cairns

Friday Afternoon: We have been without power, Internet, land line phones, or cable since the ice storm came through the first of the week. Finally drove over to my daughter Ashley’s apartment to check emails and get ready to submit IWU grades tomorrow.

Sunday Afternoon: Power is finally back on, trees cut out of driveway, new generator and power cords put away, and I have to admit that I am a child of my culture.  I want to do something about greenhouse gasses and global warming.  But, if they said, “OK, we will shut the power grid back down until we find something cleaner!”  I would decline.  I want the power company to run cleaner equipment and methods, but I can barely pay the bill for my utilities now…

“Life ain’t easy.  Whoever said it should be?” Dr. Hook

peace

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Global Warming Permanent

Looks like if we are determined to keep building a hell rather than a heaven, we are succeeding marvelously.  Praying today, like the Hasidics, that each choice I make is to tip the scale to good.  Remembering Pastor Trocme in that other evil time, and trying to make little moves where I can.

Not driving back and forth to Dearborn this summer to do a camp involves a lot of reasons.  But, this one is on the list.  Time to NOT make multiple high mile trips, or local, if there is not a compelling reason to go.  They will do camp just the same without my body buzzing my little SUV up there and back.

peace

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Matthew 8:23 (NIV, BibleGateway.com) Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. 24Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”  26He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.

I haven’t thought about this story for awhile. But, tonight surveying the news and realizing how much fatigue I allow myself to experience based on watching, praying, and feeling the pain of our world, it came back to me.  Every sermon or youth talk I have ever heard on this passage emphasized either the power of the miracle, or the guilt inducing translation of Jesus’ response.

I wonder.  These guys were physically with Him everyday, and they were still scared when they weren’t sure He knew what was happening because He was asleep.  And, they DID wake HIM, a non-sailor, up to ask for help.  A lack of faith just because they needed to know He was awake and aware?  Seems harsh to me right now in its usual interpretation.  Written text doesn’t carry the tone in His voice even if its a literal report of a true event.  Are we sure it was harshly said?  He did reward their asking with an amazing display of His power and a restoration of their safety.

Right now I wonder how many people feel like I do, hanging on to the earth boat, watching the world appear to be ready to go under from the storm that is us, and wanting to holler,  “Hey, Jesus are you getting this?  Are you paying attention?  Do you plan to save us…again?”

I don’t share the optimism of my more hopeful liberal friends that humankind will eventually “get it” and stop blowing each other up and cooking the planet.  The evidence for that is just not convincing.

I don’t share the selfish hope of some of my conservative associates that He will just show up and whisk us away from the hell we made of His creation because He loves us more than the others (as long as we never criticize Israel for anything).

I just want to feel Him present, aware, guiding, feeling it too, but sure of what comes next.  I’ve walked with Him a long time myself.  I do believe and trust.  But, oh how very much I want to turn to my dear Friend and ask, “You awake?”

peace

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OK, first, this came in an email summary of ‘religious news’… 

“According to a new study on global warming cited by CNSNews.com, climate scientists at the University of Rochester, the University of Alabama, and the University of Virginia found that the climate change models based on human influence do not match observed warming. That is contrary to the views held by former Vice President Al Gore, who accepted the Nobel Prize on Monday along with the U.N.’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and who thinks that climate change is largely caused by human action. The new report was published in the December 2007 issue of the International Journal of Climatology of the Royal Meteorological Society. “Our findings basically are that fingerprints – that is to say the pattern of warming – that’s predicted by greenhouse models does not match the fingerprints of observations, so there is a disconnect between greenhouse models and the actual reality of observations,” said study co-author S. Fred Singer of the University of Virginia.”

Check out the website for this ’scientific society!’  Under FAQs you can find that they invite all types of articles and do not wish to limit themselves to just that scientific stuff!!  And we Christians republish ‘findings’ to each other making it all look like its science.  Why?

Today’s real headline is that the ice melt is progressing much faster than predictions.  Is it comforting some how to think, “but its not my fault?”  Is it easier to face catastrophic change if you can chant, “but it wasn’t what that Democrat said?” 

If you live on physical high ground get ready while the conservative church takes the intellectual low ground, but seriously get ready, we are all coming to your door for room and board — well at least the species who survive.

peace — not ignorant passivity and false calm — peace

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