Dear friends,

I've been busy lately, as I'm sure most of us are. Just the normal stuff, with a couple funerals, weddings, and presentations to prepare. I'm excited to be planning a vacation with my wife in a few days. After Annual Conference in Fargo (the most appropriately named town in ND..."Its a far go from anyplace".) (Not unlike the most appropriately named town in SD - "Interior...its in the middle of nowhere.") (and the most inappropriately named town in SD..."Scenic"...nuff said.)

Back to the vacation. A friend of mine once said that all of us need something to look forward to every three months, that is a break from our daily routine. This is well over 3 months coming, but we are going to see our boys for 10 days. We'll freeload off a couple other relatives coming and going, but the majority of our time will be spent vacationing with our boys in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas, and a couple days in Branson area.

We've not done a real vacation together for some time, probably since they started playing sports back in middle school. So beside the fact we miss them, and it's been way to long for us to be away, and they live in Nashville, (which is a far go from Bismarck)...we are ready for a break from routine, and ready for a dose of "The Future" (or at least half of it)

Hope you all have some time to relax, renew and recommit yourselves this summer. Hope your "3 month plan", comes to pass for you soon. God bless you all, Kermit

Following is a review/eulogy of Larry Norman, the ‘grandfather’ of Contemporary Christian Music; or as it was known then: “Jesus Music”. I was privileged to hear Larry in concert, but more importantly was profoundly impacted by his music in my fledgling disciple days. I have met John Fischer, and he continues to be one of my favorite authors. I hope in some small way, my life journey would honor the influence and the memory of this good man. Because of him, I’d like to be a better outlaw! Though he’ll probably never know it, he helped me get started in the faith, and for that, I remain forever in his debt. For more information about Larry Norman you might visit; wittenburgdoor.com

Some say he was an outlaw, that he roamed across the land,
With a band of unschooled ruffians and few old fishermen,
No one knew just where he came from, or exactly what he'd done,
But they said it must be something bad that kept him on the run.
Some say he was the Son of God, a man above all men--
That he came to be a servant and to set us free from sin,
And that's who I believe he is, cause that's what I believe;
And I think we should get ready, cause it's time for us to leave.
--Larry Norman

Well, maybe not time for all of us, but most certainly time for Larry to leave. He's already gone, in fact. He left this earth last Sunday morning at 2:45 a.m., and the world has lost a prophet.

There are undoubtedly those who would challenge me on that last statement, but I will not recant. Sure he had enemies among his friends, and he created much of that. He was an enigma--an iconoclast. He could be so far off you wondered if he was only visiting this planet, but he could be so on the mark that you could only credit the truth and light of the Holy Spirit for it.

Indeed, the first verse of his song "Outlaw," quoted above, could have as easily been written about him. No one knew where he came from, but many wished he would go back to wherever that was. He was an outlaw to everything established, and for that he embodied the renegade nature of Christ's first coming.

When you think of it, a guy with shoulder-length blond hair who sang about "sipping whiskey from a paper cup," "gonorrhea on Valentine’s Day and you're still looking for the perfect lay," and "shooting junk till you're half insane," is probably not going to go over very well with the 11 o'clock Sunday-morning worship crowd, especially 35 years ago. But then again, he wasn't speaking to those folks anyway. And to his credit, he never adjusted, like the rest of us did, to the Christian culture that grew out of the movement he helped found. He never compromised for a living. He stayed an outlaw until his death.

For these and other reasons, I have always likened Larry to John the Baptist--a non-conformist living in the desert wearing funny clothes, eating weird foods and hearing voices no one else heard. After having the dubious distinction of being the one to baptize Jesus and prepare the way of the Lord, John lost his head for sticking his neck into King Herod's private life. Larry stuck his neck out lots of places where people didn't think it belonged. It's a wonder he hadn't lost his head sooner.

In a time of spiritual revolution, Larry Norman carried the torch. He was and will remain, through his enigmatic music, a voice crying in the wilderness. I celebrate Larry's final one-way trip to heaven, and if I know him well enough, I would guess he would want us all to make sure we were ready to leave ourselves.
By John Fischer

Tuesday evening afforded me the opportunity to watch Ben Stein’s newest film called: Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed. I found this documentary to be interesting and entertaining; having enough interviews and film clips to keep my attention and maintain a certain level of entertainment.

I’m not an expert in either the Evolution or Intelligent Design debate, but if even half of what Ben is espousing were to be true, then his point is quite valid and needing attention. His basic premise is that the Scientific Community in America is denying, ignoring, and disregarding anything the Intelligent Design proponents might be offering to the larger discussion of the origin of the species. He believes this is not only weakening the discussion/debate; but is actually inhibiting the beloved sense of “freedom” upon which this country is so proudly founded. As fascinated as I was listening to the various interviews with Scientific Professors and professionals; I was most intrigued with the connections he attempted to draw between Darwinism and Nazism, and between Nazism’s theory of Eugenics and our modern day Planned Parenthood organization.

Granted, I’m sure Ben had an agenda, and used interview clips that fit his bias and said agenda. That being said, I left the theater with one overriding question: I wonder how the mainline modern media machine will cover, report and critique this modern day documentary? I suspected that this film would not get the positive, even glowing adoration, and certainly not the nominations for film awards, afforded other recent documentaries such as Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth, and Michael Moore’s creations: Fahrenheit 9/11, Bowling For Columbine, Sicko and An Awful Truth.

My suspicions proved to be true. I spent an hour or so on Wed. reviewing a number of film reviews from the NY Times, and Washington Post, and MSN. Each of the authors fell in line with the other dismissing and discrediting Stein’s attempt by pointing out his ‘obvious’ bias and misconstrued preconceptions. Funny how ‘their boys’ (Al Gore and Michael Moore) apparently don’t possess such preconceptions. All this simply proves one thing: stated quite clearly in the movie, the definition of Truth is often determined by the majority, and excludes, even “Expells” any minority consideration. Hopefully this brief review might whet your appetite to see this movie, and Ben will give me the appropriate kickbacks this review certainly merits…well…probably not!

Greetings blog readers; thanks for the love! Glad you've found your way here, and hope you return when you can.

Is it me or has the current political campaign season been going on for 3 months or 3 years?? I've just got to remark about Barak's latest comment about all us "small town" folks turning to our religion and our guns cause we're in such dire straits over our current economic plight. Believe you me, I am concerned about our fiscal future, I don't like paying $3.35 for gas anymore than anyone else, but I could walk or ride my bike if I really hated it! I don't like the fact my retirement accounts lost $15,000 last quarter, but at least I had it to lose! That being said, I just love the mindset of Barak (Clinton and McCain are no better, really) that all us backwoods rednecks got to add meaning to our worthless 'flyover' lives are our stupid religion and hunting with guns. I suppose Barak would rather have us sit for 20 years under the leadership of a preacher who bashes America as a greedy, heartless, place; while his preacher has built for himself a 10,000sq foot mansion in a predominantly white neighborhood so he can enjoy the retirement he has earned after working lo these many years with all those poor disadvantaged Americans who have been so unjustly discriminated against by this evil America.

My friends, I want you to know that my disdain for most things political, is not just this latest barb, but the almost constant state of 'disconnect' between government and 'real' people. I consider myself a real person. Yes, I love guns and hunting; in fact I'm tempted to go buy more guns for fear that I soon won't be able to! BUT MORE THAN ALL THIS OTHER NEGATIVE RAMBLING NONSENSE: I LOVE JESUS CHRIST, and my desire to live for Him, and put my trust in Him, and Worship, Love and Serve Him, is in no way related to my 'bitterness' over any economic or political past, PRESENT or future! I've dedicated my life to serving Jesus, and though my faithfulness fails most miserably, most of the time, my intention is to spend the rest of my life trying to give myself away. Not as a vain attempt to repay the One who gave Himself for all of us, but in an effort to let my life be an offering that might positively influence someone else. Would that ANY politician might accept that mantle, instead of patronizing those of us who are trying to make a real difference in people's lives, and in our world.

Wow, I think I better cool off! Thanks for letting me vent! Kermit

I can't help it...I've tried, but I can't seem to get over longing to be in Augusta Georgia this week. You see, the Masters Golf Tournament is happening there this week. It was two years ago now my friend Paul and I spent 10 days playing on a few 'other' courses and spent 4 days walking the hallowed fairways of Augusta National Golf Course.

I've fallen in love with the 10th hole. It's beauty matches some of the more 'famous' holes, but its distinction is a 70 yard long bunker that hardly ever comes into play. I ask...why is it there? And answer...because it's beautiful, and the club can afford it! No expense is spared at that place. I doubt the "Green Jacket" ever open a business meeting with this phrase: "I wonder what that might cost?" (Which seems to be how most meetings are opened elsewhere!)

I've tried to upload a photo of #10, I hope you enjoy it. I hope you might pray for me to be diligent in my work this week, and not give in to my everpresent temptation to sneak away to catch a glimpse or two of that 'sacred space'.

God loves Golf! ME TOO! Kermit