A warning to our society, and our nation.

"Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil ; Who substitute darkness for light and light fordarkness ; Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!" - Isaiah 5:20

 I look at our country, our society, our government, and I see us doing exactly what this passage says we ought not do! This verse is not just a suggestion, but a pronouncement of a curse upon those who do what it warns against!

We are calling same-sex (read: homosexual) marriage a good thing, and those who oppose it, we are trying to get them labeled as mentally ill! We are getting deeper and deeper in debt, calling it "good" economics, while the Bible tells us in Proverbs 22:7:

"The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender." (emphasis mine). 

People, I believe that the US is either under a curse, currently, or soon will be due to our ignorance of the Word of God. It is timeless, and applies to all nations, and the arrogance of our nation will be a downfall to us. So if the US does fall, nations of the world, heed this warning. Do not go the way of this Nation, but follow God in all.

Why do I read the Bible (almost) every day?

As I walked to work this morning, I was listening to an old sermon from my church (I have a schedule that now makes me work on Sundays, so this is how I get my teaching, now.) and Pastor Dave Wick was preaching in this one about "sanctification" and the difference between "pietism" and "legalism".

So, as I started reading my Bible this morning, I got to thinking, why am I reading the Bible? Is it because I think it's required by God as some sort of act that will sanctify me, or do the actual words on the page have some sort of divine power in and of themselves? Well, the written word in a book, itself, has no power, except for what the reader attaches to them. And to someone who is not a Christian, I'm sure some impact would come, because the words written are full of wisdom.

But for a Christian, one who has been baptized by the Holy Spirit, there is a power in the words. But it does not come from the words themselves, as if the words are indwelt by that same Spirit. The power comes from my eyes being opened to the truth by the power of the Spirit. It doesn't come from my own wisdom, because my wisdom is corrupt, damaged by the fall and the sin which pervades this present world.

In other words, without the Spirit, I have no power to gain any other than the most rudimentary insight from the written words of the Bible. The Flesh, as Paul referred to the sinful component that every man is suffused with since birth, cannot understand the Truth of the Bible without being given the power and ability by God, through the power of His Spirit.

So, I came to the conclusion that I read, not because the act itself sanctifies or even saves me, but because the Spirit within me has given me the desire, and the ability, to read and understand the words of the book. Without Him, it's just another book of wisdom, but a wisdom I would never fully grasp. As Paul, in Romans, makes so primitively plain, our Salvation comes solely, totally, completely from the Lord, so that I can never boast that anything I have done has brought me salvation. From the act of hearing and understanding, to actually believing, and finally submitting to that Truth, it all comes from Him, to His Glory alone!

Who's to blame for our Governmental mess?

I've spent much time thinking about our current state of affairs in this nation. And everyone is looking for a scapegoat, someone to blame for all our problems. So I figured, let's look at all those who are having fingers pointed at them and see.

First, the Republicans and Democrats.

Well, "We, the People" are the ones who keep putting them back there, expecting them to do things differently. (Isn't doing the same thing over and over the definition of insanity?) So we cannot directly point the finger at "them".

How about "Big Business".

Well, we keep giving them our money. We keep letting them fund candidates who will allow them to break rules the rest of us can't. We keep our Congressmen in power for 5-10-20 terms, and they keep doing the same crap. So we can't blame "Big Business".

How about the "1%ers"?

Well, it's been the people we've elected, and the things we buy that have created the 1%ers. If we stopped doing the two things above, the 1%ers would look more like us. So we can't blame them.

What about big banks?

See the previous three.

What am I getting at here? WELL, it is US, the People of these United States of America, the ones who vote based on what these creeps can give to us, or take away from us. WE are all at fault for our crisis. We don't remember history. We fail to teach ourselves economics, both micro- and macro-. We fail to give up what "belongs to us" (though it never belonged to anyone before us). We vote based on race, on religion, on what "[our] country can do for [us]", and not "what [we] can do for [our] country".

Until we get truly educated on history, and what it teaches us, no matter how we vote, this will ALWAYS happen. It's time for people to learn for themselves, and stop letting others do the "due diligence" for them.

All I want to know is....

...what did I do now?

A call to return to a biblical fatherhood (patriarchy).

I am reading a wonderful book by Phillip Lancaster called which talks about a return to biblical fatherhood, and how this can positively impact the family, and society at large. While I know that this idea rubs a great many the wrong way, God did set up an order of things in the garden. While man was given a task (subdue the garden and rule over it), woman was also given a role (to be his helper). Woman was to be submissive to the headship God granted man.

The problem we have in our current culture is that we mistake headship (i.e. authority) has something to do with quality or the value of a human being. And being in the society in which we now live in, this is generally true. But the reality is that man was called to a position of authority simply because God wanted it that way. Insofar as value is concerned, the New Testament states it correctly: all are equal in the sight of God. (Col. 3:11) But authority is not a measure of greater value.

Just like in the real world, authority is sometimes given to those who may not be the best qualified to wield it. Likewise, sometimes authority is removed from those who are less qualified in order to best accomplish a task. Authority, or headship, is simply a chain of command, and a chain of culpability.

God has ordained this chain of command in the family: God, Christ, husband, wife, family-at-large. Does this mean that a wife is a lesser being than a husband? Of course not! But a woman was not created to lead, to make decisions, to steer the course of the family. That is not to say that they can't make decisions, or lead, or steer the course. But they weren't created to do so. That was given to the husband, not because he is the best for the job by reason of his value, but because men were created to be task-oriented, to get the job done. Women were created to fill a supporting role, because they are much better at doing that than men.

Headship doesn't mean better, any more than submission means inferior. It just is a way to get things done in the most efficient way.

Dr. King would be ashamed

As I reflect upon where we are at now in our country, and how we got here, I cannot help but hearing in my head a quote from the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., from his "I Have A Dream" speech.

And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today!

And there is something about this portion of the speech that keeps niggling me in the back of my mind. It's that last part before the exclamation, "I have a dream today!"

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I look at our last election, in 2008, and I begin to understand what the problem is. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

And then I realize what it is! This President was elected in a way that would make the late Dr. King weep. We have here a President who was elected because of the color of his skin, and not the content of his character! I imagine that Dr. King would feel very upset about the myriads of people, black, white, latino, jew, or otherwise who listed the only reason they voted for Barack Hussein Obama was because he was a black man! What a devestating blow to the civil rights movement to have the first black man elected to be President who was elected because of the color of his skin, and not his character.

Now, fortunately, I believe that those who voted for this reason are learning why Dr. King wanted us to live where character was above all other considerations, because any man without character is not fit to hold the office of POTUS. And skin color is no substitute for sound principles, firm beliefs, and the courage to carry out what you believe, even if it is immediately seen as unpopular.

A Four Letter Mind

I've been thinking this for quite a while, and I'm going to put it into words now.

I ride the bus to work every day, because my job pays for it, and I hear and see people on the bus every day. I have a message for the young people of America. Every time a single "four-letter word" comes out of your mouth, regardless of the intelligence you have, gives the appearance, however wrong it might be, that you are incapable of communication higher than those words. The second one of these words are interjected in the most civilized and thought-provoking discussion, it immediately causes the conversation to lose all credibility.

Now that I think of it, even when adults (especially those of the "Hollywood Elite") interject them, idiocy is all that I can think. These words are the words of cavemen, Neanderthals, drunks, idiots, and other such low intelligence persons. They have absolutely no place in intelligent conversation. These words have no place even in the human vocabulary!

Ok, all this to say, when I hear you say any of the "four-letter words" (some of which have more and some which fewer letters, I hope you already know this), know that I instantly think you are one step more stupid than you were when I first heard you.

The Education System in America is Failing Us!

This from an OP/ED piece in an undisclosed San Francisco newspaper.

God help us! And this person probably votes!

It's been a while

So, the most I've posted here has been my tweets, and that's just wrong. Not that many people care what's going on, with so much else happening in their busy lives. All this stuff here, on the internet, just seems to suck more and more of our lives away. Makes me wonder what life would be like without this instant access to information and communication.

I'm beginning to think it wouldn't be all that bad.

This.... Is Genius

This is the best example of WHY Government should be allowed to run NOTHING but what the Constitution explicitly says it should

BAIL'EM OUT!!! ???? Hell, back in 1990, the Government seized the Mustang Ranch brothel in Nevada for tax evasion and, as required by law, tried to run it.. They failed and it closed. Now, we are trusting the economy of our country, our banking system, our auto industry and possibly our health plans to the same nit-wits who couldn't make money running a whore house and selling whiskey?!"
"What are we thinking?

A great read, and a wonderful analogy!

Recently large demonstrations have taken place across the country protesting the fact that Arizona Is addressing the issue of illegal immigration - simply because they plan to enforce the law that the Feds have failed to do for 40 years!

Certain people are angry that the US might protect its own borders, might make it harder to sneak into this country and, once here, to stay indefinitely.

Let me see if I correctly understand the thinking behind these protests.

Let's say I break into your house.

Let's say that when you discover me in your house, you insist that I leave. But I say, 'No! I like it here. It's better than my house. I've made all the beds and washed the dishes and did the laundry and swept the floors. I've done all the things you don't like to do. I'm hard-working and honest (except for when I broke into your house).'

According to the protesters:

You are Required to let me stay in your house
You are Required to feed me

You are Required to add me to your family's insurance plan

You are Required to educate my kids

You are Required to provide other benefits to me & to my family (my husband will do all of your yard work because he is also hard-working and honest, except for that breaking in part).


If you try to call the police or force me out, I will call my friends who will picket your house carrying signs that proclaim my RIGHT to be there.


It's only fair, after all, because you have a nicer house than I do, and I'm just trying to better myself.
I'm a hard-working and honest, person, except for, well, you know, I did break into your house and what a deal it is for me!!!


I live in your house, contributing only a fraction of the cost of my keep, and there is nothing you can do about it without being accused of cold, uncaring, selfish, prejudiced, and bigoted behavior.


Oh yeah, I DEMAND that you learn MY LANGUAGE!!! So you can communicate with me.

Why can't people see how ridiculous this is? Only in America . If you agree, pass it on (in English)...share it if you see the value of it.

If not, blow it off......... along with your future Social Security funds, and a lot of other things.

A simple lesson in Macroeconomics and Taxes.

If the Federal government raises taxes on the richest 1% who only have 20% of the money, they don't generate as much as if they raise the taxes on the rest of the 99% who have 80% of the money. A 5% hike on 20% only gives you a 1% increase. The same hike in the lower 80% nets a 4% increase... Simple math folks!

Change we can believe in!

As President Obama is set to sign the massive Federal Healthcare Bill into law this afternoon, just 36 hours after it's passage in Congress, let us remind ourselves of then Presidential Candidate Barack Hussein Obama:

Let's let everyone we know read this and think about it...

Ok, admittedly I took this, exactly, from an e-mail I received, and even then, I don't know who the original author is, so forgive me for reprinting this here, but I do not know who to ask for permission from. Anyway, read this, and pass it on to ANYONE you know, and tell them to think critically about the claims made here.

I'm Sick of hearing from Obama I "Inherited"

The Washington Post babbled again today about Obama inheriting a huge deficit from Bush, blah, blah, blah. Amazingly enough, a lot of people swallow this nonsense.

So once more, check this short civics lesson.

Budgets do not come from the White House. They come from Congress, and the party that controlled Congress since January 2007 is the Democratic Party. They controlled the budget process for FY 2008 and FY 2009, as well as FY 2010 and FY 2011. In that first year, they had to contend with George Bush, which caused them to compromise on spending, when Bush somewhat belatedly got tough on spending increases. For FY 2009, though, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid bypassed George Bush entirely, passing continuing resolutions to keep government running until Barack Obama could take office.

At that time, they passed a massive omnibus spending bill
to complete the FY 2009 budgets. And where was Barack Obama during this time? He was a member of that very Congress that passed these massive spending bills, and he signed the omnibus bill as President to complete FY 2009.

Let's remember what the deficits looked like during that period:

If the Democrats inherited any deficit, it was the FY 2007 deficit, the
last of the Republican budgets. That deficit was the lowest in five
years, and the fourth straight decline in deficit spending. After that,
Democrats in Congress took control of spending, and that includes Barack Obama, who voted for the budgets.

If Obama inherited anything, he inherited it from himself. In a
nutshell, what Obama is saying is I inherited a deficit that I voted for
and then I voted to expand that deficit four-fold since January 20th.


IT IS IMPORTANT TO KEEP OUR FACTS STRAIGHT AS THE MEDIA GOES WITH
FEELINGS - AND PAINTS A PICTURE THEY LIKE

If one is intellectually honest, it will be obvious that the ideas put forth above are, in fact, correct.

Thank you.

A fool-proof way to fix the current Federal Government

You may be thinking, "No way! There can't be a way to do that!" But you'd be wrong.

It's very simple, too! First step:

Look up the roll call vote on the TARP bill for the House Reps who voted for or "No Vote" on the bill.

Second step is just as easy:

On election day this year,

DON'T VOTE FOR THEM!!!!

Vote for the other guy... Unless he's a Democrat, then try to get a different candidate for the Republican nomination, because the current Rep you have, is a RINO!

Don't mistake my last post...

I'm not for the guy at all, but I hate foreigners saying how bad America is, and how backward we are. I admit, we have far too much excess here, but to those who say we don't do enough for the rest of the world, look again, and see where we send the taxes we collect. I promise you, that a whole bunch leaves our borders and helps out a great deal of people. And beyond this, we send money through other channels that foreigners don't realize....

Ok, I'm not that coherent here, but I'm a bit upset about foreigners bad-mouthing this nation...

America is barbaric and wrong....

....so why has NO country in Europe, who are supposed to be SO much more progressive than the US, ever elected a Black President, Prime Minister, or other national leader?

What are people thinking?!?

Obama still has a higher approval rating than a disapproval rating? Yes, it's not above 50%, but still higher than disapproval? Don't people realize that this whole mess that's happening in Congress is coming from his mind??? WAKE UP PEOPLE AND SMELL THE MARXISM!

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Just sent this by my Mom (Thanks, Mom!)

I love our founding fathers... If only the American public really knew what this country was founded upon...

Mike Huckabee supports the FairTax!

Great news for those of you who agree with me!

People are actually visiting my blog!

Wow! I never would have thunk it! Thanks for checking up on me!

A great e-mail I received

I got this from my mother, and who knows who she got it from, but thank GOD for the person who put this so eloquently.

If George W. Was an Idiot...

If George W. Bush had been the first President to need a TelePrompTer installed to be able to get through a press conference, would you have laughed and said this is more proof of how inept he is on his own and is really controlled by smarter men behind the scenes?

If George W. Bush had spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to take Laura Bush to a play in NYC, would you have approved?

If George W. Bush had reduced your retirement plan's holdings of GM stock by 90% and given the unions a majority stake in GM, would you have approved?

If George W. Bush had made a joke at the expense of the Special Olympics, would you have approved?

If George W. Bush had given Gordon Brown a set of inexpensive and incorrectly formatted DVD's, when Gordon Brown had given him a thoughtful and historically significant gift, would you have approved?

If George W. Bush had given the Queen of England an iPod containing videos of his speeches, would you have thought this embarrassingly narcissistic and tacky?

If George W. Bush had bowed to the King of Saudi Arabia, would you have approved?

If George W. Bush had visited Austria and made reference to the non-existent "Austrian language," would you have brushed it off as a minor slip?

If George W. Bush had filled his cabinet and circle of advisers with people who cannot seem to keep current in their income taxes, would you have approved?

If George W. Bush had been so Spanish illiterate as to refer to "Cinco de Cuatro" in front of the Mexican ambassador when it was the 5th of May (Cinco de Mayo), and continued to flub it when he tried again, would you have winced in embarrassment?

If George W. Bush had misspelled the word advice would you have hammered him for it for years like Dan Quayle and potato as proof of what a dunce he is?

If George W. Bush had burned 9,000 gallons of jet fuel to go plant a single tree on Earth Day, would you have concluded he's a hypocrite?

If George W. Bush's administration had Okayed Air Force One flying low over millions of people followed by a jet fighter in downtown Manhattan causing widespread panic, would you have wondered whether they actually get what happened on 9-11.?

If George W. Bush had failed to send relief aid to flood victims throughout the Midwest with more people killed or made homeless than in New Orleans , would you want it made into a major ongoing political issue with claims of racism and incompetence?

If George W. Bush had ordered the firing of the CEO of a major corporation, even though he had no constitutional authority to do so, would you have approved?

If George W Bush had proposed to double the national debt, which had taken more than two centuries to accumulate, in one year, would you have approved?

If George W. Bush had then proposed to double the debt again within 10 years, would you have approved?


So, tell me again, what is it about Obama that makes him so brilliant and impressive?

Can't think of anything? Don't worry.

He's done all this in 5 months -- so you'll have three years and seven months to come up with an answer.

GOD HELP US!

Who's the idiot now?

God's Correction

Thank you, Holy Father, that you have chosen to bring me through fire once again so that I may become what you would have me to be. Thank you that you love me so much that you see fit to discipline me in the most creative ways. I pray, today, that you begin in me the change you wish to see.

Thank you.

A message to Dads of Daughters...

If you are the father of a young daughter, I urge you to listen to Steven Curtis Chapman's Cinderella at least once a month, if not more often.

If this song doesn't drive home the need to spend more time with your daughters, you're not human. I cry, literally cry, everytime I hear this song.

I love you, Faith. And I'll dance with you whenever you like, no questions asked...

No right to speak out against Obama

Just watch the video, and you'll see what I mean.

The way things ought to be.... (No intent to rip off El Rushbo)

This is the best mash-up of video I've ever seen. Gotta love Jack Webb!

Why am I not finding this on the Mainstream Media?

http://www.skyandtelescope.com/community/skyblog/newsblog/56631092.html

This is an article talking about how solar cycles affect the earth's temperatures. The story seems to indicate that minor fluctuations in the sun's brightness (read: 0.01%) can cause a wide swing in global temperatures. Somehow, the two "known" phenomena discussed in the article have never been included into any climate models -- until now.

Hmmm.....  Why no mention of this from any mainstream media source?

 

(Also, notice the article states that the sun creates ozone. I think that the sun is far more powerful than man. Maybe that's why we don't hear about the "ozone hole" any longer?)

God is so Good!

God is always faithful to bring about His plans. And His plans cannot be thwarted by the works of man! How glorious!

Coming back to my home.

I've been thinking today, and if I'm going to continue to blog, I should blog from this site. It just makes more sense. So look for my posts to come from here, and no longer from blog.digimot.net

So, I found a grand way to keep the "Blog Of Ice" going...

It will be both here, and on this blog's sister site at http://blog.digimot.net.

Check them all out!

Ok...

I'll post a link to every post I make on my new Blog here for a few months. Then I'll stop posting here all together, and delete this blog.

Sorry that's the way it goes.

Here's the new post!

It's been a month

I really want to make sure that you're going to my other blog from now on. And please, bug the crap out of me so that I post more... I really enjoy doing this, but I'm sometimes at a loss as to what to post... My life is pretty boring... my opinions are rather not....

Since you asked...

I was just politely reminded by someone very special in my life that I've not posted in quite a while... Well, here's for you!

I just started working on a new website for myself... http://www.digimot.net. Visit if you wish, but don't expect much. I've not fully fleshed out what I want to be there.

It's great to finally see some color in the trees, though once they leaves turn, they seem to fall... Who knew?

I am SOOOO glad that today is Friday! I can't wait to see my kiddies again!

Well, that's it for now... I promise to post more soon...

What's "Fred'08" all about?

Ok, so you've obviously seen my nice banner ad for Fred'08.

I have read his platform (and you should, too) and I really think he's the man to vote for in the next election!

He makes sense. He speaks well. He's really well known, moreso even than Ronald Reagan!

(For those who don't recognize him, click here!)

Click on his banner, and really listen to what he says, and read what he stands for!

You'll see why he gets my vote this year!!!

And now, a word from our sponsor(s)...

Ok, so you all see the ad thingys I've got all around my page.





They're there for a reason...





You see, I get paid for each time someone clicks on one of them... And it would be nice to get a little extra...

I promise I'll post more, and more worth reading....


Just see my next post!

Things are much better now

Alright, I know that I scared a few people with my last post, but...



The BW and I had a long, hard, honest, loving conversation last night. It was probably one of the hardest things I've ever done, but I was glad I did. A ton of feelings that I just, as I am wont to do, "stuffed" and never mentioned, I expressed, and with that a whole bunch of emotion was released on all sides. This is what really made it probably the best talk of our lives.

I hope I can continue down this path with my BW. I love her with all I think I could possibly love a human being. It's because of this, that I know we're destined to last.

Thank you, all who prayed for me.

What in the world...

Boy, talk about not having a good day coming home.

After a long and busy day at work, I come home... And let's just say that things were not as I expected them.

I'm not going to get into what I was expecting, because that's not important. But this was the first time I said what I felt about something like this to my BW (Beloved Wife, for those who do not know the lingo.)

Anyway, now I have to temper this with the fact that the family had 2-3 appointments to go to today, and many were stressful on them all, but I had these expectations, (darn you, expectations!) and they just didn't happen.

So, after being just overwhelmed with too much attention all at once, and things going on...I went into the closet to cool down, and not react out of pure emotion. I stated my grievance to my BW, and playfully added to the mix a bit of annoyance at our lovely pooch, Calvin. Well, I got my head chewed off for "blaming" him for anything. Not a good showing for actually discussing what was bothering me right away, even after quelling the emotions tied with it.

So, all this to say, what the H-E-double-hockey-sticks did I bother saying anything? I say that I don't want to bring up things because I think I know what'll happen, and then I'm told not to, because I really don't. SO I do just that, and it turns out pretty much as I expected.

Ok, I'm a bit far-reaching there. I didn't know exactly what to expect, but I end up feeling like the bad guy for doing what I thought was right...

Life just sucks that way most of the time.

So suffice it to say, I'm more confused than ever about how to deal with this stupid thing called life... God, help me, but I think I'm going nuts!!!

Talk about getting gun shy! And so, do I do it again? What's the flippin' point?

Hey, what do you know!

I just realized/remembered, I can blog from my e-mail address! How cool is that?

 

So this just a test, of sorts, making sure I can do this, and do it properly.

 

So…. Hi! Howya doin’?

 

 

IRAQ - It's not about oil!!!

I can prove the above statement...

To do so, I ask this question: If America is the kind of nation that would go to war over oil, why haven't we invaded Canada?

The vast majority of oil imported by the U. S. is from Canada, a country of 10 million people or so, with very little military to speak of. We could invade them easily, right? So why bother with the difficult fight in Iraq for oil if Canada is sitting just to our north, ripe for the pickings?

And if it's all about oil, why are we not drilling for oil in our own country? Why not allow it in ANWR and the Gulf of Mexico? Then we wouldn't have to fight in Iraq?

So maybe it's about something other than oil...

Maybe it's really about freedom, like the President says!

This is not about me, but it's my responsibility...

Now, hon. I know you're going to read this, and think that you made me feel guilty or something. While I was listening to you this morning, your despair, I felt my heart break. But I also started to understand what it meant to be the head of the family. What the responsibility of that is, and that it means if something is going wrong, it's me who's ultimately responsible.

Yes, that means if you find yourself unable to do something around the house, it's ultimately me who's responsible, because I should be making the decisions to help you along that path. If we have problems disciplining our kids, it's my concern, because it means I've not been taking leadership in talking about how we do it, there's no plan.

I don't know I'm going to do it, and I probably can't do it alone, but I will find a way to be the husband, father, and man I'm supposed to be.

I know that God supports me in this, but that the Adversary will try hard to keep me from this, as he knows that my kids, as well as everyone else's kids, are the next generation that could be fighting his reign on this planet.

Please pray for my family as we learn the roles we need to learn.



"GOD,
I know that I'm trying to take the right path. But I also know that the enemy of my soul and my family and Your Kingdom doesn't want this to happen. Please help me to resist temptation, and to work for what is right, despite how frustrating things get. Give me courage, and patience, and wisdom, to move beyond this into what you have predestined me to be.

Amen."

Sometimes I think I'm just a big failure...

Today has not been a good day.

It started off with me getting only 2 hours of sleep. But then after that, I found out I'm a disappointment to my wife, and probably also one to my kids.

The problem is, I know it. I suck, royally. I can't get this thing called "life" right, it seems. If something is going good, I always find a way to make it bad. And I hate it that I can do nothing about the situation. Or at least that's the way I feel.

Thing is, I get comfortable, I make mistakes. And the more comfortable I am, the bigger the mistakes tend to be. I really feel like an idiot when I forget important dates, and disappoint my wife. Or when I could simply do what I know needs to be done, but I don't do it, because I'm lazy, or preoccupied, or whatever. It's like I stop thinking, and just let myself forget all that I've done to get me to where I was.

Right now, I suppose you could say that I hate myself, at least somewhat.

I wish I could be someone else, because I don't really like who I am now. GOD! I need to be done with this life and move on to something where I can't screw it all up...

Maybe this is just the lack of sleep talking, but right now, I wish I could fall asleep and not wake up. Maybe it'd be better for everyone involved if it ended like that.

So, I guess, I really asking anyone and everyone who reads this to pray for me. Heap upon me your prayers, and help me to recognize an answer, because I honestly don't know if I can keep praying. I'm apparently not asking for the right things.

GOD, please, PLEASE! I'm sick of who I am! I'm worthless, and I have no idea what you could possibly see as worthy in me! I've become a useless thing, taking up space even in my own life! I've almost given up on fighting, because fighting only leaves me hurt... I'm sick, and I'm broken, and I'm wounded, and I'm scared... I'm finished. Make me, mold me, form me, break me down and build me up again!

Sound words about "Scientific concensus"

I think it is quite ludicrous that there has been so much on-going debate on "Global Warming." What really gets my dander up is this notion that "scientific concensus" equals proof that such a thing actually exists.

In an article I found on Financial Times (via a link from Slashdot), Czech Republic President Vaclav Klaus openly declares his frustration with a scientific community whose primary purpose is no longer to seek truth, but is to enact global social change through not hard data, but "scientific concensus" based on woefully inadequate sources. I urge you to read his piece, as I am afraid I'll do it no justice. Suffice it to say, that I whole-heartedly agree with it, and hope someone gets the cohones to take the scientific community to task and ask for truly hard evidence, rather than near-religious faith in quite sketchy speculation based on data which they have twisted and bent to fit their own socio-political agenda; state what their political affiliation is and demand that we know what might be their motivation for such religious fervor about something that has no substantial proof.

Link: Financial Times Article by Vaclav Klaus

Great quotes

I have to thank my mother for this great set of Quotes from great minds about the "wonders" of Government....

Remember these as the elections draw nearer, and see what you're doing...

"If you don't read the newspaper, you are uninformed; if you do read the newspaper you are misinformed."
- Mark Twain


"Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress....
But then I repeat myself."
- Mark Twain


"I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle."
-Winston Churchill


"A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul."
- George Bernard Shaw


"A liberal is someone who feels a great debt to his fellow man ....which debt he proposes to pay off with your money."
- G Gordon Liddy


"Democracy must be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner."
- James Bovard, Civil Libertarian (1994)


"Foreign aid might be defined as a transfer of money from poor people in rich countries to rich people in poor countries."
- Douglas Casey, Classmate of Bill Clinton at Georgetown University


"Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys. "
- P.J. O'Rourke, Civil Libertarian


"Government is the great fiction, through which everybody endeavors to live at the expense of everybody else."
- Frederic Bastiat, French Economist (1801-1850)


"Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it s tops moving, subsidize it."
- Ronald Reagan (1986)


"I don't make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts."
- Will Rogers


"If you think health care is expensive now, wait until you see what it costs when it's free!"
- P.J. O'Rourke



"In general, the art of government consists of taking as much money as possible from one party of the citizens to give to the other."
- Voltaire (1764)


"Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn't mean politics won't take an interest in you!"
- Pericles (430 B.C.)


"No man's life, liberty, or property is safe while the legislature is in session."
- Mark Twain (1866)


"Talk is cheap...except when Congress does it."
- Unknown


"The government is like a baby's alimentary canal, with a happy appetite at one end and no responsibility at the other."
- Ronald Reagan


"The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of the blessings. The inherent blessing of socialism is the equal sharing of misery."
- Winston Churchill


"The only difference between a tax man and a taxidermist is that the taxidermist leaves the skin."
- Mark Twain


"The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools."
- Herbert Spencer, English Philosopher (1820-1903)


"There is no distinctly Native American criminal class...save Congress."
- Mark Twain


"What this country needs are more unemployed politicians."
- Edward Langley, Artist (1928 - 1995)



"A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have."
- Thomas Jefferson

Spring is in the air...

Just had my first really nice riverside walk...

And I love kissing my wife!!!!!!!

And I geek out...

Ok, so I'm really psyched about this. One of my =favorite= MUDs around is Imperian by Iron Realms. For those who don't know what a MUD is, it's an online game where many people play it together... Right up my alley, for those who *do* know me, right? Anyway, they've just announced their first MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) called Earth Eternal. And if they do this game half as good as their others, it's going to be the best one out there!

There. I'm excited!

Be back soon!

(P.S. Honey, I love you!)

Yay! My first post of 2007!

Happy New Year!

Well if you've seen my wife's recent blog post, you'll know that she is planning on running a half-marathon this year... Well, I'd like to help her in that, and the only way I know how to do that is to train right along with her...

:O

You guessed it, good ol' sedentary me is going to train for a race... What in the world has gotten into me, you ask? Many things... I'm sick of doing things the same way over and over again, knowing that nothing will change unless I start to make one. Ok, I take that back... I started praying more often after a sermon I heard on New Year's Eve Day, and I believe that's what has spurred this change in a great many things in my life... So, thank you, God, for listening... :)

Anyway, so now, what am I going to do? I guess I'll just have to walk, and do whatever else I can do so that I can do this crazy thing.... All to support the most wonderful wife a man could have. You're worth it, Angel Baby!

What an answer!

OK, how's this for an answer?

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

But, Lord, ‘tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh trump of the angel! Oh voice of the Lord!
Blessèd hope, blessèd rest of my soul!

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

What am I supposed to learn?

Today is perhaps the crappiest day I've had, apart from the day my dad died.

As I was on the way to take my daughter to school, we hit a patch of ice, and slammed, pretty hard, into the curb...

Long story short, a trip to Tires Plus gave us the damage, two bad wheel bearings, two bent wheels, and an alignment needed at the least. Almost $900 to fix it... Guess we're not driving anywhere real soon.

So we limped home, safely. No one got hurt, but...

Still, we have the night together, and we have other ways of getting where we need to go.

But in all of this, I know that God will make it work out for the best for us and our kids. I don't know how it'll happen, but I wait for it.

I can't feel my knees!

Lord, have mercy!

It'll be dropping to probably below zero degrees tonight, or maybe even below! I just walked home with the wind in my face.... BRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

The things I do to get around cheaply in this state. Half-a-mile walk in sub-zero wind chills... I'm stupid, or brave, or both... (Probably the latter!)

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My old band mate is tempting me with some recording equipment... Once I can afford to build my own PC, then maybe I can afford the recording gear...

__________________________________________________________

I'm so waiting for the "Heroes" episode I missed because apparently the cable in our condo doesn't like cold weather. Stupid coaxial cable...

__________________________________________________________

I'm home, I warm, my kids are beautiful, even when sleeping, and my wife loves me.

Life is good!


(P.S. I was so happy seeing you doing yoga when I got home. I hope you saw my smile. I'm proud that you did it on your own, under your own initiative. See, you don't need a gym to do yourself good... ;) )

I'm gonna do it!

Thank God for decent Jury Clerks!

I called her this morning, and explained why I missed my jury selection, and she was so understanding! I was so happy! My next date... well I guess I shouldn't post that here, so no biggie. But I'm not really in trouble. *YAY*

I'm getting a new schedule come March, and I thought it'd be better, and it is, but not as good as I thought. I'll be working from 10:30am t0 7:30 pm M-F! The only problem is with bussing. Even that early, I'll get home around 9pm... >:( But, if I work just a half hour of OT each day, it'll only be 20 minutes to wait for the bus... Go figure...

___________________________________

I heard something last night on a repeat of the Bob Davis show on one of the local Talk Radio stations that I like to listen to when I can. It kind of intrigued me. There was a study that people with more money were happier than people with little money. But Bob asked the question: "Is it that money buys happiness, or that happy people just draw money to them?"

That really got me intrigued. Could my outlook on life be causing me to fail constantly? Can I really put that much faith in the Biblical adage, "As a man thinks, so is he"? Could God mean that litterally?

I think I'm going to put that idea to the test. I'm going to honestly try to be thankful for everything that happens to me; to see the good in all things. I'm going to count how God has blessed me every day. I'm going to praise Him for the good in my life, and stop dwelling on the bad. I'm going to try to keep my mind on "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable...anything...excellent or praiseworthy". I'm going to see if God will bless me for this contentment. Not to test Him, because I know He's able, but to test me, and see if good things come to me.

Hey, it's worth a try...

(P.S. Thank you for being such a great mom to my kids, my darling wife! You are the reason we have such good kids, my love!)

The panic of the masses

...Why does everybody seem to think it's the end of the world when something bad happens to them, and it's really funny when something bad happens to someone else? Wouldn't the world be a better place if those things were reversed?

Think about it...

Jury Duty

...If it's so blamed important, why don't they do something to remind you, like the library does when you have a book in... A simple automated call couldn't hurt, could it?

Ok, now I'm truly a geek

Ok, I must admit that I was sort of skeptical about this blog. Who would think that good Wil Wheaton would have a blog open to just everyone? But there it was, WWDN, in all it's glory.

For those of you who don't know, Wil Wheaton was the star of Stand By Me and a was in a little TV show called Star Trek: The Next Generation as the young Wesley Crusher. Now I'll warn you, he sometimes uses a bit of coarse language, but what do you expect from an ex-to-hopefully-future-Hollywood star? But he's genuinely putting down his thoughts, and gave a wonderful review to my favorite TV show, Heroes! The man likes good TV, at least!

Anyway, if you know of the guy, you might like to check it out....


________________________________________________

And for some depressing news...

I missed Jury Duty because I was sick. That's not the depressing part, but I forgot to call to let them know I was sick!

I'm really stressing about it, because I don't want to go to jail because of Contempt of Court or anything... I honestly wanted to go, but did just about everything wrong... I don't want to go to jail, or pay a huge fine or anything... I worry...

*sigh*

I suck at life...



(P.S. My wife is the greatest! I'm so thankful because she keeps an even mind, even when I'm freaking out... Thanks, Hon!)

My late Thanksgiving list

I Thank GOD for:

My awesome mother! She's the best cook in the world, and she means more to me than I can ever say... And even if I could say something, it wouldn't be nearly enough.

Thanks for Broadband! Makes life so much easier.

Thanks for "Heroes" on Monday nights on NBC, because it's one of the only shows my wife and I have in common...

Thanks for "Doctor Who" for the same reason...

Thanks for my kids, who always manage to make me smile, even when I don't want to...

For my great job!

For the people I deal with every day, because with out them, I'd not be getting paid at all...

For Woodland Hills Church, who has directed me in the right direction for going on 4 years now...

For Ken and Dawn Kelly, for opening their home to our family...

For music, and all it can express that words cannot...

For true and honest love, without which my life would be meaningless, (and without which, I'd probably be somewhere I don't want to be.)...

For sunflower nuts!

For cold winters and unbearably hot summers to help me enjoy Spring and Fall all the more...

For hot chocolate...

For big Thanksgiving Turkeys...

And more I can't think of now...

Sorry...

maybe more to follow later....

Why doesn't "Climate Control"...

...really control the climate? Seriously, right now I'm burning up, and when I was previously sitting elsewhere, I was freezing!

«¡Feliz cumpleaños, mi princesa!»

Well, today is my daughter's 7th birthday, and she, unfortunately, couldn't spend it with her friends. She has a fever, and a bad cough, so we're making her rest, and loading her up with good things, like fluids and vitamins, and good rest to boot.

But her day started great. Her daddy (ME!!!) played my guitar and sang "Happy Birthday" to her. She then opened up her gifts, some wonderful clothes, and a brand new tea party set. We also had our first family tea party. It was great, although the little boy crashed into the tea table, and spilled milk all over himself. Oh well, we still had fun.

For more info (and probably pictures to boot) visit my wife's blog. You can find the link to it in my links section. The one that says "Kim's Blog".

But then I had to work, and on this, of all days, I wanted to stay home. But duty called, and I went to work anyway. It sucked a little more than normal, but, hey, what can you do?

Why won't fall just come?

I've been waiting for it since July 31st, and I'm sick of waiting!

I want it cold. I want to wear more clothes. I want to have to cover up in my bed to stay warm, and not have to kick off all covers because I'm sweating up a storm! I want to see the trees bare. I want to get ready for the snow to fall. I want the other end of summer!

A new "Obsession"

I have found the greatest TV show, at least in my opinion, in a long time.

And no, it's not Doctor Who, though that is one of my favorites.

It's Heroes on NBC. I'm hooked after only the first two episodes. Already a twisted, complicated plotline, obfuscated by a man who can shift time. Anyway, I'm glad to see that they replay the episodes on the website, each day after the night's episode. Since I work 1p-10p every Monday, I would usually miss it. But this way, I can watch it whenever I can!

That and the DVR, I can record it, and watch it later.

Anyway, I can't get enough of it. Check it out!!!

PB & J...

...makes the best comfort food, I think... At least when that's all you've got around. But it tasted so yummy tonight, after a long day, and far too much coffee just to stay awake at work.

Think I'll have another tomorrow...

Naw, tomorrow is turkey and cheese, with pickles!

The end of the week...

Well, it's the end of the week. YAY! was the first thing I thought of when I got done with work tonight. It's been, for some reason, an extrodinarily long week for me. Nothing bad happened. In fact, it's been about the best week I've had in a while. But the week really took it out of me.

But it's the weekend, and tomorrow is the right way to start it! I spend the whole day with my kids, out of the house, enjoying their minds. What a treat!

Ok, so it's good night for now.

God Bless y'all!

It always rains when you don't think you'll need an umbrella

That's what happened to me today. As I got off the buss on the way to work, I step off the bus, and a cold rain started falling.... I hated that...

Alright, where were we...

Ok, so I've been gone. Sorry. Too much to explain. But life... I won't say how it's going, because if I do, it'll all get messed up, even if it's bad. So I'm not going there. I don't want to jinx it.

But I do have a wife, who I love dearly, and two darling children, who constantly fill my reserve of love with theirs. I'm making a go of it, but they'll always cheer me up. I'm proud of my girl, so smart... Ah, the joys I'm having right now, despite anything else, my family is the best thing to happen to me.

Thank you, God, for my Family. They're a most wonderful blessing regardless of Life's happenings.

Amen.

I'm such a ogre when I'm tired

Ok, I admit it. I'm a real ogre when I'm tired. I expect too much and get frustrated when I don't get what I think I want. Then I somehow turn that back on those around me.

I stink when I need sleep. I say the stupidest, most petty things, and expect others to take them seriously. How did I become such a creep? I don't know, but I don't like it one bit.

So why do I have a family who loves me? God is gracious, that's all I can say. He blesses me most richly when I least deserve it.

I'm sorry. Those for whom that was meant for know who you are. But don't accept my words. I hope my actions can say I'm sorry better than words, because I'm a big talker. My words are as cheap as the air I breathe. I'd rather just shut up, not say a thing, and at least stop from making things worse...

Thank you, family, for loving your ogre...

My new *other*blog

Did any of you see that new link over ----> there?

Wait, not there, but -------> here!

Shoot....

Wait a moment...
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somewhere THERE! --------------------------------------------------->{

the one that says The Musings of the Iceberg? Well, that's a less serious blog for me. Just random thoughts. Insights. Whatever. Mothing really personal. Just more general thoughts and random ideas. It's not going to be nearly as in depth as posts here are, just questions and brief observations. Thanks!

Potty Training

Why does the first part of Potty Training feel more like the child training the parent, rather than the other way round?

A great day to be alive

Today was a good day. Not because something really great happened, (though just being with my family for any part of the day is great) but just because God continues to smile on me and my family. Didn't get much chance to pray today, but I did read God's word, and learned new things that I'd probably heard before, but forgot, about Joseph. (You know, the guy with the amazing technicolor dreamcoat?) Work wasn't overly stressful, and I made it home safe to my family once again (this time without missing my bus stop!)

This almost seems like a time of rest, but I can't take time to rest too long. If I rest beyond what I should, I get complacent, and don't do the work I know needs to be done. So God, grant me my full measure of rest before giving me the will to do the task set before me.

My wife went back to the gym today (YAY!) but didn't get a chance to stay long, because our son, still potty training, had a messy diaper, and my wife forgot to bring in the "equipment" to change him... But I know she'll go back... I think she's getting addicted (yay!).

Anyway, it's late, and we're going to see family tomorrow. So it's off to bed for little old me.

As always, keep me and my family in your thoughts and prayers!

Getting cold fast

I told everyone after the hot snap we had back in July that there'd be frost in mid-September. Most people laughed at me. Well, it's now only 63-64 degrees out, and we are going to have the next few days be below 60 for a low... Sounds like global warning to me! That frost sure seems more likely tonight thatn it did 3 weeks ago... Oh well, we'll see who's right in the end...

The mystery of God's way...

How is it that God can fulfill needs without us even asking for them? And why would He do it anyway? Ok, this is a weird one for this blog, but, hey, I figure, it's a musing, it goes here...

I couldn't be more proud...

...of my wife, that is!

What a marvel it's been to be her husband these past few days! God is speaking to her in a great many ways, and I love to see the change that He's bringing about in her.

I've often been told by her that she doesn't know how to change, but by God's own grace, she is changing even so! We may not know what we need to change, but God does. He fills in where we fail, if we let Him. And my wife is living proof! Oh, how I love to see the transformation God has begun, and will complete in His time. I'm beginning to see that it's not always what we do, or what we planto do, but by what we allow God to do in our lives that really matters when change needs to take place. A simple act of submission and surrender to Him can make all the difference.

Bless my wife with your prayers the rest of this week, and next week, if you can spare the time. (I can never do it enough myself!) Lift her up, so that she can see that God's will is beginning to show in her. You can also pray for me, that's always welcome, but I need help in putting into action what I see in my wife.

Thanks for listening!

Is this weird weather, and am I wrong?

Ok, by everything I'm seeing, what with the unseasonably cool weather we're having here, (in Minnesota) and me hearing the frost bugs way early this year, I think we're going to have the first frost this year about early- to mid-September. Do you think I'm nuts? And we're beginning to have to close up the house at night. That's just plain wrong...

A heart-warming morning

I had the great pleasure this morning of having my prayer time with my daughter. Hearing her sincere prayer and childlike faith made the whole time so much more meaningful. It reminded me of the faith that God talks about, that childlike faith. Not assuming anything, just glad to talk to Him.

Thank you, sweetheart, for teaching me what God wanted to teach me today...

Random thought...

I was just wondering if any aspiring physicists or astrophysicists could answer me this:

Could Gravity be nothing more than  the EM attraction of a larger mass upon a smaller one? 
Or maybe the attraction between opposing strong forces? 

Just a random theory I came up with last night...


Discuss...

The Weight of Glory

I was told recently, by a friend, that the word "glory" also means "weight." I believe I am beginning to feel the press, the weight of God in my life, and I'm so glad for it. I've made it two mornings in a row now waking long before my kids, and before my own wife, and praying and reading the Bible. While the reading has not spoken to me, yet, (because I fully expect God to reveal Himself to me this way at some point. I wait on Him.) The prayers are becoming a craving, a passion. Everytime I do pray, I am beginning to feel God press into me. I feel Him aching to keep talking to me. Well, more importantly me talking to Him. And I really think I see that God craves our voice as much or more than we crave to hear His. When we pray, He draws nearer, catching us in His arms, drawing us near to Him, wrapping us in His boundless love. That is the press that I'm talking about. Right now, my heart is aching because of that brief moment of coming to Him "just as I am". I've short-changed God for too long. And though I don't know when the deep meaning of His word will speak to me again; rather, when I will understand again what it's always been telling me, I know now that I will continue to hunger and thirst for God's time with me in the morning.

A spot for random thoughts.

I have another blog called "A Huge Blog of Ice". This is not the same thing. This is where I'll post my random things. Thoughts, humourous or not. I just need a place to get my mind out and see the world! So if you liked my other blog, see if you like this one. THANKS!

God is so good

Don't ask me why I titled this post this way. Suffice it to say that I'm seeing why this is the case everyday, more and more. He is always faithful!

I don't know what this day, or even this very hour will bring. I only know that God knows my name. I only know that He loves me. I only know that He is forever patient with me. I only know that He has not forgotten me, nor even given up on me. God's greatness is always seen in our pettiness. His strength found in our weakness. His love evident in His ever-enduring love and patience toward us.

God doesn't look at our past failures and use them as excuses or reasons not to love or not to bless or not to comfort us. God loves us even when we have failed Him at every turn. Or at least when we feel like we have.

"What is man that Thou art mindful of him?" I may never know the answer to that question untilI see Him face to face. Obviously more than I give "man" credit for. What are we that we deserve such a precious gift? Actually, I'm not sure that He loves us because we deserve it at all. He just does.

I may never know the answers to these questions while I'm here, on this earth. And, you know what? I'm not all that bothered by it. In fact, I don't want to know. Because in knowing, I'd lose that awe, that amazement in Him. I'm sick of leaning on my own foolish wisdom. I want to truly reflect His glory. I want to show...whoever...God's beauty. Maybe I should start that right here at home, since that's where He probably wants me to start. Yeah, maybe I'll do that...

Ok, ok, ok... I get the point

Ok, so I haven't posted here in ages. I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over me... Oh, yeah I do... That little thing called life.

It's funny how that little thing keeps popping its little head up whenever it wants to, and steals all your time. But I'm back to say that things are...well, if not looking up, at least looking level for a while. I like that feeling. Things going steady for a change. I hope that this starts a gradual slope up, which would be really good. God continues to bless me and my family even when we (ok, I) don't deserve to be. Ok, at least I don't feel like I deserve to be blessed much of the time, but of course, that's why He's God, and not me. If I was God, well, I'd have scrapped the whole thing long ago and wrote it off as a bad idea. But then again, that's why I'm glad I'm not God.

So, anyway, that's how life's been in my world. And, yes... I'll try to be a good boy and let you all know what's going on more often.


By the by, have I ever told you all how proud I am of my dear wife? She's awesome in that she has somehow found out how to change without really knowing how to change. She used to say to me, "How can I change if I don't know how to?" Well, apparently you do it by changing... What a circle, and what a concept! Just start doing something different! That's cool, and before you know it, things will have changed, too. Hopefully for the better, since the reason you changed was probably because you didn't like where you were in the first place.

Sweetheart, I love you! You inspire me on so many levels! God continue to bless us as He blesses you more!

Just when I thought life was going well

I hate it when life just takes all the wind from your sails, just when you think you're doing well. I write this, late tonight, because I can't sleep, and I just don't know what to do. I wish I had an easy solution. Those who know me know what this is probably about. Those who don't, well, I just don't want to say, because I'm sure I'll feel worse for it. If any of you believe, pray for me. My family just decided on a change in direction for life, and this happens. I know God will help us through, so I thank Him for this challenge, and pray that he gives me the wisdom, grace, patience, and courage to trust him for everything.

It's really out of my hands. But He knows best. He sees how it will turn out. He knows how it will benefit the kingdom, even if it doesn't benefit me. I don't want to take the Job point of view on this ("Though He slay me, I will hope in Him. Nevertheles I will argue my ways before Him.") I'm done arguing my ways, because I know I'm not in His will. I have nothing to argue. I trust Him simply because I know he won't slay me. I have to trust in Him, because I have really no choice.

Please pray for me. Pray that I will see God's wonder worked in my life.

Amen.

It's not mine

As I continue reading It's Not About Me, by Max Lucado, I keep realizing the truth about life. The chapter I was reading today reminded that everything that I have, that I call mine, isn't really mine. What I have, came from HIM. What is currently in my posession, is from HIS hand, given to me. Why has it been given to me? So that I can give Him all the glory for it.

Then why do I have pain? Same reason. If we are healed, it showcases HIS power. If we suffer for HIS sake, it highlights HIS sovereignty. If we show the joy of the LORD, even in our sufferings, take on HIS peace, we point to heaven and shout, "HE is LORD above all, through all, and in all!"

Looking back, I see the greatest example of this in my own life. My dad passed away four years ago, a victim of Ideopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF). You may have heard of this before, or you may have only become aware of it now that some more well known have been diagnosed with it. (Bill Bright and Jerry Lewis are the two that come to mind.) But through it all, my dad's faith remained firm. He knew he was assured of glory. He was frustrated with the disease, but never cursed God for it (as Job was asked to do by his "friends"). The thing he said that made the biggest impact to me was related to me by my mother as he left Mayo Clinic after being told the chances of his survival of the disease: "Well, you have to die from something."

Even now, writing those words, I see that GOD's peace was in my dad. He didn't argue, didn't complain. He accepted what would later prove to be correct. But he attended church each Sunday, and prayed and read GOD's word every day. He glorified GOD even unto his death. Unfortunately, I didn't realize what he was showing me until recently, looking back. It wasn't about him. He wasn't cursing GOD at his death. He never lost his faith. And heaven was rejoicing when he finaly was home with his LORD.

With that image in mind, I go out and thank GOD that I live this life for HIM, and hope that I seldom forget that.

Peace to you all.

We are like ants (sort of)

As I was walking from the bus stop to work today, I came upon a strange gathering of animals. Ants, litterally thousands of them, were congregated in a line about 10 feet long along the sidewalk. I glanced at them, smiled at this odd behaviour, thought of how many I could kill with a single step of my size 13 foot, and then walked on by. Then a thought occurred to me.
Isn't God alot like that? Or at least, couldn't he be?

He looks down at us, like ants, but, oddly enough (or perhaps not odd at all), He doesn't have those same thoughts about us. As a matter of fact, He did something completely opposite. He tried, for millenia, to show Himself to us, to tens of thousands of us at times. And when that didn't get our attention, he did something even greater, nobler, humbler... He became one of us! He didn't have to, but for His glory, He did.

At first, I thought how it would be similar for us to become one of those ants. But then I realized, it's a similar, but not even close to perfect, comparison. First of all, the differences between man and ant are infinitely smaller than between God and man. Second, man did not create the ants, but God created both ant and man. It is infinitely more impressive that a God so big that He completely astounds the senses, so infinite that most just dismiss Him as fantasy, or worse, a crutch. We are all so inclined that the universe revolves around ourselves (thank God it doesn't!) or at least that is the deep, inner thought of it all. Just imagine that the whole of everything exists for you, and that you have full control of it all as well. That's too much for my poor little brain to comprehend.

I also came into the understanding that everything I could take pride in, I have no claim to. My brain, my talents, aren't mine at all, but just on loan from God so that I can point to back to Him. They're His, not mine. They never have been mine. I can't take credit for my humour, my voice, my intellect. Without Him, I'd be goo, nothing more.

If you all are wondering where all this comes from, I'm reading a wonderful book written by Max Lucado, called It's Not About Me. And the message it has, I never thought I'd be so thirsty to hear. It takes the burden off of trying to be good, and allows me to focus on Him, and behold Him, take Him in with all my senses. Experience Him. Then I can go out and fully reflect him, like the moon does the sun. Like Moses did after he caught a glimpse of the back of God on Mount Sinai. I can then stop caring about what others think, and where the money will come from, and just get out of the way so that God can be God.

Yes, I know that sounds an awful like giving God permission, and He never needs permission. And getting in the way seems alot like we can stop His plan, which we can't. But God, even though we are really vastly unimportant in His plan, and I mean that in a good way, loves us and gives us the choice to do what He wants now, or learn out why it's not good to not do what He says later. We cannot hinder His plan, but we can put ourselves on the outside, for a while, while He teaches us by or mistakes and pain, which is ,of course, also His plan.

Right about now is where I start to get absolutely dizzy about who God really is! I cannot fathom His nature. And when I do hear it explained, rather than clarifying things, it leaves me more in awe. Finite man CANNOT fathom God. He's just too......everything to be comprehended. And the great thing is, we don't have to! We just have to know enough about Him to realize that there is no other word for Him than God.

When the Hebrew authors of the Old Testament called Him "holy", they were using the word qadosh which means "cut off" or "seperate". He is not just seperate from us, he is seperate from everything. Nothing else is like Him! He always speaks of Himself in the present tense, whether speaking to us of the past or the future. While we were, He says, "I AM." When we will be, He again says, "I AM."

Even the way Jesus spoke of himself when he tells the Sanhedrin, "Before Abraham was, I am." declares that he is not only God, but also speaks that while we may know hours, days, years, decades, centuries, millenia, and epochs, God is before them, and after them, and throughout them. There really are no days or years for Him. All times are the same! Try to even begin to imagine that!!! It's impossible!

I cannot even begin to tell all of the riches I've mined from this book here. The more I read this book, the more I'm moved to...to something I don't even have a word to describe! It's all in His word, the Bible, but I've only caught the briefest glimpse of it before! Oh, that I could go back and see it all this clearly when I was still young and bypass all the pain that my years have shown me! But even in the pain, God is showing me the greatest love! He is moulding me, forming me, shaping me, creating me into the tool He wants me to be. And not for my joy or my pleasure, but so that I can rejoice in Him and point to Him as the beginning and ending of everything!

I feel as if I could write on this for hours upon hours, but I feel I have to come back to this later. But let me leave you with this, from Paul, to comfort you if you are troubled or in pain.

In 2nd Corinthians 4:17, Paul writes of the reward of heaven, but also explains how he feels about the trials of this life. He writes that all our struggles are "...our light affliction, which is for but a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory" (NKJV). Paul had been "beaten times without number, often in danger of death." He was given the "thirty-nine lashes" by the Jews five times. He was even stoned and left for dead outside the city. In addition, he had been shipwrecked three times, and spent at least a day in the middle of the sea. And yet he called it "our light affliction, which is but for a moment!" this was the rest of his life, and it ended in his execution. That is what looking "full in His wonderful face" can do for you. This life is "but a moment" in light of the glorious eternity to be spent with Him.

I'll be back, I'm sure, to toss all of this out there. Thank you Max Lucado, for being a tool for God to reach me on the message I needed to hear the most. But then, it's not about you or me, is it?

Oh, the joys of parenthood.

Yesterday night, after bringing my kids home from a friends home, because my wife went out of town with our church group, was a lovely night. The kids slept really well. We had fun in the morning, and set out to water our garden before heading to the Children's Museum... That was before Our Dear Son had an attack of the Terrible Threes...

While at the garden, while my daughter and I were watering the plants, he decided to start watering himself. Ok, I know that sounds like nothing, but he was watering himself, not the plants. Fortunately, he didn't pull any weeds this time... Last time, he pulled up one of our bean plants. Oh, well. He's three, after all. What can I expect?

Well, after we got home, I placed him and his sister in the bath to wash off their feet and hands, only about an inch or two of water in the tub. I turn my back for a moment, and what does the boy do? Sits down in the water and starts playing, fully clothed... So, it's time for a bath. Now I still hope we can get to the Children's Museum, but with having to pick up my wife about 4:30 pm today, I don't know how long we'll have... I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

God,
Give me patience with my son. He's learning just who he is, and I have to help him as best I can. Help me to be gentle when dealing with him.

In Christ's Name,
Amen

The ever-life-sucking diversions of life....

Man, how I hate them! Phones, computers, TV. They all take away from the things that are really important in life. Like family and friends. God especially! And yet each and everyone of us fall prey to their nearly irresistable pull. But tomorrow, I'm going to try to change that.

Tomorrow is my son's birthday party, and I don't want anything to interrupt it. I'll avoid the TV and not bring any books or handheld video games. Tomorrow, it's just me and the kids, the way it should be.

Of course, tomorrow morning, I'll be back at the garden, planting what remains of this first year's crops. (The flowers were already planted, compliments to my dear wife and children.) Hoping to get in onions and garlic, as well as belle peppers and hopefully some chillis, for salsa and things. I need to make sure we pick up sets for them and also some cilantro as well... can't have good salsa without cilantro! ;)

There's just so much more to plant. This year won't be so scientific as I suppose it will be in future years. But at least we'll get our hands dirty, and enjoy what we grow! (Even Nasturtium, that lovely edible flower and leaves! Great for a very pretty salad!)

But after that, and a quick shower, it's of to my mother's house for my son's birthday. Yeah, I know tomorrow is Sunday, but I'll be celebrating the Sabbath with God in his creation. I'm sure I'll be singing praises to the LORD and praying as I garden. (Don't worry, Mom. Jesus and Paul both spent time alone and were still with God. ;) )

So, here's hoping that tomorrow is a successful day.

Oh, by the way! I have a new schedule starting tomorrow! No more weekends working!!!!

LORD

Thank you for this day. Thank you for a hope for tomorrow, that it will be better than today! Thank you for my loving wife and family. Thank you for the joy that they are in my life.

Amen

Test blog for posting pictures

This is my lovely wife. She is having a bit of trouble posting pictures on her blog. It's not that it's not working. However, it's not working the way she wants it to. SO that's the reason I'm making this post; to see if there's something that she might have been doing wrong. Well to think that there could be so much trouble in a blog would be understandable if there were an easy way to fix it.

So this is the good part. One can do what she wanted to do. The bad part is that if you want to do this, you have to directly edit the HTML itself, and that's a pain.

(Oh, by the way, the picture you see is from my favorite PS1 game, "Final Fantasy VIII".)

Ok, so back to the painful HTML editing that needs to be done. It can be done, hon. But needs effort.

So there you have it. A blog about blogging, and the trials of blogging! Wasn't that fun???

Adventures in Gardening!

Today, my family and I had our first taste of Gardening. Since we live in a Condo, we rented a community garden plot for the growing season this year. I wasn't able to do much, but we did get our areas staked out, and I planted 2 tomato plants, 8 Sugar Snap pea plants, and 9 Kentucky Blue Pole Bean plants. My wife and kids planted so much more after I left. I can't wait to see what happens in the coming weeks! Tomorrow, if I can swing it before I have to go to work, I may nip on down there to plant some more. But we'll really have to wait until Sunday to do any more planting. Wish us luck!

Educators weigh in on "Unschooling"

My wife just read to me an article from the May 22nd issue of People about the "new" tradition of "Unschooling" children. More often refered to in Homeschooling circles as "Child-driven learning," it's method is letting children learn what they're interrested in, not what some institution or parents think their children ought to learn.

In this article a homeschooling mom said this about unschooling:

"I'm just trying to get out of my kids' way, and let them learn what they love." - Ren Allen, Unschooling Mom

Their father says this:

"Our philosophy is that it doesn't matter if a kid learns to tell time when he's six or when he's ten. If he learns what he's interrested in, it will stick." - Markus Allen

And that, from my experience is crucial. I can attest to the fact that while in traditional school, if a subject just didn't interrest me, I didn't learn it well at all. When something grabbed my interrest, I learned it better than the teachers did! (Just ask my Mom!)

Another unschooling mom, who's daughter, Aidin, was taking college credit courses at Harvard at age 15, and now attends on a full scholarship, said this:

"If they're allowed to be themselves, and develop themselves, children do amazing things." - Maureen Carey

But what do educators and education professionals have to say about this?

Frederick Hess, Director of Education Policy Studies at the American Enterprise Institute:

"It's true that schools are immensely boring for some kids. But for disadvantaged kids, or those who don't have a stable family or community support to help them master basic skills, unschooling can be a recipe for anarchy."

Ok, so he's got a point. But the fact is, most homeschooling parents don't educate their kids because they're poor, and those who have "disadvantaged" kids find alternatives for "traditional" homeschooling, and find them the help they need in other ways.

People magazine's own staff writers said this:

"There have been no studies on unschooling's long term effectiveness and whether it works for kids who are less gifted or motivated than Aiden (Carey) is what worries educators."

My problem with this statement is this; what about homeschooling doesn't worry educators? If more people homeschool their kids, they'll be out of a job. So finding problems with it would be a really good thing for them, wouldn't it? I know, and have read about, several homeschooling families and their kids. And my unscientific research shows me that these kids are far better at handling academics than their traditionally schooled counterparts.

Now, I may no longer be the best person to talk about this, (my daughter will be attending public school this year, but that's due to the great opportunity as it is a Spanish Immersion magnet school, where she'll be bathed in Spanish, and be better for it) but we have homeschooled our daughter for her kindergarten year, and she has done just wonderful! She's learning maths and reading quite well, and does a great job (when not under pressure to read aloud to us ;) ).

Fact is, if push comes to shove and we don't like where things are going, we'll take her out again just as quickly, regardless how great an opportunity this is. We want her to have the best education, and if she starts struggling, or falling to the horrid effects that we have seen growing recently in public schools, she comes home to finish her education. End of story.

"We're just extending the same freedom to our children that we have as adults. To learn what we want and when." - Ren Allen, Unschooling Mom

And we agree as well.

"The lunatic is in my head."

If any of you know any Pink Floyd, you know the song the title comes from. Well, today is a full moon, and you could have guessed it.

In my job, I get calls from all kinds of people, but today, I had more people who were nuts, looney, daft, potty, or just plain crazy calling me. It really made me a believer in the whole "lunatic theory." I can't remember a day when I had more unreasonable people calling me. I had a headache beginning in my toes, and finally made it to my head about 20 minutes ago.

Oh, well. At least I go home soon. I can't wait to see my family... Ok, they'll be sleeping (hopefully) but I can see them. And tomorrow is the last Sunday that I have to work on Sunday! (YIPEE!) It's Mother's Day, too. I just hope I get it right this year.

Anyway, here's hoping that tomorrow is far better than today.

God,
Don't grant me patience. Rather, help me deal with my impatience. I need you, and I see that more and more. It should be obvious by now, but I always forget. Help me to never forget just how much I need you.

In Christ's Name,
Amen

My amazing wife

Ok, I have the endorsement of my wife on this one.

I'm so amazed on the progress that Kim's made recently. She says the same about me, but I don't see it. But maybe that's the thing about growth; the one doing the growing seldom ever sees it.

But for Kim, I mean, for the longest time, she made sure I always slept closest to the door, just in case someone broke in, I'd be that buffer for her. But the other night, she fell asleep there, no problem! I was amazed, but didn't tell her until later. Mind you, I was really tired, and I don't think I was really that capable of rational thought.

Anyway, She says that I've grown so much, and I'm so much different that I used to be. I honestly can't see it, but since she's a better mirror of me than I am, I think I'll take her word for it.

God, Thank you for the love you've seen fit to give me in Kim. She is a blessing, a lesson, and a partner in everything.

Amen!

What a difference a day (or two) makes

Man! I love exercising, now! My wife and I have been attending a class called BodyFlow© at our local YMCA's, and let me tell you, my abs have never hurt so good!

It's a class combining yoga, tai chi, and mat pilates. The only objection I can even come up with in the class, is the slight,very slight use of relaxation and meditation techniques from yoga. (The word namuste makes me cringe, but that's usually said at the end of the class, and I ignore it as best I can.) During the relaxation time, instead of "finding my center" and stuff like that, I just begin reciting "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want..." What better thing to meditate on than that?

The biggest thing about it, I thought it would be an "easy" class, as Tai Chi and Yoga are slow, controlled disciplines. Yes, but that's where the work comes in...

Try doing the "crocodile pose": Similar to a push up, but with elbows at your sides, and your body in the lowered position. Hold it there for about 10-15 seconds. "Flow" into "upward dog": Lift your chest and torso off the ground, but don't let your upper legs touch the ground, only hands and feet touching the ground. Hold it for 10-15 seconds. Then "flow" into the "downward dog" position: without letting your body touch the ground, lift your butt up in the air, feet and hands on the ground, straight back and legs. Hold this for about 10-15 seconds. Then flow to the "bear position": Bend your legs at the knees, don't let them touch the ground, and shift your weight forward over your hands. You guessed it. Hold for 10-15 seconds. Repeat the whole cycle 3-4 times. I'll admit, I'm sweating at this point, and this is only about 1/4th of the whole program.

It's really relaxing, but it's also a great form of exercise! At another local Y, they're giving a 7 week class on Tai Chi, which I really want to try!

I'll try to update you all on my progress as the days go by. Get out and excercise!You're body'll thank you.