A Great Christmas

We drove all over Arkansas, but we had a great Christmas. Here are a few pictures of the last few days.









~A little explanation on the Zombie picture....Job got some face make-up in his stocking. Obviously, He is having a great time with it!

Christmas Internet Chuckles

Credit to www.phileos.com for these mildly entertaining Christmas gizmos. Here's a silly snowglobe and a Santa delivery game. This Christmas tree challenge might nearly be impossible. You've also got a mah-jong-type game. And probably the most entertaining, last year's tour de force—Snowrush. Enjoy!

Motorcycle Wish List

While at the International Motorcycle Show in Long Beach I spotted the 2004 version of the classic Triumph Booneville. What a cool little bike!

This is a classic bike with newly gone-over features.





Here are the specs...for those who might be interested
Engine
· Type Air-cooled, DOHC, parallel-twin, 360 degrees firing interval
· Capacity 790cc
· Bore/Stroke 86 x 68mm
· Compression Ratio 9.2:1
· Fuel System Twin carburettors with throttle position sensor and electric carburettor heaters
· Ignition Digital - inductive type

Transmission
· Primary Drive Gear
· Final Drive Chain
· Clutch Wet, multi-plate
· Gearbox 5-speed

Cycle Parts
· Frame Tubular steel cradle
· Swingarm Twin-sided, tubular steel
· Front Wheel 36-spoke, 19 x 2.5in
· Rear Wheel 40-spoke, 17 x 3.5in
· Front Tyre 100/90 19
· Rear Tyre 130/80 17
· Front Suspension 41mm forks
· Rear Suspension Chromed spring twin shocks with adjustable preload
· Front Brakes Single 310mm disc, 2 piston caliper
· Rear Brakes Single 255mm disc, 2 piston caliper

Dimensions
· Length 2250mm (88.6in)
· Width 860mm (33.8in)
· Height 1105mm (43.5in)
· Seat Height 775mm (30.5in)
· Wheelbase 1493mm (58.8in)
· Rake/Trail 29 degrees / 117mm
· Weight (Dry) 205kg (451lbs)
· Fuel Capacity 16 litres (4.2 gal US)

New art

Here are a few variations on a recent celtic lion piece.



The Lion is strong, fierce, swift, a deserving, wise and patient regent. What an interesting animal to be associated with the Savior throughout the Scriptures. Lewis captured this irony in a memorable way when in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Mrs. Beaver explains to Susan that "if there's anyone who can appear before Aslan (a lion) without their knees knocking, they're either braver than most or else just silly."

The Debate Rages On

Do you like the book the Lord of the Rings or do you like to movie? Are you one who feels a twinge of anger when the movies do not follow the book word for word, or are you on who has never read the book, will never read the book, and think that anyone who could read the entire book needs to get a life?

I have been planning this large blog detailing the variances between the book and the movie scripts, but I have thought that I couldn't do this topic as much justice as some before me have already done. Check out this site. It makes for some great reading if you are a Tolkien enthusiast.

Apparently, over the years many people have loved the book. I am one of them, not only of the LOTR but of anything Tolkien. I read the books as a young man and then have reread them over the years. But who could have imagined the wide cultural impact Tolkien's stories have had throughout the movies' releases over the past 3 years. Simply tallying up the first weekends numbers from the release of the Return of the King is staggering. Tolkien's stories are no longer for the fantasy obsessed dreamers, they are mainstreamed and marketed. As a Tolkien fan, I have somewhat resented this. I remember sitting in theaters during the first two movies of the trilogy and while people cheered and laughed, thinking, "Yeah, that's cute, but it isn't in the book!"

But recently I have been thinking better of my pious purist attitude. I sat through The Return of the King, and completely enjoyed it as a movie, not as a minutely flawed adaptation. I traded my "they're changing the story" quips in for an appreciation of just how large and sweeping the movies are. The truth is the book is not changed at all, it still sits on the shelf in all of its detail and nuance. In fact, many new people are reading the LOTR for the first time all to the credit of the success of the movies.

So I have begun to treat the movies as a complete separate work of art from the book. I think by doing this, you can come to enjoy both more. And I really did enjoy the movie this weekend. The locations, design and costuming are unbelievable, and the computer aided special effects are visually stunning. I think that even through the fancy effects and action movie wise cracks at moments you still are able to feel the horror and yet necessity of war that Tolkien so subtly conveys. One of my favorite quotes from the book that the movie brings to life with great clarity, is the moment when Theoden answers Aragorns statement "Gondor calls for aid." with the brave yet, resigning, "And Rohan will answer!"

Long story short. I love the books and yes, I love the movies as well.

Why I want to be like Santa Claus

As a Christian, Christmas is an incredible time of year as we celebrate the earthly birth of the Son of God. The love and generosity of the Father is in plain view for all to see in every nativity scene. But as Christmas becomes more about greed and selfishness and less about generosity and sharing, you might be tempted to agree with Ebenezer and mutter your own “bah humbug”.

Some have reacted to the over commercialization of this season by boycotting all of the modern trappings of Christmas. For these Frosty, Rudolph and worst of all, Santa Claus seem to have become the villains that took Christ out of Christmas. And while no one should defend the shameless greed of present day ‘marketeers’, I want to raise my voice in the defense of Santa Claus! In fact, I have decided that I want to be like Santa Claus.

The Santa Claus legend is a constantly evolving story. Each generation and certainly various geographical regions have their own components to the myth. But unlike the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy, the Santa Klaus legend is based on the life of a real person. Nicolas was actual person who lived in present-day Turkey from c.270-352 AD. He lived a life so passionate for God that it is hard to believe that the present concept of Santa Claus has developed from the simple stories of his life. I certainly understand that all the stories of his life aren’t historically documentable, but sometimes there is much truth to be learned from legend. Even though C.S. Lewis once said that myths were lies, albeit ,”lies breathed through silver", His friend J.R.R. Tolkien was committed to the idea of myth as the only way to express higher truths. Lewis in time was won over to Tolkien’s idea, and I am beginning to lean that way myself.

According to the legend, Nicolas’ favorite scripture in the Bible is said to have been, “Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you teach, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.”- 1 Timothy 4:12. This is a great foundation to an enduring legend. This is how I heard the story…

Nicolas was born in Asia Minor (present day Turkey) in the city of Patras around 270 AD. (Only a short 200+ years since Jesus had left the earth. His Father, Epiphanes and his mother, Johanes were very strong Christians. And they were also very rich, probably the wealthiest family in their city. Their wealth, however could not help them when a terrible plague flew through their area, and they both died in their thirties, leaving their young boy Nicolas all alone. Nicolas went to live with his uncle at a nearby monastery. There with the other monks, Nicolas learned more about Jesus and about the Bible. Before his thirteenth birthday, he was said to have been a passionate teacher of the stories of Jesus. The monks emphasized Jesus’ teachings of taking care of the poor to young Nicolas and by the time he was 16, he was distributing his vast wealth to the poor and needy of the area. He was always very careful to give his gifts secretly so that he wouldn’t get any credit for it, and so that God would be praised.

Nicolas was a person of great love
Obeying Jesus command to “love your neighbor”, and to “do it to the least of these”, Nicolas gave generously out of what God gave him to help those who needed help all around him. Not only did he give to people when he happened to come across a need, it is said that Nicolas would ride through the city on his horse at night looking for needy people to help. Nicolas took serious the command of Jesus to love others, He would tell others, “Love is what shows we are his followers and generous giving is the hands and feet of love.”

Although never revealing himself, while still in his teens Nicolas sent his city into an uproar because of the love for the poor and needy that was being seen. Those monks who lived with Nicolas and his uncle saw another part of Nicolas that was an incredible example to other believers.

Nicolas was a person of prayer.
Nicolas had an established habit of prayer. He would start and end each day in prayer, and attempt to stay in a constant state of prayer in whatever he did. Regularly, he was woke from his sleep to pray for some particular need and then he would return to sleep, only to find the next morning that God had answered his prayers and taken care of the needs. Nicolas prayer habits with God were so well known that people from all over the area came to him to have him pray for their sicknesses and needs. God answered his prayers in such a way that he began to be called Nicolas the Wonder-Worker. (A title that he refused to acknowledge.)

While still a young boy in his early teens, Nicolas had a strange dream. Not just once but several times and always the same. In his dream, Jesus gave him a book of the gospels covered with jewels and the robes of a priest. When Nicolas finally told his uncle about these dreams, His uncle told him that Jesus must want him to be a priest. Soon, Nicolas had finished his educational requirements and became a priest while still a boy in his teens. As a priest, Nicolas was passionate about telling everyone about Jesus and was constantly looking for ways to help people in need or children in trouble. People from all over the area began to speak of the “kind boy-priest.”

Soon after becoming a priest, Nicolas went on a trip to see the lands where Jesus lived. While there, he had a dream that Jesus was placing a bishop’s hat on his head. (Usually these positions were reserved for the oldest priests with the most experience.) On his way home, his ship was caught in a terrible storm. The ship was battered and most of the sailors were lost at sea. The three sailors left were terribly afraid that the ship might get smashed on rocks or even be flipped over by the massive waves. The sailors began praying to God for mercy. Nicolas came on deck and joined them in their prayers. Just then, the storm stopped and the water became calm. Their little ship limped into the nearest port, Myra, but still a long ways from Nicolas’ home. The sailors began to tell of how their ship had been saved when young Nicolas had prayed. “It was like a miracle”, they said, but Nicolas quietly hurried off to find a church to offer thanks to God.
In Myra, the old bishop had just died and a group of priests had been praying about who would take his place. During the night before, all of them had had the same dream: they were to make the first worshipper who came to the church in the morning the new bishop. As they spoke to each other about their dreams, Nicolas entered. Though he was a stranger in Myra and still a teenager, the priests placed the bishop’s hat on Nicolas’ head just as he had dreamed.

Saint Nicolas was a dreamer.
Knowing that his life was arranged by God for a specific future, Nicolas believed in his dreams from God and made those dreams a reality.
Myra was an important city and Nicolas was a great bishop. He was widely known for his passionate teaching about Jesus. People said it was like he was handing them precious jewels! He continued to be loving and generous with the poor and needy. Many times helping people without them being aware. Many people believed in Jesus because of Nicolas’ humble work. One story in particularly demonstrates his humility and plays a big part in the Christmas legend today.
Nicolas’ neighbor was a nobleman who was greatly in debt. So far in debt he couldn’t pay the dowry for his 3 daughters to be married. The three daughters because of their father’s financial situation would have to become prostitutes to make the money for their dowry. Late one night, Nicolas secretly tossed a stocking full of gold coins into the oldest daughters room. People were surprised when soon after this the daughter was married. Soon after this Nicolas tossed a second sock full of money into the window of the second daughter. Soon she was also married. But when Nicolas secretly crept up to deliver the third sock of money, he found all of the windows locked. He quickly and quietly climbed up onto the roof and dropped the money down the chimney. The sock full of money landed in the girl’s shows which were on the hearth. The girls’ father heard the money hit the hearth and quickly ran outside to see the person who had so generously given his family so much. He caught a glimpse of Nicolas as he ran away, and shouted out for him to wait. Nicolas kept on running, not wanting to receive any credit for the gift. Finally, the father caught up with Nicolas and recognized him as the Bishop of Myra. He fell to his knees to thank Nicolas, who quickly joined him on his knees and together they thanked God for his provision. Nicolas made the man promise to not reveal his identity.

Saint Nicolas was humble.
Giving and doing more for Jesus that most other people ever had, probably praying more than most people ever do, Nicolas refused to take any glory for himself. He was truly a humble person. Everything he did, he did for Jesus and not for the praise that he would receive.

Nicolas lived in a time of terrible persecution for Christians. The Roman Emperors were gathering Christians from all over the world and killing them in sport. Once in Nicolas home city, an execution was going to take place. Nicolas, completely forgetting about his own safety ran through the crowd and grabbed the executioner’s sword just before he beheaded the prisoner. Nicolas himself was imprisoned and tortured by 3 jailers for 8 years. Over and over they attempted to get Nicolas to deny his faith in Jesus, but over and over again, Nicolas refused. He stayed hungry and cold and in chains, but he eventually lead his three jailers to faith in Jesus by the example of love and prayer and humility that they saw. When the new Emperor took over, Nicolas was released and he returned to his life of love and compassion.
Even later in his life, Nicolas was an example for Jesus. In an important meeting of priests and bishops in 325 in Nicea, A certain man, Arius, tried to convince all of the bishops and priests that Jesus was not in fact God. Nicolas, so angered by this lie, stood up, marched up to Arius and slapped him in the face. The other bishops were angered, and Nicolas was removed as a Bishop.

Saint Nicolas was a person of action.
Later in his life, Nicolas was reinstated as bishop, when God gave all the other bishops dreams about Nicolas. He finished his life helping the poor, loving his neighbor and walking with God.
It is said of Nicolas that he was humble, prayerful, pure and yet very happy and joyful. What an example! That’s what I want to be. So there it is, I said it, I want to be like Santa Claus!

Recent Travels

It has been too many days since I last blogged. Jennifer and I have been doing a little traveling. We made a quick run out to Southern California last weekend. We really had a blast. Some of the highlights of the trip were lunch on Newport Beach with Spencer Burke, a visit to Glen Helen Motocross Raceway, seeing and serving at the International Motorcycle Show in Long Beach, and spending some time with our new friends, Ed and Kay Caragher. It was a valuable trip and Jennifer and I enjoyed the time together. Here are a few photos from last weekend.

BCS and Pete Rose
Are there two topics that cause more arguments than the BCS and Pete Rose? I know that I don't understand the complexities of television deals and large market schools vs. small market schools, but although I cannot offer a suitable solution in my limited understanding of the variables, I can tell you that the BCS 'just ain't right!' How can a team that didn't even win their conference be a possible national champion? And if the coach's poll or whatever it is called can name it's own national champion irregardless of what happens in the top BCS game, why bother with the whole rot? I know that a playoff system would have the same problem: there will always be some teams on the bubble, but further out on the bubble wouldn't matter as much to me. If some computer has to calculate the difference between two teams who are jockeying for the last spot in an eight team championship playoff tournament, big deal...number 8 or number 9 gets the shaft. But now, 3 teams with identical records and similar strengths all need to play in one game, and someone has to be left out. Honestly, I'm sort of glad LSU jumped USC, I really think a SEC team should be in the championship game. (what else would a Razorback fan say?). But I am really disappointed that Oklahoma didn't budge after completely not showing up for the Big 12 Championship. I know that I am not the only one saying this, but however you need to work it out, I want to see all three of those teams play and lets see who's left standing. (Oh! and just to make it an even number they should throw Arkansas in there as an at large wild-card!...what can I say, I am a homer.)

And the other deal is Pete Rose. What do most people think about his reinstatement into baseball? I am sure that I am prejudiced in the fact that I like Pete Rose as a player. When I was a kid, I wanted to play first base like Pete Rose, I wanted to punch hits into the gaps in the infield like Pete Rose, and sure, I wanted to steal bases and slide like him. When I would make the last out in an inning and get to run across the infield toward my dugout, I would copy the way Rose would examine the ball and then drop it on the mound. He is a hall-of-famer and one of the games greatest players, but just me liking him doesn't mean he isn't a cad, a crook, or an out-of-control egomaniac. So while there are lots of opinions about whether Selig should let him back into baseball, I really haven't made up my mind yet. Basically I want to forgive him, I think it would be cool to honor his play in a large media expression. But I'm also still a purist who thinks that baseball has to at least make an attempt at showing that they are trying to do something about cheating. Here is a link to help Rose make it to Cooperstown.

Here are some other topics that I have found will ususally produce a lively discussion when introduced in the right company:
Vote Recounts
Rapture Timing Preferences
Paul vs. John
Versions of the Scriptures

Sergio Leone and the Spaghetti Westerns

Last night I happen to catch 'A Fistful of Dollars' for what has to be the 30th time at least. Leone's Man with No Name trilogy is one of my guilty pleasures. I can't help watching these movies over and over again. There is something about those slow time-streching moments before a gunfight and the way that nothing in these movies are really 'bleached white' clean that just draws me in. And I don't know if there has ever been music scores that interacted so much with the on-screen action. Add all of that to the crazy twitching eye close-ups and a cigar-chewing Eastwood, and you have some very interesting movies. Sure, I know that these films will never be high art, but as time goes on, we have seen them challenge and inspire today's action film makers. In the world of blinding speed in action movies, I like the fact that Leone was so slow at times. Sometimes painfully slow. (In The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly, how long is he going to keep clipping back and forth between the three characters eyes before the final duel? It is slow by today's standards, but it is a great tension builder.) But when Leone does let the action fly, it is just as fast and raw as new movies. Woo, Rodriguez and maybe even Tarantino owe at least some debt to Sergio Leone for writing the early definition for 'gritty'. Here are a few sites discussing Spaghetti Westerns and Sergio Leone. Check out these sites and the next time these movies run across your tv watch closely.

~UPDATE (12/19)
Last night I watched A Fistful of Dynamite, with James Coburn. Definitely more political and less 'dirty' than the trilogy, but a good show none the less.

The Dangers of Advent
J. B. Phillips

When have Christians been promised physical security? In the early Church it is evident that they did not even expect it! Their security, their true life, was rooted in God; and neither the daily insecurities of the decaying Roman Empire, nor the organized persecution which followed later, could affect their basic confidence.

In my judgement, the description which Christ gave of the days that were to come before his return is more accurately reproduced in this fear-ridden age than ever before in human history. Of course we do not know the times and the seasons, but at least we can refuse to be deceived by the current obsession for physical security in the here-and-now. While we continue to pray and work for the spread of the kingdom in this transitory world, we know that its center of gravity is not here at all. When God decides that the human experiment has gone on long enough, yes, even in the midst of what appears to us confusion and incompleteness, Christ will come again.

This is what the New Testament teaches. This is the message of Advent. It is for us to be alert, vigilant and industrious, so that his coming will not be a terror but an overwhelming joy.

~Here is the row. It seems to me that one the missed messages of the Gospels' narrative of the Christmas story is that not many people got it. The birth of God goes mainly unnoticed. Maybe everyone who should have taken notice we just too busy. The livestock caught it, they were there. And the shepherds found out too, but they cheated, they were told. Where are the priests and the teachers? Some foreign Magi and a couple of old spiritual mystics are basically the only ones who seem to be aware. Maybe it isn't that everyone was too busy or self-absorbed. Maybe people missed the 'birth of God' because they were just looking for the wrong thing. What makes us think that Jesus' second advent will be any different? Will I be too busy or too misguided to be aware of his coming?

~UPDATE:
I heard 2 great messages yesterday touching on this thought. My Father-in-law eloquently pointed out that you can 'lose' Jesus in the church while involving yourself in religious service citing the case of the young Jesus and his parents in Luke 2. Jennifer pointed out to me that when your business begins being anything other than the 'Father's' business, you can look up and be separated from the Savior. I begin to think today that those of us who love Jesus and work tirelessly for the Kingdom of God are at the most risk of becoming too busy or too proud to notice when we have 'lost' him. Kierkegaard says, "Although the scribes could explain where the Messiah should be born, they remained quite unperturbed in Jerusalem. They did not accompany the Wise Men to seek him. Similarly we may be able to explain every article of our faith, yet remain spiritually motionless. The power that moved heaven and earth leaves us completely unmoved. What a contrast! The three kings had only a rumor to go by. But it spurred them to set out a long, hard journey. The scribes, meanwhile, were much better informed, much better versed. They had sat and studied the scriptures for years, like so many dons. But it didn’t make any difference. Who had the more truth? Those who followed a rumor, or those who remained sitting, satisfied with all their knowledge?"

How about trying out some Christmas Tic-Tac-Toe?

Thanksgiving in Atlanta

After the CMA Thanksgiving Feast, we headed east for a week in Atlanta with my parents. It was a really great week and a lot happened. I'll try to recap the high points.

The night before we left, Zoe started running a fever. Just out of the blue she began to show a little cold. Jennifer and Zoe were up all night, and we left around 5:00 AM. On the trip we decided to stop and get Zoe some medicine and we also ate at a Logan's Roadhouse in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. From there we hurried on to Mableton, Georgia, where we arrived at my parents house around supper time. A favorite Barbeque restaurant of ours was our first meal in Atlanta. We all crashed pretty early that night, but not before we watched Finding Nemo...again.

It was really a pleasure to be with Mom and Dad, and Sunday morning we were happy to attend with them at Smyrna Assembly of God, my old church when I was a teenager. The service that morning was especially good, and the worship music was great. After service, we all ate at Olive Garden.

A few weeks earlier, Ezekiel, an NFL fan and even more avid Tennessee Titans fan, realized that the Titans would be playing the Atlanta Falcons in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta while we were in town. That realization began a two week search for a decent deal on some tickets, and culminated with Zeke, Joby and I taking the MARTA down to the Dome and taking in their first NFL game. We had a blast. They enjoyed riding what they called 'the subway' and it was so exciting to go trpsing around the Georgia Dome with all the fans, the marching bands, and the scalpers. They were completely wide-eyed as they saw the players come on the field! They had the binoculars pressed against their faces nearly the entire game. When the Falcons went up 21-0 in the first quarter, I thought Zeke was going to cry, but as the Titans started to come back, so did his spirits! That night was a great time and we will always remember it.

The next morning, Zoe was still sick with a little cold and fever, but we decided to all go to Fernbank Museum of Natural History. On the way there, we took a route though downtown Atlanta and drove by many of the places where my parents had grown up. It was interesting to hear of the differences in the way of life that they experienced growing up. They walked lots of places and went to parks that were actually in their neighborhood. Dad told one story about a time when he walked a number of blocks to see Jayne Mansfield at the grand opening of the first K-Mart in Atlanta. We saw the schools and where the schools had been. We saw the ice cream shops and where the dime store used to be. We also saw where both of the old churches were, both buildings were still there. I was struck at the similarities and the differences between Jen and I as parents and my Dad's parents. They loved and lived for God and their children knew it, I want to make certain ours know the same thing about their parents. Yet, in our crazy time, I can't imagine letting our young children walk blocks through the city to the ice cream shop alone. I know that much of the problems that we face are as old as the world, but in some respects, man, how times have changed.

I had been many times before on field trips to the old Fernbank Science Center when I was young, but everything has grown and has been vastly improved. We saw some incredible exhibits and had a blast. The loved the dinosaurs and the hands-on exhibits. It was just a very cool day. Later on that afternoon we were able to visit with my Grandma and Grandpa. Grandpa had found some Steve McNair cards for Ezekiel and that completely made his day.

We hung out on Tuesday and Wednesday; ate a Philly Connection philly cheesesteak sandwich, a personal favorite of ours, and played alot of video games. It also seemed to be the week for hero movies. The Hulk and the Daredevil were joined by Kim Possible and the obligatory Lord of the Rings. Tuesday, I got some new glasses, which was great because now I can see at night when I am driving. (Jennifer is very pleased.) The glasses have been described with a wide range of adjectives from 'cool' and 'hip' to 'silly', 'funky', 'nerdy' and 'Buddy Holly-looking'. All descriptions are accurate.

Wednesday, Jennifer, Zoe and I had a great lunch at one of our favorite little authentic Mexican restaurants near my parent's house. Later on that evening we cooked pasta for the family. We, of course, played more video games.

Thanksgiving morning we had a great brunch, and watched some of the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade. My Dad and I went to the airport to pick up my brother and his family. It had been too long since we had seen Joel and Melanie and the kids. I really enjoyed the ride with Joel, we talked and laughed and for a few minutes it reminded me of riding in a car together when we were still living at home. I was really excited to hear of the good things that are happening in their lives and in their church. Everyone had already arrived when we got to the Monroe Thanksgiving Meal at my cousin Mendi Pittards neighborhood clubhouse. We were ready to eat, but before we did we snapped this picture. It was great to be with everyone there. We laughed and ate and got reacquainted. I can really say that I miss everyone and would certainly enjoyed our brief get together.

Friday was also a good time as we hung out with my brother Joel and Melanie and their children. It is so weird to think that my parents home moved from two children (my brother and I) to eight as fast as you can turn around. At any rate it was an 'alive' house for a few hours. Later that evening my grandparents and my cousin, Jeremy and his son, Josiah came over. Jeremy is one of those people who really love Jesus and has the compassionate heart to prove it. I like being around him; it makes me remember college and even earlier, the B band.

(By the way, B Band memorabilia is currently experiencing a surge in value. People are willing to pay top dollar for any authentic B Band stuff. Pictures, Instruments, and recordings are especially hot. Recently a collector in New Jersey bought the Waffle House Napkin that the original lyrics to "My Keeper" were jotted on for 250,000 dollars. )

The whole trip to Atlanta was a great time, and we are looking forward to the next time that we get to see everyone. Here are a few other pics that we taken on the trip. First, Abby with her pigtails, Dad with the girls, and the Monroe Family.

Gospel verse found on ancient shrine

Every once in a while something like this will turn up. Makes you really curious who really was buried in there.

God's the Greatest
Here are some of the most beautiful sites that you will ever see, all taken from the Hubble Telescope launched ten years ago. What an artist! God's canvas is immense and his colors are bright and alive. James had it right when he said, "everything good and perfect comes from above, from the Father of lights..."



Check out this beautiful collection of Astronomy images. Some of them are so clear it is hard to remember that they are so far away.

Jackson surrenders to authorities

There has been so much said about this fiasco that I don't believe I could add anything of meaning. But let me just say, "That's just sad..."
And I love Michael! I was one of the, obviously now, idiots who said, "He's not dangerous, just weird!" Dude is the King of Pop for crying out loud, but I can't help but say, "Better to wear a millstone necklace and take a swim in the deep blue sea than give even one of these dear little ones a hard time!" (Luke 17:2) It looks as if He has taken advantage of and hurt children...in my estimation one of the lowest of the lows...but doesn't that probably make him a good prospect to receive the grace of God? The public will probably never really know what the truth is in all of this, but maybe that's not so bad. Even if crimes against children have not been committed, one has to ask who is supposed to be responsible for these children that are in close proximity to Jackson? If they are orphans or foster children I am deeply sadded, if they aren't I have to ask ,"Where are their parents?

The JesusGeek says, "He just sets himself up for this junk"

Nowhere Man

He's a real nowhere Man, sitting in his nowhere land,
Making all his nowhere plans for nobody.

Doesn't kave a point of view, knows not where he's going to,
Isn't he a bit like you and me?
Nowhere Man, please listen, You don't know what you're missing,
Nowhere Man, the world is at your command.

He's as blind as he can be, just sees what he wants to see,
Nowhere Man can you see me at all?
Doesn't kave a point of view, knows not where he's going to,
Isn't he a bit like you and me?
Nowhere Man, don't worry. Take your time, don't hurry,
Leave it all till somebody else lends you a hand.

He's a real Nowhere Man, sitting in his nowhere land,
Making all his nowhere plans for nobody.

~Half a million dollars for 133 words. I'd say they got a bargain.

Latest Art Images

Here are a few takes on the celtic knotwork cross. The Celtic Christians in Ireland and Scotland in the fourth century "used the famous 'celtic knot' whose spirals intertwine to symbolize God's encircling protection of his people, to symbolize eternity, and to suggest the movement, pilgrimage and progress that is essential in the Christian's life." (The Celtic Way of Evangelism, Hunter p.74)



Oh, and also a cute picture of Zoe on the grass with the leaves.

Clay Pots - Weak and Humble, but Full of the Power of God

Here is the introduction to a study that we are working on for CMA. Please read, comment and give suggestions. I could really use some input.

“We carry this precious Message around in the unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives” 2 Corinthians 4:7 (MSG)

Clay is an amazing naturally found substance. Used by artisans and craftsmen all throughout history, clay has been formed into just about everything from household items to sacred works of art. The Bible mentions clay and vessels made of clay quite often. From the mixture of dust and spittle in John 9:6 to the Potter’s clay in Jeremiah 18:1, clay and pottery was a part of everyday life in ancient times. It is certain that the Apostle Paul would have been familiar with many clay pottery items from small cup like drinking pots, to larger cistern sized pots. Clay decorative items as well as clay households such as lamps and containers would have been commonplace around the Apostle. He would have certainly understood the availability, utility and fragile nature of clay pots.

When Paul describes our lives as clay pots, he is using a metaphor packed with meaning.
•Clay pots are humble. Unlike goblets of silver or pitchers of brass, clay pots are inexpensive and not very fancy. Paul is no doubt alluding to the fact that the contents of the vessel are much more important than the vessel itself. Clay pots are usually simple and readily available. Because of their functionality, decoration wasn’t very important. In the Old Testament, when a clay pot was ceremonially defiled it had to be destroyed (Leviticus 6:28; 11:33) illustrating that they were easy to replace.
•The use of clay reflects back to the material God used to create Adam in Genesis 2:7 (the Hebrew ‘adamah’ can be translated as dust or clay) where man is only dust until God breathes life into him. Recalling this image, Paul speaks of our helplessness and worthlessness without the Spirit (Heb. ‘ruach’ or breath) of God.
•Clay pots are also weak and easy to break. In the middle of a discussion on the struggles of being the Lord’s servant, it seems important that he compares himself to a weak, breakable clay pot. Clay pots shatter when dropped; they break into shards and can no longer be used. Even when tempered by fire and made to be as strong as possible, clay pots are at best still considered fragile. Paul speaks of his own life as being “pressed from all sides”, “persecuted”, and “struck down”, all tough wear and tear on a fragile clay pot.

As a whole, I believe Paul wants us to identify with the humble, temporal, and fragile clay pot. We are only humans, weak and unsightly when compared to the glory of God. We are imperfect; We struggle through many hardships in life, yet there is more to the metaphor of the clay pot.

•Clay pots have to be made by the hand of a potter. Clay, in it’s natural form, isn’t shaped to perform tasks. It takes the foresight, time and artistry of the hands of the potter to create a functional vessel. A potter pays special attention as he molds and forms the clay into the desired shape. Every clay pot reveals the plan and design of it’s potter. Our lives are exactly the same. Our very existence speaks of the plan and foresight of The Potter, Almighty God. Our lives reflect his leading and the intervention of His grace. He has brought us through experiences and wrote the story of our life to shape us for his purpose. As the potter creates a clay pot to carry water from a well, so does God create our lives to be used to literally carry the life-changing power of God.
•Clay pots are extremely useful. In the times of the Apostle Paul, clay pottery was used for a multitude of purposes. Water and commodities containers of all sizes as well as clay oil lamps were all necessary to daily life. Paul probably hints at the functionality of clay pots, when he uses this imagery. While it is the contents of our lives, the power of God, that is important, it is exciting to think that Jesus wants to use us to shine his light in darkness. God’s plan is to use his creation, his people, to carry his Message and move in his power.

And this is the powerful thought of 2 Corinthians 4:7: We are, as humans, weak and humble, yet God desires to use us, and use our lives as containers and dispensers of his grace and power. We in ourselves are not super powerful, but the Holy Spirit working inside of us is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. We in ourselves are weak and breakable, but the power of God working in us can withstand any attack. We in ourselves are humble and unadorned, and yet God chooses us to carry the beautiful and precious message of his love to the world.

Cultural Icon turns 75

Yes, it is true. Mickey Mouse has turned 75 years old. Is there a more visible cultural icon than the happy little rodent? I certainly know that most anything that comes around with his ears on it my kids will love. We have spent more happy evenings together as a family financially supporting the mouse than I can count. It is fascinating to me how the imagination of one man, a simple doodle really, can become world industry. What does the image of Mickey Mouse mean to you? What thoughts and feelings do you have when you see him?

As a kid, anything with mouse ears on it was something I could watch. It usually stretched my imagination and was always enjoyable. There weren't too many Disney products that I didn't love as a child. All the animation was great and the Wonderful World of Disney always was a treat. When cable came around and my family started getting the Disney Channel, which mainly consisted of animation shorts, old Disney movies and Wonderful World of Disney reruns at that time, I lived on a steady diet of mouse. When Walt narrated those nature documentary-style programs, I was entranced. It was probably the influence of the Disney Channel that made me so Disney crazy when I was in college in Lakeland, Florida. Once I began going to the parks I was hooked. I loved the design and the artwork. I loved the imagination that goes into the place and I simply couldn't get enough of it. A singing group that I was in would do some holiday singing in the parks and in the resorts and it was always so cool to walk the hidden corridors. Jennifer and I might go so far as to tell you that we fell in love there. (On our first date, we watched the fireworks over Epcot Center and one of our park trips was an unforgetable stormy Sunday at MGM.) Sure, we knew that it was outrageously expensive and mostly a glossy put-on, but we didn't care; Disney World was a place of fairy tales, color and imagination, and we liked how we felt when we were there.

Then there were the years of the Disney Boycott popularity. Spokesmen of the Christian Right began to call attention to the seedier aspects of the Disney Juggernaut. The information learned from those years soured the pristine 'we just want to make people happy' image that I had swallowed. I began to realize that Disney, like any other company in the world, wanted to make money. I also came to realize that just because a company makes cartoons and G rated movies doesn't mean they are 'pure' and not involved in any other morally forbidden behavior. My disenchantment with Disney was short lived as it was soon overcome by anger at the whistle blowers who tried to make me believe that hidden words and animated characters were going to turn my children into homosexuals. In the secret of our living room away from the watchdogs, we watched the Lion King, Alladin, Hercules, Pocohontas and every other fairy tale hero the Disney animators could throw at us. In spite of the 'christian' thing to do, we watched the shows, bought the videos and even visited the park. All because of the enjoyment the entertainment and all its accompanying merchandise brought us. Some voices against the boycott were out there, but they were definitely the minority among evagelicals for a few years. The Boycott, which still exists in some form, has lost most of its original impetus, and in my estimation did not bring the empire to its mouse knees.

Which brings us to now. If I honestly look at my family's life, I must admit that Disney impacts us on a daily basis. From Rolie Polie Olie to Out of the Box, my children are into Disney educational shows. We watch the movies, buy the DVD's and play the video games. Over the past few years, My wife and I have been introduced to Disney Channel original programs, which in my opinion shape pre-teen culture in America more than anything else. If you don't know who Shia LaBeouf is, you should tune in. Raven Symone and Hilary Duff's shows are the Father Knows Best, the Andy Griffith Show, and the Happy Days of today; And when your 4 four old sings, "Call me, beep me, if you wanna reach me", you better know who Kim Possible is.

We are, of course, keenly aware that we don't want our progeny following the life path of the mousketeers set in front of them, and that the content coming from the Mouse is not always innocent. We know that and we push to make sure that our children know it as well. While living our lives as followers of Christ we would not support everything produced from the Disney empire, but we wouldn't support everything TBN puts out either, but we have chosen not to boycott Paul and Jan this year. We don't support immorality and we have to filter junk sometimes, but you know what? I like watching Even Stevens with my kids, and I'm not ashamed to admit it! I like watching them pretend to be the skaters, race car drivers, dancers and rock and rollers they see courtesy of the mouse. Einstein is quoted as having said, "If you want to make your child a genius, read them fairy tales."

I guess the point that I am trying to make is that for 75 years Mickey Mouse has been impacting the culture of our world. It seems to me that Disney has an imagination monopoly in children's media today. Congratulations Walt, and Happy Birthday Mickey!

Congratulations to Daniel and Sharon Baker, a couple of great thinkers, on the birth of their new daughter, Trinity Eden. Thank God for a new life. Jen and I pray for her to have a life overshadowed by the wing of Almighty God.

Yaconelli Memorial





Please check out the Youth Specialties Mike Yaconelli Memorial site.

It is a great tribute to a great life. It is also a great place to hear a little of Yaconelli's approach through the words of those who eulogize him.

A Better World
Oscar Romero

Youth: ponder how we are all called to goodness,
and how the older generation – my own, I regret –
has left you a legacy of so much selfishness
and so much evil.

You are new wheat – a newly sown crop –
You are a field still fresh from God’s hand.
Children, youth: make a better world.

~Core to everything that Jen and I do is this belief that young people can make a better world. Why not purposefully live for the children? Why not invest all you have to develop young lives? Programs and structures that we construct might last a long time if they are exceptionally strong, but young lives that are cultivated, mature and seed and grow again. I pray that God will allow me to be involved in what he is planting and watering for the future.

Looking after the 'Little Ones'

In Matthew 18:10 Jesus says, "Beware that you don't despise a single one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father." Jesus was most likely referring directly to the child that was standing there in front of his disciples (Matthew 18:2). Also, without taking away from the obvious meaning, many would also believe that he spoke not only of children but of those new or immature in faith: the 'child-like' believer. As I listen to the words of Jesus, my mind quickly moves to what I believe are the important questions to ask, if I intend to do as he has said.

Who are the 'little ones' Jesus speaks of in my world? Presently today around me, who would qualify as a 'child' or 'child-like' or 'immature'? Certainly my first thoughts go to my own children. In an all-out life-effort to look after them I will teach them to walk with God; I will love and correct them. But I also want to take care that my actions do not nullify my words with them.

But I find that it is esy to look after my own little ones. The problem comes when my time or energy is required to look after those 'little ones' that I am not directly responsible for. The poor, the underprivileged and the elderly all qualify as 'little ones' to me. And what about the rowdy immature Christian, doesn't he qualify? What about that teenager who brings nothing but strife to my peaceful world, I am sure that he qualifies. I say it again, I want to look out for the 'little ones.'

A 'Pricey' Gospel

130 years ago, Missionary Thomas Baker was killed and subsequently eaten by cannibals in the remote village of Nabutautau , Fiji. He joined the thousands of Christian martyrs who have over the centuries given the ultimate sacrifice for their faith. Open Doors and their youth movement The Underground continues to call our attention to those Christians who are presently being persecuted all over the world. It strikes me again this morning that sometimes it is pretty costly to follow Christ.

No, not for us who live in the age of Time-Life worship music collections and in a nation with 24 hour Christian entertainment options. No, for us there is measured ease and maybe even social advantage in being outwardly 'Christian'. I fear the possibility of there not being enough to eat after Sunday Morning Service rather than being eaten after Sunday Morning service.

Not to say that to be ultimately committed to Christ you have to give the ultimate sacrifice, but I wonder where I stand in my commitment to the gospel. How much am I willing to pay for what I believe to be true? I'd like to think that I'd give everything, but how can I test that or see evidence of that type of commitment in my easy life? Living all out for the gospel can be 'pricey' at times, I'm not sure that I have enough in my soul's checkbook to cover it.

This is a picture of the funny face that Zoe has been making the past few days. We don't know what got her started but she does this now in attempts to be funny and make us laugh. Obviously, we laugh hard. She shows off her teeth and raises her eyebrows and we just think that it is the sweetest!