Ammon, Idaho is growing.
According to today’s local paper, “Eight years ago, the Census people said 6,187 lived there. The number of residents has more than doubled since then: The BMPO [The Bonneville Metropolitan Planning Organization] has pegged Ammon’s population at 13,294.”
Idaho Falls contains 56,685 people. And to satisfy anyone’s continued curiosity, there are 102,835 in Bonneville County, almost a 25% increase from the year 2000.
So folks, Ammon is booming by Idaho standards. I love the growth in this community.
And if anyone is curious about the origin of the name of the town, check out the recent post on Ammon by David on the Blogger of Jared. He has listed some verses in John’s Gospel that I can’t wait to delve into here in Ammon.
But tonight we are back in Isaiah 29.
Today, I planted the American flag in our front yard. I explained to my little six-year old son what the colors symbolized in “old glory”.
The day, 9/11, is a big day for more reasons than one in the Mormon corridor. First, there were flags flying in yards all over Idaho Falls. Southeastern Idahoans are fiercely patriotic. We love our country. We love our men and women in the military. And we are proud. It is conservative America at its finest and best.
Not too many people honked in favor, today, of the lone, young man walking down the busiest street in town (17th street) carrying a large placard broadcasting these words, “9/11 was an inside job! See infowars.com.”
Remembering 9/11/01 motivates me to spend much time in personal prayer for the spiritual rightness of my own heart before God rather than to aggressively picket the community.
I suppose the same feelings transfer over to what I’ve studied about the Mountain Meadows Massacre in Utah that happened 150 years ago. (more…)
A year ago, in a cozy cabin outside of Thayne, Wyoming, I met with a group of Bible study leaders to train them in some of the themes related to certain New Testament books. Upon driving back to Idaho Falls, I admired the packs of bikers on the highway and the huge crowd in Alpine, Wyoming and wondered what was the big occasion. Stopping in Alpine, I asked what this was all about. A lady answered, “This is LotoJa, a bike race from Logan, Utah to Jackson Hole, Wyoming.” And then beaming at the biker, chugging bottled water beside her, she proudly exclaimed, “This guy has biked 159 miles. That is a lot.” After surveying all the “roadies”, I thought to myself, “Wow, this would be fun to try.” (more…)
Click here.
I didn’t have the chance to speak to these guys, but I remember when we pulled behind their vehicle, and looked at their tandem and attachment hooked on their auto.
Absolutely cool.
I will give you a full report on my LotoJa 2007, tomorrow. The LotoJa for beginners.
Alarms go off at 5:00 am.
“Where am I?”
Next thought . . . “Oh yeah, I have a 206 mile bike race today.”
I start eating a banana.
The weather is warm. I am thankful.
Earlier this week, they were clearing 5 foot mudslides off the road north of Alpine Junction.
Lord Jesus, may you in your mercy and goodness keep us all safe today for LotoJa 2007.
My buddy, Tobias Smith, and I, and our wives traced this afternoon the LotoJa course from Jackson Hole, Wyoming to Logan, Utah. Grueling. And I am just driving a van.
We passed a lot of LDS historical sites as we rolled through Idaho down into Utah. Very interesting.
Tonight, I found out there are 1,400 road racers signed up for this epic event tomorrow. Unbelievable.
I am carbed up and holed up this evening in Tremonton, Utah . . . a half hour away from the starting line.
Tomorrow, we shall see what we are made of. I like what I saw on one particular license plate – “RENEWED”.
Praise God for the testimony!
Hey, I just read your article.
I sincerely bear a testimony. I think that it is only God who will get me and another Christian brother through the mountain passes before Montpellier and after on the road bike LotoJa route this Saturday.
I wish you knew Him.
Thinking of heart issues . . .
A while back, I became acquainted with Wendy Alsup while interacting on the blog, Sharper Iron.
Today, I just read her quote in the article, “Pastor Provocateur” in Christianity Today (September 2007), featuring Mark Driscoll and his church, Mars Hill in Seattle, Washington.
CT writer, Collin Hansen, highlights Wendy:
“Still, exposure to criticism does not make church leaders immune to it. Wendy Alsup, the Mars Hill deacon responsible for women’s theology and training, shook with emotion as we sat down in the ‘war room’ and talked about Driscoll. She said that Mars Hill will ‘always be open to criticism, because God has grown us faster than we can handle.’ Alsup defended Driscoll with evident passion.
He asks forgiveness more than any pastor I have ever seen,” she said, “He publicly confesses sin. He’s such a great example to young, idealistic, confident, inexperienced, immature pastors that you have to say you’re wrong when you’re wrong. And he does it to women. I know. He has apologized in times when he has gotten things wrong, and I’m thankful he doesn’t apologize for the things he hasn’t said wrong” (48-49).
One thing for sure, Wendy is a passionate defender of her pastor.
But in the conclusion of the article, Collin quotes Mark,
Fundamentalism is really losing the war, and I think it is in part responsible for the rise of what we know as the more liberal end of the emerging church,” Driscoll says, “Because a lot of what is fueling the left end of the emerging church is fatigue with hardcore fundamentalism that throws rocks at culture. But culture is the house that people live in, and it just seems really mean to keep throwing rocks at somebody’s house. (49) (more…)
LDS Translation
In examining the text of Isaiah 29 from an LDS perspective, I turned first to Don Parry’s book, Harmonizing Isaiah: Combining Ancient Sources (FARMS, 2001). Those unfamiliar with this volume can read Kevin Barney’s review. Attached to the beginning of Isaiah 29, Don’s endnote begins, (more…)
Jesus in Idaho Falls 