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I hope you will come by and read the excellent thoughts of our fearless editor, J. Randal Matheny on The Moving Word writing blog. Since I started these interviews, I’ve looked forward to this moment. Thanks, Randal.
“What’s your eating habits like in Brazil?” people often ask us. Unique, I have to say. We incorporate some Brazilian foods (especially the fresh stuff), some American standbys, and a strong tendency toward vegetarian fare. Tonight was a spinach souffle, broiled asparagus, snap peas with almondaise, and deviled eggs.
Sounds like meal fit for a very slim king! :)
Those American meals are the killer, Mike. Enough for two and then some. I’ve dropped 3-4 pounds in the week we’ve been back.
You mean eating is a habit?
I do realize that for some it’s a physiologically automatic response, like breathing or blinking, done without thinking or without intervals.
Laura is right.
A clean desk is the sign of a truly disturbed mind. I’m a stacker. I have my stack of Bibles, my stack of testaments, my stack of print-outs, my stack of notebooks, etc., covering the desktop and a small space in the middle from which to write.
Usually, there are three to five books opened along with at least two translations of the Bible and the GNT. I find comparing translations to be an easy and good way to understand some of the more interesting KJV words. My laptop is on all the time on a computer desk behind me.
They say stackers are either control freaks or people who like pancakes. Could be either.
I like pancakes. :)
BTW, John. You are my new best friend.
And honored I am. (Oops. That sounded a little like Yoda!)
Don’t do Facebook, don’t like Twitter? There’s still another true transmitter:
http://quickbibletruths.wordpress.com/
You can even sign up by email to get the updates to Quick Bible Truths.
or so they say. I must be a genius! :)
Laura, you and the lady that used to work next to me in an adjoining office must be geniuses! :)
Someone I worked with over 20 years ago gave me a statue for my desk. It has a guy sitting behind a not so neat pile of papers. The slogan at the bottom read, “Someone ought to invent a desk that flushes”. :)
Funny! LOL :)
Are my surroundings cluttered or clean? They are relatively clean. I’m not a pack rat nor a collector, plus the fact that anything accumulated that is over six months old, is either given to the church, Good Will, or thrown away. I take pride in possessing and employing good organizational skills.
Wanna work on my office space?
No sir, I’m afraid I’d make a “mess” of things! HA! I once worked with a lady (office was next door to mine) who had her paperwork scattered all over her office desk. However, she could find the exact paper she was looking for immediately (how she did that, is a mystery to me).
Whenever she would go on vacation, no one could find any important paperwork they were looking for. On one of her vacation jaunts, her supervisor came into her office and “straightened” up everything (neatly stacked all of her paperwork). When she returned, she was furious, retorted with a “bleeped” euphemism, and stated, “I can’t find anything!” HA!
It takes all kinds to make up our world, doesn’t it? :)
We got invited to do a seminar in the public school system here in Ireland!! The principal has been attending the seminar, and he invited us to come do a lesson on Thursday to all the students! How cool is it that we can discuss the existence of God in a public school in Ireland (and how uncool is it that I can’t do it in my own country!)
Brad Harrub, on FB
A sad commentary indeed on America.
Randal, There is something about Ireland that I think we have not been aware of in America. We focus our attention on various fertile countries for the gospel, but we have not been placing Ireland, and I am going to add Northern Ireland to that also, in that category.
Although I preach in America, it is Ireland that has the second most hits to our web site (GrantsPassChurchOfChrist.com).
Also, when brother Steve Lloyd and I went to Belfast in April 2002, I was amazed by the response from the community to the little advertising that the church did. The church there is small and their sign was not impressive by American standards, nevertheless, Steve and I had several community visitors to our lectures and Bible studies. We also visited in several people’s homes who were not members of the church.
Now, what you write, evidently from Brad Harrub, about Ireland.
I wonder if we, or even I, should take another look at the entire island, encompassing both nations, Ireland and Northern Ireland!
Don
Would be great to go to either Ireland or Brazil to preach.
Three American veterans, one from the Vietnam war, another from the Iraq war and a third from the Afghanistan war, recently conquered Tanzania’s Mount Kilimanjaro. That may not seem to be a great achievement until you discover they have only one good leg between them and five prosthetic legs. Nonetheless, the three scrambled, clawed and climbed their way to the top. I say, Hat’s off, to these three courageous and determined men. In spite of their disabilities they send a message to everyone who is tempted to let disabilities and circumstances become obstacles and barriers to achieving their goals. Rather than give in and give up, they persevered. This is Just-A-Minute with Ed Boggess
Do you like to be surrounded by lots of things or need a minimum of objects around you? Is your desk or area cluttered or swept clean? Do you collect things (ducks, rocks, or antlers) or tend to throw something away at first opportunity? Packrat or light traveler?
BVBID Lectures have ended, see Neal Pollard’s article on BNc. Folks at Roundhouse still? What else is happening out there?
Note: WP seems to be having trouble with the site today. I suspect it’s from importing the millions of Windows Live Spaces bloggers into the system. I hope they’ve not thrown their old users under the bus. Time will tell …
1. Jesus temptations. The three temptations of the Lord are like our own. We are tempted with the choice between the Lord and our own appetite, we are tempted with respect to what it is that we will choose to serve, and we are tempted concerning what it is that we trust more: our earthly gain or the Lord.
2. As the Lord begun His preaching, the Scriptures “came alive” (if you will). The people sat in darkness, but light shone upon them – did they see it? For some, they saw it slowly, but they saw it.
My first collision with mortality, besides an emergency appendectomy at age 17, was the following year, when doctors removed one of my kidneys, after I began passing blood. I had a couple months, I think, between the pronouncement of the all-wise doctor and the surgery itself. I was in my first semester of college and the surgery occurred during Christmas break, plenty of time to consider the worst possible outcome of a major operation like that one.
I’ve had Mortality hit home a few times early in my life. Once when a boy (who was 12 at the time) that I went to church with, was hit by a truck (not far from his home) but it didn’t really scare me. The other time was a friend in his teens hit a tree while on a motorcycle (without a helmet) and survived but that didn’t really shake me up either. The kicker was back in ’08 when my husband died of an accident (while I was 7 1/2 months pregnant with our son). I now have a very healthy, inquisitive 19 month old and a 6 yr old and still going onward and upward! :)
Mortality hit home for me when I was in college. I was on my way to take an exam and zoned out going over all the material in my mind. The roads were wet from the drizzle and there were accidents all over the place, so of course, I took the back roads. The witness says I went past his driveway at about 50 mph, and he knew what was going to happen. I hit the 75 degree curve and turned the wheel. The car didn’t. I bounced off the guard rails like a bumper car and got shoved off the road where I center punched a tree. He stopped and offered me a lift. I rode to campus where I ran to class and took my exam. I aced it. After the test, I realized what had happened and went to call my parents. The car was totaled.
When did my moment of mortality come? While driving a laundry truck many years ago, I stopped at an intersection waiting for the red light to change. When it changed to green, I started to put my foot down on the accelerator, but something in my mind told me to put on the brake instead. I’m thankful that I did, because an 18 wheeler came across that intersection going about 65-70 mph, running the red light. Had I been in the intersection, I would have been killed instantaneously. After carefully looking both to the left and to the right, then safely going through the intersection, I pulled over and stopped in order to calm my nerves down. I then thanked the Lord for saving my life. Guess He had some future plans for me.
My moment of mortality hit hard just before February 18, 2004, when I was facing open-heart bypass surgery.
As a paramedic in the 1970s, much of my training was performed in surgery as I started intravenous lines and endotracheal tubes. Of course, it wasn’t very scary for me then, but the prospect of the body on the table being mine was different.
To make a long story short, the surgery went well and I’m still in the land-of-the-living, but the message that I was not immortal and had an inevitable date with death made an indelible impression on me. Perhaps it is the case we humans don’t think too much about our own mortality until the possibility of death arises.
That may be the reason why the Bible says, “It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart. Sorrow is better than laughter, for by sadness of face the heart is made glad. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth,” (Ecclesiastes 7:2-4 ESV).
I am never “hit hard” by news – at least I have not been (as I interpret the phrase). However, though never having been hit hard, I am quite reflective, perhaps overly so. I will sit in front of my “man cave” garage) with the radio on and just look out into the quiet surroundings, reflecting on many things, but one that is always on my mind – why is it that I keep failing! I know why, but I ask and reflect on the same thing continually.
In this quiet surrounding there is peace. whatever turmoil I may feel, for a little while I am not.
When did mortality hit home for me? It was in 1981, when I was 22 years old, and the doctor told me that I had an incurable kidney disease.
Has there been a moment in your life when mortality — your mortality — hit home hard? Tell us about that moment.
Got news of churches, saints, events, goings-on?
Be careful what you repeat. Agricultural Secretary Tom Vilsack fired Shirley Sherrod for making a racial remark that when taken in context was no racial slur at all. A conservative blogger had sent a snippet of a speech that made it appear she was guilty. Even the NAACP weighed in against her. However, a day later a red-faced Vilsack and NAACP were apologizing and asking for forgiveness. It simply shows that in this age of instant and wide-spread news, it pays to be cautious. There are plenty of folks out there who do not mind twisting another’s words if by doing so they further their agenda. Truth has fallen in the streets and deceit sits on the throne. Let us be “swift to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger”. This is Just-A-Minute with Ed Boggess
1. In two short chapters we are taken from the announcement to joseph of his betrothed wife’s pregnancy to John the Baptist. Roughly, thirty years come and go and we are introduced to John, and then to Jesus. It gets to the point of what the Holy Spirit considers important. It is not the life of John, or even Jesus, but it is the message.
2. John came to clear a path, and the Lord walked that path. The path of peace so clearly laid out that the only way to not walk it is because there is no desire to walk it. It is not hard to see, it is not hard to walk, and there are not many on the path that would make it congested. Humbly, the Lord sets His course.
3. The Father was not pleased only because Jesus was immersed, He was not pleased only because of John’s work, He was not pleased simply because Jesus emptied Himself. He was pleased because the Son came to purchase a lost people – the Father swept His house until He found that lost coin (if you will).
I wish Guy N. Woods had written more commentaries, he was an absolute treasure!
Absolutely!
I agree with the comment about the comment about brother Woods writing more commentaries. What if he had written a commentary on the book of Hebrews, the book of Revelation, or any book of the Old Testament? The writings of brother Woods continue to immensely bless us.
His commentary on James was the go-to book.
Take a look at this email discussion list on YahooGroups, with the simple name of “Word.”
Each week the moderators will post an Old Testament and a New Testament text for discussion, study and application.
The list has been quiet of late, could use some good participants.
It was amazing that this name was available on YahooGroups as late as 2008.
My most memorable ah-ha moment occurred as I sat in a Bible class in the basement of an old church building in Woodbridge, VA some 15 or so years ago. We were studying Romans, after having spent nearly 2 years studying 1 Corinthians. We got to Romans 8:26-27, which I had never understood, and admittedly had never given much thought to because I just couldn’t make sense of it and found it to be outright confusing. I figured it just was one of those “secret things” that belonged to God and maybe some day, when I reached Heaven, God would enlighten me.
The teacher asked a question: is the spirit being discussed here the Holy Spirit? Well, I had never considered it could be a reference to anything else. I mean, what else could it be? It’s *capitalized*, so of course it’s the Holy Spirit! The teacher explained that there was no capitalization in the Greek text, so while it could be the Holy Spirit, it did not necessarily have to be so. Okay, I was game to explore options, so the question next became, what else could be under consideration? The teacher suggested that perhaps the spirit here might actually be a reference to man’s spirit. I plugged that idea in and read the whole chapter in context. Suddenly it made sense, and the lights went on: the spirit that was groaning in verse 26 became a continuation of the idea in verse 23. I had often wondered why the Holy Spirit needed to use groanings that couldn’t be uttered when He was perfectly capable of choosing the very words to put in the mouths and hands of the inspired apostles. My ah-ha moment was that He didn’t. And I felt like a dense fog had been lifted.
Would that teacher have been Wilson Wallace? Sounds like the line of thought of those who taught him–Foy E. Wallace, Jr. and Robertson Whiteside. I visited with Wilson and Peggy at Woodbridge back in the early 90s to learn more about his parents.
No, Wilson taught the auditorium class. There was a second adult class taught by then elder Stan Crowley. He since went to Southwest School of Preaching and is a full time preacher in Schertz, Texas.
Stan held a gospel meeting at our congregation on the Holy Spirit about a year ago. In case you are interested, you can find the lessons posted here: http://www.purcellvillecoc.org/gospelmeetings/2009October/index.html. It’s really important to listen to them in order as each lesson builds on the prior lesson. If you skip around, it won’t make nearly as much sense.
My favorite, “Aha!” m
oment was when I understood Galatians 3:10-13, courtesy of Professor Ben Gore.
Brother Gore, who was covering prepositions in Greek class at Tennessee Bible College, showed us this passage this way: since all have sinned, all are under the curse of the law. It was like the sword of Damocles was dangling above my head and the curse of death could cause the sword to drop.
But, Christ took my neck out from under the curse and put his neck there. Although I’m the one who deserved to die, he took the punishment for my sins. Even though I’m the sinner, he put himself in jeopardy and died for me. So, Verse 13 literally says, “Christ has redeemed us out from under the curse of the law becoming cursed for us…”
Brother Gore told us about his missionary work in Africa and how one of the nations didn’t have a word for “redeem.” He said one of the people told him the closest idea to it was “he came and put his neck in the noose.” The explanation was that, as you sat captured ready to go into slavery and being tied around the neck, one who loved you could come and take the noose off your neck and put it around his. In that way, people there could understand the idea of the word, “redeem.”
I’ll always be indebted to Brother Gore for that light.
Love the African example.
When mentioning the Goings-on the other day, I forgot to list the Harding lectureship Sept. 26-29, going on now. (I can’t access the harding.edu site or I’d link to it.)
Our good friend Barbara Ann Oliver is there with an exhibit for Forthright Press. Haven’t heard from her, so I expect contacts and sales are going well.
We have a full table there, wherever the exhibit area is located; we shared one, joyfully, with Clarity Publications at the FHU Lectureship back in February, and had the Gospel Opportunity books with us, also.
Tell about an “ah-ha” moment in your life, one of those times when the light came on and things became suddenly clear, when understanding dawned and you felt enlightened.
From time to time mother says, “I wanna go home.” I have learned she is referring to her physical home with her mother and daddy. “Up yonder where they live,” she will reply when queried. We’ve revisited how her parents have passed away, funeral, burial spot and how we put flowers on their graves. We’ve covered their being saved and that one day we will have a grand reunion with them once again.
No matter the age, we never lose our desire to go home. Mother’s parents have been dead 46 years. She is ninety-nine years old and still wants to go home. The desire to be home with loved ones resides deep within and never leaves us.
A girlfriend used to bring her accordian to school occasionally. At lunch time she would sing and play for us. One of the songs she sang was “I’m homesick for Heaven, I’ve got a longing to go.” Today I can still see her loving smile and hear her beautiful, deep, voice as she sang the song.
We can look back through the eyes of memory to the homes we once had, but we look forward to a far greater heavenly home that is being prepared for those who love Him. It is a good thing to be homesick for Heaven and have a longing to go.
A July Tennessean article was titled: “Close ties with others may boost longevity”. The article summarized the latest findings of researchers that show family and friend relationships has as much to do with good health and long life than not smoking or saying no to drugs. The research reviewed 148 studies that involved a third of a million people and consistently found that those of us with close relationships are 50% more likely to enjoy long life. The fact is God created us for community, for relationships. After making Adam God declared, “It is not good that man should be alone.” God made Eve and instituted the first marriage. The NT church is much about relationships. The church is a family with God as the Father and Christians as brothers and sisters. This is Just-A-Minute with Ed Boggess
Response to Truth. There has always been a response to truth. A response in 1 Kings 12:25ff; a response in 1 Samuel 3:15-18. In Isaiah 55:10-11, we read of the Lord’s word accomplishing its purpose.
1. Hatred and Hostility. Illustrated with Herod. Herod feigned acceptance of the truth, but his ulterior motive was to thwart the truth. While the Magi may not have been aware of this, the Lord was. Paul said we can’t do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. No matter what Herod thought he could do, the Lord was in control and Herod was going to do nothing (2 Corinthians 13:8; cf. Romans 1:18).
2. Complete Indifference. The Magi came seeking the truth, and they inquire where about the King of the Jews. Note the reaction of the religious leaders. They answer the king’s question, but they themselves seek not to understand further. How do I know? Later in life, Jesus is accused of bearing false witness, but He replies in John 8:14-20, that their judgment and accusation is based on the wrong standard. That standard implemented arouses indifference. The Sadducees and Pharisees knew the right answer, but the correct answer was not of any real importance to them. Those with the most knowledge had the most to lose.
3. Adoring Worship. The Magi travel a great distance; they went to great pains and great expense to search and find the king of the Jews. Having found Him, they offer to the King their gifts. What do we offer? When Joseph and Mary were both visited by an angel from the Lord, they both respond in humility. They were ready to lay their lives and reputations on the line for the Lord. What will we lay on the line?
We should kiss more. This and six more points on what I’d like to see more of in the church make up my editorial for Forthright Magazine yesterday. It seems to have been well received. I’d be interested in hearing the Fellows’ reactions to it.
You might want to add to the list, also.
BNc received this email:
The Pulaski Street Church of Christ, 247 Pulaski Street, Lawrenceburg, TN 38464, is in the process of purchasing new pews. The pews currently being used are for sale. Photographs and contact information may be seen on the website of the Rainsville Pew company.
Hope the pews aren’t being used when they’re sold! Where will everyone sit? (I’m such a smarty!)
Imagine that, having your designated pew yanked right out from under you! I hope they have pillows, like the elderly sisters often do.
Blessing always includes the power to bless others.
Andrew Murray, Living the New Life
The economy is in a mess and the government has spent a lot of money called “a stimulus package”. Most of us haven’t enjoyed much stimulation, but Northwestern University surely got a boost. They received ¾ of a million dollars for a project they called: “Computational Creativity”. It involves teaching a computer to tell jokes. This is number 36 on a list of 100 most wasteful federally funded stimulus projects recently published. I’m not surprised at such because it has been going on for decades no matter which party holds the reins. This country was born by statesmen, men who put citizen’s needs first; now it is run by politicians and its every man for himself and the devil take the hindmost! Statesmen respect God; politicians respect re-election. This is Just-A-Minute with Ed Boggess
1. God’s faithful in Justification of Joseph’s Judgment (1:18-20).
2. The predicament of Joseph, when he learned of his betrothal’s (Mary) pregnancy, was great. If he learned when she “showed” (month five or six, or whatever month it would have been) or if he learned when Mary told him, in either case he had a great problem on his hand.
3. It is very likely that he was told by Mary what actually occurred, but imagine Joseph accepting that! Something that is beyond all human experience. Perhaps it was around that time that the Lord’s angel revealed to him the situation; Joseph now had a better understanding and was willing to continue with Mary as his wife.
4. However, he still had to deal with the “talk” that surely would arise (if it had not already) with Joseph and Mary’s official wedding date and Mary’s pregnancy! Perhaps it was at this time that the Rome demanded that a new census was to be taken; Joseph and Mary depart from Nazareth to Bethlehem.
Sermon notes
In the most recent issue of Newsmax (October 2010) there is an article on blacklisting scientists that have substantive disagreement with other scientist relative to “global warming.” I found this article interesting because it reminds me of the way some reply to Christians who are insistent on maintaining purity of New Testament doctrine and worship. In this article, we read that, “[s]ome 98 percent of the most prominent – and most vocal – scientists are firmly convinced of man-made climate change, according to their research…. The dissenters? Largely the fringe, they wrote.” (p. 24). This large percentage, we are told, lends itself to accepting the “expert credibility” of those who subscribe to climate change being man-made. I am in no position to argue for or against man-made climate change; I have an opinion, but an opinion that has little substance. However, in this article I was reminded of something similar today in the religious world relative to “expert credibility.”
If you were ask the general religious person about the variety of religious ideas, what do you think you would get in the way of an answer? One would a multitude of answers. This variety in answers manifests much confusion, and those who hold to these opinions are influential to many others. While they are not “experts” necessarily, their influence has been impressed on young people who actually grew up with this imprint and then became experts in religious studies!
Just who is an expert? In the field of religious studies, the only expert that I have any confidence in is the Author of one book that transcends all generations and technological advances of man. The first few words of His book begin, “In the beginning God…” Now that’s an expert I can rely on.
Ron, here’s a good definition of an expert: http://mbriley.preachersfiles.com/2010/07/03/a-little-laughter-for-the-soul/, but as you stated, the only expert that we can place our true confidence in, is the God of the Bible.
My prayer for churches and the Christians inside them is, help us avoid apathy, O Lord!
During and just after the rule of Uzziah, apathy afflicted Israel and Judah. Amos said, ““Woe to those who lie on beds of ivory and stretch thems
elves out on their couches, and eat lambs from the flock and calves from the midst of the stall,” (Amos 6:4 ESV).
Apathy during times of affluence caused Israel and Judah to go into captivity and ultimately caused Judah to be destroyed by the Romans. Apathy is one of the chief consequences of affluence and is more than evident today. Just look what’s happening to this country. It’s almost identical, isn’t it? This country has deleted God from the classroom and all most people say is, “that so?”
The church can become afflicted by apathy. It’s seen in the people who refuse to attend Bible class, thinking that since the Lord’s supper is the most important act of worship, nothing else matters. That’s apathy, isn’t it?
Pray that apathy is avoided in our churches and that we will catch fire for the Lord and his cause.
Good points, John! Some members of the church think that if they go and get their weekly spiritual “fix” (observing the Lord’s Supper), they’re good to go for another week. Spiritual apathy will indeed be the downfall of many on Judgment Day.
Father, may we laud and magnify Your name today, as we worship You, the only true and living God. As we observe the Lord’s Supper, may we do so in honor and remembrance of Your Son’s sacrifice on our behalf. As we listen to Your powerful Word proclaimed, may we have open and receptive minds, allowing the message of the hour to mold us into humble and obedient servants, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
What is your prayer to the Father today?
Bear Valley is having their lectureship right now. ACU, if you still count them, just finished their controversial “Summit.” (I understand this is the new name for their lectureship; wonder if it’s still the “mirror of a movement”?) Roundhouse, a brotherhood event for homeschoolers, starts tomorrow. Any others?
It’s good to see events like Roundhouse and Polishing the Pulpit, that aren’t connected to schools. I for one am happy to see the influence of the universities muted among us, since so many of them drift off. Is that wrong of me?
Our good friends at East Tenn., School of Preaching and Missions celebrated their 40th anniversary last month. Congrats to them. I feel a bit of kinship to them, since it was at the Karns congregation’s mission workshop in 1975 that I decided to be a missionary. Karns oversees the school. Unfortunately, I’ve never had the opportunity to go back since.
What do you know of that’s happening out there these days?
Summit sounds more open and welcoming to denominational people, which is obviously the goal. I wonder if they had incense, candles and labyrinths.
Maybe “lectureship” sounds too preachy and stuffy. Summit connotes mountaintops and, maybe, mountaintop experiences. Reckon?
Labyrinths?
Emerging church folks use incense, art, soft music, chanting in worship. They build labyrinths and walk through them, to feel more holy.
*********
Dan Kimball:
My wife and I spent an hour in the labyrinth and found ourselves calmed and refreshed, our perspective uniquely restored . We made our own prayer path after the convention—we knew we couldn’t keep this experience to ourselves. A few months later we featured a labyrinth as part of Graceland’s annual art event at Santa Cruz Bible Church. Graceland artists recreated the labyrinth with a kit we purchased (The Prayer Path, Group Publishing), transforming one of the church’s multipurpose rooms into a medieval prayer sanctuary. The team hung art on the walls, draped fabric, and lit candles all around the room to create a visual sense of sacred space. (Commentary of Dan Kimball’s Article “A-maze-ing Prayer: The Labyrinth Offers Ancient Meditation For Today’s Hurried Souls by Jane Whiting
Graceland sounds like a place that Elvis might visit! :)
Our family will be privileged to enjoy Roundhouse this coming week. We will worship at Karns (home of ETSPM) tomorrow morning and then make our way to Roundhouse tomorrow afternoon. This is our last big event before we head back to Tanzania, October 6. I’ll be SO glad to get back to my own little place of abode. Be it ever so humble, there’s no place like home. :)
I was really proud to meet you and George and the PF Lectures. You’re to be commended for your work and for raising wonderful children at the same time.
In the winter time the schools all used to get together (University Presidents and some faculty) and talk aboout issues, how they serve the brotherhood, how to do a better job, and on and on. Bro Buster Dobbs used to prompt me most of the years about the meetings and how successful they were. Not sure if they are going on as they used to. J. Randel, you and I went to the same school, but I built Paul Gray for you to live in it (ha). But all of the Schools of Preaching are doing tremendous jobs, been talking to a few new grads of Bear Valley lately and ETSOP and MSOP. While some of the conservative quirks have come from our Schools of Preaching, it is quite rare that any ‘Modern’ issues have come from them.
I was going to put “divers” in the title, but decided not to King-Jamesify it. Didn’t want you with visions of underwater swimmers where none swam.
• Nice easy rain this afternoon and evening pulled down the temperature to below 70º. Neighbor said it hadn’t rained in quite a while, so it was quite welcome. Funny to feel these temps at this time of year, though. The breeze coming through the window is delicious.
• Am preparing an article for my blog. Hard to explain it, because it would sound more technical than it is, but it should be out tomorrow morning. Have used three footnotes so far, and decided to use the old 19th century format of the asterisk, dagger and double dagger. What do you think about that? [UPDATE: Article now posted: "Two Notable Conversions in Romans Chapter 16."]
• Daughter and her friend from the neighborhood went to the mall tonight to catch up on their chitchat and do those girly things that girls do at malls. We took them and picked them up. Fortunately, they didn’t stay late. Everyone is in and safe.
• The house got a good cleaning today and the layers of dust were rolled up. Now for my office. I stopped in there for a bit today, but it wasn’t conducive to working.
• We got R$1.70 for the dollar today when we traded money. The dollar’s value fell 2.62% so far in Sept., in a four-week trend downward. In the same article released today, the dollar is falling the world over, says an economic analyst (link in Portuguese). Maybe all those commercials I saw in the US encouraging people to buy gold are more timely than we think.
• Read about the Michigan girl who sells deer licences at Wal-Mart, from Jay’s Impromptus, and my short thought on that.
• Columbia shows Mexico (and U.S.) how to deal with terrorists, says IBD editorial. But will they listen?
• Our house plants looked good on return. Got a little pic of them in the carport. And all the fish were still alive. We had people looking out for us. For them.
• The hired driver who picked us up at the airport drove normally for Brazil on the way home. After seven weeks of tame American streets and roads, though, his maneuvering through traffic, whisking in and out, shaving it close, seemed a bit risky to me. I was able to nap on the way back, so I trust I missed the closest calls.
• Richard M. will be pleased to know that I’ve been working on my editorial for Forthright Magazine for a few days now. Appears Mondays. Working title is “7 Things I’d Like to See More of in the Church.” I have all seven listed already, just fleshing them out. Hoping to keep it from falling into the negative.
• The Missus has been preparing my almondshakes for breakfast since our return. I got a few of them while in the US, but not regularly. How I missed those! Not to mention the pãozinhos and a gazillion other things about home.
• Speaking of the Missus, she talked to her mother tonight on Skype, calling her mamma’s phone, since her PC isn’t working well. Still, it cost just over a dollar for some 35 minutes of loving talk. How far we’ve come from the days of trying to talk on a schedule of amateur radio or, in extreme situations, by expensive phone calls! Not to mention copying and sending out reports by snail mail, which took weeks to arrive.
• Yesterday the posts and traffic picked up here on TFR (I watch them when I can), but today we’re lagging a bit. Weekend pulling us away? Ballgames? Lectureships?
Randal,
To me, “Sundry” sounds more King Jamified than “divers.” Hahahaha!
Using the asterisk and so on, conveys to me that the footnotes will not be as technical, nor will there be as many, so I think it is a good idea for trying to make sure it does not come across as too technical. It seems that the asterisk, dagger, etc., are more about clarifications than bibliographical information and other non-interesting stuff to the average reader.
I know what you mean about the relatively tame American roads compared to what you see in other countries. Russia was scary and so was Peru, where with the latter I was in a car crash.
Don
Morning, Don (what’s left of it)! Don’t yo remember “various and sundry”?
Good! If the asterisk and company convey non-techiness, that works for me.
Brazil has improved after a national traffic law imposed heavy fines. But when the cops aren’t looking?
Oh, yes, I have heard of “various and sundry,” but use it with young people, and by that I mean those 15 years younger than us, and see how many of them know its meaning. Now watch, you will test me on this and every single one of them will know the use of the word “sundry”!
Headed out the door with my clipboard …
You would make a good Pharisee! Hahaha!
I try hard. ;-)
Did not know “King Jamesify” was a word. It’s driving the spellchecker crazy.
I read just today: “Fear not to neologize!”
http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/246572/fast-times-new-jersey-c-jay-nordlinger?page=3
Here are some more indicators of declining morality in America.
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=204957
Note the contrast between Jeremiah 10:23 and Proverbs 3:5-6.
Carrie is discussing. 
Bruce Ligon, and 
Stanley Adams, 
John Henson 9:54 pm on September 30, 2010 Permalink |
Enjoyable, but too short. I’d like to know more about how Randal ticks, e.g., where does he get his ideas for books, what does he read to stir his thought process, to get interested, mad, passionate, and stuff like that. I’m not trying to criticize, Richard. Just my curiosity.
Mike Riley 11:58 pm on September 30, 2010 Permalink |
I just wonder if he ever gets writer’s block?
J. Randal Matheny 6:58 am on October 1, 2010 Permalink |
Book ideas, I snatch them from the air, they float all around my head.
I read the tame and the wild, the weird and the normal, the natty and the shabby. I try to ask good questions, as Tony Robbins tells us to do.
But other than that, I’m a pretty simple, uncomplicated, straightfoward sort of guy. At least, I think so. (My wife has been prohibited from chiming in here.)
Mike, do I ever! I think I live more in the writer’s block than on the mountaintop of inspiration!