My firstborn goes to school

Today is Karsten’s first day of school.  His first endeavor out of the home into the driving blizzards of real life.  From now on, there are going to be 7 hours a day, two days a week that my little boy is not under the direct influence of Chrissy or me.

From day one, we have had a long-term approach with our boys.  We remind ourselves regularly that they are not ours; they belong to God.  Whatever God has in store for them–whether it be disease or pain or joys or victory, we want what God wants for them.  We want His influences to pervade and consume them.  We are their caretakers.  We must teach them to obey us so that they will obey Him.  We must teach them to be sensitive to our will, so that they will learn to hear His.

Chrissy and I have the ambitious goal of preparing a life for full dependence on God (and independence from us) in only 18 years.  This is an exciting day!  There were so many thoughts swirling through my head yesterday as I went about my duties in the school.  As I passed his classroom, I saw his empty desk, waiting to hold his little body that I love to hold.

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My great opportunity

Since 1981 (kindergarten), my internal calendar has been based on a school calendar.  I can’t think of a date without considering how that falls on a school day or summer break day.

Today is Day One of my 26th year in school (22 of the 26 have been in this building).  A great opportunity lies ahead as these students start filing in the doors.  I get to lead this faculty in fulfilling here part of the Great Commission in teaching this nation (our part of it) to observe all things that Christ commanded.  It’s just a part…just my small part.  I am thankful that I have the end part of the Commission as the promise that he is with me alway, even unto the end of the world.

Though last week was a little hairy, I finished a really important book–Instruments in the Hands of the Redeemer.  See my mini-review on the “What I’m Reading” page.

I need to spend some time working on my Tool Crib page and will be able to do that as things start settling down again.  I also added a “Blogs I Know” page.  That is most easily available at the bottom of right sidebar on the Pages menu.  I haven’t decided how permanent that is, but there are some good links there.

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Quote of the Day

William Douglas Mackenzie on intellectual slackness…

“The idea that Christianity can conquer my means of men who do not know what mental discipline is, who hope to maintain their influence by a piety that is divorced from intelligence, or a message that is delivered by intellectual incompetents, is one of the most disastrous which any generation could inherit or cherish.”

(Latin and Greek in American Education, 1911)

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Wowzers!

It’s ugly and impractical, but reading about this car left me amazed at the progress technology continues to make.

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Do it the eBay way!

Since June of 1999, I have been a regular seller on eBay.  It is a part of my regular daily routine to be doing eBay things in some way.  Though it has gone through several stages, my primary business now is selling things for other people and businesses.

There may be some of you who would be interested in watching my food service equipment auctions.  I have been listing for a local company for almost two years.  They are reliable and have excellent equipment.  Often the final prices for their food equipment will be 10% of retail prices.  Most things are new.  Some are used.

This information might be useful for many church and camp ministries.

You can view my auctions here.

Please feel free to ask me any questions, even general questions about doing eBay.

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I was at the Pistons/Pacers brawl

 

One of the most important nights in sports history was November 19, 2004.  It had long been expected to be a great showdown–a first meeting since a brutal playoff series the previous spring.  But the Pacers put on a show and had a good size lead late in the 4th quarter.  We almost left…thousands did.

From our spots in the very last row of the upper deck (technically they were courtside because we were sitting right across from the Pacers bench just slightly elevated) we saw the complexion of sports change in America (the next day there were two brawls among college football rivals also). 

While we have seen the short clips from television, it is hard to describe the real melee that occurred that night.  It was 10-15 minutes of true chaos.  I remember standing there and then noticing my jaw was hanging open in disbelief.

I had the same response this week when Artest, as part of his court-ordered community service, visited Detroit school children and impudently declared, “Someone started trouble and I ended it.”  In a radio interview last week he intimated that the whole fiasco was not a mistake.

I’m not sure if he misses the 5.5 million he lost that season or if he is aware that he wasn’t allowed to play for the remainder of the season, but please, please admit that it was a mistake to go charging into the stands!

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I miss my family

Chrissy, Had and Linc left Karsten and I on Thursday to go to a reunion of Chrissy’s college girlfriends.  They will be home in a few hours!

Here’s a picture I took of Lincoln when we are on vacation a few weeks ago.

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Quote of the Day

A concise lesson he learned many years ago by Dr. Panosian…

“Make decisions you can die by.  Live for one world.  Abandon yourself  to one cause.  Equate yourself with something.  Life a lively life.”

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Quote of the Day

Ann Coulter on evolution…

“Even if evolution were true, it wouldn’t disprove God.  God has performed more spectacular feats than evolution.  It’s not even a daunting challenge to a belief in God.  If you want something that complicates a belief in God, try coming to terms with Michael Moore being one of God’s special creatures.”

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A good tool crib

Perhaps the most profound influence a person can have in the life of another is to come alongside him and have a one-on-one encounter.  Great learning, exhortation and edification can take place in this sort of relationship.  Since we don’t have the luxury of having personal disciplers in every discipline, we must go to the books to get the learning, exhortation and edification we need.

Mark Twain famously said that, “the man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who can’t read them.”  When we pick up a book, we are coming alongside for a pseudo one-on-one relationship and an opportunity to learn from someone who has done the research and become an expert in their subject.

The bookshelf should be viewed as a tool crib of sorts.  For those in the ministry, books are hammers and saws, our drills and levels.  We should never stop purchasing the tools we need for our work.  We should never abandon the tools of our trade. 

Reading prevents stagnation.  Reading encourages our spirits.  Reading rebukes our hearts.  Reading informs our ignorance.  Reading reminds us of our responsibilities.  Reading opens up the possibilities.  Reading increases our logical capacities.

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Pictures from Dana’s wedding

Pictures from Dana’s wedding

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“For the precious things of heaven”

With a scene like this, is it any wonder that man used to worship Mars?  Instead we should…

“O give thanks unto the LORD; for He is good: for His mercy endureth for ever.
  O give thanks unto the God of gods: for His mercy endureth for ever.
  O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for His mercy endureth for ever.
  To Him who alone doeth great wonders: for His mercy endureth for ever.
  To Him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever.”

…and the rest of Psalm 136.

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When you take a ball of hooey and you throw it at a wall of tomfoolery…

My vacation starts today, and since I am scurrying, I don’t have time to comment on the following two selections of tripe.  These two articles will leave you shaking your head.  Please feel free to do my commenting for me.

1.  Sorry, but my children bore me to death!

2.  NYC Wax Museum Shows Off Jolie-Pitt Baby

Really…please comment.

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Even Solomon was not arrayed like this

 

When I think of old Ozymandias–that colossal wreck–lying in the sand, I don’t think of splendor…I think of vanity.  When I see a picture like this, I must consider my calling as a lump of clay and then remember to do my calling well.

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