the grilles when my real motivation became apparent ... and much uglier.

I was killing two birds with one stone: by graciously donating my 23 year old speakers to someone in need, I was depicting myself as a generous, unselfish friend. But by giving up my ancient speakers I was subconsciously giving myself a self-righteous reason to buy what I actually wanted ... a brand new pair ... for myself.

Giving away my leftovers or anything else that's second best, and then buying something much nicer & better for myself, says something about misunderstanding what Generosity means.

But it gets even worse. Giving others second best - and then expecting them to sing praises of gratitude and act indebted to me for my generosity - reveals lots about my selfishness. Putting my material greed first also points to a shameful condescension and arrogance toward folks less fortunate than me.

When did God ever give us less than his best?

-- -- --

A generous man will prosper;
he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
- Proverbs 11:25

"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."
- Matthew 7:12

"For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
- Luke 14:11

corte diagonal

"Miami Vice" movie review

Christianity Today reviews Miami Vice here.