April 2006 - Posts

• The Ideal Entomological Discovery

  When I was a kid, I was into bugs. I loved to look under rocks and logs for new and weird creatures. On one of my family’s semi-frequent trips to visit Grandma and Grandpa Kinney in Montague, MI, said grandparents bought me a butterfly net at the Ben Franklin store. I may have received that first net when I was 5 or 6 years old, but it certainly wasn’t my last. Soon, my dad built me a beautiful wooden display case with a large glass window to showcase and protect all my bugs. My best find ever was a tattered Cecropia Moth. When my family moved to Crystal Lake, Illinois, I got into “competitive” bug collecting. You see, I competed in just about everything with my ‘cross-the-street neighbor, Tracy. Tracy was a few years older than me and she was a natural athlete. I was a clumsy, overweight elementary kid that usually got picked last for any athletic activity. Tracy clobbered me in just about anything that had to do with running, jumping, hitting, climbing, catching, shooting, Atari 2600–ing, throwing, dodging, swimming, diving, and not-looking-stupid. But I still remained competitive. After all, she was a girl. There must be a weakness. Somewhere. And I found it: Competitive Bug Collecting! The bug of choice? Monarch butterfly caterpillars! Our street was surrounded on two sides by corn fields and Milkweeds. As all you up-and-coming entomologists know, the Milkweed is what Monarch caterpillars eat. They love the stuff—and not much else. The War Of The Bugs began subtly, gradually, and completely unintentionally. I don’t think Tracy had any kind of affection for buggery, but when she saw how well I was doing at it (why, I would get 3 or 4 caterpillars on a good day!), she quickly took up an interest. A short time later she surprised me by proudly displaying her own terrarium filled with the coveted, yellow-and-black-and-white caterpillars. What was she thinking? This was just not fair! This was my sport! I was good at it. I owned it. Thus began the summer of getting-up-earlier-than-my-neighbor-to-collect-caterpillars. And oh, did I collect. There were several hotspots that we both knew about but pretended to one another we did not. We tried to hit those places two or three times daily. Tracy did good at collecting, but I did better. I soon had an orb-shaped terrarium full of chrysalises*. Our heated bug-competition only lasted for a few more weeks, as did our bug-hunting adventures altogether. After a brief stint finding the biggest Wolf spiders we could find, putting them in glass jars, and researching what other kinds of living things they might eat—including other Wolf spiders—we both gave up bugs and have been clean now for about 20 years. I never found the ultimate bug: a perfect Luna Moth. Finding a Luna Moth when I was a kid was something I’d longed for, dreamed about, wished. Once, my science-teacher father and I created a moth-attracting paste that we smeared on some trees in hopes that a Luna Moth would be attracted and caught in the sticky goo. But all our efforts were in vain. I remained a Luna-Moth-less kid. Other kids found Luna Moths. I remember seeing them at 4H shows. But I took some heart: even though their winged insects were pretty, they were all damaged and tattered. The Utopian find for any young, burgeoning entomologist would be an unblemished Luna Moth, and I never saw one of those. Until two days ago. Coming out to Lone Jack, Missouri, late one evening to visit my parents, I found the Crown Jewel of Bugdom. It was just sitting there on the left side of their front door. And it was perfect. Oh what joy! What blissful moments this truly unique and wonderful find has perpetuated in my soul! I certainly did not have the heart to introduce this beautiful creation of God to chloroform and stick a pin through it. So, I kept it for a couple days and then released it. But not before I took a bunch of pictures to show the WWW. And Tracy. You may click on the pictures or the numbers at right for the full-sized versions (all are suitable for framing). 1 | 2 | 3                Tracy, if you’re reading this, I reign as bug-collecting-champion-of-all-time and you know it. *A chrysalis is like a cocoon, only better. Posted Apr 27 2006, 04:36 AM by BobRoberts with no comments Filed under: Miscellany

• Radio Show with Sam Horn, Les Ollila, and Mohler

  Here are a series of five short radio shows of which I was privileged to be a part. A huge & humble Thank You goes out to Dr. Sam Horn & Dr. Les Ollila, for giving me and K4T some “air time” on these shows that were broadcast in the Milwaukee, WI area. I count both of these men as mentors. You can find out more about these men and the radio show here: http://www.thewordforlife.org Chad Mohler was also a part of the revelry. He is a good friend from college serving as a youth pastor in the frozen tundra of Minnesota. His church recently experienced some vandalism of an unusual sort — the front of their church bus got blown up by some kind of pipe bomb. Thankfully, nobody was hurt. When asked by local reporters what he would say to the bombers if found, Chad’s pastor replied: “Hey, don’t blow our bus up. Come to church.” That’s my kind of pastor. I think that slogan would make an excellent bumper sticker or t-shirt. Rumor has it that Chad is currently working on a new film entitled: “When Bus Ministry Goes Bad.” Show #1 — “Kids 4 Truth Part 1” Show #2 — “Kids 4 Truth Part 2” Show #3 — “Raising Kids God’s Way Part 1” Show #4 — “Raising Kids God’s Way Part 2” Show #4 — “Raising Kids God’s Way Part 3” Posted Apr 11 2006, 11:25 PM by BobRoberts with no comments

• Quit Arguing And Turn On The Flashlight

  “Imagine a man lost within the deep recesses of a dark cavern in utter despair of ever finding his way out. If his friend had a general idea of his location, how could he best come to his rescue? Should he rush into the cave, careless of his pathway, and sit with him in the darkness, sharing with him the common ground of being lost? Would it not be vastly wiser to take along a powerful flashlight, marking his path as he enters the cavern in order to lead him out quickly to the safety of the world above? But suppose that, in his utter despair, he refused to believe that his friend had a flashlight and that there was indeed a way out? Should the would-be rescuer sit there in the darkness and argue with him concerning the size, make, power, and previous performance of his flashlight? Since this man still has the capacity for recognizing physical light when he sees it, should not his friend immediately end the debate by inviting him to look at the light as he presses the button? – John Whitcomb   I appreciate this illustration as it calls us to confront the lost world with the simple “light” of God’s Word. I’m not sure how profitable it is arguing with the unregenerate about the divine origin and subsequent authenticity of the Scriptures, although I’ve attempted to do so in the past. Studies about the external, internal, and bibliographical proofs for the veracity of the Bible can be very faith-building, but never faith-birthing. Concerning unbelievers, much better is for Christians to turn on the “light” of the Word by speaking, living, and loving the truth of the Word. Romans 10:17 -- So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.   Blaise Pascal said: “Our religion is wise and foolish. Wise, because it is the most learned and the most founded on miracles, prophecies, etc. Foolish, because it is not all this which makes us belong to it. . . It is the cross that makes them believe.” In other words, it’s not the external facts like archaeology, manuscript evidence, or fulfilled prophecies (although persuasive!) that ultimately convince a person of truth – it’s something and Someone else. something = the Word / Someone = God’s Spirit.   The only part where Whitcomb’s illustration breaks down a bit, if he is saying what I think he might be saying, is the inference that since the lost man in the cave has the capacity to recognize physical light when he sees it, so a lost man of the world has the capacity to recognize spiritual light (1 Corinthians 2:14). My confidence is not in the lost man’s ability to perceive the light of the Word. My confidence is that God in His grace would open the lost man’s eyes through His Word, by His Spirit.   James 1:18 -- Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth…   2 Timothy 3:15 -- And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.   John 8:31–32 -- Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. Posted Apr 05 2006, 04:41 AM by BobRoberts with no comments

• It's A Botanical Garden Because I Say It Is

  Samuel Taylor Coleridge (not to be confused with Samuel Coleridge-Taylor!), was an English poet and philosopher that often enjoyed thinking and writing about theology. I’m not sure if the the excerpt below was written as Coleridge thought about theology, but the application in that realm is obvious and fabulous—especially in relation to the theological indoctrination of youth.   Coleridge recounts this anecdote about a relativistic, pre-postmodernist postmodernist friend…   Thelwall thought it very unfair to influence a child’s mind by inculcating any opinions before it should have come to years of discretion, and be able to choose for itself. I showed him my garden, and told him it was my botanical garden. “How so?” said he, “it is covered with weeds.”—“Oh,” I replied, “that is only because it has not yet come to its age of discretion and choice. The weeds, you see, have taken the liberty to grow, and I thought it unfair in me to prejudice the soil towards roses and strawberries."   From I.A. Richards, ed. “The Portable Coleridge.” Penguin Books, New York: 1950. p. 316.   Thank you to David Williams for pointing me to this excellent illustration! Posted Apr 03 2006, 03:24 AM by BobRoberts with no comments