Incomplete View of the Cross

Take some time to ponder what Wayne Jacobsen has to say about our "incomplete view of the cross":

I am convinced we have such dysfunctional relationships in what we call 'the church' today because we have an incomplete view of the cross. Punishment illustrates only a small bit of the cross and only from our perspective. God did something so much greater there that if we understood it we would never doubt Jesus’ love for us again no matter how bad our circumstances got, and we’d never try to smash another brother or sister into a religious box again. The reason we have so many broken relationships around religious things is because we are still managing our shame and that of others around us, instead of living in the reality that Jesus has already answered for us in himself, everything God would ever require of us. If we knew that, we would know how to relate to each other in a way that edifies, serves and loves, without manipulating, comparing or abusing...

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Love the Lord With All Your Mind

According to Jesus, the first commandment is to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind (Matt. 22:37). Why, then, do so many Christians compartmentalize knowledge into sacred (theology) and secular (politics)? This is a false dichotomy. Politics, we say, is less important – more "worldly" – and therefore unsuited to the “spiritual” Christian. But the truth is that "secular" subjects such as politics and history are essential to understanding culture. There is no shortcut to the truth that eliminates the need for basic facts about some important "secular" areas of learning.

Alan Bloom, in The Closing of the American Mind, made this statement (p. 58): "People sup together, play together, travel together, but they do not think together. Hardly any homes have any intellectual life whatsoever, let alone one that informs the vital interests of life." How true! Many Christian parents fail to raise children who are grounded in Christian doctrine or have even the faintest level of intellectual curiosity.

Source: www.daveblackonline.com

We Survived Hurricane Jeanne!

We made it through yet another storm with no major damage to our condo. We do have some trees down in the neighborhood, but we are all safe. Our power flickered throughout the storm, but it never went out. Praise the Lord!

No state has faced four hurricanes in one season since 1886, when Texas was the target. This has been a crazy year for hurricanes, and we still have two months left till the end of hurricane season.

Jeanne Continues March Toward Florida

Hurricane Jeanne maintains its 100 mph winds as it marches toward Florida's coast, prompting a hurricane warning from Florida City northward to St. Augustine.

Pray for the People in New Orleans!

The latest strike probabilities have Hurricane Ivan heading right for New Orleans. A direct hit from a major storm like Ivan could mean disaster for the people of New Orleans. The following image is an example of possible water heights for a slow moving category 4 hurricane. This image is an approximation of how high the water could rise.



Source: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/surge/new_orleans.shtml

Redskins Sink Bucs, Win 16-10

By Gary Fitzgerald, Redskins.com

The Redskins got off to a fast start on Sunday--in more ways than one.

First, it was Clinton Portis who, on his first carry as a Redskin, burst for a 64-yard touchdown run, giving the Redskins an early 7-0 edge over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Redskins' defense got rolling early, recording four sacksm two turnovers and keeping the Bucs' offense out of the end zone.

It all added up to a 16-10 season-opening win for the now 1-0 Redskins.

More? It was head coach Joe Gibbs' first regular-season victory since returning to the Redskins last January.

It was the franchise's 500th regular-season win.

Here Comes Hurricane Number Three!!!

Forecasters say Hurricane Ivan is still on track to hit Jamaica Friday as an extremely dangerous Category 5 storm. This, the third hurricane in less than a month, is expected to be in Central Florida sometime Tuesday morning.

Waiting for Hurricane Frances!

Hurricane Frances keeps changing directions, the projected path and the time of landfall has changed quite a few times in the last 24 hours, and it still could change again. We have made all the necessary preparations and every thing is ready for the storm, we are simply waiting.

Sometimes the waiting can be a little stressful, but maybe with all the waiting, the storm will die down enough so that it won't do allot of damage.

Double Hurricanes: First Charley, Now Frances!

Hurricane Frances is heading our way! Please keep all of us in Central Florida in your prayers. This one looks like it's bigger than Charley was, and we are still cleaning up the mess that one left in it's path just three weeks ago.