Rejoice with those who rejoice

Romans 12:15 "Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn." Some of the more iconic words spoken in the bible, right up there with John 3:16 and "Jesus wept". I have heard those words used in many sermons in my life to encourage people to get down, no matter how good there life is going, and mourn with people who have lost.

In the last few days I have come to see that first part of the verse in a new light, or maybe a better way to put it is a refreshed light. Five simple words, Rejoice with those who rejoice, that can be very hard, and at time impossible, for us to put into practice. What does it mean to live everyday, not just, mourning with those who mourn but also rejoicing with them as well?

I think that on the big stuff we have it down, birthdays, anniversaries, newly born babies, but on the little stuff I think that we have fallen short of where we should be. Psalm 116:12 says "What shall I render to the LORD for all His benefits toward me?" if we only look at the big stuff in our lives and say that is what the Lord has given me then we are missing half the picture.

An example of this happened to me today. I had to get my emissions test done for my car today, now my car is a 1992 Saturn two door SC with 180,000 miles on it, now let me tell you what I have to do to start the car. Because the alternator on the car is dieing on the car it is sort of a crap shot if it will actually start when I put the key in, so when I do need to drive it I take it out of gear, turn the radio off, turn the fan off, then I proceed to turn the key on and off as rapidly as I can in the hopes that eventually the engine will turn over. Also if you didn't know one of the top rules at the emissions place is that a car has to enter under it's own power. All of this I knew but my definition of entering and their definition of entering are two different things, so as I pulled into the building and was asked to turn of the car my heart stopped. As the man was walking around the car, checking under the hood, and making sure that the gas cap didn't leak all I was thinking was "God please let the car start. Please, oh please, oh please." And as I went to start the car it fired right up on the first try.

Now I am not saying that this was a miracle, I wouldn't diminish the word miracle like that, But I would say it was one of many everyday things that we don't rejoice enough over. Bad news will travel from state to state, even jumping oceans sometimes but it is hard to hear about good news within your own group of friends, and that is a shame. It is something that I am endeavoring to get better at and I hope that others will join me in doing the same.

It's been awhile

I know that I have neglected this blog for awhile but believe it or not I haven't really had that much to say. But lately there have been a few thing floating around in my head that I wanted to get out. So I have at least two posts in me (maybe more) and hopefully I will get them out in the next couple of days.

What is really real (to borrow a phase from Universe Next Door)

I was at a BBQ the other day with some people from Ruth's work, it was a good time but the conversation turned to religion for a brief moment. A comment was made that most of the people there seemed to agree with. The statement went something like this: "I believe that all religions are correct, you can't say that only one is right. There is no way that you can know that, the universe is to big!". The statement wasn't new to me, it has been around awhile and has gained in popularity over the two decades or so. But the way that this statement was worded made me stop and think about it (in reality I didn't really give it a second thought there but later that night when I was laying in bed), the specific part that made me stop and think was "there is no way that you can know that".

Is that statement really true, if religion is true then is it possible to know if one is right? Is it even reasonable to think that there is only one true religion? In order to answer those questions I really had to examine what religion was at its core, beyond denominations, politics, etc and really get at what is the base of religion. The answer that I came up with for that is that religion is the combination of two things. First is Faith, meaning what you think is ultimate reality, whether that is that there is a God or gods, an essence, or nothing at all. All of these at some point ask you to take a step of faith in order to believe them and your faith is one of the main parts that help to define religion. But the steps that you take by faith or informed by the second part of religion, your Beliefs. By beliefs I mean the culmination of your life experiences (up to whatever part of life you are in) and your world view, which both actually help to define each other through out your life.Both of those two parts, Faith and Belief, are really just about the universe and the way that it works. Faith is about who or what is in control of the universe and belief is about how everything else works or should work.

Now that religion is clear what we do know about the universe is that it works within curtain rules and boundaries, Physics, Mathematics, the other Natural Sciences. The way that the world works within these, somewhat specific, modes. Since we only live and operate within one universe and the universe operates in specific ways it would follow that only one religion would be right, the one that would most closely resemble the way in which the universe really works. Therefor the statement of "...you can't say that only one is right. There is no way that you can know that, the universe is to big" is untrue because if religion is true then it would necessarily follow that there would only be one true religion.

P.S. I am listening to Slacker right now and they are playing "Sleep" from Copeland but it sounds like a remix or something...it is amazing.

Slacker (Finaly a website after my own heart)

Free streaming music, that is what Slacker does and they do it well. Slacker is in its simplest form a internet radio site, but offering much more then your average internet radio station. First unlike most internet music stations, that are an after thought of their physical radio station counterparts, or other media streaming services (e.g. Rhapsody) slacker is devoted to bringing you uninterrupted music for free. They say that you can expect about two ads per hour but I have been listening to it for the past hour and I have yet to hear a single ad, but there is a pay version for those who don't ever want to hear an ad. Second unlike other streaming music services that make you pay if you want to take the service with you slacker enables you to take the service with you where ever you might go with their portable radio players that can hold 15, 25, and 40 stations with prices of $200, $250, and $300 respectively. Slacker is a great service that is worth a little time and attention.

My play list while writing this:
"Hey Hey"-October Fall
"Crushcrushcrush"-Paramore
"I Woke Up In A Car"-Something Corporate
"Ocean Avenue"-Yellowcard
"There's A Case For This"-Cute Is What We Aim For
"I Write Sins Not Tragedies"-Panic At The Disco
"Thanks For The Mmrs"-Fall Out Boy
"Tonight Lites"- A Cursive Memory
"Hate (I Really Don't Like You)"-Plain White T's
"Hero/Heroine"-Boys Like Girls
"Flashlight"-Punchline
"Sweetness"-Jimmy Eat World
"Light Up The Sky"-Yellowcard

Possibilities

I was going through some of my older writings and came across this.

In the beginning there was space. A large place, that could have been filled with anything. But this place wasn't just filled with anything, this place was being written with hopes and dreams, knowledge and truth. The Creator of this place filled it with endless possibilities. He placed two beings to live there and take care of it. In return for doing this these beings could take part in any of the possibilities that this place could offer, except one, which if the two did take part in there would be grave consequences. The two beings loved it there. They ran and played; they loved each other and the Creator for giving them all of this. One day another, greater, being came to visit them, but this being was filled with lies and anger towards the Creator. He came to the two and convinced them to take part in the possibility that the Creator had forbidden. After they had some this the Creator, already knowing what had happened, came looking for the two; He was very disappointed in them . The creator told them that because they had done this they could no longer take part in the possibilities that the place had to offer anymore, and that they had to leave. When the two heard this they were very sad. They begged and pleaded and the creator had compassion on them, but because He had already made the promise there was nothing that He could do to keep them in that place. However, He did create one possibility to give to them, a hope for the future. The Creator told the two about this hope and the two were very happy, but at the same time the Creator was very sad. The two didn't know why, they thought that it was because of what they had done, but before they could find out they had to leave the place. Many years later the two became four, four became ten, and ten became many. The many were still holding on to the hope that the Creator left them with. The many thought that the Creator would come and give them back the place that they had to leave. This whole time the many were watching for the Creator, and one day He came. Not with singing and praise, but with pain and crying. He didn't come as a Creator but as one of the many. He was no different then them, He lived, and worked, and played like the many. He loved, laughed, and cried like the many. But there was something off about this one, it wasn't that He was wrong in anyway, it was that He was a little to right. This made some of the many mad, and they wanted to do away with Him and wanted to have Him killed. These many plotted to have Him killed.Then, on a day that was calm and sunny, a day that the wind blew softly through the trees, a day that reminded angels that they were angels, it was on a day like this that the many killed the Creator, they slayed the Creator. For a few of the many they thought that all hope was lost, but the creator knew what was in the hearts of the created. In fact He planned on it, because this was no the end, no it was only the start. You see, when the Creator died He took death with Him and destroyed it. Death was the very thing that took away possibilities from the many, took away hope and truth, love and joy and the Creator in killing death gave all these things back. After dying the Creator came back to the many to tall them what He had done: The many, wanted the Creator to come back to give them the place back, but when He didn't give it back that got mad and killed Him. what they didn't know was that the place they were wanting so badly wasn't important; it wasn't about the place, it was about the possibilities, and that is what the creator had given them again. You see, because in the beginning there was space. a large place that could have been filled with anything. this place was being written on like a book, written with hopes and dreams, knowledge and truth. The Creator of this place filled it with endless Possibilities...

Simply Epic (Summer Mux)

I stayed up all night crafting it. It is like my musical baby, I nursed it, I cared for it, I loved it to life. And now it is here, my summer Muxtape. It (much like myself) has something for everyone. Go here to listen.

Buzz

It seems like the name buzz is around in a lot of places on the internet, from Yahoo's buzz, or Blogger Buzz, or the new service from AT&T simply called Buzz. Buzz is a new service that collects popular blogs post from that day for your consumption, what makes them different from every other blog collecting site (e.g. Google Reader, Yahoo Mail)? Buzz will read you the posts to you through a creepy avatar that speaks to you in a Stephen Hawking voice. This is a cool little feature that is worth checking out but not really anything to get excited over, at this point you aren't able to add the blogs you read to this service so you won't be having your daily news read to you anytime soon. In fact buzz is pretty featureless when it comes to the ability to put user generated content in there. Still it is an interesting site that is making me play with the voice feature in windows right now (good memories of Ravencrest can be found in this little electronic voice).

Luke 9:46-50

Luke 9:46 An argument started among them as to which of them might be the greatest. 47 But Jesus, knowing what they were thinking in their heart, took a child and stood him by His side, 48 and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in My name receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me; for the one who is least among all of you, this is the one who is great.” 49 John answered and said, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name; and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow along with us.” 50 But Jesus said to him, “Do not hinder him; for he who is not against you is for you.” (NASB)

I don't hear many people talking about these verses for some reason. It isn't the most comfortable of all verses I will admit, I can think of a lot of people who I wouldn't want to align myself with by saying that we ultimately believe the same thing, in fact most times I might try to distance myself from them by highlighting our differences. But that is not what Jesus is telling us to do here. John basically comes to Jesus and says that because this man is not part of their group he shouldn't be able to cast out the demons, John latter would change the criteria by which he would judge someones ministry from what group they are in to, simply, whether or not they would preach Christ 1 John 4:1-4.

Jesus' response to John is to make it clear that there is no in between, if someone is teaching the name of Christ that is what is important, either someone is helping you or not. Later in Luke 11:23 Jesus puts it a different was saying "He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me, scatters." Jesus makes it clear that the way in which we are to judge mans ministry is by who's name he does it by. It is either Christ or by the world.

Stuff

Recently on Richard Dahlstrom's blog he posted about a video on the web called the story of stuff. In the video a woman named Annie Leonard takes you through the complete process of production of stuff, from extraction to disposal and the effect which each stage has on the environment. It is only twenty minutes long and is an eye opening video. Click the link above or the picture below.

I am a grown up

When I was in third grade I looked at the fourth graders and thought that they were almost grown up. When I got into middle school I looked up to Peter B. thinking that he was mature. In high school I wondered if I would ever become an adult. It took me 22 years and a marriage but I realized last night at about 2am...I am an adult...
...
...
Shoot.

More Free Stuff

I, like most people, love free stuff, so anytime that anything free pops up on my screen I take notice. That is just what happened the other day, thanks to Webware, when I found Giveaway of the Day. Giveaway of the Day does just what the name says that it will gives one software title away everyday for free, the thought is that the more people have and are reviewing the software that is given away the better it is for the company, a way to get free advertising. This is one of the best ideas that I have heard about in a long time, I don't get why Microsoft can't think like this. To see what todays free software is take a look at the ticker below.

Darwin

No matter what your personal view of evolution is one thing can't be denied, that is that Charles Darwin was a very intelligent man. He wrote many books and papers in his life time and since his death in 1882 only a small group of people have been able to read his actual hand written work at the library of Cambridge University. But now, thanks to a small group of people, anyone can look on anything that Darwin ever wrote along with first drafts of his papers and theories. It is worth looking through but if you want to read any of his work that is edited and in print most of it is in the public domain and so it can be accessed through Google books here.

Update: I actually wrote this post about a week ago and scheduled in to post today, but it you are interested in a little more about atheism check out the discussion to my post titled Let's Kill God.

This so Cute...Why did Someone Invent this

How many times has this happened to you, you're sitting in an airport trying to read up on some news, or posting to your blog, or writing a paper and things are just to bright to work, or what if you are working on your computer in a large cement room with no heating in the middle of winter and your hands start to get cold. Well now neither on of those situations has to give you trouble any more with these BTIs (Body-Technology Interfaces), just slip them on and your good to go. If you are interested in getting one (or maybe making one) you can contact the people at Sternlab and I am sure that they will be able to help you out.

China and Tibet

Most people, in western culture, know about the terrible things being perpetrated by China in Tibet. But the knowledge of what is going on in Tibet is not reaching the Chinese people because of the strict censorship law that are in place in China. However there is a site called Wikileaks which is trying to force information, about what is going on in Tibet, through the Golden Shield Projects (a.k.a. the Great Firewall of China) censors to give the people of China a look into what is going on with their own country. To do this Wikileaks has released over 150 videos and pictures about the Tibet uprising and are asking everyone to help them push these through the censors. I do feel the need to warn anyone who would want to look at the photos, that are extremely graphic and brutal, it made me sick with the first picture that I saw, I knew that it was bad in Tibet but it didn't quite hit me how bad it really was until I saw these pictures. It is hard to get through the Shield Project but I hope that they can so the the Chinese people can be informed about what is going on right next door to them.

This web site is already blocked in China, if you want to see if a site that you have is blocked just go here and find out, you would be surprised to see just how little it takes to be blocked.

Apple Keeps Pushing Technology Forward

Apple Is getting ready to release a new product that will revolutionize computers and the technology industry forever, it is called the "i" and it looks amazing. Like most apple products Steve Jobs introduced this, check out the video below for more.

See more videos Here

EEE...I WANT a new Computer

It should came as no big surprise to anyone that I love computers and spend most of my time online. Recently two types of laptops have caught my eye, they are UMPC's (which stands for ultra mobile PCs) and Mininotebook (or Subnotebook depending on what tech site you frequent). In the mininotebook category two computers have come out that have captured my attention, the HP 2133 and the Asus Eee PC devices which are 900 (yet to be released), these are both small, light weight, relatively cheap, and pack to the brim with features (relative to their price and size). The Eee PC 900, set to be released soon, has a multitouch mouse pad, 1 GB Ram, 8 GB to 12 GB hard drive, and ports galore, to some that won't sound like a lot but to me that sounds like just enough (at least for now). At launch the Eee PC is going to be $500 but prices are suppose to come down and with Intel about to come out with a new processor called the Atom, which is specifically made for this type of device, these computers can only get better. Check out the hands on video below to see the Eee PC doing its thing.

100

This my one hundredth post on this blog, it took me three years but I have made it to a hundred. Hopefully it won't me as long to make it to two hundred. So here are some fact about the number one hundred according to Wikipedia.

• The number of years in a century
• A 100 year old person is known as a centenarian. George Burns. Bob Hope, and United States Senator Strom Thurmond were among those who had lived to 100.
• The number of pounds in an American short hundredweight
• The United States Senate has 100 Senators
• The number of subunits into which many of the world's currencies are divided; for example, one euro is one hundred cents and one Pound Sterling is one hundred pence
• The number of tiles in a standard Scrabble set
• The denomination of the U.S. hundred-dollar bill with Benjamin Franklin's portrait; the "Benjamin" is the largest U.S. bill in print
• The denomination of American savings bonds with Thomas Jefferson's portrait
• The denomination of American treasury bonds with Andrew Jackson's portrait
• In Greece, India and Israel, 100 is the police telephone number.
• In Belgium, 100 is the ambulance telephone number.
• In United Kingdom, 100 is the operator telephone number
• Hundred Days, aka the Waterloo Campaign
• "The First Hundred Days" is an arbitrary benchmark of a President of the United States' performance at the beginning of his term
• 100 is the HTTP status code indicating that the client should continue with its request
• STS-100 Space Shuttle Endeavour launched April 19, 2001
• The 100-Series Highways are a series of arterial highways in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia
• SEPTA Route 100, also known as the Norristown High-Speed Line, is an interurban line system operating between Upper Darby and Norristown, Pennsylvania
• NASDAQ-100 is a stock market index of 100 of the largest domestic and international non-financial companies listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange
• The American Film Institute series
• Radio stations such as Z100 WHTZ New York and Z100 KKRZ, Portland, Oregon
• In English slang, adding the number 100 to a particular skill or subject denotes introductory knowledge ("Physics 100", "Soccer 100"), akin to the name of a first year university subject.
• Games 100 is an annual listing of the year’s top games
• The Time 100 is a list of the 100 most influential people in the world, as assembled by Time. The list has developed into an annual event.
• The One Hundred Years War
• One Hundred Men and a Girl is a 1937 musical comedy film starring Deanna Durbin
• 100 Grand Bar (formerly known as $100,000 Bar) is a candy bar produced by Nestlé
• Monterrey, Mexico is located at 25 degrees 40' N latitude and 100 degrees 18' W longitude
• Pope Valentine succeeded Pope Eugene II to become the 100th Pope in August 827

The Human Footprint

Recently I was looking on Google video looking for something good to watch, I came across a show that appeared on Channel 4 in England. The show is called Human Footprint and it was a very insightful show. The idea behind the special is to show you how much stuff you will use in your life, from how much you will eat, how much milk you will drink to how much hair you will grow in your lifetime and how many times you will fall in love (which is three times in a life). The show blends a good amount of humor (if you like English humor) into the hour long program and kept my hooked for the whole run of it. If you have an hour and are looking for a intriguing look into what the average consumption of material over a lifetime (at least a British lifetime) give this program a look.

ISR

Truth, Justice, and the American Way

Truth, Justice, and the American Way (Maybe not the America way according to superman returns), for the past week my mind has been consumed with the first word "Truth". Truth and Knowledge can be two concepts that are hard to pin down a definition of, Wikipedia says on truth

The meaning of the word truth extends from honesty, good faith, and sincerity in
general, to agreement with fact or reality in particular.[1] The term has no single definition about which the majority of professional philosophers and scholars agree. Various theories of truth continue to be debated. There are differing claims on such questions as what constitutes truth; how to define and identify truth; the roles that revealed and acquired knowledge play; and whether truth is subjective, relative, objective, or absolute.

On the subject of knowledge Wikipedia says "...Philosophical debates in general start with Plato's formulation of knowledge as "justified true belief"..." The Idea of truth permeates our society, we are told as children to tell the truth, we get up onto witness stands and swear to tell the WHOLE TRUTH and nothing but the TRUTH. As we get older and out into the "Real World" we start to be told that truth is relative and can change depending on your perspective.

This idea of relative truth is convenient but when I look at it I don't see it as being practical, it seems to me that if truth was relative then everything that could be called truth would be called into question, every lie could just be called a "truth from the wrong perspective". Therefor it could be said that we weren't led in to a war under false pretenses but under right pretenses from the wrong perspective, Hilary didn't lie about landing under sniper fire in Bosnia she told the truth but from the wrong perspective.

Absolute truth would have to come from some where, there would have to be a way that we can look out into the world and say that is wrong and that is right. Gandhi is quoted as saying that God is truth (which he would latter change to say truth is God), Jesus says in John 14:6 "Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." In one verse He states that He is both God and that He is truth, there is no separation from God and Truth.

When we look at what most would consider truth you can see the same sort of pattern emerge, Don't steal, murder, cheat, lie all things that can be found in the Bible. Even if someone doesn't believe in God the chances of them not believe in one of the those simple moral codes are slim. This (at least in my mind) proves that Truth isn't relative, the aplication of truth may be but truth is self isn't, it is only found in Jesus and any seeking after truth is therefore a seeking after God Himself.

Character Development

A PARSON of a town came next,
Poor in gold, but one suspects
Richer then most in holy works.
He was a learned man, a clerk.
Deep gospel-lore informed his preaching,
And daily life and moral teaching.
He was benign and diligent,
Even tempered and content,
Though life for him was seldom blithe.
He'd curse no one who couldn't tithe,
But gave food and clothes and more-
All that he could to help the poor-
Drawn from the Church and his own savings.
Long temperance had quelled his cravings.
Although his flock was widely scattered,
Storms or distance never mattered:
Near or far, great or small,
He'd visit anyone at all,
Tramping on foot the direst traces.
He put things in their proper places,
For, "first he wrought, and then he taught
Becuase the Gospel said he ought."
He had another motto too:
"If gold rusts, what will iron do?"
If a priest is foul, with souls in trust,
Why should a layman curb his lust?
This sight must make the angels weep:
A shepherd shittier then his sheep.
A priest's commitment should be ample
To lead his people by example.
This Parson never hired a curate
To tend his parish and secure it,
While he himself besieged the Church
For an easy job that he could shirk
Or post as chaplain to some guild.
No, he stayed home to watch and build
Against the wolf, lest sheep miscarry,
A shepherd, not a mercenary.
But though a priest of sterling worth,
He spurned no other man on earth
Nor took a domineering tone.
Indeed, his fellow-feeling shown
In every word, for saving souls
Was always first among his goals.
But faced with hardened, stiff-necked scoffers,
However places or full their coffers,
He'd prick their wicked hides, I'm bound.
No better parson could be found,
A lowly man and free from vice,
Not finely dressed nor over-nice,
But like Christ's humble first attendants,
In heaven's light he shown resplendent.

Excerpt from The Canterbury Tales, By Geoffrey Chaucer

Matt's sayings

A while back my friend Matt from Ravencrest posted this as a myspace comment on things that he had learned, I saved it to my computer with the intent on reposting it to this blog, I didn't think that this would take my two years. There are a lot but they are good, take a look.

1. God specializes in How. 2. When wisdom enters your heart, and knowledge is pleasant to your soul. 3. There are different kinds of wisdom. Some is found like a man panning for Gold, searching and sifting through information looking for pure truth. Some is found like a treasure hunter searches for treasure, on the your journey. 4. If your outer life is different from your inner life, then you are living in divorce. 5. Gandhi said he would have been a Christian if it wasn’t for Christians. 6. Niche said he would believe in a redeemer when he saw people redeemed. 7. Man’s feelings are not God’s Facts. 8. Love does not remember a wrong suffered. 9. You don’t tell your baby to clean themselves up before you kiss their spaghetti faces, you kiss them and then you clean them. You point them to the living water and He will wash them. 10. We try to change people, their bad habits, attitudes, etc., but we don’t go out into our yard and pull all the dead leaves off the tree. We wait till the leaves fall off in season. 11. We are God’s workmanship. God’s poem. 12. God’s strength is seen in our weakness, our handicaps allow him to showcase His power. 13. The way to judge a student is not by what he knows, rather by what he has become. 14. Though life changes on the surface I do my main living within. 15. We fight for our limitations, God fights for His strengths. (I can’t, He can) 16. That part of God He has set aside for me is uniquely mine. 17. I like His plan because I am alive. 18. Proverbs 3:5-7 19. Some people have already reached their destination. Now they are just Waiting To Die. If you are playing the game of life, you will lose, but you don’t have to. 20. Waiting to die is as bad as waiting to live. 21. All that God is you have. You can’t have more. You need not have less. 22. You cannot make up in speed that which you lack in direction. 23. Why does God say Fear and Love Him only? You become a slave to that which you fear and that which you love. If, however, you are a slave to that which only desires to set you free, you are a slave to freedom. What does that look like in your life? 24. Where do you put your faith. If the object of your faith is unable to save you, provide for you, etc…then it is nothing but a burden that cannot bear burdens. 25. You will worship something in your life. What is it. Sex, drugs, music, Fun, Happiness, Health, Life, Time, Wealth, Marriage, Kids, Doing Good? Your soul is hungry and will eat these all and still be hungry. Don’t believe me—don’t give them a taste, dig in! 26. Life is full of things that offer an increasing appetite for decreasing pleasure. 27. Specialist—knowing more and more about less and less until you know absolutely everything about nothing at all. 28. It is always safe to trust a unknown future to a known God. Know Him, and then you can begin to understand yourself. 29. Don’t put the cart before the horse. If you want respect, courage, and confidence then you must practice the fruits of the spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. I hear love in songs, but not real love that manifests itself in the life of the people singing it, I have not heard much of any of these qualities since Guns N Roses sang about Patience. It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional baggage, frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness, trinket gods, magic show religion, paranoid loneliness, cutthroat competition, all-consuming yet never satisfied wants, brutal temper, an impotence to love or be loved, divided homes and divided lives, small minded and lopsided pursuits , the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival, uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions, ugly parodies of community, etc. Gal. 5:22 30. If it doesn’t work in your own life don’t export it. Don’t sell me a car with a hood scoop that doesn’t have a supercharger! If it doesn’t work I don’t want it. 31. The only reason for discipline is restoration. 32. If you want a friend be a friend. 33. If you want a good woman be a good man. 34. If you want life then you must give your life. That is what Christ did. 35. Don’t just give people advice, Share their Burdens! 36. The moon reflects the suns light, what do you reflect? 37. Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative bet you can with your own life. 38. God has already given you everything you need to do that which He has planned for you. 39. You don’t have to strive for victory your already standing on it. 40. Hebrews 4:12 41. “whatever” is the result of not thinking. 42. The spirit of God does not muck around. I cannot explain my life apart from Christ. 43. Pray for God to write His truths on your heart and to ignite your passion for Him. 44. It is not BLIND faith. Just like you see the invisible wind moving the world around you pray for God to open your eyes to the things of God that you may see Him moving the world and people around you. 45. Rules for arguing. Attack ideas not people. 46. Ephesians 4:29 47. A lesson forgotten is a lesson that must be re-learned. 48. You will always have a dance partner. 49. The selfishness in me can not tolerate the selfishness in you. 50. Your theology takes place when no one else is watching. 51. True beliefs manifest themselves in your life. 52. sow a thought, reap an action, sow an action, reap a habit, sow a habit, reap a lifestyle, sow a lifestyle, reap a destiny. Words are important. 53. So are names. If you are making love to your wife/husband and you call them by a name other than their own IT WILL MATTER! Your name speaks of your specific character. Jesus’ name speaks of His specific character which He freely gives to those who call on His name. 54. We are letters read by all creation. 55. Experience is not what you have done, where you have been, or what has happened to you. Experience is what you have done with it. 56. Your life is not for people it is for God. An audience of one. 57. You don’t thank the gift! You thank the Giver! 58. Phillipians 4:6 59. As long as you are one step ahead, you can teach one thing. 60. Emotions are a good thermometer, bet they are a horrible compass. They can tell you how hot a situation is, but they don’t always point north. 61. Proverbs 27:17 62. People want to be set free. 63. If the messenger isn’t credible then neither is the message. Preach life, but live like hell. 64. Christ is my measure for truth. He is the way, the truth, and the life. 65. Lord we will be restless till we rest in the. You have created us for thyself. Augustine. 66. You get 100% where you are challenged. If you take someone else’s test you might fail. So don’t compare yourself with others. 67. Who defines you? I told myself I was a drug dealing brute. I was wrong. It is bad enough to lie to yourself, but it’s even worse to believe it. 68. I’m the equipment, Christ is the life. 69. Love is not based in how I feel, but in my commitment to the Lords will. Feelings are fickle. 70. The cost of obedience is not as much as the cost of disobedience. 71. When satan is knocking on your door let Jesus answer it. 72. You can’t win the lottery if you don’t play. Jeremiah 6:16 73. Romans 8:26-28 74. “God is limited” according to the measure of my availability to all that he makes available to me. 75. Can’t live His life our way. 76. God I got myself here and I can’t get out. I give up. Not quitin! Didn’t get run off! God Moved Me! 77. Surrender is not quitting, it is placing more trust in that which I am surrendering to than in myself left to my own devices. 78. Are you more satisfied with the promise than the fulfillment. The only good part about the pictures in your wallet is that they are real and you know them. A picture of a supermodel in your wallet isn’t so cute 20 years from now when your still alone. 79. Christ lives forever to save forever. A personal relationship with God is here and now. Substantiate the reality of Christ’s existence when He appears to you. Not Blind. 80. Point A is where your sitting, point B is glorifying God. Every decision between A and B should be that which Glorifies God. The decisions will be the hardest part of the journey. Going against your own nature to take the roads MOST traveled. Christ will enter in to your live in His strength making all things possible. 81. If you don’t put oil in your car you will destroy the engine. When someone asks “what did you do to destroy the car” you can say “nothing”. Doing nothing destroyed the car. Likewise there must be a response to the word of God. No action = ruin. 82. 75 year old man on happiness. Every day I jump out of bed and drop dead. 83. My Grandma on life. You never know what to expect, be sure you have on clean underwear. It is good to give the seeds a nice dirt home. I love digging in the Dirt! 84. Grandpa Harry Henry 91 on food. Great! Hamburger steak! You don’t even have to chew! 85. Richard Mendola. on life. The path of deadly clarity. That path of life which is too comfortable. It requires little of you and gives you little in return. You can see far into the future. You are basically filling time till you die. Richard on God. One day you will know it in your bones. 86. C.S. Lewis on living in the future. It is the farthest from God you can get. 87. Beau klose on close. Horse shoes and hand grenades 88. The universe is a soul making machine. Invite people deep into your life. 89. Do not imitate a man of God to be Godly, Know God and He will make you the godly man He wants you to be. 90. If your waiting to get all your ducks in a row, all your problems fixed before you go to God you will never go. 91. The life God purposes is abundant. 92. 3 things if you go it alone. Sin will take you places you never thought you would go, you will stay longer than you ever thought you would stay, you will pay more than you ever thought you would pay. 93. Maturity = time + the application of TRUTH. 94. What is real, valuable, and true? 95. Have you come to the realization that you cannot change your life? If you could wouldn’t you have done it by now? 96. If you quit trying and relax you will enjoy the ride. Hebrews Ch4 97. If God is your co-pilot you need to change seats. (available vs. surrender) 98. My faith doesn’t get me through. The object of my faith gets me through. 99. How do we know if a tree is prosperous? By the fruit that it bears. I discussed this with my mom and we were debating why it is that trees need to be culled. That is, removing fruit from heavy laden branches so that they do not break. She proposed that from this analogy some cannot stay close to the tree, because the tree cannot support it. The question then was, are some damned because the tree cannot support them. We decided to give it further thought. My mind first went to the strength of peach trees growing in Idaho (a climate not their own), but that seemed a week argument as culling is common wherever peach trees grow. I asked for clarity from the Lord on this matter while I was in the shower. And this is what I was given. First the peaches are not people, but fruit of their lives. I cannot judge other peoples fruit as it’s purpose is to Glorify God and God knows best what glorifies Him. Also when thinking of God as the gardener (vine dresser) he removes some fruit so that more attention may be devoted to that fruit which best pleases Him. Which brings to mind that any fool can count the number of seeds in an apple, but only God can count the number of apples in a seed. 100. Listen to the cry of people within the crowd. Think of what people are doing to be noticed. Then spot the lies. 101.My problem is not my problem. I am my problem and that is a problem. When problems are in your face, who can actively look away to God? 102. Don’t come to me with your cap gown and diploma, come to me with your play clothes on- dirt on your face and skinned up—and know that I am better. 103. Is Jesus Lord of your problems? Then let Him. 104. For He who promised is faithful. 105. He had things because he was willing to give up, I had nothing because I would not let go. 106. Matthew 6:25-34 107. You cannot know rest if life is full of emptiness. Rest and Peace are like a fuel gauge. 108. Isaiah 48:10 109. Jennifer Sands on strangers. At my worst a series of stranger and events entered my life with the message of hope. 110. J.S. on anger. Yes there is a God and no I can’t stay mad at him forever. 111. J.S. on trust. I had to trust God’s best interest was my best interest. 112. J.S. on re-modeling. Sometimes God throws a new coat of paint on our lives and sometimes he knocks down major structural walls. John 16:33 113. Coose from Africa on getting out of bed. God what can I do to help make your dream come true. 114. 1Corinthians 10:13, Romans 5:3-5, Deuteronomy 29:29, 2Cor 4:18, Romans 8:28, Psalm 107:24 115. To fear God is to recognize who God is and to respond accordingly. 116. Jesus is going to invite you to find rest and you will find it in the most unlikely place. In a Big OLE YOKE! 117. Jesus reveals the Father to me. 118. The abcdef of salvation. Accept, Believe, Confess, Disciple, Encourage, Finish. 119. Preach the Gospel all the time and if necessary use words. 120. What one fool can do another fool can do. 121. I don’t make time for my family. I make time for work. 122. Cucumber goes into vinegar and so vinegar goes into pickle. That’s Baptism! An irreversible change takes place. You can never take the coffee out of a dunked doughnut It’s changed for the better forever. A believer in Christ because Christ is in the believer. 123. Matthew 28:20 124. I have been teaching this donkey too long.(picks up a 2x4)Now Im gonna learn him! 125. Pain is God’s megaphone. No correction without restoration. 126. Mississippi Mike on Fear. Fear of God ..1 Fear of public speaking ..2 127. Everyone likes the idea of being a servant until they are treated like one. 128. The chicken made a contribution, the pig made a commitment. 129. If you want to be happy and have lots of kids you gotta get rid of 2 things. Things that rust and things that don’t hug you back. 130. Though we stand in Grace, if you do not respond it will not show itself in your life. 131. World says if understand then faith, bible says if faith then understand. 132. Freely you have received so freely give. 133. Jim Wright on plane passengers. Satan is the prince of the air and we’re flying right through his territory. 134. Christ’s death to sin, Our death to self. Sets us free in Him and Him free in us. 135. People see Christ as your personal life becomes a highway to the world. 136. When your salty it makes people thirsty for Him. 137. Anything born of your own strength will not survive. 138. Teaching, reproof, correction, training 139. Don’t hook on to people, connect them to Christ. A road map pointing to Christ. 140. God wants spiritual fruits not religious nuts. 141. Christ in you. The hope of Glory. 142. How can you turn a Hope into a reality? Faith is the substance of things hoped for. 143. Chris Thomas on living. I want to live until I die. 144. Chris Thomas on Love. I know what it is to love a T-bone steak. When I say I love you I say, “I’m committed to you.” 145. Hondo on crossing the street. Even Hindus look both ways before they cross the street, because its not “both and” its either me or the bus. 146. Frank on truth. Know the truth, be convicted of the truth, act on the truth. 147. Lewis on lies. A little lie is like a little pregnancy. 148. Hondo on Exegesis. You don’t want to find extra Jesus where there is no Jesus. 149. Big John Russ on planning. 2 ways to know God’s plan, willingly or unwillingly. 150. Mississippi Mike on mans best friend. Mans best friend is a dog. That is sad. Dog love anybody- he don’t care what you look like. 151. You do enough bad things you will pay for it with your sanity. 152. Happiness from happenings is different from Joy which only comes from being in right relationship with God. Peace comes from conforming to the will of God. Peace is everything in order despite life’s problems. Peace with God is your soul in order with God. 153. God does something within and it shows itself without. 154. Chris Thomas on being good. I don’t like being good either. 155. Chris T. on conservative. Conservative in Spirit, Radical in application. 156. Chris T. on sin. My sin wasn’t found out, it found me out. 157. ---More easily found out than destroyed from the inside out. 158. Chris on the flesh. Kick the flesh in the face. 159. CorrieTinBoom on the pits.There is no pit that is deeper, that God is not deeper still. 160. Mother Theresa on things. We don’t do great things here. We do little things with great love. 161. Major Thomas on lings. There are big lings and there are little-lings. 162. Bonnie Thomas on prayer. Prayer is giving it to God and leaving it, toothpick and all. Prayer is a barometer for how much you trust the Lord. Prayer is the most perfect form of love. 163. Bonnie Thomas on children. Boys are noise with dirt on them. You train up a child in where they are going by going there yourself. 164. Bonnie on the2 worst things. Not getting what you want, and getting what you want. 165. Man makes his plans, but the Lord directs his steps. 166. He’s the shepherd I am the sheep. Don’t take yourself to seriously. 167. Inferiority = inverted pride. 168. God + 1 is a majority. 169. You can be sincere and still be sincerely wrong. 170. Tony on Judas. Judas knew the cost of everything, but the value of nothing. 171. Marco Perez, prior to his rapture. God is good, no matter what happens God is still good. 172. Brian Green on William Burrows. I would not suggest reading William Burrows. 173. BG. On the bible. Read it and heed it. 174. Greatest declaration of a redeemed life is thankfulness. 175. Are you educated beyond your obedience? 176. Dave on dogs. The dog can either help or hinder the process. Fighting or Willing. 177. You can either get better or get bitter. 178. Marco. Some people here seem determined to prove that God can’t change their lives. 179. Stand where you are, look for where God is working, and join in. 180. If you have to remind people of your importance then your not sure of it yourself. 181. Bonnie on love. It is better to be loved in spite of than because of. 182. The problem with getting comfortable is that you begin to fear losing it and that is uncomfortable. A cage with golden bars. 183. I AM your hearts father. 184. Bonnie on struggle. If you help a butterfly out of it’s cacoon it cannot fly and develops no color. You must allow struggle. 185. Jess Mann on choices. We become the composite of our choices. 186. It’s intoxicating to think that you can be the captain of your own ship. Hemmingway shot himself. He was the captain of his own ship. 187. God will confirm truth over and over again. 188. Bonnie on courage. Courage is fear that has said it’s prayers. 189. Bonnie on rebellion. “Oh Lord I’m such a rebel, I don’t even know all the sin of my heart. Please forgive me.” 190. Lewis on marital love. Love is not sitting looking into each-other’s eyes, but looking out in the same direction. 191. Geared to the times, but anchored to the ROCK. In the world, not of the world. 192. Don’t be so heavenly minded that your of no earthly good. 193. Model the way. Challenge the process. Like Jesus. 194. So polluted for so long I could not think another way on my own. Christ will restore your mind and reconcile your relationships. Ezekiel 34:15-16 195. Do not sacrifice others on the alter of our own personal happiness. There is great danger in a right cause, for wrongs suffered are quicker to excite revenge. 196. Christian truth in the service of Christian love. 197. Frank on seeking. Cut a trail and leave a path to follow. 198. foolish = full of self, makes fool out of self. 199. Hondo on R&R. We are called to be revolutionaries for the kingdom of God. Flying upside down to the worlds economy. The downside up revolution. 200. The world says climb to the top, God says he who is last is first. World says save your life, God says lose your life. See through our eyes not with our eyes. 201. Chris Thomas on Rubbish and gooseberries. A Christian tree with rubbish fruit, avoid them! They are liars! Rubbish trees bear Rubbish fruit! Gooze burries in fact! 202. Matt Lynn on Country Music. My parents played county music in the car when I was little and that was a negative influence……I’m kidding. 203. When my emotions drive, they put me in the ditch. 204. Thoughts that used to plague me, through God, I see them as opportunities for forgiveness and sanctification. 205. Not living for Jesus, rather letting him live for me. 206. Ungratefulness is the greatest sin of America. 207. Freedom in Christ constrained by love. 208. Reformation begins with spiritual leaders. 209. Do you go to church to be blessed or to be a blessing. 210. Phil 2:12-16 211. When we walk the narrow path it leaves no room for worldliness. 212. Love can wait to give. Lust can’t wait to take. 213. Pride is the ground from which all other sin grows. It is spiritual cancer. 214. If you cannot see the hand of God, are you willing to trust the heart of God? 215. God requires our faithfulness he rewards with his fruitfulness. 216. Satan wants to paralyze with the pain of the past or hypnotize with the fear of the future which leaves us utterly helpless in the present. 217. When it comes to leadership- I have nothing to prove, nothing to hide, and so nothing to lose. 218. The written word exists to introduce us to the living word. 219. We have all earned death. Love and Grace allow another to take our place. 220. Rejection of authority is rejection of God’s authority. 221. Jesus came to fulfill the law. 222. Jerry Benjamin on moving back in with the parents. I moved back and I paid my parents rent, them being Jewish they were willing to accept. 223. You maintain your salvation the same way you obtained your salvation. By faith alone. 224. If you have little faith or great faith in thick ice it will support your weight. It is the object of your faith that saves you not the amount of faith. 225. The best commentary on the bible is the bible. 226. When you here a good testimony from someone it is not to impress you with a story, but with a savior. 227. Darth Vader on perception. When we first met I was only a student, Now I’m the master. To which OB1 responds “only a master of Evil.” 228. To see myself I must see Christ for who He is. 229. Read the Gospel of John everyday for 90 days. 230. Choose not to be obedient you won’t walk with intimacy. 231. 4 requirements. Love Christ, serve in community, tithe, if you blow it- come clean 232. Peace with sacrifice rather than no sacrifice and no peace. 233. To know God is to learn to love Him. To love him is to desire to serve him. 234. Zug on boxes. Don’t put God in a Box. 235. Bonnie on pressure. Don’t worry about the pressure, only where the pressure is. If not between you and God then the pressure will push you closer to the heart of God. 236. Matt on great struggles. Listen. 2 ears, 1 mouth. 237. Major Thomas on enthusiasm. Unenlightened enthusiasm perpetuates ignorance more than anything else. So sit down and keep your mouth shut. Because you’ve got nothing to say worth saying for the simple reason you don’t know enough. Listening yes, but have you heard anything. 238. Don’t look for the living among the dead. 239. Major of friendship. Being my good friend and my chum he wanted to tell me about salvation. 240. Major on notes. Don’t really need notes, most of it’s in the bible. 241. We are most free to succeed when we are free to fail. 242. Christ is the one through whom you can be the one you have become. 243. Through God teaching your mind and controlling your emotions he directs your will by the Holy spirit and so governs my behavior. This is how Christ shows himself through me. 244. Good apples don’t make bad apples good. 245. Julie Michalak on addiction. I started smoking Cheetos at the age of 11. 246. Mark B. God does not reveal what we are unprepared to receive. 247. Lou and Harv on people. People are more important than the work. 248. On every point that we judge another God can demonstrate (and often does) that we are equally Guilty. 249. Richard D. To be fully known. Body, spirit, emotions, the power of touch, talk openness. All these create accountability. Accountability without commitment, hurts. 250. It is far better that I know God, that he came to me to free me from sin, otherwise I would not have known freedom. 251. Sin is fun, but it is costly. Holiness and obedience are awesome. 252. Enough is enough…more will cost you. 253. intimacy = in to me see 254. I’m not what I do, I do what I love. 255. The end of man is the beginning of God. 256. Control your pay-offs or they will control you. 257. God on my defunct relationships. Matt if I am the Lord of your life then what is she doing in my place. The only thing you need to like someone is that they like you first. 258. Matt on my roommate ZUG. Though I thought Zug and I were worlds apart, Every time I am critical of him, judging him, or fighting with him I find when the smoke clears and the dust settles I am wrestling with myself. 259. When someone speaks harshly they do it out of their weakness. Any injury you take or claim gives power to their weakness. 260. Thank you to Andy for reminding me of 1 Corinthians 9:24-27. Everything I have seen you do, I have seen you give your best. 261. Thank you to Stephan for telling me that it will be okay. The Lord brought that message to my heart. The pain and struggles do have an end. It will be okay. 262. Thank you Tasondra for reminding me that if you don’t speak up you won’t get fed. 263. Thank you Ben the Denver Gondolier for showing me that it is not about what is said, great words, clever sayings. Only God knows the heart of each man. In God’s profound simplicity He speaks into our lives. For me it was “your mine” for Stephan it was “It will be okay.” These were life changing words to us. Thank you Ben for listening you allowed us to hear, by sharing in our pain. 264. Ashley first and foremost, thank you for your openness and honesty. You chose to hide nothing. I believe that because you choose not to hide you will be found. The best part of hide N seek to me was always, Being Found! 265. Erin thank you for reminding me that it is for an audience of one. It is all for Him. The extraordinary and the seemingly mundane are transformed by His presence. 268. Thank you to Smurf and Kyle for showing me hearts of Flesh. While I feel like I am farther away from the storm than I have ever been, I saw you both return to the storm with Joy that surpasses circumstances. With tears in your eyes you showed me love that I could believe. Thank you for being the men that God has created you to be. 269. Thank you to fellowship, Especially AA for the confidence that I have as a result of your visit. I am encouraged in my belief when I see Him working. I know the world is in business because I see it every day, but then I see soooooo many of you loving the light! 270. When I am injured where do I look? What is my source of strength? When I look to myself I am stressed, when I look to God I have rest. Only when you put your faith in that which is eternal will you never be alone. The world and everything/one in it is passing away. 271. 2 Corinthians 12:9 when God calls you to do something He will give you the power to do it. 272. Some people search for wisdom like a man panning for Gold. Some search for wisdom like a treasure hunter. We search. God will take care of the finding. If you are searching, good! You are exactly where you are supposed to be. 273. Pain = power to change. 274. Frank on parent hood. You never know what you will have to clean up. 275. If you want to know what someone believes look at how they spend, make, and manage their money. 276. Major Thomas on hats. I don’t want to wear a bola hat in Heaven! (Speaking as a young boy about his Sunday best) 277. Don’t sweat it out For Jesus, for without Him you can do nothing. You will be busy doing nothing. 278. We are human vehicles for divine activity. 279. What does the world around you say about God’s Character. 280. What does the world have that Christ is not sufficient for. 281. The answer isn’t “41” The answer is God’s Presence. Read the book of Job. 282. Jesus gave His life to me that He may live His life through me. 283. We are saved moment by moment, by appropriating the life of Christ. 284. Christ’s life is How to be what you have become. 285. The indwelling life of Christ is the saving life of Christ. 286. A hard heart allows us to go deep into sin without knowing or realizing the depths of depravity. Like walking down a mountain. Easy down, back up is a different story. 287. I found REALITY in the one who saved me. 288. Have you ever thanked Him? You can’t have more, you don’t need to enjoy less. Just say thanky. 289. How big is tomorrow? As big as God. 290. It’s not about getting out of Hell and into Heaven, rather Christ getting out of Heaven and into us. 291. Christ wants to live His life in me as He allowed the father to live His life in His son. Maybe you don’t want to live your fathers life. Remember that our heavenly father is jealous for us. He wants the best for us. Who knows you best? He who knows all or you who have trouble deciding what to order at a ice cream shop. (I like the cotton candy at the Boulder creamery) 292. Mr. Rogers on marriage. This marriage was made in Heaven, and so were thunder and lightning! 293. If you want lots of kids there are two things you need to get rid of. Things that rust and things that don’t hug you back. 294. If you can’t sleep don’t count sheep, talk to the shepherd. 295. How do you receive encouragement? 296. If you don’t know then who does? And if you did know what would it be? 297. What does the terrain of your heart look like? For me it is God’s will, He has shown me enjoyment everywhere He has taken me. Currently it is single track in the woods of Colorado. 298. That which we admire points to our weakness. You do not gain the confidence you want by marrying someone with confidence. It is not theirs to give. 299. I have never accepted less even when it was enough, because I was always trying to take that which was freely given. If you want more it will cost you. Learn how to receive gifts. Be thankful. 300. Stressed is dessert spelled backwards. 301. The law is like a thermometer. It can show how sick you are, but cannot heal you. It will bring awareness so that you can go to the great physician and let Him do the healing. 302. If you are free to then you must also be free not to. 303. We preach best what we need to learn most. 304. Jeap on make-up. If I where to much make-up my Dad tell me I look like a cake. 305. Jeap on listening. I’m not good listening, more than 100 time I get the stick. 306. Jeap on waiting. The Lord knocked many times, no, wait, I don’t care what you have to say. 307. Frank on humility. Learn humility today, so you don’t have to experience it tomorrow. 308. Justification is freedom from the penalty of sin. Sanctification is freedom from the power of sin. Glorification is freedom from the presence of sin. 309. Slow to verbalize, quick to live it. 310. Katie on shortcomings. When we see shortcomings in others we are less likely to give them grace. 311. The old nature is defeated, but has not departed. Romans 6 312. Sin is forgiven, but the appetite remains. When I gave up drinking I thought God would give me something to fill it’s place. Perhaps the gift was taking the appetite away, instead of giving me another appetite that I would struggle to control. Since then I have also been shown a world of new pleasures. 313. Choose life as opposed to death and yield to the spirit, so that you may live consistent with your position “in Christ.” 314. Chris Thomas on Mr. LAW. It is absolute Hell living with MR. Perfect (MR. LAW) Condemned in thoughts and actions. Every energy trying to please the law. Only way out is to die. It’s Hell. Mr. Christ is radically different, still perfect, but drastically different. Instead of pointing the finger, I want to help so that we may keep the law together. 315. John Taylor on where to look in times of trouble. 1Corinthians 2:9 316. God does not know relationship without sacrifice, because of sin. I will not offer to God that which cost me nothing. What does this look like in your life? 317. Have you tried the green eggs and ham? 318. If you want understanding you must be open before others. If you want change you must be accountable before others. 319. A lie is given its power by people believing it. When you know a lie is not true why does it bother you? 320. It all feels to good to be true. (me) It is! (Wayne) That does not change the fact that it is true. (Wayne) You can call a tail a leg, but that doesn’t change the fact that a cow has 4 legs. 322. Because Chloe cannot see me does not mean that I do not love her. How much more then, God who truly loves! Though I cannot see, or always feel him does not mean that I am unknown and alone in this world. He still loves. 323. Rachel (peanut) on being known. MATT! It is a wonderful and indescribable feeling when a child learns your name. Makes you want to live up to it! Because you can see in the way they say your name what they think of you. Trust. 324. Ian Thomas on child rearing. If God in his goodness should add to your union the chatter of little children at your knee, remember that the first Bible they will ever read will be written upon your hearts and interpreted in the flesh and blood of your humanity. And your children will have the right in your home, in everything you do and say and are to KNOW HIM, to look into your face, and know what God is like. 325. Dave on wanting. You can’t want more for people than they want for themselves. Don’t go where you are not invited, but speak the truth when you are. You can help people get out, but you can’t make people get in. Look at Israel from Egypt to the promised land. 326. Life and Death take God. Take Christ. That’s why He did it. 327. Taking it lying down hurts less than standing. When you fight it out nobody wins, but when you pray it out God wins. 328. Joe Erkovich. When Christ appears substantiate the reality of His Life! 329. Wayne on struggles. Good! That means that God is working! 330. Zug. Be available to God, it affects those around you. Zug did not have to say this to me, because he Did it. 331. Canada Matt on being there. I want my daughters to see me when they wake up and when they go to bed, so they know Dad is there. 332. Chris Thomas on child rearing. Chris asked his son (I think Ben) if he was eating one of his fathers Brussels mints Pepperidge farm cookies. His son lied. What’s worse my son lying or my son not feeling that he can be honest with his father. 333. Chris on Child rearing. The boys had been tormenting Bonnie (Chris’s Wife) so she told the boys that they would be punished when Dad got home. The penalty was set. There would be spankings when Dad got home. When Chris got home he was excited to see the boys. He did not want to spank them, but he loves Bonnie and He is committed to her and the penalty had been set. There had to be a spanking. Chris told the boys, “I want to take your punishment.” So the boys cried and spanked their Dad for something they had done. Profound Simplicity! 334. Die on impulse during a flight of intent or Die in the circus with the animals. I like it! To me this is adventure vs. the familiar. Heart knowledge and Head knowledge. It is safe to Trust an unknown future to a known God. What does this look like to you? 335. Do you want to have a good time or a bad time? Ask yourself this next time you are having a bad time. 336. If you don’t know the instructions and you can’t trust the source then what is it that you are building? 337. God on humble. “matt you are not humble” (God) “I humbly accept” (matt) “no you don’t” (God) “Oh! You got me” (matt) 338. Where I will fail and have, HE will succeed and Has. 339. People used to tell me that I had a death wish. My first probation officer told me that it wasn’t a death wish. It was a Life wish! The 2 times I have turned myself into Jail God has saved my life. The one time I went kicking and screaming He still saved my life, I just couldn’t see it. 340. God is pursuing us relentlessly. 341. God grieves more bitterly for our lost loved ones than we ever could. For He desired to give Jay life and could, all I could do was miss him. 342. It’s about Him and His not me and mine. 343. I can see God’s work because it is distinctly different from my own. 344. Wives submit, Husbands love, Children obey. 345. Proverbs 3 346. Mr. Ben on geese. “Matt life is not all about geese.” 347. If your not looking for the value in everything then what exactly is it that you are looking for? 348. Overcomers Outreach. “sometimes I wonder how long I’m gonna need all this….. I guess as long as I have fee will. 349. A simple man once said. “I had to cross the road, so I knew I had to pray, and when He made a way I went!” 350. Personify ideas if you are having trouble wrapping your mind around them. 351. We are saved by faith alone, but not faith that is alone. 352. When you see the word weaker used think of the difference between fine china and a 72 ounce slurppee mug. No one needs that much doctor pepper. 353. Chris T. we only hate what is evil to the extent that we love what is good. 354. Little Chris. Sometimes God uses Swiss watch tools on your life for fine tuning and sometimes He uses a sledge hammer and a blow torch. 355. Knowledge puffs up, Love builds up. 356. Its not to satisfy me, but to Glorify Him. 357. If in doubt then continue to grow in conviction. 358. Steak may look good, but sometimes you get beans to the glory of God. 359. Dave on point A. God has been preparing me all my life to be right here. The center of his will. My depending on Christ does not just affect me. 360. Patrick on the corner of pensive and pondering. Thank you for sharing in my pain. 361. Dad. Do you have trouble with submitting to unseen authority where you do not know the outcome. Will you trust. 362. Dad on perception. Golf is… hitting a ball that is to small, with a club that is to long, into a hole to far away and that is a good walk ruined. 363. Remember the past it will help guide you in the future. 364. Wherever you step out, people will step up. It is easier to fight for ones principles than to live up to them. We are a praying people loving each other within the context of a differing world. This is the way of the Christian in the world. 365. Set your mind on things above and lean not on your own understanding expecting the ramifications of that to change the world below…conquering while being defeated.

Changing Church Forms

There are definitely some sweet churches out there that are trying new and different ideas out on how to do Church, and with society changing so fast it is good that there are people out there that are trying new things out to see if they work. Two churches that are doing Church differently are LifeChurch.tv and Epic Church.

LifeChurch.tv is one of those churches that is on the forefront of technology's and the internet. LifeChurch has grown from a small house church to to having several campuses around the U.S. including one in Mesa, AZ, they also started YouVersion which is one of my favorite Web 2.0 Bible utilities out today. But one of their most innovative ventures is that they have a campus set up to run exclusively on the web, not only can you watch regular sermons but at that same time you can interact with other people that are watching at the same time. I would encourage people to look in their local communities for a group of people to connect with but this is a great option as well.

Epic is a church that is doing things just a little bit differently as well, which is something that you can see that second that you step in to its doors. The reason that you realize this instantaneously is because once you step into the church you actually find yourself in the Park Place movie theater. I went to this church the second week that they had been open and didn't know how this would work but after I sat down into the big comfortable chairs of the theater I realized that this is a place that you could do Church quite nicely. The church being located in a movie theater is not the only unconventional part of this church, people are also encouraged to bring their laptops and log on to the Epic web site via the free internet that is provided, once there you can ask questions about the topic that is being spoken on, if you forgot your laptop or you would just feel awkward bringing your desktop to a movie theater you can also do the same thing through text massage. This is an idea that I like a lot, the pastor of Epic, Jake Rasmussen, seems to have a good idea going with this and it has been getting a little bit of buzz around town as well.

If you have the time it is definitely a good idea to check one or both of these place out.

Let's Kill God

I have noticed a trend recently, it seems like it is intriguing more and more people to try to prove that God doesn't exist. To some this isn't a huge surprise and for me it isn't a surprise that there are people who want to kill God but it is surprising to me about how many people there are right now. In a society that is in a transition to a postmodern world view, which is world view that is partly informed by the idea of God, it seems like there should be less people trying to prove that there isn't a God, instead it appears that the opposite is true. In the past week I have been pointed to sites like How Hubble Killed God, and for videos about how God never really existed and is made up. Now I am not going to make the argument that because you are thinking about God it would naturally follow that He exists, but I do have to wonder why is it that this idea is so pervasive in your culture today?

As Fun Goes Up Productivity Goes Down (InstantAction)

Online games can be one of the best wastes of time that one can take part in. Now in beta is a site that specializes in wasting time...playing games, which are web based, called InstantAction. Now this is nothing now, there are hundreds of flash game sites out there that you can jump on and spend hours tooling around on, but InstantAction is different from the rest of these sites because it doesn't just have 3D games but it also does multiplayer and adds community elements in to the fold to. The site is free is part of a new trend in video games that cost little to nothing, which is great for people who don't want to spend a lot on games (which should be just about everyone who plays video games). Accounts are easy to set up and the controls for the games are easy to use, right now there are only five games to play but they will be adding more as time goes on. If you go and set up an account my gamer ID is pjdamws.

Children

The other night I was thinking about ideas for different ministries, as I was doing this I thought of some of my homeschool'n days and about some of the classes that my mom signed me up for. One of these classes was about electricity and was taught by an engineer (Who I believe work for Raytheon), this class is still one of the best classes that I have taken, the reason for this is because the class incorporated fun experiments with the course work which made it really fun to do. So the idea that I had for a children's/youth ministry is to something much the same way, incorporating real world fun experiments with science, math, physics. These are some of the most popular videos on sites like 5min and Howcast so they should be something that would keep students interested and busy, at least for a little while (those sites would also be great resources to get projects to do).

Anyways not much to this post, I more wanted to get this thought out so I don't forget it.

Actions Speak Louder then Intent

Recently I have been thinking about intent and our actions. This wasn't sparked by my own mindless mutterings in my normal meaningless thoughts, the thought was started from a picture that I saw on Reuters (Pictured to the left). The post talks about how people in Brazil, who where apart of a movement there called the Landless Workers Movement, where forced from their land and their homes. The government has many reasons that they point to as why they are doing this and I have to say from reading the information on Wikipedia about the movement I am not sure that I would completely agree with the philosophy of the Landless Workers Movement (although I am not saying that I would completely disagree either), but I do have to say that seeing this picture I would say that i can't side with anyone or any government in this case when this is one of the consequence of their actions. Now granted I don't know the context surrounding this picture but I don't really think that you need to in order to make a judgment call on whether or not this is justifiable for Brazil to be doing (at least in this manner). Even if the Brazilian government is justified in opposing this movement and the ultimate intent is for peace the actions are showing a cold and forceful oppression. It's an old lesson but a valuable one, the end does not justify the means no matter how justified the end is.

GeoCities Web 2.0 Style (Google Page Creator)

So most people know that I am a huge Google fanatic, I use Google for almost all of my day to day Internet activity. Recently I was going through my Google account and came across a part of Google that I had forgotten about, it was Google Page Creator. Back in February 2006 Google launched page creator as a way for people to create their own custom site, much like GeoCities back in the 90s. At first it was a little awkward and not really the best that Google could do. Now, however, Google has greatly improved it, anyone who finds Blogger or any other blogging site easy will find making their own web site easy to. There aren't a lot of templates to choose from but just like any other thing on the web right now all you would really have to do is a quick Google search for templates and you would get thousands in 0.28 seconds. There are also a few other kinks that need to be worked out but it is a fun and easy tool that can be used to create a free web site. You can check out a site that I created the other night for all of my web based ventures here (I am still working on a lot of this).

Picnik (Online Photo Editing)

Sometime last year I tried to move as much computer-based stuff (Word Documents, Music, Calender, etc) as I could to web-based, even going so far as trying to get an online OS, which I didn't like. One of the things that I tried and liked a lot was a service called Picnik. Picnik is an online flash based photo editor capable of editing photos very well, I would say that for most people it will edit your photos as well as Photoshop or any other professional software but you won't have to have a bloated program filling up your hard drive. For Picnik is ad supported and you do have to have a place to host your picture files (Picasa, Flikr, Facebook, Your hard drive, and many others). There are two membership types to choose from, one free and one that you pay $24.95 per year, not a bad price but right now I don't think that there is really a reason to get that but they are adding more things as time goes on so it might be worth pay the $25 for. So if you are looking to touch up some of your picture and want an easy and free way to do it without getting a bulky program on your computer then you should give Picnik a try.