Even when I can’t fly

On By The Flying DutchmanIn Aviation, FaithLeave a comment

I just love going out to the airport on Saturday mornings. Even when I can’t fly. This Saturday morning I woke up to our Tule fog. It’s infamous here in California’s huge Central Valley. It forms after we’ve had a good rain and the sun has had a chance to shine for a couple of days. The air is cold, the ground is warmed by the sun, and then we get fog as thick as molasses.

I drove out to the aiport through our valley’s rapidly dissapearing orchards. The golden leaves on the ground seem to glow with an inward light in the fog. If they were mine I would like to walk through those orchards breathing in the cold moist air bathed in a golden light.

Once out there I met up with the other members of my local EAA Chapter. The EAA is the Experimental Aircraft Association. An association of people who are interested in building aircraft. I became interested in EAA when I started building my own airplane. Our local chapter is full of mostly retired men. Older gents who have seen much of life. Many of them are Christian. Most are not building airplanes. They are just guys who want somewhere to go and something to do. Our local EAA chapter offers just that. When I arrived I had a plate of warm pancakes and rubbery eggs handed to me. We have a fellowship breakfast before our regular meeting. Most times the breakfast takes longer than the actual meeting.

I eat my breakfast and listen to all the chatter. We are in a cold, drafty hangar that the old guys who need a place to go and something to do built. It’s a good place to be. Warm and welcoming despite the cold foggy drafts from outside. Outside this hangar most have little in common. But in this place we are brothers who share a common love of Our Father’s sky. I spoke with some friends I haven’t seen for a couple of months. We share what’s been happening in our lives.

I share that I’ve been having hiddeous headaches. I get fatherly advice from 5 different men. I used to hate that. As I get older it makes me feel very good inside to have advice offered to me. It’s really the only acceptable way men have to show love for each other. When one of my fellow chapter members tells me how to get rid of headaches he’s really saying, “I care about you, I want you to live a long life, I want you to return to the sky with me.”

Thank you, brother.

We finish breakfast and have our meeting. There is some minor quibbling over meeting dates and times. Should they be changed? Should they not? Nothing of any importance. Most just want to feel like their opinions matter, that they matter. Yes, brother, you matter. You are needed and important. Tell me what you need to say.

The meeting is soon over with all issues resolved quickly. We then start working seeding an area in front of our hangar so we have a nice lawn next Spring. I help run pipe along the fence about 1/4 mile to a well so we can water our grass and plants. Somewhere to go and something to do.

I show a gentleman who is about to retire my airplane. He wants something to do after he retires. My plane is unpainted. Bits of primer here and there. Not painted in the two years I’ve finished it. I feel I must apologize for it’s appearance. He cuts me off telling me that the plane is beautiful. I see the look on his face. I see the look on his face. I know that look. The look of a dreamer, dreaming of the day when he can soar the heights in a machine he constructed. There is no deception in his voice. To him the plane truly is beautiful. I offer to give him a ride on the next sunny day we meet.

The work is long done. We all still stand around and talk airplanes. Some begin to drift away and head back home. I linger. The sun has finally broken out. I stand and smell the wind that has started to kick up. I can smell the acrid smoke from burn piles in the distance. I can hear the cattle at the ranch next door. I hear an airplane departing on his way to adventure. It doesn’t matter where. Every flight is an adventure.

I just love this airport. Even when I can’t fly.

Prayer for a pilot

On By The Flying DutchmanIn Aviation, FaithLeave a comment

Lord of Sea and Earth and Air,
Listen to the Pilot’s prayer-
Send him wind that’s steady and strong,
Grant that his engine sings the song
Of flawless tone, by which he knows
It shall not fail him where he goes;
Landing, gliding, in curve, half-roll–
Grant him, O Lord, a full control,
That he may learn in heights of Heaven
That rapture altitude has given,
That he shall know the joy they feel
Who ride Thy realms on Birds of Steel.

— Cecil Roberts

A plea for modesty from Modesto

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The Dutchman lives in a town in central California called Modesto. It was to be named for it’s founder a one Mr. Ralston. He was too humble to allow that so the town was renamed Modesto for his modesty. That spirit of modesty is sadly lacking around these parts.

I wish I were more like Job. I wish I could make that covenant with my eyes not to look upon a girl with lust. I’ve been living life for 40 years now and still haven’t been able to make that covenant. Ladies, you are enchanting creatures and we men simply cannot take our minds off of you. God made women just right. Has mankind made anything more attractive or beautiful than the female form? The female form is exquisite, enticing, comforting.

Even so I wish women would understand what their forms do to men. I implore all Godly women to dress modestly. Something you may think is cute may reveal portions of your body that should only be revealed to your husband. Save your most precious gifts for him (and all that those words imply.) A flash of cleavage or inner thigh can set even the most Godly men on a course of thought that neither they nor you appreciate. I can’t begin to tell you how much cleavage, how many bellybuttons, or lower back tattoos I’ve see — at church!

Another reason I’ve left the two churches I was attending and found a very conservative reformed church. The elders of my current church are always reminding heads of households that EVERYONE needs to dress modestly but women especially because men are so visual. Paul appealed to women to dress in a way “which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works.” (See 1 Timothy 2:9-11)

I make the same appeal. Adorn yourself in a way to be ready to do good works for the Lord. Helping a Christian brother to not commit adultery in his heart is a wonderful work! Something every Christian sister can do every day.

Sing and shout

On By The Flying DutchmanIn Opinion4 Comments

I attended our church’s Reformation Day celebration this past Friday night. What a blast. The theme was the Scottish reformation. Our pastor dressed as John Knox. We had a lot of highlanders and one lowlander (me, because I’m so short, heh, heh.)

Anyway, at one point in the little service we had a bagpiper began playing Amazing Grace and lead us out of the make-shift chapel we were meeting in. We all began singing but when the piper and the paster left the building, the singing started to die off. I was still singing in my baritone-profundo and so were most of the women but the men just stopped. Wha? What has happend to us men?

In the old days men sang as they worked. Men sang stories to their children. Men sang in bars and pubs. Men even sang as they went off to war. Come on men, we cannot abandong singing to the women. In my opinion, there is nothing as grand, as heartening, and sometimes as chilling as the sound of a large group of men singing with all their heart.

Singing is not childish or feminine. I don’t know when we began to think this but I believe this is how many men feel about singing. Women and children sing sweetly to be sure but there is power in a man’s voice. There is strength in the voices of several men. There is the echo of God’s voice in the sound of a hundred or more men singing praise with all their heart. I am certain that our adversary flees at the sound of Godly men raising their voices to the Lord.

So next time you are at church, or prayer meeting, or church camp, raise your voice when the singing starts. Your voice isn’t bad. You are not singing a solo you are joining the chorus with all those who sing with you. God’s ears hear your voice along with all those who went before you. The very next chance you have join in song with Godly men everywhere and put our adversary to flight!

God wins again

On By The Flying DutchmanIn Faith1 Comment

Holy Father,
I admit I am a sinner. I admit that there was no way I could save myself. I admit that it was only by your sovereign grace that I was saved. More to the point, I admit you chose me long before I chose you. My will is crushed and broken, let yours prevail. Your will is perfect. The fight in me is gone. Let me accept with humility your gentle reproach and instruction. Let me join now with like-minded and wiser souls than I into your church. I am your willing subject. Now take me and make me into the man you would have me be.

I make this confession publicly in the hopes that seeing my faith, which was planned by you before the creation of all things, that someone else’s faith may be solidified. I make this confession and plea to please no one but you Holy Father. It is in the holy and precious name of your beloved and perfect son, Jesus Christ, who died for my sins, and for the sins of believers everywhere, that I pray.

Keep your dark world to yourself

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Got to listen to some co-workers talk about voo-doo and people who talk to spirits. I’m usually very talkative but I sat silently while they talked about relatives that could enter the spirit world like it was cute. They went on and on about how cool it was but how it was also kind of scary. Yeah. You don’t know that half of it boys.

My silence didn’t go unnoticed. They wound up the conversation with, “but you don’t believe in that stuff do you?” Directed to me. I told them that I did indeed beleive in such things but that I thought they were far from cute or interesting. I told them that the Bible tells me not to even discuss such things. So I didn’t. I told them that they are cracking the door to peak into a world in which we have no business. Cracking the door open to the spirit world may give you a peak at what’s inside, but it also lets what’s inside into your world. God blinded us to the spirit world to protect us. That realm is reserved for God and His angels and we have no business being there.

No, give me the world of light. I do everything by light of day. When darkness comes I pray to God to deliver my family to the morning. My hopes are pinned on the one day that dawns in which there will be no sunset. Our Lord will come riding on the clouds, His face shining brighter than the sun, He will carry judgement in one hand, mercy in the other. His appearance will be unmistakable and all darkness will scatter before Him. Amen, come Lord Jesus!

Coming around

On By The Flying DutchmanIn Faith2 Comments

I think I’m finally beginning to understand. I’ve read the same arguments for years. It’s much easier to rely on my own wisdom rather than God’s. At least, I thought so.

I once said that the day I stop believing in the free will of man to accept or reject God’s salvation would be the saddest day of my life. As that day creeps closer, I’m beginning to see that it will give me hope rather than sadness. You see, my own father has chosen to reject Christ. He views all religeon as equally bad (ie. controlling, manipulative, self-serving, etc.) If I am to hope that he will someday change his mind, I have no hope. He won’t. So in the Arminian paradigm, my father is as good as lost. In the Calvinistic paradigm, there is still hope that God may yet regenerate my father’s heart. I still plan to witness to him despite his rejections. Perhaps his faith will yet be kindled.

Holy, holy, Lord God Almighty
Worthy is the Lamb Who was slain
Highest praises, honor and glory
Be unto Your name, be unto Your name .

18 years

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Though technically it is tomorrow, my wife and I are celebrating our 18th wedding anniversary today. It’s been an amazing trip. We came from being two good church-going kids to sinking into sin, repentance, and now sanctification. God has been more kind to us that either of us deserve. I couldn’t tell you why but I’m extremely grateful. My wife is an amazing woman. I’m looking forward to many more years with her.

Christ’s death and resurrection: sufficient and effective

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One of my sticking points with Calivinism is the concept that Christ’s death was sufficient to save all people but is only effective for the elect. My incredibly patient pastor is trying to work through this with me. I think I know what Calvinists are trying to say there but it doesn’t seem to come across well. However this is my forum so I shall muse on this.

Scripture states that Christ died to pay our penalty for not obeying God’s commands. Or as Paul puts it in 1 Timothy 2:6 “who gave Himself as a ransom for all men” I submit that Jesus did in fact pay that penalty for all men. His death was sufficient to retract the death sentance all humantiy had on it from Adam’s first act of disobedience. So through Christ’s death everyone shall be made alive again and everyone shall live forever. Hallelujah!

Now. Where are we going to spend that eternity? If you believe in Jesus, confess yourself a sinner, turn from your sinful life, confess him Him before others, and strive to do His will, you will spend eternity joyfully in His presence. If you don’t believe in God, if you do believe in Jesus but you don’t really want to do all that “Bible stuff”, if you live a double life: Christian on Sundays at church, devil during the week when no one’s looking, well, you’re going to spend eternity cast out of God’s presence. No one knows what that’s like because no one has ever experienced it. God has always made His presence felt since time began. He makes the sun to shine and the rain to fall on both the evil and the good. I have no idea what such a situation is like. I hope you never find out either. A merciful god wouldn’t do that you say? What about a just god? His mercy is perfect but so is His justice. Besides if you don’t believe in God how merciful would it be to have you stand in the presence of the deity you spent your life demanding didn’t exist? For eternity! Wouldn’t that be humiliating? But He is also just. He’s got rules. You’ve got to follow them.

Turn to Jesus. Accept His sacrifice. When He died for you He ensured you would live forever. You will have to pay your penalty once but you will be raised from the dead. Where will you be? Come to Jesus. He desires that you be saved.