Daniel Michael Darling, Jr is due to exit Mommy's tummy and enter the brave new world on Tuesday . . . but we thought perhaps he was going to make a surprise appearance at Gages Lake Bible Church in the middle of morning church service. Normally, this would have been fine and I would have exited the church with Angela, out the back door, and we'd be okay.

Only problem? I'm  both the preacher and the Dad. So with one eye on the sermon and one eye on the heavily-breathing Mom in the second row, I finished my sermon and we both headed out the back door, with a trail of very concerned church ladies following. Emma was ready for Angela to have the baby right there in the church lobby.

But alas, Daniel Michael Jr wasn't ready yet--he was just teasing us. I wonder if this is a sign of things to come with him? Anyways, Mom is resting comfortably at home now and we're shooting for that Tuesday 7pm appt at Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights.

If there is any news, I will post updates on the blog. (and pictures too)

When you turn on the news or open the newspaper, it you almost get the feeling that the very institutions of America are crumbling. This current financial meltdown has a lot of people worried. Will I lose my savings? Will I lose my retirement? Will I lose my job? All very important questions. So how does a Christian think?

• This is My Father's World. It may not seem related. But yesterday we heard from a reknowned creationist who shared scientific insights on the creation evolution debate. Bottom line: we live in a world created by God. We sang the song, "This is My Father's World." Do we really believe that? If so, we can cling to the promises of God. We know that even hard times are allowed for our good.
• Americans Find Security in the Wrong Places. Is our security in big investment firms like Lehman Brothers? Is it in the strength of American's financial systems? The Bible says that even the  most trustworthy institutions of men can fail. What happens when everything crashes around us? When hurricanes strip away everything we own and Wall Street squanders our nest egg? Psalm 46 says that God is a refuge in these tough times. He's the anchor of our soul. He's the immoveable rock. Trust God, folks, not your financial institutions.
• In God We Trust. Our currency still bears that seemingly outdated phrase. But maybe its time American's got back to God. Maybe its time Americans spent Sunday in church. Maybe its time to discover the real riches offered in a relationship with Christ. When times are tough, we need more church, not less. (Heb 10:25).

Do you remember where you were on 9/11? For our generation, 9/11 was Pearl Harbor. It was a turning point and something we'll never, ever forget.

Where was I? I was in the car with my sister. We had just pulled into the lot at Quentin Road Bible Baptist Church in Lake Zurich. My sister was still in high-school at Quentin Road Christian. I was serving on staff at Victory In Grace, Quentin Road's worldwide media ministry.

On 9/11, we were tuned into WGN Radio. It was almost 8:30 and Spike O'dell and the news guy were kind of bantering back and forth. The news guy was saying, "We're monitoring a situation in New York. It looks like a small plane has struck the World Trade Center. We're not sure what's happening."

At this point, I thought and I think most people thought. "Okay, some amateur pilate flew into the towers." A few years earlier, Bob Collins, a local radio DJ, had tragically flew his single-engine plane into a local tower. That news story was still fresh in our minds.

But, as I continued listening, I heard the news guy say, "Wait, Spike, a second plane has hit the tower." Immediately, I turned off the radio and had on sickening thought. "Terrorism."

I remember racing into the building, into the media center where we produced the print, radio, and TV broadcasts. A few of my coworkers were there. I burst into the room and shouted, "We've been attacked." We turned on the news channels and were basically glued to them for a solid week.

I remember the feelings of shock and saddness I felt that week. Suddenly, America, which had been kind of an island in a world of strife, was vulnerable. We were attacked on our own soil. If you're not safe in America, where are you safe?

I also remember a passage from the Psalms. Psalm 46. "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof."

I remember attending a beautiful prayer service at Quentin Road. A good friend of mine sang a solo, "God is Real." It was incredibly moving. I remember hearing from Congressman Phil Crane and other dignitaries.

One week later, I drove across the country with some friends. We'd been planning a trip to Florida for months, but the airports were shut down and our flights cancelled. That drive from Chicago to Florida was one of the most memorable trips I took. The country was unified. Everywhere we stopped, people hugged, shook hands, waved flags. It was a glorious time in our country. 

Much has changed in seven years, for me and for the country. I'm married with children. I'm a pastor now. I'm an author. And our country is not unified anymore! People have stopped thinking about God, again. Its sad, really.

Here are a few more recollections from 9/11:

• Dems and Republicans singing God Bless America together on the steps of the Capitol.
• President Bush throwing out the first pitch at Yankee Stadium in the World Series. 
• President Bush standing on the rubble of the Trade Center Towers. 
• The self-sacrifice and bravery of the firefighters and policeman. 
• The outpouring of donations to the Red Cross and other organizations.
• The blood drives where millions of people lifted up their shirtsleeves and donated blood. 
• The restaurant signs and marquees reading, "God Bless America." 
• Great Britain's stedfast support of America.
• God Bless America being sung at sports stadiums.
• The longing in all of our hearts to want to do something to help our country.

. . . declare that you believe in a six-day creation. Recently, Vice-presidential candidate, Sarah Palin, has come under criticism for earlier remarks that seem to indicate that she believes in creation, as oppose to evolution. For many, this marks her as wierd, out of the mainstream, and definitely unfit for office. Even among so-called "conservatives" creationism is considered extreme. Mike Huckabee came under similar fire.

Its one more sign that our world has completely flipped values. Bad is good and good is bad. If you read the Scriptures, you see that Jesus Christ declares himself to be the Creator and that God declares that creation was completed in six days. The Bible also says that "a fool hath said in his heart,  'there is no God.'"(Psalm 14:1; 53:1). But here Palin, Huckabee, and any other person who believes God created the world is labeled a "fool." I heard one Hollywood actor say, "She believes that . . . and has access to nuclear codes?" As if a belief in creationism makes someone unstable. This world, devastated by the fall and by sin, has been turned on its ear. Right is now considered wrong. But who's the real fool?

Don't allow yourself to be swept up in the current of shifting philosophies. Stand firm on what you believe. God created the world. He said so. Science proves it (come hear a creationist speak at our church this Sun)

I didn't have time to watch John McCain's speech Thursday night, so tonight, I went online and watched the speech in its entirety. I was incredibly moved. I've watched hundreds of political speeches in my day. Most of them forgettable. Some memorable like Reagan's "tear down this wall" or some of Pres. Bush's speeches after 9/11.

But John McCain's speech was remarkable for its humility. It was not self-gratifying. It was not pompous. It was gentle and strikingly self-revealing. His authentic recounting of his tortuous time in a POW camp in Vietnman was touching. He admitted, "they broke me."

I don't know you're political leanings. But regardless, you have to admire a man who has given his life in service of his country. I'm reminded of Jesus words, "Greater Love Hath No Man Than a Man who Lays Down His Life for His Friends." We live in a great country because of people like John McCain.

I've been watching snippets of the Republican Convention, just as I watched snippets of the Democratic Convention. What's interesting to me as I watch and as I talk, is that, again, people are yearning for that one leader who can lead us out of darkness. Almost as if electing a leader will automatically solve our problems. We tend to project ourselves onto leaders these days, not much differently than people did in Jesus day. That's why Jesus' message of "Hey, its not a leader you need. You need to be tranformed yourself. Its you that's the problem. You need to be born again, born from above." Ouch. Imagine if the nominee for either party got up and said that to their respective conventions. They'd be booed off the stage.

As Christians, let's be involved in the political process and definitely vote--that is our civic duty to neglect it is a sin, I think. Its poor stewardship of a God-given gift to shape our government. But let's not get to carried away, thinking that if the candidate we oppose gets elected than "Oh, Know." Christians can live out their faith in any age, any government. If Christians in Rome under Nero could be told by Paul to "honor the king" and "pray for your leaders" and "the powers that be are ordained of God" then we can live in America, even under people we oppose.  What would the Christian in Sudan or Muslim countries give for 5 minutes in America under our worst president?

Here are my observations about the GOP convention as I've watched it:

• I like the change in emphasis from big business, money, etc to service, service, service as if service to a cause greater than ourselves.
• I was moved to tears by the story of Michael Monsoinor, who gave his life for his fellow man. Reminds me of the verse, "Greater love hath no man than this." 
• America is the greatest country on earth. Do we realize the privilege we have in living in this country? 
• I'm guessing there are more media in St. Paul than peole. Seems like every cable channel has 25 experts on, breaking down every single issue.