Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Packing a "Go Bag"

Go Bag

You never expect that middle of the night phone call. They tell you something has happened to a loved one.

The first priority is to get to the hospital, and get there fast. With hazard lights flashing, you race through the cool night air and fly down empty interstate lanes.

The next task is not to leave them alone there. However, that presents a problem after a day or so. You did not stop to grab clothes, or a change of underwear. You don’t even have your needed medication or your toothbrush. You don’t want to leave at this point. The last thing you want to do is send a friend by your house to rifle through the underwear drawer and hope they also find the right prescription you need.

It is this problem that can be prevented by packing what has been called a “Go Bag.” This is usually a small tote, duffel bag or backpack that you have hanging in your closet.

It should contain at least the following:

Toothbrush and toothpaste

Two days medication or vitamins you take

Warm socks

Change of Underwear

Warm jogging suit or sweats

Hairbrush

Deodorant

A book you have been meaning to read

Power of Attorney for Health Care

Living Will

Phone number of distant relatives you may wish to call

And, it is handy to have this “Go Bag” if you have to go to the hospital for yourself as well. After all, no one wants to wear the hospital gown.

I hope you take this step toward preparedness. And, if you have not drafted your will, living will, power of attorney for healthcare and general power of attorney, I encourage you do that now—when you don’t think you need it. If you want till you do need it, it is likely too late.

Friday, June 11, 2010

Predictions for the Future



Predictions for the Future

The future is coming at us much faster than most of us are prepared for. Here are a few things that I think will be changing in the next few decades.
1. Driving. I think that all interstates will be mandated to be equipped for cars that have automated driving capability. Essentially, some cars will have the ability to drive themselves. This will be rolled out incrementally, and the incentive will be a lane of travel only for auto-drivers. Magnets impeded in the center of the lane can provide an all-weather way for cars to be centered within the lane. Further, radar proximity sensors will keep you very close to the car ahead and behind, which reduces drag and therefore, fuel or battery consumption.
2. Highway Safety in General. As a personal injury lawyer that handles accident cases every day, I see carnage caused by head-on impacts. I have said for years that our descendants in 2050 and later will be amazed at us. They just won’t believe that we drove 87,000 lb. tractor trailer trucks one way, facing school buses and passenger cars coming the other way–separated by a mere 11 inches of yellow painted stripes!
3. Technology implanted in humans. This is actually already here now. Smart chips have been implanted in dogs for over 20 years. They are currently being implanted in human trials. The favored placement is within the fatty layer between the thumb and index finger on the right hand. Many will recall the Bible’s prediction in this area: " . . . and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name." -- Revelation 13:15-17.
4. Cashless society. Cash is on the decline. Already, I have traveled abroad without using cash. Debit and credit cards allow use regardless of what country you are in or currency system they use. Locally, at Kroger, and other retailers you hand swipe a card that has data on it that tracks your purchases. They tie an incentive to save on groceries and gas to use it. Exxon gas stations you hand wave in front of scanner to do your business with “Speed Pass.” This all strikes me as great training for a mark within your right hand with which to trade.
It is important to realize that money is not inherently evil, but instead the “love of money” is. Similarly, it is not a chip that is evil, it is the eventual use by a future evil government. Thus, I am not predicting the end of the world or the rise of anti-Christ. However, technology now exists that seem to lay the groundwork for much of what we see predicted in the only reliable text, The Bible. Is your name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life? One day in your future, that will be the ONLY thing that matters to you. Turn to Him today.

Thursday, June 3, 2010

LONG AGES LONG AGO

Evolution v. Creation part ____ of 12

LONG AGES, LONG AGO

“The days of our lives are seventy years; and if by reason of strength they are eighty years, yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.” ~Psalm 90:10

According to Scripture, Methuselah lived to be a staggering 969 years old. Many others in his time had children when they were several hundred years old. This ancient longevity is one of the allegedly “far-fetched” claims of Biblical creationists.

But, is it really that unlikely? Babylonians, Greeks, Romans, Indians, Sumerians, Chinese and other cultures talk of much longer ancient life spans in ancient times, as well. Many tales explain that a great flood shortened these spans. If this happened just as the Bible explains, then these stories would be preserved in common memory and tradition all over the world. This is precisely what we find. What does Scripture actually teach about ancient longevity.

God created Adam and Eve in a perfect state; uncorrupted by sin, sickness and physical death. It has been suggested that they had the ability to live forever here on Earth. They were certainly provided food, water and all they would have needed in the Garden of Eden.

He also provided them only one rule. (While religions of today maybe criticized by some as having too many rules, originally there was just one.) God warned them not to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. The consequences were also given: they and their descendants would die (Genesis 2:16–17).

With Satan’s diabolical help, our great-great-great (and so on) grandparents rebelled and they changed as a result (Genesis 3). Spiritual death happened immediately, with illness and eventual physical death to follow. Their own firstborn child, Cain, became the world’s first murderer. One of their other children became the first victim. The wages of their sin was, indeed death--both physical and spiritual. This is the bad news, and John 3:16 contains the good news (“gospel” in Greek).

However, sin’s effects on Adam limited his life span to 930 years. The ten patriarchs (excluding Enoch) who preceded the Great Flood lived an average of 912 years! Exceedingly long, when compared to our current spans--but dreadfully short, compared to forever.

Amazingly, for some 1,500 years after creation, most men either could have actually talked to the first man, Adam, or personally knew someone who did! Adam’s own grandsons could have babysat young Noah!

Ages of the Patriarchs from Adam to Noah (Pre – Flood)

Patriarch Age Bible Reference

1 Adam 930 Genesis 5:4

2 Seth 912 Genesis 5:8

3 Enosh 905 Genesis 5:11

4 Cainan 910 Genesis 5:14

5 Mahalalel 895 Genesis 5:17

6 Jared 962 Genesis 5:20

7 Enoch 365 (did not die of old age) see Genesis 5:23

8 Methuselah 969 Genesis 5:27

9 Lamech 777 Genesis 5:31

10 Noah 950 Genesis 9:29

During the 1,000 years following the Flood, however, the Bible records a progressive decline in life span, from Noah who lived to be 950 years old until Abraham at 175. Since then, a few make it to around 120, but most die closer to half of that.

Ages of the Patriarchs after Noah to Abraham (Post – Flood)

Patriarch Age Bible Reference

11 Shem 600 Genesis 11:10–11

12 Arphaxad 438 Genesis 11:12–13

13 Shelah 433 Genesis 11:14–15

14 Eber 464 Genesis 11:16–17

15 Peleg 239 Genesis 11:18–19

16 Reu 239 Genesis 11:20–21

17 Serug 230 Genesis 11:22–23

18 Nahor 148 Genesis 11:24–25

19 Terah 205 Genesis 11:32

20 Abraham 175 Genesis 25:7

As a lawyer, I sometimes use our Tennessee State Law to set out the average life span. Not surprisingly, our current average life expectancy remains between 70 and 80 years. The veracity of the Bible is further confirmed by this fact, even though Psalm 90 was written over 3,000 years ago.

So, what changed so permanently at the Flood? Tropical foliage and a humid environment gave way to an ice age, which led eventually to what we see today. The land mass separated and concentrated our flawed DNA in groups which have recognizable characteristics.

What has not changed is more remarkable. We do not have to teach our children to lie, cheat and steal. Their sin nature takes care of that. We have to teach them to obey and choose the right path. We must encourage them to seek and to find God through the Way, His Son, Jesus.

Jesus, in the Book of John, told us He came into the world to testify to the Truth. The universality of death and suffering should push us towards Him, not away. We know at every funeral that death is an intruder into this world, whether at 9, 90, or 900 years of age. Jesus conquered death by rising from the dead. (see Isaiah 25:8; Psalm 49:14–15; 1 John 5:13). Turn to Him, so that one day you can ask Methuselah what it felt like to live for 969 years.

All prior articles in this series can be found by searching my blog at DavidBPeel.Blogspot.com.