Night of Hope

Event: Night of Hope Benefit Concert

Date: Friday, December 19, 200

Time: 7PM

Location: The REALM @ First Baptist Church of Harvester

Cost: Free Admission

Donations to be taken for Building Dreams Ranch and Advent Conspiracy.

Paul Kampen is an incredibly talented guitarist and vocalist. If you enjoy listening to music performed on an acoustic guitar, then this event is prefect for you! This concert would be worth paying good money to hear, yet it is being offered for free. If you do attend you will leave having heard great music from great musicians with great hearts - all the while knowing that 100% of your donation is going directly to these great ministries.

Lisa and I plan on attending and are looking forward to it.

Come join us!

The Ghost of Christmas Passed

I read about this program called "Advent Conspiracy" several months ago and I have been thinking about it ever since. Basically, the idea is for churches to challenge their members to buy one less gift this year and donate that money to a charity where at least 25% of that money goes to bring clean water to an area of the world that is currently without (the AC website promotes using Living Water International, but my thoughts immediately went to BloodWaterMission).

I have not pursued advocating this like I should have and should have promoted this idea at church but I didn't. I wrote this year off for me as being too busy to take the lead on this. My thought process went something like this:

You see, I have a new baby (4 weeks old now) and I am on the pastor search committee at church and so I don't have a lot of free time... and if I were to try and promote this someone might ask me to lead this... and then I would have to consider it... and then I would have to come back and tell them I couldn't because I was too busy with the baby and pastor search and all... and well, surely there is someone else who could do it, right?

And there you have my pathetic, utterly selfish, pride-filled trail of thoughts that have led me to total inaction. It's not that I didn't want to participate in this program - it's that I was afraid I would have to sacrifice more than just a little money to the cause. If I brought this great idea to my church, I might have to actually do some physical work and spend some time promoting the idea. Obviously, I decided that my time was too important for such an endeavor and so I failed to do anything.

In the meantime, over the past few months I agreed to leading the singing one Sunday night, which required me to spend 3 extra hours at church on a Sunday afternoon/evening. I have gone out of my way to watch a football game on television. I have taken several opportunities to eat out with friends for hours at a time.

Are any of these things wrong? No, not in and of themselves.

However, looking back at my reasons for not trying to get involved with this cause (lack of time and new baby), I see that I had plenty of time for the things I wanted to do. Somehow, I made time for these other things and had no qualms at all with taking the lead on a Sunday night.

Why is that?

My only answer is pride. It's an ugly truth that has confronted me today and I cannot dodge it. I determined that my time was worth more to me than to even try and attempt organizing this at my church. My prideful heart determined that leading the music in a service was well worth my time, but promoting the opportunity to help the poor around the globe was not worth even mentioning. I decided that I wanted to visit with friends and family and television but I didn't want to pick up the phone and call someone at church and talk about this opportunity.

And that just plain stinks.

Even now, as I type this I am thinking "You could call someone now, but it's probably too late anyway, so why bother?"

Do you see the pride in that statement?
Why bother?

I think I should bother because it is bothering me.

While it may be true that it is too late for this year, perhaps I am to start the wheels on something for next year. Perhaps God is moving me to get our church involved in providing clean water to people around the world after the Christmas season has passed.

Or perhaps it is not too late for this year at all...

Lord, forgive me for my pride and arrogance in determining that my time is
more valuable to me than sharing the opportunities to help provide for the less
fortunate than I. Forgive me for my consumerist mentality. Forgive me for using
my beautiful, little baby girl as an excuse to not do what I feel led to do.
Lord, I trust that You will provide for me and my family and that You will
transform the time that I spend with them into precious moments of celebration
and happiness.

Lord, you are the source of my joy and today I come before you humbled. You
have seen the condition of my heart and you know its every fault. Lord, capture
it again to use for your glory. Renew a right spirit within me. Restore unto me
the joy of my salvation and fill me with Your mercy and grace towards those
around me. Father, in this season of spending, please keep my heart focused on
you. Holy Spirit, I pray that you would continue to convict me of the sin in my
life and I pray that You would cause Your ways to become more clear to me.

Father, in this moment, while surrounded by the hustle and bustle or this
Christmas season, I incline my ear towards you. Father, I am waiting for Your
still small voice to speak to me in Your perfect timing with the exact words you
have for me to hear. Lord, let my life be an offering poured out to you, holding
nothing back - time, money, conversation. God, keep me in Your loving arms and
prepare me now for the moments that lie ahead. Father, take me through this day,
prompting me when to speak, when to be silent, when to move and when to sit and
be still - knowing that You are God. Father, this is my heart's cry.

Thank you Jesus for becoming a man and for your sacrifice of time away from
Heaven. Thank you for the Cross and for providing a way for God to hear me
directly. Your love, Oh Lord, reaches to the everlasting, and I ask that You
would grant me a full measure of grace, peace, faith, hope and love today, as I
walk in dark world. Your will be done. Amen.

Thanksgiving 2008

On this Thanksgiving Day, I pause to consider all that God has blessed me with over the past year and I am a bit overwhelmed.

God has continued to provide me with a job that provides us with the ability to live a comfortable life in a nice house near family. While my job hasn't exactly been challenging or rewarding (especially lately), it has given me the ability to leave my work at work and not stress out about any of it while at home.

Lisa was able to transition to the Labor & Delivery area at St. John's in January and a few weeks before the move was informed she would be on first shift. To this day, she has never had to work an overnight shift at the hospital (including nursing school), which is extremely rare and a huge blessing.

Both Lisa and I have remained healthy over the past year and have been blessed to avoid a lot of medical/prescription costs.

God blessed with the opportunity to help lead several ministries this past year:

• I have served as a leader in our college group at the Realm for the past 18 months and have been blessed by the opportunity to live life alongside these students. (Keep the younger generations in your prayers - they, like us, need it everyday.)
• I have been singing on the praise team at FBCH for almost a decade now and have been able to participate in that ministry again over the course of the last year. The times spent in front of people helping lead them in musical worship are always special and God has allowed me to experience this several times this past year.
• Over the course of this past summer, I was given the privilege of leading the musical worship time at Redeemer Church. It was a refreshing time for me and I was blessed to have that time of being able to help fill the need of a young church by using the vocal talents God has given me. In His prefect timing, God provided a more permanent solution and is growing that body.
• In June I became one of five members of our Pastor Search Committee. This process is long and arduous, but I am confident that God will provide the man He has for us in His perfect timing. This process could be grueling - filled with animosity or the agendas of each member of the group, yet God has blessed us to have a group of loving, humble, God-focused Christians who are striving to find God's man for our church. I am humbled to be a part of this group of Christian leaders in the church. Please keep us in your prayers.

Lisa had an almost picture-perfect pregnancy. At the beginning, when her "morning sickness" was more of a "fuzzy head" feeling and she wasn't actually getting sick, we praised God for that blessing. As we saw the ultrasounds at 12 and 20 weeks, we praised God for His protection and the fact that everything looked perfect. We were blessed to be able to do a lot of things that most pregnant couples don't do (camping at 37 weeks!) and we were able to spend a lot of time with friends and family throughout the pregnancy. And then, at the end, we had a day of labor that was relaxed (shopping at Sam's), spent in conversation and for the most part enjoyed as the perfect end to an amazing journey. I was thankful that God allowed Lisa to only have to push for 20 minutes or so, as I am not sure I would want to have to endure that for a longer period. I am thankful that He gave me the strength I needed to help Lisa through that time. I am thankful that God provides people with the skill, talent and desire to become doctors, nurses, specialists, technicians, housekeepers and receptionists and that they did an amazing job helping us welcome our baby into the world.

Obviously, the main event of the year was the birth of Lydia Leigh. We looked forward to her birth for 9 months and had talked about having children for longer than that. (Actually, we have talked about children since we first started dating.) I am thankful that God completed His work perfectly in forming and fashioning Lydia, and she is a beautiful little girl who had her father's heart in her hands at the moment of birth. I am thankful that God allowed me to be present at her birth and that He has given Lydia such an amazing collection of people to make up her family and friends. She doesn't even know it yet, but she has a lot of people looking forward to meeting her and playing with her in the coming years (some of whom have yet to be born).

I have too much to be thankful for to even attempt to capture in these words.
The Lord has been good to me and has blessed me beyond measure.
I look forward to seeing what God has planned for our growing family.
I trust in the fact that He is Good and that He will continue to be Good for the year to come.
His Goodness isn't bound to giving me great things or a comfortable life and I recognize His ways are above mine.
This year I am thankful He has seen fit to bestow me with mercy and grace and blessings abundantly.

Psalm 100
Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.
Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

Holding Fast - A Review

Holding Fast: The Untold Story of the Mount Hood Tragedy by Karen James

In December of 2006, three mountain climbers went missing on Mount Hood and were trapped in the worst storm to hit the region in over a decade. In this book, Karen James, wife of one of the climbers, sets out to tell the story of what happened on the mountain during the days of the search.

The first nine pages of the book are a dramatic read, placing you in the snow cave with Kelly James and allowing the reader to hear what ended up being the final conversation between a man and his family. After such a dramatic beginning, the book rewinds the clock and walks you through Karen and Kelly’s relationship from their unlikely beginning to their engagement on a mountain and works its way up to the point of Kelly leaving on the plane bound for Mount Hood. With the relationship background set, Karen then begins the journey of her ordeal from the first phone call telling her husband was missing up through the final television interview.

While the book is an easy read, I feel that it fails to deliver the story of the climbers in a way that is clearly defined and well thought out. While there is the chapter at the beginning to entice the reader, the actual details of the rescue attempt and the clues they found to help tell the story of the climbers are relegated to the final few chapters over 150 pages into the book. The few sections that do talk about the climbers and their actions are almost entirely devoted to her husband Kelly James, to the neglect of the other two climbers. Essentially, this book is the story of Karen James and what she and her family lived through at the base of the mountain and after the came back home.

While Karen states throughout the book that she had her faith tested through the ordeal, there is very little more than brief prayers prayed to God in desperation and the searching of God’s reason for the tragedy to define what her faith is based on and how it helped her through the event. With the exception of a few sparse verses of Scripture scattered throughout the pages, there is very little that would suggest that there is any attempt within the book to promote conversion to Christ. With that being said, I believe that there are a couple of portions of this book that are uplifting and could be a source of encouragement to Christians.

One distraction that I found quite annoying was the fact that every time a curse word was used, the author chose to simply type the first letter and underline the rest of the empty space. In my opinion, this editing practice did not make the book “more Christian”, it just made you realize and focus on those words all the more. While I understand that this book is published by a Christian publisher and I would assume is geared mostly toward a Christian audience, I cannot understand why the author would not either change the word or use it as a true reflection of her frustration and panic in a time of distress. I feel that by editing a curse word out of a sentence in such a way not only cheapened the attitude and emotion of the moment but also damaged the credibility of the book and its publisher in my mind.

While I wouldn’t discourage anyone from the reading this book, I would have to state the disclaimer that while this book has everything to do with the climbers who died on Mount Hood, it seemingly has very little to do with them and is focused almost entirely on Karen James.

Lydia's Links

Here is the link to all of the uploaded photos of Lydia.

Here is the link to all of the uploaded videos of Lydia.


Baby Lydia Gets Checked Out

The Introduction

Lydia Leigh Walker
Born on Monday, November 10th at 7:07pm.
She weighed 8 pounds 9 ounces and was 22 inches long.

More photos of Lydia Leigh Walker

Lydia Leigh's Photo Galleries

2009
February
January

2008
Birth through year end
Ultrasound photos

An Arkansas Adoption Victory?

I was flipping around on the radio and listened to Dr. James Dobson for a few moments this morning. Naturally, he was talking about the election and its aftermath and what he said kind of made me sit up and talk back to my car speakers.

His comments were something like this:

My wife and I watched the television from 3 o'clock until midnight, watching the numbers and calculating what they meant... When I woke up on Wednesday morning, I was depressed by all that we had lost. But then I began to see the nuggets of hope and sunshine that had also occurred the night before.
For instance, in Arkansas they voted to approve the ban on allowing homosexual couples from adopting children. This is a huge victory for the family in America and we need to celebrate this win, along with others.

There are several things in those comments that stood out to me, but I want to focus strictly on the Arkansas comment at the moment. Something about what he said bothered me, so I went and looked up what the Unmarried Couple Adoption Ban was all about and learned a few things about it. It was passed by attaining 57% of the popular vote. I learned without surprise that the Ban was proposed and promoted by the Family Council, which worked very closely with Focus on the Family Action, which is the political arm on Dr. Dobson's Focus on the Family ministry.

The Unmarried Couple Adoption ban states the following: "an individual who is cohabitating outside of a valid marriage may not adopt or be a foster parent of a child less than 18 years old."

In Arkansas, a valid marriage is declared as being between a man and a woman. This means that with the passage of this ban, it is now illegal for not only a homosexual couple to adopt a child, but also an unmarried couple to do so. In addition to those restrictions, this bill would appear to make it illegal for a single person to adopt a child, regardless of their sexual orientation.

And this is where I am struggling. Is it right or appropriate to eliminate the possibility of a child being adopted strictly based on the idea of a Biblical family structure? In promoting the Christian agenda of marriage being between a man and woman, it appears that Dr. Dobson and his organization may have also eliminated the possibility for single people to adopt a child.

Even if this is not the case, Focus on the Family Action has effectively eliminated the possibility of a child being adopted by a homosexual person and so they have declared it a victory for the American Christian family and a huge win towards promoting the cause of marriage. While I understand the conclusion they have reached, I find myself believing that it is a flawed one at best.

In choosing to battle in the legislative arena for one issue, I believe that Focus on the Family has done so without regard to the ramifications of their proposed legislation and may have, in fact, rejected one of the ideals of their faith in pursuit of enforcing another. It is my belief that by helping to enact this law, Focus on the Family has brought harm to children who are orphaned or abandoned and has rejected what James proclaimed to be true religion (James 1:27).

While I understand that their efforts were to promote a healthy family, which is noble, I believe that this law will cause children who might have been adopted by a homosexual couple or a cohabitating couple to now remain isolated and unloved. Would it not have been better to promote adoption within the church and share Christ's love through Christians adopting as opposed to legislating against sinners who are drawn to express love toward these children who remain unloved by the body of Christ?

In doing so, I do not believe that Christians in the state of Arkansas have won a victory for the family. I believe that, due to the passage of this law, Christians in Arkansas, Focus on the Family and Dr. Dobson might have grieved God the Father, who has commanded us to look after widows and orphans, not promote legislation that makes it harder for orphans to be adopted.

I understand the initiative behind this legsilative action, but I am disheartened by how those desires and convictions have been led to a piece of legislation being implemented that appears to contradict the Scriptures that Christians claim as their own.

One Outcome, Two Speeches

I watched American history unfold last night on the television and I was proud of how the moment was handled. After a long, hard, tough election that has dragged on forever, Americans went to the polls and made their choice for the 44th President of the United States: Barack Obama. Below are my thoughts on how the two candidates handled their respective moments on stage.

John McCain's concession speech was honest, respectful and attempted to begin the process of uniting the country behind Barack Obama.

My friends, we have come to the end of a long journey. The American people have spoken, and they have spoken clearly. A little while ago, I had the honor of calling Sen. Barack Obama — to congratulate him on being elected the next president of the country that we both love.

In a contest as long and difficult as this campaign has been, his success alone commands my respect for his ability and perseverance. But that he managed to do so by inspiring the hopes of so many millions of Americans, who had once wrongly believed that they had little at stake or little influence in the election of an American president, is something I deeply admire and commend him for achieving.

This is an historic election, and I recognize the special significance it has for African-Americans and for the special pride that must be theirs tonight.

And then McCain reflected the great amount of love and pride he has for these United State of America by saying this:

Whatever our differences, we are fellow Americans. And please believe me when I say no association has ever meant more to me than that.

and then this:

I would not be an American worthy of the name, should I regret a fate that has allowed me the extraordinary privilege of serving this country for a half a century. Today, I was a candidate for the highest office in the country I love so much. And tonight, I remain her servant. That is blessing enough for anyone and I thank the people of Arizona for it.

Tonight — tonight, more than any night, I hold in my heart nothing but love for this country and for all its citizens, whether they supported me or Sen. Obama, I wish Godspeed to the man who was my former opponent and will be my president.

There are two specific moments in Obama's acceptance speech that I found memorable and well said.

I just received a very gracious call from Senator McCain. He fought long and hard in this campaign, and he's fought even longer and harder for the country he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine, and we are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader. I congratulate him and Governor Palin for all they have achieved, and I look forward to working with them to renew this nation's promise in the months ahead.

I appreciated the fact that Obama acknowledged McCain for what he has accomplished and what he has endured for our nation. And then there was this:

This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that's on my mind tonight is about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She's a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing - Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.

She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn't vote for two reasons - because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.

And tonight, I think about all that she's seen throughout her century in America - the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can't, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.

At a time when women's voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.

When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs and a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.

When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.

She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that "We Shall Overcome." Yes we can.

A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination. And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change. Yes we can.

America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves - if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time - to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth - that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people:

Yes We Can.

This was his closing portion of a speech that seemed quite subdued and melodramatic considering the historical context of the outcome. I thought this section was a well-written and spoken overview of the past 100 years in American history, all the while capturing the moment and looking ahead to the future. By utilizing one of his campaign chants throughout this portion of the text, Obama was able to get the massive crowd involved and took on the role of African-American preacher making a statement and expecting a response. It seemed a fitting way to end a long campaign - a single man alone on a huge stage in front of millions around the world, evoking emotion and response from those in attendance, promising them a brighter tomorrow than what they have today and declaring that he will be the one to take them beyond the politics of today.

I find myself hoping that some of what he says will come true, all the while hoping that the change he brings doesn't alter our society in a negative way.

The next four years should be interesting to say the least...

Oprah is Waiting for Her Salvation to Arrive

ABC News just talked to Oprah in Chicago at Grant Park and she mentioned "the Bible verse that talks about gaining the world and losing your soul" and she knew that if she did not support Barack Obama she would have lost her soul.

It's a good thing so many people listen to Oprah and drink whatever Kool-Aid she is peddling without question..

Electing a Messiah

The following sections come from Mark Driscoll's post "In God We Do Not Trust":

This election season which has dominated the cultural conversation for many months has been particularly insightful regarding the incessant gospel thirst that abides deep in the heart of the men and women who bear God’s image. Without endorsing or maligning either political party or their respective presidential candidates, I am hopeful that a few insights from the recent election season are of help, particularly to younger evangelicals.

First, people are longing for a savior who will atone for their sins...

Second, people are longing for a king who will keep them safe from terror in his kingdom...

The bottom line is obvious to those with gospel eyes. People are longing for Jesus, and tragically left voting for mere presidential candidates. For those whose candidate wins today there will be some months of groundless euphoric faith in that candidate and the atoning salvation that their kingdom will bring. But, in time, their supporters will see that no matter who wins the presidency, they are mere mortals prone to sin, folly, and self-interest just like all the other sons of Adam and daughters of Eve.

Obama is not the Messiah people think or want him to be and neither is McCain.

God reigns and Jesus is the Messiah that everyone in every country of every political association needs.

Barack vs. Obama

(HT: Gateway Pundit)

Reformation Polka

Happy Reformation Day!

Here's a video overview of the Reformation and Luther in 3 minutes.



Lyrics and explanation of the Reformation Polka.

(HT:David Dockery via Justin Taylor)

Running and Slowing Down

As I began my run tonight, I passed several children who were out playing in the street (as is usual in our neighborhood). They glanced as I ran by and didn’t seem to pay much attention to me. I have passed these children before and said “Hello” a couple of times and received a greeting in return, but tonight I was trying to focus on my pace at the beginning of my run so I could finish strong, so I was distracted and didn’t greet them at all.

As I came upon the second mile of my run I glanced at my watch and decided that I would see how quickly I could finish up the remaining mile. I finished the 3rd mile basically running flat out for the last quarter mile and was pleased with my overall time. I now have a goal to meet or beat that time in each run and would like to lower my minutes per mile even more on race day. Given that the race day course is basically flat and my training course is made up of several sizable hills I should be able to achieve this goal.

As I walked up the hill into our neighborhood, a young African American girl, whom I have seen many times and greeted, said something to me. I didn’t catch what she said, so I asked her to repeat it.

“Aren’t you cold?” she asked, obviously noting that I was wearing shorts and a long sleeved t-shirt while she was wearing a thick coat and pants.
“It’s a little cold when I’m not running. The wind is what makes me cold more than anything.”
She nodded.
“Are you cold?” I asked.
“Yes” she replied as she turned and headed towards her front door.

I walked on.

At the crest of the hill there was a neighbor out on his corner lawn with two small dogs in tow. I was walking on the opposite side of the road but wanted to be friendly.

“Hello” I offered.
“Good evening” the man returned.
He appeared to be in his 60s.
“It’s a little breezy out tonight.” I said, as I was about to walk past him.
“Yes it is.” he stated. And then he paused with a look on his face as if he wanted to say something more.

So I crossed the street and asked him about his dogs. I learned that the dogs were his daughter’s who was in Spain on vacation with her husband. She is a helicopter pilot in the Marines and is getting transferred when she to San Diego when she returns. The conversation continued down a path of family and military service that was inextricably linked.

The man I was talking to had served in the Marines for 12 years, his daughter is a Marine, his son is in the Air Force and he has two nephews who are in the Army, one who just returned from Iraq and the other is in Afghanistan. His grandfather had served in the military and been deployed to Siberia at the beginning of the Bolshevik revolution. There were multiple family members who fought and died in the Civil War.

He spoke about how the military had become more family friendly over the years. He stated that when he was serving the approach was basically Corps first, family second and he is glad things have changed in that regard because it was too hard being married and serving at the same time.

Then, while talking about change, he mentioned the current political situation. He talked about how he is saddened by the fact that the campaigns these days are so incredibly negative. He spoke of a longing for a campaign that talked about its own virtues and beliefs versus bashing the other candidate and promoting hatred and animosity. He wished for a candidate that was passionate and spoke his/her mind about an issue on the fly, as opposed to the talking points, campaign speeches and polished image being delivered by “Madison Avenue Poster Children” – I believe that’s what he called them.

He stated that he has been a Republican all of his life. He talked of how he was excited to have a young man who spoke with enthusiasm running for President and then he spoke of his disappointment in learning where he stood on the issues. He wondered why the Republican Party has not had a truly inspiring candidate in decades and if that trend would ever been discontinued. He longed for the day when a candidate would speak with passion about what they believed, inspire people to be more than they are and promote fiscal responsibility in government.

He then stated “If there were a third party candidate running that stood in front of people and said ‘I want you to vote for me and when I become President I won’t remember you or anything you want me to do’, well I might just vote for that person because at least they are being honest with me.”

I couldn’t help but agree.

We talked about the lack of honesty and integrity in public office these days and he lamented the fact that there seems to be a void of character, passion and family values in the next generation of politicians. He spoke of past politicians that he felt had served their country well in their offices and then retired from them with dignity and respect. We spoke of the animosity between the Republicans and Democrats and both wished for something different, something more.

As the sun sank lower in the sky and the night air became cooler with each breeze, we ended our conversation. His little dogs were shivering with the cold as I introduced myself to him and shook his hand as he responded in turn. I thanked him for his service to our country and that of his family currently and through the generations. I wished him a good night and continued on my way home.

What I had thought was going to be a quick solitary run had turned into an opportunity to meet a neighbor. When I took the time to recognize those around me and focus on them for a few seconds, God gave me the chance to share an encounter with them. When I decided that the wind blowing against my exposed legs was worth enduring for a conversation with someone who appeared to need it, I was blessed with a wonderful experience that I would not have otherwise gained.

I need to be more aware of the possible conversations that I pass by every day.
Sometimes I run by them because I am focused on myself.
Sometimes I walk by and don’t hear them or I don’t respond for clarification.
Every once in a while, when I take a moment to respond as I feel compelled, I am blessed to meet a neighbor and share in a great conversation with them.

I’m glad that I stopped tonight and spoke with this man.
I’m not sure if he got anything out of our conversation, but I know I did.

And that’s how God works. He brings people into our lives, prompts us to interact with them and, when we obey, we walk away blessed.

My Prayer For Mothers

I read a post from Justin Taylor's blog this morning and wanted to share a few portions of it here.

Hypothetically, what if the choice in an election comes down to two candidates--one who supports abortion policies, and the other who supports an unjust war? Whom would--whom should--you choose? ...

I don't like the label "single-issue voter" and don't use it to describe my position. I'm not sure there's a better term--but the fact remains that there are many issues that are of concern to me. By using the term "single issue," I think we suggest that an issue like abortion is the only issue of serious consequence in this election. Some may believe that, but I don't.Nevertheless, the fact remains that abortion is the great moral outrage of our day--and no one, for example, in the mainstream media (or in many churches) makes a peep about the daily slaughter of the weakest members of the human race.

He embedded the following video about abortion in his blog, but I do not want to do that here. The images in the video reduced me to tears and I do not wish to unwillingly inflict that upon anyone. The message of the words at the beginning is incredibly strong (everything up to 1:17) and if you don't want to see the disturbing images then stop there and you will not have seen anything. If you watch the video in its entirety, you will be exposed to very graphic images of abortion. I post the following link because I feel the message it contains is important and powerful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLaai6o0O0A

As a man awaiting his first child, this video shook me to my core. It reinforced all of my thoughts regarding abortion and put a very vivid image of what abortion does to the little human lives that are ended violently. From the beginning of our pregnancy, I have set little goals along the way - milestones of achievement and accomplishment that had absolutely nothing to do with me and everything to do with God doing His amazing work and Lisa and the baby remaining healthy.

My first goal was to get out of the first trimester without any complications. This is when a large portion of miscarriages happen. My second goal was to make it to 20 weeks, when I would be able to see my child again (for the last time until birth) in an ultrasound. My third goal was 24 weeks because I knew from Lisa's work experience that it is possible for a child to survive outside the womb at that point. My fourth goal was to make it to 37 weeks, where the baby is considered fully formed and can survive outside the womb without any assistance whatsoever from an oxygen machine. Now that we have hit all those goals without any issues or complications, I look back and praise God for what He has done for us throughout this pregnancy.

Sitting here waiting for the arrival of my first child, I am moved to prayer for those who have aborted their first child. The devil has tricked millions of people into thinking that this was their right and their choice to make when in reality it was God who had determined that this baby would come into existence. Just because it is aborted prior to the action of giving birth does not cease to make this child a person and more importantly a creation of God. While the act of abortion might stop the process of creation that God is involved in, it doesn't stop God's involvement in that mother's life. I believe that the reason that women have such a terrible time "getting over" having their baby aborted is because the Holy Spirit is letting them know that they interfered with an act of God. It's not that God is suprised by the act or caught off guard, but I believe that it grieves Him and He lets the mother know it.

In the aftermath of an abortion, God can open the mother's eyes to recognize what she has done and still show her that He is more than willing to forgive her of that sin in a way that wouldn't have been possible otherwise. This makes me wonder why I don't pray for others more often. I pray for myself, my wife, our child, our family and our friends, but I do not spend much time at all praying for those around me who are suffering due to their sinful state and the actions they have taken.

Today, I am praying for all the mothers of the world - those who have carried their babies full term and those who have stopped God's knitting process along the way. The need for a Savior is found in both cases and is a very pressing need.

Why God Acts

Here's a truth that I, along with a bunch of other people, am trying to grasp hold of and accept, even if I don't fully understand it:

When good things happen to "good" people, God is at work.
When good things happen to "bad" people, God is at work.
When bad things happen to "good" people, God is at work.

Right now you might be wondering "What is going on in his life to prompt such a statement? Has something bad happened?"

Let me put aside any questions of the sort by stating that nothing bad has happened to me or Lisa or our baby. In fact, everything is going really well at the moment, praise God!

So where is this post coming from?
It's coming from a small verse tucked away in the Old Testament.
It's coming from a time when the nation of Israel was suffering and in bondage.
It's coming from the book of Ezekiel.
It's coming from God to His people who had turned from Him.
It's something I heard quoted a few weeks ago and have had rolling around in my head ever since.

"Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone. I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Sovereign LORD, when I show myself holy through you before their eyes." - Ezekiel 36:22-23

"Then the nations around you that remain will know that I the LORD have rebuilt what was destroyed and have replanted what was desolate. I the LORD have spoken, and I will do it.' "This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Once again I will yield to the plea of the house of Israel and do this for them: I will make their people as numerous as sheep, as numerous as the flocks for offerings at Jerusalem during her appointed feasts. So will the ruined cities be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the LORD." - Ezekiel 36:36-38

In this passage, God is telling His people exactly what He is going to do to free them from the bondage they are in and how He is going to restore the nation of Israel in the Promised Land. He is laying out His reasoning why in every step and it is not because He loved them above all other people. Read it through again if you don't believe me. Sure, God had heard and decided to "yield to the plea" of Israel, but their sorrow and suffering was not His reaoning for bringing about this change.

God determined to free Israel and re-establish them because He wanted His name to be glorified and magnified to the nations. God wanted to use the Israelites to be a visible witness of His Holiness to the nations around them (Ez 36:23) - the very nations that had seen Israel "profane among them" the name of the Lord.

God did not have to free Israel - He was in no position of obligation.
Israel was in bondage, in part, due to their defamation of God - they had nothing to offer God for salvation.
And yet, God inclined His ear to the Israelites and heard their plea.

But when God chose to act, He did not do so out of pity, charity or empathy.
- God chose to act for His name's sake.
- God acted in such a way so that His glory could be revealed to the nations.
- God acted so that others might see His Provision and praise Him as the One True God.
- God acted so that His people would turn from their wicked ways and give Him the honor He deserves.
- God acted so that His name might receive the praise and adoration He is due.
- God did all these things to the other nations and for Israel in order to garner Glory.

And that is hard for me to grasp.
I always think of God taking care of His people out of love and compassion, but that is only a portion of why He acts. God takes care of His people in order to be praised by others and by His people.

As one of His Children, am I living in such a way as to bring more glory, honor and praise to God in every aspect of my life? The obvious answer to that question is a resounding "No!", but in asking the question I cause myself to take a look at my life and take notice of the aspects of it that are either lacking or nonexistent.

If I love God, which I do, then I should live in such a way as to proclaim His Name and Glory to not only the nations but to my neighbors, friends and family as well. (Isaiah 26:8)

Bar Stool Economics

I've seen this on Facebook and all over the internet the past few days and thought I'd share it here:

Here's an analogy that does a pretty good job of explaining our "progressive" tax system.
Suppose that every day, ten men go out for beer and the bill for all ten comes to $100. If they paid their bill the way we pay our taxes, it would go something like this:
The first four men (the poorest) would pay nothing.
The fifth would pay $1.
The sixth would pay $3.
The seventh would pay $7.
The eighth would pay $12.
The ninth would pay $18.
The tenth man (the richest) would pay $59.

So, that's what they decided to do. The ten men drank in the bar every day and seemed quite happy with the arrangement, until one day, the owner threw them a curve.
"Since you are all such good customers", he said, "I'm going to reduce the cost of your daily beer by $20". Drinks for the ten now cost just $80.

The group still wanted to pay their bill the way we pay our taxes so the first four men were unaffected. They would still drink for free. But what about the other six men - the paying customers? How could they divide the $20 windfall so that everyone would get his "fair share?"
They realized that $20 divided by six is $3.33. But if they subtracted that from everybody's share, then the fifth man and the sixth man would each end up being paid to drink his beer. So, the bar owner suggested that it would be fair to reduce each man's bill by roughly the same amount, and he proceeded to work out the amounts each should pay.

And so:
The fifth man, like the first four, now paid nothing (100% savings).
The sixth now paid $2 instead of $3 (33%savings).
The seventh now pay $5 instead of $7 (28%savings).
The eighth now paid $9 instead of $12 (25% savings).
The ninth now paid $14 instead of $18 (22% savings).
The tenth now paid $49 instead of $59 (16% savings).

Each of the six was better off than before. And the first four continued to drink for free. But once outside the restaurant, the men began to compare their savings.

"I only got a dollar out of the $20," declared the sixth man. He pointed to the tenth man, "but he got $10!"
"Yeah, that's right," exclaimed the fifth man. "I only saved a dollar, too. It's unfair that he got ten times more than I!"
"That's true!!" shouted the seventh man. "Why should he get $10 back when I got only two? The wealthy get all the breaks!"
"Wait a minute," yelled the first four men in unison. "We didn't get anything at all. The system exploits the poor!"
The nine men surrounded the tenth and beat him up.

The next night the tenth man didn't show up for drinks, so the nine sat down and had beers without him. But when it came time to pay the bill, they discovered something important. They didn't have enough money between all of them for even half of the bill!

And that, boys and girls, journalists and college professors, is how our tax system works. The people who pay the highest taxes get the most benefit from a tax reduction. Tax them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not show up anymore. In fact, they might start drinking overseas where the atmosphere is somewhat friendlier.

David R. Kamerschen, Ph.D., Professor of Economics, University of Georgia

The Official Baby Poll

The tickers above and to the right tell me that we have 23 days remaining until our due date.
This means it is time to take the Walker baby poll.

In the comments below, state the your guess in the following format:
Birth Date/ Sex / Weight / Length / How much hair (if any) / will look the most like Lisa or me

Incidentally, our baby's heart rate measured in the midpoint of the healthy range at our appointment on Wednesday, as it has at every other appointment over the last 36 weeks. So if you are into guessing the gender based on the heart rate you will have to try another method...

You have until 31OCTo8 to get your guess in (less time if the baby arrives early).

You might also want to share your music choices for the labor room.

Presidential Debate #3

I made it all the way through last night's Presidential debate today and thought I'd share a few thoughts. Admittedly, I wasn't totally focussed on the debate for much of the discourse but there were a few moments where I was fixed upon the responses of the candidates.

You can watch the video of the debate here:


The transcript of the debate can be found here.

OBAMA: So, look, nobody likes taxes. I would prefer that none of us had to pay taxes, including myself. But ultimately, we've got to pay for the core investments that make this economy strong and somebody's got to do it.
MCCAIN: Nobody likes taxes. Let's not raise anybody's taxes. OK?
OBAMA: Well, I don't mind paying a little more.

I do! I already pay too much to Washington, DC and I am not willing or desiring to pay any more.

OBAMA: But there is no doubt that we've been living beyond our means and we're going to have to make some adjustments...
Every dollar that I've proposed, I've proposed an additional cut so that it matches...
We need to eliminate a whole host of programs that don't work. And I want to go through the federal budget line by line, page by page, programs that don't work, we should cut...
And we're going to have to embrace a culture and an ethic of responsibility, all of us, corporations, the federal government, and individuals out there who may be living beyond their means.

Yes, we have been living beyond our means and the answer isn't more programs and more taxes. It's nice rhetoric to hear that he will go line by line to eliminate "programs that don't work", but who decides if they work or not? Also, if we are using a "pay as you go" program, how does that help us eliminate the deficit and our national debt? While it would be nice to see federal spending not exceed the level it has already attained, it is actually more important that the level of spending decrease in order to pay off our debts. We need to decrease our spending and reduce the national debt and I see that happening through fewer federal programs and lower taxes.

MCCAIN: Another one would be a number of subsidies for ethanol.
I oppose subsidies for ethanol because I thought it distorted the market and created inflation...
I would eliminate the tariff on imported sugarcane-based ethanol from Brazil...
I know how to save billions. I saved the taxpayer $6.8 billion by fighting a deal for a couple of years, as you might recall, that was a sweetheart deal between an aircraft manufacturer, DOD, and people ended up in jail.
But I would fight for a line-item veto, and I would certainly veto every earmark pork-barrel bill...

I am opposed to subsidies at all levels. The market will decide which companies thrive and which companies fold. If a product is not competitive on the market without government intervention then it should be left on the shelf until someone figures out either how to make it marketable and profitable or they can figure out another way to reach to the same end that is desirable by the consumers.

Oh, and earmarks are a huge part of the problem in both our politics and economic situation.

MCCAIN: Senator Obama, I am not President Bush. If you wanted to run against President Bush, you should have run four years ago.

This should have been said at every opportunity over the past 12 months.

MCCAIN: So the fact is, let's look at our records, Senator Obama. Let's look at it as graded by the National Taxpayers Union and the Citizens Against Government Waste and the other watchdog organizations.
I have fought against spending. I have fought against special interests. I have fought for reform. You have to tell me one time when you have stood up with the leaders of your party on one single major issue...
Senator Obama, your argument for standing up to the leadership of your party isn't very convincing

This was a good couple of moments for McCain.

MCCAIN: ... unacceptable. So the point is -- the point is that I have repudiated every time someone's been out of line, whether they've been part of my campaign or not, and I will continue to do that.
But the fact is that we need to absolutely not stand for the kind of things that have been going on. I haven't.
OBAMA: Well, look, Bob, as I said...
SCHIEFFER: I mean, do you take issue with that?
OBAMA: You know, here's what I would say. I mean, we can have a debate back and forth about the merits of each other's campaigns. I suspect we won't agree here tonight...

Obama dodged this question as fast as possible and moved the conversation past a point he didn't want to discuss.

SCHIEFFER: Do you think she's qualified to be president?
OBAMA: You know, I think it's -- that's going to be up to the American people. I think that, obviously, she's a capable politician who has, I think, excited the -- a base in the Republican Party...
MCCAIN: I think that Joe Biden is qualified in many respects. But I do point out that he's been wrong on many foreign policy and national security issues, which is supposed to be his strength...

McCain answered the question, while Obama danced again. I suppose it was above his pay grade to answer it.

MCCAIN: We can eliminate our dependence on foreign oil by building 45 new nuclear plants, power plants, right away. We can store and we can reprocess...
So the point is with nuclear power, with wind, tide, solar, natural gas, with development of flex fuel, hybrid, clean coal technology...
So I think we can easily, within seven, eight, ten years, if we put our minds to it, we can eliminate our dependence on the places in the world that harm our national security if we don't achieve our independence.

OBAMA: I think that in ten years, we can reduce our dependence so that we no longer have to import oil from the Middle East or Venezuela. I think that's about a realistic timeframe.
... telling the oil companies the 68 million acres that they currently have leased that they're not drilling, use them or lose them.
And I think that we should look at offshore drilling and implement it in a way that allows us to get some additional oil...
That's why I've focused on putting resources into solar, wind, biodiesel, geothermal. These have been priorities of mine since I got to the Senate, and it is absolutely critical that we develop a high fuel efficient car that's built not in Japan and not in South Korea, but built here in the United States of America.

If we are trying to "save the environment", does it really matter where the technology comes from to do it? Most of the solar and wind power technologies have been developed outside of the US and brought here. If a European company figures out how to make a car run on water and a US company uses the technology in one of their vehicles, doesn't everyone win?

MCCAIN: Well, you know, I admire so much Senator Obama's eloquence. And you really have to pay attention to words. He said, we will look at offshore drilling. Did you get that? Look at. We can offshore drill now. We've got to do it now. We will reduce the cost of a barrel of oil because we show the world that we have a supply of our own. It's doable. The technology is there and we have to drill now.

McCain finally calls out what Obama is doing - he's wordsmithing his responses like the lawyer that he is.

OBAMA: When I talked about the automakers, they are obviously getting hammered right now. They were already having a tough time because of high gas prices. And now with the financial crisis, car dealerships are closing and people can't get car loans.
That's why I think it's important for us to get loan guarantees to the automakers, but we do have to hold them responsible as well to start producing the highly fuel-efficient cars of the future.
And Detroit had dragged its feet too long in terms of getting that done.

They are getting hammered right now because they built inferior products during a time when foreign companies were focussing their efforts on gas efficiency. And then, when the market began to shift they continued to make products that a lot of people did not want to buy. Detroit dragged their feet and they deserve to face the consequence of their poor choices, even if it means they go out of business. Someone else will rise up in their place and will figure out how to make vehicles that people want, that get good gas mileage, that last a long time and don't cost an arm and a leg to build. My guess is that at some point, if there are 100,000 autoworkers unemployed and looking for a job they might decide that they would rather have a job that pays them than pay a union that does nothing but run them out of business.

MCCAIN: I will find the best people in the world -- in the United States of America who have a history of strict adherence to the Constitution. And not legislating from the bench.
SCHIEFFER: But even if it was someone -- even someone who had a history of being for abortion rights, you would consider them?
MCCAIN: I would consider anyone in their qualifications. I do not believe that someone who has supported Roe v. Wade that would be part of those qualifications. But I certainly would not impose any litmus test.

I am not sure McCain means by that last statement, but I agree that there should not be legsilating from the bench and an adherence to the Constitution.

OBAMA: And it is true that this is going to be, I think, one of the most consequential decisions of the next president. It is very likely that one of us will be making at least one and probably more than one appointments and Roe versus Wade probably hangs in the balance...
Now I would not provide a litmus test. But I am somebody who believes that Roe versus Wade was rightly decided...

It sound like both candidates don't believe in a litmus test, but they are both looking towards nominating candidates that reflect their views on Roe vs Wade.

MCCAIN: Let me talk to you about an important aspect of this issue. We have to change the culture of America. Those of us who are proudly pro-life understand that. And it's got to be courage and compassion that we show to a young woman who's facing this terribly difficult decision.
Senator Obama, as a member of the Illinois State Senate, voted in the Judiciary Committee against a law that would provide immediate medical attention to a child born of a failed abortion. He voted against that.
And then, on the floor of the State Senate, as he did 130 times as a state senator, he voted present.
Then there was another bill before the Senate Judiciary Committee in the state of Illinois not that long ago, where he voted against a ban on partial-birth abortion, one of the late-term abortion, a really -- one of the bad procedures, a terrible. And then, on the floor of the Illinois State Senate, he voted present.
I don't know how you vote "present" on some of that. I don't know how you align yourself with the extreme aspect of the pro- abortion movement in America. And that's his record, and that's a matter of his record.

This was, in my opinion, John McCain's best moment in the whole debate.

OBAMA: There was a bill that was put forward before the Illinois Senate that said you have to provide lifesaving treatment and that would have helped to undermine Roe v. Wade. The fact is that there was already a law on the books in Illinois that required providing lifesaving treatment, which is why not only myself but pro-choice Republicans and Democrats voted against it.

But you didn't vote against it Senator! You voted "present".

MCCAIN: That's the extreme pro-abortion position, quote, "health." But, look, Cindy and I are adoptive parents. We know what a treasure and joy it is to have an adopted child in our lives. We'll do everything we can to improve adoption in this country.
But that does not mean that we will cease to protect the rights of the unborn. Of course, we have to come together. Of course, we have to work together, and, of course, it's vital that we do so and help these young women who are facing such a difficult decision, with a compassion, that we'll help them with the adoptive services, with the courage to bring that child into this world and we'll help take care of it.

This section resonated within me. Speaking from a stanpoint of compassion and aid, McCain took more than a pro-life stance here. He stepped up to the mic and let the world know that he believes not just in trying to overturn Roe Vs Wade but also in providing care for single mothers and their infants. I feel he shoul dhave spoken a bit more about his adoption experience, but I am glad he finally spoek up about his feelings around this issue.

OBAMA: Well, we have a tradition of local control of the schools and that's a tradition that has served us well. But I do think that it is important for the federal government to step up and help local school districts do some of the things they need to do.

In order to improve the educational system we should increase the buraucracy that is already incapable of handling the finances it is given? I believe that the US Department of Education is one of the worst entities ever to be allowed to continue to not only survive but dictate what should be taught in our schools. Obviously, it hasn't worked so far, so whay should me expect it to get any better with more money and more red tape?

Overall Thoughts:
It was Obama's debate to lose and McCain knew this had to come out swinging hard with some great points if he was going to be seen as the winner. While McCain made some points that I feel were solid and well-timed and Obama seemed to be on the defensive for most of the debate, I do not think that the majority of Americans would have been swayed by either man's arguments. It's one thing to agree with a man's stance on an issue and shout "Hurray!" when he finally speaks his mind about it, but it's another thing entirely to state something so profoundly impacting that it causes someone to choose you over the person they had in mind. I'm not sure McCain hit the homerun he needed.

It was good to finally hear a little talk about actual stances and issues as opposed to regurgitated stump speaches and television talking points. I felt this debate was much better than the last one.

"Why I Can't Vote For Obama" by Huntley Brown

A friend of mine passed this along to me. It's a note from a friend of his named Huntley Brown who is an incredibly talented pianist and God-fearing Christian. I felt like sharing it here.

Why I Can't Vote For Obama By Huntley Brown
Dear Friends,
A few months ago I was asked for my perspective on Obama, I sent out an email with a few points. With the election just around the corner I decided to complete my perspective. Those of you on my e-list have seen some of this before but it's worth repeating... First I must say whoever wins the election will have my prayer support. Obama needs to be commended for his accomplishments but I need to explain why I will not be voting for him.

Many of my friends process their identity through their blackness. I process my identity through Christ. Being a Christian (a Christ follower) means He leads I follow. I can't dictate the terms He does because He is the leader. I can't vote black because I am black, I have to vote Christian because that's who I am. Christian first, black second. Neither should anyone from the other ethnic groups vote because of ethnicity. 200 years from now I won't be asked if I was black or white. I will be asked if I knew Jesus and accepted Him as Lord and Savior. In an election there are many issues to consider but when a society gets abortion, same-sex marriage, embryonic stem-cell research and human cloning wrong, to name a few, economic concerns will soon not matter.

We need to follow Martin Luther King's words, don't judge someone by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I don't know Obama so all I can go off is his voting record. His voting record earned him the title of the most liberal senator in the US Senate in 2007. (NATIONAL JOURNAL: Obama: Most Liberal Senator in 2007 (01/31/2008)) To beat Ted Kennedy and Hilary Clinton as the most liberal senator, takes some doing. Obama accomplished this feat in 2 short years. I wonder what would happen to America if he had four years to work with.

There is a reason planned parenthood gives him a 100 % rating.There is a reason the homosexual community supports him.There is a reason Ahmadinejad, Chavez, Castro, Hamas etc. love him. There is a reason he said he would nominate liberal judges to the Supreme Court. There is a reason he voted against the infanticide bill. There is a reason he voted No on the constitutional ban of same-sex marriage. There is a reason he voted No on banning partial birth abortion.There is a reason he voted No on confirming Justices Roberts and Alito. These two judges are conservatives and they have since overturned partial birth abortion. The same practice Obama wanted to continue. Lets take a look at the practice he wanted to continue.

The 5 Step Partial Birth Abortion procedure
A. Guided by ultrasound, the abortionist grabs the baby's leg with forceps. (Remember this is a live baby)
B. The baby's leg is pulled out into the birth canal.
C. The abortionist delivers the baby's entire body, except for the head.
D. The abortionist jams scissors into the baby's skull. The scissors are then opened to enlarge the hole.
E. The scissors are removed and a suction catheter is inserted. The child's brains are sucked out, causing the skull to collapse. The dead baby is then removed. God help him.

There is a reason Obama opposed the parental notification law. Think about this: you can't give a kid an aspirin without parental notification but that same kid can have an abortion without parental notification. This is insane.

There is a reason he went to Jeremiah Wright's church for 20 years. Obama tells us he has good judgment but he sat under Jeremiah Wright teaching for 20 years. Now he is condemning Wright's sermons. I wonder why now? Obama said Jeremiah Wright led him to the Lord and discipled him. A disciple is one in training. Jesus told us in Matthew 28:19 - 20 'Go and make disciples of all nations.' This means reproduce yourself. Teach people to think like you, walk like you, talk like you believe what you believe etc. The question I have is what did Jeremiah Wright teach him?

Would you support a White President who went to a church which has tenets that said they have a
1. Commitment to the White Community
2. Commitment to the White Family
3. Adherence to the White Work Ethic
4. Pledge to make the fruits of all developing and acquired skills available to the White Community.
5. Pledge to Allocate Regularly, a Portion of Personal Resources for Strengthening and Supporting White Institutions
6. Pledge allegiance to all White leadership who espouse and embrace the White Value System
7. Personal commitment to embracement of the White Value System.

Would you support a President who went to a church like that? Just change the word from white to black and you have the tenets of Obama's former church. If President Bush was a member of a church like this, he would be called a racist. Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton would have been marching outside. This kind of church is a racist church. Obama did not wake up after 20 years and just discovered he went to a racist church. The church can't be about race. Jesus did not come for any particular race. He came for the whole world. A church can't have a value system based on race. The churches value system has to be based on biblical mandate. It does not matter if its a white church or a black church it's still wrong. Anyone from either race that attends a church like this would never get my vote.

Obama's former Pastor Jeremiah Wright is a disciple of liberal theologian James Cone, author of the 1970 book "A Black Theology of Liberation". Cone once wrote: 'Black theology refuses to accept a God who is not identified totally with the goals of the black community. If God is not for us and against white people, then he is a murderer, and we had better kill him. Cone is the man Obama's mentor looks up to. Does Obama believe this?

So what does all this mean for the nation?

In the past when the Lord brought someone with the beliefs of Obama to lead a nation it meant one thing - judgment. Read 1 Samuel 8 when Israel asked for a king.First God says in 1 Samuel 1:9 'Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do.' Then God says 1 Samuel 1:18 ' When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the LORD will not answer you in that day.' 19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel. 'No!' they said. 'We want a king over us. 20 Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.' 21 When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the LORD. 22 The LORD answered, 'Listen to them and give them a king.'

Here is what we know for sure. God is not schizophrenic. He would not tell one person to vote for Obama and one to vote for McCain. As the scripture says, a city divided against itself cannot stand, so obviously many people are not hearing from God. Maybe I am the one not hearing but I know God does not change and Obama contradicts many things I read in scripture so I doubt it.

For all my friends who are voting for Obama can you really look God in the face and say "Father based on your word, I am voting for Obama even though I know he will continue the genocidal practice of partial birth abortion. He might have to nominate three or four supreme court justices, and I am sure he will be nominating liberal judges who will be making laws that are against you.. I also know he will continue to push for homosexual rights, even though you destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for this. I know I can look the other way because of the economy."

I could not see Jesus agreeing with many of Obama's positions. Finally I have two questions for all my liberal friends. Since we know someone's value system has to be placed on the nation:

1. Whose value system should be placed on the nation.
2. Who should determine that this is the right value system for the nation?

Blessings,
Huntley Brown

James 3

A film from Desiring God ministries:

Abortion & Black Genocide

(HT: Zach Nelson)

The Soundtrack to Birth

I find myself thinking a lot about music lately and I have certain very real reasons to ponder the subject. For instance, my wife has asked me to put together a playlist on my iPod for us to listen to while she is in labor. She has mentioned that she wants some mellow, calming music, but has otherwise left the task of determining what music should make the list up to me. And that is where I run into trouble...

Should I use only instrumental music? If so, should that music be limited to piano and stringed instruments or is would certain woodwind instruments (ie flute, panflute, oboe, clarinet) also be acceptable?

Would music with vocals be acceptable or tolerable in such a setting? Obviously, certain types of vocal music would never make the playlist (hard rock and rap come to mind), but what about some of the more mellow artists like James Taylor or Norah Jones?

I am currently thinking of creating two playlists. One list will be strictly instrumental and the other will have some vocal music mixed in. It's entirely possible that when it comes down to it we may not want any music at all, but it is better to be prepared and not use it then want it and not have it.

Anyone have any thoughts on artists, albums or types of music that might work in the playlist?

Essential Church - Seven Sins of a Dying Church

I have just begun reading the new book "Essential Church? Reclaiming a Generation of Dropouts" which was written by Thom and Sam Rainer III. Thom Rainer is the coauthor of the book "Simple Church" which I have also read and would recommend to anyone in a leadership position within the church. While I am barely 25 pages into the book at this point, I wanted to share the following excerpts from pages 16-19:

What does a nonessential church look like? Certain commonalities exist among those churches that are not reaching the next generation. In the next section we will describe seven sins of dying churches that are the driving factors behind losing the generational battle.

Seven Sins of Dying Churches
The age-old adage rings true for churches: if you are not moving forward, then you are moving backward. Stagnation equates to dying. Your church may look the same week in and week out, but if you are not winning the next generation for Christ, then you are losing the battle. We will categorize some of the more prevalent transgressions that dying churches commit. These seven sins are not mutually exclusive and are often interconnected. The list is not exhaustive, but we almost always observe some combination of these sins in dying churches.

Sin 1 - Doctrine Dilution
Certain absolutes found within Scripture are so crucial that a Christian should be willing to sacrifice his or her life for them… Teaching anything less than the absolute truths in Scripture will make the younger generation feel betrayed when they learn that a large gap exists between what the Bible really says and what they were taught in church.

Sin 2- Loss of Evangelistic Passion
Dying churches have little evangelistic passion. They putter around in sharing their faith… Dying churches stop speaking about Christ to the world. Evangelistic fervor becomes apathetic disinterest in a lost world. As we will see later in the book, much responsibility rests upon the leadership of the church. It is the responsibility of the pastor and other key leaders to exhibit this evangelistic passion. In many thriving churches the driving force behind obedience to the Great Commission is the passion that the senior pastor maintains for the lost. This passion will flow from the top down. As the congregation sees his zeal, they catch the same fire.

Sin 3 - Failure to Be Relevant
Relevance is a buzzword among churches today. We believe that it is a good one. And there is nothing more relevant to a lost world than the saving grace of Jesus Christ. The unchanging truths of Scripture will always contain the answer for those searching to fill the void of their lives. The church, however, must find ways to relay this gospel message to the culture around them. Churches that do not find ways to become relevant in their respective communities will eventually falter. Churches that keep their internal culture unchanged for fifty years while the world around them goes through continual periods of metamorphosis typically die with that old culture. Churches that ask the question, “How can we best relate the unchanging gospel to the shifting culture around us?” are one step closer to relevancy and reaching a new generation.

Sin 4 - Few Outwardly Focused Ministries“It’s all about me!” is the anthem chant of the dying church. As crucial as Bible studies and fellowship are, dying churches gorge themselves on closed study groups and church wide fellowship events while neglecting outreach in the community. The country club church can remain so for a limited amount of time. In order for the American church to survive, it must reach into the community with outwardly focused ministries. Dying churches heavily skew their ministries internally. Essential churches think outward into the surrounding communities and into the world, earnestly seeking ways to win the next soul for Jesus.

Sin 5 - Conflict over Personal Preferences
People within the church can squabble over the most insignificant things. And these internal conflicts smother a church. These quibbles overshadow the true purpose of the church. When the church focuses on trivial matters, the greater gospel message is left on the sidelines. Essential churches grasp the primacy of the gospel. Languishing churches are mired in conflict over paltriness… They do not see the imperative to win people for Christ due to the blurriness of their own selfishness. The essential church breaks through the quagmire of personal preference and unites the people around the common causes of spiritual growth and missions.

Sin 6 - The Priority of Comfort
Dying churches are comfortable with their ministries. They do nothing outside the bounds of their comfort levels. Church members do not come to the leadership with reservations about the next ministry goal because they are not spiritually stretched… Churches that flourish get outside comfort zones and reach into areas that are uncharted for them… Essential churches hunker down and prepare to get uncomfortable in following God’s call. Dying churches refuse to stretch beyond their limited zones of comfort.

Sin 7 - Biblical Illiteracy
We are to be diligent to present ourselves to God, workers not needing to be ashamed, correctly teaching the word of truth (see 2 Tim. 2:15). One of the major sins of a dying church is the neglect of theological teaching. If a church member does not understand the basics of Scripture, then they are hampered in their witness. Those who do not comprehend the Scriptures will also have trouble remaining obedient. Biblical illiteracy runs rampant in floundering churches. Since the people of the church do not understand the foundation of their faith, they stand on shaky ground and falter during the first time of trouble.

Reading that section caused me to pause and think about not only past churches that I have attended but also my current church home. As member of our Pastor Search Committee, I find myself focussing on "sins" number 2, 4 & 6 at this moment. I believe that the leadership of a church is vitally important and that there is a difinite "trickle down" effect on the congregation with regards to attitudes about evangelism, outreach and the passionate pursuit of God and furthering His Kingdom. The challenge set before the PSC is to find the man that God has equipped for our church and challenge him to take us where God wants us as a congregation to go - which is not necessarily where we want to go. We like our comfort zones and we are deeply entrenched.

My prayer is that God would ignite in us a deep, disturbing desire to lunge out of our trenches and charge the field of souls that is ready to be harvested.

Just Stop and Think

I really enjoy Francis Chan's "Just Stop and Think" video and website.
So here is the video.
I challenge you to stop and think about what God has done for you.
Are you a good enough person? Take the test and find out!

Vice Presidential Debate: My Notes

Since I didn't get a chance to watch it last night, I took the time today to watch and read the debate in its entirety to see if I missed anything and to be capable of having my own opinion about the event versus merely repeating what others that I normally agree with have said about it. Below are my notes I took while watching/listening/reading the debate, capturing what I thought to be the more important or poignant moments of the discourse. The page number coreesponds to the exact location of the text in the official debate transcript, which incidentally has a few errors in it.

Palin (p5) - “We need to make sure that we demand from the federal government strict oversight of those entities in charge of our investments and our savings and we need also to not get ourselves in debt. Let's do what our parents told us before we probably even got that first credit card. Don't live outside of our means. We need to make sure that as individuals we're taking personal responsibility through all of this. It's not the American peoples fault that the economy is hurting like it is, but we have an opportunity to learn a heck of a lot of good lessons through this and say never again will we be taken advantage of.”

Dave Ramsey would be proud of this statement and I believe it to be true.

Palin (p6) – “We do need the private sector to be able to keep more of what we earn and produce. Government is going to have to learn to be more efficient and live with less if that's what it takes to reign in the government growth that we've seen today. But we do need tax relief”

I am a huge fan of the idea of reducing the size and scope of the federal government.
I wish she would have answered or responded directly to the deregulation question/issue.

Biden (p7) – “Well Gwen, where I come from, it's called fairness, just simple fairness. The middle class is struggling. The middle class under John McCain's tax proposal, 100 million families, middle class families, households to be precise, they got not a single change, they got not a single break in taxes. No one making less than $250,000 under Barack Obama's plan will see one single penny of their tax raised whether it's their capital gains tax, their income tax, investment tax, any tax. And 95 percent of the people in the United States of America making less than $150,000 will get a tax break.
Now, that seems to me to be simple fairness. The economic engine of America is middle class. It's the people listening to this broadcast. When you do well, America does well. Even the wealthy do well. This is not punitive. John wants to add $300 million, billion in new tax cuts per year for corporate America and the very wealthy while giving virtually nothing to the middle class. We have a different value set. The middle class is the economic engine. It's fair. They deserve the tax breaks, not the super wealthy who are doing pretty well. They don't need any more tax breaks. And by the way, they'll pay no more than they did under Ronald Reagan.”

Sounds like fairness only extends to the middle class.

Palin (p8) – “Now you said recently that higher taxes or asking for higher taxes or paying higher taxes is patriotic. In the middle class of America which is where Todd and I have been all of our lives, that's not patriotic. Patriotic is saying, government, you know, you're not always the solution. In fact, too often you're the problem so, government, lessen the tax burden and on our families and get out of the way and let the private sector and our families grow and thrive and prosper.”

When I heard this and reread it I just about shouted "Amen!"

Biden (p8-9) – “Now, with regard to the -- to the health care plan, you know, it's with one hand you giveth, the other you take it. You know how Barack Obama -- excuse me, do you know how John McCain pays for his $5,000 tax credit you're going to get, a family will get? He taxes as income every one of you out there, every one of you listening who has a health care plan through your employer. That's how he raises $3.6 trillion, on your -- taxing your health care benefit to give you a $5,000 plan, which his Web site points out will go straight to the insurance company.
And then you're going to have to replace a $12,000 -- that's the average cost of the plan you get through your employer -- it costs $12,000. You're going to have to pay -- replace a $12,000 plan, because 20 million of you are going to be dropped. Twenty million of you will be dropped.”

Wasn't Biden talking of giving to the middle class and taking from the rich earlier and calling it fair?

Palin (p10) – “I want to go back to the energy plan, though, because this is -- this is an important one that Barack Obama, he voted for in '05. Senator Biden, you would remember that, in that energy plan that Obama voted for, that's what gave those oil companies those big tax breaks. Your running mate voted for that…
So it was Barack Obama who voted for that energy plan that gave those tax breaks to the oil companies that I then had to turn around, as a governor of an energy-producing state, and kind of undo in my own area of expertise, and that's energy.”

I liked how she states what she had to do to overturn at the state level what Obama and others voted for in the past at the federal level. It's kind of a "I'll see your energy package and raise you a *zing!*." I'm a big fan of states rights.

Biden (p11) – “And, look, I agree with the governor. She imposed a windfall profits tax up there in Alaska. That's what Barack Obama and I want to do…
So I hope the governor is able to convince John McCain to support our windfall profits tax, which she supported in Alaska, and I give her credit for it.”

This was a classy move by Biden. It might have been brought on by the fact that he couldn't respond to her previous statement directly, but this was a great way of dodging any further discourse on that topic.

Biden (p13) – “Number two, with regard to bankruptcy now, Gwen, what we should be doing now -- and Barack Obama and I support it -- we should be allowing bankruptcy courts to be able to re-adjust not just the interest rate you're paying on your mortgage to be able to stay in your home, but be able to adjust the principal that you owe, the principal that you owe.”

If this happens then I would like to see my principal also re-adjusted by the same percentage that these free-spending, immediate graitification seekers receive. Anything less than that wouldn't be fair, right Joe?

Palin (p13) – “I'm not one to attribute every man -- activity of man to the changes in the climate. There is something to be said also for man's activities, but also for the cyclical temperature changes on our planet.”

This statement gives me reason to hope that Palin has actually read up on the topic and understands that the drivel being forced down our throats by Nobel Prize Winner Al Gore and the media is not necessarily the absolute truth.

Biden (p14) – “If you don't understand what the cause is, it's virtually impossible to come up with a solution. We know what the cause is. The cause is manmade. That's the cause. That's why the polar icecap is melting. Now, let's look at the facts. We have 3 percent of the world's oil reserves. We consume 25 percent of the oil in the world. John McCain has voted 20 times in the last decade-and-a-half against funding alternative energy sources, clean energy sources, wind, solar, biofuels.”

I like the idea of alternative energy, but I disagree with Biden's drinking of the global warming koolaid. Notice how it is now inconvenient to talk about global warming these days and how everything is about "climate change"?

Biden (p14) – “Drill we must, but it will take 10 years for one drop of oil to come out of any of the wells that are going to begun to be drilled.”

Only if the government stands in the way. New refineries and transportation infrastructure can be built in much less time and once oil is struck all you need is the refinery capability to process it. Again, the government has to get out of the way.

Palin (p15) – “Barack Obama and Senator Biden, you've said no to everything in trying to find a domestic solution to the energy crisis that we're in. You even called drilling -- safe, environmentally-friendly drilling offshore as raping the outer continental shelf.”

And yet, clean coal is the answer suddenly. Why is the idea of drilling a hole in the ground worse than digging a huge pit in the ground that can never be filled effectively? Can someone explain this to me?

Palin (p16) – “Well, not if it goes closer and closer towards redefining the traditional definition of marriage between one man and one woman. And unfortunately that's sometimes where those steps lead. But I also want to clarify, if there's any kind of suggestion at all from my answer that I would be anything but tolerant of adults in America choosing their partners, choosing relationships that they deem best for themselves, you know, I am tolerant and I have a very diverse family and group of friends and even within that group you would see some who may not agree with me on this issue, some very dear friends who don't agree with me on this issue…
But I will tell Americans straight up that I don't support defining marriage as anything but between one man and one woman, and I think through nuances we can go round and round about what that actually means. But I'm being as straight up with Americans as I can in my nonsupport for anything but a traditional definition of marriage.”

Her stance is clear and straightforward and I appreciate that. I also know that she will be drug repeatedly through the mud for it.

Biden (p17) – “Gwen, with all due respect, I didn't hear a plan. Barack Obama offered a clear plan.”

I agree with Biden. Palin didn't talk at all about a plan.

Palin (p18) – “Now, you said regarding Senator McCain's military policies there, Senator Biden, that you supported a lot of these things. In fact, you said in fact that you wanted to run, you'd be honored to run with him on the ticket. That's an indication I think of some of the support that you had at least until you became the VP pick here.
You also said that Barack Obama was not ready to be commander in chief. And I know again that you opposed the move he made to try to cut off funding for the troops and I respect you for that. I don't know how you can defend that position now but I know that you know especially with your son in the National Guard and I have great respect for your family also and the honor that you show our military.”

This was a highlight moment for Palin and I am sure it will brushed under the rug.

Biden (p19) – “I promise you, if an attack comes in the homeland, it's going to come as our security services have said, it is going to come from al Qaeda planning in the hills of Afghanistan and Pakistan. That's where they live. That's where they are. That's where it will come from. And right now that resides in Pakistan, a stable government needs to be established. We need to support that democracy by helping them not only with their military but with their governance and their economic well-being.”

I agree with these sentiments, but I am not sure it’s a reason to bail out from Iraq at this point.

@ 47:42 – 48:33 – 4 times Palin said nucular – yikes! I’m sure this triggered a lot of GWB thoughts for a lot of people.

Palin (p20) – “But again, with some of these dictators who hate America and hate what we stand for, with our freedoms, our democracy, our tolerance, our respect for women's rights, those who would try to destroy what we stand for cannot be met with just sitting down on a presidential level as Barack Obama had said he would be willing to do. That is beyond bad judgment. That is dangerous.No, diplomacy is very important.
First and foremost, that is what we would engage in. But diplomacy is hard work by serious people. It's lining out clear objectives and having your friends and your allies ready to back you up there and have sanctions lined up before any kind of presidential summit would take place.”

I agree wholeheartedly.

Biden (p20) – “Can I clarify this? This is simply not true about Barack Obama. He did not say sit down with Ahmadinejad.”

Yes he did. View the question and the response from the CNN/YouTube debate 23JUL08. Hillary's answer to the same question was actually very well stated and lines up with the position that Obama and Biden are now attempting to spin.

Palin (p21) – “Israel is our strongest and best ally in the Middle East. We have got to assure them that we will never allow a second Holocaust, despite, again, warnings from Iran and any other country that would seek to destroy Israel, that that is what they would like to see.”

We allow a travesty worse than the Holocaust to occur on our soil every day – abortion. Obama and Biden don't see it that way. See my previous post "Biden's Beliefs Betray Babies".

Responding to Darfur Biden lists his talking points as A and Number 2 - whoops…
Both candidates agree there is dire need for action Darfur, which I agree with.
This is an issue that should have been aggressively approached by the US and the UN at least 3 years ago.

Palin (p28) – “So that people there can understand how the average working class family is viewing bureaucracy in the federal government and Congress and inaction of Congress.
Just everyday working class Americans saying, you know, government, just get out of my way. If you're going to do any harm and mandate more things on me and take more of my money and income tax and business taxes, you're going to have a choice in just a few weeks here on either supporting a ticket that wants to create jobs and bolster our economy and win the war or you're going to be supporting a ticket that wants to increase taxes, which ultimately kills jobs, and is going to hurt our economy.”

She hits the nail on the head here but I don't think a lot of people understand that fact.

Overall Impressions
I thought that Joe Biden did a good job answering questions directly. He did seem to spend a lot of time talking about the past and the current administration as opposed to what he plans on doing to bring the "change" that their ticket is promising and Sarah Palin called him on it. Overall, I felt Joe did a good job and gave decent responses.

I felt that Sarah Palin did a little dodging of questions and diving back into previous questions, but she had the most to prove and to try and convey throughout the night so I guess I can understand it to a point. Her answers satisfied me and obviously reflect my viewpoints on a lot of issues. I think it would have been fun if she would have pointed out at some point that Barack Obama has less governmental and leadership experience than she does, but I understand why she didn't.

Overall, I feel that it was a decent debate with no outstanding qualities. Neither candidate made a major gaffe and they both presented their side of the issue well. People where I work seemed to think that Palin was idiotic, rambling on about things that weren't the question and altogether avoiding the major issues. I don't necessarily see it that way. I think she knew what her strong points were and she tried to stay in that arena as much as possible. Frighteningly, a lot of people I know have already chosen which pill they will swallow on November 4th and they are signing up to join Barack's creepy children's choir.