Finding Books

Amazon has The Love of Wisdom in stock and Christianbook.com has Philosophy of Relgion 2nd edition in stock.
It is vital that everyone get the books needed for class as soon as possible, work on the questions, and complete and understand the reading assigments.

January 25, first class

Here are some of the materials you may need.
Syllabus
Case Studies 1-25-2010

Resources for Worldview

I am posting some resources for my classes. Anyone is welcome to read them.

Chapter Questions for Philosopy of Religion 2nd ed these are the questions for the Evans and Manis textbook, the questions for the Cowan and Spiegel book are in the chapters.

Worldview Reading Assigment

N. T. Wright on the Christian worldview-story

N. T. Wright Video

Open Office Software
I will accept assigments only in open office format or in PDF. Get open office free at this site.

Busy Times

We are starting our new small groups this next week and things are busy. Everything needs to go off without any problems (like that is going to happen) or at least there should be as few problems as possible.

I am amazed at the way people act in the church. I spoke on the phone with someone the other day who has a problem with some of the changes that have been made to our ministry. He proceeded to tell me how bad some things were. The interesting thing is that this person has not even been a part of these new changes. I mean, he is just down on the job the new person is doing and thinks it is all awful, but he has not even once been a part of it. WOW!!! Something even more interesting is that many people are raving about the new changes and love it.

Now...I can understand if you think you do a better job than anyone else...you may be critical of changes. But how can you have an honest appraisal if you have refused to experience the changes. And how can you tear down the hard work of others because it is not yours? How can you claim to follow Jesus and attack others who choose to use different methods (arguably better and more efficient methods) because they don't do it like you used to do it? I really don't understand. But I guess I am not supposed to.

Bacon Dipped in Butter

WOW! Who would have thought of the combination.

So I took my wife to Red Lobster last night for her birthday and I had some Bacon Wrapped Peach BBQ Sea Scallops (hard to get more adjectives than that) with some lobster tail. Some of the bacon became detached from a scallop and was submerged in the melted butter. Since I was raised that we don't waste food (people are starving in some places don't you know) and since my daughter would have a fit if I wasted bacon (her most favorite food, apart from honey) and since, well, its bacon...I decided to eat it, all drenched in melted butter.

Oh the bliss. Talk about the fat of the land. Since then I have contemplated the possibilities. I saw bacon flavored chocolate the other day (I have to go back and get that one) and I have used the garlic butter sauce from Papa John's for years on Pizza that contained among other things bacon. But how could we pair bacon and butter in the absence of scallops and still remain off the government food terrorist watch list?

I invite your suggestions. I can't help but think back to the old Monty Python skit "rat" or "spam."

I'll have an order of bacon, bacon, bacon, bacon, bacon, bacon, bacon, butter, and bacon. And I'd like a little extra bacon to go with that.

Happy new year!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Old Memories and Old Newspapers

Christmas was great. The kids are still visiting grandparents, which is even better. I was searching the Internet and ran across this old newspaper article.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=wNgTAAAAIBAJ&sjid=pgYEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4777%2C8652801

It was neat to have an exchange student in our home during my senior year. Biljana Yonic was a cool "sister for a year."

This is a great time of year to remember years past and to freshen up the old memories that have faded. As we prepare for a New Year I pray that God will continue to bless and prosper us and that we will live lives that honor God and our families.

The Night Before Christmas

It was the night before Christmas,
and amidst the clutter and bustle,
no one stopped to think of the Child and Savior
caught up in all of the hustle.

The malls were are ready and put out their best,
getting and keeping our attention, above all the rest.
All the Churches were all adorned for their services with care
in the hopes that people in droves would soon be there.

Then, in our sanctuaries there arose such a clatter,
as people lifted their candles and sang about the matter.
They filed outside and left, filled with Christmas cheer,
to talk no more about Jesus--only about Santa and Reindeer.

Having done their duty, they can now focus on the jolly old elf.
Since they came to Church, Church can go back on the shelf.
For another year, except for maybe Easter or Mother's day,
or perhaps they will feel like going to Church one morning, who can say?

How did Christmas, Holy and with reverent focus,
become about stockings, winter, wrapping paper and a bonus?
We have taught our children to look down, underneath a tree,
instead of up where it points, God, hoping to see.

No wonder this world, with all the noise and clamor,
ignores the Church and chases fame and glamor.
Instead of our focus on big ribbons and a bow,
Parents and the Church need to stand tall and let the Light of the World glow.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all, have a great night.