New Bike

I landed an unbelievable deal on bike yesterday. My lovely wife was at Conte's Bike Shop here in Newport News when another customer was looking to sell his bike. He'd just bought a new bike and was looking to make some $ on his not so old one. Well the price he asks is very low for the quality of what he was selling. Then Walt (coolest bike store owner around) suggests my wife might want to call me... then I head to the store. The guy was my height, etc. We contemplate it for few moments then make the deal. Walt is taking parts from my current bike and putting them on my new one. I should have it in a couple of days. I guess now I'll have to start riding again (I've been slack since the MS-150). Anyway, the bike is a Cannondale CAAD 9 - handmade in the USA. It's actually the frame the Conte's racing team uses here. It still has the team logo on it, so I hope I don't make them look too bad when I'm slowly riding through town. Someone suggested I wear an "in training" jersey. Maybe so...

The guys at Contes (Newport News) are the best. If you're looking to ride I highly recommend them to you.

Off to Delmarva Family Camp

Tomorrow, I'll be making a quick run up the coast to the Delmarva Family Camp. I preached there last year, but I'm going up to listen others this year (I'm must have been a little soft last year!). It will also be a time to enjoy some good fellowship and to renew some acquaintances. The program looks strong and I'm especially looking forward to Mike Kjergaard's return to the shore. Also, Ray Bennett himself will be preaching Wednesday night. Ray usually "hosts" but this time he has a preaching slot. I'm guessing that he has something to say and I don't want to miss it!

I laugh every time I watch this.

I love this clip. It's been around for a while, but it's a good one. Around my house I quote this to my children frequently. They always look at me with that "Huh?" look. I tell them i'm quoting the president. They're perplexed yet I am am amused.

Wimbeldon Wow!

6-4, 6-4, 6-7, 6-7, 9-7 = the best tennis tennis match ever? Rafael Nadal defeated Roger Federer in an "epic" match at Wimbeldon yesterday. This finals match was one of the best matches ever and many commentators are calling it the best ever. That's what John McEnroe thinks and he certainly knows a little bit about the sport. The Nadal vs. Federer match-ip is reminiscient of the McEnroe vs. Borg rivalry of my youth. I still think the 1980 Wimdledon finals between John & Bjorn is the greatest ever. Of course, that's my bias along with some nostalgia talking. Bjorn was my favorite. I couldn't stand McEnroe at all. Ironically, I like him now, especially as a commentator. I didn't like Federer much when he arrived on the scene, but now I'm disappointed that Nadal has knocked him off. It sort of reminded of when McEnroe began to eclipse Borg. I'm just not ready to buy Federer being done yet. The U.S. Open is just around the corner...

Still Relevant

The late Dr. Roger Chambers wrote the following way back in 1982, but it's still just as relevant today...

"Our generation of the Church is childish. Too often we play word games in
the pulpit, sing syncopated nonsense and call it church music – or worse,
praise, and fight over who pays for the hot dogs when the God Squad goes on it’s
next spiritual retreat at Circus World. Secular society doesn’t hate the Church;
it doesn’t take the Church that seriously. The world knows it’s in deep trouble,
so it can’t take time for our stained glass amusement centers; it doesn’t see
that we have very much to do with reality. We’re in this fix because too many of
our leaders are intellectual children. " - Roger Chambers

I wish I could've known this brother. Thankfully technology has preserved some of his work. For the enitre article click here.

Good Bye Jesse

The headline from Drudge: "Conservative icon Jesse Helms dead at 86"

By now you probably know that I'm one of those right wingers & a paleoconservative. The commentators are right - Jesse Helms was one of our guys. I never knew Helms to roll over & go soft like so many other "conservatives" & republicans. Many of his weak compromising peers were vacilating while Helms stood firm. He would drive the liberal types nuts and I loved it! I'm sure the "mainstream" press will use this opportunity to rehash Helm's "extreme views." I'm sure we will hear how he opposed the MLK holiday too. Ronald Reagan once said of Helms, "Bit by bit, he became more than a lonely crusader. He grew into a lionhearted leader of a great and growing army." I was a big fan of the late Senator as was my father (who was also a Carolinian). I never got to vote for Senator Helms as a Virginian but I did go to college in NC during his time in office. Wow, things have changed down there: John Edwards & Bob Dull's wife, Elizabeth! Jesse Helms will be missed. Maybe we will see someone like him again, but given the trends, its doubtful.

AKA "Sprocket"

"Sprocket" over at Insipid Garbage is saying something again. I crossed paths with this blogger & brother on a internet discussion board many moons ago. He was a posting machine. I liked him right away and usually found myself in the same corner with him during many of those discussions (debates). He wrote very well, was insightful, and his keen wit flavored many of his posts. He was conservative without being a neanderthal & progressive without being an airhead compromiser. I got to meet Robert at a convention a couple of years ago and he stopped in at Olivet on a Sunday during his vacation last year. I'm glad he's out here in the blogosphere. If you haven't checked him out, I hope you do.

I was thinking....

...about the various jobs I've had. I don't have any real skills, but I do have experience. I'm sure I've missed something but here they are...

• Made screens for windows & helped install storm doors & windows.
• Helper/Laborer for mecahnical company...A/C, plumbing, boilers, etc. I got to run a jackhammer which is probably the most macho job I've ever done.
• Cleaned pools. (Yuck!)
• Worked on campus doing "maintenance" & grounds stuff at Christopher Newport University.
• Delivered flowers. Got lost a few times too.
• Sold memberships at a private purchasing club (Uniway).
• Briefly tried insurance sales.
• Material handler...became fork lift driver as well a stockpicker operator (anybody know what that is?).
• Supervisor in a telephone center...later specialized in sales, promotions & training.
• Manager in a warehouse: 3rd Shift Stocking, Picking, Receiving, etc. (I moved around a lot).
• Account Executive (radio sales guy). Outside sales & cold calling can beat you down but I did fairly well.
• I'm currently in paid ministry at a local church.

Some of those weren't the most fun inherently, but I usually had a good time anyway. I like people and I met a lot of them and even made a few memories. I wonder what my future holds. I occasionally think about trying my own business, but never go beyond just mental gymnastics & hypotheticals.

I wonder what the future holds. If it's like the past it should be unpredictable that's for sure.

Ever Wonder?

Ever wonder what the church would look like minus all the soft superfciality we've acquired? I'm part of a group of churches formerly known as a restoration movement which alledgedly speaks where the Bible speaks and is silent where the Bible is silent. Over time, however, we speak less & less about "Bible things." Shockingly, many church folks are quite content not speaking where the Bible speaks. In fact the issue is increasingly ignoring the Bible when it speaks. People can't speak biblically when they don't know what it says! Consider some of these recent true life incidents...

• Long time church member approaches me with this question: "If the Bible says 'thou shalt not kill' why isn't the death penalty wrong?" I politely answered her question by reading Exodus with her and then suggested she start attending Sunday School.
• Long time church member says to a staff person: "My son has this idea that you're supposed to be baptized to be saved." (Sounds like your son is reading his Bible!)
• Long time church members quit a small group because questions arose and were answered regarding gender roles. (I could write a book on these scenarios: "When Women Wear the Pants").
• Long time church member leaves when I say the "Sinner's prayer isn't in the Bible."
• Long time church member refuses to go to small group Bible study around the corner from her home but will come if we move it "to the church."

John Macarthur says we should be the church militant. I'm thinking of some other phrases... How about the "church impotent" or the "church ignorant" or the "church indifferent?"

Running out of gas...

Don't you hate running out of gas? I've done it more than enough times to get tired of it and to actually start glancing at my gauges every now and then. Sometimes I run low in the tank in this whole ministry thing too. More frequently than I'd want you to know. The preacher guy who baptized me way back in the day used to end his letters, newsletters, etc. with the memorable "Keep on keeping on for Jesus." That's stuck with me many years although I struggle to live up to it fully. It's funny but I was working on an upcoming sermon from 2 Corinthians. I'm in chapter four. Check out the opening verse: Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. (ESV)

Well, it looks like I'm going to be preaching to myself!

So Who Can You Talk With?

Yesterday I found myself in a lengthy and encouraging discussion about the Bible - specifically starting with Daniel. A student from Summit Theological Seminary had stopped by and we started chatting. Billy is a young guy with an undeniable passion for Scripture (rare, huh?). I remember being young(er) and enthused similarly. I also remember not being able to find many others who had real interest in learning and/or talking about God's word. I do enjoy discussing the Bible, but it can be hard to find someone who is interested in such a conversation. So Billy and I talked... Daniel... Hell... Revelation... Church... His seminary studies... etc. Most guys will sit and talk about TV, movies, and sports, but the Bible? No thanks. How sad.

Redskins 82

I never liked football more than I did back then.

We did it...

We did it... Team Fallen soldier did 150 miles in 2 days. I've never done anything like this before and it was genuinely a great time. Everything exceeded my expectations: food was plentiful and good, the location of the camp was lovely - right on the Chesapeake Bay, the pool was very nice, the showers were hot, the dorms had cold ac & no one even snored! Tammy & I enjoyed the time away together and I 'm pretty sure we will do it again. We even landed a free hotel room in the historic Cape Charles Hotel the night before the ride began. Another team had some no shows and someone told some friends/teammates (Barry & Lisa) who hooked us up. The ride itself was enjoyable. It was fun to ride without a bunch of traffic, turns & stoplights. I enjoyed the scenery too - old farmhouses, waterfront, open land, wooded (shaded) areas. There were rest stops throughout the ride, about every 10 miles or so. There was plenty of water/beverages and a variety of snacks. My favorite was the peanut butter & banana sandwich (tasty). Each day en
ended with an ice cold towel which I promptly wrapped around my neck - this was another pleasant surprise. The best, perhaps, were the Red Bulls that were available at the very last rest stop of day two - somebody deserves big props for thinking of that. Anyway, I highly recommend the MS-150 at Cape Charles. If you want to join our team just let me know.

It's On!

Well it looks like it's official: McCain vs. Obama. It's hard to believe but it looks like Hillary Clinton will concede. So, we now have a choice between left and far left. Ain't it wonderful? 300,000,000 people and this is the best we can do? This race is interesting on many levels and we'll be inundated with all of them in the next few months... Past, future, white, black, old, young, experienced, neophyte, veteran, civilian, etc. I guess the pundits will now move on to intense VP talk. My politcal interest is rapidly declining toward an all time low. I'm far right on most issues so I'll likely never be pleased with a national candidate of either of the two main parties. I know most of my readers are republicans, but can you honestly get fired up about Bob Dull #2? Bob Barr anybody? How about Chuck Baldwin?

150 miles?

Well I'm in for 150 miles this coming weekend. We will do 75 miles the first day, sleep on an air mattress, get up, eat some grub and hit it for another 75 miles! I did 60 miles on the bike a few days ago and this will be a tough challenge for me. I haven't been professionally fitted to my bike so I experience some serious neck/shoulder pain after the first 10-15 miles. (Yeah I have a big cranium!) So, what's my plan? Aleve! I'll be doing the anti-inflammatory cocktail pre & post ride on both days. Hopefully that makes it tolerable. My legs (I think) can keep going. It's just sitting on the bike for 5 or 6 hours that's the pain (literally).