May 4th, 2008 at 6:33 am
How do Christians justify driving over the posted speed limit?
Let’s see what kind of a list we can build here.
I’ll start the list with three excuses explanations:
- “Not keeping up with the traffic flow poses a hazard.”
- “The speed in this zone is illogically low.”
- “A police officer told me they’re lenient on this stretch of highway.”
Important Disclaimer: What’s posted here shall not be considered self-incriminatory!
Posted in Christianity 101, Religion, Lessons for Living | 1 Comment »
May 2nd, 2008 at 2:30 pm
OregonLive reports:
| House candidate tells all in letter
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama confessed snorting cocaine in high school, and Portland mayoral candidate Sam Adams came clean with his bankruptcy.
But Tony Marino, a Tigard Republican running for the Oregon House, may be the top candidate confessor with an open letter distributed to newspaper readers listing all his flaws: bankruptcy, multiple divorces, a federal tax lien and a degree from an online university that’s not accredited in Oregon. |
Way to go, Mr. Marino. Your openness is commendable. (I plan similar openness before too long in my own “campaign.”)
But five divorces?!!
At least he’s been married to Number Six for at least ten years.
If you look at the second paragraph in my selected quote above, you’ll see “listing all his flaws.” But if you read the full article, you’ll also note that not all his flaws are listed. What’s with that? Don’t they make writers and reporters and editors like they used to?!
I wonder when Tony will fess up to substitute hosting for Michael Savage. (Or was it Bill Cunningham?) I’m sure he’ll just deny it. So would I.
Posted in Mark4Prez?, Politics, Lessons for Living | 1 Comment »
May 2nd, 2008 at 8:00 am
Bird’s-eye-view photos are neat and have their place.
I like to take bug’s-eye-view shots as well.
So here are some taken during our recent visit to northwest Mexico.

The hose was filling the “dam” around the plants.
We left the project untended too long.
The water ran over.
Location: front of Margy’s house in Ejido Santa María

Self-portrait
Location: same

Mark & Ruby Roth and Chris Strubhar
tripod: beer bottle jammed into the sand
Location: Playa El Cochorit near Empalme, Sonora, Mexico
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in My Photos | 1 Comment »
May 2nd, 2008 at 6:25 am
I saw this story yesterday, started a post on it, and forgot to finish my job.
| Christians offered mobile prayer alerts
British Christians will be able to pray together wherever they are in future, by subscribing to a new mobile phone text alert service unveiled Thursday.
A Christian charity, Prayer in Action, has teamed up with a mobile phone company to offer the Prayer Mobile service, which it hopes will eventually reach 500,000 people across the country.
Subscribers will receive a text asking them to pray, simultaneously, on issues ranging from terrorism to homelessness and the credit crunch, said an official from the phone firm.
“Within the next two to three years, this service will be offered to about 500,000 Christians,” said Erik Fok, sales chief of Ecumen, a range of religious products for mobiles developed by telephone company Teimlo.
“With a world in turmoil, it’s amazing to think that we could soon have half a million people in the United Kingdom alone joining in focused prayer on an issue of national concern.
“This will be a force for positive change in our nation,” he added.
Prayer in Action boss Carl Brettle added: “In a world of uncertainty it’s great to know that the (service) will be able instantly to mobilise thousands of people to pray into the key issues that face society today.
“The Prayer Mobile text service pulls together one of the oldest traditions known to mankind with one of the newest most prevalent technologies available. Prayer is only a text away,” he said.
Last year Teimlo offered downloads of the Bible for mobile phones.
The Prayer Mobile service will cost 25 pence (0.49 dollars, 0.32 euro) a week, for which subscribers will receive a regular weekly alert. |
That’s in the UK. Why can’t I do it here? And at no cost to subscribers?
And why don’t any US cellular phone companies offer Bible downloads? (Or do they and I’m just not up to speed on the curve?)
Would you subscribe to such a service?
PS: Notice among the categories Yahoo! chose for this story is this one: off beat.
Posted in Religion | No Comments »
May 1st, 2008 at 10:55 am
About 41 hours ago our family returned from a quick trip to “our” congregation’s mission in northwest Mexico. (We left home shortly after noon on Monday, April 21.)
I intended to post here at least a couple of times while we were gone. Since I didn’t, I’ll do some catching up over the next few days, I hope.
For now, four photos.
Our three children-still-at-home who went with us: Andrew, Michayla, and Dora.
Their parents: Ruby and Mark.
The dad giving the message during the Sunday evening (April 27) service at the Emmanuel church in Santa María, Sonora, Mexico. I didn’t know about the photo till I found it on the computer a few minutes ago. Judging by the angle and the knee on the left (and by the fact I don’t recall a flash flashing), I deduct it was a surreptitious shot.
Now for the final picture for this post, a book sighting!
I saw Dorcas Smucker’s book Ordinary Days. At various times I saw my wife and daughters reading it. I even heard (excerpts, laughs, chuckles) them sometimes. So for Dorcas’ sake, I shot her book, shown above on one of the “couches” in Margaret Miller’s living room. (Now click the book title, buy the book, and thus send a small commission my way.
)
Posted in My Photos | 2 Comments »