Inspiring Blogger Masterpiece Award

Sometime back, not too long i hope, a blogging friend of mine awarded my blog an "Inspiring Masterpiece Blogger award".  This award came to be when the author came to realize how much she had been moved by the lives of others as expressed through their blogging efforts of their authors.  I am honored to be among the first blogs awarded such a thoughtful award.  So, i am going to honor this award by passing it along myself.

The guidelines as i understand them are pretty simple.  1) If you are tagged, and feel so led, please pass this along by identifying the blogs that have inspired you, and share with both the taggee and tagger, of such. 2) You can identify as few, or as many blogs as you wish, but you should write a snippet of why, and how,  said blog has inspired you.  3) I am requesting that you follow the link back to the author of this award and drop her a brief note (preferably with a link) to let her know that she has inspired you, to both be inspired and to inspire others.

Now, on to the blogs that have inspired me.

The first one came to mind because he is one of my few fellow male bloggers out in the blog-o-sphere.  I "stumbled" upon Gunny's blog - Semper Reformanda - some time back when i was in need of inspiration in regards to my faith.  He is a Pastor of a church, ironically enough, not far from my in-laws.  The last time i was out there i had not know the blog, or the Pastor, very well so i did not pay a visit to this man's church, but i hope to do so the next time i am out his way.  Gunny usually uses movie quotes for his post titles, but the content of his posts are always thoughtful, and almost always an inspiration to me.  Thank you Gunny.  May God continue to use you, and your blog, in the lives of all the people you have touched.  Even those whom you have never met.

The second blog i would like to send this too is one that caught my attention by the title alone - Monkeys are Funny - authored by "MyADHDMe".  This woman is an inspiration to me in that she had dedicated herself to serving her community in the Fire Department until an injury sidelined her from her love and passion.  Through all of her pain and discomfort, she has been an inspiration to me in that she still saw the world through the eyes of Christ (for the most part).  She faced the world with a smile, and found humor in her ADD (something i feel i share with her - something in common).  Her blog has been silent of late due to medical issues, but i pray that she makes a recovery enough to come back and blog some more.

The last blog i will nominate will actually be the author of this award.  Yeve Eeffoc - I Never Have the Answers - has been an inspiration to me for a few years now.  She has struggled with being bi-polar, struggled with depression, struggled with bad life choices, and yet through all of it she has kept her eyes on Jesus and known where her true source comes from.  She knows she is a flawed human being, she knows that there are things in her life that are not "perfect" - but through it all she fixes her eyes on her Savior and adjusts her attitude and actions as best she can, all the while leaning on the Savior.  For some reason, she reminds me of the woman at the well and the woman who poured perfume on Jesus' head and wiped Jesus' feet.  I hope those images do not offend, and they may not be 100% accurate, but that is who she reminds me of.  She is also a very talented photographer.

Those are the personal blogs that have inspired me over the years.  There are others that are written by organizations i hold dear, and they inspire me as well, but they are not as personal.

My ultimate inspiration is of course my Lord Jesus Christ.

For while [i was/am] 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 [me] in that while [i was] still [a] sinner, Christ died for [me].  Since, therefore, [i] have now been justified by his blood, much more shall [i] be saved by him from the wrath of God.  For if while [i was an] enemy [i was] reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that [i am] reconciled, shall [i] be saved by his life.  More than that, [i] also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom [i] have now received reconciliation. (Romans 5:6-11, ESV - modified to make it personal to me, however it is indeed for all who have come to a saving knowledge of Christ)

For anyone who comes across this entry i ask that you check out Christ, take the time to read His Word for your self.  He will be an inspiration to you as well.

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Monday Muddy ramblings

I have been trying fairly hard to come up with songs further and further in advance for my Monday blog entries, but the past seven days have been a whirlwind for me, and i am writing this in a somewhat fuzzy state of mind so it may be even less coherent than usual.

First, i do not have a song for this week. 8(  Alise is so much more faithful than i when it comes to this weekly offering.  I apologize dear readers.  I love music so much, but it is often hard for me to narrow it down to just one song, especially a song that i have not (preferably) used before.  And then, when i wait until the last minute, i often run out of time.

Last week i made a new "friend" on Facebook.  It is a woman who is a fellow MouseHunt player, but she also has a daughter who deals with Autism.  Granted she has been placed in a restricted group of my friends, but through her i found a new blog of her struggles with Autism (she lives in the UK), and as a result a whole new set of "link branches" to click and read.  Soon my mind began to swim.  Not that i do not feel for these parents, or care about what they are going through, but i began to feel overwhelmed in regards to my own struggles with my son.  Still, it was nice to meet someone with similar interests and struggles.  In a way... it was nice to see we are not alone in our struggles.  I would have to read some more, but i think the parents in the UK have it harder, or maybe it's just how good the support is we have where i live.

I want to develop my own little blog award.  Is that egotistical?  I do not come across a lot of blogs that i admire in regards to spiritual matters, and i am not trying to say that because i admire it, it is right or wrong.  I just want to have a way that i respect it, and perhaps have a way of creating links to such blogs to personally recognize them.  I mean... i am not anyone famous... my blog does not really have all that many followers... please feel free to post a comment and share your thoughts...

I was poised to get going on my writing last week when i had a minor revelation... i am hesitating because i really am not sure how to think, and write, from an alien perspective. As i have done "research" i have found someone i would consider an "Authority" on all things (Warhammer 40k) Eldar ~ Gav Thorpe.  I recently sent him an e-mail to ask a few questions in regards about how Eldar think, etc. and he took the time to answer!  His answers made me re-examine a few character traits, or at least how i might try and write them.  And not only his answers, but the brief excerpt from his book.His first Eldar novel, The Path of the Warrior, was just released and Amazon.com has notified me that it is on its way to me!.  I am really looking forward to reading his book, and over the course of time i have learned that this is just the first of three!  Yippie!  The Path of the Seer, and The Path of the Outcast are the next two.  While i am eager for the last title the most... i will have to wait the longest... but i think it will be worth it.  I have another "chapter" to release on my short story blog... but i think i should proof it at least one more time.

I will close this week and say that i have learned that no matter how "noble" my intentions are, my execution of such are not always at an optimum level.  For many reasons, many of which i do not fully comprehend (and that is OK), COWGIRL and her children have moved out.  She was offered a whole house to stay at rent free (just utilities), and that is an awesome opportunity for her and her family.  A ton more space and a chance to just be alone as a family - which is really important during this time.  Please continue to pray for her as she continues to seek out treatment for stage IV colon cancer.  The path ahead is still uncertain, and is filled with many a rock, but she has a really good fighting spirit and is really taking charge in making sure she gives herself every chance to fight this disease.  Changing her diet, seeking the elders to pray over her, and anything else she can think of.  I will try and keep people updated in the weeks and months ahead.  If you know me IRL and want a better means to keep up, please let me know.

"I Love Your Blog "

"Jingle", who has recently begun to read my blog from time to time, has tagged my blog with a "I Love to Read Your Blog" award.  Now, i think that is pretty nice.  So, i thought i would share it with whoever else happens to read these ramblings. 8)  I am honored that anyone, other than myself, would actually continue to come back and read more than once.

The rules are pretty simple, i now list 10 Things I love...

1) I love Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior.  He is my rock and my sanctuary.  Since i responded to His call i have known unspeakable joy, and peace.  He is my Alpha and Omega.  Before there was time He knew my name, and He sought me out.  He was instrumental in my life when i still hated Him, and yet even then He reached out to touch and intercede for me.  Without Him, i have nothing.

2) I am deeply in love with my Beloved wife whom has been such an incredible blessing in my life.  God has used her in my life to learn and grow.  She has been an oasis in a pretty topsy turvy world.  She is truly my best friend and soul mate.  A precious gift of God, and i can never say thank you enough for her.

3) I love my children.  What an amazing source of grace in my life.  Not only has God entrusted me to teach and prepare them, He uses them in my own life to learn and grow.  Even aside from that, what a source of joy each of them are in my life.  Each one unique.  Each one amazing.  May God continue to shower them with grace and mercy (to make up for my failures), and when the time comes, may each of them launch out into the "target" God has for them, and may they influence their world for the Kingdom.

4) I love American Football.  For as long as i can remember i've liked football.  I still remember watching the Washington Redskins (my father's lifetime favorite team) take on the New York Giants on a grainy black and white television.  Not long after my dad took me to a game at Giants Stadium when the Redskins came to town.  Loved it.  I've been to several baseball games, and while i love the atmosphere at a ballpark, the franks, etc.  There is something about Football that just stirs excitement in me. There is a strategy involved, strength of will, teamwork.  It's not just 22 guys trying to knock each other down.

5) I love Elves.  I am not referring to the older Scandinavian like Sprites or those associated with St. Nicolas.  I am referring to the Tolkien type.  To be honest i am not really familiar with the smaller cousins, so i cannot speak as to why i do not prefer them over the larger ones; however, i can speak to the reasons why i love Token's version.  For one, the have a love of music (see #10 below) and the study of the world around them.  They fight ferociously against the encroachments of evil wherever it is found.  They are unhurried in their study of the world around them, and they seek to live in harmony with the environment.  They can afford to be patient as they live 'forever'.  And they have a grace of movement which is incredible.  If God ever allowed me to be something other than human, i think i would ask to be an Elf.

6) I love writing.  It is my creative side.  It's like the world i write in is all mine.  I can immerse myself into it and create whatever i want.  It is an escape for me.  One way that i can, in a fashion, still play with my "little army men".

7) I love learning about grace.  One reason i have a growing stack of books to read on my nightstand is because i do love to learn more about grace, to learn more about God and the study of His word.  One thing i do suffer from having a hard time forcing myself to reread things i may have covered.  Even if it is from another point of view.  Like my pride says, "oh, i got this, next..."  Once i trip over this landmine of my own creation i often have to reread the section.

8) I love strategy games.  I still remember playing my first two different strategy games.  The first one was (i believe) a "block game" simply called Napoleon.  It was a board war game with wooden pieces designating Infantry, Cavalry, and Artillery.  I was hooked within 5 minutes of being introduced to the game.  This happened the Summer of 1980.  I could probably still walk to the apartment my cousins had taken me to to visit with their friend.  The second one, and i am pretty sure it was at the same friend's house was a game called Tactics II.  Similar, but a more modern version and a little more dynamic in regards to the maneuver of troops, etc.  Later on i learned about Squad Leader (a WWII squad level tactics game), and Air War.  While i couldn't find a direct link to Air War, i remember devouring the rules and leaning about roll, pitch, yaw, inertia and how it required the build up of energy points to make turns, etc.  If only life were less complicated.

9) I love post apocalyptic science fiction.  I am not really sure when i was hooked, but there were several influences in my life.  Gamma World (RPG), Damnation Alley (movie) come to mind.  There is something to be said about over coming life difficulties, especially after having grown up with everything one needs to survive at one's fingertips.  I think it also has to do with a latent desire to simplify my life.  Granted... life would NOT be simple in such a world.  My more recent interests in this genre are the Terminator movie series, The Book of Eli, Shadowrun (RPG).

10) I love music.  Preferably music without lyrics.  My tastes range from Classical Symphony, quartets, rock and roll solos - guitar, drum, keyboard, or in the case of Jethro Tull - flute, to Celtic Folk music (i.e. River Dance).  I have had a desire, especially after joining our High School Pipe Band (TYNIE, a serious thank you for inviting me to join ~ my only wish is that i had participated longer), and really loving Jethro Tull back then didn't hurt either, to learn an instrument.  Preferably the flute or penny whistle.  Someday, maybe i will actually achieve this dream.

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Now i am to tag other blogs that i love to read (and follow up with a comment on their blogs to let them know how much i appreciate and love their blogs).

CJ Mahaney's View from the Cheap Seats ~ While the title has CJ's name, it is also authored by Dave Harvey and a few others. 
Of First Importance ~ This is a Theological blog (author unknown to me) that seeks to share the gospel of Christ first and foremost.
Thoughts of a Wood Elf ~ This woman has a passion to follow the Lord like i have rarely seen. it is a beautiful thing.
Big Mama's Blog ~ This woman and i do not see "eye to eye" on a few things; however, she has a passion for singing and seeking. And she is open and honest enough to share it with the world.
A Lumberjack's Wife ~ A recent find of mine.  Hilarious, she has on more than one occasion induced Dr Pepper through the nasal passageways.
Monkeys are Funny ~ A fellow beneficiary of ADD as well as a public servant.  Well before her back injury, and i have found that although the body has failed in some aspect, the mind and heart have not.
Lovin' and Livin' ~ A long time internet/blogging friend.  Through storms and deserts she still persavieers.

Sad Wednesday, well, not sad but lonely

Linda at 2nd Cup of Coffee, and of Random Dozen meme fame, has decided to take a sabbatical from generated the random questions every week.  I can't say as i blame her.  it is hard work coming up with those questions every week, AND working, AND writing various articles for Christian Women, AND on top of all that she is a mom and wife.  Her plate is already very full so, while i am disappointed that i will not be able to do my (now) weekly ritual of answering a dozen random questions this week, i wish her well.  And may God bless her with a flood of creativity so she can get back to the questions as soon as possible!  8)

Last week i moved to a new area in MouseHunt.  Have i ever mentioned that i tried out a "new" game over on Facebook?  Unlike many of the other games there, you do not HAVE to have a gazillion friends to help you out, other people cannot come in and steal your resources, other people cannot attack you (but they can assist you).  It's just you against the 165 different kinds of mice (currently).  Each section of the game requires different strategies.  You have to fashion different kinds of traps with different kinds of cheese to lure your prey in.  You can craft a wide variety of new traps, bases as well as different kinds of cheese with various items you find, or create as well.  There are various clues you find along the way to help you out, as well as a really cooperative community of players.  As a new Hunter you are "commissioned" by the King to help reduce the Mouse population of his kingdom.  Novice hunters begin in the town of Gnawnia where you start with a very modest amount of gold in order to buy your first trap and set of bait.  Choices include a basic glue trap and the ever dependable spring trap.  You can start with the simple wooden base, or the more expensive target base.  Basic cheeses include Cheddar, Marble, Swiss, and Brie.  Later on, as you gain experience levels (you climb by catching mice, duh) you are able to travel further abroad and fashion new and improved traps.  For example, i am currently a "Master" level hunter and i have both a Force Field and a Sinister Portal Trap (one is 'Physical' and the other is a 'Shadow' type of trap), i have both explosive base and a dehydration base (which i fashioned later in the game).  I have a large inventory of cheeses which now include Radioactive Blue and some Gnarled Cheese.  I have other things in my inventory, but you get the idea by now.  I am currently hunting for an elusive mouse known as a 'Lycan'.  I have run out of components for the special 'moon' cheese, and so i am working towards getting more bait to return to his stomping grounds.  As i move on, another thing i really like about this game, is you do not have to be sitting at the keyboard to playplayplay.  One has to be patient, and just enjoy.  Makes me want to go and watch the movie Mouse Hunt again.  8)  Get me my Gouda!

The weekend was nice with me getting the grass cut (it was mocking me so i had to act), we also had to deal with another bout of lice.  DD3 had been critter free for six weeks (roughly) and they have one music thing where they are wearing nifty hats (that they are not allowed to bring home), and viola. 8(  I HATE lice.  So, we spent all day Saturday and Monday shampooing hair, stripping all of the beds, doing all of the laundry, spraying and then vacuuming all of the bedrooms AND i got the lawn in too.  My Beloved is diligent (i.e. paranoid) about critters and will perform random head checks on all of the kids throughout the year.  I must confess here, i did not handle it well.  I grew angry at now one in particular (in other words, at God) that my little girl had lice!  Again!  I latter confessed my sin to God and repented.  Lice in and of themselves really are not much more than an inconvenience.  I was railing at all of the work i was now going to have to do to help my Beloved get all of the additional things around the house in order so as to rid ourselves of these things.  In any event, we will be spending the next ten to fourteen days searching and searching, and cleaning and scrubbing, and spraying, and shampooing.

Dirk the Daring was rated as #49 of The 50 Greatest Video Characters of all Time list.  I remember when the Putt Putt Golf and Game arcade dropped Dragon's Lair games into the middle of their floor.  It was not a difficult game to pick up, but hard to master.  I loved the game so much i named my best character after him.  Pip Boy of Fallout fame came in at #46.  Most of the others i didn't recognize. 

Lately i have been thinking about the parable of the Ten Virgins:

Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.  Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.  For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps.  As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept.  But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’  Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps.  And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’  But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’  And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut.  Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’  But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’  Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. (Matthew 25:1-13, ESV)

And

And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come.  Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.’  But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business,  while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them.  The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.  Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy.  Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’  And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.

“But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment.  And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless.  Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’  For many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:1-14, ESV)

People have been looking for the end times since Jesus ascended back into heaven some forty days after His resurrection.  I know no one knows "the day or the hour", but the Bible is pretty clear we are to be ready as if He is to return this day.  That is scary to me at times because i know there are some days when i am not looking towards heaven, i am not anxiously awaiting his return.  It is in these times i am grateful that His propitiation cleansed me from all sin and unrighteousness.  May God continue to grant me grace to discern areas in my own life that are not like His Son, and may He also continue to grant me the strength and grace to continue to work out my sanctification.  To hear "well done" on the final day, is my the highest goal in this life.

Discipleship in cyberspace

While I was reading through the blogs I frequent (see side bar for the links) I found out that Susan (author of the "Learning for Lifetime" blog) awarded me the "Mathetes Award". This award was started by a man named Dan King of Management by God as a way to recognize and encourage others. The name "Mathetes" comes from the Greek word for disciple, and the role of the disciple is to make yet more disciples (Matthew 28:18-20). The intention of this award is to recognize five other blogs that have encouraged you in your walk with Christ (or in a way, discipled you). For my part the five blogs that have inspired me are:

Alise: I have really come to appreciate this woman's desire to worship God. I have been blessed to read through her struggles as a SAHM, worship team member, worship team leader, and lay(wo)man within her church at "Big Mama's Blog". We have similar life struggles and her candor and heart for God have been a blessing to me.

Dave Cruver: Dave has been a blessing to me through his blog, "To Tell the Truth", by expounding upon a wide variety of topics, but I love his love for the gospel of Christ. His blogs are always insightful and helpful, and he does a wonderful job of explaining what he believes, and why he believes it. I often come away from reading his blog contemplating some "piece of the puzzle". His blog is also a wonderful resource for other websites.

Thabiti Anyabwile: Thabiti is the author of the blog "Pure Church". A former Muslim who has come to love the Savior Jesus Christ, I learned about him through the "Together for the Gospel" blog (a group of Pastors from a variety of denominations). He really has a way of unfolding what he believes, and why. He has also been very helpful to me by giving me a point of view on some topics that I might otherwise not have seen.

Eric "Gunny" Hartman: As the author of "Semper Reformunda" Eric has been a relatively new addition to my "frequent visit" list of blogs, but I have grown to appreciate his words of wisdom. He has encouraged me, by challanging me in what he has to say.

Amy: This woman has been an encouragement to me in my life, but not in typical ways one might expect to be. Her blog entries at "How Do I Find My Way", and through sharing prayer requests, have really helped me to see and understand some things in my own life. Her struggles with being a single mother, trying to make ends meet, successes, failures, and just where she is in life and society have really opened my eyes to more than a few things. She has been both a means of grace received in my life, and a means for me to exercise some gifts.

There are others, and it was very difficult to pick out a "top five". I really wanted to "tag back" Susan, but felt that would not be fair. :) Thank you Susan for the kind award, thank you Dan for creating it as a means to encourage others to both be discipled, and to disciple others. I am honored, and humbled, that my blog would have an impact on anyone. May God continue to use me as He sees fit, and may He continue to use both Susan's blog, the blogs that I have listed as a being a blessing to me, and all those who call Him Lord, to further His kingdom for His glory. amen



Verse for today:
Matthew 28:16-20, ESV
Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in [2] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”