Click appropriate link for archives
DEC'02
JAN'03
ANGELFIRE COLUMNS for Feb. of '03 2-1-03
President Tony Leddy had a new clock up for us at Rotary, one he promised would keep running. And the club's attention was on a happy place (a change from Iraq). Our exchange student from Brazil, Danilo Costa, gave an interesting report along with showing his many colorful slides. We tend to think that all of South America is Spanish. But the largest nation down there is a child of tiny Portugal. If they all had the personality of Danilo, that would be the most delightful place on earth to live. Rotarians are preparing for the Cajun Feast and auction at PV's Bosa Center, Sat. Feb.15, at 6pm. It's our main fund raising project, so come with a generous heart just after Valentine Day.
Kruse Music has moved to E.Paul now, just half a block west of the Royal theatre. Roy told me the main reason was to gain more parking space for customers. That's where I go every time something goes wrong with my guitar. Now I also have an electronic harp (Q Chord) that Niece gave me for Christmas. I've had a couple before that both got broken, so when I take this one to LARD, I won't be letting the inmates play on it (or I may get broke). They used to bring their own instruments until prison rules forbid having such. There's a long list of no-nos including things we'd all do well to avoid i.e. weapons, gambling devices, alcoholic beverages, non-prescription drugs, female friends (other than visitors), smoking (except outside on the yard). And you've surely read how underfunded the Dept. of Corrections has been. Only a small fraction attend chapel. More and more are young guys. But some genuine Christians are in the services. One black inmate who died about a year ago, James Johnson of OKC, would always pray for "those in authority." He would start with the president , then governor, the warden, and even his deputies. Glen and I have both missed. And I don't think he'd have felt that the officers should be fired up there for beating that black guy who had swallowed the drugs they wanted him to disclose (though it was terrible to see on TV). Would there be any comparison with making Saddam fork over his WMDs? We want police to be hard on drug dealers, but to treat all races the same.. And that wasn't what was depicted on national TV.
The new clock at Rotary makes me think of a book my son Ted loaned me. It was entitled "Longitude." and told how a private citizen in England solved the irrigational problem that had confounded even Columbus in 1492: how to measure how far west the ship had sailed. All the elite thinkers insisted it had to be measure from the planets and stars. But John Harrison built a clock that would keep such accurate time even aboard ship, that longitude could be measured as accurately as latitude (which had always been simple). So he won the prize first offered in 1715 and his "chronometer" gave the English such nautical advantage advantage in commerce that the British Empire was a result. No one thought a man made device could possibly solve the problem that for centuries had caused ships to get lost at sea. But it did. And now we have global positioning devices that can locate to within a few feet any spot on earth. What a way we've come.
2-5-03
Apocalyptic signs are a prelude to the endtime foretold by our Lord Jesus Christ in Mt.24: "And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled, for all these things must come to pass...For nation shall rise against nation...And there shall be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes...And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved...Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened...and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven...and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect...from one end of heaven to the other." Since Christ's Kingdom is within, I see the yielding of hearts to His rule as the "gathering" here mentioned. With 9/11 just past and the space shuttle disaster upon us along with the threat of war, souls rescued from WW III may well be the aforementioned "sign." It's certainly not "a cross seen in the sky" calling Roman armies to conquer under banners displaying it, like the vision emperor Constantine claimed centuries ago, but a heavenly refuge for all souls who entrust themselves in faith to be saved from their sins. Now President Bush is saying "weeks, not months," which will soon change to "days, not weeks" and then "hours, not days" as the US/British countdown continues. Remember that the destroyed shuttle's name is also a monicker here in America for one big river, two cities, three or four towns, and the literary title of our whole nation. As we grieve over our great loss with flags half mast, let us be "looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of GOD." (Hebrews 12:2) Too often these days we tend to claim heaven as an entitlement just for being good citizens. We feel that citizenship in the Kingdom comes with being American. Yet the Bible clearly shows that we must also be "born from above" to belong. So here before Valentine Day I pose this question, have you invited the Savior into your heart? Just respond to that dear old song "Come every soul by sin oppressed, there's mercy with the Lord. And He will surely give you rest by trusting in His word. Only trust Him, only trust Him, only trust Him now. He will save you, He will save you, He will save you now."
joseph hazlitt ANGELFIRE 2-9-03
I may have mistakenly written in years past that romantic love is not in the Bible. That was because I knew that the Greek name, eros, was never used. Philia, or brotherly love is frequent, and agape, divine love, is most prominent. But since I didn't recognize the Hebrew words translated "love," I was focused just on the New Testament. This year for Valentine Day, I'm reading squot;The Song of Solomon," which is a very erotic poem. Strangely, it's located just after that most dismal bit of Scripture, Ecclesiastes, which pronounc things only as futile;vanity, vanity all is vanity; We Christians are way beyond that futile view and have usually taken the Song of Solomon as a romance between Christ (the Beloved) and His bride, the Shulamite woman(Church). So all the NT hope is looking forward to the final coming of Jesus for the wedding to His Bride. Thus every wedding depicts Her "coming down out of heaven" (Rev.21) to meet the Groom at the altar (where GOD will then tie the everlasting knot). Communion is a foretaste of that coming wedding banquet, joyful indeed.
Something fine is set for 3:30 next Sat.afternoon at Beaty Baptist: an Eagle Scout Ceremony for William Walker of WW. I've watched him grow up as I threw the Wesley Walker's paper. He'd be out in the year to catch it sometimes. I never guessed the little Bill would reach the top rank in Boy Scouts of America. Long before "twelve step programs" became so popular for self-improvement, Scouts were learning their Twelve Laws: Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean and Reverent. You Walkers, you can be very proud!
Dr.Cara Brown's "Tar Wars" program at Lee Elementary described in this paper was certainly a worthy project. It's hard to believe that the cigarette industry can be so sly, cunning and wicked as to entrap juveniles in that loathsome habit of smoking with cartoons. She showed them how fake the notion was that it had any calming effect. Because once hooked, an addict gets the jitters without his "weed." It just eases your withdrawal symptoms rather than calming down. So smoking really does the very opposite. As she said, nicotine's extremely addictive. And to think, all those executives denied knowing that several years ago when the public was waking up to the daners.. What a bunch of liars they proved to be. It seems that anything can be justifiec if it makes money; even gambling.
I wish I could feel some support for our new governor. He has such a bleak financial situation ahead that I'd like to at least pray for him. But that lottery he's promoting just bugs me so. I heard his speech on the radio Monday telling us that because 39 other states already have them, we need to keep up with the lucrative trend. I'm glad he wants to help the teachers, but playing this word game perpetuates hypocrisy. It's not an "education lottery," but a gambling lottery. I read where the OKC schools have cancelled classes for Wed. when the state teacher's rally takes place out at the capitol. "Just go with the flow" is the general policy these days. That's why I admire our president. He bucks the tide of wimping out on tough assignents globally. I heard one opinion about France and German, that they are already intimidated by terrorist cells in their countries. Since they are so much nearer geographically to the Middle East than Britain or US, they are more afraid or terrorist attacks. Yet knuckling under will only let it get worse.
I just watched Bill O'Reilly on Fox TV give a rallying statement for going after Saddam. He's a modern day John the Baptist, I feel. But then I switched to hear a J Taylor that Phil Donahue was debating on MS-NBC and was completely turned off. I even sided with Phil, which is almost never. Taylor was claiming that diversity in America is a weakness; that we all seek our own kind to avoid it. I don't know where Phil got such an elitist, but he sure turned me off. If his standard of separateness had been spiritually based, I'd have approved. But he was coming out of a smug, affluent, cocktail crowd attitude. He surely lives with his like minded in a million dollar mansions with security guards. Up against him, Phil even looked decent. That's probably why he was on the Mon. evening show. Did anyone join me in staying on that four hour report Sun. evening on developments in outer space and the Columbia disaster? I hadn't realized that so much is being done by other nations and by private enterprise. Maybe if the US has to slow down expenditures, others will continue and be allowed to utilize the ISS as well. Lord willing, some human will eventually step on Mars just as Neil Armstrong did the moon that July21 of '69. My family and I were heading down the Turner Turnpike toward OKC when we heard on the radio "The Eagle Has Landed." I began honking along with other cars going both directions. Then we heard later at night the voice of Armstrong, "That's one small step for a man; one giant leap for mankind." It rang with the existential "leap of faith" that we'd heard all through the fifties so space gained an almost religious sense. Sad to say, it led to a false faith in ETs such as manifested in that novel by the late Carl Sagan, "Contact," which also became a movie.
Muslims are converging on Mecca this week there in Saudi Arabia. Their annual pilgrimage to surround the Kabba and tomb of Muhammad there at the fool of Mt.Arafat is one of the "five pillars" of Islam and only believers are allowed. The Kabba, I understand, is a square building that is the original mosque (place of prostration). In fact, it was there before Muhammad lived and Muslims (ones who submit to Allah) believe that Islam goes clear back to Adam, then Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and finally Muhammad who all submitted themselves. These are claimed by Muslims as prophets of Allah, whose greatest and final spokesman was given the words (by Gabriel) that make up their Koran(recitations). Muslim Arabs feel themselves the chosen ones to receive Allah's word as much as Jews know they were given the Torah by Yahweh. Saudi Arabia is a holy land to Muslims just as Israel is to orthodox Jews. I pray that just as Jews for Jesus has became a force for the Kingdom, so a Muslims for Messiah (or Chris)t could also come about here in these closing days of time.
I watched part of the teacher's rally on Wednesday and sensed some disappointment. One teacher said she began that morning with high hopes, which gradually dwindled as each politician spoke. "Nice words, but nothing more" was her conclusion; though another teacher recalled the special session in Dec. for corrections, when more funds were found to keep prson guards. Now, it appears the "rainy day fund" will be tapped $25,000,000 for education. That seems only fair to this observer, Even though I'm personally involved in prison ministry, I feel that education should come first, and could even reduce the other need as a prevention endeavor.
In a lighter vein, I went into Love's station for a fill up (of coffee) and said "Since your sign shows that big heart, you might celebrate Valentine's with free fill ups (of gasoline)." Nora said with a smile "I'll pass that on to the supervisor." Then I added "Wel,l say that it was my idea, so I I should get the first one." What great publicity that would be for Loves, especially with gas getting higher priced every day. Maybe they'll hire me as their advertising agent and give me all the gas I need. Marvelous idea, don't you think?
Wasn't it good to see all of PV's school administrators rehired! Remember that Grant guy who spent so much, then went to Weatherford and did it again. Lost track of him but he thought the world was his financial "grant" it seems. Seriously now, we come to Presidents Day midway between Lincoln's and Washington's, and honoring all 43 who have held that high office of our nation. I saw in the Oklahoman a photo of Bush and the first Lady coming out of Washington D.C.'s Episcopal Church last week, so I gave it to Molly Layton, who volunteers at the hospital. She's quite active in St.Timothy's here in PV. I knew Bush Sr. had been of that denomination but had thought Laura had brought W over to the UMC. Still, the Episcopal seemed correct since that was the church of George Washington. It had been called Anglican(Curch of England), but the Revolution gave that name a bad flavor, so "Episcopalean" has been used here in America instead. As to Abraham Lincoln's church, no one seems to know. Maybe his first name made him feel Jewish instead. But we know that he was familiar with the Bible because he quoted it frequently. And his Gettysburg Address sounds like Scripture too. Some have tried to choose a president of the 20th century who compares to Washington of the 18th and Lincoln of the 19, but I sure don't think it was FDR, JFK or playboy Bill Clinton; but maybe rough riderTeddy Roosevelt or Jimmy Carter the Christian.
I spoke to the "stand in" for Marilyn Monroe depicted in that "Tattler" supplement included in the Democrat a couple of weeks ago and found her well informed about the late American sex symbol. I said "But she did commit suicide despite all her shame/fame?" The answer was "More likely her death came because she was ready to snitch about affairs with the Kennedy brothers." That was yet another spin, but one that fits what I can recall from back then.
Local politics are warming up in WW as we foresee a race for Easu Coates to keep his place as street commissioner; and mayor John Warren facing at least one challenger. The date is April 1. ]Any significance?] David Schaffer lost bad in the school board election to Terry Brown. A lady from Joy came in second and David at the bottom. I heard someone say that he was part of the "old guard" that let things get in such a mess when the principal was fired and the superintendent retired. But he still might stay on to fill a vacated seat. From what I hear, WW's schools are running smooth this year.
With the terrorism warning up to orange, we should all be "seeking first the Kingdom" because that's untimate safety.
Seems it was the worst ever blizzard that hit the Northeast before President's Day. And our current president got a global snow job too from demonstratons in every major city (except Arab ones). As I saw the shape of that wicked winter weather that hit with such a wallop, it looked like a lion's body stretching from Ohio across Pennsylvania and flaring out into the shaggy mane as it spread over D.C., NYC and Boston up and down the east coast. I thought of the text in 1 Peter 5:8 as applying to both roaring storms, meteorological and sociological: "Your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." Now everyone's digging out from the snow and it also looks like Bush won't be ambushed by France and Germany either, because they don't carry the clout they thought they had. The European Union is for ousting Saddam and NATO will provide needed arms to Turkey for liberation of Iraq.. And still another UN resolution, now supporting military action, appears imminent. All that should prompt the Iraqi populace to action saving themselves from so much pain by doing their own needed surgery of cutting out their leadership tumor. But if they can't or just won't, then time has run out so that outsiders must do it.. And time also may be out for the whole world. Let's keep praying for our president and his "alliance of the willing" to face this hour courageously. Being prepared for conflict is the best peace plan right now. No doubt our forces deployed there are all praying for peace, though not waving signs at TV cameras like the millions at so many Sunday demonstrations (including Iraq's staged one in Baghdad that was aided by all the rest). Though Cairo, Amman and Damascus also had smaller ones, the Arab states are not usually free enough for such public expression.
Since Rotary met on Valentine's Day, it was the theme of our program and we were "swooned by a local romantic" (as the club president phrased it). Tommy Blackburn sang several contemporary love songs. The one I most enjoyed was John Denver's "Follow Me." Follow me where I go, What I do and who I know, Make it part of you to be a part of me. Follow me up and down, all the way and all around, Take my hand and say you'll follow me. I hadn't thought of it as describing matrimony, but Tommy had some newer word for the marriage relationship instead of "submit." ( used in the New Testament). The term was more balanced, but I don't recall it, and I quoted the ancient term used when the ritual asked "will you love, honor and obey him." 1 Peter 3:1 says "Be in subjection to your own husband" so that's why "obey" was used, though it's been long since replaced by "cherish.". Still, marriage is a type of our union with Christ, and Denver's song describes that just right, I think. "Follow Me" is Jesus' invitation into His church and the last half of Ephesians 5 clearly describes that sacred mystery. About Rotary again, our former president is now the district4 governor, Tim Smith, celebrated his birthday Monday.as an ex-president. That made it "Governor's Day" too., for us. Tim is a loveable guy. Oh yes, I re-read the Song of Solomon several times on Valentine weekend. It ends with the brides plea for her Beloved to hasten back. Sound like Revelation?
Twenty-one people have died in the blizzard and another 21 in a Chicago night club stampede at the very start of it, Sunday night. And that echoed a similar event in Mecca a week before during the Muslim hajj. So weather seems to be relating to human events. Remember the words of our Lord about getting foreknowledge each day from the look of the morning sky? He also told of the ten wise and foolish virgins, with only five who kept their lamps burning until the Groom's arrival at the wedding (Mt.25). It was a parable of His joyful return for those who have kept the faith. Now we see that the great wedding supper is near.
All the protest demonstraters sounding off sure look a lot like Viet Nam again, don't they. Now we're in another war , whether there's an attack on Iraq or not. Iraq's just one major battle in a global conflict that will be from here on till the last day of history, as I see it. Remember that peace song to the Coca Cola tune: "I'd like to build the world a home and furnish it with love, grow apple trees and honey bees with snow white turtle doves. I'd like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony. I'd like to hold it in my arms and keep it company. I'd like to see the world for once all standing hand in had and hear them echo through the hills with peace throughout the land. It's the song I hear, let the world sing today; a song of peace that echoes on and never goes away." Such is the feeling I get going out to check on progress with the new house Niece is building in Tanglewood addition. I'm just amazed at what a beautiful home she's preparing for some prospective buyer. It's the future we all hope to see. But if we have to go into Iraq, it will bring back that other Viet Nam song that's so terrible, I think that whole "Left Behind" series of books took their name from it: "Life was filled with guns and war and everyone got trampled on the floor. I wish we'd all been ready. Children died, the days grew cold. A piece of bread would buy a bag of gold. I wish we'd all been ready. There's no time to change your mind, the Son has come and you've been LEFT BEHIND. Man and wife asleep in bed, she turns her head he's gone, I wish we'd all been ready Two are walking up a hill, one disappears and one's left standing still. I wish we'd all been ready. There's no time to change your mind, the Son has come and you've been LEFT BEHIND behind. You've been LEFT BEHIND!" Both of the night club fires, Chicago and Rhode Island, are symbolic of this kind of disasterous ending. I think the Boy Scout motto takes on spiritual meaning for everyone, "be prepared."
A flag composed of electric lights has been up at WW in the center median just east of our police station. Maybe it's only been for President's Day, but I hope such an inspiring sight can remain there. It's a banner of hope in these days of such distress in the world. Then at the east end of Kerr Blvd. there's the newly built Sr.Citizens Center which appears outwardly complete. Of course, plenty of work remains inside. (I must see PV's now started too) And clear east of WW the new site of First Baptist now has an entrance drive, plus an apparent water line already laid. I'm sure that's what it is because how could a Baptist church be built with no water? Ha. And another positive sight I've been noticing for several weeks is in PV: that big thermometer at the corner of Chickasaw and Paul which shows the United Fund up to 100%. It warms the eyesight on even a cold day. Feeling thus myself, I went over to the courthouse hoping I'd get to meet Jimmy Choyce, who shines shoes and gives words of encouragement to his customers also shine. He wasn't there but the Shoe Shine Stand from A.V. Goodpasture's Harness Shop brought memories to me. A.V. or "Uncle Virgil" as I knew him, let me work there at 106 W. Paul one summer along with his experts, Buster and Fletcher. They taught me to save shoe soles by putting on a new halfsole. Later I moved on to the saving of souls, which are made all new in Christ Jesus. But just remembering Uncle Virgil and Aunt Annie is very pleasant for me. They were always so kind and gracious, though he usually had a cigar in his mouth. She was the sister of grandmother Amy Hightower, marvelous lady of whom I've written before. Goodpasture's place was a saddle and shoe shop when I worked there in the early fortes. It's stand at the courthouse dates from 1918, nine years ahead of my arrval in PV.
Niece and I keep our niece's two year old son, Lane Burch, each week. He always likes to watch the cartoons and I've found it a delight to join him sometimes. They are informative as well as funny. On the cable at channels 13 (mornings), 26, and 52 it's curious how their numbers double. Maybe it's the double treat of getting away from the routine news with alarms, the heavy and sordid dramas of Court TV, or the weary learning of both C-SPANS. I recommend at least a look. Today Lane and I saw a grand piano concert of classical music (performed by a cat and mouse). Really was delightful and uplifting along with all the laughs. Cartoon Network is 52 where that's the steady diet. Try it.
So many calamities that we learn about every day verify the Biblical certainty that "we have here no enduring city." I'm thinking that "roaring lion" I say on the weather map had also come from swallowing so many in Chircago and then more from Rhode Island. Maybe satan's already released from the bottomless pit.
The first words of the Bible tell us the Origin of everything: "In the beginning GOD created heaven and earth." I heard on my car radio that one of NASA's Earth satellites had precisely determined the age of our universe as being 13.7 billion years. The six days would thus mean eons. Having been long curious about the matter, I checked on the Internet to learn that the MAP orbiter (measuring light from the beginning of time) had gained this information from two years of scanning the most ancient light in the cosmos and that GOD's whole physical creation is only 4% visible matter, 23% dark matter and 73% dark energy. "Dark" means not giving off light though non-the-less real. When all that 23% of invisible matter was first discovered it, calculations were that the gravity would cause the universe to eventually collapse again, and perhaps re-explode in endless repetition as eternal oscillation. But this vast amount of dark energy guarantees that instead it will endlessly expand off into a final darkness. So science confirms the words of our Lord about heaven and earth passing away. Even the entire universe is moving one way, expanding straight out, not in an everlasting circle of expansion and collapse. And it's also a flat disc, so expansion is on one plane instead of all directions. Maybe flying saucers were a psychological preview for us. Or better still, think of those old time 78 rpm phonograph records. It seemed so amazing back then to catch sounds and preserve them to hear again. Maybe we were listening to the music of all creation and just didn't realize it. While we're talking science, I've read where the Israelis had made a computer from DNA that is over 1000 times smaller than any PC. I'm just now getting used to a cell phone on my pocket, but a whole pocket full of computers? Whew!
When a politician feels that he's on the spot about some controversial public decision, he calls for "a vote of the people" to get him off the hook. If that's the way to go, why bother to elect any legislators? We could just vote on everything and save paying them. So now you see the buck getting passed on that gambling lottery. The two state leaders nearest to the governor want "the citizens to decide." I though the purpose of having elected senators and representatives was to have more intelligence in government than a head count of John Does. The public gets swayed whichever way the wind of popular opinion happens to blow. Do we determine what's right or wrong like that? "Oh, but this is a democracy" they claim. Well it's a republic too. And that means heavy decisions made by heads better informed and hearts more committed than just any Tom, Dick or Harry. So that's why most churches do not want a general election on the lottery, as I see it. Let the legislature decide. And if they vote against the governor, that's good. Gambling doesn't create any wealth. It just redistributes what is already there. The money for education will just come out of family budgets already strained as much as our teachers. And our kids will learn to put their trust in luck even more. They've already chances to sell on all kinds of things to raise funds for this or that. A lottery will just increase the Vegas Deception (VD) that's become rampant across our nation, as I see it.
Oh the pain of death for so many young people: 97 thus far in the Rhode Island nightclub fire, plus the many in Chicago's a week earlier. And now the beautiful 17 year old who died after two heart transplant failures. I feel like Jeremiah and just have to weep. Have you ever read Lamentations? Jeremiah saw all the calamity that befell Jerusalem and asked "Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? Oh that my eyes were a fountain that I might weep night and day." Rhode Island's the tiny state that was #13 to sign the Declaration of Independence. It was founded by Roger Williams, a Puritan turned Baptist and expelled from the Ms.. Bay Colony. So R.I. was established on separation of church and state and led the new nation in that direction, though smallest of all the 50 states. And Williams dealt fairly with the Native Americans, buying the land instead of killing them as the Puritans did. Praise GOD for such an English born American.