The Slacker Returns

Ok, ok. I know it's been "forever" since I wrote anything here. That's what happens when obligations require your time. Aside from a part time job delivering pizzas God has also provided some part time work at the local laundry. We were asked if we'd consider watching the place on weekends from time to time so the owners could enjoy some time off and we took them up on it. Clean up and monitoring mostly. They've been very generous in compensation and it's proving to be an unexpected bonus. God moves in wonderful ways. Still no full time work for me but Cathy has been working at Bronco Billy's Home Cafe for a while now. It hardly touches her true cooking abilities but the pay is good. Things are still tight for us but we're not on the edge expecting to be pushed off any day now, anymore. A huge thank-you goes out to my folks for helping us out. Things were very lean around Christmas time and it's wonderful to have family support when that happens.

So let me try to summarize some of the things that have been going on here. We've had more than our share of cold weather and the result from that while living in an Airstream is my becoming very good at fixing split copper pipes. Even with the precautions we've taken, frozen pipes are almost guaranteed in sub-zero temperatures. We had several days of that which left us with little or no water. Add to that a similar problem with the sewer and it was a "fun" time to be had by all. The weather has generally been cold here with temps rarely above freezing. This week things have warmed up but they tell us that another storm is on its way through soon. Getting around hasn't been a problem but one must take it slow. I have to say that most people here understand that and do quite well, considering that many who live here are from other states. I'm not sure why that is other than military. I've seen plates from at least ten different states. Quite the melting pot.

I can't help saying something about the comments in the media about the movie "The Passion of The Christ". It opened today and unless you've been on the moon or in a coma I'm sure you've heard or seen something about it. Hard to avoid. Comments from those that have seen it make it clear that Mel Gibson has done the topic justice. I've not seen it yet myself though I've read a number of reviews and heard the controversy. What I find disturbing is how "politically correct" people are today. Claims that it's "antisemitic" because it shows that the Jews killed Jesus make me want to scream --- Duh! Let's just state a fact for the record: Matthew 26:3-4 - "At that same time the leading priests and other leaders were meeting at the residence of Caiaphas, the high priest, to discuss how to capture Jesus secretly and put him to death." Read it. Ok. So Caiaphas was only the High Priest. I guess you could argue High Priest of what? Doesn't make him a Jew. So look at John 18:14. "Caiaphas was the one who had told the other Jewish leaders..." Guess that settles that. My question is this: how does even this have anything to do with "hatred toward Jews"? Besides, even though Pilate washed his hands of the whole thing I suppose one could make a "technical" case that it was the Romans that killed our Lord. Satan will stop at nothing to confuse this very important issue. I urge everyone reading this to see the movie for themselves rather than letting someone else interpret it for them. That's what is wrong with the evangelical movement today. Too many "listeners" and not enough readers and doers (James 1:22-25). Read the Gospel accounts (Matthew 26-28, Mark 14-16, Luke 22-24, John 18-20) for yourself. Don't let someone else give you their version of the events. After all, it's not like this is some secret document hidden away from the masses. That's been tried. Some still think that way, unfortunately.
So what about the argument that it's too violent? Folks, the Romans were brutal. I don't think even Gibson can capture it all. But I think he's done believers a great service in portraying for us what our Lord must have lived through. We need to fully grasp the sacrifice He made. We need to fully understand that WE deserved that treatment, not Him. He died for us that we might live. So let's start living!