can you say .... blasphemy?

Oldest Hebrew Text Found

Five lines of ancient script on a shard of pottery could be the oldest example of Hebrew writing ever discovered, an archaeologist in Israel says.

The shard was found by a teenage volunteer during a dig about 12 miles southwest of Jerusalem, on a hilltop above the valley where David is said to have battled Goliath.

Preliminary investigations since the shard was found have deciphered some words including judge, slave and king.

Experts at Hebrew University said dating showed it was written 3,000 years ago - about 1,000 years earlier than the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Rally in Jeff City

Went to the big Sarah Palin Rally in Jeff City yesterday. They say there were 18,000 people gathered around the Capitol, making it the 2nd largest gathering in the city's history.
Senator Kit Bond was there along with Governor Matt Blunt, candidate for Governor Kenny Hulshof, and other candidates and dignitaries. Hank Williams Jr. sang the National Anthem.
It was a beautiful day and an exciting time, now we'll just have to wait and see what happens today at the voting booth. Say a prayer for our nation and GO VOTE!

Sarah came out wearing blue jeans. You gotta love her.

One of our friends, Mark Russell, is sitting directly under the "O" in this picture.

They probably will get the Victory in Missouri - I'm not so sure about everywhere else.

The Valiant One, Whom God Himself Elected ...

Here I Stand

"Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Holy Scriptures or by plain reason, I am bound by the Scriptures I have quoted, my conscience is captive to the Word of God. Thus I cannot and I will not recant, because going against one’s conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand. I can do no other. God help me. Amen.
- Martin Luther, Diet of Worms, 1521

Reformation Day

On October 31st, 1517, Luther nailed his Ninety-five theses to the Castle Church door in Wittenberg, setting off a series of events which led to one of the most important eras in history - the Protestant Reformation.

Although nearly every facet of life was affected by its changes, the Reformation was at its core a rediscovery of the Gospel - the truth of God’s undeserved love for man through the person and work of Jesus Christ found in the Word of God. This became the driving force of the entire movement - the fact that we are saved by Grace alone, through Faith alone, in Christ alone, found in Scripture alone.

(Sola Gratia, Sola Fide, Sola Christos, Sola Scriptura).

These great truths are still as true today as they were 500 years ago.

As we take time this week to remember Luther and the first Reformation, let us remember that although the church is reformed, it is always in need of reform (ecclesia reformata semper reformanda). And let us pray that our hearts and minds continue to be reformed, conformed, and trasformed through Jesus Christ our Lord.

simple pleasures, pt. 2

There is nothing like eating a fresh apple picked from your own apple tree in your own yard. I love the fact that I can walk to church in the morning, pick an apple along the way, and eat it as I leisurely enjoy the fresh fall morning. Does it get any better than that?

Thank you Lord, for simple pleasures.