Summer is Officially Here!

Well... I bought my first Oberon today. I haven't partaken yet, but will tomorrow. My friend Jay the hippie says that he doesn't like wheat beers. I don't really either, but I really like Oberon. Apparently Oberon is one of the moons around Uranus. Ummm.... Before it was a moon, it was the name of the king of the fairies.

I can't wait to be on a picnic this summer and to cozy up with the fam and enjoy a few brews while I watch the kids play. Well, Justice won't be doing much. Enjoy the summer and I hope we can sit down soon and enjoy one together.

Total Depravity?

So there I was... minding my own business and trying to get some winks before work when all of the sudden...

There was intense screaming in the street. This happens fairly often in my neighborhood. Sometimes there is a shooting or a drug bust or domestic violence. But tonight I wasn't sure what was going on. I threw my pants on and ran downstairs. Jodi called the police. As I walked out the door there was a man in the fetal position by our car. Another man was kicking him in the face. Not like a "get off my side of the couch, I'm trying to watch the A-Team" kind of kick, but a running head start and then kick you in the face kind of kick. Then the kicker took a few steps back and ran and kicked the kick-ee in the face again.

What to do in this kind of scenario? So I yelled, "Hey". That didn't really do anything. I actually contemplated a few things: 1) get personally and physically involved. 2) get my gun and become personally involved 3) wait for the police. Right or wrong, I waited for the police. When the cops got there, it was kind of like on cops only the cops were less nice. By this time the men were rolling around in the street. Really. They were laying in the street. So the cop throws one guy off another. and then there are like 5 cop cars there. It was pretty bizarre.

But these kind of things get more and more common because we are near the end times. What's really disturbing is that we are becoming used to them. I don't like to see people kicked in the face. I don't like violence at all really.

Good Friends

This weekend we got to see some of our good friends. It's always nice when you get to hang out with good people and enjoy good conversation.

Wayne and Erin came over on Friday and we had Pad Thai. It was delicious. Jodi really made spectacular batch. Then we sat back and talked quite a bit about theology. Wayne is one of my favorites to talk about these issues with because he's not afraid to tell me when I'm full of crap or just plain wrong. We also talked about taking a class at Western Theological together this fall. That would be good so I could copy his notes when I skip class. It was also nice to see Erin. i don't think I have any readers who this would spoil their news so I'll say that Erin has a womb dweller living inside her. I almost started crying when they told me and I don't know why. Driscol would have a hay-day with how feminine I am.
Then we saw our friend Chad and Jodi. They were in the hospital because Jodi had twins Saturday. We didn't see the young ones yet, but I'm excited to get a glimpse. Jodi is such a stud. She was walking around and you couldn't even tell she had babies taken from her body a day before. She even had a C-section. Yucky. Nice work Chad and Jodi.

Then we went for dinner with Jay and Amy. They are our hippie friends. We went out for Indian food. They offer a buy one get one free beer on Saturdays. Can you believe it? We also had good conversation. It's always fun to make camping plans and beer making plans with these kind folks. We really enjoy their company.

Sucked back into Negativity and Darkness

Not really. But I watched this movie tonight and it was really depressing. If you get a chance to watch it, take the time to do it. It was alarming. I was really concerned about the info on "BGH" (I think that is the acronym for Bovine Growth Hormone). Turns out every time I give Mo a little glass of milk it is really bad for her. But can I afford to pay $6 a gallon for organic? Do I have a choice?

I didn't understand all of the info about owning every aspect of the earth. They talked about owning water and the rights to water and owning air. I wonder if this is how Native Americans felt when we came and started possessing land. (I hope that wasn't insensitive to anybody. If it was, it was not on purpose). If you have seen it, do you think this is something high school aged kids could handle. Social Justice issues are spread throughout the film. Lemme know what you think.

Devil Inside?

At the risk of stopping conversation from my last post, I 'd like to post about a conversation today. I called my friend Jay today and his son Roland answered. Roland says, "My mom says I should ask you about the devil". This is quite odd for a few reasons. Roland and I have not talked much before let alone about such important matters as the devil. But he wanted to know about the origin of the devil and about where he gets his power and those such things.

These questions make me nervous. I have talked a lot with Keith about my views on Satan and on spiritual warfare and on demons and evil and the like. But I wasn't prepared to tell a child about them. I gave him the traditional answer about Lucifer being thrown from heaven because of his greed and because he was power hungry. But then I kind of went into the battle between the kingdoms.

My point in this blog is to get some dialogue drummed up about the reality of Satan and spiritual warfare. I used to use spiritual warfare language to get what I wanted as a YFC missionary. If people think you are "being attacked", they respond with prayer and money. Sorry... it's the truth. But isn't a better description of evil and what cause us to do evil really the depravity of man? Do I sound like a Calvinist? Maybe. But each time I blame Satan for what is going on in this world, I take away the responsibility of evil men. Evil men like myself. When I do something that hurts my wife, it would be easy to say, "The devil made me do it". I guess it's really true too except "the devil" isn't an a literal being. He is "me" when I want to do as I please. he is the concept of evil. He is the force that opposes the coming kingdom.

Can somebody who is smart please clear this all up for us. (This is where I make you all think you're smart just so you'll comment).

New Element to my Blog

Thoughts on my new ticker?

Turn or Burn!!!

Recently, Oscar, commented on my post about apologetics. Here

He posted several of his "witnessing tools" about an evangelist named Ray Comfort. I found an article on Ray and thoguht I'd post it to drum up some discussion. "Here is a review by Youth Worker Journal.

"Our review of “The Way of the Master” published in our July/August issueThe Way of the MasterBasic Training CourseKirk Cameron and Ray ComfortGenesis Publishing GroupRay Comfort means well, and he’s legitimately frustrated by the idea that only an estimated 2 percent of Christians regularly share their faith with nonbelievers. But his frustration has reached the boiling point, so he repeatedly hammers viewers over the head with images of people burning in hell to goose us into becoming evangelistic storm troopers who can build friendships with strangers and deliver the gospel message “in minutes.”Even with the assistance of youthful-looking Kirk Cameron (from the Left Behind movies) and decent production values (the TV show the DVD series is based on won an award from National Religious Broadcasters), Comfort takes an old-school, “turn-or-burn” approach that relies on guilt and shame. He even warns that those of us who don’t evangelize his way may spend eternity in hell ourselves!Sure, evangelism is important. And for most of us it is sorely neglected. But can somebody out there douse Comfort with a fire extinguisher and give us a more redemptive way to share our faith? —PA

Here's the link.