upward & inward

The big news that bothered me in these tough economic times was the profit that ExxonMobil announced today that they created in just one quarter: $14.8 Billion! However, looking at their Q3 Form 8-K they have to file to the SEC, there is a more complete story. In MILLIONS... Income taxes (based on a 48% tax rate): $11,327 Sales-based taxes: $9,327 All other taxes: $11,856 Total Q3 taxes: $32,510 Wow. ExxonMobil did make a LOT of money. They also paid a LOT of taxes - $32.5 Billion. What do you think? Is either (profit or taxes) too much, too little, or just right?

My son Isaac has an interesting habit he picked up from his brothers. He will walk into the room where I am and begin whatever he says to me with "...but Dad..." I typically respond with "...and Dad?" He then smiles and corrects himself with "and Dad" before launching into whatever he was going to say. Any conjunction (but, and, however, etc.) implies a previous statement - by either side of the conversation. In Isaac's case, there is no obvious previous statement - and he's getting MUCH better at starting with "and Dad.." No, to me it seems like an ongoing conversation between us. I love that and hope there will always be an ongoing conversation between us regardless of which conjunction he uses. Thinking about this with regard to the Father's relationship with His Son, I wonder if Jesus began in the same way, "and Dad?" Shouldn't we consider our conversations with Him in the same way?

Weeping, Weeping I've blown it again I know You love me but not my sin Crying, dying You've done so much for me May I never forget Your gift upon the tree Who am I that You would give Your Son for me? Now we journey on with me behind You as You lead Let me run as David ran 5 smooth stones in my hand Watch me dance as David danced looking to You and never to chance Only Your face and favor do I seek full of power and so meek. Your thoughts alone are my sole desire to know beyond the depth of my understanding echo the fathoms of your commanding presence Rejoicing, praising I'm at peace again for I know you love me and forgive my sin.

I have said to many this year that I haven't had to schedule my sprinklers to come on at all because it's been so wet this year. Really, I've only manually run the sprinklers maybe 8 times total this season. During the late summer and early fall, as the temps were more reasonable and we could open our windows at night, sometimes I heard a neighbor's sprinklers come on at 4AM. Each time I heard this I wondered why he would saturate his lawn further when we've received so much rain. Well, this morning, I had to go to the church because a fire alarm went off and the firemen needed someone responsible for the property to come on site and reset the fire alarm and a breaker. There was, thank God!, no fire. False alarm. However, the real mystery unraveled when I returned home. As I pulled up, it appeared that my driveway was wet. It was a clear night - so, no rain. I initially thought my neighbor's sprinklers were on, but there was no way that his sprinkler could hav...

The year is 1977 - May. I'm wrapping up my freshman year in high school and have spent the school year slowly and unintentionally separating myself from my parents, family, church, friends, and, most of all, God. Approaching my 15th birthday, I take the plunge in the name of "independence" and settle for mediocrity, lies, and selfish lusts and pursuits. True independence, I discover later, is a sin. Why? Because to be truly independent means I am not dependent upon anyone. Period. That is not only impossible, but it's insane. I will be forever dependent upon the grace of God. I'm here because He allowed it. I had no choice in my birth yet I fell in the delusion that I would somehow be able to "handle it from there." What a joke - a bad joke. By embracing mediocrity rather than the mediator of all mankind, Jesus Christ, I pursued what the teacher of Ecclesiastes decried - foolishness and vanity. Since God changed my life, I have often wondered what it wou...

I'm reading an older book, "America's Christian History: The Untold Story" by Gary DeMar. The book is well documented and aggregates historical records, quotes, and commentary to make a pretty solid case for the assertion that: A) most if not all states in the union were developed upon commonly understood biblical principles, B) the federal government, being a collection of these biblically based states, also reflected a reliance on God and His Scriptures. C) though a relatively recent development, the courts, text books, and media have effectively whitewashed over historical truth so that most U.S. citizens are under the delusion that God had nothing to do with the founding of this country. Here are some facts I found interesting: Words of Jefferson (3rd President) upon his memorial: God who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God? In deed I tremble for my coun...

I was hired (after some 33 interviews) by Hewlett-Packard in 1988 right after finishing school and marrying my bride, Sherry. My "corporate" experience up until then was nothing like the experience I was to enjoy at HP. I learned so many lessons and was shaped in so many ways during my time there. It's nostalgic now to think about it. After Dave Packard died, the HP media talked and wrote much about him - even his flaws. One of the more memorable writings, though, concerned his 11 simple rules. Although you can go here to read them officially at the HP site, I offer them in this posting, too. 1. Think first of the other fellow. This is THE foundation — the first requisite — for getting along with others. And it is the one truly difficult accomplishment you must make. Gaining this, the rest will be "a breeze." 2. Build up the other person's sense of importance. When we make the other person seem less important, we frustrate one of his deepest urges. Allow ...

Reading Tim Stevens' blog posting on charitable giving was interesting. I'm not sure what disappoints me more: the lack of charitable giving by our leading candidates or the lack of media attention on this matter. Be sure to read the comments from this posting and the initial posting referenced specific to Mr. Biden. Again, interesting perspectives. Another bit of information on this subject: http://harpers.org/archive/2008/05/hbc-90003001 . Question: is charitable giving something to be considered when deciding to vote for a candidate?

Thoughts on quality and excellence... At Hewlett-Packard, there was a contest to caption a picture of several yellow baby chicks and one gray chick. The winner? "Paint it yellow and ship it!" This was NOT the HP-Way because also at Hewlett-Packard, co-founder David Packard was known to take ethics (including quality) very seriously. He was rumored to say that if anyone put profit or deadlines ahead of the right thing to do with regard to ethics and quality, he would personally have him fired. Both Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard took quality seriously, to be sure. A long time ago, I received some liberating teaching. Mainly, it is this: Don't seek perfection - seek excellence. The remaining challenge? Balance and definition. What ceases to be a quest for excellence and becomes a campaign of perfection? Indeed, what is excellence as opposed to perfection? One of my favorite choral experiences was in the Male Chorus at Anderson University. The director at the time, Dr. Gene M...

Wow. Great teaching on the danger of self-centeredness but also on how the Father sees all of what we do - and values us so!

Dr. Emmerson and Sarah Eggerichs came to Central on Oct. 4 and 5 to present the Biblical approach to marriage based on Ephesians 5:22-33 - namely, that Love AND Respect are to abound in marriage. Here are some further thoughts and discoveries from the conference: The way men and women interract is not wrong...just different. The crazy cycle: When wives feel unloved, they respond disprectfully. When husbands feel disrespected, they respond unlovingly. Husbands breaking the cycle: "When you say (or do) that, I feel disprespected. Have I done or said something unloving to cause you to respond in that way?" Wives breaking the cycle: "When you say (or do) that, I feel unloved. Have I done or said something disrespectful to cause you to respond in that way?" Jesus is fixated upon each of His believers in every little thing accomplished for Him. This means that although we may not feel like treating our spouses well - husbands loving wives, wives respecting husbands - it...