For Shame

Why am I surprised?

Time and again, our government conducts itself in the most shameful of manners.

Recall the Tuskegee Experiments?

Recall Agent Orange?

Recall Depleted Uranium?

Recall Exon Valdez?

Recall the BP use of chemical dispersants?

At this point, we have reached a new low. It seems as if BP and the Government have hit upon a new strategy to hide their ineptitude: slave labor.

To me, this is a significant step lower than the use of "coerced informants" to obtain convictions.

By using "slave labor", the government will be able to hide from the public the deleterious effects of the dispersant upon humans, let alone the aquatic and avian populations.

Will we ever say, "Enough is Enough?"

Patrick Henry said it best: "Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains or slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take but as for me; give me liberty or give me death!"

A concept foreign to our recent past and current generation.

Talk About Contrast

Without a doubt, BP and our government have seemingly destroyed our Gulf environment.

Thankfully, God IS sovereign and man will not ultimately screw up creation.

In terms of the immediate, it certainly looks bleak.

For me, personally, I am appalled at the concern for the wildlife in the Gulf area (though, by no means do I suggest we ought not to be concerned). But, for a nation which kills without conscience more than a million humans annually via abortion, I simply cannot rouse myself to save a Pelican or Porpoise!

I am concerned for the inhabitants of the Gulf area whose livelihoods are being callously ignored by our government, irrespective of their public pronouncements.

Maybe, God in His sovereignty, is moving to provoke our populace to rise up in indignation (maybe righteous indignation), and take back their government.

For far too long, we have allowed our politicians free reign such that they have forgotten they are accountable representatives versus our rulers!

In my lifetime, “Public Servant” has become an oxymoron!

The Heart Mender

Up front this is a review resulting from the BookSneeze program of Thomas Nelson Publishers. The review represents my personal opinion, unsolicited in terms of outcome resulting from the gratuitous provision of the book.

Personally, I love historical fiction, ala Leon Uris, Tom Clancy, et al.

This story brought back memories of the Gulf Coast, along with smells and sounds! Wow.

As a history buff I was well acquainted with the operations of the Kriegsmarine in the Gulf, having lived in Pensacola, FL and Morehead City, NC.

But, is the bulk of it really built of facts other than what was found in the buried vegetable can and WW II archival history of the Kriegsmarine operations in the Gulf?

The plot does offer a heartwarming story of the power of forgiveness and the restoration of lives damaged by the ravages of war. The role of Danny in the story graphically illustrates the value of "the weakest of these" in our culture.

The fact that a particular enemy submariner, ended up on the coast of Alabama and was assimilated into the culture does not strike me as strange and speaks volumes to the character of the citizenry in that part of the nation.

Once I began reading, I couldn't put it down until the last page!

Thank you, Mr. Andrews. I loved this work and look forward to reading more!

PS: visit his site

Household Evangelism?

This link is almost sufficient to convert me, subjectively:

http://suzannemosley.blogspot.com/

It also blesses my heart as well us evinces Kudos to Awana

What's In An Example?

Forty-Five years ago it was my good fortune to meet band of godly, disciplined believers who instilled in me three fundamental disciplines of the Christian life:

1) Daily devotional life
2) Disciplined Bible reading
3) Systematic Bible study

At the time, the disciplines seemed awesome, but their example was motivating and whet my appetite and I purposed to develop those disciplines.

Now, 45+ years later, I have read through the Bible probably 70 times, memorized umpteen thousands of verses, and studied my way through the New Testament, all the Prophets, most of the Pentateuch, and many of the historical books.

All of which to say: Thank God for Example (1 Corinthians 11:1).

Their Lives were the means God used.

Hopefully, my life carries the same weight.

How about yours?

Plan B

Plan B: What Do You Do When God Doesn't Show Up the Way You Thought He Would? (Paperback)

I received this book as part of Thomas Nelson’s BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program.

Author Wilson’s style is engaging and down to earth. His weaving of biblical scenarios, personal experience, and the experiences of others who have experienced God’s Plan B brought to mind experiences in my own life and that of others. It was a refreshing reminder of God’s sovereignty and providence.

What we call Plan B is really Plan A discovered to us in accord with God’s timetable. Our struggle occurs as we labor to make peace with the plan. We are like Job wrestling with events, wanting to argue with God, convinced we know better. At such moments, we need a friend to come alongside and remind us to “…let the peace of God rule in our hearts…” so that we might come to know the will of God as “…good, acceptable, and perfect…”.

Wilson has done us a service crafting this anecdotal reminder, undergirded with biblical example. I highly recommend this one.

The End of the World?

Book Review: Will the World End in 2012? by Raymond C. Hundley, Ph.D.

Yeow!

In fact, double Yeow!!

Reading Will The World End In 2012 was an interesting and somewhat enlightening experience til I came across the author’s reference to Mr. Van Impe as a “respected Bible teacher”. What? How often must a man be wrong before he loses the title “respected Bible teacher”, at least in the area of eschatology? Mr. Van Impe may have much of the Bible committed to memory (a fact which makes me somewhat envious ), but his interpretations are way out in left field. Seems he turned right at third base!

Dr. Hundley reviews ten end time scenarios. Some I had never heard of, so the exposure was helpful, especially the chapter on CERN, the super collider. The remainder I had heard of and had dismissed as of little value.

I must admit, I am one of the blogger reviewers, receiving the book, Gratis, and am also a Christian persuaded by the scriptures that this old planet will continue, “…world without end…”, or eon after eon until such time as The Creator determines to destroy it (if ever?).

I would not recommend this book.