My Ongoing Thoughts

"NO FOOLIN!"

7/31/2020

It’s been decades ago; but I still remember the day as a child when I struck it rich! On the dirt road where it grew up, road graders came through about twice a year to smooth out the “washboard” ruts that made it all but impassible for an automobile.

After one such occasion, I rounded the curve walking home from the bus stop after school and beheld a rather large chunk of recently uncovered rock that sparkled in the mid-afternoon light. I picked it up and examined it in careful detail. Having confirmed my suspicions, I tucked it under my arm and hurriedly carried it home.

With each passing step, the accolades grew louder in my mind. Over and over again, I envisioned myself proudly announcing to my family that their days of toil and sweat were forever ended because I had discovered the largest single gold nugget in history.

Fast forward an hour or two and imagine my utter disappointment when my dad got home and ruined my big moment with the news that I was the proud possessor of nothing more than a one pound chunk of worthless iron pyrite, more commonly known as “Fool’s Gold”! Utter dejected, I cast my would-be fortune aside.

Alas! Hindsight, as they say, is “twenty-twenty”. Would that I had kept that worthless chunk of mineral! Had I done so, I would now have had my revenge. But back then, of course, I had no way of knowing that the day would come when I would read an article in the news titled “'Fool's Gold' Could Actually Be Valuable in This Way, Researchers Find”

The article, written by Michael Ruiz, and published on July 30, 2020 on www.FoxNews.com, reveals that researchers at the University of Minnesota may have found a way to make “fool’s gold” far more attractive. In short, according to findings in a recently released study in the peer-reviewed Science Advances journal, they did so by making it magnetic.

According to the article:

“Most people knowledgeable in magnetism would probably say it was impossible to electrically transform a non-magnetic material into a magnetic one,” Chris Leighton, the lead researcher on the study, said in a university statement. “When we looked a little deeper, however, we saw a potential route, and made it happen.”

“Fool’s gold,” an inexpensive substance also known as pyrite, is often found in quartz veins and is used primarily to create sulfuric acid for industrial applications, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The University of Minnesota team had separately been researching ways to try and make new kinds of solar panels out of sulfur and iron sulfide materials, Leighton said. And they had begun looking into ways to use electrical voltages to control magnetism.

“At some point, we realized we should be combining these two research directions, and it paid off,” he said.

The result is the first time that scientists have been able to take a non-magnetic material and make it magnetic, according to the university.

They used a process called “electrolyte gating” – using an electrolyte-rich solution, “comparable to Gatorade,” and small applications of electrical volts to move around molecules and make the substance magnetic.

Wow! A substance was deemed worthless; and anyone who valued it was esteemed foolish for doing so. Yet, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, all that changed! Now, all of a sudden, “Fool’s Gold”, iron pyrite, is esteemed valuable! Go figure!

I am reminded here of the words of the Apostle Paul in the opening chapter of his First New Testament Letter to the Corinthians (verses 18-25):

18For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”

20Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know Him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.

22Jews demand signs and Greeks search for wisdom, 23but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.

Against all odds, the day has now come when an element the world has always considered foolish has suddenly become immensely valuable. In like manner, the day will most assuredly come when the world will discover that the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which it has always considered foolishness, is in fact most substantial!

I may not have held on to my earthly “Fool’s Gold”. But that’s okay. Because I now possess something of immensely greater value – the Gospel of Jesus Christ! And one day, I shall exchange that for a crown of inestimable value!

All I can say is “No foolin!”

ARTICLE SOURCE:
https://www.foxnews.com/science/fools-gold-could-actually-be-valuable-in-this-way-researchers-find.

SCRIPTURE SOURCE:
https://biblehub.com/bsb/1_corinthians/1.htm.

JUMPING AT THE CHANCE

7/28/2020

“This mailman delivered some smiles.” So began Michael Hollan’s July 26, 2020 article on www.FoxNews.com titled “Family Catches Mailman Playing Hopscotch in Front of Their House”.

It seems that a family in England wanted to see what would happen if they left a hopscotch game drawn on the sidewalk leading up to their home. They soon found out; as one of the neighborhood mail carriers was in a playful mood.

The doorbell camera at the Hammerstein residence captured the local mailman hopping across the walkway connecting the street to their front door. Thereafter, the family had a good laugh before sharing the video on social media. It quickly went viral.

This particular article stuck a responsive chord with me. The aforementioned mailman is on to something. We all need to be reminded ever so often of the significance of taking a little time off to play in the midst of a life that is otherwise so filled with labor.

An even bigger reminder of this principle for me has come from having four grandsons under the age of three. Spending time with them is teaching me to slow down and relax and enjoy each and every moment again.

Thus, after a lifetime spent being responsible and earning a living, I now find myself spending Saturday or Sunday afternoons swinging on a swing set, sliding down a “Slip n’ Slide”, walking through the woods looking for “Peter Rabbit”, wading in the creek, or just eating ice-cold pop-cycles with my four inquisitive little pals.

I am indebted to these little boys for re-introducing me to the simpler things in life. In the process, strangely enough, while they are daily growing older, I find myself growing younger again – if not in body, at least at heart.

I am not yet inclined to play hopscotch. At this point, I have only grandsons and no granddaughters. Nonetheless, I do find myself enjoying again the sorts of simple activities that once filled my days. Now, of course, I find they fill my heart as much as they do my time. And I jump at the chance to experience them afresh and anew. I only wish it had not taken me so long to realize this.

The New Testament Gospel of Matthew (chapter 18, verses 1-6) records the following conversation…

1At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2Jesus invited a little child to stand among them. 3“Truly I tell you,” He said, “unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

5“And whoever welcomes a little child like this in My name welcomes Me. 6But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.”

I realize more and more each day the awesome responsibility God has entrusted to me as a grandfather with regard to my six precious little grandsons. I pray they will always see in me the loving role model they need, and that I will always be a blessing in their lives as a result.

But more and more, I also thank God for the role model they have each become to me. And for the blessing they each are to me in the process. I pray we learn from each other. As they follow my example and grow into manhood, I pray I remember to follow their example, and become more and more joyful as i daily experience the blessings bestowed upon me by my heavenly Father above.

ARTICLE SOURCE:
https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/family-catches-mailman-playing-hopscotch-in-front-of-their-house.

SCRIPTURE SOURCE:
https://biblehub.com/bsb/matthew/18.htm.

“THIS OLE HOUSE”

7/23/2020

Now in its 41st season, “This Old House” originally aired on Boston’s Public Broadcasting System affiliate, WGBH-TV, back in 1979, featuring a then relatively unknown star named Bob Vila.

Since then, the program has expanded into a full-blown media franchise involving multiple television, print, and online resources. Along the way, it has received Emmy 82 Nominations, won 17 Emmy Awards, and produced several spin-offs (among them the award-winning “The New Yankee Workshop”, hosted by Norm Abram).

But a generation before PBS made “This Old House” a “household” term, a certain Stuart Hamblen had already introduced the phrase to popular culture. He scored big back in 1954 when he penned the words to a hit tune titled “This Ole House”.

Rosemary Clooney's recording of it would go on to reach number one on the pop music charts later that year, in both the United States and the United Kingdom. A later version by the artist known as Shakin' Stevens would again top the UK charts in 1981.

It has since been covered by numerous artists, especially in the Gospel music field. The lyrics, now in the public domain, go like this…

This old house once knew my children;
This old house once knew my wife;
This old house was home and shelter,
as we fought the storms of life.
This old house once rang with laughter;
This old house heard many shouts;
Now she trembles in the darkness,
when the lightnin' walks about.

Ain't gonna need this house no longer;
Ain't gonna need this house no more;
Ain't got time to fix the shingles;
Ain't got time to fix the floor.
Ain't got time to oil the hinges;
Nor to mend the window pane.
Ain't gonna need this house no longer;
I'm getting ready to meet the saints.

This old house is getting shaky;
This old house is getting old;
This old house lets in the rain, and
This old house lets in the cold.
On my knees I'm getting chilly,
But I feel no fear or pain.
'Cause I see an angel peeking through
A broken window pane.

(Refrain)

Now my old hound dog lies a ’sleeping;
He don't know I'm gonna leave.
Else he'd wake up by the fireplace;
And he'd sit there, howl and grieve.
But my hunting days are over;
I ain't gonna hunt the 'coon no more;
Gabriel done brought in a chariot,
When the wind blew down the door.

Ain't gonna need this house no longer;
Ain't gonna need this house no more;
Ain't got time to fix the shingles;
Ain't got time to fix the floor.
Ain't got time to oil the hinges;
Nor to mend the window pane.
Ain't gonna need this house no longer;
I'm getting ready to meet the saints.

If you’re wondering where I’m going with all of this, I’ll tell you. I’ve had both the television show and the similarly named song on my mind a lot this week. This is because yesterday, my wife and closed on the sale of our house where we have lived for the last 18.5 years.

The process of selling the house was about as painless as it could have been. Our realtor was most professional, and had our house under contract within 18 days of its listing. But the matter of transitioning from one place of residence to another was a bit more involved.

Years ago, I was blessed to grow up on a farm, where I lived in the same house at the same address from birth until I got married at age 22. My wife and I then lived in one apartment and three rental homes over the next decade. Thereafter, we lived on our first home for three years, our second home for five years, before moving into this last home, which we would occupy for nearly two decades.

In that amount of time, a place simply becomes home to you. This is especially so when you raise your three children there, seeing them through middle and high school, sports, proms, graduation, college, weddings, the birth of grandchildren, and pretty much all these things entail. (Among them, a door frame with pencil marks noting their various heights as they grew down through the years.)

As we walked through the house for the last time, our minds were naturally flooded with memories - mostly joyous, a few difficult, but all precious. These memories, good and bad, were all followed by a mixture of smiles and tears, reflecting the mixed emotions that invariably accompany such a transition in life.

As my wife and I now settle into our new life in our new place of residence, we thank God for the past and for all the memories it holds. But we also look forward to the future, fully expectant that the new house in which we now reside will soon be filled memories if its own. I trust the good will again far outweigh the bad.

Of course, Hamblen’s song is ultimately a metaphor. It is ostensibly about a physical dwelling place, but is really about a physical body we all inhabit for a short time in this life. We relate to his words so well, especially as we age, because we know that “This Ole House” will one day have to be abandoned. But praise God, when that day comes, we have the assurance though our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that we have a far better body in which to dwell. We read about this new body in Pauls’ Second New Testament Letter to the Corinthians (chapter 5, verses 1-5, NLT):

1For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. 2We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. 3For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies.

4While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it’s not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life. 5God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit.

I look forward to my new “house”, or spiritual body, which Paul here affirms that I will one day dwell within for all eternity. I know when that day comes, I will have a body which never grows old and never break down.

Beyond this, I also know that when that day comes, the body in which I will dwell will itself reside in a house prepared for me by the Lord Himself. Jesus Himself tells me this in the New Testament Gospel of John (chapter 14, verses 2-3, BSB):

2“In My Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and welcome you into My presence, so that you also may be where I am.”

Imagine that! When “this ole house” gives way to my new house, I will have house within a house! For I will dwell with the Lord Himself! And I will do so in both the body and the home He has prepared for me! In such a setting, there will simply be no bad memories to ever be made!

Until then, I am thankful for “this ole house” in which I now dwell. My physical body has its share of shortcomings, to be sure; but I am still quite comfortable within it. I am also thankful for the previous home the Lord provided for my wife and me to live in, and for the precious memories we will carry with us as a result.

Lastly, I am thankful for the new home which the Lord has now provided us to live. Like all the earlier places we have lived together, I hope our new home will be filled with many wonderful and happy memories.

SONG SOURCE: The song has been recorded many times by many artists. The lyrics can be found here: https://www.metrolyrics.com/this-old-house-lyrics-gaither-vocal-band.html.

SEE ALSO: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_Ole_House.

TELEVISION SHOW INFO:   https://www.thisoldhouse.com/; and
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_Old_House.

SCRIPTURE SOURCES: https://biblehub.com/nlt/2_corinthians/5.htm; and https://biblehub.com/bsb/john/14.htm.

SMALL SACRIFICES

7/18/2020

This past week, the news carried a story about prominent NFL quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who has now signed a record-breaking 10-year contract extension with the Kansas City Chiefs. It is worth an eye-popping $503 million!

Precious few people in this world will get the chance to ink a deal with a half a billion dollars! And yet, while this one step will present Mahomes with innumerable opportunities in life, it also calls for him to give up certain activities. So much so that the average everyday person will be able to undertake several fun activities his contract with the Chiefs now prohibits him from doing.

According to Mahomes, “I still don’t think I’m allowed to play basketball. I’m sure baseball is not going to be allowed as well. I know there’s a lot of them. They have like (sic) everything from jet skiing too, I don’t know what all the things are. I read a lot of them. It’s pretty much every physical activity you could possibly do. I’ll probably be sticking with football and video games for now.”

The details of the contract state that the quarterback gets $477 million in guaranteed mechanisms, plus the ability to opt-out at several points in the deal if his mechanisms aren’t exercised. He also has a no-trade clause.

Mahomes had two years remaining on his existing contract with the Chiefs; so the new 10-year deal doesn’t take effect until 2022. He will still be 36 when his contract expires.

The article also goes on comment on all the congratulations he has and is receiving from famous people all over the world. While I do not count myself among the latter, I would add my voice of congratulations to the chorus. He seems to be a fine young man; and I wish him the very best.

I am struck, however, by the terms of the contract. This young man has been richly blessed by God with certain talents. He has also been chosen to have a huge impact upon the world (at least the world of sports). I trust he will continuing his God-given talent to impact his world, both on and off the playing field. I’m sure he will.

Of course, you and I have also been created by the very same God. We have also been chosen to be on His team! His Son made that possible by redeeming us. As if this were not enough, He then gifted each of us with certain talented and skills with which He intends to see us a make a difference, both in this world and the next. And then He provided the church as a means for us to just that.

But being a member of God’s team also has certain requirements. Consequently, like gifted professional athletes, who are required to forego certain activities that might otherwise prove detrimental to their priorities, we too must be prepared to give up certain activities for the good of the Kingdom of God.

This applies to unwholesome activities, to be sure. In chapter 12, verse 1, the New Testament Letter to the Hebrews admonishes us to “throw off every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles” and then to “run with endurance the race set out for us”.

But it can also apply to wholesome activities. The Apostle Paul reminds us of this in his First New Testament Letter to the Corinthians (chapter 10, verses 23 and 24), where, quoting those who claimed freedom in Christ to participate in any activity they chose, he writes:

“‘Everything is permissible,’ but not everything is beneficial. ‘Everything is permissible,’ but not everything is edifying. No one should seek his own good, but the good of others.”

As if to echo and underscore this sentiment, the Apostle Peter (in his First New testament Letter, chapter 4, verse 10) later adds the following admonition:

“As good stewards of the manifold grace of God, each of you should use whatever gift he has received to serve one another.”

In light of these things, I leave you with a simple question. What are you willing to give up for the greater good of the Kingdom of God? It might be a little hard, at first; but the results will well be worth the sacrifice.

After all, the same Jesus who in Matthew 6:33 challenged us to seek first the Kingdom of God and its righteousness also promised us (in Luke 18:19-20) that “everyone who has given up house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the Kingdom of God, will be repaid many times over in this life, and will have eternal life in the world to come.”

ARTICLE SOURCES:

https://www.foxbusiness.com/sports/patrick-mahomes-prohibited-activities-contract;
https://www.foxbusiness.com/sports/patrick-mahomes-record-503-million-contract-details-revealed.

SCRIPTURE SOURCES:

https://biblehub.com/bsb/1_corinthians/10.htm;
https://biblehub.com/bsb/1_peter/4.htm;
https://www.biblehub.com/matthew/6-33.htm; and
https://www.biblehub.com/nlt/luke/18.htm.

PIT STOP

7/13/2020

These days, it goes by the name of Atlanta Motor Speedway. But back in the day, it went by Atlanta International Raceway, or A.I.R. for short. Built in 1960, the 1.5 mile track took over the annual NASCAR races from the one mile long Lakewood Racetrack in Atlanta, where they had earlier been staged.

My father was a huge NASCAR fan. So, naturally, given that the farm where I grew up was only about 20 miles away, twice a year, in the spring and again in the fall, we attended the Atlanta 500 and the Dixie 500. But Sunday afternoon’s race was just the culmination of a whole week of passion for my father, who insisted on going to the time trials as well in the days leading up to each race.

Time trials, or qualifying, was where the drivers individually competed for starting positions in the race. The pole position, or starting out number one, was most coveted of all. Many a day, I watched at my father’s side as, one by one, Richard Petty, Cale Yarborough, Buddy Baker, Darrell Waltrip, the Allison brothers, and other such giants of the sport battled it out for dominance.

But the real competition always came on Sundays. Racing alone against time throughout the week and racing against a field of competitors on Sunday afternoon were two entirely different matters.

Thus, when race day rolled around, the Jacksons packed up a bucket of my mother’s fried chicken and potato salad and a cooler full of Shasta colas and headed to the grandstand for a battle royal!

Of course, zooming around the track at time trials used very little gas and created virtually no tire or engine wear. However, such was not the case in a 500 mile race! Here, speed and technique were obviously critical. But so was something called “pitting”. The latter involved a driver deliberately pulling out of the fray and entering pit row for a pit stop.

When this happened, the car frequently got a new set of tires, a fresh tank of gas, and/or any absolutely necessary repairs. The driver also usually got a drink of water as well, before exiting pit row and reentering the race.

While the object was for the endeavor to take as short a time as possible, pit stops were nonetheless essential. Without them, no car, and no driver, could ever hope to win the race. Or even finish it. To be sure, many drivers tried to avoid a pit stop, only to run out of gas and/or blow a tire before they ever reached the finish line.

I recount all of that to share the following thought with you. In his Second New Testament Letter to young Timothy (chapter 4, verse 7), the Apostle Paul tells us that he had now faithfully “run the race”. Later, in the New Testament Book of Hebrews (chapter 12, verse 1), we as believers are encouraged to “run with endurance the race set out for us”.

In order to do this, like professional racers, we too must push forward with passion and vigor. But we must also remember that, in the process, we must invariably take a pit stop or two. If we do, we can and will gain valuable and necessary resource. But if not, we can never hope to finish, at least not in the manner which God intends.

Over the past week, my wife and I took such a personal pit stop. We went down to the lake in a neighboring state and spent the week with our family. Now, we are back, refreshed, replenished, and ready to contend for the Kingdom.

Even now, as I ramp up and begin shifting into high gear once again, I feel the difference this past week has made. To any one who may happen to be running a bit low right now, let me just say that I highly recommend a pit stop. It makes all the difference in the world!

SCRIPTURE SOURCES: https://biblehub.com/2_timothy/4-7.htm;
and https://biblehub.com/hebrews/12-1.htm.

GAINING PERSPECTIVE…

7/7/2020

Leonardo Da Vinci was no idle person! He made the most of every single day of his life. Especially given that he lived some five centuries ago, his list of earthly endeavors boggles the modern mind. This one man excelled as a painter, a sculptor, a poet, an architect, an engineer, a city planner, a scientist, an inventor, an anatomist, a military genius, and a philosopher. Little wonder he is known as the original “Renaissance Man”.

Arguably, his list of interests and endeavors is only outdone by the catalog of his life’s accomplishments. In addition to composing his incredibly detailed notebooks, which consist of hundreds and hundreds of pages containing a wide array of notes, drawings, illustrations, and the like covering every conceivable topic of interest to an inquiring mind, he also found time to create some the world’s best known masterpieces. These include the sketch of the Vitruvian Man, the carving of the Statue of David, and the painting of the Mona Lisa, and numerous others.

How does one single person accomplish so much ion life? Leonardo gave us a clue when he once offered this sage advice to his pupils…

“Every now and then go away, have a little relaxation, for when you come back to your work your judgment will be surer, since to remain constantly at work will cause you to lose power of judgment. Go some distance away because then the work appears smaller, and more of it can be taken in at a glance, and lack of harmony or proportion is more readily seen.”

Leonardo was not the first to encourage such behavior. Long before him, Jesus Christ took time away for rest and rejuvenation. The Gospels make this plain. He also encouraged His followers to do the same. See, for instance, Mark 1:35; Luke 4:42; Matthew 14:13; Mark 6:31; etc…

My wife and I too have come to see the value of these things. For this reason, even as I write these words, we are away undertaking some “R and R”. Hopefully, like Leonardo, and like Jesus before him, we are also gaining a little perspective in the process.

SCRIPTURE SOURCES:

https://biblehub.com/mark/1-35.htm;
https://biblehub.com/luke/4-42.htm;
https://biblehub.com/matthew/14-13.htm; and
https://biblehub.com/mark/6-31.htm.

LEONARDO QUOTE SOURCE: https://quotefancy.com/quote/26132/Leonardo-da-Vinci-Every-now-and-then-go-away-have-a-little-relaxation-for-when-you-come.

NOTE: Here is Leonardo’s personal “Resume”, as it were. In 1482, at the age of 30, he boldly wrote out a letter with a list of his capabilities and sent it off to Ludovico il Moro, Duke of Milan. It reads as follows:

“Most Illustrious Lord, Having now sufficiently considered the specimens of all those who proclaim themselves skilled contrivers of instruments of war, and that the invention and operation of the said instruments are nothing different from those in common use: I shall endeavor, without prejudice to anyone else, to explain myself to your Excellency, showing your Lordship my secret, and then offering them to your best pleasure and approbation to work with effect at opportune moments on all those things which, in part, shall be briefly noted below.
1. I have a sort of extremely light and strong bridges, adapted to be most easily carried, and with them you may pursue, and at any time flee from the enemy; and others, secure and indestructible by fire and battle, easy and convenient to lift and place. Also methods of burning and destroying those of the enemy.
2. I know how, when a place is besieged, to take the water out of the trenches, and make endless variety of bridges, and covered ways and ladders, and other machines pertaining to such expeditions.
3. If, by reason of the height of the banks, or the strength of the place and its position, it is impossible, when besieging a place, to avail oneself of the plan of bombardment, I have methods for destroying every rock or other fortress, even if it were founded on a rock, etc.
4. Again, I have kinds of mortars; most convenient and easy to carry; and with these I can fling small stones almost resembling a storm; and with the smoke of these cause great terror to the enemy, to his great detriment and confusion.
5. And if the fight should be at sea I have kinds of many machines most efficient for offense and defense; and vessels which will resist the attack of the largest guns and powder and fumes.
6. I have means by secret and tortuous mines and ways, made without noise, to reach a designated spot, even if it were needed to pass under a trench or a river.
7. I will make covered chariots, safe and unattackable, which, entering among the enemy with their artillery, there is no body of men so great but they would break them. And behind these, infantry could follow quite unhurt and without any hindrance.
8. In case of need I will make big guns, mortars, and light ordnance of fine and useful forms, out of the common type.
9. Where the operation of bombardment might fail, I would contrive catapults, mangonels, trabocchi, and other machines of marvelous efficacy and not in common use. And in short, according to the variety of cases, I can contrive various and endless means of offense and defense.
10. In times of peace I believe I can give perfect satisfaction and to the equal of any other in architecture and the composition of buildings public and private; and in guiding water from one place to another.
11. I can carry out sculpture in marble, bronze, or clay, and also I can do in painting whatever may be done, as well as any other, be he who he may.
Again, the bronze horse may be taken in hand, which is to be to the immortal glory and eternal honor of the prince your father of happy memory, and of the illustrious house of Sforza.
And if any of the above-named things seem to anyone to be impossible or not feasible, I am most ready to make the experiment in your park, or in whatever place may please your Excellency – to whom I comment myself with the utmost humility, etc.”
Cf.: https://www.theladders.com/career-advice/leonardo-da-vincis-resume.

THE QUESTION REMAINS!

7/3/2020

It has now been 25 years since own of my favorite movies, Braveheart, was first introduced. The Hollywood blockbuster recounts the story of the Scottish patriot named William Wallace and his brave exploits during the First War for Scottish Independence back in the early fourteenth century. Mel Gibson both starred in and directed this Academy Award winning motion picture.

One particularly powerful scene depicts Wallace as he is preparing a rag tag band of rebels for battle against King Edward Longshank’s powerful English army. At the cusp of battle, the Scots are woefully outmanned and outgunned. They are also wavering.

Wallace rallies his troops by saying: “I am William Wallace, and I see before me an army of my countrymen here in defiance of tyranny. You have come to fight as free men, and free men you are. You are free, free from badges, free from flesh, and free to love. What will you do with that freedom? Will you fight?”

A tall soldier near the front, eyeing the huge forces arrayed against them across the valley, answers: “Fight against that? No, we will run, and we will live.”

To which Wallace responds: “Ay, fight and you may die, run and you'll live. At least a while! And dying in your beds many years from now, you would be willing to trade all the days from this day to that for one chance, just one chance, to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they'll never take our freedom.”

Wallace’s question remains with us this Independence Day weekend: “What will you do with your freedom?!” Hopefully, it always will!

Each generation of Americans would do well to ask this question afresh and anew. Wise men have always known that real freedom can only exist hand in hand with responsibility. Freedom, true freedom, entails assuming responsibility, both for our own lives and for the lives of others.

For this reason, each generation of Americans would also do well pause to remember those who came before us and sacrificed so much in order that we may have the freedoms that we claim to cherish so much! Had they not assumed responsibility in their day and age, it is doubtful that we would have the very freedoms we now enjoy.

Above all, each generation of Americans would also do well to give thanks to the God who bestowed our great freedoms upon us. We will always make a tragic mistake when we attempt to separate God from our freedom. Without God, our concept of freedom can easily degenerate into selfishness.

The testimony of the Psalmist was: “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD!” I pray America will always remember that God is the source of our blessings; and that we will honor Him accordingly with how we choose to live.

Yes, my fellow Americans, William Wallace’s piercing question is well worth pondering as we celebrate this Independence Day weekend. “What will we do with our freedom?!”

I leave you with the prayer of Peter Marshall, famed Presbyterian Pastor and U.S. Senate Chaplain of an earlier era, who once famously said: “May we think of freedom, not as the right to do as we please, but as the opportunity to do what is right.”

SOURCES:

FILM: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braveheart;
and https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112573/;
as well as: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Wallace.

SCRIPTURE: https://biblehub.com/psalms/33-12.htm.

MARSHALL'S PRAYER: https://www.azquotes.com/author/9514-Peter_Marshall.

SEE ALSO: https://liberty-virtue-independence.blogspot.com/2011/08/prayers-of-reverend-peter-marshall.html.

LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON (AND DAUGHTER)

6/29/2020

Before the month of June passes, I thought it would be fitting to go back and address Father’s Day. An article in the news a couple of weeks ago was titled “Signs You're Becoming Your Father, and the Average Age It Starts: Poll”. Originally published on www.swns.com, it was later picked up and republished on www.foxnews.com on June 15, 2020.

According to the SWNS Staff, a new poll reveals that we all start becoming our fathers at around age 37. Additionally, 68 percent of those surveyed said they feel more like their father with every passing year.

The survey of some 2,000 Americans with living fathers was intended to get some insights into our relationships with our dads and how the pandemic may have shaken that up in any way.
Here are some of the more interesting findings…

Thirty-seven percent said they take grilling very seriously because of their dad.
One in three (thirty-five percent) said they get their handy skills from them.
Twenty-two percent mute commercials on TV because of their father.
One in four grunts when getting off the couch now.
Another one in four said they fall asleep on the couch with the game on — just like “Dear old Dad”.
One in five respondents even admitted that they no longer like it when someone in their family changes the thermostat.
Three in four Americans said the COVID-19 pandemic has actually made them appreciate their fathers more.
This last tidbit was attributed to having more time to talk. It seems that two in three said that “they’ve gotten to know their dads a lot more during the last few months.”
As a result, respondents said they now reach out to their dad on average six times a week, whether it’s a call, text, video call, or in-person visit.

Maybe the best news of all in this for “Dear old Dad” was the finding that Americans with living fathers planned on making this Father’s Day special for him! How special? According to the article, “So special, in fact, that the average survey respondent plans on shelling out close to $100 on a gift this year — while one in 10 said they plan on spending more than $200.”

What will (or did) this look like? The survey results showed that most respondents “will be opting for a nice dinner and something expensive, like a tech gadget or smartwatch”.

Four in 10 will be getting their dad something practical they know they want, like socks or a tool kit.

But according to the poll, when people were asked what they think their dad actually wanted, the popular answers were simply a juicy steak and an ice-cold drink — news that probably made the survey’s sponsor, Omaha Steaks, very happy.

Further findings revealed more stats on what the average respondent considered to be the most dad-like trait about him (or her) self, as well as what they think their dad really wants this Father's Day:

TOP TRAITS RESPONDENTS THINK THEY GET FROM THEIR DADS:

Take grilling very seriously: 37 percent
Repair things instead of buy them new: 35 percent
Get really into corny jokes: 28 percent
Tell your kids to ask their mother: 26 percent
Falling asleep on the couch with the game on: 25 percent
Grunt when I get off the couch: 25 percent
Mute commercials: 22 percent
Love to mow the lawn: 22 percent
Don’t like when people touch the thermostat: 21 percent
Finish everyone else’s plate at a restaurant: 18 percent

WHAT RESPONDENTS THINK THEIR FATHER WANTS:

An ice-cold beer: 36 percent
Steak dinner: 35 percent
Glass of whiskey: 31 percent
Phone call from his family: 31 percent
Peace and quiet: 30 percent
A physical expensive gift (tech, smartphone, etc): 26 percent
Watch whatever he wants on TV: 24 percent
To be left alone: 23 percent
To sleep in: 23 percent
Sports back on TV: 22 percent
A cheaper practical gift (socks, tools, etc): 21 percent

I do not know how many of my regular readers out there are actual fathers themselves; nor how many of those who are dads would actually agree with these findings. I myself am a father; and I’ll agree with the part about a good steak!

Seriously, for me, the best news in the article was that children are now reporting that they are getting closer to their fathers, primarily by spending more time with them. Most any father appreciates this as much if not more than anything else a child can give him.

Oh, and also to know that children admit to becoming more and more like their fathers. That too is very affirming for dads.

By the way, these last two things are true not only for earthly fathers, but for our Heavenly Father as well. He too loves it when we desire to spend time with Him and become more like Him! Given this, I hope we all will!

ARTICLE SOURCE: https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/signs-becoming-your-father-average-age.

DELIVERING THE GOODS

6/25/2020

A very gifted and gracious man in our church recently gave my wife and me a large black bear he had created out of a hardwood log. He had carved it with a chain saw and then painted it with such precision that it has a remarkable likeness to the actual thing. As if this blessing was not enough, he then gave us another bear to go with it. This second one was a cub, designed to accompany the larger bear he had created earlier.

We have now set them up in the edge of the woods in our back yard. From a distance, they look quite real. In fact, whenever I chance to glance upon them, for a split second, I am inclined to think they are real. I then remember their origin and thank God for this dear man. The goodness of his talent is surpassed only by the goodness of his generosity.

While out walking yesterday evening, my wife and I encountered a large doe that came up out of a patch of weeds and stood in the road in front of us. After a moment, she glanced over her shoulder and then proceeded to cross the road into the woods. A few seconds later, a beautiful young fawn came up out of the foliage and stood where she had been. It then walked across the road and into the woods after what was obviously its mother.

As I beheld this spectacle of nature, I was reminded of the bear and cub in our yard. Only this time, the creatures were indeed real. I say creatures because they too were created. And the One Who made them is even more talented than the man who carved our bears. The One I refer to here is of course Almighty God; and the goodness of His creativity too is only surpassed by the goodness of His generosity.

For the pinnacle of this Creator’s work was and is you and me. Despite the goodness He displayed in having created us, and despite the goodness of the beautiful world in which He placed us, we rebelled against Him. Yet even then, He did not abandon us. Rather, as His Word tells us In the New Testament Gospel of John, chapter 3, verses 16 and 17, NLT):

16“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.

These verses have special significance for my wife and me. You see, we were each created in the image of Almighty God. Yet, we each chose to sin against Him. Nonetheless, He loved us so much that He gave His One and Only Son on our behalf. We received the goodness of His grace by embracing His son. Thereafter, He chose to bless us with the goodness of a wonderful life together.

A part of that goodness has been three little ones of our own, as well as the opportunity to see each of these grow up, embrace God’s grace, and receive in turn the goodness of His blessings for them.

Part of their blessings is now intertwined with ours. For they have now given us six new little ones. That’s right, in addition to the four grandsons we now have (ages 3, 2, 2, and 1), my wife and I are about to blessed with two more grandsons. One will be debuting in September and the other in November.

I pray the Lord will give me many opportunities to see each of these new little ones running around our house and yard. And I know in my heart that each time I glance up and see one or more of them doing so, I will remember that these little ones are indeed real. For they are, one and all, real live human beings, created in the image of Almighty God!

And even though they will not be perfect, even though they will prove their sinful nature, God still loves them so much that He has already provided for their redemption as well. That redemption is found in the same One and Only Son Who redeemed their parents (my children) and their grandparents (my wife and me).

When these times come, I will remember that my Heavenly Father has once again delivered the goods! For I will be witnessing again the manifold goodness of God on display - the goodness of His creativity surpassed only by the goodness of His generosity!

SCRIPTURE SOURCE: https://biblehub.com/nlt/john/3.htm.

THE MEAT OF THE MATTER

6/22/2020

During my daily walks for exercise, I pass by several farms surrounding our place of residence. As I do, I am continually reminded of my childhood days growing up on a farm in north-central Georgia. Like many here in east Tennessee today, we could more properly be said to have in the business of animal husbandry than farming. Outside of our garden, most all of the crops we grew were for the feeding of our livestock.

These included cattle (mostly Black Angus and polled, or hornless, Hereford), swine (mostly Hampshire and Yorkshire breeds that we just called “hawgs”), and poultry (mostly Rhode Island Red chickens, but also a few turkeys). Most all of these were raised for sale at auction. But some were for personal consumption.

I still have vivid memories of my father, grandfather, and two uncles butchering a steer each spring, to be divided equally among our families over the summer. The same was true for four hogs in the fall of each year in anticipation of winter. In short, we always had meat to eat. So much so that the phrase “Unless it has piece of meat, a meal will never be complete!” was not just a saying, but a way of life.

Fast forward a few years to when I first started dating my wife, whose parents had been raised in east Tennessee, and who grew up on a diet consisting largely of “pinto beans, fried tators, and cornbread”, but little meat. When I came over for Sunday dinner, my wife’s mother would prepare a couple of hot dogs for me to eat with my meal, just so I could have my portion of meat.

Consequently, when around this time, a certain hamburger chain scored big with its nationwide “Where’s the Beef?!” advertising campaign, I had the answer. It was in our freezer at the farm where I grew up. We had the beef!

Of course, in that day, with a freezer full of home-grown beef, we hardly ever ate hamburgers from fast food franchises. Not so today. While gardening is currently purported to be all the rage among millennials, statistics still indicate that only a small percentage of our society actually grows and processes its own food. This is no doubt due to our increasingly urbanized culture. Nowadays, the more metropolitan the setting, the less likely its residents are to produce their own food.

These things and others have all been on my mind during the recent coronavirus pandemic. Arguments rage over whether the virus has passed, has yet to peak, and/or will return with an even more devastating second wave. I do not know which is true.

But, even if it is now behind us, the one thing the coronavirus did is to illustrate to us how fragile our supply chain can be. No one foresaw the toilet tissue shortage that started it all. This was followed by a scarcity of hand sanitizers, as well as masks of most any kind. And now, we are being told that there is a nationwide meat shortage.

The shortage has become so acute that the same hamburger franchise mentioned above has once again left people asking a familiar question. According to a recent article over at Fox Business news, “Wendy's Customers Ask 'Where's The Beef?' As Restaurants Remove Menu Items”.

It seems that Wendy's, which is known for its claim of fresh, never-frozen beef, is taking burgers off the menu in some locations as the U.S. deals with a meat shortage traced back to the coronavirus. Wendy's officials gave the following statement to FOX Business News:

"As you've likely heard, beef suppliers across North America are currently facing production challenges. Because of this, some of our menu items may be in short supply from time to time at some restaurants in this current environment."

The article also reported that some social media users said the Wendy's locations they visited only allowed them to order single-patty burgers. For now, it seems, double and triple burgers are off the menu. Apparently, there’s just not enough beef!

In fairness, Wendy’s is not alone here. Costco, Kroger, and other major grocery store chains are rationing the amount of meat customers can buy at any one time as processing at U.S. meat plants has slowed down or stopped completely. Even Wendy’s chief competition, McDonald’s, has recently had to change its menu selection due to a shortage of burger meat.

These days, I no longer live on a farm, and no longer process my own meat. But given that my sons are both chips off the ol’ block, and, like me, are “hardcore carnivores”, we have now talked about splitting a side of beef and filling up our respective freezers. When we do, I will once again have the answer to the question: “Where’s the beef?!”

But while I may not yet have a freezer full of meat, neither am I expected to. That’s because I do not promise to provide a product that consists of “two all-beef patties, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a sesame seed bun”. Nor do I assert that my competitor has an inferior product by asking “Where’s the beef?!”

Most of all, unlike the slogan currently put forth by yet another fast food franchise, I do not boldly assert that “I have the meat!” If I did any of these things, it would be of crucial importance for me to make certain that I did indeed have the meat!

But as a follower of Jesus Christ, I do make other assertions. I do claim to have peace, joy, and love! As well as faith and hope! And if I do claim to have these things, is it not crucial that I make them readily visible and accessible to others who might desire to sample them?! Indeed, it is!

The Apostle Paul tells us that all who follow Jesus Christ will exhibit certain fruits of the Spirit. In the New Testament Letter to the Galatians (chapter 5, verses 22,23, and 25), he writes: “The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control… Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.”

In light of this, as a born again follower of Jesus Christ in whom the Holy Spirit of God now dwells, I hope no one ever looks at my life and says: “Where’s the fruit?!”

ARTICLE SOURCES:

https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/wendys-meat-shortage-menu-items-removed; and

https://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/mcdonalds-beef-canada-beef-shortage-imports.

SEE ALSO:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U80ebi4AKgs; and

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idnwh6iDnXA.

SCRIPTURE SOURCE:

https://biblehub.com/nlt/galatians/5.htm.

<<Previous