Friday Night Videos, pt. 1

Last Friday, the Mrs. and I did something we hadn't done in at least a year, and really haven't done regularly in two years...we did rented movies. We used to do this multiple times a week...now, practically never.

I so need a new life.

Oh, anyway, the first movie we watched was In Good Company. This film got some great reviews in Newsweek (prompting no riots) and World, but pretty much no attention in the box office. It was a surprisingly charming film--at moments it was pretty much cliché romantic comedy type stuff, but it didn't ever fall into that rut 100%.

As for the acting...I was very pleased. Dennis Quaid was very restrained as the loving father/dedicated employee/old-school salesman who believes in his product. Quaid's been a personal favorite since his days as Gordo Cooper in The Right Stuff (I was even able to forgive him for Inner Space), and it was very nice to like him again in a role. Topher Grace did a great, great job. Showed me that he can handle stuff beyond sit-coms (which I love him in)--I expected he could, but was glad to see I was right. I'd never seen Scarlett Johansson in anything before, but now I want to (and for purely platonic reasons). I'd apparently seen Clark Gregg before (AI, State and Main, Clear and Present Danger, Usual Suspects) but I only remember him as Mr. Quo Vadimus in Sports Night. He played pretty much the same character in this movie, only without a heart. David Paymer was excellent as usual, wish he got bigger roles--tho' I think he does better in the small stuff.

Like I said the story was border-line cliché: Old School Business vs. New Order of Profit at all Costs; Forbidden Love; Old Dog vs. Young Pup; and a few others. But they were meshed together so well you don't care. A few genuine laughs, a couple of great scenes, a couple things they could've given you more of/resolved better. All in all a nice movie, and those are too few and far between. Nothing I would make an effort to see again, but if given the opportunity to, I wouldn't mind a bit.

Beautiful Sight

Looking at the AL-East standings gives me a nice, warm, fuzzy feeling. Yankees (winning 15 of the last 17) are now at 26-21, .553 PCT. Sure they're 4.5 games behind Baltimore, but after that rocky start, having them in second place is a sight for sore eyes.

Yeah, that's right I said second place. So what happened to Boston? Well, after being swept by Toronto they're 5 games out of first. And they're starting a 3 game series at Yankee Stadium. Wakefield vs. Johnson...this is gonna be good.

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah

Fine. I admit I was wrong. That's my quota for this month. Last night, I stuck to my guns (that "Independence Day" was embarassing for Carrie--on the little flashback they showed tonight displayed that she really can sing it very well), sure he messed up on the first dreadful tune, but Bo came back strong. Still thought he had a lock, but it was closer than I had thought.

But today when I was watching the video of last night (don't laugh, I'm not that sad, my kids didn't get to see it when it first aired) I started to waver. Guess this shows I should stick with my gut and not have reconsidered my original claims about Carrie.

BTW, major kudos to the brains behind American Idol--that "Crime Time" segment was HI-larious, brilliant way to deflate the whole Corey Clark thing.

"Piety Kills the Creative Mind"

Saw this today as an advertisement for some group of Christian artists...disgusting, isn't it? The all-too typical "Yeah, I'm a Christian, but I don't let that interfere with my art" mentality that we saw a lot of in the 80's and 90's--can anyone say U2? (I had a couple other references jumped to mind this morning, but they've slipped off the tip of my tongue...I may update this later). It's meant to be shocking, it's meant to be in your face, it's meant to challenge your assumptions. Flummery, humbug and balderdash. As with most things meant to shock it just comes across as juvenile. Listen, it's not deep, it's not thoughtful, it's not Christian. It is rebellion.

First, piety doesn't kill the creative mind. Tell that to David. Tell that to Solomon. Tell that to Jesus.

Secondly, what exactly is piety? A couple of my favorite definitions, from that big old nasty opponent of the arts, John Calvin:

• "I call 'piety' that reverence joined with love of God which the knowledge of his benefits induces."
• "True piety consists in a sincere feeling which loves God as Father as much as it fears and reverences Him as Lord, embraces His righteousness, and dreads offending Him worse than death."
  

Give me piety any day.

Now I didn't name the group or link to 'em because I don't want to deal with a bunch of those poseurs coming over here and showing their intellectual superiority over me because they "get it" and I don't. Yeah, I do get it, and I know what name to apply to it. Vanity.

She's a little bit Country, He's a little bit Rock 'n Roll

Somehow, despite my repeated intentions to the contrary, I've blogged very little about American Idol (and several of you are very grateful). So I figured I'd better do this now, while I had a spare moment.

First off, I fully expect either tonight or tomorrow they'll give us Carrie and Bo doing a duet of that old Osmonds song.

Secondly, back before we got the final 12--and were immersed in the Mario/Nicco switch, the shady past of "The Body" and had to figure out just why Constantine thought that same Hannibal Lecter stare into the camera was sexy--I was saying definitively that there was no way that anybody but Carrie Underwood would win. When Simon said that she was going to win the competition and sell more than any other winner, I was pleased to see him catch up with me.

But tonight...sorry, Carrie, my dear, but the best you can hope for is that 1 hr before taping Simon and Paula run off to Vegas for a quickie wedding and they have to declare it a draw because Randy can't decide which of you is more aaight. There's just no way you can beat Bo. You don't have it in you. The fact that you beat Baby V last week is a testimony to your fans' loyalty (and Clive Davis' comments about her)--and sadly, not you. Tho' I still bet you sell more records than any Idol contestant.

Last year, I had very little doubt that Fantasia was going to walk all over poor little Diana. This year I have none. It's all about Bo.

this should be fun...

A few websites are reporting that Ken Jennings is getting his own Comedy Central game show.

"Research has shown that our viewers are clamoring for more shows hosted by software engineers from Utah and, fortunately, Ken was available and had a screen test handy," said Lauren Corrao, senior vp original programing and head of development at Comedy Central.

This is great...there's soemthing about Jennings that just makes you want to root for him and see him make big bucks (recent stories about him not spending much of his record Jeopardy winnings yet for some reason make me want to see him get more). And Comedy Central's game shows like Win Ben Stein's Money and Beat the Geeks were great.

Going the lazy route on posting

Gotta respect a guy like this, from a Mike Straka piece:
"The thing that I have to deal with," [Jason Alexander] said, "is finding a way — particularly being that I live in Los Angeles, which is a town full of illusion and questionable values and morals, and the fact that my children are being raised with financial means and the odd behavior that surrounds a celebrity — so imparting to them what really has value and worth is a little harder than how I was brought up in a middle-class family," he said.

When Alexander goes to Disneyland with his children, for example, he says they don't wait in lines. It's important, therefore, he says, to teach his two young boys that that is not normal and that they are not better than the families who are waiting in line. It's just that skipping the lines is the only way for them to experience the rides as a family, as otherwise he'd be bombarded by autograph requests.

"I can say that until I'm blue in the face," he said, "but will they get it? I have to deal with giving them a real sense of what is valuable, what is right and what is moral, when all they see at their age is privilege, and that's tricky," he said.

Kidney Kid Update 5/18

Not much to say, but enough to litter your inbox with. We had a new ultrasound on Monday, and we saw pretty much what was expected--dark blobs on top of light gray blobs, with intermittent splashes of color. Assuming that the people at the hospital know what they're talking about, they saw what they should've, too. The "very bad" kidney is still very bad, and the "not as bad" kidney has grown some. The good news there is that it's what we were supposed to see.

This ultrasound was the precursor to the operation we mentioned in the last update. That was this morning, we've been sketchy on details on this because one day he'll be old enough to get embarrassed and he wouldn't like it if we gushed on this, but basically he had some work done on his urethra. Surgery went well, we were told that afterwards we'd hear him before we'd see him in the recovery room. Well that didn't happen. When he came to, he was basically the Kidney Kid, just very subdued (not at all the person we were told we wouldn't recognize in our son's body). He's still subdued now, just less so, he's wanting to get up and walk around--and doesn't understand why we won't let him (nor does he understand why his legs seem to have been transubstantiated into jello). For the next few days, basically our job is to keep him relaxed and to watch out for "bladder spasms"--which sound just horrible, then we go back in a week for a follow-up with the Urologist.

Unless something changes, that's about it for now. We'll just leave you with this word of advice: if you're ever given the opportunity to care for a 1-yr old with a catheter: skip it. :)

Whoo-hoo!

Skewlz out for summer!

Paper's done, debate's over, final's submitted.

My brain is officially mush.

9 in a row...

The boys are back! Tino, Bernie...aw man...it's like 2001 all over again. Tino had 8 homers in 8 games last week! Tied for 1st in the majors right now!

And Bernie's career 11th Grand Slam tonight, man! Wish I could've done more than read about that.

Keep it up guys! August is right around the corner.

3 for 3

Well, that's three trips to Greenville. Three times my flight out has been cancelled.

I...don't...believe...it

As my hostess said, "at least he's consistent."

Apparently, the big to-do about the Cessna flying into Washington's restricted airspace resulted in some flights being grounded/delayed. That made our flight out to Chicago 2 hrs late, which would make us late for our connecting flight. Soooo, I get to wake up at 4 am to try this again.

National Day of Prayer

I don't get it...just don't get it. Never have. Don't know if I ever will.

Anyone want to explain it to me?

"And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you." (Matt. 6:5-6, ESV)

Seminary of the Kitchen Table

...that's what Tom Tyson calls the theological education (catecheses, etc.) that his mother gave him as he was growing up. There are times when that seems like a very fitting name.

Tonight at dinner we had the Dividing Line on in the background and Frodo hears something about Joseph Smith and the Bible. "Joseph Smith was in the Bible? What did he do?" So I tell him no, that Joseph Smith lived about 150 years ago, taught something about God, changed the Bible, taught that God has a body, that Jesus and Satan were brothers, there are many gods... he responds (slack-jawed and wide-eyed) "That is evil." Of course, that earns him a bear hug from his pa.

Not everything went that smoothly, Samwise didn't catch it all so we were repeating that for him, expanding along the way, and included that if you're really good and do all the things you're supposed to do, after you die you can become a god and get your own planet. He gets excited "COOL!" Frodo, the Mrs and I jump in at that point with a correction (the Princess stayed focused on her Mandarin Chicken).

In the end we had a long and good conversation about LDS beliefs and contrasted that with what the Bible teaches. A little earlier than I'd planned on having that talk, but man, when your 6 year-old shows that level of discernment, you step up to the plate. (If only folks at Eerdmans, Fuller Seminary, etc. had the same level!)

Each Generation's Task

It strikes many Presbyterians with surprise that the General Assembly and our leading periodicals in this year 1860, one hundred and fifty years after the beginning of our church in America, should be largely occupied in discussing the question, "What is Presbyterianism?" They ask with displeasure, "Are fundamentals never to be settled among us? Is the church never to be relieved of these debates, which thus agitate the settled foundations of our theory?" We may answer to these indignant questions with an emphatic No. The good brethren who thus deplore these renewed discussions of first principles misconceive the nature of the human mind and of free institutions. While man remains the creature he is, such discussions are to be expected and desired. Each generation must do its own thinking, and learn for itself its own lessons in first truths and general principles. If we insist that this generation of Presbyterians shall hold our fathers' principles on trust, and by mere prescription, the result will be that they will not hold them sincerely at all. For by the very reason that general principles do not lie on the surface, but are to be detected by analysis and induction, they are always in every science, other than first appearances and first impressions would lead men to suppose. Hence, in every science, the true general principles are unpopular and paradoxical, in the first, unthinking view. Prior to this active investigation, it is, in astronomy for instance, the earth which seems to stand still and the heavenly bodies to move; in hydrostatics, it is the empty tube which seems to suck up the water; in theology, it is the Pelagian view which commends itself to the natural mind, instead of the Calvinistic. So in church government, the actual first truths of the New Testament are not those which our unreflecting impressions would lead us to suppose. Hence each generation must correct those first impressions for itself, and be led down to the true principles by the laborious collision of debate and investigation.

Beside this, the human mind loves the concrete; and the labor of abstraction and correct generalization is most irksome to it. Yet it is certain that all general truths, that are properly such, are abstractions. Hence, most minds never trouble themselves to attain independently to an intelligent view of such truths, but adopt the practical results of them with a sort of imperfect comprehension and conviction; and of many who make such first truths the regulative sources of their practical opinions, the general views are more or less vague, and their agreement with each other in them is only approximative. Now we cheerfully grant that both these classes may be practically very hood and honest Presbyterians, and that their detailed opinions and conduct may be much better than the general principles of their theory. But it is none the less true that the general principles sooner or later work out their logical details in the public mind; and that it is the men who hold the abstractions--a Plato, an Augustine, a Calvin, a Des Carts, a Jefferson, a Calhoun--correctly or incorrectly, who in the issue determine the practical opinions of their fellow-men for good or for evil. The practical opinions can only be kept correct by a perpetual recurrence to first truths. Hence we must expect the perpetual agitation of those first truths. It indicates, not, indeed, the perfect health of the body ecclesiastical, a condition not to be expected while Christians are imperfect, but its sanative tendencies.

from R. L. Dabney, "Theories of the Eldership"

a rarity

Since the blogosphere is filled with places that seem to exist only to say nasty things about Dr. James White, figured he's due to have at least one nice post made about him from time to time (even if he can't pronounce my name).

One of the things that Dr. White is most frequently accused of is being a nasty, divisive Calvinist who will disfellowship those who don't agree with him en toto. If this is true, please tell me why he would include this paragraph in one of his blog posts today?

Now, you will notice, I am recommending a book that contains, as one example, a very Presbyterian discussion of baptizw, with which I would take exception. That's called allowing for differences, even important differences, and still learning from godly men who do not agree on every jot and tittle.

We here at the Noise of course agree with that spirit--which is why despite the fact that Dr. White doesn't get baptizw right (in fact, he gets it horribly wrong), we've been linking to him from the start :) Don't get me wrong, baptism is a huge issue, and one of us is sinning when we teach on/practice it. So we can acknowledge this divide, and learn from those on the other side of the chasm. I'll take that ecumenicism any day over the "let's brush everything under the rug as long as we can elect a decent president together" mentality so prevalent today.

So anyway, kudos to the Doc for saying what he did. Now off to drool some more over that book he was recommending...

Just wrong...so wrong

okay, the Health Nazi's take away our Super-Sized Fries/Drinks; they turn the Cookie Monster into a health food eater, and we sit by and take it. This has to stop now...they've gone too far: They're changing the Oreo Filling

Stand up! Take to the Streets! Let the Revolution Begin!

tip o' the cap to: Not So Fast

rolling my eyes

1. Wow! 1 week and change since a post...have a handful running around my wee little brain...need to do something with them.

2. Someone, don't know who (but I have a guess) signed me up for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee e-newsletter last fall. So once a week (sometimes more), I get this email from some DNC big-wig whining about the President, Majority in the Senate/House, something like that. It's normally worth a chuckle and a shake of the head (what fools these mortals be!) but that's about it...today's was no exception. Under the heading The Lion Roars , we read:

Sen. Ted Kennedy has been on the Senate Judiciary Committee for years and knows the difference between good nominees and bad nominees. And, boy, has Bush nominated some real stinkers!

followed by a link to his web page wherein he smears these nominees.

So the question of the day: If they're just that bad...why not let the Senate vote on them?

HGTTG

David Learner gives his review of the Hitchhiker's movie...he played Marvin on stage and on TV, so his thumbs up means something..the way he writes about Adams tho is what makes this one worth a read. (marvin is played by Warwick Davis and Alan Rickman in the movie)

lighter side

The Top 5 Signs You're About to Be Fired

FYI

Over at my semblog is a very half-hearted reading report on Fighting the Good Fight: A Brief History of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church.

New Blog on the list...

Lukerisms, aptly subtitled "The only place on the web for Lukerisms" (unless I quote them here...which I probably will). Today's entry, "The real question . . . . " is one of the tamer, and yet wholly sound things I've read on the topic of John Paul II's eternal destiny.

Life inside the Headphones

I really love my job with the Tax Commission...work is steady, consistent. Sit down, look at a form and type, when finished, move to the next. Lather, rinse, repeat as needed. It would literally be the perfect job if it went year round....

This last Saturday was a little creepy--I had a string of forms that must've come in the same envelope from a military base. They all had this little note in the corner, "COMBAT ZONE"--a little unnerving. Thankfully they all got refunds, would've felt guilty if they had to pay Idaho taxes on top of everything else--oh, and all of them? Woefully underpaid. Disgusting.

Anyhow, one of the nice things about the gig is that as it is so conssistent, you don't have to pay a lot of attention to it and still do a good job. So for a few hrs a day, I get to just sit in pretty much silence, and let my mind wander, think of a particular issue, book, whatever. Last year I plotted out about half a dozen short stories...never got around to writing them, 'tho. Go through a bazillion batteries for my CD player, though.

Recently listened to a very challenging, convicting and convincing sermon by Joel Beeke, The Great Boon to Sanctification: Conducting Family Worship. Glad no one was around to see me on the verge of weeping... "You okay there? Yeah, those Fuel Use Deductions really get to me, too."

A few years ago I decided that the best music to do data entry to was Boy Band stuff like 'Nync or Backstreet Boys (or is it Boyz? Don't care). For the record, never bought any, but would keep the radio tuned to a station that would play that a lot.

But a good second place entry is 80's music. So last week I made this huge mp3 CD of 80's tunes, taking full advantage of the size of mp3's and the CD. A playlist that would make Methuselah and Mithradites say, "Dude, this is taking forever..." Granted , there's no art to it, Rob Fleming would be disappointed in it for that. Basically just dragged and dropped 700 MBs on to the disc. There's a danger to that tho, there's this impulse to sing along...can you just imagine sitting there tap-tapping on your keyboard to hear my caterwauling:

I’m begging you, please...
Don’t talk to strangers, baby don’t you talk
Don’t talk to strangers, you know he’ll only use you up
Don’t talk, don’t talk, don’t talk,
Don’t talk, don’t talk to him
Nobody, talk, nobody, ever told you, don’t talk

Okay, enough time-killing, I have report/paper/stuff to write...putting the headphones back on to get some done...but at least I'm at home and my kids won't complain (they're used to it)

Turnaround, every now and then I get a
little bit lonely and you're never coming around
Turnaround, Every now and then I get a
little bit tired of listening to the sound of my tears
Turnaround, Every now and then I get a
little bit nervous that the best of all the years have gone by
...

Sing along!

Another reason to be a Red State kind of guy

Can you imagine how lame John F(ancy Pants) Kerry would've looked doing this?

yeah, I know...lame post, beating a dead horse...hey! haven't posted anything since Monday, had to do something

Big Weekend

Samwise played his first T-ball game. He's got great instincts--only kid out there who once he got his hands on the ball didn't have to be told where to throw it (who says MLB2004 for the Game Cube isn't educational?). Getting his uniform was one of the proudest moments of his life. He kept saying "I'm a [team name] today! I'm a [team name] today!"

Frodo was clearly a veteran on the field--always the second man to the ball (usually by a step). Why do I think that's good? Because it wasn't long before he'd figured out that no one else knew what to do, so from Left Field he started dashing for any ball that made it out of the infield--all of which were to Center or Right. So something'd get hit to RF and he'd take off, and get there one step behind. Good hits, too.

Turns out that it's not next Sunday as originally planned that will be my last doing pulpit supply, but it was yesterday. Relieved to be done and have more time in my life...but hate to give it up. (unless something goes horribly wrong at Presbytery and I'm in for another 6 mos. + of this)

Biggest news of the weekend: the Kidney Kid WALKED!!! Friday we tricked him into taking a couple of steps while he was distracted by a toy. But Saturday we got him to walk between the Mrs and myself. After doing it a few times, he realized what he was doing :) Yesterday I broke out the videocamera to capture the steps. He took a couple steps toward me and then stopped, uncertain. So I flipped the little LCD screen around so he could see himself in it. He uttered a very Tim Allen-esque grunt (it's in the genes) and hobbled towards the camera :)

If you'd asked us a year ago to predict where he'd be...we'd have been sure he'd have been healthy. But probably on dialysys, maybe a feeding tube (and of course, the humane thing would then have been to starve him and let him die a peaceful, noble death). This is beyond all our expectations and hopes. Soli Deo Gloria.

Welcome to Post-Schaivo America

Granddaughter yanks grandma's feeding tube

May God have mercy on us all.

Sell Out

Could Chuck Colson sell out to Rome just a little bit more? Is that possible?

From today's tribute: "Under his care, the Church opposed, both in word and deed, the false idols at whose altar so many of our contemporaries worship."

Gut Wrenching Irony on Line 2.

John Tesh, Criminal at Large

Okay, I'm on the way from Job 2 to Job 1 tonight, and Jerry Doyle plays this song clip
from the new John Tesh album, and then goes on a huge, and mildly
entertaining, anti-Tesh rant. Now if I was to say just 10% of the things he
said in the chat channel I hang out in, Dr. White would click a couple of
buttons, and I'd be unable to chat for at least 1-2 minutes, maybe a day.
And on the whole, I can see his point: nice guy, apparently Christian, gives his audience what they want.

But this... this ... is just wrong.
This is audio vandalism, this is a crime against art, this is...ugh. Words
fail me. But my pop music listening readers, you have to click on that link
(Bernice, Susan..eh, don't bother) AND, you really need to listen to the
whole clip. Feel my pain.

I love this internet thingy...

All while sitting in this little chair in front of my desk, I:

• Attended Presbyterian Church History class this morning via videoconferencing.
• Am listening to the archived edition of today's Dividing Line
• Just finished watching the Yankees beat the Sox on mlb.com's Gameday.

Couldn't have done any of this 10 years ago. Just think of that!

New Blog

D. Patrick Ramsey has a new blog, Patrick's Pensees, well worth reading and pondering. I'm not sure I'm going to be able to arrive at the same conclusions he seems to be going with his thinking on the covenant. But I find his thinking and method profitable--much more so than most contemporary explorations of the topic. His latest two posts, A Greater Scandal in the Church and Covenant Children and the Kingdom of God are keepers.

Well today officially cannot suck

I don't care if I get fired (from either/both jobs), if I get hit by a train, mugged, stabbed, lose the house in a blaze because I forgot to turn off my George Foreman grill....doesn't matter. Great Day.

Close to an actual transcript:

Frodo (comes out of his room) Did you know there's actually eleven commandments?
Me: What?
Frodo: Jesus said, I give you a new commandment.
[quick discussion about said commandment]
Me: Um, when did you read this?
Frodo: Just before you told us to come out...
Me: You were reading the Bible?
Frodo: Yeah, I was reading Joshua, but decided I didn't want to, so I was reading John.
Me: Why?
Frodo: I wanted to.
Me: You were reading the Bible just because?
Frodo: Well, I didn't want to read Joshua, so I was reading John and Jesus said "a new commandment."

UPDATE: Seeing how impressed I was at Frodo's doing that, Samwise is flipping through the book of Hebrews :)

"Let's go, Tino!"

Warning: for the next few days in particular, and over the next couple of months, there will be a lot of Yankee Noise.

Watched some clips of last night's season opener on mlb.com with the kids. Tino's diving catch and toss to to Sturtze...nice. Would be very nice any day, but for your first game back in pinstripes in front of a crowd just begging for a chance to go crazy for you? Priceless.

Oh, and don't get me started on Matsui's home-run denying catch in the second. My kids had me play that 3 times :)

9-2, baby. One game down, 161 (and the post-season) to go...

Health Plan

Yesterday's Pearls before Swine sums it pretty nicely.

Building Generational Bridges

I like to have music on during the day with the kids (it discourages talk about whatever might be on TV). But we have a problem, what do we listen to? Kids music (which I can tolerate and occasionally enjoy a track or two) or Daddy's music (which they can tolerate and enjoy a couple of tracks of)?

Well, we might have found an answer: They Might Be Giants. A favorite group of Daddy's since 1990(!!!), who just released Here Come the ABC's. Educational, fun, quirky. Peace in the land.

Thank you, Johns!

Taking the easy way out...

Was going to try to do a quick review of the new Jill Phillip's CD: Kingdom Come, but decided to be lazy/efficient and just post the log of my comments on it in an IRC channel. Less than eloquent, but it's done.

hey...for those of you who read Cent's blog...he was recently praising a CD by Jill Phillips
got my copy in the mail today (from Kingdombound Books, no less) it's very, very good
think Fernando Ortega but with guitars where he has piano, and with a female vocalist
so, pretty much, not at all like Fernando
But...if you like Fernando Ortega, you'll like Jill Phillips
and if you don't like Ortega, there's something wrong with you

really need to post something not so down

okay after the last three posts, need something more on the uplifting side.

Sure it'll be outdated by the time anyone reads it, but

5 days, 16 minutes, 20 minutes until Opening Day, baby!!!

maybe I should just go live in a cave for a bit

I just want to watch/listen to the news again without getting angry. Okay the whole unjust war thing we've got going in Iraq got me/gets me burned, but, y'know, it's what governments do...I can deal. The whole Bi-partisan congressional 9/11 investigation/circus ticked me off, but it's what politicians do. Those sucked and they made me angry, but it was a detached anger, y'know.

But this Schiavo mess...there's no detachment there. And then today, thanks to those good people at Planned Parenthood for taking this to the Supreme Court (out of the goodness of their hearts, I'm sure), Idaho's law requiring parental notification before a minor can have a life-threatening and life-changing (not to mention life-ending) operation has been rejected. Grrrrr.

Okay, I'm not going to use the old "can't get a ear pierced w/o the parent's permission" line (everyone's tired of it). I'm going to come up with the, Can't get a B without the parents being notified line. or the Can't get a tetanus shot for scratching your toe on a nail at your neighbor's home without parental notification line. I mean, come on people! Where's our perspective?!?!?! I know, I know, we're all too distracted with the riveting and vital events in the Michael Jackson case to care about this, but...ugh. Maybe on a commerical break we can think about caring?

#5 is sometimes the hardest

"Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you. Ex. 20:12

"'Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you. Deut. 5:16

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. "Honor your father and mother" (this is the first commandment with a promise), that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land." Eph. 6:1-3

No matter how hard I stare at those I can't find the escape clause I so desperately want to find. Something like, "until your in your 30's or so, or have a wife and kids of your own...especially if your father is an unbeliever or idolater." But no...there the law stands, exposing my sin and keeping me on the path (you have no idea how many things I had following "especially if your father is..." before I decided that was the safest way to put it).

I've even tried to think well, what if I can get him on Eph. 6:4 (Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.)? Focusing on the first clause, of course. Of course the whole 2 wrongs doesn't make a right thing comes into play...(but 2 lefts do, if I remember the teachings of Steven Wright correctly)

What brings on this little escape into loophole digging, you ask? Well first of all he's been made a board member of the state's Interfaith Alliance chapter (motto: Proving J. Gresham Machen right every time we open our mouths). Which I have to admit is a pretty nice trick...I can't imagine how someone who hasn't attended church regularly in 16 or so years gets to be on the board of a religious group--and hasn't been a member of a church for 4-5 years before that! Anyway, now, as an official mouthpiece, he sends my sister and I this email called, "I couldn't have said it better!" In it, he just copies and pastes the text of this letter from the Alliance's president on Terry Schiavo. First off, it reads like he's paraphrasing the Democratic party Talking Points memo on the controversy. But then he drags his clergyman status into it, as if that makes him infallible and someone that every Christian should listen to. God's a convenient tool when you want to make an emotional point, I guess.

Now, my gut reaction is to reply with both guns blazing...but I know that would only accomplish getting my inbox filled with more tripe like his (not to mention even more awkwardness than normal when we see my folks this weekend). And if I reply with diplomatic language, he'll miss my point and assume (as he always does for some reason) that we're on the same page.

So, I sit here stymied. Unsure what to do, and trying to not get bitter. Not sure it's working.

Sounds of Silence

Looking at this color scheme, saying "Hello darkness, my old friend" seems very appropriate.

No particular reason for the almost week of silence, while I have a lot on my plate, haven't accomplished any of it. Haven't really tried. Just one of those weeks where doing anytihng seems pointless.

Found this quote today:

"Where is human nature so weak as in the bookstore?" Henry Ward Beecher (1813-1887)

My wife (happy birthday honey!) would testify that nothing could describe me better...

Scottish Presuppositionalism

Like any other of the great doctrines of the Word of God that of its own Inspiration was to be derived directly from the statements which we find it making on the subject. Thus it is that we reach a doctrine of the Person of Christ or of the work of the Holy Ghost or of Justification by faith. It is when the various statements of the sacred writers are carefully weighed and compared that on these subjects we come to a decision as to what on a conjunct view of the evidence should be held to be the Christian Faith. Rays of light from a variety of texts and contexts are seen to converge or to come to a common focus. This gives us the truth that is regulative for Christian thinking. The doctrine of Inspiration is in no different category. Like all the other doctrines of the Faith it can be profitably formulated only when we are sure of our ground in authority. For as a doctrine it is to be discussed as a thing possessed with authority only among the believers in the witness of the word. What the word teaches controls the faith of the Church, or at least it ought to do so. In controversy with avowed unbelievers it is not on the inspired character of Scripture but on its truth that Christians first lay stress. It is only when their opponents come to own that truth that they will accept its witness when it tells about itself. The campaign of opposition to the doctrine of the fully inspired character of Holy Writ when it is carried on within the Churches proceeds logically on a refusal to accept the truth of the claims which the Apostles made on their own behalf. In taking this line it not only aims its blow at the common faith of Catholic Christendom in regard to the inspired and consequently divinely authoritative character of Holy Writ; it strikes also at the substantial truth of the Christian archives. It is only when we set aside the witness and authority of the Apostolic word that we refuse to own Scripture as the Word of God.

The Churches of Scotland [circa mid-19th century] were but ill prepared for the day that had overtaken them. As they wavered and halted they let a tendency that was inimical to their ancestral Faith find a home in their bosom. For they lost sight of the essential simplicity of the Christian position. When John tells us that he wrote his Gospel that we might believe, with the record of his signs, that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God, and that believing we might have life in His name, he thought that the witness borne by his fellows and himself was ground enough for the faith of Christians to build upon. Christian faith has through the ages responded to this claim and this claim was that not only of the Apostle, but of the Holy Ghost who spoke in Him. For it is undoubtedly the mind of the Spirit that the evidence which he thus bore to the truth as it is in Jesus should suffice as a ground of faith for the Church of God to the end of time and to the ends of the earth. What was thus in the Gospel claimed by an Apostle for the witness of his writing, he and his fellows could claim for their teaching in the Epistles. They spoke not in the words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Ghost teaches. This was what Paul could say, and we find John in the same vein adding: ‘We are of God, he that knoweth God heareth us” he that is not of God heareth not us.” Not to hear the Apostles proves that one is not of God. Now claims of this kind were in full keeping with the promises given to the eleven by their Lord in the Upper Chamber at Jerusalem.

There has been from the beginning a Holy Catholic Church—define it how we may—to whose care and keeping the New Testament books were committed, and from whose hands in successive generations its children have received them as being alike in their witness and in their teaching the crystallized and perpetuated ministry of the Apostolic band. As many as are willing to sit at the feet of the Apostles, as they thus by their written word continue to bear witness and to teach, will learn to treat the Old Testament Scriptures as it is plain the Lord and His Apostles did. They will accept both Testaments as the Word of God. Here we have the common view of Holy Writ as it has been throughout historical Christendom. It is on this view that the whole structure of Church Confession and of Christian Theology is built. To maintain the superstructure we must defend the substructure.
--John McLeod, Scottish Theology in Relation to Church History, p.311-313

Yet one More Reason

I'm proud to be a Yankee fan.

Julie, Jamie, be sure you read this :-)

(you'd never see Derek Jeter or Tino Martinez do this...)

Reads of the Day

On the serious-side, we have Nothing much to celebrate by Kathleen Parker which is a keeper.

For those who aren't keeping track (shame on you!!) 20 days 'til Opening Day (which really should be a Federal Holiday--everything save hospitals and bars should be closed) 2 good articles:

• Boone's one small step turned game upside down
  

As world-changing figures go, Aaron Boone may not be quite up there with Edison or Einstein. Or even Lennon and McCartney.

But Aaron Boone has left his mark, all right, even if he didn't mean to. He didn't mean to change what he changed: The Yankees. The Red Sox. A-Rod. The Curse. Not all of it. Not any of it.

Aaron Boone probably woudn't be an Indian today had it not been for his fateful night of hoops.
All he meant to do, on an innocent Friday night in January 2004, was play a little pickup basketball — not set off a chain of events that would one day send Curt Schilling's sock to the Hall of Fame.

• The Great Message Committee by George Will--Will gets to combine Baseball and Politics--his two passions into one column--who could ask for anything more? Two snippets

But to be fair to Waxman, he is a liberal representing Beverly Hills and Hollywood, so he is not expected to have a lick of sense regarding the limits of government, and he rarely sees a human activity that he does not think merits increased federal supervision.

Canseco says that during spring training 2001, when playing for the Angels against the Mariners and their second baseman Bret Boone, ``I hit a double, and when I got out there to second base I got a good look at Boone. I couldn't believe my eyes. He was enormous. `Oh my God,' I said to him. `What have you been doing?' `Shhh,' he said. `Don't tell anybody.''' But in five Angels-Mariners games that spring, Canseco never reached second base.

Little Reminder for Myself

"Happy is the life of that man who believes firmly, prays fervently, walks patiently, works abundantly, lives holy, dies daily, watches his heart, guides his senses, redeems his time, loves Christ, and longs for glory."
-- Lachlan Mackenzie of Lochcarron

Singing God's Praise

Because I used the "Ps" word today in my exhoration, I'm pretty sure I'm going to get some complaing started. "He's going start making us sing only Psalms." Oh, if only I had that much power! (which, of course, I'd only use for good) :)Anyway, was openitng up James 5:13, "Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms."Here's a portion of my exposition on the 3rd clause there (in note form):


I. There are some other reasons to sing praise in return for being cheerful:

A. It identifies the Christian.

1. Rom 1:21 “because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened …but the opposite must be true of the Christian. “Through the LORD's mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. 23They are new every morning;” If His mercies are new every morning, so ought our thanks, true?

B. It counteracts complacency and pride

1. When things are going well in life—success in business or work, a good home life, decent health, decent money in the bank, etc. Those are what help us feel comfortable…but as we feel comfortable, as we shift our focus to these things of the earth…what kind of danger is there? Duet 6:10"So it shall be, when the LORD your God brings you into the land of which He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give you large and beautiful cities which you did not build, 11houses full of all good things, which you did not fill, hewn-out wells which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant--when you have eaten and are full-- 12then beware, lest you forget the LORD who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.

2. The Israelites got comfortable in the land, homes, and crops the Lord provided…but look what happened to that.

C. It glorifies God

1. Psalm 50:23 Whoever offers praise glorifies Me; And to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God."; Psalm 96:8 Give to the LORD the glory due His name; Bring an offering, and come into His courts.; Psalm 34:3Oh, magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together.

2. Henry: We cannot make God greater or higher than he is; but if we adore him as infinitely great, and higher than the highest, he is pleased to reckon this magnifying and exalting him.

3. Each of us as individual Christians has something glorious to sing about. Our redemption from the power of sin, being freed from a particular besetting sin…or deliverance from some suffering…That is what James is talking about here, not, "Is anyone happy? Then sing!" That is the world's attitude: "Roll out the barrel," and so on. Happiness is just another occasion for singing. We can have a great time with a bunch of friends, or driving in the car, singing along with “Friends in low places”…but that fun doesn’t last much longer than the 8:56 that the song lasts (if you go by the long version on Garth’s Double Live album). But James says, "Let him sing songs of praise." A song that will bless the Lord, sing is praise, reflect his glory—it won’t just be an expression of thanks and praise, and joy…but it will increase your joy—something that will last an eternity.

4. The Christian has something to sing about, and someone whose praises he can sing. There’s nothing wrong with having fun, but it’s just a passing thing. Praising the Lord isn’t.

D. Lastly, rehearsing the glories and graces and mercies of God in song helps us to lodge them in our brains, so that when we need them for encouragement during a rough patch, or to share with someone else…they’re available.

1. For this reason I’d encourage the use of capital “P” Psalms in this—sure, you might have to start out with some work in learning them. But what better thing to sing God’s praise for deliverance or provision or health, than His own inspired Word matching just such a condition? What better words to drive into your hearts and mind for future use? Yes, a well-written and Biblically based hymn or “praise song” can do the same...but it won’t have quite the same punch in the long run. You know you see commercials on TV for CD’s of Hymns or you can subscribe to Time-Life’s praise and worship series…some of those songs sound so cliché, so trite, so yesterday. But yet I know not too long ago my friends and I were abele to close our eyes, lift our hands and get that quiver in our liver while singing that song. Doesn’t happen now with us, not because I’m a cold Calvinist (well, not just because that anyway, but they’re Pentecostals and Nazarenes, etc.)..but because time moves on, and the same sentiment can’t last forever. But Psalms are god’s living word. They don’t get old. They’re never yesterday—they’re always today.

Reading of the Law 3/13

All of us have been in some public place--a grocery store, a park, a restaurant with a child that clearly doesn’t want to be there or doesn’t want to be doing what his mother or father wants him to do. We were at Kiddie Kandids yesterday, and towards the end of our time there we got a waling serenade from one such toddler. Now, that’s annoying—sometimes VERY annoying. But that’s all. There’s nothing I can or would do about that. But if one of my children acted that way, I’d have something to say about it. And they would have to respond. If I went up to that rebel at the photographer yesterday, he’d have no reason to listen to me when I told him to pipe down. Frodo, Samwise and the Princesshave every reason to listen to me. The same is true for those in God’s family. All those who have been created by God are bound by his law, his commands. But how much more do those of us who call Him Father, who have been given that great gift, how much more do we owe him our obedience. Heart obedience is for the family of God. Not for strangers to the promise, those enemies of our Father. And we see another picture of our familial obligation her in our reading of the law today...Romans 8:5-13

Proud Moment

Sitting here at the computer watching my wife trying to entice & cajole the
Kidney Kid to come to get his bottle. "Put the book down and come get your
bottle!" (sniff, sniff)

Glad to see he's got his priorities in order at this young age.

Even a Stopped Clock...

"There's already speculation that Hillary Clinton will be the nominee for the Democrats in 2008. Well, you have to admire the dedication of the Democratic party. They just lost an election, and they're already hard at work planning to lose the next one" -- Bill Maher

Time waster...

How to Kill a Mockingbird. For my dial-up friends, this is probably too long. For my high-speed readers, it's long, but worth it. HI-larry-us.

New Star Wars Trailer

Okay, I'm cynical. I've been burned by Lucas before (n.b., one of the funniest things Kevin Smith ever did was have Randall get Lucas on the stand and demand his money back for Phantom Menace in the cartoon Clerks). I just know in my bones I'm going to be annoyed with Lucas 10 minutes after I walk out of the movie but I see that trailer...and I have hope.

A new hope, if you will.

c'mon George...show us you still got it, babe.

Preaching

From the days of the Reformation the preaching of Scotland for some generations was an echo or an exhibition of the system of truth set forth in the Reformed Confession. The system was known not only in an intellectual was as it might be learned from the Confession and Catechisms and Treatises expository and controversial. It was known as a creed, and as such it was held fast from the heart by a Gospel ministry who yearned for the salvation of the souls of their fellows. This meant that the preaching of such a pulpit was not only sound and correct, but that it was also the message of men aflame with zeal for the honour of God and the coming of His Kingdom. It was the happy lot of the Reformed Church of Scotland to have in the ranks of her ministry not a few of who what was said by David Hume when he heard John Brown of Haddington preach, might be said: "That man preaches as if Jesus Christ stood at his elbow." Preaching of this kind was to be heard not only in ordinary from week to week; it found a special centre round which it revolved in the services of a communion season.

--John McLeod, Scottish Theology in Relation to Church History, p.95-96

May God in His wonderful grace grant us this again...

Couple of Follow-Ups to Recent Posts

• Posted the British covers the other day, and here's what the American readers will be looking at (once they actually finish the book, obviously, doubt many will be taking time to look it over when there are new pages of Rowling to devour)
• My faith in the American Idol voters has been restored. Goood-bye Amanda Avila (and goood-bye leering Cowell), Janay Castine (why, oh, why did it take this long?!?!), Nikko Smith (poor Paula...) and Travis Tucker (dude. it's 2005...just thought you should know). No doubt Scott, Anthony, and Mikala are overjoyed at being spared. I think it's just a matter of time for the first two..but Mikala's got a shot. Prediction: Lindsey says goodbye next week.

Idling in America

I was going to give a run-down on American Idol tonight after the gals do their thing (and I may still). But the good people over at TVgasm have done it for me. Can't say I disagree with much there...

Giving Up the Key to a True Redemption

Speaking of the immediate fall-out of the acceptance of practical Amyrauldian in the United Secession Synods in Scotland, mid-1800’s:
New Light was coming nearer the citadel of the Faith in its disintegrating results. At this point, among a considerable section of professed Evangelicals, the key that admitted to the fortress of a true and efficacious Redemption was given up; and this had a close relation to practical methods in preaching and pressing home the Gospel message. It meant a new approach to the case of the anxious sinner when he was told that our Lord had died for him, and that he must right off receive this as the good news of salvation. This method of approach to him hid from the enquirer that when it said that the Saviour had died for him it might prove that He had died either in vain, or with no intention to effect his salvation. For the Universal Redemption which it taught was on its own showing a Redemption that did not secure life. In this respect the method of treating the anxious played with the use of deceitful terms, and did not compare well with the methods that had been formerly in use. This older method told the sinner of a Saviour Who had died to save His chosen and called ones, and Who was now calling and inviting him to make proof of His saving power by talking Himself as the Lord his Righteousness, and so sheltering under the covert of His sacrifice and the shield of His intercession. The older Calvinism did not seek to assure the sinner that Christ had died his death until he a had first, in obedience of faith, closed with Him as a Saviour in His office as Mediator. It could, as The Marrow put it, tell him that Christ, Who died the Just for the unjust, was his for the taking, and that when he took this Christ as his own, he was in doing so guilty of no presumption. Methods that were borrowed from organised, almost mechanised American Revivalism began to be so common in dealing with enquirers for salvation that they came to be looked upon as part and parcel of aggressive Gospel work.
--John McLeod, Scottish Theology in Relation to Church History, p.244.

Tell me this isn't incredibly relevant today. This summary of the presentation from The Marrow is just perfect.

Misc. notes that You, you, you oughta know...

• Emailed a post a few days ago, hasn't shown up yet. Very odd...at this point I'm just waiting to see if/when blogger posts it.
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is already the fastest-selling book in British history. Just wait 'til it's published! Check out that link for the British covers, too, btw.
• And then the latest installment in my ongoing series: Okay, I am officially old now. Jagged Little Pill will be 10 years old this July. I'm only comforted in this look into my own mortality in that she'll be releasing a new, acoustic version of the seminal album.
  

Relief

aaahhh. Just got off the phone with the State Tax Commission. I start my temp assignment with them on Monday. Perfect timing...I think I've almost walked out the door at McD's every night I've worked in the past 2 weeks. They've been over scheduling me the last few weeks, and it's killing the whole studying thing.

But now, I get to go in tonight (the manager in charge of scheduling is closing tonight, which she practically never does--talk about nice timing...it's almost like there's someone controlling things) and give them a new schedule with a lot less availability on it.

Beyond that, there are some bonuses to this new gig

• Get to sit while working
• Get to listen to my class lectures while working
• Get to work with actual GROWNUPS

More than that, for just a couple more hours a week, I'll be making a lot more money, which will hopefully take care of some big expenses headed our way.

Anyway, my text for this week contains the instruction "Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms." Which is exactly what I'm doing now.

late night meanderings

just put the littlest one down again, he woke up screaming for some reason, seemed pretty scared. It's pretty annoying, but when I stop and think about the way things were a year go, it's reassuring to have a dopey little old nightmare to deal with.

It was a year ago yesterday that we brought the Kidney Kid in for a follow-up at 3 days old...between this, that and the other, he was admitted to the hospital. They did some tests, and found the kidney issue. Kept him in the hospital for days. First night my wife had to just sit there and watch him in a UV bed...couldn't hold him or anything. Not sure if that was harder on her going through it, or me watching her.

As I blogged a bit last year, it was a tough few days, but the prayers of the saints and the work of the Spirit kept us standing. I remember that on Sunday, I was supposed to exhort from Ephesians 4:17-24 and try as I might, I just couldn't come up with anything to say. So I pulled up a sermon by Jeremiah Burroughs, "Christ is All in All," made a few tweaks to the language and read that. I was assured by others that it was beneficial to them, which was a nice bonus, it was about the only thing keeping me from despair.

A few things he said:

Is Christ all in all? Then if we have an interest in Him, it should satisfy and content us though we have nothing or though we are nothing. Why? Because if we have Christ we have all. Though you lack parts, friends, estates, outward comforts, know Christ is to be your all, and is He not enough? As He said, Am I not better to thee than ten sons? So Christ says to the soul, "What do you lack? You lack this comfort and the other comfort, but am I not all in all to you, and better than all?" Yea, be willing to be made nothing, for all is made up in Christ.

With what mighty intention of spirit should the heart be put forth towards Jesus Christ in all things! Though God gives you an estate and honor in the world, if you have not Christ you have nothing. You have not that which makes way for you to eternity. Therefore, do not be satisfied with anything without Christ. As Abraham said, What wilt Thou give me Lord, seeing I go childless? So you say, "Lord, You have given me a portion in this world. You have given me credit and reputation among men, but, Lord, what is all this to me if I go Christless and do not have Him that is the conveyance of grace to my soul, Him that is all in all? Oh, Lord, You have taught me this day that such is the distance and breach between You and me that, unless it is made up through a Mediator, I must eternally perish. Therefore, give me Christ, whatever else You deny me."

Do not satisfy yourselves with anything without Christ! Many hypocrites satisfy themselves with gifts. If they have gifts, then they are contented. Consider that parable in Matt.13:45-46, "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it. Now gifts and parts and other achievements are these goodly pearls, but Christ is the Pearl of price. Therefore, whatever you have, be willing to part with it for Him. If God has revealed to you the Pearl of price, let no [earthly] pearls satisfy you. Many souls perish eternally because they are satisfied with [earthly] pearls and do not endeavor to obtain this Pearl of price. In your seeking God, be sure to take Christ along with you.

What a joy it was this morning to look out and see him in worship, squirming enough to drive his mother crazy, smiling at those around him...trying to play with them when they needed to be paying attention. And then tonight I was able to sit and listen to my fellow elder while playing with him (hopefully we didn't get too loud)--he was in a playful mood, and it helped me stay awake (not a reflection on my brother's work, but on my sleep level). As John said in his prayer tonight, already this little guy's had a ministry in the church--we've been able to see God's mercy, God's providence in getting--and keeping--him healthy, to go beyond what any one predicted, and far beyond what we all feared a mere year ago.

God has certainly been gracious in giving him life, and I pray that one day, he'll give this tyke spiritual life as well. Beyond that, no matter how I love this little one, I pray that God would remind me that it's Christ who's all in all, and it's in him alone I can find comfort, assurance, and strength.

f o c u s

just can't get my mind to stay on task at all...oodles of things I need to/want to write: this week's exhoration, a reading report for class, a review of The Forgotten Man for the blog, a blog farewell to Blue...can't study, can't write more than 3 sentences...

Commercial

Should've mentioned this earlier, will make a point to do so more often: if you need a nice, unique gift, consider some hand-painted cookiez. Or if you just want a very tasty treat yourself.

Kidney Kid Update - 3/2

Just got back from the kidney specialist (the traditional way most people celebrate a 1st birthday, eh?). The Doc is still very pleased with how things are going for him--was really impressed with his development in things like standing and whatnot (he had been going to physical therapy for awhile, but graduated recently). His blood levels were pretty much the same, so no medicine or dietary changes. 'Tho he has to keep his dairy intake low, ditto for red meat (ohh, the HUMANITY!!). All in all things are going well there.

He will be seeing his urologist in a couple of weeks and we'll likely be scheduling a surgery then. So please pray for that.

Aside from the medical issues, everything's going great, praise the Lord. He's standing for periods of time, crawling allll over the place, jabbering a lot, and will even glance my way when I tell him "no" before going ahead and doing whatever I'm telling him to stop. Sadly, during our little birthday celebration today, we discovered the he doesn't like brownies...which could be a sign of serious psychological problems :)

Again, thanks for all your prayers and interest.

Idaho Politics

Now, I knew that there were plenty of fish, cows, emus, etc in Idaho...just didn't realize there were so many RINO's...

• Our beloved governor, Dirk "Be Careful of Typos in that Name" Kempthorne gets a "C" on the Fiscal Policy Report Card on America's Governors: 2004 (for the grades, for the entire report)
• My former classmate John McGee made a motion in committee to effictively kill a bill to cut benefits to people in this state illegally, while that same committee passed a bill to create a new bureaucracy that will pester and plague citizens. (read this rant by Robert Vasquez...my favorite Idaho politician)
  

One thing that parents will often see in their children—or others will see in your own children—is a child acting like their parent. I don’t know how many times my wife has told me, "You know, he does that just like you." Occasionally that’s not a rebuke. But that’s how we learn as kids—we watch, we imitate…monkey see, monkey do, I think is how my mom put it. We look to our parents, our older siblings and learn how to act. And it’s the same in the Christian Life—one of the benefits (and obligations) of those who have been adopted by the Father is that we’re to watch our Father and our Elder Brother. In our reading of the Law today, Paul tells us just this—as well as giving us some examples of how that will look when seen in action:

Ephesians 5:1-7 ¹ Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. ²And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. ³But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; ⁴neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. ⁵For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. ⁶Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. ⁷Therefore do not be partakers with them.

Stop the World

I wanna get off:

• Reservists do Battle in Family Court by Phyllis Schlafly includes such horror stories as:
  

Bobby Sherrill, a father of two from North Carolina, who worked for Lockheed Martin Corp. in Kuwait before being captured and held hostage by Iraq for five terrible months. The night Sherrill returned from the Persian Gulf he was arrested for failing to pay $1,425 in child support while he was held captive.

• Florida boy accused of assault with rubber band

  Robert Gomez, a seventh-grader at Liberty Middle School, said he picked up a rubber band at school and slipped it on his wrist.
  Gomez said when his science teacher demanded the rubber band, the student said he tossed it on her desk.
  After the incident, Gomez received a 10-day suspension for threatening his teacher with what administrators say was a weapon, Local 6 News reported.
  "They said if he would have aimed it a little more and he would have gotten it closer to her face he would have hit her in the eye," mother Jenette Rojas said.
  [snip]
  ... a Level 4 offense -- the highest Level at the school. Other violations that also receive level 4 punishment include arson, assault and battery, bomb threats and explosives, according to the Code of Student Conduct.

Stone Cold

For some reason Sunday night, my VCR didn't remember everything I'd programmed into it. So at 8:47 when I glance at the VCR to see what time it is, I panic (well, semi-panic)...it's not recording! And Stone Cold has been on for 47 minutes! ACK. (note to Mrs. WhiteNoise, if you got a second job we could afford TiVo and never have to worry about this again)

But I was able to collect myself long enough to hit the record button for later viewing. And I'm very glad I did so. I've seen every episode of Spenser: For Hire that I can (think just about all), ditto for A Man Called Hawk, watched every one of the movies made for Lifetime where they butchered a Spenser novel, and every A&E Spenser movie. And now, most of Stone Cold. I can say without hesitation, that this is the best rendition of a Robert B. Parker character on the small screen.

As I say that, I should point out that only one or two of the principal actors come close to the way Parker described them (Suitcase Simpson and maybe Rita Fiore)...Molly, Jesse, Abby (not too far off, tho)...casting guys missed there. But, doesn't matter--they owned the parts. Never a Magnum fan, but I'm becoming a huge Selleck fan--he nailed Jesse in every way that Joe Mantegna was never able to nail Spenser. And whoever it was playing Molly made the character just as endearing as the novels do. Bravo.

The writers did a very able job of adapting the novel--dropping some good stuff that could afford to be dropped, tweaking some things to fit their needs better, pasting in huge amounts of Parker's dialogue, and changing the end enough to be satisfying to a TV movie audience but in a way that shouldn't tick off Parker fans.

In the end, we got a well written, nicely paced film. You saw the physical violence and the sickness behind the serial killers (portrayed very well by people I know better from sit-coms); you saw the emotional violence suffered by a rape victim, and saw a flawed, yet controlled Jesse Stone. Trying to come to grips with his life, and not letting it interfere with his work. He's a person "in progress" I guess you could say (if you wanted to sound all Oprah-ish), and Selleck and the writer's grabbed his essence perfectly.

Bravo.


Footnote: my VCR did remember to tape the big gay marriage Simpsons episode. Was rather disappointed. Not because of the acceptance message (had to know that was coming), just didn't think it was up to their standards. There were some great lines in it, however. And I wish Smithers had been around somewhere...oh, and guess it was good for some confirmation on my suspicions re: Patty.

Couple o' links

• "Technology for Country Folk"
• "What is right?" vs. "How do I feel?"
• "The Director"--a new, behind the scenes look at The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.
  

Harry Knowles says

At the end, you'd think it would be titled, "THE ART DIRECTOR" as that's all we're given. We're not seeing Andrew Adamson working with the Pevensie children. We aren't shown him talking to Tilda Swinton to direct her performance as the White Witch. There's no discussion about the emotional realism, just the surface of the film. This makes me a bit wary of the project. If this is all this director is worried about... the design of the film, then we'll get a really lush and empty film, but if he's doing it right, this will be a story that really resonates and leaves a mark on us as viewers.

He might be on to something here, but I'm giving this guy credit--look at the care he showed to even minor characters in his first two movies.

The Passion Recut

Same blasphemy, but with less of the violence! Be sure to take your kids!!

Details here, here, here, here, and here.

if those orks get any closer, I'm moving to CDA

Nice, safe, strong.

Found it!

few days ago, I said something about looking for my Parson's Hebrew CD. FOund ti today, not sure how much I'll use it--some nice software came with the book that Dr. Shaw had me buy, but it doesn't cover simple things like the alphabet. Which, don't ask me why, I just cannot learn.

So I've been drilling off and on all day...my best (and most recent) score was an 83%...ugh. Frodo and Sam could probably get a 60% if they worked together (and they've spent a LOT less time staring at the screen than I have).

I've said it before, I'll say it again...the Hebrew language is proof positive that the Old Covenant was a covenant of grace through and through...any people who consider this a language can earn nothing. :)

This is the end, My only friend, the end

'tain't much, but it's a good read. Gordon Clapp's last day as Medavoy.

TX's Gov. gets it right

According to a piece in the Austin American-Statesman, Texas Governor Rick Perry's State of the State speech had some dead-on comments on public education.

But the governor again attacked public education, saying of parents, "They
deserve better than to leave their fate in the hands of a local monopoly
that is slow to change without the benefit of competition."

And, he added, "Every child is entitled to a public education, but public
education is not entitled to every child."

Way to go, Gov! Keep it up

Wow!

Not sure how many of you are sick and tired--or merely apathetic--to my obsession with Batman Begins. Frankly, I'm not sure I care. The official site updated the photo gallery recently, including this picture of Gary Oldman as Lt. Gordon. Now when I heard of the casting of that part, I wasn't exactly enthralled, but I wasn't against it either. I was enthused because I know Oldman's got more chops than most of the people in the last 2 Batman flicks, but I figured he'd make a better Sirius Black than a Jim Gordon.

And then I saw this pic, and was blown away. That is Jim Gordon. Period. End of discussion. Esp. if you've read Batman: Year One. The resemblance is uncanny.

what a typical Movie Studio would've done

with a tip o' the fedora to: Not so Fast.

See how it would've gone after a few re-writes

snuck it in before "Suicide is Painless" started

It was nine (!!!) years ago tonight that a special gal made the mistake of letting me drop by. She had no idea what she was getting into. Sometime between Final Jeopardy and the beginning of the M*A*S*H rerun, I asked her if she was doing anything for the next 60-70 years, 'cuz if not, I was hoping she'd marry me. She said yes (thankfully), first kiss, etc., etc. Cut to now: 4 kids tucked away in their beds, a lotta laughs, a few tears, too many fights, and we're just gettin' started :)

Thanks honey, love ya lots...

And yes, I've heard it a bazillion times, I should have waited another day, more romantic, blah, blah, blah. Hey, everyone proposes on Valentine's Day, forgive me for doing something different. 'Sides, it let us relax and really enjoy the shenanigans of the 14th...

I really shouldn't post this...

but some part of me finds this funny....

tip 'o the cap to: challies.com

Civic Action

Just passing this along. I threw some emphasis on the part that gets my dander up. It should get yours up as well. If it doesn’t, well either you didn’t read it carefully, or your dander is in need of adjustment. There’s an email address there for comments. Make ‘em.

The U.S. Department of Education is accepting public comment and recommendations on the regulations of the newly reauthorized Individuals with Disabilities Education Act through February 28, 2005. A readable summary of the amended IDEA is available at www.cec.sped.org/pp/IDEA_120204.pdf.

Here are some changes that might be of interest:

• Beginning transition planning at the age of 16 rather than 14 as was the case in the previous version of the act.
• Wording to discourage multidisciplinary teams from persuading parents to accept the absence of the regular classroom teacher from IEP meetings.
• A provision that if parents refuse initial evaluation of their child, the school district may begin due process at that point, i.e., pursuing a district hearing with the intent of securing permission for the evaluation regardless of parental agreement.
• Clarification of allowable alternate achievement testing methods.
• The addition of “further education” to the list of purposes for which education for students with disabilities is provided.
• A statement that educational services cannot be conditioned by the use of medication, that medication use can’t be compelled by the school under threat of withholding services in the absence of medication use.
• School districts are permitted to define learning disability, for example, using a “response to intervention” definition or the traditional ability/achievement discrepancy definition.
• The concept of “universal design” is adopted from the No Child Left Behind Act.

Comments and recommendations can be submitted to the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services at comment@ed.gov.

so glad I'm done with my B.A.

I don't like the idea that everyone is a sinner

MIA

has anyone seen my Parson's Hebrew Tutor CD? I know I left it around here somewhere....

footnote

I should note that, sure, the Bad Boy's take on credobaptism is overly-simplistic because he was in a hurry. But from the direction it was headed, still easy to counter :)

a few shout-outs

New to the blogroll:
1. Cent's got himself a blog, and if he remembers to post more than once a month, it'll be worth reading :)
2. Reading bluewoad's blog and/or chatting with him, keeps me thinking I need to read more lit. Ahh, to be in college again. Or retired. Whichever comes first.
3. The Reformation Bad Boy's blog should be good once he gets a bit more on there...'course he's not as bad as he thinks, and his quick take of credo-only baptism is overly simplistic and easy to counter...but hey, he's cool. (anyone else remember that Huey Lewis & the News song, "Sometimes Bad is Bad"?)
4. Oh, and silly me, I nearly forgot irRational's irRamblings...or something like that.

Got an email from a reader I'd yet to meet, who said in part,

I have only "officially" been reformed for about a year and your blog has helped as I have made the transition. Becoming reformed has thrust me into the debate over theonomy, preterism, and several other -onomy's and -erisms I did not know I would encounter. I have come across some very hostile and separatist blogs, websites, emails and persons as I researched on the web. Your blog, for some reason, whether you want it to or not, has appeared to be a somewhat more broad approach that maintains integrity to the truth, without going overboard. Whether that's good or bad, I guess, remains to be seen. I'm not really well read enough yet (like some of my Reformed brothers) to start disowning whole chunks of Christians on aspects of the faith that they might not have been introduced to(as I was not for many years).

That's one of the nicest things said about me in about forever. Thanks!

Oh, yeah, and you'll get the hang of how to disown whole chunks of Christianity...there's a 5 step process on the back of the Reformed Membership Card, I'm sure yours is in the mail :)

v. in retrospect, not the wisest of ideas

that, of course, is the definition of "Giving Frodo a Dictionary."

Trying to improve his vocabulary some, I spend a some time Saturday tracking down a useful dictionary that he can use for a few years. At first, he's less than impressed. Which, while disappointing, is pretty much what I expected. A couple of hours later, he starts flipping through it. Then he starts looking around the room at different things, "ahh, Spider-Man!" and then looks up "spider." Looks again, "CDs!" and looks up "CD" (see compact disk), and so on. Goes on for at least an hour like this.

Every day since he's asked for permission to read his dictionary.

what a nerd :-) (I say while beaming with pride)

lost time

sorry for the silence lately, been down with a cold.

Not sure I'll get much out in the next week or so, workload seems daunting at best.

ohhh, man!

Why couldn't I have found this site before I e-mailed the Seminary my final?!?

(for those w/limited senses of humor, this is, of course, a joke)

Trembling for My Church

One of Thomas Jefferson’s most quoted lines is, “I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that his justice cannot sleep forever.” All too often, I mutter that line to myself, replacing the word “country” with “church.” I tremble for the evangelical church in America. Were it not for the promises of the Gospel and the faithfulness of our gracious God, I would quake.

I just finished listening to a Christian radio program that featured an interview/debate with the author of a popular-level defense of Calvinism (names withheld to protect the guilty). The show’s host challenged the author on some points, unfortunately for him, the author was more than ready to deal with the challenges. The host could only reply by complaining that the author was going too deep with the text, the Bible wasn’t written for exegetes, but for common men—and true to form, he wouldn’t let his guest respond in a more-than-superficial manner. Discussions of the original languages, sentence structure (even in English) and development of a thought across more than one verse is apparently beyond the grasp of common man. One is reminded of Dave Hunt’s charge that discussing translation issues when in a debate is “elitist.”

Currently, the quick and easy joke on the Internet involves Dr. Dobson’s worry about Sponge-Bob’s sexual orientation. It doesn’t matter how much the people at Focus on the Family protest that such was not the point of his recent remarks, that is what people heard—it’s also what they wanted to hear and what they will hear. Most social conservatives should have learned in 1992 not to mention the name of TV characters while trying to address a serious issue, after the Dan Quayle /Murphy Brown debacle, but apparently that memo didn’t make it to Colorado Springs.

Tim LaHaye, the living embodiment of Ecclesiastes 12:12, is upset with his publisher for daring to publish someone else. Time magazine, Good Morning, America and other media outlets have reported on his tantrum over Tyndale House taking “money we made for them” to promote The Last Disciple by Hank Hanegraaff and Sigmund Brouwer, because it comes from an opposing (yet non-heretical) point of view.

Several writers and websites have decried the “anti-religious” bigotry displayed in The Passion of The Christ not being nominated for a Best-Picture Oscar or Golden Globe award. There are few if any who have stopped to wonder if it had anything to do with the fact that it wasn’t a well made movie—they were probably too busy scanning the pages of Christianity Today for news stories about the legions of new believers pouring into churches as the result that great evangelistic tool.

Meanwhile, we live in a nation where the drive for a totally secular society grows stronger every day. Where our collective moral compass is so out of whack it can’t stop spinning. Where people are scared by the threats that seem to be around us. And we respond with the sort of silliness displayed above. It's like offering a lady pinned in by her steering wheel a PalmPilot brochure to read as she waits for the Jaws of Life. “It’s not much help, but look at all the pretty colors.”

This isn’t to say that the Church shouldn’t address social issues, or television, or Hollywood or anything like that. We are to be in the world, we are to be on Mars Hill—involved in conversation about culture and truth-claims. But we need to do so in a way that isn’t so ripe for ridicule.

In the first half of the 20^th century, the media, the government, culture in general listened to the Church. For example, when J. Gresham Machen had something to say about the proposed Department of Education, people listened. His apologetic books received reviews in mainstream press—who would also print works he wrote. His trial, founding of Westminster, and death were items of news—why? Because he was a public figure, he had a serious, thoughtful and thought-provoking message to proclaim to both the Church and society. To the best of my knowledge he never issued a press release about the length of Betty Boop’s skirts, or spoke out against the violence in Popeye.

For too many reasons to guess, that’s not the case anymore. A good deal of it has to with a cultural retreat on the part of the Church—the “don’t polish brass on a sinking ship” mentality of dispensationalism played a significant role in that. But those churches and Christians that didn’t parrot the Scofield Reference Bible shut up, too. By the time that Francis Schaeffer reminded the evangelicals that they needed to pay attention to what was going on around them, Modernism, Post-Modernity and liberalism had overtaken the public consciousness. The ship wasn’t sinking anymore, but it had drifted far off course.

Yet the Church has been given the very words of life. We have been entrusted with the oracles of God. We have the guidance our country needs—we even know what the word “is” means. But we only manage to give out what we can make fit on a bumper sticker or in the outline of a fish on the back of our cars (and who can read them anyway as we zip along at 80 mph?). The salt has all but lost its savor, maybe because it’s been kept in the shaker for too long.

Thom S. Rainer’s too-overlooked book Surprising Insights from the Unchurched gives some very interesting insights. The surveys reported show that it’s not the style of worship, the athletic facilities, the skits or any of the other gimmicks that bring people without a Church background to a particular church—and bring them back as well. It’s the doctrine, the teaching, and the teachers that do the trick. They want our message, they want our truths, our Gospel, and the standards for life that the Church is to give.

Instead of coming up with more ways to package 1 Chronicles 4:10, Christians need to apply their energies to forming well thought-out answers to contemporary issues—and then use their creativity to get those answers distributed, without pandering, dumbing-down, or talking past our audience. This will require work, it will require commitment, and it will take time for us to get it right. As the saying goes, Rome wasn’t built in a day, not even 40 Days of Purpose, and re-establishing credibility and the prophetic voice that the church is called to have will take years.

There are some positive signs—the Christian Schooling and Home Schooling movements are gaining some ground. The children that come from those are more culturally and politically involved than their contemporaries. Assuming the churches they move into as they establish their families and careers can direct their involvement and energies we might be on the right path.

Those of us who aren’t part of that upcoming generation will have to work a little harder; throwing off the inertia we’ve inherited from the last few decades in order to reclaim the lost heritage of centuries past. There are J. Gresham Machens, Jonathan Edwardses, John Miltons, and Billy Grahams lurking in our pews and pulpits, we need to drag them into the spotlight and not let them get distracted by the fluff around them.

The world does still look to the church for answers, for guidance—it still pays attention to what we say (otherwise, how would anyone know about Dobson and LaHaye?). We give them shrill moralism and trivial pursuits in return. The lost and dying world we find ourselves in the midst of deserves better—and our Lord has given us better. We simply must pass it along. They’re intrigued by The DaVinci Code, and yes, a dozen or so refutations of that phenomena have been published; but why not something positive along the same lines?

What about the arts? VeggieTales is inventive and clever, but it's aimed for kids, and can’t give much more than wholesome entertainment. Thomas Kinkade can churn out his paintings of light to the delight of the kitsch-starved throughout the world, but there’s not much contributed to anyone’s thinking by that. Where are the great Christian authors, producing actual literature? Larry Woiwode can’t hold up the legacy by himself.

Jesus Christ once addressed a large number of people (without the benefit of a wireless mic or PowerPoint) and told them, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” The city that is the evangelical church in the United States isn’t hidden—but it’s acting like it is. We need to change that, and we need to change that now.