The Goddess of War

We (Leslie, Ian, I, and my parents) had the rare privilege of receiving a private guided tour of Nashville's Parthenon today from a former curator. This is the same Parthenon that attacked Xavier earlier in the year. For a few dollars apiece, we entered the first floor and toured a hall full of photos recalling the Centennial celebration that served as the setting for the Parthenon. On the second floor is the replica of the Parthenon interior. It's incredibly well done, perhaps missing only the reflecting pool which would have stood between Athena and the entrance. Athena stands over 41 feet tall and is gilded in gold almost all over. To put it in perspective, can you see Nike standing in her outstretched right hand? Nike stands 6' 4" tall. If you live in Nashville and haven't ever been inside, it's well worth the trip. Attach yourself to one of the many school tours going through and you'll learn quite a bit! Many thanks to the kind member of our church that spent her morning guiding us through the world's only complete replica of this amazing piece of history.

Gunners Ruled Out by Math?

For those that don't understand the English Premier League, there are twenty teams that play each other once away and once at home. Each match is worth 3 points. Draws are worth 1 point and losses earn the team a big zed. This means that each team plays 38 matches, for a potential 114 points. The side with the most points at the end of the season is the Premier League Champion side.

Although the Football Association (FA) has been around since 1863, the current English Premier League arrangement has only been around since 1992. That means 16 seasons are on the books. The first three seasons had 22 teams, so we're going to toss those results for math's sake. That means we have 13 seasons in our database. In those 13 seasons, no team has won the title after dropping more than 39 points. In an average season, the winner drops 30 points. In the past 3 seasons the winners have dropped no more than 27 points, and averaged dropping only 25 points.

This brings me to my point. With only 13 matches booked, Arsenal has already dropped 16 points. We are quickly approaching the point at which an Arsenal title would require a miracle season. Hang in there, Gunners! For better or worse, there's a lot of season left.

This time I mean it...

Some of you may remember that a few months ago I set up a wordpress blog for more ministry related stuff. I've spent the better part of the day transferring old posts over there and getting categories set up to make it easier to navigate. From here on out (and I mean it!) I'll be posting my faith and practice thoughts over there. If I engage in a series, I might post here to mention it and point my readers over there, but I'm going to try and stick to just family and personal stuff on here for the most part. You can find the new blog here.

That Time of Year

It's that time of year here in Middle Tennessee. This is our first Fall here, and it's shaping up to be all we had hoped. Crisp temps in the morning with great mild days in the afternoon. I went for another scooter ride this past Sunday and the fall colors were not disappointing. If you're local, make sure to get out on the Natchez Trace Parkway this week or this weekend at the latest before the colors are gone!

(Photo taken Sunday just off the Old Trace Trail)

Praying the Hours

More than a year ago I posted some thoughts on the concept of time and its Christian observance. I have had to set it aside as I go through the long process of ordination in the PCA (which, God willing, will end in February with a positive outcome). But I came across something in my reading the other day that I thought I would post here.

In my Presbyterian context, such high liturgy as praying the hours is looked upon by some with a bit of suspicion. Perhaps it doesn't help that I come from a broad background, so I will be suspect for a few years anyway. :^) But I was a bit tickled to find this quote:

But, although it has already been stated above that, lifting up our hearts, we should ever aspire to God and pray without ceasing, still, since our weakness is such that it has to be supported by many aids, and our sluggishness such that it needs to be goaded, it is fitting each one of us should set apart certain hours for this exercise. Those hours should not pass without prayer, and during them all the devotion of the heart should be completely engaged in it. These are: when we arise in the morning, before we begin daily work, when we sit down to a meal, when by God's blessing we have eaten, when we are getting ready to retire.

But this must not be any superstitious observance of hours, whereby, as if paying our debt to God, we imagine ourselves paid up for the remaining hours. Rather, it must be a tutelage for our weakness, which should be thus exercised and repeatedly stimulated.

And who should be the author of such sweet thoughts? None other than John Calvin, Institutes, Book III, chapter 20, section 50 (Battles trans.). I just love it when I find a Calvin quote to support my high church impulses. Now if I could just find a source establishing the practice of midnight Christmas eve services in Calvin's Geneva...hmmm...