Update

Christmas was grand! It is good to be home and see friends and family...and to get some REAL winter weather. But most importantly, let us praise our Lord for His incarnation, purposed in eternity for the salvation of His people! "Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people." ~Hebrews 2:17

During the study break during finals, a few of my wingmates and I played "Carol of the Bells" on electric guitars and bass for all of those who came to the dining hall (which was pretty much everybody). It was definitely a rocked-out version, but we added some harmonizations for the two lead guitars; it was fun to put together and play. Unfortunately, we didn't get any videos of playing in the dining hall, but one of our wingmates got a few videos of us practicing. Here is the best one:
The silences are caused by the zooming in and out of the camera. Sorry 'bout that.

Also, a new poem is up on the poetry blog, and part of my Drama paper is up on the Lit Crit blog. It was 14 pages, so I'm going to put it up in sections. I'll be posting the rest of it over the next week, and I'll also put up my creative writing project for English Literature Seminar I sometime this week. If you're interested, check it out, and please let me know what you think. Thanks!

Have a happy New Year!

Colin

Jolly Saint Nick the Nicaean

Read both this article and the Veith article at WorldMag to which it links.

I think I want to be Santa Claus when I grow up. :-)

God Moves in a Mysterious Way

~William Cowper

God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs
And works His sovereign will.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break
In blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.

Six things I value

1- The gracious providence of God and His eternal covenant of grace
2 - God's objective revelation in Scripture
3- Fellowship with godly friends and family
4 - Good literature of both the fiction and non-fiction types
5 - Those who serve to keep us free (like my dad, mom, brother, uncles, grandpas, great uncle, great-great uncle, cousin....)
6 - Good music

Six things I don't support

1. Philosophical "neutrality"
2. Subjective interpretation of Scripture and extrabiblical "revelation."
3. Guinea pigs and mistletoe
4. Poor literature (including but not limited to most 20th century American Lit, free verse, Chaucer's couplets--which weren't poor, but highly irritating--Margery Kempe, Frank Peretti, Ted Dekker, etc.)
5. Flag-burning
6. Music with vacuous lyrics or oversimplistic musical arrangements

If anyone wishes to follow this up, they may. Have a ball. :-)

Three finals down, 3 to go.

Metaphysics paper up on theology/philosophy blog, others will follow on Lit Crit and Fiction/poetry blogs.

Will be home 5 days. (sun)

When Worlds Collide....

This whole warrior-poet thing might be getting out hand...

Last night I was studying with our COIC/PHC/GMU/PBN for the ROTC final which I had this morning.... I was memorizing the objectives of a recon mission, which follow:

Get information
Employ Security measures
Avoid detection
Task organize

Of course, everything in the Army runs by acronyms for easy memorization (usually), so this was easily converted into "GEAT." HEY!!!! That's the tribe Beowulf belonged to! I can remember that!

Upon my announcing this, Evans promptly pronounced me a nerd for relating ROTC stuff to my Literature major...but, hey, this whole classical liberal arts thing is about interdisciplinary study and compilation, right?

And that did come up on the exam, and I did remember it. Poetic justice, baby. ;-)


The first page of the Beowulf manuscript. "Geat" can be found at the beginning of the 14th line.

Ummmm....

So some wag put mistletoe up all over the Red Hill lobby (and elsewhere).

Charitably interpreting the perpetrator's intention, I can only imagine that their argument went something like this:

The telos of mistletoe is kissing and romance.

The telos of a PHC romance is lots of little conservatives.

The telos of a PHC mistletoe is lots of kissing and romance, which leads to lots of little conservatives.

Ergo, this must be a good idea.

Something about mistletoe being good for the soul was probably thrown in for good measure.

Now, don't get me wrong, like any good PHC student I'm all for the idea of lots of conservative little kids and the edification of the soul....but mistletoe? This smacks a little of desperation.

In the meantime, I'm taking comfort in the fact that it's plastic, therefore non-binding for us traditionalists.

But just to be safe, I will vacate my usual study spot in the lobby until after Christmas....

It's almost that time of year....

The trees are nearly bare. The wind sweeps the fallen leaves into piles against the curb and playfully nips at the faces of students making their way from building to building; they are bundled against the weather, their eyes and red noses peeping from their layers of clothing, their arms tightly guarding themselves from the draught. Scattered snowflakes have fallen upon the campus over the past 15 hours, though not enough to stay.

In a week is Thanksgiving break, and I'll be going up to my PA grandparents' for the week. And in a month (give or take a couple days), after a pile of papers and reading and exams (which I'll manage by the grace of God), the semester will be over and I'll be home for Christmas. I'm looking forward to it--to seeing family and friends and once again being home on the Nebraskan plains...to standing in a field blanketed in fresh, virgin snow, a full moon washing it in luminescence, its rays refracted by the ice on the branches of trees.

We've begun to play Christmas music in my wing. :-)

Go check out the Myspace page of the Mountainaires, a North Carolina group of homeschooled guys who play a mix of traditional bluegrass/Celtic/Appalachian music. Two of their members are here at Patrick Henry College (one of them attends the same church as I). They just released their second album, a Christmas album, and I'd highly recommend it.

The Lord be with you all and give you grace; see you soon!

"Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings upon the altar. And the LORD smelled a savor of rest, and the LORD said in His heart, I will henceforth curse the ground no more for man's cause: for the imagination of man's heart is evil, even from his youth: neither will I smite anymore all things living, as I have done. Hereafter seed time and harvest, and cold and heat, and Summer and Winter, and day and night shall not cease, so long as the earth remaineth." Genesis 8:20-22

"The Most High bears rule over the kingdom of men; He gives it to whomsoever He wills." ~Daniel 4:29

"The heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord; He guides it like a river wherever He wills." ~Proverbs 21:1

"I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;

For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour."
~1 Timothy 2:1-3

"1Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

2Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

3For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:

4For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.

5Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.

6For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.

7Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour."

~Romans 13:1-7

"13Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;

14Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.

15For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:

16As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.

17Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.

18Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.

19For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.

20For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

21For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

22Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:

23Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

24Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

25For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls."

~1 Peter 2:13-25

My Poor Neglected Blog

Ought to be updated.

Life has been busy, but alot of fun, too. Between Drama, English Literature Seminar I, Metaphysics, Biology and Lab, and ROTC and Lab, I'm learning alot; the professors are great, and the classmates are thoughtful and fun. We've had alot of good talks in and out of class; there are alot of great, Godly lads here with whom one can just talk or have fun. My wing is pretty much amazing, and very close-knit. And very musical--every one of our 7 rooms has at least one musician. Speaking of music, I'm playing classical guitar with one of the Chapel Guild groups once every two weeks. That's a neat opportunity.

There have been three engagements (and Bobtisms) since I arrived, mostly of seniors. One couple I knew in DL, and I know another pretty well since the guy is also in ROTC and pretty much the head of the ROTC group here on campus. It's been neat to observe the serious relationships here, and compare it to others that I've observed, mostly elsewhere. God bless them all!

Homecoming was alot of fun, and watching both the men's and women's soccer teams has been a great way to release pent-up energy in cheering wildly from the sidelines (I'm hoping to go out next year). Of course, there are also the impromptu wrestling matches here in the dorm and the moments of weekend randomness (hiking, mummy attacks and drain-pipe spelunking come to mind first). So, yes, we're getting a good balance of work and play.

I've also been blessed in finding a good church family here. The folks at Ketoctin Covenant Presbyterian are kind and family-oriented, having the students over on occasion; the messages are solidly Scriptural and Christocentric; the musical worship reverent and lyrically deep. In the Sunday service, we're going through Luke; in Sunday School, we're studying The Christ of the Covenants, a study of the continuity (despite diversity of administration) of the covenants throughout Scripture, and how Christ was the fulfillment of them all and will consummate them upon His return. Inspiring studies!

Life is good...

I'm going to try to post some more (including pictures) sometime over the weekend. Stay tuned!

Do Not Forget

7 years ago, in a loss of civilian life numerically greater than the military losses at Pearl Harbor, America was assaulted in the name of radical Islam. In hatred of the freedom we have, in hatred of our Christianity (and our secularism), Islamic terrorists murdered nearly 3,000 men and women in New York City and Washington, D. C.

I still remember my grandmother calling my mom in the middle of the school day and telling her to turn on the TV; my mom and I together watched the second plane fly into the World Trade Center. And we watched them collapse in flame and flying debris.

The result was a deep-rooted anger which, God, in His merciful grace, has since rooted out of my heart--a story in itself--and replaced with a more deeply seated desire to protect my family and friends and country from another such occurrence.

On campus today, the security officers lowered the flag to half-staff, and we had a time of silence. Silence in remembrance of those who died in a raging inferno without the opportunity for peace. Silence for those who have died without murmur, without complaint, in the mountains of Afghanistan and on the streets of Iraq, to preserve peace and freedom for their own. And, for me, and a number of others here, a silent resolve to carry on that work, that our loved ones may live and die in peace.

Do not forget the hands that died reaching for life, nor those hands that fell while giving life...do not abandon them to the silence of the grave. We cannot give life to the honored dead, but we can ensure they did not die in vain, by our remembrance, and a commitment to live worthily of their sacrifice. May those who have gone before us rest in peace.

PSALM 94


1 O Lord God the avenger, O God the avenger,
show thyself clearly.

2 Exalt thyself, O Judge of the world, and render
a reward to the proud.

3 Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall
the wicked triumph?

4 They prate and speak fiercely: all the workers
of iniquity vaunt themselves.

5 They smite down thy people, O Lord, and
trouble thine heritage.

6 They slay the widow and the stranger, and
murder the fatherless.

7 Yet they say, The Lord shall not see: neither
will the God of Jacob regard it.

8 Understand, ye unwise among the people: and
ye fools, when will ye be wise?

9 He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? or
he that formed the eye, shall he not see?

10 Or he that chastiseth the nations, shall he
not correct? he that teacheth man knowledge, shall
he not know?

11 The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man, that
they are vanity.

12 Blessed is the man whom thou chastisest, O
Lord, and teachest him in thy Law,

13 That thou mayest give him rest from the days
of evil, while the pit is dug for the wicked.

14 Surely the Lord will not fail his people, neither
will he forsake his inheritance.

15 For judgment shall return to justice, and all
the upright in heart shall follow after it.

16 Who will rise up with me against the wicked?
or who will take my part against the workers of
iniquity?

17 If the Lord had not helped me, my soul had
almost dwelt in silence.

18 When I said, My foot slideth, thy mercy, O
Lord, stayed me.

19 In the multitude of my thoughts in mine heart,
thy comforts have rejoiced my soul.

20 Hath the throne of iniquity fellowship with
thee, which forgeth wrong for a Law?

21 They gather them together against the soul of
the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood.

22 But the Lord is my refuge, and my God is the
rock of mine hope.

23 And he will recompense them their wickedness,
and destroy them in their own malice, yea, the Lord
our God shall destroy them.

The Devil You Say

Obama as the Christ Child.

(link)

Newsflash

“Hello, I'm Shepard Smith for FOX News. While there has been much talk lately of the economy, the housing market, and inflation, our sources say that yet another sector has been hit with amazing rates of inflation. But this is not your ordinary economic inflation; in a surprising twist, it seems that the worth of pictures has increased beyond all precedented market values. Colin in Nebraska has the story:”

Colin: “Good evening, Shepard. That’s right, pictures have jumped to nearly 30 times their historical value. As I’m sure you well know, pictures have been, from time immemorial, worth a thousand words, neither more nor less.

Well, our sources were surfing blogs a number of days ago, and came across a blog post entitled ‘About a million words’ worth of pictures (more or less).’ Further investigation revealed that there were only 35 pictures. By the old picture standard, this would be worth 35,000 words. To value them at anything approximating a million words would require each picture to be worth, well, to be exact, it would be 28,571.4 words. Actually, those digits repeat infinitely.”

Shepard: “Wow!”

Colin: “Yes, wow! The worth of pictures has jumped by a factor of 28.5714!”

Shepard: “So what does this mean for the economy of pictures and words?”

Colin: “Well, it’s hard to say at this point, but naturally those advocating the word standard are dumbfounded and slightly peeved by this discovery. To decrease the value of words in their proportion to pictures is, to them, unacceptable. To those with digital cameras, however, this development is one to be greeted happily, and forget the troglodytes, they say.”

Shepard: “Fair enough. Well, keep us updated.”

Colin: “I will. Thank—“

Shepard: “Colin? Colin? Hmmm…the link seems to have been lost. In other news, authorities have reported an outbreak of the dread disease ANS—coincidentally, in the area from which Colin was just reporting. It stands for Acute Nerd Syndrome, and is brought about by long-term book deprivation and preparations for college, symptoms being logorrhea, sesquipedalianism, compulsively executing long division problems, irritability, etc. Most susceptible are those with a history of addiction to litteras and those with a personal or family history of CNS: Chronic Nerd Syndrome.

Oh, and look, our link is back.”

Colin: “NO!!!! YOU CAN’T TAKE ME!!!! JUST BECAUSE I ACTUALLY BOTHERED TO FIGURE OUT HOW MANY WORDS IT WAS PER PICTURE!!!! ON PAPER!!!!! WITHOUT A CALCULATOR!!!! AND I READ LES MISERABLES FOR FUN!!!!! AND I LIKED LORD OF THE RINGS!!!!! AND I WAS HOMESCHOOLED!!!!!!!”

Shepard: “It appears one of our reporters has just been taken into custody and quarantined, having shown severe symptoms of ANS.

Anyway, stay tuned. Soon our sources will have a report on a recent Army ROTC training camp, complete with pictures and funny stories.”

Tagged...

By CDT Josten Cornett...



So in accordance with SOP for tagging, here is my contribution to filling the space on the internet.

Attached or Single? I’m very attached to my guitars, Geneva Bible, boots, knife, car, books, and military surplus gear. But I don’t think that’s quite what this question means. Assuming that it means my relationship to any given female, I’ll point out that even if I were married, we’d be one flesh, but whatever….I’m unmarried and not currently in a romantic relationship, if that’s what the question is asking. That doesn’t mean I’m available, though, as I am content in God’s provision and purpose for this time of my life. Does that answer the question?

Best Friend? My Saviour. And yes, I have close human friends, as well. ;-)

Cake or Pie? Pie.

Day of Choice? The Lord’s Day. Although Saturdays are fun because that’s when I do my ruck marches.

Essential Items? Bible. Water. Food. Knife. String/para cord.

Favorite Color? Black, navy blue, grey, and olive drab. Amazingly for a guy, I even have a favorite pattern: woodland camo. :-)

Gummy Bears or Worms? Both.

Home Town? Wherever Uncle Sam sends me…(military brat, remember?)

Indulgences?: Ummmm………they’re unbiblical. But God used them (in part) as the occasion for the Protestant Reformation, which occasioned a lot of stuff that makes me happy. :-)

January or July? January. I strongly dislike summer. I like taking walks in 20 degree weather with 30-knot winds….but when you step outside and start sweating like a pig just sitting there….no.

Kids?: Someday, Lord willing….

Like or Love? Ummmm….I’m assuming this has something to do with romantic interest…marriage (and all human interaction in the Christian sense) should be based on the biblical sense of love, not reactive “liking.”

Marriage Date? Ummmm…God alone knows. Unless my parents know something I don’t.

Number of Siblings?: I’m the second of 6. For my public school friends, that means I have 5 siblings (kidding…).

Phobias/fears? FRAGOs….change and spontaneity.

Quotes? “Are you for real, Cadet?” ~DS Salladay
“Eat like you’re motivated, Cadets” ~ DS Klebs

"This is the lesson: never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy." ~Winston Churchill

Ezekiel 36:22-32
Ephesians 2:1-10
John 10

Reason to Smile?: The Lord who has arranged the stars, guides the hearts of kings, and bounds the sea and nations is the same who clothes the flowers, governs the fall of a sparrow, and directs all things to the good of those who love Him.

Season?: Winter

Tag Six: The first six who read this.

Unknown fact about me?: If I were to make this known, wouldn’t it no longer be unknown? Why should I share it if I have not thus far? For that matter, if it is unknown, how would I know it? If I don’t know it, how can I share it?Not answering. The question is nonsensical.

Vegetarian or Oppressor of Animals? Lifelong member of PETA. People for the Eating of Tasty Animals. “Vegetarian: ancient tribal term for the village idiot.”

X-rays or Ultrasounds? Ummmm….they have different purposes….

Your Favorite Food? The kind you eat….I have too many favorites. Steak, burgers, macaroni salad, and MRE cappuccinos would be among them, though. NOT MRE wheat snack bread. ;-)

Zodiac? Yup, I was the 7 man. I stayed on board the boat and helped pull the ropes to capsize it. Cool, huh?

Ummmm...

So it just occurred to me that the post I set to automatically appear on 15 June didn’t automatically appear—I should have known better than to trust the computer. Anyway, this is what should have appeared for Father’s Day (another post or two coming soon):

Psalm 128

1Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways.

2For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.

3Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table.

4Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the LORD.

5The LORD shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life.

6Yea, thou shalt see thy children's children, and peace upon Israel.

On break for a day...

PT test tomorrow, have 4-day field training exercise starting tomorrow....

You can see pictures here. Talk to y'all later!!!

One last post....

I'm here with my boots on, waiting to drive out to Eppley for my flight...and guess what? Today's the 64th anniversary of D-Day. In honor of it, here's a video someone made using Iron Maiden's song "The Longest Day" and scenes from Saving Private Ryan.

I'd definitely recommend it to all the young men. Not to the young women, though, unless they've already seen Private Ryan. We fight, in part, so that they won't have to see the horrors of war. In any case, use discretion, please.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSJ8rDlBZ_I

God bless, and talk to you in 4 weeks!

HUA!!!!!



Psalm 18

1I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.
2The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
3I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
4The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.
5The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.
6In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.
7Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth.
8There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.
9He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet.
10And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind.
11He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.
12At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire.
13The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.
14Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them.
15Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.
16He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.
17He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.
18They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.
19He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.
20The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.
21For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
22For all his judgments were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me.
23I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity.
24Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.
25With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright;
26With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward.
27For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks.
28For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.
29For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall.
30As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.
31For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God?
32It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.
33He maketh my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high places.
34He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.
35Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.
36Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.
37I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed.
38I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet.
39For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.
40Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me.
41They cried, but there was none to save them: even unto the LORD, but he answered them not.
42Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets.
43Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; and thou hast made me the head of the heathen: a people whom I have not known shall serve me.
44As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me.
45The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places.
46The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.
47It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me.
48He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man.
49Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.
50Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.

Okay...

So I'll not be writing that series before I leave after all.

Really, I've not had much inclination to hang around the computer lately anyway...which is probably a good thing.

But I've been having a good time with friends, between adoption parties, going to see Prince Caspian, impromptu jam sessions, and siblings' baseball games.

We've had some amazing storms coming through Nebraska the last few days; you can see some pictures at the blog of a friend of a friend at http://sempre-dolce.blogspot.com. On Tuesday morning, I woke at 4 and couldn't go back to sleep, so stayed up watching the lightning and writing. My notes from that are over on my poetry blog. I wrote more than that, including some substantial progress on some lyrics I've had in my head for months now, but that song isn't finished yet. In the unlikely event I finish it today, I'll post it.

Otherwise, you'll have to wait till I return from Kentucky in 4 weeks. I leave tomorrow!!!! Check out the info on LTC here: http://www.goarmy.com/rotc/leaders_training.jsp

May our Lord be with you, and I'll see (or "see") you when I return. Continue growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Sola Gratia,
Colin

P.S. I do have one post set to go up automatically on 15 June, so check back sometime. :-)

Job 38

1Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,

2Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?

3Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.

4Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.

5Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?

6Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;

7When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

8Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb?

9When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it,

10And brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors,

11And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?

12Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place;

13That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it?

14It is turned as clay to the seal; and they stand as a garment.

15And from the wicked their light is withholden, and the high arm shall be broken.

16Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou walked in the search of the depth?

17Have the gates of death been opened unto thee? or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death?

18Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth? declare if thou knowest it all.

19Where is the way where light dwelleth? and as for darkness, where is the place thereof,

20That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof, and that thou shouldest know the paths to the house thereof?

21Knowest thou it, because thou wast then born? or because the number of thy days is great?

22Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail,

23Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?

24By what way is the light parted, which scattereth the east wind upon the earth?

25Who hath divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder;

26To cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is; on the wilderness, wherein there is no man;

27To satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth?

28Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of dew?

29Out of whose womb came the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it?

30The waters are hid as with a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.

31Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?

32Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?

33Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth?

34Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee?

35Canst thou send lightnings, that they may go and say unto thee, Here we are?

36Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the heart?

37Who can number the clouds in wisdom? or who can stay the bottles of heaven,

38When the dust groweth into hardness, and the clods cleave fast together?

39Wilt thou hunt the prey for the lion? or fill the appetite of the young lions,

40When they couch in their dens, and abide in the covert to lie in wait?

41Who provideth for the raven his food? when his young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat.

Humorous Interlude

A visitor to my house yesterday afternoon would have seen a very muddy Colin trudging into his driveway after a 2-mile hike with a 23-pound pack, taken for exercise and to break in his boots for the upcoming ROTC summer course. But yesterday was dry and sunny here in Eastern Nebraska, so why the mud?

Well, to discover the reason, he must retrace Colin's steps about a half mile to the west, where he would find a small bridge (maybe 10-15 yards long) across a stream. An examination of the dirt beneath it would yield the conclusion that boots had climbed down from the road on the west side, stopped beneath the bridge a few yards from the bank, then reappeared on the eastern bank.

With the knowledge that, on his return leg of his two-mile runs and hikes on that route, Colin has been in the habit of hanging from one of the steel girders beneath the bridge and swinging across, the investigator could accurately surmise that Colin had done the same in this case, but would perhaps be confused by the reflection that Colin does not return from those runs so muddy.

So this is what happened...As usual, I jumped up and swung from the girder, making my way across. It had rained heavily two nights before, so the stream was somewhat higher (and a little wider) than usual, and the opposite side was a nasty bank of mud for a yard and a half beyond the edge of the stream.

If I had not had the pack on my back (and I usually don't) I would not have swung about so violently and had to expend as much energy in getting across.

If I was not still sore from upper-body exercises the previous day, I would have had a better grip on the girder.

If, when I felt my grip slipping, I had released with the forward swing instead of trying to hang on for one more reach, I would have fallen further forward.

As it was, all of those are purely hypothetical. My hands just beyond the eastern edge of the stream, I dropped from the backward swing; though I landed on my feet and hands, the mud was deep, and I sunk in to my knees and elbows and did a face-plant (my glasses stuck in the mud-bank aforementioned).

Since I rinsed off a bit at the stream, I don't know how bad I looked, but I can say that when I got back to the house and called inside for a towel, I still was nasty enough that my youngest brother could only ask "Colin! What happened?!"

I'd say the boots are pretty well broken in now. :-)

The Sacrifices of the Military Wife

We celebrate and honor the sacrifices of the men who go to war for our protection, and rightly so. There are unsung heroes, however: those women, the wives that, ultimately, the men go to war to protect. For it falls to them to carry on alone, raising the children, running the household, and suffering the heartache of separation from their love and the uncertainty of his return.

My mom amazes me; and even more so does the grace of God in upholding her through the tough times of Dad's deployments. Last time we lived in Nebraska, Dad's job was such that he could be deployed on 24-hour notice and be gone for months. I never kept track, but Mom has said that he was gone about 9 months out of the year--for 5 years.

This article is an excellent example of what thousands of women go through every day. But even then, I'm not sure that many who have not lived through it can really understand. I'm not sure I wholly understand.

And I've seen this story in several places before, but I'm going to copy it here. This is to all the military wives and moms out there, if they should happen to read it. Thank you, and may the Lord bless you for your faithful support of your husband.

When God Created the Military Wife

When the Lord was creating a military wife He ran into His sixth day of overtime. An angel appeared and said, "You're having a lot of trouble with this one. What's wrong with the standard model?"

The Lord replied, "Have you seen the specs on this order? It has to be completely independent but must always be sponsored to get on a military installation. It must have the qualities of both mother and father during deployments, be a perfect host to 4 or 40, handle emergencies without an instruction manual, cope with flu and moves all around the world, have a kiss that cures anything from a child's bruised knee to a husband's weary days, have the patience of a saint when waiting for its mate to come home and, have six pairs of hands."

The angel shook her head slowly and said, "Six pairs of hands? No way." The Lord answered, "Don't worry; we will make other military wives to help. Besides, it's not the hands that are causing the problem, it's the heart. It must swell with pride, sustain the ache of numerous separations while remaining true, beat soundly even when it feels too tired to do so, be large enough to say 'I understand' when it doesn't, and say 'I love you', regardless.

"Lord," said the angel, gently touching His sleeve. "Go to bed. You can finish it tomorrow." "I can't," said the Lord. "I'm so close to creating something quite unique. Already it can heal itself when sick, on a moment’s notice it will willingly embrace and feed total strangers who have been stranded during a PCS move and it can wave goodbye to its husband understanding why he had to leave."

The angel circled the model of the military wife very slowly. "It's too soft," she sighed.

"But tough," the Lord said excitedly. "You cannot imagine what this being can do or endure."

"Can it think?" asked the angel. "Can it think?! It can convert 1400 to 2 p.m.," replied the Lord.

Finally the angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek. "There's a leak," she said. "I told you that you were trying to put too much into this model." It's not a leak," said the Lord. "It's a tear." "What's it for?" asked the angel. "It's for joy, sadness, pain, loneliness and pride." "You're a genius," said the angel.

Looking at her somberly, the Lord replied, "I didn't put it there."

Life recently...

Has been busy and satisfactory. Since the semester ended, I've finished Lone Survivor and The Perfectibility of Man, and read Flying Colours (a Hornblower novel), and The Swiss Family Robinson (a hardbound copy of which I picked up at a thrift store for 50 cents. I love thrift stores). And now I'm 100 pages into Les Miserables; when I went into Borders to buy that, I discovered a store which presents a gigantic temptation to impulse buying. I only meant to buy Les Miserables and ended up with that, Glenn Gould's recording of Bach's Goldberg Variations on Piano, and Dvorak's New World Symphony. I almost ended up with The Hunchback of Notre Dame and several albums of Liszt, Saint-Saens, and Prokofiev (and some more Bach, of course), but sanity kicked in somewhere along the line....

On that note, I actually have cash in my pocket for once, because I have gone back to work at Carlos O'Kelly's. I was blessed with favor in that--it initially appeared that I'd be picking up only shifts that people had to drop, but I was put on the schedule and picked up a few extra shifts to boot. I think I worked 7 last week (there are the lunch and dinner shifts) and, especially considering it was my first week back at work, made out quite satisfactorily. Most of it is, of course, being saved for school, but some of it is making its way to expanding my literary and musical libraries.

A short digression: waiting tables is a crucible for refining patience and dependence on the providence of our Father. Waiters are paid below minimum wage by their employers, and are dependent on tips--we are, in a way, at the mercy of the customers. And there are some, that, no matter how kind and attentive you are, will be unkind and demanding, and then leave a token pittance. Then there are some that, even when you have fumbled over your introduction and brought them the wrong drinks and brought out their appetizers with their meal, will monetarily bless you far beyond the tipping standard that I, at least, was taught--not to mention the supreme blessing of their kindness and understanding and good humour through it all. And ultimately, I can have confidence that the Lord will provide all I need to work His will--their hearts are in His hands. Just as God moved the heart of Cyrus (and many others who did not know Him) to bless the nation of Israel, so does He move the hearts of men to bless His spiritual Israel and fulfill His plan for us. Amen.

And I received my Army uniform for LTC today.... :-)

I've come across about half a million references to the military life in one way or another in the last month or so, so I think I'm about due to write that series on it that's been on my mind. One should go up tonight (since it will be mostly other people's writings), and I hope to get a few others up before I go to LTC (next Friday!!!!). Some topics I hope to cover:

--The sacrifices of the military wife and mom
--Why I'm joining the military, and some sources that have influenced my thought on the matter (perhaps a two- or three- parter)
--Life as a military child

In Flanders Field

By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)
Canadian Army


IN FLANDERS FIELDS the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.




Let us not forget.


Graveyard at Ypres


Painting based on the Vietnam War Memorial


U.S.S. Arizona Memorial


World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.


Raising the flag on Mt. Suribachi (Iwo Jima, 1945)

Announcement

I have just submitted my last paper to ANGEL, and hereby closed 5 semesters of Distance Learning with Patrick Henry College.

Mixed feelings....

But this one thing is true....School's out. :-)

Alice Cooper on the Muppets Show (heads up for those who don't listen to rock):

Counting Down

2 exams and 1 paper down, 1 exam (Geometry) and 1 paper (Freedom's) to go...Hua!!!

***

I'll be done with the semester by Wednesday, and am planning to go up to Carlos O'Kelly's today to see about working again for them over the summer, starting next week.

***

So...plans for the summer: work, go to LTC, spend as much time as possible with Nebraska friends (guys, I want to go hiking!!!!), leave around August 12th or so to drive out to Virginia.

***

I recently remembered a debate on the Civil Rights Act from US History...the Civil Rights movement was indubitably good, but the Act itself was debatably so, definitely on constitutional and arguably on political grounds. That is probably going to turn into a post, and one on which I'd like discussion.

***

On that note, please read this speech by John McCain on his philosophy of the judiciary. It is very encouraging to hear this, and I completely agree with it.

***

Summer reading list:
--Les Miserables (I finished Martin Chuzzlewit last week)
--Getting the Gospel Right (and discussing that with the friend who is graciously allowing me to borrow it)
--Pick Death of Death in the Death of Christ back up, and finish it.
--Finish The Perfectibility of Man
--Finish Calvin's Institutes...hopefully.
--Finish the Hornblower Series? Possibly?
--Finish Lone Survivor, on a Navy SEAL fighting in Afghanistan.

***

Mother's Day was great--the men made a church breakfast for the ladies, which was quite fun.

For the service, we had an "open letter to my Mom" day. I had not written out a letter beyond the card I got her (and gave her the day before), but I wrote down some points and practiced my extemporaneous speaking (Dr. Tallmon would be proud).

***

Mother's Day morning: My mom was playing Command and Conquer: Renegade, and picked up a flamethrower, when I insisted she wanted a more long-range weapon. So then I took the open elevator to the next floor (past the sniper who was stuck facing a wall), but it didn't go all the way up. I had to jump up and pull myself out of the shaft--but while I was trying to do so, my brother climbed on my back and clambered over me. All the while the bad guys on the next floor were looking at me with rather bemused expressions.

But I climbed up and started flaming the baddies with my own flamethrower, except they didn't fall. I realized that my hands were empty and I was making the "whoosh" sound with my mouth. The people didn't even look like bad guys anymore, but were still looking at me funny.

Then I woke up.

The weird thing is that I don't even play Renegade (let alone my Mom): I prefer the strategy style C&C games.

Anywho....

***

Something else kind of weird:

I think I went from being a covenant credobaptist with paedobaptist sympathies to a covenant paedobaptist with credobaptist sympathies Sunday afternoon...I have yet to awaken from that one. I'm still searching the Scriptures on that, but I think it finally sort of clicked.

By "covenant" baptist, generally, I mean the idea that baptism is a sign and symbol (signifying the spiritual reality) of God's covenant with His elect, the covenant of grace, which we receive by imparted faith. I still reject regenerative baptism of all sorts (Lutheran and Romanist) and think that the idea that baptism is a statement of the "commitment we've made to Christ" is just really shallow theology...

The difference between covenant credobaptists (Reformed Baptists) and paedobaptists (Presbyterian/Reformed) is fundamentally on if the children of believers are in some sense comprehended under the covenant of grace and are part of the visible church. The credobaptists say they are not in any sense under the covenant if they are not elect. The paedobaptists would not say that the children are necessarily elect, but are still a part of the covenant, much like all the Israelites were under the covenant without all being elect. In fact, they often draw a comparison between circumcision in the OT and baptism in the New (that's the part I'm still checking on).

***

I was asked last Monday if I believed in Limited Atonement or Unlimited Atonement. And I didn't realize until then how frustrating a question that is...phrased in those terms, there is no short answer. I would agree with Spurgeon that it is the atonement unlimited in extent that actually limits the effect of the atonement, so calling "Particular/Definite Redemption" "Limited Atonement" rather weights the question.

Short answer (free of the terms governed by polemical history) is this: I believe Christ died to redeem His spiritual Israel (the church), and He accomplished His purpose at the cross. I take this view from Scripture as a whole: from the Old Testament prophecies and the New Testament teaching on the intent and accomplishment of the atonement. Granted, there are several NT passages speaking of "all" and the "world," but the Greek words are not consistently used in a universal sense. On the contrary, in most of the passages that are not under debate, they are NOT used in a universal sense...in the context of the clear OT and NT teaching on election, and the teaching on God's purpose in the atonement, and in the context of the verses themselves, it is perfectly acceptable (I believe) to take the more specific application of the Greek words.

That said, I do believe that Christ is truly offered to "whomever will believe." The extent of the atonement one way or the other is never made the basis for NT evangelism, so the argument that we ("Calvinists" so-called) can't evangelize because we believe Christ did not die for all doesn't hold. Everyone (in this particular debate) agrees that everyone who believes is redeemed and everyone who does not believe does not receive the benefits of Christ's death. Though we disagree on the order (redemption or belief, and regeneration or belief), we agree on that much, at least.

Okay, I'm going to stop before I write another paper on this....

Spring Flowers From Our Yard

For most of my years I have deemed flowers "girly," and therefore have not taken much interest in them. I once walked into the corner of our yard in Virginia, however, and was greeted by the scent of honeysuckle--and I think that was the first time I appreciated the beauty of God's floral creations.

Two miles from our house in Virginia, there was a park that had once been a fort guarding the James River; after being destroyed in the War Between the States, it was later restored as a garden. Every spring it would burst into vibrant and variegated color, and sweet perfumes would fill the air, delighting the senses and awing the mind with the beauty of God's handiwork. At once so complex as to defy description and so sublime as to directly touch a heart given to tearing things of beauty into their minutiae, this garden was one of the many things our Lord used to make me conscious of His glory, despite my previous neglect.

These are pictures of some flowers around our property; the sprig of white flowers is of the same sort that sprung up all over our county. I don't know what kind they are, but they smell wonderful!

By the time I post this, many of the flowers have faded and hang upon their stems in a forlorn shadow of their former glory. At one time, I saw this as cause for despair--a garden full of dying petals surrounded one with the evidence that even the most beautiful life ends in death. But from death springs life again. The initial beauty of the flower is but a means for it to bear fruit; from this fruit, to bear seeds; from these seeds, to bear more plants after its kind.

A number of applications could be made from this to the Christian life. Those who mourn the passing of the initial bloom of conversion can take joy in the fact that they have moved from a joyful, but largely ignorant, state of mind to one more versed in the truths of God and thus more able to continue growing in His grace and spreading the truth about Him throughout the world. The air of the garden may perhaps be less hospitable than the greenhouse, but will help the plant to grow in hardihood and perseverance.

And then there is the lesson of death for the Christian; or rather, death as a means to life: "For this corruptible shall put on incorruptible, and this mortal must put on immortality. SO when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, 'Death is swallowed up in victory.' 'O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?'" (1 Corinthians 15:53-55)

And finally is the lesson of God's handiwork in creation. Not only has He stretched out the heavens with the palm of His hand, not only does He arrange the hearts of men and nations to do His bidding, but He feeds the birds of the air, and He has fashioned the flowers and attired them in colors Solomon could envy.

Miscellaneous Update

Alright, the promised update on school and military plans.

This semester is almost done (two more weeks, Huzzah!); I have a 2.5 page Freedom's paper, 8 page Rhetoric paper (I'll be writing a rhetorical criticism of "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"), a post-test, and a few finals, and I am done. I'll be done with DL, in fact, after 5 semesters. Hmmm...my thoughts on that will probably constitute another post, so I'll avoid that tangent for the moment.

I've already registered to go on campus in the fall, so, Lord willing, will be on campus August 19th as a technical sophomore, practical junior (61/63 credits). I've preregistered for English Lit. Seminar I (Dr. Libby), Drama (Dr. Hake!!!!), Metaphysics (Dr. Roberts), and Biology/Lab (Dr. Doran). I've been filling out various forms and talking with a couple DL classmates about being roommates. I actually got to talk to one of them on the phone last week, which was great! It is still hard to believe that in 3 months I'll be in Virginia again and on campus with 300-odd other students, but it is slowly becoming more real. I am, of course, excited, in a complex sort of way. That, if it ever ends up on here, will be another post, as well.

Simply put, last time I left Nebraska (when my family PCSed in 2003), I couldn't wait to leave, for several reasons; this time around, while there are certainly some things I will leave gladly, there are even more certainly things and people I shall miss.

But I am excited about meeting my DL friends, and meeting the faculty at PHC, and finally starting my major studies. And I can't wait to go hiking and camping in the Shenandoahs again! It will be nice to be near my grandparents, as well.

Also, God has more than blessed me as far as paying for school. Besides the HSLDA membership grant, PHC gave me a scholarship which will pay a nice chunk of tuition. The American Legion Auxiliary here in Nebraska also gave me a scholarship: that is kind of a funny story, actually. I found out about their program online and called the local ALA representative, and she had no idea what I was talking about. When she called back, she said "No one's asked about that scholarship from us in a long time, and we've never done this before, but we're definitely sending this in to the state department!! I didn't even know about it! This is so cool!" I have a couple more pending, so I'm keeping that in prayer. The Lord has provided, and will provide the means necessary to work His will!

About the military: Many of you know that I am planning to take Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) classes so that I'll be commissioned in the Army after graduation. Since PHC doesn't take the ROTC scholarship because of their no-government-money policy, I have also been planning to contract with the VA National Guard in what is called the Simultaneous Membership Program: basically, I will drill with the Guard one weekend a month, go to the ROTC summer training camps, will be exempt from deploying with the Guard as long as I'm in ROTC, and will draw pay from the Guard, a stipend from ROTC, and will be eligible for assistance via the GI Bill after my first year. The money, naturally, would go to school (and would be quite an assistance). After I graduate, I have the option of staying in the Guard, or going to Reserves, Active Guard Reserves (full-time Guard), or active duty Army. The plan right now is for me to go active duty.

In the meantime, I am registered to go to ROTC's Leadership Training Camp (LTC) at Ft. Knox, KY, from 6 June to 3 July. That camp is basically catch-up for those who haven't taken the first two years of ROTC, and is sort of "officer's boot camp." I'd like to do regular Basic Training, anyway, but it probably won't work out with the other ROTC summer camps, and isn't required for officers commissioned from ROTC.

I went to Creighton University early Friday morning to take my PT test and be fitted for my uniform. I did well on the push-ups and the 2-mile run, but not so well on the sit-ups, so I'll be working on those before LTC. The uniform should be sent out to me, so I can break in the boots before LTC.

Come August, I'll sign with ROTC at George Mason University, take a 3-hour class on Tuesday, and participate in 3 hours of lab (PT and field training) every Thursday. I'm unequivocally excited about that! Those will all build up to Leadership Development Advancement Course (LDAC) next summer, which will pretty much test us on everything we learned our junior year, and will be our time to "showcase" ourselves for the Army.

Now, I talked to MAJ Simms at GMU yesterday, and he said that, despite what he called "PHC's lack of willingness to take money," ROTC was working on a scholarship that could be paid directly to the student. Those scholarships PHC can take. He said that ROTC is planning for it to cover our room and board (about 1/4 of our total costs). The only catch is that it is not for SMP; it is for ROTC folks only. But it's not that much of a catch: since ROTC is my first priority, and I plan to go active duty, and the scholarship would be more than the Guard drill pay, I asked him to definitely keep me updated on that. It would also avoid the potential (unlikely, but possible), that the Guard would not release me to go active duty after graduation, and the more dangerous and likely potential that I could be pulled from school for a domestic Guard call-out.

Speaking of the Army, my older brother will be back from Iraq in June and will have a month-long leave in July (about the time I get back from LTC), so we're all looking forward to that!

Our Father has been very gracious in working all these things together, to His glory. I look forward to seeing what else He has in store! Have a blessed Sabbath and grace be with you all!

Sola Gratia,
Colin

Psalm 2
1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?

2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,

3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.

4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall have them in derision.

5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.

6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.

7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.

8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.

9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.

10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.

11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

Tagged

I've been tagged. But before I go into that, I want to share a wonderful new word that I discovered while reading National Review last week.

The word is "logorrhea." The context was something along the lines of "Bill Clinton made $50 million in speeches, which, when they're several hundred thousand a pop and the writer is logorrheic, isn't hard to do." Those who are acquainted with the rudiments of Greek may recognize in the first half of the word the root for a word that occurs three times in John 1:1.
And, yes, the meaning of the second half is what you think it is. If you haven't followed me thus far, look up this charming Neo-Latinism (or so says my dictionary, but the roots are Greek) and have a good laugh. :-)

Okay, so for my tag...
I was tagged by Miss Elizabeth Brown, from whose blog I copy the following instructions:

Here are the rules:

1. Write your own six word memoir.
2.Post it on your blog, and include a visual illustration if you so desire.
3.Link to the person who tagged you in their post.
4.Tag five more blogs with links.
5.Remember to leave a comment on the tagged blogs inviting them to play.

My six word memoir is simple--and you should be amazed that I'm able to say ANYTHING in six words. That doesn't happen often.:

"But for grace, there go I."



The most striking thing about that painting by Rembrandt is that the man in the beret, depicted as helping to raise the cross, is the painter himself. Ah, "have mercy, on me, a sinner," O Lord. Oh, the depths of grace..."O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!"



I hereby tag the following, with the injunction that they comply or face the everlasting wrath of...something or other. Anyway, I'm tagging

Michael K.
Shane A.
Ashton B.
Zach T.
ANNNNNNDDDD....

Mrs. Knipp!

I'll hand out the tags later...

In other news, my paternal grandparents and one of my uncles drove out here from North Carolina and have been here for the week; we went to the Old Market and an art community up in northern Omaha today. :-)

Oh, and I do have some news, too, but I'll write on that later, too.

April 19th

Two hundred and thirty-three years ago today began the conflict that gave rise to one of the greatest nations God has raised up in this world. May we honor the men who have fought and died for her and for the principles for which she stands.


Concord Hymn
By Ralph Waldo Emerson

By the rude bridge that arched the flood,
Their flag to April's breeze unfurled,
Here once the embattled farmers stood,
And fired the shot heard round the world.

The foe long since in silence slept;
Alike the conqueror silent sleeps;
And Time the ruined bridge has swept
Down the dark stream which seaward creeps.

On this green bank, by this soft stream,
We set to-day a votive stone;
That memory may their deed redeem,
When, like our sires, our sons are gone.

Spirit, that made those heroes dare
To die, and leave their children free,
Bid Time and Nature gently spare
The shaft we raise to them and thee.

A few things

I'm going to be nice and post these all as links....

1) I posted a "new" poem on my poetry blog; a walk today brought it back to mind. I'm starting to notice a symbol that I'm using overmuch in my writings (though I do use it in different ways)...

2) I re-filled out the "Mother of All Surveys" (my old copy was lost with my hard drive) which you can read here. Past reviews on it:

"Don't post it! For your own sake! No one will ever visit your blog again!" (That is why I'm posting it now as a link. ;-D)

"This looks alot like it was written by a Literature major with a strong interest in Theology."

"No way am I filling out that whoppin' big thing!"

Fill it out anyway, if you're ever bored beyond all belief. :-)

3) Another discussion from US History, discussing the 1920s. I expound my view of cultural conservatism, which could probably be summed up in this paragraph:

"The problem that I see with innovation without reason is that, fundamentally, it discards traditionalism for individualism. I want to do this, so I jolly well shall, and devil may care. Instead of honoring the wisdom of those who have gone before, or instead of at least giving the benefit of the doubt to our progenitors, it gives the benefit of the doubt to ourselves and our peers. For my own part, it seems inestimably foolish to trust oneself and others no more mature than oneself, in disregard to those who have lived before, have greater experience, and have fought through many of these same questions (cast in different terms, but nonetheless the same questions) for themselves. It shouldn't be necessary for every generation to reinvent the wheel."

4) Last summer, a classmate sent us an alert to the effect that the Senate of his native Hawaii was drafting a resolution encouraging the national government to accept the authority of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. He wanted us to email his senators, so I did, and in so doing gave pretty much a brief exposition of why I believe family education is so important. Further, I am beginning to think that the "free exercise" clause of the 1st Amendment is going to become more and more important to Christian homeschoolers, for the reasons I outlined in the letter. For those who are interested, it is here.

5) I made a few revisions to "The Thread Upon the Loom." I have the full poem here, with the revisions highlighted in orange and red (they're in parts I, IV, and V). I also included my reasoning for the changes and the concerns I had with the new form. If anyone has any suggestions or comments, I'd like to hear them.

6) Christopher Parkening is an amazing guitarist, trained by Maestro Andres Segovia, and a Christian, too.



7) A personal update on some school and military stuff coming soon. :-)

Spring

Ah, spring...at long last the barren waste of a Nebraska winter is coming alive in a verdant rebirth. The birds have returned, and the new grass is slowly overcoming the dead remains of last year's. The hedges and windbreaks are already budding, and soon will burst forth in rapturous welcome of Spring...

Alright, I'll admit that this is just an excuse to post some pictures taken a few days ago from the vantage point of one of our trees.

Though the background is still stubbornly bare, the buds in the foreground, and the streaks of green in the grass are a fair promise of the coming spring.







On Wednesday, it was a sunny 72 degrees, with a strong south wind, and it occurred to me that spring brings summer, and with it heat. Though I prefer the 50s, with clouds and drizzle (as it was on Thursday and today), I'm sure that God's sense of climate control is much better than mine:

"While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, And cold and heat, And summer and winter, And day and night, Shall not cease." Genesis 8:22

Psalm 90

I recently re-discovered that my Geneva Bible came with a CD-ROM containing the Geneva Bible in PDF format, along with the Apocrypha, AND the Metrical Psalms. The Metered Psalms were quite well done, and here is Psalm 90 (which happens to be my favorite), for those who are interested.

Domine refugium. Ps.90.I.H.
Moses seeing the people neither admonished by the
brevity of their life, nor by plagues to be thankful,
prayeth God to turn their hearts, and continue his mercy
toward them and their posterity forever.
Sing this as the 78 Psalm.

Thou Lord hast been our sure defense,
our place of ease and rest:
In all times past, yea, so long since,
as cannot be expressed.

2 Ere there was made mountain or hill,
the earth and all abroad:
From age to age, and always still,
forever thou art God.

3 Thou grindest man through grief and pain,
to dust, or clay, and then,
And then thou saist again, return
again, ye sons of men,

4 The lasting of a thousand year
What is it in thy sight?
As yesterday it doth appear
or as a watch by night.

5 So soon as thou dost scatter them,
then is their life and tread,
All as a sleep, and like the grass,
whose beauty soon doth fade.

6 Which in the morning shines full bright,
but fadeth by and by:
And is cut down ere it be night,
all withered, dead and dry.

7 For through thine anger we consume
our might is much decayed:
And of thy servant wrath and fume
we are full sore afraid.

8 The wicked works that we have wrought
thou setst before thine eye:
Our privy faults, yea, eke our thoughts
thy countenance doth spy.

9 For through thy wrath our days do waste,
thereof doth naught remain:
Our years consumes as words or blasts,
and are not called again.

10 Our time is threescore years and ten,
that we do live on mold:
If one see fourscore, surely then
we count him wondrous old.

11 Yet of this time the strength and chief
the which we count upon:
Is nothing else but painful grief,
and we like blasts are gone.

12 Who once doth know what strength is there
what might thine anger hath?
Or in his heart who doth thee fear
according to thy wrath?

13 Instruct us Lord to know and try,
how long our days remain:
That then we may our hearts apply
true wisdom to attain.

14 Return O Lord, how long wilt thou
forth on in wrath proceed?
Show favor to thy servants now,
and help them at their need.

15 Refresh us with thy mercy soon,
and then our joy shall be:
All times so long as life shall last
in heart rejoice shall we.

16 As thou hast plagued us before:
now also make us glad:
And for the years wherein full sore
affliction we have had.

17 O let thy work and power appear,
and on thy servant’s light:
And show unto thy children dear,
the glory and thy might.

18 Lord let thy grace and mercy stand
on us thy servant thus:
Confirm the works we take in hand,
Lord prosper them to us.

Questions

This is something I've debated before, and I have my own opinion on the matter, but I'd be curious to see what my readers think before I present mine. There are actually three closely related questions:

1) Is it permissible for men to wear earrings?

2) Is it permissible for women to wear earrings?

3) If the answer was no to (1) and yes to (2), on what do you base the distinction?

And, no, I'm not remotely considering get my ears pierced. My brothers already know what I'll do to their ear lobes if they ever come home with earrings.

In other news, I've posted again to my Theology/Philosophy blog. As I look at the previous post, I realize that I should have titled it "Presuppositionalism and "Calvinism": the Biblical Answers to the Problem of Epistemology." Not that anyone reads that blog (is it really that boring?), but it is duly fixed anyway. ;-)

And on my way home tonight I caught a portion of Rachmaninov's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini on the radio, so I'm going to listen to Bach's Toccata and Fugue in A minor (the one on my Songspot), and retire in a mood of pure bliss...

Colin

My Car

I love my car. Not in any of the three Greek senses do I love her*, but I do so rather as one may love an inanimate object with which one is well acquainted and comfortable. The more do I love it as I reflect on how much of an unmitigated blessing it was to me. We have spent quite a bit of time together over the last year, and had some adventures, but let me tell you how we met.

Concurrently with seeking a job last year, I began car-shopping. Given my rural location, a mode of transportation faster than my legs or a bike is almost a necessity.

I am not picky in my cars. I’ve never been interested in sports cars; if I ever wanted to be “cool” by means of my conveyance, I effectively killed that possibility by starting off in a 12-passenger van. And, frankly, my dream car is a pre-1990 Ford F-150. Someday when I’m retired and can afford the gas, I’d still like to get one. But in the meantime, I have been perfectly content with the idea of starting off with a sedan or station wagon. Some wags might suggest that the only reason I would want a family car is as a selling point (with the parents, at least) when the time should come for me to a go a-courtin’:

“Oh, Mama, Henry has such a beautiful Ford Mustang; he’d drive safely with me, though, I’m sure.”
“Yes, but honey, don’t you think that a 5-seat sedan is much better for a couple planning to start a family?”
“But Mama, it’s so mundane…I can’t be a soccer mom from the very beginning of the courtship!”
“Well, it could be worse: he could have a mini-van.”

But that advantage aside (and though I didn’t choose it for that purpose, I’m not about to spurn the hand of Providence, either), sedans are cheaper on all counts—initial cost, gas, and insurance. Oh, insurance. What a curse did Cain lay upon all succeeding young men when he rashly beat his brother—one may justly suppose that he was also one for camel-races. Be that what it may, we young men have a reputation for being high liabilities on insurance policies. Young men with sports cars only exacerbate the problem. So, as a part of my Christian duty (and in keeping with my constitutional aversion to spending money on frivolities), I alleviated the problem by desiring a sedan.

Some fellow drivers would say that I don’t alleviate the problem at all; I’ll just say that I’ve not touched another car once, but there were times when it was grace alone that I didn’t. There was the time that I spun it over a ten-foot dirt embankment, but that’s another story for another time….

I preferred American-made cars, but that was not a big sticking point. My dad asked me what color I’d prefer, and I discovered that I did not have much of a preference—except that I detest yellow and all pastel shades. I hinted that I would paint whatever car I bought with military-issue olive drab anyway, but it was hinted in return that such a monstrosity would not reside on the premises, so that idea died in committee and my mental senate returned to maintaining the status quo (yes, I have one of those).

When it got down to it, I was planning (and dreading) to spend rather more than I wanted to on even a used car. Oh, ye of little faith. My dad is pretty good friends with a deacon in our church, who, by God’s providence, was looking for a minivan for his growing family at the same time. He had a 1998 Ford Taurus and was willing to sell it when they bought the minivan.

Now, let me say this about the Ford Taurus: it is a nice-looking car, and common enough that it doesn’t stick out. Actually, common enough that it occurs quite often—eerily so—that I park and find four other Tauruses and a Mercury Sable or two in the same row. If I’m not mistaken, it was the most widely sold car in its class while it was made. Given that I hate flashy things and like to blend in (without fitting in), this was a perfect fit. Oh, and the color was dark green. Score!

The bluebook value was in the $2,500-$3,000 range, but it had been salvaged anyway, and the transmission had some minor trouble—only that it leaked enough that it required a few bottles of fluid a year—so he took off the price of a new transmission in anticipation for my eventually replacing that.

That brought it down to a much more palatable price, which I was prepared to pay; and then my parents decided to bless me even further by paying the good deacon themselves. That made the sticker shock upon taking it to the DMV rather easier to handle...

My car has her* idiosyncrasies, of course, but then again, she puts up with me. On occasion, there will be an electronic beeping for no apparent reason (it did this for the former owners, too, and the car folks had no idea what caused it), but this is in keeping with the weird habits of pretty much all of my electronic equipment. I suppose if my car can handle the lengthy lectures I give her on random subjects, I can handle a little bit of reciprocal conversation. I can probably make more sense of that electronic beeping than anyone can of what I ramble on about, anyway.

But in all seriousness, I was more than blessed with my Ford Taurus, on all counts. Even besides the money-for-a-car-or-for-school issue (the solving of which was immeasurable grace by itself), everything about it, from the type of car to the color, was amazingly orchestrated (and was far more than I deserve). And, of course, we get along well, and there is easily enough room in the back seat and trunk for my guitars and amps, my other loves…but that will have to wait for another post.

Until then,
Colin



*Of course a car takes the female pronoun. She certainly has a personality, and the masculine wouldn’t sound quite right. Her name is Good Queen Bess, but that’s a story in itself.

Announcement and excerpt from USH2 paper

After about half a million edits...

Last Tuesday, I began turning a number of scenes that I've had in my head for a while into a story which I hope could end as a novella, at least. I have only the first chapter written and know what I want to do with the last two chapters; unfortunately, I only know the direction I want to take with the middle section, not the storyline. So I'm not going to bind myself to a set deadline for posting the next chapter, but if you'd like to read the first chapter at least, I've posted it to my Fiction/Poetry blog. I also submitted it, with a few poems, to the PHC Stylus literary publication. Input and criticism (from fellow Lit Snobs and all of my other friends who put up with our delusion that we're the coolest) is appreciated. I'd especially like suggestions for a main title; I currently plan for "Where the Wind Wills" to be a subtitle (and it is, by the way, a reference to John 3, not "Bohemian Rhapsody"...).


Also, our US History 2 paper is a comparison/contrast of Whittaker Chambers's Witness and Booker T. Washington's Up From Slavery. Up From Slavery was written in the late 1800s with Southern Reconstruction and the plight of the former slaves in mind, Witness in 1952 about the attempt to expose American Communism, but "for all their differences, they were both tales which brought the epic struggle between good and evil to a human level and made the principles applicable to the ordinary man by showing how ordinary men had fought and struggled with specific manifestations of that war," as I wrote in my paper.

The chief difference, though, in the authors' respective outlooks is one that struck me deeply as I was writing, and I devoted about a page to exploring that facet of their works. I may post more of the paper later, but here is the relevant excerpt for now:

"Washington was inspirational because he extolled the ability of men to raise themselves up from the ashes, and warned them not to allow their circumstances to dictate their future in such a way that they would never improve themselves. He was optimistic that the problems could be resolved and that the American people could put their dark past behind them in the next few generations. While acknowledging the faults of both parties in the past, he truly believed that they could be overcome by hard work and virtuous living—he believed that his object was attainable and that success lay within the volition of him and his fellow man.

Chambers was inspirational for nearly the opposite reason: he acknowledged that he was weak, and insisted that his role was thrust upon him against his will—but it was precisely the knowledge that this was his mission, arranged for him by destiny, that gave him the strength to fulfill it, because he knew that the same Providence that had assigned this terrible ordeal to him would direct the results, whether or not those results included his destruction. Chambers was willing to abandon all for the sake of the world and for the sake of destiny--and for his witness against Communism and for truth. He was pessimistic that his sacrifice would result in the ultimate salvation of the world—if it was not destroyed by Communism, it would fall prey to something else—but was certain that the guiding hand of God would nevertheless have a purpose even in this.

He thus inspired to play their part even men who are all too conscious of their own weakness. Their part need not be so crucial as his, nor need it be successful in human terms—whatever their part was, no matter how seemingly large or small, it formed a cog in the plan of Providence. He disagreed with the idea that the world would linearly improve; his hope lay in the ultimate end of the world which no human eye could yet see. This fundamental difference between Washington’s and Chambers’s presentations goes as deep as the level of their worldview, and could be described in religious terms as running as deeply as the difference between the theological concepts of merit and grace, for this is precisely the difference between them."