Panic set in when the house went dark.

  "Your lights need to be on an arc fault circuit," the electrical inspector had told me. Basement Project 2011 presented one hurdle after another, and this was merely the latest. I hadn't installed the previous arc faults...that was left to a professional. But since I had been trying for days to get this individual out here to correct a much more minor issue (which had no effect on the final inspection) with no success, I knew this one would be in my hands.
  The large gray box hung there, daring me. I really should not be doing this, I thought, as I began to remove the screws around the edges. As I lifted the panel off in the midst of continuing trepidation, a spark flew...and everything fell silent.
  As this project went on, so many setbacks had occurred that I had come to wonder if God was even wanting me to do this and if these frequent irritations were His way of letting me know! Such a materialistic pursuit, He would say (theoretically) in my wandering mind, you couldn't find something more worthwhile to do with the blessings I've given you? But I had only to look back on how each one had been corrected, and that the right people were in place to help accomplish this each and every time.
  OmygodOmygodnonononoSpiritImsorryIdidntlisten! I rushed upstairs, shut my computer down (I have it on battery backup) and grabbed a flashlight to inspect the damage. Visions of charred wreckage and spendy repair bills went dancing through my head. A quick scan of the breaker box revealed the problem: I had bumped the panel against the main switch when removing it, shutting off the power. With a sigh of relief, I switched it back on and listened to the house regain life.
  The mass of mangled, confused wires continued their taunt, and I decided it was time to put the panel back on. But the inner witness coaxed on: Don't stop...we've got this! This confirmed that I was mistaken in blaming my earlier nervousness on Him. For several minutes I stood and stared, far from a state of agreement with the optimism. I'd never been this far inside a circuit breaker box before. I had looked a dozen times at how the other arc faults were connected but it wasn't making sense.
  I found myself looking more closely at the circuit I was supposed to replace, tracing the wires connected to it back to their source. This was when the light came on, the precise knowledge of what I needed to do illuminating itself in front of me in the most instantaneous manner. I shut the circuit off and quickly completed the task. Flipping the new arc fault on and seeing success was the most triumphant moment I had experienced in the very long span of this project!
  It is in this and many other such moments that have passed quickly­­--but lingered long--that I have fallen into a truer understanding of what the strength of Christ means. It is a mistake to link it exclusively to the empowerment of self. While this may be provided on some level, the receipt of this gift of grace must ultimately reflect its true end: the pointing to and glorifying of its Giver.
  Almost by rote, believers use Phil. 4:13 as a motivational meme. "I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me." The progression of thought commonly applied to this verse goes as follows: Christ is strengthening me, therefore I can do all things. Pursuing this logic is the kind of thinking that can get people in some pretty serious trouble when misapplied!
  What I believe Paul to actually be conveying in those words goes more like this: What Christ has commissioned me to do, He strengthens me to accomplish. That which I try to do outside of His will is strictly borne of my natural strengths and abilities, and has no guarantee of succeeding. The words of the Master Himself apply here: "Apart from me, you can do nothing."
  Jesus strengthened me to fix that circuit; in so doing, as well as through other recent situations which hindsight has shown me this is true, he has raised the bar for what is expected of me in Year 42. He calls to me to challenge the limits of who I am and what I'm meant to achieve. He beckons me, through everlasting grace, to keep pushing away fears of failure...and of success. Thank you, Jesus, for the quiet rush of one breath, and for helping me in the artful dance of holding on and letting go.

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Holding On & Letting Go
by Ross Copperman

Is anybody out there?
Is anybody listening?
Does anybody really know
If it's the end of the beginning?
The quiet rush of one breath
Is all we're waiting for
Sometimes the one we’re taking
Changes every one before

It's everything you wanted, it's everything you don't
It's one door swinging open and one door swinging closed
Some prayers find an answer
Some prayers never know
We're holding on and letting go

Sometimes we're holding angels
And we never even know
Don't know if we'll make it
But we know
We just can't let it show

It's everything you wanted, it's everything you don't
It's one door swinging open and one door swinging closed
Some prayers find an answer
Some prayers never know
We're holding on and letting go
Yeah, letting go

It's everything you wanted, it's everything you don't
It's one door swinging open and one door swinging closed
Some prayers find an answer
Some prayers never know
We're holding on and letting go

It's everything you wanted, it's everything you don't
It's one door swinging open and one door swinging closed
Some prayers find an answer
Some prayers never know
We're holding on and letting go.

  As the entire nation is learning at this writing, US forces have assassinated Osama Bin Laden, and his body has been taken into our custody. President Obama gyrated wildly to take credit for the efforts of military intelligence forces (and the important groundwork for this success laid for them during the term of former president George W. Bush), doing his best imitation of a patriotic conservative in the process. Most importantly, the 9/11 victims and their families received the justice that had long been denied them.
  When I watch the crowds outside the White House and in Times Square cheering and chanting, "USA!", I have mixed emotions. The wall calendar that currently hangs in my house has the commemoration of the 10th anniversary of 9/11 as its theme. It's my way of never forgetting. The visceral side of me wants to join in the exultation. As wrong as it may be, I feel just as excited and joyful over the death of this man.
  That said, these scenes remind me too much of watching Iranian and Saudi crowds dancing in the streets when our towers fell. The glee and exultation is all too similar. I certainly remember the anger that burned within me witnessing this. There can be little doubt that Middle Eastern residents are now experiencing these emotions watching our celebrations over what they perceive as a martyrdom taking shape.
  I do not bring this up to condemn my fellow citizens for their celebrations. As I said before, I certainly understand it; and in the basest areas of my heart, my inclination is to join them. I also am mindful of the persistent thought that tugs at me, we know not what spirit we are of... (Luke 9:51-55)

  As if I didn't already have enough reason to recite the PETA acronym as "People Eating Tasty Animals", now the well-known animal rights group is calling for a bible translation that is reworded in such a way as to "extend this reflection of Christ's message of love to all by referring to non-human animals as 'he' or 'she' instead of 'it' and as 'who' instead of 'which'".
  Here's part of what the NY Daily News article had to say about this:

PETA said it hopes the switch to include more gender-neutral language will spark translators to readdress the ways animals are referred to in the Bible. Supporters for the change argue that referring to an animal as "it" takes away its special, God-given identity.

"Language matters," Friedrich told CNN. "Calling an animal 'it' denies them something. They are beloved by God. They glorify God."

  Someday, this could be true. We're told by scripture that, in the end, every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. I would speculate that this could include animals as well...perhaps my more scholarly friends could confirm or deny this as a possibility?
  While this idea doesn't really irritate me all that much in comparison to the issue of a "gender-neutral" bible, it's worth pointing out that even if you make this change, it will do nothing to alter the fact that mankind was appointed by God to have dominion over every animal He created. It will not change the historical reality of their use as sacrificial offerings for the atonement of sins, or that some were considered more clean than others under the law.
  As an ancillary to that last point, remember that Abraham stood ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, before God provided a ram to take his place at the last minute (Gen. 22). It's hard not to wonder if a PETA supporter doesn't leave that story somewhat disappointed...
  However, they do get their way a little in scripture. The serpent who tempted Eve is referred to as "he". Yes, I know it's Lucifer in snake form, but it's still something! Most of the time, though, animals in the bible are either referenced in groups or in such general terms as to make gender specification implausible or unnecessary.
  Naturally, we love the dogs, cats, and other assorted creatures we choose to share our homes and lives with. To do so undoubtedly brings pleasure to the heart of God. But to elevate any creature (especially ourselves) above the level of authority or status He has assigned it is to slide toward idolatry. It behooves those with the mind of Christ to be faithful in exemplifying this balance.