20110131

Music Monday - 20110207

When i took LONG SHANKS to the Youth group meeting at church last week i had gone with the intention of adding to my on-going story line.  I shouldn't have gotten on-line if i had honestly wanted to get any writing done, but i did.  In the long run i am glad that i did, but i didn't get any writing done.

I came upon a slide show presented by Together for the Gospel on Facebook. The song moved me deeply and though i needed to use it for my weekly (well, it supposed to be weekly) Music Monday post.   You see, i feel we humans really do see our own contribution to the Savior's suffering and death far too superficially.  I am not saying we remain there, merely that we take an honest look at exactly what our rebellion meant to the very One who created us, who breathed life into us.  For me, when i do this... i feel the joy and immense freedom His supreme sacrifice on behalf conveys.

O Great God
Album:  Valley of Vision - August 2006

Verse 1
O great God of highest heaven
Occupy my lowly heart
Own it all and reign supreme
Conquer every rebel power
Let no vice or sin remain
That resists Your holy war
You have loved and purchased me
Make me Yours forevermore

Verse 2
I was blinded by my sin
Had no ears to hear Your voice
Did not know Your love within
Had no taste for heaven’s joys
Then Your Spirit gave me life
Opened up Your Word to me
Through the gospel of Your Son
Gave me endless hope and peace

Verse 3
Help me now to live a life
That’s dependent on Your grace
Keep my heart and guard my soul
From the evils that I face
You are worthy to be praised
With my every thought and deed
O great God of highest heaven
Glorify Your Name through me

Songwriters: Mark Altrogge, Stephen Altrogge, Peter Gagnon, Bob Kauflin, Doug Plank, and Pat Sczebel

This week i would like to include a poem by John Piper.

Doubly Relieved

My patient Comforter, my God,
     My Life, my Breath, my holy Zeal,
My soul is doubly sorrowful:
     That I still sin against your Seal,
And sinning cause my Sovereign grief.
     I know it is your holy way
To make your grief serve perfect joy,
      But I still pray, O bring the day
When, in the twinkling of an eye,
     My soul will doubly be relieved:
I will not ever sin again,
     And you will nevermore be grieved.
by John Piper

Dancing in the garden
The scent of spring in the air
To tarry no more?

Microfiction Monday - 20110131

Welcome to Microfiction Monday, 
where a picture paints 140 characters, or even fewer. 


Long John couldn't believe his eyes.  He turned to his good friend Gorton, "I think we've found the solution to Charlie's problem!".

"Aye, I always thought he smelled fishy."


* 
Your Turn!  
*

About Microfiction Monday
Microfiction means the shortest of short stories. Think Aesop's fables, comic strips, or even jokes: complete stories that can be told in under a minute. For this game, the limit is a tweetable 140 characters or fewer.
Hate counting letters and spaces? Try Design 215's character counter, which will count for you as you type. Microsoft Word will count for you too, of course, as part of its word count feature under the 'Review' tab.
Photos will be from my own archives; illustrations are from Dover Publications' free clipart sample newsletter.

And finally, why 140? A whole new fiction market has arisen via mobile phone texting and Twitter, who limits 'tweets' to 140 characters including spaces and punctuation. It's fast, it's fiction, it's fun. 

I joined this meme thread from a fellow parent dealing with an Autistic child: Susan @ Stony River: a writing life

20110126

Wednesday Wickedness - 20110126

Hi and welcome to Wednesday Wickedness! We are like other memes in that we will ask you ten questions each and every Wednesday. But our little "twist" is that each week we will pick a famous person and pick ten of their quotes. Each of our questions will be based on the quotes. Got it? Great! Let's begin this week's meme!

Personally, i am not a huge fan of Mr. Gervais, but that does not make him any less interesting.  Again, this is one week behind the full fledged die hard participants of this meme.

Today we picked Ricky Gervais. Here's Wednesday Wickedness!

1. “Why by a book when you can join a library.”
When was your last trip to a library?
Hmm, that is a good question.  A few months ago.  I was helping DS1 on a project of his.  I do agree that the library is an awesome place to pick up and read books, all without the expense of ever having to purchase a book again.  Having said that, there would be far fewer authors to write interesting books without those who purchase them.  Sort of like, why purchase another song when you can just download them on the internet.

2. “People see me in the suit and they know I'm not fooling anyone, they know I'm rock and roll through and through.”
Does your attire properly represent you?
Dunno.  Never really cared.  'Function over fashion' is a personal motto.  So... then again... maybe it does.

3. “I'm from a little place called England ... We used to run the world before you.”
Do you feel the United States really runs the world?
Puh Leaze... although, many citizens of the United States would like to think so.  The United States does have a lot of influence around the world, and they do tend to use that influence whenever possible, but does the United States run the world?  I am pretty sure Mr. Putin and Mr. Jintao would have something to say about that... as well as a few others.

4. “No one grows up saying 'I hope I work in an office one day?' And that fascinated me. People from 16 to 65 are just thrown together and that is a tantalizing mix.”
When was the last time that you worked in an office like that?
The office i work in currently is fairly diverse.  Not quite 16, but in the mid to lower 20's up through the 60's.  It is an excellent environment.  In my immediate area i work closely with someone in each decade of life from the 30's to the lower 60's.It really has made for a fun and good work dynamic.

5. “Where there's a will-there's a relative!”
Do you have a will? If yes, have you ever changed it?
I have had at least three, so yes i do, and i have changed it.  Mostly to reflect the addition of children as they come along.  Since all of my belongings, etc. are going to go either to my beloved or my children, it has been pretty straight forward.  I should probably update it again since it has been a few years since the last update.

6. "When I see a toreador in a bullfight getting gored I think: `Good, you shouldn`t be in there`. What is the pleasure in seeing an animal speared to death? It`s the same with fox hunting. They`re just psychopaths.”
How do you feel about bull fighting and hunting?
I feel about Bull Fighting like i feel about Mixed Martial Arts fighting between two human-beings. It is inane and does not make any sense.  It is brutality for brutality sake.  Hunting i am a little different with.  I know too many families that do so for supplementing their grocery budget.  In other cases the hunters have donated the meat gathered to charity organizations that feed the homeless and less fortunate.  In a lot of cases the hunters help curb over population of some species.  I see what Mr. Gervais is saying here though... Fox hunting is more of hunting for sport, versus a need.  Personally i do not see a need to hunt just to kill something, but for food i do not have a problem with it.

7. “Money gives me the creeps and mildly embarrasses me. I get paid too much anyway.”
Have you ever thought that you were over paid for a job?
There are times i definitely feel this way. But then i do not analyze what i do versus the talent pool available, etc.  Let's just say i am very grateful to God that i do get paid what i get paid, and i try and work very hard so that my employer feels that i have provided the work that they are paying me for.

8. “I hate lateness. I hate people who are late. There is no excuse for turning up late for anything. I`ve never been late for anything in my life. I was actually born a week premature, because I wanted to be early for my own birth.”
Are you usually on time for things?
I am with Mr. Gervais.  I do NOT like being late... for ANYTHING.  I prefer to show up a minimum of ten minutes early for everything.  However, God has a sense of humor and i cannot remember the last time i was consistent with my own preference.  I am not going to say why, because ultimately i hold myself responsible. 

9. “I have plenty of pet hates. I can`t stand people scraping their plate or slurping their soup. I can`t stand waiting in lines. I hate people talking inanely about the Lord Of The Rings. I hate people whistling. But I`m not like this because I`m famous. I`ve always been a grumpy bastard.”
What are your “pet hates”?
I have a thing for doors and drawers being shut.  I have a hard time just walking by a door that is ajar without closing it.  Once while working with my beloved in the kitchen to get ready for some company, i spent 10 minutes "dancing" around the island shutting cabinets, etc. and finally i couldn't take it any more... i had to walk out of the room.  Another time my beloved and i were in the midst of an "intense time of fellowship" and i could not stop focusing on the drawers of a dresser behind her... i interrupted my own train of thought and walked over and shut all of them.  It was a good tension breaker.

10. “I don`t like all this stupid Gollum begat Wobblo and the Oompa Loompas and...Oh _____ _____! There was too much "Oh, god, here come the gloodloys..." _____ Almighty, what are they talking about!?”
Are you a fan of “Lord of the Rings”?
I most definitely am. When i read the the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, and the Hobbit, i find myself immersed in the world of J.R.R. Tolkien.  I love the naivety of the Hobbits, i love the mystery of the Elves.  I dread the evil of the "all watching eye" and his minions.  The honor and comrade between all the members of the quest, and the perseverance of the heroes.  In my opinion Mr. Tolkien achieved his desire to create a modern mythology.  I can reread the novels every year, and i love the movies almost as much as the books.  When the Hobbit comes out to theaters i will be there in line... and when the set (because it will be two movies) comes out on Blu-Ray, i will most definitely upgrade my video equipment if i have not already.



20110125

The Way of Walking with Christ - based on a work of Miyamoto Musashi

20) Though you give up your life, do not give up your honor.
Meiyo - Honor: A true samurai has only one judge of his honor, and that is himself. Decisions you make and how these decisions are carried out are a reflection of whom you truly are. You cannot hide from yourself.
A main reason many people do not fully turn their lives over to Christ, and why so many people neglect to meet together for times of worship (see Hebrews 10), is because of men and women "of God", especially those in positions of leadership (both in and out of the public eye), have not taken seriously the fact that they are not only representing God to their congregations, but to the world.  They have put themselves (in some form or fashion) ahead of God.  Many are like those described in Titus 1:16: "They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work." (ESV)
 
In the Old Testament God tells His people:
"You shall not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall fear your God: I am the Lord." (Leviticus 19:14, ESV)
Now, this command is in the midst of several other commandments, but our Lord also has this to say:
"And he said to his disciples, Temptations to sin [1] are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin. [2] Pay attention to yourselves!" (Luke 17:1-3a, ESV)
We as sinful human beings have NO honor in and of ourselves.  Instead of viewing honor in the traditional sense, we must see our selves as ambassadors of our Lord, and while there is nothing that we can do to tarnish His honor (His perfect righteousness and holiness), people adjust their view of God based on what they see in and through us.  As a "Christian samurai" it is not our honor we must concern ourselves with, but the image of Christ we portray to the world.  There are some very good guidelines found in Titus 1; "For an overseer, [4] as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound [5] doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it." (7-9, ESV)

Even though a Christian samurai may not be in a position of leadership within their local church, we should always hold ourselves to the highest standard.

Before i move on from this topic i would like to share this quote from my Pastor,  "It is easier to fall on your sword than to get back up and learn from your mistakes."  Always remember, we are sinners saved by the grace of God.  We must always allow the grace of God to work in and through us.  Our failures are not the end of it, but the beginning - instruments as you were - for growth.  We must not allow them to hinder our pursuit of our service to Him.  Not one sin in our entire lives was unseen by Him.
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.  For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.  For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.  More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (Romans 5:6-11, ESV)
I cannot wrap this section up better than quoting these verses:
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.  Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.  So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air.  But I discipline my body and keep it under control, [2] lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. (1 Corinthians 9:24-27, ESV

20110124

Microfiction Monday - 20110124

Welcome to Microfiction Monday, 
where a picture paints 140 characters, or even fewer. 


The boat is supposed to be here.  He promised.
 
I dunno David, the fog is pretty thick.
 
Well, he promised.  You can go if you want to, but I'm stayin'.




* 
Your Turn!  
*

About Microfiction Monday
Microfiction means the shortest of short stories. Think Aesop's fables, comic strips, or even jokes: complete stories that can be told in under a minute. For this game, the limit is a tweetable 140 characters or fewer. 
Hate counting letters and spaces? Try Design 215's character counter, which will count for you as you type. Microsoft Word will count for you too, of course, as part of its word count feature under the 'Review' tab.
Photos will be from my own archives; illustrations are from Dover Publications' free clipart sample newsletter.

And finally, why 140? A whole new fiction market has arisen via mobile phone texting and Twitter, who limits 'tweets' to 140 characters including spaces and punctuation. It's fast, it's fiction, it's fun. 

I joined this meme thread from a fellow parent dealing with an Autistic child: Susan @ Stony River: a writing life

20110119

I had a train of thought... but it looks more like the escape scene from "The Fugitive" now

This past Sunday in church my mind was running 90 miles per hour.  We are going through a revisit of our Mission Statement as well as messages on encouraging the congregation to "deeper and wider". 
For a long time i have struggled with 'man-centered' sermons.  Ones that talk about what we need to do, how we need to act to feel better, to improve our relationship with God, etc.  It is only natural i guess.  Especially in those whom the Holy Spirit has awakened the awareness of our own depravity apart from God.  We know there is problem and we know it has to be taken care of, and it is human nature to want to fix it.  To bring something to the table so to speak.  That spills over into sermons on Sunday morning and we spend so much time focusing on ourselves that we never look at who God is.  Sure we use the Bible to insert into appropriate parts of the sermon, but it is to examine ourselves, not to examine God.  One reason we are at the church we are at now is because i have spoken with the pastor, and i can see glimpses of him trying to turn the focus more on who God is.  Anyway... i digress... during the sermon my mind would grab on points and seemingly expound upon what was being preached upon. 

Anyway... this Sunday i took several notes, and i was all pumped up about blogging about this most excellent train of thought i was having... only to read my notes today... and they are not making sense... at least they are not clicking as to why i was so pumped up excited.  So... what i will do is just use my notes to expound upon my own thoughts... and just go from there.

I do remember thinking why are most sermons so watered down.  The messages talk about Jesus saving people, about how good He is.  Rarely have i heard about Him dying on the cross.  Even more rare is to hear the word sin, or that He saves sinners... let alone declaring that anyone listening is a sinner.  Some may think this harsh, but i would encourage you to pick six churches at random in your local neighborhood/city/town.  Most nowadays, do some form of recording, but if they don't and you have the time, sit through the usually no longer than 30 minute sermon.  If you hear the reference to people being sinners more than twice all together, i would be surprised.  Even still we hear generalities such as sin is bad, God is good, and God is love and He forgives.  None of that is untrue, but why can't we go deeper?  Why can't we touch on things like that we are still sinners, saved by grace.  That we do fail God, that He does work in our lives, that we do still require His discipline - which is uncomfortable.

I cannot remember the full context of the sermon (sorry Pastor) where our preacher was talking about being "called out" and "called to".  While i agree we have indeed been "called out" of something, and "called to" something... I do having the opinion that it was too superficial however.  What exactly have we been "called out" of?  A life of sin?  Surely, and yet we still struggle in the flesh.  Ultimately we have been called out of a life apart from God, out of a life where we only live for our self, we have been called out of a life of hating God.
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. (Romans 5:6-10, ESV emphasis mine)
I feel that deep appreciation, and the best thing we could ever do for both the seeker and the saint, is to not shy away from what our condition would be without Christ.  Even after our heart and mind have quickened to the heading of God, and accepted Jesus' work on the cross, it is only His sustaining grace that brings us through.  If it were not for Christ going to the cross, we would never have regained fellowship with God.  There for, not only have we been called out of our own depravity, our own self imposed isolation, we have been called to a relationship with God.  We have been called to living for God and not for ourselves.  We have been called to a state that we will never again be alone.
And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Or do you not know that he who is joined [4] to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.” But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin [5] a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. (1 Corinthians 6:14-20, ESV)
While, now that we are one with God, we should not take ownership of our sin, because through the blood of Christ and his propitiation upon the cross it has been taken away, we should never forget our sorry state apart from Christ, lest we deceive ourselves and think we have arrived before we have been called home.  Apart from the grace of God, and His transforming work in our lives, we are retched little creatures.  This is why i keep a statue of the creature Gollum from the Lord of the Rings on my desk.  By the inspiration of Joshua Harris i quote the conversation between Gandalf and Frodo from the works of J.R.R. Tolkein:
"What do you mean?" said Frodo.  "Surely the Ring was his precious and the only thing he cared for?  But if he hated it, why didn't he get rid of it, or go away and leave it?"

"You ought to begin to understand, Frodo, after all you have heard," said Gandalf.  "He hated it and loved it, as he hated and loved himself.  He could not get rid of it.  He had no will left in the matter."  (from The Fellowship of the Ring)
Apart from the work of God we could never leave our sin behind.  We both love it, and hate it, but we can never just rid ourselves of it.  If we deny that we still struggle with sin and are still in need of Christ, we deceive ourselves. (1 John 1).  I do not think we can have a better example than Paul:
So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, [1] a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.(2 Corinthians 12:7-9, ESV)
So long as we dwell in this vessel, we will continue to wage war against desires of the flesh... our precious... our sin.  To do nothing... to fail to draw our attention to our truest need... is to leave one vulnerable to the guile of the enemy. Do we remain there?  No!  We should rejoice and celebrate all that God has brought us to!  We should sin praises, we should rejoice, but unless we reach down and realize just what we have been saved from - if we continue to gloss over the ugly parts - we will only ever superficially respond and our worship will be deficient for it.

Until we sing...
‘Twas I that shed the sacred blood;
    I nailed him to the tree;
I crucified the Christ of God;
    I joined the mockery.

Of all that shouting multitude
   I feel that I am one;
And in that din of voices rude
   I recognize my own.

Around the cross the throng I see,
   Mocking the Sufferer’s groan;
Yet still my voice is seems to be,
   As if I mocked alone.
(A Hymn by Horatius Bonar)


We can never fully appreciate...
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear
The hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come;
'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far
and Grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me.
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

When we've been here ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun.
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we've first begun.
For those who have endured this train wreck to the end... thank you for your patience.  I take no credit in anything other than the sharing of thoughts.  I pray that this has blessed you, and may you richly and deeply feel the passion of your Savior.

Wednesday Wickedness - 20110119

Hi and welcome to Wednesday Wickedness! We are like other memes in that we will ask you ten questions each and every Wednesday. But our little "twist" is that each week we will pick a famous person and pick ten of their quotes. Each of our questions will be based on the quotes. Got it? Great! Let's begin this week's meme!

Well, for me... i am doing these a week late because i never have enough time to copy the meme, answer the questions, AND get it posted all in the same day... so... this is actually last weeks offering.

Today we picked Kurt Cobain. Here's Wednesday Wickedness!

1. "A friend is nothing but a known enemy."
Have you ever had a “friend” that you discovered was really an enemy?
I have a two for one type of deal.  When i joined the Army National Guard in 1986 i had a girl who i asked to wait for me until i got back.  I don't remember if she ever actually did promise or not.  When i returned from Basic training just before Christmas she acted like nothing had changed.  My brother left for Basic training almost a month to the day i got back.  While he was away i began overhearing phone conversations between her and him.  Since she only ever spoke to me a handful of times while i was away i quickly got suspicious.  When i asked about the calls she brushed it off, a friend blahblahblah.  When she went to go to his B.T. graduation i knew something was up.  When she got back, she announced that she had gotten engaged to my brother.  Wow.  Of all the childhood fights i got into with my brother, i was glad that he won this one in the end.  When they finally got divorced she took him for two houses and part of the 3rd, all of the bank accounts, and two of three cars.  In the end, my brother was left with a broken down truck and enough money to get out from under his bankruptcy.  My brother and i are talking again (it took a really long time), but i am not sure i will ever completely trust him again.

2. "Drugs are a waste of time. They destroy your memory and your self-respect and everything that goes along with with your self esteem."
What is the strongest drug (legal or otherwise) that you have taken?
Since this is something taken, and not administered... i had a Rx for Tylenol with Codeen once.  It was for after my appendix operation.  Did NOT like the weird feeling of it.  I think i took it once or twice and then just regular Tylenol.  I am not one to take serious pain meds for any longer than i absolutely have too.  I am a real light weight when it comes to alcohol as well.

3. "I had a really good childhood up until I was nine, then a classic case of divorce really affected me."
Has a divorce (yours or your parents) really impacted your life?
Well duh.  My own parents were divorced before i can really remember, but the custody battle lingered.  Until recently i had thought that other than having a difficult childhood, it didn't really impact me all that much.  But, i have been learning, somewhat painfully, that i am still dealing with shadows of these years.

4. "I really haven't had that exciting of a life. There are a lot of things I wish I would have done, instead of just sitting around and complaining about having a boring life. So I pretty much like to make it up. I'd rather tell a story about somebody else."
What's the most exciting thing that you've ever done?
For me the most exciting thing i have ever done was to get married.  Now that has been, is now, and will be on into the future, very exciting.  Never boring.

5. "I was looking for something a lot heavier, yet melodic at the same time. Something different from heavy metal, a different attitude."
Is there a heavy metal band that you are a fan of, or were a fan of at that time?
One Bo my mom was very found of, and strung along for many a year off and on again, bought me my first record album (back when they were put on vinyl disks).  It was KISS' Love Gun album.  Man, i really liked Ace Frehley's guitar solo on their Alive II set.  I pretty much stuck with them through High School but when they sort of broke up i went on my way.  Eventually i got into groups like Poison and Gun's and RosesOver time my interest in that style of music waned... mostly i grew concerned about the almost constant imagery of death, debauchery and the like.  And this was before i had become a Christian. I still 'crave' that style of music from time to time though.  Now a days i will pick up and listen to P.O.D. and other Christian metal bands... but my preferred style of music leans to a much more... sedate... tempo and volume nowadays.  8)

6. "I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not."
Do people generally like you?
LOL - you would have to ask them.  A handful i know for sure do... but the rest... i am not so sure about.

7. "I'm too busy acting like I'm not Naive. I've seen it all, I was here first."
Are you naïve at all?
It depends on the topic.  But the older i get, the more i realize how little i truly know. My sons will not find this surprising however.

8. "I've always had a problem with the average macho man - they've always been a threat to me."
Does a certain type of person scare you?
I hate to admit this but i get nervous around inner-city youth.  I know it is born out of ignorance however.  While i have not had the best interactions with them (a school grading period spent in  Washington DC), i have survived to tell the tale, and not all kids are like those i interacted with.

9. "If you ever need anything please don't hesitate to ask someone else first."
Do you mind a friend who asks for favors?
No i do not mind.  However, most of them are like me.  Too prideful to ask for help when they need it.  Although, i had a friend once who needed to get his car fixed so that he could get to/from work.  When he asked me for help it was not to help getting his car fixed, he wanted to borrow money to buy out a paintball store's inventory that was going out of business.  I did not loan him the money... and... i do not see or hear from him all that often.  Maybe it was when i told him that i would loan him money to get his car fixed, but not for what he was asking it for.

10. "The worst crime is faking it."
Do you ever “fake it” for approval?
Oh, i am sure i do.  In most social situations i really do not know why certain things are expected, and i honestly feel that they are superficial and fake, but i try my best to simulate those expectations so that i am not thought of as "insensitive" or uncaring.  There are only a handful of people in my life that know me well enough to know that i do this... so, even when i don't quite get it right... they don't comment or ostracize me.



20110118

The Way of Walking with Christ - based on a work of Miyamoto Musashi

19) Respect the gods and Buddhas, but do not depend on them.
During Miyamoto Musashi's life he learned that he could not depend on the gods of his land., that they would fail him.  We on the other hand serve a God who says in His Word, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say,“The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:5b-6, ESV)


However, Christianity has plenty of history in regards to those who do not believe as we do.  The Crusades, and the Inquisition are black eyes in the history of our faith.  God judges the heart, and a heart cannot be changed at the end of a sword.  As followers of Jesus Christ we are confident in our faith and belief that He is the Son of God and the only way to eternal life; however, not everyone believes as we do and that we may not be able to bring them around to our point of view.  We should understand that God does not reveal all things to all people, but that does not make the Christian superior to the non-Christian.  Ultimately we should be humbled and driven to our knees in adoration for all that God has done and revealed to us in our lives.  For "...God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8 ESV)

Unfortunately i will not be able to expound on this point as thoroughly as i would like, but i encourage any reader who wants to explore this more to seek out the works of Charles Spurgeon (especially All of Grace), Jonathon Edwards, and organizations such as Together for the Gospel and Desiring God.

Remember, you are never going to convert anyone.  Only the Holy Spirit can do that. Respect where others are coming from, even learn from it.  If your message is rejected this is what Jesus says, "And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town." (Matthew 10:14, ESV)  In the end...
Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God;  for it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess [2] to God.”  So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. (Romans 14:10-12, ESV)

20110117

Music Monday - and other ramblings - 20110117

For most of my Christian life (i am only a 21 year old Christian, hehehe) i have interacted with a lot of evangelists.  I am inspired and humbled by these men and women.  They take it upon their heart to carry the gospel to wherever the Lord leads them.  I am inspired because of how driven most of them are.  They have a passion to spread the Word of Christ, and that is an awesome thing.  I am humbled because, while i love the Lord with all my heart, i just do not have that drive to be out there.  Where i do seem to have a passion though is in support of those who are out there.  To serve these people, to lift them up in prayer, to try and provide in some way financially, etc.  In the military, at least in the Army, it takes seven people in the "rear" to support one soldier on the front line.  While i served in Army (both on active duty and in the National Guard) i was proud of the fact i was a "combat arms" soldier.  I would digress if i went into the why i enjoyed being the "tip of the spear", but i was also aware of the need for those seven other men and women "behind" me.  The soldier patrolling cannot safely complete his mission unless he has adequate supplies of ammunition and food.  If he cannot safely get to and from his area of operations.  Communication gear is crucial.  Now, the ratio may not be the same in regards to evangelism, but nevertheless, support people are just as crucial in the on going ministries of the church, but locally and internationally.  Just like actors get all the attention when it comes to being on the screen, and soldiers are looked up to when the are shown "meeting the enemy", etc. they cannot do what they do without the people who are unseen.  Even if God is not calling you to be out front there is a just-as-vital-mission for you to be a part of.  Maybe it is in prayer, maybe it is in going out to collect materials for them to take out with them.  What i am trying to say is that your gift may be just as important as theirs.  Get involved!

It has been many a week since i last placed finger to keyboard and put up a blog post on a meme that i started without prompting (that is to say it is not unique, but that i had started my thread without knowing about the others yet) - Music Monday. I know of only one other who does this as a result of this blog, and that would be Alise.  She on the other hand, has been VERY faithful in putting up her offerings.  She also does a GREAT job of expounding upon WHY she has chossen a particular song for the week.  I highly encourage you to visit "Big Mama's Blog" to see what i mean.

For a few weeks now i have been hearing a new song from Third Day titled "Lift Up Your Face".  Typical when you hear the word 'salvation' the imagery is usually of someone coming to Christ for the first time.  But the past few months have been pretty... severe for lack of a better word coming to mind.  For me this song was an affirmation to my heart that nothing of this world is forever, and my Lord will one day bring me home and i will be delivered.  The dichotomy of bring saved in the now, and not yet.

Third Day - from their MOVE album

Lift up your face
Lift up your face
Salvation is calling
Salvation is calling (your name)

You have fallen so far now
You don’t even know how
You are going to survive
But just over the horizon
A new light is shining
Breaking through the darkest night
Love is coming and it’s calling out your name

You feel like your life is fading
You’re tired of waiting
For your moment to arrive
But tomorrow will bring
A song that you can sing
And your hope is gonna rise
Love is coming and it’s calling out your name

Do you hear him calling
Can you hear him calling
He’s calling out your name
He’s calling our your name

Just over the horizon
A new light is shining
Salvation is on its way

I will wrap up this posting with an observation.  I am either not eating as much, or restaurant portions have gotten WAY bigger.  It has been a long time since i have been able to go out to eat, order an appetizer a main course (or entree) AND a dessert... and lately it can only be one of the three.  Recently we took LONG SHANKS out to eat for his birthday.  This time my beloved and i got smart, we ordered only one entree and split it.  With the family sharing the appetizer, me splitting the meal with my beloved, i actually ordered a dessert.  Why was i pushing my luck you ask?  Because someone has come up with dessert-shooters!  That's right, mini desserts served in what resemble shot glasses.  Small, less expensive than the full size counter parts, and just enough to cleanse the pallet. It is probably a win fall for the restaurants as well because i know the profit margin (labor aside) has got to be much larger for these little delectable treats.  Perfect end to the meal.  I was full, but not uncomfortably so.  Since we are not old enough to qualify for the senior citizen discounts and portion sizes yet, i am pretty sure the Mrs. and i will be splitting our meals a lot more often... and it has nothing to do with the saving money part.

Microfiction Monday - 20110117

Welcome to Microfiction Monday, 
where a picture paints 140 characters, or even fewer. 


Look at you!  You are too fat to even get up and defend your honor!

And you are so unskilled a swordsman, as to be unable to even cut through this parasol.

"BANG!"


* 
Your Turn!  
*

About Microfiction Monday
Microfiction means the shortest of short stories. Think Aesop's fables, comic strips, or even jokes: complete stories that can be told in under a minute. For this game, the limit is a tweetable 140 characters or fewer. 
Hate counting letters and spaces? Try Design 215's character counter, which will count for you as you type. Microsoft Word will count for you too, of course, as part of its word count feature under the 'Review' tab.
Photos will be from my own archives; illustrations are from Dover Publications' free clipart sample newsletter.

And finally, why 140? A whole new fiction market has arisen via mobile phone texting and Twitter, who limits 'tweets' to 140 characters including spaces and punctuation. It's fast, it's fiction, it's fun. 

I joined this meme thread from a fellow parent dealing with an Autistic child: Susan @ Stony River: a writing life

20110112

Wednesday Wickedness - 20110112

Hi and welcome to Wednesday Wickedness! We are like other memes in that we will ask you ten questions each and every Wednesday. But our little "twist" is that each week we will pick a famous person and pick ten of their quotes. Each of our questions will be based on the quotes. Got it? Great! Let's begin this week's meme!

Today we picked Homer Simpson. Here's Wednesday Wickedness!




I am not fan of The Simpsons, or South Park, or King of the Hill.  Maybe i am just getting old, but the humor contained in those types of shows just does not appeal to me.  However, that does not mean i cannot post my thoughts on Homer's quotes and the questions posed by the originator of this meme, Janera Jepson.  So, without further ado...

1. “Weaseling out of things is important to learn. It's what separates us from the animals ... except the weasel.”
What was the last thing that you weaseled out of?
To be honest, i do not fully understand what this means.  I know it means to get out from under... probably a commitment of some kind... so, that is what i am going to go with.  Recently i backed out of a commitment to help out with the Youth program at my church.  I have not been consistent in attendance, nor have i been putting in the time to prepare.  Not to mention other things going on within my own dojo (so to speak), so, to keep in accordance with 1 Timothy 3, i felt it best to not step up into that role.

2. "If they think I'm going to stop at that stop sign, they're sadly mistaken!"
What was the last thing that caught your eye that you stopped for?
I know i have done it... but i have not been able to recall a specific instance.  I remember thumbing through some catalog and coming across a Lego kit for the Frank Lloyd Wright house, Fallingwater, and it gave me pause.  You see i love legos, but there is something that speaks to me about beautiful architecture.

3. “You can't keep blaming yourself. Just blame yourself once, and move on.”
When was the last time that you blamed yourself?
Last night, this morning, this afternoon... it's kind of an on-going thing because there is always something new to take ownership of.

4. “Here's to alcohol, the cause of, and solution to, all life's problems.”
Does alcohol play an important role in your life?
I used to think that it didn't anymore... but i am finding ghosts and whispers continue to haunt me from my youth and my experiences there.  And not from personal use, but from exposure to those who did imbibe excessively.

5. “All right, let's not panic. I'll make the money by selling one of my livers. I can get by with one.”
Would you ever donate a kidney or another organ to someone?
I don't know... that might sound odd, and/or insensitive... but i really don't know.  I think it would have a lot to do with who it is, how do i know them, and my current health/situation.  After i pass away all bets are off.  I am sure i will not mind anymore.  Recently i blogged about how my oldest has been dealing with the loss of a classmate.  I know his parents had a hard time, but they signed a donor card - this potentially saved the lives of several other people.  What an amazing ability to reach out and help others.


6. “Bart, you're saying butt-kisser like it's a bad thing!”
Have you ever thought you were a butt-kisser?
I would like to answer, NEVER, but to be completely honest i am pretty sure i kissed up to some superior at some point in time.  Over all do i consider myself a 'butt-kisser'?  No, i prefer to be up front with my bosses, etc. and be myself.  But, i also prefer to "not bite the hand that feeds me" either.

7. “Everyone knows rock n' roll attained perfection in 1974; It's a scientific fact.”
What do you consider rock 'n roll perfection?
Um... for me i think it would be in the 80's... but the more i look back to movies and TV shoes of that decade... i am considering rethinking this position.  Although i have not found it for myself within the last two decades, i do feel that each phase of rock 'n roll has something to offer to the overall whole.  Personally, and i think this is age and influence from my father, i feel that the foundation of rock 'n roll, the Blues, has something it just cannot fully capture.

8.“Hey, he's not happy at all! He lied to us through song! I HATE when people do that!”
How seriously do you take an artist's lyrics?
Well, fairly seriously.  There was a reason they were put down on paper and/or recorded in the first place.  It was an honest thought/emotion by the musician and then put into musical form.  It is one reason i am a lot more selective about what i listen to.  I have hit my daily "next/unlike" limit on Pandora before.

9. “If something's hard to do, then it's not worth doing.”
What was the last thing that you did despite the fact that it was hard?
Last night/this morning/this afternoon... it's called life.  "“Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field.  By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” (Gen 3:17-19, ESV) Some may have it easier than others, but ultimately, if it is easy it isn't worth holding on too.

10. “The Internet? Is that thing still around?”
Can you imagine being in a time without the internet?
LOL - of course i can.  There was no internet when i was growing up.  I was out often, riding my bike, playing "maul-ball", etc.  Having said that, i have no idea how i survived childhood.  LOL.  I Love the internet.  So helpful in looking up information and for just plain wasting time. And now with web-enabled cell phones!  Yiles!