Requiting Our Parents

But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show piety at home and to repay their parents; for this is good and acceptable before God. (NKJV) 1 Timothy 5:4

But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. (NKJV)1 Timothy 5:8

The context of these verses discusses the care of widows by the church, and it gives some requirements or specifications about what constitutes a "widow indeed." But, at the same time, Paul (an inspired apostle of Jesus) lets us know that the church should not have to care for all widows because those widows who have children, grandchildren, or other family are to be cared for first by their own family members.

Many times childen and grandchilden grow up in some ways, but some seem never to grow up enough to understand that those maternal hands that loved them, changed their diapers, fed them, kissed their boo-boos, watched over them when they were sick, and worried over them when they went out of the house, are now to be cared for by those who mother or grandmother cared for many years before.

When mothers and grandmothers reach a point in life where they need help and loving care, we should not expect them to continue to "fork over" money to us for this or that, or to continue sacrificing for us, or to pay us back monetarily every time we spend a dime on them. Now, the "tables are turned." It is time for us to help mother! It is time for us to pay Mom's way in this world. It is time for us to do things for Mother and Grandma that we can do when she can no longer do things for herself. And, we are to do it without expecting her to repay us for our efforts! These are some ways we "requite" or repay the love of mother.

When mother's hands become feeble, when her steps falter, when her sight is blurred, when her hearing is not as acute as once it was, when she is forgetful, and when her health fails or she cannot provide for herself, we must step in and help. We must repay the love that she so freely and graciously gave to us when we were small and unable to care for ourselves, when our feet faltered, and when we could not feed and provide for ourselves.

Paul, the apostle, informs us that if we fail to provide for "our own" or "those of our own household" we have denied the faith (denied Christianity, the system of the one faith) and we are worse than infidels or unbelievers. It should never be said of of a Bible-believer (or of one who claims to be a disciple of Christ), that he or she was so hard-hearted or self-centered that he would not take care of his widowed mother or grandmother in her latter years on earth.

Are you repaying your mother's or grandmother's love? How often do you visit her? Call her? Communicate with her? Take her out (if she is able to go out)? Take her to the doctor? Run errands for her? Clean her house? Prepare her meals? Allow her to talk about the days of her youth that she remembers and cherishes, and listen to what she is saying? How often do you say, "I love you, Mom!"?

Think about it!

SPW

The beautiful southern states in summer

In the last few weeks I have traveled by car in Alabama, Tennessee, and Kentucky. The beauty of these states is indescribable! The tall corn in the fields, the hay freshly cut and baled, the livestock, and the numerous varieties of blooming flowers, crepe myrtles, and tall southern pine trees, all give one a greater appreciation of the beauties of nature.

One may feel the heat from the blazing southern summer sun and see thunder clouds forming on the horizon. One may feel a cool breeze blow as the storm clouds gather and smell the ozone as the rain draws near and large drops of rain begin falling. Steam rises from the hot pavement when the rain falls. The beautiful lakes and rivers provide boating fun and recreation.

To be able to eat "new" potatoes, fresh buttered corn, red ripe tomatoes, yellow squash, onions, okra, green beans, and cucumbers (accompanied by cornbread) is a great culinary experience. There is nothing quite as tasty as fresh vegetables and fruits from the garden. The ponds teeming with grain-fed catfish give promise of a delicious dinner of fried catfish, hushpuppies and coleslaw (usually served with either green onions or a big slice of sweet onions). Barbeque pork (pulled or chopped), pork ribs, and barbeque slaw dogs, or barbeque chicken with white sauce, slaw, baked beans, homemade pickles, and potato salad accompanied by a tall glass of sweet southern iced tea are part of southern culture. Homemade pecan pie and ice cream are a great way to finish off such a meal.

Lightning bugs, the baying of hounds, the lowing of cattle, and the croaking of frogs and crickets are great sights and sounds to southerners. There is something unique about being out in the country on the farm in the late evening, sitting in a swing as the sun sets and the calm and quiet shades of night begin to creep in. The sweet scent of honeysuckle vines fill the air. There is nothing quite so peaceful or relaxing.

I know why those who live in the south love the south.

Insults against southern folks

As mentioned in an earlier post, I enjoy the south and the way people express themselves in southern English. There are many native southerners who are very highly educated and many who have contributed so much to the greatness and success of America. Most southerners I know are highly intelligent, industrious, entrepreneurial, and patriotic. They are good, down-to-earth people. They are mostly very deeply religious people with strong convictions.

It is for all the above reasons that I deeply resent the often expressed arrogant attitude of some from outside the south who refer to all southerners in condescending ways. Some joke about "red-necks." And, as they say the phrase, they do it with an attitude and tone of disgust and disdain. They do it as though they are so far above a southerner in all aspects of life that the southerner is less than a piece of garbage. Many of us who live or have lived in the south can take a joke, even a "red-neck" joke. Some of them are very funny! We can laugh at ourselves and our "ways." But, do not try to belittle us and act as though we are stupid!

I am here to testify that most southerners can hold their own with almost anyone! I find it very interesting that many from outside the south who hold southerners in such disdain are the very ones who would claim to be educated, compassionate, accepting, open-minded, and liberal in thought toward all other groups of people. The trouble is that some folks really believe that all southerners are stupid, ignorant, illiterate, backwoodsy slobs who drive pick-up trucks with gun racks, chew tobacco and spit, and cuss. Actually (with apologies to Jeff Foxworthy whose humor I enjoy), there are some "rednecks" in the south. I must admit that there are a few folks like that whom I have known. But, there is another meaning to the term "red-neck" of which many are not aware. Many do not understand that the "red" neck is actually "red" from hard working in the sun from "sun-up" to "sun-down." Further, many "red" necks are the result of native American Indian heritage. The dark skin turns deep red and dark brown when one is in the sun for long periods of time. Many southerners derive their ancestry (in part) from the Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Creek Indian tribes.

A few years ago a young woman of my acquaintance from the midwest traveled in the south for the very first time. She traveled through Kentucky, Tennessee, and Alabama all the way to the Gulf coast. When she returned to the midwest she said, "It was so beautiful in Alabama! I did not know it was so pretty." Of course it is. Many have known the beauty of the southern states for years. And, many have known the beauty and genteelness of southern hospitality and the wonderful smells and delicious flavors of down-home southern cooking!

Another midwesterner who traveled in the south for the very first time a few years ago, spoke with disgust about the wood-frame houses with washing machines on the front porches in the rural areas. He bemoaned the poverty in the south, and how backward it was. I guess he did not stop to think about the slums and ghettos in the north and midwest where people live on top of one another in poverty-stricken, drug-infested, high-crime, high-rises!

Some of those who speak so disparagingly of their fine fellow American brethren from the south should remember that were it not for farming in the south and midwest, one might not be able to go to a grocery store in his neighborhood and pick up a can of peas, beans, corn, tomatoes, or other fruits or vegetables (peaches, pecans, or peanuts from Alabama, Mississippi, or Georgia), or a bag of rice (from South Carolina or Arkansas). One might not be able to go to the department store and buy that nice cotton shirt or blouse! After all, the cotton in that shirt was probably grown and picked somewhere in the south (from Texas to the southern Atlantic coastal states). And, that beautiful, fine furniture in the furniture store may have been manufactured in North Carolina.

Many Americans outside the south are unaware of just how modern and highly industrialized much of the south is. And, many of the nation's highest rated colleges and universities (both public and private) are in the southern states. Some of the most highly educated and highly paid people in the USA live in Huntsville, Alabama where technology reigns.

All Americans need to appreciate the contributions of one another to our total society. Grouping together people of one race, ethnicity, region, gender, or religion, and condemning or low-rating them is just about as narrow-minded and prejudiced as one can be. It is also very stupid!

In Matthew 7:1-4, Jesus said,
1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

Ruined by bitterness

“Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:31-32).

He was a man nobody liked--hard, sullen, taciturn, and sour. If you met him on the street and wished him good-day, he would keep his eyes straight in front of him, grunt sulkily and pass on. He lived in a tumbled-down old hut away back in the bush. He spoke to nobody, and he made it perfectly plain that he wished nobody to speak to him. Even the children shunned him. Some said he was a hermit; some that he was a miser; some that he was a woman-hater; some that he was a fugitive from justice, a man with a guilty secret. But they were all wrong. The simple truth was that in his youth a companion had done him a grievous injury. "I'll remember it to my dying day,'' he hissed, in a gust of passionate resentment.

And he did. But when his dying day actually came, he realized that the rankling memory of that youthful wrong had soured and darkened his whole life. "I've gone over it by myself every morning,'' he moaned, as he lay gasping in his comfortless shanty, "and I've thought of it every night. I've cursed him a hundred times each day. I see now,'' he added brokenly, a suspicion of moisture glistening in his eye, "that my curses have eaten out my soul; they've been like gall on my tongue and gravel in my teeth. My hate has hurt nobody but myself. But it's turned my life into gloom and misery!'' It was true.

The man at whom he had spat out his venomous maledictions, having done all a man could do to atone for the suffering that he had thoughtless caused, had dismissed the matter from his mind a generation back. Upon him the gnarled old man's bitterness had produced little or no effect. It was the man who cherished the sinister memory who suffered most. It shadowed his life; it lent a new terror to death; it expelled every trace of brightness and excluded every ray of hope; and at last, a grim and ghostly companion, it lay down with him in his cold and cheerless grave.

--author unknown.

Sound admonition to Christians

For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this;
Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

But if ye bite and devour one another,
take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.

--Divinely inspired words by Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
to brethren in Christ, Galatians 5:14-15.

A "simple" question for evolutionists

The "theory of evolution" is still just that--a mere theory. Even though many seem to want to overlook or forget that part of evolution, the fact is that the "theory" of evolution is still only a theory--and a false one. Thus, it is still an unproved hypothesis; it is not a fact.

Here is a "simple" question which evolutionists cannot answer:

Which was first on Earth--A Woman or a Human Baby?

Mull on that for awhile, please.

This question, though seemingly simple, is devastating to the evolutionist's view. The creationist has no problem with the question. The problem of the origin of man is not a scientific question, but is rather a philosophical and/or revelational problem.

--credit to the late Dr. Thomas B. Warren, Ph.D.

On learning other languages

I love the English language. It is my native tongue. I especially like the colorful adjectives and phrases we use to describe so many things in American English. We have many words that are so different, but often have a same or similar meaning—fantastic, wonderful, superb, stupendous, fabulous, terrific, et. al. Some languages are not as expressive. Some languages may have only one word to describe or refer to something. In fact, some languages do not even have words to describe or refer to things with which we who use the English language are so familiar. Some may have words to describe or refer to something, but many of those who speak the language do not know the words. For example, one day I pointed to a doorknob and asked a couple of Indonesian girls what is the name of the “this thing” (the doorknob). They had no idea. We asked an Indonesian man and he did not know the Indonesian word for “doorknob” either. I walked into a shoe store in Jakarta and pointed to my lace-up shoes, specifically pointing to the laces. In Bahasa Indonesia, I asked a young lady who worked there what is the name of these things. She said, "Saya tidak tahu, Mister" (“I don’t know, Mister”). I was rather taken aback as one might suppose. She worked in a shoe store, but did not even know the Indonesian word for “shoe laces”! There are Indonesian words for shoe laces and door knobs, but they just did not know them. I was perplexed. So, I was reduced to pointing to my shoe laces and asking if they sold “these things.” They did not.

I did a lot of my growing up in the Deep South, Midwest, and among "hillbillies" who moved north after World War II to work in factories. I love the colorful expressions, words and phrases that come from the south and Midwest. Sometimes there is no better way to say something than the way southerners say it! Some folks look upon the expressions of the South and Midwest as hokey, back-woodsy, redneck, ignorant, and uneducated. But, I can assure you that when a southerner speaks you know just what he means! You get the real “flavor” of the meaning.

I was almost 50 years old when I began to try to learn to speak and write the Indonesian language. That is rather late in life to try something as challenging as learning a language that was completely foreign! I already knew a few Spanish words due to the American connection with Mexico and through hearing Spanish words in movies and television, (gracias, hasta mañana, señor, hasta la vista, frijoles, perro, hombre, etc). And, I knew a few Greek words. But, to learn a language that was totally foreign was, at times, a frustrating and seemingly insurmountable task. I am still learning it--it is an unending process.

The best way to learn a foreign language is to go to the nation of the language you wish to learn and study it everyday, and be with the indigenous people everyday so that you are forced to use the language. Many American students study a year or two of French, German, or Spanish in high school or junior high. That can be helpful, but it sometimes does not come close to knowing how to speak the language in the nation where that is the native tongue.

Many people of my homeland think that they should not and will not learn any other language. But, that is foolish thinking! Only after one learns another language can he see how limited he was in his ability to communicate. So, may I suggest learning a foreign language? Learning a foreign language teaches discipline and it gives one an insight into the problems that are involved in translating from one language into another. This is especially important to preachers who are concerned with Bible translations, and with translating from Greek into English. It is also important as one goes into a foreign nation to preach or teach the gospel where the use of a translator is required! It becomes a new part of one’s education.

The world seems to be growing smaller day-by-day, and we will need communication skills with people of other nations. Many years ago in the days of the pioneers on the western frontier, there were many who learned Latin, Greek, and other languages in addition to English. We have few today who are so talented. A few days ago I heard a fellow in Belgium say that he knew at least three languages, and that it was necessary to know those languages in order to survive. Interestingly, even though some Indonesians may not know the word for “shoe laces” or “door knobs,” and many Indonesians do not have much formal education, many of them can speak at least two to three languages or dialects!

So, let me challenge the reader to plunge into learning a new language. It will be an enlightening experience! (Cobahlah!) Try it!

Fish Head Curry

One of the great delights of living in Asia is the delicious food that is not often found in the west. When Asian food is found in the west it often is not prepared exactly as it is in Asia. By the way, the same is true in Asia concerning western food. Much so-called western food that is prepared in Asia is not very good. Try to find good old southern cornbread or hush puppies in Asia--no cornmeal--thus, no cornbread!

I enjoy eating Indian food. I like Indian and Chinese food much more than Indonesian food. (I also like Italian, Mexican and German food). Although I have lived in Indonesia for more than seven years, I do not find Indonesian food to be all that good. There are very few Indonesian dishes I enjoy eating. Indonesian food seems to be filled with five to ten times more garlic, onion, and red or green chili peppers than are necessary. Then, when the food is served, Indonesians still want to add a hot chili pepper sauce called "sambal" to the already spicy concoction! So, the flavor of the food is covered up and one cannot taste it. I suspect it maybe because the grade and quality of the food is usually poor, and has little good flavor.

One of the misunderstandings about east Indian food that it is not so much "hot" as it is "spicy." When one travels to Asia he will learn that when fish is served, it is usually served whole--with the head and eyes still intact. There are a couple of great Indian restaurants in Jakarta. And, there are quite a few great Indian restaurants in Singapore and Malaysia. Recently, when I was in Singapore I enjoyed an Indian dish that is unique and wonderfully delicious. I have not found this dish in Jakarta. The dish is fish head curry.

The following ingredients are in this spicy, tasty dish: start with one or two heads of red snapper fish (very large heads the size of a man's hand); onion, sliced thinly; garlic, sliced thinly; stalks of lemon grass, crushed curry leaves, fish curry powder, chilli paste, coconut milk, tamarind juice, okra, eggplant, tomato, salt, and cooking oil. Some of these items are crushed and mixed into a paste before cooking. After the gravy has been made the fish heads are added and cooked. When it is done cooking one ladles out some of the gravy over a bed of rice. Then, one may dig out the delicious fish meat from the head and add it to the rice and gravy. The meat from the fish head is the best. The taste is out of this world! (I suggest doing a search on the WWW for "fish head curry" to get a complete recipe and see a photo of it).

In one of the best Indian restaurants in Singapore, a server puts a big banana leaf on the table for each patron. The banana leaf is your plate! One of the servers will come and put a ladle-full of Indian cabbage, a ladle-full of spicy cooked zucchini, and a huge serving of saffron rice on the banana leaf. On top of that will go a ladle full of curry sauce. Add to that the fish head curry that comes served in a big bowl, and you will have a feast that will "knock your socks off"! Many Indians and others prefer to eat Indian food with the right hand rather than to use a fork or spoon. It is believed that it enhances the natural flavor of the food.

Absolute Truth

The NEW TESTAMENT:

The Absolute Standard of Truth!

"Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth." John 17:17.

"And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his
commandments." 1 John 2:3.

"I Love Thy Kingdom, Lord"

I love Thy kingdom, Lord,
The house of thine abode;
The church our blest Redeemer saved
With His own precious blood,
I love thy church, O God!
Her walls before Thee stand,
Dear as the apple of Thine eye,
And graven on Thy hand.

For her my tears shall fall,
For her my prayers ascend;
To her my cares and toils be giv'n,
Till toils and cares shall end;
Beyond Thy highest joy
I prize her heav'nly ways,
Her sweet communion, solemn vows,
Her hymns of love and praise.

Jesus, thou Friend divine,
Our Savior and our King!
Thy hand from ev'ry snare and foe
Shall great deliv'rance bring;
Sure as Thy truth shall last,
To Zion shall be giv'n
The brightest glories earth can yield,
And brighter bliss of heav'n.

--by Timothy Dwight and A.D. Everett

Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. Acts 20:28

23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. Ephesians 5:23-27.

Sunset on the Java Sea

Numerous times I have travelled from Jakarta to Makassar (Ujung Pandang), the capital of South Sulawesi (formerly known in history and geography as Celebes). The flight across the Java Sea ("Laut Jawa" in Bahasa Indonesia) travelling from Jakarta east to Makassar takes about two hours. As one looks down upon the Java Sea on a clear day he may see the beautiful variation of colors below--emerald, turquoise, blue, and all shades in-between. The Java Sea is usually very calm. From time-to-time as one looks down upon it from the air, one will see coral reefs in all shapes and sizes. Many people travel to Indonesia for the purpose of diving and exploring many of the reefs and atolls. The seas of Indonesia are filled with all forms of life.

In Makassar, which is known for the production of gold, one may stay in a hotel across the street from the shore of the Java Sea. In the evening, one may sit in his hotel room and look west out the hotel window at the sea as the sun begins to set. As the sun drops lower and lower in the sky each moment changes the complexion of the sea and the land. As the night begins to darken in the east behind you, the sun appears to drop lower in the west, and the Java Sea seems to swallow the slowly sinking sun. As the sun begins to sink below the horizon it seems to grow much larger and turns a deep fiery orange color. Huge brilliant sunrays shine high in the sky from below the horizon. What an astounding view! Then, everything becomes dark, and one begins to pick out the lights of small houses on nearby islands and ships on the sea as they seek the harbor and safe haven. One may begin to see the small lanterns of little fishing boats as the night fishermen throw out their nets. They may stay out all night fishing for their living. Such is life on the Java Sea near South Sulawesi.

Ps 92:4 For thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands.
Ps 102:25 Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands.

'Brokeback Mountain': Rape of the Marlboro Man

David Kupelian, editor of WorldNetDaily, in an exclusive commentary sets forth a critical review of the movie "Brokeback Mountain." This critical review is worthy of reading.

[read the full article]

Fossil Hat

From "The Christian Courier," edited by Wayne Jackson, one may read an introduction to a very interesting article titled, "Fossil Hat." It is about a 50-year-old miner's hat that was found fossilized. It is another evidence that supports the possibility of a young earth, due to the fact of the relatively short time it takes for something to become fossilized. "Billions and billions" of years are not needed for fossilization as some claim; the fossilizing process may indeed be relatively short! You may click the link to read the full story on the website, "Answers In Genesis."
[read the full article]

You are invited...

God purposed it -- Ephesians 3:11

Christ died for it -- Ephesians 5:25

His blood purchased it -- Acts 20:28

The saved are added to it -- Acts 2:47

Surely YOU Should Investigate It!

We Invite You To Worship With

THE CHURCH OF CHRIST

Freedom

"Freedom is not a gift conferred upon a grateful people by a wise paternal government.
On the contrary, it is a value each individual must nourish in his everyday life and compel his government to safeguard."


"The driver is safer when the roads are dry;
the roads are safer when the driver is dry."

-authors unknown

Papua's "lost world" of wildlife

How wonderfully amazing it was to hear and read about the "lost world" of wildlife on the island of Papua. Papua is the western side of an island in far eastern Indonesia. The eastern half of the island is known as New Guinea. Reuters News Service reports that the highest summit of the Foja Mountains is 2,200 meters high. In the area under discussion the interior is 3,000 square kilometers of entirely untouched old growth tropical forest, supposedly never visited by humans! The exterior area of 7,500 sq.km. has been lightly visited but remains under original old growth forest cover.

This area is approximately the size of Luxembourg or the state of Rhode Island. The indigenous people do not enter the pristine interior. So much is yet unknown about this area, but so much is starting to come to light. Scientists and researchers are saying that they have just scratched the surface of what this area of the world holds. Some are saying it is, to them, like the Garden of Eden.

Just what has been discovered thus far? Forty (40) or more species of mammals have been discovered, including 6 types of kangaroos. Two-hundred-twenty-five (225) or more species of birds have been discovered, including 13 species of birds of paradise! Sixty (60) or more species of frogs have been discovered, including 20 species new to science. Five-hundred-fifty (550) or more species of plants have been discovered, 20 species of which are new to science. One-hundred-fifty (150) or more species of butterflies have been discovered, including 4 new species and several subspecies.

Additionally, a "six-wired bird of paradise" which appeared in the 19th century was found, but its' home had been previously unknown. A "Great White" Rhododendron, a species yet to be described, possibly the largest of any rhododendron species, was found. The "long-beaked echidna" a very rare and primitive egg-laying mammal that is little-known, was found. A "new frog" species was found. It is as yet undescribed.

It was reported that large mammals that have been hunted to near extinction elsewhere were in this area in abundance! (All of this from The Jakarta Post, p.1, 08 Feb. 2006).

When God finished His work of creation, the Bible says, "Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day" (Genesis 1:31). Everything was "good." The earth does not exist so that man may worship it. The earth is not to be man's object of worship. It is part of the creation, not the Creator. The One whom we are to worship is the Creator (God). And, we are taught to worship Him "in spirit and truth" (John 4:23-24; Exodus 20:3-6). God made the earth for man to use, to plow, to cultivate; and rivers, lakes, and seas from which to find his food for physical sustenance. As good stewards of what God has given for man to use, man should use with wisdom and care.

The earth has many wonders of nature that man may enjoy and properly use. Reports of new findings are truly exciting! "Indeed heaven and the highest heavens belong to the LORD your God, also the earth with all that is in it" (Deuteronomy 10:14). "The earth is the LORD'S, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein" (Psalm 24:1; 1 Corinthians 10:26, 28).

Have a great day! spw

Customizing a blog site

There are numerous color themes and backgrounds from which to choose when customizing one's blog pages. Many themes are very interesting and attractive. I have tested a number of colors and I like several of them. If you return to this blog from time to time you may find that I am testing a different background. For the time being, I think I will stay with the current background.

You will notice if you look through the information I have provided on this blog site concerning my "Lists" or interests, that I have given somewhat generic information rather than specific book titles, song titles, movie titles, etc. It really does not matter exactly what specific books, songs, or movies I like. But, by mentioning the types or genre of books, music, and favorite actors, you may be able to have some insight into my interests, which are quite varied. You should know that the "lists" of information that I have provided are not necessarily given in the order or priorty in which I value them.

You may notice that I did not mention any interest in golf. Golf is very popular with many people--and that's fine. I am not against golf, I just have never had a burning desire to learn to play golf. In fact, I rarely watch it on television. The only kind of golf in which I have ever had an interest is miniature golf--something that most regular golfers seem to disdain. A few years ago, an acquaintance asked me to play golf with him. Knowing him as I did, I knew he would be on the golf course all day (maybe 8 hours or longer) and he would expect me to stand out in the hot boiling sun with him the whole time. He would want me to follow him to each hole, and I knew he would not be happy if I wimped out and went back to the clubhouse to sit in a relaxed atmosphere to drink a cold Coke while he continued to play. So, I declined, making it clear that I had no interest in golf, and had no desire to waste my time doing something which I have absolutely no desire to learn. Additionally, I have been under doctor's orders for many years to stay out of the sun as much as possible for health reasons. I explained all of that to the acquaintance. At the end of that day he was worn out from his golf game, and he was sunburned, and still upset with me because I did not go to the country club with him. His opinion was that one should have the same, or similar, interests in recreation and hobbies that he had. I disagree with that idea. One person should not become the clone of another. He once asked me, "Don't you have any hobbies?" Of course, I do. Just because one person likes something does not mean that everyone he knows must have the same interests. I did not become upset with my acquaintance because he did not have the same hobbies and interests as I (such as reading novels or learning HTML--website building, or maps, or whatever). Lest one might think that I have no interest in sports, I will say that I enjoy a brisk walk. I used to enjoy spelunking (cave exploration) -- a rather rigorous and dangerous sport or hobby (but compatible with having to avoid too much sun!). And, I enjoy Major League Baseball and basketball--not playing, but watching. To me, a sport or hobby should be enjoyable and uplifting, not something to be dreaded.

The world is an interesting place because every person is different from every other person in so many ways. I'm glad it is that way.

Have a good day!
spw

Introductory blog

Hi,

I am new to blogging. All of my thoughts and feelings, of course, will not be published on a blog. Some thoughts are private, thus, no one else's business. The Lord knows all of them, just as He knows the hearts and minds of all human beings. I do hope, however, to say something that will be helpful or enlightening in some way to those who wish to view and read this blog from time to time.

I have read some blogs where folks "spill their guts," so to speak. This is not that kind of blog. I will not use vulgar or profane language. The language of my blogs will be no worse or more coarse than the expression in the first sentence of this paragraph. But, I will speak from the heart. I will be happy to hear from you if you find anything here interesting, enlightening, or helpful to you. I do not think I have all the answers. I do, however, have "some" answers. I believe that God's word, the Bible, has the final answer to all religious questions that pertain to life and godliness, and the salvation of one's soul from sin, and salvation eternally in heaven, 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:3-4.

A good and useful expression I heard many years ago is one that I have found beneficial over the years of my experience as a preacher of the gospel of Christ--"Keep your Bibles open and your hearts receptive to the truth." I suggest that is a good motto for this blog.

I will usually sign off with my moniker...spw

spw