My wife, Carol, and I left town on Saturday morning, July 16th, not knowing where we were headed for our anniversary. We decided to go south on I-81. We drove to New Market, Virgina because there is a restaurant there that we had eaten at before and that is where my wife wanted to eat. On the way there we stopped a Belle Grove Plantation but the Plantation House was about to close for the night so we listened to a park ranger give a talk about the Battle of Cedar Creek. After the talk we drove on down to the Johnny Appleseed Restaurant where we were going to eat.
The Johnny Appleseed Restaurant just happens to be attached to a Quality Inn so we spent the night there. Looking in the phone book in the hotel room that night I found what looked like a good Fundamental Baptist Church. We got up early the next morning, Sunday, checked out of the hotel, and attended the Smith Creek Regular Baptist Church. It was built in the 1700's and ran about 30-40 people that morning. The people gave us a warm and friendly welcome and if we are ever in the area again on Sunday morning or Wednesday night we will probably go again. The Pastor gave a wonderful sermon on how we can, and should, go about sharing our faith in Christ.
After church my wife decided that she wanted to see Belle Grove Plantation so we drove back to New Market for a tour. It is a very stately mansion on rolling hills and the docent was very informative. One is not allowed to take pictures inside the house so afterward we strolled around the grounds and took quite a few photographs. I would recommend a tour of Belle Grove Plantation to anyone who has the opportunity to go.
Afterward we headed south on I-81 again and stopped at Shenandoah Caverns. We looked around the gift shop but thought the price of admission to the caverns was more than we were willing to pay. Not sure of exactly where to go from there we headed west on route 55 to Smoke Hole, West Virgina. We had been there several years previous and knew it was a beautiful place. We stopped and checked in at a motel in Smoke Hole and then drove into Petersburg and had supper at the Pizza Hut. By that time we were pretty tired and went to bed.
On Monday we took a tour of Smoke Hole Caverns, at about ten dollars per person cheaper than Shenandoah Caverns would have been. There was only one other couple on the tour and so it was a good time without a large crowd of people. We looked around the gift shop and my wife tried to, unsuccessfully, to locate an old friend.
We decided to keep moving so we left Smoke Hole and drove to Seneca Rocks where we visited to old country stores and did some walking around and taking pictures. We ate upstairs in Harper's Old Country Store where they had a small restaurant. The food was good. They have a rock climbing school at Seneca Rocks that I would love to attend but at my age I am sure that will never happen. We could not hike to Seneca Rock because the trail was closed for maintenance. We did go to the Discovery Center and enjoyed the gift shop and walking around an old homestead that is there.
From Seneca Rocks we moved on to Blackwater Falls State Park where we stayed the night in the lodge. We drove around the cabins and got some great pictures of some beautiful deer. One came up to about five feet away from the car and then walked across the road right in front of us. It was beautiful! We had dinner in the lodge restaurant. I got brown pinto beans and ham with fried potatoes and corn bread. It was delicious and the portions were very generous. We went swimming in the pool. The next morning we went on a hike of a little less than a mile with the park naturalist. She told us about a forest not too far from there that is a virgin forest called Cathedral State Park. We, also, went on a hike to a beautiful overlook called Lindy Overlook. The view was truly magnificent.
When we left Blackwater Falls we stopped at the smallest church and post office in 48 states. We took pictures and walked around the grounds. The church has six pews and seats twelve people. It was built in the 1950's by a man to honor his deceased parents. From there we went to Cathedral State Park and took our third hike of the day. We hiked a little over a mile and we were tired. This forest is virgin forest with some Eastern Hemlocks that are three-hundred to five-hundred years old. Some of them are eighty to ninety feet tall and twenty-one feet in circumference. They are very majestic. It is something worth seeing!
Afterwards, we drove to Oakland, Maryland where we had dinner at Casselman's, stopped to get some candy and came home. We drove five-hundred miles in four days and we were tired but we had a wonderful time.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Homosexuality: Still Sinful to the Holy God
One day last week I arrived somewhere and walked in on a conversation that greatly disturbed me. I don't normally listen in on people's conversations but, you know, sometimes one is in a position where one cannot avoid overhearing something no matter how hard one tries. Well, that's the way it was on this particular day.
The woman sitting near me was bisexual and was talking to her collegue about how it is okay to be "gay" and how it is okay if one's children are "gay". Let me say up front, I put "gay" in quotation marks because
I disagree with the use of this word when it relates to homosexuality. Gay means happy, not homosexual, and it disturbs me that they have taken an innocent word meaning happy and have corrupted it to mean something abominable. Just like they have taken the rainbow, God's promise that He would never again destroy the world by flood, and adapted it to represent something that God calls "against nature."
I have nothing against homosexuals as people. I have had some friends that were homosexual but they knew from the beginning of that friendship where I stood on this issue. I do not think they should be beaten or persecuted for their lifestyle nor do I think they have the right to persecute Christians for what they believe. That being said, I feel the need to weigh in on the issue of homosexuality and especially the belief that it doesn't matter if one's children are "gay".
I feel that we, as Christians, and especially as a society are buying into the lie that homosexuality should be an accepted lifestyle, or that it is an "alternative" lifestyle. Nothing is further from the truth. Like it or not, homosexuality is still a sinful lifestyle according to the Bible. Adultery is still a sinful lifestyle according to the Bible. Lying is still sinful and the list could go on.
If one reads Romans Chapter One they can clearly see and understand what the Holy God of the universe has to say about homosexuality. He calls it an abomination and in His mind nothing has changed. Malachi 3:6 says in part, "For I am the LORD, I change not..." Why, you may ask, does God not change? Quite simply, He doesn't have to change. He is Right!, Perfect!, Holy! If perfection has to change then it wasn't perfection to begin with. But God is Perfection. He is and always has been Holy. He is and always has been Right! Psalm 33:4, "For the Word of the LORD is right; and all His works are done in truth."
We may get to the place where the homosexual movement begins to wear us down but that does not change God's mind about it one bit. We are buying into the lie of homosexuality but God still is not pleased with it. And Romans Chapter One still calls it an abomination. Read it for yourself: "For the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleaness through the lust of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves: who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, Who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same but have pleasure in them that do them." Romans 1:18-32.
I do believe that we should love the homosexual as we are commanded to love anyone else whether it be the drunk, the one who abuses his or her spouse, the adulterer, or the thief. However, these lifestyles are still wrong and we must still speak out against them. We must still be witnesses unto them. We must still pray for them that they will see the Light and give their heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ. We cannot stand idly by while this unacceptable lifestyle is thrust upon us.
Remember, as Christians, it is our fault if God no longer chooses to bless America.
The woman sitting near me was bisexual and was talking to her collegue about how it is okay to be "gay" and how it is okay if one's children are "gay". Let me say up front, I put "gay" in quotation marks because
I disagree with the use of this word when it relates to homosexuality. Gay means happy, not homosexual, and it disturbs me that they have taken an innocent word meaning happy and have corrupted it to mean something abominable. Just like they have taken the rainbow, God's promise that He would never again destroy the world by flood, and adapted it to represent something that God calls "against nature."
I have nothing against homosexuals as people. I have had some friends that were homosexual but they knew from the beginning of that friendship where I stood on this issue. I do not think they should be beaten or persecuted for their lifestyle nor do I think they have the right to persecute Christians for what they believe. That being said, I feel the need to weigh in on the issue of homosexuality and especially the belief that it doesn't matter if one's children are "gay".
I feel that we, as Christians, and especially as a society are buying into the lie that homosexuality should be an accepted lifestyle, or that it is an "alternative" lifestyle. Nothing is further from the truth. Like it or not, homosexuality is still a sinful lifestyle according to the Bible. Adultery is still a sinful lifestyle according to the Bible. Lying is still sinful and the list could go on.
If one reads Romans Chapter One they can clearly see and understand what the Holy God of the universe has to say about homosexuality. He calls it an abomination and in His mind nothing has changed. Malachi 3:6 says in part, "For I am the LORD, I change not..." Why, you may ask, does God not change? Quite simply, He doesn't have to change. He is Right!, Perfect!, Holy! If perfection has to change then it wasn't perfection to begin with. But God is Perfection. He is and always has been Holy. He is and always has been Right! Psalm 33:4, "For the Word of the LORD is right; and all His works are done in truth."
We may get to the place where the homosexual movement begins to wear us down but that does not change God's mind about it one bit. We are buying into the lie of homosexuality but God still is not pleased with it. And Romans Chapter One still calls it an abomination. Read it for yourself: "For the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleaness through the lust of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves: who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, Who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same but have pleasure in them that do them." Romans 1:18-32.
I do believe that we should love the homosexual as we are commanded to love anyone else whether it be the drunk, the one who abuses his or her spouse, the adulterer, or the thief. However, these lifestyles are still wrong and we must still speak out against them. We must still be witnesses unto them. We must still pray for them that they will see the Light and give their heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ. We cannot stand idly by while this unacceptable lifestyle is thrust upon us.
Remember, as Christians, it is our fault if God no longer chooses to bless America.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Miss USA 'Believes' in Evolution
by Christine Dao *
An interesting question on evolution cropped up during the televised Miss USA pageant, which aired June 19, 2011.
Pageant organizers asked the contestants, "Should evolution be taught in schools?" Of the 51 woman, 24 answered "yes," two said "no," 24 said both evolution and creation or "all perspectives" should be taught, and one chose not to answer.
The winner, Miss California Alyssa Campanella, was one of two contestants who said specifically that they "believe" in evolution.
"I was taught evolution in my high school growing up. And I do believe in it. I mean, I'm a huge science geek, so I like to believe in, like, the Big Bang theory and, you know, the evolution of humans, you know, throughout, you know, time," she said.1
In a guest post on the Discover blog of political journalist and author Chris Mooney, molecular biologist Jamie L. Vernon wrote, "Campanella's answer demonstrated that she possesses a respectable appreciation and understanding of science."2
Additionally, she favored the legalization of medical marijuana and said that she would agree to a "tasteful" nude photo shoot as long as it presented her body in a way in which she would be respected.2
Whether one agrees or disagrees with Ms. Campanella's responses and her winning of the pageant, something interesting to note are the 26 responses that were either not in favor of teaching evolution or in favor of teaching it along with other scientific theories.
Oftentimes the respondents, including Ms. Campanella, spoke of evolution as a belief system. More often than not, the women supported presenting students with as much information as possible so that they could decide for themselves what would be best to "believe."
Just as many respondents who favored evolution had favored academic freedom, and many contestants acknowledged the faith required to accept evolution. As Dr. Vernon commented, the new Miss USA does indeed possess "a respectable appreciation and understanding of science," as demonstrated by her implicit acknowledgment that support for evolution is a matter of belief.
References
Hughes, S. A. Miss USA 2011 contestants weigh in on evolution (Video). The Washington Post BlogPost. Posted on washingtonpost.com June 21, 2011, accessed June 23, 2011.
Vernon, J. L. Miss USA 2011, "A Huge Science Geek." The Intersection, Discover Magazine. Posted on blogs.discovermagazine.com June 20, 2011, accessed June 23, 2011.
Ms. Dao is Assistant Editor at the Institute for Creation Research.
Article posted on June 29, 2011.
An interesting question on evolution cropped up during the televised Miss USA pageant, which aired June 19, 2011.
Pageant organizers asked the contestants, "Should evolution be taught in schools?" Of the 51 woman, 24 answered "yes," two said "no," 24 said both evolution and creation or "all perspectives" should be taught, and one chose not to answer.
The winner, Miss California Alyssa Campanella, was one of two contestants who said specifically that they "believe" in evolution.
"I was taught evolution in my high school growing up. And I do believe in it. I mean, I'm a huge science geek, so I like to believe in, like, the Big Bang theory and, you know, the evolution of humans, you know, throughout, you know, time," she said.1
In a guest post on the Discover blog of political journalist and author Chris Mooney, molecular biologist Jamie L. Vernon wrote, "Campanella's answer demonstrated that she possesses a respectable appreciation and understanding of science."2
Additionally, she favored the legalization of medical marijuana and said that she would agree to a "tasteful" nude photo shoot as long as it presented her body in a way in which she would be respected.2
Whether one agrees or disagrees with Ms. Campanella's responses and her winning of the pageant, something interesting to note are the 26 responses that were either not in favor of teaching evolution or in favor of teaching it along with other scientific theories.
Oftentimes the respondents, including Ms. Campanella, spoke of evolution as a belief system. More often than not, the women supported presenting students with as much information as possible so that they could decide for themselves what would be best to "believe."
Just as many respondents who favored evolution had favored academic freedom, and many contestants acknowledged the faith required to accept evolution. As Dr. Vernon commented, the new Miss USA does indeed possess "a respectable appreciation and understanding of science," as demonstrated by her implicit acknowledgment that support for evolution is a matter of belief.
References
Hughes, S. A. Miss USA 2011 contestants weigh in on evolution (Video). The Washington Post BlogPost. Posted on washingtonpost.com June 21, 2011, accessed June 23, 2011.
Vernon, J. L. Miss USA 2011, "A Huge Science Geek." The Intersection, Discover Magazine. Posted on blogs.discovermagazine.com June 20, 2011, accessed June 23, 2011.
Ms. Dao is Assistant Editor at the Institute for Creation Research.
Article posted on June 29, 2011.
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