Sunday, December 31, 2006

NT 2007 Challenge

Recently a few friends and I were talking after the Luke class about doing a survey reading of Scripture. One of my goals for 2007 is to read through the New Testament between New Year's and Easter. If anyone would like to accompany me, here is the schdule I am going to attempt to follow:


  • Jan 1: Mark 1-3
  • Jan 2: Mark 4-5
  • Jan 3: Mark 6-7
  • Jan 4: Mark 8-9
  • Jan 5: Mark 10-11
  • Jan 6: Mark 12-13
  • Jan 7: Mark 14
  • Jan 8: Mark 15-16
  • Jan 9: Romans 1-2
  • Jan 10: Romans 3-5
  • Jan 11: Romans 6-8
  • Jan 12: Romans 9-11
  • Jan 13: Romans 12-16
  • Jan 14: Matt. 1-3
  • Jan 15: Matt. 4-5
  • Jan 16: Matt. 6-8
  • Jan 17: Matt. 9-10
  • Jan 18: Matt. 11-12
  • Jan 19: Matt 13-14
  • Jan 20: Matt. 15-17
  • Jan 21: Matt. 18-20
  • Jan 22: Matt. 21-22
  • Jan 23: Matt. 23-24
  • Jan 24: Matt. 25-26
  • Jan 25: Matt. 27-28
  • Jan 26: 1 Cor. 1-3
  • Jan 27: 1 Cor. 4-6
  • Jan 28: 1 Cor. 7-9
  • Jan 29: 1 Cor. 10-12
  • Jan 30: 1 Cor. 13-14
  • Jan 31: 1 Cor. 15-16

  • Feb 1: John 1-2
  • Feb 2: John 3-4
  • Feb 3: John 5-6
  • Feb 4: John 7-8
  • Feb 5: John 9-10
  • Feb 6: John 11-12
  • Feb 7: John 13-15
  • Feb 8: John 16-18
  • Feb 9: John 19-21
  • Feb 10: 2 Cor. 1-3
  • Feb 11: 2 Cor. 4-6
  • Feb 12: 2 Cor. 7-10
  • Feb 13: 2 Cor. 11-13
  • Feb 14: Luke 1
  • Feb 15: Luke 2-3
  • Feb 16: Luke 4-5
  • Feb 17: Luke 6-7
  • Feb 18: Luke 8-9
  • Feb 19: Luke 10-11
  • Feb 20: Luke 12-13
  • Feb 21: Luke 14-15
  • Feb 22: Luke 16-17
  • Feb 23: Luke 18-19
  • Feb 24: Luke 20-21
  • Feb 25: Luke 22
  • Feb 26: Luke 23-24
  • Feb 27: Acts 1-2
  • Feb 28: Acts 3-4

  • Mar 1: Acts 5-6
  • Mar 2: Acts 7-8
  • Mar 3: Acts 9-10
  • Mar 4: Acts 11-12
  • Mar 5: Acts 13-14
  • Mar 6: Acts 15-16
  • Mar 7: Acts 17-18
  • Mar 8: Acts 19-20
  • Mar 9: Acts 21-22
  • Mar 10: Acts 23-24
  • Mar 11: Acts 25-26
  • Mar 12: Acts 27-28
  • Mar 13: Gal. 1-3
  • Mar 14: Gal. 4-6
  • Mar 15: Eph. 1-3
  • Mar 16: Eph. 4-6
  • Mar 17: Phil. 1-2
  • Mar 18: Phil. 3-4
  • Mar 19: Col. 1-2
  • Mar 20: Col. 3-4
  • Mar 21: 1 Thess.
  • Mar 22: 2 Thess.
  • Mar 23: 1 Tim. 1-3
  • Mar 24: 1 Tim. 4-6
  • Mar 25: 2 Tim. 1-2
  • Mar 26: 2 Tim. 3-4
  • Mar 27: Titus & Philemon
  • Mar 28: Heb. 1-3
  • Mar 29: Heb. 4-6
  • Mar 30: Heb. 7-10
  • Mar 31: Heb. 11-13

  • Apr 1: James
  • Apr 2: 1 Peter
  • Apr 3: 2 Peter
  • Apr 4: 1 John
  • Apr 5: 2 John, 3 John & Jude
  • Apr 6: Rev 1-7
  • Apr 7: Rev 8-16
  • Apr 8: Rev 17-22

Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Geico Caveman at the Therapist

The latest installment in the series. Enjoy.

Sunday, December 24, 2006

The Drive Home

A few things stood to me on the drive home to Ohio yesterday:
  • People with New Jersey drivers licenses should not be permitted to engage in interstate travel.
  • There needs to be a major airport put into Marietta because the drive really sucks.
  • Best bumper sticker: Equal Rights for Unborn Women

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Work Stress


It was another intense day at Chatham World Headquarters. There was nothing left we could do but put our thinking caps on and try our best.


Monday, December 11, 2006

Hillary on Iraq

"We've now heard from the Iraq Study Group, but we need the White House to become the Iraq Results Group."— Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton responding to the Iraq Study Group's recommendations.

Hillary, you can shut up too while we're at it.

Saturday, December 09, 2006

Wal-Mart in China

Recently some more concerns were raised about how Wal-Mart is handling its ethical responsibilities towards workers in developing economies. I think there are a few things to keep in mind when surveying this issue. First, is that Wal-Mart is everyone's whipping boy and the corporate name carries its own emotional charge when it is brought up in discussions and there are people who will seek to capitalize on that for the sake of supporting their argument. In this report for instance, it could not yet be confirmed that all of the companies in the study that were operating outside of regulatory standards were in fact in Wal-Mart's chain of suppliers. It should also be noted who conducted this study (a labor group) and that there was a relatively small sample size (169 employees). For perspective, Wal-Mart itself is noted in the article as having 36,000 employees in China itself. Obviously even one incident with one person is important and needs to be handled responsibly; it's just important to keep a balanced perspective as one could quickly garner a false impression.

I have a couple responses to this. One is that I am glad that people are keeping a close eye on Wal-Mart and its operations. It can be too easy for a multinational behemoth to steamroll people locally and that should be guarded against. The second is that I would again take the challenge back to us as consumers. The Quakers have long been a leading example as they have a tradition of their members asking themselves, "Do I prayerfully discern how to use my financial resources for the common good? Do I look at my investments, clothing, furniture and other possessions to see if they sow the seeds of war and oppression?" Do you think about that when you are shopping? I think it's important. We tend to grossly underestimate the cumulative effect of small changes in our collective behavior. I'll try to give a practical example of how we can respond. Recently I did some major shopping to furnish my apartment as I am now living by myself. I was looking at a couple different cooking pots that appeared to be of a competitive quality and price, so I let the determining factor in the purchase be its country of origin, namely that one was made in the USA and other was made in China. I do not intend it as some sort of nationalism, but an understanding of the economic issues at hand. (To my discredit, I was not as concerned about the humanitarian effects of my decision at the time but was thinking more of our unsustainable trade imbalance with China.) Let me try to summarize my point, do you know why suppliers in China are under such pressure to pay less than the regulatory wages to their employees? Because consumers in America are willing to buy their products if they are even marginally cheaper than their rivals. Be informed. Be wise. Consider the unintended consequences of your actions.

Mr. President, Will You Please Listen!

I should start by saying that I have not yet read the commission's report on recommended strategy changes in Iraq. However, given that I am an accountant and not an expert on war, insurgency and Middle East diplomacy, it's probably not my place to scrutinize and criticize anyway. And a few years into President Bush's failing strategy, the recommendations are probably better than anything he has come up with too. So why won't he listen!?!

For crying out loud, this commission's report is a gift on a platter. It's a way to turn over a new leaf after the elections, work with respected representatives of both parties and follow a set of collective wisdom. He can gain respect and "political capital" both in Congress and across America by enthusiastically embracing and executing its counsel. Maybe if he had constructed this commission and heeded its advice a few years ago the world would be in a much better place. There is something to be said for learning from your mistakes Mr. President. So take the advice of a lowly accountant from Delaware: Shut up and listen for a change, cowboy!

Friday, December 08, 2006

Running Start to a Resolution

This week I have been able to get back to my exercise regiment in force. It's a good feeling. I know how difficult it can be to keep it going though, and so I want to invite my friends to join me in a friendly competition/accountability group. So get a step ahead of everyone on the New Year's resolution bandwagon! Clink on the link above, setup your profile and then join "Lamponians". It's free, it's easy and you too can become a sexy beast.

Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Tithing As You Never Knew It Before

I was going to blog on this earlier, but I wanted to wait until everyone had an opportunity to turn in their commitment cards for phase three before I gave someone any bright ideas.

You know, in all of the lessons and sermons I have heard on the issue of stewardship and tithing, I have never seen this passage referenced. It was fascinating to me to see how the tithe was actually used. My initial understanding was that it was all to be brought to the priests and Levites. But this is how the text actually reads:

You shall surely tithe all the produce from what you sow, which comes out of the field every year. You shall eat in the presence of the LORD your God, at the place where He chooses to establish His name, the tithe of your grain, your new wine, your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and your flock, so that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always. "If the distance is so great for you that you are not able to bring the tithe, since the place where the LORD your God chooses to set His name is too far away from you when the LORD your God blesses you, then you shall exchange it for money, and bind the money in your hand and go to the place which the LORD your God chooses. "You may spend the money for whatever your heart desires: for oxen, or sheep, or wine, or strong drink, or whatever your heart desires; and there you shall eat in the presence of the LORD your God and rejoice, you and your household. Also you shall not neglect the Levite who is in your town, for he has no portion or inheritance among you.

I get this picture in my mind of the giving of the tithe being like a giant tailgating party. A little beef roasting on the bbq and some wine and beer flowing freely. What a mighty God we serve.

Just make sure you invite the Levites.

Strange

Sometimes people refer to the Bible as "God's love letter to mankind", but that is really a gross oversimplification of things. There are some strange things in the Bible that one would not typically put in a love letter. Deuteronomy seems to contain its fair share of these.

My most recent reading brought me to Deuteronomy chapter 25 which discusses the fact that if a man dies who is married but has no children, his brother is to take his sister-in-law as his wife and their son is to take the name of the deceased husband. It then addresses how the woman is to respond if her brother-in-law is not to keen on the idea. You can imagine how deeply my life was impacted when I read the following:

But if the man does not desire to take his brother's wife, then his brother's wife shall go up to the gate to the elders and say, 'My husband's brother refuses to establish a name for his brother in Israel; he is not willing to perform the duty of a husband's brother to me.' "Then the elders of his city shall summon him and speak to him. And if he persists and says, 'I do not desire to take her,' then his brother's wife shall come to him in the sight of the elders, and pull his sandal off his foot and spit in his face; and she shall declare, 'Thus it is done to the man who does not build up his brother's house.' "In Israel his name shall be called, 'The house of him whose sandal is removed.'

You can also sort of tell that the Law was recorded by a man. The next two verses read

If two men, a man and his countryman, are struggling together, and the wife of one comes near to deliver her husband from the hand of the one who is striking him, and puts out her hand and seizes his genitals, then you shall cut off her hand; you shall not show pity.

Let's just say that I am glad we are under grace and not the law. Have a great day, and may you never be known as him whose sandal is removed.

Saturday, December 02, 2006

Annoyed

If I hear one more commercial of Santa or his elves pitching products or traditional carols parodied to become an advertisement I think I am going to lose my mind. This is almost as bad as all the political ads for the election.

Has anyone else heard the old song "Green Chri$tma$" by Stan Freberg?

Saturn Update

I am sure you all were waiting on the edge of your seat for an update on my Saturn. Okay, so here's the deal. I should never attempt to be a mechanic and work on my car. Back in the summer when I was home on vacation, I decided it would be a great idea to try to give my car a tune-up. So, as part of the process I bought new platinum spark plugs and wires and installed them. Well, it turns out Saturns don't really like platinum spark plugs and that was causing the problem. I had to replace the ignition coil and plugs. Total cost for parts and service including the original diagnostic was about $230.

While I hope to have my SL2 for at least another 10 years, I am still in love with the Saturn Sky. And the new Aura is a nice sedan.

Warren and Obama

I am glad that people are already highlighting what I see as the senselessness of this controversy. It seems that Rick Warren is becoming a sensible and effective spokesman for evangelicals and I appreciate that.

There are so many aspects of this that get me fired up I can barely get it all out. First of all, I want to say how much I appreciate Saddleback Church is seeking to address the AIDS issue to begin with. How long was that a "hands-off" issue for evangelicals? It is a shame that this controversy is overshadowing the real work that they are trying to do in this area.

Secondly, I greatly respect Saddleback for inviting both a prominent Republican and Democrat to speak. As Warren said, "I've got two friends here, a Republican and a Democrat, why? Because you've got to have two wings to fly." How awesome is it that a Christian can try to put wind in the sails of bipartisanship?

Thirdly, I don't think you have to agree with someone on every single issue, even one as important as abortion, in order to hear their informed perspective on another issue, especially one as important as AIDS.

Aside from the Warren and Obama issue, I think we have to find ways to work with our opponents whenever there can be some measure of common ground. For instance, in the AIDS debate there has been controversy on abstinence-only education versus distributing condoms. Okay, I'm going to step out on a ledge here, but doesn't it make sense to first promote the benefits of abstinence, explaining all of the physical, emotional and spiritual impacts and consequences of sex outside of the confines of marriage, but also realize that there are people who will not respond to that message? If there are means of limiting the severe consequences of their actions on other people, should they not be utilized as long as they are understood as the non-preferred method? I know many Christians who have not maintained their sexual purity. Should I really expect unbelievers to when they do not have the spiritual means to subordinate the desires of the flesh? As Christians, do we not know enough theology to understand sin nature and the only means of overcoming it being the Holy Spirit? The problem is that we have divided into two all-or-nothing camps: the one saying abstinence only and not educating about the use of condoms or other means of birth control and the other simply distributing condoms and not educating on the moral and practical ramifications of their behavior but rather endorsing that lifestyle. I don't think it has to be that way. Can I really not say to someone, look in every way imaginable, it is best if you stay sexually pure until and within marriage and to not do so is a sin. But if you're not going to do that and you do choose to sin, at least use some common sense so that you do not do even further damage to yourself and those who care about you?

Okay, you may now proceed to burn me at the stake as a heretic.

Thursday, November 30, 2006

Lasting Gifts

Quick, tell me everything you got for Christmas last year. Can you remember? How about two years ago? Three . . . ? Kind of takes the steam out of the rush to spend a lot of money on gifts, doesn't it?

I have a few recommendations for your consideration. First, if you haven't done so already, please make a budget for how much you can spend for Christmas and stick to it. You don't want to still be paying off your credit cards on the 4th of July. Don't buy gifts to impress people or out of a sense of obligation. I would rather not receive a gift from someone if that was their motivation.

Secondly, if you are giving to little kids who already have a zillion toys that they don't play with, consider starting a 529 College Savings plan. These vary by state to state so it might take a little bit of research to find the best option for you. There are a number of good web sites with more information such as http://www.collegesavings.org/. I started a college fund for my nephews and niece and have been able to sock away over $1,800 so far. This is all with money I would have spent on birthday and Christmas presents that would have long since been used up, broken or forgotten by now. You might seem like a bit of a dorky aunt or uncle now, but if you are still paying off your student loans you know how much they will appreciate this later. This is especially true when they are still at an age when they are more fascinated with unwrapping the paper than they are with whatever gift may be inside.

Third, if you don't know what to get for the person who has everything try making a charitable donation in their honor. I did this last year with my parents by making a donation in their honor to Unicef, and they thought it was the greatest thing. Not only does it help us to celebrate the holiday with simplicity and charity, but it helps those who are in desperate need. And yes, it may be tax deductible too.

I hope this helps! Have a safe and wonderful Christmas.

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Service Engine Soon

Uh-oh. For the first time in its life, my venerable Saturn had the "Service Engine Soon" light come on as I was leaving work tonight. It seemed to be running well so I am not sure what is ailing it. I hope it's something small. It made it essentially problem free for the first 81,000 miles so I can't complain. Go little Saturn.

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Just Another Liberal Yankee

So, over the course of the past week, I have had some conversations with friends in which I was referred to with the labels of "liberal" and "Yankee" respectively. How on earth does a Newt-supporting Republican from Ohio become mistaken for a liberal, Yankee? I find this amusing.

$30 from Uncle Sam

In case you missed it, the US Government has decided to stop charging a special excise tax on long distance phone calls that has existed since the Spanish American War. (Apparently, that war has now been paid for.) Anyway, what this means is that pretty much everyone who has had a phone can get a $30 refund on their taxes (up to $60 if multiple exemptions). So, make sure you look for this special line on your tax return when you complete it this year.

Monday, November 27, 2006

Follow, Fear, Keep, Listen, Serve, Cling

I have been going through Deuteronomy for a little while now in my devotions, and I re-discovered one of my favorite verses tonight. "You shall follow the LORD your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him (Deut. 13:4)". What a powerful grouping of verbs to sit and reflect on. I want to commit this one to memory and keep chewing it over.

I have been struggling in working out the application of what I am learning right now in small group. Last week we poured over Lewis's teaching, "That is why the real problem of the Christian life come where people do not usually look for it. It comes the very moment you wake up each morning. All your wishes and hopes for the day rush at you like wild animals. And the first job each morning consists simply in shoving them all back; in listening to that other voice, taking that other point of view, letting that other larger, stronger, quieter life come flowing in. And so on, all day. Standing back from all your natural fussings and frettings; coming in out of the wind."

Likewise, Brother Lawrence is teaching us how "At other times I beheld him in my heart as my Father and as my God. I worshipped him as often as I could, keeping my mind in his holy presence and recalling it back to God as often as I had found it had wandered from him . . . when we are faithful in keeping ourselves in his holy presence, keeping him always before us, this not only prevents our offending him or doing something displeasing in his sight (at least willfully), but it also brings to us a holy freedom, and if I may say so, a familiarity with God wherein we may ask and receive the graces we are so desperately in need of."

I've been struggling at that first breath of the morning to get myself into the presence of God. I think meditating on this verse will help anchor me there.

And The Candidate Is . . .

Newt Gingrich!! I kid you not. No doubt many of you are now shaking your heads. I really think he is worth considering as a candidate. For more information, click on link above which will direct you to http://www.newt.org/

Thursday, November 23, 2006

Reforming Social Security For the Sake of Women and Minorities

I am very excited that my new favorite presidential candidate has listed as platform issue #2 to "Transform the Social Security system into personal savings accounts that will enable every worker to have higher retirement incomes from their own work and avoid the need for financial support from their children. " There is probably not a single issue that disgusted me more over the past two years than the despicable way Congress handled the prospect of reforming the Social Security system. When the Democrats gathered around the statue of President Franklin Roosevelt to fight reform and collectively stuck their heads in the sand, they compromised the future of millions of Americans, particularly women and minorities. It was a disgraceful act of stewardship towards the rights and freedoms of those they supposedly champion.

The bipartisan presidential commission that sought out ways to improve the current system, that without change is inevitably headed towards economic insolvency, clearly espoused how a change to private accounts would most benefit these groups that are often economically disadvantaged. The democrats, however, were more intent on a political victory afforded by stopping a Bush initiative to implement these plans than on realizing the benefits that would accrue to these groups.

The main reason it hurts African-Americans so much is because of the significantly lower life expectancy for the group. Let's say for instance that you have someone earning $25,000 a year from age 21 but then passes away at age 61. (For the sake of ease, I will assume no increases in salary). If that person is allowed to contribute even 2% of his salary (of the 6% FICA tax) into a personal account and earn 10% (the stock market has averaged between 10% and 11% since 1929), he or she will have accumulated over $220,000. Under the current system, the family would receive nothing. Under the reformed system, the family could use that $220,000 to help the family purchase a home or send grandchildren to college. Which system do you think is better?

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Fun with red and blue blocks

This is an incredibly addictive little game that my co-worker just shared with me. My personal best: 16.891. Enjoy.

Monday, November 20, 2006

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is perhaps my favorite holiday. Marketers have largely gone straight from Halloween to Christmas now which offers the day a greater measure of sanctity. That alone is something to be thankful for.

I was struck by how powerful and beautiful President George Washington's words were with the Thanksgiving Proclamation of 1789. It's fascinating to me that he committed the nation to God, not only in thanksgiving but also in confession.


Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me to "recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:"

Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand, at the city of New York, the 3d day of October, A.D. 1789.

Presidential Platform

Without knowing his or her name, would you vote for the candidate running on this platform?


We are committed to a safe, healthy, prosperous, and free America. We believe our children and grandchildren deserve the opportunities our parents and grandparents gave us.

In a rapidly changing world with new threats and new competitors, we must implement policies that will ensure America’s leadership, safety, and prosperity. And we must reinvigorate the core values that have made an exceptional civilization.

We do not believe the traditional instruments of government will reform themselves fast enough and thoroughly enough for the twenty-first century.

The entrenched lobbyists and entrenched bureaucracies will do all they can to minimize the changes no matter how vital those changes are to America’s future. Self interest will dominate national interest if the normal political system operates with business as usual. The pressure of daily events will keep both the news media and most politicians focused on the immediate and the trivial rather than the long-term and the profoundly important.

Only a grassroots citizens’ movement can insist on the level of change that is needed for our children and grandchildren to have a successful future.

Such a citizens’ movement would have to be focused on goals rather than on interest groups. The goals define the America we want our children and grandchildren to have.

To achieve this future we will:

I.

Defend America and our allies from those who would destroy us. To achieve security, we will develop the intelligence, diplomatic, information, defense, and homeland security systems and resources for success.

II.

Transform the Social Security system into personal savings accounts that will enable every worker to have higher retirement incomes from their own work and avoid the need for financial support from their children.

III.

Recenter on the Creator from Whom all our liberties come. We will insist on a judiciary that understands the centrality of God in American history and reasserts the legitimacy of recognizing the Creator in public life.

IV.

Establish patriotic education for our children and patriotic immigration for new Americans. To achieve this, we will renew our commitment to education about American citizenship based on American history and an understanding of the Founding Fathers and the core values of American civilization. We will insist that both our children and immigrants learn the key values and key facts of American history as the foundation of their growth as citizens.

V.

Meet the triple economic challenges of an explosion in scientific and technological knowledge, an increasingly competitive world market, and the rise of China and India by implementing:

1. A new system of civil justice to reduce the burden of lawsuits and to incentivize young people to go into professions other than the law.

2. A dramatically simplified tax code that favors savings, entrepreneurship, investment, and constant modernization of equipment and technology.

3. Math and science learning equal to any in the world and educating enough young Americans to both discover the science of the future and to compete successfully in national security and the economy with other well-educated societies.

4. Investing in the scientific revolutions that are going to transform our world—particularly in energy, space, and the environment.

5. Transforming health care into a 21st Century Intelligent Health System that improves our health while lowering costs dramatically. In the process, American health care will become our highest value export and foreign exchange earning sector.

VI.

Work to include every American in a system of patriotic stewardship so every person has a real opportunity to pursue happiness as their Creator endowed. Prepare for the aging of the baby boomers and their children so we can have active healthy aging with the best quality of life, the longest period of independent living, and the greatest prosperity. We will:

1. Develop a system in which those who wish to stay economically active are encouraged and incentivized to do so because active people live longer and healthier, have a greater opportunity to pursue happiness, and are less of a burden on their fellow citizens;

2. Develop a system of independent living and assisted living that increases the years in which people can be on their own and in most cases enables people to live their entire lives with freedom and dignity;

3. Develop a new model of quality long-term care in which both the care and the quality of life are compatible with a twenty-first century American expectation of progress and innovation;

4. Use the new technologies and new scientific knowledge to turn disabilities into capabilities and change government regulations and programs to help every American achieve the fullest possible ability to pursue happiness.

VII.

Change the mindset of big government in Washington by replacing bureaucratic public administration with Entrepreneurial Public Management so government can operate with the speed, effectiveness, and efficiency of the information age.

VIII.

Balance the federal budget and insist on a lean government, low tax, low interest rate economy to maximize growth in a competitive world.

IX.

Insist on congressional reform to make the legislative branch responsive to the needs of the 21st century.

X.

Ensure an election process that is honest, accountable, accurate, and free from the threat of illegal votes or subsequent litigation.

If we insist on these goals and insist on electing leaders at all levels dedicated to these goals, we will be able to leave our children and grandchildren an America of safety, health, prosperity, and freedom that would make our parents and grandparents proud. We too will have done our duty to our country and our achievements as citizens will be worthy of the America we inherited.

Saturday, November 18, 2006

Jeff's Response

I appreciated Jeff's response to my posting on Bush's comments in Vietnam. I think his points are definitely valid. I do get frustrated with our squeamish, short term focus.

Herding Cats

I always remember Angela referring to leadership and coaching as similar to hearding cats. Now I know exactly what she means.

Caveman

Okay Joe, here you go. My discipline has been better the last few days. I can now reward myself with some entertainment.

It's so easy a caveman could do it. (quality is a little rough)

Apology dinner (my favorite)

Advertisement at the airport

News debate (new!)

Friday, November 17, 2006

History Lesson

So President Bush shared in his trip to Vietnam that one of the lessons learned from that war was, "We'll succeed unless we quit." What? That's the lesson we learned in Vietnam? I am not an expert in the Vietnam war, but I'm pretty sure that wasn't the primary lesson that we learned. Then again, maybe President Bush didn't know that since he was never there.

Wednesday, November 15, 2006

Out Of Focus

The last couple posts illustrate an important point. My life has fallen out of focus. I feel like a pinball being slung from one frenzied activity to the next. In response to the tide of stresses, my self discipline has fallen off dramatically, and I am numbing myself with pointless amusement.

There are roughly six weeks left in the year. I jotted down 12 goals for this six week sprint, something like a holistic, glorified to-do list.

I am looking forward to the last week of the year. Lord willing, I will be home in Ohio. It will be nice to get away. I need to re-evaluate my life and think about the year ahead.

Even More Great Commercials

Okay, had to post two more that came to mind:

Budweiser Lizards

Tobasco Mosquito

Tuesday, November 14, 2006

More Great Commercials

I love the Geico commercials. And thanks to YouTube, I've unearthed a few more of my all time favorites. This company has probably gone under after the tech bubble, but I love the Outpost.com's ads: Ravenous wolves and gerbils. The film quality is a little poor. And don't worry, no aminals were harmed in the making of these films.

FedEx's caveman ad is also stellar.

And who can forget Terry Tate office linebacker? (Pardon the language)



Okay, I need to go to small group.

Squirrels

One of my co-worker's sons was in an automobile accident this morning caused by an attempt to dodge a squirrel. It turns out there was quite a bit of truth to that Geico commercial. It's been a little while now since the breaking and entering incident when one snuck in to my apartment, snagged a Little Debbie brownie and relaxed on my fouton, but I still find them to be strangely amusing but destructive little creatures.

Monday, November 13, 2006

Winter

It feels like winter has finally decided to arrive, much to my dismay. When I walk outside on a cold night I am often reminded of Percy Shelly's "The Cold Earth Slept Below."

The cold earth slept below;
Above the cold sky shone;
And all around,
With a chilling sound,
From caves of ice and fields of snow
The breath of night like death did flow
Beneath the sinking moon.

The wintry hedge was black;
The green grass was not seen;
The birds did rest
On the bare thorn's breast,
Whose roots, beside the pathway track,
Had bound their folds o'er many a crack
Which the frost had made between.

Thine eyes glow'd in the glare
Of the moon's dying light;
As a fen-fire's beam
On a sluggish stream
Gleams dimly—so the moon shone there,
And it yellow'd the strings of thy tangled hair,
That shook in the wind of night.

The moon made thy lips pale, beloved;
The wind made thy bosom chill;
The night did shed
On thy dear head
Its frozen dew, and thou didst lie
Where the bitter breath of the naked sky
Might visit thee at will.

Sunday, November 12, 2006

Motivation

Pastor Bo's sermon hit me right between the eyes today. I was wrestling with the matter of my motivation in worship and obedience just this morning. I went into the worship service feeling completely spent. It was one of those rare moments when I just didn't want to be there with all the people and all the singing. If I could have slipped away unnoticed and just been quiet for awhile I think I would have done it. The whole time I was singing I didn't even lift my eyes to the screen and felt my spirit reprimanding me, "The Lord says: "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men. (Isaiah 29:13)." Yes, I looked like I had just swallowed a toad that had been sweating profuselt. In short, the only reason I found myself was because I had to be. It felt like taking vitamins; it tastes bad but I know it's good for me so I'll do it.

I need to reconnect with God in my heart. Move away from the broken cistern and drink freely from the fountain.

Thursday, November 09, 2006

If Iwo Jima Happened Today

A tribute to the Marines and a slap on the modern media.

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

Political Landscape

As a Republican I have to admit that there is some strategic value to losing the House and possibly Senate to the Democrats. Unlike the Republican Revolution in '94, the incoming class of Democrats do not have an overarching strategic or tactical plan akin to the Contract With America. Many candidates seem to have run on a platform of "at least I'm not George Bush", and it worked to disenchanted voters who had become contemptful of the power grubbing establishment. The thing is, I don't hear how any of them have any meaningful, credible plans to actually fix any problems. I suspect that the sunset provisions on Bush's tax cuts might now be allowed to expire without renewal. Few things give Democrats more ecstasy than raising taxes. So, in a couple years voters will be faced with no greater international leadership, a social security and medicare system that's just as broke, a continued healthcare crisis, conflict and debate over illegal immigration and even more deadlock between the two parties with the only change being higher taxes on the horizon. Again, this is the perfect storm setting the stage for an independent candidate to emerge who actually has a freakin' plan to freakin' fix something. But maybe that's just wishful thinking.

Nightmare

I had a dream last night that I left Chatham to work for JP Morgan. It was one of those incredibly realistic dreams too. One can only imagine my relief when I woke up and realized it was just a dream. A very, very bad dream.

Monday, November 06, 2006

Waiting for '08

So, I was looking up the details on how to write myself in and apparently I missed the deadline. According to Delaware's website, "The deadline for candidates to file for office is 12 Noon on the last Friday in July of the year of the General Election."

I guess that means Castle is going to have two years left in D.C. Dang it.

Moses

So I've been reading through Deuteronomy the last few days for my personal devotions. I know this isn't a new discovery in the history of the study of Scripture, but I'm struggling a lot more with it this time: if Moses were alive today he would be prosecuted for war crimes on the level with Saddam Hussein. I'm only in chapter four, but he has already committed genocide at least once or twice depending on how you look at it. Speaking of Sihon it is written, "So we captured all his cities at that time, and utterly destroyed the men, women and children of every city. We left no survivor" (2:34). And speaking of Og it is written, "And we utterly destroyed them, as we did to Sihon king of Heshbon, utterly destroying the men, women and children of every city" (3:6). In both cases they tool all the animals and spoils of the cities (2:35, 3:7). Both Sihon and Og were Amorites which is why you might consider it one act of genocide and not two.

How do you explain that one of the "heroes of the faith" committed war crimes? If your answer is simply, "because God told him too" then how do you argue with the Muslim terrorists who crashed into the Twin Towers "because God told them too"? Both Moses and the terrorists were seeking a reward; at least the terrorists were looking for one in the afterlife and not just land on earth.

The traditional explanation (other than the one listed above) is that God was judging the peoples who lived in that land. And Scripture supports that as back in Genesis 15 God speaks of his promise to Abraham, "Then in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet complete." As a sidebar, that's pretty amazing that God seemed to be patiently waiting for roughly 500 years to deal with the Amorites and how he orchestrates the events of history. Back to my point though, again it just makes me wonder about the contemporary parallel that many of the Muslim terrorists also think they are God's way of judging the infidels. Should we as Christians living in America believe we are under judgement by these attacks? Or is that an "old dispensation"? And did Moses really have to kill every child? Is it possible God did deliver the Amorites over to Moses to be defeated as an act of judgement, but Moses and the Israelites took it one step further on their own volition and completed the massacre? Perhaps I haven't come across it yet, but I have not seen where God instructed them to kill every man, woman and child and to leave no survivor.

Filing this under "things that keep me up at 4 am."

Thursday, November 02, 2006

Troops Respond To Kerry

In case you haven't made it over to Jeff's blog lately, I thought I'd go ahead and post this on mine as well. Pretty funny.

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Live From Greenville

Well, as perhaps you could tell, I am now back in action with my DSL. Verizon even got the job done a couple days ahead of time. Sweet.

The hectic pace of the last month has taken a toll. I currently have 892 messages in my e-mail inbox. I'm not joking. And none of those are spam messages. Of the 892 outstanding messages, 250 have come in the last month. That's just crazy talk. So, if you have e-mailed me recently and are wondering why you haven't heard back from me, please know I am a little behind on my correspondence.

I am very, very happy with the way my apartment is looking. The Lamp Shack is now open. I would have never guessed I would have enjoyed setting it up as much as I have. Thanks yet again to everyone who helped me move and to those who have helped me bounce around some decorating ideas. Manly decorating ideas, I might add. Tanya, I'll try to get some pictures up at some point. I have not yet joined the modern era and purchased a digital camera so it could take awhile. I'll also try to find an open date on the calendar for an open house party.
Good times.

Hell's Take on Phase 3

My thanks to Jake who shared this with me awhile back. In the tradition of the Screwtape Letters here is a modern little soundbyte to think about as Celebration Sunday approaches.

Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Putting Together My Cabinet

So I just spent some time trying to read up on the various candidates. This only added to my previously posted frustration. I have now firmly decided that I will write myself in for the US House of Representatives for Delaware. Given voter turnout for non-presidential elections, I figure that one vote alone puts me in the running.

I also figure I could probably put together a pretty decent staff. I have some really talented friends:

Economic advisor - Aaron M.
Press secretary - Becky M.
Education secretary - Sara E.
Legal counsel - Paula Y.
Social issues advisor - Jesse B.
Urban development advisor - Joseph W.
Criminal justice advisor - Laura C.
Defense secretary - Jeff A.
Secret Service - David H.
Environmental Protection advisor - Angela W.
Speech Writer - Erin R.

Are you in the Lamp Camp?

Let Lamp Light the Way!

I am Steve Lamp and I approve this message.

Monday, October 30, 2006

Crime Rankings

It looks like baseball isn't the only thing Detroit is second to St. Louis in. Though maybe that's not such a bad thing in this case.

Friday, October 27, 2006

Fully Prepared To Throw Away My Vote

Two years ago I nearly voted for the Constitutional Party candidate for President. It wasn't until I was in the booth that I finally made up my mind. Today, I am even more disgusted with both political parties than I was in 2004. Neither one seems to have a compelling and realistic vision for the future that represents my core values and beliefs. If ever there was a time for an independent candidate to step up, this would be it. Just show me someone with an actual platform and strategy and not just soundbytes that slam the other party. I'm sure that's too much to ask though.

I am quite tempted to go in and simply vote against every incumbant. I think we need a complete overhaul. I want to be the kind of voter that gives people like Karl Rove and James Carville ulcers. If nothing else, I am definitely going against party lines and voting against Mike Castle as our Representative. I'm still ticked at the Democrats for killing social security reform though so maybe I'll just write myself in on the ticket. One of my high school dreams was to one day become a US Senator. It's times like these that I think I should actually try to do it.

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Clarification on Conpsiracy Posting

It seems I may have erred or at least miscommunicated in my previous comments about oil. First, I don't want to seem as though I am attempting to protect or support "big oil." Creighton pointed out a good article from the NY Times about a legal loophole that the oil companies are grossly exploiting. They are certainly not innocent little angels. Also, it is definitely true that they influence the price of oil and gasoline. Again, it's all about supply and demand curves. They (and OPEC and Russia and China and Joe Shmoe producer who has an old oil well on his property) all contribute to the overall global supply of crude. My intention was to counter some liberal blogs and anyone who might catch wind of their theories and explain that I don't believe they (big oil companies and politicians) single-handedly have control over the global market price of oil and they are now lowering it to their advantage just before the election.

At the risk of stirring up more controversy, it should be noted that alternative fuels are also highly subsidized. In addition, I find it ironic that the federal government is giving tax credits for the purchase of hybrid automobiles even though the market is dominated by foreign car manufacturers. So, one could look at it as though our government is subsidizing the profits of Toyota and Honda. (And before I receive 100 comments on how that's simply Detroit's fault, it is worth noting that GM is ahead of its foreign rivals in its production of E85 automobiles and is also close to a clean-diesel platform not to mention their billion dollar bet on hydrogen.)

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Almost There

Well, I now have a working phone line and I received the components for my DSL, but I am still waiting for someone at Verizon to flip the switch and activate my service. (I'm writing this on my lunch break.) I don't really understand how that works and how it can take several weeks for something latently available in a telecommunications system to be tested and activated.

It reminds me of a commercial I saw years ago for an auto parts store. A guy drops off his car at the mechanic's shop and rides by it day after day on the bus wondering when it will be repaired. After a couple calls asking when it will be ready, the mechanic replies "I've got my best guys on it right now." The camera pans outside and three large guys are literally sitting or lying on the car eating their lunch.

It's Not a Conspiracy

So at lunch on Sunday there was some discussion that the recently lower gas prices were a result of a vast right wing conspiracy led by President Bush and Vice President Cheney. I tried to explain how the price of oil and gasoline are set primarily by market supply and demand and how recent supply and demand factors converged to result in a new, lower market price. To provide additional support for my argument, I would encourage everyone to read the following articles.


(By the way, I find it ironic that many Bush opponents who accuse him of inventing this comprehensive, effective conspiracy to lower gas prices are also some of the same people who think he's not very smart. It's sounds like it would take a genius to pull that off to me.)

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Getting Closer

So, as the technical saga continues, I ended up switching to Verizon since apparently that was the only way I could also get DSL. It's more expensive and has less features than Cavalier, but I am lost without the DSL connection. My phone service got up and running last night which I am excited about, but my DSL is not scheduled to be up until early November. I'm hoping it will end up being earlier than that.

I am enjoying settling into my new place. I even received a plant from a co-worker yesterday which is very cool, and I ordered a beta fish tank that Becky referenced in her blog. (I've long wanted to have a pet that I could name "Sturgo." I still have to hang all of my pictures/art on the wall, and my fouton is only partially re-assembled. I will be happy when it's all finished. I'm hoping it will be a comfortable, cozy yet distinctively manly confine when all is complete.

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Technical Hiatus

Well, for the time being I do not have phone or DSL service at home. Hence the lack in blog postings of late. In fact, it could be close to a month by the time I am finally up and running again.

To explain, a few weeks ago after I signed the lease on my new apartment I called to get phone service (with Cavalier). Then, my apartment community said my apartment would not be ready in time and I would have to pick another one. By then, my phone order was already in process and could not be changed until service was established. But, apparently it takes 10-15 business days for that change to occur (I can't even imagine why). And, I called Verizon to get DSL (since Cavalier doesn't offer it at my location), but they can't get me signed up until I have a functioning phone line. Add to that the time it takes for the DSL modem and such to be delivered. Grrrr. Unlimited technology from the ends of the universe and I can't even get a phone to work.

Okay, so I am at the library now typing this and need to leave for small group. Take care and I'll try to post as much as I can in the days and weeks ahead. Maybe by then I'll have something worth reading.

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Bumperstickers

I think I will add a new featurette to my blog: Bumper Sticker of the Day. I have mixed emotions about bumper stickers. I would never put one on my car and yet I am drawn to read those of others. I saw one at Wal-Mart the other day that kind of made me do a double-take:

"God doesn't believe in atheists."

Sunday, October 01, 2006

Tidbits from Slidell

I want to say thank you for everyone who lifted up a prayer for us this past week as we worked in Slidell, LA. I feel that we worked with great effort and effectiveness and were able to make an impact in the time that we had. It wasn't a life-changing experience or anything, just a few days of tough, grimy work.

Favorite Experience: Gutting out a house over two days
Least Favorite Experience: Fighting a sinus infection throughout the week and missing a day of work with the team

All the Chatham folks were amazing. Such a tremendous group of hard workers and team players. It was great to enjoy that connection with them outside of the office. I feel so blessed to have had this opportunity. There's still a lot of work to do. For more information, please see http://www.restonbible.org/katrina/chronicle/

Sunday, September 24, 2006

Slidell or Bust

This will likely be the last post for about the next week or so. On Tuesday afternoon I will be joining a team of co-workers from Chatham on a Katrina relief trip to Slidell, LA. I am looking forward to the challenge and would appreciate all your thoughts and prayers as we travel and strive to serve those in need. Thanks!

Saturday, September 23, 2006

Political Cartoon - Islamic Outrage

A humorous slant on the issue.

Seen in USA Today, Sept 22. 2006
By John Deering, Arkansas-Democrat Gazette, Little Rock, Creators Syndicate

Friday, September 22, 2006

Another Pet Peeve

I recently recalled another pet peeve of mine: gas stations that do not have paper towels and/or windshield washer fluid. Come on. It's not like someone is going to take the paper towels home with them or siphon out the washer fluid into their car. I'm sure it's not cheap over time to provide this, but they are an expected part of the service received in the fill-up. Last week at a service station, I needed a paper towel and went to the dispensers and they were both empty; I turned and apparently glared in frustration to the store clerk because he reached out of his window offering a single paper towel. I took it knowing it would be completely insufficient for the needed task. I generally don't like going to Wawa's for gas, but they do a great job with this. They always have full, clean washer dispensers and plenty of paper towels, not to mention free use of the airhose. Today's score: Wawa 2, Mobil 0.

Failing To Turn The Other Cheek

I am saddened to hear that, according to this report, some Christians have responded violently in Indonesia following the execution of three believers. We must not succumb to that temptation but instead follow the example of Christ, Paul and the myriad of martyrs throughout the ages.

Wednesday, September 20, 2006

Need Some Blogging Help

So, I want to revamp my blog and provide a more robust series of links. For instance, I would like a series of Environment links, Economic Relief and Development Links, Friends' blogs links, etc. What is the easiest way to do that? I'm sure I can play around with it long enough to figure it out, but I don't want to spend an inordinate amount of time on format when someone can probably just give me a few hints. Thanks!

Free Internet Bible Resources

With indebtedness to others for bringing some of these to my attention, I wanted to share some on-line resources that have been helpful for studying Scripture:

http://www.biblegateway.com/
http://www.esword.org/
http://www.studylight.org/
http://www.searchgodsword.org/

I am sure there are many others so please feel free to post a message with additional resources that have helped you.

Oh, and if you are going to buy some books or other resources, I strongly recommend http://www.christianbook.com/

Counting My Blessings

"They captured fortified cities and fertile land; they took possession of houses filled with all kinds of good things, wells already dug, vineyards, olive groves and fruit trees in abundance. They ate to the full and were well-nourished; they reveled in your great goodness." (Nehemiah 9:25)

Yeah, that pretty much describes what it feels like to work at Chatham. We had our grand opening festivities for our new building tonight. Oh my goodness. They know how to throw a party! It was amazing. Festivities started at 3:00 so the work day was short. There was an open bar with wine, beer and sodas of course. The catering was done by the Greenville Inn and the appetizers were delicious. Then came the main course of burgers, hot dogs, BBQ chicken and ribs, some amazing side dishes and corn on the cob with a vat of butter next to it for dipping. There was also a live band, the outdoor fireplace was blazing, and there was a hot air balloon. Oh, and I forgot the cotton candy, popcorn and caramel apples. I totally don't deserve this, so I simply revel in God's great goodness.

Saturday, September 16, 2006

Darfur

The situation in Darfur remains abominable. God have mercy.

Another report on the Pope

Time has an interesting article on the background of Pope Benedict's speech. He was trying to explain theological differences, not provoke religious strife.

Friday, September 15, 2006

"And they lived in hostility toward all their brothers"

I trust by now many of you are aware of the outrage in the Muslim world over Pope Benedict's comments. I think it is difficult for many of us to grasp the seemingly hair-like trigger of sensitivity towards any negative comments on Islam. One thing that I have to keep reminding myself of is the preeminence of the value of respect in the Muslim world. Generally speaking, in the West we tend to place the value of truth over the value of respect. In the Muslim world, it is reversed and respect is prized over truth. I think that goes far in helping me understand their reaction, even if I disagree with it.

Politically speaking, I think it would be of great value to have a Cultural Advisor as a Cabinet position to the President. As tolerant as we may have become as a nation towards other cultures, we are still grossly uninformed and unaware of the differences that exist, especially between the Muslim worldview and the Western worldview but also in the Asian versus Western worldviews. I think a substantial amount of the flaring crises we are experiencing on the geopolitical level can be boiled down to the issue of respect.

Of course, the flare-up of cultures is nothing new. As I was reminded of by my roommate, it was noted back in Genesis that the sons of Ishmael "lived in hostility toward all their brothers." Perhaps part of the current outrage is the result of a genetic disposition. Way to go Abraham.

When I see violent mobs of Muslims rioting because someone in the West claimed that Islam is not a peaceful religion, I feel furious, but it is important that as followers of Christ, we temper our response with grace, love and truth. We are well aware that our Lord was mocked and scorned, treated with contempt and suffering, but in spite of this he forgave those who tortured and crucified him. When his followers wanted to use a display of power to enable their cause to prevail and to overcome their enemies, he rebuked them (Luke 9:51-56). We should remember that those who follow the Prophet do not have this same role model before them.

I also want to remind everyone that obviously not all who follow Islam want violence. I had the opportunity to spend a couple weeks last year in a predominantly Muslim country, and the people I met there were some of the most gracious, kind and gentle people I have ever known.

I think part of what the West wants in this whole dialogue is a universal response from the Muslim world that condemns acts of violence and terror in the name of God. So far, I don't know if that has happened. Often people will point an accusatory finger at the Church for its own acts of violence. The Crusades were a regrettable, despicable episode in the life of the Church, but in the centuries that have passed the Church has acknowledged and confessed its gross error and understands that those behaviors are incompatible with the message of our Lord and what God intends for human life and faith. Has that happened yet in the Muslim community? I hope it will.

One last point that is often lost in discussion is that those in the Muslim world often equate Western nation-states with Christianity even though those connections have long since severed and dissolved in many cases, especially in Europe. We should bear in mind that we share common ground with our Muslim friends against the gross and flagrant excess and debauchery of the secular humanistic culture that has come to define the West. If I thought everyone who was on MTV was a Christian, I would despise Christianity too. Sadly, many in the Muslim world are not educated about that distinction and they hate Christianity for it.

Please allow me to close with a couple disclaimers. First, I am not an expert in this area, so if I have misrepresented Islam in any way, please correct and educate me. Secondly, I do not intend for anything I say to be in any way offensive. We need a constructive, sympathetic dialogue. I hope we can share one. This rough draft of thoughts is just an initial volley in that conversation.

Monday, September 11, 2006

Five Years

9/11/01. Can you believe it's been five years? So much has changed and yet in many ways we have gone back to "life as normal." It didn't seem possible at the time that we ever could. But aside from some inconveniences at the airport and a special set of prayers each Sunday in church, I would not be as consistently aware of what happened. (The daily news from Iraq being the other ever-present reminder.)

I remember being in an Old Testament Survey class in college back in 1998 or so. The professor was commenting on 722 BC and 586 BC as dates that were etched on the Jewish mind. His generation had the assassinations of John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King as those frozen moments in time that a generation could never forget. We talked briefly at how fortunate our generation had been. The closest thing we had was the Challenger explosion, but even then most of us were too young to really experience and remember the tragedy. There was an awkward moment of silence when we collectively seemed to wonder what tragedy lied ahead for us.

I was in my cubicle at work listening to the radio when it happened. At first I couldn't understand what was going on. I thought a malfunction had happened causing a plane to crash, and that it incidentally happened to be over the WTC at the time. Then came more details. I remember yelling into my manager's office behind me when the news came across, "They just hit the Pentagon!" I think that's when I really knew this was for real and was something bigger than any of us could have imagined.

I went over to my girlfriend's house after work. I appreciated having somewhere to go. That's when I first saw the news footage and watched the towers fall. I remember how gentle and kind everyone was immediately following that. Neighbors I had never spoken to before were checking in on each other and asking how each other was doing. All the flags came out on the cars. Like everyone else I was glued to the television. Half trying to cope with what happened, half trying to brace for what might happen next. I didn't cry until about the fourth day when "Please Remember Me" by Tim McGraw came on the radio while I was driving to work. I lost it.

I remember gathering with my small group and listening to President Bush's address to Congress a weeks later. I loved it, and I still have a transcript along with a copy of the newspaper from September 12th. I know a lot of us have trouble with the Iraq war, but in those early days after 9/11 and into Afghanistan I remember being thankful that he was my president, and I believed that he had been elected and made it through the contested judicial process for such a time as this. I greatly admired Mayor Giuliani. He was tireless, brave, confident. Everything a leader needs to be in a time of crisis. We sometimes overlook how relatively calm people remained in New York City.

I remember being back at my girlfriend's house when President Bush announced the invasion into Afghanistan to destroy the Taliban. Inside, part of me wanted to sign up with the Army. A month had passed. We were dealing with the anthrax scare and beginning the work of clearing ground zero.

I had saved the daily office calendar page from that day. Each year afterwards, I would pen that up, along with the transcript of President Bush's speech and hang a large American flag on the wall outside my cubicle. My co-workers seemed to appreciate the gesture.

I made it to ground zero for the first time in May. I saw the steel cross that had been standing underneath the rubble. We should pray today for all the families that will be reminded once again of their losses. And for all of those fighting in our armed services, sacrificing their lives so that, with God's graces, the tragedy does not happen again to our families and friends.

Take time today to remember.


President Bush's Address on September 11th.

President Bush's Address on September 20th.

"Great harm has been done to us. We have suffered great loss. And in our grief and anger we have found our mission and our moment. Freedom and fear are at war. The advance of human freedom -- the great achievement of our time, and the great hope of every time -- now depends on us. Our nation -- this generation -- will lift a dark threat of violence from our people and our future. We will rally the world to this cause by our efforts, by our courage. We will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail." - President Bush

Saturday, September 09, 2006

Protect Your Identity

Recently, one of my friends encountered problems with identify theft. This happens far more often than we would like to imagine. I would like to recommend the following suggestions:

I hope this helps!

Friday, September 08, 2006

I hate the Eagles

With the NFL season underway, it's time to speak my peace. I hate the Philadelphia Eagles. Actually, it's not so much the Eagles I dislike so much as it is their fans. (Sorry, Jesse.) It's a rare feat for a person to be both arrogant and whiny at the same time and yet that is one of the most common characteristics of those dawning the green and white. Whether the team is undefeated or has yet to win a game, their fans NEVER SHUT UP ABOUT IT. And how is that in a city of 5 million people with meaningful world events happening, Eagles coverage gets like 1/3 to 1/2 the news coverage? Heaven forbid there be a snowstorm and an Eagle game in the same weekend or nothing else will get covered. And don't even get me started on that stupid chant. I'm sorry, are you attending a junior high school pep rally? The rest of the world has grown up. You should too.

Look, to the meager extent that I do follow football, I am a Browns fan. Yes, they suck. I'm okay with that. If they lose every game this year my life will go on quite nicely. It's this wonderful thing called "perspective." Something Philadelphia sports fans don't seem to have much of.

Oh, and I refuse to go see the movie "Invincible".

Wednesday, September 06, 2006

Time Budget

I often preach about the importance of keeping a financial budget. I also think it's important to keep a "time budget." People sometimes talk about being burnt out as though that was their primary spiritual gift. If generations ago people thought "cleanliness was next to godliness", today we think busyness is. I'm pretty sure Jesus' last words weren't "Go forth unto the ends of the earth and be extremely busy for in this is the Father well pleased." But how often do we pull out our schedules and boast of how busy we are in an effort to form a sort of spiritual pecking order? "I must be growing spiritually," we often say to ourselves, "look how busy I am!"

I sketched out a personal time budget tonight. I needed to see for myself how thin my margins are and make sure I'm not spending my energy in such a way that I am depleting my personal capital. You can't do that for extended periods of time; it's not healthy. It's also important to note that sheer hours alone does not fully capture this. I can work 60 hours a week doing something I love when I'm generally contented and happy in life and still feel energized, but in the midst of grief, for instance, an hour trip to the grocery store can seem overwhelming.

What does your time budget look like?

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

32

In case you're keeping score at home, that is the number of stupid drivers I passed on the way home this evening, near twilight and in the rain, who didn't have their headlights on.

Not only is it a really good idea, it's also the law in Delaware.

Enough said.

Saturday, September 02, 2006

A Discussion of Truth

There are certain times when all the proverbial planets and stars all seem to align: I just noticed on article regarding C.S. Lewis written by Dallas Willard. "Que heavenly sound effect here."

His argument gets a bit over my head at times, but it is a very worthwhile read if we are to be legitimate and eloquent spokesmen in defense of truth in our postmodern age.

Oh, and Renovation of the Heart, The Divine Conspiracy and Hearing God are much more readable than this article, but you can tell they are grounded in this depth of philosophical thought.

Nauseating Heresy

So I woke up early this morning and was flipping through some channels on TV. Somewhere between Sportscenter and the music channels was a white, middle-aged preacher with a shiny Bible (perhaps because it had rarely been used) and a hideous tie overlooking a tropical paradise and promoting his new book, How to Be Rich and Have Everything You Ever Wanted. I would say don't get me started, but it's already too late.

This has to be one of the easiest heresies to argue against and yet it is one of the most pervasive throughout the world and throughout time. I guess it's the whole concept of, let's take a few verses we like and ignore the ones we don't and build an entire theology out of it. You know who these theologies make rich? The ones selling it to you!

Somehow, I don't seem to recall Jesus parading through Jerusalem or Galilee in a 20 horse chariot and wearing the finest scarlet robes. Or Paul taking his personal yacht on his missionary journeys. Maybe they just weren't spiritual enough for God to bless. Okay, let me break it down for you: Jesus did not die and rise again so that you could have the American dream. Especially when that dream is defined by a mansion, two vacation homes, a BMW and endless time to indulge your leisure and pleasure.

Yes, God has given us the ability to create wealth. Yes, we are to be wise stewards of this. No, this does not mean the purpose of life is to follow some shady teacher's six magical steps to manipulate God to give you some serious bank.

I am currently reading William Law's A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life.
They weren't as big on soundbytes back in 1728 so you'll have to bear with me for awhile. From a chapter entitled "Containing the Great Obligations, and the Great advantages of Making a Wise and Religious Use of Our Estates and Fortunes":


As the holiness of Christianity consecrates all states and employments of life unto God, as it requires us to aspire after a universal obedience, doing and using everything as the servants of God, so are we more specially obligated to observe this religious exactness in the use of our estates and fortunes. The reason of this would appear very plain if we were only to consider that our estate is as much the gift of God as our eyes or our hands and is no more to be buried or thrown away at pleasure than we are to put out our eyes or throw away our limbs as we please. But, besides this consideration, there are several other great and important reasons why we should be religiously exact in the use of our estates.

First, because the manner of using our money or spending our estate centers so far into the business of every day and make so great a part of our common life, that our common life must be much of the same nature as our common way of spending our estate. If reason and religion govern us in this, then reason and religion gave great hold of us; but if humor, pride, and fancy are the measures of spending our estate, then humor, pride, and fancy will have the direction of the greatest part of our life.

Secondly, another great reason for devoting all our estate to right uses is this: because it is capable of being used to the most excellent purpose and is so great a means of doing good. If we waste it, we do not waste a trifle that signifies little, but we waste that which might be made as eyes to the blind, as a husband to the widow,
as a father to the orphan; we waste that which not only enables us to minister
worldly comforts to those that are in distress, but that which might purchase
for ourselves everlasting treasures in Heaven. So that if we part with our money
in foolish ways, we part with a great power of comforting our fellow creatures
and of making ourselves forever blessed.

If there be nothing so glorious as doing good, if there is nothing that makes us so like to God, then nothing can be so glorious in the use of our money as to use it all in works of love and goodness, making ourselves friends and fathers and benefactors to all our fellow creatures, imitating the Divine love and turning all our power into acts of generosity, care, and kindness to such as are in need of it.

Thirdly, if we waste our money, we are not only guilty of wasting a talent which God has given us, we are not only guilty of making that useless which is so powerful a
means of doing good, but we do ourselves this further harm, that we turn this
useful talent into a powerful means of corrupting ourselves; because so far as
it is spent wrong, so far it is spent in support of some wrong temper, in
gratifying some vain and unreasonable desires in conforming to those fashions
and pride of the world, which, as Christians and reasonable men, we are obliged
to renounce.

We would do well to remember that Jesus warned in the parable of the sower that
"the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desire for
other things enter in and choke the word and it becomes unfruitful."


Tuesday, August 29, 2006

He Walked Among Us

What was the incarnation like? Can we fathom what it cost Christ to walk among us? What did it feel like to take on our sweaty, filthy flesh? What did it cost him to turn away from the song of cherubs on streets of gold and walk through swarms of gnats and the smell of rotting fish on the shores of Galillee? What did he feel when he stretched out his hand and touched the leper? When he touched the ear of the deaf? When his spittle cured the blind? When an unclean woman clutched for the edge of his robe? I can't even get my mind around it.

Do we ever get close to that? They say that cross cultural missions imitates this. But sometimes its even harder to touch life five minutes from my front door. How close are my prayers to being "thank God I'm not like that person."? Without the particular graces God has shown me, I would be that or worse. Do I really have myelf to thank for a healthy body, a sound mind, a strong family, a good education? We are stewards of course, but we can only work with what God first gave and by his grace continues to keep.

I am humbled by my friends. And by those I don't know as well but get to commune with on Sundays. The grandest crowns in heaven aren't going to go to the most brilliant academics or eloquent apologists. I imagine they're going to go to some of the men and women I saw tonight who worked harder than I did but still complained less. Who were far more eager to serve, far more compassionate to speak and to listen. I learned a lot from them tonight about what incarnational ministry looks like. I would like to say they know who they are. But they are so humble they probably don't.

God, have mercy on me a sinner.

Driving Tips

This started out as an angry tirade, but I needed to reframe it to season it with grace.

  • First, when it is raining and/or twilight PLEASE turn your lights on! Even though you may be able to see the road ahead, that does not mean that other drivers can see you!
  • Secondly, PLEASE use your turn signal! It's that little lever on the left side of your steering wheel that causes a little blinking light to come on in the direction you intend to turn. It's a marvelous little devise. Please use it.
  • Thirdly, why on earth are there intersections in Delaware where two lanes form, one which turns right and one for drivers turning left or going straight? That doesn't make any sense! If you are going to have two lanes, have one for people turning left and the other for people turning right or going straight. That way traffic doesn't get backed up for the person turning left and/or impatient people don't swerve into the lane for drivers turning right only and nearly cause an accident.

    Thank you and have a nice day.

Monday, August 28, 2006

Overweight?

So, I weighed myself on the scales at the YMCA after my workout tonight. I then plugged that number and my height into a BMI calculator on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website and discovered that I am overweight. Unbelievable. I must be the scrawniest overweight person in America.

Saturday, August 26, 2006

When Insults Had Class

I received the following from my friend Jake. I have not verified the accuracy of any of these, but they sound about right. By the way, I love Churchhill.
  • "He has all the virtues I dislike and none of the vices I admire." - Winston Churchill
  • "Thank you for sending me a copy of your book; I'll waste no time reading it." - Moses Hadas
  • "He can compress the most words into the smallest idea of any man I know." - Abraham Lincoln
  • "I am enclosing two tickets to the first night of my new play, bring a friend ... if you have one." - George Bernard Shaw to Winston Churchill
  • "Cannot possibly attend first night, will attend second... if there is one." - Winston Churchill, in reply
  • "I feel so miserable without you; it's almost like having you here." - Stephen Bishop
  • "A modest little person, with much to be modest about..." - Winston Churchill about Clement Atlee
  • "I have never killed a man, but I have read many obituaries with great pleasure." - Clarence Darrow
  • "He has never been known to use a word that might send a reader to the dictionary." - William Faulkner (about Ernest Hemingway)
  • "Poor Faulkner. Does he really think big emotions come from big words?" - Ernest Hemingway (about William Faulkner)
  • "He is not only dull himself; he is the cause of dullness in others." - Samuel Johnson
  • "He had delusions of adequacy." - Walter Kerr
  • "I've had a perfectly wonderful evening. But this wasn't it." - Groucho Marx
  • "They never open their mouths without subtracting from the sum of human knowledge." Thomas Brackett Reed
  • "He loves nature in spite of what it did to him." - Forrest Tucker
  • "I didn't attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it." - Mark Twain
  • "His mother should have thrown him away and kept the stork." - Mae West
  • "Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go." - Oscar Wilde
  • "He has no enemies, but is intensely disliked by his friends." - Oscar Wilde

My lucky day

This has been a good day. I passed my DE life and health insurance exams in the morning which is a relief. I also have 77,777 miles on my car. It's the little things that amuse me.

Monday, August 21, 2006

Music for all occasions

I am very happy to know that Lifehouse is in the studio working on their next album. No matter what I am experiencing, they always seem to have a song that speaks to me.

"When all the plans you made are lying on the floor
And all your dreams are turning into nothing more
When all your hope has left you know you're not alone
Just hold on
Hold on"

- Undone by Lifehouse

Sunday, August 20, 2006

Moments of Levity, Volume 2

Oh, so this is what you do when you can't sleep. You look up old Strongbad e-mails.

Dragon

Kid's Book

Band Name

Techno

sleep

Is there anything more frustrating than not being able to get to sleep? I was so looking forward to getting a good night's rest and for the life of me I can't get to sleep even though I'm tired and sleepy. I don't mean to complain as I totally recognize this is no one's fault but my own. Any home remedies out there that don't include pharmaceutical products?

Saturday, August 19, 2006

Christian trinkets

Jeff the Baptist picks up on one of my minor annoyances: Christian trinkets.

Friday, August 18, 2006

So Mysterious

I was listening to the song "So Mysterious" by Common Children on the way to work this morning, and it made me think of one of my favorite poems by Lord Byron. Since I've caused you to endure some of mine, this is what good poetry looks like.

"Since, oh! whate’er my future fate,
Shall joy or woe my steps await;
Tempted by love, by storms beset,
Thine image I can ne’er forget.
Alas! again no more we meet,
No more former looks repeat;
Then, let me breathe this parting prayer,
The dictate of my bosom’s care:
'May Heaven so guard my lovely quaker,
That anguish never can o’ertake her;
That peace and virtue ne’er forsake her,
But bliss be aye her heart’s partaker!
Oh! may the happy mortal, fated
To be, by dearest ties, related,
For her, each hour, new joys discover,
And lose the husband in the lover!
May that fair bosom never know
What ’tis to feel the restless woe,
Which stings the soul, with vain regret,
Of him, who never can forget!'”

Thursday, August 17, 2006

For all your financial needs

So I have a meeting scheduled for this evening with a representative from Primerica Financial Services to talk about taking on a part-time involvement with them. I am very excited about this. For one, it's a friend of a family I am close to so there's more of a trust factor. Also, when I spoke with her on the phone, instead of trying to be high pressure to get me involved, she first expressed concern about a possible conflict-of-interest with my current job and then asked me to bring my resume. (I used to work for them when I was college, and when I brought my resume to show my then boss, he told me that he didn't need to see it.) So, I'm thinking their philosophy isn't just to throw as many people to the wall as possible and see who sticks.

The thing I'm really excited about is that since I have such a great day job (Chatham rules!), I don't need to make a dime from this. Instead, I feel like it will give me the tools (and licensing) I need to more effectively help people become financially independent and wise, generous stewards of their money. I would do this for free, but they insist on paying me.

I'm also looking into the H&R Block tax education class. They offer it on Saturdays which is great except I know of at least two where I won't be able to make it. So I've got to talk to a rep today and see if I can still work something out. I've already taken the Tax class for my CFP course, but this would really help broaden my knowledge base.

So, if you would like to talk to someone about how to make a budget, get and stay out of debt, have income protection in the event of loss, how to save for retirement, a child's education or other goals, or simply need to file your tax return to maximum benefit, I may be able to help you with that shortly! Woo-hoo!

"I favor the policy of economy, not because I wish to save money but because I wish to save people . . . economy is idealism in its most practical form." - Calvin Coolidge

Wednesday, August 16, 2006

Overcoming evil

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." - Edmund Burke.

I have always loved that quote. I literally feel my blood pressure rise, my body tense up and my fists start to clench when I hear it. It makes me ready for a battle. Which is good. Because we're in one.

Today there was an e-mail that came out from Kairos about collecting items for a back to school drive. I stopped at Wal-Mart on the way home and was excited to find packs of crayons and notebooks for as little as 10 cents each. (Some of it was even made in America!) So I was able to pick up some boxes of each.

Maybe I'm being overly idealistic, but it felt like I was part of a striking blow to the forces of evil. With a few crayons and pencils, we push forward the kingdom of God against a broken society. The gates of hell will not prevail against the church, especially not with glue sticks and construction paper in hand.

Litany of Penitence

In thinking about my previous posting, the following came to mind from the Common Book of Prayer:

Most holy and merciful Father: We confess to you and to one another, and to the whole communion of saints in heaven and on earth, that we have sinned by our own fault in thought, word, and deed; by what we have done, and by what we have left undone.

We have not loved you with our whole heart, and mind, and strength. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We have not forgiven others, as we have been forgiven.
Have mercy on us, Lord.

We have been deaf to your call to serve, as Christ served us. We have not been true to the mind of Christ. We have grieved your Holy Spirit.
Have mercy on us, Lord.

We confess to you, Lord, all our past unfaithfulness: the pride, hypocrisy, and impatience of our lives,
We confess to you, Lord.

Our self-indulgent appetites and ways, and our exploitation of other people,
We confess to you, Lord.

Our anger at our own frustration, and our envy of those more fortunate than ourselves,
We confess to you, Lord.

Our intemperate love of worldly goods and comforts, and our dishonesty in daily life and work,
We confess to you, Lord.

Our negligence in prayer and worship, and our failure to commend the faith that is in us,
We confess to you, Lord.

Accept our repentance, Lord, for the wrongs we have done: for our blindness to human need and suffering, and our indifference to injustice and cruelty,
Accept our repentance, Lord.

For all false judgments, for uncharitable thoughts toward our neighbors, and for our prejudice and contempt toward those who differ from us,
Accept our repentance, Lord.

For our waste and pollution of your creation, and our lack of concern for those who come after us,
Accept our repentance, Lord.

Restore us, good Lord, and let your anger depart from us;
Favorably hear us, for your mercy is great.
Accomplish in us the work of your salvation,
That we may show forth your glory in the world.

By the cross and passion of your Son our Lord, Bring us with all your saints to the joy of his resurrection.

Taking a walk

In the past week I have twice done something I don't recall doing in years: I walked to the grocery store. I am sure that seems utterly mundane and unimportant. But as I walked back this morning a number of things started to cross my mind.

One of the things that bugs me most about us Americans is not just our sense of entitlement (as bad as that is) or our sense of indulgence (as bad as that is) but our sense of entitlement to indulgences! What most of the world can not even dream of, we complain about. Think about that the next time you're in a long line at a grocery store. You just spent the last hour (or whatever amount of time) in a clean, dry, air conditioned store with literally tens of thousands of products of every imaginable variety catering not only to your every need but your every desire. Much of the world will go hungry tonight. I remember hearing a story once of a foreign exchange student who visited the United States from a former Soviet bloc country. When the host family took the student to the grocery store, the child thought that it was democratic/capitalist propaganda because the store was so full of so many things. He or she thought they had set that store up just because they were visiting from a communist state, and it took time for the student to realize that was what normal life looks like for us. I have heard of missionaries who have returned to the States and literally became ill when they started to enter a store because they couldn't handle the transition back to such material abundance. I am not saying this to make you feel guilty. (I'm a conservative so this can't be liberal guilt.) Instead, I hope it will simply make us more thankful and generous. (And for crying out loud, please at least take your shopping cart back when you're finished instead of leaving it in the parking lot. You just spend an hour pushing it full around the store; why can you not push it empty a few more yards back to the cart caddy? That is so lazy and rude.)

The other component of this is the matter of walking. It is really striking to me how much our entire society is centered around the automobile. I would encourage you to try walking to the grocery store at least once. Granted, you probably can't do this if you're married with three kids in diapers. But especially if you're single it should be do-able for some things. (Both times I was just buying milk and fruits and veggies.) There are a number of advantages to this. For one, it's good exercise. Secondly, it saves you gas money. Third, you'll likely spend less on things you don't need since you have to carry it all back. Fourth, it's better for the environment. Fifth, it reduces traffic congestion. Sixth, it puts you more in touch with your community when you walk its streets and sidewalks. I'm sure there are more, but I'll leave it to you to share the ideas.

Again, the issue of indulgent entitlement came to mind. Who are we to complain about $3 gas when we have two or three cars outside (one of which is likely to be a gas-guzzling SUV)? Haven't we at least partly brought this on ourselves? It is considered almost unpatriotic to say that we need to "tighten our belts" and cut back to conserve energy. (God bless you Jimmy Carter.) We need to question that assumption.

Again, I am sure my hypocrisy here knows no bounds. There are many ways I can do better. This is something I am just now becoming more aware of. The fact that my motivation for walking was as much due to the fitness challenge at work than anything else reveals the privilege of my position. But can we consider how to use that privilege to be wise and to be a blessing instead of always indulging ourselves?

Monday, August 14, 2006

Could he be talking about my blog?

Again, I can't help but be reminded of the mild lunacy of my blogging. Garfield reflects on the aforemention Proverbial wisdom.

Saturday, August 12, 2006

But first . . .

God has really been working on me through this time in facilitating a class on Luke in Kairos. Our small group spent a year in Luke awhile back, and I was concerned I would feel a sense of overfamiliarity, but just the opposite has been true. There have been so many times I've said to myself, "I can't believe I've never seen that before."

This week is on Luke 9:57-62 and talks about how our obedience to following Christ must be considered (i.e. count the cost), immediate and unconditional. The first individual Jesus encounters on his way to Jerusalem is eager to follow and has great intentions but apparently hasn't come to grips with all that it will cost him. His problem seems to have been presumption. The second and third individuals stepped back from giving full and immediate allegiance. Their problem seems to have been procrastination.

It just made me start to ask myself, what has taken priority in my life before following Christ? What do I prioritize before my time with God? No doubt most of these will be good and necessary things. But "good is the enemy of the great."

It's amazing how powerful just a couple words can be: But first. But first let me go bury my father. But first let me say goodbye to everyone back home.

What things are causing me to respond to Jesus' call to follow Him by saying, "But first . . ."

  • The presence of a relationship (or the lack of one)?
  • The presence of an education (or the lack of one)?
  • The presence of a career (or the lack of one)?
  • The presence of a dream (or the lack of one)?

If I am being honest with myself, to what extent am I responding by saying:

  • I would follow you, if it weren't for . . .
  • I would follow you, if only . . .
  • I would follow you, but . . .

We make receiving the one thing we need conditional upon first arranging for a myriad of things we want.

It also struck me that the first person in this episode sought out Jesus. The second one Jesus sought out. I think it just goes to show that it works both ways.

The other question that really struck me from this passage is, "Is it costing you anything?" It seems they all had something they weren't quite ready to give up. It amazes me that Jesus isn't so worried about gaining more followers that he would let them get away without first dealing with the real issues of their heart. We tend to bypass that and try to just get people to say the four laws and a prayer and then think the work is done. I wonder if that is part of why the Church is so scarcely different from the world.

And yet again we encounter the phrase "the kingdom of God." The second individual says "First let me go and bury", but Jesus says to instead "go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God." For a very thorough and revealing treatment of what is meant by the idea of "kingdom of God" I again highly recommend Renovation of the Heart and The Divine Conspiracy, both by Dallas Willard.

It's interesting that we never really get to hear the rest of the story. Did they walk away dejected like the rich, young ruler? Or did they recognize and cast off what hindered them and utlimately respond in immediate, unconditional obedience? More importanly perhaps, which choice do I (we) make?

Friday, August 11, 2006

Dream Car

Oh, and if you're trying to figure out what to get me for Christmas this year, consider clicking on the link above. Nice. Very nice.

Cars

JD Power just released its dependability survey. Lexus took its perenniel spot at the top, but guess who the next three were? Hint: It wasn't Honda or Toyota. It wasn't even BMW or Mercedes. It was three American automakers: Mercury, Buick and Cadillac. Long live the American automobile. Literally.

As the happy owner of a GM product myself (a Saturn SL2), I get annoyed with the bias towards foreign cars. Have you ever noticed that if you tell someone you have 200,000 on your car and it's a Honda or a Toyota, it's because "They're made to run forever. They're the best." but if you have 200,000 miles and it's an American make it's because "Any new care will last that long if you take care of it." It's a double-standard.

My parents once had a Toyota Corolla and the thing died an early death. Their next car was a Buick.

I don't doubt that Honda and Toyota make excellent cars, and that they're better than some American brands. I just get irritated that they have become the universal default choice especially as they tend to be more expensive. All I'm saying is give Detroit a chance.

And by the way, I average 30+ mpg in my '01 Saturn.