HAPPY OLD YEAR!

It's the end of 2007, and we're about 3,000 miles away from the party at Steven and Emily's where we thought we were going to be.

That's right, we're still in New England. This morning, Amy and I and her mom and John woke up at 3:30am to drive to Albany, New York to board our flight to Orange County. However, it had started snowing the night before and the snow had piled up. What's worse, many of the roads hadn't been plowed, so we 4x4'ed at about 30 mph until we got the Mass Pike where we still couldn't go full speed.

We arrived at the airport much later than we wanted to and Continental didn't have tickets for us! Our original flight to the OC had been canceled and I had rescheduled everything on the phone Sunday. So we were floating around in their network, but had no tickets! Next, we went on over to Delta and tried to figure out what to do. They offered us a trip home today, but it would have gone from Albany to Charlotte to Atlanta to Minneapolis to Orange County. In fact, as I write this (8:00pm ET), we'd still be in the air on the way to the OC.

Needless to say, we declined that option and decided to stay an extra day and fly from Albany to JFK to Orange County on New Year's Day.

Tonight for dinner we ate lobster, clams and shrimp. It was glorious! Bottomfeeders, dad!

Have a wonderful New Year's; I doubt we'll up for it since we have to wake up around the same time tomorrow morning.

Goodbye 2007.

Is Huckabee a fiscal liberal?

Don't believe everything you read, especially if it's the only thing you've read. Since this is the first presidential election that I've been fully plugged in for, I've been trying to pay attention to the media frenzy.

However, just when I think I wrapped my mind around the basics of understanding the candidates, I read some scathing articles that attack the guy I was pretty sure was "my guy."

So, if you've heard the news about Huckabee having a fiscally liberal bent ("Huckabee's Republicanism is even less orthodox than McCain's and seems unviable beyond Iowa,") then read this post to be even more confused!

Complaints for Christmas

Yes, you read that right. All I've got for Christmas is complaining. However, in this case, I think the complaining is warranted. This is only the second post in December 2007.

We're in Great Barrington, Massachusetts right now for Christmas. In fact, it's 8:21am as I type this. The first clock I saw this morning said 6:13am. Amy's little brother Dan woke everyone up to come downstairs to the tree to open stockings and presents. Yes, it was too early. We got many presents and enjoyed watching everyone open theirs.

Oh, and it was my first white Christmas! It hasn't snowed in three days, but the snow hasn't all melted yet. It's beautifully cold outside and we have five more full days to spend in Great Barrington. One day we'll spend partially in Connecticut at Amy's grandpa's house (we call him Pop-pop). We're hoping to maybe spend some time in Boston, since that didn't work out while we were with Amy's dad in southern New Hampshire.

Right now, Amy and Lisa are asleep on the couch; Mike and Raphaelle are asleep upstairs. Dan is trying to download ITunes and figure out his new IPod nano. John is asleep and I have no idea where Amy's mom is. That's all for now, and I will post again before we leave for home.

The Golden Compass, Killing God and Huckabee

Unfortunately, there have been many "scare" e-mails about The Golden Compass being floated among Christian circles. I believe I've received two of them so far. Basically, they are screaming about the horrible message of the movie, the book it's based on, and most especially the author. I've learned more about this movie in recent days and also about Philip Pullman's trilogy, His Dark Materials, and I agree that the message is a terrible message that completely contrasts with my Christian worldview. However, I don't want to descend to the level of a boycott. Almost all boycotts seem to draw the wrong conclusions with how to deal with something that you disagree with. I would guess that most people who join a public boycott do so on hearsay and perhaps some false or distorted information.

I think it is the duty of a Christian to engage the culture and not shrink away in disgust, as if say that the culture is sinful and disgusting while ignoring my own sin. So, because I have not (yet) read Pullman's trilogy or seen the movie - which comes out in theaters nationwide on Friday - I want to give what I believe is a fair and knowledgeable review of the movie, the books and the man. Dr. Mohler has read the trilogy twice through and saw the movie at a special pre-screening recently. Here's his take.

Also, take a look at the hot-off-the-press Daily Presidential Tracking Poll from Rasmussen Reports. In a crazy development, Huckabee has surged in the last week, displacing Giuliani on top of the polls.

Quick Hits

I'm pretty sure I stole that title from a sports section or website. Unoriginal, I know, but it felt exactly like the title I needed.

Wednesday, Mike Huckabee passed Mitt Romney in the polls in Iowa. This is huge. Several months ago, Huckabee was in the neighborhood of one to two percent.

Yes, we did go to Santa Clarita for Thanksgiving, and yes, it was wonderful. Short version: Lots of traffic on the way there, basketball, great football game, amazing Thanksgiving dinner, lots of good time with family, watched good football, went on walks with Dad, laughed a lot and enjoyed the fastest drive time we've ever had from Santa Clarita to the OC.

Our senior pastor at Village Bible Church has announced his resignation and move to Tacoma, Washington, to direct the Doctor of Ministry program at Northwest Baptist Seminary. We are excited from him and for his wife Karen as they make a big transition in their lives. Their last Sunday will be January 27. Please pray for Village's unity and for wisdom for the elders as they decide on candidates for the senior pastor position.

Junior High basketball season started on Monday. I had 14 guys come out to the first practice and one quit on Wednesday. We have only four eighth graders and only two of them played for me last year. I'm really excited about this team and I hope I can inject some excitement into them.

Amy's going up to Ruth's new home in Fresno this weekend with Heather and Abigail. She's coming back by train Saturday night.

Well, I think that's it for now. Here comes December (and hopefully more consistent posting).

Randy Alcorn Jumps On The Bandwagon

Randy Alcorn, director of Eternal Perspectives Ministries, has decided to endorse Mike Huckabee. Here's why.

Pull The Plug?

From Al Mohler's blog:

As Wesley J. Smith explains, "the reigning cultural paradigm" holds that "a life with profound cognitive dysfunction is not worth living." The dominant assessment is that a person with a diagnosis of permanent unconsciousness should be allowed to die by withdrawal of food and hydration.

But, as Smith reports in The Weekly Standard, this "reigning cultural paradigm" is colliding with medical reality.

Read the rest of the article here.

New Blog!

My seeeeester has a blog!!! I've added it to our links on the sidebar. Check it out, if you so desire :-)

Happy Reformation Day!

Today marks the 490th anniversary of Martin Luther nailing his 95 theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. Although understandably overshadowed by Halloween, today is a far more important reminder of one of the greatest events in the history of the world. It brought about a "schism" or a "revolt" against the established Roman Catholic Church and forever changed the Church, learning, and the world.

Go here to find out more.

Things that Make Me Laugh

Is it mean to laugh at every person who insists on pulling a door that displays a clearly printed sign, such as the one above, telling them to PUSH? So, maybe they've never been here and it's their first time using that door, then I may be a bit more gracious. But what about the ones who try pulling the door every time they use it, every single day?? Personally, I find it quite hilarious. It's even better when they scold themselves for doing it. HA!