In this season of economic down-turn, it might help some to feel better about things if they simply had a better understanding of some of the terms being used so frequently in the press. I got this information in an email today.
“recession” – this is when your neighbor loses his job
“depression” – this is when you lose your job
“recovery” – this happens when Obama loses his job
Did I make you smile?
Who do you like this year in each division? Go out on a limb and we’ll check back in October!
NL West: Dodgers….Manny will be enough here
NL East: Phillies….no significant roster changes give the incumbents the nod
NL Central: Cardinals….they’re going to have to out-slug opponents…they will, Carp’s back, I’m a homer
NL Wild Card: Cubs……Too good lately, they’ll be back in the post season…they will be swept out of the first round, but they will be in the post season
Cardinals beat Cubs in a classic 7 game LCS!
AL West: Angels…tradition
AL East: Rays…..young talent + confidence = an unconquerable swagger
AL Central: Tigers
AL Wild Card: Bo Sox
Rays over Sox in 6 for AL pennant.
Cardinals take WS over Rays in 6.
Your turn!
I’m sitting pretty at 40 of 48 so far, with 14 of my sweet sixteen (and all 8 of my elite) remaining.
How you doin’?
Story here.
The One enthroned in heaven laughs; The Lord ridicules them. — Psalm 2:4
Here’s further evidence that Republicans / conservatives are typically more classy than their counterparts.
President Bush had a microphone in front of his face for the first time (in effect) since leaving office. He had the opportunity to publically tee off on the ineptitude of the Obama administration to date. You’d think he would at least blow off some steam for all the criticism he had to endure for the duration of the campaign. But he didn’t.
Instead, he determined to take the high road. Read about it here.
That’s MY president!
We had a spirited debate at this blog over the several weeks leading up to last November’s presidential election.
Then candidate Obama said he would work to reduce the number of abortions. Instead, he has signed measures that just give the abortion industry more steam (funding overseas abortion procedures and lifting long-held bans on stem cell research). He promised that he would NEVER sign fiscal policies with earmarks. Not only did he, he did it outside of the media’s view. The sneak! He wants to remove tax credits for those contributing to non-profit organizations. And he is trying to “force” doctors capable of performing abortions to do so…even if it is against their belief system.
I’d like to hear from all of you who defended your vote for Obama.
Are you still glad you voted for him?
You can read news coverage about this story here, here, and here.
We were wrapping up our second of two worship services Sunday morning. I had just preached from Matthew 5:10-12 on the topic “Blessed are the persecuted”. And, man, was I ever eloquent. There were references to the original Greek language, stories about missionaries who gave their lives for the cause of Christ, and a challenge to all that we measure our lives in view of Matthew 5:1-12…..even to the degree of giving up our lives if necessary. Little did I know that my eloquent words would soon have their mettle tested.
A call came through on my cell phone as our associate pastor was reading announcements and offering the benediction. I leave my phone on but set it to “vibrate” mode so I can communicate via text with the guys in the sound booth during the service. It was a familiar name that came up on the caller ID…someone who knows what I’d be doing at the precise moment he called. So I let the call go to voice mail. This is how I learned of Pastor Fred’s violent passing from this life to the next.
I immediately went to the internet. Fox news, CNN, the AP…everybody was covering this story. I couldn’t keep up with the updated pages fast enough.
The thoughts began racing through my head. “How is his wife and precious daughters”? “What will they do now”? “What about the church”? How will they move forward”? “Why did this happen”? Those sorts of things.
Then came the most sobering thought of them all. Here’s a guy my age, with a beautiful wife and precious children (just like me), doing what I do every Sunday, mercilessly gunned down while standing in the pulpit telling people the truth.
My emotions ran wild: anger, revenge, fear, anxiety, compassion, determination.
There but for God’s grace go I. It could have been me. It still might be me someday. Don’t tell me you haven’t thought about how you’re going to leave this earth.
So here’s the deal….are you ready to meet eternity? Have you settled matters with your Creator? Do you have peace with God? It is reasonably certain that Pastor Fred didn’t wake up yesterday thinking that he would face judgment in a few hours. But he did. He was ready for it. Are you?
And now a word to my pastor friends. If you’re like me, you will never look at first-time guests the same way EVER again. But may this awful set of circumstances cause us to be as determined as we’ve ever been to tell people the truth. People need Jesus. And The Bible is the means through which they meet Him. Give people Jesus! Give them The Word of God!
It would be misleading to say that Fred Winters and I were friends. But we knew each other by name and traded small-talk at meetings. He was the geunine article. The real deal. Truly. The testimony of God’s grace in his life and through his witness in the Maryville community is amazing. He will be missed.
While the physiological construct of Pastor Fred’s Bible was unable to stop a murderers bullet, his response to the theological content of his Bible has secured his soul for eternity.
It is believed that the last thing Pastor Fred said on this earth was, ”How can I help you, brother?” It is my conviction that the first thing Pastor Fred heard in eternity was, “Well done, good and faithful servant”.
A Boomer in the Pew (blogger David Porter) is giving away a new ESV Bible!
Check it out right here!
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