toddcast

This Pluto stuff amazes me!   Ever since I was a child I have been intrigued by our solar system and space itself.   I remember staring up into the sky wondering how big the universe was and debating whether it went on forever or had some end.   Neither option really made sense to me which just added to the wonder of it all.   So to see pictures of Pluto like we've never seen before has just been simply fascinating. Pluto is far away.   The New Horizons space probe left Earth nine years ago and has traveled some three billion miles at a speed of about 36,000 miles per hour.   It takes about four and a half hours for radio signals from the probe to get back to earth.      That is a long way away, but in comparison to the size of the universe, it's not very far at all. For instance, the nearest star to our solar system is over four light years away.   In other words, it takes light four years to travel from the nearest star t...

There certainly has been a lot of discussion, debate, and diatribe concerning the Confederate flag recently, hasn't there?   I grew up in the north so I was more likely to see a Canadian flag than a Confederate one, and even though I have lived in Texas for quite some time I'm hardly the one to chime in on the issue.   So I'm not going to weigh in on that debate, but I will say that the whole discussion has served to remind me of the power of symbols.   While nary one word is displayed on that flag it speaks volumes.   To some the voiceless emblem tells a story of a bygone era of a simpler and sweeter time.   To others the wordless banner tells a story of horror and oppression.   The flag, a mere symbol, evokes powerful emotions.   The very sight of it can call to mind memories both good and evil.   The saying goes that a picture is worth a thousand words.   Perhaps a symbol is worth far more.      One thing...

This summer while on vacation my family and I worshiped with a small congregation of about 50 people at Port Isabel, Texas.   We sang old songs out of song books, there were no video screens or projected presentations, the auditorium was small and showing signs of old age.   In many ways I was tempted to worship with a critical eye assured that this congregation was never going to be highlighted by church growth magazines.   It was not even close to cutting-edge and my fleshly side saw my attendance as more of an obligation rather than an opportunity to worship and learn and to grow. Thankfully the Spirit got hold of me sometime in between the parking lot and the opening song (even though I must admit the Spirit himself must have been tempted to scram during the announcements), and even in the less-than-dynamic time of song, communion, and sermon I found myself being blessed; being edified; being fed. It got me to think.   Maybe we make too much out of...