"The more I want to get something done, the less I call it work." - Richard Bach

(as usual, click to enlarge)

Tomorrow is the first day of autumn and we'll be triple digits. Oy vey.

Last night I was concerned about my sermon - how to present the content of Rom. 1:16-17 in the span of 35 minutes. Always, but particularly when I'm having trouble like that, I ask God for wisdom. This morning I was in the office early and had what could either be called an epiphany or, perhaps more accurately, a dope-slap moment. 

Why was that so difficult to see? Hello! It's not like you're a rookie at this. 

I drove into central Phoenix to the home where I've done some work in the past. I'll go back next Tuesday to install a new toilet, replace faucets in a double sink in the hall bathroom, repair a leaking hose bib outside and repair a sagging interior door. When I leave I'll take 3 or 4 dresser drawers that have come apart so I can repair them in the convenience of my own garage. At some point I'll also move wiring in the dining room's ceiling so the new light fixture will be centered over the table. That one will be nasty. They want a shelf installed on the patio too, a place to hold the DVR for the 48" flat screen I installed out there last year. Yeah, a flat screen on the patio. Turns out that's not so unusual here. 

The income from these tasks will cover some parts for Ilsa. I learned today that the original carb I have won't work because I'm upgrading to a 12v system. VW used an electric choke on their early carbs and this 6v choke would burn up if I reconnected it into the 12v system. And the 12v choke won't retro-fit on this carb. Fortunately, Steve has a carb he rebuilt from a '64 that's still 6v but will take a 12v choke. He's going to make the swap and I'll pick it up after that job next Tuesday.

Nobody does anything "by accident." They do it accidentally. OK? 

On purpose

Accidentally

"On accident" is egregious. 

I heard someone on the radio say the primary justification for capital punishment was to prevent the perp from ever committing more crimes, and that life without parole accomplishes the same thing. 

I'm not sure where they came up with that. I've never heard anyone suggest prevention as justification. 

As I read Gen. 9:6 it's about justice. No mention of prevention or deterrent; rather, justice for violating Imago Dei. 

A sit-com that relies on a laugh track can't be all that funny or they wouldn't need the track to tell is when we're supposed to laugh. 

When was the last time you laughed watching a sit-com? I can't remember.

The adults in my Sunday School class are taking their first exam this week. They can do as much studying as they want before hand, but once they open that .doc they have to take the exam in one sitting. I can tell by the comments I'm getting that they're taking this very seriously and I'm confident they will do well. 

The book on contemporary western believers is that they're consumer Christians who will only be there if they get an immediate take-away that applies to their life within the next 30 minutes. And it shouldn't require significant mental effort. 

Meanwhile, I have a group of busy young professionals who do homework assignments, take quizzes and study for exams so they'll know the OT better. 

I am humbled and grateful.