To Tithe or Not To Tithe?

In one of the Google Ads in the sidebar of this blog, I noticed one in particular that got my attention. It said Tithing is Un-Scriptural.

Oh really? I said to myself. But I decided to read what L. Ray Smith had to say. And you know what? He's right!

I searched the Scriptures myself. There is nothing in the New Testament that says we are required to tithe. Instead we are encouraged give freely, and gladly. God doesn't want 10% of your paycheck. He wants 100% of your heart.

Consider these verses:

A year ago you were the first ones to give, and you gave because you wanted to. So listen to my advice. I think you should finish what you started. If you give according to what you have, you will prove that you are as eager to give as you were to think about giving. It doesn't matter how much you have. What matters is how much you are willing to give from what you have. I am not trying to make life easier for others by making life harder for you. But it is only fair for you to share with them when you have so much, and they have so little. Later, when they have more than enough, and you are in need, they can share with you. Then everyone will have a fair share, just as the Scriptures say, "Those who gathered too much had nothing left. Those who gathered only a little had all they needed." [2 Cor 8:10-15]

Each of you must make up your own mind about how much to give. But don't feel sorry that you must give and don't feel that you are forced to give. God loves people who love to give. God can bless you with everything you need, and you will always have more than enough to do all kinds of good things for others. [2 Cor 9:7, 8]

So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life--your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life--and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. [Romans 12:1, the Message]

Mr. Smith outlines these facts regarding Scriptural teaching of tithing:

• only landowners tithed
• only [agricultural] products of the land were tithed
• only Levites could receive the tithes
• tithing was a Law of Moses
• Christians are not under the Law of Moses

Mr. Smith has a problem with televangelists and others who are coercing people to send in money and telling them they will be cursed if they don't give up 10% of their paychecks. And so do I. It's simply not true.

Jesus said, "You will always have the poor..." (Matthew 26:11); so by all means, give to those organizations that help those less fortunate than you if you are blessed to be able and willing to do so.

Over the years, giving has increasingly become an important part of my spirtual life. We've reached a level of security where we are now giving about 10% of our income to support various ministries. A tenth of my wife's paychecks typically go to our own church. A tenth of my own paychecks are split mainly between two ministries - K-LOVE Radio and United Methodist Outreach Ministries (UMOM). My UMOM contribution is automatically deducted by my employer (who in turn matches my contribution dollar for dollar!).

It has been a leap of faith to increase our giving, but as we continue to do so, I feel God's blessing upon us.

In my mind and heart, I can hear the words of Jesus when he was asked about paying taxes: Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things which are God's. [Matthew 22:21]

There's no need to buy your way into Heaven. You are redeemed by the Blood of Christ. Show your gratitude as you see fit, and may you be blessed further.

I Think We'll Call Her 'Princess'

Fast asleep in a cat bed.


Our new puppy continues to get along well, albiet with a couple of accidents in the house (but she's smart, and she's starting to get it). I've got her signed up for puppy training at Petsmart.

A trip to the vet confirmed she's likely a mix of chihuahua, Jack Russell terrier, and/or rat terrier. He estimated her age to be between 10 months and a year. Her health is good, aside from being a little underfed. He also scanned her for a implanted microchip - she has none. She goes back in four weeks to get another booster and possibly to schedule her for getting spayed.

I'm very pleased at how well our puppy is socializing. Addie and Snoopy are a little annoyed with her at times, but that's life. The other day Snoopy hissed at her when she followed him into the kitchen with her nose in his butt (hey, if you're a cat walking around with your tail in the air, expect it!). Our grandson J spent the night with us last night and met her for the first time. No problem at all - they get along great. In fact, he's just big enough and she's just little enough that he was able to pick her up and put her in Grandma's lap. This morning J and I took both dogs out for a walk to the park, and it went just fine.

Probably the hardest thing to figure out the new puppy is what to name her. Several names have come up; I think we'll call her "Princess."

Graduation - Woohoo!

Yesterday was a rather momentous occasion in our family - our youngest daughter, E, graduated from college. Arizona State University-West to be exact. She now holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Global Business.

On Monday she will start an internship with an architectural engineering firm and start off on a journey as a real working adult. Woohoo!

Puppy Kisses

My wife S & I already have a couple geriatric pets, and we've talked a bit about what kind of pet we might like next. On account of S's cat allergy (which was diagnosed when we still had three cats) we thought a small dog would be nice. We seemed to have it narrowed down to a chihuahua or a Jack Russell terrier. Well, today S came home with this cute little thing. It was a stray hanging around S's school, and the resident animal rescuer thought this might be a good match for us. S wasn't sure how I'd react. Well, I fell in love. She barked a little when I came in through the door tonight. Then she ran up and greeted me, with her tail wagging and plenty of puppy kisses. She's a little skinny but seems pretty healthy otherwise, and quite well socialized with people, children (a.k.a small "people"), cats, and other dogs. She and Addie and Snoopy seem to get along okay. She looks like a mix between a chihuahua and a Jack Russell, perhaps as young as nine months but no older than two years - and seems mellower than a Jack Russell (thank God). She's very sweet (everyone at Petsmart seemed to think so). She didn't have a collar, and S's friend at school doesn't think anyone in the neighborhood will claim her (hard to believe). I told S to watch out for lost dog posters - and we'll give her up then. But in all likelihood, I think we have a new dog in the family.

An Open Letter to Pastor Chan Chandler

The separation between church and state is not always a fine line. In the past week, a bizarre story out of North Carolina serves to underscore that fact.

At the East Waynesville Baptist Church last Monday night, nine church members were expelled for not supporting George W. Bush in the last election. A Washington Post article reports that prior to last November's election, Pastor Chan Chandler told his congregation "that anyone who planned to vote for Democratic Sen. John Kerry should either leave the church or repent..."

To Pastor Chandler, I say this:

1. Respect the voter. Last I heard we had a secret ballot in this country. How I vote is none of your business. And if I choose to tell you how I voted, live with it.
2. There is no such thing as a Republican Church or a Democrat Church (nor do we have red churches and blue churches - unless they happen to be painted that way purely for aesthetic purposes.
3. If you want to be political, run for office.
4. Remember the Gospel. Your political views are likely influenced by the Gospel message. Fine. Preach it. Then sit back and let the members of your church vote how they want. If they vote differently than you, love them anyway.
5. Repent. None of us are perfect, and certainly not me. I write to you in the spirit of of the message of Matthew 18:15-17. A decision rendered in the voting booth is not yours to judge.

I won't tell you outright how I voted last November. If you read through this page, I think you can figure it out, and I think you can figure out that we're not too far apart in our political views. But what you did is way over the top, and way wrong. It is un-American and not Christ-like in the least.

My prayers are with you Pastor Chan. I pray that you truly can love your neighbors as yourself.

Runaway Bride

Well, it seems everyone else is talking about this, so I'll put in my two-cents worth.

Okay, so Jennifer Wilbanks pissed off a lot of people by foregoing her wedding. Yes, a lot of resources were used to go look for her and her imaginary captors. And yes, it's likely she broke the law in making a false report.

So what made her snap? C'mon people! A wedding with 14 bridesmaids and 14 groomsmen and 600 guests? My own wedding had just four bridesmaids, four groomsmen, two girls who were about to become my stepdaughters, and only 200 guests (the ringbearer, who became my nephew by the end of the ceremony, was pretty cute, though). Hey, wedding stress is enough to make anyone crazy.

If charged, it's my hope that Jennifer will plead guilty to the misdemeanor charge and get probation. What she did was wrong - a bad judgment decision under stress. But she doesn't deserve to go to jail over it. What I also hope is that Jennifer gets some help. Some professional counseling will do her some good.

I'm thankful that the groom and his family are forgiving. It's the Christian thing to do. It's the right thing to do. It will send Jennifer Wilbanks down the road to true healing. Amen.

A Fantastic Bible Study Resource

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Psalm 119:105 (KJV)

A friend of mine told me about a really great website: e-sword.net. I've checked it out and I'm passing on the word (I'll provide a permanent link on this blog shortly).

This site provides free, downloadable Bible study software with copious volumes of resources for Bible study. The basic download includes the King James Version of the Bible, a commentary, a tool for setting up a Bible reading schedule, and a tool for keeping track of prayer requests. To augment your basic download, you can also download (for free) as many additional resources as you desire, including Bibles (28 English translations, 3 old English translations, and 47 foreign language translations - including Hebrew and Greek), commentaries, dictionaries, maps, graphics, devotions, and a whole bunch of other resources. It it's all very simple to use and there's lots of features to help you get the most out of your Bible study. One feature I really like is that you can create your own parallel Bible with up to four translations of your choosing. Cool!

As you may have gathered, I've already downloaded this gem and started using it. This is the most excited I've been about Bible study in quite some time. Thanks, J!

No, But This Is Creepy

Some of you have said that my previous post regarding the prediction of the next (now current) Pope was creepy. But I have to disagree...these Burger King ads are creepy:

On Earth As It Is In Heaven

The word catholic by definition means universal; yet the Roman Catholic Church, staunchly holding on to its ancient practices, including the denial of Sacraments to those who are seen as unfit, hardly fits the mold of a universal church.

I’ve attended some beautiful Catholic masses, even communion masses. I even felt a part of the worship experience. But alas, I was not allowed communion. Funny, though. I was tempted to take part last week when I attended a funeral mass. How would they know I wasn’t Catholic? Probably because I don’t genuflect or cross myself very well.

When Jesus offered the first Holy Communion, he said, “Do this in remembrance of me.” Notice he didn’t go on to say, “…except for...” Jesus ate with sinners and excluded no one from the Gospel. As we say in the United Methodist Church (and perhaps yours, too), “Christ invites to his table all who repent of their sins…”

Only Jesus Christ was the perfect human being. All of us are sinners. The one who says is not, is actually sinning just by saying so. No number of Hail Mary’s is needed to wash away your sins – God forgives you before you even utter the words. Talk about grace and mercy!

While it has been going on for quite some time in the United Methodist Church – as well as other denominations – the ordination of women into the clergy has been a hot-button issue. I still know of some people who changed churches because they were unhappy about a woman becoming their pastor. I wonder what they think now that the bishop of our conference is a woman. Frankly there is nothing in the Bible to suggest that women should not be ordained. In fact, Galatians 3:28-29 states that all Christians are equally gifted spiritually: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.” My personal observations confirm this quite substantially.

Allowing priests to marry is a hot topic in the Roman Catholic Church. This probably originated from the Apostle Paul who stated that being unmarried frees one from concern, and allows one to dedicate their life to pleasing the Lord. (1 Corinthians 7:12) That’s quite understandable. However, I think human nature keeps us distracted from doing the Lord’s work anyway, married or not. I also think it would be more difficult for a celibate priest to objectively practice marriage counseling (unless he’s been married before). I also believe that marriage is the best way to practice a covenant relationship with God. In light of the dwindling numbers of Roman Catholic clergy, I think it’s time to let them marry. But what do I know? I’m just an ignorant Protestant.

The Roman Catholic Church wishes to reach out to more people. And I admire that Pope Benedict XVI is vowing to stand up for traditional Christian values. The Church has a deep-rooted tradition of beautiful and edifying art and music. But the fact of the matter is that the Roman Catholic Church is still too inclusive and unforgiving. In order to reach out, the church needs to abandon some of its man-made (dare I say Pharisee-like) practices, and to truly embrace the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Glory of the Olive Elected Pope

I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades." Revelation 1:12a,17-18

Today I got a taste of how St. John must have felt when Christ came to him with the Revelation.

We have to back up two weeks. In a nutshell, I posted an article regarding the Prophecy of St. Malachy. According to this prophecy, which has been nearly impossible to discredit, the second-to-last pope was elected today. The prophetic phrase attributed to this pope is Gloria Olivae -The Glory of the Olive. The meaning of "olive" has been unclear. Perhaps it is a reference to the Mount of Olives where Jesus preached about the End of the Age (Matthew 24). It may also refer to the belief that this pope would come from the Order of St. Benedict (the Olivetans).

As far as I could tell as I studied the backgrounds of potential successors (notably Joseph Ratzinger), none were of the Order of St. Benedict. Then a thought was placed in my mind (and I quote myself from my April 5 post: "perhaps the next pope will take the name Benedict XVI..." Needless to say, I was anxiously awaiting the election of this new pope.

This morning around 9:00 there were murmurs around the office about the white smoke at the Vatican. Holy smokes! After logging into various news websites, I could confirm for myself that the new pope was elected. Not too surprisingly, it was Cardinal Ratzinger. Hmmm. In those first few moments, though, they hadn't said what name he took. Everyone was buzzing about the new pope now. I was getting anxious. C'mon, guys, what name did he take? Then when it first came up that he took the name Benedict XVI, I was absolutely stunned - shaky, even. Just like John must have felt when he found himself in Heaven with Christ. So the words I had conveyed were true.

It's interesting to note that St. Benedict himself predicted that before the end of the world, his Order would "triumphantly lead the Catholic Church in its fight against evil. " From what I've learned about Pope Benedict XVI so far, he strikes me as a man will do just that, standing up for fundamental Christian values in the face of considerable opposition.

I never imagined that I could share a word of prophecy - His Very Word - and it would come true. And yet God has used me in that capacity. It is very, very humbling - if it weren't for my faith, I'd be terrified right now. But just as Jesus comforted John, he is comforting me too. I just pray that I can remain attentive to God's promptings, and do whatever he has planned for me. Time is running short.

Keep watch, my brethren. Be vigilant.

Funny Google Search

I didn't believe this until I tried it.

1. Go to Google.com
2. Type "French military victories"
3. Press the "I'm Feeling Lucky" button

And you get this.

Happy surfing!

Requiem For A Dad

Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine: et lux perpetua luceat eis. (Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them.) -
-- prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours

I had a phone message from my good friend, Little M, on Sunday night. He called to say that his father, Big M, had passed away the night before. In the past several years, Big M has had his share of health problems. Now the Lord has called him home.

I think Little M summed it up best when I talked to him on Monday. Big M wasn't only his dad, but he was a dad to all of his friends. How true. I remember the occasional outing with Little M when Big M would tag along (or was it the other way around? It didn't matter - Big M was cool). Little M was best man at my wedding 12 years ago. We both recall fondly how Big M and my dad were hitting it off. I think Big M was getting into the wedding just as much as S and I's families were. But after all, Big M was an important part of my life, too.

Today's funeral mass was a fitting celebration of Big M's life. The priest had a wonderful sermon that truly touched my heart. He asked us how we were responding to Big M's passing. The answer was simple for me: I was there to thank God for Big M.

It was good to see Little M and his family again. I hadn't seen his mom since the wedding (she was quite surprised and delighted to see me). I had a nice visit with his sister, S, and met (again) his niece and nephew (who were just little tiny kids last time I saw them), plus many others, including Little M's cousin, M (who had some great stories from Little M's and S's childhood). The gathering at the house afterwards was a joyous occasion. Big M was fond of his Coors Light, and there was plenty of that (and other brands) to give him a last toast or two.

Little M and I have known each other 23 years now. We had grown pretty close in the early years, but lost touch. It had been quite some time (a couple of years or so) when I met up with him and told him I'd met S. A couple months later, I was asking him to be best man at my wedding. After that I hadn't seen him again until last summer. I regret letting myself squander this friendship over the years for numerous petty excuses. Big M was a casualty of that oversight, and I regret that I never saw him again after my wedding.

But being with the family today was a healing experience for me, and not the least bit awkward. Except for the absence of Big M, we just picked up where we left off. It was unconditional love.

Big M's legacy will live on - that we can be thankful for. But the world is certainly an emptier place without Big M. I saw his smiling face in the obituary - I will definitely miss that until I see again in heaven.

So long, Big M. You were a great dad.

St. Malachy: Prophecy and the Popes

As I was looking around the internet for articles about the Pope, one in particular caught my eye. In fact, a Google search revealed a lot about this topic. Turns out that St. Malachy - the first Irish saint canonized by a pope - had quite the gift of prophecy. This 12th Century bishop had a vision of the next 112 popes (and anti-popes) starting in his current time. He wrote a short line of Latin text briefly describing some characteristic of each pope. Skeptics have had a hard time disproving these prophecies.

The 112th - and last - prophecy concludes, "the seven-hilled city [Rome] will be destroyed and the dreadful Judge will judge the people. The End." Friends, between April 17 and 22, the conclave of Cardinals will be sequestered in the Sistine Chapel for the sole purpose of electing the pope which corresponds to the 111th prophecy.

Here's what St. Malachy's prophecy said about the last three popes:

Paul VI - 1963-78. 108th prophecy: Flos florum - Flower of flowers. His coat of arms consisted of three fleurs-de-lis (iris blossoms).

John Paul I - 1978. 109th prophecy: De medietate Lunae - of the half of the moon. Born in the diocese of Belluno (beautiful moon) and baptized Albino Luciani (white light). He became pope on August 26, 1978, when the moon appeared exactly half full. It was in its waning phase. He died the following month, soon after an eclipse of the moon.

John Paul II - 1978-2005. 110th prophecy: De labore Solis - from the labor of the sun, or of the eclipse of the sun. Was born May 20, 1920 in Poland (coming from the East just as the sun does) during a near-total solar eclipse over Europe. His funeral on Friday corresponds with a near-total solar eclipse over the Pacific and Americas the same day. Has traveled around the around the world, "giving light to the entire world." Like the sun, he worked tirelessly and incessantly.

Here's what St. Malachy said about the next pope:

Gloria olivae - The Glory of the Olive. The Order of St. Benedict has claimed that this pope will come from their ranks. St. Benedict himself prophesied that before the end of the world his Order, known also as the Olivetans, will triumphantly lead the Catholic Church in its fight against evil.

Here's a thought I have: perhaps the next pope will take the name Benedict XVI???. Anyhow, the events of this next month could prove quite interesting.

And finally here is what St. Malachy wrote about the last pope - "In extreme persecution, the seat of the Holy Roman Church will be occupied by Peter the Roman, who will feed the sheep through many tribulations, at the term of which the city of seven hills will be destroyed, and the formidable Judge will judge his people. The End."

interestingly enough, if you read Tim LaHaye's and Bruce Jenkin's Left Behind series, you will note that the bad new pope in their story took the name Peter Maximus. No accident there.

Jesus said that we shouldn't try to set a date for his return, for only God the Father knows anyway. But he did say that we would be able to read the signs. This may or may not be a sign, but it's gotten my attention. For now I'm just sitting on the fence as far as this prophecy goes, but needless to say, I will be watching the election of the new pope with keen interest.

Keep watch, my brethren. Keep watch.

---

Source links:

www.crystalinks.com/papalprophecies.html

www.catholic-pages.com/grabbag/malachy.asp

http://newsmax.com/archives/ic/2005/4/3/180901.shtml

Terri Schiavo: More Reflections

This week has seen two high-profile deaths that seem to contradict each other. We have seen the passing of Pope John Paul II, a man who was able to choose the course of his remaining days and embrace the end of his life in dignity. And we have witnessed the passing of Terri Schiavo, a woman at the center of a controversy which ended tragically, regardless of what her wishes may have been. There was nothing dignified about her death.

I've already lived a full life. From this point on, each new day is an additional blessing. When my time comes, I don't want to be further delayed from meeting Jesus face to face.

But that's just my opinion. Your opinion may be different and it is just as valid. The point here is that you need to get in it writing.

If you don't have a living will, make one out. There are a lot web sites where you can do that, some for a nominal fee. Here in Arizona, we can go to the Attorney General's website and download any and all the forms (including Medical Power of Attorney, etc.) we need. They also have complete instructions for filling them out and filing them. Perhaps your state's attorney general has a similar resource.

End of life decisions are very personal. That's why it is important to let them be known to your loved ones.

Tragically, the Schiavos and the Schindlers have been wounded; perhaps they will never be reconciled. At least Terri is finally at peace.

Pope John Paul II: Reflections

‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!’ Matthew 25:21

The passing of Pope John Paul II about an hour ago marks the end of worldwide death watch like the world has never seen. Then again, this Papa (I rather like the Italian translation) has perhaps touched more people than anyone else in history with the exception of Jesus Christ himself. Even yours truly - an atheist-turned-Methodist - has been praying for the Papa.

It was September 14, 1987 when Pope John Paul II made a visit to the Phoenix area and held mass at ASU's Sun Devil Stadium. Although I didn't attend the mass, I had seen a map published in the newspaper showing the route his motorcade would take from the stadium to the bishop's residence. I figured this was the only time in my life that I'd ever see a real live pope. When the TV news reported that his motorcade was on the move, I drove to the intersection of Central Avenue and Glendale and stationed myself on the northeast corner. I knew I was in the right place because shortly after I and others arrived there, Secret Service agents also showed up. We knew he'd come by shortly.

Coming from the west came the familiar - but nonetheless curious - sight of the popemobile. The motorcade turned north on Central towards the bishop's residence nearby. And there he was, standing (or sitting?) within that clear, bulletproof box. We waved at him, and he waved back to us - to me! I will never forget that night. Hard to believe that was almost eighteen years ago.

Interestingly enough (to me, anyway), we have been to each other's hometowns - I was in Krakow in 1990 and I have a few pictures of the church where he served as archbishop.

The Papa was an extraordinary man. Some say he was controversial in his views when in actuality he was merely upholding the Gospel. He stood firm against the tyranny of Communism, first in his native Poland. From then on, a virtually bloodless revolution overthrew the Communist regimes of Europe. He averted a war in South America (the peace treaty was even signed in the Vatican) and pushed for humanitarian reforms in many dictatorships. He apologized on behalf of all Christianity for not doing enough to stop the Jewish Holocaust. He apologized on behalf of all Christianity for the Crusades against Islam. Pope John Paul II did what all Christians are asked to do - humbly asking for reconciliation - and assertively asking us to do the right thing.

During his life, Karol Jozef Wojtyla was an outstanding example of a Christian. In his final days, the Papa also demonstrated an outstanding example of how to die with dignity. The grief we share is for ourselves, not for him. For surely is sharing in his Master's happiness.

Could They Be Any Slower?

Well, I had a fun drive to work this morning. I had a flat tire, with a flat spare on top of it. There was a gas station not too far, but I still wasn't able to inflate the spare. So my car limped to a tire store belonging to a well-known national chain. It wasn't busy at all and I was probably the second or third customer there. I'd be back on my way soon. So I thought. I was there an hour and fifty-two minutes. I appreciated the courteous and professional service, but come on! They were just replacing a tire. Could they be any slower?

Eating Telemarketers For Breakfast: Dynasty Mortgage Called On the Carpet

As soon as it had become available, our household became amongst the millions of telephone numbers registered on the National Do Not Call Registry. It was extremely effective in stopping the incessant calls from telemarketers wanting to sell us stuff we didn't need or want.

But alas, there was one company - Dynasty Mortgage - that felt they were above the law. They called me twice, insisting they had every right to, despite my being on the National Do Not Call List. In fact, they were most arrogant and disrepectful towards me.

I'm not the only one they did this to. On March 1, 2005 the Federal Communications Communications commission issued a press release outlining their proposal to levy fines of $770,000 against Dynasty Mortgage for violating rules regarding the National Do Not Call list. The complaint against Dynasty Mortgage was pretty specific. I was sorry that I hadn't filed a complaint against them myself. Needless to say, I was pretty happy to hear Dynasty Mortgage was called on the carpet.

But just when I thought we were safe from these annoying calls, we got one not even a week later after the FCC's press release. My wife answered the phone and had me pick up. It was from AZ Prime One Mortgage. I think they were sorry they called. I thoroughly raked them over the coals, to which they arrogantly replied that were exempt from these rules. I spoke with the so-called marketing manager (what marketing manager works on a Sunday night?) who told me to do more research. I don't need to do more research - the FTC's rules are clear and specific on the rules - and AZ Prime One Mortgage is not exempt in any way shape or form (they are not a bank, savings and loan, or credit union).

Sadly, the so-called marketing manager would not budge on his position, and I informed him that he was an idiot and ended the call. I then filed a complaint with the FTC.

Word to telemarketers: do not violate the National Do Not Call List. I will eat you for breakfast.

Got Crutches?

Boy, I never thought it could be so difficult to find crutches for an average-sized person. But on Friday morning I finally acquired some.

I saw my doctor on Thursday to check out the foot I so gracefully wrenched the day before. He didn't think it was broken but sent me out for x-rays to be sure. That was an hour-and-a-half wait to take just three pictures. I still haven't heard what the results are. But I don't think it's broken, either. In fact, now that I've been able to pretty much stay off my feet, it's feeling much better. Praise God.

Desert in Bloom

With all the rains we've had this past winter comes a wonderful bonus - wildflowers galore. The Sonoran Desert is ablaze with wildflowers. Mountainsides which are usually drab and boring with the usual brown dotted with scrub and cactus are now thick with green and yellow. Unfortunately, when the rains have subsided for the season and the summer heat hits, we're in for a pretty rough fire season in the Phoenix area. But for the time being, we are blessed with this wonderful splendor.

I took a hike today through Thunderbird Regional Park, which encompasses the Hedgepeth Hills at the north end of Glendale. With camera in hand I took a lot of pictures and I'm sharing a few of my favorites with you now.

The weather was gorgeous today, although it was pretty windy.

I also had an unfortunate little accident. Coming down from the hill I was already on the good part of the trail (no rocks, just smooth, fine gravel and dirt) and being rather complacent and not watching the ground. I never saw the rut in the otherwise good part of the trail. My right foot planted itself - or tried to - into the rut. It doesn't look broken and it's okay if I don't put a lot of weight on it. Probably be real sore in the morning.

But considering the pictures I got, it was worth it. Enjoy.

Stately sahuaro cacti.

Even the cacti are in bloom.

The hills are alive...

Wedding in Tucson

This past Saturday we attended the wedding of my wife's cousin (once removed) in Tucson. We decided to make a weekend out of it. We left Friday afternoon (spent over an hour crawling in freeway traffic just trying to get out of Phoenix). We did make it in time for the rehearsal dinner.

Our hotel was about 10 minutes from the San Pedro Chapel, located in the old Fort Lowell neighborhood. It was a nice little ceremony with music provided by a mariachi band. The bride and groom (who had met in Spanish class at the University of Arizona) even exchanged part of their vows in Spanish.

The reception was held at the Wild Horse Ranch on the outskirts of town. This was a former dude ranch where John Wayne often visited while in Tucson. The food and atmosphere were wonderful!

We left Sunday morning in time to make it for church in Phoenix. Traffic on I-10 was much better, and the desert was decked out in wildflowers.

All in all, it was quite a relaxing weekend, something I needed when you consider how busy things have been at work (and why I haven't been posting much lately).

A Step Closer to the Mark of the Beast

He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name. Revelation 13:16-17

While some pooh-pooh the prophecies of the End Times, this is one sign that no one can ignore because the technology to implement it is already here.

You have to be living under a rock not to notice how much more convenient banking has gotten just in the past few years. I rarely have to write a check anymore since our bank sent us ATM cards with the Visa logo. I can use it to buy gas, groceries, dog food, pay the vet, and buy stuff at Home Depot. We can now go to a restaurant and not worry about cash. The only time I really need cash now is at work when I use the vending machines. And besides, there's an ATM in the cafeteria. Damned convenient.

Over the years the world economies have been gearing up to become a single-world economy. The EURO has already become the standard currency of a dozen or so European nations that until the previous century were constantly at each others' throats.

There's already a device - RFID - in place that can track everything you buy which is implanted with this device. Nowadays we can also track our pets with a microchip implanted under their skin. There's a lot of people out there who think we all should be implanted with a microchip. We just need a good excuse.

Well, we've come closer these past couple of weeks. Identity theft has been a growing problem in our country, and that became more evident with the announcement by ChoicePoint that records of some 140,000 consumers were compromised. This has prompted upcoming Senate hearings on the matter.

Identity theft can literally ruin your life - I see it in my job everyday. Those who commit identity theft are not your casual thief. These are hardened criminals. There right down there with rapists, murderers, and child molesters. This doesn't sound very Christian, but the best deterrent to identity theft is the death penalty. Unfortunately, the penalties for identity theft are little more than a slap on the wrist.

With identity theft becoming more rampant, things like RFID and implanted microchips look very attractive. Once that happens, Big Brother or worse yet - the Antichrist - will be able to track your every move with relative ease.

Stay vigilant, my brethren. Keep watch

Weeds, Weeds, Weeds!

"Weeds, weeds, weeds!" This was the first sentence in a recent letter from our homeowners' association. It was addressed to everyone.

We have had a wonderfully wet winter here in Arizona. The nearby reservoirs are nearly full again. The desert actually looks green. And that's part of the problem.

The green represents a bumper crop of weeds. Everyone has them. They are growing everywhere. I even found two growing on the roof of my shed!

This looks to be a dry weekend. You can tell when the weekends are dry around here lately. Everyone is going outside to pull weeds. I spent about 45 minutes this morning already - and I'm pooped. Places like Home Depot, Lowes, and Walmart are running out of weed killer.

The dry weekend also means that the sunshine will work on making the weeds even taller. I've already seen some around here that are four feet tall.

Ah, but while February is the Month of the Weed, and March is going to be the Month of the Weed Pulling, we are going to have some spectacular wildflowers on the mountain slopes in around Phoenix. I've already seen one hillside turning yellow from all the flowers. Life is good - really!

The Syrian Question

It is no secret that Syria is one of Israel's most hated enemies. Besides having to deal with the Palestinians, Israelis also have to contend with missiles fired at them from Lebanon - by Syrian-backed Hezbollah militants. Surely when the appointed time comes for the big attack on Israel (see my previous post on the subject), Syria will desperately want to be part of that effort.

Yet Syria seems to be conspicuously absent from the prophecy laid out in Ezekiel 38. Why is that? Well, consider these two prophecies:

An oracle concerning Damascus: "See, Damascus will no longer be a city
but will become a heap of ruins. [Isaiah 17:1]

"Surely, her young men will fall in the streets; all her soldiers will be silenced in that day," declares the LORD Almighty. "I will set fire to the walls of Damascus; it will consume the fortresses of Ben-Hadad." [Jeremiah 49:26-27]

Sounds to me like Damascus is going to be taken out before they get their big chance.

Although the Bible states that one day, Jerusalem shall become "a burdensome stone for all people," [Zechariah 12:3] I would submit to you that Syria (of which Damascus is the capital) has become the burdensome stone at this point in history.

Syria maintains some 20,000 troops in Lebanon. No surprise here. Syria shares a narrow border with Israel. Having troops stationed in Lebanon offers a wider invasion route into Israel.

Last week's apparent assassination of Lebanon's former prime minister, Rafik Hariri, is believed by many to have been sanctioned by Syria. That would be no surprise if that were the case. Hariri, credited with helping rebuild Lebanon after its long and bloody civil war, was also critical of the pro-Syrian regime in Lebanon.

The bombing attack set off political shock waves throughout Lebanon. It's becoming more apparent that some of the Lebanese people are also fed up with the pro-Syrian regime as well. Opposition leaders are calling for a "peaceful uprising for independence," demanding dismissal of the government, withdrawal of all Syrian troops, and to pave the way for free and democratic elections.

Anti-Syrian sentiment is running so high now that it was even reported that some protesters allegedly set fire to tents of Syrian farm workers. Syrian troops stationed in Lebanon have been ordered to stay in their barracks for their own protection.

Syria is caught between a rock a hard spot right now. They depend on Lebanon for economic support. They may have to fight the Lebanese in order to stay, in which case they will be judged harshly by the world community. On the other hand, if they are forced to withdraw, it will be just as devastating to the Syrian government, and they might not last long.

There's been plenty of outside pressure on Syria as well. The United Nations reiterated UN Resolution 1559, which calls for the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon (Syrian troops were deployed to Lebanon during the civil war of 1975-90 - no doubt to tip the balance in Damascus' favor - and haven't left since).

On top of that, the Bush administration has long accused Syria of supporting anti-Israeli militants and the insurgency in Iraq. It's also quite likely there's a lot of terrorist training going on there. Diplomatically things have gotten so bad between the U.S. and Syria that we have recalled our ambassador there this week.

Oh yeah, then there's that pesky story about the Russians allegedly packing up Iraqi WMD and shipping them off to Syria.

It's interesting with all the sabre-rattling going on now that Syria has allied itself with Iran. They're in deep doo-doo, and they know it. They need all the help they can get. I just wonder how much more helpful the Iranians will be. They're already supporting Hezbollah. But will they send troops or planes? Will it matter? Right now we probably have our aerial drones spying on them, and the Iranian government is paranoid enough over the "shiny objects" flying in their airspace.

There's just too many cards stacked up against Syria right now. Perhaps the next piece of the prophecy puzzle will involve Syria. Who knows (but God) the degree of destruction that will be leveled upon Damascus? And will it perhaps be the catalyst for attacking Israel?

Stay vigilant, my brethren. Keep watch.

Busy, Busy, Busy Weekend

It's been almost two weeks since my last post. I've been taking it easy - as well as preparing for the Walk to Emmaus which was held at my church this last weekend. The big day finally came Thursday evening as pilgrims (those attending for the first team) and team members (those who are serving the pilgrims in some capacity) arrived for the weekend.

All went very well.

My responsibility was logistical support. I had been making preparations with the church for quite some time, not only for this Walk but for future walks. Our newest challenge is working around the new 9:00 Contemporary Service which is held in the same fellowship hall where the Walk to Emmaus is typically held. I had prayed about being on the team in this role for the purpose of keeping it all running smoothly. I must say, it all all worked out even better than I expected.

The Contemporary Service required to have one of the talk sessions given in another location, namely the Sanctuary. It also made it necessary for the cook team to cease all activity as it would have disrupted the church service. We instead had them attend the Contemporary Service and even share some songs with the congregation - it was a hit! We certainly boosted the image of the Walk to Emmaus with my church, perhaps even to the point of planting some seeds in getting more people from our church to attend.

One very interesting aspect of this Walk to Emmaus weekend was the weather. Here in Arizona, it usually doesn't rain much - if at all - during any given three days. Forecasts were showing a lot of rain headed our way for the weekend. It had already taken a lot to remove the man-made obstacles for this spirit-filled weekend; now we had to contend with nature. I knew who was in charge. I prayed to God (as I'm sure others) in regards to the weather. I praised God for the rains we've had this year, helping to alleviate our drought. I acknowledged that we still needed more rain to heal our land. Then I asked that God would make this Emmaus weekend occur as comfortably as possible under these rainy conditions.

Sure enough, God answers prayers. The rain came Thursday afternoon but it was quite light, and not enough to interfere with setting up the conference room, the kitchen, and the sleeping quarters. By Friday morning, the rain had grown heavier and steadier. It never let up the entire day. Except when the pilgrims and talk team went to chapel. The rain just stopped. And it stayed that way until they returned to the fellowship hall. Coincidence? No, it was God-incidental. The rain had grown even heavier overnight, but stopped to the point where I saw stars when I awoke early Saturday morning. The clouds were starting to gather again as the pilgrims and talk team went to chapel, but again they were dry. Dark clouds were rolling in from the west and I figured they open up soon. They did as soon as everyone was back in the fellowship hall. The rain continued throughout the day - but stopped in time for the arrival of the Emmaus community for services that evening. On Sunday, there was no rain.

It was a wonderful weekend. With my brothers in Christ, I started some new friendships and deepened several others.

I even experienced God touching my heart in a special way. There were no words, but an overwhelming feeling that God was communicating to me his plan for one of the other team members - that this team member would be the lay leader for one of these weekends in the near future. It was quite compelling, like nothing I've felt before. I shared this feeling with my friend and advised him to be listening for God's call. He said he didn't feel ready; I replied, "None of us ever do." I think his expression reflected surprise toward my reply. Had I prophesied? I don't know, but I think he and I may find out soon enough. Nonetheless, this was a very emotional experience for me.

This is the fourteenth Walk to Emmaus/Chrysalis team I have served on. I was thankful that I took today off from work - I would have had to call in sick anyway. This weekend was exhausting and at times painful for me. Last night and this morning I slept as many hours as I had the entire weekend. I awoke with my head pounding. My muscles ached and my feet hurt. I asked myself if the sacrifice was worth it. My answer was a resounding YES. The heartfelt testimony of the pilgrims - those sheep who were in our charge - bore that out.

Giving Terrorists the Finger

On Election Day here in America we show our civic pride by slapping on an "I Voted Today" sticker. In Iraq, they proudly display their ink-stained fingers.

On Sunday, many brave Iraqis made a statement to the world by getting out to vote in their country's first democratic election despite threats of grievous violence. In essence, they gave the insurgency and the terrorists leading it the finger.

From the news reports I can sense the excitement these people must have felt. Many wept for joy. Are we Americans as passionate about our right to vote? I'd like to think we are - we're just able to do it so much more easily.

I feel this demonstrates to the insurgency that they have not won the hearts and minds of the Iraqi majority - at least not yet. I am cautiously optimistic that this could be a turning point for Iraq, one way or the other. Certainly the "credibility" of the insurgency has reached an all-time low.

With this election, Iraq - along with Afghanistan - is already the closest thing to a democracy ever seen in the Arab world. And that scares a lot of people in that region. But despite all threats, intimidation, and the rhetoric from the jihadists (you can't call them freedom fighters!), the people have spoken.

And despite the negative viewpoints being broadcast by the Arab media, I can't help but think that a small seed may have been planted in the hearts and minds of many. In defiance to what they're being told, I can't help but think that there are some in the Arab world who are watching their Iraqi brethren gleefully casting their ballots on television and saying to themselves, "I want that."

Democratic revolution in the Arab world is a longshot, but in our lifetime we have witnessed something we didn't think remotely possible twenty years ago - the collapse of Communism in the Soviet Union and its satellites. Never underestimate the human spirit when it thirsts for freedom.