2 Tim 4:3-5
"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry."
As one who has taken his first steps into an adult life of vocational ministry this semester, these words are extremely comforting to me. So often, discouragement, disappointment and disillusionment crowd out the Truth that the Lord has so graciously put in His Word for us in the difficult times.
The truth that I keep running back to is this: we are called to be obedient. The results are in the Lord's hands. Worrying about the results is a moot point...all we are responsible for is the act of obedience and submission.
Praise the Lord for His endless patience and kindness to me. I'm pretty good at screwing things up, but He keeps teaching and guiding me down this path. Praise Him!!
30 October 2009
21 October 2009
Enough of this "Bush is responsible for the economy's woes" nonsense...
During Bush's eight years in office, the national debt rose from $5,727,776,738,304.64 to $10,626,877,048,913.08. This is a difference of 4.899 Trillion Dollars (Rounded to the nearest billion dollars). If you take the total spent and divide it by 8, you get an average of 612.388 Billion dollars per year of Bush's term. Conversely,under Obama the national debt has raised from $10,626,877,048,913.08 to 11,952,611,405,769.02 as of today. This is a difference of 1.326 Trillion dollars (Rounded to the nearest billion dollars) spent in 10 months.
Assuming the debt grows at the same rate, by the end of the year it will be 1.591 Trillion which is 2.6 times bush's average per year.
Data from http://www.treasurydirect.gov/NP/BPDLogin?application=np
---
All that to say...Obama is spending money that he doesn't have....a whole lot faster than Bush ever did. AND, Bush was fighting 2 wars the whole time.
People, I certainly appreciate your rights to have and express your opinions. However, if you want to not sound like an uninformed, dogmatic, liberal sheep...please get your facts straight.
Assuming the debt grows at the same rate, by the end of the year it will be 1.591 Trillion which is 2.6 times bush's average per year.
Data from http://www.treasurydirect.gov/NP/BPDLogin?application=np
---
All that to say...Obama is spending money that he doesn't have....a whole lot faster than Bush ever did. AND, Bush was fighting 2 wars the whole time.
People, I certainly appreciate your rights to have and express your opinions. However, if you want to not sound like an uninformed, dogmatic, liberal sheep...please get your facts straight.
20 September 2009
It's not just a song, His faithfulness really is great.
This is a strange place in life to be. A college graduate, but still no idea what the Lord wants you to do with this newly surrendered you gave back to Him. I've been struggling for a while between several life options:
Stay in Nacogdoches, keep serving at Fredonia Hill as the college guy and likely move into a more full-time position sometime in late-winter-early-spring. Stay working on the Master's degree...
or...
Drop the Master's degree after this semester and find a good online seminary program that I can do while working at the church. Stay in Nacogdoches at least for the immediate future and wait to see what happens with the church.
or...
Find a seminary that's right, (I'm leaning towards DTS) and move there. Work at a church somewhere near there doing college ministry while I'm going full-bore after seminary.
---
All the while, I'm thinking that it would be nice to have the relationship thing already at least partially figured out by now so I could be talking these decisions over with the lady God has picked out to be my bride, however that is not the case. I'm cool with God's sovereignty, so I don't mind at all waiting on Him and trusting.
All that said, this past week took forever because I was heavily considering all of those options and trying to discern what God wanted me to do. Last night, several people met at the Zone at FHBC to pray for our campus and the work of FUSION. After praying for a bit, I opened the Word and it fell to 1 Peter 4 where a book mark had been before. Here's where my eyes fell:
11U)">Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the V)">utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving W)">by the strength which God supplies; so that X)">in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, Y)">to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Talk about a verse that was exactly what I needed to hear at that moment. Praise God!
The Lord led me to Genesis 12 after that where the story of Abram (Abraham) is found. I'm going to be speaking at Great Escape in a few weeks and I'm pretty sure God wants me to talk about lessons we can learn from Abraham. Here's what really ministered to me: in the sidebar of one of the pages there, the Word made this comment:
"Although we can learn many things from the major events of Abram's life, it is also important to note how Abram waited on God. Abram did strive to make things happen. He trusted in God's perfect timing and he walked by faith. When you are living in the middle of a transition period of life, use it as an opportunity to practice your faith. Living by faith in the difficult times of transition will make you more effective when God decides to make His next move in your life."
Leave it to the Word to comfort and encouragement me like nothing else can. Praise God!
Stay in Nacogdoches, keep serving at Fredonia Hill as the college guy and likely move into a more full-time position sometime in late-winter-early-spring. Stay working on the Master's degree...
or...
Drop the Master's degree after this semester and find a good online seminary program that I can do while working at the church. Stay in Nacogdoches at least for the immediate future and wait to see what happens with the church.
or...
Find a seminary that's right, (I'm leaning towards DTS) and move there. Work at a church somewhere near there doing college ministry while I'm going full-bore after seminary.
---
All the while, I'm thinking that it would be nice to have the relationship thing already at least partially figured out by now so I could be talking these decisions over with the lady God has picked out to be my bride, however that is not the case. I'm cool with God's sovereignty, so I don't mind at all waiting on Him and trusting.
All that said, this past week took forever because I was heavily considering all of those options and trying to discern what God wanted me to do. Last night, several people met at the Zone at FHBC to pray for our campus and the work of FUSION. After praying for a bit, I opened the Word and it fell to 1 Peter 4 where a book mark had been before. Here's where my eyes fell:
11U)">Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the V)">utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving W)">by the strength which God supplies; so that X)">in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, Y)">to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Talk about a verse that was exactly what I needed to hear at that moment. Praise God!
The Lord led me to Genesis 12 after that where the story of Abram (Abraham) is found. I'm going to be speaking at Great Escape in a few weeks and I'm pretty sure God wants me to talk about lessons we can learn from Abraham. Here's what really ministered to me: in the sidebar of one of the pages there, the Word made this comment:
"Although we can learn many things from the major events of Abram's life, it is also important to note how Abram waited on God. Abram did strive to make things happen. He trusted in God's perfect timing and he walked by faith. When you are living in the middle of a transition period of life, use it as an opportunity to practice your faith. Living by faith in the difficult times of transition will make you more effective when God decides to make His next move in your life."
Leave it to the Word to comfort and encouragement me like nothing else can. Praise God!
18 September 2009
Oh, boy is he gonna be mad when he sees this on YouTube...
So, this Congressman from Indiana had a town hall meeting not long ago for all this healthcare business. Apparently, he didn't want anyone videoing the meeting, because it would end up on YouTube and make him look bad...the catch is that someone obviously secretly had their camera out videoing the whole exchange between the Rep and a confused and disappointed journalism student (looks to be a video camera on a mobile device of some sort...)
The absolute arrogance of this guy is revolting and appalling. His pious lecturing of the audience that gathered there that day simply to express their view in a civil manner was disgraceful. I cannot wait for November of 2010 to get here so "we, the people" can remind these blowhards who holds the real power in this republic.
To see the video, click here.
The absolute arrogance of this guy is revolting and appalling. His pious lecturing of the audience that gathered there that day simply to express their view in a civil manner was disgraceful. I cannot wait for November of 2010 to get here so "we, the people" can remind these blowhards who holds the real power in this republic.
To see the video, click here.
10 September 2009
Whoa, there Trigger...
In a time in Washington where 17 levels of hell seem ready to break loose at any time, the last thing Capitol Hill needed tonight was more controversy. Unfortunately, that's exactly what it got. Rep. Joe Wilson from South Carolina called out the President on a statement Obama made about illegal immigrants receiving healthcare benefits under these proposed new policies. Wilson screamed, "You lie!" while seated in his chair on the Republican side of the chamber.
To view the video, click here.
For the full story, click here.
As much amusement as I get from Obama being heckled during a joint session of Congress by a sitting U.S. Representative, I am equally appalled. Wilson is one gutsy moron. At a time when debate over healthcare is so tenuous and emotionally charged already, the last thing the Republicans need is to give the Libtards any extra ammo.
I don't know what Obama hoped to accomplish tonight...he didn't say anything tonight that he hasn't already said 14 times in a news conference. Maybe he thinks he's persuasive enough to hypnotize America into thinking his disaster-in-the-making is actually a good idea. Who knows.
I still say the Republicans should refuse to play ball with anything involving a public option or lacking tort reform. Just sit back and watch as the Democratic Party places the rope around its own neck and tightens the noose. If the dems keep pushing like this, while continually ignoring the will of the majority of the American public, they might as well not even show up come election time in 2010.
Time will tell. These are some interesting times indeed.
To view the video, click here.
For the full story, click here.
As much amusement as I get from Obama being heckled during a joint session of Congress by a sitting U.S. Representative, I am equally appalled. Wilson is one gutsy moron. At a time when debate over healthcare is so tenuous and emotionally charged already, the last thing the Republicans need is to give the Libtards any extra ammo.
I don't know what Obama hoped to accomplish tonight...he didn't say anything tonight that he hasn't already said 14 times in a news conference. Maybe he thinks he's persuasive enough to hypnotize America into thinking his disaster-in-the-making is actually a good idea. Who knows.
I still say the Republicans should refuse to play ball with anything involving a public option or lacking tort reform. Just sit back and watch as the Democratic Party places the rope around its own neck and tightens the noose. If the dems keep pushing like this, while continually ignoring the will of the majority of the American public, they might as well not even show up come election time in 2010.
Time will tell. These are some interesting times indeed.
24 August 2009
Really?
Let me get this straight...??
The healthcare plan of "the anointed one" is being written by a committee whose own chairman says he doesn't understand it...
Is going to be voted on by a democratic congress who hasn't even read it and will forever be entirely exempt from it...
This "healthcare" (read: control) bill will be signed by a President who is a self-professing cigarette addict...
Is funded by a Secretary of the Treasury who evaded paying his own taxes, and got away with it...
It's overseen by a Surgeon General who is clinically and morbidly obese...
And is going to be paid for out of thin air by a budget that is already in the hole more than $1,500,000,000,000...FOR JUST THIS YEAR.
---
For the previous 8 years, when the left was protesting up a storm, the media hailed them as the "voice of democracy". Now that the tables have turned, and it's almost 81% of Americans who say they are content with the way things are...we are suddenly discounted and written off as disruptive extremists who are "bearing false witness" against the anointed one's plans to ruin-, I mean save healthcare.
Unless you are sitting on your hands somewhere looking for a handout, or you're someone who stands to gain political capitol from the hand-sitters.......this is all one big terrible idea.
I hope and pray that enough people in Congress are more scared of the American public than the bullies sitting in the big chairs in Washington. If not, we have a duty to what remains of a free market, capitalist America to bounce their cellulite-ridden backsides off Capitol Hill faster than they can blink.
Stimulus package + bailouts + cap and trade + Obamacare = total destruction of the American way of life.
---
Be politically active. Call, email or write your Congressman or Senator.
Please do it now.
The healthcare plan of "the anointed one" is being written by a committee whose own chairman says he doesn't understand it...
Is going to be voted on by a democratic congress who hasn't even read it and will forever be entirely exempt from it...
This "healthcare" (read: control) bill will be signed by a President who is a self-professing cigarette addict...
Is funded by a Secretary of the Treasury who evaded paying his own taxes, and got away with it...
It's overseen by a Surgeon General who is clinically and morbidly obese...
And is going to be paid for out of thin air by a budget that is already in the hole more than $1,500,000,000,000...FOR JUST THIS YEAR.
---
For the previous 8 years, when the left was protesting up a storm, the media hailed them as the "voice of democracy". Now that the tables have turned, and it's almost 81% of Americans who say they are content with the way things are...we are suddenly discounted and written off as disruptive extremists who are "bearing false witness" against the anointed one's plans to ruin-, I mean save healthcare.
Unless you are sitting on your hands somewhere looking for a handout, or you're someone who stands to gain political capitol from the hand-sitters.......this is all one big terrible idea.
I hope and pray that enough people in Congress are more scared of the American public than the bullies sitting in the big chairs in Washington. If not, we have a duty to what remains of a free market, capitalist America to bounce their cellulite-ridden backsides off Capitol Hill faster than they can blink.
Stimulus package + bailouts + cap and trade + Obamacare = total destruction of the American way of life.
---
Be politically active. Call, email or write your Congressman or Senator.
Please do it now.
19 August 2009
Cash For Codgers!! The newest disaster-in-production...
JUST IN ...
Democrats, realizing the success of the President's "Cash For Clunkers" rebate program, have revamped a major portion of their National Health Care Plan.
President Obama, Speaker Pelosi, and Sen. Reed are expected to make this major announcement at a joint news conference later this week. I have obtained an advanced copy of the proposal which is named....
"CASH FOR CODGERS" and it works like this... Couples wishing to access health care funds in order to pay for the delivery of a child will be required to turn in one old person. The amount the government grants them will be fixed according to a sliding scale. Older and more prescription dependent codgers will garner the highest amounts.
Special "Bonuses" will be paid for those submitting codgers in targeted groups, such as smokers, alcohol drinkers, persons 10 pounds over their government prescribed weight, and any member of the Republican Party.
Smaller bonuses will be given for codgers who consume beef, soda, fried foods, potato chips, lattes, whole milk, dairy products, bacon, Brussel sprouts, or Girl Scout Cookies.
All codgers will be rendered totally useless via toxic injection. This will insure that they are not secretly resold or their body parts harvested to keep other codgers in repair.
Remember you heard it here first...
06 August 2009
silly quiz
1. What time did you get up this morning? 7:00AM, just like every morning.
2. How do you like your steak? juicy, with a tiny bit of "moo" left in it.
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Transformers 2.
4. What is your favorite TV show? All-time: Lost Right now: Burn Notice
5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? in a quaint house on a white sand beach far from civilization...with satellite uplink.
6. What did you have for breakfast? multigrain cheerios, yogurt, grapefruit juice
7. What is your favorite cuisine? probably either italian food, steak or sushi
8. What foods do you dislike? I'm down for just about anything, honestly.
9. Favorite Place to Eat? My kitchen.
10. Favorite dressing? Who would put dressing on a fruit salad? Light ranch or italian
11.What kind of vehicle do you drive? Jeep Grand Cherokee and a Suzuki GSX-R motorcycle
12. What are your favorite clothes? old jordan basketball shorts, old florida gators T
13. Where would you visit if you had the chance? Scotland is next on my list.
14. Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full? definitely half full.
15. Where would you want to retire? Retirement is not for me. I plan to be running hard right up to the second Jesus calls me home.
16. Favorite time of day? Sunrise. There's unlimited potential for the day.
17. Where were you born? Longview, TX
18. What is your favorite sport to watch? college basketball, then college football
19. Who do you think will not tag you back? I couldn't possibly care less.
20. Person you expect to tag you back first? Please refer to question 19's answer.
21. Who are you most curious about their responses to this? Again, check out question 19.
22. Bird watcher? Birds are fascinating, but people watching is much more fun.
23. Are you a morning person or a night person? My peak times come in early morning and late night, so both I guess.
24. Do you have any pets? I have a 7 month old black lab named Mack. He's my boy...
25. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share? Yes! But, I can't share it quite yet. Soon...
26. What did you want to be when you were little? An Air Force fighter pilot. All the way up to the day they told me I was too tall. Shame.
27. What is your best childhood memory? Bedball, and sitting on the porch with my Dad eating "american toast" at 6AM before he went to work.
28. Are you a cat or dog person? dog. definitely. Cats are here to torment me.
29. Are you married? someday...
30. Always wear your seat belt? Not wearing a seatbelt would be horribly selfish. So, yes I do.
31. Been in a car accident? November 11th, 1997.
32. Any pet peeves? when people use the wrong word in speech or writing (like "they're" instead of "their". And when people say "axe" when they mean "ask"...) It's mostly the little things that bug me.
33. Favorite Pizza Toppings? I try not to eat pizza. It's really really bad for you...
34. Favorite Flower? what's one flower without all the others?
35. Favorite ice cream? again, rarely eat it...but cookie dough is my favorite.
36. Favorite fast food restaurant? Chick-fil-A. Definitely.
37. How many times did you fail your driver's test? 0. Cause I'm awesome.
38. From whom did you get your last email? Barack Obama. Trying to convince me that his healthcare idiocy is a good idea.
39. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? Best Buy or the Apple Store
40. Do anything spontaneous lately? Spontaneity is a fundamental element of an interesting life. I'm liable to do just about anything without notice...
41. Like your job? Love it. The Lord has placed me somewhere where I can be around people all the time.
43. What was your favorite vacation? That's tough. Probably the family trip to Disney World and Epcot.
44. Last person you went out to dinner with? Tara's birthday party a few weeks ago.
45. What are you listening to right now? Pandora.
46. What is your favorite color? What's one color without all the others? They all work together.
47. How many tattoos do you have? Zero. I almost got a crown of thorns with a phrase in Hebrew over my heart, but I decided not to. I just not for me.
48. How many are you tagging for this quiz? Zip. Zero. Nada.
49. What time did you finish this quiz? 10:31 A.M.
50. Coffee Drinker? Occasionally
2. How do you like your steak? juicy, with a tiny bit of "moo" left in it.
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Transformers 2.
4. What is your favorite TV show? All-time: Lost Right now: Burn Notice
5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? in a quaint house on a white sand beach far from civilization...with satellite uplink.
6. What did you have for breakfast? multigrain cheerios, yogurt, grapefruit juice
7. What is your favorite cuisine? probably either italian food, steak or sushi
8. What foods do you dislike? I'm down for just about anything, honestly.
9. Favorite Place to Eat? My kitchen.
10. Favorite dressing? Who would put dressing on a fruit salad? Light ranch or italian
11.What kind of vehicle do you drive? Jeep Grand Cherokee and a Suzuki GSX-R motorcycle
12. What are your favorite clothes? old jordan basketball shorts, old florida gators T
13. Where would you visit if you had the chance? Scotland is next on my list.
14. Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full? definitely half full.
15. Where would you want to retire? Retirement is not for me. I plan to be running hard right up to the second Jesus calls me home.
16. Favorite time of day? Sunrise. There's unlimited potential for the day.
17. Where were you born? Longview, TX
18. What is your favorite sport to watch? college basketball, then college football
19. Who do you think will not tag you back? I couldn't possibly care less.
20. Person you expect to tag you back first? Please refer to question 19's answer.
21. Who are you most curious about their responses to this? Again, check out question 19.
22. Bird watcher? Birds are fascinating, but people watching is much more fun.
23. Are you a morning person or a night person? My peak times come in early morning and late night, so both I guess.
24. Do you have any pets? I have a 7 month old black lab named Mack. He's my boy...
25. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share? Yes! But, I can't share it quite yet. Soon...
26. What did you want to be when you were little? An Air Force fighter pilot. All the way up to the day they told me I was too tall. Shame.
27. What is your best childhood memory? Bedball, and sitting on the porch with my Dad eating "american toast" at 6AM before he went to work.
28. Are you a cat or dog person? dog. definitely. Cats are here to torment me.
29. Are you married? someday...
30. Always wear your seat belt? Not wearing a seatbelt would be horribly selfish. So, yes I do.
31. Been in a car accident? November 11th, 1997.
32. Any pet peeves? when people use the wrong word in speech or writing (like "they're" instead of "their". And when people say "axe" when they mean "ask"...) It's mostly the little things that bug me.
33. Favorite Pizza Toppings? I try not to eat pizza. It's really really bad for you...
34. Favorite Flower? what's one flower without all the others?
35. Favorite ice cream? again, rarely eat it...but cookie dough is my favorite.
36. Favorite fast food restaurant? Chick-fil-A. Definitely.
37. How many times did you fail your driver's test? 0. Cause I'm awesome.
38. From whom did you get your last email? Barack Obama. Trying to convince me that his healthcare idiocy is a good idea.
39. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? Best Buy or the Apple Store
40. Do anything spontaneous lately? Spontaneity is a fundamental element of an interesting life. I'm liable to do just about anything without notice...
41. Like your job? Love it. The Lord has placed me somewhere where I can be around people all the time.
43. What was your favorite vacation? That's tough. Probably the family trip to Disney World and Epcot.
44. Last person you went out to dinner with? Tara's birthday party a few weeks ago.
45. What are you listening to right now? Pandora.
46. What is your favorite color? What's one color without all the others? They all work together.
47. How many tattoos do you have? Zero. I almost got a crown of thorns with a phrase in Hebrew over my heart, but I decided not to. I just not for me.
48. How many are you tagging for this quiz? Zip. Zero. Nada.
49. What time did you finish this quiz? 10:31 A.M.
50. Coffee Drinker? Occasionally
29 June 2009
Midsummer Night's Praise
A Midsummer Night's Praise
From dawn to dusk and back again
Captured by a stroke of pen
Far into the black I stare
And breathe in deep the midnight air
Creation comes alive to sing
To You alone the praises ring
The chorus echoes tree to tree
To bring a simple gift to Thee
"How great Thou art" comes to my mind
Sufficient words I cannot find
Now, I, my Lord, can't wait to be
With You for all eternity
From dawn to dusk and back again
Captured by a stroke of pen
Far into the black I stare
And breathe in deep the midnight air
Creation comes alive to sing
To You alone the praises ring
The chorus echoes tree to tree
To bring a simple gift to Thee
"How great Thou art" comes to my mind
Sufficient words I cannot find
Now, I, my Lord, can't wait to be
With You for all eternity
24 June 2009
New perspective via my favorite sport
For as long as I can remember back, basketball has always been my game of choice. I have spent more energy and hours than I care to count practicing skills and developing my body to be able to excel at the sport. Basketball taught me the spirit of athletic competition. Through the game, I have experienced some of my most treasured memories: playing 2 on 1 with my brother against Dad, in the driveway of my childhood home...countless summer afternoons practicing for our future NBA careers with my good friend, Ryan...giving everything I had to make the team at Angelina College...losing all possibility of competitive ball with a torn ACL...the countless NCAA games spent with my Dad, screaming at the TV for something or another...the list goes on.
...However, tonight at Fredonia Hill Baptist Church, I gained a new perspective on life through the game I've loved for so many years.
I've had the opportunity to begin working with the youth group at FHBC over the past several weeks. I've begun to forge friendships with some of the young men, and I am beginning to become a regular part of the ministry team for the middle and high school students. Tonight after our program, a bunch of the guys went to the gym to play some basketball. Of course, I went with them.
We did the normal shoot around and chat for a few minutes while we all warmed up, but once the game actually began...I noticed something very different inside me. My purpose and motivation tonight was very different from how it has been so many times before. I felt such an urge to edify and encourage these young men that they became my focus on the court. For the first time in my life on the hardwood, I had absolutely no desire to be, or be seen as, the best. Shooting, passing, scoring, rebounding...it didn't mean a thing. For the first time, all I was concerned with was making sure each of the young men on my team got as much action out there as possible.
My sole purpose was to minister to those young men through athletic competition. Facilitating their shooting, passing, etc. was my goal. That and a healthy dose of positive comments and encouragement was all that was needed.
It was such a unique and unprecedented experience for me tonight...to see God use the game I love as a wonderful tool for speaking truth into these young men under my supervision. The Lord used my attitude to help set a positive and fun tone for the game, instead of the hard and uber-competitive battle in turns into so many times when high school boys play sports.
The Lord is so good to me. I never thought that I'd be using basketball as a ministry tool.
Praise Him for all the different ways He blesses us...
...However, tonight at Fredonia Hill Baptist Church, I gained a new perspective on life through the game I've loved for so many years.
I've had the opportunity to begin working with the youth group at FHBC over the past several weeks. I've begun to forge friendships with some of the young men, and I am beginning to become a regular part of the ministry team for the middle and high school students. Tonight after our program, a bunch of the guys went to the gym to play some basketball. Of course, I went with them.
We did the normal shoot around and chat for a few minutes while we all warmed up, but once the game actually began...I noticed something very different inside me. My purpose and motivation tonight was very different from how it has been so many times before. I felt such an urge to edify and encourage these young men that they became my focus on the court. For the first time in my life on the hardwood, I had absolutely no desire to be, or be seen as, the best. Shooting, passing, scoring, rebounding...it didn't mean a thing. For the first time, all I was concerned with was making sure each of the young men on my team got as much action out there as possible.
My sole purpose was to minister to those young men through athletic competition. Facilitating their shooting, passing, etc. was my goal. That and a healthy dose of positive comments and encouragement was all that was needed.
It was such a unique and unprecedented experience for me tonight...to see God use the game I love as a wonderful tool for speaking truth into these young men under my supervision. The Lord used my attitude to help set a positive and fun tone for the game, instead of the hard and uber-competitive battle in turns into so many times when high school boys play sports.
The Lord is so good to me. I never thought that I'd be using basketball as a ministry tool.
Praise Him for all the different ways He blesses us...
Spiritual truth from an over-hyped movie
Well, it's 3 A.M. on a Wednesday. Why on Earth am I writing in my blog right now? Glad you asked. I happened to have just learned a little nugget of spiritual application from a very unusual source and I found it worthy of sharing.
I just left the midnight showing of Transformers 2. I, along with seemingly half of the "under-25" population of Nacogdoches, had nothing better to do at midnight on a Tuesday in the middle of summer. Transformers 2 has been the most hyped movie of the summer, and thus had inspired hope within me that I would potentially experience a cinematic masterpiece the likes of which other midnight shows have produced (Lord of the Rings Trilogy, The Matrix, etc.). Sadly, that was far from the case.
In this case, the sequel drastically paled in comparison to its predecessor. But, that's the end of my movie review. On to the good stuff.
I was standing over my bed, about to crash for a bit before tomorrow starts, when I thought to myself "well that was a bunch of wasted hope and anticipation", to which that still, small voice in my soul quietly whispered, "yes, but thankfully, your hope in the Lord will never be wasted. Your anticipation of His glory revealed will never return unfulfilled."
I chuckled to myself, realizing that I just gleamed some spiritual truth from a less than spectacular movie-going experience. Hope in the Lord is never wasted.
Faith in Him is built on rock solid promises, not Hollywood hype.
A personal encounter with the Holy Spirit never leaves me unsatisfied.
The make-believe and the escape end when the movie is over, but this adventure called the Christian Life goes on forever.
Your life in Christ doesn't fade to black. Music doesn't play and credits don't roll.
The best part is...we know the Director and the Star of the show personally.
---
Think about it. Be blessed...
I just left the midnight showing of Transformers 2. I, along with seemingly half of the "under-25" population of Nacogdoches, had nothing better to do at midnight on a Tuesday in the middle of summer. Transformers 2 has been the most hyped movie of the summer, and thus had inspired hope within me that I would potentially experience a cinematic masterpiece the likes of which other midnight shows have produced (Lord of the Rings Trilogy, The Matrix, etc.). Sadly, that was far from the case.
In this case, the sequel drastically paled in comparison to its predecessor. But, that's the end of my movie review. On to the good stuff.
I was standing over my bed, about to crash for a bit before tomorrow starts, when I thought to myself "well that was a bunch of wasted hope and anticipation", to which that still, small voice in my soul quietly whispered, "yes, but thankfully, your hope in the Lord will never be wasted. Your anticipation of His glory revealed will never return unfulfilled."
I chuckled to myself, realizing that I just gleamed some spiritual truth from a less than spectacular movie-going experience. Hope in the Lord is never wasted.
Faith in Him is built on rock solid promises, not Hollywood hype.
A personal encounter with the Holy Spirit never leaves me unsatisfied.
The make-believe and the escape end when the movie is over, but this adventure called the Christian Life goes on forever.
Your life in Christ doesn't fade to black. Music doesn't play and credits don't roll.
The best part is...we know the Director and the Star of the show personally.
---
Think about it. Be blessed...
17 June 2009
Prez got game...
Of all the possible topics I could bring up regarding our President, Barack Obama...I doubt this is one many are talking about.
I just got finished reading an article on ESPN.com about how basketball fever is taking over the Washington D.C. area...all because Barack loves a little roundball action.
You can read the full article here.
It's really amazing how completely superficial and pathetic people can be when the right stakes are on the line. The occupant of the Oval Office isn't the only thing that changes in Washington every 4 or 8 years. "Cool" changes too. The "In" places to eat, drink and be merry are unofficially established upon the whims of the Commander in Chief. The school you just have to send your kids to is determined by the parents who live in the White House down on Pennsylvania Ave.
I find all this fascinating and quite amusing. So desperate to be seen in as perfect a light as possible, everybody and their mom is taking up basketball in D.C. Congressman are spending their lunch hours jumping rope and practicing their free throws...all on the off chance that they might...just maybe...get a chance to hoop with the President.
Personally, I think all this is cool. Whatever it takes to motivate people to get in shape and stay there is cool with me. The Good Lord knows how much I love a good game of ball. I just can't stop imagining all the possible scenarios for this thing.
Check out this photo, and a couple of corresponding potential captions...
"So, Senator, I hear you want me to sign that bill of yours, eh? Well, you're just going to have to beat me in a little game of H-O-R-S-E if you want your hometown to get those brand new streetlights..."
"Tell you what, Congressman ______ , if you can beat me one on one, I'll throw in some new police cruisers and even some extra grant money for all those city hall improvements you want so badly..."
---
In a time when so much fear and uncertainty is in the air, I think a little more basketball is just what our nation's capital needs.
This is just plain funny. God bless America...
I just got finished reading an article on ESPN.com about how basketball fever is taking over the Washington D.C. area...all because Barack loves a little roundball action.
You can read the full article here.
It's really amazing how completely superficial and pathetic people can be when the right stakes are on the line. The occupant of the Oval Office isn't the only thing that changes in Washington every 4 or 8 years. "Cool" changes too. The "In" places to eat, drink and be merry are unofficially established upon the whims of the Commander in Chief. The school you just have to send your kids to is determined by the parents who live in the White House down on Pennsylvania Ave.
I find all this fascinating and quite amusing. So desperate to be seen in as perfect a light as possible, everybody and their mom is taking up basketball in D.C. Congressman are spending their lunch hours jumping rope and practicing their free throws...all on the off chance that they might...just maybe...get a chance to hoop with the President.
Personally, I think all this is cool. Whatever it takes to motivate people to get in shape and stay there is cool with me. The Good Lord knows how much I love a good game of ball. I just can't stop imagining all the possible scenarios for this thing.
Check out this photo, and a couple of corresponding potential captions...
"So, Senator, I hear you want me to sign that bill of yours, eh? Well, you're just going to have to beat me in a little game of H-O-R-S-E if you want your hometown to get those brand new streetlights..."
"Tell you what, Congressman ______ , if you can beat me one on one, I'll throw in some new police cruisers and even some extra grant money for all those city hall improvements you want so badly..."
---
In a time when so much fear and uncertainty is in the air, I think a little more basketball is just what our nation's capital needs.
This is just plain funny. God bless America...
15 June 2009
You stay classy, Los Angeles...
So, as much as I dislike to admit it, the L.A. Lakers are NBA champions. They beat the Orlando Magic in 5 games (just like my roommate, Geoff, said they would) and raised the trophy last night.
In a move we've seen plenty of times over the years; one that I will never understand...Laker fans in Los Angeles thought the best way to celebrate their teams victory was to trash their city. A rowdy crowd gathered around the Staples Center in east L.A. breaking storefront windows, setting fires in the streets and harassing passing cars.
As if that weren't enough, at least 5 police officers were injured and 1 was taken to the hospital due to injuries sustained while subduing the crowd. Apparently, people thought it would be cool to throw rocks and debris at the police.
I don't know what it is about L.A. people. When the Lakers won the title in 2000, the whole city went bonkers...hundreds of cars were vandalized (mostly ones sitting inside car dealerships) and over 100 people were arrested for disorderly conduct. I mean come on, L.A., can't you guys just have a parade and celebrate like the rest of the civilized world?
In a move we've seen plenty of times over the years; one that I will never understand...Laker fans in Los Angeles thought the best way to celebrate their teams victory was to trash their city. A rowdy crowd gathered around the Staples Center in east L.A. breaking storefront windows, setting fires in the streets and harassing passing cars.
As if that weren't enough, at least 5 police officers were injured and 1 was taken to the hospital due to injuries sustained while subduing the crowd. Apparently, people thought it would be cool to throw rocks and debris at the police.
I don't know what it is about L.A. people. When the Lakers won the title in 2000, the whole city went bonkers...hundreds of cars were vandalized (mostly ones sitting inside car dealerships) and over 100 people were arrested for disorderly conduct. I mean come on, L.A., can't you guys just have a parade and celebrate like the rest of the civilized world?
10 June 2009
Will he ever learn?
I have to admit, even I am a bit surprised at what came out of VP Joe Biden's mouth today. Not even 24 hours ago, I blogged about our VP long list of verbal idiocy...and now today he shoves his foot even further down his gaping pie-hole.
While addressing an assembly of 8 law enforcement groups, Joe turned on the rhetoric machine once again and spewed out some more garbage. Referring to The Anointed One's Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor, Biden made this remark, "But as you do your job, know that Judge Sotomayor has your back," Biden said. "And throughout this nomination process, I know you'll have her back as well."
Hmm, was your brain even turned on when you said that, Joe? Or were you just shooting from the hip like has worked so well for you in the past? At a time when Mrs. Sotomayor's biggest obstacle to confirmation will undoubtedly be her alleged biases and lack of jurisprudence, Joe Biden opens a massive can of worms that I doubt he even comprehends himself.
Yes...let's forget things like, civil rights, Miranda Laws, Habius Corpus, the Sixth Amendment and the Penal Code. Hey cops, detectives, prosecutors...don't worry about doing your job by the book. Sotomayor's got your back...
Joe Biden is a flippant idiot.
The best investment The Anointed One could make for saving face for his administration is buying a nice roll of duct tape for the Vice President's mouth.
John Wesley Hall, President of the National Assoc. of Criminal Defense Lawyers said Biden didn't do himself any favors with that remark, since it's likely to generate more critical questions for Sotomayor during confirmation hearings.
While addressing an assembly of 8 law enforcement groups, Joe turned on the rhetoric machine once again and spewed out some more garbage. Referring to The Anointed One's Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor, Biden made this remark, "But as you do your job, know that Judge Sotomayor has your back," Biden said. "And throughout this nomination process, I know you'll have her back as well."
Hmm, was your brain even turned on when you said that, Joe? Or were you just shooting from the hip like has worked so well for you in the past? At a time when Mrs. Sotomayor's biggest obstacle to confirmation will undoubtedly be her alleged biases and lack of jurisprudence, Joe Biden opens a massive can of worms that I doubt he even comprehends himself.
Yes...let's forget things like, civil rights, Miranda Laws, Habius Corpus, the Sixth Amendment and the Penal Code. Hey cops, detectives, prosecutors...don't worry about doing your job by the book. Sotomayor's got your back...
Joe Biden is a flippant idiot.
The best investment The Anointed One could make for saving face for his administration is buying a nice roll of duct tape for the Vice President's mouth.
John Wesley Hall, President of the National Assoc. of Criminal Defense Lawyers said Biden didn't do himself any favors with that remark, since it's likely to generate more critical questions for Sotomayor during confirmation hearings.
"That comment means that she could probably care less about civil liberties and just do whatever law enforcement wants," Hall said.
He concluded with this remark, "My take on it is that he's probably just trying to get law enforcement to support him by saying something just completely off the wall."
John, I couldn't agree more.
09 June 2009
The Eloquence and Wisdom of our Dear Old Vice President
Ahhh, methinks Barack is cussing our nation's VP right about now. Joe Biden, architect of all things ignorant and offensive has added another bullet to the magazine of those who want to paint him as incompetent and unqualified.
This morning's gaffe was on the subject of the $8.7 Billion Hudson River Tunnel Project. VP Biden, who is an avid train rider, said the tunnel, which would connect New Jersey with mid-town Manhattan, was going to be a great asset to ease automobile congestion in the area.
Umm, Joe...the tunnel will be used strictly for trains.
And I quote, "Look, this is designed, this totally new tunnel, is designed to provide for automobile traffic," Biden said, according to The Record of Bergen County. "It's something, as you know, up your way, that's been in the works and people have been clamoring for for a long time."
Ah, Joe, Joe, Joe...maybe you should at least skim the brief your advisors give you before you make a complete fool of yourself, yet again, with nationally-syndicated reporters...
OH, and just for laughs, I've compiled a list of other recent blunders of our Vice President...enjoy.
---
On March 13, 2009, Biden addressed a former Senate colleague by saying, "An hour late, oh give me a f***ing break," after he arrived on Amtrak at Union Station in Washington, D.C. The vice president's expletive was caught on a live microphone.
---
During a Feb. 25, 2009, interview on CBS' "Early Show," Biden encouraged viewers to visit a government-run Web site that tracks stimulus spending. When asked for the site's web address, Biden could not remember the site's "number."
This morning's gaffe was on the subject of the $8.7 Billion Hudson River Tunnel Project. VP Biden, who is an avid train rider, said the tunnel, which would connect New Jersey with mid-town Manhattan, was going to be a great asset to ease automobile congestion in the area.
Umm, Joe...the tunnel will be used strictly for trains.
And I quote, "Look, this is designed, this totally new tunnel, is designed to provide for automobile traffic," Biden said, according to The Record of Bergen County. "It's something, as you know, up your way, that's been in the works and people have been clamoring for for a long time."
Ah, Joe, Joe, Joe...maybe you should at least skim the brief your advisors give you before you make a complete fool of yourself, yet again, with nationally-syndicated reporters...
OH, and just for laughs, I've compiled a list of other recent blunders of our Vice President...enjoy.
---
On March 13, 2009, Biden addressed a former Senate colleague by saying, "An hour late, oh give me a f***ing break," after he arrived on Amtrak at Union Station in Washington, D.C. The vice president's expletive was caught on a live microphone.
---
During a Feb. 25, 2009, interview on CBS' "Early Show," Biden encouraged viewers to visit a government-run Web site that tracks stimulus spending. When asked for the site's web address, Biden could not remember the site's "number."
"You know, I'm embarrassed. Do you know the Web site number?" he asked an aide standing out of view. "I should have it in front of me and I don't. I'm actually embarrassed."
---
At a Jan. 30, 2009, swearing-in ceremony of senior White House staff, Biden mocked Chief Justice John Roberts for his presidential oath blunder on Inauguration Day.
"Am I doing this again?" Biden said, after Obama asked him to administer the oath. When Biden was told the swearing-in was for senior staff -- and not cabinet members -- the vice president quipped, "My memory is not as good as Justice Roberts," prompting a stern nudge from Obama.
---
On Inauguration Day, Jan. 20 2009, Biden misspoke when he told a cheering crowd of supporters, "Jill and I had the great honor of standing on that stage, looking across at one of the great justices, Justice Stewart." Justice John Paul Stevens -- not Stewart -- swore Biden in as vice president.
---
My favorite :-D
When criticizing former GOP nominee John McCain in Athens, Ohio, on Oct. 15, 2008, Biden said, "Look, John's last-minute economic plan does nothing to tackle the number-one job facing the middle class, and it happens to be, as Barack says, a three-letter word: jobs. J-O-B-S, jobs."
---
In a Sept. 22, 2008, CBS interview, Biden misspoke when he said Franklin D. Roosevelt was president when the stock market crashed in 1929.
"When the stock market crashed, Franklin D. Roosevelt got on the television and didn't just talk about the, you know, the princes of greed. He said, 'Look, here's what happened," he said. Herbert Hoover -- not Roosevelt -- was president in 1929, and television had not yet been invented in 1929. HAHAHAHAHAHA
---
During a Sept. 12, 2008, speech in Columbia, Mo., Biden called for Missouri State Sen. Chuck Graham, who is wheelchair-bound, to "stand up."
"Oh, God love ya," Biden said, after realizing his mistake. "What am I talking about?"
---
At a Sept. 10, 2008, town hall meeting in Nashua, N.H., Biden said, "Hillary Clinton is as qualified or more qualified than I am to be vice president of the United States of America. Quite frankly, it might have been a better pick than me." - Joe, I couldn't agree more...
---
Biden said he was running for president -- not vice president -- during a Sept. 1, 2008, roundtable discussion in Scranton, Pa."Today is the moment for me as a United States senator running for president to put aside the national politics and focus on what's happening down there," Biden said.
---
On Jan. 31, 2007 -- the day Biden announced his presidential bid -- the Delaware Senator was roundly criticized for calling Obama "the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy. I mean, that's a storybook, man."
---
This last one is of particular relevance now that we're beginning to hear flack from the democrats about not being racist towards potential Justice Sotomayor.
On September 10, 1991, after the confirmation hearing of Justice Clarence Thomas, Biden made this remark, "I think that the only reason Clarence Thomas is on the Court is because he is black. I don't believe he could have won had he been white. And the reason is, I think it was a cynical ploy by President Bush."
---
Here's to another 3.5 years of comedy coming from the West Wing of the White House. Thanks, Joe...
03 June 2009
Urban Justice...
So, this is the face of one Jose Carrasquillo, from Philly, who "allegedly" raped an 11yr girl in her own home.After allegedly committing the heinous deed, he fled the scene and was hiding from police.
Police put out wanted posters and all the usual information on the dirtbag. Today, Mr. Carrasquillo was walking down a sidewalk in the same neighborhood the rape occurred. A couple of guys recognize him as the suspected rapist and then they proceed to chase him down, beating him along the way.
Surveillance footage captured the scene as several people proceed to beat the living crap out of the guy. What happens when you rape an 11yr old girl in south Philly? You don't just go to jail... you get tackled, punched in the face, beat with sticks, curb-stomped, drop-kicked in the groin multiple times and then you go to jail.
A local news station interviewed one of the guys who tackled the assailant, who said he "was just trying to help that little girl's family." Kudos to you, citizens of south Philly. At least in some parts of America, justice can still find a way to be served.
To see the attack video and information on this and other stories, click here
27 May 2009
Dang it, Barack, I'm a conservative, I'm not a monster
You know, I'm pretty shy about expressing my opinions on things...(;-D) but at a time when the idiots in the mainstream media (MSM) are doing everything they can to villainize and discredit everyone who dares disagree with them, I think I should put my two cents in the jar.
Here's the deal...I'm not a Republican. Never will be. But, I'm sure as hellfire and homemade chocolate cookies not a democrap, AKA the Democratic Socialist Party. In the last 4 months since taking office, Barack Obama and his buddies in Washington have done their very best to screw the proverbial pooch as fast as possible. Somehow, between signing off on well over a trillion (with a T) dollars in federal money to bailout failing businesses, and trying to close a prison containing dozens of hardened war criminals hell-bent on killing Americans, our beloved President has found time to craft and attempt to force-feed a $3.75 trillion (with another T) budget. Never mind the fact that about $1.25 trillion of that is DEFICIT SPENDING. That's like me taking out a $50,000 loan to pay off my $27,000 student loan and trying to pass it off as a good idea.
On top of that, the President is doing a good j-o-b at expanding the federal government's scope of power at a rate not seen since the Roosevelt era. Pretty soon, when I open my refrigerator in the morning, a government-employed midget will pop out and inform me of what my government-mandated breakfast is going to be. Anybody see a problem with this?
Since when were the banking and automobile industries any of Uncle Sam's business? Since when was the federal government supposed to bailout and even reward reckless and imprudent business practices in the housing and financial sectors?
Does anyone in Washington even read the Constitution anymore? Maybe they have conveniently forgotten about a little thing called the 10TH AMENDMENT. Let me refresh your memory, since I doubt many of us have it memorized:
"The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."
By that token, a large portion of what the government does on a daily basis is unconstitutional. Also, several major departments have no constitutional right to even exist...
Department of Education
Department of Energy
Department of Homeland Security
Department of Health and Human Services
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Department of Labor
Department of the Interior
Department of Transportation
Department of Veterans Affairs
Federal Reserve
Internal Revenue Service
Environmental Protection Agency
Federal Trade Commission
Federal Communication Commission
Social Security Administration
Welfare
Medicare/Medicaid
etc....
To clarify, I am not commenting on whether any of these listed departments and agencies are necessary or whether they do any good for the American people. I am simply saying that the federal government has no constitutional right to perpetuate their existence. Many of these entities listed would be much better suited to be operated at the state and local levels. Further, many of them already are and see a completely repetitive and costly duplicative existence being paid for by the taxpayers.
What is my point? Here's my point. I'm an American who's sick to death of my government taking my money and my freedom and giving me little in return. I'm tired of receiving inferior treatment because I'm an educated, white male. I'm tired of criminal, illegal immigrants being offered education,healthcare services and sanctuary because people are worried about being seen as racist or bigoted. I'm tired of my savior Jesus Christ getting thrown under the bus in favor of supposed religious freedom in America (when you're free to express your religion as long as you're not a Christian, because then your belief system suddenly becomes offensive).
I believe in the individual right of every single American to receive equal treatment and protection under the law. I don't care if you're black, white or purple-polkadotted. I don't care if you're gay, bi-sexual, straight or just plain perverted. I don't care if you grew up in the projects or on the country club. I don't care which sexual organ you find between your legs. You should get equal treatment.
Equal means no special treatment for anybody.
Equal means don't go crying to the government for a handout because you don't feel like working. Equal means you get the same shot at medical as me and everyone else, regardless of where you were born. Equal means if you're gay and you want legally-recognized union for you and your partner, then get a civil union and leave the marriage licenses for the heterosexual couples they were intended for. I don't have any particular dislike for homosexuals, I'm just tired of hearing them cry for special treatment. Equal also means that you don't get healthcare coverage handed to you. Go out there and work for it like everyone else has to. Healthcare is not a right, it is a benefit of legitimate employment.
If you want universal healthcare, move to Canada. Go see if there are any doctors left up there, and ask them what they think of universal healthcare.
---
Oh, and abortion is murder. Plain and simple. There's no way around the fact that abortion ends the life of a living, growing human being. Your mother was pro-life and you are living proof of it. Every last person out there who is in favor of abortion was successfully brought into this world by someone who wasn't. Think about it.
We, the living, are trying to play God and determine who is allowed to enter the realm of oxygen-breathing humans. Oh, the great irony.
And, yes, I do feel tremendous compassion for those poor women who are victims of rape and incest. That is why I can't imagine asking them to bear the pain of their experiences on top of the horrible shame and regret that taking the life of their unborn child would bring them.
The simple fact of the matter is that abortion is a banner issue for so many because it is a foundational matter of pride and conceit. Women want freedom to rule their own bodies, regardless of how their actions might affect another life. The overwhelming majority of abortions performed in America are done as a means of post-conception birth control. Plain and simple. You want to argue that point...bring it.
---
I'm a conservative. I'm a fan of small federal government, and powerful state and local government. I'm a fan of "we the people" and holding our representatives accountable. I'm a proud supporter of our military, paramilitary and every last soul who stands in defense of American freedom. I fully support the office of the President, even when I don't support or respect the decisions of the man currently holding that office. I'm a fan of guns, red meat, baseball, cotton candy, pickup trucks, fireworks, Blue Bell ice cream and Shiner Bock. I'm as ardent a patriot as you'll ever find. I double-dog dare you CNN-watching, bailout check-cashing, Obamanations out there to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you God.
But until then, to all you liberals out there who want to throw rocks from your pretty glass houses, just remember that every time you lie, twist the truth and point your finger at me...you've got three pointed right back in your face.
Good day, all.
Here's the deal...I'm not a Republican. Never will be. But, I'm sure as hellfire and homemade chocolate cookies not a democrap, AKA the Democratic Socialist Party. In the last 4 months since taking office, Barack Obama and his buddies in Washington have done their very best to screw the proverbial pooch as fast as possible. Somehow, between signing off on well over a trillion (with a T) dollars in federal money to bailout failing businesses, and trying to close a prison containing dozens of hardened war criminals hell-bent on killing Americans, our beloved President has found time to craft and attempt to force-feed a $3.75 trillion (with another T) budget. Never mind the fact that about $1.25 trillion of that is DEFICIT SPENDING. That's like me taking out a $50,000 loan to pay off my $27,000 student loan and trying to pass it off as a good idea.
On top of that, the President is doing a good j-o-b at expanding the federal government's scope of power at a rate not seen since the Roosevelt era. Pretty soon, when I open my refrigerator in the morning, a government-employed midget will pop out and inform me of what my government-mandated breakfast is going to be. Anybody see a problem with this?
Since when were the banking and automobile industries any of Uncle Sam's business? Since when was the federal government supposed to bailout and even reward reckless and imprudent business practices in the housing and financial sectors?
Does anyone in Washington even read the Constitution anymore? Maybe they have conveniently forgotten about a little thing called the 10TH AMENDMENT. Let me refresh your memory, since I doubt many of us have it memorized:
"The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."
By that token, a large portion of what the government does on a daily basis is unconstitutional. Also, several major departments have no constitutional right to even exist...
Department of Education
Department of Energy
Department of Homeland Security
Department of Health and Human Services
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Department of Labor
Department of the Interior
Department of Transportation
Department of Veterans Affairs
Federal Reserve
Internal Revenue Service
Environmental Protection Agency
Federal Trade Commission
Federal Communication Commission
Social Security Administration
Welfare
Medicare/Medicaid
etc....
To clarify, I am not commenting on whether any of these listed departments and agencies are necessary or whether they do any good for the American people. I am simply saying that the federal government has no constitutional right to perpetuate their existence. Many of these entities listed would be much better suited to be operated at the state and local levels. Further, many of them already are and see a completely repetitive and costly duplicative existence being paid for by the taxpayers.
What is my point? Here's my point. I'm an American who's sick to death of my government taking my money and my freedom and giving me little in return. I'm tired of receiving inferior treatment because I'm an educated, white male. I'm tired of criminal, illegal immigrants being offered education,healthcare services and sanctuary because people are worried about being seen as racist or bigoted. I'm tired of my savior Jesus Christ getting thrown under the bus in favor of supposed religious freedom in America (when you're free to express your religion as long as you're not a Christian, because then your belief system suddenly becomes offensive).
I believe in the individual right of every single American to receive equal treatment and protection under the law. I don't care if you're black, white or purple-polkadotted. I don't care if you're gay, bi-sexual, straight or just plain perverted. I don't care if you grew up in the projects or on the country club. I don't care which sexual organ you find between your legs. You should get equal treatment.
Equal means no special treatment for anybody.
Equal means don't go crying to the government for a handout because you don't feel like working. Equal means you get the same shot at medical as me and everyone else, regardless of where you were born. Equal means if you're gay and you want legally-recognized union for you and your partner, then get a civil union and leave the marriage licenses for the heterosexual couples they were intended for. I don't have any particular dislike for homosexuals, I'm just tired of hearing them cry for special treatment. Equal also means that you don't get healthcare coverage handed to you. Go out there and work for it like everyone else has to. Healthcare is not a right, it is a benefit of legitimate employment.
If you want universal healthcare, move to Canada. Go see if there are any doctors left up there, and ask them what they think of universal healthcare.
---
Oh, and abortion is murder. Plain and simple. There's no way around the fact that abortion ends the life of a living, growing human being. Your mother was pro-life and you are living proof of it. Every last person out there who is in favor of abortion was successfully brought into this world by someone who wasn't. Think about it.
We, the living, are trying to play God and determine who is allowed to enter the realm of oxygen-breathing humans. Oh, the great irony.
And, yes, I do feel tremendous compassion for those poor women who are victims of rape and incest. That is why I can't imagine asking them to bear the pain of their experiences on top of the horrible shame and regret that taking the life of their unborn child would bring them.
The simple fact of the matter is that abortion is a banner issue for so many because it is a foundational matter of pride and conceit. Women want freedom to rule their own bodies, regardless of how their actions might affect another life. The overwhelming majority of abortions performed in America are done as a means of post-conception birth control. Plain and simple. You want to argue that point...bring it.
---
I'm a conservative. I'm a fan of small federal government, and powerful state and local government. I'm a fan of "we the people" and holding our representatives accountable. I'm a proud supporter of our military, paramilitary and every last soul who stands in defense of American freedom. I fully support the office of the President, even when I don't support or respect the decisions of the man currently holding that office. I'm a fan of guns, red meat, baseball, cotton candy, pickup trucks, fireworks, Blue Bell ice cream and Shiner Bock. I'm as ardent a patriot as you'll ever find. I double-dog dare you CNN-watching, bailout check-cashing, Obamanations out there to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you God.
But until then, to all you liberals out there who want to throw rocks from your pretty glass houses, just remember that every time you lie, twist the truth and point your finger at me...you've got three pointed right back in your face.
Good day, all.
26 May 2009
Finally, our rights have been protected
Kudos to the California State Supreme Court today. The high court voted 6-1 to uphold a voter initiative known as Proposition 8 that banned homosexual marriages in California.
You can read about the whole story here.
In a time when 5 states have already legalized homosexual marriage (Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Maine - effective 9/1/09 and Vermont - effective 9/14/09), and all 5 of those decisions were made via state judicial action, it is nice to see that someone in the government still understands "We the people..."
The citizens of Iowa are already mobilizing a voter initiative of their own to overturn the state supreme court's decision regarding same-sex marriage. In a recent Gallop poll taken, approx. 60% of Iowans polled were against gay marriage.
Homosexual activists and special interest groups are fighting tooth and nail to keep any and all voter initiatives off the November ballots. And for good reason! The only way for them to legalize gay marriage in the first place was by circumventing the will of the people by using liberal judges to push through special interest rulings.
So, long story short...good job California! It's nice to see the land of fruits and nuts get something right for a change.
You can read about the whole story here.
In a time when 5 states have already legalized homosexual marriage (Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Maine - effective 9/1/09 and Vermont - effective 9/14/09), and all 5 of those decisions were made via state judicial action, it is nice to see that someone in the government still understands "We the people..."
The citizens of Iowa are already mobilizing a voter initiative of their own to overturn the state supreme court's decision regarding same-sex marriage. In a recent Gallop poll taken, approx. 60% of Iowans polled were against gay marriage.
Homosexual activists and special interest groups are fighting tooth and nail to keep any and all voter initiatives off the November ballots. And for good reason! The only way for them to legalize gay marriage in the first place was by circumventing the will of the people by using liberal judges to push through special interest rulings.
So, long story short...good job California! It's nice to see the land of fruits and nuts get something right for a change.
11 May 2009
A confession
I am a hypocrite.
My words and my actions don't match up.
I have been fighting off this nagging guilty feeling for a while now, and tonight it got the best of me. The things I say are important to me, the things I say I believe and want to strive for...well, I don't do those things. I take the easy way out more times than not. I'm a coward when it comes to actually living out my faith.
I look at my brother, Erick, who refuses to call himself a Christian because he is not willing to submit to the lifestyle of a Christ-follower....and I am deeply convicted. I'm convicted because Erick and I are extremely similar in our behavior, in the words that come out of our mouth, in choices of entertainment and lots of other things. Erick is true to himself and his professed world view. However, I claim to be a follower of Christ. There are certain things that I can't hold against people who don't choose to follow Christ...and certain things that the Bible says we MUST hold against people who claim the name of Christ in their life.
I got drunk Saturday night. Excessively drunk. I am 25 years old, and I wasn't driving any vehicle that night, so I did nothing illegal. Yet, I feel terrible in my inner man because I know that I willingly disobeyed what the Bible commands me to do.
I have slipped into habits of vulgar and coarse talk. I now find expletives peppering my normal vocabulary. I would be mortified if my pastor heard these words out of my mouth, yet I'm OK with my friends and fraternity brothers who don't know Jesus hearing them. I am a hypocrite. I am why people don't go to church. I am why people aren't interested in Christ.
I am also completely heartbroken over this fact.
---
This is the point where my brother rolls his eyes and thinks "here we go again, another supposed revival..." because he's tired of my vacillation. I'm the guy Revelation 3 talks about who gets spit out of God's mouth.
What's my point, you ask? Why am I confessing this on a blog for all to see? Is this a "look at me" moment? No, I just wanted to be real. I wanted everyone to know that I recognize my sin and I am going to bow before the throne of God, beg forgiveness and strive for restoration to the man of God I desperately want to be.
I am searching for my life purpose. I don't know specifically what it is right now. Please pray for my restoration and for wisdom and guidance. I am a broken man in need of healing.
Praise God for His grace and mercy to me. I don't deserve any of it...
My words and my actions don't match up.
I have been fighting off this nagging guilty feeling for a while now, and tonight it got the best of me. The things I say are important to me, the things I say I believe and want to strive for...well, I don't do those things. I take the easy way out more times than not. I'm a coward when it comes to actually living out my faith.
I look at my brother, Erick, who refuses to call himself a Christian because he is not willing to submit to the lifestyle of a Christ-follower....and I am deeply convicted. I'm convicted because Erick and I are extremely similar in our behavior, in the words that come out of our mouth, in choices of entertainment and lots of other things. Erick is true to himself and his professed world view. However, I claim to be a follower of Christ. There are certain things that I can't hold against people who don't choose to follow Christ...and certain things that the Bible says we MUST hold against people who claim the name of Christ in their life.
I got drunk Saturday night. Excessively drunk. I am 25 years old, and I wasn't driving any vehicle that night, so I did nothing illegal. Yet, I feel terrible in my inner man because I know that I willingly disobeyed what the Bible commands me to do.
I have slipped into habits of vulgar and coarse talk. I now find expletives peppering my normal vocabulary. I would be mortified if my pastor heard these words out of my mouth, yet I'm OK with my friends and fraternity brothers who don't know Jesus hearing them. I am a hypocrite. I am why people don't go to church. I am why people aren't interested in Christ.
I am also completely heartbroken over this fact.
---
This is the point where my brother rolls his eyes and thinks "here we go again, another supposed revival..." because he's tired of my vacillation. I'm the guy Revelation 3 talks about who gets spit out of God's mouth.
What's my point, you ask? Why am I confessing this on a blog for all to see? Is this a "look at me" moment? No, I just wanted to be real. I wanted everyone to know that I recognize my sin and I am going to bow before the throne of God, beg forgiveness and strive for restoration to the man of God I desperately want to be.
I am searching for my life purpose. I don't know specifically what it is right now. Please pray for my restoration and for wisdom and guidance. I am a broken man in need of healing.
Praise God for His grace and mercy to me. I don't deserve any of it...
07 April 2009
The Global Warming Lie
Run for the hills! The polar ice caps are melting!! Oh no...the global temperature is rising!!! AHHHHHH.....
Hmm, somehow I don't buy it. Al Gore didn't invent the internet and "The Day After Tomorrow" is not ever going to happen.
The entire concept of global warming is a lie. Period. Stop. It is a fabrication conceived by extremist, alarmist, environmentalists who are violently anti-industry and have a vested interest in causing worldwide panic.
Thankfully, I'm not the only one who thinks so.
Martin Durkin, a british filmmaker, gathered nine scientists, experts in various relevant fields and made a documentary "The Great Global Warming Scandal".
"global warming "is a multibillion-dollar worldwide industry, created by fanatically anti-industrial environmentalists, supported by scientists peddling scare stories to chase funding, and propped up by compliant politicians and the media."
Durkin's research comes from an impressive roll-call of experts," including nine professors, who are experts in climatology, oceanography, meteorology, biogeography and paleoclimatology."
Hmm, does Al Gore have expertise in any of those fields? Nope.
NASA itself was caught manipulating climate data from the Goddard Institute in 2008. Who was in charge of that mess? Dr. James Hansen, a member of Al Gore's advisory team during the Clinton Administration.
Need a refresher course in history? This same James Hansen is responsible for starting the whole global warming scare in 1988, when he testified his baseless opinions before a Senate subcommittee.
This guy has been guilty of inflating temperature readings and publishing blatantly false data for over 20 years. He is also the centerpiece of Al Gore's Oscar-winning film "An Inconvenient Truth".
Look at trends over the last few centuries. Look at temperature readings in rural areas not affected by explosive population growth and urbanization. Don't buy into the fanatical alarmists who want to save the whales and the trees and could care less about the humans.
Anarctic ice growth is up 43% in many areas from where is was 30 years ago. Temperatures in rural areas are actually down in many places. Global warming isn't happening. If you think it is, dig your head out of the sand and look at the facts. Not the twisted, unfounded opinions of special-interest scientists and deviant politicians. The facts, people.
Here's some good places to start:
http://www.sitewave.net/news/s49p1831.htm
http://www.amlibpub.com/liberty_blog/2009/01/nasa-rigs-data-reports-false-global.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/1314806/Global-warming-claims-based-on-false-data.html
http://www.prisonplanet.com/ipcc-scientists-caught-producing-false-data-to-push-global-warming.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1L82mUy18PQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oh1f6lgQNo0
Enjoy your day! Blessings...
Hmm, somehow I don't buy it. Al Gore didn't invent the internet and "The Day After Tomorrow" is not ever going to happen.
The entire concept of global warming is a lie. Period. Stop. It is a fabrication conceived by extremist, alarmist, environmentalists who are violently anti-industry and have a vested interest in causing worldwide panic.
Thankfully, I'm not the only one who thinks so.
Martin Durkin, a british filmmaker, gathered nine scientists, experts in various relevant fields and made a documentary "The Great Global Warming Scandal".
"global warming "is a multibillion-dollar worldwide industry, created by fanatically anti-industrial environmentalists, supported by scientists peddling scare stories to chase funding, and propped up by compliant politicians and the media."
Durkin's research comes from an impressive roll-call of experts," including nine professors, who are experts in climatology, oceanography, meteorology, biogeography and paleoclimatology."
Hmm, does Al Gore have expertise in any of those fields? Nope.
NASA itself was caught manipulating climate data from the Goddard Institute in 2008. Who was in charge of that mess? Dr. James Hansen, a member of Al Gore's advisory team during the Clinton Administration.
Need a refresher course in history? This same James Hansen is responsible for starting the whole global warming scare in 1988, when he testified his baseless opinions before a Senate subcommittee.
This guy has been guilty of inflating temperature readings and publishing blatantly false data for over 20 years. He is also the centerpiece of Al Gore's Oscar-winning film "An Inconvenient Truth".
Look at trends over the last few centuries. Look at temperature readings in rural areas not affected by explosive population growth and urbanization. Don't buy into the fanatical alarmists who want to save the whales and the trees and could care less about the humans.
Anarctic ice growth is up 43% in many areas from where is was 30 years ago. Temperatures in rural areas are actually down in many places. Global warming isn't happening. If you think it is, dig your head out of the sand and look at the facts. Not the twisted, unfounded opinions of special-interest scientists and deviant politicians. The facts, people.
Here's some good places to start:
http://www.sitewave.net/news/s49p1831.htm
http://www.amlibpub.com/liberty_blog/2009/01/nasa-rigs-data-reports-false-global.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/1314806/Global-warming-claims-based-on-false-data.html
http://www.prisonplanet.com/ipcc-scientists-caught-producing-false-data-to-push-global-warming.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1L82mUy18PQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oh1f6lgQNo0
Enjoy your day! Blessings...
06 March 2009
Feeling like myself again
When life becomes about me, satisfaction leaves quickly.
My only true joy comes when my eyes are where they belong.
It's not about me and it never has been. Wordy, contemplative introspection is therapeutic, but counter-productive to what needs to happen.
Today, I got over myself. Talk less, listen more. I'm going to do my best to live that out. You're welcome to join me and walk down life's path for a bit...or more.
To those who have been effected, I'm sorry for taking myself too seriously. My joy has returned, I'd like to share it with you...
My only true joy comes when my eyes are where they belong.
It's not about me and it never has been. Wordy, contemplative introspection is therapeutic, but counter-productive to what needs to happen.
Today, I got over myself. Talk less, listen more. I'm going to do my best to live that out. You're welcome to join me and walk down life's path for a bit...or more.
To those who have been effected, I'm sorry for taking myself too seriously. My joy has returned, I'd like to share it with you...
11 February 2009
My hope is built on nothing less...
Today the Senate voted 61-37 in favor of President Obama's $838 billion stimulus package. Now, I'm no economist and I'm pretty sure no one in Washington has called me asking for advice on how to fix the recession America has been experiencing since the early fall. However, I don't think many credentials at all are required to know that this spending package is a terrible idea. This baby is so laden with pork it would make a vegetarian cry for his collard greens.
A good analogy is that it's like the college student who doesn't have any money, so he borrows the maximum he can get on student loans...WAY more than he needs, and spends every penny of it buying a new car, an XBOX and fixing that leaky faucet in the apartment...the only problem is now he's in debt up to his eyeballs and has really screwed up his future. He just doesn't know it yet.
It's during times like these when seemingly everyone in the media, Washington and down at city hall want me to freak out that I am reminded where my foundation is. What a blessing it is to personally know the God who hand-picked the stars in the sky and intimately crafted everything my eyes have ever seen. During these uncertain times, my faith in Christ is more than enough to get me through. His faithfulness has never let me down. Praise Him.
Christians, let's not forget to pray for our leaders, both state, local and federal. Pray for wisdom and discernment as they try to navigate these waters and lead our nation back to financial stability. This is a wonderful time to be a strong witness to a lost and dying world.
Blessings...
A good analogy is that it's like the college student who doesn't have any money, so he borrows the maximum he can get on student loans...WAY more than he needs, and spends every penny of it buying a new car, an XBOX and fixing that leaky faucet in the apartment...the only problem is now he's in debt up to his eyeballs and has really screwed up his future. He just doesn't know it yet.
It's during times like these when seemingly everyone in the media, Washington and down at city hall want me to freak out that I am reminded where my foundation is. What a blessing it is to personally know the God who hand-picked the stars in the sky and intimately crafted everything my eyes have ever seen. During these uncertain times, my faith in Christ is more than enough to get me through. His faithfulness has never let me down. Praise Him.
Christians, let's not forget to pray for our leaders, both state, local and federal. Pray for wisdom and discernment as they try to navigate these waters and lead our nation back to financial stability. This is a wonderful time to be a strong witness to a lost and dying world.
Blessings...
08 February 2009
A blog for a comment
My friends, we are only as complicated as we make ourselves out to be. Pride and pretense have taken the place of genuine friendship and transparency. We all desperately want to find true love and acceptance in this world, but we are so rapt with fear and doubt brought on by our upbringing and our parent's fear and doubt and their parent's...well, you get the idea.
Society lies to us and we just take it. Society gives men the foolish and lazy idea to not be men, to not stand up and fill our role. Somewhere along the line we learned that taking the easy way out came with little consequence...or so it seems. It absolutely floors me to see how completely passive my gender can be. Don't get me wrong, I'm just as guilty more times than not...but this is my blog, so I get to think out loud for right now.
A personal example:
I spent some of this afternoon thinking about a set of events that has occurred in my life since this semester began in the middle of January. The past few weeks, I've been spending some quality with a pretty awesome lady friend of mine...known the gal for about 15 years. I don't really know what was different now, but something just clicked and I took a step that hopefully every single man will take at some point, I initiated contact. I asked her out for some coffee, and thankfully she accepted. Conversation flowed effortlessly and coffee went down as a success in my book. Another week went by and more time was spent with her, just little stuff...some studying here, an anti-superbowl party there, just some relaxed, fun stuff. I am starting to feel like I have a good feel for who she is, we are beginning to form the bonds of a true friendship. There is chemistry and some flirting back and forth, but it's all good. Another "coffee date" for lack of a better term, a movie night, and some bowling. All is well, right? Wrong.
That's right about the time when my gender, my environment and my society caught up to me and popped some stupid pills down my throat. I committed the same cardinal sin that almost every man commits sooner or later and it makes women want to pull their hair out. I over-complicated the whole ball of wax. Men have been doing it for years. (I can't speak for women, for obvious reasons, so I hope you'll forgive me.) I started thinking too much and got frustrated with myself, I started to playback all the stuff I'd said and done in the last 3 weeks and started picking out everything that I thought went "wrong"...Men do this all the time. Especially with women. Especially when a gem crosses our path and we recognize how important our actions, words and attitudes are. We clam up and stop listening to our source of truth and strength. I know I did.
Big mistake. I wasn't being a man. I certainly wasn't operating in the same God-given confidence that I spend most of my days residing inside. Normally, I am a very strong person...it's not because I myself possess any strength of any kind. Quite to the contrary. I am strong because I realize that I am supremely weak, and I defer all things possible to the One who possesses infinite amounts of all good things.
The complete lack of confidence, the fear and doubt that I experienced Friday was a result of attempting to operate under my own strength for a brief moment. I wasn't even myself anymore. Thankfully, the poor lass on the other end of the phone had the good sense to tell me to stop talking. I made things too complicated. You have very likely done the very same thing.
So guys, how do we stop this from happening? How do we avoid embarrassing, emasculating actions that make us feel weak and inadequate? How do we kick that sick feeling in our stomach that tells us we aren't good enough? How do we accurately represent ourselves to the Godly women in this world who are just looking for God's men to stand up? Cling to the only real strength in this world. Find your confidence and your identity in the One who gave you that Y chromosome. You are nothing, I am nothing. When I look in the mirror, if all I see is me...all I see is failure and inadequacy. You don't want that anymore than I do.
God's man is ready for anything. He's got his armor (Eph. 6) on and he is good to go. You want to kick that feeling that you can't make it, that you can't win the maiden and you can't slay the dragon...? Pick up your Sword (The Word of God) and let's go un-complicate some things.
Blessings...
---
P.S. - Let me just say that pursuing personal development for any sake other than the quest for holiness and the glory of Almighty God is a mistake. Trying to be more like Jesus to win the girl is a dangerous card to play. Check yourself. Get in the Word every day. Be a man.
P.P.S. - To the ladies: Please demand that we act like men. So many of you refer to us as "boys"...but I don't want to be called a boy any more than the next guy. If you're tired of dealing with boys, then raise your standards. Wait for the men. The man worth having is most definitely worth waiting for. However, when you've got a keeper, don't be afraid to make a move! When a keeper sticks his neck out there to come after you, don't let him draw back a nub.
Just saying...
Society lies to us and we just take it. Society gives men the foolish and lazy idea to not be men, to not stand up and fill our role. Somewhere along the line we learned that taking the easy way out came with little consequence...or so it seems. It absolutely floors me to see how completely passive my gender can be. Don't get me wrong, I'm just as guilty more times than not...but this is my blog, so I get to think out loud for right now.
A personal example:
I spent some of this afternoon thinking about a set of events that has occurred in my life since this semester began in the middle of January. The past few weeks, I've been spending some quality with a pretty awesome lady friend of mine...known the gal for about 15 years. I don't really know what was different now, but something just clicked and I took a step that hopefully every single man will take at some point, I initiated contact. I asked her out for some coffee, and thankfully she accepted. Conversation flowed effortlessly and coffee went down as a success in my book. Another week went by and more time was spent with her, just little stuff...some studying here, an anti-superbowl party there, just some relaxed, fun stuff. I am starting to feel like I have a good feel for who she is, we are beginning to form the bonds of a true friendship. There is chemistry and some flirting back and forth, but it's all good. Another "coffee date" for lack of a better term, a movie night, and some bowling. All is well, right? Wrong.
That's right about the time when my gender, my environment and my society caught up to me and popped some stupid pills down my throat. I committed the same cardinal sin that almost every man commits sooner or later and it makes women want to pull their hair out. I over-complicated the whole ball of wax. Men have been doing it for years. (I can't speak for women, for obvious reasons, so I hope you'll forgive me.) I started thinking too much and got frustrated with myself, I started to playback all the stuff I'd said and done in the last 3 weeks and started picking out everything that I thought went "wrong"...Men do this all the time. Especially with women. Especially when a gem crosses our path and we recognize how important our actions, words and attitudes are. We clam up and stop listening to our source of truth and strength. I know I did.
Big mistake. I wasn't being a man. I certainly wasn't operating in the same God-given confidence that I spend most of my days residing inside. Normally, I am a very strong person...it's not because I myself possess any strength of any kind. Quite to the contrary. I am strong because I realize that I am supremely weak, and I defer all things possible to the One who possesses infinite amounts of all good things.
The complete lack of confidence, the fear and doubt that I experienced Friday was a result of attempting to operate under my own strength for a brief moment. I wasn't even myself anymore. Thankfully, the poor lass on the other end of the phone had the good sense to tell me to stop talking. I made things too complicated. You have very likely done the very same thing.
So guys, how do we stop this from happening? How do we avoid embarrassing, emasculating actions that make us feel weak and inadequate? How do we kick that sick feeling in our stomach that tells us we aren't good enough? How do we accurately represent ourselves to the Godly women in this world who are just looking for God's men to stand up? Cling to the only real strength in this world. Find your confidence and your identity in the One who gave you that Y chromosome. You are nothing, I am nothing. When I look in the mirror, if all I see is me...all I see is failure and inadequacy. You don't want that anymore than I do.
God's man is ready for anything. He's got his armor (Eph. 6) on and he is good to go. You want to kick that feeling that you can't make it, that you can't win the maiden and you can't slay the dragon...? Pick up your Sword (The Word of God) and let's go un-complicate some things.
Blessings...
---
P.S. - Let me just say that pursuing personal development for any sake other than the quest for holiness and the glory of Almighty God is a mistake. Trying to be more like Jesus to win the girl is a dangerous card to play. Check yourself. Get in the Word every day. Be a man.
P.P.S. - To the ladies: Please demand that we act like men. So many of you refer to us as "boys"...but I don't want to be called a boy any more than the next guy. If you're tired of dealing with boys, then raise your standards. Wait for the men. The man worth having is most definitely worth waiting for. However, when you've got a keeper, don't be afraid to make a move! When a keeper sticks his neck out there to come after you, don't let him draw back a nub.
Just saying...
I'm trying to not roll my eyes...
Ok, sometimes I am really confused and frustrated by things that are outside of my control. This is one of those times. I just got finished reading an article on www.boundless.org on some stuff about relationships and marriage. It's mostly talking about how in our generation, people are hitting puberty faster than ever, but getting married later in life than ever before...and the kind of effect that this is having on the amount of pre-marital sex that is happening in the church now.
There's a big gap in the middle called adolescence...I'm pretty sure it's a 20th-century American creation. You've got a bunch of pseudo-adults running around wanting the privileges of adulthood while still living in Mom's house or on Mom's dollar. Guys aren't preparing themselves for marriage, fatherhood and adult life and no one in society is forcing them. I want to throw up my hands and slap some faces...
I really don't understand why my gender insists on living in the middle for so long. Maybe it's cause I hit the magic 25 mark and now I'm really starting to see the brevity of life, or maybe it's because it really is a problem.
I'm living life on purpose now, have been for a while. I'm not going out and looking for a wife, but I'm preparing myself to be the kind of man my future wife wants to marry. I love kids! I am looking forward with great anticipation for fatherhood someday. Obviously, there are many steps and phases of life between now and then, but when that day comes I will welcome it with open arms. So many guys I know are just not interested in even talking about that, and I don't understand why.
I have a lady friend who is convinced that men are more complicated than women. I've been trying to argue with her and explain my case, but the more I think about it, the more I agree with her. At least women carry their complications around in their purse and on their face. Men are pretty sneaky with our complications. You'll never see them until it counts, then they spring out like the Jack-in-the-box.
So what does all this mean? Is there something we as a Christian sub-culture can do to equip our young men to be intentional, to be consciously developing characteristics of biblical manhood, and to be preparing themselves to lead a wife and family someday soon? I think the answer is that those of us who are a bit older need to lead by example, and also take the effort to disciple those a bit behind us on life's journey. Certainly none of us are perfect, but living every day life for God's glory and purpose is easier if you're not alone. Just a thought...
Most of this post is just me thinking through my fingers and onto my computer screen, so I'm not sure if I can tie this up and put a bow on it. Let's just say that I am definitely looking forward to the post-college phases of life and every single step along the way.
The real challenge is finding the satisfaction and joy in the seconds, hours, days and months between now and then. I love a good challenge... ;-)
Blessings...
There's a big gap in the middle called adolescence...I'm pretty sure it's a 20th-century American creation. You've got a bunch of pseudo-adults running around wanting the privileges of adulthood while still living in Mom's house or on Mom's dollar. Guys aren't preparing themselves for marriage, fatherhood and adult life and no one in society is forcing them. I want to throw up my hands and slap some faces...
I really don't understand why my gender insists on living in the middle for so long. Maybe it's cause I hit the magic 25 mark and now I'm really starting to see the brevity of life, or maybe it's because it really is a problem.
I'm living life on purpose now, have been for a while. I'm not going out and looking for a wife, but I'm preparing myself to be the kind of man my future wife wants to marry. I love kids! I am looking forward with great anticipation for fatherhood someday. Obviously, there are many steps and phases of life between now and then, but when that day comes I will welcome it with open arms. So many guys I know are just not interested in even talking about that, and I don't understand why.
I have a lady friend who is convinced that men are more complicated than women. I've been trying to argue with her and explain my case, but the more I think about it, the more I agree with her. At least women carry their complications around in their purse and on their face. Men are pretty sneaky with our complications. You'll never see them until it counts, then they spring out like the Jack-in-the-box.
So what does all this mean? Is there something we as a Christian sub-culture can do to equip our young men to be intentional, to be consciously developing characteristics of biblical manhood, and to be preparing themselves to lead a wife and family someday soon? I think the answer is that those of us who are a bit older need to lead by example, and also take the effort to disciple those a bit behind us on life's journey. Certainly none of us are perfect, but living every day life for God's glory and purpose is easier if you're not alone. Just a thought...
Most of this post is just me thinking through my fingers and onto my computer screen, so I'm not sure if I can tie this up and put a bow on it. Let's just say that I am definitely looking forward to the post-college phases of life and every single step along the way.
The real challenge is finding the satisfaction and joy in the seconds, hours, days and months between now and then. I love a good challenge... ;-)
Blessings...
04 February 2009
101 Days and Counting Down...
This is a strange place in life. It's like trying to drink from a fire hydrant. You try to focus and take in and fully grasp all that you can, but so much is happening that you feel like you're a spectator in your own life. Spring of senior year feels completely different...and for sentimental old farts like me it's particularly poignant. Everything is the last something.
I will (hopefully) graduate from Stephen F. on May 16th, 101 days from today. I'm still in the process of narrowing down exactly what and where God wants me after that. I've spent the last 18 years of my life being a full-time student, and now that is all about to change. There's a very good chance I'll be going back for post-grad work, but we all know that's a whole different ballgame.
Later on this semester, I will sit down and write out my "autobiography of the college years" or whatever you want to call it. I'll save most of the thoughts for then. Suffice it to say that college has turned out like most other things in life usually do: just as you finally start to get it all figured out and get to fully enjoy it, it's over.
I'm going to Carpe Diem like a madman the next 101 days. For those of you whose college shelf life is longer than mine, consider yourself blessed. Make the most of it, because once you get to spring of your senior year you don't get to play the ostrich with your head in the dirt any longer.
Work hard.
Play hard.
Love hard.
Pray hard.
LIVE HARD.
I will (hopefully) graduate from Stephen F. on May 16th, 101 days from today. I'm still in the process of narrowing down exactly what and where God wants me after that. I've spent the last 18 years of my life being a full-time student, and now that is all about to change. There's a very good chance I'll be going back for post-grad work, but we all know that's a whole different ballgame.
Later on this semester, I will sit down and write out my "autobiography of the college years" or whatever you want to call it. I'll save most of the thoughts for then. Suffice it to say that college has turned out like most other things in life usually do: just as you finally start to get it all figured out and get to fully enjoy it, it's over.
I'm going to Carpe Diem like a madman the next 101 days. For those of you whose college shelf life is longer than mine, consider yourself blessed. Make the most of it, because once you get to spring of your senior year you don't get to play the ostrich with your head in the dirt any longer.
Work hard.
Play hard.
Love hard.
Pray hard.
LIVE HARD.
19 January 2009
On The Eve of History
Tomorrow morning, in Washington, D.C., America will swear in Barack Hussein Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America. Friends, regardless of your political opinions, tomorrow we will witness a very pleasant and positive kind of history in the making. A black man will live in the White House, not as a slave as in times past, but as the resident for the 4 (or potentially 8) years. Incredible.
I didn't vote for the man, for many reasons that don't matter right now. That being said, I am very proud to be an American right now, even more so than normal. I just want to stand and cheer for America as a whole, that we have finally leveled the playing field enough that this is even possible.
The picture to the left here is of President-Elect Obama standing in front of the Lincoln Memorial, paying homage to a man who literally gave his life for the cause of equality in America. I can only the imagine the conversation that took place between President-to-be and that large chunk of marble. Tomorrow's events couldn't have been anything more than a distant dream in Lincoln's day. He would undoubtably be smiling were he breathing today.
Let tomorrow serve as a reminder and as evidence to every person everywhere who thinks that they can't accomplish something simply because of the color of their skin or where they came from. This abolishes every possible excuse or complaint. To every welfare mooch swinging on a front porch today, here's your wake-up call. If you don't make something of your life, don't blame America, or us. Point your finger in the mirror, because you're the only one to blame. After tomorrow, no more complaining that you didn't get a fair shot. Mr Obama got to where he is through hard work, eloquent speech and the blessings of Almighty God. You can do the same. We don't owe you anything, stop asking for a hand-out and look for a hand-up. If you don't think it's possible, just go ask soon to be President Barack Obama.
Blessings...
17 January 2009
Think
Why are you breathing right now? Is there a reason that blood is flowing through your veins at this moment?
What is your purpose? Why are you here?
You have 168 hours to live next week. That's the same number of hours that George Washington, Billy Graham, Albert Einstein, Michael Jordan and Mother Theresa had in their weeks. What are you going to do with your next week?
Does this scenario sound like fun to you? : Born, grow up, have some fun, spend your time looking for "fun" and trying to make money, "win" someone to marry, struggle for stuff and things for 40 or 50 years, have some kids, just "try to do your best" and then some day assume room temperature and join humanity past on the other side of eternity's door?
The one thing that scares me most in all of life is insignificance.
Any problems that come along, whether financial, relational, physical, even death. They can all be dealt with in due time. Our God has been and will always be completely faithful to see us through trials under His provision. That will never change (Deut. 31:8 "The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.") & Joshua 1:5 "I will never leave you or forsake you".
You and I have a choice every day, hour, minute and second we're given. The question is not whether you are sinning or trying to live righteously, that's the easy part. The question is, are you daily seeking God's face and His will for not just your life, but your day? Many days I fail miserably. That doesn't stop me from getting up the next morning and starting off right.
A wise man once said, "the bad is not the enemy of the best, it is the good." I believe the God that called the men and women of the Bible to genuine greatness, the God who created you and I...that same God has a vision for your day. Today! Right now! How exciting...
Please let this little ramble encourage you. There is nothing aimless about your days. Don't allow insignificance to claim one single moment of your life. Get out there and be a blessing to those who cross your path. Make them laugh, give them your ear, pray for them, be the godly man/woman you and I are called to be.
The world doesn't need any more lone ranger Christians. We are in this together. Be blessed today...
What is your purpose? Why are you here?
You have 168 hours to live next week. That's the same number of hours that George Washington, Billy Graham, Albert Einstein, Michael Jordan and Mother Theresa had in their weeks. What are you going to do with your next week?
Does this scenario sound like fun to you? : Born, grow up, have some fun, spend your time looking for "fun" and trying to make money, "win" someone to marry, struggle for stuff and things for 40 or 50 years, have some kids, just "try to do your best" and then some day assume room temperature and join humanity past on the other side of eternity's door?
The one thing that scares me most in all of life is insignificance.
Any problems that come along, whether financial, relational, physical, even death. They can all be dealt with in due time. Our God has been and will always be completely faithful to see us through trials under His provision. That will never change (Deut. 31:8 "The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.") & Joshua 1:5 "I will never leave you or forsake you".
You and I have a choice every day, hour, minute and second we're given. The question is not whether you are sinning or trying to live righteously, that's the easy part. The question is, are you daily seeking God's face and His will for not just your life, but your day? Many days I fail miserably. That doesn't stop me from getting up the next morning and starting off right.
A wise man once said, "the bad is not the enemy of the best, it is the good." I believe the God that called the men and women of the Bible to genuine greatness, the God who created you and I...that same God has a vision for your day. Today! Right now! How exciting...
Please let this little ramble encourage you. There is nothing aimless about your days. Don't allow insignificance to claim one single moment of your life. Get out there and be a blessing to those who cross your path. Make them laugh, give them your ear, pray for them, be the godly man/woman you and I are called to be.
The world doesn't need any more lone ranger Christians. We are in this together. Be blessed today...
14 January 2009
The Fairwell Victory Tour
Well, this is it. After all the up and downs, career plans failing, and changing and failing again...it is inevitable. I can't avoid it any longer. They are forcing me out.
4 months from today, I will be a college graduate. I will save the emotional re-cap and closing thoughts for another day. This is just the formal declaration of the spring semester being officially dubbed the "Farewell Victory Tour: 2009".
Everything between here and graduation is the "last ______". I intend to make the most of the next 120ish days.
Cheers...
4 months from today, I will be a college graduate. I will save the emotional re-cap and closing thoughts for another day. This is just the formal declaration of the spring semester being officially dubbed the "Farewell Victory Tour: 2009".
Everything between here and graduation is the "last ______". I intend to make the most of the next 120ish days.
Cheers...
02 January 2009
Gaza Strip Incident
Today marks one full week of a full-scale Israeli air assault on the Gaza Strip. In case you're not familiar with the events currently happening, you can click here, here or here. I thought it was worthy of writing a short blip of my thoughts on the subject.
First off, I should state that I'm not the least bit objective in this matter and that I fully support Israel on a fundamental and idealogical level. I find it laughable how most the Middle East is trying to make this whole incident look like unwarranted Israeli aggression when it's Hamas terrorists who are responsible for starting the whole thing.
I applaud Israel for showing as much patience as they have in the previous months. I guarantee if you shot rockets into my backyard it wouldn't take me a day to respond with every bit of force available to me. Hamas should be glad that Israel hasn't done more in response.
Hamas continues to issue threats and warnings even as they are currently 95% without power and almost completely without any basic utilities functioning. It just goes to show again the blind, unfounded arrogance of the modern terrorist. Do they just not realize that most of their land has been reduced to rubble in the last week?
Even more amusing is that the leader of Hamas, Khaled Meshaal, is exiled in Syria...yet he keeps running his mouth, declaring a "day of wrath" against Israel for the attacks. What are they going to do, throw more rocks at Israeli tanks as they roll past?
It really is a shame that there has to be so much violence and hate in the region. Unfortunately, we all know that there will never be lasting peace in the region. The fact that some limp-wristed pacafists in the UN are calling for a cease fire...again...is definitely worth a sigh and a good roll of the eyes. Terrorist cowards, which is all Hamas is, will never stop being terrorist cowards. They are raised on a doctrine of hate and violence. They are simple-minded creatures who only know how be angry and blow things up. Trying to reason or negotiate with them is pointless. They will only do what Hamas did during the last cease-fire (which lasted about 6 months), stockpile weapons and supplies in preparation for the next time the little rats decide to crawl out of their holes and blindly fire their crude, homemade weapons into Israel.
Hamas should be glad that I don't have any say in Israel's strategy. Were it up to me, I would have brought troops and tanks into Gaza long ago, swept the area completely clean and executed every member of Hamas as the terrorists that they are. It's a real shame that politics get in the way of justice and the safety of innocent civilians.
At a time like this, it is important to remember the innocents on either side of the offensive. Allowing 270 Palestinian civilians who hold international passports to leave Gaza was a classy move on Israel's part. I hope and pray that the offensive will be successful and that Hamas will be fully neutralized.
Pray for safety and protection for the civilians in Gaza, and for the armies of Israel as they deal with the terrorists swiftly and forcefully...
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