Halloween

Here's a "holiday" my wife hates! I'm more ambivalent about it. I like to see the kids in costumes. I also enjoy their little happy voices at the door.

We go home late - past 6:00. We left the lights off (porch, hall, entry way, etc) to "indicate" no one was home, while Kathee made dinner.

At 7:15, after Bible time, we turned the porch lights on and had our first trick or treaters. Then at 8:15 we turned the porch lights off and have had no more.

Kathee hates Halloween because it seems so purposeless: kids dressing up (for what reason?), out in the dark and cold (for what purpose?), to go door to door to get candy! It's a waste of time.

Halloween history:

1. History Channel
   
2. Wikipedia
   

Why has Halloween grown so important? "In the United States, Halloween has become the sixth most profitable holiday (after Christmas, Mother's Day, Valentines Day, Easter, and Father's Day) for retailers".

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1. Kathee and I read Hebrews 9 & 10 tonight
   
2. Nathan and Roger both at the house, and Roger made dinner for Nathan
   
3. Tomorrow K and I drive separately as she is going to a Manager - A.A. meeting with one of her subordinates.
   
4. Work: rough day. Came home beat up! (More on the system problems that I caused and how our release deadline was missed)
   

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Hebrews 10:19-25

Hold Fast Your Confession

19 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and having a High Priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

Monday Blues

I was so stressed about going to work today but "made it through the day" and now relaxing.

1. Work: We are 67% on the new release. 38,000 workstations. I have 18,000 to go. I need to not take it so personally! I can only do what I can do.
   
2. Dental: At the Dentist today to have my molar prepared for the crown. Will get the new crown in 2 weeks.
   
3. Scripture: Kathee and I read Hebrews 7 & 8 tonight
   

Dr. Jeff Steele of Bassett Creek Dental has been my Dentist for 10 years. Thankfully over 10 years it has been mostly routine!

Selections from our reading tonight:

Hebrews 7:26-28, "For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever."

Hebrews 8:1-2, "Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man."

Roger and I are watching the Vikings / Patriots game. Vikes losing 0-17. I'm ready for bed!

Fastmail

I signed up for 5 years of Fastmail today. I have a Gmail account that I use for all of my commerce (Amazon, banking, etc) and I have a Bluebottle account for personal email. Here's a review of Fastmail

One thing great about Bluebottle is the concept of a white list. No mail gets through unless the email address is specifically authorized. But the Bluebottle web interface is not that slick. I think (haven't worked the details out yet) is that I will use the Bluebottle white list function for all incoming mail, and use the Bluebottle SMTP for outgoing from my Linux server, but Fastmail for all outgoing web-sourced email. Fastmail has an "alias" function so that mail sourced from their web interface looks as if it is sourced from another email account - eg. my Bluebottle email account.

Doug Bookman at 4th

AM message on the plagues of Egypt

Key principle:

Isaiah 42:8, "I am the LORD, that is My name;
And My glory I will not give to another,
Nor My praise to carved images. "

He had interesting thoughts on Pharaoh harding his heart and God harding Pharoah's heart. "harden" in Exodus. The point is that through moral choices of rejecting God's messenger, that Pharaoh initiated the hardening process!

He also said that people who have hardened hearts make "stupid" decisions. He illustrated this by Pharoah's decision to pursue Israel through the miracle parted waters of the Red Sea.

Dr Bookman believes from his study that Amenhotep was the Pharaoh of Exodus.

Interesting links about the Pharaoh of Exodus:

1. http://www.allanturner.com/pharaoh.html
   
2. http://www.biblehistory.net/Chap15.htm
   
3. http://biblelight.net/moses.htm
   

PM: Survey of Daniel 1-4
Major points

1. Literalism of God's promises to Israel
   
2. Israel distinct from the Church
   
3. Future promise of Israel's restoration and salvation (Romans 11)
   
4. Defense of Pre-millennialism
   
5. Danger of Amillennialism and "Covenant Theology"
   
6. 20 min Q & A afterwards
   
7. Brief mention of the Balfour Declaration and Harry Truman's recognition of Israel in 1948
   

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Afternoon

1. Kathee grilled burgers
   
2. Roger and I went out to Mermaid car wash to get his car washed
   
3. We went to Home Depot to pick up a garage door opener for Roger
   

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A good read: Isa. 53:5 - the understatement of human history

Clipper CLT1D

Clicker® Universal Garage Door Opener

Roger bought one of these today at Home Depot. Works like a champ and EZ to program. It can control up to 2 doors.

He got his for $ 23.00. I bought 2 this afternoon on Ebay for $ 26.00. Intend to put one in the truck and Velcro one to the dash of my tractor.

Runner Safety Lights

Safety Selections

I found this site via Googling (Roger runs at night). It interests me because they are just about 1 mile away from my house.

They offer free shipping (maybe they will just run by and drop it off).

Sunday update: While we were at church, the product was delivered by the owner to our front door!

Five Solas

Five Solas

http://www.fivesolas.com

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Reformation Day

The last Sunday of October is recognized by Bible-believing Christians as Reformation Day. Most Christians are unaware that Reformation Day exists and have a scant understanding of the Protestant Reformation which it honors. Yet, our ignorance is our loss. The Reformation was a time when vital doctrines of Scripture were “rediscovered.” Men such as Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingli and William Tyndale led men away from the dead traditions of Roman Catholicism and to the life-giving truths of Scripture. Luther especially took the lead in these battles, and Reformation Day is a reminder of his famous “95 Theses” which decried the abuses of the Roman Catholic Church and which he publicly displayed on the door of the Wittenberg Church on October 31, 1517.

The key doctrines of the Reformation are…
* Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone)
* Sola Fide (Faith Alone)
* Sola Gratia (Grace Alone)

Praise the Lord for the heritage that is ours through the Protestant Reformation! The men God used were far from perfect, but we see farther and more clearly only because we stand on their shoulders. What a blessing it would be to you and your family to determine to learn of God’s workings in the lives of these and others who have gone before us!

Pastor Chris Anderson

Quoted from Here

The Danger of Deficit Spending

GAO Chief Warns Economic Disaster Looms

"But Walker isn't optimistic that the government will be able to tackle its fiscal challenges so soon"

I'm not optimistic either!

Blogging by Email (5th try)

1. Our package to China was a lot heavier than we thought and was going to cost $ 90. to send 1st class. Kathee sent economy class (it was still $ 40 to send) and it looks like it will be more of a Christmas package than a Thanksgiving package
2. Roger is helping Nathan move.
3. Kathee is cleaning.
4. I am watching Penn State vs. Purdue football.
5. Grocery store and other errands later this afternoon.

I slept well and until 8:00 am.

End of the week

I worked from home today so we could have some work done at the house

1. Isanti County Equipment came down to convert my tractor for Winter: off with the mower deck ... on with the snow plow, chains, and weights. Plus oil change.
   
2. Surge Water came to maintain our water conditioner and reverse osmosis system.
   
3. Got my flu shot
   
4. Plus worked
   

This weekend. We are putting together a package to send to China to the daughter of friends. I did the shopping today at Target: peanut butter, honey, dried fruit, a couple of packages of cookies, pudding mixes, a book. Kathee will pack it up tomorrow and we will mail it.

I was contacted by a Sharper Iron member who is a relative. His Great Uncle (Jim Green) is my Uncle. Jim has been deceased for about 20 years. So Jim Green is my Aunt Eleanor's husband. Eleanor is my Mother's Sister. Jim Green's brother Joe is Bill Green's Grandfather. Small world.

Work:

1. We are still 18,000 shy of our upgrade target. We are at 37,000 desktops
   
2. UAT on the next release has not gone well: low participation (low signup and then about half never did the UAT). My boss is not pleased
   
3. I would like to say I am not stressed but I am. I have not received hardly any positive feedback
   
4. I'm starting wonder if I am wrong for this job or if this job is too big for me.
   
5. I look forward to relaxing tonight and this weekend and worshipping on Sunday.
   

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Tonight's Scripture: Hebrews 3 & 4

3:1-3, "Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all His house. For this One has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as He who built the house has more honor than the house"

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1. Kathee brought home "Jimmy John's" sandwiches: Jimmy John's. A new one opened up at Hwy 55 & NW Blvd in Plymouth
   
2. After dinner we packed the Thanksgiving box for Lindsay T in China.
   
3. Kathee packed up my shoes to be mailed tomorrow for resoling
   
4. We voted via absentee ballot
   
5. The Star Tribune did not come today for the 2nd time this week.
   
6. Weekend has arrived!
   

Broken tooth

I broke a tooth today and was at the dentist tonight. It will need a crown. Dr Steele put a temporary cap on it so it is smooth and does not hurt. Monday I go back to prepare for the crown, then in two weeks the crown itself.

Roger, Kathee and I read Proverbs 5 and Hebrews 2 tonight.

Tomorrow working from home.

Proverbs 5:15, "Drink water from your own cistern, And running water from your own well"

Hebrews 2:3, "how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him"

Dr. Lloyd-Jones on the Altar Call

Dr. Lloyd-Jones on the Altar Call

Good article!

Comments: I never walked forward to be saved. I was saved in 1969 in my bedroom as I read the Gospel of John. Kathee never went forward to be saved either!

I like the way 4th handles the "altar call" .. the Pastor says "there is nothing magical about comign forward ... if we can help you come forward"

Philemon

Kathee and I read Philemon and Hebrews 1 tonight.

Philemon is an interesting little epistle of doctrinal insignificance. Nevertheless I love its grace.

For example vss. 8 & 9: "Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting, yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you—being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ"

I see in this a certain style that I think befits leaders:

1. I could command you ... but I will not
   
2. Rather, I appeal to you
   
3. Based upon my authority, age, and circumstance
   

I see herein lessons for anyone in authority: a Father, a Pastor, a Manager, a Husband.

Something else (there are really many things interesting about this epistle) - the "house church" concept in vs. 2: "to the church in your house".

My deceased Aunt Eleanor had a church in their home at one time in Alto Michigan. I don't know much about the circumstance of this, but Eleanor and Uncle Jim's home had a large entry way (that they used an office) adjacent to a large dining room. I estimate that this room is (the house still stands, but I have not been in it for several years) 12' by 20'. Off the entry way and separtated by a dark paneled wide door was the living room - estimated size of 14' x 16'. This "L" shaped area (with the panel door opened) at one time served as a location for a Methodist church!

A friend of mine, D.A. Waite and his wife Vonnie, have a church their home.

Here's the link: The Bible For Today Baptist Church.

I'm not advocating a "church in one's house" but in certain circumstances it is a great option!

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1. A guy at work has a 100 oz insulated mug. Looks like this but it is Mountain Dew
   
   I ran into him in the break area today. He was filling up with water and ice.
   
2. Jeff M. the sod guy, blew out and turned off our sprinkler today ... a sure sign that Winter is around the corner.
   
3. Friday 4Turf is scheduled to put the snow plow on my tractor. Another sign of Winter!
   

Better at work

My boss was back today and we met twice. The system issues from last week were really not my problem although my changes aggravated the bandwidth issue.

1. My distributions to the remaining 20,000 workstations has been restarted. Had been halted on 10/18 (so we lost a week!)
   
2. As of today I'm at 35,710 workstations with the current release
   
3. WIFI distribution is progressing by 1000 per day.
   
4. Looks like we will be proceeding at a slower pace and the distributions may take as long as mid-December to complete
   
5. I have 37 UAT users on the new release. I need feedback from them by noon on Friday
   
6. I learned from the boss that they wanted to hire two for my position but only got funding for one. And that maybe mid 2007 I may have an assistant.
   
7. Apps Engineering has I.E. 7 packaged and ready for testing. Can't wait to see it!
   

Traffic horrendous leaving downtown. Took us 20 min to get from the garage to onto the freeway. Once on the freeway we got home in 20 min.

Kathee making pasta for dinner.

The Mamertine Prison

Pastor Jason Stamper mentioned this is in his message Sunday night.

Interesting links:

1. Mamertine Prison
   
2. Link 2
   
3. Wikipedia Link
   
4. Link 4
   
5. Link 5
   
6. Link 6
   

2 Timothy 4:6-7 "For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith"

Problems at work

While I was away I requested distributions that overloaded an SMS (distribution) server and crashed it. This resulted in the patching cycle to not complete and also negatively impacted (not sure to what extent) an IVRU (Internet Voice Response Unit). The resulting mess got a lot of visibility (and this was not positive) and all of my distributions for the window 10/17-29 were put on hold.

So today I came back to more than 200 emails, plus this mess. My manager is out of town until Wednesday so I feel in limbo until we talk.

I am stressed but patient that this will be resolved. I will be very busy the next two weeks.

Mark W my buddy from BCP called me. I told him that if things don't improve, I would consider coming back. I'm not sure if I seriously believe this, but I don't like being called when I am on vacation (like I was last Wednesday).

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Kathee and I finished 2 Timothy tonight

3:16-17, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."

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I wore out the soles (really just the left one that drags a bit) on my Filson shoes. I have two pairs of these. One wears out and I send it off for resoling. I use http://www.shoecrafters.com/ in Chicago.

Sunday at 4th Baptist

AM: Pastor McLachlan preached from Matthew 5:10 "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven"

PM: Our new youth Pastor, Mark Stamper, preached on "The Art of Discipleship" (2 Tim 1 & 2). II Timothy 2:2, "And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also"

I watched the Vikings / Seattle game in the afternoon. Kathee grilled hamburgers for lunch.

Return from Vacation

We were gone from Thursday 10/11 until today. We drove from Plymouth Minnesota to Helen Georgia to Tunica Mississippi.

Highlights:

1. Nephew's wedding in Helen Georgia (2 days)
   
2. 5 nights in Tunica Mississippi
   
3. Visited New Madrid, Missouri, site of massive earthquake in 1811
   
4. Visited Vicksburg National Military Park
   
5. Saw the USS Cairo
   
6. Visited the Tunica River Park
   
7. Dinned twice at the famous Blue and White
   
8. We took a ferry across the Mississippi
   
9. Visited Graceland
   
10. Visit the site of the Martin Luther King assassination
    
11. Visited Cairo Illinois and the confluence of the Mississippi River and the Ohio River
    
12. Mishap: I slide the car off the road into Mississippi mud in Farrell, MS ... had to be towed out
    

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I read two books

1. F.F. Bruce, The Canon of Scripture
   
2. F.F. Bruce The New Testament Documents - Are they Reliable?
   

Google Docs

"Google Docs" will give Microsoft a run for the money. Nothing seems more wasteful than buying copies of Word or Excel for multiple personal computers.

Basic word processing functions (PRODWRITER) and spreadsheet functions are supported.

Last day of work!

Kathee and I vacation almost every October. October is a great time to travel: gas prices are lower, venues are less crowded, highways are less busy.

We are traveling to Helen Georgia (a nephew's wedding) and then to Tunica MS (S of Memphis TN).

When we return it is: colder, darker, and trees are bare of leaves (except perhaps the willows.)

It felt good to shut down email (with the "out of office reply" and put the "extended absence greeting" on my voice!

Today up to 34006 desktops on release 2.23. Beginning next Tuesday and through 10/29, we are distributing our upgrade (800 MB! it takes a while) to approx 17,000 desktops. Not all of the upgrades "take": sometimes workstations (as we call them) are turned off, locked in a cabinet, etc. sometimes the SMS client is corrupted on the workstations (not frequent) and the upgrade does not run successfully. If I have 80% success, 82% of my workstations will be current by October 31st. With a 90% success rate, I will be at 87%.

Workstations: They really are personal computers but we call them workstations to emphasize they are for business use and not personal use. Also we limit "rights" to the workstations (administration rights are not easily granted) so that the user cannot mess up the workstation. And if the workstation gets "hosed" and the phone support cannot fix it remotely, an engineer is dispatched to "reimage" the workstation (so it is not personal!)

We have reporting tools that detail all applications on each workstation. Last year we detected that someone had a poker game on his workstation. Let's just say it wasn't "nice" for him!

Also while I am gone, we will be distributing our internally developed secure WIFI utility. I've had it for 4 months and it really is slick! If one connects to a WIFI hotspot, they are programmatically prompted to connect to the company network via VPN (virtual private network with a key fob) or WIFI is disabled. It is a security solution for privacy.

We are going low tech on vacation. I am not taking my laptop. No email, no Internet, no work for 11 days.

I walked outside (instead of through the skyway) back to the parking garage after work. Without a coat, it was cold. This is perhaps the last time this year I walk outside without a coat! Its getting cold!

So long!

House and Senate poll tracker

Respect for the Pastor

I Thessalonians 5:12-13, "And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake."

Pastors and other men who have had a great impact on me (or Kathee):

1. Dr Tom Hall of Westwood Baptist Cheviot Ohio. My first Pastor.
   
2. Dick Sauer, SS teacher at Westwood Baptist.
   
3. Dave Iverson and Dwight Bull: University of Cincinnati Campus Crusade for Christ. Both had a profound influence on me - particularly Dave.
   
4. Pastor Powers Payton at Bible Baptist Church of Plum Boro (Pittsburgh) and Haddon Heights Baptist (New Jersey). To both Kathee and me, the prototypical Pastor.
   
5. Deacon Jim Salomon at Plum Boro. His dear wife Hermine is with the Lord. Jim still living for Christ.
   
6. Pastor Dan Williams of South Holly Baptist in Littleton, CO
   
7. Pastor Doug McLachlan of Fourth Baptist Church in Plymouth, MN.
   

Some practical ways to "to esteem them very highly for their work’s sake".

1. Attend your church faithfully and pay attention.
   
2. Pray daily for your Pastor (and wife and family) and Pastoral staff.
   
3. Greet him at church
   
4. Remember him with an appropriate gift at the holidays
   
5. Let him know of needs and prayer requests.
   

Political Predictions

I don't have a crystal ball so I may be all wet, but here are my short and long term political predictions:

Minnesota:

Governor: Tim Pawlenty (incumbent Republican) over Mike Hatch (D) for Gubernatorial race. Polls are very tight right now so it could go either way.

Senate: I predict that Mark Kennedy (R) loses to Amy Klobuchar. Klobuchar is way ahead of Kennedy in recent polls.

US House and Senate: I hope that this is more than a dream but I see the Republicans retaining both the House and Senate by narrow margins. I think the Foley scandal and other bad press will blow over and the Republicans will win. Why:

1. The economy is strong
   
2. Gas prices are low
   
3. The North Korean nuclear test brings home the genuine threats to our country and the Republican are stronger on national defense.
   

Out on a limb for the 2008 Presidential race:

Senator John McCain and Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty vs. Senator Hillary Clinton and New Mexican Governor Bill Richardson

59.3%

Release	Count	Percent
2.23	33,698	59.3%
2.22	6,635	11.7%
2.21	7,556	13.3%
2.20	8,892	15.6%
Pre 2.20	78	0.1%

Kathee and I are ready for our Fall trip to Helen, Georgia and N.W. Mississippi. We are ready for it. We will be leaving early Thursday and returning late Sunday 10/22. Roger will be at the house caring for all details there.

I have distributions to 17,000 workstations scheduled for 10/17-29. I hope to be at 85% by the end of the month. No distributions are taking place this week (starting today) as the week beginning on the 2nd Tuesday is Microsoft patch week.

Today I had coffee with my first manager at Wells Fargo (then Norwest), Jeff Williams. Jeff was my manager in Greenwood Colorado. It was a great job (that I loved) but the pay was low. I was an Operations Controller 2: MVS DASD management, Code Migration, Problem and Change Management. Jeff is just about 61 and can retire anytime but he still loves his job. He moved to Minneapolis 9 years ago, 1 year after I did.

Thessalonica: The model church

1. Acts 17 ... a rocky start! Acts 17:11 "These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so". The Bereans contrasted with the Thessalonians!
   
2. I Thess 1:3, "remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope". A faith that works, a love that labors, a hope that is patient!
   
3. 1:6, "And you became followers of us and of the Lord". True disciples!
   
4. 1:7, "examples to all". The model church!
   
5. 1:8, "from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything". Evangelistic!
   
6. 1:9, "you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God". True repentance. True worship and service!
   
7. 1:10, "and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come." Looking for the pre-tribulation rapture of Christ!
   

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1. Walked outside from the parking garage to and from work. But will not on Wednesday. Cold is coming!
   
2. K & I read I Thess 1 & 2
   
3. Watching the Broncos / Ravens on MNF.
   

Fantasy Football

My team SUCKS! My QB is Dante Culpepper and his is out with a knee injury! Plus he has produced NO points this season. What was I thinking!?

57.57%

Where I stand today (Release Management)

Release	Count	Percent
2.23	32,765	57.6%
2.22	6,862	12.1%
2.21	7,640	13.4%
2.20	9,554	16.8%
Pre 2.20	83	0.1%

My next distribution window begins next week (10/17) - through 10/29. I hope to distibute to another 17,000 in this period. If all goes well I will be at about 85% by the end of the month

Dr. John C. Whitcomb @ 4th today

Wow!

This morning's message on the Genesis Flood. I had an opportunity to meet Dr Whitcomb before the service. Tonight our son, Roger, met him.

Interesting about Dr. Whitcomb:

1. He was saved in 1943 while a Freshman at Princeton.
   
2. Enlisted in the Army and served at the Battle of the Bulge (Europe)
   
3. He met Albert Einstein while he was a student a Princeton. Einstein attended a Moody Science film presentation on campus
   

John C. Whitcomb website

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Key verses from his evening message:

1. Psalm 104:5-9 "You who laid the foundations of the earth, So that it should not be moved forever, You covered it with the deep as with a garment; The waters stood above the mountains. At Your rebuke they fled; At the voice of Your thunder they hastened away. They went up over the mountains; They went down into the valleys, To the place which You founded for them. You have set a boundary that they may not pass over, That they may not return to cover the earth.
   
2. Job 12:7-10, "“But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you; And the birds of the air, and they will tell you; Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; And the fish of the sea will explain to you. Who among all these does not know That the hand of the LORD has done this, In whose hand is the life of every living thing, And the breath of all mankind?"
   
3. 2 Peter 3:3-6, "knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men."
   

My first computer

Radio Shack TRS 80 Model 3

I bought it in June 1981. Details:

1. Cost: $ 2000.00 (48 KB, 2 floppies)
   
2. Epson MX-80 dot matrix printer: $ 500.00
   
3. Software: Profile Plus (database) & SuperScripsit (Word Processor)
   
4. Uses:
   
   
   
   1. Composed my Master's thesis
      
   2. Church SS database (1500 records)
      
   3. College and Career database (mailing labels for communications)
      
   4. Visitor records
      
   
   

Contrast this with the computer model I sold when I worked for DEC: DEC PDP 10

Computers I sold with IBM:
System 7 (sold to the St Petersburg Times for power management)
System 32
System 3

Saturday respite

We have had a beautiful Fall day in Plymouth, Minnesota.

1. Weather in the 70's
   
2. I slept in until 8:15 a.m.
   
3. Errands with Kathee.
   
4. I took my truck through the car wash for the first time in 6 months
   
5. I took a 45 min nap while the Minnesota - Penn State game was playing.
   
6. I mowed my yard - mostly leaf chop up. The fern is gone for the season. Willows still in full leaf.
   
7. Kathee is making "healthy chili". I forgot what this is exactly but I'm sure it will be good.
   
8. Brother and Nathan will be here for dinner.
   
9. Tomorrow church @ 4th Baptist
   

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"Filled with the Spirit" = "word of Christ dwell(ing) richly "

Colossians 3:16, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord"

Ephesians 5:18-19, "And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, "

What Does It Mean to Be Filled with the Spirit?

Quote: "A directly parallel passage to Ephesians 5:18 is Colossians 3:16, which explains in a slightly different way the meaning of the command “be filled with the Spirit.” The Apostle Paul says, “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you.” One can be filled with the Spirit only when controlled by the Word. It is knowing truth and obeying it."

Amish Children's Fund

Amish bury victims


Condolances: Bart Fire Company

Nickel Mine Children
c/o Bart Township Fire Company
11 Furnace Road, PO Box 72
Bart, PA 17503-0072


Donations: Coatesville Savings Bank

Two years ago, Coatesville Savings Bank opened a branch office in the village of Georgetown, approximately one mile from the Nickel Mine Amish School. We are currently constructing a larger office in the village center. The Board of Trustees and the staff of CSBank wishes to express our deepest regrets to the community of Bart Township in the wake of the tragic deaths of our neighbors' children today. We have established a fund for all necessary help and solace for the bereaved.

Funds have been established for those who would like to donate to assist those who are affected by the tragedy at Nickel Mines School.

There is the Nickel Mines Children's Fund and the Roberts Family Fund.

Donations can be mailed to:


Nickel Mines Children's Fund
Coatesville Savings Bank
1082 Georgetown Road
Paradise, PA 17562

Roberts Family Fund
Coatesville Savings Bank
1082 Georgetown Road
Paradise, PA 17562

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Colossians 1

1. Our Savior: (1:13-20) "He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross"
   
2. Our Salvation: (1:21-23) "And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight— if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard,"
   
3. Our Ministry: (1:28-29) "Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily."
   

51%

1. I reached the 51% level of the new Windows XP release image on our workstations. We had 1000 upgrades yesterday. 29,000 down ... 28,000 to go.
   
2. Another business unit (small - only 340 to upgrade) signed up today.
   
3. Still pending .. Internet Services Group. Mtg with them on Monday. Vault group is in pilot. Mtg Monday to get them on board with remainder of their systems.
   
4. Vista pilot. Looks like I will be in the initial pilot group of 100. I am semi-excited. I have a second PC at work (now unplugged) that was just upgraded to 1.5 Gig. I need a monitor, keyboard, and mouse to get it going. I am in charge of communications for the pilot.
   
5. I used Sharepoint to build an ad-hoc form to collect UAT (user acceptance testing) participant information. I was able to build it in just about half an hour.
   
6. Am invited to speak for 10 minutes next Monday at the EFO regional managers's meeting. I need to put together a couple of Powerpoint slides tomorrow.
   

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1. Mom needs a new water heater. Hers is 18 years old. Installed in such a way in her house that if it leaked it would flood into her linen closet. Her house foundation was jacked up (with pilings) straight yesterday and the plumber noticed how old her water heater was when he inspected the pipes.
   
2. Geico: The car that hit my Saturn was not insured. The driver provided her Uncle's insurance card. Not that he was insured either - had expired. His story is that he sold the car to his niece. I'm out $ 500.00
   
3. I had a nice nap after dinner while Kathee was cleaning up the kitchen.
   
4. I read the preface and introduction of Metzger's Canon of the NT
   

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Key verses in Phil 3 & 4

3:8, "Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ"
3:10, "that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death"
3:12-14, "Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus"
3:20, "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ"
4:4, "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!"
4:5, "Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand"
4:6-7 "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus"
4:8, "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things"
4:13, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

Our Fundamentalist Future

Our Fundamentalist Future

Why I am a fundamentalist:

I believe:

1. The inerrancy of Scripture
   
2. The virgin birth and deity of Jesus Christ
   
3. The substitutionary atonement through God’s grace and human faith
   
4. The bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ
   
5. The authenticity of Christ’s miracles
   

Wednesday - Long work day

1. Kathee worked until 7 and took the bus home (home at 7:45)
   
2. I left work at 4:00 to visit Jeff S in the hospital. Got caught in Twins traffic. Finally to the hospital at about 4:45.
   
3. I brought the company laptop home ... worked until 9:30
   
4. Now 10 .. Roger, Kathee and I about to begin Philippians.
   

I'm up to 49.5% if 57,000 workstations on release 2.23. Another business unit with 2339 workstations signed on today (will be done Oct 17-29). Another group will only 374 workstations going very slow and will stretch out upgrades over three change periods (a month and a half). Our non-compliant workstations dropped to under 100. Support for them expires 10/10. I met with Sue C on our floor who has one of them .. she is going to have it recycled via Redemtech. I wanted it for myself ... I suggested to my manager that I be "gifted" with it - I intended to put Linux on it. But request was denied.

All leaves off the tree on the North side by Mrs. Finke's. Oak and willows still fully in leaf. There is a large spider outside the kitchen window - Daisy the cat noticed and was excited.

Receive Bruce Metzger's "The Canon of the N.T." today but did not even open the box.

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Philippians quotes:

1:21, "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain"
1:27, "Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ"
2:4, "Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others."
2:9-11, "Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father"
2:12, "Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling"
2:15, "that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world"

Top Ten Democrat Sex Scandals in Congress

Top Ten Democrat Sex Scandals in Congress

It's not just the Republicans!

Why doesn't Congress fix this?

Bernanke urges U.S. to fix entitlement programs soon


Quote: "If we don't begin soon to provide for the coming demographic transition, the relative burden on future generations may be significantly greater than it otherwise could have been," Bernanke told the Economics Club of Washington

Congress dithers while the problems with the entitlement programs grow!

Nero fiddled while Rome burned!

Morale at work

I found this quote on the Internet:

A pithy slogan seen on plastic signs hung
in offices and workplaces throughout the
United States. It is supposed to be a 
whimsical perspective on people hating 
where they work, and the idea that
management is incompetent and uncaring. 

It has the wonderful side effect that it
completely trivializes things like slave 
labor, prison labor, child labor, and 
other such real mistreatment of workers.
In fact, if I was a paranoid socialist,
I would suggest that American businessmen
tolerate such workplace whimsy because
it diverts attention from the real horrors
of the corrupt capitalistic system. In a
way, such toothless rebellion is a 
religion--Marx's opiate of the masses

For me ... it is just "funny". I ordered three today: my wife (a Technology Manager), my boss (Technology Manager), and me (Release Manager). I think it will look good in my office.

Kathee working until 7 tonight. I am leaving @ 4:45 to visit Jeff S at North Memorial Hospital.

Have the Republicans lost the right to govern?

I am a Republican and I will vote this way in November. But it is beginning to look as if the Republicans will lose both the House and the Senate. While I do not wish this result, I think that we will lose. Why?

1. Immorality: Look no further than Rep Foley!
   
2. Inactivity: Missed opportunities on Social Security Reform & Immigration Reform. I wonder: What has this Congress accomplished in this term?
   
3. Ineffectiveness: What used to be the party of fiscal conservativism is now as ineffective on reforming and reducing government as the Democrats.
   

Change is in the wind and it will not be kind to the Republicans in November.

A couple of good articles

The Problem Isn't Foley
Paging Mr. Hastert

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Kathee and I finished Ephesians tonight. 5:14 (a "worship chorus" from the early church)

     “Awake, you who sleep, 
      Arise from the dead, 
      And Christ will give you light.”

Why I hate Microsoft

Security software makers say they've been 'hamstrung' by Microsoft

1. I have suffered through a variety of bad Windows operating systems
   
   
   
   1. Windows 1.1
      
   2. Windows 3.0
      
   3. Windows 3.1
      
   4. Windows 3.11 (Windows for Workgroups)
      
   5. Windows 95 (can you say "daily reboot!")
      
   
   
2. I have seen Microsoft edge out other vendors: Netscape (when Microsoft kept "giving away" Internet Explorer, Disk defragmentation products, Word Perfect, Real Player, etc
   
3. Incorporation of Explorer into the operating system (Please .. does anyone really believe that I.E. should be part of the operating system
   
4. Security holes, weekly patches, service pack upon service pack
   
5. Bloated requirements. Like 2 GB of real memory required for Vista (the little secret no one is telling you about. Like all the folk who have bought PCs and have tried to run XP on 256 MB. How can an operating system need 2 GB to perform with mulitiple applications?!!!! I used to sell MAINFRAMES with 128 MB!
   
6. Licensing. If you have two Windows PCs .. must buy two licenses.
   
7. Requirement for add-on software to protect the operating system (Nortons Antivirus ... Spyware cleaners, etc). I've had a LINUX PC running connected via broadband to the Internet non-stop for 18 months ... with NO antivirus software. And it still has not caught a virus.
   
8. Bloatware (sofware with "eye candy" but no more real additional functionality). Can you say "Office 2007"
   

I'm stuck with Microsoft at work and I'm cool with that. My company replaces my PC every 2-3 years, buys the memory, patches the operating system, etc.

But I doubt I every buy a Microsoft PC again.

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Counterpoint

1. Windows NT was a great operating system
   
2. Windows XP is a great operating system
   
3. Plug and play with USB is easy with Windows XP. USB support on Linux is problematic
   
4. Laptop Linux support is weak (video support)
   
5. Printer support on Linux is weak (I don't have a printer on my Linux PC)
   
6. Software installs are EZ with Windows ... complex with Linux
   

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If all goes well I intend to buy an Apple laptop in a year!

Adventures at work

1. Used Cold Fusion server to send customized emails to 688 users. Last week I blue screened when doing this. I had a hypothesis is that it was an outlook issue so today I closed outlook when I did this function. I did a batch of 100 ... then a batch of 588. No issues. Again used my own Lenovo Thinkpad running my test Cold Fusion (with data from Microsoft SQL Server interim in data center).
   
2. We finished engineering on release 2.24. UAT was to begin today but we are delayed a day and will commence tomorrow. Engineers will need to pull *.iso's off a regional server and burn CD's to image a workstation. This is not how it works in production but for UAT this is the way it operates.
   
3. My biggest line of business has 17,000 desktops (70%) at release 2.23.
   
4. October is my big push month ... hope to have 50,000 desktops at 2.23 by the end of the month. Below are today's statistics
   

Release	Count	%
Pre 2.20	102	0.2%
2.20	12,403	21.8%
2.21	8,229	14.5%
2.22	8,809	15.5%
2.23	27,576	48.3%

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I met a man as I left my building who walks worse than me - much worse. I walk with two forearm crutches. This guy had both legs braced up and had two underarm crutches (the most uncomfortable kind in my opinion). With his shoulders and upper body he dragged his crippled legs along. I think that all handicapped people feel a special kindship to other handicapped. I know that I do.

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Tonight's reading: Ephesians 3 & 4

Ephesians 4:1-3, "I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."

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Roger home sick with a bad cold.

Sunday at 4th Baptist

1. Morning message from Matthew 5:10, "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven"
   
2. Evening message from 1 Cor 6:19-20, "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s."
   

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Twins: The Twins took home another AL Central championship today and Joe Mauer won an American League batting title by getting two hits in Minnesota's 5-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox. Division Champs

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Prayer Requests: Jeff S - at North Memorial with heart arrhythmia. Dave D goes into hospital on Wednesday for tests.

Brother came by today and we watched some of the Bengals / Patriots game.

First service for new Church plant - Bible Baptist Church (Otsego?) - more than 100 in attendance at the first service.

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Alive in Christ (Ephesians 2:1-10)

1. Former Life of the Lost
   
   
   
   1. Condition: "were dead in trespasses and sins"
      
   2. Walk: "once walked according to the course of this world"
      
   3. Empowerment: "according to the prince of the power of the air"
      
   4. Conduct: "we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh"
      
   5. Effect: "fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind"
      
   6. Nature: "by nature children of wrath, just as the others"
      
   
   
2. Intervention: God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ
   
   
   
   1. God made the Christian alive with Christ (5)
      
   2. God raised the Christian with Christ (6)
      
   3. God made the Christian sit together in the heavenlies with Christ (6)
      
   4. God will show us "in the ages to come" His exceeding riches in Christ (7)
      
   
   
3. Salvation by Grace: For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast (8-9)
   
4. Present life of the saved: For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (10)