my blog

4 Quick Thoughts

2008-08-21T15:35:00.003-04:00

1. Here's why I love government. The road crews of Muncie have decided to wait until move in day for all the BSU students before deciding to close one of the 2 main east/west roads through campus and do a little road work.

2. Go here. Trust me

3. I don't enjoy presidential politics. Seems like one of those "yo mama" contests people used to have when I was in high school, minus the wittiness.

4. A kid with challneges wants to go to kindergarten in the morning and afternoon sessions b/c he has memory troubles and the repitition will help. The school district would rather spend up to $100,000.00 on legal and other fees rather than let the kid happen. Awesome. I heard a news report where someone from the school district actually said:

"Hamilton Southeastern provides a free and appropriate education to any of its students with special needs according to state and federal guidelines," read a statement from Marianna Richards, director of school and community relations. "This is an instance where the parents and school district disagree about what is appropriate."

Appropriate, not exceptional, not outstanding. In another report, the word adequate was used.

Find out more here.

2 Titles: Either "What's In A Name?" or "Glad All The Big Problems Are Solved"

2008-08-07T10:51:00.001-04:00

Church wants "Gay Boulevard"
name changed
03:59 PM CDT on Wednesday, August 6, 2008
KHOU.com staff report

SAN ANTONIO, Texas – What’s in a name? A lot of your church sits on Gay Boulevard.

That’s the case for Second Baptist Church in San Antonio.

Officials there want the name changed.

In order to do that, the church will pay a $500 application fee to the city to change the name and pay for about $800 worth of new street signs.

“First of all, Gay Street, that’s not a proper name because I’m, anti-gay,” said someone with the church.

“We get opposition, it’s the people that have an address on the street who have to change stationery or information they have. But there are no residents with the address of gay street right now, so that’s not an issue,” said Roderick Sanchez who is the Director of Development Services.

Church officials say this is not all about sexual preference.

They say that their facility has been in the neighborhood for 120 years and plans to open a community center down the road.

A city park nearby already bears the church’s name.

They want the street changed to Second Baptist Way.

The San Antonio City Council will vote on the name change proposal Thursday.

A Wordle of This Week's Passage

2008-07-30T15:45:00.002-04:00

I'm not sure this is a good idea

2008-07-01T21:43:00.002-04:00

Happy Birthday from America.

Nelson Mandela, who spent 27 years in jail for trying (and succeeding) to help overturn apartheid in South Africa, was just recognized as not being a terrorist by the United States. Sure he is 90, but I hope he doesn't visit too often.

A Good Guy

2008-06-22T23:29:00.003-04:00

A friend of mine passed away Thursday and normally I wouldn't try to harsh your mellow with such a heavy post but sometimes it is what it is.

David was a great guy and we met when I was asked to meet him when he moved to Gaston. David lived at a group home for developmentally challenged people and suffered from a few different ailments that made his life quite complex. He was also one of the most genuinely sweet and inquisitive people you could meet.

He was always interested in what you like and would take great interest in things that were your favourite. Things like music or chips or pop or shoes or sports teams and a variety of other things. David's favorites, in no particular order were Journey, Dorito spicy sweet, that blue mountain dew and Jordan's.

David's circumstances, both family and personal, would have paralyzed me, leaving me unable to care whatever anyone else liked/cared about. I just would be angry, bitter and unsocial.

He lacked guile. He was unable to be anything less than pleasant and he had a great southern/illinois inflection to his voice that was truly unique.

My heart hurts writing/reading this... a lot.

I'm sorry if you didn't get to meet him and I am grateful I did.

Usually I Just Post Links...

2008-06-05T18:19:00.002-04:00

But this captured an interesting perspective on some recent events.

How does the church deal with issues of race at this point in time?

I like the line "God is indeed personal, but never private." I think this sums up where I am right now.

A Transformational Moment (by Jim Wallis)

When the historic legislative milestone of the Voting Rights Act finally passed in 1965, I was still a young teenager. Until then, black people in America didn’t have the right to vote. And until the Civil Rights Act passed the previous year in 1964, black Americans had to drink from separate drinking fountains, eat at separate lunch counters, ride at the back of buses, and watch movies only from the balconies of theaters. Then there was all the violence. I remember a civil rights worker from my hometown of Detroit, named Viola Liuzzo, who traveled to the South in order to help black people win the right to vote for the first time. She was murdered for doing so.

I was still in the U.K. on a book tour Tuesday night, just having finished speaking to a forum at the British Parliament with ministers from all three parties about the relationship between faith and politics. Then I stayed up until 4 a.m. to watch Barack Obama claim the nomination of the Democratic Party for president of the United States. It was my birthday the next day, and I recalled those days when the relationship between faith and politics for many black and a few white Christians was that if you stood up for civil rights -- especially the right to vote for black Americans -- it could get you killed. So I was not only blurry-eyed but also more than a little teary-eyed as I watched a young black man announce that he was ready to run for president of the United States, and for most of America to assume that he had a chance to win.

Race was the issue that led to my own confrontation with the church that raised me. It was my “converting issue,” though the conversion led me out of the white church of my childhood, not into the church. A church elder bluntly told me one night that “Christianity has nothing to do with racism. That’s political and our faith is personal.” I was only about 15, but it was the night I think I left, in my head and my heart. And a couple years later, I was gone all together.

The little evangelical church that my parents had started and that was my second home was simply wrong about race -- completely wrong. Race was the issue that fundamentally shaped my early social conscience. What I saw in Detroit and in the country I had grown up to love seemed fundamentally wrong. I learned there were two Detroits and two Americas, one white and one black. And it seemed contrary to the religion my family had taught me to treat people in a fundamentally different way because of the color of their skin. But the church didn’t agree and we parted company for most of my student years, with me only coming back to faith after a fresh encounter with the radical gospel of the New Testament. I came back with the realization that God is indeed personal, but never private, and exploring what that means has shaped the rest of my life.

So watching Obama, a black man, win the nomination of a major party for the presidency brought back a virtual flood of memories and feelings. That Barack is a friend of 10 years made it all the more personal. This morning I heard several interviews on NPR with black Americans about their response to Obama’s nomination. One older woman said, “A black man running for president, did you hear what just I said? A black man running for president of the United States ….” She just kept repeating the words, and succinctly captured my own personal feelings.

Yes, it is truly historic, and the U.K. newspaper headlines captured that sentiment as did papers around the world. Nothing could change the image of America around the world more than this. But it is more than historic; it is very personal for many of my generation. A new generation just sees this as natural -- he’s an inspirational leader who happens to be black, which matters little to them. But for my generation -- I’m dating myself now -- this is a transformational moment, one we didn't think would come in our lifetimes. Race was the issue that changed us, shaped us, determined our path, and even defined the meaning of our faith. Now a black man is running for president of the United States. Amazing grace.

Helpful Hint....

2008-05-27T11:38:00.003-04:00

When making your morning cup of coffee, here is a tip:

make sure that you place the urn (the place where the coffee goes) into the coffee machine or you will flood your kitchen with a hot mess that will overwhelm your kitchen and take quite some time to clean up.

Oops.

Greatest Commercial Ever

2008-05-19T18:57:00.000-04:00

Happy Grand Theft Auto Day

2008-04-30T09:12:00.000-04:00

Friends

2008-04-24T23:41:00.004-04:00

It seems that I have many different friends and acquaintances that are hurting or in turmoil right now. Sometimes they are the victim, sometimes they are the perpetrator but either way they hurt. I can't wait for summer. Hopefully it will bring some much needed care-freeness to a hard spring.

Some Things Are Difficult To Explain.....

2008-04-17T11:01:00.002-04:00

Like when junior asks "Mommy, why is your face pulled tighter than a drum?" Now, luckily for us, there is a book to help with all us answer all of those awkward questions.

here is the book for you friends

maybe this wasn't the best idea

2008-04-07T23:16:00.003-04:00

i am not endorsing one person over the other or trying to make a political statement but if you are giving a speech about how you didn't vote for a holiday for mlk and now your opinion has changed, think about who you want to hold the umbrella. just think, that's all. visuals matter.

If you are going to lie at the Applebees

2008-03-07T17:35:00.001-05:00

Don't leave your purse behind

Check this out

Why Canadians Hate Vince Carter

2008-03-04T14:32:00.000-05:00

It isn't often you see something and agree completely.

so its been roughly 150 years since we've talked

2008-02-27T14:31:00.004-05:00

I have been pretty busy with the Lent Blog so that is why we haven't talked in a while. Check that blog out though, it is interesting to watch as the themes of Lent are revealed through scriptures. Anyway, here is something that made me laugh out loud to keep you interested until the next post.

Good Canadian Article

2008-01-30T11:21:00.000-05:00

Just read a wonderful article from the national Canadian newspaper that does a nice job of skewering the "celebrity" of one of Canada's most tragic exports..... Avril.

Here it is, and I am wondering if other outlets would take on the stupidity and hypocrisy of other so called celebs.

Check this out

2008-01-29T17:42:00.000-05:00

Every once and a while, I hear something that genuinely gets to me. This is one of those things. I love this song and this is a really tender version of it.

why i hope tony dungy retires

2008-01-17T00:16:00.001-05:00

full disclosure: i am not that big of a colts fan.

now i am sure that this is a chance for a lot of people to assume that i am hoping for tony to retire so that the colts will fall apart but i don't think they will.

i hope dungy retires because he might be someone who has a lot more to offer away from the game than through it.

some people make their greatest contributions in whatever it is they become famous for and others make their contributions after their initial success has passed.

this is something i think a lot about with the current president. what will his contribution be after he leaves office? i think that this will truly be the measure of him as a man of God. how will he spend his time? what will he give himself too? jimmy carter is often maligned as a president and i do not know enough about the intricacies of late 1970's america to have an opinion but this is what i do know: habitat for humanity is one of the greatest organizations i know of.

clinton, ghw bush also have given themselves to quite worthy causes. tsunami relief, aids in africa and so on.

which brings us back to tony.

sure he seems to be quite a good coach but what he wants to do after football is really inspiring.

he wants to work with men who are in jail and help them move away from the life choices that put them in that position.

really amazing

maybe other coaches, or presidents don't have that much to offer after they leave their original position but tony does.

and that's why i hope tony dungy retires and never coaches a football game again

Gettin' My Nerd On

2007-12-07T11:57:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago i mentioned one of the seminal moments of my childhood, the arrival of our first Commodore 64. CNN, taking notice of the 25th anniversary of this amazing computer has been running some great stories about the wonder that was the C64.

For the story click here

For those of you who missed out on the C64 or want to see its components, click here.
I remember keeping the monitor from our computer so that I could play Nintendo games on it. Not Super Nintendo, not the Nintendo 64, the original.

If you want to relive the greatness, click here, for some of the games you can download, play and enjoy.

I was seriously excited by this.

Dot Matrix printing, tapes, a floppy drive that sounded like a blender full of screws, what wasn't to love?

Maybe They Were Right (As Scary As It Is)

2007-12-06T08:56:00.000-05:00

Full Disclaimer: I haven't read the magazine, I just heard about it on the radio a couple of days ago b/c of the Federline factor.

The Federline factor lead to a discussion about other people on the list of the top 50 most influential men under the age of 45. #5 on that list was this:

5 // The School Shooters
Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold; Ages: 18 and 17
Eight years on, and the bodies are still piling up. Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, who murdered 12 of their Columbine High School classmates in 1999, remain the role models for the killers responsible for this year’s school shootings. Seung-Hui Cho, who killed 32 at Virginia Tech, was inspired by “martyrs like Eric and Dylan,” according to a letter he mailed to NBC News. A Wisconsin teen who allegedly marched into his high school and shot his principal dead had researched the Colorado massacre the day before his rampage. Add to this one student murdered in Tacoma, Washington, two (and two teachers) injured in Cleveland, two more shot at Delaware State University—and this year’s list of Columbine copycats reads like a Pentagon casualty report. It seems that Harris and Klebold have more friends than ever. And now every angst-ridden, jock-hating kid has not just the inspiration of the Trench Coat Mafia, but a growing pantheon of comrades in arms.

The guy on the radio who was talking about this list was bashing how that was not even possible. No one could be influenced by 2 guys like that and so on.

OMAHA, Nebraska (CNN) -- A 19-year-old gunman who police said killed eight people and then himself at a Nebraska mall left a suicide note predicting the shootings would make him famous, his landlord said.

As creepy as it is, and with everything horrible it implies maybe they were right.

I know there's been a lot of video lately

2007-12-03T20:34:00.000-05:00

Someone asked me what I thought about Christmas and it really is conflicting. I am realizing that I love Advent but am becoming dubious about Christmas. I know that it is inherently good and as such can be good again. I just wonder how sometimes. Then I saw this video and really felt something good. It seems it is almost becoming cool to bash Christmas a little but what is the solution? Anyone have one?

There's this league you've never heard of called the "NHL"

2007-11-28T15:14:00.000-05:00

and things like this happen there

Have You Seen This Movie?

2007-11-20T13:53:00.001-05:00

This is one of my all time favourite movies. If you are looking for something to watch over the long weekend, I would recommend it. It is full of great lines and great lessons. Don't we all have Lipniki's?

Something I Am Thinking About

2007-11-20T11:10:00.000-05:00

We are none of us alone.

Even as we exhale, it is inhaled by others.

The light that shines upon me, shines upon my neighbor as well.

In this way, everything is connected to everything else.

In this way, I am connected to my friend even as I am connected to my enemy.

In this way,there is no difference between me, and my friend.

In this way, there is no difference between me, and my enemy.

We are none of us alone.

What's a guy to do?

2007-11-19T22:53:00.000-05:00

ok so i am completely baffled by this story and by baffled i mean outraged. i mean how does this happen?

On a lighter note, as if anything could be heavier, mike huckabee is really picking up some vital endorsements. (this isn't one from me though, i just think this is interesting). First he got ted nugent, you know the motor city madman, the atrocious theodocious, the nuge. Then rick flair. i mean a wrestler, come on, how does that not put a scare into all the other candidates and then this...

2007-11-16T16:26:00.000-05:00

I laughed a lot. It seems that today is all about birds

I Can Identify My Attacker

2007-11-16T10:30:00.000-05:00

In the late spring of last year I was getting a hot beverage at a local coffee shop on campus and what as I am taking it back to my seat, I was attacked. It was ferocious. It went straight for my watch, eyed my wedding ring and tried to frighten me half to death. I hoped that I would never see such violence again. Imagine my surprise when I went the the SP website this morning and saw him grinning at me. Still the eyes though, I remember the eyes. Crime has paid well for this felon though judging from the marble shower. I just hope we don't meet again. Here is a pic in case you see him coming. Be safe

Way To Go Lindsay

2007-11-05T11:01:00.000-05:00

This was in the SP this morning.

MUNCIE -- If you think of Habitat for Humanity of Muncie as a house, which seems an appropriate analogy, Barbara Hubbard is headed out the door while Lindsey Arthur is headed inside.

The point is, at no point will the house be without a capable caretaker.

"It has been such a pleasure to work with so many generous people in this community," said Hubbard, the outgoing executive director, who is leaving at year's end. "This community has stepped up to the challenge of saying 'no more' to poverty housing."

The figures are impressive.

In the seven years of Hubbard's tenure, the local Habitat office has built 40 of the total of 75 dwellings that the program has provided for those who otherwise could not afford home mortgages and, therefore, ownership.

Those 40 homes include 23 that were built under the $1.5 million Whitely Revitalization Project, added Arthur, a five-year Habitat employee who is the incoming executive director.

What does the future hold for the departing Hubbard?

The Ball State University graduate, who with her husband, Donald, has three adult children, plans to pursue goals in personal fitness, as well as learn to speak Spanish.

As for the local Habitat organization's future, she said it's also bright.

"I truly believe that this organization will continue to thrive," she said.

So does Arthur, a Taylor University graduate with a master's degree in student affairs management from BSU who, with her husband, Josh, has two young children.

"We believe that it's possible to significantly increase our impact on the community," she said, noting that a strategic plan for the next five years is now being formulated. "We're still looking at what's feasible."

The incoming executive director came to the local organization as an AmeriCorps program worker after graduating from BSU. From early on, Arthur said, working for Habitat was her goal.

"Habitat does such good work for people," she said. "It truly is changing people's lives."

Under the program, potential homeowners' new dwellings are financed interest-free. Their part of the deal is to provide "sweat equity" amounting to 250 hours of labor on their own home or those of other Habitat clients.

That agreement is at the very heart of the process, Hubbard said.

"It isn't a handout," she said. "We see ourselves as giving a hand-up."

Besides honing their carpentry skills, Habitat helps teach its clients to become good neighbors and homeowners, encouraging them to get active in their neighborhood associations and teaching them other essential home-based skills.

Besides providing skills, home-construction materials are also available now, and not just for Habitat homeowners.

Habitat's Home Discount Center, 1827 E. Memorial Drive, sells new and gently-used building materials at discounted prices, to benefit the local organization.

"It has been a help," said Hubbard.

A native of Reading, Mich., Arthur has been known to physically take part in construction projects.

"I do sling a hammer every once in a while," she said with a laugh, her slight build belied by a handshake that a professional roofer would be proud to possess.

She added that she will miss Hubbard, as well as some of the hammers, saws and screwdrivers -- figurative ones, in this case -- that her boss provided.

"She's been a wonderful mentor and friend to me and has given me the tools to help guide this organization," she said.

Lindsay and her husband Josh are good friends of Andrea and myself and we couldn't be happier for her. Habitat is a great program and a great part of Muncie. If anyone was looking for a place to get involved, Habitat would be as good a place as any and here in Muncie and the chance to work with Lindsay would be a great opportunity.

Just Happy To Be Part Of The Club

2007-10-31T23:44:00.000-04:00

I haven't blogged in quite a while and I am going to fix this but I can't let this go. I came home tonight about 11:30pm and went to check my email and scan a couple of websites and this happens. I go to cnn.com as I often do and these were the first 2 links/stories on the top of the front page and both were the featured stories today.

Anti-gay church ordered to pay millions

Some Christian pastors embrace Scientology

This was one of the 3 featured videos on the top of the front page

Anti-gay protester speaks

“The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians, who acknowledge Jesus with their lips, then walk out the door, and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.”

Brennan Manning

Update @ 12:28am, November 01, 2007

And then there was this, a definite contestant for story of the year

Custody Battle Ensues Over Leg Found in Barbecue Smoker

John Wood's leg was amputated near the knee after a 2004 airplane crash. He asked doctors to give it to him so he could be buried as a whole man when he died.

The limb, which Wood had kept in the smoker in a storage facility after he lost his home, was bought by Shannon Whisnant last Tuesday in an auction held by the storage company because Wood had missed his monthly payments.

Whisnant initially gave it to police, who subsequently turned it over to a funeral home when it became clear it was not the result of foul play.

But Whisnant, who put a sign on the empty smoker charging adults $3 and children $1 for a look, now wants it back.

"He's making a freak show out of it," Wood told The Charlotte Observer for a Monday story. "He wants to put money in his pocket with this thing."

Whisnant, who was unsuccessful in his bid to get the leg from the funeral home, consulted with a lawyer and decided his best move was to persuade Wood to share custody and profits.

"It's a strange incident and Halloween's just around the corner," Whisnant said. "The price will be going up if I get [a stake in] the leg."

Wood, who is heading to Maiden to pick up his leg, said the two men can meet, but he is not interested in using the leg to make money.

"I just think it's despicable," he said. "I don't mind having the 15 minutes of fame, but I'm not looking to really profit off this thing."

Thinking About Good Music

2007-10-08T20:32:00.000-04:00

I was deep into my ipod today and I decided to listen to an old Peter Gabriel cd. I really like his music and don't know how well known he is around here. He has a couple of well known songs but they aren't on this cd. Sometimes I love it when I find an older cd that I can buy used on Amazon and really get into it. If you are looking for something like that, here is my recommendation. Us by Peter Gabriel. I hope you like it, used ones were going for less than $5.00.

You can buy it here.

This Makes Me Happy

2007-10-05T10:26:00.000-04:00

Panthers: Luongo trade worst ever

Fifteen months after the Panthers traded away star goalie Roberto Luongo, the team's coach who approved the deal and the captain say it could be the worst trade in NHL history.

Told Thursday that a published report said coach and General Manager Jacques Martin considered that trade the worst trade ever, captain Olli Jokinen smiled.

"Probably. As far as this franchise, yes," Jokinen said. "It was shocking. It was a bad move."

We got a new goalie and it didn't cost us anything.

Go Canucks

Interesting Idea

2007-10-03T18:48:00.000-04:00

I am not sure how accurate this quiz is but i think the premise is interesting. Click on the link and see which candidate you match up with. I took it and am not sure how they weight each question. The candidate I got matched up with is not someone I would have thought. Anyway click the link if you want, post who you match up with if you dare and let the jokes begin.

link

this actually happened... this is a real newscast

2007-09-28T17:53:00.001-04:00

Has Anyone Else Heard About This

2007-09-25T16:35:00.000-04:00

A new, women-only homemaking course at one of the largest Southern Baptist seminaries has gained media attention as it reignited debate over the biblical role of women.

The Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (SWBTS) will offer this fall an undergraduate program with a concentration in homemaking, aiming to prepare women to model the characteristics of the godly woman as outlined in Scripture, according to the course description.

Paige Patterson, president of the seminary in Forth Worth, Texas, said that by offering the course, the school is not saying women should stay at home but that "if a woman chooses to stay home and she chooses to devote her energies to her husband and to her children and to the development of her home that that is noble and not ignoble and we feel that she should ought to have the opportunity," he said on Fox News Channel.

There are women in the Bible who worked outside of the home, noted Robert Parham, executive director of the Baptist Center for Ethics, in a debate on Fox.

"We should never claim for the Christian faith what the Bible does not claim for itself. The Bible offers many examples of women who we would today call professional women who worked in professions – Deborah was a judge, Lydia was a merchant. We believe that it's important to allow women a great deal of freedom and we should not impose on women a false biblical model."

While Patterson also stated that every person is free to do anything they want to do, he called attention to the importance of the role of family.

"I do believe that society will do better when the family is placed in a prominent position and role that it needs to be," he said. "And I do believe that any society, societal order is endangered whenever the home is not given the importance that it has in its biblical context."

According to The Associated Press, Patterson said wives of seminary students asked for the homemaking course which will focus on hospitality in the home and teach women clothing and textile design, nutrition and food preparation, and how to nurture and care for the family.

Patsy Eastwood, who describes herself as an emerging evangelist, couldn't disagree more with the wives.

"A seminary degree in homemaking. I cannot imagine a bigger waste of money," she wrote on her blog. "Wives need to be their husband's closest ministry partner."

SWBTS offered classes in cooking, housekeeping and sewing in 1909 and beginning next week, the seminary announced that it "plans to continue one of its founding purposes of training women for ministry" as it again offers these classes for women.

Patterson first announced that SWBTS will be offering the homemaking program at the annual SBC meeting in San Antonio in June.

"We are moving against the tide in order to establish family and gender roles as described in God's word for the home and the family," Patterson said at the meeting, according to Parham. "If we do not do something to salvage the future of the home, both our denomination and our nation will be destroyed."

The Southern Baptist Convention's current faith statement limits the office of pastor to men.

Discuss

Mediocre

2007-09-24T11:12:00.000-04:00

So I really don't like mediocre. Yesterday I felt that my sermon was ok. I liked the scripture references but just felt like it didn't go anywhere. It couldn't get elevated. I had some people come up to me after and say that they got some things out of it and I am really grateful for that but I really felt like things could have gone better. I give it a C+. I would rather miss the point completely than feel like I had the point and couldn't do anything with it. I am looking forward to getting things back on track and I know I will. Just don't like the feeling you know?

What do you do with mediocre results?

What do you not like being mediocre about?

Update of Previous Post: Executive Summary

2007-09-21T22:50:00.000-04:00

By request of Eric and to help others this is my quick summary of the article in the previous post. If you have the time, read the real thing. If you are in a rush, read my half-way Cliff Notes. Seriously, read the real thing if you have the time, it's worth it.

Exec Summary:

The U.S. is claiming success in the Anbar region of Iraq. This region is primarily Sunni, the same ethnicity that Saddam was and these new partners are Baathist. The people that are being seen as partners now, 18 months ago were being called terrorists, “anti-Iraqi fighters,” and “Baathist dead-enders." The article speaks about the inherent irony of Bush becoming the new leader of Saddam's old crew. In addition, how long can an alliance between two long time enemies really last? That's it in a nutshell with some probable and glaring omissions. The thing was 6 long pages.

Thoughts?

Looking at things from the outside

2007-09-20T22:46:00.000-04:00

I try to avoid political postings. I think that they for the most part are used to divide more than encourage dialogue. But this article is from MacLean's, a Canadian magazine of some import, and I thought that it brought a different perspective on something that is one of the defining events of our time. This war clearly has global ramifications and I thought that maybe it would be interesting to read something not written from an American perspective. Although there are differing opinions within the U.S., there is still, in my opinion, a fairly homogeneous style of reporting. Anyway, have at it if you want.

article

Really Good Music

2007-09-19T14:28:00.001-04:00

This is a link to the new cd by a friend of mine. I really like it and thought that maybe someone else might enjoy it too.

New Music

Hope you like it.

Really Good Music

2007-09-19T14:28:00.000-04:00

This is a link to the new cd by a friend of mine. I really like it and thought that maybe someone else might enjoy it too.

http://apps.facebook.com/reverbnation_fb/artist/daveelwert

hope you like it.

Trading Cards

2007-09-11T11:24:00.000-04:00

Ok,

So I am reading ESPN.com this morning and catch a glimpse of a story about another fine Indiana Pacer. When did Portland move their team to Indianapolis by the way? I am just waiting for Rasheed and Bonzi to kick a ball at Mike Murphy's head like back in the old days. Anyway here are a few gems from the espn article.

Williams was driving the SUV, which was carrying two other men, for changing lanes without signaling about 12:45 a.m., said Sgt. Matthew Mount, a city police spokesman.

When Williams rolled down the driver's side window, the officer detected a strong odor of marijuana, Mount said. Another officer later found a smoldering cigar-sized marijuana cigarette in the vehicle's ash tray, he said.

Both Williams and the front seat passenger, Roosevelt Rollins, of Memphis, Tenn., were arrested on marijuana possession charges.

"The guy in the front passenger seat, Mr. Rollins, said the marijuana was his and Mr. Williams denied knowledge of the marijuana even being in his car even though you could obviously smell the odor of burnt marijuana," Mount said.

This is just one example of so many. Growing up in Canada, and not having the same sports culture, I am not sure that we had the same level of role modeling/hero worship that currently exists. I am not trying to have one of those "back in my day" moments, just genuinely think the situations were different. Between the NHL, CFL and professional curlers, we didn't give our athletes the same money or adulation.

I am finding it tougher to watch kids wear jerseys of people who are so obviously not representing values we would hope people would emulate. Unless the values are making money, exploiting others, exploiting one's self and using money to erase any accountability for their behavior. Steroids, violence towards animals, violence towards other people, drug possession, it is really difficult to keep promoting their products.

So here is my proposition:

I found this website that makes trading cards of a different kind of heroes.

I had heard about an African nation, I think Kenya but am not sure, that made trading cards of doctors, educators, lawyers and other people who contributed the general betterment of their society.

Let's promote these cards to our kids and let them collect and learn these images and stories.

Maybe we could add cards ourselves.

I loved hockey cards as a kid and could remember a large amount of stats off the back of my favourite players' cards. Society as a whole promotes the emulation of athletes and celebrities, let's promote our own values.

Just a thought/rant/frustration

discuss

New Post

2007-09-06T16:40:00.000-04:00

Tired but looking forward to football.

Here's a pic of Andrea's best friend.

Just a thought as well but can Jody Foster make a movie where she isn't a single woman out for revenge against a group of people? Seriously. She is becoming like that band Everclear. 47 songs about his parents getting divorced. Flightplan, Panic Room, The Brave One. Her last 3 starring roles. She is a great actress, lets try a little range. She is approaching Jackie Chan status, or Nicholas Cage status. Same character is every movie. Just a thought.

welcome home

2007-08-20T16:25:00.000-04:00

so we were in san diego and around socal for a few days (more about the trip later) and while we were gone, a bit of a storm rolled through town. it lead to some minor damage and managed to knock down a 35ish foot tree in our front yard. quite a way to come home.

Second Life Update

2007-08-02T13:57:00.001-04:00

A couple of months ago, during a sermon, I mentioned a website called Second Life. It is a virtual world where people live and buy and sell things. Anyway, here is an article from today's USA Today highlighting a possible use for the website.

Enjoy.

On a Tuesday night, Beth Ritter-Guth joins her eight literature students for class. Next to a grave.

Well, not a real grave. She teaches her contemporary literature course online, in Second Life.

The class met on Willow Springs-Mama Day Island, designed around the novel that the class was reading, Mama Day by Gloria Naylor. The students visited the grave of a character, then wrote obituaries.

"I build environments where students can really explore the literature," says Ritter-Guth, of DeSales University in Center Valley, Pa., and Lehigh Carbon Community College in Schnecksville, Pa. "It's the novel in 3-D."

Second Life is a four-year-old virtual world owned by Linden Labs. Users create avatars — images of characters they can use to move around and interact with other users.

More than 300 universities, including Harvard and Duke, use Second Life as an educational tool, says Claudia L'Amoreaux of Linden Labs. Some educators conduct entire distance-learning courses there; others supplement classes.

Jean-Claude Bradley, chemistry professor and e-learning coordinator for the College of Arts and Sciences at Drexel University, says he uses it as an optional study tool but wouldn't be comfortable teaching a class exclusively in Second Life.

Bradley says only about 10 of his 200 organic chemistry students used Second Life more than once last spring. But those who did found it an effective way to study.

"This is a new way to interact with me and each other," he says. "I can show them molecules in three dimensions. We can walk around the molecule and discuss it."

"Kids who used Second Life put more time into the class," says chemistry major Tim Bohinski.

Bradley is trying to get more departments to use the "land" the university bought in Second Life; Drexel Island is shaped like a dragon, the school's mascot.

Universities and other academic institutions pay a reduced rate to buy land to build structures and develop the environment. The first-time cost for a 16-acre private university island is $980, and monthly land fees are $150.

Drexel also pays for developers to build up the island, Bradley says. Students can sign up for free basic membership and use Second Life at no cost, just as anyone can.

But professors have found that not every student is interested in using the technology.

Joe Sanchez, an assistant instructor in the School of Information at the University of Texas-Austin, studied an English class of 19 students using Second Life. He found they don't like it for activities that can be done in a real classroom, such as lectures or slide shows. But they do like to use it to visit new places or do group activities.

For example, Sanchez says his students enjoyed learning about leadership by building avatars to look like a personal role model, such as Mother Teresa, and conducting small group conversations between the avatars in the personae of the characters.

After the Virginia Tech shootings, he took his students to a memorial that had been built in Second Life. When they arrived, conversations became hushed, he says. "They felt like they were in a sacred place."

Some students get frustrated that the system is not faster-paced, like a video game, Sanchez says. L'Amoreaux adds that educators say older students are not as comfortable with technology.

But Sue Kern, 52, a student at Lehigh Carbon Community College, says Second Life "taught me a lot about the computer."

Kern graduated in May but says she continues to use Second Life for entertainment and education.

The Post That Didn't Happen

2007-08-01T18:13:00.000-04:00

Had a post written about this guy who said he was performing an excorcism but it turned into a situation where he wound up abusing the person. The details are pretty horrific. Rather than go into the details and review the damage, which was part of my origional post, I am left with some questions that need answering.

1. Was this guy well intentioned or masichistic at the start of this?

2. What was this guys training on issues relating to this topic?

3. Is this indicitive of a larger section of the culture of Christianity?

4. The subject of the "excorcism" was autistic, did he think that autism was a spiritual affliction?

5. Is the view of disabilities such as autism etc, as a situation in "need of healing" appropriate?

I know that these are a lot of questions and an uncomfortable subject but something about this story provokes a lot of questions in me.

I know that the person who did this must be incredibly sick, but I think that it is a little too simplistic to write this off as the actions of a disturbed person only and not wonder about a couple of larger questions as well.

Finally an adult post and wonder @ the #7

2007-07-07T14:58:00.000-04:00

Hopefully everyone that planed big events around today's date get the luck they were searching for in their weddings, inducements, c-sections or anything else

I am struck by 2 events that are going on today. All around the world people are listening to music in the hope of raising awareness about climate change. Meanwhile in Nashville thousands of Christians have gathered to pray and hope that they can be part of ushering in the return of Christ. They are also listening to music.

Live Earth and The Call.

1 group trying to save the world, 1 group hoping God will come back and it will burn away. This can't be a coincidence. Both have overt political messages. Both prioritize what they are doing as the most important thing in recent history. Both are using the catch phrase "answer the call". Both hope that years from now people will look back on this day as a major turning point for their cause.

I am not fully in either camp. As I was thinking about this I was reminded of this section of Louis Evely's book and thought that it fit. For those of you looking for more substance on the blog, here it is, let's see if it provokes as much discussion as diet drugs, muscle dogs and funk songs.

Hope everything is well

To believe in God is to believe in the salvation of the world. The paradox of our time is that those who believe in God do not believe in the salvation of the world, and those who believe in the future of the world do not believe in God.

Christians believe in "the end of the world," they expect the final catastrophe, the punishment of others.

Atheists in their turn . . . refuse to believe in God because Christians believe in him and take no interest in the world . . .

Which is the more culpable ignorance?

. . . I often say to myself that, in our religion, God must feel very much alone: for is there anyone besides God who believes in the salvation of the world? God seeks among us sons and daughters who resemble him enough, who love the world enough so that he could send them into the world to save it.

Louis Evely, In the Christian Spirit (Image, 1975)

Eventually We're Going To Get This Back On Track

2007-07-05T13:08:00.000-04:00

I keep telling myself that a blog is for more than stories about muscle dogs and diet drug side effects. It could be a place that gives me the opportunity to share my deepest thoughts, great ponderings (if that is a word). Maybe it's the fact that I speak for a living and so I get many opportunities to do this or maybe it's that I don't want to waste the "A" material but I keep thinking I should do more with this blog. I am going to be more committed. And then stuff like this happens.

Al Gore III, the 24-year-old son of Al Gore was arrested on suspicion of drug possession today. The former second-in-command's son was pulled over after allegedly driving his Prius 100 miles an hour down an Orange County freeway. When deputies searched the car they found pot, along with Valium, Xanax, Vicodin and Adderall.

Who knew a Prius could go 100 mph?!!?

That's much more surprising than someone else is hooked on prescription drugs.

New respect for the green-car.

But starting soon, serious posts.

Unless.... you know

Muscle Dog

2007-06-25T11:00:00.001-04:00

This is a real pic of a dog with a genetic mutation that causes it to grow muscles at more than twice the normal amounts. This dog lives on the island that i am from and shows no signs of aggression and is really nice (if you meet her, give her back a scratch) she is 4 and her name is big wendy.

Signs you might want to try something else

2007-06-25T10:56:00.000-04:00

there is a new diet drug on the market called alli. now you might not think that this is terribly noteworthy and you would be right. however, a quick read of the side-effects realize that this is in fact worth a post. here are a few of the side-effects for your awkward reading. these are really on their website. seriously.

gas with oily spotting

loose stools

more frequent stools that may be hard to control

You may feel an urgent need to go to the bathroom. Until you have a sense of any treatment effects, it's probably a smart idea to wear dark pants, and bring a change of clothes with you to work

You may not usually get gassy, but it's a possibility when you take alli. The bathroom is really the best place to go when that happens

Explaining The American Legal System To Aliens (from another planet or from norway)

2007-06-19T11:03:00.000-04:00

Sometimes when long wordy explanations still wouldn't clear much up, we can resort to pictures and object lessons.

Summer of Funk

2007-06-17T20:26:00.000-04:00

This is officially the summer of funk. I am going to make the great funk playlist because nothing helps like funk music. It could be old James Brown, it could be Parliment or it could be some later Commodores. Here's where I could use some help; what is your favourite funk song? Please leave it for me and I will add it to the list.

Thanks

sermon preview

2007-05-31T11:24:00.001-04:00

this is what we are talking about this week. i don't know if this will make it in but few things make me want to say amen more.

"I want neither a blood'n'guts religion that would make Clint Eastwood, not Jesus, our hero, nor a speculative religion that would imprison the Gospel in the halls of academia, nor a noisy, feel-good religion that is a naked appeal to emotion. I long for passion, intelligence, and compassion in a Church without ostentation, gently beckoning to the world to come and enjoy the peace and unity we possess because of the Spirit in our midst."

Brennan Manning

Some kid shot a pig with cannon

2007-05-28T22:30:00.000-04:00

here is a link to possibly the most amazing thing I've seen in at least 25 minutes. A 12 year old with a .50 caliber hand gun with a custom laser sight managed to shoot this thing 9 times and kill it. Unfortunately all the sausage is spoken for.

monster pig website.

totally worth the trip

Long time, no post

2007-05-20T16:18:00.000-04:00

I know that it has been a long time since the last visit. I have a lot to talk about but it is Sunday afternoon and I just don't have it in me. I do have to post this though and although there are only about 3 people who will probably get this, for us it is worth it. This link is an artist's rendering of the Windsor Report. Google it if you need too but its an Anglican thing. Anyway this is funny as all get out if you have ever had to sit through a reading of it or a discussion about it.

Link to cartoon

Have a great Sunday, hope its sunny

David

Technology?!!!?

2007-05-07T23:04:00.000-04:00

There is a reasonably good chance that by this time Friday we could have high speed internet out at Agape. We are currently one of the last bastions of dial-up. Seriously, smoke signals are faster. Now we have had our hopes up and dashed before. We don't want to get too excited but we are nothing without hope.

Hope springs anew.

In 1930, as part of the "New Deal", FDR created the Rural Electrification Act. At that time, 90% of urban people had access to electricity while 10% of rural people had power. The 2007 budget estimate for the REA is 25 million, in 2006 they spent 22.7 million making sure that people outside of Chicago and New York had power. Seriously, we couldn't stop waisting money on this and get us some freakin high speed internet. We are using satellite internet because cable and DSL don't reach us. Let's hope that at some point, some brave soul on one of their travels to Boise or Bute notices lights in the evening or gas pumping and says we could probably do away with the Rural Electrification Act and put some of that money into The rural get me some bleeding high speed act of 2007.

The Dream is Over

2007-05-04T17:02:00.000-04:00

Our Vancouver Canucks lost in double overtime last night. Oh the pain. Anyway, we will rebuild for next year and be even better. We are now supporting the Ottawa Senators. Go Sens.

Music

2007-05-01T23:14:00.001-04:00

In another life I used to be really involved in making music. I have now become an infrequent, amateur maker of music, but a pretty professional listener. As result, here are some things that I am listening to that I am really digging right now.

1. Arcade Fire's Neon Bible: truly original music from fine Canadians. The two tracks that are really standing out to me right now are Keep the Car Running and My Body is a Cage

2. Allison Krauss & Union Station: One of my favorite voices in all of music. Right now the song that I am listening to most is Restless. Just a sweet, well crafted song.

3. Derek Webb's Ringing Bell: Probably my favorite artist right now and this new album that was just released today is as good as his others. All of his albums get huge play on my ipod and this will soon join the others. Savior on Capitol Hill and This Too Shall be Made Right are 2 stand out tracks but this is a truly great album as of 3 listens.

4. The Psalters' Turn Me Around: A great and really original take on a very traditional song. You can download it for free from there website. Click on media and then on audio. Really worth the 45 second investment of downloading and adding to itunes.

What are you listening to that is inspiring you? I would be really interested in knowing.

Could this happen here?

2007-04-27T13:45:00.000-04:00

This is an article from a Swedish newspaper. Who doesn't at least check the Swedish papers? I am not sure that this is something that would be examined by a national panel of politicians here. Is rampant consumerism something that is hurting people? Is addiction to goods and things as destructive as other addictions? Good questions in the midst of a group of people who are trying to figure out how their money interacts with their faith.

A group of local politicians from Sollefteå in northern Sweden have lodged a complaint to the Swedish Consumer Agency (Konsumentverket) after viewing an advert that promotes shopping.

The three-member consumer delegation - consisting of Micael Melander from the Social Democrats, Tonny Molander of the Greens and Left Party representative Niklas Lind - discussed the advertisement for clothing chain KappAhl at a meeting on March 23rd.

The triumvirate took exception to the ad on the basis that it fosters the development of retail therapy.

"It's an ad where a young girl is really depressed because her boyfriend has just broken up with her. Goldie Hawn, who is an actress, encourages her to indulge in some comfort shopping.

"We think that because there are so many people with shopping problems it's not a good idea to encourage people to practice comfort shopping," Micael Melander told financial news site Dina Pengar.

The politician was then asked whether the group's stance was not simply critical of advertising in general. After all, is not the point of marketing to get people to shop?

"Yes, maybe so. I'll have to think about that. It was so obvious in this particular ad. I didn't take this matter up myself; it came in as one of our cases," he said.

According to Dina Pengar, all three members of the delegation took exception to the message of the advert and supported the decision to report it to the Swedish Consumer Agency.

"We think that they are exploiting young people by showing that all problems should be solved by shopping. There have to be some sort of ethical limits," said Niklas Lind.

The delegate added that he does not watch adverts on television.

"I have some sort of filter," he said.

i think we all know how this feels

2007-04-26T19:58:00.000-04:00

WE WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!

2007-04-23T23:56:00.000-04:00

'

We beat the Dallas Stars and are moving on. We take on the Mighty????? (I don't really think so) Ducks starting Wednesday night. Great Success

Canada's Greatest Inventions

2007-04-18T15:15:00.000-04:00

Canada has contributed many things to the world, more than just Celine Dion and bacon. Here is a list of the 50 best inventions as voted on by Canadians. Click on each invention to find out more about each invention. Let us all bask in the glory that is Canada.

PLEASE VOTE FOR THIS

2007-04-15T23:39:00.000-04:00

Every year at our church, we turn a large part of the building into a spa that caters only to women. It is mostly a free event with one or two options that cost a little but you can get plenty of spa stuff for free. We use it as a way to make women who might not get another chance an opportunity to feel special/pretty. Anyway there is a survey in our local paper for the best of a variety of things around Muncie and we were nominated for best spa. How cool would it be if the best spa in Muncie was a free spa? We really want to win this. It seems so cool. If you want to help here is the link

vote for agape under best spa

Jason Whitlock

2007-04-12T23:15:00.000-04:00

I just watched an interview with Jason Whitlock who is a reporter in Kansas City. He is also a BSU grad. He used to fill in on Pardon the Interruption until he had a falling out with ESPN over some criticisms he levelled about the type of discourse going on by some of their reporters. He is now writing about more than just sports. I really hope that this guy becomes one of the new voices in social and religious circles. Not just for one race or group, but for all of us. He is someone who I have appreciated for a while, but after tonight's interview, I am really impressed.

Hockey Blog

2007-04-12T17:32:00.000-04:00

Being that I spent just about 6.5 hours watching 1 hockey game; I feel it was great fortune that before the game started, I chose to keep a running diary.

Tonight we are joined by Baxter, the number 1 canine hockey fan in Muncie and my wife who is trying to support me in my hockey passion and I don't think there are any more episodes of Grey's Anatomy left on our TIVO.

10:00:: Pregame show on versus. I am wondering what sort of junior college job fair these guys got hired at. 2 of the commentators I have heard of and the other 2 probably just know someone who knows someone. I probably hate not living in Canada most at this time of year. I mean people all around the world celebrate Christmas, but only Canadians celebrate hockey.

10:07:: Drop the puck. It's playoff time

10:13:: Canucks score. 1-0 Happy times

10:15:: Stars score. 1-1 Not as happy

10:24:: Irish spring commercial "smell like you're worth exploring" One of the weirdest soap commercial tag lines I have ever heard.

10:31:: Baxter is not happy at all with the current situation. He thinks that the refs are pretty biased

10:34:: I have nothing against bull riding as a sport. Honestly. I think that the concern is that when you are watching commercials, the commercials should in some way relate to what you are watching. NASCAR, truck and car/auto part commercials. Football, prescription drugs and beer. Hockey, bull riding. I think that's the sign that the NHL might have given up. We are showing our games on a channel that is probably more excited about bull riding.

10:38:: I miss Ed Belfour, the old goalie for the Stars
Here is the story

10:40:: Mike Modano just took a slashing penalty where he literally slashed a stick that a Canuck was carrying so hard that he broke the stick in half. This is not a subtle move. In a game that some experts are thinking will be a chess match, this could provide some of the most exciting moments, just watching guys take stupid penalties.

10:46:: Vancouver had the best penalty killing in the NHL this year. One of the reasons for this is commitment to defensive principles. Another reason might be that refs call horrible penalties on Canadian teams as a way to help US teams get an advantage. You might not believe me now, but if any of you watched a game you would see this stuff. Hypothetically.

10:49:: End of the 1st period.

10:50:: Sprint is advertising, I think this might be our first fortune 500 ad of the night, things are looking up. This might be a possible new slogan for the NHL:
"The NHL playoffs, once an hour a fortune 500 company thinks one person with a job and credit score over 300 might be watching"

11:06:: Start of the second period.

11:14:: Andrea is going to bed, down to me and Baxter now.

11:50:: End of second period, score 3-2 for Vancouver.

11::54:: Every time they cut back to the studio show between periods or during breaks in the action, they re-introduce all the 4 people. This might be because they are 50% hockey people and 50% not really memorable.

12:30:: 4-2 Vancouver, things are looking up

12:34:: 4-3 Vancouver, uh oh

12:41:: Tied @ 4. Just blew a 2 goal lead in the playoffs. This isn't how good teams win Cups. Vancouver's coach just made a face that can only be described as "I think I just swallowed a lemon, not the fruit, the whole tree." Perfect combination of sour and pain.

12:50:: End of regulation and time for overtime. This is actually pretty exciting. I really hope that our goalie is going to come through.

1:05:: Start of the first overtime.

1:22:: Baxter is off to bed too. Benedict Baxter. Just me now.

1:35:: I can't imagine how tired these guys are. I'm exhausted just watching.

1:42:: End of the first overtime and back to the studio for more exciting conversation. I feel bad for these guys, how many times can you give the same highlight package?

1:58:: Back to the game

2:00:: Alton Brown is making beer in a bucket. The science of this is pretty fascinating. A good alternate show to watch on the commercials is essential at this point. There are apparently only about 12 commercials they are going to show tonight and I've seen each of them about 12543 times now.

2:37:: End of second overtime. Back to the studio. The host has probably introduced his co-hosts about a million times. I have made it my goal to not learn their names and so far I'm winning.

2:51:: Back to the game.

3:04:: I am now planning things to record in the future using the guide feature of my TV. I have been watching this game for over 5 hours now.

3:12:: 2 diet rootbeers, 1 diet coke and about 5 glasses of water = 1 desperate trip to the loo.

3:30:: End of 3rd overtime. I have won in my battle of wills with the studio hosts. The lead announcer has decided to stop introducing his co-hosts. Victory is mine. Do you think these guys get paid overtime to stay there and talk? I mean they are working essentially what amounts to a whole additional game.

4:04:: Vancouver scores and we take a 1-0 lead in the series. This game is the 6th longest game in the history of the NHL. We made it together. 3 Hours until the Habitat for Humanity fundraiser. I am not going to be bringing my checkbook. Sleep deprivation + those weepy videos = a decent chance at bankruptcy if I'm not careful.

It's been a while

2007-04-11T19:10:00.000-04:00

It's been a week since I've written and it's been quite a week. Seder on Thursday, Good Friday Service in Gaston, and Easter stuff on Sunday. By the time that we finished eating lunch on Sunday, I felt like I was going to fall over I was so tired. I told Andrea that I was going home to bed and had one of those really great naps where you can't imagine moving. I will write later about what I have learned through lent as I am still trying to sort it all out. Here's what really matters though,

The playoffs start tonight.

Go CANUCKS!!!!

Science and God

2007-04-04T19:28:00.000-04:00

I am a lover of God and interested in science. I really enjoyed this article from cnn.com. What a great and nouvelle idea. That science and God could actually be compatible. I have this theory that when people link to things, the chances of a person clicking on the link and reading article is pretty small. As such, I am pasting the article.

Editor's note: Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D., is the director of the National Human Genome Research Institute. His most recent book is "The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief."

OCKVILLE, Maryland (CNN) -- I am a scientist and a believer, and I find no conflict between those world views.

As the director of the Human Genome Project, I have led a consortium of scientists to read out the 3.1 billion letters of the human genome, our own DNA instruction book. As a believer, I see DNA, the information molecule of all living things, as God's language, and the elegance and complexity of our own bodies and the rest of nature as a reflection of God's plan.

I did not always embrace these perspectives. As a graduate student in physical chemistry in the 1970s, I was an atheist, finding no reason to postulate the existence of any truths outside of mathematics, physics and chemistry. But then I went to medical school, and encountered life and death issues at the bedsides of my patients. Challenged by one of those patients, who asked "What do you believe, doctor?", I began searching for answers.

I had to admit that the science I loved so much was powerless to answer questions such as "What is the meaning of life?" "Why am I here?" "Why does mathematics work, anyway?" "If the universe had a beginning, who created it?" "Why are the physical constants in the universe so finely tuned to allow the possibility of complex life forms?" "Why do humans have a moral sense?" "What happens after we die?" (Watch Francis Collins discuss how he came to believe in God )

I had always assumed that faith was based on purely emotional and irrational arguments, and was astounded to discover, initially in the writings of the Oxford scholar C.S. Lewis and subsequently from many other sources, that one could build a very strong case for the plausibility of the existence of God on purely rational grounds. My earlier atheist's assertion that "I know there is no God" emerged as the least defensible. As the British writer G.K. Chesterton famously remarked, "Atheism is the most daring of all dogmas, for it is the assertion of a universal negative."

But reason alone cannot prove the existence of God. Faith is reason plus revelation, and the revelation part requires one to think with the spirit as well as with the mind. You have to hear the music, not just read the notes on the page. Ultimately, a leap of faith is required.

For me, that leap came in my 27th year, after a search to learn more about God's character led me to the person of Jesus Christ. Here was a person with remarkably strong historical evidence of his life, who made astounding statements about loving your neighbor, and whose claims about being God's son seemed to demand a decision about whether he was deluded or the real thing. After resisting for nearly two years, I found it impossible to go on living in such a state of uncertainty, and I became a follower of Jesus.

So, some have asked, doesn't your brain explode? Can you both pursue an understanding of how life works using the tools of genetics and molecular biology, and worship a creator God? Aren't evolution and faith in God incompatible? Can a scientist believe in miracles like the resurrection?

Actually, I find no conflict here, and neither apparently do the 40 percent of working scientists who claim to be believers. Yes, evolution by descent from a common ancestor is clearly true. If there was any lingering doubt about the evidence from the fossil record, the study of DNA provides the strongest possible proof of our relatedness to all other living things.

But why couldn't this be God's plan for creation? True, this is incompatible with an ultra-literal interpretation of Genesis, but long before Darwin, there were many thoughtful interpreters like St. Augustine, who found it impossible to be exactly sure what the meaning of that amazing creation story was supposed to be. So attaching oneself to such literal interpretations in the face of compelling scientific evidence pointing to the ancient age of Earth and the relatedness of living things by evolution seems neither wise nor necessary for the believer.

I have found there is a wonderful harmony in the complementary truths of science and faith. The God of the Bible is also the God of the genome. God can be found in the cathedral or in the laboratory. By investigating God's majestic and awesome creation, science can actually be a means of worship.

What I'm thinking about right now

2007-04-04T00:23:00.000-04:00

HOPE

COMMUNITY

RESTORATION

Holy Week

2007-04-02T14:56:00.000-04:00

This is a quotation that I used as a part of my sermon yesterday. I am thinking a lot about Holy Week and what Jesus would want in terms of the members or citizens of the Kingdom he started there.

"Jesus says again and again, this kingdom advances with neither violence nor bloodshed, with neither hatred nor revenge. It is not just another one of the kingdoms of this world. No, this kingdom advances slowly, quietly, under the surface—like yeast in dough, like seed in soil. It advances with faith: when people believe it is true, it becomes true. And it advances with reconciling, forgiving love: when people love strangers and enemies, the kingdom gains ground."

Brian McLaren "Secret Message of Jesus"

USA Today article

2007-03-26T14:17:00.000-04:00

This is from an article that I was reading in USA Today this morning. Rickie Lee Jones is a singer songwriter who has not prexiously been overly associated with the Christian music scene and Derek Webb is someone who it seems has been in the middle of pushing the limit of what can or can't be talked about in Christian music for the last little while. This article talks about how art and faith intersect. I enjoyed the article and have been a fan of Derek Webb for a while.

Jones wouldn't define the lean, starkly atmospheric songs she co-wrote with Cantelon and Peter Atanasoff as Christian music. "I guess I assume that would mean a Christian person trying to convince me of something, to sell an idea."

Webb, 32, began his career in that market, as part of the Christian band Caedmon's Call. "But as I looked around, I thought, 'where are our artists who are talking about politics? About the government?' It's the job of creative people, and especially those who are followers of Jesus, to be radical truth-tellers. That's what the prophets did."

With Mockingbird, his third solo effort, the Nashville-based artist wasn't concerned about ruffling feathers. On one track, A King and a Kingdom, he sings of "two great lies," identifying one as "that Jesus was a white, middle-class Republican, and if you wanna be saved you have to learn to be like Him."

Webb muses that Jesus "wasn't a white middle-class Democrat either, incidentally. The point is that he didn't walk any party line. But I think that the church, especially where I live, makes a terrible habit of co-opting the more conservative political party.

"I'm not saying the church shouldn't be concerned with issues. My problem is that they've grown so predictable, and Jesus was in no way predictable. The people he loved most lavishly were often socially stigmatized, and he reserved some of his harshest language for the law-keeping church leadership. That's the opposite, in a lot of cases, of what the evangelical church puts forth."

Webb espouses the kind of evangelism he associates with Jesus' original followers, "which was telling people about Jesus and what he did. But the church in the West has made some distinction between that and acts of mercy: caring for the poor, clothing the naked, caring for our neighbors."

On Sermon's Where I Like It Best, Jones sings wryly, "See all those people praying on TV and the churches/They like to make a big parade out of what they're doing." Jones explains: "What I'm telling people is that prayer belongs to you, and you have to take it back."

Webb, who has a new album, The Ringing Bell, due in May, admits that he's been getting fewer invitations to play in churches since Mockingbird's release. But he has no regrets about answering to what he considers a higher authority.

"I hope to tell people what I really see when I look at the world," Webb says. "I know the issues can be complicated, and that a 3½-minute pop song isn't the best venue for some of them. But it's the only medium I have, and it's as good a place as any to start."

2007-03-24T12:26:00.000-04:00

Check this out and tell me what you think. I don't think I have been this surprised by something in a long time

here is the link

ps. it's supposed to be satire

Sermon

2007-03-23T17:54:00.000-04:00

I am really excited about the sermon for this week. I am finding it to be one of those times where I am challenged by the writing, we are looking at the idea of making a choice in a way that I haven't looked at it before. Adam is going to do an amazing job, I am hoping that I can hold up my end of the deal. Can't wait to share this stuff.

memory update

2007-03-22T21:47:00.000-04:00

Don't get to hasty on trying to scoop up the memory. The stuff I ordered is bad and in the process of being shipped back. If you want it, it might just be a little longer.

Upgrade

2007-03-22T14:02:00.000-04:00

I am upgrading the ram of my mac. If anyone is in need of two 256mb sticks, let me know.

David

Hockey Season Update

2007-03-21T23:32:00.000-04:00

Currently our Vancouver Canucks are leading Nashville 2 - 0 in the second period. For those who are new to the Canuck family, we are a team that is usually getting ready to disappoint everyone right about now. I have a great amount of optimism in regards to this season though. So does Baxter. Him and I have watched about 65 games together this season.

first post: Bright Sadness

2007-03-21T16:17:00.000-04:00

Here is the deal. I am getting ready for Easter sermons and I am feeling this stuff really deeply in the center of my chest. As a community we are going through Lent with journals and prayer and contemplation and it really is changing a lot of things inside me. I am starting to feel more connected to the idea of suffering and my part in it. Broken, poured out, that's my part, put back together, poured back into, that's what I'm searching for.

my blog

4 Quick Thoughts

2 Titles: Either "What's In A Name?" or "Glad All The Big Problems Are Solved"

Church wants "Gay Boulevard"name changed

03:59 PM CDT on Wednesday, August 6, 2008

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WE WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!

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PLEASE VOTE FOR THIS

Jason Whitlock

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USA Today article

Sermon

memory update

Upgrade

Hockey Season Update

first post: Bright Sadness

Church wants "Gay Boulevard"
name changed