Blog Archives

Quote: Service

10/31/2023

"Rivers do not drink their own water,
trees do not eat their own fruit,
the sun does not shine on itself,
and flowers do not spread their fragrance for themselves.
Living for others is a rule of nature.
We are all born to help each other -
no matter how difficult it is.
Life is good when you are happy,
but much better when others are happy because of you."
(Unknown)

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Silver Dollar City: New Fall Displays

10/30/2023

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I could have titled this article "Clash of the Seasons" as the photo to the right supports.

In addition to thousands of pumpkins and carved pumpkins, Silver Dollar City hosts many fall features, including high-quality craft booths, giant 1,000+ pound pumpkins, a way-off-theme dance party area (which I avoid with a passion), and the new overhead display of orange, paper lanterns. These don't have the same effect as the pennants over the summer, but they do cast nice shadows, adding a bit of dimension to the area. The lanterns also have lights in them that really show up at dusk.

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Claremore, Oklahoma: Will Rogers' Plane Crash

10/29/2023

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The most intriguing display from the Will Rogers Memorial in Claremore was the room that marked the man's final chapter. This room chronicled the fateful plane crash of Rogers as his pilot and friend, Wiley Post (It is ironic that two airports in Oklahoma City are named for these two figures.).

In this room is explanation of the crash story, but also on display are items recovered from the plane. This includes the suit Rogers wore, the type writer with which he always traveled (He was the original blogger.), and items from his pockets (including pocket knives, glasses, a puzzle box, and more). I spent a moment realizing where these objects have been and who had touched them.

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Quote: Service

10/27/2023

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“If we do not lay out ourselves
in the service of mankind,
whom should we serve?”
(John Adams)

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Claremore, Oklahoma: Will Rogers Dioramas

10/26/2023

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One of the richest sections of the museum at the Will Rogers Memorial is the diorama room. Each diorama tells a different part of the Will Rogers story. Rogers had a full and eventful life, starting on the farm in Claremore, Oklahoma, and then extending into the entertainment industry - the stage, radio, and movies. Will Rogers' humor captured the attention of the nation and inspired generations to pay closer attention to politics.

The final diorama displays the last chapter of Rogers' life, when he and pilot Wiley Post went down in Alaskan territory. Both of these popular Oklahomans perished in the crash.

There is much to learn from this very different public figure, and this museum is a worthwhile and beautiful side trip on your ride down Route 66 or Interstate 44.

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American Heartland: Tesla Tower

10/25/2023

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The industrial, scientific area of American Heartland is centered around a shot and drop tower called Tesla Tower. This will be a tribute to Nikola Tesla of electricity fame. The tower itself is showcased along the lakeside and will be visible from various regions of the park. I'm sure the attraction will not have lightning shooting into the sky (but wouldn't that be something!).

There is great historical value that could be included into the theming of this ride. I know this is redundant, but once again, I really like the industrial ambience of the Electropolis area. While the rest of the park celebrates the beauty of our country from sea to shining sea, this section celebrates the urban areas. It is a section I would not have created for the park, but it does work to include more of the sights and sounds of the United States.

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Quote: Patience

10/24/2023

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“The suspense is killing me…I hope it’ll last.”
(Willy Wonka)

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Claremore, Oklahoma: Will Rogers Artifacts

10/23/2023

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It was a thrill to see some of the artifacts on display in the Will Rogers Memorial Museum in Claremore, Oklahoma. In the pictures here, you can get a view of a radio microphone that he used, as well as look into his beautiful, rustic home office.

I also enjoyed looking into his collection of lassos and miniature saddles, and if I had more time, I would have sat in the theater room (a really interesting set-up) and watched once of a half-dozen available reels.

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American Heartland: Terminal Velocity

10/22/2023

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Here is a new art piece that shows the rollercoaster in the Electropolis region of the American Heartland Theme Park in nearby Vinita, Oklahoma. We don't have another coaster in the area that interacts with the the crowd. The lights on this should make it look something like the mass transit of a future city atmosphere.

Not only this, but the art deco feel of the entire area has less of a chance of going out of style than Tomorrowland in Disney's parks. This look will be more resilient to changes in the park's future.

I wonder about the theming in the queue for this attraction, as well as the the nearby Tesla Tower. The rides should board in different areas of Electropolis.

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Quote: Patience

10/21/2023

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"Take a deep breath; you can drown yourself with problems if you don't ask questions."
(Rosa Parks)

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Claremore, Oklahoma: Will Rogers Memorial

10/20/2023

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It has to have been 50 years since I was in this treasure of a place. The Will Rogers Memorial Museum in Claremore, Oklahoma, is a rare opportunity to honor someone who was not a politician yet had so much influence on politics. Will Rogers - not Roy Rogers - was an entertainer, trick roper, western star, and comedian whose quotes are every bit as provocative and interesting as Mark Twain. I was only able to spend about 45 minutes in the museum, but I was able to snap several photos along the way.

Did I mention 50 years ago? This statue is really the only thing I remember from that visit, along with its accompanying quote, "I never met a man I didn't like," Rogers' most famous quotation. I'm happy to have been able to gain more context on Oklahoma's favorite son.

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Springfield, MO: Firearms Museum

10/19/2023

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There is a wonderful museum that showcases firearms, both historical and current. It is upstairs at Bass Pro Shop's Outdoor World in Springfield, Missouri, and there is no admission. Many of the guns on display were owned and operated by famous, historical figures.

While weapons like this may not be everybody's cup of tea, there is something to say for the artistic and mechanical talents involved in the development of firearm technology.

Or if you would rather, just appreciate the historical decisions and events that took place in the presence of these pieces. From presidents to kings to wild west performers, the people who wielded these firearms certainly made names for themselves. As their hands gripped the pistols, and as they hefted the rifles to their shoulders, they probably never imagined their guns being placed into exhibits.

Adjacent to the firearms displays is a tribute hall to archery, with a prominent piece at the entrance. Difficult to see in the photo at right, behind this glass box is a bow that was carried by the famous and infamous Geronimo.

Between the two museums is a divider that showcases weapons used in the movies. If the historical pieces didn't get your attention, these were owned by Hollywood stars from John Wayne to Tom Selleck. They can be seen in movies, from True Grit to American Sniper.

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C.H.AR.GE. II: Money in the Bible

10/18/2023

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Money talks?

A penny saved is a penny earned.

Waste not, want not.

How many times do you remember money in Scripture?
Make a list.
What does the Bible say about money?

This lesson will focus primarily on various forms of money in the Old and New Testaments.

In the Old Testament

The first coins are the shekel, the beka, and the gerah.

Genesis 23:15f; 24:22;
Exodus 38:26
Numbers 3:47

Bulls and Bears
2 Kings 6:25 and 7:1f, 16

Real Estate
2 Samuel 24:24
1 Chronicles 21:25
Jeremiah 32:9
Genesis 37:28

Working the System
Amos 8:5
2 Samuel 14:26
Proverbs 16:11
Ezekiel 45:12
1 Kings 10:17

Talents
2 Samuel 12:30
1 Kings 10:14f; 16:24
2 Kings 23:33

International Money
Daniel 5:25, 26-28

Drachmas
Nehemiah 7:70

Tithing

Read Num. 18: 21, 24.
The first tithe can be traced back to Abraham (Genesis 14:18-20).

Three Tithes
The Levitical, or sacred tithe
The tithe of the feasts
The tithe for the poor

Read Deuteronomy 14:22-27.
The second tithe was dedicated to the good of man himself, for a vacation and specifically, a vacation with a religious purpose, such as going to camp meeting" (Deuteronomy 14:22-27).

Read Deuteronomy 14:28, 29.
The third tithe was for the neighbor.

Seven Reasons Christians are not Required to Tithe*

Believers are no longer under the Mosaic covenant (Romans 6:14-15; 7:5–6; Galatians 3:15-4:7; 2 Corinthians 3:4-18.
The examples of Abraham and Jacob are not normative patterns.
Tithes were given to the Levites and priests, but there are no Levites and priests in the new covenant (1 Peter 2:9; Revelation 1:6; 5:10; 20:6, Hebrews 7).
The tithe is tied to the land Israel received under the old covenant (Galatians 4:25, 26; Hebrews 11:10; Revelation 21:1-22:5; Romans 4:13).
If tithing is required today, how much should we give?
When Jesus affirmed the tithe, it was before the dawn of the new covenant (Matthew 23:23; Luke 11:42; Matthew 5:23-24; Galatians 4:4).
Nowhere is tithing mentioned when commands to give generously are found in the New Testament (Acts 2:43-47; 4:32-37; 11:27-30; Galatians 2:10; 1 Corinthians 16:1-4; 2 Corinthians 8:1-9:15

Even though tithing isn’t required today, it does not follow that believers should hoard their possessions.
We are commanded to support those who preach the gospel (Matthew 10:10; Luke 10:7; 1 Corinthians 9:6–14; 1 Timothy 5:17-18). And while we should enjoy the good things God gives us, we are also called to be generous to those in need (1 Timothy 6:17-19; 2 Corinthians 8f). Wealth can so easily become an idol, leading us to abandon the Lord.

In the New Testament

Talents
Matthew 25:15ff

Denarii
Matthew 20:2ff; 22:19-21
Mark 14:5

Drachmas
Matthew 17:27

Farthing
Luke 2:24
Matthew 10:31

Lepton
Mark 12:42
Luke 12:59

Money Changers
John 2:14-16
Matthew 21:12f

30 Coins
Matthew 26:15
Genesis 23:16
Exodus 21:32

*Source: GospelCoalition.org

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Quote: Intentions

10/17/2023

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"We need to learn to set our course by the stars, not by the lights of every passing ship."
(General Omar N. Bradley)

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Apply the Word: Zombie Churches

10/16/2023

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Introducing the Son of Man
Jesus looks different in the first chapter of Revelation. John is in the spirit when he encounters the scene, and there is nothing He can write to give us a humanly-clear idea of what the scene looks like. We read, beginning in verse 12:

“Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And after turning I saw seven golden lampstands; and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and wrapped around the chest with a golden sash. His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire. His feet were like burnished bronze when it has been heated to a glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters. In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength.”

Verse 17: “When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades. Therefore write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after these things. As for the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.”

In 2:1, “To the angel of the church in Ephesus,” He is described as “The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands.”

In 2:9, “to the angel of the church in Smyrna,” He is described as “The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life.”

In 2:12, “to the angel of the church in Pergamum,” He is “The One who has the sharp two-edged sword.”

In 2:18, “to the angel of the church in Thyatira,” He is “The Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and feet like burnished bronze.”

In 3:1, “To the angel of the church in Sardis,” He is “He who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.”

In 3:7, “to the angel of the church in Philadelphia,” He is described as “He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens.”

And in 3:14, “To the angel of the church in Laodicea,” He is “The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Origin of the creation of God.”

I Know
There are patterns to the writing to these seven churches. To each, the Son of Man says, “I know…”

To the church in Ephesus, He says, “I know your deeds and your labor and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil people, and you have put those who call themselves apostles to the test, and they are not, and you found them to be false; 3 and you have perseverance and have endured on account of My name, and have not become weary.”

To the church in Smyrna, Jesus says, “I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the slander by those who say they are Jews, and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.”

To the church in Pergamum, “I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is; and you hold firmly to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.”

To the church in Thyatira, “I know your deeds, and your love and faith, and service and perseverance, and that your deeds of late are greater than at first.”

To the church in Sardis, He tells them, “I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, and yet you are dead.”

To the church in Philadelphia, Jesus says, “I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have followed My word, and have not denied My name.”

To the church in Laodicea, He says, “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot.”

He might just as well say something to the church in our community. I won’t pretend to know what He would say, but what do you think? He would begin with “I know…” The point is that the Son of Man knows where we stand. He knows our strengths and our faults. And the same is true for every congregation on the planet.

To the church in Kansas City: “I know…”

To the church in Boston: “I know…”

To the church in Seattle: “I know…”

London, India, Nigeria…

Warnings
Once that realization settles in, here come the warnings:

To Ephesus, “But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.”

Smyrna: “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days.”

Pergamum: “But I have a few things against you, because you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality. So you too, have some who in the same way hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.

He has a lot to say to Thyatira: “But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her sexual immorality. Behold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds. And I will kill her children with plague, and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds. But I say to you, the rest who are in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not known the deep things of Satan, as they call them—I place no other burden on you.”

Sardis: “Be constantly alert, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.”

Philadelphia: “Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie - I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and make them know that I have loved you. Because you have kept My word of perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of the testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who live on the earth.”

Laodicea: “Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have no need of anything,” and you do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked, I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to apply to your eyes so that you may see.”

What tone does He take with the church in in our fair city? Do we hold to the teachings of Christ and His apostles? Have we properly handled the Word of God? Does our behavior match our speech? Do our actions line up with our posts on social media?

Zombies
Some of the seven churches represented in the first chapters of the Revelation of John are all but dead. For some, their vine has withered, and they are just waiting for someone to chop them down and throw them into outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.

It is as if they are zombies. Modern zombies are also known as the living dead. They are human bodies, minus morals, speech, and intelligence. They are driven about by their lust for human flesh. They wear tattered clothing to match their personal appearance. All they seem to want is to survive.

Modified just a bit, hear what the goddess Ishtar says in the ancient tale of the Epic of Gilgamesh: If you do not open the gate for me to come in,

I shall smash the door and shatter the bolt,
I shall smash the doorpost and overturn the doors,
I shall raise up the dead and they shall eat the living:
And the dead shall outnumber the living!

That sounds like zombies to me. They’ve been around for centuries, with various origin stories located in places like Haiti, the African Congo, and in South Africa, more recently becoming prevalent in stories in the 1800s and with the progression of advanced printing presses, radio, television, and the movies.

They reproduce by blood contact - usually by biting their victims.

They have a particular yearning for the brains of the living.

But that’s just silly talk for the most part. The seven churches that Jesus has warned have also looked for their own ways of doing things. They have introduced leniency, worldly behaviors and entertainment. They have slacked off in their adherence to the Words of Christ. They have relaxed their standards. They have left off entire parts of the New Testament in favor of their own desires.

In short, they stagger about, groaning, in search of new flesh to satisfy their lusts and their cravings. Does any of this sound familiar in our modern religious atmosphere? Surely, such could not happen in the USA, in our conservative state, in our hometown. Surely, such would not occur in the Lord’s church. I should hope not.

Hope
But as much as everything seems dark and bloody, just when it looks like Ishtar is correct - that the walking dead shall outnumber the living, Jesus gives instructions to each of the churches, offering each of them hope. Hope for what? We’ll get to that. For now, look at what he tells them.

To the church in Ephesus, He says to “remember from where you have fallen, and repent, and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and I will remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.”

To the church in Smyrna: “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

Pergamum: “Therefore repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will wage war against them with the sword of My mouth.”

Thyatira: “Nevertheless what you have, hold firmly until I come.”

Sardis: “So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. Then if you are not alert, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you. But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.”

Philadelphia: “I am coming quickly; hold firmly to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”

Laodicea: “Those whom I love, I rebuke and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.”

How do you kill a zombie? Destroy the brain. How do you kill a church? The answer is pretty similar. But there is hope.

Repent, be faithful, repent, hold firmly, repent, hold firmly, and repent

To the One Who Overcomes
For what? Is it worth all the effort that Jesus expended? Is it worth the martyrdom of His followers? Is it worth the persecution that the church endures around the world? Is it worth our being raked over the coals as ignorant, Bible thumping, followers of a fictional God?

Let not your heart be troubled. For the one who overcomes all of these things and more… It. Is. Worth it! Listen to His message to the seven churches.

Ephesus: “To the one who overcomes, I will grant to eat from the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God.”

Smyrna: “The one who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.”

Pergamum: “To the one who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows except the one who receives it.”

Thyatira: “The one who overcomes, and the one who keeps My deeds until the end, I will give him authority over the nations; and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are shattered, as I also have received authority from My Father; and I will give him the morning star.”

Sardis: “The one who overcomes will be clothed the same way, in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Philadelphia: “The one who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name. The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

And to Laodicea: “The one who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat with My Father on His throne. The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

To the local church: “Be the one who overcomes!”

Conclusion
In the spring of 2011, the United States' Centers for Disease Control didn’t have anything better to do, so they published a graphic novel entitled “Preparedness 101: Zombie Apocalypse”. The comic book format provided tips to survive a zombie invasion as a "fun new way of teaching the importance of emergency preparedness".

We have a superior text. Just recall the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25, where the five who are prepared are invited in to join the groom, and the five who are unprepared are told, “Truly I say to you, I do not know you.”

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