Captain Go Bart

tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71913072011-10-07T21:46:18.546-07:00Captain Go BartIn the late 1970's, when in college at Berkeley, I was one of the chosen few who drove the Humphrey GoBart buses, shuttling students around campus in Mercedes Benz D309 buses. My nickname was "Captain Go Bart." This is my blog.Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.comBlogger2791100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-7698631892160046992011-10-07T21:37:00.000-07:002011-10-07T21:41:34.473-07:00Tim Keller- King's Cross

I have been reading through Tim Keller's latest book, "King's Cross: The Story of the World in the Life of Jesus". Fascinating look at Mark's gospel, which I know well. Or at least I thought I knew it well. Keller has an amazing way of stripping away some of the cultural veneer of our modern understanding of Jesus, and goes back to the source in a very clear and cogent way.I ran across this

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-10619498198972073882011-04-03T18:16:00.000-07:002011-04-03T18:36:39.473-07:00Lessons from Hip Replacement - Part Two

My right hip continues to improve, as it continues to gain strength and flexibility. It has gone so well, that the left hip is now scheduled to be replaced on April 12th, just nine days from today!One of the joys of having a new hip is a return to walking. For most of our married lives, Beth and I have walked. We have walked to the store. We have walked the dogs. We have walked to friends' houses

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-45097261033250750912011-01-26T11:48:00.000-08:002011-01-26T12:13:12.504-08:00Lessons from Hip Replacement

Two weeks ago, I had my right hip replaced. In some ways, this has been a long journey, as I have needed something like this for literally years. The cartilage wore out in my right hip, and it has been bone on bone for some time. I compensated by limping, hopping, dragging my right leg around, sitting whenever possible rather than the excruciating pain of standing. It had gotten so bad that I

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-51497116737143401742010-11-25T09:40:00.000-08:002010-11-25T09:46:13.252-08:00Phrases that announce ‘I’m lying‘

A very interesting post in the Boston Globe this week, about phrases we use in everyday conversation that operate contrary to their face value. Here are the opening three paragraphs of the article, followed by the link below.I hate to be the one to tell you this, but there’s a whole range of phrases that aren’t doing the jobs you think they’re doing.In fact, “I hate to be the one to tell you

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-42509321896669280212010-08-04T19:33:00.000-07:002010-08-04T19:35:06.315-07:00Guthrie on Sad People, Safe Churches

Another outstanding post from The Gospel Coalition. The interview is with Nancy Guthrie. She and her husband founded the Griefshare ministry out of their own grief. Her story is here, and well worth the read.This struck me, I am sorry to say, when we first started our first Griefshare group last January. After a few sessions, a new member of the group surprised us by coming to our Sunday

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-43969202990051594732010-08-04T19:25:00.000-07:002010-08-04T19:26:37.540-07:00Anne Rice: Loves Christ but Not the Church

Another fine post by Collin Hansen on The Gospel Coalition today on the Anne Rice story circling the blogosphere.Using today’s news medium of choice, novelist Anne Rice announced July 28 on Facebook that she has quit being a Christian. Rice, the famed author of Interview with a Vampire, says she still loves Christ. But it’s the rest of us she can’t stand.I remain committed to Christ as always

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-84442159984310756932010-08-04T19:23:00.000-07:002010-08-04T19:24:48.181-07:00Devaluing Dads, Discrediting the Father

Great post from Wednesday at The Gospel Coalition on the value of fathers. The secular trend is to argue that fathers are not necessary. So children raised by a single woman, or two women in a relationship, will not lose much of anything by not having a father around.As the oldest son in a family marked by divorce, I can testify to the loss of not having a father around. Some have diagnosed

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-33889829374114805532010-07-15T08:38:00.000-07:002010-07-19T05:12:40.134-07:00Ecumenical Greetings from Father Siarhei Sardun

Here is the video clip from the General Assembly Business Session 7, which was introduced by Father Siarhei Sardun, from the Orthodox Church in Belarus. He was asked to bring greetings as an Ecumenical Advisory Delegate. He is introduced about a minute in. The fireworks begin about five minutes in. The whole clip is about eight minutes long.I have been unable to find a transcription of his

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-87558209707551454562010-07-13T23:36:00.000-07:002010-07-19T05:12:40.146-07:00Scraps of Thoughts on Daily Prayer- Tim Keller

A wonderful and helpful little message by Tim Keller on, well, you read the title!There are three kinds of prayer I try to find time for every day — meditation (or contemplation), petition, and repentance. I concentrate on the first two every morning and do the last one in the evening.Meditation is actually a middle ground or blend of Bible reading and prayer. I like to use Luther’s

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-44580581697905888752010-07-11T09:54:00.000-07:002010-07-19T05:12:40.155-07:00More Thoughts on General Assembly

After every great sporting event, there will be those who write their reflections on the event. "Monday Morning Quarterbacks" is what we call some of them. Second-guessing is human nature. But it is far easier to second-guess in the comfort of your own home or office, with leisurely time to ponder all the possibilities, than it is to take part in the great contest, played out in real time, not

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-18068678485782395452010-07-10T09:11:00.000-07:002010-07-19T05:12:40.168-07:00Friday Morning, It is Finished

Actually, the 219th General Assembly will close in about 45 minutes with a worship service. I am glad for the opening and closing worship services. It frames the context in which we do business. We are not here just to conduct business, but to worship the Lord who has redeemed us and called us. Our business is part of our worship. I have been in session meetings in other churches where we only

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-3030424112982917972010-07-08T22:26:00.000-07:002010-07-19T05:12:40.184-07:00Thursday, More Than Hump Day

A grueling day today at the General Assembly. I had a breakfast this morning at 7:00 a.m., but I could not get myself out of bed for it. But some good news before the rest of my midnight reflections.First, the COLA (Committee on Local Arrangements) has collected socks and underwear for homeless folks in the area. It will be distributed through churches and homeless shelters. A bunch has been

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-73979929852397639482010-07-07T21:34:00.000-07:002010-07-19T05:12:40.197-07:00Wednesday Evening, Voting and DQ Closed

Saddest image of the week right here, friends. After a week with my family in which we went to DQ every day, I have not been to a DQ since they left last Friday. OK, so seven days without DQ makes one weak, I get it. So tonight, after dining with the fine folks of the San Gabriel presbytery (thanks for dinner, Ruth, it was great!), I walked one block to the USBank Building at 800 Nicollet Mall,

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-67973273220538305792010-07-07T07:01:00.000-07:002010-07-19T05:12:40.209-07:00Wednesday Morning, Gearing Up

Yesterday (Tuesday) was a grinding day, until 4:30. That's when my committee finally finished our business for the Assembly. Sort of. After the Assembly finishes its meeting Friday night, my committee will meet afterwards to discuss budget implications. Man, I knew serving for ten years on Administration and Finance at the Presbytery would come handy!Today will be full. I had breakfast this

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-41486865548107889812010-07-05T21:15:00.000-07:002010-07-19T05:12:40.219-07:00Monday, The Work Really Begins

Imagine yourself at a session meeting, discussing church policies and procedures. For ten hours. That was my day. Morning, afternoon, and tonight until 10:00 p.m. local time, I joined 52 other commissioners with a moderator, a co-moderator, and a parliamentarian, to discuss all sorts of issues. My brain is fried.Most General Assembly business in committees happens on Monday and Tuesday, which is

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-33285491930846737092010-07-04T21:05:00.000-07:002010-07-19T05:12:40.237-07:00Sunday, Worship and Committees Begin

General Assembly kicked off this morning with a two hour worship service. Very creative, artistic, beautiful, and well designed. A huge choir sang, three worship bands played. Prayers were made in three languages. A baby was baptized. Communion was served.The theme of the Assembly comes from John 7:37-43, with the emphasis on verses 37-38.37On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-190387911751381002010-07-03T22:31:00.000-07:002010-07-19T05:12:40.251-07:00A New Moderator Is Elected

The PC(USA) has a new Moderator, Cindy Bolbach. See her web site for more information here. You can see the Presbyterians for Renewal evaluation of her here.The voting process was atrocious. Many of our electronic voting devices were malfunctioning. This was an issue in San Jose, and you'd think the GA folks would get it right after two years, right?At one point after the second ballot, a motion

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-60269999745124838122010-07-03T09:54:00.000-07:002010-07-19T05:12:40.263-07:00Saturday, General Assembly About to Begin

Good morning. A very early morning for me, as I awoke at 6:00 a.m. to attend a breakfast hosted by Presbyterians for Renewal. Took a quick shower, and walked the six blocks to the Hyatt. Having been promised breakfast in the pre-GA advertisements, I was surprised to find only coffee. I know some of you can live on coffee, but it is not one of my basic food groups. (In MN, for me, those would be

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-9899951272338087352010-07-02T11:45:00.000-07:002010-07-19T05:12:40.272-07:00Friday, D-Minus-One to General Assembly

Good afternoon. Jim Stochl reporting from Minneapolis, where the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church will be convening tomorrow. I am testing out my video production skills without the able assistance of either Jonathan nor Kimo, but we'll see how this goes.My hotel is two blocks from the Convention Center. I will wander over there this afternoon to check things out. Right now, though, I

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-38157759779484998032010-06-22T02:25:00.000-07:002010-07-19T05:12:40.281-07:00The Primacy of Faith

Another fine post at the Gospel Coalition web site. Anyone who can quote Kierkegaard is worth reading!From Ray Ortlund today at his blog “Christ is Deeper Still“:The Christian life is not most profoundly a matter of ethics; most profoundly, it is a matter of faith. Abraham trusted God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. As Kierkegaard points out in The Sickness Unto Death, “The

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-43423200167113101172010-06-22T02:18:00.000-07:002010-07-19T05:12:40.289-07:00Why Can’t We Just Read the Bible?

This is a great post over at the Gospel Coalition web site.This has some good suggestions, and some wise counsel. I especially like the Lloyd-Jones remarks to medical students. Enjoy!The latest issue of Modern Reformation transcribes Michael Horton’s 2003 interview of Don Carson about hermeneutics and theological method: “Why Can’t We Just Read the Bible? An Interview with D. A. Carson.”

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-63661404978084302010-03-21T07:25:00.001-07:002010-03-21T07:25:31.850-07:00Counterfeit Gospels

New pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, Tullian Tchividjian, has posted a great challenge concerning counterfeit gospels here. Here is an excerpt from his post at the Gospel Coalition.In light of Paul Tripp coming to Coral Ridge this weekend, I’ve gone back through a lot of my Paul Tripp books–he’s such a huge gift to the church!In one of his books (co-authored with Tim Lane), How People

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-19109275057541296872010-03-11T14:50:00.000-08:002010-07-19T05:12:40.325-07:00Dr. Mouw on the Belhar Confession

One of the issues facing our denomination this summer in Minneapolis will be lack of mosquito repellent. Oh, excuse me, my mind was wandering a bit back to my childhood encounters with what is affectionately known as the "Minnesota Air Force."Actually, one of the issues facing us will be the adoption of the Belhar Confession into our Book of Confessions. Presbyterians are people of three books.

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-45978189655577653332010-01-28T07:57:00.000-08:002010-07-19T05:12:40.496-07:00The Shack- Impressions from Tim Keller

Many have read the book, "The Shack". Over seven million copies have been sold, and it has been incredibly popular in many Christian circles. Tim Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, has some thoughts on "The Shack". They are well worth reading, as Keller is quite astute in his analysis and has a good feel for the gospel implications of the book. Here is the link, and

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-29169559941242739742009-12-23T10:15:00.000-08:002010-07-19T05:12:40.525-07:00O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

Enjoy!

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-12638381017134390422009-12-03T19:16:00.000-08:002010-07-19T05:12:40.538-07:00The Theology of the "Twilight" Series

Russell Moore posts about this here. Some interesting stuff, really. I have not read the books, but thousands if not millions of young women HAVE read the books, and are seeing the movies. In particular, Moore cites John Granger's thoughtful article in Touchstone here. Specifically, Granger examines the Mormon theology behind the series. I found this fascinating, really, and will look more deeply

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-36412204432604760402009-12-03T19:04:00.000-08:002010-07-19T05:12:40.550-07:00What Did You Learn Today?

A simple, yet profound question posed by a pastor to his parishioner. Here are the five results.What did you learn today?   The first dozen times I spent with Pastor Mark Driscoll he asked me the exact same question—"What did you learn today?"   This did five things: It forced me to consider the massive amount of information coming in and discern what's important.It set me up in the habit of

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-3359936436826126182009-10-21T22:20:00.000-07:002010-07-19T05:12:40.562-07:00Counterfeit Gods: American Idols

Tim Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, has written a new book entitled "Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope That Matters".There is a good interview with Tim concerning the book here. Some excerpts of the interview.Do Christians have blind spots when it comes to false gods? An idol is something you rely on instead of God

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-24917494033793547562009-10-20T14:15:00.000-07:002010-07-19T05:12:40.574-07:00Deep Church

"Because we want glory for ourselves, we seek to find fault in others. Contentious people are always looking for something to argue about, some way to start controversy and disrupt the peace." from "Deep Church", by Jim Belcher.Wow, this is deeply convicting for me, as I am prone to criticism and fault finding, and uttering things about "if I were king of the world, I wouldn't be so stupid/

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-58116998546954251402009-10-20T14:13:00.000-07:002010-07-19T05:12:40.585-07:00The Way of Simplicity

Came across this at a great blog I just discovered, called The Gospel Coalition.If we would find God amid all the religious externals, we must first determine to find him, and then proceed in the way of simplicity. Now as always God discovers himself to ‘babes’ and hides himself in thick darkness from the wise and the prudent. We must simplify our approach to him. We must strip down to essentials

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-34670447745521651342009-10-19T19:44:00.000-07:002010-07-19T05:12:40.595-07:00Mark Roberts on the Power of the Internet

Mark Roberts has a great post on the power of the internet here. Entitled "The Office, the Wedding, and the Power of the Internet", Mark reflects on the relationship between the recent episode of the hugely popular "The Office" and a real life wedding in St. Paul, MN.In both weddings, the traditional processional music is replaced by Chris Brown's "Forever", with the wedding party joyfully

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-36991897543037474722009-10-09T12:02:00.000-07:002010-07-19T05:12:40.610-07:00The Bells Are RInging

The bells are ringing again at APC. Thanks to the vision and initiative of our new receptionist, Carol Shaw, the bells are now ringing again.Carol loves the sound of the bells, and researched how they might be brought back to life at APC. She discovered a computer and amplifier setup that was fairly inexpensive. The purchased was proposed and approved, and ordered. It arrived this week.The system

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-57503092249275910612009-10-05T21:29:00.000-07:002010-07-19T05:12:40.623-07:00The Dark Side of Bible Reading

An interesting blog post by Jeremy Berg at "Jesus Creed" here, called "The Dark Side of Bible Reading."In it, he infers that many of the youth he works with, and many adults as well, read the Bible as if THEY were the central figure in the story. And their overwhelming concern was how the Bible applies "to me." Evidently, if the Bible passage does not apply "to me", it must mean nothing, and I

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-55313772725193301232009-09-24T10:21:00.000-07:002010-07-19T05:12:40.635-07:00Is the Era of Age Segmentation Over?

Evie Knottnerus, the wife of Sam, our new Director of Children, Youth and Family Ministries, forwarded this article to me, and it is well worth reading. Some of the thoughts expressed ring true with some of our recent experiences. It is entitled, "Is the Era of Age Segmentation Over?" and can be found here.In light of Tuesday night's discussion at the session about worship, this is really timely.

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-76629807360157395842009-09-16T20:00:00.000-07:002010-07-19T05:12:40.645-07:00Farewell, Dave

At 1:20 a.m. on September 1, my brother passed away. As former president Reagan so eloquently spoke, he “slipped the surly bonds of earth and touched the face of God.” He was 51 years young, and leaves a wife and four daughters. He also leaves a whole fire department. Dave died as he lived, with a positive outlook. He firmly believed each day would be better than the next. And in this case, for

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-36872947287804543582009-06-02T23:11:00.000-07:002010-07-19T05:12:40.705-07:00Unused Gift Cards Go a Long Way

Do you have any gift cards lying around the house or in your wallet? There are reputedly 60 billion dollars, (yes, George, that is billion with a "b") sold each year. And there is an estimated 10% of those cards never get used, that would be 6 billion samoleans. Wow!So along comes an idea from a group dedicated to using these cards to help those in need. Not those who need a new Nikon D90, Rich.

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-74576770837830466752009-06-02T23:02:00.000-07:002010-07-19T05:12:40.714-07:00Top Ten Wedding Advice

It has been a while since we have blogged. Sorry to both our fans out there. I ran across this today in my internet wanderings: My Top Ten Wedding Advice by Eugene Cho, who is the pastor of the Quest Church in Seattle. Interesting guy. Since June is the official beginning of the wedding season, it seems like good stuff. Here is Eugene's list. If you want #10, you will have to check out his

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-71866210848508485832009-04-08T16:14:00.000-07:002010-07-19T05:12:40.723-07:00Does God Exist? Hitchens vs. Craig

This week, at Biola, a public debate was held between Christopher Hitchens and William Lane Craig. A great summary of the debate is posted here.In light of Pastor Jim's previous post, it is well worth looking into whether God exists or not.By this report, it appears that while Craig won the argument, Hitchens won the debate. That is, on merits, the day went to Craig. But for public perception and

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-34121834429293018242009-04-08T10:22:00.000-07:002010-07-19T05:12:40.737-07:00Pouring down rain

Pouring down rain three weeks ago on Sunday morning was not the beginning but it changed our direction significantly. Lynda heard a gurgling noise and looked over to see Megan our second of four children writhing in a convulsion, her eyes rolled back into her head, stuff coming out of her mouth. It was the second one that night and an answer to prayer.Starting in early February Megan complained

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-82914560565218006112009-04-06T22:14:00.000-07:002010-07-19T05:12:40.758-07:00The Decline of Religion in America

Every Easter and Christmas, Time and Newsweek and their ilk publish articles trying to inform the public of trends in religious circles. Mostly, their articles tend to "rile the righteous," and perhaps that is their intent.Newsweek's new article in the arsenal is here. Written by religion editor Jon Meacham, it is entitled, "The End of Christian America." The header is:The percentage of

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-63376813159791904042009-03-05T13:06:00.000-08:002010-07-19T05:12:40.773-07:00Amendment B

Much has been written about the proposed Amendment B, which is being voted on by presbyteries across the country. Voting results are here.The present article reads like this:"Those who are called to office in the church are to lead a life in obedience to Scripture and in conformity to the historic confessional standards of the church. Among these standards is the requirement to live either in

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-48282490139741499702009-02-12T22:03:00.000-08:002009-02-12T22:21:57.802-08:00So Grateful

This story in USA Today highlights the vagaries of the human experience.Evidently, US Airways has offered the survivors of the miraculous landing on the Hudson $5,000 for their ordeal. According to the story, "After the crash, US Airways sent passengers a letter of apology, a $5,000 check to assist "with immediate needs" and reimbursement for the ticket." Nice gesture.But that is not enough for

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-52456065237780881922009-01-31T07:18:00.000-08:002010-07-19T05:12:40.789-07:00Heart Warming

I am a sucker for these kinds of stories. Maybe you are, too. H/T to Mark Roberts. Enjoy! [SDG- JS]

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-69356863843331932009-01-29T13:01:00.000-08:002010-07-19T05:12:40.802-07:00The Bible and Recovery

I came across an interesting article this morning about an HBA documentary airing tonight on the life of Ted Haggard. Haggard was the pastor of mega-church New Life Fellowship in Colorado Springs, and then was accused of having sex with a male prostitute and using drugs. Haggard was let go as the pastor, and has struggled since. (A related article in Slate is here.)The documentary is by Alexandra

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-46333854159712355182009-01-22T14:01:00.000-08:002010-07-19T05:12:40.821-07:00Heart Pounding

I woke up this morning (My first morning in Egypt) to the sound of the call to prayer on loud speakers that blast through the city. Each Mosque competes to see who can be the loudest and sing their prayer the longest, at least that is the way it seems at 5 in the morning…After a cold shower (They forgot to turn the heater on) and a nice breakfast of toast and tea, I stepped outside to view the

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-80254597840497751062009-01-13T21:24:00.000-08:002010-07-19T05:12:40.868-07:00Leading by Principle

Tony Dungy is one of my favorite football people. I remember him as he played at the University of Minnesota as a Golden Gopher. He moved on to play for the Steelers, then coach in the NFL at Tampa Bay and then for Indianapolis. This story today, when Dungy retired at the ripe old age of early 50's, explains why many in the NFl adore the man, especially players.TAMPA, Fla. -- Forget for a second

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-72573072391655733802009-01-10T09:04:00.000-08:002010-07-19T05:12:40.885-07:00Can We Spare a Minute for God?

An interesting article in the Los Angeles Times cited by Mark Roberts here, entitled, "A closer, faster walk with thee". Here's a taste:So you're racing through another jam-packed day, late picking up the kids from basketball practice because you got stuck at the office. You still have to pay the bills, walk the dog and perhaps grab cold pizza before collapsing into bed.When do you ever find time

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-20363365960571573282009-01-08T11:27:00.000-08:002010-07-19T05:12:40.894-07:00Two Paths

I ran across this article the other day, and it was both encouraging and discouraging. While vacationing in Seattle over Christmas, I read two books -- one by a famous atheist who found God, the other by a journalist who gave up on God. British philosopher Antony Flew shocked the world four years ago this month when he announced that scientific evidence had convinced him a mastermind is running

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-16800714441923344632009-01-03T06:34:00.000-08:002010-07-19T05:12:40.912-07:00Some Quotes to Ponder

“An optimist stays up until midnight to see the New Year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves.” - Bill Vaughn“Jesus was the first world leader to inaugurate a kingdom with a heroic role for losers.” - Philip Yancey, Rumors of Another World (Zondervan, 2003)“Celebrate what you want to see more of.” - Thomas J. PetersWhen I am in the cellar of affliction, I look for the Lord's

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-11391056479386183752009-01-03T06:25:00.000-08:002010-07-19T05:12:40.923-07:00Cars or Compassion?

An interesting article about priorities.LOS ANGELES, Dec. 24, 2008—The ads may try to convince us that to make the holidays truly special you need a shiny, new Lexus parked in the driveway on Christmas morning, wrapped with a bright, red bow. But Corona business owner Mike Foster says he would rather keep his 15-year-old clunker and share the extra cash with kids in need.In 2006, Mike Foster

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-6039850586860262472008-12-23T13:15:00.000-08:002010-07-19T05:12:40.940-07:00Righteous and Devout

DevoutShe kept a perfect home in many regards. Entering their home welcomes you with food and drink and engaging conversation. Every Sunday they entered the church just a few minutes late enough to be noticed. She was friends with the area Mom’s and knew what was going on. She had a keen eye for shopping and gave from her heart when the feeling was genuine. Every door in her home was open

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-88689545007182487612008-12-22T16:41:00.000-08:002010-07-19T05:12:40.950-07:00Who Knew? Christmas Miracles of the Present Time

Not so long ago during the bustling Christmas season (you know...the one with the dead economy), my husband and I pulled up to a pump at the Monster Club Store behind another car who was finishing up his business. However, we chose not to pull up to the vacated pump space. Next thing I hear a couple of well-modulated signals from a giant ruby-red Ford Clubcab with a young woman driving. She

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-32644673367289169482008-12-18T18:45:00.000-08:002008-12-18T18:51:15.118-08:00Mac vs. PC

Well, this story about upgrading problems for the new Apple OS hits very close to home with many PC users.Apple has acknowledged an issue encountered by some Leopard users trying to install the company's latest update released Monday. In a support document posted to its site, Apple described an issue in which a Mac would hang on a "Configuring installation" window when trying to install Mac OS X

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-24804327742706781172008-12-18T18:25:00.001-08:002008-12-18T18:43:51.444-08:00Global Warming? Heh!

Yup, the world keeps getting warmer and warmer, doesn't it? Global warming? Yeah.Growing up in the frigid regions of the upper Midwest, I recall that in the 1970's, there were mass predictions of a global ice age. Whatever.Snow in SoCal this week. Temperatures into the 20's at night. Temperatures in the Midwest were mostly at zero degrees this morning.The top picture shows snow at Pinon Hills in

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-73401942948686747772008-12-12T10:42:00.000-08:002010-07-19T05:12:40.960-07:00Shepherds

IllegalLying under a blanket in the park he could not help but notice the cold, he would prefer a home or an apartment, even a room but most of what he makes is sent home to his wife and children and right now the one meal he has a day is all he can afford with work being so scarce. Sleeping in the park is not always safe but most of the time he is unnoticed.Being unnoticed is something you get

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-74960971081904947232008-12-11T21:41:00.000-08:002008-12-11T21:57:16.129-08:00We're Not in Kansas Anymore

Since my teenage years were spent in the San Francisco Bay Area, I became a reluctant fan of the San Francisco Chronicle. I loved the Sporting Green, the sports section which was always colored, well, green!I must admit that I still go to the Chronicle website daily to check up on the teams I root for, and for whom no disappointment is too great.So tonight I am trolling through an article on my

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-14998425426514122952008-12-11T13:49:00.000-08:002010-07-19T05:12:40.971-07:00Twelve Days of Christmas

Every year on Christmas Day my family sings The Twelve Days of Christmas. We each take one of the days, and when our turn comes we sing with confidence, albeit slightly out of tune. My niece, Megan, snaps up the 5 Golden Rings. No one bothers any more to appeal for that day! It is hers for all eternity.As much as I enjoy that silly song, I would rather talk about its hidden meaning.Long ago in

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-24287445633737105822008-12-03T23:41:00.000-08:002008-12-03T23:51:31.816-08:00Remembering India

A nice interview by Hugh Hewitt of Christopher Hitchens entitled, "Christopher Hitchens warns Americans and American media not to forget our ally in India"The horrifying events of the last week cast renewed light on the dangers of global jihadism. From the interview:HH: Let me ask you, you bring up Kashmir, I have asked Kaplan and I have asked Frantz, what do you think is the solution in Kashmir?

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-59026316566918495102008-11-21T08:42:00.000-08:002010-07-19T05:12:40.992-07:00Holiday Giving

As we approach the "holiday season", people's minds turn to gift giving. With the world economy in crisis mode, it is an off season. If no one spends any money, then the ripple effect goes out and the economy worsens. If everyone spends money, the economy limps along, but some go deeper into debt, which helps exactly no one. So, what to do?In an article on MSNBC Money Central, is an article

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-1467485978821093232008-11-21T00:17:00.000-08:002008-11-21T00:18:02.883-08:00Fire!

The dominating news in SoCal this past weekend has been fire. Fires have raged in Montecito, near Santa Barbara, in Sylmar in the San Fernando Valley, and in Yorba Linda in Orange County. The skies have been brownish, and the smell of grass fire hangs in the air. The moonrise has been orangish, but the sunsets have been spectacularly brilliant with a bright reddish-orange sun againts the backdrop

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-66816794512938362322008-11-21T00:15:00.000-08:002010-07-19T05:12:41.002-07:00Why Do We Play?

A terrific article in yesterday's LA Times by Bill Plaschke, on APU's soccer playoff game against Westmont yesterday. APU could have claimed the game by forfeit, but allowed Westmont an extra day or two to prepare, due to the fires. Westmont went on to win 2-0, but in the end, the support by the APU fans and players is something I am really proud of. Here's a taste:Just as the emotion fueled

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-88437580194554360052008-11-20T17:49:00.000-08:002010-07-19T05:12:41.022-07:00What Do I Look For In a Healthy Church?

Interesting question, and one that has been partially answered by Philip Yancey, one of my favorite writers, here.His three-part answer is this: diversity, unity, and mission.About diversity, Yancey writes:One modern Indian pastor told me, "Most of what happens in Christian churches, including even the miracles, can be duplicated in Hindu and Muslim congregations. But in my area only Christians

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-46767545401065397452008-11-18T22:33:00.000-08:002008-11-18T22:47:08.652-08:00Why We Play

A terrific article in today's LA Times by Bill Plaschke, on APU's soccer playoff game against Westmont yesterday. APU could have claimed the game by forfeit, but allowed Westmont an extra day or two to prepare, due to the fires. Westmont went on to win 2-0, but in the end, the support by the APU fans and players is something I am really proud of. Here's a taste:Just as the emotion fueled Westmont

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-77410478261624822422008-11-17T11:04:00.000-08:002010-07-19T05:12:41.032-07:00Fire!

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-66597930347890684932008-11-11T09:35:00.000-08:002008-11-11T09:39:55.918-08:00Veterans Day

This well-known poem was written by a Canadian physician, Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, in 1915 during the Battle of Ypres.In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved,

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-10989611660133346312008-11-10T18:40:00.000-08:002008-11-10T19:13:56.740-08:00Top 10 Most Annoying Phrases

Hmm, I wonder how many of these you use. (H/T Kruse Kronicle)Not all University of Oxford researchers are uptight and humorless, "irregardless" of what you might think. In fact, a bunch of them compiled a list of the Top 10 Most Irritating Expressions in the English language -- just because we needed one. Though maybe "you could care less," the scholars in question keep track of linguistic

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-55001138007424765262008-11-10T14:08:00.000-08:002010-07-19T05:12:41.060-07:00This is Church

This summer, Bill Hybels wrote a book called "Axiom: Powerful Leadership Proverbs". These are proverbs that describe in shorthand some of the leadership and ministry principles of the Willow Creek church. One of the Axioms, is "This is church." It describes the reality of church life, the dealing with the despair of brokenness and sin, and also the glories of renewed and redeemed lives, many

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-51954189984335361212008-11-10T07:11:00.000-08:002008-11-10T07:13:10.154-08:00Armistice Day

Interesting video tribute at the BBC today in preparation for tomorrow's celebration of Armistice Day, or what we call Veteran's Day.

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-31569734594339246802008-11-05T10:09:00.000-08:002010-07-19T05:12:41.076-07:00

I am wondering today why so much hope is placed in political candidates and yet so little trust is placed in politicians. Most of the world is starved for hope and has few things. We in the United States live in a country rich in things and yet are still starved for hope.Further proof the approval rating of the congress is in the low 20's [the lowest ever recorded, even lower than George Bush]

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-13658128085931250432008-11-04T19:34:00.000-08:002008-11-05T08:38:57.563-08:00Congratulations to Obama

Barack Obama will be the new POTUS. My emotions are somewhat mixed on this.I am thrilled that so many Americans got out and voted, and that so many younger people voted.I am saddened that the Bushatred is so strong that so many people would use such messianic language about a new president.I am saddened that whatever good will the Bush administration had following 9/11 has been misspent.I am

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-28911301396953467672008-11-03T20:23:00.001-08:002008-11-03T20:40:46.486-08:00My Kind of Story

Tomorrow is election day, and not a moment too soon. The trash talk and the negative campaigning are almost done. I wonder if we are a better country for it. Well, I know we are a better country because we at least have this choice to vote, and make our voices heard.I cam across this story about John McCain today (H/T Powerline) and I was inspired by it. For all those who treat politics as a

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-6938482432430759792008-10-31T11:18:00.000-07:002010-07-19T05:12:41.087-07:00Worship

An amazing definition of worship by William Temple, former Archbishop of Caterbury. This is from his "Readings in St. John's Gospel", one of the finest books written on John. Not bad for an Anglican!Worship is the submission of all our nature to God. It is the quickening of conscience by his holiness; the nourishment of mind with his truth; the purifying of imagination by his beauty; the opening

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-54330908159441011512008-09-27T10:00:00.000-07:002008-09-27T10:10:28.137-07:00Paul Newman

Paul Newman is one of my favorite actors, and he has now passed away at age 83.Embedded video from CNN VideoMany of Newman's films are ones I have on DVD: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Verdict, The Color of Money, The Sting, Cool Hand Luke, and others. His playful irreverence was always a draw for me, perhaps as a sort of alter ego. Newman's films were one of the few things I could

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-21522837460239409102008-07-29T16:21:00.000-07:002008-07-29T16:30:39.505-07:00Shake, Rattle and Roll

Well, another earthquake in Southern California. Ho hum. This one centered in Chino Hills (see map), about 30 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. The magnitude estimates vary from 5.4 to 5.8.In my church office, the shaking and rattling went on for about 30 seconds, and we rolled pretty well.By all accounts, there is very little significant damage, and no lives were lost. And I have not heard of

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-34825899914554621802008-07-09T14:47:00.000-07:002008-07-09T15:18:37.641-07:00Here We Go Again

I suppose the great purpose of news magazines like Time and Newsweek is to sell as many copies and ad space as possible. Informing people seems to be a means to an end, and even the information is processed through the lenses of scandal or entertainment.Each year, at Christmas and Easter, Time and Newsweek can be reliably counted on to publish some scandal of history, or some "new" archaeological

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-52283328410005853262008-01-08T00:24:00.000-08:002008-01-08T00:28:33.031-08:00A Letter to My Son on Death

Back when my kids were small, I used to write them occasional letters. When my son was only two, our dog, Woosha, had to be "put to sleep". She had stomach cancer, and was in great pain. I ran across this letter to my son the other day, and thought I would pass it on to you. Now, I wish I had written more to my kids, especially on the major issues of their young lives. And I wish I were more

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-72493179958028513862008-01-08T00:13:00.000-08:002008-01-08T00:24:07.652-08:00Where Neither Moth nor Rust, Nor Hungry Dog

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal."I was reminded of this a few days before Christmas, when I foolishly left my wallet on a small table. Our

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-6453788325561580432007-11-22T12:57:00.000-08:002007-11-22T13:13:27.862-08:00Happy Thanksgiving- The Science of Gratitude

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! In my web surfing, or whatever the kids call it these days, I ran across this article by Dr. Robert Emmons, a professor of Psychology at UC Davis. He has recently published a book entitled, "Thanks: How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier"What an awesome article, book, and idea. The Bible is full of commands to give thanks to the Lord. In fact, "thanks",

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-52970752504646295392007-10-28T23:21:00.000-07:002007-10-28T23:32:07.889-07:00Football

The football weekend began on a good note for us as the South Pasadena Tigers played the inaugural game on their new field by beating La Canada, 12-6. A great game, on a great new field.However, things went downhill from there, as the Cal Bears lost to ASU 31-20 after leading 13-0 in the first quarter. The Bears were ranked as high as #2 nationally, but evidently began believing their own press

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-69970240159661291242007-10-10T20:26:00.000-07:002007-10-10T20:37:52.953-07:00Eco-Tragedy

Interesting article in Salon on the rise of eco-religion. By writers Ted Nordhaus and Michael Shellenberger, the article exposes some of the philosophical and theological underpinnings of the ecological movement. Their critique is worth reading with the rise of eco-disaster tomes being published like Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth."Usually, these sorts of things are criticized in the religious

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-85942466848144436492007-09-23T23:35:00.000-07:002007-09-23T23:42:24.218-07:00An Awesome Day

After the emotions of yesterday moving Mark to UCLA, today was simply one long protracted gift.It began with two worship services, Youth Sunday, at my church. Our youth director, Dustin, preached a fabulous sermon on the woman at the well in John 4. The highlight of both services, though, was the baptism of six students and the confirmation of one more. Our church had not baptized that many

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-67904941884391251542007-09-22T23:01:00.000-07:002007-09-22T23:44:58.179-07:00Move-In Day at UCLA

This evening, we moved Mark into his dorm at UCLA. He will be living in the Hitch complex. He had lots of help moving in, as Kurry, DY, Will and Josh not only came over to help Mark pack, but made the drive over to Westwood to make sure Mark got settled. And since they are all at PCC right now, I am sure they were savoring the foretaste of what four-year university life must be like. To the left

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-30098024238514521032007-08-28T04:21:00.000-07:002007-08-28T04:57:53.892-07:00Lunar Eclipse- Night Owl Style

With nothing better to do, I stayed up until now to watch the lunar eclipse. Story here.If you were not awake between about 1:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. Pacific time, you missed a red moon, which was very cool.My daughter, Rachel, padded down the stairs at 2:00 a.m., trying to catch a glimpse, but saw nothing. She came back down an hour later, and the red moon was out.We even managed to take the

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-84042130851963952072007-08-17T12:57:00.000-07:002007-08-17T13:08:18.537-07:00Baseball for Geeks

I like watching baseball. I don't get to many games, especially during work hours. (Hear that, boss?)So one of the the things I keep informed is Gameday, from MLB.com. Just go to mlb.com and a scoreboard will show up in the left hand column. Click on the little infield of a game in progress, like the Giants versus the Marlins, and up pops Gameday. It is a nifty little popup that gives you cheesy

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-89685291956847405832007-07-10T08:26:00.000-07:002007-07-10T08:40:47.859-07:00A River is Resurrected

A river is reborn. According to a nice article in the LA Times, 65 miles of the Owens River has been reborn. The online article includes a brief video. Check it out!About six months ago, this article came out in LA Observed. It is a little less positive about the development.

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-7637801240713199222007-07-02T22:58:00.000-07:002007-09-01T07:08:56.584-07:00A Hero Retires

I count it a great blessing that I ever got involved with Inter Varsity Christian Fellowship. While with IVCF as a student and a staff, I got to know John Stott. Not really, of course, but I have been moved by his writings and his talks. My favorite was a series of tapes from an early Urbana on 1 Corinthians 3-6, about the role of the Christian as a witness to Christ.It turns out that John Stott

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-46160900523441236202007-05-28T08:28:00.000-07:002007-05-28T08:45:09.480-07:00The Season Ends

The South Pasadena boys' volleyball season ended short of their goal to make the CIF finals. After barely beating Carpinteria on 5/11, the Tigers went to Whittier Christian and played some of their best volleyball of the season, sweeping the Heralds in three games. That made possible their showdown with Bishop Montgomery on 5/25 at the South Pasadena gym.The number 7 ranked Tigers roared to

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-26531072303605241912007-05-28T08:18:00.000-07:002007-05-28T08:25:35.853-07:00Memorial Day 2007

An outstanding article today in the New York Times on restoration of Civil War graves in the Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn. Teams of volunteers have worked for over five years to recover and rediscover the graves of Civil War veterans there. Today, some 1200 new gravestones will be dedicated. The director of this volunteer project, Jeff Richman, the cemetery's historian, estimates they have

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-34088444221857972942007-05-10T08:27:00.000-07:002008-02-21T08:22:13.125-08:00Friends and Teammates

My son has many friends of long standing. That's one of the benefits of growing up in the same community for many years. Mark was born in South Pasadena, and he will graduate from South Pasadena High School in about a month. He is one of dozens of graduating students who will have attended South Pasadena schools from K-12.One of his buddies from preschool is Kevin Kuramoto, we call him Kurrie.

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-17875832167321733402007-05-05T08:21:00.000-07:002007-05-05T08:33:41.266-07:00Tigers Win! Tigers Win!

The SPHS Tigers boys volleyball team won the Rio Hondo League championship on Thursday, beating Gabrielino 3 games to 1. The Star-News article is here. The first playoff game will be Friday, May 11th, at home at 7:00 p.m. The opponent will be determined on Monday. The Tigers won in spite of playing without captain and setter, Kevin Kuramoto, who was forced to leave the San Marino match on Tuesday

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-1253944203970784172007-04-06T17:37:00.000-07:002007-05-10T08:35:11.160-07:00Gaucho, Triton, or Bruin?

Teh boy has been accepted to attend UC Santa Barbara, UC San Diego, and UCLA. We are really proud of him for this. Now comes the hard part. No, not paying for it, that comes later. He must choose.Teh parents are rooting hard for UCSD, which is a smaller, more beautiful campus.Teh boy has his heart set on UCLA, even though best friend, Ryan, was not accepted to UCLA.Please pray for discernment for

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-17519371790094885542007-04-06T17:19:00.000-07:002007-04-06T17:37:29.337-07:00Funny Headlines

A somber day, this Good Friday. And I hate to be sacrilegious about the solemnity of the day. But these newspaper headlines struck me as really funny today. (H/T Best of the Web, who says conservatives have no sense of humor?)8,000 pot plants found; two arrested: As Taranto comments, who let the other 7,998 go?Disabled turkey hunt to be held: Sounds unfair, doesn't it? Where is PETA when you need

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-57092506678704821072007-03-20T22:44:00.000-07:002007-03-20T22:51:18.438-07:00The Boy Makes the Paper

When I was growing up, having my name in the local paper for scoring four points in a ten-year-old basketball league game was exciting. I guess seeing ones name in the paper is still exciting, and Mark had his name recently in the Pasadena Star News. If you cannot access the article, or if the cache is removed, here it is: SOUTH PASADENA - Arcadia High School boys volleyball coach Chuck Freberg

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-72365193699285629852007-03-14T22:05:00.000-07:002007-03-14T22:27:06.311-07:00Congratulations, Mike, on 500!

Former Minnesota North Star, current Dallas Star, Mike Modano has scored his 500th NHL goal, only the second American born player to do so.For the non-initiated, this is an amazing feat. First, a man plays his whole career with one team is in and of itself a rarity these days. Seeing Joe Montana as a Chief was gut-wrenching, or Willie Mays as a (shudder) Met. Modano's longevity with the Stars is

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-41478259035222790912007-03-13T23:23:00.000-07:002007-03-13T23:40:18.234-07:00Prayer is a Dangerous Activity

We have been having Wednesday night prayer meetings at Arcadia Presbyterian Church. Nothing earth-shattering, for Baptists, but a step forward for God's "Frozen Chosen". They have been quite remarkable affairs. We even had sixty in attendance on Valentine's night. Either these people love Jesus, or they have no romantic life!I came across this article today about a political opponent in Zimbabwe

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-49958143126273021172007-03-08T22:57:00.000-08:002007-03-08T23:00:24.743-08:00Cal 76, UCLA 69

In the Pac-10 tournament tonight. What a sweet win for the Bears, who have really been struggling of late. Injuries have taken their toll this year, as well as the early loss of Leon Powe to the NBA. This win at least clinches a spot in the NIT for Cal, but maybe, just maybe, an outside shot at March Madness. Probably only if they win the whole tournament is the only way they will be in the Big

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-66500737396957755202007-02-20T23:36:00.000-08:002007-02-22T21:21:59.884-08:00Tigers Win!

The South Pasadena Tigers varsity boys basketball team won another CIF playoff game tonight. At home. After winning last Friday against Carpinteria in Carpinteria, they played at home tonight against Winward. From the SPHS website:The SPHS boys varsity basketball team defeated Winward High School @ So. Pas on Tuesday 52-51 and advance to the CIF IIIAA quarter final game to be held on Friday, 2/23

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-46300777776771714392006-12-27T08:24:00.000-08:002006-12-27T08:27:06.274-08:00We Are All Just Beta Testers

For Uncle Bill up in Redmond. According to the NY Times, there are serious flaws in Microsoft's new Vista operating system. Well, color me "shocked, shocked, to find flaws in a piece of Microsoft software"!

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-40116126465719957532006-12-25T07:47:00.000-08:002006-12-25T07:48:23.275-08:00Merry Christmas From Snoopy and Woodstock

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7191307.post-29145393656492561672006-12-25T07:30:00.000-08:002006-12-25T07:36:26.249-08:00Rushin on Ty

One of my favorite writers in Sports Illustrated is Steve Rushin. It could be that we are about the same age, and that we are both from Minnesota. So something in his writing resonates with me. His article from 12/25/06, "This Ty is Better Than a Win" was a great one. I quote it in full, as you need to be an SI subscriber to read it. And it is worth sharing, even with non-SI types.Two years ago,

Captain GoBarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00378090688676624715noreply@blogger.com0