Want to Try Something Different for Thanksgiving?

Try the Holiday Pack from Jones Soda Company and you can drink your turkey dinner! Choose from Turkey and Gravy, Green Pea, Sweet Potato, Dinner Roll and, if none of those go down too well, you can break into the pink-colored Antacid flavor! Sounds like a Thanksgiving dinner to remember.

Uncle Sam Says to Give Thanks

You may think that the traditon of issuing proclamations calling upon the American people to give thanks to God only began with George Washington, but it actually predates our first president and our nation's birthday. In March of 1776 the presiding President of the Continental Congress, John Hancock, issued the First Fast Day Proclamation of the United Colonies of America:

March 16, 1776
President John Hancock

In times of impending calamity and distress; when the liberties of America are imminently endangered by the secret machinations and open assaults of an insidious and vindictive administration, it becomes the indispensable duty of these hitherto free and happy colonies, with true penitence of heart, and the most reverent devotion, publickly to acknowledge the over ruling providence of God; to confess and deplore our offences against him; and to supplicate his interposition for averting the threatened danger, and prospering our strenuous efforts in the cause of freedom, virtue, and posterity.

The Congress, therefore, considering the warlike preparations of the British Ministry to subvert our invaluable rights and priviledges, and to reduce us by fire and sword, by the savages of the wilderness, and our own domestics, to the most abject and ignominious bondage: Desirous, at the same time, to have people of all ranks and degrees duly impressed with a solemn sense of God's superintending providence, and of their duty, devoutly to rely, in all their lawful enterprizes, on his aid and direction, Do earnestly recommend, that Friday, the Seventeenth day of May next, be observed by the said colonies as a day of humiliation, fasting, and prayer; that we may, with united hearts, confess and bewail our manifold sins and transgressions, and, by a sincere repentance and amendment of life, appease his righteous displeasure, and, through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, obtain his pardon and forgiveness; humbly imploring his assistance to frustrate the cruel purposes of our unnatural enemies; and by inclining their hearts to justice and benevolence, prevent the further effusion of kindred blood.

But if, continuing deaf to the voice of reason and humanity, and inflexibly bent, on desolation and war, they constrain us to repel their hostile invasions by open resistance, that it may please the Lord of Hosts, the God of Armies, to animate our officers and soldiers with invincible fortitude, to guard and protect them in the day of battle, and to crown the continental arms, by sea and land, with victory and success: Earnestly beseeching him to bless our civil rulers, and the representatives of the people, in their several assemblies and conventions; to preserve and strengthen their union, to inspire them with an ardent, disinterested love of their country; to give wisdom and stability to their counsels; and direct them to the most efficacious measures for establishing the rights of America on the most honourable and permanent basis; That he would be graciously pleased to bless all his people in these colonies with health and plenty, and grant that a spirit of incorruptible patriotism, and of pure undefiled religion, may universally prevail; and this continent be speedily restored to the blessings of peace and liberty, and enabled to transmit them inviolate to the latest posterity. And it is recommended to Christians of all denominations, to assemble for public worship, and abstain from servile labour on the said day.

This statement was hardly unique. It was followed by similar proclamations from Henry Laurens, John Jay, Samuel Huntington, Thomas McKean, and John Hanson. You may read these here.

So, George Washington was following an established tradition when he made his more famous Thankgiving Proclamation in 1789. You can view that proclamation as published in the Wednesday, October 14 edition of The Massachusetts Centinel here.

Kezz-ick

I appreciate this post from Know Tea regarding the non-phonetic nature of the English language. I am a fan of phonics instruction and especially recommend TATRAS phonics (which we use at home). Tea's complaint is that phonics-only instruction has led to the overly literal pronunciation of our language.

The most obvious example I can think of is the word often. Often is to the word oft as the word soften is to soft. The ”t” is silent. At least it used to be, until well-meaning English teachers taught their students to pronounce it phonetically.

Ours is not a phonetic language. We don’t pronounce the “t” in castle, trestle, nestle, pestle (as in “mortar and . . .”), listen, or glisten either. Why pronounce it in often? OK, if you insist on doing so because “it’s listed as an acceptable pronunciation in the dictionary,” then fine. I won’t twist your arm. Unless you’re ever singing in a choir that I’m conducting.

Forehead is another word that has fallen victim to hyperpronunciation. In generations past, no one would have thought of pronouncing it “fore-head” any more than they would have pronounced cupboard as “cup-board.” Longfellow’s little poem about the little girl with the little curl preserves for us what was once the universally accepted pronunciation: it rhymes with horrid. If you insist on pronouncing it as fore-head, what are you going to do with cupboard? What are you going to do with boatswain or coxswain?

Another good one is "vineyard," which I hope you pronounce "vin-yerd." And don't forget place names:

Gloucester rhymes with Foster. Similarly, Worcester (whether one is referring to the one in England or the one in Massachusetts) sounds like “Wooster,” not “wer-sester” or “wer-chester.” Leicester is pronounced “Lester,” not “lye-chester.” Most of our science teachers taught us how to pronounce Greenwich (as in Greenwich Mean Time). Keswick likewise has a silent w. There are even more confusingly-spelled names (especially for non-native speakers), such as the famous surname Featherstonehaugh (pronounced “Fanshaw”).

Not only is the "w" silent in Keswick, but the "s" is said with a "z." This one drives me crazy because there is an apartment complex in Conyers called Keswick Village, and I hear just about all of my co-workers call it "Kess-wick" Village, not "Kezz-ick."

Overcoming Hyperopia

In preparing a recent sermon on Revelation 21 as a model for the church, I was struck by the parallels between Ezekiel and Revelation.

In fact, the whole book of Revelation is a new covenant Ezekiel; the two books are completely parallel in structure, thought, and language:

• both open with a throne vision of God, high and lifted up
• both show plagues poured out on the unfaithful
• in both the saints are sealed on their foreheads
• both have the prophet eating a book
• both have a harlot who is judged
• both have a lamentation over the fall of Jerusalem
• both have a battle with Gog and Magog
• and both close with visions of the new temple and the new city
  

I'm sure I have missed many others. The point is that John, like Ezekiel in chapters 40-48, is giving us the vision, the blueprint, the kingdom plan for God's people and calling them to repentance and to conformity to the vision. When we better see the parallels between what Ezekiel was doing for the old covenant people of God and what John is doing for the new covenant people, we better understand that John’s words are for us here and now, not just in the future.

Back to Bloggin'

Alright. Need to put some stuff on here for a change. I'm sitting here (in the living room thanks to Pop's kindly contribution of a Belkin wireless router to the Daily Mail) and listening to some 1990 vintage Throes. All the Flowers Growing in Your Mother's Eyes. What a great album. This was my soundtrack for commuting to Georgia State during that long lost spring of '91. Here's what some guy named J.Edward Keyes of the All Music Guide says:

Arriving in the heyday of the alternative revolution, the Throes' astonishing debut, All the Flowers Growing in Your Mother's Eyes, captured the innocence and idealism of that singular movement. Driven by the songwriting prowess of Bill Campbell and Harold Evans, the Throes create dour, moody pop akin to the Smiths and R.E.M.. Songs are built around Campbell's sparkling guitar and driven forward by Evans' idiosyncratic percussion. Where most college rock bands flounder amidst pretentious lyrics and too-light music, the Throes convey their often-poetic sentiments adroitly. "This Love Is an Ocean" churns and rolls, moving slowly forward while "Passion Flower" is up-tempo and colored by sadness. Even the sweaty, punkish rave-up "Skin Kings" is propelled by a sentiment of self-loathing and disgust. All the Flowers Growing in Your Mother's Eyes works because it stays open and airy and buoyant despite these weighty confessions. The record is charged with the unmistakable energy of possibility, the sound of a young band who still believes they can change the world.

That's funny. I always thought the guitars and harmonies had a sixties feel to them.

Anyway, Junior (that's our pet garter snake for those without a program) got out of his cage today thanks to my negligence in closing the lid to his cage last night when I fed him. He wandered into Marian's closet and I had to track him down. May this series of events never happen again! He's now back home and the lid is on tight!

How weird is it that Bo Schembechler died on the eve of the "Game of the Century?" (By the way, this is at least the 3rd game of the century already this century. There was Miami-Ohio St. in 2002 and USC-Texas last year. There may have been more.)

I was going to say something about my little yellow radio that rides in my mail truckwith me, but I guess that would be tacky now. Maybe later.

Election Thoughts, Part II

My biggest concern in the wake of the election is that the Republicans learn the right message from their defeat. This concern was at the heart of my last post which pointed out that conservatism actually did quite well this election since liberalism had to dress up like it to win as big as it did. The clearest statement I have seen that shows a Republican leader learned the lesson is from Mitt Romney:

Americans spoke last night and Republicans are listening. Americans have not become less conservative, but they believe some Republicans have. As a party, we need to remember who we are and the principles that have always led our party and our country to success.

We must return to the common sense Reagan Republican ideals of fighting for hard working Americans, lowering taxes, shrinking government, curbing out-of-control spending, promoting the traditional values of faith, family and freedom, and providing a strong national security with all the necessary tools to protect the American people and win the War on Terror. (Read all of it here)

The biggest problem presented by the changeover in Congress is that the appointment of judges, particularly Supreme Court justices, just got very dicey. And of course, this problem is compounded by the refusal of the Republicans to use the so-called "nuclear option" and vote to get rid of the ridiculous filibuster rule that turns the nomination of justices from a simple majority (as explicitly stated in the CONSTITUTION[!] by the way) into a super majority. So now, rather than pulling together 51 votes for a justice, Bush faces filibuster with any worthwhile (originalist) nominee. Thanks John McCain.

Election Thoughts

This election was classic bait and switch . . .



Make no mistake, this election was not the triumph of liberalism. Democrats ran as conservatives (the models above) all over the place so they could get elected ; then in their first vote in congress they will elect San Francisco ultra-lib Nancy Pelosi as their leader (that's when they start to turn into apes!). In further bait and switch action, the Cloning Amendment in Missouri squeaked by only after a $30 million dollar deception campaign to frame it as a "stem cell" amendment (again the apes had to use masks to get a kiss).

However, all of the state amendments restricting marriage to a man and woman passed. I guess the ape of gay marriage couldn't be dressed up enough to get a kiss.

So, the country has not gone liberal. I guess it is hard to overcome the constant negativity of the drive-by media. They're a bunch of Chicken Littles about everything--the war, the economy, anything. It will be interesting to see how these "conservative" democrats vote. They will either shed their "conservatism" to walk with their liberal leadership, or they'll try to maintain the conservative veneer that appealed to voters and incur the wrath of the lunatic fringe of their party (which includes their leadership, by the way). We shall see.

AAUGH!!!!!!

This is about how well Georgia Tech played versus Clemson in a pathetic 31-7 loss tonight (Reggie Ball starring in the role of Charlie Brown). I hope they get it together by next Saturday against the thugs from the "U." ACC title game is still ours for the taking!

Cancer Killing Viruses Coming Soon?

Cancer killing viruses are tremendous news if true. I saw the story this morning and was going to mention it here, but now I see Wesley Smith has already done so. He said all I wanted to say, so I encourage you to read his short post here.

Find Out Who's Going to Hell

That's the master list according to Joel Kilpatrick in his book A Field Guide to Evangelicals and Their Habitat. Follow the link for an excerpt from the book. Remember, people, that this is SATIRE! If you're not sure where you fit on the master list, then go here to take the "EQ" Test.

A Damning New Epithet: "Climate Change Denier"

The whole world in Al Gore's hands

I had intended to bring this to your attention last week. This is from Brendan O'Neill, a British writer, in response to the creation of a new category of humanity (which just so happens to include me!)--"CLIMATE CHANGE DENIER." This is the beginning of Brendan's article:

Whoever thought that serious commentators would want it made illegal to have a row about the weather? One Australian columnist has proposed outlawing 'climate change denial'. 'David Irving is under arrest in Austria for Holocaust denial', she wrote. 'Perhaps there is a case for making climate change denial an offence. It is a crime against humanity, after all.' Others have suggested that climate change deniers should be put on trial in the future, Nuremberg-style, and made to account for their attempts to cover up the 'global warming...Holocaust.'

The message is clear: climate change deniers are scum. Their words are so wicked and dangerous that they must be silenced, or criminalised, or forced beyond the pale alongside those other crackpots who claim there was no Nazi Holocaust against the Jews. Perhaps climate change deniers should even be killed off, hanged like those evil men who were tried Nuremberg-style the first time around.

Whatever the truth about our warming planet, it is clear there is a tidal wave of intolerance in the debate about climate change which is eroding free speech and melting rational debate. (Read the entire article here)

That rational debate on this issue has melted much more quickly than the polar ice caps is beyond doubt. Even this "climate change denier" epithet is a loaded label. It attempts to lump together those who deny any warming whatsoever (which our very limited data seems to confirm the slightest of warming) and those who grant slight warming but deny that it is caused by man (whether humans are to blame is the crux of the debate). So, you are either a normal, sane person who says that there is man made global warming, or you are a Nazi climate change denier who should be tried war crimes style. Such is the nature of public discourse. Don't fall for it!

An Autumn Silhouette

Drew's latest from art class. The tree and cat silhouettes, as well as the leaves, are pasted onto a painted background. It's very interesting to see in person for the three dimensional effect. Also, note how the clouds are blended into the sky. As usual you can click on the image for a closer view.

Watch Your Language

We have also just begun reading together as a family G. A. Henty's The Cat of Bubastes: A Tale of Ancient Egypt. Henty was the prolific author of 122 works of historical fiction. His adventure stories were well-received in the late 19th century and have enjoyed a resurgence in popularity in the last decade or so. I was reading aloud to the boys when I suddenly heard this sentence:

Now from behind the lines of the Egyptian archers a column of men advanced a hundred abreast, each carrying a great faggot; their object was evident, they were about to prepare a wide causeway across the marsh by which the chariots could pass.

In addition to being carried, the faggots went on to be laid down, torched, trodden, forced deep into the mire, etc. So, who knows what kind of faggot Henty wrote about, and how did we come to have such a decidedly different meaning of the word?

Militant or Defeated?

It is customary to speak of the Church "Militant," which is the Church in the present age fighting "against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places" (Eph. 6:12), in contrast with the Church "Triumphant," which is the Church presented to Christ "in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish (Eph.5:27). Yet, sometimes in our present struggle we begin to think of ourselves more as the Church "Defeated" than Militant.

Our family is going through the Gospel of Mark together and we are being ably aided by N.T. Wright and his Mark for Everyone. In reflecting on Mark 4:21-25, about the lampstand, he makes these remarks:

On the day I am writing this, a radio station telephoned me. Would it be true, they asked, to say that fewer people in the Western world know the basic Christian story than was true 30 years ago?

Certainly, I replied, in Britain and Western Europe. I'm not sure it's true in America, and it certainly isn't true in Africa and southeast Asia, where the churches are growing rapidly. But where, as in Britain and much of Europe, it's widely assumed that Christianity has had its day, is old-fashioned and out of date, those who still call themselves Christians need to take the warning of these verses very much to heart. We have to pay closer heed to what we have been taught, to the kingdom message, the Jesus-message, the story of our salvation. If we loosen our grip on it, we may lose it altogether.

On the other hand, if we go deeper into what we already basically know, we will find there is more, and more, and more to learn, to feed on, to grow into. And we will find that the things we whisper to one another in small groups, in apparently dwindling churches, will one day be shouted from the housetops.

Amen. That's a great reminder to us that the Church Militant is not and will not be defeated. In fact, it is the same Church Militant (not some other body or group) that will become, through the ministry of God's Spirit, the Church Triumphant! We need to be careful not to be shaped as a Church by negative attacks upon us from without, or negative theologies (disguised as best-selling fiction, etc.) from within.

"He who calls you (plural, the Church) is faithful; he will surely do it." 1 Thessalonians 5:24

No . . .

this has never happened to me!(Though I can think of some guys it may have happened to!)

Mustard, Part III

Yet more evidence of the mustard/hot dog connection!

New Poll

I finally got a ticker on here re: Christian persecution. It's not quite what I was after, but it'll do. This all relates to the new poll question about threats facing the Church. We can talk about it below.

I'll kick off the discussion here by saying that whatever ills face the Church, "the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18). Just curious what you think is making the best effort at prevailing!

For You Linksters

The swing of golf legend Bobby Jones as captured by photographer Harold Edgerton

I have also added The Boneman to the blogfeeds. His latest entry is an interesting, and I think helpful, comparison of salvation and a golf swing. Here's most of it:

So I'm learning to play golf. I think everyone understands how difficult golf is, but you can't really appreciate just how difficult it is until you try it. For instance, take the most basic part of the game - the golf swing - what you do to simply hit a small ball with a stick. To have a proper swing you must break-down, analyze, and correct your:

* Club choice
* Stance
* Grip
* Head position
* Back-swing
* Address
* Follow-through

And yet - after all of these particular parts of the swing, there is only ONE golf swing. If you assume the right stance without gripping the club, there is no golf swing. If you have a stance and grip the club, but don't move your arms, there is no golf swing. A golf swing is not a golf swing without all of these aspects working together in perfect harmony.

Salvation for the Christian is very much like this. We can talk about predestination, calling, regeneration, imputation, justification, adoption, sanctification, glorification, etc., but each of these is just an aspect of what it means to be united to Jesus Christ. Yes, these aspects are distinct, but when we lose sight of what they accomplish as a whole, we aren't "in the game" anymore.

Pretty good. Thanks, Boneman!

Believers in the Voting Booth

I have recently added The Bodacious Black Bible Babbler to the blogfeeds in the right-hand column of this page. He recently commented on the intersection of faith and politics with a post titled "Total Depravity and Voting." Here is a bit of what he says:

Simply put, we must realize that we are casting votes for people who are corrupt to the core, and that goes for the Christians too. Practically speaking I believe that means:

* At best, we are trying to make a choice between the lesser of evils. I no longer vote for the best candidate, I vote against the worst ones. “All have sinned (and continue to sin) and are falling short of the glory of God.” Therefore, we must find out all we can about a candidate and then vote for the one we believe will do the least amount of damage. That’s the best we can hope for.
* Remember, voting is an act of faith carried out in a fallen world. You have no idea whether the person you’re voting for is telling the public the truth or not. That means you cast your vote and you leave the results in God’s hands. Politicians are going to tell you what they think will get them elected. I have come close to working on campaigns in the past, but I always backed out because ultimately, I had to admit that I had no way of knowing the individuals character. When you find one with integrity in a given area be thankful. But remember, she’s not going to make things better, she is simply going to slow the downward descent that is currently underway inAmerica. Don’t get your hopes set too high. Wait long enough and you’ll find out that she too has come under the spell of “being in charge”.
* Not only are politicians depraved, but so is the system. Even if we are blessed enough to get a godly man or woman in office he or she will be fighting against a system that is capable of rallying and minimizing that persons impact to the political process. I have had numerous conversations with politicians where I walked away realizing they were afraid of taking a principled stand because they knew that to do so would mean marginalization.

Now, I'm not as pessimistic as our friend the Babbler is, but I do like his point about the lesser of evils. There are no perfect candidates. Look at anyone (not just politicians) too closely and there begin to be an awful lot of flaws that come into view. This is no exact science, and politicians will say anything to get elected, but I can listen carefully to hear what a politician says to whom. The more chameleon-like the candidate the less likely he is to get my vote. This is one of the advantages of the internet; it is increasingly easy to learn what a candidate says at what would previously have been an obscure fundraising dinner, or to a socialist group in Europe, or this or that union, etc.

Jesus told his disciples in Matthew 10:16, "Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves." This is certainly true of us as His disciples today, and it certainly applies to politics. I return to these words again and again because it is so easy to fall off on the one side and say, "Politics is too dirty for this dove! I'm outta here!" and withdraw, or to go the other way and say, "Bring it on! I'm wise as a serpent; I can play this game!" and become obsessed with it all. Both of these are contrary to God's word. Learn what you can about the candidates. Seek the counsel of God's Word and other believers (i.e., don't just look to have your opinion affirmed). There are few good candidates, but there are many really bad and even dangerous candidates. Exercise discernment. And, as the Babbler said, leave the result in God's hands. He is the ultimate check on the people and the system (Romans 10, don't forget)!

What's in a Name?

Enough to keep local officials in ALIABAD, Azerbaijan from issuing a birth certificate for little Ilya Eyvazov. Why won't they? Because "Ilya" is Russian for "Elijah" and is considered a Christian name in 96% Muslim Azerbaijan, which is on the northern border of Iran. The Eyvazov family encountered similar problems when naming Moises (Moses) and Luka (Luke). More amity and tolerance from the world's most peaceful religion! Read more here. And for those interested, here is more on Azerbaijan from International Christian Concern.