I can see from my usage logs that three people from Sherrod Brown's office (IP: 64.91.37.89) have viewed my blog in the last seven minutes. I want to make sure they know how to get in touch with me if they would like me to post a reply.
My email address is: n-o-e-l-@-t-h-e-d-e-a-r-s-.-n-e-t (remove the -'s)
Noel Dear
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Sherrod Brown
Sherrod Brown is one of the candidates for US Senate in the state of Ohio. I just called his office to ask a few simple questions. Here's how it went...
Me: Does Sherrod Brown support a women's right to choose abortion?
Sherrod Brown's Representative: Yes, he does.
Me: If Sherrod Brown were in the senate, would he support a ban on partial birth abortions?
Sherrod Brown's Representative: No, he would not.
Me: Does Sherrod Brown support laws allowing for homosexual marriage?
Sherrod Brown's Representative: Sherrod Brown believes everyone should have an equal right to earn a living.
Me: So, does he support laws allowing for homosexual marriage?
Sherrod Brown's Representative: I think I have answered that question.
Me: With all due respect, mam, you haven't answered the question.
Sherrod Brown's Representative: Sir, somethings aren't as simple as yes or no.
Me: But some things are. If Mr. Brown were my senator, there would be times when he would have to vote yes or no, that is how voting works. So if the question on the floor were to legalize homosexual marriage would he vote yes or no?
Sherrod Brown's Representative: We don't want to answer that question.
Me: Do you mean Mr. Brown hasn't decided or that it is a secret?
Sherrod Brown's Representative: Sherrod Brown supports the right of everyone to earn a living. Good bye. Click.
To be fair, I'll call the other candidate's office soon with the same questions and report the answers here, but I've got to go take some blood pressure medicine first.
Noel Dear
P.S. If there is anything the Sherrod Brown campaign would like to add to this subject, or if they have further answers to these questions, I will be more than happy to post their reply to my blog.
Me: Does Sherrod Brown support a women's right to choose abortion?
Sherrod Brown's Representative: Yes, he does.
Me: If Sherrod Brown were in the senate, would he support a ban on partial birth abortions?
Sherrod Brown's Representative: No, he would not.
Me: Does Sherrod Brown support laws allowing for homosexual marriage?
Sherrod Brown's Representative: Sherrod Brown believes everyone should have an equal right to earn a living.
Me: So, does he support laws allowing for homosexual marriage?
Sherrod Brown's Representative: I think I have answered that question.
Me: With all due respect, mam, you haven't answered the question.
Sherrod Brown's Representative: Sir, somethings aren't as simple as yes or no.
Me: But some things are. If Mr. Brown were my senator, there would be times when he would have to vote yes or no, that is how voting works. So if the question on the floor were to legalize homosexual marriage would he vote yes or no?
Sherrod Brown's Representative: We don't want to answer that question.
Me: Do you mean Mr. Brown hasn't decided or that it is a secret?
Sherrod Brown's Representative: Sherrod Brown supports the right of everyone to earn a living. Good bye. Click.
To be fair, I'll call the other candidate's office soon with the same questions and report the answers here, but I've got to go take some blood pressure medicine first.
Noel Dear
P.S. If there is anything the Sherrod Brown campaign would like to add to this subject, or if they have further answers to these questions, I will be more than happy to post their reply to my blog.
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Dancing With The Stars II
Dancing with the Stars... it hasn't gotten any better. (See previous posts.)
The family is watching the show. I'm bored to death, so I thought I would blog.
Today was a pretty normal day...
It started with a meeting with Bill, our chairman of deacons, who comes by early on Tuesday mornings for prayer.
Then a couple hours of studying for Sunday's morning message. (I'm preaching on the parable in Luke 16:1-9. I've never preached on this parable before and I'll bet you've never heard a message on this passage. It's fun to study something new.)
The rest of the day was devoted to two appointments and a ton of work on next year's budget (final numbers are due to finance team tomorrow evening).
I made a few phone calls before I came home for a family night of 'Dancing With The Stars.' Donna made pecan chicken tonight, and the girls are working on a song and dance to 'perform' for me and Donna tonight.
Donna wants me to hang a bulletin board in the school room before I go to bed. I don't want to. Should I wait and see if she forgets or go on and do it?
I saw on the news tonight that many of the communities around our area are sending the police out and locking up all of the child sex predators for 'beggars night.' What is the world coming to when we have to have a child molester round-up before we can let children walk up and down the streets? Please understand, I am not against what the police are doing, in fact, if they have any serious concerns about these individuals being repeat offenders, I wish they would just keep them locked up, but I think it says something about how much our society has detiorated.
I know that is a pretty sudden change of subject, but the news cast has just stuck me in an odd way.
Well, my six year old laptop has gotten so hot it is burning my legs through a lap desk, (I've got to get a new laptop) so I better turn it off before it catches on fire.
Noel Dear
P.S.
For my readers below the Mason-Dixon line... beggars night is what you call halloween.
The family is watching the show. I'm bored to death, so I thought I would blog.
Today was a pretty normal day...
It started with a meeting with Bill, our chairman of deacons, who comes by early on Tuesday mornings for prayer.
Then a couple hours of studying for Sunday's morning message. (I'm preaching on the parable in Luke 16:1-9. I've never preached on this parable before and I'll bet you've never heard a message on this passage. It's fun to study something new.)
The rest of the day was devoted to two appointments and a ton of work on next year's budget (final numbers are due to finance team tomorrow evening).
I made a few phone calls before I came home for a family night of 'Dancing With The Stars.' Donna made pecan chicken tonight, and the girls are working on a song and dance to 'perform' for me and Donna tonight.
Donna wants me to hang a bulletin board in the school room before I go to bed. I don't want to. Should I wait and see if she forgets or go on and do it?
I saw on the news tonight that many of the communities around our area are sending the police out and locking up all of the child sex predators for 'beggars night.' What is the world coming to when we have to have a child molester round-up before we can let children walk up and down the streets? Please understand, I am not against what the police are doing, in fact, if they have any serious concerns about these individuals being repeat offenders, I wish they would just keep them locked up, but I think it says something about how much our society has detiorated.
I know that is a pretty sudden change of subject, but the news cast has just stuck me in an odd way.
Well, my six year old laptop has gotten so hot it is burning my legs through a lap desk, (I've got to get a new laptop) so I better turn it off before it catches on fire.
Noel Dear
P.S.
For my readers below the Mason-Dixon line... beggars night is what you call halloween.
Monday, October 23, 2006
What A Way To Start The Week
God gave us a great Sunday! The choir really led us to worship with their song prior to the message. I love preaching after something like that.
We had six people join the church by letter and three more come to share that they had made a profession of faith in the previous week (and one more in the evening service).
I just finished my weekly breakfast with Pastor Tim Carr from Northside Baptist Church. He is working hard to help us get ready for upward this year. Keep that ministry in your prayers. On our end Todd Wellman and Pastor Jeff are heading things up. Pray for them, too.
More later this week...
Pastor Noel Dear
We had six people join the church by letter and three more come to share that they had made a profession of faith in the previous week (and one more in the evening service).
I just finished my weekly breakfast with Pastor Tim Carr from Northside Baptist Church. He is working hard to help us get ready for upward this year. Keep that ministry in your prayers. On our end Todd Wellman and Pastor Jeff are heading things up. Pray for them, too.
More later this week...
Pastor Noel Dear
Saturday, October 21, 2006
Better Than I Deserve
Dave Ramsey, a national radio show host, has a line he uses to answer the question, "How are you doing?"... His standard reply... "Better than I deserve!"
I've been doing a lot of griping to my friends and family these past couple of weeks, but God has helped me see things in perspective this morning. Life is good!
I'm home alone; Donna has gone to pick up the kids. They stayed with some friends last night so that Donna and I could go on a date. The date was paid for by my bank. It seems that they didn't think things through when they developed their rewards point system for their atm & credit cards. I thought I had lost a card a few weeks ago. The bank immediately re-issued cards; I called to tell them I had found my card, and for some reason they then re-issued cards again. Then they gave me 5,000 rewards points for each of those new cards for each time they issued them. WOW! I may start losing a card once a month :). So thank you to National City Bank, Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, and my wonderful wife for a great night last night.
My girls just got home. Emily made me a camelion out of yellow and red clay. They are wanting me to carry them to pick apples at an orchard nearby.
As I said, "better than I deserve."
College Gameday is on television. They just predicted that Tennessee will beat Alabama! (I am winning the Yahoo college football pick'um contest with the guys at church. Not to rub it in or anything...)
Donna is making me a cheesecake.
My sermons are done for Sunday.
It looks like we're going to have at least one more Saturday where it is warm enough to spend time outside.
The grass doesn't need cutting.
And...
Nothing seperates me from the love of God!
Better than I deserve... Noel Dear
I've been doing a lot of griping to my friends and family these past couple of weeks, but God has helped me see things in perspective this morning. Life is good!
I'm home alone; Donna has gone to pick up the kids. They stayed with some friends last night so that Donna and I could go on a date. The date was paid for by my bank. It seems that they didn't think things through when they developed their rewards point system for their atm & credit cards. I thought I had lost a card a few weeks ago. The bank immediately re-issued cards; I called to tell them I had found my card, and for some reason they then re-issued cards again. Then they gave me 5,000 rewards points for each of those new cards for each time they issued them. WOW! I may start losing a card once a month :). So thank you to National City Bank, Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, and my wonderful wife for a great night last night.
My girls just got home. Emily made me a camelion out of yellow and red clay. They are wanting me to carry them to pick apples at an orchard nearby.
As I said, "better than I deserve."
College Gameday is on television. They just predicted that Tennessee will beat Alabama! (I am winning the Yahoo college football pick'um contest with the guys at church. Not to rub it in or anything...)
Donna is making me a cheesecake.
My sermons are done for Sunday.
It looks like we're going to have at least one more Saturday where it is warm enough to spend time outside.
The grass doesn't need cutting.
And...
Nothing seperates me from the love of God!
Better than I deserve... Noel Dear
Monday, October 16, 2006
Refreshing Sunday
We had a great day yesterday. A very good crowd in our morning service; an altar full of people making decisions; two people coming to share their profession of faith and commitment for baptism; and one person baptized!
Last night was inspiring. Michael and Jonathon George shared about their recent mission trip to Kenya. I got teary eyed when I saw the video of Michael and Pastor Fredrick sharing 'the cross diagram' in Swahili. The thought all of those Christians in Kenya sharing the gospel with their Muslim neighbors the same way we share the gospel here in Licking County is neat.
If you weren't present at the service you missed a treat. Michael shared one story that he had shared with me the previous week about a devout Muslim that he had shared his testimony with in 2003. When Michael arrived at the Kenyan church two weeks ago, one of the first people he saw was that formerly Muslim man, who has now been an active servant in the Christian church for three years. Michael also shared that at least one of the man's close relatives had also been saved.
I don't know about everyone else in the evening service, but I was ready to fly to Kenya right then!
Busy week as usual around here. I'll try to keep you posted.
Noel Dear
Last night was inspiring. Michael and Jonathon George shared about their recent mission trip to Kenya. I got teary eyed when I saw the video of Michael and Pastor Fredrick sharing 'the cross diagram' in Swahili. The thought all of those Christians in Kenya sharing the gospel with their Muslim neighbors the same way we share the gospel here in Licking County is neat.
If you weren't present at the service you missed a treat. Michael shared one story that he had shared with me the previous week about a devout Muslim that he had shared his testimony with in 2003. When Michael arrived at the Kenyan church two weeks ago, one of the first people he saw was that formerly Muslim man, who has now been an active servant in the Christian church for three years. Michael also shared that at least one of the man's close relatives had also been saved.
I don't know about everyone else in the evening service, but I was ready to fly to Kenya right then!
Busy week as usual around here. I'll try to keep you posted.
Noel Dear
Friday, October 13, 2006
It's Friday, but Sunday's Coming!
It has not been the best of weeks. Nothing is wrong, it has just been a very long week. I had to make three gut wrenching decisons and then I had to have a medical scope fed through my mouth into my gut. Not that the events were in any way connected, but my gut is sore.
I guess that sounds crass. Sorry.
But as the old sermon goes... It's Friday; but Sunday's Coming!
I'm looking forward to Sunday. Sunday morning I am preaching on the "Secret To Getting Your Prayers Answered" from James 5. I am looking forward to preaching this sermon because I've seen it play out in my life these past five days. When we know the secret to getting our prayers answered and then pray, God responds. Isn't it great that we serve such a powerful and caring God.
Noel Dear
I guess that sounds crass. Sorry.
But as the old sermon goes... It's Friday; but Sunday's Coming!
I'm looking forward to Sunday. Sunday morning I am preaching on the "Secret To Getting Your Prayers Answered" from James 5. I am looking forward to preaching this sermon because I've seen it play out in my life these past five days. When we know the secret to getting our prayers answered and then pray, God responds. Isn't it great that we serve such a powerful and caring God.
Noel Dear
Tuesday, October 3, 2006
Dancing With The Stars
The one TV show we let our girls watch each week is "Dancing With The Stars." There cannot be a more boring show in all of the history of television. Actors and singers who can't find a decent job get together and dance classical dances to odd music. I honestly don't know if they do a good job or not. I sit and work on my laptop during the show each week. I just finished typing up Hannah's math seatwork for tomorrow. I thought I would post to my blog and then read some internet news. I live an exciting life!
What has been going on...
We had good services Sunday. Two adults made professions of faith in our morning service. I'm told that the youth had a very good worship service Sunday evening.
I met with the AWANA leaders this past Sunday evening. I am so impressed with that ministry and the leaders God has given us. We are reaching a number of families we would not be able to reach in any other way. I hope you pray often for that ministry.
The first administrative meeting for this season of Upward Basketball took place last night. I'm told everything is coming together. The growth of that ministry is so encouraging. The leaders are searching for two more practice facilities just to accomodate all of the teams.
The senior adults got off to Lancaster, PA this morning for their trip. (It was in Lancaster that the Amish children were killed yesterday in the school shootings.) Be in prayer for their safe return.
It was good to have our Ukraine mission team back in service Sunday. The Kenya team returns tomorrow.
It seems like it is 90 degrees in my house. Am I still living in Ohio. I was wearing a coat two weeks ago. What is the meaning of this?
Dancing with the Stars is still on. Some couple is getting a bad review for their dance. I'm hoping they get frustrated and just cancel the show. Why isn't there college football on Tuesday evenings?
This Sunday morning we will be continuing our series of messages on 'The Secrets to Good Living.' Our SECRET this week will be 'How to Get Along with Others' from Ephesians 4:29-33. (I may be wrong about the end verse, I don't remember.)
This Sunday evening our mission teams will be sharing about their trips.
Well, I better get back to the tv show. They are dancing the waltz.
Noel Dear
What has been going on...
We had good services Sunday. Two adults made professions of faith in our morning service. I'm told that the youth had a very good worship service Sunday evening.
I met with the AWANA leaders this past Sunday evening. I am so impressed with that ministry and the leaders God has given us. We are reaching a number of families we would not be able to reach in any other way. I hope you pray often for that ministry.
The first administrative meeting for this season of Upward Basketball took place last night. I'm told everything is coming together. The growth of that ministry is so encouraging. The leaders are searching for two more practice facilities just to accomodate all of the teams.
The senior adults got off to Lancaster, PA this morning for their trip. (It was in Lancaster that the Amish children were killed yesterday in the school shootings.) Be in prayer for their safe return.
It was good to have our Ukraine mission team back in service Sunday. The Kenya team returns tomorrow.
It seems like it is 90 degrees in my house. Am I still living in Ohio. I was wearing a coat two weeks ago. What is the meaning of this?
Dancing with the Stars is still on. Some couple is getting a bad review for their dance. I'm hoping they get frustrated and just cancel the show. Why isn't there college football on Tuesday evenings?
This Sunday morning we will be continuing our series of messages on 'The Secrets to Good Living.' Our SECRET this week will be 'How to Get Along with Others' from Ephesians 4:29-33. (I may be wrong about the end verse, I don't remember.)
This Sunday evening our mission teams will be sharing about their trips.
Well, I better get back to the tv show. They are dancing the waltz.
Noel Dear
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