Reverse Evolution Compels Revolution

A recent article published in Newsweek highlighted a phenomenon noted around the world by wildlife researchers: as trophy animals (the ideal specimens of a type) are hunted for sport or food, those that remain are the "weak and scrawny." Essentially, the observation is that Darwin's 'survival of the fittest' gets perverted when a more cunning power (i.e., man) is added to the equation. Decades of "selective hunting - picking out individuals with the best horns or antlers" are resulting in changes to the species, as the less genetically-superior animals are left to propagate future generations. The worst danger is that the "losers tend not to be very good breeders, meaning that this demographic shift ultimately threatens the viability of a species."

I can see a parallel to the Christian life here. Someone told me once that if Satan is attacking you, you know you're doing something right. Satan is a cunning hunter, roving about in search of trophies, and he won't waste his time on a "weak and scrawny" specimen of a 'Christian'. (Besides, it's typically easier to round up and overcome the weak ones after the robust individuals are out of the way).

Are we losing our viability for future generations through the strong and mighty succumbing to the tactics of the Devil? Is our culture of tolerance and acceptance, coupled with the wearying effects of an increasingly busy life, resulting in strong Christians becoming easy fodder for Satan's hunting parties? Are Christians today "weak and scrawny" as a result of our paragons being attacked by Satan?

The call to you today is 1 Peter 5:8-9: "Be sober! Be on the alert! Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. Resist him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are being experienced by your brothers in the world." Stand up and become a target of the Devil, resisting him with all the armor of God and proving a strong example for future generations. We will prevail in the end; our God is bigger than any of the weapons of Satan.

Don't court the Devil, but be such a strong force for the right side that his resources can't help but to be diverted away from your weaker brothers and sisters; perhaps that will be just the respite they need to re-fasten their own armor and step up alongside you in the fight for the souls of the world.

Good Planning

I was asked yesterday about my philosophy of 'good planning'. For so long in my professional career, good planning has been a moving target based on whatever an individual client had expressed through their needs and desires. Consulting is a service industry -- while we are expected to contribute our professional expertise, ultimately the client pays and the client receives what is paid for.

That said, I've not given much thought to my own personal philosophy of what makes for good planning since sometime early on in grad school. The difficulty I find now is separating the basic concept from applications of that concept. To state that I follow the tenets of, say, Smart Growth or New Urbanism is to muddy the waters, I think (especially since applications of planning theory engender strong opinions).
I responded with something along the lines of the following:

Good planning means balancing the activities of daily life (living, working, recreating, shopping) with protection of the natural environment that allows a high quality of life to be maintained.

I'll revisit this more in the future. What do you think good planning means?