Freaking out and getting over it

As a Christian I know that the only thing I need to fear is God, and yet right now I am filled with dread. Why? Because I am applying for a new job. It is a job I have wanted for four years now but has finally just come available. I have the head knowledge of not needing to fear this, but my head and body are reacting totally contradictory to how I am supposed to. I have had a hard time just getting out of my own way, but I am now 90% done in getting the application together. The only problem is that it HAS to be in today. *sigh* Why do I do this to myself? My apologies for not having a "Music Monday" post this week. My beloved has come down with the 24 hour "Mongolian Death Flu" - or something like that. :) I am also fighting the affects from it, but I stayed home yesterday to help her, and me. Phase 1 of my deck project is complete! \o/ I originally asked just three guys to come over and help me dig the eight post holes (it will be a free standing deck) on Saturday. I thought I would be done by 5PM... silly man. In the end I did not finish, with the awesome amount of help from no less than five other guys! One guy dug the hardest one, with nothing but a post-hole digging tool - all by himself! The inspection was this morning and was approved for me to move forward. Anyone with stock in Lowe's or Home Depot, I think I will be helping increase share holder value pretty soon. LOL Ok, I need to get back and finish up that job application. God bless... Verse for today: Proverbs 12 : 1-5, ESV Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid. A good man obtains favor from the Lord, but a man of evil devices he condemns. No one is established by wickedness, but the root of the righteous will never be moved. An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones. The thoughts of the righteous are just; the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.

I am a little afraid

A good friend of my Beloved has been going on and on about a video that has changed her life. How it just revolutionized her entire way of thinking. What was this revolutionary video? "The Secret" Because this woman insisted that this was so 'awesome' we needed to watch it, so last night my beloved and I sat down to watch it. If for nothing else we wanted to be able to talk with this friend about it. Pros, cons, whatever. I need to say that after watching this video we are very concerned for our friend and her family. I did not have a notepad handy, and I was just too... well, for lack of a better word, scared... to take notes. I may try and do that in the future though. Right now I just want to know how I can witness to this friend, who is a fairly new Christian. To be honest we turned it off after 30 minutes. What concerns me is that, just like any lie the enemy tries to propigate, there are enough threads of truth to draw you in. In the garden the enemy started with, "Did God actually say,... ". There is a lot to be said about the 'power of positive thinking', but it is presented in such a way that we - mankind - become the power to make good things happen. I am in prayer over this. This couple is coming over tonight for dinner (arranged before we watched the video) and I really want to be able to present the truth in such a way as to not discourage their pursuit of growth in Christ. One article I have found that will be a good help is found here: "Did Jesus know 'The Secret'?" by Robert Velarde Verse for today: Romans 1:19-25, ESV For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

Open loathing

For sometime I have frequented a message board that focuses on a hobby of mine. There are of course several forums that discuss various aspects of the game (rules, fan fiction, alternate rules, etc.), but there is one that discusses "off topic" subjects. There is a wide variety of topics that are discussed there. Quite frequently Christianity is brought up - usually in the negative bent. There are a few other Christians there. For myself, I've given up trying to discuss rationally about my faith there. Why? Because I am seen as irrational - as is anyone who believes in Christ in their point of view. To be fair they do not just bash Christianity but all forms of organized religion. My mind is racing with all kind of threads I can pursue with this blog entry, but I am not sure any of them are really helpful. There is a part of me that is heart broken. There is a part of me that is angry. All I can do is pray for them - even though they say that is offensive to them. *sigh* I am just grateful that in the end I am confident in my faith - a faith that was not just dreamed up, but reasoned through. I know I am not perfect, nor is my intellect. But I am content that I have not just accepted things at face value but I have read and thought through several points of view - to include theirs - and I am confident in my decision. In the end there is some sadness in knowing that not everyone will accept Christ. And why shouldn't there be? In Christ is perfect peace and joy. Without Christ there is gnashing of teeth. To be honest, there is a fear of what these people would do if they should ever become some form of policy maker. I fear for another Rome type of persecution. I doubt I would see it in my lifetime, but I fear for my children and their children. Even though I see it in Revelations, there is a part of me that does not want to see it. Things like this really do deepen the yearning for being absent with the body and present with the Lord. I am selfish in desiring a quiet passing when my time comes though. Verse for today: Romans 14:10-12, ESV 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.