Mín Englisc Blog

Since it's so late, I'll not say much. Here are some interesting notes for the day:
• The quiz in the History of Islam class went well.
• I had my first paper returned with its grade in my European history course today.
• After classes were finished, a friend drove me to Chippewa to cash my lawnmowing paycheck and to get a blood test (for antiseizure medicine levels).
• I spent much of the night in one of the Pearce Basement rooms in Young, watching That Thing You Do!, which I enjoyed. Afterward, I descended to Tony's room, where we watched bits of The Tonight Show. During immodest interludes, we watched bits of highschool football and a channel playing a show called To Be Announced :-)
• After returning from Tony's, I decided to post on my blog, and eventually I was able to complete my post.

Six months ago was this:

Nathaniel Pockras, a freshman living in Pearce, had a seizure this morning at about 6:15.
He was taken by ambulance to the Medical Center where he seized again.
Following a CAT scan, the medical personnel decided that he should be "life-flighted" to Pgh. Not sure where for sure yet. Obviously, this is an indication of a serious medical situation.
His parent's are currently driving here from their home in western Ohio.
Nathaniel's dad has asked me to ask you to pray for Nathaniel.
(For thosse of who who know the family, Phil and Judy are wanting this information to be withheld from Judy's folks for the time being.)
Thanks.

Ken Carson, Ph.D.
VP for Academic Affairs
Geneva College

It's been on my mind a lot today, just considering the past six months, everything that God has done. "How great, Jehovah, are Thy works! How deep Thine every thought!" Here I will say little, for I have simply mused over all that I have said over these months, everything I have already posted. "When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise."

I will mention only one thing otherwise: tonight I listened to two recordings, the audioposts that Dad put up while I was in the hospital. I believe that I have never heard them before. This is the first of the two, posted on the evening of the 28th. Listen to my father's words again.

We don't know exactly what's going on, although there are a couple of different possibilities. There is some possibility that he will have to have brain surgery in the next couple of days.

O the grace of God, sustaining my father! What strength it must take to say this in such a calm manner!

We do appreciate all of you praying for him.

Thank you to all of you who prayed for me, for all of us, so faithfully during that time.

Except the LORD shall build the house
The builders lose their pain;
Except the LORD the city keep
The watchmen watch in vain.

'Tis vain for you to rise betimes,
Or late from rest to keep,
To eat the bread of toil; for so
He gives His loved ones sleep.

Lo, children are the LORD's good gift;
Rich payment are men's sons.
The sons of youth as arrows are
In hands of mighty ones.

Who has his quiver filled with these,
O happy shall he be;
When foes they greet within the gate
They shall from shame be free.

I am altogether exhausted from all this studying. Time for a nap...

Welcome, good and faithful servant! Enter into the glory of your Lord!

Rev. Martin has heard this voice in his ears. What could be more welcome, what message could compare to this?

In our God's city we have seen
What we before were told,
That God Who is the LORD of hosts
Will ever it uphold.

Because this God will be our God
To all eternity;
Yes, even on through death itself
Our constant guide is He.

One who is in God's city now has seen this. How can Oakdale or Montclair, or even Cyprus, compare? What is there in Eskridge to compare to the river of the water of life? And God truly has carried him through death itself, and for him eternity now has begun.


Today has been rather busy, between schoolwork and mowing — and preparation for tomorrow morning's test. I've had really little sleep — only about four hours last night, plus less than three hours of naps in two days — and test preparation is hard. I also have a bit of other stuff: reading for quizzes in humanities and Islamic history for the next few days, plus a presentation in the speech class. Still, it could be a lot worse. I must admit, I will be much more relieved at 8:56 tomorrow morning.
Please pray for some people at church who are having problems with others they know. I'd like to be more specific, but I can't.

The following is a slightly edited version of an email sent on Covienet early this afternoon.

The Reverend Philip W. Martin entered his eternal rest yesterday evening, September 24, 2006. A memorial service is to be held in the chapel of the Reformed Presbyterian Home in Pittsburgh on Wednesday, September 27 at 2:30 in the afternoon. The family requests that those who would like to provide memorials please send them to the Reformation Translation Fellowship or to the RP Home.
Rev. Martin was born January 9, 1911, in Eskridge, Kansas, to William George and Sarah Mary (Wylie) Martin. In 1920 the family moved to southern California. Dad attended Santa Ana Junior College where he was an all-conference guard in football at 145 lbs. After completing his collegiate career at Whittier College, he attended Westminster Seminary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, graduating in 1937 — the year the seminary's founder, J. Gresham Machen died of pneumonia.
He was ordained sine titulo for ministry in Manchuria in the mid-1930s. Shortly after his arrival there Dr. & Mrs. J.G. Vos returned to the United States on furlough. When they returned to the mission field their co-traveler was A. Jean Peoples. She and Rev. Martin were married September 1, 1938, about a week after her arrival in China. They served there until they were forced out by the Japanese invasion in 1940 and enjoyed two Thanksgiving Days on the ship as they crossed the International Date Line on their way back to the United States.
Rev. Martin then served in RP pastorates in Eskridge, Kansas; Barnet, Vermont; New Kensington, Pennsylvania (now the Manchester RP Church); and Oakdale, Illinois. He then served in the Hot Springs, New Mexico mission while working for an insurance agent.
He had a strong view of education under the authority of God so he completed class work to obtain his teaching certification and taught one semester in a junior high school in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He moved his family to southern California to be near his aging parents and, along with Mrs. Martin, helped to start Whittier Christian High School, teaching there one year. Afterward, both of them taught in the Bellflower Christian Schools the next nine years. He returned to the pastoral ministry in 1968, serving in the Indian Mission in Apache, Oklahoma, then as pastor of the Montclair, New Jersey and Fresno, California congregations. Even in 'retirement' he returned to teaching in Covenant Christian School in Phoenix, Arizona.
His children will remember their father for a number of things. Among them are his prayers for his children, grandchildren and the generations to come; his high view of Scripture; his love for his family; his love for athletics; but especially his love for his Lord.
His children are J. Bruce Martin, Ruth (and Eugene) Stevenson, Sarah (and Don) Willson, and Paul Machen Martin.

One of his grandsons whom some of you may also know is Titus Martin, recently ordained to be the associate pastor at College Hill RPC here in Beaver Falls.

The Gladfelters hosted several of us for spaghetti this evening for free :-) I expected to be up there for a little while, but I ended up staying until 10:30, 4½ hours after arriving. I then went to Tony's room and watched for a little bit somewhat of a TV show they were watching on DVD. Looking to find a conversation, I ended up on Young 200 floor, talking with Dan Terraciano for nearly two hours. Dan's a strong Christian, a sophomore Christian ministries major, whom I knew last year because (1) he was in Pearce basement, and (2) he was in my Bible class. He presented the alcohol paper for the Christian Liberties assignment the morning that I had my seizures.
I went up there primarily because half of last year's Pearce basement is in two adjacent rooms on Young 200 floor, and thus I assumed I could find someone with whom to talk. I only went in his room because the other room had its door closed. When I went in, I just hoped for a chance to talk for a little while. Along with another guy (later two) in the apartment, we ended up spending most of the time discussing Christianity. Much of this involved church doctrine relevant to the Lord's Supper, whether session-controlled or not. We disagreed on this subject, but it was a blessing nonetheless. We are disagreeing on how the true God wants us to serve him, not on what God is true; we are able to talk over the subject in a peaceful and friendly manner; we are able to build each other up through these talks; and perhaps most importantly, we all look forward to sinless perfection in glory at the end of all things. God blesses his people greatly!
Because so many of my friends are in different settings, so many are living in the apartments, I'm not able to see them as often, and that's contributing to my loneliness. Add that Scott and I have different schedules and therefore are both awake in our room at the same time relatively infrequently, and I'm able to talk with others much less than I was last year. The conversation I had tonight was great, but it was made even better because of its singularity.

After all that, I should note quickly the only other important thing I did today: I visited the Merrick Museum today, an art museum in the nearby town of New Brighton. It is composed of the donated collection of a man who died probably nearly 100 years ago. Since it has a decent amount of age, there is nothing of ridiculous modern art; the most abstract scenes were a few with rather blurry lines. Many of the portraits were great, but I just loved the landscape paintings. All these ones of Alpine valleys or American waterfalls awe me — especially after I saw somewhat of the same just two months ago.
O LORD, our Lord, in all the earth
How excellent Thy name!
Thou hast Thy glory spread afar
Upon the starry frame.

Kyrie Eleison

Tonight I found out that state law requires that I have a sheet on the bed. Oh well. For tonight, I'm just putting the first sheet I pulled out (actually a flat sheet) and waiting until tomorrow for the rest.

For my humanities class, I watched Dead Poets Society, an intriguing movie. I've been rather contemplative since finishing it.

Morning over Eastvale Hill

A few different notes:
• Today's chapel speaker is Calvin Henderson, the custodian for Pearce last year and the pastor of a local Church of the Brethren congregation. He's a good man.
• Please pray for an important meeting I have after classes today are done.

Post-chapel update at 1120:
• Calvin's sermon considered our relationship to other Christians as members of the body of Christ. Using Philippians 2, he made the note that the instant of salvation completes our justification and makes us members of the body of Christ, but we need to work out our application of those. Of course, ultimately, God sanctifies us and brings us closer to other Christians, but it is also our responsibility to work toward these goals. Just as we must work toward being more obedient servants of Christ, we must consider other Christians brothers and sisters, and we must do all we can to become closer to them as brothers and sisters.
• The chapel coördinators decided to use a rounds format for today's singing. I was quite impressed by the guy on the piano, keeping up with all three tunes at once. However, average students seemed to have been confused, and very few people around me were singing.

Please pray for a possibly problematic situation in one of my classes.

This afternoon was the Geneva memorial service for Nathan O'Neill, the 2006 Geneva graduate who died in July, about whose death I posted. Click on the picture to see it better.

It was interesting just now to watch a squirrel at work for the first time. At home, the squirrels are very fearful of us, while here they are much more accepting of humans; however, I've never before taken the time to watch them. Just standing by a mulch-surrounded tree, where the squirrel chews little bits off three acorns, takes the cap off one, drops another, and even buries one :-) It's probably not at all new for many of you, but for me it is interesting just standing there and watching the animal burying the nut, digging very carefully, putting it in, and covering it over again with the mulch.

Sorry for no post since Thursday night, and for leaving such a despondent post up for so long. I've not really felt horrible most of the time, although I do somewhat long for all of you whom I don't see frequently. You'll find summaries of the past several days below today's section of this post.
Dr. Robson preached today from the first four verses of Hebrews 2, which considers the message preached by the first followers of Christ and compares it to the message preached by God. Attendance was even lower today, just 22, as (again) we had multiple families absent. If everyone would stop taking vacations :-) we'd have perhaps 35 people.
Micah and Leslie Ramsey and their three children (two young boys and a baby girl) joined the church today. Micah is our pastoral intern. They had been members of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, and only very recently had they made their transfer official.

Thursday evening was great. I left with Kaitlyn, Tony, and Bekah, with Brian Jensen (our RD from last year, now RD for Young North, where Tony is) driving, for the Twins game at Cleveland. They refused to let me pay for anything, even the game ticket :-) On my fourth birthday, exactly fifteen years before, Dad took me to a Reds game in Cincinnati. It was interesting considering the age difference and the place difference, but at the same time the similar theme of being at a major league baseball game on my birthday. By the way, Minnesota won 9-4; Jensen, a native Minnesotan, enjoyed the game more than the majority of the fans at the game.
Friday was relatively uneventful. I don't remember much of anything, so I won't post much of anything about it.
Saturday morning and early afternoon were altogether uneventful. However, I left at about 3:45 with Pastor Bruce Backensto (Geneva RPC) and the retired Rev. Ken McBurney for Rimersburg RPC, where there was an ice cream social and informal dinner, along with a psalm sing. It was great to be able to visit at another congregation that I normally would have no chance to see. It's also good, of course, to meet new people, including Pastor Paul Brace.

Here is the church.

Several miles before getting to Rimersburg (not a large town), the highway crosses the Allegheny River (one of the two that forms the Ohio at Pittsburgh). Shortly after crossing the river, there is a scenic overlook at a bend in the river. Here we stopped.

I'm not feeling as dependent on people as it might seem, but I really am appreciating the presence of other Christians in my life. Being in a new residence situation (relative to last year) is disorienting, and a few other matters are problematic or otherwise less than nice. I feel somewhat like I'm out of my knowledge, like I'm somewhat lost what to do, and the only thing I can hold onto firmly is the Bible, but that my Christian friends are safe counsellors too. I guess it's this reason that I've been so appreciative of the recording of the singing of God's people recently, always thinking of the recording of Psalm 20 that Nathan Hart posted, as well as other recordings. I am joyful to be back, but I somehow feel isolated, and listening to these recordings is one of my best ways of coping. I am online frequently, and it is my main (or sole) method of communication with most of you, but ultimately I don't like it. I am glad to use it because it provides limited contact in the place of no contact. But how much would I seek to see it improved! I long to see many of you more, whether friends from last year whom I see less or friends far away whom I see little anyway. I like to IM with you, to read your blog posts and have you read mine, to email you, but how much more would I enjoy more than that, your voices or your presences. It's wonderful to have the occasional incident, such as last week when I ran into Becca here on campus, but it's so rare. More students are here this year whom I knew before coming here, more RPs, including two Indiana RPs. This is great, but having them here reminds me of all of you who are not. I judge not why or why not you are elsewhere. I simply say that I miss you.


Like hart that longs for flowing streams,
So longs my soul, O God, for You.
I thirst for God, the living God.
When can I see the face of God?
My tears are food both day and night.
Men say to me, "Where is your God?"

My soul poured out, I see again
The throng I led to reach God's house:
The shouts, the songs, the crowds, the feast.
My soul, why so bowed down, disturbed?
Hope now in God! I'll praise Him still!
He is my Help! He is my God!

With soul downcast I You recall —
This lovely land where Jordan flows,
Mount Hermon towers, Mount Mizar stands —
Then wave calls wave. The thunder roars
Like waterspouts! Your breaking waves,
Your billows all roll over me.

The LORD commands by day His love,
By night His song, to be with me.
A prayer to God, God of my life!
I pleading say to God, my Rock:
"Why me forget? Why let me mourn
Because my foe oppresses me?"

As if to shatter all my bones,
My adversaries taunt again;
All day they scoff, "Where is your God?"
My soul, why so bowed down, distrubed?
Hope now in God! I'll praise Him still!
He is my Help! He is my God!
I am not holding these feelings except to a limited extent, such as in the first and fifth stanzas, but I do express them somewhat. I see the crowd that I meet at God's house, in my mind, and I consider that again and remember. Am I sinfully being nostalgic? I don't know. I don't think so. Please tell me if I am.

I just found out that someone who was in my Bible class last year with me was also born on 14 September 1987 :-)

I'm almost done with being 18 :-)

Now it's time to begin the hardest work on this sura presentation. I'm looking to be quoting several passages from the two suras that either parallel or contradict biblical teaching (theologically there's not much objectionable in either one). I'm also looking to include two initial ayat, the one I already posted and also the first ayah of Ibrahim:

I'm going to have everything in English in this handout, except for those two ayat and the names of the two suras, which will be in both Arabic and Hebrew.

Scott succeeded :-)

As I prepare for bed, it appears that a group of people are trying to prank us: aluminum cans are visible all along under our door, they can be heard being stacked (and occasionally falling!), and the sound of tape being stretched is audible. Scott is considering going through the window and coming across them casually from outside :-)
Not much happened today. Classes went well, although we almost didn't have a humanities discussion. The professor is ill today, and a sign was put up for cancellation, but the TA showed up and much of the class ignored the sign. However, some people missed class, likely because they saw the sign and decided that "No Class" means that they don't have to attend it.

Yesterday was not impressive by itself, and little was done here on campus to remember the anniversary. A widely-publicised prayer meeting yesterday evening, however, was conducted, although I had no time to attend it.
Classes yesterday went in a mostly normal fashion. In two of my courses (US History III and History of Islam) we discussed the anniversary for a while, especially in the latter course. It is good to be able to discuss events like this with a group of people with so many different initial experiences of hearing of it. Perhaps the most significant contribution came in the US class, when Tony gave the only non-American remembrance that I heard.
One thing I appreciate in the History of Islam class is what Professor Werthmuller is looking to make a weekly event: he leads us in the recitation of the Lord's Prayer in Arabic. It's quite appropriate in such a class, as we're considering a religion that reveres Jesus (although improperly) and one that concentrates on Arabic.
On the other hand, I've also been continuing my work in reviewing a couple of suras in the Qur'an. Last night, I put together the beginnings of Friday's class presentation handout. Something that may well be included is this, the first ayah (ayat = verses) of the twelfth sura, "Yusuf" [Joseph]:

Dr. Robson preached today from the second half of Hebrews 1, considering the various quotations employed therein to prove Jesus' divinity. We had fewer people at church today, just 26, because several were ill and others were out of town.

This evening, I listened to two tracks from a site here and here: recordings of two psalms sung at Calvin, the recordings posted previously by Nathan Hart. I think back on that time and marvel: what a blessing of God that so many people can come together from all corners of the continent, as one body, before God! I was talking with Katie today, as she marvelled at the grace of God.

The whole idea of what Jesus did for us is so powerful! And just the burden of all the sin he carried, it's so much more than any suffering I have faced!

It is truly amazing. Christ died for all his people: billions of people throughout the centuries. Can you imagine torment in hell for all eternity? What about all bound up in a little bit of time? What about multiplying that by billions? Wow. And we're not a faceless mass: that Christ died for *his people* but also for YOU if you're a Christian. What could there be a greater comfort than that? I was talking a little this evening about my seizure, the terror my parents faced versus my peace that inspired my friends. God comforts all of us in one way or another. My parents came and were comforted in seeing my improvement, my friends were comforted by seeing me, and I was comforted (indirectly!) by not at all realizing the danger I faced. And what would I have needed to fear? My medical knowledge isn't the greatest, but it would seem to me that I wouldn't really know it if I had had an aneurysm because everything would pass so quickly. No pain, no torment, no anguish...I will both lay me down in peace,/And quiet sleep will take,/Because Thou only me to dwell/In safety, LORD, dost make. And also comforting is that God cares for us in all difficulties. Will I die suddenly? Will I have cancer that takes my life with constant, long-term excruciating pain? It will hurt and be hard, but whether or not my flesh be weak and weary, God with strength will restore me in resurrection. All this because of the sacrifice of Christ for Nathaniel John Pockras. Can you say the same of yourself? Do you have confidence in Christ? Please pray for such confidence, to Christ, if you have it not. Please know the wonderful comfort that it brings.

Last year, Ohio State hosted Texas and lost, 25-22. This year, therefore, Ohio State travelled to Austin. What do you say to a 24-7 score for Ohio State? :-þ

Geneva also won today's game, 27-13. Although they did poorly in the first half, trailing 13-7 at halftime, they dominated the second half. The best part of the game, no doubt, was a 98-yard pass play: the quarterback found a receiver perhaps twenty yards downfield, who was able to break the only tackler and sprint to the end zone, turning the score to 14-13. Of the other two touchdowns, one came on a normal (although rather long) play, but the other came on an impressive reverse, beginning perhaps 25 yards from the end zone.
After the game, a bunch of us went to Pizza Joe's. Except for Valerie, we were all the same group that began here last year. It's great to have a group of people I know well and who know me well, who understand me and whom I understand, who support me and whom I can support — and at the same time be able to integrate others. Two of our "regulars" were missing, and it would have been nice to have more than one freshman in the group, as we often have.

During the game, I did some homework, noting comparisons and parallel texts between my two suras and biblical passages. The "Ibrahim" sura is so much harder with which to do this because of its nature. However, I did find one interesting passage, which is very similar to Psalm 75:8. "The LORD pours out a foaming cup/Which well-mixed wine contains;/And every wicked one on earth/Must drink; the dregs he drains."

This post was to have been posted yesterday, but technical problems prevented it. Our Internet has been shaky for the past few days, and it was out from yesterday evening until this afternoon.
Sorry to all of you with whom I frequently talk on AIM, as I've been on less frequently. Part of the problem is the unreliable online service, but I've also been really busy. I finished (except for formatting) one paper today, I have another due on Tuesday, and I also have to prepare for the presentation on the Yusuf and Ibrahim suras (12 and 14) of the Qur'an for my History of Islam class on Friday.

This morning's phys ed class was less exciting than previously, as I was more accustomed weightlifting machines than Tuesday. Since the stairclimbing machines I had used before were occupied, I tried out the treadmill and found that Level III of difficulty is not difficult; I ended up walking the entire time, never going more than about three miles per hour. I'm thankful that the treadmills and the stairclimbers have racks for putting a book; I thereby was able to do my reading for my humanities class :-)

Tonight at Tony's, we watched Casablanca. I knew that it was a classic featuring Bogart, but nothing else. What a great movie.

Little of import has happened today. I presented a short introduction of a classmate in COM 101 today. HUM 303 discussion mostly involved the professor reading a set of statements from the text and us declaring our agreement or disagreement with them. It was rather uncomfortable to be the only one who disagreed with the statement that "the Bible was God's true word, given in ecstatic periods of revelation" or something like that. I rejected this statement because of the way in which it seems to say that God just showed various writers what to write and never did anything else. Don't think I'm going into heresy :-)
Work involved mowing a hillside down by the freshman parking lot, along College Avenue between 29th and 30th streets. It was quite interesting, but we would have finished had lack of fuel interrupted.
Tonight was Dessert & Devotions. Besides the program and the talking with other students, I enjoyed the chance to talk with Michael Fulk, who again joined us from Pittsburgh. It's good to be back with friends here, especially when some of the Geneva students are people I knew already, but I really enjoy seeing someone from a family I know so well.

Sorry for such irregular posting over the last few days! Last year, the college's Internet service was really faulty for the first few weeks, and this year it's the same.
Worshipping at Eastvale is really a good thing to be able to do! We had 27 people yesterday, somewhat below last year's average, but this is with several people missing. Because of our pastoral intern and his family, we have more people attending; if normally-present people had been there as well, we would have had nearly a dozen more.
One new Geneva student worshipped with us yesterday. He's an Orthodox Presbyterian freshman who isn't sure where he wants to worship yet, so after he met me he decided that it would be good to visit us. It was good to have someone else visiting at least :-) Hopefully he'll decide to worship with us consistently, but I'm sure he'll be in a good church whether or not he returns.
Tonight is the weekly meeting for the Scout troop I worked with last semester, but I'm not going. It's early enough that I'm going to wait a little bit longer, but I'll probably go next week.

Sorry for the poor quality of the three audioposts! The top and middle ones I recorded last night at Titus Martin's house (he's having something like the Stahls did last year), where we had a goodly number of people singing, probably over thirty.