Thirty Years of Infinity: Part One

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Nearly thirty years ago – I’m not sure exactly when (either third or fourth grade, I think) – I found a book in my elementary school’s cafeteria/library during “library hour” and began to read it. I had never heard of it, but it looked somewhat promising. It was called, The Mouse and His Child. I’m pretty sure I devoured it during that hour; although I may have checked it out and taken it home to finish. Regardless, I remember a particular incident with that book.

Up until that time, I had simply read books for pleasure without realizing the enormity of their inherent power. Sure, I had read textbooks which taught me things that would change my life, but “pleasure reading” was simply that – fluff for fluff’s sake. This time, though, things changed.

I discovered something truly mind-blowing.

As I sat reading, I imaged the story in my mind. At one point, I became fully entrenched in the story. What I remember now is one simple scene that introduced me to the greater reality of stories – they can teach you about Truth while still retaining their fictions. The scene as I think about it now really could not have been as profound as my nine or ten year old brain made it out to be, but it has stuck with me through the years.

A little mouse had sunk to the bottom of a creek or pond and stood before an empty can of dog food. On the can was a picture of a dog holding a can of dog food upon which was a picture of a dog holding a can of dog food, and it continued for as far as the little mouse could see, always a smaller dog and can.

I kept trying to figure out when the progression would stop until I finally came to the realization that it might not ever stop.

Wham! Welcome to the concept of infinity!

Sure I had heard of the concept before in church or on PBS, but I hadn’t ever really considered what it meant.
This revelation of the immeasurability of infinity blew my mind – in a good way.

I finished the book, and thoroughly enjoyed it, but I soon forgot the title and could not find the book again. I didn’t really think of the book again until I had children of my own; although, I did often remember that scene.

Finally, a few years ago, I determined to find the book and spent much time searching the internet for more information. After a while, I figured out the title.

Recently, my wife, knowing my high regard for the book, bought it for me and the kids. They haven’t read it yet. I want to read it first.

My plan is to write about my new adventures with this book after thirty years. How have I changed? How are my perceptions of it this time around? What can I learn from it now?

I did read the first chapter last night, but I’ll talk about that later. In fact, I think I’ll take it chapter by chapter – so I’ll write more soon.

Later.
K+

When Amy Grant Broke My Heart

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I remember hearing my first Amy Grant song, “Father’s Eyes”, when I was around nine years old. I loved her voice, but when I saw my first picture of her. Well, I fell in love, or whatever emotion a boy has for a girl (True, she was a few years older than I at the time, but that’s irrelevant.) Anyway, I was hooked, but as I was still so young and girls were supposed to be “yucky”, I pretended not to be interested.

I didn’t become a stalker or anything bizarre like that – in fact, I didn’t think much about her unless I heard her voice on the radio or unless my mom played her cassette of Ms. Grant’s. I idealized this young lady who was beautiful, talented and a dedicated Christian. She was what I wanted for my future. I loved to sing and loved my God. Perhaps someday I could marry someone as special as her – maybe even her!

As I got older, those thoughts still percolated in my mind – not that I actually would ever have a chance to even meet Miss Grant, but that I might win the love of a similarly spectacular goddess.

And then our youth group planned to go to a special concert – Amy Grant was coming to town, and I would have the opportunity to see her in person! I was so excited; though I played it off pretty well at the time – at least I thought I did. To this day I think my mom knew I had a secret crush on Amy, but she never once made fun of me or mentioned it.

So, I went to the outdoor concert expectant and hoping that maybe somehow God would arrange to allow me the chance to meet the lovely Christian woman I so hoped to know. I must have been about fourteen or fifteen at the time. My hormones were going crazy I’m sure, and my emotions were all over the place. Life was a roller-coaster ride from day to day. I could not wait at least to see her on stage.

She never showed.

It turned out she got sick and couldn’t perform, so her friends – a guy named Michael Smith and another named Russ Taff – showed up and performed instead. I was absolutely crushed. Do not worry fair reader, this incident is not where my heart was broken.

Several years later after I had mostly gotten over my Amy-philia, she released an album called House of Love which I bought and thoroughly enjoyed. It was full of love songs, and it made me so happy. It seemed to tell the story of how love should be and how it could be in a Christian life with determination and love being wed together in a life of a couple committed to live together in the Lord. Her duet with Vince Gill, “House of Love”, ignited my imagination and made me long for a wife while the other songs on the album all complemented and dealt with the issues of loving relationships.

This album cemented the idol I had made of Amy. Though she had married another singer, Gary Chapman, (which I still hadn’t quite gotten over) and had children with him, I accepted their relationship as a beautiful testimony and example for all men and women. I wanted her – well, someone like her – to be mine too! She was like Mary, Jesus’ mother, a holy, unblemished woman that stood for Christian wholeness and beauty. She was the nadir of Christian living. Two thousand years of the Christian world had brought us to the point where we had this enthralling woman of virtue whom the whole world could respect for her morality and talents as the preeminent voice of Christian entertainment. (Now, of course I’m being somewhat hyperbolic, but I’m speaking for what I now see I had done in my mind to Ms. Grant.)

I had made of her an idol of amazing proportions.

Then “it” happened.

You probably know the story.

My Christian queen filed for divorce from her husband and married her duet partner from the “House of Love”.

Again, I was crushed, but in so many more ways than when I was a teenager. This woman whom I had come not only to respect, but to adore quietly and ardently had just ridiculed my own convictions on the sanctity of marriage, while at the same time completely destroying my pubescent paradigm of her presumed righteousness. My “Christian” Aphrodite had become mortal, and worse, she had become (in my myopic vision) an adulteress – the opposite of the woman I had created her to be in my tiny little mind.

I got rid of all my Amy Grant tapes. I couldn’t listen to her without feeling conflicted and even rejected. Her divorce destroyed my image of female perfection in my mind. I had to quickly shove her music and appearance out of my life so I could make room for a new ideal of female virtue. Every time I heard her or saw her (on TV, etc.), I became angry and heavyhearted. In fact, I didn’t understand the Truth of what was happening. I thought I was mad at her because of her unfaithfulness and selfishness.

I am ashamed to say that it was not until very recently (several years later) that I finally had my epiphany regarding what Amy really did to me. In fact, I am still figuring it out as I write this note. I think I’ll probably still be learning what all it means for a long time yet to come.

Here it is, though. (And if I’m anywhere near a decent writer, I hope you’ve figured out where I’m going.)

About a year ago I read an article from a Christian writer who used to report for a popular Christian music magazine who publicly asked Ms. Grant to forgive him for some things that were written about her at the time of her divorce. The article got me thinking about how I had never “forgiven” her, and I realized I needed to work on it. So, I forgave her and moved on.

I went to the library yesterday and ran across a couple of her albums, House of Love and Heart in Motion. I really loved both albums at one point, and I’ve wanted to share her song, “Baby, Baby” with my own children, because I use it often when referring to them (my babies).

As I listen to her music today, I find some of that old pain coming back – that “betrayal” and sorrow. As I’ve been wondering why, I’ve come to understand some shocking things about myself.

Amy Grant never really broke my heart.

I broke my own heart. It was not Amy that made herself into a goddess. She never asked me to place her on a pedestal of Christian virtue. She never claimed to be the example for any Christian to follow. She sung of her failures and difficulties while extolling the wonders of our Almighty God. She was real and human. I was the one who did not understand. I caused the trouble in my own soul because I made her into something she was not and was never would have wanted to be.

The anger and bitterness towards Ms. Grant had little to do with her or her divorce. It has everything to do with my misplaced values. I defined concepts of Christianity through a fanciful imagination of what one person seemed to be – not the reality of the Triune God.

When we look to humans to be our gods, we find only trouble for ourselves. I never intended, and up until now, I never would have thought that I had put her in such an exalted position in my life, but I had, and I did.

Amy is still the same person she has always been – or at least I assume she hasn’t changed much, not many people do. I’ve never met her, and I doubt I ever will. She’s on the same journey as I. Just like me, she’s a flawed and frail person with mistakes and sorrows of her own.

Sometimes we put people in places they have no right to be. Only the True God can be the paragon of virtue and righteousness. Only God shines for us as that perfect example of love and morality. We must keep our eyes firmly fixed on our heavenly Father and seek Him at all times, or we will get lost in self-indulgence, selfishness and foolish thinking.

Amy, I will always love you for sharing your wonderful talents with the world, and ultimately with me through the gift of your recorded music. Though you’ll never know me, I hope forgiveness will find its way from you to me for being so critical and stupid. You never deserved my condemnation or judgment. You simply needed my prayers. I’m sorry. May God bless you and your family, and may His healing and grace abound in your lives.

Skyline Review: Invasion of the Plot Snatchers

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Wow. I haven’t been affected by so many special effects as far as I can remember. Which after the light show from the movie I just saw is not surprising due to the flash-induced memory-loss.

Let’s see how many movies, novels, etc. can easily be linked to the movie called Skyline.

Let’s see…

Independence Day, The Matrix movies, Cloverfield, A Wrinkle in Time and A Wind in the Door by Madeline L’Engle, Predator and the most recent Predators, Starship Troopers, various stories by H. P. Lovecraft, Sphere, some Star Wars. I’m sure there are plenty of other ties and inspirations for this thrill-trip of a movie with which I am unaware – probably some
Invasion of Body Snatchers and the like, but I’m not familiar enough of the others to be sure.

I don’t know if an original idea exists in Skyline; although they do take derivations to new heights. As I mentioned before, the special effects are quite intense and fairly remarkable. The movies to which the creators of this film seem to be hugely indebted are Cloverfield, Independence Day and The Matrix saga.

Aside from its extremely derived nature, I won’t spoil the plot, but I will touch on a few things that really annoyed me with the film.

One – it primarily takes place in an apartment. While the directors/producers/whomever seemed to provide a reasonable excuse for cutting costs by staying in one location for the majority of the film, I found it at times to be untenable.

Two – The token black male bites it fairly early. This Hollywood trope has become ridiculous and needs to end. The black male lead truly seems to have potential in this film despite his obvious shortcomings (adulterous letch). The producers though won’t let this turn into a true take-off of Independence Day though, the black man must die in this one. Boo. Please, talk about a retread plot line that has become disgusting in its pandering. Just because the black male in the film is highly successful in a legitimate venture does not mean Hollywood is spreading the ideal of “equality” of races. I’ll stop now, because it’s just making me angrier thinking about the disingenuous treatment of race relations by mindless writing.

Three – The INCREDIBLE luck afforded the main character and his girlfriend as they miraculously avoid being turned into burning goo by falling debris stretches the believability factor so far that I almost laughed. Don’t get me wrong. I did laugh, but that was near the end of the movie.

Four – The end of the movie. I still cannot believe they ended the movie the way they did. I would like to say it was a big let-down, but I can’t quite say that as the ending was telegraphed pretty early. Unfortunately, it ended before it ended. Yes, that’s right folks, we get an inconclusive ending that leaves us with the unenviable plight of waiting for a sequel to see a real resolution to this cinematic booger.

Okay. Enough ranting. Some serious issues came through the film that may or may not have been intended by the makers (I’m pretty sure they were not trying to be very deep, but I came away with some deep questions and observations which I will now – perhaps to your chagrin – share.)

Skyline is about the end of the world as we know it. Bright lights appear in Los Angeles and draw people to look at them. As they look they are changed and sucked away, eventually, we find out to feed aliens. The fight becomes difficult and nearly impossible for Man to win. The aliens are taking over. It is simply a matter of time.

It seems to me that this idea of the “inevitability” of defeat is a product of the struggles in our political and social life. Socialism and its sister worldviews call for a global struggle against oppressors that seem all-powerful, to the numbing of individuality and the pursuit of group (i.e. species) survival. Arguments will be made against this view, as the protagonist’s individuality becomes the focal point of the climax, but his individualism is swallowed by the tone of the movie that proclaims the inevitability of defeat. Some hope exists at the end of the movie, but it is nearly indecipherable from the hell and horror that surrounds it.

The movie also proclaims a rabid agnosticism. Man is simply a sum of his parts without soul. His brain may house his intellect, but it only offers hope for a possibly select few who might be able to tap into something extra through the unintended aid of his oppressors. In the movie, though, no true justice exists. No external force for good and righteousness. Stuff happens, and you gotta cover your own derriere. Man has no “spirit” of himself except that which is found in the rare person who overcomes through the triumph of his will. It seems to be very nietzschean, calling for the uber-mensch to rise up and destroy the alien overlords.

Our culture is fascinated with destroying the concept of “God” and replacing it with the self-made man who overcomes all obstacles to his prominence. For them, and for this film, man should rise above all others, not because he is made in the image of the Creator of the universe, but because he wills dominance through his own desire.

If I were to rate the film, I would give it a four out of ten, with ten being best. I really did enjoy the movie, for the most part while enduring it in the theater. It was an overwhelming experience from which I am still recovering. My problems with the film come from its overly-derivative nature, simplistic plot, poor philosophical backbone and – as far as I’m concerned – terribly lame ending. I would not encourage anyone to waste time or money on this film, unless they simply want to go on a little mindless adventure that does not require deep thought. In fact, it is a better film if you don’t overthink it. If I learned anything positive from the film, it would be that the books, stories and films that inspired this mish-mash were so far beyond it, that I can hardly wait to experience them again for the thought-provoking, and enjoyment they provoked in me in years gone by.

The Long-Forgotten Ideal

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I love my country. I love knowing for what She has stood over the last 234 years. She has been a bastion of liberty and hope for mankind in the political sphere. Her beacon of freedom has shone throughout the world as a reminder of the promise of Man.

With all of her beauty, She still has a few blemishes and retains some scars from her past. Perhaps predominant among Her foibles is the nature of Her origin.

My Nation came to be through the commitment of men to the ideas of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, but in order to be birthed, Her leaders had to rebel against their own leaders.

The Land of Liberty was born through rebellion. While I agree with the need to create this country and to stand up against tyranny and “taxation without representation”, the fact of the matter is that defiance to authority was the midwife in this nation’s first moments.

I grieve for my Nation because I do not believe she has left behind the nature of Her birth. Rebellion, defiance and lack of respect for authority pervade our nation, perhaps now more than ever.

Truly, rebellion is part of Man’s nature. One of the first words most children learn is “no”. That first time my own children openly defy me is one of the hardest ones in my life. Obedience is not easy. It is not what most people want to do.

This Nation has difficulty accepting the concept of obedience. It pervades our society. For the past forty to fifty years, our leaders in the culture have celebrated new ways to defy any authority. From burnt bras to crosses dipped in urine, cultural heads have proclaimed all things as fair game for defiance and rebellion.

The idea of freedom of speech has superseded any commitment to righteous living. Things considered sacred are intentionally targeted for ridicule and hate – because these purveyors of “personal liberty” prefer to proliferate a passion for pluralism, rather than perfection and purity. The most insane thing to me is that those who would demand their freedom to say whatever they wish at the same time mandate that anyone who believes that Truth is not multifaceted or multi-headed must be silenced, shunned and stilled until they come to the righteous conclusions of a correct understanding of cultural diversity.

Even though our forefathers had this inherent weakness in this nation’s founding – rebellion – they understood the need for obedience to something greater. They created the Constitution to guide us and form a bond with the people of this nation to promote equality among its citizens who would not be governed through fear or tyranny, but through reasoned discourse by God-fearing leaders – which brings me to the whole point of this article.

We are a nation of people who have lost hold of the importance of the practice of obedience. Nowhere in society, except for those professions which involve armed force, is obedience an appreciated trait.

Not only should our citizens be clamoring for our leaders to be obedient to the foundational truths of our nation as found in the Constitution, we should question ourselves as to whether or not we are being appropriately obedient to the One who made us.

So many issues facing our country today could be solved simply by focusing on the question, “Am I being obedient to the revealed will of God?”

“But!?!?” Someone will retort, “You can’t push your moral and religious views on the nation!”

Why not? Everyone else is? All the issues we deal with are moral. All of them have something to do with a theological outlook. Is God central to our thoughts and practices? Or are we more concerned with ourselves and our own thoughts?

Regardless of what “religion” anyone is, the core of the will of God can be summed up in a statement that is not only reasonable but foundational to all men. “Love God with your whole self (body, mind, spirit), and love your neighbor as yourself.” How can we get more simple (or profound)?

We must be obedient to these commands if we hope for a brighter tomorrow and a better self. Love is the Answer and the Key to Truth. Give it a chance. Seek to love God with your whole self. Seek to love your neighbor as yourself. It ain’t easy, but it’s right.

Licorice Indulgence

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A few weeks ago as my family and I were shopping for a shower curtain in Bed, Bath and Beyond, I came across a bag of “gourmet” licorice. Now, I haven’t had any “plain” black licorice in years — I’m talking probably nearly twenty. While I had never heard of the brand, Lucky Country, I had seen their bags around and was intrigued.

See, what intrigued me was not the licorice or the brand or the packaging, but the fact that when I saw it, I remembered Grandpa. He died about ten years ago. My parents divorced when I was young, and I was raised by my mother. She moved “back home”, and we lived with her parents for many years. Grandpa remains in my heart and mind as a very foundational figure.

If I were to compare him to any “commonly” known fictional character, I would have to refer to him as Archie Bunker. Grandpa was a cantankerous sort. He liked to argue simply to shake things up and make others think. If you did not have a decent argument to come back with, you were wise not to try to argue. He enjoyed discussion for discussion’s sake. He believed that if you could not defend your arguments then you did not need to bother expressing them.

Unlike many today, he did not base his ideas on emotions. He would get emotional about his beliefs, but he methodically constructed his defenses and arguments through reason. He was a very typical white, Anglo-saxon, Protestant in mindset and opinion.

I remember at times being frustrated with some of his views; although I probably could not tell you exactly why at this point — that was decades ago. Through his consistent reminder to think and process thoughts, I believe I have become a fairly well-reasoned individual.

Like him, I am very conservative in most of my religious, political and social views, and like him, I look towards reason to inform my thoughts and decisions. I know that if he were alive today, he and I would have discussions aplenty about things that we probably would disagree — I tend to be a little more progressive in my thoughts regarding “race” and women’s rights than he was. However, I think I would probably win him over to my thinking through well-reasoned, probably somewhat heated discussions.

As I was saying before, I found this bag of black licorice candy that reminded me of Grandpa. I never knew a lot about him, but one thing I remember quite vividly was his fondness for black licorice.

It was never my favorite candy, but I liked it.

I am now a father of five (with a sixth on the way). I hope to teach my own children the value of reason and thoughtful discussion.

There are so many things I am thankful to God for about Grandpa — so many memories that bring back good times from my childhood where he might have taken me fishing or to work or the like.

I bought the licorice. Each bite brings back little memories of him. Each taste reminds me of times long gone — times special to me because I was blessed to know my Grandpa.

The Coolest Toy — EVER!

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As I was driving home earlier today, I engaged in a seemingly too-frequent act of self-obsessed pondering about my lack of cool “toys”. Many of my friends and many more acquaintances have all those new gadgets and time-wasters/savers that seem to be all the rage. I am sure I would use them for good effect — to have all my contacts available at will — to learn foreign languages while on the road or out doing little else. And the games, well, they’re just fun and enjoyable time-users.

I remembered as a child the really neat toys that I wanted. The G.I. Joe Aircraft Carrier would have been so awesome! A customized tree house/play set to go on imaginary journeys and secret myself in a hideout for hours on end. At one point, I desperately wanted a “Trash 80″ computer (TRS 80) which I had learned to use in middle school. Oooo, and then there were those compact laptop computers carried by Radio Shack. I wanted all of those toys so bad and many, many others.

I never got most of them, and I’m thankful now that I didn’t. I recognize that getting all the things you want can lead to a fat life full of self and devoid of understanding of true want, real need and compassion for others.

I do not want to misrepresent myself here. I am pretty happy in my life and understand that I have chosen to give up certain things to lead the life I lead. At times though, the questions rise up and the desire for “things of this world” rears its all-too-often ugly, yet embarrassingly real head.

As I contemplated these things, however, the following thoughts occurred to me:

Each of the things I want costs money. I would have to spend something on them. What then am I spending my money on now that I would have to change?

House, utilities, food and clothes (for five kids and two adults), medical bills, toys for the kids and the like.

None of these things are “toys” for me. Where’s my smart phone or tablet computer? Why can’t “I” have a “Gamer’s” game console or a PC dedicated to high end graphics and video game play? Why should I not have a super zippy fun sports car to fly through traffic?

Then, through the fog of selfish these thoughts, a still, small voice spoke into the recesses of my soul… “I gave you something better than toys. I gave you children.”

My mind stopped its deep questing for a moment and lay silent. You know… if I stopped looking at my children as obligations (which I truly don’t “only” do)… if I took each one of them and reacted to them as the most awesome toys ever given to anyone, then perhaps my entire perspective on the joys of life might be fundamentally altered.

You see, no computer can do the cool things my kids can do. They can imagine games instantaneously that put to shame any computer game ever devised. They can outperform any robot in abilities to move, run, jump, follow orders, be creative, etc. They have the potential to be soldiers, doctors, ministers, leaders, mothers, fathers, that make any imaginary heroes life pale in comparison. They can learn from me and teach me. And most importantly of all, they love me — not just in return for the love I give them but in spite of me.

And one cool bonus, I get to keep them as my children forever, and one day I hope to call them friends, boon companions as well as fellow-heirs in Christ.

One last “cool” note: As I sit typing this piece, the song “Treasure” from the album Beyond These Shores by Iona is playing in the background. In it is quoted a tidy bit of Scripture, “Where your treasure is, there is your heart.” Where is our treasure? Do we value the gifts God gives, even when they might not be just what we thought we wanted?

I hope you do. I pray I will not only treasure these incredible God-given toys, but that I might embrace each moment with them as a chance to enjoy God’s riches in glory through these little pieces of joy handed to me for such a short time.

God bless you.

Love,
K+

Borrowed from a Friend’s Blog: “Others May, You Cannot” by G.D. Watson

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I’ve not done this before, but I found this so compelling I had to share it. A friend of mine posted this on her blog and I thought it was fantastic. I am not linking directly to her blog, because I don’t have permission to give it out — she may not want me to, but if she has no problem with it, I’ll add the link in later.

*** Here’s the link to my friend, Anna’s, blog: http://annawood.wordpress.com/ ***

Anyway, here goes:

“If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.”
(Matthew 16:24-25)

If God has called you to be truly like Jesus in all your spirit, He will draw you into a life of crucifixion and humility. He will put on you such demands of obedience that you will not be allowed to follow other Christians. In many ways, He seems to let other good people do things which He will not let you do.

Others who seem to be very religious and useful may push themselves, pull wires, and scheme to carry out their plans, but you cannot. If you attempt it, you will meet with such failure and rebuke from the Lord as to make you sorely penitent.

Others can brag about themselves, their work, their successes, their writings, but the Holy Spirit will not allow you to do any such thing. If you begin to do so, He will lead you into some deep mortification that will make you despise yourself and all your good works.

Others will be allowed to succeed in making great sums of money, or having a legacy left to them, or in having luxuries, but God may supply you only on a day-to-day basis, because He wants you to have something far better than gold, a helpless dependence on Him and His unseen treasury.

The Lord may let others be honored and put forward while keeping you hidden in obscurity because He wants to produce some choice, fragrant fruit for His coming glory, which can only be produced in the shade.

God may let others be great, but keep you small. He will let others do a work for Him and get the credit, but He will make you work and toil without knowing how much you are doing. Then, to make your work still more precious, He will let others get the credit for the work which you have done; this to teach you the message of the Cross, humility, and something of the value of being cloaked with His nature.

The Holy Spirit will put a strict watch on you, and with a jealous love rebuke you for careless words and feelings, or for wasting your time, which other Christians never seem distressed over.

So make up your mind that God is an infinite Sovereign and has a right to do as He pleases with His own, and that He may not explain to you a thousand things which may puzzle your reason in His dealings with you.

God will take you at your word. If you absolutely sell yourself to be His slave, He will wrap you up in a jealous love and let other people say and do many things that you cannot. Settle it forever; you are to deal directly with the Holy Spirit, He is to have the privilege of tying your tongue or chaining your hand or closing your eyes in ways which others are not dealt with. However, know this great secret of the Kingdom: When you are so completely possessed with the Living God that you are, in your secret heart, pleased and delighted over this peculiar, personal, private, jealous guardianship and management of the Holy Spirit over your life, you will have found the vestibule of heaven, the high calling of God.

Hero

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I want to be a hero.

Doesn’t everyone? Granted, some claim to want to be a “villain” or “anti-hero” — usually so they can get what they “want” — but most people (in their right mind) seem to want to be a hero.

Why is that? What is it about being a hero that is so endemic to our nature?

I suggest it has to do with whom God intended us to be. We are supposed to be leaders, thinkers, believers in the dominance and power of love. Love is not solely about nice things we do or sweet feelings.

Love is about defending the fatherless and the widow. It’s about taking care of the sick and the homeless. Love is about defending the honor of the maiden from the hands of those that would seek to do her evil.

We want to be heroes because deep down inside we know that true love is about heroic action in life.

Jesus shone forth that Truth to the utmost — He gave His life so that we might live. “What greater love is there than a man lay down his life for his friends?”

Go on, be a hero. Work at loving your neighbor.

I want to. I need to. I yearn to love as God loves and to be a hero like my Jesus.

Do you?

Evolve — a Rant

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I am so sick and tired of people using the word “evolve” as though it has some magical, mystical meaning. It simply means “change”. That’s it. No big deal. Evolution is a process of change. We sit and dither about the meaning or process of “evolution” — it’s just a concept of how change came about in our world.

Not that I agree with the theories of Macro-evolution and Darwinianism. Far from it… I become more beholden to my “creationist” roots nearly every day as I read what “science” purports to be “evidence” for evolution (read: change). It is just as logical to me that God could create the world in six days as He could over millions or billions of years. And given the testimony of Scripture — which has stories supposedly passed down from Adam himself — I do not have an incipient need to reject their assurances of God’s design and activity within the created order.

Because of our “scientifically”-oriented culture, the word “evolve” has evolved into a word that conveys some sort of primal power. When some use the word “evolve” when explaining what they plan to do in life, it is truly laughable when its cognate “change” is used. We go from someone being high-minded to someone sounding utterly foolish, when they’ve never actually said anything different.

For example, Tom Brady’s statement that the Patriots will “evolve” due to one of their player’s injuries would sound inane or at least silly coming from this supposedly intelligent and reasonable individual. His statement becomes “our team will have to change a little bit” without the player. Really?!?! Do you think so? Wow! Imagine that.

I think what people expect from usage of the term evolve nowadays is that we become better through the changes we endure which is not always true. We can overcome the negative things in our lives and eventually find ways to better ourselves, but not all change is good nor beneficial.

Simply put, please stop using the word evolve with this false sense of superiority that seems inherent in its use, as though through evolution we’ll get better. It’s not the change that makes us better — it’s our response to change that determines how beneficial it is.

Okay, thanks for letting me bend your ears. Rant off.

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Well, it has been a few days since I last posted — mostly due to craziness around the home.

I don’t have much to say right at the moment except to let you know I’m still around and to post something.

I’ll try to get more up soon.

Always,
K+