http://www.pleonast.com/user/brucknerdpls recent pleonast.com entries by user brucknerdpls en-us http://www.pleonast.com/user/brucknerdpls?l=5&entryID=603754 I've known the pain of watching a beloved brother or sister in Christ abandon the Lord. I've wept as I pled with a young Christian, whom I'd treated as a daughter, not to turn her back on heaven. I had to hear her defiantly declare that she no longer loved the Lord and intended never to serve Him again. If I live to be a hundred I'll never understand how one who was bought by the blood of Christ can make such a choice. I've known some who said that it was just too hard to be a Christian and they simply couldn't do it anymore. But, I think they are trying desperately to sell themselves a bill of goods. The truth is, they know on some level that their lives will be miserable after they turn their back on the Lord. There is just too much knowledge that they must forcibly bury in order to abandon God. The apostate must bury his knowledge that Jesus died for his sins. It must be hard work to wall off one's heart from the memory that Jesus humbled Himself and took the form of s ser... 2008-11-27 http://www.pleonast.com/user/brucknerdpls?l=5&entryID=595469 What would the daily tracking polls say about Jesus’ chances for victory if He were to run for public office today? Some will surely say that the Lord would win in the biggest landslide in history. I’m not so sure. If Jesus ran for office it would be on a platform that many would find distasteful. Jesus would campaign for respect for authority. His ads would say: “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth…” (Matthew 28:18). Paul wrote that Jesus Christ is head over all things to His church (Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians 1:18). In another place Paul said that every knee shall bow to Jesus (Philippians 2:10), and John called Him King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 17:14). How would voters today feel about a candidate who stated in campaign speeches that every man should submit himself to God’s will? How many would cast their vote for the Lord to have all authority over their lives? It’s a whole lot easier when it is just a slogan, but it... 2008-11-04 http://www.pleonast.com/user/brucknerdpls?l=5&entryID=577734 When Jesus stood before Pilate, Pilate asked Him: “What is truth?” (John 18:38). Many people today think like Pilate. Some think there is no real truth, others think truth is relative and is whatever you want it to be, others believe truth exists but it is so ethereal that only the most learned sage can know it. None of these views is accurate. Truth exists, it is not relative, and it is something all men can know and embrace. Jesus taught that He came to bear witness to the truth (vs. 37). Concrete truth exists. Moral certainty bothers immoral people. Uncertainty better fits their agenda, because they can scurry and hide behind the popular notion that there is no real truth. If there is no genuine concrete truth, then there is no basis upon which people can criticize and condemn them. What is ironic is that many people who say there is no real truth also claim to be Christians. How can this be? Jesus said there is truth: "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is... 2008-09-20 http://www.pleonast.com/user/brucknerdpls?l=5&entryID=569614 Here's on actual conversation that I had with Sarah a couple of days ago. Talks with Sarah are always interesting and enlightening as you'll see: ---------- Dad: Let's talk about a Bible story! Sarah: Okay, Daddy! (claps hands excitedly) Dad: Who made Adam and Eve? Sarah: God did (with a proud smile) Dad: That's right, honey. Where did God put them? Sarah: In the garden. Dad: What could they eat? Sarah: The fruit from the trees. But not the fruit from that one tree. Dad: Which one? Sarah: The one in the middle of the garden. Sarah: And, Dad, they didn't have any clothes to wear (embarrassed smile) Dad: What did they do? Sarah: They made clothes out of that tree. Dad: The fig tree? Sarah: Yeah, with the leaves. Dad: What did God do when He came along? Sarah: He made them more clothes out of aminal skins. Dad: Aminal? Sarah: Yeah. Dad: How were those clothes different? Sarah: They went from here to here (indicating with motions from her should... 2008-08-31 http://www.pleonast.com/user/brucknerdpls?l=5&entryID=562601 --------------------------------- I suppose it's a small thing to most people, but I resent the fact that penmanship is no longer taught like it once was. There are probably a few older readers who remember learning the Palmer Method. Thousands upon thousands of pushes and pulls and loops rounded out a kid's education, and after the arduous torture, his well trained hand could actually write what was in his mind in a legible fashion. The age of email has doomed the art of beautiful writing. Keyboards have no personality, and word processors can only ape carefully drawn letters with fancy fonts. The practice of forwarding spreads terribly impersonal (not to mention annoying) "I thought you might like this" blurbs to hundreds of people with the stroke of a key. Much of what passes through my inbox can scarcely be called communication. Sometimes the Fwd's include a trail of email addresses in the heading through which it has passed on the way to my inbox. I'm convince... 2008-08-14 http://www.pleonast.com/user/brucknerdpls?l=5&entryID=557791 August 1, 2008 – In which Dad discusses doors and boxes... Dearest Lindsey, Something occurred to me a few nights ago in a way that I'd not thought about it before. Do you realize that in just twelve months I'll be standing on a sidewalk in some college town watching you open and step through the door of your dormitory? I know you are getting excited and a little scared about that day and you are feeling a little overwhelmed that it is coming so soon. You probably feel like you can't put on the brakes to slow things down. My advice to you is just to roll through the year with confidence and soak up as much as you can and enjoy every moment of your Senior year. When you walk through that door you want to take as many happy memories of your childhood with you as you can. Now, about that door... It won't just be a wooden door to your new home, it will be a figurative door on your life. It's a door that everyone has to walk through eventually. Some people walk through the doo... 2008-08-01 http://www.pleonast.com/user/brucknerdpls?l=5&entryID=555617 A fly on a leaf: A butterfly: A majestic looking chicken, if chickens can be accurately described as majestic: And the wierdest assortment of cooties you'll ever see!: 2008-07-28 http://www.pleonast.com/user/brucknerdpls?l=5&entryID=551373 We received our "stimulus package" check from Uncle Sam a few days ago. I want all and sundry to know that I dutifully stimulated the economy. I took my family out for a movie, complete with popcorn and drinks that very night. Took nearly the entire stimulus check. Saw Journey To The Center of the Earth. I expect that my patriotism will be reported on CNN come morning. I will have single-handedly saved the economy. I wait for my medal with baited breath. Seriously. Popcorn is expensive. 2008-07-17 http://www.pleonast.com/user/brucknerdpls?l=5&entryID=549155 July 10, 2008 – In which dad reminds you that you are a Christian first… Hi there Sweetheart, I've been watching you at services over the last year or so, and I've noticed a change. I've noted how you've started making a point of visiting with the older members before and after services. I want to encourage you to keep it up! That is a good habit indeed. I know that the tendency is for young people in churches to congregate in a group at the back of the building or out in the parking lot after services, but it seems to me that they are wasting a golden opportunity. It's important for young Christians to socialize with each other, and you all do plenty of that, but when you're at services you can do a lot more good by socializing with those who might benefit from your attention. Many older members have a harder time getting around the building than you do, and they would like to speak to you, but often just can't get to you. It does them a lot of good when you make a poin... 2008-07-11 http://www.pleonast.com/user/brucknerdpls?l=5&entryID=548752 Ed, quit saying "Bam!!" You're not Emeril, and nothing will change the fact that we're just a bunch of nasty buzzards who eat dead animals on the side of the road. 2008-07-10