Hi Everyone,
In order to facilitate making pictures of our fair city and county available for all to see, and to perhaps even for bloggers or web hosts to include on their web sites as a link, I have set up a Flickr site called Guilford County NC Pictures, URL http://www.flickr.com/photos/guilfordcountypictures/. I uploaded two pictures I took today just to get it going.
If you would be interested in sharing photographs for this site, I have a good scanner with Digital Ice technology for prints as well as slides, and a very good color restoration tool for older pictures, and I can scan them in, upload them, and give them back to you. Or, if you would be keen about this and you take lots of shots of the local scenery - people, buildings, farms and fields, critters, old pictures, businesses, etc. - then I can share the passwords with you and you can upload the pictures yourself.
It is easy to give attribution to the person who took the pictures in the title, description, or comments. It would even be easy to provide a link for people back to your site.
If certain file size standards are upheld, then it would be easy as well for folks to order pictures. I have tested the process of ordering prints from Flickr and can say that it is simple and inexpensive and the quality is excellent. On my own site for example I have enabled friends to order pictures from college years, one dear friend to order photos of a deceased husband, and my own family to order pictures of us all when we were little.
You can go to my URL - http://www.flickr.com/photos/joelgillespie/ - and see how it works.
If you want to e-mail me pictures for uploading, maybe a coupel of megs would be max via e-mail. I can then resize if I need to. I generally upload jpegs in the 100-200kb range, just to assure that that are suitable for making prints. Flickr can take bigger files as well if you want to make available a picture than someone can print into an 8 by 10.
If there seems to be interest I'll spring for the extra $25 and upgrade the account to allow for more options.
So, I know a lot of you out there like to keep the camera's out. Take some shots and send them my way!
Joel
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Hickory on Elm
This rather remarkable yellow hickory can be found on North Elm just south of Bessemer, west side. Catch it before the leaves fall.I think it is a "pig-nut" hickory, pretty much the same kind that grew all over the place in Columbia where I grew up.
When we were kids we would go out and collect bags of nuts, then sit in circles in somebody's carport, or on somebody's driveway, and crack them with bricks. The trick was to crack them just so - not too hard so as to mash the nut, and not too soft so as to barely open the hard shell. We had these little metal nut picks to help get the hickory nut proper out. We got pretty good at breaking them open,
and would feast on Hickory nuts for half an afternoon. There is a distinctive taste to hickory nuts found nowhere else. I've taught my daughter how to crack them, to continue the tradition.
Saturday, October 21, 2006
Anna Gillespie - OK, So I'm a Little Proud
This picture of and inerview with Anna Gillespie (my fourth, a junior at Northwest High) came out in the Friday News and Record.
Friday, October 20, 2006
Gay Republicans
There has been much discussion of late about all the outings and subsequent resignations of gay Republicans. It seems that some folks are doing everything they can to peek into the private sex life of these men in order to call them on their “hypocrisy.” I confess this sounds like the kind of tabloid sexual snooping that liberal minded folk have long objected to, but I have other questions and concerns.
These men have varied backgrounds. Many are married and thus cheating on their wives. I think that it an issue of some significance, but what are we doing to “out” cheating heterosexuals, Republican or Democrat. But some are not in this situation.
It seems that to many that it is just about impossible to be a gay Republican with any integrity. I do not agree, and I am neither gay nor a Republican.
There is a principle that many gay men and women themselves are anxious to establish – and that is that gay people are people too. OK, obvious point. But there is nothing inherent to being gay that would lean one away from a conservative political philosophy. Or is there a liberal gene that goes with the gay gene? Thinking of classic conservative principles I see no reason why a gay person could not be persuaded of these as much as a non gay person. Granted, the Republican party is mushy on those principles these days, but why could a gay person not lean toward less government, more state’s rights, protection of unborn chldren, a stronger military, educational vouchers, etc.
So, what if a gay person finds himself to be for the most part in keeping with a party that is politically conservative. So what? I would think some gay people like Italian food and some like Mexican food.
But what if the Republican Party is anti the “gay agenda.” What is a gay man to do? I would think that he has several options.
First, he may just take the bad with the good in his mind, and not support those agenda items. He would be open about being gay, work toward the other issues consistent with his conservative values, but not support anti gay rights initiatives.
Second, he may, despite his private predilections, actually oppose gay marriage. It is quite possible that a person would see as not in the public interest things that are true about himself. Rather than being a sign of some deep troubling psychological pathology, this might simply be good sense. I am sure that there are a lot of straight men (let’s say they are not married) who do not think cohabitation laws are in the public interest, yet they may be promiscuous rascals. It does not go without saying that one’s private predilections should form the basis of one’s public policy. I wonder what JFK and Martin Luther King Jr. would have to say about that.
Third, he may, like many other people on a thousand issues, merely be a hypocrite. Well, if we’re outing hypocrites, let’s get busy and clean out the majority of the people who are in office. We could start with environmentalists, who seldom live daily lives consistent with their own public policy positions. We might start with Al Gore and go from there. Hypocrisy stinks, but it is an equal opportunity employer. I would imagine that many avid supporters of gay marriage and the value of gay monogamy are themselves promiscuous. We can throw them out too.
I don’t like hypocrisy, in myself, or in others, but let’s apply the hypocrisy ruler equally across the board. I don’t see that happening.
Fourth, a gay Republican may feel that he has no future in the system if he is outed, so he leads a double life. That is, he may be a true conservative, yet may otherwise wish for more liberal marriage laws, but he knows that it won’t get him far in the party and there are so many other things that he is passionate about he just keeps his mouth shut. He is not really allowed by the system to vote his conscience. Well, welcome to politics. is this not why both parties have whips, to keep their folk in line? Is this not the case time and time again for so many people regarding so many issues. I dislike it, but let’s root out the problem across the board and not pick on these men.
Fifth and finally, the man may be cheating on a wife, advocating anti gay marriage in public meetings, and holding himself up as a standard bearer of traditional values, yet practice a gay lifestyle. This is a higher level of hypocrisy, because it both involves cheating on a vow and making oneself out to be what one certainly is not.
But I ask, do we really care about cheating and high level hypocrisy or is this just about winning an election and regaining the house? Do gay rights advocates care about these same issues as perhaps may involve themselves in other respects, or many involve other more liberal politicians on other issues? I think not.
It all smells of the same ole same ole election year scandalizing that both parties have become so good at, and which gives politics such a stench in my nose.
These men have varied backgrounds. Many are married and thus cheating on their wives. I think that it an issue of some significance, but what are we doing to “out” cheating heterosexuals, Republican or Democrat. But some are not in this situation.
It seems that to many that it is just about impossible to be a gay Republican with any integrity. I do not agree, and I am neither gay nor a Republican.
There is a principle that many gay men and women themselves are anxious to establish – and that is that gay people are people too. OK, obvious point. But there is nothing inherent to being gay that would lean one away from a conservative political philosophy. Or is there a liberal gene that goes with the gay gene? Thinking of classic conservative principles I see no reason why a gay person could not be persuaded of these as much as a non gay person. Granted, the Republican party is mushy on those principles these days, but why could a gay person not lean toward less government, more state’s rights, protection of unborn chldren, a stronger military, educational vouchers, etc.
So, what if a gay person finds himself to be for the most part in keeping with a party that is politically conservative. So what? I would think some gay people like Italian food and some like Mexican food.
But what if the Republican Party is anti the “gay agenda.” What is a gay man to do? I would think that he has several options.
First, he may just take the bad with the good in his mind, and not support those agenda items. He would be open about being gay, work toward the other issues consistent with his conservative values, but not support anti gay rights initiatives.
Second, he may, despite his private predilections, actually oppose gay marriage. It is quite possible that a person would see as not in the public interest things that are true about himself. Rather than being a sign of some deep troubling psychological pathology, this might simply be good sense. I am sure that there are a lot of straight men (let’s say they are not married) who do not think cohabitation laws are in the public interest, yet they may be promiscuous rascals. It does not go without saying that one’s private predilections should form the basis of one’s public policy. I wonder what JFK and Martin Luther King Jr. would have to say about that.
Third, he may, like many other people on a thousand issues, merely be a hypocrite. Well, if we’re outing hypocrites, let’s get busy and clean out the majority of the people who are in office. We could start with environmentalists, who seldom live daily lives consistent with their own public policy positions. We might start with Al Gore and go from there. Hypocrisy stinks, but it is an equal opportunity employer. I would imagine that many avid supporters of gay marriage and the value of gay monogamy are themselves promiscuous. We can throw them out too.
I don’t like hypocrisy, in myself, or in others, but let’s apply the hypocrisy ruler equally across the board. I don’t see that happening.
Fourth, a gay Republican may feel that he has no future in the system if he is outed, so he leads a double life. That is, he may be a true conservative, yet may otherwise wish for more liberal marriage laws, but he knows that it won’t get him far in the party and there are so many other things that he is passionate about he just keeps his mouth shut. He is not really allowed by the system to vote his conscience. Well, welcome to politics. is this not why both parties have whips, to keep their folk in line? Is this not the case time and time again for so many people regarding so many issues. I dislike it, but let’s root out the problem across the board and not pick on these men.
Fifth and finally, the man may be cheating on a wife, advocating anti gay marriage in public meetings, and holding himself up as a standard bearer of traditional values, yet practice a gay lifestyle. This is a higher level of hypocrisy, because it both involves cheating on a vow and making oneself out to be what one certainly is not.
But I ask, do we really care about cheating and high level hypocrisy or is this just about winning an election and regaining the house? Do gay rights advocates care about these same issues as perhaps may involve themselves in other respects, or many involve other more liberal politicians on other issues? I think not.
It all smells of the same ole same ole election year scandalizing that both parties have become so good at, and which gives politics such a stench in my nose.
My Three Current Addictions
Armed with an Epson Perfection 4990 photo scanner that has Digital Ice Technology for prints, plus a pretty decent slide scanner attachment, I am now a scanning, photo organizing, Flickr junkie (http://www.flickr.com/photos/joelgillespie/). I think I need serious help. I must have strength! I have thousands of old family pictures and documents from several lines that have all ended up in boxes in my office. The temptation is there, everyday, calling…
And then, may God help me, there is Sudoku. So far this has not impacted my work life, but it has become hard for me NOT to do the daily Sudoku in the News and Record when I get home in the evenings. It so brings out the geeky closet perfectionist in me such that I can hardly make myself go to bed if I have not mastered the daily puzzle. I can carry on a conversation and do Sudoku at the same time, but my dear wife actually likes me to look at her while I talk. That’s pretty demanding of her, don't you think? So what’s a guy to do? Maybe I need to learn more Sudoku tricks so I can finish the puzzles more quickly.
And as this last one really only impacts me while driving, I must confess to all that I have been driving under the influence. Not of alcohol, or my cell phone, but of the Beatles. Indeed, for the last month I have hardly been able to take Abbey Road out of my CD player. I mean, I try. I put something else in. Usually Layla would do the trick, or maybe Bustin’ Out, or Live at Filmore East. But I keep ejecting everythign else and putting Abbey Road back in. Why, after all these years, am I hearing it in such a new way. Why does that side B medley sound like the most awesome music ever written? It didn’t used to. Why can I not stop singing “Because the World Is Round” and “Mean Mr. Mustard” and “Golden Slumbers” and “Here Comes the Sun” and “I Want You” and so on. I need help.
And then, may God help me, there is Sudoku. So far this has not impacted my work life, but it has become hard for me NOT to do the daily Sudoku in the News and Record when I get home in the evenings. It so brings out the geeky closet perfectionist in me such that I can hardly make myself go to bed if I have not mastered the daily puzzle. I can carry on a conversation and do Sudoku at the same time, but my dear wife actually likes me to look at her while I talk. That’s pretty demanding of her, don't you think? So what’s a guy to do? Maybe I need to learn more Sudoku tricks so I can finish the puzzles more quickly.
And as this last one really only impacts me while driving, I must confess to all that I have been driving under the influence. Not of alcohol, or my cell phone, but of the Beatles. Indeed, for the last month I have hardly been able to take Abbey Road out of my CD player. I mean, I try. I put something else in. Usually Layla would do the trick, or maybe Bustin’ Out, or Live at Filmore East. But I keep ejecting everythign else and putting Abbey Road back in. Why, after all these years, am I hearing it in such a new way. Why does that side B medley sound like the most awesome music ever written? It didn’t used to. Why can I not stop singing “Because the World Is Round” and “Mean Mr. Mustard” and “Golden Slumbers” and “Here Comes the Sun” and “I Want You” and so on. I need help.
Cara Michele Has it Right
As far as Bible believing Christians and the political parties, particularly the GOP, Cara Michele has nailed it
Bloggered
Excuse my French, but Blogger is getting to be a total pain in the ass. Half the time it won’t upload, and then it uploads in triplicate, and then the system is down, and there’s still no good way to do categories. Apparently there was some discussion at Converge South about the advantages of Word Press as a tool and as a blog host. Would anyone be interested in sharing with me the gist of that conversation? I have a Word Press blog, and like it. I wonder what is behind the movement away from Blogger?
A Local Christian Environmental Organization?
A few weeks back I posted a piece entitled My Passion. It was about my sense of calling as a person and as a Christian to the protection, preservation, and wise-use of God’s green earth. I’ll admit I felt sorry for myself a little in that I poured out my guts and hardly anyone said “boo,” which I guess tells me my place in the scheme of things here.
But over time private feedback has been coming in, mainly as people find my site and read the piece as a result of my being mentioned in an interview by Bill Moyers. He didn’t really quote me correctly, but I appreciate the attention.
There are many people who otherwise are more conservative in terms of political philosophy, or who are in the stream known as “social conservatives,” who for the most part are either conservative disenchanted Democrats, independents like myself (non aligned), or Republicans, who do indeed have a passionate concern for environmental issues such as species protection, habitat preservation, protection of air and water quality, simpler lifestyles, less consumption and more reuse of resources, etc.
There are many conservative Christian folk like myself who find that neither party represents their public policy concerns that arise out of a desire to see policy reflect love of neighbor, protection of the weak and poor, empowerment of local government, protection of the citizenry through strong police and military, etc.
Life contains contradictions and no political philosophy at least as embodied by the major players quite does it for all of us, and certainly not for me.
And as one who in generally conservative I understand how my environmental sensitivities may seem inconsistent, since environmental protection depends on strong proactive legislative action.
So be it.
Many Christian people with whom I otherwise agree on a range of issues do not see the significance of a stronger environmental policy and how that contributes to the well being both of the earth which we believe was created by God, mankind who suffers the ravages and injustices of environmental degradation, and the glory of the Creator Himself, whose honor is diminished as His world is defaced.
I am a member of several environmental organizations, but I think there is a need and a place for a local (Triad? NC? Carolina? I am not sure how local) organization of conservative Christian, Catholic, and Orthodox men and women who share as a common passion the care of this great planet we have been commissioned to oversee for the glory of God.
I see a need for an articulate voice aimed toward conservative evangelicals, Catholics, and Orthodox, men and women, in churches, in schools, and in public office.
I see a need for an educational movement aimed at, and presented as a service to, political and social conservatives - perhaps evangelical Christians in particular since they are the weakest on this issue. I am unwilling to see the care for God’s good earth totally co-opted by political liberals and mother earth pagans and Gaia theorists, etc. I am grateful for the way their work contributes to the care of the planet I believe was created by the God of Genesis 1, and the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and I am willing to work with them, but…they are generally NOT going to make much headway with social and political conservatives or get into evangelical churches.
Because of the lack of Evangelical and Christian voice, and because conservatives have given this issue over to more left leanign folk, in the end, the environment suffers, mankind suffers, and God’s glory suffers.
So, I wonder, would anybody care to comment on the idea of a conservative Christian environmental organization and its potential value to the environmental good of our world? I’d like to hear other opinions.
But over time private feedback has been coming in, mainly as people find my site and read the piece as a result of my being mentioned in an interview by Bill Moyers. He didn’t really quote me correctly, but I appreciate the attention.
There are many people who otherwise are more conservative in terms of political philosophy, or who are in the stream known as “social conservatives,” who for the most part are either conservative disenchanted Democrats, independents like myself (non aligned), or Republicans, who do indeed have a passionate concern for environmental issues such as species protection, habitat preservation, protection of air and water quality, simpler lifestyles, less consumption and more reuse of resources, etc.
There are many conservative Christian folk like myself who find that neither party represents their public policy concerns that arise out of a desire to see policy reflect love of neighbor, protection of the weak and poor, empowerment of local government, protection of the citizenry through strong police and military, etc.
Life contains contradictions and no political philosophy at least as embodied by the major players quite does it for all of us, and certainly not for me.
And as one who in generally conservative I understand how my environmental sensitivities may seem inconsistent, since environmental protection depends on strong proactive legislative action.
So be it.
Many Christian people with whom I otherwise agree on a range of issues do not see the significance of a stronger environmental policy and how that contributes to the well being both of the earth which we believe was created by God, mankind who suffers the ravages and injustices of environmental degradation, and the glory of the Creator Himself, whose honor is diminished as His world is defaced.
I am a member of several environmental organizations, but I think there is a need and a place for a local (Triad? NC? Carolina? I am not sure how local) organization of conservative Christian, Catholic, and Orthodox men and women who share as a common passion the care of this great planet we have been commissioned to oversee for the glory of God.
I see a need for an articulate voice aimed toward conservative evangelicals, Catholics, and Orthodox, men and women, in churches, in schools, and in public office.
I see a need for an educational movement aimed at, and presented as a service to, political and social conservatives - perhaps evangelical Christians in particular since they are the weakest on this issue. I am unwilling to see the care for God’s good earth totally co-opted by political liberals and mother earth pagans and Gaia theorists, etc. I am grateful for the way their work contributes to the care of the planet I believe was created by the God of Genesis 1, and the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and I am willing to work with them, but…they are generally NOT going to make much headway with social and political conservatives or get into evangelical churches.
Because of the lack of Evangelical and Christian voice, and because conservatives have given this issue over to more left leanign folk, in the end, the environment suffers, mankind suffers, and God’s glory suffers.
So, I wonder, would anybody care to comment on the idea of a conservative Christian environmental organization and its potential value to the environmental good of our world? I’d like to hear other opinions.
Bond Referendums
I was interested in, and found myself agreeing with Sue's post regarding the upcoming bond referendum, History Doesn't Matter which itself referenced the News and Record's Greensboro Bond Endorsements. Maybe this reveals the hidden liberal in me (you know, government spending and all), but I am for investment in all the bonds, well, except one, and a little iffy on one other. The the one I am most unsure about makes me look terrible, but I'll say it anyway. I think we need a Civil Right's Museum here. The current site is ideal. But I have lost confidence in the ability of the people managing the project to appropriate and use funds wisely and perhaps honestly. The News and Record blurn did not convince me. How can I really know that these folks have their financial accountabilty act together? Can anyone help me with that little problem that I have so I can vote "yes" to that bond as well? The second one I have some concern about is the renovation of the War Memorial Auditorium. I think that much money could be used to fund a first rate performing arts center in a place not as congested. It just seems like a lot of money for a renovation. Plus, I'd to see more money go to Parks and Rec. But in the vague hope that it will draw better shows and performances to our city I think I'm for it.
Summary Please
I have been out of the loop for a couple of weeks and came back to the bruh ha ha about the publishing of the RMA report. Wow, people sure have fun when you're away.
I have tried to keep up with the Bledsoe account, Joe's insights, and the rest, but this old boy is just having a hard time keeping things straight.
I was wondering...could someone write a one or two page up-to-date summary of the whole deal to help slower people like me understand the issues and the ramifications. I suppose the nature of the summary might depend on who is writing it, so maybe a couple of summaries would be good.
Joel
I have tried to keep up with the Bledsoe account, Joe's insights, and the rest, but this old boy is just having a hard time keeping things straight.
I was wondering...could someone write a one or two page up-to-date summary of the whole deal to help slower people like me understand the issues and the ramifications. I suppose the nature of the summary might depend on who is writing it, so maybe a couple of summaries would be good.
Joel
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Fall Gardening
Well, another trip around the sun, and it’s almost October again. Have you ever thought how dull life would be if our earth did not tilt on its axis as it flew through the solar system? Well, maybe that’s not what your mind is on today. But because of that simple fact we are blessed with four diverse seasons. And now it’s fall. Ahhh.
School projects are piling high. Work is frantic. Football games beckon Saturdays and Sundays. But the fall is one of the nicest times of all to go outside and get your hands dirty – yes, it’s a great gardening season!
There is something mellow and calm in cleaning up the debris from this summer’s garden. And there is something fun and anticipatory about thinking about next year’s garden. That’s what fall provides for the gardener – closure for one season and planning (and planting) for the next.
First off there is the lawn. So how did yours do this year? You likely have some bare or thin spots here or there, and perhaps some areas where crabgrass or weeds took over. Did you cut your grass too short? So many do, and that just hinders these fescues and gives more space for the weeds and creeping grasses Be careful not to do that next season.
But for now, it is time for cutting the grass shorter as you plan for Spring. Yes, it’s time to cut, aerate, over seed, fertilize (with a slow release fertilizer), and lime your lawn. I say lime because most of the soils around here are acidic. But you can always have your soil tested to make sure. But go ahead and put out that seed now – this weekend – if you have not already. It’s good to let that seed get sprouted and set before you blow or rake the leaves later on. You don’t want to blow your seeds away too! Winter is an important growing season for lawn grasses. Those teeny grass seedling roots will grow right through the cold season, digging their little roots down into the soil, and then one warm day, maybe in late February or early March, your yard will explode in a wave of green. And you will smile.
Second, you may have some cleaning up to do. Because our heavy clay soil holds moisture so well, and our winters can be pretty wet, we always have to do battle with fungal diseases. So it is best to clean up old plant stalks and cart them off to the compost heap. Some perennials like peonies and butterfly bushes need to be cut way back, others just need a trim. Consult your garden book for specifics.
Third, while you are at it, find a space for composting leaves and a few late season grass clippings. One good way to get a head start on composting leaves is just to run your mower over small piles of them. Collect them in the bag or let them fall back to the ground, and then pile them in an out of the way space. You may wish to sprinkle a little nitrogen fertilizer over every three or four inches just to aid in the composting process. Just a little. Turn it all a couple of times over the winter and by March or April that pile should be well broken down and ready for using in your beds.
Fourth, fall is time to plant, but first drop the “t.” Plan first, plant second. I like to add one new flower or herd bed, and have at least one new garden adventure each season – just enough planning and planting to make each season new. Year after year this adds up to a great garden! Remember, gardening is a marathon, not a sprint! October all the way to early December provides a great time to plant shrubs, bulbs, and several perennials. Maybe you can just see in your mind a corner of daffodils brightening up your early spring. Plant a huge clump of them to get a brilliant show of yellow. Or maybe it’s time finally to that plant you’ve wanted to have– maybe that camellia that you remember from your grandmother’s garden. Well, this is shrub planting time! Your local nursery probably has or can get what you need, or you can order it on line.
Reflecting and anticipating – that’s what fall gardening is all about. No need to rush (except to reseed that lawn). Enjoy the cool air and the beauty to come.
If you need help we have an amazing extension office right here in Guilford County. You can call them at 375-5865, or just Google NC Extension, Guilford County Center. Or head on out and see what’s growing at their place on Burlington Road, which is just East Market extended out with a new name. The NC Extension is about 2-3 miles out of town on the left.
School projects are piling high. Work is frantic. Football games beckon Saturdays and Sundays. But the fall is one of the nicest times of all to go outside and get your hands dirty – yes, it’s a great gardening season!
There is something mellow and calm in cleaning up the debris from this summer’s garden. And there is something fun and anticipatory about thinking about next year’s garden. That’s what fall provides for the gardener – closure for one season and planning (and planting) for the next.
First off there is the lawn. So how did yours do this year? You likely have some bare or thin spots here or there, and perhaps some areas where crabgrass or weeds took over. Did you cut your grass too short? So many do, and that just hinders these fescues and gives more space for the weeds and creeping grasses Be careful not to do that next season.
But for now, it is time for cutting the grass shorter as you plan for Spring. Yes, it’s time to cut, aerate, over seed, fertilize (with a slow release fertilizer), and lime your lawn. I say lime because most of the soils around here are acidic. But you can always have your soil tested to make sure. But go ahead and put out that seed now – this weekend – if you have not already. It’s good to let that seed get sprouted and set before you blow or rake the leaves later on. You don’t want to blow your seeds away too! Winter is an important growing season for lawn grasses. Those teeny grass seedling roots will grow right through the cold season, digging their little roots down into the soil, and then one warm day, maybe in late February or early March, your yard will explode in a wave of green. And you will smile.
Second, you may have some cleaning up to do. Because our heavy clay soil holds moisture so well, and our winters can be pretty wet, we always have to do battle with fungal diseases. So it is best to clean up old plant stalks and cart them off to the compost heap. Some perennials like peonies and butterfly bushes need to be cut way back, others just need a trim. Consult your garden book for specifics.
Third, while you are at it, find a space for composting leaves and a few late season grass clippings. One good way to get a head start on composting leaves is just to run your mower over small piles of them. Collect them in the bag or let them fall back to the ground, and then pile them in an out of the way space. You may wish to sprinkle a little nitrogen fertilizer over every three or four inches just to aid in the composting process. Just a little. Turn it all a couple of times over the winter and by March or April that pile should be well broken down and ready for using in your beds.
Fourth, fall is time to plant, but first drop the “t.” Plan first, plant second. I like to add one new flower or herd bed, and have at least one new garden adventure each season – just enough planning and planting to make each season new. Year after year this adds up to a great garden! Remember, gardening is a marathon, not a sprint! October all the way to early December provides a great time to plant shrubs, bulbs, and several perennials. Maybe you can just see in your mind a corner of daffodils brightening up your early spring. Plant a huge clump of them to get a brilliant show of yellow. Or maybe it’s time finally to that plant you’ve wanted to have– maybe that camellia that you remember from your grandmother’s garden. Well, this is shrub planting time! Your local nursery probably has or can get what you need, or you can order it on line.
Reflecting and anticipating – that’s what fall gardening is all about. No need to rush (except to reseed that lawn). Enjoy the cool air and the beauty to come.
If you need help we have an amazing extension office right here in Guilford County. You can call them at 375-5865, or just Google NC Extension, Guilford County Center. Or head on out and see what’s growing at their place on Burlington Road, which is just East Market extended out with a new name. The NC Extension is about 2-3 miles out of town on the left.
Sunday, September 24, 2006
Sweet, Sweeter, Sweetest
NC State 17 Boston College 15: SWEET
Wake Forest 27 Mississippi 3: SWEETER
Clemson 52 North Carolina 7: SWEETEST
Wake Forest 27 Mississippi 3: SWEETER
Clemson 52 North Carolina 7: SWEETEST
Friday, September 22, 2006
Greensboro Theological School?
So, I was driving down Green Street yesterday on the way to Hagen Stone Park for a cross country meet, and I passed the old library, and noticed for the first time the new signs – "Elon Law School." I thought, how cool is that – we have our own law school right here in downtown Greensboro. Then on the way back I drove through the South Elm area – even at 6:15 it was hopping. Again, way cool. Thinking back to Elon (and given my “profession”) the thought came to me, “why don’t we have a first rate evangelical theological school right here in downtown Greensboro? We should. I know, we have Carolina Evangelical Divinity School, but that’s down in High Point. And then there is Duke to the east and Wake to the west. But apart from Carolina Divinity School, there is no reasonably conservative theological school conveniently located to all the evangelical churches in the Triad. None. We need one. We could call it the Greensboro Theological School, or Triad Divinity School, or Greensboro Center for Biblical Studies. Then all those folks from the myriad of more conservative churches called into the ministry (who won’t by the way go to Duke or Wake) can just drive downtown, or near to downtown, and not have to move away or drive to Charlotte or wherever. The we could raise our own pastors here – home grown. I don’t mean to steal Carolina Evangelical’s thunder. Maybe they could be it. But I am not sure. Anyway, seeing “Elon Law School” made me think of that.
My Passion
I have a friend who this past year interviewed for several jobs. He recounted to me the constant questions regarding “passion.” What is your passion?” he was asked over and over.
I suspect most guys interviewing for jobs would just want to say, “Can you please cut the BS and give me the job. I know my stuff and I’ll do a good job. But my passions, my real passions, lie elsewhere. This is a job.”
Jacques Ellul, the famous French sociologist and philosopher, said that one should follow one’s passions avocationally, not vocationally. He believed that this was psychologically best for most people, not to mix their work with the things they cared most deeply about.
We all have callings of different kinds – callings as spouses, callings as parents, callings as friends, callings as Christians if we are such. We should pursue faithfulness, integrity, commitment, and purpose in these callings. And most of those things rank higher than job.
What about pastors? Are pastors meant to be an exception to this rule? Are pastors meant to subsume and rate as second all other callings and passions to the one passion of the pastoral ministry? I don’t think so. The call to be a "minister" is a true calling, and one must be faithful to it. But about all those other interests and, well, passions? Where do they come in.
Are pastors, thinking along Ellul’s lines, to pursue their greatest passions avocationally? If one has a calling to be pastor can one have other, maybe even greater, passions.
I think so. I have come to that slowly, and it has been healthy.
But I write today confessionally. I cannot really believe that I am saying this to the world, to my neighbors, and friends, and family, my congregation, my employers.
Because after all these years I know what my real heart’s passion is. Does that mean it has to be my main job? No. Does it mean I know how to pursue it? No. But I know what it is. I have known for some time, but something the other night made me realize it yet again. It goes all the way back to childhood, into high school, and through college.
I was watching the tribute to the Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin. In the last bit of the tribute, Irwin expressed why he did what he did, why he was drawn toward revealing to us the wonderful world of animals that he loved so much, and wanted us to love as he did. I was moved to tears, not just because I will miss him, which I will, and not just because he was so eloquent, which he was, but because of something else.
He was speaking for me too. Here I am almost fifty years old, and I realize that when I stooped over ant hills as a young kid, when I watched that video of whales in tenth grade biology, when I studied plants and bugs in college, when I, still, marvel at watching ants build a nest, or a spider weaving its web, or a spring bud opening, that this too is my real life’s passion.
I care about so many issues. I will for the rest of my life fight for what I believe to be right and just. I deeply desire that God be loved, enjoyed, and glorified by all people.
But I think I know my place in the world now. I want the same thing Steve Irwin wanted. I want to love and cause others to love as much as possible God’s creation, in all of its complexity, beauty, and majesty. And I want to fight for the creatures that have no public voice, no rights, no guardian. I want to fight for their habitats and spaces. I want to create change. I want to learn, and I want to teach everything I learn. And, again, mostly, I want others to love the creatures of this world as much as I do, and if I may say so, as much as I believe God does.
Does this mean I must throw off my pastoral mantle? No, maybe, not necessarily. Does this mean I love people less? No. Human life is most sacrosanct because people are made in the image of God. So I want to help people. However, animals and plants and ecosystems have their place to in God’s heart too.
So I think this is the main thing for me, in addition to all the other things I am called to do and be in this life. I want the remaining twenty or thirty years, if I am given them, to be spent for the sake of caring for God’s world.
I don’t really know where to start. But as a symbolic act, I have requested to become a signatory of the Evangelical Environmental Network’s “On the Care of Creation: An Evangelical Declaration on the Care of Creation” posted today also.
And it just may be, in that I am more or less a political and social conservative, that I am strategically placed. For ironically it is the political conservatives and evangelical Christians who need the most help in this area. I think there is a place for conservative historic orthodox Christians like me to make a difference, not just for the souls of humans beings or the spiritual care of local congregations, but for the very ongoing existence of God’s creatures. Following Ellul’s advice, I believe that I am to pursue this avocationally for now, but maybe not always. Maybe for me there will be a time for merging my vocation and my deepest passion.
There is so much yet for me to learn about the natural world, about our interactions with it, and about how to best save and preserve the remaining species of life that call home here.
I may need to take some courses, or pursue another degree on the side, or start an organization, or a camp. I really don’t know. But I know my passion. I am hungry to pursue it.
In this I have come full circle. My Christian person has finally come to peace with the natural interests and gifts God had given to me even as a child. It feels like I have become more whole.
From the reader’s side this may all sound trite or corny. I am OK with that. But I wish to say this to the world. This is my heart’s passion. I cannot be me, or who God wants me to be, apart from this. For this I have been made.
And in the end, if I can somehow make a difference, it will be for the glory of God and for the good of man. Let me ask you. How many times, when you wanted to take a spiritual or emotional rest, and get recalibrated so to speak – how many times did you do that at a mall, in a parking lot, in the middle of a crowded city?
We all need wilderness, open spaces, and wild places, so we can stay in touch with the Maker of all things and our truest selves. We all need these things even if we don’t know why. And inside of most of us there is the child - wide eyed and mouth agape at the beauty of God’s creatures and of His world. So, in pursuing my passion I believe I make it a better world for mankind, and for mankind’s soul.
Life will go on, and I will figure it out, I hope. I may need help. I may even need your help.
So there it is. My big confession right there for all the world to see. I have opened up my heart. Be gentle please.
Joel
I suspect most guys interviewing for jobs would just want to say, “Can you please cut the BS and give me the job. I know my stuff and I’ll do a good job. But my passions, my real passions, lie elsewhere. This is a job.”
Jacques Ellul, the famous French sociologist and philosopher, said that one should follow one’s passions avocationally, not vocationally. He believed that this was psychologically best for most people, not to mix their work with the things they cared most deeply about.
We all have callings of different kinds – callings as spouses, callings as parents, callings as friends, callings as Christians if we are such. We should pursue faithfulness, integrity, commitment, and purpose in these callings. And most of those things rank higher than job.
What about pastors? Are pastors meant to be an exception to this rule? Are pastors meant to subsume and rate as second all other callings and passions to the one passion of the pastoral ministry? I don’t think so. The call to be a "minister" is a true calling, and one must be faithful to it. But about all those other interests and, well, passions? Where do they come in.
Are pastors, thinking along Ellul’s lines, to pursue their greatest passions avocationally? If one has a calling to be pastor can one have other, maybe even greater, passions.
I think so. I have come to that slowly, and it has been healthy.
But I write today confessionally. I cannot really believe that I am saying this to the world, to my neighbors, and friends, and family, my congregation, my employers.
Because after all these years I know what my real heart’s passion is. Does that mean it has to be my main job? No. Does it mean I know how to pursue it? No. But I know what it is. I have known for some time, but something the other night made me realize it yet again. It goes all the way back to childhood, into high school, and through college.
I was watching the tribute to the Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin. In the last bit of the tribute, Irwin expressed why he did what he did, why he was drawn toward revealing to us the wonderful world of animals that he loved so much, and wanted us to love as he did. I was moved to tears, not just because I will miss him, which I will, and not just because he was so eloquent, which he was, but because of something else.
He was speaking for me too. Here I am almost fifty years old, and I realize that when I stooped over ant hills as a young kid, when I watched that video of whales in tenth grade biology, when I studied plants and bugs in college, when I, still, marvel at watching ants build a nest, or a spider weaving its web, or a spring bud opening, that this too is my real life’s passion.
I care about so many issues. I will for the rest of my life fight for what I believe to be right and just. I deeply desire that God be loved, enjoyed, and glorified by all people.
But I think I know my place in the world now. I want the same thing Steve Irwin wanted. I want to love and cause others to love as much as possible God’s creation, in all of its complexity, beauty, and majesty. And I want to fight for the creatures that have no public voice, no rights, no guardian. I want to fight for their habitats and spaces. I want to create change. I want to learn, and I want to teach everything I learn. And, again, mostly, I want others to love the creatures of this world as much as I do, and if I may say so, as much as I believe God does.
Does this mean I must throw off my pastoral mantle? No, maybe, not necessarily. Does this mean I love people less? No. Human life is most sacrosanct because people are made in the image of God. So I want to help people. However, animals and plants and ecosystems have their place to in God’s heart too.
So I think this is the main thing for me, in addition to all the other things I am called to do and be in this life. I want the remaining twenty or thirty years, if I am given them, to be spent for the sake of caring for God’s world.
I don’t really know where to start. But as a symbolic act, I have requested to become a signatory of the Evangelical Environmental Network’s “On the Care of Creation: An Evangelical Declaration on the Care of Creation” posted today also.
And it just may be, in that I am more or less a political and social conservative, that I am strategically placed. For ironically it is the political conservatives and evangelical Christians who need the most help in this area. I think there is a place for conservative historic orthodox Christians like me to make a difference, not just for the souls of humans beings or the spiritual care of local congregations, but for the very ongoing existence of God’s creatures. Following Ellul’s advice, I believe that I am to pursue this avocationally for now, but maybe not always. Maybe for me there will be a time for merging my vocation and my deepest passion.
There is so much yet for me to learn about the natural world, about our interactions with it, and about how to best save and preserve the remaining species of life that call home here.
I may need to take some courses, or pursue another degree on the side, or start an organization, or a camp. I really don’t know. But I know my passion. I am hungry to pursue it.
In this I have come full circle. My Christian person has finally come to peace with the natural interests and gifts God had given to me even as a child. It feels like I have become more whole.
From the reader’s side this may all sound trite or corny. I am OK with that. But I wish to say this to the world. This is my heart’s passion. I cannot be me, or who God wants me to be, apart from this. For this I have been made.
And in the end, if I can somehow make a difference, it will be for the glory of God and for the good of man. Let me ask you. How many times, when you wanted to take a spiritual or emotional rest, and get recalibrated so to speak – how many times did you do that at a mall, in a parking lot, in the middle of a crowded city?
We all need wilderness, open spaces, and wild places, so we can stay in touch with the Maker of all things and our truest selves. We all need these things even if we don’t know why. And inside of most of us there is the child - wide eyed and mouth agape at the beauty of God’s creatures and of His world. So, in pursuing my passion I believe I make it a better world for mankind, and for mankind’s soul.
Life will go on, and I will figure it out, I hope. I may need help. I may even need your help.
So there it is. My big confession right there for all the world to see. I have opened up my heart. Be gentle please.
Joel
Thursday, September 21, 2006
An Evangelical Declaration On the Care of Creation
An Evangelical Declaration on the Care of Creation
The Earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof - Psalm 24:1
As followers of Jesus Christ, committed to the full authority of the Scriptures, and aware of the ways we have degraded creation, we believe that biblical faith is essential to the solution of our ecological problems.
Because we worship and honor the Creator, we seek to cherish and care for the creation.
Because we have sinned, we have failed in our stewardship of creation. Therefore we repent of the way we have polluted, distorted, or destroyed so much of the Creator's work.
Because in Christ God has healed our alienation from God and extended to us the first fruits of the reconciliation of all things, we commit ourselves to working in the power of the Holy Spirit to share the Good News of Christ in word and deed, to work for the reconciliation of all people in Christ, and to extend Christ's healing to suffering creation.
Because we await the time when even the groaning creation will be restored to wholeness, we commit ourselves to work vigorously to protect and heal that creation for the honor and glory of the Creator---whom we know dimly through creation, but meet fully through Scripture and in Christ. We and our children face a growing crisis in the health of the creation in which we are embedded, and through which, by God's grace, we are sustained. Yet we continue to degrade that creation.
These degradations of creation can be summed up as 1) land degradation; 2) deforestation; 3) species extinction; 4) water degradation; 5) global toxification; 6) the alteration of atmosphere; 7) human and cultural degradation.
Many of these degradations are signs that we are pressing against the finite limits God has set for creation. With continued population growth, these degradations will become more severe. Our responsibility is not only to bear and nurture children, but to nurture their home on earth. We respect the institution of marriage as the way God has given to insure thoughtful procreation of children and their nurture to the glory of God.
We recognize that human poverty is both a cause and a consequence of environmental degradation.
Many concerned people, convinced that environmental problems are more spiritual than technological, are exploring the world's ideologies and religions in search of non-Christian spiritual resources for the healing of the earth. As followers of Jesus Christ, we believe that the Bible calls us to respond in four ways:
First, God calls us to confess and repent of attitudes which devalue creation, and which twist or ignore biblical revelation to support our misuse of it. Forgetting that "the earth is the Lord's," we have often simply used creation and forgotten our responsibility to care for it.
Second, our actions and attitudes toward the earth need to proceed from the center of our faith, and be rooted in the fullness of God's revelation in Christ and the Scriptures. We resist both ideologies which would presume the Gospel has nothing to do with the care of non-human creation and also ideologies which would reduce the Gospel to nothing more than the care of that creation.
Third, we seek carefully to learn all that the Bible tells us about the Creator, creation, and the human task. In our life and words we declare that full good news for all creation which is still waiting "with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God," (Rom. 8:19).
Fourth, we seek to understand what creation reveals about God's divinity, sustaining presence, and everlasting power, and what creation teaches us of its God-given order and the principles by which it works.
Thus we call on all those who are committed to the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to affirm the following principles of biblical faith, and to seek ways of living out these principles in our personal lives, our churches, and society.
The cosmos, in all its beauty, wildness, and life-giving bounty, is the work of our personal and loving Creator.
Our creating God is prior to and other than creation, yet intimately involved with it, upholding each thing in its freedom, and all things in relationships of intricate complexity. God is transcendent, while lovingly sustaining each creature; and immanent, while wholly other than creation and not to be confused with it.
God the Creator is relational in very nature, revealed as three persons in One. Likewise, the creation which God intended is a symphony of individual creatures in harmonious relationship.
The Creator's concern is for all creatures. God declares all creation "good" (Gen. 1:31); promises care in a covenant with all creatures (Gen. 9:9-17); delights in creatures which have no human apparent usefulness (Job 39-41); and wills, in Christ, "to reconcile all things to himself" (Col.1:20).
Men, women, and children, have a unique responsibility to the Creator; at the same time we are creatures, shaped by the same processes and embedded in the same systems of physical, chemical, and biological interconnections which sustain other creatures.
Men, women, and children, created in God's image, also have a unique responsibility for creation. Our actions should both sustain creation's fruitfulness and preserve creation's powerful testimony to its Creator.
Our God-given , stewardly talents have often been warped from their intended purpose: that we know, name, keep and delight in God's creatures; that we nourish civilization in love, creativity and obedience to God; and that we offer creation and civilization back in praise to the Creator. We have ignored our creaturely limits and have used the earth with greed, rather than care.
The earthly result of human sin has been a perverted stewardship, a patchwork of garden and wasteland in which the waste is increasing. "There is no faithfulness, no love, no acknowledgment of God in the land...Because of this the land mourns, and all who live in it waste away" (Hosea 4:1,3). Thus, one consequence of our misuse of the earth is an unjust denial of God's created bounty to other human beings, both now and in the future.
God's purpose in Christ is to heal and bring to wholeness not only persons but the entire created order. "For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood shed on the cross" (Col. 1:19-20).
In Jesus Christ, believers are forgiven, transformed and brought into God's kingdom. "If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation" (II Cor. 5:17). The presence of the kingdom of God is marked not only by renewed fellowship with God, but also by renewed harmony and justice between people, and by renewed harmony and justice between people and the rest of the created world. "You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands" (Isa. 55:12).
We believe that in Christ there is hope, not only for men, women and children, but also for the rest of creation which is suffering from the consequences of human sin.
Therefore we call upon all Christians to reaffirm that all creation is God's; that God created it good; and that God is renewing it in Christ.
We encourage deeper reflection on the substantial biblical and theological teaching which speaks of God's work of redemption in terms of the renewal and completion of God's purpose in creation.
We seek a deeper reflection on the wonders of God's creation and the principles by which creation works. We also urge a careful consideration of how our corporate and individual actions respect and comply with God's ordinances for creation.
We encourage Christians to incorporate the extravagant creativity of God into their lives by increasing the nurturing role of beauty and the arts in their personal, ecclesiastical, and social patterns.
We urge individual Christians and churches to be centers of creation's care and renewal, both delighting in creation as God's gift, and enjoying it as God's provision, in ways which sustain and heal the damaged fabric of the creation which God has entrusted to us.
We recall Jesus' words that our lives do not consist in the abundance of our possessions, and therefore we urge followers of Jesus to resist the allure of wastefulness and overconsumption by making personal lifestyle choices that express humility, forbearance, self restraint and frugality.
We call on all Christians to work for godly, just, and sustainable economies which reflect God's sovereign economy and enable men, women and children to flourish along with all the diversity of creation. We recognize that poverty forces people to degrade creation in order to survive; therefore we support the development of just, free economies which empower the poor and create abundance without diminishing creation's bounty.
We commit ourselves to work for responsible public policies which embody the principles of biblical stewardship of creation.
We invite Christians--individuals, congregations and organizations--to join with us in this evangelical declaration on the environment, becoming a covenant people in an ever-widening circle of biblical care for creation.
We call upon Christians to listen to and work with all those who are concerned about the healing of creation, with an eagerness both to learn from them and also to share with them our conviction that the God whom all people sense in creation (Acts 17:27) is known fully only in the Word made flesh in Christ the living God who made and sustains all things.
We make this declaration knowing that until Christ returns to reconcile all things, we are called to be faithful stewards of God's good garden, our earthly home.
The Earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof - Psalm 24:1
As followers of Jesus Christ, committed to the full authority of the Scriptures, and aware of the ways we have degraded creation, we believe that biblical faith is essential to the solution of our ecological problems.
Because we worship and honor the Creator, we seek to cherish and care for the creation.
Because we have sinned, we have failed in our stewardship of creation. Therefore we repent of the way we have polluted, distorted, or destroyed so much of the Creator's work.
Because in Christ God has healed our alienation from God and extended to us the first fruits of the reconciliation of all things, we commit ourselves to working in the power of the Holy Spirit to share the Good News of Christ in word and deed, to work for the reconciliation of all people in Christ, and to extend Christ's healing to suffering creation.
Because we await the time when even the groaning creation will be restored to wholeness, we commit ourselves to work vigorously to protect and heal that creation for the honor and glory of the Creator---whom we know dimly through creation, but meet fully through Scripture and in Christ. We and our children face a growing crisis in the health of the creation in which we are embedded, and through which, by God's grace, we are sustained. Yet we continue to degrade that creation.
These degradations of creation can be summed up as 1) land degradation; 2) deforestation; 3) species extinction; 4) water degradation; 5) global toxification; 6) the alteration of atmosphere; 7) human and cultural degradation.
Many of these degradations are signs that we are pressing against the finite limits God has set for creation. With continued population growth, these degradations will become more severe. Our responsibility is not only to bear and nurture children, but to nurture their home on earth. We respect the institution of marriage as the way God has given to insure thoughtful procreation of children and their nurture to the glory of God.
We recognize that human poverty is both a cause and a consequence of environmental degradation.
Many concerned people, convinced that environmental problems are more spiritual than technological, are exploring the world's ideologies and religions in search of non-Christian spiritual resources for the healing of the earth. As followers of Jesus Christ, we believe that the Bible calls us to respond in four ways:
First, God calls us to confess and repent of attitudes which devalue creation, and which twist or ignore biblical revelation to support our misuse of it. Forgetting that "the earth is the Lord's," we have often simply used creation and forgotten our responsibility to care for it.
Second, our actions and attitudes toward the earth need to proceed from the center of our faith, and be rooted in the fullness of God's revelation in Christ and the Scriptures. We resist both ideologies which would presume the Gospel has nothing to do with the care of non-human creation and also ideologies which would reduce the Gospel to nothing more than the care of that creation.
Third, we seek carefully to learn all that the Bible tells us about the Creator, creation, and the human task. In our life and words we declare that full good news for all creation which is still waiting "with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God," (Rom. 8:19).
Fourth, we seek to understand what creation reveals about God's divinity, sustaining presence, and everlasting power, and what creation teaches us of its God-given order and the principles by which it works.
Thus we call on all those who are committed to the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to affirm the following principles of biblical faith, and to seek ways of living out these principles in our personal lives, our churches, and society.
The cosmos, in all its beauty, wildness, and life-giving bounty, is the work of our personal and loving Creator.
Our creating God is prior to and other than creation, yet intimately involved with it, upholding each thing in its freedom, and all things in relationships of intricate complexity. God is transcendent, while lovingly sustaining each creature; and immanent, while wholly other than creation and not to be confused with it.
God the Creator is relational in very nature, revealed as three persons in One. Likewise, the creation which God intended is a symphony of individual creatures in harmonious relationship.
The Creator's concern is for all creatures. God declares all creation "good" (Gen. 1:31); promises care in a covenant with all creatures (Gen. 9:9-17); delights in creatures which have no human apparent usefulness (Job 39-41); and wills, in Christ, "to reconcile all things to himself" (Col.1:20).
Men, women, and children, have a unique responsibility to the Creator; at the same time we are creatures, shaped by the same processes and embedded in the same systems of physical, chemical, and biological interconnections which sustain other creatures.
Men, women, and children, created in God's image, also have a unique responsibility for creation. Our actions should both sustain creation's fruitfulness and preserve creation's powerful testimony to its Creator.
Our God-given , stewardly talents have often been warped from their intended purpose: that we know, name, keep and delight in God's creatures; that we nourish civilization in love, creativity and obedience to God; and that we offer creation and civilization back in praise to the Creator. We have ignored our creaturely limits and have used the earth with greed, rather than care.
The earthly result of human sin has been a perverted stewardship, a patchwork of garden and wasteland in which the waste is increasing. "There is no faithfulness, no love, no acknowledgment of God in the land...Because of this the land mourns, and all who live in it waste away" (Hosea 4:1,3). Thus, one consequence of our misuse of the earth is an unjust denial of God's created bounty to other human beings, both now and in the future.
God's purpose in Christ is to heal and bring to wholeness not only persons but the entire created order. "For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood shed on the cross" (Col. 1:19-20).
In Jesus Christ, believers are forgiven, transformed and brought into God's kingdom. "If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation" (II Cor. 5:17). The presence of the kingdom of God is marked not only by renewed fellowship with God, but also by renewed harmony and justice between people, and by renewed harmony and justice between people and the rest of the created world. "You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands" (Isa. 55:12).
We believe that in Christ there is hope, not only for men, women and children, but also for the rest of creation which is suffering from the consequences of human sin.
Therefore we call upon all Christians to reaffirm that all creation is God's; that God created it good; and that God is renewing it in Christ.
We encourage deeper reflection on the substantial biblical and theological teaching which speaks of God's work of redemption in terms of the renewal and completion of God's purpose in creation.
We seek a deeper reflection on the wonders of God's creation and the principles by which creation works. We also urge a careful consideration of how our corporate and individual actions respect and comply with God's ordinances for creation.
We encourage Christians to incorporate the extravagant creativity of God into their lives by increasing the nurturing role of beauty and the arts in their personal, ecclesiastical, and social patterns.
We urge individual Christians and churches to be centers of creation's care and renewal, both delighting in creation as God's gift, and enjoying it as God's provision, in ways which sustain and heal the damaged fabric of the creation which God has entrusted to us.
We recall Jesus' words that our lives do not consist in the abundance of our possessions, and therefore we urge followers of Jesus to resist the allure of wastefulness and overconsumption by making personal lifestyle choices that express humility, forbearance, self restraint and frugality.
We call on all Christians to work for godly, just, and sustainable economies which reflect God's sovereign economy and enable men, women and children to flourish along with all the diversity of creation. We recognize that poverty forces people to degrade creation in order to survive; therefore we support the development of just, free economies which empower the poor and create abundance without diminishing creation's bounty.
We commit ourselves to work for responsible public policies which embody the principles of biblical stewardship of creation.
We invite Christians--individuals, congregations and organizations--to join with us in this evangelical declaration on the environment, becoming a covenant people in an ever-widening circle of biblical care for creation.
We call upon Christians to listen to and work with all those who are concerned about the healing of creation, with an eagerness both to learn from them and also to share with them our conviction that the God whom all people sense in creation (Acts 17:27) is known fully only in the Word made flesh in Christ the living God who made and sustains all things.
We make this declaration knowing that until Christ returns to reconcile all things, we are called to be faithful stewards of God's good garden, our earthly home.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
The Little Willies
Being a fan of Norah Jones I noticed the CD entitled The Little Willies in a Starbucks a couple of months ago, and in a moment of weakness after looking it over, bought it! Am I glad I did!
The Little Willies are a group of musical friends who like to get together in NY and play music. You can read all about at their web site, The Little Willies.
They are Lee Alexander (bass), Jim Campilongo (electric guitar), Norah Jones (piano, vocals), Richard Julian (guitar, vocals) and Dan Rieser (drums).
Some people call it country. I don’t know – it’s more an eclectic mix of swing, jazz, honky tonk, and a little old-time country. Mostly The Little Willies are covering songs of others, including Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson, Townes van Zandt, and Red Rose, though there are some originals too.
Vocals are shared about evenly between Norah Jones and Richard Julian. I had not known previously of Richard Julian, but I like his voice, and it works on this music. And it’s hard to beat Norah Jones in the singing department. Despite the eclectic mix of songs, her piano work and vocals place her familiar stamp on all the songs she sings. It “feels” like Norah Jones music, though it could not be more different than her other work.
This is fun music – nothing real deep here, though I think Van Zandt’s No Place to Fall is achingly lovely and poignant, sung by Richard Julian. It’s my favorite song of this season.
Bass player Lee Alexander’s Roll On, sung by Norah Jones, is another just a plain great song of the familiar Norah Jones variety.
The Little Willies collaborated in writing the last song, entitled simply Lou Reed. It’s a pretty hilarious song, though if it has some hidden meaning I’m clueless. It’s about cow-tipping, and just in case there was not some deep dark perverted weird or strange thing about that, I looked it up on Wikipedia of all places. Reading about cow tipping just makes the song about Lou Reed cow tipping all the funnier.
Again, this is generally fast-paced excellently played good time music for kicking back on a long drive, or doing the dishes, or sitting out on the deck on a nice fall evening . It makes you smile even when it’s about getting drunk (Willie Nelson’s I Gotta Get Drunk) which is pretty funny, or death (I’ll Never Get Out of This World Alive), or the generally devil may care craziness of this world (Kris Kristofferson’s Best of All Possible Worlds).
Anyway, pick up a copy. If you need to preview a few songs go to their MySpace site.
Here’s the line up which I stole from an Amazon reviewer S. Heyworth.
Roly Poly (Fred Rose cover, Hank Williams popularized)
I'll Never Get Out of this World Alive (Fred Rose cover, Hank Williams popularized)
Love Me (Leiber/Stoller cover Elvis Presley popularized)
It's Not You It's Me (original by Richard Julian)
Best of All Possible Worlds (Kris Kristofferson cover)
No Place To Fall (Townes Van Zand cover)
Roll On (original by Lee Alexander)
I Gotta Get Drunk (Willie Nelson cover)
Streets of Baltimore (Gram Parsons cover)
Easy as the Rain (original by Richard Julian and Jim Campilongo)
Tennessee Stud (Jimmy Driftwood cover)
Night Life (Breeland/Buskirk/Nelson cover, Willie Nelson popularized)
Lou Reed (original by Alexander/Julian/Jones)
The Little Willies are a group of musical friends who like to get together in NY and play music. You can read all about at their web site, The Little Willies.
They are Lee Alexander (bass), Jim Campilongo (electric guitar), Norah Jones (piano, vocals), Richard Julian (guitar, vocals) and Dan Rieser (drums).
Some people call it country. I don’t know – it’s more an eclectic mix of swing, jazz, honky tonk, and a little old-time country. Mostly The Little Willies are covering songs of others, including Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson, Townes van Zandt, and Red Rose, though there are some originals too.
Vocals are shared about evenly between Norah Jones and Richard Julian. I had not known previously of Richard Julian, but I like his voice, and it works on this music. And it’s hard to beat Norah Jones in the singing department. Despite the eclectic mix of songs, her piano work and vocals place her familiar stamp on all the songs she sings. It “feels” like Norah Jones music, though it could not be more different than her other work.
This is fun music – nothing real deep here, though I think Van Zandt’s No Place to Fall is achingly lovely and poignant, sung by Richard Julian. It’s my favorite song of this season.
Bass player Lee Alexander’s Roll On, sung by Norah Jones, is another just a plain great song of the familiar Norah Jones variety.
The Little Willies collaborated in writing the last song, entitled simply Lou Reed. It’s a pretty hilarious song, though if it has some hidden meaning I’m clueless. It’s about cow-tipping, and just in case there was not some deep dark perverted weird or strange thing about that, I looked it up on Wikipedia of all places. Reading about cow tipping just makes the song about Lou Reed cow tipping all the funnier.
Again, this is generally fast-paced excellently played good time music for kicking back on a long drive, or doing the dishes, or sitting out on the deck on a nice fall evening . It makes you smile even when it’s about getting drunk (Willie Nelson’s I Gotta Get Drunk) which is pretty funny, or death (I’ll Never Get Out of This World Alive), or the generally devil may care craziness of this world (Kris Kristofferson’s Best of All Possible Worlds).
Anyway, pick up a copy. If you need to preview a few songs go to their MySpace site.
Here’s the line up which I stole from an Amazon reviewer S. Heyworth.
Roly Poly (Fred Rose cover, Hank Williams popularized)
I'll Never Get Out of this World Alive (Fred Rose cover, Hank Williams popularized)
Love Me (Leiber/Stoller cover Elvis Presley popularized)
It's Not You It's Me (original by Richard Julian)
Best of All Possible Worlds (Kris Kristofferson cover)
No Place To Fall (Townes Van Zand cover)
Roll On (original by Lee Alexander)
I Gotta Get Drunk (Willie Nelson cover)
Streets of Baltimore (Gram Parsons cover)
Easy as the Rain (original by Richard Julian and Jim Campilongo)
Tennessee Stud (Jimmy Driftwood cover)
Night Life (Breeland/Buskirk/Nelson cover, Willie Nelson popularized)
Lou Reed (original by Alexander/Julian/Jones)
The Bind: On Being a Christian in a Politically Charged World
Inspired to think by Billy's Meme question # 10, I wanted to write today about the bind I always feel that I am in being a Christian in a representative democracy with the political right to say whatever I please. How this bears upon others is not for me to say. For those not bound by Christian teaching, I quote the Apostle Paul who said, "For what have I to do with judging outsiders." By outsiders he simply means those who are not professing Christians.
This is the dilemma: I live in a secular country which allows me many freedoms, including the freedom to speak in ways that I should not. This country allows me, and my religion I believe requires me (as an extension of the command to love my neighbor), to be engaged, to care, and to thus participate in the political process at some level. The voices of the weak and helpless crying out for justive demand it if nothing else does.
And there is no engagement in our process without critique, debate, and hearty discussion.
But such hearty participation does not allow me as a Christian to cast of my Lord's requirements of me.
Jesus and the Apostles said much that impacts my attitude and my speech as I engage in the political process. Jesus said to "render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's."
The Apostle Paul said, "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice" as well as "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God."
The Apostle Peter said, "Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor."
I doubt any of our Presidents are worse characters than the Roman emporers, and they, as well as their office, requires the honor of the Christian.
And again, Paul says, "Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people."
Add to that the general admonition from the Torah regarding protecting the reputation of my neighbor in my speech, and I consider myself bound to speak a certain way and not another about and to others.
This can be very frustrating because I graduated from life with a Ph. D. in Slice and Dice (with snideness and sarcasm thrown in if at all possible). I have done more than my fair share of rabble rousing, shouting down elected officials, and the like, to last me a life time.
So, how to engage in the process, even critically if I must, without resorting to disrespecting those in office and those in authority over me?
Should I call the Central Office of GSC "The Gestapo."? Probably not. Should I call Bush a fool or Clinton a joke? For me, no, I should not.
But I cannot lay my head in the sand. Love of neighbor in a free country like ours demands that I participate in the process which so impacts my neighbor's well being. Not to do that, or to be silent, is to be responsible for the outcome which may harm my neighbor.
But the man or woman in office, even if I disagree with him or her, is both my neighbor and a human being made in the image of God. As James says, regarding the use of the tongue, "with it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God."
I do not believe that that admonition stops where the political process begins. So, how do I offer critique of one person's views while honoring that person's person? I must do that. Anything less is, for me, disobedience to my Lord and Master.
It takes much self control. There is within me such scorn and sarcasm and ridicule ready to leak out. O Lord, change me! But I also have a brain, and I have a voice, and I must use both for the good of my neighbor and to the glory of God.
But I must do so honorably. I should not call people names; I should not be condescending or snide; I should not write whole groups of people off with a critical wave of the tongue.
There are so few examples to follow. Around here I look to Joe Guarino as the best example of how I want to speak. In recent history I may look to Martin Luther King Jr. Despite his personal issues, I admire greatly his manner of political engagement. He fought the fight, peacefully, and inspiringly, and without personal vilification of his opponents, generally.
So, to be passionate, to be good, to fight injustice without committing injustice, to argue an issue without denigrating those who hold the opposite view on the issue, well, sometimes it just seems more than this bag of flesh and bones, with so much that is not yet as it should be, is capable of. But I must try.
So, you're all free to hold me accountable to my own stated values.
And by the way, I know that Jesus called Herod a fox, and I know that the prophets could be pretty hard on the Kings and people of Israel, but I am neither Jesus, nor Amos, nor Jeremiah. If I must speak words that have to do with "covenant breaking" it is an "in house" thing. America is not in covenant with the God of Israel.
And by the way (II), each person entering into political discourse brings or drags values with him or her. They may get these values from his or her religion, parents, or from aliens as far as I know. But everyone has them, and everyone, to some degree or another, seeks to impose them on others. Ultimately for all human beings the fight for justice is a fight that is undergirded by certain beliefs or values about those for whom justice is needed or required. The fact that this is so with me, a Christian citizen, does not make me a theocrat, any more than it makes a non Christian a theocrat. Yes, there are some people (I wanted to say "kooks" - see how hard it is to be good) out there representing a variety of viewpoints who would hold all of us hostage to their value system. As for me, I am glad I live in a secular nation where I am protected from such, whether Christian, Jew, Muslim, atheist, or whatever.
This is the dilemma: I live in a secular country which allows me many freedoms, including the freedom to speak in ways that I should not. This country allows me, and my religion I believe requires me (as an extension of the command to love my neighbor), to be engaged, to care, and to thus participate in the political process at some level. The voices of the weak and helpless crying out for justive demand it if nothing else does.
And there is no engagement in our process without critique, debate, and hearty discussion.
But such hearty participation does not allow me as a Christian to cast of my Lord's requirements of me.
Jesus and the Apostles said much that impacts my attitude and my speech as I engage in the political process. Jesus said to "render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's."
The Apostle Paul said, "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice" as well as "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God."
The Apostle Peter said, "Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor."
I doubt any of our Presidents are worse characters than the Roman emporers, and they, as well as their office, requires the honor of the Christian.
And again, Paul says, "Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people."
Add to that the general admonition from the Torah regarding protecting the reputation of my neighbor in my speech, and I consider myself bound to speak a certain way and not another about and to others.
This can be very frustrating because I graduated from life with a Ph. D. in Slice and Dice (with snideness and sarcasm thrown in if at all possible). I have done more than my fair share of rabble rousing, shouting down elected officials, and the like, to last me a life time.
So, how to engage in the process, even critically if I must, without resorting to disrespecting those in office and those in authority over me?
Should I call the Central Office of GSC "The Gestapo."? Probably not. Should I call Bush a fool or Clinton a joke? For me, no, I should not.
But I cannot lay my head in the sand. Love of neighbor in a free country like ours demands that I participate in the process which so impacts my neighbor's well being. Not to do that, or to be silent, is to be responsible for the outcome which may harm my neighbor.
But the man or woman in office, even if I disagree with him or her, is both my neighbor and a human being made in the image of God. As James says, regarding the use of the tongue, "with it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God."
I do not believe that that admonition stops where the political process begins. So, how do I offer critique of one person's views while honoring that person's person? I must do that. Anything less is, for me, disobedience to my Lord and Master.
It takes much self control. There is within me such scorn and sarcasm and ridicule ready to leak out. O Lord, change me! But I also have a brain, and I have a voice, and I must use both for the good of my neighbor and to the glory of God.
But I must do so honorably. I should not call people names; I should not be condescending or snide; I should not write whole groups of people off with a critical wave of the tongue.
There are so few examples to follow. Around here I look to Joe Guarino as the best example of how I want to speak. In recent history I may look to Martin Luther King Jr. Despite his personal issues, I admire greatly his manner of political engagement. He fought the fight, peacefully, and inspiringly, and without personal vilification of his opponents, generally.
So, to be passionate, to be good, to fight injustice without committing injustice, to argue an issue without denigrating those who hold the opposite view on the issue, well, sometimes it just seems more than this bag of flesh and bones, with so much that is not yet as it should be, is capable of. But I must try.
So, you're all free to hold me accountable to my own stated values.
And by the way, I know that Jesus called Herod a fox, and I know that the prophets could be pretty hard on the Kings and people of Israel, but I am neither Jesus, nor Amos, nor Jeremiah. If I must speak words that have to do with "covenant breaking" it is an "in house" thing. America is not in covenant with the God of Israel.
And by the way (II), each person entering into political discourse brings or drags values with him or her. They may get these values from his or her religion, parents, or from aliens as far as I know. But everyone has them, and everyone, to some degree or another, seeks to impose them on others. Ultimately for all human beings the fight for justice is a fight that is undergirded by certain beliefs or values about those for whom justice is needed or required. The fact that this is so with me, a Christian citizen, does not make me a theocrat, any more than it makes a non Christian a theocrat. Yes, there are some people (I wanted to say "kooks" - see how hard it is to be good) out there representing a variety of viewpoints who would hold all of us hostage to their value system. As for me, I am glad I live in a secular nation where I am protected from such, whether Christian, Jew, Muslim, atheist, or whatever.
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Twenty Questions
I received an e-mail from Billy the Blogging Poet about answering the following questions. Since he posted his answers, I’ll post mine.
The title of his post is When Is A Meme Not A Meme? What the heck is a meme? Anyway, here we go.
1: Do you like the look and the contents of your blog?
I am never at rest as regards the look and content of the blog, thinking I want to do more, wishing I had more ability. I am so thankful for Cara Michelle and Jesse Wesselink for keeping my blogs looking decent. As to content, I want to add podcasts, more pictures, and I want to find the time to write more about the natural world.
2: Does your family know about your blog?
Absolutely, as well as every single person in the world who knows me. Just look at the bottom of my e-mails. Also, in my job as a pastor, I have asked permission from our elders to do some blogging while at work and they think it a worthwhile endeavor.
3: Can you tell your friends about your blog? Do you consider it a private thing?
I tell as many friends as I can without seeming to be too self promoting. But almost every person I know knows that I do this.
4: Do you just read the blogs of those who comment on your blog? O do you try to discover new blogs?
I do, on the first, and I try on the second, time permitting. It comes in fits and pieces. There are weeks when I just don’t have time.
5: Did your blog positively affect your mind? Give an example.
Usually, though there are certain dynamics in the local blogging scene that frustrate me sometimes. Mostly people are affirming however, even the ones who don’t buy what I’m selling. I get great satisfaction in writing. I feel like a volcano ready to explode with a thousand things to write. Blogging gives me a place to express myself. If I don’t have an audience I just won’t write. Plus, the interaction, the debating, has really helped me understand other people better and has helped my preaching as a pastor. I tend to gravitate toward reading the blogs of people I generally don’t agree with!
6: What does the number of visitors to your blog mean? Do you use a traffic counter?
I want to increase traffic. It is somewhat important because I want the writing to be accessible. It is not just a private me and God thing.
7: Did you imagine how other bloggers look like?
Yeah, actually I do, especially the anonymous ones! I’ve emailed back and forth with people I don’t know who help keep me straight in my blogging, and I think of them as friends, even though we have never met.
8: Do you think blogging has any real benefit?
Yeah, it gives people a venue for self expression. That’s important. It allows the mainstream media not to control what people read and listen to. It enables people to think through issues by debate and discourse. It impacts political decisions I think. I would like to think that non bloggers read my blog. The thing I worry about is bloggers just being an elite little club.
9: Do you think that the Blogsphere is a stand alone community separated from the real world?
In once sense, yes, because it is not representative. In another sense it helps being some community between bloggers. I also think local politicians use bloggers a trial balloons for ideas.
10: Do some political blogs scare you? Do you avoid them?
I hate blog arguing (not debating) and too many of the political blogs are just shouting or insult matches.
11. Do you think that criticizing your blog is useful?
I appreciate the input of people who care about me and what I say. That impacts what I do or don’t do. I have some blogging friends, whom I have never met, and we have taken a liking to each other despite big social/political differences, and they help keep my blogging in line.
12: Have you ever thought about what happen to your blog in case you died?
Never
13: Which blogger had the greatest impression on you?
Probably Roch, just because he has helped me so much. As to examples, I want to most be like Joe (Guarino). I think I’ll start a “Be Like Joe” button campaign. I like to read Mr. Sun and wish I had a tenth of his talent.
14: Which blogger you think is the most similar to you?
This guy in Australia who used to comment on my site. Around here, maybe Joe Guarino, except that he is nicer than me.
15: Name a song you want to listen to.
I’m on a Beatles kick right now. I have been buying too much music this year and have had to cut back for the sake of the budget. Lately, given all the unrest in the Islamic world over the Pope’s remark, I keep thinking about Dylan “Only a Pawn in Their Game.”
I will send an e-mail to each of these:
Matt
PotatoStew
Fecund Stench
Mickey
Joe
The title of his post is When Is A Meme Not A Meme? What the heck is a meme? Anyway, here we go.
1: Do you like the look and the contents of your blog?
I am never at rest as regards the look and content of the blog, thinking I want to do more, wishing I had more ability. I am so thankful for Cara Michelle and Jesse Wesselink for keeping my blogs looking decent. As to content, I want to add podcasts, more pictures, and I want to find the time to write more about the natural world.
2: Does your family know about your blog?
Absolutely, as well as every single person in the world who knows me. Just look at the bottom of my e-mails. Also, in my job as a pastor, I have asked permission from our elders to do some blogging while at work and they think it a worthwhile endeavor.
3: Can you tell your friends about your blog? Do you consider it a private thing?
I tell as many friends as I can without seeming to be too self promoting. But almost every person I know knows that I do this.
4: Do you just read the blogs of those who comment on your blog? O do you try to discover new blogs?
I do, on the first, and I try on the second, time permitting. It comes in fits and pieces. There are weeks when I just don’t have time.
5: Did your blog positively affect your mind? Give an example.
Usually, though there are certain dynamics in the local blogging scene that frustrate me sometimes. Mostly people are affirming however, even the ones who don’t buy what I’m selling. I get great satisfaction in writing. I feel like a volcano ready to explode with a thousand things to write. Blogging gives me a place to express myself. If I don’t have an audience I just won’t write. Plus, the interaction, the debating, has really helped me understand other people better and has helped my preaching as a pastor. I tend to gravitate toward reading the blogs of people I generally don’t agree with!
6: What does the number of visitors to your blog mean? Do you use a traffic counter?
I want to increase traffic. It is somewhat important because I want the writing to be accessible. It is not just a private me and God thing.
7: Did you imagine how other bloggers look like?
Yeah, actually I do, especially the anonymous ones! I’ve emailed back and forth with people I don’t know who help keep me straight in my blogging, and I think of them as friends, even though we have never met.
8: Do you think blogging has any real benefit?
Yeah, it gives people a venue for self expression. That’s important. It allows the mainstream media not to control what people read and listen to. It enables people to think through issues by debate and discourse. It impacts political decisions I think. I would like to think that non bloggers read my blog. The thing I worry about is bloggers just being an elite little club.
9: Do you think that the Blogsphere is a stand alone community separated from the real world?
In once sense, yes, because it is not representative. In another sense it helps being some community between bloggers. I also think local politicians use bloggers a trial balloons for ideas.
10: Do some political blogs scare you? Do you avoid them?
I hate blog arguing (not debating) and too many of the political blogs are just shouting or insult matches.
11. Do you think that criticizing your blog is useful?
I appreciate the input of people who care about me and what I say. That impacts what I do or don’t do. I have some blogging friends, whom I have never met, and we have taken a liking to each other despite big social/political differences, and they help keep my blogging in line.
12: Have you ever thought about what happen to your blog in case you died?
Never
13: Which blogger had the greatest impression on you?
Probably Roch, just because he has helped me so much. As to examples, I want to most be like Joe (Guarino). I think I’ll start a “Be Like Joe” button campaign. I like to read Mr. Sun and wish I had a tenth of his talent.
14: Which blogger you think is the most similar to you?
This guy in Australia who used to comment on my site. Around here, maybe Joe Guarino, except that he is nicer than me.
15: Name a song you want to listen to.
I’m on a Beatles kick right now. I have been buying too much music this year and have had to cut back for the sake of the budget. Lately, given all the unrest in the Islamic world over the Pope’s remark, I keep thinking about Dylan “Only a Pawn in Their Game.”
I will send an e-mail to each of these:
Matt
PotatoStew
Fecund Stench
Mickey
Joe
Saturday, September 16, 2006
More Fire, More Smoke
More fire and smoke today...
Here is the Pope's speech. He is making a worthwhile philosophical/theological point in an address about reason and faith. It's worth a read. He ends by talking about constructuive dialogue between Christians and Muslims. One point is that you can't have dialogue and jihad. Duh.
Here is an example of the response.
I think his point is being made. No wonder he won't fully totally retract and apologize. I wouldn't either.
As a Christian I am glad I live in a secular nation.
Here is the Pope's speech. He is making a worthwhile philosophical/theological point in an address about reason and faith. It's worth a read. He ends by talking about constructuive dialogue between Christians and Muslims. One point is that you can't have dialogue and jihad. Duh.
Here is an example of the response.
I think his point is being made. No wonder he won't fully totally retract and apologize. I wouldn't either.
As a Christian I am glad I live in a secular nation.
Friday, September 15, 2006
Hey, Can We have a Riot?
Good grief, if we had huge protests and riots every single time people cast aspersions on Jesus Christ and Christianity, like every third Hollywood movie, and most every statement coming from radical Islam, it would be non stop rioting around here. Muslims rebuke/deny/offend the Christian view of Jesus every day. Hey, we need to get over it. So they don't go for it. So they don't think Jesus died for our sins, rose from the dead, was God the Son. Fine. Jews aren't crazy about all that either. In fact the Jews of his day thought Jesus was either subversive, dangerous, blasphemous, or just plain nuts. I probably would have thought so too. But I don't see Jews waging holy war or wanting to wage Holy War against Christians. And I don't think they would if they could. Yes I am deeply sorry for what has happened in history in the reverse. I think the Pope's timing could have been better, but maybe, just maybe, 9/11 and the aftermath, including the bombings in Spain and England and the other foiled "let's blow-up-some-airplanes-and get-to-heaven" attempts, plus the announcement of Jihad over and over, gives the Pope a little more material to work with than his predecessor. If Muslims will not renounce the physical violence - the murderous aspects of Jihad, and renounce those who murder and kill non cambatants on purpose, and renounce the intense persecutions of converts to Judaism or Christianity all over the world, then what are we to say. Hey, this is great, why don't you come and blow up my city while you're at it; it's getting boring around here. It's a marketplace of ideas. A marketplace of beliefs. Muslims are good at arguing for their beliefs. Very good. That's fine. I wish them well. Just stop killing people who don't buy it OK. Time to see the civilized and mature Muslims stand up and put an end to this nonsense. People are going to criticize you, and your holy prophet, and your culture, just like they do mine. Hello! Deal with it. Peacefully. Maybe in the end it is a clash of civilizations. But I'd like it think it possible to have a world where folks can worship as they will, knowing that God, however understood, will work as He will. The best of Christianity, the best of Judaism, and the best of Islam calls for men to be men, as in gentlemen, and women gentlewomen, and all civil, civil men and women who are good and kind to their neighbors whatever they believe. That's what I think.
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