OUR CAMPERS ESCAPE FIRE
(Friday) We had a group of seven backpackers from Cornerstone up at Ostrander Lake in Yosemite this week. The past couple of days they observed the fires from a distance but woke-up this morning surrounded by smoke. They packed up and hoofed it out, passing streams of incoming fire equipment on the service road to the highway. Tim Wilson has posted his pictures -- including a few which show distant smoke and one of a helicopter scoping water from the lake. I suspect that Dan will eventually have something to add to the story. He was leading the trip.
Thursday, July 15
CHURCH DOGMATICS
(Thursday) CBD has the new paperback collection of Karl Barth's Church Dogmatics for $280 (At least that is what the catalog that came in the mail today says. It seems to be $300 on the website.). That's less than what I paid for the hardbacks 20 years ago. Even if you're not a "Barthian" (I'm not) his perspective his helpful and his extensive footnotes provide a lot of historical theological background -- worth the price of the books in and of themselves.
Karl Barth was the most influential theologian of the 20th century. Much of the theological work of the last century was done either in reaction to him or to tweak his ideas.
(Thursday) CBD has the new paperback collection of Karl Barth's Church Dogmatics for $280 (At least that is what the catalog that came in the mail today says. It seems to be $300 on the website.). That's less than what I paid for the hardbacks 20 years ago. Even if you're not a "Barthian" (I'm not) his perspective his helpful and his extensive footnotes provide a lot of historical theological background -- worth the price of the books in and of themselves.
Karl Barth was the most influential theologian of the 20th century. Much of the theological work of the last century was done either in reaction to him or to tweak his ideas.
BLOGGER GOES WYSIWYG
(Thursday) How am I going to keep my html skills sharp now that blogger has simplified the format? They've been having trouble with the actual publishing of blogs for the past few days. And today I can't get the spel chcek to work. But I'm sure they'll get it under control -- eventually.
UPDATE: The problem seems to be a compatibility issue with the Mozilla Firefox browser (and they are aware of it). It works fine with Internet Explorer -- although the formatting in a lot of my previous posts is screwed up. Progress.
(Thursday) How am I going to keep my html skills sharp now that blogger has simplified the format? They've been having trouble with the actual publishing of blogs for the past few days. And today I can't get the spel chcek to work. But I'm sure they'll get it under control -- eventually.
UPDATE: The problem seems to be a compatibility issue with the Mozilla Firefox browser (and they are aware of it). It works fine with Internet Explorer -- although the formatting in a lot of my previous posts is screwed up. Progress.
ALT. CHURCHES
(Thursday) Charles Colson thinks that the "emerging churches" are making the same mistake the boomer churches have made. They are reinventing the church in their own image. "There’s something else that both alt and seeker-driven churches often have in common: Their goals are to create a model church that conforms to the individual’s needs and expectations, rather than the other way around. In other words, people demand a church that will tell them what’s in it for them."
He's right -- on all accounts. We all need to plead guilty on this one.
(Thursday) Charles Colson thinks that the "emerging churches" are making the same mistake the boomer churches have made. They are reinventing the church in their own image. "There’s something else that both alt and seeker-driven churches often have in common: Their goals are to create a model church that conforms to the individual’s needs and expectations, rather than the other way around. In other words, people demand a church that will tell them what’s in it for them."
He's right -- on all accounts. We all need to plead guilty on this one.
Wednesday, July 14
CELL PHONE SUGGESTIONS?
(Wednesday) My cell phone contract is up in two weeks and I'm looking around to see what's the current best deal. Right now I am with Verizon ($40/month for 300 min month, no charge for long distance, no charge for after 8 p.m. night and week-end calls) and have been for probably 8 years (or at least with one of the companies that was folded into Verizon). The service is pretty good. My phone is getting pretty worn and I would like to replace it but it would cost me about $120 to do so with a one year contract and about $70 with a two-year contract. (Whatever happened to free phones?)
I've tried some of the comparison sites but they can't really tell me who currently has the best coverage in the area. Nor do they tell me where the big gaps are in national service.
So, I'm wondering if anyone has suggestions on companies or rate plans. As best I can tell the choices for the Central Valley of California (my zip code in 95380) are AT&T, Verizon, Cingular, T-Mobile, and Nextel. Any other ideas?
(Wednesday) My cell phone contract is up in two weeks and I'm looking around to see what's the current best deal. Right now I am with Verizon ($40/month for 300 min month, no charge for long distance, no charge for after 8 p.m. night and week-end calls) and have been for probably 8 years (or at least with one of the companies that was folded into Verizon). The service is pretty good. My phone is getting pretty worn and I would like to replace it but it would cost me about $120 to do so with a one year contract and about $70 with a two-year contract. (Whatever happened to free phones?)
I've tried some of the comparison sites but they can't really tell me who currently has the best coverage in the area. Nor do they tell me where the big gaps are in national service.
So, I'm wondering if anyone has suggestions on companies or rate plans. As best I can tell the choices for the Central Valley of California (my zip code in 95380) are AT&T, Verizon, Cingular, T-Mobile, and Nextel. Any other ideas?
Tuesday, July 13
THE PROBLEM WITH ORTHODOXY...
(Tuesday) that is, Eastern Orthodoxy, is that it isn't catholic enough, observes the Pontificator. On a whole, the Eastern church has done a poor job of listening to anything that has been said in the West -- just because it was said in the West. Thus fathers such as St Ambrose and St Augustine aren't given their due. Orthodox theologian David Hart agrees, "...the effects have been disastrous in the long run, not only for the Orthodox understanding of the West, but for the Orthodox understanding of Orthodoxy. It will take time to undo the damage."
(Tuesday) that is, Eastern Orthodoxy, is that it isn't catholic enough, observes the Pontificator. On a whole, the Eastern church has done a poor job of listening to anything that has been said in the West -- just because it was said in the West. Thus fathers such as St Ambrose and St Augustine aren't given their due. Orthodox theologian David Hart agrees, "...the effects have been disastrous in the long run, not only for the Orthodox understanding of the West, but for the Orthodox understanding of Orthodoxy. It will take time to undo the damage."
HOUSING COSTS
(Tuesday) "Los Angeles County home prices posted their biggest increase in at least 15 years in June as the median surged 32.3% to a record $414,000, according to data released Monday." Link to LA Times article
And I thought that housing prices in Stanislaus County were out of control.
(Tuesday) "Los Angeles County home prices posted their biggest increase in at least 15 years in June as the median surged 32.3% to a record $414,000, according to data released Monday." Link to LA Times article
And I thought that housing prices in Stanislaus County were out of control.
CALIFORNIA WAS DEBT-FREE ONCE, TOO
(Tuesday) We even had an excess. But then came the energy crisis, some spend happy legislators, and now we're in the hole.
Congratulations to Alberta which has dug out of its $23 billion hole. Link
(Tuesday) We even had an excess. But then came the energy crisis, some spend happy legislators, and now we're in the hole.
Congratulations to Alberta which has dug out of its $23 billion hole. Link
Monday, July 12
CROOK-NECK SQUASH
(Monday) Someone brought a lot of garden squash to church yesterday. (Thank you, whoever you are!) I took home what was left at the end. And tonight we sliced them in half (the long way), brushed them with Italian dressing, and put them on the barbecue grill -- a first for us. They are now on my "let's do that again" list.
(Monday) Someone brought a lot of garden squash to church yesterday. (Thank you, whoever you are!) I took home what was left at the end. And tonight we sliced them in half (the long way), brushed them with Italian dressing, and put them on the barbecue grill -- a first for us. They are now on my "let's do that again" list.
CAMINO MERCED
(Monday) Four or five years ago I began to develop a plan for starting a new church in Merced, the community which is about 25 miles south of Turlock (where I live) -- another one of my "spare time" projects. I had some good contacts -- but none of them gelled and I let the idea rest for awhile -- not God's timing.
Over the pass few months I've once again had several opportunities to spend a little time in Merced. The place is just popping with new houses and the new University of California Merced campus is scheduled to open in 2005. This is a unique situation where a small under-churched ag-based city (pop. 70,000), with high unemployment (14%), an incredibly diverse ethnic mix (39% Hispanic, 21% Asian, 7% Black, 57% white) is converging with some of the brightest people in California. This would be a great chance to model multi-cultural socially-diverse ministry. I'm not sure that I'm the best person for that assignment but I'm just up the road and it seems like I need to pull that interest forward off the back burner -- one more thing to do in my spare time. (I'm the kind of person who needs to be going in dozens of different directions at the same time or I don't get anything done.)
Anyone else interested? Got some solid contacts I can follow-up?
I've updated the website I created when I was first working with the idea. It's less than complete but it should convey a little bit of the vision.
(Monday) Four or five years ago I began to develop a plan for starting a new church in Merced, the community which is about 25 miles south of Turlock (where I live) -- another one of my "spare time" projects. I had some good contacts -- but none of them gelled and I let the idea rest for awhile -- not God's timing.
Over the pass few months I've once again had several opportunities to spend a little time in Merced. The place is just popping with new houses and the new University of California Merced campus is scheduled to open in 2005. This is a unique situation where a small under-churched ag-based city (pop. 70,000), with high unemployment (14%), an incredibly diverse ethnic mix (39% Hispanic, 21% Asian, 7% Black, 57% white) is converging with some of the brightest people in California. This would be a great chance to model multi-cultural socially-diverse ministry. I'm not sure that I'm the best person for that assignment but I'm just up the road and it seems like I need to pull that interest forward off the back burner -- one more thing to do in my spare time. (I'm the kind of person who needs to be going in dozens of different directions at the same time or I don't get anything done.)
Anyone else interested? Got some solid contacts I can follow-up?
I've updated the website I created when I was first working with the idea. It's less than complete but it should convey a little bit of the vision.
Saturday, July 10
MODESTO BEE ARTICLE
(Saturday) This morning's Modesto Bee has a long article about churches using the Internet. Cornerstone is featured up front and both Dan and I are quoted quite a bit. Amy White, the writer, did a good job of pulling together a long rambling conversation (on my part) and capturing the essence of the discussion.
(Saturday) This morning's Modesto Bee has a long article about churches using the Internet. Cornerstone is featured up front and both Dan and I are quoted quite a bit. Amy White, the writer, did a good job of pulling together a long rambling conversation (on my part) and capturing the essence of the discussion.
Friday, July 9
THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION FOR THE MASSES
(Friday) There is chatter on the degreeinfo.com (distance learning) forum about NationsUniversity -- an open university (delivery by post or Internet) aiming to provide quality theological education mostly to people in the emerging world. It's not accredited. But it looks rigorous enough to be useful -- and the price is right.
(Friday) There is chatter on the degreeinfo.com (distance learning) forum about NationsUniversity -- an open university (delivery by post or Internet) aiming to provide quality theological education mostly to people in the emerging world. It's not accredited. But it looks rigorous enough to be useful -- and the price is right.
NAZARETH LUTHERAN
(Friday) Dan and I spent some time yesterday with Michael Mechsner, the new pastor at Nazareth Lutheran Church in Turlock. After talking with Michael I'm more optimistic about the future of this small struggling congregation than ever before. The church was organized in 1912 and has a nice old building in an older part of town. But they've been trying to move north for several years. They have property and have begun construction on a site just up the street from Cornerstone.
(Friday) Dan and I spent some time yesterday with Michael Mechsner, the new pastor at Nazareth Lutheran Church in Turlock. After talking with Michael I'm more optimistic about the future of this small struggling congregation than ever before. The church was organized in 1912 and has a nice old building in an older part of town. But they've been trying to move north for several years. They have property and have begun construction on a site just up the street from Cornerstone.
Wednesday, July 7
UNCLAIMED PROPERTY
(Wednesday) I was doing a search of the family name at missingmoney.com and discovered that the State of Arizona has some unclaimed property that they owe to my cousin Peter. I sent him email with the details of his fortune.
The missingmoney.com system will only search through the databases of 15 states or so. However, if you enter a state which isn't included in the system their report comes back with a link to that state's unclaimed property site.
And it's all very free.
(Wednesday) I was doing a search of the family name at missingmoney.com and discovered that the State of Arizona has some unclaimed property that they owe to my cousin Peter. I sent him email with the details of his fortune.
The missingmoney.com system will only search through the databases of 15 states or so. However, if you enter a state which isn't included in the system their report comes back with a link to that state's unclaimed property site.
And it's all very free.
WOMEN'S MINISTRY
(Wednesday) Frederica Mathewes-Green isn't big on women's ministries -- for all the right reasons. But I suspect that her familiarity is limited to just a couple of styles.
(Wednesday) Frederica Mathewes-Green isn't big on women's ministries -- for all the right reasons. But I suspect that her familiarity is limited to just a couple of styles.
Tuesday, July 6
AMAZING STORIES
(Tuesday) Pastor Dan Scott of the Valley Cathedral in Phoenix has been "blogging" about his wife Trish's recovery from a brain aneurysm. His entry from Saturday was particularly moving. He weaves into the story a funeral recollection of the violinist Bob Dimon.
I've never met Dan or Trish but they are in my prayers.
(Tuesday) Pastor Dan Scott of the Valley Cathedral in Phoenix has been "blogging" about his wife Trish's recovery from a brain aneurysm. His entry from Saturday was particularly moving. He weaves into the story a funeral recollection of the violinist Bob Dimon.
I've never met Dan or Trish but they are in my prayers.
DAY OFF
(Tuesday) Cheryl and I made key lime pie tonight -- yumm... I noticed while out cutting the lawn and pruning in the back today that three or four more key limes have germinated. However, I don't think we'll be able to raise them to maturity in this cold climate (It was 101 yesterday and 95 today. But we get too many frost days in winter to sustain key limes without a lot of tender loving care). I'll give it a shot, though... Cheryl spent a lot of the day trying to slay bureaucratic lions related to a couple of insurance issues. I don't know how people survive without a super smart wife with chutzpah... Kent is excited because the ESPN all-poker channel is showing a new series of matches. What he sees in that I don't know. But he is a working man putting in his 40+ hours with Gibbs Maintenance so I'll cut him some slack... Kirk is still trying to figure out the details for Argentina. He did find out that his host is a 70-something non-smoking woman who lives not-too-far from the university, There are also a bunch of other American students in the same program on his flight... Betsy has been enjoying sleeping in.
(Tuesday) Cheryl and I made key lime pie tonight -- yumm... I noticed while out cutting the lawn and pruning in the back today that three or four more key limes have germinated. However, I don't think we'll be able to raise them to maturity in this cold climate (It was 101 yesterday and 95 today. But we get too many frost days in winter to sustain key limes without a lot of tender loving care). I'll give it a shot, though... Cheryl spent a lot of the day trying to slay bureaucratic lions related to a couple of insurance issues. I don't know how people survive without a super smart wife with chutzpah... Kent is excited because the ESPN all-poker channel is showing a new series of matches. What he sees in that I don't know. But he is a working man putting in his 40+ hours with Gibbs Maintenance so I'll cut him some slack... Kirk is still trying to figure out the details for Argentina. He did find out that his host is a 70-something non-smoking woman who lives not-too-far from the university, There are also a bunch of other American students in the same program on his flight... Betsy has been enjoying sleeping in.
Monday, July 5
GETTING READY FOR ARGENTINA
(Monday) Kirk is suppose to leave for Argentina in two weeks to do a semester abroad at Universidad de Belgrano in Buenos Aires. But he is having trouble getting all his ducks lined up for the student visa. The requirements are pretty fluid and new ones keep surfacing. He has to show up in person at the consulate in Los Angeles to actually get the visa -- supposidly this Thursday. (This is the Western states consulate. Even if you live in Alaska you have to travel in person to Los Angeles to get the visa). It all makes me much more appreciative of American-style government bureaucracy -- and it explains why Argentina is such an economic mess.
(Monday) Kirk is suppose to leave for Argentina in two weeks to do a semester abroad at Universidad de Belgrano in Buenos Aires. But he is having trouble getting all his ducks lined up for the student visa. The requirements are pretty fluid and new ones keep surfacing. He has to show up in person at the consulate in Los Angeles to actually get the visa -- supposidly this Thursday. (This is the Western states consulate. Even if you live in Alaska you have to travel in person to Los Angeles to get the visa). It all makes me much more appreciative of American-style government bureaucracy -- and it explains why Argentina is such an economic mess.
USEFUL
(Monday) A Japanese designer has come up with an improvement on the electrical plug. At the very least it looks cool. Link
(Monday) A Japanese designer has come up with an improvement on the electrical plug. At the very least it looks cool. Link
Sunday, July 4
GOOD THINGS
(Sunday) We had two fabulous outreach oriented events this past week. Our Vacation Bible School was probably the best that I've ever had part in. God brought together a wonderful group of children, leaders, and a great curriculum. And even though it was the 4th we had two VBS families visit Cornerstone this morning. (Three quarters of the regulars were gone but we had visitors!)
Then this evening we had our annual July 4th picnic and fireworks show. Since we're just down the block from Cal State University Stanislaus, where the community fireworks show happens, we've been setting up the grills and inviting people to hang-out together and then watch the fireworks. The Indian-speaking church which meets in our building joined us for the first time -- which was fun.
Recently we've had quite a few more non-Anglo participants (mostly Hispanics and Assyrians) in the life of the church -- the mix of which makes things look a little more like a slice of heaven.
It was a warm 4th (mid-90's) but cooled off enough this evening to make things quite comfortable. The heat has helped the garden. The tomatoes are ripening nicely. And I've had another mango and another key lime germinate this week.
(Sunday) We had two fabulous outreach oriented events this past week. Our Vacation Bible School was probably the best that I've ever had part in. God brought together a wonderful group of children, leaders, and a great curriculum. And even though it was the 4th we had two VBS families visit Cornerstone this morning. (Three quarters of the regulars were gone but we had visitors!)
Then this evening we had our annual July 4th picnic and fireworks show. Since we're just down the block from Cal State University Stanislaus, where the community fireworks show happens, we've been setting up the grills and inviting people to hang-out together and then watch the fireworks. The Indian-speaking church which meets in our building joined us for the first time -- which was fun.
Recently we've had quite a few more non-Anglo participants (mostly Hispanics and Assyrians) in the life of the church -- the mix of which makes things look a little more like a slice of heaven.
It was a warm 4th (mid-90's) but cooled off enough this evening to make things quite comfortable. The heat has helped the garden. The tomatoes are ripening nicely. And I've had another mango and another key lime germinate this week.
Saturday, July 3
LINEA POSTING FROM CONGO
(Saturday) Linea has returned to the Congo for a few weeks and is posting about her trip -- with the help of Randall.
(Saturday) Linea has returned to the Congo for a few weeks and is posting about her trip -- with the help of Randall.
DALLAS WILLARD ISN'T AN OPTIMIST...
(Saturday) when it comes to the effects of postmodernism -- loss of moral knowledge, hedonism, hyper-individualism... Link
(Saturday) when it comes to the effects of postmodernism -- loss of moral knowledge, hedonism, hyper-individualism... Link
Friday, July 2
MOZILLA FIREFOX
(Friday) Now that I figured out that there is a program that mimics the google toolbar I'm 100% more satisfied with Firefox.
(Friday) Now that I figured out that there is a program that mimics the google toolbar I'm 100% more satisfied with Firefox.
Thursday, July 1
WEARINESS
(Thursday) The week has been hectic. Vacation Bible School started Sunday evening and we concluded this evening... Our biggest and most together, yet... Outstanding combination of kids and adults (130 kids -- 40+ adult and youth helpers)...
We're having a little trouble with the server which manages the Covnet and Abet lists. If you're on either of those lists please be patient...
(Thursday) The week has been hectic. Vacation Bible School started Sunday evening and we concluded this evening... Our biggest and most together, yet... Outstanding combination of kids and adults (130 kids -- 40+ adult and youth helpers)...
We're having a little trouble with the server which manages the Covnet and Abet lists. If you're on either of those lists please be patient...
PATRIOTIC SONGS IN WORSHIP
(Thursday) It happens every year -- more so in the years when Independence Day falls close to a Sunday -- or even on Sunday, as is the case this year. Someone gets upset because we don't sing patriotic songs during worship. It's seen as a slap in the face of America -- an insult. Some people, I'm sure, think that I'm not very patriotic.
And I try to reassure people that such isn't at all the case. I love America. We as a church appreciate the liberties that we enjoy. We are supportive of our nation and pray weekly for those in public office -- especially the president. We pray for the safety of soldiers and sailors.
However, the problem with patriotic music is that it is -- well, patriotic. By definition it is about country and singing the praises of this great place where we live. In contrast Christian worship by definition is about God and singing the praises of the Creator and Redeemer. It's not that we dislike patriotic music. It's just that it's not appropriate for what we're doing when we gather to worship because it's not really about God. It's about country. And that shifts the focus from where it needs to be during those few short minutes that we give to collective worship.
Even the patriotic music which actually mentions God isn't really about God. It's about country and invokes the name of God to exalt country.
God Bless America.
Land that I love
Stand beside her, and guide her
Thru the night with a light from above.
From the mountains, to the prairies,
To the oceans, white with foam
God bless America
My home sweet home.
I'm still trying to figure out when some churches started to use patriotic music during their worship. It has got to be a fairly recent phenomena (the last 100 years?). And as far as I can tell it's only an American thing. Canadians won't sing "O, Canada" this Sunday (BTW, happy Canada Day, today). The Brits don't ever replace "O Worship the King" with "God Save the Queen."
The United States is a great place. Patriotism is generally a good thing. And patriotic songs should be sung. But not when we've come together for the purpose of honoring God.
(Thursday) It happens every year -- more so in the years when Independence Day falls close to a Sunday -- or even on Sunday, as is the case this year. Someone gets upset because we don't sing patriotic songs during worship. It's seen as a slap in the face of America -- an insult. Some people, I'm sure, think that I'm not very patriotic.
And I try to reassure people that such isn't at all the case. I love America. We as a church appreciate the liberties that we enjoy. We are supportive of our nation and pray weekly for those in public office -- especially the president. We pray for the safety of soldiers and sailors.
However, the problem with patriotic music is that it is -- well, patriotic. By definition it is about country and singing the praises of this great place where we live. In contrast Christian worship by definition is about God and singing the praises of the Creator and Redeemer. It's not that we dislike patriotic music. It's just that it's not appropriate for what we're doing when we gather to worship because it's not really about God. It's about country. And that shifts the focus from where it needs to be during those few short minutes that we give to collective worship.
Even the patriotic music which actually mentions God isn't really about God. It's about country and invokes the name of God to exalt country.
Land that I love
Stand beside her, and guide her
Thru the night with a light from above.
From the mountains, to the prairies,
To the oceans, white with foam
God bless America
My home sweet home.
I'm still trying to figure out when some churches started to use patriotic music during their worship. It has got to be a fairly recent phenomena (the last 100 years?). And as far as I can tell it's only an American thing. Canadians won't sing "O, Canada" this Sunday (BTW, happy Canada Day, today). The Brits don't ever replace "O Worship the King" with "God Save the Queen."
The United States is a great place. Patriotism is generally a good thing. And patriotic songs should be sung. But not when we've come together for the purpose of honoring God.
Wednesday, June 30
POLLUTION IN THE VALLEY
(Wednesday) The Central Valley of California has the third worst air pollution problem in the country -- right behind LA (where it's better than it was 20 years ago) and Phoenix (where it's worse than it was 20 years ago). About 25% of our smog producing emissions and 50% of the dust and particulates are the result of relatively unrestricted practices in the dairy and farming industry. Tomorrow that all changes. The farmers aren't terribly happy about it but I suspect that deep inside they've known all along that the 21st century would catch up with them. It's a good thing -- even though it will be painful for everyone -- including the consumer who will end up paying more for ag products.
My guess is that the rest of our air problems have to do with local driving and perhaps even more so the industrial drift and smog that blows over from the San Franciso Bay Area. The Valley acts as a catch basin and the further south you go the worse it seems to get (fewer delta breezes to clean things out).
(Wednesday) The Central Valley of California has the third worst air pollution problem in the country -- right behind LA (where it's better than it was 20 years ago) and Phoenix (where it's worse than it was 20 years ago). About 25% of our smog producing emissions and 50% of the dust and particulates are the result of relatively unrestricted practices in the dairy and farming industry. Tomorrow that all changes. The farmers aren't terribly happy about it but I suspect that deep inside they've known all along that the 21st century would catch up with them. It's a good thing -- even though it will be painful for everyone -- including the consumer who will end up paying more for ag products.
My guess is that the rest of our air problems have to do with local driving and perhaps even more so the industrial drift and smog that blows over from the San Franciso Bay Area. The Valley acts as a catch basin and the further south you go the worse it seems to get (fewer delta breezes to clean things out).
Tuesday, June 29
UNDERSTANDING AMERICAN EVANGELICALS
(Tuesday) A conversation with Mark Noll and Jay Tolson provides a really fine introduction to American Evangelicalism.
(Thanks CT weblog)
(Tuesday) A conversation with Mark Noll and Jay Tolson provides a really fine introduction to American Evangelicalism.
(Thanks CT weblog)
Monday, June 28
HISPANICS IN FLORIDA -- NO LONGER JUST CUBANS
(Monday) The whole make-up of Hispanic Florida is dramatically shifting. LA Times article
(Monday) The whole make-up of Hispanic Florida is dramatically shifting. LA Times article
Sunday, June 27
THE WHOLE HOMOSEXUALITY ISSUE II
(Sunday) This is a response to some of the comments that Vera has left in my comment boxes and the Covnet list.
VERA: Sorry, this is an agree to disagree issue for me.
BRAD: You can be sorry. But you're still wrong. :-) And that is not just my opinion but it is the stated opinion of the church -- and has been for 2,000 years.
We've got folk who are otherwise faithful people in our churches who do not believe in the bodily resurrection, the divinity of Christ, or the Virgin birth. And while we're glad to have them in our family these are not issues upon which we "agree to disagree". In other words, just because someone in our church holds a particular perspective that doesn't mean that we accept that perspective as legitimate. Even if there is a group of people holding a perspective that doesn't make it legitimate. And just because we don't spend a lot of time and energy trying to hunt down heterodox belief or behavior doesn't mean that we are agreeing to disagree. The same is true with this issue.
VERA: And for many others who I know personally who attend the Covenant who were not represented at that meeting.
BRAD: Now, that's not really a fair statement. Every church and every perspective in the church had the opportunity for representation. There were people who spoke from a perspective similar to yours. And while the church isn't about to banish them (no one is even keeping a list!) the perspective is clearly out of step with where the Covenant is at and where the church has historically been. The church reaffirmed what it has previously stated.
VERA: I cannot speak for them, I will speak only for myself here. But I think it is important for you to know that I am not alone in my thinking on this issue.
BRAD: I know you're not alone because I get more than my fair share of letters and email -- sometimes oozing anger and hate (I'm not implying that about you). I've been threatened and called names. People suggest that I'm hateful. They tell me I know nothing about the Bible or modern psychological thinking. They imply that I don't really care about people. They tell me that I live under a rock and if I really knew some gays I wouldn't be this way.
And this isn't even an issue that is high on my agenda! I guess it just comes with being in denominational leadership. I've been surprised. At this point there isn't much more that will shock me. Fortunately I have fairly thick skin -- formed through 20 years of pastoral ministry.
VERA: I very much question the biblical references to this issue, just as I questioned the role of women in the church as depicted in the Bible.
BRAD: Robert Cagnon does a good job in dealing with the analogy of women in ministry
http://www.robgagnon.net/articles/homoTheologyMattersArticle.htm
This isn't at all parallel to the issue of women in pastoral ministry where there is strong direct biblical scholarship indicating that women can serve in leadership. The issue has been, how do we balance that with a few passages that have been construed in such a way to suggest that women cannot serve in pastoral leadership? But there is absolutely no biblical evidence to suggest that homosexuality is acceptable in any context -- not one single passage.
There is lots of evidence to the contrary. It is one of the items from the OT levitical code that is reiterated in the New Testament.
There is a short Cagnon article which pretty well summarizes the issue from a biblical and theological perspective. http://www.robgagnon.net/ZenitInterview.htm
BTW, Cagnon teaches at a mainline protestant seminary. He isn't what people would typically call an evangelical and he is certainly not a fundamentalist.
VERA: Obviously, this issue was interpreted differently by the Covenant when they voted to ordain women.
BRAD: The Covenant has ordained women from early on (at least as early as the 1920's -- perhaps earlier). We have never had a rule prohibiting the ordination of women. When we voted in 1976 we simply stated that we're not going to make any rules prohibiting the ordination of women. But, again, this issue has nothing to do with the ordination of women and isn't even a parallel issue.
VERA: There are many references in the Bible that we have chosen to interpret differently than other denominations.
BRAD: Not really. We're not as unique as some people like to state. We have a unique history and ethos but we are well within the mainstream of historical biblical apostolic Nicean Christianity. I'm not sure that there is really an original idea among us. :-)
VERA: For example, Brad, you say that "In regard to the Covenant's "agree to disagree" principle -- that agreement is only in certain areas where faithful Christians have historically had differences of practice..." Are you saying that Catholics are not faithful Christians in your estimation because only men can become priests and those men must remain celibate?
BRAD: I'm not saying or implying that. But I'm missing your point. Perhaps you could flesh this out a bit for me.
VERA: If so, this is an argument full of holes, especially when you read the biblical references that are supposed to be about "homosexuality" in the Bible. We could argue that it says "men lying with..." but not "women lying with women" so there should be differences in respect to gender on this issue, if we wanted to be completely technical.
BRAD: Again, I'm missing the point. I'm just a little dense.
VERA: Let's examine some other issues brought up along with that passage in Leviticus that has been used so much for arguments sake. God also decrees through Moses a few other things (a long list, as you know):
Do not plant your field with two kinds of seed.
Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material.
Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard.
BRAD: Yes, and I've noted that the prohibition regarding homosexual is an issue which is carried over from the OT laws into the NT. The OT prohibition against homosexual practice is bigger than just some rules but it has to do with the way that we were created -- as male and female.
VERA: In the same book, there are rules about rituals after childbirth, skin diseases, and the like. Some things on this list have held up to scrutiny because there are reasons related to emotional or physical health that make them valid in today's society. Others, as we read them today, we consider to be ridiculous. We point to them as beliefs anchored in a lack of good information or the cultural ignorance of those times.
If you have not reached out to and befriended a committed homosexual couple, perhaps you need to. Judge not what you do not know of.
BRAD: I'm am in the thick of it. I don't know how it is that people think that because I read the Bible as condemning homosexual behavior that I don't know, like, or relate well to homosexual people. But even if I were not involved there are lots of things that I judge as unacceptable without having direct knowledge or involvement. And I suspect the same could be said of most of us. 1 Cor. 2:15 says, "The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one." That is, we all, by virtue of our life in Christ, are in the process of fine tuning our crap detectors. In a sense we are called to be judgmental! Jesus was!
But the radical thing about Jesus is that he sat down and ate with the sinners and he loved them and had compassion on them. But this didn't mean that he let them off the hook for their sin. "Go and sin no more..."
VERA: Do not hide behind your ignorance.
BRAD: Are you referring to me personally? Are you saying that I am ignorant about people struggling with this issue?
VERA: This also rests upon the belief that homosexuality is predetermined or a choice. I happen to believe, after having many professional and personal friendships with homosexuals, that this issue is very clear to me as predetermination.
BRAD: Predetermination? Like in a Calvinistic way? Predetermination is different than the concept of orientation.
VERA: One of my friends I have known since we were small children. (I know her whole family.) Do I believe she made a casual choice to live her life this way? Absolutely not. This was not a casual choice, nor driven by a desire to live promiscuously (she has never been). She has been in a committed relationship since she was 21. She is now 43. If she and her partner could have married years ago, they would have. This is in contrast to her oldest brother who has been divorced and married three times within! a Protestant denomination.
BRAD: Even if sexual orientation is innate that does not mean that we need to act on all our sexual impulses. Certainly men have to throttle their sexual impulses when it comes to women. We seem to be wired to want to mate with all kinds of females. We have to learn to set those desires aside.
There is some evidence that some people are predisposed to alcohol abuse. Others are predisposed to violence or dishonesty. Do we bless those activities and say, well that's just the way they are wired? If indeed there is a predisposition toward homosexual behavior the response is analogous to how we deal with other forms of deviancy.
Divorce is always a tragedy and it is clearly not God's design. We do not approve of divorce. However, to throw divorce into this discussion is a red herring.
VERA: If the Covenant does not wish to ordain or marry homosexuals, there is nothing I can do about that on my own. But to imply that we should turn people out of church, to brand them sinners and insist that they break off a committed relationship and change to suit us, is wrong.
BRAD: We are not turning people out. We are simply gently challenging them to "go and sin no more" -- the same as we would do with someone struggling with sinful heterosexual behaviors, or greed, or racism, or dishonesty. It's not about branding anyone. We aren't even the ones who have brought up the issue of homosexuality. We are simply responding to the pressures that modern culture has been placing on us.
And this isn't about pleasing us -- but about what pleases God. If it were left up to me personally I would just say live and let live (I grew up in the 60's and 70's in California!) Frankly, I would be totally happy to say that as long as you don't hurt anyone else what you do in private is your own business. I'd like that a lot. But the word of God compels us differently -- at least if we take it and our responsibility to accurately reflect it seriously.
VERA: As has been said before, "you can safely assume that you've created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all of the same people you do."
BRAD: I don't hate anyone. To disagree isn't the same as hate. To tell someone the truth can be the most loving thing a person could do.
VERA: Think about it.
BRAD: Okay. I will. I'm not sure I have the luxury of not thinking about this issue.
:-)
(Sunday) This is a response to some of the comments that Vera has left in my comment boxes and the Covnet list.
VERA: Sorry, this is an agree to disagree issue for me.
BRAD: You can be sorry. But you're still wrong. :-) And that is not just my opinion but it is the stated opinion of the church -- and has been for 2,000 years.
We've got folk who are otherwise faithful people in our churches who do not believe in the bodily resurrection, the divinity of Christ, or the Virgin birth. And while we're glad to have them in our family these are not issues upon which we "agree to disagree". In other words, just because someone in our church holds a particular perspective that doesn't mean that we accept that perspective as legitimate. Even if there is a group of people holding a perspective that doesn't make it legitimate. And just because we don't spend a lot of time and energy trying to hunt down heterodox belief or behavior doesn't mean that we are agreeing to disagree. The same is true with this issue.
VERA: And for many others who I know personally who attend the Covenant who were not represented at that meeting.
BRAD: Now, that's not really a fair statement. Every church and every perspective in the church had the opportunity for representation. There were people who spoke from a perspective similar to yours. And while the church isn't about to banish them (no one is even keeping a list!) the perspective is clearly out of step with where the Covenant is at and where the church has historically been. The church reaffirmed what it has previously stated.
VERA: I cannot speak for them, I will speak only for myself here. But I think it is important for you to know that I am not alone in my thinking on this issue.
BRAD: I know you're not alone because I get more than my fair share of letters and email -- sometimes oozing anger and hate (I'm not implying that about you). I've been threatened and called names. People suggest that I'm hateful. They tell me I know nothing about the Bible or modern psychological thinking. They imply that I don't really care about people. They tell me that I live under a rock and if I really knew some gays I wouldn't be this way.
And this isn't even an issue that is high on my agenda! I guess it just comes with being in denominational leadership. I've been surprised. At this point there isn't much more that will shock me. Fortunately I have fairly thick skin -- formed through 20 years of pastoral ministry.
VERA: I very much question the biblical references to this issue, just as I questioned the role of women in the church as depicted in the Bible.
BRAD: Robert Cagnon does a good job in dealing with the analogy of women in ministry
http://www.robgagnon.net/articles/homoTheologyMattersArticle.htm
This isn't at all parallel to the issue of women in pastoral ministry where there is strong direct biblical scholarship indicating that women can serve in leadership. The issue has been, how do we balance that with a few passages that have been construed in such a way to suggest that women cannot serve in pastoral leadership? But there is absolutely no biblical evidence to suggest that homosexuality is acceptable in any context -- not one single passage.
There is lots of evidence to the contrary. It is one of the items from the OT levitical code that is reiterated in the New Testament.
There is a short Cagnon article which pretty well summarizes the issue from a biblical and theological perspective. http://www.robgagnon.net/ZenitInterview.htm
BTW, Cagnon teaches at a mainline protestant seminary. He isn't what people would typically call an evangelical and he is certainly not a fundamentalist.
VERA: Obviously, this issue was interpreted differently by the Covenant when they voted to ordain women.
BRAD: The Covenant has ordained women from early on (at least as early as the 1920's -- perhaps earlier). We have never had a rule prohibiting the ordination of women. When we voted in 1976 we simply stated that we're not going to make any rules prohibiting the ordination of women. But, again, this issue has nothing to do with the ordination of women and isn't even a parallel issue.
VERA: There are many references in the Bible that we have chosen to interpret differently than other denominations.
BRAD: Not really. We're not as unique as some people like to state. We have a unique history and ethos but we are well within the mainstream of historical biblical apostolic Nicean Christianity. I'm not sure that there is really an original idea among us. :-)
VERA: For example, Brad, you say that "In regard to the Covenant's "agree to disagree" principle -- that agreement is only in certain areas where faithful Christians have historically had differences of practice..." Are you saying that Catholics are not faithful Christians in your estimation because only men can become priests and those men must remain celibate?
BRAD: I'm not saying or implying that. But I'm missing your point. Perhaps you could flesh this out a bit for me.
VERA: If so, this is an argument full of holes, especially when you read the biblical references that are supposed to be about "homosexuality" in the Bible. We could argue that it says "men lying with..." but not "women lying with women" so there should be differences in respect to gender on this issue, if we wanted to be completely technical.
BRAD: Again, I'm missing the point. I'm just a little dense.
VERA: Let's examine some other issues brought up along with that passage in Leviticus that has been used so much for arguments sake. God also decrees through Moses a few other things (a long list, as you know):
Do not plant your field with two kinds of seed.
Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material.
Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard.
BRAD: Yes, and I've noted that the prohibition regarding homosexual is an issue which is carried over from the OT laws into the NT. The OT prohibition against homosexual practice is bigger than just some rules but it has to do with the way that we were created -- as male and female.
VERA: In the same book, there are rules about rituals after childbirth, skin diseases, and the like. Some things on this list have held up to scrutiny because there are reasons related to emotional or physical health that make them valid in today's society. Others, as we read them today, we consider to be ridiculous. We point to them as beliefs anchored in a lack of good information or the cultural ignorance of those times.
If you have not reached out to and befriended a committed homosexual couple, perhaps you need to. Judge not what you do not know of.
BRAD: I'm am in the thick of it. I don't know how it is that people think that because I read the Bible as condemning homosexual behavior that I don't know, like, or relate well to homosexual people. But even if I were not involved there are lots of things that I judge as unacceptable without having direct knowledge or involvement. And I suspect the same could be said of most of us. 1 Cor. 2:15 says, "The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one." That is, we all, by virtue of our life in Christ, are in the process of fine tuning our crap detectors. In a sense we are called to be judgmental! Jesus was!
But the radical thing about Jesus is that he sat down and ate with the sinners and he loved them and had compassion on them. But this didn't mean that he let them off the hook for their sin. "Go and sin no more..."
VERA: Do not hide behind your ignorance.
BRAD: Are you referring to me personally? Are you saying that I am ignorant about people struggling with this issue?
VERA: This also rests upon the belief that homosexuality is predetermined or a choice. I happen to believe, after having many professional and personal friendships with homosexuals, that this issue is very clear to me as predetermination.
BRAD: Predetermination? Like in a Calvinistic way? Predetermination is different than the concept of orientation.
VERA: One of my friends I have known since we were small children. (I know her whole family.) Do I believe she made a casual choice to live her life this way? Absolutely not. This was not a casual choice, nor driven by a desire to live promiscuously (she has never been). She has been in a committed relationship since she was 21. She is now 43. If she and her partner could have married years ago, they would have. This is in contrast to her oldest brother who has been divorced and married three times within! a Protestant denomination.
BRAD: Even if sexual orientation is innate that does not mean that we need to act on all our sexual impulses. Certainly men have to throttle their sexual impulses when it comes to women. We seem to be wired to want to mate with all kinds of females. We have to learn to set those desires aside.
There is some evidence that some people are predisposed to alcohol abuse. Others are predisposed to violence or dishonesty. Do we bless those activities and say, well that's just the way they are wired? If indeed there is a predisposition toward homosexual behavior the response is analogous to how we deal with other forms of deviancy.
Divorce is always a tragedy and it is clearly not God's design. We do not approve of divorce. However, to throw divorce into this discussion is a red herring.
VERA: If the Covenant does not wish to ordain or marry homosexuals, there is nothing I can do about that on my own. But to imply that we should turn people out of church, to brand them sinners and insist that they break off a committed relationship and change to suit us, is wrong.
BRAD: We are not turning people out. We are simply gently challenging them to "go and sin no more" -- the same as we would do with someone struggling with sinful heterosexual behaviors, or greed, or racism, or dishonesty. It's not about branding anyone. We aren't even the ones who have brought up the issue of homosexuality. We are simply responding to the pressures that modern culture has been placing on us.
And this isn't about pleasing us -- but about what pleases God. If it were left up to me personally I would just say live and let live (I grew up in the 60's and 70's in California!) Frankly, I would be totally happy to say that as long as you don't hurt anyone else what you do in private is your own business. I'd like that a lot. But the word of God compels us differently -- at least if we take it and our responsibility to accurately reflect it seriously.
VERA: As has been said before, "you can safely assume that you've created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all of the same people you do."
BRAD: I don't hate anyone. To disagree isn't the same as hate. To tell someone the truth can be the most loving thing a person could do.
VERA: Think about it.
BRAD: Okay. I will. I'm not sure I have the luxury of not thinking about this issue.
:-)
A WALK ON THE BEACH
(Sunday) Cheryl and I drove to San Diego to pick Kirk up from school. We got there a little early so we could see the skits that he and the other orientation leaders had put together for new UCSD students. Then while he had a meeting we went for a walk on the beach. It was a long drive for 45 minutes of beach time. But it was worth it. The June gloom had pretty much burned off and the water is warming up. It was a beautiful day.
We got home a little before midnight last night.
(Sunday) Cheryl and I drove to San Diego to pick Kirk up from school. We got there a little early so we could see the skits that he and the other orientation leaders had put together for new UCSD students. Then while he had a meeting we went for a walk on the beach. It was a long drive for 45 minutes of beach time. But it was worth it. The June gloom had pretty much burned off and the water is warming up. It was a beautiful day.
We got home a little before midnight last night.
CALIFORNIA HOUSING PRICES
(Sunday) Californians are selling their homes and moving to places where they can live like kings with the profits. Link to LA Times article
Rudy has his thoughts on the issue.
(Sunday) Californians are selling their homes and moving to places where they can live like kings with the profits. Link to LA Times article
Rudy has his thoughts on the issue.
THE WHOLE HOMOSEXUALITY ISSUE
(Sunday) Someone has posted comments on the story about St Barnabas Church in Austin. The commenter implies that these are fundamentalists and that if the church really comes into the Covenant they need to make sure that they understand our commitment to "agree to disagree."
I want to suggest that the commenter has a fundamental misunderstanding of the Covenant -- and St Barnabas.
St Barnabas is hardly what one might call a "fundamentalist" church -- theologically or culturally. They are low-key civil people who are struggling with the issue of faithfulness to biblical Christianity in the midst of their own denominational crisis. These are humble people. There is no "holier than thou" thinking that I'm aware of.
In regard to the Covenant's "agree to disagree" principle -- that agreement is only in certain areas where faithful Christians have historically had differences of practice (e.g. mode and timing of baptism, understanding of the endtimes timeline). Homosexuality (like heterosexual promiscuity, greed, racism, drunkenness, divisiveness...) is not and never has been one of those "agree to disagree" areas.
We have never made this an issue of crusade but when pressed we have consistently said that homosexual practices of ALL sorts are inconsistent with biblical teaching and the Church's historical practice and understanding.
The 1996 statement on human sexuality makes this clear and the annual meeting of the ECC last week reaffirmed this with just a few dissenting votes. And the few dissenting votes were divided between those who wanted the denomination to be more aggressive in hunting down signs of sin and those who don't think that the Covenant should speak at all on this issue. Where we stand is pretty clear and this is why many evangelical congregations from mainline churches have been moving our direction.
(Sunday) Someone has posted comments on the story about St Barnabas Church in Austin. The commenter implies that these are fundamentalists and that if the church really comes into the Covenant they need to make sure that they understand our commitment to "agree to disagree."
I want to suggest that the commenter has a fundamental misunderstanding of the Covenant -- and St Barnabas.
St Barnabas is hardly what one might call a "fundamentalist" church -- theologically or culturally. They are low-key civil people who are struggling with the issue of faithfulness to biblical Christianity in the midst of their own denominational crisis. These are humble people. There is no "holier than thou" thinking that I'm aware of.
In regard to the Covenant's "agree to disagree" principle -- that agreement is only in certain areas where faithful Christians have historically had differences of practice (e.g. mode and timing of baptism, understanding of the endtimes timeline). Homosexuality (like heterosexual promiscuity, greed, racism, drunkenness, divisiveness...) is not and never has been one of those "agree to disagree" areas.
We have never made this an issue of crusade but when pressed we have consistently said that homosexual practices of ALL sorts are inconsistent with biblical teaching and the Church's historical practice and understanding.
The 1996 statement on human sexuality makes this clear and the annual meeting of the ECC last week reaffirmed this with just a few dissenting votes. And the few dissenting votes were divided between those who wanted the denomination to be more aggressive in hunting down signs of sin and those who don't think that the Covenant should speak at all on this issue. Where we stand is pretty clear and this is why many evangelical congregations from mainline churches have been moving our direction.
Friday, June 25
JAMBA LIME
(Friday) When I went home for lunch Betsy greeted me with the news that Jamba Juice has introduced a new line of lime drinks. Of course, I had to stop there on the way back to the office. They gave me a sample of "Lime It Up" and I bought an "Endless Lime." I can't decide which is better. But I know that their "Mango-A-Go-Go" now has some competition.
(Friday) When I went home for lunch Betsy greeted me with the news that Jamba Juice has introduced a new line of lime drinks. Of course, I had to stop there on the way back to the office. They gave me a sample of "Lime It Up" and I bought an "Endless Lime." I can't decide which is better. But I know that their "Mango-A-Go-Go" now has some competition.
Thursday, June 24
HOME AT LAST
(Thursday) Cheryl picked me up at the airport in San Jose and we finally got home at about 12:30 this morning.
This morning I could see that the kids had done a good job taking care of the yard while I was gone. We have some huge tomatoes. Tomatillos are about to take over a quarter of the universe. One of the key lime seeds I planted has sprouted -- AND an even more wonderful surprise -- one of the mango seeds I planted has sprouted and is now about 4 inches tall. This is the first mango I've been able to germinate.
(Thursday) Cheryl picked me up at the airport in San Jose and we finally got home at about 12:30 this morning.
This morning I could see that the kids had done a good job taking care of the yard while I was gone. We have some huge tomatoes. Tomatillos are about to take over a quarter of the universe. One of the key lime seeds I planted has sprouted -- AND an even more wonderful surprise -- one of the mango seeds I planted has sprouted and is now about 4 inches tall. This is the first mango I've been able to germinate.
Wednesday, June 23
EPISCOPAL STIRRINGS IN TEXAS
(Wednesday) An Episcopal Church in Austin voted Sunday to leave their denomination and try out the Covenant. I think that's a first.
(Wednesday) An Episcopal Church in Austin voted Sunday to leave their denomination and try out the Covenant. I think that's a first.
HOMEWARD BOUND
(Wednesday) The last few days have been extremely busy with the annual meeting of the Covenant Ministerium, the annual meeting of the ECC, and an ordination service last night. Things have gone well -- more ECC meetings today. I fly home at 7 p.m. tonight. Yeah!
(Wednesday) The last few days have been extremely busy with the annual meeting of the Covenant Ministerium, the annual meeting of the ECC, and an ordination service last night. Things have gone well -- more ECC meetings today. I fly home at 7 p.m. tonight. Yeah!
Sunday, June 20
THE SANCTUARY
(Sunday) This morning I attended the service at The Sanctuary Covenant Church, an 1 1/2 year-old congregation that meets in a high school theater.
It was an interesting experience. I wouldn't be surprised if all the band members were professionals -- the drummer and electric guitar player were awesome. The pastor, Efrem Smith, is an enthusiastic preacher who morphs between vocal entertainer, stand-up comedian, story-teller, and black preacher.
The service itself was a hybrid between Willow Creek, rock concert, African-American revival, and racial reconciliation rally. About half the congregation was white and half black. The energy level was definitely black. Transcendence and mystery were noticeably absent. Even the music was "I" "I" "I"...
There were about 300 people present. Although, I only counted about 100 when the service started at 10:30. Two-thirds of the congregation drifted in during the first half-hour. I suppose when the service goes nearly two hours no one feels like they're really missing out on much when they miss the first 30 minutes. The people were warm and accepting. If they had the facilities I suspect that The Sanctuary would quickly jump to megachurch status.
(Sunday) This morning I attended the service at The Sanctuary Covenant Church, an 1 1/2 year-old congregation that meets in a high school theater.
It was an interesting experience. I wouldn't be surprised if all the band members were professionals -- the drummer and electric guitar player were awesome. The pastor, Efrem Smith, is an enthusiastic preacher who morphs between vocal entertainer, stand-up comedian, story-teller, and black preacher.
The service itself was a hybrid between Willow Creek, rock concert, African-American revival, and racial reconciliation rally. About half the congregation was white and half black. The energy level was definitely black. Transcendence and mystery were noticeably absent. Even the music was "I" "I" "I"...
There were about 300 people present. Although, I only counted about 100 when the service started at 10:30. Two-thirds of the congregation drifted in during the first half-hour. I suppose when the service goes nearly two hours no one feels like they're really missing out on much when they miss the first 30 minutes. The people were warm and accepting. If they had the facilities I suspect that The Sanctuary would quickly jump to megachurch status.
Saturday, June 19
GOOD NEWS
(Saturday) The Board of the Ordered Ministry interviewed Randall this morning and voted to finish the process of transferring his ordination into the Evangelical Covenant Church. We're blessed to have him.
After the interview Randall and I had lunch together at the Chipolte on Nicolette. It was really fun to talk with face-to-face after knowing him all this time only online.
(Saturday) The Board of the Ordered Ministry interviewed Randall this morning and voted to finish the process of transferring his ordination into the Evangelical Covenant Church. We're blessed to have him.
After the interview Randall and I had lunch together at the Chipolte on Nicolette. It was really fun to talk with face-to-face after knowing him all this time only online.
Friday, June 18
NOT-SO-GOOD NEWS
(Friday) The credibility crisis in the Roman Catholic Church is about to worsen. The Dallas Morning-News is running a series of articles exposing an ongoing pattern of dealing with pedophilia by shifting priests, without supervision, to other countries around the world. Today they are highlighting a priest, a convicted pedofile, who is working with children in Samoa.
(Friday) The credibility crisis in the Roman Catholic Church is about to worsen. The Dallas Morning-News is running a series of articles exposing an ongoing pattern of dealing with pedophilia by shifting priests, without supervision, to other countries around the world. Today they are highlighting a priest, a convicted pedofile, who is working with children in Samoa.
THE STREETS OF MINNEAPOLIS
(Friday) A few observations from my time on the streets of downtown Minneapolis: The Skyway system is cool -- miles and miles of connected walkways meandering through the downtown...
Most people prefer the outside Nicollet pedestrian mall at this time of the year. The place is wall-to-wall people during the daytime. Things seem to close up by 7 or 8. Even Target closes by 8 p.m... After that only the trendy restaurants and bars are open.
While there are a few Somalis out there (some dressed in traditional Islamic garb), and a few Asians (especially yesterday for the Farmers' Market), a few African-Americans, and even fewer Hispanics (I actually heard someone speaking Spanish today) -- on a whole this place is really white compared to Turlock, where people of some kind of color seems to make up half the population (especially among the younger people). And I do mean white -- unsunned. And they all look like people I should know -- from the common Northern European gene pool. Some of them are probably my Scandinavian cousins -- 4 or 5 times removed.
The weather is great -- sun shining -- light breeze -- temps in the mid-60's. Very fine.
(Friday) A few observations from my time on the streets of downtown Minneapolis: The Skyway system is cool -- miles and miles of connected walkways meandering through the downtown...
Most people prefer the outside Nicollet pedestrian mall at this time of the year. The place is wall-to-wall people during the daytime. Things seem to close up by 7 or 8. Even Target closes by 8 p.m... After that only the trendy restaurants and bars are open.
While there are a few Somalis out there (some dressed in traditional Islamic garb), and a few Asians (especially yesterday for the Farmers' Market), a few African-Americans, and even fewer Hispanics (I actually heard someone speaking Spanish today) -- on a whole this place is really white compared to Turlock, where people of some kind of color seems to make up half the population (especially among the younger people). And I do mean white -- unsunned. And they all look like people I should know -- from the common Northern European gene pool. Some of them are probably my Scandinavian cousins -- 4 or 5 times removed.
The weather is great -- sun shining -- light breeze -- temps in the mid-60's. Very fine.
NEW ANGLICAN ALLIANCE
(Friday) Six conservative Anglican groups have formed a new alliance. These groups represent about 200,000 people. The significance of this move is that it starts to heal the breach among the traditional Anglicans who haven't been able to get along -- in spite of their common "enemy."
(Friday) Six conservative Anglican groups have formed a new alliance. These groups represent about 200,000 people. The significance of this move is that it starts to heal the breach among the traditional Anglicans who haven't been able to get along -- in spite of their common "enemy."
Thursday, June 17
QUIRKY TRAVEL NOTE
(Thursday) My hotel room came with a small refrigerator ("mini-bar") stuffed with beer and liquor (and candy). I don't know what any of it costs but I'm certain that I don't want to pay for anything in there (no prices to be found anywhere in the room. If you have to ask then it's out of your budget). So, as usual I'm ignoring the frig -- except I've added a few of the sodas that I bought at the Target store across the street.
Anyway, the quirky thing that I've never seen before is that the frig has an automatic lock on it. Since Minnesota law prohibits the sale of booze after 1 a.m. the frig automatically locks itself until 8 a.m. Isn't technology wonderful?
(Thursday) My hotel room came with a small refrigerator ("mini-bar") stuffed with beer and liquor (and candy). I don't know what any of it costs but I'm certain that I don't want to pay for anything in there (no prices to be found anywhere in the room. If you have to ask then it's out of your budget). So, as usual I'm ignoring the frig -- except I've added a few of the sodas that I bought at the Target store across the street.
Anyway, the quirky thing that I've never seen before is that the frig has an automatic lock on it. Since Minnesota law prohibits the sale of booze after 1 a.m. the frig automatically locks itself until 8 a.m. Isn't technology wonderful?
Wednesday, June 16
GOOGLE MAIL
(Wednesday) Yahoo is responding to the gmail heat. Yesterday they raised the amount of storage on my account to 100 MB (up from 10). And they've redesigned the interface so that it looks a lot like gmail (cleaner).
Gmail, which offers over 1,000 MB of storage, continues to give me more invitations to give away. The more I give the more they give me (There is some kind of stewardship lesson in there). So if you'd like a gmail invitation let me know (boydston[AT]gmail.com).
(Wednesday) Yahoo is responding to the gmail heat. Yesterday they raised the amount of storage on my account to 100 MB (up from 10). And they've redesigned the interface so that it looks a lot like gmail (cleaner).
Gmail, which offers over 1,000 MB of storage, continues to give me more invitations to give away. The more I give the more they give me (There is some kind of stewardship lesson in there). So if you'd like a gmail invitation let me know (boydston[AT]gmail.com).
MINNESOTA LIVE
(Wednesday) I arrived in the Twin Cities yesterday afternoon and drove through the rolling hills out to Jonathan and Sue Fenton's place in Buffalo. It's just beautiful out there. You can see why some people would put up with the winters so they could live in a place like that. The mosquitoes on the other hand...
We had a terrific visit. So I didn't get back into Minneapolis until after midnight and found that my hotel had over-booked. They put me up in a Holiday Inn. I slept in a little this morning and then drove out to the bookstore at Luther Seminary in St. Paul. Now, I'm doing lunch and borrowing bandwidth from the Taste of Scandinavia Bakery and Cafe just down the street from the seminary.
(Wednesday) I arrived in the Twin Cities yesterday afternoon and drove through the rolling hills out to Jonathan and Sue Fenton's place in Buffalo. It's just beautiful out there. You can see why some people would put up with the winters so they could live in a place like that. The mosquitoes on the other hand...
We had a terrific visit. So I didn't get back into Minneapolis until after midnight and found that my hotel had over-booked. They put me up in a Holiday Inn. I slept in a little this morning and then drove out to the bookstore at Luther Seminary in St. Paul. Now, I'm doing lunch and borrowing bandwidth from the Taste of Scandinavia Bakery and Cafe just down the street from the seminary.
Monday, June 14
MINNEAPOLIS OR BUST
(Monday) I leave early tomorrow morning for 9 days of meetings in Minneapolis. I'm tired just thinking about it!
Actually, my experience has been that it's a good time when the Covenant gets together. I'm involved in the Board of the Ordered Ministry, the Covenant Ministerium, and I'm a delegate to the ECC annual meeting. AND I've got several meetings with good friends like Jonathan and Sue Fenton (who used to be a part of our church in Turlock) and I'm looking forward to a face-to-face with Randall Friesen who is a Covenant pastor in Prince Albert, SK.
I wish Southwest flew into the Twin Cities.
(Monday) I leave early tomorrow morning for 9 days of meetings in Minneapolis. I'm tired just thinking about it!
Actually, my experience has been that it's a good time when the Covenant gets together. I'm involved in the Board of the Ordered Ministry, the Covenant Ministerium, and I'm a delegate to the ECC annual meeting. AND I've got several meetings with good friends like Jonathan and Sue Fenton (who used to be a part of our church in Turlock) and I'm looking forward to a face-to-face with Randall Friesen who is a Covenant pastor in Prince Albert, SK.
I wish Southwest flew into the Twin Cities.
WEBHOSTING
(Monday) Several of my domain names are hosting on the redirection.net server. This is a great service. For $5/year you get redirection to unlimited email addresses and subdomains. The interface is reasonable enough.
I am thinking, though, of moving one of those domains (boydston.us) to its own server. And then I would get rid of the domain that it currently redirects to (bradboydston.com). However, I would like to have a simple interface with unlimited email redirection and subdomains for people in my family. I'd like to have at least 1,000 MB of disk space, 50 GB of bandwidth/month, a history of reliability, good back-up -- all for under $10/month. Any time I start to investigate this I'm swamped with options. I need some personal input from others who pay for hosting. Any suggestions?
I currently have some hosting with he.net, which provides great service, but their interface is not user friendly. And I have to stop and think through what I'm doing every time I update anything. That is, it's not intuitive.
(Monday) Several of my domain names are hosting on the redirection.net server. This is a great service. For $5/year you get redirection to unlimited email addresses and subdomains. The interface is reasonable enough.
I am thinking, though, of moving one of those domains (boydston.us) to its own server. And then I would get rid of the domain that it currently redirects to (bradboydston.com). However, I would like to have a simple interface with unlimited email redirection and subdomains for people in my family. I'd like to have at least 1,000 MB of disk space, 50 GB of bandwidth/month, a history of reliability, good back-up -- all for under $10/month. Any time I start to investigate this I'm swamped with options. I need some personal input from others who pay for hosting. Any suggestions?
I currently have some hosting with he.net, which provides great service, but their interface is not user friendly. And I have to stop and think through what I'm doing every time I update anything. That is, it's not intuitive.
Saturday, June 12
A CLASSICAL DIVORCE
(Saturday) The public radio stations in the US are trying to divorce themselves from the fine arts. Classical music just doesn't draw the dollars like talk-radio and the newsmagazines -- all of which I at times enjoy -- but I would rather that they didn't bump classical music.
I don't understand how it is that the most listened to station in the UK is ClassicFM (6.5 million listeners a week) but in the US public radio stations are abandoning what has traditionally been their mainstay as though it was the plague.
Fortunately satellite radio and broadband Internet streams are coming to our rescue. Some of my favorite online options:
KBAQ (Phoenix) -- an NPR station which still specializes in classical
ClassicFM (London) -- Commercial, best of classical format, and as a bonus -- traffic reports for the London area motorways.
BBC3 (London) -- The "mother of all classical stations" -- has Choral Evensong live on Wednesdays (and on file for other times)
XLNC1 (Tijuana, Baja California, México) -- aiming at the San Diego listener
WGCU (Ft. Myers, Florida) -- Only classical about half time but fun to imagine that I'm in South Florida
KING (Seattle) -- the first classical station to utilize streaming audio
KUSC (Los Angeles) -- the station I listen to when I'm driving in So Cal
KCNV (Las Vegas) -- new on my list
ClassicalWebcast is a site run by Peter Ribbens in the Netherlands. He has tried to catalog all of the classical stations with live-webcasts -- in the whole world! There are still lots of options out there -- even if NPR continues down the road to perdition.
(Saturday) The public radio stations in the US are trying to divorce themselves from the fine arts. Classical music just doesn't draw the dollars like talk-radio and the newsmagazines -- all of which I at times enjoy -- but I would rather that they didn't bump classical music.
I don't understand how it is that the most listened to station in the UK is ClassicFM (6.5 million listeners a week) but in the US public radio stations are abandoning what has traditionally been their mainstay as though it was the plague.
Fortunately satellite radio and broadband Internet streams are coming to our rescue. Some of my favorite online options:
KBAQ (Phoenix) -- an NPR station which still specializes in classical
ClassicFM (London) -- Commercial, best of classical format, and as a bonus -- traffic reports for the London area motorways.
BBC3 (London) -- The "mother of all classical stations" -- has Choral Evensong live on Wednesdays (and on file for other times)
XLNC1 (Tijuana, Baja California, México) -- aiming at the San Diego listener
WGCU (Ft. Myers, Florida) -- Only classical about half time but fun to imagine that I'm in South Florida
KING (Seattle) -- the first classical station to utilize streaming audio
KUSC (Los Angeles) -- the station I listen to when I'm driving in So Cal
KCNV (Las Vegas) -- new on my list
ClassicalWebcast is a site run by Peter Ribbens in the Netherlands. He has tried to catalog all of the classical stations with live-webcasts -- in the whole world! There are still lots of options out there -- even if NPR continues down the road to perdition.
Friday, June 11
THE FUNERAL
(Friday) I've been watching the Reagan funeral on C-Span this evening. Interesting -- solemn -- as close to a royal pageant as Americans get. Lots of well done eulogies. The elder George Bush was especially effective. The younger President Bush did a good job weaving the hope of the resurrection into his tribute. Former senator John Danforth, who is also an Episcopal priest, was the lead celebrant. He, too, made sure that the pageantry didn't totally overshadow the hope of the resurrection.
(Friday) I've been watching the Reagan funeral on C-Span this evening. Interesting -- solemn -- as close to a royal pageant as Americans get. Lots of well done eulogies. The elder George Bush was especially effective. The younger President Bush did a good job weaving the hope of the resurrection into his tribute. Former senator John Danforth, who is also an Episcopal priest, was the lead celebrant. He, too, made sure that the pageantry didn't totally overshadow the hope of the resurrection.
HOW GERMANY WAS WON -- THE FIRST TIME
(Friday) In short -- monks.
Chris Armstrong: "Irony" seems a concept invented for such a situation as this: The man historian Christopher Dawson once called the most influential Englishman who ever lived is the patron saint of … Germany.
And, as journalist Uwe Siemon-Netto has recently reminded us, the 60th anniversary of D-Day is also the 1250th anniversary of this man's death."
Read Chris Armstrong's article on St Boniface -- aka "Winfrith from Essex".
He's got his own webpage, too. And the tourism people in Crediton would like you to be interested in St Boniface as well.
(Friday) In short -- monks.
Chris Armstrong: "Irony" seems a concept invented for such a situation as this: The man historian Christopher Dawson once called the most influential Englishman who ever lived is the patron saint of … Germany.
And, as journalist Uwe Siemon-Netto has recently reminded us, the 60th anniversary of D-Day is also the 1250th anniversary of this man's death."
Read Chris Armstrong's article on St Boniface -- aka "Winfrith from Essex".
He's got his own webpage, too. And the tourism people in Crediton would like you to be interested in St Boniface as well.
Thursday, June 10
MAKE YOUR XP LOOK LIKE A MAC
(Thursday) And people accuse me of having way too much time on my hands.
(Thursday) And people accuse me of having way too much time on my hands.
Cara Cara
(Thursday) Usually when I buy a tree I get it into the ground right away. But it was over a week ago that I bought another Cara Cara tree. And it wasn't until this evening that I finally got it planted.
Cara Cara navel oranges are reddish pink inside and taste like a pink grapefruit -- except without the acid. It is a limb sport (a natural genetic mutation which has been propagated) discovered in Venezuela and introduced into Florida in 1987. They are now available to gardeners through specialty nurseries such as Wal-Mart -- which is where I got mine.
(Thursday) Usually when I buy a tree I get it into the ground right away. But it was over a week ago that I bought another Cara Cara tree. And it wasn't until this evening that I finally got it planted.
Cara Cara navel oranges are reddish pink inside and taste like a pink grapefruit -- except without the acid. It is a limb sport (a natural genetic mutation which has been propagated) discovered in Venezuela and introduced into Florida in 1987. They are now available to gardeners through specialty nurseries such as Wal-Mart -- which is where I got mine.
Wednesday, June 9
WANT GMAIL?
(Wednesday) I currently have 2 gmail invitations at my disposal. That is, I can invite two people to become gmail beta testers. And I will extend those invitations to the first two people who write and ask for one -- boydston-AT-gmail.com -- and yes, replace the -AT- in the email with a @ -- just trying to hold off the spam spiders.
(Wednesday) I currently have 2 gmail invitations at my disposal. That is, I can invite two people to become gmail beta testers. And I will extend those invitations to the first two people who write and ask for one -- boydston-AT-gmail.com -- and yes, replace the -AT- in the email with a @ -- just trying to hold off the spam spiders.
Tuesday, June 8
Monday, June 7
THE TRIP TO SAN DIEGO
(Monday) My parents picked Kirk up from school in San Diego and brought him north to Turlock on Friday. Friday evening we all saw Kent graduate from high school.
We decided to send Kirk back to San Diego with a car for the next three weeks. This is finals week and then he will be working with the new student orientation for the following weeks. However, since he needs to be out of his student apartment this week we also needed to take the van down to pick up his stuff. So Kirk, Kent, and I set off this morning in two vehicles.
We only got about 5 miles out of Turlock when the clutch went out on our Ford Escort. I managed to nurse it back into town, off the freeway, and into the parking lot at the Circle K. It refused to go any further. Fortunately, there was a tow truck in the parking lot and the driver agreed to take the Escort to Nona's.
Repairs should be done tomorrow. However, the three of us drove down to San Diego -- about an hour behind schedule -- and with only one car. We did make a stop at UC Irvine so Kent could pick up some student laundry for his new school.
So tonight is another Motel 6 night for Kent and I. Kirk may or may not get sleep tonight. He's still packing up most of his stuff so we can pick it up tomorrow morning.
We did manage to catch the tail end of the final Stanley Cup game -- what a Lightening show!
(Monday) My parents picked Kirk up from school in San Diego and brought him north to Turlock on Friday. Friday evening we all saw Kent graduate from high school.
We decided to send Kirk back to San Diego with a car for the next three weeks. This is finals week and then he will be working with the new student orientation for the following weeks. However, since he needs to be out of his student apartment this week we also needed to take the van down to pick up his stuff. So Kirk, Kent, and I set off this morning in two vehicles.
We only got about 5 miles out of Turlock when the clutch went out on our Ford Escort. I managed to nurse it back into town, off the freeway, and into the parking lot at the Circle K. It refused to go any further. Fortunately, there was a tow truck in the parking lot and the driver agreed to take the Escort to Nona's.
Repairs should be done tomorrow. However, the three of us drove down to San Diego -- about an hour behind schedule -- and with only one car. We did make a stop at UC Irvine so Kent could pick up some student laundry for his new school.
So tonight is another Motel 6 night for Kent and I. Kirk may or may not get sleep tonight. He's still packing up most of his stuff so we can pick it up tomorrow morning.
We did manage to catch the tail end of the final Stanley Cup game -- what a Lightening show!
Saturday, June 5
ULTRA REV
(Saturday) Steve Evans has taken up blogging. He is a Covenant pastor serving in an Episcopal Church.
(Saturday) Steve Evans has taken up blogging. He is a Covenant pastor serving in an Episcopal Church.
THE DEATH OF RONALD REAGAN
(Saturday) Apparently President Reagan died a short while ago. He was a master communicator and I considered it a great privilege to count him as one of my closest friends. Well, maybe I'm exaggerating a little. I did get to ask him a question at a press conference once, and I do think that he was one of the best communicators to ever hold the White House.
I've never been fond of actors in politics and so I don't think I voted for him. If I remember right, I thought he had single-handedly dismantled the educational system in California. I didn't realize at that point how much more damage could be done.
(Saturday) Apparently President Reagan died a short while ago. He was a master communicator and I considered it a great privilege to count him as one of my closest friends. Well, maybe I'm exaggerating a little. I did get to ask him a question at a press conference once, and I do think that he was one of the best communicators to ever hold the White House.
I've never been fond of actors in politics and so I don't think I voted for him. If I remember right, I thought he had single-handedly dismantled the educational system in California. I didn't realize at that point how much more damage could be done.
GMAIL SIG LINE
(Saturday) Good news: Gmail has added a signature option in the settings. Bad news: They automatically put the two -- over the sig line. In the early days of email some geeks somewhere decided that the -- should separate the sig line from the body of the email. Hardly anyone adopted the standard but somehow gmail has resurrected it.
(Saturday) Good news: Gmail has added a signature option in the settings. Bad news: They automatically put the two -- over the sig line. In the early days of email some geeks somewhere decided that the -- should separate the sig line from the body of the email. Hardly anyone adopted the standard but somehow gmail has resurrected it.
Friday, June 4
CONGRATULATIONS
(Friday) Kent graduated from Turlock High School this evening. He's wearing gold because he had a grade point average over 4.0. In the fall he starts in the honors program at UC Irvine.
Standing next to Kent is Betsy (aka "Elizabeth" to her friends at Pitman High School), our 16-year-old. As of today she is a junior.
(Friday) Kent graduated from Turlock High School this evening. He's wearing gold because he had a grade point average over 4.0. In the fall he starts in the honors program at UC Irvine.
Standing next to Kent is Betsy (aka "Elizabeth" to her friends at Pitman High School), our 16-year-old. As of today she is a junior.
Thursday, June 3
BOB LETTIS
(Thursday) Bob died this morning. He was a sweet old guy who had been a part of our congregation. Bob was the kind of man with whom you could talk about anything -- well read -- tuned into what was going on around the world. Even though his body was pretty worn out his mind was sharp and he was enthusiastic in his greeting the last time I saw him a few weeks ago. Praise God for his life!
(Thursday) Bob died this morning. He was a sweet old guy who had been a part of our congregation. Bob was the kind of man with whom you could talk about anything -- well read -- tuned into what was going on around the world. Even though his body was pretty worn out his mind was sharp and he was enthusiastic in his greeting the last time I saw him a few weeks ago. Praise God for his life!
Wednesday, June 2
ACLU BULLIES LA COUNTY
(Wednesday) Rather than spend big bucks in court, the County of Los Angeles has agreed to removed a microscopic cross from the county seal. The designer of the seal in the 1950's put the cross there to represent the historical influence of the California missions on the development of the county. Link to earlier post.
I'm not surprised. And I don't think it makes LA County any less Christian (no one is suggesting that it was ever a Christian county). It's just silly -- the secular paranoia over things spiritual.
But the real bottom line was the bottom line. It was a decision based in economic reality. The counties in California are struggling financially. The ACLU used that reality to their advantage.
(Wednesday) Rather than spend big bucks in court, the County of Los Angeles has agreed to removed a microscopic cross from the county seal. The designer of the seal in the 1950's put the cross there to represent the historical influence of the California missions on the development of the county. Link to earlier post.
I'm not surprised. And I don't think it makes LA County any less Christian (no one is suggesting that it was ever a Christian county). It's just silly -- the secular paranoia over things spiritual.
But the real bottom line was the bottom line. It was a decision based in economic reality. The counties in California are struggling financially. The ACLU used that reality to their advantage.
Tuesday, June 1
ANOTHER REASON TO GO TIE-FREE
(Tuesday) Karl is razzing me because I wore a tie Sunday morning. (For those of you in Hawaii, a tie is an article of clothing that men wore around their necks in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when it was considered somewhat fashionable.) It was Pentecost and the only thing red in my closet was a tie. I could have worn my alb and red stole but that would have probably been distracting for many if not most of the people who worship in our church. Anyway, I don't usually wear a tie. And that's fine with almost everyone in this community where only a few bankers and an occasional physician still strangle themselves on a regular basis.
I'm sure that there are some sound theological reasons to avoid ties.
Dan, who wears a tie as often as I do, has come up with a non-theological reason to go tie free. Germs.
(Tuesday) Karl is razzing me because I wore a tie Sunday morning. (For those of you in Hawaii, a tie is an article of clothing that men wore around their necks in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when it was considered somewhat fashionable.) It was Pentecost and the only thing red in my closet was a tie. I could have worn my alb and red stole but that would have probably been distracting for many if not most of the people who worship in our church. Anyway, I don't usually wear a tie. And that's fine with almost everyone in this community where only a few bankers and an occasional physician still strangle themselves on a regular basis.
I'm sure that there are some sound theological reasons to avoid ties.
Dan, who wears a tie as often as I do, has come up with a non-theological reason to go tie free. Germs.
MORE ON SHREK 2
(Tuesday) Tuesday is my "day off" -- which means that I did a lot of yard work today. It also means that I got a lot of mental work done while I was out there pushing the mower and whacking at the bushes. And after much thought I've decided that I need to make Shrek 2 a part of the pre-marital counseling requirement. Great discussion starter -- non-threatening tool.
(Tuesday) Tuesday is my "day off" -- which means that I did a lot of yard work today. It also means that I got a lot of mental work done while I was out there pushing the mower and whacking at the bushes. And after much thought I've decided that I need to make Shrek 2 a part of the pre-marital counseling requirement. Great discussion starter -- non-threatening tool.
Monday, May 31
GUNS & WEDDINGS
(Monday) Barnabas: On the other hand, while it isn’t funny at all, it is somewhat absurd to offer as an explanation, "We were just having fun, shooting our weapons into the air in a war zone. Why should anyone feel threatened by that?" I think it’s permissible to point out that firing weapons for fun, especially when hostile forces are occupying your country, is a really dumb explanation for equally dumb behavior.
(Monday) Barnabas: On the other hand, while it isn’t funny at all, it is somewhat absurd to offer as an explanation, "We were just having fun, shooting our weapons into the air in a war zone. Why should anyone feel threatened by that?" I think it’s permissible to point out that firing weapons for fun, especially when hostile forces are occupying your country, is a really dumb explanation for equally dumb behavior.
A SEQUEL IS RARELY AN EQUAL...
(Monday) but Shrek 2 is AT LEAST as charming as the first ogre movie. Fun.
(Monday) but Shrek 2 is AT LEAST as charming as the first ogre movie. Fun.
JANET JACKSON & NATURAL THEOLOGY
(Monday) Douglas LeBlanc sees a Richard Thompson's song "Dear Janet Jackson" as embodying a sort of "natural theology." Hmmm... okay... I guess... At least both Thompson and LeBlanc have their tongues firmly wedged in their cheeks -- I think.
(Monday) Douglas LeBlanc sees a Richard Thompson's song "Dear Janet Jackson" as embodying a sort of "natural theology." Hmmm... okay... I guess... At least both Thompson and LeBlanc have their tongues firmly wedged in their cheeks -- I think.
23 YEARS AGO TODAY...
(Monday) Cheryl and I were married in a beautiful ceremony at Mission Springs. Since everyone has seen fit to declare our anniversary a national holiday we're going to hang-out today -- go to dinner and a movie (Shrek 2).
(Monday) Cheryl and I were married in a beautiful ceremony at Mission Springs. Since everyone has seen fit to declare our anniversary a national holiday we're going to hang-out today -- go to dinner and a movie (Shrek 2).
Saturday, May 29
STUDY IN CONTRAST
(Saturday) Cheryl's father, who is visiting with us for a few weeks, lost his wallet yesterday. One of the things that needs to be replaced is his driver's license. Since he is an Arizona resident I went to the Arizona Motor Vehicles website to find out what that would entail. I followed a link to their ServiceArizona site and filled out an online form, paid $4 with a credit card, and the duplicate license will be mailed within 5 working days. (If we were actually in Arizona we could have gone to a contract station or the Motor Vehicles Division.) It is an amazingly slick and customer oriented process. Kudos to Arizona.
I got to wondering what it would be like if my father-in-law were a California resident. So I went to our Department of Motor Vehicles website to get information on obtaining a duplicate license in our state.
First of all, you have to make an appointment to visit one of our impacted DMV offices (nothing online and no contract stations). Then to apply for a duplicate license, you need to complete "application form DL 44 (An original DL 44 form must be submitted. Copies will not be accepted.)," pay a $19 fee, give a thumb print, and have your picture taken again. They will issue a temporary and your permanent replacement license will be mailed within 60 days.
Can you see why this is an expensive place to live and do business?
(Saturday) Cheryl's father, who is visiting with us for a few weeks, lost his wallet yesterday. One of the things that needs to be replaced is his driver's license. Since he is an Arizona resident I went to the Arizona Motor Vehicles website to find out what that would entail. I followed a link to their ServiceArizona site and filled out an online form, paid $4 with a credit card, and the duplicate license will be mailed within 5 working days. (If we were actually in Arizona we could have gone to a contract station or the Motor Vehicles Division.) It is an amazingly slick and customer oriented process. Kudos to Arizona.
I got to wondering what it would be like if my father-in-law were a California resident. So I went to our Department of Motor Vehicles website to get information on obtaining a duplicate license in our state.
First of all, you have to make an appointment to visit one of our impacted DMV offices (nothing online and no contract stations). Then to apply for a duplicate license, you need to complete "application form DL 44 (An original DL 44 form must be submitted. Copies will not be accepted.)," pay a $19 fee, give a thumb print, and have your picture taken again. They will issue a temporary and your permanent replacement license will be mailed within 60 days.
Can you see why this is an expensive place to live and do business?
Friday, May 28
RANDOM...
(Friday) Today is the last day of high school for Kent. Graduation is next Friday. He's been filling out summer job applications. Anyone want to hire him?...
Kirk is scrambling to get his paperwork done for Argentina. He's going there to study from July through November. The reality of international bureaucracy is hitting him as finals week at UCSD rapidly approaches. Stress...
It rained last night -- the first measurable rain in months -- and likely the last until October. Generally speaking we don't get rain from early May until the middle of October. But it has been such a mild spring that nothing is normal this year...
I've been doing some major updating on the Cornerstone website. They didn't teach webpage design in seminary. Webpages didn't even exist when I was in seminary. The whole Internet thing was just a twinkle in Al Gore's eye.
(Friday) Today is the last day of high school for Kent. Graduation is next Friday. He's been filling out summer job applications. Anyone want to hire him?...
Kirk is scrambling to get his paperwork done for Argentina. He's going there to study from July through November. The reality of international bureaucracy is hitting him as finals week at UCSD rapidly approaches. Stress...
It rained last night -- the first measurable rain in months -- and likely the last until October. Generally speaking we don't get rain from early May until the middle of October. But it has been such a mild spring that nothing is normal this year...
I've been doing some major updating on the Cornerstone website. They didn't teach webpage design in seminary. Webpages didn't even exist when I was in seminary. The whole Internet thing was just a twinkle in Al Gore's eye.
Thursday, May 27
CHOOSE YOUR WORDS CAREFULLY
ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE ON A PLANE
(Thursday) NEW YORK (Reuters) - Two preachers grounded a flight leaving Buffalo, New York, after they frightened passengers by declaring the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks were a good reason to pray, officials said on Thursday.
One preacher told fellow passengers as the Continental Airlines plane taxied down the runway, "Your last breath on earth is the first one in heaven as long as you are born again and have Jesus in your heart," according to FBI spokesman Paul Moskal.
Passengers on the Wednesday flight to Newark, New Jersey told a flight attendant, who alerted the plane's captain, officials said. The captain turned the plane around.
Complete story
ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE ON A PLANE
(Thursday) NEW YORK (Reuters) - Two preachers grounded a flight leaving Buffalo, New York, after they frightened passengers by declaring the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks were a good reason to pray, officials said on Thursday.
One preacher told fellow passengers as the Continental Airlines plane taxied down the runway, "Your last breath on earth is the first one in heaven as long as you are born again and have Jesus in your heart," according to FBI spokesman Paul Moskal.
Passengers on the Wednesday flight to Newark, New Jersey told a flight attendant, who alerted the plane's captain, officials said. The captain turned the plane around.
Complete story
PAUL MARTIN RUNNING FOR RE-ELECTION
(Thursday) Once again Canada defines itself in contrast to the US -- an appeal to the heart of the Canadian ethos. Video Link
Sometimes I don't blame them. Sometimes it seems a little silly and a red herring.
(Thursday) Once again Canada defines itself in contrast to the US -- an appeal to the heart of the Canadian ethos. Video Link
Sometimes I don't blame them. Sometimes it seems a little silly and a red herring.
Wednesday, May 26
BRAD BOYDSTON
(Wednesday) One of my second or third cousins (I think), whom I've never met, is also named Brad Boydston. He's not old enough yet to realize that I've tainted his name. He's a student at Auburn and he has a website.
(Wednesday) One of my second or third cousins (I think), whom I've never met, is also named Brad Boydston. He's not old enough yet to realize that I've tainted his name. He's a student at Auburn and he has a website.
TROUBLE AT KRISPY KREME
(Wednesday) All of the low-carb nonsense out there is affecting Krispy Kreme and they've reported their first quarterly loss since going public. This just means that we're going to have to work all the harder to keep these guys afloat. Mmmmm... doughnuts...
(Wednesday) All of the low-carb nonsense out there is affecting Krispy Kreme and they've reported their first quarterly loss since going public. This just means that we're going to have to work all the harder to keep these guys afloat. Mmmmm... doughnuts...
THE CROSS, THE COUNTY, & THE ALCU
(Wednesday) The ACLU has uncovered a plot by the County of Los Angeles to establish Roman Catholicism and they have demanded that the county remove a microscopic cross on the county seal that represents the influence of the California missions on the county's history. Link
While they're at it they need to take care of Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit, which is also on the seal.
(Thanks Laura)
(Wednesday) The ACLU has uncovered a plot by the County of Los Angeles to establish Roman Catholicism and they have demanded that the county remove a microscopic cross on the county seal that represents the influence of the California missions on the county's history. Link
While they're at it they need to take care of Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit, which is also on the seal.
(Thanks Laura)
Tuesday, May 25
BRUISED AMERICAN EGO
(Tuesday) A new research poll reveals that if Australians had to leave their country, 21% say they'd go to New Zealand, 13% to Canada, and 12% to Britain. Only 6% would choose the US. 88% of the Australians surveyed say that their country is the best in the world. Link
(Tuesday) A new research poll reveals that if Australians had to leave their country, 21% say they'd go to New Zealand, 13% to Canada, and 12% to Britain. Only 6% would choose the US. 88% of the Australians surveyed say that their country is the best in the world. Link
Monday, May 24
BULK MAIL
(Monday) The Adrian Jones Evangelistic Association sent me mail. It had a nonprofit bulk mail stamp on it and the word "personal" was rubber stamped across the white mailing label. (In the US a letter bearing a bulk mail stamp isn't permitted to contain anything "personal" inside.)
No, I didn't open it before I dropped it in the trash. I might have if they hadn't lied about it being personal mail.
(Monday) The Adrian Jones Evangelistic Association sent me mail. It had a nonprofit bulk mail stamp on it and the word "personal" was rubber stamped across the white mailing label. (In the US a letter bearing a bulk mail stamp isn't permitted to contain anything "personal" inside.)
No, I didn't open it before I dropped it in the trash. I might have if they hadn't lied about it being personal mail.
TOO NEW?
(Monday) I glanced up at my shelf of Bibles this afternoon and had an epiphany. More than half of my Bibles have the word "new" in their title -- NEW Living Translation, NEW American Standard, NEW King James, NEW Revised Standard, NEW English, NEW International... It's almost as though we're suppose to think that the Bible was written in our times. Perhaps we should be selling an ANCIENT Living Translation, an OLD Standard Version, VENERABLE International Version, or a PRIMITIVE English Bible. New doesn't necessarily mean better. Old suggests stability and authority.
(Monday) I glanced up at my shelf of Bibles this afternoon and had an epiphany. More than half of my Bibles have the word "new" in their title -- NEW Living Translation, NEW American Standard, NEW King James, NEW Revised Standard, NEW English, NEW International... It's almost as though we're suppose to think that the Bible was written in our times. Perhaps we should be selling an ANCIENT Living Translation, an OLD Standard Version, VENERABLE International Version, or a PRIMITIVE English Bible. New doesn't necessarily mean better. Old suggests stability and authority.
Sunday, May 23
UNIVERSITIES IN ARIZONA
(Sunday) There is serious discussion on the table about creating two new public universities and reconfiguring the existing three -- AND probably making my Arizona State degree appear even more prestigious than it already is (not that having a degree from an EXCLUSIVELY research-oriented university would actually do anything for my wallet or ego). In spite of the fact that the new plan would probably raise the status of the University of Arizona, as well, I think it's probably a pretty good idea. Link
(Sunday) There is serious discussion on the table about creating two new public universities and reconfiguring the existing three -- AND probably making my Arizona State degree appear even more prestigious than it already is (not that having a degree from an EXCLUSIVELY research-oriented university would actually do anything for my wallet or ego). In spite of the fact that the new plan would probably raise the status of the University of Arizona, as well, I think it's probably a pretty good idea. Link
Saturday, May 22
FAITH FACTORS PROJECT
(Saturday) Laura Springer has summarized the research in the Faith Factors Project on adolescent faith development. Link
(Saturday) Laura Springer has summarized the research in the Faith Factors Project on adolescent faith development. Link
SPRING IN THE GARDEN
(Saturday) The apricots are almost done. We've been freezing quite a few. We had zucchini from the garden at dinner tonight. At least four cacti have been in bloom this week. And the Fuji apple tree has its first 8 apples (not ready until fall, but developing well). Tomatoes are looking good and abundant but they won't be ready for a week or two. Tomatillos? Well, they've volunteered again and they're coming up all over the place next to the tomatoes and zucchini and peas.
(Saturday) The apricots are almost done. We've been freezing quite a few. We had zucchini from the garden at dinner tonight. At least four cacti have been in bloom this week. And the Fuji apple tree has its first 8 apples (not ready until fall, but developing well). Tomatoes are looking good and abundant but they won't be ready for a week or two. Tomatillos? Well, they've volunteered again and they're coming up all over the place next to the tomatoes and zucchini and peas.
Thursday, May 20
OH, JOY!
(Thursday) Newsweek has discovered the Left Behind series (it took them awhile). Tim and Jerry are even on the cover.
What more can I say than has already been said.
(Thursday) Newsweek has discovered the Left Behind series (it took them awhile). Tim and Jerry are even on the cover.
What more can I say than has already been said.
AMERICAN STYLE DEMOCRACY
(Thursday) I'm sure it's really a complicated issue. But most people around the world are going to see it as another simple example of the fact that democracy and free speech is a good idea -- as long as you don't insult the Americans. Link
I see it as another example of the Bush administration continuing to fire rounds into its own feet. Eventually there won't be anything left to stand on. John Kerry isn't an improvement but all he has to do is stand around, not say anything too stupid, and the Bush administration is going to hand him the White House.
(Thursday) I'm sure it's really a complicated issue. But most people around the world are going to see it as another simple example of the fact that democracy and free speech is a good idea -- as long as you don't insult the Americans. Link
I see it as another example of the Bush administration continuing to fire rounds into its own feet. Eventually there won't be anything left to stand on. John Kerry isn't an improvement but all he has to do is stand around, not say anything too stupid, and the Bush administration is going to hand him the White House.
Wednesday, May 19
HOME FROM TUCSON
(Wednesday) We left Tucson a little before 7 this morning and arrived in Turlock a little before 7 this evening (just in time to go to music practice). It was amazingly smooth sailing the whole way -- through Phoenix, LA, and even Highway 99 up the Valley wasn't TOO congested.
Driving through the desert is refreshing for me. Some people look at it and think "desolation" -- "wasted space" -- but I see beauty, solitude, and a truly unique habitat.
(Wednesday) We left Tucson a little before 7 this morning and arrived in Turlock a little before 7 this evening (just in time to go to music practice). It was amazingly smooth sailing the whole way -- through Phoenix, LA, and even Highway 99 up the Valley wasn't TOO congested.
Driving through the desert is refreshing for me. Some people look at it and think "desolation" -- "wasted space" -- but I see beauty, solitude, and a truly unique habitat.
Monday, May 17
RETRO 1963
(Monday) Pre-engineered and pre-fabed housing that looks "modern" seems to be the new rage. Maybe we've attached a "post" in front of that word too soon. Link (Thanks boingboing)
(Monday) Pre-engineered and pre-fabed housing that looks "modern" seems to be the new rage. Maybe we've attached a "post" in front of that word too soon. Link (Thanks boingboing)
Saturday, May 15
ADULTHOOD?
(Saturday) Karl Naslund turned 21 yesterday and his parents had a party for him this afternoon. Here he is without his bottle of beer.
(Saturday) Karl Naslund turned 21 yesterday and his parents had a party for him this afternoon. Here he is without his bottle of beer.
INCARNATION RADIO
(Saturday) If you're into Eastern Orthodox liturgy you'll be happy to find the Incarnation Broadcast Network -- a 24/7 online stream of chant, sermons, and scripture reading.
(Saturday) If you're into Eastern Orthodox liturgy you'll be happy to find the Incarnation Broadcast Network -- a 24/7 online stream of chant, sermons, and scripture reading.
Friday, May 14
YAHOO RESPONDS
(Friday) Yahoo isn't going to let Google's new Gmail outdo them. They're building bigger mailboxes for their customers, too. Okay, now it's time for Microsoft's Hotmail to do something.
(Friday) Yahoo isn't going to let Google's new Gmail outdo them. They're building bigger mailboxes for their customers, too. Okay, now it's time for Microsoft's Hotmail to do something.
DIHYDROGEN MONOXIDE
(Friday) Some of the people on our Covnet email list have become alarmed about the problems associated with dihydrogen monoxide (DHMO) Link
Two months ago Aliso Viejo, one of our Southern California cities, almost banned styrofoam cups after they learned that they contained DHMO. It's clear to me that they backed down because they didn't want to be the only city in the country to implement such a ban. I suspect, too, that there was some political pressure from the largely conservative populace in Orange County -- which objects to laws which might hinder business -- believing that all such regulation is silly.
(Friday) Some of the people on our Covnet email list have become alarmed about the problems associated with dihydrogen monoxide (DHMO) Link
Two months ago Aliso Viejo, one of our Southern California cities, almost banned styrofoam cups after they learned that they contained DHMO. It's clear to me that they backed down because they didn't want to be the only city in the country to implement such a ban. I suspect, too, that there was some political pressure from the largely conservative populace in Orange County -- which objects to laws which might hinder business -- believing that all such regulation is silly.
Wednesday, May 12
EYES GLAZED OVER BUT HOME
(Wednesday) I got home this afternoon after two-and-a-half days in Chicago. Last night was a bit of an adventure. After our meeting I got to the hotel they had booked for me at about 8:30 p.m. And the hotel people couldn't find a reservation for me. And they wanted to charge me $179 (plus $$$ tax) for the night (not that I'm paying for any of this personally -- the Evangelical Covenant Church is footing the bill and they had made the reservation using hotwire and got the room for about $80). Anyway, I left and went next door to the Holiday Inn O'Hare and paid only $109 (plus $$$ tax). If it hadn't been that I was already wiped out, carrying all my luggage, and in need of an airport shuttle in the morning I would have walked the 8/10 of a mile to the Motel 6 and paid $45/night. The lesson: Handle your own reservations.
I did get some good reading done on the planes. I re-read my favorite C.S Lewis book The Great Divorce. The thing that strikes me about this book is that it could have been written today instead of 1945. There are references to secularization and what we now call postmodern thought. The struggles that people have with accepting grace are no different. I suppose that's what makes it a classic.
A quote to whet your appetite:
(Wednesday) I got home this afternoon after two-and-a-half days in Chicago. Last night was a bit of an adventure. After our meeting I got to the hotel they had booked for me at about 8:30 p.m. And the hotel people couldn't find a reservation for me. And they wanted to charge me $179 (plus $$$ tax) for the night (not that I'm paying for any of this personally -- the Evangelical Covenant Church is footing the bill and they had made the reservation using hotwire and got the room for about $80). Anyway, I left and went next door to the Holiday Inn O'Hare and paid only $109 (plus $$$ tax). If it hadn't been that I was already wiped out, carrying all my luggage, and in need of an airport shuttle in the morning I would have walked the 8/10 of a mile to the Motel 6 and paid $45/night. The lesson: Handle your own reservations.
I did get some good reading done on the planes. I re-read my favorite C.S Lewis book The Great Divorce. The thing that strikes me about this book is that it could have been written today instead of 1945. There are references to secularization and what we now call postmodern thought. The struggles that people have with accepting grace are no different. I suppose that's what makes it a classic.
A quote to whet your appetite:
...There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, "Thy will be done," and those to whom God says, in the end, "Thy will be done." All that are in Hell, choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no Hell. No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. 'Those who seek find. To those who knock it is opened.'" p. 75
Monday, May 10
IN CHICAGO
(Monday) I left Turlock about 3:30 a.m. this morning and arrived in balmy Chicago in time for a late lunch. And now I'm borrowing some bandwidth from the North Park University library (my meetings, which will solve all the world's problems, start in 45 minutes and are on campus).
It still boggles my mind to drive in bumper-to-bumper traffic in Tracy -- headed into the Bay Area -- at 4:15 a.m.! The airport was incredibly busy for my 6:20 flight and security took the longest I've ever experienced at Oakland. United screwed up my seating assignment so I ended up in a middle seat in the back of a packed plane. This is why I usually fly Southwest. If the "seating assignment" gets messed up there it is my own fault.
(Monday) I left Turlock about 3:30 a.m. this morning and arrived in balmy Chicago in time for a late lunch. And now I'm borrowing some bandwidth from the North Park University library (my meetings, which will solve all the world's problems, start in 45 minutes and are on campus).
It still boggles my mind to drive in bumper-to-bumper traffic in Tracy -- headed into the Bay Area -- at 4:15 a.m.! The airport was incredibly busy for my 6:20 flight and security took the longest I've ever experienced at Oakland. United screwed up my seating assignment so I ended up in a middle seat in the back of a packed plane. This is why I usually fly Southwest. If the "seating assignment" gets messed up there it is my own fault.
Sunday, May 9
THE NEW BLOGGER
(Sunday) Blogger just updated their system and added a whole bunch of wonderful new features. I'm sure it is an improvement. But I liked it better the old way because it was easier to copy code from an old post into a new post as a template. If you use any html in your posts on a regular basis this is important. It can still be done but it takes a few more steps. It was also easier to read the old posts on the editing page because you could scroll down and see them all. Now you have to go into each one individually to see what you wrote.
I guess it is the nature of the beast to take something simple and to make it more complicated.
(I wonder if the blogger.com people know that the word "blogger" isn't in the dictionary that they use for their spell check system. Oops!)
(Sunday) Blogger just updated their system and added a whole bunch of wonderful new features. I'm sure it is an improvement. But I liked it better the old way because it was easier to copy code from an old post into a new post as a template. If you use any html in your posts on a regular basis this is important. It can still be done but it takes a few more steps. It was also easier to read the old posts on the editing page because you could scroll down and see them all. Now you have to go into each one individually to see what you wrote.
I guess it is the nature of the beast to take something simple and to make it more complicated.
(I wonder if the blogger.com people know that the word "blogger" isn't in the dictionary that they use for their spell check system. Oops!)
Saturday, May 8
AND NOW THE NEWS...
(Saturday) Yesterday I resigned my volunteer position as an on-call chaplain at Emanuel Medical Center. I've just not been getting enough sleep lately and they usually call me in the middle of the night -- except when they call me on Saturdays as I'm trying to finish my sermon. I do enjoy it and have probably been doing the on-calls for five years or so. But something had to give...
I did finish my sermon this morning and worked on the worship service for the 16th. Oh yes, and I watered all 20 plants in my office -- 13 of which are hanging from the 14-foot ceiling. They require a ladder to reach for their weekly drink...
Monday I'm off to Chicago for a couple of meetings but should be back on Wednesday (I wish I could go see people when I'm in Chicago but they pack these meetings so tightly that there isn't much free time)...
Our friends Stewart & Beth Webster are moving from France, where they have been church planters, to Stockholm, where they plan to do the same kind of work. They are affiliated with TEAM. Interesting move...
The first apricots came off the tree today. They are of the Royal Rosa variety so they are a few weeks ahead of the Patterson variety which seems to be the most common in this area. Yes, they were good. I suspect that by the time I get home from Chicago most of the fruit should be ready or close to it...
In honor of ocho de mayo Cheryl whipped up carne asada for supper -- marinaded in a Mexican lime (aka key lime) sauce...
It's been a good day -- although the Kings/Timberwolf game isn't over yet. I'm not a fan but the community will be in a blue funk if the Kings blow it again.
(Saturday) Yesterday I resigned my volunteer position as an on-call chaplain at Emanuel Medical Center. I've just not been getting enough sleep lately and they usually call me in the middle of the night -- except when they call me on Saturdays as I'm trying to finish my sermon. I do enjoy it and have probably been doing the on-calls for five years or so. But something had to give...
I did finish my sermon this morning and worked on the worship service for the 16th. Oh yes, and I watered all 20 plants in my office -- 13 of which are hanging from the 14-foot ceiling. They require a ladder to reach for their weekly drink...
Monday I'm off to Chicago for a couple of meetings but should be back on Wednesday (I wish I could go see people when I'm in Chicago but they pack these meetings so tightly that there isn't much free time)...
Our friends Stewart & Beth Webster are moving from France, where they have been church planters, to Stockholm, where they plan to do the same kind of work. They are affiliated with TEAM. Interesting move...
The first apricots came off the tree today. They are of the Royal Rosa variety so they are a few weeks ahead of the Patterson variety which seems to be the most common in this area. Yes, they were good. I suspect that by the time I get home from Chicago most of the fruit should be ready or close to it...
In honor of ocho de mayo Cheryl whipped up carne asada for supper -- marinaded in a Mexican lime (aka key lime) sauce...
It's been a good day -- although the Kings/Timberwolf game isn't over yet. I'm not a fan but the community will be in a blue funk if the Kings blow it again.
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