Pictures

 I would have had some yesterday but my batteries were both dead, and the charger was having a maladjustment of some sort.  Yesterday, you say?  Why weren't you at work?  Well, I was- for a quarter-day.  You see, my part of the job was on a week from Monday ( and that working most of the week solo!), and the sewers had much of next week wrapped up.  Oh, and, we just lost our second big customer in about 6 months.  Why?  It's like this:  When we were an independant company, we searched and worked on innovations.  Innovations keep you growing.  But once we got bought out by the big bucks, the Biden economy and the bottom dollar pared things down to the point that the innovators were gone, replaced by the ones valiantly trying just to maintain the status quo.  Specific to this instance, we were making boat covers (because that's what we do) for a client of which the attachment mechanisms were causing scratches on the boat.  Instead of changing the system to another type (and all the re-design that would entail), we kept trying- and failing- to build the system better.  The customer got tired of design not taking the hint, so they ordered one last stock-up order and said, "See ya later."

So after 1st break, I was chatting with the boss, where he told me the bad news, lamented that, "When you hit a downturn, what you need to do is focus on innovation to keep customers, and if the downturn persists, then downsize", which our big bosses don't do.  They own enough other companies in our genre that they basically tell everyone, "sink or swim", without so much as providing swim trunks.

Okay, rant over, pictures up.

At least it's another Bright Blue Day...

Mrs Cardinal, one of many who greeted us this morning

My attempt to snap Una Paloma Blanca

Good morning, Big Guy

Nothing says 'severe drought' like cracks in a stone path

Colors coming in

Setting up for cricket day, from the south ridge.  The fans were coming across the PFW bridge when we got there.

I would have had a better shot at the flock, but my camera's auto shut-off kicked in just as they went overhead.

Misty valiantly looking for froggies, but no luck

Ducks in the foreground, geese in the back

Sharing her dip with a slime coated beer bottle

This guy really chewed us out!

Wednesday Bible study: The state of theology survey

 

This is going to be an unconventional "Bible study"; I was just looking at a survey by Ligonier Ministries on what supposed Christians believe about their faith.  The answers- and the lack of understanding OF that faith- were shocking.

- "Everyone is born innocent in the eyes of God."  64% of evangelicals believe this is true.

So the first passage these people missed:

Psa 51:4  Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. 

Psa 51:5  Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. 

And another:

Rom 3:9  What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, 

Rom 3:10  as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; 

Rom 3:11  no one understands; no one seeks for God. 

Rom 3:12  All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” 

- "Everyone sins a little, but most people are good by nature."  53%.  So say most liberals. But...

Rom 7:18  For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 

Rom 7:19  For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 

- "The Holy Spirit is a force but is not a personal being." 53% again.

This ain't Star Wars, people.  

Joh 14:16  And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 

Joh 14:17  even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. 

A force isn't a "him".

- "There is one true God in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit."

Well, they got one right- 98% agree.  But this one draws us 2 conclusions.  One, who are the one percent that disagree, and why?  Two, a minimum of 52% claim they believe God is in 3 PERSONS, but don't believe the Spirit IS a person...  Kinda sets in doubt whether they really consider what they believe at all.

- "God accepts the worship of all religions, including Christianity, Judaism, and Islam."

At least this fallacy isn't a majority- but at 47%, it might as well be.

Joh 14:5  Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 

Joh 14:6  Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 

Gal 1:8  But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. 

Gal 1:9  As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. 

- "The Bible is the highest authority for what I believe." 100% said they agree with this- but somewhere between 47-64% of them are either lying or have no idea what is in the Bible.

Mat 12:36  I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, 

Mat 12:37  for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” 

- "God loves all people the same way."  94% go along with this warm fuzzy thought.  But once again:

Psa 147:10  His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the legs of a man, 

Psa 147:11  but the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love. 

Rom 9:14  What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! 

Rom 9:15  For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 

Rom 9:16  So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. 

Rom 9:17  For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” 

Rom 9:18  So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills. 

- "God created marriage to be between one man and one woman." This is a direct quote from Genesis 2, yet 35% find a reason to disagree with it.

Now maybe you see why I do what I do, and why I tell you to READ your Bible! You cannot do faith by, "I don' need no steenking directions, I'll figure it out!"  I know some of you might tell me, "It isn't as complicated as you're making it.  Doesn't the Bible also say:

Mic 6:8  He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? 

To which I say, yes exactly.  But walking WITH your God means you have to go the same way HE is- He's NOT going to follow YOU.  Justice means HIS just verdict- and that means it's HIS way.  And yes, it's great to be kind- but how kind are you being when your acceptance or approval allows someone you love to go to Hell?