The Quadruple Bypass Burger Dilemma

In Fitness for Life class today we were discussing health trends in America and in particular, the startling fact that even with all the advances in medicine, the next generation is probably going to be the first in a long time to have a shorter lifespan than their parents! Basically, all the drugs and work-around surgeries in the world aren't going to keep us alive if we insist on maintaining current lifestyle trends (obesity, type II diabetes, etc.)

Somebody brought up an interesting question related to this. Imagine that you have coronary artery disease and your kidneys are failing, etc, because you just couldn't give up your Quadruple Bypass Burger (below) and the only thing keeping you alive is a fistful of pills every day. If you decided that you don't want to take all those drugs anymore and you die because of it, are you responsible for your own death? In other words, would it be correct to say that you had committed suicide? Or perhaps you're more at fault for the lifestyle choices that put you in said position.
I'll be interested to hear what you guys think.

By the way, if you want to see a truly frightening powerpoint presentation, click here.

Excelsior

Granola and Q=mcΔt

Well, I was going to talk about the many wonderful attributes of granola (inspired by the four bowls I've eaten today), but it wasn't going anywhere so I stopped. Incidentally, did you know that granola was invented by one John Harvey Kellogg? I guess he wasn't satisfied with cornflakes!

I'd like to say something profound, (in fact, I already did--twice, but it was too sappy:p) but, unfortunately I'm not in a profound mood. So, I'll just ask a question instead. Why is it that our wills are so strong sometimes (usually when we'd rather they weren't) and so weak other times (just when we'd like them to assert themselves)? Paul says it better in Romans 7:15, "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do." Is there something in our brains that hardwires us to sin? Did sin biologically change us?

"Now how is he going to tie this in with granola?" you say. Well, I was just asking myself the same question. Let me think for a minute. ..... .... ... ... ... .. . . nope, nothing. ;)

The reason granola makes my mouth water so, is because it's well blended. Think about it. Most of you probably wouldn't find raw oats all that appetizing (this doesn't apply to the residents of room 1390. Or indeed to many of my readers!) Or plain bran flakes. Or handfuls of shredded coconut. But when a master baker is mixing them (plus a few other necessaries--sorry, no garlic johonn) together in just the right quantities and bakes them in an oven which has been set to utilize Q=mcΔt to the fullest extent;) you hit the jackpot! I just need to remember who's the Master Baker around here:)
Oh, and I'd be interested in hearing what kind of analogies you came up with to relate granola to Romans ;)

Excelsior

Modern Times...or are they?

Crossbow bolt stops soccer game

What are things coming to anyway? I thought this was an interesting story so I decided to post it so you guys could see it.

Excelsior?

Pecan-Stuffed Acorn Squash and Other Matters...

Hello,
I think this is probably going to be kind of rough at first, because I don't have a whole lot, well any, experience blogging. But, i've been motivated by the Howes' stellar examples to start recording a random sampling of my thoughts and experiences. (My statistics professor would be proud of me...)

Today the orchestra took a relatively quick excursion to Georgia Cumberland Academy to perform a few selections from our repetoire for the past semester. I foolishly postponed some much needed polishing-up of said selections and so I'm afraid my contributions to this concert tended to be in places of a rather discordant nature. However the trip was not a complete loss for at least two reason. First, I ate some delicious candied pecan-stuffed acorn squash, and second, I was able to have two very enlightening conversations with Barry Howe. We discussed a wide variety of topics, ranging from his thoughts on rationality and presuppositions and how they relate to different musical traditions, to how to turn SAU into the premier college in the country. It was an ecclectic conversation to say the least!

It's a times like this when I tend towards introspection. Will the activities I'm dedicating my time to mean anything in the future, when I'm faced with eternity? Am I merely completeing the minimum amount of work necessary to get an A on my next test, trying to figure out how to do more things that benefit ME?

Humans too often wallow in selfishness, and I'm afraid I'm no exception. Too many times in the past, I've made my decisions based on temporal reasons and I regret that. But thanks to the grace of God, each day provides another opportunity to refocus my priorities. To quote Jon Foreman's paraphrase of Augustine (yes, I plan to read Confessions at some point, but currently I'm working on City of God), "There's got to be something more than what I'm living for. I'm crying out to You...I'm looking for the grace of God today."

Excelsior

Pecan-stuffed Acorn Squash

Thank You!

I really appreciate your gift. I assure you, it will go a long way!

Joel