Last week I introduced you the first watch in my amateur collection and asked for name suggestions.
You rolled your eyes and refrained from participating.
But I’ve started something, so I must continue,
This week’s piece is a strange and quirky one from the ‘70s, a Swiss-made Lucerne jump hour that belonged to my grandfather.
It is a mechanical, hand-wind watch which I currently have attached to a black rubber strap off of an Orient Kamasu divers watch.
What would you name it?
Filed under watches
Welcome back to Controversial Tuesdays! It’s the day of the week where I post things that may get me into trouble, or at least tick somebody off.
Actually, I don’t want to make people angry with me. I want people to like me. But we live in a day and age where many, many people are being forced into silence by those on the ideological left through intimidation and actual threats.
Therefore, for today, I want to reply to a post on Facebook by an unknown author. Maybe you have already seen it. However, below is the whole post with my short thoughts or comments inserted.
Just a note for my right leaning family and friends from my left leaning self as we near voting day:
They say we want to disband police departments (and that we hate the police): we don’t, that’s a lie. We want to weed out racism and unnecessary police brutality and for those who abuse their power to be held accountable.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/minneapolis-city-council-intent-disband-police-department/
They say we want to release all prisoners: we don’t, that’s a lie. We want to weed out racism and ensure the punishments match the crimes and to deprivatize prisons.
https://towardfreedom.org/blog-blog/call-for-action-to-release-prisoners/
Only 8% of prisons are privately run.
They say we want open borders: we don’t, that’s a lie. We want asylum seekers to be given their chance to seek asylum. We want to help people who are coming from unimaginable terror and poverty help to give them the chances we have. We want to ensure children aren’t separated from their parents and that nobody is kept in cages. But we do want proper vetting.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/politics/policy-2020/immigration/
https://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2019/07/are-democrats-now-the-party-of-open-borders/
They say we want to take away your guns: we don’t, that’s a lie. We want logical gun control to help prevent mass shootings.
Two words: England, Australia.
They say we want to wage a war on Christianity and Christian values: we don’t, that’s a lie. We want people of all religions to be able to practice and worship freely.
I don’t even know where to begin. It’s sort of like someone telling you they don’t want to take away your right to eat sugar cubes, but they want to ban sugar. Of course, there is a regular offensive taking place which targets conservative Christian doctrine. The author of this defense of liberalism and Democrats is either naïve or disingenuous.
They say we want to get everything for free: we don’t, that’s a lie. We want to work hard and make sure that healthcare and education are affordable for all.
Wait, so no more Obama handouts? No free phones? No free rent? No free daycare? No free food? No paid maternity leave? No minimum wage hikes? No FREE health care? Riiight.
They say we want a war against traditional marriage: we don’t, that’s a lie. We want people of all sexual orientations to be able to love freely, no matter who you love.
No, THAT is a lie. The redefinition of marriage is an assault on what traditional marriage even is. To want people to love whomever they want is not the same argument as the government and forced social acceptance of same-sex marriage.
They say we want to destroy or rewrite history: we don’t, that’s a lie. We want to recognize the ugly parts of our past and do everything we can to say “that’s not okay, let’s not honor those aggressors, let’s not let those things happen again”.
Then why all the re-written history books? Why the destruction of monuments? I could go on.
They say we want to take away your constitutional rights: we don’t, that’s a lie. We choose to believe science and wear masks and try to prevent the spread of this disease.
Actually, I don’t believe you even CARE about our constitutional rights. And as to believing science, science is not a thing to believe; the results of scientific study are. Therein lies a huge problem – who you gonna believe?
They say we hate America: we don’t, that’s a lie. We just recognize our faults and want us to do better, be better.
Seriously? I mean, SERIOUSLY? https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=3262700537144792&extid=d3T9xRzsUWsnsNO2
Stop with the us vs. them. Stop with the straw man arguments. Stop with the fake news. Stop with fox news. Our position is one of empathy, compassion and logic. Stop believing the hype. Stop with the division. Just because we want equality for all doesn’t mean we want to take anything away from you. – Unknown. Please share.
No, you actually DO want to take away from me the right to believe differently than you do without being beaten in the streets, harassed at restaurants, or being made to fear for my life if I publicly express my support for President Donald Trump.
Peace out.
Not in Portland, Baltimore, Wisconsin, Atlanta, etc., etc., etc.
What do you think? Is it all lies? One side or the other? Feel free to leave a comment, but try to be nice.
For some reason, although I have my suspicions, the audio from Sunday morning’s sermon never reached the online viewers. Therefore, last night I went back to the church and re-preached what I preached Sunday morning . . . sorta.
I will share the link with you.
(btw, that’s a vintage ’70s Lucerne Jump Date on my wrist 😉 )
Filed under Bethlehem Baptist Church, Christian Living, Preaching
Maybe about a week ago Timothy Daugherty, a friend, asked me on Facebook, “Do you name your watches?” My reply was, “No. I’m not THAT obsessive.”
He asked the question because I had recently posted some “glamor photos” of several of my watches. I was bored, and it was just something different and fun to do instead of going to sleep. I should have gone to sleep – I don’t get enough as it is.
But it did get me to thinking about what I would name my watches if I actually named my watches. Believe it or not, I found it easier to name our children.
BTW, I have a thing for watches.
So, last night, while I was once again fighting sleep, an idea flashed in my brain. Why not do a weekly blog post where readers on my blog and on Facebook decide what to name each of my watches?
It’s either a great idea, or it’s not. Either way, I’m going forward with it.
This is how it’s going to work… Each week I’m going to post a picture of one of my watches, along with each piece’s back story. Then, in the comment sections of both here and on Facebook, you can leave your suggestions.
For the next few days after each post, I will collect your suggestions and then compile the top 5 that I like. Then, probably on Facebook, I will create a survey/poll where you can vote on which one you like the most. The name with the most votes will win.
The person who first suggests the winning name will receive a prize! A prize? YES, a prize!
The winning name suggester will receive an autographed picture of the watch being named – if you want it, of course 😉
So, let’s get to it . . . time’s a ticking!
This watch was purchased back in the mid-’90s from Rone Regency Jewelers in Chattanooga, TN. The way it came about is that my wife had bought me a beautiful, expensive, very complicated Seiko chronograph for a gift. Oh, it was a beautiful watch, but for some reason, the second hand kept messing up. At one point it fell off! After getting it fixed more than once, I was not the only one frustrated.
Instead of keeping the original watch, and instead of dealing with the mounting suspicions that I was doing something to the Seiko to make it break, the manager suggested I exchange the Seiko for another watch. He suggested something a little tougher (and not as expensive), then guided me to the watch you see here.
Watchu see is a classic Swiss-made Swiss Army watch sporting an aftermarket red-striped NATO strap. This watch is powered by a quartz movement (uses a battery) with a date complication. It also hacks (which means you can stop the second hand to set a more precise time).
The 38mm case is made of resin and has a stainless steel screw-down case back. The crystal seems to be mineral.
Unquestionably, the most outstanding aspect of this watch is the red-enameled stainless steel bezel.
So, can you think of a name?
Filed under watches
Last week, as I was studying for the upcoming Sunday morning sermon, I had a thought cross my mind, which led to me jotting it down on my desk calendar.
Before long, my “thought” became notes which would affect 6 days’ worth of my calendar and become the source of much discussion between several other pastor friends and myself.
Amused, I picked up my phone and took a picture, then posted it on Facebook. I commented, “This is what having a ‘thought’ looks like.”
So, with no editing or commentary, I’d like to share my “thoughts” with you. All I did was re-write them so that they could be read in this format.
One doesn’t have to have a sin nature to sin. Angels sinned without a sin nature. Adam sinned. But, since Adam, all have sinned (Romans 5:19), whether innocent or not, for their very nature – the sin nature – is not holy as God is.
The true predicament: Are you as holy as God? No, of course not! Then that is sin! The sheer fact that we are anything less than holy defies the holy law of God which is a reflection of His nature.
The Law is not arbitrary, but in conformity with the nature of God. Therefore, no amount of keeping of the Law, even if possible, would make us holy. Only God could keep the law of His own Character, and only God could live holy and without sin, for it is His nature and only His to live consistently holy.
Therefore, no amount of law-keeping could change one’s nature, thereby making him holy, much less to become holy by keeping the law that denotes past imperfection… unholy to holy. This, again, is contrary to the nature of God which would be contrary to His Law. We have no hope! We need a Savior!
Did Adam have a sin nature that led him to sin? Or, did he willfully sin without a sin nature?
Men might be born innocent, but they are not born holy. One could then be at one moment innocent for never having willfully committed a crime, but because he is not holy, and must become holy, he is in contradiction to God’s nature (the Law within Himself) and is, therefore, a law-breaker – a sinner.
One thing is for sure – We need a Saviour! Amen?
Filed under Bible Study, Christianity, salvation, Theology
I have decided to devote Tuesdays each week to something controversial. If you remember, a couple of weeks ago I asked what you would like for me to write about.
From your responses I will craft my posts.
The title for today is a statement I have heard for the last 4 years in some form or another. And now that an election is just months away, it’s a statement or question that’s being repeated time and time again.
As a Christian minister, my conscience will not allow me to vote for Joe Biden, or any Democrat (because of their support of abortion). But then you may ask, “Do you mean to tell us that you think Donald Trump is more of a Christian than Biden?” No, I don’t think that. All I can do is judge them by their actions and take them at their word.
Then, in a raised, indignant voice you might come back with, “Do you mean to tell me, as a Christian, a Baptist pastor, you would actually condone voting for a man who groped women’s privates, owned strip clubs, and has made millions off of questionable construction deals?”
I would say that’s a fair question, to which I would continue, “Do you mean to tell me it would be MORE Christian to vote for a man who constantly sniffs young girls and touches women, was known to walk around naked in the VP mansion, and helped his son make millions from Russian oil companies?”
You know what, I’m going to YouTube and I’m going to record a video. There’s more to say and I don’t want to type it.
On a final note, and something that I wish I had addressed in the video, is the claim that America is being destroyed by Trump, or the claim that Trump brought in an era of violence, meanness, hatred, etc. How can one suggest such things?
Was it Trump who marched in the streets the day after the election carrying signs reading “Not my president!”? Was it Trump who was attacking people wearing MAGA hats? Was it Trump who was forcing the race card into every conversation? Was it Trump who was falsely accusing anyone of colluding with the Russians to steal an election? Was it Trump who nothing, not one thing, not even a syllable spoken was positive?
No one cared about Trump until he shockingly got elected and defeated Hillary Clinton. So many serious left-wing voters were crushed when Hillary lost, and there was no way they could forgive the Orange Man.
Maybe next Tuesday I will talk about the Police. Any suggestions to the otherwise?
Filed under Abortion, America, Culture Wars, politics, voting
Tonight is the first night of the Republican convention. I’m sure it will be far less depressing than the DNC’s version not long ago. I mean, will anybody sing a song about how Nancy Pelosi is destroying their life?
Anyway, you can sit in front of a television (or computer) and watch political pulpiteering, or you can check out some more eternally-important pulpiteering I did yesterday.
By the way, I like my new glasses!
God bless!
Anthony Baker (The Recovering Legalist)
Filed under Bethlehem Baptist Church, Christianity, Preaching, Theology
Sometimes God uses the smallest things to remind us of His caring love, provision, and strength.
As I look at this recent picture of my little George when he wasn’t feeling well, I can’t help but notice how at rest he is. Look at how little, yet how trusting. Just a tiny little guy, but he knows where he is loved, safe, and taken care of.
In reality, how much bigger is God than us? How much more capable is He than me when it comes to protecting, providing, and comforting? Why is it I run around the yard in a panic like a little dog with no home?
Trust – the word so often missing in our relationship with our heavenly Father. But with trust (and unconditional love) comes a readiness to lay our head on God’s strong arm. There we will find rest.
Isaiah 41:10 – Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
I breathe, in and out. Inhale. Exhale.
Life, with every breath, a gift.
A gift. Yes, a gift. But one I must accept.
Ironic. Without it I couldn’t resent it.
One day I caress it; embrace it; give thanks.
Another day I bear it; carry it; … give thanks.
A gift. Rejoice and be glad in it! Ungrateful?
I didn’t request it. At His behest I have it.
Yet, a gift. Yes, a gift. Just breathe.
They struck me so I’d take my first one.
What a blessing! I could scream! In horror.
Now stuck. Inhale. Exhale. It’s a gift, so breathe.
Filed under poetry
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