Love And Desire

So I was getting my daily dose of Dallas as I was getting my oil changed yesterday, and I came across this refreshing and challenging insight:

And first, what exactly is love? It is will to good or "bene-volence." We love something or someone when we promote its good for its own sake. Love's contrary is malice, and it simple absence is indifference. Its normal accompaniment is delight, but a twisted soul may delight in evil and take no pleasure in good.

Love is not the same thing as desire, for I may desire something without even wishing it well, much less willing its good. I might desire a chocolate ice cream cone, for example. But I do not wish it well; I wish to eat it. This is the difference between lust (mere desire) and love, as between a man and a woman. Desire and love are, of course, compatible when desire is ruled by love; but most people today would, unfortunately, not even know the difference between them. Hence, in our world, love constantly falls prey to lust. That is a major part of the deep sickness of contemporary life.

Our human world as we find it is not like God, though it was intended to be. Love is not natural in our world, those desire or lust certainly is. 'The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life,' the apostle said, is 'all that is in the world.' (1 John 2:16, PAR)

Pride is defined by desire, not love. It is, above all, the presumption that my desire should be fulfilled and that it is an injustice, a crying shame, and an injury if they are not.

Lust and pride all around us inevitably result in a world of fear. For they bring us into a world of little dictators; and the most likely thing is that each person will be used and abused by others, possibly destroyed, and at least not helped and cared for. Our families, which should be a refuge from such a world, often turn out to be places where victimization is at its worst. 'The dark places of the land are full of the habitations of violence' (Psalm 74:20). The tender young are initiated into an adult world hardened in evil. A baby is not even safe from its mother while in her womb. 'And he who turns aside from evil makes himself a prey' (Isaiah 59:15).

Injury brings pain and loss, then fear and anger, which mingle with resentment and contempt and settle into postures of coldness and malice, with brutal feelings that drain the body of health and strength and shatter social well-being. - Dallas Willard, Renovation of the Heart.

Lamponian Life Coaching Services, Inc.

So, I remember being on a shuttle bus leaving Las Vegas, and the driver of the bus shared that she was a "life coach." I had heard the term before but had never actually met one. I found this rather interesting, as apparently a night bus driver in Vegas has all of the skills and qualifications necessary to be a life coach.

Then I was thinking the other day, "What could I do to find alternative sources of income?" That's when it hit me. I could become a life coach! I mean, it's a completely unregulated industry so all I have to do is make business cards that say "life coach," and I'm in.

As far as I can tell, being a life coach is really little more than being a mentor and accountability partner. Dude, I can totally pull that off. I can even offer "Christian life coaching" because I took a survey on a Christian life coaching website, and "I would be comfortable charging significantly for my services because I am worth it."

Although I write this largely in jest, this is about the best idea I've come up with so far. And, in a sea of snake-oil vendors proclaiming to be life coaches, I might actually be able to help some people. What do you think?

And You're An Expert?

Here is an interesting piece of journalistic and academic garbage. Should people be taught more about financial literacy?

Teaching them is a waste of money. Studies show that sending people to either high school personal-finance classes or adult retirement seminars does not result in better financial behavior. Instead, try to get everyone to understand that the people selling you financial products often don't have your best interests at heart.What's more, politicians need to regulate financial products and make them into things that will benefit consumers, rather than expect education to be the cure-all it is not." - Lauren Willis, an associate professor at Loyola Law School

So, today's lesson is: You're not smart enough to understand how your money works. Financial institutions do not have your best interests at heart but politicians do. Education is not a cure-all but more government regulation is.

Where do I even start?

Say What?

"Suppose you're a voter, and you've got candidate X and candidate Y. Candidate X agrees with you on everything, but you don't think that candidate can deliver on anything at all. Candidate Y you agree with on about half the issues, but he can deliver. Which candidate are you going to vote for? This has nothing to do with what's going on now." - Bill Clinton.

Um, yeah. Exactly. And maybe candidate Z is still mad and pouting because she lost.

It's 3 AM, And You've Just Received A Text Message

So, what is worse? Actually picking Joe Biden as your running mate, or waiting way to long to formally announce it, have it leak to the press, and then rushing to text all of your supporters, who were supposed to know first, and waking people up on the east coast at 3 AM? Brilliant.

On the other hand, I wonder if McCain even knows how to text message.

Anyway, the Economist has an interesting article on the challenges Obama faces, and the steps he needs to take noting that he is slipping in the polls.

It will be interesting to see if Clinton's supporters finally fall in line behind their party's pick after the convention. It's hard to imagine that they are going to swoon over someone like Joe Biden. (Of course, it's unlikely but never impossible that she would try some sort of commando tactic and leave the convention as the nominee.)

If the Democrats remain divided they will lose the presidency. Were that to happen, after Iraq, Katrina and an economic crisis, they might well want to consider an alternative line of work.

Cruze'n?

I am definitely digging the looks of the new Chevrolet small car, the Cruze. It is supposed to get a very solid 45 mpg. On the down side, they're releasing it first in Europe, and it won't be here for two years. And the Cruze is kind of a weak name.

Start With What You Have

I need some new reading materials. But, before I make one more trip to Barnes and Noble, Borders or CBD.com, I have a few items on my shelf that I have purchased or received and not yet read. Here is my list to tackle next:

1. Common Wealth by Jeffrey Sachs
2. Churchill by Roy Jenkins
3. God is Relevant by Luis Palau
4. Assassins by LaHaye & Jenkins
5. The Winning Attitude / Developing the Leaders Around You / Becoming a Person of Influence by John Maxwell
6. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

I also have a few partial-reads. So, what's been sitting on your shelf that you haven't picked up yet?

On The Bright Side

I still find myself a bit confounded by the speculation that Barrack Obama would choose Joe Biden as his running mate because of his foreign policy credentials. Just because you have done something for a very long time doesn't necessarily mean that you are good at it. The bright side that I see to this though is that it gets Biden out of Delaware, and we can finally get a new Senator.

The incoming Democratic chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee yesterday said he will try to block President Bush from sending an additional 30,000 troops to Iraq, calling it "the absolute wrong strategy."

Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware plans three straight weeks of congressional hearings on Iraq policy next month in hopes of persuading the president to abandon a plan he is thought to be seriously considering.

"We've already broken Iraq. We're about to break the United States military" by sending more troops, said Mr. Biden, who is seeking the 2008 presidential nomination.

Mr. Bush early next month will announce a new strategy for the war, and is thought to favor a temporary increase in troop levels in what has been dubbed a "surge." - The Washington Times, 12/27/06.

Oh, and then there was this little gaffe.

"I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy. I mean, that's a storybook, man."

Schrödinger's Cat

From Jeff's blog I was clued into this website which brings out the small cat lover within. From time to time, I am reminded of a lunch conversation with Joe F. regarding Schrödinger's cat.



more cat pictures


more cat pictures


more cat pictures

Foreign Policy

So, as I am still searching for a presidential candidate to fully support, I found myself again looking at the Constitution Party. One of the items on their platform that is striking to me is how fundamentally different foreign policy is approached today (since WWI and perhaps most notably under the current administration) from how our founding fathers seemed to have considered it. Our current involvement in the Georgian-Russian conflict ("We're all Georgians"? What the . . .?) only provides a more stark relief against which to see this.

"Europe has a set of primary interests, which have to us none, or very remote relation. Hence, she must be engaged in frequent controversies, the causes of which are essentially foreign to our concerns. Hence, therefore, it must be unwise in us to implicate ourselves, by artificial ties, in the ordinary vicissitudes of her politics, or the ordinary combinations and collusions of her friendships or enmities. "Why forego the advantages of so peculiar a situation? Why quit our own to stand upon foreign ground? Why, by interweaving our destiny with that of any part of Europe, entangle our peace and prosperity in the toils of European ambition, rivalship, interest, humor, or caprice?" (George Washington's Farewell Address)


"America has abstained from interference in the concerns of others, even when the conflict has been for principles to which she clings....She goes not abroad in search of monsters to destroy. She is the well-wisher to the freedom and independence of all. She is the champion and vindicator only of her own." (John Quincy Adams, Speech Delivered in Washington DC 04 July 1821)


"In the wars of European powers in matters relating to themselves we have never taken any part, nor does it comport with our policy so to do....Our policy in regard to Europe...is, not to interfere in the internal concerns of any of its powers..." (James Monroe, Monroe Doctrine)

I.O.U.S.A.

Yeah, so I was only sort of kidding about the government defaulting on its debt. I think everyone should go see the upcoming documentary, I.O.U.S.A.

Where have you gone, Ross Perot?

More Contrarian Investing

So now that gold prices have plunged by 20% in the last month , I wonder if it's about time to get in on the action. Again, I see this is more of a long term investment (as in 30 years from now when the US government defaults on its debt sending world financial markets into complete chaos and marking the end of the American empire. Or maybe I'm just being cynical.)

I have found that one convenient way to trade in gold is through the iShares COMEX Gold Trust ETF (IAU). Unless you kind of dig having gold bullion lying around the house.

I'll add the IAU shares to my hypothetical slush fund.

The Americans Arrive

There is a good article in the Economist about the Georgian/Russian conflict and the arrival of US forces. It appears President Bush has played his limited hand as best as he could in sending Rice, Gates and the humanitarian efforts, delivered through naval and air forces, over to Georgia.

Reference To A Blog Cooler Than Mine

This post on Prayer Ninjas made me laugh out loud. Which still kind of hurts to do.

New Blog Feature

So I have added a new feature to my blog. You will notice on the right a listing of the lowest and highest gas prices in town courtesy of GasBuddy. Just click on the link to find the location nearest you with the lowest price. I hope you will find this helpful!

So What Have We Learned

A few lessons come to mind when hearing the updates from the Georgian-Russian conflict:

1. Saber-rattling with a country whose army is 20x larger than yours is typically not a good idea.
2. Expecting/hoping the US or NATO to come to your aid with military force when we are already engaged in two other wars with a threat of a third is not a good idea.
3. Condemning a country for "using military force to invade a sovereign nation and effecting a regime change" sounds pretty weak when you have, uh, invaded another sovereign nation with military force for the effect of a regime change.
4. As everyone guessed, Putin is still in control of Russia.
5. At the moment, it would appear that Russia holds all the cards.
   

Miracles Are Not Guaranteed, Credit Cards Accepted

So, as I stayed home on Sunday morning in my recovery, I found myself watching a shady televangelist on the one channel that comes in clearest on my TV. It's hard for me to grasp that people like this still appear on air. The whole setup was comical. I think everyone in the large choir was under the age of 30 and had flawless skin. You could see a few gray hairs in the audience, but only the back of their heads. The speaker was talking about prosperity theology of course. That "there is nothing more beautiful in the world than a $100 bill" and that you have to give expecting a return. He held a Bible pretty much the whole time, but I don't really recall him using it. He was a very harsh, unpleasant person.

At the end of the message, he pitched his new book on leadership, which profiled Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, Donald Trump and others. The final close came with an appeal for donations of $1,0o0. He asked everyone to get out their checkbook and hold it up so he could pray over them. Then, a disclaimer came on the screen in medium sized font: "Miracles are the works of God. They are not guaranteed." Just below that in much larger font was the message: "Credit Cards Accepted" and their phone number.

Sir, I would rather flip to the other fuzzy channel on my TV and buy the colon cleansing product being advertised than send one dime to you.

If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instructions of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. for the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. - 1 Timothy 6:1-10

This Is Gonna Hurt

So, today at 1:15 I will be getting all four of my wisdom teeth removed. One of my bottom teeth is impacted and also has a large cyst (the dental surgeon said if I had waited long enough, eventually my jaw would have just broken.) I would appreciate your prayers for a safe and successful procedure. Thanks!

Rock Star Dreams

So last night I had a dream that I was at a concert performing Rise Above This by Seether. I'm pretty sure that's the first time I've ever actually dreamed of being a rock star. At least I was rockin' out to a song that I liked.

So anyway, here is a video of the real Seether doing a live acoustic set at a concert in Philadelphia.

Upromise Is Useless

So six years ago I joined Upromise as a way of trying to help my nephews save for college. The idea is that a small percentage of many of your common purchases gets put into an account and accumulates over the years until a child in your life reaches college age. It's supposed to be a win-win situation, building customer loyalty for the corporations sponsoring the program and helping you save money. Well, after six long years, I have accumulated a grand total of . . . $17.20.

Wow, I guess the only question now is if they want to go to Yale or Harvard.