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Archive for the ‘General’ Category

Gorging on Beauty

Posted in Beauty, General, Outdoors, Photo, tagged , , on October 31, 2010| 5 Comments »

Hawk's Bill in front of Table Rock

It is referred to as simply the Gorge around here.  I’ve seen it from all angles in every imaginable weather with any number of people, though mostly my children.  It is a miniture of some of the greater canyons of the world but it is a compact bit of beauty and extremity.  Some of the best rockclimbing in this part of the country or anywhere is on the sides of this “draw”.  Well, the day was unparalleled for temperature and better than average for clearness of sky, with no evidence of insects after a frosty night up high.  I had the afternoon off and went with my fourth  born to take a short hike, search out some climbing routes, take in the view and hang out with my youngin’.  Here is but a little of what we saw.

Linville Gorge

The sun angle was not conducive to landscape shots from our vantage point, but it did remind me of how awesome are the cameras we carry in our heads.  We had no problem discerning buildings and towers and people on adjacent ridges.  The camera was also quite good on zoom.

See the 5 people on Hawk's Bill Mtn?

We also saw a large black bird in a tree near where we sat on the rock, but the brush was too thick for me to get any decent picture.  Upon arriving home I determined that it was an American Coot which can occur at this latitude.  But what in the world was this predominantly water bird doing sitting in a bush on top of a ridge at about 4000′ elevation? I have no explanation.

The last bit of Fall colors at elevation

Autumn colors were not so extremely gorgeous this year as the past two years, but they were just as beautiful in individual trees and clumps of trees.  I certainly enjoyed these trees that I presume from this distance to be hickory trees.

The Sitting Bear

And I did find some new climbing along with seeing the starts on the Sitting Bear, a rock on top of the ridge that does indeed appear to be its name sake when far off at certain angles.  I guess I have numerous excuses to come back.  The stress of living is enough reason for me to keep coming, but there are challenges to rise to and beauty to see, and quiet to absorb, exercise to have, and long talks to be involved in.  There is much here to gorge the mind and spirit and body upon.  And I am privileged to know the Creator and Owner of it all Whom I can worship and thank for such blessings.

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Part of the Image in Us

Posted in Beauty, General, God Thoughts, Photo, tagged , , on October 23, 2010| Leave a Comment »

It totally makes sense and points to His glory that we should be creative. Since we are made in His image and He is the Creator, then we should be creative.  We are not amazed at much these days because we think we’ve seen it all.  Well, we haven’t.  “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him.” (I Corinthians 2:9). I can’t wait for glory!  But since I am, I can enjoy His creativity expressed in the creativity of people.  “Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before obscure men.” (Proverbs 22:29) Maybe you’ve seen this and its a yawn to you but I was amazed. Check out the website:   http://www.theeggshellsculptor.com/Gallery.html

Cranes

 

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Fiber-Cement Siding

Posted in General, Photo, Random thoughts, tagged , on September 19, 2010| 1 Comment »

Genuine boards on the new bedstead

Pass me the….the….board?  It was a 1/4 inch thick by 10 inch by 12 foot piece of fiber-cement siding.  It beats vinyl siding all over the place for looks and durability.  But in stumbling over what to call it I was reminded that name and form and similarity of a thing to the actual item does not mean it has its substance.  Such are many in the church and the world:  “And he said to them, “An enemy has done this!” The slaves said to him, “Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?” But he said, “No; for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them. Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn.”” (Matthew 13:27-30)  “Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets’; and He will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where your are from; depart from Me, all you evildoers.'” (Luke 13:26-27)  How should we react to such a word?  “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you- unless indeed you fail the test?” (2 Corinthians 13:5) for “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.”  “For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:40) What is the substance of your heart, a believer saved by the grace of God exhibited on the cross by the death of Jesus to take away your sins, or a believer in name and assuming the form of a believer though not actually ever having had an experience with the living God? “Examine yourselves!” Are you the actual item, wood all the way through (as opposed to cement, or cork  (any baseball fans?), perhaps), or do you only bear the shape and name of the same?

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Washed, Rinsed, Eternally Clean

Posted in Beauty, General, God Thoughts, Outdoors, Photo, Poem, tagged , , , , on September 12, 2010| 4 Comments »

I made a new aquaintence in church today. We exchanged interests and learned that one was classical music and another was potentially poetry.  He wrote down a poem from memory and gave it to me at the end of church.  At home I sat down to read the poem.  I was really enjoying it, but then I got to the last three lines and felt disappointed.  Perhaps the author did not know the good news that I know, or perhaps his focus was elsewhere. At any rate I include the poem here and two verses that I quickly added (in a different color) to, as they say in music, resolve the dissident chords, caused in me at any rate. In defense of both Dr. Stidger’s thoughts and mine, I remind you of what it says in John 13:10: “Jesus said to him, ‘He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.'”  I believe Jesus means both that Judas was unclean and that His disciples can pick up dirt from this world, that though they are clean, “needs only to wash”.  Oh, how glorious, I’m clean!

  

 

I saw God wash the world
     by Dr. W. L. Stidger                                   

Junco

 
I saw God wash the world last night
With His sweet showers on high
And then when Morning came
I saw Him hang it out to dry
 
He washed each tiny blade of grass
And every trembling tree
He flung His showers against the hill
And swept the billowing sea
 
The white rose is a cleaner white
The red is more red
Since God washed every fragrant face
And put them all to bed
 
There is not a bird, there is not a bee
That wings along the way
That was a cleaner bird or bee
Than it was yesterday
 
I saw God wash the world last night
Ah, would He had washed me
As clean of all my dust and dirt
As that old white birch tree!
 
But oh, He has and cleaner yet
But not with rain and wind
He washed me in the blood of Christ
And I’m completely cleansed
 
Yet I will have dirt settle on me
As indeed will flower and tree
But my soul is cleansed of all its sin
And could not cleaner be

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The Word Before Your Face

Posted in General, God's Word, Poem, Sustaining, tagged , , on September 11, 2010| Leave a Comment »

I was encouraging my healthcare provider and Christian brother  who turned and encouraged me even more by several comments he made.  The one that struck me most was him holding his palm before his face and saying, “If we keep the Word before our face it keeps changing us.”  We listen rather than work because our sanctification is by grace through faith as surely as our initial salvation experience.
 

 

Keeping the Word before your face
Concept and meaning ever trace
Continual changes in you
Please God and better run the race
 
Setting your mind on things above
The things of God you learn to love
Cleansing your heart so it is true
Undivided heart like a dove
 
Eternity within the heart
Begun in Christ and not depart
When I’ve sinned and turned away too
By His Spirit I may restart
 
Learn to live life by faith alone
No schemes and planning on your own
By His Word guided by each clue
To heed the Spirit’s call be prone
 
When in danger for Him you call
Secure in Him never can fall
Peace with God is ever in view
Assurance of heaven’s bright hall
 
The Word before your face again
Best deterrent to prevent sin
Knowing that all to God is due
Forgiveness, glory, life you’re in

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Gorge Swim

Posted in Beauty, General, Outdoors, tagged , , on August 13, 2010| Leave a Comment »

At least once a summer, the boys and I go to a great swimming hole and play until we are worn out or too cold to move.  The weather has been plenty hot enough to preclude the latter.

Falls at the swimming hole

There are many jumps into foaming deep water from heights of 5, 20, and 25 feet. There are gentle rapids to float in and rocks to sun on. And usually there are no other people there since it is a steep mile and half walk in.

25 foot drop

I forgot my goggles this trip and didn’t get search the bottom for trout and “crawdads”, but the jumps and swimming up near the falls and sliding through the rapids and taking pictures of plants and spiders and sunning and eating snacks was quite enough for one trip. 
The jump takes your breath and the foam ingulfs you and sweeps you away, but I’ve not found a way that it hurts (belly, back, face).

Forward Flip

I get dizzy trying to do a flip any more but some can still do it. I do advise that if you try what we are doing that you thoroughly explore what is under the water as we have. There are certainly places we don’t jump. The turbid water prevents seeing rocks that are less than a foot under. Other places are 8 to 12 feet deep right off the edge. The water was up for summer which makes it more turbid, more fun current and deeper pools. The only drawback of higher water is the turbidity that prevents seeing fish and formations under the water, but we couldn’t anyway.

I wander what caused the wilting of the blackberry leaves, a mildew, a smut, a rust. But the blackberries sure look good.

The grass spider builds a sheet with a funnel where it awaits prey. During windy times more prey falls but also more litter.  The spider knows the “signature” of falling prey and ignores the litter. Unlike orb weavers, some of whom eat, reprocess, and re-weave an orb every day, or least every few days, the grass spider may go most of the season only repairing the web and tolerating “camoflouging” litter.  If the site is good there is no reason to move other than another large spider running you off your web.

Grass Spider in the Entry-way

The lampshade spider is the hardest spider

Lampshade Spider

for me to take a picture of because it so well blends in with the rock it is on. Also, it is extremely difficult to show both the spider and the lampshade shape of the web though this picture is one of the better efforts.

Doghobble

The heat this summer has been accompanied by a substantial amount of rain in our area, so the vegetation has been quite green and much that the drought years had killed back is filled in. I include here but a few nice samples of what we saw.

Souther Shield Fern (Maiden Fern)?

A fern will not usually grow so tall and robust as this one on a rock shelf in full sunlight where this is located unless the rainfall and seepage supplies ample water as is true here. This sample was more than 3 feet tall. You naturalists can tell me if I identified it correctly.

Water spiders and their shadows

There was this pool at the side of the river at an incoming creek of spring that was relatively very cold. The boys and I had to dare each other to get in. While I was waiting for them to take their turns I noticed that water spiders

"Crawdad" exploring his domain

cast a shadow much larger than themselves. I guess I could to if I controlled the fringes (diffraction pattern at the edges of my person in the medium I’m in), but alas I am not supported on the surface tension of my medium or his. Yes, I did go into the pool and I was not the last one. I also jumped off the 25 foot jump several times but the picture of it was blurry.  A few final pictures of my boys. One I couldn’t pass up because it’s classic:

"The Look"

Where are we?

Peaceful, contemplative moment

Cardinal Flower

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Glory of Christ revealed in His trial

Posted in General, God's Word, Poem, tagged , on August 10, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Last Sunday the pastor preached a Bible-based, convicting and practical sermon. The text was John 18:12-27.  Early on he said the theme of this intertwined story was “the glory of Christ in His trial; the sinfulness of Peter in his denial.”  As the sermon progressed this sentence kept working on me.  It rhymed and it showed great contrast. I began to think there was a poem here that might help me remember the sermon ideas reflecting the text.

Glory of Christ revealed in His trial
Peter’s sinfulness in his denial
Contrast Christ abiding in the Father
With Peter wandering, to then falter

  

Not shrinking from truth in the face of death
Fearing man when expectations a myth
If I spoke “rightly, why do you strike Me?”
One of His disciples? Not I, said he
 

 

Dependence on God and Christ is the way
Reliance on self will bring much dismay
Cohorts, commanders, courts could not dissuade
A slave-girl side-tracked allegiance once made

 

“I have spoken openly to the world”
Not a cold heart while warming hands unfurled
Boldly speak of Jesus the Son of God
Or rooster crow pierce your heart like a rod

 

Trust in the Father through Jesus the Son
Don’t shift allegiance to serve number one
Return to your first love, know of His grace
Don’t wander and falter, finish the race

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The Fall Abbreviated

Posted in General, God Thoughts, Poem, tagged , on July 25, 2010| 2 Comments »

What happened?  In a moment from life to death, from intimacy to estrangement, from bliss to dread.  Oh that we, the beloved, might imbibe the last state of our soul as readily as the former.  His grace shines in the latter all the more in the light of our former. He has rescued us as “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (II Corinthians 5:21) 

Temptations rife
Hazard all
Indiscretions, fall
Shame, strife
 
Blame wife
Cover all
Oh the gall
Death not life
 
Pay the fife
Lost all
Darkness fall
Sorrows rife
 
Took the knife
Once for all
Order tall
Gave us life

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Energy Intertwined

Posted in Beauty, General, Poem, Science, tagged , , on July 6, 2010| 1 Comment »

I am far from being a materialist but God has ordered a material world which is fascinating. It shouts of deep complexity and beautiful simplicity.  He is intimately involved and yet He set it to work. Oh, what a wonderful Creator and Sustainer is He!

Sunlight on the grass and trees
Photosynthesis within the leaves
Glucose stored in chloroplast
In the food web first, but last

 

Consume producers all day
Cell respiration at work and play
Glucose energy that may
Be used to keep death at bay

 

Up the chain energy flows
‘Eat or be eaten’ the saying goes
Predator and prey each knows
Watchfulness precludes dire woes

 

Top dog on a nonstop binge
Top of the food chain has its challenge
On catching the food will hinge
Life and on offspring impinge

 

Death comes to all in their time
Decomposers recycle the grime
The world would be full of slime
Life’s web would lose all its rhyme

 

In and out energy goes
Though inefficient transfer, life grows
From sunlight to plants it flows
Animals, then decompose

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May the Blessing of God

Posted in General, God Thoughts, Poem, Song, tagged , , on June 14, 2010| Leave a Comment »

 Click on

May the Blessing of God   for an original song speaking blessing over you.

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First Cause

Posted in Beauty, General, God Thoughts, Outdoors, Photo, Poem, Science, tagged , , on June 10, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Bee on flower in mutual dance

Mare with colt on a beautiful prance

Sword fishes school marshal every lance

Not a chance

 

Four main forces balanced precisely

Fingers on key board glide adeptly

Sun, Moon, and stars trace paths exactly

Not likely

 

All of life programmed in DNA

Beauty and function have interplay

Complex fossils in low strata lay

Hey, no way

 

Unless an all sufficient first Cause

Transcendent of effect, without flaws

Made it all, His rule the written clause

Let give pause

Bumblebee on Woodland Sunflower?

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Pain and Pleasure

Posted in General, God Thoughts, Poem, Sustaining, tagged , , on June 5, 2010| 2 Comments »

I seem to be in an extended season of difficulty.  This time around I wondered what I could have done to cause the problem.  How had I strained my ankle?  Rain and responsibility had kept me from doing much activity for several days before the swelling and pain.  It turns out that it was not structural at all but rather inflamation.  It is yet another time to reflect on God’s goodness and man’s condition. 

Pain and pleasure juxtapose
First grow thorns and then the rose
Why these two rise side by side
One we cherish one deride

 

Must it be that we suppose
Foulness comes with the sweet dose
Neither so before the Fall
Nor in heaven eternal

 

Better does it good disclose
More thankful now more repose
By suffering our wants end
God does good superintend

 

Now I enjoy more the rose
Beauty of its top stem pose
Thorns diminish all one day
In His presence I will stay

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The LORD says to my Lord (part 2)

Posted in General, God's Word, tagged on June 2, 2010| Leave a Comment »

In Matthew 22 Pharisees, Herodians, and Saducees were trying to “trap Him in what He said.” (v.15)  The issues they used were the poll tax to Caesar, remarriage, and the ranking of commandments.  The real issues were heart issues of authority, belief  in the resurrection, and the prioirty of loving God and your fellow man.  Since they were questioning Jesus’ authority the whole time, after His adept answers He turns the tables and asks them a question about authority from Psalm 110:1: “If David then calls Him ‘Lord’ how is He his son? (v.45) Both Jesus and the Pharisees would agree that this passage spoke about Messiah when is says ‘my Lord’. The Pharisees taught correctly that Messiah would be a son of David but their understanding of authority structure did not allow a son to rule a father.  However, the real reason they were unable to answer Jesus was because they were spiritually “blind men” and blind guides” (Matthew 23:13,14,15,23,25,27,29).  Jesus had no need of answering them because the answer had been repeated by three sources: Scripture, the people, and Jesus’ own works and miracles. Such Scriptures as Jeremiah 23:5-6 speak of the offspring of David who is “the Lord our righteousness”, and of His suffering when “Messiah will be cut off” (Daniel 9:26), and of the time of His arrival in 69 weeks of years (Daniel 9:25).  The people were positively identifying Jesus as the “Son of David” (Matthew: 15:21: 20:31; 21:15-16,9). In the latter of these verses the Pharisees see His works and hear the peoples’ declarations and effectively ask Jesus to silence them.  Jesus affirms that their praise of Him is praise of God and happens because “You have prepared praise for Yourself” (21:16).  And the miracles testified of His authority: “the works that I do in My Father’s name, these testify of Me” (John 10:25) and that they should “believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father” (v.38). So, Jesus does not answer His immediate question to them so that “You will keep on hearing, but will not understand; you will keep on seeing, but will not perceive” (Matthew 13:14; Isaiah 6:9), but so that we might search deeper and both hear and see.

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The Wonder of Knowledge

Posted in Beauty, General, Photo, Random thoughts, Science, tagged , , , on May 30, 2010| 1 Comment »

The very idea of knowledge has many fascinating angles. Four examples are the wonder of discovery (Hey, just think, that old person with dementia that you feel so sorry for is really very happy because of their new discoveries each and every day, even if they are just old ones rediscovered), the satisfaction of knowing (This doesn’t have to be arrogance or pride but can be refamiliarization of an old friend, like when I eat a good peach knowing beforehand that it will be good and confirming afterwards that it was as it should be), the humility of not knowing, and the “need” to know (OK, desire to know).  For example, the other day another teacher sent several students to me with a catch they had made behind the school assuming that I was the resident spider expert.  They would only accept a quick answer so I gave one, “Wolf spider.”  I said that I was interested in looking more closely at it and satisfied, they agreed to leave it with me.  Lycosidae is indeed the family of “Wolf Spider” and I thought it would be interesting to key it down to genus or perhaps even species.  So I got out my page-darkened “How to Know the Spiders” by BJ Kaston and began keying from the beginning.  But I couldn’t get to Lycosidae.  Oh well, thought I, I’m abit rusty.  I’ll go straight to the Lycosidae family key and continue.  Try as I might every attempt ran into a dead end.  I Googled terms to get me back up to speed; I worked backwards from supposed possibilities. Perhaps this had been a bit longer ago than I thought.  Then I thought to go back and read the family description. The eyes of Lycosidae are recurved and of two different sizes. Oops, this spider definitely had eight eyes of almost identical size in two straight rows.  Now I was experiencing knowledge-based vertigo, disorientation.  Oh well, the only other similar spider family is Pisauridae, “Nursery web spiders”.  They are fequently hunters as the wolf spiders and therefore do not build webs, but I did not remember any of that family being so big.  The females build a web around the egg sac and keep watch to protect it.  Before this they carry the egg sac in their chelicerae (the projections that hold their fangs) whereas the wolf spiders carry their egg sacs with their spinerets (other end!).  I promptly keyed the spider out to Dolomedes vittatus, Fishing Spider. I definitely had a female and probably pregnant.  The males have a white band down the center of the carapace and around the margins of the same.  This speciment was dark brown with tan spot on its abdomen.  These live near streams and catch insects, spiders, and occaisional minnows!  I enjoyed discovering the true identity of the spider.  The realization of what I did know that enabled me to discover this and the use of a once well-worn key, the humility of having been wrong reminded me of how little I know compared to others and the many things only God knows, while the “need” to know drove me on to discovering the identity and habits of a backyard neighbor.  Enjoy the pictures.

Dolomedes vittatus, Fishing Spider

Some people call it too much time on your hands, but being a good teacher involves a continued love of knowledge and a solid knowledge base.  Modern educational theory rejects knowledge base as no more than a trivial side light, emphasizing the art and practice of teaching.  Without diminishing these I submit that students want teachers that know something.  It takes time and effort.

From the Kaston "Spider" Key, female on the right

The author of knowledge and wisdom must enjoy us obtaining it in whatever respectable form.  To Him be the glory!

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Good Promise to Israel and Us

Posted in General, God Thoughts, Poem, tagged , on May 20, 2010| 1 Comment »

This poem does not feel complete to me, but it is all that I know to do with it now.  We are all saved by grace but I believe that God has and is dealing with us through different adminstrative dispensations.  This poem attempts to touch on that theme but as I say needs much “filling out”.

Set up for praise, honor, and fame
This good promise to Israel came
Nations are not treated the same
For the sake of God’s holy name
 
Obey His commands was required
Know your God and Him be desired
Never in idol worship mired
Not in doing the good be tired
 
It was by Him sovereignly planned
Blessing or curse on Israel’s land
And offspring few or like the sand
Obey and trust His gracious hand
 
We are the people of the Lord
By Christ’s blood salvation afford
Love Him well, keep His word the sword
In trusting Him comes great reward

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After a Long Winter

Posted in General on May 15, 2010| 5 Comments »

Yes, it was an exceptionally long winter, using nearly twice as much firewood as I have ever used while in this house or this county, but the length was prolonged for me by serious illness from which I am not fully recovered.  Therefore, I am all the more grateful to my Creator for allowing me sufficient energy to get out into Creation with my 4th son the other day and take these pictures.  I hope that you may enjoy them a fraction of the amount I did.

Solomon's Seal

Yellow Poplar

Dog Hobble and ?

 

High Shoals Falls
One Oak Tree

I forgot to tell you that we are getting ready for next winter!

 

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The LORD says to my Lord

Posted in General, God Thoughts, God's Word, tagged , on May 15, 2010| Leave a Comment »

The more I read the Old and New Testaments, the more I think that God is most usually repeating Himself in the New and expanding on the thought.  When He repeats Himself He must have a reason and we had better listen carefully. For instance, we tend to believe Leviticus to be the driest of reading and yet Jesus quotes it several times in the Sermon on the Mount and other places throughout Matthew. Hebrews also frequently uses Leviticus; we should look closer at it.  Among the most repeated Old Testament passages are those of Psalms 110.  I have long been fascinated by the repetition of verse one in the New Testament which reads, “The LORD says to my Lord: ‘Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.’”  It is indeed important and the unfolding of its interpretation in the New Testament is quite interesting.

          In order to understand the train of thought it is helpful to have some understanding of the psalm itself.  In just seven verses it packs in amazing insight on three persons and two groups of people.  The first person in sequence and in priority is the LORD (Yahweh in Hebrew), the Great I AM, who is the covenant-keeping God revealing Himself to Abram in Exodus 3:14-15, and who is declared Creator (Exodus 20:11) as He acts as Law-giver in the conveying of the Ten Commandments.  He is speaking to the Lord (Adonai in Hebrew), who Yahweh declares will rule (v.2) and preside as a permanent priest (v.4) and reside at Yahweh’s right hand.  The third person indicated in the psalm by “my” is David, who wrote the psalm, the present king of Israel. Because he refers to “my Lord” he clearly identifies himself as a servant of Adonai.  He is perhaps standing at the foot of the throne as Yahweh makes these declarations to Adonai in verses 1-4 and Adonai responds in verses 5-7.  And Adonai’s response is just as bold as Yahweh’s declarations as He affirms that He will fulfill His position and role.  From this position of strength, at the right hand of Yahweh, Adonai will act as a warrior king, smashing the enemies among whom He rules (v.2,6).  As a picture of the victorious champion He will lift up His head from drinking (v.7) as He pursues His enemies, fully confident of the outcome, which is, His enemies as a footstool (v.1). His people are those who freely volunteered when He came to power, plentiful as dew and sanctified (holy array) from the inception of His rising (dawn) (v.3).  His people are greatly blessed by walking in the victory He is given by Yahweh and secures by His rule, while His enemies, the kings and their nations will be shattered and their corpses spread over a wide country (v.6).  When the enemies are subdued He will continue as a priest among His people even as Melchizedek, king of peace and righteousness (Hebrews 7:2).  Melchizedek, and therefore Adonai by Mechizedekian priesthood, is clearly greater than Abraham, the father of the Hebrews (Hebrews 7:4-7), because Abraham blesses him.  Thus, He will fulfill being “a priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace will be between the two offices” (Zechariah 6:13).  But who is this “Branch” (Zechariah 6:12), this Lord, this king, this priest, this champion?  The proclamation of who is laid out in careful sequence with abundant evidence in the New Testament.  I want to write about that another day.

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Orange Dots

Posted in Beauty, General, God Thoughts, tagged , , , , , on February 2, 2010| Leave a Comment »

During the collection of insects last semester one of my students collected a moth.  After a day in the ziplock there were small round dots in the container. “What are they?”  We put them under a microscope and there appeared these translucent moth eggs.  They contain an embryo you can see, looking almost like crystals, and ridges on the outer coat.  A “hair” projects off to the left.  There is little doubt that a knowledgeable scientist could identify the species of moth by these characteristics.  My students and I were fascinated by the intricate design. And why shouldn’t we be considering the Infinite Designer?  And in six short days; is it any wonder many try to deny such a mind boggling display of intelligence and power?  “For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them” (Exodus 20:11)

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Review of what we should have learned

Posted in Cultural commentary, General, Random thoughts, tagged , , on February 2, 2010| Leave a Comment »

If the students at the school where I teach selected me to be their faculty speaker at graduation, here is the speech I would deliver to them.
    Class of 2010, congratulations on the progress of your education to this point of graduation from high school.
Congratulations to your parents and relatives and friends who have loved you and encouraged you and helped you to this place and time.
    As you mark this occaision and move on to other pursuits I would like to look back and review with you some lessons I believe you should have learned in school and look forward to apply them to wherever you may find yourself….
[details in the next post….a list of the topics here]
1. Life is full of tests.
2. Integrity is the glue of society.
3. Atoms are real but cannot be touched.
4. You cannot touch without being touched.
5. Bored is not a circumstance; it is a state of mind.
6. The scientific method is a useful tool in everyday life.
7. The speed of light is constant and so are many other things.
8. Proper grammar is useful for your progress.
9. You are more than the sum of your parts.
10. History does not repeat itself; it is linear.
I can’t much imagine being asked to speak but if I did are you curious about what I’d say?

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A Servant’s Ambition

Posted in General, God Thoughts, Poem, Remembering, tagged , , on January 26, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Like most anyone else I have experienced ambitions to succeed at this or try that or do the other.  As the years have passed my thoughts of ambition have continued to some small degree though experience has quelled the impulse to apply action to those desires.  The desires to do something noteworthy that have most bewildered me are those I thought to be directed at glorifying God.  Evidently all too many of them were colored by personal ambition I did not understand.  As I reflected on God’s goodness, my failure to take ahold of Him to the degree I desired or serve Him in the way I thought desirable, I saw in my mind’s eye what my ambition should be.  I possess because of His gift a most precious resource.  I don’t want misunderstanding of my poem so consider that holding the jug means to possess the gospel while raising it refers to witness, that is, offering the gospel, and pouring would equate with praying with someone to receive Christ:
Only a lowly servant holding a water jar
But oh, refreshing contents rescued the very same
Now to offer water to travelers near and far
Brings joy to him and to his Master fame
 
Standing by the seated Master pouring on command
As one by one thirsty souls file past the servant there
Water offered unto all, received by those pre-planned
Await the Master’s nod, then pour with flare
 
Why so rarely raised the jug Master offers to all?
Servant holding back more for self that supply not fail?
The joy is more when raised or poured, not one drop will fall
Every single draught will for sin avail
 

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