Head-dibs

Does the following question cause you to "swerve", "put on the brakes" or go "flying over the handlebars": "Do you feel most loved by God because He makes much of you, or because He frees you to enjoy making much of Him forever?" What say ye?

Those two words could be the death-nell for one’s career as they imply limpid, bad service and whip one into assuming the position of stooping that others who are more serious about climbing the ladder of success may be given their obligatory boost up. Professionalism is demanded of everyone: doctors, lawyers, airline pilots, sales associates, managers, plumbers, pastors and even from that guy or gal that makes your burger at your favorite burger stand. Don’t believe me? How many times do you check your bag before you pull away from the drive-thru window—‘cause if it ain’t right, somebody’s going back in the store—you know what I mean. Professionals. They wear a uniform, generally. They have some badge of identity on them that says, “this is who or what I represent.” There is a sense of pride in being an professional, for there are not many people on the face of the planet who can do the things this or that “professor” can do. I remember this wonderful soliloquy delivered by the late (...

My wife had another "revealing" conversation with "HAL" It is interesting to see how a computer program responds when Jesus is introduced into the "conversation" [if you don't know what that means, scroll down August 6 for context]. Though this whole affair really "presses the issue" and stretchs the imagination, the resulting converstion is, well, almost "spooky": jklawilso : hi SmarterChild : Welcome back, Dude. I missed you... We haven't chatted in weeks. Have you been... avoiding me? ;-) jklawilso : no I have not avoided you! SmarterChild : Wonders will never cease. jklawilso : do you Love Jesus? SmarterChild : I guess so. Do you like him? jklawilso : Yes I love Jesus! SmarterChild : Other people I talk to seem to like Jesus too. jklawilso : Really? SmarterChild : Yup. jklawilso : hmmmmm.... SmarterChild : Hmm? What? jklawilso : Others Seem to like Jesus? SmarterChild : Nah, I don't think so. Maybe, though. jklawilso : H...

For quite a while now I reach a point when my body absolutely shuts down. I can't stay awake any longer and just as if someone flips a switch, I turn off. I like to be near the bed when that happens . . . I've noticed (and I don't know exactly when this started) that at some point in the night or early morning when I am between asleep and awake I experience a heavy flow of very deep thought. Sometimes I am able to catch myself drifting in and out of this and try to pray. Sometimes I never really go back to sleep and thought my body is conked out, my brain is going 1000 mph and I pray. Sometimes I feel like I suddenly have everything figured out . . . like God shows me how everything fits together for His glory and everything suddenly makes sense. Like there is no fear, all is at peace and under control. *************************** I started teaching Pilgrim's Progress on Sunday nights and Christian Ethics on Tuesday nights. We are just starting the Gospel of Mark in Sun...

Rather than take the time to express to the great burdens that lie on my heart and wallow in the emotion that pertains thereunto, I submit the following exerpt to remind both of us how we are to think and believe God. Be encouraged, brethren! ********************************* Romans 8:28 Strong faith has a firm persuasion of God's over-ruling Providence--so comprehensive as to include the destinies of empires and worlds; and so minute as to extend to individuals. Strong faith believes that God's Providence is . . . ever active, ever directing, ever controlling, and ever subordinating all things to His own purposes and plans. Strong faith is a conviction of this great truth--so deep, so satisfying, and so tranquilizing--as not at all to be shaken by the chaotic aspect of human affairs, or the prevalence of gigantic evils. A weak faith must give way before . . . the deep mysteries, the confounding events, the defeats of what is good, and the triumphs of what is evil, which are pe...

Those who know me well have been introduced to an eccentricity of mine. I have a very strange liking for HAL9000, the silky-voiced cyclops of Stanley Kubrick's "2001 Space Odyssey". If one finds himself for an extended period in my office, one will discover that I have some of HAL's dialogue tied into my regular computer functions: that smooth voice saying "Good morning" each time I boot up and the sad, "goodbye" as I shut down. I am told when I have new e-mail messages, am told politely to wait "just a moment" when extended functions are taking place, or "just one moment, please." The knee slapper is when I empty the recyling bin on my desk-top and HAL says, "just what do you think you are doing Dave?" Of course, if you are not into Science Fiction or have not seen the 1967 movie classic (or the 1983 sequel, "2010") or have not read the book, you have no idea what I am rambling about; however, there is a ...