Cephonodes hylas Linnaeus

Here's my Cool Flickr Photo Discovery of the Day. I would love to know how the photographer was able to capture this image.

Cephonodes hylas Linnaeus Originally uploaded by twin_lens.

Many of My Friends Would Conclude Otherwise

Via my friend Don Nunn.

Pastor Dies in Pulpit

This story has been making the rounds all day long (via MyWay):

OVIEDO, Fla. (AP) - A Presbyterian minister collapsed and died in mid-sentence of a sermon after saying "And when I go to heaven ...," his colleague said Monday.



The Rev. Jack Arnold, 69, was nearing the end of his sermon Sunday at Covenant Presbyterian Church in this Orlando suburb when he grabbed the podium before falling to the floor, said the Rev. Michael S. Beates, associate pastor at Covenant Presbyterian.



Before collapsing, Arnold quoted the 18th century Bible scholar, John Wesley, who said, "Until my work on this earth is done, I am immortal. But when my work for Christ is done ... I go to be with Jesus," Beates said in a telephone interview.



Several members of the congregation with medical backgrounds tried to revive the minister and paramedics were called, but Arnold appeared to die instantly, Beates said.



Arnold had been the senior minister at the church until the late 1990s when he began traveling to Africa and the Middle East to teach pastors. The cause of death was believed to be cardiac arrest. He had bypass surgery five years earlier.



Beates also recounted Arnold's death in an e-mail he sent to members of the Central Florida Presbytery.



"We were stunned," Beates said. "It was traumatic, but how wonderful it was he died in his own church among the people he loved the most."

א = Aleph, ב = Bet...

Week one of introductory biblical Hebrew concluded last Friday. We covered seven grammar lessons during the week - an almost unreal pace to be sure. Nonetheless, I find that I'm already able to read bits of Hebrew text. It's hard to discribe the exciting feeling you have when you see a world like:

אֶלֹהִים

and realize that you've just read the word "God" or "gods" (this common word, which has a masculine plural ending, can be interpreted as either singular or plural, depending on the context).

Now that we know the basics about the definite article, prepositions, conjunctions, noun roots, masculine/feminine/singualar/plural noun patterns, and adjectives, it's quickly becoming apparent that a deep vocabulary will be the key to reading and translating texts at speeds greater than glacial. I've already memorized 22 of the most common verbs, and this week I have to know 43 of the most common nouns. One of my more adventuresome collegues has already memorized about 250 words. My goal this week is to go well beyond the assigned vocabulary and try to catch up with my friend.

Dreaming California

I accidentally discovered this awesome photo of the California coastline ealier today. I continue to be amazed at the professional-level quality of many Flickr contributors.

dreaming california Originally uploaded by Landsails.