TheEvan

That reminds me of an incident that happened on one of my trips to Africa. We were returning from a visit to beautiful Sipi Falls on Mt. Elgon in eastern Uganda when our car broke down when passing through a small town. Actually, the engine seized up, so we were there for some time. At one point, a man, obviously intoxicated, stumbled out onto the highway just in time to be nearly run over by a passing lorry. Apparently that was unacceptable behavior, because everybody standing nearby, mostly women, picked up sticks and beat that poor guy simple. They beat him all the back to his hut. A Church of Christ pastor from Texas (to keep this on topic) who lived in the small town of Chimala, Tanzania (a place we've worked) told me that once he heard a ruckus so loud he went out to see what was happening. Villagers were stoning a man to death with bricks! He had stolen a bag of rice. I asked our Maasai translator if that kind of thing really happened. He said sure, but we usually don't stone the offenders. Somewhat relieved, I asked what they do. He replied that they set them on fire! Not much crime there. :)

I can't believe it! "Mem'ry doan fail me now!!" HAHAHAHAHAHA Time is the great equalizer after all. C'mon 'riff, out with the stow-ray man.

I've been forewarned? Of what, pray tell? Prophet of God? I think not.

I've been a fan ever since I went to a Framk Zappa concert. The opening act was the then-still-unknown Steely Dan. Instant fandom.

I'm with you there. Thanks.

Thank you, Sunesis. I'm a bit puzzled by: "We are told there is no condemnation for having this sin nature." Told by whom? I understood that both sin (the nature) and sins (our disobedience) keep us separate from God.

"Separation from God." How does this differ from sin? Or is it simply a different aspect of the same thing. The problem for antedelluvian man, for instance was sin, both outward (he did great evil) and inward (the thoughts of his heart were nly evil continually). I suppose you could call that separation from God. But so is death.

Is sin. Any other other questions?

Kathy, those guys beat on their guitars regardless the bracing. I tap on mine a bit as well...but not like a flamenco player...

Sr. Miller, Classical guitars are under lower string tension and are able thus to be braced much more lightly without compromising structural integrity. The payoff is responsiveness & much greater dynamic nuance and range. The caveat is you can't really bang on it with a heavy pick. The bracing pictured is still somewhat unconventional for a classical. The normal fan braces are particularly light but are stiffened by the 3 horizontal braces. It should produce a particularly lively yet even sound. Johnny, I should get it in 3-4 weeks. I ordered it in December. Actually, I visited Peter in his shop & picked out the specific timbers, binding, rosette, head carving and tuners. The rosette, though patterned after a Torres, is executed in mother of pearl and is a real stunner. That's what you call an "order".

Yep, I was doing it to Mike. I didn't realize his wife was in the passenger seat...couldn't see her from up in the bus. In the interest of historical (hysterical?) accuracy, it wasan't from the bus window...it was the door. It wasn't done in good clean fun, it was meant to express disdain & disrespect. Somebody ratted us out and we got in big doo-doo once back at Euphoria.

Alas, Henry has become a paunchy old man with positively flaccid muscalature. He does nothing but hang around. It's sad.

Hey Paul!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! You make me laff. Didya know Sullivan moved to Baton Rouge? He lives about 5 blocks from moi.

I have a new one under construction by San Diego luthier Peter Oberg. Should be a honey. See Oberg website

"I've been reading a lot of history lately and it's clear that not too many generations ago, people died much younger, lived in constant fear of infection and disease, and in many cases, ate a far worse diet than we do, especially during the winter and spring. Today everyone in first-world countries at least has the choice to eat good, healthy food. Indeed, for most of us, the real challenge is to *not* eat so much food. " Our longer lives aren't due to how we eat but on interventive medical care, neonatal care and fewer accidents. Every time I go to Africa I'm amazed out how healthy, vital & strong the populace is. Theeir low life expectancy is due to a high death rate at birth, accidents & lack of medical care when the big diseases hit. By comparison, us Americans are weak, pallid, foggy and tired. I always feel better after eating their food for a few weeks. There's no chemicals on their food. They can't afford 'em.

I'm with you Hills, all the way.

I'll secong the Blue Ridge Pkwy & Natchez Trace as favorites, along with the Cabrillo ( a bracing chilhood favorite). I'll add the Kakamangus Hwy. in New Hampshire, along with that amazing highway north in NH past the Conneticuit Lakes to the Canadian border. Wow.

Poor cult, can't get any respect I tell ya...

Though I had a tragic 9/11 it wasn't as sudden, nor as out of context, as yours. My mom committed suicide when I was 11, less than 5 months later my dad did the same. Consider that we knew things weren't well at homwe. It didn't surprise me or my sisters what she did . But my dad was a surprise. Yes, everything changed radically and tough times were ahead. But it seemed to me that my friends who went through the divorce of their parents usually had a tougher row to hoe. You and I had a tragic event that was also very final. There was an ending and from there we could grieve and eventually find some degree of healing. With the shildren of a divorce, the wound never goes away. The thing that was wrong continues being wrong and the scab gets picked every time they saw the other parent or some other interaction. Life is full of pain. It's not about avoiding it through some magic pfal pill. It's about finding our way through the pain to something better and higher, something more noble. The refining fire produces something easy street cannot. Anyway, that's the way I see it.

See, OM, their basic beliefs aren't enough to make the group anything other than trash. Just saying... Trying not to try too hard in drawing a parallel... But if the shoe fits...

If they amputate, what kind of peg leg will you opt for? Me, I'd go for the one that stores a bottle of rum inside, always at the ready... Get better now, y'hear?

Though I do find Wierwille's explanation of the singular use of "manifestation" without merit, I can see it descriptive of something altogether. Though there is a list of distinct gifts of the Spirit, it is stated "manifestation" because there is no particular distinction of the gifts when there is a "manifestation of the Spirit". To be fair, perhaps that's what Wierwille was getting at, albeit poorly, when he tried to show 'all 9' in use for every miracle or healing. Geez, whadda stretch.

My little sister has ridden for nearly 30 years, writes a safety column for her club, etc. She finally had her accident last year, and hers was as the clip except, thank God, she was launched over the car and didn't slam her body into it. No road rash, as she always wear full protective clothing, pads and all. But her pelvis was quite smashed, broken in 7 places. She's riding again. Stubborn girl, her.

Thanks for that, T-Bone. While I am no cessationist myself, your post helps me to understand the cessationist position better. From the uninformed layperson (your typical outhern Baptist for instance) it just comes across as obstinance. MacArthur gives me a more sensible rationale. And I like the way you stated your thoughts on praying in Jesus' name.

I stayed. Till May '87