By George

A quote that we found over at our friend Eric's blog:

I am the President and Chief Executive Officer of Thomas Nelson Publishers, the largest Christian publishing company in the world and the sixth largest trade book publishing company in the U.S. Our company is privately-held. I have worked at the company for a total of twelve years.
...
In my free time, I enjoy writing, running, golfing, fishing, and photography. I am a member of St. Ignatius Orthodox Church in Franklin, Tennessee, where I have served as a deacon for almost 20 years.

- Michael S. Hyatt (click link to read his short bio)

Abba Anthony said that the time is coming when men will go mad, and when they see someone who is not mad, they will rise up against him, saying that you are mad, because you are not like them.

For no particular reason, I'm posting everywhere I've been, sorted by places I've lived followed by places I've been at least overnight but not resided.

Lived:
Bellefonte, PA - born there
State College, PA - lived there while my Dad finished his education. Joe Paterno was a new assistant coach.
Orange County, CA - lived there while my Dad worked for GE in a multi-location apprentice program... I don't remember it.
Bowling Green, KY - lived there while my Dad worked for GE in a multi-location apprentice program... I don't remember it.
Erie, PA - grew up there - grade school, middle and high school, first two years of college
State College, PA - lived there for my last two years of undergraduate study, and while obtaining my masters degree.  Joe Paterno was coach all this time.
Fort Worth, TX - lived there in the early years of my first professional job with General Dynamics.
Bedford, TX - lived there for a few years.
Weatherford, TX - have been here for something like 9 years.

Visited (to qualify, must include overnight stay):
Coal Center, PA - lots of childhood trips - where my paternal grandparents lived
Charleroi, PA - lots of childhood trips - where an aunt and uncle and some cousins lived
Pittsburgh, PA - several Pirates games, to see Willie Stargel, Roberto Clemente, Mannie Sanguine, etc.
Raleigh, NC - interviewed with IBM there - they made an offer, I turned it down
Boca Raton, FL - interviewed with IBM there - they didn't make an offer
Fort Lauderdale, FL - interviewed with Harris Corp there - I can't remember if they made an offer
Owego, NY - interviewed with IBM - I think they made an offer - can't remember, but I must have turned it down if they did
Seattle, WA - lots and lots of business trips, working with Boeing
Boston, MA - interviewed with Raytheon there - they made an offer, I turned it down
Fort Meade, MD - interviewed with the NSA - can't talk about it
Burbank, CA - business trips when Lockheed had a facility there
Huntsville, AL - some business trips to a Boeing facility there
Niagara Falls, NY - a visit to the falls with my dear Andrea and our family
Whiteman AFB, MO - meetings with the Air Force
Leavenworth, WA - romantic visit with my dear Andrea
Victoria, BC - romantic visit with my dear Andrea
Pharr, TX - couple of visits to see friends at St. George Orthodox Church
Reynosa, Mexico - visit to orphanage there
Panama City, FL - Air Force meetings
Langley, VA - Air Force meetings
State College, PA - business trip to Raytheon.  Got to visit my old haunts.  Joe Paterno is still the coach.
Las Vegas, NV - brief stay on our way to San Francisco this year - didn't like it (sorry), but Lake Mead was cool
Death Valley, CA - not overnight, but any trip there merits a mention
Vasalia, CA - overnight on the way to San Francisco
Seqouia National Park - not overnight, but any trip there merits a mention
San Francisco, CA - staging area for cruise to Alaska - highlight was this
Alcatraz, CA - the account
Victoria, BC - another visit - account here
Sitka, AK - account here
Juneau, AK - account here
Skagway, AK - account here
Oakland, CA - went to this cool restauraunt

Well - I'm tired of this - there are a number of other places, but it doesn't matter.

My next post will be the exhaustive list of every place that I have NOT been, each place with a reason why not.

From Dom Gregory Dix, widely respected Biblical Scholar, in his work The Theology Of Confirmation In Relation To Baptism

We know now, too, that the Apostolic paradosis of practice, like the Apostolic paradosis of doctrine, is something which actually ante-dates the writing of the New Testament documents themselves by some two or three decades. It is presupposed by those documents and referred to more than once as authoritative in them. This paradosis of practice continued to develop in complete freedom from any control by those documents for a century after they were written, before they were collected into a New Testament ‘Canon’ and recognized for the first time as authoritative ‘Scripture’ beside and above the Jewish ‘Scriptures’ of the Old Testament, which alone formed the ‘Bible’ of the Apostolic Church. Now that the history of the Canonization of the New Testament is better understood, we can begin to shake ourselves free from the sixteenth century — or rather the medieval — delusion that primitive Christian Worship and Church Order must have been framed in conscious deference to the precedents of a New Testament which as such did not yet exist. The purely occasional documents now found in it do not contain, and were never intended by their authors to contain, anything like the Old Testament codes of prescriptions for the rites of worship. That was governed by the authoritative ‘Apostolic Tradition’ of practice, to which it is plain that the scattered Gentile Churches adhered pretty rigidly throughout the second century. I am not for a moment seeking to question the authoritative weight of the New Testament Scriptures for us as a written doctrinal standard. I am only trying to point out that there is available another source of information on the original and authentic Apostolic interpretation of Christianity, which the Scriptures presuppose and which must be used in the interpretation of the Scriptures. I do not deny that in time the recognition of this fact will be bound to lead to some considerable readjustment of ideas for more than one set of people. But tonight all I would say is that the liturgical tradition can be shewn to be older in some of its main elements than the New Testament Scriptures, and that down to the end of the second century, at least, it was regarded as having an ‘Apostolic’ authority of its own independently of them. We cannot look, therefore, for any attempt in this period to conform the practice of worship to them artificially. Nevertheless, the two do illustrate one another in a remarkable way.

Some thoughts on this passage:

1. "there is available another source of information on the original and authentic Apostolic interpretation of Christianity, which the Scriptures presuppose and which must be used in the interpretation of the Scriptures"... to discard this other source is to lose the ability to interpret Scripture in a consistent way, hence the extreme splintering amongst post-reform confessions.

2. "The purely occasional documents now found in (the NT) do not contain, and were never intended by their authors to contain, anything like the Old Testament codes of prescriptions for the rites of worship."... hence the wide variety of worship rites practiced amongst the churches spawned from the reformation - a sola scriptura approach leaves one without a coherent instruction in worship

3. "in time the recognition of this fact will be bound to lead to some considerable readjustment of ideas for more than one set of people"... Dix put this out in about 1948.  It's not unusual to see a lag on the order of a couple decades between the time scholars begin publishing on a topic and the time the effects are measurable among the general populace.  So I think Dix was correct judging from the growing number of converts from protestant circles to Roman Catholic and Orthodox liturgical communions.

Thanks to a guy named Andrew over at Energetic Procession for the Dix quotation.

Hem of His Garment

The Gospel reading during today’s Divine Liturgy included Luke’s accounts of Jesus raising Jairus’ daughter and of the woman with an issue of blood who was healed when she touched the hem of Jesus’ garment.  I was more engaged during the whole service today than usual, including during the readings.  Twelve years this woman struggled with her health crisis, which became also a financial crisis.  And Jairus’ daughter was 12 years young when she… died.  One family had a joyous event 12 years prior, and one woman began her personal nightmare that same year.  Now both the woman and the girl’s father ended up in the same place this day, both showing up with faith in Christ, and both drew near at about the same time.  And the woman’s faith ended up bolstering the faith of the father when, after he heard the news of his daughter’s death, Jesus turned to him and used very similar words as He just used with the now-healed woman – she’ll be "made whole”.  Our priest emphasized the woman’s faith that brought her there, and said she received more than she came for – she was made whole.

Sometimes when I feel that maybe it’s been too long since I’ve last been to confession, I figure that I shouldn’t go forward to receive communion.  I was in that situation today – should I go forward or wait until after confession.  In these situations, the words of the Church always strike me, “in the fear of God, and with faith and love draw near”.  The woman with the health crisis did just that, and my mind was drawn back to her when I decided to go forward.  I need Christ, and I want to push through the crowd and at least touch His hem and be made whole.

In the back of the line, I couldn’t see what was happening up front, only the back of people’s heads.  But I could see people way at the front bending down (kids receiving communion), doing things… commotion.  The activity up there showed that He was here, and everyone wanted to get forward (“…as he went the people thronged him”).  We were more orderly than the crowd that day.  As I got closer, I thought about the woman getting closer to her turn.  And as always, I got more nervous the closer I got.  Judging from the woman’s reaction after her healing (“…she came trembling, and falling down before him”), I’m thinking she was also pretty nervous when she first approached, before anyone knew she was there.  She wasn’t so brazen as to approach from the front (she “came behind Him”), and she used anonymity to cloak herself.  I had no such anonymity.  It was my turn, and I was “outed” just before I got there, (as she was after her encounter)… “the servant of God, George…”  Announced by name no less, and with every reason to tremble and fall down before Him as the woman had when she “saw that she was not hid”.  Being immediately before the King of Glory who is surrounded by throngs of angels, and your name gets announced. I didn’t fall down before Him, but I did tremble, if only inwardly, and received the Body and Blood of Christ.

The Epistle reading today (from Ephesians) serves as a most appropriate commentary to the Gospel - "by Grace you are saved through faith, not of works..." and, we are "created in Christ Jesus for good works".  The woman was clearly saved by Grace through her faith, and apparently continued in good works.  We know from the Church historian Bishop Eusebius that she later erected a statue honoring Christ in Ceasaria Phillipi.   Eusebius actually saw this statue sometime around 300 A.D., and mentioned a plant that grew up onto the hem of the sculpted cloak and had healing properties.

Aunt_Angie

With the Saints give rest, O Christ, to the soul of Your servant Angela, where there is no pain, nor sorrow, nor suffering, but life everlasting.
Grant rest to the soul of thy servent Angela, now asleep in a place of light, a place of renewed life, a joyous place.
May your memory be eternal.

My aunt Angie Edinger entered Eternal Life on October 21, 2007 after being cared for over the last twelve years of her life with dignity and grace by her devoted and loving husband, my Uncle Larry Edinger.
Born Angela Ann Montagna at WC Hospital in Jamestown, N.Y. on June 22, 1932, she was the eldest of two daughters born of Joseph Samuel and Consetta Mennetti Montagna. In 1942, the family moved to Pennsylvania and made their home in Erie.

Upon graduating from Academy High School, Angela continued to work at Lerner’s Dress Shop and married William J. Quick with whom she had three daughters. She had done some modeling before an opportunity to host a radio show on WIKK was offered. Angela, whose radio name was Linda Page, hosted the 30 minute show called “For You Ladies”, designed with guests, interviews, tips, music, and recipes for the everyday listener. Guests she coordinated interviews with included up-and-coming comedian Dom DeLuise and fight promoter Don King. Her career included working for all three local television stations in Erie as Traffic Manager at WICU, WJET, and WSEE. She was also the D&R Grocery Store spokesperson during local commercials on WJET TV and worked for McGraw Hill before remarrying (my uncle) and moving to Lexington, Ky.  I remember her television commercials for the largest area grocery chain, where she was famous for introducing new pricing ("not $12.95, not $10.95, but only nine dollars and 95 cents!"), and saying "loooove that Super Duper".
Medusa Aggregates employed her until she retired. Angela enjoyed writing poetry and leaves her loved ones a compilation of hundreds of poems. She was a member of Gardenside Christian Church for many years in Lexington and upon relocating back to Erie six years ago has belonged to First Alliance Church. She was a devoted Christian whose smile and heart was open and ready for all who crossed her path. Her parents, Joseph and Consetta Montagna, preceded Angela in death. She is survived by her husband of 36 years, Lawrence B. Edinger (my Uncle), their son, Lawrence Joseph Edinger (my cousin), his wife, Jenny, and grandsons Cody and Cameron of Indianapolis, Ind. She is also survived by her daughters, Angela Porfilio (Herbert Heher), Debra Lewis, Cheryl Pepicello, (Anthony), and her two beautiful granddaughters, Angela and Allise Pepicello of Erie. She is also survived by her grandson, Frank Joseph Lewis, his wife, Debbie, and great-grandson, Joseph M. “Joe” Lewis of Edinboro. She precedes her only sibling; her sister Ann Torok and many nieces, nephews, and other loved ones.

Aunt Angie showed great hospitality, a mark of God's Grace, to everyone who needed it, including myself everytime I traveled through Lexington, Kentucky.  With my Uncle Larry, Aunt Angie provided my resting place on my first ever journey away from home after graduating college in 1983.  I had just left my childhood home and spent the miles struggling with conflicts about leaving and my mother's grief, which I had stupidly not expected.  When I arrived in Lexington, about half way to my destination, Aunt Angie and Uncle Larry provided an oasis that represented my first opportunity to deal with the fact of leaving home.  They were the supreme example of hospitality - they cared about how I felt, seemed to understand the stress, and made the experience more than bearable, they turned it into a positive memory.  Later, Aunt Angie made her home a place of refuge that was always available as I travelled between Fort Worth and Erie.  Every visit was pleasant and memorable, a blessing for which I thank God.

After making her home so accessible to me, my last memory of Aunt Angie was her one visit to my home in Texas. I got to show a small bit of hospitality to her and Uncle Larry, and proudly introduce my beautiful wife and part of my family.  My kids couldn't all be there that day, and my aunt couldn't be there completely either.  She had already suffered a condition that rendered her unable to fully participate in what was going on (as far as we know).  I'll always remember my Uncle Larry's anecdotes during that visit, but even more I'll always remember the remnant of Aunt Angie that was still present during that visit - she would hug each of us and say, in her infirmed state, "I love you".  I think that was her essence.

I'm told that Aunt Angie's condition continued to degrade every year since that visit, and everyone was amazed that she held on all the way through last week.

May God bless his handservant Angela for her love and hospitality while present in this life.

Grant rest, O Lord, to the soul of Your departed servant Angela, in a place of light, joy, and peace, where there is no pain, sorrow, or mourning. As a kind and gracious God, forgive every sin committed by her in word, deed, or thought, since there is no person who exists and does not sin. You alone are without sin, Your justice is everlasting justice, and Your word is the truth.

For You are the resurrection, the life, and the repose of Your departed servant, O Christ our God, and we glorify You together with Your eternal Father, and Your all-holy, gracious, and life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and forever.

May Christ, our true God, risen from the dead, Who rules over the living and the dead, place the soul of His departed servant Angela in the abode of the Saints, grant her rest in the bosom of Abraham, and number her among the Just through the prayers of His most pure Mother, of the holy, glorious, and illustrious Apostles, of our venerable and God- bearing Fathers, and of all the Saints; may He have mercy on us and save us, for He is gracious and loves mankind.

Memory Eternal.

On my other blog, I posted a response to this question that someone asked me.

Being curious about how economies work, especially as I question some of the tenets of capitalism, I started to read Alan Greenspan's new biography, Age of Turbulence...

The book is at times drab as you'd expect, and too often seems self-congratulatory, but I'm picking up a few things here and there.

An unexpected tidbit for personal use came from an exchange between President Bush (senior) and Greenspan early in Bush's administration, when Bush needed to air out some difference he had with the Fed.  The Fed is usually pretty apprehensive when a new president comes in - how difficult are the next four years going to be.  Will it be combative, cooperative?  This meeting with the new President had potential to set a sour tone for years to come.

I like the approach the President took.  He went to Greenspan and said something to the effect that "I've been told this and that negative thing about the Fed's approach... how should I be thinking about this?"  And then he listened carefully.

Whatever opinion one has about the first President Bush, you have to admit - that's a very gracious approach to a situation.  I think I'll try to adopt it myself.