bierkergaard

Philippians 3:12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if indeed I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. I recall vividly having a conversation in the Student Memorial Center at Millersville University about a quarter of a century ago with a well-meaning Campus Crusade staffer named Chris who wanted to join with me in writing evangelical articles for the student newspaper The Snapper. I declined. He needed to pair up with a college student to get access to being published. He was befuddled when I denied his plea. My gut told me that it was wrong to go there, so I stuck to my position despite his insistent and recurring petitions. It looked like I was being a bad Christian.    Towards the end of the conversation that day, I ended with this quote from Tolstoy which I had probably just heard and thought it made me sound profound. But, there is great truth in it. We expend a great deal of energy attem

  Luke 12:15 He told the people, "Be careful to guard yourselves from every kind of greed. Life is not about having a lot of material possessions." Call me the anti-hoarder... In the last couple of months, I have been throwing stuff away in increments. VCR movies, Belgian beer bottles, doctoral program research (particularly gratifying), files, garden fencing, general crap, and about 600 books (donated). Next up are old photo albums. It has been so very freeing and will make the move in a little over a month much more stealth. I can't remember the last time I looked at the pictures. Waste Management gave out big trash cans with SUV-like wheels the other month. I have been packing it to the brim. I almost lost control of the can a couple of weeks ago rolling it down my steep driveway. I almost got run over...now that would have been ironic.  Particularly interesting is this type hoarding: "Book hoarding:  Bibliomania is a disorder involving the hoardi

  As I noted in yesterday's post, I waded into a vast ocean of TV channels at my brother's house in Pittsburgh over the weekend. I came to a show on a obscure station where some individuals of various economic ideological stripes were debating charity and government (the proper role thereof). It was considerably more cerebral  than the Sunday morning shouting heads shows but there were sparks flying nonetheless due to the conflict of worldviews. Maybe bashing brains like bumper cars would be more like it. The background of the show was reflecting upon  the legacy of Milton Friedman, the Free Market economist. I struggle with Jesus's command to give away our goods to the poor without seemingly any regard to how the charity might effect them positively or negatively. If our charity creates in recipients an in-depth expectation and indolence, is not that causing people to sin? Something He (Jesus) expressedly warns against in the strongest terms by saying it would be bet

"For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted." --Hebrews 2:18, NASB I was out at my brother's and his family this weekend. He has Verizon FIOS with hundreds of channels, unlike me who has Comcast's Basic Cable which is like the same channel 12 times. I swear Comcast is trying to break me. A CNN host had an interview with Joel Osteen and flashed this picture of mega-church and mega-abs pastor Joel Osteen. That came at the end of the chat where the host was interviewing Osteen about a new book that he has written which is hardly worth mentioning. I know that Osteen appeals to millions, half of whom proably attend his Houston church. He seems like a nice enough guy and I think that is part of the problem with his theology if we can call it that. During the interview, Osteen said that we have to find something to be grateful for every day but then I think he botched the obvious biblical

Today, driving back from Pittsburgh on the Turnpike, was quite picturesque. The sun was shining, the sky was blue with puffball cotton-like clouds, and the tree leaves were colorful like crayola. It was a fine Fall day, I was almost in a reverie. Maybe a stupor. My reverie came to a screeching halt as the Turnpike went from a 55 mph construction zone to 40 mph super-construction zone within seconds. As is the case on most Pa. roads, the Turnpike is in a perpetual state of repair. There is always construction somewhere, with the reduced speed limits, so that drivers don't pick up a spare highway construction worker. It is a serious issue. I had the sense to hit the brakes before I saw the cop car. I went from 65 to 40 probably in less than 25 feet, yet my deceleration hardly got me legal when I entered the 40 mph zone. I was busted. The cop car pulled out and followed me like a shark. I was waiting for it to pounce. I had no legit excuse. If I had not been going 65 mph, I cou