This Pilgrim's Progress

"Hyper"-Calvinism!!

Check out the "25 warning signs that you might be obsessing about Calvinism" on the blog "Purgatorio" (http://purgatorio1.blogspot.com/2005/12/help-im-going-hyper.html)

I thought it was pretty funny!!!  I always enjoy laughing at myself!

I found it while doing a Google search on "Calvinist smoking". I've been doing some thinking about the concept of Christian liberty and how that is interpreted behaviorally by some of my fellow Calvinists. But that's a topic for a later, and longer, post!

p.s. ProFlowers.com often has great deals on tulips!! My wife loves them.

Public Morality

Here's a great quote from today's Patriot Post by Sam Adams:

The Patriot Post

Founders' Quote Daily

"Since private and publick Vices, are in Reality, though not always apparently, so nearly connected, of how much Importance, how necessary is it, that the utmost Pains be taken by the Publick, to have the Principles of Virtue early inculcated on the Minds even of children, and the moral Sense kept alive, and that the wise institutions of our Ancestors for these great Purposes be encouraged by the Government. For no people will tamely surrender their Liberties, nor can any be easily subdued, when knowledge is diffusd and Virtue is preservd. On the Contrary, when People are universally ignorant, and debauchd in their Manners, they will sink under their own weight without the Aid of foreign Invaders."

Samuel Adams (letter to James Warren, 4 November 1775) Reference: Our Sacred Honor, Bennett, 261.

Given the state of our popular culture and morality in our society, this is a very sobering quote to read. People of faith need to pray for our country.

Tea

I tapered off on my coffee drinking a number of years ago. I found that if I didn't limit it to about 4 cups in the morning, I would have trouble sleeping and feel jangly.

So, I switched over to tea. The only problem was that I was using tea bags. The company I work for provides free coffee and tea, so it was a natural thing to do. But after a time I realized the tea-bag tea was staining my teeth badly, and I got tired of it. I started drinking loose-leaf tea, and I've found it a much more satisfying cup to drink.  Plus the better quality tea has a lot of health benefits without the drawbacks of the tea brewed from from tea-bags. Most people don't know that most tea in the U.S. is pretty poor quality, even in the "premium" brands, and the cut-up leaves produce more tannin and bitterness than whole-leaf loose tea. I decided if I was going to drink so much tea, I might as well drink the good stuff that would be beneficial to my health.

I'm buying most of my tea these days online, mostly from a company called "Seven Cups".  They have a great selection of teas of all sorts: green, black, oolongs, white, puer, flower-scented, etc. Most of their stuff is from China. One of the owners is also a certified Tea Master from China, so they really know their stuff.  Their web site is real good too, with a lot of great information about tea and tea-culture. Their web-site is:  http://www.sevencups.com/   

I've discovered a new tea (for me at least, the tea has been around for centuries) called Puer or Puerh tea. It's named after the town that served as kind of the production and distribution center for this tea.  This tea has a lot of health benefits, and has a long tradition of being favored for a number of maladies.  I really like it and usually drink it in the evening.  Check out the web site for more information on this tea and others.

More on Libby

In case you've been in a cave the last 6 months, check out Byron York's article:

http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=NDY1MGY0Mjk1OGVjNmM2YzIxNjdiYjBhZmZiOTM4NmU=

The WSJ agrees with me that Libby should get a Presidential pardon:

http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110009753

Carbon Credits for Fido!

This is a hilarious story about an Australian company that will sell you Carbon Credits for your flatulent pet!! Hey, if its good enough for Gore, it's good enough for my lab, Toby!!

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/03/070306-warming-credits.html

Imagine all the various applications this could be extended to!  How about as a special gift for a gassy loved-one or spouse!!

I'm still here!!

Gosh, I didn't realize it's been 2 months since I last posted an entry. A lot is happening in my life, and blogging kind of fell through the cracks!  Not that I usually have anything great to say!

Politics has gotten really nasty since the Dems took control of Congress.  Some observations:

The conviction of Scooter Libby is a real travesty of justice. Here we are throwing a faithful public servant into prison for doing nothing! If the White House doesn't pardon this man, then my recent doubts about Bush's character will be confirmed.

What's your bet on the Hillary vs. Obama contest for the Dem. nomination?? Hillary has the tenacity of a pit bull, but Mr. Barack Hussein Obama is a very ambitious man.  Plus Hillary has old Bill to deal with, talk about an Albatross around your neck!! (for you non-homeschooled people, that's a "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" reference).  Some pundits claim the Clinton's are masters of politics and a real force to reckon with. Problem with that idea is that we now have a very good handle on who and what the Clinton's are politically and morally speaking.  I have to admit though, o'le Hillary can come off sounding like a conservative on some issues (i.e. border security).

Meanwhile, for Values Conservatives, there's not a huge selection of Republican candidates to choose from. Romney looks like the only dependable choice. Hunter would be good if he had a chance, which of course he doesn't. Giuliani would be a disaster. 

The "Surge" seems to be working, if the leftists in Congress give it enough time to succeed! Although, I am a bit skeptical about the Iraqi government's will to put aside sectarianism and put their country's interests ahead of other conflicting interests. Time will tell.