Christmas display concept

No agenda. Of course not.

I am concerned with the camel's nose in the tent argument. 

In my lifetime I have watched as... 
• The gay-rights advocates begged for nothing more than to be left alone to live their lives in peace. 
• They progressed to asking for tolerance and understanding. 
• The moved from asking for tolerance to demanding acceptance and respect. 
• Acceptance proved to be insufficient, and they moved forward to demanding total equality. 
• Along with that equality, they moved to demanding legal protections. 
• Given legal protections, they started to demand that their lifestyle and relationships be treated as the same as, and morally equivalent to heterosexual, traditional marriage. 

• And -- today -- the Christian owner of eHarmony.com, who started a company to serve as a Christian match-making service was forced to capitulate to the demands and lawsuits of homosexuals claiming discrimination by initiating a gay-match equivalent to eHarmony, even though it violates the owner's deeply held religious beliefs. I remain unconvinced that allowing gay marriages will have little or no impact upon the church, as is claimed.

But, we are assured that there's no gay agenda. Of course not.

Unique conference

Hawaii's Lt. Governor addressed a unique conference designed to connect State Agencies, social service agencies and churches for the betterment of our community. (This photo was some of the participants at the lunch break.) This is the first time, in my memory, that the church has invited the government and social-service agencies to come, sit together and dialog about how we can cooperate to make life in Hawaii better for everyone.

Today's blessing

In a storm back in the late Spring, our church steeple was damaged. The strong winds ripped two of the plywood sides off. It looked bad, but got put on a list of "things we really need to take care of" -- and it was not nearly as urgent as many of the other things on that list. I had a health issue, we made that extended trip to the mainland that got extended with Amy's health emergency, and the damaged steeple became an annoyance, but could not be my priority.

I was in the yard last week talking to a neighbor who owns a construction company. He noticed the damaged cross, and I bemoaned the fact that it had taken way too long to repair it. He said, "When my guys complete a job they are on, I'll get them to take a look at it for you." I thanked him profusely and filed it in the "He's-being-nice-but-I-won't-hold-my-breath" file.

This morning I took our little chihuahua outside, as I usually do, and heard noises... I looked up and there were two guys with tools and plywood on the church roof repairing the cross! I brought them some bottled water, thanked them, and then went over and thanked the boss, my neighbor.

Just wanted to share that nice blessing and publicly thank Mr. Guy Hicks and his workers.

The great delusion

Obligatory disclaimers:
This is a completely personal and unofficial post to a personal blog. In my official capacity as a Pastor/Overseer I don't discuss politics and don't endorse candidates. As an individual American voter, I have opinions, and I express them here to keep them out of the pulpit.

So, having prefaced this, here are my questions... the things with which I struggle for answers that never seem to come.

• After the United States of America lost tens of thousands of lives fighting and defeating the very ideology represented by Senator Obama, why would any sane person with a sense of history vote to hand the reins over to him, essentially rendering the sacrifice of our brave patriots of no effect? Communism, and it's younger sibling Socialism, is a failed economic system. It led to the collapse of the Soviet Union, the collapse of the Berlin Wall, and keeps millions of Cubans and North Koreans living in abject poverty and misery. When Senator Obama says he wants to "spread the wealth around" -- make no mistake, it is code for "redistribution of wealth" which is the core of socialist economics. Redistribution of wealth is sold as "fairness." How is it fair for the government to force you to surrender the fruits of your hard work, initiative and investment risk and have them give your bounty away to people, many of whom have no worked as hard, shown the same initiative or taken your risks?

• I will not question Senator Obama's commitment to Christ or his salvation, but I can not reconcile his stated proposals with my understanding of Biblical Christianity -- so why are some Christians closing their eyes to the facts and voting Obama? He will appoint federal judges and possibly change the make-up of the Supreme Court in ways that will impact the nation for decades to come. No, I am not just talking about Roe v Wade, though that is an issue for me; I am talking about the nature of marriage, private property rights, Second Amendment rights, Education Policy and pretty much every kind of liberal social engineering one might imagine.

• If you are, like me, the parent of a daughter, listen carefully: Senator Obama is in favor of your girl registering for draft... signing up for Selective Service, and he is also in favor of opening all combat positions to women. I served in Vietnam and can tell you that men, by nature, will protect females in danger at the risk of their own lives and to the detriment of the mission at hand. It is another step in the emasculation of our military. I am for women serving in the military, should they choose to do so, but am firmly against drafting women and also against women in front-lines, direct-combat positions.

• Obama is black, or at least HALF black. That's no reason to vote AGAINST him or to vote FOR him. It is just one of many characteristics about the man. I believe we are seeing a reverse Bradley Effect; some people are voting for Obama for no other reason than that he is black. There's a clip on Breitbart.tv in which Howard Stern plays a clip from on the street interviews in Harlem. The interviewer asked people who they were likely to vote for, and all said OBAMA. He then presented John McCain positions to them as if they were Obama's and asked if they agreed with them -- to which they all said "YES!" He even asked if they agreed with Obama's selection of Sarah Palin and they said "YES!" I know there are ignorant McCain voters, too -- I have the SPAM email rumors to prove it -- but those interviews scared me.

No divisions

I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.

1 Corinthians 1:10

Amazing Cell Phone Video

Apple a little confused?

Apple did a small recall of iPhone power adapters because of a
potential breakage hazard. The deal was, they send a free replacement
and the consumer sends the "bad" adapter back in the provided box,
using the provided label. The enclosed letter (top of image) says to
take the box to the nearest DHL (formerly Airborne) office. The label
enclosed, however, was a prepaid FedEx label that said to call FedEx
for pickup.

A bit of confusion uncharacteristic for Apple.

Hey, Congress - bring these guys in to explain it

These two comedians from the UK explained the reasons for the current financial mess better than any of the talking heads on cable news, and they nailed it absolutely. Perhaps the U.S. Congress should bring them in to explain things. (The video is from 2007)

The worship of "THE ONE" is scary.

This video is chilling. If this doesn't make America stop and think about the utter adulation and worship of "THE ONE" and the potential for danger, I am not sure there is any -- if I may borrow the word from THE ONE -- hope left or us as a nation.


Idolatry is an abomination... new spelling: OBAMAnation.
(Anybody but me see the scary parallel to THIS video?)

Undecided and Obama voters?

If you are really an undecided voter, or you are believing the very well-oiled media machine of "THE ONE" you should take the time to watch this video that explains and documents how Congressional DEMOCRATS got this country into the current financial mess, and how they blocked every attempt of McCain and conservatives to sound the alarm and bring it to a halt.

The tree

Blogging from the iPhone

Blogging from the iPhone... who'd have thought it possible? The technology is so advanced and sophisticated that virtually anything is possible now and it's difficult to keep up.

If all goes well, I hope to blog live from the floor of the COGOP International Assembly in Nashville, using my iPhone and any wireless network open to my use.

(Sent from my iPhone.)

Matters of the Heart

For some time I have been experiencing unexplained fatigue during/after any exertion. Thinking back, it seems I may have had some early indications as far back as the '06 Assembly in Nashville, but I attributed it to southern heat, humidity, and lack of adequate rest. 

Upon visiting the doctor at my HMO, he did blood tests, X-Rays and put me on a low daily dosage of Atenolol + Simvastatin to control slightly elevated blood pressure and cholesterol. The symptoms -- uncharacteristic fatigue, reduced physical stamina, shortness of breath -- persisted, and the doctor ordered a Nuclear Cardiolite Stress Test. 

They were unable to do the treadmill version of the test because I have a just-discovered Left Branch Bundle Block. Instead, they did an IV Chemically induced stress-test, infusing a chemical (Thallium) that immediately put the heart into heavy stress mode, while they monitored my physiological responses. That was a very long six minute chemistry lesson. That was followed by 20 minutes laying perfectly still, flat on my back, with my arms extended over my head (you know... that relaxation position we all love.) while they imaged my heart in action. Those pictures were pretty amazing... like something from an episode of "House." But they revealed an area of my heart that caused the doctor (and me!) some concern, so they scheduled me for a diagnostic cardiac catheterization. Big fun! 

This had, obviously, put a serious crimp into my lifestyle. I had been forced to slow way down, and my wife had to take up the slack. (I couldn't even lift and carry the groceries from the car.) My professors have been very understanding and have extended some deadline grace on assignment submissions, as I could only work for brief periods without rest. I am supposed to leave for Korea next week, health permitting. 

They discovered 3 blockages: one 90%, one 95 and one 100% -- They actually stopped and called in the Cardiologist to see if they should transfer me for a by-pass! The blockages were scary and much more extreme than they anticipated. 

A praise report: Of course I was a little concerned over the costs of the procedure.... at $4,000/stent, and my HMO covering HALF. While I was in the prep room before the cath lab, a guy from the Cardio department walked up with a clipboard and said my pre-tests qualified me to participate in a clinical trial. If I signed off allowing them use a new stent in the final stages of FDA APPROVAL, that stent would be free, and the Plavix I would need to take daily for a year would also be provided. 

I signed. 

$2000 out-of-pocket saved + Plavix --  --not a cheap med. 

I give God all the glory for allowing me to stay alive and continue to function with such extreme blockages, and for it being detected and treated BEFORE I had a serious or fatal heart attack. The 100% blockage was left untreated, as the Dr. said the heart had spontaneously rerouted the blood flow around it. I believe that happened the night I was prayed for at a conference and felt incredible strength flow into my body.