I haven't always been penitent.

Not me, duh, but someone far braver and far, far better than I, in a Porsche 917 at Le Mans, 1971. 234 mph on the straight.

That's 90 mph faster than I've ever driven.

Now Hear This.

THE SERMON ON EXPOSITION AVENUE
Rickie Lee Jones

New West

Houston Street Viaduct

The cyclists are traveling about 15 mph (not fast). Notice how the overtaking vehicles pull out to pass them well in advance of overtaking them. That’s because the cyclists are “controlling” their lane. Works that way all the time.

If the cyclists had been riding to the far right of the lane (as many people mistakenly believe they should), the motorists would have attempted to pass them without changing lanes, creating a dangerous situation.

This was videoed by Brian DeSousa of Dual-Chase Productions. The cyclists are Herman May and Richard Wharton.

Water and oxygen.

Water and oxygen are the two primary requirements for life. I can survive a long time without food (relatively), but only a few days without water. I can't last even a few minutes without oxygen.

If the oxygen trapped in my body was to spontaneously combust, and consume the water in my body, I'd be reduced to nothing more than a pile of ashes.

You too.

The late, self-proclaimed atheist, Carl Sagan, used to like to say that "We are made of star dust", referring to the organic elements of carbon-based nature being the results of stellar explosions (Dr. Sagan wasn't really an atheist... he worshiped the god "Chance", and its servant, "Science"). Dust to dust. Made from dust, and returned to dust. Ashes to ashes.

We are made of star ash.

"Plutoed"

The verb "to pluto" (preterite and past participle: "plutoed") is a neologism coined in the aftermath of the decision (to downgrade Pluto from planet designation to that of "large space rock").

In January 2007, the American Dialect Society chose "plutoed" as its 2006 Word of the Year, defining "to pluto" as "to demote or devalue someone or something", "as happened to the former planet Pluto when the General Assembly of the International Astronomical Union decided Pluto no longer met its definition of a planet."

--Wikipedia

The Bee Mine

There once was a man who set off in pursuit of gold. He wanted to be the richest man in the world. He was gone a long time.

On his search for wealth, he dug into the ground. He dug deep. Deeper. He dug deep, dark holes in search of the cold metal that would give him his fortune.

One day he returned. “Eureka!” he exclaimed to his friends and family. “I’ve found all the riches of the world! I’m the richest man alive!”

But his friends looked at him, and puzzled. He didn’t have any gold, but he was covered in sticky, golden honey, from his head to his feet.

“That’s not gold” his friends said to him, “that’s just sticky honey.” “Yes,” he exclaimed, “it’s honey from the rock!” For in his search, he came upon the greatest source of true wealth... sweet, sticky love that clings to and flavors everything. He found the honey mine.

Advancing to the rear.

“When the spirits are low, when the day appears dark, when work becomes monotonous, when hope hardly seems worth having, just mount a bicycle and go out for a spin down the road, without thought on anything but the ride you are taking.”

-- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Bennette Smith

Bennette Barbara Smith of Dallas, went to be with the Lord on February 1, 2009 at the age of 65. Bennette boldly fought illness and disease for the past several years and her courage continues to be an inspiration to her family. Bennette was a long time member and supporter of the arts and lived a life full of culture and travel. Her strong faith, gentle spirit and amazing wit will be remembered most by those who loved her. Services were held Friday, February 6, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. at Church of the Holy Cross in Dallas.

"A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" and "Saint Patrick's Breastplate" were sung with both conviction and moist eyes.

A David Prayer

Psalm 70

God! Please hurry to my rescue! God, come quickly to my side!
Those who are out to get me—
let them fall all over themselves.
Those who relish my downfall—
send them down a blind alley.
Give them a taste of their own medicine,
those gossips off clucking their tongues.

Let those on the hunt for you
sing and celebrate.
Let all who love your saving way
say over and over, "God is mighty!"

But I've lost it. I'm wasted.
God—quickly, quickly!
Quick to my side, quick to my rescue!
God, don't lose a minute.

- The Message

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, for the memorial offering.

Psalm 70

Be pleased, O God, to deliver me! O LORD, make haste to help me!
Let them be put to shame and confusion who seek my life!
Let them be turned back and brought to dishonor who desire my hurt!
Let them be appalled because of their shame who say, "Aha, Aha!"
May all who seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee!
May those who love thy salvation say evermore, "God is great!"
But I am poor and needy; hasten to me, O God!
Thou art my help and my deliverer; O LORD, do not tarry!

- The Revised Standard Version

The Blame Game

G.K. Chesterton once responded to a call for essays from the London Times on the topic, "What Is The Problem With The World."

Mr. Chesterton's complete essay read, "The Problem With the World is me."

Bye-bye Molly, the All-American Cat.

Almost seventeen years of the the best cat I have ever known came to an end today. Her body started shutting down a few days ago, and she finally breathed her last this afternoon.

Molly and her sister Sybil came to live with us from the SPCA after my daughters' fluffy orange tabby Freddie was struck by a car. Anna took to Sybil, and Catherine took to Molly, each naming their kitten for reasons of their own. Molly almost didn't make it, as she had an inability to digest food properly at first (weaned too early?), and went into "kitten decline", which the vet said is almost always fatal. But we pulled her through it.

After the girls had both gone off from home, Sybil contracted a fatal blood disease from hunting wild critters. That left us with Molly, and a strict "indoor only" policy. But a few years later, Molly developed a malignancy in her sinus passage. A biopsy showed it to be an especially aggressive cancer. The vet said she would only live six months at the most, and recommended putting her to sleep. We declined, but we prayed. Really hard. Really.

Molly lived another five good, playful, affectionate years. She often had breathing problems (cats are nose breathers only), but that came and went... just like her.

She was a great gift, and she made it through Christmas so everyone she loved could say good-bye, including our grand daughter June Anne (Catherine's little girl), who really loved Molly.

"Bye-bye, Molly."

Something to sink your teeth into.

From Think Christian...

Vampire-queen-turned-Christian-writer Anne Rice is answering reader questions about her faith and writing at Beliefnet this week, and many of her answers (and the questions) are quite interesting. One of the obvious questions to ask is how, from her current vantage point in the church, she looks back at the often lurid and grisly vampire novels that made her famous. Here’s her reply to a question along those lines:

I don’t write about the vampires and the witches anymore, not because I regret such work or feel guilty about it, far from it. I don’t write about them because I can’t be them anymore in fiction. I am some one else now. I live in a world where Salvation is a reality and the Light of Christ is a reality. So I can’t enter that old dark world in which my fallen heroes were metaphors for my own lost soul, and my soul grieving for a lost faith in God. I changed. So my work had to change.

A quick Google search turned up this essay at Anne Rice’s website in which she explains in more detail her attitude toward her vampire novels.

Today's Page Leaper.

The Psalm appointed for this morning.

Psalm 119:49-96 (New International Version)

z Zayin
49 Remember your word to your servant,
for you have given me hope.

50 My comfort in my suffering is this:
Your promise preserves my life.

51 The arrogant mock me without restraint,
but I do not turn from your law.

52 I remember your ancient laws, O LORD,
and I find comfort in them.

53 Indignation grips me because of the wicked,
who have forsaken your law.

54 Your decrees are the theme of my song
wherever I lodge.

55 In the night I remember your name, O LORD,
and I will keep your law.

56 This has been my practice:
I obey your precepts.

x Heth
57 You are my portion, O LORD;
I have promised to obey your words.

58 I have sought your face with all my heart;
be gracious to me according to your promise.

59 I have considered my ways
and have turned my steps to your statutes.

60 I will hasten and not delay
to obey your commands.

61 Though the wicked bind me with ropes,
I will not forget your law.

62 At midnight I rise to give you thanks
for your righteous laws.

63 I am a friend to all who fear you,
to all who follow your precepts.

64 The earth is filled with your love, O LORD;
teach me your decrees.

X Teth
65 Do good to your servant
according to your word, O LORD.

66 Teach me knowledge and good judgment,
for I believe in your commands.

67 Before I was afflicted I went astray,
but now I obey your word.

68 You are good, and what you do is good;
teach me your decrees.

69 Though the arrogant have smeared me with lies,
I keep your precepts with all my heart.

70 Their hearts are callous and unfeeling,
but I delight in your law.

71 It was good for me to be afflicted
so that I might learn your decrees.

72 The law from your mouth is more precious to me
than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.

y Yodh
73 Your hands made me and formed me;
give me understanding to learn your commands.

74 May those who fear you rejoice when they see me,
for I have put my hope in your word.

75 I know, O LORD, that your laws are righteous,
and in faithfulness you have afflicted me.

76 May your unfailing love be my comfort,
according to your promise to your servant.

77 Let your compassion come to me that I may live,
for your law is my delight.

78 May the arrogant be put to shame for wronging me without cause;
but I will meditate on your precepts.

79 May those who fear you turn to me,
those who understand your statutes.

80 May my heart be blameless toward your decrees,
that I may not be put to shame.

k Kaph
81 My soul faints with longing for your salvation,
but I have put my hope in your word.

82 My eyes fail, looking for your promise;
I say, "When will you comfort me?"

83 Though I am like a wineskin in the smoke,
I do not forget your decrees.

84 How long must your servant wait?
When will you punish my persecutors?

85 The arrogant dig pitfalls for me,
contrary to your law.

86 All your commands are trustworthy;
help me, for men persecute me without cause.

87 They almost wiped me from the earth,
but I have not forsaken your precepts.

88 Preserve my life according to your love,
and I will obey the statutes of your mouth.

l Lamedh
89 Your word, O LORD, is eternal;
it stands firm in the heavens.

90 Your faithfulness continues through all generations;
you established the earth, and it endures.

91 Your laws endure to this day,
for all things serve you.

92 If your law had not been my delight,
I would have perished in my affliction.

93 I will never forget your precepts,
for by them you have preserved my life.

94 Save me, for I am yours;
I have sought out your precepts.

95 The wicked are waiting to destroy me,
but I will ponder your statutes.

96 To all perfection I see a limit;
but your commands are boundless.

Oxymoron of the Day

From today's Wikipedia mainpage...

December 13: Republic Day in Malta (1974); Saint Lucy's Day

1545 – The Council of Trent, an ecumenical council convoked by Pope Paul III in response to the growth of Protestantism, opened in Trento, Italy.

We give thanks.

"Thanksgiving Day comes, by statute, once a year; to the honest person, it comes as frequently as the heart of gratitude will allow."

--Edward Sandford Martin

Younger stiff-necked Germans.

Sunday morning worship at the Lutheran Center at the University of Texas. Complete with wife, grandsons, daughter and son-in-law.

Out of the Memory Hole.

Every war when it comes, or before it comes, is represented not as a war but as an act of self-defense against a homicidal maniac.

If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.

In our age there is no such thing as ‘keeping out of politics.’ All issues are political issues, and politics itself is a mass of lies, evasions, folly, hatred and schizophrenia.

In times of universal deceit, telling the truth will be a revolutionary act.

One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one makes a revolution in order to establish a dictatorship.

The nationalist not only does not disapprove of atrocities committed by his own side, he has a remarkable capacity for not even hearing about them.

The very concept of objective truth is fading out of the world. Lies will pass into history.

There are some ideas so wrong that only a very intelligent person could believe in them.

We of the sinking middle class may sink without further struggles into the working class where we belong, and probably when we get there it will not be so dreadful as we feared, for, after all, we have nothing to lose.

To survive it is often necessary to fight and to fight you have to dirty yourself.

--George Orwell

It's about damn time...

The leaves finally started to turn and have begun to fall.

The more I pray...

"When I pray, coincidences happen, and when I don't, they don't."

--William Temple

AlphaDFW held a mini Alpha Conference last Saturday in Bedford. For a change, I got to attend and not work. I got to be ministered to, as opposed to ministering. I got to be the wounded one, the thirsty one, the naked one.

During ministry, I went up for prayer about the burden I place on myself, the burden of shouldering orthodoxy instead of the Cross. The fight for His Way to be exactly my way, as opposed to my way being exactly His Way. I'm not happy with the lack of purpose of my home church. I prayed for the frustrations to be lifted so that I might serve and follow Jesus better. Some tears, some sighs too deep for knowing. Nothing obvious to a mule.

The following morning in Sunday School (we're reading The Shack), I sat in my folding chair with my Bible open on my lap. Sinfully, pridefully, I was trying to look pious and studious, so I flipped my Bible open randomly to the New Testament.

Darn. There it was. Again.

The Gospel according to Luke, chapter 9, verses 57 through 62. Underlined and highlighted, climaxing at verse 60. "Jesus said, 'Let the dead bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom God.' " Beside this was written in the margins (in my hand) "Leaving ECUSA".

This was the defining passage to me when I decided to walk away from the Episcopal Church, the only manifestation of the Church I had known. The church into which I had been Christened, confirmed, married, Baptized from above, marriage annulled, re-married, called and rejected. There it was. I paused, chuckled, and moved on to my normal pontifications.

Monday morning brought Morning Prayer in the usual darkness (prayer in darkness is a good thing and highly recommended). The Daily Office (duty), prayed with millions the world over, an overlapping, continuous circle of prayer. Confession, Creed, three Scripture readings and the Psaltery, Intercessions. It's all there, the Christian life in orthodoxy distilled. Praised, confessed, read. First the day's Psalm, then the Old Testament lesson. Then the Epistle reading. And the then the Gospel lesson.

Darn. There it was. Again.

Luke 9: 57-62

The Cost of Following Jesus

57 As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, I will follow you wherever you go.

58 Jesus replied, Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.

59 He said to another man, Follow me. But the man replied, Lord, first let me go and bury my father.

60 Jesus said to him, Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.

61 Still another said, I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-bye to my family.

62 Jesus replied, No-one who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.

Don't look back. Let the dead bury their own dead. Germans, too.

Piety, Study, and... Action?