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I know, I know, I just posted about winter. Cali is not as big a fan as I -- I let her out to tiptoe around in the snow and she immediately shook the offending stuff off her legs and went under Bertha to hide. Here's a picture of the current sitch:
After two months in warmer climes, I'm excited to see the snow that has started falling. I just returned from having Bertha winterized so I have no fear of bursting pipes any longer. However, I did wonder if it was good for the scooter to sit out in the snow...so I brought it into the garage. My fingers are still numb and you have no idea how many typos I've had to correct from stiffly hitting the wrong keys! :)
Now I'm inside the toasty warm home of my parents where I'll stay for the month of December before striking out again. They just called from Senegal where they're boiling in the heat -- we were wishing we could trade a little environment through the phone.
After almost 12 hours on the road yesterday, I rolled into Boise about midnight, local time. I have to say, it was one of the more eventful drives I've had. For instance, at one point I thought Bertha was on fire...but it turned out to be steam exiting the heating vent. I had the cabin heater on most of the drive because of my concern about the water pipes and/or my cat freezing solid as I crested 7,000 feet.
When I was getting close enough to smell potatoes I made the dreadful mistake of following the first sign to Boise and ended up on the "scenic" route through scenic Buhl, scenic Hagerman and scenic Bliss. It's quite possible those towns are, indeed, scenic -- but I was unfortunately unable to appreciate their scenic-ness due, in part, to my 10th hour of driving and being somewhat hacked at my mistake. I also nearly made my stay a little longer by almost missing a big curve and running into a ditch because I was looking at the map to see just how dreadful my navigational mistake had been. Bertha really corners! (joking)
Scenic Bliss, population 275, was my gateway to the 84. I tell you what, there is nothing quite like going 75 on a straight road after you've spent the day slowing to 25 for one podunk town after another. ;)
The government discriminates against blind people by printing money that all looks and feels the same, a federal judge said Tuesday in a ruling that could change the face of American currency.
The first leg of the book tour will be coming to a close when I head out for Boise in the morning. I've learned quite a few things and have some ideas for how to make the second leg a little more productive sales-wise -- but overall I'd say it was a good experiment. Hopefully I'll make it all the way home without another snowstorm coming in. Just in case I'll have the propane tank refilled somewhere tomorrow -- then I can camp on the side of the road anywhere without turning into a popsicle stick! :p
My oh my. I was getting ready to write today about how I went to a kind of Festival of Trees on Saturday night -- different companies decorated trees and you wandered around enjoying them and eating funnel cakes while the kiddies rode past on a train. Quite fun. I was impressed that there were several prominent "Merry Christmas" signs and the music they were piping through carried songs I would clarify as actually Christmas-oriented instead of Happy Holi-daisy. It was a pleasant surprise since I'm so used to the toning down of Christmas in public events.
But never fear, the pc police are on the move. This morning I read that Chicago had booted New Line Cinema from being a sponsor at their German Christkindlmarket. They were concerned non-Christians going to a Christmas festival would be offended by a repeating trailer for the movie The Nativity Story. The final quote was from a New Line representative and just cracked me up:
"One would assume that if (people) were to go to Christkindlmarket, they'd know it is about Christmas."
What I found most fascinating was that most of the boot camp experience is about inculcating the new recruits into the Marine culture. They have a longer cycle than, say, the Army's boot camp, but they get quite a bit less combat training and etc. Most of the focus is on instilling the values and morals the Marines find important. Speaking about the new recruits, Ricks writes:
Parris Island is the first place many of them ever encounter absolute and impersonal standards of right and wrong, of success and failure, says Sergeant Pabon, a native of Puerto Rico who learned to speak English at boot camp. "When they mess up at home, they don't get punished, they get 'explained.' The parents, the media, want to 'explain' everything. Here, you screw up, we stop you and penalize you immediately, before you forget it."
I've read several history books about different exploits of the Marines in battle, but never anything about how they became the way they were. This book offered great insight into their culture and mentality.
One of my professors at Multnomah wrote a book called Decision Making and the Will of God. It was like 400-something pages and I think I read the first couple -- I've always wondered if I would have an easier time making decisions if I'd finished it. ;)
I don't know what was so tough about this one, but I finally decided last night that I'll be driving Bertha home to Boise for the month of December. I've got some work I need to do there, then I'll have a couple weeks of Christmas vakay. Right now I'm still in Las Vegas, waiting for the snowstorms to pass so I can drive home in a clear window.
I've been waiting for something like this for years. The College Republicans at BU are offering a small "whites-only" scholarship to highlight something I have long believed.
The application itself offers an explanation: "We believe that racial preferences in all their forms are perhaps the worst form of bigotry confronting America today."
It's only been a couple days so nothing has happened except widespread news reports -- but I wouldn't be surprised if someone sued them in the near future.
A 57-year-old Palestinian grandmother of 30 became a suicide bomber in Gaza. In her standard pre-suicide Hamas video she said "I offer myself as a sacrifice to God and to the homeland." The family released a statement: "I am very proud of what she did. Allahu Akbar (God is greatest)," one of her sons, Fuad, 31, told Reuters.
I can't work up any energy to comment on this other than to tell you I cried when I read it. Sometimes the evil and pain in this world is too much to bear.
"I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens." Abraham Lincoln
I was horrified last week to discover that a gay man had been beaten on the Greenbelt in my hometown of Boise. I'm always sad at mounting evidence of the "big city" problems forcing their way into the small and polite town I grew up in. However, it now turns out that the man made it up, beating himself with a stick and his fists in order to report a hate crime. I'm glad that my town has been vindicated and eagerly await charges being brought against him for filing a false report. I hold out no hope that the truth will be reported as widely across the nation as the lie was. By the way, my favorite part of the lie was a widely reported e-mail that the man's friend sent out:
"This heinous act proves that the good-ole-boy mentality of the back woods small town evangelical Christian community lacks the true Christian kindness they profess."
I'm sure my fellow Boiseans are already aware of this, but those of you outside that burgh can read the article here.
In light of my entry a couple days ago about the God of the Old Testament vs. the God of the New, I submit to you this article. Tony Campolo's son Bart apparently wrote this in some sort of connection with Youth Specialties, the largest youth worker training organization in the country. YS has already pulled it from their website -- but luckily (or unluckily) for those of us who put our thoughts online, google had archived it already.
The article begins with a letter Bart received referencing a talk he'd given where he told the story of a nine-year-old girl who'd been gang-raped. Her Sunday School teacher told her God must have had His reasons for allowing it to happen so the girl rejected God. The letter quoted Bart as saying:
"Because you believed God was indeed in control, and because you believed the girl's lack of faith doomed her to eternal damnation, you decided that God must be a a 'cruel bastard.'"
The letter concluded by asking how Bart had transitioned to trusting God again and the bulk of the article is his response. If I understand his main premise, he now believes that the nine-year-old girl "will somehow be redeemed, and she herself will be healed as part of the complete redemption and absolute healing that is to come for all of us."
In fact, Bart states his position quite clearly when he says:
"Perhaps, as many believe, all who die without confessing Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior go to Hell to suffer forever. Most important of all, perhaps God's sovereignty is such that although God could indeed prevent little girls from being raped, God is no less just or merciful when they are raped, and those children and we who love them should uncritically give God our thanks and praise in any case.
For better or worse, I simply am not interested in any God but a completely good, entirely loving, and perfectly forgiving One who is powerful enough to utterly triumph over evil. Such a God may not exist, but I will die seeking such a God, and I will pledge my allegience to no other possibility because, quite frankly, anything less is not worthy of my worship.
Please, don't get me wrong. I am well aware that I don't get to decide who God is. What I do get to decide, however, is to whom I pledge my allegience. I am a free agent, after all, and I have standards for my God, the first of which is this: I will not worship any God who is not at least as compassionate as I am. If Mahatma Gandhi and my young friend who got gang-raped are going to Hell because they failed to believe the right stuff, then I suppose I am too, for the same reason."
I think Bart is making a huge mistake in holding God responsible for the actions of evil men. One of the pillars of the way this world operates is that God has given humanity free will. The choice between good and evil, sin and salvation -- in fact God and the devil, is the main plotline for the life of every man and woman.
Anyone who knows me knows that the death of my youngest brother as an infant was one of the foundational events of my life and greatly impacted who I am today. At 12 years old I was too young to adequately grieve and it took many years before my fury with God was released full force. It's a long story and doesn't need to be retold in gory detail -- suffice it to say, the salient point is that, as an adult, I had to decide whether I would trust the God I knew existed or reject Him...no matter the circumstances of my life. No matter what He allowed or caused to happen. No matter whether I understood His ways or not. On a certain day on a certain road at a certain spot I can point out to you, I pulled over and told God I would follow Him because there was no other legitimate option.
I can understand where Bart is coming from. It is indescribably difficult, at times, to follow a God who says He is loving and good while watching the world fall apart because of the actions of evil men all around you. But a lack of understanding the ways of God does not negate the fact that He is, indeed, God and we are but creation.
Many aspects of the article are disturbing to me, but the part I believe is truly dangerous is this:
"I still do my best to convince young people to accept Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior, but not because I'm afraid God will damn them to Hell if they don't. On the contrary, I want the kids I love to follow Jesus because I genuinely believe following Jesus is the best kind of life."
With all due respect, this is flat out wrong and, as I said, dangerous. I will only take space to quote four short verses, but there are many more throughout Scripture to refute his position:
Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 4:7-8 "Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him."
1 Timothy 2:5-6 "For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men."
If Bart Campolo was just a regular Joe on the street, I'd give him the same respect I tried to give him in this entry. I disagree strongly, but he has every right to exercise the free will God gave him, just as I do. My problem is that, if he is involved in any way with Youth Specialties, he's passing on these beliefs to youth workers all over the country. In that capacity, he is having a dangerous and erroneous impact on those who interact with and teach the young and impressionable minds of children.
It may not be politically correct to claim this kind of stuff -- that there's one way to God. There's that look you get when you tell someone that the Bible says they're a sinner and must repent of their sins or they'll go to hell. Who wants to say that in our relativistic society? In fact, who wants to believe it? But as I said in the previous post, I worship a God who is, not a god I created in the image I wanted him to be.
Romans 3:3-4 "What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God's faithfulness? Not at all! Let God be true, and every man a liar."
If you'd like to read a different take on the article, here's where I first found out about it.
A picture of horror.
My brother started playing football at a young age. I can still remember the tingle in my frozen toes from those crack-of-dawn Saturday mornings watching him play. I took it upon myself to be in charge of holding the down pole so I learned the finer points from a line-of-scrimmage viewpoint in those years. The mornings I had to stand on the side of the opposing team were the worst -- even now, 20+ years later, I still remember that the parents of the Albertson team were the worst and rudest we ever played against.
When he played in high school I was away at college, but I remember taking a special flight home so that I could watch his last game. Then came college football and lots of flights and drives to make his games. Even though he went to school in southern California and we still lived in Idaho, my parents saw a majority of his games and I caught more than a few. In fact, the first year my brother didn't play my parents and I commiserated on the phone one Friday night about our withdrawal symptoms. I was living in a place where I could see the local high school's lights go on and hear the cheers of the crowd and I couldn't comprehend that our many years of cheering were finished.
I can't in all honesty say I was that thrilled when football meant early mornings and frozen toes as a child, but the whole thing grew on me. When the air turns crisp and I see the lights of a high school field flip on, I can smell football in the air. I hope my brother has lots of sons so we can start the whole process over again.
Interesting development in regards to personal privacy -- a Colorado HOA has ordered that a couple cannot smoke in their own townhome. If they want to smoke they have to go out into the street.
Other homeowners believe, as with loud music, that the rights of a community trump the rights of individual residents. The HOA is also concerned that tenants will sue those homeowners for exposure to second-hand smoke and this could be a liability issue.
I'm, of course, not a smoker and have always applauded the laws that mean I don't have to walk through a haze to get into work or try to enjoy my dinner with the smoking "section" drifting over to me. However, for awhile now I've wondered if the anti-smoking campaign is a precursor to an anti-religion campaign. For the good of the individual, and of course the community, we're going to start limiting your rights to make it harder and harder for you to continue your destructive behavior.
I know, I know...call me a conspiracy nut. :p
On Wednesday, when driving from Newberry Springs to Vegas, I had my first actual scary moment on this trip. I was driving along and, despite my usual penchant for obliviousness while driving, I saw a guy drive up next to me and wildly hand signal that something was wrong in back. I looked in the mirror and saw the scooter's shadow wildly bouncing in a way not consistent with it's usual tied-down existence.
The problem was, I was shooting along at 65 in a very narrow, downhill section of the 15 and the freeway was full of cars and big trucks. However, I couldn't go on indefinitely because I didn't know how much longer the scooter would last without falling off. I went maybe another mile looking for a turnoff, then finally just pulled to the side of the road. I was completely off, but not by much.
One of the four straps had broken and the scooter was laying down flat, parallel with the road. I had to take one of the good straps on the front and tie it in back so that the scooter would stand upright again. The whole thing only took about five minutes, but I was praising God when I got back up to speed with nothing to show for the mishap but an increased surge of adrenaline running through my body.
I had to mail some books, so yesterday I trotted off to the local UPS store. Much to my dismay, they wanted over $42 for seven packages going first class regular mail. I thanked them kindly and walked out. What I wanted to say was "Are you joking me? How do you even get away with that kind of highway robbery?"
Today I drove off to find the local post office, supposedly four miles away. I would like to <pause> at this point of the story and tell those of you who don't know that I lived for four months in Aberdeen, Scotland, so the general idea of roundabouts is very familiar to me. <End pause> So I passed through a couple roundabouts, and on the third was supposed to see the post office very close. I'm sorry to say that I lost count after I'd gone around about six times -- not at the same time mind you -- I would veer off on one "exit" and go for awhile, then come back and try a different exit. Then start all over with the first one again.
I visited a good portion of Vegas and saw enough beautifully turning trees that I wished I'd brought my camera. The second man I asked for directions was quite sympathetic and, with his help, I finally found the stupid thing. Turns out I was supposed to ride the roundabout all the way around and come out going the opposite direction. The post office was about a block after that.
However, I still felt justified in my expedition when I walked out with a bill of $21. I would have stuck my tongue out if I'd driven by the UPS Store on the way back, but alas, it was in a different direction.
We watched the newest version of The Ten Commandments last night. It was pretty good actually, although I kept flashing back to how each part had been treated by the animated Prince of Egypt. I can't say whether I've ever seen the old Charleton Heston version, but if so I don't remember it.
I have to say, sometimes I wonder how the God of the Old Testament can be the same as the God of the New. All the bloodshed and wiping out of "every man, woman and child, and the animals." Most of what I've learned in my life is about the God of grace; the God who loved the world so much that He sent His only Son to die so that we'd be reconciled to Him.
I believe in this God -- in all His attributes -- but I certainly don't understand Him. I guess that's the point of Him being God and me being creation. If I wanted a god I could understand I'd worship one of the zillions of made-up gods who are more like humanity. Maybe the Greek gods who were arbitrary, jealous and vengeful. Or the better option -- I'm a god myself! Then everything I do will be right.
I tell you what, the religions where you get to make up your own rules are pretty attractive. Wrong, of course, but attractive. Not to pick on a bridegroom, but I heard an actor talking about his religion one time a couple years ago, and he said one of the important aspects of his spiritual journey was to try and discover his own universal truths. Pardon me for bringing a dictionary into a religious discussion, but I thought the point of universal truth was that it stands outside of any individual's personal interpretation or feeling...
If I'd have read this article a couple days ago, I would've made a point to stop and congratulate the town council.
"All of the illegal alien protesters are waving Mexican flags, and we just got tired of it," town board clerk Paul Willis told Reuters in a telephone interview.
Amen to that. In my humble opinion, their most important move was:
"The meeting also pushed through measures to deny services to illegal immigrants..."
This town council has a better handle on things than the Republican so-called conservatives who just got trounced. Maybe the former majority should have paid a little more attention to the illegal immigrant <not undocumented alien> influx that is threatening to cripple key industries nationwide. Not to mention, in their rush to be PC, they've left the border wide open for terrorists to waltz across.
And the most interesting part of the article:
Hispanic groups slammed the flag ordinance as a blow to first-amendment rights to free speech but thought it unlikely that the community would enforce it.
I'm sorry, but first-amendment rights to free speech apply to American citizens, not illegal aliens. If you come here legally and go thru the legitimate process of becoming a citizen, I welcome you with open arms -- but if you sneak in you are simply not eligible for the rights and privileges of citizenship.
Well done Pahrump.
I probably should have stayed up a little later last night and posted that I arrived safely in Las Vegas, but truthfully I was so tired from WHOOPING my brother and sister-in-law in a 4-hour game of Risk that I just fell into bed. ;)
But yes, I did arrive safely. I knew I was getting close when I saw a billboard advertising that you could try out any kind of semi-automatic gun at a certain establishment...followed in the next mile or two by a billboard advertising that you could, if so inclined, shop for a new car while naked at a particular car lot.
So another cold shower this morning, but this time because the propane tank which has been showing "E" for three weeks finally kicked the bucket. I didn't fully believe the "E" because the nice man who did Bertha's walk-thru said it will show 3/4 full when it's all the way full -- and I see that I am right in that it went three weeks on "E." But being right is cold comfort, no pun intended, when you have to take a cold shower because there's not a propane refilling station handy. ;)
Thankfully the wind has died down so I won't have a white-knuckled drive into Vegas. I've got about 160 miles to go from the Oasis of the Desert -- although now that I'm leaving I supposed I can tell you it's real name -- Twin Lakes RV Park. I wouldn't say it's a destination vacation spot, but if you're passing thru and need a stopping point for the night... :p
I don't know how I got to the ripe old age of 32 without knowing pistachios grew on trees, but the mystery was shattered today.
I also visited Peggy Sue's Nifty 50's Diner in Yermo and had a scrumptious cheeseburger. Then a tour of the Ironwood Christian Camp -- which I would recommend in a heartbeat if you ever get a chance to go to camp there. Those were the afternoon activities after attending Ladies' Bible Study.
Actually getting to the church this morning was half the battle. The wind blew so hard and steady all night long that I only got a couple hours sleep. In the wee hours I came up with what I thought was a phenomenally good movie plot, but by the light of day I recovered my sanity and recognized that Ray Romano waking up and thinking he was James Bond, to the dismay of family and friends, probably wouldn't be funny past the first few gags. ;)
Even with the lack of sleepage, I was wide awake by the time I got to the church because I'd had a cold shower thanks to the wind's constant poofing out of the pilot light on the water heater. I'd also ridden at a slight angle the entire four or so miles to account for the mighty wind blowing in from the right, which does wonders for waking one up.
Thankfully the wind died down around lunchtime and riding the scooter home didn't present any problems except the usual quadrillion potholes to be avoided. Can't thank Dixie and Tammy enough for a splendid day! Off to Sin City tomorrow.
This story just makes me sad. Toys for Tots decided that Jesus dolls that quoted Scripture were inappropriate for their annual toy drive.
"We're not naive," he said. "We know most of these folks are celebrating Christmas, but there's always a chance that giving them a doll citing Scripture could be inappropriate."
I have absolutely no idea what Scriptures the dolls were quoting, but I guess I just don't see the harm in some needy kid getting a doll for Christmas that spouts "God loves you." Heaven forbid Scripture of any kind leak into someone's life. Which reminds me of a quote I just read. Can anyone guess who said this:
"The future of this nation depends on the Christian training of our youth. It is impossible to govern without the Bible."
That would be George Washington.
World leaders today received a clarion call from an internationally-renowned sociological expert who has spent the last several years exhaustively researching the effect of religion in the lives of various cultures around the globe, collecting indisputable data to support his surprising conclusion. I, for one, hope they give his advice the serious thought and consideration it deserves.
There are so many flies in this burgh. I open my door for 10 seconds and I get four new residents. And the worst part is, I lent my flyswatter to my mother and forgot to get it back before I left. I guess I'll have to part with another .99 next time I'm near a store. ;)
It's a little more in-my-face than the plague of ants I've been fighting since leaving Moorpark. I guess I picked up a few thousand new residents while parked in the driveway of ant central. I kill a couple several times a day. I even took the step of leaving out a tempting, sugary confection on the kitchen counter to see if I could draw them out of hiding. The killing was impressive that day. However, I think the population is diminishing because I don't see as many around anymore. I say good riddance.
Who can finish the song?
...of the family of God. :)
Boy did I ever have a great day today.
I'll try and not make this a novella, but I'm just marveling in the grace of God right now. I spent the day living out the idea that if you just walk forward, God will direct your steps. I prayed this morning as I was getting ready to go visit this week's church that God would go before me. Then I got on the scooter and went putting off.
I was three minutes late, and unlike my home church...I was therefore late! ;) I missed the "greet one another" segment and walked in as the "introduce the newcomer you just met" segment was kicking off. The church reminded me a lot of my grandma's small church in Weiser, Idaho (home of both the Weiser Geezer and the National Olde Time Fiddle Festival). The music was led by an older gentleman enthusiastically playing the keyboard and a small choir was sitting up on stage. I think there was only one song I knew really well and one I kinda recognized -- the rest were new. There was a grandmother/granddaughter piano duet during the offering that was really sweet. And they had an open prayer time where 6 or 8 members of the congregation led out in prayer.
I've been thinking all day about whether to say this or not, because it's NOT a criticism and I'm afraid it might be taken that way. What I want to say is that is was a true joy to be there because they were not putting on a polished show. I don't mean by saying that that they didn't do a lovely job -- it just didn't have the "show" feel to it. There wasn't a great band up front with the worship leader singing so loudly into the microphone that you can barely hear yourself singing, let alone the person next to you. I got really used to that style when I lived in California -- the kind of worship that is more like going to a concert and you kind of mouth along with the words. I know everyone likes a different style and that's not an argument I want to get into...so,
Moving right along. The sermon was given by a visiting missionary with Friends of Israel. It was just great! There were several things on stage I had been trying to figure out -- once I heard he was the speaker it all made sense. For instance, there was a big white thing hung between pvc pipe. I have provided this wonderful sketch from my notes for you to admire:
I was going to hold a contest and see who could identify it from my drawing (dad being excluded), but he told us during the sermon that it was a dreidle. There was also a cover replica of the Ark of the Covenant and a couple menorahs. He gave a real interesting talk about what he and his wife do in their ministry in the large Jewish community in Las Vegas.
After the service I was swarmed by enough people that I gathered unaccompanied visitors were uncommon. I chatted with several nice ladies, then talked to the pastor for quite awhile. While waiting to speak to the missionary I overheard another couple telling him they'd flown for a couple years in Africa, but then I got caught up in another conversation and missed both the missionary and the other couple. I headed out to the scooter and saw the other couple about to drive off so I thought, what the heck, and ran over and peered in the window to ask them who they'd flown with.
Turns out we knew some of the same people and they'd been in Idaho for the MAF dedication I helped serve breakfast and lunch at right before I headed out on the tour. Now technically, we found out later, they'd actually been at the Quest dedication a couple weeks later in Sandpoint, not the MAF dedication in Boise....but by that point it was too late and they'd already invited me to lunch and I was in their car halfway to the house. ;)
Their names are Pete and Dixie and they were having lunch at a neighbor's house, who also attend the church, and we spent at least three hours just sitting around the table jawing about God and politics and etc., etc. The new couple, Patrick and Tammy, were both military, although she was done with her time and was now homeschooling their two children. It was just a truly lovely time.
One highlight for me was the fact that Pete literally spoke in Scriptures. He usually didn't go more than a couple sentences without speaking some familiar phrase. It was something I've rarely experienced and was particularly moved by. Probably because I, myself, am struggling through just memorizing James. But as I've made it through chapter one I can quote the part that applies to him... "and humbly accept the Word planted in you which can save you."
Another highlight was a little lecture I got from Patrick, that I shouldn't be timid about "marketing" in the churches I attend. He said God knows my heart when I go in there on Sunday, that I'm looking for fellowship, but I am who I am and I'm doing what I'm doing....so when people ask there will just be a natural interest. He said it'd be different if I walked in and grabbed the microphone and said I wrote a book and I'll be in the back signing it. :p But if my goal is, for example, to network my way into a personal connection with James Dobson -- it'd be going at cross-purposes to God's plan to not tell people what I'm doing if I'm shaking the hand of the person God has put me in front of me to make that connection. He thought we should network more than we do as Christians, that the church is our natural market and circle of influence. I'll try to remember that.
Dixie took the kids on a walk and they came back with old, dried California gourds. I'm sure I have no idea what these are for...but Pete took one of them and had everyone write on it so I'd remember this afternoon:
The evening ended with Pete and Dixie praying for me, then following me home with their bright lights on as my dinky little "hi beams" didn't work so bueno. It was a long 3-mile stretch on bad road, that's for sure, and just reinforced my position that I don't ride at night. But I felt just fine with them following and illuminating the road a little better.
Now how could I have arranged that afternoon? What a lovely, creative God.
Interesting article I just read about megachurch pastors in general and Ted Haggard in specific. What I always find especially interesting is how the media goes about finding their so-called "experts." Now I'm not saying Haggard didn't sin, or that megachurches or Christianity in general never makes mistakes...I'm just talking about expert witnesses.
As far as I can tell, they quote four different sources, all of whom are college professors. More than half the article deals with what they think might happen to Haggard's church, yet they quote no attendees. They use no quotes from any of the several other megachurches they mention. In fact, in this article dealing with Christianity and the impact on individual Christians because of our cultural shift toward megachurches...I can't see evidence that they spoke to even one Christian. Like I said, I find it interesting. They did bring up some good points, which is why I linked to it in the first place.
...just kidding. Actually, I pulled up the game with streaming radio on kboi.com and I am stoked. I've missed most of the season traveling. For instance, I was at a sports bar for one game -- but I was in Oregon where every TV was tuned to a Ducks game and I thought it was wiser to leave with my life and limbs intact than ask them to change the channel. The next time I was around a TV on game day it didn't have ESPN. Ahhh. But today, at least until my wireless gives out, I'm listening and waiting for Z to break my heart. To celebrate I've pulled the last bag of chili out of the freezer that my mom made for me before I left. I'll just close my eyes and pretend it's winter outside...
UPDATE: What a horrible game to rejoin the fan club. Not only did my connection keep timing out, but every time I restarted I heard something awful. In the last clip I heard San Jose score and Z immediately throw an interception. What'd I tell ya? Heartbreaker.
UPDATE 2: They pulled it out! A kick through the uprights with two seconds to go -- I always knew they could do it... ;)I'm engaging in a ritual I used to love back at home -- one that I haven't practiced since I left on this journey. A full day in my pajamas, puttering around the house. :) Granted, I can't putter very far in Bertha, and mostly I'm puttering on my computer...striking things off my ever-expanding to do list. But in my opinion, even if you "work" most of the day, there's something exceedingly indulgent about never getting dressed.
You may have wondered at my lack of travel postings lately -- the truth is I've been in full dilly-dally mode since leaving my former roommates' driveway in SoCal. I spent a week at Lake Cachuma, a couple nights in W/M's waiting for my wireless card, and now am ensconced in the Oasis of the Desert (not it's real name) for another week before heading to Vegas to spend Thanksgiving with family. It's been good for getting a lot of things done, including Book 2 work, but not so good for interesting travel stories to relate to you.
There aren't even that many interesting things to take pictures of around here. I'll have you know I do find desert beautiful in its own way, but after awhile all I want is a little bit of green! The folks that parked next to me last night were from Bellingham, WA and they said they were on their way to Arizona because they were sick of the rain. If I'd had the transporter pod I'm always wishing for, I would have housesat for them for awhile. :p
The head of MI5 in Britain says they know of at least 30 plots against them by Muslim extremists. How many do you suppose our intelligence services know about? But wait, I'm sure we can talk them out of it...they can be reasonable if we just offer the right compromise.
The head of al-Queda in Iraq released a taped statement today in honor of Rumsfeld's retirement. In it he said, among other things:
"I swear by God we shall not rest from jihad until we...blow up the filthiest house known as the White House."
That sounds like someone who would be open to compromise.
