Cell Phones and Water Do Not Mix!

Hosts: Stan Cox and Larry Fain

A brand new year, and a brand new episode of Watchman Digest!  In this episode Larry and Stan discuss the College Football BCS system; New Year’s resolutions for Barack Obama (hint: do NOTHING!); the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, and how in the world Al Franken is being elected to the U.S. Senate!  Stan rants on Cell phone providers, and Larry preaches on Philippians 3.  All in all, a good way to start the year 2009!

Show Notes:

• New Year Resolutions for Barack Obama. A recent article from Techcrunch.com makes suggestions regarding what Barack Obama should resolve to accomplish in his first year in office.  Larry and Stan have their own ideas of what he should do.
  • Obama’s Crowdsourced Resolutions for 2009
    
• Obama the New Britney Spears? It is obvious that the soft media (US Weekly, People Magazine, etc.,) are enamored with Obama.  Will this “love affair” last?  Will it help Obama to bypass the traditional media, and get his message straight to the people?  Will it help him to govern?  Yeah, right!
  • Obama’s Paparazzi Presidency
    
• The Israeli / Palestinian Conflict. The terrorist organization Hamas is firing rockets at Israel, and the Israelis are responding with extreme prejudice.  Presidents are expected to broker peace in the region, but history and common sense indicate that there will be no lasting peace between these sworn and ancient foes.
  • Rice Vows Hard Work on Arranging Gaza Cease-Fire
    
• Stuart Smalley as Senator? At last count, Al Franken has taken a 49 vote lead in the Minnesota senate race.  Democrats can never again make fun of an actor being elected as President (the great Ronald Reagan) if they end up electing Stuart Smalley as a Minnesota Senator!
  • Senate GOP to Block Attempt to Seat Franken Early
    
• Stan’s Weekly Rant: Those Infernal Cell Phone Providers. A close call with his cell phone and a bowl of water has Stan thinking about his contract with his cell phone provider.  You’ll get a kick out of his latest “irritation.” To read Stan’s rant, click here!
• Stan’s Web Site Review: One of several New Year’s resolutions suggested by Stan is to read the entire Bible through in a year’s time.  A wonderful reading schedule has been designed by Mark Roberts that will assist in this effort.  You can download the PDF file at the following URL: bibleclassmaterial.com.  Below are all of the Resolutions mentioned by Stan (First seven personal, next nine as a part of a local congregation:
  1. Read entire Bible within a year’s time.
  2. Practice Hospitality.
  3. Host a Bible Study.
  4. Increase prayer quality and frequency.
  5. Meditate often.
  6. Preach to others.
  7. Worship elsewhere while on vacation.
  8. Involve yourself in Personal Work efforts.
  9. Volunteer to help with things such as laundering baptismal garments and nursery linens.
  10. Be diligent in both preparation for and participation in Bible classes.
  11. Avoid conflicts with scheduled gospel meetings and singings.
  12. Increase weekly giving if possible.
  13. Greet Visitors
  14. Take notes during preaching.
  15. Tell others about our your congregation’s web site.  (Especially if it contains teaching material).
  16. Request Sermon CD’s to hand out to others.
• Larry’s Bible Verse: Larry comments on Philippians 3:7-11, noting that while the world tends to emphasize the birth of Jesus, the theme of God’s redemptive work centers on his death and resurrection.  Larry shows that because of that great sacrifice, our proper response is an obedient faith.

We want your input! Feel free to post your comments using the form below!

Music provided by the JPFM Band, from their album Paris S.K, via Jamendo under the Creative Commons Liscense.

Well, I managed to take the phone partly apart, and use a hair dryer to dry out all of the electronics.  I damaged the case of the phone a bit, but it still works, and so we avoided having to go buy a new phone.  I was worried about having to get a new phone, because we have had this one only for a year or so.  I knew a new phone would cost me, in more ways than one.

The cell phone companies irritate me.  I understand the necessity of upping your commitment when you buy a new phone.  After all, they are subsidizing the cost of the phone with the service, and if you could cancel your service at any time, it would cost them money.

What irritates me is that anytime you make a change in your service, either adding minutes, getting unlimited text messaging, or canceling some unneeded feature, it automatically resets your contract to a two year commitment.  At least, that is the way it is with Sprint.

Further, if you want to change to another provider, you can’t take your number with you!  Now, I know that legislation is in the works to change that, but anytime I get into a situation where I have no say or options, it irks me.  And, if l decide to go to another provider?  The same types of things are true with them as well!

Cell phones are great.  They are convenient, and I have a lot more peace of mind being able to contact my kids when they are out and about.  I’m not too big on the texting thing, my kids know to call me rather than text me.  But that’s a rant for another time.

But, we have to do something about the providers!  Either that, or somebody needs to design a phone that is waterproof, breakproof and impossible to lose!

He’s Baaaaaack!

Hosts: Stan Cox and Larry Fain

After a two week’s absence recuperating from surgery, Larry Fain has returned to the Digest.  He and Stan discuss this week the Newsweek cover story on Gay Marriage, Obama’s proposed 850 Billion Dollar stimulus package, the current trend of appointing and electing political candidates primarily based upon their celebrity, and the shoe throwing incident last week in Baghdad.  Welcome back Larry!  (BTW, we will have a week’s break, so no Watchman Digest on December 28th.  The Next Digest will be uploaded on January 4, 2009).

Show Notes:

• Newsweek Cover Story - Gay Marriage and the Bible. Larry and Stan take issue with Newsweek writer Lisa Miller, who claims the Bible, and Jesus Himself defend gay marriage.
  • Newsweek Cover Story:  Gay Marriage - Our Mutual Joy
    
• An $850 Billion Stimulus Package?  Where will it all end? It’s not that Larry and Stan doubt that the economy is in trouble.  But they still are concerned, first that so many are confident that the government can fix things; and second, that so much money is being thrown at the problem.  Who is going to pay for this?
  • Obama looking at $850 Billion jolt to the economy
    
• Are you qualified to serve?  It depends, just how famous are you? It seems that the American public is less interested in the qualifications of substance when choosing their leaders.  The most important thing is celebrity, rather than accomplishments and experience.
  • Time names Obama ‘Person of the Year’
    
  • Kennedy says publicly that she wants senate seat
    
• Experience has taught Bush to duck! The shoe throwing incident in Baghdad is serious, and shows the practical difficulties in protecting the American President.  But, there was still something humorous about Bush’s reaction to the Iraqui reporter who threw his shoes at him last week.  I can understand the first throw, but how did he get both of them away before being tackled by the Secret Service?
  • Family: Shoe thrower hates both US, Iran role
    
• Stan’s Weekly Rant: The Reason for EVERY Season. Stan weighs in on the holiday season, and the things that irritate him about it.  First, that it is a total rat race, with too much commercialism; Second, that too many only give lip service to a remembrance of Christ, ignoring the Lord for the rest of the year.  To read Stan’s rant, click here!
• Larry’s Bible Verse: Larry comments on James 1:5-8, noting the importance of being men and women of faith.  These are the ones rewarded by God.
• Stan’s Website Review: The ISBE (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia), is an important and substantial research tool for your library.  And now, it is online, with a search engine, and it is completely free.  The encyclopedia can be accessed (as can the following other reference works:  Nave’s Topical Bible, Smith’s Bible Dictionary, Easton’s Bible Dictionary, Fausset’s Bible Dictionary and Hitchcock’s Bible Dictionary), by clicking here.

We want your input! Feel free to post your comments using the form below!

Music provided by the JPFM Band, from their album Paris S.K, via Jamendo under the Creative Commons Liscense.

Many people have expressed their frustration at the commercialization of the holidays.  And there is good reason for such frustration.

Radio stations have been playing Christmas music since well before Thanksgiving.  The traffic, especially in large cities like Dallas and Fort Worth is atrocious this time of the year, as everyone is out shopping.  People will go deep in debt to buy toys and gadgets that will end up gathering dust in a month’s time.

There is a commercial for Target department stores showing on television about every 5 minutes that has proud parents and teachers listening with tears in their eyes to little children singing in a school assembly, about the joys of shopping at Target.

Now, I’m not one who is advocating to “remember the reason for the season.”  Christmas is a man-made holiday, not a divinely ordained one.  It has its origins in paganism, and then later in Catholicism.  There is no religious “holy day” that has been revealed in scripture whereby we are to remember the birth of our Lord.  While I certainly encourage others to give God thanks for His Son’s life on earth, and I often dwell upon the importance of that virgin birth, I can not support the religious world’s appropriation of the winter solstice, and pagan celebrations that have been tailored to be palatable to those who are nominally Christian.

My family and I celebrate the Christmas holiday as a time for family.  We exchange presents, visit and enjoy one another.  The guys are partial to football on TV, and the ladies usually are busy fussing in the kitchen.  In fact, I guess we guys get it good on two fronts there.

But, I am appalled at the rat race.  The fact that what should be an enjoyable time for friends and family becomes too often an added stress to the already overstressed lifestyle that Americans seem to have embraced.

And, I am disappointed at those who will give lip service to Jesus Christ by attending worship services near Christmas time to see a play about the Baby Jesus, and sing Joy to the World, and yet neglect the weekly memorial of His death that He Himself established on the night of His betrayal.

If people will just slow down a bit.  Spend time with your family.  Exchange presents, but don’t buy into the “gimme, gimme, gimme” culture of our day.  If you are of a mind to contemplate the birth, or death of our Lord, then by all means consider those most important events.

But, perhaps the best thing you can do as the year winds down is to consider New Year’s Day, rather than Christmas.  New Year’s is the time for resolutions.  Wouldn’t it be a good thing to resolve to focus on Jesus every Sunday, even every day, instead of just a few times a year?  After all, Jesus is the reason for EVERY season!

“How ’bout them Boys!”

Host: Stan Cox

Larry Fain misses a second, (and hopefully) final week after having oral surgery.  Stan spends time this week exercising his filibuster privileges, and talking about Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich, the Dallas Cowboys, two examples of Hollywood immorality (Madonna and Jennifer Aniston), and our smoking (literally) President-elect Barack Obama!  (Note:  There is an occasional “glitch” in the audio, I’m not sure where it came from.  It does not greatly impact the program, just an occasional “click”, but I am aware of it, and I will do some testing to make sure it doesn’t crop up again next week).

Show Notes:

• Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich indicted for trying to sell Obama’s senate seat. We may have to give Obama a pass on this one, as it doesn’t seem that he is involved, it gives us an opportunity to talk about the pervasive use of profanity in our society.
  • Bleep!  Illinois Governor’s Recordings Show Colorful Language
  • Illinois AG Asks High Court to Declare Governor Unfit
• Dallas Cowboys controversy with Terrell Owens and the other receivers complaining about Tony Romo throwing too often to the tight end! The dysfunctional Dallas Cowboys are imploding as we speak.  Stan (who is a fan) predicts the Cowboys will not make the playoffs.  But, it speaks to another society problem.  Arrogance and a sense of entitlement that is too prevalent.
  • Cowboys Phillips Dismisses Rift Among Players
    
• More Examples of “Hollywood” Immorality. The antics of two ladies, Madonna and Jennifer Aniston, give us the latest examples of a prurient and immoral segment of our society.  Unfortunately, these ladies are rather influential, especially among the young.
  • Lustful Madonna Offends God, Says Clergyman
  • Jennifer Aniston Not Nervous to Get Naked
• Obama A Smoker. He has tried to hide it, but Barack Obama smokes cigarettes.  He is trying to quit, and is being trumpeted yet again as a potential savior.  This time by his example making America healthy again!  They are going to be disappointed, but many in America truly believe that Obama is going to perform miracles immediately upon ascending to the Presidency!
  • Anti-Smoking Groups Hope Obama Will Be Role Model
    
• Stan’s Weekly Rant: This time Stan’s daughter, Kendra Cox, rants on the River Oaks Police Department. Kendra Cox writes a letter to the editor about the hypocrisy in the River Oaks Police Department (a suburb of Fort Worth), where a D.A.R.E. officer warns children about tobacco use, while officers on duty patrol the city with cigarette in hand.  Stan reads the letter.  To read it yourself, click here!
• Larry’s Bible Verse: Stan again fills in for Larry, quoting from Matthew 19 in response to the latest cover story of Newsweek magazine, where author Lisa Miller argues that neither Jesus nor the Bible ever explicitly states that marriage is defined as one man and one woman.
  • Gay Marriage: Our Mutual Joy
• Stan’s Website Review: Well known gospel preacher and writer, Robert Turner, published a monthly periodical, Plain Talk, for 20 years.  Brother Turner passed away last year, but gave his permission for all 20 years of Plain Talk be published online.  He was a wonderful and sage writer, and you would benefit greatly by reading his interesting, humorous, and always enlightening articles.  The articles are found on the Cedar Park church of Christ’s website, and can be accessed by clicking here.

We want your input! Feel free to post your comments using the form below!

Music provided by the JPFM Band, from their album Paris S.K, via Jamendo under the Creative Commons Liscense.

To whom it may concern,

I would like to write a “Jeer” about the River Oaks Police Department.  As a member of the community, an active volunteer at the local elementary schools, and a future police officer, I would like to say I am disgusted with the conduct of the River Oaks P.D. with regards to allowing their officers to use tobacco products while in uniform, specifically smoking.

The Castleberry Independent School District has an awesome D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program that is run through the River Oaks Police Department.  A uniformed officer, whom I happen to know personally, goes into the schools and talks to the children about the negative effects of smoking and the use of tobacco products.  I truly believe in this program and its effectiveness but was discouraged when I noticed several River Oaks officers driving around town in patrol cars, windows down, with a cigarette in hand.  What kind of message is this sedning to those kids who just listened to an officer in the same uniform condemn that very behavior?

The River Oaks Police Department needs to take responsibility for their officers and stop being hypocritical!  Practice what you preach!  (At least when you’re in the public eye).

Where, O Where Has Larry Fain Gone?

Host: Stan Cox

Larry Fain was not available for this Digest, as he was recuperating from surgery.  Stan did the “soliloquy” thing, and talked about the Economy, Democrats grumbling (already) about Barack Obama, the “unity” problems of the Episcopal Church, and the poor Auto Companies, begging to congress.  He ranted about young ladies who smoke, and left us with the wonderful sentiments of Romans 8:31-ff.

Show Notes:

• Fred Thompson on the Economy. Fred Thompson uses YouTube to riff on the liberals and their daffy scheme to fix the economy.  This is a hilarious must see.
  • Fred Thompson on the Economy
    
• Democrats Unhappy with Obama. Not enough diversity?  Silent on Economic Answers?  Hoarding compaign money?  Obama’s honeymoon with leftists is already looking to be on shaky ground, and he is still a month from taking office!
  • Obama is Delivering Diversity, But Some Seek More
  • Democrats: Obama Needs Hands-On Economic Approach
  • Obama Campaign Mulls What to Do with $30M Surplus
• Unity in Diversity in the Episcopal Church. Conservatives leave to form a rival “province” as liberals decry their unwillingness to get along despite their disagreements regarding the Bible, and especially the ordination of gay priests.
  • Conservatives Form Rival Group to Episcopal Church
    
• Those Poor Automakers. The Big Three come begging for money, but the Senate isn’t biting!
  • Automakers Plead for Aid, but Senate Votes Lacking
    
• Stan’s Weekly Rant: Young Ladies Who Smoke. Young ladies should be pure, chaste and beautiful.  There is something about a beautiful girl who lights up that turns Stan’s stomach.  To read Stan’s rant, click here!
• Larry’s Bible Verse: Romans 8:31-39.  Stan fills in for Larry, and reads about our victory in Christ.  Truly we are “super-conquerors.”
• Stan’s Software Review: Direct WAV MP3 Splitter.  This software costs $20, and does one thing easily and well.  It takes one large mp3 or WAV file, and splits it into multiple tracks for burning to CD’s.  That way a speech or sermon can have 10 separate tracks to make it easier to navigate.  To visit the website where you can download this program for a free trial, click here.

We want your input! Feel free to post your comments using the form below!

Music provided by the JPFM Band, from their album Paris S.K, via Jamendo under the Creative Commons Liscense.

Yes, you heard that right, students were allowed to light up on campus.  We are living now in far different times.

Well, several times a day I had to walk across the connecting sidewalk.  I always took a deep breath before opening the door, and tried to hurry across so that I would not have to breathe in the second hand smoke.

You have to understand how much I hate smoking.  My parents, who have long since quit, were smokers when I was a child.  We found out that I was allergic to cigarette smoke, and the allergy is rather severe.  It is not just that it smells bad, it causes my eyes to water, by nose to stop up, and if I am exposed for too long can actually make me physically ill.  I literally hate cigarettes!

Well, as a teenager there was one thing that I liked just about as much as I hated cigarettes, and that was pretty girls.  And, it was always disappointing for me to see a beautiful young lady lighting up.  There was something about a pretty girl putting a cancer stick in her mouth that made my stomach churn.

I still feel that way even today, especially to see young ladies, in the prime of their youth, with such a distasteful habit.  Young ladies are supposed to be pure, and to see one smoking, or drinking, or wearing slutty clothing, or using profanity, is such a disappointment.

In the Bible, ladies are called to an inner beauty.  Peter said, “…when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear.  Do not let your adornment be merely outward–arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel–rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.  For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves…” (1 Peter 3:2-5).

By the way, my boys are looking for such pure ladies.  I found one at Odessa High School, and she has been my lovely wife for over 25 years.  I look forward to welcoming others into our family when my boys meet and marry pure and chaste young ladies with gentle and quiet spirits.

Why So Impatient, Obama?

Hosts: Larry Fain & Stan Cox

Prayers are needed for the families of the dead, and the wounded in Mumbai, India. And, fortitude is needed as terrorist threats continue.  Obama seems a bit impatient (and presumptuous) and he and his chomp at the bit to enter the office of President.   Is Obama now advocating McCain economic principals?  Well, Yes and No.  And, what is this about a chocolate Jesus?  You have to be kidding!

Show Notes:

• Terrorist Siege in Mumbai, India. Among the 195 dead are at least 6 Americans.  Fortitude will be needed as the terrorist threat continues.
  • Mumbai Terror Rage Ends After 60 Hours, 195 Dead
    
• Obama Impatient to Get into Office. What is, by the way, the “Office of the President Elect?”  And isn’t Obama and his liberal backers acting a bit presumptuously as he prepares to take office?
  • “Office of the President Elect” Seal Violates 18 USC Sec. 713??
    
• Obama Doing an Econimic McCain Impression. Obama hasn’t completely gone over to McCain’s side, but he seems to at least be coming to the realization that raising taxes during a recession is not a very good idea!
  • Obama’s Nimble Economics
  • Obama Urges Congress To Pass Costly Stimulus Bill
• Chocolate Jesus. German Catholic Churches are appalled at a German man selling gold foil covered chocolate Jesus’  The man’s rationale is absurd, and the concept is blasphemous.  This is what happens when men take it upon themselves to worship and serve God as they see fit!
  • German Churches Find Chocolate Jesus Tasteless
  • The Original Chocolate GoldJesus
• Stan’s Weekly Rant: “Be Nice, Already!” We need more of the golden rule.  Rather than doing unto others as they do unto you, we need to love.  We need to do unto others as you would have them do unto you.  Think about the difference. To read Stan’s rant, click here!
• Larry’s Bible Verse: Acts 17:5-9.  Larry notes that extremists will always mistreat God’s people.  In the face of such persecution, we must live righteously and godly, keeping the faith.
• Stan’s Website Review: The Lifehacker site has a list of 46 favorite free software applications.  The list is long, and the applications are all helpful and impressive.  Take a look for yourself, to see the list click on this Lifehacker article:   Free Software We’re Most Thankful For...

We want your input! Feel free to post your comments using the form below!

Music provided by the JPFM Band, from their album Paris S.K, via Jamendo under the Creative Commons Liscense.

Notice that Jesus’ did not say to do unto others whatever it is they do unto you… Or, do unto others before they do it unto you… Or, do unto others so that they will not be able to do it to you.  All of these seem to be popular sentiments, but they are not what Jesus said.

Jesus established the principle of love.  Treat others the way you would like them to treat you.  If you don’t want someone to steal from you, don’t steal.  If you don’t want to be ridiculed, don’t ridicule.  Simply stated, be nice!

There is too little niceness in the world today.  How many times have you driven up to a fast food drive thru, or bought an item at a store, and been greeted rudely by the sales clerk?  Of course, their rudeness may be in part because customers for the past seven hours of their shift have been rude to them!  I guess then they are doing unto others just as others have done unto them!

There is a little park a few blocks away from our house.  The city built a basketball court, with a great cement surface and two very good goals.  For a time, the city supplied nets for the goals, but after about 10 sets, they stopped.  The nets each lasted less than a week before being stolen.  Kids would come to the park and play, enjoying the nets, and then someone would steal them.  Now, there are no nets.  Everyone wants nets, they make playing the game much more fun, but because people are unwilling to practice the golden rule, everyone suffers.  It is such a shame.

Children who are absolutely devastated by the criticism and ridicule of their peers are nevertheless quick to make fun of others themselves.  Perhaps you have heard of slam books.  Books that contain criticism, ridicule and gossip, passed around schools for everyone to read and add their own vitriol.  Some teenagers have even put up websites to belittle others, with videos, pictures and lies.  There have been teenagers who have taken their own lives because of their shame and sadness as a result of such attacks.

Adults are no better, leading to so much pain and misery.  And, it irritates me to see such meanness.

We are in the middle of the holiday season.  Peace on earth, and goodwill to men is the sentiment commonly heard during this time of year.  But, it is needed year ‘round.  So, starting today, my hope is that everyone will just, be nice, already!