Sulu Kelley's Ultimate Healing

<---> UpDated 4-2-07 <---> Link to Sulu's obituary

Sulu Kelley passed away today around noon after a brief fight with cancer. Depending on your age, you may remember two of his four children, Amy or Sulu, at HSBC in the `80's. Others may have run across Sulu's website/ministry Wesleyan Heritage Publishing.

If you want to know funeral arrangements email me at w2wkb @ yahoo dot com (remove spaces) and I'll respond as soon as I know. For an address for condolences, the address on their website will work.

Iraq Surrender

I love that Scrappleface!

LEAK: Bush Veto Speech on Iraq Timeline Bill

By Scott Ott, Editor-in-Chief, ScrappleFace.com
News Fairly Unbalanced. We Report. You Decipher.

(2007-03-28) — President George Bush will issue a rare veto in a nationally-televised speech within the next week according to the text of the address leaked to reporters today.

The following are excerpts from a draft of the president’s TV script.

PRESIDENT BUSH: My fellow Americans, in this folder on my desk is legislation that would pull our troops out of Iraq by March 2008, leaving that budding democracy to be ruled under Sharia law which treats goats better than it treats women, leaving this cradle of freedom in the care of men who have made slaughtering civilians an article of faith, and putting the credibility of the United States on a par with the reputation of the United Nations.

I have interrupted your favorite sitcoms tonight so that you could see me do this. I hold in my hand a veto stamp.
(OPEN FOLDER. STAMP BILL.)
Now, I hold in my hand a Zippo lighter.
(IGNITE PAPER. DROP IN TRASH CAN. CAMERA ON FLAMING PAPER, THEN BACK TO PRESIDENT.)

My fellow Americans, you are not cowards. You are not losers. You are not stupid. You are not the people portrayed in the legislation now smoldering in this trashcan. Neither are you the kind of craven misfits that some of your representatives have become, who have traded votes for dollars, the lives of our fighting men for special interest projects in their home districts. That bill was so full of pork, it squealed. As it burns now, it smells like bacon.

I hope my actions tonight make clear to Congress and to our enemies around the world how I view the prospects of surrendering even an inch of ground to the kind of butchers who brought disaster to the streets of New York and the halls of the Pentagon in September 2001.

I pray that the people who thought they could terrify and paralyze us into shrinking from this battle for civilization will understand that, as long as I draw breath, they have an enemy who fears no one but God. I can say this not only because Divine Providence rules in the affairs of men, but also because this same God has raised up a generation of men and women who refuse to bow down to anyone else. Our troops are brave, bold, determined, disciplined and ready to sacrifice even their own lives for their children, their families, their country and the security of even the people who criticize them, or vote for legislation like this. They’re not seeking to be pulled out of harm’s way. They’re the kind of people who throw themselves into harm’s way to protect others.

I know that the terrorists are tuned in to modern media and are watching this broadcast. Let me speak to you now, you brainwashed tool of the devil. When you blow yourself up to kill women, children and noncombatants you will find no doe-eyed virgins waiting to feed you grapes as you recline on a couch in heaven. On the contrary, the way you leave this world is the way you will spend eternity. The burning, flesh-ripping agony you imposed on others will never stop searing your own soul. You will find that the god that you have worshiped is the father of lies, the deceiver. You will then know that the power-hungry monsters in clerical cloaks, who sent you to your death, cared nothing for you or anyone but themselves.

Because you hear my voice tonight, there’s still time for you to redeem yourself. The next time you see one of these slaughter merchants who has become your slave master, turn your blade on him and set yourself free. You will find safe haven with us.

And to Osama, Ayman, Muqtada and the rest of you, I say this: Sleep lightly boys. Even now, deadly men move silently through the darkness toward you. They will overtake you in a moment. The eyes and ears of those who will ultimately bring you down are everywhere. Your closest associates will trade your life for a pittance, because they can see you have no future. They will move against you to save themselves.

To my fellow Americans who, with good intentions, have joined the cry to bring our troops home, I don’t blame you. But a president cannot be controlled by the polls, the pundits or even Congress. Our founding fathers realized that the representatives of the people in the House and Senate could make mistakes when swayed by popular passions fanned by partisans. That’s why the president is the commander in chief. He must, from time to time, make unpopular decisions in order to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. Now is such a time.

The easiest thing in the world would be for me to sign the retreat bill and join the popular chorus. But I have seen the face of evil, and I know that the United States of America has been chosen to stand in the breech at this historic moment. We’re not only standing against wickedness, but we’re marching toward a better future. We can clearly see the day when an area of the world cloaked for centuries in ignorance and hatred will finally breathe the quickening air of freedom, liberty and hope.

Whether you question my motives or understand them completely, I must do what I know to be right. God is my witness and the One to whom I must ultimately answer.

We seek no conflict. We relish no war. We despise the suffering it brings. We harbor no ill will against any but those who, for whatever motive, seek to bring conflict and suffering upon us and our allies.

To our friends and enemies alike we remain steadfast.

I call on Congress tonight to get back to work and provide funding for the troops. Stop crafting sound bites and talking points. Stop giving interviews for a week or two. Send me a bill that smells like victory, without trying to micromanage the war or boost your own reelection prospects. Set aside your own desires and career, and simply do the right thing. History will celebrate your courage.

God bless you, God bless the free people of Iraq, and God bless the United States of America.

Short Term Missions

Interesting article on short-term missions...

Preach Brother!

I'm thinking preacher or maybe singer. Hopefully not politician. These grimaces are not distressed. He was telling me something emphatically.

---------->Updated 3-23-07 6:56Am <----------
Mary Ellen is asking "What happened to his mouth and chin!?! He looks like he's been in a boxing match!" Go ahead and call "Children and Family Services" back and let them know that the redness is just the remnants of the Popsicle in the bathtub. You won't believe this but Tammy doesn't think I bathe the kids thoroughly.

Rewarded, you say?

In response to complaints from the Peanut Gallery that I'm not posting enough pictures.... This was the 2nd of his three bathtub popsicles tonight.

Picture of Innocence, Eh?

Apparently this is the two-year-old who carried two partial gallon's of milk throughout the house today, dumping them out onto linoleum, hardwood, carpet, etc. Mommy was in the shower and therefore unable to get him a drink.

Bible Geo-coding

The location of every identifiable place mentioned in the Bible. Mapped with Google Earth.

http://www.openbible.info/geo/

Make sure to look at the blog link also.

Surprise me, people!

I would like to assume that both of my readers are highly literate. But, who knows?

Let's see if either of you can tell me wrote this? I'll have to admit that I was surprised. It seems like I had seen this on a greeting card or on one of those sentimental forwarded emails.

The woman was made of a rib out of the side of Adam;
not made out of his head to rule over him,
nor out of his feet to be trampled upon by him,
but out of his side to be equal with him,
under his arm to be protected,
and near his heart to be beloved.

Roger Bennett's Ultimate Healing

Roger Bennett, the Southern Gospel pianist formerly of the Cathedrals, died on March 17th. His funeral was yesterday in Brentwood, Tennessee.

This is a link to his blog which his wife has been updating.

http://rogerbennett.typepad.com/

From the Singing News:

Legacy Five pianist Roger Bennett died today as a result of complications encountered through his long battle with leukemia. He was 48 years old.

Born March 10, 1959, Roger grew up in Strawberry, Arkansas. In November of 1979, Roger fulfilled his life-long dream of being a part of professional Southern Gospel music when he was invited by Glen Payne and George Younce to join the legendary Cathedral Quartet. Though he would leave the group for two years (1987-1989) to serve as the president of Journey Records, Roger was the group's pianist at the time of the quartet's retirement in 1999.

Following the retirement of the Cathedrals, Roger and fellow Cathedrals member Scott Fowler launched Legacy Five. In 2004, Roger fulfilled another dream (having his own successful quartet) when readers of Singing News voted Legacy Five as the Favorite Traditional Male Quartet.

Although an excellent singer, Roger is best remembered as pianist--and often a comedian--for the Cathedrals and Legacy Five. Roger received the Singing News Fan Award for Favorite Southern Gospel pianist 14 years in row (1993-2006).

Songwriting was another forte' of Roger Bennett. Many of his songs appeared on the recordings of the Cathedrals, Legacy Five and many others. His writing talent was not limited to just songs, however. Roger was a contributing editor to Singing News, writing "Midnight Meditations."

Roger leaves behind his wife (Debbie), their children (Chelsea and Jordan) and father (Doug). Funeral arrangements are pending.

That Conspiratorial Tone

Chandler and I got home last night from the Friday night Bible study to find Mommy already asleep (she stayed home sick,) Gabrielle had been dropped off at the church for a sleep-over and Cameron had fallen asleep in the car and was in the truck bed. (Make that the toddler "truck-bed" in his room.)

Anyway, Chandler and I watched a few selected "space-ship racing" and "light saber" scenes from one of the newer Star Wars dvd's last night for the first time (for him.) He must have mentioned it to Tammy as I got this message from him a few minutes ago on my cell phone...

Daddy, Call me!

Ouch

Judges 1:4-7

4Then Judah went up and the LORD gave the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand, and they defeated 10,000 of them at Bezek. 5They found Adoni-bezek at Bezek and fought against him and defeated the Canaanites and the Perizzites. 6Adoni-bezek fled, but they pursued him and caught him and cut off his thumbs and his big toes. 7And Adoni-bezek said, "Seventy kings with their thumbs and their big toes cut off used to pick up scraps under my table. As I have done, so God has repaid me." And they brought him to Jerusalem, and he died there.

Through the Bible update - Part 2:Exodus

Moving along the "Highlighter Trail," as I did in Genesis, here are my meager highlighted verses from Exodus

• Exodus 2:24-25; 5:23 & 6:1 "24And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25God saw the people of Israel--and God knew." Later Moses says, "5:23For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people, and you have not delivered your people at all. 6:1aBut the LORD said to Moses, `Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh';"

• God hears my suffering and sees my situation and understands.
• God remembers his promises to me.
• It may appear to me that God is not going to deliver me at all but I am frequently not able to comprehend his timing.
• Finally, at some point, in His timing, I will be amazed at what God "will do."

• Exodus 3:14-15 "God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And he said, "Say this to the people of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'" 15God also said to Moses, "Say this to the people of Israel, 'The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.' This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations."
  

• First, I like how God is directing Moses so precisely, twice telling him "Say this."
• Second, I've been fascinated by the "perpetual statute" statements and here God tells what his name is to be remembered as forever.

• Exodus 4:21 But I will harden his heart and 7:3 "But I will harden Pharaoh's heart," - Wouldn't you hate to be Pharaoh at this point?

• Exodus 12:13 The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt.

• Exodus 12:26 & 13:14 "And when your children say to you, 'What do you mean by this service?'" 13:14 "And when in time to come your son asks you, 'What does this mean?' you shall say to him..."
• This is especially meaningful to me as the father of young, inquisitive children. We are having so many opportunities to talk about the things of God in response to their questions that is becoming amazing to me what they want to ask about.

• Exodus 12:40 The time that the people of Israel lived in Egypt was 430 years. At the end of 430 years, on that very day, all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt.
• Wow! How precise is that? Another example of God's timing?

• Exodus 13:22 The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.

• Exodus 14:13 And Moses said to the people, "Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again.

• Exodus 33:21-22 And the LORD said, "Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, 22and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by.
• Apparently, Fanny Crosby was in the Word. Ya Think?

• Exodus 29:9b And the priesthood shall be theirs by a statute forever. Thus you shall ordain Aaron and his sons. Compare this with 1 Samuel 2:30 Therefore the LORD the God of Israel declares: 'I promised that your house and the house of your father should go in and out before me forever,' but now the LORD declares: 'Far be it from me, for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed.

Make a Wish

This little girl, on the right, is Cierra Hunter. She is a second grader from our church who is at Disney World this week complements of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. She is in remission from lymphoma and this was her wish. There are more pictures at this article from the Salisbury Post.

Crass Commercial Advertisement

Time for a commercial. I have this NKJV "The Wesley Bible" that I found a few weeks ago in a local Christian book store.

I have plenty of Bibles so decided to post this one one eBay. The prior owner, I later found out, sat under the preaching of a Hobe Sound Alum and that name is written in a note seen in one of the photos on the listing. I was pretty surprised to find that. You can at least search that out instead of doing the crossword today. :-)

By the way, the various typos in the listing are not a reflection on my Hobe Sound Education. It was late and I was tired and typing fast and did not proof the listing closely.


Click Here <- - - - - - - - - ->

Raised from the Dead

Kevin Stinehart, a friend-in-law, (he is the son-in-law of my business partner) just returned from Mozambique. He was recording documentary film footage of the revival occurring in Mozambique for the Wesleyan Church.

Anyway, the reason for my posting is that while he was there, a child was apparently raised from the dead. Read about it here...

His great pictures, especially if your kids like large animals, are here.