It’s not much to write about, but it is an opportunity to test this new feature. “Quick Photo” is part of the upgraded WordPress app for iPhone.
I just took this picture from a window in Erlanger Hospital. My wife is here for a followup visit. At least it’s a room with a view.
In the distance is Lookout Mountain. Can you see Rock City?
Filed under General Observations
Go to http://growup318.com/2011/07/15/guestpostyoutalkintome/ to read my latest guest post. It is entitled “You Talking to Me?”
Let me tell you, it is an honor to be able to write on Heather’s blog, Grow Up! If you have never read her blog, then you should. Even though I grit my teeth and rub my forehead when she talks about only using the KJV, I’d rather have her on my side in a spiritual war than 100 other people who would complain about the KJV, but never even read what they have.
Heather, from my experience, is a godly example of a young woman. I advise ever girl that has a computer to look her up on Facebook and subcribe to Grow Up!
My prayer is that she will recover quickly from her recent surgery and get back to doing what she loves to do.
Filed under General Observations
So, the “tot mom,” as the nasty Nancy Grace calls her, was released from prison. It is about time! They should have never held the poor creature for so long, especially since she was innocent, and all. Now, more than ever, she needs our help.
Just because the media portrayed her as a cold-blooded, self-centered, party-loving child murderer, that does not mean that we should be prejudiced against her. I mean, duh! She was found innocent of all charges, you know, except for those four, iddy-biddy counts of lying.
Honestly, which one of us has never lied to a police officer? I mean, thousands of people lose their kids everyday. And who hasn’t used that “babysitter-on-vacation-in-the-hospital-out-of-town” line? Funny how the police fall for it every time, you know? Crazy funny. I’m laughing even now – HA!
So, since it is only fair that every one have the chance to start over, especially when she’s innocent, Casey could use some help getting back on her feet. She needs a place to live, and a job. She needs to make some money to help pay for unfair legal expenses. And who knows, she may want to adopt. That would be so great, because she did, unfortunately, lose her daughter to an unfortunate accident of some unfortunate kind, unfortunately.
I think the best place for Casey Anthony to re-locate would be in Death Valley, California. Away from the eyes of a judgmental public and an unforgiving media, she could enjoy the remote sands while working on her tan. Reputed to be the one of the hottest and driest places on earth, not to mention way below sea level, she would feel right at home.
If that didn’t work, or if she felt she was just a little too close to California with all its tempting party spots, there’s always the hot springs at Yellowstone National Park. Smithsonian.com even did a story about this place, making special mention of it’s beautiful colors. Oh, don’t take my word for it, read it for yourself…
…you couldn’t do much better than the conditions in Yellowstone’s hot springs. The springs are near the boiling point of water and acidic enough to dissolve nails. But some microbes thrive there, and the pigments they produce give the springs vivid, otherworldly colors. (click HERE for article)
Since Casey Anthony will probably have a hard time finding gainful employment (thanks to those mean old journalists), I have a few suggestions. Surely there is someone out there who cares enough for Casey to offer her a position.
Everybody needs an encouraging word, now and then. The Bible is full of them. And since the promises of God are there to bring comfort to the weak and weary, the hurting and broken of heart, let me leave one of them with you…
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. – 2 Peter 3:9
But here’s another one…
Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but [rather] give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance [is] mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. – Romans 12:19
NOTE: Before anyone else makes a comment, please remember a few things: 1) I’m not perfect, nor do I claim to be; 2) I do NOT desire to see Casey Anthony burn in hell; and 3) God’s amazing grace and mercy is available to the worst of sinners, meaning not just that Anthony, but this Anthony, too. On the other hand, there is much frustration over the fact that this well-publicized case was about a murdered little girl. As of yet, the crime is still unsolved. Caylee’s cry for justice is what fuels the frustration.
ALSO: The final verse should be a warning to all who truly wish Casey Anthony harm. But at the same time it should also be a reminder that even though God is merciful and gracious, it was Jesus who said, “And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” – Matthew 18:5-6 KJV
God is merciful, but He evidently does not take harming innocent children lightly. If Casey Anthony did murder little Caylee, then I pray she makes haste to accept the sacrifice for her sin on Calvary; otherwise, if not on this earth, one day she will answer to Whom vengeance does belong. The same is true for all of us.
Filed under Do not judge, General Observations
That was the title of a post I wrote a while back. Funny thing is, though I only wrote it as a joke to catch people’s attention, I have had more people read this than most anything else.
Little did I know that when I posted the article about finding bones on the moon there would be so many people who were wondering if it was true. Nearly everyday I get a visitor to my blog because they are searching for information about “dinosaur bones on the moon.” What’s the deal?
I don’t know if it was popular before my article, but I know it is popular now. I just hope I didn’t start something that won’t die.
Wait a minute…What am I saying?!! Let the rumor live on! As long as people keep finding this blog, maybe they’ll learn about the Son of God. If so, it wont’ matter if bones are on the moon.
Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. – Revelation 4:1
Click here to read the original post. https://therecoveringlegalist.com/2010/10/29/dinosaur-bones-found-on-moon/
Filed under Aliens, Apologetics, General Observations, God, World View
On Sunday night, July 3rd, after a wonderful evening service in which I preached on the love of God (for everyone), my family and I went to Collegedale, TN, to watch fireworks. We had a wonderful, patriotic evening, complete with fresh cotton candy, hamburgers, and hot dogs. Oh, my bad…cotton candy and veggies on bread.
There are few things more “American” than a Fourth of July celebration with hamburgers and hot dogs. On the other hand, if you plan to attend an event like this in a Seventh-Day Adventist utopia (such as Collegedale), don’t plan on eating the real thing (at least not at an outdoor event where most of the vendors are church-related). Many Adventists do not eat meat (at least the ones I’ve known), nor do they typically consume any beverages containing caffeine. So, while watching fireworks this year, I ate veggies on a bun, while drinking a Dr. Pepper with no ability to keep me awake while driving home. I could have died, you know.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I thought the burgers were very tasty, and the hot dog I had wasn’t bad. As a matter of fact, the burger was excellent, especially when I added a generous sprinkling of some spices they had sitting on the table. However, the whole idea of “veggie burgers” and “veggie dogs” got me to thinking. Unfortunately, that’s what gets me into trouble.
Why don’t vegetarians eat meat? Well, according to who you ask, the reason could be anything from wanting to be healthier, to not wanting to make a cow cry. Some feel that it is their religious obligation to not eat meat, while others are just animal lovers that would rather pet a critter than chew on its leg.
Are there any health benefits from not eating beef or pork? Sure, there are some. Are there any Biblical commands regarding meat that apply to us today? I don’t think so, but others have the right to their misinterpretation (said with a wink). Regardless, many choose not to eat meat because they think it is just plain wrong. A sin. An abomination. Well….
Surely I am not the only one who thinks that it is a little hypocritical to condemn eating meat, only to eat things that look and taste exactly like it. It seems like an attempt to have your righteousness, while eating your sin, too. Now, I’m not talking about the strictly health-conscious folk, but the ones that think eating ol’ Bessie is akin to eating Aunt Bessie.
I don’t understand. I don’t see the point. Isn’t eating something that looks and tastes as close to the real thing sorta like saying, “I know what sin tastes like, and this tastes like sin, but it’s OK, cause it’s fake.” Is it all about flavor? Or, is it that you want your sin, but can only stomach the appearance of it? If you were only concerned with the nutritional value of a veggie burger, then why make the taste, texture, and appearance identical to the real thing? Probably because a veggie burger that looked like an ear of corn or a turnip would not have the same appeal.
“Abstain from all appearance of evil.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:22
It only makes sense to me that if you are going call something evil, then you should not promote its pleasures. For instance, why would a Jew, someone who is fanatically opposed to eating pork, order several slices of imitation bacon for his bagel? Why would a Vegan, who was opposed to eating beef, order something that looks, smells, tastes, and feel exactly like a hamburger? It implies that their love for the look and taste of these foods is greater than their concern for what others may think.
“Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.” – 1 Corinthians 8:13
It seems to me that at the heart of the matter is a desire to try to satisfy the demands of the Law, while at the same time the desires of the flesh. The problem is that when we lust after what we can’t have, then we are guilty of the sin itself (Matt. 5:28).
This is an example of legalism at work. The legalist justifies his actions by boasting he is keeping the Law, but in his heart continues to desire the pleasures of unrighteousness; all the while, seeing himself as more right with God than his neighbor.
As a believer, do you oppose adultery, fornication, idolatry, perversion, etc.? Do you oppose demonism and witchcraft? Do you oppose abuse, rape, murder, and lawlessness of all kinds? Or do you secretly desire these things, fulfilling your fantasies through illicit music, books, and movies? No, you wouldn’t do those things, would you? But do you get as close to the experience as you can without actually consuming the meat?
Just something to think about.
Note: The above article is meant to illustrate truth through honest questions and humor. In no way do I mean to presume that every Adventist is a legalist, or that every vegetarian is off his rocker. Please forgive me if you are offended by any over-simplification of one’s food preferences. However, if you are a legalist, well, what can I say?
Filed under America, Christian Living, Food, General Observations, legalism
Now wasn’t that a clever title? Took me a while to figure out “H.” Now, about those holidays…
There are plenty of them, you know. Everything from Christmas to the anniversary of President Obama’s fourteenth vacation. Everybody celebrates a special day once in a while, so…
Happy Independence Day!
But whatever the holiday, there are some inevitable horrors which we all must endure. Can you think of any? Here are a few that always seem to mess up my celebrations of famous dead people, religiously significant births, and historically important document signings.
Well, I hope that your holiday weekend is not hampered by silly stuff, but full of fun and hearty celebration. Even though the world is not what it used to be, America is still the Land of the Free. You can always leave the party if it gets a little too weird.
Dear God, may your blessings continue upon this nation, even though it is undeserving. Thank you for your mercy and grace that has made America the shining city on a hill for so long. Bring us back to the heart of our forefathers. Turn our hearts back to you.
“Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD…” – Psalm 33:12a
Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war’s desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: “In God is our trust.”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!(Last verse of The Star Spangled Banner)
-Francis Scott Key, 1814
Filed under Aliens, America, Food, General Observations, Life Lessons
It’s been in theaters a while, but we finally went to see Soul Surfer.
If you are not familiar with the movie or the real-life story behind it, then you must receive your mail at the following address – Rock, Level -1. {Click her name to read Bethany Hamilton’s story.}
You see, Soul Surfer was a great movie about a Christian girl who was determined to not let a near fatal injury stop her from pursuing her dream. I really did enjoy it, especially the way it positively portrayed faith in Christ. The overall message was that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13).
Even when many “Christian” movies get panned because of amateur acting and poorly written scripts, Soul Surfer was a gem. From an acting perspective, I thought that all the characters were believable and likable. AnnaSophia Robb was incredible, as always.
Aside from all of the positive aspects of this story, I have a few questions – a few things I don’t understand – and maybe some additional observations.
Questions:
Fish don’t leap onto my dinner table. I don’t swim with fish that want to eat ME!
But hey, I’m not trying to judge anyone unfairly. Praise God for people who will take a stand for their faith, especially for Bethany Hamilton. She’s got more guts than I have. On the other hand, there ARE sharks in the water.
First, stay out of the ocean. I do, and I have never been bit by a shark. It’s just good advice.
Secondly, there’s something much worse than a shark out there. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” – 1 Peter 5:8
Don’t play in the water with the Devil, unless you want to be devoured. Satan always keeps the waters warm and comfortable. He’s always hiding just below the surface where you can’t see him.
Filed under General Observations
I had other thoughts to share today, but as “fate” would have it, I am sitting at the Doctor’s office with my wife and 15 yr.-old daughter. My wife needs a medication change; my daughter is texting; and I have been corresponding with a Navy Seabee in Afghanistan via Facebook on my iPhone.
Amazing what can be done from a telephone these days! In the palm of my hand I have the ability to send out a message to countries all over the world, much less my own community. Just amazing.
But that’s not what I wanted to write about, at least this time. I want to quickly address the subject of “guest posts.”
Who Got This Started?
I’m relatively new to the blogosphere, so could someone tell me when and where the idea of having others do your writing for you came from? Oh yeah, I know, the Holy Spirit. You know, it’s like the Bible had a Holy Ghost writer, get it? Not funny? Oh well, I am in a doctor’s office. Give me a break.
You see, I was just thinking that if I had someone doing my writing for me, then I could sit here and play Angry Birds. The only problem is that I don’t know who I would ask… well, except Heather Joy. She’s the one that introduced me to all this “guest-posting” stuff.
So, if I could get them, who would I want to write on my blog? You see, the goal would not only be to bless others and honor God, but to increase readership. My dream guests would be people who were known by many, had a past that was forgiven, and could relate to freedom and grace. What if some of the following actually became believers in Christ and wanted to share their newfound faith? What would they write about?
Here’s some ideas…..
•Any one of those Tattoo Reality Show people – “Marks that Won’t Rub Off.”
•Lady Ga Ga – “How Being Born From an Egg Taught Me About New Birth and the Trinity.”
•Madonna – she would probably be hyper-Arminian, so she would write a post entitled “Like a Christian, Saved for the Very First Time.”
•Justin Bieber – “I Was Being Groomed to be the Anti-Christ.”
•Sting – “Death, Where Is Your Me?”
•Obama – “Tea for Two – My Journey from Ambiguous Religiosity to Legitimate Orthodox Christianity, and the Conservatives Who Showed Me the Way (and the Truth and the Life).”
Well, you never know.
Filed under Do not judge, General Observations, salvation, the future, Uncategorized
This afternoon, after Sunday morning services, we went to a Chinese restaurant. There with some of our youth and their parents, we made multiple trips back and forth to the only kind of bar a Baptist is expected to frequent – one that has food.
Usually I eat a little of everything at a Chinese restaurant, except sushi – that stuff is just plain nasty. But today, because I decided I had not eaten fish in a long time, I felt compelled to stay with just one subset of the universal set of oriental cuisine: seafood…(how’s that for a math reference?). I’d had my share of deep-fried battered chicken, beef, and whatever.
On a side note, have you ever stopped to think about how much trust one puts in the food he is eating? Just because a label says “Sweet and Sour Chicken,” does it mean “Sweet and Sour Rat, Cat, Snake, Penguin, Leopard, Iguana, etc.” taste any different? From what I have been told, everything not pork, beef, or duck tastes like chicken. Put enough breading on little pieces of meat and it’s all the same.
I say let’s become legalistic about this issue, if nothing else. Certain meats should have certain shapes, or at least keep the skin on it. How else are we supposed to know what has been deep fried and covered in some exotic sauce that smells so good you forget your neighbor’s chihuahua went missing. Everything chicken should look like a chicken or have a feather sticking out of it. If I’m gonna be eating rattlesnake, at least give me a rattle to take home and play with. If they don’t start doing this, I may have to quit eating at Chinese restaurants and stick with the BBQ place – you know, the one conveniently located next to the emergency animal clinic?
Seriously, I can’t stop eating at the the Numba Won Happy Mandarin Peking Garden of Panda Love Restaurant. Where else could I find a cookie with wisdom? Chinese Restaurants are the only places I know with fortune cookies, and somehow they really know me.
Now, some people open up a fortune cookie only to find stupid stuff like, “The sky will be blue for you today, unless you cloud it with doubt.” Riiiight. Like, could you be any more vague?
On the other hand, my wife got one today that said, “Soon you will inherit land.” What? From whom? If she has a relative that has land to give away that’s not already promised to whiter sheep, then I’ll be really amazed. But mine are different. Mine are…
One time I was just finishing up my road training before I started driving school buses in Tennessee. I went to a Chinese buffet for lunch, after which I got a fortune cookie. I am not lying, the piece of paper said, “You are about to enjoy success at a new job.” But what was more creepy was the Chinese word of the day was the word for “school bus.” N o j o k e !
Today was another example of scary cookie wisdom. Would you believe that it knew I was a pastor? Would you believe that it knew I like to speak in front of large crowds? Amazingly, it knew that I am “the center of attention” whenever I am in a crowd (which is true at least three times a week). What is it supposed to mean?
It means that even a stupid cookie can get something right every now and then, especially if the statement enclosed is vague enough. On the other hand, it should be a reminder that there are forces at work in this world trying to deceive those with “itching ears” (2 Timothy 4:3).
“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” – 1 John 4:1
“For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.” – Mark 13:22
Filed under baptist, Food, Future, General Observations, the future, World View
Cover of Riven
Without giving too much away, let me share my thoughts about Riven, a novel by Jerry B. Jenkins.
Earlier this year I attended a pastor’s conference at Tennessee Temple University. As a special gift, all pastors in attendance were given a free, hard-cover copy of Riven. Evidently, someone at the seminary pulled a few strings.
I don’t read too many fiction novels. Most of my time is tied up in other types of reading material, for the time being. But every once in a while one has to take a vacation from non-fiction and feed the imagination. In an essay entitled “Christian Apologetics” C. S. Lewis wrote, “Reality even seen through the eyes of many is not enough. I will see what others have invented…” Fiction feeds the imagination as does buying new colors for your Crayon box. Sometimes it helps to draw with something other than “black and white.”
The Characters
The main characters in this book are a pastor and his wife, Thomas and Grace Carey; their spiritually estranged daughter, Ravinia; and last but not least, a trailer park hooligan with potential, Brady Wayne Darby.
There were other characters that came and went in this novel, but the ones mentioned above figure most into the plot of the story. Each are fleshed out in the first 3-400 pages, leaving the last hundred-plus pages to bring all the background together in a fitting conclusion.
Jenkins does a good job in making the reader feel sorry for everyone in the story, including the bad guys. This is not unjustified, however. The effects of sin, whether committed by self or by others, is a sad thing to witness. Brady Darby is the type of guy that takes a good opportunity and destroys it, while Rev. Carey is just a guy that continually suffers for the “calling.” Ravinia is someone who suffers from her own choices, but also lives in bitterness because of what “church people” have done to her mom and dad. You just can’t help wanting everything to turn out right.
Character Development
Now, I am not a professional writer, by any stretch of the….wait, what am I saying?!! OK, so I do write a little, but I am not on the same level as Jerry Jenkins – you’re free to disagree, however. That being said, I feel the story could have been a little more condensed, at least concerning the Brady Darby character. Because of the time span covered in the book (20+ years), and even though we get the sense of his heart and true intentions, the character development seems lacking. Maybe it’s because of the so many other characters in story that draw one’s attention. Essentially, the story’s breadth, covered in such a few pages (relative to the time line), had a watering-down affect.
The other main character, Rev. Thomas Carey, was more often than not portrayed as a melancholy soul. He was a preacher/teacher/pastor that was never able, until the end, to see any real fruit from his labor. He was frustrated and bitter at times, yet he never gave up on God; even though his faith was strained. However, what I felt missing from his character was intensity. Maybe real life is a slow, down-hill coast to the pharmacy for refills of Prozac; but, this character had so much more to offer. The depth of his struggles and the heights of his victories were never really felt, at least not until the end – and even that was limited.
I think that one of the things that limited the ability to contrast the characters of Darby and Carey was the choice by Jenkins to not use profanity in the text. Granted, Riven is not supposed to be a titillating romp through the bowels of hell; but, in a world where vulgarity is commonplace, especially for those of us who have ministered in prison settings, this fictional work seemed too fictitious. Honestly, it felt like Jenkins used too much Clorox, thereby leaving the story with only a cognizant sense of contrast between good and evil; nothing guttural.
The Story
The story of Riven is that of two opposite characters who live their lives seperately, only to be bound together in the end by a common love for Christ. This love for Jesus leads one of the characters to do something completely unthinkable and unprecedented. Any more than that, which I know is not a lot, could ruin the ending for you. And that’s the key to this whole book – the ending. You have to read the whole story to appreciate the end, and end which should bring emotions to the surface of any true Christian.
Conclusion
Buy the book, even though I didn’t have to, and read it. If you don’t get anything else out of Riven, you should gain a new appreciation for the mercy and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ – His side was “riven” for us.
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The Recovering Legalist 