Fire!

The adventure began Saturday evening. We were relaxed on the hammock under the shade of a pine, with the creek running next to our campsite. There were no shouts, or people running to get away - but when a sheriff came by telling us of voluntary evacuations of the campsite, a decision had to be made. 

What do you do when you are in the middle of possibly the most beautiful place in California and black and orange clouds loom ominously overhead?

Evacuate. (voluntarily)

Vacation was over - and all hands were on deck.

Here are some shots Merrick and I took in the middle of the frenzy. After a police escort down the hill we were on our way home - sad but safe!

You can see all the fires that are going on around here.

American Culture: The Democratically Confused Christian

Disclaimer: This is a very touchy subject, that I pray I do not sound judgmental in presenting. I mentioned in my previous posts that these topics would come from daily observations. This is merely my developing opinion which is doing exactly that - developing.

I do not mean in any way that all of American society is like this, nor that it is the most prevalent thought - however people that fall under this category are out there.

Observations Day Two: The Democratically Confused Christian

Definition: A misunderstanding of the difference between identity as American and as a Christian. One with this perspective may tend to be elderly and reflect the worldview of previous generations. 

Often feels strongly about one or more of the following issues:

The supremacy of America

Immigration Issues

The defense system

Terrorists

Their chosen political party as the only logical choice

The defining feature of those that fall into this category is the claim to represent a part of the church with their views.  The identity as American is simultaneous with the identity as Christian.

Again, this is an invitation for additions, comments and questions.

American Culture: Sarcasm

Throughout talking to international students that have come to America I have discovered that the most difficult things for them to understand are idioms. Learning English is one thing. Learning the culture is a completely different type of story!

So, as I observe life throughout my day I have decided to keep a record of the things that make up our culture, that may not be learned from a textbook.

For Today: Sarcasm.

My Definition: Words said in a manner (that may appear serious or joking) that mean the opposite of the vocabulary used.

Example: "That looks cheap." (Said about something that clearly is expensive - like a European car that I saw last weekend in Irvine.)

The reason: Americans highly value entertainment and humor. We like things that make us laugh! When something is not inherently funny, we will use sarcasm and make it entertaining.

Expanded Use: When used in extreme measures may appear to be derogatory to an individual. It is often used in making light or fun of another individual or circumstance.

If you have anything to add, or questions about other uses or situations regarding sarcasm, feel free to leave a comment.

Twitter - Part Two

In an edition of the Banner (08-09) (@j_at_cbu) I wrote an article on the now infamous twitter.

Shortly thereafter, an event occurred which can be labeled as no less than a phenomenon. 

Suddenly facebook status' are filled with "@"s and underscores and hyphens that have created a new language. This language has been just a part of what I declare is redefining the face of society. With unlimited texting, iphone galore and wireless internet expanding, there seems to be no end in sight to the new face of communication. 

While my original article reflected pure fascination, a new rockumentary by David Crowder Band* has released new and vital information about its dangers.

I have no choice but to share in the warning I have received. Take heed my friends.

Iraq (Ee-Rock)

Keep Our Brothers and Sisters in Prayer in Iraq. Just today, Four Christians were killed and many others wounded after bombs went off outside of a church.

The BBC reports that there are 750,000 Christians in Iraq, and the Joshua Project reports that 1.6% of the population is some form of Christian. 0.1% is Evangelical.