A Simple Solution

It's seem pretty simple to me.

Scenario: A guy walks into a school with a weapon (loaded or not) and gives the impression of intent to do harm.

Solution: Local law inforcement calls in the five closest sharp-shooters and gives them one command: "Take him out!" First clear shot, bullet in the head! No negotiations; no background checks (I really don't care if this guy had a bad childhood or not); no "deadlines." Bullet in the head. The SWAT team and the coroner arrive at the same time and take care of the situation.

We are too stinkin' nice about this kind of crap!

Odds and Ends on Thursday

Calvinism Debate - It's official. Tom Ascol's blog has the details for the upcoming debate, Baptists and Calvinism: An Open Debate. The debate will be held at Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg, VA. Participants on the "calvinist side" are Tom Ascol ( Founders Ministries) and James White (Alpha & Omega Ministries). On the "non-calvinist" side, are Emir and Ergun Caner. Ergun's website states that the debate will be carried live on the web. Mark it down-- October 16th.

A quick survey of my office revealed that of the 24 people there:

• 10 openly claim to be "born-again/Christian."
• 2 would probably be classified as "agnostic" (I actually heard one of them use the term).
• 1 will come right out and tell you that he is not a Christian, but "know I should be."
• 1 made a "public profession" about 18 years ago; he has not been to a worship service in over 16 years.
• The "Christians" break down like this:
  • 4 Methodists
  • 3 Baptists
  • 1 Catholic
  • 1 Christian Church (Restoration Movement)
  • 1 not a regular attender, but is a "member" of a Christian Church.
  • At least 5 (yes, the "Christians") use profanity on a regular basis.
  • Several particpate in a regularly scheduled "beer and poker night" at the home of one of the non-Christians.
  • There is one smoker in the group.

Pretty diverse group, eh?

Obituary

I'm sorry, but I think this is FUNNY! Thanks to Our Sovereign Joy.

The latest news from Hollywood is that the much beloved star Popeye has died from the ecoli virus after eating a bag of spinach he had just purchased at the store. Friends, Wimpy and Bluto had warned him about the outbreak of spinach related ecoli and tried to persuade him to have a burger instead. His beloved wife and his co-star in most of his films, Olive Oyl, was at his side when he passed. Popeye starred in over 75 films in his career and was 117 at his death. Contrary to the rumors that plaqued him throughout his career he said he never liked swimming with bow-legged women and he never lived in a gargabe can. Mr. Popeye quit smoking after his movie career ended and never picked up his famous pipe again. Many celebrities plan to attend his funeral including Porky Pig (123), Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Robin Williams who portrayed the famous sailor in a biographical movie. His most famous words were "I yam what I yam and that's all that I yam." Toot toot, Popeye.

The Rules Don't Apply

• A Stop sign simply means: Slow down a little bit; if no one is coming from the other directions or if they are and you think you can beat them "out of the chute" go on through.
  
• The sign at the buffet "No sharing plates" means: It's okay to let your child or friend eat off your plate as long as they don't eat the equivalent of a full meal.
  
• A Yield sign means: Get the heck outa my way. I'm MERGING! Make room for ME!
  
• "Form one line" at the DMV means: If you are not in a hurry, please wait; If you deem yourself more important than others, please cut to the front of the line.
  
• Two solid yellow lines on the highway means: You're driving TOO slow and where I am going is way more important than where you are going. Eat my dust.
  
• "No dumping" means: No more than 1 couch, an old lamp and three FULL trash bags.
  
• "Please take one" means: One at a time. No limit.
  
• "No Left Turn" means: unless you need to turn left, then go ahead and turn left. The twenty cars behind you don't realize how late you are for your manicure and facial.
  
• "No one under 17 admitted with parent or guardian" means: Yeah, right! I've seen worse than this stuff in the halls of my high school.
  
• "Smoking causes lung cancer, heart disease, emphysema, and may complicate pregnancy" means: for everyone but me.
  
• "No Smoking" means: you're not the boss of me.
  
• "EXIT - Please use other door" means: unless this door is closer for YOU.
  
• "No Loitering" means: someone doesn't know how to spell litter. I think I'll ride my skateboard around here for a while.

Blogging

What is it about "blogging?"

• It gives people a place to put their thoughts "on paper."
• It gives people a place to rant about things that upset them.
• It gives people a place to talk about their family or friends or hobbies.
• It gives people a place to publicly state their opinion about a particular issue.
• It's a place to engage other people with similar...and sometimes dissimilar views.

A curious thing to me is how many people read AND comment on blogs with which they strongly disagree. I log on to about 15 blogs on a daily basis. I don't read every word-- sometimes I'll skim the titles and decide I'm not "interested" in that particular day's topic. Some times I'll read an entire post. And, every once in a while, I'll post a comment or ask a question, but I don't ever recall posting a comment in opposition to another person's blog. I figure that, if that person takes the time to post something, they surely must believe it and there's probably not much I can say that will change their mind. It would most likely be a waste of my time.

I read blogs written by atheists, agnostics, members of cults (I won't name any for fear of stirring some one up), politicians, etc. knowing I WON'T agree with them. That doesn't keep me from being interested in what they have to say. Sometimes I'm just trying to understand what the "other side" is thinking. I don't leave comments on the ACLU or American Athesist websites. I imagine they've already made up their minds.

I get some interesting comments here sometimes...some pretty angry about something I've said. To all readers/commentors: thanks for stopping by. To those I've upset: I'm sorry you feel that way. Try not to stay mad too long. Let's just agree that we disagree.

Psalm 95:6

Getting Older and Little League

My youngest son and I were talking the other day. "Dad, are you fifty, yet?" "No," I said, "I'll be fifty in a couple of years." He thought a minute, then said: "Wow, you've already lived over half of your life!" "Well, if you're trying to cheer me up, you're not doing a very good job," I replied. "In fact, I've heard that the average life span is around 70 years, so I'm definitely beyond half way through my life."

He didn't say anything after that, but I sat there and thought-- if I DO make it to 70 years old, that's only a little over 20 years away. Twenty years isn't that long. I've been married 26 years. I just attended my 30 YEAR class reunion a couple of months ago! Good night, I'm going to be SEVENTY before I know it! I don't even own a walker for crying out loud!

WHAT A MINUTE!...I'm not dead, yet. I still have (God willing) a few years left in me. I might even live past 70; maybe even past 80 or 90. I still have plenty of time to do some things that I've wanted to do or see some things I've wanted to see.

• I want to see Yellowstone... and I want to go to Alaska again.
• I want a home office.
• I want to volunteer at a hospital, visiting and praying with people that are getting ready to have surgery.
• I want to work on a Habitat for Humanity house.

If I don't get to do any of those things, that will be OK, too. God's been good to me so far. I really can't complain.

I guess, I'm thinking about "death" more today because I received word today that my Little League baseball coach died last night. He was in his seventies and in poor health. I went to see him a couple of months ago. He answered the door with that great big smile I remembered. "Shag, how you doin'?" he said when he answered the door. He always called me "Shag", even after I graduated from high school, became an adult, etc. It was always "Shag." Everyone on the team had a nickname--I never heard him refer to any of us by our names. Anyway, I spent the good part of a Sunday afternoon reminiscing about summers many years ago when the "Cougars" were the team to beat. It was a good afternoon. I knew when I left that it would be the last time I'd see him on this earth. Coach Williams was a Christian; he loved God, his wife, his family, and his church. I'm looking forward to the reunion, maybe when I'm 70...or 80...God willing.

Personal note to "Gasomatic": Thanks for continuing to stop by, even though you don't comment.

Is That To Go or Eat Here?

Since we were the only ones home this afternoon, my son and I wen to KFC to get something for lunch. As we were waiting for our order at the drive-in window, we overheard the order for the car behind us:

• 3 -- 16-piece buckets of chicken
• 6 -- side orders of mashed potatoes
• 4 -- side orders of coleslaw

The total? $96 and some change!!! Biggest "to go" order at KFC I've ever heard! We laughed all the way home.