Bart's Blog

Early Christmas Shopping

2011-09-05T13:23:00.000-07:00

It won't be long before many folks will be doing some Christmas shopping. If you're looking for a "meaty" 365 devotional book, I highly recommend Dietrich Bonhoeffer's I Want to Live These Days With You: A Year of Daily Devotionals.

From the website of John Knox Press: " This collection of inspirational writings from Dietrich Bonhoeffer is drawn from his many works and presented here as a series of daily meditations to last throughout the year. Organized under monthly themes, these prayers, sermons, meditations, letters, and notes offer readers a new glimpse at how Bonhoeffer understood the meaning of faith and discipleship. Featuring selections from classic works such as The Cost of Discipleship and Letters and Papers from Prison, this set of writings follows the church year, making it ideal for year-long devotional use by readers seeking to be challenged and enlightened by Bonhoeffer's call to find God at the center of their lives." (© 2007 Westminster John Knox Press,www.wjkbooks.com. Used by permission.)

I suppose I appreciate it more because I first read Eric Metaxas' biography, Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy as well as Bonhoeffer's Cost of Discleship and Life Together: The Classic Exploration of Faith in Community.

Current Favorite Bottled Fountain Pen Inks

2010-04-29T18:56:00.001-07:00

Three inks I find myself using almost daily:

Lamy Blue-Black (iron-gall) for addressing envelopes, signing documents, prayer journal & book reading journal/quotes
Lamy Blue for underlining, marginalia, jotting notes/to-do lists, sermon prep notes/ideas & book reading journal/quotes
Sheaffer Skrip Black (Slovenia) for daily journal in Rhodia Webnotebook, addressing envelopes

Both the Lamy Blue-Black & Lamy Blue behave extremely well on even lesser-quality paper. The Blue-Black is very water-resistant and the Blue is very NOT water-water resistant. The Skrip Black is water resistant and works great on the smooth Rhodia Webnotebook journal paper flowing from a Montblanc 144 Classique with a custom-ground, fine, cursive italic nib.

Currentlly Reading

2010-04-29T16:46:00.000-07:00

Current Fountain Pens & Inks in Rotation

2010-01-08T19:00:00.000-08:00

Fountain Pens & Ink in Rotation

Blue Lamy Safari (F) w/ Lamy Blue ink
Charcoal Lamy Safar (EF) w/ Lamy Blue-Black ink (bottled/iron-gall)
Matte Black Cross Century II (EF) w/ Sheaffer Skrip Black ink
Matte Gray Cross Century Classic (EF) w/ Noodler's Lexington Gray ink
Pilot 78G (B Stub Italic) w/ Private Reserve Dakota Red. I use this pen/ink combo to write letters to my lovely wife!

In addition, I've been thoroughly enjoying these journals & paper:

Ampad Gold Fibre Planning Pad (graph on one side, lined on the other): Affordable, utilitarian, great for drafting sermon notes, outline thoughts, etc.
Rhodia Webnotebook (large, lined, black cover): Takes fountain pen ink great. Using it for personal "daily" journal.
Staples Eco-Friendly (bagasse) Composition Notebook: Using it for prayer journal. Very, very fountain pen ink-friendly.
Moleskine Weekly Planner Journal (red, pocket): 2nd year in a row!
Moleskine Cahiers (graph, pocket-size): Daily to-do lists, notes, etc.

Spiritually Significant Films

2009-11-14T11:48:00.000-08:00

In his Nov. 11 blog post, "100 Spiritually Significant Films," Greg Wilbur aptly writes, "While one could argue about some of the particulars, this list of Spiritually Significant Films offers a guide for viewing and discussing a wide array of movies."

I have by no means viewed all of these films. Of those I have viewed, it's been so long since I watched some of them that I don't know if I'd recommend them or not. But, here are some of my favorites from the list:

The Mission
The Hiding Place
Chariots of Fire (One of my all-time favorites!)
To End All Wars (Highly recommended.)
Shadowlands (Both: the one starring Anthony Hopkins & the other: C.S. Lewis: Through the Shadowlands starring Joss Ackland.)
The Passion of the Christ

To this list I would add:

Tom Brown's School Days
The Kingdom of Heaven
Amazing Grace
Glory

Some Aftershave Favorites

2009-09-21T18:08:00.000-07:00

For years I didn't mess with aftershave lotions. Vanity! But, I'm beginning to realize that we're to enjoy simple pleasures, within the loving boundaries God intended, provided we do not allow them to become obsessions that replace Him as Priority One. So, now I splash on some good smellin' stuff regularly. Here are a couple that you might enjoy yourself:

I cut this "barber-shop-smell" stuff 50/50 with witch hazel. Some swear by Thayer's or Dickson's but I buy the less expensive witch hazel brands from Dollar General here in the wee town of Owensville. I have to drive all the way to Princeton (12 miles) to get the Clubman from CVS or Walgreen's. But hey, if I time it just right, on the way I can stop by Kempf's Donut Bank for a coffee and glazed sour cream donut!
Now this here aftershave I had to drive a ways to the big city of Evansville (30 miles) because that's the closest Sally Beauty Supply. No big deal, though. I'm often in the big city making pastoral hospital visitations. (That's not to say that I don't ever stop at a Donut Bank while there, too!) In my opinion, the Master's Bay Rum aftershave has a clovey aroma, kind of Christmasy. However, my older daughter says it just smells nice and clean to her. Anyway, it's my favorite for right now and it's not expensive either. Plus, if you think you might have splashed on a bit too much of it, the fragrance dissipates rather quickly.

What I'm Reading

2009-07-22T05:39:00.000-07:00

My Smoothest Double Edge Shave Thus Far

2009-07-16T17:58:00.001-07:00

Well, in my quest to turn some every-day tasks into simple pleasures, I've been studying the art of the wet shave. To help educate myself, I've been spending some leisure time at the Badger & Blade forum.

To transition from twin blade disposables to old-fashioned double edge and single-edge safety razors, I started using the inexpensive Bic Sensitive single-edge disposables. I ordered some quality shave creams (Proraso and Musgo Real), picked up a puck of VDH shaving soap and pulled out from "storage" my old shaving mug (coffee mug) and boar hair shaving brush. I also bought some Aqua Velva Classic aftershave. Using a few pre-shave and post-shave techniques I learned on Badger & Blade, I experienced some of the closest and most enjoyable shaves in my shaving history.

I planned to order a Merkur Classic double edge razor in a few months. I still may but just last Saturday I stopped by an antique shop looking for a vintage Gillette double edge (DE) razor. $6.40 later, I walked out with a Gillette DE and three single edge (SE) razors--a 1912 Ever-Ready, Gem Micromatic, and a Gem with an ivory-colored handle!

Well, after three shaves with the Gillette, loaded with a Red Personna blade, I've experienced my closest DE shave to date. But, it took some tweaking. Here was my routine:

Pre-Shave: Washed face with Grandpa's Wonder Pine Tar Soap; splashed with hot water; applied Proraso with brush after lathering in a bowl; held hot, wet wash cloth over lathered face for 30 seconds or so.
Shave: First pass with the grain; rinsed with hot water; lathered; held hot, wet wash cloth over face again; second pass against the grain.
Post-Shave: Rinsed with warm water; rinsed with cold water; patted dry; splashed with Swan Witch Hazel; let air while I cleaned up my shaving tools; applied Aqua Velva Classic aftershave.

This is the first time I've had virtually no razor burn on my neck!

Now, I'm looking forward to trying one of my single edge razors loaded with a Gem single edge blade!

Personal vs. Private

2009-06-27T13:53:00.000-07:00

A personal faith in Christ? Priceless.

A private faith in Christ? Worthless.

And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV)

So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.--Jesus, Matthew 10:32-33 (ESV)

Some Fountain Pen Appreciation

2009-06-27T13:38:00.000-07:00

A Special Place for Rest

2009-06-26T18:54:00.000-07:00

For years when I was younger, I heard various folks talk of having their “special place” to go on vacation. They spoke about how relaxing and rejuvenating it was to make their annual trek to their favorite spot of respite. I didn’t pay a whole lot of attention to their comments, just enough to wonder if such places really were that enjoyable and re-creative. On the other hand, I wasn’t very good at resting anyway, and when your children are young and you are working and pursuing further education, you don’t feel like you can afford financially or in time to go away to some haven of rest long enough to make the trip worthwhile anyway. Honestly though, if I’d planned better and had some priorities rearranged, I could’ve probably done a better job at it than I did. Hindsight is 20/20, so they say.

But I’m a bit older now, not old, just older enough to notice fatigue more than I did in my twenties and thirties. I’ve also learned to enjoy and look forward to, even covet, a day of rest each week. And, when I can take an additional day or part of a day to take care of non-ministry “work” around the home place (the stuff many folk do on Saturdays before resting on Sundays), I consider that a blessing as well. Plus, Deloris and I have learned to see the value of occasionally getting out of town together for two to three days to rest, enjoy one another’s company and a change of scenery.

This brings me back to the idea of having a “special” get-away place. Deloris and I now have one. We first experienced the peacefulness of it about a year ago and we’ve been back twice since then, the latest being in early June. It’s far enough away to say we went somewhere but close enough to get back home quickly if we really need to do so. It’s affordable, the food is great, the atmosphere is relaxing and has an historical feel, and once we’re there, we don’t have to get off of the property unless we just really want to do so. The lodging is comfortable, the common places where folks gather to read or visit or play games, or even dose off are uncommon, and there is plenty of beautiful scenery to go out and experience if we desire. Where is this place? Spring Mill Inn located in the middle of Spring Mill State Park near Mitchell, Indiana. It’s hard for me to explain how restful it is, but as soon as we walk into the inn’s large main lobby, furnished in the arts & crafts or mission style tradition, we’re relaxed. I think clearly there. It’s easy for me to focus on my devotional time and to write in my journal. Reading is such a pleasure there for both Deloris and me. And, we enjoy talking and going on walks on the surrounding trails. God sure has blessed us during our times at that tranquil place.

As much as Deloris and I enjoy going there, it doesn’t even compare with what heaven will be like. The rest and activities that God has in store for those who have accepted by faith His wonderful gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ and His sacrificial work on the cross is difficult to comprehend. Even the inspired authors of various books in the New Testament seemed to have trouble trying to describe in words the beauty and wonderfulness of heaven.
We mustn’t forget that we’re strangers here. Though we’re saved by grace and not any goodness on own account, God is God and we are not. An obedient response to His grace is essential and our salvation didn’t come cheaply. The apostle Peter reminds us,

“And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time as “foreigners in the land.” For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God” (1 Peter 1:17-19, NLT).

But there is a greater rest coming, one that begins when one is born again, an inner rest that is experienced as we respond to His Word each day. This rest will grow exponentially when Christ returns and we enter the gates of heaven to that place prepared for the faithful: “There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest…” (Hebrews 4:9-11, NIV).

You know, when, by God’s grace through Jesus Christ, I get to heaven, Spring Mill Inn won’t look all that great. But in the meantime, like Solomon tells us in Ecclesiastes, God willing, I hope to continue to enjoy that special place in the woods in southern Indiana. And, I hope that if you haven’t already, you find a nice place to relax when needed as well.

Choosing Others to Manage Our Affairs

2009-06-11T07:00:00.000-07:00

"It really is difficult to imagine how people who have entirely given up managing their affairs could make a wise choice of those who are to do that for them. One should never expect a liberal, energetic, and wise government to originate in the votes of a people of servants." --Alexis de Tocqueville in Democracy in America, 1840

Without Armor or Sword

2009-04-24T12:56:00.000-07:00

Without Armor or Sword

David, a young man of nineteen,
Fought the biggest man he’d seen.

Goliath cursed with his gods
Not realizing the terrible odds
Of victory against him would be.

For David, without armor or sword,
Trusted the might of His Lord,
And felled him with a rock from the stream.

By Bart W. Newton ©2009

Three Nails

2009-04-23T07:20:00.000-07:00

Three Nails

The church service today was meaningful:
Christ is Eternal King Beautiful!

We are His subjects and heirs;
He? The Ruler who cares.

We are nothing without Him.
We are everything with Him,
That He wills.

He never faults or fails.
We are made secure by three nails—
That He endured,
Through which He cured
Our sin that apart from Him prevails!

By Bart W. Newton ©2009

Not with Pen & Ink

2009-04-03T05:12:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, there is a time when pen & ink just don't get the job done:

"I have much to write you, but I do not want to do so with pen and ink. I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face. " --Apostle John, 3 John 1:13-14 (NIV)

"The only letter of recommendation we need is you yourselves. Your lives are a letter written in our hearts; everyone can read it and recognize our good work among you. Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result of our ministry among you. This “letter” is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts.

"We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ." --Apostle Paul, 2 Corinthians 3:2-4 (NLT)

Fountain Pen Inks Currently in Rotation

2009-04-02T10:26:00.000-07:00

The following inks are loaded & in use:

Noodler's Bulletproof Black in Lamy Safari (EF) & Parker 88 Place Vendome (M)

Private Reserve American Blue in Mont Blanc 144 Classique (F cursive italic)

Private Reserve Copper Burst in Dollar 717i Clear Demonstrator (F-M)

Private Reserve Dakota Red in Pilot 78G (B stub/italic)

Current Fountain Pen Collection

2009-04-02T03:26:00.000-07:00

Fountain pens currently in my possession:

Cross Century Classic, gray matte, extra-fine nib (gift from wife in early 1990s)
Parker 88 Place Vendome, beige & burgundy, medium nib (gift from colleague in early 1990s)
Mont Blanc 144 Classique, fine cursive italic nib (A "too good to be true" clearance buy at Office Depot that was true! Purchased sometime around 2004 +/-. )
Lamy Safari, charcoal, extra-fine nib ("daily workhorse")
Pilot 78G, cinnabar red, broad (western light medium) stub/italic nib (Mainly for letters/notes to my wife.)
Dollar 717i, piston fill clear demonstrator, western fine nib (Main use is for underlining text & writing margin notes with Private Reserve Copper Burst ink.)
Cross Century II, classic black, extra-fine nib (Received as warranty replacement for Cross Century Classic listed above that developed a loose feed. Plan to send Classic to a repair shop.)
Sailor Profit Superscript, specialty 3-in-1 calligraphy nib (Use for highlighting with Noodler's Firefly ink.)

Raising the Next Generation of Believers

2009-04-01T18:46:00.000-07:00

"And all that generation also were gathered to their fathers. And there arose another generation after them who did not know the LORD or the work that he had done for Israel." Judges 2:10 (ESV)

"There is just one way to bring up a child in the way he should go and that is to travel that way yourself." --Abraham Lincoln

Rousing a Sleeping Giant

2009-01-28T08:47:00.000-08:00

Peggy Noonan wrote a positive review of her experience regarding last week's Presidential Inauguration in her mostly weekly "Declarations" column in the WSJ Opinion Journal. Near the end, she wrote some insightful words about the potential pluses and minuses of President Obama's self-confident persona and how he might do what he doesn't intend to do:

"As for Mr. Obama, some thoughts that start with a hunch. He has the kind of self-confidence that will serve him well or undo him. He has to be careful about what he wants, because he's going to get it, at least at the beginning. He claimed a lot of moderate territory in his Inaugural Address (deepen and expand our alliances, put aside debates on size of government and aim for government that is competent and constructive), but no one is certain, still, what governing philosophy guides him. He would be most unwise to rouse the sleeping giant that is American conservatism. One thing that would rouse it, and begin to bring its broken pieces back together, would be radical movement on abortion, such as pushing the so-called Freedom of Choice Act.

"There was another great gathering in Washington this week, of those who themselves are not always invited or included, because of their unflinching views. The Right to Life march was marked, according to participants, by an air of peacefulness, and unusual sweetness. The attitude toward President Obama? They prayed for him. As great Americans, which is what they are, would."

2009 Devotional Reading

2009-01-03T06:48:00.000-08:00

Last year as part of my most-days devotional reading, I completed The Christian Almanac by George Grant and Gregory Wilbur and Experiencing God Day by Day by Henry & Richard Blackaby. I highly recommend both resources.

My 2009 devotional reading includes the morning readings from Morning & Evening (I'll save the evening readings for another year, Lord willing) by C.H. Spurgeon and The One-Year Christian History by Michael & Sharon Rusten. My personal reading Bible for the year is the English Standard Version Literary Study Bible. I plan to read through this Bible chronologically along with many others of the First Christian Church of Owensville congregation who are also reading through-the-Bible-in-a-year.

The Good & the Bad of Proposed U.S. Infrastructure Ideas

2008-12-12T04:37:00.000-08:00

"Some of the infrastructure ideas put forward are obvious and fine: rebuild roads and bridges. One is unexpected and smart: strengthen the electrical grid. One is so lame as to seem a non sequitur: make sure every classroom has the Internet. In America, you don't have to worry that kids won't go online, you have to worry the minute they do. The Internet is not a gifted teacher, but only another limited resource. There is no sign, none, that the Internet has made our nation more literate, or deep, and many signs it has made us less so, u no?" Excerpted from "Rectitude Chic: The First Christmas in the Age of Restraint," Peggy Noonan's weekly online "Declarations" article in today's Wall Street Journal.

The rest of Noonan's article is worth your time to read--with a good cup of coffee, of course!

Wonderful Counselor of Finance

2008-12-05T10:33:00.000-08:00

I recently began a four-part Christmas sermon series based on the four names of the Child born, the Son given, unto us in Isaiah 9:6: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. In my preparations for the sermon concerning Jesus being our Wonderful Counselor, literally Wonder of a Counselor, I pulled off my library shelf a volume from the The Kregel Classic Sermons Series edited by Warren Wiersbe, Classic Sermons on the Birth of Christ. In it I discovered the manuscript of the sermon "The Christ of Christmas" preached on "The Lutheran Hour," best I can tell, on Christmas night, 1930, the year after the 1929 Crash by Walter A. Maier and heard over a thousand radio stations. Maier's exposition and application of Christ as Counselor in those days of economic and social hardship seem all too applicable to Christmas 2008 and maybe more so by Christmas 2009.

Near the conclusion of the sermon I delivered last Sunday, November 30, to the First Christian Church of Owensville congregation, I included the following quote from Professor Maier:

I believe that for many thousands who are listening in tonight the needs of a capable, competent counselor has perhaps never been as great as it is on this Christmas Day, when we remind ourselves that the past year has brought to millions a long series of disappointments of various kinds and degrees. You have gone on year after year with a smug sense of self-satisfaction and with a good deal of confidence in your money power, your brain power, your social power, but who have found that this house of cards in which you have enshrined your happiness has been puffed over by bank failures, financial reverses, war, and unemployment, and who now look about for some one and something that can effectively lift you out of the labyrinth of hopelessness and helplessness—you can find a divine Counselor in Bethlehem. Here is a counselor who is concerned first and foremost about the sole that lives on after the trinkets and baubles that men clutch so frantically crumble into disappointing dust. Here is the faithful and efficient Counselor, who tells us, ‘Seek ye first the kingdom of God,’ that is, get right with God. Remove the barrier that separates you from God and that keeps you away from the inner happiness which alone makes life worth living.

And when you come and ask, ‘How can I get right with God? How can I remove the impurity of sin from my life?’—great and wonderful Counselor that He is tells us, ‘I am the Way, the Truth, the Life.’…Never has His counsel failed; never is there any problem too intricate for His constructive solution; never is there any sorrow too deep to be healed by the balm if His consoling love. So tonight, when the joy of Christmas stands out in crying contrast to the sorrow that reigns in the hearts of some of my audience, when you think of your own misfortunes, of the gladness that has been turned to sadness through the coming of cold death or through the blasting of long-cherished hopes or through the tragedy that has followed in the wake of grievous sins; look above these difficulties to the Counselor, reposed in Bethlehem’s manger, and believe Him, when He calls out to you, ‘Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest' (p. 52).

During this Christmas season, there are two passages of Scripture that keep coming to my mind that certainly seem timely. One is taken from one of the apostle Paul's letters to his comrade Timothy:

But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs (1 Timothy 6:6-10, NIV).

The other passage, one that Maier briefly referred to, comes the lips of our Lord Jesus:

So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need (Matthew 6:31-33, NLT).

As the old hymn says, "Oh, what peace we often forfeit!" Well, let's not forfeit it this Christmas. Let us focus and follow the Prince of Peace who is also Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father.

Is Another New Deal the Answer?

2008-11-30T11:28:00.000-08:00

"Early in what became the Great Depression, John Maynard Keynes was asked if anything similar had ever happened. 'Yes,' he replied, 'it was called the Dark Ages, and it lasted 400 years.' It did take 25 years, until November 1954, for the Dow to return to the peak it reached in September 1929. So caution is sensible concerning calls for a new New Deal." And so begins a thought provoking Nov. 28 article, "Same Old New Deal?, " by George Will in the Jewish World Review.

Psalm 65

2008-11-27T09:38:00.000-08:00

For the director of music. A psalm of David. A song.

1 Praise awaits you, O God, in Zion;
to you our vows will be fulfilled.
2 O you who hear prayer,
to you all men will come.
3 When we were overwhelmed by sins,
you forgave our transgressions.
4 Blessed are those you choose
and bring near to live in your courts!
We are filled with the good things of your house,
of your holy temple.
5 You answer us with awesome deeds of righteousness,
O God our Savior,
the hope of all the ends of the earth
and of the farthest seas,
6 who formed the mountains by your power,
having armed yourself with strength,
7 who stilled the roaring of the seas,
the roaring of their waves,
and the turmoil of the nations.
8 Those living far away fear your wonders;
where morning dawns and evening fades
you call forth songs of joy.
9 You care for the land and water it;
you enrich it abundantly.
The streams of God are filled with water
to provide the people with grain,
for so you have ordained it.
10 You drench its furrows
and level its ridges;
you soften it with showers
and bless its crops.
11 You crown the year with your bounty,
and your carts overflow with abundance.
12 The grasslands of the desert overflow;
the hills are clothed with gladness.
13 The meadows are covered with flocks
and the valleys are mantled with grain;
they shout for joy and sing. (NIV)

Real Bicycles

2008-11-10T10:36:00.000-08:00

Most of us who pedal don't do it to win. We ride to enjoy the scenery, run errands, commute, save gas, exercise, think and more. But, I believe, most of us appreciate good, solid bikes and accessories. And, some of us, even if we can't afford them, really like traditional, retro-type, all-purpose bicycles made from lugged steel that have a hint of a by-gone era. Two companies that fit that mold, in my opinion, are RIVENDELL BICYCLE WORKS and VELO ORANGE. Rivendell has some great reading with a unique style. Their paper catalogues are worth keeping for literature's sake. Velo Orange has a pretty neat blog, too. Take a look if you like to ride but aren't interested in speed, at least a lot of it.

Interesting Choice of Words

2008-11-10T07:26:00.000-08:00

Matthew Balan of Newsbusters writes the following about an episode of PBS' Charlie Rose:

Newsweek’s Evan Thomas and Jon Meacham shared a bizarre Obama love-fest session with Charlie Rose on the PBS host’s program on Wednesday. Meacham stated that he was "very struck watching the stagecraft" of Obama and pointed out how Obama gave his victory speech by himself: "...[H]ave you ever seen a victory speech where there was no one else on stage? No adoring wife, no cute kid -- he is the message." Thomas went one step further in this vein: "There is a slightly creepy cult of personality about all of this." Rose confronted him on his use of this phrase, and he explained that it made him "a little uneasy that he's so singular. He's clearly managing his own spectacle. He knows how to do it. He's a -- I think, a deeply manipulative guy..." Later, all three marveled about how it was "amazing" that Obama "watches us watching him."

I was watching this interview when it first aired. The "creepy cult of personality" comment was quite attention-grabbing and not just for Charlie Rose. Meacham didn't disagree with Thomas' comment either.

Truth & the Presidency

2008-11-08T07:23:00.000-08:00

"I had rather starve and rot and keep the privilege of speaking the truth than of holding all the offices that capital has to give, from the presidency downward." --Henry Adams (1838-1918) Source: The Christian Almanac by Grant & Wilbur

The President-Elect's Portrait

2008-11-07T03:39:00.000-08:00

Every Friday I try to read Peggy Noonan's online column, "Declarations," in the Wall Street Journal. Today's article, "The Children Are Watching," Noonan wrote:

Some wonder if Barack Obama is a hard leftist or more a pragmatic politician who simply rose in leftist precincts (that would be you, Hyde Park, Chicago). A less charged way to put the question would be: Is he a strict modern liberal, or possibly a man of some considerable moderate instincts? The obvious answer is: We're about to find out. But I think the more interesting answer is: He's about to find out. In the presidency, daily decisions become patterns become pictures become, in time, full-length portraits. In the Oval Office you meet yourself every day. It is going to be very interesting to see Mr. Obama meet himself in this way.

The "full-length portrait" that develops will be interesting to see. I pray it's a good picture that develops as a result of the prayers of the saints and the great sense of humility and holy fear that should come over anyone who wears the title and function, President of the United States of America.

Post-Election To-Do List

2008-11-05T08:00:00.001-08:00

Author, pastor, and lecturer George Grant posted the following wise Christian counsel on his Eleventary Blog:

Post-Election Commitments
1. Pray more. 1 Thessalonians 5:17
2. Listen first. James 1:19
3. Work harder. Colossians 3:23
4. Serve others. Galatians 6:9
5. Defend life. Proverbs 24:11-12
6. Grumble less. James 5:9
7. Do justice. Amos 5:24
8. Love mercy. Micah 6:8
9. Walk humbly. Proverbs 15:33
10. Rejoice always. 1 Thessalonians 5:16
11. Trust Jesus. Revelation 19:6

Mini Trangia 28 Alcohol Stove

2008-11-03T19:49:00.000-08:00

Awhile back I bought a Mini Trangia alcohol stove for backpacking & bikepacking. Hope to get to use it during the next several months. It works great for making Folger's Singles and comes in handy when the power goes out at home!

The guy in the YouTube video isn't me. The credit goes to Billecbqrp:

Current Favorite Online Tools

2008-11-02T03:26:00.000-08:00

In random order:

Twitter
Twitscoop (embedded in iGoogle)
Twitter Gadget (embedded in iGoogle)
iGoogle
Biblegateway.com
Blogger
Wikipedia
Gmail

Importance of Values Voters

2008-11-02T02:27:00.000-08:00

Michael Medved wrote a thought-provoking article, "Will the Return of Values Voters Bring Another Election Day Surprise?" In it, Medved recalls how four years ago the Election Day polls surprisingly showed how important moral and family values were to voters, something the media had largely ignored. There we were, two years into a two-front war, and voters cited moral values as the most important issue. Could it happen again?
Insightfully, Medved makes the important link between financial and family issues:
Controversies regarding the future of the family aren’t a distraction from financial challenges; for most Americans, there’s an inescapable connection between economic and values issues. Nothing brings long-termsecurity and prosperity more reliably than a stable, traditional family lifeand nothing predisposes people for a life of poverty more thanout-of-wedlock birth and marital chaos. The educational success of ourchildren, which directly determines their future financial future, dependsmore on the values they learn at home than the quality of their schools.Learning to work hard, to save money and to live within your means remains adependable path to economic advancement and the failure to learn those lessons (especially by political and business leaders) helped to create the current crisis.
Lord willing, come late Tuesday night or Wednesday morning we'll know if the majority of voters made the connection between what's really good for both their families and their billfolds.

Importance of Facts

2008-10-24T15:14:00.000-07:00

"When one thinks of all the men who have put their lives on the line in battle to defend and preserve this country, it is especially painful to think that there are people living in the safety and comfort of civilian life who cannot be bothered to find out the facts about candidates before voting to put the fate of this nation, and of generations yet to come, in the hands of someone chosen because they like his words or style." --Thomas Sowell in Jewish World Review, 10/21/08.

Character Crisis, not Financial Crisis

2008-10-23T21:49:00.000-07:00

"If more people on Wall Street and at either end of Pennsylvania Avenue adhered to Booker T.’s ideal and model of character, our country would not be having to deal with our present moral and financial crisis." These are the words of Reggie Jones taken from his October 5 blog posting "It's a Crisis of Character, not of Financial Markets" at the BOOKER T. WASHINGTON website.

Worship Preparation

2008-10-21T06:47:00.000-07:00

"The quality of our worship is not based on our activities but on our character. Churches can mistakenly assume the better the music, the more impressive the building, and the more eloquent the preaching, the more worshipful the experience will be. Genuine worship, however, originates from within our hearts. If our relationship with God is not healthy, all these things are nothing more than religious pageantry." --Richard & Henry Blackaby in Experiencing God Day by Day

Where is Mr. Smith Now?

2008-10-17T05:42:00.000-07:00

On this day in 1939, Frank Capra's film classic Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, starring Jimmy Stewart, premiered in Washington, D.C. (Source The Christian Almanac by Grant & Wilbur)

I believe there is a "Mr. Smith" somewhere in those halls of government today. Do you?

Listening to See

2008-10-09T16:25:00.000-07:00

I don't remember where I heard it recommended a few years ago, but I think it must've been on a radio program which would not come as a surprise. The suggestion was to listen to political debates and not watch and listen to debates. The idea was that it causes the listener to really focus on what is being said and not allowing body language, glitz, etc. interfere with the message.

Well, I know that body language is part of communication, but I decided to once again follow the listening suggestion. I believe I tried it about eight or twelve years ago, but not sure. Anyway, last Tuesday night I settled down in my swivel-recliner in my home "office" upstairs, turned on my Eton radio, tuned it to my local NPR radio station, 88.3 WNIN-FM, perked up my ears and began listening to the second 2008 Presidential Debate between Senators Obama and McCain, as well as feeling sorry for Mr. Brokaw whose pleas to follow the rules were virtually ignored.

Listening didn't change my mind about who I plan to vote for, but I think it did cause me to really concentrate on what the candidates were saying. It also seemed to magnify some super-repitive phrases of both candidates: Sen. Obama, "Look, ..." and Sen. McCain, "My friends, ..." Listening also helped me "hear" what they didn't talk about, like the issue of abortion (infanticide). Listening without seeing seemed to help eliminate the drama of the moment and "see" the substance or lack thereof.

One other thing I learned from the experience: I can fix a broken desk lamp while listening to a presidential debate and not miss a thing!

The Source of Optimism

2008-10-04T08:05:00.000-07:00

"You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defiled." --David to Goliath (1 Samuel 17:45, NKJV)

"It is impossible to stand in the presence of God and be a pessimist." --Henry & Richard Blackaby in Experiencing God Day by Day, October 4.

Godliness

2008-10-02T08:22:00.000-07:00

"Depth always comes slowly." --John Ortberg

For Bookworms Interested in Bookworms

2008-09-30T05:38:00.001-07:00

George Grant's Grantian Florilegium Sep 30 blog posting, "Spurgeon & Books," is a fascinating bit of history regarding C.H. Spurgeon's love of books and his view of them.

Spurgeon's reading of six books a week and remembering what he read years later reminds me of Teddy Roosevelt's reading and remembering of at least five books a week, even during the most hectic times of his career.

Proteined Taters for Backpackin' & Bikepackin'

2008-09-27T07:16:00.000-07:00

Want a quick, hot, cheap, tasty, comforting meal that provides both carbs and protein for your next overnight backpacking or bikepacking trip? Try this great little supper or breakfast idea:

Boil 2 cups of water on your alcohol, solid fuel or gas ultralight stove.
Remove water from heat & add one package of Hungry Jack Easy Mash'd Potatoes. Five flavors available: Cheesy Homestyle, Hearty Baked, Creamy Butter, Premium Homestyle, & Roasted Garlic. (I buy mine at the local Dollar General Store for $1 a package.)
Add 1/4 cup (more or less according to personal preference) of Bob's Red Mill Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP).
Cover & let set for a couple of minutes to let the TVP soften.
Enjoy!

This will feed one hungry person as a total meal or divide nicely for two folks with other side items.

Lacking Narrative

2008-09-27T06:58:00.000-07:00

David Brooks, Op-Ed columnist for the New York Times, has an interesting article, "Thinking About McCain," highlighting his first-hand observations of Senator McCain and his accomplishments. Brooks, however, reveals how that for all of McCain's experience, successes, positive qualities and leadership ability, he has yet to communicate a central argument as to why he should be POTUS.

Mr. Brooks saves discussing Senator Obama for a later day.

The 1st Debate

2008-09-27T05:44:00.000-07:00

"What debate? Political posturing does not statesmanship make!" --George Grant, Sep. 26, 2008

Two "Americas" & Political Rhetoric

2008-09-18T05:14:00.000-07:00

Reggie Jones' September 16 posting "Achievers are Not Robber Barons" on the Booker T. Washington Society website discusses what he calls "class-oriented bigotry" against the rich. He reveals how many politicians don't understand how there can ever really be any win-win situations between the rich and not-so-rich. Just because some rich get richer doesn't mean that the poor have to be getting poorer.

Foreign Policy Experience

2008-09-13T20:30:00.000-07:00

It's been less than a year since I started taking an interest in Thomas Sowell's commentary on current affairs, including education and the economy. What I like about him is that while he seems absolutely brilliant, he speaks the language of common folk. Maybe that is in itself a mark of brilliance. He has an interesting website which, though it couldn't be much plainer in design, is, like his books, all substance.

Anyway, in light of the recent Experience Wars being debated between the Republican and Democratic Presidential campaigns, Sowel's September 4, 2008 article, "Foreign Policy 'Experience,'" in the National Jewish Review makes for sound reading. From historical, experiential and observational perspectives, he helps the reader understand how to properly define "experience" and determine who actually has the most.

Banks and Uncle Sam

2008-09-13T07:36:00.000-07:00

Working my way through The Christian Almanac, today's accounts included a tidbit from 1788:

At an interest rate of 6 percent from the Bank of New York and the Bank of North America, the United States took out its first loan. The money went to pay the salaries of the president and members of Congress (p. 540).

It didn't take long did it?

228 Years Before 9.11.01

2008-09-11T14:45:00.000-07:00

On September 11, 1773, Benjamin Franklin penned, "There was never a good war or a bad peace." (Source: The Christian Almanac by George Grant & Gregory Wilbur)

Quick, Healthy, Liquid Meal

2008-09-09T13:02:00.001-07:00

Want to make a drink that'll substitute for a small meal that has no cholesterol, little sugar, plenty of veggie goodies, healthy fat and protein and tastes good too?

One 12 ounce can of V8 Juice
One and a half Tspns of olive oil
Two Tbsps of Bob's Red Mill Soy Protein Powder.

Pour in about 1/2 of the can of juice into a glass. Add the protein powder and stir until well blended. Add the olive oil and stir. Add the rest of the juice and stir again. Drink.

Guess Who?

2008-09-09T12:55:00.000-07:00

You might want to take a look at George Grant's September 9 blog posting at Grantian Florilegium.

Of course, time will tell if there will be any other similarities.

C.S. Lewis on Social Morality

2008-09-08T21:14:00.000-07:00

A Christian society is not going to arrive until most of us really want it: and we are not going to want it until we become fully Christian. I may repeat "Do as you would be done by" till I am black in the face, but I cannot really carry it out till I love my neighbour as myself: and I cannot learn to love my neighbor as myself till I learn to love God: and I cannot learn to love God except by learning to obey Him. And so, as I warned you, we are driven on to something more inward--driven on from social matters to religious matters. For the longest way round is the short way home.--C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity

Readings in Progress

2008-09-02T04:47:00.000-07:00

Declaring the Richness of Christ in Life

2008-07-26T14:08:00.000-07:00

"We are long on devices and programs. We have too many of them, and they get in the way. What we really need are preachers who can stand in simplicity and manifest and declare the richness of Christ in life. There isn't anything on earth that begins to compare with that for human benefit and human interest." --Dallas Willard (From "A Cup Running Over" in The Art & Craft of Biblical Preaching. Zondervan, 2005.)

Privileges of Christian Citizenship

2008-07-26T08:41:00.000-07:00

"Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News. Don’t be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself. For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him."--Apostle Paul (Philippians 1:27-30; NLT)

"Here indeed is conviction of sin: a person gripped by the awfulness of eternal loss. It arises from seeing a church standing for Christ, standing for eternal things, enduring worldly loss and disrepute for the greater riches found in the Spirit and, throughout all, standing united." --J.A. Motyer (Philippians. Inter-Varsity Press, 1999)

Elite Education's Disadvantages

2008-07-11T03:24:00.000-07:00

While reading one of my favorite blogs, Wilbur Blog, by Greg Wilbur of King's Meadow, I was referred to a fascinating article in The American Scholar titled "The Disadvantages of an Elite Education" by William Deresiewicz. His thesis: "Our best universities have forgotten that the reason they exist is to make minds, not careers."

After reflecting upon the article, I concluded that I've been quite blessed with the majority of my post-secondary education being well-grounded. My bachelor's degree from Johnson Bible College was most definitely from a biblical world view and my graduate work that included Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis, Grace Theological Seminary, and The Center for the Advanced Studies of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean allowed me to continue to pursue my education from that framework.

Ben Stein's Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed

2008-05-01T05:31:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, April 27, one of First Christian Church of Owensville’s adult small groups that I facilitate viewed Ben Stein’s movie, Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed. The movie highlights what happens when respected scientists and science professors, regardless of their religious or non-religious backgrounds, question Darwinism or suggest the possibility of Intelligent Design.

It will be interesting to see what part this movie will play in the great origins debate (or non-debate). Go see it and take a friend with you.

Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed

2008-04-09T18:24:00.000-07:00

This movie hits the movie house screens April 18: Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed.

Booker T. Washington

2008-04-05T09:03:00.000-07:00

As I get older, I'm gaining a greater appreciation for and interest in history, particularly that bit that took place during the late Nineteenth and early Twentieth Centuries. Some of the appreciation centers around three legendary figures--Eric Liddell, about whom the movie Chariots of Fire is largely centered, Teddy Roosevelt, the president, scholar and adventurer, and Booker T. Washington, who founded Tuskegee Institute and was a great civil rights leader for all Americans.

Bookert T. Washington was born on this day in 1856 and died in 1915. So far, I've read three biographical-related books about him and recommend all of them highly: Up from Slavery, his autobiography, Booker T. Washington and the Adult Education Movement by Virginia Lantz Denton, and Then Darkness Fled: The Liberating Wisdom of Booker T. Washington by Stephen Mansfield.

Recently, I discovered two interesting but different websites that include his namesake: Booker T. Washington Society and Booker T. Washington Inspirational Network. I also keep a link to both of these under the "News, Interests, & More" section of this blog site.

Our education systems could learn a lot from his whole-person (head, hands and heart) approach to learning.

The Christian Almanac by Grant & Wilbur

2008-03-29T08:14:00.000-07:00

For my 2008 daily devotional reading, I'm reading through the New Kings James Version Bible, Henry & Richard Blackaby's Experiencing God Day by Day, and The Christian Almanac: A Dictionary of Days Celebrating History's Most Significant People and Events by George Grant and Gregory Wilbur.
I knew it would be interesting, most of George Grant's writings are to me, but I didn't realize how inspirational and encouraging The Christian Almanac would be. The back cover of my edition provides a great overview:

For each day of the year [it] provides a wide range of useful information:

A time line of events that place that day
An essay of about a person or relevant event in Christian history
Suggested Scripture readings that allow a reader to complete the entire
Bible in a single year.
A memorable quote that enlightens each month's theme
Acknowledgement of liturgical feast days and holidays where
appropriate

The Lamb Led to the Slaughter

2008-03-20T07:01:00.000-07:00

Greg Wilbur's blog for March 20, 2008, "Music for Good Friday," is certainly worth one's time to read as we enter what is traditionally known as Easter Weekend.

This Easter Sunday at 10:00 a.m. (CDST) at First Christian Church of Owensville (Indiana), the adult choir will be presenting The Power of the Cross by Marty Parks.

Hikin' & Bikin' Trousers

2008-03-14T17:37:00.000-07:00

Once in a blue moon a guy receives a gift that he never would've bought for himself but is willing to in the future if he ever needs another one. Last Father's Day my adorable wife bought me a pair of pants for bicycling that I've become fond of also wearing for hiking or just taking it easy at home. They're tough as nails, lightweight, quick-drying, comfortable and, thanks to a "velcro" cuff adjuster, you can even adjust them to wear as knickers when you're riding a bike on a muggy, southwestern Indiana day in August. They're made in the USA and they come from the folks at Rivendell Bicycle Works.

2008 Presidential Campaign Religion

2008-03-13T17:49:00.000-07:00

Marvin Olasky is one of my favorite writers. He is the editor-in-chief of World Magazine, provost of The King's College (New York City) and a professor at The University of Texas at Austin. His March 13 blog post, "Political religions", is an interesting observation of the use of religion in the 2008 Presidential Campaign and how journalists have reported this topic thus far this season.

You may view all of Olasky's World on the Web blogs at: http://www.worldontheweb.com/author/marvin-olasky/.

Timely Advice for Our Nation's Citizenry

2008-03-13T04:26:00.000-07:00

"Let us keep before us the fact that, almost without exception, every race or nation that has ever got upon its feet has done so through struggle and trial and persecution; and that out of this very resistance to wrong, out of the struggle against odds, they have gained strength, self-confidence, and experience which they could not have gained in any other way."--Booker T. Washington

Another Encouraging National Preaching Summit

2008-03-12T14:15:00.000-07:00

I just got back from my sixth National Preaching Summit. This year's speakers were three father and son "teams": Bob & Rusty Russell, Ken & Kyle Idleman and Jeff & Taylor Walling. It is held each March in Indianapolis and traditionally starts on a Monday at 1:00 p.m. and is over the next day around 11:30 a.m. Next year's Summit is scheduled for March 9-10. I highly encourage any preaching minister who wants to gain insight on the high calling of both preaching the Gospel and being a preacher. Here is the Summit's own description:

The National Preaching Summit is designed for those who have the privilege of proclaiming the Gospel. The Summit is not a "church growth conference," nor a "practical ministries" seminar. Our objective is to offer a first-class conference for church leaders dealing with the preaching event in a positive way, at an affordable cost. We seek to celebrate the joy of preaching, while enabling those who are called to preach to hone their skills.