This past week I met with a pastor. He asked me questions that no pastor had ever asked me before, yet are questions that my pastor should ask me.
Where are you in your walk with God?
What do you struggle with?
What can the church do for you?
Perhaps another question might be, why hasn't your pastor asked you these before?
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Friday, February 26, 2010
Listening to Classic Literature
A few years ago I first heard this song Odysseus by Brian Keane.
Now I have never read read Homer's Odyssey, but thanks to Brian I am familiar with the story. Listening to this song might be as good as reading the Cliff notes on the book. The moral of the story is the same whether you read the book or listen to the song, Homer's Odyssey is jacked up.
Now I have never read read Homer's Odyssey, but thanks to Brian I am familiar with the story. Listening to this song might be as good as reading the Cliff notes on the book. The moral of the story is the same whether you read the book or listen to the song, Homer's Odyssey is jacked up.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Reliving War
Today I went to my first civil war reenactment, the Battle of Aiken.
The Battle of Aiken took place in February 1865 during Sherman's March to the Sea. General Kilpatrick led his troops into South Carolina and sought to take and then destroy Aiken, followed by moving in on Augusta, Georgia. However, the Confederate troops, led by General Wheeler, stopped Kilpatrick at Aiken.
The reenactment today staged the Rebels and Yankees on the battle field.
As expected for the area, the crowd cheered when the Confederates advanced and were able to take advantage on the battlefield. Confederate flags and uniforms abounded in the crowd. But in a way that may only be understood by Southerners, cheered loudly for both the Yankees and Rebels as they made their final passes to thank the crowd. Proud to be American and proud to be Southern.
Besides the reenactment, the reenactors had exhibits set up to talk about their craft, the life of a civil war soldier, and the weapons of war.
There were also some exhibits of more modern American warfare.
The gentleman on the right is wearing a WWI-era wool army uniform. At the exhibit, he showed up the gas masks used by soldiers in WWI and WWII.
I also spent some time talking to a Confederate Chaplain.
We talked about the life of a civil war chaplain, life in Antebellum South, and a book he is writing involving a plantation called Wexford.
It was very enjoyable and educational. Certainly a sad time in American history as brother fought brother, but let us never forget our past and the bravery exhibited by those seeking to ensure their rights and those fighting for their country.
The Battle of Aiken took place in February 1865 during Sherman's March to the Sea. General Kilpatrick led his troops into South Carolina and sought to take and then destroy Aiken, followed by moving in on Augusta, Georgia. However, the Confederate troops, led by General Wheeler, stopped Kilpatrick at Aiken.
The reenactment today staged the Rebels and Yankees on the battle field.
As expected for the area, the crowd cheered when the Confederates advanced and were able to take advantage on the battlefield. Confederate flags and uniforms abounded in the crowd. But in a way that may only be understood by Southerners, cheered loudly for both the Yankees and Rebels as they made their final passes to thank the crowd. Proud to be American and proud to be Southern.
Besides the reenactment, the reenactors had exhibits set up to talk about their craft, the life of a civil war soldier, and the weapons of war.
There were also some exhibits of more modern American warfare.
The gentleman on the right is wearing a WWI-era wool army uniform. At the exhibit, he showed up the gas masks used by soldiers in WWI and WWII.
I also spent some time talking to a Confederate Chaplain.
We talked about the life of a civil war chaplain, life in Antebellum South, and a book he is writing involving a plantation called Wexford.
It was very enjoyable and educational. Certainly a sad time in American history as brother fought brother, but let us never forget our past and the bravery exhibited by those seeking to ensure their rights and those fighting for their country.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Letters in the Mail
Bill Carlisle and Bobby Gregory wrote a famous song called No Letter in the Mail. Here it is performed by some Canucks, the Spinney Brothers.
I got a letter in the mail today. It was a very nice letter, a length correspondence from a friend of mine. This is the first personal correspondence I have received in the mail in a month. Now, I probably have received personal correspondences in the mail at a greater frequency in the past, but certainly never more than once every two weeks. Two summers I worked in a place that did not have regular internet access and I didn't have regular access to mail. There, I received hand delivered personal correspondence on almost a daily basis.
What is it about a physical letter that is so special? I receive personal correspondences in emails on almost a daily basis. I enjoy them and get excited when I see I have an email waiting for me from certain people, but not like when I get a letter in the mail. Emails may stay in my email inbox for a few days, possibly even months, but will soon be deleted. Currently in my inbox, the oldest personal correspondence is only 6 months old and will probably be deleted soon. But of letters that have been mailed to me, I have some dating back to 2003 and have no desire to ever throw them away. Why are they different?
The internet is great, it connects me to people, information, and allows me to do things that in the past would have required more time. Some of the people I am connected to are friends who are separated by distance, one of which is 6600 miles away and that is going over the pole. Even though we might talk about the exact same thing in an email, I value the physical letter that I get in my mailbox. The email will be read, probably several times, but soon deleted. The letter will be read multiple times, then placed in a box where I will every so often retrieve it and reread. Why the difference? Could it be that though the internet keeps me connected to those who I can not be physically with, I still value physical proximity? Could it be the physical letter brings me closer to the person than a virtual email could do? Could I just be old fashioned?
I got a letter in the mail today. It was a very nice letter, a length correspondence from a friend of mine. This is the first personal correspondence I have received in the mail in a month. Now, I probably have received personal correspondences in the mail at a greater frequency in the past, but certainly never more than once every two weeks. Two summers I worked in a place that did not have regular internet access and I didn't have regular access to mail. There, I received hand delivered personal correspondence on almost a daily basis.
What is it about a physical letter that is so special? I receive personal correspondences in emails on almost a daily basis. I enjoy them and get excited when I see I have an email waiting for me from certain people, but not like when I get a letter in the mail. Emails may stay in my email inbox for a few days, possibly even months, but will soon be deleted. Currently in my inbox, the oldest personal correspondence is only 6 months old and will probably be deleted soon. But of letters that have been mailed to me, I have some dating back to 2003 and have no desire to ever throw them away. Why are they different?
The internet is great, it connects me to people, information, and allows me to do things that in the past would have required more time. Some of the people I am connected to are friends who are separated by distance, one of which is 6600 miles away and that is going over the pole. Even though we might talk about the exact same thing in an email, I value the physical letter that I get in my mailbox. The email will be read, probably several times, but soon deleted. The letter will be read multiple times, then placed in a box where I will every so often retrieve it and reread. Why the difference? Could it be that though the internet keeps me connected to those who I can not be physically with, I still value physical proximity? Could it be the physical letter brings me closer to the person than a virtual email could do? Could I just be old fashioned?
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Everything's Round
Several years ago, I heard a song on the radio called "Hey Woodie Guthrie." The song was by a band called Leftover Salmon. Reading more about the band, I learned that the song was unique for them as they usually didn't go into such politic realms in their music. The great thing about the band though was that since they made up their own genre, Polyethnic Cajun Slamgrass, they can do whatever they want.
I picked up their album Leftover Salmon and loved every song. One of them was Everything's round, written by Vince Herman, a member of the band.
Here, Vince performs Everything's Round and Mountain Top, both most excellent songs.
I picked up their album Leftover Salmon and loved every song. One of them was Everything's round, written by Vince Herman, a member of the band.
Here, Vince performs Everything's Round and Mountain Top, both most excellent songs.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
When all else fails, think!
I just finished reading a book called Aircraft Down! Evading Capture in WWII Europe by General Philip Caine. The book is a collection of 6 true stories of Allied pilots and aircrew that went down in occupied Europe or Italy and evaded capture and made it back to friendly forces. It does a great job depicting the loneliness they felt, their heart-felt thankfulness to the Europeans who risked everything to aid them, and describing their journey from the beginning of their final flight to their ultimate return home.
In the final chapter of the book, General Caine writes about what made the evaders successful. The success comes down to a few common traits, to will to survive, trust, patience, ability to adjust, confidence, perseverance, positive attitude, good judgment, and thinking. His assessment is very similar to the assessment in the National Geographic Adventure article, Terrorists at the Tea Party. The ability to think and control one's mind and body is vital in emergency situations.
I like to think that I have many of these characteristics, but it is hard to know until one is tested by fire. If anything, I at least acknowledge the need to have these skills and characteristics. Now I just have to wait until all else fails and see if I can think.
In the final chapter of the book, General Caine writes about what made the evaders successful. The success comes down to a few common traits, to will to survive, trust, patience, ability to adjust, confidence, perseverance, positive attitude, good judgment, and thinking. His assessment is very similar to the assessment in the National Geographic Adventure article, Terrorists at the Tea Party. The ability to think and control one's mind and body is vital in emergency situations.
I like to think that I have many of these characteristics, but it is hard to know until one is tested by fire. If anything, I at least acknowledge the need to have these skills and characteristics. Now I just have to wait until all else fails and see if I can think.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Thinking without knowledge
I found these statistics from England interesting.
33% of school children think their teacher is an alien
75% of school children think aliens exist
72% of school children think aliens are friendly
< 10% of school children can name all 8 planets in the solar system
They are thinking, but do they have knowledge?
33% of school children think their teacher is an alien
75% of school children think aliens exist
72% of school children think aliens are friendly
< 10% of school children can name all 8 planets in the solar system
They are thinking, but do they have knowledge?
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