Skeptic and Angels

I am the ultimate skeptic. I hear something that sounds too good to be true in a sermon – I go and research it (occasionally I am wrong…). I hear some fanciful claim about anything to do with the demonic or the spirit world – I dig until I find the truth. My kids tell me they are going to do something – whatever…been there done that a few thousand times…

So, when I stumbled up on this picture in Blog-land, I had to run it down:

Said to be a photo of a protecting angel during a mass, I have to wonder why angels suddenly look for the entire world like Tinker Bell! So here is Tinker Bell isolated and enlarged:

Still looks like Tinker Bell to me.

At first I thought this might be a double exposure but I finally gave up on that idea. I thought perhaps a Photoshop element, but could not find moiré nor other amateurish mistakes. All one can really say is that there is a streak from the upper window that does not form a straight line, nor does the light beam expand as one would expect – perhaps this is a clue to this being a manufactured item? If that is the clue, it is a pretty silly mistake they created! Or another possibility is that when this is reduced to a negative format, the light sheen on the heads of the men can be clearly seen and the light is not consistent nor always in the appropriate place. Again a silly mistake.

In the end you still have two possibilities – it is real or it is Photoshop. If it is real then why would an angel appear looking like Tinkle Bell? Angels are messengers, not fairies. No where does an angel appear in my Bible translation where the humans are not flat on their faces from terror!

However, it could be real and I would point you to the “miracles” of El Zeitoun in Egypt. But, there we would be discussing the demonic – not the godly…..

Son In Law

Last week I took Oldest Daughter and Son In Law out for lunch.  He is finally beginning to relax around me and is far more open in his discussions.  At one point, he commented something about my being a conservative.

Mind you, I maybe Switzerland’s lone conservative, so his comment brought the attention of many within earshot’s attention of our table!  I had to ask why he thought I was a conservative.  Mind you, I am very much a liberal; however, I am not a socialist – which is what liberalism is equated to these days almost in any country.

His answer I found most interesting because he observed that my extremely strong family values were the basis for conservatism!  Of course, he then added that my belief in God also set me apart from the liberals he knew.  As the conversation progress he became rather agitated, so I quiet moved the conversation on to some more mellow topics than politics!  I just did not understand at the time what his brain was working through…..

Wednesday, I took Granddaughter over to see her parents at the hospital and see how all is going over there.  Along the way, I spotted Middle Daughter walking beside the road and was going to pick her up until I saw she was smoking.  Not a good idea for someone with asthma and a real problem for me as I do not handle smoke or even the smell of smoke well.  So, I kept going.

At the hospital, all was well until SIL’s mother showed up right after me.  SIL hauled off and popped her in the face!  Yeah, his anger just exploded and now I understood the conversation from last week – he has been learning what a family is and how love is greater than acceptance or dependence.  His mother was a bit surprised to say the least.  And he certainly has far more guts than I ever had as a youth!

So, it looks like a great deal of angst is being worked through in his heart and spirit – a good sign.  Though, a little hard on his mother!  Be interesting to see if he can be brought to the Lord or not in the near future…..  My hopes are rising.

Sunday School

I think I mentioned before that I am back to teaching teenage Sunday School again.  As with all years, I offer to allow ANYONE to take over but again no one came forward to teach.  Naturally, the only time someone seems to want to take over is when I am in the middle of a series I think is important and they want to take over to play games.  Gees.

In any event, this is setting up to be an interesting year.  The kids are younger this time, mostly 15 and 16.  There are as many girls as there are boys.  They want to know about the Bible and missions!  This is a serious group and I am very surprised.

So, I have been teaching on Genesis, always a good place to start and involve their minds.  We have looked at the textual criticism and how it appears Genesis was put together – which leads to a very interesting discussion as to whom wrote which part!  Currently we are looking at the contrast between Chapter 1 and what man’s sciences teach.  Of course, evolution is not a basis for Swiss schooling but something they do hear about and definitely will when they hit college.  Next we will look at the concept of Eden and of course, the flood.

I am looking forward to a very interesting end of the year……