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

Geico Caveman at the Therapist

The latest installment in the series. Enjoy.

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

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.