The Speed of Life

"It is good to have an end to journey towards; but it is the journey that matters in the end." - Ursula K. LeGuin

"Your journey never ends. Life has a way of changing things in incredible ways." - Alexander Volkov


Well, Amanda came home Friday after completing her Freshman year at Florida State University (FSU). With her home coming I couldn't help but think back to my Freshman year at Lousiana State University (LSU) and the journey I have been on since.

In late April of 1982 after I had finished my incredibly below average Freshman year at LSU my roomate Richard K. and his brother Bill took me to the Amtrack train station in New Orleans where I boarded the Crescent connection bound for Spartanburg, SC. My summer stay in Spartanburg was very brief since we (mom, dad, grandpa Schermerhorn & I) pretty much packed up and moved to Tallahasse, Fl within a few weeks of my arrival home.

That summer as I worked cutting grass and landscaping around Tallahassee I can remember wondering about my life quite a bit. Wondering if I should stay enrolled at LSU, wondering if my parents would let me go back in the Fall, wondering if I shouldn't just enlist in the military.........

Little did I know that in just four months I would meet Tamara Paige McReynolds and my journey through this world would never be the same again.

Spaceship Earth (Earth Day 2007)

Image courtesy of NASA

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" - Genesis 1:1

"Let us make man in our image, in our likeness and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth and over all creatures that move along the ground." Genesis 1:26

.

Whatever your reaction to the mainstream medias presentation of environmental issues, your current personal views on environmentalism or conservation I urge you to consider only your personal interaction with Gods creation which He has entrusted to mankind through Adam to rule over. How has your stewardship been?

.

In 1963 Buckminister Fuller published "Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth". The book describes the Earth as a spaceship. As a spaceship the Earth then has finite resources and cannot be resupplied. Additionally if the Earth is a spaceship then as a life sustaining vehicle for its passengers it should be kept in good order lest it breakdown. I started reading various Buckminster Fuller books and articles when I was in high school and I found them most thought provoking and interesting. I like the analogy that Earth is a spaceship sustaining my physical requirements as it hurtles through space

A Time for Prayer

Virginia Tech - Buress Hall

A brother in Christ at work sent out the following e-mail. He has a good way with words and I always appreciate his willingness to put his thoughts and prayers into words to share.

Saints along the 'net,

If you haven't seen the news, there has been a horrific campus shooting at Virginia Tech University. Please lift all involved in prayer.

"Abba, the shock at seeing this horror drives me to my knees. O Lord, have mercy! In the middle of chaos - You reign! In the aftermath of violence - You reign! Merciful Abba, please make sense of the senselessness. Bless those survivors with healing. Comfort those grieving. Strengthen the rescue workers. Lord we're looking for answers to those awful, despicable thing. Help us through this Abba in ways that bring You all the glory and us, the most growth. In Jesus' name, AMEN."

Pray It Up - Pass It On (PIUPIO)

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' "They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' "He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' - Matthew 25:35-46

Last night First City Church hosted a "Community Meal" at the Loaves & Fishes Soup Kitchen in Pensacola, Fl. The evening was unseasonably cold with a steady breeze out of the North. We served dinner to approximately 150 guests. It is such a joy to watch the FCC kids as well as the adults interact with the guests we served.

A Week Later......

Believe and have life.....

A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hand. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe. " Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!" Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believe."

Jesus did any other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. - John 20:26-30

Later that morning........

nonbelief - nonsense

"When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other with them who told this to the apostles. But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened." - Luke 24:9-12

Still later that day.....

nonrecognition

"Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him." - Luke 24:13-16

That evening.....

fear turned to joy

"On the evening of that first dayof the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" After he said this he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me , I am sending you." And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven." - John 20: 19-23

He is Risen

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' - Matthew 28:1-8