Dem Bones, Dem Bones

Now let me get this straight- with five (or more) LIVE bodies claiming to be the father, along with the body of the deceased mother…we can't / have yet to determine the identity of the father of Anna Nicole Smith's baby!!!

However, we supposedly can take 2000-year-old bones from a "coffin" and almost unequivocally determine that we've found the body of JESUS??!!! They talk about having DNA...what in the world are they going to compare it to??!!!

Ain't modern science amazing!

TODAY (NBC) host Meredith Vieira, who read the book and watched the documentary, said the implications are astounding given that billions of people have been taught that Jesus was resurrected both in spirit and body, ascended to heaven, never married and had no offspring. The film and book, if accepted, could shake the church that Jesus founded to its core. “If this is correct, what are the implications? They're huge,” Vieira said.

Here's a couple of articles from MSNBC.

Cameron: Jesus tomb film is a ‘detective story’

Director defends Jesus tomb findings
(Contains video)

I Get Email

I get quite a bit of email--not because I'm popular or an important person. Most of it is "junk":

• People trying to get me to buy something (because I previously purchased something from them)
• People wanting to advise me on my stock market investments (like I have a lot of those)
• Offers for discount drugs that may or may not "enhance" my life
• Offers of REALLY cheap/low interest mortgages or loans for incredibly large sums (my house payment is less than $550 a month--I don't think I need their help in that area)
• Offers of LOTS of money just to "use" my American bank account for a transfer of funds from [ fill in foreign country name here ].

You get the idea. I also send a lot of email. I email my mom, sometimes several times each week (I also call her)-- she lives out of state. I send an email "prayer list" to our Sunday School class, prayer requests that were made that week in class. I email a high school friend almost weekly--we exchange funny stuff we find on the internet, etc.

One of the emails I really don't like though, is the "prayer chain/receive a blessing" email. You know the ones. There's a real tear-jerker of a story and then at the end it says something like: "Forward this to 10 people/everyone in your contacts and you'll be blessed." OR "Are you ashamed to forward this email? Jesus said if you are ashamed of me before men, I'll be ashamed of you before the Father."

Now really. Does anyone actually believe that by forwarding an email they will get their wish/prayer answered? Why would the forwarding of an email be the basis for God answering a prayer? And if I don't forward the email, does that really hender God from intervening in the situation and answering the prayer anyway?

I don't think God operates that way, nor is He "bound" by whether we send emails to each other. Just my "soapbox" for the moment.

But just in case...please forward this post to 10 people.

Justice

Had this story occured in the USA, the muggers would have been granted immunity in exchange for their testimony, while their victims were jailed and more than likely sued by the families of the attackers because their "civil rights" had been violated.

Bad Stuff, Stupid Stuff, Good Stuff

Notice: The following items/thoughts are in no particlar order in relation to the title of this post.

This is just SICK! Someone needs to take a belt to the backside of these kids. I am for the death penalty 1000% when it comes to idiotic, absolutely premeditated behavior like this.

Can someone PLEASE tell me why or how this or this is considered "stylish", cool, or whatever term you wish to apply?!

Seth McBee over at Contend Earnestly has begun a series about Calvinism in response to comments by Dr. John Goetsch. Pretty good so far. Check it out.

Mike Ratliff over at Possessing Treasure calls us to action, to "[do] what we are called to do" in his recent post entitled "No One Knows That Day and Hour". Give it a read.

The New York Post reports: "Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's decision to stand by her man after the Monica Lewinsky scandal is seen as a sign of strength by 56 percent of voters, a poll says." If you can stand it, here's "the rest of the story" (apologies to Paul Harvey)

UNBELIEVABLE story about a baby that was born at 22 weeks into the pregnancy. The baby was born Oct 24, 2006 and is expected to go home today.

I spent the weekend in Dallas, taking a certification test for work (I don't think I did very well-not because I didn't study; it was just different from what I expected. I'm not making excuses--it really was a hard test)...anyway, I got to spend some time with my brother and his family and that's always good. This week, it's back to work, catching up on all the things that I'd put off while I studied for the exam (that I don't think I did very well on, but I've already mentioned that haven't I?) In this morning at 5:15 AM. Probably won't leave work until 5:00 PM. LONG DAY!!!

Remembering Brandon

Today is my cousin Brandon's birthday. We were born only 3 weeks apart. We did a lot of things togther growning up; shared similar senses of humor, etc. He would have been 49 years old today...would have been expect for the fact that 30 years ago, he was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Brandon and some friends had gone to the lake for a day of boating, skiing, etc.Toward the middle of the day, they pulled into a dock to use the restroom. While Brandon and friends had been on the water, another group of friends were having their own kind fun at the lake, driving through the various camping areas, vandalizing the property by, among other things, shooting a rifle at pretty much anything that didn't move. While Brandon was in the restroom, the three drove through the dock area, stopped at the restroom and fired six rounds into the building...Brandon was hit five times. Staggering out of the restroom, he fell and died as the group drove off.

After some time, investigators determined the identities of the "vandals" (aka "killers") and arrested them on charges of manslaughter. It was later determined during the investigation that only one person was the shooter. The other two plea-bargained in exchange for their testimonies against the shooter. The shooter--whose father just happened to be an attorney--was able to get the evidence and testimonies thrown out on a technicality. He also claimed his son suffered from mental illness. None of the three vandals served a single day.

Brandon would have been 49 years old today. Happy Birthday, Brandon. I miss you.

What in the WORLD?!

Where was Bank of America when I needed money!!??

Bank of America to offer credit cards to illegal immigrants.

It's the Weekend

SURPRISE! Barack Obama is running for President. I'd say something about it if I cared.

Men's Prayer Breakfast?
An event billed as "Porn and Pancakes" is being hosted by a church in rural upstate New York.

The breakfast discussion on the pornography industry in America is planned next month at the Living Word Assembly of God Church in the town of Ontario, in rural Wayne County about ten miles east of Rochester.

A billboard advertisement near the church shows the words "Porn and Pancakes" written in syrup on a stack of flapjacks. Where do churches come up wiht this stuff. Check out the rest of the story here.
(Thanks to Kim Riddlebarger for the link)

Work Stuff
For the past two months, I've spent pretty much every Saturday, and most weeknights, studying for a certification test I'm taking next week (work related). I think I'm ready; I'll be glad when it's all over.

Church Stuff
We're studying the book of Esther in Sunday School. Tomorrow, we're looking at chapters 3 - 4 where Haman begins his plot to kill all of the Jews. Mordecai appeals to Esther to go before the king in order to save the Jews. When she hesitates, Mordecai tells her:

"For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14)

Mordecai is a great man of faith; whether he or Esther or whoever intervenes, he is confident that God will ultimately deliver the Israelites. But his last comment really emphasizes his understanding of God's sovereignty: Maybe you're the Queen because God put your here--BECAUSE He always knew that Haman would pull this stunt. Not an exact quote, but the thought is there.

It's a good...no, great, lesson for me. I'm where I am-- at the moment I'm there-- because God ordained it. There's not a single situation that takes God by surprise and there's not a single situation that God hasn't already worked out "the end."

I sleep a lot better at night holding on to that truth.

On a Lighter Note

Nothing serious to write about today. Got the following in an email and unless you're from Oklahoma (or Arkansas, the south, etc.), you may not "get it." I have lived in Oklahoma all my life...sadly, this stuff makes sense to me. If you can't laugh at yourself from time to time, well then...

Things I've Learned Living in Oklahoma
Author Unknown

• Armadillos sleep in the middle of the road with all four feet in the air.
  
• A tractor is NOT an all terrain vehicle. They do get stuck.
  
• The wind blows at 90 mph from Oct 2 'til June 25; then it stops totally until October 2.
  
• "Onced" and "twiced" are words.
  
• "Coldbeer" is one word.
  
• People actually grow and eat okra.
  
• When you live in the country you don't have to buy a dog. City people drop them off at your front gate in the middle of the night.
  
• "Fixin'-to" is one word.
  
• There ain't no such thing as "lunch". There is only breakfast, dinner, and then there's supper.
  
• "Backwards and forwards" means I know everything about you.
  
• "Jeet?" is actually an inquiry into your dining habits.
  
• You don't have to wear a watch because it doesn't matter what time it is. You work until you're done or it's too dark to see.
  
• Stores don't have bags. They have sacks.
  
• You see cars with the engine running in the Wal-Mart parking lot with no one in them, no matter what time of the year it is.
  
• All the festivals across the state are named after a fruit or a vegetable.
  
• You only have four spices in your kitchen: Salt, Pepper, Ketchup, and Tabasco.
  
• You know what "cow tipping" and "snipe hunting" are.
  
• The local papers cover national and international news on one page, but require six pages to cover Friday night high school football.
  
• The first day of deer season is a state holiday.
  
• Going to Wal-Mart is a favorite past-time known as "goin' off to Wally-world."
  
• A carbonated soft drink isn't a soda, cola, or pop....It's a Coke, regardless of brand or flavor.
  

Christians and Alcohol

Connected to a previous post, I've been having a discussion with an individual about Christians and alcohol. He takes the stance that Jesus drank (it certainly appears that he did--check out this verse and this verse) AND that it is entirely possible for Christians to drink and not be drunk (which is condemned by Scripture).

I take the view that, although I might not be able to make an argument against drinking from Scripture (although I think I could--condsider this verse), I find absolutely no benefit in having that "liberty."

In the course of our conversation, the gentleman I was engaging stated (re: the newspaper article that started this whole thing): "But to be fair, the newpaper article, written by a non-Christian outside, is not an accurate reflection of what happens." So his "defense" is that a non-Christian sees Christians drinking and makes a negative assumption about Christians and therefore, that's not fair. From where I'm sitting, his statment makes MY argument: if a non-Christian (or maybe a Christian) sees him drinking, they assume the "drinker" is not a Christian. That IS the point.

He can claim he has the liberty to drink because the Bible doesn't explicitly deem drinking a sin. He can claim that, in moderation, there is nothing wrong with having a drink with a meal or just for the sake of something to drink---BUT, people that THINK drinking is a sin or wrong aren't going to understand his "liberty."

Now--fair or not--why would he want someone to assume he is NOT a Christian when he really is?!!!

Even though he may have that "liberty", why would he want to engage in something that would cause people to assume something negative about him or his faith? Wouldn't it be easier just to NOT DRINK? And here's the bigger question: Why is it so important that he drink? That he be able to defend his right or liberty to drink? What is the benefit? I've asked the question, but no one will give me an answer.

I don't drink. Ever. It's easier and I don't have to defend myself. Incidently, I don't think that makes me better--it does mean I have more free time since I don't have to educate people about my "liberty."

I like what Phil Johnson said: "while we're not prudes or wouldn't automatically consider a stogie or beer "sinful," neither do we consider such things fitting emblems of Christian liberty. (Blog post, May 26, 2006)

God and the Super Bowl

The big story this week is the Super Bowl. I won't watch it--haven't watched a Super Bowl since the Cowboys fired Tom Landry. I'm not anti-football, just not interested.

Apparently, a lot of people will be watching, including lots of churches. I've noticed churches (around town and on the internet) cancelling their evening services and putting on Super Bowl parties. One church was going to show the game on their big screen, until the NFL lawyers heard about their plan and said, "no you're not."

I didn't realize it, but God is interested in the Super Bowl. According to the Feb 1, Oklahoma Baptist Messenger:

Head coaches Tony Dungy of Indianapolis and close friend and fellow Christian Lovie Smith of Chicago gave credit to God following their respective teams' victories in the conference championships Jan 21.

"The Lord set this up in a way that no one would believe it," Dungy said following the Colt's win over New England. "The Lord tested us a lot this year, but He set this up to get all the glory."

If I pray for my favorite team to win the Super Bowl, and they LOSE, does that mean that God didn't answered my prayer? Did God like the other team better?

And speaking of God answering prayers, is it wrong for me to pray for a good parking spot at Wal-Mart?