Two items in the news caught my eye this morning during my daily cruise of the Internet. In the article, "As if Things Weren't Bad Enough", Russian professor Igor Panarin is predicting a dire future for the U.S. due to collapse of national financial institutions and the nations unraveling moral fabric. The date set for this collapse is June 2010. Hmmmm.
Come with me back to 1990 when the government set up a special agency that specialized in the sale of physical assets of the 747 failed S & L's; the Resolution Trust Corporation; a title that inspires little trust.
"A tight-knit group of former senior government officials who were central players in the 1990's Savings and Loan bailout and who are seeking to capitalize on the latest economic meltdown, are enjoying a surge in new business in their work now as private lawyers, investors and lobbyists."[quoted from NYT online news].
There's going to be a fire sale and thieves in suits are positioning themselves either to buy or directing clients to buy distressed bank assets. John L. Douglas, who helped create the agency that administered the last bailout (R.S.T.), gloatingly boasts, "It's a good time to be me." [ibidem].
Perhaps the most interesting member of this pack of hounds is L. William Seidman. And guess what:Billy was the first chairman of R.T.C., who, along with a few friends, "...are serving as advisers — sharing ideas with Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson Jr. and the transition team for President-elect Barack Obama — even while they are separately directing investors or banks on how to best profit from this advice."
Seidman goes on to say, “It is an enormous market,” .... he has already joined two such potential money-making efforts and is evaluating proposals to participate in a third. “I am enjoying this.”
Let's see; Panarin predicting moral and financial collapse 2010; the pack of old dogs from the 1990's bailout still running tight; William Seidman advising Obama and then telling clients how to position themselves in order to maximize profits from what he (Seidman) whispers in Baraks' ear??? Curious! is a good word just about now.
"What is obvious to former R.T.C. officials is that, like the last go around, a great deal of money will be made by a select group of investors and business operators, particularly those with government contacts. The former government officials said in interviews that much of what is motivating them is a desire to help the nation recover from this latest stumble. But they acknowledge they intend to be among the winners who emerge." [Emphasis added] Pullleeesee...Somebody bring an emesis basin..and quick. The overarching/unconvincing words of sacrifice, duty, patriotism, and big bucks should be an emetic to every thinking American.
But there's a spiritual lesson here...let's see...okay, here's the text; straight out of Revelation. "For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every ship-master, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What [city is] like unto this great city! And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate." [Revelation 18:17-19]. As the quote goes, "Get ready, get ready, get ready!" For What? For the end of all things! What else?
God Bless. e.c.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Sunday, December 28, 2008
I HATE To Be Sick
Well, so much for flu shots. The "Vengeance of Christmas", I call it.
I was minding my own business busily stuffing chocolate in my face all the while thinking, "This is stupid, Ed." I didn't know that within 24 hours I'd be in bed, hacking and coughing, shivering, cursing (in a Christian sort-of way), words like "aw shucks, " phooey," "rats," and others that don't require confession or repentance.
Here I am 96 hours later, still hacking, still having muscle pain, grousing, impatient, having no clue what to do or what to write. Perhaps I should go back and read my previous post of healthy eating (and subsequent) healthy living. That's 30 for now.
God Bless. e.c.
I was minding my own business busily stuffing chocolate in my face all the while thinking, "This is stupid, Ed." I didn't know that within 24 hours I'd be in bed, hacking and coughing, shivering, cursing (in a Christian sort-of way), words like "aw shucks, " phooey," "rats," and others that don't require confession or repentance.
Here I am 96 hours later, still hacking, still having muscle pain, grousing, impatient, having no clue what to do or what to write. Perhaps I should go back and read my previous post of healthy eating (and subsequent) healthy living. That's 30 for now.
God Bless. e.c.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
I'm Stuffed!!!
Thanksgiving...come Christmas...come dinners...come overeating...come indigestion...come Alkaseltzer*(m.r.)... come misery...come regrets...come illness...come resolutions......come Thanksgiving.....ab initio/back to beginning...
Once upon a time there was a church which took seriously the words of Paul who wrote; "...whether therefore you eat or drink, or whatsoever you do do all to the glory of God." [1st Corinthians 10:31]. And so this church began to tell believers (and the world) that God designed a diet for man at Creation that would promote health, vigor, and longevity.
Some in the church believed and invested their lives, their health, their eating, and everything they did, in the teachings of the word of God.
A book was written offering advice to the church and to individuals how to best eat and drink in order to maximize health. Interestingly, Joseph Bates was a pioneer in what we have come to call "Health Reform." The chronology of Bates' health reform goes like this:
1821 giving up ardent (strong) spirits
1822 gave up use of wine
1923 gave up tobacco
1824 stopped using all forms of alcohol (beer, etc)
1831 swore off tea and coffee because "it is poison".
1843 February: "I resolved to eat no more meat. In a few months after, I ceased using butter, grease, cheese, pies, and rich cakes.
It's interesting that Joseph Bates (the real founder of Seventh-day Adventism [cited in George Knight, Joseph Bates, 2004] practiced (and gently taught) vegetarianism. Interesting too is the fact that the emergent SDA church began to follow a health dietary path more than forty years later. Bates also refused to eat between meals. [ibidem].
It is no secret that Seventh-day Adventists are some of the healthiest people on earth: But not all: Probably no more than 50% of church members walk/jog the path of healthy living.
The penalties for overeating, obesity, snacking, and unwise dietary choices can be unforgiving: diabetes, cardiovascular disease (heart attacks), stroke, cancers, etc. This is NOT to say or imply that one can assign all cancers to diet. Some are cursed with a genetic predisposition to cancer. Moreover, on this earth, bad things happen to good people.
Health reform has a way of sifting one's friends (by default) such that one tends toward those who are like minded. Joseph Bates lived life in its many hues; experienced sea captain, wealthy retiree, health reformer, social reformer (freedom for all Americans), student of scripture, impoverished preacher (following 1844), ardent supporter and promoter of the true Sabbath, church leader, and writer.
One could do worse than to emulate the principled life of Joseph Bates as he lived it to the full in Jesus Christ.
God Bless. e.c.
Once upon a time there was a church which took seriously the words of Paul who wrote; "...whether therefore you eat or drink, or whatsoever you do do all to the glory of God." [1st Corinthians 10:31]. And so this church began to tell believers (and the world) that God designed a diet for man at Creation that would promote health, vigor, and longevity.
Some in the church believed and invested their lives, their health, their eating, and everything they did, in the teachings of the word of God.
A book was written offering advice to the church and to individuals how to best eat and drink in order to maximize health. Interestingly, Joseph Bates was a pioneer in what we have come to call "Health Reform." The chronology of Bates' health reform goes like this:
1821 giving up ardent (strong) spirits
1822 gave up use of wine
1923 gave up tobacco
1824 stopped using all forms of alcohol (beer, etc)
1831 swore off tea and coffee because "it is poison".
1843 February: "I resolved to eat no more meat. In a few months after, I ceased using butter, grease, cheese, pies, and rich cakes.
It's interesting that Joseph Bates (the real founder of Seventh-day Adventism [cited in George Knight, Joseph Bates, 2004] practiced (and gently taught) vegetarianism. Interesting too is the fact that the emergent SDA church began to follow a health dietary path more than forty years later. Bates also refused to eat between meals. [ibidem].
It is no secret that Seventh-day Adventists are some of the healthiest people on earth: But not all: Probably no more than 50% of church members walk/jog the path of healthy living.
The penalties for overeating, obesity, snacking, and unwise dietary choices can be unforgiving: diabetes, cardiovascular disease (heart attacks), stroke, cancers, etc. This is NOT to say or imply that one can assign all cancers to diet. Some are cursed with a genetic predisposition to cancer. Moreover, on this earth, bad things happen to good people.
Health reform has a way of sifting one's friends (by default) such that one tends toward those who are like minded. Joseph Bates lived life in its many hues; experienced sea captain, wealthy retiree, health reformer, social reformer (freedom for all Americans), student of scripture, impoverished preacher (following 1844), ardent supporter and promoter of the true Sabbath, church leader, and writer.
One could do worse than to emulate the principled life of Joseph Bates as he lived it to the full in Jesus Christ.
God Bless. e.c.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Blog, Blog, Blog!!!
Once upon a Tuesday dreary
As I pondered thoughtless and weary
That, I'd written days before
Mindless drivel designed to bore
There came a tapping at my door
Irritating tapping at my chamber door
Opening, I thot to find a Raven
Rather than Raven there was a man
Garbed in brown with a matching van
Packages wrapped and taped in hand
Grinning as though this was something grand
But better I knew
And had not to guess
Santa had sent him
To the wrong address.
p.s.
Merry Christmas to all sufficiently dour
With faces twisted to grimaces sour
As nearer comes the expectant hour
When relatives appear with gifts to shower
Who clean the table and ice box too
And ride clear of the mess hailing
"Merry Christmas," to you!
As I pondered thoughtless and weary
That, I'd written days before
Mindless drivel designed to bore
There came a tapping at my door
Irritating tapping at my chamber door
Opening, I thot to find a Raven
Rather than Raven there was a man
Garbed in brown with a matching van
Packages wrapped and taped in hand
Grinning as though this was something grand
But better I knew
And had not to guess
Santa had sent him
To the wrong address.
p.s.
Merry Christmas to all sufficiently dour
With faces twisted to grimaces sour
As nearer comes the expectant hour
When relatives appear with gifts to shower
Who clean the table and ice box too
And ride clear of the mess hailing
"Merry Christmas," to you!
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Call Him, Ezekiel
Ezekiel came to church totally smashed, looped, intoxicated, drunk. (Thank you Lord he was there). We talked.
He came the next week; not so drunk, but drunk still. Ezekiel (a pseudonym) is homeless, lives in a doorway, attended all the recent satellite fed meetings given by Mark Finley. The man has given his heart to the Lord. I wish you could hear the power of his witness and listen as he quotes Scripture. One of his greatest--if not the greatest--desires is to reach his fellow homeless friends with the Good News of Christ and His Love.
I thought I would do a good and generous thing and invite Ezekiel to Denny's for dinner after church because there was no potluck that week; so Denny's it was.
Ezekiel was shy about ordering but we insisted he get what he really wanted; and he did. I was out to play the part of a real missionary so I insisted he order a take-out for later or to share. (I'm really into the "feed the hungry" thing and feeling all warm and righteous about it by now). We leave Denny's.
Now there's just one more thing to do; have prayer with the man and send him off until we meet again at church next week.
I pray.
Then Ezekiel prays (caught me off guard with this).
My words were weak, sort of spineless and maybe a little rote.
But Ezekiel prayed. I could tell you what he prayed but I won't because it's too private, too honest, too deep, too sincere, too moving to desecrate by mere repetition.
So who was blessed?
I was!Deeply, indelibly, incredibly, permanently. Lord, help me to always remember the prayer of Ezekiel. I know You will.
Do this one thing: Pray for Ezekiel. God will know who you mean.
God, Bless Ezekiel and thank you for the blessing You sent me through Ezekiel!
e.c.
He came the next week; not so drunk, but drunk still. Ezekiel (a pseudonym) is homeless, lives in a doorway, attended all the recent satellite fed meetings given by Mark Finley. The man has given his heart to the Lord. I wish you could hear the power of his witness and listen as he quotes Scripture. One of his greatest--if not the greatest--desires is to reach his fellow homeless friends with the Good News of Christ and His Love.
I thought I would do a good and generous thing and invite Ezekiel to Denny's for dinner after church because there was no potluck that week; so Denny's it was.
Ezekiel was shy about ordering but we insisted he get what he really wanted; and he did. I was out to play the part of a real missionary so I insisted he order a take-out for later or to share. (I'm really into the "feed the hungry" thing and feeling all warm and righteous about it by now). We leave Denny's.
Now there's just one more thing to do; have prayer with the man and send him off until we meet again at church next week.
I pray.
Then Ezekiel prays (caught me off guard with this).
My words were weak, sort of spineless and maybe a little rote.
But Ezekiel prayed. I could tell you what he prayed but I won't because it's too private, too honest, too deep, too sincere, too moving to desecrate by mere repetition.
So who was blessed?
I was!Deeply, indelibly, incredibly, permanently. Lord, help me to always remember the prayer of Ezekiel. I know You will.
Do this one thing: Pray for Ezekiel. God will know who you mean.
God, Bless Ezekiel and thank you for the blessing You sent me through Ezekiel!
e.c.
"Leave A Message!
This was taken straight off the "Wired" Internet news site; No kidding.
"An increasing number of people are now being buried with their cellphones. Funeral directors think that having a cellphone in the casket is the same as being buried with other mementos such as a picture or a piece of jewelry, reports MSNBC.
It's also comforting for relatives and friends to know someone who's already in the other world has their phone.:
O.K. But my (so-to-speak) mind began working on the question: "What kind of a message would be best left on a phone of one dead... until the battery went dead.
"Hi! This is Ed, as you know, I'm dead, but go ahead and leave a message after the beep. "I'll get back to you as soon as I can...like when Jesus returns."
There is a fascinating epistemological/study of the methods and grounds of knowledge/ question embedded within the frank foolishness of the issue of phones for the dead.
If the Word of God is true and trustworthy, and, if it is true that the dead are completely unaware of anything and everything [you can find this in the books Job, Psalms, Ecclesiastes, Matthew ( in the words of Jesus), in the writings of Paul, and in The Revelation.], then, cell phones in caskets are symbolic of some and the sum of man's fears of death and most particularly what lies beyond.
To the question, "What lies beyond?" The answer is...nothingness! No Heaven. No hell. No sublimity. No eternal torture. Nothing...until the "...the Lord descends from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and the dead in Christ arise first, and we who are alive and remain are caught up together in the clouds with Him and so shall we ever be with the Lord..." with no need for cell phones, ring tones, text messaging, battery packs, or charging devices.
That's the good news of the Gospel and most probably bad news for cell phone devotees and funeral directors.
God Bless. e.c.
"An increasing number of people are now being buried with their cellphones. Funeral directors think that having a cellphone in the casket is the same as being buried with other mementos such as a picture or a piece of jewelry, reports MSNBC.
It's also comforting for relatives and friends to know someone who's already in the other world has their phone.:
O.K. But my (so-to-speak) mind began working on the question: "What kind of a message would be best left on a phone of one dead... until the battery went dead.
"Hi! This is Ed, as you know, I'm dead, but go ahead and leave a message after the beep. "I'll get back to you as soon as I can...like when Jesus returns."
There is a fascinating epistemological/study of the methods and grounds of knowledge/ question embedded within the frank foolishness of the issue of phones for the dead.
If the Word of God is true and trustworthy, and, if it is true that the dead are completely unaware of anything and everything [you can find this in the books Job, Psalms, Ecclesiastes, Matthew ( in the words of Jesus), in the writings of Paul, and in The Revelation.], then, cell phones in caskets are symbolic of some and the sum of man's fears of death and most particularly what lies beyond.
To the question, "What lies beyond?" The answer is...nothingness! No Heaven. No hell. No sublimity. No eternal torture. Nothing...until the "...the Lord descends from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and the dead in Christ arise first, and we who are alive and remain are caught up together in the clouds with Him and so shall we ever be with the Lord..." with no need for cell phones, ring tones, text messaging, battery packs, or charging devices.
That's the good news of the Gospel and most probably bad news for cell phone devotees and funeral directors.
God Bless. e.c.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Just One Note?
Writers do NOT like to be edited, critiqued, criticized, ignored, annoyed, or spoken to before breakfast. None of this sets well with a writer. Not to worry, because I'm not really a writer. I'm more of an observer or commentator who thinks outloud and/or on paper; kind of...
Anyway, two kind readers pointed out (gently, after breakfast) that I am guilty of singing just one song; a one-note song at that. So, what is a ponderer to do? On what shall I excogitate/think? It ca't be national or internation human misery, wrought at the hands of despots who never seem to die (like Mugabe and Castro).
No--thinking too much on this kind of stuff is depressing and tends to twist one's spirit into shapes God does not call on us to endure. Worrying about the world is not (to be) my job. I'll just have to leave that to God because I don't think He gets headaches or ulcers. He knows something I don't know: A lot of things, actually.
Therefore, my assignment for today is to have a Happy Sabbath and enjoy the kind and gentle company of my wife and our friends at church. So if you don't mind, I'm going to "clock-out"my mind and get ready for church.
God Bless. e.c.
Anyway, two kind readers pointed out (gently, after breakfast) that I am guilty of singing just one song; a one-note song at that. So, what is a ponderer to do? On what shall I excogitate/think? It ca't be national or internation human misery, wrought at the hands of despots who never seem to die (like Mugabe and Castro).
No--thinking too much on this kind of stuff is depressing and tends to twist one's spirit into shapes God does not call on us to endure. Worrying about the world is not (to be) my job. I'll just have to leave that to God because I don't think He gets headaches or ulcers. He knows something I don't know: A lot of things, actually.
Therefore, my assignment for today is to have a Happy Sabbath and enjoy the kind and gentle company of my wife and our friends at church. So if you don't mind, I'm going to "clock-out"my mind and get ready for church.
God Bless. e.c.
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