Awesome post by Al Mohler here, on how you know a person by their books.
Still can't get Library Thing's sidebar figured out. They tell me they are working on it, and if it works, I'm on board. Till then...
10.06.2006
UPS Delivers!
The boys in brown rang our doorbell this afternoon amidst the rain and wind. I gladly accepted the 12x12x1" package, curious as to what could be inside. But since it was addressed to Steve, I didn't tear it open on the spot. I delivered it via interoffice mail (I ran up the stairs and handed it over) and hung around to see what it could be. Obviously it wasn't a secret present for me (like my long desired Latvian Mittens book). So what was inside?? I waited with anticipation to see...
Trash bags. No packaging or labels, just a stack of trash bags neatly folded inside the delivery box.
And here's the kicker: a telemarketer sold them to him. It was sort of a charity/benefit thing, but I still had to laugh at this one!
If those UPS guys knew what was inside half the boxes they so bravely face the elements to deliver, I think they'd quit their jobs!
Trash bags. No packaging or labels, just a stack of trash bags neatly folded inside the delivery box.
And here's the kicker: a telemarketer sold them to him. It was sort of a charity/benefit thing, but I still had to laugh at this one!
If those UPS guys knew what was inside half the boxes they so bravely face the elements to deliver, I think they'd quit their jobs!
Home
I found the source of this quote today in my poem of the day.
"Home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in."
"Home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in."
10.05.2006
Muslims' view of others
Passing this on from a friend - assuming it is legit and true.
Allah or Jesus?
by Rick Mathes
Last month I attended my annual training session that's required for maintaining my state prison security clearance. During the training session there was a presentation by three speakers representing the Roman Catholic, Protestant and Muslim faiths, who explained each of their belief systems.
I was particularly interested in what the Islamic Imam had to say. The Imam gave a great presentation of the basics of Islam, complete with a video.
After the presentations, time was provided for questions and answers. When it was my turn, I directed my question to the Imam and asked: "Please, correct me if I'm wrong, but I understand that most Imams and clerics of Islam have declared a holy jihad [Holy war] against the infidels of the world. And, that by killing an infidel, which is a command to all Muslims, they are assured of a place in heaven. If that's the case, can you give me the definition of an infidel?"
There was no disagreement with my statements and, without hesitation, he replied, "Non-believers!"
I responded, "So, let me make sure I have this straight. All followers of Allah have been commanded to kill everyone who is not of your faith so they can go to Heaven. Is that correct?"
The expression on his face changed from one of authority and command to that of a little boy who had just gotten caught with his hand in the cookie jar. He sheepishly replied, "Yes."
I then stated, "Well, sir, I have a real problem trying to imagine Pope John Paul commanding all Catholics to kill those of your faith or Dr. Stanley ordering Protestants to do the same in order to go to Heaven!"
The Imam was speechless.
I continued, "I also have problem with being your friend when you and your brother clerics are telling your followers to kill me. Let me ask you a question. Would you rather have your Allah who tells you to kill me in order to go to Heaven or my Jesus who tells me to love you because I am going to Heaven and He wants you to be with me?"
You could have heard a pin drop as the Imam hung his head in shame. Needless to say, the organizers and/or promoters of manditory 'Diversification' training seminar were not happy with Rick's way of dealing with the Islamic Imam and exposing the truth about the Muslim's beliefs.
I think everyone in the US should be required to read this, but with the liberal justice system, liberal media, and the ACLU, there is no way this will be widely publicized. Please pass this on to all your e-mail contacts.
This is a true story and the author, Rick Mathes, is a well known leader in prison ministry.
Allah or Jesus?
by Rick Mathes
Last month I attended my annual training session that's required for maintaining my state prison security clearance. During the training session there was a presentation by three speakers representing the Roman Catholic, Protestant and Muslim faiths, who explained each of their belief systems.
I was particularly interested in what the Islamic Imam had to say. The Imam gave a great presentation of the basics of Islam, complete with a video.
After the presentations, time was provided for questions and answers. When it was my turn, I directed my question to the Imam and asked: "Please, correct me if I'm wrong, but I understand that most Imams and clerics of Islam have declared a holy jihad [Holy war] against the infidels of the world. And, that by killing an infidel, which is a command to all Muslims, they are assured of a place in heaven. If that's the case, can you give me the definition of an infidel?"
There was no disagreement with my statements and, without hesitation, he replied, "Non-believers!"
I responded, "So, let me make sure I have this straight. All followers of Allah have been commanded to kill everyone who is not of your faith so they can go to Heaven. Is that correct?"
The expression on his face changed from one of authority and command to that of a little boy who had just gotten caught with his hand in the cookie jar. He sheepishly replied, "Yes."
I then stated, "Well, sir, I have a real problem trying to imagine Pope John Paul commanding all Catholics to kill those of your faith or Dr. Stanley ordering Protestants to do the same in order to go to Heaven!"
The Imam was speechless.
I continued, "I also have problem with being your friend when you and your brother clerics are telling your followers to kill me. Let me ask you a question. Would you rather have your Allah who tells you to kill me in order to go to Heaven or my Jesus who tells me to love you because I am going to Heaven and He wants you to be with me?"
You could have heard a pin drop as the Imam hung his head in shame. Needless to say, the organizers and/or promoters of manditory 'Diversification' training seminar were not happy with Rick's way of dealing with the Islamic Imam and exposing the truth about the Muslim's beliefs.
I think everyone in the US should be required to read this, but with the liberal justice system, liberal media, and the ACLU, there is no way this will be widely publicized. Please pass this on to all your e-mail contacts.
This is a true story and the author, Rick Mathes, is a well known leader in prison ministry.
Immortal souls?
Here's my side of a conversation with a reader on this topic...
We don't disagree when you say
"If the resurrection is a Scriptural doctrine, then so is the continuing existence of the soul. God's activity is in creating us--body and soul. Death is the separation of the two. One to live on forever, one to die, decay, and be resurrected/reunited with the soul."
Phil 1:21ff supports this, I would say. We either live in the flesh now here, or go to be with Christ there, without the flesh is implied.
We disagree in what doctrine we want to protect. I think you want to protect eternal heaven and hell, and I'm not an annihilationist or going down that road. I want to protect God's sustaining of everything. He didn't create everlasting souls, and now he's stuck with us. He didn't decree everlasting souls to exist and we're just there, existing independently and on our own. No, He plans on sustaining our consciousness forever, out of love.
Also, continuing existence of the soul is derived from the resurrection of the body, so that latter doctrine should be primary. Existence without the body is less than God's intention for us - note Adam and Eve in garden. While we are blessed to be with Christ, that blessing is tempered with body-lessness for a time. (I'd still say it's better to be with Christ without a body than to be here with one, though, a la Phil 1:23.)
Another thing to avoid is gnosticism - viewing the body and flesh as less than pure in itself. If we want to depart and be with Christ because we want to get out of this yucky body, if we want to emphasize the immortal soul over this corruptible and gross body, then we are unorthodox in our desires. Emphasizing the everlasting soul as you do tends toward this. "The body comes and goes, but the soul - that's the REAL you." Both our bodies and our souls/spirits/minds need redeeming and transforming to be fit for heaven. Both are the real us. Our soul isn't immutable, eternal and unchanging like God, though there are attributes within us that do reflect who God is - His image. The categories aren't so neat as body/spirit, if we look at 1 Cor 15. Flesh and blood can't inherit the kingdom (vs 50), but the flesh will be raised as a spiritual body, which CAN (vs 44).
What is the point of the resurrection of the body, if we are already "all there" in heaven after death and before the judgment?
We don't disagree when you say
"If the resurrection is a Scriptural doctrine, then so is the continuing existence of the soul. God's activity is in creating us--body and soul. Death is the separation of the two. One to live on forever, one to die, decay, and be resurrected/reunited with the soul."
Phil 1:21ff supports this, I would say. We either live in the flesh now here, or go to be with Christ there, without the flesh is implied.
We disagree in what doctrine we want to protect. I think you want to protect eternal heaven and hell, and I'm not an annihilationist or going down that road. I want to protect God's sustaining of everything. He didn't create everlasting souls, and now he's stuck with us. He didn't decree everlasting souls to exist and we're just there, existing independently and on our own. No, He plans on sustaining our consciousness forever, out of love.
Also, continuing existence of the soul is derived from the resurrection of the body, so that latter doctrine should be primary. Existence without the body is less than God's intention for us - note Adam and Eve in garden. While we are blessed to be with Christ, that blessing is tempered with body-lessness for a time. (I'd still say it's better to be with Christ without a body than to be here with one, though, a la Phil 1:23.)
Another thing to avoid is gnosticism - viewing the body and flesh as less than pure in itself. If we want to depart and be with Christ because we want to get out of this yucky body, if we want to emphasize the immortal soul over this corruptible and gross body, then we are unorthodox in our desires. Emphasizing the everlasting soul as you do tends toward this. "The body comes and goes, but the soul - that's the REAL you." Both our bodies and our souls/spirits/minds need redeeming and transforming to be fit for heaven. Both are the real us. Our soul isn't immutable, eternal and unchanging like God, though there are attributes within us that do reflect who God is - His image. The categories aren't so neat as body/spirit, if we look at 1 Cor 15. Flesh and blood can't inherit the kingdom (vs 50), but the flesh will be raised as a spiritual body, which CAN (vs 44).
What is the point of the resurrection of the body, if we are already "all there" in heaven after death and before the judgment?
10.04.2006
Constitution Pary
Just found these guys over at Margaret's blog. Looks pretty good, but haven't read it all yet...
But is it really wise to effectively give another vote to the Democrats?
But is it really wise to effectively give another vote to the Democrats?
Apples
Just back from lunch, and must say that
I LOVE HONEYCRISP APPLES!
I'm not normally much of a fruit guy, as mealy textures don't typically appeal to me. But these apples - so crisp - and just the right amount of sour...
I LOVE HONEYCRISP APPLES!
I'm not normally much of a fruit guy, as mealy textures don't typically appeal to me. But these apples - so crisp - and just the right amount of sour...
Books, books, books
A reader pointed me to an awesome webtool at www.librarything.com
It catalogs your books in a very simple way using Amazon and other places.
If I can get it to work, you'll be able to search my library from this blog to see if I have a certain book. Right now I'm having trouble getting it to show in the sidebar the books I'm reading. Instead, it is showing random books from our library. Stay tuned...
It catalogs your books in a very simple way using Amazon and other places.
If I can get it to work, you'll be able to search my library from this blog to see if I have a certain book. Right now I'm having trouble getting it to show in the sidebar the books I'm reading. Instead, it is showing random books from our library. Stay tuned...
Elk hunting
I'm listening to more podcasts recently, but don't have time to update them here.
One is Ken Davis, a Christian comedian. True story he tells:
He flew his plane to the wild to go elk hunting, got one, butchered it, packed it into the plane and flew back. It's just Ken and the elk in the plane. On the runway he loses control of the plane and it crashes, but he's all right. The FAA guy comes driving up yelling, "Are you okay?!" Davis yells back, "Yes! But I think you'd better check my passenger..."
One is Ken Davis, a Christian comedian. True story he tells:
He flew his plane to the wild to go elk hunting, got one, butchered it, packed it into the plane and flew back. It's just Ken and the elk in the plane. On the runway he loses control of the plane and it crashes, but he's all right. The FAA guy comes driving up yelling, "Are you okay?!" Davis yells back, "Yes! But I think you'd better check my passenger..."
10.03.2006
Chicken
The generous ladies from our church stocked our fridge and pantry with many necessities and goodies (who bought all that Ben & Jerry's? Naughty!!). I have a pair of whole chickens in my freezer - but I have no idea of how to cook them or how to fancy them up!
If you have an idea or recipe to share, please post it or email sara_hemmeke@hotmail.com
If you have an idea or recipe to share, please post it or email sara_hemmeke@hotmail.com
Are you married?
Al Mohler has some interesting stats from USA Today on marital status determining your politics.
"Republicans control 49 of the 50 districts with the highest rates of married people.
Democrats represent all 50 districts that have the highest rates of adults who have never married.
The political tug-of-war is between people who are married and those who have never been."
See here for more. He also notes correctly that the value of tuning in to politics is that it reveals cultural values.
Good Chesterton quote on the family in there, too.
"Republicans control 49 of the 50 districts with the highest rates of married people.
Democrats represent all 50 districts that have the highest rates of adults who have never married.
The political tug-of-war is between people who are married and those who have never been."
See here for more. He also notes correctly that the value of tuning in to politics is that it reveals cultural values.
Good Chesterton quote on the family in there, too.
Poem of the Day
Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening
by Robert Frost
Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village, though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it's queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there's some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
by Robert Frost
Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village, though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it's queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there's some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
Discerning good and evil
"Solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil" - Hebrews 5:14.
God expects us to grow up to maturity which is characterized by discernment of good and evil. And not just knowing all the right stuff, but having our senses exercised. This means living the truth, not just knowing it. You could even say that the immature know the right stuff; the mature live it.
As I continue to be sensitive to connections between the Old and New Testaments, I found a fascinating one here. These Scriptures all include the phrase "know/discern between good and evil": Genesis 2:17; 1 Kings 3:9; Isaiah 7:15.
Genesis - here we are in the Garden before the Fall with Adam and Eve, and with a tree of the knowledge of good and evil they could not eat. God only knows why they were forbidden it, but it is the same phrase we find in Hebrews 5. Hm.
1 Kings - when Solomon becomes king, he asks for wisdom, "that I may discern between good and evil." Solomon fulfills the creation mandate to rule the earth. He names animals (1 Kings 4:24, 33). Yet there was sin mixed in. He goes back to Egypt; he multiplies horses, wives and gold, as God commanded the king through Moses NOT to do (Deut 17:16ff). God gave him wisdom to rule, but he could not rule over himself, it seems.
Isaiah 7:15 - a much overlooked passage, after the famous "virgin shall conceive" verse. The Child will "know to refuse the evil and choose the good." While this has immediate application to Ahaz's own son, assuring that his immediate enemies would be consumed before the boy got very old, I believe it also refers to the coming Messiah, whose discernment would be complete in knowledge and action. Jesus Christ obeyed His Father wholly.
And we are called to follow Him into that discerning obedience.
I'm not sure how far or where to take this exactly, but there is something here to chew on for a while (see Hebrews 5:13-14 again!).
God expects us to grow up to maturity which is characterized by discernment of good and evil. And not just knowing all the right stuff, but having our senses exercised. This means living the truth, not just knowing it. You could even say that the immature know the right stuff; the mature live it.
As I continue to be sensitive to connections between the Old and New Testaments, I found a fascinating one here. These Scriptures all include the phrase "know/discern between good and evil": Genesis 2:17; 1 Kings 3:9; Isaiah 7:15.
Genesis - here we are in the Garden before the Fall with Adam and Eve, and with a tree of the knowledge of good and evil they could not eat. God only knows why they were forbidden it, but it is the same phrase we find in Hebrews 5. Hm.
1 Kings - when Solomon becomes king, he asks for wisdom, "that I may discern between good and evil." Solomon fulfills the creation mandate to rule the earth. He names animals (1 Kings 4:24, 33). Yet there was sin mixed in. He goes back to Egypt; he multiplies horses, wives and gold, as God commanded the king through Moses NOT to do (Deut 17:16ff). God gave him wisdom to rule, but he could not rule over himself, it seems.
Isaiah 7:15 - a much overlooked passage, after the famous "virgin shall conceive" verse. The Child will "know to refuse the evil and choose the good." While this has immediate application to Ahaz's own son, assuring that his immediate enemies would be consumed before the boy got very old, I believe it also refers to the coming Messiah, whose discernment would be complete in knowledge and action. Jesus Christ obeyed His Father wholly.
And we are called to follow Him into that discerning obedience.
I'm not sure how far or where to take this exactly, but there is something here to chew on for a while (see Hebrews 5:13-14 again!).
10.01.2006
Potholders on hold
I've had my eye on this little gem for quite some time. After a full two weeks of settling in after our move south, I bought this book for myself as a little gift to myself. I have never read such hilarious writing about knitting. If you're current with the knitting blog world at all, or just love to knit and go outside the box, this book will probably tickle your funny bone, too. It has inspired a new crafty project....
Potholder Loops! Remember those sock remnants that you can buy to make potholders? My Grandma had a huge stash of these linty loops and gave them to me and the kids. We made a few potholders and gave them back to Grandma as a thank you, but the remaining grocery bag-full was shoved to the back of a closet. Then it moved with us. Then Grace rediscovered them. She declared Craft Time!
Now no crafty mom can resist a child's urge to create. But another potholder? Ugh. Then I found a fun idea in my new book. Why not loopy-loop all those loops together into one GIANT chain...I mean yards long, many yards...yards enough to KNIT. Yup, I've got my 5 year old making me a monster-sized yarn ball of potholder loops. And we're having fun.
I've got a pair of turkey-baster-sized knitting needles that will work with such a clunky "yarn". We're going to knit us a rug... pure, unadulterated, rainbow-colored garterstitch to wipe our feet on. Or set hot dishes on.
Our loopy yarn ball is currently the size of a small basketball.
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