I love Scripture, but man...

There are some seriously strange things that happen throughout the Old Testament.
Some of them are just weird, others annoying, and still others make my head want to explode.

I spent the day working through first and second Kings. By the title you may have guessed that it is basically a history of the different Kings who reigned in Israel from the end of David's reign to the exile into Babylon.

The first thing (at least the first thing I can remember at this point), that struck me was an account about Elisha the prophet. He takes the mantle of prophet from Elijah who is taken away by a chariot and horses of fire up into heaven and he is given a 'double portion' of the spirit that was given to Elijah. Very cool, he does some really great things with it. But then there is this short passage in 2Kings 2:23-24 where some kids make fun of him and call him "baldhead". I'm sure that the translation does not do justice to this insult, and maybe Elisha was having a bad day or something, but his reaction just makes me scratch my head, as he curses the kids and two 'she-bears' came out and 'tore' 42 of them... No matter how I try to square it in my head it is just not sitting well...

Then there is something that is just plain annoying... If you have read straight through 1 & 2 Kings ever, then you will definitely know what I am talking about. Trying to follow the chain of rulers in Israel is ridiculous, especially after the kingdom splits. It is hard enough trying to understand that while one king reigns in Judah for 50 years, there are 5 different kings in Israel over that same span, but then we have Joash, who after he becomes King, becomes Jehoash. But no one tells you this, so of course you are thinking this is someone else. Then he dies and becomes plain old Joash again. This is the case with a few of them. Then there are the repetition of names. It is hard enough to follow the kings of the split kingdoms of Judah and Israel, but when Ahaziah, the king of Judah bites the dust, I don't expect to see him again as King of Israel in the next paragraph. I just feel like I need to write up a genogram to follow the succession of Kings in these kingdoms. I am 90% certain that I did not follow it.

Now, to break out of Kings for a moment, let's jump back to the book of Judges. The Judges were raised up to protect and care for Israel. It was before they rejected God and asked for King to rule over them like the other nations around them. Now, there were many 'interesting' things about the Judges in Israel, not all of them were 'stellar' by any standard and even some of the most famous, like Sampson, really mucked things up from time to time. But I want to take a look at one Judge in particular by the name of Jephthah. Some people like to call Jephthah a "tragic" figure. Personally, I like to think of him as a huge jackass. If you want to see what I am talking about, turn to Chapter 11:29 and read just about the dumbest thing I have ever heard a human being do.
Now, I understand that the times and culture were very different, and perhaps there was a chance that animals were wandering in and out of Jephthah's house all day long, but so is his child and, presumably, his wife. For those of you who do not know the account and won't go look it up, Jephthah is about to go fight with the Ammonites, and he prays to God saying that if the Lord lets him beat the Ammonites, then Jephthah will sacrifice to God the first thing that walks out of his house upon his return home. Now, it seems to me that Jephthah just didn't have his thinking cap on. When people come home from battle, the word travels through the village that they are coming back, and there is news as to whether or not they have been victorious, so people are going to come out and either praise them or pity them for their efforts. Jephthah was a man of war, he had to know this... but alas, he makes his vow. And what is the first thing that walks out of his house upon his return home? Fido the family beagle? His nasty mother in law? a llama? No, it is his very own daughter, his only child, who he must now sacrifice because of his vow. And the best part is that she was cool with it... she just wants to go chill with her friends for a couple months before he lights her on fire, but she's down... man, what a culture...

I would also like to share a phone call I received from my sister with her own mind bender out of the book of Proverbs, Chapter 26 verses 4 and 5:
Answer not a fool according to his folly,
lest you be like him yourself.
Answer a fool according to his folly,
lest he be wise in his own eyes.
Now, this is pretty tough to explain, even as proverbs go. Especially to a teenager who sees most everything without any nuance. She looks at these two verses and says, "why would they put a direct contradiction in scripture like that" - to which I smugly reply "any human being can see that it is not contradictory"... Yes, I am a big fat jerk sometimes. I did apologize, because right after I said that, she asked me to explain it and I spent a good minute tripping over my own tongue, not to mention my brain.

I know it sounds as though I am complaining, but actually I find all these things fascinating and they really don't bother me like they probably would some other people. I suppose that is because I approach scripture somewhat fideistically, thinking that, of course, whatever is in there is supposed to be there because of who God is and how He has ordered things. But I really do love to think about them and ponder what the purpose is, even though in many cases I'll never know and likely never understand them on this side of eternity.
So forgive my grumbling. It comes with the territory I think. When this is all you do it can become a pain in the butt like any other job. The challenge is to keep it fresh, and approach it with reverence all the time.

Now on to Chronicles! yikes....

Enjoying the View...

The view from our apartment tonight...
Every so often Philly gives you a reason to want to stick around for awhile.

A conversation of "Epic" proportions

KyleGNewcomer: The roomies are watching Troy.
KyleGNewcomer: That was a one-timer for me.
Gentry WTS: yeah me too... just as "Alexander" will be when it comes out on video
KyleGNewcomer: did you see that one in the theater?
Gentry WTS: it was nominated for the crap movie awards... along with Catwoman
KyleGNewcomer: lol
Gentry WTS: never saw it
KyleGNewcomer: me neither.
Gentry WTS: Pitt and Farrell just don't have that epic appeal
Gentry WTS: it has something to do with their body of work and their 'pretty boy'ness
Gentry WTS: now Russell Crow and Mel Gibson.. they did it rather well
Gentry WTS: esp Gibson
KyleGNewcomer: I never thought about that, but you are right.
KyleGNewcomer: They don't have the commanding presence of those other guys.
Gentry WTS: right
Gentry WTS: when Pitt says "immortality, take it, it's yours!" - i want to laugh at him
Gentry WTS: but when Gibson gives his speech in braveheart, i want to go and kick some British arse
KyleGNewcomer: lol
Gentry WTS: that is actually a point at which LOTR waned a bit in the third film
Gentry WTS: Aragorn was great until he had to give a big speech to an army
KyleGNewcomer: hmm, I never thought about that.
Gentry WTS: he is great for up close conversations and is quite commanding as a leader of a small group - his voice is perfect for it
KyleGNewcomer: I think you're right though. He was good as the silent ranger, but not majestic enough to be a king.
Gentry WTS: exactly
Gentry WTS: His voice is too high pitched or something to accommodate the speech outside Mordor
Gentry WTS: The words are perfect, but he's just not convincing me
Gentry WTS: perhaps i'll have to blog on this later
KyleGNewcomer: you should definitely do so. It would piss off all the LOTR nerds.
KyleGNewcomer: They're one of my favorite groups to pick on.
Gentry WTS: heheh


discuss...

Oh the double standard...

Dipping into politics today folks, as I am known to do from time to time.

I want to take a page from today's Rush Limbaugh show and bring you live to the joint celebration of NOW (NAtional Organization for Women) and the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) as they rejoice over the confirmation of the first ever woman.. errr the First Ever Black Woman as United States Secretary of State...

... chirp chirp... ... chirp chirp...

Yes ladies and gentlemen, there was no celebration at either organization, let alone a joint venture. The reason being that neither organization gives a flying monkey about the people they claim to uphold and support, but only for a particular agenda.
It doesn't matter what color you are or the organization of your x and y chromosomes, but only whether you have a certain mindset towards liberalism.

But I seriously do not understand this at all. I mean, I can understand that it's not the greatest thing if the other team scores the runs, especially if it is on your home field, but seriously. If I have an organization that specifically caters to women and their advancement, or specifically to minorities and their advancement, don't you think this would be even a small victory in the eyes of these associations?

As much as I would like that to be true, it is in fact the opposite that has taken place. Ever since Ms. Rice was nominated for the position she has now been confirmed for, it has been these very people who have sought to bring her down, to ruin her integrity, and to besmirch her good name. It is those on the left who have slung racial slurs (such as "Aunt Jemima"), and called her ability to handle the pressures of her new position into question because of her "sensitivity" to certain issues (hmmm, sounds like she's a 'only a woman' to them).

But I suppose if Ms. Rice were more than "reluctantly Pro-Choice", or perhaps didn't believe so much in personal responsibility, or maybe was a little softer on war, or homosexual rights, or whatever the left is holding onto dearly these days, they might give her the respect she rightly deserves as an African American Woman who has worked hard to be where she is.

Oh but wait... I guess we should expect such noise.. I don't seem to recall any such celebrations when Colon Powell became the first black Secretary of State, the highest ever position in any administration for a minority.. Nor do I recall any mirth when Clarence Thomas was the first Black man seated in the highest court in the land.
I guess it shouldn't really surprise those of us who hold to a conservative view point.
For as long as I can remember, and I am not that old, the left has been spewing about how we are all a bunch of racists who only want to 'hold the black man down'.
And yet it was a republican congress who passed the civil rights bill, and was a Republican President who put the first black man on the Supreme Court, and now it is a Republican President who has given a black man and a black woman the highest offices ever held in the United States government by African Americans.
This fails to mention the many Hispanics who have been given high positions and been nominated to other even higher positions like the Supreme Court who have been held up in the Senate by Democrat Senators who claim to support these minorities.

Yes, the Double Standard is brutal, and in full effect.

But what do I know.. I'm just a fanatical, evil conservative, Christian racist who loves his country and his president. At least that's how the other side sees me.

Biblical Israel: fully corporate and fully individual.. and other musings on the book of Joshua

I am reading and outlining the book of Joshua for a class I have this semester and I was struck by a couple of things. The first is what prompted the title of this post.
In chapter 8, we find Israel going about conquering the land of Canaan, kicking butt and taking names wherever they go. Now, as you may or may not know, God gave them very specific rules in dealing with each territory they were to conquer. In certain cases they were to completely destroy everything and everyone they came across, in other cases only certain things were to be destroyed. Some things were able to be kept as plunder, while other things were devoted to the Lord, and still other things devoted to destruction. These rules were to be strictly followed.
So there they are, hundreds of thousands of Israelites romping through and every one of them is obeying and doing what the Lord has commanded them. Then after Israel destroys Jericho, one guy, ONE GUY, named Achan, takes for himself a couple things that were supposed to be devoted to destruction. He grabbed a jacket he liked, and some silver and gold. It wasn’t overly extravagant, but it was enough. Because of this one guy, when Israel comes up against their next enemy, the land of Ai, they are driven away and defeated. It wasn’t an incredible loss, as only 3,000 men were sent and only about 37 were killed, but regardless, they lost and this was against everything the Lord had told them. So Joshua goes and prays and asks God what happened. God tells him that someone has disobeyed and taken something that was supposed to be devoted to destruction for himself. So Joshua tells Israel what is up (all gazillion of them) and no one fesses up, so he has to cast lots to find out who it was. First the lots land on Judah, then the clan of Zerah, then the house of Zabdi, then each man in the house came forward until the lot fell on Achan. Then Achan finally confesses andthey find the loot buried in his tent and he and his whole immediate family are stoned and everything he owns is burned.
My point I guess is that it is amazing how the entire nation of Israel suffered through the action of a single man. It is even described as covenant breaking. This one thing done by Achan is described by God as all of Israel having broken covenant with Him. Then the individual is punished and the covenant is reestablished and all is well and good.
In Jesus we see almost the opposite happening. He comes and, instead of one man bringing down the rest of the ‘good’ nation, He comes as one man taking on the transgressions of the whole nation, as their one representative, and reestablishing the covenant with God. Of course it is different with Jesus, because the nation is expanded to include all who believe in Him, and the covenant is also expanded to be greater and far better.

The other thing I noticed in Joshua that really stuck out was in chapter 24 and verse 19. Joshua is reminding Israel what God has done for them and gives the famous lines “choose this day whom you will serve” and “as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”. The people right away jump on board and say of course we are going to serve the Lord, ‘far be it from us’ to do otherwise… and then Joshua says something to me that is very interesting, he says, “You are not able to serve the Lord, for He is a holy God. He is a jealous God; He will not forgive your transgressions or your sins.” Then Israel responds saying “No, but we will serve the Lord”… either they are saying “we disagree, we will serve the Lord” or something like “that’s true, we can’t and he won’t, but we will serve the Lord anyway!”
It seems a wee bit strange to me, especially since Joshua then continues as if to say “well, don’t say I didn’t warn you!” (“You are witnesses against yourselves”)
One of the reasons it seems so weird is that back in Deuteronomy, Moses tells Israel that they can do it. That the law is not too hard for them, or too far out of their reach. There seems to me to be this tension between what the leaders of Israel really know about the law and what we know in retrospect. We know that Israel could NOT really fulfill the law because of the sinful nature of mankind. Joshua seemed to know that too, that God could not look past the nature of an unholy people who would surely disobey Him.

I don’t have an answer kids, but it’s something to think about.

So now what?

Another baseball post folks... fair warning.

As you may or may not have seen, First Baseman Carlos Delgado signed with the Florida Marlins instead of the Mets. If you read my previous baseball post then you know this comes to me as perhaps a small relief... well, now I am not so sure.

See, losing Delgado makes me think the the Mets are going to go ahead and try to trade Cliff Floyd to the Cubs for Sammy Sosa. I really think this is what Minaya wants to do now, and I am really not sure how I feel about it. I know that even though Sammy is on the downslope of his career, he is still a decent clean-up bat and a bad season for him is 30-40 homers. But I think that more of a concern to me is what happens to the rest of the outfield. Obviously Beltran is cemented in at center, but Sammy will want to play Right, and he will refuse to play left, especially at Shea. I imagine the same will be true of Magglio Ordonez if he were to come here. It is also true of Mike Cameron, who is already uncomfortable about moving to right field.
I feel like this is going to set off a series of domino effect moves for the Mets that will not improve their chances in the NL East.

What possibilities I foresee:
1) Sammy comes to Shea forcing a trade of Cameron for a far inferior outfielder with likely less pop in his bat to play left. Upside to this is that middle relief is also likely involved in the trade.
2) Magglio Ordonez comes to Shea. Better defense than Sosa, but same consequence as above. Also not to be left unmentioned are the serious health questions for Ordonez.
3) Serious concerns over who comes in and plays first base. With no decent power hitters on the market, the Mets have to get defensively minded and try to get someone that at least hits for average. There is really no one available who fits the bill, so they will likely trade for Boston's Doug Meintkewitz (sp?), or pick up John Olerud. Offensively it's a wash, especially seeing Olerud's number drop rather significantly after 2002. Defensively, Olerud gets a slight edge, even though he is almost 10 years older. I honestly don't see who else they could bring in. Maybe they can work out a trade with Cameron and bring in someone better. It's kind of disheartening to think about. Whoever it is comes in to bat 8th in the lineup. Perhaps a bigger issue is that even in future years their are no decent players coming up for free agency, and there are no hot shots on the farm to play first. Missing out on Delgado looks worse now that is has happened.
4) No matter who comes to play first, the focus has to shift to middle relief. They have a great rotation of guys who will most likely not often make it past 6 or 7 innings. They have to get a few dominant arms into spring training and fill those roles. Looper is an OK closer at best, and needs guys who can come out in front of him and keep runs off the board.
5) I'm still concerned with the top of the lineup batting order. There is an obvious whole in the 4 slot which will likely be filled by Sosa or Ordonez, but outside of that everyone is expecting Beltran to hit 3rd and Wright to hit 6th. I think this is a big mistake. The numbers show that Beltran is more comfortable in the 2 spot and he flourished there in Houston, he has at similar speed to Matsui and actually stole more bases. Wright has the best average on the team by more than 10 points and should definitely hit third. He is going to have a monster year and should not be relegated to the bottom 3rd of the lineup. K. Matsui should be moved to the bottom of the lineup in either the 6 or 7 slot, depending on who else is on the team April 1rst.
6) I'm way to engrossed in this whole offseason. I spend way to much time thinking about this not to have a job in the Mets front office. So if anyone knows Omar Minaya or the Wilpons, have them call me.

And for my dear friend ML who commented on my last Mets post: I love you too, but you're wrong about approximately 60% of what you said.

back to reality, awaiting news of the next acquisition.

There is seriously no way I can play FBB this year... I'd kill myself if I tried. I'm far too excitable and analytical about these things.

That Hideous Strength

This demand that now pressed upon her is not, even by analogy, like any other demand. It was the original of all right demands and contained them. In its light you could understand them; but from them you could know nothing of it. There was nothing, and never had been anything like this. And now there was nothing except this. Yet also, everything had been like this; only by being like this had anything existed. In this height and depth and breadth the little idea of herself which she had hitherto called me dropped down and vanished, unfluttering, into bottomless distance, like a bird in a space without air. The name me was the name of a being whose existence she had never suspected, a being that did not yet fully exist but which was demanded. It was a person (not the person she had thought), yet also a thing, a made thing, made to please Another and in Him to please all others, a thing being made at this very moment, without its choice, in a shape it had never dreamed of. And the making went on amidst a kind of splendor or sorrow or both, whereof she could not tell whether it was in the moulding hands or in the kneaded lump.

Words take too long. To be aware of all this and to know that it had already gone made one single experience. It was revealed only in its departure. The largest thing that had ever happened to her had, apparently, found room for itself in a moment of time too short to be called time at all. Her hand closed on nothing but a memory. And as it closed, without and instant's pause, the voices of those who have not joy rose howling and chattering from every corner of her being.

"Take care. Draw Back. Keep your head. Don't commit yourself," they said. And then more subtly, from another quarter, "You have had a religious experience. This is very interesting. Not everyone does. How much better you will now understand the Seventeenth Century poets!" Or from a third direction, more sweetly, "Go on. Try to get it again. It will please the Director."

But her defenses had been captured and these counter attacks were unsuccessful.


--- An excerpt from That Hideous Strength, by C. S. Lewis
Book Three of his Space Trilogy
Book one, Out of the Silent Planet
Book two, Perelandra


I highly recommend these books. They are at the same time simple and yet incredibly profound. Lewis has a speculative insight to things we can only dream about, and although speculative, he brings them to a reality that only a good fantasy writer can accomplish.
He does his best to bring about some of his deepest philosophical meanderings, in simple and clear, even crisp and delightful story which brings to light the myth of reality and the reality of myth. These books have been the most thought provoking fiction I have ever read, and I am certain they will draw me back to them time and again.

Find all three here!

Wrestling with God

Jacob actually wrestled with God for an entire night...

Now you know God was going easy on him, but nonetheless, he grappled with God and God blessed him.

I think there is a good analogy for the Christian life in there.
We are to struggle... Not against God, but along with Him. God is not struggling, but we have to struggle to be who He wants us to be, which is especially difficult given who we are. And in our grappling with Him through the means of grace, we are able to draw strength from Him, and He blesses us.

Believing in the gospel is a wrestling match. It is not a struggle to believe it, but to believe in it is the hardest thing for a human to do. Believing in something changes you, and keeps you changed. That can only happen for us if God Himself steps in the ring with us, takes our heart of stone and gives us a heart of flesh that not only brings us to life for the very first time, but gives us the strength to wrestle with what He wants for us for our whole lives, our eternity.

There needs to be a struggle in our lives. A man I know is always taking 'heat' (in fun) from the guys at school for things he likes to say, his own little catch phrases. One of them is 'wrestling with the gospel'. When we have meetings and tell him how much trouble we are having trying to have a devotional life amidst seminary studies, he always encourages us that we are still struggling with the gospel. And he is right. Most things in this life will include some kind of struggle for the Christian. Not because of persecution, though that may be the case, but because we have to do something that no one else has to do when interacting with the world. We have to obey Christ. We have to know His word and obey it. This is a struggle, not because we hate it, but because we love it and love Him, but we are sinful creatures who cannot do anything good in the site of God except in light of our union with Christ. We still have a sinful nature inside of us and so when we want to do the right thing, as opposed to the wrong things, when dealing with the world, right there in that desire against the norm, is the struggle of the gospel.

The Gospel is that Jesus Christ is Lord, and so we must struggle to obey our Lord while he is away from us in person. It is possible because He is near to us in heart through the Holy Spirit.
Be encouraged. You don't have to live like the world does. Drugs, excessive alcohol, shacking up with your girlfriend (and I don't mean just living together), thievery... the list goes on and on... these are things that in Christ you have to power to overcome, and not just the sins of the hands but the sins of the heart... the anger, despair, anxiety... again, a long long list. Struggle with the gospel, know what Christ wants from you and struggle to do it. If there is no struggle, there is no life. You're still dead in your sins. Die to them and live to Christ!

Dreaming about baseball...

New York Mets Lineup as it tands Today (career averages)

	AB	R	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SO	SB	AVG
J. Reyes	656	106	37	8	9	61	89	42	.283
K. Matsui	460	65	32	2	7	44	97	14	.272
C. Beltran	635	113	32	10	27	104	117	35	.284
M. Piazza	591	95	29	1	39	118	94	2	.315
D. Wright	263	41	17	1	14	40	40	6	.293
Cliff Floyd	536	86	38	3	23	88	94	2	.315
Mike Cameron	546	87	29	5	22	80	151	29	.248
Jason Phillips	485	52	27	0	12	58	58	0	.262

Prospective Mets

	AB	R	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SO	SB	AVG
C. Delgado	570	101	39	1	38	120	141	1	.282
S. Sosa	608	105	26	3	43	116	160	18	.277
A. Byrnes	476	82	30	6	16	59	87	14	.271
J. Olerud	560	85	37	1	19	90	75	1	.295
M. Ordonez	616	101	39	2	30	114	70	13	.307

My Comments

As baseball approaches again, it always makes me happy to look at the possibilities for the upcoming season and think in utopian terms about how the team will do, and how the players will do individually. Today I have just been thinking about personal and the batting order. Perhaps other things will crop up in later posts, but I don't see myself writing a whole lot of posts on this, so if there are any who are put off by sports, don't be discouraged.

The batting order above seems to me to be what they will likely do at the opening of the season if the personnel stays as is. Of course, there is not likely any way that Jason Phillips will start the season at first base. Nor is there much chance that both Cameron and Floyd will both be in the outfield. The rest of the lineup will likely be the same. Best case scenario in my opinion is that the Mets will go after Ordonez, NOT Delgado; trade Floyd for Byrnes (or anyone?), NOT Sosa; keep Cameron in right field; and bring in Olerud to play first, maybe Mientkiewicz from Boston.
I don't like bringing in Delgado, even with his career numbers as they are. It just smells like Mo Vaughan to me. Maybe he comes and has a great year, maybe two, but his injury last year and the long slump worries me. I also don't think that he is worth a 4 year deal for 60 mil which is what it will take to get him. His defense is lackluster as well and will continue to downgrade as he gets older. Olerud is the best to fill the void until a young hot shot can come up or they can trade or bring in a better free agent. His defense is impeccable and he has enough offense and OBP to make a good 6 hole hitter, or maybe even 3.
Speaking of the 3 hole... There is no way to put Beltran in that spot. He thrived in the 2 hole in Houston and in the playoffs and David Wright is the best average hitter in the list. You gotta keep the kid in the 3 hole and watch him blossom. The numbers he put up for a rookie were incredible, and in only 69 games. He'll hit over 30 homers and knock in well over 100 RBI.
Mike Piazza... Everyone is talking about his crappy numbers from last year. When he was healthy as a catcher he hit .337 against .221 as a first baseman. I knew it from the beginning that he would suck at first. He is a good defensive catcher but he has no arm. I think if he stays at catcher he will put up normal numbers (30hr, 100+ rbi) if he is healthy. Otherwise you trade him to an AL team for a catcher and some prospects, but I think that would be a mistake. I think he has something to prove after an embarrassing season switching back and forth between 1B and C.

2005 Hopes

Reyes finally plays a full season in the bigs without injury (he is just tearing up winter ball!).
Kaz Matsui figures out how to throw an MLB sized baseball from second to first and gets his bat out of his arse. (some of his swings were really ugly last year)
Piazza stays healthy and no longer has to worry about changing positions.
Cameron gets to 30/30 this year (missed by 4 SB last year).
Beltran is Beltran.
Pedro is Pedro (I'll take his '04 numbers).
ASIDE - with Pedro in the rotation, everybody drops a spot in the rotation. That makes Glavine one of the best #2's, Benson one of the best 3's and either Trachsel or Zambrano are easily the best 4 or 5 slot in the NL.
That of course must be weighed with Atlanta's addition of Hudson and the Cardinals addition of Mulder, both of which do similar things for their rotations, so perhaps this aside loses some of its purpose. END ASIDE
Whoever they get to play left field doesn't suck in the field or at the plate.
Get Magglio Ordonez to play left field.
Give up on Delgado, bring in Olerud or Mientkiewicz.
Don't even think about Sammy Sosa.

I believe that if these things come to pass, the Mets will be very difficult to beat in the NL East.

A picture says a Thousand words

Highlights from the Lonestar State

My good friend and former roommate Kyle and I spent the last 5 days traipsing about a few of the major cities in Texas, looking for fun and love. The love was planned out ahead of time, as we were there to witness the vows of our other two former roommates Ben and Luke. As funny as that sounds, there were actually two separate weddings. That’s where the fun comes in.

Our travel began in Philly of course, where brotherly love is clearly denoted by the 75 yards of security we needed to stand in before we could get onto our airplane.



That is Kyle in the dark blue sweatshirt and no hair.


We landed in Houston around 5pm and quickly jumped into Kyle’s fathers’ truck and began our 4 hour drive to Dallas. We passed the time listening to CD from the recent Auburn Avenue Conference where Dr. Richard Gaffin and Bishop N.T. Wright expounded their views on Justification. Sounds like tons of fun eh? For theology nerds like us, it was great. (I realized exactly how much of a nerd I have become when I woke up one morning before our ride back to Houston thinking “we get to listen to Q&A today!” – oi!)
This is the city of Dallas under the influence of a moving vehicle and digital photography.



I was quite taken with the phenomenon and took several photos in these conditions, but after looking at them again, I realized that I am not only a nerd, but also very easily amused.


We got to Dallas in time for Ben’s bachelor party. It was a rather tame night as far as bachelor parties go, but it was a long night full of fun conversations and reunions. The next day we witnessed the marriage of Ben and Martha Dunson.



Ben and Martha are honeymooning in London and Scotland. I imagine Ben will return far less Eyorish then any will remember him being.
Sex will knock the Eyor right out of a man.


After Ben’s reception, we began the second leg of our trip; another four hour ride; this time to Austin. It was late and we were tired, but we made it. While stopping for gas along the way we pulled in next to this classic piece of Americana:



Just in case you aren’t quite getting the full breadth of what you are looking at, let me make it clear for you.



Yes, that is a Three Dimensional crucifix welded to the hood of a truck. An astounding display of art… or idolatry… you decide. Needless to say we were astounded and I had to get a shot for our viewing pleasure.


We made it the rest of the way to Austin without incident, listening to the soundtrack to Garden State, which is wonderful. When we arrived Kyle’s brother Lucas promptly let us through the gate to his neighborhood where he kindly put us up in his apartment while we were in Austin. I was immediately introduced to this fellow:



This is Lucas’ dog Doyle. Doyle is just about the coolest dog I ever met. Lucas is cool too, except that he likes the Yankees for some reason. I can’t quite put the Texan/Yankee connection together in my mind. I mean… if he is going to like a NY team, he should at least join the guys from Queens.
:-)


The next day, after a lunch of barbecued brisket (yum!), we got ready to attend the second wedding. But before the ceremony we were treated to a reenactment of a sermon given by John Knox.



You can imagine the look on the faces of the folks in the pews… we were pretty frightened. He kept telling us we were going to hell if we didn’t stop eating our children. I didn’t get it…


Anyway, after the authorities had taken this man away, they got on with the wedding ceremony of Luke and Marianne Evans.



Kyle was quite the ladies man at the reception. A drunken married woman told him how wonderful he was after only 45 seconds of knowing him. He also got some digits – no, not from the drunken matron – and only after some severe prodding and peer pressure. She was a nice gal, but perhaps the timing was not right. Kyle did not seem very interested. Perhaps there was someone else?? Hmmmm…


Sunday morning we went to church with Lucas. It was a Baptist church, where for the first time in my life I was made fun of for being a Presbyterian. I’ve been ribbed before for lots of things, but this time I felt naked and exposed… not really. Hehe. At least now I know how Kyle and other Baptists feel going to a predominantly Presby seminary. The man who made fun of me made an interesting point saying that if circumcision was replaced by Baptism, Galatians would have needed only to be a postcard – I’m not exactly certain what he means, but that will make me go and read Galatians again.
The sermon was interesting, and the pastor made a great biblical theological connection between the crown of thorns Jesus was forced to wear and the thorns that are part of God’s curse on the creation in Genesis 3.
After worship we went and ate the biggest burritos ever at a place called freebirds. It was yummy, but I couldn’t get Skynyrd out of my head the rest of the day.

Later we headed back to Houston, listened to some Q&A from the conference (woo hoo!), and got back to Kyle’s parents in time to have a light dinner at the Olive Garden, which was lovely. Only after we watched the two hour season premier of 24, of course.

Kyle’s Grandmother made us a fantastic breakfast of eggs and biscuits. She has got to be the nicest lady on the face of the earth. I believe she’d house and feed the population of Texas if given the chance.

That day we flew back to Philly where we were met by my lovely wife, whom I am most pleased to be back home with.

But Texas was great. I recommend it.