Monday, May 30, 2005

Memorial Day Picnic






Sunday, May 29, 2005

Memorial Day Weekend


So far it's been a great Memorial Day weekend! First, I read a very good article in Christianity Today about how some historically Christian colleges that have slowly secularized are now attempting to regain somewhat of a Christian identity. Although there is much in the article with which I disagree, the author makes many excellent observations. ". . . Southern Baptist colleges and universities face a stark choice. They must either build new kinds of Christian foundations for their schools, or watch the Christian character of their schools fall into disrepair."

Second, I once again listened to an outstanding 1951 BJU Bible Conference sermon by Dr. James Macginlay. It's the only one of his messages on Sermon Audio, but I hope that they'll put more on soon. The title is
"Can Two Walk Together?," and his text is from Amos 3.

Saturday, May 28, 2005


After church at HBC, Derek, Jesse, Aaron, Jon, and I went to lunch.

Friday, May 27, 2005

BJU M&G Selling Cromwell Painting

On June 16, Christie's will auction BJU Museum and Gallery's portrait of Oliver Cromwell (also known as "Lord Protector of England") at its British Pictures sale in London. In 1820, English artist James Northcote referred to the painting as "the best portrait I have ever seen of that extraordinary man." It is estimated between $72,000 - $109,000. You can take a look at the portrait and read about it here.

Thursday, May 26, 2005

Sunday Morning at HBC


One of the highlights of my trip to Greenville was going to the Sunday morning service at Heritage Bible Church. It was great to be there in person since I'm a regular listener to Pastor Brooks's messages on Sermon Audio!

Wednesday, May 25, 2005


Sunday, May 22, 2005

The Small Things


There were so many big events happening on campus during graduation weekend that I'm sure you've already heard all about them by now. If not, you can catch up on the news here. Instead, I think that I'll tell you about the small things on campus that I was sure not to miss.

I love sounds. That's why I carry a tape recorder with me most of the time. One of my favorite sounds in the whole world is the sound that is made when you you're walking underneath a covered sidewalk on campus, and you reach up and hit the grey metal pole with your hand. It makes a "ding" sound that is unmistakable. If you've ever walked to the alumni building after lunch on Friday, I'm sure that you know what I'm talking about. I love that sound so much that I wish that I could make that sound the ring on my cellular telephone or the alarm on my alarm clock so that I could wake up to it every morning. So, of course, I made sure that I hit one or two poles during my visit.

I also like the smells on campus. Is it my imagination, or do the yellow carpeted walls in the towers of the FMA have a unique odor. It's almost a metalic smell that makes your teeth hurt. I can't be the only one who's ever noticed this. Anyway, I wouldn't trade that smell for anything in the world. To me it's one of those "comfort smells," like chocolate chip cookies baking in the oven.

Friday, May 13, 2005

Big Walker Mountain


Things are just starting to get back to normal for me after a quick trip to Greenville last weekend. I left on Thursday at about 1 pm and got there at about 10 pm. Yet for me, the drive itself is actually part of the fun. I've been taking that journey down I-77 for more than ten years now, ever since my sister was a student at BJU. It's funny, but I always stop at the same few places along the way too.

Most of the time, I don't stop until exit 45 in Beckley, West Virginia. It's about four hours into the trip. I guess everyone associates that exit with the really neat
Tamarack Art and Craft Center, but I think that I've actually only stepped inside that place once. What I always stop at that exit for is the cool Travel Plaza! First, I always fill-up my car with the super expensive gasoline. Then I go inside the building where they have a Sbarro, a TCBY, and a Starbucks! They also have a gift shop that sells West Virginia t-shirts, coffee mugs, and key chains for those people who want to remember that they once stopped at a Travel Plaza in WV. Oh, and I can't forget those machines that squash pennies and write something about WV in them.

It's really easy to spend a lot of money in that place. $4 for a slice of pizza, $5 for a Frappuccino. I then head back out onto I-77, eating my pizza with one hand and driving with the other hand. Of course, I always pay cash at the Travel Plaza. First, I don't really trust West Virginians with my credit card number. Second, I need change for the WV turnpike toll booths. There are three of them along the way at $1.25 each.

I keep driving through the mountains and scan the radio until I find NPR or Rush or Hannity. The last thing in WV is the Big Walker Mountain Tunnel, one of two tunnels on the way. Even if I'm the only one in the car, I carry on the tradition of trying to hold my breath through the entire tunnel. I always, and I mean ALWAYS beep my car horn a few quick times just because I like the sound that it makes as it bounces off of the brick walls. For some reason, there are also traffic lights in the tunnels. Isn't that strange? I've never seen them when they were anything but green, but there's no way that I would stop in that creepy tunnel if they ever turned red while I was driving through it.

On the other side of the tunnel is Virginia. It's a pretty short drive. The most exciting thing to see there is the "
shot tower." I've never fully understood it, but I think that it is where they used to make ammunition for the civil war. You can see the tower from the highway, but you have to remember to look for it or you'll probably miss it.

About the time that I make it to the North Carolina border, I can usually pick up
BBN on my radio, and I listen to that until I see the first sign for a Chic-Fil-A - the first reliable indication that I've made it to the South. This last time, I got the regular sandwhich, waffle fries, and lemonade. Then I had this coupon for a free "Ice Dream." The coupon was 3 years old at least, but they still took it; and the fact that they still accepted that coupon makes me like Chic-Fil-A even more!

Near Charlotte I get onto I-85, and I can feel that I'm getting close. I put in a CD of some classic sermon by one of the Dr. Bobs. The one I listened to this time was a sermon from an evangelistic meeting from something like 1986. It was Dr. Bob Jr., and it's seriously one of my favorites. Next I listened to a chapel message by Dr. Mazak.

When I finally reach the Palmetto state, I turn my radio dial to 94.5 FM
WMUU. It seems to announce my presence like a sixty-minute processional. For I know that good times are only an hour away.

Wednesday, May 04, 2005

"Hillary gets the Catholic out of Catholic college"

"School's invitation to pro-abortion senator prompts archdiocese to cease relationship"

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