Thoughts on a Saturday

The Presidential campaign is in full swing. This year reminds me of 1996, when it was Clinton vs. Dole. Since I couldn’t vote for Clinton, I cast the most unenthusiastic vote of my life for Dole. I of course cannot vote for Obama, as he’s pro-choice, and that is a make or break issue for me. So, I either sit the election out, or case another unenthusiastic vote for McCain. I expect I’ll do the latter.

I like the Pickens plan, mostly because it is a plan. I completely agree with him that our primary motivation should be to stop our dependency on foreign oil. We need to do something, and do it quickly.

I’ve been listening to a series of lectures J.I. Packer gave in 1988 on the History of the Puritans . Packer is one of the world’s foremost theologians, and I’ve read several of his books. But this is the first time I’ve ever heard him lecture. Very interesting.

Charter Sunday - Sovereign Grace Baptist Church

Sunday, July 20th was an important day in the life of my church. It was the day we officially became a church. We began meeting at the beginning of the year, but this is the day we mark as the beginning of our church. 14 saints signed the charter, and it was framed and will always be a tangible item we can look at to remind us of the birth of our church. It's a very special time, and a special group of believers. In the 18 years I've been a Christian, this is the first church I've ever been affiliated with that really desires to glorify God, and to minister, serve, and worship God's way.......not our way.

Also, been listening to Kim Riddlebarger's stuff on Amillennialism lately. Excellent stuff, esp compared to the terrible stuff MacArthur preached on this last year. Technology is amazing! We can download this great stuff from the internet, load it to my ipod, and listen while I'm pumping iron and doing cardio in the gym!

Grandpa

Here's a picture of me and my grandson taken on the 4th of July:

Books, Books, Books

My house is a mess! Books everywhere! My wife and I are both big readers. Before I married, her, I used to read one book, finish it, then begin a new one. Not the way she did it........she always had several going simultaneously. I don't know if I can blame her, but I've fallen into that habit. I'm reading the following books at the moment:

1. Holiness - J.C. Ryle's classic. I've been reading it for a long time. I need to finish.

2. The Doctrine of the Knowledge of God - John Frame. Excellent, but you need to be wide awake to read it.

3. Changed into his image - Jim Berg

4. Salvation belongs to the Lord - John Frame. I want to recommend this to my church, but I need to read it first. Being a reformed baptist, I gotta check out those prebyterians first. :)

Here are some books I've finished recently:

1. God's indwelling presence - James Hamilton. Superb - the finest treatment on the Holy Spirit I've ever read.

2. Exigetical fallacies - D.A. Carson

3. The Temple and the Church's Mission - Greg Beale - Outstanding. A real eye-opener.

4. The Deliberate Church - Mark Dever. Our new church is using this work as a model. An excellent model to follow.

I just bought Grudem's Sysematic theology, and I have Vos' Biblical Theology on the pile waiting to be read also. Maybe I'll get 'em all read when I retire. Probably not........

Retiring!

It's official. I retire effective 1 Feb 09. So, after 27 years and 4 months of active duty, I'll be a civilian. Very strange when I first looked at my retirement orders. In any event, my retirement ceremony is scheduled for 31 Oct......reformation day! I have mixed feelings. I've had a great career, and accomplished a lot. I came into the AF at a whim, a poor kid from Cleveland, Ohio. I leave having reached the top of my profession. I leave with a college education, a ton of experience, and healthier and fitter than I've ever been. I've been very blessed.

I still expect to land the job I was offered a couple of months ago, but I have to wait for the process to work. I'm in a holding pattern. Lots of stuff to do.

One of the sad things is my dad didn't live to see this. He died 5 years ago. I miss him a lot.

Catching up

It's been a long time since I posted - I've been busy. But there are a few things to talk about.

1. My ex-wife was awarded 30% of my retirement pay as part of our divorce settlement. She willingly gave it back to me. An amazing and unexpected development. I don't know her motives, but I'm very thankful. She'll be on my Christmas card list from now on. :)

2. I've been thinking ever more seriously about retirement in the last few months. I've completed all my career goals. Although I love my job and I think I'm pretty good at it, there's no reason to stay.....other than every day I stay on active duty means more money when I retire. I've told my boss while I'm not actively seeking retirement, ie, I'm not looking for a job, I'd retire if the right opportunity appeared. Two weeks ago, my boss offered me exactly the kind of job I want post-retirement. I told her I wanted the job, but there is one sticking point. It's a gov't job, and to apply, I have to retire first. I'd like to get the job locked and loaded, and then retire. No risk that way! Because of the way the gov't system works, I can theoretically not be hired even if I'm the most qualified. I'm not willing to take that kind of risk. Stand by for news...

3. Congress passed the latest war funding bill yesterday. Part of this bill includes a new G.I. Bill. I am stoked! I wasn't eligible for the Montgomery G.I. Bill, as I joined the AF at the wrong time. But I get this one. For a couple of years, I had loosely been planning to attend seminary if the money were ever to become available. But the best thing about this bill? Portability! While the details are still pending, it appears I'll be able to send my youngest daughter to OSU......and it will be fully funded! Obviously, that's more important than seminary.

Various Tidbits

Well, today is the final day of my two-week R&R; it's back to work on Monday. A few thoughts:

1. Ipods are great! :) I bought one shortly before my deployment, and used it daily while in the gym. There is so much great stuff on the Internet to download to an Ipod. Before I left, I downloaded a bunch of lessons from these two sites: http://itunes.rts.edu/ and http://www.covenantseminary.edu/worldwide/default.asp. What great resources. I still listen to MacArthur in the car, but in the gym, it's gotta be something for the Ipod. The days of carrying a tape or CD player are over!

2. "Future Israel" was interesting, but I'm looking forward to reading the two books by John Frame that I ordered while deployed. My wife thinks I should alternate reading practical stuff with the pointy-headed theology stuff. I think she's right. I'll probably read Jerry Bridges latest book first.

3. My father-in-law likes Romney. I think I agree. Disappointed in Thompson; his campaign never really got going.

4. My youngest daughter wants to go to Oklahoma State; she wants to be a vet, which is a very tough field to get into. But her grades are rockin'. She might do it.

5. Became a first-time granddad in Nov. I guess I'm supposed to feel old...