The Craw

Hate. What a useless word

I recently got this drive-by comment on a recent post:

I came across your blog as I was searching for some quality clergy shirts. At first I thought you must really hate a good percentage of God's children After reading more I began to think it might be yourself you hate.

From someone is isn't gay, queer, transgendered or any of the above and has quite a "traditional" family by most definitions.

Likely she objected to my support for Prop. 8 and my disdain for the Nazi-like tactics of homosexual rioters.

Hate. This has become such a useless word since it has been co-opted by the left. Disagree with them on anything and you hate and are a hater. Is it possible that they hate? When they water down the Scriptures to say whatever they want it to say? Like the ordination and marriage of active homosexuals or when they use the Scriptures themselves to justify the slaughter of innocent babies made in the image of God. Seems like that is hatred of tradition, hatred of Scripture, hatred of God.

But do I hate? Yes I do. I hate sin. So I guess that makes me better than one who hates those that hate sin, no?

BTW the above comment apparently comes from the female rector of this tiny Episcopal church. A denomination that has lost 1 in 5 of its members since they ordained a gay bishop, Gene Robinson just 5 years ago. The TEC is rapidly approaching, if its not already there, the point of being a totally apostate and irrelevant religion.

Real Estate Cliff Dive

Here's an amazing Santa Clarita real estate offering. This home has dropped 66% since the 2005 peak! More interesting still is the fact that it is being offered at $8,500 below its 2001 sales price. 2001 is a benchmark for where prices will fall to since that is where this last boom began.

Old School

 

Here's an interesting little sartorial film by a Savile Row tailor.

SMEAC

My wife and I attended a Marine Corps Ball this last weekend. The guest of honor was a retired Major General and during his address he said, "I know all of you remember S.M.E.A.C., right?" Somewhere in the back of my head I said, "Yes Sir!"

I can still hear us yelling ourselves hoarse at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, 23 years ago:

"Sir, SMEAC, aye, aye, Sir!

Situation!

Mission!

Execution!

Administration and Logistics!

Command and Signal, Sir!"

Every former Marine in that room who was in 10 years ago, 25 years ago or even 50 years ago remembers SMEAC. Which brings me to my point. Some things you just learn, though you may not understand them at the time, in a repetitious manner. And then, it's stuck in your head forever waiting for the right moment, the right emergency to come out.

Catechisms function in a similar way for our kids. Whether Westminster Shorter or Heidelberg, when we teach them to our kids they get stuck way back in their heads waiting for the right moment, the right emergency to come out. Like when they have a crisis of faith in college or the day they start to catechize their own kids.

Fires

 The sky is dark and heavy with a burning smell and the sound of water dropping aircraft reverberates through the neighborhood. The Sylmar fires have jumped the mountains and are about a mile from our home. I could see the leaping flames from the top of Lyons Avenue.

The Secret to Looking "Tight"

How often have you seen a guy wearing a good quality shirt and trousers but his shirt is spilling out over his waistline? Here's some tips on looking tight:

• Have your trousers altered for your actual waist size. If you don't your trousers will pinch inward, your pockets will bulge and your shirt will spill up over your waitsline.
• Have suspender/brace buttons sewn into your trousers and buy some suspenders. Suspenders keep your trousers at just the right height.
• And the secret weapon for tightness whether you're wearing braces or not is shirt stays. I've been wearing these since the Corps back when I was 18. You can get them in various styles: here and here but they make your shirt stay in place with purpose.

Coming to your church

 Here's what happens to churches when the heterophobes come to town.

Psalm 2:12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

Give your suit some splash

The quickest (and most inexpensive) way to give your suit some pizazz and class is to wear a pocket square. Don't wear something cheap like a single color square and stay away from "pizza grenade" squares as well. I find paisley works best. Here are a couple of online shops where you can get some decent pocket squares: here and here. And here is a video to teach you how to wear your square.

Why do I wear a cross?

I'm Reformed, wear clericals, and also wear a pectoral cross. Why do I wear a cross? Because I live in Southern California where there are numerous clerics of other religions and cults that also wear distinctive clerical clothing. When I wear a clergy shirt without a cross people say things like, "You're some kind of religious guy, what religion are you?" So I started wearing a cross and this cleared up that problem pronto.

Now, another question I often get from pastors is, "Where can I get a good pectoral cross?" The answer? EBay! Don't get some weird looking cross or crucifix if you're Protestant. Here are some examples of ones that are a nice size and that are reasonably priced here and here.

Now we get to see the real homosexuals: haters of women (not just her Christian faith). Where are some real men? Some fellas should have crashed through that pathetic claque of sub-humanity, delivered a beatdown on dudes who attack old ladies, and escorted the older lady out.