White?? Part 1

I'm not sure why families do this. But they all do. They make some picture at some point of all the family in white shirts and either jeans or khakis.

I found this picture on my dad's computer and laughed for a little bit. Then I realized how incredible my 24 years have been as a part of this particular family. A little peculiar at times, but hilarious. A little unusual in instances, but faithful to pass on the gospel from generation to generation. Rich in history, loyal to each other, zealous for Jesus.

I love Christmas because I get to be with them, remember, and make a few more memories together.

--Benjamin S. Stubblefield

The above is the first in a 3 part series on The Stubblefield Family.

Poem

A wound is forever.

It is past, it is over.
What has happened,
can’t be undone.
The hurt is deep
You are no longer

The time is now
We can start today
To heal the wounds
and mend our ways
never the same
as before
but many things
learned.
Not known before.

You wonder why
You scream out loud
You arch your neck
And ask the sky
you wait and wait
For no reply
Tears build up
drop from your eye
You are broken
And don’t know why





To Be Loved
It is
a cloud
that gives
moments
shade,
on a hot
day.

A short story

A Day to Forget
It was an unusually hot day, on June the 14th 1993. On that particular day I had graciously volunteered to mow a friend of my dads’ lawn while they were on vacation to Switzerland to ski in the Swiss Alps.
The Mowing begins
The grass was green and lush, and plenty long enough for me to see where I had already mowed. Having finished the front yard, I was sweating profusely. Sweat was dripping off the brow of my forehead, like the water of Niagara jumping over the lip of the horse shoe cliffs. Being a very light gray, my shirt no longer looked like it had been washed one hundred times as the sweat returned it to its original solid, deep gray, new looking color. It began to stick to me like bees on honey. Images of me being honey and the shirt the bees, I fought with vigor to rid it of its attacks on me. I had to get it off. The shirt was relentless as the fight continued. I grew confident when suddenly it threw an uppercut at me. Retaliating with what I thought would be the fatal blow I crossed my arms grabbed for the bottom of my shirt and began to lift. It felt like I was going to win, half of the shirt was over my head, when it threw a below the belt punch at me. I felt defeated not knowing what to do. Then anger grew inside of me creating an animal like roar. Suddenly I had an out of body experience. I turned into the Incredible Hulk. I clenched both my hands on the front of the collar, and tore the shirt right off, threw it on the ground, and ran that piece of junk over. Laughing as I watched the mower spew out my shirt all over the grass into thousands of pieces, I was the victor. Feeling as I was on top of the world, I was ready to finish the back.
I wheeled the green Lawn Boy around the side of the house toward the back. Ending up on a cement patio, but needing to be on the lawn, I then had a two-foot retaining wall to deal with. Being in a state of euphoria, I was not completely with it at that very moment. My only solution was to back up, tie my shoes real tight and run with all my might. As I began to run pushing the mower over the smooth concrete, I gained unimaginable speed. The air flying by my ears felt as if I was speeding along on a jet ski on the open water. My legs were pumping up and down like the pistons of a finely tuned racecar engine. It was all looking good until the very last second. My eyes then caught sight of a railroad tie sticking up out of the wood directly in front of me. I had no time to react. I was doomed. Slamming into the nail it stopped my momentum instantly, as it hurled me into the handle bar of the mower. I felt like a piece of cheese being sliced in half as my stomach wrap around the handlebar. Falling to the ground writhing in pain, I rolled over the retaining wall, landing with a thud. I could not breathe. My mouth was open but nothing would go in or out, I thought that I was going to die. Blacking out for a short time, I then woke up sucking the biggest gulp of air into my lungs possible. I was able to breath and that allowed me to calm down. Not focused on breathing any more I then realized how bad my stomach hurt. Hurting so badly I knew I could not finish mowing the lawn. I now had to figure out how to get home.
I realized that no one would see me in the back yard, and that my parents would not be home until much later to wonder were I was and come for me. I had two choices, lay and wait for my parents to come looking for me, or get up and somehow make it home on my own. I chose the first of the two. Knowing it would be a while until they would hopefully come; I laid my head down on the grass and slowly drifted off to sleep.

The Gospel

Okay guys here is a question for you all. I have recently been pondering on a definition of the gospel. I want to see how you all would define the gospel. What to you leave out of your definition. For example what role does works have in your definition? Should works have a place in the definition at all? Just want to hear your oppinions.
The Blind Man

Limited

I donned a cape like Superman.
I said the lines like Superman.
I hated Lex Luther like Superman.
I got nervous when Mikey said "Kryptonite" just like Superman.
And I lept from the platform just like Superman.

But gravity yanked me down like every other non-Kryptonian. And on the way down I began thinking really non-Kryptonian thoughts like, "I hope this doesn't hurt" and "Huh..I'm so freaked out right now I can't even scream."

The Law works a similar effect. God proves our natural inability to accomplish righteousness by commanding us to do it. And we realize by grace, perhaps after supposing ourselves to be complete in godliness, that we cannot do what we are told. And we need Someone to help make us able. So the issue is not simply that we won't do righteousness, but that we can't.

Limited. Despite my similarities to the Son of Steel, Alas, I was not he. Nor could I fly away to avoid the inevitable watery crash below. Two feet away from the diving platform, I realized, "Ya know. I'm falling really fast." Gravity was my law. It reminded me of my inabilities. And in turn, it made me hope for One who has fulfilled the Law's demands.
And He's sure not afraid of a little chunk of kryptonite.

Rollercoasters, Platform Jumping, and the Gospel

Living life as a blind individual adds a different level of excitement and adrenalin when doing extreme things. For example when I am on a rollercoaster it is crazy because I have all the same experiences as someone who can see except I do not know when things are coming my way. I do not know when the big hill will start, how long it will last, or when it will end. I enjoy the rush which comes from extreme things such as rollercoasters, white water rafting, and rock climbing.
Last night I added a new extreme event to my list. I jumped from a 5 meter platform at the U of L aquatics center. This experience was different from the cliff diving I have done in the past because I had nothing to judge the distance from. I have jumped from cliffs which I saw before I lost my sight, but I have never jumped from something of which I had no prior experience. I had no clue how high it really was, how long the jump would take, or where the water was. I just walked to the end and stepped off. The interesting thing about the experience was how each time I jumped I had to go through the same emotions, the nerves, the shaking, and the heart beating. As I thought about my experiences I began to think about why I had these feelings. I landed on the fact that it is so counter-intuitive. Your body is screaming at you not to jump from the safety of the plat form. Why would you leave the safety of the platform and step into nothingness. When you take that last step off the platform your mind thinks, “OH CRAP!!! THERE IS NOTHING BELOW ME!!!”
As I continued to think about the experience of jumping off the platform I realized that the gospel is much like that platform jump. Many people cannot open their hearts to the gospel because it is so counter-intuitive to them. When you tell someone you must die in order to live they cannot wrap their mind around this fact. Yet, this is exactly what Paul tells us in Galatians 2:20, “For I have been crucified with Christ; and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God. (HCSB)” In order for a person to experience life they must first be crucified with Christ. They must die. This death includes repenting from your sins and placing your faith in Christ. It is not a blind step into nothingness like my step off of the platform, but it is a step into the blood of Christ which cleanses you from your sins. This is the most extreme event which can take place in a person’s life.
Thanks to the brothers for taking me with them to the pool to remind me of this important lesson.

Musings

New clothes are best after a good wash… You ever buy new clothes right after you have done all of your laundry? You have to run around the house and find every dirty towel or rag even the shirt off your back to justify doing a load. But you can’t wear a shirt before a wash or jeans for that matter.

You ever step outside on a clear night and look up? I’m not talking about a cloudless night in the southern deserts of Arizona or on the peak of a lonely hillside. I am talking about the back yard of a normal house. I mean life as usual and all the sudden you look up and see the stars. You see stars all the time but for whatever reason on this night you remember a Tuesday in science class years ago when it hit you for the first time what a “light year” was and how far away the stars really were. And on this particular night, lets say there is a light breeze, you look up and think, “Gosh, those things are far away, Oh my gosh the universe is huge, Oh my gosh my life is insignificant.”

Sometimes I want to be an author… a writer… but I don’t think it is for the right reasons. I think good writers serve people by relaying information, or telling stories. When I think of being a writer I just want to think about things like laundry and stars and write those thoughts down. People would be so amused at my musings they would pay me to muse. Then I could spend my days amusing myself with my musings.

The Stiffed Armed Midget

The question of the day is: who will win the Heisman Trophy. Yesterday evening the four finalists were announced Chase Daniel, Darren McFadden, Tim Tebow, and Colt Brennan.
Brennan, a product of a system should not and will not win the stiff armed midget. He has put up some great numbers, but I think anyone could throw lots of touchdowns when you throw the ball 50 times a game. Brennan is a good quarterback and will be good in the pros but he does not deserve the Heisman.
Chase Daniel really does not have much of a resume for the award. The only reason he has made the list is because he led his team to a 2 loss season and was one game away from the national title game. He did have a great season and put up some great numbers; however, when he played a good Oklahoma team he could not make the plays to lead his team to the victory.
Therefore, the race for the stiffed armed midget comes down to 2 players, both from the SEC. Darren McFadden this year ran for 1725 yards, including an SEC record 323 against South Carolina. McFadden can do everything on the field. He even threw for 4 touchdowns this year. He was last year’s runner up and has a great chance a winning the trophy. This however will not be enough for him to win. His team has not won enough games for him to receive the Heisman and in their losses he did not perform to the level required of the Heisman winner.
This year’s stiffed armed midget will go to Tim Tebow. Tebow set an NCAA record this year by running for 22 touchdowns and throwing for 29 touchdowns. This one guy accounted for 51 touchdowns this year. Tebow ripped apart the defenses in the hardest conference in the nation. Yes, Florida has 3 losses, but in each of those losses Tebow had 3 touchdowns. He deserves the stiffed armed trophy because he is the best college player. The only reason why he would not win would be the fact that he is an underclassman. The voters for some crazy reason do not like to vote for an underclassmen. I say get over it and hand him the trophy.
Heres to the SEC once again proving why it is the best conference in football.

Thank you, Minnesota

Just a little sweetheart spice from the Minnie-ho-ha. Most of you might not have thought the Minnesota had much to contribute to the welfare of the Union beyond 3M. Proof to the contrary. And she smells way better than a paper mill.

XXooxOOxXOOxx

Greener Marriages

Our environmentalist friends will find a recent study covered in the USA Today interesting. Jianguo Liu, a Michigan State University professor of fisheries and wildlife, conducted an analysis considering the relationship between utility consumption and housing space per capita in married and divorced households. Liu notes that a family that divorces creates more households with fewer people, which results in more energy consumption (more water, more land, more energy per person). The report actually encourages those considering marriage or divorce, saying, "Environmental impacts of divorce and other lifestyles such as separation should be considered when making personal choices."
Insightful. Imagine it. The young man thinking of popping the question gives the whole relationship a final, determining consideration: "I think us being together will be better for Mother Earth."

Well, there's all kinds of other ways to improve green-ness than to stay married. People could shack up or join a commune. So marriage, to the strict environmentalist, is not the moral imperative. But it is a morally superior action to divorce.

Moreover, the fact that environmental impacts should be seriously evaluated before couples come together in marriage or separate in divorce seems a bit bizarre. Strange days.

To See Or Not To See?

There's been no shortage of controversy surrounding The Golden Compass. The Catholic League and other religious groups have recently taken a particularly vehement, angtagonistic position to it. And it's obvious why. Pullman, the creator of the anti-Narnia trilogy, is strikingly open about his intent--to do away with Christianity. Thus, especially because TGC is in the United States being marketed towards children, it is generating quite the "buzz" for the Christian community and for parents in general. Should we let our children be exposed to a film that so clearly opposes Christianity and risk the influence of Pullman's message upon their young minds? Should we boycott and attempt to punish Pullman and Hollywood by diminishing overall ticket sales?

Here's my position, in toto:
1) Boycotts don't work. You might get what you want by boycotting, but you get it for the wrong reasons. We don't want Disney to quit holding celebrations for homosexuality because they can't afford more fabulous costumes for Mickey, but because they're convinced that God intends sexual intimacy between husband and wife--male and female.
2) Similarly, we want to fight Pullman in open war, in ideological confrontation. To avoid the film altogether is like plugging our ears up when someone argues with us over the resurrection's truthfulness. We don't want to believe Christianity because we don't know any better. Christianity is true. Pullman can't change that. We don't have to fear his ideas or hide from them. Rather, we should take up our Christian sword, face them, and hack them down.
3) We play right into Pullman's hands when we keep ourselves and others from seeing the film. He accuses the church (represented as the Magesterium in the film version) of attempting to keep dissenting voices of "truth" from being heard. If we don't, in essence, hear his voice, and retreat fearful of his message, all the while labelling his ideas "dangerous" and "blasphemous," are we not then guilty of his charge?
4) TGC needs to be explained. Children capable of understanding basic apologetic concepts should see the film with a parent or adult, and they should immediately discuss the concepts of the film together. Children who can't think yet in basic apologetic concepts probably should not see the film.

It's an amazing movie, brilliantly written, with a stellar cast. New Line Cinema has in all probability produced the Christmas season's best film, if not the best film of the year. We'll see. Kite Runner, to be released over the next few weeks, is its only formidable competition. It's worth a viewing. Think about it. Give it a go.

So it begins

The small boys came early to the hanging.

Ken Follet masterfully begins The Pillars of the Earth with that line. It is gripping, informative, scene-setting, and slightly morbid. Actually, I have never read the book. (Dr. Mohler quoted the line to a group the other day and pointed out its artistic genius; that's the only reason I know of it.) But I'll never forget the first line. Follet has accomplished what, I'm sure, many authors would give up their favorite Montblanc for--an opening invincible to time.

Our blog begins today. It, truly, is an occasion that may be forgotten by a few or, perhaps, all of us. But we're not after just a salient beginning. We don't want to create just a riveting opener, but a marathon-like legacy of potent posts. So, inviting all, we ask, "Won't you join us in witty, responsible discussion? Won't you help us, as friends, think through issues of faith and culture?"

Thus, we tarry no longer, but begin our beginning with the remembering of an ending:

"Oh Brother beloved, true yokefellow through years of toil, best and dearest friend, sweet shall be thy memory 'til we meet again! And may there be those always ready, as the years come and go, to carry on, with widening reach and heightened power, the work we sought to do, and did begin!"--John Broadus, in a eulogy for JP Boyce, 1888.

And it is in the same spirit of affection for all Brothers Beloved at The Duck and The Goose, in and away from Louisville, that we mark the inception of this blog.

For you, brothers,
141
ab imo pectore