"Barometer, n.: An ingenious instrument which indicates what kind of weather we are having." - Ambrose Bierce

(click on any of these pics to enlarge for easier reading)

For this preacher the span from Sunday noon to about Monday noon is spent talking myself down off the ledge.

That guy who jumped from space was on the Today Show this morning. I haven't heard any explanation of what happened to his capsule after he bailed. I don't think it could "burn up on re-entry" because it didn't hit the atmosphere from outer space. Right?

The word "secreted" means discharged and/or hidden. It's own antonym? (cf. cleave)

Dr.: "With your heart problems you need to take this med for the rest of your life...or you'll DIE.
Rx: "No refills."

Only in Chicago:
Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. is headed back to the Mayo Clinic for further treatment for what's being described by his family as bi-polar disorder. He hasn't worked since mid-June but is still on next month's ballot for reelection. He's under investigation by the House Ethics Committee for participating in imprisoned Gov. Blagojevich's scheme to get paid for filling Barak Obama's Senate seat, and by a separate federal investigation on charges he used campaign money to decorate his home. Meanwhile, polls from this weekend show him leading his Republican challenger by a 58% to 27% margin.

One of the criticisms of Christians is that they have turned off their brains, refusing to think critically about objective reality. They ignore overwhelming scientific evidence and latch on to a feel-good coping mechanism so they can have easy answers for life's challenges.

I understand that charge, and to a very limited extent I agree. Too many Christians don't think critically, don't ask the tough questions. They bring a simplistic "Praise Jeeesus" formula to life's most confounding issues. But the same can be said of the general population in other areas. Have you listened to the water cooler conversations about politics?! Or - worse - been on Facebook? A portion of the population will always choose the easy over the thoughtful.

That said, I openly confess to deferring to the Bible in all matters on which it speaks. I'm old enough to know I'm not so smart. That's why I go with whatever the folks at Yahoo Sports say about who I should put in my fantasy football lineup for tonight's game, or what the guy at the nursery says about the varieties of roses that will do well in this desert climate. It takes more than a little arrogance to think I can accumulate and evaluate all the data on almost any subject, never mind matters of the soul, and eternity, and good & evil, and God. It strikes me as the epitome of hubris for anyone to claim sufficient knowledge and wisdom to speak with authority about the unseen and unprovable. Both of us - the skeptic and the believer - speak with confidence about what we cannot prove. We are both people of faith.

I choose to accept the authority of Scripture on those matters. While the Bible's teachings about things unseen can't be empirically proved (or disproved) I don't find anything there that is unreasonable. Instead, a biblical Christianity (as opposed to its numerous perversions) has stood the test of two millennia of history (not counting the Old Testament) and had indisputable positive effects in every cultural context.

All of that to say what the Apostle Paul said in seven words: "I am not ashamed of the gospel."

Louise and I are bonding. When she behaves herself, as she's done lately, she's fun to drive.