News Junkie

I have been a "News Junkie" all of my adult life. I have often subscribed to several papers as I feel that one source of information is not enough. Some papers are biased to the right and other are biased to the left. I would also flip from one TV news to the other for the same reason.

Then came cable news and the Internet - wow you could have information over load!

I daily read my local papers, BBC News and Deutsche Welle [pronounced vella] and others. Then there is all kinds of cable news CNN, MSNBC, FOX, CBC, and well you know the line up.

I am aware of the bias of each and that is fine with me as it gives me a chance to sort out some truth. Well that is not always easy with both major parties playing dirty tricks with "Leaks" that are not true.  But the over seas news gives me a wider perspective that helps me understand how other nations look at the US. It take a lot of study to take it all in.

Eastern Good Friday

It is Good Firday for the Eastern Orthodox Churches so I extend my greetings and blessings to all my brothers and sisters.

A special Good Friday blessing to my friend Dr. Sveta Babkinka in Moscow who just had a baby girl.

Voice From Above ;-)

A pastor asked a member of the church to fix some wiring in the sanctuary. The only way to work on it was to enter a small crawl space over the ceiling and balance on the rafters.

His wife was concerned that it was a very dangerous thing to do and insisted on coming along to make sure he was safe. She sat in the pew while he went up to the second floor and entered the crawl space access over the sanctuary ceiling. While she waited in the pew with eyes glued to the ceiling a small group of women entered the sanctuary to replace the flowers. They assumed she was praying and left her alone.

After a time she called up to the ceiling, "Henry, are you up there? Did you make it OK?"

There was quite an outburst from the other ladies when they heard Henry's loud voice echo down, "Yes honey I made it just fine and I am OK."

Being Faithful on the Journey

Birthday's are like milestones marking the distance we have traveled through our journey in life. My wife keeps reminding me that I have one coming up by saying, "What do you want to do on your birthday?"

She is a sweetheart who is taking a vacation day so that she can be with me all day to make that milestone enjoyable. I will be 67 which means that I will move from mid-sixties to late-sixties. I think that is starting to sound ancient and not just old anymore. With the max life span about 120 I can look at it as just being middle-aged.

When I pray about it God reminds me that I am on a unique journey and only God know how long that journey will be so my part is to faithfully walk the path set out for me. In case you are wondering, I am at peace with my age and place on the journey. I feel so blessed to have come this far and accomplished all that I have so far. I will keep walking as long as God gives me strength and direction.

From Dust TO Dust

Most young people feel that they are invulnerable but there comes a frightening moment when we come to the realization that the  material of which we are made is fragile. Perhaps we suffer a serious injury or a close friend is killed. It may be that a doctor gives us a diagnosis of a fatal illness. There comes that moment in time when we see ourselves for what we are  --- simply dust of the earth. The funeral commitment reads "ashes to ashes and dust to dust." How many times have I said that.

In the right hands it is amazing what can be done with dust. A lump of clay - dust with water added - can become a thing of beauty. A potter can mold clay into almost any shape and make it useful. Clay slapped on a potters wheel spins and with a little pressure rises up to interesting shapes. If you find yourself on the potters wheel, pushed and prodded  seemingly spinning out of control you may feel dizzy and scared. Don't forget that the master potter is fashioning a container for a most prized treasure.

Day by day we are becoming vessels through which God can pour out the Holy Spirit to bless the world around us.  

Sons of Abraham

Ishmael the first son of Abraham and Isaac his second son and heir were parted but came back together to bury their father. Ishmael had 12 sons who the Arabs today claim were their ancestors.

Over the generations the sons of Ishmael and the sons of Isaac have both partnered with each other and fought against each other. It has been a sibling rivarly for a very long time and continues.

Can brothers ever make up? It is possilbe but difficult when blood has been shed on both sides so many times in the past. It will not be easy. Perhaps they need family therphy instead of peace talks.

What do you think?

Resurrection Sunday

Happy Resurrections Sunday!