Of this and of that.....

Katrina and Rita have come and gone. The aftermath will be felt for years. A major part of the U.S. chemical industry is situated on the Gulf coast, and more then a few of those companies have declared force majuere. We are seeing some of that impact at the soap factory in Ada, MI where I work.

Last week I found a treasure at the public library. Among the books on the "for sale" shelf was Safely Home by Randy Alcorn, and it was a steal at the $2 price. I highly recommend Randy Alcorn's fiction. I've read Deadline also, and he is one of the better Christian fiction writers on the scene.

Safely Home is set in the context of the persecuted Christian house churches in China. We as Evangelicals in the relative safety of the USA have very little idea what our persecuted brethren are going through. How much of our "pop Christianity" would stand up under even 10% of what those brethren have to endure. Indeed that is the danger of "pop evangelical theology" or a "pop" approach to anything to do with church, theology, and the Christian life. Those immersed in that "pop Christian" culture are grossly unprepared for the realities that will some day come upon us... Oh yes... It will come... Western Christianity will face those fires too. May God have mercy on us and may real and true grace be planted deep within our hearts.

More items of a different nature. My last several posts were "blog spammed". I checked out my Blogspot options and have the switches set so hopefully that will be stopped.

Michigan State vs. Michigan: Bragging rights for the year are on the line tomorrow. MSU has looked very good the past several weeks while Michigan has fallen out of the top 25 in the polls. But in a rivalry like MSU and U. of M., polls and records don't mean squat. My wife and I are from the MSU class of '71, so it's green and white at our house. GO STATE!!! (Yeah, in another 100 years who will care... but I still enjoy it..)

By His grace alone,

~ The Billy Goat ~

The Changing Season: Another five days and Summer will be officially over. The days are getting shorter, the corn and soybean fields are drying down to their hues of brown and yellow, a few leaves are starting to change color, and some have already dropped.

Did I mention the Football season is in full swing, and the Detroit Tigers hope for a playoff spot have been totally shattered. Ah! But the Lions are on top of the NFL Central division! How long they stay there remains to be seen. Oh yes! My youngest daughter is back at college for her Sophomore year.

All of that to say we are one more season closer to glory...

Glory be to Him,

~ The Billy Goat ~

When The Winds and Waves Crash: Our friend Paulos has written a well balanced and sensitive post on what the Christian's response should be to Hurricane Katrina and the disaster that is facing the Gulf coast of the United States...

In His mercy,

~ The Billy Goat ~