"Thy Word"

(by Michael W. Smith)

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.

When I feel afraid, think I've lost my way, still you're there right beside me. Nothing will I fear, as long as you are near; please be near me to the end.

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.

I will not forget your love for me and yet, my heart forever is wandering. Jesus be my guide, and hold me to your side, and I will love you to the end.

Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

London Bridge Is Falling Down

An Anglican Bishop says that the collapse of Christianity is wrecking British society - and Islam is filling the void.
Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali claims radical Islam is filling the moral vacuum left by the decline in Christian virtues.The Bishop says the collapse of Christianity has wrecked British society, destroyed family life,and left the country in a moral and spiritual vacuum, defenseless against the rise of radical Islam.
In an attack on liberal values, the Reverend Michael Nazir-Ali, the Bishop of Rochester, said the country was mired in endless self-indulgence that has brought on an explosion in public violence and binge-drinking. As politicians tout new British values such as respect and tolerance, Christian values of human dignity, equality, and freedom are in danger as the door is left open for the advance of brands of Islam that do not respect the West.

America, are you listening???

spring poem

a spring poem
by e.e. cummings

i thank You God for this most amazing day:
for the leaping green trees and the true blue dream of sky;
and for everything which is natural, which is infinite, yes;
(i who have died am alive again today, for this is the sun's birthday; this is the birthday of life and love and wings;
and of the great limitless earth)

how should any tasting, touching, hearing, seeing, breathing
human being ever doubt unimaginable You?

(now the ears of my ears awake and the eyes of my eyes are opened)

Thousands of visitors have trekked their way to the controversial museum since it officially opened on Memorial Day last year. A year later, the museum continues to draw thousands of visitors.
The museum depicts creationists' literal interpretation of the Bible's Book of Genesis on how the Earth and mankind were created. Answers in Genesis, a Christian organization, operates the museum that was years in the making. The museum is approaching its 400,000th visitor, exceeding all expectations.

Mark Looy, one of the museum's co-founders, said the past year has been "extraordinary in a number of ways" with such factors as the attendance and worldwide media attention. He said the museum believes attendance will remain strong this summer because tour-group bookings are higher than last year. "We are optimistic that for our second year, we'll have over 300,000 visitors come here," he said.

New things are happening at he museum as well, including the addition of another restaurant, a new entrance, and more parking. And then there's the suggestion that the museum build a Noah's Ark. (There's a small ark inside the museum). Looy said "people contact us all the time saying you should build a Noah's Ark" but there's nothing on the drawing boards.

To mark its one-year anniversary, the museum will have a Creation Celebration Friday, May 23, through Sunday, June 1. The museum will debut a musical called "Let the Rain Come," about Noah's ark on Friday, May 23.

The Lutheran Song

This is a classic. Click on the link below and enjoy!

Lutherans Song by Lost and Found

Prince Caspian

"Prince Caspian", the next film in the series from C.S. Lewis classic work, "The Chronicles of Narnia", opens Friday May 16th in a theater near you. As in the first film, "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe", the filmmakers have strived to keep the integrity of the books, and have even highlighted the theological points C.S. Lewis was trying to make.

The message of the book is similar to the message of the book of Acts in the Bible. How does one have faith in God, even when you can't see Him? How does one believe in the presence of Jesus Christ even after His ascension into heaven?

In this second part of the Narnia story, the children return to Narnia 1,300 years into the future. The land is ruled by a race of men called the Telmarines, and their power-hungry ruler Miraz. The magical creatures of old Narnia have all but disappeared in the face of this human tyranny, and have not been seen in years. Upon the birth of his son, the wicked Miraz attempts to murder his nephew Caspian, the rightful heir to the throne. During his escape from Miraz, Caspian discovers the old Narnians in hiding and joins with them to take back Narnia from the Telmarines. Caspian finds himself in possession of a magic horn—familiar to those who remember the first film—and blows it in his “hour of great need,” pulling the Pevensie children, the famous “kings and queens of old,” back into Narnia to save the day.

C.S. Lewis believed, as the Bible says, that through Christ, God is redeeming all Creation. He sees the creatures in Narnia as being redeemed along with the people. The creatures have their own faith battles, too. Evil is confronted in the person of the bad king Miraz and in the appearance of the White Witch. And Aslan, the Great Lion, reappears once again as the Christ figure, the Savior of Narnia.

See you at the movies!

Pentecost

This Sunday is the Day of Pentecost, the 50th day after Easter, the celebration of the coming of the Holy Spirit, the "birthday" of the Christian Church.

"Pentecost" comes from the Greek word pentekostos, meaning fiftieth, from which one of the most important feasts in the Jewish calendar derives its name. Fifty days after Passover, the Jews celebrated the "Feast of Harvest" or "Feast of Weeks".

This became one of the great pilgrimage feasts of Judaism, as scattered Jews returned to Jerusalem for worship.

Since the second century, Christians have celebrated the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples fifty days after the death and resurrection of Jesus, on the feast of Pentecost, as the birthday of the church. After Christmas and Easter, Pentecost marks the most important celebration on the Christian calendar. Happy Birthday, Church!

Tornado Season

About this time a year ago, during the first week of May, the town of Greensburg, Kansas was utterly destroyed by a tornado.

This week there was more of the same. Storms and tornadoes raged throughout the Midwest the last few days, causing death and destruction in several states across the plains.
Forecasters said that across middle America, more than 25 tornadoes may have touched down late Thursday and into early Friday.
8 people died in Arkansas alone, raising the death toll from deadly storms in that state to 24 so far this year.

It's sometimes hard to understand why bad things have to happen.
Ultimately it all goes back to living in a fallen and broken world.
But no matter what happens to us, God is there to go through it with us. He remains in charge, even if it doesn’t seem like it. He still loves us, even when we feel abandoned. The Bible tells us in Romans 8 that nothing in all creation can separate us from the love of God.
So whether the storms and dangers we face in our lives are physical, emotional or spiritual,
we can rest secure in knowing Who is really in control.

And how are things going in Greensburg, Kansas a year later you ask?
Well, rather than blame God for the massive tornado that hit their tiny town a year ago, the people of Greensburg have turned to their faith to help get them through.
The news is calling the story "Tragedy to Triumph: Greensburg Rising."

In this post Easter Season, I can't think of a better title.