Service Project for Flooded Residents at Riley View Apartments

On Wednesday, we called together a Campus Life team to help move furniture from the flooded housing units at Bluffton Riley View Apartments. From 1:30 to 8:30 pm. we were able to share the love of Jesus to those who had no one else to help them. A BIG thanks goes out to the team that gave the precious gift of time. Those who served were Jerrod Amstutz, Kelsey Goldenetz, Isaac Stechshulte, Wade Slechter, Karen Line, Aaron Rule, Sam Spallinger, Matt Kohli, Stephen Steiner, Jeremy Smith, Cory Huber, Jacob Walker, David Glick, and Jim King. Thanks for lending a hand! With widespread flooding in the area, all of us will have opportunities to love their neighbors. Look for ways you can serve.
These are the days my friend,
Jim "Train"

Floods and Goodbyes

Yesterday was one to be remembered. Flood waters of the Riley cut the village of Bluffton in half. It's the worst flood in my memory. People had to be evacuated. Basements all over town were soaked. DTR workers were stranded at work. I 75 was closed when water covered an eighth of a mile of both north and south bound lanes. When you see the river, overflowing its banks, your jaw drops and all you can say is, "Wow!" It's floods like the one we're experiencing that reminds us of how many things are out of our control. As human beings we like to be in control. But life throws us curve balls that demonstrate otherwise. It's another powerful "object lesson" that shows our need to throw ourselves upon the One who knows all and truly is in control. Nothing takes the Lord by surprise. When the tough times come it also provides opportunities for His creatures to respond. I saw people in boats helping others out of flooded vehicles. A firemen carries a woman out of her apartment. Others use a front end loader to go through the waters to bring people safely out of the swirling waters. To me this is a signpost that points to the fact that we're made in His image. We're made to do good as He does good. Yesterday was also a day of goodbyes. Pat and I took Mary to Huntington University for her second year of schooling. We were able to get out on town and head west in the afternoon. By 5:00 pm., we had Mary situated in her room for another year of academics and socializing. We hugged and kissed and said our goodbyes. It seemed like it was just yesterday when we picked her up after finishing her freshmen year. That's how time goes. This marks the end of the summer season and saying hello to a new today. That's what it really is, all about. It's living for today. It's how the Lord would have us to live. Today is all we are guaranteed. So live for Him and say goodbye to yesterday.
These are the days my friend,
Jim "Train"

Backpacks

Backpacks began emerging as an accessory for high school students in the 1980s. Today, backpacks are a $2 billion business with double-digit growth. Jansport and its hip sister company, North Face, makeup half of all the small backpacks sold. Simple $15 packs, with two zippered pockets are so 1990s. Today students pack them with laptops, cellphones, and iPods. Tumi had a backpack that cost $695 last year, that had a solar panel to charge iPods and cellphones. "A bag is a badge. It's a statement of how cool you are," says Alan Krantzler, marketing chief of Tumi. Technology is what's pushing the design envelope to reinvent backpacks. Most packs have cellphone and iPod holders. Many have portals that ear buds can fit through. Some have buttons on the straps to control iPods and cellphones without taking the pack off. They even have tiny speakers sewn into the straps. So what kind of backpacks will you see this school year where you live? Gone are the days when I was in high school (1968-1972) when guys carried books in one arm. Girls carried their books with two arms across their chests. And if you were dating, the guy would carry his girlfriend's books in the other arm. Simpler days, but...
These are the days my friend,
Jim "Train"

I Hate Zac Efron Clubs

If you're over 20 years of age, without children at home, you might not be aware of Zac Efron. But everyone else is! Zac is the male star of High School Musical. The Disney Channel just released High School Musical 2 last Friday. High School Musical is a song and dance movie so wholesome the Amish would enjoy it. The first movie produced the top sound track album of 2006. More than 2000 schools have put on productions of the show. The concert tour sold out in all 42 cities. This is huge and girls go goo-goo over Zac. Girls slept on the street of his hotel every night when he was filming Hairspray (currently playing the late show at the Shannon Theatre in Bluffton) to catch a glimpse of him. The 19 year old star is so gooed over by girls that I Hate Zac Efron Clubs have been popping up at high schools. On the other hand, I'm ready to create a "Way to Go Zac Club." He's wholesome in a time where female stars like Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, and Brittney Spears, are wrecking their young lives and providing poor models for teens. I like this comment from Zac, "Not everyone is an alcoholic in high school." He doesn't think teen movies are very realistic. "You go to high school and some kids haven't reached puberty yet." Way to go Zac! My prayer for you is don't let success go to your head. Be a positive influence. Stay away from those who would damage your character. Life is a journey so continue being a positive guide.
These are the days my friend,
Jim "Train"

Bottled Water

I like bottled water. In fact, bottled water is my choice of drink over pop. I always thought the only downside to drinking bottled water is its lack of fluoride. Fluoride helps prevent tooth decay and most cities add it to the water you drink from the faucet. It seems I'm in good company, as Americans drank more than 8.25 billion gallons of bottled water in 2006. Water sales topped $10.8 billion last year, virtually for a substance you can get free. This is amazing when most Americans can turn on the tap and get clean, refreshing water. The situation with water in the rest of the world is not as good. The UN estimates that 1.1 billion people don't have clean water, a number that could reach 5 billion by 2025. So we have it good in the US of A. But here's the other downside to bottled water. It takes oil to make the plastic bottles. Once again, a product requiring petroleum. Plastic bottles also rarely get recycled. I know I don't recycle them. The bottle goes in the trash. This throwing away of the plastic bottle results in putting 2 billion pounds into landfills every year. So what to do? Some cities are thinking about placing a tax on bottled water. Chicago, for instance, is thinking of a 25 cent surcharge on each bottle. When Chicagoans were told of the possibility of a tax placed on their bottled water, most said it wouldn't change their habit of sipping water from the bottle. One lady remarked, "I'll just have to buy a bigger bottle." Well, I'm just about to leave home and when I do, I'm going to grab a bottled water. Will there come a day when I won't be able to reach for one?
These are the days my friend,
Jim "Train"

Internet Providers

The latest in people wanting to be connected to the world wide web...
*American Airlines will start offering domestic on board Internet service starting in 2008.
It'll cost the airline $100,000 to outfit each plane for the Internet.
It'll cost $10 per flight for passengers to use the service.
*Less than 4% of Africa's population has Internet access. At this time, the only connection to the network is a submarine cable that runs from Portugal down the west coast of Africa. Now the International Finance Corp. is investing 32.5 million in an undersea fiber-optic cable project called the East African Submarine Cable System. This will reach 250 million more people by 2009. The world continues to shrink!
These are the days my friend,
Jim "Train"

Pencil Brain

Margaret Wegner, at the age of four, fell while holding a pencil. The pencil went through her cheek and into her brain. That was 55 years ago. Now at the age of 59, Margaret has had most of the 3.15-inch pencil removed. Doctors at the time of the incident said it was to dangerous to remove. So she lived with headaches and nosebleeds for years. Margaret said, "It hurt like crazy." Finally a specialist was able to use modern technology to take most of the pencil out on August 3rd. I wonder what the pencil looked like after being embedded in the brain for so long?
These are the days my friend,
Jim "Train"

Weird Celebrity Quotes

*"Well, I can wear high heels now." -Nicole Kidman after her split with Tom Cruise (8/2/02)
*"That's hot." -Paris Hilton. An expression used by Paris since 2002 and since had
it copyrighted.
*"Psychiatry is a pseudoscience...You don't know the history of psychiatry. I do...Matt, Matt, Matt, Matt, Matt, Matt, you don't even- you're glib. You don't even know what Ritalin is."
-Tom Cruise to Matt Lauer on NBC's Today (6/24/05)
"The virginity issue...There are so many emotions involved that I would be able to wait until I know I'm with the right person and I'm married." -Britney Spears in 2002. She's now 25, has married twice, split up twice and has two children.
"What are you looking at sugar-____?" -Mel Gibson to a female deputy last summer after being pulled over for speeding and drunken driving.
And the weirdest of all...
"Why can't you share your bed? The most loving thing you can do is share your bed with someone." -Michael Jackson, defending his practice of letting boys share his bed. ( 2/3/03)
These are the days my friend,
Jim "Train"

Oxyrhynchus

I finished reading Eugene Peterson's writing "Eat This Book." It's one of the books I picked up two weeks ago in Dallastown, Pa., where we visited Hearts and Minds Bookstore. Eugene Peterson reads are worthy of your time. Every other line contains a morsel that you need to chew on. I especially liked what he wrote concerning Bible translations. If you didn't already know, Eugene Peterson is the writer of the paraphrase Bible, "The Message." In "Eat This Book," there's a section that deals with the 5,000 Greek words used to comprise the New Testament. Of the 5,000 words, there are 500 Greek words that aren't found in any ancient Greek writings. Why? Is it because as some scholars reasoned, the language of the New Testament is so sacred that the Holy Spirit created the 500 words? Well it turns out that only classical Greek language survived, the words used in legal documents and classical writing. That is until the garbage dump in Oxyrhynchus was discovered in 1897. In the dump, archaeologists found scraps of paper. After deciphering the words, low and behold, the 500 unknown Greek words were on paper found in the garbage dump. The conclusion? The words weren't special Holy Spirit words, but words spoken by the common, ordinary person. The Greek New Testament was designed for the common person to understand. Then Eugene Peterson goes on to talk about how the first translation of the Bible into English by William Tyndale uses English words used by the common Englishman. But then the King James Bible afterwards, decides to use flowery English words that many people even of that time didn't use. What a fascinating read! Definitely one of the best books I've read in awhile. But most important, as Eugene Peterson points out so vividly in his book, it's not just the words of the Bible on paper that's important. It's that we chew on the Words so that they make up the very core of our being. It's allowing the Spirit to nourish us so we are alive to do His bidding and to be His people.
Might you pick up the Book and eat!
These are the days my friend,
Jim "Train"

Natural Orifice Surgery

First it was practiced on pigs and now its being done on humans. Natural orifice surgery. In 2004, Venkat Rao and Nageshwar Reddy of India, performed the first natural orifice surgery on a patient by performing an appendectomy through the mouth. Since then, USA doctors have removed gallbladders through the mouth and the vagina. The procedure is to reduce pain and speed recovery since there is no external incision. With no incision in the skin, only the instruments, not the environment, needs to be sterile. The day may arrive where doctors can operate at bedside or even at the site of a car accident or a battle. The days of scalpels may be numbered. Instead, wiggle the endoscope down the throat.
These are the days my friend,
Jim "Train"

Pluto Platter

It was 50 years ago in 1957 that Wham-O produced the first plastic "Pluto Platter." You ask, "What's a Pluto Platter?" You probably have flicked one with your wrist. Today the Pluto Platter is better known as the Frisbee! So grab a Frisbee and celebrate its 50th birthday by tossing it to a friend. These are the days my friend.
Jim "Train"

What Does This Say About Our Role with Youth?

LifeWay (affilated with the Southern Baptist Convention) just released "sobering" numbers in a poll done with 1,023 Protestants (both mainline and evangelical church) ages 18 to 30. 70% stopped attending a church by age 23. Those surveyed had to attend church at least twice a month for an entire year during high school. "It seems the teen years are like a free trial on a product. By 18, when it's their choice whether to buy in to church life, many don't feel engaged and welcome," says associate director Scott McConnell of LifeWay. 35% of the dropouts said they had resumed attending church regularly by age 30. Ed Setzer, director of LifeWay says, "Too many youth groups are holding tanks with pizza. There's no life transformation taking place. People are looking for a faith that can change them and to be a part of changing the world." What can be done to help? The survey found that those who stayed with or returned to church grew up with both parents committed to the church, pastors whose sermons were relevant and engaging, and church members who invested in their spiritual development. So where are the unchurched? They are right there in our youth groups. It's even more difficult for us in para church organizations, like Youth For Christ, to get young people connected to the church. The days are upon us to create new ways to keep young people connected in a world of disconnect. May we discover the tools to build the church and shake the doors of Hades.
These are the days my friend (aren't they loaded with possibilities!)
Jim "Train"

Snus Rhymes with Goose or maybe Make It a Noose

With cigarette sales on the decline, tobacco companies are trying new products. The latest is snus. Snus comes in tea bag like pouches that a user sticks between the upper lip and gum. You can leave it in your mouth for 30 minutes and discards without spitting. R.J. Reynolds will expand testing the product from two cities to eight. Snus is packaged in containers that look like cellphones. Camel uses packaging that says "Camel Snus Original," while Marlboro uses "tabaka." So far it's been a hard sale. Some tobacco stores can't give it away. Some who have tried it end up spitting, which they find disgusting. For those who dislike tobacco, let's hope this somehow doesn't end up a fad for young people. Even smokeless tobacco comes with too many health risks. These are the days my friend,
Jim "Train"

Science Fiction and Cyberspace

It's sometimes amazing how science fiction writers use their imaginations to foresee what becomes reality in the present. Take for instance the term cyberspace. The word "cyberspace" (from cybernetics and space) was coined by science fiction novelist and seminal cyberpunk author William Gibson in his 1982 story "Burning Chrome" and popularized by his 1984 novel Neuromancer. Gibson says, "All I knew about the word "cyberspace" when I coined it, was that it seemed like an effective buzzword. It seemed evocative and essentially meaningless. It was suggestive of something, but had no real semantic meaning, even for me, as I saw it emerge on the page." Today we use it to refer to what happens when we use the internet. From sci fi to real life use. I wonder if anything will come from William Gibson's newest novel, "Spook County?"
These are the days my friend,
Jim "Train"

Missions Mistake?

A Taliban militia ambushed a bus on a highway in Afghanistan. The Muslim extremists kidnapped the group on July 19th. The group happened to be 23 Korean Christians, most in their 20's and 30's, on a medical missions trip. The Taliban militants demanded South Korea withdraw its 200 troops from Afghanistan and release prisoners with the threat of death to the captives. The captives include 18 women and 5 men. At this time, none of the demands of the Taliban have been met. One of the captives, a sick pastor who could no longer walk, was killed by at least 10 gunshots in his head, chest, and stomach. Paul Kim, a staff member of Fuller Theological Seminary's Korean Doctor of Ministry program, said this, "When I heard the news, I was sad and kind of angry about why non-professional missionaries went to such a dangerous place. The main thing for short-term missionaries is to help long-term missionaries. If you miss the point, then it could be really dangerous." I like Kim's point-cooperate with the locals! When you participate as a missions group, it's important that you are contributing to the cause and not being a disruption. When we take mission groups to France, we seek the permission of France Youth For Christ to serve them. We discuss the project and wait for their approval. Once given the go ahead, then we make plans to go. Work with who's there. That's sound advice whether you go to Afghanistan (it's not recommended!) or Chicago.
These are the days my friend,
Jim "Train"

Web Wickedness

I've noticed in the past month a couple of Facebook "Groups" that are just plain "wicked." I recently read this quote from USA Today... "The information superhighway has become the means streets of cyburbia," says Silicon Valley technology forecaster (that's an interesting job title) Paul Saffo. "It's just gotten steady worse. If cocktail parties were like the Internet, half the people would come home every night dripping wet with Chardonnay tossed in their faces," Saffo says. "There are two ways to get famous in cyberspace: Say something clever and memorable, or say something outrageous. And unfortunately, it's a lot easier to be outrageous than clever and memorable." Remember that once you post you can become toast. Pictures and words are in cyberspace forever. Later in life you just might regret what you posted. So when you speak verbally or by net, may you run your words through this simple grid...
*Is it true?
*Is it kind?
*Is it necessary?
It will keep the streets on cyberspace a whole lot cleaner. Ding dong the wicked post is dead.
These are the days my friend,
Jim "Train"

Bleeding Bumps

Aaron Dallas couldn't figure out why he had bleeding bumps on the top of his head. One doctor told him it was a case of the shingles. It wasn't. What Aaron had was bot fly larvae living beneath the skin of his head. "I could hear them. I thought I was going crazy," said Aaron. He thinks he picked up the fly larvae during a trip to Belize. Wife Midget did show support for her husband by telling Aaron, "I will love you through your maggots." If my travels ever take me to Belize, I'm going to make sure I wash my hair thoroughly every day!
These are the days my friend,
Jim "Train"