tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52311941133989901362024-03-05T01:03:33.800-05:00Sound Mind RamblingsJames 1:5: If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
<br>Hopefully some wisdom will seep through onto this blog. If not, I apologize in advance. ;)Tobiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144986761920854600noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5231194113398990136.post-78041733080775158552011-01-27T15:12:00.003-05:002023-04-07T16:34:12.756-04:00Think-A-Minute: Character Trumps Policy<i>Note: This post is <s>largely inspired by</s> completely ripped off from Wall Builders.</i><br/><br/><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhia0XeNP7CIu5Kk6bbPZZxnzQAefx-SfIDYGTce7Bd-JtoTnZZ6xrRenUoJDy9SKrYLTB6VG4vPHx7ikP0tNgckVsWCSSvCl8U4F7v2e3Td5CWKBgQIh8pJpKbNNED_xl_Seaf5Lf0JkLO/s1600/wpenn.gif"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 166px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhia0XeNP7CIu5Kk6bbPZZxnzQAefx-SfIDYGTce7Bd-JtoTnZZ6xrRenUoJDy9SKrYLTB6VG4vPHx7ikP0tNgckVsWCSSvCl8U4F7v2e3Td5CWKBgQIh8pJpKbNNED_xl_Seaf5Lf0JkLO/s200/wpenn.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566969343842268242" /><blockquote>Governments, like clocks, go from the motion men give them; and as governments are made and moved by men, so by them they are ruined too. Wherefore governments rather depend upon men, than men upon governments. Let men be good, and the government cannot be bad; if it be ill, they will cure it. But, if men be bad, let the government be never so good, they will endeavor to warp and spoil it to their turn.<br /><br />I know some say, let us have good laws, and no matter for the men that execute them: but let them consider, that though good laws do well, good men do better: for good laws may want good men, and be abolished or evaded by ill men, but good men will never want (lack) good laws, nor suffer ill ones. </blockquote><br />-William Penn, Frame of Government of Pennsylvania, May 5, 1682</a><br /><br /><br />Can a country last long which elects as it's rulers those of low character, even if they proclaim wise policy? Not according to William Penn. His argument is clear, no matter how good the laws, it is the men & women in office that enforce them. And if those men & women are of low character, they whey will "warp and spoil government" to their benefit.<br /><br />It therefore behooves us to ensure only good people achieve office and then to watch closely to ensure they remain good.<br /><br />Think about that. And remember it whenever you're called upon to select leaders.<br /><br /><br />Tobiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144986761920854600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5231194113398990136.post-41125531858086679162011-01-27T13:36:00.002-05:002011-01-28T09:12:56.624-05:00Think-A-Minute: Catastrophic processes? Inconceivable!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5tx2lQGxO74ZW8n2AUPAV0nv0cWbERmWs50vDPAHaHhpYXzIt_C6FQJLm3FKxYVsXbR1FDDpId2bsN-M_kY3G1kvyKSknWj4btmUjDoOCpZVOabqVkPfjKgs4YosiCOn5-PWEzPdEcDM/s1600-h/PrincessBride_Cliffs.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5tx2lQGxO74ZW8n2AUPAV0nv0cWbERmWs50vDPAHaHhpYXzIt_C6FQJLm3FKxYVsXbR1FDDpId2bsN-M_kY3G1kvyKSknWj4btmUjDoOCpZVOabqVkPfjKgs4YosiCOn5-PWEzPdEcDM/s200/PrincessBride_Cliffs.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277839043151990370" /></a>Everybody knows the earth is billions of years old. It was formed through slow geological processes that take, for example, a million years, or so, to lay down a layer of rock one or two millimeters thick. And even longer for a river to cut a channel through it, which eventually becomes a canyon like, oh let's just say Grand Canyon. And the reason we don't see it happening is that it's such a slow process, and our lives (and for that matter all of recorded history) are so short.<br /><br />And then along comes the <a href="http://www.nwcreation.net/mtsthelens.html">Mt. St. Helens</a> eruption of 1980, and catastrophically lays down thousands of layers of lava, debris, and ash in a matter of hours. Then, two years later, a smaller, mid-winter eruption melts the snow and ice in the crater causing catastrophic mud flows that carved out a <a href="https://apologeticspress.com/articles/1857">mini Grand Canyon</a> through the stratified rock layers in a few short days. It's as if Someone wanted us to know that millions of years are not required, just catastrophic circumstances.<br /><br />So, if the long ages are not geologically necessary, why are geologists so adamant about their interpretation, clinging to the age-old rocks like The Man In Black dangling at the brink of the Cliffs of Insanity? And what other supposed long, slow geological processes could be better explained by catastrophes (or one big catastrophe)? I do not think it means what they think it means.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Dig deeper:<br /><a href="http://www.icr.org/index.php?module=articles&action=view&ID=261">Mt. St. Helens and Catastrophism</a><br /><a href="http://www.answersingenesis.org/docs2/4305news5-17-2000.asp">Mount St. Helens—evidence for Genesis!</a><br /><br /><br />Photo Credit:<br />Image lifted from Google Image Search. Originally from <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093779/">The Princess Bride</a> (1987), directed by Rob Reiner.Tobiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144986761920854600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5231194113398990136.post-55197268184558446192009-02-11T12:08:00.014-05:002023-04-10T14:19:26.321-04:00The StrangerMy father forwarded this message to me in an email. I'm not sure who wrote it, but the sentiment is... worth thinking about. <br />
<br />
Long.<br />
<br />
And Hard.<br />
<br />
<hr><br />
<blockquote>
A few years after I was born, my Dad met a stranger who was new to our small Michigan town. From the beginning, Dad was fascinated with this enchanting newcomer and soon invited him to live with our family. The stranger was quickly accepted and was around from then on. <br />
<br />
As I grew up, I never questioned his place in my family. In my young mind, he had a special niche. My parents were complementary instructors: Mom taught me good from evil, and Dad taught me to obey. But the stranger...he was our storyteller. He would keep us spellbound for hours on end with adventures, mysteries, comedies. <br />
<br />
If I wanted to know anything about politics, history or science, he always knew the answers about the past, understood the present and even seemed able to predict the future! He took my family to the first major league ball game. He made me laugh, and he made me cry. The stranger never stopped talking, but Dad didn't seem to mind. <br />
<br />
Sometimes, Mom would get up quietly while the rest of us were shushing each other to listen to what he had to say, and she would go to the kitchen for peace and quiet. (I wonder now if she ever prayed for the stranger to leave.)<br />
<br />
Dad ruled our household with certain moral convictions, but the stranger never felt obligated to honor them. Profanity, for example, was not allowed in our home... Not from us, our friends or any visitors. Our longtime visitor, however, got away with four-letter words that burned my ears and made my dad squirm and my mother blush. My Dad didn't permit the liberal use of alcohol, but the stranger encouraged us to try it on a regular Basis. He made cigarettes look cool, cigars manly and pipes distinguished. He talked freely (much too freely!) about sex. His comments were sometimes blatant, sometimes suggestive, and generally embarrassing. <br />
<br />
I now know that my early concepts about relationships were influenced strongly by the stranger. Time after time, he opposed the values of my parents, yet he was seldom rebuked... And NEVER asked to leave. <br />
<br />
More than fifty years have passed since the stranger moved in with our family. He has blended right in and is not nearly as fascinating as he was at first. Still, if you could walk into my parents' den today, you would still find him sitting over in his corner, waiting for someone to listen to him talk and watch him draw his pictures.<br />
<br />
His name? We just call him 'TV.'<br />
</blockquote>
<br />
Incidentally, he has a mistress now named Social Media, but we just call her "Socials".Tobiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144986761920854600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5231194113398990136.post-29200993428681902542008-12-10T15:08:00.001-05:002008-12-10T15:09:05.134-05:00Thank You for Your Service<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh8ZJFJOnFGwQhVVAlAuS8ewHJtUuAghlZw40Y7CA2fHcgCc1JI0ukybAlx-u890r8k8ifDc_HU-437NtWfqHfk9-AS8PgZnU6yj8a_WJPYv8_NYu6PdINIu1zowKvfWlHjcTGs5pSrjdn/s1600-h/John.Tlumacki.Farewell.image.png"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 179px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh8ZJFJOnFGwQhVVAlAuS8ewHJtUuAghlZw40Y7CA2fHcgCc1JI0ukybAlx-u890r8k8ifDc_HU-437NtWfqHfk9-AS8PgZnU6yj8a_WJPYv8_NYu6PdINIu1zowKvfWlHjcTGs5pSrjdn/s200/John.Tlumacki.Farewell.image.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278252145303645730" /></a>This is a heart felt thank-you to all of the faithful men & women of the U.S. armed services, here at home and abroad. We appreciate your dedicated service and sacrifice, not just on November 11th, but all throughout the year. As Christmas approaches, I pray that Almighty God will protect you and keep you safe, comfort you and your families during your seperation, and bring you home safely.<br /><br /><br /><br />Photo Credit:<br />John Tlumacki, staff photog for <a href="http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/gallery/taunton_deployment?pg=5">the Boston Globe</a><br /><br />Tobiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144986761920854600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5231194113398990136.post-47121202896740450092008-11-19T09:41:00.002-05:002011-01-28T09:15:09.533-05:00Seven Score and Five Years ago...On this day in 1863, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Lincoln">President Abraham Lincoln</a> addressed the audience of around 15,000 at the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Hot on the heels of the more-than-two-hour speech delivered by Orator Edward Everett that was officially the dedicatory speech for the cemetery, Lincoln delivered his 277 word speech, eulogizing the dead soldiers and re-affirming the civil war effort. Though he thought his words would be quickly forgotten, this <a href="http://showcase.netins.net/web/creative/lincoln/speeches/gettysburg.htm">Gettysburg Address</a> has survived as one of the most enduring speeches in history. It marked a turning point in the nation's sentiment for both the war and the emancipation of the slaves.<br /><br />Earlier this month, seven score and five years later, America elected her first black president in Barack Obama.<br /><br /><blockquote>Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.<br /><br />Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.<br /><br />But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.</blockquote>Tobiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144986761920854600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5231194113398990136.post-55474721050911622692008-11-13T13:47:00.011-05:002011-01-28T09:21:03.566-05:00Casting Down Imaginings: Is Global Warming a Man-made Phenomenon?<img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBib6Lsj2wBRSkrrcFxv7FOW0-m-H0dKa8VaCUK0xpHNg_IqFAqfRxyX4htRA1NqfJbcL7MO65eQCUyRb3lJyn1XpAMxRjXLCjM75H77UzomH3uGKO3j5LRB3S-XErEoBIEXyy9KENhDRs/s200/2008-11-13_143914.png" border="0" alt="Sunrise" />The good scientists over at <a href="http://icr.org">ICR</a> have published an <a href="http://www.icr.org/article/4252/">eye-opening article</a> about the relationship between global warming and greenhouse gases, that turns the standard explanation on it's head. <br /><br /><blockquote>Many climatologists, including Dr. Larry Vardiman, disagree about the role of CO2 in this respect. They have found that the observed increase in CO2 (whether produced by human activity or not) is not causing global warming, but is perhaps caused by it!4 Dr. Vardiman was featured in a video presentation in which he referenced a graph showing that the fluctuations in atmospheric CO2 follow after corresponding fluctuations in atmospheric temperature.<br /><br />In addition, “the detailed temperature record since 1850 shows a temperature decline between 1940 and 1970 [a time when massive amounts of industrial CO2 were entering the atmosphere], which flies in the face of the explanation that a continuous exponential increase in carbon dioxide causes global warming.”4 Dr. Vardiman has also demonstrated the remarkably close overlaps of temperature to sunspots, indicating that solar cycles are more likely the cause of global warming.</blockquote><br />Bet you haven't heard that in the media. It reminds me of Earl Nightingale's advice, "If you want to be successful in life, simply watch what most people would do in a given situation, and then do the total opposite--nine times out of ten, you'll receive greater rewards." In this case, listen to what most scientists say about global warming, then believe the opposite. Not, perhaps, as good a rule of thumb as Nightingale's advice, but eerily appropriate in this instance.<br /><br />Since I have never blogged about ICR before, I'll just take a moment to introduce them. The Institute for Creation Research is a Creation Science ministry that conducts scholarly scientific investigations and hosts a Graduate School. Their mission is to equip "believers with evidence of the Bible's accuracy and authority through scientific research, educational programs, and media presentations, all conducted within a thoroughly biblical framework." They use good science to uphold the straight forward teaching of God's word, and fulfill Paul's commission in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2cor10:3-5&multilayout=cols&version1=9&version2=31">2Cor 10:5</a>:<br /><br /><blockquote>Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God</blockquote><br />Keep an eye open for shared articles from ICR in the right sidebar.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.icr.org/evidence/"><img alt="Evidence for Creation" title="Evidence for Creation" width="180" height="60" border="0" src="http://static.icr.org/i/buttons/ICR-button-normal-light.jpg" /></a></center>Tobiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144986761920854600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5231194113398990136.post-73053512534789277012008-10-31T12:52:00.005-04:002011-01-28T09:15:09.533-05:00Happy Reformation Day!On this day in 1517, Martin Luther nailed his <a href="http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/95_Theses">95 Theses</a>, impeaching the Catholic practice of selling indulgences, to the door of the church in Wittenberg, Germany. This was the spark that led to what we now refer to as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protestant_Reformation">Protestant Reformation</a>. <br /><br />The Lutheran Church sprang up following the excommunication of Luther and his supporters from the Roman Catholic Church in 1520. Ultimately, the Reformed (Calvinist) and Anabaptist traditions also emerged from this quiet beginning, though some modern Baptists claim the practice of baptism by immersion continued unabated in Anabaptist sects from the times described in the book of Acts, right through to the Reformation and on to today.<br /><br />At any rate, if you consider yourself <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=eph2:8-9&multilayout=cols&version1=9&version2=49">saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ our Lord</a>, then it is a good day to thank the Lord for that Grace and remember Martin Luther's life and work to free the truth of the Gospel from the tyranny of ancient Roman Catholic tradition of salvation by works.<br /><br />Now, isn't that better than dressing up like deamons and other baddies, and knocking on strangers' doors to beg for candy?Tobiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144986761920854600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5231194113398990136.post-53297283655657352982008-10-09T15:55:00.000-04:002011-01-28T09:06:12.053-05:00A.Word.A.Day Keeps the Boredom AwaySince I'm already on a roll today of recommending other websites, I'd like to commend to you <a href="http://wordsmith.org/awad/index.html">A.Word.A.Day</a>. A.W.A.D. is the creation of Anu Garg and has been around for ages (in Internet years). In fact, I originally subscribed to their mailing list back around 1995! Thankfully the list has matured along with the Net, and Anu is now broadcasting in RSS as well as email. That's where I learned the funny sounding, but absolutely appropriate for conversation word <a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/fard">fard</a>.<br /><br />Each week A.W.A.D. sends out a group of oddball, obscure, or highbrow words on a particular theme. Many of them are not really made for normal, day-to-day conversation, unless your friends are all linguaphiles, though periodically, he features series of words intended for daily discussions. But, they're all bona fide words from the English dictionary that might just help you work through some wordy prose and definitely will stretch your brain.<br /><br />Though I do not agree with Anu's worldview (which he shares in drips & drabs in his introductory comments each week, and via the attached quotations), I applaud his dedication to this project over the last fourteen-plus years. If you're on the hunt for quick ways to increase your brain power, give A.W.A.D. a try.Tobiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144986761920854600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5231194113398990136.post-32009299738597692402008-10-09T10:18:00.010-04:002011-01-28T10:10:06.839-05:00Think-A-Minute: What is Responsibility?It's a good question, and one you're likely to get wildly varying answers to in this day of moral relativism, where everyone determines his own moral truth. <a href="http://www.responsibilityproject.com/">The Responsibility Project</a>, by Liberty Mutual, is a series of fun and thought provoking short films that explore this question and try to get the viewers to work out an answer.<br /><br />From the site:<br /><blockquote>It all began when we ran a TV commercial about people doing things for strangers. The response was truly overwhelming. Thousands of emails and letters from people all over the country thanking us.<br /><br />We thought, if one TV spot from Liberty Mutual can get people thinking and talking about responsibility, imagine what could happen if we went a step further? So we created a series of short films, and this website, as an exploration of what it means to do the right thing.<br /><br />We believe that the more people think and talk about responsibility, and even debate what it means, the more it can affect how we live our daily lives. And perhaps, in this small way, together, we can make the world just a little better.</blockquote><br /><br />The way I see it, the Responsibility Project is morally & intellectually superior to <a href="http://blogs.answersingenesis.org/aroundtheworld/2007/09/24/starbucks-evolutionary-coffee/">the campaign Starbucks started a couple years back</a>. Here's why: the Responsibility Project seems to start from the premise that morality is a good thing, and deep down inside, we all know it. Starbucks campaign, on the other hand, seems to be aimed much more solidly at promoting moral relativism, the notion that all ideas are equal (ie. responsibility and selfishness are equal, depending on one's personal moral opinions). <a href="http://www.str.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=6071">Stand to Reason has a very good take on the Starbucks campaign</a> that we can put to use to further the truth.<br /><br />Now that I have successfully segued to coffee shop talk, why don't you take a few minutes to check out the video below, from the Responsibility Project, then, Oh, I don't know, maybe talk to someone about it.<br /><br /><embed src="http://services.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f8/1185136051" bgcolor="#503e31" flashvars="videoId=1416887780&useOverlayMenu=false&continuousPlay=false&playerId=1185136051&viewerSecureGatewayURL=https://console.brightcove.com/services/amfgateway&servicesURL=http://services.brightcove.com/services&cdnURL=http://admin.brightcove.com&domain=embed&autoStart=false&" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" swliveconnect="true" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash" width="453" height="550"></embed>Tobiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144986761920854600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5231194113398990136.post-25276479550507943782008-09-25T15:23:00.003-04:002011-01-28T09:06:12.054-05:00Just Why Would You Believe That?In the sidebar, you'll see I shared a post from the STR blog called Facts vs. Beliefs, which refers to <a href="http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=MWJiM2NhNTVhYWU2NDhlYjc4MmM4NDczZjJjYmVjZWY=&w=MA==">this article from National Review</a>. The NRO article very succinctly summarizes a problem I often run into while attempting to debate people about matters of faith. In short, the skeptic will often resort to blatantly disregarding my arguments from science, logic, or inference, and dogmatically asserting that my Christian beliefs are taken on blind-faith, while his Naturalistic beliefs are based on solid facts of science.<br /><br />For a good example of this, please refer to <a href="http://centerfornaturalism.blogspot.com/2008/03/naturalism-and-nihilism.html#c5295362443639529847">the last response to me from Tom Clark</a> in his Naturalism vs. Nihilism thread. I decided not to continue the conversation because he seemed unable to address any of my arguments, but just kept playing the Science vs. Faith card. In fact, he was almost malicious the way he twisted my words in order to make it look like I base my Christian faith on science rather than using science to show that Christian faith is not blind.<br /><br />I'm learning how to handle this sort of belligerence in a face-to-face conversation (look for a post in the future re: Tactics in Defending the Faith), but online, it's much more difficult due to the nature of the medium. You just can't put someone on the spot and demand that they address your arguments based on their merits, rather than the pre-supposed lack-of-validity of the thing you're arguing for.<br /><br />It would be refreshing to have a conversation with a skeptic in which he actually considered the validity of my arguments based on their merit of lack thereof.Tobiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144986761920854600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5231194113398990136.post-41701212181790325822008-09-25T12:07:00.011-04:002011-01-28T09:15:09.534-05:00The Good, the Bad, & the Ugly (Weeds, That Is)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlAtIi0JDmbyFREiXLrEmbK-0DwnWKDwZHALBaB4wA1o3S24ZNUPqECvw2dSaTWlBpp1YX833TtmSl1OE8poOcyGBsbjKWP4o52-nsTGTc7a4BzG5ypk6A_EbkfSc5HF7JYot0vsL-Ke2O/s1600-h/Poison+Ivy+Creeper.gif"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlAtIi0JDmbyFREiXLrEmbK-0DwnWKDwZHALBaB4wA1o3S24ZNUPqECvw2dSaTWlBpp1YX833TtmSl1OE8poOcyGBsbjKWP4o52-nsTGTc7a4BzG5ypk6A_EbkfSc5HF7JYot0vsL-Ke2O/s200/Poison+Ivy+Creeper.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250010616655452514" /></a>It's been a while since my last post. Been very busy taking down trees in the yard for landscpaing, which has now been, more or less, completed. So, now I'm back. (Yes, I do realize that, since I post from work, it shouldn't matter what I was doing nor how busy I was when I got home. But that's my excuse & I'm sticking with it)<br /><br />Anyway, one of the unintended side effects of all that yard work was that I now know <a href="http://ncnatural.com/wildflwr/obnxious.htmlhttp://">how to recognize Poison Ivy</a> when I see it. Yes, I got into a patch in my back yard, and didn't even recognize the blisters when they popped out, so it had time to develop into a full-blown rash that swelled my calf up to the size of Schwarzenegger's. Or there abouts. So, in case you were wondering, the pic at the top shows a couple common varieties. As you may have noticed in that picture, the old adage "leaves of three, don't touch me," doesn't always hold true. Some varieties have clusters of five leaves, so it might be a good idea to do a <a href="http://images.google.com/images?q=poison+ivy&hl=en&sourceid=mozilla-search&num=20&start=0&start=0">Google image search</a> to familiarize yourself with all the many varieties.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqy7auCeBtvmZHWyZenBDLrKQwOe4p-Oh6hC7esRoLxSikWJRTiVBxoCsT7ehAhxNKRMUqhmqpPHE8Ag8JeS8rm_lYngKQ6EZUAFuE_JEHyhAVAg7wANTaBdhwR1DmyMUfVKAOSDpu8Lsb/s1600-h/poison_ivy_blisters.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqy7auCeBtvmZHWyZenBDLrKQwOe4p-Oh6hC7esRoLxSikWJRTiVBxoCsT7ehAhxNKRMUqhmqpPHE8Ag8JeS8rm_lYngKQ6EZUAFuE_JEHyhAVAg7wANTaBdhwR1DmyMUfVKAOSDpu8Lsb/s200/poison_ivy_blisters.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250015339125219314" /></a>And this is what the blisters look like. They can vary in size, but if you see a string of them in a line, big or small, it's likely you got into some poison ivy without knowing it. There's a product called <a href="http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/search/search_results.jsp?oss=1&removeAllFacets=true&addFacet=SRCH:tecnu">Tecnu</a>, that you can pick up in the local pharmacy, that can prevent the blisters and rash if you use it within 2-8 hours after contact (unless you're highly allergic).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLx_rCDEmRnfHHE4dr-2T2JXQe4cbPUureivr9SxGUEzdu6ATurTchVLWj7Yux0kk7rTXdupybkuJQmJ_DNweu1ZO1zqiz4KHzJlHOIuvwdRElwpqL9-jia5j39xeyiM-1Xjr6kbJJQlDe/s1600-h/jewel_weed_970.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLx_rCDEmRnfHHE4dr-2T2JXQe4cbPUureivr9SxGUEzdu6ATurTchVLWj7Yux0kk7rTXdupybkuJQmJ_DNweu1ZO1zqiz4KHzJlHOIuvwdRElwpqL9-jia5j39xeyiM-1Xjr6kbJJQlDe/s200/jewel_weed_970.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250018014207327778" /></a>So that's the bad & ugly, now for the good. There's another weed that often grows side-by-side (or at least nearby) poison ivy, that is a natural remedy for it. It's called <a href="http://www.bio.brandeis.edu/fieldbio/Sylvain/jewel_weed.html">Jewel Weed</a> and it's flowers are really quite pretty, as you can see. Apparently, if you crush up the stems of the plant and apply the sap to the affected area, it can prevent the rash as well as Tecnu. Funny thing is, a couple weeks ago, Donna spotted some of these little orange trumpet flowers growing in a wildflower field near our house, but could not identify them. Now we know.<br /><br />Finally, if you're suffering from insomnia, or just insufferably curious, <a href="http://www.bio.umass.edu/micro/immunology/poisoniv.htm">here's a technical page</a> that describes how poison ivy affects the human body. Actually, I found this very interesting, and it got me wondering whether the over-the-top immune response is a result of changes in the human species or the plant species, since the fall of man. Either way, it's yet another painful side-effect of living in a fallen, sin-cursed world.Tobiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144986761920854600noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5231194113398990136.post-7677542416096389222008-08-19T13:30:00.004-04:002011-01-28T09:01:39.933-05:00The Sledgehammer Approach<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggVHruKNmlP0OObXBvuIqWIDOr6JWYGe6p3jBWiKU6LizVyVg1bbq2GNbdMa_cT6yfpXw3RW9NhgG6cSSfl010kJKoAhMbDLIEPP81c21_eIlKYGhfpv5msnx8xa-vMOTEvsu5v1hdxuDK/s1600-h/My+hands+at+work.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggVHruKNmlP0OObXBvuIqWIDOr6JWYGe6p3jBWiKU6LizVyVg1bbq2GNbdMa_cT6yfpXw3RW9NhgG6cSSfl010kJKoAhMbDLIEPP81c21_eIlKYGhfpv5msnx8xa-vMOTEvsu5v1hdxuDK/s200/My+hands+at+work.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236287148219651874" /></a><br /><b>"Art is not a mirror to reflect reality, but a hammer with which to shape it."</b><br /><i>Bertolt Brecht</i><br /><br />This quote from <a href="http://soundmindramblings.blogspot.com/2008/08/good-quote-is-like-finely-cut-diamond.html">Dr. Mardy Grothe's book, I Never Metaphore I Didn't Like</a> got me to thinking about art in general and specifically the "art" that comes out of Hollywood.<br /><br />It seems to me, genuine artists use small taps of the hammer, then sandpaper, to shape their final image. Think of the great writers you've read and I think you'll find their writings have a common characteristic: they attempt to shape one's thinking through small, gentle nudges. In this manner, some authors have fundamentally altered the way generations think.<br /><br />Hollywood, on the other hand, seems to prefer to take a sledgehammer approach to force their opinions upon all who view their shows or movies. Used to be, Bogart would passionately embrace his leading lady, and then... nothing. A passionate embrace, that's all. Viewers were left to assume more happened than was shown, or nothing more happened. Or, Bogart would fire his gun and viewers would see a shadowy figure fall down, presumably dead. Perhaps Heston would carry a couple of stone tablets down a mountain. Even Hollywood used to have some art & occasionally supported the Bible. Today, we're treated to, well to graphic depictions of sexual encounters and exploding body parts, and evolutionary dogma assumed as fact. The sledgehammer approach. And what it does is smash down our defenses and open an generation to baseness as a way of life. And fundamentally alters our thinking, because, after all, who has time think when there's so much good stuff to watch.<br /><br />So what's the answer? Enact laws to force Hollywood to clean up their act? We already have such laws that aren't being enforced. No, I think a better solution is to get rid of the television, as Donna & I did around 10 years ago. Go ahead, cut the cable, eliminate the desensitizing distractions, and spend some quality time with a good book, perhaps even The Good Book. Am I saying it's wrong to watch TV or movies? Absolutely not. Though some TV and movies are clearly immoral and ought to be avoided. Am I advocating taking a sledgehammer to your TV? Not really, though it may be a good idea to sell it if you're addicted to movies. Christians have the liberty to watch TV or movies of any sort, but we also have a Biblical mandate to carefully consider what we allow to influence our thinking.<br /><br /><blockquote>Philippians 4:8<br />Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.</blockquote><br />Tobiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144986761920854600noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5231194113398990136.post-88921400062246657362008-08-19T11:59:00.005-04:002008-08-19T12:19:46.562-04:00Naturalism vs. Nihilism, part 3I happened to notice that Tom Clark posted a response to my comment on his blog. It led to a second comment from me addressing some critical mistakes in his response. Rather than repost my entire comment here, please <a href="http://centerfornaturalism.blogspot.com/2008/03/naturalism-and-nihilism.html">check his comment thread</a> if you're interested in reading the whole exchange. Here's a snippet from my reply:<br /><br /><blockquote>Your assertion that faith is "belief without evidence" is preposterous. Perhaps what you meant is "blind faith", but it is disingenuous to equate faith and blind faith. Faith <em>is</em> belief, and must be based upon evidence. To believe something for which you have no evidence, or in spite of the evidence, is folly. Furthermore, I would submit that the cited dinosaur hemoglobin example does, in fact, amount to a leap of blind faith on the part of the scientists in question.<br /><br />It turns out, you are setting up a false dichotomy when you pit faith against empirical science. They are not comparable. Essentially, what you’re asserting is that science is the only way we can know truth. This is a patently false notion. We can determine truth through logical reasoning, examination of history, or first-hand testimony, to name but a few examples. What’s more, science can in no way address questions of a metaphysical nature, as they are outside the realm of physical science.</blockquote><br />Tobiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144986761920854600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5231194113398990136.post-65284772471824102212008-08-15T13:30:00.002-04:002011-01-28T09:06:12.055-05:00A good quote is like a finely cut diamond, incredibly compact yet endlessly fascinating.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.drmardy.com/metaphor/inevermetaphor.shtml"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgItSA0Kwty5qgWOj3KXRObtCQnTx4GBPFDNwhfhnotFjEvhKeDWAIZxf0iZsdnlTlz7MVkuRhMlw1fCYKbEBrQT64CvdinzFB2ajFWZ1zHg7qArtCdL-vaoxdFM0F5v_zzqkdmtTzyeyJt/s200/inevermetaphorcoverlg.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5234836145017910450" border="0" /></a><br />Dr. Mardy Grothe has done it again. He has recently released a new book called <a href="http://www.drmardy.com/metaphor/inevermetaphor.shtml">I Never Metahpor I Didn't Like</a>. As with his other three books, Dr. Mardy explores a specific niche of wordplay - in this case, analogies, metaphors, and similes - through poignant and pithy quotations taken from some of the world's greatest wordsmiths.<br /><br />I first heard of Dr. Mardy around ten years ago when he released his first book, <a href="http://www.drmardy.com/chiasmus/neverletafoolkissyou.shtml">Never Let A Fool Kiss You, or a Kiss Fool You</a>. I immediately fell in love with chiasmus as a rhetorical device and jumped into Dr. Mardy's competition with both feet. In our correspondence, I found Dr. Mardy to be warm, friendly, and receptive then, and I'm delighted to say he was just the same when I recently emailed him.<br /><br />Though I haven't yet, I look forward to reading <u>I Never Metaphor I Didn't Like</u>. However, based on his past writings, I will commend it to adults with a love of language and wordplay. Adults, please consider carefully before allowing your children read it, however. As a secular writer, Dr. Mardy does not exclude quotes of a sensual and/or sexual nature; expect them to be mostly confined to the sex section (Chapter 10) with a few sprinkled throughout other categories.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.drmardy.com/">Dr. Mardy</a>, via <a href="http://wordsmith.org/awad/index.html">A.Word.A.Day</a><br /><br />Tobiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144986761920854600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5231194113398990136.post-14625839662304223342008-08-15T12:26:00.006-04:002011-01-28T09:15:09.535-05:00Happy Birthday to the Love of My Life<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPtfSdgy0eqaJD4HVXPSG8hmEfQtn2vfR-fbXW2ziwMhfAIvadZtFCOnpmXZZNnmDl5heTFs4yK70CmK9tLA3vnvVvMhZ0bd3OwPUIJ3-0x-twV3cqgfw2_SU0cpW4VkF51CAi8TpvGYK2/s1600-h/birthday-candles-1.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPtfSdgy0eqaJD4HVXPSG8hmEfQtn2vfR-fbXW2ziwMhfAIvadZtFCOnpmXZZNnmDl5heTFs4yK70CmK9tLA3vnvVvMhZ0bd3OwPUIJ3-0x-twV3cqgfw2_SU0cpW4VkF51CAi8TpvGYK2/s200/birthday-candles-1.jpg" border="5" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5234793350260563634" /></a><br />My lovely wife turned 35 today. She's now a year older than me. Of course, next Friday we'll be the same age again. ;)<br /><br />Reflecting on the last 12 years of marriage, I'm glad to see how the Lord has drawn us closer together and made our marriage stronger all along. We've experienced many ups and downs, but our relationship always comes out better for it.<br /><br />Donna is a wonder. She manages our home, teaches our children, keeps us all well fed on healthy foods, sews many of her own clothes, & keeps us all on schedule. She laughs often, loves deeply & lives a life that's pleasing to God. She inspires others to greatness, plans great things for herself & supports those who need lifting up. I number myself among the many people she has touched who are better off for the contact.<br /><br />Happy birthday, Donna. I love you.Tobiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144986761920854600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5231194113398990136.post-8368884543661233452008-08-06T14:35:00.004-04:002008-08-19T13:36:53.507-04:00Does Naturalism Blind Scientists?I heard a great poem today that made me stop & think. It's a story about six blind men who have quite different ideas about what an elephant is like, based on which part of it they were able to touch. I couldn't help but reflect how Naturalism causes scientists in the various fields of study to behave like the blind men, in regard to their postulates about where everything comes from. Geologists look at rock layers and say it takes millions of years to form them. Biologists tell us that over millions of years, evolution changes molecules into microbes, into monkeys, into men. Astronomers argue for millions of years for stars & planets to form. They're each looking at a small piece of God's creation and building an elephant that looks and functions quite different from they way God told us He did it. And the pity is, their blinders are self imposed; they reject out-of-hand, the creationist perspective by labeling it religion, and therefor not science. If they would allow themselves to consider the possibility that God meant what he said in the Bible, and explore their fields of study from a Biblical perspective, they'd be able to see the big picture and recognize the elephant for what it is.<br /><br />Of course, many Christians are willing to uncritically accept any arguments that seem to support the Bible, and reject out-of-hand anything scientific that seems to contradict the it, without examination, too. The philosophy "God said it, I believe it, that settles it" may be a good starting point, but it does not meet Peter's requirement to "<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1pet3:15&version=9">be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you (1 Pet 3:15)</a>". We need to be able to offer sound, reasoned answers to those who are genuinely seeking.<br /><br />So, without further ado...<br /><blockquote><b>The Blind Men and the Elephant</b><br />by John Godfrey Saxe<br /><br />It was six men of Indostan<br /> To learning much inclined,<br />Who went to see the Elephant<br /> (Though all of them were blind),<br />That each by observation<br /> Might satisfy his mind<br /><br />The First approached the Elephant,<br /> And happening to fall<br />Against his broad and sturdy side,<br /> At once began to bawl:<br />"God bless me! but the Elephant<br /> Is very like a wall!"<br /><br />The Second, feeling of the tusk,<br /> Cried, "Ho! what have we here<br />So very round and smooth and sharp?<br /> To me 'tis mighty clear<br />This wonder of an Elephant<br /> Is very like a spear!"<br /><br />The Third approached the animal,<br /> And happening to take<br />The squirming trunk within his hands,<br /> Thus boldly up and spake:<br />"I see," quoth he, "the Elephant<br /> Is very like a snake!"<br /><br />The Fourth reached out an eager hand,<br /> And felt about the knee.<br />"What most this wondrous beast is like<br /> Is mighty plain," quoth he;<br />" 'Tis clear enough the Elephant<br /> Is very like a tree!"<br /><br />The Fifth, who chanced to touch the ear,<br /> Said: "E'en the blindest man<br />Can tell what this resembles most;<br /> Deny the fact who can<br />This marvel of an Elephant<br /> Is very like a fan!"<br /><br />The Sixth no sooner had begun<br /> About the beast to grope,<br />Than, seizing on the swinging tail<br /> That fell within his scope,<br />"I see," quoth he, "the Elephant<br /> Is very like a rope!"<br /><br />And so these men of Indostan<br /> Disputed loud and long,<br />Each in his own opinion<br /> Exceeding stiff and strong,<br />Though each was partly in the right,<br /> And all were in the wrong!<br /><br />So oft in theologic wars,<br /> The disputants, I ween,<br />Rail on in utter ignorance<br /> Of what each other mean,<br />And prate about an Elephant<br /> Not one of them has actually seen!</blockquote>Tobiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144986761920854600noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5231194113398990136.post-6060340957754661812008-08-06T10:27:00.004-04:002008-10-29T14:15:38.677-04:00Naturalism and Nihilism, revisitedTom Clark left a response to my quick post yesterday regarding the logical link between Naturalism and Nihilism, point me to <a href="http://centerfornaturalism.blogspot.com/2008/03/naturalism-and-nihilism.html">his blog post with the same title</a> from back in March. His is an attempt to rebuff the notion that Nihilism is the natural offspring of Atheism/Naturalism. He has a case, but the fact is that those who hold to Naturalism are being inconsistent in applying their faith (philosophy, if you prefer) by living their lives in a moral manner. I suppose a similar case could also be made that we Christians are inconsistent in applying our Christian morals when we sin. The noteworthy difference, of course, is that the Christian's attempt to consistently live in a moral manner is evidence of his faith.<br /><br />I posted the following as a response to his article, but thought it would be useful to re-post here for posterity.<br /><blockquote><br />Tom, thanks for the link. I'm not going to attempt to address all of your assertions in the article, but I'll say that your summary idea that <b>human morality</b> can be easily explained as an evolved survival instinct suffers in the light of others' claims that humanity's <b>war-like nature</b> can be easily explained as an evolved survival instinct. So which is it, are humans moral because it promotes survival of the fittest, or is that why they're war-like? You can't have it both ways. The "hard-core atheists" were much more consistent in the application of their faith by acknowledging that it leads to nihilism.<br /><br />In regards to whether or not athiesm/naturalism qualifies as a faith, let's look at the surprising discovery of <a href="http://www.answersingenesis.org/creation/v19/i4/blood.asp">red blood cells and still-flexible blood vessels in dinosaur fossils</a> a few years ago. Why was this surprising? Because the hemoglobin in the red blood cells should have broken down within thousands of years, but it was found in bones claimeded to be millions of years old. But what was the scientists reaction to this discovery? Did they question the evolutionary dogma that dinosaurs died out 65 million years ago? No, by a leap of blind faith, they assumed there must be <i>some way</i> to preserve hemoglobin for millions of years. These scientists demonstrated an amazing knack for ignoring the evidence against millions of years due to their creedal assertion that evolution requires those millions of years. And gives the lie to your claim that "Naturalists’ commitment to science in this regard isn’t a matter of faith, it’s based on experience – the widely shared experience that beliefs about the world based in science are generally more reliable than those that aren’t."<br /><br />For more on the dinosaur red blood cells story, read this <a href="http://www.answersingenesis.org/docs2002/0325RBCs.asp">follow-up article</a> that refutes claims that what was found was not actual hemoglobin and red blood cells.<br /></blockquote>Tobiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144986761920854600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5231194113398990136.post-12577646687442891802008-08-05T16:47:00.002-04:002011-01-28T09:15:09.535-05:00Naturalism and NihilismI shared an interesting article (actually notes from a lecture by J.P. Moreland) from Stand To Reason, on the topic of Naturalism. Then noticed that today's Theological Word of the Day fit nicely with it since it describes Nihilism as the natural conclusion of a Atheist/Naturalist philosophy. You can check my shared items on the top right to see these articles.Tobiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144986761920854600noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5231194113398990136.post-46674970854223149622008-07-31T15:49:00.005-04:002011-01-28T10:04:22.022-05:00An Excellent Bible Study ToolI'm loving <a href="http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Jam/Jam001.html#5">The Blue Letter Bible</a>. It's an extremely powerful site that cross references the Bible with correlating passages, multiple commentaries, Strong's concordance, maps & images, multiple translations, and a bible dictionary. The real beauty is that it does this on a verse-by-verse basis. This one tool now makes word studies and even deep Bible study laughably easy.<br /><br />In addition to all of the above, it hosts several daily devotionals and provides Bible-in-a-year reading plans in a few different formats. And a slew of other helpful and useful information.<br /><br />Be sure to visit BLB next time you need to look up a passage or phrase in the Bible. It's the right tool for the job.Tobiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144986761920854600noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5231194113398990136.post-2823405593421180112008-07-31T12:10:00.005-04:002008-08-01T12:10:33.940-04:00Fun Visit with My Uncle<img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2tA1Su5Vrf8Rtzw-K0mgSsOFz87AFlYQjX-cHyq5SHbpk2Nj4lb9UmHsND34aoeScx7uT8ocPnSMLNbL8d_j9Ro3nvevX20iYdi6Is7aYTytl2tgzHrJabFRHz-kwkcA81u-MJk2Vs3ue/s200/BonnieCropped.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229578971934471410" border="0" />My family really enjoyed the visit from my uncle, Tony, and my Dad, last weekend. Tony lives in Maryland and tho he visits my parents once or twice per year, this was his first visit with us up here to NH.<br /><br />We had a fun and full day, showing him the house (in all it's under-construction glory) and property. Then after lunch, we took a drive over to my pastor's house to walk thru his garage. Pastor Larry has been collecting and restoring classic motorcycles for quite some time and I knew he had several British bikes that my uncle, who is also restorer, would appreciate. It was fun seeing his excitement (did you know there were only 900 of those made that year?!?). After spending a good half-hour drooling over all 25-plus bikes (half-dozen Brits, a couple Italians and Germans, several Jap bikes and at least seven Harleys) crammed into the garage, my dad and Tony visited with Pastor Larry's in-laws who are visiting from Mexico.<br /><br />While that was going on, Nick & Gabe each got to ride a motorcycle for the first time. Pastor had a little 25cc minibike that they got to tool around on in the yard. They both had a blast! A very fun day.Tobiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144986761920854600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5231194113398990136.post-3596532992663910122008-07-31T11:09:00.003-04:002008-07-31T11:54:09.382-04:00The Bathroom is 95% DoneWe had a very productive few days following my lament last week about how slow this project was going. The walls got done (thanks to a cram sessions Friday and Saturday nights) and on Sunday we installed all the hardware (shelves, towel racks, light fixture, wall hangings, etc.). All that remains it to paint the doors & trim and replace the doorknobs. Woohoo! Oh, and re-caulk the tub. :\Tobiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144986761920854600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5231194113398990136.post-35815801343521444202008-07-25T14:32:00.004-04:002008-07-31T13:12:47.286-04:00House HackingAs I mentioned in the last post, we decided to repaint the Bathroom and Boy's Bedroom this month. We knew it wasn't going to be a quick job because when we bought the place, the seller had hastily slopped a coat of yellow paint on the walls, apparently using a Wagner Power Roller. There were thick drips all over the place and a yellow border around the ceiling. So, we planned to take the time to sand off all the major drips using a disc sander. That proved to be the easiest part (for me, anyway - Donna did all the sanding; I just had to move the furniture away from the walls). Then we discovered that the wall under the boy's windows was rotten. It's not clear whether that was from water coming in the windows or the prior owner's dogs announcing their displeasure at being locked in the room (all the doors and trim have deep gouges from the dogs trying to claw their way out). So I had to replace a four foot section of drywall there, and just for good measure I put a vapor barrier behind it to prevent moisture finding it's way in and damaging it again. There was a lot of mudding needed to fix up and cover the various dings and holes in the walls. Also had to close up the holes left when the old electric baseboard controls were removed in the bedroom and bath. I had to replace more drywall in the bath due to water damage from behind the shower prior to us moving in, as well. And install a proper fixture box in the wall above the sink for the new light fixture we bought for above the vanity.<br /><br />So, it's been a long road, and we're not done yet. That's rather frustrating. And then Wednesday, I had to refinish the ceiling. I'm really pleased with the way it turned out, but as usual, we totally neglected to take any pictures of the progress. :( Donna primed the entire bathroom yesterday, and put the ceiling paint on the ceiling. We're on the home stretch, but it's been one of those projects that makes you wonder if it will ever be complete.<br /><br />Now the kicker, my uncle from Maryland is vising tomorrow, and our house is a wreck. Particularly the basement, where the boys have been sleeping for the last month while their bedroom has been getting it's face lift. He's a reasonable guy and knows all about fixing up houses, so I'm sure he'll understand. And he loves old British motorbikes, so I'm going to take him over to my Pastor's house to visit his "museum" (ie Garage) of restored bikes.Tobiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144986761920854600noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5231194113398990136.post-12041059827921838772008-07-18T15:05:00.005-04:002011-01-28T10:04:22.022-05:00Finding the Will of GodMy <a href="http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/vessels4Him/">wonderful wife</a> brought <a href="http://www.jeanniesjournal.com/2008/07/teaching-of-writing-truth-exposed.html">Jeannie Fulbright's excellent series of articles about creative vs academic writing</a> to my attention this week. After reading them, I rolled back to her article from 7/14 on the topic of letting God direct our footsteps through the leading of the Holy Spirit. Now, it just happens that Donna and I are attending a Sunday school class based on the book <a href="http://www.chrisapp.org/CC/article/0,,PTID314526%7CCHID598026%7CCIID1562226,00.html">Decision Making and the Will of God</a> by Garry Friesen<span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:11;" ><strong><span style="font-family:geneva,arial,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:85%;">, </span></span></strong></span>and becoming more and more convinced of his arguments each week.<br /><br />It prompted me to post the following comment in response to Jeannie. I realize I have not intensively researched the "traditional view" (as Friesen calls it) about waiting for a prompting or peace from God to lead to or confirm a decision, so my request for scriptural support for this standpoint is genuine.<br /><br />So without further commentary, here's what I asked Jeannie:<br /><br /><blockquote>Hi Jeannie, I wonder if you can help me out with something. In this article, you said, "It's hard to find true peace and joy when we are not following the narrow path marked out for our family. That narrow path may include putting your children in school - but it may not. The key is to find out - not by human reason, but through the leadership of the Holy Spirit (Who leads with confidence and peace)," and, "God has a perfect course for your family, and He longs to direct your steps."<br /><br />Can you please provide some scriptural support for this notion that God has one particular, "perfect" path for an individual or family? And that He will make that perfect will known to believers through a feeling of peace? I don't see it in the scriptures, myself. I have done a brief word study on peace and find several references to a spiritual peace given by God to those who through faith rely upon Him for their needs and safety (<a href="http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Psa/Psa025.html#13">Ps 25:13</a> says "His soul shall dwell at ease", <a href="http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Psa/Psa004.html#8">Ps 4:8</a> says "I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety", and <a href="http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Phl/Phl004.html#6">Phil 4:6&7</a> says Christians should not worry about their needs because "the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" ), but I find nothing supporting this common christian notion that God leads us through life or major life decisions by way of nudgings or even "confidence and peace," as you put it.<br /><br />Even the scripture you cited, <a href="http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/2Ti/2Ti001.html#7">2Tim 1:7</a> "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind," actually seems to oppose your assertion that "the key is find out - not by human reason, but through the leadership of the Holy Spirit." Isn't a sound mind the basis for proper reasoning (based on God's revealed will within His word)? In fact, I believe <a href="http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Jam/Jam001.html#5">Jam 1:5</a>, "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him," indicates that we are to pray for God to give us wisdom, not peace or leading, does it not?<br /><br />Please understand that I am not arguing that you gave the homeschooling lady the wrong advice (to persevere). I am just having difficulty with the reasons you gave her. If you know of scriptures that support this standpoint, I would genuinely appreciate hearing them.<br /></blockquote><br /><br />Update:<br />Jeannie responded (actually very quickly) with a fairly lengthy and encouraging post including many scripture references. Now I need to make time to examine them all in context. On first blush, however, I noted that several references were either taken out of context or quite loosely interpreted. Others, however, did seem to support her viewpoint so the jury is still out on this.Tobiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10144986761920854600noreply@blogger.com1