Like a Canvas for a Bright New Day

A Scarlet Reminder

When the Lord brought back the captive ones of Zion,

we were like those who dream.

Our mouths were filled with laughter,

our tongues with joyful shouting.

Then they said among the nations:

"The Lord has done great things for them!"

And the Lord has done great things for us;

and we are filled with joy.

You've restored our hearts like streams that flow;

those who've sown in tears shall reap

their joy, in return, with shouts and songs

carrying the fruit of God.

As I Walked the Wilderness of this World...

I shiver and shrink from the wint'ry winds,

Though the warmth of tears once carried great hope

Of grace to come without delay.

Yet the years spent pining for just one kiss

Have taken their toll; my soul's amiss.

I ache and fall into the fray...

"I am left to wander and roam."

~*~

[But you, my friend, are not alone.]

All My Tears

It don't matter where you bury me,
I'll be home and I'll be free.
It don't matter where I lay,
All my tears be washed away.

~*~

When I go, don't cry for me
In my Father's arms I'll be
The wounds this world left on my soul
Will all be healed and I'll be whole.

Sun and moon will be replaced
With the light of Jesus' face
And I will not be ashamed
For my Savior knows my name.

Gold and silver blind the eye
Temporary riches lie
Come and eat from heaven's store,
Come and drink, and thirst no more

So, weep not for me my friends,
When my time below does end
For my life belongs to Him
Who will raise the dead again.

~*~

It don't matter where you bury me,
I'll be home and I'll be free.
It don't matter where I lay,
All my tears be washed away.

~*~

It don't matter.

-Dan Haseltine

A Small Measure of Peace

Strengthen the weak hands
and make firm the feeble knees.
Say to those who have an anxious heart,
"Be strong, fear not!
BEHOLD, your God will come...
He will come and save you."

And the ransomed of the Lord shall return
and come to Zion with singing;
everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy,
and sorrow and sighing will flee away...


~*~

Isaiah 35: 3-4, 10

Trust. Hope. Rest.

When Life is in Discord

Two things:

First: I have a new love. Her name is swing... swing-dancing that is (you were right, Rusty). This past Saturday night Hannah and I nailed down some freakin-sweet moves at the good ol' Cat's Corner (or Kat's Korner... whatever). But the highest point of the night took place outside of the odd-smelling dance hall when the things of God came up among four of us sitting at a elementary lunch table. Brent Klontz - you're such a stud ;) - was beginning to tell me how his relationship with God was going when a certain sweat-soaked young man named Anoki (yes, it's his real name. And yes, it does make him sound very much like a jedi.) sat down next to us. Long story short: Brent started asking him questions and Anoki quickly confessed to being an atheist, therefore the things of God didn't apply to him. We got to talk for another 15 minutes or so; most of his arguments went back to his evolutionary worldview. It was a good convo, but he definitely needs prayer.

He was unashamed to confidently agree with me that his worldview provided moral autonomy so he could live life his own way without ever having to think of the blinding holiness of the God who is going to keep him accountable for all he has done. I'm sure I'll have more opportunities to talk with him as I plan to go swing-dancing every Saturday night I can spare. Please pray for God to open his eyes.

Second (and much more sobering): my grandpa John (my mom's dad) has been having lots of health complications during the past several months. But things have recently taken a turn for the worse. He has stopped eating out of a refusal to live the rest of his life in a wheelchair. He is 85; he is not a believer. So my parents are flying out on Tuesday to go see him - probably for the last time. Please pray that God would save his soul.

Call Me a Dinosaur III

Hi John,
Thank you for your encouraging words. Did you catch the comics this week? I attached one that you might enjoy...coincidence? I think not.

So, what did you think about Elser's arguments against creationism being called science?


Natalie

~*~

Hey Natalie!

You are certainly welcome : )

And thank YOU for the comic - it sure demonstrates one particularly luney side of evolution.

As for Dr. Elser's arguments, listening to him in lecture and reading his posts on discussion board can be quite aggrevating, to be honest. But I've noticed that he rarely answers a question directly, but he rather "intelletually sidesteps" the issue by blurting out a lot of nonsensical and circular arguments. For example, he is correct in stating that Creationism is not science - but only according to HIS definition of science. He even pointed out that one of the philosophical assumptions about science is that it tries to explain everything naturally. If we are to define science by "the study of what can be observed," then the starting point of Creationism is NOT scientific. However, when we apply the same line of argument, neither is macroevolution. Neither can be observed or repeated ;)

So then, both the Creationist and the evolutionist have a "non-scientific" starting point. Therefore each has its own framework of assumptions when viewing the facts (the data is always the same - granted that it's accurate - so only the interpretation differs according the presuppositions).

And so the problem the evolutionist runs in to is that since he believes that EVERYTHING in the universe can have a scientific explanation, he runs into a wall of faith that then forces him to twist the data into his framework of assumptions. It's like trying to jam a jigsaw puzzle piece into another one that does not fit - but you try anyway you don't like the picture on the box, thinking it doesn't fit with your beliefs about how it should look and work .

I believe it was G.K. Chesterton who said that modern man has battered his head against that wall to knock it down with his "superior" intellect, yet he has succeeded only in cracking his skull. ; )

Ok, I'll stop rambling now. But I'd love to talk to you about these issues sometime. Stay strong in your faith! See you Thursday!

Have a great week,

-John


"Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying 'where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.'

For when they maintain this it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of a water and by water, through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men...

The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance."

-2 Peter 3:3-9