Disclaimer

Whilst surfing the net this morning I came across an item which I certainly hope will not confuse our readers. I disclaim any association with this business either as a part of management or (God forbid) a customer.

The shop is actually located in Columbus, Georgia. Come to think of it, this would be an excellent title for a website. I am certain some of our commenters would agree.

In His abiding love,

Cecil Moon

The Foolish Man

One of my brothers in Christ is constantly supplying me with sayings, mottoes, and pithy observations which provoke much thought and introspection. Although I detest “sound bite” wisdom some times these little gems encapsulate some very profound thoughts. I often use them for the subject of meditation and inner examination.

"The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance; the wise grows it under his feet.” (James Oppenheim)

I believe this speaks directly to those of us who are impatiently waiting for Jesus to appear. I am surrounded by those whose principal concern seems to be awaiting His arrival to enjoy the fruits and rewards of their righteousness. They seem constantly distressed and preoccupied with the anticipation to the point of ignoring the here and now. I have personally concluded that the end times are much better seen through the sweat of working for the Master in the vineyard we have than in plowing some field of dreams and expectations. The old hymn says; “work for the night is coming.” The operative word is work. If we are not giving it our all now how can we possibly believe that we will enjoy better results tomorrow?

“What you possess in the world will be found at the day of your death to belong to someone else. What you are will be yours forever.” (No attribution)

This one pretty well summarizes the difference between the spiritual and the temporal. As a father and a grandfather, the legacy of what I am concerns me more and more. Is my life an example and testimony of Jesus Christ? Will I be remembered for prettily wrapped trinkets or lasting wisdom and principal? When someone in the future starts a conversation, “Like grandpa use to say, ….. .” I hope the audience doesn’t giggle but rather ponder. I pray the information then imparted causes them to remember and seek a proper direction in the matter at hand.

I absolutely believe that what “I am” not what I was or “tried to be”, will govern the “forever” part of the quotation. God knows and I am more than willing to trust his judgment. This does not imply an assertion of prospective glory but rather a faith in the fairness of our Father in heaven.

“You can never do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.” (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

Since I have lost close family members recently, I may be preoccupied with my own mortality. I made death bed observations of the recriminations and regret expressed by those on the brink of eternity when they suddenly realized their opportunities were slipping away. I suppose if we live each day as though it were the eve of our departure we might do some things a little differently. The harsh word, the unimportant contention, and the unrighteous action have no place in our current lives not just because of the affect on others but worse, the inventory of our own activity.

There are many more of these which I will bring forth from time to time. One of the great things about our mutual faith is the opportunity to have friends who unselfishly share all they have to enrich your work. Harley Stanbridge is one of mine and if he knew you, he would be yours as well. Thanks brother Hartley.

In His abiding love,

Cecil Moon

Columbus’ Edge

An apology is due to the faithful readers who expected an earlier post. Due to the overnight ice storm, a combination of events prevented prompt posting. Jan worked a double shift; Cec provided two-way transport on the icy roads (140 miles total;) the electricity went off; the satellite internet service went down; and the bed looked really good at 6:00 am. Thank God, all is well now.

On twenty February we will be treated to an unusual, but not rare treat. There will be a total eclipse of the moon. Given decent weather and moderate temperatures, it should be a pleasure for children of all ages. (It also brings to mind a verity in the life of Christopher Columbus which you may or may not recall.) To make any sense of the following, click the link and enjoy the story.

Now that you have completed your assignment, we shall give some thought to the ethics involved in Columbus’ actions. I am more than willing to cede that, as their leader, he was bound to provide for the survival of his men by any means possible. In that regard, I fully understand his motives. History is replete with instances of otherwise good men going to any lengths (murder, cannibalism, theft and duplicity) to insure not just success but the continuance of life itself.

In this case, the feature which bubbles to the top is the false representation of being an agent for God. Even though thousands of miles from home and surrounded by an advancing hostility on the part of his primitive hosts does this allow his suspect invocation of the Almighty? It stuck me as “situational ethics” in its defining hour. He used the, no doubt, divinely inspired genius of another man to bilk the innocent. It wasn’t bad enough that he introduced many of the ills of “civilization” to the native peoples; he taught them blasphemy as well. As the story relates, the locals bought this hook, line, and sinker and increased the measure of their largesse.

This whole matter must come as considerable relief to those few who mistakenly hold the view that hypocrisy is a modern invention. As a student of the scriptures, regardless of the version, you are more than familiar with trickery and deceit employed for personal advancement.

In today’s world of religion, politics, business, information and general intercourse with others we must remain constantly on the alert for these duplicitous deceits. Some, by mangling the scriptures, urge us to actions which actually contradict the clearly stated will of the Almighty. Regular readers already know my opinion concerning “bible totin’ pols.” The charitable industries – yes, they are an industry – thrive on assigning guilt for failure to share our God-given gains. Our televisions bring us a daily fare of advertisements with product appeals cloaked in false promises of enhanced use or impending self-elevation. The tube also provides a constant offering of “manipulated news” which promises truth but actually promotes a specific agenda.

The hypocrisy did not start with Columbus but it certainly gave him the “edge.” Even though his status as the discoverer of the new world has been discredited by those in the academy who assemble history from broken pottery and we who understand the travels of Lehi’s family, he was a hero in his own right. My concerns are with the means and not the end.

In His abiding love,

Cecil Moon

Monday Morning Rant 24

We have posted remarks previously on “global warming” complete with the almost wholly political aspects of the issue. Saturday night the History channel aired a piece on the Little Ice Age. After a reasonably thorough review of the history, we were treated to predictions of the re-occurrence of this disaster. This centuries long event ended in the mid-nineteenth century and did indeed leave behind a record of unparalleled misery and grief in the world and especially Europe.

All the usual suspects showed up to plead their case for climate change. We had oceanographers, climate modelers, atmospheric specialists, archeologists, geologists, and just about every one else in the scientific community who has a vested interest in becoming the latest “Chicken Little.” Although difficult and sometimes boring, I try to keep up with the latest assertions. In general, while looking for causative effects, some of these folks are now assigning blame to the ocean currents. Let me bring you up to speed here.

Immense currents in the Atlantic Ocean originate below the western bulge of Africa, in warm climates and proceed northerly past Europe (providing a temperate climate) on to the near Arctic regions. Here, the warm southerly waters, near the surface, naturally cool, take a left and proceed south, having found a more comfortable path deeper in the sea (cold water sinks) near the coast of North America—this is the highly recognized Gulf Stream. The result is a periodic cyclic disruption of the warming and cooling processes much the same as your household thermostat. It is as normal for the earth as it is for your living room. Constant temperature adjustment is the way God designed it in the first place. Like my late mother in law, I frequently feel “a draft on the back of my neck.” Not to worry, it will change.

According to Climatologist Cliff Harris and Meteorologist Randy Mann, there have been at least 75 worldwide temperature swings (all under ± 3º) in the last 4,500 years. Several of these have easily been established to be the result of violent volcanic eruptions. Some led to warmer periods and some to colder temperatures but, they all led to change.. In a short period between roughly 530 AD and 590 AD, Krakatoa (Indonesia) and at least 10 other eruptions occurred, resulting in the cold period we know as the Dark Ages. The presence of ash in the atmosphere actually blocked the sun. This was followed by ever rising temperatures until shortly before the close of the thirteenth century—about the time the Vikings reached what they called Greenland. The name they chose was more a result of propaganda genius than reflective of conditions on the ground. Shortly after their arrival the earth went into a cyclic reversal and green turned to white.

The declining temperatures continued precipitously until the mid–fifteenth century where it reached its nadir at 2.7º below normal. This was abetted by 24 known eruptions between 1335-1360 in Italy, the Pacific, Alaska and Iceland. The four hundred year plunge came to be known as the Little Ice Age and the subsequent damage to Europe through crop failure and starvation had a significant affect on immigration to America. In 1607, at the coldest time of the period, the Jamestown colony was founded in Virginia. From that time until 1991, the temperature rose in fits and starts until the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines.

Within nine months, the worldwide temperature declined about 1º to near normal. At the same time, sunsets through out the world were unspeakably gorgeous as a result of the presence of ash and other atmospheric debris. Since we seem to equate everything within the parameters of our personal experience, we make inevitable comparisons to our local volcano, Mount Saint Helens in Washington, which was dramatic. It was a killer event. When the damage from the explosion and the resultant pyroclastic flow are viewed in person, it is extremely terrifying. Compared to Pinatubo and especially Krakatoa, it didn’t amount to a hill of beans. To the relatives of the victims it was as tragic as it can possibly get. To the bearing on the world in general it paled to insignificance compared to the aforementioned monster volcanoes. Even after seeing the damage on the northeast face of Mt St Helens it taxes one to even imagine the result of a mega volcano hundreds, if not thousands of times more damaging. If the ash doesn’t get you, the toxic gasses will.

Are there any conclusions which may be drawn from observations of the ocean currents and volcanic activity world wide? My first conclusion is to accept what God reported in Genesis 1:9-17 IV (6-13 KJV) and believe that he created this whole affair. In so doing, He created all the mechanisms which provide a pleasant life for us on the planet. For that I am grateful. I try to keep in mind that He created not only the beauties of the earth but also the inconveniences. The annoying insects, nuisance plants, ferocious beasts (some human, unfortunately), volcanoes, tsunamis, blizzards, and other irritations are all the work of His hand. They are a necessary part of the system of life which we so treasure. It’s up to me to learn to coexist and work with these threats and pests. If I insist on living at the sea side, I must be prepared for the storms at hand and the tsunamis which originate half a world away. If I choose to live in the down slopes of Mt Rainier in the suburbs of Tacoma, WA I must be ready to accommodate what could well become the greatest threat to a major metropolitan area in the United States. I don’t wish them ill but they are living at ground zero.

My second conclusion is that scientists have confirmed that there are unstoppable occurrences in our God created world which exist for a purpose. To carefully consider the ocean currents and their thermostatic effect on climate and not see God’s handiwork is not only foolish but blasphemous. Even destructive volcanoes have a distinct purpose. Without them, the island paradise which is Hawaii would not exist. For those who question the wisdom of the Almighty, note that the exponential increase in World population has been accompanied by proportionately increased rates of food production along with housing and other amenities.

The third conclusion is confirmation of the political, self-centered agenda of those who adhere to the religion of global warming. It appears little more than a device to inhibit the continued success of the first world countries to satisfy the envy driven desires of socialists to reward everything but hard work and initiative. They ignore the easily presented facts of the realities of our planet and proffer solutions which do not enhance life except for those who shun civil discourse and behavior. The really amazing thing is that otherwise thinking people choose to accept this balderdash and buy the “party line.” God help us all!

In His abiding love,

Cecil Moon