More from Clive Staples Lewis

"... I return to enquire how we are to decide on a question of morals. We have seen that every moral judgment involves facts, intuition, and reasoning, and if we are wise enough to be humble, it will involve some regard for authority as well. Its strength depends on the strength of these four factors. Thus if I find that the facts on which I am working are clear and little disputed, that the basic intuition with the particular judgment is strong, and that I am in agreement or (at worst) not in disagreement with authority, then I can trust my moral judgment with reasonable confidence. And if, in addition, I find little reason to suppose that any passion has secretly swayed my mind, this confidence is confirmed. If, on the other hand, I find the facts doubtful, the supposed intuition by no means obvious to all good men, the reasoning weak, and authority against me, then I ought to conclude that I am probably wrong. And if the conclusion which I have reached turns out to flatter some strong passion of my own, then my suspicion should deepen into moral certainty."

- from 'Why I am not a Pacifist' in The Weight of Glory, (my thoughts on this passage have nothing to do with war or peace - GHG)

"I begin to suspect that the world is divided not only into the happy and the unhappy, but into those who like happiness and those who, odd as it seems, really don't." - C.S. Lewis

The Chronic of Narnia Rap

I haven't watched Saturday Night Live in years because it just got too rank, but a friend showed me a rap that was made up based on two guys who are going to see the Chronicles of Narnia... very funny.

I met Dave Brubeck!!!

I met Dave Brubeck! I can't believe it in some ways. This guy truly opened the doors of jazz music to me. I had been in jazz band in high school, but I never truly got 'jazzed' about jazz until I heard The Dave Brubeck Quartet play Blue Rondo ala Turk. I was amazed and awed. Even though he is an older man now, and his writing has gone in different directions, it was an honor to meet him, however briefly. He is among America's living legends, and has impacted more people than I can ever hope to. I honestly had that feeling like, "I never want to wash this hand again." I know that is ridiculous, but when you shake hands with someone of that stature, it really makes you excited. Cool...

Tribe makes a bone headed move

I have not read a ton on the Coco Crisp trade, but from all that I can tell, it was like giving the Red Sox an extra ace and taking in return an 8 of clubs. What a crappy deal. I am tired of hearing about potential. I want to see runs on the board, and Crisp was a guarantee for that. Now we are going to have to depend on one less guy to get the job done while these newbies get their act together. Whatever...

4 year old trumpet player???

Keeping with the theme of brass players... here is link to a video clip of a 4 year old trumpet player, that if you listen closely is already playing some jazz standards...

The Baghdad Brass Quartet

Here is another picture that my brother sent of some Iraqi children having a good time.

Love your unborn neighbor

Love your unborn neighbor - a message by John Piper that is well worth reading.

C.S. Lewis thoughts

Here are some really powerful thoughts that I ran across from C.S. Lewis in his collected works book "The Weight of Glory".

Speaking of God's claim on our whole lives he says:

"For He claims all, because He is love and must bless. He can not bless us unless He has us. When we try to keep within us an area that is our own, we try to keep an area of death. Therefore in love, He claims all. There's no bargaining with Him. That is, I take it, the meaning of all those sayings that alarm me most... Law, in his terrible cool voice, said 'Many will be rejected on the last day, not because they have taken time and pains about their salvation, but because they have not taken time and pains enough'; and later... ' If you have not chosen the Kingdom of God, it will make in the end no difference what you have chosen instead.' Those are hard words to take."

And on forgiveness he says:

"To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you. This is hard. It is perhaps not so hard to forgive a single great injury. But to forgive the incessant provocations of daily life - to keep on forgiving the bossy mother-in-law, the bullying husband, the nagging wife, the selfish daughter, the deceitful son - how can we do it? Only, I think, by remembering where we stand, by meaning our words when we say in our prayers every night 'forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.' We are offered forgiveness on no other terms. To refuse it is to refuse God's mercy for our selves."

of photogenic brothers....

Here is a new pic of my brother in Iraq... he is definitely the photogenic sibling of the three of us... below the picture is a little commentary that he sent with this and some other shots...



Greg here. Hope all is well with the lot of you. Time continues to move along here. I have lost the concept of what day it is. I reflect back on the photgraphs taken over the past months and wonder about what the future holds for the people of Iraq. In some of their eyes I see the glimmer of hope and optimism for their future. In others there is a blank-listless gaze inspired by decades of unrest,poverty, and psychological beatings. Idealistically, I would like to think that we may just be the first to say "enough, here is a new opportunity," and stick around to back up what we say. Needless to say, our good intentions are portrayed incorrectly and our shortcomings are magnified beyond reality. I hope you enjoy these as much as I enjoyed the time durring which I took them. Take care of yourselves and each other.

Two (strike that) Three more books

Here are two other books that I have read lately...

Scripture Alone by R.C. Sproul is a worthwhile read for anyone who has an interest in the authority of the Scriptures. Some chapters are definitely not directed at someone who has a less than passing interest. Sproul from time to time include Latin phrases or words that may not be well known, and that can be a bit of a distraction, but the book in itself is excellent. The first half of the book is a compilation of different writings that he has done in the past. The second half of the book is an exposition, for lack of a better word, on written statement called the Chicago Declaration, which was a statement about evangelical beliefs concerning the autority of the Scriptures. While this book is not a facts and figures book (like some of the older Josh McDowell books), it does give good and well reasoned philosophical answers for why we can and should trust in the authority of God's written Word, the Bible.

The Wounded Spirit by Frank Peretti is not one of his fiction works. This is actually the only Peretti book I have read, and it is his only non-fiction book. Actually, a large portion of the book deals with some of his own personal experiences, which makes it a fairly easy read. However, the book is more than just an autobiographical sketch. It is for anyone who has ever been hurt by words, fists, or ideas. It is a quick read on the whole. I am a slow reader and it only took me two nights. Every teacher and parent should read this book even if as a reminder of how it feels to be treated poorly as well as what could and should be done about it. It is a solid reminder of how all of us have been given dignity because we are made in God's image, and that image is to be treated with that same dignity.

The Narrows by Michael Connelly. I just devour these books, and after reading at least a dozen, you start to get an easy handle on where Connelly is going. But I really liked this one. I have been a huge fan of the Harry Bosch character from the first novel, but even at that, sometimes I feel that Connelly tries to tie in too many different things/people from other books. I also am still getting used to Harry Bosch in frist person (this is only the second in the series written that way). All of that being said, thumbs up on The Narrows. Next book please.

Pheakdey and Sreynith

Here are two friends of mine in Cambodia. I am looking forward to seeing both of them this summer! Pheakdey took this picture after she got back from Hong Kong.

At the Water Festival

This is picture of Seda and her mother, and Seda's nephew and niece at the Cambodian Water Festival held in Phnom Penh each year.

Books I have read lately...

The Pol Pot Regime by Ben Kiernan is a very in depth book, but it goes so in depth that it almost feels as if you lose perspective on the tragedy of what happened. It reads like someone's Master's thesis for most of the book, which for me made it laborious.

Lost Light by Michael Connelly is another chapter in the on going story of Connelly's most developed character, Harry Bosch. Connelly is a good writer (I have read almost all of his books), but sometimes I feel like he tries to draw in too many elements. I have to admit that I was taken a little off guard by the fact that this book is the first of the Harry Bosch books that is written in first person. All of the preceding novels have been in third person, and that was part of what endeared me to Harry Bosch. It was another good 'case' for Harry, even though this is the first book where he is not a detective for the Los Angeles police department.

The A.B.C. Murders by Agatha Christie is another book in the fantastic series of books featuring Hercules Poirot. Being a huge Poirot (and David Suchet) fan, this story goes wrong at no point. When I first started reading Christie novels, I was often disappointed that so much of the novel was revealed at the end and that there was no real opportunity to 'figure it out'. However, the more I am acquainted with her writing, the more I see the genius in her ability to weave all of the characters and information together without the extraneous details that would give too much away.

Buckeye Glory Days by Eric Kaelin after the Bucks great win over Notre Dame a week ago, I could not leave this one off. This book highlights the 25 greatest football victories by Ohio State. I was given this book a few years ago and just got around to reading it. It also comes with a CD of short radio calls of highlights from the game. Of course, the No.1 game was the 2003 Natioanl Championship game against Miami.

More to come...

Weaving in Thailand

Here are some pics of some of the children at the Asia's Hope orphanage in Changmai Thailand. I am not sure of all that the kids do during the day, but this is to begin to train them in a trade that they can live off of when they get old enough to have to support themselves.

Pictures from Iraq

My brother sent us some new pics the other day from Iraq... here is my favorite one of him.

Insane light show

I have heard that this is one of the most popular web links right now. Who ever spent the time and energy to put together this holiday light display has either no life or the creative energy of ten people put together. Maybe it is not that complex, but when I watch this I feel like either I have wasted my life, or this guy has... (click here) I have also heard that he had to shut it down because either his electric bill was out of sight, or because the traffic in his neigborhood was so clogged that there were traffic problems... who knows... another urban legend...

Indians (re-)sign Graves and Karsay

I think on the whole this is a good move. Graves (despite the incindent that left him without a Red's jersey) has been very consistent on a mediocre team... having him back will plug the hole Howry left well. Karsay... this guy has always thought too much of his abilities... it got him a deal with the Yanks for a while, but not long. When he pitches in the place he belongs... the bullpen, and if he can learn to be content with that, he can do well. Now the Tribe needs one more starter to replace Millwood (can he be replaced?), and a right handed bat. It is hard to say who either of these will be. The table of free agent players is getting cleaned off fast...

Contentment

Puritan Prayers

Heavenly Father, if I should suffer need, and go unclothed, and be in poverty, make my heart prize Thy love, know it, be constrained by it, though I be denied all blessings. It is Thy mercy to afflict and try me with wants, for by these trials I see my sins, and desire severance from them. Let me willingly accept misery, sorrows, temptations, if I can thereby feel sin as the greatest evil, and be delivered from it with gratitude to Thee, acknowledging this as the highest testimony of Thy love.

When thy Son, Jesus, came into my soul instead of sin He became more dear to me than sin had formerly been; His kindly rule replaced sin's tyranny. Teach me to believe that if ever I would have any sin subdued I must not only labour to overcome it, but must invite Christ to abide in the place of it, and He must become to me more than vile lust had been; that His sweetness, power, life may be there. Thus I must seek a grace from Him contrary to sin, but must not claim it apart from Himself.

When I am afraid of evils to come, comfort me by showing me that in myself I am a dying, condemned wretch, but in Christ I am reconciled and live; that in myself I find insufficiency and no rest, but in Christ there is satisfaction and peace; that in myself I am feeble and unable to do good, but in Christ I have ability to do all things. Though now I have His graces in part, I shall shortly have them perfectly in that state where Thou wilt show Thyself fully reconciled, and alone sufficient, efficient, loving me completely, with sin abolished. O Lord, hasten that day.

A good friend

Here is a new picture of my friend Pheakdey. She sent this to me recently with the pictures of Sreynith in the Buckeyes shirt. I really appreciate her. She is straight forward and honest, yet knows when to share and when to wait until the right time. She told me recently that she is headed for Hong Kong for a couple of days at Christmas. She said that it is her first time on a plane. May God bless you friend! You are in His hands. Have a great time.

Enlightenting the Cambodians...

I love this picture. I sent Sreynith a Ohio State shirt as a gift this past fall. I am sure that she doesn't really know anything about what the Buckeyes are, but it certainly is fun to share something about my life with her. Maybe I can explain it a little more next summer. And it at least means that she will not be wearing anything with maize and blue on it.