straightshot

December Passings.....

2010-01-07T21:35:00.000-08:00

December is gone. Again. It is far and away my favorite month-and the most significant for me. Each year I try and savor each day, and alas, it goes all too quickly.

It might seem a little morose, but the first thing that always impacts me is Pearl Harbor Day, Dec. 7. This day effected all of us, as we were plunged into a war that profoundly altered the shape of our economy, politics,culture and religion. For me personally, the war brought my dad out to the west coast from Tennessee, where he met my mom and ultimately stayed. He may have never left the south, which he loved, otherwise. He tried to enlist in the marines that day, as thousands of others did, but was told to wait and finish college and become an engineer. And so he did-and saw the world in the Navy. He never went back and ended up in California, where I grew up.

He and mom were married on Dec 15, 1951- a Christmas wedding. Their pictures are all black and white, but they told me everything was red and green. The Christams season was in full swing and they loved it. I enjoyed seeing them celebrate through the years- going out and often dancing in the family room, circulating around the Christmas tree.And so goes the rest of the month-Christmas.

Even though I grew up in southern California, I loved winter and Christmas. I still can remember the rainy days, snow in the mountains, the sound of the huge fans in the orange groves (they blew the warm air from "smudge pots"-metal containers with oil fires in them-through the groves to keep the oranges from freezing.) The sound of them and the sound of the heat coming on in our house through the night was some how special and comforting. Maybe it was because it was so different from the rest of the year-actual weather! I would watch the Christmas shows and look at the books and cards all showing snow, sleighs,snowmen....it all seemed so appealing and well, right (of course I had never had to shovel it, get stuck in it, etc.)

Then there was the music. My folks loved music and it played constantly. Bing, Frank, Ella-all the different artists were decking the halls and sleighriding twentyfour -seven in my house, even though it was 70 degrees outside and palm trees waved in the wind. I love Christmas music to this day and play it well into January. (It's also a welcome relief from the cheesy '70s music they usually play in stores, which is often about sex- very odd when you think about it. Why would you want to hear Rod Stewart singing about his conquests while you choose a head of lettuce?)

The fondest family memories I have are singing around the house, getting a tree, cooking the turkey, shopping for presents, wrapping them with my mom, dad getting a fire going before we would come into the living room for Christmas morning (yes we had a fireplace-hard to explain in SoCal, but hey-it was for atmosphere!) All simple stuff really. Decorating the tree was a family effort too, with mom putting on the aluminum icicles (my brother and I tended to throw clumps and were summarily banned from the ritual...)Perhaps it was special because we all enjoyed it so much-we were united in our love for the season.

Oh-and school was out too! And since I have worked in academia my whole live, I have always had time off in December. No Scrooge demanding I work up to Christmas eve, no way. Later, when I joined a campus ministry, there was the annual Christmas conference. The month has ended for me for the last 26 years in a hotel, surrounded by hundreds of other Christians, praising God and praying in the New Year.

And now it's over. I mourn its passing once again. January just doesn't have a whole lot to offer, but I still love the snow, now that I have some. I really don't mind shoveling it. I wonder what it would look like on palm trees?

Outliers

2009-12-08T11:29:00.000-08:00

I just finished a fascinating book, Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell.Outliers are those extreme cases that you find on the ends of the classic bell curve, the kind that your teachers used to put you on. So if you got an F or an A+, you were an outlier. This book focuses on the best of the best (I'm not sure a book about failures would sell well, although it would be interesting...) Gladwell's findings support several things that I have always believed and are quite biblical.

First, the sovereignty of God is obvious. Events such as when you were born, how close you were to the right university, that you happened to be seen by the right talent scout, etc. are the primary reasons for outstanding success. For example, it turns out that Canadian hockey stars are nearly always born in Jan-March. In their kid's hockey system, the older kids in each age get more attention and training. In the computer world, Bill Gates was born during the explosion of computer technology and lived close to the Univ of Washington, which allowed him 24 hour access to their computers. The Beatles, just another band in England at the time, happened to be heard by a scout from Hamburg's all-night bar and strip clubs. He booked them and they would play all night long , 6 days a week for months! Probably no other band then existing got that much live practice. It often is being in the right place at the right time.

Secondly, hard work. Gladwell looks at atheletes, musicians, business men-and the data suggests a magic number of about 10,000 hours of practice/action to become great! No less! Thus, the old adage from your piano teacher or your little league coach is true: don't miss practice!

What about inborn talent? Yes, it seems to be important too, but not with out the other two factors. Even a child prodigy like Mozart practiced for 1000's of hours. And is not any "inborn" talent" from God as well? We did not choose our DNA, or our parents who gave it to us. AND how many kids practice hard without the enouragement/enablement of their family?(as in who, as we remind our kids, is driving you to all those practices and games anyway?!)

Finally, he actually begins the book with a suprising story about an Italian immigrant community in the USA with incredibly long lifespans. The reason? Not what you would think: e.g. genetics, diet, work ethic etc. No, the reason seems to be community. Generations living together, talking, interacting,etc. NOT sitting in front of the tube or computer. Community is all through the Bible (all those "one another" passages) and it seems pretty obvious we have lost that in our culture, even that of the church.

So, many lessons from this little book. Now I have an excuse for not getting an A+ on that algebra exam my freshman year or being a star on the court! You know, didn't get the right DNA.

Or was it that I hated practice....

Take a Hike

2009-09-25T09:21:00.000-07:00

"There is far too much at our fingertips in the artificial world made for our comfort and ease. Cable television and air-conditioning and hiring somene else to fix the sink or iron your shirts. The masculine soul atrophies under those conditions. And God would have us become men. If life always came easy to us, we wouldn't benefit from it. The things we value are the things we've paid for. The victories we treasure are from the hardest battles." John Eldredge, The Way of the Wild Heart

He is right. As I think back, the times I am most satisfied is when my time and effort are devoted to something challenging and I see success. It can be physical, mental or even emotional. It also can be really frustrating when you fail. Who among us has not spent hours trying to solve some problem (find the short in the wiring, get the last lug nut off, try to convince the boss you are right, or help the kid with a "word problem" in algebra).

Sometimes though, I am willing to pay for sheer drudgery. I will gladly pay for some guys to shingle my roof if I can afford it. It is not the physical labor-while they are working, I am sweating on my mtn bike up some trail in the mountains. It is more fun, healthier,and when I reach my destination, the view is awesome and soul inspiring. That being said, I did feel tremendous satisfaction the time I did shingle my roof-and it saved me a lot of money.

But for now, I am taking a hike. It is what my heart and soul needs right now. The roof, the car, the light fixture in the basement and the unfinished basketball hoop can wait. I will do them, not hire someone-for the same reason I need to hike. It is a geat feeling to return to the car tired,sweaty, inspired, and peaceful...and you can't hire someone to hike for you.

Casual Christians

2009-09-21T09:38:00.000-07:00

Bill Glass was a well known NFL player in the 1960s. Here is a geat quote from his book Get in the Game: "When I play defensive end for the Browns, I get down on the line of scrimmage in a stance of complete intensity.
Every muscle lin my body is tightened to fire across the line..The first movment I see on the other side of the line sets me off like a gigantic spring...Can you imagine a Christian lining up on the "defensive line" of the Christian life casually? I see a lot of casual Christians. If I lined up casually in a game like I see casual Christians "lining up" to serve Jesus Christ, I would get knocked on my casual can. And a Christian who tries to serve Jesus Christ casually will be highly ineffective.

Flag Day, Father's Day and the Fourth of July

2009-07-08T22:04:00.000-07:00

The summer holidays are especially linked to our Christian heritage, though perhaps not as obviously as some of the others. I thought Flag Day would be out...nothing very spiritual about the stars and stripes! But I was wrong. (And besides, it's not really a holiday per say-nobody gets it off. All most might do is put out the flag...)

Flag Day was born in 1777, not long after the war for independence began, when Congress selected the "Betsy Ross" flag to represent the new nation. The Christian link-not until 1954, when President Eisenhower signed into law the addition of the words "under God" to the Pledge of Allegiance on, yes, Flag Day. Of course, this refers to the Christian God and, from what I have read, was a clear declaration of our differences with athiestic Communism, which was threatening to spread to both hemispheres.

Father's Day,like Mother's Day, began long ago in churches (Christian churches by the way) in the Spokane WA area. It is no coincidence that the God of the Bible is referred to as "Father". It is this member of the human family that apparently best represents the nature of God.

And finally, the 4th of July and the Declaration of Independence. Three times the document refers to God..."the laws of nature and of nature's God", "...that they are endowed by their Creator (with a capital C!) with certain unalienable rights...", and ..."with firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence..." Yes, the primary author, Thomas Jefferson was a deist and the words used reflect that, but the signers included several Christians and they all had input to the language, making some 80 changes to Jefferson's original document. But regardless, any reference to God is the one in the Bible-regardless of theological differences.

As I mentioned when I first began this series, our holidays provide a rich history of many things that are good to remember-not the least of which is our profoundly Christian cultural background.

Memorial Day

2009-06-01T09:34:00.000-07:00

As I have written before, we try to remember holidays for what they comemmerate, not just take the day off and BBQ. In the case of Memorial Day, we started a tradition many years ago to go to the local cemetary, look for graves with flags but no flowers, and put our own flowers there and pray for the families of the fallen. We also thank God for those who have given their lives so we are free to do such things...free to be who we are and pursue the life God intended for us to live (which is hard to do when you are not free.)

The Sunday before in church, the pastor told a great story of a modern day soldier who fell on a grenade to save his comrades' lives. He didn't have to-but he knew where he was going and wasn't afraid. I wonder if I have that much courage?

Two years ago I went out to the Veteran's cemetary in CA where my dad is buried. I knew they had a big Memorial Day service and my brother and I wanted to go. It was very moving, and it turns out, the biggest in the country that year! Thousands of flags were in the ground, great music and a Marine Helicopter flyover. To top it off, the main speaker was a submarine officer, just like Dad. He would have been proud. I thought of him, buried in his WWII Navy uniform. He would be so glad we were there that day.

Here is a poem from the program:

"Remember Us" by William Dunbar

Memorial Day is a day of tears
For us who died over all the years
We fought in wars to keep you free
Now we lay in graves for you to see
The tears you shed are tears of pride
For every soldier fighting side by side
Alive or dead we proved our worth
In the closest thing to hell on earth
We were different one and all
But in times of need we heard the call
Brothers all for country's sake
We may bend but never break
So remember us and say a prayer
For all the soldiers everywhere
For those of us who got the call
Please pray that God will bless us all

....and as in the other holidays I have mentioned, the link to our Christian heritage is unmistakable. When a Veteran is buried, the family can choose the symbol for the headstone-there are dozens to choose from: crosses of different types,also symbols for Jewish,Islamic,Mormon-even Atheist! (It is the old symbol of the atom.) As I walked the cemetary afterwards to see my parent's grave, I looked at the other headstones as I walked. I passed hundreds of them, on my way to the grave and then back to my car. Easily 99% had the Cross.

We know quite a few people in the Armed Forces now. And we do pray for them. And most of them look to the Cross-that symbol of hope...and eternal life.

Mother's Day

2009-05-18T09:20:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day as we know it began in the early 1900's, as a woman asked her church to honor her mother. Soon it spread to other churches, some businesses sponsered it, Hallmark took over and there you are. So it too has Christian roots, as it began in an American Christian church (Methodist, for those who like such details). Certainly, the Bible mentions motherhood with a great deal of respect. Recently, my son learned a verse in AWANAS, in Proverbs, about the importance of listening to your mother (I can't remember the reference of course, but HE can!)

My kids have a great mother, one who has persevered in helping them in becoming musically talented (years of piano, and now the drums for my son). She has taught them to respect others, treat living things kindly and gently, pursue discipline, love God....this could go on for pages!

I loved my own mother very much. (There she is above, with my brother and I on Mother's Day when I was about 5) Though she drove me crazy sometimes, she was always there for me, always believed in me, always supported me. She became a Christian later in life and I saw God change her into a more optomostic person; wanting to reach others with the Gospel (she still struggled with depression at times, and was a bit heavy handed trying to share her faith, but who is without their faults?) At her memorial service, I thought of I Cor 13, the famous "love" chapter. She truly exemplified all those characteristics of Godly love towards me. I am truly grateful for my mom and miss her very much. I can still here her voice and feel her joyful hugs whenever we would visit....

Mother's Day, as in everything else, has become sadly complicated and tinged with problems and awkwardness. This simple celebration of motherhood has become another emotional minefield as our culture slowly deteriorates. A fact that should shock us: I just read that 40% of babies born in 2007 were born to unwed mothers. Homosexuals are now adopting children and having them through in vitro fertilization. Too many young mothers are addicted to drugs,etc. and end up abusive. As in other issues related to family, there is now a lot of sadness related to being a mother.

And so in our church this year, mothers were asked to stand for a brief applause. Some of the things just mentioned were said. The sermon had nothing to do with mothers. To be honest, it felt like we were trying to get it over with as quickly as possible. And almost on cue, after all this was done, an unwed mother in a well known family came in with her baby and boyfriend (they might have had a quick wedding-I do not know) and sat down, probably the first time most of the congregation knew about it.

But, at least for now, most of us hold on to the memories of the traditional mother, even with all her faults.

I hope you had a good one too-and that you tell her so while you still can.

Holidays -Interrupted

2009-04-28T21:32:00.000-07:00

Some time ago I started a series on holidays but have struggled to have time to write. St. Patrick's Day, April Fool's and Easter have come and gone. Well, April Fool's is not really a holiday, but it is fairly well known. AND many of us do something unusual on that day if we have time or feel a little "foolish". This year I put salt on everyone's toothbrush in my family-but they saw it. Rats. However, I digress.

Recently, Newsweek magazine sported a cover story referring to a new study that says the USA is no longer "Christian". More on that later, but I find it interesting that they admitted that it ever was. Most of those on "the left" and those opposed to our faith consistantly rail on about how we never were-seperation of church and state, many of the founders were Deists, and so on. It's all rot of course, but as I was thinking of holidays, it occured to me:

Almost every American holiday has some sort of connection to Christianity. Many are obvious (Christmas, Easter, etc.) Others perhaps are not so clear-I doubt many people know that St. Patrick is celebrated because he brought the Christian gospel to Ireland-this gets lost in the green beer, etc. How about the 4th of July? Does not the first line of the Declaration of Independence refer to the Creator (which ALL of the founders knew to be the God of the Bible, despite their differing views of doctrines). Mardi Gras, a pathetic perversion of it's original intent, originates from the rememberance of the suffering of Christ. And yes, even April Fools! (I won't take time to explain here. (Take a look at:
http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/Hoaxipedia/April_Fools_Day_-_Origin/)

So the next time someone tries to say our heritage is not profoundly Christian, ask them why nearly all our holidays reflect that faith. And yes, many of them had pagan origins, but they were "Christianised" long before this country got started.

It is our heritage, plain and simple.

Healthy Debate

2009-02-27T09:32:00.000-08:00

"There is wisdom in many counselors..." Proverbs

I love good debate. It helps us get at the truth. If all we ever hear is one side, we will never really get at the issue. For that reason I try to listen to NPR and Rush. I try to watch FOX News and CNN (and if I am in a very good mood, even MSNBC)

I value my more liberal friends input as well. For example, here is an excerpt from a recent email I received from a good, intelligent, Christian man who disagrees with me on the issues of the day:

The current criticisms by Republicans of the 1st month of action by Obama
and the Democratic Congress are completely absurd. They just finished 8 years
of record setting lobbiest-controlled, boondoggle-earmarked, deficit-spending
budgets in the history of the US government. They turned a positive federal
budget situation into a huge deficit. And the removed any federal oversight to
the free-market frenzy (read -- "robber baron" era) to generate the largest fiscal
disaster since the Great Depression. So now the Christian Right (who swept
W. into power and advised him throughout his presidency), has the adacity to
say anything other than "well, we completely screwed things up. Let's see if
your ideas work any better." If fact they are criticizing the very things they were
exceptionally good at! ... deficit spending and boondoggled earmarks!.

Considering the market, the mess, the deficit, the wars, the world, I would just
slink away and decide that my party should move closer to the practical
middle of the road than stay in the extreme ideological right.

In 2001, I was willing to let W. lead for four years.
He might 'correct' some Clinton excesses. However, I also predicted soon there
after that W.'s ideological policies of extreme Ayn Rand economics would
give us a small economic problem if his governance only lasted 4 years.
I also said that if W got reelected then the following president would have to
deal with an economic disaster similar to the Great Depression.
The 1920's policies were repeating themselves in the irresponsibly
deregulated free-market of the 2000's. Now the 1930's are repeating themselves.

The Christian Far Right's governance has failed. It is time to confess and move
to the pragmatic middle. (I admit that President Obama is slightly left of me
on several issues, but atleast he is a pragmatist.

Here is my response:

1. The Christian "Right" did not elect Bush
> either time. His views lined up, according to multiple
> polls, with nearly half of America (e.g. 49% are against
> abortion on demand). The exception is the war in Iraq,
> during his second term. The "Christian Right"
> label is pure liberal myth used by the media. It has never
> "elected" anybody.
>
> 2. Deficit. We have been in deficit as long as I can
> remember, no matter who is in office. Bush did not want to
> raise taxes (he is a Republican) but a little thing called
> 9/11 happened. He also funneled billions into AIDS, Katrina,
> etc. Hardly a hard-hearted conservative who cares nothing
> for the poor and hurting..AND the Republican congress went
> along with him. In fact, these nasty Republicans passed a
> welfare reform bill under Clinton (which he signed) which
> grealty helped things and got many back to work. Besides, I
> remember my Econ prof explaining the fed deficit is no big
> deal and is only a political football. Just who is going
> to call the debt?
>
> 4. It was Democrats who controlled much of the oversight
> bodies. The economy was doing great until the Dems took
> control of congress two years ago. Then everything tanked.
>
> 5. Things were not all peachy under Clinton. Have people
> erased their own memories? I have the 403b statements to
> prove it. Our retirement funds went down the tubes in the
> 90's big time. Interested rates plummeted. It was only
> when Gingrich and Republicans got control of congress that
> things turned around.
>
> 6. Lastly, much of all this is just two simplistic. What
> happens with any of this is depends on a combination of who
> owns the Whitehouse, either or both houses of congress, who
> is on the Supreme Court, and who runs key committees, e.g.
> bank oversight.
>
> All in all,though, I trust Republicans over Democrats any
> day.
>
> Factoids:
>
> Which Presidents in recent history cheated on their wives
> while in office? All Democrats (Roosevelt, Kennedy,
> Clinton) All of them are blamed by multiplele historians
> for disastrous policies as well. (Of course, Bush is blamed
> too. I am simply saying Dems fair no better and actually are
> much worse)
>
> Which party has the only President to be impeached since
> the Civil War? (ok a gimmee.)
>
> Why was he acquited by the Senate? Because the Dems voted
> strict party line. He was clearly guilty of perjury and
> obstruction. He was found guilty in court and stripped of
> his lawyer standing by the bar association.
>
> Who was in charge of the bank and housing committees when
> the market crashed? Dems, homosexual Barney Frank in the
> lead. To accuse Republicans and "Robber Barons" is
> grossly distorting the facts. Republicans, including John
> McCain, had called for changes in lending, etc. years ago
>
> We are now lead by a morally and ethically corrupt party.
> Apparently, since the "Christian Right" elects
> presidents, they were too busy having potlucks or don't
> care anymore . Now we will all pay the price of their
> negligence.
>
>
What do YOU think? (I know, I know...I can't count)
>
>

Religion and Politics...A Deadly Duo

2009-02-27T09:02:00.000-08:00

A good rule of thumb at family gatherings, it seems, is never discuss religion or politics. Why? Well, because they are so divisive. So to discuss BOTH seems almost suicidal. Since Christians consider themselves a "family" many think the concept should apply to us as well. I think not.

I named this blog "Straightshot" for a reason. I wanted it to be to the point, no spin (except mine)and to,well, do some damage. But only to the lies that surround us, deceive us and enslave us. In short, I want to influence people by unabashadly going after the truth.

I want to change minds. And there is no more important arena than faith and politics. They are forever entwined, in every culture, in every era. So I do not shy away from these forbidden topics, here or anywhere else.

Here is a great quote from theologian Wayne Grudem, editor of the new ESV Study Bible:

“Should Christians speak out at all about the large, moral issues facing our nation, issues of abortion or homosexual marriage or any of the other things we can think about? Should Christians say anything about those things or is that just politics and we should stay out altogether?

“I think Christians should speak out on these things. Why? Because if Christians do not speak out about the moral and ethical issues that face a nation, who will? If Christians do not speak out about moral and ethical issues, where will people learn about ethics? Where will our nation learn about matters of right and wrong? What will be the source of ethical norms? Well, if we don’t speak out, I guess people will learn about ethical norms from Hollywood movies and from feelings and conscience– those feelings and conscience may or may not be instructed by God’s principles. Or they’ll learn about ethical norms from friends at work, or from friends at the local bar that they talk to, or they’ll learn about ethical norms from going to professional counselors, or children will learn about ethical norms, I suppose, from their kindergarten teachers. …

“But that just throws the question right back again, where do kindergarten teachers learn about right and wrong? Or where do professional counselors learn about right and wrong? … Where do we learn about right and wrong? Where is the source for ethical norms?

“The simple fact is that if Christians don’t speak about what the Bible says about issues of right and wrong, there aren’t really many other good sources for finding out any transcendent sources of ethics; any source outside ourselves. So I think its right for us, both when speaking to Christians and even to non-Christians– I think its right for us to speak up and say ‘This is what the Bible says,’ or ‘This is what I understand the Bible to teach’ and then people can accept it or reject it as they wish, but at least we borne faithful witness.”

I agree.

Let the discussion begin!

New Year Musings

2009-01-25T18:49:00.000-08:00

Well, I am back. Carpal tunnel problems and too much time at the keyboard has stunted my blogging, but hope to do better!

(My son bagging this year's Christmas tree)

Well,Christmas is just a memory now. One month ago today it was bright lites, Silent Night and presents...Anyone who doesn't love Christmas has some serious issues. Even when I was a smartaleckteenager who thought he was a so-smart atheist, I loved Christmas. I can still remember my mother confronting me one day in the kitchen (all good conversations happened in our kitchen):"So why do you celebrate Christmas if you don't believe in Jesus?!) She had that look of "Ha-I got ya!" because it was obvious how much I enjoyed it. She also thought I was a know-it-all and would get it one day "Oh mom" I said with major exasperation. "Because it's fun of course!"

Well, it is fun. Who doesn't like presents, mistletoe, eggnog, a fire and people smiling more than usual. I didn't even mind the crowds out shopping or all the crass advertising-it was all great! That was in the So California desert too, when you hoped for rain so it would seem at least a little like winter.

Now, in the snow and with children of my own, it's even better. But the real joy of it is now I do believe in Jesus-that he was born in Bethlehem and all the rest of it. And it's always sad to see this time of year go.

But I still have the snow!

55

2008-07-13T11:54:00.000-07:00

Well, here I am: 55 years old as of yesterday. Not just a speed limit any more. Have I spent them well? No doubt many would disagree on the answer. But I am not thinking along those lines. My big question is: what's next?

Fourth of July

2008-07-09T14:07:00.001-07:00

"Oh once it was God and mother and country....once it was flags and the Fourth of July..." From Spirit by John Stewart

The Fourth has always been a little unusual for us. We are often somewhere else-this year we were in Casper, Wyoming and watched the fireworks from our motel parking lot. Other years have found us in a small town in Tennesse, Fort Collins,CO; Washington DC and East Germany. For some reason in E Germany, no one was celebrating and we sang the "Star Spangled Banner" in the car as we drove. That was about it. No fireworks were available. The Berlin wall had just fallen and apparantly Communism took a dim view of such things as lound explosive devices-I assumed they celebrated their holidays a little more quietly.

Growing up,I didn't do much. My parents were afraid of fireworks and didn't like crowds, so sometimes we watched the city-sponsored show from quite a distance or dad played something on his old boyscout/Navy bugle on the front lawn (the neighbors thoght this was pretty funny). Pretty exciting, don't you think?

That all changed after I got married. My wife loves the Fourth and we always go and get as close as possible to the local show ("I want them overhead!") and we set them off later with friends. The kids love it and, excuse the pun, it is a blast! A famous quote from John Adams is that we should remember the 4th with celebrations and "illuminations", so we are right in step with the founders.

But I wonder what Adams, Jefferson, Franklyn, Hancock and the others would think about our modern American 4th? From what I can see, few people really understand it. Granted, most know it is about freedom and maybe even the Declaration of Independence. But it stops there. The masses just take a day off, drink a lot of beer, eat a lot of food, and watch the fireworks. They think freedom is the right to do whatever you want, whenever you want...a far cry from what the founders believed freedom to be, or what the Bible teaches it to be. In short, if you read their writings and the scriptures with some context and historical background, the following emerges: freedom is all about doing what you were meant to do in serving God and doing good and what is right. It is NOT about doing whatever you want. Freedom of speech is not about swearing and watching porn. The right to bear arms is not about collecting machine guns. And the first amendment is not about keeping religion out of public life (more on that later).

In short, I fear most people celebrate a shallow idea of freedom and have no clue what it took to get it. If you haven't read it, read 1776 by David MCoullogh (sp?) or just get any book on the events of July, 1776. Read what happend to those men in the first Congress who dared defy the King. Think of what it means that it is "self evident" that all men are equal and are born with rights! It was an incredibly radical idea in the day and many of those who put their name on the page paid a terrible price.

So every year, as I watch the "illuminations", I say a prayer of thanks to God for those brave men and our unique country. May we somehow get back to what we were meant to be...free to be the best we can be... and serve God the best we know how.

Holidays

2008-06-16T14:19:00.000-07:00

Lot's of people don't seem to really care about holidays. Many of our friends are quite cynical about them, convinced they are mostly Hallmark marketing ploys. But I disagree. Holidays are great markers to remember the important things in our lives. President Washington was called the Father of our country for a reason. We should all take some time to give thanks to God for all that we have. And St. Patrick was quite an example of courage and faith. It is a good thing to remember things like this, and quite biblical. God often told His people to put up markers that point to something great that God did, or named landmarks in the same way. So here are few thoughts on recent holidays...they do matter

FATHER'S DAY

"Having five children has taught me a truth as cosmic as any that you can find on a mountain in Tibet: There are no absolutes in raising children...The game may be messy, but I have never found one with more rewards and joys." Bill Cosby, Fatherhood
Yesterday was Father's Day. It's always fun to see what the kids will do. They usually make me something or draw me a picture. One year my wife had them write down the things they appreciate most about me-that was one of my favorites. I remember my son wrote something like "He plays with me!" Yes, that is true and there is nothing more fun for me.

But I am afraid our society doesn't really know what to do with fathers, even the church. We are largely given lip service, even though in the last several years there have been several studies showing the importance of fathers. Most tv shows, commercials and movies portray fathers as idiots or angry demigods. Recently we watched Man from Snowy River and Back to the Future. These classics both have fathers who are like this. So does Little Mermaid or Flicka. Even in National Treasure 1 and 2 and Indiana Jones the father is paranoid or very eccentric (but likeable, I admit.) Do we ever see a good, smart,well-adjusted brave Father? I can't think of one. As our kids watch a steady diet of this, are we really surprised if they disrespect us?

The church isn't a whole lot better. For Mother's Day our church gave all the moms flowers, had them stand, and talked about how wonderful mothers are (and they are!!) On Fathers' Day, we got to stand....but to be prayed for. The pastor challenged us in the sermon. No gift. No honor. No real appreciation. Instead, we need to be fixed, to do better.... And it is like this pretty much every year.

I try to take it all in stride and just enjoy the greatest gift I have ever been given-my kids. Doubtless, many fathers do need to do better. But is that really the theme of Father's Day?

I think if we valued fathers more, maybe they would want to do even better in their role...and even want to stay there.

So next year, why not try to make Father's Day a bigger deal... and see what happens.

Of Fish and Slitting Throats

2008-03-10T11:49:00.000-07:00

While in line at a local coffee place the other day, a woman in front of me had a t-shirt sporting the logo and a large picture from the recent movie "Sweeney Todd". If you don't know, the movie is the Hollywood version of the stage musical about a crazy barber who slits the throats of his patrons, carves up their remains and then serves them in meat pies. A delightful, wholesome story, don't you think? Oh, and it's a comedy.

The movie version takes the concept to new bloody heights, with reviewers commenting on the fountains of blood that splay across the screen-and the shirt in this case. The picture takes up the whole shirt, largely made up of the splashing red blood. As the woman reached the register, the young cashier (adorned with a large lip ring)said, "oh hey, love your shirt," smiling shyly.

This same week I noticed a new book about human evolution with the inspired title of "Your Inner Fish". The author is a fish paleontologist and also the dept. head of Human Anatomy at his institution (even he admits this is a bit odd). Of course his thesis is we evolved from fish and cannot understand our bodies unless we examine our finny heritage.

So what's the connection you might ask? Well, for some time I have wondered why modern audiences, especially the postmodern generation, love ultra violent movies, video games, etc. Why would someone love a bloody shirt and the movie it represents? One explanation might be that the belief in biological evolution infers that we are just overgrown fish, and hey,we catch and kill those all the time, right? And sometimes it can get a little bloody. If mutation, natural selection and long periods of time result in ourselves, we really don't posses much dignity or importance. After all, a leech resulted from the same process.

So what do you think? Why do fish-descendents flock to entertainment that depicts the slaughter of.... themselves?

What's your theory?

A Bad Case of LIfe

2008-03-05T12:45:00.000-08:00

Well, it's been quite a week. In the last seven days I have been to a joyful wedding, held a newborn baby and shared the parents' delight in a beautiful little boy; I have had great fellowship with Christian faculty from a prestigous university and spent time with an old friend. I have taken a walk in a winter wonderland while a herd of young deer watched curiously from the slopes above. I have laughed with my children and taught my son to serve a volleyball and explained to my daughter why Christians sometimes disagree. I was confronted by a guy at church and told that my college ministry has been influenced by Catholicism and Eastern Mysticism and we welcome Lesbians.

Just another week!

Graduation Day

2008-02-22T10:20:00.000-08:00

Well, I never thought I would be proud of a dog, but I am. My daughter too, of course.! Our guide dog puppy Sential graduated in early Feb and is a full fledged seeing eye dog now. We met his new owner, a retired Middle School math teacher who has slowly gone blind. He was quite touched that two middle schoolers raised this dog and it was a pleasure to get to know him. He obviously loves the dog and has called us from his home in Arizona to let us know that Sentinal is doing just fine.

It was especially fun to see Sentinal reunited with his "first" family. When he came around the corner and saw my daughter and smelled her, he started jumping and dancing and wagging his entire body, as labs do! He eventually made his way around to all of us and it was like greeting an old friend. I personally got a near backflip of excitement as he found me and licked my face with joy!

Later we heard stories of gratitude from the twelve or so graduates for these wonderful animals, now valued at $50,000 each! Everything is funded by donations, so these folks really are blessed.

It was a great day, and,we hope, one that truly taught our girls the value of hard work and giving to others. Almost all the blind folks were in tears as they accepted their new companions. Those mornings in the snow at 5 AM "relieving" that little puppy now seemed worth it.

One older man,as he thanked the raisers of his dog, really said it all. He ended his comments with"...and thank you to my Lord Jesus, who makes all things possible."

Amen to that.

Hunting for Christmas

2007-12-21T10:30:00.000-08:00

The pictures here (hopefully) are from our annual safari to bag a Christmas tree in the Idaho woods. It only costs $5 for a permit from the Forest Service (of course it costs about $25 in gas to get there and back, but hey-it's all about the experience!) It has become a tradition for us and other families and the kids love it. The trees are not quite as perfect as from the sellers on Main street, but they are as God made them-somehow a little more meaningful.

This year's "hunt" had a new wrinkle. We always have the permits with us, but have never been checked. This year a Forest Service truck pulled up just as we were setting out. Suddenly we had to be sure our prize was the right species (a Subalpine Fir) and the right height as stipulated on the permit, as well as how far from the ground we cut it. In years past I am not sure at all what we actually came home with. It was green, and looked like a Christmas tree. But not this year. So it took longer and was a little more work. When we got back to the cars, sure enough, the ranger checked our tags (thought I don't think he looked at the actual tree much).

In a way, it symbolizes our Christmas this year. My wife is battling cancer. Everywhere the "war on Christmas" still goes on, with stores refusing to use the word (Lowe's had "Family Holiday Trees"). My son's elementary school had a "Winter Fun" Program, and for the second year in row the children sang only about Santa and snow (for all the years prior there was at least "Silent Night" to at least acknowledge the birth of Christ.) As the political campaign heats up, the candidates are critisized for using Christmas in their commercials.

It's getting tougher to find the baby in the manger in all of this. You have to hunt for Him in the relentless efforts to expunge him from our society.

But if we try, he is still there. And he always will be, for no one can take him out of our hearts.

So before I have to have a permit to say it,

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

PS Our guide dog puppy Sentinel is in phase 10 and is expected to graduate soon!!

Passings

2007-11-02T13:10:00.000-07:00

I looked out through rain spattered windows of the Sports Acadamy as they covered the large outdoor pool. Wind gusts played with the paper signs still attached to the fence by the now padlocked gate. Melanie, Linda, Clint.....the names of the swimming instructors flapped in the October wind, the only sound now. Gone were the yells and splashes of myriads of children, the blaring music, the whistle of the lifegaurd as they told people for the umpteenth time to stay off the lane floats. Summer was truly over.

I spent a lot of time at the pool this year, taking my kids and a variety of friends almost every day. It was a long, hot summer, and as my wife rested and dealt with chemotherapy, it was a real blessing to be able to hang out there and give her some peace and quiet. But I always feel this way as they close the pool....another turn of the seasons, another turn of the wheel of life.

The passages of time are a mixed thing, in a variety of ways. As I gazed at the silent pool, I thought of my kids. My daughter turned 13 a few weeks ago. My little blond cutie is gradually disappearing before my very eyes, morphing into (gasp) a TEENAGER. Can this really be happening to me? Wasn't I in college just a few years ago? Did I miss something here?????

And then there is my little boy. Did I say little? He is growing like the national debt and weighs over a hundred pounds! This week, I watched as he walked down the corridors of his elementary school in the Halloween Parade as a 5th grade Darth Vader. As pirates, queens, vampires, and Jedi's talked and laughed, I dutifly videoed my son's last parade in costume. Like an old fashioned ghostly special effect in a TV show, my little guy is slowly fading away. Soon he will be a teen too. Legos and toy guns will give way to sports, cars, and....oh man, girls.

And these wonderful little children will never come back. Ever. It really does get to me at times. Of course, I would be crazy to want them to stay that way. A 17 year old still playing Star Wars would greatly concern me.

But oh how I will miss them....the bedtime stories, the "owies", the playing on the floor with trains and army men....the Barbie houses and twirling of the new dresses....I loved it all.

Thank you Lord, for these years. I wouldn't trade them for anything.

Sentinel Update

For those of you who enjoyed the entry on Sentinal, our guide dog puppy, he is in stage 7 of his training (out of 10). He is doing incredibly well! When you read about what he is doing, it is truly remarkable. He is now training in harness, learning about traffic, corners, obstacles in the street, etc. He has learned not only to avoid traffic, but to even back up if a car gets too close! He is regularly tempted by cats, squirrels, even food! But he must not be distracted by any of these. So far so good.

We pray for this amazing animal and the blind person he will be matched up with. I will keep you posted!

Cell Phone Messages

2007-10-05T12:50:00.000-07:00

Some recent cell phone messages from my kids-pretty funny, at least to me!

From my 12 year old daughter:

"Hi daddy, it's me! Um... I am really in the mood for a movie tonight, preferably an actioncomedyromance, ok?!! Oh, and one that was made in the last...well, 10 years! Well, it doesn't have to be I guess. Anyway, could you get one, please please please?! Remember, an actioncomedyromance!

Thanks! Bye!"

From my 10 year old boy:

"Umm...hi dad. Uh...before you come home, could you pick up a pizza from Little Caesor's or somewhere? We really want pizza tonite.

So when you get this message......uh, well...do what it says.

Bye!"

I have got to record some of these for posterity, possibly for the Smithsonian.

A Blue Balloon

2007-10-05T12:19:00.000-07:00

The robin's-egg blue balloon quivered for a moment, rose in the air slowly, then shot skyward as a gust of air caught it. It went straight up and up and up...then just seemed to hang there. Apparantly, there was little wind as it went higher, and for at least ten minutes it just seemed to hover at the same altitude, the short length of ribbon still attached glinting in the fading light of sunset. As my eyes filled with tears, I thanked God again for my mother and wished her well one more time. I finally turned away and got back in the car and headed for home. My family was waiting for me to eat dinner.

On Sunday, I remembered the second anniversary of my mom's death by releasing a ballon. We started the tradition last year on the first anniversaries of my parent's deaths, only 9 weeks apart. My dad's is orange, as he was a big fan of Univ. of Tennessee football, the "Big Orange" and his alma mater. My mom's is blue, one of her favorite colors and the color of her eyes. We release them near the mouth of a nearby canyon, where I often hike, bike and ski. I always wonder if I will find one some day. The prevailing winds usually take them into the canyon, but with my dad's last year,the wind took it way out over the city. Where did it end up, I wonder. In someone's tree? (Sorry about that.)

It's not very original, I know, but when I do it, I feel how I did when they died: having to let go as they rose heavenward, up and up and up....until I could see them no more. I trust they are in God's heaven, enjoying eternity with Him and with each other, as they both looked forward to. And if I ever do find one of the balloons on a hike or a ride, it will be a reminder that I will see them again one day too...

I love you mom and dad.

I will never forget you.

I look forward to the day when I too soar upward...and celebrate with you, and all those who have gone before...

Why I Won't Forget 9/11

2007-09-19T12:42:00.000-07:00

I looked out the window at the clear blue skies and sighed. Another beautiful fall day. Boring, but beautiful. I like weather! When every day is the same life just starts to seem dull. Plus, the routine was starting over again with the college and the usual autumn activities. Living in a small town, it was the same old same old. I started to get dressed and look forward to my morning cup of coffee.

The phone rang, always an insult at 7 AM. I picked up fast so it wouldn't wake our youngest, since he didn't need to get up for another hour.

"Hello" I said, more a statement than a greeting.

"Rob? It's Pam. Do you have the news on by any chance?"

Now I was irrritated for real. I hate the TV on in the morning and couldn't understand why anyone else would either. "Well, no. Why should I?"

"Because planes have crashed into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon!"

I blinked and said something idiotic, like "What? Are you kidding?" As my brain cells started firing I realized no one would make this up, said goodbye and woke up my wife. We sat down bleary eyed and watched with the world the horrible events of September 11, 2001. We were watching as the first tower fell. My wife had been in New York City just a year before and had eaten in the restaraunt at the top of the Trade Center. I will never forget her words as she watched the first tower implode in a cataclysmic cloud of smoke and ash....."It's the end of the world..." she said in hushed tones. Indeed, it felt that way as we watched the unimaginable. "You have no idea how huge those buildings are!" she added.

As the day went on and we heard about the Pentagon, I suddenly realized that my old friend Kevin was working there! An officer in the Air Force, he had recently relocated to D.C. and I thought of his wife and children and what they must be going through. Suddenly, it was personal. These people just tried to kill friends of mine.

Knowing I would never get through to his wife, I called his brother in L.A. and found that thankfully, he was on the other side of the building when the plane hit and was safe. It was hard to imagine and when I later talked with him and heard his story, it was like a Tom Clancy novel. Unbelievable.

A few years later, terrorsim got personal again. One of our students in our ministry here named Kris went on a motorcycle trip across Africa with some friends, helping missionaries and humanitarian efforts along the way. It was quite a trip and as they finished they found themselves in Cairo. Only a few days before they were to come back to the states, they were in an outdoor bazaar, soaking in the exotic culture. Everywhere shop keepers were hawking their wares and people pushed and shoved their way through the crowded marketplace. A man with a basket bumped into Kris and stopped next to him. He bent over the basket and did something that Kris couldn't see. Suddenly a giant fist and a deafening noise slammed into Kris along with what was left of the man's body. Incredibly, another Muslim extremist had set off a bomb in the bazaar, killing two of Kris's friends and seriously hurting him and the other friend. (you can read the full story in the recent book The Only Road North, published by Zondervan).

It had happend again: another friend of mine nearly killed. Every time I think of it, I am angry.

And so I do not forget 9/11 and what it stands for. I flew the flag this year as I always do, but I saw no one else on our block with one this year. Perhaps they didn't know anyone that day or in any other attacks. Perhaps they don't think it is that important.

But they are wrong.

These people are not done.

They have tried to kill my friends.

One day, they may try to kill you. Or your spouse. Or your kids.

Thank God for our troops, and our President for trying to stop them. May we never forget what happened that day...

and may we thank God for those beautiful fall days, when nothing really big seems to happen............

I Hate Fishing PT II

2007-08-31T13:38:00.000-07:00

"Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad!" The little voice echoed across the placid lake. "My line is tangled again!"

I sighed. I hate fishing. At least for the moment.

And then, I had a thought. Fishing for fish is a lot like fishing for men. Let me explain.

Jesus told his disciples early on to be fishers of men. Many were fisherman already, so this was a natural metaphor. Clearly, we are to take the gospel (Lit . "good news") to the ends of the earth, and the fishing analogy is really quite appropriate. To whit:

*You need the right bait, lure, and/or technique! I know some great fishermen, and they know what the fish are bighting on e.g. mayflies, minnows etc. A good fisherman knows what a trout likes versus a bass, what time of year it is, and where the fish like to hang out. In the same way, a good evangelist knows his audience and what makes them tick. Lately, some people in my neck of the woods are using open air preaching to try and "reach" people witht the gospel. This is just poor technique, though the goal is good-fishing for men. It is like using worms to catch a wild brook trout. Although you may get lucky, it doesn't work most of the time. Missionaries overseas truly study the people they are trying to reach-just quoting scripture doesn't work in most cultures, including this one.

*It can be frustrating. I caught no fish this last trip. And I rarely see people come to Christ here in Utah. But I have caught a bunch of fish in other lakes and I have led bunches of people to Christ in other places, e.g. California. They just aren't biting here. You can theorize all you want to, but only God really knows why.

*You want to quit when nothing happens. Who keeps throwing their line out when it's obvious nothing is biting? In the same way, I have shared my faith with many people here, but no bites. I have wanted to quit many times-but.......

*When you finally catch one, it suddenly seems worth it! I have been fishing for hours and am about ready to pack it in- it was a wasted trip. Suddenly the line jerks and I know I have one! It is a great feeling when I reel that big boy in! In the same way, when you help lead someone into a new relationship with Christ, it fills you with elation! (I say help, because it is not me who really leads anyone to Christ, but actually the Holy Spirit of God). All that time talking, praying, thinking, perhaps reasoning and debating-it does seem worth it after all! And then you want to do it again!

So do I really hate fishing-for fish or for men? Well, not really. It just depends when you catch.... me.

I Hate Fishing

2007-08-24T11:13:00.000-07:00

I suppose that is a little bit of exageration. I don't actually hate fishing. It's just not on my top ten list of things to do. If I have free time, there are lots of other things that tend to jump into my mind before fishing. But since I live in Utah, the mountains, and am surrounded my people who love to fish, I do it.

Now, every book on good fathering tells you to take your son (sorry girls) fishing. Good bonding and all that; part of being a man, etc. My own father never took me fishing-he found it pretty boring and would rather watch football. Ironically, when we would go back to Tennessee to visit my grandparents, my grandfather always took us and my dad enthusiastically went. After all, that is what you do with your grandfather! So I learned to fish pretty young and had a lot of fun. We caught mostly what they called brim,which is perch or sunfish. We used bait, worms etc.
So every few years I was Tom Sawyer for an afternoon, sitting by a lake or in a boat with my line in the water, just hoping something would bite.

In the west though, we mostly fish for trout and use flies, lures, etc. It takes a lot more effort and skill. Friends here introduced me to spinners, etc. which I had never seen before. And so I and others have taught my son to fish and he loves it! In fact last weekend, he caught a 14 inch brook trout in a small lake in the Uintah's. I am told that is huge for a brookie. He was one very proud sportsman. I smiled with satisfaction. Manhood 101 is going well.

So why do I "hate" fishing? Well, I don't usually catch much for one thing. Secondly, I am usually with kids and spend most of my time freeing hooks from overhanging trees, untangling lines, or trying to keep the dog from being snagged instead of the trout. Last week I think every other cast I made got caught on an underwater log or rock. In short, it just wasn't much fun.

But it was a blast to see the grins on the kid's faces as they reeled them in. Everyone in our group caught at least one. We had quite a fish dinner at our campsite that night, under the stars with a roaring fire. It was the last trip of summer and it was, well.....good.

But it still isn't my thing.

Interestingly, the parallels with evangelism, i.e. fishing for men, are amazing!

See you next time for that one!

Sentinal

2007-08-09T14:11:00.000-07:00

I am special.

Everyone has told me that since I was born. I guess I kind of accept it now, as it is clear I will never be your average dog. Yep, that's me in the middle. I am a black lab named Sentinal and today my life changed forever. As this is being written I am on my way to Oregon for some intensive training to be a guide dog for a blind person. If I do well of course. My family says it's kind of like going off to college. They were even all crying (well, the man just a little) and saying goodbye. Humans are kind of strange like that.

It's hard to believe it was over a year ago that I was on a long truck trip. My litter mates and others like me left California and traveled for days. Now, I have been fussed over since I was born-checked and double checked, all kinds of shots and exams-I have to tell you I got a little tired of it. My mom seemed used to it, as she has seen it all before. When they took me away from her, I was very used to people, but missed her a lot. The truck was fun though-lots of pups like me. But with every stop, there were fewer and fewer of us. Until one day it was my turn.

The driver came in and scooped me out of my cage. "It's your turn today buddy!" he exclaimed. He took me in his arms and we entered a big building in Salt Lake City. He stood outside a door and I heard someone inside say" And, noooooowwww....SENTINAL!"

He carried me in and people were cheering and clapping. A grinning blond girl (the one in the picture) took me in her arms and hugged me and I licked her face. I guess you could say it was love at first sight! (Hey, she was really pretty!) Then another pretty blond girl took me too and I could tell from the start they were both going to love me big time! After that, lots of people held me and ooohed and aahhed and it went on and on. Eventually, we all got in a car and drove for a while. Finally I found myself in a very nice home with people who obviously thought I was...well, like I said, special! I took turns living with the blond girls and their families, alternating weeks. It was a little weird, but I got used to it.

Since then, they have taken care of me and taught me some very important stuff-like not pooping on the floor. (For humans, this is a very big deal) I learned things that really seem to make them happy, like sitting and staying on command (this is so easy I don't do it sometimes just to see what the humans do). The biggest thing they do is take me virtually everywhere: church, movies, restaraunts,camping,school (I went to school A LOT), camping-like I said, everywhere! This makes sense, since one day I will lead a blind person. The man in the picture even took me somewhere called "campus". He seemed to enoy it, which is good because I think he didn't like me too much at first-he thought I was a hassle and for some reason got excited when I peed on the carpet and chewed up his stuff. But he got over it!

It hasn't all been fun though. It's been tough on me sometimes: they just won't let me be a dog! I mean come on, I can't chase a ball, run at the park, play with other dogs,chew on stuff...frankly, it gets to me sometimes. But they say it's because I was born for, well, bigger things. I felt better when I heard the man tell the blond girl that she was kind of in the same situation. He said she was special too, and sometimes she just shouldn't do what a lot of other kids do, because God made her for bigger things. That's hard for humans too, I guess. We all have to trust that it is worth it!

One thing I know they appreciated was how quiet I am. I guess a lot of dogs kind of run off at the mouth. They say I have only woofed about five times! I didn't think much of it really-that's just who I am.

Well, all that's over now. I will miss those blond girls-I grew to love them and will always remember them. If I make it through the program, they told me they would come to my gradaution. That would be awesome! I know they are praying for me-and for the blind person I will be matched up with.

So here we go!

I will return here some day and let you know how it all turns out!

Thanks for reading-and I hope you know that God has plans for you too!

Into the Valley PT II

2007-07-29T14:47:00.000-07:00

"...though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death.." -David

"... you will have tribulation, but do not fear, for I have overcome the world." -Jesus

I laid on the bed with my kids the night we found out my wife had cancer. They were having trouble getting to sleep of course, and well, so was I. We were comforting each other, really. Their little bodies were snuggled up to mine as we talked about how they felt, thier fears, and what was going to happen next.

Recently my daughter had memorized the 23rd Psalm and I asked her to say it for us. With confidence, she recited it and her fear and sadness seemed to melt away. My 10 year old son said most of it with her too, and it just was amazing to feel their moods change. We talked about how God is with us in tragedy and pain, and that those things were a part of life. Soon, they were off to sleep and I joined them a while later.

But the fear came back.

It is an ancient metaphor for evil, fear,death: darkness. That is often the worst time for us, when we find our lonliest moments...It's no wonder suicides are greatest in the most northern climes where the winter nights never end. A well known book on the Holocaust is simply titled Night. So it was no surpise my worst moments were there in the dark, alone, in a strange bed, my wife miles away in a hospital room, hooked up to plastic tubes while her own cells ran amuck, trying to kill her...

What if she died?......

Where would I go? Should I stay where we are , where my kid's best friends would be a great support to them? I am ready for a change in our house, our ministry....but to go somewhere new where we know almost no one? That seems bad for my kids. Could we move closer to my old friends, where I loved living before? My old church would be a great support to me as a single father...a widower, they used to call it...

But all this is nuts! I am older than she, was exposed to lots of chemicals in my biology days (I can still smell the formaldahyde.) Surely it should be me lieing there, not her!!! It's not....

oh now come on, don't say it, don't think it....!

It's not fair.

Well of course not. I know better. It just seems....well, as Mr. Spock would say, "Illogical"

Life is often illogical isn't it? One author calls God "wild", unpredictable, unfathomable. Job found God too incredible to understand, as do I. His will is just not an open book to us. It is...a mystery.

So in the dark, I just have to trust, to believe, to accept what is.

And to thank God for the many ways he comforts, strengthens, encourages....

...like a little voice next to me, quoting a King from thousands of years ago....

The voice of God ...in the dark.

Into the Valley

2007-07-12T13:39:00.000-07:00

My kids new something was wrong when I asked them to come out onto the back deck of my brother-in-law's home. They had been there all day while my wife had surgery to remove what was expected to be a benign tumor.

"Mom's surgery went well", I said reassuringly. "But there's something I need to explain to you." My 12 year old daughter knew something was up as they both settled onto my lap.

"Mom has cancer, doesn't she dad?!" she said as her eyes filled with tears. My 10 year old son sat silently, looking very worried.

"Well, you know how people say I have good news and bad news? I have good news, bad news and more good news". I was totally calm with no sign of worry or tears.

"Tell us the bad news first" my daughter said in a demanding tone. My son looked up and said very seriously, "Dad, is mom going to die?" I almost lost it then, but held on. Am I in a movie?, I wondered to myself.

"No. That is the good news! She has done well in surgery and did not get sick from the anesthetic, just like we prayed! The bad news is yes, she does have cancer, but not the kind Mrs. Lucy had." (Lucy was a friend of ours who died from intestinal cancer a few years ago.)
"And the other good news is this cancer is treatable and mommy is probably going to be ok!"

My daughter started to cry then, while my son looked very relieved and wanted to get back to his legos. "But now mom is going to lose her hair!" she wailed! Amazing, the difference in perspective.

Later the next day, I did lose it. There are no guarantees after all. The doctors had all been wrong from the get -go. Could they be wrong about this? Will I be raising these two wonderful kids alone? The thought of my daughter hitting her teenage years without her mother finally brought me to tears in the waiting room. Up until then I had been resolute and calm. While her mom and others cried as the surgeon told us the news , I just stared at the table in front of me.

My wife has cancer.

My wife.

No. Not possible. Wrong patient. Wrong waiting room.

It just can't be.....

(To be continued....)

Born in Walla Walla 54 years Ago

2007-07-12T13:33:00.000-07:00

Yes, today is my birthday. I have been using perfectly good air on this planet for 54 years now.

And I don't feel a day over 53!

Thank you Lord for life, love and the amazing world and universe you have created.

Amen.

Welcome Home, Casey Jones

2007-06-21T20:43:00.000-07:00

His name would always bring a smile to your face.

If you didn't know him, you might think of the famous train engineer or the baseball poem about Casey at bat. But our Casey Jones was nearly 80 years old, and basically a cowboy who lived alone in a trailer. And one of the warmest, kindest, most sincere men I have ever known. On Tues morning, sitting in his chair at home, Casey went to be with the God he worshiped. A friend found him and said he looked...peaceful.

Our family knew Casey initially through his horses. He let my wife ride with him alot (she loves to ride but rarely gets a chance) and I went a few times too. He was part of our church for many years, always the first one there on Sunday morning, setting up chairs or whatever needed to be done. He never married. Never worried about money (he had very little) and always talked about the Lord. Above all, he was a man of prayer. At his memorial service I learned that he came to Christ as a young Marine, when he went to a special New Year's Eve service at a church where he was posted, I believe during the Korean War. And so it was fitting that a Marine Honor Gaurd presided over his burial on a beautiful summer day in Preston, Idaho.

Yes, Casey Jones was one of a kind. This kind, gentle cowboy...an ex-Marine who had given his life to Jesus long ago, finally met him face to face.

Casey Jones-welcome home!

The Last Word

2007-06-13T10:09:00.000-07:00

I know, I know. I said we were done with whether Jesus was told no to his prayers or not. But...

I am always on the lookout for good books to give to students in our ministry. A few weeks ago I picked up Christian Beliefs by Wayne Grudem. I took a theology class from Dr. Grudem some years ago, and found him a brilliant and warm professor. He has a BA from Harvard, MDiv. from Westminster Seminary and a PhD from Cambridge. The book is a simplified version of his 50 lb volume, Systematic Theology, which I also have and use fairly often. The small paperback is also edited by his son, who has a Mdiv. from Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, Florida.

So imagine my surprise as I skimmed this new book and found the following paragraphs in the chapter on prayer:

"When our prayers aren't answered, we join the company of men like Jesus and Paul, whose prayers were not answered (italics mine). Even Jesus, before he was crucified, asked his Father to "remove this cup" from him. But his humility and submission to God's will are evident in the second part of his prayer" "Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done."

Three times, Paul pleaded with the Lord to take away his affliction; the Lord did not do so, but instead told Paul, "My grace is sufficient for you..." (2 Cor.12:8-9)

These unanswered prayers did not deter either Jesus' or Paul's trust in a God who works "all things...together for good" (Rom. 8:28) (p. 52)

Nuff said.

D-day Prayer

2007-06-06T14:07:00.000-07:00

Today is the 63rd anniv. of D-day in 1944, the greatest invasion in history (as portrayed in "Saving Private Ryan", "The Longest Day", etc.) President Roosevelt went on the radio that morning and asked the nation to pray with him. I just heard it on the radio, imagining what it was like for my parents and grandparents to hear it for the first time.

If you have a few moments, listen to or read it at: www.faithofourfathers.org/heritage/fdr.html

It's awesome.

Even Jesus Didn't Have His Prayers Answered

2007-05-23T12:47:00.000-07:00

Do you ever get frustrated with prayer?

I do.

There are so many things I pray for that seem to fit the will of God, at least in a moral sense. For example, I pray for people to come to Christ, a prodigal child to come back to his faith, a marriage to be restored. Many, many times the answer is: NO. Now, I know I am not alone in this. But it never occured to me that even Jesus experienced it too.

In Gesthemane, he asked the Father if he might spare him the cross.

No.

In John 17, beginning with v. 2o, Jesus prays for the unity of all believers. Now, you could inpterpret this a number of ways I suppose, but if you just think of denominations, schisms over spirtual gifts, etc. (not to mention the Reformation), it seems like once again:

No.

So if Jesus didn't have all this prayers answered, why should I?

Why should you?

What do you think?

Heroes

2007-05-11T12:50:00.000-07:00

It's been a while....very busy these days.

"We used to be a nation of pioneers. Now we are a nation of victims and plaintiffs."-unknown

What a great quote. In some of my reading on raising kids, I came across the idea that the heroes we are raised on can have a great impact
on our future aspirations. I thought of the men I loved to imitate as a kid: Zorro, Superman, Sgt. Saunders 0f Combat !(all baby boomers remember that show!) ...and Davy Crockett. Who do kids have to emulate today? Spongebob? Raven? I honestly can't think of a kid's show with a bonafide hero who each week models integrity, valor, and sacrifice (Spiderman, etc. is not for young kids-even the cartoons can be a little edgy sometimes.)

Above is my son and his best friend, ready for another round of Davy Crockett adventures, complete with long rifles, powder horns, and coonskin caps. They have watched the old Disney series on DVD and loved it. For months and months they were out practicing their marksmanship, fighting river pirates, and yes, even Indians (er, Native Americans) We have read his biography too. Crockett was quite a guy and embraced faith in God as well as integrity. He even served in the U.S. Congress, not an easy place to live out those qualites! Though fighting Indians may not seem very PC, you will find he only did it in self defense. He fought Pres. Andrew Jackson's policies on relocating the Eastern tribes while he served in Congress, which earned him much trouble from the angry president(he thought it was a crime to take away their lands). His death at the Alamo is well known, though shrowded in mystery. Regardless of how he died, he went there to help the underdogs, something he seemed to have a passion for.

So will all this have a positive impact on my son? Well, he's only 10, but I have already seem him insist on fair play in all sorts of situations and even stand up for the underdogs on his soccer team, etc. He has a ton of compassion for others, prays readily, and has no desire to really hurt anybody, but knows he may have to to protect others. Obviously, I hope this is mostly due to his Christian upbringing and the Holy Spirit in his life. But it doesn't hurt to have a flesh and blood hero to admire.

And he knows ol' Davy's motto by heart: "Be sure your'e right, and then go ahead!" All in all, not a bad philosophy of life.

Thanks Davy. We could use a few more heroes like you.

Is Mitt Romney a Christian?

2007-03-21T11:18:00.000-07:00

It is still amazing to hear.

For the first time since I moved to Utah (nineteen years ago), this state and the LDS faith is the topic of national conversation! CNN, FOX, Hannity, Rush-everybody is talking about things that we have dealt with daily for almost 2 decades! It's fascinating, but since the news media simply doesn't know that much about such things, here's some simple truths to help people who might be confused.

Are Mormons Christians?

Well, Mormons think they are. But the truth is , they are the only ones! Virtually every Christian denomination or church (i.e. Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Protestant, etc.) deny Mormonism as a part of the Christian faith and have issued official statements as such. Sure some individuals may disagree (e.g. Jimmy Carter has said something to that effect), but that is pretty irrelevant. They just don't know much about the LDS faith (or their own, for that matter).

But Isn't the Name "Jesus Christ" in the Name of Their Church?

Yes it is, but really-so what? I can call myself Tom Selleck, but that doesn't make me him does it? China calls itself "The People's Republic of China". Does it belong to the people? Is it a Republic? Of course not-it's a communist dictatorship!

The name means nothing. (I just thought of a fast food place I know called "Quick and Tasty"-it is neither quick.... nor tasty.)

So Why Aren't Mormons Considered Christians?

Simple, really. Their foundational beliefs are too different from historic Christianity and the Bible to be considered Christian e.g. the nature of God and Jesus Christ, salvation, inspired revelation ,etc. (There are plenty of web sites to explain all this, so I will leave it to you to google them if you are interested! ) Virtually all non-Mormon scholars consider the Book of Mormon, Doctrines and Covenants, etc. to be utterly untrue. Joseph Smith, who said he translated golden plates into the Book of Mormon, is rejected as a prophet by every Christian church in the world.

So whatever the Mormon Church is, it just isn't accurate to call it Christian. This doesn't have anything to do with whether it's true or not ( I obviously don't believe it is, but that's not the point.)

And so, it looks like Mitt in in trouble already. The media is already pointing out his, well, truthstretching. As he tries to paint his faith as Christian, the Democrats aren't going to let him get away with it (just search his name on youtube for an interview on CNN, or MSNBC-one of those)

And so, it looks like my prophecy of a few months ago will not come true.

Apparantly, like Joseph Smith, I am not a prophet either!!

The Power of One or ____________(Your Name Here), Cultural Warrior

2007-03-12T10:42:00.001-07:00

I am nobody.

Really.

I will never be famous or even well remembered,except perhaps by my family. But I can make a difference in the lives of hundreds, even thousands of people. So can you.

One day last summer I walked into our local Shopko (sort of like a Wal Mart). As I walked by a rack of dvds I noticed a famous X-rated film, the Last Tango in Paris (there is an R version, but this was the X, or NC-17 version). I was not in a neutral mood that day, so I grabbed one and looked for the manager. I found the asst. manager.

"Did you know you are selling X-rated material?" I asked politely, but firmly.

""What? Oh wow....I don't think we realized that..." the college age male stammered. He then defended the store-it was a "corporate decision," not theirs. I stayed with it and said I wanted the manager to call me as soon as he came back and I intended to go public with everyone I knew if they did not do something about it. Within 24 hours he called, apologizing profusely and telling me they had pulled all the copies. I thanked him and assured him I would let people know about his prompt and responsible decision.

I have called my kids elementary and middle school over the years, as teachers have shown videos with profanity, etc. in class. Every time, the principal has acted immediately and stopped further incidents. In one case. a substitute had showed the offending material. When the regular teacher got back, he apologized to the class (because I had called) and even took the video and tore out the tape, shredding it in the process, while he said he too had had enough of the crassness pervading our culture.

This past Christmas, I noticed a local all-Christmas music station was rarely playing any carols, i.e. any song having to do with the birth of Christ. Lots of Santa and snow, but no Jesus. I called the 800 number and discovered this was one of 200 stations, anchored in LA. I again politely, but firmly, asked if this was intentional, part of the "war on Christmas". The DJ said he had no idea what I was talking about, but would certainly look at the play list. From that day on there were a lot more carols played every hour-on 200 stations! All from a nobody, making a simple request.

I have other friends who do similar things and have similar results. But too many of us are too passive, too busy, or just don't think they can make a difference.

Dear reader, speak UP! By all means, pray first, be polite, but be firm. The examples above are small things, but consider this:

How many children were spared being molested because a disturbed individual did not see the porn they most easily could have purchased? One would be enough.

How many kids will remember what that teacher did and make better choices about what they watch or listen too?

How many people might have been encouraged when they heard the Christmas carols of their youth, maybe in a nursing home?

I'll never know.

But I believe if we speak up on the small things, we will be ready for the big things when they come.

So go ahead. Make a difference.

You are somebody.

In the Belly of the Beast

2007-02-09T10:00:00.000-08:00

I don't know what made me look over to the parked van as I walked up the hill toward campus. It was rather non-descript, nothing much to look at. But something on the dashboard caught my eye. There were two "Bobble-heads" placed next to each other: Jesus and Buddha, both staring straight ahead.

"What a great picture of the modern university!", I thought. Relativism, pluralism, humanism all encapsulated beneath a dirty windshield. As I continued walking, I thought more about this place where I work.

I doubt you could find a more hostile environment in regards to biblical Christianity. First, Utah State University is overwhelmingly Mormon, according to it's own figures (89%). Most of them are interested in just two things: getting a degree and getting married (not necessarily in that order.) The campus is known for student apathy-church activities and dating keep them pretty busy and the vast majority are uninterested in exploring their own "faith", let alone the beliefs of others.

Chances are they will go to class where the professor is an atheist, agnostic, or a fellow Latter
Day Saint. Plenty of them are unafraid to espouse their views and regularly blast traditional values and Christianity. At lunch in the "Hub" or dining area, they'll be treated to loud and frequent profanity from the tables of Greeks or atheletes that hang out there. The student across from me reading her Book of Mormon finally got up and left. As I walked down the hall to an appointment I noticed the" book of the semester" in the bookstore is the "The DaVinci Code", the famous historically absurd and feminist novel. Behind it are walls of books published by the LDS church ("Isaiah for Idiots" sounds interesting). Across the way is a table for the Gay and Transgender Alliance.

Later, as I walked back to my car, I was treated to the sight of a giant snow sculpture of the male sexual organ in front of one of the few remaining fraternities, as they blasted rap music about doing something illegal to lots of girls. Two Mormon missionaries walk by, heads down and looking grim.

Just another day at work in the belly of the beast.

It's a good thing we, who try to reach this lost sea of young people ,walk by faith.

Walking by sight would be pretty discouraging.

Men in Ties Singing Hymns

2007-01-26T10:23:00.000-08:00

It has not been cool to wear a tie in church for a long time. Personally, I have always hated ties and only wear one at Easter and job interviews. The only people who seem to wear ties anymore are Mormons and a few of the older men in the back rows. They have this funny idea that dressing up for church shows respect for God and his church. Mmmmm...

Hymns are out too of course. Since the 80's, choruses and new praise songs are in. Virtually every modern evangelical church does them, and many got rid of the old hymnals entirely, relying now on powerpoint and video. The argument is: we must appeal to the young, the next generation. All well and good, I suppose. The problem is : it's not working.

According to folks like George Barna and Josh McDowell, the hip approach to "do church" has resulted in something like 75% of youth turning from God by the time they are 18. Divorce, partying, profanity, cheating, sex-for-fun-all are worse than ever. In short, the rock and roll generation is farther from God than ever, in spite of Chris Tomlin, U2, and wearing shorts to church. Modern youth ministry has simply failed our kids, inspite of Jars of Clay concerts and podcasts. The umpteenth edition of the new youth Bible just doesn't matter.

We have lost the war for the hearts and minds of the next generation.

You know, the coat-and-tie generation (hereafter referred to as the CT's) won a world war against unimaginable evil and tyranny. The hymn singers ended slavery and fought for civil rights (Martin Luther King , minister and tie-wearer led the way. Heck, even Jesse Jackson wore a tie.) It wasn't the long haired hip Jesus movement who opened crisis pregnancy centers, it was the CT generation. And, it was they who published and produced the new hip Bibles and CD's of the modern Jesus movement.

My point is this: the CT generation did a tremendous amount of good for the cause of Christ. Clutching their KJV bibles with boring black covers, they opened mission fields like China and India. With amazing courage, they spread the gospel all over the earth.

So let's not be too quick to turn our backs on all that has gone before, thinking our new, cool worship styles and latest hip Bibles will do the trick while we light the candles and listen to our I-pods

Maybe instead, we ought to sing a few hymns.

Or even wear a tie.

What Child is This?

2007-01-05T08:28:00.000-08:00

I love Christmas.

The lights, the music, the “spirit of Christmas” everyone talks about-it is just a feeling of warmth and joy unparalleled the rest of the year. All my life I have loved it, even when I was an atheist in my high school and college years. I looked forward to going out and finding gifts, decorating the tree, even singing the carols about the birth of Jesus. It was an American tradition, our tradition. The fondest memories I will ever have of my family are those of music playing all the time, the fire in the fireplace (even though it was Southern California), the tree glimmering in the living room, dad getting everything ready before we came running out Christmas morning. Pretty traditional, nothing very unique-yet a deep well of memories I go to every year.

The first year as a Christian stands out too. I sat in a candlelight service Christmas Eve that year at my brother’s church, tears streaming down my face ….For the first time I celebrated the birth of Jesus really believing it happened! The candles flickered as we sang and I soaked it all in….I was living the Scrooge story, a new man, ready to make my life count for something eternal!

Twenty-eight Christmases later, my precious mom and dad are gone. I will not hear their voices, hear the music, feel the warmth of the fire again….. A year ago on Christmas Eve, tears streamed down my face again, but for sorrow….sorrow that I will never share another Christmas with them. As I sat in church a few weeks ago, I began to think of it all again. The pain of losing them, the joy that is now missing during this season….but then, while we sang “What Child is This”, my daughter’s warm little hand slipped into mine. I smiled as we sang, thinking how God is using this child to bless me here, now. Indeed, the joy my own children give me during Christmas, and I hope I give them, brings the light back. The tangible helps me remember the intangible… that it all happens because of the Child…from whom all light comes…and who my mom and dad now worship and enjoy in person…

I still love Christmas.

Merry ------mas

2006-12-18T11:45:00.000-08:00

It's been a while. Very busy these days, but had to write this letter to the editor. To give some context, the city sent a life-size manger scene that has been downtown for many years to the landfill...

The Herald Journal left out an important target in their list of entities that people love to hate or criticize: Jesus Christ and his followers. Almost everyday there is an article or letter slamming the majority faith of this nation and it's spiritual heritage.

At Thanksgiving there was the front page article profiling teachers who portray the Pilgrims as land hungry,genocidal fanatics. A high school writer in the Grizzly insert referred to Native American sources as undeniable proof that the Pilgrims invited the Indians to their feast as a ploy to get their land. All this is presented with no rebuttal or context. It is, of course, utter nonsense. Search the historical literature and it is agreed that the Pilgrims and Native tribes had a good relationship and peace that lasted 50 years. These devout Christians thanked God for Squanto and others who enabled them to survive. The journals of Gov.William Bradford and others show that the starving Pilgrims intended to pay back the people whose graves they found corn in, etc. If you remember your history, they were supposed to join an existing colony and were unprepared to farm, so they had little choice. There is no hint of greed or exploitation in the existing records. Indeed, that did come later in history, but it is not to be blamed on the passengers of the Mayflower.

Then there was the absurd letter portraying Adolf Hitler as a Christian. The writer apparently has no knowledge of propaganda (the obvious purpose of Hitler's quotes) and little knowledge of Hitler. Upon reading any biography of the man, anyone will find he was a devotee of the philosophy of Nietzsche, who championed the idea of the "master race", hardly the teachings of Jesus.

And finally, our good city council and mayor throws Jesus and his family in the local landfill. Your columnist Eldon Peterson said it well two weeks ago: we are keeping Christmas and getting rid of Jesus. As Mayor Watts said, "we...got rid of things that we don't need any more." I am afraid the opposite is true. We need the hope and love incarnate in that little baby more than ever. And tell me, would it have been that hard to let some churches in the area know the Nativity scene was available? Or did our city leaders join in the current cultural expulsion of all things Christian? Mr. Archer is quoted "It's kind of funny that people get so revved up about this sort of stuff." Funny? Not if you believe in the story of the birth of Christ. It is insulting.

In this age of tolerance and diversity, why is the little baby in the manger such a target, the man he grew up to be so despised, his followers so denigrated? Ignorance and bigotry are good for starters. Add to that the denial that we all need God. But to really understand, read one of the four Gospels. All this has been predicted...and you will find yourself there.

But no matter what you believe.........

Merry Christmas!

The Elections

2006-11-18T13:08:00.000-08:00

"There's too much talk in Congress. Many men seem to be proud that they can say so much about nothing. Their tongues keep working whether they've got any grist to grind or not."- Davy Crockett, famous frontiersman and Congressman from Tennessee, 1827

Well, the Dems have won Congress, as everyone says. It is a repudiatation of Bush, the war, conservatism, etc. But is it?

Many Republicans lost because of sexual and financial scandels. Many of the winning Democrats supported the war in Iraq and are opposed to abortion. It is a very interesting situation.

In the November 2006 edition of Smithsonian Magazine, a fascinating article recounts the mid-year elections of 1946. Democrat Harry Truman was not doing well and the country seemed unhappy with his policies. The Republicans swept Congress for the first time in sixteen years. Sound familiar? The point of the article though is they couldn't hold on. The next election saw them booted out because the couldn't get much done.

Will the same thing happen to the Dems?

We'll see won't we? Meantime, let us keep praying.....

Halloween 2006

2006-11-01T13:17:00.000-08:00

Well, another Halloween has come and gone.

A commentary on our culture: our son dressed up as a Patriot this year, ala Ethan Allen with the three pointed hat. None of the kids at school got it. In fact, his fellow fourth graders didn't even know what a Patriot is (no, not the missle). And they never heard of Ethan Allen. They all thought he must be Jack Sparrow, of Pirates of the Caribeaan.

Sigh. I wonder if they have ever heard of Patrick Henry. George Washington? Mel Gibson?

And for a great article on what currently goes on All Hallowed Eve, even here in Cache Valley, Utah, read this link (I talked to a "warlock" on campus once. They really are out there-excuse the pun!)

http://www.breakpoint.org/listingarticle.asp?ID=798

More Food for Thought

2006-10-19T13:26:00.000-07:00

Well, this has been a great, and I mean GREAT discussion! Thank you to all who were willing to write such thoughtful and well reasoned comments. It has been very helpful to me and I hope to others.

Some follow up thoughts:

Very little comment addressed part of my question dealing with what masculine and feminine mean. One comment I heard frequently on and off line was "It depends what you mean by that."

Mmmmmm.....

These are very basic ideas, very basic words. In the 21st Century we don't know what they mean any more. John Wayne and Marilyn Monroe, we are not, and probably rightly so. Stereotypes are the enemy. So what are we left with? More "feminine" men? More "masculine" women? Perhaps this is just the problem. Boys don't know what it means to be a man anymore, girls a woman. Could this be one of the major reasons for the crippling divorce rate, even among Christians who supposedly hold marriage to be sacred? How about the increase in homosexuality?

I also leave you with another question: What do you think of I Peter 3: 1-6? Included in this passage: "Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands... Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, instead it should be that of your inner self...of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight...." (of course, this should be read in full context).

Liberals among you will probably just reject Peter as another male chauvinist. But if not, does this not at least hint at a biblical idea of femininity? I still find this hard to reconcile with encourageing our young girls to be agressive or assertive on the court, in the board room, or in the church.

"Get Your Butts Down Ladies!"

2006-09-25T11:19:00.000-07:00

The above command resonated across the soccer field as my 9 year old daughter and her teammates tried to follow the coach's instructions. It was an attempt to get them to block the ball from opposing players during practice. During the games, we heard and still hear (from different coaches now) "Come on ladies, be aggressive! " "Who wants the ball!!!???" "Go After It!!!"

My question is this: What is this doing to our girls? Are we teaching them to be...well, boys?

The larger question is this of course: What does "feminine" and "masuculine" mean anymore? Certainly, feminism has influenced our culture drastically, like it our not. It is now a given in secular culture that girls should play as much sports, shoot as many deer,have as many corporate management jobs, and fly as many jet fighters as boys. There is no distinction.

So what does it mean to be a woman, other than a few anatomical differences?

Ok, for us Christians, here is another question. As I have discussed here before, the Bible teaches us throughout that wives should submit to their husbands (again, it never tell husbands this, not even in Ephesians ,if you read the passage carefully-see the discussion on this blog on May 17 2006 "Death of Marriage II"), not to teach in church over men, etc. So, how can we expect our girls to grow up to be nurturing, supportive, or even submissive, when we are telling them to be aggressive on the court, soccerfield, office or military unit? Can a woman who has slugged the ball out of the park or shot an antelope through the heart be a successful, tender mother of a baby and love her husband with respect?

Well, frankly, I don't know.

But I doubt it.

This matters a lot to me. You see, I want my daughter to be the woman God meant her to be, not a product of current societal trends-nor do I want her to be a clone of myself or my wife. I pray for her to grow up to be a Godly woman, not a stereotype of my past -nor a product of post-modern theology. Sadly,there are precious few role models out there to look at.

I would love to hear people weigh in on this, especially you parents or women who were involved in sports, hunting, etc.

What say you?

Kids are Great

2006-09-13T13:19:00.000-07:00

There used to be a TV show called "Kids Say the Darndest Things" or something like that. It was in the 50's and later Bill Cosby did it again in the 80's or so. I love it when my kids say things only a kid would say. Here are some recent memorable quotes from our 9 year old boy:

While on vacation: "Mom, aren't tourists really bad, I mean, you know, dangerous? You know, like the ones who blew up those buildings in New York"!

Saying Grace before dinner: "Lord, thank you for such a beeewwwwuuuutiful day and that I have such wonderful parents and we have all this great food. Amen" (I especially liked this one, although he fails to mention his sister.........)

"Something's wrong with my inside eating thingy....I am always hungry!"

After being in the sun a long time: "You know Dad, I really need to stay out of the sun to save my complexion."

"I wish girls didn't like me so much!"

You gotta love it.

Vince

2006-09-04T09:58:00.000-07:00

"Can a mortal ask questions which God finds unanswerable? Quite easily, I should think. All nonsense questions are unanswerable. How many hours are there in a mile? Is yellow square or round? Probably half the questions we ask-half our great theological and metaphysical problems-are like that." -C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed

Regular readers of this esteemed site know my friend Vince, at least know of his comments. Indeed, he is the most frequent commenter and sets off the longest discussions! But for those of you who don't know him personally, let me tell you about him.

Vince is a dedicated father and husband. Sincerity oozes from every pore. I have admired he and his wife's lifestyle for some time and believe that in many ways, they are great examples to the Christian community. As you can tell, he is very intelligent, a physicist by training. He is also a dedicated Christian.

Now, one problem of writing, be it letters or blogs, is that you can't tell things like this just from opinions on things like politics or theology. Some of you just think of him as a flaming liberal. It just isn't so.

We had lunch the other day. We talked about things like truth and the problems within the body of Christ, and yes, a little politics. He made a statement I have been thinking about, that we all live in our "mythologies", be it left or right, conservative or liberal. I like that and I agree it is true. Many things we think we know turn out to be wrong, or at least, exaggerated. So it is useful to dialogue,to discuss, even debate. It helps us see our mythologies.

So Vince, thank you. I hope you will comment again soon.

After all, if everyone thought like me, who would read this anyway?

Is Paris Learning?*

2006-09-01T14:19:00.000-07:00

Well, a picture really is worth a thousand words! I have received many comments about my last post, mostly verbal ones from people who read this. I was a little surprised, but since I don't usually post pictures I guess it caught people off-gaurd. But once again, it is encouraging to know how many people are interested in my efforts!

Now, some of the responses here betray a cursary reading of my last post. I did not critisize blondes in any way and meant no disrespect of i-pods or their listeners. After all, my beloved Pastor has one! No, I simply meant that many YOUNG people, especially the really good lo0king ones, do not read or think much anymore. I am not the only one saying this of course. Many articles have been written (I know this because I read alot, on airplanes and in doctor's offices ) suggesting that the current college age generation is the most illiterate in American History. My experience of 30 years on campus would support that. I can't tell you how many students in our ministry admit they do not read-some have read the first book in their lives in the last year!

My fourth grade son came home with his reading folder this week-at the top it says "Readers are Thinkers". Thus, I think it is safe to say that 20 year old Paris Hilton wanna-bes are not praying or listening to thoughtful speakers on their ipods-but I will ask one sometime, as awkward as that might be. ("Excuse me, but I think most men would find you very attractive. Can I ask what you are listening to or what you are thinking about? I am doing a study for my blog")

But I might get slapped.

By the way, Paris Hilton is an airhead. If you have ever seen her talk, it is quite obvious. She merely has good handlers who tell her how to be a star and how to look good and what to do next, like record a CD, her latest effort. If you doubt this, well, as the saying goes, I have a car I would like to sell you.......

*Note: Does anybody get the title puns regarding movies ? If so, tell me what the last two are and you will win a prize!!

Babes on a Plane

2006-08-24T11:03:00.000-07:00

She was beautiful and she sat down in the window seat in my row. As the plane got ready to take off I couldn't help but notice she had nothing to do. No book, no laptop, not even a magazine. As the flight went on she just stared at the seat in front of her, and then finally pulled out an ipod and just sat there, trance like.

It happened again the other day at the dentist. A very attractive blond (everyone is blond here in Utah by the way)college student came in and sat across from me in the waiting room. She had only her cell phone, clutched firmly in her hand like some sort of security blanket. She just sat there the whole time-staring straight ahead.

I wonder-is that the ideal for beautiful people now-to be as brain dead as Paris Hilton? In previous generations that was the stereotype-Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield were hardly known for their intelligence. But the current generation is known for not reading or thinking-beautiful or not. They are "successful" by their money making skills, involving computers or cell phones. And with Americans increasingly overweight and getting older, beauty and youth may be increasingly worshiped and adored. Thus, they don't need to aspire to much -just be.

So they sit there, doing nothing. And have dogs with brains the size of raisins.

While I, older and heavier, read my book on the American Revolution.

I wonder if they have a blog?

Sell Us the Lord....

2006-08-22T13:09:00.000-07:00

Well, politics and religion-what a mix! For you Carter fans, or those just interested in the discussion, check out the lyrics of my fore-mentioned favorite all-time song writer, John Stewart. A Kennedy democrat, he wrote this song after Jimmy Carter was elected: http://www.californiabloodlines.com/displayprint.lasso?-KeyValue=87&-Token.Action=

A Mormon for President - the Prophecy

2006-08-03T09:22:00.000-07:00

Well, since I received very few responses to my introspective entries, I will move on to other topics. Thank you to those of you who sent encouraging comments-I appreciate it!

I am an ameteur prophet. Not a Biblical prophet of course-I fall far short of that. No, just a for-fun predictor of future events. I think I run at about 80%, which is pretty good, don't you think?

For over 2 years now I have told people that it is very possible a Mormon could be our next President. It was kind of fun to see people's reactions-disbelief mostly. How could this be? How could a formerly obscure, rather odd religion (think ploygamy, no coffee or alcohol, etc.) produce an American president?

Several Reasons:

1. No longer obscure, the LDS faith has been pursuing acceptance from society for over two decades now, loudly condemning polygamy and reversing it's patriarichal and racist past, and emphasizing the importance of family. It has succeeded and our relativistic culture ("whatever works for you") has been the perfect environment for it to thrive in.

2. The Democratic front runner is obviously Hillary Clinton. Her shrill voice and feminist, liberal beliefs are going to be too much for most moderates. Ergo, the conservative candidate has a great chance at winning.

3. Two Mormons who are very appealing to watch are Mitt Romney, Republican governor of Mass. and Mike Leavitt, former Gov. of Utah and now on President Bush's cabinet. I bet either could beat Hillary. Leavitt has shown no interest, but Romney is getting ready to run. He has formed an election commitee and is raising money. He has been compared to JFK and has already proven his leadership and appeal. A Republican Gov. of Massachusettes! Pretty amazing!

So there is a very good chance it will be Mitt Romney v.s. Hillary. Who would the country vote for? How about you?

I think Romney would win hands down if it were not for his Mormon faith. His committee knows that and has been consulting with Protesant and Catholic leaders, some from Utah, to figure out what to do about his image. To be sure, his opponents will bring up all of Mormonism's ugly past, as well as it's un-orthodox beliefs. Will people elect a man who believes he will one day become a God and have his own planet?

Well, we will see.

My prophecy: Romney will win against Hillary.

Remember, I am only an ameteur!

Using Perfectly Good Air

2006-07-12T07:43:00.000-07:00

So I wonder, after living over half a century, if I have made any difference at all.

My life is nothing like I dreamed about as a kid. It is not even close to what I worked for in college.

I have many things to celebrate, but many disappointments.

Would they make It's Wonderful Life about my life? I sort of doubt it.

Have I done what God intended for me to do?

Why do I seem to have so few real options?

Has my life mattered at all?

Will my kids amount to anything?

And why the heck isn't the second season of Lost out on DVD yet? (Who were those perverts on the boat at the end of season one anyway?)

....And Many More?

2006-07-12T07:20:00.000-07:00

Today is my birthday.

It is a rather sad one. It is the first one without a call or card from my mom and dad. In fact, the only cards I have gotten so far are from corporate entities, although I did get one from my home church in CA-really very nice.

Birthdays are funny things. They are a huge deal when you are young-gifts, theme parties , lots of cards for the new little one, etc. If you have one during the school year,class parties often happen. My kids get a shirt delivered to their room and everybody has cupcakes, etc.

As time goes on, the attention wanes. Maybe at 16 there is some big celebration, and 21 is usually a big one (for many, involving alcohol-no more cake and ice cream). I remember how sad it was after my grandparents died. No more gifts or calls-they always remembered. And now, the only other ones who always remembered are gone, mom and dad. I still have the money they gave me last year, sitting on my desk. (I have been unable to decide what to get with it-I want it to mean something.) My mom was determined to give me a check-dad couldn't write any more.

Now, I wasn't ignored this year. My wife and kids and some friends came over for some cake and ice cream last night (my wife actually got confused on what day it was, but hey, no big....) And my brother and I will celebrate our birthdays next week together (his was June 26).

But the phone was silent, the mailbox empty. No longer will there be the reminiscing of the day I was born, the stories, the unbelief that 53 years have passed since little Robby was born that Sunday morning in Walla Walla, Washington. It is pretty humbling that everyone who helped bring me into the world is gone now.

And so it goes for all of us.

Pass some more cake please.

Legacy

2006-07-03T12:00:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th!

John Adams wrote in 1776 that the 4th of July should be remembered by feasts, games, and fireworks. And so we do, some 230 years later. Tonite (they do it early here) we will once again oooh and ahhh as we watch the fireworks go off in the sky above us. My kids love the 4th and we play patriotic music for about 2 weeks before the day each year. I will always remember them singing "Its a Grand Old Flag" at the top of their lungs in the car when they were little, after they learned it in school. Even just this morning, my 11-year old daughter was singing "the Star Spangled Banner" with gusto in her room while she got dressed.

But do we remember the cost-and those who first paid it?

I love Ben Franklyn's reported words as he left the hall after voting for the Declaration of Independence. A women asked him, "Well Mr. Franklyn, what have you given us?"

"A republic, Madam", he replied. "...if you can keep it".

The history of the signers is sobering. Many of them died in the following war or lost their families and homes. Franklyn became permantly estranged from his son and grandchildren, who sided with the British. Some became destitute. Often portrayed today as rich land owners trying to get out of paying taxes, the signers paid a dear price for their actions, and few, if any, got richer.

As we celebrate, I want my children to understand that because of many, many people's sacrifices, we are still free.

Yes Mr. Franklyn, we have kept it, thanks to the Grace of God and the courage He has instilled in so many hearts over the years. For how much longer, no one knows. But I for one, am grateful to live in the "land of the free, ....and the home of the brave" (and I hope you sang that last part!)

The Mountain

2006-06-30T12:55:00.000-07:00

The mountain has always been there.

Towering above the valley, it stands watch over meadows, lakes, roads, and the hotel I am staying in. Elk graze peacefully on the lawn below...how many herds have come and gone under its watchful gaze? How many dramas have unfolded in it's shadow? Mountain lions making a kill, blizzards covering everything in white, thunder crashing as lightning blasts its rocky crags....

How many have climbed it? How many have died trying?
(several, that I know of)

It's done nothing to invite being climbed, conquered. It's just there. It, and other peaks in the Rockies had to be conquered, to go west. For those who did, it wasn't just mere adventure, but rather a necessity. Which leads me to look at the mountains in my own life.

They are not invited, not deserved, just there: my parent's death, old age, kids growing up...they have to be climbed, conquered. There is no choice. I need the right equipment, the right advice.

Or I too will be a casualty, another death on the mountain.

And the mountain will still be there...

Divorce

2006-06-12T10:25:00.000-07:00

For more on the subject of divorce, read this thought provoking article. Do you think he is right?

http://www.albertmohler.com/commentary_read.php?cdate=2006-06-09

Thank You, Lawrence Starbuck

2006-05-31T11:03:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful sunny day in Atascader0, California. My kids and I and our good friends the Redels stood in the local cemetary on Memorial Day. They had joined us for our annual tradition of placing flowers on the graves of Veterans who, for reasons unknown to us, did not have any. The small American flags placed on the graves by the Boy Scouts waved gently in the wind, and there were lots of them.

The kids fanned out, reading the headstones. There were many from WWII and some from Korea. None had apparantly died in a war. But then I found one.

Lawrence Starbuck. Born 1952. Died 1972. US Marine Corps. Viet Nam.

I paused silently. He was born a year before me. Indeed, it could have been me. I was in the draft, but had a very high lottery number (352 or something like that) and I didn't have to go. Whether he actually died in Viet Nam, we don't know of course. It would have been at the end of the war. But we gathered around his grave and prayed for his family and all those who have died to protect our freedom. We also prayed for Kevin Andrews, the son of other special friends, who has just enlisted in the Air Force. We prayed for peace in Iraq and protection for those we know there.

And we prayed for the Prince of Peace to come soon. Only then will war end. Only then will there be no more headstones with little flags waving in the wind

Only then will there be no need for losing men like Lawrence Starbuck.

But until then... thank you.

Well Behaved Women.....and What is a Good Marriage Anyway?

2006-05-22T13:07:00.000-07:00

"Well Behaved Women Never Made History"

The bumper sticker always catches my attention when I see it on a certain car that is often before me as I drop off my kids at school. Out of the car steps a 5th grade boy...and everyone cringes. He is probably one of the worst kids in the school, regularly calling out to his teacher things like "Hey: Screw this test!" Yes, his mother is making history alright. Oviously I don't know the whole story here, but as she drives off, I wonder if she really knows the legacy she is leaving behind?

Well, if you read the comments on this latest topic of marriage, there is alot to consider. And if you go to the web sites and other sources, there is far more to mull over. But let's cut to the chase.

Here is what a Godly, Biblical marriage looks like....well, yes, in my view. (Hey, it's my blog isn't it?) But I base it on a sensible interpretation of scripture, taken in context (this includes taking all the scriptures having to do with marrriage into consideration, not just camping on some that suit one's agenda). I also base it on solid scholarship (for example, check out Soft Patriarchs, New Men: How Christianity Shapes Fathers and Husbands (2004)by Dr. Brad Wilcox) and experience knowing hundreds of couples, young and old. And lastly, I have been married almost 19 years myself. So here it goes:

A husband loves his wife, often sacrificially-that means 'til it hurts! He gives of his time and energy and loves her as Christ loves the church, with tenderness and grace. He is also the head, meaning he gives direction and leadership to the couple and the family, also as Christ did (and does) to the church. Jesus does not lead arbitrarily, but with much prayer and consulting with the Father-so must the husband. He loves his wife and children with a passion-but does not cater to every whim or want. He must use discernment and seek wisdom, all in the context of love.

A wife loves her husband, also sacrifially at times. She is to respect him and honor him as the leader of the home and not try to take charge when she disagrees. As the bride, she is also tender and gracious, knowing he, being human, will make lots of mistakes. She too needs godly wisdom and counsel from others. She can be involved in all kinds of activites, including work or career (Prov 31) as long as it does not interfere with the family or hurt her husband in his capacity as head of the home. There are stages of life as children get older and certainly there can be changes in how things are done over time.

Obviously, there are situations of extreme behavior or circumstances that would alter this. And even though I continue to argue it is all too common, divorce may be the only option when things are just too fargone (e.g. adultery, abuse, etc.) Even Jesus taught that.

Corrallary: Be careful who you marry! Be certain you know the other person well enough that you can commit to this!

Sadly, even as I write this, another marriage in our church is failing. The newly minted college graduate wife doesn't want to go where her husband's headed. She follows her own path.

Her children weep.

Her God weeps.

And all of us should weep as well.

The Real Victims

2006-05-20T12:44:00.000-07:00

As we debate things like marriage, feminism, and divorce, I can get a little angry-well, more than a little. (Can you tell?) Primarily, it's because of the children. Read this recent post from Chuck Colson and Breakpoint:

Casualties in the Culture Wars:
Gay 'Marriage' and Children May 18, 2006

Note: This commentary was delivered by Prison Fellowship President Mark Earley.

I have a quick test for you. Don't worry, it's a multiple-choice test and won't take long. Ready? Here's the question. Which of these things doesn't belong: A) children, B) Easter egg hunts, or C) political activists?Unfortunately, the homosexual activists of the Family Pride Coalition did not pass this test on Easter, when a nearly 130-year-old tradition of hunting for eggs on the White House lawn suddenly became the bull's eye of controversy.Three months before the event, the Family Pride Coalition announced that gay and lesbian couples would be attending the Easter Egg Roll with their children to raise awareness of gay and lesbian "families." While I echo the sentiments of Easter Egg Roll hostess Laura Bush -- who said that all are welcome provided they comply with the rules -- I categorically disagree with what the activists did. They used a children's event to make a raw political statement.

While it saddens me that the activists chose to politicize the event, it does not surprise me that children were once again the unfortunate casualties in the war on the weak. It fits the pattern.From the get-go, the quest to legitimize gay "marriage" in this country has not really been about marriage. It has been about the pursuit of unlimited personal autonomy -- no matter what the cost to society or to its most vulnerable members, our children -- because, in the end, what gay "marriage" proponents are doing, intentionally or unintentionally, is undermining the institution of marriage itself. And when that happens, children are the real victims.

Now, lest we fail to remove the plank from our own eye first, we need to admit that the problem with marriage in this country began with no-fault divorces. The take-it-or-leave-it attitude toward marriage was the first step in undermining the sanctity of marriage.Selfishness, sexual sin, high divorce rates, and casual attitudes toward marriage in general have opened wide the door to redefining marriage in a way that leaves the voiceless, in this case, children, vulnerable and at great risk.

It's distasteful when children are used as political pawns, but it's disastrous when a society fails to protect its weaker members. This is especially true when it comes to protecting the institution of marriage. As Dr. Timothy Dailey concludes in HOMOSEXUAL PARENTING: PLACING CHILDREN AT RISK, "The complementary aspects of parenting that mothers and fathers contribute to the rearing of children are rooted in the innate differences of the two sexes, and can no more be arbitrarily substituted than can the very nature of male and female . . . [despite] accusations of sexism and homophobia . . . , [despite] attempts to deny the importance of both mothers and fathers in the rearing of children, the oldest family structure of all turns out to be the best."Children need a mom and a dad. And children need us to protect the institution that protects them best, whether that's fighting for strong marriages, or fighting against no-fault divorce laws and against so-called same-sex "marriages."

In a little less than a month, there will be a vote in the Senate on the Marriage Protection Amendment. Please call your United States senators. If Christians don't protect society's most vulnerable, then who will? And if we don't do it now, then when?This is part two in the "War on the Weak" series.Get links to further information on today's topic (http://www.breakpoint.org/listingarticle.asp?ID=2285)________________________________________________Take Action--------------------------- Urge your two senators and your congressman to vote for the Marriage Protection Amendment: Call 202-224-3121.

Men and Marriage

2006-05-17T12:36:00.000-07:00

As luck (?) would have it, Focus on the Family this week has had fascinating broadcasts about marriage and the future of society, especially by George Gilder, a profound thinker and author, and Harvard grad. Go to Family.org and go to the recent broadcasts. Trust me, it's worth hearing!

The Death of Marriage Part II

2006-05-17T09:49:00.000-07:00

"What we work out in our journals we don't take out on family and friends." -Madeleine L'Engle, in the forward to C.S. Lewis' A Grief Observed.

Hyperbole can be very useful. After all, Jesus used it frequently. Of course, my title "Marriage is Dead" is just that, designed to get your attention. And yet...

I really appreciate those of you who comment. I truly hope what I write will influence some to think, reconsider positions, and open their minds beyond the indoctrination of our culture, education and poor Biblical teaching. I would love to see a resurgence of godly marriages! But so far, all the comments to my humble blog support my contentions. Let's see, where to begin.

1. What is the central tenant of feminism? Simple: Men and women are basically the same, and therefore equal in all respects (actually, feminsim morphed over the years to really take the position that women are better than men, but that is another topic.) One comment alluded to the idea that scripture even teaches this.

Wow.

The "Big Lie" triumphs again-say something loud enough and often enough and people will believe it. Gentle readers, of course scripture teaches we are equal before God: in Christ there is neither male nor female. No one doubts that. But the idea we are the same in all respects is just, well, ... absurd. You might as well believe the moon is made of cheese. Genetics, physiology, pschology, history, archeology,and theology (solid, not spongy post-modern nonsense) all disprove this. People who don't accept this are simply shutting their eyes and ears, choosing to live in their fantasyland of denial. You may want it to be true, but it just isn't. We are very different from one another. Did not God create us male and female (Genesis 1:27)? What would be the point if we are so similar?

As to the idea of roles, as I wrote in my first entry, it is clear to any objective reader what the Bible teaches on this. I will not debate this here, but go to:

http://www.cbmw.org/resources/articles/cberesponse.php

My real point in all this : In human partnerships and organizations, there is some kind of leadership role involved. Even partners have a "senior partner". It is rare indeed that two people can be so well tuned to each other, so selfless, so other -centered, that there is no need for a leader. I am not saying it is impossible, but is very rare. In addition to positive changes in our society, feminism has resulted in women leading and husbands following, not equality. Stay at home husbands and men following career women lead to almost inevitable unhappiness and divorce. Common in the academic world, I have seen it time and time again. And that is not the worst of it. What of the children? Stay tuned.

2. The most recent comment dovetails with the last point of the first entry . It is all about you and your happiness. You made a mistake. Are you not entitled to a "second chance" ? Consider this:

All of the biblical teachings on marriage and divorce were given in the context of arranged marriages, both Jewish, Greek and Roman (not 100% of the time, but mostly.) Were there mistakes made by parents and others who arranged these marriages? I would imagine so. And yet Jesus still taught to shun divorce-God hates it. (You'd think we would do a better job choosing our own mates, but I guess not.)

It is not about being happy, recognizing potential. It is about commitment and loving sacrificially. You did not promise to stay with your partner until you are unhappy, but until death! Older vows always contained the phrase "for better or for worse" Well, why is that in there? Because there is alot of "worse"!

As far as Christian counseling goes, one has to be really careful. There are a lot of poor ones and their "counsel" is often distorted by post-modern psychology, rather than driven by rational use of scripture. My wife and I had one counselor who came from a well known seminary, was egalatarian in his views... and had an affair and left his wife (and his God).

Does God forgive? Are there second chances in my "brand" of Christianity? OF COURSE!! But God wants us to avoid all the pain and anguish in the first place and follow his counsel. We are too prone to give up on the hard things and pursue "happiness". That is not Christianity. That is immaturity.

Did not Jesus say, "If you truly love me, you will follow my commandments"? He did not say "If you truly love me, you will be happy and realize your potential".

Next: So What is a Good Marriage Anyway?

The Death of Marriage

2006-05-08T12:23:00.000-07:00

http://thetechgap.blogs.com/photos/uncategorized/rip.jpg

Marriage is dead.

At least, the traditional idea that has been an American institution since the founding of the country. Fewer and fewer people are getting married, choosing to live together. Of those that do, the divorce rate is still 50%. Even among those who call themselves Christians. Now think about that.

Would you get on an airline with a crash rate of 50%? Would you buy a car that was known for breaking down half the time?(well maybe-I had one in college, a Chevy Vega!) How about a food franchise which resulted in half the customers getting food poisoning? All these business would be gone very quickly-a total failure.

But is there hope? I don't think so. Think of how much help there is today: excellent ministries like Focus on the Family, The Family Ministry of CCC (Dennis Rainey and Family Life Today), the thousands of Christian counselors and therapists, a virtual avalanche of books in Christain bookstores on how to improve your marriage...and yet there has been a steady downward spiral over the last 50 years.

Why?

Dr. Jerry Root of Wheaton College sums it up, I think: "People's wounds are stronger than their convictions". With that basic truth, here are the top reasons we will not see a recovery of marriage in our culture:

1. How we feel is more important than our "beliefs". The wedding vows are virtually meaningless. "Till death do us part" are only quaint words, devoid of meaning, simply tradition. When we are unhappy enough, we are through. As one wife said, "You can't hold me to something I promised 10 years ago!"

2. The rise of feminism. Marriage over the millenia has traditionally seen the husband as the leader, the wife as the supporter of her husband. This spans time and culture. Some will point to matriarchial cultures or tribes in the past, but these are historical aberrations. The overwhelming historical pattern, and biblical model, is that of male headship of the family. This , of course, is going the way of the brontosaurus.

Men have brought it on themselves, often playing the tyrant and defending it with out-of-context scripture. Wives now pursue their careers, seeing children as something they should do, but ship them off to daycare so they can get back to their "real" job. Most Christian conselors espouse the "egalatarian model" i.e. equal roles in marriage. A nice idea, but really stealth feminism. Show me an egalatarian marriage and I will show you the wife running the show,either passively("you don't really love me!") or agressively ("do this or you can forget sex tonite-or any nite!"). Strong women marry passive men and there you have it. But it is not the way it is supposed to be. Sooner or later, one of them gets tired of this distorted model and leaves the other. Lately, as I think of the couples I know,it seems to be the wife who leaves.

3. Our ego-centric, experience oriented culture. I am the center of my universe. Only God tells me what to do, through prayer, impressions, a quiver in my liver, whatever. Thus, many are not open to wise counsel. I can't tell you how many young couples we have seen insist on getting married, even though wiser, older believers urge them not to. And soon they are in court, wondering why God let them down....

Well, enough for now. There is much more to say, but how much pessismism can one stand? As I said, I really see no hope. And if we are truly in the Last Days, our only hope will be in the return of the One who promised us things would get pretty bad before they get better.

Am I wrong?

Convince me!

Antspray, 5 Unruly boys and Uncomfortable Shoes

2006-04-27T11:22:00.000-07:00

My wife teaches Children's Church every Sunday. A couple of Sundays ago she came out in a really bad mood. Tightlipped, she told me the story of why.

A cupboard full of Holy Land maps made with dough was full of ants. One of the high school helpers immediately ran for some ant spray and doused the offending creatures before my wife knew it. Filling the windowless room with poisonous fumes, the immediate death sentence gave her a tremendous headache.

As in every class, there are the out of control boys. Enough said there.

And what woman likes new, tight shoes?

Alacazam, we now have woman in very bad mood. And who could blame her?

Trying to be encouraging, I said something lame about how it is worth it to suffer for the children. Biblical, but not very helpful. Still, it is true. Kids are worth it.

I wonder if the ants died trying to cross the Red Sea?

I Remember America

2006-04-24T13:40:00.000-07:00

As I read the paper, watch the news, hear what goes on in my daughter's school, I often think of this poem/song by one of my favorite songwriter/artists, John Stewart (one of the Kingston Trio for you old people like me...)

I REMEMBER AMERICA

John Stewart (click on this address)

http://www.californiabloodlines.com/action.lasso?-database=jslyrics.fp3&-layout=Web%20layout&-response=Detail.html&-recid=32943&-search

Saying Goodbye

2006-03-27T14:12:00.000-08:00

"He is certainly of an age to die." The sadness of the old; their banishment...I too made use of this cliche' and that when I was referring to my mother...If I met a woman of fifty overcome with sadness because she had just lost her mother, I thought her neurotic; we are all mortal; at eighty you are old enough to be one of the dead... But it is not true...the knowledge that because of her age my mother's life must soon come to an end did not lessen the horrible surprise. -philosopher Simone de Beauvoir, A Very Easy Death.

A gentle breeze was blowing over the newly planted grass. The sound of digging and backhoes reverberated nearby. From some distance away came the lilting sound of a bugle playing taps , so familiar now....I stood there, looking down at the headstone for the first time: "Douglas P. Gunn, Lt, USN...Lucile E. Gunn....We Love You Mom and Dad"

Last week I visited my parent's grave for the first time since my mom's burial, six months ago this coming Friday. The are buried together, in one site, in the Riverside National Cemetary, one of several cemetaries set aside for military veterans and their spouses. The tears came as I stared at it, unbelieving...my mom and dad are really, finally gone.

I thought of the quote above that I had read once in a book about dealing with aging parents. I continue to grieve, to miss them, even though they are in surroundings of joy that I cannot begin to know. I cannot talk to them,cannot hug them, cannot share the joys of watching my children grow up. It is unbelievably painful.

Last Wednesday was my mother's birthday. She would have been 77. That night, I relived saying goodbye to her for the final time. I had gone out to be with her when I got a call that she might not last another 48 hours. But she rallied, perhaps because I was there. After a week, the doctor said she might live another 2 weeks. My own family was missing me and I knew I had to go. But how do you walk away from your mother? How do you say goodbye to the hands that bandaged your cuts, took your temperature, held your hand during painful shots, fixed your meals, helped you with all those spelling words....prayed for you every day... How do you walk away?

God's word tells us that Jesus knows all of our pain, temptation, etc. He was, after all, fully human as well as divine. And he even knew my pain, this pain...of saying goodbye to his mother. As he hung on the cross, what must it have felt like to see Mary, his mother, sobbing as she watched him die? John records in Chpt 19:27 that Jesus asked him to take care of her. As he endured his own agony, he loved her...and said goodbye.

When I hugged my mom for the last time, crying like a baby, she looked up at me, tired, gray hair disheveled...and smiled. "It's ok honey..."

"I know mom....I'll see you in heaven!"

"Yes" she nodded slowly, still smiling. "I know you will"

"I love you Mom"

"I love you too...."

A week later, she kept her promise and entered heaven.

And one day, sooner or later,I hope to keep mine...and I'll never have to say goodbye.

Evolution Again

2006-03-07T13:02:00.000-08:00

This is pretty interesting....

Discovery Institute News1511 3rd Ave Suite 808 - Seattle, WA 98101 - (206) 292-0401 x107
Over 500 Scientists Proclaim Their Doubts About Darwin’s Theory

By: StaffDiscovery Institute February 20, 2006

The Scientific Dissent From Darwinism list is now located at a new webpage, www.dissentfromdarwin.org.

Over 500 doctoral scientists have now signed a statement publicly expressing their skepticism about the contemporary theory of Darwinian evolution.The statement reads: “We are skeptical of claims for the ability of random mutation and natural selection to account for the complexity of life. Careful examination of the evidence for Darwinian theory should be encouraged.” The list of 514 signatories includes member scientists from the prestigious US and Russian National Academy of Sciences. Signers include 154 biologists, the largest single scientific discipline represented on the list, as well as 76 chemists and 63 physicists. Signers hold doctorates in biological sciences, physics, chemistry, mathematics, medicine, computer science, and related disciplines. Many are professors or researchers at major universities and research institutions such as MIT, The Smithsonian, Cambridge University, UCLA, UC Berkeley, Princeton, the University of Pennsylvania, the Ohio State University, the University of Georgia, and the University of Washington.Discovery Institute first published its Scientific Dissent From Darwinism list in 2001 to challenge false statements about Darwinian evolution made in promoting PBS’s “Evolution” series. At the time it was claimed that “virtually every scientist in the world believes the theory to be true.”“Darwinists continue to claim that no serious scientists doubt the theory and yet here are 500 scientists who are willing to make public their skepticism about the theory,” said Dr. John G. West, associate director of Discovery Institute’s Center for Science & Culture. “Darwinist efforts to use the courts, the media and academic tenure committees to suppress dissent and stifle discussion are in fact fueling even more dissent and inspiring more scientists to ask to be added to the list.”According to West, it was the fast growing number of scientific dissenters which encouraged the Institute to launch a website -- www.dissentfromdarwin.org -- to give the list a permanent home. The website is the Institute’s response to the demand for information and access to the list both by the public, and by scientists who want to add their name to list. “Darwin’s theory of evolution is the great white elephant of contemporary thought,” said Dr. David Berlinski, one of the original signers, a mathematician and philosopher of science with Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture (CSC). “It is large, almost completely useless, and the object of superstitious awe.”Other prominent signatories include U.S. National Academy of Sciences member Philip Skell; American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellow Lyle Jensen; evolutionary biologist and textbook author Stanley Salthe; Smithsonian Institution evolutionary biologist and a researcher at the National Institutes of Health’s National Center for Biotechnology Information Richard von Sternberg; Editor of Rivista di Biologia / Biology Forum --the oldest still published biology journal in the world-- Giuseppe Sermonti; and Russian Academy of Natural Sciences embryologist Lev Beloussov.
Discovery Institute is a non-profit, non-partisan, public policy think tank headquartered in Seattle and dealing with national and international affairs. For more information, browse Discovery's Web site at: http://www.discovery.org.

Weasels Among Us

2006-03-06T14:05:00.000-08:00

My wife and I were hiking one summer day in Rocky Mountain National Park when we first saw one.

"Ya know," I commented as we walked, "I have seen just about every animal in this park at one time or another but I have never seen a weasel. Of course, they're nocturnal...." As I finished my sentence, and I kid you not, a weasel ran across the trail, over my boots, and bounded into the brush. We stood there, incredulous...then burst out laughing (If that is not an example of God's sense of humour, I don't know what is!)

It's been about 10 years since that happened, and few weeks ago I saw one again. My son and I were exploring on of the local canyons with our dog. Suddenly, I saw movement a few yards away and the little animal bounded across a clearing and under a log. I recognized it immediately, but it was different from the one I saw those years ago. This one, except for black tip of its tail, was snowy white.

Weasels, like other small mammals of the north, change the color of their fur with the seasons. (Well, they don't do it, it just happens...) In summer, they are brown and in winter they are white. In fact, if he hadn't moved I would never have seen him. Which brings me to my point.....

Too many Christians change their colors to blend in with their surroundings. They don't want to stand out, be different. They just want to fit in, to protect themselves. Like the weasel, their primary interest is to survive. When they stand up for their faith or protest an injustice,they get shot at. They get hurt. Not fun. If they don't move, they will be ok.

But that's not real Christianity. Jesus and the disciples were all killed or imprisoned because they stood up against the lies and evil of their time. Whether it is speaking out against slavery, racism, abortion, relativism or false religions, followers of Jesus have always been persecuted and hunted-and he promised we would.

So if you are a believer, don't be a weasel. They actually are sneaky,mean little creatures, hence the negative connotation their name.

Move.

Don't just blend in and play it safe.

Make a difference....

Be a Grizzly-hard to ignore.

Among the Mormons Pt 3

2006-02-15T10:04:00.000-08:00

I was shocked. There, in what seemed like an LDS bookstore, packed to the gills with books and vidoes from church leaders and others, was porn. Lots of it. Playboy videos, X-rated movies and many "foreign films" with people having sex on the cover. Granted, it was not Deseret Book, the official LDS store, but an independent store, owned by a well know downtown merchant, a bishop in his ward, and member of the school board.

This was 18 years ago, when I first came to Logan. Due to my letters to the editor and several protests from other Christians, they pulled the worst of it. Today there are still NC-17 titles and plenty of raunchy hard R titles in this mostly LDS bookstore. The owner's wife is now on the school board. It is still a great example of Mormon hypocrisy that abounds here and is getting worse.

Those of us in ministry here can see the LDS church basically falling apart. It is like the snow melting, slowly losing it's properties, sinking into the ground. Mormon families are getting smaller-no longer are women encouraged to have lots of children. Mothers are working more and more, leaving their kids with day care or relatives. As a result, they are watching more and more TV, video games, etc. The elementary kids at school tell my kids all the time how many PG-13 films they have seen, or brag proudly of the "M" video games they have played. Mom and Dad are just too busy to notice. Oh they are still doing their temple chores, etc. but are too busy to notice what is happening to their kids.

I see the result on this 90% Mormon college campus. Foul language, sex, drinking are all increasing. Starbucks opens in town soon, following Border's and other coffee places. A tobacco store opened recently and is doing well (so much for the "Word of Wisdom"). Liberal professors are dominating the campus now, pushing such issues as homosexuality and evolution and deriding the beliefs of their students. The owner of the local theater, a BYU grad, proudly shows "Brokeback Mountain" as he bows to the god of Tolerance.

Perhaps more important, and encouraging, is Mormon beliefs are slowly shifting-toward Christianity? Church leaders are openly emphasizing grace and Christ, not works and Joseph Smith. Historical events such as Ravi Zacharias in the Tabernacle last year seem to herald a new openness. Institute leaders at the University of Utah recently invited Campus Crusade workers to feel free to evangelize their members, as many of them are not "living the gospel". Our efforts are welcomed on campus by LDS students and leaders. It is really amazing.

Where will it all lead? No one knows. But we can hope, and trust that God is at work here. One thing to pray for is the new President of the church, who will no doubt be chosen soon, as the current one is in his 90's. The course he sets as the "Prophet" will doubtless have a profound impact on the changes now taking place.

Wisdom of the Ages

2006-02-01T08:59:00.000-08:00

"Everybody likes me Dad....except Satan."

So my son said one day when he was about 6 years old. We try to write down things like that, but there are so many we miss. Kids just say what they think, without guile. They learn that later, so by the time they are adults, who knows what they really think? (ahem, that's you and me folks)

Here are a few recent ones from my son Ethan, now 9 and my daughter Jessica, 11.

"Dad, mom is crabby again this morning. Why in the world did you marry her?"-Ethan

"Dad", she said in exasperation. " I know exactly what sex is. I'ts the difference between boys and girls." -Jessica, after she heard us telling a friend about the content of a movie they were considering.

Recently a new boy joined Ethan's 3rd grade class. He appeared to be Hispanic and seemed very unhappy and withdrawn, so Ethan and I talked about him reaching out to and saying "Amigo." The next day I asked him how it went. "Oh, he doesn't speak Spanish dad. He's pork and cheese."

"Dad, I want to make a law requiring little brothers become extinct."-Jessica

"Dad, why do you color your moustache? You're so old and wrinkly it doesn't make any difference"-Ethan

The Lion, the Jeep and the Shotgun

2006-01-16T11:57:00.000-08:00

"Safety is all well and good; I prefer freedom"...Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White

I had been thinking about it for some time.

My first job out of college was at a wild animal park in Irvine, CA. Now defunct, it was one of several around the country called Lion Country Safari. (It is now a water park called Wild Rivers, I think). It was unique in that vistors drove through in their cars while the animals roamed free. This was somewhat hazardous, as you can imagine, and one of my jobs as a "ranger" was to make sure the visitors didn't get hurt... or eaten, in the case of the lions.

I sat in a jeep, a loaded sawed-off shotgun next to me, for hours each day amongst one of the lion prides in the park. The lions would mostly sleep as the visitors sat in their air-conditioned cars, gawking at the wild, but relaxed cats. The cubs would play and the adults would move around somewhat. I was there in case something happened. People often rolled down their windows, which we instantly commanded them to put back up. (Each visitor had a tape tour which warned them about this-it also assured them that the "highly trained rangers" would be there for their safety. We all laughed about this-I had fired the gun exactly once at a board in the dirt.)

After a while, a certain lioness began to regularly lie down next to my jeep. I have no idea why. None of the others ever did, and usually gave the jeep a wide berth. They were not tame and we never got out with them. But this one just seemed , well, to like me.

I began to think about reaching through the bars on the window and seeing if I could pet her. Now I can't really explain why, I just wanted to. To see if I could. To see if she would let me.

It took days for me to work up the courage. And then one day, with my other hand on the shotgun, I reached out and stroked her back. She slowly turned up her head and looked up at me. Her eyes seemed to say "Well, if you want to, it's ok. I will allow it" She put her head back down and went back to sleep.

Is this not a picture of God? If we want to know Him, it is on his terms. He has the power to destroy us, but instead approaches us. As goes the famous line from Narnia, "He is not safe...but he is good."

Author John Eldridge speaks of the "wildness" of God, who does or allows the unexpected.

I'll never forget the day when the king (or queen I guess) of beasts did the unexpected: let me get close.

The King of the Universe invites us to come close to Him as well.

But on His terms.....

And that is, if you really think about it...unexpected

Keeping Christmas

2006-01-09T13:35:00.000-08:00

As usual, I have the post holiday blues. I love Christmas, for all the obvious reasons. Every year I read this , and pause....

Keeping Christmas by Henry Van Dyke

There is a better thing than the observance of Christmas day, and that is, keeping Christmas.

Are you willing...

to forget what you have done for other people, and to remember what other people have done for you;
to ignore what the world owes you, and to think what you owe the world;
to put your rights in the background, and your duties in the middle distance, and your chances to do a little more than your duty in the foreground;
to see that men and women are just as real as you are, and try to look behind their faces to their hearts, hungry for joy;
to own up to the fact that probably the only good reason for your existence is not what you are going to get out of life, but what you are going to give to life;
to close your book of complaints against the management of the universe, and look around you for a place where you can sow a few seeds of happiness.

Are you willing to do these things even for a day? Then you can keep Christmas.

Are you willing...

to stoop down and consider the needs and desires of little children;
to remember the weakness and loneliness of people growing old;
to stop asking how much your friends love you, and ask yourself whether you love them enough;
to bear in mind the things that other people have to bear in their hearts;
to try to understand what those who live in the same home with you really want, without waiting for them to tell you;
to trim your lamp so that it will give more light and less smoke, and to carry it in front so that your shadow will fall behind you;
to make a grave for your ugly thoughts, and a garden for your kindly feelings, with the gate open— Are you willing to do these things, even for a day? Then you can keep Christmas.

Are you willing...

to believe that love is the strongest thing in the world—
stronger than hate, stronger than evil, stronger than death—
and that the blessed life which began in Bethlehem nineteen hundred years ago is the image and brightness of the Eternal Love?
Then you can keep Christmas.
And if you can keep it for a day, why not always?

But you can never keep it alone.

Faith

2005-12-19T13:34:00.000-08:00

This might be my last entry for a while ....probably see you after Christmas....

I have enjoyed this discussion on science, faith, birds, bits, etc. Thanks to all who contributed and join me in thinking through these things. I am a bottom line kind of guy though, so I wanted to get there before I move on to other fascinating topics. And so, to all my gentle readers, I pose another question:

Isn't every position based on faith? The scientist trusts the instruments, his colleagues, the process , etc. The philosopher trusts her arguments, logic, records of what other great thinkers have said (didn't I read somewhere there are no actual originals of Plato's work?), etc. The theist trusts in all those things too and also a spiritual experience, feelings, etc.

I am convinced there are two kinds of faith. Intelligent faith would encompass all of the above. Blind faith would perhaps involve just one approach, e.g. how I feel, or just following one person's thoughts.

I am convinced that faith in Christ,even his coming as a baby in a manger, is an intelligent faith, defensible using all the disciplines mentioned above.

But it is faith. That I freely admit.

And so is everything else.

Have a Merry, Merry Christmas!!!

More on Evolution

2005-12-14T09:53:00.000-08:00

For a great discussion on science and it's current bent toward naturalism, read the article by philosopher J.P. Moreland at http://trueu.org/Academics/LectureHall/A000000135.cfm.

Also, the folks at Reasons to Believe (reasons.org) have put forth the theory that animal death and ergo, survival of the fittest, always was the case. The Garden was an island of peace and sinlessness and no death. Adam and Eve were kicked out into the rest of the world at the Fall. For more, read their stuff. I don't know if I buy it, but it is interesting.

In response to Dean and computer's bloodthirsty efficiency, I ponder this: If something works, does it make it right or good? After all, abortion of down's syndrome babies does make the gene pool healthier-but is that what God really wants? Is that really the most loving thing? And I suppose we could ask, what would Jesus do?

Genetic Fallacies and other Misdemeanors...

2005-12-13T14:32:00.000-08:00

Well, thanks to Alan, the discussion of evolution really took off. Another one is going on in the pages of the campus newspaper (where it began). It's kind of fun, for now. But I find I am in a strange mood-enjoying the Christmas spirit with my family (hearing your kids sing "We Three Kings" as you drive along is one of the simple pleasures of life) and yet feeling the loss of my parents everyday. But that is another entry....

A few observations for those interested in the science/religion thing:

*Go back and read my original response to the prof's letter on campus. I was not trying to disprove the theory of evolution, merely responding to his assertions. Thus, I committed no logical fallacy (genetic or otherwise). My points were (and still are) 1. Science can, in fact, lead you to a belief in God-I listed several examples of famous people have demonstrated just that. 2. You simply cannot rely on so called "scientific facts" all of the time. Many famous evidences of evolution have been shot down over the years. Theories and models constantly change with better instrumentation and thorough research. In many ways, science is relative truth, not absolute (and therefore, some would argue, not truth at all).

*What is a Phd anyway? It stands for a doctorate in philosophy. In the early days of higher education, science was part of the philosophy department. And what does the word "philosphy" mean? What better source for that definition than Plato, who basically defined it as the pursuit of truth. And if it were true that there is a God, even the one described in the Bible, why could not philosophy (including science) help you find out?

*If the Bible is not true, merely ancient stories and myth mixed with good teachings, etc, then I have a question. Why is Genesis so close to what science seems to demonstrate in the fossil record? Consider this:

As was pointed out in some recent comments, every religion and culture has a creation myth. Obviously, they are just that-myth. The Hindu picture of the Earth on a giant turtle in space, the Native American stories of "brother Salmon" needing a river,etc. But in Genesis, the progression of life begins with simple, aquatic forms and progresses to more complex terrestrial forms, climaxing with human beings, just like the fossil record seems to show (granted, birds are out of sequence in the Genesis account, but lately, paleontologists are telling us they are just glorified dinosaurs i.e. reptiles). Now if Genesis is just another myth, how is this possible?

*And now, the Rob Gunn Theory of Evolution/Creation (appluase please):

If Moses did indeed pen Genesis, and God worked with with E=mc2, DNA, mutation, natural selection, etc. to create the Earth and life, how could he possibley explain that to Moses? Or, if he did reveal the complex nature of all this to Moses, how could Moses communicate it to the people wandering in the desert? Is not the essential story that : A. God did it B. He did it over time in a progression C. The pinnacle of it all is man D It is amazing, no matter how you look at it.

Further, the ancient people could understand days, lights, etc. , not millions of years, parsecs, etc. The Bible was written to communicate to people thousands of years ago, not to 21st Century minds.( Which also, explains why it uses terms like "four-footed" to describe insects -we even say "get on all fours" when dad gets on the floor to play with his kids, not implying he has more than two actual feet. It's merely an expression. Also, bats are just flying animals, which if you notice, are at the end of the list of birds in Deut. and Lev., not included in the middle. There may also be punctuation issues in the ancient Hebrew)

Well, now that I have explained everything to everyone's satisfaction, it is time to go home. And no matter where you stand on all of this, may I wish you a....

Merry Chirstmas!

Skies of Death One Sunday Morn....

2005-12-07T13:36:00.000-08:00

It was a lazy afternoon, 64 years ago today. My dad, 18 and home from his freshman year of college for Chistmas break, was laying on the living room couch, listening to the radio after coming home from church and having the traditional big Southern suppper. It was cold out there in the small town of McMinneville, Tennessee. The snow was on the ground and thinking of places like Hawaii was the furthest thing from his mind.

Across the country, in another small town in Washington (Walla Walla) my mother, then only 12, went to a movie with friends. The lights had just gone down when suddenly they came back up. The manager climbed up on the stage and looked out at the startled audience. "Ladies and gentleman.." he managed to choke out. "You probably want to return to your homes. The Japanese have just attacked Pearl Harbor. We are told that all of you in uniform should return to your base immdiately..." Amid the sounds of gasps and crying, he stepped down and walked down the aisle, obviously shaken.

At the same moment, my Dad jumped off the couch as he and his family stared at each other in disbelief. As the radio announcer repeated the same news, the tears came. While they sat there by the Christmas tree, digesting Sunday dinner, young Americans his age were being slaughtered in a sneak attack....in Paradise.

The next day, he and many millions of other young men his age, stood in line to enlist. The biggest war in history had begun for America, and would define that generation and those after.

Today, now known as Pearl Harbor day, many young men and women are in the middle east after a similar sneak attack, forever known as 9/11. Let us pray for them and bring them back home soon, after victory. And let us always remember that life can change in the blink of an eye... and none of us knows when that defining moment will be.

Birds of a Feather

2005-12-05T14:23:00.001-08:00

One frustration of bloggers is the lack of comments to our entries. Apparantly, the only way to get a lot of response is to be a little controversial. I was hoping evolution/creation would qualify. Thank you, whoever you are,for leaving a comment on Darwin's finches, etc. in regard to my last entry!

Darwin's finches, of Galopagos fame, have been a hallmark of evolution for decades. Just for fun, I looked in the Evolution textbook currently being used on our campus (it's copyright is 2000, which makes it rather out of date by science standards) These well known birds, something I taught about and studied at some length, rated ......a paragraph. Words like "perhaps" and "some suggest" were used. It did have a picture of a large family tree of the different finches on the different islands. This speculative diagram, labeled as such, dated from a 1947 work when I looked up the reference.

In the past decade it has been found that the beak changes and behaviors in the finches, supposedly proof of natural selection and evolution, go back and forth depending on environmental conditions. In other words, the beaks in the same populations of birds get larger, then shrink over a remarkably short time (years) then increase again, depending on rainfall, food sources, etc. Ditto with feeding behaviours. In other words, they were not evolving toward any sort of new species, just adjusting to temporary conditions .(This vilolates on of the cardinal principles of evolution, that it is unidirectional-I've forgotten the technical term) At best, they illustrate microevolution i.e., any genetic change in a population. This is fascinating in itself, but offers no proof for macroevoltion. Many would argue they are not even different species, but merely varities of one.

I believe the story of Darwin's finches was mentioned in the PBS series of a few years ago, Did Darwin Get it Wrong? If you read my last entry, it is one of the examples I mentioned as either a hoax or discredited research. It would seem to fit the latter, which is why it is given only slight mention in modern textbooks, and in some not mentioned at all. Again, I recommend Icons of Evolution, easily found at Barnes and Noble, Borders, etc. Regardless of what side you are on, it will fascinate you!

As to the biblical questions, I will get back to you on that. After all, we bloggers never claim omniscience, just a bent for meaningful dialogue. If any one out there wants to respond before I do, please do!

A Response to an Evolutionist

2005-12-03T10:04:00.000-08:00

In our campus paper (The Utah Statesman) this week, a professor wrote a letter regarding evolution. Below is my response, which they published yesterday. What do you think?

As a former college biology instructor , I read Prof. McMahon's letter on evolution with great interest. I applaud his encouragement to students to base their opinions on "real evidence", not ignorance. Unfortunately, this basic statement is problematic at best, insulting at worst. The implication is that if you doubt evolution, you are ignorant. This flies in the face of the fact that many working scientists, from MIT to UC Berkely to even USU openly question evolution. In fact, a national survey of university faculty revealed that the most likely discipline to have faculty who espouse belief in God are physicists and chemists, what we often called the "hard sciences". For many, science supports or even leads them to believe in God and even reject evolution (I am one as well) Biochemists like Michael Behe and others are saying recent findings in their fields demonstrate that biological evolution and abiotic origin of life is simply impossible. Rather, the evidence points to a creator. Recently, Antony Flew, well known atheist and campus debater, became a theist, mostly due to recent ideas in intelligent design. These, and many other examples, seem to refute Prof. later statement..."the methods of science...doesn't address whether God exists." Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein would disagree as well.

To further complicate matters, how can we know what the "real evidence " is? In the 1980's I taught my students (as did all my colleagues) such things as the peppered moth study, Darwin's finches, Haekal's embryo's, homologous structures, Miller's experiments in origins of life, etc. All of these have now proven to be hoaxes, or discredited research. As one author put it in the journal Science, it is simply embarassing.

By all means, let us keep studying the issues. May I recommend starting with Icons of Evolution by Yale and UC Berkeley Phd. Jonathan Wells and Reasons.org, an excellent website run by credentialed scientists.

Inmates Running the Asylum.....Again

2005-11-22T13:33:00.000-08:00

I've been saving this news item in my email since last Thanksgiving. No doubt it is happening again this year somewhere:

GOD BANNED FROM THANKSGIVING Maryland public school teachers are free to explain the history ofthe Mayflower and the Pilgrims and their three-day feast with NativeAmericans, but they are not allowed to explain that the Pilgrimsthanked not only the Native Americans, but God as well. "We teach about Thanksgiving from a purely historical perspective,not from a religious perspective," said Charles Ridgell, curriculumand instruction director for St. Mary's County Public Schools."Schools don't want to do anything that would influence or act againstthe religious preferences of their students," said Lissa Brown of theMaryland State Teachers Association. But others see this omission of religious material from lessonplans as a form of censorship. "School administrators need to get abackbone," said Joel Whitehead, president of the Rutherford Institute."We are in real danger of throwing out cultural heritage in ourcountry if we don't know what Thanksgiving is really about." Harry Hornblower points out on his Web site (www.plimoth.org) thata secular Thanksgiving ignores the holiday's original premise asstated by George Washington in his Thanksgiving Day proclamation: "Itis the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of AlmightyGod ... and to be grateful for his benefits."

Long ago and far away, in graduate school, I learned first hand how biased the education community is (even the sciences). That things like this go on is glaring proof of an orthodoxoy of anti-theistic thinking at almost all levels of some educational communites. America's heritage is so obviously infused with Christian thinking and influence, only an ignorant or willfully blind fool would try to deny it.

I would love to invite such people to visit the US Capitol in Washington DC. When I was there a few years ago, I marveled at the huge paintings on the rotunda ceiling. One is entitled "Embarkation of the Pilgrims" and depicts their pastor, kneeling in prayer as they prepare to leave Holland. It was commissioned by the US Government in 1836.

Some have suggested that one day we could see workers all over DC sandblasting all references to God from all the monuments, etc. in our nation's capitol. If that day comes, perhaps we will find ourselves pilgrims once again, searching for a place to worship.... freely.

Voices from the Commode

2005-11-10T10:56:00.000-08:00

I had just entered what appeared to be an empty men's room on the campus where I minister. All was silent as I put down my briefcase. Suddenly a loud voice began talking, apparantly from one of the stalls. Who was he talking to, the guy next to him? No, he was talking on his cell phone-loudly. I heard all about his deer hunt plans, when he got out of class, etc. I wonder if the person on the other end knew where all this was coming from. No wonder live video phones have never really taken off.

Much has been written about the intrusion of modern technology into our lives. Silence, it seems, is to be avoided at all cost, especially on a college campus. Students walk, ride the bus, and even use the bathroom with i-pods or cell phones firmly stuffed in to their ears. People do not talk to each other in lines anymore, only their friends via the airwaves. What is this doing to us? How can we hear the voice of God if other voices are constantly in our ears?(What it is doing to our physical ears is another concern. Recent studies show hearing losses appearing earlier and earlier, even in young children and teenagers. Kids today stay plugged in all day long and the human ear was never designed for that.)

"Be still and know that I am God", advises our Creator. Perhaps a footnote in our modern translations should read "... and take off your headphones."

Final Glory

2005-10-24T11:03:00.000-07:00

We are having a beautiful fall here. One day the kids and I went on a walk in Green Canyon and talked about their Grandma dying. Their school is having a creative project contest and my 11 year old daughter Jessica decided to write a poem (they could choose writing, art, music, photography, etc.) While we walked, we brainstormed ideas for her poem. For some reason, I wondered about a connection between mom's passing and the vibrant orange and yellow leaves around us.

Is it not ironic that the maples and aspens surrounding us were their most stunning as the leaves died? In a way, my mom was at her best in her last weeks on earth. Her sweet spirit touched many lives at the assisted living facility where she spent her final days. One of the managers said "There is not a person here who was not touched by your parents." I thank God for that.

And here is the poem Jessica wrote (and stored in the "memo" function of my cell phone) as we walked among God's tapestry of terminal beauty....

Autumn Leaves

Why do fall's colors shine so bright?
Because the leaves are on their first and last flight
Slowly falling to the ground
Slowly twirling round and round
And though their red and yellow colors brightly shine
This is the last step in their fateful lifeline

Gone?

2005-10-05T13:00:00.000-07:00

The following is a poem that was read by the pastor at my dad's memorial service. I first heard it years ago and I thought it was awesome then......

“I am standing upon the seashore. A ship at my side spreads it’s white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean. It is an object of beauty and strength. I stand and watch him until at length he hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.”

Then someone at my side says: “There, he is gone!”
“Gone where?”
Gone from my sight. That is all. He is just as large in mast and hull and spar as he was he left my side and he is just as able to bear his load of living freight to his destined port.

His diminished size is in me, not in him. And just at the moment when someone at my side says: “There, he is gone!” there are other eyes watching his coming, and other voices ready to take up the glad shout: “Here he comes!”

And that is dying.”

-Henry Van Dyke

The Obscenity of Death

2005-10-03T10:25:00.000-07:00

Last week, early Friday morning, my mom died. She lay there peacfully, the sound of oxygen hissing the only disturbance. I had said goodbye the week before when I flew out to California. My once beautiful mom was thin, pale and exhausted. Due to an intestinal blockage, she had not eaten for weeks and it eventually would take her life. In her room were some of our favorite pictures of her. She was a pretty blond when she was young and had done some modeling for friends and advertising for the store where she worked. Many of the workers and nurses would pause and look at the pictures. "Wow, is that Lucile?" they would remark. "She was so pretty" Mom would smile.... and perhaps remember. While I grew up my friends would all remark on how beautiful my mom was. Now, she lay there-an emaciated, gray haired old woman...slowly dieing. Sunken cheeks, dull eyes, relying on others to give her a sip of water and change a wet diaper. This is how it ends.... this is what awaits most of us, barring a tragic accident.

A few days before, I was talking with a hospice doctor. She mentioned what a beautiful thing it was to watch someone die. She believed some concept of heaven and was referring to reports of some who die with a happy, content look on their faces. As she talked I inwardly rebelled against the notion of "beauty" in death. Of course, I rejoice that my parents are now worshiping and enjoying the awesome presence of God. As Mercy Me suggests, I can only imagine what incredible beauty and joy they are experiencing. But beauty in death? No.

Someone has described death as obscene and I would agree. It is absolutely tragic that the newborn baby, smooth skinned and full of promise, grows and learns, delighting his/her parents, only to whither,wrinkle and die a slow, painful death. When I watched my father in his final hours, a shadow of what he once was, my mind was filled with the thought-it's not supposed to be this way. Indeed, the Genesis story is all about how God made us for an idyllic garden, to be in fellowship with Him forever, never destined for decay and death. It is only because of the Fall, the choice to sin and say "no" to God that brought us to this end. I know my Lord was grieving with me as he saw the suffering of my parents, as He does with all who suffer.

Living and ministering in Utah, I am aware of teachings in the Mormon church that the Fall of Man was a good thing, enabling spirit children from the pre-existence to come to Earth, get a body, and proceed with their progression toward Godhood. When you watch someone you love die, you know in your innermost heart that such ideas cannot be true. The only good you feel is the knowledge that finally, their nightmare is over. You are grateful they will forever be in the loving embrace of their creator, and death....will be no more.

...then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where , o death is your victory? Where, o death, is your sting?" I Cor 15:54,55

Parting the Red Sea PT 2

2005-09-15T11:36:00.000-07:00

The flight attendent shut the door to the small commuter jet as I took my seat. I had made it! I never had time to call my brother to see if my dad was still with us. People were laughing and talking all around me as we took off. I looked out the window and silently prayed. Please God-I got this far. Let me say goodbye to my Dad.

The voice of the enemy was loud. "You'll never make it! Don't you remember the people you've known who tried this? Their parent died while they were stuck in some airport! You are a loser! Things like this never work for you! .....You don't have the money for this! .....What about the rental car-you can't afford it!!! ......And when you land there will be the rush hour traffic! THIS IS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA YOU FOOL!"

I shook myself and and silently repeated a verse I memorized years ago: Greater is He who is in you, than he who is in the world. But my stomach clenched as we approached the airport. I looked down from the plane at eastbound Interstate 10, the freeway I would have to take. It was a parking lot of course at 5:30 pm. I gritted my teeth and waited.

When I got into the airport I headed for the rental car desk. As I walked I called my brother on my cell, bracing for the news that my father was dead. "He's still with us Rob! " my brother said excitedly. "He knows your coming! The hospice people are amazed-he's waiting for you. But you know the traffic-you probably won't get here for almost 2 hours..."

I rented a car as fast as I could and headed for the freeway. As my vision blurred with tears as I imagined what was to come, I turned onto the onramp. Traffic slowed as I got on and then cleared up. As I sped up to 65mph I could see clear lanes ahead! Well, at least I had a little bit of fortune, but I knew it wouldn't last. How frustrating to be so close but so far! Up ahead, a cloud of dust rolled up into the sky as the traffic slowed to a crawl. "Here we go.." I groaned inwardly. "An accident. That's it then." My stomach churned. But suddenly the traffic cleared. It wasn't an accident and I was back up to speed. As mile after mile went by my hope and amazement grew.
The traffic disappeared! For the next 60 miles I sped along and made it in half the time! When I entered the room all heads turned in disbelief when they saw it was me.
"How in the world! I can't believe it....." blurted my sister-in-law. My brother hugged me as my mother cried out with joy. And my father...as I leaned over him to hug him I saw him try to smile and talk. I could see the happiness in his eyes . His mouth tried to move, probably to say something like "It's good to see you, old chum...."

My dad died a few hours later. But even as I cried, I thanked God for clearing the way, for sustaining him,.......for giving me a miracle.

Parting the Red Sea-in Southern California Pt. 1

2005-09-03T09:50:00.000-07:00

If we are honest, all of us doubt God at times. When we read the incredible miracles of the Bible, such as the raising of Lazarus, Peter walking on water, etc., we often think "Wow-that would be incredible. If only....." I often think, without getting into theological issues here, that evangelism would be so much more fruitful if there were parting of the Red Sea-type events to illustrate the power and reality of God. In the day- to- day of ministry we can see fruit from hard work sometimes, but other times not much happens. We pray and pray -and where is God? After a while it's easy to begin to wonder-is he really there or am I just a wishful thinker? Can I point to any iron clad evidence He is truly at work in the here and now? After all, some things can be explained by coincidence or positive thinking (you could call it the" placebo effect" of faith).

But not this time.

God showed up this summer, more than once in a way that I think is impossible to explain away. The first time seems minor, but was still amazing. We were driving in our minivan on the way to Fort Collins for our staff training. In the middle of nowhere, nothing but sagebrush for 20 miles in either direction, the car suddenly died. With no warning the engine just quit.(It turned out to be vapor lock or something similar). It was nearly 100 degrees out, we were loaded down with stuff, little kids, a big dog and bikes hanging off the back. It was not a good moment. But it died right in front of a gas station. A little shack, basically. Now what are the odds of that? After a little while and more gas, we were on our way. Incredible-but God was only getting started.

When we went to Colorado, we knew my Dad didn't have long to live. The hospice people thought he would go into a coma once his kidneys shut down, and possibly be that way for weeks. So when the call came at 9 am one day telling me he probably wouldn't last the day I was suddenly in a crisis. I called the airlines-a flight from Denver would get me to So Calif by 5:45 pm. I would have to rent a car and drive during rush hour, putting me there probably around 8 pm. My brother and the hospice nurse really believed I would never make it-his vitals were so low he would be gone by the afternoon. He hadn't spoken for two days and was out of it from heavy pain medication. I asked if I could speak to him and they held the phone up to his ear. As I wept I told him I loved him and was trying to come to him but didn't know if I could. Suddenly his voice came over the line, telling me he loved me and understood. My brother got back on the line, stunned "Rob-he heard you! We can't believe it!"

Within the hour I decided to go for it. My brother told me Dad's eyes had new light in them when they told him I was coming. As Miriam drove me to the Denver airport, I prayed-please God, let me be with him. When I got to the airport I found my flight had been delayed-I would only have 15 minutes to connect with the flight in Salt Lake. When we landed , the connection was at the furthest possible gate from where I disembarked. Would I make it? Would they close the doors on me?

(To be continued.....)

Victory Day

2005-08-16T09:37:00.000-07:00

It has been a long time since I last posted. I have lived out of a suitcase for 2 months. In late July my dad died. I probably will be reflecting on that for a while, so forgive me if the themes surrounding death get old. But some day, perhaps sooner than we expect, they will be very relevant.....

Sand sprayed everywhere as he caught the football and landed with a thud on the beach. His shipmates laughed as the young officer spit the sand out of his mouth and sat laughing with them. They were having a great time and most of the submarine Irex crew was in the game, officers and enlisted men alike. As Lt. Doug Gunn dusted of the sand, someone yelled it was time to go. He looked out over the Pacific and the smile faded. Tomorrow the Irex was to sail to war. It was August 14, 1945. The invasion of Japan was imminent and they were assigned to patrol the Sea of Japan. This was known as a submarine graveyard, for it was a shallow sea and that made them easy targets for Japanese destroyers. Setting his jaw he knew they were ready. They had spent months preparing for this day.Training in Panama for the last several weeks, the crew's last liberty was tonite. He thought of his mother. She would be proud, he thought, because he wouldn't be getting drunk like most of the others. Would he ever see her again? He shrugged it off and headed for the jeep. Fear was never really a problem for him-he was there to do his duty and that's what he would do.

Later that night as they drove into town they heard all kinds of celebrating. Everyone was going nuts as people poured into the streets shouting and laughing. Pulling over, they finally got someone to tell them the incredible news-Japan had surrendered! The war was over! My father laughed and yelled and joined in the celebration. He would not face death after all.....not yet anyway.

That was 60 years ago yesterday. It was a story I never got tired of hearing. I often asked my dad if he ever feared death or combat and the answer was the same a few weeks ago as it was then. Fear was simply not a problem for him. He was always the optimist, always full of faith. When he truly became born again in 1981 this only increased. It never wavered when he got the news last April that he had cancer. The doctor gave him 2 months. The now 81 year old Lt. Doug Gunn smiled and said "Doc, one year from now I will be in this office dancing a jig!" The oncologist grinned. "I hope so Mr Gunn.I hope so."

My dad won't do that after all. Instead, I know he is dancing in heaven, probably to the big band music he and most of his generation loved (was Glenn Miller a Christian?). But up until he died two weeks ago, he never lost his positive attitude. He never showed any regret or fear of dying. He knew and we had told him over and over again what a good, loving father he was, faults and all. He had loved and taken care of his wife for 54 years-not without conflict or failure (there was plenty), but with unflagging duty and sacrifice. And that is why on his headstone will be the words I know he heard early the morning of July 27th, 2005: "Well done, good and faithful servant....."

More on "the Question"

2005-06-03T08:39:00.000-07:00

This may be my last post for a while, as we are leaving for most of June to visit family and work at a summer missions project. I don't know about computer access, so we will see!

Thank you for all the responses on skydiving moms-I think Vince's response wins the prize so far! Now here is what TWO Christian marriage counselors told my wife and I some years ago:

Both men were into adventure sports, including mountain climbing in Africa, wilderness river rafting in winter, etc. Both their wives had problems with this (the men were both dads) and it stressed them out, worried them, etc. Both men told us it was manipulation for their wives to ask them not to go-it was important in these guy's lives, they said- even a spiritual experience -to do these risky activities and besides, they took all the right precautions. Their wives had no right to "control" them. One would assume it would work both ways-in fact we have had friends where the mom did go sky diving and the husband went along with it. BUT....

I questioned their thinking at the time this way (and still do): If we are called to love our wives sacrificially, wouldn't it be the more loving thing to forego things that worry them and cause them anguish? Don't we have the responsibility to be there for our kids? Is cheating death really a "spiritual" experience or just an adrenaline rush? (Studies have shown that bungie-jumping, hang-gliding types are, in fact, "hooked" on their own adredaline). And where in scripture is that kind of experience even hinted at? On the contrary, the spiritual priority is to put others first, not our own "highs". It seems to me that the far more godly thing to do is NOT go, but spend more time with our wives and children (as most fathers need to do).

Both counselors had no response to this. In fact, one of them ended up including adultery in his adventures and left his wife and the Lord. In addition, both taught egalatarian marriage (equal roles), which seems a little contradictory here.

If that stimulates any thoughts, please comment!

P.S. My father seems to be stable and we will be spending time with him next week. This may be the last Father's Day together. If you think of us, I would appreciate prayer that my Dad would go to his Lord with a smile and the knowledge he has had a good life and has been well loved.

Memorial Day 2005

2005-05-29T20:15:00.000-07:00

I get lots of junk mail. I look at all of it, throwing most of it away. A few years ago something caught my eye. It was a brochure about building a memorial in Washington D.C. on the mall for veterans of WWII. Amazingly, with all the memorials there, there was none to those who fought and won the biggest, most horrible war in history. My Dad served on a submarine in the Pacific and my uncle on a transport hospital ship in the Atlantic. My mom sang to wounded troops in hospitals near Walla Walla, Washington and her and her family had soldiers over for dinner if they met them on the street! She wrote these guys after they shipped out and I have letters they wrote back, one from a foxhole in Guadalcanal. All that went through my mind that day as I reached for the checkbook and made a modest donation. Yes, it was time to truly honor my parent's generation.

Last year, I received an invitation to attend the dedication of the memorial as a charter donor. I began to think and pray about it and last year at this time I found myself on the National Mall, listening to President Bush, Tom Hanks, Tom Brokaw and others as they dedicated an awesome structure, made of towers and fountains , with the Washington Monument towering behind and the Lincoln Memorial respectfully watching in the distance. I was there to honor my father, my uncle and my mother and all those who died and fought so I and my children could have the life we now have. I watched with pride and tears in my eyes as the old veterans, most in their 80's, wandered around and took it all in. There was a guy with a Pearl Harbor hat, another showing the insignia of P-47 pilot (one of my favorite planes as a kid.) Most had their families with them, grandchildren in tow. I saw two old sailors jump to attention and salute a modern day officer in dress whites, half their age. He returned their salute smartly and they all grinned.

It truly was a day of celebration and I was so glad I was there. But I wanted to help, do something to be a part of it. I had prayed for God to give me some small way to honor these men and women, but how? And then I saw it. All these families wanted a picture with their veteran, but someone had to step out and take it. So I offered and was met by one delighted "thank you" after another. Later I helped these elderly heroes figure out the computer terminals where you can see their records (families put them on at wwiimemorial.com) One old sailor thanked me after I helped him get his camcorder working. I asked him where he served. A tear came to his eye as he told me of his experience on a destroyer off Okinawa. Many of his shipmates were killed , and he was so glad they were being honored this way. Incredible. I shook his hand and walked away before he could see the tear in my eye!

Tomorrow is Memorial Day. Some years I ago, I started a tradition with my kids. We go to the local cemetary and look for flags on the graves of Veterans (I think the Boy Souts put them there) We bring flowers and lay them on the graves without them, forgotten for some reason. We read the headstones and remember the great sacrifice they and their families made, so we could stand in the sunshine, free. I will hug my children and we will pray, thanking God for men and women brave enough to die for us. And one day, I hope, they will go to Washington DC, perhaps with their own children, and look up their grandpa and grandpa and uncle on the computer terminals....and say a quiet " thank you."

Where are the Older Marrieds on the Question?

2005-05-23T09:34:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all who have responded to the Question below-but we need more answers! Where are all the older people who have been married awhile? (e.g. the Kepples, the Rondas, the Redels, the Davis's-are you out there?)We can all benefit from your answers! I hope you will respond soon! But first, two important points:

1. No, my wife is not planning on skydiving! (...yet) Maybe I should add the familiar phrase Any resemblence to persons living or dead is purely coincidental...

2. This is a greater issue in microcosm. This is really about two ways of thinking. Perhaps it is actually about postmodernism (which emphasizes individual desires and self actualization) and the older modernism (rational thought and the "right thing to do").

You have until the end of this week and then we are moving on to other thoughts!

Question: Submission or Manipulation?

2005-05-18T14:04:00.000-07:00

Today I have a question for all my readers (I know there are a few!) As our culture debates gay marriage, the long simmering debate on roles in marriage still goes on. Sadly, we all have heard that at least 50% of Christian marriages fail, mostly due to unresolved conflict. Regarding roles in marriage, there are two basic camps in the church today, including Christian counselors: equal roles and authority in marriage or male headship. Do you find yourself in one of these camps? Here is a question I would love to get many responses on-and you can be anonymous so your spouse won't find out! (You can read the comments yourself you know) So please comment on this:

A wife and mother of young children suddenly gets a passion for sky diving. Her husband is less than excited about this, forseeing a higher probability of becoming a single dad and widower. He asks his spouse not to engage in such risky behavior for the children's sake (and takes out a bigger insurance policy.)

Question: Is the husband being a dictator here? Does he have the right to ask (even demand) his wife not engage in the sport? Should the wife give in to his request, knowing the husband loves both her and the children and wants her around for awhile? Or should she go ahead and tell her husband he has no right to manipulate her that way?

Let me know ! I will tell you how a Christian marriage counselor answered when the vote is in!

Two Degrees of Seperation

2005-05-05T14:08:00.000-07:00

*Note: I have changed the settings so now anyone can leave a comment without having to be a blogger too. I didn't notice before-sorry! I am still very new at this!

The say there is only six people between an individual and someone they don't know, or something like that (I heard this somewhere and am about to listen to an audio play by that title.) But sometimes there is less! Here is a recent letter we recieved from a pastor's wife. They lived here in Cache Valley for many years and moved to Vermont last summer. The world is indeed small!

Dear Miriam,

James and I returned a few hours ago from having been in Bennington,
VT, (SW corner), with about 25 others from 8 different churches, who were
cleaning out an old parsonage and the basement of a very, very old
church--beautiful architecture. The church had been abandoned--and it was
deeded to Southern Baptists, who are in the process of doing a complete
renovation (will take about two years) and in that process planting a
new church.
We stayed at an incredibly spacious, lovely Christian school. As we
walked into a room which some of us were going to occupy, a fella said to
me (because I was wearing a sweatshirt that said Mission Trip to
Brigham City, Utah), "Did you go to Brigham City?"
When I said that I had lived there, he was surprised. Then went on to
tell us that his son goes to school at USU--we talked about Logan, etc.
Then he said something about the church his son attends--when we asked,
"Maranatha"--he was giddy. Then when we told him we had started that
church--he was amazed. He could not more highly praise the church or
those who had invested in his son, including Rob and Miriam Gunn. The
young man--Chris Perry. His brother Josh has been going to school in So.
Carolina, but he'll be going to USU in the fall. Our hearts were lifted--though our bodies were exhausted! What a
blessing from the Lord to meet this man (his wife teaches at the school) and
to know that Maranatha is having such an impact! When we asked how it
was that his son went to USU, that story was another God-thing.
I love getting real mail! And still do a lot of the real thing! Love,
Georgia

The Circle of Life and Dad

2005-04-26T13:52:00.000-07:00

Our family loves The Lion King, including the music. I know many Christians make fun of the eco-tune Circle of Life, but it does paint a true picture in many ways. For instance, my dad. Tomorrow I fly home to move my parents into a new assisted living facility. My dad has cancer and is not expected to live more than a few months. So as he and my mom once did for me, I will take care of them for the next few days. I will help them dress, prepare meals, do laundry, and help them move their stuff-all things they did for me as a child. It is my turn. It will happen to many of us, and I am thankful to God I have had so many years with my parents. They have always loved me and provided for me. I can do no less for them. To be sure, it is hard. Helping an 81 year old man change a diaper is not what I would choose to do at 2 AM. But 51 years ago, he did it for me. And that is the circle of life.

If you think of it, pray for me and my family, especially my mom. Thanks.

Among the Mormons Pt 2

2005-04-13T13:34:00.000-07:00

I peered at the thermometer with disbelief through the frosted window.

"Miriam-this says it's 30 below zero. Is that possible?"

"Mmmmpggh..."she said sleepily as she sat up in bed. "Noooo.....can't be. It doesn't get that cold here." But it was that cold. For a solid week in January in 1989, my first Utah winter, it stayed that way. The car wouldn't start. To go across campus was a bit like the Shakelton expedition. And when we came home one day a pipe downstairs ( we have basements here!) had burst, ruining books, my record collection (the covers are what people want) and of course, the carpet.
And so, along with my earlier accounts in Pt. 1, my first years in Utah were , well, cold.

Since that time things have thawed significantly. We have never had a winter like that , although it does dip below 0 occasionally. We bought a home in another neighborhood and the neighbors were very friendly. Socially and spiritually, we have become very accepted by Mormons, or Latter Day Saints (LDS is the pc term here). In fact, our group has been treated very well by the university because we bring diversity to the campus. Unfortunately, we know that the predominate attitude is one of, "after all, we are all Christians ." In that regard, modern LDS culture here has become just as postmodern as the rest of our culture. But more on that next time....

"Among the Mormons..." Pt 1

2005-03-29T14:08:00.000-08:00

The above is the title of a well known book in these parts-stories of early pioneers and others among the Mormons when they settled Utah. And here I have been, here in the "land of Zion" for some 17 years.

I was a newlywed when I first arrived. We drove our u-haul truck from California, towing the car behind the many, many arid miles of Nevada, then Utah. My first view of the Great Salt Lake and the salt flats gave me sort of a sinking feeling. I was a California boy, growing up in So Cal and living the last 15 years in San Luis Opispo on the Central Coast. As the truck jounced along, I looked out at the salt and the mountains ahead and felt...lonely. I had left family, friends, a great home church and year around mild weather for a new life with my bride....among the Mormons. It was exciting, but the lonliness has never left me.

A stranger in a strange land. To know that you are different than most people around you affects you. In the grocery line, two girls in front of you are talking about "their missionaries". The mechanic finishing up your fuel pump wonders why you don't have kids yet. My heck (a local expression), you've almost been married a year! The neighbors look at you and wave...hesitantly? Saturdays are busy, since nothing is open on Sunday. Lunch after church can get old-only the big chains are open (how many times can you eat at Chili's?) Police direct traffic near the LDS churches on Sunday-everyone goes (except you) When people you find out you are not LDS, you feel examined, like the newest fish in the aquarium. All this contributes to the isolation, the certainty you do not belong here.

Now, there is a silver lining. First, my new wife and I support each other and have fun with our new house (rented), decorating, unpacking etc. We are part of a ministry team who reach out to us and encourage us. Our church, though only about 250 (I came from one that was about 1000 or so) is friendly and encouraging. There is only one bar in town! Movies are a pleasure again, as people are quiet and well behaved. Few people smoke and swearing is uncommon in public. Crime is almost non-existent-we leave our house unlocked! (Can you imagine that in SoCal?)
And the mountains are fantastic-soon I am cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, hiking in the pines-a dream come true for the kid who grew up sick of the suburbs. There are some real advantages-no question.

But still, the feeling of aloneness lingers... One day, walking downtown, I was introduced to deer season. A car pulled up to the curb, a dead deer, bleeding all over the hood he was tied to, stared at me with empty eyes....no, I'm not in San Luis any more.

But, in all things, in all times, in all places, God is there..... (to be continued)

Grace, SLO Mission's Blog

2005-03-21T13:04:00.000-08:00

Grace, SLO Mission's Blog
Easter Outreach Prayer for the Gunns

Please pray as we do a major outreach on campus by giving away cd-roms about the real Jesus entitled "Who is He?" We are also promoting an inter-church sunrise service Easter morning on the campus. Rob has been invited to speak this year-please pray for him as he prepares-and for good weather! Thank you!

Spiritual Inversions

2005-03-18T14:04:00.000-08:00

The once pristine vally we live in now has some of the worst air pollution in the west. During the cold winter months, we experience inversions-a layer of very cold air holds down the air below it, creating a stagnant air mass caught between the two beautiful mountain ranges on both sides. It is a dangerous form of pollution and schools keep kids in from recess and people are encouraged by the city to stop driving and stay indoors. Sadly, this all happened in only two years. How?

Well, it's the old story. The problem was predictable-we have always had inversions. The mountains have always been there. Health experts warned us. But rapid growth brought more and more cars, which brought more traffic lights, which results in more stop and go traffic, and results in more and more smog. And now, instead of sledding on a nice winter day, my kids often have to stay inside, many suffer from asthama and bronchitis, and the mountains are murky.

Do we not experience the same in our spiritual lives? We see a temptation coming, but we don't do anything about it. Soon we are falling into sin-just a little at first, then more and more. Oh we know it's wrong, but we get used to it. The inversion forms when we form a "cap" or facade of seemingly doing well, never sharing our struggle with others, asking foregiveness, etc. The internal pollution just gets worse and worse until, almost literally, we can't go out anymore. How many times have I seen sudents quit coming to our group because of....guilt. They are drinking, or getting involved with someone sexually or just growing cold to God. Eventually, being around other Christians or hearing the word makes them very uncomfortable, so they stay home.

Is there an answer? Well, the air here in Logan, Utah is clear today because finally, the winds came and temperatures went up. In the same way, the fresh breezes of confessing and asking God for foregiveness can clear the gunk from our soul (I Jn. 1:9) and we can breath again, go out again, live again.

So if you are holding in some internal pollution, tell a trusted friend or your pastor and most importantly, confess your sins to God. Let him clear the skies of your life. If you have ever seen the PBS production of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, you will remember Aslan's breath freeing the people of Narnia who had been turned to stone. It's as awesome as that! Let the winds of healing blow and see the blue skies -they have been there all along.

Joining the blogosphere

2005-03-08T20:06:00.000-08:00

Well, here it goes. I hope this will not be like taking part in a reality show-do I really want the whole world reading my thoughts? (ha, the whole world.....maybe a few friends.)