He will direct your paths

.
Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart.
Lean not on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.
.
.

world without end (or beginning)

Many believe in an eternal life as something in the future. It's harder to conceive of a world that has no beginning, i.e. no big bang to get things started. However it happened, three dimentional life and spiritual "life" have evolved or emerged. Mysteriously, the spiritual forces have acquired some control over the temporal (natural law) existence. The Judaeo-Christian God as one of these forces has some control but not absolute control (how could a loving God allow genocide, for example). The concept of a loving God has shown survival value in the ebb and flow of life forces. We choose to honor this God who (however evolved) enables much love to be expressed in the world. Jesus the Christ was the highest expression yet of this love and his living presence helps us show this love. It would be nice if this god could be all powerful and answer all prayers for healing and peace, but other spiritual forces must prevent this from happening. It's not God's fault that evil exists. Similarly other gods (Allah, Buddah, the animist, Hindu) enable their believers to experience meaning and hope amid the experiences of this life. These gods -- like angels -- are real and not the creation of men's minds. This is not a well developed systematic theology and likely never will be. It's just one person's attempt to understand how god can be love yet not all powerful.

Failure and Success

.

I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.

Michael Jordan
.
.

10

Three leaves remained at the beginning of the day.
One of them is barely hanging on. When the rains come this evening this one may fall as well leaving only two. Likewise, Indiana fell today (90-73) as the Cats won their 10th and go 10-0 for this season. Two games remain with Austin Peay up next in a week. By then there may remain just the two leaves nearly ready to symbolize 2000. Thanks to Wendell, Eddie, Bossy and others.

Too Eager?

Three leaves on the tree after the winds last night, but four games remain for UK, and the tree may have been too eager, as UK trails UConn by six at the half. This may be the learning experience Coach Cal's been looking for. Wouldn't be horrible if UK were to lose and might prevent the big head going into the SEC. Of course, a loss would postpone the 2000 win celebration, but it'll come eventually even if UNC were to pass them by. It's just a game, right? We need the guardian angel help for the second half from Walter, Eddie, and Bossy. Go Big Blue!

UK 64 - UConn 61 Whew!

Struggle

Five leaves remain on the maple tree, struggling to hang on.
Five games remain for UK struggling to make it to 2000.

The following quote heard at a CME this morning:

"The most important thing in life is not the triumph, but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well."

-- Pierre De Coubertin, French historian and pedagogue, founder of the International Olympic Committee, and considered father of the modern Olympic Games.


Regardless of the outcome of the UK vs. UNC game now going on, UK will hopefully "fight well."

As it turned out, UK squeaked by 68-66 but it was a game of two halves with UNC showing the grit in the second and UK showing the brilliance in the first.

.
.

Creator god

As I have considered an “evolved god” in a parallel universe, one problem arises: How do you explain the miracles where various persons (Passover angel, Moses, Joshua, Elijah, Elisha, Jesus, et al) acting as agents of god alter the “natural order” unless god is somehow in control of (rather than controlled by) the universe? I happen to believe the historical record that the miracles actually did occur, so I have to retreat from my “evolved god” position. Yet, there is a sense in which the “creator god” allows the spiritual “parallel universe” to be perceived and evolved by people in various cultures at successive times according to what (their needs, god’s interests, random events)? I guess, to proceed further, I’ll need to read some Karen Armstrong and others.
Obviously, I’m not a theologian.
.
.
The year’s at the spring,
And day’s at the morn;
Morning’s at seven;
The hill-side’s dew-pearled;
The lark’s on the wing;
The snail’s on the thorn;
God’s in his Heaven –
(with the billions of innocents
who’ve died of hunger, poverty,
disease, and injustice)
All’s right with the world!
—Browning in Pippa Passes
.
.