I don't know how many of you have ever heard of this movie, but I once watched the old black and white version with my dad when we lived in Kansas. He had the summer off from his other job and once and a while we would go to the library and get a movie and The Day the Earth Stood Still happened to be one of those movies. It was confusing and yet at the same time intriguing to me, and this summer is actually what likely started me loving movies, because I watched a lot with my dad.
Well now they are in the finishing stages of a remake of this classic movie, thankfully not in B&W. I literally just watched this Trailer. It looks like it is shaping up to be a great movie.
Monday, July 07, 2008
Life and Death
Life is a very interesting "creature" when you sit back and think about the way God put this system in to place and in motion. Whenever I watch channels like Animal Planet or Discovery, I always get a good chuckle and find myself wondering why God named things the way he did. For example the Aardvark. First of all look at the animal, if you don't think that animal looks a little funny and a little weird all at the same time. If you don't think any of that don't worry about it I'm probably the weird one here (no comment needed).
Then look at humans and our lives, and our existence for that matter. I find it very peculiar the way our bodies are created and our continuing growth. At this point in her life my niece is having problems with her ankle bones and the way they are forming. Interestingly enough the doctors were able to take care of the problem by putting a cast on her leg that forces her ankle to be shaped a certain way. How crazy is that? God in his foresight knew that bones could be fixed at their early stages of development because they are still soft and somewhat pliable.
Something I have thought of before, but has recently been coming up even more in my thoughts. The way we die is very interesting. I wonder why our bodies must stop working the way they do. I have been the on-call chaplain at the hospital here in Marion multiple times, seeing a person die and leave this life. Why couldn't our death just be like Enoch's or Elisha's. I wonder what our deaths would have looked like without sin in the world. In all reality death, while painful, is a beautiful aspect of our existence in this life. No pain, no suffering, no sorrow in the arms of Christ. So why do we die the way we do?...
Then look at humans and our lives, and our existence for that matter. I find it very peculiar the way our bodies are created and our continuing growth. At this point in her life my niece is having problems with her ankle bones and the way they are forming. Interestingly enough the doctors were able to take care of the problem by putting a cast on her leg that forces her ankle to be shaped a certain way. How crazy is that? God in his foresight knew that bones could be fixed at their early stages of development because they are still soft and somewhat pliable.
Something I have thought of before, but has recently been coming up even more in my thoughts. The way we die is very interesting. I wonder why our bodies must stop working the way they do. I have been the on-call chaplain at the hospital here in Marion multiple times, seeing a person die and leave this life. Why couldn't our death just be like Enoch's or Elisha's. I wonder what our deaths would have looked like without sin in the world. In all reality death, while painful, is a beautiful aspect of our existence in this life. No pain, no suffering, no sorrow in the arms of Christ. So why do we die the way we do?...
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Onward
Today is officially my first day back in the office after Steph's miscarriage. I don't really know what exactly to do here, granted today is a Food Pantry pick-up day so I just have to wait on people to come in and I get to hand out food. This is obvious but I am definitely getting back up to speed quicker than Steph is, this is not to say I don't care, it is just that I'm a guy and I didn't have to carry our child inside of me for 11 weeks only to bleed him/her all out in the bathroom.
Sometimes I wonder if my life being shaped so significantly by my dad's death when I was 14 was a hindrance more than a help for me and those around me. I not only have a bit of a callous over my heart because I have seen death firsthand and continue to see it as volunteer chaplain at MGH, but deep down inside of me things like this don't hurt like they used to 10 years ago. This being my child that has died, I am in a completely different situation than ever before in my life. There was nothing I could fix, nothing I could figure out what went wrong, nothing I could do to change any of this.
John Eldredge wrote a book called Waking the Dead, I haven't actually read all of this book yet, but desire too soon. I receive on a daily basis emails from Eldredge's Ransomed Heart Ministry, and one of the quoted this book and here is what I read.
The mind takes in and processes information. But it remains, for the most part, indifferent. It is your mind that tells you it is now 2:00 A.M. and your daughter has not returned, for the car is not in the driveway. Your heart wrestles with whether or not this is cause for worry. The heart lives in the far more bloody and magnificent realities of living and dying and loving and hating. That’s why those who live from their minds are detached from life. Things don’t seem to touch them very much; they puzzle at the way others are so affected by life, and they conclude others are emotional and unstable. Meanwhile, those who live from the heart find those who live from the mind . . . unavailable. Yes, they are physically present. So is your computer. This is the sorrow of many marriages, and the number one disappointment of children who feel entirely missed or misunderstood by their parents.
Yes, the heart is the source of our emotions. But we have equated the heart with emotion, and put it away for a messy and even dangerous guide. No doubt, many people have made a wreck of their lives by following an emotion without stopping to consider whether it was a good idea to do so. Neither adultery nor murder is a rational act. But equating the heart with emotion is the same nonsense as saying that love is a feeling. Surely, we know that love is more than feeling loving; for if Christ had followed his emotions, he would not have gone to the cross for us. Like any man would have been, he was afraid; in fact, he knew that the sins of the world would be laid upon him, and so he had even greater cause for hesitation (Mark 14:32–35). But in the hour of his greatest trial, his love overcame his fear of what loving would cost him.
Emotions are the voice of the heart, to borrow Chip Dodd’s phrase. Not the heart, but its voice.
Waking the Dead , 41-42)
Sometimes I wonder if my life being shaped so significantly by my dad's death when I was 14 was a hindrance more than a help for me and those around me. I not only have a bit of a callous over my heart because I have seen death firsthand and continue to see it as volunteer chaplain at MGH, but deep down inside of me things like this don't hurt like they used to 10 years ago. This being my child that has died, I am in a completely different situation than ever before in my life. There was nothing I could fix, nothing I could figure out what went wrong, nothing I could do to change any of this.
John Eldredge wrote a book called Waking the Dead, I haven't actually read all of this book yet, but desire too soon. I receive on a daily basis emails from Eldredge's Ransomed Heart Ministry, and one of the quoted this book and here is what I read.
The mind takes in and processes information. But it remains, for the most part, indifferent. It is your mind that tells you it is now 2:00 A.M. and your daughter has not returned, for the car is not in the driveway. Your heart wrestles with whether or not this is cause for worry. The heart lives in the far more bloody and magnificent realities of living and dying and loving and hating. That’s why those who live from their minds are detached from life. Things don’t seem to touch them very much; they puzzle at the way others are so affected by life, and they conclude others are emotional and unstable. Meanwhile, those who live from the heart find those who live from the mind . . . unavailable. Yes, they are physically present. So is your computer. This is the sorrow of many marriages, and the number one disappointment of children who feel entirely missed or misunderstood by their parents.
Yes, the heart is the source of our emotions. But we have equated the heart with emotion, and put it away for a messy and even dangerous guide. No doubt, many people have made a wreck of their lives by following an emotion without stopping to consider whether it was a good idea to do so. Neither adultery nor murder is a rational act. But equating the heart with emotion is the same nonsense as saying that love is a feeling. Surely, we know that love is more than feeling loving; for if Christ had followed his emotions, he would not have gone to the cross for us. Like any man would have been, he was afraid; in fact, he knew that the sins of the world would be laid upon him, and so he had even greater cause for hesitation (Mark 14:32–35). But in the hour of his greatest trial, his love overcame his fear of what loving would cost him.
Emotions are the voice of the heart, to borrow Chip Dodd’s phrase. Not the heart, but its voice.
Waking the Dead , 41-42)
Friday, June 27, 2008
Pain, Suffering, Confusion and all the other emotions
Weird title huh? Well I have had the week of my life that I never saw coming. I volunteered my time down at the Campgrounds for Sr. High camp this week as night security from 3am to 7am, and then whatever else they needed. Needless to say that completely wore me out and made me feel 30 years older overnight.
Another event going on was even more tiring. This week we went to the doctor to hear the heartbeat of our child growing in Steph. We were both extremely excited about this and exhausted because of the anticipation. While there they were unable to find the heartbeat, which was not uncommon for only being 10 weeks almost 11. That being the case the doc wanted to perform an ultrasound on Steph (both external and internal). Sadly he wasn't able to find any sign of our child. Today it was made official that Stephanie's body is in the process of a miscarriage. We would really covet your prayers at this time for what we are going through. The worse part about this is not being able to know what caused it and how to avoid this in the future. It is very interesting how important closure appears to feel.
At the same time we are comforted by the fact that our little child (he/she) is in Heaven with no pain, no bruises, hurts, sorrow. This is something I was so looking forward to in my life, to be a father and raise a child. I am so sad
Another event going on was even more tiring. This week we went to the doctor to hear the heartbeat of our child growing in Steph. We were both extremely excited about this and exhausted because of the anticipation. While there they were unable to find the heartbeat, which was not uncommon for only being 10 weeks almost 11. That being the case the doc wanted to perform an ultrasound on Steph (both external and internal). Sadly he wasn't able to find any sign of our child. Today it was made official that Stephanie's body is in the process of a miscarriage. We would really covet your prayers at this time for what we are going through. The worse part about this is not being able to know what caused it and how to avoid this in the future. It is very interesting how important closure appears to feel.
At the same time we are comforted by the fact that our little child (he/she) is in Heaven with no pain, no bruises, hurts, sorrow. This is something I was so looking forward to in my life, to be a father and raise a child. I am so sad
Monday, June 16, 2008
Father's Day
How typical of me to post about Father's Day the day after. How typical. Rather than you thinking that this is a post about what happened and how happy I was on Father's Day, well this isn't. This also isn't my attempt at bashing everybody that did post about what they did on Father's Day.
Honestly this being my "first" Father's Day (yes if you didn't now Stephanie and I are expecting a child on or around Jan. 15th 2009, she is doing great as possible with all the tiredness and nausea) I wasn't all that excited about this day. I'm not exactly the most sentimental person in the world, surprise, surprise. I really don't like the attention or recognition for something that should be expected from a man, especially a Christian man. Yet it would have almost felt wrong to stand up when the fathers were applauded.
Maybe there is more to this. As I sat there and applauded all the fathers that were there I wondered if I actually should have stood up for a couple of reasons. One because I technically am a father, my child has not been born yet, but I believe is actually alive and has a beating heart and has been alive since conception whenever that really was. Two because of that fact that my child is alive and growing and causing Steph to be extremely tired at all hours of the day, does my not standing make it look like I don't believe my child is alive. The conclusions that I have come to could be boiled all down to one phrase that is almost a motto for me and I say to a lot of people, "It doesn't matter what people think of me". Maybe you think that is harsh but I don't, nonetheless I don't really know 100% why I didn't stand up.
In reality it could have very well been that I doubt whether or not I am even enough of a man to raise a boy in to a man, let alone a girl in to a woman. I realize all the lovey dovey cliches we have like God equips the called, and God wouldn't allow us to be tested beyond our strength. Well that is all well and good but it doesn't change the fact that I haven't had a father for the past 10 years this September, and I don't have that guidance from him that would be so amazing to have especially at this time in my life. So why didn't I stand up?
Honestly this being my "first" Father's Day (yes if you didn't now Stephanie and I are expecting a child on or around Jan. 15th 2009, she is doing great as possible with all the tiredness and nausea) I wasn't all that excited about this day. I'm not exactly the most sentimental person in the world, surprise, surprise. I really don't like the attention or recognition for something that should be expected from a man, especially a Christian man. Yet it would have almost felt wrong to stand up when the fathers were applauded.
Maybe there is more to this. As I sat there and applauded all the fathers that were there I wondered if I actually should have stood up for a couple of reasons. One because I technically am a father, my child has not been born yet, but I believe is actually alive and has a beating heart and has been alive since conception whenever that really was. Two because of that fact that my child is alive and growing and causing Steph to be extremely tired at all hours of the day, does my not standing make it look like I don't believe my child is alive. The conclusions that I have come to could be boiled all down to one phrase that is almost a motto for me and I say to a lot of people, "It doesn't matter what people think of me". Maybe you think that is harsh but I don't, nonetheless I don't really know 100% why I didn't stand up.
In reality it could have very well been that I doubt whether or not I am even enough of a man to raise a boy in to a man, let alone a girl in to a woman. I realize all the lovey dovey cliches we have like God equips the called, and God wouldn't allow us to be tested beyond our strength. Well that is all well and good but it doesn't change the fact that I haven't had a father for the past 10 years this September, and I don't have that guidance from him that would be so amazing to have especially at this time in my life. So why didn't I stand up?
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Relevant Podcast
If any of you know me I am an avid reader of Relevant Magazine, as well as a dedicated listener to their podcast. How fascinating? Every week on the podcast they have a segment called Editorial question of the week. On the May 23rd episode they asked for people to write in about past movies that would be great to have another sequel for, so I wrote in and if you want to hear what I emailed in listen to the May 30th Podcast at about 49:40 into the podcast, or 7:12 left in the podcast. Enjoy. If you don't have iTunes you could listen at Relevant's website.
Monday, June 02, 2008
Peace by way of war...
We had a great Memorial Day weekend. We were able to head up to Holland, MI and spend some time with family, relax, Steph shopped of course, and we also went to a wedding of a good friend. While we were there we of course went to church and of course this is exactly what this post is about...would you expect anything else from me?
First off before I say anything else let me say this. I am in full support of our troops even though I don't completely agree with what is going on overseas. Nonetheless I support them, I have many friends in the service, a best friend from high school, a cousin, and my father was in the Navy. I have no problem with caring for, supporting through prayer and helping our troops in any way that I could. Some people might mark me as a pacifist wimp, and a few years ago I would have told them to come and say it to my face, but things have changed inside of me. Although I still have a fighting streak in me.
...Back to church.
Whenever we are up there we attend my wife's former home church, Central Wesleyan. I almost always enjoy this churches services it is a great time for me to relax go to church and actually worship without having to work. Well this time it was even harder than usual for me to sit through service. It of course was Memorial day weekend and as with 99% of churches in America they honored the veterans and prayed for the deceased soldiers of past and present wars. I really like that, especially being that both of my grandfathers were in WWII, and my father and uncles in Vietnam.
What I don't like is what happened next. After honoring the soldiers and veterans the service moved right in to Praise and Worship. The very first song that we sang was about God's Love and Mercy for us and the world. Next was a song that I don't remember the name, but the song was about God's strength and how He is coming with a Sword and shield with Judgment. Now I realize that God ordained wars in this world during the time of Moses, Joshua, David and many other leaders of Israel. I have a problem with us singing songs like this especially on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, this has the problem of conjuring up the ideas that the Wesleyan Church supports war and destruction, when in reality and historically we were peaceful and passive. If we weren't then likely there would have been a lot of killing during the years when we fought against slavery and then even more during the prohibition.
I really struggle with our Christianity especially when it comes down to God, love and war. How much of a misunderstand of Christ's mission is this. We are to be a community of believers dedicated to love. Biblically the word Christ used in John 15:10 while speaking about love was the word Agape, many other times Christ uses the word Agapao when speaking to the disciples about love of each other. More importantly is the meaning of Agape, it is not only love, but one of sacrifice, not only out of charity; while agapao is a deeper and more radical love. SO...what are we supposed to do about this, we come to church and pray and support our troops which is all great and lovely (something of which I wonder how became a tradition?!), but when we walk our Christian lives with two faces, speaking of love and charity of mankind willing to give everything we have because we love to help people but then, we feel it necessary to go and blow someones head off. Out of Love? Derek Webb has a song on his Mockingbird Album, My Enemies are men Like me. There is a great couple of lines in this song, words that really should make you think.
First off before I say anything else let me say this. I am in full support of our troops even though I don't completely agree with what is going on overseas. Nonetheless I support them, I have many friends in the service, a best friend from high school, a cousin, and my father was in the Navy. I have no problem with caring for, supporting through prayer and helping our troops in any way that I could. Some people might mark me as a pacifist wimp, and a few years ago I would have told them to come and say it to my face, but things have changed inside of me. Although I still have a fighting streak in me.
...Back to church.
Whenever we are up there we attend my wife's former home church, Central Wesleyan. I almost always enjoy this churches services it is a great time for me to relax go to church and actually worship without having to work. Well this time it was even harder than usual for me to sit through service. It of course was Memorial day weekend and as with 99% of churches in America they honored the veterans and prayed for the deceased soldiers of past and present wars. I really like that, especially being that both of my grandfathers were in WWII, and my father and uncles in Vietnam.
What I don't like is what happened next. After honoring the soldiers and veterans the service moved right in to Praise and Worship. The very first song that we sang was about God's Love and Mercy for us and the world. Next was a song that I don't remember the name, but the song was about God's strength and how He is coming with a Sword and shield with Judgment. Now I realize that God ordained wars in this world during the time of Moses, Joshua, David and many other leaders of Israel. I have a problem with us singing songs like this especially on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, this has the problem of conjuring up the ideas that the Wesleyan Church supports war and destruction, when in reality and historically we were peaceful and passive. If we weren't then likely there would have been a lot of killing during the years when we fought against slavery and then even more during the prohibition.
I really struggle with our Christianity especially when it comes down to God, love and war. How much of a misunderstand of Christ's mission is this. We are to be a community of believers dedicated to love. Biblically the word Christ used in John 15:10 while speaking about love was the word Agape, many other times Christ uses the word Agapao when speaking to the disciples about love of each other. More importantly is the meaning of Agape, it is not only love, but one of sacrifice, not only out of charity; while agapao is a deeper and more radical love. SO...what are we supposed to do about this, we come to church and pray and support our troops which is all great and lovely (something of which I wonder how became a tradition?!), but when we walk our Christian lives with two faces, speaking of love and charity of mankind willing to give everything we have because we love to help people but then, we feel it necessary to go and blow someones head off. Out of Love? Derek Webb has a song on his Mockingbird Album, My Enemies are men Like me. There is a great couple of lines in this song, words that really should make you think.
Peace by way of war
Is like purity by way of fornication
It’s like telling someone murder is wrong
And then showing them by way of execution
So as I see it, as a body of Christian believers we have a big question to answer here, while we recognize that God did ordain wars 3,000 years ago, he did it out of love and a desire for mankind to know Him. We cannot ignore Jesus' words in the New Testament, and his desire to draw all people's unto Him.Is like purity by way of fornication
It’s like telling someone murder is wrong
And then showing them by way of execution
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Love Excluding Sin...
Recently I was required to do some reading and writing that had to deal with lots of history and theology of the Wesleyan church. All of this for the purpose of my upcoming ordination in July, assuming that I don't enrage the interview board. During this reading I came across something that was rather interesting to me and bothered me at the same time. While reading the section of the discipline on the history of the Wesleyan church I came across this statement.
"The first national camp meeting, which developed into the National Holiness Association, was held in 1867. The revival led to the establishment of several new holiness denominations and to
the renewing and redirecting of others. This spiritual revival, promoted vigorously by a corps of itinerant evangelists, soon established holiness as the major tenet of the Wesleyan Methodist Connection, which had formerly majored on social and political reform."
You are probably wondering what's wrong with this statement. Well if you didn't catch it the quote states that the Wesleyan church after a revival moved it's focus from Social Justices and Political Reform to Holiness Evangelism.
The problem that I have with this might be pretty straight forward if you know me, but why in the world would we or how could we change our focus from social injustices and political reform to Holiness Evangelism. Now I am not saying that Holiness is a bad thing or something to be shoved off to the side. I plainly believe that when this happened the point of Scripture was missed and became incomplete in our Wesleyan minds. John Wesley himself said Holiness is, "Love excluding sin...Love filling up the heart and taking up the whole capacity of the soul...For as long as love takes up the whole heart, what room is there for sin therein." Not only did Wesley describe Holiness as this, but in Scripture we see Jesus describe the two greatest commandments as this, "You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the other commandments and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments."
Did you catch that? Not only is Holiness loving God with all that we are, but "equally important" is our love for our neighbor. Realize that in this world we were put here to be an advocate for God and not only that a believer above reproach, but we were not put here to only concentrate on our Holiness or our time of devotions. Our life as believers is meant to be lived out in this world and in front of people to be an example of the love of Christ, not a picture of a Holier than Thou God that strikes those that aren't Holy.
Maybe I am too critical about the words that I read but I truly believe that while Holiness is important, I believe that we concentrate on it too much and have missed the point of Jesus putting us where we are in this world to speak love in to the lives of those that we come in contact with everyday. Maybe I need a vacation.
the renewing and redirecting of others. This spiritual revival, promoted vigorously by a corps of itinerant evangelists, soon established holiness as the major tenet of the Wesleyan Methodist Connection, which had formerly majored on social and political reform."
You are probably wondering what's wrong with this statement. Well if you didn't catch it the quote states that the Wesleyan church after a revival moved it's focus from Social Justices and Political Reform to Holiness Evangelism.
The problem that I have with this might be pretty straight forward if you know me, but why in the world would we or how could we change our focus from social injustices and political reform to Holiness Evangelism. Now I am not saying that Holiness is a bad thing or something to be shoved off to the side. I plainly believe that when this happened the point of Scripture was missed and became incomplete in our Wesleyan minds. John Wesley himself said Holiness is, "Love excluding sin...Love filling up the heart and taking up the whole capacity of the soul...For as long as love takes up the whole heart, what room is there for sin therein." Not only did Wesley describe Holiness as this, but in Scripture we see Jesus describe the two greatest commandments as this, "You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the other commandments and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments."
Did you catch that? Not only is Holiness loving God with all that we are, but "equally important" is our love for our neighbor. Realize that in this world we were put here to be an advocate for God and not only that a believer above reproach, but we were not put here to only concentrate on our Holiness or our time of devotions. Our life as believers is meant to be lived out in this world and in front of people to be an example of the love of Christ, not a picture of a Holier than Thou God that strikes those that aren't Holy.
Maybe I am too critical about the words that I read but I truly believe that while Holiness is important, I believe that we concentrate on it too much and have missed the point of Jesus putting us where we are in this world to speak love in to the lives of those that we come in contact with everyday. Maybe I need a vacation.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Music
I'm the kind of person that really loves to listen to music, performing is definitely not my thing, thankfully, I would likely be shunned if people heard my voice. Anyway, lately I have been listening to a lot of harder Christian Rock, what most people would say can't be Christian because they don't sound like Michael W. Smith, or The Gaithers, and they don't have a suit and tie on. Or my pet peeve is "they don't preserve their bodies as God's temple" because they have tattoos, and supposedly that is in the Bible somewhere, or the greatest is that because they are screaming or sound angry they can't be glorifying or worshiping God. Read the Bible God himself gets so outrageously angry with mankind. Enough venting. Here are the lyrics to a song that I have been listening to quite a bit, and I really love it. Here are the lyrics, and here is the link to their myspace page which has the song for you to listen as you read. Enjoy.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Preaching
You know I love to preach and love to share some of the knowledge that I glean from Scripture throughout my studies during the week. I have preached some real doozies and I have also preached some easier messages. There are times that I wonder if preaching is what I am actually supposed to be doing for my ministry. A lot of this could be the devil, but at the same time I wonder that even though I love to preach, I am not that great of a communicator. There are also times when I just want to get up and preach until my voice fails and not care at all what people would say or think about the things I would say knowing full well that they are from Scripture in my heart.
There is one inherent problem with preaching, whether it be on a regular basis or more of a spread out schedule. When I preach I always feel more of a disconnect that is built up between me and the people that I am trying to teach/preach to. I have noticed this with other preachers too, and especially remember this in my father. Sometimes I don't wonder if the strong desire of preaching a message to challenge people, at the very same time pushes some away. It is also very possible the people that are feeling challenged by God through the preacher a disconnect of, lets say conviction forms for whatever reason.
I don't believe this is a new problem that I am experiencing. Looking back through all the people that have been preachers/priest/prophets/disciples/more importantly Jesus, they all went through dealing with issues that appear to relate to what I am feeling. Moses felt this with his very own sister and brother. Prophets on countless occasions were persecuted for what they were saying FOR GOD by their own people. Jesus was ridiculed, and rejected by the very people that likely helped raise him in Nazareth, due to the closeness of their culture.
So maybe my problem isn't actually a problem necessarily. I wonder in some form or another if a closeness to people can be hindering in a sense. Only in the way that it would stop a minister from actually speaking God's word in fear of hurting feelings, or actually causing conviction to become an issue for people.
There is one inherent problem with preaching, whether it be on a regular basis or more of a spread out schedule. When I preach I always feel more of a disconnect that is built up between me and the people that I am trying to teach/preach to. I have noticed this with other preachers too, and especially remember this in my father. Sometimes I don't wonder if the strong desire of preaching a message to challenge people, at the very same time pushes some away. It is also very possible the people that are feeling challenged by God through the preacher a disconnect of, lets say conviction forms for whatever reason.
I don't believe this is a new problem that I am experiencing. Looking back through all the people that have been preachers/priest/prophets/disciples/more importantly Jesus, they all went through dealing with issues that appear to relate to what I am feeling. Moses felt this with his very own sister and brother. Prophets on countless occasions were persecuted for what they were saying FOR GOD by their own people. Jesus was ridiculed, and rejected by the very people that likely helped raise him in Nazareth, due to the closeness of their culture.
So maybe my problem isn't actually a problem necessarily. I wonder in some form or another if a closeness to people can be hindering in a sense. Only in the way that it would stop a minister from actually speaking God's word in fear of hurting feelings, or actually causing conviction to become an issue for people.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Crazy
So I have heard of some crazy amusement park rides and been on some crazy ones myself, but this video takes the cake. WOW
Here is the link
Here is the link
Friday, March 14, 2008
ever wanted to mow your own roof?!
Your probably wondering what in the world I'm talking about, but if you click here you will see quite quickly. I find this absolutely amazing and a great way to limit a buildings impact on the air & atmosphere. Enjoy
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Neat Site
recently found this website called Readprint.com. If you like to read and especially for free go check it out.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Doomsday Vault
Watching the news this morning I caught something that seemed to be out of a movie or the sequel to Day After Tomorrow. The news snippet was about an alliance of science and engineering craziness to one day save our mankind. It is actually quite amazing and at the same time a little silly.
The article can be found here, but the basic idea behind all of this is to collect the seeds of plants from all around the world and preserve them so that they may be reused in the supposed imminent destruction of mankind or just plants. Either way it is pretty impressive they dug 130 yards into the side of a mountain in the Arctic Circle to preserve and protect these seeds. The bunker/vault is supposed to be nuclear attack safe, and bunker busting bomb safe. A magnitude 6 earth quake has already tested it and didn't even displace any of the frost or ice in the bunker!! Maybe we should send a thank you note to thank all the people involved for saving our existence?! Or not.
The article can be found here, but the basic idea behind all of this is to collect the seeds of plants from all around the world and preserve them so that they may be reused in the supposed imminent destruction of mankind or just plants. Either way it is pretty impressive they dug 130 yards into the side of a mountain in the Arctic Circle to preserve and protect these seeds. The bunker/vault is supposed to be nuclear attack safe, and bunker busting bomb safe. A magnitude 6 earth quake has already tested it and didn't even displace any of the frost or ice in the bunker!! Maybe we should send a thank you note to thank all the people involved for saving our existence?! Or not.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Want to save space and water in your bathroom?
Well not many people are probably going to jump at this option, but those families in drought stricken areas of the world sure would love to have a toilet like this in their bathroom. Whenever the toilet is flushed the faucet on top serves as the water source to fill the tank, and also giving the user the opportunity to wash their hands, thereby saving water by basically double use!!
Monday, February 18, 2008
The Air Car?!
So at this point you are probably wondering what in the world I am talking about. It is actually real and not something from a Sci-fi movie. If you want to know more watch a 9 minute video, here or here
This is a very revolutionary idea and pretty sweet at the same time, although I likely would never fit into one!! The car has many different models meaning hybrid or just compressed air, the compressed air model has a range of 125 mile with 68 mph top speed, refills in like 3 minutes to 4 hours depending on whether using a filling station compressor or plugging into an electrical socket. Insane.
This is a very revolutionary idea and pretty sweet at the same time, although I likely would never fit into one!! The car has many different models meaning hybrid or just compressed air, the compressed air model has a range of 125 mile with 68 mph top speed, refills in like 3 minutes to 4 hours depending on whether using a filling station compressor or plugging into an electrical socket. Insane.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
The Bucket List (review)
This movie had me all excited about going to see it at the theatre. I had very high expectations for this movie, first because of the quality of the lead actors brought together for this movie, and then second the very creative idea behind the flick.
Starting out Morgan Freeman, who I didn’t know had a great narrating voice, tells the ending which also happens to be the beginning of the story. I somewhat expected the movie to be a big tear jerker that would depress me for the rest of the night. Little did I know that this was going to be a movie interlaced with uproarious laughter, and then gut wrenching sorrow.
It begins quickly with both Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman getting test results back from the doctor with a very devastating diagnosis. The true premise of the story comes out when both men realize their ultimate end is soon to come, thus driving them to write and complete a “Bucket List”.
From this point on there is a slew of laughter and somber moments. During the whole movie I really felt like I was watching two men try and forget about their cancer and ultimately their death. This was the amazing balance that brings this movie to life. You have two men both with the same end, one with all the money and the other with extreme passionate dream to see the top of the
Being strangers before they even decided to go on their jaunt around the world, the two men have their personality differences, both moral and spiritual. There are some great conversations and lines in this movie that will make you think about the impact that you have on others while you are alive. The movie definitely hinted at Christianity and truly showed the beliefs and moral/spiritual backing the Morgan Freeman has in the movie.
I would highly recommend this movie mainly for it’s depiction of the extreme change of Nicholson from his depressed and disgustingly rude attitude, to a person that has “found that joy” in his life, and the life questions that it raises to the viewer.
Monday, February 04, 2008
Niagara Falls
Recently Stephanie and I took a very spontaneous and random trip...extremely spontaneous for her. Thankfully we had a day off together this past week and decided on Wednesday Jan. 30th @ 11:30pm to go to Niagara Falls, and we got there at about 9 in the morning on Thursday. It was absolutely amazing and fun something we will never forget.
What is more important?
I have one thing to ask. What is more important safety or helping someone? I read this article that made me think about this question myself...now it's your turn. Read here
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Stupid
One thing that I am really good at is having a routine...as are most people. Well today part of my routine always involves checking my email as I sit down at my desk. Not only did I get an exorbitant amount of emails, but one of them was as retarded as I have ever seen it.
I am the lucky one today because I one the Toyota Car Lottery of 2008. All they need is my contact information...wow how great is this. Anyway the stupidity behind this is that Toyota is a Japanese corporation. While the supposed prize that I was selected for out of millions of others is being given out in British Pounds Sterling 600,000 to be exact (almost 1.2 million dollars), why in the world would Toyota give out the prize in British Pounds, this guy should have read the idiots guide to scamming people. So if this dope would have been thinking and realized that Toyota wasn't based out of the UK he might actually have a better chance of stealing some money...but you know when you get desperate you get stupid. WOW
I am the lucky one today because I one the Toyota Car Lottery of 2008. All they need is my contact information...wow how great is this. Anyway the stupidity behind this is that Toyota is a Japanese corporation. While the supposed prize that I was selected for out of millions of others is being given out in British Pounds Sterling 600,000 to be exact (almost 1.2 million dollars), why in the world would Toyota give out the prize in British Pounds, this guy should have read the idiots guide to scamming people. So if this dope would have been thinking and realized that Toyota wasn't based out of the UK he might actually have a better chance of stealing some money...but you know when you get desperate you get stupid. WOW
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