Redneck noise, dude, that's all it is. Make about as much sense as you do.

The question will at times come up regarding Christian music as to what inherently makes it "Christian." Is it the lyrics or the style or both?

I didn't realize, however, that the same is true in other music genres (e.g., country).

From the July 28, 2008 edition of Country Weekly:

"I have a great life, but I want to hear songs about drinking, cheating and dogs dying. That's country music to me."
-Miranda Lambert

P.S. It's amazing what you can find to read waiting your turn in the barber shop.

cf. I'm expressing my inner anguish through the majesty of song.

There can be only one!

Recently reading the following sparked an enlightening exercise.

"If R.C. [Sproul] only had one book in prison: The Bible. Only one chapter: Isaiah 6. Only one verse: Genesis 15:6. Only one book from the Bible: Hebrews."

Hmm. What about me? This was harder than I thought it would be, but ...

If I was isolated somewhere (e.g., the joint), and was limited, I would want the following:

• Only One Book: Bible
• Only One Chapter: Isaiah 53
• Only One Verse: 2 Corinthians 5:21
• Only One Book from the Bible: John

How about you?

That's amazing, so much love, and also so much information.

From the other room, I heard my four year old ask her older sister, "Why do people close their eyes when they get a hug?"

Interesting little person question, I thought.

So, I called her in to ensure I transcribed the question correctly. She then offered a potential answer for her own question:

"Maybe 'cause they love each other. Maybe that's why."

Hmm. I'm gonna be on hug watching patrol now to see whether or not its really love.

(See also Brothers don't shake hands; brothers gotta hug.)

I have people skills; I am good at dealing with people. Can't you understand that?!

Happy Birthday!

Turning 71 today is Kenny Rogers, the budding amateur philosopher & theologian.

Now every gambler knows that the secret to survivin' is knowin' what to throw away and knowin' what to keep.

'Cause every hand's a winner and every hand's a loser, and the best that you can hope for is to die in your sleep.

Well, okay, I disagree with that last part, but some interesting slooge there for your thinking pleasure as we carry on as "Islands in the Stream."

Here's Kenny dispensing wisdom on the Muppet Show.

You got to be the dumbest smart kid I know.

On Facebook Anthony Bradley asked the following question:

If every one's little toddler is so "smart" then what happens when the "smart" kid hits middle school, high school, college, or jail, and so on when they magically become mediocre and/or do really, really stupid things, get a "D" on a math test, get college rejection letters, get an STD, etc? What happens?

Everyone seems to have the smartest kid, way beyond grade level or the aptitude of his/her peers. Some of us may have even been guilty of this borderline child-idolatry.

He got some interesting answers, some of which I'll share below, but I thought my answer noteworthy as well. I immediately thought of the heredity vs. environment argument.

"I'm sure most parents will switch from seeing smarts as hereditary to being a product of environment as their children age and are impacted by the environment."

In other words, they attribute their toddlers' intelligence to their good genetics, but it must be the environment that sucks away their inherited smarts. Surely, it can't be that they are average, like everybody else.

Some other responses Anthony Bradley got:

1. "Isn't a lot of it how we do schooling in the west?"
2. "Then they are like the rest of us, normal."
3. "Then hopefully they will finally embrace the reality that they missed when their child was born. They are a depraved sinner, an enemy of God who needs the saving grace of God through Christ."
4. "The vaccinations suck the intelligence right out of them, once the government chip is implanted and activated."
5. "I'm not sure I understand the question. I haven't really known that many smart toddlers, except mine."
6. "Clearly, this is a side effect of all the hormones we put in our food these days. Kids are actually smarter at the age of 2 than they are at the age of 22; somethings we may never know."
7. "What happens is that it is all becomes 'somebody else's fault' ... and usually somebody dumb."

How would you respond to Dr. Bradley's question?


See also:

• If Everyone’s Kids Are the Smart Ones, Then Whose Are the Not So Smart Ones?
• when everyone's super ... no one will be.

It's already been good, now that you have served and protected me.

We continue with our series based on The 10 Dumbest Things Christians Do, by Mark Atteberry. The following are some notes from the Sunday school lesson at Providence Church.

DUMB MOVE #9: Allowing Wolves to Live Among the Sheep

6 facts drawn from biblical warning passages concerning wolves among the sheep:

• Fact #1: Spiritual wolves are masters of deception.
• Fact #2: Spiritual wolves are dangerous.
• Fact #3: Spiritual wolves are evil.
• Fact #4: Spiritual wolves always reveal themselves.
• Fact #5: Good people can morph into wolves.
• Fact #6: Spiritual wolves love power.

4 Reasons We’re Hesitant to Remove Spiritual Wolves:

1. We foolishly believe people will change without discipline.
2. The intermingling of personal relationships
3. We’re afraid of collateral damage.
4. We don’t know what to do.

6 Basic Conclusions Drawn from Biblical Passages Addressing Church Discipline:

• Conclusion #1: No one should get a free pass when it comes to bad behavior.
• Conclusion #2: Not all bad behavior makes a person deserving of confrontation or removal from church.
• Conclusion #3: Biblical church discipline is a process, not an act.
• Conclusion #4: Biblical church discipline should be carried out with patience.
• Conclusion #5: The removal of a person from the church’s fellowship should be the last resort.
• Conclusion #6: There should be no guilty feelings on the part of church leaders who exercise church discipline … and no animosity directed toward them by members of the congregation.

Discussion Questions:

1. “The Bible tells us not to judge, but it also tells us to confront troublemakers in church. How would you resolve what some people say is a conflict between these two commands? At what point does a person’s behavior ‘cross the line’ and become worthy of discipline?
2. What are the risks involved in church discipline? What are the risks of a lack of discipline?
3. Dagg said, “When discipline leaves a church, Christ goes with it.” Why might he be right?

Now Milton, don't be greedy. Let's pass it along and make sure everyone gets a piece.

I've already made an impenetrable case as to why he's the best NBA player of all time, so I'll just stop down here to wish Lansing's favorite son a happy 50th birthday.

3 cheers and a big slice of cake for Earvin "Magic" Johnson, born on August 14, 1959. With 9 brothers and sisters, I wouldn't be surprised if there were some birthdays where he never got a piece of cake.

"Few athletes are truly unique, changing the way their sport is played with their singular skills. Earvin "Magic" Johnson was one of them."
(Read more of his NBA.com biography)

Some interesting trivia about Magic:

• Johnson's mother, a devout Christian, thought his nickname was blasphemous.
• Magic was the first overall draft pick in 1979.
• Magic is the youngest player to ever be named the NBA Finals MVP and was the first rookie to win the award.
• Magic was the head coach of the Mighty Lakers for the final 16 games of the 93-94 season.
• Magic holds the NBA record for blocked shots by a point guard (374).

Magic Johnson Quotes:

• "Ask not what your teammates can do for you. Ask what you can do for your teammates." (now you know where Kennedy got that line)
• "When you face a crisis, you know who your true friends are."
• "Standing on that platform, I said a silent prayer. I thanked God for giving me the strength and the opportunity to come back, to play basketball again, and to be part of that whole magnificent Olympic experience. It's a memory I will always cherish."
• "My father is my idol, so I always did everything like him. He used to work two jobs and still come home happy every night. He didn't do drugs or drink, and he wouldn't let anyone smoke in his house. Those are rules I adopted, too."
• "I want to be here for a long time, so I am going to do everything I have to do to be here. And I want to walk my daughter down the aisle and give her away to somebody some day. I want to make sure I am still here to make sure my two young sons become men."
• "My diet is mostly chicken and fish. I make sure I get a lot of vegetables, a lot of fruit. I am a big fruit man, I am a vegetable man anyway. And I also get a lot of rest. That's the key I may be up early, but I'm in bed early too."

You oughta have more respect, mister. If you say stuff like that to him again ... I'm gonna lay you out.

The following are some quotes and points made from Sunday's sermon at Providence Church on Matthew 6:9b, part of the Sermon on the Mount series.

"hallowed be your name"(ESV)

Click to listen:


“God has often forgiven sinners, but He never forgives sin; and the sinner is only forgiven on the ground of Another having borne his punishment.”
- Arthur W. Pink, Attributes of God, 46

“All contempt for his glory is duly punished, either on the cross, where the wrath of God is propitiated for those who believe, or in hell, where the wrath of God is poured out on those who don’t.”
- John Piper, Desiring God, 296, n.7

“God’s holiness is manifested at the cross. Wondrously and yet most solemnly does the atonement display God’s infinite holiness and abhorrence of sin. How hateful sin must be to God for Him to punish it to its utmost deserts when it was imputed to His Son!”
- Arthur W. Pink, Attributes of God, 46

HOW IS GOD’S NAME HALLOWED?

A. When sinners repent of their sins and honor the Holy One with their faith and obedience.

B. When God’s people respond rightly to Him.

1. in Worship – Responding to who He REALLY is, ascribing worth to Him (worship = Worthship). We must never forget worship is about God, not us.

2. in Prayer – We must balance “Our Father” with “Hallowed by Thy Name” - We could use a little less “What I’d really like dad is to borrow the car keys. See you later, can I have them please?”

3. in Evangelism – We’re telling everyone how special God is and what He’s graciously done for a rebellious world. It’s not that we’re so enamored with humanity, but we're consumed with extolling His greatness, regardless of whether seeds planted or watered bear fruit in our presence.

4. by Holy living ... and not our lips only.
Jesus in Matt 15:8-9 (quoting Is 29:13) ... “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”

Luther’s catechism:
Q: How is God’s name hallowed among us?
A: When both our doctrine and our life are truly Christian

“for God’s name to be hallowed means a burning desire that the whole world may bow before God in adoration, in reverence, in praise, in worship, in honour and in thanksgiving. Is that the thing that is always uppermost in our minds whenever we pray to God?”
- Martyn Lloyd-Jones

*See also "The Holiness of God and His People," which I presented at the 3rd Annual Fellowship of Reformed Churches’ conference: 'The Character of God in Everyday Life,' 11/2007, Fort Worth, TX.
Click to listen:

The devil always shaves his head.

Today marks the 40th anniversary of the Manson "family" murders, including 8 months pregnant Sharon Tate.

It occurred to me that it's likely quite a few may be unfamiliar with Vincent Bugliosi's book Helter Skelter or the movie of the same name. You're probably fortunate, for Steve Railsback's portrayal of Charles Manson still gives me the heebie geebies.

Included, for educational purposes only, is a current picture of Charlie, at age 74. (HT Lance)

He's been denied parole 11 times, but is eligible again in 2012.

Read Friday's story about Susan Atkins (aka Sadie Mae Gluts) having brain cancer and desiring to be released after nearly 40 years of a 7 years to life sentence, which she received after California did away with the death penalty shortly after the family was so sentenced.

Atkins held Sharon Tate while she was stabbed 16 times.

"She asked me to let her baby live," Atkins said. " I told her I didn't have mercy for her."

Reportedly, Atkins, like other "family" members have experienced the mercy of God through the cross of Christ. I hope so and I know that He is mighty to save.

But, should she be paroled? She's reportedly no longer a threat to society and her advocates say she's a drain on the economy of California. (Last year she cost the state$865,000 in medical expenses.)

Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme, the Manson family member notorious for trying to kill President Ford, is being paroled on August 16th, after 34 years of her life sentence, at age 60.

Will she be the first in a trend? Should any of them be paroled?

And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives.

In 1945, why did the US drop atomic bombs on Japan?

[Hiroshima (August 6th) and Nagasaki (August 9th) on August 6th and 9th, killing approximately 140,000 and 39,000 respectively]

The Battle of Okinawa earlier that summer resulted in the loss of over 85,000 US military lives and over 140,000 Japanese lives. Approximately a quarter of the Japanese civilian population died resisting US invasion.

July 29, 1945 Japan rejected terms of surrender known as the Potsdam Declaration, which included Truman's ultimatum: "Surrender or suffer prompt and utter destruction."

Invasion of Japan to bring about surrender was daunting and would be costly to say the least, expected to last at least until 1947. Approximately 500,000 Purple Heart medals were made in anticipation of invasion of Japan.

However, with the hastened Japanese surrender, the vast majority of those medals were not needed. In fact, as of 2003 there were still some 120,000 of those WWII Purple Hearts on hand, despite the conflicts the 60+ years that followed (including the Korean and Vietnam Wars).

That gives you some idea of the anticipated carnage (on both sides) that was avoided by the dropping of the two atomic bombs. Could it be that such a grotesque weapon actually saves lives ? (cf. the Cold War)

Well, this is not a boat accident! And it wasn't any propeller; and it wasn't any coral reef; and it wasn't Jack the Ripper! It was a shark.

The family is very much enjoying Shark Week on the Discovery Channel, but I found this rather funny.

WARNING

Diving with great white sharks without the protection of a cage is extremely dangerous.

The scenes you are about to see were conducted by professional shark divers with years of experience.

DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME!

Okay, who has great white sharks at home whereby they even could try this at home?!