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I appreciate those of you who commented on my questions about convicted sex offenders, their involvement and employment in the church, and forgiveness. As I mentioned, I’m not necessarily looking for the right answer, I just like to have some theological back and forth. Several of you support the idea of “forgive but don’t forget” but I think that overlooks the calling to be Christ-like. Protestants interpret God and Jesus as the same (let’s not forget the Holy Spirit), and the Bible tells us that God will not only forgive our sins but forget them as well (in a sense, all three support this). So, in the quest to be Christ-like, it appears that the church should not only forgive but also forget.

I don’t favor any answer which states certain things like this are impossible at the human level but possible at the deity level because I’ve been taught that God doesn’t give us anything we can’t handle (and that interpretation can certainly be debated) (now I’m reminded of LiberallyLean’s mention of “Baptist guilt” for some reason). Certainly, from a worldly moral and legal standpoint doing so should be a no-no, but it seems like something the church “should” do. I’ll tell you this much, I certainly don’t want to be put in such a position to have to make such a decision. But I am glad I take the time to think these sorts of things over rather than settling for an answer which sounds good. As you can tell, I’m more interested in having the discussion than having the answer, it’s sort like the journey is better than the destination kinda thing.

DaughterGeeding has been binge-watching The Simpsons (Yes, I already know I’m a bad parent) and she made the observation that only two characters have eyebrows – Smithers and Milhouse.

Anytime I hear someone use the word “stake” or “mistake” I immediately think of a scene in Duece Bigalow in which a woman asks, “Did you stay steak?” But when I hear someone use the word “steak” I only think of steak.

I think our government can come up with a better title for the role of undersecretary.

If you are running for office and happen to be extremely wealthy but won’t release your tax records, or older and won’t release your medical records, there’s something you don’t want people to know.

I don’t know how fast President Trump and his limo traveled going around the Daytona 500 race track, but I think that might have been the fastest the public has seen a presidential limo go since the JFK assassination.

I replaced the four fluorescent bulb light fixture in our kitchen yesterday. I never did like that light, the cold glow always reminded me of the opening scene in Joe vs. The Volcano. The new fixture looks much better, like something which belongs in a home and not in an office or shop. It’s LED and much brighter and allows me to change the color temperature. Upon turning it on for the first time (yes, I did the Clark Griswold “Joy to the world”) I asked myself why didn’t I do this earlier. Then it dawned upon me, oh, yeah, LEDs like this haven’t really been available or affordable until recently.

These Lyrics Do Not Exist – Lyrics generated using Artificial Intelligence

Wait for it, this woman has some amazing leg and ab strength. Also, that dude in the backpack must have been in a hurry.

Larry Tesler, the computer scientist responsible for cut, copy, and paste, has passed away.

In the spirit of being freaking proud of myself and also knowing I'm about to be fat shamed on the Internet, I present to you me, a 38 year old mom and teacher, doing a thing I was afraid to do when I was a 14 year old gymnast. Next week: add a full (and straighten my legs) pic.twitter.com/4YpFRArgtd

— Nicole Clemens (@Nicolemens) February 18, 2020

Well-known Grand Meadow bus driver dies https://t.co/x7FUIPj727

— Post Bulletin (@PB_News) February 18, 2020

The headmaster at our children’s school had a Dan Quayle “potatoe” moment but I think it may have been worst considering his love for the Founding Fathers and how much they seem to be at the core of everything at the school. He walked into an elementary school class and they were reviewing a lesson over U.S. currency. He briefly addressed the class and quizzed them on who was on the nickel. In all seriousness, he thought Alexander Hamilton was on the nickel. I’m flabbergastered.

When I say the Founding Fathers are at the core of everything at the school, it’s not hyperbole. For instance, here’s a collage of items you’ll find walking the halls. It’s a great school, no school is perfect, and at the risk of sounding ungrateful for my country, the school can sometimes pour on patriotism a bit thickly.

I heard Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton muse about a light-hearted political theory yesterday – Politicians with three-syllable sounding names tend to get elected over their opponents. He cited that’s why Donald Trump won over Hillary Clinton, Gregg Abbot is our governor, and that’s why Micheal Bloomberg likes to go by “Mike Bloomberg”.

My state representative’s campaign send me yet another text asking if I would consider voting for her. I replied back, “I’ve replied to a previous text that she had my vote as well as on the phone. However, I may change my mind because someone in your campaign put a yard sign in my front yard without my permission and the nonstop texts and calls.”

Texas church with sex offender pastor first to be ousted from SBC under abuse reforms

A Texas church pastored by a man who sexually abused two pre-teen girls is the first to be removed from the Southern Baptist Convention under new sex abuse reforms.

Ranchland Heights Baptist Church in Midland has for years been pastored by Phillip Rutledge, who was convicted of sexual assaulting 11 and 12-year-old girls in 2003, according to court records and the Texas Department of Public Safety.

This would be an interesting topic to have a back and forth with with some of my pastoral friends. People have to be held accountable for their actions, but Christians are taught to forgive and be like Christ. If Christ forgives our sins and tosses them as far as the east is from the west, and if all sin is weighed equal in God’s eyes, at what point can Christians forgive the most wicked of sins after corporal punishment has been served and true repentance of error and sin occurred? For instance, I can’t see how a congregation would allow a convicted sex offender to ever be a youth minister, or any leadership position in the church, no matter how genuine his or her life has been turned around. If a person can’t get a second chance at a church, what hope does hath he? I don’t expect an answer from anyone, it’s really a rhetorical question, but I doubt I’ll ever find an answer I feel comfortable with.

Per their webpage, SpeedZone Dallas Is Permanently Closed.

Dallas’s Geeky New ‘Star Wars’ Themed Pop-Up Bar – Sip a Baby Yoda cocktail in this temporarily Death Star-designed bar

A Baby Yoda themed drink is made with vodka and green melon liqueur, and garnished with limes to resemble The Child’s iconic ears.

There’s a huge six-foot Millennium Falcon model dangling above drinkers, a towering Chewbacca, Darth Vader wedged between two Stormtroopers, and a twinkling ceiling to offset its new Death Star-themed bathrooms. Of course, the cult films will also play on repeat across most of its TVs.

I was a little peeved at my state representative who is up for re-election. Her campaign workers are pretty aggressive with texts and phone calls, which doesn’t bother me because I respect the effort they are putting in. But what did bother me was them placing a yard sign in the front of my house without any expressed permission. While I confirmed by both text and phone call that she had my vote, I never was asked a thing about a sign being placed in front of my house. What did I do about it? Well, let me tell you. I sighed and then sent a strongly worded tweet. The campaign replied, but they blamed it on an intern. While that may be true, it sounded cowardly.

Colt McCoy was being interviewed by Bob and Corby of The TICKET and they asked him about his injury during the National Championship game. When he answered, “I’m a firm believer” I totally expected him to say “everything happens for a reason” but instead, he said, “that life goes on.” If you’ve been reading this blog for a while you know my annoyance with “everything happens for a reason.” Whatever respect I had for him before has increased tenfold.

Random question regarding Iowa-class battleship like the U.S.S. Missouri and their 16″/50 caliber Mark 7 guns – After firing, how hot is the outside of the gun/cannon? Would it be too hot to touch or for Cher to saddle? Seriously, how hot after firing a single round would that thing be?  Those things are pretty thick so I’m not sure a lot of heat would transfer. Here’s a factoid which may help you with your answer?

They fired projectiles weighing from 1,900 to 2,700 pounds (850 to 1,200 kg) at a maximum speed of 2,690 feet per second (820 m/s) with a range of up to 24 miles (39 km). At maximum range the projectile spent almost 1½ minutes in flight. Each turret required a crew of 79 men to operate.

Another interesting USS Missouri fact – The Brits once saved the ship.

In fact, the Mighty Mo had a fairly close call on Feb. 23, 1991, when it was firing 16″ rounds in support of an amphibious landing along the Kuwaiti shore.

The Missouri’s loud 16″ guns apparently attracted enemy attention, and the Iraqis fired an HY-2 Silkworm missile at the ship. But the British frigate HMS Gloucester came to its rescue, shooting the missile down with GWS-30 Sea Dart missiles.

Russia’s Radio Sputnik, funded by the Kremlin, airing in Kansas City

Formerly known as Radio Moscow, the Kremlin-funded Radio Sputnik is airing on three local stations and is delivered by Americans from a Washington studio.

1906 photograph of veterans of the Texas Revolution – The Texas Veterans Association was an organization of those who had served prior to, during, and immediately after the Texas Revolution.

Kentucky man awarded $150K after being denied ‘IM GOD’ license plate

Meet the Sulfur Miners Risking Their Lives Inside a Volcano – Mt. Ijen, on the island of Java, is one of the most dangerous workplaces on Earth.

Deepfake Of Tom Holland And Robert Downey Jr In ‘Back To The Future’

I was a big fan of the original Amazing Stories so I’m glad to see it will be returning, just hearing the music made me smile. I think my favorite was “The Mission” which starred Kevin Costner and Kiefer Sutherland in which a belly turret gunner is trapped in the compartment of his WWII bomber and the crew scrambles trying to figure out how to land without smearing him on the runway.

I was notified mid-morning Friday that I needed to pick up BoyGeeding from school because the nurse diagnosed him with a concussion. As soon as I arrived, the nurse, who I have a great rapport with, greeted me and had the security video of his bad fall during P.E. pulled up. She told me, “He totally ate it.” While I don’t like watching a video of my son getting hurt, it was touching to watch all his classmates run to his aid immediately. BoyGeeding was laying down in the nurse’s room with the lights turned off and seemed a little out of it. As a precaution, I took him to his pediatrician. You may recall my mother died from head trauma, so this was all out of an abundance of caution. WifeGeeding was concerned if he did have a concussion if the doctor would clear him for his birthday at the trampoline park the next day.

On the way to the doctor’s office, BoyGeeding’s grogginess seemed to slowly vanish. When I asked him to recite The Microscope, a poem he recited for a grade the previous week, and he did so without error, I knew he was fine. The doctor said as much and cleared him for his birthday party at the trampoline park and said he could play on his tablet and watch TV at home. But, BoyGeeding was bummed he was going to miss his class’ Valentine’s Day party. His teacher was nice enough to save him a slice of pizza and cupcake.

At home, BoyGeeding wanted to spend some time with me but I still had to work. I know I’m no JFK, but he pulled a bit of a modern-day John-John which made me smile.

BoyGeeding’s mother has been tossing around the idea of getting him a guinea pig for his birthday. I wasn’t sold on it, we already have a rabbit and two dogs, but it just happened the local animal shelter had a female guinea pig available. And now for the handful of you who have seen Fleabag . . . Yes, I did suggest the name “Hilary” to him and we are planning on opening up a guinea pig-themed cafe with Chatty Wednesdays.

WifeGeeding brought home a note to BoyGeeding from a girl in his class. She has an interesting sense of humor which may have won me over.

The trampoline park did a cool thing. At the start of the party, they had all the kids gather for a group photo, which they printed out, placed in a cardstock frame, and gave it to us free of charge.