Google Maps will soon change Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America. Google’s policy regarding geographic features is to list them as they are recognized by official federal sources. Mount McKinley was renamed Denali during Obama’s second term and Google relabeled it as such. The label will now change again to reflect current federal policy. On US versions of Google Maps, the label Gulf of America will appear. On international versions of Maps both names will appear since, outside of the United States, the name is in dispute.
Even if you can’t see the stereogram that makes some beautiful coffee bean wallpaper. There is an image there and this one’s pretty easy. In my experience, I can almost never see these on my phone. I’m an old guy and still begin each day on my laptop.
When Toby Mac says “Pray for California” it’s not a slant against anyone else in the country that needs prayer. He is not endorsing Hollywood and saying he couldn’t care less about Appalachia. There is an ongoing natural disaster, people are hurting, several have died, and he asked his followers on social media to pray. I donated to relief efforts going to NC and know people that traveled there with church groups to deliver food and supplies. But now California is on fire and I can pray for them, too. It’s not just celebrities with million dollar homes; there are some hard working people that have lost everything. I have visited family in Modesto, California, and attended a Primitive Baptist Church the Sunday morning I was there. They sang old hymns, read the KJV, the men wore ties and coats and the women wore dresses. It was a lot like the Baptist churches I grew up in in the South. Even if, even if, the fires are an act of God’s judgement it is not our place to judge but to pray for those affected by tragedy, share the gospel, and offer food, clothing and shelter as we are able. The comment above reminds me of this:
I prefer apples to oranges. Oh, I get it, you hate oranges. You didn’t even mention bananas or pineapples. DO SOME RESEARCH!
Plainville, 1949 – I just learned that a film was made in 1949 showing people and places in Plainville, GA. It’s on YouTube, and the video quality is absolutely terrible, but wow. The screen grab above is the back of Unity Baptist Church, where I have been the pastor since 2014. Additions were later made to each side, including a Sunday School wing that doubled the interior square footage of the building, and the outside was bricked up in 1955. The bell tower still looks just like it always has so I am beyond certain that I can identify this building. Here is a link to the video starting at the 1 min 30 min mark for those really interested.
According to the Bible? Cats are not mentioned in the Bible. Which is kind of weird if you think about how much time the Hebrews spent in Egypt before the Exodus. They lived there 400 years so they not only knew about cats but the Egyptians worshiped them (as well as other animals and the Nile River). The Egyptian pyramids were the first social media; lots of cat pics and people writing on walls, communicating not in words but emojis. Dogs are mentioned in the Bible but never in a good way. The dogs came and licked the sores of Job; Jesus called the Syrophoenician woman a dog in Mark’s Gospel. No mention of cats.
On the left is a meme that has been circulating since at least 2020, possibly longer. It’s not really a plate but is meant to be an appetizer serving tray. On the right is literally my Christmas dinner from earlier this week. There were enough of these trays that every family member could have done the same but a few people, such as our daughter, chose not to. I realize the ham extends beyond its borders but I initially folded it in half only to have it spring back open. Still, what a remarkable time to be alive. In unrelated news I have gained 8 lbs just in the month of December. I hate vacation. Don’t hear me wrong, I love Christmas and all Christmas things, I just hate vacation. And I have another full week of it to go. What do people do that don’t sit in their house and eat all day? On the days it doesn’t rain it’s cold outside; I’m not going out there.
If it’s been a minute since the last Happy Monday post, this week notwithstanding, then it’s been a few minutes since the last Satur-deja Vu. I started last night to organize and got overwhelmed so this one almost didn’t happen either. Deep breath, I’ve got all day, here we go. Nice and easy.
Let’s start with Calhoun High School’s State Championship win this week. Calhoun has made it to the big game 10 times in the last 20 years but there has been something of a drought in recent years.
I’ve written before on what I call Christmas Card Theology, the historical and biblical inaccuracies of our popular art and imagery when it comes to all things Christmas. I just noticed something tonight for the first time.
I was looking for images of Joseph and Mary making the journey to Bethlehem. The second Sunday of Advent is coming up and we will light the Bethlehem candle as we focus on the faith it took Joseph and Mary to trust God during remarkable circumstances. This is just a sampling of the many images that Google found in a fraction of a second. Take a look, see if anything jumps out at you.
Word of mouth advertising is often more effective than any print, radio or television ad a company can purchase. If someone you know tells you about a restaurant with excellent food or an auto repair place with incredible customer service, that will influence your opinion more than a paid spokesperson or celebrity endorsement ever would. I bought a car from a local guy one time that had a sign in shop that said “If you are unsatisfied with the service you receive, tell us. If you are satisfied please tell someone else.” We are more likely to talk about a business or go online and write reviews about a product if we are unhappy. We just don’t take the time or exert the energy to share when things go exactly the way they are supposed to. A good endorsement goes a long way, especially from someone we know, which is why those are better than any money buy.
If you stare at an object for several seconds, particularly one that is brightly colored, when you look away you may see a residual image but in the opposite color. It doesn’t last long and the image fades away but for a moment whatever you see is affected by the thing you were looking at before. Sometimes perspectives change with age. Things that used to be punishments – staying at home, not going to a party, heading to bed early – are things you look forward to later in life. That happens to all (or most) of us as time goes by. Then there are dramatic life-changing events; a near death experience, a car accident or a long hospital stay that forces us to reconsider what is important. Ice cream may taste sweeter or the embrace of a loved one may be incredibly significant whereas before those things were just ordinary. Some events in life, for better or worse, profoundly change us.
The Master's Table 