tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41180262011-10-02T09:46:29.242-04:00Heretical thoughts from a true believer.Bro. Pelajushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386878444950743960noreply@blogger.comBlogger381100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118026.post-40420371472295728742011-01-23T12:43:00.003-05:002011-01-23T12:45:26.221-05:00

This morning, at church, we sang a modern "classic" worship song. I believe that the song is less than 50 years old (less than 40?), and I find that it affects me every time I sing it. I can listen to it, but when I am asked to sing, in congregational song, I find that I begin to puddle up. The song? "Shine, Jeus, Shine." Here is the chorus: Fill this land with the Father's gloryBlaze, Spirit

Bro. Pelajushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386878444950743960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118026.post-34334480093175486042011-01-04T15:36:00.004-05:002011-01-04T15:46:38.285-05:00

Well, the new year is upon us, and I am going to have to remember the write "/11" on all my checks and forms, now. Shouldn't take too long.Is anything else changed? I know that, as a culture/society (in others words, Western Culture), we look at the changing of the calendar year, in December, as a momentous event. However, is it, really?I know that people make "Resolutions" in order to make the

Bro. Pelajushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386878444950743960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118026.post-14599939645948033362010-12-26T23:30:00.002-05:002010-12-26T23:36:39.464-05:00

Here are a couple of photos that Abby took today:

Bro. Pelajushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386878444950743960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118026.post-52105579195520838772010-12-26T10:56:00.002-05:002010-12-26T11:22:48.927-05:00

Well, here it is, the Morning After the Day Before. And it is snowing to beat the band!! I just checked our local TV station's weather page, and some places here in the Tidewater area are going to get 6-12". Already, there is 4" outside our door, and it is supposed to snow all day. As WAVY put it on their page, "This is the big one."So that means that we are snowed in, and as you can gather from

Bro. Pelajushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386878444950743960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118026.post-44027015855576246092010-12-25T11:11:00.002-05:002010-12-25T11:24:58.720-05:00

Well, it's now after 11:00 and we've just finished opening our presents. Everyone is happy with their presents and we've gone about our different ways of enjoying the day. Irene, of course, is in the kitchen, preparing for Christmas dinner. We are having ham for Christmas, and Irene is glad. She's buzzing about wearing her new snood -- "Snood?", you ask. Yes, a snood. She told me over a month ago

Bro. Pelajushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386878444950743960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118026.post-56256543741604302602010-12-24T06:24:00.002-05:002010-12-24T06:38:30.163-05:00

I realize that I come and go, on this blog. I'm sorry. I guess I am saying that to myself, as I know that I don't have any followers here.I guess that the problem is that the world is too much with us, and we are too much in the world. Anyway, another Christmas is upon us, and I guess that in winter, I wax nostalgic and sentimental, and feel the need to post something here.Updates:1) I have

Bro. Pelajushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386878444950743960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118026.post-43857862423328096142007-12-31T15:39:00.000-05:002007-12-31T15:49:33.158-05:00

Sorry for avoiding everyone, but I have been very busy. What with the grant and all, I am feeling a lot of pressure.But this is to talk about our holiday. It was one of the best Christmases I can recall. Adrian and Stormy were able to come up and spend a week with us over Christmas. Here are just a few of the pictures we took. More to come. We have a tradition, in which we open one present

Bro. Pelajushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386878444950743960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118026.post-41428838429691268542007-10-26T07:14:00.000-04:002007-10-27T09:02:33.947-04:00

Here I am, 30 years into being a librarian, in Portsmouth. And now, all of a sudden, I choose to get creative! I heard about a website that lets you make your own books, and thought it would be a great activity for our sixth graders.I suggest it, folks like it and suggest I apply for a grant, and voila! I get a grant for the project I am really proud of myself, in case you haven't figured it out.

Bro. Pelajushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386878444950743960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118026.post-82028397126365757262007-09-06T17:40:00.000-04:002007-09-06T17:52:58.312-04:00

As you can see, we also have a kitten/cat. This is Pye. Or as Pye's owner calls him, "A heaping helping of crazy!" Which is a really good descriptor for this cat. Pye is as nuts as they come. Every once in a while, he takes it into his head to beat up Diamond. There is nothing funnier than watching Diamond and Pye go at it. Pye trying to either get under Diamond's legs to attack the soft

Bro. Pelajushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386878444950743960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118026.post-24005963652119161552007-09-01T08:51:00.000-04:002007-09-01T09:02:19.813-04:00

I haven't mentioned our pets. We have two cats and a dog. One cat, Kittyshaw, is an outdoor cat and really just hangs around our house for food.We have had a beagle for the past two year, named Diamond, and she is the darling of the family. Someone once said that beagles are "The merry little hound that lives to snack, sniff and snooze." And that describes Diamond to a T.Beagles are

Bro. Pelajushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386878444950743960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118026.post-62706700219856428482007-08-24T08:18:00.000-04:002007-08-24T08:29:59.818-04:00

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit,Virgin Birth. The miracle of Christ's birth. "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you." Jesus was unique in His person, unique in His conception. He was fully God, and fully man."You can't

Bro. Pelajushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386878444950743960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118026.post-79732570725178409262007-08-17T21:14:00.000-04:002007-08-17T21:22:09.943-04:00

One of the best things about our trip to Oregon was meeting and getting acquainted with Laurel's son, Jesse, and his wife. He is really a nice young man, and Sarah is a wonderful young lady. Here is a picture of all of us together. From left to right, Nate, Jesse holding his daughter Ellie, Maria (Laurel's daughter), Laurel, me and Sarah. Nate and I are getting ready to leave, which was hard

Bro. Pelajushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386878444950743960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118026.post-13503537728620586472007-08-17T10:34:00.000-04:002007-08-17T10:47:41.612-04:00

I just looked back over the blogs I have written, and realized that I have left a big hole in recent history. As I posted last year, my dad had cancer and I requested prayer. Well, I went to out to Oregon to say goodbye to Dad, as he was dying of cancer. He died May 18th. I got to visit him a few times during his last week, helping him to get out of his chair and into bed. Helping to spell my

Bro. Pelajushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386878444950743960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118026.post-60261777501697352392007-08-17T10:22:00.000-04:002007-08-17T10:34:07.122-04:00

I believe ... in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:I am not an inclusiionist; I am an exclusionist. Once you say "I believe one thing," you exclude all others.I believe Jesus is the Son of God. I believe He came to earth to die for the sins of mankind, including mine. I believe that He was raised from the dead on the third day, and that He ascended into heaven. I believe that He will come

Bro. Pelajushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386878444950743960noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118026.post-9014358303747623422007-07-08T09:58:00.000-04:002007-07-08T10:03:51.235-04:00

"I believe in God, the Father Almighty, The Creator..."I believe in Creation. I believe that God created this world in six days; not six eras, not six eons, six days.I know that this brands me as an ignorant yahoo, a back-water bumpkin. Too bad. And yet, I have a lot of questions for those who deny God's creation. Please deal with any of the programs that are on Creation Moments. Where did the

Bro. Pelajushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386878444950743960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118026.post-31128844141371293862007-03-10T06:45:00.000-05:002007-03-10T06:47:44.364-05:00

"I believe in God, the Father Almighty,"When I think of the word “Father,” I have so many images that flood my mind. My own dad, and my memories of him as I grew up. I remember going camping with my family and how Dad led in the fun. I remember Dad playing ball with my brothers and I, hitting the ball to us as we played 500. Reading to us. Dad worked hard and planned for our family’s provisions.

Bro. Pelajushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386878444950743960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118026.post-10078483328072425112007-03-05T17:59:00.000-05:002007-03-05T18:06:08.555-05:00

"I believe in God."The apostle is not afraid to tell the world that s/he believes in God, and believes God. I know that our world claims to be spiritual, but is it spiritually lost. The apostle who stands and says "I believe God" is proclaiming the lostness of the world and his/her willingness to be at odds with the world.Years ago, I defined the "I'm OK, You're OK" Social Contract." In this

Bro. Pelajushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386878444950743960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118026.post-23793019827629748232007-03-04T09:55:00.000-05:002007-03-04T10:07:13.196-05:00

"I believe"One of the oldest confessions of the Christian faith begins with these two simple words, "I believe." So simple, yet these words are a profound confession to the world that I believe that which God has said.I was not there when God formed the sun, moon, earth and stars, but I believe that He did it.I was not there when God created man from the dust of the ground, but I believe that He

Bro. Pelajushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386878444950743960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118026.post-1172154442789386542007-02-22T09:21:00.000-05:002007-02-22T09:27:22.800-05:00

Well, I'm back again, and I am going to start doing some blogging about Church music and beliefs.I want to start with an old hymn, Love Divine, All Loves Excelling (#384 in the Methodist Hymnal.)We sang this hymn this past Sunday, and I found myself very touched by the words of the second verse, and I knew I was truly making this hymn a prayer, which is what it actually is. Here is the second

Bro. Pelajushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386878444950743960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118026.post-1155386710919693752006-08-12T08:37:00.000-04:002006-08-12T08:45:10.930-04:00

Well, it's been a long time since I have been here. I want to put up info on my Dad, and offer up another prayer request, today.If you read back into my December blogs, you will find that I posted and requested prayer for my Dad (age 78) because it had been discovered that he had a form of lung cancer that was somehow related to a tumor on one of his kidneys. Well, they did the operation to

Bro. Pelajushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386878444950743960noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118026.post-1136215436109394452006-01-02T10:13:00.000-05:002006-01-02T10:23:56.120-05:00

Today is the day after New Year's Day, and I want to wish all who come here a Happy New Year.Just to get all caught up, we had a good Christmas, and thanks to my parents, were able to spend a week in Williamsburg, between Christmas and New Year's. We had a good time, doing a little shopping, a little sightseeing, a little swimming, and a lot of nothing.I didn't use my blog because the Christmas

Bro. Pelajushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386878444950743960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118026.post-1133013806303290942005-11-26T09:02:00.000-05:002005-11-26T09:03:26.313-05:00

It has begun. I hate to admit it, but I think that America will lose the war in Iraq and, eventually, any war we fight from now on. This country is beaten, and its people are no longer the Americans of history. It used to be that when the Americans showed up on the scene, the end was a foregone conclusion: America would win. Yes, there would be fighting to be done, but we would win. This nation

Bro. Pelajushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386878444950743960noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118026.post-1132879331499388982005-11-24T19:23:00.000-05:002005-11-24T19:42:11.510-05:00

The Lord is my Shepherd, Psa. 23:1As this Thanksgiving holiday comes to an end, I have to say that I am most grateful for my salvation. The grace of God that saved me is the greatest gift in my life, and one for which I will be eternally grateful, no pun intended. (Well, maybe a small pun.)And speaking of gifts, I love the day of Thanksgiving, for it is the one holiday that our commercial system

Bro. Pelajushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386878444950743960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118026.post-1132802467393233242005-11-23T22:14:00.000-05:002005-11-23T22:21:07.403-05:00

On this day before Thanksgiving, I want to say that I am thankful for the church that I am now attending.While I am ordained in the Church of God, Cleveland, TN, we are now attending a United Methodist church in our home town. While the wife is a deeply dyed-in-the-wool Pentecostal, I am appreciating the quieter atmosphere, for the time being. In an earlier blog, I posted about being tired of

Bro. Pelajushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386878444950743960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118026.post-1132704139577124502005-11-22T18:48:00.000-05:002005-11-22T19:02:19.596-05:00

I am thankful for the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States. Our nation is different from all the other nations of the world because the Founding Fathers recognized and codified God as the source of our rights and life, not the state. All other governments in the world, all other documents and constitutions, say that rights and priviledges are granted by the

Bro. Pelajushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386878444950743960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118026.post-1132613546442381322005-11-21T17:46:00.000-05:002005-11-21T17:52:26.450-05:00

I want to say that I am thankful for having a President with the clear vision that he has for freedom, and the backbone to move toward the goals that he sees as essential.Under the previous administration, we had a nation ruled by pollsters, and a president who was a follower, not a leader. President Bush doesn't apologize for his decisions; he just forges on, no matter how loud, vexing,

Bro. Pelajushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386878444950743960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118026.post-1132501162169937922005-11-20T10:38:00.000-05:002005-11-20T11:13:42.206-05:00

Ps. 68:6 God sets the lonely in families.This is the week of Thanksgiving, and this week, I want to think and post about those things for which I am thankful. Today, as I sat in the 8:30 service of the church we are attending (www.www.mainstumc.org), the congregation was challenged to think on this, and the first thing that popped into my mind was my family. Funny, happy, loving. These are

Bro. Pelajushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386878444950743960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118026.post-1129349635522424282005-10-15T00:13:00.000-04:002005-10-15T00:13:55.530-04:00

Is there a cure for being stuck on stupid? There has got to be a cure, as I can’t believe that being stuck on stupid has to be terminal. So, what needs to be done?I’m convinced that, first of all, a nearly complete blackout of Christian media is part of the cure. There is no doubt that the likes of Copeland, Hinn, Parsley, Crouch, etc., while titillating to the ears (after all, don’t we just love

Bro. Pelajushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386878444950743960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118026.post-1129251022034391152005-10-13T20:49:00.000-04:002005-10-13T20:51:02.236-04:00

Several weeks ago, some reporters were badgering a Louisiana National Guard general who was involved with the Katrina and Rita relief. After he answered their first questions, he got frustrated with their attempts at playing “Media Gotcha,” and shut them down by telling them, “Don’t get stuck on stupid.” That man instantly became a cult hero and a new catch-phrase was born.To me, “stuck on stupid

Bro. Pelajushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386878444950743960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118026.post-1128869325623150762005-10-09T10:48:00.000-04:002005-10-09T10:48:45.623-04:00

“O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness” Ps 96:9As a member of Pentecostal/Charismatic churches for over 25 years, I know that we are known for exuberant worship. I have read many articles in Christian magazines and journals about how P/C churches have “taught the rest of the Church world to worship God.” There have been many articles I have seen about “worship wars,” the ongoing debate

Bro. Pelajushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386878444950743960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118026.post-1128138400202395922005-09-30T23:36:00.000-04:002005-09-30T23:46:40.206-04:00

This is going to be an experiment. If this actually happens, what you will see is a photo taken this summer of my mom and dad with my two daughters. Dad turned 78 while we were there and Mom is 77. Abby, the brunette, is 18, and Amelia, the blonde, is 15. Well, here goes.

Bro. Pelajushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386878444950743960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118026.post-1128136336917375352005-09-30T22:54:00.000-04:002005-09-30T23:12:16.923-04:00

A New DayAs you can see, if you look at my profile, the man is stepping out from behind the mask. I have been keeping myself unknown to most, by hiding behind the screen name of Pelajus. I have done this because I hold theological positions that are minority positions in my denomination, the Church of God, Cleveland, TN.However, this week, my wife and I decided that, while we are not leaving the

Bro. Pelajushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386878444950743960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118026.post-1127047988528394342005-09-18T11:52:00.000-04:002005-09-18T08:56:38.533-04:00

Norma Desmond Was RightHave you ever thought about the power of old movies to delight us? Now, I do realize that today’s movies use modern technical advances that make them absolute marvels of dazzling special effects, but how many of the films of today are going to stick in our national conscience? I guess Norma Desmond had it right, “It's the pictures that got small.” (Sunset Boulevard)And that

Bro. Pelajushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386878444950743960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118026.post-1114951920108323232005-05-01T08:34:00.000-04:002005-05-01T08:52:00.110-04:00

Computing, As God IntendedLet's get one thing cleared up, right now. There is only one computer worthy of the title, and that is the Apple/Macintosh. Years ago, Byte magazine confessed that the history of personal computing is merely trying to keep up with Apple, and that still holds true today. The entire computer worlk holds its breath every six months, waiting to see what new innovative

Bro. Pelajushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386878444950743960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118026.post-1114874037990630982005-04-30T11:06:00.000-04:002005-04-30T11:13:57.990-04:00

I created a blog 2 years ago, posted a couple of times, and then just let it go. I am motivated to return to this by my son's interest in creating his own blog/website, and the realization that I do like to share my ideas and concerns. That doesn't mean that anyone wants to hear them, but such is life.I think that I will try again to make this blog a place to come for thoughts and reflections. If

Bro. Pelajushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386878444950743960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118026.post-918365812003-04-02T06:18:00.000-05:002005-04-30T15:23:18.803-04:00

I will Question Your Patriotism if....One of the mantras that we hear from the anti-war crowd (more accurately described as the anti-American/anti-Bush movment) is, “You can’t question my patriotism just because I don’t agree with you about the Iraq War.”My first response is, “Why not? It’s a free country, isn’t it?” I am always leery of those who try to tell me what to think. But upon further

Bro. Pelajushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386878444950743960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118026.post-876073512003-01-17T15:54:00.000-05:002003-01-17T15:54:23.770-05:00

Aren't Snow Days Grand We had a snow storm come through the area last night, and today, all schools were closed in the Tidewater area of Virginia. Not having to go to work today, and having Monday off as well (MLK holiday), means that I have a four day weekend. Snow outside, warmth inside. Makes me glad to be here. We just get so much on our plates that we don't have a chance to appreciate what

Bro. Pelajushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386878444950743960noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4118026.post-875863552003-01-17T07:28:00.000-05:002003-01-17T07:28:54.550-05:00

New opportunities, New responsibilities, New irrelevancies Okay. A fresh, clean, blank piece of paper, er, screen, ready for words to be placed on it. I have heard the word before, "Blog," "Blogger," but had no idea what it meant. And now, I am going to be a blogger, who blogs. Those who blog seem to think it is the New Journalism, both in the sense of being a diarist and in the sense of being

Bro. Pelajushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15386878444950743960noreply@blogger.com0