Mt. Everest, easy! Mt. Zion, hard.

I said many moons ago that I was planning to summit Mt. Everest; what I really want to do is summit Mt. Zion . . . to ascend God's holy hill. I found detailed instructions in Psalm 15:

walk blamelessly
do what is righteous
speak truth from your heart
have no slander on your tongue
do your neighbor no wrong
cast no slur on your fellow man
despise a vile man
honor a God-fearing man
keep your word even when it hurts
lend money without interest
do not hurt the cause of the innocent

These are the qualities of one who lives on God's holy hill, one who lives a life of worship and praise. I know it won't be easy, and it will take much patience, prayer, and practice. So few can do it, it makes Mt. Everest look like a snap. I know it will be worth any suffering, pain, temptation or trial, though, for the heights of Mt. Zion are a great place from which to gaze upon the God's beauty.

Out with the old, in with the new.

I have had many thoughts bouncing (some violently), around in my head these last few days, and I have been thinking about whether to share them here, and also how to do so. I think the title of this post pretty well sums up a lot of my thoughts-new attitudes, thoughts, and books replacing old ones. First of all, I am done reading Nicholas Nickleby, and am now reading Our Mutual Friend by Dickens. It suits the season well. Old ideas about rules (again, those of photography), are now replaced by my own rules, which are to take pictures, not so much of things or places, but of moments. This I do so that I can remember the time when I went kayaking with my parents, and the moment I realized how beautiful a picture of a cow can be, how lovely it was to feel the sun on my back as I watched that cow graze in a field of golden wheat as the sun was lowering in the clear blue sky. Mark Nohl, in his collection of photographs of New Mexico said in the preface to his book that our photos are a true and real expression of our values. I flipped through my photo albums after reading this, and I realized the reason I will probably never take the perfect picture-I do not wait for the perfect time of day when the sun is just so; I take my picture at the time I was there-not at the time when things will look their best. Old ideas about friendships are out, new ideas are in. Gone is the idea that I should have a great quantity of friends. I have come to see it is far more important to have great quality in friendships. My attitude has changed, whether from more mature thought, the realities of this world, getting older, apathy, cynicism, or sanctification and patience, I can't say. However, I have found I have less and less desire to involve myself in conflict of any kind.

To sum this up en español, Tengo una vaca que hace pipi en el piso.
In Italiano, Le capre mangiano molte cose.
In Francais, Le petit chien se trouve un ami.

Goodbye, adios, arrivaderci, y bonjour, mon amis. ¡Feliz Navidad! Joyeux Noël!

Christmas thoughts and wishes for my friends

Tidings of comfort and joy to you, and redeeming grace from Christ the Savior.

The most divisive name I know

The 5 points. A lawyer. A Reformer. Jerry Springer? Mike Tyson? A political candidate? Jim Jones, David Koresh, 'Do' leader of Heaven's Gate, O.J. Simpson, Rodney King, Malcolm X., Martin Luther King, Charles Darwin. These are all divisive names, most, charismatic leaders who had followers aplenty, and dissenters, too. One name, not yet mentioned, though, has been tossed around a great deal ,and has been at the root of heated and ugly controversy among people who should be the last people to argue with each other in such an ugly, hitting-below-the-belt sort of way. The people doing the arguing, backbiting, and "devouring one another" are Christians, and their passions are not aroused so much by Christ (as they should be), but a lawyer named John Calvin. I have rarely heard his name unless it is in the context of some heated debate. Christians who identify themselves not primarily as Christians, but as Calvinists, seem as ready and willing to say, "I love and worship John Calvin", (if not more so), than to say, "I love and worship God the Father, the Great I Am." I acknowledge the man was a great thinker, and had inspiring religious thought. I'm just tired of arguments in the church and division among believers over this man's logic.

Rulers and rules

I've been thinking a lot about our rulers, and what they do: make rules for us. But is that a good thing? I know most rulers have their subjects' safety and well-being in mind, but what about their orginal styles, opinions, desires, etc. To be more specific, I was thinking about a book I read on the rules of photography. (There are a very many photographic rules!) However, I have my own ideas of what I want to take photos of, and how I want my photos to look. (Click on the green photo badge in the sidebar to see my flickr site.) So, despite their efforts to be helpful, I don't want to subject my photographic instincts to any rules . . . except my rules, which are pretty lenient. I want my photo album to be a reflection of me, a kind of photographic journal of the things and times that are special to me. And that's all I have to say about THAT!!!

2 songs

Since writing song lyrics seems to be all the rage among some of my blogging buddies, I thought I'd share two of my favorites: 1. Be Still, My Soul by Richard Bennet
Be still, my soul, the Lord is on thy side. Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain. Leave to thy God to order and provide. In every change, He faithful will remain. Be still, my soul, thy best, thy Heav'nly friend, through thorny trials, leads to a joyful end.
Be still, my soul, thy God doth undertake, to guide the future as He has the past. Thy hope, thy confidence, let nothing shake. All now mysterious will be bright at last. Be still, my soul, the waves and wind still know, His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.
Be still, my soul, the hour is hast'ning on, when we shall be forever with the Lord. When disappointment, grief and fear are gone, sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored. Be still, my soul, when change and tears are past, all safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

2. Marching to Zion by Isaac Watts
Come, we, that love the Lord, and let our joys be known. Join in a song with sweet accord, and thus surround the throne.
Let those refuse to sing who never knew our God. But children of the Heav'nly king, may speak their joys abroad.
The hill of Zion yields a thousand sacred sweets. Before we reach the Heav'nly fields, or walk the golden streets.
Then let our songs abound, let every tear be dry; Wer'e marching through Immanuel's ground, to fairer worlds on high.