Belize

Jess and I are leaving tomorrow morning for a ten day mission trip with the Highland Youth Group, which means we are something something today. Go crazy? Don't mind if I do!

Good luck, Bob. Except you will keep playing until Fortner wins and then he'll call it, so really, there's no luck involved. The luck wishing is for the class, I guess.

Expertise

With many friends in graduate school for various medical professions, I often feel a strange tension when discussing the seemingly endless academic work required for medical/theological graduate degrees. On the one hand, we get each other because it takes so long. On the other, they get to be doctors when it's done; I'll just have a masters. Again, they get to be recognized experts in their field of study, I just get to minister to people who already are experts in mine. I mean, really, a master of divinity is a misnomer. The more I learn, the less I am sure I know; and yet it will probably not be uncommon for the people who know less, have read less, studied less than me to assume that their perception of all things theological is better or at least as good as mine. This is only natural, because no one believes in something because they think it's wrong. I'm not complaining, though. Consider this my Bob blog, just pointing out another irony in our crazy world.

(gulp)

Um, I love the Superman Tower ride at Six Flags amusement parks. Scratch that, loved.

From the New York Post:

A teenage girl's legs were severed above the ankle while on a thrill ride at a popular amusement park yesterday, park officials said.

The accident happened around 4:45 p.m. on the Superman Tower of Power at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom, said Six Flags spokeswoman Wendy Goldberg.

A witness, Chris Dinnette, was riding one car over from the girl who was hurt. He told NBC affiliate WAVE he heard what he thought were screams of excitement. But then he saw a cable "come back and hit a lot of people" and realized he was hearing screams of horror.

The girl, 13, was taken to University Hospital. There was no immediate word on her condition.

The ride lifts passengers 177 feet straight up, then drops 154 feet, reaching a speed of 54 mph, according to the park's Web site.

Wow. That really, really freaks me out. I won't be riding that ride again. And more, I can't even imagine what that poor girl is going through. How sad!

Test Photo

New Look

I like this template. What do my readers think? Patrick, do you feel comfortable posting inflammatory remarks on this blog?

Under Construction

This blog is all jacked up. Please be patient as repairs are made.

Loose connections

I've decided to remove Mark Cuban's blog from my sidebar. It's no fun when the Mavs are not a part of his discussion, and now that he's gone mum on the fun stuff per request of David Stern, I don't even get the techno jargon about which he is concerned.

Speaking of the Mavs, last night at Target, someone had started playing the PS3 and then left, leaving the Mavericks turning the ball over on the inbounds pass every time to the Heat, and the score was, at the time, 30-5. Ouch. That one still hurts.

Speaking of blogs, I like what Bob posted about with conforming to God's character as much as trying to discern His will. Yes, as my wife was quick to point out, His will still matters. I think the Open position could benefit from an exploration of this idea. It's probably not a new one, but it's new to me via Bob, so he gets the credit.

Speaking of theology, Pinnock's book on the holy spirit was okay. Not great, but he also discussed the gender issues, and it's getting more clear to me now.

Speaking of clarity, why must every theological position be so heavily nuanced. It drives me crazy most of the time.

Speaking of video games, my wife is AWESOME. She let us use the last of the undiscovered wedding gift cards to purchase Guitar Hero 2 last night for the 360. It literally rocks. And Jess rocks too.

Brief Update

Today, I saw a guy riding his bike and smoking a cigarette. Make up your mind, dude.