Posts

Friday; July 31

If you have spent much time studying the outsides, you have probably heard of John Muir.   The Scottish-born naturalist made a name for himself in the United States – especially in the western part of the country.   There are many aspects of Muir’s life but one that strikes me is his willingness to explore.   He seemed to appreciate this great big wonderful world.   In fact, one of his quotes affirms, “The world's big and I want to have a good look at it before it gets dark.”.   As I read that quote the other day, I was struck by it – not just as an encouragement to get off the couch and go hike in the woods – but to challenge me to experience as much as I can about life.   It is easy to sit in the safety of my home, but what am I missing by not exploring?   It is comfortable to read what I like, but what have I missed by not expanding my library?   It is easy to hang out with my closely guarded (and chosen) friends and family, but who have I ...
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Thursday; July 30

I guess I’d never really thought about it, but the other day I learned that it was on July 30, 1956 that a joint resolution of the United States Congress (and signed by President Eisenhower) was enacted making “In God We Trust” the national motto.   Now, if we were to allow it, this observation could generate a lot of debate; but let’s not go there.   Rather, what I would like to do is ask if we really believe it?   Now, I am not all that interested if our nation believes this as much as if we – you and me – believe it.   It is one thing to put it on our money and license plates, but have we engraved it on our hearts?   I don’t care if we can quote it as a national motto, do we live it in our individual lives?   I find it interesting that – in a material world – we put “In God we trust” on our money.   Are we really disciples of the Almighty God or the almighty dollar?   Let’s not get bogged down in debating this motto in our courts, let’s ded...
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Wednesday; July 29

I am fascinated by Artificial Intelligence.   I have literally just scratched the surface of what it can do; but it is pretty cool.   I am also a bit leery of AI because without rational monitoring it can get us in trouble.   Again, I don’t know if there is a way to incorporate a moral component into it, but even if we can program it to think with some sort of inputted data, it doesn’t have that “part of its brain”.   Now, while I am somewhat cautious about what computers can teach us, I am also well aware that is part of human frailty as well.   I guess if there is any good news in all of this it is that we have had to learn how to live with this since the beginning of the world.   An Old Testament prophet observed, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” (Isaiah 5:20).   We have had to endure false human logic throughout history, why shou...
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Tuesday; July 28

Is it warm enough for you?   How many times have we been asked that this summer?   Typically, it is a jovial way to complain about what appears to be a hot summer.   Now, I am not a climatologist so I am not going to get into a discussion of how hot it is (or why it is so hot); but I think there can be a lesson in all of this for us.   While I am not sure that this year’s heat is the precursor of things to come or even a sign of the end of the world, one thing I do know is that is not as hot as it is going to be.   In describing the return of the Lord, Paul caution, “ But  the day of the Lord  will come like a thief, in which  the heavens  will pass away with a roar and the  elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and  the earth and its works will be  burned up . ” (II Peter 3:10).   There is going to come a time when this world will be destroyed with heat – not caused by a climatic shift – rather one caused by t...
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Monday; July 27

What is your first thought when you wake up in the morning?   For some of us, it might have to do with wishing we’d gotten to bed earlier or got to sleep in later.   Others of us climb (or crawl) out of bed with the reminders of the aches and pains of age.   Still others might greet the day with fear and dread of what is ahead of us.   It is no wonder that a lot of people just wish they could pull the covers up over our heads and hide out.   Maybe our mornings would be better if they started a little later in the day!   Yet, since that is an impossibility, is there something we can do to get out of bed on the right foot?   I think there is, but it has nothing to do with an alarm clock – it is all about attitude.   As I thought about this, I was led to a familiar passage of Scripture, “This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24).   We could stop right there, but I actually took th...
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Friday; July 24

I don’t know too much about Benjamin Disraeli other than he was a British political figure who lived from 1804 to 1881.   The other day I came across some of his quotes and, while I am still not sure how many I appreciate, there are a couple that got my attention.   One of them was “Nurture your mind with great thoughts, for you will never go any higher than you think.”.   In essence, we will be limited by our limited thinking.   The other one noted, “There is no education like adversity.”.   Interestingly, when you put these two thoughts together, you have a pretty good life lesson.   To elevate our lives, we are going to have to think higher and try harder; however, the harder we try the more difficult we are going to find things; but that’s okay because tougher times can make stronger people.   (I will give you a second if you need to go back and reread that.)   In essence, to be the best we can be requires that we venture out to where we hav...
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Thursday; July 23

I have a confession to make – I am a sufferer of gout.   Now, if you don’t know what this is, consider yourselves fortunate.   If you have had gout, you may not know what causes it, but you know when you have it.   From what I have been able to learn it is caused by extra uric acid in your body.   Depending on who you ask, it can be caused by a variety of things; however, when the pain is keeping you awake at night knowledge is a lot less important than relief.   Rarely do I give much thought to the joint on my left big toe, but during an attack, that’s about all I can think about! The reason I bring up gout is something Paul wrote in I Corinthians where he described the church as a body.   As he begins summing up his thoughts, he notes, “And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.” (I Corinthians 12:26).   As I read this, I have flashbacks to gout.   The ...
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