December
19, 2003 Return of the King Preliminary Findings
A great movie with a few disconnects Tolkien would not
have approved of...
In the Original, Aragorn is Strider, who relentlessly
pursues his calling to be King.The movies have turned hinm into a dubious
wayfarer filled with angst over the prospect. And it takes Arwenıs turn
in a version of the perils of Pauline to get him to step up to the plate.
Elrond never made a journey to plead with Aragorn to do his duty in the
book- there was no need. I mention this as Aragorn is a type of Christ
and that would reflect something far different than Tolkien envisioned
in the character. The movie inflates Arwenıs role and turns her into a
Xena- warrior princess. Samwise Gamgee is tempted in the movie and Frod
believes he has betrayed him. Bull. No hint of any falling out in the
book . Sam is too pure it seems for the movie. They even kept the Shire
unspoiled for a neat and tidy ending which the book did not provide.
Take the Christmas
Story Quiz if you have the Flash Plugin... What a cool site!
I'm off for the Holidays so soorrrry but likely no more
updates to the blog this year... Joyous Christmas to you!
December
16, 2003 Worldview Weekends
Equipping the Saints to Contend for the Faith Allie
Martin, Agape Press
Teaching Christians how to better defend their faith while sharpening
witnessing skills -- that's the focus of two-day conferences known as
"Worldview Weekends." Several years ago, the American Family Association
-- along with several other Christian ministries -- began holding the
two-day conferences around the U.S. The conferences feature prominent
speakers who give Christians practical ways to take a stand for righteousness
in today's culture. Brannon Howse, founder and director of Worldview Weekend,
says the conferences have two primary goals. He points out that the Book
of Hebrews says that without faith, it is impossible to please God; that
is why, he says, the conferences attempt to teach people to "contend for
the faith" and to defend it. But "Worldview Weekend isn't just about throwing
up intellectual arguments to bring people to Christ," Howse says. " We
want to teach people to lead others to Jesus Christ in a biblical way
that creates true converts, not false converts, so that we can learn how
to get around the intellectual arguments to coming to Christ." Howse says
it is vital for believers -- both young and old -- to know how to take
a stand for Christ. Twenty Worldview Weekends are planned for 2004 in
cities like Memphis, Tennessee; Richmond, Virginia; Green Bay, Wisconsin;
and Rochester, New York.
December
16, 2003 Christmas Ramblings
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We had about three inches of wonderful
wet snow Sunday and by the time we went to dinner on Monday it was
gone!Here is a pic of our shadows to prove as a reminder that it was
here.Amazing how shadows are prophecies of how our bodies reconfigue
themselves over the years- note the pointy heads and the discernable
widening as you near the bottom... |
We scaled back on the decorations this
year- gave away about 55 gallons of games and decorations so I hope
someone is getting good use. It's a blessing I can recommend highly-
our Christmas is simpler and the storage area is cleaner in the bargain.
But it'll probably get filled up again all too soon as I am married
to Mrs. Christmas...:-) |
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My main project was completing the star- a star
of David with a Star of Bethlehem in it's center and a cross in the
center of the star of Bethlehem. Its a great conversation starter
and came out of meditating on the design of God's kingdom initiatives
in the world, His narrowing of focus over time to protect the seed
and the creative tension between exclusivity and inclusivity. |
And of course the fun projects that will probably
turn into a tradition- the Christmas cactus- actually an Old Man of
Mexico with the Santa touch... Ho Ho Hola! |
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I notice that Christmas cards have fallen off in numbers
considerably over the past couple of years- guess I will have to start
printing out the email wishes and stick those on the door... or maybe
it's my deodorant?
December
15, 2003
Christianity
in action
link
via Dave's blog
When
open source goes awry. Linux
Barbie OS. Here's my prediction for the NEXT BIG THING in 2004- a
new version of Heathkit- build your own OS- the rage will be custom OS's
built in Linux- instead of screensavers or custom interfaces you will
be able to get your favorite flavor of Gary Larson, Spongebob, Angel,
(et al) OS's in the near future. Also custom OS kits will be a big seller
at best Buy before 2 long. You heard it here...
Rolling
Stone picks Sgt. Pepper as number one all time
album. Bob Dylan and the Beatles accounted for 6 of the top ten.
And
colorless green ideas sleep
furiously.
Proctor and Gambel have been fighting false rumors
about ties
to the devil for years. Now household goods giant Procter &
Gamble is marketing its toilet tissue brand Charmin to toddlers
through a children's story book. P&G is publishing a book for two-
to four-year-olds starring the
cartoon bear who features in the product's advertising campaigns
and on packs of the toilet paper. So is this Charmin the Pooh?
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Things You Didn't Know
Were Problems
Link via Post
Dispatch to News of the Weird Britain's Industrial Christian Fellowship
of religious scholars complained in September that people's prayers go
disproportionately for teachers and nurses and said it would distribute
a set of prayers for the underblessed financial sector under the heading
"When did you last pray for your stockbroker?" [Reuters, 9-26-03]
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So what's an Industrial Christian anyway?
Found this when searching google for Christian industry
B. Wayne Dean Sr., Pastor of the Excel and
Megargel United Methodist Churches in Monroe County (Alabama). Very
emergent.
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..and Local Weirdness
Waiting for a rush-hour bus in East St. Louis,
Ill., Emanual Fleming tried to use a pay phone but received a busy signal,
then stuck his right middle finger into the coin-return slot but couldn't
get it out. With his free hand, he called 911, and ambulance personnel
had to take both Fleming and the telephone to the hospital, where, three
hours after he got stuck, doctors numbed the finger and worked it out
of the slot. [Belleville News-Democrat, 11-18-03]
Comments
Woke up Sunday morning and surfed through 30 channels
or so before I saw any mention of Saddam's capture. It was unusual since
I NEVER turn on a TV anymore. When I say them checking him for lice, my
first response was how pathetic it is when Satan gets through with using
someone and he casts them aside, abandoned and disoriented and deluded
and how DIFFERENT that is from knowing Christ. And today he is back to
serving his master by being beliggerant and unrepentant. Apparently someone
on the governing council asked him how he will stand before God on judgment
day and he replied, "with a calm heart."
I mentioned to someone that we need to pray
for Saddam and so I think I am a heretic in their eyes. Then I was
reminded again in reading Rev 12 last night (partly Christmas from
Heaven's perspective) that all our days are part of the celestial
struggle of a ticked off Satan trying to do collateral damage since
he cannot overcome the Son. |
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How do YOU react to Christ's admonition to pray for
your enemies and Micah's assertataion that the Lord requires us to love
both justice and mercy when faced with evil? As for me, I will pray for
him. But I also think he has already obtained mercy when he didn't get
a grenade dropped into the spider hole and mercy in that it was the US
soldiers that uncovered him not one of his own people. Now is the time
for justice. The blood of his victims (and our soldiers) cry out.
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Overshadow
Gabriel's silence heralds the darkness,
A place to remember what was seen in the light
When glory appears all else is in shadow
And the shadows can be dark as the night.
We can be left blinded by a radient glow
When we stand in His presence so bright
But the heart has its eyes wide open to know
That to see clearly takes more than sight.
For heavens breath and heavens bread
Overshadows death and raises the dead
When were overshadowed by the most high
We shall bask in the glow of His favor instead
Anthony Foster
December 14, 2003 |
Starshine
Decorate my heart with light
Hang your green upon my walls
Set my soul ablaze tonight
And dwell in newly hallowed halls
For every door is open wide
To bid the babe to come inside.
For every door is open wide
To bid the babe to come inside.
Star of David shining bright
Overshadowed by Bethlehems star tonight
The daystar, morningstar gives us His light
Shining by the power of His might
For every door is open wide
To bid the babe to come inside.
For every door is open wide
To bid the babe to come inside.
Overshadowed by the one
Who shines more brightly than the sun
For the star of the morning is brighter by far
Than the sun in our sky and the moon and the stars.
For every door is open wide
To bid the babe to come inside.
For every door is open wide
To bid the babe to come inside.
Anthony Foster
December 14, 2003
Did you know the ETYMOLOGY
of a few occultic words came from religious sources?
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Hocus Pocus: Possibly from an alteration
of Latin hoc est corpus (meum), this is (my) body (words used in the
Eucharist at the time of transubstantiation). |
Abracadabra , magical formula used by the Gnostics
to invoke the aid of benevolent spirits to ward off disease and affliction.
It is supposed to be derived from the abraxas, a word that was engraved
on gems and amulets or was variously worn as a protective charm.
Dr. Seuss is One
Hundred. I like this quote that came out at his death:"
Don't cry because it's over, Smile because it happened." In
January 2004, Random House Childrenıs Books will kick off the Seussentennial
Imagination Tour-100 days of events and celebrations honoring Theodor
Seuss Geisel's memory.
My favorite Dr. Seuss book? That ode to
creativity, On Beyond Zebra...
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