Languages Are Weird

Languages are so weird. Here's how you say "I'm cold" in German:

Mir ist kalt.

This is literally, "To me is cold." Sheesh! Why can't we just say "Ich bin kalt"? The reason is this: "Ich bin kalt" would also mean "I am emotionally cold." Likewise, saying "Der Mann ist heiss" indicates that the man is sexy, not that he's feeling hot. In Spanish, of course, the same weirdness applies. "Tengo frio" is literally "I have cold." But you actually mean "I am cold." The French works the same way: "J'ai froid" ("I have cold"). Lord have mercy! In Korean, I'm told (I know not a word of Korean) that "I'm cold" is (naneun) chuweoyo: "(I) cold" (the subject "I" is optional.)

I'm getting a severe headache. 

Now, in 1 Pet. 5:7, the Greek literally says "It matters to him about you." But most English versions read "He cares about you." The meaning is the same, of course. But the emphasis is different. These kinds of details matter when exegeting the Greek text. Never overlook them. Never simply, blindly, follow your English versions. 

And if you haven't already studied Greek, what in the world is stopping you???

Military Collectors Show This Weekend

This weekend we had a very special treat in the town of South Boston. The city hosted its 8th annual Civil War and Military Collectors Show yesterday and today. 

Over 50 tables of original artifacts were on display. 

This year saw vendors from as far away as Arizona, Michigan, and Georgia. 

My own grandkids had a table there featuring homemade items. 

Local events like these are simply awesome.

Waikiki's Alohilani Hotel (Superb Deal!)

I love Waikiki but I never stay there. I always stay in Kailua, my hometown. But if you are going to stay overnight in Waikiki, I can think of no hotel that is more affordable or more centrally located than the Alohalinai. Check it out here:

Thank You, Pastor

My thanks to all you elders/pastors who taught from the Scriptures today. You offered hope, comfort, and biblical wisdom through your tireless, often unseen, labor of love for your congregation. Thank you, pastor, for your faithfulness in preaching/teaching the word today. Your message was EXACTLY what someone needed to hear today. Thank you for the time and prayer you obviously put into today's sermon. It's clear you've been been seeking God's heart for your congregation. Your dedication to Christ and to his word inspired me to walk more closely with him. Your sermon today was more than a speech. It was a beautiful blend of biblical truth, clear communication, and personal conviction. It focused on a single idea rather than a scattered collection of unrelated thoughts. You showed us how biblical truth can show us how to live, think, and act. Your message was "logic on fire." I am forever grateful for you and your ministry here at our church. 

Teaching the word today.