The Origin of Sadie Hawkins Day

On this day in 1288, the Parliament of Scotland enacted a law allowing women to ask men to marry them, but only on this day, February 29th. If the men refused, by law they had to pay a hefty fine. Methinks this is quite possibly the origin of the manly man's three-day fishing trip as well.

Now What!!!???

Global Warming Inc. II

This morning a feature article in the Seattle Times asks us, "Should Toll Roads Help Fight Global Warming?" Notice that the Times article assumes that our globe is, well...warming. However, this morning I asked Strauss-the-weather-dog what he thought about recent temperature trends, and he barked twice, indicating "definitely colder." And, lest you are tempted to dismiss this doggy-data as frivolous and unscientific, Strauss's opinion does indeed comport with the latest temperature information (see below.)

So in answer to the Seattle Times' question. Here are three quick jabs at the fear mongers at Global Warming Inc.

"Has it ever occurred to you how astonishing the culture of Western society really is? Industrialized nations provide their citizens with unprecedented safety, health and comfort. Average life spans increased 50 percent in the last century. Yet modern people live in abject fear. They are afraid of strangers, disease, of crime, of the environment. They are afraid of the homes they live in, the food they eat, the technology that surrounds them. They are in a particular panic over things they can't even see - germs, chemicals, additives, pollutants. They are timid, nervous, fretful and depressed. And even more amazingly, they are convinced that the environment of the entire planet is being destroyed around them. Remarkable! Like the belief in witchcraft, it's an extraordinary delusion - a global fantasy worthy of the Middle Ages. Everything is going to hell, and we must all live in fear." (A fictionalized academic in Michael Crichton's novel, State of Fear)

According to at least four different sources, our supposedly over-heating planet cooled significantly last year. You can view the data yourself here. (Yikes, talk about an inconvenient truth...)

"Lest you doubt the left's pieties are now a religion, try this experiment: go to an environmental activist and say, 'Hey, how about that ozone hole closing up?' or 'Wow! The global warming peaked in 1998 and it's been getting cooler for almost a decade. Isn't that great?' and then look at the faces. As with all Millenarian doomsday cults, good news is a bummer." (Mark Steyn)

The Great Divorce

These days I am listening to about as many books as I read. I just finished listening to C.S. Lewis' The Great Divorce on my iPod. Wow. I love reading, but sometimes the audio version surpasses the mysterious glory of "shadows on paper." Reader Robert Whitefield's accents are spot-on, most noteably his George MacDonald Scots-brogue. This master exposé of modern idols has long been one of my favorite reads (I've read it at least once a year for several years running), but I will probably swap reading for listening, at least for a few trips around the sun. You can download the audio version at Audible.com or purchase a CD here.

Another audio masterpiece is Lewis' Screwtape Letters read by John Cleese of Monty Python fame. Cleese's accent and delivery make one wonder whether he is reading the book or channeling the demon-spirit of uncle Screwtape.

Will You Have a Nose in Heaven?

Most modern Christians have a conception of heaven that is much more Gnostic than Christian. Aristotle and others taught that salvation was "salvation from the body." But the Scriptures teach that salvation is the "salvation of the body" (and indeed of all things pertaining to our humanity.)

Paul taught that Jesus was the "firstfruits from among the dead", meaning that we would follow Christ after the pattern and in the likeness of his resurrection. John taught that someday we will see Jesus and that "we will be just like him." In other words, we, just like Jesus, will have "noses and toe-ses" in heaven.

Bishop N.T. Wright has some very helpful comments on this doctrine in a recent interview with TIME magazine which you can read here.

Lord of the Nano-seconds...

Yesterday (Sunday morning) I was motoring down to Shiloh (our downtown church office) to pick up some books to take to our Lord's Day assembly. The roads were very snowy so I took my wife's newly aquired Toyota Highlander. I was traveling down Yakima Avenue and about to cross Chelan Street when I noticed a truck coming from my left on Chelan. I had a green light. He had a red light. I couldn't stop because of the snow beneath my tires. He didn't stop because, as he told me a few momeents later, he was talking on his cell-phone. I hit my anti-lock brakes and began a four-wheeled slide through the intersection, yelling through the windshield "What are you doing!!!???" I hit the truck broadside, "T-boning" it on the passenger side. We both walked away from the collision (praise the Lord!) And the other driver, to his credit, immediately took full responsiblity for the early morning "demolition derby" and even told the police officers that he had run the red light whilst talking on his cell-phone! (Wowsers.)

I later calculated that if I had entered the intersection 1/4 of a second sooner, he would have T-boned me on the driver's side and I most likely would have been hospitalized (or worse.) God is indeed the "Lord of the nano-seconds" and we are all extremely grateful for His sovereign superintendence of yesterday's events. Soli deo gloria!

Global Warming Inc.

Have you noticed how Global Warming Inc. is able to take any isolated weather pattern and use it as "proof" of global warming? Here in Wenatchee we had a hot dry spell last summer and that was "proof" of global warming. We are currently having a very moist and cold winter and that too is "proof" of Al Gore's "inconvenient truth." I am assuming that if we have an average sort of Spring that that will be "proof" of global warming as well. Curiouser and curiouser...

Sometimes "more" is "less"......

"A German airline is offering nude flights. What a tremendous idea. How many times have you been on a flight and looked around and said, 'Gee, if only I could see these people naked.'" (David Letterman)

The Baby Has Landed III

The Baby Has Landed II

What a cute little guy! To view the pictures: click twice on any photo, and then click the arrow button. Enjoy.

The Baby Has Landed!

William Josiah Helsel made his entrance today at around 7:00 pm MST. The little guy weighed in at 7 lbs 15 oz. and 20 1/2 inches long. Will is a perfect blend of Shannon and Josiah. Mom and baby are doing just fine. To view the pictures: click twice on any photo, and then click the arrow button. Enjoy.

Boise Bound...

In a few minutes we (Ellen, Bekah and I) will be leaving for Boise, Idaho to meet our new grandson, William Josiah Helsel. Lord willing, the little guy will be taking his first gulp of air sometime today, and a few seconds later will begin excersising the vocal chords with which he will spend the rest of his life returning praise to his Maker and Redeemer. How wonderful.

I'll upload some photos later on today or tomorrow.

Covenant Family Conference

Last weekend we conducted our "Covenant Family" conference. On Friday evening Pastor Shade took us on a delightful two-hour romp through the covenants of the Old Testament. The two lectures were potent reminders of the organic unity of God's Word and the wonderful way that God has been progressively revealing Himself and preparing a bride for His Son.

On Saturday morning Pastor Shade drew out of Genesis 1-3 some very helpful pictures of, and principles for, covenant husbands, wives and children.

On Sunday morning Pastor Shade finished off the weekend with an exposition of 1 Corinthians 13. As usual, God's Word, faithfully exposited, was both convicting and helpful. Thanks Burke!

A Triple Blessing

We are blessed to live a mere 12 miles from the Mission Ridge Ski/Board Resort. This week I was blessed to be able to share the beauty and perfectly manicured slopes of MR with pastor Burke Shade (blessings are always better when shared with someone else.) And thirdly, the Lord provided us with an unusually calm and clear day up on the ski-hill, making it possible for us to see Mt. Rainier, Mt. Stuart and even Glacier Peak from the top of Chair 2. Spectacular!

FYI: You can enlarge the pictures by double-clicking on them.

Shades of, well...Shades

Pastor Burke Shade and his lovely daughter Joanna are visiting us with us in Wenatchee this week. Burke will be speaking at our "Covenant Family Conference" this weekend, but came early to enjoy some Northwest skiing (they are from the flat-lands of southern Illinois.) The Lord, who loves to give his children "more than we are able to ask or imagine", graced us with 16 inches of fresh-fallen powder from the night before. Cowabunga!

We were joined for the day by Derek Carlson whose idea of a warm-up run was the deep powder located on the near vertical slope of a double-black-diamond run. (Me: Hey Derek, umm, is there another way to go down from here?)

The intolerance of, well...intolerance

Comediean-Activist-Host-Speechwriter Ben Stein has produced a movie about the overt hostility of the scientific community towards anyone within their ranks who dares to challenge Darwinian dogma. If the preview accurately represents the movie's message and ethos (let's face it, we've all been burned on that score), it could be an effective volley against the intolerance of academia. At the very least, the movie looks like it could provide grist for some very interesting, and possibly even fruitful, "water-cooler" conversations.

Auburn Avenue Pastors Conference 2008

One of the perennial dangers of leadership is the sin of egotism (a.k.a. "self-importance" or "thinking too highly of one's self.") However, as Charles de Gaulle once noted, "Cemeteries are full of indispensable men." I am thankful to be surrounded by elders/teachers - locally, nationally and internationally - who take their work very seriously, but who do not take themselves too seriously. And to illustrate my point please click here for some pictures from this year's Auburn Avenue Pastors Conference. The teaching was exceptional, and all of it was delivered with appropriate gravity, levity and sincerity, but...well, just take a peek at our presenters.

Family Camp 1997-98

Here's a little stroll down memory lane. To view the pictures: click twice on any photo, and then click the arrow button. Enjoy.

Kennedy Honors Moment

In Steve Martin's autobiography, Born Standing Up, the comedian-turned-actor gives an insightful account of his dysfunctional relationship with his father, Glenn Martin. The first time Steve ever heard his father say "I love you son" was well past Glenn's eightieth birthday. Shortly before the elder Martin died he told his only son, through tears, that he sorely and deeply regretted not returning the many outpourings of love that he had received over the years.

Steve Martin's account of his father is revealing but respectful, honest but tender. It serves us, the living, with a good reminder to say our "I love yous" now, and to give and receive love today in a way that will leave us without regrets tomorrow. (HT: Derek Hale)

Comin' out his fingertips...

I am a long-time fan of Phil Keaggy. We hosted him for a concert at WSU many years ago and he was the epitome of humility and cheerful service in all of our dealings with him before and after the concert. My friend Doug Wilson likes to remind us that "theology comes out of our fingertips." With that in mind, turn up the volume on your computer a bit, click play below and enjoy a helping of Mr. Keaggy's theology as it comes rushing out of his fingertips. (HT: Derek Hale)