October 28, 2010
Vol. 187, No. 34
GENRAL COMMENTS
This issue had one very refreshing moment, courtesy of Stephen Chavez, and one mind blowing moment, thanks to Hyveth Williams. NO STRINGS and NO FEAR are MUST READ editorials!
COMMENTS
Stephen Chavez' editorial, NO STRINGS, was a breath of fresh air.
"It occurs to me that too many people do things to call attention to themselves or their causes. If they get a few seconds on TV or a few column inches in the newspaper, so much the better. But Jesus calls us to love our neighbors not to draw attention to ourselves or to our causes, but because it’s the neighborly thing to do."
In NO FEAR, Hyveth Williams blew me away with words that put her on the shelf of my mind that I reserve for only the most Christian SDA writers and thinkers.
"The act of being disfellowshipped from a community of faith...was often used to control or influence the behavior of believers through negative reinforcement. Much as we love and value the communities, the groups, the churches, and even the families that surround us, the gospel truth is that we don’t have to belong to anyone but Jesus, who has the ability to set us free (John 8:36).
"Coming to this realization will make us blissfully happy, causing us to ride on the heights of the earth and be fed with the heritage of Christ (Isa. 58:14). When we are free in Christ, we become a terrifying force to the majority of society, because we cannot be controlled, cajoled, or manipulated, even with the threat of death (see 2 Cor. 11:21-33). Like Jesus, we may be threatened with false accusations, criticism, and rejection, but we will take the punishment rather than succumb to fear."
REVIEWS
In SUMM(IT)ING IT UP Bill Knott marvels at the exponential growth of the Adventist Review since the Advent Review began as an eight-page, print-only paper in November, 1850.
"The languages of this growing ministry—once English only—have expanded in the past five years to include seven major world languages in print and 12 (most recently Romanian, Arabic, and Urdu) on the Web."
"A human network of dozens of editors, translators, designers, and proofreaders now circles the globe, supported by hundreds of press personnel in eight publishing houses from Indonesia to Korea to the United States to Germany. Except when Sabbath makes its welcome visit in each time zone, someone is working on Adventist Review or Adventist World every hour of every day of every week all year long."
FORGIVING FATHER, REPENTANT SON, ANGRY BROTHER by Clinton Meharry concludes his devotional essay with some questionable theology, but he makes this point: "Based on the importance of the three parties involved, it would seem appropriate to call the story “The Forgiving Father, the Repentant Son, and the Angry Brother.”
Our intrepid Moscow reporter, Andrew McChesney is determined to share his faith on the way to work. THE FIVE MINUTE WITNESS proved it could be done. The result was surprising!
THE DEVIL DOESN'T PLAY GAMES tells the story of Wilona Karimabadi's grandmother' life and times before, during, and after World War II. In addition, This is a tribute to a remarkable woman by her granddaughter, and the writer's love and respect shine through every word. The title refers to the great evil of war and a particular evil that might also have destroyed lives.
WATCH AND PRAY...LEST YOU WILL BE FOUND SLEEPING is a cautionary essay from Ellen White on the need for a keen, sanctified perception of reality. "This perception is not to be used in criticizing and condemning one another, but in discerning the signs of the times."
VIBRANT LIFE is Sandra Blackmer's interview with Heather Quitana, the editor of Vibrant Life, a magazine that has been advocating the Adventist health message for the pst 125 years.
"Quintana also promotes healthful living as benefiting not only individuals but the planet and God’s nonhuman creatures as well. Along with the Adventist Church’s wholistic perspective of personal health, we sometimes forget, she says, that there’s a connection to the health of the planet.
“ 'It’s not just about us,' Quintana explains. 'What’s healthy for us is also healthy for the planet. For example, in our special ‘Going Vegetarian’ issue this year [an undated issue released in May/June 2010], we have some really significant statistics and facts about what it means for the planet when someone eats a hamburger.' ”
HYPERTHYROIDISM is one more important medical bulletin by Drs. Handysides and Landless. In this article, Hyperthyroidism or Graves's disease and Parkinson's disease are explained, prognosis discussed, and appropriate medical follow-through recommended.
Jimmy Phillips concludes his series on falling in love--with God. MORE LIKE FALLING IN LOVE provides some salient advice to all lovers: "Transcend emotion; choose to love. And we’ll all live happily ever after."
AT REST
HODDE, Erwin F.—b. June 29, 1918, Cincinnati, Ohio; d. July 19, 2009, Greeneville, Tenn.
HOFMANN, Dorothy June “Dottie”—b. July 12, 1927, Nevada, Iowa; d. Mar. 19, 2010,
Sunland, Calif.
HUNT, Roger W.—b. July 12, 1919, Bravo, Mont.; d. June 8, 2009, Avon Park, Fla.
HUTTON, Barbara Aileen Twiggs—b. Aug. 21, 1927, Gentry, Ark.; d. Dec. 9, 2009, Grants Pass, Oreg.
KYAMBADDE, Stanley B.—b. July 21, 1927, Namulesa-Kyaggwe, Uganda; d. Feb. 7, 2010, Kampala, Uganda.
LING, Irene—b. July 22, 1917, Kulangsu, China; d. Apr. 6, 2010, Loma Linda, Calif.
MEDFORD, R. Foster—b. Apr. 6, 1923, Coleman, Mich.; d. Dec. 29, 2009, Grants Pass, Oreg.
In WORDS ON A WALL; WORDS IN MY HEART, Kathryn Lay reflects on the following words that encourage and provide hope: "I know that I am never unloved. There is always Someone who loves me unconditionally, who loves me in spite of my flaws, who wants me to love others as best that I am able. And He is the God of the universe!"
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