I am a meteorologist and a former youth leader at church…I have a lot to say on both subjects…and then some
I was reading Instapundit and ran across this post which sums up why I voted for Bush and why I grew to dislike Clinton (most people don’t know this, but I voted for Clinton both times!).
We went to the Big Ticket Festival this weekend. Still a bit tired this morning, as we get ready for church. We’ll have pictures up later…
I’m testing the video upload on Blogger, by using some old video I shot when Brendon, Ron and I stumbled upon active fire suppression on the way back from Smith Rock State Park, OR in 2004(I think).
I guess I could be described, politically, as a somewhat “conservative” independent. I have sometimes blogged about some of the things that I support that some would say is “liberal” and other things that are “conservative.” A couple weeks ago, I listened a Mars Hill sermon where Rob Bell was describing their mission XYZ and in it he was talking about that in Jesus there is no R or D. This has been how I have been feeling for a while. Well, earlier today, I read the news out of Grand Rapids about how the state Republicans are going after the congressional representative for my area (MI D-1). I began thinking about the R versus D struggle and I think I finally have put into words what I have been feeling as of late.
So now the Republicans want to unseat a Democrat in northern Michigan. The only problem with that is that this Democrat is not your typical Democrat. If you could put a label on Bart Stupak, he would be a conservative Democrat, at least in my mind. He stands for thing like pro-life like I do, and he looks out for the little guy, from what I can surmise. So I have voted for him every election since I moved up here.
Now here is my point. I’m getting somewhat cynical about the politics of this nation in some ways. I think that most people only look at the labels and not at what someone personally stands for. That’s why I am an independent. There are some things that I identify with the Repubs on, and some with the Demos. In some ways the Repub identity has shown through on a the last few elections. However, that is due more to the positions on a few things that I felt were just wrong from the Demos. I guess I would prefer that the Repubs of this state would target other Demos that truly disagree with their positions rather than one that is more than likely to find common ground with them on. One that, in my mind, votes his conscience rather than the straight party line.
I’m probably just being naive.
Well, it’s official. Kaleb has now joined the ranks of those who can drive an automobile. I sat in with him on his driving test last Wednesday. He did well. This was actually a retest. During his first test, Mary was riding along on that one, he missed a stop sign on the open road test. A sign that is not the most conspicuous stop sign. I’m guessing that they bring them through the street to see how well they are paying attention. I went this time, partly because I had the day off and partly because, these things don’t make me nervous. While riding along the parent isn’t allowed to talk during the test, which believe it or not isn’t difficult for me either.
Since then, Mary and I have let him use the van and the truck to go to events and run our errands, like picking up his brother. It has been a little less stressful with the extra driver. We have to get together with his dad sometime and talk about a car for him sometime as well.
Karlie’s next, having just turned 15 she asking about when she can take driver’s ed…
My life just keeps moving along at 60 mph.
Being a meteorologist that has to work on rotating shifts, there are a few weekends when it is my time to work. Some people would ask how I do church. For one thing, I have found that my first day off from work is my sabbath. I tend to not do a whole lot on that day. Next, while I miss our church worship on Sunday, I listen to the podcasts of two other churches, Mars Hill Bible Church in Grandville, MI and Imago Dei in Portland, OR.
This last Sunday was interesting as I find myself evaluating how am I being part of the priesthood of all believers, fulfilling Isaiah 61, Acts 2:42-47, and wondering what more can I do. The reason that it was so interesting, was due to the fact that Mars Hill and Imago Dei had almost the same teaching with the difference being their geographical areas and the Lifespring podcast the hosts wife shared how they are trying to share God’s peace with kids who don’t have any peace. Coming from a Methodist, who tries to knows a little bit of the life of John Wesley, I find myself wanting to emulate Christ better.
