The Wild I-15 Corridor

Interstate 15 carries a culture all of its own.

1.  In Idaho Falls this week, you could hear Mitt Romney rallying the Republican bastion.

2.  Down in Salt Lake City this week, you could mingle with a very large crowd protesting against a LDS Apostle.

3.  Heading further down to St. George, you could try connecting together with a ‘lost boy‘ in a coffee shop.

The I-15 Corridor is one of the most unusual hot spots in America.  Deserts.  Mountains.  Snow.  Sunshine.  Patriotism.  Sensationalism.  Capitalism.  And Religion.  All mixed into one pot.  And it is all hard-core.

Believe me.  It is an exciting place to live.

For 40 years, I have loved this home.

Can you even imagine how the next 40 years will unfold?

It is the last culturally conservative stronghold in America.

October Book Recommendations
Every month, I will be sharing book recommendations to our church family.
 
Here are the ones I linked to this past Sunday morning:
 
*** Category – Personal Growth
(1) Confessions by St. Augustine
Our pastoral intern, Beau Floyd wrote, “What makes a man great?  Or what makes a man anything at all?  These are age old questions that deeply penetrate the human soul.  The thoughts and theology, as well as personal history of Augustine of Hippo have greatly influenced Christianity for over 1600 years.  Augustine addressed such questions as ‘what makes a man great?’, ‘what is evil?’ and, ‘what is God’s essence?’. Augustine, having studied rhetoric and philosophy, was thoroughly equipped to tackle such deep issues as evil, and the nature of the cosmos.  Augustine’s Confessions are not thoroughly exhaustive.  However, the nature of evil, as well as the nature and substance of God are two of Augustine’s most discussed topics.”
 
Can we find any joy apart from God?  Is there such a path?  Augustine came to God in his prayer, “Such crooked ways!  Unhappy the audacious soul which hoped that by abandoning you it would find some better thing!  It tossed and turned, upon back and side and belly–but the bed is hard, and you alone are rest.  And here you are, to deliver us from our wretched wanderings and set us in your way, and you comfort us and say, ‘Run, I will carry you and I will lead you home, and there I will carry you.”
 
Let us all pray with Augustine this prayer to the Lord, “Give what you command and command what you will.”
 
(2) Pure Pleasure by Gary Thomas (Zondervan, 2009)
 
This book dovetails with our Ecclesiastes study.  For instance, the author quotes, “I commend the enjoyment of life” (Ecc. 8:15).  “When God gives any many wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work–this is a gift of God. . . . God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart” (Ecclesiastes 5:19-20).  “Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for it is now that God favors what you do” (Ecclesiastes 9:7).  “Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise–why destroy yourself? . . . The man who fears God will avoid all extremes” (Ecclesiastes 7:16, 18).
 
Do you remember what the demon, Screwtape, says about God in C.S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters?
 
“He’s a hedonist at heart.  All those fasts and vigils and stakes and crosses are only a facade.  Or only like foam on the sea shore.  Out at sea, out in His sea, there is pleasure, and more pleasure.  He makes no secret of it; at His right hand are “pleasures for evermore.” . . . He has filled His world full of pleasures.  There are things for humans to do all day long without His minding in the least–sleeping, washing, eating, drinking, making love, playing, praying, working.  Everything has to be twisted before it’s any use to us.”
 
*** Category – Family
(1) The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones (Zonderkidz, 2007)
 
Get it and read it to your kids.  Look how Sally brings out the Good Shepherd:
 
“God is my Shepherd and I am his little lamb.  He feeds me.  He guides me.  He looks after me.  I have everything I need.  Inside, my heart is very quiet.  As quiet as lying still in soft green grass in a meadow by a little stream.  Even when I walk through the dark, scary, lonely places I won’t be afraid because my Shepherd knows where I am.  He is here with me.  He keeps me safe.  He rescues me.  He makes me strong and brave.  He is getting wonderful things ready for me, especially for me, everything I ever dreamed of!  He fills my heart so full of happiness.  I can’t hold it all inside.  Wherever I go I know God’s Never Stopping, Never Giving Up, Unbreaking, Always and Forever Love will go, too!”
 
Brother Nathan Pitchford gives a good review here. 
 
*** Category – Essential Church Foundations
(1) What is the Gospel? by Greg Gilbert (Crossway, 2010)
 
The intriguing part is how the author intersects the gospel with the kingdom.  A brother in our church is buying a case for our church family.  Read the book and then give it to a friend here in Idaho Falls.
 

Barley & Beer in LDS Southeastern Idaho

Notice this letter to the editor in our local paper.

Bruce Hansen writes,

I have been asked, ‘If I am a Mormon, why do I grow malting barley?’  I am a farmer, not an activist.  I produce commodities not as a hobby or to pass time, it is my profession.  I seek opportunities to grow alfalfa, potatoes, wheat, barley, oil seed, etc.  I look at what I am able to grow most profitably given my resources and the markets.  Yes, I would rather grow wheat and feed the world than grow malting barley, but ultimately it is my family that I must feed.  True, we believe that alcohol ‘is not for the belly.’  We would like if others would abstain too, but you see, we also believe that people should be free to make their choices, that passing laws or otherwise forcing people to not drink is wrong too.  Not only is alcohol against my religion, but after having seen its destructive forces in so many lives, I have developed a passionate hatred for alcohol.  Regardless of personal economic consequences, I would stop growing it in a heartbeat if even one person would stop drinking, if in any way this world would be a better place to live.  But, you see, if I relinquished my contract, nothing would change except my ability to feed my family.”

What do you think about the reasoning of some of our LDS farmers?