A Far Green Country

Islam, the ticking time bomb

Pray a Psalm, try & remain calm

Abraham's illegitimate child

A donkey of a man, so wild

Won't you believe, won't you receive

Life from the King, it's life that He brings

Mohammed he lied Mohammed he tried

To deceive the masses, the proof's in the ashes

On the Trade Center's floor & in Gaza Strip's gore

The prophet is dead and all that he said

Will lead you astray, so repent on this day

There's no virgins or wine

Just fire and worms that won't die

My Jesus He lives and it's grace that He gives

Freely to sinners like you and like me

So Ishmael, put away your sword

Muslims, be angry no more

The God of creation replaces death with Salvation

The crescent moon it sets as the rising Son He gets

Glory from God on high. There is no God but YHWH and

My prayer is that someday you'll trust Jesus for eternal life

val·en·tine
Pronunciation: 'va-l&n-"tIn
Function: noun
1 : a sweetheart chosen or complimented on Saint Valentine's Day
2 a : a gift or greeting sent or given especially to a sweetheart on Saint Valentine's Day; especially : a greeting card sent on this day b : something (as a movie or piece of writing) expressing uncritical praise or affection.

Today is Valentine's Day. I'm not sure of the history of the day or who St. Valentine was or if there even is such a real, historical person. I do know that it's a silly day, though it's fun to participate in the silliness sometimes. I don't need Hallmark to tell me when to tell my wife I love her, but every now & then they come through to make it especially fun to tell her. So in seeking out a valentine to my Valentine, I found, officially, the perfect card.

The image in the upper right hand corner of this post is the outside of this perfect card that I found. To some, this image may be cute at best, weird at worst. But, for those who have known us since the beginning days of what has developed into, "David & Mindy," you know there has been a boston terrier involved from the beginning. Yes, the sad fact is that not all of you have gotten to meet my dog, the boston terrier known as Bostic. If the name sounds familiar to you, just think Auburn Tigers. 11-0. 1993. Running back. James Bostic. That's who I named my lil' Bostic after. Unfortunately, the call to ministry was a call to let my parents be his care-taker in Birmingham. It's another story, a long and sad one, but nonetheless, my parents have also gotten a boston terrier so now my Bostic gets to roam a 3 story house with a good friend all day long as opposed to living alone for 18hrs a day in Opelika.

On to the point. So my wife & me, we understand that if the whole world loved Jesus and had a boston terrier, then there would be world peace. Boston terriers are in fact proven to be direct descendents of cheribum. So, I found this card with the precious bt's on it & knew it would be pefect. Then on the inside, the card says, "I love that I get to love you. Happy Valentines Day." Simple, sweet, superb message that in one sentence expresses a truth in my heart. I cannot tell you what all I wrote, that's not blog material.

So I sneak this card into the house, write in it in the wee hours of the evening, and set it up on the breakfast table to greet my wife in the morning. I've done it, I've completed the perfect card! So (Mindy always is up before me) as I'm rousing for the day, my wife sweetly thanks me for the card, but as I come to see her in the kitchen, I notice the same oversized red envelope that I set up the night before still standing there. Wait a minute? She hasn't even read my stinking card!! But no...it has my name on it - & then it hit me - we secretly got each other the same exact card!!

What a joy it is to share a life with someone so intimately and so closely with such joy that you begin to fade into a single person, complete in each other, complete in Christ. What a blessing to know that my thoughts are her thoughts, that her desire for the nations is my desire for the nations, that my struggle against pride is also her struggle against pride, my longing for intimacy with the Father through His Son is her longing too. And sometimes, even my card is her card. We had a good laugh about the valentine and said, "we are soooo married."

I thank the good Lord, that my life is not my own - it is joint and shared with one who is part of me. I thank the Lord that my life is not my own, but that I was bought with a price, and the life I now live can be lived by faith in the Son of God, who loves me and gave Himself for me (1 Cor 6:19-20 & Gal 2:20).

Tired of hearing about culture, community, and relevance

Most involved in the conversation abhor truth and repentance

Don't want to get tangled in Derek's new Webb

And strive against injustice, just because he & Bono said

You saw more clearly when you looked upside down

And don't forget there was blood involved when love came to town

Yes we should feed and care for the poor

But to simply fill their bellies is evil & premature

Justification is not by poverty & the diseased alone

It is by faith in Christ Jesus, His blood shed to atone

So sing about justice and search for AIDS cure,

But Christ must be the ends to your means, or your melody's manure

Atheists will assist the poor, just ask Hollywood,

So nail your message to the cross so you won't be misunderstood

Tell all the world, what is the Object of your affection

But understand our message is offensive, the world will have its objections

Perhaps one of you still hasn't found what you're looking for

I'm no saint, I still run down the aisle like a wh0re

But lets talk not just about culture, but the Creator who transforms

His true Bride, though wayward, that He continues to conform

Talk about community, but know it comes from fellowship with the King

And understand that Christ alone is the most relevant Thing

This comes from one who takes grape juice with his bread

But I don't want to glory in alcahol, I just want His fame to spread

We are to love justice, don't get me wrong, its in His Word

But when it becomes a fad, the "in thing", lines tend to get blurred

You must know your life and death hang on what's the Object of your affection

So Why you love mercy and your neighbor deserves some deep reflection
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***disclaimer
Please notice that I have Derek Webb's link on my page. He's a Godly Christ follower as far as I can tell from his music. I am a huge fan. This post is merely in response to his latest album's lyrics & how, even though I can assume a Cross-centered message on poverty and politics, it is not explicitly stated for the most part like his past solo albums & those with Caedmon's. Also, let's admit it, he's very cool, very "in" in the Christian community, and even in Reformed circles, & now people are looking into actually caring for the poor just because Derek sang about it. This is not bad in & of itself, I just want people to reflect on why they don't get moved when they read it loud & clear in the Word of God. I'm glad a singer/songwriter can move & call us to action, but I think that action has to be done not to simply help others but to glorify God (see Romans 14:23b).

As far as Bono, he may very well be a Christian. My intentions are not to judge Derek & Bono, but to bring to mind why we act when those in the lime-light speak but not when the common preacher opens the Word to us week by week. I also question why any Christian would hold Scripture up on equal footing with the Koran or any other religious writings. Again, I simply want us to not blindly follow "cool" Christians, though I am grateful that those who have fame use it rightly...but in order to use it fully, our message must be the foolishness of the cross, not man-centered moralism.

Top 11 Chuck Norris Facts


#1 Chuck Norris' tears cure cancer. Too bad he has never cried. Ever.

#2 Chuck Norris does not sleep. He waits.

#3 Chuck Norris is currently suing NBC, claiming Law and Order are trademarked names for his left and right legs.

#4 The chief export of Chuck Norris is pain.

#5 If you can see Chuck Norris, he can see you. If you can't see Chuck Norris, you may be only seconds away from death.

#6 Chuck Norris has counted to infinity. Twice.

#7 Chuck Norris does not hunt because the word hunting implies
the probability of failure. Chuck Norris goes killing.

#8 Chuck Norris' blood type is BK+. Butt-Kicking Positive. It is compatible only with heavy construction equipment, tanks, and fighter jets.

#9 Chuck Norris is 1/8th Cherokee. This has nothing to do with ancestry, the man ate a freaking Indian.

#10 In fine print on the last page of the Guinness Book of World Records it notes that all world records are held by Chuck Norris, and those listed in the book are simply the closest anyone else has ever gotten.

#11 There is no chin behind Chuck Norris' beard. There is only another fist.