Well, I am back from my study retreat. (Last week I took a three-day study retreat to prepare for the next message series at church.)

Wednesday morning I drove up to my parents’ home in Kennebunk, Maine. It was about a three-hour drive, so I began my retreat on the road by listening to some of my favorite music that helps me focus my heart on God. I arrived just in time for lunch (how convenient!) and spent some time catching up with my parents over a meal before settling in to study for the afternoon.

For the retreat I spent my mornings and afternoons in study and prayer. I spent Wednesday afternoon just reading through 1 Samuel 1-7, lingering in the text, taking notes on various themes and looking for connections. The next several days I spent blocking out the sermon texts and themes while interacting with several commentaries. I took breaks for meals and in the evenings to enjoy time with my parents.

It is amazing how much you can get done with large blocks of uninterrupted time. Time management experts say that even a five-minute phone call can disrupt your concentration and easily cost you 30-40 minutes of productivity. The computer with email and internet access can also be a source of small interruptions during the day. To guard against this, I did all of my studying away from the computer, writing out my notes longhand on lined paper in a notebook. Hopefully, I will be able to read my own handwriting as I reference these notes in the coming weeks for sermon preparation!

All in all it was a great study retreat. Thanks to my wife and children for graciously letting me take off for several days. Thanks to my parents for hosting me at their home. Thanks to my church for letting me take the time away from the office for this extended time of study. And thanks to my blog readers for being (mostly) nice in the comments while I was away.

I am off this morning for a three-day study retreat in preparation for our next sermon series. I don’t often get to do this, so I am looking forward to some uninterrupted time with God in his Word in a different setting than at home or at church.

Needless to say, the blog will be on vacation while I am gone. I should get back to posting on Monday. In the meantime, here is a fun little commercial from the Discovery Channel that has been making the rounds. Enjoy!

Discovery Channel: I Love the World
(Video length: 1:00)

Hi everyone. This is Reina. I am Ray’s dog. You probably read about the “other” dog a couple weeks ago. (Here’s the link in case you missed it: The Amazing Adventures of Danny D.) But I want you to know that I was here first. I am the eldest dog.

I still remember those early, happy years. It was just me and my master. I had him all to myself. We went on walks together; he rubbed my belly; we played fetch; I slept at his feet as he sat reading on the couch. When we did obedience training, I learned all the commands and responded instantly. I just loved hearing him say, “Good girl!” Anything to please my master.

Then he brought the “other” dog home. Danny D. What a stupid name. Nobody even knows what the “D” stands for. I think it stands for disturbance, disruption and disrespect (or maybe just plain dumb)! Now anytime Master gives me a belly rub, Danny comes over and interrupts. He pulls on the leash when we go for walks; he jumps on the furniture; he tries to steal food from my dish. And obedience training? What a laugh! The only time he ever obeys is when he knows there’s a treat waiting. That dog is a menace! I don’t know what Master was thinking.

And then there was this whole escape episode a couple weeks back. Danny and I were both out in the backyard. I saw the hole in the fence too, but did I try to escape? Nooooooo. I am the good dog. But as soon as Danny saw his chance, he made a break for it. I must confess: I thought, “Good riddance! Finally some attention for just me again.”

But then you know what happened? Master and the whole family were so busy making up “Missing Dog” flyers and passing them out in the neighborhood, they completely ignored me. Later when they got back home, they just moped around the house. I felt like saying, “Hello people – I’m still here!”

Then the next day, when they finally got Danny back, it’s like they threw a big party for him! All the whooping and hollering — Master even took Danny’s picture and put the whole story up on the blog. And instead of calling it “The Naughty Puppy” (like he should have), he calls it “The Amazing Adventures of Danny D!” I don’t get it. Uh oh, I hear footsteps. It’s Master! I better get down from here real quick. Too late … I’m busted!

Ray: Reina, what are you doing at the computer? Wait, don’t go anywhere. Sit! Good girl. Let me read this. Oh, I see, you don’t think it’s fair the way we treated Danny D. when he came home after running away. Please don’t be upset, Reina. You should be glad along with us. You should love Danny. He is like a brother to you!

Reina: Look! All these years I’ve been loyal to you and never disobeyed your commands. Yet you never put my picture up on the blog. But when this “other” dog of yours who ran away and always disobeys comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!

Ray: My dear Reina, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.

Related posts:
    • The Amazing Adventures of Danny D.
    • Melody in F (The Prodigal Son)

Meet Danny D. – our crazy cocker spaniel. Danny D. has been a part of our household since he was a puppy. I brought him home as a surprise for my wife while I was away at a Doctor of Ministry residency. He is a high-spirited, energetic, goofy, affectionate furball of fun. When I picked him out of the litter back in 2002, his tail was wagging faster than a jackhammer, and he wouldn’t stop licking my hand. Six years later his tail is still wagging, and he hasn’t stopped licking. We sometimes call him “the tongue with fur.”

On Tuesday Danny escaped from our backyard. Old man winter had worn down one of the pickets in the fence. Danny found the opening and made good his escape. He was not wearing his collar, and so he had no identification. He has escaped a couple times before but always came back. This time, however, the afternoon wore on, and he did not return. We walked the neighborhood for hours calling his name to no avail. Night came, and Danny had still not returned. We have three boys in the house who love Danny D. to pieces. Needless to say, we all went to bed very sad and concerned.

There were only three reasons we could think Danny hadn’t returned. Either he was lost and couldn’t find his way back, he was hurt and couldn’t come back, or someone had picked him up. I called animal control in the morning as soon as they opened. They had not received any reports of a missing dog. Thankfully, they also had no reports of a dog being hit by a car overnight.

I took the morning off from work and made up 250 “Have you seen our dog?” flyers. I walked around the surrounding neighborhoods and left a flyer in every door. It was cold, wet and raining. Meanwhile, my wife posted a flyer at the local Stop ‘N Shop. I came home for lunch and then headed back to work. Still no word on Danny D.

About 3:00 in the afternoon I finally got a call. The woman on the other end said she had our dog and that he was safe. I asked her where he was, and she said, “Chicopee.” I was flabbergasted. Chicopee is twelve miles away from our home. It is on the other side of the Connecticut River and on the other side of Route I-91, a major highway. How in the world could Danny be in Chicopee?

She explained that she and her friend saw Danny running around a main road and stopped, concerned that he might get hit. They called him over, “Here boy!” and Danny, ever the friendly dog, came bounding over and jumped right into their car. They looked for identification but couldn’t find any.

As it turns out, Danny was not even a thousand feet from our doorstep, but they had no way of knowing whether he was close to home or wandering far away. Rather than put him back out on the street, they very kindly brought him home to Chicopee and took care of him for the night. The next day they checked the bulletin board at the local Stop ‘N Shop to see if someone had left any information. Sure enough, they saw our flyer there and called me on my cell.

I immediately drove to Chicopee to pick up Danny D. I thanked them so much for taking care of Danny and also for contacting us. A dishonest person might have kept the dog for themselves. She explained that she had just lost a dog of fifteen years the month before, and she couldn’t imagine not getting the dog back to his rightful owner.

Danny D. and I hopped into the van and drove back home where we had a joyful reunion with the rest of the family. In the meantime, I patched up the hole in the fence and put his collar back on. One adventure at a time is plenty for me – and hopefully for Danny D. as well!

Click here for the follow-up post: Parable of the Prodigal Puppy

Last month I blogged about my memories of the Great Blizzard of 1978. So I thought it would be fun to make a list of the various severe weather and seismic events that I have personally experienced. I have been through blizzards, earthquakes, hurricanes and tropical storms, but no tornados (yet?). Here are the five main events I have experienced so far in my life.

• Blizzard of 1969 (February 22-28, 1969) — This one has also been called “the 100-hour storm.” I was only 6 years old at the time, so I don’t remember much about it. I was living in Wenham, Massachusetts. I remember it seemed to snow forever, and the snow was piled up sooooo high on either side of the driveway. The history books say it was about 32 inches of snow.
• Blizzard of 1978 (February 5-8, 1978) — I was 15 years old, still living in Wenham. This blizzard dropped 55 inches of snow in our area over a period of three days. No cars were allowed on the roads for a whole week. And of course that meant no school for a week either!
• Whittier Narrows Earthquake (October 1, 1987) — I was living in Burbank, California serving as youth pastor by day and working as a recording engineer by night. (And attending seminary somewhere in between!) On the day of the earthquake I had been working in the studio all night and was trying to finish off a mix when the quake suddenly hit at 7:42 a.m. It felt like a train came barreling right through the middle of the studio. The quake was only 5.9 magnitude on the Richter scale, but it was one of the most terrifying things I ever experienced. Years later I would still jump if a heavy truck drove by causing the house to shake for just a second.
• The Perfect Storm (October 27 – November 1, 1991) — Yes, this is the storm that was featured in the book and movie by the same name. We were living in Beverly, MA at the time. My wife, Rose, had just given birth to our first child the month before. To be honest, I don’t remember much about the storm. I think we were too distracted with a newborn in the house. I remember walking around the neighborhood afterwards and noticing some large trees uprooted, but that was about it. Years later I would read the book, The Perfect Storm, without realizing at first that I had actually been in it!
• Hurricane Andrew (August 24, 1992) — This was the big one. We had recently moved to Homestead, Florida, the town where my wife grew up. Our firstborn son was now eleven months old. The storm hit early on a Monday morning, the day I was scheduled to begin teaching Bible at a Christian School. Andrew ranked right up there with the earthquake on the terrifying scale. After the storm passed, it took us three days just to chainsaw our way out of the driveway. It was one month before classes began at the school, and two months before we got our electricity back. You can read my wife’s account of the storm here.

How about you? Do you have any severe weather or earthquake stories to share?

Related posts:

• Blizzard of 1978 – 30 Year Anniversary
• Remembering Hurricane Andrew
• 10 Worst Disasters of the Century

Okay, this is pretty sad. I have been playing Mr. Mom while my wife, Rose, is away visiting family in Texas. We have a family tradition of eating subs on Sunday afternoons. The local Subway is just a half mile down the road. Rose has all our favorite orders memorized. She calls the Subway store after church, places the order, and we pick up the subs for lunch.

Well, Rose is away, and yesterday I was trying to get the boys’ orders just right, and it was all just so confusing, when suddenly I had this brilliant idea. That’s right. I called Rose in Texas, gave her the number of the Subway down the street and had her call in the order for us. Fifteen minutes later we were all sitting around the table enjoying our favorite subs. “See boys?” I said. “Just like Mom.” “Dad,” they replied, “that was Mom!”

I know. I am a pathetic Mr. Mom. But Mrs. Mom comes home tomorrow. Good things come to those who wait.

Related posts:

• The Return of Mr. Mom
• Playing Mr. Mom

I am playing Mr. Mom for a couple weeks while my wife, Rose, is away visiting family. I have done this before, and I am not very good at it. At first things go pretty smoothly, and I think, “This isn’t so hard after all.” But over the next several days things around the house begin to shift, and then to slip, and finally to slide. By the time Rose gets back, we are generally in freefall. Here are some of my observations this time around:

• Food:  The church has been wonderful in bringing meals over for the boys and me. They do this because they love our boys and do not want them to starve. My boys made a big point of describing my cooking in gory detail to everyone just to make sure. They are true survivors.
• Kids:  Boy, kids ask a lot of questions. About all sorts of stuff. All the time. They also get sick and need transportation to go places. Who would have thought?
• Bedtime:  I hate going to bed alone. I fight it for hours, then finally crawl into the sheets exhausted. I know, I’m a wimp.
• Homeschooling:  Three kids in three different grades take a combined total of seventeen different subjects every day. That adds up to a whole lot of work for both them and their teacher. (That’s me while Rose is gone.)   I am proud of how hard they work at their studies and amazed at what Rose does every day, all year long.
• Mealtimes:  Mealtimes without Rose are quieter with less laughter. Friends from church have brought over some great meals, but nothing beats the whole family sitting around the table together enjoying mom’s good home cooking.
• Clothes:  My magic dresser seems to be broken. What’s up with that?
• Cell phones:  Cell phones with unlimited family minutes are a wonderful blessing when your loved ones are far away.
• Fridays:  I miss Friday Morning Cracker Barrel with my Rosi. Enough said.

I am counting the minutes until Rose returns.  Literally!  (Update: I had a countdown timer here actually counting down the minutes, but now the timer has finished and Rose is safely back home. Praise the Lord!)

Related posts:

• The Return of Mr. Mom
• Mr. Mom Calls Texas

“Song for a Small Circle of Friends” (rewrite)

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Click “►” button to play | Length: 3:35
Click here to download the MP3.

One of my heroes died today. It is hard to put into words the impact Larry Norman’s music and ministry had on my life. All I know is that through his music and witness, I grew to love Jesus more and desired to serve God better. That’s not a bad legacy to pass on to another person.

Music has always been an important part of my life, and no musician has had a greater influence on me than Larry. I remember long hours as a teenager blasting his music at full volume on the stereo, just enjoying the energy of the music and the depth of the lyrics. (Thanks Mom and Dad for understanding!) When I worked landscaping during summers in college, I used to play Larry’s blues album, “Something New Under the Son,” while driving to work early each morning. It always put a smile on my face and a lift in my step.

Larry’s music helped me to develop a Christian world view long before I ever heard the term. Larry didn’t just write “Christian” songs. He wrote about everything. He wrote about God, love, current events, relationships, politics, the environment, and more. He did not feel compelled to write specifically about Jesus in every song, nor was he ever afraid to mention the name of Jesus in concert or in song. He understood that all of life belonged to God and wrote accordingly. His influence on me is even apparent in the tagline and general style of my blog: “Thoughts on God and life from a Christian perspective.” When I started to blog, I didn’t want to write just about specifically “Christian” topics. Jesus Christ is Lord of all, and I wanted to write about all of life under God’s care. (Note: Larry also introduced me to the writings of Francis Schaeffer, which continued to shape my thinking and Christian walk in profound ways.)

Larry was an honest songwriter and performer. He wrote and talked about the joys of life as well as the sorrows and disappointments. He had a heart for the disadvantaged and poor, and a sincere desire to share Christ others. He also had a wickedly sharp sense of humor. There are few people who have made me laugh so hard over the years as Larry with his music and at his concerts.

Five years ago I had the opportunity to record a song for a tribute CD for Larry. It is a re-write of a song Larry wrote called “Small Circle of Friends.” In the original version, Larry mentions the names of various musical friends and influences in his life. So in my version, I wrote the song back to Larry, thanking him for his influence in my life. Although the CD was never released, I know Larry at least got to hear the song, and that was more important to me anyways. When I saw Larry in concert last summer in New York, I mentioned the song to him, and told him, “I hope you didn’t mind!” and he just laughed.

So here is my tribute song to Larry. God bless you, Larry, and thank you for your ministry in my life. It is so good to know that you are free from pain, free from sorrow, safe in the arms of your Heavenly Father – “a better life begins.”

“Song for a Small Circle of Friends”
  – Original words and music by Larry Norman; Revised lyrics by Ray Fowler
  – Recorded and performed by Ray Fowler in March of 2003

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Click “►” button to play | Length: 3:35
Click here to download the MP3.

Well my life is filled with songs,
But I just could not get along without my friends.
And I’m happy now but when this good life ends,
I know a better life begins.

And love to you, dear Larry
With your guitar full volume on your amp.
You’re so crazy, but you know it,
And we love you as we all crawl toward the lamp.

With Jon Linn on guitar,
And Randy singing harmony,
Your brother Charles plays everything,
Your music means so much to me.

Dear brother, watch your fears all hide
And disappear while love inside keeps growing.
You’re older but less colder than the jokes and folks
You spent your childhood snowing.

And Jesus died for all your friends,
But even better yet he lives again.
And if this song does not make sense to you,
I hope his Spirit slips on through,
He loves you.

He loves you. He loves you.
And if these words do not appeal to you,
I hope his Spirit slips on through,
You know he loves you.

Related posts:

• Larry Norman Funeral Video Montage
• Larry Norman’s Funeral/Memorial Service
• Larry Norman on NPR
• Some Larry Norman Videos
• Larry Norman Sings Goodbye Farewell
• Larry Norman Passes Away (1947-2008)
• Larry Norman Concert in New York City (1)
• Larry Norman Concert in New York City (2)

This week marks the 30 year anniversary of the Great Northeastern Blizzard of 1978. This powerful nor’easter formed on Sunday, February 5, 1978 and dumped up to 55 inches of snow on the northeast United States over the next three days. At times the snow was falling at a rate of 4 inches per hour. Many people were stranded in their cars and offices with snow drifts up to fifteen feet high. Some motorists stuck in the storm died when the accumulating snow blocked the exhaust of their idling vehicles on the roadways. Commuters on Route 128 were evacuated by cross country-skiers and snowmobilers. Over 3,500 cars were abandoned in the middle of the roads and buried in the snow.

I was a 15-year-old sophomore in high school living in Wenham, Massachusetts at the time. No cars were allowed on the roads for an entire week, which of course meant school was cancelled, too. After the blizzard was over and we got all shoveled out, I remember walking with friends for miles around the empty streets of our town. It was a little eery seeing the whole town brought to a standstill like that. The local IGA was still open, and people were cross-country skiing to the market bringing back their grocery supplies in backpacks.

Did you go through the Great Blizzard of 1978? What memories do you have?

Related posts:

• Severe Weather Events in My Life
• Remembering Hurricane Andrew
• 10 Worst Disasters of the Century

I have never given money to a political candidate before. I am usually just not that interested, plus I am careful in how I spend my money. But I have donated to Fred Thompson’s campaign several times this fall. Why? Because I have been impressed with Thompson as a candidate ever since his interview with Chris Wallace back in March. I like his views, I like his policies, and I like his approach. And I am frustrated that he is not getting as much attention as I think he deserves.

Although there are a number of strong contenders for the GOP nomination (for which I am glad), I am surprised that more Republicans have not rallied around Thompson as a candidate. Thompson has been a consistent conservative throughout his entire career. He is strong on national defense, favors smaller federal government, and is conservative on social issues such as abortion and the second amendment. He is one of the few candidates who has been bold enough to come right out and say that Roe vs. Wade is bad law and should be overturned.

Thompson was criticized for entering the political race so late, but one of the reasons he waited until September was because he spent the summer carefully putting his policies together. Thompson has made available clearly articulated and concise position statements on every major issue, including the following:

Federal Government Issues:

• National Security
• Government Effectiveness
• Appointing Judges Faithful to our Consitution
• Energy Security

Fiscal Issues:

• Federal Budget and Spending
• Tax Reform

Social Issues:

• Healthcare
• Building Strong Families
• Immigration
• Education
• Second Amendment

You can read Thompson’s position on each of these issues by going to Fred On the Issues and clicking on each one. (It will take you all of ten minutes.) You may or may not agree with his positions, but at least you can read them for yourself.

Bob Krumm also has several good (and fair) articles detailing Fred’s positions and comparing them with the other Republican candidates:

• It Takes All Kinds
• The Analytical Case for Fred

I would not presume to tell you for whom you should vote for president. Instead, I would encourage you to study the candidates and their policies to see how well they line up with your own views on different issues. Thompson seems to line up best with my views, but if he does not line up with yours, then you shouldn’t vote for him. Study the issues and vote for the candidate who you believe will best lead our country as president. A great tool to help you get started with this is the MPR Select a Candidate Quiz.

I live in Massachusetts, and even though our primary is not until February 5, I am well aware that eight states will already have held their primaries by that time. Some candidates may even be eliminated before I get the chance to vote. That is one of the reasons why I have donated money to the Thompson campaign now. I am still leaning towards him as the best candidate and, as things stand right now, I would like the opportunity to vote for him come February.

Related posts:

• A Fred Thompson Irony
• Thompson Bloggers Contacted By Romney Campaign
• Mike Huckabee’s Sunday Sermon at Prestonwood
• The Cluster Approach to the GOP Nomination
• The MPR Select a Candidate Quiz
• Memo to Evangelical Leaders on Romney
• Rasmussen Reports Daily Presidential Tracking Poll
• Ravi Zacharias on Electing the Next President
• Should Christians Call Mormonism a Cult?
• Rudy, John, Mitt . . . and Fred?

I live in New England where we are expecting our first major snow storm of the season — 6 to 10 inches of the heavy, white sticky stuff coming our way this afternoon. Today as I am shoveling and throughout the winter, I will just keep reminding myself, “At least it’s not Condition 1 Weather!”

What is Condition 1 Weather, you ask? Just take a look at this video of a weather station in Antarctica.

(Video length: 1:03)

Official Definitions:

• Condition ONE – any one of the following is true:
  • Wind speed greater than 55 knots
  • Visibility less than 100 feet
  • Wind-chill worse than -100F
• Condition TWO – any one of the following is true:
  • Wind speed between 48 and 55 knots
  • Visibility better than 100 feet but less than 1/4 mile
  • Wind-chill between -70F and -100F
• Condition THREE – anything that is better than Condition TWO.
  • Condition THREE means normal, good weather!

Related posts:

• Somebody Shoot the Groundhog
• On God and Chipmunks
• T.G.I.(w)F.

HT: Presurfer

(Note: Sam’s Christmas guitar arrangements below!)

My son, Sam, wanted to wish you all a very Merry Christmas from him and his guitar. Sam is in the eighth grade and just started playing guitar about two years ago. He worked hard doing lawn jobs over the last two summers and was able to save up enough money to buy himself his own brand, spankin’ new Martin D-15 at the end of this summer. Here he is with his new guitar.

I have been teaching him what I know, and he also studied with acoustic guitar wizard Brooks Williams this summer. Anyways, here are three of Sam’s original fingerstyle acoustic guitar arrangements played by Sam for you on his very own Martin D-15. They are all good, but my favorite of these is definitely Feliz Navidad — a nice spunky version with a great feel. Merry Christmas all and enjoy! And remember, you heard him here first!

• Go Tell It on the Mountain

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• Away in a Manger

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• Feliz Navidad

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Related posts:
    • Fowler Family Christmas Project
    • Free Christmas Music MP3 Downloads
    • Click here for more Christmas related posts.