Where, O Death, Is Your Sting?

By now you may have heard that 22 year old Anaheim Angel pitcher Nick Adenhart was killed in a hit and run car accident yesterday in California. The driver of the minivan that struck the car in which Adenhart was riding, 22-year-old Andrew Thomas Gallo, was later apprehended and was legally intoxicated. He had a suspended license and a previous drunk-driving conviction. Two other passengers in the car were also killed

Nick Adenhart was a 14th round draft pick of the Angels in 2004 and pitched here in Cedar Rapids in 2006, posting a 10-2 record with a 1.95 ERA in sixteen games. He was named to the 2006 Midwest League Western Division All-Star team and also the 2006 Midwest League post-season All-Star team.

This was a tragic and needless death. This being Good Friday, I probably spent more time than I otherwise might have, reflecting on this incident. The thing that absolutely grabs my heart is when I watch the Angel Press Conference with Adenhart's agent, Scott Boras. Please watch the video and the way that Boras breaks down in tears.

Now, if you're not a baseball fan, what you need to know is that Boras is the toughest and most hated negotiator in the sport. In its April, 2001 edition, Esquire writer Scott Raab called Scott Boras the Most Hated Man in Baseball. Slate magazine called him "The Baseball Anti-Christ." Trust me, without going into details, Boras' hard-nose, take no prisoners reputation is well deserved!

To watch a man like Boras break down in tears reminds me that even the strong and powerful are not immune from the tragedies of life. And then I reflect on the tragedy of a young Jewish man who was falsely accused of a crime he didn't commit, cruely punished, publicly humiliated, and brutally beaten and crucified. This is a tragedy of epic proportion.

This tragedy brings me to my knees when I realized that my Savior took my place and paid my penalty. He did for me what I couldn't do for myself!

Friday is a day of tragedy. But I'm thankful for Sunday and the empty tomb. I'm thankful that Jesus Christ hung on a cross and died for my sin. I'm thankful that senseless tragedies will one day be made right. That pain and suffering will be swallowed up by life.

When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" 1 Corinthians 15:54-55

Hollow Mask

Take a look at the video to see the "hollow mask" optical illusion explained and demonstrated. Even when I know what's happening I'm totally unable to interrupt the illusion. Very powerful stuff. All the more reason we are instructed to walk by faith, not by sight! You can't always trust what you see!

Play Ball!

In case you haven't checked your calendar lately, it's now officially spring. Don't let the threat of a wintry mix of precipitation fool you. Spring is here!

How do I know? Today is Opening Night for the 2009 major league baseball season. It's the Braves versus the Phillies.

So settle in for the evening. Grab your peanuts and popcorn. They're throwing out the first pitch tonight in the city of brotherly love. Play ball!

Digital Collaborator

The Pew Internet and American Life Project just published their latest poll results titled The Mobil Difference. Nothing too shocking here, just a confirmation of what we're seeing regarding the rapid move to digital communication and networking.

I learned that I fall in the category of the Digital Collaborator. 8% of Americans are in this group.

Here is what the Pew report has to say about Digital Collaborators.

As much as this group consumes digital content, it is also very distinct in what it does with digitized information. They create and share it at rates much higher than members of other groups. More than half (54%) of Digital Collaborators have shared some sort of creation with the world using the internet and the same number have posted a comment to a blog or website. One-quarter (27%) have blogs and 24% have taken online material and remixed into some other form. Some 44% have their own web page, and nearly one-fifth (18%) have created an online avatar or graphic image of themselves.

On a typical day, 59% of those in this group with cell phones do at least one of ten non-voice data applications, such as texting or taking a picture (a full list of non-voice data activities asked about can be found in the Appendix). For Digital Collaborators, handheld applications are oriented toward traditional information consumption and exchange. Members of this group are most likely among all adults on the average day to use their cell phone for email (18%) and accessing the internet for information (21%). And members of this group are most likely to have ever used their handheld to get directions or a map (29% have ever done this).

The Digital Collaborator is me. I have a blog, I share my digital photographs online using flickr, I use my cell phone for email when I'm out of the office, I listen to podcasts on my iPod, I read using my Kindle, and I use the web to learn and connect with others.

But here's the funny part. The average age of the Digital Collaborator is 39! Whoops! Someone forgot to tell the Pew organization about old guys like me! I wrote about this in 2006 in a blog post called The Old Man and the Internet. I'm 2 1/2 years older and still digitally connected. In fact, more even more so. In 2006 I didn't have a Kindle and I didn't go online or receive email on my Palm Treo.

You can go here if you would like take a short survey to determine what kind of tech user you are. Me, I'm a Digital Collaborator!

One of a Kind

Elizabeth "Freddie" VanderSchaaf passed away on Thursday, March 19. Pastor Bob and myself had the honor of officiating at her memorial service on Saturday evening. You can read her obituary and see a video tribute at this link. This what I shared at the service.

Freddie was a connector. She loved her God, she loved her family and she loved people. But she didn’t want to just meet people and exchange pleasantries, she wanted to connect. She wanted to get to know you, to find out about your family, what you do, where you’re from. And hundreds of other questions! Chances are that if you’ve lived in Cedar Rapids for more than ten years, Freddie knew you.

Sometimes Freddie’s inquisitiveness went too far or got her in trouble. Bill Halderman tells this story about his first encounter with Freddie.

We had been attending New Covenant for a few months when one of the Sundays my wife Marilyn didn’t attend. I found a seat in front of Freddie and Howard next to a friend of 40 years. Giving Adel a hug as we always do when we see each other. After the service Freddie asked me if this was my wife. I told her she was my second wife we were members of the Mormon Church before coming to New Covenant. At that point she was speechless! Not wanting to offend us she just said, “we are glad you’re here.”

And when a relationship or connection wasn’t working out quite right, or as she expected, Freddie would call me. It was such a visit over 15 years ago in my office at church, that our relationship changed. Freddie (and Howard, they always traveled together) set up an appointment and came in to see me. She shared about a hurt, I listened, offered to help, and a friendship was born.

Looking back, that was the day that I became adopted into the VanderSchaaf family. I know many of you know what I mean, because you were adopted too!

Everyone needs a friend who believes the best about you. Who only sees your strengths. And even when you make a mistake or let them down, they overlook the offense and come to your defense.

Freddie was one of those people to me. She gave me far too much credit and overlooked way too many of my weaknesses. She would introduce me to those outside New Covenant this way - “Come here, I want you to meet one of my favorite pastors!” She always introduced me with such pride. I always a little embarrassed and wondered what other people thougth! How many pastors does she have? Does she have some she doesn’t like?

But I came to understand that Freddie had all kinds of favorites! Favorite oldest grandson, favorite middle grandson, favorite youngest granddaughter, favorite oldest son, favorite youngest son, favorite youth pastor, favorite male soloist .... on and on. And of course she had her favorite husband, Howard!

But that was Freddie! She was a one-of-a kind! A big smile always greeted her friends. Freddie loved to connect with old friends and make new ones. Today, might the many memories we have of Freddie be an encouragement to live our lives for eternity – to love God, to love our family and to love people.

Pray for Fargo

Please pray for Fargo, North Dakota as they prepare and brace for the worst flood in their history. Fargo, our hopes, prayers and volunteers are with you this weekend.

March 27 Update
Residents in this city of 92,000 had been scrambling in subfreezing temperatures to pile sandbags along the river and spent much of Thursday preparing for a crest of 41 feet, only to have forecasters late in the day add up to 2 feet to their estimate.

The National Weather Service said in its follow-up statement that the Red was expected to crest between 41 and 42 feet by Saturday, but could reach 43 feet. It said water levels could remain high for three days to a week — a lengthy test of on-the-fly flood control.

The first estimate sparked urgency among thousands of volunteers in Fargo. The second shook their spirits.

Hydrologists are now estimating that the Red River will crest at 43 feet, over three feet past the previous high-water mark. After watching a similar catastrophic flood in Cedar Rapids and then an unprecedented national financial melt-down, I thinks it's safe to say that we are living in unusual times. You can throw your risk assessment, flood plain maps, and future predictions based on historical trend analysis out the window!

Here's the bottom line. We live in a world that is very unpredictable and full of risk. The harder we try to tame our environment and reduce risk, the harder it pushes back. This world is not our home. All of creation is groaning under the weight of sin, waiting for redemption. Our world is fraught with risk and danger. We will only know real peace and security when we shed this body to get to our true home in heaven.

In the mean time, pray for those who are going through lifes trials. And when possible, lend a hand and be the body of Christ in word and deed. And realize that even lifes unpredictable events do not take God by surprise ... and we shouldn't be surprised either. In this life we should come to anticipate and welcome the unpredictable, asking God to use it all for His glory.

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you particpate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 1 Peter 4:12-13

Welcome To The Digital World

In case you haven't noticed, the newspaper business is undergoing a rapid transition. According to a survey published by the Pew Research Center in December 2008, 40 percent of respondents said the Internet was a prime source for national and international news. Only 35 percent said the same about newspapers. That’s a steep rise from 2007, when just 24 percent relied on the Internet more than newspapers.

So, for the first time in history, more people turned to online for their news instead of turning the pages to their favorite newspaper. And this is just the beginning. Newspapers are in a free fall.

As of today the Seattle Post-Intelligencer is a 100% online publication, with the final print run of its paper edition already complete. The Post-Intelligencer's revenues from both sales and advertising have fallen so much that the paper had a loss of $14 million last year. The Hearst Corporation was forced to close the paper's printed edition, making it the largest newspaper in the U.S. to go 100% online.

In addition to the Rocky Mountain News that folded in February, here is a list of others newspapers that 24/7 Wall St says is most likely to go out of business next. The Philadelphia Daily News, Minneapolis Star Tribune, Miami Herald, Detroit News, Boston Globe, San Francisco Chronicle, Chicago Sun-Times, New York Daily News, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, and Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Our own Cedar Rapids Gazette is in the process of laying off 100 employees and has repackaged the print edition in an effort to reinvent itself. I hope they make it. This is not for the faint at heart.

For me, I enjoy sitting down to read my morning newspaper with a cup of coffee. But here's the problem. By the time the paper is printed and delivered to my door step the news is already old! I've already read much of the news the day before online.

I get major headlines as well as local news via RSS feeds on My.Yahoo.com homepage. The best of both worlds for me will be when The Gazette begins to publish a Kindle edition. Delivered right to my Kindle each morning, the news will be up to date. There's no reason why breaking stories couldn't even be delivered to me throughout the day! No more hunting around in my bushes by the door on a cold winter morning for the news. I will be able to enjoy it with a good cup of coffee while I sit in my favorite chair.

Steve Rubel is a guy that understands the digital domain. Here is what he has to say!

"By January 2014 I will wager that in the US almost all forms of tangible media will either be in sharp decline or completely extinct. I am not just talking about print, but all tangible forms of media - newspapers, magazines, books, DVDs, boxed software and video games."

Wow! Quite a statement. Here is what Steve has to say about the Kindle and the impact that it will have on print media.

"The Kindle, like the iPod, is an emerging critical mass device that actually encourages people to pay for content rather than get it for free. When Apple launched the iTunes Music Store, people were skeptical that people would shell out cash for music they could snag for free from file sharing networks. They did. The same was true when Apple, and later others, rolled out movies. However, today millions rent or buy movies online."

"The Kindle offers a similar experience in a much larger market - text. This one is tougher to monetize. In the digital age books have managed to remain premium content. However, beyond books, magazine and newspaper content is available in abundance online for free. Yet, I still believe that people will pay to receive some of their favorites on their Kindles or their Kindle-enabled phones. Meet them there now while you can."

"So, media companies, please jump in now. Embrace the Kindle. Subsidize it. Create value-added content for it, such as e-books. Or even partner with advertisers to offer advertorials. This could be your last shot at getting people to pay for your content. Don't miss the next iPod."

The news is not going away. It's here to stay. But the way it's delivered is undergoing a profound change. All of us will be impacted in one way or another. A new age is being ushered in. Printing press, welcome to the digital world.

It's A New World

I've now owned the Kindle 2 for one week and I thought I would post some of my impressions and thoughts on this Amazon electronic book reader.

• It looks bigger in the photos. In person, it's remarkably small and light weight. Measuring only 1/3 inch thick and 10 ounces, it's easy to hold and tote around. The actual reading screen is 4.75" by 3.5".
• It so easy and enjoyable to read! The electronic ink technology is incredible. I've read several hours at a time with no eye strain or fatigue! And the 16 shades of grey render fantastic graphic images.
• There are all kinds of free books online in the public domain. I've already read G. K. Chesterton's Orthodoxy and am currently working on The Man Who Was Thursday. I've downloaded The Prince, The Brothers Karamozov, The Count of Monte Cristo, The Divine Comedy, Tremendous Trifles, the ESV Bible and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - all for free! You can't beat that.
• I'm reading more and I'm reading a wider variety of literature. If I'm interested in a book or get a recommendation, I download a sample copy of book to my Kindle and try it out. And the large variety of good titles in public domain have opened up new reading options.
• I'm a person who marks and underlines when I read. The Notes and Highlight feature of the Kindle is nothing short of awesome. You really need to see it to believe it. Mark the text or passage you like, push the five-way button and it's saved in a My Clippings file. Add a note annotation if you like and it's saved too. Connect the Kindle to your computer via a USB cable and you can download all you notes and highlights in a text format document. No more retyping favorite passages to share with others! The Kindle does it all for you.
• I love the live dictionary look-up function. Chesterton uses several words a page that I've never heard of. No problem! Just put the cursor in front of the word in question and the definition pops up at the bottom of the screen. I've already looked up more words in a week than I have in the past ten years combined!
• Want more information on a word or topic? No need to get out of your chair to go to the computer. Just fire up the Kindle's browser and it takes you directly to Wikipedia. Or you can open up Google and surf the web! It works great in a pinch. The Sprint EVDO network is at your disposal for no additional fee or charge.
• Have you ever tried to find that favorite passage or note in a book? With the Kindle, you can search your entire library, a particular book or your notes and highlights! Very cool! Add key works or tags and you have a powerful search tool.
• I enjoy skimming through a book before I read it. The Kindle makes this a little harder to do this. You can always jump directly to the Table of Contents, a particular chapter, bookmark or the last place you read. But it's not quite the same. All things considered, this is a small price to pay for the additional features the Kindle gives me.
• Do I miss the experience of holding an analog, printed book in my hands? Not at all. I can set the Kindle down on my lap and not have to worry about trying to keep the pages open.
• I'm looking forward to being able to subscribe to the Kindle edition of the Cedar Rapids Gazette. Steve Buttry, the former Gazette editor, wrote on a recent "live blog" that the Kindle edition is in development and they hope to release it in the near future. Kindle editions don't have coupons, ads, or crossword puzzles. But they usually contain the same content as the printed or online editions. And for around $5 a month, you can't beat it!
• I'm enjoying the ESPN - The Baseball Report blog. It's delivered to my Kindle each morning and then updated throughout the day. I can get the same thing at my computer, but it's fun reading the blog while sitting in my favorite chair! It's a great price at 99 cents a month!
• The price is right for Kindle books. I recently purchased and read The Survivors Club. It retails for $27. Amazon sells it for $14.81 online. I purchased the Kindle edition for $9.99. I'm hoping that over the course of the next few years that the Kindle editions will drop in price. Currently, 10% of Amazon's total book sales are for Kindle editions. This is just the beginning of the growth curve. In the not too distant future, a paper book will be as unusual to find as a music CD is today.
• I love being able to carry around a library of books in a device that weighs under one pound! I just throw it in my bag or carry it with me as I go to an appointment or meeting. In an instant, I have access to various Bible translations, Bible study reference materials, current books that I'm reading, books that I have enjoyed reading and want to share with others, and many other books that I hope to begin reading some day.

Well, there you have it! Is the Kindle right for everyone. Absolutely not. You must be a reader to justify the expense. At $360, the up-front cost price is steep. But for the person who reads thirty plus books a year, the Kindle is a very viable option.

A special "thank you" to the several friends who made surprise contributions to my Kindle fund! I'm having a blast reading, experimenting, and exploring on my new Kindle! It's a new world!

World Champs

The baseball world is in shock. The Netherlands baseball team beat the highly esteemed Dominican Republic team twice in four days to advance to the second round of the World Baseball Classic.

The Dominican Republic is often referred to as the "The Republic of Baseball." Not Tuesday night. Not this year. The Dominican team, which was a pre-tournament favorite to win it all, went home in shame.

The 2-1 extra inning victory and elimination of the Dominicians is being hailed as the biggest upset in baseball history! Consider the following:

• 23 members of the Dominician team are on a major league roster, compared to only two from the Dutch team
• The major league salaries of the Dominican team total $84 million compared to $400,000 for the Dutch team

"I don't have big names, but I've got some long names," Netherlands coach Rod Delmonico joked. Names like Van Klooster, Duursma, and Stuifbergen. Good grief, I can't even pronounce them.

“It’s a miracle,” Delmonico exclaimed. “That’s all I can tell you. Our guys came together as a team, and miraculously we won. It’s not because we’re better than they are. They’re one of the best teams in the world. Collectively we just played hard, and it happened. I can’t tell you. Other than it’s a miracle.”

"I've been in this game for so many years and in so many leagues, and just when you think you've seen it all, you're proven wrong," said Dominican Republic manager Felipe Alou. "We've seen something happen we never could have imagined."

Something that could never be imagined happened Tuesday night. A miracle was witnessed by an entire stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The ecstatic Dutch players, who are known as honkballers in their home country, piled onto the field to celebrate the stunning win. For one brief moment in time, the team from the Netherlands was world champs!

Renewal

Sharon and I have been enjoying Sanibel Island, Florida for the past week. I can't believe how fast the time has gone! You can click on the picture above to see a slide show. We are staying with my dad on the island. He has cooked our evening dinners for us, it's almost like having our personal chef!

We are within walking/biking distance of the ocean and beach! The weather has been in the 70's so we have spent a lot of time outside. This past week I walked 21 miles and biked 37 miles! Sharon and I started each day with an early morning beach walk of 4 miles. What a great way to start your day!

I have been mostly unplugged this past week, making it very relaxing. We went to two spring training baseball games. There's nothing like watching baseball in February when it's 70 degrees in Florida and 10 degrees in Iowa! Sharon and I are working our way through the TrueFaced Experience guide, and we've had good conversations each afternoon in a local park or coffee shop over the topics of trust and grace.

We've also enjoyed evening walks on the beach at sunset, bike riding, extend times in the Word and times praying together. I read two books and have had fun capturing some photos of our week. It's been a great vacation. But better yet, it has been a wonderful time of recreation, refreshment and renewal.

I Was Stupid

What's in a name? Mark McGwire, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Jose Canseco and now Alex Rodriguez. All of these names have been linked to performance-enhancing drugs. Names that took a life-time to build now tarnished by scandal. Names that were once larger than life, reduced to finger pointing, excuse making and embarrassment.

By now you've probably heard that reports came out over the weekend that Alex Rodriguez tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003. Today, Alex Rodriguez spoke with Peter Gammons and admitted that he used performance-enhancing drugs from 2001-2003 while playing with the Texas Rangers.

Alex Rodriguez, a three-time MVP, will now have to deal with the backlash of public opinion. In New York City they are calling him A-Roid. It won't be pretty. Kudos to Alex, if even under duress, for coming clean. Perhaps Alex will be an example that others will soon follow.

And now the debate rages on regarding the Baseball Hall of Fame and if these player from the steroid era should and will be considered. Commentators and analysts are already calling the Baseball Hall of Fame hypocritical for keeping Mark McGwire out. The argument goes that you should only measure what goes on between the lines.

But the critics overlook one important piece of information. The Hall of Fame ballot says "a player's record of achievement, contribution to the team, the game, their character, longevity and sportsmanship should be considered."

You see, the Hall of Fame is "old school." They think that sportsmanship, character and teamship count. And they weigh these "intangibles" as heavily as achievement. What a novel idea!

What's in a name? Proverbs 22:1 says, "A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold."

A good name is to be desired and esteemed. A good name along with a record of achievement makes you eligible for Cooperstown. A good name means you don't have to worry what informants leak to the press. A good name means you don't have to defend decisions you made in the past.

In 2008 Alex Rodriguez made $28 million playing baseball for the New York Yankees. Alex Rodriguex has fame and fortune. But I'm certain after watching the Peter Gammons interview today, that Alex Rodriguez would gladly trade it all in exchange for getting his good name back. Alex said it best when he said, "I was stupid."

Kindle2

Jeff Bezos and Amazon unveiled the new Kindle 2 electronic book reading device today at a press conference. I wrote about the Kindle in 2007 in these two blog posts.

The updated Kindle has a slimmer design (just 1/3 of an inch thick), longer battery life, faster page turns, over seven times more storage, sharper images, and a new read-to-me feature. In case your not familiar with the Kindle, it utilizes electronic-ink display technology, which gives the same appearance and readability of printed paper. Reading on the Kindle is nothing like reading from a computer screen. The screen works using ink, just like books and newspapers, but displays the ink particles electronically.

Presently there there are 230,000 books published in the Kindle format. Bezos vision is "every book, ever printed, in any language, all available in less than 60 seconds!" Wow!!

So what's the big deal about a digital book reader?

• Efficiency - The Kindle is 10 ounces and holds 1500 books in memory! You can have your entire library at your finger tips! Have you ever tried to find a quote from a book you read but can't remember which book its from? No problem, just type in the key words and the search functionality will find what you're looking for.
• Cost - Kindle books cost less than their print counterparts. I usually read 20-25 books a year, meaning a Kindle would pay for itself in about two years. In years to come, the price of electronic books will continue to decrease while the cost of print books will continue to increase.
• Convenience - You don't understand the meaning of a word or phrase and you're too lazy to go find the dictionary? No problem. Just put your cursor over the word and the definition is displayed at the bottom of the page! A friend recommends a good book to you that you want to purchase. Just use the free whispernet wireless EVDO network and it will be downloaded ready for reading in 60 seconds! That's convenience!

The electronic book is here to stay. So dust off your print books and keep them for your grand kids. Some day you can tell them how you used to read print books curled up in a chair in your family room as you listened to music on your CD player. Your grand kids will laugh, and say, "Grandpa, tell me another story!"

Congratulations Jason and Erin!

We had a wedding this past weekend! Congratulations Jason and Erin for planning such an incredible God-honoring wedding ceremony. And a special "thank you" to Scott and Julie Juedes for their willingness to have the wedding at New Covenant, allowing us to invite many of our family and friends.

I have prepared several slide shows for those who are interested. You can click on the slide show title to view it.

• Set up on Friday
• Rehearsal and Rehearsal Dinner on Friday evening
• Pre-Wedding Prep and Family Pictures
• Wedding Ceremony
• Wedding Reception

It was such an honor for me to have a part of the ceremony. Standing on the platform with my four sons is as good as it gets! I am so proud to each of them.

I also want to thank Steve and Linda Jenkins for helping greet and host, John Maurice for taking informal photos, and all those family and friends who helped with set up and clean up.

It was a wonderful weekend full of memories. We look forward to how God will use Jason and Erin in the months and years to come.

A Tradition Unlike Any Other

One of our Christmas morning traditions is enjoying Sharon's world-famous cinnamon rolls! They are spectacular. And we get to enjoy them twice. First, we enjoy the wonderful aroma as they bake in the oven. And then we enjoy the warm bundle of goodness as we wash the first bite down with a cold glass of milk!

You can click on the photo above to see a short slide show of our cinnamon rolls. And if you're curious, you can probably coax the recipe out of Sharon by emailing her at KimPagel@mchsi.com.

I personally promise to expedite the recipe to you if you promise to share a cinnamon roll with me from your first pan! It's a tradition unlike any other!

The Bottom of the 9th

Tom Rinaldi from ESPN has done another incredible human interest story from the field of sports. He is the best story teller I have ever heard. This piece on John Challis is a must see.

The John Challis story was brought to the nations attention after Mike White from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wrote a great article that was published May 4, 2008. John Challis was diagnosed with cancer on June 23, 2006. He was only given several months to live. He exceeded doctors expectations before passing away August 18 of this year.

John Challis was an ordinary young man who determined to use his circumstance for good. Here is what he had to say about his view of life.

"Sometimes I cry, but people cry for all different kinds of reasons," he said. "Sometimes I just want to know why, but I think I figured that out. God wanted me to get sick because he knew I was strong enough to handle it. I'm spreading His word and my message. By doing that, I'm doing what God put me here to do."

In a little over two years, John Challis touched thousands of lives. Over 1500 attended the visitation after his death. Mike White wrote about the visitation and funeral service and the impact John Challis had on his own personal life. Tom Rinaldi and an ESPN producer attended the funeral, not for professional but personal reasons.

John Challis spent most of his final 2 1/2 years thinking about how to impact others. He was mature beyond his years. John's final act of selflessness occurred during his own funeral service.

Before he died, John asked Joe Signore, a close friend of the family, to give his eulogy. But John had made Mr. Signore promise he would do one thing at the funeral. Mr. Signore asked John's younger sister, Lexie, and his mother and father to leave their first-row pew and come to the front of the church. "Lexie, Gina, Scott. John made me promise to do this," he said. "He told me that you had gotten so many people to applaud him. Now it's your turn." At once, everyone rose and gave the Challises a standing ovation.

Even at his funeral service, John Challis wanted the focus of attention placed on others. John Challis was an incredible young man who knew how to live, and knew how to die. He stands as an inspiration to every person who is ten runs down going into the bottom of the 9th inning.

Christmas Cookie Art

We decorated Christmas cookies last night. It has become an annual tradition. This is the 4th straight year that Erin has been with us for this event. Erin turns decorating Christmas cookies into a work of art! You can click on the photo above to see a slide show.

Heather, Jon's girlfriend, was able to join us this year also. Heather is a nursing major at Allen Hospital in Waterloo. She decorated the "nurse" cookie. Erin and Jon teamed up to do the "bride and groom" pair. Jon put a mustache on the groom after Sharon showed off our old wedding photos! It was all great fun!

A Swing'n Christmas

We went to the Big Band Christmas Concert last night at New Covenant. It was awesome. If you didn't attend last night, make sure you don't miss it this evening. Don't let a little snow stop you from having a memorable evening!

You can click on the photo above to see a slide show of the concert. Kudos to all the musicians who participated! And a special "thank you" to Pastor Gary! Our hearts were touched by the story of Christmas as told through the big band sound! It was a swing'n Christmas.

Dessert Open House

We are hosting a Dessert Open House for Erin and Jason in our home. You can choose between two different times:

• 7:00-8:00 PM on Monday, December 15
• 7:00-8:00 PM on Thursday, December 18

Come and learn about the Timberline student ministry that Jason and Erin are involved with. You click on the image above to see a short video on Timberline.

You can click here to get a map to our home at 712 71st Street NE, Cedar Rapids. We hope to see you at one of the gatherings.

Intellectually Bankrupt

In case you haven't heard, the December 15 issue of Newsweek's is titled The Religious Case for Gay Marriage. Lisa Miller's cover story attempts to take a look at what the Scriptures have to say about marriage and homosexuality, but only becomes a soap box for Ms. Miller's own preconceived conclusions.

The Scriptures? This is what Ms. Miller has to say about them:
"A mature view of scriptural authority requires us, as we have in the past, to move beyond literalism. The Bible was written for a world so unlike our own, it's impossible to apply its rules, at face value, to ours." "At this point the authority of the Bible is reduced to whatever "universal truths" we can distill from its (supposed) horrifyingly backward and oppressive texts."

You can read a good review of the article at CitizenLink and an even better review at Christianity Today.

But what I find most disturbing as a follower of Jesus Christ and someone who considers the Bible to be God inspired, is the editorial by Jon Meacham. Here is Mr. Meacham's view of someone who looks to the Scriptures for truth.

"No matter what one thinks about gay rights—for, against or somewhere in between —this conservative resort to biblical authority is the worst kind of fundamentalism. Given the history of the making of the Scriptures and the millennia of critical attention scholars and others have given to the stories and injunctions that come to us in the Hebrew Bible and the Christian New Testament, to argue that something is so because it is in the Bible is more than intellectually bankrupt—it is unserious, and unworthy of the great Judeo-Christian tradition."

To argue that something is so because it is in the Bible is more than intellectually bankrupt! I think I just got called a "fool" by Mr. Meacham! Horrifyingly backward and oppressive texts! So much for religious tolerance!

How should we respond to all of this? Mr. Meacham says "Let the letters and e-mails come." I don't advocate letter writing or hand wringing. And why not? Because I take my directions not from the editor of Newsweek but from the timeless truth of Scripture. Passages like 1 Peter 2:11-12, 15:

Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men.

And 1 Corinthians 1:18-21

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: 'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.' Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since the in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.

Let's not be surprised when those who live in darkness reject the light. Let's not be surprised when those who reject God's moral law declare those who follow it to be fools. Let's not be surprised when we find that we are rejected by our own culture. We are aliens and strangers passing through a foreign land.

Instead of shock and surprise, let's pray, care and share. Let's be about silencing our critics by doing good. Let's live out our mission, not afraid to be called fools by those who misunderstand. Or to be called intellectually bankrupt by editors of Newsweek!

Three Cheers

We traveled to Gallagher Bluedorn yesterday to hear Josh perform in the UNI Men's Glee Club Christmas Variety Show. And what a show it was! You can click on the photo above to see a slide show of the evening.

The 116 voice men's choir was awesome! I especially enjoyed Mary Did You Know, Ave Maria, and The First Noel sung to candle light! David Hoobler did an awesome job in the Men's Camerata. And Caroling, Caroling sung by the Vocal Jazz Ensemble may have been my favorite!

A Star-Crossed Christmas was a Star Wars meets Star Trek Christmas play. There were some classic lines and scenes! And of course, the show ends with its traditional Dance of The Sugar Plum Fairies performed by the Arthur Murder Dancers!

We thoroughly enjoyed the 2 1/2 hour show. Three cheers to Dr. Barrett and all those who performed.