Misc things that sprout in my mind
Owen County IN – The County Fair I don’t know of anything more American than the county fair, at least the ones that are not in major metropolitan areas. It is the highlight of the year for many rural counties. … Continue reading The County Fair….
St. Louis, MO – A horse’s rear-end?? Ok, you might be wondering how the rear-end of a horse has to do with the character of America. Well this horse happens to be one of the Budweiser’s Clydesdale in St. Louis … Continue reading A Horse's Rear-End….
Independence MO – Truman Presidential Library Harry S. Truman was perhaps one of my favorite presidents. He was president in my pre-school years so I don’t remember anything personally about him but being a U.S. history buff I have read … Continue reading Truman Library..
Northern WI – The Dairy Industry I know there is a State currently hanging onto the west side of our country that claims to have happier cows than those in Wisconsin but I kind of thing that is just advertising … Continue reading Wisconsin Cows…..
Grand Canyon AZ What is more America than the Grand Canyon. The only other possibility might be the Statue of Liberty but since it was made in France I think this one wins out. I was there in 2005 for … Continue reading What's More America Than…
Elnora IN – Annual Tractor Fest A common event in rural areas is the annual tractor exhibit. It seems everyone has an old tractor in their shed/barn/garage that they are working on and love to show their machine to everyone … Continue reading Old Time Tractors…
Lexington KY – Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill I took this picture on my first visit to Pleasant Hill almost twenty years ago. It is a place at the very top of the center dwelling used to store out of … Continue reading The Perfect Picture….
Lexington KY – Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill The Shaker were all about symmetry. Everything was done in pairs. One side for women and the other for men. The other major characteristic was simplicity. They shunned away from adornment for … Continue reading Simplicity and Symmetry….
Lexington KY… Shake Village of Pleasant Hill One of my favorite places to visit. Shaker lives and their furniture style has influenced much in my life. If you want to get away for a very peaceful time stay at one … Continue reading A Peaceful Place For a Hectic Life…
This a continuing pictorial post on our visit to New York City recently. One of the things that got my attention was the number of vendors on the streets selling almost everything. Here are some pictures. Click on any picture to bring up a larger gallery view. Continue reading NYC…. The Vendors…
This is part 3 of my series based on a post by Stephen Mattson on the seven misconceptions of Christianity. It’s Always Fun and Happy Christianity can be full of joy, but it can also be really hard.Following Christ demands sacrifice. It involves giving, helping, volunteering and participating in difficult work. The main tenant of loving others is hardly ever easy, and the Christian life is often filled with trials, pain, suffering, heartbreak and struggles—often requiring large amounts of grace, forgiveness, patience and energy. It’s not easy, comfortable or effortless—it’s incredibly demanding. But in the end, it’s worth it. I … Continue reading Christianity is Always Fun and Happy…
This is part 2 of my series based on a post by Stephen Mattson on the seven misconceptions of Christianity. Everyone Believes the Same Thing Beyond a basic belief of Jesus being divine, Christians hardly agree on anything. Common practices such as baptisms, communions, confession and even worship styles are hotly debated, and Christians are divided into hundreds of denominations, thousands of churches and endless communities—each passionate about their own opinions. Christianity is made up of different cultures, ethnicities, doctrines, traditions, practices, theologians and practices—one of the most diverse religions in the entire world. Conformity and uniformity are uncommon, and … Continue reading All Christians Believe the Same Thing..
A theology based on this fear seldom inspires great acts of compassion and service. When we live in constant fear of divine rejection, we focus all our attention on securing our survival. Sadly, this self-absorption only leads us further from love. Fear and love are incompatible. Fear indicates our distrust of the one who claims to love us. A child trembles when a parent threatens, “If you don’t behave, I’ll send you away.” A wife is terrorized when a husband warns, “If you leave me, I’ll kill you.” Human beings cower when God commands, “Serve me, or I’ll damn you … Continue reading Fear vs. Love….
A theology of love begins with the assumption that all people are God’s cherished children and deserving of love. “We love because he first loved us. Those who say ‘I love God,’ and hate their brothers and sisters, are liars, for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen” (1 John 4:19–20). Jesus demonstrated his love for the outcasts, those many considered unlovable. Regrettably, many Christians have been unwilling to adopt the ethic of Jesus—a theology of inclusion, acceptance, and love. We’ve been unwilling to love and … Continue reading The Theology Of Love….
I will admit here that I got a first time comment today that I immediately sent to the trash because I don’t have the energy to deal with it on a serious level right now. It goes like this. “I will ignore the needs of the 99 in order to prevent the 100th one from getting something he doesn’t deserve”. This comment also declared that social justice as he sees it is nothing but communism. I can’t tell you how many times I have heard comments like this. But the truly sad thing is that it frequently comes from someone … Continue reading Whose Fault???
RJ's Corner - Having My Say 