Monday, April 30, 2012
A collection of random thoughts
Just a collection of random thoughts, too many and too long for fb posts.
Yesterday I woke up a good bit later than I had sort of planned. Either 2:45 or 3:45, can’t remember now. Then I realized I had taken dayquill before I went to sleep. But no matter, I felt great all day! It’s not often I feel great (a hazard of working nights and sleeping days), much less on my first day off.
Mary had told me Saturday night that she planned to go to Bible Covenant Church Sunday. They are in York and have an 11 am service. I thought about it but I knew I would be sleepy (as in nodding off during prayer sleepy) there and then either feel terrible the rest of the day or if I got sleep I would be up all night. I stayed home and slept. When I woke up, Mary was still gone. Good choice – I felt better all day, Mary got to go to church AND out to eat with friends. Win-win.
Tiernan called and wanted to come over. I picked him up and we went to Queen City Appliance to get a water filter for the refrigerator. But they were closed. I mean never to open again. No matter, I’ll order it online. It’s a beautiful day. I decided I wanted BBQ for supper (Mary was supposed to work that night and I would pick it up when I took Tiernan home). Mary was put “on call” and we still went with BBQ. So at 8, she stayed home to watch her show (Amazing Race) and I drove to Burke’s. Turns out they are closed on Sundays. Went home and we all watched Amazing Race. At 9 it was time to take Tiernan home and we’d had no supper. So it was Burger King for him and Mary asked if I wanted a hamburger from Fatz Café. Sure. Well, they close at 9! Tiernan said we oughta try The Cookout. Another great suggestion by Tiernan! They were open and the food was really good. Their milkshakes are good too. I admit, hamburger, fries and a milkshake are probably not the best thing to eat at 10 pm, but I’m a grown-up. And I’m off today!!
Mary told me that Harris Teeter (grocery store) had Mayfield ice cream on sale – buy 2 get 3 free. But when she was there Saturday night they only had two chocolate and two vanilla. So my plan was to find out when the Mayfield guy delivered and go then. Last night I had a long dream: I was at Harris Teeter the day the ice cream was delivered. It was all stacked behind the service desk waiting to be stocked. I was picking out the flavors I wanted. I even jumped the counter so I could see better. I remember two details from the dream – I asked the worker if a particular stack was included and she said, “No.” Then I saw that is was Breyers. Even in my dreams I gravitate to the best ice cream. Then I noticed that the Mayfield Mint Chocolate Chip was white instead of green. And I had a conundrum, is there something wrong with it or do I get it anyway?
I woke up this morning at 5 am. My nose stuffed up. I have been wrestling with either a cold or allergies this week. That’s why I have been taken dayquill. And it was hot.
I have noticed that the last week it has gotten hotter. Two weeks ago I would come home from work or wake up in the morning and it would be 60-65 in the house. This week it has been 70-71. When I woke up this morning it was 74°. Is it global warming or has spring fully sprung? Either way, I am so glad I have an attic fan. I have always wanted an attic fan. Don’t get to use it as often as I would like because I work nights and sleep days. But I turned it on this morning and in 15 minutes the temperature had dropped to 71°! And down to 70 in the next 15!
And speaking of attic fans, did you know that in California they call them “whole house fans”? Call it what you will, I like mine!!
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Reflecting on Luke 21
I am having a sort of discussion with a friend about the Book of Revelation. The plan is for us to share with each other what we think each section/chapter means. I anticipate differences but we have committed to sharing and dialogue only – no attempts to persuade the other to change his mind. Hopefully it should be a fun exchange of ideas and an adventure in Christian love.
And so I thought it was kind of interesting that shortly after we began my reading took me to Luke 21. This is what is known as the Olivet Discourse. In this sermon Jesus addresses the destruction of Jerusalem and then leaps ahead to the second coming. Obviously there is a lot here and I have a short blog, so I can’t hope to cover it all. But there are three thoughts that strike me every time I read this sermon.
20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.
24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
Jesus is prophesying the destruction of Jerusalem by Rome in AD 70. He said, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. What’s the big deal? It is this phrase, the times of the Gentiles.
What is the time of the Gentiles? Jesus gives us the clue where to look. Just a couple of verses later, in 27 he says And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. He is quoting from the book of Daniel (7:14). I believe the purpose of Daniel, with his beasts and statue, was to introduce the times of the Gentiles. This is the period of time when Gentile world powers - Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome – would keep the Jews and Jerusalem under their thumb. Jesus said this subjugation would continue until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
Have you noticed, Jerusalem is built again? With Jews living there and having their own government? Could it be we are at the end of the times of the Gentiles? That would mean that next on the prophetic calendar is the rise of the Antichrist. When you read Revelation 12 you find that the beast has a two-pronged attack:
13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. [Israel, the Jews and Jerusalem]
17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. [spiritual Israel, the Church, Christians]
I believe we're at the end of the times of the Gentiles. Jesus is coming soon!
34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.
This is a powerful verse. Everyone understands that you can be overcharged or weighed down by surfeiting and drunkenness. (I like this word surfeiting. The English word means “an intemperate or immoderate indulgence in something.”) Obviously, gluttony and drunkenness have a deadly effect on one’s spiritual life. But what is shocking is this: the cares of this life can have the same spiritually deadening effect!! Jesus teaches the same thing in the parable of the sower.
So, Take heed to yourself, Jeff, the cares of this life (work, play, bills, vacation etc) can so numb your heart and soul that the day of His appearing will come and you will not be prepared!!
What’s the cure for this tendency to be numbed? Take heed to yourselves, obviously, but then Jesus says:
36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
Stay awake, rouse yourself. Keep a watch over your soul, be awake to the events in the world.
Jesus is coming!
Take heed to yourself lest the routine of daily living lulls you to sleep, or the cares of this life numb your soul, or your thoughts are so occupied by fun, sports, entertainment, yard work, bills, retirement planning that your anticipation dims and you miss the signs of the times.
Watch: be alert, be ready, wait with expectation.
Pray. How in the world can I do all this? I'm a leaky vessel; fire naturally tends to go out; that which is hot cools down. I need help. I need to pray! Then shall I be able to stand before the Son of man and not shrink back at his coming.
And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
Monday, April 23, 2012
Some deleterious affects of working here
I know the big question is, Am I happy at my job? Well, I’m not touching that one! I admit there are some aspects of this job that I like, but I have been thinking lately about some of the deleterious affects of this job. Here are just a few. And I’ll start right at the top.
Holidays
I have worked every holiday in the year. Every single, blessed one. As you might expect, Thanksgiving and Christmas are very busy seasons. But surprisingly, so is Halloween and St. Patrick’s Day. Folks in Rock Hill drink more beer on these four days than any others. Well, and any other three day weekend!
But to get back to my point. Working here has had a adverse impact on the holidays for me. How? Nearly all the joy and anticipation related to the holidays has been sucked right out of me. They are now simply times of extreme busyness. Herds of rushed people. That alone is stressful. Add to this the innumerable horde of people who are out to get as drunk as possible. I confess, I now look forward to holidays less and less.
Alcohol
As I mentioned earlier, Rock Hillians view every holiday as an opportunity to get drunk. Totally wasted. Every three day weekend. Add to this the normal weekend drinking. And folks around here start seriously drinking on Thursday nights. I don’t mind alcohol per se but, I confess, I’m sick of it. And of drunk people.
$20 bills
I know, this is strange. I used to think that the most common bill in the US of A was the one dollar bill. Wrong. We take in more twenties than any other bill. People pay for everything with a twenty. Seriously, they commonly buy a 75¢ newspaper with a twenty dollar bill. They are real open about it, they just want change. Same with hundreds. Drives me crazy. I hate it when they treat me like a bank. Why don’t they just go to the bank? Can’t tell you how often someone comes in and all they want is change for a twenty.
People
I deal with drunk people, angry people, unfriendly people, and just plain rude people. Not everyone, but enough. There are nice people. People I have met that I talk with every night. Even made a friend or two. There are many people who I can tell are hurting and I try to minister to them. But I also see a lot of folks who are, sorry to say, graceless. It is incredible and distressing. They are altogether profane and vulgar. I confess, it creates a cynical heart. And when I think about the police – they deal with a much worse clientele. They allow that we probably see the same people, only they see them at their worst. And do you realize, nobody is happy to see the police? What people we have! I confess, sometimes I struggle with this thought, “God really loves everybody?”
Confess your faults one to another and pray one for another. This my confession. Now you know how to pray for me.
Holidays
I have worked every holiday in the year. Every single, blessed one. As you might expect, Thanksgiving and Christmas are very busy seasons. But surprisingly, so is Halloween and St. Patrick’s Day. Folks in Rock Hill drink more beer on these four days than any others. Well, and any other three day weekend!
But to get back to my point. Working here has had a adverse impact on the holidays for me. How? Nearly all the joy and anticipation related to the holidays has been sucked right out of me. They are now simply times of extreme busyness. Herds of rushed people. That alone is stressful. Add to this the innumerable horde of people who are out to get as drunk as possible. I confess, I now look forward to holidays less and less.
Alcohol
As I mentioned earlier, Rock Hillians view every holiday as an opportunity to get drunk. Totally wasted. Every three day weekend. Add to this the normal weekend drinking. And folks around here start seriously drinking on Thursday nights. I don’t mind alcohol per se but, I confess, I’m sick of it. And of drunk people.
$20 bills
I know, this is strange. I used to think that the most common bill in the US of A was the one dollar bill. Wrong. We take in more twenties than any other bill. People pay for everything with a twenty. Seriously, they commonly buy a 75¢ newspaper with a twenty dollar bill. They are real open about it, they just want change. Same with hundreds. Drives me crazy. I hate it when they treat me like a bank. Why don’t they just go to the bank? Can’t tell you how often someone comes in and all they want is change for a twenty.
People
I deal with drunk people, angry people, unfriendly people, and just plain rude people. Not everyone, but enough. There are nice people. People I have met that I talk with every night. Even made a friend or two. There are many people who I can tell are hurting and I try to minister to them. But I also see a lot of folks who are, sorry to say, graceless. It is incredible and distressing. They are altogether profane and vulgar. I confess, it creates a cynical heart. And when I think about the police – they deal with a much worse clientele. They allow that we probably see the same people, only they see them at their worst. And do you realize, nobody is happy to see the police? What people we have! I confess, sometimes I struggle with this thought, “God really loves everybody?”
Confess your faults one to another and pray one for another. This my confession. Now you know how to pray for me.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
The thoughts I think at night - Time
One of the things I like about working nights here is being able to watch the moon rise and see it wax and wane. I saw it last night. It is a “waning gibbous moon, 60% lit.” I saw it first around 2 am, just after it had risen. Beautiful sight.
Every time I see the moon I am reminded that there is a rhythm built into creation that we moderns are only semi-vaguely aware of. Time is kept differently in creation. We have clocks and calendars. Creation has seasons. Everything in creation is precise, yet the year, the journey of the earth around the sun, “measured from one vernal equinox to the next [is] 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, 45.51 seconds.” And the lunar month, the time from one new moon to the next (or full moon to full moon) is “29.530589 days - 29 d 12 h 44 min 2.9 s.” That means there are roughly 12.4 months a year. Very interesting. Since God is a God of order and everything in creation is so precise, there must be a reason for this.
We have artfully and artificially imposed our own calendar over this. We sort of snicker at the ancients who had 360 day years (12 thirty day months), who, on a regular and fore-known schedule, had to add a month to the end of the year to make it come out right. Yet we have a leap year every four years to make our calendar come out right! And getting back to the moon, there have been and still are cultures that keep time by the moon rather than the sun. They experience an interesting phenomenon – their holy days move throughout the year! The Jews used a lunar month, and in order to keep Passover in the spring, they had to occasionally add a month. This is interesting!
The most basic unit of time is the day. Day and night. Light and darkness. It is much harder to ignore this rhythm of creation, yet we successfully blur even this with artificial light! I’m the offspring of that – I work nights and sleep days.
The day begins at sunrise. Or does it? For some reason we have the day begin in the middle of the night. It is actually called midnight. So 2 A.M., middle of the night, is “morning”. It would seem that God’s idea, and one followed by the Jews and other ancient cultures, was to have one day end and the next begin on the same note – the setting of the sun. So, for the Orthodox Jew, the Sabbath begins at sunset Friday night and ends at sunset Saturday night. The Celts and Anglo-Saxons observed the same practice. Remember Hallowe’en (All Hallows Eve) and Christmas Eve? Today that means “the night or evening before Christmas.” But it really means “Christmas evening” that is, they observed the day as consisting of “night and day”. We think of it as day and night, but we messed it all up by having the day start at midnight. Oy vay!
And think about hours and minutes and seconds. They are so essential to our society yet where do they go when you are on the river, in the woods, or at the beach? You are aware of time passing as the sun moves through the sky and the shadows shorten and lengthen, but there are no hours and minutes. These are artificial. You are also aware of the passing of time by listening to the birds. As the sun is setting they are singing, then, all of a sudden, there are no birds, only crickets. They are quiet all night. Then, around 4 am ‘man time’ there are these birds that begin singing. It is amazing! It is still dark but they know the sun is on the way. Awesome!
I am a modern man and as such suffer this loss with you. There is a rhythm in creation of day and night, the seasons, the year. The Creator established it in His creation. Sadly, I am only vaguely aware of it. And to the extent that I am not aware of it, I am the less. And in the measure that I have embraced the artificial and man made rhythms and lost awareness of the rhythms of creation, I have lost that degree of the awareness and awe of the Creator. Whenever I step outside and see the moon, my heart rises in praise to the Creator.
Sometimes, these are the thoughts I think at night.
Every time I see the moon I am reminded that there is a rhythm built into creation that we moderns are only semi-vaguely aware of. Time is kept differently in creation. We have clocks and calendars. Creation has seasons. Everything in creation is precise, yet the year, the journey of the earth around the sun, “measured from one vernal equinox to the next [is] 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, 45.51 seconds.” And the lunar month, the time from one new moon to the next (or full moon to full moon) is “29.530589 days - 29 d 12 h 44 min 2.9 s.” That means there are roughly 12.4 months a year. Very interesting. Since God is a God of order and everything in creation is so precise, there must be a reason for this.
We have artfully and artificially imposed our own calendar over this. We sort of snicker at the ancients who had 360 day years (12 thirty day months), who, on a regular and fore-known schedule, had to add a month to the end of the year to make it come out right. Yet we have a leap year every four years to make our calendar come out right! And getting back to the moon, there have been and still are cultures that keep time by the moon rather than the sun. They experience an interesting phenomenon – their holy days move throughout the year! The Jews used a lunar month, and in order to keep Passover in the spring, they had to occasionally add a month. This is interesting!
The most basic unit of time is the day. Day and night. Light and darkness. It is much harder to ignore this rhythm of creation, yet we successfully blur even this with artificial light! I’m the offspring of that – I work nights and sleep days.
The day begins at sunrise. Or does it? For some reason we have the day begin in the middle of the night. It is actually called midnight. So 2 A.M., middle of the night, is “morning”. It would seem that God’s idea, and one followed by the Jews and other ancient cultures, was to have one day end and the next begin on the same note – the setting of the sun. So, for the Orthodox Jew, the Sabbath begins at sunset Friday night and ends at sunset Saturday night. The Celts and Anglo-Saxons observed the same practice. Remember Hallowe’en (All Hallows Eve) and Christmas Eve? Today that means “the night or evening before Christmas.” But it really means “Christmas evening” that is, they observed the day as consisting of “night and day”. We think of it as day and night, but we messed it all up by having the day start at midnight. Oy vay!
And think about hours and minutes and seconds. They are so essential to our society yet where do they go when you are on the river, in the woods, or at the beach? You are aware of time passing as the sun moves through the sky and the shadows shorten and lengthen, but there are no hours and minutes. These are artificial. You are also aware of the passing of time by listening to the birds. As the sun is setting they are singing, then, all of a sudden, there are no birds, only crickets. They are quiet all night. Then, around 4 am ‘man time’ there are these birds that begin singing. It is amazing! It is still dark but they know the sun is on the way. Awesome!
I am a modern man and as such suffer this loss with you. There is a rhythm in creation of day and night, the seasons, the year. The Creator established it in His creation. Sadly, I am only vaguely aware of it. And to the extent that I am not aware of it, I am the less. And in the measure that I have embraced the artificial and man made rhythms and lost awareness of the rhythms of creation, I have lost that degree of the awareness and awe of the Creator. Whenever I step outside and see the moon, my heart rises in praise to the Creator.
Sometimes, these are the thoughts I think at night.
Monday, April 9, 2012
How I Spent Easter
I had to work Easter Eve and day, so I slept for most of Easter day. No family gathering, no big meal. But it wasn’t all sleeping.
Mary and I both worked Saturday night and I knew that if we were going to make it to church it would have to be an early service. Palm Sunday I had attended the 8:15 service at Westminster Presbyterian. So my plan was, if Mary got off in time, we would go there. She did. Barely. Now, Presbyterian churches are not generally churches for the “working man” nor are they “come as you are,” so we had to dress up a little bit. But we got there on time. We missed the orchestral prelude, but that was all.
It was a pretty good service. And I am convinced that Christ The Lord Is Risen Today is probably one of the best Christian songs ever written!
I have noticed that Presbyterians like to talk in their worship services. What do I mean? The Pastor explained the “Call to Worship”, what we were going to do and how we should do it, then we did it. When we came to the “Season of Confession” he again explained in detail what we were about to do, the joy of it, and how to do it. And the Scripture Reading – he explained the setting, the series they were in, the series they were going to be in, the background of the entire Gospel, and then provided a running commentary as he read the passage! In the sermon itself, he had a couple of really good points. First, when talking about Jesus appearing to Mary at the tomb and telling her to go tell the other disciples, he emphasized that Christianity is not just personal, it is communal; that Jesus died to create the church. Amen. Second, at the end, he said, “Do you believe Jesus rose from the dead? Listen, you cannot be neutral. You either believe this or you do not. Do you believe this? Do you get it?” Amen!
Service was over by 9:20 and we went home and went to bed. I had to work that night.
I woke up around 4:30. Tonight I was gonna make my cake. Just a few minutes after I was up Mary asked me if I was planning to go to the visitation for Frances Harper. I said, “I wasn’t planning on it.” She replied, “Well, we’re going. We’ll be there maybe 10 minutes. I’m going to get ready.” I knew that was enough time to make and bake the cake, so I did just that. I took it out of the oven and set it aside to cool and we left for the funeral home. Only it wasn’t 10 minutes, it was more like an hour!
Frances and Dennis Harper and their family were pert near the core of Bible Covenant Community Church. In fact, when I came up to York to candidate, Dennis was the one I was to call. I had no idea how small York was. I called him and said, “I am at a store called Community Cash” and started to explain what else was around it. He cut me off, “I know right where you are. I’ll be there in a few minutes.” So going to this visitation was almost like going to church! Rodney & Kelly with Dean; Keith & Van with Dustin, Trent, Chad; Tammy with Mary Beth and Chelsea; Kenny & Wendy; Bobby with Drew and Bryan; Shane; and also Kevin & Darlene; Josh & Christa; David Adams; Gary Rohrer; I saw Steve McElroy but the line was long and didn’t get to speak to him (I assume Brenda was with him). My how the children and young people have grown! Where once there had been children and young people, now there were young men and women, fiancées and babies! Don’t tell Mary, even though she drug me there, it was good to go and see all those beloved brethren.
We went back home and ate some supper and I got ready to go to work. One more night, then a day off, then two more days and week of vacation. Oh boy am I ready for a break.
That night a lady came by that I have not seen in a while. A crazy lady who tells me the same stories every time she comes in: I should be divorced, my husband abuses me, I am a very sick person and so on. She came in and said, “I haven’t seen you in awhile, how are you?” I said, “I’m fine. What can I get you?” She replied, “You didn’t ask me how I was doing.” Which was on purpose, because I didn’t want to get her started. Too late! Off she went about how she should have gotten a divorce a long time ago, lawyers wouldn’t help her, her brother in law who is living with them tried to kill her with a hammer, she called the police but they wouldn’t do anything, she died a while back for a little while. Then she asked me, “Have you ever died?” I paused a moment, after all, that is a rather strange question and replied, “Evidently not.” She said, “I guess you don’t believe . . . Now how did I come back (to life when she died)? Oh yeah, my legs were paralyzed for a while.” A couple of other customers came in and required my attention so she left. I told the first customer, a guy who come in all the time after work, “Man, thank you for coming in!” He said, “Yeah, you looked like you needed help.” The rest of the night was rather uneventful.
Anyway, that’s how I spent my Easter.
Mary and I both worked Saturday night and I knew that if we were going to make it to church it would have to be an early service. Palm Sunday I had attended the 8:15 service at Westminster Presbyterian. So my plan was, if Mary got off in time, we would go there. She did. Barely. Now, Presbyterian churches are not generally churches for the “working man” nor are they “come as you are,” so we had to dress up a little bit. But we got there on time. We missed the orchestral prelude, but that was all.
It was a pretty good service. And I am convinced that Christ The Lord Is Risen Today is probably one of the best Christian songs ever written!
I have noticed that Presbyterians like to talk in their worship services. What do I mean? The Pastor explained the “Call to Worship”, what we were going to do and how we should do it, then we did it. When we came to the “Season of Confession” he again explained in detail what we were about to do, the joy of it, and how to do it. And the Scripture Reading – he explained the setting, the series they were in, the series they were going to be in, the background of the entire Gospel, and then provided a running commentary as he read the passage! In the sermon itself, he had a couple of really good points. First, when talking about Jesus appearing to Mary at the tomb and telling her to go tell the other disciples, he emphasized that Christianity is not just personal, it is communal; that Jesus died to create the church. Amen. Second, at the end, he said, “Do you believe Jesus rose from the dead? Listen, you cannot be neutral. You either believe this or you do not. Do you believe this? Do you get it?” Amen!
Service was over by 9:20 and we went home and went to bed. I had to work that night.
I woke up around 4:30. Tonight I was gonna make my cake. Just a few minutes after I was up Mary asked me if I was planning to go to the visitation for Frances Harper. I said, “I wasn’t planning on it.” She replied, “Well, we’re going. We’ll be there maybe 10 minutes. I’m going to get ready.” I knew that was enough time to make and bake the cake, so I did just that. I took it out of the oven and set it aside to cool and we left for the funeral home. Only it wasn’t 10 minutes, it was more like an hour!
Frances and Dennis Harper and their family were pert near the core of Bible Covenant Community Church. In fact, when I came up to York to candidate, Dennis was the one I was to call. I had no idea how small York was. I called him and said, “I am at a store called Community Cash” and started to explain what else was around it. He cut me off, “I know right where you are. I’ll be there in a few minutes.” So going to this visitation was almost like going to church! Rodney & Kelly with Dean; Keith & Van with Dustin, Trent, Chad; Tammy with Mary Beth and Chelsea; Kenny & Wendy; Bobby with Drew and Bryan; Shane; and also Kevin & Darlene; Josh & Christa; David Adams; Gary Rohrer; I saw Steve McElroy but the line was long and didn’t get to speak to him (I assume Brenda was with him). My how the children and young people have grown! Where once there had been children and young people, now there were young men and women, fiancées and babies! Don’t tell Mary, even though she drug me there, it was good to go and see all those beloved brethren.
We went back home and ate some supper and I got ready to go to work. One more night, then a day off, then two more days and week of vacation. Oh boy am I ready for a break.
That night a lady came by that I have not seen in a while. A crazy lady who tells me the same stories every time she comes in: I should be divorced, my husband abuses me, I am a very sick person and so on. She came in and said, “I haven’t seen you in awhile, how are you?” I said, “I’m fine. What can I get you?” She replied, “You didn’t ask me how I was doing.” Which was on purpose, because I didn’t want to get her started. Too late! Off she went about how she should have gotten a divorce a long time ago, lawyers wouldn’t help her, her brother in law who is living with them tried to kill her with a hammer, she called the police but they wouldn’t do anything, she died a while back for a little while. Then she asked me, “Have you ever died?” I paused a moment, after all, that is a rather strange question and replied, “Evidently not.” She said, “I guess you don’t believe . . . Now how did I come back (to life when she died)? Oh yeah, my legs were paralyzed for a while.” A couple of other customers came in and required my attention so she left. I told the first customer, a guy who come in all the time after work, “Man, thank you for coming in!” He said, “Yeah, you looked like you needed help.” The rest of the night was rather uneventful.
Anyway, that’s how I spent my Easter.
Friday, April 6, 2012
The color of the flame
I am fascinated by the color of the fire. OK, I’m fascinated by fire, but right now I’m thinking about the color of the fire.
I made a fire tonight and for a long time it was an orange flame. It seems to me that an orange flame is what I call an ugly fire, a dirty burning fire. Mary has suggested that the amount of daylight determines the color of the flame. And I admit that as it gets darker outside the colors become more visible. But Tiernan and I have seen all kinds of color in full daylight. As night fell, the orange softened, but it was still an orange-ish flame.
I like the yellow flame. It seems cleaner, and hotter. I got to yellow for a little while tonight. When I have a yellow flame I know I have a really good fire.
We have occasionally seen green flames (not tonight). It usually occurs when we are burning boxes and seems to be the ink, but we have seen it from wood. That is the most interesting flame – “Look, it’s green!”
The prettiest flame is blue. And it’s funny how the blue is always at the bottom of the flame, usually a yellow flame. At the end of my fire tonight, there were blue flames dancing all over the remaining wood, even when they were not topped by yellow.
Here’s my conclusion as to heat and the color of the flame. This is from coolest to hottest:
After my observations, I googled “flame color” and found this
“Flame color depends on several factors, the most important typically being blackbody radiation and spectral band emission” I understand everything up to "factors"!
“In the most common type of flame…the most important factor determining color is oxygen supply and the extent of fuel-oxygen pre-mixing, which determines the rate of combustion…thereby producing different color hues.
In a laboratory under normal gravity conditions and with a closed oxygen valve, a Bunsen burner burns with yellow flame... With increasing oxygen supply, less blackbody-radiating soot is produced due to a more complete combustion and the reaction creates enough energy to excite and ionize gas molecules in the flame, leading to a blue appearance.”
I think this means blue is the result of more oxygen and cleaner burning. Hotter fire.
“The colder part of a diffusion (incomplete combustion) flame will be red, transitioning to orange, yellow, and white as the temperature increases….”
Hey, that is what I observed! With only one eye, too!!
This article also said something about visible light spectrum. This is so cool.
Here is the illustration they offered
I made a fire tonight and for a long time it was an orange flame. It seems to me that an orange flame is what I call an ugly fire, a dirty burning fire. Mary has suggested that the amount of daylight determines the color of the flame. And I admit that as it gets darker outside the colors become more visible. But Tiernan and I have seen all kinds of color in full daylight. As night fell, the orange softened, but it was still an orange-ish flame.
I like the yellow flame. It seems cleaner, and hotter. I got to yellow for a little while tonight. When I have a yellow flame I know I have a really good fire.
We have occasionally seen green flames (not tonight). It usually occurs when we are burning boxes and seems to be the ink, but we have seen it from wood. That is the most interesting flame – “Look, it’s green!”
The prettiest flame is blue. And it’s funny how the blue is always at the bottom of the flame, usually a yellow flame. At the end of my fire tonight, there were blue flames dancing all over the remaining wood, even when they were not topped by yellow.
Here’s my conclusion as to heat and the color of the flame. This is from coolest to hottest:
Red
Orange
Yellow
Blue
(I don’t know what to think of that pretty green flame.)After my observations, I googled “flame color” and found this
“Flame color depends on several factors, the most important typically being blackbody radiation and spectral band emission” I understand everything up to "factors"!
“In the most common type of flame…the most important factor determining color is oxygen supply and the extent of fuel-oxygen pre-mixing, which determines the rate of combustion…thereby producing different color hues.
In a laboratory under normal gravity conditions and with a closed oxygen valve, a Bunsen burner burns with yellow flame... With increasing oxygen supply, less blackbody-radiating soot is produced due to a more complete combustion and the reaction creates enough energy to excite and ionize gas molecules in the flame, leading to a blue appearance.”
I think this means blue is the result of more oxygen and cleaner burning. Hotter fire.
“The colder part of a diffusion (incomplete combustion) flame will be red, transitioning to orange, yellow, and white as the temperature increases….”
Hey, that is what I observed! With only one eye, too!!
This article also said something about visible light spectrum. This is so cool.
Here is the illustration they offered
“Different flame types of a Bunsen burner depend on oxygen supply. On the left a rich fuel with no premixed oxygen produces a yellow sooty diffusion flame; on the right [4] a lean fully oxygen premixed flame produces no soot and the flame color is produced by molecular radicals, especially CH and C2 band emission. The purple color is an artifact of the photographic process.”
Monday, April 2, 2012
Palm Sunday and the 70 weeks of Daniel
Yesterday was Palm Sunday and I got to thinking about the 70 weeks of Daniel 9. This is one of the most amazing prophecies in the Bible. Other prophecies spoke of Messiah’s family, birth, and ministry, but Daniel 9 actually provides the time of his coming! The Jews knew their Bible. And their math. Small wonder there was a fever pitch of anticipation for Messiah. And then John appeared, the first prophet in 400 years. And his message was “the kingdom of God is at hand”!
As I said, I got to thinking about this prophecy. I mean it was Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week, commemorating the last week of Jesus’ earthly ministry, leading up to the crucifixion and resurrection. And Daniel’s 70 weeks are vitally linked to it all.
I don’t presume to offer a detailed explanation of the passage, I just want to offer a few observations on this exciting prophecy.
Daniel 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
“Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city” It has always been generally accepted that the weeks in Daniel 9:24 are weeks of years.† So the total period covered in this prophecy is 70 sevens or 490 years. And this concerns Israel and Jerusalem. But, as the next verse makes plain, this is all in relation to the coming of the Messiah.
And this verse mentions six amazing things are to be accomplished when the Messiah comes.
25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
“unto the Messiah” this is exciting. We don’t have to guess who the passage is talking about, he tells us, the Messiah! “The coming of Christ after 483 years (69 times 7), thus fulfilling this prophecy, is one of the greatest proofs of the divine inspiration of the Bible.” †
I believe one of the reasons the books of Ezra and Nehemiah were written was the mark the beginning of the countdown. And when do we reach the end of the 69th week (or 483 years)? I believe it was at the baptism of Jesus, for it was then that he was anointed with the Spirit (Messiah or Christ means anointed one) and began his public ministry. Mark 1:14-15 tells us, “Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.” The time is fulfilled. What time? The time prophesied by Daniel!
26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
“Messiah shall be cut off” what a shocking development! Elsewhere, Daniel speaks of Messiah appearing in glory and establishing his kingdom, but here he is cut off. Thus, clearly teaching two advents of Messiah. He was cut off by the cross.
“but not for himself” Jesus died for us, gave Himself for us, that he might by His death accomplish the six things mentioned in v. 24.
“The people of the prince that shall come” this seems to be a reference to the destruction of Jerusalem by Rome. And it would appear that the prince here is antichrist. Daniel also mentions the man of sin in chapters 7 and 11.
27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
“And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week” this is where it gets tricky. Who is this “he”? Is it Messiah or the prince that shall come? I believe the focus of this passage is Messiah and that this is a return to that theme. So, I believe that it is the Messiah who “shall confirm the covenant with many for one week.” This would be the ministry of Jesus.
“and in the midst of the week” Jesus had a 3 ½ year ministry. And this is the time of year we remember the end of that ministry, when he was “cut off, but not for himself.”
This sounds like there are 3 ½ years left of the 70 weeks. Jesus was manifested at the end of 69 weeks and his public ministry was the first half of the 70th week. Where is the other half week or 3 ½ years? Is there a gap in this 70th week? There are many who see all 70 weeks fulfilled in the first advent of Christ. But, if verses 26 and 27 have any reference to the destruction of Jerusalem, then a gap has already been introduced. And it is interesting that Daniel, who was careful to delineate the 69 weeks and takes us to “the midst of the [70th] week,” does not then tell us about the other half of the 70th week. Or does he? In chapter 7, when telling us about antichrist, he writes, “And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High…and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.” This same theme is picked up in the book of Revelation. Whenever the length of the tribulation or the reign of the beast is mentioned, whether in days, months, or times (time, times, and half a time) it always adds up to 3 ½ years. Interesting.
As I mentioned at the beginning, it is not my intention to attempt a detailed explanation. I’m simply sharing my astonishment and excitement at the detail God provided concerning the coming of Christ. He promised that after 483 years the Messiah would appear – and he did! And Jesus himself began his ministry with, “The time is fulfilled.” Amen! Furthermore, God declared that in the midst of the week Messiah would be “cut off, but not for himself.” And he was. And as the Lord promised, Jesus was cut off “to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness.” Amen! No wonder Jesus said, Repent, and believe the good news!
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