Quote for the Day

"The emphasis in the New Testament is on listening and responding to the Spirit rather than initiating projects that God is expected to back up, even though God had little or nothing to do with them."

-- Thomas Keating Intimacy With God

Quote for the Day

"Human nature prefers to offer substitute sacrifices to placate God rather than to offer the sacrifice that God clearly states in Scripture is the only acceptable one, which is the gift of ourselves."

-- Thomas Keating Intimacy With God

Quote for the Day

"Prayer is not a method or power given to us so that we can order God around, or tell God how to run the world (or our own world). It is a way to express our love for God and our dependence on God's mercy."

--William A. Menninger The Loving Search for God

Quote for the Day

"A loving person is interested in the conversion of a sinner but not in chiding him or her. He is apt to err by kindness rather than severity."

--William A. Menninger The Loving Search for God

Quote for the Day

"We need no further motive for loving God than loving God. We love God for God's own sake, because God is worth loving."

-- William A. Menninger The Loving Search for God

Quote for the Day

"As for the devil, I do not fear him. Nor can I approve of those who seem to be living a kind of constant 'devil theology.' It almost seems as if they pay more attention to the devil than to God. They see him behind every telephone pole and under every bed. He seems to play a great role in their lives, as they are always talking about him.

"I would rather talk about God and see God where God is -- behind every telephone pole and under every bed and everywhere else. . . . As for me, and, I hope, for you, dear friend, I will continue on in the loving search with the help of God's grace and 'even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for God is with me.'"

-- William A. Meninger The Loving Search for God

I once visited a church in California while on furlough from Zimbabwe. The Sunday School class I attended was doing a prolonged and intensive study of the devil. There was a strange fascination with the topic (and some rather bizarre interpretation of Scripture) with no mention, and seemingly no interest in God, Himself, or Jesus in particular. I suggested to the pastor that he might want to monitor the class to see if the devil had taken the members eyes off of God. What occupies our minds controls us.

I heard of a fellow who was challenged by a fundamentalist rabble-rouser, "Do you believe in a literal devil?" He replied, "I don't believe in the devil, but I've met him in the streets among the drug dealers and pimps. I BELIEVE in Jesus." A good response.

Quote for the Day

"Externally motivated enthusiasm is not from God. It may be good and useful or it may be evil, but it is not spiritual. I am sorry to say that we see a great deal of this kind of enthusiasm today passing off for religion. Television seems to be a popular medium for this kind of hype. Beware of emotional responses generated by overenthusiastic 'Bible thumping' preachers or by media-generated audience enthusiasm, stimulated by stage effects and electronic embellishments."

--William A. Meninger The Loving Search for God

Quote for the Day

"If you want to be a true lover of God, you must love God even more than you love yourself."

-- William A. Meninger The Loving Search for God

Quote for the Day

"I plead with you, for the love of God, do not give up on your prayer. Start over again every day. Do not look for consolations. Remember again and again that love begins when nothing is expected in return. You will have consolations enough when God wills it. Enjoy them when they are given, but do not look for them or become attached to them. Seek the giver, not the gifts."

-- William A. Meninger The Loving Search for God

Quote for the Day

"A real Christian, as opposed to a cultural Christian, is not one who never sins. He or she is one who, having sinned, is willing to reach out and find his or her sufficiency in Christ and start over again--today!"

--William A. Meninger The Loving Search for God

A Dirty Story - Quote for the Day

"Many years ago there lived a scholar who asked an old rabbi what could be learned from the Talmud. The rabbi told him of two men who fell down a chimney. One man arrived at the bottom dirty, while the other arrived clean. Is that the lesson of the Talmud? the scholar asked. No, replied the old rabbi, listen to me: the dirty man looked at the clean man and thought himself clean. Is that the lesson of the Talmud? asked the scholar. No, replied the rabbi, for the dirted man looked at his own hands and seeing them sooty knew he'd been dirted. This then is the lesson of the Talmud? said the scholar. No, said the rabbi. Then what am I to learn from the Talmud? asked the scholar. The rabbi told him: You will learn nothing from the Talmud if you start by believing that two men can fall down a chimney and not both be dirtied."

-- Len Deighton City of Gold

Quote for the Day

"We were taught, as much by example as precept, to respect our minds and to use them; to examine the evidence before rushing in with our opinions; to distinguish between fact and theory; to see history through the eyes of the poor and vanquished, not merely those of the powerful and the conquerors; not to believe that something is true simply because it would be pleasant or convenient if it were and, when exposed to propaganda, to ask ourselves, 'In whose interest is it that I should believe this?'"

-- P. D. James Time To Be In Earnest

Unfortunately, this lesson has not been taught or learned by the majority of citizens of the U.S.A. today. We are too quick to voice opinions and too ready to view history through the eyes of the powerful and conquerors rather than consider the view from the eyes of the poor and vanquished. (This is a complete departure from the attitude of God revealed in the Bible and especially in Jesus. Ironic for a nation which so many claim to be a Christian Nation. Especially since those voicing the claim tend to be the ones least likely to empathize with the poor and vanquished.)

A good place to begin practicing to learn this lesson is the current health care debate. When confronted with the TV ads and proclamations of the politicians and lobbyists, let us ask ourselves, "In whose interest is it that I should believe this?" There is clearly a divide between those seeking to maximize profits and those seeking to maximize "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" of the citizens of this country.

Sick Leaders

Southern Baptists have had some spiritually and morally sick leaders in recent years. There is nothing of the Imitation of Christ about them. They are more the antithesis of Christ. The following is an example: Ex-Southern Baptist Leader: Abortion Doctor’s Murder Answer To Prayer

Is it any wonder that people fail to know the love of God in their lives?

I couldn't have said it better.

(Click on image to view full size for easier reading.)

Actually, he did tend to have harsh words for the religious leaders, too.

Another Old Photo - Colourized

Here is another family photo (belonging to the family not OF the family) I've worked on. Click on it to see it full size -- it's definitely nicer.

Today's Photoshop Project

(Click to enlarge and view details)

Tried out a new technique for making a panorama. This is using photos from last year's Corvette show here in Hot Springs.

Today's Photoshop Project

Today's project was to restore and colourize an old family photo left by my mother-in-law.

Hot Springs Cruisers 9 May 2009

Luke and I went to the Hot Springs Cruisers' car show Saturday before between rains. I've begun processing the pictures and here they are. More to be added later.

(For a better slide show, click on the icon to go to the gallery.)

Proud Father Keep On Braggin'

Last night was Awards Night at Hot Springs National Park Community College. My son, Luke. was inducted into the National Technical Honor Society and won the Outstanding Work Ethic award. He's lucky. When I was in school you either did vo-tech or college prep. He's getting to study Automotive Service Technology while doing college prep and AP courses at Lakeside High School. Smart kid. Good kid. Must take after his mother.

Survey: Support for terror suspect torture differs among the faithful

"The more often Americans go to church, the more likely they are to support the torture of suspected terrorists, according to a new survey."

This is the most revolting news I've read in some time. How is it that in the U.S.A., church goers are the most likely to deny the teaching and commands of the one they claim to follow? The U.S. churches are becoming the most anti-christian organizations around. Whatever became of "love your enemy?" "Do good to those who hate you?" "Lose you life for my sake?" "Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good?"

It seems the anti-christ has mounted the pulpit and the sheep are devoured by wolves. We need a national year of repentance. (A day won't do.)

Read: Survey: Support for terror suspect torture differs among the faithful and weep.