Blog? I thought you said Dog!: July 2007

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Vote now

Here's the rules:

1) Read my last post entitled, "When the end comes".

2) Look at all of the pictures of terrorists such as these in a few of the previous posts and tell me if there is a contradiction in the character of the author in these pictures and in my last post.

3) Vote with your response. You may respond anonymously.

Reason: I was told that some of the pictures were vulgar or offensive and that they could hurt my witness as a Christian. I will not allow that as they are just stupid pictures meant to give a slight chuckle but if they are offensive it is not worth it. Please vote and please vote honestly. I need your help. Thank you, The Management

Monday, July 23, 2007

When the end comes

I am hardly what most would consider a fatalistic person but I was thinking about my funeral today. I do not usually think about things like that but it is natural when you are at a funeral to think about your own. My elderly next-door neighbor died and her funeral was this morning. I was glad I went as her daughters seemed genuinely glad to see me. My neighbor was a sweet woman and we talked fairly often when we would see one another in the yard. I knew her and her kids and some of her grandkids and, of course her dog Critter, and when not talking about her family or mine we would sometimes talk about church or even something about God but I do not remember ever having a conversation with the name of Jesus in it.

My neighbor's funeral was very well-done with everything one would expect to have including the beautiful flowers, friends, family and, of course, a preacher with good hair and a big Bible. I was impressed with how well the preacher did considering he said he did not know her and had only talked to the family for a while yesterday. He spent a good two minutes talking about how loved my neighbor was and how everyone loved her pecan pie. He said she was a Christian and enjoyed knitting. He then went on to talk about the love of Jesus and even shared the good news about the life, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ and he did it smoothly, eloquently and truthfully. I was impressed and puzzled.

I was puzzled because after being around that family infrequently for years I am quite sure I never heard the name of Jesus nor heard them talk of church, God, or much of anything without a curse word in the sentence. Does that make them bad people? Definitely not. I enjoyed being around them and will miss my neighbor and her family when they visited. I could not help but wonder, though, why only at funerals and weddings is the name of Jesus spoken by most people. The preacher spoke of my neighbor and then he spoke about Jesus. He did not speak of what my neighbor said or thought about Jesus and that may be difficult for anybody but it made me wonder about what would be said at my funeral.

Will anyone even know I knew Jesus? Would there be someone there who would find it hard to believe I called Jesus my Savior or would His name and my name be interlinked so often and the people there so convinced that it would not take anyone by surprise? I have to insist that it be the latter. In fact, while I know I chicken out at many opportunities to share the Gospel, I have to refuse from now on to let anyone I meet for any length of time get away without me saying at least a word about what Jesus has done and continues to do in my life. Yes, it sounds kind of freaky and it is intimidating some times but I have serious regrets about the people, including my neighbor, who have left and I have not said one word about the peace and joy in this life and the future I have in Heaven. My sister says that she wants her funeral to be a party where we wear shorts and eat pizza! I love that idea and I think Jesus would approve! How about you?

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Can they do this?

I think I'm gonna start doing this to people in my own way.

From Chaplain Jim Higgins

Written by Chaplain Jim Higgins on 5/14/07
LSA Anaconda is at the Balad Airport in Iraq, north of Baghdad"

I recently attended a showing of "Superman 3" here at LSA Anaconda.
We have a large auditorium we use for movies as well as memorial services and other large gatherings. As is the custom back in the States, we stood and snapped to attention when the National Anthem began before the main feature. All was going as planned until about three-quarters of the way through the National Anthem the music stopped. Now, what would happen if this occurred with 1,000 18-22 year-olds back in the States? I imagine there would be hoots, catcalls, laughter, a few rude comments, and everyone would sit down and call for a movie. Of course, that is, if they had stood for the National Anthem in the first place. Here, the 1,000 soldiers continued to stand at attention, eyes fixed forward. The music started again. The soldiers continued to quietly stand at attention. And again, at the same point, the music stopped. What would you expect to happen? Even here I would imagine laughter as everyone sat down and expected the movie to start. Here, you could have heard a pin drop. Every soldier stood at attention. Suddenly there was a lone voice, then a dozen, and quickly the room was filled with the voices of a thousand soldiers 'And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air, gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave, o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?' It was the most inspiring moment I have had here in Iraq. I wanted you to know what kind of Soldiers are serving you here.