Host: Stan Cox

With this episode, the Digest will begin an immediate and necessary hiatus.  We apologize for this, and ask your indulgence until further notice.  For a further explanation, please listen the netcast.  It announces the hiatus, and asks for feedback and responses from you, our listener.  This edition of the Digest is about two minutes long.

Until the Digest begins again, I would like to express to our regular listeners my great appreciation for your support, and my apologies for this hiatus.

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Bluebonnets and Blue Bell Ice Cream in Brenham, TX

Host: Stan Cox

In this episode of Watchman Digest, Stan interviews the Locklair family of Brenham, TX.  It is the land of Bluebonnets, and they are beautiful this week), and Blue Bell Ice Cream.  Steve is the preacher for the Highway 290 church of Christ, and together with his family, (wife Bettye, 15 year old son Andrew, and 6 year old daughter Faith) is doing a wonderful work with the brethren in Brenham.

Stan talks with the Locklairs about their “brushes with greatness.”  The family met Sean Hannity about 5 years ago, and then just a few months ago had the opportunity to meet and visit with former President Bush (the elder) and his wife Barbara.

Also on the agenda was a discussion of home schooling, and issue near and dear to the heart of Steve and Bettye.  You are going to enjoy this interview.

Steve’s Verse of the Week:  Steve took Larry’s place  this week, and shared with us some principles from God’s Word.  He actually examined a number of different passages, seeking to establish the responsibility that we have as Christians to act responsibly, and with integrity, despite the breakdown of proper mores in our day.  Others may not pay their bills, or their taxes, but Christians are to have the integrity to do right, even when others will not.  Our thanks to Steve for his important words.

Website Review:  The Locklair family work together to maintain a site for the Highway 290 church in Brenham, TX.  The website is called:  backtothebible.us (All of Steve’s sermon audio, Powerpoint files and bulletin articles are uploaded each week by his son Andrew, who serves as webmaster of the site).  Also, Bettye has authored many children’s songs, to help teacher’s of young students in Bible classes.  An audio of each song, and the lyrics can be found on the site.  This is a  wonderful site that deserves a visit.

No rant this week!  When you are in the land of Bluebonnets and Blue Bell Ice Cream, there is nothing to be irritated about!

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

Bowling, Baseball and the Big Dance

Hosts: Stan Cox and Larry Fain

Stan and Larry talk about Barack Obama’s NCAA Basketball picks.  Not so much the teams, but the controversy surrounding the President taking time out to fill out a bracket, go bowling, and talk about it on a late night talk show.  Should he be more focused on the problems the country is facing?  Is it un-presidential for him to be hitting the late night talk show circuit?  And, is the punishment fitting the crime regarding his faux paux with his “Special Olympics” comment?  One thing is for sure, it wasn’t a good week for the President.

Show Notes:

• Stan Scheduled for Gospel Meeting. For those listeners who live within driving distance of Brenham, TX, Stan is scheduled to preach in a gospel meeting for the Hwy 290 church there.  The dates of the meeting are March 26-29.  Thursday and Friday evening, services will be at 7:30pm.  Saturday afternoon the meeting will be at 5:00pm.  On Sunday, Bible class is at 9:30am, morning worship at 10:30am, and evening worship at 6:00pm.  To visit the Hwy. 290 website, click here.
• Bowling and the Big Dance. Barack Obama made several gaffes this week, upsetting Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski by picking North Carolina to win the NCAA Basektball Tournament, and picking Duke to fall short of the Final Four.  Also, while trying to be self-deprecating in his humor, (something he is not very good at), Obama dissed the Special Olympics.  Finally, the question must be asked, Is it un-presidential for Obama to be appearing on The Tonight Show?
  • Obama, Coach K get trapped into March Madness
    
  • Oklahoma knows the time to rebound is now
  • Special Olympics Bowler Offers Obama Bowling Tips
• Stan’s Weekly Rant: “Know-It-Alls”. Stan is irritated by those people who seem to think that they know everything.  You know who you are.  And, Stan believes that Obama is one of them.  The problem is, when someone who thinks he knows everything gets into a position of great power, it can be problematic if he really doesn’t!  To read Stan’s latest rant, click here!
• Stan’s Website Review: The website Stan reviews this week is called: Appliance Aid. The site saved him about $100 last week.  He was looking for instructions on how to change out a motor coupling on his washing machine, and came across Appliance Aid.  The site had instructions on how to make the repair, and get this, step by step PHOTOS.  Less than an hour after getting the part, Stan (who has to recite “Righty-Tighty, Lefty-Loosy” before unscrewing a screw), finished the repair!  Lots of good stuff at this site for those of us a bit challenged on the handyman front.
• Larry’s Bible Verse: Larry comments on John 9:5-7. Jesus in the light of the world.  We must look to Jesus for guidance, but it is necessary, as the blind man was required to wash in the pool of Siloam, that we too obey the will of our Lord.

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

I can just hear some of you saying, “Stan, you and Larry sure seem to be ‘know-it-alls’ to me”.  And, of course, that is part of the danger of airing your opinions each and every week.  But, I am willing to admit to you here and now that in many areas I am ignorant!

When I was a kid, I had a close relative, about my age, that went through a stage of being a know-it-all.  Fortunately, he outgrew it.  But, for a while it was no fun talking with him because he was always having to show off, pontificating about some subject.

When I first began using a computer, I had a preacher friend who was fond of talking about his fine computer.  He  would talk about the speed of his processor, the amount of memory he had, and the size of his hard drive.  He would brag about having the latest software, and what his computer could do.  My computer was much less impressive, and I, at the time, was making due with less powerful software as well.

Well, one day he called me on the phone, and asked for help.  He was trying to edit a circular for a gospel meeting, and was having a hard time with a technical issue.  He thought that since I had used the same program, I might know the solution to the problem.  After describing the problem, I suggested he hit the backspace key.  He was quiet for a minute, then meekly said, “Thanks, that did it.” And hung up.  He never bragged about computers around me again!

There is a passage of scripture that fits situations such as this, it is from the book of Proverbs.  “Do you see a man hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.” (29:20).   Or, how about this one.  “Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.” (26:12).

There is a maxim that has been attributed to Mark Twain, Abraham Lincoln and Albert Einstein, among others.   It says that, “It is better to be quiet and thought a fool, than to open one’s mouth and remove all doubt.”  The idea behind it probably came from the 17th, chapter of Proverbs, verse 28, that says, “Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; When he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive.”

And so, I will close this rant with a confession.  I don’t know all the answers.  We talk politics, economics and range far and wide on other topics.  I know some things, and am reasonably confident with what the Bible teaches on many of the topics.  And even though I may not have all the answers, there is one thing of which I am relatively sure, despite Barak Obama’s obvious belief to the contrary, the federal government does not have all the answers either!  And the more he talks, the more it seems to be “removing all doubt” considering his foolishness.  I just hope either he, or we, learn before its too late!

A Trillion Dollars is How Much?

Hosts: Stan Cox and Larry Fain

Larry returns to Watchman after spending several days in the hospital.  He is not feeling too strong, but physical weakness doesn’t equal weak opinions.  There he is as strong as ever.

Larry and Stan discuss what a Trillion dollars looks like, and why in the world Barack Obama persists in getting rid of those dollars as quickly as possible.  Also, why aren’t more Republicans refusing to participate in this runaway spending?

Also included in this week’s digest is a discussion of God’s plan of salvation as Larry gets back to his roots and preaches a little!

• What Does One Trillion Dollars Look Like? When you visualize what 1 Trillion dollars looks like, it makes it harder to understand why in the world Obama and the Democrats (and some Republicans)  persist in spending the money so quickly and irresponsibly.  Imagine, a soccer field of $100 bills, stacked head high!
  • What Does one Trillion Dollars Look Like?
    
• Stan’s Website Review: The website Stan reviews this week is called: PDF to Word. The web site does only one thing, but does it very well.  It takes any PDF file you upload, and converts it to one of two file formats.  A Microsoft .doc file, or an .rtf file.  Even complex PDF files, including pictures and tables are capably converted.  Then, the site emails the newly converted file to an email address of your choosing.  And the best part?  It’s free!
• Larry’s Verse of the Week: Larry discusses Acts 16:31-34.  The text clearly indicates that God requires both belief and obedience in order to be saved.  This is corroborated by Mark 16:15-16, Acts 2:38, and many other passages.  This is an important discussion, and we invite all of our listeners to consider Larry and Stan’s words carefully.
• Stan’s Rant: Mind Your Own Business.  Stan rants about the tendency some have to meddle in other’s business, and in the equally irritating tendency some have to share their personal problems with the rest of the world.  To read Stan’s rant, click here!

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

No, really, I’m just kidding.  But meddling is a problem.  It was a problem back in the days when Paul was instructing the churches.  He wrote to the church in Thessalonica and said, “For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies.  Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.  But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good.   And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed.”  (That’s 2 Thessalonians 3:11-14).

In fact, Paul indicated that one of the most important things we can do is to “to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business…” (1 Thessalonians 4:11).

When people meddle they cause problems.  Meddling can cause friends to become enemies.  It can cause rifts in families and in churches.  It can cause people to get fired, secrets to get told, and little fires to become forest fires.

I’m not saying that you shouldn’t be concerned about other people.  But too often meddling is couched in those terms.  A mother comes between her son and his wife because she is “concerned.”  A friend tells another friend about the problems of a third friend because he is “concerned.”  A co-worker does the same, causing problems in an office or workplace.  The solution is simple, mind your own business.

Of course, there is a flip side to this.  Some people want to tell others every detail of their own business!  These talk shows on television are an example.  Telling millions of people about your dysfunctional family life or personal troubles must qualify as some kind of unstable activity.  I can’t imagine why anyone would do such a thing, and yet there seems to be an unending line of people waiting to go on Oprah, or Dr. Phil, or even Jerry Springer to let the world know about their troubles.

You see it on the news as well, when the reporters swoop in like vultures after a tragedy of some sort.  The victims or the family of the victims all tell their stories, sometimes with lurid detail.  If it were me, I would tell them to “mind their own business, and go away.”  But, that’s just me.

Now don’t misunderstand.  I am certainly interested in helping my closest friends, and knowing of their troubles (if they want to confide in me), that I might offer help in time of need.  Further, there have been times in my life where I needed to confide in another for help and comfort.

But for the most part, please take Paul’s advice.  Lead a quiet life, and mind your own business!  Or at the very least, do not meddle in mine!

Promises, Promises, Promises

Host: Stan Cox

Stan goes solo in this edition of the Digest.  Larry was stricken last minute with a rather severe illness.  We trust he will be back next week.

Stan discusses two basic issues.  First, the war being waged by Barack Obama upon the sanctity of human life, seen in his recent movements in favor of abortion and stem cell research.  Second, the stimulus package and upcoming budget bill indicate that Obama and his cronies in congress well along in the process of bringing big government (or, bigger government) to America.

• Obama’s attack on the Sanctity of Human Life. Two rules set in place by the Bush administration were rescinded by Obama last week.  One centers on a doctor’s right to refuse to perform an abortion; the other allows scientists to destroy human embryos to extract stem cells.  Both clearly show that Obama is a leading opponent of efforts to protect the unborn.
  • AP Source: Obama to rescind Bush abortion rule
    
  • Source:  Obama to reverse limits on stem cell work
• Obama’s plans for Big Government. As the economy continues to tank, Obama continues push for out of control spending.  He believes that big government will fix what ails us, but the evidence seems to be adding up that shows it just ain’t so!
  • Obama’s budget:  huge ambitions, huge obstacles
  • Senate preparing huge spending bill for Obama
  • Obama on Stimulus:  “I know we did the right thing.”
• Stan’s Website Review: The website Stan reviews this week is called: Restoration Movement Texts. The web site contains thousands of articles, sermons and other writings from hundreds of important voices of the Restoration Movement.  Men such as Alexander and Thomas Campbell, Barton W. Stone and Raccoon John Smith.  The page is organized alphabetically by name.  One caveat… though there is much good study material here, there is also some teaching that is not biblically sound.  It is, however, compelling reading for those who have an interest in this important period in history.

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

My Daddy is My Hero

Hosts: Stan Cox and Larry Fain

In this episode of Watchman Digest, Stan and Larry discuss the recent Gallup poll that reveals only 39% of Americans believe the theory of Evolution.  Some intellectuals are aghast at what they believe to be the persistent ignorance of the American populace, but Stan and Larry see it differently.  Also discussed this week is the pervasiveness of Steroid use in professional sports (especially baseball), and the ramifications of such drug abuse.

• Americans Don’t Believe Darwin. On the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth, Gallup polled Americans regarding their belief in the theory of Evolution.  The results are in some ways surprising, in others not so much.  Stan and Larry have a lot to say on the subject.
  • On Darwin’s Birthday, Only 4 in 10 Believe in Evolution
• Steroid Use and Its Ramifications. Stan gives Larry a little quiz:  Match the Liar to his Lie.  Larry did pretty well, and this launched a discussion into the use of Steroids in Baseball, and the accompanying ramifications on society.
• Stan’s Weekly Rant: That Crazy Texas Weather. Stan has been out in the cold and wind the past several days, watching baseball.  This weather is crazy, with warm weather in the dead of winter, and cold weather when baseball season begins.  Stan doesn’t like it, so maybe he can wait a minute, and the weather will change!  To read Stan’s rant, click here!
• Larry’s Verse of the Week: (2 Peter 3:3-7).  Larry uses Peter’s great epistle to point out that there have always been, and will always be scoffers with regard to God’s word.  But, the Bible is not a product of men, and the first 11 chapters of Genesis are not mere Hebrew myths.  The Bible is God’s word!
• Stan’s Website Review: The website Stan reviews this week is called: executableoutlines.com.  The web site is the personal teaching site of Mark Copeland, a gospel preacher in Florida.  Mark is a pioneer in using the internet to disseminate sound Bible teaching materials.  Every Bible class and Sermon outline Mark preachers goes up on his site.  It now contains over 1,400 outlines.  The lessons are sound, logical and very helpful (especially to young preachers!)

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

I spent the last several months, from December through mid-February, cooped up in gymnasiums watching basketball.  I love it, but it amazed me how nice the weather was throughout that time.  We had a few cold days, but not many, and its been that way for the past several years.

And then when basketball ends and baseball starts, the weather changes!  Last Saturday I spent 6 hours in about 40 degree weather, with a North wind howling at about 30 miles per hour!  I came home red faced, and since then my nose has been peeling.  I’m not sure if it was sunburn or windburn, but it was not the most pleasant of experiences.

And then last night I spent a couple of hours at his practice, watching the baseball and looking over my Wednesday evening lesson for Bible study.  It was about 78 degrees out, and just a beautiful day! Tomorrow, though the weather is supposed to change again!  A cold front is moving into the area, and by Saturday it may be time to break out the coats and blankets yet again.

There is a saying in Texas that if you don’t like the weather, wait a few minutes and it will change!  Of course, as I understand it, that same saying is rather popular just about anywhere in the United States other than Death Valley and Hawaii.

But, I have been braving the elements to watch my kids play ball now for the past 20 years or so, ever since my oldest son took his first swing at a baseball perched on a tee.  I have either coached or sat in the stands to watch all four of my children play soccer, baseball and softball, sweating and shivering in turn.  I’ll keep doing it until my youngest son takes his final swing two years from now.

And I can’t wait to do the same thing for the next 20 years with my grandkids.  Of course, I have to get some grandkids first, but that is a rant for another time.

Scheduling Conflicts

Host: Stan Cox

In this episode Stan goes solo due to some self inflicted scheduling conflicts.  NOT LARRY’S FAULT.  Of course, Larry did say that Stan couldn’t talk about Steroids this week, so we have saved that for Episode 21!

What Stan did talk about was the increasing prejudice against conviction and Ideals.  Our secular society has chosen Pragmatism over Idealism.  While some may say this is necessary to “get things done”, it comes at a high price.  It has banished men and women of good conviction and sound morals out of national office, to be replaced by candidates who rule by the latest poll.  I guess you could call the entire program one big RANT, so I guess you aren’t particularly surprised.

Show Notes:

• Pragmatism VS Idealism. The one thing America can’t tolerate is someone with conviction.  Someone who has the audacity to claim a difference between right and wrong, good and bad, and the backbone to make such principals the basis of action and policy.  The gradual decay of society, if left unchecked, may bring about the demise of our good country.
• Stan’s Website Review: This week Stan came across a website sponsored by Hewlett Packard called Marketsplash. It is a commercial site that allows you to order such things as postcards, rubber stamps, stationery and promotional items. It also allows you to order 100 business cards, using the multitude of designs, logos and graphics, for free.  Not only are the cards free, the shipping is too!  Did I mention, they are free?!

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.