Eee-Yow, Brute!!

May his days be few; may another take his office! ~ Psalm 109:8


Last evening I taught the 10 & 11 year-olds Covenant Kids class in Mr Gustafson's stead while he was away dropping Paul off at Princeton. (As an aside, I am very impressed with Paul and wish him Godspeed in his collegiate career.) The class is somewhat small; present were Anne Michal, the Austins (Ayers and Coats), Colin Lee, and Joshua Coleman.
I cannot express enough how impressed I am with those kids. Not only were they able to recite one of the longer passages from the Westminster Shorter Catechism (What is the Second Commandment?) but they understood and, more importantly, could vocalise, the concepts behind it and the applications and implications in their lives. I was very impressed but I was also filled with a sense of hope in the future of our church body.
--------------------------


Yeah! It’s FINALLY here!!


Hello, I have a collect call from a Mr Potter. Will you accept the charges?


PRAISE THE LORD for our freed Korean Christian brothers and sisters!!


You know we're living in strange times when James Hoffa starts making sense: 'This is a conspiracy of big business. They want to erase the borders.'


‘As Christians we believe that this philosophy is false and not something we wish to encourage. Yoga is encouraging people to think that there is a way to wholeness of body and mind through human techniques - whereas the only true way to wholeness is by faith in God through Jesus Christ.’


Hey, Kiersten—at least the spiders at your house don’t do this.


Take a look at The Politically Incorrect Guide to the U.S. Constitution.


This is what happens when we don’t take the Second Commandment seriously. The result is that man reduces (if such a thing were actually possible) the Creator of the Universe to a child’s play toy. It’s very sad indeed.


‘We have asked the Justice Department to enforce the partial-birth abortion ban since the Supreme Court ruled that the law was constitutional," she explains. "But so far our requests for enforcement of that law have been met with a deafening silence by Alberto Gonzales. And so we believe if he's not willing to enforce the law of the land, he shouldn't be attorney general anyway.’


‘Julius Caesar lay dead and Brutus was talking to his co-conspirators [sic] about swords and blood when he paused and excused himself, saying "I seem to have stabbed myself."’


The world is not such a complicated place. Lew Rockwell has a Thirty-Day Plan to Fix the Country.


I know I’m near the holy ranks
Of friends and kindred dear—
I hear the waves on Jordan’s banks,
The crossing must be near.

I’ve almost reached my heav’nly home,
My spirit loudly sings;
Thy holy ones, behold, they come!
I hear the noise of wings.

Oh, come, angel band
Come and around me stand.
Oh, bear we away on your snow white wings
To my immortal home.
~ The Stanley Brothers, Angel Band


'In the next place, the distinction betwixt the doctrines of justification and sanctification turns upon the distinction betwixt pollution and guilt. Sanctification is an inward subjective change, removing the stain or filth of sin, and restoring the image of God in knowledge, righteousness and holiness. Justification is an external change, touching our relations to the law, and removes the guilt and condemnation under which we lie. Sanctification infuses habits of grace - justification cancels the necessity of punishment. Sanctification conforms us with the precept - justification delivers us form the penalty of the law. One deals with the stain - the other with the guilt of sin.' ~ Rev. James Henley Thornwell

Here's a picture of my mama when she was a year old. I think Gracie Mae bears a striking resemblance. What think thee?

Can I Give You a Reich?

'In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel.' ~ I Corinthians 9:14




A buddy of mine at work told me a funny story yesterday that I thought I would share in the hopes of providing some 'chuckle time.'It seems that he asked his girlfriend to go to his house and take some fish out of the freezer to thaw and then he would grill it for them to eat when he got home from work. Now, my buddy is quite the sportsman, so I can only imagine the amount of venison and fish she had to wade through in his freezer. When she called him later at work he asked her if she had taken out the fish. She replied that she had and that she hoped she had taken out the right kind. When he asked her what she meant, she replied that she was pretty sure he didn't want her to take out the 'crappy' fish. After he stopped laughing, he told her that 'crappie' (pronounced croppy) is a type of fish--not how it tastes!
--------------------------





And now, this report from the Department of Legalism: ‘Most of the 56 owners in Berkshire E are Orthodox Jews barred for religious reasons from pushing the buttons on their elevator during the Sabbath, which runs from Friday evening to Saturday evening.’





Score one for modesty! ‘”I’m tired (of) looking at behinds,” Shreveport Councilwoman Joyce Bowman said after Tuesday’s 4-3 vote to ban fanny-flaunting trousers.’





‘Western sections of the Great Wall of China are being reduced to "mounds of dirt" by sandstorms and may disappear entirely in 20 years, a report said Wednesday.’





Well, knock me over with a feather! This sure is news to me!!--‘Ole Anthony, president of the Dallas-based Trinity Foundation, believes the Whites’ situation has “something to do with this ‘prosperity gospel,’” which he says results in many televangelists being treated like superstars and, as a result, losing their focus.’

Well, with gas prices as high as they are:

This article may make a lot of people angry. So, if you read it, don’t say I didn’t warn you.

You Can't Hide Your Lion Eyes

'Behold, he scatters his lightning about him and covers the roots of the sea.' ~ Job 36:30





Brian Franklin posted on his blog that he was struck by lightning yesterday! Praise the Lord he is alright and none-worse-for-the-wear. (I have often wondered why they use metal in umbrellas.) Although we understand (and have great hope in the fact) that God sovereignly controls everything, it is still somewhat rattling when something like that happens. We're glad that you're OK, Mr Franklin!! (And we're also grateful your fender-bender wasn't very serious either!)

Since he is unscathed, I don't think Brian would mind if I posted the dialogue from a scene from one of my favourite movies that relates to the topic:


Bartender: He's been struck by lightning... how many times has it been now, Reg?
Reg: S-s-s-s-s-s-s-six...
Chet: Wow! Six times?
Reg: S-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-six…sixty…sixty-six times. In-n-n-n-n-n-n-In-n-n-n-n-n-n-In-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n the head!!
~ The Great Outdoors



'Drinking sweet tea is one of the oldest and most exceptional Southern traditions. As Dolly Parton's character in Steel Magnolias puts it, it's the "house wine of the South”.’



I KNEW IT--I TOLD YOU SO!! I TOLD YOU SO!!



‘But for those who have asked, I freely confess that Jesus Christ is my personal Savior, and that I seek His guidance in all that I do. I know, as you do, that our freedoms come not from man, but from God.’ ~ Ron Paul (Republican candidate for President)

Have you ever seen a liger (part lion, part tiger)?

‘It is the key that had the potential to save the Titanic.’

"It's clear what happened. CAIR pressured CBS in New York to take us off. I have always dealt with the issues of the day from a biblical worldview on my program," Keller told WND. "[The Bible] calls Islam a false religion. They took great offense. CBS caved."

‘Borders and landmarks are not merely man-made, humanistic ideas. Borders and landmarks are theological in nature and have reference to the fact that God is the sovereign owner of heaven and earth and God divides it to the nations, God divides it to the people as He wills.’ ~ Pastor John Weaver

To-day's Piece of Good Advice:

Can you be [homosexual] and Christian?

Top Ten Country Song Titles

10. How Can A Whiskey That's 6 Years Old Whup A Man That's 33?
9. Her Teeth Was Stained, But Her Heart Was Pure
8. My Every Day Silver Is Plastic
7. I Changed Her Oil, She Changed My Life
6. How Can I Miss You If You Won't Go Away?
5. I Still Miss You, Baby, But My Aim's Gettin' Better
4. If I Had Shot You When I Wanted To, I'd Be Out by Now
3. She Got the Gold Mine And I Got The Shaft
2. I'm So Miserable Without You, It's Like Having You Here
1. You're The Reason Our Kids Are So Ugly

The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men Oft Go Awry

'Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that."' ~James 4:15


I used to work with a lady at Rother's Bookstore when I was in college at A&M (as was she) and now I work with her mama (who is a volunteer at the Bush Library). When I told her that Ashlee was pregnant a couple of years ago, her reaction was greatly tempered and not nearly as joyful as I had expected. She mentioned the sleepless nights, the worrying, etc., and generally gave the impression that we were in for a tough row to hoe. I asked her about grandchildren and she mentioned that she didn't have any; her older daughter is not married and the younger (with whom I once worked) was adamant that she and her husband desired no children.

Flash forward six months.

The lady who currently volunteers at the Library approached me one morning looking shell shocked and generally disoriented. I asked her how it was going (as would anyone, I would imagine) and, in a hushed voice, she informed me that her daughter--who had sworn off children--was pregnant. With triplets. Now, I didn't say what I was thinking, which was that God has a way humbling us when we are adamant about certain things but I did give her a hearty congratulations. I knew it was going to be tough on the parents but, as the Bible tells us, children are a blessing--and they are getting to start off with a quiver full!

Flash forward two weeks.

I asked my volunteer friend how her daughter was doing carrying those triplets. I was not prepared for the answer: She's not having triplets. She's have quadruplets!
Long story short, the mama and babies all survived the birth and they have overcome a great deal. They still have a few minor health issues to tackle but they are doing well.

You may visit their web page at www.blairquads.com if you would like to take a gander at the Fearsome Foursome.
----------------------------



'Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, has announced the retirement of its long-time senior pastor, Dr. D. James Kennedy. The announcement was made at the church's Sunday morning worship service.'



'Opening a conservative, Christian law school will fill a niche in the state of Louisiana, and also the nation.'



What do you call a thousand lawyers at the bottom of the ocean? A good start. (Sorry, Chris Peterson!)



‘There's no question that there exists a measure of discrimination. People feel they have to shave before a job interview. We view ourselves as the American Civil Liberties Union for the moustache.’



With all apologies to Pastor Coleman, I believe a ‘Bless her heart’ is called for in this situation.



'The clergy are being advised to use Romans 13 to encourage parishioners to submit to the sudden and massive expansion of government control that takes place during martial law," the writer said.'



Did you know that there is actually an annual Air Guitar World Championship? I got curious and looked it up--they take it strangely seriously. What really got me laughing was a specific line in the rules: A contestant's air guitar 'can be acoustic, electric or both.' My question is: HOW DO YOU TELL?



‘Now, I ain't tryin to put down no big city
But the things they write about us is just a bore
Well, you can take a boy out of ol' Dixieland
But you'll never take ol' Dixie from a boy.’ ~ Lynyrd Skynyrd, All I Can Do Is Write About It



‘The movie September Dawn, which opened in U.S. theaters on Friday, stars Academy Award winner Jon Voight . The film gives an account of the infamous Mountain Meadows Massacre, which took place on September 11, 1857. The film depicts that on that day 120 men and women, who were part of a pioneer wagon train from Arkansas passing through Utah on the way to California, were brutally slaughtered by a group of Mormons.’



'It seems to me that the peculiar personality of God should have been distinctly and prominently announced. He is not only Spirit, but Personal Spirit, and not Personal barely, but Tri-personal—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. To describe Him as a Spirit subsisting in three Persons, and then as infinite, eternal, and unchageable in all the perfections which are proper to Spirit, is to make as near an approximation to an accurate definition as it is possible for our faculties to compass.' ~ Rev. James Henley Thornwell



‘While the National Socialist enthusiasm for evolution-inspired eugenics is too well known to be credibly disputed, the direct link between Darwin and communism is less well understood.’

The sweetest little cowgirl in Texas. Yee-haw!

Paging Mr Frizzell, Mr Lefty Frizzell

'Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.' ~ II Corinthians 6:2b

‘Let the people assemble at the appointed time, that all being present at the beginning they may unite with one heart in all the parts of public worship. Let none unnecessarily depart until after the blessing be pronounced.’ ~ Presbyterian Church in America Book of Church Order (49-2).

I have to admit that punctuality is very important to me. My daddy raised me with the understanding that being ten minutes early is being on time and being on time is being late. In fact, it's preferable to be 20 minutes early if at all possible. Jorja likes to joke with me about this; I'm usually at least half-an-hour early to our small group meetings.

Of course, marriage and parenthood have ways of thwarting the best of my intentions. Although not what one would describe as serially tardy, Ashlee has never been one to obsess over being early. (It is a running joke that, if her family says they are leaving at a certain time, you can add 20 minutes to it.) Still, I have had to adjust my peculiarities regarding time to meet her more in the middle and, thank the Lord, it has been a pretty easy endeavour--with the result that we are usually on time. (Which, I'm told, is surprisingly agreeable to most people in our society.)

Enter Gracie Mae.

Having a child increases the chances of tardiness exponentially; still, we have managed to maintain an acceptable amount semi-punctuality, in no small part due to my phobia I am sure. I have already begun to steel myself for Covenant Children 2, 3, 4, 5 (and 6?) and the attendant time issues that I have no doubt will accompany their arrivals.

Still, when it comes to worship, I think that we should make whatever herculean efforts that may be required to arrive at church on time--by my daddy's definition, which means early. In that vein, we do our best to leave the house 45 minutes before Sunday School is scheduled to begin. Because it is usually a 35-minute drive, such provides for a 10-minute cushion in case we should (in God's Providence) run into any unforeseen circumstances.

It just seems to me that the standard in our society is to shoot for getting somewhere right on time but, should we arrive a few minutes late, it is acceptable and they'll wait for us. But, although I have failed several times recently in that regard, I don't want that for me and my family.

With God's help, I'm going to make an increased effort to get the Lees to church on time. Early.

------------------------

"Major, why did you not run when you saw your command was thus disabled?” Stonewall Jackson replied, “I was not ordered to do so. If I had been ordered to run, I should have done so. But I was directed to hold my position, and I had no right to abandon it."

‘Michael Vick made the mistake of killing and maiming dogs, and PETA in turn organized marches and protests and generally made his life miserable. However, had Vick been financing an abortion clinic, no doubt he would be a hero in the media.’


‘Here, then, is a prominent duty, if we would save our country, that we shall carry our citizenship in the kingdom of heaven everywhere, and make it dominate over every public act. We must obey the law of God rather than the unrighteous behests of party, to “choose out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness, and place such over them to be rulers,” or God will assuredly avenge Himself for our violated allegiance to him. The Christians of this country must sternly claim that wicked or reckless men shall no longer hold the helm of state; that political orthodoxy shall no longer atone for the worst offense against citizenship, a wicked life.’ ~ Rev. R. L. Dabney

‘Freedom brings us all together. We can all agree on leaving people alone to plan and live their own lives, rather than trying to force them to obey at the point of a gun, as runaway government does.’ ~ Presidential Candidate Ron Paul of Texas


'Some folks are born with star-spangled eyes

Ooh, they'll send you down to war.

But when you ask 'em, "How much should we give?"

Ooh, they only answer, "More--more--more."'

~ Creedence Clearwater Revival, Fortunate Son


Mr Potter, your table is ready.

There's no crying in the Happy Hat!!!

A Massachusetts man handcuffed and hauled to jail after he objected to a public school teaching his kindergarten-age son about homosexuality has gone to the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals seeking justice.

‘I don't want young people thinking that half-dressing is the way to go. I want them to think about their future.’


‘When we consider the possibility that God used evolutionary processes to create over millions of years, we are faced with serious consequences: the Word of God is no longer authoritative, and the character of our loving God is questioned.’

I'm a lumberjack and I'm o.k. ...

'He said the measure sought "a more fair distribution of the sunrise," which would particularly help poor children who wake up before dawn to go to school.'

Here's just a little something for the ladies!

No Mugwumps Allowed--Yet!

'He named him Noah and said, "He will comfort us in the labor and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the LORD has cursed."' ~ Genesis 5:29

I completed a long-held goal for myself yesterday when I put the last of the fence posts/ H-braces in along the front property line on my place. I had intended to plant most of them during the milder months of the winter and spring but events conspired against me--and the unending rain was no help at all--with the result that I have found myself digging holes in the 'heatidity.' Still, it is a rewarding feeling when a small goal is met; I currently have ten posts in place with a scant 25 or 30 remaining. (At the current rate of exertion, I should weigh in at a trim 135 pounds in no time.)

First, the hole must be dug. I have 8-foot treated posts (6 inches in diameter) that I plant three feet in the groung, leaving (you guessed it!) five feet above the surface. (This is in order to gain maximum sturdiness while leaving enough space for the 4-foot wide fencing which will be hung later...much later.)

Depending upon the amount of moisture in the soil, it can take up to 45 minutes to complete the 3-foot hole; a blessing of the great rains of late has meant a digging time of 'only' about 20 to 30 minutes.

Once the hole is complete and the pole is thrown down the hole, it is necessary to ensure that it is in alignment with the others. To do this, I string up some bailing twine from one corner post to the other as a line-of-sight gauge.

Once the post is aligned properly, filling the hole commences. Some folks prefer to use concrete or pea gravel to add strength and sturdiness. However, a buddy of mine who has strung up about 2,000 miles of fence across Oklahoma and Texas clued me in to a better system. I slowly add back layers of the fill dirt and tamp it down with a 25-pound spud bar. (As you can imagine, this is where patience and stamina really come in to play.) However, once all of the dirt is pounded back in (this takes about an hour on a hot day), the post is SET and isn't going anywhere. In fact, if feels as if it is set in concrete, only without the expense--and without knowing that I'll have to dig all of it out if I need to replace or remove the post in the future!

The other trick to keep in mind is the H-brace. This is done to conserve the tension on the fence and prevent the posts from leaning over time. I used a couple of nails and hung 1" conduit on them between the posts and I'll soon add some diagonal barbed wire or brace wire (from the bottom of one post to the top of the other) and twist it until both of them are snug against the pipe.

The finished product! I know it ain't pretty--it may not even be straight--but it's mine! (Of course, the milk jug is not part of the fence; I'll remove that at some point.)

Well, I reckon that is about all for to-day. BUT DON'T CRY--I'll post some more soon!

Get Rich Slowly

‘Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.’ ~ Proverbs 13:11



If you paid the monthly minimum each month on a 30-year mortgage at 5% interest (a generous rate these days), after your last payment, your $90,000 home will have cost you $173,930.40!! That is an additional $83,930.40—almost double the original asking price! Usury is an evil taskmaster.



Since I resumed blogging, many folks have inquired as to my handle, 'ninepoundhammer.' I assure you there is nothing sinister nor fad-ish about it. The story behind it is simple. The day I created my blog I was listening to some bluegrass music and when the time came to create an I.D. for myself, the song 'Nine Pound Hammer' just happened to be playing. Mystery solved.
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Nearly every morning I rise at 5:45am and, although she has nowhere to be that early, Ashlee soon--and sometimes not-so-soon--follows me from bed in order to make the morning coffee and pack my lunch. I appreciate that and just thought I would write about it.
---------------



A few years ago I appointed myself Pope-President-Dictator of my own organisation, The Naked Emperor Society. I took the name, as one might imagine, from the Hans Christian Anderson fable, 'The Emperor’s New Clothes.' (As an aside, I discovered last night that Curtis is unfamiliar with the tale, thus I have provided the link above.) The reason behind my organisation is to call attention to the many things which are popular or held in high regard for no other reason than that many other people say they deserve to be.
Take, for example, 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' by the Beatles. It is a fine album, to be sure, but it is NOT the best album of all time! What's more, I would wager a week's pay that most folks who attribute such acclaim have never once heard it in its entirety. Other declarations by the NES:
- 'Casablanca' is not the best move of all time. I won't divulge what is, but it rhymes with 'Bashunal Manfoons Takashun'. (Just kidding.)

- Hemingway's novels are pedestrian at best--I find them quite boring and poorly written.

- 'The Honeymooners'--a good show, somewhat funny, but not the best. That title belongs to 'Seinfeld.'

- New York City is not--I repeat, is NOT--the centre of the universe.

The list continues to grow and is not, obviously, exhaustive. I am open to suggestions.

This topic reminds me of something my thesis advisor, Dr Brian Linn, told me in graduate school some years ago: 'There are two kinds of people: those who read Nitsche and those who say they do.'
-----------------



‘A church whose pastor is a leader in the local pro-life efforts has earned an Internal Revenue Service demand for an audit of the organization's books by posting its biblically mandated support for life on its marquee.’



This one is especially for Charles Ackerman: The New and Improved Texas Trivia.



‘The war had ended—the most futile and ferocious of human follies. When it shall cease on earth at last, then, and not until then, will the soul of men leap to its final triumph, for the energy of the universe will flow through the fingers of the workmen, artists, authors, inventors and healers. On this issue the saving of a world awaits the word of the mothers of men.’ ~ Thomas Dixon, Jr., The Man in Grey (1921).




‘With the start of football season just weeks away, millions of Americans are purchasing tickets and T-shirts to support their favorite teams. However, the Jacksonville Jaguars have given their fans one less reason to support the team, because its foundation has given a grant to the nation's largest abortion business.’



‘When Will Then Be Now?’



‘One in four adults say they read no books at all in the past year, according to an Associated Press-Ipsos poll released Tuesday.’



So, let me get this straight. You're telling me that boys and girls are...different?!



‘Levi’s has done some limited marketing to the gay community since the late 1990s. Still, Robert Cameron, the jeans maker’s vice president of marketing, said he’s actually struck by the fact that the apparel company didn’t make a bigger effort, like this one, sooner.’ (Editor's note: Buy Wranglers.)



HEY, WHO INVITED THE OLD MAN?

Danger! Presbyterians Ahead

The Westminster men's softball scrimmage against the Best Buy Mudcats went well last night--we all had a blast. We (Westminster) got beaten pretty handily when the Mudcats came on strong somewhere around the 13th inning. (Those boys could really CRUSH the ball!) We had a substantial number of fans in the stands again--which always makes for a fun time. In addition, Uncle Norvie umpired the game, doing a fantastic job as well as encourage all of us--on both teams.
On a frustrating note, this is the third time IN A ROW I have lost a contest against Keven Lee Ayers and, as penance, must buy him lunch. Oh, well, I enjoy hanging out with the dude and he won't be my friend unless I pay. ;)
-------------------------

Misperception can be a peculiar thing. Ashlee and I have often wondered in amazement at how some folks perceive me. I must admit that, much of the time (if not most), I am at fault; many folks do not understand my brand of humour and often think I am being serious while I assume they know that I am joking. In addition, I sometimes don't make my self clear while I am pontificating on one subject or another--which is not aided by the fact that folks rarely interrupt to let me know that I am not making myself clear, leading to misunderstanding. Other times, well, I don't know where they come up with some of the things they do.
This topic arose again last night at the softball game. As it turns out (to be filed in the It's a Small World category), Andrew Brunone's colleague is a lady with whom I attended high school. In fact, I was roommates with her husband in college and was a groomsman in their wedding. Bearing in mind that I was not a Christian in those days, you can imagine my trepidation when Andrew told me he had 'heard some things' from Brenda about me. (YIKES!) The strange thing, however, was that she had told him I was at one time a ... 'hard core Darwinist.' Whaaa?!! Even in my darkest of pre-conversion days, I never doubted for one minute the literal Six 24-hour Day Creation. I was never fooled into buying the 'Goo-to-You' mechanics behind Evolution, so I don't know where she came up with that. It makes me wonder what else is 'out there' about me. Brrrrrrrr. Frightening.
-----------------------------

Pretend for the moment that you are attending a sporting event in which your child is participating. Would you root for and cheer him on only if you were confident that he would win the contest? Would you withhold your support and approbation if the outcome were in doubt?Imagine again that the coming college football season is merely eleven days away (and so it is). I reckon one would be hard pressed--in our area at least--to find a body who has delayed their decision to support the Aggies until they conclude with some degree of certainty that the Boys in Maroon will prevail over their conference rivals, finishing in first place. For those fair weather fans in Aggieland there is a name: Two-Percenters. (It is not a term of endearment.)
Why, then, is it that many well-informed folks, even those with some degree of political acumen, hold as perhaps the most important criterion for supporting a presidential (or gubernatorial for that matter) candidate whether they believe that candidate can win the election? What appears to matter most is neither principle nor agenda--but electability.
The mantra for the current and exhaustively prolonged presidential campaign appears to be, 'Can he beat Hillary!©?' rather than 'Does he share my values?'
Of course, the composite candidate at the centre of my frustration and confusion is Rudy McRomney. One (Rudy Giuliani) is a serial adulterer who supports the homosexual agenda, rejects the right to bear arms, and has historically practised a very heavy-handed (some have posited oppressive) form of prosecutorial zeal in his days with the New York District Attorney's Office. Mitt Romney, who currently appears to be courting the Conservative Base, has apparently had a Road to Damascus conversion since his recent days as a liberal governor of a liberal State (Taxachusetts)--though his fidelity to the Mormon cult remains ironclad. McCain, while he has his well-deserved reputation as a war hero going for him, has proven himself no friend of Conservatives; he has, in fact, ridiculed Christian Republicans and pushed hard for the ill-fated amnesty bill for invaders--I mean, 'illegal aliens.'
All that being said, the one man who Christian Conservatives should be supporting, Congressman Ron Paul of Texas--is being forced to convert those who should instead be flocking to him. Thankfully, those who hear him speak his message of Peace and Freedom usually become enthusiastic supporters. He is pro-life, pro-Second Amendment, favours low taxation (he would abolish the IRS), and is a firm believer in States Rights and truly following--TRULY following--the U.S. Constitution.
He appears to be the last Jeffersonian on the horizon. Any of the other candidates--Democan or Republicrat--will be more of the same. As George Wallace said about the two major parties: 'There ain't a dime's worth of difference between them.'
-------------------------

'The term "democracy," as I have said again and again, does not contain enough positive content to stand alone against the forces you dislike--it can easily be transformed by them. If you will not have God (and He is a jealous God), you should pay your respects to Hitler and Stalin.' ~ T. S. Eliot


'For in spite of its anguish in Vietnam, the Army has learned little of value. Yet the nation's policymakers have endorsed the service's misperceptions derived from the war while contemplating an increased U.S. role in Third World low-intensity conflicts. This represents a very dangerous mixture that in the end may see the Army again attempting to fight a conventional war against a very unconventional enemy.' ~ Andrew F. Krepinevich, Jr., The Army and Vietnam (1986).


Among the glaring problems with those who argue against the 5-Points of Calvinism is their misunderstanding and misstatement of the tenents themselves. Nobody this side of Heaven (at least in the post-Apostolic age) has a complete and infallible understanding of Scripture. Nobody. However, did you know that, according to some of our Arminian friends, we Reformed Christians are DANGEROUS?!! (Insert maniacle laughter here.)


‘I saw not a single bumper sticker for any 2008 candidate other than Ron Paul.'


Pastor Danny, please call your office.


This just in: A recent poll found that kids cited family ties as the primary ingredient to making them happy. In other news, the sun is hot.


'Hitler listened to [Rommel's assessment of the war effort] with downcast eyes ... Suddenly he looked up and said that he, too, was aware that there was very little chance left of winning the war. But the West would conclude no peace with him--certainly not the people who were then at the helm. And the people who would have been prepared to negotiate with him had no power. He had never wanted war with the West. But now the West would have their war--have it to the end.' General Erwin Rommel, The Rommel Papers, ed. B. H. Liddell Hart (1953).

One word: CREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEPY!!

You Mean the Bible is Reliable?!

'Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.' ~ Colossians 3:20


'[T]he education of children for God is the most important business done on earth. It is the one business for which the earth exists. To it all politics, all war, all literature, all money-making, ought to be subordinated; and every parent especially ought to feel, every hour of the day, that, next to making his own calling and election sure, this is the end for which he is kept alive by God--this is his task on earth.' ~ Rev. R. L. Dabney, Parental Responsibilities


‘If we have not taught our students a Biblical approach to ethics, and given them the knowledge and skill to make wise moral decisions in every area of life, we have failed to give them a thorough Christian education.’


'Some would place Jesus on a pedestal. What He seeks is that Christ may be placed on the throne of the heart.' ~ Rev. Henry H. Sweets, 'What Is It to Be a Christian?', The Southern Presbyterian Pulpit


Mrs Warren G. Harding's (wife of the 29th U.S. President) Chicken Pot Pie Recipe
This is one of my favourite recipes. I made this numerous times as a batchelor for several reasons: it is very tasty, healthful, and (depending on the size of your family) it can last quite a while. I have modified it a bit to suit my taste but it remains largely faithful to the original recipe.
Ingredients: Chicken, potatoes, onions, peas, baby carrots (or sliced), corn, rice, salt, pepper, biscuit dough.
Cooking Instructions: The amount of each ingredient used should be suited to your taste and the number of folks you are feeding. I never measure, opting instead to 'eyeball' the ingredients until I think it looks right.
- Bake (or boil) boneless, skinless chicken breast until done. Separate into small pieces with a fork.
- Boil rice and potatoes (separately) until cooked.
- Add chicken, potatoes, rice, carrots, onions, and corn in large cassarole dish along with one cup of chicken broth.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
- Cover ingredients completely with layer of biscuit dough. Bake at 350 degrees until dough is brown on top.
- Serve with a nice, tall glass of iced tea.


A rare Biblical masterpiece makes a comeback.


'You will take possession by military force, of the printing establishments of the New York World and Journal of Commerce ... and prohibit any further publication thereof ... you are therefore commanded forthwith to arrest and imprison ... the editors, proprietors and publishers of the aforesaid newspapers.' ~ Order from Abraham Lincoln to General John Dix, 18 May 1864.


Southwest Baptist Theological Seminary has a new ‘New course offering: a BA in humanities with a concentration in homemaking. Strictly for women only.’


Well shut my mouth!—Jeremiah was right!


Once, during the war, a Winchester church saw its worship service digressing into a war rally--much to the pastor's dismay--then [Stonewall] Jackson strode in and took seat near the door. '[Pastor] Graham called on the general to lead in prayer. The request caught Jackson by surprise. A long moment of silence followed, then Jackson stood and closed his eyes. According to Graham, "he led us at once into the presence of God, and to the throne of grace." Jackson confessed the unworthiness of everyone as sinners and their absolute dependence on divine mercy. He begged God to help their afflicted [Conferacy] and to bring success to the armies defending it. Graham suddenly beheld not a stern soldier but a humble disciple. "Not a single word [in Jackson's prayer] did he utter inconsistent with the command to love your enemies. Not once did he venture to tell God what he ought to be in that great crisis." The remainder of the service passed in an air of newfound reverence.' ~ James I. Robertson, Stone Wall Jackson: The Man, The Soldier, The Legend

Are you ready for some rock without the roll?:

Opulent Zebras

I had a strange dream last night that I am at great pains to explain. I dreamt that Jon was sermonising one morning, approaching the crux of his discussion:

'We know that zebras are a sign of opulence and immodest wealth in our society. Now, listen to me Saints: I see a lot of Christians to-day walking around with zebras. And that is something that we ought not to be doing!'

I don't know what it means (if anything) but I looked it up in my Dream to English Dictionary and it has something to do with being weighed in the balance and found wanting. Either way, I won't be making a trip to the Ft. Worth Zoo any time soon.

Speaking of the zoo, the other day I had a flashback to my childhood (during which injuries were the status quo). Did anyone else's parents or grandparents use iodine on their wounds--and call it Monkey Blood? It sounds very macabre but we thought nothing of it when I was young. I remember the time a donkey bit me at the zoo and I kept screaming at the top of my lungs, 'Are you gonna put monkey blood on it, Nonnie?!!' I can only imagine what the other visitors must have thought. (They probably were thinking they were getting their first glimpse at practitioners of Santaria.) I know one thing for certain, though--as much as it hurt, I would rather put Monkey Blood on a wound a thousand times than get one small squirt of Bactine. (MAN, that stuff burnt!)

Ron Paul received 216 votes for a commanding first-place finish in a straw poll today sponsored by the West Alabama Republican Assembly. Mitt Romney came in [a distant] second with 14 votes [that's a 202-vote difference!].

I cannot stress enough how much I HATE to shop. I reckon it is a necessary evil; still, there is no reason to make it more of an ordeal than necessary. Ashlee has often had me accompany her while shopping. However, after the letter she recently received from the manager at Target, I think she may be rethinking:

Dear Mrs Lee:

Over the past six months, your husband has been
causing quite a commotion in our store. We can no longer tolerate this
behaviour and may be forced to ban both of you from the store.

Our complaints against Mr Lee are listed below and are
documented by our video surveillance cameras (a copy of which can be provided at
your request.)

1. July 2: Set all the alarm clocks in Housewares to go off at 5-minute intervals.

2. July 19: Walked up to an employee and told her in an official-sounding voice, ‘Code 3 in Housewares. Get on it right away!’

3. August 4: Went to the Service Desk and tried to put a bag of M&M's on layaway.

4. September 14: Moved a ‘CAUTION - WET FLOOR’ sign to a carpeted area.

5. September 15: Set up a tent in the camping department and told other shoppers he'd invite them in if they would bring pillows and blankets from the bedding department.

6. September 23: When a clerk asked if they could help him he began crying and screamed, ‘Why can't you people just leave me alone?’

7. November 10: While handling guns in the hunting department, he asked the clerk where the antidepressants were.

8. December 3: Darted around the store suspiciously while loudly humming the ‘Mission Impossible’ theme.

9. December 18: Hid in a clothing rack and when people browsed through, yelled ‘PICK ME! PICK ME!’

10. December 21: When an announcement came over the loud speaker, he assumed the fetal position and screamed ‘OH NO! IT'S THOSE VOICES AGAIN!’

When you're really good, one name is all you need: Madonna. Cher. Prince. JOYCE!

'[T]he basic error of many non-Christian religions, systems of philosophy, and human plans for world betterment ... [is that they] all try to find a way to relieve the sufferings of humanity, without first providing a way of deliverance from sin, which is the cause of suffering. All human schemes of betterment which are not founded on redemption from sin through Christ are foredoomed to failure. Permanent relief cannot be obtained by treating symptoms only, while igonoring the cause of the trouble.' ~ Johannes G. Vos, The Westminster Larger Catechism: A Commentary

'The drunken [Yankee] devils roamed about, setting fire to every house the flames seemed likely to spare. They were fully equipped for the noble work they had on hand. Each soldier was furnished with combustibles compactly put up. They would enter houses and in the presence of helpless women and children, pour turpentine on the beds and set them on fire. Guards were rarely of any assistance--most generally they assisted in the pillaging and firing.' ~ When the World Ended, The Diary of Emma LeConte

‘If you can’t stop waste in 6 federal programs after 17 years, how exactly will you improve local schools or foreign nations?’

'If I ever get to Heaven
Which I hope I'm gonna do
And they ask me, "How did you know?"
I'll say, "I just knew."
Because I always believed in You.'
~ Arc Angels, Always Believed in You

I think I was playing one of Bach's more famous fugues in this picture. (Can you dig the red jeans?!)

'The gospels are free, but the means of delivering the gospels is really expensive.' ~ Huckster Extraordinaire Benny Hinn

'A bottle of champagne reputed to have come from Adolf Hitler's personal wine cellar fetched nearly £2,000 at auction today.'

ARE DINOSAURS MENTIONED IN ANCIENT LITERATURE?

'Interestingly, the word "dragon" is used a number of times in the Old Testament. In most instances, the word dinosaur could substitute for dragon and it would fit very nicely. Creation scientists believe that dinosaurs were called dragons before the word dinosaur was invented in the 1800s. We would not expect to find the word dinosaur in Bibles like the Authorised Version (1611), as it was translated well before the word dinosaur was ever used.'

Also, there are many very old history books in various libraries around the world that have detailed records of dragons and their encounters with people. Surprisingly (or not so surprisingly for creationists), many of these descriptions of dragons fit with how modern scientists would describe dinosaurs, even Tyrannosaurus. Unfortunately, this evidence is not considered valid by evolutionists. Why? Only because their belief is that man and dinosaurs did not live at the same time!' ~ Ken Ham, Donosaurs and the Bible?

Ashlee and her older brother, Joshua. (She's the one on the right.)

Does U-Haul Rent Horses and Buggies?

'... the elder and honored man is the head, and the prophet who teaches lies is the tail; for those who guide this people have been leading them astray, and those who are guided by them are swallowed up.' ~ Isaiah 9:15, 16



Ron Paul takes third in the Illinois Republican Straw Poll!!






Gracie Mae is A LOT like her mama:







‘Bishop John Shelby Spong, a retired priest and long-time supporter of female and gay priests, was reportedly being snubbed by Anglicans in Sydney who have accused him of "gutting" the Christian faith in his latest book, entitled “Jesus for the Non-Religious.”’





‘Infrared video showed that California ground squirrels' tails warmed by several degrees, up to 28 degrees Celsius (82 degrees Fahrenheit), when threatened by northern Pacific rattlesnakes.’





‘Fifteen Christian families from a tiny community of only about 1,300 people are making plans to leave their homes and work behind so that their children will not be forced by the Canadian government to attend "sanctioned" schools where evolution is taught.’





‘Jones said he found the name Jesus used as an adjective with the F-word in one book. He found it ironic that schools allow such books, but not school prayer. "Guess you can only use God's name in a profane way," he said.’





‘An Estonian man who was caught driving a car even though he is blind has been at it again, police said on Monday, and this time he faces jail.’



OK--just try and guess which one is me:

All aboard the Ron Paul Juggernaut!!

‘…[W]ith one accord we turn to Almighty God, through Christ his Son, in humble petition for the forgiveness of whatever measure of corporate guilt may be ours with regard to the present international conflict, and, that our nation [sic], through repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ may be so yielded to the Divine Plan, that we may be effectively used in helping to bring to the nations of the world a just and righteous peace. ~ Social Service Committee Recommendation, 1941 Southern Baptist Convention

‘Thursday was the first day of school for those who have paid NOK 12,000 in the hopes Princess Martha Louise can help teach them to contact angels.’

‘Church council member Bruno Deleau said the mural isn’t intended to be offensive.’ (Is this other than the fact that it violates the Second Commandment?)

‘Archeologists have discovered a footprint made by the sandal of a Roman soldier - one of the few such finds in the world - in a wall surrounding the Hellenistic-Roman city of Sussita, east of Lake Kinneret.’

I simply can’t understand how Rudy Giuliani continues to ride a wave of popularity among Republican/ conservative voters. He is pro-abortion, pro-homosexual rights, and anti-gun to say the least. This is not to mention that his current wife—his third—was his partner in the adulterous affair that ended his second marriage. Yet, he enjoys a great deal of support among evangelical Christians! Why is this when there is the perfect candidate in the race?!

Just in case you weren't certain:

It'll Never Bear Up In Court

'They were like those who swing axes in a forest of trees.' ~ Psalm 74:5




I was telling Ashlee the other day about a funny--no, a WEIRD--story about my cousin's ex-husband. Let's call him ... Mike (that is his name, after all). Mike and my cousin were eating lunch in the park one day; soon thereafter, Mike made his way to his favourite part of the meal (easily deduced by his somewhat large girth), dessert, which happened to exist in the form of a Ding-Dong on that particularly lovely day.
As Mike dived into his pet confection--and completely undetected by him--a bird overhead, shall we say, 'tagged' him in a manner in which birds are famous. Now, Mike is a smart man--he's not very observant--but he is smart. That being said, he confused the bird's 'deposit' for the creamy filling of his Ding-Dong. (Let the reader understand.)
To make a long story short, Mike soon put two-and-two together and commenced to pitching a wall-eyed fit because--and I still don't understand to this day how he concocted such a scenario--he was convinced that eating the bird's 'dispensables' was going to give him ... spina bifida of all things.
The story of the spina bifida-inducing Ding-Dong is legend in our family. (But, then again, you may need to know Mike to think it's funny.)




What would happen when eight ordinary teens set out on a mission to meet the underground church in Vietnam?




‘If I had a thousand heads, I would rather see them cut off one by one rather than give a recantation.’ ~ Martin Luther




Tiny Muskens, the bishop of Breda, told the Dutch TV program "Network" Monday night he believes God doesn't mind what he is called, Radio Netherlands Worldwide reported.




Harry Potter, please call your office.




‘And when the rash representatives in our halls of legislation and our newspapers shall have sown the wind, who will reap the whirlwind? When they have scattered the dragon’s teeth, who must meet the horrent crop which they will produce? Not they alone, but you, your sons, your friends and their sons. So that these misleaders of people, while you so weakly connive at their indiscretion may indirectly be preparing the weapon which is to pierce the bosom of your fair-haired boy, and summoning the birds of prey, which are to pick out those eyes whose joy is now the light of your happy homes. For your own sakes, for your children’s sake, arise, declare that from this day no money, no vote, no influence of yours shall go to the maintenance of any other counsels than those of moderation, righteousness and manly forbearance.’ ~ Rev. R. L. Dabney




The World Congress of Families says it's pleased the British Broadcasting Company has finally realized Europe is experiencing demographic winter and acknowledged that there's a "birth dearth" taking place on the continent.




‘I know Edith Shain was the woman I kissed because she had the biggest mouth of anybody I’ve ever kissed in my life – it went from ear to ear. I’ll never forget it.’




Raising Maidens of Virtue.




With hugs and cheers Sunday, members of Atlanta's oldest Lutheran church celebrated the pastor at the center of a battle over the treatment of gay clergy in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.




'I have often thought how little I should like to have to prove organic evolution in a court of law.' ~ Errol White, A Little on Lungfishes.




Have you ever wondered which version of the Bible [the Pilgrims] brought to America on the Mayflower? There was the King James Version of 1611, but there was an earlier version – one not sanctioned by the government – the 1599 Geneva Bible, a forgotten yet priceless treasure.





Wow!! Talk about EFFECTUAL calling! (I wonder what happens if you reject their message?!)

A New Perspective on Matt

'For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.' ~ Galatians 1:10



This is a complaint we deal with quite a bit at the George Bush Presidential Library. Folks just don’t understand the mechanics of the Freedom of Information Act regarding presidential libraries nor the enormous amount of man hours required to meet the request. For example, the request I am currently working on (I’m almost finished!) is 38,500 pages—and I have to review each one of them. I am closing in on 11 months on this one project. Now, imagine how long it would take you to read 38,500 pages of something you read for pleasure, something that you do not have to carefully review for protected information (which must then be input into a computer database)--something that is not a government record. How long do you think it would take you to complete that task?


Sure, I'm wearing geeky glasses in the photograph below; but the house behind me is where Arnold Schwarzenegger grew up in Tal, Austria:





'It pleased God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, for the manifestation of the glory of His eternal power, wisdom, and goodness, in the beginning, to create or make of nothing the world, and all things therein, whether visible or invisible, in the space of six days, and all very good.' ~ Westminster Confession of Faith (IV.1)


It would have done William Jennings Bryan good to hold fast to the truth of God's Word regarding the Creation during his cross-examination in the Scopes Monkey Trial. Bryan, described as a devout Presbyterian, fell victim to a malady that afflicts many sincere Christians to-day; in their attempts (as they see it) to reconcile scientific discovery--which is ever-changing, unlike God's Word--with the Bible, they unwittingly deal a self-inflicted (and mortal) wound to their argument. Bryan provided the opening by which Clarence Darrow rushed in and pierced his argument at its heart.
At its essence, the argument goes thus: Does God's Word mean what it says? and, should science and the Bible appear at odds with one another (true science, by definition, would reflect the truth of God's created order), to which do you assign the pre-eminent position?

Questions to consider:
1) What does Science have to say about a man walking on water?
2) Can resurrection from the dead be replicated under laboratory conditions?
3) Is it possible to empirically demonstrate how to feed 5,000 men with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish?

The Bible tells us that the above all happened. 'Science' tells us they did not--they cannot--happen. Which will we believe?

Taking the Fifth Commandment seriously requires a great deal of attention and sacrifice.



I have never been able to determine whether the story about Mike the Headless Chicken is apocryphal or not. Either way, it's enthralling--and a little bit creepy.



'My chief concern is to try to be an humble, earnest Christian.' ~ Robert E. Lee


Rick Saenz on the simple life.



Jack Bull Chiles: 'The foundin' of that town was truly the beginnin' of the Yankee invasion.' Mr. Evans: 'I'm not speakin' of numbers, nor even abolitionist trouble makin'. It was the schoolhouse. Before they built their church, even, they built that schoolhouse. And they let in every tailor's son... and every farmer's daughter in that country.'
Jack Bull Chiles: 'Spellin' won't help you hold a plow any firmer. Or a gun either.'
Mr. Evans: 'No, it won't, Mr. Chiles. But my point is merely that they rounded every pup up into that schoolhouse because they fancied that everyone should think and talk the same free-thinkin' way they do with no regard to station, custom, propriety. And that is why they will win. Because they believe everyone should live and think just like them. And we shall lose because we don't care one way or another how they live. We just worry about ourselves.'
Jack Bull Chiles: 'Are you sayin', sir, that we fight for nothin'?'
Mr. Evans: 'Far from it, Mr. Chiles. You fight for everything that we ever had--as did my son. It's just that... we don't have it anymore.' ~ Ride With the Devil


'In addition to important and interesting historical work, the [Confessional Presbyterian] journal has published important articles critical of recent movements such as the Federal Vision and New Perspectives on Paul, ground breaking work on the manuscripts and documents of the Westminster Assembly, as well as substantial and illuminating material on Presbyterian polity and worship.'


'Are we going to take the hands of the federal government completely off any effort to adjust the growing of national crops, and go right straight back to the old principle that every farmer is a lord of his own farm and can do anything he wants, raise anything, any old time, in any quantity, and sell any time he wants?' ~ President Franklin Delano Roosevelt


'We hope this site sharpens and renews your mind and creates a desire to study and obey the Word of God. Soli Deo Gloria!'


So, you want to rob a liquor store but can't afford a ski mask? Do the next best thing--wrap your head in duct tape.


'Supposedly intelligent talk becomes the emotionally-based regurgitations one hears on Oprah or the rude shoutfests of AM talk radio. It’s no wonder that mainstream media look upon the intelligent, thoughtful, calm, and rational Ron Paul as a dinosaur. The argumentative logic of Aristotle has been replaced by the emotional pleas of a Britney Spears song.'


'Although not all reunions are happy ones, our reunion is going very well. Even though my mother and I have spent 34 years apart I am amazed by how comfortable I am with her, how much we are alike. There is almost a psychic connection that I can only explain as being in the magic of genes, in the mystery of our DNA.'


'During this process, I discovered a concept, if allowed to be widely used, that has the potential to change the auto insurance industry as we know it.'

Giving Birth at Mach Speed

‘My people— infants are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, your guides mislead you and they have swallowed up the course of your
paths.’ ~ Isaiah 3:12


‘The minister shall admonish [the dying person] also (as there shall be cause) to set his house in order, thereby to prevent inconveniences; to take care for payment of his debts, and to make restitution or satisfaction where he hath done any wrong; to be reconciled to those with whom he hath been at variance, and fully to forgive all men their trespasses against him, as he expects forgiveness at the hand of God.’ ~ Westminster Directory for the Publick Worship of God


Christians should shoot back.


I have an idea for how Pastor Coleman can keep the attention of any snoozers in the congregation:

Would you like ketchup with your idolatry?

A former home-school student from the Kansas City area has been awarded a $50,000 scholarship to Liberty University after winning a research paper contest sponsored by an apologetics ministry.

'The attackers barged into the church and abused the Christians, using filthy language and began hitting and stabbing them. They destroyed the pulpit, chairs, musical instruments, furniture, and window panes and damaged the church walls. The pastor was also severely beaten with a cricket bat and his body was swollen," the sources reported.'

'The great object is that every man be armed ... Every one who is able may have a gun. But have we not learned by experience that, necessary as it is to have arms, ... it is still far from being the case?' ~ Patrick Henry

Bob Barber: ‘Everyone knows that a Good Guy has to be a confident heterosexual.’
Rex O’Herlihan: ‘Confident heterosexual? Are you sure? I thought it was just heterosexual.’ ~ Rustler’s Rhapsody

This is a dangerous time for all we believe in. Now, above all, we must spread the truths of the Constitution, of the rule of law, of life, of peace, of freedom, of an America that will truly be a city on the hill.’

‘A Japanese biker failed to notice his leg had been severed below the knee when he hit a safety barrier, and rode on for 2 km (1.2 miles), leaving a friend to pick up the missing limb.’

Officials at the nondenominational High Point Church knew that Cecil Howard Sinclair was gay when they offered to host his service, said his sister, Kathleen Wright. But after his obituary listed his life partner as one of his survivors, she said, it was called off.

‘Having a baby's more important. Of course I'm going to speed.’

I Thess. 5: 20,21: ‘Do not despise prophecies, but test everything …’

Imagine my surprise when I was driving to work the other day and saw a SEAHORSE!!

As Polonius Might Say...

‘The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.’ ~ Proverbs 22:7

Allow me to preface this by stating the obvious: I’m no genius. That being said, even I can figure out—based upon Jon’s sermon this past Sunday—that the next Word to be brought to us by Pastor Coleman this coming Sabbath should be that of the Eighth Commandment (‘Thou Shall Not Steal’).
With an eye toward preparation, I read what the Westminster Divines had to say regarding God’s proscriptions in this area. As always, what is written below are merely my opinions and/ or understanding of the issue(s). I do NOT presume to be a theologian, nor (obviously) is my view to be considered authoritative or the final word on the subject. I welcome and encourage opposing viewpoints in the spirit of 'iron sharpening iron.' (Just be nice--I can be made to cry easily.)


‘Q. 142: What are the sins forbidden in the eighth commandment? A: The sins forbidden in the eighth commandment, besides the neglect of the duties required, are theft, robbery … as likewise idleness … wasteful gaming … usury …’ ~ Westminster Larger Catechism

As both Pastors Coleman and Anderson have made clear in recent weeks, Jesus’ purpose in His Sermon on the Mount was to demonstrate our narrow understanding and application of the Ten Commandments by expounding upon their true meaning and intent. The Divines, through their God-given gifts of discernment, have provided additional insights into the Biblical application—and ramifications—of the Ten Words through the Westminster Standards. Still, some of their admonitions are surprising—even puzzling. How are we to equate ‘idleness,’ ‘wasteful gaming’ (gambling), and ‘usury’ with thievery?
At the outset, it is important to understand that theft is more than merely taking that which belongs to another without their permission. In light of the biblical worldview, it means to obtain (or even to seek) something without providing something of equal value in return--in other words, trying to get something for nothing. ‘Labour’ is almost a pejorative term in our culture to-day (which is one of the reasons I dislike using ‘Take it easy!’ as a salutation). While there is absolutely nothing wrong with efficiency, it seems we seek not so much labour saving machines as we do labour eliminating devices. Yet, labour—or ‘work’—is not only necessary, it is preferable, it is commanded, in the life of the Christian. When God created Adam in His image, he established the pattern of work for him as the norm—‘The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it (Genesis 2:15). It is important to note that this God-given duty was required of Adam before the Fall. Work is not a penalty for sin, it is the normative condition for man. God makes this explicit in the Fourth Commandment: ‘Six days you shall labor, and do all your work …’ (And, in His mercy, He has provided the Sabbath to us for rest, as well.)
Labour, then, should not be something that we avoid; rather, it should be the normal course of events in the life of a Christian. ‘For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies' (II Thess. 3:11). When we are idle—lazy—we are stealing from God inasmuch as we are neglecting to use the time He has given us in being productive and we are stealing from others when we accept handouts in lieu of working and earning what we obtain (‘For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat’--II Thess. 3:10).
There is an important caveat that needs to be made clear—I am NOT insinuating that charity is unwise or to be neglected. If someone is unable to work or to improve their lot, we are, obviously, to provide succor. As James tells us, true religion is to assist orphans and widows. It is regarding the lazy, not the downtrodden, that I speak. As Paul wrote, 'Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need' (Ephesians 4:28).
Now, it may be asked, whereby is it that gambling is considered stealing? Do not those who play the lottery or sit themselves around the gaming table do so willingly—fully knowledgeable that they may (and probably will) lose a considerable amount of their money, if not the entirety? To be sure; yet, they do so no more willingly than do those who consent to an extramarital affair. Consent, then, does not lend moral legitimacy to any action; it is to be judged according to the only standard of faith and practise—the Bible. Again, we refer to the desire to obtain something for nothing. In gambling, the winner gains his purse without providing anything of equal value in return. Risk (in the Presbyterian sense of the word), though it be equal among all participants, does not ameliorate the fact that the gains were had without due exchange. Likewise, the winnings come at the expense of others. One cannot win at games of ‘chance’ (again, in the Presbyterian sense) without the certainty of others losing. It matters not whether the others ‘can afford’ to lose that which they give up. (The fact that we are also called to be good stewards of the gifts God provides us and that the vast majority of those who play are those who can afford to lose their money the least is another argument altogether.) To win, then, means that you gain without labouring or without providing something equal in value in return.
The next issue, that of usury—charging interest on a loan—is one dear to my heart. Jesus addressed the issue in Luke 6:35—‘But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back.’ Likewise, in Exodus 22:25 we are told: ‘If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be like a moneylender to him, and you shall not exact interest from him.’ The charging of interest is the norm to-day, so why should we be wary of it? It is because, in light of what we read in the Larger Catechism, it is obtaining something for nothing. It is to exact a profit from another without labouring for it; without giving something of equal value in return.
That being said, John Calvin draws a distinction between usury in personal versus business exchanges. In providing capital in a business venture, Calvin insisted, a person is providing something of equal value to the businessman—he is providing the water to prime the pump of the venture which, Lord willing, will turn a profit via a successful business for the borrower. It is only right to expect a return for the lending in such a case. I struggled with the distinction posed by Calvin for some time but, after much study, thought, and prayer, I have come to agree with his view. As long as the interest is charged on money used in a business venture, and not for that of a personal nature, it does not seem to me to violate the commandment in question.
Usury, or compound interest as it is known more widely to-day, is a beast that we should all slay. Sadly, most Christians to-day strain under a mountain of debt that produces worry, anxiety, and stress in our lives. As indicated in the Proverb cited above, usury is the stick wielded to keep us slaves to our debtors. I would urge all of my brothers and sisters to get out of debt—and stay out of debt. As Paul admonished the Romans: ‘Owe no one anything, except to love each other …’

She Was Afraid to Come Out of the Locker...

'Thou shalt not commit adultery.' ~ The Seventh Commandment of the Lord our God.


Jon will be bringing us God's Word regarding the Seventh Commandment this coming Sabbath. Sadly, it comes a bit too late for this fella.


Thomas Martel, 28, of Bonnie Brae is a big guy. So he has a hard time using the features on ever-shrinking user interfaces on devices like his new iPhone. At least, he did, until he had his thumbs surgically altered in a revolutionary new surgical technique known as 'whittling.'



‘Christian modesty is the inner self-government, rooted in a proper understanding of one's self before God, which outwardly displays itself in humility and purity from a genuine love for Jesus Christ, rather than in self- glorification or self-advertisement. Christian modesty then will not publicly expose itself in sinful nakedness.’ ~ Jeff Pollard, Christian Modesty and the Public Undressing of America.



Are you concerned about those creepy Gamma Rays? No need to worry with NukAlert!



'Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery...' ~ Galatians 5:19, 20


Some of my fraternity brothers:

Food for thought: Re-thinking bikini clad girls and bare chested boys.

‘What do you do if your dad loses consciousness in a speeding big rig and you’re only nine-years-old?’

‘It is about the right of a Christian to share his faith in public without the fear of arrest.’