Russians Behind Israel-Syria Tensions

Evidence is coming out that Russia is behind the tensions between Syria and Israel. It seems it is Russia that told the Syrians that Israel was about to attack them. Why? So that they could sell Syria more arms.

This is according to a report from IDF General Amos Gilad in an interview on Army Radio says ICEJ News. (International Christian Embassy Jerusalem)

Australia Requires Knowledge of Judeo-Christian Values For Citizenship

Australia proposes to require a test of all who desire citizenship. After four years of residency a 20 question test will be given. The 20 questions will be drawn at random from a pool of 200 questions about general knowledge of the values and goals of the Australian nation. It will be expected that applicants get at least 12 questions correct or they may be refused citizenship.

The values of a Judeo-Christian culture are drawn from the goodness of the word of God. They are not scandalous. They are the simple values of a nation. They are explained as "respect for the equal worth, dignity and freedom of the individual, freedom of speech, freedom of religion and secular government, freedom of association, support for parliamentary democracy and the rule of law, equality under the law, equality of men and women, equality of opportunity, peacefulness, tolerance, mutual respect and compassion for those in need."

Australia expects a working knowledge of this. Shouldn't America do likewise?

http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewForeignBureaus.asp?Page=/ForeignBureaus/archive/200708/INT20070827a.html

Hello Again

Well, it has been a long time since I have posted to Sprucegoose. Life takes us in different directions. I am not even sure that I am current in the software and technology. I guess I will find out. How about a long ramble about the high points since I last posted? Nothing super outstanding. Just life.

Winter led to another move for the church. This time we moved back into our "campus house" after extensive redecorating / remodeling. I think that it was during this time of daily construction work that I began slacking off in posting. I never really got the steam up after that.

We moved from our old facilities into the new (old) place around the end of January. My last post was May 15th after a series of long gaps. The move in required much of my focus. There were many new things to get used to and I needed to develop a new routine. Feb., March, April, and May just blew by.

At the first of June our entire family including infants and girlfriends all went primitive camping. We spent 4 days in the rain. It was rough, but we all still had a good time. All 16 of us. We made a huge rain shelter out of a 50x30 tarp and all of our tents were also covered in plastic.

It seems that I contacted a few deer ticks as I later developed 2 of the 3 forms of Lyme disease. Getting over that really kicked my butt. I lost 25 pounds. (And have managed to keep them off) Even though, when I went to the doctor, I told them that I suspected that I had Lyme disease, the doctors did not test for it. 45 days later I finally developed the bulls eye rash and got the proper treatment.

Rusty came to be with us in July and Dick Mills faithfully came to the church again in August. He is now 85 years old and says he has cut back his ministry travels from 52 weeks out of the year to about 40 weeks now. I had him pray for me to have the same zeal and stamina that he has when I am 85.

After that we made a trip to Memphis. My younger brother, David, had become very ill and we were going down there to help him get his stuff together for the long recovery. But he did not recover. He died 15 hours before I got to his side. I am so sorry I was not there for him. I arranged for his funeral.

Not to get to morbid, but at that same time we heard that my older brother has contracted pancreatic cancer that has spread to his liver and lymph nodes already. He is in treatment but they cannot do surgery. He can only receive chemo. He might not survive very long. Nobody makes it over 5 years. He is getting his affairs in order. I have not heard from him since David's funeral. Please keep him in your prayers.

Well, that is all for now. I will try to post more often now. Please keep looking in if there is anyone still out there reading Sprucegoose.
Blessings, Bruce