BigJolly says…..

I was sent to this far away land

half a boy half a man,

to fight a war we still don’t understand,

that took the lives of many a man.

Take me home, my heart is yearning to go home.

Blow out the candle that’s burning in the window.

Tell my mother not to worry I am safe now,

in His holy arms.

And we returned from the mess they made

no confetti, no parade.

We returned to take the blame

and all that’s left is a wall of names.

Take me home, my heart is yearning to go home.

Blow out the candle that’s burning in the window.

Tell my mother not to worry I am safe now,

in His holy arms.

So put my name on that granite wall,

remember me when your country calls.

Remember those you leave behind.

Is there a war that saves mankind?

So take me home, my heart is yearning to go home.

Blow out the candle that’s burning in the window.

Tell my mother not to worry I am safe now,

in His holy arms.

——————————

I post this every year. Clicking on the words downloads the video. Some may say that it is a protest song, perhaps it is for some. But I’ve yet to find a song or poem that expresses it better, to me.

the blogsphere today and came across this post from Hamous in which he was disturbed by the apparent lack of sensitivity to the mauling death of a young girl by a pit bull. There was some discussion about the reasons society has gone down this path, the path of making all life equal, human life just one of many. As I was preparing for class, I found this in my library and it made me realize that the root of the phenomenon is the teaching of evolution without a Deity to give order to chaos.

Another Reason

One good reason for accepting divine creation of the cosmos is that it results in human dignity and happiness, whereas the results of the evolutionary hypothesis are dark, sinister, and deeply troubling. Scientists, after all, gather evidence for their theories by conducting experiments and finding out what works and what doesn’t.

Does evolution then “work”? Does it result in psychological and sociological health and happiness? It is a well-known if seldom-mentioned fact of history that Darwin’s survival-of-the-fittest and materialist evolutionary conjectures, seized upon by Karl Marx, provided the foundation for both Hitler’s Holocaust and Stalin’s genocide.

In America, Darwin’s influence has been more subtle, but think of it in this way: What would you expect of a generation that had been taught evolution from their earliest schooldays? If Darwin is right, we are nothing but accidental by-products of evolutionary dust on an insignificant world lost somewhere in the vastness of a hostile universe and doomed to perish in a short period of time. We are nothing more than a match that blazes for a moment, then is extinguished forever. We are without any divine guidance, without any moral absolutes. We have no spirit and no soul, therefore we become obsessed with our bodies, obsessed with pleasure. All we are, as the song says, is “dust in the wind.”

What does such a belief do to optimism and hope? To moral values? To the sanctity of life? To human dignity? To the sacredness of home and family? To law and order?

Dostoevski once remarked that if God is dead, then everything is justifiable; philosopher Ravi Zacharias put it like this, “There is nothing in history to match the dire ends to which humanity can be led by following a political and social philosophy that consciously and absolutely excludes God.”

If, on the other hand, creation is true, then we are formed by a loving God in his own image, the crown of his creation and heirs of eternal life through his Son, Jesus Christ. We are people of dignity and worth, surrounded by a fantastic universe that he made for our enjoyment. We are guided by sound moral principles leading to human health and happiness, and we are comforted by all the promises in the book he has given. We have hope even during life’s darkest hours, and we have value beyond that of any other living creatures.

Which option seems most sensible to you?

Morgan, R. J. 2000. Nelson’s complete book of stories, illustrations, and quotes (electronic ed.) (160). Thomas Nelson Publishers: Nashville

writers of our class material chose to interrupt our study of Ezra and Nehemiah by switching to Psalm 139 this week. Pop says that the Southern Baptist Convention just has to get in at least one anti-abortion take every year. I think he thought that was a negative, because it is a social issue. And I agree to some extent but the lesson plan doesn’t mention abortion, it talks about the value of human life. And if we take the Psalm at face value, it causes one to be deeply introspective and question much about your core beliefs.

Regarding belief systems and morality in today’s political world, besides abortion and it’s subordinates, there is the current issue of what to do in Iraq. Much debate of course on either side of the leave/stay question. Most of those supporting the leave immediately option do so on their fundamental belief, stated or hidden, that American lives are worth more than Iraqi lives. Same for the cluster bomb ‘em all to hell group, to which I have sometimes reverted in my frustration at the bodies being delivered home daily. For both of those positions, massive deaths will occur to Iraqi citizens, it is just a question of whom is pulling the final trigger.

Over the course of the past few months, I’ve come to believe that we are, in fact, doing the right thing in Iraq. Because there can be no question that we are minimizing the aggregate loss of human life. There are far smarter people than I that can argue whether we should have gone in or shouldn’t have, that is a question for someone with great hindsight, of which there are many in the world. But the fact is that we are there now. And if those of us that claim Christianity or Judaism as our faith, recognizing the Bible or the Tanakh as the guiding Word of God, faithfully read Psalm 139, we will gain a greater depth of understanding of the sanctity of life. And perhaps strengthen our resolve as citizens to continue to minimize the loss of human life, in Iraq and elsewhere.

and the direction the Christian church is taking in America, I found this “parable” from an English pastor that I thought was very insightful.

The Return of the Holy Spirit: A Modern Parable
—
Geoffrey Thomas

The group was singing earnestly, the drums were pounding, the guitarists were strumming away and the audience was tapping their feet—but the Spirit was not there. They sang songs for an hour, building up to a great crescendo and sitting down in an aura of well-being—but the Spirit was not there. The preacher gave his message, told his stories, made them laugh, and made them cry—but the Spirit was not there. He began his appeal and worked them over, some needed to come to the front to be saved, others to rededicate their lives, others for inner healing, others to talk to counselors about their problems. A crowd gathered. A man said to himself, “I want to be happy like these people,” and he went forward—but the Spirit was not there. After the service was over the people talked to one another about their activities and plans, and nobody realized that again the Spirit was not in their midst.

(more…)

this evening. Oh, I suppose it was more after church but if it hadn’t been for church there wouldn’t have been an after church, no?

One of the guys in my class (LB) and I went to Denny’s for coffee and conversation. It was really nice to sit and talk about where we are in life and church. And where we need to go. We both share similar burdens about some of the problems in society, particularly how to reach out to and help those members that are having problems in their life. We focused in on the problems our young families have financially and starting a series of seminar type lessons on how to survive in this consumer driven society. And how our church is not addressing this, indeed is putting pressure on our members by not setting a good example. We are, apparently, going to go further into debt as a church. A video was played this morning about this exciting youth conference that we were going to be taking our kids to and they were going to learn how to study their Bible. For $39. Imagine that, a church (a) sending their own kids away to learn how to study the Bible and (b) telling parents already struggling to pony up 39 bucks to do it. As sargevining would say, Crimny Bigjolly!

So, anyways, we are going to see if we can set something up and to address this issue. I personally think it is the most important issue facing Christians today. Debt that is. Not alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, whatever. Debt. It is very hard to be the salt of the earth when you don’t have salt on the table. Or anything to put salt on even if you did.

morning was as good as today. Of course, when it isn’t, it’s because I haven’t allowed it to be.

So we filled the big room up today, that was great. I counted 38 but give or take one or two. And one was BIL, major awesome. Guy can barely get around and has very limited use of his hands but managed to pick a tune for us. You could feel the electricity in the air, it gets like that when people pray for a long, long time about something and then see their prayers answered. No, he wasn’t healed in a Benny Hinn type of false healing. He doesn’t have the energy or mobility of his youth. But what he has is his life and what he did today was nothing short of amazing. Wow.

Nice discussion in class on Nehemiah today, talking about how people react to hearing God’s word. Had 15 men, been a long time since I had that many. Probably too big a group but it sure was nice to look around and see this many men gathered together because they care.

Then to sing up on the podium and praise God with a packed house, again, awesome stuff. Next week BT is going to play the piano while I sing Cry Out to Jesus, a Third Day song that talks about the struggles we all have in this world and the one thing, the best thing that we can do to overcome them. I’m looking forward to it, he hasn’t tickled the ivories for me in some time.

And then we went to lunch with Pop. Every heard the expression “rain on my parade”?. Late.

bites the dust! Trailer park owners vote to become millionaires This is just wrong on so many levels. I mean, c’mon, soon they’ll be extinct. Who in their right mind would sell their lot complete with a mobile roof over their heads for a million bucks? Greedy trailer park owners. Where are they gonna live now? The money will be gone after the weekend, what with keg parties and lottery tickets to buy. Then they’ll all be on the dole, taking FEMA checks right out of the hands of Katriniacs.

This country is losing it.

guitars and amps last night with JM, that was fun. He brought over his new Les Paul and I must say, it is RED! Way red. Pretty guitar and clean as a whistle, as Pop would say. Decided I really like the Strat/Princeton Reverb combination. Sweet.

The Dude posted a link on oil imports over at LST yesterday that got me to thinking about the immigration issue. Yeah, I know, what the heck does oil have to do with immigration? Which, I think was his point, that it does have to do with it. Mexico is our 2nd largest supplier of imported oil, sending us roughly 17% of all imported oil. Our total supply of crude is about 15.2 million barrels per day, of which about 9.8 million barrels are imported, thus Mexican oil represents roughly 11% of our daily supply. Wow, that is a lot.

So, I started thinking, what if we viewed illegal immigration in the same way. I mean, if no one is marching in our streets with a Mexican flag, I am able to put aside emotions for the most part and think about the issue. Labor is a commodity. It is bought and sold daily. Right? Okay, so how many adults are in the US? Using 2003 numbers, it is 217 million. How many adults are in the workforce? The latest report from the BLS of 1/5/07 says 153 million, with 7 million unemployed. Okay, NPR estimates (they’re on the left, probably lower than most estimates) that there are between 11 and 12 million here today. My guess is that 70% or more work (kids, stay at home mom’s not working), calculates to about 8 million workers. Just about the offset of our unemployment. Meaningless but interesting nonetheless.

What is interesting is that it opened my eyes a bit to the extent of the effect upon our economy (which, BTW, was probably The Dude’s intent). The commodity of illegal labor is 5% of our total workforce at a minimum. Can you imagine if we just shut off 5% of our oil? There would be mutiny. I suspect this is what is happening with the debate, people smarter than me are able to take the emotion out and look it it similarly.

Oh, and I have a new flag mount for the Marauder. Cool, eh?

in the life of jolly. Where can I start on such a day as this? Perhaps last night, as I was telling 1 that I really didn’t want her to head out on her own today, going away to school again. Yeah, that’s where. But it doesn’t end there.

It’s been a long road for 1. She lost a full year of school because of her illness. Were it not for the local community college allowing her to get back into the life of a student, it would’ve been a year and a half.

I can honestly say that not only does God answer prayer but that He does it His own way, in His own time. And that His way and His time is better than my request. For my request was for 1 to be healed immediately, be back to the same little girl that I sent off to school. But His answer was to heal 1 slowly, through the skill of a young doctor, through the persistence of her mother, through the miracle of modern medicine. It is said that iron sharpens iron and that trial by fire produces gold. Both are accurate in 1’s case.

For as I observed this process, I saw the child as a woman. I saw the doctor as gold. I saw the mother as a rock, willing to do anything to help her child.

Over the last 16 months, the child in my eyes became the woman that her mother raised her to be. Strong. Enduring. Courageous. As far as I know, the only tears of pity she raised were in her bedroom late at night, wondering when the trial would end. She never cursed her illness in front of me. She never questioned “why me?”. And she could have. Most would have. She is the child her mother raised.

But a child no more is she. No, she is the woman she ought to be. The apple of her daddy’s eye is she, the little girl no more to be.

As I played the guitar in class today, asking for prayer requests along the way, I stopped and praised this child of mine, this child that strengthens me. For if I ever sway, I need only to look her way. And there, what will I see? This child, that strengthens me.

I love you.

tears as I slowly road north on the feeder road of I-45 south of Dickinson today in the funeral procession of Pfc. Nathaniel Given, September 14, 1985 - December 27, 2006. Motorists pulled over to the side of the freeway, got out of their cars, walked through the wet grass and stood by the side of the road, saluting, hands over their hearts, crying, honoring this fallen soldier. At bridge overpasses, people pulled their cars over, got out and stood at the railing, honoring this fallen soldier. Businesses emptied of patrons along the route, stopping their daily routines to honor this fallen soldier. A large car dealer had the emergency lights on of every automobile, their employees and customers standing on the side of the road, honoring this fallen soldier.

This spontaneous display of silent honor by American citizens was an incredible sight to see. There were no politics, no shouting. Just quiet silence to honor this fallen soldier. I posted a few pictures here.

I am in awe at the turnout by the Patriot Guard and the community of Dickinson in honor of this fallen soldier. From the moment we left our staging area, all 166 of us, to the moment we left the cemetery with over 200 bikes, my pride in America and her people was restored in full. The sun hid and the rain fell. But our people stood strong, proudly honoring this fallen soldier. Honoring his courage, his commitment, his patriotism, our freedom. Thank you, Nathan, for your service to our country. May God comfort your family during this very difficult time.